Sunbury couple jailed after bloody dispute

SUNBURY – A couple from Penn Street in Sunbury is behind bars after a bloody domestic assault and stabbing last night. Sunbury police were called to 237 Penn Street around 8:45 last night for a fight in progress. Police found 38-year-old Tammy Sciascia bleeding from her mouth and 30-year-old Timothy Alexander fled on foot.

Officers located him near the river wall, which he jumped over. Police from Point Township, Shamokin Dam and Northumberland assisted Sunbury police and found Alexander hiding in some weeds. Alexander is accused of choking the woman and punching her in the mouth. Sciascia is accused of stabbing Alexander in the back with a pair of scissors and punching him in face.

Alexander had a four-inch laceration from the stabbing. Sciascia was charged with felony aggravated assault and other counts and sent to Northumberland County Prison on a probation violation. Alexander was charged with simple assault, resisting arrest and other counts and sent to the Northumberland County Prison on $25,000 cash bail. (Ali Stevens)

Two Sunbury men arrested after a fight in the city

SUNBURY – Two men from Sunbury have been charged for a fight last night on North Sixth Street. Sunbury police say 19-year-old James Pacley and 23-year-old Tyrone Young were arguing with a neighbor after they reportedly hit his car during a fight. Pacley and Young were both arrested and charged with disorderly conduct. No injuries were reported. (Ali Stevens)

Northumberland man arrested for child pornography

NORTHUMBERLAND -- A Northumberland man has been arrested after over 100 images of child pornography were found on his computer. Police took 21-year-old Michael McWilliams Jr. into custody Thursday.

An investigation of McWilliams started in February when the Northumberland-Montour Drug Task Force executed a search of his home. While searching, what police call a 'sex kit' was found under his bed. Following an additional search warrant, police seized McWilliams' computer. The kit continued rubber gloves, sex toys and children's underware.

Selinsgrove State Police and a doctor from Northumberland's Child Advocacy Center investigated the computer and found 126 photos containing someone under the age of 18, as well as a movie that contained close to 100 images of people under 18. McWilliams was arraigned before District Judge Robert Bolton and is in Northumberland County Prison on $40,000 bail. A preliminary hearing is set for June 16. (Sara Bartlett)

Former congressman: Obama blew it

UNDATED – Former 5th District Republican Congressman John Peterson says the Obama Administration has failed in responding to the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. Peterson is now on the American Energy Alliance Board, which works to promote energy independence for America. He was a guest on our Leaders & Lawmakers program.

Peterson says there is still no evidence of what caused the spill and the response to the disaster has been poor. Peterson says they should have been marshalling forces all along, allowing Louisiana, Alabama and Mississippi to combine resources and build their own dikes to protect their shores and work on getting the oil well capped with the help of BP officials.

He says none of that happened and 40 days later, things are still dangerous. Peterson says everything went on as normal in Washington and we need to have a whole different approach, but he’s not sure this administration has that capacity. You can hear more from former Congressman John Peterson on the Gulf of Mexico oil spill and energy independence from our Leaders & Lawmakers program online at www.wkok.com. (Ali Stevens)

Montour County has lowest unemployment in state

UNDATED -- Following the release of April's unemployment numbers this week, Montour County has the lowest unemployment rate in the state. The rate fell from 6.6% in March to 6.5% in April. Our area's highest unemployment rate was in Northumberland County with 9.6%. This is down slightly from March's numbers.

Falling in the middle of the pack are Union and Snyder Counties. Union County is at a 9.4% unemployment rate, up from 9.2% in March. Snyder County is up from 8.9% in March to 9.1% in April. Our area counties remained lower than the national rate of 9.9%. Statewide, April's unemployment rate was 9%. (Sara Bartlett)

Marino hopes to campaign again by Monday

WILLIAMSPORT – Congressional candidate Tom Marino is out of the hospital after being injured in a crash following a meeting with Bradford County supporters. His truck was hit head on Tuesday night near Towanda, by a motorist who is accused of driving under the influence.

The impact knocked the truck 45 degrees counter clockwise, tripped the airbags and likely totaled it. Marino says his biggest fear at the time was that the other driver had died.

23-year-old Michele Merschbach of Towanda was driving the other car, and will face DUI charges. Marino hopes the accident will serve to reinforce familiar messages, to not drink and drive, for even a single drink can impair a motorist.

