WGRC Christian Radio

WILLIAMSPORT - In Lycoming County, County Detectives were notified by Lycoming County Prison Staff around 3PM Thursday that a Pre-Release inmate was missing from his assigned jobsite. Officials say  27-year-old John McCabe Jr. of Williamsport, had been on Pre-release for about 1 week. He was serving sentences for bad checks and reckless endangerment. When he failed to return to Pre-Release at his required time, he was entered in the nationwide warrant system as an escapee.  Around eight last night, Williamsport Police caught McCabe after a brief footchase, and was jailed in the county prison. He is being charged with escape. Police say McCabe was trying to go to Florida when he was caught.
Jim Diehl (WGRC)

SELINSGROVE - Foul play is not suspected in the death of a man found by a neighbor in his Snyder County home this morning. Selinsgrove borough police officer Eric Mouery would not release the name of the man, pending notification of relatives, many of whom live in New York City. Mouery described him to the Daily Item as about 30 years old and living with his mother, who last heard her son in his bedroom at about 3:30 this morning. An unidentified neighbor found the man dead in his bedroom and police were notified around 8:50 this morning. Mouery said there's no evidence of drug abuse, but he was told the man had a congenital heart condition. State police were reconstructing the scene to help determine what led to the death and an autopsy is planned.
John Callahan (WGRC)

DANVILLE - A drunken Montour County man was shot with a Taser when he advanced at officers in threatening fashion following a hit-and-run. 20-year old Justin Boucher of Danville, actually asked police to taser him. Police tell the Press-Enterprise, it happened about 10 p.m. January 15th. Police stopped Boucher on East Market Street after getting a call for a hit-and-run on Water Street. Boucher threw his wallet and keys at officers, and also threw a metal trash can at them. He was charged with DUI, resisting arrest and several related counts.
John Callahan (WGRC)

BUCKHORN - Motorists traveling Interstate 80 in Columbia County are advised that the rehabilitation project between Buckhorn and Lime Ridge, exits 232 and 241, will resume next week following its winter shutdown. I-80 westbound from Lime Ridge to Buckhorn - The contractor will be filling existing shoulder rumble strips and repainting lines in preparation for paving work. This work will require one-lane daylight traffic patterns. I-80 eastbound just east of the Buckhorn Interchange - The contractor will be eradicating and painting traffic lines in preparation for lane shifts in the area of the Fishing Creek Bridge. Route 42 from the Interstate 80 overpass, northward - The contractor will change existing traffic lines and repaint new patterns to shift all traffic to the middle section of Route 42. On Monday, the main entrance to the Columbia Mall will be closed in order to reconstruct Route 42 through that area. The entrance will be closed until approximately April 9. A temporary traffic signal will be placed into service at the north mall entrance to accommodate the increased mall traffic during construction. This signal will remain in operation until this fall. Motorists will encounter many different operations on the Route 42 project and are reminded be alert to changing traffic patterns and read the detour signing that will be in place there.
(WGRC)

UNDATED - Thousands of area residents will soon be paying more for their water service. The Public Utility Commission has approved a 2 point 6 million dollar rate hike for United Water Pennsylvania. That translates into about a 4 dollar per-month increase for United Water customers in 8 counties including Columbia, Schuylkill, Luzerne, Dauphin and Perry counties. United Water cited the increased cost of chemicals used to treat water as the reason for the rate hike.
(WFYY)

HARRISBURG - State Fire Commissioner Ed Mann is reminding Pennsylvanians to change the batteries in their smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors when they move their clocks ahead by one hour this weekend. Mann says the alarms have literally saved thousands of lives and it's a good idea to get into the habit of changing batteries in the devices when you change your clocks. After replacing the batteries, you should test the alarms and Mann suggests you replace a smoke alarm if it's more than 10 years old, even if it seems to work properly.
(WFYY)

WILLIAMSPORT - A Williamsport police officer was taken to the hospital last night after being involved in a crash with his police car. City Patrolman Jimmie Rodgers was being treated at Williamsport Regional Medical Center for injuries he suffered when his police cruiser, was hit by a van at Fourth and Market streets around 8 p.m. The collision happened as the van ran a red traffic light. Police say, the driver of the van, whose identity was not available, was from out of the area. No word on any charges at this time or on Rodgers condition.
Jim Diehl (WGRC)

