BACKYARD BROADCASTING LOCAL NEWS JULY 10, 2024

MONTOURSVILLE FIRE DISPLACES FAMILY

Montoursville, Loyalsock Township and Jersey Shore firefighters responded to a house fire Tuesday morning that has left a family and their pets displaced.  According to the Sun Gazette, a fire in the basement of the home at 1200 Fairview Drive in Montoursville tripped an alarm that called 911 just after 7am, and brought first responders to the scene.  Firefighters rescued two cats that had been caught in a second floor bedroom, and had the blaze which was confined to the basement under control in about 15 minutes.  Officials say the home was insured and will require professional cleaning before the family can return.  No one was injured, and state police are investigating the cause of the fire.

MOTORCYCLE ACCIDENT IN MUNCY CREEK TOWNSHIP

Police are investigating a double motorcycle crash that happened in Muncy Creek Township Sunday at about 8:30pm.  According to the Sun Gazette, two bikers riding together, 44 year old Nathan Beitz and 50 year old Keith Thomas, both crashed and their motorcycles and were thrown into a roadside ditch at East Lime Bluff and Chippewa roads.  Both men were injured and transported to UPMC Williamsport by ambulance.  Both bikes were towed from the scene. 

880 MILLION DOLLAR EXPANSION COMING TO GEISINGER DANVILLE

A major expansion of Geisinger Medical Center’s Danville campus is on the way with an 880 million dollar investment to bring about modern spaces and tools to meet the region’s current and future healthcare needs.  According to a press release there will be an expanded main entrance area and a new 11-story tower with a larger emergency room capable of serving up to 60 patients.  The hospital plans to transition to a 100% private-room facility, as well,  allowing a more comforting and modern healing environment.  The project also proposes a multi-level parking garage near the front of the hospital that will connect to the facility with an enclosed sky bridge.  The project is set to get underway in 2025.

NEW LICENSE PLATE DESIGN FOR PA

New designs for license plates and welcome signs have been created and were announced recently by PA Governor Josh Shapiro as we get ready to commemorate the commonwealth’s 250th birthday in 2026.  According to the press release, the design of the license plate include a white background with a Liberty bell design and the words “Let Freedom Ring”.  The Governor’s office said all existing standard issue license plate inventory will be used before transitioning to the new plate design.  In addition, there are 8 new welcome signs installed already in PA with 1 placed at the state line in Tioga County at Route 1015, and 29 more to be erected in the next few months.

MUNCY CREEK TOWNSHIP MAN CHARGED WITH ARSON

A man from Muncy Creek Township is facing arson charges after police determined a fire in his basement bedroom was intentionally set Saturday. According to the Sun Gazette, 31 year old Tyler Newman who lived with mother at a home on Musser Lane, was away from the home about 3am Saturday when his mother discovered the fire and called 911.  Police say following the determination that the fire was caused by suspicious circumstances, Newman returned home and was questioned about his whereabouts.  After allegedly providing contradictory statements, he was taken into custody and charged with two felony counts each of aggravated arson and arson endangering the lives of others plus one felony count each of reckless burning, and causing or risking a catastrophe and more.  He is in custody under 100 thousand dollars bail.

CAR SALESMAN CHARGED FOR NOT COMPLETING STATE PAPERWORK

A Bloomsburg Car salesman is being charged with theft after he sold over 100 thousand dollars worth of inventory but never turned in completed paperwork to PennDOT.  According to North Central PA dot com, a customer said  they contacted authorities after 62 year old Bradley A. Breisch didn’t turn over the titles for paid-in-full vehicles.  Police audited the records at the Columbia Blvd business, and found 10 vehicle sales and no paper work completed.  IN addition to a tampering with public records charge, Breisch is being charged with 10 counts of theft by deception and unprofessional conduct.

NEW LOCATION FOR LYCO COMMISSIONERS MEETING

The Lycoming County Commissioners will hold their first public meeting this week in their new location on the third floor of the Third Street Plaza, located at 33 West Third Street.  According to the commissioners there will be a ribbon cutting after the meeting at 11:30am Thursday to allow the public to get familiar with the new space.  The sale of the former meeting location, offices at the Executive Plaza building on Pine Street was approved for sale in 2023 to Horizon Federal Credit Union.  The Third Street location houses the commissioner’s public meeting room and offices, the treasurer’s office, Office of Voter Services, Veterans Affairs, and for now, the coroner’s office until renovations are complete at the new facility on Wahoo Drive.

VIGIL FOR TEEN PILOT WHO DIED JULY 4TH

There will be a vigil this week to honor and remember Maisie Bitler of Hughesville who died in a plane crash on July 4th.  Maisie was a recent graduate of Hughesville Area Junior Senior High School and had been working on earning her private pilots license.  Officials from the NTSB said Bitler had logged about 22 hours of flight time and was on her second solo flight when the Cessna 172N Skyhawk she was operating went down in the woods near Lock Haven.  Friends and family will gather at the Hughesville Junior Senior High School, 349 Cemetery St, Hughesville at 8 p.m. Thursday, July 11. Organizers ask participants to bring a candle and photos to share.

SPORTS

MLB Draft League
The Williamsport Crosscutters defeated Trenton Thunder  6-3 last night at home in the 1st game of a 3-game series this week.
With last night’s win, the Cutters clinched the first half of the MLB Draft League and will host the MLB Draft League Championship on September 5th against the 2nd Half Champion.

MLB

Guardians 9         Tigers  8
Cubs 9                  Orioles  2
Phillies  10           Dodgers  1
Rays  5                 Yankees 3
Mets  7                 Nationals 5
Pirates  12            Brewers  2
MLB Tonight
Cubs vs Orioles  6:35pm
Yankees  vs Rays  6:50pm
Dodgers vs Phillies  7pm ESPN
Nationals vs Mets  7:10pm
Pirates vs Brewers  8:10pm

Tennis Wimbledon – Men’s
 * After some medical treatment on and off the court yesterday by his trainers, top-seeded Jannik Sinner lost to Daniil Medvedev 6-7, 6-4, 7-6 , 2-6, 6-3 in the Wimbledon quarterfinals on Tuesday.

*  Medvedev will take on defending champion Carlos Alcaraz in the semifinals for the second consecutive year.

Women’s
* Donna Vekic, a 28-year-old Croatian, reached her first Grand Slam semifinal in her 43rd appearance at a major tournament by beating qualifier Lulu Sun 5-7, 6-4, 6-1 Tuesday.

*  She will face No. 7 Jasmine Paolini for a spot in the final. 

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