Thursday, July 31, 2008

Bail remains as-is for murder for hire suspect

SUNBURY – Bail will not be reduced for 28-year-old Christeen Smith, the Sunbury woman accused of trying to hire an undercover officer to kill the father of her 8-month-old son.  Smith’s attorney, Public Defender Michael Suders, was in court Wednesday with pre-trial motions for Northumberland County Judge Charles Saylor.  The Daily Item reports Suders wants to suppress testimony from Smith’s estranged husband, 33-year-old Jeremy Smith of Milton, and wiretaps of their conversations, since they are still married, claiming it’s privileged communications between a man and wife.

Police say Smith called her estranged husband and asked him to kill her boyfriend, 46-year-old Donald “Sonny” Ellis.  Jeremy Smith than contacted state police and Ellis about the plot.  Christeen Smith was then caught paying an undercover officer $500 to shoot Ellis.  There was also a request to lower bail, which was refused by the Judge.  Smith remains locked up in the Northumberland County Prison, following her arrest in April.  (Ali Stevens) 

Items stolen from produce stand outside Selinsgrove

SELINSGROVE – State police are investigating after several items were stolen from a produce stand along Route 522 in Penn Township, outside Selinsgrove.  Troopers say the theft took place at Scott’s Berry Farm sometime Sunday night or early Monday morning.  Items stolen include several watermelons, carrots, 10 dozen eggs, bottled water, several bags of peanuts and 15 pounds of bananas.  Anyone with information on the theft is asked to call State Police at Selinsgrove.  (Ali Stevens)

Threats via mail investigated in Shamokin, Coal Township

SHAMOKIN – The investigation continues into six threatening mailings in the Shamokin and Coal Township areas recently and now a U.S. postal inspector is getting involved.  The News Item reports five of the mailings were bomb threats and the sixth mailing contained a suspicious powder mailed to Shamokin Area Community Hospital.  Other targets included the Zerbe Township Municipal building, the Wal-Mart Supercenter in Coal Township, Shamokin City Hall, the office of Dr. James Bull in Shamokin and the Coal Township Elderly Housing building.  The mailings took place between July 18^th and Tuesday of this week.  Anyone with information about the bomb threats is urged to contact police.  (Ali Stevens)

Stream bank stabilization at Little Shamokin Creek

SHAMOKIN – Over a dozen people from numerous environmental groups around the Valley got together earlier this month in an effort to stabilize the stream bank along Little Shamokin Creek. The creek is Sunbury’s main supply of water.  Jackie Harner is a Watershed Specialist for the Northumberland County Conservation District and says this site was a priority because the creek was eroding the bank, which was close to Comfort Road in Rockefeller Township.  Installing a log deflector, which they did at a number of spots along the creek, would improve fish habitat and water quality, remove sediment and stabilize the bank, therefore saving the road.

Harner worked with the Little Shamokin Creek Watershed Association to stabilize six spots along the waterway.  She explains that the log defectors are angled upstream and re-channel the water into the middle of the stream, rather than having it hit the bank.  President of the Watershed Association Bob Herman says they worked hard and had a lot of help with the process. 

Assisting the Little Shamokin Creek Watershed Association were members from the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission, Rockefeller and Upper Augusta Townships and the Sunbury Municipal Authority.  They hope to see immediate results of stabilization during times of high waters and expect their efforts to hold for many years.  Read more here at Boroughs to the Bay and Beyond. (Sara Bartlett)

Man in fair condition after ATV accident

MOUNT CARMEL – A Mount Carmel man remains in fair condition at Geisinger Medical Center after his ATV went down a 50-foot embankment Tuesday morning.  Emergency personnel say 32-year-old David Dehoutaint was seriously injured when he was ejected from the ATV in a mountainous area near Excelsior around 2:30 a.m.  Crews used ropes to repel down the mountain to get to Dehoutaint, who was flown to Geisinger.  Officers from Mount Carmel Township and Coal Township assisted at the scene.  (Ali Stevens)

