Friday, August 15, 2008

Arrest warrant filed for second suspect in motel stabbing

SELINSGROVE – All charges are bound to court for the North Carolina man charged with stabbing another man at the Shamokin Dam Econo Lodge last week.  31-year-old Gary Hunt had a preliminary hearing Thursday before District Justice Edward Mihalik.  He is charged with aggravated and simple assault and reckless endangerment for allegedly stabbing 25-year-old Daniel Ramon, of Fort Worth, Texas, after an altercation at the motel.  Hunt is in Snyder County Prison on $200,000 bail. 

Police have also filed an arrest warrant for 24-year-old Garrick Scott, off Pembroke, North Carolina, who they say hit another man, 47-year-old Daniel Gomez, of Arlington, Texas, with a hammer during the same altercation. (Sara Bartlett)

Sunbury River Festival 2008 holds talent show

SUNBURY – It was the Sunbury River Festival talent show last night that was held at the gazebo in Cameron Park.  But it was Maggie Kurtz, of Sunbury, who took home first place in the night’s competition with her rendition of Donna Summer’s “Last Dance.”  Kurtz says she has been singing since she was 10-years old and she used to travel to perform for churches and other events.  She says she has always loved singing and it’s one of her hobbies.

Sunbury River Festival continues throughout today and tomorrow with lots of food, activities and entertainment.  All the stations of Sunbury Broadcasting Corporation will be broadcasting live from Cameron Park throughout the day.

Historian troubled by Russians in Georgian Republic

MT CARMEL – A local historian says the Republic of Georgia easily is the world’s top trouble spot.  Mary Hogan of Mount Carmel says the Russian invasion of the republic considered friendly with the US is a potentially disastrous development, as is Russia’s bitter rhetoric regarding US deployment of a missile shield in Poland.  Hogan says an oil pipeline that stretches from the oil producing nations to Europe is a critical part of the conflict.  She is troubled by the apparent failure of a number of cease fire agreements to hold, and the risk of wider conflict. 

Mary Hogan is a history instructor at Luzerne County Community College in Hazleton.  (Matt Farrand)

Playing the old country classics at the Sunbury River Festival 2008

SUNBURY – Songs from Gene Autry, Earnest Tubb and Hank Williams Sr. may be tunes you’ll hear Saturday at the Sunbury River Festival, as the band Midlife Cowboys performs on the Cameron Park stage.  Gary Stoner, who rhythm guitar and sings for the band, and says the cover all of the old country favorites.  This is the local band’s third year playing at the River Festival.  The Midlife Cowboys will hit the stage at 11:00a.m. and play until noon.  There will be many performances there throughout the day, and also on the Arch Street stage.  For a complete schedule, visit sunburyriverfestival.com. (Sara Bartlett) 

PVC-free playground equipment to be manufactured locally

LEWISBURG – Playworld Systems Inc., headquartered in Lewisburg, will become the first major playground manufacturer to abandon the use of polyvinyl chloride plastic, or PVC, in its products.  Marketing Manager, Jan Price, says recent studies have shown that PVC is not safe for the environment and is a potential health risk.  She says eliminating the “vinyl” from its products is significant because PVC has been used in playground equipment for decades.  Price says Playworld Systems is ahead of the game since other major competitors in their industry have not made the change.  She says they will be replacing PVC with a durable and environmentally friendly alternative, Polyethylene or “PE.”  Price says this alternative is safer because it doesn’t contain any volatile organic compounds or dioxins, which is why PVC is dangerous.  She says PVC releases those dioxins in the manufacturing and recycling processes, while PE does not.

Playworld Systems expects to be PVC-free by October 1^st when its new line of playgrounds becomes available nationally.  (Sara Lauver)

Man charged after lewd photos found on his cell phone

Selinsgrove committee keeps kids curbed—no $20,000 bus rides likely 

SELINSGROVE – A committee of the Selinsgrove school board is saying ‘no’ to the kids who need transportation to and from day care. A transportation committee meeting was held last night in the Selinsgrove Area School District.  The topic of discussion: whether or not they would make a busing recommendation to the school board regarding free bussing for students to and from day care.   

School board President and committee member, Eric Rowe, says district officials believe that taxpayers’ dollars could be better spent.  Only a handful of concerned parents attended the meeting and Rowe says although the district empathizes with the parents, the decision only affects a very small number of students.   

