Friday, June 18, 2010
Northumberland woman arrested for filing false home invasion report
NORTHUMBERLAND -- A late-May home invasion and assault in Northumberland Borough is now being called a hoax. Northumberland Police say 25-year-old Melissa Carl will now face charges for filing false reports with law enforcement authorities.
Carl claimed a man entered her Water Street home, chased her into a computer room and assaulted her May 27th. She also claimed her hands and feet were bound with tape when she regained consciousness, and that she was discovered by her husband.
Police say Carl changed her story several times. Carl was released on $5,000 unsecured bail. There is a preliminary hearing planned for July 14th before District Justice Robert Bolton. (Matt Farrand)
Weis says recalled SpaghettiO's pulled from shelves
SUNBURY -- Weis Markets is offering refunds with proof of purchase for recalled Campbell's SpaghettiO's products. they include 14.75 ounce cans of SpaghettiO's with meatballs, 14.75 ounce cans of SpaghettiO's A-Z with meatballs, and 14.75 ounce cans of SpaghettiO's Fun Shapes (CARS) with meatballs.
Weis has pulled the products from their shelves, as directed by the Class I national recall for the products. They've also issued stop scan orders for their stores. Undercooked meatballs are reportedly the problem that led to the recall. (Matt Farrand)
Police say family dispute led to hostage taking
MIDDLEBURG – More details are being released about a standoff with police that led to the death of one man. State police say 45-year-old Kayre Gene Snyder of Middleburg was shot and killed by a police sniper early this morning at a home on Strawberry Lane off of Smalsh Barrack Road in Middlecreek Township. Snyder County District Attorney Michael Piecuch says Snyder was not shot until multiple efforts were made to get Snyder to surrender. Snyder also refused to release three hostages he was holding a gunpoint inside the home. The standoff lasted about 15 hours, starting around 3 p.m. on Thursday.
State police say a domestic dispute prompted the incident. Snyder was apparently traveling with his father in a vehicle on Route 522 near Miller Road around 2:30 p.m. when Snyder pulled a handgun and a struggle ensued. The gun discharged, but Snyder’s father was not injured. Troopers say the father was able to escape and Snyder then took the vehicle to Strawberry Lane and held three people in the home hostage. The hostages have not been identified. (Ali Stevens)
Fire damages Columbia County garage
BLOOMSBURG -- An electrical fire did some damage to a garage in Franklin Township, Columbia County. Occupants are safely out of the structure on Orchard Drive. The power to the building has also been cut, after the 2:40 p.m. report of a structure fire. (Matt Farrand)
Outgoing superintendent talks about Keystone Exams, No Child Left Behind
SELINSGROVE – The outgoing superintendent in the Selinsgrove School District gave some final thoughts about education on a recent Leaders & Lawmakers interview on WKOK. Dr. Johnson is pleased with the Keystone Exams taking over for the PSSA Exams, since the tests are given when students finish learning a subject, instead of only testing students in certain grades.
Dr. Johnson also talked about the federal No Child Left Behind Act. He says no one can argue with the general rhetoric of No Child Left Behind, but he says the “devil” is in the details. Dr. Johnson says the remedies they have suggested for improving school districts have not been successful and there are a lot of problems and Johnson believes the law needs to go back to its roots and is terrible federal interference with state regulations. You can hear more from Dr. Johnson on a number of topics on our Leaders & Lawmakers program online at www.wkok.com. (Ali Stevens)
Taxes to rise more than 3 mills in the Shikellamy School District
SUNBURY – Property taxes will rise by 3.5 mills in the Shikellamy School District, which equals $3.50 per $1,000 of assessed property value. By a 5 to 4 vote Thursday night, the board approved a $39.2-million budget for the 2010-2011 school year. Also, the tax levy resolution to support the budget, which is up $2-million from the last school year, was passed by a narrow margin. Interim Superintendent James Hartman says the tax resolution sets the level of taxation for a range of taxes that the district imposes. Hartman says the budget approval is premised on approving the tax resolution to provide the money to fund the budget.
Hartman says if you’re not going to vote for the tax resolution, you shouldn’t vote for the budget because the two are companioned. The increase for the median home owner equates to about $65.00. (Ali Stevens)
State police investigate a robbery near Sunbury
SUNBURY – State police are investigating a robbery from early this morning that took place at the A-Plus Sunoco on Route 890 outside Sunbury. Troopers tell us just after 2 a.m. a man used a large size kitchen style knife to hold up the store and got away with an undetermined amount of cash.
