Thursday, January 28, 2010

Lewisburg public accountant says he can make a difference in the district

LEWISBURG – Lewisburg Public Accountant Maurice Brubaker thinks he can make a difference, and that’s the basis for his decision to run for the 85^th district house seat.  The Republican made his official announcement Wednesday to seek the seat being vacated by Russ Fairchild (R-85^th, Winfield).

Brubaker says he wants to continue with many of the positive changes Fairchild has made to the district and also has important ideas of his own, including bringing jobs to the region, working to get the CSVT built and keeping I-80 toll free.

Brubaker has been a public accountant for 15 years, he is co-owner of Brubaker’s Clothier in Lewisburg, is the president of the Central Keystone Council of Government Board and is the treasurer of the Lewisburg Downtown Partnership.  Snyder County resident and Conestoga Wood plant operations manager Fred Keller is the only other person so far who has announced plans to run for this seat. (Sara Bartlett)

Former U.S. Attorney making a run for 10^th Congressional District

WILLIAMSPORT – Former U.S. Attorney Tom Marino says this isn’t the first time he has thought about a run for 10^th Congressional District, but in today’s economy it’s necessary to get someone in Washington that can produce results.  Marino made the announcement Wednesday to seek the Republican nomination to challenge Democratic Representative Chris Carney (R-10^th, Dimock). 

The 57-year-old Williamsport native is a former district attorney in Lycoming County and served as the top federal prosecutor for central and northeastern Pennsylvania between 2002 and 2007.  Marino says there is far too much spending in Washington.  Another important issue to him is taking a stand on healthcare, and not letting the government make his healthcare decisions. 

Marino says if elected, he will spend as little time in Washington as possible, and much of his time in the 10^th Congressional District, because that’s where his constituents are best served.  Several Republicans are expected to enter the race to challenge Carney.  Snyder County Commissioner Malcolm Derk has already announced his intentions to run. (Sara Bartlett)

Kids and germs…Evan holds kids health fair this weekend

LEWISBURG – Hip Hip Hooray to Super Health is the theme for Evangelical Community Hospital’s 21^st annual children’s health fair.  Deana Carson, with community health education at Evan, says they are welcoming many vendors at the Susquehanna Valley Mall Saturday.  She says the popular Germ City will return., where kids put fake glow in the dark germs on their hands, wash their hands and see when the germs remain. 

There will also be free ear and eye screenings, a puppet show, story time, fingerprint kits and children are encouraged to bring in a stuffed animal or doll to get a ‘check-up.’ The free children’s health fair will be held Saturday from 10:00a.m.-2:00p.m. at the Susquehanna Valley Mall.  For more information call 522-2693. (Sara Bartlett)

Local Toyota dealer talks about a massive recall due to a faulty gas pedal

SELINSGROVE – Toyota's massive recall over gas pedal problems now reaches all the way to Europe. Toyota says it's extending a car recall across the Atlantic, but is still checking how many vehicles use the parts involved in the U.S. recall. The world's largest carmaker has suspended U.S. sales of eight models to fix faulty gas pedals that could stick and cause acceleration without warning. Millions of cars are being recalled.  John Broome, manager of Aubrey Alexander Toyota in Hummels Wharf says things are going well at their dealership.  He says they are fortunate in that they do have vehicles to sell on the lot, including the popular Camry. 

And he says this is an historic recall because Toyota has always been an exceptional product.  Broome says that’s where all the shock comes from, because this is something uncharacteristic of Toyota and not something the company is used to dealing with.

Pennsylvania politicians react to last night’s State of the Union Address

HARRISBURG – Pennsylvania politicians are commenting after President Barack Obama’s State of the Union Address last night.

U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-Pa. Scranton) says “President Obama hit the right tone showing leadership while discussing the economic and national security challenges we face and he outlined concrete ideas to build on the steps we have already taken to create jobs.”

Senator Arlen Specter (D-Pa. Philadelphia) echoed Casey saying, “The President was right on target in making jobs the number one priority, with an emphasis on clean energy jobs. I liked his fighting spirit refusing to quit on health care reform”.

