Press Enterprise Archives
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...
September 15, 2018
Flames devour Hobbie home and garage, destroy Cadillac
HOBBIE — A raging fire Friday afternoon destroyed a home along Bell Road near here, but a woman in her 90s made it out...
Wilkes-Barre man linked to Bloom business
WILKES-BARRE — A dog wandering the streets here early Friday led police to a blood-soaked crime scene and the body of a...
Police: Man pointed handgun at driver who suspect said made an obscene gesture
DANVILLE — A trucker from California has been locked up on charges he pointed a revolver at another motorist during a...
PennDOT says crews cleared pipe, but it clogged again
FISHING CREEK TWP. — Matt Wech grew frustrated this week when, just a few days after Zaners Bridge Road had been...
Orangeville man wanted on warrant, owes nearly $7G
DANVILLE — A contractor who admitted bilking customers out of thousands of dollars has refused to pay it back,...
September 14, 2018
Staff: City Hall phone issue likely unrelated
BERWICK — A hacker managed to shut down Berwick Borough’s website for a few hours Thursday, but the borough’s tech...
Storm reports reroute crews, who set up amusements ahead of time
BLOOMSBURG — Morris Vivona and the rides and games of his company, Amusements of America, were supposed to be at a fair...
Geisinger worker saw Berwick man taking $10 in coins
DANVILLE — A 27-year-old man who admitted stealing $10 in coins from a fountain at Geisinger’s children’s hospital must...
Days of rain and wind begin along the Carolina coast
WILMINGTON, N.C. — The big slosh has begun, and the consequences could be disastrous. Hurricane Florence’s leading...
BLOOMSBURG — A weekend fight involving a large group of men resulted in two of them being injured here, according to...
September 13, 2018
PennDOT official: Paving project had to proceed, or funding could be lost
ORANGE TWP. — Both lanes will reopen on Route 487 here today, according to PennDOT. That should relieve a traffic...
Veterans’ burial spots remain a mystery in Briar Creek Township
BRIAR CREEK TWP. — Seven years after thieves stole the flag holders from veterans’ graves at a church along Red Brick...
Former steakhouse patrons may file complaints following sub-shop owner’s decision
ORANGEVILLE — For nearly two months, the owner of Tiffany’s Subs has honored gift cards from her fiance’s now-shuttered...
BLOOMSBURG — A Berwick bar owner arrested twice for driving drunk has been given a period of house arrest, but spared...
Orangeville man accused of indecent exposure in Bloomsburg
BLOOMSBURG — A woman was walking down East Fourth Street earlier this summer when she saw a pantsless man masturbating...
September 12, 2018
Yearlong campaign to finance upgrades
BERWICK — Berwick YMCA executive director Nick Pajovich figured something good was about to happen when state Sen. John...
Defendant, 76, is accused of murdering his daughter’s ex
BLOOMSBURG — A panel of eight women and four men were chosen Tuesday afternoon from a pool of more than 100 potential...
Township reverses ambulance decision
SALEM TWP. — Commonwealth Health and Berwick Ambulance will split this township as primary emergency responders,...
School handbook: No coffee in class for students
DANVILLE — A long-standing rule regarding drinks inside Danville Area High School classrooms stirred up a new debate...
State Police investigate how vehicle wound up in Wonderview
MAIN TWP. — Rescue crews never found a driver — dead or alive — near a truck found burning down an embankment off...
September 11, 2018
State says it would cut off funding if vendors offer Confederate items
BLOOMSBURG — The Bloomsburg Fair will no longer allow merchants to sell Confederate flag gear after a state directive...
Flaming pickup found down bank; driver’s whereabouts a mystery
MAIN TWP. — A flaming pickup spotted at the bottom of an embankment near Wonderview brought rescuers scrambling to see...
Divorce talk allegedly escalated to violence
BRIAR CREEK TWP. — A man choked his wife and held a loaded gun to her head as the couple argued about their marriage...
Driver charged with endangering three young girls
CATAWISSA — The driver who rolled his car down an embankment with three young girls inside early Sunday was drunk,...
State, federal tax money would fund three-quarter-mile lanes
MAHONING TWP. — Mahoning Township has applied for about $2 million in grants to create lanes for bicyclists and...