Superintendent, new board member needed in the Midd West School District

MIDDLEBURG – A new superintendent and another board member are needed in the Midd West School District.  Lawrence Potash was selected as acting superintendent, effective Thursday, following the retirement of Superintendent Richard Martz, who announced he was retiring in April.  Also, a board member has decided to resign.  Nancy Bickhart’s term would have expired in November of 2009, but her resignation was also effective Thursday.  The school board is looking to appoint a new member to serve the remainder of Bickhart’s term.  (Ali Stevens)

Rural mass transit proposal unveiled by State House candidate

SUNBURY – A candidate for state representative in the 85^th District has unveiled a rural mass transit proposal.  Steve Connolly is the Democratic challenger for the 85^th District State House seat held by incumbent Russ Fairchild.  Connolly was a guest on our live talk show “On the Mark” Thursday and talked about his rural mass transit proposal that he has been working on.  The first step is to create a website for people interested in finding people to carpool with.  The next step is called van-pool that would shuttle people to and from their workplace.  And the third phase would provide bussing from community to community with park and ride parking lots.

He says implementing the plan will be all about education and gathering the major area employer’s input and needs.  Steve Connolly comes from New Columbia.  You can hear all his comments online at www.wkok.com and click on the Mark.  (Ali Stevens)

Crash victim died from medical condition

MILTON – It was a medical condition that killed the Montandon man who crashed his car into a utility pole Tuesday. State Police say 88-year-old Charles R. Meachum of West Chillisquaque Township died of an abdominal aneurism rather than from injuries sustained in the crash off Housels Run Road. He died at Evangelical Community Hospital after the 10:40a.m. accident. (Matt Farrand)

Adult male bear safely removed from Lewisburg tree

LEWISBURG – A 200-pound adult male bear is safe and sound after a stroll through Lewisburg Wednesday. The bear was first seen in a tree in the 400 block of Market Street. Once Union County sheriffs and Lewisburg Police surrounded the tree, the bear hopped down and ran down 5th Street, nesting again in a tree on St. Anthony Street next to the William Cameron Fire Company.

When the Pennsylvania Game Commission arrived, it took nearly two hours and two tranquilizer shots to get the bear down. Wildlife Conservation Officer Kristoffer Krebs says it’s a challenging operation in a residential area. He said, one reason the bear wouldn’t ‘fall asleep’ is because there are so many people around and the bear gets energized.

Krebs, who works mainly out of Lycoming County, says this type of incident is unusual, especially in Union County, although the bear population is rising in the area. The bear had an ear tag, which means it had been caught previously, but Krebs couldn’t say exactly where. Krebs suspected the bear would be knocked out for a good period of time from the tranquilizers.

It will be taken to Lycoming County and safely put back into the woods. Although onlookers said another bear might have been spotted in the Lewisburg area, police did not confirm whether there was another one roaming around. State Police, Northumberland Police and Milton Fire Department also assisted at the scene. (Sara Bartlett)

GMC construction site steelwork complete

DANVILLE – An American flag flies from atop the completed steelwork at what will be the Hospital for Advanced Medicine at Geisinger Medical Center. President and CEO Glenn Steele Jr. says though the services it will deliver are more important in the long run, the progress is nice to see. Dr. Albert Bothe is Geisinger’s Chief Medical Officer and says the center was designed with an eye toward the future.

The Hospital for Advanced Medicine will feature more private rooms for patients, more operating room space and flexibility for advancing medical technology during the years ahead. Officials say it will let them provide services now only available in larger cities. Groundbreaking for the nine-story building was in June 2007. (Matt Farrand)

Beavertown man charged with assaulting a Danville couple

DANVILLE – A Beavertown man is facing charges after state police say he assaulted a Danville couple in Montour County. 33-year-old Robert Reich is accused of repeatedly punching a 37-year-old man, who sustained a concussion and broken nose and had to get stitches.

Troopers say he also threw a woman from the top of his vehicle. She was not injured. The incident took place on Sunday night at a home on Center Road in Liberty Township. Charges were filed at District Justice Marvin Shrawder’s office in Danville. (Ali Stevens)

Northumberland County’s unemployment rate is the highest since October of 2004

SUNBURY – Northumberland County’s unemployment rate is one of the highest in the state, according to the latest figures from the Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry. Only seven counties in Pennsylvania have a higher rate, with Northumberland County reaching 6.5% in June.