He estimated that it would cost at least $20,000 to provide bussing for day care students who live within two miles of the school.  The committee decided not to recommend to the school board that the district use public money for that transportation, but public comment on the situation will be heard at Monday’s school board meeting. (Sara Lauver) 

Troopers in search of marijuana plant owner 

NEW COLUMBIA – Credit a PennDOT crew for turning in a marijuana plant.  State Police in Milton say the crew was doing some work along Route 15 in New Columbia when they found the plant in a pot behind the New Columbia Elementary School.  They turned it over to State Police.  Troopers hope anyone who knew how it got there gives them a call, and the plant’s owner should pay them a visit at their Milton barracks and reclaim it.  (Matt Farrand)   

Biomass Fuel Stocks of Pennsylvania in business in Mifflinburg 

MIFFLINBURG – Reprocessed scrap wood could be a heat source of the future.  At least that’s the hope of a Mifflinburg based entrepreneur named John Punako.  He says a ton of briquettes made from scrap can produce as much heat as over 110 gallon of home heating oil.  Punako has been dong just that as Biomass Fuel Stocks of Pennsylvania since January 

Punako says some feared that his business would deforest the area, but he mostly uses scrap from other industries to make briquettes.  He says components such as biomass boilers still need to become more popular before wood briquettes are burned more widely.  However, Punako believes high prices for petroleum products and electric heat will see that day arrive sooner rather than later.  Biomass Fuel Stocks was featured as this month’s “Made in the Valley” business by the Greater Susquehanna Valley Chamber of Commerce.  (Matt Farrand) 

Bipartisan group of state senators opposed to I-80 tolling plan 

HARRISBURG – Ten state senators have formed a bipartisan committee opposed to the Interstate 80 tolling plan.  The group wrote a letter to the U.S. Secretary of Transportation to express their continued opposition to the tolling plan, now that the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission and PennDOT recently submitted an application to seek federal approval to toll the Interstate.   

Some of the specific concerns cited by the senators including a negative economic impact on business and industry along the I-80 corridor, increased transportation costs and the impact on future economic development in the area.  A copy of the letter from the senators is posted on Senator John Gordner’s website at www.senatorgordner.com.  (Ali Stevens)  

Trevorton teen goes to court; accused of sending threats to businesses 

SUNBURY – A 17-year-old charged with sending bomb threats to numerous Coal Township area businesses in July will undergo mental evaluations.  The Trevorton teen was in court Wednesday, where a judge ordered him to complete 30 to 45 days of evaluations to see if he is competent to stand trial.  If found competent, and tried as an adult, he could face up to seven years in prison and $15,000 in fines. (Sara Bartlett)   

Man charged with stabbing his 17-year-old brother will go to trial on several counts

SHAMOKIN – A Shamokin man accused of stabbing his teen brother will go to trial on several charges against him.  19-year-old Casey King had charges of aggravated and simple assault, reckless endangerment and DUI waived on to court Tuesday.  The charges relate to an August 3^rd incident where police say King stabbed his 17-year-old brother with a pocketknife at his home on Spruce Street in Shamokin.  King will be formally arraigned on October 1^st at the Northumberland County Courthouse.  (Ali Stevens)

Two charged with a vandalism spree at the Great Stream Commons Complex 

LEWISBURG – Two people have been charged in connection with a vandalism spree involving heavy equipment at the Great Stream Commons Complex in Gregg Township, Union County.  19-year-old Randy Beamer of Allenwood was arraigned yesterday on charges of criminal mischief and vandalism.  His accomplice, 19-year-old Jonathan Weigel of Williamsport, will be arraigned today.  Beamer and Weigel are accused of driving construction vehicles on the grounds of a future Target Distribution Center late Wednesday night.  A scrapper pan was driven over a ravine and a roller was flipped onto its side.  The vandalism caused heavy damage to the land and area fields, with damage estimated at close to a million dollars.  (Ali Stevens) 

Northumberland County Conservation District hosts programs for local farmers

SUNBURY – The Northumberland County Conservation District is holding their annual meetings for area farmers this month.  Called ‘Twilight Meetings,’ Education Coordinator for the Conservation District, Jackie Lucas, says they will cover many topics including weed control, biodiesel options on the farm and how to keep bees for pollinating.  Manager of Penn State Farm Operations, Glen Cauffman, will also present a speech entitled ‘Tractors Without Tankers.’  There will be two meetings, one on August 26^th at the Paul Kieffer Farm in Dornsife at 5:45p.m. and one on the 28^th at Boyd Station in Danville at 5:00p.m.  Cost is $5.00.  Pre-registration is required and you can do so by calling 286-7114. (Sara Bartlett) 

Fire in a dumpster at a local convenience store investigated as arson 

SELINSGROVE – State police want to know who set fire to a dumpster at a convenience store in Monroe Township, Snyder County.  Around 3:30 a.m. on July 13^th someone backed up to a dumpster at the Sheetz store in Selinsgrove and set the dumpster on fire before fleeing the scene.  The investigation continues.  (Ali Stevens)  

The annual Central Susquehanna Valley Heart Walk is just a month away 

ELYSBURG – It will soon be time once again for the annual Central Susquehanna Valley Heart Walk at Knoebel’s Grove in Elysburg.  This year’s Heart Walk is Sunday, September 14^th at 1 p.m. with registration at noon.  Hundreds of walkers are expected, but more are still needed to help raise money for the American Heart Association.  One of this year’s co-chair’s, Diane Harlow, wellness coordinator at Geisinger Medical Center, who says prevention and treatment are key with cardiac disease and the American Heart Association provides the funding for the research to help with that.   

