Top Stories For March 4th

>Police Investigating After Homemade Bottle Bomb Thrown Into Boarding House

(Harrisburg, PA) -- Harrisburg police are investigating after a Molotov cocktail was thrown into a boarding house with ten people inside Thursday morning. Fire Chief Brian Enterline says the homemade bottle bomb was tossed through a window of the building at 19th and Chestnut Streets a little after 4:00 a.m. but it was quickly extinguished by the sprinkler system. No one was hurt, but Enterline says if the sprinklers hadn't been in place the outcome would have been "much, much different." 

>>State Attorney General Warns Car Dealerships about Deceptive Practices

(Harrisburg, PA) -- Pennsylvania Attorney General Josh Shapiro is issuing an advisory to car dealerships about against engaging in unfair and deceptive practices. The warning comes, he says in a statement, after an increase in complaints from consumers. Industry experts say with new and used cars in short supply due to a semi-conductor shortage, the market may be ripe for shady dealers to take advantage of buyers. Shapiro sent out a reminder warning about fair practices that are within the rights of the law. Those include honoring the terms of lease contracts, advertising cars at their actual prices, and not increasing the after a deal has been accepted ... unless it involves new equipment or taxes.  

>>Gettysburg Police Nab Attempted Bank Robbery Suspect

(Gettysburg, PA) -- Gettysburg police have arrested a suspected bank robber who allegedly tried to steal money from the M&T Bank on West High Street. The incident happened around 1:00 Wednesday afternoon. Police said Michael Melnyk, who is 18, demanded $4,000 from a teller, but took off before he got any money. Police say he was taken into custody about four blocks from the bank. He faces felony robbery charges and remains in jail pending a preliminary arraignment.

>>State Fish And Boat Commission Seeks Applications For State Wildlife Grant Funding

(Harrisburg, PA) -- The Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission is seeking project applications for the State Wildlife Grants Program. The priority topic for this work will support the PFBC's comprehensive review and revision of the 2015-2025 Pennsylvania Wildlife Action Plan, which is required by Congress at least every ten years. The work involves a variety of tasks such as determining species designations and "Species of Greatest Conservation Need." For more information and an application packet, visit the PFBC website and select "State Wildlife Grants Program." Applications must be received by Friday, April 22nd. 

>>Winning One Million-Dollar Lottery Ticket Sold in York County

(York, PA) -- A Pennsylvania lottery scratch-off ticket worth a million dollars has been sold in York County. State Lottery officials say the one-million-dollar 'Cash King' ticket was sold at the Rutter's at 362 N. Main St. in Loganville. The store will receive a $5 thousand bonus for selling the winning ticket. Scratch-off prizes expire one year from the game's end-sale date, which is posted on the website palottery.com.

>>Fire and Ice Event Held in Harrisburg This Saturday 

(Harrisburg, PA) -- Harrisburg's third annual Fire and Ice Festival will take place Saturday March 5th. 

The event features large and small ice sculptures throughout the city in locations such as City Island, Italian Lake, Midtown, Reservoir Park and Shipoke. A street festival will also be held in the downtown area featuring an ice slide, food, live performances, and live ice carving. The event runs from 11:00 in the morning until 9:00 p.m., but the sculptures only will be illuminated only from seven to nine. It is sponsored by Visit Hershey and Harrisburg.  

>>Pennsylvania Had Highest Rate Of White Supremacist Propaganda Distributed In 2021

(Philadelphia, PA) -- The Anti-Defamation League in Philadelphia says that in 2021, white supremacist groups distributed propaganda at an historically high rate across Pennsylvania. They say the highest level of activity happened after more than 470 incidents were reported. That's nearly double the number from the year before. The group's regional director says 90 percent of the propaganda distributed was the work of a group called the Patriot Front. He says that group also requires its members to distribute propaganda as part of a weekly quota. 

  

>>State Parks Pools Interviewing For Life Guard Positions Next Saturday

(New Bloomfield, PA) -- State parks in Central Pennsylvania will be holding job fairs next Saturday to hire lifeguards for the summer season. Codorus State Park in York County, and Little Buffalo State Park in Perry County will hold the fairs from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, March 12. The Codorus event will be held at the park office, 2600 Smith Station Road in Hanover. The Little Buffalo event will be held at the park office, 1579 State Park Road in Newport. The Bureau of State Parks will provide reimbursement to all lifeguards for the cost of required certifications. Little Buffalo said it also can discuss other seasonal positions at the park including ranger and clerks openings.

