UPDATE: Judge Eric R. Linhardt assigned Little League Covid-19 disqualified teams case

August 13, 2021 By

UPDATE August 13, 2021 11:55 a.m.:

TalkWilliamsport.com has confirmed the case between the Covid-19 disqualified Little League teams and Little League International has been assigned to Lycoming County Court of Common Pleas Judge Eric R. Linhardt.

Linhardt is a former Lycoming County District Attorney sworn in as Judge in January 2018.

The same office of District Attorney that was referenced by the Office of Pennsylvania Attorney General Josh Shapiro when choosing not to pursue obstruction of justice charges in the 2018 WAHS baseball team “criminal sexual misconduct” incident in Myrtle Beach based on the fact:

“The OAG was unable to determine whether any attempt to ‘cover-up’ the conduct occurred in Pennsylvania due to the failure of the District Attorney’s Office to create, implement, and enforce any policies governing the conduct of county detectives.”

While Lindhardt was District Attorney prior to the March 2018 Myrtle Beach incident there were a number of (231 Pa. Code § 230.2) cases which had the clock run out by not being brought forward.

Current Little League team host (uncle) Willie Weber was the chief detective under Linhardt while he was the Lycoming County District Attorney.

Weber was a subject of the OAG investigation into the Myrtle Beach incident and is still employed by the Office of Lycoming County District Attorney Ryan Gardner no longer serving as chief detective..

A scheduling order has not been issued in the Little League case where time is of the essence.

Is a recusal in order for this case for all Lycoming County judges?

This is a developing story on TalkWilliamsport.com.

Filed Under: Featured Stories, News, News Archive

False Positively denied their Field of Dreams by no fault of their own, Carl Stotz weeps in heaven

August 13, 2021 By

Todd Bartley, TalkWilliamsport.com

News@TalkWilliamsport.com

If you were expecting Loyalty, Courage and Character from Little League International, you must not be from around here. Those words look great on a logo; but when it comes to living by them; well just ask the teams that were disqualified from the regional tournaments with a Covid-19 positive test result that were actually false positives denying them their Field of Dreams opportunity by no fault of their own.

According to several team representatives from all over the country the experience ring similar.

  • No local regional tournament protocol for Covid-19 testing
  • No state tournament protocol for Covid-19 testing
    • Example: Pennsylvania has 32 districts
  • All the teams were together in common areas in hotels
  • Teams ate together
  • Teams were all together in rooms to self administer “Covid-19 saliva tests
  • No professional health care workers to administer or collect test samples
  • Test results were returned 4 days later in some instances
  • No contact tracing has occurred
  • No follow-ups from Little League to make sure teams that were disqualified got home safely
  • No follow-ups from Little League to see how the “Covid-19 positive” cases are doing
  • No public announcement that teams were disqualified for alleged Covid-19 positive cases
  • The mental health fallout for children and adults is immeasurable
  • The indignity for teams of having results being posted as 6-0 losses on the Little League website when in fact those Covid-19 forfeit games have not been played.
    • Is there an issues with posting “team advances due to Covid-19 forfeit”
    • Is the issue, since the disqualification is indefensible the easy way out is to post a score?
  • After the positive Covid-19 test result many cases went to medical facilities and had multiple negative test results
  • After presenting Little League International with the facts of multiple negative Covid-19 test results – those facts had no effect.
  • The Covid-19 protocols changed on the eve of the regional tournaments from 9 players and 2 coaches to automatic disqualification with a positive test result. Apparently with no mechanism in place to verify a 4-day old false positive test result.

What is abundantly clear based on the exclusive reporting of TalkWilliamsport.com is that Ryan Miller can be an alternate team host (uncle) with a pair of DUI convictions.

Willie Weber can also be a team host (uncle) while keeping video evidence of “criminal sexual misconduct” in his office desk drawer. The incident was perpetrated by a Williamsport Area High School baseball player on another teammate during the 2018 team trip to Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. Weber previously characterized the incident as “a prank”.

The Horry County South Carolina Office of Solicitor criminally charged ALLEGED PERPETRATOR #1 in the juvenile justice system earlier this year.

The Office of Pennsylvania Attorney General found there were significant lapses in the way the case was handled but was unable to bring a charge of Obstruction of Justice because there were no protocols or procedures for detectives to follow in 2018 regarding interviews of victims, fact witnesses and cooperation with other jurisdictions.

Is it any wonder Ryan Miller who was the head coach of the 2018 Williamsport Area High School baseball team and coached with 2 DUI’s on his record was allowed to serve as an alternate team host (uncle) in 2016?

He resigned as head coach in 2018 days after showing up and coaching the Williamsport Area High School baseball team while being highly intoxicated. If he had not resigned, the school district was prepared to fire him.

 

So for those heart broken children, coaches and families, this is what has been going on for the past nearly four years with those very closely associated and in some cases employed by Little League International in South Williamsport, Pennsylvania.

 

With that as the backdrop, is it any wonder teams from Tar Heel Little League from Greenville, North Carolina, Needville Little League, Texas and Tulsa, Oklahoma are beside themselves being told to “get out of the hotel and get the kids home safe”, by Dan Velte of Little League International after receiving false positive test results?

The same Dan Velte who joked via text message with current Lycoming County Commissioner Scott Metzger, long standing team host (uncle) and President of Montoursville Little League; he would move from Williamsport to Montoursville to be in that Little League.

The text was obtained in a Pennsylvania Right to Know Law request seeking communications between Metzger and Little League leading up to the White House visit a year ago.

The same Lycoming County Commissioner Scott Metzger who unilaterally canceled a service agreement with this author and Lycoming County in the aftermath of an article August 20, 2020 which chronicled the silence of Little League leadership regarding the aforementioned Myrtle Beach story.

