TOP HEADLINES 02/24

Cop to be Tried on Capitol Attack

(Harrisburg) -- A judge has ruled that there is probable cause to move forward with the case against a Lebanon County Police Officer charged for his role in the January 6 Capitol riot.

Joseph Fischer who was suspended without pay by the North Cornwall Township Police Department is charged with entering the Capitol and obstructing law enforcement.

The judge ordered the 54-year-old to be tried on charges of obstruction of law enforcement during civil disorder, knowingly entering or remaining in any restricted building or grounds without lawful authority, violent entry, and disorderly conduct on Capitol grounds.

>>Governor Tom Wolf Announces New Milestone For State's COVID-19 Vaccine Rollout

(Harrisburg, PA) -- Pennsylvania is finally reaching a positive milestone during the pandemic as the state's vaccination effort continues to grow. Governor Tom Wolf announced yesterday that all residents and staff members enrolled in the Federal Pharmacy Partnership have received their first dose of the COVID-19 vaccination. Governor Wolf says the milestone is a huge victory as he continues to make the vaccine available for the state's most vulnerable residents.

>>Pennsylvania Sees Another Rise Of New COVID-19 Cases

(Harrisburg, PA) -- Pennsylvania is seeing another rise of new COVID-19 cases. The state's Department of Health reported more than 2,800 new positive cases yesterday. There have now been over 917,000 confirmed positive cases in the state since the beginning of the pandemic. The statewide positivity rate stood at six-and-a-half-percent last week.

>>Walmart To Hold COVID-19 Vaccine Clinic In York County

(York, PA) -- Walmart is going to be holding a COVID-19 vaccine clinic in York County. The company announced yesterday that it will be administering the vaccine at the clinic at the Church of the Open Door located in the four-thousand-block of East Market Street in York starting today until this Friday. People who are eligible to get a vaccination are being encouraged to schedule an appointment through the Pennsylvania Link to Aging and Disability Resources' Toll-Free Hotline.

>>Retired Minister In York County To Serve Prison Time

(York, PA) -- A retired minister from York County is going to serve some time behind bars for possessing child pornography. Robert Leon, a former minister at United Methodist Church, was sentenced to three-to-23 months in prison yesterday. He was originally charged in 2018 after a landlord found images of child pornography inside his Chanceford Township home after he moved out. The sentence was made as a part of a plea arrangement.

>>Fire Displaces Four People In Susquehanna Township

(Susquehanna Township, PA) -- Authorities are investigating the cause of a townhouse fire that displaced four people in Susquehanna Township. The fire occurred yesterday afternoon at the townhome in the 26-hundred-block of Cranberry Circle. Officials say several Dauphin County companies reported to the scene to help battle the blaze. Nobody was reported injured, but four people are being displaced due to the damage done to the building.

>>Hundreds Of Derry Township Families Sign Petition To Return Students To Class

(Derry Twp., PA) -- Hundreds of Derry Township families are pushing their school district to bring students back for in-person learning. There are more than 670 signatures on a Change.org petition asking Derry Township School District to offer a full-time, face-to-face education option for all grade levels. The district’s website shows they are planning for an in-person capacity for the next school year while also developing a virtual option.

>>Clean Up Continues At Newport Train Derailment Site

(Newport, PA) -- Officials say crews spent most of yesterday cleaning up after a train derailment in Newport, Perry County. It happened Monday evening near Old Ferry Road, with 23 train cars jumping the track. .There were no reported injuries.

>>One Dead In Hanover Wreck

(Hanover, PA) -- A man is dead after a wreck in Hanover last night. It happened at the intersection of East Middle and York streets, where a Hanover man’s vehicle was struck by a tractor-trailer. The 88-year-old, whose name hasn’t been released, died later at UPMC Hanover Hospital. Police are trying to determine what led to the crash.