Congressman Chris Carney (D-10th, Dimock) says, “The president offered a hopeful message about our country’s future and I credit him with seeking to inspire optimism. Our economy is showing signs of recovery.”

He said, “I have tremendous faith in the resilience of our working men and women. But we must give our businesses and organizations the tools they need to make bold decisions that will lay a foundation for the future and do so by coming together in a bipartisan manner.”

On the flip side, Republican’s weren’t so complimentary. Congressman Glenn Thompson (R-5th, Howard) said, “The President wants a jobs bill that includes investments in small businesses, road, bridge and rail projects in what he calls ‘Green Jobs and Clean Energy.’”

He said, “If the green jobs and clean energy means the Cap and Trade bill, he has a long road ahead of him.” Congressman Thompson says the Cap and Trade bill punishes people by charging them more for fossil fuels so that they will use more renewable energy. He says that doesn’t make any sense in an economy that is still staggering.

One dead, three injured in late Wednesday morning crash

TURBOTVILLE – A driver died and his three passengers were injured in a two-vehicle crash that shut down Route 54 in Turbotville for about two hours Wednesday morning. 64-year-old Paul Adams of Elysburg succumbed to his injuries at Geisinger Medical Center.

He was apparently stopped at a stop sign at the intersection of Route 54 and Route 44, then drove into the path of a vehicle being driven westbound on Route 54 by 69-year-old Irvin Houseknecht of Hughesville. Three passengers in the Adams vehicle sustained injuries and were also taken to Geisinger

24-year-old Marybeth Adams and 19-year-old Heather Wirt of Turbotville were listed in serious condition after the 10:45 a.m. crash. 24-year-old Ellen Edall, also of Turbotville, was listed in fair condition. Houseknecht was not injured. Paul Adams was initially reported to be from Turbotville. (Matt Farrand)

Wind farm lease hearing attracts public, but no questions

SUNBURY – Wednesday’s public hearing on renewing the lease of Northumberland County land to a developer of wind generated electric power attracted the public, but no questions or comments. Potential royalties for the county and the amount of land to be used are at the center of a debate over an impending deal with developer Penn Wind LLC.

Commissioner Vinny Clausi says an agreement could be announced as soon as the end of the week. He says he can’t say much about the on-going negotiations, other than he believes it will be worthwhile for his county’s taxpayers.

Clausi reportedly wanted the county to get a percentage of profits made by the wind farm, rather than a flat $56,000 royalty. Penn Wind is reportedly selling the project in Coal and East Cameron Townships to a California based company. (Matt Farrand)

Rutgers assistant returns to Bucknell as head football coach

LEWISBURG – A one time Bucknell assistant coach is returning to the university to lead its football program. 54-year-old Joe Susan served as an assistant for the Bison from 1981 to 1989, and was introduced as the new head football coach Wednesday night.

Susan also served as an assistant at Princeton, and was undefeated in a single season as head coach at Davidson, before serving ten years as an assistant at Rutgers. He says fondness for the area and a desire to be a head football coach again went into his decision to come back. Bucknell finished 4-7 in 2009, and haven’t had a winning season since 2006. (Matt Farrand)

Former prosecutor enters NE Pa. congressional race

WILLIAMSPORT, Pa. (AP) – Its official. Former U.S. Attorney Tom Marino is running for Congress. The formal announcement took place yesterday. Marino announced Wednesday that he's seeking the Republican nomination to challenge Democratic Rep. Chris Carney in the 10th Congressional District.

The 57-year-old Williamsport native, a former district attorney in Lycoming County, served as the top federal prosecutor for central and northeastern Pennsylvania between 2002 and 2007.

He then worked as in-house counsel for Louis DeNaples, a business magnate and casino owner who has been investigated for possible ties to organized crime. Marino resigned that job last month to run for Congress. Several Republicans are expected to enter the race to challenge Carney, a two-term Democrat.

