Tuesday, February 23, 2010

Shamokin drug bust

SHAMOKIN – Charges have been filed against four men from our the region following a drug bust in Shamokin Friday afternoon.  Shamokin Police have charged 20-year-old Luis Butler, 23-year-old Jonathan Cerezo and 21-year-old Rafael Mateo, all of Shenandoah and a 19-year-old man from West Reading with possession and delivery of various drugs including Ecstasy, Oxycontin and marijuana. 

The four were arraigned before District Judge John Gembic and Butler and Cerezo are behind bars in the Northumberland County Prison.  The other two were released on bail.  Police say a confidential informant was able to purchase and sell drugs to the suspects.  The transaction took place in Shamokin near Eighth and Arch Streets.  (Ali Stevens)

Strong winds will hit the area

STATE COLLEGE – Extremely strong winds are expected to gust into our region on Thursday and Friday, according to the latest forecast from AccuWeather.  Meteorologist Joe Lundberg says winds could gust to 50 miles per hour as a storm system with snow comes into the area. 

About 1 to 3 inches is expected, but due to the strong winds, most won’t stick to the ground.  Temperatures will also be low and are not expected to top 32 degrees.  AccuWeather also predicts below average temperatures for the next several days.  (Ali Stevens)

New commissioner starts Monday

MIDDLEBURG – Snyder County’s newest commissioner will be sworn in on Monday and took time to attend her first commissioners meeting this morning.  Judges Mike Sholley and Harold Woelfel will swear in Peggy Chamberlain Roup at 10a.m. Monday at the Snyder County Courthouse.  Commissioner Joe Kantz says she attended today’s public meeting to learn the ropes and get acclimated to the routine. 

Also attending the meeting was new Snyder County District Attorney Michael Piecuch, who updated the commissioners on projects he’s working on, including obtaining a grant to assist women impacted by abuse, in coordination with Susquehanna Valley Women In Transition. 

Upgrades at the Danville McDonald House

DANVILLE – It’s been eight years since the rooms at the Danville Ronald McDonald House have been renovated.  Development Director Ann Blugis says the large amount of use the rooms see each year, make it a necessity that they are renovated, even in tough economic times, for the safety and comfort of their guests. 

The new rooms will have the feel of a cross between your own room and a hotel room, getting away from the feeling of an institutional room.  The upgrades are being done a few rooms at a time.  The Ronald McDonald House in Danville is a home away from home for families with children being treated at Janet Weis Children’s Hospital at Geisinger Medical Center. 

Local educators are semi-finalists

HARRISBURG – Thirty semi-finalists have been announced for Pennsylvania’s 2011 Teacher of the Year, and two are from our area.  Both art teachers in the Midd-West School District, Thor Edmiston of West Beaver Elementary and Jaclyn Sheaffer of Middleburg Elementary have been named semi-finalists. 

Students, parents, colleagues and community members, as exemplary educators, nominated teachers.  The winner will be announced in October, and will be Pennsylvania’s nominee for the National Teacher of the Year award.  The national winner will be named in spring of 2011. (Sara Bartlett) 

Parade chairman needed

MILTON – The Milton Harvest Festival Committee is looking for volunteers to help with the September event.  Committee member Nancy Slease says they have already begun planning, and need more help, especially a parade chairman.  Slease says if no one steps up, they are in danger of not having a parade.

The former parade chairman stepped down from the position after last year’s parade.  Some responsibilities would include handling people’s inquiries who want to be in the parade, seeing that there are enough flatbed trucks, and coordinating a parade route. 

Judge: Wolfgang can stand trial

SUNBURY – A competency hearing was held yesterday in Northumberland County Court for a Mount Carmel man accused of killing his wife. Two psychiatrists who evaluated 49-year-old Steven Wolfgang in December 2009 say he is not competent to stand trial because he is psychotic and delusional.

Judge Robert Sacavage disagreed and said Wolfgang is competent, is exaggerating his mental health issues and can stand trial next month. During the hearing, Dr. Elaine Martin, testified via videoconference from the University of Pennsylvania, said during the evaluation Wolfgang showed signs of depression and paranoia.

