Thursday, June 10, 2010

Sunbury Municipal Authority’s role explained

SUNBURY – Following an email from a listener of WKOK’s On The Mark program, regarding the role the Sunbury Municipal Authority has, Dan Ramer was a call in guest on the show.  Ramer is the general manager of the authority and says they perform five functions for the city including running the water treatment facility, wastewater treatment, the transfer station for solid waste, operation of the flood control system and the city recycling program.

Ramer says the $20-million wastewater treatment plant upgrade in Sunbury was mandated by the DEP to control runoff of harmful nutrients that could enter the Chesapeake Bay from the Susquehanna River. 

Ramer also talked about a flood control fee of approximately $6.00 a month.  He says the flood control project has a budget of between $400,000 and $500,000 and as long as the flood control system is operating, the fee is necessary. 

You can hear more from Dan Ramer on the Sunbury Municipal Authority from our Thursday On The Mark program online at www.wkok.com.   (Ali Stevens)

Wolfgang trial to being in September

SUNBURY -- The murder trial for 49-year-old Steven Wolfgang of Mount Carmel will begin in September.  Wolfgang is charged in the 2007 murder of his wife 42-year-old Sherry Wolfgang.  Wolfgang has since plead not guilty.  Northumberland County President Judge Robert Sacavage, who will preside over the trial, reiterated his prior ruling this week that Wolfgang is competent to stand trial.  Jury selection is scheduled for September 13th, with the trial beginning September 20th. 

Mount Carmel man behind bars after a high speed chase

MOUNT CARMEL – A high speed chase and crash resulted in a Mount Carmel man being sent to the Northumberland County Prison on Tuesday night.  Police say 31-year-old Richard Erb faces numerous charges for the incident along Route 61 in Mount Carmel Township.  Police say Erb was  driving in Atlas when police tried to pull him over, but Erb fled at a high rate of speed toward Kulpmont. 

Police say Erb reached speeds of 80 to 100 miles per hour through Kulpmont and then struck a curb and a stop sign before the vehicle spun out and went airborne.  Erb apparently tried to flee on foot but police used a Taser gun to stop him.  He was arrested and charged with several offenses.  Erb was treated at Shamokin Area Community Hospital for various injures and then incarcerated at the Northumberland County Prison. (Ali Stevens)

Visitors Bureau optimistic about area tourism

SHAMOKIN DAM -- Tourism is the second largest industry in Pennsylvania, and during a recent meeting of the Greater Susquehanna Valley Chamber of Commerce, the Valley was touted as a great place for summer activities.  Andrew Miller, Executive Director of the Susquehanna River Valley Visitors Bureau, says for residents staying in the area, or outsiders coming in to visit, there is something for everyone.  He says outdoor recreation is hugely popular this summer, and we are lucky to have access to the river. 

There are a number of river guides, as well as boat rentals and rowing camps.  Miller says he is optimistic that the tourism industry in the Central Susquehanna Valley will continue to the thrive in the future.  Miller gave a sneak peak of some events in the future.  Some things to look forward to, according to Miller, are the 150th anniversary of the Civil War. 

Over the next four years, there will be a theme: 'The American Civil War, Stories from the Home Front,' and many activities will surround that.  He also says the 6,000 acre off-road vehicle park proposed in Northumberland County is also generating excitement nationwide.

Miller says with downtown shops and restaurants, museums, an amusement park and many other attractions, the Central Susquehanna Valley is a great draw for visitors from all over the country.  He's also encouraging local residents and families to take day trips in their very backyard. (Sara Bartlett)      

Charges could be filed in an incident that left a Dalmatia teen dead

DALMATIA – Charges could be filed next week against a Millersburg man involved in a vehicle death.  29-year-old Thomas Schorr is accused of driving erratically and striking an embankment April 12th on Lenker Road in Lower Mahanoy Township  A passenger in the car, 19-year-old Bethany Harris of Dalmatia, was reportedly nervous of the driving and jumped out of the vehicle. 

