January 6, 2012

WILLIAMSPORT – For the second time this week police in Lycoming County are looking for a man who attempted to abduct a child. The most recent incident happened just after seven yesterday morning in front of the Loyalsock Middle/High School located in the 1800 block of Loyalsock Drive, in Loyalsock Township. Police say a white man in his 30’s driving a white four-door Ford Explorer with tinted windows got out of his vehicle and tried to lure the child into his vehicle. Police say the man drove off when the child started to dial 9-1-1 on a cell phone. The man is described as having a thin build, curly brown hair and a scruffy beard, with a deep voice. Police say the latest child abduction attempt is the second for this week after a young boy reported a man tried to grab him and pull him into a truck Tuesday morning along Route 654 in Limestone Township. The boy was able to escape his abductor. Anyone with information on either incident is asked to call the State Police, Montoursville.
Jim Diehl (WGRC)

MIFFLINVILLE – Fire crews in Columbia County battled a blaze at an abandoned building overnight in Mifflinville. The fire was reported around 12:45 a.m. at Market and Third Streets in Mifflinville at the old Geovino’s restaurant which has been vacant for over 20 years. Mifflinville Fire Chief Dave Mausteller says the two-story 50 by 75 foot building was used as a storage unit and there were renovation going on inside to turn the building into apartments. When crews arrived on the scene heavy flames were shooting through the roof of the structure and crews remained on the scene until just before four this morning. Mausteller says there were no injuries while fighting the fire and a state police fire marshal has been called in to investigate the blaze. The building is a total loss.
Jim Diehl (WGRC)

WILLIAMSPORT - More than half a dozen fire companies responded to a two-alarm house fire that was reported around 11:30 Thursday morning in Lycoming Township and left one man temporarily homeless. The Sun Gazette reports, Gary Rogers, were not at his Oak Street home when firefighters arrived on the scene. Hepburn Township Fire Chief Jeff Tempesco says the blaze originated in the area of a partition around the chimney, which was attached to a coal stove, and quickly spread into the walls and roof areas of the home's second floor. The structure was heavily damaged on the second-floor and some damage to the first floor. Rogers' pet cat was inside the home and was rescued by firefighters and was taken to a veterinary clinic for treatment. The cause of the fire still is under investigation.
(WGRC)

TREVORTON – Police in Northumberland County are looking for two men involved in a smash-and-grab burglary early this morning. Police say just after two a.m. they were called to the Sunoco at 103, Route 225, near Trevorton. Police say two men threw a rock smashing the front glass door to the Sunoco station and then entered the building with trash bags. An alarm went off and the two ran out of the building to a car parked across from the service station and took off North on Route 225.
Jim Diehl (WGRC)

MILTON – A Milton area woman scared would be burglars away early this morning, now police are looking for the would-be bandits. That happened around 3:30 this morning at the home along Fonda Road in Milton. Police say the bandit broke a garage door window to get inside and then tried to get into the 60-year-old woman’s first floor bedroom. The woman was awakened by the intruder and yelled at the suspect who ran from the home.
Jim Diehl (WGRC)

MOUNT UNION - A body suspected to be the remains of a 20-year-old who fell from a Mount Union bridge on New Year's Day was found Thursday evening in the Juniata River about one mile downstream. Newton Wayne Fire Company Chief Chad Scott says the body is thought to be that of Julius Rogers, of Mount Union, for whom firefighters had been searching since he was reported missing after falling from the Neu Bridge around 2 a.m. on January 1, beginning an exhaustive daily search of the area. The body was found around eight last night downstream from the bridge along the U.S. 522 bypass along the Mifflin-Huntingdon county line. The Sentinel reports, the body has yet to be positively identified and has been transported to J.C. Blair Memorial Hospital in Huntingdon for identification and an autopsy.
(WGRC)

BELL BEND — An 84-year-old widow, died Wednesday within two hours of her car being struck head-on by a suspected drunken driver on Route 11 here near Berwick.  Police now plan to close a portion of the highway near Bell Bend Road for most of today starting at 9 a.m. for an accident reconstruction. Rachel Wolfe’s car was struck head-on Wednesday by a pick-up truck operated by 50-year-old Theodore Luciw who police say had been arrested numerous time for DUI. Police say Wolfe was attempting to make a left turn onto Bell Bend Road  when she was hit head-on by Luciw. The Press Enterprise reports, Luciw was taken to Berwick Hospital Center for minor injuries and blood alcohol tests.
(WGRC)

MIFFLINTOWN – A 31-year-old Mifflintown man was taken to the hospital following a crash yesterday afternoon. The crash happened around 2:30 p.m. on Zent Hollow Road just outside Mifflintown. Police say Douglas Foose suffered moderate injuries when his SUV drifted off the roadway and went up an embankment hitting a tree. He was initially taken to Lewistown Hospital by a family member, and then transferred to Hershey Medical Center for further treatment.
Jim Diehl (WGRC)