She said he believed he heard voices and that there was also a microchip implanted in his head so that police and doctors could monitor him. Martin said Wolfgang also expressed distrust of his public defender Paige Rosini. From these findings, the doctor determined Wolfgang could not stand trial or cooperate with his attorney.

Northumberland County District Attorney Tony Rosini refuted the physiatrist’s statements, saying in an evaluation of Wolfgang done last summer he was found competent. In addition, corrections officers and a nurse testified that Wolfgang did not seem incompetent in prison; he interacted with others and was seen on occasion reading in the law library about mental health and competency used as a defense in trial.

Wolfgang, who was present in court, remains in Northumberland County Prison after being accused of killing his wife Sherry in 2007, then putting her body in a box and throwing it in a creek. President Judge Robert Sacavage has ruled Wolfgang competent and he will face a trial next month, where DA Tony Rosini plans to seek the death penalty.

Trunk line deal called a revenue source for Sunbury

SUNBURY – Sunbury city government expects to collect about $14,000 per year, after approving the use of city property for installation of a fiber optic line. Sunbury City Council Member Todd Snyder says it’s a good deal, but talks are continuing with Northeastern ITS to negotiate local access to the major trunk line.

City Council agreed Monday night to allow city streets and part of the floodwall to be used for the project that is expected to start this summer. Snyder says local commercial interests could also benefit when access to the major information line is made available.

The line is planned to run from Cleveland, Ohio through central Pennsylvania to Easton and New Jersey. A separate company also plans to build a repeating station on privately leased land along the Walnut Street Extension. (Matt Farrand)

Winfield woman injured in Route 204 wreck

KRATZERVILLE – A Winfield woman was injured in a crash last night on Route 204 in Jackson Township, Snyder County. State police say 24-year-old Dawn Blizzard-Wetzel was speeding and lost control of her vehicle on a curve.

The vehicle traveled onto a snow covered lawn and then struck a small tree. The vehicle then flipped onto its roof and Blizzard-Wetzel had to be rescued from the vehicle. She was taken to Evangelical Community Hospital with moderate injuries following the crash around 11:45 last night. (Ali Stevens)

Middleburg woman injured in Route 104 wreck

MIDDLEBURG – A motorist and a four-year-old child were injured in a one-vehicle crash Monday afternoon near Middleburg. 26-year-old Bobbie Lea Stauffer apparently lost control of her vehicle while driving south along the New Berlin Highway in Franklin Township, Snyder County.

State troopers say Stauffer swerved abruptly, forcing the vehicle to roll, before it came to rest in a ditch. Stauffer was ejected from the vehicle and flown to Geisinger Medical Center for treatment of injuries. She is in serious condition.

A four-year-old child was riding with Stauffer, but was secured in a safety seat, and only sustained minor injuries. State troopers say their investigation will continue, and note that weather conditions did not play a role in the 4:00 p.m. crash. (Matt Farrand)

Abandoned Packer Street home now candidate for condemnation

SUNBURY – A vacant Sunbury home damaged by fire last week is one of three city structures that could soon be condemned—and demolished. Fire officials say the Alan Bubb property at 313 Packer Street is unfit after the early Wednesday fire that may have been intentionally set.

City Council agreed, and their decision means property owners have 10 days to start fixing things up, or risk condemnation and demolition. The Bubb home was vacated in the mid-1980’s. A home with an unstable foundation at 143 Walnut Street, and a former business with a collapsed roof at 460 Arch Street were also added to the unfit list. (Matt Farrand)

Personalized handicapped parking considered, for a fee

SUNBURY – Residential parking spaces designated for handicapped use on city streets are usually available for the asking within the City of Sunbury. They are not currently for exclusive use of the person requesting them, as any driver with a handicapped mirror tag or plate may park at one. However, the city is now looking into a number of options.

Discussion at Monday night’s work session explored ideas comparable to what is offered in the City of Shamokin. That could include charging an initial $100 per year for a personalized space, complete with sign and blue curb paint, and $50 dollars per year after that for annual upkeep. Drivers other than the one designated on the sign would risk a ticket by parking there, even with a handicapped tag.