Route 11 is reopened after nightmare morning commute

NORTHUMBERLAND – Route 11 is open between Northumberland and Shamokin Dam. Less than 24-hours after it the road closed because of floodwaters, the road was inspected, cleaned and reopened by PennDOT. The closure sent thousands of additional vehicles through Sunbury. Also yesterday—Route 405 and the Watsontown River Bridge reopened.

Several angry motorists called WKOK reporting delays exceeding 30-minutes and pleaded for PennDOT to resolve the problem. The issue is Route 11 has low spots north of Shamokin Dam, and in Northumberland—river water backs up through storm drains and floods the underpass. PennDOT’s Rick Mason said money is tight so no improvement is likely.

Woman facing felony charges in a horse and buggy crash

MILTON – A Berks County woman was in district court Tuesday in Milton on three felony charges related to a horse and buggy accident that left two adults and two children injured. Jessica Fenstermacher of Boyertown is charged with fleeing the scene of an accident on December 27th .

That is when police say she crashed into a horse and buggy on Route 54 in Delaware Township, Northumberland County. The driver of the buggy, 27-year-old Levi Glick, his 24-year-old wife Mattie and two young children were taken to the hospital for treatment of various injuries.

Fenstermacher is charged with careless driving, not providing information at the scene of an accident and causing an accident with injuries. Fenstermacher claims she didn’t know she hit the buggy until she heard reports about the accident on the news the next day. She then contacted police. A preliminary hearing is set for February 4th. (Ali Stevens)

Local Obstetrician heading to Haiti

LEWISBURG – A local Obstetrician and Gynecologist at Evangelical Community Hospital leaves Friday for Haiti. Dr. Julia Redcay says she has done mission work in the past, and couldn’t pass by a chance to help. She says after hearing about the tragic earthquake, and knowing that others local were going, it was a ‘no-brainer’ for her to go.

Redcay will be in Haiti for a week, and says she isn’t sure what to expect, but is taking supplies, including medicine. Redcay is one of many doctors and nurses from Evangelical Community Hospital in connection with God’s Missionary Church going to Haiti. The groups can be followed online at www.gmcinhaiti.blogspot.com. (Sara Bartlett)

Changes could be coming for the 2010-2011 deer hunting seasons

MIFFLINBURG – The state Game Commission gave preliminary approval to broad changes to several hunting seasons, including the antlerless or doe season. One proposal is to eliminate the two-week antlerless deer season held following the close of the regular firearms season leading up to Christmas. The proposed change would affect Montour, Northumberland, Snyder and Union Counties.

That would mean hunting for doe would be limited to seven days and the twelve days of buck hunting would be split into two seasons. Phil Wagner, past president of the Buffalo Valley Sportsman’s Club and a hunter from Mifflinburg has other hopes for the future of hunting in the area including cutting Management Unit 4D’s allotment of available antlerless licenses by 75 percent.

He would also like to see how they could justify establishing numbers of how many deer are killed in the valley and how many deer of killed on state forest land. He said they could do that by adding a section on the tag that hunters can mark depending on where the harvest took place. Another public meeting is set for April 10th and 20th, at which time the board will finalize seasons and bag limits for 2010-2011. (Ali Stevens)

Lewisburg public accountant announced his plans to run for the 85th district house seat

LEWISBURG – A public accountant from Lewisburg has announced his intentions to run for the 85th District house seat being vacated by Russ Fairchild (R-85th, Winfield). Maurice Brubaker is a senior accountant and also owner and operator of Brubaker’s Clothier in Lewisburg.

He is president of the Keystone Council of Governments, a board member and treasurer for the Lewisburg Downtown Partnership, a Union County Republican Committeeman and a former state committeeman. Brubaker is a life-long resident of Union County and announced his candidacy for the 85th legislative district Wednesday afternoon in Lewisburg. (Ali Stevens)

Cattle rustler’s busted

HERNDON – Two local men have been charged for stealing cattle. Police say 24-year-old Ryan Campbell of Ashland and 26-year-old Damien Motter of Dalmatia are charged with taking six cattle from the pasture of a Herndon man.

