More snow on the way

STATE COLLEGE – Pennsylvania is preparing for another winter storm, expected to bring snow and gusty winds.  AccuWeather Meteorologist Eric Wilhelm calls it a moderate storm coming our way, with the majority throughout the day Thursday, and some lingering snow into Friday. 

When is said and done, our area could get 3-6 inches.  He says it is enough to shovel and plow, but not a crippling storm by any means.  Wilhelm says our area will experience the heavy winds, with gusts at 50 mph.

The Poconos have already received nearly 10 inches of snow, and the same amount is predicted for the Philadelphia area.  In parts getting hit the hardest, State Transportation Secretary Allen Biehler is urging motorists to avoid unnecessary travel. (Sara Bartlett)

A raise for NorCo employees

SUNBURY – A three percent salary increase has been approved for all non-union full-time employees in Northumberland County.  The increase impacting about 125 workers was approved during Tuesday afternoon’s salary board meeting and is retroactive to the first pay period of 2010.  The three county commissioners and controller Chuck Erdman make up the salary board and unanimously agreed to the pay increases.  The salary adjustments are expected to cost the county approximately $90,000 this year.  (Ali Stevens)

Money secured for public transportation study

SUNBURY – A study on whether public transportation is right for our area can now be carried out.  Keri Albright, Vice Chair of the North Central Pennsylvania Public Transportation Taskforce, says thanks to a recent $10,000 grant from Cherokee Pharmaceuticals, the group now has the money to more forward with the study.  PennDOT, along with Northumberland, Union, Montour and Lycoming Counties also helped with funding. 

Albright says the study is looking at whether public transportation is a need, as oppose to a social service.  She says it’s an employment issue, and an independence issue to have public transportation.

Albright says the study will take into consideration a number of issues, including how the transportation would work and where it is needed.  She says nothing in the report means action on the taskforce’s part, unless the community is willing to stand behind it.  Albright says the taskforce has spoken to a number of consultants, and made recommendations on who should conduct the study.  The study will begin in March and run through December. (Sara Bartlett)

A bi-partisan discussion on healthcare

UNDATED – The Pennsylvania State Director of “Organizing for America” was a guest on WKOK’s On The Mark program talking about the importance of a bi-partisan discussion on healthcare.  First, Elizabeth Lucas talked about her organization, saying it was born out of the “Obama For America” campaign.  She says it’s the grassroots arm of the White House working to advance the agenda of President Barack Obama.

Regarding the ongoing healthcare reform debate, Lucas says both parties are needed in the discussion.  She says Obama has asked members of both parties to come with additional proposals at Thursday’s meeting, that are going to drive down costs for all Americans. 

Lucas says the president did detail a plan for health insurance reform this past Monday that does bridge the gap between the house and senate bills that provides more accountability and affordability and additional tax cuts for middle class families.  You can hear more from Elizabeth Lucas on healthcare reform from our Wednesday On The Mark program online at www.wkok.com.  (Ali Stevens)

Students busted for drugs

TURBOTVILLE – State police have charged two teen girls for allegedly having marijuana on school property Tuesday afternoon.  Troopers say an 18-year-old and 17-year-old, both seniors at Warrior Run High School in Northumberland County, were caught with marijuana on school grounds.  Charges are pending through the Northumberland County Juvenile Court for the 17-year-old and the Court of Common Pleas for the 18-year-old.  Both will be charged with drug possession.  (Ali Stevens)

New football field possible in Danville

DANVILLE – Danville High School football players may soon have a new practice field.  The school board is considering building a $200,000 half-length field on a wooded area of land the district owns below the Danville Area Community Center.  The Press-Enterprise reports the old high school practice field would be plowed over to make way for the consolidated elementary school. 

