Press Enterprise Archives
October 15, 2018
Program invites seniors to campus for a quick course in offerings, tour
BLOOMSBURG — Bloomsburg resident Sandy Latour was sitting in on a gerontology class at Bloomsburg University two years...
Owner has moved out, to sell home where sons grew up, but ‘it hurts’
DANVILLE — Fire Chief Ken Strausser’s heart sank when he saw the address for the fire come across his pager Sunday...
Police: Drunken man aimed blade and told woman he’d slit her throat
BLOOMSBURG — An “intoxicated and agitated” man pointed a knife at a woman’s neck and threatened to slit her throat when...
Bloom man makes similar score among 96 local lottery players who won over $110G in August
A Catawissa woman won three $1,000 lottery prizes from a $10 scratch-off game in August, records show. Heather...
October 14, 2018
Police: Woman threatened girl who tried to stop kids’ scuffle at Central
SOUTH CENTRE TWP. — After police gave a stern warning to three juveniles who fought at a recent Central Columbia High...
Mom grappled with decision to donate organs of 23-year-old in motorcycle crash
MAINVILLE — Brenda Albertson broke into tears in the living room of her Wonderview home as she tried to fathom emotions...
Eight-week, $595G project won’t disrupt classes, officials say
BERWICK — Work on a new roof for Nescopeck Elementary should start by the end of the month and be finished in eight...
Defendant vowed to kill Bloomsburg officers and their families in tirade on Facebook
BLOOMSBURG — A Bloomsburg man who made online threats to kill Town Police officers and their families has pleaded...
October 13, 2018
Catawissa boy hiked 25 miles to Shickshinny
CATAWISSA — After two days of hiking away from home, missing teen Wyatt Yohey changed direction and walked into a...
Witnesses: Spencer feared ex, her dad
BLOOMSBURG — Frank Spencer made at least 37 complaints to police in Hemlock Township leading up to his murder in 2012,...
Clever way to pop question was real labor of love
ROHRSBURG — Marriage is sometimes hard work. For Tyler Avery, so was proposing to the love of his life. Tyler’s clever...
Council decides woman meant message, no harm
BLOOMSBURG —The town will withdraw charges their police department filed against a resident who dropped off buckets of...
Man blames daughter’s accusations on parents’ bitter divorce
BLOOMSBURG — A York County man was found not guilty of molesting his daughter at a relative’s home in Montour Township...
October 12, 2018
Experts foresaw full Berwick building collapse
BERWICK — While a roof collapse only damaged one half of the Masonic Building last month, there was evidence that the...
Scott woman, 81, says diverted creek has posed threat for 40 years
SCOTT TWP. —Blanche Breisch dodged some house flooding Thursday morning —thanks to her Route 11 neighbors from Flick...
Defense says case is based on ‘jabbering’ as murder trial opens
BLOOMSBURG — On the first day of accused killer Anthony Rocco Franklin’s trial, the prosecution argued Franklin and his...
WASHINGTONVILLE — Folks along Chillisquaque Creek can now receive emergency text alerts or phone calls warning when...
Police: Catawissa 16-year-old with Asperger’s went missing Wednesday
CATAWISSA — A team of professional searchers —including a team armed with tracking dogs —combed the borough Thursday...
October 11, 2018
Auditor: $241G went missing on Tarlecki’s watch
CONYNGHAM TWP. — Former township supervisor and secretary Linda Tarlecki issued herself extra paychecks, accepted...
Six-week-old reportedly has injuries to face, brain
For the Press Enterprise NESCOPECK — A borough man choked a six-week-old baby boy three times to stop him from crying...
Firefighters: Man in SUV may have suffered broken leg
LIME RIDGE — The driver of a Ford Explorer cut across traffic and was clipped by a tractor trailer, sending the smaller...
Police, fire departments submit early budgets
DANVILLE — Danville’s police chief is asking borough council for funds to buy wearable steel plates for officers, and...
PANAMA CITY, Fla. (AP) — Hurricane Michael slammed into the Florida Panhandle with terrifying winds of 155 mph...