City solicitor Michael Apfelbaum will look into the legal details before a formal proposal is discussed, including how a measure could remain in compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act. City officials not only hope to make the service a revenue producer, but also to weed out residents who may find they don’t need such a space if there is a fee. (Matt Farrand)

More than just peanuts

MONTANDON – ‘Harvesting new beginnings’ is a fitting theme for this year’s Milton Harvest Festival. The arrest of former Chairman of the Festival Dale Kriner who stole nearly $10,000 from the event, left the committee wondering what they would do about the costs of the festival.

Nancy Slease is on the committee and said Montandon business Pardoes Perky Peanuts stepped up to help. 3,000 bags of peanuts will be sold for $1.00 a piece at local Milton businesses, and all money will go to the festival.

As for Kriner, committee members Joe and Sharon Mistysyn say they hold no ill will and heard he may try to give the money back. They say this fundraiser money will help them pay for past bills and to get started with the 2010 festival.

The peanuts are now at Milton businesses and any business that would like to help sell them is asked to contact the Milton Harvest Festival committee. More information is available online at www.miltonharvestfestival.org. (Sara Bartlett)

Congressional hopeful doubts Carney’s promises

SUNBURY – Congressman Chris Carney (D-10th, Dimock) stated on WKOK’s On The Mark program that he will get the Susquehanna Valley Transportation Project completed by securing the needed funding to move the project ahead. However, a challenger for the 10th District, Snyder County Commissioner Malcolm Derk, doesn’t think Carney can get it done and stated that during his own interview on WKOK’s On The Mark.

He says there is Democratic control of all branches of government and if Carney can’t get the throughway done with massive amounts of economic stimulus dollars available, Derk doesn’t think Carney will get it done. Derk believes public-private partnerships may be the way to get the bypass done.

Derk believes talk about the thruway needs to be a constant, ongoing discussion and pledges to keep the project in the forefront. He says the local chambers have given this project first priority, so their congressman needs to do that as well. You can listen to Malcolm Derk talk about a number of other topics from Thursday’s On The Mark program online at www.wkok.com. (Ali Stevens)

Road deaths down

HARRISBURG – The number of traffic fatalities in Pennsylvania continues to decline, according to new statistics released by PennDOT. Preliminary numbers show that 1,258 people were killed in traffic crashes in the state in 2009.

That’s significantly less than in 2008, when 1,468 people were killed. The number of fatalities has dropped over the last several years, which is encouraging news for PennDOT. Officials say in 2009, significant decreases were recorded across the state in unrestrained, alcohol-related and aggressive driving fatalities.

Orangeville man had road rage

ORANGEVILLE – An Orangeville man is awaiting sentencing for a road rage incident in New York that left a man seriously injured. 52-year-old Walter “Butch” Snyder was convicted of felony assault in January in Yates County, New York, for the incident that took place in November of 2008. Police say Snyder assaulted the man on the side of the road after a road rage incident, breaking his teeth and nose.

The Press-Enterprise reports that just a few weeks before the road-rage fight, Snyder was wrapping up renovations on a pizza shop in Orangeville. However, the shop was set on fire by serial arsonist Colton Barrett, who was recently sentenced for a number of arsons in the Orangeville area. Snyder is now behind bars in New York and will be sentenced March 30th. (Ali Stevens)

Man killed near the Lycoming-Columbia County line

UNITYVILLE – One man was killed in a crash near the Lycoming-Columbia County line. Police say 47-year-old Jeffrey Feister of Unityville was killed in the crash along Route 42 early Sunday morning. Feister was killed after loosing control of his car, which plunged down a wooded embankment and struck several trees.

Some fishermen who called police did not discover the wreckage until the next morning around 7 a.m. Feister’s body was found inside the vehicle and a coroner says he died of multiple blunt force trauma injuries sometime between 2 and 3 a.m. (Ali Stevens)

Mifflinburg man caught biggest fish

HARRISBURG – The Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission has released statistics for the biggest fish caught in the state in 2009 and a Mifflinburg man won in the lake striped bass category. The commission recognizes the top five fisherman in more than 20 categories of species of fish.