The discussion came about when officials in the district realized the football stadium’s turf can’t handle the traffic of football, soccer and field hockey games along with football practices.  The board voted 7 to 1 to have architects move ahead with plans on the field.  (Ali Stevens)

Daycare Center hosts Chinese Auction

SELINSGROVE – A fundraiser will be held Saturday to help the Children’s Discovery Center of Selinsgrove provide equipment and supplies for the 100 families they serve in the Central Susquehanna Valley.  The Children’s Discovery Center is hosting a Chinese Auction at Boscov’s Auditorium on Saturday from 10 to 1p.m. and they are still looking for donations of new items from area businesses for the event.  There will be baked goods and other snacks for sale. 

Children’s Discovery Center is a non-profit child daycare agency and the money raised at the event is used to supplement the cost of meals served at the center and keep the fees charged to parents at a reasonable cost.  The public is encouraged to attend and participate in the Chinese Auction with drawings for items starting at 1 p.m. at the Susquehanna Valley Mall. (Ali Stevens)

Geisinger Dr: Local kids ‘way overweight’

DANVILLE – First Lady Michelle Obama’s recent quip about the Body Mass Index of one of her daughters set off a debate among nutritionists about obesity. Geisinger Medical Center Nutritionist Dr. William Cochran says locally about 42% of kids are overweight. The doctor is also vice chair of the department of pediatrics.

He believes the popularity of sedentary activities such as video games and computers are among the factors behind the trend. But, the biggest single culprit is diet, especially soft drinks, and things have gotten worse though the years as fast food companies have increased the size of many of their drinks.

Without increasing the number of calories burned, one extra 12-ounce sugared drink per day can result in a 10-pound weight gain at the end of a year. Dr. Cochran says poor food habits established when young tend to get worse, as children spend their own money on food and are away from the control of their parents.

The doctor says obesity is now so common, that roughly 70% of parents with overweight children can’t admit that their kids have a problem. The answer has to be comprehensive, and include families, government, industry and the health care business.

Dr. Cochran says the health consequences of obesity can be catastrophic and include hypertension, heart disease, liver troubles and depression. He suggests parents contact a physician if there is any doubt about their children’s BMI. (Matt Farrand)

Troopers: Applebee’s in Lewisburg holds camp fundraiser tonight

LEWISBURG – Tonight (Wednesday) is the night Applebee’s in Lewisburg holds their annual Celebrity Service Night to support Camp Cadet. Trooper Matt Burrows says residents who come to Applebee’s this evening can help support the camp for kids interested in learning more about law enforcement.

From 5 to 9 p.m. this evening, all tips received by celebrity waiters will support camp cadet. Also, for every five dollars you leave as a tip, you get a coupon for $5.00 to spend at your next visit to Applebee’s. State troopers and other local police officers will be cooking and serving the meals this evening.

All of the tip proceeds help send kids to Camp Cadet, a free camp at Susquehanna University in June. Applications are now being accepted for interested campers ages 12 to 15. You can visit Camp Cadet’s website at www.svlecc.com for more. Residents are encouraged to dine at Applebee’s in Lewisburg this evening and tip your law enforcement waiter. (Ali Stevens)

$75,000 saved with new medical service at NorCo prison

SUNBURY – The Northumberland County Commissioners unanimously voted to hire a Harrisburg-based medical group to work in the Northumberland County Prison. Prime Care Medical, Inc will begin medical services in April.

Commissioner Vinny Clausi tells us the county had to have a contract in place by April 1st. This contract reportedly reduces the cost from the original contract proposal by $75,000. The decision was made during an executive session after Tuesday’s commissioners meeting, and was not talked about in front of the public due to pending litigation issues between the county and the Lewisburg Prison Project. (Sara Bartlett)

Shamokin man waives right to preliminary hearing

SHAMOKIN – A Shamokin man charged with growing marijuana in his home has waived his right to a preliminary hearing. 37-year-old Christopher Elliott will face trial, charged with manufacturing and possessing marijuana.

