Tuesday, May 13, 2008

Arsonist case heads directly to court

DANVILLE— The case involving a Jerseytown man, who is being charged with allegedly setting a series of area fires, has been sent directly to court.  52-year-old, Chester Cyphers, waived his preliminary hearing Tuesday in front of District Justice Marvin Shrawder.  Cyphers faces 37 criminal counts related to arson fires set since November and he could be linked to others.  Montour County District Attorney, Bob Buehner, says that the investigation into these fires will continue, despite charges already being filed. 

He says authorities have received additional reports and information since the charges were initially brought forward.  Buehner encourages members of the public with any information regarding fires in the 4-county region that may be connected to this case, to contact State Police in Milton.  Although there may be issues with additional charges due to a statute of limitations, he says they want to give members of the community some peace of mind.

Cyphers is also being charged with aggravated assault in connection with allegedly setting a fire that paralyzed Warrior Run firefighter, Wayne Hawley. He was near tears several times during his appearance in District Court today.  His attorney, George Lepley, says he and his client cannot fathom the pain that the Hawley family is going through. (Sara Lauver)

All charges moved on to court for retired Bucknell Professor

LEWISBURG – All charges against a retired Bucknell professor, who allegedly molested a young boy, will go to court.  A preliminary hearing for 72-year-old Jack Harclerode was delayed last week, after a discrepancy over a statue of limitation.  Harclerode allegedly sexually molested a 12-year-old boy numerous times between 1992 and 1995.  Harclerode’s lawyer Pete Campana says a statute of limitations prior to 2002 says there is five years to report an incident after a victim’s 18th birthday.  However, Union County District Attorney Pete Johnson says after 2002, the statute of limitation changed to twelve years after a child victim has turned 18.  District Justice Leo Armbruster ruled in favor of the DA, saying the charges were filed in time.  Harclerode will now go to a Court of Common Pleas on six counts of involuntary deviate sexual intercourse. (Sara Bartlett) 

Man found dead in Lycoming County identified

HUGHESVILLE – A man found dead Friday along Route 405 in Lycoming County has been identified.  The Lycoming County Coroner says the body is that of 47-year-old Kevin Phillips of Hughesville.  The body was found Friday between Muncy and Hughesville.  The coroner will now wait for toxicology results and other tests before ruling on a cause or manner of death.  (Ali Stevens)

Committee formed to picked EMA director in Snyder County

MIDDLEBURG— The Snyder County Commissioners have put together a hiring board to pick the new county EMA Director.  Commissioner, Malcolm Derk, says they are excited to have the committee in place because the people on it represent many aspects of the emergency management community, who have invested interest in the operations of the 911 Center.  He says the committee’s responsibilities include: drafting the job description, reviewing applications and then forwarding recommendations to the board of Commissioners.  Members of the search committee include:

John Grove – Hummels Wharf Fire Co.

Dwayne Hackenberg – Fire Chief, Reliance Hose Company

Thomas Rambo – Director of Public Safety at Susquehanna University

Joseph Reigle Jr. – County Sheriff

Paul Saylor – President, Rescue Hose Company

Thomas Wallish – President, S.C. Fire Chiefs Association

Derk adds that the first phase of the board’s tasks will take a few weeks.  He says they will then advertise the position as much as possible in order to attract the best pool of candidates.  (Sara Lauver)

$500 thousand awarded in fatal crash lawsuit

CATAWISSA – A civil case has been settled in Northumberland County Court regarding a fatal crash in 2006.  The Press Enterprise reports 20-year-old Kristian Adams of Catawissa was acquitted of criminal charges in the deadly Northumberland County crash that killed 39-year-old Chap Chapin of Stillwater, however Adam’s insurance will pay $500,000 to settle civil claims in the case.  The widow and son of Chad Chapin will receive more than $230,000 and Adam’s fiancée, who was injured in the crash, will get $80,000. 