 

THE TAR HEEL LITTLE LEAGUE STATEMENT AFTER BEING SENT HOME

Excerpts obtained from The Original of The Greenville Little League Team Parent & Coach Statement.PDF are listed below.
“LITTLE LEAGUE INTERNATIONAL NEEDS MONEY TO OPERATE, SO IT SELLS THE KIDS”
“After all, look what LLI makes all parents sign before their child is allowed the privilege of setting foot on the field:”
“I, ______ [parent] hereby irrevocably consent, grant, license and give my permission to Little League Baseball . . . and any third party … ESPN entities, Major League Baseball . . . and any and all sponsors and/or licensees of LLB a royalty-free, irrevocable right and license to use, exploit, adapt, modify, sell, sublicense . . . throughout the world . . . the image, name, voice, likeness or persona of the above listed minor in any and all commercial exploits or ventures . . .in perpetuity throughout the universe”
“LLI needs money to operate, so it sells the kids….but rather when money becomes the focus in decision making at the expense of the kids.
The kids must always come first.”
“We supplied our kids for LLI’s financial benefit, but LLI failed to uphold its end of the bargain by unfairly and arbitrarily disqualifying them after only one game.”
The Little League mission statement highlights the power of youth baseball to TEACH life lessons that build stronger individuals and communities.
Although LLI asserts that its number one concern is the safety of the kids, its actions tell a very different story.
Little League International (LLI) states on its website that “the health, safety, and well-being of every participant is Little League International’s paramount concern.”
The facts of our team’s elimination establish the falsity of this statement:
–LLI failed to adopt and follow legitimate COVID protocols. LLI selected a testing methodology (saliva collection/sample deactivation) that is easy and cheap, but it has not been fully FDA approved.
The SDNA-1000 system sold by Spectrum Solutions that LLI selected can only be used under an emergency FDA authorization in very limited circumstances.
The FDA very clearly states:
“The device may be used for unsupervised specimen self-collection by a layperson 18 years or older and for specimen collection by a healthcare worker from individuals of any age.”
–LLI failed to follow these FDA requirements. The tests LLI provided to players were administered by the players themselves, in violation of FDA requirements. No healthcare professional was involved in the process. The adult volunteer in the room did not even wear gloves and simply accepted the test vials after the players finished. Each team filled the room, with its players spitting into tubes for ten to fifteen minutes at a time. Our team walked into the testing room immediately following the preceding team. It would be hard to design a protocol that was more inaccurate or more dangerous for the players.
–LLI also failed to follow the chain of custody and label verification safeguards.
–Our team’s first samples were collected on Wednesday evening, August 4. LLI stressed the importance of teams having to “test in.” And, in fact, our players were not allowed to check into their rooms until after they submitted a sample. While that sounds “safe and appropriate,” LLI shipped the samples to Utah for testing and did not receive the results until Saturday, August 7. By that time, our team had stayed in the same hotel with all the players from all the other teams for 3 nights. All the teams ate in the same room at the hotel and field complex, they all used the only elevator available in the hotel, and games had been played against other teams.
–If the safety, physical health, and well-being of the players were paramount, LLI should have administered a rapid test and reported the results PRIOR to any player or coach entering the hotel. If the rapid test was positive, LLI should and could have required the player or coach to go to a selected local health care provider for re-testing/confirmation/clearance prior to beginning play. Interestingly, although the county health department is adjacent to the SE Regional Tournament facility, it was not involved in the testing process at all. LLI’s protocol was all about ease of use and show, not substance.
–When our team was notified of a positive result on Saturday, August 7 after having interacted and lived with the other teams for days, LLI gave the team an ultimatum to evacuate the hotel within 30 minutes. If LLI’s protocols were so safe, what was the hurry after 4 days?
–Prior to the tournament, LLI talked about all the mental health challenges players would face and how it had mental health experts on standby. LLI then released the attached statement, publicly saying all of the right things: “The team members and their families have been informed of all appropriate health measures to help ensure all individuals are cared for, and that appropriate isolation and quarantine efforts are being followed.” No part of that statement is true.
–There was ZERO communication with the families initiated by LLI. No LLI personnel or medical professional resources were provided onsite or involved in the process. The coaches were forced to tell the players and the parents themselves. At a moment’s notice, parents were left literally trying to hold their devastated sons up in the parking lot after they were unceremoniously kicked to the curb. Parents and boys cried alone, with no help, before hastily throwing gear in vehicles.
–When this issue was later brought to LLI’s attention, their cold, corporate response directed parents to use electronic resources found in a virtual portal.
–LLI only informed the coaches of the “positive” player’s result, NOT the player’s parents! The parents of the player had to later demand a copy of the written test results.
–LLI provided no opportunity to retest or verify the results. Retesting was important not only for the purposes of participating in the tournament, but also for safeguarding the health of that player, his family, and all the other boys and families.
–Dan Velte, LLI’s Senior Operations Executive, later went so far as to state during a phone conversation with a team parent that it was “reckless” to seek a confirmatory test because the
LLI test is the best available.
Is that consistent with the LLI’s public statement?
Is that statement consistent with the safety and physical/mental health of LLI’s players being its number one priority?
–Guess what? The player whose results were reported by LLI as “positive” has since repeatedly tested “negative.” After receiving the awful news of the positive result from coaches and before even receiving a written copy of his results, he tested again—the same day. The results were “negative.”Out of an abundance of caution, he tested a second time the same day (Saturday), with negative results. He has tested every day since, with every single non-LLI test result being “negative.” No member of his family has become symptomatic or tested positive. No other player or coach that LLI excluded from continued participation has tested positive.
–LLI ignored all of that and quickly posted its website a “0-6” loss for North Carolina in its next two rounds. After all, the ESPN broadcast must go on, right? The Southeast Regional brackets still show Greenville, NC losing two games 0-6 without explanation. In contrast, similar brackets for the Southwest bracket contain a disclaimer that “Games Declared Forfeits Will Not Be Played”. Our team did not lose a single game it was allowed to play in the 2021 post-season.
–Even more disturbing news came with our player’s written “positive” result from LLI. Redacted results are attached. The player submitted a sample on the evening of Wednesday, August 4, yet the report says his sample was collected at 8:03 am on Thursday, August 5. Whose result is this? If the time and date of collection are inaccurate, how can the rest be trusted?
–Incredibly, the lab report lists the doctor who ordered the test as “Dr. International, Little.”
The FDA requires that this test be administered by a medical professional, but it clearly was not.
Is LLI proud of this? Is this the best it can do?
NO MEDICAL PROFESSIONALS WERE INVOLVED IN THE ACTUAL TESTING PROCESS
(with the exception of a Utah lab processing a sample from an unknown source that was collected in an unapproved manner).
–The LLI test manufacturer has a “Fact Sheet for Patients” available on its website. First, it is important to point out that LLI is using the test for players, not patients. Second, the term “patient” necessarily assumes a medical provider is involved. Finally, the Fact Sheet acknowledges that there is a very small chance that its test can give a positive result that is wrong (false positive). It goes onto say that when that happens, “your healthcare provider will work with you to determine how best to care for you based on the test results along with medical history, and your symptoms.” LLI failed to provide any health care provider and failed to consider our team player’s lack of pertinent medical history and lack of symptoms. Ignoring the manufacturer’s instructions, LLI simply translated a positive result directly into disqualification of not only the player but our entire team without further inquiry or support of our player or team.
