Monday, May 24, 2010
Two teens remain hospitalized following a crash on Saturday night
SELINSGROVE – Two Selinsgrove high school students remain in critical condition today following a crash on Penns Drive in Snyder County Saturday night. Following the Selinsgrove High School Prom, 17-year-old Seth Lauver was driving his passenger and prom date, 17-year-old Alexandra Mullen, along Penns Drive near the Kratzerville Bridge.
Another vehicle was pulled over and someone was changing a tire and Lauver swerved to miss the vehicle, but struck it before the vehicle flipped onto its roof. Lauver sustained a serious spinal cord injury, while Mullen sustained injuries to her liver and spleen. State police say the motorist changing the tire was illegally parked.
A third vehicle, driven by 22-year-old Tiffany Sechrist of Selinsgrove, was struck in the accident. Sechrist was assisting at the scene and was not injured. Lauver is a standout athlete, playing football and baseball at Selinsgrove Area High School. He was a member of the championship football team, playing as a fullback in his junior year. (Ali Stevens)
Sunbury police still investigating a gun pointing incident
SUNBURY -- Sunbury police say they are still investigating what was reported as a 'gun pointing' incident Saturday night. No arrests yet and Sunbury police chief Stephen Mazzeo says they are sifting through multiple versions of the incident from various people.
Some of the reports conflict, so he said its hard to say if, or when charges will be filed. Police from a half-dozen agencies were summoned to Sunbury around 9pm on the report of a man with a gun near 1115 Miller Street.
The gun pointing incident reportedly followed a dispute between two men. At the time, police in the area were asked to be on the look out for one or more suspects in that incident.
The police response at that location--slowed an ambulance call at a neighboring home. A fall victim summoned an ambulance, but police say the crew could not respond immediately because the neighboring home was where police feared there may be a suspected gunman. The all clear was sounded after midnight, Sunday morning, after that gunplay incident reported in Sunbury.
Widening and resurfacing of Route 15 to begin next week
WINFIELD – A major widening and resurfacing project will get underway next week on Route 15 in Winfield. PennDOT reports the project will take place from the Snyder-Union County line on Route 15 to just north of the intersection of Route 304 in Winfield. The project consists of widening, milling, resurfacing, traffic signal upgrades and new pavement markings. There will be an addition of a center left-turn lane and a railroad crossing upgrade. There will be several lane shifts while construction is ongoing. The $3-million project will get underway on Tuesday, June 1st and continue through November 19th. (Ali Stevens)
Two killed in a crash in Juniata County on Route 35 Friday morning
RICHFIELD – State police have released more information about a deadly crash Friday morning on Route 35 in Juniata County that left two people dead. Carol Sweigart of Richfield was a passenger in one of the vehicle that collided head-on and she was pronounced dead at the scene. Darryl Seaman of McAlisterville was driving Sweigart and was being transported to the hospital, but died before he arrived.
Another passenger in Seaman’s vehicle, a 17-year-old from Richfield sustained major injuries and was flown to Hershey Medical Center. He hasn’t been identified by police. The other motorist involved in the crash, James Ellis of Port Royal, who reportedly fell asleep at the wheel and struck Seaman’s vehicle head on, was treated for moderate injuries. (Ali Stevens)
More than 870 students graduate from Bucknell University
LEWISBURG – More than 9,000 people attended Bucknell University’s 160th Commencement, with 873 undergraduates receiving their degree on Sunday afternoon. Bucknell President Brian Mitchell congratulated the class of 2010, saying the students were tenacious and determined and explored new ideas and interests while at Bucknell.
Renowned pediatric neurosurgeon Benjamin Carson was the keynote speaker and talked to the graduates about their influence on younger people when it comes to education and success in school. Carson encouraged the students to use their talents to help others be successful. Carson was recognized in 2008 with the Presidential Medal of Freedom for his achievements performing high-risk operations and advancing education for all students.