Adams’ and Chapin’s cars collided on Route 254 in Turbot Township on October 5^th of 2006.  Chapin died the next day at Geisinger Medical Center.  In January, Adams was acquitted of homicide by vehicle and manslaughter charges.  He was found guilty of driving outside his lane.  Chapin’s widow then filed a wrongful death suit for financial support and medical and funeral expenses.  Adam’s fiancée, Nicole Snyder of Catawissa, was also seriously injured in the crash and spent five days at Geisinger Medical Center.  (Ali Stevens)

Silo full of rye collapses in Columbia County

MILLVILLE – A silo filled with rye collapsed in Millville, Columbia County recently and clean-up continues.  The silo collapsed late last week and tons of rye spilled out of the silo at the Pen-Col Two farm, which is owned by Pennsylvania Secretary of Agriculture, Dennis Wolff.    No injuries were reported, however thousands of dollars in damage was done to the silo and another silo nearby.  (Ali Stevens)

Ordinance to target absentee landlords considered

SUNBURY – Good landlords deserve a break, but bad landlords sometimes abandon properties when upkeep gets too expensive.  Thus, Sunbury City Council plans to draft an ordinance that could tax abandoned properties at a higher rate.  Council member John Shipman says the city hopes to stay ahead of a trend that’s more likely to kick in when property values remain stagnant.  He says one abandoned property often brings down the value of all around it.

Shipman notes that that Washington DC taxes abandoned properties at a higher rate, Wilmington Delaware requires a registration fee that goes up annually, and the City of Baltimore allows community organizations to take over properties in some instances.  The Council member says they hope to pinpoint certain situations rather than create a law that would be too broad in scope.  (Matt Farrand)

Economics PA Stock Market Game participants recognized

UNDATED – Students from a number of school districts around the region were recognized recently for taking part in the Economics PA Stock Market Game.  The game is now rounding down for the summer, but Katie Fest and Kevin Gross from the Bloomsburg School District say they learned a lot, including “buy low and sell high.”  Fest and Gross both were recognized as Legislative Challenge Team Winners.  They participated in the game against local representatives including State Senators John Gordner and Russ Fairchild and State Representative Merle Phillips.  

Sholley to seek death penalty against Graham

MIDDLEBURG – Snyder County District Attorney Michael Sholley will seek the death penalty against 26-year-old Travis Graham. The District Attorney made his intentions known Monday, as Graham was charged with an open count of criminal homicide, two counts of aggravated assault, and a number of weapons charges. The DA’s office says a death sentence will be pursued if Graham is convicted of first degree murder.

The Richfield man will be tried in Snyder County Court. Graham is accused of firing a rifle at 46-year-old Jeffrey Stock as he stood on his back porch in West Perry Township. The Snyder County Coroner says the single shot on the night of March 22nd killed Stock. Graham reportedly fought occasionally with Stock, and confessed to the shooting after being apprehended. (Matt Farrand)

DEP in process of approving improvement plans for Eastern Snyder County Regional Authority

SELINSGROVE – There are still no new connections allowed to the sanitary sewer system in parts of Snyder County. The provision enacted by DEP to the Eastern Snyder County Regional Authority nearly a month ago will continue until DEP approves a submitted report by the sewer authority, according to Selinsgrove Borough Manager John Bickhart.

He says local legislators have promised a short turnaround, perhaps in a couple months. The ban comes after an overload of organic materials was reported. Bickhart says it affects all new connections in the Shamokin Dam and Selinsgrove Boroughs, as well as Monroe and Penn Townships.

The ban does growing facilities such as schools. Once a plan of action is approved by DEP, Bickhart says there will be a schedule over the next few years of additional connections being permitted in return for the Regional Authority making the improvements. (Sara Bartlett)

Detergent danger noted by Union County expert

MIFFLINBURG – More than 60 suicides have been reported in Japan during the last month, involving people inhaling toxic gas created when common detergents and other products are mixed. The deaths underscore the danger of using more than one cleaning product in the same bucket, or on the same surface at the same time.

Penn State Cooperative Extension educator Norm Conrad is based in Union County, and explains cleaning agents containing ammonia or bleach do a good job by themselves, but should never be combined. Conrad notes that volunteers mopping up after Hurricane Katrina had to be trained in proper use of cleaning products.