September 10, 2018
Bloom Police: Man critically hurt in downtown gunfire
BLOOMSBURG — Town Police are seeking three men they say shot and critically wounded a fourth man downtown early Sunday...
The Study, with ‘Victorian den’ feel, will replace rowdy Hardware
BLOOMSBURG — When the Hardware Bar closed last June, building owner Justin Hummel immediately set about renovating the...
Judge: Paperwork lacked signatures
BERWICK — A federal judge recently concluded a Berwick lawyer should be punished for failing to have documents signed...
Suspect charged with aggravated assault
CLEVELAND TWP. — During an argument that escalated around a campfire, one woman attacked another at the Knoebels...
September 9, 2018
Briar Creek law can hold court owners responsible if tenants fail to tend lots
BRIAR CREEK — Borough council members have passed a new ordinance to address quality-of-life problems at trailer parks...
Figs, other surprises fail to trip up teams in Berwick contest
BERWICK — Ava Peters looked in bewilderment at the box of fresh figs in her hands. In a few minutes, she and her...
Berwick woman failed to sway judge with argument about law
BERWICK — A judge has found a Berwick woman who left her dog in a car during a heat wave guilty of disorderly conduct...
Police: Driver lost control on downhill slope
BRIAR CREEK — A woman on her way to pick up her daughter lost control of her car on the wet road and rolled it Saturday...
NESCOPECK — A man driving himself to Careworks Urgent Care in Bloomsburg Saturday apparently lost consciousness on the...
September 8, 2018
Mom, former librarian is ordered to register as a sexual predator
For the Press Enterprise WILKES-BARRE — A Berwick woman who once worked as a librarian at Retreat State Correctional...
Berwick natives explain education savings program
BERWICK — Two Berwick natives now high in state government returned home Friday to announce the launch of a statewide...
Defense: Troubled Marine is getting treatment after shooting himself in town
BLOOMSBURG — An ex-Marine shot himself in the face, but survived due to the quick actions of town police and emergency...
Berwick woman, 39, is accused of attacking her husband over online block as well as pets
SALEM TWP. — A Berwick woman assaulted her husband during an argument about him blocking her from his social media, the...
Police: Elysburg motorist hurt in three-car crash involving BU coed
SCOTT TWP. — Luzerne County Community College’s president was involved in a three-car crash during heavy lunch-hour...
September 7, 2018
Flood-damaged path to be open for weekend
FISHING CREEK TWP. — Zaners Bridge Road will be open in time for Saturday’s Forks Farm Market after all. PennDOT...
NFL standout pledges $500G for scoreboard upgrade at BU’s Redman Stadium
BLOOMSBURG — Former Bloomsburg University All-American and NFL standout Jahri Evans has given back to his alma mater in...
For the Press Enterprise HUNLOCK TWP. — A woman who had welding equipment stolen from a garage spotted it on...
BRIAR CREEK — A Nescopeck man who overdosed on heroin and was found unresponsive on the floor at McDonald’s told police...
‘Hospital’ hasn’t yet been needed, according to official
Press Enterprise Managing Editor BLOOMSBURG — For the past nine years, the Bloomsburg Fair has had an emergency...
September 6, 2018
Detour worries Fishing Creek Township farmer
FISHING CREEK TWP. — Motorists who have driven around “Road Closed” signs blocking Zaners Bridge Road for the past...
Official: You can buy gourmet wine slushies, put money on horses
BLOOMSBURG —For the first time in the Bloomsburg Fair’s 163-year history, there will be betting and booze on the...
BLOOMSBURG — Staff let a woman into the prison here to see a 16-year-old inmate because they mistook her for a Children...
First Columbia Bank and Trust donates to AGAPE program
BLOOMSBURG — A local bank has made a large donation to help residents hurt by the recent flood, a charity announced...
Judge tells Danville-area woman she needs card
DANVILLE — A rural Danville woman who admitted smoking marijuana daily to relieve pain was sentenced to probation on...
September 5, 2018
Berwick Hospital owner bids for business; supers urged to stay out of ambulance spat
SALEM TWP. — Commonwealth Health is asking Salem Township to consider using its ambulance service, but firefighters say...
Man says he does not recall how he landed in grass
BERWICK — A 27-year-old woman allegedly ran into her boyfriend with her vehicle, then punched a police officer before...
Council cites 2011’s $200,000 cost of bins used by some outside the high-water zone
BLOOMSBURG — In a break with past flood recoveries, Town Council decided it would not put out Dumpsters for residents...