The class of 2010 at Bucknell University joins nearly 50,000 living Bucknell alumni. (Ali Stevens)
Three people injured in a crash on Old Turnpike Road in East Buffalo Township
LEWISBURG – Three people were injured in a crash Sunday morning on Old Turnpike Road in East Buffalo Township, Union County. Police tell us 18-year-old Doris Attinger pulled from a business and into the path of a vehicle driven by 25-year-old Sean Sutton of Northumberland. Sutton, Attinger and a passenger, 20-year-old Whitley Reichenbach of Northumberland, were taken to Evangelical Community Hospital for treatment of unknown injuries.
Sutton’s three-week-old baby was not injured in the crash. Old Turnpike Road was down to one lane around 9:35 Sunday morning while the crash scene was cleared. Attinger will be cited for causing the accident. (Ali Stevens)
ATV rider injured after crash in strip mine area
TREVORTON -- An ATV rider was treated for injuries Saturday after crashing in a strip mining area near Trevorton. 28-year-old Kyle Mirolli of Shamokin Dam was airlifted to Geisinger Medical Center following the 3:45 p.m. crash off Sunshine Road near Route 225.
State troopers say he did not expect to encounter a ditch, and was thrown from the ATV. A nursing supervisor says he was treated and released. Trevorton fire personnel and an Area Service Ambulance crew assisted at the scene. (Matt Farrand)
Two people from Danville hurt in a motorcycle crash
DANVILLE – Two Danville residents were injured in a motorcycle crash Sunday afternoon on Columbia Hill Road in West Hemlock Township, Montour County. 56-year-old Daniel Hartman told state police he thought his passenger was falling off his motorcycle and in an attempt to grab her, veered off the road and the motorcycle fell onto its side.
Hartman and his passenger, 24-year-old Lora Hartman, were both taken to Geisinger Medical Center for treatment of moderate injuries and then released. They were not wearing helmets at the time of the crash around 3:20 Sunday afternoon. (Ali Stevens)
Turbotville man charged with threatening ex's new boyfriend
TURBOTVILLE – A man from the Turbotville area has been charged by Watsontown police after he reportedly threatened to kill his estranged wife and her new boyfriend. 53-year-old Thomas Miller is charged with terroristic threats and harassment.
Police say Miller made specific threats about killing the couple and their dogs and said he was watching them. The incident that took place on Wednesday was reported to police. Miller was arrested at his home near Turbotville, in Anthony Township, Montour County. He was released on bail. (Ali Stevens)
Friday crash victims still hospitalized
DANVILLE -- Two local men remain hospitalized at Geisinger Medical Center after separate crashes. A nursing supervisor says 39-year-old Michael Gaugler of Mount Pleasant Mills remains in critical condition after an early Friday crash. His vehicle struck a guide rail and some rocks before overturning along Route 104 near Oriental Road in Snyder County's Chapman Township.
And 71-year-old motorcycle rider Robert Kramer is still in serious condition after colliding with a car stopped to make a turn in front of him. Kramer was first taken to Evangelical Community Hospital following the 11:50 a.m. accident on Route 15 and Adams Avenue in Lewisburg. He was then flown to Geisinger Medical Center. (Matt Farrand)
Berks County man dies in dirt bike crash
GOWEN CITY -- A Berks County man died Saturday in a dirt bike crash in Northumberland County's East Cameron Township. State troopers say 21-year-old Cody Schwartz of Bechtelsville was riding with three friends from his hometown along an abandoned rail line east of Gap Road.
He apparently veered off the path and struck a tree head on. He was airlifted to Geisinger Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead following the 2:00 p.m. crash. Troopers say their investigation will continue, and include determining who owns the land where the crash occurred. (Matt Farrand)
Healthcare III: What employers need to know
LEWISBURG -- Not many people have the time to sit down, read and understand the entire healthcare law that was recently passed, but according to one consultant, there are a few important parts employers and employees should look at.
