SHAMOKIN – A Coal Township man remains in critical condition after a Friday afternoon crash along Route 61 in Shamokin Township.  Around 3:15p.m. 50-year-old Debra Popiel, of Shamokin, pulled out from a stop sign onto Route 61 from Irish Valley Road.  Popiel drove into the path of a vehicle driven by 41-year-old Robert Gruneberg of Elysburg, and the two vehicles collided.  Popiel and two passengers, 55-year-old Ronald Popiel of Shamokin and 68-year-old Marlin Lahr, of Coal Township, sustained moderate injuries.  Lahr was taken by Life Flight to Geisinger Medical Center and remains in critical condition.  Geisinger has no record of Debra or Ronald Popiel.  Gruneberg also sustained moderate injuries and was taken to Shamokin Hospital, where there is no record of his condition.

Police say the investigation into the crash continues and Debra Popiel will face charges for a stop sign violation.  Assisting State Police at the scene was Stonington, Overlook, Elysburg and Shamokin EMS along with Ralpho Township Police. (Sara Bartlett)   

Gun found; matches weapon in homicide case

SUNBURY – Parts of a gun have been found in the former residence of 39-year-old Michael Harrell, the Sunbury man accused of double homicide in the city.  Serving a search warrant last week, Sunbury Police searched the Fairmount Avenue home where Harrell was arrested after the January shootings of Crystal Scholl-Gordon and David Moore.  Court documents say parts of the gun, including the barrel, belt and wooden stock were found in the attic floorboards on July 18^th.  The parts matched the description of the murder weapon, which was a .30 caliber rifle.  Harrell claims he did not kill Moore and Scholl-Gordon.  Following a preliminary hearing Friday, his charges are bound for court. (Sara Bartlett)

Bucknell University hosts Penn Central Wind Band

LEWISBURG – The Penn Central Wind Band will perform a free concert tonight at the Weis Center on the campus of Bucknell University.  This is the 15^th anniversary of the band, and in celebration conductor William Kenny says the first piece of music played will recognize the contributions Bucknell has made to the group.

Kenny’s daughter, a senior at Lewisburg High School and a violinist will also be soloing, and they will welcome Justin Hill the Lewisburg High School band director as a guest conductor.  Kenny says The Penn Central Wind Band is an all-volunteer group made up of professional musicians who live all over the Susquehanna Valley.  The concert is tonight at 7:30p.m. in the Weis Center on campus.  The free concert is open to all. (Sara Bartlett)

String of car thefts in Watsontown

WATSONTOWN – Watsontown Police are investigating a string of car thefts and vandalism in the borough.  They report Friday; money was taken from a parking car near the Watsontown Foundry.  In addition a vehicle parked on Elm Street was vandalized overnight Thursday.  Police also say they took three juveniles males into custody Thursday night after they were found stealing from numerous parked cars.  The teens, ages 14 and 15-years-old were found hiding along Vincent Avenue.  One of the juveniles reportedly showed police nine vehicles that they broke into, which include ones along Elm Street, Matchin Street, Mulberry Avenue and in the Mansion House parking lot.  The males were released to their parents and charges are pending. 

Police say they continue to investigate whether these thefts are related to last week’s car thefts in the borough.  Anyone with information is asked to call Watsontown Police at 538-2773. (Sara Bartlett)

I-80 crash injures one

DANVILLE – A crash on Interstate 80 in Montour County sends one man to the hospital Friday.  Police say 53-year-old Robert Nerbecki, of Plains, was traveling east on I-80 near milemarker 226 in Valley Township when he lost control of his vehicle.  The car traveled across both lanes, struck a guiderail and flipped several times, finally coming to rest on its roof.  Nerbecki was taken to Geisinger Medical Center by ambulance.  No word on his condition. (Sara Bartlett) 

McClure man charged with assault

MCCLURE – A McClure man has been charged after allegedly assaulting a female this (Friday) morning.  Around 8:20a.m., police were called to a home in West Beaver Township, Snyder County where they say 54-year-old Glen Tharp reportedly kicked and threatened the woman with a pair of scissors.  Tharp was arraigned before District Justice Willis Savidge, and faces charges of simple assault and harassment.  He is in Snyder County Prison on $20,000 bail, and police say additional charges in the incident are pending. (Sara Bartlett)  

How high schools, colleges and the workplace are benefiting from the GSVCC

SUNBURY – This weekend on our Roundtable program, we hear about a crucial committee of the Greater Susquehanna Valley Chamber of Commerce. The Business and Education committee is working in high schools to make sure the schools are producing graduates with key skills needed by colleges and the workplace. Dr. James Hartman, former superintendent at Shikellamy, and chair of the committee, said it is time to address the notion; that schools must not ever hurt any child’s self-esteem.

