FATHER OF ACCUSED MURDERER TO FACE TRIAL
Endangering the welfare of children and obstruction of justice charges will not be dismissed against Ronald Butler, the father of one of the women who are accused of killing a 4 and 6 year old girl in 2021 in Hepburn Township. According to Penn Live, the case will proceed to trial after Judge Nancy L. Butts said there is evidence that 54 year old Butler knew the children were in danger yet didn’t stop the abuse, and that he knew his daughter Echo, and Marie Sue Snyder fled the county to avoid an investigation by Children and Youth before the girls’ remains were found buried behind Butler’s Livermore Road home.
ELECTION HAND RECOUNT IS COMPLETE IN LYCOMING COUNTY
The hand recount of the November 2020 election in Lycoming County was completed yesterday, much sooner than originally anticipated. According to the Sun Gazette, actual results for the public to analyze are going to take a little longer since the information has to be compiled from hand written pages. According to the director of Voter Services, Forrest Lehman, a final result comparing the recount result with the original official certified results will be announced next week. Results from the presidential and auditor general races in 2020 were the ballots involved in the recount.
PHILLY DA IMPEACHMENT TRIAL POSTPONED
After a Commonwealth Court judge has ruled that the articles of impeachment against Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner don’t meet the constitutional standard for misbehavior in office, the POA Senate voted to indefinitely postpone the trial that was set to begin January 18th. According to the Daily Item, Republicans in the House and Senate now have to decide whether to appeal the ruling. There is criticism of Krasner’s internal policies and approach to prosecuting crime in Philadelphia that some say further risks public safety. Krasner has repeatedly denied the accusations against him and say it’s an attempt to undercut Philadelphia voters who successfully voted for him twice.
NEW FOOD COURT ITEMS AT 2023 THE FARM SHOW
There are new food court items to try at the 2023 Pennsylvania Farm Show through this Saturday, the final day of the annual agriculture event in Harrisburg. Pierogis in butter and sautéed onions are featured by the PA Cooperative Potato Growers as a new option, the Orange cream milkshake is a featured flavor this year from the PA Dairymen’s Association, too. There’s Apple Cotton candy from the state Horticulture association and Portabella Jerky from the Mushroom Farmers of PA. According to farmshow.pa.gov, the food court is open 8am til 9pm through Friday and 8am til 5pm on Saturday night.
LOCK HAVEN MAN FACES MORE FELONIES FOR FLEEING CUSTODY
A formerly convicted felon from Lock Haven has been convicted of more felonies for attempting to flee Sherriff’s custody after sentencing for theft charges in July of 2021. According to the Record Online, 36 year old Matthew Joseph Cole was convicted in a one-day jury trial last Friday where he represented himself in Clinton County Court. Court records say Cole had just been sentenced to 15-48 months in state prison over a year ago, before running and escaping custody, requiring him to be tackled by deputies and eventually subdued by a taser. The sentencing for this will be in March when Cole goes to trial on charges of a prior attempted escape from the Clinton County Correctional Facility on September 14, 2021.
EMPLOYEE ARRESTED FOR JEWELRY THEFT
A Lycoming County woman is free on bail after she allegedly stole jewelry from her employer. According to the Sun Gazette, 42 year old Melissa Marie Badger faces felony theft charges after a search warrant turned up over 5 thousand dollars-worth of items police say she took from from Marc Williams Goldsmith, where she had been employed for three months beginning last April. Badger’s bail was set at 25 thousand dollars during her arraignment in District Court.
PENNDOT SAYS SEATBELTS SAVE LIVES
The seatbelt usage statistics for the last full year in Pennsylvania have come in from PennDOT who remind you that drivers and passengers 18 years and older are required to wear a seat belt when behind the wheel or in the front passenger seat. PennDOT says there were 12,672 crashes in PA in 2021 where at least one person was not wearing a seat belt, resulting in 378 fatalities. In District 3, which includes our local counties, there were 505 crashes where at least one person was not wearing a seat belt, resulting in 27 fatalities with 68 suspected serious injuries in that same year. Transportation experts continually say wearing a seat belt is the best defense against injury or death in the event of a crash.
PA LIQUOR CONTROL BOARD TO RAISE PRICES
The PA Liquor Control Board is raising prices in the Commonwealth on wine and liquor starting January 15th . The 4 percent increase on about 35 hundred products statewide is the first time prices have gone up since 2019. Officials from the PLCB say it’s necessary to maintain the service and products customers expect as well as off-set costs from the past 3 years.
SPORTS
PIAA District 4Boys Basketball
Northwest Area 44 Montgomery 13
Sullivan County 47 Muncy 38
Danville 46 Lewisburg 44
Shamokin 69 Central Mountain 51
Millville 57 Bucktail 43
Milton 61 Jersey Shore 50
North Penn-Liberty 63 Williamson 22
Montoursville 61 Midd-West 55
Mount Carmel 47 Warrior Run 45
South Williamsport 62 CMVT 16
Selinsgrove 52 Shikellamy 35
Central Columbia 46 Mifflinburg 44
Loyalsock 54 Hughesville 51
Girls Basketball
Minersville 39 South Williamsport 37
Wrestling
Canton 47 – Wyalusing 19
Line Mountain 41- Susquenita 34
Mid-Penn Championshipss
Benton 44 – Montgomery 29
NBA
Pistons 135 Timberwolves 118
Wizards 100 Bulls 97
Bucks 114 Hawks 105
Celtics 125 Pelicans 114
Knicks 119 Pacers 113
Grizzlies 135 Spurs 129
Nuggets 126 Suns 97
Kings 135 Rockets 115
NHL
Flyers 5 Capitals 3
Maple Leafs 2 Predators 1
Oilers 6 Ducks 2
Kings 4 Sharks 3
NCAA Men’s Basketball
Texas beat TCU 79-75
Duke over Pitt 77-69
Marquette beat UConn 82-76
Houston over South Florida 83-77
Alabama def. Arkansas 84-69
NFL
Saturday, January 14
4:30 PM Seattle @ San Francisco FOX
8:15 PM LA Chargers@ Jacksonville NBC
Sunday, January 15
1:00 PM Miami @ Buffalo CBS
4:30 PM NY Giants @ Minnesota FOX 8:15 PM Baltimore @ Cincinnati NBC
Monday, January 16 8:15 PM Dallas @ Tampa Bay ABC
