Monday, July 7, 2008

Lewis, of Cwalina/Lewis administration, charged with assault

SELINSGROVE – It was a former Northumberland County Commissioner who’s been charged with assaulting a female in Selinsgrove.  Police were called to the home of 62-year-old Charles Lewis, Jr. on Sunday around 12:30a.m., where they say a woman claimed Lewis had assaulted her.  Police placed Lewis under arrest and charged him with one count of simple assault and one count of harassment.

Lewis was half of the controversial Cwalina/Lewis administration, which left Northumberland County in shambles. The county, it was discovered after their resignation, was operating with a massive deficit, and would soon find itself in over $30 million of debt.  The county has been on a slow recovery ever since. 

Several years ago, Lewis was also named in a Northumberland County Protection From Abuse order, but was not charged with assault.  His residence at that time was in Northumberland. He has held several jobs since public office, including selling appliances at Sears. (Staff)

Police looking for suspect in Sunbury burglary attempt

SUNBURY— Sunbury Police are investigating a burglary attempt today along the 900 block of Susquehanna Avenue in the city.  Police say, around 2 p.m., the male burglar was found inside a residence in the area and he fled on foot after being seen.  Police are looking for a black male that is over 5 feet 6 inches tall, wearing blue jeans and a black hooded sweatshirt.  Reports say the suspect was wearing a red shirt under his sweatshirt and a pair of running shoes.  Police are also investigating the theft of stereo equipment from a garage in the same area.  They ask anyone with any information to contact them.  (Sara Lauver)

Danville man still critical after a motorcycle crash

Holiday weekend crashes claim 15 lives statewide

HARRISBURG— During the four-day Fourth of July holiday driving period, State Police throughout the state say they investigated a total of 759 accidents.  Information released today from the Department of State Police in Harrisburg, says 15 people died and 289 others were injured in those crashes.  Commissioner, Jeffrey Miller, says 11 of the 15 who died were not wearing seatbelts and 75 of the crashes, including three of the fatals, were alcohol-related.  The report includes information from July 3^rd through the 6^th and during that time period, troopers say they arrested 339 for driving under the influence.  They also issued over 6,800 speeding citations and cited over 370 for failing to wear a seatbelt.  Another 68 were given citations for not securing children in safety seats properly. 

Miller says last year’s official Fourth of July holiday driving period extended over 6 days and 15 people were killed in crashes and 422 others were injured.  Crash numbers cover only those incidents investigated by State Police throughout Pennsylvania and do not include crash statistics where other law-enforcement agencies responded.  (Sara Lauver)

Memorial Quizzo Tourney in Sunbury

SUNBURY – Get ready to test your knowledge of random facts.  It’s the First Annual Bill Hoover Memorial Quizzo Tournament in Sunbury.  Quizzo is a game where teams have to answer random questions from a number of categories.

The game will take place Monday at the Hotel Edison and will honor Bill Hoover, a community leader and avid Quizzo player, who passed away in February from prostate cancer.  Hotel Co-owner Randi Buehner says the money raised at the event will go toward Hoover’s scholarship fund at Shikellamy High School.  Buehner says Hoover was a great advocate of children, was an elementary school teacher for a number of years, was very active in the community, and was also her very first Quizzo contestant when they started the weekly games three years ago. 

Third person dies after I-80 crash

LAMAR – A 14-year-old is the third person to die after a late Friday crash.  D.J. Wright of New York died Saturday, according to Geisinger Medical Center.  Officials say the crash was caused by a Lewisburg man driving the wrong way on Interstate 80 Friday evening.  Police in Lamar say that 44-year-old, John Pick of Lewisburg, caused the collision.  

Reports say Pick was driving west in the eastbound lanes when his vehicle struck the vehicle driven by the Rev. Timothy Wright, of New York.  Wright’s wife, 58-year-old Betty Wright, was also killed in that crash. Another vehicle, driven by 25-year-old Kyle Creasap of Ohio, was also involved in the crash and injuries were reported to Creasap and his passenger.  It’s reported that the crash happened around 10:30 p.m. in Greene Township.  Rev. Wright is a gospel singer and has released more than a dozen recordings, his latest album came out last year.  (AP/WKOK)