He said failure can teach many lessons—but schools today try to hard to make sure that no lessons ever could end in failure. He also said the notion, that failure is bad, needs to be taught to parents as well, who sometimes shield their children from greater achievement—because of the fear of failure. You can hear Roundtable Sunday)on:

Eagle 107 (107.3FM) at 6a.m.

100.9, The Valley, at 6a.m.

WKOK at 9a.m.

Talkradio 1380 WMLP, 11a.m.

94KX at 11p.m.

Charges bound to court for Sunbury man accused of double homicide

SUNBURY – All charges have been bound to court for a Sunbury man charged with double homicide in the city.  Michael Harrell had a preliminary hearing Friday in Northumberland County Court.  The 39-year-old is charged with the January shooting deaths of 24-year-old Crystal Scholl-Gordon and 25-year-old David Moore.  State Police Corporal Richard Bramhall Jr. took the stand and testified that when he interviewed Harrell the night of the shootings, Harrell admitted that he did kill both Scholl-Gordon and Moore, although he never said how he killed them.  Harrell’s attorney, Bill Miele, who claims his client is innocent, took issue with this fact, saying it concerns him that there is no video or audio record of Harrell’s admission.  Miele says Harrell denied the killings to police just as much as he admitted it, but he would not go into further detail.  Miele, who called his client scared and concerned, says he just hopes for a fair trial.

Northumberland County District Attorney is expected to seek the death penalty in the case.  Scholl-Gordon’s brother, Justin Swartz, says the family would instead like to see Harrell get life in prison, so he can sit and think about what he’s done.

Among others on the stand was Northumberland County Coroner James Kelley who showed and described autopsy pictures of Moore and Scholl-Gordon, where he says they were both shot seven times each.  Harrell will go to trial on two counts of criminal homicide and two counts of aggravated assault, among other charges.  Trial will be set at a later date.  He was returned to the Northumberland County Prison following the preliminary hearing.  (Sara Bartlett)

Searching for a female accomplice in a Montour County robbery

DANVILLE – Authorities are still on the lookout for a female accomplice in an armed robbery in Danville on July 14th.  Police say they are trying to find out why Eric Smith of Philadelphia and a woman targeted Ryan’s Jewelers on Mill Street.  During the robbery, Smith used pepper spray and a stun gun on two employees and a customer.  The robbers fled when police arrived and left behind a bag filled with more than $160,000 in jewelry.  Police say a third person may have been involved, who could have driven a getaway car. 

Smith remains locked up in the Montour County Prison on one million dollars bail.  Police say Smith has an extensive criminal record, charged with robbery, auto theft, retail theft and other counts in other parts of the state and has spent time in prison.  For the Danville robbery, he faces aggravated assault, criminal conspiracy to commit robbery and theft charges.  (Ali Stevens)

McClure man charged with assault

MCCLURE – A McClure man has been charged after allegedly assaulting a female this Friday morning.  Around 8:20a.m., police were called to a home in West Beaver Township, Snyder County where they say 54-year-old Glen Tharp reportedly kicked and threatened the woman with a pair of scissors.  Tharp was arraigned before District Justice Willis Savidge, and faces charges of simple assault and harassment.  He is in Snyder County Prison on $20,000 bail, and police say additional charges in the incident are pending. (Sara Bartlett)  

Bucknell University hosts Penn Central Wind Band

LEWISBURG – The Penn Central Wind Band will perform a free concert Saturday at the Weis Center on the campus of Bucknell University.  This is the 15^th anniversary of the band, and in celebration conductor William Kenny says the first piece of music played will recognize the contributions Bucknell has made to the group.

A meeting on a proposed Bio-solids processing plant on Furnace Road

BUFFALO TOWNSHIP – A closed meeting was held yesterday about a proposed bio-solids processing plant near Mifflinburg in Buffalo Township.  The company is called Ag Lime and they have submitted an application to the Department of Environmental Protection to locate a plant at 7146 Furnace Road.  According to the application, the company plans to truck 600 tons per day of treated municipal sewage into the plant and convert it into an agricultural lime substitute. Concerned citizens were not allowed into the meeting yesterday, but made sure there presence was noticed, by gathering outside the building.

