CITY FIRE RESULTS IN FOUR INJURIES
A fire at 627 Third Avenue which was fed by the windy conditions in Williamsport yesterday led to four firefighters being taken to UPMC Susquehanna Williamsport Regional Medical Center. The blaze, which went to three alarms, broke out about 12:15 pm. The second alarm brought more firefighters from the city as well as Old Lycoming Township and Montoursville. The third alarm was called at 12:30, bringing firefighters from Duboistown and Loyalsock Township. The injured firefighters suffered first or second degree burns on their hands or ears. The house was lost and resulted in damage to a neighboring house. The cause of the fire is under investigation.
NUMEROUS POWER OUTAGES DUE TO HIGH WINDS
Numerous power outages were caused by the heavy winds which hit the area Sunday night through Monday afternoon, also bringing tree parts to fly apart and limbs and branches to fall down across Williamsport. According to The National Weather Service, the winds, which gusted at times up to 50 mph, brought down weaker and older parts of trees as well as some larger trees with weakened trunks. Students at Williamsport Area High School were dismissed early due to no electricity at the school.
ROUTE 220 SAFETY CORRIDOR GIVEN PROJECTED START
The long expected Route 220 safety corridor project, spanning from the Fourth Street interchange in Williamsport to Route 287 in Jersey Shore has finally been given a projected start date. The 37.6 million dollar project is expected to be bid this summer and begin in earnest in October, according to Chris King of the state Department of Transportation. He also commented that because the project has so many different points of focus that the construction staging is complicated to say the least. The work will included bridge work over Larry’s Creek and Queenshukeny Run, eliminating u-turns, some median openings and reducing redundant access points.
TWO AREA INDIVIDUALS ACCUSED OF FALSE REPORTS
Pennsylvania State Police hare reported that two area individuals are accused of filing false reports that occupants of a white van tried to lure people into it. An allegation was received on Friday of the van attempting to lure a woman into it at a convenience store in Loyalsock Township and as the allegation spread on social media, a second complaintant came forward on Sunday evening claiming that a white van started to follow her when she left work in the area of the Lycoming Mall. Police added that social media is not necessarily a factual platform with verifiable information and that sharing of such information can lead to unnecessary public alarm or compromise an ongoing investigation.
WILLIAMSPORT POLICE OFFICERS PROMOTED
The Williamsport Bureau of Police announced yesterday that as a part of the new plan to restructure and reorganize the Williamsport Bureau of Police, several promotions have been made. Sergeant Marlin Smith II has been promoted to the rank of Lieutenant and will be in command of the Morning Watch. Agent Frederick Miller IV was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant and will be in command of the Night Watch and Corporal Justin Ottaviano was promoted to the rank of Sergeant and will be the acting Watch Commander of The Day Watch.
LEADING STATE SENATE REPUBLICAN OPENS DOOR TO MINIMUM WAGE
Pennsylvania State Senate Majority Leader Jake Corman is opening to door to raising Pennsylvania’s minimum wage, but also insisted Monday that Democrats lower their sights from a proposal by Governor Tom Wolf that would give the state one of the nation’s highest. He wouldn’t define what he views as a reasonable increase, saying he is trying not to stake out a number that he can’t negotiate from. Corman feels there is enough Republican support in the Senate for a modest increase if Republicans and Democrats can agree on a figure. Governor Wolf issued a proposal las month to raise Pennsylvania’s hourly minimum to $12 an hour this year with increases to bring the minimum up to $15 an hour by 2025.