Police discovered the drugs in Elliott’s South Harrison Street home in Shamokin when they were called to a fire there earlier this month. They confiscated 47 pot plants, a gun and ammunition. Elliott is free on bail. That fire was ruled accidental and electrical in nature. (Sara Bartlett)

Shamokin drug bust nets four

SHAMOKIN – Charges have been filed against four men from our region following a drug bust in Shamokin Friday afternoon. Shamokin Police have charged 20-year-old Luis Butler, 23-year-old Jonathan Cerezo and 21-year-old Rafael Mateo, all of Shenandoah and a 19-year-old man from West Reading with possession and delivery of various drugs including Ecstasy, Oxycontin and marijuana.

The four were arraigned before District Judge John Gembic and Butler and Cerezo are behind bars in the Northumberland County Prison. The other two were released on bail. Police say a confidential informant was able to purchase and sell drugs to the suspects. The transaction took place in Shamokin near Eighth and Arch Streets. (Ali Stevens)

Strong winds will hit the area

STATE COLLEGE – Extremely strong winds are expected to gust into our region on Thursday and Friday, according to the latest forecast from AccuWeather. Meteorologist Joe Lundberg says winds could gust to 45 miles per hour as a storm system with snow comes into the area. We will have a little snow tomorrow morning and light winds, then winds will increase during the day.

About 3 to 6 inches is expected, but due to the strong winds, most won’t stick to the ground. Temperatures will also be low and are not expected to top 32 degrees. AccuWeather also predicts below average temperatures for the next several days. Much more snow will fall to our north and east with blizzard like conditions and heavy snow fall north of I-80 and east of I-81. (Ali Stevens)

New commissioner starts Monday

MIDDLEBURG – Snyder County’s newest commissioner will be sworn in on Monday and took time to attend her first commissioners meeting this morning. Judges Mike Sholley and Harold Woelfel will swear in Peggy Chamberlain Roup at 10a.m. Monday at the Snyder County Courthouse. Commissioner Joe Kantz says she attended today’s public meeting to learn the ropes and get acclimated to the routine.

Also attending the meeting was new Snyder County District Attorney Michael Piecuch, who updated the commissioners on projects he’s working on, including obtaining a grant to assist women impacted by abuse, in coordination with Susquehanna Valley Women In Transition.

The commissioners also received notification from the state regarding the $300,000 grant they are receiving for their proposed county recycling center. They hope to sign off on that next week to get the ball rolling on the project, since they have two-years to complete it to keep the grant money in place. The plan is to build a recycling center for the county on property near the Snyder County Prison in Penn Township. (Ali Stevens)

Upgrades at the Danville McDonald House

DANVILLE – It’s been eight years since the rooms at the Danville Ronald McDonald House have been renovated. Development Director Ann Blugis says the large amount of use the rooms see each year, make it a necessity that they are renovated, even in tough economic times, for the safety and comfort of their guests.

The new rooms will have the feel of a cross between your own room and a hotel room, getting away from the feeling of an institutional room. The upgrades are being done a few rooms at a time. The Ronald McDonald House in Danville is a home away from home for families with children being treated at Janet Weis Children’s Hospital at Geisinger Medical Center.

Local educators are semi-finalists

HARRISBURG – Thirty semi-finalists have been announced for Pennsylvania’s 2011 Teacher of the Year, and two are from our area. Both art teachers in the Midd-West School District, Thor Edmiston of West Beaver Elementary and Jaclyn Sheaffer of Middleburg Elementary have been named semi-finalists.

Students, parents, colleagues and community members, as exemplary educators, nominated teachers. The winner will be announced in October, and will be Pennsylvania’s nominee for the National Teacher of the Year award. The national winner will be named in spring of 2011. (Sara Bartlett)

Milton Harvest Festival needs parade chair

MILTON – The Milton Harvest Festival Committee is looking for volunteers to help with the September event. Committee member Nancy Slease says they have already begun planning, and need more help, especially a parade chairman. Slease says if no one steps up, they are in danger of not having a parade.

The former parade chairman stepped down from the position after last year’s parade. Some responsibilities would include handling people’s inquiries who want to be in the parade, seeing that there are enough flatbed trucks, and coordinating a parade route.

