August 17, 2011

MINERSVILLE - It was announced that Wegmans Supermarkets plans to double the size of its distribution center in Cass Township, Schuylkill County.  Wegmans will add 500,000 square-feet of space to its existing 415,000 square-foot retail service center. This means there will be more than 200 new jobs created within the next three years.  The company said it will invest $65 million for the expansion project. The company also plans to make significant capital investments in equipment and employee training.
(WNEP)

AVIS - A boy had to jump from a second floor window to escape a fire at his apartment house this morning in Clinton County. Fire broke out around 2:30am at the structure on West Central Avenue in Avis. Crews from Clinton and Lycoming Counties rushed to the scene. The nine-year-old boy had to jump from a second floor window to safety into his father’s arms. Seventeen people were left homeless. No one was seriously hurt. A damage estimate has not been released and the cause of that fire is under investigation.
Jim Deihl (WGRC)

BERWICK - Berwick firemen were called out this morning to battle a garage fire in the 500 block of West Second Street. Emergency dispatchers say the fire was reported just before four this morning. Reports from the scene indicate there was heavy smoke coming from the structure. No word yet as to what started that garage fire in the 500 block of West 2nd street in Berwick.
(WGRC)

BELLEFONTE – A Bellefonte man suffered what police called moderate injuries in a crash last night in Centre County. The crash happened just before nine p.m. on Zionback Road in Walker Township. Troopers say 21-year-old Bruce Stimer-Poorman lost control of his car on a curve, went over an embankment, through a yard before hitting a utility pole. Police believe drugs and alcohol to have played a part in the crash as they continue to investigate.
Jim Diehl (WGRC)

COAL TOWNSHIP - A Shamokin man who flipped the SUV he was driving Monday night - after which a passenger was flown to Geisinger Medical Center in Danville, is suspected of driving under the influence of a controlled substance. Coal Township Police say charges are pending against 22-year-old John Yadlosky. Police are awaiting blood tests before filing those charges. Yadlosky also faces charges of driving without a license and other traffic violations. Police tell the News Item, Yadlosky was driving north on Route 61 toward Elysburg just before ten p.m. Monday when the vehicle hydroplaned, flipped over an embankment and came to rest on its side against a tree near the Glen Burn culm bank between the Cameron Bridge and Shamokin Area Community Hospital. Seventeen-year-old Kassandra Ortiz, of Shamokin, was injured in the crash, and flown to Geisinger where she remains in fair condition. Three other passengers in the vehicle suffered minor injuries.
Jim Diehl (WGRC)

MCALLISTERVILLE – A Lancaster man is facing six felony theft related charges in Juniata County. Police say 24-year-old Tyree Williams is accused of attending a party at a home on Main Street in McAllisterville on July 31st while the home owner 46-year-old Randy Treaster was away. Troopers say Williams broke into a safe in the bedroom of the home and stole a watch and ring valued at around $350 dollars and over $2500 in cash and coins.
Jim Diehl (WGRC)

BERWICK — A Berwick man held a shotgun to his wife's head Sunday night,at a home on East Fifth Street,  loaded a shell into the chamber and threatened to kill her. Police filed charges of aggravated assault, terroristic threats and related counts against 27-year-old Anthony Kalapach Jr. Police say the couple’s six-year-old child was in their presence when Kalapach threatened his wife around 7:30 p.m. The Press Enterprise reports, he was taken into custody on a warrant and jailed in the Columbia County Prison.
Jim Diehl (WGRC)

NEWPORT – Police in Perry County are looking for the vandals that damaged property at a church in Newport. Police say someone drove over the soccer fields at the Newport Assembly of God Church, damaging the grass on the fields. They also damaged a sign with a blunt object. Anyone with information on who might be responsible for the damage at the church along Shortcut Road in Newport, is asked to call state police.
Jim Diehl (WGRC)

JERSEY SHORE – In Lycoming County a Cogan Station area man was jailed on a fugitive from justice charge, out of Ohio. The Sun Gazette reports, 26-year-old Nolan Proctor is wanted by the Union County Sheriff's Department in Maryville, Ohio, for drug charges. He was taken into custody by Old Lycoming Township and jailed in the Lycoming County Prison on $50,000 bail.
(WGRC)