October 10, 2018
Zoppetti: Firm has bought land on former silk mill site
BLOOMSBURG — A developer who’s been sparring with the town over the location of a proposed drug and alcohol rehab said...
Berwick manager had BAC of .22, police say
BERWICK — Borough manager Krunal Thakore abruptly resigned Tuesday, following a weekend arrest here on charges that he...
Berwick-area suspect jailed on $40G bail
BRIAR CREEK TWP. — A 50-year-old woman was jailed Saturday night after allegedly cutting a man with a large kitchen...
Designation would exempt land from many local rules
SALEM TWP. — Six farming families have applied for a special designation that would protect them from lawsuits, but...
Suspect allegedly followed Bloom U student to party
BLOOMSBURG — A Hazleton man allegedly followed a Bloomsburg University student to a party and raped her, court papers...
October 9, 2018
Critics blame Southern pupil suicide on tormentors
FRANKLIN TWP. —An emotional crowd of parents and students —some tearful, some angry and profane — blasted Southern...
She’s charged with possession for fifth time this year
BLOOMSBURG — Erika Marie Powlus was in the Columbia County Courthouse in early September on a set of drug charges....
Investigation launched into Greek activities due to ‘gravity’ of alleged incidents, official says
BLOOMSBURG — Reports of hazing have prompted a temporary suspension of all Greek pledging and new-member recruitment...
October 8, 2018
14-year overseer welcomes challenge, points to record
BLOOMSBURG — Columbia County Sheriff Tim Chamberlain will challenge longtime Bloomsburg Fair security boss William...
Suspect allegedly had heroin, weed and beer in his van
NUMIDIA — A man with heroin, marijuana and beer in his van took off running wearing a bloodied shirt after allegedly...
New owners of Bloom business switching to chemical-free process
BLOOMSBURG — The new owners of a dry cleaner here say they’re aiming to make their business more environmentally...
BRIAR CREEK TWP. — A Mifflinville man stopped for drunken driving reportedly told police he’d learned his lesson: next...
Police: Victim said man was high during fight
BERWICK — A woman told police her boyfriend threatened to “blow her head off with his gun” if she went to police after...
October 7, 2018
Housecleaning service owner denies accepting stolen cash from ex-staffer
LIGHTSTREET — After a cleaner was accused of stealing $34,000 from a client’s home here, he told police his boss...
Bail set at $250G for man accused of posing as cop
DANVILLE — A man out on bail on charges that he impersonated a police officer and tied up several people in Berwick...
Orangeville woman who allegedly drove over curb in Scott faces DUI, other charges
SCOTT TWP. — An Orangeville woman who drove her car up over curbing off Fifth Street Hollow Road here was asked by...
Big drawing jackpot puts local July total at $608G
A lottery player from Bloomsburg won a $500,001 jackpot from a $1 drawing game in July, records show. John Downs of...
October 6, 2018
Woman claimed heroin benefits her addicted unborn child, charges say
CATAWISSA — A mother of two children who had heroin and crystal meth in her apartment told police that if she didn’t...
Two Little League venues must move from floodwall path
BLOOMSBURG — The state has earmarked $290,000 for the Town to relocate two of four Little League baseball fields after...
Criminal justice major tried to head-butt a constable as he toted street sign, cops say
BLOOMSBURG — A criminal justice student at Bloomsburg University got locked up early Friday after police say he fought...
Bloom man allegedly choked, beat girlfriend
BLOOMSBURG — Early morning screams sent neighbors running outside, where they discovered a bloody and beaten woman on...
School officials welcome public to new $16.5M performing hub
DANVILLE —Danville Area School District officials welcomed the public into a new performing arts center Friday night,...
October 5, 2018
Lawyer: Answers needed before Salem could act on sewer order
SALEM TWP. — A township supervisor here says it’s unfair that residential properties are required to hook into the...
SALEM TWP. — A township supervisor who tried to fire the township manager in August says the manager’s position shouldn...