Members say the parade, which has been a staple at the festival since its 1977 beginning, is always one of the most popular events. For more information or to inquire about volunteer visit www.miltonharvestfestival.org. (Sara Bartlett)

Latest Pennsylvania news, business and entertainment

HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) - A new poll shows the economy passing health care as the issue most important to Pennsylvanians.  A Franklin & Marshall College poll released Wednesday shows 30 percent of registered voters are most concerned about the economy, employment and the Wall Street bailout when considering candidates for U.S. Senate. That's up from 24 percent in January. Health care was No. 1 in January at 29 percent, but dropped to No. 2 at 21 percent in February.  In the Senate race, Democrats favor incumbent Arlen Specter 2-1 over primary challenger Joe Sestak. Matched against Republican challenger Pat Toomey, Specter appears to hold a slim lead among registered voters while Sestak appears to be tied.  The telephone survey carried a sampling error margin of plus or minus 2.9 percentage points.

POTTSVILLE, Pa. (AP) - A Pennsylvania man accused of a federal hate crime in the beating death of an illegal Mexican immigrant has been paroled on related state charges. Schuylkill County President Judge William Baldwin granted parole to 20-year-old Derrick Donchak on Tuesday. Donchak had been in prison following his conviction on simple assault charges in the 2008 death of 25-year-old Luis Ramirez in Shenandoah.  A jury acquitted Donchak and another man of the most serious state charges against them. But Donchak and Brandon Piekarsky are both facing federal hate crime charges. Piekarsky has already been paroled on the assault charge.  Three former Shenandoah police officers also face federal  charges for allegedly obstructing the investigation into Ramirez's death. 

HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) - Defense lawyers and prosecutors say they're worried that the judge in the public corruption trial of former state Rep. Mike Veon and three aides is about to take drastic steps to limit the length of the case. Lawyers said after court Tuesday that Dauphin County Judge Richard Lewis has informed them he could issue an order as early as Wednesday that puts time limits on how long the rest of the trial will take. The theft, conspiracy and conflict-of-interest case against the four defendants is currently in its fourth week of testimony, with no end in sight. Court ended Tuesday with the eighth prosecution witness still on the stand. The attorney general's office expects to call about 30 witnesses, and the defendants have subpoenaed dozens and dozens of others.

HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) - A Pennsylvania appellate court has rejected a 25-year-old legal precedent and ruled that a parent's homosexual relationship cannot be used against the parent in determining child custody. The eight-judge Superior Court panel issued its decision last month in a custody battle between a mother and father identified only by their initials. The mother is in a lesbian relationship. She had appealed a lower court decision denying her attempt to continue shared custody and awarding the father primary custody of their daughter. In part, the trial judge relied on a 1985 Superior Court decision that said a homosexual parent must prove the gay relationship is not detrimental to the child. The Superior Court panel says the presumption that a heterosexual relationship is superior was based upon unsupported preconceptions and prejudices.

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

Updates on the latest in business

Dow: 10,371.89, up 89.48

S&P 500: 1,105.03, up 10.43

NASDAQ: 2,235.91, up 22.47

NEW YORK (AP) - Stocks are higher, helping to erase some of yesterday's losses. The market got a boost from comments from Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke, who indicated rates will stay low for a while still.

WASHINGTON (AP) - Toyota chief executive Akio Toyoda has yet to speak before a congressional panel looking into safety lapses that led to widespread recalls for accelerator and braking failures. The head of the house panel, Congressman Edolphus  Towns, says federal regulators failed to follow through aggressively on thousands of complaints dating back a decade about sudden acceleration in Toyota vehicles.

WASHINGTON (AP) - Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke says record-low interest rates are still needed to ensure that the economic recovery will last and to help ease the sting of high unemployment. In his twice-a-year report to the House Financial Services Committee, Bernanke also sought to tamp down expectations.

WASHINGTON (AP) - Sales of new homes plunged to a record low in January. The Commerce Department says new home sales fell more than 11 percent, indicating the housing market is still struggling.

