Tuesday, August 5, 2008

Body recovered from river, emergency crews free of power plant area

SUNBURY – Officials confirm they found and removed the body of 19-year-old Vladyslav Mitrenko from the Susquehanna River Tuesday morning.  He was one of four onboard a canoe that capsized Sunday near a dam on the river.  Northumberland County Coroner James Kelley says Mitrenko drowned.

Mitrenko’s brother Alexander was also on board, but was rescued, treated and released, as were 25-year-old Devon Van Horn and 23-year-old Daniel DiCola of Shamokin Dam. (Matt Farrand)

Family of injured gospel singer seeking donations

NEWARK, N.J. (AP) - Relatives of a Grammy-nominated gospel singer critically injured in a car crash that killed his wife and grandson are seeking donations to help pay for his medical care.  In a statement released through the office of the Rev. Al Sharpton, the family of Rev. Timothy Wright says the 61-year-old performer does not have health insurance other than coverage through the Veterans Administration.

Wright is undergoing rehabilitation at the Kessler Institute in West Orange, N.J., for injuries stemming from the July 4 crash. His family says he suffered a severe spinal cord injury and has been on a respirator, and could continue to require one for up to six more weeks.

The Governor to make an announcement in Lewisburg

LEWISBURG – Governor, Ed Rendell, will be making an appearance in Lewisburg Wednesday afternoon as part of a five-day, 16-stop bus tour throughout the state.  A recent press release says Rendell will make a stop at Bucknell University to announce funding for the Lewisburg Core Community Initiative and other regional projects, which could also include ongoing projects at Susquehanna University.  He is expected to make the announcement around 4 p.m.  Reports say Rendell will be announcing public and private investments in communities, businesses and bridges that will create thousands of jobs and stimulate the economy.  After his stop in Lewisburg, he will continue his tour throughout Friday and make stops in Hazleton, Allentown and York.  (Sara Lauver)

Consumers and farmers feeling the squeeze of high food prices

UNDATED – The world of agriculture is a cycle.  So says Gary Swan, the Director of Government Affairs and the Communication Division at the Pennsylvania Farm Bureau.  Swan, who tackled the question of why the price of food is rising on a recent Leaders & Lawmakers program, says the price of food and the price of energy are two things on most people’s mind these days, and they both go hand in hand.  He says it starts at the farms with the cost of fertilizer and gasoline going into farm equipment and trucks.  Then moves to the processing plants, the marketing, and the grocery stores.

Swan says the rising prices are a squeeze on farmers too.  Although farm commodities have been slightly higher over the last couple years, productions costs for farmers have skyrocketed as well. 

He says no matter how productive American agriculture is, we still have 30 million people that can’t afford their annual grocery bill.  This translates back to agriculture, putting pressure on farmers when the value of food is based upon delivering it as inexpensively as possible and still making sure farmers get their profit. 

Swan says typically food prices go up 2.5% each year, and this year they are going up around 5%.  For farmers, corn and grain have almost doubled, while fertilizer is at nearly three times the normal rate.  Swan says prices will go down eventually, only to head back up again, as the cycle suggests.  Also on Leaders & Lawmakers was Freeburg dairy farmer Denise Wetzel.  You can hear the entire program by downloading it online at wkok.com (Sara Bartlett)

Bucknell’s Small Business Development Center Celebrates 30^th Anniversary

LEWISBURG – The Small Business Development Center at Bucknell University recently celebrated 30 years of connecting small business owners with success. A member of the Pennsylvania SBDC network, Bucknell hosts the state’s Engineering Development Services. Assistant Director Steve Stumbris explained that the services of students and engineering professionals help businesses through every step of development, from brainstorming and problem solving to prototypes to technology research.

Local entrepreneurs from the Copper Kettle Brewery, Geisinger Ventures, and ASET Solar are just a few SBDC successes.  They provided testimony at the event, proving that great ideas are just waiting to come to life throughout the Susquehanna Valley.  Jon Vernam, Program Director, encourages anyone thinking of starting a business to check out both SBDC Business and Engineering services by calling 570.577.1249 or visiting their website at www.bucknell.edu/SBDC. (Nicole Garman)

3^rd Annual Northumberland Corn Festival this Saturday

NORTHUMBERLAND – The Corn Festival is coming up Saturday in Northumberland.  The 3^rd annual event raises money for Northumberland’s History Day says Corn Festival committee member Michelle Fink.