The incident happened last July. The two then transported the cattle to a livestock auction, where they were sold. The cattle are valued at nearly $4,000. Campbell and Motter will be charged with theft by unlawful taking. (Sara Bartlett)

Groundbreaking could come in April for a new school in the Danville District

DANVILLE – Groundbreaking could take place in April for a new elementary school in the Danville School District. The Press-Enterprise reports school board directors gave their go-ahead for project designers to begin accepting bids for the construction project.

The district expects construction to get underway in the spring and continue for about 16 months. They hope to have the school complete by July 2011. The district is waiting for final approval on their plans from the Danville Borough and the Montour County Planning Commission. (Ali Stevens)

Latest Pennsylvania news, lottery, business and entertainment

Latest Pennsylvania news, lottery, business and entertainment

HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) - Gov. Ed Rendell says his administration is taking new steps to ensure public safety is being protected amid a rush to drill for natural gas beneath Pennsylvania.  Rendell said Thursday his administration is hiring more inspectors to monitor a growing number of well sites and writing tougher rules to prevent gas from leaking into nearby homes and water wells.  In the last three years, dozens of gas companies have flocked to Pennsylvania in hopes of tapping into the huge Marcellus Shale gas formation.  An industry group, the Marcellus Shale Coalition, says it supports the state's moves.  The 68 new inspectors would be paid for by fees for drilling permits. The proposed new rules would require companies to inspect wells more often and restore water supplies polluted by drilling.

HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) - U.S. Sen. Arlen Specter says Pennsylvania will get $26.4 million of the $8 billion in federal stimulus money that President Barack Obama plans to award for development of high-speed rail corridors.  Specter, D-Pa., announced the state's share Thursday morning.  Most of the money will pay for improvements along the Keystone Corridor linking Harrisburg and Philadelphia, including the elimination of the last three public grade crossings to enhance safety. It also will finance a $750,000 study into the potential extension of the corridor west from Harrisburg to Pittsburgh.  Obama plans to announce details of the high-speed rail grants in Florida on Thursday.

SCRANTON, Pa. (AP) - A pair of crashes involving school vehicles in northeastern Pennsylvania have left seven students with minor injuries.  Police in Scranton say one student was hurt when a school van slid off the road around 8 a.m. Thursday. The driver told police she lost control of the van on a slippery road after someone pulled out in front of her.  Keystone Central School District officials say six students were taken to the hospital with minor injuries after a school bush collided with a truck around 7:30 a.m. near Lamar in Clinton County, about 30 miles northeast of State College. The students are expected to be released later in the day. State police are trying to determine if the weather was a factor in the Clinton County crash.

ALLENTOWN, Pa. (AP) - Pennsylvania's Department of Public Welfare will shut down an eastern Pennsylvania mental hospital by the end of the year.  Acting Secretary of Public Welfare Harriet Dichter said Thursday the department will close Allentown State Hospital by Dec. 31.  The decision to close the hospital comes as the number of patients at the seven state hospitals has dropped from almost 5,000 in 1994 to a little over 1,500 today.  Dichter says the state is reducing its reliance on institutional care. Instead the focus is on home- and community based services.  Officials say the $35 million budget for the hospital will be reinvested in other mental health programs.  About 175 patients are currently being treated at Allentown State Hospital. It employs more than 350 people on its 217-acre campus.

WILKES-BARRE, Pa. (AP) - Two northeastern Pennsylvania men accused of beating another to death and dumping his body in a heavily wooded area are seeking separate trials.  Thirty-two-year-old Elvis Riccardi pleaded not guilty Wednesday in the death of 34-year-old Donald Skiff. Police say Riccardi and 33-year-old Michael Simonson met Skiff at a bar then robbed and killed him.  Skiff's decomposed body was discovered in June in Jenkins Township, about 100 miles north of Philadelphia. Prosecutors say Riccardi and Simonson killed Skiff about six weeks earlier, dumped his body and set his truck on fire.  According to arrest records, each blamed the other for Skiff's death.  Attorneys for both men are seeking separate trials. Prosecutors want them tried together.