The former Lycoming County and federal prosecutor says he had to cancel nearly five days worth of appearances. He hopes to be back on the campaign trail Monday, after he gets the go-ahead from his doctor. (Matt Farrand)

Get a haircut and support the families of two crash victims in Selinsgrove

SELINSGROVE – Holiday Hair at the Susquehanna Valley Mall will host a Cut-a-Thon this Sunday from 4 to 6 p.m., to support the families of Alex Mullen and Seth Lauver. The two teens were critically injured in a crash on May 22nd, following their high school prom. Those wanting a haircut can get a shampoo, cut and style for $12.00 and 100 percent of the proceeds will support the Mullen and Lauver families. (Ali Stevens)

State police investigate a deadly shooting in Columbia County

BLOOMSBURG – One man is dead and state police are investigating it as a possible suicide. State police went to the home of Jack Eckroth near Bloomsburg around 9 p.m. last night, to talk with him about his relationship with a 15-year-old girl.

That’s when troopers say the man went into a bedroom and shot himself in the head. He was taken to the hospital and pronounced dead. The investigation continues into the shooting and troopers are trying to find out more about Eckroth’s relationship with the teenager. (Ali Stevens)

Celebration Weekend 2010 will raise money for the Children’s Miracle Network

DANVILLE – Celebration Weekend 2010 is being held this weekend at Geisinger Medical Center to raise money for the Children’s Miracle Network. Celebration Weekend will kick off on Saturday with a 5K Walk and Run at 4 p.m. at the Knapper Clinic. Following that at 9 p.m. , the live Telethon broadcast will begin on WYOU TV, where residents can call in and make pledges to support the Children’s Miracle Network.

On Sunday, the day will start with a pancake breakfast, followed by the 25th annual Motorcycle Miracle Tour, featuring hundreds of bikes traveling 75 miles. Next up is an event for all families to enjoy….and it’s free too. Miracle Fest is held from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Knapper Clinic Parking Lot featuring all kinds of free kids games and hands on activities.

Also in the afternoon at 12:30 is a special auction, with hundreds of items donated. For more information on Celebration Weekend, you can call CMN at 1800-322-5437 or visit their website at www.geisinger.org/CMN. All proceeds raised pay for equipment and supplies used in the care of children at Geisinger’s Janet Weis Children’s Hospital.

Raising money for Alex’s Lemonade Stand with a motorcycle ride

SELINSGROVE – Applebee’s of Selinsgrove has teamed up with the American Legion Riders to raise money for Alex’s Lemonade Stand, a national charity that supports care and research for children with cancer. On Saturday, June 12th, a motorcycle ride is planned. Riders can pay $5.00 to take place in the ride, which will leave from the Applebee’s in Selinsgrove at 11 a.m. Registration begins at 9a.m.

The ride will take about 1 ½ to 2 hours and finish at Tall Cedar’s Picnic Grove outside Sunbury. There will then be live music and food for the bikers to enjoy. The public is encouraged to participate and if you don’t do the motorcycle ride, you are still invited to the picnic grove for the music and food. For more information, you can contact the Selinsgrove American Legion at 374-8008.

Latest Pennsylvania news, lottery, business and entertainment

HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) - Natural gas and drilling fluids escaped for hours from an out-of-control well in a remote area of Pennsylvania, but the company says the flow is now under control.  Elizabeth Ivers, a spokeswoman for driller EOG Resources, said the well was brought under control just after noon Friday, about 16 hours after it started spewing gas.  State Department of Environmental Protection spokesman Dan Spadoni says no one was injured and that there are no homes within a mile of the well, which is about 90 miles northeast of Pittsburgh. He says polluted drilling water hasn't reached a waterway.  Spadoni says unexpectedly high gas pressure in the new well prevented crews from containing it.  An expert on such wells says that gas well blowouts are very rare.

STATE COLLEGE, Pa. (AP) - Penn State University has signed president Graham Spanier to a three-year extension that will keep him at the school through 2015.  Spanier is one of the longest-tenured university presidents in the country, having arrived at Penn State in 1995. He heads a university system overseeing 24 campuses around the state and a total of about 94,000 students.  The university said in a statement that Spanier's new deal takes effect July 1, giving him a $700,000 annual salary.  The new contract takes Spanier a year beyond a recently announced $2 billion capital campaign scheduled to end in 2014.  It also means Spanier will likely have to deal again with questions about Hall of Fame football coach Joe Paterno's contract. The 83-year-old Paterno is signed through 2011.

WILKES-BARRE, Pa. (AP) - A northeastern Pennsylvania courthouse official charged with taking bribes has resigned from his position.  Luzerne County Clerk of Courts Robert Reilly resigned effective Thursday. Federal prosecutors have charged him with soliciting and accepting thousands of dollars in bribes in 2007. Reilly faces up to 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine if convicted. A motion to delay a preliminary hearing indicates he is working with prosecutors on a plea agreement.  Reilly is one of more than two dozen people in Luzerne and Lackawanna counties charged in a federal corruption probe.

HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) - Gov. Ed Rendell says his administration is trying to stop job losses at The Hershey Co.'s hometown plants. Rendell says his administration has known for several weeks about the Pennsylvania-based candy maker's plans to slash up to 600 jobs there. Talks with Hershey include financial incentives. The company wants to expand the West Hershey plant and leave just administrative offices in the original chocolate factory built by founder Milton Hershey. The company announced its plans Tuesday in a tentative agreement with union negotiators. The union vote is Friday. However, Hershey is threatening to move the expansion and jobs elsewhere if the union rejects the plan.

HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) - A former Pennsylvania House aide is asking a judge to reduce his prison sentence in the legislative corruption case. Brett Cott's attorney filed a motion Tuesday asking Dauphin County Judge Richard Lewis to reconsider the sentence Cott received last month after being convicted of felony theft, conspiracy and conflict-of-interest charges. Cott was sentenced to 21 months to five years. Cott defense attorney Bryan Walk calls the sentence "extremely harsh" and filed letters from two jurors that indicate they agree. Lawyers are scheduled to argue the motion in court later this month. A state attorney general's office spokesman says the sentence was appropriate and prosecutors will argue it should remain in place.

WILLIAMSPORT, Pa. (AP) - A Penn State student has settled a federal lawsuit alleging he was injured after being tackled by university police during an annual naked run on campus to usher in spring finals. Christopher Ferry, of West Chester, had sought more than $150,000 in damages. His attorney Benjamin Lichtman wouldn't comment Thursday except to confirm that the suit has been settled. The terms of the settlement weren't released. Ferry said an officer knocked him down during the 2008 "Mifflin Streak" run and three more officers tackled him, causing a concussion and broken collarbone.

NEW YORK (AP) - Game 3 drew the largest TV audience for the Stanley Cup finals on cable in eight years. The Flyers' 4-3 overtime victory over the Blackhawks on Versus on Wednesday night earned a 3.1 rating and averaged 3.6 million viewers. It was the highest-rated and most-watched telecast in the history of the network. It drew the most viewers for a Stanley Cup finals since Game 2 of the Carolina-Detroit series in 2002, which averaged almost 3.8 million viewers.

(Copyright 2010 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

Update on the latest in business

Dow: 9,931.60, down -323.68

S&P 500: 1,064.99, down -37.84

NASDAQ: 2,219.17, down -83.86

NEW YORK (AP) - A jobs report showing the weakest private sector hiring so far this year has led to a stock market sell-off. The key averages were down about 2.5 percent at midday.

WASHINGTON (AP) - The Labor Department says payrolls grew by 431,000 jobs in May and the unemployment rate dipped to 9.7 percent. Most of the new hires were for temporary census jobs.

BERLIN (AP) - The euro has dropped below $1.20 for the first time in more than four years. The drop came as a Hungarian official's warning about the state of his country's economy underlined fears about Europe's prospects.

NEW YORK (AP) - A new report says fewer consumers were late on their credit card payments for the fourth consecutive month. Payments that were 60 or more days late dropped to 4.18 percent in May, from 4.27 percent in April.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) - A multimillionaire's rocket came within seconds of launching before the test flight was aborted at Cape Canaveral. SpaceX may try again today to launch the rocket on its maiden voyage. With only a few seconds to go before launch, the Falcon 9 rocket apparently shut down.

(Copyright 2010 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) - These Pennsylvania lotteries were drawn Friday:

 Mega Millions

     Estimated jackpot: $12 million

 Midday Big 4

     2-6-8-1

Midday Number

     9-2-3

Midday Quinto

     1-7-6-3-2

Powerball

     Estimated jackpot: $20 million

 Treasure Hunt

     14-15-19-20-26

Entertainment, consumer and people news

Bret's rules

LOS ANGELES (AP) -- No groupies. No partying. No stage diving. Those are doctors' orders for Bret Michaels as he continues his "Custom Built" tour. Michaels says he's taking "every precaution" and not doing "anything stupid" while on the road. It wasn't that long ago that he was in the hospital for a brain hemorrhage, which was followed by a warning stroke. Then doctors found a hole in his heart. Michaels says he's taking blood thinners to prepare for surgery in the fall to fix the hole in his heart.