John Courtney of Mifflinburg won in the lake striped bass category. He caught a 31 lbs. 14 oz. striped bass in Raystown Lake on August 30th in Huntington County. The next largest fish in the category was just over 16 lbs. (Ali Stevens)

Latest Pennsylvania news, lottery, business and entertainment

HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) - An oil-and-gas pipe maker says it plans to open a new facility close to the Marcellus Shale natural gas reserve beneath Appalachia.  TMK IPSCO said Tuesday it has signed a lease on a building where it plans to produce up to 100,000 tons of threaded pipe annually.  The building is in Brookfield, Ohio, about 60 miles northwest of Pittsburgh. TMK IPSCO said it expects to begin operations there in the coming months.  The company says up to 120 people could eventually be employed there.  President and CEO Vicki Avril says the new facility is in direct response to the growing demand for infrastructure at Marcellus Shale well sites.  TMK IPSCO is a division of Russian parent company TMK.     

HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) - Democrat Joe Sestak's Senate campaign is criticizing President Barack Obama's support for Sen. Arlen Specter in a new Web video.  The "Dear Mr. President" video shows a succession of men and women who say they supported Obama's candidacy and are disappointed by his backing of Specter, a Pennsylvanian who defected from the Republican Party in April to run as a Democrat for a sixth Senate term.  Sestak's campaign Web site includes a petition urging Obama to support Sestak. A campaign spokesman says the petition eventually will be forwarded to the Democratic National Committee.  Sestak, a congressman from suburban Philadelphia, was a vocal supporter of Hillary Clinton in the drawn-out Democratic primary fight Obama won in 2008.  Specter campaign manager Christopher Nicholas declined to comment.   

SCRANTON, Pa. (AP) - Monsignor Joseph Bambera says he accepts his post as the new head of the Diocese of Scranton with "deep humility."  The Vatican announced Tuesday morning that Pope Benedict XVI had named Bambera to the post.  Bambera was born in Carbondale and grew up in the 11-county diocese. He is the pastor of two Scranton-area churches and has been running the day-to-day operations of the diocese since the retirement of outspoken Bishop Joseph Martino in August. He previously served in Martino's cabinet before asking to return to a parish position.  The bishop-elect said the diocese has struggled with change, restructuring of parishes and church and school closures. But he called on fellow priests and lay members to join together to meet the challenges.

ALTOONA, Pa. (AP) - Authorities have arrested a central Pennsylvania woman wanted in Massachusetts in connection with an alleged child abduction.  Police say 38-year-old Alyssa Dawn Johnson was arrested Monday as she returned to a shelter in Altoona. Massachusetts state police say Johnson was wanted after 13-month-old Jaylin Boudria was abducted from a gas station parking lot Thursday in Swansea, Mass. The baby was found several hours later abandoned and unharmed in Connecticut.  Authorities say Johnson also went by the alias "Kimberly Johnson." Pennsylvania state troopers say the baby was Johnson's niece.  Johnson was in the Blair County jail Tuesday. Authorities from both states say they are working to arrange Johnson's return to face a Massachusetts kidnapping charge.

HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) - State Sen. Anthony Williams says he is running for the Democratic gubernatorial nomination and that he has nearly $2 million in cash and financial commitments. Williams spoke today at a Pennsylvania Press Club luncheon, less than three months before the May 18 primary. Williams says some of his fundraising is coming from nontraditional Democratic sources, including school choice proponents and people who are "concerned about unions." He says he is concerned with ensuring that public schools do a better job of preparing graduates to get jobs and rerouting job-training money directly to small employers.

JOHNSTOWN, Pa. (AP) - The wife of the late congressman John Murtha will not run to finish the term of the House seat that he held nearly four decades. The Murtha for Congress Committee said in an e-mail today that Joyce Murtha feels it's "too soon after his death to be on the campaign trail." A special election to fill the rest of Murtha's term will be held on Pennsylvania's May 18 primary. Murtha died Feb. 8 following complications from gallbladder surgery. Democrats running include former Pennsylvania treasurer Barbara Hafer, former lieutenant governor Mark Singel and Cambria County Controller Ed Cernic Jr. Prospective Republican candidates include William Russell, who unsuccessfully challenged Murtha in 2008, and Eighty Four businessman Tim Burns.