STATE COLLEGE, Pa. (AP) - A survey finds the impact of a mysterious ailment called colony collapse disorder on the U.S. honeybee population could be declining. But losses remain high enough to keep beekeepers on edge. And longtime stresses on bees such as starvation and poor weather add to the burden. Bees help pollinate many fruits and vegetable crops. But hundreds of thousands of bee colonies have been lost since the first report of colony collapse disorder, or CCD, in 2004. A survey of beekeepers published in the January issue of the Journal of Apicultural Research finds the percentage of operations reporting having lost colonies with CCD symptoms decreased to 26 percent last winter, compared to 38 percent the previous season and 36 percent the season before that. Scientists still are searching for the cause.

HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) - U.S. Sen. Arlen Specter says Pennsylvania will get $26.4 million of the $8 billion in federal stimulus money that President Barack Obama plans to award for development of high-speed rail corridors. Specter, D-Pa., announced the state's share Thursday morning. Most of the money will pay for improvements along the Keystone Corridor linking Harrisburg and Philadelphia, including the elimination of the last three public grade crossings to enhance safety. It also will finance a $750,000 study into the potential extension of the corridor west from Harrisburg to Pittsburgh. Obama plans to announce details of the high-speed rail grants in Florida on Thursday.

HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) - A state senator from northeastern Pennsylvania who first served in the Legislature in 1971 will retire when his term ends this year. Sen. Raphael Musto said in a statement Wednesday that he will not seek re-election. The Luzerne County Democrat's term expires Nov. 30. The 80-year-old Musto says it's time to retire after nearly 40 years in public office. He was first elected to the state House in 1971 to fill his late father's unexpired term. He served there until being elected to Congress in 1980 in a special election to replace Daniel Flood, who resigned. But he was beaten in the general election later that year and then ran successfully for state Senate in 1982. He is the ranking Democrat on the Senate Environmental Resources and Energy Committee.

PUNXSUTAWNEY, Pa. (AP) - People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals want organizers of Pennsylvania's Groundhog Day festival to replace Punxsutawney Phil with a robotic stand-in. The animal rights group say it's unfair to keep the animal in captivity and subject him to the huge crowds and bright lights that accompany tens of thousands of revelers each Feb. 2 in Punxsutawney, a tiny borough about 65 miles northeast of Pittsburgh. But William Deeley, president of the Inner Circle of the Punxsutawney Groundhog Club, says the animal is "treated better than the average child in Pennsylvania." The groundhog is kept in a climate-controlled environment and is inspected annually by the state Department of Agriculture. Deeley says PETA is looking out for publicity, not Phil's well-being.

SCHUYLKILL HAVEN, Pa. (AP) - Police say an 8-year-old northeastern Pennsylvania boy drove his grandmother's car down an embankment and into a creek, but escaped injury. Police say the boy crawled out a window to safety and was not hurt in Tuesday night's crash near Schuylkill Haven. State police said the Schuylkill Haven boy took the keys to the 1995 Chevrolet Cavalier from his grandmother's coat and drove away about 6 p.m. He lost control of the car near Blue Mountain High School about 10 minutes later. Police said Wednesday that the boy was released to the custody of his parents. He will not be cited.

(Copyright 2010 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

Update on the latest in business

Updates on the latest in business

Dow: 10,120.46, down –115.

S&P 500: 1,084.53, down –12.97

NASDAQ: 2,179.00, down –42.41

WASHINGTON (AP) - There's evidence that the economic rebound remains sluggish. The number of people claiming jobless aid fell last week, but less than expected. Orders for big-ticket manufactured goods rose but also fell short of analysts' predictions.

WASHINGTON (AP) - A key moderate Democrat says President Barack Obama's sweeping health care overhaul is on "life support, but it still has a pulse." Senator Mary Landrieu says if there's a way to push it forward, there are senators committed to finding it. During last night's State of the Union address, Obama urged Congress to finish the job on health care reform.

WASHINGTON (AP) - The Senate considers Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke's confirmation to a second term today. Democratic Senator Robert Menendez praises Bernanke for keeping "a steady hand on the tiller in a perfect economic storm." But in the words of Republican Senator Richard Shelby, "Bernanke fiddled while our markets burned."

