Monday, January 18, 2010

Games carry MLK message to Heiter Center kids

LEWISBURG – The holiday recognizing the birthday of the late Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was recognized by the staff and students at Lewisburg’s Donald Heiter Community Center.  In fact, the place was packed as 20 volunteers from Susquehanna University’s AmeriCorps chapter spent a day of service at the Heiter Center.  They helped clean the building, led activities and cooked lunch with the staff for the kids.  But the message of the day took the form of special games.

Executive Director Andrea Tufo says they played a game called “blue eyes, brown eyes,” where kids made distinctions among each other based on eye color, and were then asked how it made them feel.   They also spent part of the day coloring eggs, and observed that though each egg was different, they were all the same in the middle.  10-year-old Earl Voneida of Lewisburg best summed up the sprit of the day. He says he spent his time at the center playing games and making a book that gave colors to qualities such as peace, brotherhood, love, friendship, loyalty and unity.  (Matt Farrand) 

Commissioner Clausi voicing his displeasure regarding lease deal with Penn Wind

SUNBURY – Northumberland County Commissioner Vinny Clausi says he’s extremely upset about a lease deal the county has with Penn Wind LLC of Sunbury.  Clausi says three years ago, before he was commissioner, the board approved an agreement with Penn Wind to lease 200 acres of land in Coal Township and East Cameron Township. 

Penn Wind plans to use the land to develop a wind farm to generate electricity and the county is paid $56,000 a year.  Now Penn Wind reportedly wants to sell the lease deal to a company in California.  Clausi says this is not acceptable.  However, Justin Dunkelberger, owner of Penn Wind, says Clausi doesn’t understand the deal and the county will actually do much better with the new lease since they will receive a guaranteed yearly payment totaling $1-million over a 20 year period. 

Vinny Clausi says they have not received a fair share of royalties in the past from coal companies and that won’t happen in the future. Clausi claims Dunkelberger’s company will make more than a million dollars from this deal, but Dunkelberger disputes that saying they will be lucky if they break even.  Clausi encourages residents to attend tomorrow’s public meeting at 1:00p.m. at the Northumberland County Administration Center to hear more on this discussion.  (Ali Stevens)

Who will run?

SUNBURY – Now that State Representative Merle Phillips (R-108^th, Sunbury) has announced that he will not run again to represent the 108^th legislative district, many are wondering who will. 

One person giving it some serious consideration is Republican Northumberland County Controller Chuck Erdman.  Erdman tells us he is in the “exploratory phase,” talking it over with his family and colleagues before making a final decision.  He does say that after four successful campaigns for controller, he feels confident that he would have a lot of voter support.  Erdman believes the position will go to a Republican.

On the Democratic side, Trevorton Attorney Antonio Michetti says he is certainly thinking about running again...he has run for the 108th district seat twice, unsuccessfully. When asked if he would be intimidated since the seat has been held by a Republican for decades, he said, “Not in the least”.  He believes he wouldn’t be a party-line candidate and feels people will vote for a person and not a party.  In his last two runs against Phillips, he has gotten only 25 percent of the vote, however Merle Phillips had the incumbent’s advantage.

Petitions for those running for state representative are due to be circulated starting February 16^th, so decisions will have to be made over the next few weeks and we will update you here on WKOK when more information is available.  (Ali Stevens)

Andy Russell to make appearance during SBC’s Big Boys Big Toys Expo

SELINSGROVE – Former Steelers star linebacker Andy Russell will be at the Susquehanna Valley Mall Saturday during Sunbury Broadcasting Corporation’s Big Boys Big Toys Expo. His appearance will be in support of EconomicsPA, based in Selinsgrove.  Russell is the vice chair of the EconomicsPA board. 