Sotheby's plans auction of Lehman Bros art works

NEW YORK (AP) - Sotheby's says some 400 works from the corporate contemporary art collection of the failed investment bank Lehman Brothers will go on sale at auction this fall.  Sotheby's New York announced Friday it will auction the works on Sept. 25, pending bankruptcy court approval.  It says the collection is valued at more than $10 million. It includes works by some of the leading contemporary artists, including Damien Hirst, Takashi Murakami and Richard Prince.  Sale proceeds will go to pay off creditors of Lehman Brothers Holdings Inc. Lehman filed for bankruptcy in September 2008, helping spark one of the worst financial crisis since the Great Depression. It was the largest bankruptcy filing in U.S. history.

Streaker charged

WILLIAMSPORT, Pa. (AP) - The streaker suit has been settled out of court. Penn State student Christopher Ferry charged he was injured by campus police during the 2008 "Mifflin Streak." He was seeking more than 150-grand in damages in federal court. His lawyer confirms the settlement, but won't comment on the terms. The naked run is an annual campus tradition that ushers in spring finals. Ferry claimed university police   used excessive force when he was tackled during the streak.

McDonald's pulls 12M cadmium-tainted Shrek glasses

LOS ANGELES (AP) - McDonald's is recalling 12 million drinking glasses it is selling to promote the new "Shrek" movie because painted designs on the cheap collectibles contain the toxic metal cadmium. The burger giant said early Friday that it wants customers to stop using the 16-ounce glasses, which have been sold for about $2 each and were available in four designs depicting the main characters from the hit animated franchise. Cadmium is a known carcinogen that research shows also can cause bone softening and severe kidney problems. In the case of the Shrek glasses, the concern would be long-term exposure to low levels of cadmium, which could leach from the paint onto a child's hand, then enter the body if the child puts that unwashed hand to his or her mouth.

IN THE NEWS: BAR CODES GROW UP

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) - It used to be the only time you'd take note of a bar code was at a store. But they are showing up in more places these days - and are a lot more sophisticated than they were back in the day. For one thing, there are new QR codes - they look like a jumble of little squares laid out within a larger square. You can see them on things like bus stop billboards to restaurant windows. If you should see one and take of picture of it with a cell-phone camera - the code can take you to a website, photo or video linked to the advertiser.

BEACH-STORMING MARINES

CAMP PENDLETON, Calif. (AP) - It's going to look a little like a 21st century D-Day today in Southern California. Thousands of Marines and sailors will be staging an amphibious assault on the beach at Camp Pendleton. It's the largest such military exercise on the West Coast since 9/11. Some critics say amphibious landings are obsolete in today's world. But outgoing Commandant Gen. James Conway wants his "soldiers of the sea" to get back to their roots. Today's scheduled exercise comes two days before the 66th anniversary of D-Day. That's when more than 160,000 Allied troops stormed the beaches of Normandy, leading to Hilter's defeat in World War II.

Commissioner won't reverse key 'safe' call

NEW YORK (AP) - Bud Selig won't reverse an umpire's admitted blown call that cost Armando Galarraga a perfect game. Selig says Major League Baseball will look at expanded replay and umpiring, but not the botched call Wednesday night. Umpire Jim Joyce says he made a mistake on what would've been the final out in Detroit, where the Tigers beat Cleveland 3-0. The umpire personally apologized to Galarraga.

Transgender men go topless at Delaware beach

REHOBOTH BEACH, Del. (AP) - Rehoboth Beach in Delaware isn't a topless beach - but a few transgender men caused a stir by treating it like one. Police say passers-by complained after the men removed their tops and revealed their surgically enhanced breasts over Memorial Day weekend. A lifeguard asked them to put their tops back on. The men initially refused, but covered up before police arrived. Even if they hadn't, though, Police Chief Keith Banks notes the men were doing nothing illegal. Since they have male genitalia, they can't be charged with indecent exposure for showing their breasts. Banks says there's no need for a specific law to address the issue. Rehoboth Beach commissioner Kathy McGuiness isn't so sure. She says the matter will be discussed at a town hall meeting next week.

County might tax church rectory for housing politician

MERRILLVILLE, Ind. (AP) - A Roman Catholic rectory in Merrillville, Ind., might lose its tax-exempt status because a politician moved in at the invitation of the pastor. Deputy Lake County Assessor Terryl Bish has asked that the rectory at St. Joan of Arc Parish lose the tax-exempt status it has under state law as a home for clergy. The three-bedroom home is valued at $179,000. Lake County Commissioner Gerry Scheub and his wife moved in last October. He says he makes a monthly donation to the church and does some maintenance work. The pastor of the parish lives elsewhere. Diocese of Gary official Anne Verbeke says she's certain that the money Scheub pays the parish includes the taxes. She said other vacant rectories have been rented out.

(Copyright 2010 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)