RETRIAL SOUGHT IN MURDER CASE
A Philadelphia man serving a life sentence after being convicted of the first degree murder committed in Williamsport in June of 2014, is seeking a retrial. In 2016, a jury found Rashawn Williams guilty of killing Aaron Lowry at an establishment on West Third Street, but the Sun Gazette reports his public defender pointed out several issues from the first hearing that could support a retrial. Judge Marc Lovecchio who originally sentenced Williams will allow his defense to develop a petition which could initiate the next steps. Williams is serving his sentence in SCI Frackville.
HOUSE REPUBLICANS BALK AT INITIATIVE
House Republicans have issued a statement following Governor Tom Wolf’s support of the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative’s effort to battle climate change. Disagreeing with the Governor’s go it alone approach, they said reducing greenhouse gas emissions is happening without regulations. If Governor Wolf is successful with bringing our state into a 9-state energy consortium, it will mean that Pennsylvania will be one of the nation’s first large fossil fuel state to adopt a carbon pricing policy.
LATE WEEKEND CONSTRUCTION ON I-80
A highway construction project kicks off Sunday night and will continue into next week. Starting Sunday night at about 7pm, Interstate 80 East in Columbia County between Buckhorn (exit 232) in Hemlock Township and Lightstreet (exit 236) in Scott Township will be down to one lane. According to PennDOT, there will concrete patching, spall repair, joint sealing and diamond grinding on I-80 westbound and eastbound intermittently through Friday October 11th by 9am when it will reopen to two lanes.
PA GAME COMMISSION PROPOSES TO STUDY DEER DISEASE
The Little Sportsman Shop in Northumberland last night hosted a Pennsylvania Game Commission education program on fatal Chronic Wasting disease, to discuss its growing threat to Pennsylvania’s deer population. State Representative Lynda Schlegel Culver of Sunbury presented a 2020 CWD Response Plan Proposal. The Game Commission proposal states that after initial detection of CWD in new areas, hunters will be given the first opportunity to harvest more deer and collect more CWD samples for testing. Hunters are encouraged to provide feedback on the Response Plan Proposal online at pgc.pa.gov. It will be available until February 29, 2020.
PRISON TERM FOR SUSPECT IN ROBBERY AND ASSAULT CASE
One man from Williamsport has been found guilty of robbery and assault of his neighbor in Lycoming County Court. Marcquel Olsen of Wyoming Street was sentenced to 5 and a half to 14 years in prison for assaulting Lloyd Seagraves. Police say Olsen assaulted Seagraves and a second man, Rashawn Logan of Penn Street allegedly punched the victim. Logan’s pre-trial is scheduled for December. Court documents show that Olsen admitted guilt, expressed remorse and showed an effort to turn his life around. According to the Sun Gazette, Seagraves expressed his satisfaction with the sentence imposed.
UNDER PERFORMING CHARTER SCHOOLS EXAMINED
In an effort to hold under-performing Charter Schools accountable, Governor Tom Wolf announced closures of under-performing cyber charter schools during a visit to the Altoona area yesterday. He said that charter schools, including cyber charters, represent 25 percent of the state’s worst performing schools but only 6 percent of the public. School officials from the Susquehanna Valley informed Wolf taxpayer dollars spent on charter schools when it could be used for hiring teachers and reducing class sizes. Officials from the Pennsylvania Coalition of Public Charter Schools say they will come to the table to discuss funding. The annual cost of charter schools to school districts in Pennsylvania has risen to $1.8 billion.
OCTOBER’S FIRST FRIDAY TONIGHT
It’s Lycoming Arts First Friday in Downtown Williamsport tonight from 5pm til 9pm. The public is invited to come to Way’s Garden First Friday Scarecrow Exhibit West Fourth and Maynard streets in Williamsport’s Historic District created by professors and students in the Penn College Horticultural Club. Scarecrows will be on view until Halloween this year. But during First Friday visitors will have the opportunity to vote for their favorite scarecrow.
HUMMEL’S WHARF ADDS NEW AMBULANCE
There’s a new ambulance responding to emergency calls in Snyder County as of October 1st. In a press release, Evangelical Regional Mobile Medical Services announced that they and Hummels Wharf Fire Company have joined forces to add an ambulance to the Hummel’s Wharf fleet. The new emergency vehicle has a designated crew, including paramedics and EMTs onboard who are employed by the hospital’s medical service. The new medical intensive care unit has all latest technology needed to support care and offer a stable ride for the patient while en route to the hospital.
Sports
Major League Baseball Post Season
In the National League Division Series Opener, Cardinals beat the Braves 7-6, Dodgers blanked the Nationals 6-nothing
Thursday Night Football
Seattle Seahawks won over the LA Rams 30-29 after Rams missed a game winning field goal attempt
College Football
Shepherd beat Lockhaven Thursday 62-28
HS Girls Tennis
District 2-4 class AAA Tennis Quarterfinals Williamsport Beat Delaware Valley 3-2, Montgomery beat Bucktail 4-1.
HS Girls Soccer
Sullivan County defeated Muncy 5-3, Williamsport over Milton 4-3 South Williamsport beat Bloomsburg 2-1, Lewisburg over Danville 4-1, and Hughesville beat Mount Carmel 4-1
Today Sports
Major-league Baseball Division Series
Tampa Bay at Houston 205 today, St. Louis is in Atlanta 4:37 today, Washington in LA to play the Dodgers at 9:37 tonight.