–Unfortunately, our team’s experience is consistent with the wrongful elimination of the Texas and Oklahoma teams. We are informed that the test results from the supposedly COVID-positive TX players how “his” sample being collected before he arrived at the testing site. We are also informed that the allegedly COVID-positive OK coach has since tested negative on every non-LLI test he has taken. In fact, he has been told by doctors that he does NOT have COVID. His negative test results administered by medical professionals clear him to return to the medical profession in which he works, but LLI deemed them not sufficiently reliable for his team to play baseball.
–The rules listed on the LLI website (copy attached) currently state that if there is a positive test,” the committee will assess the team situation to identify if the team has enough players and coaches to proceed with competing in their respective tournament. If the team cannot field nine players, they will be removed from the tournament.” TX, OK, and NC had a singular positive test that resulted in immediate removal from the tournament without application of the “9 player rule” set by LLI. When the OK team inquired about this issue, LLI said the team was eliminated because they couldn’t meet isolation/quarantine requirements. In reality, they had followed every LLI-required protocol—the only way players and coaches could participate is if they stayed in the LLI-provided rooms in the”COVID/team pod/bubble” described in the pre-tournament videos and parent Zoom calls prior to the event.
–By the time our team raised the same “9 player rule,” LLI had come up with a new excuse, that we didn’t have enough vaccinated players. On August 9, two days after our team was disqualified, LLI announced that as a result of a positive test within the Hawaii team the unvaccinated players could no longer participate—but the vaccinated players could continue competing and the team was not disqualified. This is extremely disturbing for numerous reasons:
a. There are only two places in the rules that reference vaccines:
i. “Players, coaches, and managers are not required to be vaccinated.” 
ii. “Unvaccinated participants will also receive regular COVID-19 tests, every other day throughout the tournament.”
b. The rules DO NOT say vaccination status of its players will be used to determine the eligibility of a team.
c. The creation and use of these criteria after the fact is unfair, capricious, and creates an unfair competitive advantage for teams based on criteria that were unknown to teams or players prior to the start of the tournament.
d. Furthermore, in order to even be eligible for a vaccine, a player has to have turned 12. Because the process to become fully vaccinated takes 6 weeks, it would have to have been started in June, well before our team even competed in the State Tournament.
e. Even more disturbing from a competitive balance standpoint, IT WOULD BE IMPOSSIBLE TO MEET THIS REQUIREMENT FOR MANY PLAYERS, including players on our team, whose twelfth birthday was too late in the process to complete full vaccination prior to the start of the regional tournament. Coaches and managers were not made aware of these criteria at the start of the tournament and certainly not at the time of team construction. Thus, LLI’s use of this criteria randomly gives certain teams a competitive advantage.
f. In that this is all about “health and safety,” LLI must also consider the reported medical literature linking COVID-19 vaccines to myocarditis (INFLAMMATION OF THE LINING OF THE HEART), which according to the CDC is a complication most prevalent in males age 16 and younger!
Again, since this is all about “health and safety,” the science currently shows that while they don’t typically become so ill they need to be hospitalized, vaccinated individuals do carry and transmit the virus. That is why the CDC has recommended the reinstitution of masking for all (vaccinated and unvaccinated) folks indoors and in crowds. That being the case, how is LLI ensuring vaccinated players are not transmitting the virus to other players on other teams?
–It was also very disturbing to learn that 3 days after disqualifying our team WITH ZERO CONTACT TRACING (LLI didn’t ask who the “positive” player had roomed with, how many players stayed in his room, who he had been near, or anything at all), LLI announced that despite numerous positive tests, the Nevada team would be allowed to continue in the tournament; LLI stated that, after thorough contact tracing with the positive players and their interactions, the team still had enough players to continue. We are excited for the Nevada boys, but it is a travesty that our boys were denied the same opportunity.
–LLI is moving the fence mid-inning. As more and more teams are eliminated as a result of LLI’sincompetent, horribly executed testing protocol, and variable disqualification matrix, they are now creating ways to keep teams with positive tests in competition. They have changed the rules, announced new rules (some all players can’t even meet), and are applying disqualification criteria inconsistently during the competition. WE CRY FOUL ON THIS TOMFOOLERY!
–Why is LLI doing this? Why is LLI treating teams with positive (false positive or otherwise) results differently? LLI has slots to fill on TV and they are running out of teams. Earlier in the tournament, games were only televised on ESPN+, but now the stakes have been raised with games being televised on ESPN2 and ESPN.
–The problems with LLI’s testing protocol should not have been a surprise to it. One of our parents (an anesthesiologist dealing with COVID issues on a daily basis) raised concerns about the testing protocol before we even left NC. His concerns were ignored. He submitted written concerns/questions during the LLI parent zoom meeting, but the LLI representatives conducting the meeting neither addressed the concerns orally nor published them for other parents to see.
–The disqualification of teams on the basis of false positives was predictable. When pressed during a telephone call, LLI’s Executive Director of Operations confidently boasted that “its” test is extremely reliable – the best. He went on to boast that it is 99.8% reliable. Taking that as true, and assuming it was administered pursuant to FDA requirements (which it clearly wasn’t), and assuming the samples were properly separated and identified with proper collection times (which they clearly weren’t), this statistic is VERY concerning. 99.8% means that there are .002% false positives. During the first two days of testing, LLI performed approximately 1920 tests(15 tests/team x 64 teams X 2 tests per team) x.002% (false positive rate) = 4 false positives. Using LLI’s own statistics, its test generated 4 false-positive results within the first two rounds of testing. If a sample comes back positive, LLI said it retests that same sample, but there is ZERO opportunity to retest the player with the new sample built into the protocol. From the outset, LLI set up a system that would randomly eliminate 4 of the 64 teams from regional tournaments with false positives.
–LLI touts its affiliation with Major League Baseball and that the tests used, result from a partnership with it. While we don’t pretend to know the inner workings of the MLB, undoubtedly MLB’s test administration, collection, sample identification, transmission, and reporting are much better than the example shown by LLI. Do any of us believe we would hit like Fernando Tatis, Jr. if we used his bat?
Of course not.
The same tool does not equal the same result. Furthermore, MLB’s use of test results is completely different than LLI’s conduct during the regional tournaments. On August 8, it was reported that the Yankee’s Anthony Rizzo, tested positive for COVID; the Yankees placed him on injured reserve and continued playing (beating the Royals 8-6 on August 9). https://www.cbssports.com/…/anthony-rizzo-tests…/
–LLI’s treatment of a Greenville Little League umpire is also disturbing. This umpire made the the 18-20 hour round trip to Warner Robbins, Georgia to see “his boys” play. By the time he arrived on Saturday, our team had already been unceremoniously kicked out of all facilities. In fact, LLI would not even let him enter the ballpark because all NC passes had been invalidated. He had not seen the team in 3 weeks. He was not a health risk. He simply was putting the “kids first,” which LLI clearly is not.
Prior to sending this communication, we repeatedly asked, via text, voicemail, and email, to have a face-to-face meeting with LLI’s Executive Director of Operations to address these wrongs. While saying he would meet, he has refused to set a time or location for such a meeting. Ironically, he is currently in Greenville, NC as our City is hosting the LL Softball World Series.
Sadly, LLI’s policies and actions have proven that its COVID testing protocol was never about getting it right. It was never about identifying actual positive results to protect players. It was always about adopting a cheap, easy system that would allow LLI to publicly say that it really cared about the kids, while quickly throwing the kids to the curb as collateral damage so the “show could go on”—so that the national TV broadcasts and associated dollars would continue to flow.
Respectfully submitted, Greenville Tar Heel 10-12 All-Star Team Parents and Coaches
August 10, 2021