WALL STREET Stocks start day on a high note

NEW YORK (AP) - Wall Street is starting on a high note following yesterday's more upbeat assessment of the economy by the Federal Reserve. Stocks reversed an early slide and closed yesterday higher with the Dow Jones up 42 at 10,236. The S&P finished up 5 at 1,098. The Nasdaq ended the day up 18 at 2,221. The Federal Reserve decided to hold interest rates at a record low and pledged to keep them low for an "extended period" to nurture the economic recovery and lower high unemployment.

WORLD MARKETS Asia stocks snap losing streak after Fed meeting

HONG KONG (AP) - Asian stock markets snapped their losing streak today after the U.S. central bank suggested the world's largest economy was improving. Japanese and Hong Kong shares led the region with gains of nearly 2 percent after more than a week of declines. Investors, spooked by China's attempts to slow bank lending and a U.S. proposal to reform banks, found reassurances from the Federal Reserve. Following a two-day meeting, the central bank said American economic activity "continued to strengthen," a modest upgrade from its previous take on the economy. It also pledged to hold interest rates near zero for some time. Meanwhile, President Barack Obama's focus on jobs in his annual Asian investors welcomed policy address Wednesday. Anything to spur U.S. consumer demand can benefit export companies that drive much of the region's growth. Still, the market was due for a bounce after an extended slide, and uncertainty surrounding China's measures to cool its economy is likely to hold investors back in the coming weeks and months. Futures trading points to gains on Wall Street.

OIL PRICES Crude rebounds

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia (AP) - Oil prices rebounded to near $74 a barrel today in Asia amid renewed growth optimism after the Fed said the world's biggest economy was improving and President Barack Obama vowed to boost jobs. Obama, fighting to recharge his embattled presidency, pledged Wednesday in his first State of the Union address to get millions of Americans back to work even as he tackles the soaring U.S. deficit. He also prodded Congress to help small businesses and fund infrastructure projects, after bailing out big banks in the past. The Federal Reserve also promised Wednesday to hold interest rates at near zero to nurture the economic recovery and reduce unemployment. It also said American economic activity "continued to strengthen," a modest upgrade from its previous take on the economy.

ECONOMY DAY AHEAD Reports due on durable goods and jobless claims

WASHINGTON (AP) - Analysts expect a 2% jump when the Commerce Department releases its December figures on durable goods. November saw a .2% increase. And, the Labor Department will be out with its weekly report on new jobless claims.

STATE OF THE UNION-FINANCIAL REFORM Obama calls for financial reform

WASHINGTON (AP) - President Barack Obama says it's not about "punishing banks" - it's about "protecting our economy." In his State of the Union address, Obama delivered a call for Congress to finish work on financial industry reform. He said financial institutions can only create jobs and raise family incomes if there are safeguards against what he calls "the same recklessness that nearly brought down our entire economy." He also said reforms must give consumers enough information to make financial decisions. Obama said that the House already has approved some of the changes and that lobbyists are trying to kill the measure. And he vowed to reject any bill that doesn't "meet the test of real reform."

STATE OF THE UNION-JOBS Obama: Lend $30B Wall St. bailout to small biz

WASHINGTON (AP) - President Barack Obama is telling Congress that creating jobs must be its No. 1 focus this year. In his State of the Union speech last night he said businesses are the engine of job creation. That's why he is proposing that Congress take $30 billion from the Wall Street bailout to help community banks make loans to small businesses. Obama also is proposing a small business tax credit that would help a million small businesses, as well as eliminating capital gains taxes on small business investments.

TOYOTA-FLOOR MATS-RECALL Toyota recalls more vehicles in US over floor mat

TOKYO (AP) - Toyota Motor Corp. says it will recall an additional 1.09 million vehicles in the United States over floor mat problems. Toyota said Thursday the fresh recall would affect five models - 2008-2010 Highlander, 2009-2010 Corolla, 2009-2010 Venza, 2009-2010 Matrix, and 2009-2010 Pontiac Vibe. Toyota spokesman Hideaki Homma said Toyota decided to recall more vehicles due to the risk of accelerator pedals becoming stuck in the mats. Toyota has already recalled 4.26 million vehicles in the U.S. over such problems.