Russell recently released his third book called “Beyond the Goalpost,” which he will be signing at the mall’s Boscov’s court from 11:00a.m.-3:00p.m. Saturday.  The Big Boys Big Toys Expo will feature over a dozen vendors, including Bill Marks Auto Sale, Miller’s Turf & Trail, Heritage Aviation and Weaver’s Archery.  It runs Friday through Sunday during mall hours.  For more information go to www.wkok.com. (Sara Bartlett) 

Martin Luther King Day celebrations in our area

UNDATED – There are many Martin Luther King Jr. honors happening today in our communities.  In Lewisburg, the local Americorps chapter will be holding presentations at the Donald Heiter Community Center.  They’ll be talking about Dr. King’s mission and positive change in a community.  At Bucknell University, over 60 students and alumni will be participating in MLK National Day of Service, working in libraries and schools.  Then tomorrow over 300 students, faculty and community members will visit nursing homes and community centers to help with building-improvement projects.

At Susquehanna University tonight, a presentation will be held at 7:00p.m. with keynote speaker Dr. Derald Wing Sue, discussing unconscious insults towards minority groups.  All are invited this evening, the presentation will be held in the Degenstein Center Theater. 

Charges of animal cruelty are withdrawn, but are expected to be filed again

SHAMOKIN – Charges of animal cruelty that were filed against a father and son operating a farm in the Shamokin area have been withdrawn, however additional charges are expected again.  The News Item reports PETA claims the charges were withdrawn only because multiple charges are expected to be filed against Lloyd and Andy Reitz, operators of Irish Valley Farm.  The Reitz family was accused of mistreating animals on the farm.  They entered not-guilty pleas in court on October 6^th.  The original charges of one count each of animal cruelty were filed on September 24^th and then withdrawn on December 11^th.  PETA now says multiple charges are pending. 

The Irish Valley Farm provides milk to the company “Land O Lakes”, which investigated the farm after the charges were filed, and reported that no mistreatment of animals was discovered.  (Ali Stevens)

Eagles Mere toboggan slide could open this week
 

Middleburg man accused of holding a gun to a woman’s head

MIDDLEBURG – A Middleburg man is behind bars after state police say he held a gun to a woman’s head. The incident took place Saturday afternoon at a home on Decker Road in Adams Township, Snyder County. Troopers say 21-year-old Nathan Hart was arguing with a woman and then left the home with a loaded gun and fired several rounds in the air from the front porch.

Troopers say Hart then went back inside the home and pointed the gun at the head of the woman he was arguing with. He was arrested and arraigned and charged with aggravated and simple assault, terroristic threats and other counts. Hart is locked up in the Snyder County Prison on $100,000 straight bail. (Ali Stevens)

Looking for hit and run driver 

ALLENWOOD – State police are investigating a crash from early this morning in Allenwood, where the driver fled the scene of the accident. Troopers say one vehicle crashed on Route 15 in Gregg Township just before 3 a.m. When they arrived on scene the driver was nowhere to be found and had abandoned the wrecked vehicle. The investigation continues. (Ali Stevens)

Man reported missing on Christmas Day has been found safe

SUNBURY – A Sunbury man missing since Christmas Day has been found safe. Robert Chappell was last seen leaving his sister’s home in Northumberland and Christmas. He was believed to be missing since no one had heard from him and his things were all still in his residence in Sunbury. Sunbury police now tell us Chappell was located at a friend’s home on Sunday. Chappell is said to be doing well. (Ali Stevens)

State police investigate an attempted burglary at a pharmacy in Mount Pleasant Mills

MOUNT PLEASANT MILLS – State police are investigating an attempted burglary early this morning at a pharmacy in Mount Pleasant Mills. Troopers tell us around 3:30 this morning; someone broke the window on a front door of the business.

The incident happened at the Shade Mountain Pharmacy along Route 35 in Perry Township. After being unable to get in, the suspects fled the scene. Anyone with information on the attempted burglary is asked to contact state police at Selinsgrove. (Ali Stevens)

Northumberland teen improving after being hit by passing pickup truck

DANVILLE – The condition of a Northumberland teen is improving after being struck by a passing pickup truck one week ago. A nursing supervisor at Geisinger Medical Center tells us 16-year-old Jalen Threet is now in serious condition after being admitted in critical condition.

