CAR FIRE ON I-180 IN WILLIAMSPORT
The remnants of a car were left behind on I-180 following an emergency incident yesterday when a Pontiac Firebird quickly caught fire around 11:30am. According to the Sun Gazette, Matthew Lantz was driving in the westbound lanes of the interstate near Basin Street when black smoke came from the hood and he pulled over. The car went up in flames. City fire officials say the cause of the fire was mechanical failure. Witnesses say the thick black smoke could be seen from the south side of Williamsport. Lantz was not hurt in the incident.
PRIMARY CANDIDATE HANDED PROTECTIVE ORDER
A candidate running as a Republican for Pennsylvania’s Lt. Governor, in next month’s Primary Election has been ordered by a Wayne County judge to stay away from his home after his wife made accusations that he made threats, and mentally and physically abused her. According to the Sun Gazette, 47 year old Teddy Daniels of Honesdale, has been removed from his home, forbidden to have any contact with his wife or children and had to turn over his firearms. Daniels said he is a victim of political terrorism through his wife’s accusations and that he will be staying in the race. A hearing on the protective order will be held next week. Daniels, is one of nine candidates seeking the GOP nomination for Lt Governor in the state’s May 17 primary.
DOUBLE FATAL ACCIDENT IN CENTRE COUNTY
There was another accident in Walker Township, Centre County Wednesday that killed two and seriously injured one person after a head-on collision. According to State Police at Rockview say 24 year old Tora Cassel, from Lock Haven, was seriously injured when she had a head on collision with a Chevy Malibu driven by a 71 year old Petersburg man who had drifted into her northbound oncoming lane on Nittany Valley Dr. about 3pm Wednesday. She was wearing her seatbelt and was transported to UPMC Altoona in Bellfonte. Her passenger was not wearing a seatbelt properly and was killed in the accident, and the Petersburg man in the Malibu who allegedly caused the accident, was also killed. Both of the identities of the people who suffered fatal injuries have been withheld until next of kin can be notified.
LOYALSOCK CLEAN UP DAY
There will be one spring clean-up day in Loyalsock Township for residential properties within the township only, to pick up sticks and small branches, garden waste, landscaping and leaves. According to township information, the crew will go through the neighborhoods one time starting at 7am on Monday, May 16th so all debris to be picked up must be out on the curb before that time. Items that will be left behind are dirt and sod, rocks, lumber and construction material, root balls, stumps and wood chips. Residents are asked to keep the roads and sidewalks unblocked by the waste and debris.
BRUSH FIRE CONSUMED TEN ACRES
A fire that consumed about 10 acres of the woods near St. Michaels Road north of the Lycoming-Lewis Township line yesterday was started by a powerline coming down on a dead tree in a remote area. According to the Sun Gazette, several community volunteer fire companies, including Trout Run Fire fighters, had to hike and use ATVs to reach the remote fire which needed several water drops from a helicopter to extinguish it. The line that came down held 72 hundred volts and started the blaze around 12:15 Thursday.
COUNCIL CONSIDERS BENEFITS DURING TRANSITION
Williamsport’s City Council transit oversight committee is focused on making sure all the details for employees are taken care of before River Valley Transit becomes an authority beginning fiscal year July 1st. According to the Sun Gazette, members of Williamsport City Council will be checking on transfers of pension plans and health care benefits so that no employee or family member is left uncovered during a transition with claims that might occur during a gap period. Officials say they may apply a similar formula to their existing pension plans that has been used in the City of Erie.
PENNDOT WORKING NEXT WEEK ON I-80
Lane restrictions are coming for White Deer Township next week. Watch for alternating lane closures on I-80 west in Union County Monday and Tuesday. Crews will be on the scene milling and paving for a new structure at mile marker 207, west of the Route 15 interchange. According to PennDOT, the paving project is part of a 3 million dollar bridge reconstruction and work is expected to be complete in June.
LOCAL SCHOOLS GET GOOD MARKS
Several area High schools have earned a high ranking on a list released by US News and World Report about the Best High Schools in America. Coming in in Pennsylvania’s top 100 are Loyalsock ranked at 81, Lewisburg at 67, Danville at 54 and Central Columbia at 47. Rankings are based on methods for college readiness, reading and math proficiency, graduation rates and more. Pennsylvania ranks 15th itself in the country with over 25 percent of the schools in the commonwealth ranking in the top quarter nationally. PA’s number one school is Julia R. Masterman Secondary School in Philly which comes in at #10 in the country.