 

EMOTIONS RUN HIGH

Caitlin Brown, a parent from the Tar Heel Little League in Greenville, North Carolina posted to Facebook Thursday evening an absolutely elegant yet heart wrenching story of her experience chasing the Field of Dreams in Williamsport. Brown granted TalkWilliamsport.com permission to share her post for this story.

Caitlin Brown is at Little League World Series Stadium.

Dear @LittleLeagueInternational,
I truly do not have the words to express all the E M O T I O N S we have experienced in the last few weeks.
It is definitely an internal battle of getting so angry I want to R A G E & forget your program ever existed to being so grateful for the families and friends it has given us over the last F O U R years.
Truth is we committed to Y O U because as a family we truly love the game of baseball. We L O V E D it even when it meant saying “No” to beautiful vacations, and trips to see family. We L O V E D it through giving up entire summers of swimming & R I S K Y activities like riding a scooter! We committed to Y O U because our son loved it, he never once complained…. N O T once even after Y O U sent us home from the biggest tournament of his young 12 year old life.
So it is heartbreaking to say that something that brought this family so much happiness, excitement & pure J O Y has ended in this way.
Our son doesn’t really understand it all right now, T H A N K F U L L Y and I pray that he never E V E R has to experience the feelings that we have felt over the last few weeks. We have experienced such a outpouring of L O V E from everyone that this has touched in someway. I will be forever T H A N K F U L to all of you that truly felt those emotions of anger and sadness with us.
Little League International what you don’t see on ESPN is the hours and hours of time and dedication coaches have poured into our son. They feel this sadness as if it was their own because they have given Y E A R S to help grow and mold a kid that they see potential in. They have called and texted the most beautiful words of E N C O U R A G E M E N T and empathy to our son. They G E T it because they F E E L it with us.
What you don’t see on ESPN is t h i r t e e n boys who are rising up and bonding together when it could have been so much easier to be mad.
But see Little League International what I have realized is that you are responsible for N O N E of the G O O D that has come from this.
You are just a B U S I N E S S, you are not compassionate & understanding. You needed 13 passionate boys/girls to play a game so that you could collect a C H E C K.
This year I will not be tuning in to the Little League World Series because I have discovered what actually goes on behind the scenes. I will not S U P P O R T a franchise that has placed making money in front of the mental health and well being of 13 of the most dedicated young athletes in the world.
So Little League International our ride to the LLWS just stays U N F I N I S H E D… open like a book of “What if’s”…
Sincerely,
A frustrated & exhausted Mom

