Press And Journal
WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 16, 2015
VOLUME 125 - NO. 50
26 PAGES
75 CENTS
Making a list: Nine council meetings scheduled By Dan Miller
Press And Journal Staff
Press And Journal Photo by Jim Lewis
A sign on a door Tuesday, Dec. 15 at Middletown’s Borough Hall announces the cancellation of a Middletown Borough Council meeting that night.
Borough man is sentenced in rape of girl
A Middletown man was sentenced to up to 20 years in prison in Dauphin County Court after he pleaded guilty to raping a 13-year-old girl in 2014. William Scott Allison, 52, formerly of the 100 block of Spring St., was sentenced by Judge Scott Evans on Monday, Nov. 30 to serve 10 to 20 years in prison after pleading guilty to involuntary deviate sexual intercourse with a person less than 16 years of age, criminal attempt of William Scott rape and criminal attempt of Allison involuntary deviate sexual intercourse with a person less than 16 years of age. Evans also sentenced Allison to five to 10
For those of you still scrambling to come up with things to do to fill those endless hours and days over the holidays, Middletown Borough Council has your answer. Council President Chris McNamara has ordered the advertising of nine different council meetings to be held between now and the end of 2015 – including one on New Year’s Eve. The legal notice, placed by the borough in PennLive, advertises council meetings for 7 p.m. in council chambers on Tuesday, Dec. 15; Wednesday, Dec. 16; Thursday, Dec. 17; Tuesday, Dec. 22; Wednesday, Dec. 23; Monday, Dec. 28; Tuesday, Dec. 29; Wednesday, Dec. 30; and Thursday, Dec. 31. Already the schedule has been revised: The borough announced on Monday, Dec. 14 that the Dec. 15 council meeting was canceled.
That still leaves eight other meetings. Borough spokesman Chris Courogen could not say why McNamara chose to advertise so many meetings, or whether council actually plans to meet on each of the nine nights. He referred questions to McNamara, who did not respond to a request for comment on Tuesday. Technically, there are several matters that council is “statutorily required” to take care of before the end of the year, Courogen said. For starters, council has to approve a budget for 2016. Then, council will have to adopt an ordinance setting the tax rate for 2016. The tax ordinance must be passed, regardless of whether council changes the millage rate, Courogen said. That will require two different meetings. The tax ordinance must be advertised, but that cannot happen until council passes the budget, Courogen said.
JOY TO THE WOOD
Please See COUNCIL, Page A6
Please See Page A2
Quick
NEWS Ann Street resident charged with taking neighbors’ packages An Ann Street woman was charged with allegedly stealing packages that were delivered to her neighbors, according to Middletown Borough officials and documents filed by police in court. Paul L. Allen 42, of the 400 block of Ann St., was charged by police on Thursday, Dec. 3 with misdemeanor counts of theft by unlawful taking, corruption of minors and receiving stolen property and was issued a summons, according to court documents. A preliminary hearing is set for Monday, Jan. 4 before District Judge David Judy. Police acted on a tip from a witness who saw Allen taking items from a neighbor’s mailbox in November, borough spokesman Chris Courogen told the Press And Journal. The incident, reported to authorities on Nov. 17, prompted Middletown police to alert residents on how to safeguard packages being delivered to residences this holiday season by companies like UPS, FedEx, and the U.S. Postal Service. The corruption of minors charge stems from Allen failing to act regarding a 14-year-old juvenile who allegedly stole a package from a neighbor, according to court documents.
Please See SENTENCED, Page A6
Detective attacked at court hearing By Eric Wise
Press And Journal Staff
Submitted photo Mayor James H. Cu rry III, left, and co-o wn Dan Rowe pose with the winner, a tree createer by Pat and Dan Fishe d r.
A Harrisburg man lashed out at a Lower Swatara Twp. detective who arrested him after a Dauphin County jury found him guilty of robbery on Friday, Dec. 11. Alex Martin Pettis, 25, leapt from his seat and began hitting and trying to choke Lower Swatara Twp. Detective Ryan Gartland shortly after the guilty verdict was read, according to the Dauphin county District Attorney’s office. Members of Pettis’ family in the courtroom rushed to help Pettis in the fight, with one of them fighting with sheriff’s deputies, according to the district attorney’s office. Pettis was found guilty of robbery, simple assault, recklessly endangering another person and unlawful possession of instruments of a crime. The charges arose from a May 26, 2014 incident in which Pettis tried to rob a man who had been lured to the Hollywood Motel in Lower Swatara through an Internet escort ad. Pettis faces up to 29 years in prison for the incident in 2014. He now has also been charged with felony retaliation against a witness and aggravated assault, according to the district attorney’s office.
Charlie Brown didn’t need a big, shiny tree. He found the spirit of Christmas in a little sapling so scrawny that it drooped when he hung an ornament on it. Middletown discovered that same Christmas spirit in a novel decorating contest – turn wooden pallets into symbols of holiday cheer. Frank Rowe & Son, a Union Street pet grooming supply store, provided the pallets and held the contest. It was a hit – and now the entries line the front of the store, bringing a bit of joy to the downtown business district. You can see more of the entries on page A2.
Black Horse to open in January
Press And Journal Photos by Erin Wise
By Dan Miller and Eric Wise Press And Journal Staff
It’s the talk of the town – residents want to know when the former Lamp Post Inn on East Main Street will reopen as a new restaurant. We’ve been trying to get answers too. In August, Kimon Zoumas, one of the new owners of the restaurant, told the Press And Journal
The interior of the Black Horse Grille, left, the former Lamp Post Inn, after renovations. A sign, right, proclaims the change inside the building, which dates to the early 1800s.
Londonderry man threatened roommate with gun, police say
Middletown
Man dies in motorcycle crash in York County A Middletown man was killed in a motorcycle accident in York County on Sunday, Dec. 13, according to the York County coroner’s office. David Lawyer, 52, of the first block of N. Union St, died from injuries he suffered after his motorcycle failed to negotiate a curve in the 1200 block of Pines Road near Red Mill Road in Newberry Twp. around 4:20 p.m., according to information that the York County coroner released via the Twitter feed on the coroner’s Web site. A passenger riding on Lawyer’s Harley Davidson did not receive life-threatening injuries, the coroner said. The passenger was not identified. Lawyer was not wearing a helmet, the coroner said. Newberry Twp. police are investigating the crash, according to the coroner.
that The Black Horse Grille could open by the end of that month. It didn’t. But now Peter Zoumas – Kimon’s brother and another member of the Zoumas Enterprises partnership – tells the Press And Journal he’s “90 percent certain” that the restaurant will open around mid-January – Jan. 15 Please See BLACK HORSE, Page A6
State police arrested a Londonderry Twp. man after he allegedly threatened his roommate with a gun during a dispute over unpaid bills on Tuesday, Dec. 1. Shaun Michael McKain, 37, of the 200 block of Michael Street, pointed the gun at Angel Salgado and pistol-whipped him, bruising to the right side of his face, according to Shaun Michael court docuMcKain ments state police filed with District Judge David Judy. McKain then locked himself in a bedroom with Salgado’s girlfriend and the couple’s 5-year-old son, but Salgado got his girlfriend and son out of the home unharmed, state police said. McKain was arraigned before District Judge Raymond Shugars in Dauphin County Night Court and charged with aggravated assault, terroristic threats, simple assault, four counts of recklessly endangering another person and harassment. He was held in Dauphin County Prison in lieu of $25,000 bond. A preliminary hearing is set for Feb. 8.
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