Seven people injured in a crash on Mill Road in Snyder County

 SELINSGROVE – Seven people were injured in a crash on Mill Road at App Road in Snyder County on Sunday afternoon.  State police say 52-year-old Sandra Buck of Bloomsburg collided with a vehicle driven by 76-year-old Kevin Royer of Coal Township.  The accident injured both drivers and several passengers in both vehicles.  Troopers say Buck caused the accident just before 4 p.m. when she ran a stop sign.  One of the passengers, 58-year-old Cindy Boyer of Milton is in fair condition.  Several others are still being treated in the emergency room at Geisinger Medical Center.  We will update you on this story when more information is available.  (Ali Stevens)

Two burglaries are under investigation in Union County

 LEWISBURG – State police are investigating two burglaries in Union County reported over the weekend.  Troopers say someone entered a home on Johnson Mill Road in Buffalo Township and forced open a secured room.  Once inside, more than $7,100 in cash and checks were stolen.  The incident happened sometime between 9 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. on Sunday. 

Also on Sunday morning, someone entered a home on Furnace Road near Route 45 and took a safe after rummaging through the home. Troopers say $250 in various coins were inside the safe along with personal documents.   Anyone with information on either theft is asked to call state police.  (Ali Stevens)

Scranton man pronounced dead after being hit by a car in Snyder County 

HUMMELS WHARF – A Scranton man was killed Saturday morning in Hummels Wharf after he was hit by a car.  56-year-old Joseph Farrell was walking with his bike on Routes 11&15 near the area of the Monroe Marketplace around 12:40a.m.  Police say Farrell walked between two construction barrels into the path of a car driven by 19-year-old Eric Tanner of Northumberland.  Farrell struck the car’s windshield and was thrown to the roadside.  Snyder County Coroner Bruce Hummel pronounced him dead at the scene.  A 16-year-old passenger in Tanner’s car sustained minor injuries, and no other injuries were reported.  Hummels Wharf Fire Company, Dauntless Hook and Ladder Company paramedics and EMTS ambulance assisted at the scene. (Sara Bartlett)  

Ely recalls Helms, Ford, Reagan, 1976 

SUNBURY – The late Jesse Helms is still drawing criticism, mostly from the left.  However, state GOP committee member Donald Ely says he admired the conservative Republican senator immensely, and that Helms had admirers locally.  Ely is also a retired teacher of history and government and recalls the role Helms played in the 1976 presidential campaigns of incumbent president Gerald Ford and challenger Ronald Reagan.  Helms supported Reagan in 1976, which contributed to the former California governor’s primary wins in North Carolina, Indiana and Nebraska.   

Jesse Helms died of natural causes at the age of 86.  Following his passing early Friday, detractors remember positions he took that they thought held back progress on AIDS research and civil rights.  (Matt Farrand)  

Simple assault arrest in Snyder County 

SELINSGROVE – A Selinsgrove man was arrested after police were called to investigate a simple assault incident early Sunday morning.  State Police in Selinsgrove say that 62-year-old, Charles Lewis Jr., was arrested when police were called to his home after he allegedly assaulted his wife.  Police say the victim sustained minor injuries in the altercation and Lewis Jr. was charged with one count of simple assault and harassment.  The incident occurred just before 12:30 a.m. in Penn Township, Snyder County.  (Sara Lauver) 

Two thrown from ATV after crash 

TURBOTVILLE – Two people suffered minor injuries after an ATV crash Friday afternoon.  Police say a 14-year-old female from Freeland was driving the ATV on Gearhart Road in Lewis Township, Northumberland County at around 4:10p.m. when she lost control and struck a guiderail.  The juvenile and a passenger, 20-year-old Tiffany Rishel of Milton, were thrown from the vehicle.  Both sustained minor injuries and were treated at Evangelical Community Hospital. (Sara Bartlett)    

Boroughs to the Bay and Beyond re-launched 

UNDATED – The state of the Susquehanna River is improving.  That’s the opinion of Susquehanna River Basin Commission Executive Director Paul Swartz, who also admits that many parts of the watershed still need some improvement, including the West Branch, which are degraded by abandon mines.  Swartz says the good news is that they have been seeing consistently improving long-term trends regarding the concentrations of nitrogen, phosphorus and suspended sediments in the water. 

As the Commission continues to monitor the quality of the water, Swartz says the River Basin, because it is so water-rich is getting a lot of attention for energy production projects.  The most recent is gas exploration, where companies collect millions of gallons of water and eject it to create fractures in rocks where gas can then be extracted.  Swartz says doing this in small streams is risky, and operations have the potential to use more water than should be withdrawn.

