News briefs from around the area

Fatal cycle crash

TIOGA CO. -- A Wellsboro man died Monday night in a motorcycle crash on Pa. Rt. 287 in Delmar Township, Tioga County.

State police at Mansfield identified the victim as 63-yearold Edward Lyon. Police said he was rounding a left-hand curve, traveling at a high rate of speed, when the bike went off the east berm and struck several mailboxes and a utility pole. Lyon, who was wearing a helmet, was pronounced dead at the scene of multiple trauma.

East Branch Dam concerns

WILCOX -- U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is keeping the public apprised of developments at the East Branch Dam, which the Corps confirms has been found to be potentially unsafe. A geophysical survey of the dam embankment will be conducted soon to assess the origin of seepage, Corps offi- cials told a local stakeholders' group during a dam tour last week. Any permanent repairs may not be possible for up to three years, they added.

Townwide yard sales

GALETON - Galeton Area Chamber of Commerce has scheduled a Townwide Yard Sale promotion for Saturday, May 24.

Maps showing locations for registered sales will be available at area businesses and signs will be posted. Several Galeton merchants are participating by moving their wares out outside, weather permitting, and offering special sales.

Out-of-towners who wish to sell items are welcome to rent table space at John Collins Memorial Park for a $5.00 fee. Additional information is available from Sue Crawford at John's Gun Shop in Galeton or Janet Green at the Lakeview Cinema.

Charter school update

KANE -- McKean County Judge John Cleland has overruled Kane Area School District objections and will allow the "Mt. Jewett Area Charter School for Academic Excellence" to be assessed by the state's Charter School Appeals Board.

School supporters described Judge Cleland's ruling as a major win.

The petition to the court contained the signatures of 359 adult residents of the Kane Area "We are another step closer to providing an alternative educational opportunity for parents and their children," said the coalition president, Skye Ognen.

The Appeals Board will assign an officer to conduct a formal hearing. The board will eventually decide whether to uphold or reverse Kane Area School Board's denial.

Plans for a charter school surfaced after the school board shut down the Mt. Jewett Elementary School at the end of the 2007 school year.

Citizens plan suit

RIDGWAY - Citizens in Ridgway Township plan to sue the township government in an attempt to block an ordinance that would require all property owners to tap into the township water supply, even if they're serviced by private wells or springs.

Many of the residents who use private water supplies live along Rt. 120, just outside Ridgway Borough. The ordinance requires any residence situated up to 300 feet from the main water line to connect.

Detour in effect

GALETON -- PennDOT has resumed detouring traffic around downtown Galeton while a major renovation project on Rt. 6 and Rt. 144 continues.

The highway is being widened and paved. Other parts of the project include street lighting, a new traffic signal, sidewalk and drainage improvements and landscaping.

Eastbound Rt. 6 traffic is being directed onto Rt. 144 to Germania Street, West Street and back to Route 6. Westbound traffic is permitted to stay on Rt. 6 through town.

PennDOT expects the project to be completed by September. Contractor for the $3.3 million job is A. L. Blades and Sons Inc. of Hornell.

Landfill will expand

MT. JEWETT -- A 200-acre expansion is on track for the former McKean County landfill near Mt. Jewett.

Landfill owner Rustick LLC and state officials discussed the plans at a public meeting last week. Expansion will take place on a 204-acre plot across the road from the landfill.

This will allow the facility to accept a larger volume of municipal waste, to be brought in by rail after a rail siding is built.

New daily limit for the landfill will be 6,500 tons .

Officials in Sergeant Township, where the landfill is located, support the expansion. But one citizen attending the meeting warned of potential problems with air pollution and leachate discharges.

Sentenced in robbery

RIDGWAY - A Wilcox man has been sentenced for a bank robbery in Johnsonburg earlier this year.

Judge Richard Masson handed down the sentence against 50-year-old James R. Fallin on charges of robbery and theft by unlawful taking. The money he stole from County National Bank, totaling about $21,000, was recovered.

He will spend between five and 20 years in state prison, pay a fine and restitution, and cover costs of prosecution.

In another case, 24-year-old Melody C. Lewis of St. Marys was sentenced on a charge of theft by failure to make required disposition of funds. She was accused of taking more than $4,500 from her employer, Domino's Pizza.

Lewis was sentenced to two years' probation, as well as fines and fees totaling more than $1,000. She was also ordered to make $4,510 in restitution.

Two teens killed

BRADFORD - Two Bradford High Seniors were killed in a car crash Friday night on West Washington Street near the Marilla Reservoir.

Police said 18-year-old Evan Yehl of Derrick City was headed east when his car went off the road, struck several trees and burst into flames. He and a passenger, 18-year-old Britt Bookhamer, were killed in the crash while a second passenger, Ian Clark, was taken to Hamot Medical Center in Erie for treatment of serious injuries. He is expected to make a full recovery.

A second crash took place near the same spot seconds later. The driver and two passengers suffered minor injuries after that vehicle skidded into a berm and struck a guardrail.

Bradford Township Police are continuing their investigation. They confirmed earlier this week that both vehicles were traveling at an excessive speed, with one passing the other. Police have declined to say whether alcohol may have been a factor. Results of toxicology tests won't be available until later this month.