Saturday, May 31, 2008
Congressman Chris Carney answers questions from area residents
SHAMOKIN— Congressman Chris Carney was in Shamokin and answered questions from residents as part of his Listening Tour Town Hall meetings. One topic of discussion was the Iraq War and one resident asked Carney why he continues to vote to keep it going. Carney says he has been very consistent on his point of view to bring the troops home in a responsible way. He says he believes we should start bringing home the troops the way the Pentagon and the Department of Defense say as the Iraqis become trained. He says that means, if there are 50,000 Iraqis trained, then he thinks 50,000 Americans should come home.
Another topic of discussion was the rising cost of oil and the possibility of using resources from within the United States. Carney says the government could begin looking into opening up other areas, but there would be a problem in the fact that there would still be an almost 10-year lag between the time they would be opened up and the time Americans would see any relief at the pump. He says there are other things that can be done to create some immediate relief, such as, looking into alternative energy sources. Carney says progress is being made on the use of alternative energy sources, but it’s in a transitional period. He says he could imagine that within the next ten years, the U.S. will get a lot of its energy from wind, solar, and nuclear sources.
Carney also says that regulating speculation on the cost of oil could lead to some fairly immediate relief at the pump. He says the rising costs are mainly based on speculation instead of actual supply and demand. (Sara Lauver)
Northumberland/Snyder Counties Special Olympics hope to move back to their office soon
SHAMOKIN DAM – The athletes in the Northumberland/Snyder Counties Special Olympics are competing harder than ever just months after their Shamokin Dam office was heavily damaged by fire. PR Coordinator and Swim Coach, Arden Miller, says although their makeshift office now runs out of peoples’ homes and cars, the community support has been incredible. She says people have donated money, office furniture, exercise equipment and uniforms.
The athletes are headed to the statewide summer games at Penn State next weekend, where they will compete in sports such as track and field, swimming and bowling. Miller says they are still looking for many volunteers for the Special Olympics.
As for the office, Miller says the repairs are continuing and they hope to move back into their old building soon. For more information on the Northumberland/Snyder Counties Special Olympics log onto www.ns-sopa.org. (Sara Bartlett)
Uni-Mart files for bankruptcy; could mean closures in our area
SUNBURY— Uni-Mart announced Friday that it has filed for bankruptcy and the move could mean closures for area stores. The Daily Item reports that at least one area Uni-Mart store is expected to close in the coming weeks. Reports say an employee at the Sunbury location at Fourth and Race Streets said the store will be closing June 6th. That location is just one of seven area Uni-Mart stores, with others located in Lewisburg, Milton, Montgomery and Northumberland. The store located in Danville is expected to remain open. No word on any other locations at this time. A spokesperson for the State College based corporation says it intends to find a buyer. Rising fuel prices and other costs are being blamed for the convenience store and gas station chain’s filing for bankruptcy. There are 283 stores operating throughout Pennsylvania, Ohio and New York and it’s said that nearly 45 of them will be closing. (Sara Lauver)
Police respond to fight between area man and woman in Northumberland County
MAHANOY TWP— Police were called to the scene of a dispute in a Northumberland County parking lot involving an area man and woman. State Police in Stonington say that 48-year-old Jeffrey Seedor and 31-year-old Catherine Seedor, both from Dornsife, got into a verbal argument that became physical. Police say the incident occurred around 2 a.m. Friday in a business parking lot along Route 225 in Little Mahanoy Township. Both were cited for harassment. (Sara Lauver)
It’s off to prison for two Danville men charged with breaking into several homes
DANVILLE – Two Danville men charged with breaking into several homes in Montour County are heading to state prison. 24-year-old Alex Frew and 19-year-old Everett Bottesch were sent to state prison Thursday for seven to 20 years. Police say the two men looted homes in the Mahoning and Valley Township areas last fall and winter. Frew and Bottesch broke into the homes in the middle of the night, stealing items such as computers and other electronics. They admitted in court that the items were traded for cash to pay for drugs. (Ali Stevens)
The Relay of Life, on Roundtable this weekend
SUNBURY – The area Relays for Life are the topic of this weekend’s Roundtable. We found out about the many activities, the ‘cancer education’ available at the Relays, the food, music and fun, and of course, the fundraising for the American Cancer Society.
Tougher to describe, is the ‘Luminaria service,’ says Casey Fenton, of the American Cancer Society. He tells us about his first ‘Luminaria experience, when he was overcome with emotion, at seeing all of the lit candles. He imagined a time, when lit candles to remember cancer victims won’t be necessary.
Casey and five other folks associated with the Relays for Life are on Roundtable. We discuss the survivor’s walk, the ways people can get involved and the opportunities. More info is available at www.cancer.org. You can hear Roundtable (Sunday) on:
n Eagle 107 (107.3FM) at 6a.m.
n 100.9, The Valley, at 6a.m.
n WKOK at 9a.m.
n Talkradio 1380 WMLP, 11a.m.
n 94KX at 11p.m.
n
And anytime, at www.wkok.com
Sunbury woman heading to prison for drug distribution
WILLIAMSPORT – A Sunbury woman has been sentenced to more than 7 years in prison for her roll in a drug distribution ring. 42-year-old Jodi Graybill was sentenced Thursday in U.S. Middle District Court for taking part in a crack cocaine ring in Northumberland and surrounding counties. She had pleaded guilty to a charge of conspiracy to distribute more than 50 grams of crack. Her daughter, Brittany Graybill is already serving time after pleading guilty to possession with intent to deliver crack cocaine. Brittany was sentenced to more than four years in prison.
