Wednesday, June 4, 2008
Sunbury man charged with January shooting deaths
SUNBURY – The man initially suspected of killing a Sunbury man and woman in January is now charged with their deaths. Michael Harrell faces two open criminal homicide counts, aggravated assault and weapons charges in the shootings of 27-year-old David Moore and 24-year-old Crystal Gordon in a North Fourth Street apartment. Harrell is 39 years old and court papers say he admitted shooting the two following an argument. He is in the Northumberland County prison without bail following arraignment this morning before District Judge Carl Rice.
To date, he’d been held in prison solely on a parole violation, and was not formally charged. (Matt Farrand)
The Mt. Carmel area hit by robbers overnight—and arrests are pending
MT CARMEL – There were several robberies in and around Mt. Carmel overnight and police there say five arrests have been made. There are three incidents reported between 10:30 and 11:30 last night: The five suspects, Hispanic males between 19 and 23-years of age, are from Allentown. There were arrested at a convenience store in Schuylkill County.
A handgun has been recovered, and now the five are suspects in the three incidents. They include a Shamokin armed robbery, a hold up of a person at a car wash, and a convenience store robbery in Mt. Carmel last night. Police in Northumberland County are investigating those incidents and say arrests on numerous felony charges are pending. One victim was injured in the incidents.
Two accidents on Route 11 in Danville Tuesday
DANVILLE – A Danville man and a Northumberland man were injured in crashes on Route 11 in Mahoning Township yesterday afternoon. Police say 19-year-old Adam Shoup drove off of Route 11 and flipped his car in the woods. Shoup reportedly fell asleep at the wheel and sustained minor injuries. Traffic was backed up for about an hour and that’s when 33-year-old Jeff Clark of Northumberland lost control of his motorcycle when he tried to stop for the slowed traffic. Clark sustained injuries to his elbows and knees. Both vehicles were towed from the scene. (Ali Stevens)
Sluggish economy making it difficult to get summer jobs
UNDATED – There’s been a national trend of youths having a tough time finding summer employment this year, and a slumping economy is to blame. Rachael Smith is the Manager of Workforce Research and Development at the Central PA Workforce Development Corporation in Lewisburg, and says young people looking for summer work have some competition. With the rising price of everything, more adults are looking for second jobs for a few extra bucks.
Smith says, from her research, there are actually more jobs in our region this summer than there were last summer, but they are difficult to get since more people are applying for them. She says for young people, transportation is another factor. They have to take into consideration how much gas they’ll use, in relation to how much money they’ll make at their jobs.
Many employers are cutting back on their part-time positions this year, and are also weary of hiring teens or students who they know will have to leave the job to go back to school. Smith says career tips for teens include talking with a representative from their local CareerLink and focusing on their skills that are valuable for employers. (Sara Bartlett)
CSVT would be fuel-efficient
SUNBURY – There’s no doubt that the Central Susquehanna Valley Thruway would ease traffic, but, according to Northumberland County Commissioner Frank Sawicki, it would also be fuel-efficient. He says now, between Harrisburg and the I-80/I-81 junction, there are many hills. With the Thruway, the road would be flat because it follows the river, allowing trucks to travel in a higher gear, not needing to downshift to crawl up hills.
Sawicki believes nearly four gallons could be saved per trip, which is substantial and could essentially make the bridge pay for itself. They plan to do a study on the gas savings with PennDOT.
Sawicki was recently in Washington DC with SEDA-COG where they discussed the issue with the Federal Highway Administration. They also met with local officials, discussing I-80 tolls and cleaning up the Chesapeake Bay. (Sara Bartlett)
Organ recital this Sunday
SUNBURY – You can hear this piece Sunday at the American Guild of Organists recital. Sub-Dean of the Susquehanna University chapter of the Guild, Dave Reier, says six other organists will be performing as well. He invites everyone to come to the show, and hopes it may spark further interest in the instrument.
The performance will be held Sunday at 4:00p.m. at the St. Luke’s Lutheran Church and Reagan Street and Catawissa Avenue in Sunbury. Everyone is invited and a reception will follow the recital. (Sara Bartlett)
A Lewisburg man is facing charges for an incident May 25th in Danville
DANVILLE – A Lewisburg man has been charged after police say he took a woman’s car and drove drunk to Danville. 37-year-old Steve Fetterman is accused of taking the car on May 25th from a woman he was supposed to do yard work for. Fetterman reportedly drove the vehicle to Danville to visit a girlfriend. Police say they found Fetterman sitting in the car on West Main Street and noticed alcohol on his breath. He admitted to drinking several beers. Fetterman is charged with DUI and unauthorized use of a motor vehicle. He has a court hearing on July 9th. (Ali Stevens)
PA Commission for Community Colleges offers help to local group
SUNBURY – The president of a statewide group that could help establish a community college based in Sunbury says two-year colleges tend to address specific needs of the areas they serve. However, Diane Bosak of the Pennsylvania Commission for Community Colleges says needs vary from one region of the state to another.