The fundraising goal for this year’s Heart Walk is $174,000.  The event promotes physical activity and heart-healthy living in a fun, family environment.  It is a national event and this year, more than one-million walkers will participate in about 500 walks nationwide.  To find out more, you can call 877-584-8146 or log onto www.americanheart.org. (Ali Stevens)  

The environmental impacts of burning waste coal 

UNDATED – It’s something that the Pennsylvania General Assembly and Governor Ed Rendell support, but something Director of the Pennsylvania Chapter of the Sierra Club, Jeff Schmidt, calls the single biggest danger from energy use.  It’s the burning of waste coal, and Schmidt says there are many environmental downsides.  He says it’s not energy efficient, and there is a higher volume of waste material after the burning process is done.  And, if those waste materials aren’t disposed of properly, there could be a long-term threat to groundwater.    

Schmidt says Pennsylvania generates well over 50% our electricity from burning coal, which makes us one of the biggest emitters of toxins.  They not only include mercury, but lead, arsenic, chromium and dioxide.  Schmidt says there are many alternatives to burning waste coal that we are not adequately tapping into.  On a more local level, he says becoming more energy efficient doesn’t have to mean making drastic changes; it’s all about using energy wisely.  Schmidt will talk more about this topic and other topics on an upcoming Leaders & Lawmakers program. (Sara Bartlett)

Latest Pennsylvania news, sports, business and entertainment:

HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) - Pennsylvania's Libertarian Party has rounded out its list of candidates for the top of the ticket in this year's election.  As expected, the party substituted candidates for several who qualified for the ballot by the Aug. 8 deadline but later withdrew.  The substitutions include Bob Barr, the former Republican congressman from Georgia who is the Libertarians' nominee for president. He'll compete against presumptive Republican nominee John McCain, presumptive Democratic nominee Barack Obama and independent Ralph Nader.  For state attorney general, the party is running York lawyer Marakay Rogers. Clarion County math professor Berlie Etzel is running for treasurer. Wilkes-Barre businesswoman Betsy Summers is running for auditor general.

SCRANTON, Pa. (AP) - Lackawanna County District Attorney Andy Jarbola isn't saying if he will seek the death penalty against a man accused of killing three people in Scranton.  Jarbola says he won't make that announcement until 25-year-old Randall Rushing has a preliminary hearing, which is set for next month. Rushing was arraigned Friday. He's accused of killing the three using a knife and a hammer in a Scranton home last month. The victims were 20-year-old Justin Berrios, 22-year-old Dustin Hintz, and Hintz's 16-year-old brother, Leslie Collier. After his arrest, Rushing blew a kiss at reporters and said, "I had fun."  Rushing's lawyer declined to comment after Friday's court appearance.

WASHINGTON (AP) - Two members of Congress from Pennsylvania are asking the International Olympic Committee to punish Russia for invading Georgia by moving the 2014 Winter Olympics out of Sochi, Russia. Democratic Rep. Allyson Schwartz and Republican Rep. Bill Shuster say it doesn't make sense to put the Olympics less than 20 miles from the fighting. Schwartz and Shuster are the co-chairs of the Congressional Georgia Caucus. IOC spokeswoman Giselle Davies says the IOC believes the Olympics games are "not a tool to be used by politicians." She notes that the winter games planned in Russia are six years away.  Sochi was selected last summer as the location for the 2014 Olympics.

PHILADELPHIA (AP) - A car-sharing nonprofit group in Philadelphia is pulling fuel cards from its fleet. It's because gas-hungry thieves were vandalizing vehicles to get to the cards.  The gasoline credit cards were kept in a slot in each PhillyCarShare vehicle, and all used the same access code, which was posted on a dashboard sticker.  PhillyCarShare has vehicles stationed around the city and charges users hourly or daily rates, plus a per-mile fee. Renters used the gas cards to fill up as needed.  Police Lt. Frank Vanore says the thefts have occurred sporadically in parking lots used by the program, but investigators are focusing their efforts in South Philadelphia.

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

Daily Number 6-7-4

Big 4  5-5-3-4

Treasure Hunt   2-8-18-21-26

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