She was taken to Geisinger Medical Center and succumbed to her injuries the next day.  Schorr, along with two other passengers in the vehicle, 21-year-old Joel Nies of Northumberland and 23-year-old Jessica Beers of Millersburg, all escaped injury.  State police say the investigation is wrapping up and they expect charges to be filed sometime next week.  (Ali Stevens)
 

Relay for Life events in set in Lewisburg

LEWISBURG – Lewisburg Relay for Life will kick off on Friday at 1p.m. and continue through Saturday afternoon with non-stop events and activities planned.  The co-chairs for the Relay are Amy Gronlund and Jodi Batman, who tell us they have a sports-theme for the relay which is “Just Cure It”.  They will have a basketball clinic at 3p.m. featuring the Bucknell basketball team and coaches.  There will be other activities including a dunk tank and hot-dog eating contest. 

The ceremony will kick off at 6p.m. with some guest speakers, including Mike Wright, who is the featured speaker and a six year cancer survivor.  The Lewisburg Relay for Life is held at the Donald Eichhorn Middle School Pawling Athletic Complex.  The public in encouraged to attend and participate.  (Ali Stevens)

McClure man injured in Snyder County crash

BEAVER SPRINGS – A McClure man was injured in a crash Thursday morning on Creek Road in Beaver Township, Snyder County.  State police say 24-year-old Casey Wagner was heading east on Creek Road near Covered Bridge Road around 4:30 a.m. when he fell asleep at the wheel.  Wagner struck a tree stump with the vehicle, which sent the car airborne into another tree.  Wagner was treated at the scene for cuts and scratches.  He was charged with careless driving.  (Ali Stevens)

Big projects unveiled in Milton

MILTON -- The Improved Milton Experience Wednesday night unveiled to borough council, the next phase of their downtown streetscape improvement plan. Placement of most downtown utility lines underground is part of it as are lighting improvements and the planting of new trees.

TIME's George Venios says improving the look of the borough has been at the top of his group's objectives since it began six years ago. Venios says portions of the work on Broadway could cost close to $300,000, and a capital campaign will be unveiled in September to cover most of it locally.

The Front Street portion of the work will likely cost more than a million dollars, and require state funding. Venios hopes more state money will be available by 2016, when they hope the final phase of the work could begin. (Matt Farrand)

Woman driving bus erratically going to court

MOUNT CARMEL -- The Coal Township bus driver seen driving her bus erratically last month in Kulpmont has waived her right to a preliminary hearing. 37-year-old Melissa Tehansky is being charged on many counts including endangering the welfare of children, possession of misbranded drugs, driving under the influence and numerous traffic violations. The case now goes to Northumberland County court and she faces trial.

After finishing her bus route for the Mount Carmel Area School District May 19th, she was seen swerving on Route 61, running a red light a striking a street sign. She was found to have taken three types of prescription drugs, and illegally possessed four types of the drugs. Tehansky will appear in court later this summer. (Sara Bartlett

Idol winner involved in 94KX fundraising

UNDATED – A popular American Idol contestant is having a busy week in Washington D.C. with the Children’s Miracle Network—and took time to talk to 94KX. David Archuleta kicked off his singing career at the young age of 12 when he became Junior Vocal Champion on the television program Star Search 2. Then he finished as the runner up to David Cook in the seventh season of American Idol.

However, he is taking a break from singing to spend time with some Miracle Children touring Washington D.C. with the Children’s Miracle Network. Last year’s featured Miracle Child was Josiah Viera, who is treated regularly at the Janet Weis Children’s Hospital for Progeria, a rapid aging disease. Viera also traveled to Washington and got to meet and shake hands with President Barack Obama.

Archuleta recently got involved with the national charity and he told 94KX’s Drew Kelly and Ali Stevens, he was amazed at the strength of families caring for a sick child. He says they have learned from their experience and have grown from it. Archuleta says the situation often times brings a family closer together and they appreciate life more.

Archuleta says he also has written a book and has new music on the way in July. You can hear more from David Archuleta and local miracle kids being treated at the Janet Weis Children’s Hospital in the upcoming 94KX Cares for Kids Radiothon July 30th through August 1st. More about the Radiothon at www.wqkx.com.