 

CARL STOTZ THE FOUNDER OF LITTLE LEAGUE MUST BE WEEPING IN HEAVEN

(Pictured – Little League Founder Carl Stotz with his nephews in Williamsport, PA)

The Original facebook page which is the page based on the feature film in development telling the life story of Little League Founder Carl Stotz posted the following yesterday:

Little League was built & existed on a promise made by Carl Stotz to make life better for kids,
not the other way around making life easier for corporate entities
(Little League International, ESPN & Walt Disney Company).
Please REMEMBER, what’s at stake.
CARL STOTZ GAVE HIS NEPHEWS ORGANIZED BASEBALL – THE REST OF THE WORLD HE GAVE AMERICA
A bit of Little League trivia, what bust is in center field of Lamade Stadium?
Here is a hint, it is not Carl Stotz.
Is it any wonder why it took years for the Stotz family to step foot in South Williamsport?
Just prior to the publication of this article Little League International announced the closing of the Little League Baseball World Series to the public citing a rise in Covid-19 and Delta variant cases.
At this writing there is no test on the market for the Delta variant.
According to the Texas Department of State Health Services website:

How can I tell if I have the Delta variant? Do labs report that to the state?

That information may not be readily available. The viral tests that are used to determine if a person has COVID-19 are not designed to tell you what variant is causing the infection. Detecting the Delta variant, or other variants, requires a special type of testing called genomic sequencing. Due to the volume of COVID-19 cases, sequencing is not performed on all viral samples. However, because the Delta variant now accounts for the majority of COVID-19 cases in the United States, there is a strong likelihood that a positive test result indicates infection with the Delta variant.

This is a developing story on TalkWilliamsport.com.
“OP-ED: Time for #PUPPETCEO to retire and the assets of Little League International should be sold, immediately” – is forthcoming.
Stories from Texas, Oklahoma and around the nation regarding Covid-19 disqualified teams and their recently filed court case are forthcoming.
Filed Under: Featured Stories, News, News Archive, Top Featured Story

2021 Little League Baseball® World Series Admission Policy Update

August 13, 2021 By

Due to Ongoing Impacts of the Coronavirus Pandemic, General Public Admission Canceled for Williamsport Event

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With the recent rise in COVID-19 cases throughout the United States due to the dangerous Delta variant, and in the interest of all players, coaches, volunteers, and families, Little League® International has made the difficult decision to close the 2021 Little League Baseball® World Series to the general public and cancel its updated public attendance policy and will not distribute 3,000 daily Complex Access Tickets.

“The health and well-being of our teams and mitigating their exposure to COVID-19 must continue to be our main priority, as we conclude our World Series events,” said Stephen D. Keener, Little League President and CEO. “With updated guidance from the CDC, and in consultation with our Pandemic Response Advisory Commission and medical advisors, we feel it’s essential to revert our attendance policy to unfortunately limit the spectators in Williamsport to the family and friends of our 16 participating teams and our highest-level volunteers and supporters. We are disappointed that we must rollback our spectators joining us in Williamsport this year, but are eager to provide a safe, enjoyable experience for the 16 teams who will compete in the World Series this summer.”

With continued guidance and recommendations from the 2021 Little League International Pandemic Response Advisory Commission, Little League International has continued to follow the COVID-19 mitigation protocols for organizing its Region and World Series Tournament, developed in consultation with its advisors from National Jewish Health, who has worked on similar health safety plans with other youth and young adult-focused organizations, colleges and universities, and events.

“In May, our organization made the decision to move forward with our Little League Baseball and Softball tournaments this summer, with the focus of providing the boys and girls in our program that magical Little League World Series experience while protecting their health and well-being,” said Dr. Daniel Lueders, Commission Chair, Little League International Board of Directors Member, and UPMC Sports Medicine Physician. “As this virus evolves, we must continue to stay vigilant and do everything we can to reduce exposure of COVID-19 to our players and participants. Reducing fans in Williamsport is a disappointing, but necessary, measure we must make to support that effort at this time.”

The Little League Baseball World Series is scheduled from August 19-29, with the top two teams from the eight U.S. Region Tournaments, currently in progress, advancing to Williamsport. Each of those teams will receive 250 team passes for their friends, families, and community members. Additional passes have been committed to high-level volunteers and supporters, which will still be honored. All spectators, regardless of vaccination status, will also be strongly encouraged to wear a face mask when on the complex, especially while in any indoor facility during their visit.

For more information on the 2021 Little League World Series, and to stay up-to-date with all the latest news and information, visit LittleLeague.org/WorldSeries and follow (@LittleLeague) on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

Filed Under: Featured Stories, News, News Archive

Attorney for Covid-19 disqualified Little League teams provides update on court filing

August 13, 2021 By

Attorney Justin Tomevi of the law firm Barley Snyder, representing Covid-19 disqualified teams from Oklahoma and Texas was asked by TalkWilliamsport.com, why are you brining this civil action?

Tomevi replied:

“We have filed this action to seek justice for these players who were wrongfully removed from the tournament.

These children have had their hopes dashed based on disputed test results.

My clients have players and coaches that have been confirmed to be COVID negative and

are prepared to safely reenter the tournament if the court so allows.

Pennsylvania courts have entered similar relief in these athletic disqualifications in the past and

we hope the court here will follow the lead of those other courts.”

 

TalkWilliamsport.com attempted to reach Little League International for a response, at this writing, a response has not been provided.

This is a developing story on TalkWilliamsport.com.

