Tuesday, June 8, 2010
Celebrating history during this year's Love-n-Care Street Fair
SUNBURY -- The 38th annual Love-n-Care Street Fair is Saturday in Sunbury. This year's theme is 'Celebrating a History of Community.' Fair Chairman Truman Purdy says there will be bands, entertainment, plenty of food and the annual raffle. Raffled off this year will be $1,000 in cash, a flat screen TV, Penn State tickets and more.
Purdy says every penny raised goes to the Mary Derr Rockefeller Auxiliary and Sunbury Area Health Foundation. Through those organizations, some of the funds will help provide scholarships to area students who plan to enter the healthcare profession and return to the area after schooling.
The Love-n-Care Street Fair will be held Saturday from 10:00a.m.-6:00p.m. at Cameron Park. You can hear more from Truman Purdy Thursday as he previews the fair on our Leaders & Lawmakers program at 3:00p.m. (Sara Bartlett)
Phasing out unemployment insurance can help economy
SUNBURY -- Many economists have said the recession is over. Congressman Chris Carney (D-10th, Dimock) agrees with that statement and says now the U.S. is in a rebuilding phase to get back where we were. Carney says jobs are always the lagging indicator and the last thing to go up when coming out of a recession.
In regards to jobs, Carney says it is important to put people back to work and one way to do that is by phasing out unemployment insurance. He says this will be an incentive for people to go back to work.
Carney says taxes are at a rate now that they haven't been since Harry Truman was president, and that is stimulating the economy. The Congressman spoke recently at the groundbreaking for phase two of Sunbury's Riverfront Project.
Upcoming fundraisers for the families of Seth Lauver and Alex Mullen
SELINSGROVE – As Seth Lauver and Alex Mullen continue to recover from serious injuries they sustained in a May 22nd crash after the Selinsgrove high school prom, fundraisers are planned to help the families.
A Walk-a-Thon will be held Friday evening at the Harold L. Bolig Memorial Stadium at Selinsgrove High School. The event begins at 6p.m. with registration at 5p.m. The Selinsgrove Football Booster Club will be selling “Stay Strong Seth and Alex” red wristbands at the event. Teams of 4 to 6 people are encouraged to participate in the walk-a-thon.
Sunbury Broadcasting Corporation has teamed up with The Daily Item to host a Splash Hop to benefit Lauver and Mullen. That event will be held at the Sunbury Pool on June 22nd at 5 p.m. There will be free hot dogs and soda provided and our sister station 94KX will provide the music.
Also, donations are still being accepted at Northumberland National Bank for the “Support Seth and Alex Fund”. You can drop off your donation at any branch of Northumberland National.
Seth Lauver is currently undergoing treatment at a spinal cord rehabilitation clinic while Alex Mullen will need specialized care for a head injury….so donations are still needed from the community. (Ali Stevens)
You can help children enjoy activities at the YMCA, even if they can’t pay for it
SUNBURY – Summer time is here and many children participate in activities at day camps such as swimming lessons, sports teams and more. However, some families struggle to be able to afford child care and activities in the summer, so the YMCA offers many programs for low-income families. Liz Grove of the Sunbury YMCA says most of the proceeds from various fundraisers they do throughout the year support financial assistance.
She says they give out thousands of dollars every year at both the Sunbury and Milton YMCA’s to pay for programs and activities for low-income families. One upcoming fundraiser the YMCA is hosting is the 24th annual 5K walk and run on Saturday, featuring the 2nd Annual Kids Fun Run. The Kids Fun Run is at 10 a.m. on Saturday.
The 5k walk and run begin at 9 a.m. in the front parking lot of the YMCA. Registration begins at 7:30 a.m.. The race is a flat course and t-shirts will be given to the first 100 registered. Refreshments are also available and awards are given in a number of categories. (Ali Stevens)
Norry Crime I: Home invasion assault investigation ongoing
NORTHUMBERLAND – Nearly two weeks after a late-May home invasion assault in Northumberland Borough, there have been no arrests made. However, Northumberland Borough Police Chief Tim Fink describes the May 27th assault as isolated. A woman was tied up in the home invasion at a residence along Water Street, and taken to Geisinger Medical Center for observation after being discovered by her husband.
The chief addressed questions about the investigation into the assault at Monday night’s meeting of the borough’s Crime Watch group, but conceded there was not much he could say. Fink recommended taking sensible crime fighting steps in the meantime, such as locking doors at home and in the car. (Matt Farrand)
Norry Crime II: Scams targeting seniors always emerging
NORTHUMBERLAND – Scams targeting senior adults are getting more sophisticated. That’s the view of an official in charge of community protection for the state attorney general’s office. Joyce O’Brien says telephone scammers can now appear legitimate by faking the numbers that appear as the incoming call on your phone.