60 new jobs coming to Snyder County

SELINSGROVE – A modular home manufacturer will offer 60 new jobs in Snyder County. MSI Plus, a division of Durabuilt Homes will purchase the assets of Modular Structures of PA, which stopped production at its manufacturing plant in Selinsgrove in February. MSI Plus will restart the manufacturing operations as part of a $1.7-million project that will create about 60 full-time jobs in the next three years.

Charlie Ross, president and CEO of the Greater Susquehanna Valley Chamber of Commerce, said they worked with the company and the Governor’s Action Team to secure $764,000 in state funding for the project. Ross says they are grateful for the state’s leadership in this effort and on this particular project. He says job creation and creating good jobs is what it’s all about. (Ali Stevens)

Local business owners talk about the importance of downtowns

SELINSGROVE – Local business owners in downtown Selinsgrove say keeping the stores open and thriving is important to all of them. Paul Spiegel of J. Kleinbauer’s says downtown stores are different from big-box stores. He says downtown stores are unique in the sense that they provide access to services and products that are difficult to find in malls.

He says downtown stores are the heart of the district and are what brings people into the downtown area. If a store does close, Spiegel says it impacts all of them. Sherrie Bolig is owner of Sarah Kate Interiors and Sarah’s Teacup in downtown Selinsgrove and says they are having a tough time staying open. She has decided to take matters into her own hands by holding a celebrity scoop event at her creamery.

She’s hoping people will come out and have some ice cream and do what they can to keep local businesses like hers open for years to come. The upcoming fundraiser for the store will be hosted by downtown Selinsgrove.

It includes a huge sale where buyers can also be registered for free gifts such as local dinners, hotel stays and amusement park tickets. There will also be a fundraising lunch at Sarah's Tea Cup and a special 'celebrity scoop ' event at Kate's Kreamery. The fundraiser takes place June 17th, 18th and 19th, and all are invited. (Ali Stevens)

Reintroduction of eels to the river

SUNBURY -- Soon, eels will be returned to the Susquehanna River. Officials are planning to reintroduce to the river the once popular game and food fish. Tom Deans, project coordinator for the city's Riverfront Project, says the city will pay to restock the river with eels.

According to Andy Shields, who is the Chief of Fish Production Services for the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission, eels have an important impact on the ecology of the river. They also serve as a 'taxi' for fresh water mussels, a species that can significantly improve water quality.

Shields says eels mature anywhere between six and 20 years, where they will then migrate to the ocean to mate, and then make their way back upstream. He says this is where the fish ladder, along the western shore in Shamokin Dam, will come in handy.

Shields says in the last 30 years, improvements in water quality have made towns take a closer look at how the river can boost an area. He also commends Sunbury and surrounding communities for reattaching themselves to the Susquehanna through the Riverfront Project.

Atlas man to face preliminary hearing next week

MOUNT CARMEL -- An Atlas man, who fled police after assaulting a woman in April, will have a preliminary hearing in Northumberland County next week. The News Item reports 46-year-old Arthur Mickel faces numerous charges including aggravated assault, reckless endangerment and flight to avoid apprehension.

Mickel is accused in the April 14th incident after pushing a woman to the ground in a convenience store parking lot. He then fled the scene in a vehicle, which he later crashed on Route 54, before fleeing on foot. Police tracked him down two days later after jumping out of a window in a house where he was hiding and breaking both ankles. Mickel is being held in York County Prison.

Two others involved in the incident, 25-year-old Becky Donner and 42-year-old John Gilbert, both of Atlas, will be arraigned next week. Donner is free on bail and faces charges of attempt to commit assault and making false reports to police. Gilbert is in prison on $150,000 bail and faces charges of conspiracy to commit assault and resisting arrest.