Ex-prison guard to face prosecution in Northumberland County
A former state prison guard accused of kidnapping and raping several women will be prosecuted in Northumberland County...
Cops: Benton woman’s vehicle stolen near Danville
MAHONING TWP. — Someone drove off in a car left open and running at a gas station on Bloom Road on Tuesday morning,...
Texas prof has feds’ OK to make drugs for research
DENTON, Texas (AP) — A professor and one of his graduate students have spent the last nine years making meth, fentanyl...
September 4, 2018
Police: Official stole $100 umbrella from another patron at restaurant
MAHONING TWP. — A Bloomsburg school director stole a $100 luxury golf umbrella belonging to another patron at a...
Pickup towing motorcycle on trailer veered off highway, into woods
TANK — A pickup towing a motorcycle on a small trailer left the eastbound lanes of Interstate 80 on the downhill slope...
Man guilty in death of horse cited over dogs
CATAWISSA — A man found guilty of neglect after a horse starved to death three years ago faces new charges of animal...
Nescopeck AMVETS closing bar, but post vows to soldier on
NESCOPECK — The AMVETS post here isn’t closed after all —members are just closing its bar and haven’t been checking...
Since state’s ban on ‘shaming,’ Bethlehem Area officials contract with collection agency
BETHLEHEM (AP) — When hungry students line up with their lunch trays in school cafeterias, they’ll be invited to fill...
September 3, 2018
Berwick board seeking bids to replace roof
NESCOPECK — It appears that elementary students will continue to be taught at the borough school here, and the...
Woman opens second restaurant in Orangeville-area ‘sweet spot’
ORANGEVILLE — Her 17 years working at the Bloomsburg Applebee’s, her business degree and an old cash register for sale...
Ex-Wapwallopen man, 71, may face prison, $40G fines
For the Press Enterprise WILKES-BARRE — The co-owner of a former dog breeding business in Wapwallopen pleaded guilty...
Suspect trespassed at charity drop-off, police say
BERWICK — A Wapwallopen man who ran from police for trespassing at the Salvation Army tripped over an officer’s foot as...
N.C.’s Duke University blocked name of small California winery
Never get between a university and its trademarks. That’s the lesson dozens of people learn every year when they...
September 2, 2018
Suspect allegedly leapt on woman’s bed, threatened her life in son’s view
BERWICK — A Nescopeck man broke into a home Saturday morning, jumped atop his ex-girlfriend on her bed, wrapped his...
Berwick vigil aims to combat stigma of opioid deaths
BERWICK — The last time Brenda Titus saw her son, Jeremy, in June, “he looked good. He looked healthy.” Then the call...
Berwick native performs drag for peers, keeps squadron in ship shape
EDITOR’S NOTE: This story about Joshua Kelley, a sailor from Berwick, was prepared for NBC News. To see more photos of...
Supers say markings near school bus stops will keep pupils safer
MAHONING TWP. — Mahoning Township workers painted new crosswalks on Bloom Road near school bus stops, making it safer...
Husband allegedly questioned her about suspected affair while parked in Centralia
CENTRALIA — A man beat up his wife in a car in the woods here Friday evening after picking her up from work and...
September 1, 2018
Berwick mom feels ‘horrible;’ says service-dog-in-car case should be tossed
BERWICK — A woman cited for leaving her son’s service dog in a car during a heat wave took the complaint to court...
Calios in Bloomsburg aims to offer good food within 15 minutes
BLOOMSBURG — Bruce Wray’s calzone restaurant, Calios, has only been in town for a few months and open less than two...
Berwick mayor says monument to be moved
NESCOPECK — It appears the AMVETS Post 93 here has closed its doors. Representatives of the club, which supported...
Thomas Beaver Free Library names director
DANVILLE — The Thomas Beaver Free Library has a new director, and she brings three decades of experience to the role....
WASHINGTONVILLE — Two people were taken to a hospital after a three-vehicle accident on Route 54 in northern Montour...
August 31, 2018
Bloomsburg neighbor got sewer plant official’s attention
BLOOMSBURG — Leane Coladonato trucked three, 5-gallon buckets of sewage up Main Street Thursday morning and delivered...