The day offers activities for all ages and plenty of food including roasted and steamed corn supplied by Geise’s Farm.  There will also be musical entertainment in the gazebo all day.  And, what’s new this year?  Fink says there will be a dunk tank.  The Northumberland Corn Festival is Saturday in King Street Park from 11:00a.m.-7:00p.m. (Sara Bartlett)

Explosive safely removed from Lewisburg home

LEWISBURG – An explosive was found in a Lewisburg home Monday afternoon.  The Daily Item reports Elizabeth Dauberman was cleaning her home on St. John Street around 3:00p.m. When she found a military explosive device in a closet.  Lewisburg Police responded to the scene, blocked off a section of the road and evacuated surrounding homes.  A state police bomb unit in Hershey was also contacted.

State Police removed the device, described as an explosive simulator used in military exercises.  Dauberman says she does not know where the explosive came from, although her late husband and other family members did serve in the National Guard. (Sara Bartlett)

State prison for man linked to the death of a Catawissa man

SUNBURY – A Shamokin man accused of selling two pain killer patches to a man who died from a drug overdose has been sentenced to state prison.  46-year-old Daniel Ruskuski was sentenced to three to seven years for his role in the death of 22-year-old Hank Millard in 2005.  Police say Ruskuski sold Millard to patches of Fentanyl from his home.  Millard placed one patch on his upper chest and reportedly chewed half of the other patch.  He was found dead in his bed in Catawissa the next morning.  A jury found Ruskuski guilty of four felony drug charges. (Ali Stevens)

Selinsgrove police investigate a burglary at a home in Monroe Township

SELINSGROVE – State police and Selinsgrove Police are investigating a burglary at a home on Lost Creek Drive in Monroe Township early this morning.  Troopers say someone entered the 1^st floor of a home while a 50-year-old woman was upstairs in her bedroom.  The incident happened just before 2 a.m.  Police were contacted and the suspect left prior to their arrival.  Nothing was found to be stolen.  The investigation will continue.  (Ali Stevens)

One person injured in a crash on Routes 11 and 15 in Shamokin Dam

SHAMOKIN DAM – One person was taken to the hospital following a crash on Routes 11 and 15 yesterday afternoon in Shamokin Dam.  State police say 67-year-old Elizabeth Viens of Selinsgrove struck an emergency vehicle with its lights activated at the intersection with Baldwin Boulevard.  Viens was taken to Sunbury Community Hospital for unknown injuries.  The driver of the other vehicle was not injured.  The investigation will continue.  (Ali Stevens)

The annual 94KX Cares for Kids Radiothon at the Susquehanna Valley Mall

SELINSGROVE – The 8^th annual 94KX Cares for Kids Radiothon is set for this weekend.  The event raises money for the Children’s Miracle Network at Geisinger Medical Center’s Janet Weis Children’s Hospital in Danville.  There will be a number of success stories of children featured during the weekend. Be sure to tune in to the 94KX Cares for Kids Radiothon starting Thursday morning with the request-a-thon all-day, where you can hear any song on 94KX by making a pledge.  Then 94KX will be live all weekend at the Susquehanna Valley Mall.  Last year, more than $37,000 was raised for the Children’s Hospital.  You can stop by the mall to make your donation or call 1-800-799 Kids Friday, Saturday or Sunday.  (Ali Stevens)

PPL calls proposed power line “blackout protection”

ALLENTOWN – The route for a proposed PPL power line project will include areas near Berwick, Wilkes-Barre, Scranton and the northeastern corner of the state.  PPL Corp says the 500-kilovolt line largely parallels existing lines and is needed to handle increasing demand for electric power.  It would connect in New Jersey with a line to be built by Public Service Electric and Gas.  Routes that included portions of Luzerne and Schuylkill Counties were rejected. 

Cost of the link would be shared among more than 51 million consumers.  The utility says they will now submit their preferred route to the Public Utility Commission for approval.  The process will take about a year and include additional public comment.  (Matt Farrand)

Not-for-profits encouraged to apply for tourism grants
 

Boscov’s plans to close 10 stores...but not the Susquehanna Valley Mall location

PHILADELPHIA – Boscov’s Department Stores announced today that they are filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection and will close 10 stores, however the store at the Susquehanna Valley Mall will remain open…for now. 