Bobbi Butler, of the Philadelphia-based Savitz Organization says employers can get ready by looking at payroll. Starting next year employers are required to keep the amount of the employer provided healthcare coverage on the employee's W-2.
Butler says also next year there will also be changes for employers who have a flexible spending account. She says before, employees could get medication using the flexible spending account, but in 2011 the employee's doctor must write a prescription.
President and CEO of Evangelical Community Hospital, Michael O'Keefe, says the hospital is doing a lot to prepare. He says the hospital board will be briefed on the law, there will be open forums explaining the affects of the new law. Business and community leaders will be invited.
This week we'll be hearing from a number of experts on the new healthcare law, talking about more changes that are already in place, changes in the future and how to prepare for the reforms.
Learning more about the new healthcare law
LEWISBURG -- The recently passed federal healthcare law includes an amendment to the Fair Labor Standards Act that could be easily overlooked. Bobbi Butler, of the Philadelphia-based Savitz Organization, explains that mandatory breastfeeding breaks in the workplace is one of the changes.
Under the new law, employers who have over 50 employees have to provide a place, other than a restroom, for a woman to express breast milk. Employers can not determine a time limit for the break, but they also do not have to pay for the break.
Butler says many new mothers going back to work after having a child don't even know about the new change because it's buried in the healthcare bill. But, she says it is an advantage that came out of the reform, because women have been fighting for this for some time.
Butler says the best way for both the employee and employer to approach the new change is to be prepared. She says there are a number of online resources that can help workplaces put the change in place. Many states already have breastfeeding break mandates. Those mandates can stay in place, or the new change can takeover depending on the employees preference. (Sara Bartlett)
Dogs the heroes in pet therapy
LEWISBURG -- For eight years Ed and Pat Bastuscheck of Mifflinburg have been involved in pet therapy using their two dogs. Pat says after having their dogs trained, tested and certified, they can take them to help other people.
The couple has two dogs, an 8-year-old Cairn Terrier named Brody and a 5-year-old Keeshond named Anika. Pat says dogs have a special way of reaching people in need because they are so accepting.
The couple has been taking Brody and Anika to nursing homes, assisted living centers, elementary schools, libraries and hospitals. The two remember a therapy session involving a stroke victim at a local hospital. Pat says the man only would use one arm and was not being responsive to therapists.
It was only when the couple brought Brody into the room that the man would use his 'bad' arm to pet him. Pat says the man was getting therapy without even knowing it. The Bastuscheck's were recently honored with the first ever Union County Red Cross Pet Heroes award. They accepted graciously, but Pat says it's Anika and Brody who are the real heroes.
Bicycles Against Poverty
LEWISBURG -- One bicycle for every family. That is the goal of a Bucknell University student who created the Bicycles Against Poverty program. Muyambi, a native of Uganda, started the program to provide those who live in Uganda with the much needed transportation.
Through a student group at Bucknell, money is raised and then a trip is made to Uganda to buy and deliver bicycles. Those who receive a bike must be able to pay back half of the cost, about $75, within 18 months. According to Muyambi, that helps with financial responsibility too.
The student group holds many fundraisers to get money for the bikes. Muyambi says the Bucknell community has supported him greatly in the project, and he has even worked to expand the program to a college in New York and a high school in Connecticut. There is also a project manager in Uganda who helps find families that want bikes.
In 2008, Muyambi was a recipient of an outstanding commitment award from the Clinton Global Initiative for Bicycles Against Poverty. He says another group is planning a trip for Uganda this summer. (Sara Bartlett)
CSIU, accounting firm looked for lost funds
MONTANDON -- The Central Susquehanna Intermediate Unit spent $28,000 on an internal investigation into losses of $80,000 at a unit that helps teachers maintain their certification. The Press-Enterprise quotes former CSIU board member Charles Porter, who claims the probe was covered up to maintain the image of the board at the public level.