>>Susquehanna Township Elementary School Closed Tuesday Due To Gas Leak

(Susquehanna Twp., PA) -- Officials with Susquehanna Township School District say a natural gas leak forced them to close Thomas J. Holtzman Elementary to in-person learning yesterday. It’s reported the issue has been corrected.

>>Bears Hit The Road For Wilkes-Barre - Scranton

(Wilkes-Barre, PA) -- The Hershey Bears are on the road this evening for the third time this season. They’ll visit Wilkes-Barre - Scranton, who they beat at Giant Center on Saturday. At 3-0-and-2, the Chocolate and White are off to their best start in nearly a decade.

>>Saint Joseph Medical Center Sets Up COVID-19 Vaccine Clinic In Berks County

(Bern Township, PA) -- Saint Joseph Medical Center is making a vaccine clinic available for people in Berks County. The center announced yesterday that it will be holding a community vaccine site at the EnerSys Technology Center on Route 183 near the hospital's campus in Bern Township. Those who are interested in receiving a vaccine are being encouraged to set-up an appointment on Penn State Health's direct-scheduling website.

>>Exeter Township School District To Propose Plan To Reopen Schools

(Exeter Township, PA) -- Exeter Township School District is working towards reopening its schools full-time for next month. Superintendent Kimberly Minor announced yesterday that the district has created a plan to reopen all K-through-12 schools for weekly full-day instruction beginning March 15th. She says the decision to move forward on reopening was influenced by the number of people being vaccinated in Berks County. A special voting meeting is expected to be held next Tuesday.

>>One Person Dead After Shooting In Reading

(Reading, PA) -- Police are investigating a shooting in Reading that killed one man. The shooting happened last night in the 400-block of North 10th Street. Police say there is no threat to the public as they continue gathering evidence. Anyone with any information is being asked to contact the Reading Police Department.

>>Boyertown Couple Charged For Fatal Drug Overdose

(Reading, PA) -- A Boyertown couple is behind bars for allegedly being involved in a fatal drug overdose that happened this past December. The Berks County DA's office announced yesterday that Jesus Cruz and his girlfriend, Keyaira Nunez-Trego, have been arrested. Both are facing multiple charges including drug delivery resulting in death and possession with intent to deliver. They are being accused of selling fentanyl-laced heroin to a 31-year-old victim who was later found dead inside his home in Colebrookdale Township.

>>Youth Pastor In Lancaster County Accused Of Possessing Child Pornography

(East Earl Township, PA) -- A youth pastor in Lancaster County is being accused of possessing and distributing child pornography. Pennsylvania Attorney General Josh Shapiro announced yesterday that Brandon Dasilva, a student ministries pastor at Weaverland Anabaptist Faith Community Church in East Earl Township, was arrested this past Monday. Dasilva is being charged with four counts of sexual abuse of children for disseminating child pornography, 26 counts of sexual abuse of children for possession of child pornography and one count of criminal use of a communication facility.

>>Neighbor Dispute Turns Deadly In Bethlehem

(Bethlehem, PA) -- A Bethlehem man is dead after a neighbor dispute turned into a shooting. Police say they were dispatched to a home on the 3,100-block of Clifton Avenue yesterday after reports of a dispute between neighbors. When police arrived, they found the body of Kenneth Pickell dead at the scene. After investigating and speaking with witnesses, including Pickell's wife, police arrested Joshua Anthony Leone for allegedly shooting the victim with a shotgun and killing him. Leone is being held at the Northampton County Prison and is facing charges of criminal homicide.

>>Man Accused Of Killing Model Back In Pennsylvania

(Montoursville, PA) -- The man accused of killing a former model and leaving her body by Interstate-80 is back in Pennsylvania to face trial. Police say Tracy Rollins arrived at the Williamsport Regional Airport yesterday around noon after being arrested in Connecticut a few days after police found the body of Rebecca Landrith. Rollins, who is a truck driver from Texas, is accused of shooting Landrith 20 times then dumping her body by the I-80 in White Deer earlier this month. Rollins was arraigned yesterday on homicide and abuse of corpse charges.


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