That’s the highest rate for Northumberland County since October of 2004. The national unemployment rate is 5.5%, which is also at the highest level since October of 2004. Unemployment rates in neighboring counties include 5.9% in Union County, 5.5% in Snyder County and 5.8% in Columbia County.

Danville man to go to the court on drug related charges

DANVILLE – A Danville man will go to court on three drug-related charges after police say he sold drugs to an undercover informant while his baby was in the car. 26-year-old Matthew Kipple waived his right to a preliminary hearing on charges including delivery of a controlled substance, drug possession and endangering the welfare of a child.

Police say Kipple and his 23-year-old fiancé, Ryan Ferguson, allegedly sold marijuana to an informant on June 12th, while their six-month-old daughter was in the car. Ferguson faces similar charges and waived her hearing too. Kipple is locked up in the Montour County Prison on $100,000 bail. (Ali Stevens)

Commissioners approve $60,000 for court position

SUNBURY – Northumberland County Commissioners have approved a position that would now be the highest paying job in the county. A Hearing Officer in the county’s Domestic Relations office will now make $61,074. Philip Bower, who has held the position for two years, recently turned in his resignation letter and now the county is searching for someone to fill the job.

President Judge Robert Sacavage asked the board to considering raising the salary from the low 40’s to attract a well-qualified person for the position. Sacavage says unlike other employers in the county, this position would prohibit the employer from doing any outside jobs to make money. Sacavage said the new salary would hopefully help keep someone in the position, as they have had four people at the position in eight years.

County Controller Chuck Erdman voted ‘no’ saying he didn’t feel comfortable with such a large increase. He said he would approve a salary in the mid-50’s, which is closer to what other employees, including attorneys and public defenders, are paid. Commissioner Kurt Masser sided with Erdman and gave the second ‘no’ vote.

Chairman Frank Sawicki voted ‘yes’, as did Commissioner Vinny Clausi who said he did his research and the $60,000 salary is appropriate. The hearing officer will hear nearly 600 custody cases a year, among their many other fulltime duties. Sacavage says they hope to fill the position by August 8th. (Sara Bartlett)

Latest Pennsylvania news, sports, business and entertainment:    

UNDATED (AP) - Republican John  McCain appears to be cutting into Democrat Barack Obama's lead in the presidential race in Pennsylvania.  According to a Quinnipiac University poll released today, Obama holds a 49 to 42 point lead - down from the 12-point edge the Democratic senator held June 18 in the last poll.  Clay Richards, the assistant director of the Quinnipiac University Polling Institute, says, "One reason for Sen. McCain's narrowing the gap is partly energy policy, especially high gasoline prices."  Richards says McCain has stated that he favors off-shore drilling to increase the gas supply, a position backed by 60 percent of Pennsylvania voters. Obama opposes that approach.  According to Richards, Pennsylvania voters now say, 56 to 35 percent, that the energy policy is more important in the campaign than the Iraq war.  The poll was conducted by telephone July 23-29 with 1,317 likely Pennsylvania voters. It has a 2.7 point margin of sampling error.    

PHILADELPHIA (AP) - A small Civil War museum has made an intriguing discovery.  While sifting through storage, workers found that a document that has long been treated as a photo reproduction of the terms of Gen. Robert E. Lee's surrender. And now it appears, upon closer inspection, to contain actual signatures and date to 1865.  Museum officials believe they have one of the three original documents signed by representatives of the Union and Confederacy in Appomattox Court House, Va., on April 10, 1865 - a day after Lee's surrender.  The National Park Service historian at Appomattox says it's more likely a souvenir copy signed by the same men at that time – still a significant discovery, he says, even if it's not one of the official copies.

WASHINGTON (AP) - Congress is working on a bonus for soldiers who were forced to stay in Iraq and Afghanistan past their enlistment.  A House subcommittee has approved a measure that would provide an extra $500 a month in retroactive "special pay" for about 160,000 troops affected by the so-called "stop loss" policy after 9/11. An estimated 12,000 troops currently in that situation would also qualify.  The panel approved the measure as part of a military spending bill that Congress will take up when it returns in September.

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

Daily Number 8-9-2

Big 4 1-8-5-9

Treasure Hunt  4-7-14-26-29

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