A Williamsport accounting firm was also called to assist in the investigation of transactions that went back to 2005. It found that an employee who has since quit was not recording credit card and check receipts. The report says about $50,000 has been recovered, but the remainder is unaccounted for. (Matt Farrand)
Boroughs to the Bay and Beyond resumes on Roundtable
SUNBURY – Newsradio 1070 WKOK’s award winning news series Boroughs to the Bay and Beyond continues this summer with a new series of interviews and some new issues. New is a project that has turned out to be a big success—it is the Buffalo Creek Watershed Alliance’s acid rain remediation project in Union County.
The project was finished last year and it is working—it is lowering the acidic P-H. Dave Pearson is the current president of the alliance and he says he hopes other people get involved in their activities. He says volunteers can do like he is doing; working streamside, measuring P-H, water flow, turbidity etc.
He says anyone can be taught to help with their monitoring project. Pearson, along with five other guests were on are on our Roundtable over the weekend talking about the local issues facing the Buffalo Creek Watershed Alliance, as well as global environmental problems. You can hear Roundtable Sunday at www.wkok.com
Former Evan doc supports improved testing for breast cancer
SUNBURY – Treatment and survival for the one-in-eight women who get breast cancer depends on accurate testing. New test guidelines have been issued by two medical societies, and endorsed by the former chief of pathology at Evangelical Community Hospital.
Dr. Arthur McTighe is now affiliated with a Baltimore area hospital and says figuring out the exact type of cancer can determine the most appropriate course of treatment. He says the estrogen receptor pathways of some cancers are more receptive to hormone treatment such as Tamoxifen than others.
Thus, Dr. McTighe believes survival and test results are directly related. He is also a member of the College of American Pathologists. The guidelines are in the current editions of medical journals published by the CAP and American Society of Clinical Oncology. (Matt Farrand)
Latest Pennsylvania news, business, lottery numbers and entertainment:
HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) - Former U.S. Sen. and possible presidential candidate Rick Santorum is taking his conservative message to Pennsylvania's capital. Santorum was the featured speaker at a Pennsylvania Press Club luncheon in Harrisburg on Monday. He was the third-ranking Senate Republican when Democrat Bob Casey ousted him in the 2006 election. The 52-year-old Santorum is among a number of Republicans weighing their chances in the 2012 White House race. In March, he spoke out against abortion at a gathering of evangelicals in Iowa, whose caucuses are among the first electoral events in presidential campaigns. At a conservative gathering in New Orleans in April, he said Republican leadership in Washington let American down before Democrats took control in 2008.
ERIE, Pa. (AP) - The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection has ordered the Erie Coke plant to shut down. The order issued Monday says the plant must shut down within 72 hours and its air quality permit has been revoked in what the state called a "last resort." The state says there have been chronic emission problems at the plant. In March, the plant released a stinky smoke cloud that the state said was caused by a power failure. At the time, the DEP said the smoke was likely to lead to air-quality violations. The plant is currently appealing at $6.1 million fine for environmental violations. A person who answered the phone at the plant Monday said the company had no comment.
PHILADELPHIA (AP) - A U.S. warship that survived the Spanish-American War and World War I and has been on the Philadelphia waterfront for a half-century may wind up in a watery grave - sunk deliberately to form an artificial reef off New Jersey. The Independence Seaport Museum says it can no longer afford the upkeep of the cruiser Olympia, the last surviving vessel from the 1898 Spanish-American War. Interim museum president James McLane says at least $20 million is needed to tow, restore, interpret and endow the deteriorating vessel. The museum and the Navy have already checked with officials of New Jersey's Artificial Reef Program on the possibility of sinking the 5,600-ton ship. The vessel will be open until the end of September and then closed while its future is determined.