She notes that more liberal arts courses are offered in Berks and Northampton Counties rather than in two year colleges to the west of our area. . She says there are also efforts to start community colleges in Erie and the Tuscarora Valley of Huntingdon County. More information about the local community college is posted at www.svcep.org.
Bosak took questions Tuesday from a local group interested in establishing a two-year college in the area, and says educated young adults are more likely to attract and keep businesses in the region. Meantime, supporters of the Susquehanna Valley Community College Initiative say they are looking to fund a feasibility study that would be used for accreditation of a new college. (Matt Farrand)
Point Township Police say they have window-shooting suspects in custody
POINT TOWNSHIP – Point Township Police say they have suspects in custody who’ve confessed to shooting windows out from vehicles in the Township. They request anyone who had windows shot out from Sunday through Tuesday to give them a call at 473-9364. (Matt Farrand)
Case against man accused of home invasion to be heard in court
MIFFLINBURG – Attempted homicide and burglary charges against a Williamsport man accused of allegedly breaking into a home near Mifflinburg are being waived onto Union County court. 22-year-old Robert Schreffler is accused in a home invasion burglary in West Buffalo Township, and holding an occupant at gunpoint early in the morning of May 22nd.
A warrant for a second suspect has been issued, though initial reports indicated others were also involved in the attack. Schreffler appeared before justice Jeffrey Mensch Tuesday. Resident Carson Sampsell says he knows Schreffler and his other attackers. A shot was fired in the incident though there were no injuries. (Matt Farrand)
PA smoking ban compromise
HARRISBURG – A conference committee has approved a compromise bill that outlines smoking bans in Pennsylvania and Governor Ed Rendell is urging the House and Senate to approve it as well. State Representative Russ Fairchild (R-86th, Lewisburg) says passing the legislation is easier said than done, because the compromise is just as controversial as any other smoking ban.
He says he has already received e-mails from both sides of the issue telling him to either vote or not vote for the bill. The bill would ban smoking in restaurants, office buildings, train and bus stations, sports arenas and many other public places and work places. It would still allow smoking in bars, some hotel rooms, private clubs and portions of casinos.
It also allows Philadelphia’s current smoking ban to stay in place, but no other local government would be allowed to enact its own smoking ban. Fairchild says he is disappointed that casinos got their way, as well as Philadelphia being the only place that could run themselves independently.
Representative Bob Belfanti (D-107th, Mt. Carmel) was quoted on the floor as saying he would “take a lot of hits back home in his district for voting on the compromise.” A vote in the House and Senate could come as early as today, and because it is a compromise, it cannot be amended. (AP/SB)
Case against man accused of home invasion to be heard in court
MIFFLINBURG – Attempted homicide and burglary charges against a Williamsport man accused of allegedly breaking into a home near Mifflinburg are being waived onto Union County court. 22-year-old Robert Schreffler is accused in a home invasion burglary in West Buffalo Township, and holding an occupant at gunpoint early in the morning of May 22nd.
A warrant for a second suspect has been issued, though initial reports indicated others were also involved in the attack. Schreffler appeared before justice Jeffrey Mensch Tuesday. Resident Carson Sampsell says he knows Schreffler and his other attackers. A shot was fired in the incident though there were no injuries. (Matt Farrand)
Teamwork from Erdman and Clausi
SUNBURY – Northumberland County Commissioners Kurt Masser and Frank Sawicki voted to give an $8,000 raise to a county employee at Tuesday’s salary board meeting, but WKOK’s Mark Lawrence reports the unlikely pair of Commissioner Vinny Clausi and County Controller Chuck Erdman denied the raise.
Clausi was reportedly late to the meeting and Erdman asked to delay it until he arrived. This teamwork after the two argued for over an hour last meeting. They cited saving money for the county as the reason for denying the raise.
Clausi and Erdman were in agreement that an $8,000 raise for Human Resources worker Betty Nicola was too much. Commissioners Sawicki and Masser cited Nicola’s increased workload, plus the fact that she was promised the money as a reason for the raise. She was given a $4,800 raise, which is effective next year. Police search for person who stole $1,500 worth of diesel fuel
ELYSBURG – Police are searching for someone who stole a large amount of diesel fuel near Elysburg. Sometime between May 1st and May 27th an unknown person siphoned around $1,500 worth of diesel fuel from trucks parked at a concrete business on Rose Road in Shamokin Township, Northumberland County. Anyone with information is asked to contact State Police at Stonington. (Sara Bartlett)
Pursued Shamokin man injured after jumping from bridge
SHAMOKIN – A Shamokin man was injured on Sunday after police say he jumped from a bridge to get away from them. 19-year-old Kyle Sherman was reportedly fighting at a bar on Independence Street in Shamokin early Sunday morning, when police began to chase him.