MOUNT CARMEL - A 20-year-old Mount Carmel man has been charged with corruption of minors for allegedly allowing three underage passengers to use marijuana in his vehicle on May 28th. The News Item reports, Keith Kisela, is facing those charges. He remains free on bail awaiting court action.
(WGRC)

POTTSVILLE - Charges against a former Schuylkill County Prison guard accused of taking part in an inmate assault in April were re-filed Tuesday by Pottsville police. The Republican Herald reports, 28-year-old James Preneta, of Shenandoah, is charged with simple assault and harassment. Police withdrew charges July 22 when they were unable to attend Preneta's previously scheduled preliminary hearing due to a family emergency, of the arresting officer. Two other former guards, 56-year-old John Yeager,  and 37-year-old Michael Galavage, both of Pottsville, were found guilty by District Judge James Reiley on a charge of harassment last month for their role in the alleged assault and were ordered to pay court costs and fines. All three guards were fired May 4th for the alleged beating of 23-year-old Brandon Moyer, of Pottsville, while he was incarcerated at the county prison.
Jim Diehl (WGRC)

SUNBURY – About 30 gallons of diesel fuel spilled from a construction vehicle along Susqueahanna Avenue Tuesday morning in Sunbury, shutting down most of the street and prompting a major cleanup effort. Susquehanna Avenue, from Adam to Reagan streets, remained closed while the state Department of Environmental Resources inspected the scene. Sunbury police tell the Daily Item a fuel cap on a vehicle owned by Fulkroad&Sons of McAlisterville, was not properly secured and the fuel poured onto the road as the vehicle pulled away. The truck was part of a crew doing roadwork on Front Street. Susquehanna Avenue was closed from around nine a.m. till two p.m. Tuesday for the clean-up of that fuel spill. A brief rain shower slowed clean-up efforts.
Jim Diehl (WGRC)

HARRISBURG - In return for their testimony against other co-defendants, three of ten people who have been implicated in a political corruption trial involving state government have reportedly decided to plead guilty. Samuel Stokes who was a state house employee and brother-in-law of former house speaker and co-defendant John Perzel, as well as former Perzel campaign aide Don McClintock are expected to plead today. Amongst the others who have been charged in the case is former State House member from Lycoming County Brett Feese.   
(WGRC)

WILLIAMSPORT – Williamsport City Council gave a "green light" to a compressed natural gas fueling station at the River Valley Transit headquarters on West Third Street. The vote was unanimous toward the conditional use permit needed for the compressed natural gas fuel island. William Nichols, general manager of River Valley Transit, tells the Sun Gazette he anticipates $400,000 in annual savings once the fleet of buses and support vehicles are converted to run on natural gas. He says it would be the catalyst needed to spur on private and public business and a source of fuel abundantly available within the region's Marcellus Shale industry. The fueling island will provide gas for fleet vehicles from municipalities, industries and schools, with eventual hopes to provide public access for people buying cars and trucks that run on compressed natural gas. The hope is to have the pumps ready for use by May.
Jim Diehl (WGRC)

WILLIAMSPORT - The city of Williamsport is stepping up efforts to make sure homes and apartments in the city are safe and livable. The city Codes Enforcement Department claims it will be stepping up enforcement actions and inspections of rental and owner-occupied properties in every neighborhood. The Sun Gazette reports, the uptick in enforcement was discussed Tuesday by the city's blighted property review committee. The objective of the operation is aimed at making sure there are no major public health and safety risks to the building occupants or nearby residents in the city. It also is meant to ensure the values of adjacent properties aren't devalued by blighted properties.
Jim Diehl (WGRC)

