Wednesday, May 14, 2008

Water main break in Middleburg Borough

MIDDLEBURG – Middleburg Borough water customers on North Main Street will be without water this afternoon due to a break in the old main line.  The Borough crew will be repairing the line, which will need to be in service until the new water line project is completed.  Upon completion of the repairs, a boil water advisory will be in effect for North Main Street until further notice.  Customers may experience temporary low water pressure and/or dirty water.

School bus and a car collide on Front Street in Sunbury

SUNBURY – A Shikellamy School District bus was rear-ended on Front Street in Sunbury just before 8:00 Wednesday morning.  The accident took place at the intersection of Front and Market Streets when a car struck the back of the school bus.  Sunbury police say only minor injuries were reported and there were no students injured.  More details to be released soon.  (Ali Stevens)

Bus tour to promote the fight against cancer

LEWISBURG – A bus tour to promote the fight against cancer made a stop in Lewisburg.  The American Cancer Society’s Cancer Action Network is sponsoring a nationwide bus tour, with the bus traveling more than 25,000 miles and making stops in 48 states.  The bus stopped in Lewisburg Wednesday afternoon with a goal of making cancer a top priority in the nation and with the government.  Karen Maurer is with the American Cancer Society and says there are more than 10.5 million cancer survivors in America today and if each of them can battle cancer, then our nation can rise up to defeat it and that’s the message of this bus rolling into town. 

The “Fight Back Express” bus stopped near Evangelical Community Hospital and hospital officials were on hand to talk about their experiences with cancer.  The bus will be on the road for six months through Election Day on November 4^th.  (Ali Stevens)

Early childhood professionals gather to discuss statewide programs

LEWISBURG – Early childhood professionals from the region came together Wednesday for a Leadership Roundtable, which was held by the Central Susquehanna Association for the Education of Young Children.  Harriet Dichter, Deputy Secretary for the State Office of Child Development and Early Learning, discussed the growth of early childhood programs throughout the state.  Dichter says that in the ‘02-‘03 school year, the year early childhood programs really got underway, only 18% of the programs around the state were up to standards.  She says today, the programs have reached nearly 30%.  Dichter says that is a dramatic growth, but it is also a reminder of how much work still needs to be done. 

Dichter also touched on funding and says that since 2002 and 2003, four new funding streams have been created.  She says that each year, school districts get to decide how they want to invest their accountability block grants, and each year, schools are putting almost two-thirds of that into early childhood programming.  Dichter says she doesn’t believe any other state has created so many new funding streams.  She says research has shown how important these programs are for children of Pennsylvania and professionals involved in the programs need to educate the skeptics. 

The Office of Child Development and Early Learning was created by Governor Rendell as part of a new initiative to link the Department of Public Welfare and the Department of Education, and bolster early education and care for children throughout the state.  (Sara Lauver)

A reception just for cancer survivors prior to the Relay for Life

SELINSGROVE – A special event is planned for this Saturday for cancer survivors from the region.  Selinsgrove’s Relay for Life is just a few weeks away and prior to the two-day event, an activity is planned for this Saturday, just for cancer survivors. There will be a reception for cancer survivors at St. Paul’s United Church of Christ in Selinsgrove on Saturday.  This is a chance for survivors to spend some time together, sharing stories and experiences, away from the sometimes hectic scene at the Relay for Life. 

Bone marrow drive to be held in Lewisburg

LEWISBURG – A bone marrow drive will be held this Saturday in Lewisburg.  Lewisburg resident Mindy Culp is holding the drive in hopes of finding a bone marrow match for her fiancé, 22-year-old Derrick Dull, who was diagnosed with a form of acute leukemia in January.  Culp says a bone marrow transplant is Derrick’s only hope for a cure. 

The drive is free and requires a swab of your cheek and a few papers to be filled out to place a perspective donor on the National Bone Marrow Donor Registry.  If found to be a match, most transplant procedures only require a blood donation.  The drive will be held this Saturday from 11:00a.m.-3:00p.m. at the First Presbyterian Church on Market Street in Lewisburg.  To find out more about bone marrow transplants go online to http://www.marrow.org/. (Sara Bartlett) 

Night Vs. Day work on local highways

SUNBURY – Ever wonder why road crews don’t do the majority of their work overnight?  Although that idea may ease traffic backups in the daytime, PennDOT Community Relations Coordinator Rick Mason says night work has its downfalls.  He says it costs more money because it’s not the normal shift work and it’s more of a challenge to set up lights and to get a quality product.

Mason says night work is still done frequently, including recently on Duke Street in Northumberland and currently on I-180 between Williamsport and Montoursville.  He says PennDOT looks at a number of variables to decide when the best time is for work to be done, as well as how to keep the impact to drivers at a minimum.  Rick Mason was a recent guest on WKOK’s On The Mark.  Download the whole show online here. (Sara Bartlett)

Seniors and law enforcement working together

LEWISBURG – The Union County Triad is a council composed of law enforcement and other members and is created to reduce criminal victimization of elderly people in the community.  According to Amy Miller, Protective Services Supervisor at Agency on Aging, Triad is working on a new initiative called Project Lifesaver.  It is an electronic bracelet that allows the person wearing it to be tracked.  The device is geared toward seniors with dementia or Alzheimer’s, who may have a tendency to wander off.  The device is used around the country and Miller says it has a great success rate.