Filed Under: Featured Stories, News, News Archive, Top Featured Story

BREAKING NEWS: Little League forced into local court over Covid-19 false positive results

August 12, 2021 By

BREAKING NEWS: Multiple Covid-19 disqualified Little League regional tournament teams filed a court action in Lycoming County Common Pleas Court earlier today.

The teams are seeking immediate relief based on false positive Covid-19 test results to return to the playing field.

This is a developing story on TalkWilliamsport.com.

Filed Under: Featured Stories, News, News Archive, Top Featured Story

Zay Weekend – Day One – Videos tell the Story

August 1, 2021 By

READER WARNING: The following story contains explicit content and the videos contain foul language

as well as content that may offend some readers and viewers.

Staff Reports

News@TalkWilliamsport.com

Local basketball standout and current member of the Brooklyn Nets, Alize Johnson hosted a community event last weekend at the basketball courts he dedicated a few years ago adjacent to Fire Tree Place.

The local event and the happenings around it during the day were enjoyed by many in the community as has been the case in previous years.

What happened after the youngsters went home and the sun went down; is a completely different story.

Multiple attempts were made to reach Williamsport Mayor Derek Slaughter as well as Lycoming County United Way Executive Director Ron Frick who was in Pittsburgh this weekend have gone unanswered.

If they respond to the written questions they received; the story will be updated accordingly.

 

The following is the first of multiple disturbing videos from last weekend. This video and the behaviors engaged in speak for themselves:

 

It is important to note the My Vision 9 Foundation, founded by Chanelle Johnson and mother of Alize Johnson. Chanelle Johnson has engaged in a purge of her social media accounts in the past 24 hours in advance of this story.

Why?

The image below is also reminiscent of a local billboard blocks from where the incident depicted in the video above occurred.

 

From the My Vision 9 Foundation website, the Welcome statement is as follows:

“Welcome

Our misson is based on three principles love God, love people, and treat them how you want to be treated.”

 

For the females depicted in the video above; is this what Chanelle Johnson has in mind when she outlines in her mission “treat them how you want to be treated”?

 

Chanelle Johnson took to her Instagram account in the hours leading up to the release of this story with the following post:

 

The post above has since been deleted.

 

A second video depicts more suggestive dancing by multiple females on Williamsport City streets last weekend.

 

 

A third video, shows alcohol in the opening shot and 5 seconds later, Alize Johnson is shown dancing in with money on the street in front of him. He is subsequently Instgram @alizejohnson24 tagged in the video.

At the :40 mark, it appears to show another local basketball standout “making it rain” with females dancing in front of him as if to mimic behaviors which purportedly occur at strip clubs.

 

Did the DJ just show up for free?

What entity paid the DJ?

Where did the “making it rain” cash come from?

Did Mayor Derek Slaughter or his administration permit the streets being blocked?

According to those who attended and are depicted in the videos the Williamsport Bureau of Police were there and observed all of it and did not intervene.

 

Based upon information obtained from a barely functioning My Vision 9 website, a person named Jay LeVert from the Cleveland, Ohio area serves as the “lawyer and accountant” for the foundation.

When the Lycoming County United Way and other local non-profit organizations were vetting the My Vision 9 Foundation; did they do any homework at all?

With a simple internet search of “Jay LeVert, lawyer” the following result came up; CLEVELAND BAR ASSOCIATION v. PARA-LEGALS, INC. ET AL. filed with the Supreme Court of Ohio.

As noted in the filings;

[Cite as Cleveland Bar Assn. v. Para-Legals, Inc., 106 Ohio St.3d 455, 2005-Ohio-5519.]
Unauthorized practice of law – Preparing legal documents for others and appearing on behalf of others in court of law – Practice enjoined.
(No. 2004-2145 — Submitted June 15, 2005 -— Decided November 2, 2005.)
ON FINAL REPORT by the Board on the Unauthorized Practice of Law of the
Supreme Court, No. UPL 03-12.

Per Curiam.
{¶ 1} On November 3, 2003, relator, Cleveland Bar Association, charged respondents, Para-Legals, Inc., and Jay LeVert and Leah Hampton, both associated with the company, with engaging in the unauthorized practice of law. 

{¶ 2} Relator attempted to serve respondents with the complaint by certified mail, but respondents did not sign the receipts. Thus, pursuant to Gov. Bar R. VII (10), service was obtained by ordinary mail evidenced by a certificate of mailing. Respondents did not answer the complaint, and relator moved for default. See Gov. Bar R. VII(7)(B). The Board on the Unauthorized Practice of Law granted the motion and made findings of fact, conclusions of law, and a recommendation to enjoin respondents’ acts constituting the unauthorized practice of law. 

 

The Cleveland Bar Association filing goes onto say:

{¶ 5} Neither LeVert nor Hampton has been admitted to the practice of law in Ohio, a fact that Para-Legals, Inc. advertised on its letterhead with the slogan “We Are Not Attorneys, We Just Do All Of The Work!”

According to a recent search of the Ohio and Pennsylvania Bar Association lawyer directories; there is no listing for Jay LeVert.

 

The Justices of the Supreme Court of Ohio at the time rendered the following judgement in the case:

{¶ 10} We therefore find that respondents engaged in the unauthorized practice of law. Respondents are hereby enjoined from lay attempts (1) to represent others in court pursuant to powers of attorney, (2) to prepare court documents for another without professional supervision, and (3) to engage in other acts constituting the practice of law. Costs are taxed to respondents.
Judgment accordingly.

MOYER, C.J., RESNICK, PFEIFER, LUNDBERG STRATTON, O’CONNOR and LANZINGER, JJ., concur.

O’DONNELL, J., concurs separately.