O’Brien spoke to Northumberland’s Crime Watch group Monday night and says there is no shortage of new scams, including callers who pose as relatives in need of medical treatment and ask for money. Others use information gathered from obituaries and target grieving relatives, claiming insurance money they are owed will be released if a check is sent.
However, O’Brien says roof repair and driveway resurfacing scams are most common in the spring and early summer. The state has set up a toll-free number to help seniors avoid fraud, at 1-866-623-2137. There is also online information at www.attorneygeneral.com (Matt Farrand)
Norry Crime III: Cops: Crime Watch is working
NORTHUMBERLAND – Northumberland's Crime Watch is working...Vandalism sprees such as the “keying” of dozens of cars by two 13-year-old girls are a little less likely today in Northumberland Borough. That’s the view of a borough police officer who offered crime figures for May 2010, to the borough’s Crime Watch group.
The group that encourages citizens to act as the eyes and ears of law enforcement was revived after the vandalism spree in March of 2009. Officer Matt Lauver says there were 27 suspicious activity calls, 6 reports of domestic violence, 7 thefts off porches, and one report each of DUI, fraud and identity theft. Lauver referred questions regarding a May 27th home invasion to Police Chief Tim Fink. (Matt Farrand)
Snyder County roads reopen after crashes
UNDATED – Route 235 south of Beaver Springs is open again. The road was closed after a crash at about 6:40 a.m. when a driver lost control of a tractor-trailer, which overturned near the spot where a fuel truck crashed about a month ago. PennDOT says ongoing scheduled cleanup from the prior crash will continue Tuesday, though the road is expected to remain open.
Cleanup of a crash on Route 104 near Mount Pleasant Mills also took about 12 hours. A tractor-trailer hauling turkeys overturned in the morning after the driver lost control of the rig, striking two parked vehicles and a utility pole. Route 104 was open to traffic again at about 5:00 p.m. (Matt Farrand)
On Route 104, the driver of the rig was 63-year-old Dennis Winand Jr. of Abbottstown, PA; he was flown to Geisinger Medical Center with unknown injuries. The 235 driver was 53-year-old Franz Desrouleax, of Yeadon, PA, he was uninjured. (Ali Stevens)
Our Town Danville premieres tonight on WVIA TV
DANVILLE – The “Our Town” series continues tonight on WVIA TV and the feature town is Danville. The series showcases various towns across the state and has already featured Sunbury and Selinsgrove. Now the focus is on Danville with a newly created documentary that enlisted the help of locals with video cameras.
The show will debut at 8 p.m. this evening and viewers will see the sights that locals themselves feel best represents the Danville area. Among the spots to be featured are the Saturday trains program at Christ Memorial Episcopal Church. The weekly free activity allows local children to take part in creating a 22-foot long layout of model trains.
Former congressman says yes to a severance tax
UNDATED – A former 5th District Congressman says he believes a severance tax on natural gas drilling in the Marcellus Shale is the way to go, but says implementing the tax right away could be harmful. Former congressman John Petersen now is a member of the American Energy Alliance Board, which works to promote energy independence in America.
He says negotiate a fair severance tax with the state that models other similar states, but have a respite time before its implemented. Petersen says Pennsylvania needs economic growth and has been declining for 30 years.
For that reason, Petersen believes you need to give the drilling companies time to make back their investments and start making profits before hitting them with a severance tax. He says natural gas drilling will bring hundreds of thousands of jobs to the area. You can hear more from Petersen on drilling and energy from our Thursday Leaders and Lawmaker program online at www.wkok.com. (Ali Stevens)
Fugitives wanted in Columbia County caught in Florida
BERWICK -- Two people have been arrested following a robbery in Berwick last month. 26-year-old Gregory Duclaire and 18-year-old Whitney Sutton were taken in to custody in Florida Monday. The two were considered fugitives. On May 4th, Duclaire broke into a home along the 400 block of North Chestnut Street, pointed a handgun and made threats to the resident and the robbed the victim of money and personal items.
It was found Sutton helped plan the robbery. Duclaire was charged with robbery, burglary and terroristic threats. Sutton is charged with criminal conspiracy. The two have a lengthy criminal pasts as well. Duclaire is a confirmed member of the 'Bloods' gang in New York City. Both were wanted in NYC as well. (Sara Bartlett)
Two local residents are in serious condition following crashes
DANVILLE – Two local residents injured in separate crashes are in serious condition at Geisinger Medical Center.
