Bluegrass Festival Thursday-Saturday in Cross Fork. See details on our Calendar of Events

Bradford man arrested for murder….theft of car probed by troopers at Ridgway…Mansfield resident accused of receiving stolen gun…..State House votes for laws cutting red tape for stream maintenance…

McKean County

McKean County District Attorney Stephanie L. Vettenburg-Shaffer, reports that Frederick Raymond Camejo, Jr., has been charged by City of Bradford Police with Criminal Homicide, Discharge of a Firearm into an Occupied Structure, and Recklessly Endangering Another Person for the shooting death of Edward Fomby, Jr. in Bradford City on May 29.  Camejo was arraigned at approximately 5:00 pmTuesday  by Magisterial District Judge Dominic Cercone and was remanded to the McKean County Jail without bail. Preliminary hearing has been scheduled for June 29, 2022 at 9:00 am. Chief Michael Ward, Officer Joshua Frederoski and Officer Patrick Caskey are the lead investigators in the case. Arrest Date: Tuesday, June 14, 2022 – 6:38pm Charges: (1 count) Criminal Homicide (F1) (18) 2707.1 Discharge of a Firearm Into Occupied Structure (vehicle) (F3) & (3) Counts Recklessly Endangering Another Person (M2) Incident Type: Homicide

Elk County

State police at Ridgway are investigating the theft of a car from 16100 Boot Jack Road in Ridgway Monday afternoon. Someone drove off in a white  2016 Ford Fusion owned by a 56 year old Kersey woman.  The car bears Pennsylvania registration KZR-8716. The theft occurred while the victim was mowing grass.

Tioga County

DUI charges are being filed against a 57 year old Williamsport man by state police at Mansfield.  The suspect, whose name was withheld, was arrested after troopers observed a GMC Canyon pulled off on the shoulder of Route 15 and the operator allegedly showed multiple signs of impairment last Thursday night.

A 25 year old Mansfield man has been arrested for receiving stolen property. State police were called to assist Scott Township police who were investigating the possession of a stolen firearm Tuesday

morning. The suspect, whose name was withheld, was taken into custody and was charged accordingly.

Potter County

The Coudersport Area School Board voted Monday night to increase school property taxes for the first time since 2015.   The district  says it has been absorbing expense increases for several years while working to provide one to one connectivity to the area’s school students and keeping pace with curriculum advances. As it does every year, the board voted at the December 6, 2021 meeting to limit any tax increase discussed in June to the inflation level index established by the state.   This year’s maximum increase was set at a 4.6% increase.   Officials say the decision was eased by the recognition of the unique opportunity presented by the first significant increase in the distribution of state sanctioned gaming revenue via the homestead/farmstead credit available for every homeowner for their primary residence.   For 698 of the qualifying homeowners this means that their school property taxes will still be lower than last year even with the 3.5% tax increase passed by the board at the June 13, 2022 meeting.  For the median assessed value across the properties, the increase will be a slight savings.   The amount of savings or increase is dependent on a property’s assessed value.  For the first 100 properties above the median value, the increase will be less than $5 followed by the next 300 higher valued properties where the increase will be less than $25.

The board also expressed concern regarding the effect of the increase on business within the school district.   The majority of locally owned businesses will see less than a $100 increase as a result of the tax increase according to the school board.

Statewide

Completing the work they began last week to cut red tape involving local efforts to prevent flooding, the state House on Monday approved the final two bills of the eight-bill stream maintenance package, including one sponsored by Rep. Clint Owlett (R-Tioga/Bradford/Potter).Owlett’s House Bill 2404 would create a continuous maintenance permit that could be issued to municipalities or the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation to maintain, inspect and monitor watercourses, water obstructions, appurtenant works and encroachments within their jurisdiction. The permits would allow for continuous maintenance for a period of at least 10 years and therefore would not require pre-approval for maintenance projects.

Also approved on Monday, House Bill 2407 would clarify the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission has no authority for permitting or enforcement related to stream clearing or maintenance activities. This authority would belong solely to Department of Environmental Protection and county conservation districts as appropriate.

Bills in the package approved by the House last week include:

  • House Bill 2405, which would create a program that allows counties, in consultation with their county conservation district, to issue emergency permits for stream maintenance, modeled after a pilot project in Bradford County.

  • House Bill 2406, which would create a permit specific to smaller maintenance projects.

  • House Bill 2408, which would clarify that no permit would be required for maintenance on a culvert.

  • House Bill 2409, which would clarify that no permit would be required for removal of flood-related hazards that are deemed to be an emergency by a state or county.

  • House Bill 2410, which would clarify that no permit would be required for maintenance activities conducted within 50 feet of a bridge or culvert.

  • House bill 2411, which would require DEP to issue an annual report to the General Assembly regarding flooding and stream maintenance and restoration.

The bills, which were developed following a hearing of the House Majority Policy Committee in Wellsboro late last year, are now awaiting action by the Senate.