Victim was 26
ALMEDIA — A man was found dead of what police suspect is a drug overdose here Thursday morning, police in South Centre...
Berwick man jailed
BERWICK — A Berwick man upset at how police handled his suicidal brother is now in jail after threatening the officers...
Feds give green light to open up $3 billion Atlantic Sunrise conduit through Columbia
TULSA, Oklahoma — Natural gas will begin flowing through the $3 billion Atlantic Sunrise natural gas pipeline that cuts...
October 4, 2018
Borough zoners say metal firm in midst of planned ‘gateway’
BERWICK — Plans to turn a former train station into a destination for outdoor enthusiasts were dealt a blow Wednesday...
Cheetah Chassis head: Tariffs to thank for expansion
BERWICK — Cheetah Chassis is hiring 80 to 100 workers, and the company has tariffs to thank for the new jobs, the...
Accused of weapons charges, suspect will remain in custody
WILKES-BARRE — The son of a retired district judge will remain in custody on weapons charges after a federal judge...
HEMLOCK TWP. — A woman had returned home Monday from an afternoon errands run to Buckhorn, done her laundry and carried...
Gov. Wolf expected to sign legislation into law
HARRISBURG (AP) — Pennsylvania lawmakers on Wednesday passed the first anti-violence legislation in more than a decade...
October 3, 2018
Judge: Assets to go to Berwick Fire Board after debts paid
BLOOMSBURG — An auctioneer will pay off the rest of Berwick’s Defender Fire Co.’s debts and then turn any money left...
Flooding compels owner to raise home, maybe lower insurance
BENTON — Starla Grassley planned to have her large century-old home off Main Street raised to a higher level even...
Suspect struck shop in downtown Bloomsburg
BLOOMSBURG — A robber snatched a cash register and a large sum of money from a downtown business Monday afternoon,...
Bloomsburg top cop: Film figures were scouting local talent
BLOOMSBURG — During Fair Week, a pair of talent scouts approaching women in town about a movie project raised an alarm...
WASHINGTON — About 225 million electronic devices across the United States will wail and buzz this afternoon as the...
October 2, 2018
State of former Geppetto’s has Berwick officials worried
BERWICK — The former Geppetto’s building here isn’t in imminent danger of collapsing, an engineer told the borough, but...
Bloom man jailed for allegedly threatening would-be rescuer
BLOOMSBURG — A town man was locked up early Monday after police said he pulled a gun on his girlfriend’s father during...
ATM-style machine dispenses some prescriptions in lobby
DANVILLE — Geisinger patients now have the option to fill some prescriptions and buy over-the-counter medications at an...
Officers found son yelling at hallucinations
DANVILLE — A man was high on cocaine and other drugs when found jumping on his mother’s car and screaming at imaginary...
Lewisburg hospital to stay independent, but share in technology, joint $265M investment
LEWISBURG — Announcing a new affiliation with Geisinger, Evangelical Community Hospital here said Monday it will remain...
SCOTT TWP. — A woman with a history of drug use told an officer she was clean and sober, but ended up charged with meth...
October 1, 2018
Rainy days may have eroded total, down 5,000 from 2017
BLOOMSBURG — A few rainy days didn’t deter the crowds this year, with more than 400,000 fairgoers passing through The...
Bloom-area man allegedly clubbed her in money spat
BLOOMSBURG — A man is accused of fracturing his wife’s skull by hitting her over the head with a metal-handled broom...
Charging stations coming soon to Scott Township convenience store
SCOTT TWP. — Work continues on the construction of an electric car charging station at Sheetz in Scott Township....
Officers allegedly saved man from hanging
BERWICK — A woman allegedly became belligerent with police and was arrested after officers intervened in a family...
Danville High School honorees range from writer to administrators
For the Press Enterprise DANVILLE —One Danville High graduate, the late Elsie Woodruff Hamel, worked her way into an...
September 30, 2018
Berwick group envisions revived borough gateway as ‘Next Step’
BERWICK — A civic group wants to convert a former train station near the Susquehanna River into a meeting place for...