TOYOTA-SUPPLIER Toyota says new design for faulty gas pedals ready

ERLANGER, Ky. (AP) - Toyota says production has begun on redesigned accelerator pedals that fix problems that led to a major recall of its eight car models. Toyota worked on the design with CTS Corp., which supplied the pedals in the 2.3 million recalled vehicles. Pedals featuring the new design are in full production at CTS, Toyota says. It was found that the faulty pedals could lead to unintended acceleration in rare instances. The automaker also says it is working with the supplier to test modifications to existing pedals and plans to roll those out as soon as possible.

GM-TOYOTA GM offers incentives to lure fearful Toyota owners

DETROIT (AP) - General Motors is trying to lure Toyota owners who may want to get rid of their cars due to fears about faulty gas pedals. A GM executive says the offers of interest-free loans and other incentives come in response to thousands of inquiries from Toyota owners. The Detroit automaker is offering offer zero percent financing for 60 months on most models. It also will offer $1,000 to Toyota owners toward a down payment on a GM vehicle and up to $1,000 to help to pay off current leases early. The offers run through February. Toyota has suspended sales and halted production of eight models due to problems with faulty gas pedals that could stick and cause unintended acceleration. The maker of the gas pedals says it knows of only a few cases of drivers having problems with accelerators. CTS Corporation says it's working with Toyota to design a new pedal.

JAPAN-EARNS-NINTENDO Nintendo profit drops as Wii sales slow

TOKYO (AP) - Nintendo's profit for the April-December period fell 9.4 percent as sales of its hit Wii game console slowed. Nintendo reported a $2.1 billion profit for the nine months through Dec. 31, down from a year earlier. Sales retreated 23 percent while operating profit tumbled 41 percent. Kyoto-based Nintendo, which did not break down quarterly numbers, said it sold 17.05 million Wii machines around the world, short of the 20.52 million sold in the April-December period last fiscal year.

APPLE Apple unveils iPad tablet with onscreen keyboard

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) - One iPhone software executive says it's going to be "a whole 'norther gold rush" for developers as they build applications for Apple's new iPad. Apple CEO Steve Jobs says the new iPad is "more intimate than a laptop" and "more capable than a smart phone." The tablet-style computer, with an almost ten-inch touch screen, comes with Wi-Fi and Bluetooth wireless technology. The basic iPad models will cost $499 to $699, depending on the storage size. The 3G models will cost more - $629 to $829, depending on the amount of memory. The Wi-Fi only version will be available worldwide in March, and the 3G version in April.

Yelp-Funding Yelp gets $25M thumbs up from Elevation Partners

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) - Yelp has gotten some financial help that will preserve the online business rating service's independence and postpone its IPO plans. Elevation Partners has offered the 6-year-old startup a $25 million infusion. The private equity firm's investment team includes U2 lead singer Bono. The funding comes a month after negotiations to sell Yelp to Google, a deal worth a reported $500 million, unraveled. A person familiar with the deal's terms says Elevation Partners bought stock at a price that values Yelp at about $475 million. Yelp's chief executive says with more money in the bank, selling "is no longer a temptation." He says Yelp won't go public until the second half of 2011 at the earliest. Yelp, based in San Francisco, has emerged as one of the top spots for people to post and read reviews about restaurants and other services.