Portion of Mile Hill Road outside Sunbury will be closed next week

SUNBURY – A portion of Mile Hill Road outside of Sunbury will be shut down for construction on Wednesday of next week. PennDOT says the road will be closed in Upper Augusta Township for replacement of a cross pipe from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. The detour will use Reagan Street to Fourth Street to Mile Post Road and Mount Pleasant Road. The cross pipe being replaced is to improve drainage just north of the Sunbury Armory, between Mountain Trail Road and Tower Road. (Ali Stevens)

Latest Pennsylvania news, sports, business and entertainment

HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) - The number of Pennsylvania homes entering the foreclosure process over the past 12 months rose by more than 20 percent, despite a national rate that stayed flat over the same period. New figures out Thursday from foreclosure listing firm RealtyTrac Inc. showed almost 5,300 Pennsylvania homes received at least one foreclosure filing in May.  That's a slight drop from April, about the same percentage decrease nationally over the same period. Nearly 1,600 of those properties in Pennsylvania were seized.  Pennsylvania's foreclosure rate in May was two-fifths the national rate, with approximately one in every 1,000 homes receiving a foreclosure filing last month. A year ago, the state's foreclosure rate was one-third the national rate, a sign that Pennsylvania's situation worsened while the nation's foreclosure crisis appeared to level off.

HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) - State officials have hired a Texas-based petroleum engineer to perform an independent investigation of last week's natural gas well blowout.  John Vittitow was to arrive at the site Thursday.  Department of Environmental Protection spokesman Neil Weaver says Vittitow will inspect equipment, interview rig workers and more before he provides a final report to the agency.  No one was hurt in the accident at a well on the grounds of a Clearfield County hunting club, but DEP officials say the accident was potentially a very dangerous situation.  The well owner, Houston-based EOG Resources, is temporarily barred from well-construction activity while the investigation continues.

HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) - New leaders are taking over at three of Pennsylvania's state-owned universities this summer.  The State System of Higher Education board on Thursday approved the hiring of Karen Whitney as the next president of Clarion University.  Whitney is a former vice chancellor at Indiana University-Purdue University in Indianapolis.  Two interim presidents also have been selected: David Werner at Indiana University of Pennsylvania and Barbara Dixon at Lock Haven University.  The board also extended the contracts of presidents at the other 11 state-owned universities through June 2013.  Those schools are Bloomsburg, California, Cheyney, East Stroudsburg, Edinboro, Kutztown, Mansfield, Millersville, Shippensburg, Slippery Rock and West Chester.

PUNXSUTAWNEY, Pa. (AP) - A Baptist church and a Presbyterian congregation in western Pennsylvania will share a pastor, and facilities, this summer while the Presbyterian congregation searches for a new minister.  The Presbyterian Church of Punxsutawney and First Baptist Church are just down the street from one another, about 65 miles northeast of Pittsburgh.  The Rev. Kent Holmes is leaving the Presbyterian church, but has invited First Baptist's pastor, the Rev. Mary Lewis, to fill its pulpit.  Lewis will preside at services in both churches on alternating weeks, and their congregations will worship together until the Presbyterian church decides how to replace Holmes.  The churches will also share events like picnics this summer.

PITTSBURGH (AP) - Student volunteers and others will be on hand when contractors at the Pittsburgh Penguins' new hockey arena test its plumbing and sewage system with a simultaneous flush of the building's 400 urinals and toilets.  The test flush at the Consol Energy Center is set for 4 p.m. Thursday.  A concert by Paul McCartney on Aug. 18 is scheduled to be the first event at the new $325 million arena.  The Penguins have played in the former Civic Arena, now Mellon Arena, since coming into the National Hockey League in 1967. That arena opened in 1961.

PHILADELPHIA (AP) - Philadelphia fans are stunned after the Flyers came up short in overtime in their bid to end a 35-year Stanley Cup title drought. The Chicago Blackhawks defeated the Flyers 4-3 in OT at the Wachovia Center in Philadelphia on Wednesday night to win the Stanley Cup in six games. Forty-six-year-old Media resident Tom DiBiase says the Flyers went much further than they were expected to this year. But he says that makes it even more painful to watch them come up just short. Twenty-nine-year-old Vincent Prestileo of Aston says the end was especially awful because "It took replay to know you lost." Dejected fans are now left waiting for next year. The Flyers faithful had hoped their team had enough rallies left in them to upset the favored Blackhawks for Philadelphia's first Stanley Cup since 1975.