Threet stepped off a curb while walking to a school bus stop on Water Street when a portion of the passing truck hit him in the head. Threet was reportedly attempting to cross Water Street at Wheatley Avenue in Northumberland Borough at the time of the accident. The driver was not charged after the 7:00 a.m. accident last Monday morning. (Matt Farrand)

Liquid oxygen leak called in by neighbor

MILTON – An observant neighbor is being credited with reporting a leak of liquid oxygen from a tank at a Milton industrial plant. Union County Communications says the neighbor saw a cloud leaking from a tank at the ACF Industries plant around midnight Sunday morning.

A faulty valve apparently released both vapor and liquid. No injuries reported, and an expert called in from State College fixed the tank. Fire and EMS personnel from Milton responded. The ACF plant is currently only in limited use after completing a major order of railroad tank cars in 2009. (Matt Farrand)

Wrong-way motorist faces DUI charge after Tuesday night crash

TURBOTVILLE – A McEwensville woman faces a DUI charge after a being injured in a Tuesday night crash, which also injured a passenger in another car. State troopers say 32-year-old Lori Perry was driving northbound in the southbound lane of Route 405 in Turbot Township, Northumberland County.

Perry was also driving without the lights on when she collided with an oncoming vehicle. 66-year-old Priscilla Keiser was a passenger in the vehicle driven by 68-year-old Ronald Keiser of Watsontown, and was injured in the crash at Route 405 and Fort Boone Road. Fire and EMS personnel from Milton and Watsontown responded to the crash. (Matt Farrand)

St. Monica School and Catholic Schools Week…topic of Roundtable

SUNBURY – Our Roundtable program this weekend goes on the road to find out about the private school in Sunbury that is St. Monica School. We discuss their academic and rigorous standards, Catholic Schools Week and their growing athletic program.

Maureen Troutman is an alumna and a parent with a student in St. Monica and she told us, she is committed to the school’s legacy and works on their development committee to help spread the word—and raise funds for the school.

The Roundtable over the weekend talked about the private school that is St. Monica and the upcoming Catholic Schools week. You can hear more about their upcoming fundraisers as well, this weekend on Roundtable. You can hear Roundtable anytime, at www.wkok.com

Shamokin priest to lead the Harrisburg Diocese, for now

SHAMOKIN – A native Shamokin priest has been selected to lead the Harrisburg Diocese until a new Bishop is appointed. Father Chester Snyder is now pastor of St. Joseph Parish in Mechanicsburg and was elected to the position of Diocesan Administrator by the College of Consultors of the Diocese of Harrisburg.

Snyder will be responsible for carrying on the established policies and procedures of the diocese while a new Bishop is selected. The 58-year-old Snyder was ordained a priest in 1977 by Bishop Joseph Daley in his home parish of St. Joseph in Shamokin. He has been a priest for 32 years and has served as an advisor for the past two Bishops of Harrisburg. He graduated from Our Lady of Lourdes High School in Shamokin. (Ali Stevens)

Congressman praises Phillips, Fairchild

WASHINGTON – U.S. Congressman Chris Carney (D-10th, Dimock) made the following statement upon hearing the news that Reps. Merle H. Phillips (R-108th, Sunbury) and Russell Fairchild (R-85th, Lewisburg) won't seek reelection this year, "Representatives Merle Phillips and Russ Fairchild have been dedicated advocates for the people of our region and I was sorry to learn today that they would not seek reelection.”

“Their dedication and service in the General Assembly will be sorely missed. I look forward to continuing to work with them and their successors on the Central Susquehanna Valley Thruway and other matters of importance to our region."

Crash on Route 11 still under investigation

SHAMOKIN DAM – State police continue to investigate a crash early Saturday morning on Route 11 in Monroe Township, Snyder County. Troopers say 20-year-old Felicia Varndell of New Columbia lost control of her SUV on Route 11 south near the Routes 11 & 15 intersection.

