BACKYARD BROADCASTING LOCAL NEWS AUGUST 2, 2019

NEW COUNCIL MEMBER SELECTED
In a 5-1 vote last night, Gerry Fausnaught was selected over James Gardner to fill a vacant seat on the Williamsport City Council.  Fausnaught was a former city council woman and impressed current members on the council according to the Williamsport Sun Gazette.  For the next few months, she will sit in on the council meetings addressing final year projects and budget plans.  City Council members asked Gardner to serve in other capacities while he finishes a masters degree.

MUNCY MAN ARRESTED FOR CHOKING WOMAN, THREATENING KIDS
A Muncy man was charged with felony strangulation corruption of minors, assault and other charges after state police say he attempted to choke a woman and threaten the children with a gun.  NorthCentral PA dot com reports that 32 year old Wesley Brown initiated a domestic dispute around 3am July 26th in Montoursville.   After the alleged assault, the woman was able to get out of the home with 5 children, left the area and called police.  Brown was arrested at the home on Odell Road.

The Mifflin County man who was thrown from a motorcycle last week west of 18th Street in Selinsgrove has been upgraded to fair condition according to Geisinger medical center officials.  WKOK reports that 56-year-old Christopher Gardner of Burnham went off of Route 522 last week to avoid a collsion with Jeremy Cooper of Shamokin Dam who turned left in front of him in a Toyota truck.  Cooper was cited for a left turn violation.

TUBING GROUP LOST LEAVING PINE CREEK
A group of people who were tubing along Penn’s Creek got lost and had to be rescued while walking back in the dark.  WKOK reports that volunteer fire crews were called out last night to locate the group in Centre township, Snyder county.  Volunteers from Mifflinburg, West End and Beaver Springs fire companies were called out about 10pm and all involved were located by 2am this morning.

PENN COLLEGE CYBER SECURITY PROGRAM EXTENDED
The National Science Foundation recently extended a grant to support the cybersecurity program at Pennsylvania College of Technology for an additional year. Officials from Penn College say the grant helps information technology faculty and high school students interact together to build a high tech workforce in the future.  The grant’s extension opens the program to any high school junior or senior in Lycoming County. High school teachers are also eligible to take the class and become qualified to teach it as part of the college’s nationally accredited dual-enrollment program.

NEWBERRY COMMUNITY WANTS THE TREES BACK
Members of the Newberry Community spoke to city council last night requesting that trees be replanted before the milling and repaving takes place along West Fourth Street.  Citing an area of the community where 51 trees were removed prepping for the upgrades, the Newberry Community Partnership collected hundreds of signatures on a petition supporting that trees be re-incorporated into the design before reconstruction.  The Council backed the partnership’s bid to convince the state Department of Transportation to not leave that section of Newberry treeless.

REGIONAL AGENCY NEEDS NEW DIRECTOR
An 11-county central Pennsylvania community and economic development agency is looking for a new executive director.  Bill Seigel, who has held the position since September 2017, has announced he will retire next March from the SEDA-Council of Governments which includes Lycoming County. A replacement for Seigel is hoped be in place by January. Those interested in applying for the position must submit a formal letter of interest to the SEDA Council of Governments Human Resources department.  One of SEDA’s current efforts is the development of high-speed Internet in rural areas of the Susquehanna Valley.

DECENT NASCAR SHOWING FOR SUNBURY DIRT TRACK STAR
Sunbury Dirt track champ Mark Smith finished in 15th place in his NASCAR Gander Outdoor Truck Series debut at the famed Eldora Speedway in Ohio Thursday night. Smith drove the No. 38 Chevy Silverado for Jordan Anderson Racing and Niece Motorsports. Smith has over 200 career open wheel wins and is a two-time 360 sprint car champion at Selinsgrove Speedway.  Stewart Friesend was the race winner at Eldora.

FUNDING REQUEST FOR NORTHUMBERLAND COMMUNITY COLLEGE A new community college in Northumberland County, opening in September, offered Lycoming county residents in-county tuition costs and other fees waived if Lycoming County Commissioners agree to support the college with a 100 thousand dollar contribution.  The Sun Gazette reports that Bob Garret, President of the Greater Susquehanna Valley Chamber of Commerce said Luzerne County Community College in Watsontown can offer a cheaper alternative than some surrounding schools for non-traditional students to earn a post-secondary education. LCCC will also offer local high school students a way to earn college credit – that is ultimately transferable.

Sports

Major League Baseball
Twins beat the Marlins 5-4, Phillies over the Giants 10-2, Met blanked the White Sox 4-nothing, A’s over the Brewers 5-3, Blue Jays stomped the Orioles 11-2, Astros over the Indians 7-1, Rays bumped the Red Sox 9-4, Cardinals blanked the Cubs 8-nothing, Braves over the Reds 4-1, Dodgers beat the Padres 8-2

NY Penn League
Crosscutters finished their 3-day roadtrip beating the Tigers 2-1 in Connecticut.

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