BLOOMSBURG - A tearful plea in Columbia County court Thursday on behalf of the 2-year-old of an imprisoned mom was not enough to sway a judge into releasing her. President Judge Scott Naus rejected a request to allow 24-year-old  Jennifer Drasher to serve a term of one to three years on home confinement. Drasher, is the former Jennifer Killian of Berwick. She gave birth at home in November 2008, then put the newborn outside in a plastic bag in freezing temperatures. That baby girl has since been adopted by another family. The Press Enterprise reports, Drasher will not be eligible for parole until she completes the minimum term of one year next January.
Jim Diehl (WGRC)

BELLEFONTE - In Centre County, a 21-year-old State College man jailed on burglary charges is now a suspect in a rash of recent area armed robberies. Police said in court papers that a search of Maksim Illarionov's vehicle produced several items reported to have been stolen in recent burglaries. Police also found a .45 caliber gun and wrote: "The owner of the vehicle was a suspect in the robberies and burglaries and several weapons were involved in the crimes, including a .45 caliber pistol." The Centre Daily Times reports, Illarionov is one of three men arrested March 3rd by police acting on a tip from an informant, who wore a wire and went along with the trio that night. 23-year old Dmitriy Litvinov and 28-year old Alexei Semionov, were the other two men arrested after police said they were caught with Illarionov.
John Callahan (WGRC)

WILLIAMSPORT - The trial continues today in Lycoming County for a Williamsport man accused of raping two women when they were just children. 41-year-old Ronald James is accused of assaulting the girls at home in Loyalsock Township and in Williamsport. James remains jailed in Lycoming County Prison in lieu of bail.
Jim Diehl (WGRC)

UNIVERSITY PARK - Penn State police have filed charges against a woman who they say admitted she falsely reported being raped in a parking lot at Innovation Park the evening of March 1st. Corl Keith of Centre Hall, is charged with two counts of false reports to law enforcement authorities. Police tell the Centre Daily Times, the woman reported being attacked the night of March 1st, and told police she went to the aid of a person who seemed to be having car trouble, but he turned out to be a masked man who dragged her into a snow bank and raped her. She later admitted to police that she lied. Police have not said why Keith made the false claims.
John Callahan (WGRC)

POTTSVILLE - A Pottsville couple are accused of theft. James Watts and Brenda Gates entered a rental agreement with Rent-A-Center of Pottsville, and failed to make payments on the rented equipment. Total value of the agreement is more than $10-thousand-dollars. The couple is charged with theft by unlawful taking, theft of leased property and criminal conspiracy.
(WGRC)

LEWISTOWN - An argument that occurred in late December between two Mifflin County commissioners has been referred to the Pennsylvania Attorney General's office for investigation. The alleged incident involved Commissioner Otis Riden and Commissioner Mark Sunderland. Riden tells the Sentinel that following a December 30th, 2009, public meeting in which the 2010 budget was passed, Sunderland threatened him. Meanwhile Sunderland claims no threat was ever made. A Regional Police law enforcement official who has knowledge of the incident said a detective was assigned to investigate and discussed the situation with Mifflin County District Attorney Steve Snook, after which it was decided the case should be referred to the Pennsylvania Attorney General's office. A spokesman with the State Attorney General's office  would only say that a referral was received by the Mifflin County District Attorney's office and that the incident is under investigation.
Jim Diehl (WGRC)

SUNBURY - Shikellamy school board members voted 7-1 Thursday night to approve a $3 million bond issue for the purpose of funding energy infrastructure upgrades and other property improvements. The upgrades are primarily at the Beck Elementary School, with some work planned for the C.W. Rice Middle School. The Daily Item reports, the improvements include a complete heating and air conditioning system overhaul at Beck and a conversion from oil to natural gas-fueled heating at Rice. Also planned are lighting upgrades for efficiency throughout the school system.
Jim Diehl (WGRC)

LEWISBURG - So what will happen with the Lewisburg High School if the the School District decides to build a new school outside the borough. Lewisburg Mayor Judy Wagner told the school board Thursday night the Borough Council doesn't want Lewisburg Area High School to be abandoned. Wagner says it is important to have the high school in the borough. Moving the school outside of town would take away one of Lewisburg's important attributes - its students.   The Daily Item reports, Kathy Swope, school board president, assured the mayor that the high school building won't sit vacant. Currently, the school board is considering options for building upgrades. One of those options includes moving the high school out of the borough. The council will hold a public meeting at 10 a.m. Saturday to discuss the issue. In addition, the school board went over pros and cons of the facility master plan, which includes 13 building options that were selected from previous public sessions. The next public meeting on the school building options will be held at 7 p.m. March 16 in the high school cafeteria.
Jim Diehl (WGRC)