(Copyright 2010 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

Pennsylvania Lottery Number

HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) - These Pennsylvania lotteries were drawn on Thursday:

Big 4 5-8-7-6

Cash 5 05-13-18-24-27

Daily Number 0-6-5

Evening Quinto 5-3-2-7-8

Midday Big 4 2-6-0-6

Midday Number 6-1-1

Midday Quinto 1-1-3-0-3

Powerball 06-15-20-26-31, Powerball: 9, Power Play: 5

Treasure Hunt 10-14-16-17-28

(Copyright 2010 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

'Catcher in the Rye' author J.D. Salinger dies

NEW YORK (AP) - "Catcher in the Rye" author J.D. Salinger has died at age 91 in New Hampshire.  The author's son, in a statement from the author's literary representative, says Salinger died of natural causes at his home.  He had lived for decades in self-imposed isolation in the small, remote house in Cornish, N.H.  "The Catcher in the Rye" with its immortal teenage protagonist - the twisted, rebellious Holden Caulfield - came out in 1951 during the time of anxious, Cold War conformity.  Salinger wrote for adults, but teenagers all over the world identified with the novel's themes of alienation, innocence and fantasy.  In later years, Salinger become famous for not wanting to be famous, refusing interviews.

Spike TV looking to get into late-night

NEW YORK (AP) - The Spike cable network is looking to get into late-night television, but Conan O'Brien need not apply.  The network geared to young men says it is developing a new late-night talk and comedy show with Thom Beers, who helps make the network's popular "1,000 Ways to Die" series. The new late-night show hopes to scour the country for talent and highlight ordinary people who have done extraordinary things.  Sharon Levy, head of programming for Spike, says the show will focus on providing "manformation for the true guy's guy."  The show has no air date, host or title. It will air weekly at first.  She says she loves O'Brien, who recently left NBC's "Tonight" show, but says Spike wants to develop its own new talent.

Leno says he 'felt really bad' for O'Brien
 

Catholics call for health care

WASHINGTON (AP) - The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops is urging Congress not to abandon health care reform just because there has been a shift in the political climate. They've made the call in an open letter signed by key church leaders. The letter cites a "moral and policy failure that leaves tens of millions" without access to health care. The church leaders have also encouraged lawmakers to begin acting in "a bipartisan manner providing political courage, vision and leadership." They also criticized the Senate bill saying it doesn't meet the church's criteria for restrictions on abortion. The bishops urged that undocumented persons be able to purchase insurance in the new health care exchange with their own money. They also called for removal of the five-year ban on legal immigrants accessing health care plans such as Medicaid.

IN THE NEWS: APPLE ANNOUNCES TABLET

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) - It isn't a laptop. And it isn't a smartphone. But what Apple hopes it is - will be the next big "thing." CEO Steve Jobs has taken the wraps off the iPad tablet computer. The mobile device - as widely speculated - is thin, larger than an iPhone, but not as large as a typical laptop. It weighs a pound and a half and has a touch screen that measures just under 10 inches. It will have flash memory with sizes of 16, 32 or 64 gigabytes - and has Wi-Fi and Bluetooth capability built in. The basic iPad models will cost $499, $599 and $699, depending on the storage size. It will launch worldwide in March, paired with data plans from AT&T in the US.

TEACHER-FACEBOOK STRIPPER

BROWNSVILLE, Pa. (AP) - The ACLU is coming to the defense of a Pennsylvania high school teacher suspended over a Facebook picture. The female Brownsville teacher was shown in what's said to be a provocative pose with a male stripper. Someone else posted the picture on the social networking site. American Civil Liberties Union officials say the suspension is troubling because the photo was taken at a private event, a bridal shower. But school board officials defend the 30-day suspension. They say others could face the same punishment if similar pictures of them are posted.

Colorado man says marijuana is sacred part of his religion

AVON, Colo. (AP) - A Colorado man who claims marijuana is the main sacrament of his religion says a drug charge against him means he's being prosecuted for his beliefs. Trevor Douglas of Avon says he belongs to the Hawaii-based THC Ministry but was cited for marijuana possession after a Colorado State Trooper pulled him over for having an expired license plate. The 25-year-old allegedly had less than an ounce of marijuana and a pipe. Douglas told the Vail Daily newspaper that his religion is similar to Christianity and that the use of pot is sacred to him just like wine and bread are sacred to Christians. According to its Web site, THC Ministry has offices in Los Angeles; Bozeman, Mont.; and Boulder, Colo. Douglas is due in court March 9.

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