PHILADELPHIA (AP) - A suburban Philadelphia school district has agreed to preserve webcam evidence on student laptops as a lawsuit alleges that officials spied on students at home. A lawyer for a family suing the Lower Merion School District wants to block the district from altering data on about 2,300 student laptops. Lower Merion officials agreed to preserve evidence but want the right to install anti-virus or other updates. The two sides were in federal court today negotiating an agreement. School officials admit they activated the webcams to find missing laptops without informing students. The teen who sued says the school photographed him at home although he never reported the laptop missing. The FBI and others are investigating possible wiretap and other violations.

HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) - Senate candidates Joe Sestak and Pat Toomey plan to debate each other again without their opponents in the May 18 primary. Sestak, a congressman opposing Specter for the Democratic nomination, and former congressman Toomey, who is opposed for the Republican nomination by Johnstown activist Peg Luksik, staged a similar event last fall. Toomey accepted Sestak's latest challenge Monday, but no date has been set. Both men accuse the fifth-term Specter of trying to hide from his record as a longtime Republican. Specter's campaign manager said he and Sestak squared off at a Democratic Party gathering earlier this month and their planned May 1 debate will be televised statewide. Luksik campaign spokesman Steve Clark said Toomey needs to remember he is running against Luksik - not Specter or Sestak.

HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) - A former legislative aide says campaign efforts were commonplace inside former Rep. Mike Veon's state Capitol offices, from raising money and sending out mailings to poring over opponents' nominating petitions. Karen Steiner Blanar testified Monday in the trial of Veon and three of her former co-workers on the Beaver County Democrat's staff. Blanar says a machine that folded mailings was going nearly constantly during the two years she worked for Veon. She says nearly all of those mailings were campaign related. Blanar says she got campaign guidance from two of Veon's co-defendants, Brett Cott and Annamarie Perretta-Rosepink, and from two people who've already testified, Mike Manzo and Jeff Foreman. Veon and his co-defendants are on trial in a Harrisburg courtroom. The corruption trial is now in its fourth week.

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

Updates on the latest in business

Dow: 10,282.41, down –100.97

S&P 500: 1,094.60, down -13.41

NASDAQ: 2,213.44, down –28.59

NEW YORK (AP) - An unexpected sharp drop in consumer confidence sent Wall Street.  This despite retailers' reports that showed stronger holiday profits.

NEW YORK (AP) - American's outlook on the economy went into relapse in February. Rising job worries sent consumer confidence to its lowest point in 10 months. The Consumer Confidence Index fell almost 11 points to 46, far below what analysts expected. It erased three months of improvement and was a big blow to hopes that consumer spending will power the economy recovery.    

MIAMI (AP) - There's encouraging news about the housing market today. Home prices edged up  in December, the seventh straight monthly gain. But some economists fear that demand and prices will fall after two federal tax credits expire in April. Economist Michelle Meyer says prices could fall about 5 percent from current levels.

WASHINGTON (AP) - A congressional committee looking into Toyota's safety issues heard from a Tennessee woman whose Toyota-made Lexus suddenly accelerated. Rhonda Smiths says her car zoomed to 100 miles per hour for six miles before slowing down. She called her nightmare ride "a near death experience."

WASHINGTON (AP) - House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer says a comprehensive health care overhaul would be best, but it doesn't have to be all or nothing. The Maryland Democrat says "a comprehensive piece of legislation that will provide affordable, accessible, quality health care to all Americans." Hoyer, however, says if the whole plan doesn't pass, "part is also good."