>>76ers Sign DeAndre Jordan After He Cleared Waivers

(Undated) -- The Philadelphia 76ers are adding some size to their roster. The team announced it signed DeAndre Jordan after he cleared league waivers on Thursday. Jordan started the season with the Los Angeles Lakers, but was released Tuesday. The 33-year-old center will slide into the backup center spot, after the 76ers dealt Andre Drummond at the trade deadline. 

 

>>District III Basketball State Championships Down to Handful of Games in Hershey

(Hershey, PA) -- The last few games in Hershey this weekend will decide the 2021-22 PIAA District III Champions in girls and boys basketball as the District Three State Championships wind down. The games are being played at the Giant Center with the next round coming Saturday, March 5th. In Girls' class 5A Competition, it'll be Mechanicsburg versus Gettysburg, at 6:00 p.m. and Class 4A Competition will see Delone Catholic playing Berks Catholic at 2:30 p.m. Boys' Class 6A action will match up Reading with Warwick at 7:45 p.m.

 

>>Reading Mayor Ends COVID Measure at City Buildings

(Reading, PA) -- Mayor Eddie Morán has ended mask mandates at city-owned buildings. Morán said in a news release Thursday that, effective immediately, employees and visitors no longer need to cover their faces. He says anyone who wishes to continue wearing masks are welcome to do so and that he encourages everyone to choose what they are most comfortable with. In-person meetings will also resume soon. 

 

>>Governor Pushes for More Money for Small Business Owners at Stop in Lancaster

(Lancaster County, PA) -- Governor Tom Wolf is pushing to use money from the federal American Rescue Plan Act for small business owners in the state. He visited a store in downtown Lancaster Thursday to ask lawmakers to act immediately in allocating more than a billion and a half dollars of the rescue funds, with $225 million of that going to small businesses hurt by the COVID-19 pandemic. Wolf says the money could help about eleven-thousand businesses across the state stabilize and relaunch their companies.

>>Reading Man Sentenced To 30+ Years For "Prolific" Drug Operation

(Reading, PA) -- A Reading man has been sentenced to at least 30 years in jail for organizing and directing what prosecutors called a prolific drug gang. U.S. District Attorney Jennifer Arbittier Williams said David Cooper of Reading will spend at least 32 years behind bars. Officials believe the 47-year-old was the leader of a drug trafficking organization which supplied large quantities of fentanyl, cocaine and cocaine base to other drug dealers and drug users in Pottstown, Allentown and the surrounding areas. He ran the operation from his home in Muhlenberg Township. Cooper was arrested as he attempted to resupply his organization with 200 grams of fentanyl, which prosecutors say is more than six-thousand individual doses.

>>Face Masks No Longer Required at Wells Fargo Center For Games

(Philadelphia, PA) -- Basketball and hockey fans will no longer need face coverings at the Wells Fargo Center. The news comes as the city officially ended its indoor mask mandate Wednesday. Meanwhile, the Sixers are on a hot streak after defeating the New York Knicks at home earlier this week. The team is currently third in the Eastern Conference, as well. On Friday, they'll host the Cleveland Cavaliers with a 6:00 p.m. tip-off.  

>>Perry County Man To Serve Time For Overdose Death Of A Monroe Township Woman

(New Bloomfield, PA) -- A Perry County man has been sentenced to more than five years in state prison for the overdose death of a mother of two. David B. Thompson Junior was found guilty of selling heroin that led to the death of Jessica Clouser of Monroe Township three years ago. Thompson, who is 44, was ordered to serve a minimum term of five years and nine months in prison. The term is in conjunction with a deal he agreed to in January where he plead guilty to one count each of involuntary manslaughter and unlawful delivery of heroin.

>>New Ban on Low-Level Police Stops

(Philadelphia, PA) -- There are mixed opinions on Philadelphia's ban on minor police traffic stops. It recently went into effect which restricts officers from stopping people for small things like a broken taillight or a registration that's not displayed correctly. Just last month, the Fraternal Order of Police filed a lawsuit in an attempt to invalidate the bill. Despite the pending suit, the city has moved forward with the new law.

>>Steak and Seafood Thief

(Upper Moreland, PA) -- Authorities are searching for a hungry thief in Montgomery County. Detectives say that a man walked into a Willow Grove Giant earlier this week on a mission to steal some seafood and steaks. He made off more than $1,000 worth of food. Police would like to capture the suspect as soon as possible and all tips are still being accepted.


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