The Triad is still working to get funding for Project Lifesaver and ask anyone who wishes to donate to make the initiative a reality to call the Union County Sheriff’s Department.  They hope to secure enough money to purchase the technology and keep it operational without having to charge participants, and hope to bring it to Union County within the next six months. (Sara Bartlett)

Victim in an alleged murder-for-hire plot wants suspect kept away from child

Soldiers return with hidden injury: PTSD seminar hosted by Geisinger

DANVILLE – It happens every time there is a war; participants may return unable to let go of things they experienced while serving. Geisinger Medical Center held a seminar Tuesday to address Post Traumatic Stress Disorder among veterans of America’s most recent wars.

Dr. Joseph Boscarino is a senior investigator at the Geisinger Center for Health research and says the PTSD conference noted the reduced availability of care in rural areas. Jill Rouse of Sunbury has a husband serving in Afghanistan, having also served in Iraq and at a European base.

Rouse works at the Research Center at Geisinger, and says men and women in the service have distinct needs when they return. Meantime, it’s not clear how PTSD manifests itself, though it can range from mere avoidance to developing chronic problems such as drug addiction or alcoholism.

Tuesday’s formal topics included evaluating the impact of war zone stress, identifying and treating stress injuries, and how to locate and assist rural families who suffer along with newest generation of American war veterans (Matt Farrand)

Former Bucknell prof, Harclerode headed to criminal court on more molestation charges

LEWISBURG – All charges against a retired Bucknell professor, who allegedly molested a young boy, will go to Union County criminal court. A preliminary hearing for 72-year-old Jack Harclerode was held last week and a decision was issued Monday. The delay followed a dispute over the statute of limitations.

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.

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)

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 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. Cyphers is also being charged with aggravated assault in connection with allegedly setting a fire that paralyzed Warrior Run firefighter, Wayne Hawley. (Sara Lauver)

Amphibious plane is attracting attention

PACKER'S ISLAND – If you are out boating, you might have noticed a plane parked at the tip of Packers Island, between Sunbury and Northumberland. The plane is tipped slightly and is moored at the very northern most tip of the island (out of sight of most folks on land).

We're told it is an amphibious plane, meaning it can land on land or sea, and is being kept near the Sunbury Airport. The airport operators say the plane can be seen occasionally landing or taking off near the island.

The front of the plane is on the shore and the wings are tilted slightly and some folks contacted the airport--and even our newsroom--questioning if everything was all right. All's well at Sunbury airport we're told and lucky spectators might catch that plane taking off someday.

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)

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.

Additionally, 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 Senator John Gordner and State Representatives Russ Fairchild and Merle Phillips.

Alexis Ortiz of the Midd-West School District was recognized as an outstanding participant in the game. She says she guessed so it had to do a lot with luck, but also Google was a good stock to pick. The 10-week game gives students a fictitious $100,000 to try their hand at buying and selling stocks using the computer. (Sara Bartlett)

Latest Pennsylvania news, sports, business and entertainment:

BARBOURS, Pa. (AP) - A Lycoming County woman is back home after surviving a black bear attack near her house.  State Game Commission officials say the 44-year-old woman and her dog had stepped outside her rural home in Barbours to take down her bird feeders on Monday night when the dog spotted and went after the bear.  The woman then went after the dog. The bear swatted the dog before running after the woman. Game commission officials say she suffered bites on her leg, and also injured her hand.  A Game Commission official says the woman has asked not to be identified. She was treated and released at a hospital. The dog had to be euthanized.  The commission says that it's common to spot bears in rural Barbours, though attacks on humans are rare.

HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) - Members of a state Senate panel are questioning whether Pennsylvania high school students should be required to pass a series of state-sanctioned tests before they can receive their diplomas.  The Senate Education Committee heard testimony from members of the State Board of Education and Gov. Ed Rendell's administration during a public hearing Wednesday on the graduation test proposal. Starting with the class of 2014, students would have to pass final examinations covering English, math, science and social studies.  Deputy education secretary Diane Castelbuono says the testing requirement would ensure that all students meet the state's academic standards.  But Sen. Andrew Dinniman, a Delaware County Democrat, says it's possible for students to succeed in college without having to pass a standardized test.

HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) - Four vacancies on Pennsylvania's appellate courts, including one on the Supreme Court, will remain unfilled for now.  In a near party-line vote, the Republican-controlled state Senate on Wednesday rejected four men nominated by Gov. Ed Rendell to temporarily fill the openings.  Republican senators say Rendell stepped over the established practice of taking the Senate's advice on whom to nominate.  The governor's aides contend that Rendell chose four highly qualified candidates, and does not need to follow their advice.  Supreme Court Chief Justice Ronald Castille had asked the Senate to confirm the nominees, saying the vacancies are slowing the courts' work.  A two-thirds majority vote is necessary to confirm a judicial nominee.

HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) - Animal welfare advocates want Pennsylvania to apply tougher health and safety standards to large commercial dog breeders.  About 100 dog lovers and at least a dozen of their four-legged friends visited the Capitol on Wednesday to support legislation to crack down on puppy mills - operations they say keep neglected or abused dogs in cramped cages.  State dog law enforcement chief Jessie Smith says the package of bills targets about 650 large-scale breeders, which represent one-fifth of the state's licensed kennels.  The measures would prevent the stacking of cages and increase penalties for animal cruelty, among other things.    

WILLIAMSPORT, Pa. (AP) - Williamsport is getting a new store.  Mayor Gabriel Campana has announced that a Kohl's department store will be built in the downtown area.  Campana signed a letter of intent Tuesday, saying it's the beginning of more retail options for downtown. This will be the first new department store in downtown Williamsport in more than 50 years.  The clothing and home furnishings outlet will be built on the site of the present Williamsport Area School District Service Center. The center's 60 employees would have to move to a new location.  Campana says the store should be open by October of 2009.

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