GUILTY: Man convicted on murder charge

BLOOMSBURG -- A jury has convicted Abraham "Abe" Kline on a third-degree murder charge for the fatal shot he fired into girlfriend Jocelyn Romano in May 2012. Kline, 40, will not spend life in prison for the killing. But he could face 20 to 40 years behind bars. He sat impassively with his head lowered Tuesday afternoon as jurors made their way into the Columbia County courtroom to announce their verdict shortly after lunch. None of the eight men and four women looked at him as the verdict was announced.

Man injured at scrapyard

BUCKHORN - A man was taken to the hospital after a mishap at a scrapyard on Frosty Valley Road on Tuesday. Workers at Booth & Son's Iron were using a crane to move a newly delivered scrap pickup from a flatbed truck when it began to shift, said Hemlock Township Police Chief Mike Van Dine. The crane operator had to quickly drop the pickup back on the flatbed. The flatbed's driver - a man named Ernie from Briesch's Used Truck Parts - was standing next to the flatbed at the time and was thrown to the ground, Van Dine said.

Watch for water repair overnight in Bloom

BLOOMSBURG -- Crews will repair a faulty valve on a water main early Tuesday morning that's been leaving the intersection of Main and Iron streets wet. The $2,000 repair job will take place between 1 and 5 a.m. Tuesday to try to minimize inconvenience to customers on Main Street from Iron to Market streets, said United Water spokesman Bob Manbeck in a press release. Those living in the area have received a phone message and a written notice delivered to their door. Water crews will install a new 300-pound valve on the 6-inch diameter water main, Manbeck said.

Shooter acted out of passion, rage, lawyer says

BLOOMSBURG -- Abraham "Abe" Kline was in a rage after learning that girlfriend Jocelyn Romano planned to return to her ex-husband, his lawyer says. Passion and anger drove Kline to draw a gun, fire a shot at Romano and turn the .223-caliber rifle on himself, lawyer Dave Lampman argued at the opening of Kline's murder trial Monday. But prosecutors, using the victim's own last words heard in a chilling 911 call and texts sent to a co-worker moments before, say Kline had his mind made up that morning when he grabbed a hunting rifle and two bullets after arguing about her leaving.

Shed fire draws fire crews to Wonderview

MAIN TWP. - A fire at a storage shed off Scenic Avenue in the Wonderview housing development here sent a plume of smoke into the air visible from Lime Ridge just before noon, but quick action by neighbors and firefighters kept it from spreading to nearby houses or cars. The fire started in a shed near a house owned by Roy Smith at 735 Scenic Avenue East. It quickly spread to the leaves surrounding the shed, neighbors said.

Police seek car possibly involved in pedestrian accident

BLOOMSBURG -- Police believe the dark car pictured in the security camera footage shown here was involved in a pedestrian hit-and-run earlier this month near Town Hall. A vehicle struck Steven Williams as he crossed East Street from Steph's Subs to Husky Korners around 2 p.m. Nov. 1, police have said. Workers at Bower Security combed through security camera footage in the area. Eric Bower said this car appears to have struck Williams, and then fled the scene turning on East Third Street. That's where a surveillance camera on Arcus Brothers captured these images.

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