Millville man admits simple trespass and public drunkenness in Bloomsburg flap
BLOOMSBURG — A Millville man tried to force his way into a woman’s East Street apartment here before injuring himself...
Accident occurred at Mount Carmel High
MOUNT CARMEL — A teacher and two students were hurt in a minor accident during a science class at Mount Carmel Area...
Witnesses say truck went out of control at Scott Township business
SCOTT TWP. — John Andrezze was in the checkout line at Renco Ace Hardware Thursday afternoon when the building shook...
August 30, 2018
State giving grant to anthracite operation near Centralia
Press Enterprise Managing Editor CONYNGHAM TWP. — With help from state taxpayers, a mining company plans to reopen an...
Son refused to take the stand against Almedia resident
BERWICK — An Almedia man no longer faces charges that he tied up his adult son and imprisoned him for three days, after...
DANVILLE — Geisinger health system is raising its minimum wage for workers by $1 to $11, effective Sept. 30. About...
History buff regrets lack of support for saving Nescopeck house
NESCOPECK — The Cooper House’s days are numbered — and so are its windows. The landmark stone house along Route 93 at...
NEW YORK (AP) — The store isn’t dead for Home Depot, Kohl’s, Best Buy or Target. Many traditional chains have posted...
August 29, 2018
Columbia leaders grudgingly acknowledge $1M mandate
BLOOMSBURG — Columbia County officials reluctantly conceded Tuesday they’ll be forced to spend up to $1 million to buy...
Danville man must pay $300, gets shot at clearing record
BLOOMSBURG — A eye doctor who admitted prescribing Oxycodone and Adderall to his husband was ordered to pay a $300 fine...
Councilman urges Bloom to write FEMA on beset couple’s behalf
BLOOMSBURG — Some 30 years ago, Paul Polk purchased a house on Barton Street for his wife, Marie, because it was near...
Man allegedly crashed with alcohol, drug in his system
MONTOUR TWP. — A Bloomsburg man involved in a one-car crash while under the influence of a controlled substance told...
Parent company Commonwealth Health signs a deal to accord in-network access to health plan
WILKES-BARRE — People with health insurance issued by the UPMC Health Plan are now able to use it at Commonwealth...
August 28, 2018
Man who reportedly threatened Trump denies weapons charges
WILLIAMSPORT — An Oklahoma man who reportedly talked about assassinating Donald Trump just days before the president’s...
PennDOT expects flood-damaged roads can be fixed in time for Bloomsburg’s big attraction that opens in September
BLOOMSBURG — The iron bridge that crosses Fishing Creek on Millville Road and the roads leading up to it should be open...
Defender: Youth’s description didn’t match the accused
BERWICK — A homeless man threw gang signs and spoke gibberish when police were questioning him about the alleged rape...
Super: Growths in elementary were not dangerous
MILLVILLE — The school year is set to begin Wednesday for students here, after tests in the elementary school came back...
Investigator looking into Huntington Township blaze
For the Press Enterprise HUNTINGTON MILLS — A State Police fire marshal is looking into a suspicious fire that...
August 27, 2018
Former Weis staffer allegedly helped two women cheat store
BLOOMSBURG — A former Weis Markets worker, accused of stealing an estimated $24,000 from its Beer Cafe, is now charged...
Bloom man completed nearly 8,000 miles on three long-distance trails for rare honor
BLOOMSBURG — Gabe Genovese was packing his hiking gear in the middle of Yellowstone National Park in Wyoming the...
Vagrant accused of attack on mentally disabled 17-year-old in parked box truck
BERWICK — A homeless man raped a 17-year-old mentally disabled boy in a box truck after injecting him with meth,...
BLOOMSBURG — A man suspected of drunken driving appeared to be reading a Service Electric bill that he pulled out of...
BERWICK — Wise Snack Foods has begun removing some of the debris that had built up around its factory, says one of the...
August 26, 2018
Neighbors try new argument in Salem hog operation fight
SALEM TWP. — Supervisors here have been told they should address neighbors’ complaints about odors by forcing the Will-...
Police: Berwick man forged client’s checks, looted PalPal account
ALMEDIA — A Berwick man is accused of forging checks and misusing a PayPal account to steal $8,155 while working as a...
Disaster-recovery volunteers sweep into northern Columbia flood zone
ELK GROVE — As residents in northern Columbia County still grapple with the overwhelming mess left by recent flooding,...