Mine fire journalist condemns ‘malicious vandalism’
CENTRALIA —Someone dumped and burned the tires off rims in one of the large cracks on Graffiti Highway here, according...
BLOOMSBURG — A doctor accused of endangering a patient by being intoxicated while assisting in emergency surgery, then...
Girl, 5, found wandering before, records show
BERWICK — A Berwick woman has been charged with endangering the welfare of her 5-year-old daughter, who was found...
Leaders salute patrolman’s off-duty heroism
BERWICK — A Berwick police officer on a family getaway used CPR to revive a man who had no pulse. Ptlm. Christopher...
September 29, 2018
Owner blames flood damage; Benton golf coach laments loss
BENTON — The owner of Mill Race Golf and Camping Resort announced Friday that this season looks to be its last. “...
Nightmares still trouble Orangeville 94-year-old who serves at Bloom Fair stand
BLOOMSBURG — Even now, at age 94, Eugene Derr has nightmares about the day in October, 1944 when he watched Navy...
Officers: Homeless woman said drug need fueled thefts
Press Enterprise staff BERWICK — A homeless woman who broke into a home last month, stealing guns and other items,...
Man nearly hit parked car, court papers say
BERWICK — A Hazleton man was under the influence of multiple drugs when he was pulled over for a traffic violation,...
Suspect’s lawyer fighting remaining charges over notebook
BLOOMSBURG — A man accused of having a notebook containing handwritten descriptions of child sex abuse that was found...
September 28, 2018
Bloom man sentenced to 1-2 years in county lockup, fined $5G
BLOOMSBURG — A former philosophy professor will spend 1 to 2 years in county jail for having child pornography on an...
Berwick building tour revealed pools of water, case says
BERWICK — One week after buying the Geppetto’s building on West Front Street a little more than five years ago, Wade...
Catawissa volunteers’ stand still fills chairs
BLOOMSBURG — Sharon Sober had some unexpected downtime inside St. John’s Community Church of Catawissa’s Bloomsburg...
Country Hall of Famer promoting latest album at Bloom show
BLOOMSBURG —With 21 Grammy awards, 26 million albums sold, and a spot in the Country Music Hall of Fame, it’s hard to...
Sales of fentanyl detectors soar; experts question accuracy
NEW YORK — The newest tool in the fight against opioid overdoses is an inexpensive test strip that can help heroin...
September 27, 2018
Water a concern for Berwick officials
BERWICK — A complaint about a vacant downtown building that appears to have a leaky and damaged roof caused officials...
BERWICK — The 17-year-old girl injured in the collapse of the Masonic Building was released from the hospital Tuesday...
Amish Outlaws draw an enthusiastic crowd at Bloomsburg Fair
BLOOMSBURG — In the Amish community where Ezekiel Smith grew up, there was no electricity and all musical instruments...
Fair showcases gadgets for contraband
BLOOMSBURG — The Bloomsburg Fair has a new exhibit this year — a replica of a teenager’s messy bedroom filled with...
Widow’s former Valley Township shop faced debt
DANVILLE — The owner of a furniture business who was arrested for failing to fulfill orders has been sentenced to...
September 26, 2018
Son of Berwick graduate was abused, authorities allege
CURRITUCK, N.C. — The father of a 5-month-old baby who died during a family vacation has been charged with murder. A...
Fairgrounds project delights Southern kids
BLOOMSBURG — In the “back older times,” second-grader Timmy Gearhart wouldn’t have had a TV, video games, or even...
Fernville woman must pay $560, do community service
DANVILLE — A Bloomsburg school director charged with stealing a luxury golf umbrella that belonged to another...
BLOOMSBURG — The decision to force a Civil War historian to remove Confederate flags from a historical display outside...
Rural Shickshinny man in federal custody on gun charge
WILKES-BARRE — The son of a retired Shickshinny Senior District Judge is in federal custody for illegally possessing a...
September 25, 2018
Civil War historian leaves Bloom Fair after order to drop Confederate flags
BLOOMSBURG — A historian and Civil War re-enactor left the Bloomsburg Fair this weekend after fair officials told him...
