BACKYARD BROADCASTING LOCAL NEWS JULY 24, 2020

MAN DRIVES VEHICLE INTO LYCOMING CREEK
A dive team was called in to help rescue a 58 year old Mill Hall man who drove his Black Ford Ranger into Lycoming Creek yesterday afternoon.  According to the Sun Gazette, officials from the Old Lycoming Township police department said the unidentified man was seen driving erratically northbound at the bridge near Route 973 and Lycoming Creek Road, missing guardrails and going off the road into more than 5 feet of water. The first responders took about 35 minutes to remove the man from his car, who was then transported to UPMC Williamsport.  A fuel spill into the water was reported before the car was towed from the creek.

RAPE CHARGES FOR JERSEY SHORE MAN
A 21-year-old Jersey Shore man is accused of raping a 16-year-old girl in his Smith Street apartment after arranging a meeting online.  According to North Central PA.com Officers from the Tiadaughton Valley Regional Police Department said on March 30th Michael W. Fulger Jr. met the victim and gave her a potent drug and the forced her to go along with the rape.  He’s being held on felony counts of rape, assuault and corruption of a minor among other charges.  Fulger was committed to the Lycoming County Prison on July 13 in lieu of $90,000 monetary bail and is  scheduled for a formal arraignment Aug. 3.

NO ARMORED VEHICLE IN WILLIAMSPORT FOR NOW
The City Council will not be approving the request of close to 380 thousand dollars for an armored tactical vehicle, the purchase of which earlier this week was reviewed by the city finance committee, citing a need to reduce costs  as the city faces possible budget overages due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Yesterday the car purchase was removed from the six-year capital projects budget, but the budget was adopted.  According to the Sun Gazette, Mayor Derek Slaughter said council could have the option to amend the request and wait on the purchase until there was a way to fund it through partnerships in the city and surrounding counties.

THIRD OPTION NOW FOR GENDER IDENTITY AT DMV
PennDOT will allow Pennsylvanians to identify as non-binary on driver’s licenses and photo ID cards, a move hailed by the LGBTQ community. In a press conference yesterday,  PennDOT officials announced that Pennsylvania residents can designate their gender as M (male), F (female) or X (non-binary). Those who want their license to better reflect their gender identity will need to visit a PennDOT license center to update their forms. Pennsylvania is the 17th state in the country to offer a non-binary option on its driver’s licenses.

The Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board (PLCB) clarified more guidance for alcohol sales at bars and restaurants under Gov. Wolf’s order yesterday. All sales hinging on the definition of what food at the establishment constitutes a meal.  According to the order the term “meal” is defined as “food prepared on the premises, sufficient for breakfast, lunch or dinner -expressly stating that a snack, such as pretzels, popcorn, chips, or similar food, does not meet the definition of a meal.   Enforcement of the order is occurring through the Pennsylvania State Police and local law enforcement, the Liquor Control Board, and the Department of Agriculture.

A 32 year old Laurelton man has been arraigned on 36 felony charges for the rape of a young girl over several years while babysitting her between 2005 and 2009.  According to the Daily item, William Aikey was between 17 and 21 years old when he stayed at the victim’s home ‘a couple weeks at a time’ while her father worked as a trucker.  Aikey also allegedly showed the victim child pornography.  Milton state troopers say the investigation first began last December, after interviewing the adult victim.  Aikey was released on $50,000 unsecured bail.

Federal Community Development Block grants were approved by the Lycoming County commissioners yesterday from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.   Four local agencies who they say  are integral in providing services to those affected by the COVID-19 pandemic will receive  nearly $150,000.  The grants will go to the following agencies: STEP Supportive Housing Program, American Rescue Workers, North Central Sight Services, and the Central Pennsylvania Food Bank.  SEDA-Council of Governments made the recommendation of the awards, with the commissioners discussing the grant awards at their work session earlier this week and gave final approval Thursday.

PennDOT issued an update on the bridge replacement work continuing on route 150 in Beech Creek Township Clinton County. According to a press release work will start Monday, July 27 at bald Eagle Creek bridge with a temporary traffic signal at this location deactivated.  flaggers will be on the roadway. Watch for delays, and motorists are encouraged to take alternate routes.  The traffic pattern at Peters Hollow bridge will not change. PennDOT says the project consists of placing the existing bridges with precast reinforced concrete box culverts guide rail installation and miscellaneous construction


SPORTS
MLB

Yankees over the Nationals 4-1 in 6 innings – game called due to rain.
Dodgers Beat the Giants 8-1

NASCAR
Denny Hamlin scored his series-high fifth Cup win of the season Thursday night at Kansas Speedway, ending a three-race stretch where Hamlin had finished outside the top 10. Brad Keselowski finished second and was followed by Martin Truex Jr., Kevin Harvick and Erik Jones. This is the second straight season for Hamlin with at least five wins. He has won three of the last eight races.
NFL
Effective immediately, Washington will call itself the “Washington Football Team” pending the adoption of a new name. The team will continue the process of retiring the former name and hopes to be entirely rid of it on physical and digital spaces in the next 50 days, by the Sept. 13 regular-season opener against the Philadelphia Eagles.

NCAA
The faculty of the University of Kentucky’s African American and Africana Studies program has asked UK president  to change the name of Rupp Arena because they said the legendary basketball coach’s name has come to stand for racism and exclusion of black students and fans. In addition to removing Adolph Rupp’s name from the UK basketball arena in downtown Lexington, the faculty requested that names of other enslavers, Confederate sympathizers, and other white supremacists be removed from campus buildings as well.

NHL
Seattle’s new NHL team with the new name, The Kraken will make its debut in the 2021-22 season. The league announced its 32nd team in 2018 for a $650 million expansion fee. The team looked at more than 1,200 names but decided on The Kraken a mystical creature with a name that represents folklore in Seattle and the Pacific Northwest. The franchise had settled on five finalists, which were sealed into an envelope and put in a time capsule in Seattle’s Space Needle — along with Nirvana records, a Twinkie and one share of Amazon — that will be revealed in 2062, on the Needle’s 100th anniversary.

MLB tonight
Braves at the Mets, Detroit Tigers go to Cincinnati, the Toronto Blue Jays play the Tampa Bay Rays, the Brewers head to Chicago to play the Cubs, Marlins play the Phillies, Kansas City Royals go to Cleveland with the Indians, Orioles are in Boston with the Red Sox, Rockies head to Texas to play the Rangers, Twins play the White Sox, Pittsburgh is in St. Louis with the Cardinals, Mariners play the Astros in Houston, Diamondbacks and the Padres, the Giants and the Dodgers are in LA, and the Angels head to Oakland against the A’s.

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