WASD TEACHER TO RECEIVE PENN STATE SCHOOL MUSIC’S 2021-2022 OUTSTANDING MUSIC EDUCATION ALUMNI AWARD
Williamsport Area School District teacher Jennifer Wright has been selected to receive the Penn State School of Music 2021-2022 Outstanding Music Education Alumni Award. According to the music school, the award recognizes “outstanding Penn State alumni for distinguished service to K-12 music programs.” Wright, a choral and general music education teacher at Lycoming Valley Intermediate School (LVIS), will be recognized at this year’s Penn State School of Music Awards Ceremony in late April. She’s also been invited to visit with and engage students in the school’s undergraduate music education program on campus this fall. Wright has been a music teacher at WASD for 13 years, having taught at Curtin Middle School for four years and at LVIS for the last nine years.
GOV. WOLF COMMENDS STATE POLICE AND CAPITOL POLICE FOR DONATION OF BODY ARMOR TO UKRAINE
Gov. Tom Wolf commended the Pennsylvania State Police (PSP) and the Pennsylvania Capitol Police for their effort to donate used body armor to Ukraine. The donated equipment will be delivered to the Vermont State Police and then, pending federal regulatory approval, will be shipped to Ukraine. The Wolf Administration is working with federal partners to obtain approval. The equipment will then be used for those assisting in humanitarian and life-saving efforts as they work throughout the war-torn country. PSP is donating approximately 90 used, nearly expired vests that were scheduled to be destroyed. The Capitol Police donated 24 similar used ballistic vests and 15 ballistic helmets.
AGGRESSIVE BEHAVIOR GETS WILLIAMSPORT WOMAN JAIL TIME
Ready to fight, a Williamsport woman showed up at the 900 block of High Street around 4 pm on Monday. As reported by SUN Gazette, Nahjay Jackson was reportedly banging on the back door, attempting to gain entry. When the door was opened, Jackson was said to have pulled a handgun, threatening occupants of the residence. She fled, but was apprehended by police, who confirmed the handgun and it’s serial number obliterated. Arrested under multiple charges; including terroristic threats and possession of an instrument of crime, Jackson was arraigned in front of District Judge William Solomon and committed to the Lycoming County Prison in lieu of $100,000 bail.
RAID PRODUCES DRUGS AND A FIREARM
Lycoming County Narcotics Enforcement Unit raided the apartment at 1545 Northway Road in Loyalsock Township on March 16th. With search warrant in hand, agents entered the residence of Shavonte Dixon and Danisha Hasben and also seized drug paraphernalia, an undisclosed amount of crack cocaine, marijuana and multiple handguns. Facing multiple felony charges, the two were arraigned in front of District Judge Aaron Biichle. As reported by Sun Gazette, Dixon was jailed in lieu of $95,000 bail and Hasben jailed in lieu of $50,000 bail.
MONEY AWARDED FOR BROADBAND SERVICE
Comcast Cable Communications, LLC today are awarded state funds to assist with broadband expansion projects in Lycoming County, according to state Sen. Gene Yaw (R-23). The funding was made available through the Unserved High-Speed Broadband Funding Program, or UHSB, which was created by the Legislature last year after the General Assembly unanimously voted to create the Pennsylvania Broadband Development Authority. Both aim to increase the deployment of broadband across Pennsylvania. The approved UHSB award to Lycoming County is $607,494 to Comcast Cable Communications, LLC to construct wired infrastructure for unserved areas in Armstrong, Bastress, and Limestone Townships.
BONDS FOR CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS
A resolution was recently passed by the Williamsport Area School Board. This resolution authorizes the incurrence of debt by the issuance of bonds with a total amount not to exceed $11.5 million for use on capital improvements. As reported by SUN Gazette, when to market the bonds is the next step for the board. At the same meeting, Superintendent Dr. Timothy Bower discussed the improvement project for Lycoming Valley Intermediate School is in the design process. Also, public comments are still being accepted, regarding the Stevens Primary School, on the district website.
NEW DIRECTOR OF PARAMEDIC AND PREHOSPITAL MEDICINE PROGRAM
Brady L. Breon has been named director of Pennsylvania College of Technology’s paramedic and prehospital medicine program, overseeing the college’s bachelor’s degree in prehospital medicine, associate degree in paramedic science and certificate in paramedic practice. Breon had been an assistant professor in the college’s prehospital and paramedic program, having joined the faculty in 2005. According to Sandra L. Richmond, dean of nursing and health sciences, “Brady brings a wealth of knowledge and experience from paramedic/prehospital profession. His leadership will help ensure the Penn College paramedic program continues to provide an outstanding educational experience, preparing future paramedics to serve in our community.”
ADJUSTING FOR INFLATION
Tipped employees in Pennsylvania will soon have to make more than four times as much money in tips to be paid below the state’s minimum wage, under a new regulation that adjusts for 45 years of inflation. Monday’s unanimous vote by the five-member Independent Regulatory Review Commission approved a proposal by Gov. Tom Wolf’s administration. The new rule could take effect in the coming months and primarily affects restaurant employees. Currently, employers can pay tipped employees less the state’s minimum wage of $7.25 an hour, to as low as $2.83 an hour if they make at least $30 a month in tips. Under the newly approved rule, that monthly tip threshold will rise to $135 a month to adjust for inflation going back to 1977. Wolf’s administration calculated that there are between 93,000 and 160,000 workers in Pennsylvania who are paid a tipped minimum wage of below $7.25 an hour.
NEW SUPERINTENDENT SEARCH
The search for a new superintendent for the South Williamsport Area School District has begun. As reported by Northcentralpa.com, the current superintendent, Dr. Mark Stamm, has resigned with his resignation was accepted earlier this year and his last day the end of this school term after 11 years in that position. Business Manager Jamie Mowrey is in charge of the hiring process. The open position was posted on the SWASD website. Completed applications are to be returned by April 21.