Officials promise protection while in Columbia lockup
BLOOMSBURG — A transgender woman expressed concern for her safety when sentenced to prison for assaulting another bar...
Police: Woman, 81, appeared to have been stricken at wheel of truck
FISHING CREEK TWP. — An 81-year-old woman who crashed into a van and a house Monday afternoon appeared to have suffered...
Contest-winning ventroliquist visits ailing kids before fair show
DANVILLE — A year after taking the top spot in Season 12 of NBC’s “America’s Got Talent” and garnering the most votes...
Man allegedly offered to rehire woman at Super 8
VALLEY TWP. — A motel manager groped a former female employee whom he had recently fired, State Police said. Mir Y....
September 24, 2018
Scott woman allegedly hosted three underage drinking parties at home
SCOTT TWP. — A woman is accused of hosting three parties at a home in Sherwood Village where she supplied alcohol to...
Defendant awaits sentencing after repaying Elks $1G
BLOOMSBURG — An Orangeville woman has pleaded guilty to stealing about $1,000 in cash raised during a benefit gun...
Bloomsburg’s 1918 Red Cross Street Fair thrown as WWI fundraiser
EDITOR’S NOTE: One hundred years ago, American “doughboys” were fighting in France as the First World War ground on....
Man first accused of selling coke
BLOOMSBURG — A former Bloomsburg University football player who was arrested for selling cocaine pleaded guilty under a...
September 23, 2018
State wants to keep money despite prosecutors dropping criminal case
DANVILLE — The traffic stop of a tailgating recreational vehicle on a remote stretch of Interstate 80 turned into the...
32-year-old charged in Catawissa fight
CATAWISSA — A bloodied, disoriented man walked into Catawissa’s police station Thursday afternoon and reported he had...
Beer-flavored confection, mix for wine slushies among offerings
BLOOMSBURG — The flavor of some Bloomsburg Fair food stands is surprisingly booze-infused this year. A whoopie pie...
Woman sentenced to life in ex-husband’s murder withdraws lawsuit over mail
WILLIAMSPORT — Maria Sanutti-Spencer indicates in a recent lawsuit that she is appealing her murder conviction to the U...
September 22, 2018
Crews tearing down Berwick building reveal kiddie pools
BERWICK — Some former tenants of the Masonic Building that partially collapsed Wednesday say it had been leaking badly...
BERWICK — Workers began demolishing the remains of the Masonic Building Friday, despite what officials said was a last-...
New case threatened
SALEM TWP. — One chapter of a four-year legal fight between the owners of a hog farm and their neighbors appears to be...
Floral fairytale, rides not to be missed at Bloom Fair
BLOOMSBURG — As the Bloomsburg Fair kicks off its 163rd year, here’s a list of the Top 10 things not to miss: Judging...
Casey opponent for Senate touts tax cuts, flood protection
BLOOMSBURG — Congress earmarked an extra $33 million for Capitol Hill security last year, just nine days after a man...
Motorcyclist first wrecked on Route 11 at Bloom
BLOOMSBURG — A minivan struck an injured motorcyclist as he tried to crawl off Route 11 after his cycle had crashed...
September 21, 2018
Lawyer acts for injured girl’s family
BERWICK — A lawyer for the family of a 17-year-old girl critically hurt in a partial building collapse stopped the...
Man, 23, was on way to a wedding on Saturday in Bloomsburg
DANVILLE — A man who crashed his Harley-Davidson en route to a wedding Saturday has died. Nick Albertson died two...
BERWICK — An 18-year-old caught in the rubble of a collapsing building said he’s glad to be alive, but is worried about...
Son smelled smoke in attic, called parents downstairs
BERWICK — George Guthrie and wife Misty Johnson were on the first floor of their two-story house at 1413 W. Front St....
Berwick suspect charged with assault and resisting arrest
BERWICK — A Berwick woman involved in a domestic dispute punched a police officer in the face and then kicked him with...