 

So if Jay LeVert in 2005 was, “hereby enjoined from lay attempts (1) to represent others in court pursuant to powers of attorney, (2) to prepare court documents for another without professional supervision, and (3) to engage in other acts constituting the practice of law” by the Supreme Court of Ohio; why is Chanelle Johnson, Founder of My Vision 9 Foundation and mother of Alize Johnson (current member of the Brooklyn Nets) promoting Levert as the “Attorney & Accountant” for her foundation?

 

When the barely functioning My Vision 9 website was launched, Jay Levert published the following:

“Website launch

Published by Jay LeVert on March 28th, 2019

Please help us celebrate the launch of our new website by making a cash donation to our efforts to bring support and assistance to individuals in need of our services. Help us to help others!”

Where did the money go that was donated?

Will the My Vision 9 Foundation be willing to provide the IRS Form 990 it must file each year with the public for complete transparency?

 

As of this writing, the barely functioning My Vision 9 Foundation website lists Copyright © 2019 LeVert and Associates, Inc. at the bottom.  

 

Based on the 2018 LCUW Tax Return then Councilman Derek Slaughter was a member of the Board of Directors.

When Alize Johnson attempted to locate the basketball courts at an alternate location, Slaughter was a member of the Recreation Commission that voted that location down thus the move to the Fire Tree Place location.

According the City of Williamsport website, the Mayor Slaughter only has two children when in fact he has two and apparently it is news to him he is the current Mayor and not “Current: Mathematics Department, WAHS”.

Is it any wonder why Mayor Slaughter has failed to respond to written questions regarding last weekend?

This is a developing story on Talkwilliamsport.com.

Filed Under: Featured Stories, News, News Archive, Top Featured Story

Congressman Keller raises concerns over growing energy costs, future of American energy during joint committee hearing

July 30, 2021 By

(Click to watch)

 Washington, D.C. – Today, Congressman Fred Keller (PA-12) participated in a joint hearing with the House Natural Resources Committee and the Congressional Western Caucus to discuss the impact that the Biden administration’s anti-American energy policies are having on domestic production, energy costs, and national security.

Keller’s full remarks are below:

Thank you, Ranking Member Westerman, Chairman Newhouse, and the witnesses who took time out of their busy schedules to share with us today how the current administration’s energy policies have impacted their communities. I appreciate the opportunity to join my colleagues in bringing to light the heavy costs President Biden’s flawed climate goals impose on the American people.

In the six months since President Biden took office, the price of a gallon of gas in the us has risen by 45 percent. The people who are most affected by the administration’s anti-domestic energy approach are families and individuals on fixed incomes, especially seniors. The average price of gas is roughly 1 dollar per gallon higher than a year ago. With inflation increasing the prices of so many other consumer products, how are Americans going to afford travel to and from work, purchase groceries, and make ends meet in their daily lives?

With the price of fuel skyrocketing, we must redouble our efforts to safeguard mining. Pennsylvania ranks first nationally for underground gas storage sites, second for natural gas production, and third for coal production. In 2019, the U.S. Energy and employment report stated the fuels industry employs over 54,000 Pennsylvanians, 42 percent of which work directly in mining and extracting.

While we are seeing the short-term effects that the Biden administration’s disastrous policies are having on the price of fuel, we are still unaware of the long-term effects that democrats’ misguided measures will have on national security, the price of energy, and American self-sufficiency.

If the president truly wishes to keep Americans safe, employed, and prosperous, then I urge him to rethink his current energy approach. Thank you and I yield back.

Filed Under: Featured Stories, News, News Archive, Top Featured Story

Lycoming County Commissioners double down against Controller after catastrophic court case loss

July 21, 2021 By

Photo: Lycoming County Commissioners (L-R) Scott Metzger, Tony Mussare and Rick Mirabito

On Wednesday evening the Lycoming County Commissioners issued a press release after visiting Senior Judge John Leete dismissed the case they brought against duly elected Controller of Lycoming County, Krista Rogers.

The ruling by Senior Judge Leete does not address the issues raised in the County Code; those issues may be headed to Commonwealth Court for clarification.

July 21, 2021

Lycoming County Media Release

The Lycoming County Board of Commissioners have reviewed the court’s decision in our suit against the Lycoming County Controller. We conclude that this decision does not invalidate any of the actions that this Board of Commissioners has taken.

As we said when we initiated this process, we brought this suit solely to protect the integrity of the County’s financial operations, which were jeopardized by the Controller’s threats to withhold her signature from employee and vendor checks and to train and supervise staff. The suit allowed us to return essential fiscal functions to the County, where they had been effectively performed for decades.

The Court’s ruling does not change any of that. Those functions will remain where they now are again, within the County Office of Budget and Finance. Payroll, accounts payable, and the general ledger will be handled by the County employees with the Controller continuing to retain her oversight functions, which was never challenged by the Commissioners.

Filing this lawsuit was necessary to allow the Commissioners to remain as the ultimate managers of the County’s financial affairs in the best interest of the County’s taxpayers.

This is a developing story on TalkWilliamsport.com.

Filed Under: Featured Stories, News, News Archive, Top Featured Story

Systemic failure of Lycoming County DA’s Office to govern conduct of county detectives taints OAG investigation

July 19, 2021 By

Photo: Ryan Gardner, Lycoming County District Attorney, inherited a mess when he took office in January 2020.
The following is the result of a nearly 38-months long investigation
into the Williamsport Area High School Baseball Team trip
to Myrtle Beach, South Carolina in the spring of 2018.

This story is graphic and contains details related to multiple indecent sexual assaults.

The author and editor of this story have made the editorial decision to not publish the names of the individuals under the age of 18 at the time of the incident who have been clearly identified as committing these acts in this case they were recently formally charged with a crime in South Carolina.

A Baseball Story In The Birthplace Of Little League Baseball

IF NOTHING HAPPENED IN MYRTLE BEACH

WHY WON’T THE WASD TELL US THE STORY?

