ORANGE TOWNSHIP, Pa. — A man drowned early Wednesday in a creek at a campground in Columbia County.
John Williams, 55, from Mahanoy City, fell into Fishing Creek at the Fishing Creek Campground around 1 a.m. Wednesday, according to the coroner.
An autopsy is set for Thursday to determine if Williams suffered any injuries during the fall that may have contributed to his drowning.
BENTON, Pa. -- This is a bleak anniversary in Columbia County. One year ago, floodwaters ravaged communities in Benton and Bloomsburg.
Floodwaters forced some people from their homes while businesses had to close for days to pump water from their buildings.
Most of the homeowners and businesses in Benton and Bloomsburg are back on their feet, but it has taken a lot of hard work and patience to get there.
BLOOMSBURG, Pa. -- The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) says the number of Type 2 diabetes cases being diagnosed is alarming. The rate has tripled over the last 20 years.
Knowing that prevention is healthier and less expensive than treatment of diabetes, Geisinger Health System is partnering with the CDC to offer classes teaching people how not to become the next statistic.
BERWICK, Pa.-- When Tim Moran of Berwick was thinking about ideas for his Eagle Scout project, he knew he wanted to help veterans. Then he heard about people who were building tiny houses down south.
"That made me think of what we could do here and it just kind of blossomed into this," Moran said.
Fast forward two years, Tim is cutting the ribbon on a tiny house in Berwick that will soon house a homeless veteran. Tim enlisted the help of Community Strategies Group, a nonprofit from Bloomsburg that focuses on bettering neighborhoods.
BERWICK, Pa. -- Flames ripped through a home overnight in Columbia County.
Crews say the fire sparked just after 2:30 a.m. Sunday at the place along Fairview Avenue in Berwick.
Photos from the Columbia County Firewire Facebook page show flames engulfing the place.
Firefighters worked to battle the heavy flames and smoke.
Officials have not said if anyone was hurt.
A state police fire marshal has been called in to look for a cause.
LOWER MAHANOY TOWNSHIP, Pa. -- A body found more than a year ago in Northumberland County has finally been identified.
According to the Northumberland County coroner, a badly decomposed body was found on Zeigler Island in the Susquehanna River near Dalmatia in June of 2018. DNA test results have just confirmed that the body belonged to Wayne Mowery, 78, of Bloomsburg.
When Mowery went missing in October of 2017, his family said it was like he disappeared off the face of the earth. Nearly two years later, they can finally have some closure.
COLUMBIA COUNTY, Pa. -- A former treasurer and secretary in Columbia County is locked up on theft charges.
State police say Linda Tarlecki of Aristes stole more than $180,000 from Conyngham Township near Mount Carmel and is facing several felony charges.
State police say since 2006 Tarlecki served as a Conyngham Township supervisor as well as its secretary and treasurer, giving her access to the township's bank accounts.
GREENWOOD TOWNSHIP, Pa. -- When you picture summer camp, some of the things that come to mind are archery, arts and crafts, maybe even laser tag. At Camp Spifida near Millville, kids are doing all these things with their own special twist.
"Some things that they wouldn't be able to do any other time of the year. Swimming, a lot of the times, this is the only time the kids swim all year," Ari Wolfe said.
BERWICK, Pa. -- On a day like today, many are sitting inside near the air conditioning. But Newswatch 16 found a group paving Fowler Ave in Berwick.
"These guys are working in very hot temperatures regardless of the weather. They're laying asphalt at 290 degrees," said Raymond Leary, construction manager of Barry Isaac and Associates.
The guys were working hard, and in hot conditions no less. But Leary says crews do all they can to beat the heat while getting the job done.
COLUMBIA AND LYCOMING COUNTIES, Pa. - We had stormy weather across many parts of northeastern and central Pennsylvania Wednesday afternoon and evening.
What started out as a small shower along Main Street in Bloomsburg quickly turned into thunder, lightning, and heavy rain.
Meanwhile, in Hughesville, the wet weather made for muddy conditions at the Lycoming County Fair. Families came prepared and wore their rain boots.
"It poured like crazy this morning so we figured it would probably be a mud pit here," Jason Perry of Montoursville said.