MILLEDGEVILLE, Ga. (AP) - The college student who accused Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger of sexually assaulting her said she didn't try to fight him off because he appeared earlier in the night to have a short temper. In her second interview with police on March 5, about 12 hours after she said the assault took place, the woman says that she figured resisting wouldn't help. She says: "I didn't want, obviously, him to hurt me any more than he was going to." The accuser's interview is among more than 50 audio and video recordings released yesterday by Georgia authorities. The woman said the quarterback sexually assaulted her during a late night of partying in Milledgeville. Prosecutors determined there wasn't enough evidence to warrant criminal charges after the investigation concluded. The quarterback received a six-game suspension from the NFL for his behavior. Roethlisberger's attorney has denied he did anything wrong.

HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) - State officials are ordering a contractor on the natural gas well that blew out last week to stop some of its work in Pennsylvania, hand over equipment records and provide access to employees. Pennsylvania Environmental Protection Secretary John Hanger says his agency needs to fully investigate the equipment used by the company to ensure other sites are not in similar danger. The company, C.C. Forbes, is a division of Forbes Energy Services of Alice, Texas. It was hired by the well owner, EOG Resources, to provide post-hydraulic fracturing services at the well on the grounds of a Clearfield County hunting club. The DEP wants to interview employees who were working at the site or are familiar with the equipment used. No one was hurt in the accident.

HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) - Pennsylvania Gov. Ed Rendell says he wants to know more about what's behind a pattern of rate increases by health insurance companies and suggests the companies are padding revenues before federal health reforms are fully implemented. Rendell says the Insurance Department is investigating the state's nine largest health insurers over the use of what he calls "questionable health profiling tools." Rendell says some small businesses are being hit with 50 percent increases. A spokesman for the Pennsylvania Insurance Federation, an industry group, says the use of so-called medical underwriting techniques to set rates in the marketplace for smaller customers isn't new.

HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) - Democratic Gov. Ed Rendell and three of his Republican predecessors are speaking out in favor of replacing statewide elections for Pennsylvania's top judges with an appointment process. Rendell was joined by Mark Schweiker and fellow former Govs. Tom Ridge and Dick Thornburgh participated by telephone at a news conference yesterday to release a new poll on the issue. They are urging lawmakers to act on a proposed constitutional amendment that requires voter approval. The poll commissioned by Pennsylvanians for Modern Courts shows a majority of voters believe they should be allowed to vote on the proposal, and a smaller majority favors the appointment of appellate judges. But it also revealed that nearly half of the voters don't know whether the state's appellate judges are appointed or elected.

OLYMPIA, Wash. (AP) - Pennsylvania Gov. Ed Rendell, three Democratic counterparts from other states, and a national economist are urging Congress to approve a $24 billion Medicaid bailout for state governments. Without the extra money, they say cash-strapped states will make deep budget cuts. That could lead to thousands of layoffs, just as the economy moves toward recovery. In a briefing yesterday, Rendell and the governors of Washington, Kansas and Wisconsin said it's critical for Congress to approve the money soon. Republicans and Democrats alike in roughly 30 states have counted on higher federal Medicaid payments for their upcoming year's budgets. But deficit worries have kept the bailout cash stuck in Congress.

HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) - Some state lawmakers want to allow games of chance to be played in bars to raise money for the cash-strapped state and charities. Philadelphia Democrat Vince Hughes says the extra money could save some state programs from being cut amid a $1.2 billion shortfall this year. A bill sponsored by Republican Sen. Edwin Erickson of Delaware County would divert some of the money raised to local charities. Bar owners support it as a boost to their bottom lines. The games are already allowed in nonprofit clubs, volunteer firehouses and churches, and the bill would raise their weekly prize limits to $20,000 from $5,000. Gov. Ed Rendell says he is concerned that adding more games of chance could hurt the lottery revenue that funds programs for senior citizens.

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

Updates on the latest in business:

Dow: 10,172.60, up 273.35

S&P 500: 1,086.82, up 31.13

NASDAQ: 2,218.71, up 59.86

NEW YORK (AP) - Volatility is still in place, only today it is pushing stocks higher. The Dow has risen about 200 points at midday.