PITTSBURGH (AP) - A Tennessee woman has begun a 981-mile swim of the length of the Ohio River. Mimi Hughes plunged into the river on Saturday in Pittsburgh and plans to swim about eight hours a day for 60 days until she reaches Cairo, Ill. The marathon swim is aimed at raising money for groups working to improve education for women and girls. There are more than 30 dams along the route, which she and the various kayakers assisting her will have to walk around. The 54-year-old mother of four from Taft, Tenn., is wearing a wet suit in the 60-degree water. In 2006, she swam the Danube, Europe's second longest river after the Volga. She also swam two smaller rivers in Europe and the frigid Bering Strait between Alaska and Russia.
(Copyright 2010 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
Update on the latest in business:
Dow: - 127.72 (10,065.67)
S&P 500: - 14.24 (1,073.45)
NASDAQ: - 16.15 (2,212.89)
MSHA probes whether Massey warned of inspections
BECKLEY, W.Va. (AP) - The head of the federal Mine Safety and Health Administration says investigators are looking into allegations that Massey Energy illegally warns workers when safety inspectors arrive. Relatives and colleagues of 29 miners killed in a West Virginia mine in the nation's worst coal mining disaster in 40 years made the allegations Monday before the U.S. House Education and Labor Committee in Beckley. Such warnings would violate of federal mining regulations, and MSHA chief Joe Main says it's being evaluated as a potential crime by another federal agency. The Justice Department has confirmed that it's investigating possible crimes connected to the Upper Big Branch explosion. On Monday, Massey reiterated earlier statements that it doesn't put profits ahead of safety.
Rangers: Sale to proceed through bankruptcy plan
ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) - The Texas Rangers say the club's sale will be accomplished by midsummer through a voluntary bankruptcy plan that will fully pay the lenders of Tom Hicks' financially strapped ownership group. The club said Monday the plan was previously negotiated between Hicks and the new ownership group led by Pittsburgh attorney Chuck Greenberg and team president Nolan Ryan. The deal valued at $575 million includes Rangers Ballpark in Arlington and land around the stadium. Commissioner Bud Selig said the agreement "serves the best interests of the team, its fans, MLB and all other parties involved."
Pennsylvania Lottery
HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) - These Pennsylvania lotteries were drawn Monday:
Mega Millions
Estimated jackpot: $64 million
Midday Big 4
0-7-2-1
Midday Number
3-2-7
Midday Quinto
8-5-1-5-7
Powerball
Estimated jackpot: $190 million
Treasure Hunt
04-11-16-18-23
(Copyright 2010 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
Starr kicks of new season of PBS' 'Artists Den'
NEW YORK (AP) - Ringo Starr kicks off a second season of the PBS series "Live From the Artists Den" with a performance that will be shown the week of his 70th birthday. The PBS series captures artists in intimate, unusual settings. The former Beatle's concert will air the week of July 5 at different times in different markets, PBS said Monday. Starr performs with Ben Harper and Harper's band in a show taped at New York's Metropolitan Museum of Art. Starr turns 70 on July 7. A week later, Tori Amos is seen performing in front of 100 fans in the Veteran's Room of New York's Park Avenue Armory. David Gray, Corinne Bailey Rae, the Black Crowes, Dierks Bentley and the Drive-By Truckers are also lined up for the second season.
Lohan loses bid to ease restriction on drug tests
BEVERLY HILLS, Calif. (AP) - Lindsay Lohan has lost a bid to ease restrictions involving drug and alcohol testing so she can attend a film shoot in Texas. The actress, wearing a dark gray suit, appeared somber and concerned Monday in a Beverly Hills courtroom when she conferred with her lawyer about the plan for attaching an alcohol-monitoring bracelet to her ankle and requiring drug testing every week in the Los Angeles area. Lohan's attorney, Shawn Chapman Holley, told the judge Lohan is beginning filming of a movie in Texas, but the judge suggested the actress may have to delay the project. Superior Court Judge Marsha Revel also set a probation violation hearing for July 6 to address Lohan's failure to appear in court last week for a scheduled hearing.
(Copyright 2010 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)