The two women are among 16 charged in the ring that brought crack from New York City to the Sunbury area and sold in Selinsgrove, Northumberland, Milton and Kulpmont. Jodi Graybill will report to prison on June 13th. (Ali Stevens)
Belfanti opens new Mount Carmel office
MOUNT CARMEL – State Representative Bob Belfanti has opened a new office in Mount Carmel, nearly two months after his old one was heavily damaged by an arson fire. The new office is located at 18 East 5th Street in Mount Carmel and is now fully operational. Constituents are welcome to call the new office at 339-5252 or stop by Monday through Friday from 9:00a.m.-4:00p.m. or Saturday from 9:00a.m.-noon. (Sara Bartlett)
How to detect an e-mail scam
UNDATED – Pay close attention if you get e-mail from your bank. Scams are becoming more and more common, and while the e-mail may look official, Corporate Communications Manager at Susquehanna Bank, Steve Trapnell, says there are clues that it may be a fraud. If the e-mail is unsolicited or if it requires a deadline for you to send information, with consequences if you don’t; if it probably fake. Trapnell also says banks will never ask for personal information such as passwords, account numbers or social security numbers through e-mail. He says banks are working with cyber security services to get fraudulent websites taken down.
Scam artists are all over, and Trapnell says they may just send out mass e-mails to see how many people they can reach. Overall, Trapnell says be aware of who and where your e-mails are coming from and never give out any information before double checking with your bank. (Sara Bartlett)
Man pleads guilty to exposing himself to an undercover agent on the Internet
DANVILLE – A Danville man admitted in court this week that he engaged in sexual talk and exposed himself to an undercover agent on the Internet, who was posing as a 13-year-old girl. 30-year-old Mark Hollingshead plead guilty to felony charges of unlawful contact with a minor and criminal use of a communication facility. Police say Hollingshead was arrested in November following a five-month investigation. The man contacted the undercover agent through instant message, writing sexual messages, and transmitted Webcam images of his genitals in 2007. He is free on bail and will be sentenced in the coming months. (Ali Stevens)
Latest Pennsylvania news, sports, business and entertainment:
POTTSVILLE, Pa. (AP) - A Schuylkill County official says a MedEvac helicopter was forced to make an emergency landing in Pottsville, and the pilot and two crew members were taken to a hospital. A supervisor at the Schuylkill County Office of Public Safety said a Lehigh Valley Hospital MedEvac helicopter had taken off from its helipad just before 9 p.m., responding to an accident in Wayne Township. He says the helicopter began to have trouble and was forced to land on the 1400 block of Laurel Boulevard. The supervisor says the helicopter was sitting upright after landing. He says the pilot and two crew members did not sustain serious injuries. A MedEvac spokesman had no immediate information about the incident. The MedEvac program is an air medical transport operation of Lehigh Valley Hospital in Allentown. The MedEvac's Web site says flights began in May of 1981.
MIFFLINTOWN, Pa. (AP) - More talks are scheduled today (Saturday) to try to prevent a six-day walkout by teachers in the Juniata County School District. Superintendent Kenneth Albaugh says a strike by members of the Juniata County Educators Association is scheduled to begin Monday and last through June 9. But he says the action will be called off if a tentative agreement is reached today (Saturday). Teachers union president Wayne Chrismer did not immediately return a call seeking comment. In the event of a strike, all school and extracurricular events will be canceled and the last day of school will be pushed back from June 5 to June 13. Graduation would be pushed back to June 12 for Juniata High School and June 13 for East Juniata High School. The union represents about 220 employees. The two sides have been divided by issues including salary and health care benefits.
BELLEFONTE, Pa. (AP) - Two Penn State football players have been sentenced to probation and community service in an on-campus fight last year. Linebacker Navorro Bowman and defensive tackle Phil Taylor appeared in court yesterday (Friday) to plead guilty to a disorderly conduct charge. Prosecutors dropped more serious assault charges. Each defendant was sentenced to a year of probation and 100
hours of community service. Two other players police say were involved in the Oct. 7 fight have already resolved their cases. All four had been charged with beating up a Philadelphia man who was attending a party at Penn State.
HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) - Pennsylvania environmental officials have ordered a partial shutdown of natural gas drilling operations by two companies in the state's northcentral region. Robert Yowell of the Department of Environmental Protection says the two companies haven't taken the necessary precautions to protect nearby streams from pollution as they drill for gas in Lycoming County. The streams are located near impoundment areas operated by Range Resources-Appalachia and Chief Oil and Gas. Officials say the impoundments draw tens of thousands of gallons of water per day from the waterways. The companies are conducting exploratory drilling in a gas reservoir known as the Marcellus Shale.
(Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) - Here are the winning numbers selected Friday in the Pennsylvania State Lottery:
FRIDAY NIGHT
Daily Number
7-5-2
Big 4
7-5-6-6
FRIDAY MIDDAY
Daily Number
9-2-3
Big 4
9-1-4-7
Treasure Hunt
4-14-17-23-28
The winning numbers drawn Friday in the "Pennsylvania Cash 5" game
were:
01-13-24-39-42
The winning
numbers drawn Friday in the "Pennsylvania Match 6 Lotto" game were:
03-11-14-21-24-38
(Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)