The vehicle flipped onto its roof and skidded about 250 feet. Varndell was taken to Geisinger Medical Center for treatment of unknown injuries. Charges may be filed pending further investigation. (Ali Stevens)

Latest Pennsylvania news, lottery, business and entertainment

HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) - The trial of a former Pennsylvania House power broker and three ex-aides is about to get started with the selection of a jury in Harrisburg, but the first testimony is still two weeks away.  The judge presiding over the criminal trial of former Rep. Mike Veon and the other defendants is also expected to rule Tuesday about the use of e-mail evidence that prosecutors consider key to their case.  The Dauphin County trial of Veon, Brett Cott, Stephen Keefer and Annamarie Peretta-Rosepink could take as long as a month. The defendants are accused of conspiring to divert resources of the Legislature toward campaigning.  Seven other defendants arrested a year and a half ago have pleaded guilty to related charges. The eighth, former state Rep. Sean Ramaley of Beaver County, was acquitted of all charges last month.

LEWISTOWN, Pa. (AP) - Emergency officials say at least 10 people have been injured and dozens left homeless after a fire broke out in a central Pennsylvania apartment building.  Mifflin County Emergency Management director Phil Lucas says six people who suffered burns and smoke inhalation were in intensive care, and two were reported to be in critical condition.  Officials say the fire broke out shortly before midnight Sunday at the Elsessers Apartments in Lewistown.  Lucas says 30 to 50 people were evacuated. He says three of the building's 28 units were severely damaged, and the remaining 25 had smoke and water damage.  The cause of the fire is under investigation.

ELIZABETHTOWN, Pa. (AP) - The president of Elizabethtown College will be stepping down from his position next year.  Theodore Long announced Monday that he will retire from the private school in south-central Pennsylvania in July 2011. He had served as president since 1996.  According to a statement from the college, Long successfully led the campaign to increase the school's endowment, raising $26.1 million. Also under his leadership, the college created 11 new academic programs, an honors program and four new athletic programs.  Elizabethtown serves more than 1,800 students on a campus near Harrisburg.  Before coming to Pennsylvania, Long was provost and vice president for academic affairs at Merrimack College in North Andover, Mass.

COUDERSPORT, Pa. (AP) - A 12-year-old boy has died of injuries suffered in a sledding accident at a ski resort in north-central Pennsylvania.  Potter County Coroner Kevin Dusenbury says Ian Miller, of Pottstown, was hurt when his plastic, saucer-shaped sled hit a metal ski lift tower shortly after 11 p.m. Friday. Miller was with a Boy Scout group, members of which offered first aid before he was taken to Charles Cole Memorial Hospital in Coudersport, where he died shortly after 1 a.m. Saturday.  Miller's death is the second fatality in slightly more than a year at the Ski Denton resort about 140 miles northeast of Pittsburgh.  On Jan. 5, 2009, 13-year-old Patrick Shire, of Haymarket, Va., was killed in a skiing accident.

(Copyright 2010 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

Updates on the latest in business

Dow: 10,609.65, down –100.90

S&P 500: 1,136.03, down –12.43

NASDAQ: 2,287.99, down 28.75

American Airlines raises checked bag fees

FORT WORTH, Texas (AP) - American Airlines is raising its fees on checked bags for passengers buying tickets starting Feb. 1.  The company said Monday it is raising the charge for the first checked bag to $25 from $20 on flights in the U.S., Puerto Rico and U.S. Virgin Islands. The fees apply to passengers on the company's American Airlines, American Eagle and American Connection flights.  A second checked bag will cost $35, up from $30. Select passengers, including first- and business-class travelers and members of the armed services, will remain exempt from checked bag fees.