A Milton man was taken to Geisinger following a crash Saturday night. Police say 23-year-old Toby Shade lost control of his vehicle on Route 642 in East Chillisquaque Township just after 11 p.m. The vehicle went off the road and struck a tree and a fence before rolling several times. Shade was not wearing a seatbelt and is listed in serious condition.
Also, a Winfield teen has been upgraded from critical to serious condition at Geisinger following a crash in Penn Township May 22nd after the Selinsgrove High School Prom. 17-year-old Alex Mullen was upgraded to serious condition today and may be moved out of the intensive care unit.
Mullen sustained injuries to her head, liver and spleen following the crash that critically injured Selinsgrove football player Seth Lauver, who was released from Geisinger last week and is now being treated at a spinal cord injury rehabilitation center in Philadelphia. (Ali Stevens)
Congressman talks about the Gulf oil spill
SUNBURY -- Congressman Chris Carney (D-10th, Dimock) is touting the importance of using natural gas as fuel, following the oil spill in the Gulf. Carney says there are at least 500 trillion cubic feet of natural gas in the Marcellus Shale formation, and that is something that needs to be developed safely.
Carney says he voted against the cap-and-trade bill because it didn't do enough to encourage the use of natural gas. Carney cites estimates that there is enough natural gas in the country to heat every home in America for 100 years. He says in terms of national security, it means we do not have to rely as heavily on Middle East oil.
Carney says he is satisfied with the government's response to the oil spill, and is happy Admiral Thad Allen is the incident manager for the disaster. He also says he supports the criminal investigation against BP. (Sara Bartlett)
New Main Street Manager needed in downtown Selinsgrove
SELINSGROVE – Selinsgrove is in search of a new Main Street Manager. Jessica Newell, who held the position, resigned effective May 28th, to pursue other opportunities. Judy Spiegel is president of Selinsgrove Projects Incorporated and says they are looking for someone who can work to promote the downtown along with events planned for Selinsgrove.
She says Newell was always very enthusiastic about Selinsgrove and it’s important to have someone like that. The goal of the Main Street Manager is also to encourage downtown revitalization. SPI is currently advertising the position and resumes are now being accepted. (Ali Stevens)
Fundraiser for man blinded while hunting
NEW BERLIN -- A New Berlin man is recovering at home after being shot in the face while turkey hunting last month in Union County. 48-year-old Michael Hobbins is blind following that accident, but doctors are hopeful he will regain sight in one eye. A fundraiser is being held for Hobbins to help with living expenses and medical costs not covered by insurance.
Sunday, a silent auction will be held at Mifflinburg High School. It will feature a number of items including a week's stay in North Carolina, portrait session from a local photographer, a variety of Bradley Shoemaker prints and more. All are invited from noon-5:00p.m. for the auction.
42-year-old Leroy Miller of Mifflinburg remains in prison following the shooting of Hobbins. Miller, who is a convicted felon, waived his right to a preliminary hearing last week and was jailed for possession of a firearm. (Sara Bartlett)
Latest Pennsylvania news, business, lottery and entertainment
HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) - Pennsylvania Democratic chairman T.J. Rooney is calling it quits after more than seven years. Rooney confirmed Tuesday he will step down when the Democratic State Committee picks a new chairman on June 19. Allegheny County Democratic Party chairman Jim Burn and Montgomery County Democratic Party chairman Marcel Groen have expressed interest in succeeding Rooney as state chairman. The 45-year-old Rooney was Gov. Ed Rendell's hand-picked choice to head the party when he was elected in 2003 and has played a role in every major political campaign in the state since then. In 2006, Rooney helped engineer a Democratic sweep that included regaining control of the state House of Representatives and Pennsylvania's delegation to the U.S. House of Representatives, as well as Bob Casey's election to the U.S. Senate.
HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) - Pennsylvania House Speaker Keith McCall is blasting Gov. Ed Rendell for breaking up a unit within the state Department of Transportation that's been used by lawmakers to assist their constituents. A letter sent by McCall to Rendell on Monday called the Legislative Services Section a way to help sort out difficult issues and aid people who have complicated problems or lack a computer or other means to deal with their PennDOT problems. The letter was first posted Monday by the online site www.grassrootspa.com. McCall's office says he's already met with Rendell to try to work out a resolution. The existence of the special PennDOT unit was criticized as wasteful in a recent grand jury report on the topic of legislative corruption.
STATE COLLEGE, Pa. (AP) - An ongoing cyber-security sweep at Penn State found the Social Security numbers of another 25,000 individuals may have been exposed due to infected computers. The university said there is no evidence the data had been accessed after the computers were hit by malicious software, though individuals affected by the breach have been notified as required by law. One recent case involved a University Libraries computer breached with malware which contained the Social Security numbers of more than 9,700. In a separate case, the school last week sent letters to more than 15,800 people about a possible breach at an Outreach Market Research computer. Another 30,000 individuals had been notified late last year and earlier this year of potential breaches.