Union County Commissioner Preston Boop says local citizens are an important part of the process and they should voice their concerns.  The meeting was between Darryl Beiler, who will manage the Ag Lime plant, representatives of Ag Lime and the DEP.  Citizen concerns include water contamination, truck traffic of sewage coming from all over, including out-of-state, and air quality.  An environmental assessment will be done soon on the project.  (Ali Stevens)

Home invasion and assault reported in Watsontown

WATSONTOWN – A home invasion and assault was reported in Watsontown around 2 this morning.  Police say a woman reported that a white male forced his was into her home on West 8th Street after knocking on the door.  He reportedly knocked the woman onto a couch and then struck her numerous times in the face.  The woman was able to fight back and told police she gouged the man in the eye.  She then fled the residence and called 911.  The man reportedly fled the scene on a motorcycle.

The motorcycle was found parked along the 700 block of Pool Alley and the man fled on foot.  He’s described as having brown hair, about 5’ 7” tall, weighing between 200 and 250 pounds.  He was wearing a blue jean vest at the time of the attack.  Anyone with more information is asked to contact police.  (Ali Stevens)

Thefts in Montour and Northumberland counties

UNDATED – Milton State Police are reporting thefts in Montour and Northumberland counties.  Both occurred sometime last week. 

In Northumberland County, police say numerous items, including a drill, saw and two-way radio, valued at $275.00, were taken from a home on Penn Street in Turbot Township. Police ask anyone with information to call them. (Sara Bartlett)  

Latest Pennsylvania news, sports, business and entertainment:

SOMERSET, Pa. (AP) - Officials will mark the sixth anniversary of the Quecreek Mine accident in western Pennsylvania today by breaking ground on a visitor's center to commemorate the rescue of nine trapped miners in 2002. The groundbreaking is being sponsored by the Quecreek Mine Rescue Foundation.  The visitor's center preserves the story of the near tragedy and will also include an overlook where people can view the site where the miners were rescued. Nine miners were trapped underground for more than three days when their  underground shaft was flooded with water from an adjacent abandoned mine on July 24, 2002. Officials expect the building to open in time for the seventh anniversary of the rescues

 STATE COLLEGE, Pa. (AP) - Authorities say a man who threatened a Christian radio station was shot and killed by police after he fired at officers with a rifle and tried to run them over. It happened outside WTLR, which is in Ferguson Township near State College. Authorities say they aren't sure what the man's motive was or why the station was targeted. Station manager Mark VanOuse says the station received a tip around 10 a.m. yesterday that someone armed with a shotgun was asking people for the address of the radio station. Centre County District Attorney Michael Madeira says police responded after getting the same tip. Witnesses say officers intercepted the man as he arrived and began shooting at police and ramming police cruisers. Madeira says the suspect was later found shot dead in his white Ford Bronco. The man has not been identified.

PITTSBURGH (AP) - Randy Pausch has died. The Carnegie Mellon University computer science professor's "last lecture" about facing terminal cancer became an Internet sensation and a best-selling book. In it, Pausch talked about living the life he had always dreamed of instead of concentrating on his impending death.  The book "The Last Lecture" jumped to the top of nonfiction best-seller lists after its publication in April, and remains there. Pausch says he dictated the book to Jeffrey Zaslow of the Wall Street Journal by cell phone. He later wrote that the lecture was intended for his three young children, but "if others are finding value in it, that is wonderful." At Carnegie Mellon, he became recognized as a pioneer of virtual reality research. Pausch was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in September 2006  and chronicled his treatment on his Web site. The university says he succumbed this morning at his home in Virginia. He was 47.

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

 FRIDAY NIGHT

 Daily Number

     2-4-5

 Big 4

     7-5-0-4

 FRIDAY MIDDAY

 Daily Number

     9-8-8

 Big 4

     0-2-8-9

 Treasure Hunt

     2-8-13-18-30

The winning numbers drawn Friday in the "Pennsylvania Cash 5" game were:      05-22-23-27-41.

The winning numbers drawn Friday in the "Pennsylvania Match 6 Lotto" game were:  07-14-24-25-28-38.