Saturday, June 19, 2010
Motorist towed his own vehicle after late Thursday crash
LEWISBURG – Trouble for a Lewisburg man started when he crashed his pick-up truck into a utility pole last Thursday night. Then he apparently used a piece of heavy construction machinery called a ‘track hoe’ to try to tow the disabled truck home.
Now he is in trouble, state troopers say 25-year-old Michael Dinapoli failed to report the accident to police. Dinapoli's towed the vehicle about two-tenths of a mile from a field off of Crossroads Drive in Union County's Kelly Township, after striking a utility pole. He sustained a minor injury in the crash. Dinapoli will be charged after the 11:30 p.m. accident on Thursday night. (Matt Farrand)
Troopers ask for help in solving power tool theft
SELINSGROVE -- State troopers say power tools were taken from a PennDOT trailer being used at a local bridge project. They are appealing to the public for help in solving the mid-May theft from the trailer at the Jackson/Penn Township line. If you have information about the incident, state troopers request a call to 374-8145. (Matt Farrand)
Why the moms of the world are the local advocates for children with autism
SUNBURY – If you hear about the prevalence of autism in the world, you are likely to also hear from one of the so-called ‘mother warriors’ who are leading the fight for additional rights and better treatment of children with autism. Dave Alunni is a licensed clinical social worker with over two decades experience. He says at Community Care Behavior Health, has seen these moms get more active, advocating for their children.
He said for families of a child with a diagnosis on the autism spectrum disorder, sometimes the child serving agencies can become very confusing and women who ‘learn the ropes’ end up become the advocates for other families.
The mother warriors in our region include Susan Colon of Lewisburg and Kathleen Dunkelberger of the Sunbury area. Those are women who became family with the human service community in our region, then connect the families with the right agencies, organizations or individuals.
You can hear Roundtable (Sunday) on Eagle 107 (107.3FM) at 6a.m., 100.9 (100.9FM), The Valley, at 6a.m., Newsradio 1070 WKOK (1070AM) at 9a.m., Talkradio 1380 WMLP (1380AM), 11a.m., 94KX WQKX (94.1FM) at 11p.m., and anytime, at www.wkok.com
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.
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)
Latest Pennsylvania news, sports, business and entertainment
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) - 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 the Democrat's Scranton-area home and office. Burton would not say what they were seeking or discuss the allegations. Mellow's spokeswoman says he is cooperating and is confident that he's done nothing wrong. Mellow is the state Senate's longest-serving member and is retiring at the end of this year.
CHARLESTON, W.Va. (AP) - The developers of a proposed power line from West Virginia to Maryland say an electricity demand study shows the project must be completed by June 1, 2015. Development of the Potomac-Appalachian Transmission Highline has been on hold as the utilities building the 275-mile line reassess future demand in the Mid-Atlantic region. On Friday, Allegheny Energy Inc., of Greensburg, Pa., and American Electric Power Co., of Columbus, Ohio, said the line must be operational no later than June 1, 2015.
That is based on an assessment conducted by PJM Interconnection, which manages the electrical grid system for a 13-state region. The utilities say the power line was deemed the best solution to meeting future electrical needs in the region.
BRYN MAWR, Pa. (AP) - Police are searching for two men accused of subduing two coffee shop employees with stun guns while robbing a Starbucks in an upscale Philadelphia suburb. Authorities say two masked men ambushed the employees as they were about to open up the Starbucks in Bryn Mawr around 5:15 a.m. Friday. Lower Merion Township police say the men shocked the employees with stun guns before taking off with about $800. The employees suffered superficial wounds. Police say the thieves dropped a large quantity of coins as they fled.
WASHINGTON (AP) - The Environmental Protection Agency is planning a series of public meetings to collect information on fracking, a process used to increase the flow of oil and gas from underground. Fracking, or hydraulic fracturing, uses injections of water and chemicals to break up underground shale formations so oil and gas can be more easily recovered. However, the practice has drawn criticism because of concerns it could affect supplies of drinking water. The public meetings will be held: July 8 at the Hilton Fort Worth in Fort Worth, Texas; July 13 at the Marriott Tech Center in Denver, Colo.; July 22 at the Hilton Garden Inn in Canonsburg, Pa.; Aug. 12 at Binghamton University, Binghamton, N.Y.
(Copyright 2010 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
AP BusinessMinute
NEW YORK (AP) - Stocks ended the day higher after another record high for gold lifted shares of minerals companies. The Dow rose 16 points, the Nasdaq gained 3 and the S&P was up 1. For the week, the Dow added 240 points, the Nasdaq advanced 66 and the S&P tacked on 26.
NEW YORK (AP) - Gold prices are at a record high for a second day as investors continue to question the strength of the global economic recovery. The price rose $9.60 to $1,258.30 an ounce and many analysts speculate it could top $1,300 in the months ahead.