If cleaners containing bleach and ammonia are accidentally mixed, Conrad says it’s important to ventilate the area as soon as possible. And call 9-1-1 if you feel overcome. In early May, police in Japan evacuated more than 300 people from their homes after a neighbor mixed household detergent and other chemicals to commit suicide. Three men were also found dead in a car Monday morning in Japan, having mixed cleaners to produce toxic hydrogen sulfide gas. (Matt Farrand)

Six picked up in Mount Carmel drug investigation

MOUNT CARMEL – Six people were taken into custody Saturday for heroin sales and related charges in Mount Carmel. The News Item reports Mount Carmel Police were assisting Children and Youth Services with an investigation of a West 3rd Street home being rented by 23-year-old Heather Smith. Once inside, several people fled throughout the home.

They were apprehended, as were residents found hiding in a locked room. After being taken to the police station, Smith received a call from 25-year-old Krystal Klinger and her husband David Klinger, of Kulpmont. They were allegedly looking for someone to pick up heroin and cocaine from Reading, PA. Smith was charged with narcotics violations and was taken to Northumberland County Prison.

David Klinger is also in Northumberland County Prison on a probation warrant and Krystal Klinger faces charges of resisting arrest, simple assault and disorderly conduct. Three others face charges of possession with intent to deliver heroin including 25-year-old Daniel Joraskie Jr. of Mount Carmel, 23-year-old Marc Harvey of Bloomsburg and 19-year-old Alexa Murin of Kulpmont. (Sara Bartlett)

WKOK’s Matt Farrand chats with Gov. Ed Rendell

SELINSGROVE – WKOK’s Matt Farrand chatted with Ed Rendell Sunday afternoon, prior to the governor’s address to graduates, parents and friends of Susquehanna University. Their talk covered a range of topics. Rendell expects Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama to continue to compete for the Democratic presidential nomination for a while yet.

The Governor advises not counting either of them out, and notes presumptive nominee John McCain was counted out in GOP circles a year ago. Pennsylvania Democrats supported Hillary Clinton, who received the support of Rendell, and also congressman Chris Carney.

The governor also says the Commonwealth is lucky in that the government is running a budget surplus, unlike Ohio, Illinois, New York, New Jersey, Florida and California, which are running multi-million dollar budget deficits.

Rendell is optimistic for the Philadelphia Eagles in 2008, in spite of their giving up their first round draft picks. He says the addition of kick returner Deshawn Jackson, who should be able to give the Eagles offense better field position. “The Gov” again plans to provide analysis of Eagles games on the Comcast network in 2008. (Matt Farrand)

Local man to be ordained

HARRISBURG – A man originally from Mount Carmel will ordained Saturday as a Roman Catholic deacon. The Diocese of Harrisburg reports 24-year-old Jonathan P. Sawicki will be ordained along with two other men at 10:00 a.m. in St. Patrick Cathedral in Harrisburg.

The ordination follows seven years of study, and is a stage as they will continue to study for the priesthood. Sawicki and the two others are assigned to parishes in the diocese where they assist local pastors in teaching, counseling and working with parish organizations. (Matt Farrand)

Latest Pennsylvania news, sports, business and entertainment:

HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) - Four men nominated by Gov. Ed Rendell to fill temporary openings on the state's appellate courts are expected to be voted down in the Senate.  Senators and Senate aides say most of the Republican majority will vote against the nominees on Wednesday, while most Democrats will support them. A two-thirds majority vote is necessary to confirm a judicial nominee. There is one opening on the Supreme Court, two on the Superior Court and one on the Commonwealth Court.  A spokesman for Rendell said the Democratic governor has no plans to withdraw the nominees before the vote.  Supreme Court Chief Justice Ronald Castille has publicly supported the nominees, saying the vacancies are creating delays and bigger workloads.

HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) - Pennsylvania's education department says a new Web site will make college transfers much easier.  Officials say students can use the Pennsylvania Transfer and Articulation Center to search for transferable courses and get detailed instructions on how to transfer.  Deputy education secretary Kathleen Shaw says students sometimes get frustrated when they find out that not all of their course credits will transfer from one school to another. She says that forces them to spend more time and money to complete their degrees.  Thirty-two schools are participating in the system, including Pennsylvania's 14 community colleges and state-owned universities.  The system was created under a 2006 state law establishing a statewide credit-transfer system.

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

Daily Number 2-9-0

Big 4 3-2-8-3

Treasure Hunt 1-8-9-11-18

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