Sherman ran down a few streets to get to the Eighth Street Bridge, where he allegedly jumped 30 feet into the Shamokin Creek. Emergency crews used ropes and a backboard to rescue Sherman, who was taken to Shamokin Hospital before being transferred by Life Flight to Geisinger Medical Center. Sherman was treated and released and now faces public drunkenness, disorderly conduct and other charges. (Ali Stevens)
Ladies’ Night Out raises money for local Relay for Life
LEWISBURG – Over 100 women attended the Ladies’ Night Out fundraiser at the Campus Theater Monday evening to benefit the Lewisburg Relay for Life. Hanna Hall is member of the Lewisburg Lamborghini’s team and says this was their first fundraiser and this event, along with online fundraising has put them over their $2,000 goal.
The night featured food and drinks, along with numerous raffle prizes, all to raise money for the Relay. Many came out to support those who have had a personal battle with cancer. The Lewisburg Relay for Life will be held next weekend, June 13th and 14th, at the Lewisburg Middle School track. (Sara Bartlett)
Two Danville women plead guilty to drug charges
DANVILLE – Two Danville women have pleaded guilty to drug charges. Police say 21-year-old Shawn Ashton and 36-year-old Jennifer Hunt were allegedly in possession of heroin on March 18th and Hunt reported sold two packets of the heroin to a police informant that same day. Hunt is also accused of a drug sale in February at her home on East Mahoning Street. Both Ashton and Hunt will be sentenced on possession and delivery charges. (Ali Stevens)
Work and detours to begin on Route 522 in Middleburg
MIDDLEBURG – Work on the 75-year-old bridge over a tributary of Middle Creek on Route 522 in Middleburg is prompting detours, which are expected to start Thursday. Rick Mason of PennDOT says there are a number of detours, depending on the type of vehicles and the geometry of the roads that are affected.
He says larger trucks may not be able to make it through some of the roads and intersections that cars can get through. A detour for Route 104 southbound takes trucks on Route 304 through Winfield, connects with Route 15, hits Route 35 and eventually gets them back on Route 104. A northbound detour will take them on Route 204 through Kratzerville and meet up with Route 522 to continue to Route 104.
While car detours are much shorter, Mason says the whole project may cause some backups, and they hope to have the project complete by August. You can keep up to date with this and all road projects and detours in our area with WKOK’s Road Report every weekday on WKOK and online at wkok.com (Sara Bartlett)
Latest Pennsylvania news, sports, business and entertainment:
HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) - The state Senate has rejected a compromise bill to ban smoking in most workplaces and public spaces in Pennsylvania. The chamber voted 31-19 against the measure after Democratic senators complained that it does not let Allegheny County and Scranton enforce stronger ordinances. Those two jurisdictions approved local bans. But a court struck down Allegheny County's last year, and Scranton never enforced its own, fearing a similar fate. The bill would bar every county and municipality except for one from enacting its own smoking ban. It would let stand Philadelphia's year-and-a-half-old ban, the only active local smoking ordinance in the state. The next step for the bill is not clear.
COBURN, Pa. (AP) - Authorities say a 6-year-old Amish boy has been killed in a Centre County farm accident. Officials say it happened as Jacob Stoltzfus of Spring Mills was helping his father with a machine that wraps hay bales Tuesday afternoon. State police at Rockview say the boy's head was caught in a part of the machinery that compacts the hay. Coroner Scott Sayers says the boy died instantly of massive head trauma. The death has been ruled an accident.
LOCK HAVEN, Pa. (AP) - Some Clinton County resident are under a boil water advisory. Customers of Suburban Water - including those in Cedar Heights, Lock Haven's Fifth Ward and Sunset Pines, Mill Hall, Flemington, Mackeyville, Salona and surrounding areas - are affected. The advisory has been put into effect because of a water main break Monday evening. Until further notice, residents should bring all drinking water and water used in food or beverage preparation to a rolling boil for two minutes before drinking.
MONTOURSVILLE, Pa. (AP) - A major rehabilitation project gets under way today on nearly eight miles of northbound Route 15 in Lycoming County. The work area will run from the Hepburnville exit to just south of Route 14 at Trout Run. Traffic will be restricted to a single lane in the northbound lane. Southbound traffic will be restricted to a single lane at the Hoagland Run and Route 973 bridges. The $5 million project is scheduled to be completed in October.
HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) - Here are the winning numbers selected Tuesday in the Pennsylvania State Lottery:
Daily Number 3-9-3
Big 4 8-3-0-8
Treasure Hunt 10-15-20-24-28
(Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)