MIFFLINBURG – The Buffalo Crossroads Elementary School was let-got last night as Mifflinburg Area School District officials voted to close the school. The School, located between Route 192 and Route 45 just south of the village of Buffalo Crossroads, is the second Elementary School to be closed by the District. Laurelton Elementary was voted to be closed earlier this year. The Buffalo Crossroads Elementary will be closed following the 2011-2012 school year. The School Board is also considering closing the New Berlin Elementary School, but a parents group wants to keep it open. The Daily Item reports, more discussions on that school will continue with the Board wanting to make a final decision by its October 11th meeting.
(WGRC)

POTTSVILLE - The City of Pottsville this week approved Gillingham Charter School's plans to renovate a 116-year-old school building in the city. Gillingham spent nearly $1,800 to purchase a city building permit Monday to renovate the interior of 915 Howard Avenue, a property owned by the Roman Catholic Diocese of Allentown. The Republican Herald reports, renovation costs are estimated at $175,000. The school is estimated to have 200 students. Gillingham, is the first charter school in Schuylkill County. It will open September 6th at a temporary location, the former St. Stephen Regional Elementary School, in Port Carbon until the Pottsville facility is ready.
(WGRC)

WILLIAMSPORT - Pennsylvania College of Technology Tuesday formally dedicated a new home on its main campus for masonry instruction. The nearly 18,000-square-foot, single-story Construction Masonry Building, features a large, open lab area and reflects the latest in "green" technologies. Hands-on skills in stone, brick and block masonry, as well as fireplace construction, will be practiced by students in the new lab. During the dedication for the $2 million building, Penn College President Davie Jane Gilmour and Board of Directors Chairman Robert Dunham finished off placement of a keystone containing the names of the college and the facility, as well as the college's wildcat logo. The college's School of Construction and Design Technologies offers an associate degree in building construction technology: masonry emphasis. Graduates of the major may complete a bachelor's degree in residential construction technology and management.
(WGRC)

STATE COLLEGE – A word of caution to anyone planning travel in the State College area this Friday and Saturday as they are being designated as Penn State Student Return Days. The State College Police Department cautions that one eastbound travel lane on the 600 block of East College Avenue will be closed each day between 8:00 AM and 5:00 PM to allow returning students to use the lane to unload vehicles. Some minor traffic delays are expected on East College Avenue between South Garner Street and University Drive due to the influx of vehicles entering State College and Penn State University.
(WGRC)

ROCK SPRINGS - Congressman Glenn Thompson, and Congressman Tim Holden plan to hold a Barnyard Discussion and Q&A Session on agriculture and conservation today at Penn State’s Ag Progress Days. Farming families and all individuals of the Pennsylvania agriculture community are encouraged to attend and participate in the discussion. The meeting will be held from 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. at the Russell Larson Agricultural Research Center in Rock Springs. Thompson is the Chairman of the House Agriculture Subcommittee on Conservation, Energy, and Forestry while Congressman Tim Holden, is a ranking member of the House Agriculture Subcommittee on Conservation, Energy, and Forestry.
(WGRC)

POTTSVILLE - A federal program created to encourage lending to small business is being used in Schuylkill County. The United States treasury has bought $3.5 million worth of stock in Phoenix Bancorp the parent company of Miners Bank. The funds were allocated through the Small Business Lending Fund as a result of the Small Businesses Jobs Creation Act of 2010. George Groves, president and chief executive officer of Miners Bank, and Vince Land, chairman of the board of Phoenix Bancorp and Miners Bank, accepted a ceremonial check Tuesday at the Rockwood Center, in North Manheim Township, by U.S. Representative Tim Holden. Holden says making such loans available to locally owned businesses would enhance job creation. Established in 1935, the Miners Bank has four banking locations. Its main office is along Route 901 and in Gordon, Frackville and Tremont.
(WGRC)

WILLIAMSPORT - The 2011 Little League Grand Slam Parade is scheduled to start at 6 p.m. tonight in Williamsport. The parade has become a pre-cursor to the Little League Games which start Thursday.  The first Little League game begins at 1 p.m. Thursday between Asia-Pacific and Mexico. The Keystone Little League team from Clinton County is scheduled to play its first game Friday night at 8 p.m. at Lamade Stadium.
Jim Diehl (WGRC)