Limited manpower hampered response, fire chief says
ELK GROVE — A fire gutted a home in the small village of Elk Grove on Saturday afternoon. It appears the blaze broke...
Maverick lawmaker, presidential hopeful was 81
WASHINGTON (AP) — Sen. John McCain, who faced down his captors in a Vietnam prisoner of war camp with jut-jawed...
August 25, 2018
Thief gets state time after taking WWII veteran mementos
BLOOMSBURG — An emotional burglary victim recently recounted how his house in Catawissa Township was ransacked by a...
BU athletes, volunteers help recent town transplant
BLOOMSBURG — Lancaster transplant Fran Petersen panicked when floodwaters hit her West Main Street home here last week...
Catawissa-area, Montour County incidents alleged
DANVILLE — A former prison guard already accused in two rapes allegedly broke into a Catawissa-area home, jumped on the...
Feds not afraid of safety risks in Salem Township
Press Enterprise Managing Editor SALEM TWP. — The contract between Talen and the unionized operations, maintenance,...
August 24, 2018
Sexual harassment, retaliation are alleged
WILLIAMSPORT -- An ousted Bloomsburg University dean claims he was fired in retaliation for counseling a secretary who...
Businessman gives 400 acres in Montour County to game commission
LIBERTY TWP. — The hunting opportunities along the northern side of Montour Ridge have expanded with the donation of...
Berwick mom says pet is less noisy than dogs
BERWICK — The owner of a rooster defended her bird upon learning council members were considering banning them from the...
HARRISBURG — Democratic Gov. Tom Wolf agreed to participate in just one debate before the Nov. 6 election with his...
Briar Creek Township secretary says Verizon was notified
BRIAR CREEK TWP. — A tree that fell on lines along Water Dam Road during recent heavy rains was still hung up...
August 23, 2018
Truck lost control near Aristes, officials say
ARISTES — Two people were killed Wednesday morning when they were thrown from their pickup, which lost control around a...
Men also in Berwick, Danville, Elysburg, BU
HARRISBURG — Three former priests from St. Columba church in Bloomsburg were among hundreds of Roman Catholic clergy...
Crater has closed business on Front Street in Berwick
BERWICK — A large sink hole roughly 10 feet deep and 10 feet wide opened under the retaining wall at Burger King...
Press Enterprise Managing Editor MILLVILLE — The schools here will not open on their scheduled first day today because...
Democratic Party activist accused of theft to apply for program, lawyer says
BLOOMSBURG — A former supervisor and Democratic Party activist accused of stealing quarters from his employer by...
August 22, 2018
Benton, Central and Vo-Tech beef up security
Press Enterprise Managing Editor SOUTH CENTRE TWP. — As school starts this year, Benton and Central Columbia school...
BLOOMSBURG — The Bloomsburg Area School Board has unanimously voted to hire its own temporary school security guard...
Abuse took place as child’s mom slept in same bed, charges say
CATAWISSA — A man is accused of fondling a 9-year-old girl in his apartment here while her mother lay asleep in the...
Woman allegedly kept dogs, cats in squalid conditions
For the Press Enterprise SWEET VALLEY — A woman here cropped dogs’ ears, shortened their tails and performed other...
Officials hope classes can begin during Labor Day week after fire at high school
UNION TWP. — School officials are hoping classes at Northwest Area School District will be able to start the week of...
With push from PETA, beasts bust out of their cages
After more than a century behind bars, the beasts on boxes of animal crackers are roaming free. Mondelez International...
August 21, 2018
Berwick shop owner who allegedly fled and fought police facing meth charges
BERWICK — The initial call to the Mystery Box Saturday was routine — a burglary alarm had been activated, and police...
Grad of Central and BU will see three-novel sci-fi series published
MAIN TWP. — Central High School and Bloomsburg University graduate Ryan Van Loan is about to become a published author...
Council says jeweler must bear removal, replacement costs
BERWICK — The tree blocking the sign to Nespoli Jewelers can be cut down, council members voted Monday. “It totally...
Bonds OK’d to improve security, athletic fields
BLOOMSBURG — School directors here unanimously approved funding Monday night for a $20 million project to improve...
Group calls off Saturday’s scheduled festival to focus on aid
BENTON — Since Friday, AGAPE has been serving two free meals a day here to help those still recovering from last month’...