The man is described as being in his fifties with graying facial hair. He was wearing jean shorts and a Woodlands Camo jacket with the hood pulled tightly around his face. The man was described as being of average weight and height.
An older model light blue Chevrolet pick-up truck was seen circling the business just prior to the robbery, although it’s not known if this is related to the robbery. Sunbury, Northumberland and Point Township police assisted state police. (Ali Stevens)
Police standoff is over in Snyder County--one man dead
MIDDLEBURG – More details are being released about a standoff with police that led to the death of one man. State police say 45-year-old Kayre Snyder of Middleburg was shot and killed by a police sniper early this morning at a home on Strawberry Lane off of Smalsh Barrack Road in Middlecreek Township. Snyder County District Attorney Michael Piecuch says Snyder was not shot until multiple efforts were made to get Snyder to surrender. Snyder also refused to release three hostages he was holding at gunpoint inside the home. The standoff lasted about 15 hours, starting around 3 p.m. on Thursday.
State police say a domestic dispute prompted the incident. Snyder was apparently traveling with his father in a vehicle on Route 522 near Miller Road around 2:30 p.m. when Snyder pulled a handgun and a struggle ensued. The gun discharged, but Snyder’s father was not injured. Troopers say the father was able to escape and Snyder then took the vehicle to Strawberry Lane and held three people in the home hostage. The hostages have not been identified. (Ali Stevens)
Neighbor says standoff unlike anything else seen in area
MIDDLEBURG – With no resolution, and little information provided by officials, there was plenty of room for guessing about a standoff that was in its tenth hour by late Thursday night. Some believed the armed suspect had psychiatric trouble and had taken his parents hostage.
Water and supplies were delivered by Snyder County EMS to fire police and others on-hand. Smalsh Barrack Road at East Ridge Road in Middlecreek Township was blocked off, but lit by flares and lights from emergency vehicles.
Neighbor 74-year-old Donald Dunkelberger said he thought he’d seen the suspect from time to time, but admittedly did not know him. The man who lived in an 1845 family farmhouse said he returned from a visit to a local hospital to find emergency vehicles and personnel scattered about the area, about one-half a mile from the purported sight of the standoff.
Dunkelberger said there had never been any trouble of this sort in the immediate area for as long as he could remember. Local residents within the area that was secured by state police were allowed to walk to their homes by about 11:30 p.m. (Matt Farrand)
Separate crashes at senior living complex, busy intersection
DANVILLE -- A motorist said to be in her 90's drove her vehicle into a structure at Nottingham Village near Northumberland Borough Thursday afternoon. Point Township Police say both the driver and her passenger were residents of the complex.
One was taken to Sunbury Community Hospital and the other was taken to Geisinger Medical Center with injuries following the 4:20 p.m. crash. Police believe the driver's foot may have slipped off the brake pedal, but their investigation continues.
Crews also had to direct traffic around a crash site at a busy intersection in Montour County. At least two vehicles were involved at Route 11 and Woodbine Lane, Mahoning Township at about 2:10 p.m. Several people were reportedly injured and were transported to Geisinger Medical Center. (Matt Farrand)
Legislation would allow commissioners to determine DA status
HARRISBURG – The Senate Local Government Committee has approved legislation that would allow county commissioners in small counties, including Montour County, to determine full-time status of the county District Attorney. The legislation now moves to the full Senate for consideration. Senator John Gordner (R-27th, Berwick) says the bill would allow commissioners in eighth class counties to decide if their District Attorney should work part-time, instead of full-time.
In 2005, the General Assembly passed legislation that required D-A’s to work full-time, with the state paying 65 percent of their salary. However, the state has failed to pay counties that salary, leaving smaller counties such as Montour County, financially strapped. On June 11th, counties received partial payment of just under $50,000 to reimburse counties for expenses in 2008, however 2009 and 2010 have not been paid. (Ali Stevens)
$500,000 grant awarded to Milton Public Library
MILTON -- Milton's public library move, from the downtown to their new Rose Hill site, is now a multi-million dollar project. A new $500,000 state grant was announced today. State Senator John Gordner (R-27th, Berwick) explains why Milton has received funds despite the cuts in the state budget.