PART XXXIII –

By Todd Bartley, TalkWilliamsport.com

News@TalkWilliamsport.com

On Monday, Lycoming County District Attorney, Ryan Gardner provided the following e-mail response to an inquiry from TalkWilliamsport.com regarding correspondence from the Office of Attorney General Josh Shapiro and the investigation in the 2018 WAHS baseball team trip to Myrtle Beach, South Carolina  where “criminal sexual misconduct” occurred with one teammate assaulting another.

The D.A. Gardner response is as follows:

“Todd,

Thank you for your patience with respect to comment on the OAG’s Myrtle Beach determination.

I recently received a letter from the Office of Attorney General regarding the Myrtle Beach referral.  The letter indicates the following:

“The OAG assumed jurisdiction of this investigation on May 27, 2020, at your request, and based upon an actual or apparent conflict of interest.  Following a lengthy and thorough investigation, the OAG has determined that insufficient evidence exists to justify any further action.  As such, we are closing our file.

As you may recall, the matter of this referral involved alleged hazing or assaults committed against minors in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. 

While that location is beyond the jurisdiction of the OAG, as a result of the OAG’s investigation and cooperation with South Carolina officials, law enforcement action was taken in that jurisdiction for the criminal conduct committed there. 

The OAG was unable to determine whether any attempt to ‘cover-up’ the conduct occurred in Pennsylvania due to the failure of the District Attorney’s Office to create, implement, and enforce any policies governing the conduct of county detectives. 

While the OAG understands that this occurred prior to your tenure, it would be advisable to create, implement and enforce such policies moving forward which are consistent with law enforcement ‘best practices.’”

The deficiency identified by the OAG in the last paragraph, above, was identified by myself and new Chief Detective, Mike Simpler, immediately after I assumed office in January, 2020.  Since that time, policies and procedures have been implemented to correct these deficiencies.  Furthermore, this Office continues to adjust its policies to ensure consistency of reporting and adherence to law enforcement “best practices.”

As a result of the OAG’s findings and closure of this investigation, no county detectives that were employed prior to my tenure as District Attorney will be terminated.

Ryan C. Gardner, Esq.

District Attorney”

 

As background to the story, Ken Osokow (2018-2019) immediately preceded Gardner as Lycoming County District Attorney.

Current Lycoming County Common Pleas Judge Eric Lindhardt preceded Osokow as Lycoming County District Attorney. Osokow served as the top assistant district attorney for Lindhardt.

According to the Pennsylvania District Attorney Association website, “Linhardt was first elected District Attorney in 2007, and has been a practicing attorney for 25 years.  As District Attorney, Eric is responsible for a 1.9 million dollar budget and 33 full- and part-time employees.  In addition to operating and managing the District Attorney’s Office, Linhardt is also responsible for operating the Narcotics Enforcement Unit, as well as the Central Processing Center and DUI Center. He is a board member of the Lycoming Health Improvement Coalition, the Lycoming County Criminal Justice Advisory Board, Chairman of the Heroin Task Force’s Criminal Justice Sub-Committee, and Secretary of the Lycoming County Prison Board.”

Prior to Lindhardt, Mike Dinges and former Congressman Tom Marino also served as Lycoming County District Attorney.

This is a developing story on TalkWilliamsport.com.

Filed Under: Featured Stories, News, News Archive, Top Featured Story

AG Shapiro Accepts Accreditation For OAG & Statewide Agent Training Academy

July 19, 2021 By

HARRISBURG—Attorney General Josh Shapiro today accepted the accreditation of the Office of Attorney General (OAG) and its Commonwealth Investigator Training Program by the Pennsylvania Chiefs of Police Association. The OAG’s accreditation was lost under a previous administration, and recently regained under AG Shapiro’s leadership. The office collaborated with other state agencies to develop professional, standardized training for all investigators statewide. This training is available to both criminal and civil investigators.

“We launched this collaborative training academy in 2019, and it is open to all law enforcement agencies in the Commonwealth — including members of Pennsylvania’s police departments. Accreditation is a goal that I set my first days in office, and is one part of our years-long effort to regain trust in the office and build new bridges with departments and agencies all over the state,” said Attorney General Shapiro. “Accreditation has made our work better, and it is just the beginning steps to make us a stronger resource and a stronger partner for all of our partners in law enforcement.”

The accreditation program requires agencies to commit to up to 136 policies and standards of best practice for law enforcement throughout the Commonwealth, including policies that ensure:

  • The Office of Attorney General does not use bias-based policing;
  • Updated, regular training for agents interacting with someone having a mental health crisis; and
  • Compliance with the Pennsylvania Crime Victims Act, which requires agencies to provide information on the rights and services available for crime victims. This information must be provided in writing within 24 hours of arrest or filing of a complaint.

The Office of Attorney General was able to be accredited after the Pennsylvania legislature granted funding for the Commonwealth Investigator Training Program in 2018. The certification of the training academy is a requirement for accreditation.

The acceptance of accreditation by the Office of Attorney General creates a formal commitment that the Office and training academy are maintaining the standards set forth by the Pennsylvania Law Enforcement Accreditation Commission.

“It’s unprecedented because we train agents for both the civil and criminal work that our office takes on statewide,” concluded Attorney General Shapiro. “We have been given a unique set of responsibilities in the Office of Attorney General, and now we have the unique training needed to meet the mission.”

The academy was launched in 2019 and was formally accredited in March 2021. Classes of agents, which can include up to 45 trainees , complete training and graduate twice per year. The academy trains agents for statewide civil and criminal work. This service is available to all agencies in the Commonwealth. The training academy is an unprecedented program in Pennsylvania.

Filed Under: Featured Stories, News, News Archive, Top Featured Story
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