LONDON (AP) - The chairman of BP says embattled chief executive Tony Hayward is being relieved of day-to-day responsibility for managing the Gulf of Mexico oil spill. In an interview with Britain's Sky News, chairman Carl-Henric Svanberg says Hayward is handing over daily operations to BP Managing Director Bob Dudley.
NEW YORK (AP) - Interest rates rose in the bond market today as a slightly higher stock market weakened demand for safer investments like Treasurys. The yield on the 10-year Treasury note, a widely used benchmark for mortgages and other consumer loans, rose to 3.23 percent from 3.20 percent yesterday.
WASHINGTON (AP) - The Senate today passed legislation to spare doctors a 21 percent cut in Medicare payments, but the last-ditch effort did not come in time. Moments after the Senate acted, Medicare announced it would begin processing claims it has already received for June at the lower rate, because the House cannot act on the fix until next week.
(Copyright 2010 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
Pennsylvania Lottery Numbers:
The winning numbers in Friday evening's drawing of the Pennsylvania Lottery's "Big 4" game were:
0-0-4-5
The winning numbers in Friday evening's drawing of the Pennsylvania Lottery's "Evening Quinto" game were:
6-3-4-6-4
The winning numbers in Friday evening's drawing of the Pennsylvania Lottery's "Daily Number" game were:
3-2-9
The winning numbers in Friday evening's drawing of the Pennsylvania Lottery's "Cash 5" game were:
06-07-22-29-30
(Copyright 2010 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
Korn urges artists to boycott BP with tour buses
NEW YORK (AP) - Korn's Jonathan Davis is urging artists to boycott troubled oil giant BP over the oil spill disaster in the Gulf of Mexico. In a statement issued Friday, the rock singer says he has gathered a coalition of artists, including Lady Gaga, Creed and the Backstreet Boys, and they have agreed not to use fuel sold by BP or
their affiliates on their tours this year. Tens of millions of gallons of oil have gushed into the Gulf Coast since an April explosion of an oil rig off the coast of Louisiana. Meanwhile, stars including Justin Bieber, Cameron Diaz, Lenny Kravitz, Ryan Seacrest are set to appear Monday on CNN's two-hour telethon, "Disaster in the Gulf: How You Can Help." Larry King is scheduled to host.
Official: AEG, Jackson estate to help pay LA costs
LOS ANGELES (AP) - A Los Angeles councilwoman says the estate of Michael Jackson and the entertainment company AEG have agreed to contribute $1.3 million to help the city pay for costs related to the pop star's memorial service last year at Staples Center. Councilwoman Jan Perry, who represents much of downtown,
announced the agreement Friday and says she is pleased the matter has been resolved. Critics took aim at the city for spending $3.2 million to support the July 7 memorial service at AEG's Nokia Theater and Staples Center. Jackson died of an overdose of sedatives last year. His star-studded memorial service at Staples Center brought in thousands of people to the city.
Costner's centrifuges deploy for Gulf oil cleanup
PORT FOURCHON, La. (AP) - Kevin Costner is taking Hollywood star power and some oil-separating centrifuges to the fight against the Gulf of Mexico spill. Energy giant BP PLC has ordered 32 of the centrifuges from a company co-founded by the Hollywood actor. Costner joined BP officials for an inspection Friday of a barge that will take three of the devices into the Gulf starting this weekend. Officials say skimmer vessels will pump oily water onto the barge where the centrifuges can process a total of 600,000 gallons a day, separating the gunk from water. Costner says he "didn't come to save the day" but is gratified the technology is being
deployed. Desperate crews are trying an array of tools, even shop vacs and vacuum trucks, in their quest to clean the Gulf waters.
Koppel's son died from overdose of drugs, alcohol
NEW YORK (AP) - There will be no criminal charges in the death of the son of former ABC News anchor Ted Koppel. The New York City medical examiner says Andrew Koppel's death was an accident -- an overdose of drugs and alcohol. The medical examiner says the death resulted from acute intoxication due to the combined effects of alcohol, heroin, cocaine and the generic form of the painkiller Valium. The 40-year-old Koppel had been bar-hopping on May 30 and was taken to an apartment to sleep it off. The woman who lives in the
apartment said it was four hours before anyone realized he was dead. While the younger Koppel had alcohol problems as a youth, friends and neighbors say he had turned his life around.
Twitter traffic spikes with World Cup goals
NEW YORK (AP) - When a World Cup goal is scored, Twitter celebrates. The social networking site is seeing record traffic every time a big goal is scored in the soccer tournament. Though Twitter normally sees about 750 tweets per second on an average day, there were a record 2,940 tweets per second after Japan scored against Cameroon on Monday. Nearly as much traffic was reported after Brazil's first goal against North Korea on Monday, as well as after Mexico's tying goal against South Africa on June 11. Twitter has yet to announce its numbers for Friday's U.S.-Slovenia 2-2 draw, which was likely to have also caused huge amounts of activity.
(Copyright 2010 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)