He said there are funds in the budget for projects like this but it is very limited and extremely competitive. However, this project was able to receive the grants because of the broad community and municipal support, which is what helped them receive the grants. Gordner says that he expects for the community to be fully enjoying the new public library by 2011. (Stephanie Klock)
Softball tournament to attract 950 young athletes
SUNBURY – The Amateur Softball Association of Pennsylvania will be hosting the annual Girl’s Fast Pitch Hall of Fame Tournament in Sunbury this weekend, with more than 960 girls competing. Some games are being played at the David Persing Recreation Complex on North Fourth Street and one of the organizer’s, Kathaleen Persing says the tournament will bring plenty of people to the city, with thousands expected to visit local restaurants, hotels and attractions in the area.
Persing says some games will also be played in Point Township, Lewisburg and Danville. Teams have entered from across Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Maryland. Local teams participating include Sunbury, Selinsgrove, Beaver Springs, Danville, Williamsport, Shamokin and Elysburg. The tournament is a three-day event, Friday, Saturday and Sunday and residents are encouraged to stop by the Recreation Complex in Sunbury to enjoy a day of softball. (Ali Stevens)
Latest Pennsylvania news, sports, business and entertainment
HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) - An FBI official says agents have executed search warrants at the home and district office of a top Pennsylvania state senator. FBI spokesman Frank Burton Jr. said Friday that the agents are investigating allegations of illegal activity by Senate Minority Leader Bob Mellow. Burton says the investigation is a joint operation between the IRS and the FBI. He says the agents arrived in the morning at Mellow's Scranton-area home and office, but Burton wouldn't say what they were seeking or discuss the allegations. Messages left for Mellow and his staff were not immediately returned. Mellow is the state Senate's longest-serving member and is retiring at the end of this year.
HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) - Former Pennsylvania lawmaker Mike Veon will spend at least six years in prison for his role in a scheme to use taxpayer-funded resources for campaign purposes. Dauphin County Court Judge Richard Lewis on Friday sentenced the former state House Democratic whip to six to 14 years for taking part in the legislative bonus scheme dubbed "Bonusgate." Lewis ordered Veon immediately incarcerated. The former Beaver County lawmaker was also ordered to pay $37,000 in fines and $100,000 in restitution. Veon was convicted in March of 14 counts of theft, conspiracy and conflict of interest, mostly involving the use of public resources for campaigning and other purposes. Earlier, ex-Veon aide Annamarie Perretta-Rosepink was sentenced to three to six months in prison. Attorneys for Veon and Perretta-Rosepink plan to appeal the sentences.
HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) - State wildlife officials say the Susquehanna River island known for a 1979 nuclear accident is now the only known site in Pennsylvania where bald eagles, peregrine falcons and osprey are nesting near each other. The Pennsylvania Game Commission said Friday that a pair of bald eagles joined the others on Three Mile Island when they built a nest in the spring. Peregrine falcons are considered endangered in Pennsylvania, while bald eagles and the osprey are considered threatened. Exelon, the owner of the island's nuclear power plant, says the falcons are nesting on the reactor building, the ospreys are atop a meteorological tower and the eagles are in a tree. The 1979 partial meltdown of a Three Mile Island reactor released a small amount of radiation but caused no serious injuries.
HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) - Pennsylvania employers continued to add jobs in May for the third consecutive month, although the state's unemployment rate remains at its highest rate in more than a quarter-century. The state Labor and Industry Department says many of the 19,500 jobs added in May were by the government, including temporary hiring by the U.S. Census Bureau. Nonfarm jobs jumped to above a seasonally adjusted level of 5.62 million. However, Pennsylvania's unemployment rate rose to 9.1 percent from 9 percent, the highest mark in 26 years, as more people work more than one job to make ends meet. The national unemployment rate was 9.7 percent in May.
HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) - Republican gubernatorial nominee Tom Corbett's campaign has three times as much money in the bank as his Democratic foe, Dan Onorato. According to campaign finance reports filed yesterday, Onorato had $1.1 million on hand as of June 7, while Corbett had $3.4 million. Onorato won a four-way race for the Democratic nomination last month, while Corbett easily beat back a single opponent. Onorato is the Allegheny County executive. He raised $1.6 million and spent $1.7 million during the month surrounding the May 18 primary. Corbett is the state attorney general. He raised $1.4 million and spent $1.8 million.
ALTOONA, Pa. (AP) - A retired television executive will be on the November general election ballot to challenge central Pennsylvania Rep. Bill Shuster after waging a successful write-in campaign. The Pennsylvania Department of State says 71-year-old Tom Conners of Altoona received 2,023 votes in the May 18 Democratic primary. Conners needed at least 1,000 write-in votes and a plurality of the votes cast to qualify. First elected in 2001, Shuster ran unopposed in the May Republican primary. He also received nearly 1,300 Democratic write-in votes in the GOP-leaning 9th Congressional District.
HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) - The Rendell administration is celebrating a key approval of its strategy for protecting Pennsylvania's rivers and household water from a rapid expansion of natural gas drilling. A state regulatory board voted 4-1 yesterday in favor of proposed new standards to deal with polluted drilling wastewater. The rule is designed to take effect Jan. 1, but that could be delayed by the Legislature. State environmental officials say too much of the pollutants can kill fish and leave a salty taste in drinking water drawn from rivers. Sewage treatment plants that discharge into rivers aren't equipped to remove the sulfates and chlorides in the brine enough to comply with the proposed rule. The rule would put pressure on drillers to find alternative methods to treat and dispose of the wastewater.
HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) - The Rendell administration is celebrating a key approval of its strategy for protecting Pennsylvania's rivers and household water from a rapid expansion of natural gas drilling. A state regulatory board voted 4-1 on Thursday in favor of proposed new standards to deal with polluted drilling wastewater. The rule is designed to take effect Jan. 1, but that could be delayed by the Legislature. State environmental officials say too much of the pollutants can kill fish and leave a salty taste in drinking water drawn from rivers. Sewage treatment plants that discharge into rivers aren't equipped to remove the sulfates and chlorides in the brine enough to comply with the proposed rule. The rule would put pressure on drillers to find alternative methods to treat and dispose of the wastewater.
Update on the latest in business:
Dow: + 16.47 (10,450.64)
S&P 500: + 1.47 (1,117.51)
NASDAQ: + 2.64 (2,309.80)
iPad coming to church altars with daily missal app
ROME (AP) - An Italian priest has developed an iPad application that will let priests celebrate Mass with an iPad on the altar instead of the regular Roman missal. The Rev. Paolo Padrini, a consultant with the Vatican's Pontifical Council for Social Communications, said Friday that the
free application will be launched in July in English, French, Spanish, Italian and Latin. Two years ago, Padrini developed the iBreviary, an application that brought the book of daily prayers used by priests onto iPhones. He said the iPad application is similar but also contains the complete missal - containing all that is said and sung during Mass throughout the liturgical year. Pope Benedict XVI has sought to reach out to young people through new media.
Pennsylvania Lottery Numbers:
HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) - These Pennsylvania lotteries were drawn Friday:
Midday Big 4
8-3-3-6
Midday Number
2-5-3
Midday Quinto
4-9-7-9-3
Treasure Hunt
03-06-16-21-29
(Copyright 2010 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
Elton John rocks Israel after other artists cancel
TEL AVIV, Israel (AP) - A concert by Elton John has given Israelis a boost after a string of cancellations by other world-famous artists. The British rocker performed late Thursday in front of a screaming crowd of nearly 50,000 fans at a Tel Aviv stadium. John, who wore blue-tinted sunglasses, told the audience those cancellations "ain't gonna stop me from playing here, baby." Recent cancellations by the Pixies and Elvis Costello, who cited Israeli government policies, have added to Israel's growing sense of isolation. John swiped at those artists, saying, "We do not cherry-pick our consciences," before hitting the opening chords of his 1972 hit "Crocodile Rock."
MTV to go easy on 'guidos' in new 'Jersey Shore'?
SEASIDE HEIGHTS, N.J. (AP) - The head of an Italian-American group says the producers of MTV's "Jersey Shore" reality show plan to go easier on Italian references in its second season. UNICO national president Andre DiMino says he met with officials of MTV parent company Viacom and they promised to cut down on shots of the Italian flag and use of ethnic terms such as guido, which some Italian-Americans find offensive. Cast member Nicole "Snooki" Polizzi has no problem using the G-word. She says her guidos and guidettes in New Jersey miss her and she's looking forward to getting back to Seaside Heights for filming next month. The show focuses on a group of 20-something Italian-Americans at a rental house. MTV says it "made some adjustments" but won't interfere in how cast members refer to themselves.
Sopranos actor arrested for DUI in Tampa
TAMPA, Fla. (AP) - Actor Joseph Gannascoli, who appeared in the TV series "The Sopranos," has been arrested on a DUI charge in Tampa. According to jail records, Tampa police arrested 51-year-old Gannascoli early Friday morning. He has posted $500 bond and was expected to be released from Hillsborough County jail later Friday. It is unclear if he already has an attorney. Gannascoli, of East Rockaway, N.Y., played the character Vito Spatafore on the HBO drama "The Sopranos." In the series, Gannascoli's character was a mobster who was killed because he was gay.