MIFFLINTOWN – A head-on collision in Juniata County Thursday morning sends two women to the hospital. The crash happened just after ten a.m. on Cedar Grove Road near Mifflintown. Police say 50-year-old Tambra Zimmerman of Thompsontown and 52-year-old Regina Reinford of Mifflintown suffered moderate injuries in the crash and both were taken to Lewistown Hospital.
Jim Diehl (WGRC)

PORT CARBON – In Schuylkill County, a Palo Alto woman arrested for allegedly running over an elderly woman who was walking near a Saint Clair bar December 12th, had charges against her held to court during a preliminary hearing Thursday. District Judge David Plachko, held charges to Schuylkill County Court against 62-year-old Joan Trayah. Trayah was allowed to remain free on the $50,000 bail.  Saint Clair police charged Trayah with causing serious injuries to 75-year-old Ho Ching Lan, of Saint Clair, after running over the woman about 5:30 p.m. at the entrance to the parking lot of The Buckhorn Cafe.
(WGRC)

DANVILLE — A 22-year-old woman was sentenced to nine months to two years in prison Thursday for failing to properly supervise a toddler who wound up with a broken leg and extensive bruising. The Press Enterprise reports, Amanda Ashelman, formerly of Berwick, was sentenced by President Judge Thomas James in Danville Thursday for the incident at a home in northern Montour County involving her boyfriend's 2-year-old daughter.
(WGRC)

DANVILLE — Convicted murderer Westley Wise might have to pay over $16,000 for cleanup at the apartment where he stabbed girlfriend Jessica Frederick to death. Last month, Wise was sentenced to 15 to 32 years in state prison for third-degree murder. But that sentence did not include any restitution. Columbia/Montour President Judge Thomas James ordered a restitution hearing to be scheduled in the next few weeks.
(WGRC)

BELLEFONTE — A State College man was given county jail time Thursday for stealing money from the elderly man for whom he provided in-home health care. The Centre Daily Times reports, 49-year-old Robert Galbraith, received a sentence from Judge Pamela Ruest of nine to 23 1/ 2 months in jail on counts of theft by unlawful taking and access device fraud. Police said Galbraith stole $50,000 from his patient’s checking account over four years, making ATM withdrawals and using money in the account to pay bills and purchase gas, food, jewelry and even growth hormone.
(WGRC)

LEWISBURG—Evangelical Community Hospital has launched a new website aimed at making access to top-quality healthcare even easier. Officials say the easy-to-use site helps patients find the right physician, learn about healthcare programs, and sign up for newsletters, classes, and special events. Other features include the ability to request prescription renewals and appointments, access to important health forms, and answers on everything from finances to baby photos. The convenient new website can be found at www.evanhospital.com.
John Fellon (WGRC)

BLOOMSBURG - A public meeting to update the community on AGAPE’s flood relief efforts will be held on January 9th, 2012 at 6:30 pm in the Bloomsburg Christian Church located at 107 Deussen Drive just off Route 11 in between Bloomsburg and Danville. Information will be available on what has been accomplished as well as what is being planned for the coming year. Additional information will be available on other efforts and resources available to benefit flood victims, including income tax related benefits. Everyone is welcome to attend.
(WGRC)

WILLIAMSPORT - Lycoming County's progress toward developing a nutrient credit trading program now can be measured in dollars and cents. On Thursday, county and state officials met at the Lysock View Complex in Loyalsock Township to celebrate the presentation of more than $41,000 to nine county farmers who generated credits through the implementation of pollution-reducing conservation practices. The Sun Gazette reports, the credits were sold in 2010 and 2011 during an auction supervised by the Pennsylvania Infrastructure Investment Authority. Credits can be bought by sewage treatment plants, developers and other pollution generators in order to comply with state and federal pollution regulations associated with the Chesapeake Bay cleanup initiative.
(WGRC)

HARRISBURG – The unofficial opening of the 2012 Pennsylvania Farm Show got underway yesterday at the Farm Show complex in Harrisburg with the unveiling of the 1,000-pound butter sculpture. The sculpture depicting a young 4-H member showing his prized calf at a county fair pays tribute to the 100th anniversaries of the Pennsylvania 4-H and Pennsylvania State Association of County Fairs. The official start to the 96 Annual Pennsylvania Farm Show is tomorrow in Harrisburg.
Jim Diehl (WGRC)

HARRISBURG — At least two challenges of Pennsylvania's new legislative redistricting plan are in the works. The Associated Press reports, the state Senate Democrats and a Chester County coalition that includes the county Democratic Party said they plan to file petitions with the Pennsylvania Supreme Court by early next week. Wednesday is the deadline for filing appeals. The state's high court, which has the final say on the new district maps for the 203-seat House of Representatives and the 50-seat Senate, has scheduled a January 23rd hearing in Harrisburg to consider arguments on appeals. Backers say they plan to argue that communities were needlessly split into separate districts and that politics played too large a role in the process. The Legislative Reapportionment Commission voted 4-1 last month and approved a House map that carried bipartisan support and the GOP map for the Senate. Democrats say the redistricting gives Republicans more favor.
(WGRC)