EBENSBURG, Pa (AP) - A western Pennsylvania election supervisor has warned Democratic Rep. Mark Critz against being inside polling locations. Cambria County elections director Fred Smith says Critz violated state law during the May 18 special election by being inside precincts without a watcher's certificate - though there are no fines or sanctions for such violations. Smith says the county election board directed him to write Critz to not do it again. Critz defeated Republican Tim Burns in the race to the fill the last few months of the late Rep. John Murtha's term. The board responded to a complaint from the county GOP of improper campaigning at four precincts. A Critz campaign spokesman says there was no electioneering and called the Republican protests "sour grapes."
HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) - Pennsylvania regulators are halting all gas drilling activities by the company whose natural gas well spewed out explosive gas and polluted water for 16 hours last week. Gov. Ed Rendell says the order against EOG Resources Inc. will remain in place until the Department of Environmental Protection can finish its probe and until after the company makes whatever changes may be needed. A blowout of an EOG well in north-central Pennsylvania's Clearfield County on Thursday sent gas and at least 35,000 gallons of drilling wastewater into the environment. The state agency says the company is being cooperative with the investigation and is supportive of the order.
HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) - Gov. Ed Rendell says taxpayers won't be billed after all for a partisan research project aimed at building support for his budget proposals. The governor said at a news conference Monday that Philadelphia consultant Kevin Feeley will be paid out of Rendell's campaign fund and that Feeley has agreed to return $10,000 in tax money that has already been paid. Reacting to a recent Philadelphia Inquirer story, Rendell says it's "inappropriate" to bill taxpayers and blames the decision on overzealous staff members, whom he declined to identify. The Democrat says the research will help build support for his budget in the Legislature, but that it should be financed with private money.
LOCK HAVEN, Pa. (AP) - A man has been sentenced to 70 to 196 years in prison in a February 2009 assault on three north central Pennsylvania university students, two of whom were raped repeatedly at knifepoint. A Clinton County jury in March convicted 25-year-old Domenique Wilson of Philadelphia of more than three dozen charges including rape, indecent deviate sexual intercourse and unlawful restraint in the attack on the Lock Haven students. Judge Craig Miller called Wilson "evil" Monday and said he should never have the opportunity to commit such a crime again. Defense attorney Todd Fiore said a slim criminal record argued for leniency and also suggested that his client may have been abused as a child, although he acknowledged that a pre-sentence investigation offered no evidence of that. After his conviction, Wilson said he was innocent and the trial had been unfair.
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. (AP) - The fire from an explosion at a West Virginia natural gas well will continue to burn for two to three days. The early Monday morning explosion injured seven workers, who were treated at a Pittsburgh hospital. Two of the workers were released later in the day and the others were walking around and talking to family members. A spokeswoman for one of the companies involved in the well, Texas-based Chief Oil & Gas, says that a rig firefighting company will move damaged equipment out of the way while the fire burns. A state inspector says the surrounding area is not at risk from the fire. Later Monday, another natural gas explosion in Texas killed three people. Officials there believe the gas line was struck with a digging machine.
STATE COLLEGE, Pa. (AP) - Penn State's College of Agricultural Sciences will lay off 10 people and eliminate about 30 other vacant positions through attrition because of a budget shortfall. College dean Bruce McPheron says in a statement the downsizing is part of an effort to keep costs in line at a time of eroding state appropriations for agricultural research and cooperative extension. Those departments do not receive tuition dollars. The 10 layoffs will come at the main University Park campus. A spokesman says the other positions being eliminated are in State College and elsewhere around Pennsylvania, including the extension jobs. The college says it's possible another 160 positions could be eliminated in the next few years if state funding remains flat.
(Copyright 2010 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
Update on the latest in business
Dow: 9,939.98, up 123.49
S&P 500: 1,062.00, up 11.53
NASDAQ: 2,170.57, down -3.33
NEW YORK (AP) - Stocks have struggled again today. Investors are digesting comments from Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke and also watching a rebound in the value of the euro.
WASHINGTON (AP) - BP CEO Tony Hayward will make his first appearance on Capitol Hill since the Gulf oil spill when he testifies before a congressional committee next week. The subject of the hearing is the role of BP in the Deepwater Horizon explosion and oil spill.
WASHINGTON (AP) - General Motors is recalling about 1.5 million vehicles worldwide. It is to address a problem with a heated windshield wiper fluid system that could lead to a fire.