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

Daily Number: 7-2-4

Big 4: 6-5-0-9

Quinto: 5-2-7-3-7

Treasure Hunt: 02-06-14-26-27

Survivor writes book on fatal Fla. boating ordeal

TAMPA, Fla. (AP) - The sole survivor of a Florida boating accident that killed two NFL players and a former college football player is releasing a book about the tragedy.  Nick Schuyler recounts the details of the February 2009 fishing trip on the Gulf of Mexico in a book titled "Not Without Hope." It's due out Tuesday.  Schuyler was one of four men on the 21-foot fishing boat that tipped over on the open Gulf. The cold, stormy waters claimed the lives of Oakland Raiders linebacker Marquis Cooper, free-agent NFL defensive lineman Corey Smith and former University of South Florida player William Bleakley. The boat was Cooper's. Schuyler was rescued by the  U.S. Coast Guard after 46 hours. The 25-year-old is also a former USF player.

Olympics sales

VANCOUVER, British Columbia (AP) - Party on Olympic fans! Police in Vancouver are giving the green light to keeping downtown liquor stores open at night. At least for now. Officials had ordered a halt to alcohol sales at 7 p.m. after complaints about rowdy crowds and drunks on the street. More than 150,000 people jammed into downtown Vancouver on Friday night alone. Police say the crowds were better behaved earlier this week. So, booze can be sold until 11. Police say they're looking at last call on a daily basis.

Award-winning Philly producers: Fire won't stop us

PHILADELPHIA (AP) - Grammy-winning songwriter Kenneth Gamble says he and partner Leon Huff will rebound from the fire that ruined their music company offices in Philadelphia.  Gamble said Wednesday that the building housing Philadelphia International Records holds many memories, including recording sessions with Michael Jackson and Teddy Pendergrass.  Fire officials say the blaze Sunday was set intentionally, but no one has yet been charged.  Gamble and Huff are credited with producing the lush acoustics of 1970s R&B music that came to be known as the "Sound of Philadelphia." Their songs include "Love Train," "Me and Mrs. Jones" and "Ain't No Stoppin' Us Now."  The offices suffered fire, smoke and water damage, but Gamble says the recording studio was largely unharmed.

Haitian evangelicals attack Voodoo practitioners

PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti (AP) - Haitian Christians have attacked a group of Voodoo practitioners, pelting them with rocks and halting a ceremony meant to honor victims of last month's earthquake. Voodooists had gathered in a seaside slum where thousands of quake survivors live in tents and depend on food aid. Praying and singing, the group was trying to conjure spirits to guide lost souls when a crowd of evangelicals started shouting. Some threw rocks while others urinated on Voodoo symbols. When police left, the crowd destroyed the altars and Voodoo offerings of food and rum. Religious tension has increased since the earthquake. Some Voodoo practitioners say they've converted to Christianity, fearing that it was a warning from God or that they'll lose out on aid.

Mr. & Mrs. Sheen in rehab

LOS ANGELES (AP) - About two months after being arrested for allegedly holding a knife to his wife's throat, Charlie Sheen has entered rehab. Sheen's wife, also is in rehab for an undisclosed reason. A publicist says Charlie Sheen has voluntarily entered rehab for an unspecified reason and is asking for privacy. Sheen was arrested Christmas Day at his home in Aspen, Colorado after his wife accused him of holding a knife to her throat and threatening to kill her. He faces domestic violence charges in Colorado.

Snow Proposal

PARMA, Ohio (AP) - An Ohio man has created a frosty fairy-tale setting for a memorable marriage proposal, building a snow castle for his girlfriend. Ryan Knotek says he wanted to pop the question to Christi Lombardo in a way that would give her a unique story to tell. Using blocks of snow, he constructed a one-room, one-story palace topped with roof spires in the Cleveland suburb of Parma, where they live. On the inside, Knotek set up candles, rose petals, wine - and a portable heater to keep the chill away. The atmosphere apparently warmed Lombardo's heart when she arrived on Sunday: She said yes.

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