Motorola, VTech settle patent lawsuit

SCHAUMBURG, Ill. (AP) - Motorola Inc. says it has agreed to settle a patent lawsuit it filed against the electronics companies VTech Communications Inc. and VTech Telecommunications Ltd.  The terms of the settlement and the licensing agreement that resulted from it weren't disclosed in Friday's announcement.  Kirk Dailey, Motorola's vice president of intellectual property, says "we are pleased to have reached an amicable resolution with VTech."  The lawsuit   filed in Texas involved six patents that Motorola had asserted against VTech.

Castle Harlan buys packaging makers in $200M deal

NEW YORK (AP) - Private equity firm Castle Harlan Inc. is buying plastic container maker Pretium Packaging LLC and rival PVC Container Corp. in deals valued at a combined $200 million.  Castle Harlan said Monday the combined company will retain the Pretium name and will have annual sales of roughly $240 million and 14 manufacturing plants in the U.S. and Canada. The Pretium acquisition is expected to close in the first quarter, and then it will buy PVC.  Pretium, based in Chesterfield, Mo., is being sold by founder Keith Harbison, who will retain a minority stake in the company and will sit on its board.  PVC, based in Eatontown, N.J., is being sold by private equity Kirtland Capital.

Dollar lower

Pennsylvania Lottery Numbers

HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) - These Pennsylvania lotteries were drawn on Monday:

 Midday Big 4

     3-4-7-7

 Midday Number

     9-7-3

 Midday Quinto

     6-2-3-8-5

 Treasure Hunt

HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) - These Pennsylvania lotteries were drawn on Sunday:

Big 4 8-5-5-3

Cash 5 04-21-28-38-43

Daily Number 0-3-6

Evening Quinto 6-0-4-7-6

Midday Big 4 7-1-0-5

Midday Number 6-1-7

Midday Quinto 3-2-4-3-7

Treasure Hunt 01-05-14-19-24

(Copyright 2010 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

Wyclef Jean calls for evacuating Haiti's capital

NEW YORK (AP) - Haitian-born musician Wyclef Jean is calling for an evacuation of his homeland's earthquake-ravaged capital and asking for international aid to help set up tent cities nearby.  The Grammy Award-winning artist called for action during a news conference Monday in New York. He envisions temporary settlements housing 100,000 people each outside Port-au-Prince.  Jean is one of Haiti's most famous sons and has been a prominent voice in relief efforts since Tuesday's earthquake. He has raised more than $2 million through his charity, The Wyclef Jean Foundation Inc. It is also known as Yele Haiti.  But he has also faced questions about its accounting practices.  He defended it Monday as a young organization that had made mistakes but has also been effective.

Pants on the ground

UNDATED (AP) -- "Pants on the Ground" has now become part of an NFL victory party. After the Minnesota Vikings beat the Dallas Cowboys in the conference semifinal, Brett Favre led his teammates in a version of "Pants on the Ground," the song that Larry Platt sang on "American Idol" last week. The video of Favre and his teammates singing the song is all over the Internet. Jimmy Fallon also put on his best Neil Young impression to do a version of the song on "Late Night."

Golden Globe ratings up
 

"PANTS ON THE GROUND" SINGER IS VETERAN OF CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT

ATLANTA (AP) - The man who sang "Pants on the Ground" on "American Idol" last week says he worked too hard for civil rights to see young people walking around with their pants falling off. General Larry Platt is a veteran of the civil rights movement and is happy to show off his photos of him next to Martin Luther King and Congressman John Lewis. He says he wrote the song after seeing a young father with jeans below his waist. He gets another chance to extend his fame, as he appears on ABC's "The View" today.

Vikings, Jets win

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) - The Minnesota Vikings and the New York Jets each need one more win to get to the Super Bowl. Brett Favre threw four touchdown passes, and the Vikings' defense put the clamps on the Dallas Cowboys in a 34-3 victory that sent Minnesota to the NFC title game. The 13-and-4 Vikings will try for their first Super Bowl berth since 1977 when they play the Saints in the NFC championship next Sunday in the Superdome. In San Diego, meanwhile, rookies Mark Sanchez and Shonn Greene led the Jets to a stunning 17-14 upset of the Chargers in the divisional playoffs. The upstart 11-and-7 Jets, who've won seven of their last eight games, advanced to the AFC championship game at top-seeded Indianapolis next Sunday.