 Swartz says this summer they have been working with over 50 different companies who are undertaking these projects; to make sure they understand the Commission’s requirements.  You can hear a full interview with Paul Swartz at the Boroughs to the Bay and Beyond web page online at wkok.com. (Sara Bartlett)

 Workers continue to work on water main line at Packer’s Island 

UPPER AUGUSTA TWP – Although water was restored Friday morning to residents on Packer Island, crews continue to figure out what caused the Thursday night water main break.  An eight-inch water line under the river, which is about 25-feet out from the bank on the island side, broke.  Joe Woodward, Manager of Field Operations at Pennsylvania American Water, says the problem is the pipe can’t be repaired yet because it’s currently under about 10-feet of water.  

Woodward says they restored water to the customers by running a five-inch fire hose from a fire hydrant in the Northumberland Borough, to a newly installed hydrant on Packer’s Island.  He says they ran the line over the railroad and says train operations are stopped until Sunday, so it will not affect the work on the line. 

Woodward says they don’t know yet what caused the line to burst, and they will continue to work to determine if the pipe is broken or if it just split.  He says these types of pipes usually last between 90 and 100 years, and this one is only 20-years-old.  Woodward says customers will continue to be problem free, with no dirty or low-pressurized water. (Sara Bartlett)  

Here is the latest Pennsylvania news from The Associated Press:

HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) - Harrisburg International Airport announced Monday that it will begin offering daily nonstop flights to Newark, N.J.  Continental will offer four flights each day. The new service begins Oct. 2.  An airport representative says the flights will reconnect Harrisburg to the New York City area and will provide easy connections to international destinations.  Last month, US Airways announced that it would cut its flights from Harrisburg to Pittsburgh and American Airlines said it would end all service from Harrisburg.

STATE COLLEGE, Pa. (AP) - Penn State University will receive a 1.2 percent increase in state funding as a result of the new state budget approved by the Pennsylvania Legislature.  The university's state appropriation this fiscal year will be $338.4 million, up $4.1 million from last year. State funding typically makes up less than 10 percent of Penn State's total budget. University trustees are scheduled to meet this weekend in Erie.  Agenda items include a vote on Penn State's latest budget as well as tuition rates and fees.

CHESTER, Pa. (AP) - Three people are dead from a house fire in Chester, including a would-be rescuer. Delaware County authorities say a 23-year-old woman was home with her 3-year-old daughter when the fire broke out late Sunday night. She called her boyfriend and the 29-year-old man rushed to the house and tried to save them, but perished in the fire. The child died at a hospital. The victims' names weren't immediately released.

PITTSBURGH (AP) - Jury selection is scheduled to begin Monday in the trial of a state senator from Westmoreland County who allegedly contributed to the death of a 14-year-old neighbor. Louis Farrell was found shot to death two years ago with a handgun belonging to Sen. Robert Regola III. The teen had been looking after the Regolas' dog while the senator and his wife were away. According to the district attorney, Regola left the gun stored unlocked and loaded, and did not notify the Farrell family or police when he learned it was missing. Defense attorney Charles Porter says the senator did not store the gun recklessly. The Farrells reject the coroner's finding that their son committed suicide. They believe he was more likely shot by accident, and that Regola's son was with him at the time.

CARMICHAELS, Pa. (AP) - Gov. Ed Rendell plans to sign a bill aimed at improving safety in Pennsylvania's 200 bituminous coal mines on Monday afternoon at the Robena Miners Memorial in Carmichaels, Greene County. The law, spurred by the rescue of nine miners from the flooded Quecreek Mine in 2002, represents the first major rewrite of the state's mining law in nearly half a century. Under the measure, mine owners will be fined for safety infractions and a seven-member board set up to keep regulations updated. It addresses emergency shelters and accidental breaches of flooded mines, as occurred in the accident six years ago at Quecreek Mine in Somerset County. Thirty-seven coal miners lost their lives in a methane and coal dust explosion at the Frosty Run Shaft at Robena Mine in Greene County on Dec. 6, 1962.

HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) - Here are the winning numbers selected Monday in the midday Pennsylvania State Lottery drawing:

 Daily Number

     0-6-6 

 Big 4

     7-6-5-1

 Treasure Hunt

     6-12-13-19-22

(Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press.  All Rights Reserved.)