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

Pennsylvania Lottery Numbers

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

 Midday Big 4

     5-8-3-6

 Midday Number

     2-3-1

 Midday Quinto

     8-7-3-9-0

 Treasure Hunt

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

Big 4 2-2-9-4

Cash 5 04-07-15-37-38

Daily Number 1-0-0

Evening Quinto 1-1-9-6-0

Midday Big 4 1-7-2-3

Midday Number 3-9-5

Midday Quinto 0-8-4-5-0

Mix and Match 07-10-15-02-19 (seven, ten, fifteen, two, nineteen)

Treasure Hunt 15-16-18-22-30

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

Palin’s daughter on TV

NEW YORK (AP) -- Sarah Palin's daughter won't have to do any research when she appears on "The Secret Life of the American Teenager." Not only will Bristol Palin play herself, the episode will deal with teen pregnancy. Palin is an unwed teen mother herself. Her episode will air this summer.

Puppet cleavage is a no-no

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (AP) - Puppet cleavage has been ruled out for advertising posters in Colorado Springs bus shelters.  Lamar Advertising rejected posters for a touring production of the Broadway show "Avenue Q" because they show the cleavage of a fuzzy pink puppet.  Lamar account executive Jeff Moore says the company takes a conservative approach in Colorado Springs. The city is known for its political conservatism, and some conservative Christian groups have headquarters in the city.  The poster has been replaced by one showing the face of another puppet.  "Avenue Q" is a Tony-winning musical about twenty something New Yorkers, both human and puppets, searching for life and love.

Vonn, Palin among Leno's first 'Tonight' guests

Shorter NYC Parades

NEW YORK (AP) - New York City cutbacks could mean less of the world-famous balloons and floats at Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. Police said Monday that the city's parade organizers need to shorten their parade routes 25 percent and the parades must be kept under five hours. The police department says the goal is to reduce costs associated with planned events. The department is trying to avoid cuts in necessary services and expects the move to save $3.1 million. The changes go into effect April 1. It wasn't immediately clear how the city's many parades would be affected. Macy's spokesman Orlando Veras says parade organizers are working with police to figure out how the new rules will affect the popular Thanksgiving parade's route.

Foreclosure-Bulldozer

MOSCOW, Ohio (AP) - An Ohio man says he bulldozed his $350,000 home to keep a bank from foreclosing on it. Terry Hoskins says he has struggled with the RiverHills Bank over his home in Moscow for years and had problems with the Internal Revenue Service. He says the IRS placed liens on his carpet store and commercial property and the bank claimed his house as collateral. Hoskins says he owes $160,000 on the house. He says he spent a lot of money on attorneys and finally had enough. About two weeks ago he bulldozed the home 25 miles southeast of Cincinnati. Messages were left for the bank and its attorney. IRS spokeswoman Jodie Reynolds said individual taxpayer information is private and federal law prevents her from commenting.

Ole Miss Mascot

JACKSON, Miss. (AP) - Students at the University of Mississippi are getting ready to vote on replacing a mascot the school dumped seven years ago in an effort to distance itself from old South stereotypes. Colonel Reb, a caricature of a white plantation owner, was the Ole Miss mascot until 2003. Now some students say they need something to replace him so the school isn't the only one in the Southeastern Conference without a mascot. But other students and alumni say they'd rather have no mascot at all if they can't have Colonel Reb. More than 18,000 students are eligible to vote in an online referendum all day Tuesday. The results will be announced later Tuesday night.

‘Mega-disk’ to go on sale

MILPITAS, Calif. (AP) - There are a lot of things you have to worry about when using a mobile phone or digital camera. However, with this new product by SanDisk, running out of space on a memory card probably won't be one of them. The company has begun selling its highest-capacity card to date. The Ultra SDXC card can hold up to 64 gigabytes worth of video, photos and other data. That's larger than a lot of computer hard drives in recent years – and twice the capacity of an iPod Touch or the largest-capacity iPhone. The Ultra SDXC card costs $350. And SanDisk says it can store more than eight hours of high-definition digital footage.

MILEY CYRUS WILL BE A PRESENTER AT THE OSCARS

BEVERLY HILLS, Calif. (AP) - Miley Cyrus will be a presenter at the Oscars. The awards will be given out March 7 in Los Angeles.