Cameron's 'Avatar' wins best drama honor at Globes

BEVERLY HILLS, Calif. (AP) - The science-fiction blockbuster "Avatar" has won best drama at the Golden Globes and picked up the directing honor for James Cameron, raising the "Titanic" filmmaker's prospects for another Academy Awards triumph. Winning the dramatic-acting honors were Sandra Bullock for the football tale "The Blind Side" and Jeff Bridges for the country-music story "Crazy Heart." The acting prizes for musical and comedy went to Meryl Streep for the Julia Child story "Julie & Julia" and Robert Downey Jr. for the crime romp "Sherlock Holmes." The supporting-performance Globes were won by Mo'Nique as an abusive welfare mother in "Precious" and Christoph Waltz as a gleefully bloodthirsty Nazi in "Inglourious Basterds."

GOLDEN GLOBES - "AVATAR"

BEVERLY HILLS, Calif. (AP) - James Cameron is king of the Golden Globes. "Avatar" wins for best dramatic movie. And Cameron wins for directing it. He's also king of the box office. The film has grossed $1.6 billion worldwide, second only to his movie, "Titanic," with $1.8 billion. Cameron says "'Avatar' asks us to see that everything is connected, all human beings to each other, and us to the Earth. And if you have to go four and a half light years to another, made-up planet to appreciate this miracle of the world that we have right here, well, you know what, that's the wonder of cinema right there, that's the magic."

Here's the list of winners for the 67th annual Golden Globe

Awards, announced Sunday in Beverly Hills, Calif.

     MOTION PICTURES:

     -Picture, Drama: "Avatar."

     -Picture, Musical or Comedy: "The Hangover."

     -Actor, Drama: Jeff Bridges, "Crazy Heart."

     -Actress, Drama: Sandra Bullock, "The Blind Side."

     -Director: James Cameron, "Avatar."

     -Actor, Musical or Comedy: Robert Downey Jr., "Sherlock Holmes."

     -Actress, Musical or Comedy: Meryl Streep, "Julie & Julia."

     -Supporting Actor: Christoph Waltz, "Inglourious Basterds."

     -Supporting Actress: Mo'Nique, "Precious: Based on the Novel 'Push' by Sapphire."

     -Foreign Language: "The White Ribbon."

     -Animated Film: "Up."

     -Screenplay: Jason Reitman and Sheldon Turner, "Up in the Air."

     -Original Score: Michael Giacchino, "Up."

     -Original Song: "The Weary Kind" Theme from "Crazy Heart" written by Ryan Bingham, T Bone Burnett.

     TELEVISION:

     -Series, Drama: "Mad Men," AMC.

     -Actor, Drama: Michael C. Hall, "Dexter."

     -Actress, Drama: Julianna Margulies, "The Good Wife."

     -Series, Musical or Comedy: "Glee," Fox.

     -Actor, Musical or Comedy: Alec Baldwin, "30 Rock."

     -Actress, Musical or Comedy: Toni Collette, "United States of Tara."

     -Miniseries or Movie: "Grey Gardens," HBO.

     -Actor, Miniseries or Movie: Kevin Bacon, "Taking Chance."

     -Actress, Miniseries or Movie: Drew Barrymore, "Grey Gardens."

     -Supporting Actor, Series, Miniseries or Movie: John Lithgow, "Dexter."

     -Supporting Actress, Series, Miniseries or Movie: Chloe Sevigny, "Big Love."

     ---

     PREVIOUSLY ANNOUNCED

     Cecil B. DeMille Lifetime Achievement Award: Martin Scorsese.

(Copyright 2010 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)