WASHINGTON (AP) - The Labor Department says the nation's job openings rose in April to the highest level in 16 months. There were an average of five unemployed people for each job opening in April. That's down from 5.4 in the previous month.
WASHINGTON (AP) - A new report says the Food and Drug Administration is stretched thin and needs to reorganize to better keep the nation's food safe. The report from the Institute of Medicine and the National Research Council says FDA needs to become more efficient and better target its funding to prevent foodborne illness.
(Copyright 2010 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) - These Pennsylvania lotteries were drawn Tuesday:
Mega Millions
Estimated jackpot: $26 million
Midday Big 4
9-4-3-4
Midday Number
5-6-4
Midday Quinto
0-5-0-4-0
Powerball
Estimated jackpot: $28 million
Treasure Hunt
11-17-24-27-30
Gary Coleman's 1999 will filed in Utah court
SALT LAKE CITY (AP) - Gary Coleman's will names a friend and former manager as executor of the late child star's estate and specifies that he wanted to be cremated. The will was filed Tuesday in 4th District Court in Provo, where Coleman died May 28 after suffering a brain hemorrhage. Coleman appointed friend Dion Mial as his executor. Coleman says in the 1999 will that he wanted to be remembered in a wake conducted by people who had no financial ties to the star of the sitcom "Diff'rent Strokes." The will was written years before Coleman met Shannon Price on a movie set in 2006. The couple married in 2007 and divorced in 2008. A representative says Price believes she has a claim to the estate and planned to meet with her lawyer Tuesday.
Chris Brown denied entry to UK, tour is postponed
LONDON (AP) - Britain says U.S. singer Chris Brown has been denied entry into the United Kingdom, postponing his tour. Brown had been scheduled to perform in London, Manchester, Birmingham and the Scottish city of Glasgow but the British government's Home Office said he had been refused a visa because of his past criminal record. Last year Brown was sentenced to five years' probation and six months of community service for the beating of his then-girlfriend, R&B singing sensation Rihanna. The Home Office said Brown applied for his visa last week and should have been notified of its refusal Monday. Promoter SJM concerts said Tuesday that Brown's tour had been postponed "due to unforeseen circumstances."
SMUGGLED SONGBIRDS
LOS ANGELES (AP) - Hey buddy, is that a bird in your pants? The answer was yes for a Southern California man. Sony Dong has been sentenced to four months in prison and must pay four-grand to care for smuggled birds. Dong has pleaded guilty to illegally importing wildlife. U.S. customs inspectors say Dong had 14 live birds hidden in his pants on a flight from Vietnam to Los Angeles about a year ago. A search found more than 50 other birds at his home. Officials say the black market birds sell for up to $1,000 each.
DINING OUTHOUSE
BOSTON (AP) - It might not sound too appetizing, but Boston officials hope to turn two former restrooms into restaurants. The city's Parks and Recreation Commission wants state permission to lease the buildings as possible eateries. But these are no outhouses. One is a gothic looking structure near the tennis courts on Boston Common, while the other is an old granite building. The Boston Herald reports the buildings haven't been used as public 0bathrooms for decades. Both restrooms will need extensive renovations before anyone sits down for lunch.
NASCAR-Harvick-T-Shirt
LONG POND, Pa. (AP) - Apparently Joey Logano is right, Kevin Harvick's wife does wear the firesuit in the family. A day after Logano sarcastically forgave the NASCAR veteran following a late-race incident at Pocono by saying that his wife DeLana "wears the firesuit in the family, tells him what to do," DeLana Harvick turned Logano's slight into some inspired merchandising. Fans can purchase a white T-shirt through Harvick's website that reads "I wear the firesuit in this family" in red with Harvick's "Happy" red logo underneath. The $15 shirt, available in sizes small through extra large, will be shipped once received from the manufacturer. DeLana Harvick is a fixture in the NASCAR garage and is co-owner of the couple's NASCAR Camping World Truck Series and Nationwide Series teams.
TV-Your Own Show
NEW YORK (AP) - Oprah Winfrey wants to give someone else a chance to follow in her footsteps on her new cable network. The talk show host is teaming up with reality TV producer Mark Burnett - the man behind such shows as "Survivor" and "The Apprentice" - on a show searching for the next big TV personality. "Your Own Show: Oprah's Search for the Next TV Star" will air on the Oprah Winfrey Network. Aspiring hosts can upload audition videos to Oprah.com. In-person casting calls are happening this month in Atlanta, Dallas and Orange County, California. "Your Own Show" is scheduled to premiere in January. The show's host has yet to be announced.
(Copyright 2010 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)