Stores to be closed include the one at the Harrisburg East Mall along with four other locations in Pennsylvania, three stores in Maryland, one in New Jersey and one in Virginia.  The Susquehanna Valley Mall store will remain open, according to the announcement of closing stores.

The Reading-based chain of department stores has been struggling since two of the company’s executives retired in 2006.  (Ali Stevens/www.philly.com)

Forklift joy ride in Port Trevorton

PORT TREVORTON – State police want to know who took a forklift and drove it through Port Trevorton.  Troopers say sometime overnight Friday or early Saturday morning, someone drove a large forklift from the parking lot of Keller’s Marine in Port Trevorton.  The forklift, owned by T-Ross Brother’s Construction, was found parked on Main Street in Port Trevorton.  Anyone with information is asked to call State Police.  (Ali Stevens)

Frackville woman stabbed after a fight with another woman…both will be charged

SHAMOKIN – A Frackville woman was stabbed during a fight with another woman in an apartment in Paxinos on Sunday afternoon.  State police say 24-year-old Leah Rodriguez of Frackville stabbed 18-year-old Kayla Hurlburt of Shamokin after the Shamokin woman reportedly punched her in the head several times.  Troopers say Rodriguez used a sharp instrument to stab Hurlburt.  It’s not known how seriously either woman was injured.  They are both being charged with simple assault.  (Ali Stevens)

Celebrating National Night Out in Point Township

POINT TOWNSHIP – National Night Out events are planned for all across the area Tuesday evening. 

It’s the 12^th annual National Night Out Against Crime at the Point Township Recreation Park on Ridge Road Tuesday from 5 to 9 p.m.  Point Township Police Chief Kurt Brown has helped organize the event each year and says this year will be just as eventful as years past.  Events include the raffle of 22 kids bikes, a hot-tub raffle, crime prevention literature, Lifeflight, food and much more.  Chief Brown says child safety is key and children will be fingerprinted at the event to keep on file. All proceeds from National Night Out benefit crime prevention programs.  The event will be held rain or shine. (Ali Stevens)

Latest Pennsylvania news, sports, business and entertainment:

HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) - Planners say they want to let passenger cars on Pennsylvania's Interstate 80 pass through one tollbooth for free.  The idea is to reduce the number of local drivers who have to pay tolls and divert less traffic onto other local roads.  Planners say that  would just about double the number of passenger vehicles that don't have to pay for driving on the northern Pennsylvania interstate.  The Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission is expected on Wednesday to announce 20 possible locations along the interstate that are candidates for nine cashless tolling gantries.  They'll be located 35 or 40 miles apart.  The commission will decide exactly where to put the nine tolling gantries sometime this fall.

HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) - A new poll shows three out of four Pennsylvania voters are skeptical that efforts to end corruption in the Legislature will succeed.  The survey by Connecticut-based Quinnipiac University found that less than one-fourth of voters are even somewhat confident that meaningful reforms will be approved.  The release of the poll Tuesday comes amid an ongoing investigation by the state attorney general's office that resulted in criminal charges against 12 people connected to the House Democratic caucus last month. More arrests are anticipated.  The survey found that only about half of the voters have read much about the scandal, however.  The telephone poll of 1,580 voters, conducted between Wednesday and Sunday, carries a sampling error margin of plus or minus 2.5 percentage points.

HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) - Barring a challenge like the one that knocked him off the Pennsylvania ballot in 2004, Ralph Nader will get to compete in the state as an independent presidential candidate.  Nader is still fighting a court order to pay $81,000 in legal costs of the voters who challenged his nomination papers the last time around. He apparently succeeded in collecting the 24,666 voters' signatures that he needed by Friday to qualify for the Nov. 4 ballot.  The deadline to file challenges to independent and third-party candidates is Friday, Aug. 8.  On Monday, Nader and his 2004 running mate, Peter Miguel Camejo, said the ballot challenge was orchestrated by Democratic lawmakers and House aides as part of a conspiracy to illegally spend public money for political purposes.  In the 2004 challenge, nearly two-thirds of Nader's signatures were declared invalid following a review that involved 11 Commonwealth Court judges.

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

 Daily Number

     5-4-6

 Big 4

     3-9-5-4

 Treasure Hunt

     3-7-11-12-25

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