CHARGES CARRIED THROUGH TO COURT
The charges involving the homicides of two children, Jasmine and Nicole Snyder, who were reported to have been abused over time, will see a court date. As reported by Sun Gazette, Ronald Butler and Echo Butler’s charges were held for court after a preliminary hearing in Lycoming County Court yesterday. The girls’ mother, Marie Snyder and Echo’s mother, Michele Butler, waived their preliminary hearings.
Nicole was 6 when she died on or about May 10, 2016, and Jasmine was 4 when she died on or about Aug. 11, 2017, according to investigators and they were buried in the yard of the residence.
DRUG CHARGES LAND THREE MEN IN JAIL
As reported by an online media source, three men are facing felony charges from behind bars after they were picked up by the Lycoming County Narcotics Enforcement Unit. As reported by SUN Gazette. Devon Darby, 39, and Eugene Martin, of Philadelphia, along with a third man, Hakeem Lomax, were taken into custody, investigators with a search warrant raided the apartment, and seized seven bricks of fentanyl, an ounce of methamphetamines and three grams of suspected crack cocaine, the affidavit stated. The street value of the seized seven bricks was estimated at about $3,500, investigators said. Martin and Darby face multiple charges and were committed to the Lycoming County Prison in lieu of $150,000 bail each. Lomax also was incarcerated on two bench warrants, one out of Lycoming County and another from Luzerne County.
LOCAL SCHOOL BOARD HAS TOUGH DECISIONS
The Jersey Shore Area School Board faces a difficult decision: close schools or risk losing millions. Board members heard a presentation this week. Michael Jones, of Hunt Engineering, presented school board members with several options and cost breakdowns for building upgrades in order to accommodate additional students. Options for the school district include closing either Salladasburg Elementary or Avis Elementary or both of the schools. According to SUN Gazette, costs included in the closing still could cost the school district $57.9 million, $59 million or even $70.7 million at its costliest option.
THE STOLEN BAT HAS RETURNED
Abigail Paulhamus, 22, of Clearfield, formerly of South Williamsport, has been charged with stealing a bronze bat after someone else had ripped the bat from the Little League “Bases Loaded” statue at Third and Market streets on Oct. 22, as reported by a media outlet. A security camera recorded about 2 a.m., a woman, later identified as Paulhamus, “picks up the bat, takes photos with the bat before walking away with it,” an affidavit stated. Police tracked down Paulhamus days later at her apartment. She surrendered the bat, which is valued in excess of $5,000, police said. Following her arraignment Tuesday before District Judge Aaron Biichle on felony charges of theft and receiving stolen property, Paulhamus was released on $15,000 bail.
ATV ORDINANCE IN CLINTON COUNTY
The ordinance, “designating certain township roads as roads to be shared by both all-terrain vehicles and vehicular traffic,” were voted, by a vote of 3 to 2 in favor of the ordinance during the Tuesday night, Chapman Township Supervisors meeting. As reported by therecordonline.com, there were over 60 attendees to the meeting, some of which spoke to the supervisors, giving freely of their support or opposition.
POPULATION CHANGES REFLECTED IN NEW MAP
New maps of General Assembly districts that reflect the past decade’s population changes in Pennsylvania survived legal challenges Wednesday when the state Supreme Court unanimously cleared the way for candidates to begin circulating petitions to get on the spring primary ballot. The justices rejected various challenges to the district lines drawn up by the Legislative Reapportionment Commission. As a result, the new state House and Senate districts will be in effect for the coming decade. The justices modified the elections calendar, letting candidates begin to collect signatures starting Friday and lasting 10 days, until March 28. The primary election is May 17.
MEETING ONE IN THE BOOKS FOR FIRE SERVICE
The first of several meetings to work to work towards a plan of mutual aid agreement between the Williamsport Bureau of Fire and the South Williamsport Fire Department was yesterday. In attendance will be fire administration from the Williamsport Bureau of Fire and members of the South Williamsport borough administration. Williamsport Bureau of Deputy Chief Kieth Lucas reports it was a productive meeting, with a follow up meeting next week.