September 20, 2018
Four sent to hospital after debris rains down
BERWICK — The roof of a three-story downtown building collapsed Wednesday afternoon, showering bricks and debris onto...
Town man to appear in court
BLOOMSBURG — A recent fire on Poplar Street here led to the arrest of a neighboring property owner after volunteers...
Charges allege Benton man failed to have young passenger secured in safety seat
For the Press Enterprise MOCANAQUA — A Benton man was arrested after a search of his vehicle yielded a suspected...
September 19, 2018
Police say Millville-area woman to be cited in wreck
SOUTH CENTRE TWP. — A car crashed down a wooded embankment when it collided with an SUV along Old Berwick Road here...
‘Everybody is entitled to a second chance,’ superintendent says
FRANKLIN TWP. — Southern Columbia’s school board voted Monday to hire a former Catholic school coach to lead the boys...
$13M housing complex built on high ground, protected from water
Press Enterprise Managing Editor BLOOMSBURG — For Carol Wagner of Espy, the Silk Mills Apartments here can’t be...
Authorities: Witness, texts cast doubt on story
BLOOMSBURG — A Bloomsburg woman lied to police when she reported that a man raped her last month, charges say. Pyper...
State funding to go toward dredging, trail study in Bloomsburg
DANVILLE — About $200,000 in state money will help to pay for a project in Danville that will remove mud that has built...
September 18, 2018
Post-flood message to town could cost Bloom woman $600
BLOOMSBURG — The West End woman who dropped off buckets of sewage at Town Hall in a post-flood protest is facing...
Man bets on call for ancient skills as he operates Espy metal shop
For the Press Enterprise ESPY — Inside a barn here, Tony DeLuca is banking that the ancient skill of blacksmithing can...
GOP Meuser, facing Wolff in November, defends residency in new 9th District
COOPER TWP. — Republican Dan Meuser made a campaign stop near Danville Monday night to touch base with his supporters,...
Man allegedly even gave kin’s Social Security number
BLOOMSBURG — A man pulled over as a suspected drunken driver allegedly gave police his older brother’s name, address,...
Forecasters say storm remnants won’t stall over Pennsylvania
STATE COLLEGE — Florence will unleash disruptive downpours and raise the risk of flooding today, AccuWeather predicts...
September 17, 2018
Ex-Danville-area woman accused of lies linking husband to sex trafficking
MAHONING TWP. — A woman formerly of the Danville area was arrested and jailed this week after she falsely accused her...
Restored Berwick-area house of worship hosts a congregation again
BRIAR CREEK TWP. — Historic Old Stone Church came alive here Sunday with song and scripture nearly 210 years after the...
Mifflin 22-year-old barely revived after Narcan and CPR efforts, police say
MIFFLIN TWP. — Two rounds of CPR and three doses of Narcan weren’t enough to revive a man who allegedly overdosed on...
Guest must pay $1G, spend year on parole for stealing from host
BLOOMSBURG — A Berwick woman tried to help another woman from her church by letting her live in her home, she told a...
Charges: Probationer used plastic bag and tape
BLOOMSBURG — A Berwick man who’s on probation tried to use someone else’s urine to pass a required drug test, but was...
September 16, 2018
Campus groups to help target litter through new Adopt-a-Street project
BLOOMSBURG — Led by the cleanup efforts of one woman, Bloomsburg University is launching a pilot program to help rid...
Council says strict Salem rules are pushing its big vehicles to borough
Berwick Council members say strict rules in neighboring Salem Township are driving residents there to park campers,...
Bloom man, 23, a grad of Vo-Tech, in critical condition
BLOOMSBURG — A 23-year-old man is in critical condition after he crashed his motorcycle on his way to a wedding...
Berwick couple allegedly argued over suspicions of infidelity
BRIAR CREEK TWP. — A Berwick area man is accused of punching his girlfriend in the face and pushing her down the stairs...
Suspect allegedly kicked officer in jaw, damaged police station
CATAWISSA — A woman readily admitted she had been shooting heroin all night and gave police permission to search her...