BACKYARD BROADCASTING LOCAL NEWS AUGUST 7, 2019

ALLEGED UNI-MART SHOOTER ARRESTED
A Williamsport man has been arrested as the alleged shooter at the Uni-mart on West Fourth Street this past Sunday. In a statement, Williamsport Police say 21 year-old IKeem Damont Fogan was attempting to rob the convenience store when he allegedly shot and wounded clerk, JoBeth Wetzel, and shot and killed customer Rhonda McPeack.  No bail was set for Fogan in District Court, he was committed to Lycoming County Prison.

POLICE ADDRESS GUN VIOLENCE DURING PRESS CONFERENCE
In a press conference at City Hall yesterday where law enforcement and government officials addressed the gun violence in the city recently, Police Chief Damon Hagan suggested during the event that some of the recent shootings have been related.  Hagan said that the public can feel confident that all agencies are cooperating together to close the investigations as quickly as possible with future arrests.  With school starting soon and Little League  event concerns on the horizon, Hagan said there will additional patrols in place to ensure the public.

ROAD RAGE INCIDENT IN MIFFLINBURG
A Mifflinburg man was arrested after he allegedly threatened another driver with a gun while driving on State Route 45.  Police say 51 year old Jeffery Bottinger of Lakeview Lane owned the pickup truck that followed and tailgaited, 44 year old Thomas Grodotzke Jr of Miffflinburg with 3 juveniles in the vehicle.  The victim said Bottinger waved a pistol at the group and drove away on Line Street.  He was later taken into custody without incident at his residence and is in Union County Jail in lieu of bail.

MAN TRAPPED IN OVERTURNED DUMP TRUCK
Emergency crews responded to an overturned dump truck Tuesday around noon along Route 15 south near Trout Run.  The Sun Gazette reports that male driver was trapped in the vehicle for about an hour while crews from Trout Run, Hepburn Township, Old Lycoming Township and DuBoistown worked to free him.  The man was transported by ambulance to UPMC Susquehanna with unknown injuries. No word today on his condition.

WAHS GETS GRANT FOR PIANO LAB
Thanks to an over 10 thousand dollar grant provided in part by the Williamsport Area School District Education Foundation’s Violet Compton Estate Fund, Williamsport Area High School will have a new piano lab for students in grades 9 through 12 this year.  The lab will be available to teach students the basics of piano keyboarding and composition and is an elective designed for students to take year after year.  An in-kind contribution for the piano lab space was also made by Robert M. Sides Family Music Centers.

ETHICS COMMISSION ESTABLISHED
City Council Tuesday established the groundwork for their new independent ethics commission in order to review allegations of improprieties in city government.  The commission will be comprised of 5 independent unelected people in the city without ties to city government, likely a person who owns a business in the city but is not a resident.  The Sun Gazette reports that the appointments for the commission will be selected alternately by the mayor and council members to ensure fairness.

LANE RESTRICTIONS ON I-180 WEST
Motorists in Northumberland County are advised there will be a lane restriction today and Thursday on Interstate 180 westbound between the Turbotville and McEwensville exits.  According to a press release, PennDOT bridge crews will make repairs to the 8th Street Drive bridge spanning the interstate – closing the right lane of I-180 westbound from approximately 7:30 a.m. to 3pm, the left  passing lane will remain open.

LYCOMING COUNTY COULD REFINANCE BOND
Lycoming County commissioners met Tuesday and have announced that recent developments with bond management companies will allow for refinancing of a current Build America Bond and provide a savings of just over a million dollars going forward.  Tax law changes have given the county an opportunity to get a new bond at lower rates providing significant savings.  According to the Sun Gazette, some commissioners suggested that being careful the savings was most important, others saying it could be utilized for paying down debt or to be earmarked for certain upcoming projects.

Sports
Major League Baseball

White Sox beat the Tigers 5-3, Brewers over the Pirates 4-3, Yankees bumped the Orioles 9-4, Tigers over the White Sox 10-6, Royals knocked the Red Sox 6-2, Mets blanked the Marlins 5-nothing, Rays over the Blue Jays 7-6, Reds thumped the Angels 8-4, A’s over the Cubs 11-4, Astros beat the Rockies 11-6, Braves thumped the Twins 12-7, Diamondbacks beat the Phillies 8-4, Nationals over the Giants 5-3, Dodgers over the Cardinals 3-1, Padres smacked the Mariners 9-4, Rangers and Indians postponed due to rain.

NY Penn League
Crosscutters and Muckdogs were postponed due to rain – doubleheader today at 5:05 first pitch.

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