WASHINGTON (AP) - The budget deficit through the first eight months of the government's budget year is running slightly below last year's record-setting pace. The Treasury Department says the May deficit was nearly $136 billion, down 28 percent from May 2009.

WASHINGTON (AP) - Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner is hearing complaints from lawmakers who say the administration has failed to take a tougher stance on Chinese trade issues. Both Democrats and Republicans on the Senate Finance Committee warned Geithner that Congress' patience is wearing thin.

WASHINGTON (AP) - Congressional leaders are raising the pressure on BP to fully compensate economic victims of the Gulf spill. Meanwhile, President Barack Obama has offered condolences to relatives of the 11 rig workers killed in the April 20 explosion.

WASHINGTON (AP) - Federal regulators have put new rules in place aimed at preventing a repeat of last month's "flash crash" in the stock market. The Securities and Exchange Commission approved the rules, which call for U.S. stock exchanges to briefly halt trading of some stocks that make big swings.

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

Pennsylvania Lottery Number

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

 Mega Millions

     Estimated jackpot: $36 million

 Midday Big 4

     3-6-2-0

Midday Number

     1-3-7

Midday Quinto

     0-4-8-9-4

Powerball

     Estimated jackpot: $44 million

 Treasure Hunt

     01-10-13-20-23

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

Big 4

4-4-9-9

Cash 5

02-05-09-10-37

Daily Number

1-8-1

Evening Quinto

5-0-5-6-7

Midday Big 4

7-8-2-5

Midday Number

5-1-2

Midday Quinto

6-5-1-9-5

Powerball

14-22-27-32-49, Powerball: 5, Power Play: 4

Treasure Hunt

04-10-18-21-22

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

People and Entertainment News

USC hit hard by NCAA sanctions

LOS ANGELES (AP) - Southern California has received a two-year bowl ban and a sharp loss of football scholarships in a report on the NCAA's four-year investigation of the school.  The NCAA cited USC for a lack of institutional control Thursday in its long-awaited report, which detailed numerous violations primarily involving Heisman Trophy-winning tailback Reggie Bush and men's basketball player O.J. Mayo.  The NCAA found that Bush, identified as a "former football student-athlete," was ineligible beginning at least by December 2004 and through Bush's Heisman-winning 2005 season, which ended with the Trojans' loss to Texas in the 2006 Rose Bowl.  USC will lose 10 football scholarships annually from 2011-13. The Trojans also received four years of probation.

Shawn Johnson stalker trial

LOS ANGELES (AP) -- The only time Shawn Johnson lost her composure on the witness stand was when a  prosecutor showed her a knife found in the car of the man accused of stalking her.  Johnson's voice cracked. She testified that to hear Robert O'Ryan was obsessed with her and wanted to marry her made her "really scared." O'Ryan allegedly tried to break into the studio where Johnson was competing in "Dancing With the Stars." She says she considered quitting, but stayed on the show. She ended up winning. Prosecutors say O'Ryan had a handgun, shotgun and bulletproof vest in his car when he was caught. He's pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity.

CoCa tea drug test

NEW YORK (AP) - It's not me -- it's the tea. That's what a former New York City police officer claims. Alvaro Casado is suing the NYPD. He says he was unfairly fired for failing a drug test after drinking a cup of mate de coca. It's a tea made from the cocaine-producing coca plant. His girlfriend's mother served it to him. Casado, who's also in the Air National Guard, says the guard cleared him on the tea issue.

Split court upholds ban on 10 Commandments displays

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) - A federal appeals court has upheld a ban

on including the Ten Commandments in a display that featured other

historic documents at two Kentucky courthouses.

The 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled 2-1 that the

permanent injunction barring McCreary and Pulaski counties from

posting the display can remain in place.

Along with the Ten Commandments, the displays, called the

"Foundations of American Law and Government," included the Bill

of Rights, the Magna Carta and the Star Spangled Banner.

The decision turned on whether the religious intent for

displaying the Ten Commandments was "purged" by surrounding them

with documents more historical in nature.

Mathew Staver of Liberty Counsel, which represented the

counties, plans to ask for a rehearing before the full 6th Circuit

and, if that's not granted, to ask the U.S. Supreme Court to hear

the case.

Empire State Building: No lights for Mother Teresa

NEW YORK (AP) - The Empire State Building's owner says he won't

light the landmark skyscraper for Mother Teresa because of a policy

against honoring individual religious figures.

Anthony Malkin's statement comes amid an uproar over the

decision not to illuminate the building in blue and white lights in

August on what would have been the late Nobel Prize winner's 100th

birthday.

A lay group, the Catholic League, made the request and was

denied. The league says individual religious figures have, in fact,

received the honor. It says the building's lights were illuminated

after Cardinal John O'Connor died in 2000 and extinguished after

Pope John Paul II died in 2005.

Some members of New York's City Council planned to discuss what

they called a snub of the revered nun who worked for the poor and

the sick.

MCGRUFF ROUGHED UP

WASHINGTON (AP) - McGruff gets roughed up -- and a

Washington-area bus driver gets his job back. A Metro bus driver

was fired after he pulled his bus over in February of 2009 and

slugged McGruff the Crime Dog. An off-duty police officer was

wearing the McGruff costume. The bus driver was convicted of simple

assault. But his union took the firing to arbitration. Now, an

arbitrator has ruled the driver should get his job back. The man is

expected to be behind the wheel of a Metrobus later this month.

911 CALL-HUSBAND WANTED

ALLIANCE, Ohio (AP) - Looking for a hubby is no emergency.

Audrey Scott spent three days in the slammer for calling 911 in

search of a husband. Authorities in Alliance, Ohio, report the

57-year-old Scott called 911 five times in her husband hunt. A

dispatcher warned she could be busted and Scott responded, "Let's

do it." Scott was convicted last week of improper use of the 911

system. She was sentenced to three days in jail, which she had

already served. Seven more days were suspended if she stays out of

trouble for a year. Scott blamed drinking for her 911 spouse

search.

Kids-Flight Mix-up

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) - Delta Air Lines blames a paperwork mix-up for

sending two children to wrong destinations.

Delta says the children were connecting through Minneapolis-St.

Paul International Airport on Tuesday as part of the airline's

unaccompanied minor program.

Because of a "paperwork swap," Delta says a boy ended up in

Cleveland instead of Boston while a girl was sent to Boston instead

of Cleveland.

Delta says the children were under airline supervision at all

times. Company spokesman Paul Skrbec calls the

situation "exceedingly rare, and we take it very seriously."

Delta says it has apologized to the families, sent the children

to their final destinations at no cost, arranged full refunds for

the children's tickets and provided credits to the families for

future travel.

AT&T security hole exposes iPad users' e-mails

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) - AT&T Inc. has acknowledged a security weak

spot that exposed the e-mail addresses of apparently more than

100,000 users of Apple iPad.

The breach could make those people vulnerable to

precision-targeted hacking attacks.

The vulnerability, which AT&T says it has fixed, only affected

iPad users who signed up for AT&T's "3G" wireless Internet

service.

It involved an insecure way that AT&T's website would prompt

iPad users when they tried to log into their AT&T accounts.

The hacker group that claims to have discovered the weakness -

the group calls itself Goatse Security - said it was able to trick

AT&T's site into coughing up more than 114,000 e-mail addresses,

including those apparently of famous media personalities and

important government officials.

New climate chief: 'no choice' but to take action

BONN, Germany (AP) - The new U.N. climate chief says nations

have no choice but to join forces to stop global warming, even

after her predecessor said he doubts sufficient climate goals will

be set by 2020.

Christiana Figueres was appointed last month to replace Yvo de

Boer as head of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate

Change. On Monday, de Boer said the U.N.'s negotiation process was

unlikely to deliver "adequate mitigation targets in the next

decade."

Still, Figueres told reporters at a U.N. climate conference

Wednesday "there is no other option" but to meet the challenge of

cutting greenhouse gas emissions enough to prevent drastic climate

change.

She says the Copenhagen climate summit had some positive results

even if it was "full of errors from which we can learn."