Thursday, June 24, 2010
Chief says drug bust was Valley-wide issue
HARRISBURG – The latest in a series of drug busts in the Central Susquehanna Valley took place Thursday. Sunbury Police Chief Stephen Mazzeo says this is a Valley-wide issue that needs to be addressed. He says the drug ring spanned in three counties, with offenders from different towns. Eleven people were picked up part of the cocaine bust and Mazzeo says some of the people were the higher level individuals in the drug ring.
Undercover officers purchased cocaine from 30-year-old Nicholas Rivera of Sunbury and then were able to find 50-year-old Andrea Golder of Milton, who sold the cocaine to Rivera. Golder’s source was also located and identified as 49-year-old Jorge Ortiz-Casanova of Watsontown. Mazzeo credits the Northumberland-Montour County Drug Taskforce as well as the office of the state Attorney General and numerous local and state police forces for the sweep. Others charged include:
47-year-old Josue Diaz- Malave of Sunbury
47-year-old Mary Beth Alvarez of Sunbury
33-year-old Marci Showers of Northumberland
30-year-old Christina Frederick of Lewisburg
46-year-old William Alvarez of Northumberland
52-year-old Nilsa Sullivan of Sunbury
45-year-old Derek Brown of Selinsgrove
20-year-old Michael Pena of Selinsgrove
Fight against drugs in NorCo
SUNBURY – Northumberland County Commissioner Chairman Frank Sawicki and Sheriff Chad Reiner say they are working to combat the growing problem of illegal drug sales and possession. Sheriff Chad Reiner talks about one major tool they have to fight the drug problem, which is Clark the K-9, who is able to detect a variety of drugs. Reiner gave us some statistics that Clark has achieved. He said Clark found slightly over $100,000 worth of illegal drugs and cash in 2009 and so far in 2010, Clark has found $73,000 in illegal narcotics and cash.
Sawicki says they also are working to stop the drugs from circulating in Northumberland County. They are hiring a county detective, which allows them to better police the internal workings of the county. Sawicki says the detective will also oversee any drug problems at the county prison, with prisoners bringing in contraband. You can hear more from Sawicki and Reiner on WKOK’s Leaders & Lawmakers program online at www.wkok.com. (Ali Stevens)
AG investigates NorCo sewer, water and gas misusage
SUNBURY – The state attorney general’s office is investigating the alleged misuse of sewer, water and gas from two county-leased buildings in Sunbury. Commissioner Vinny Clausi was a guest on WKOK’s On The Mark program and remained tight-lipped about the probe. He admitted the investigation is ongoing, but would not elaborate further.
Clausi originally stated that a Sunbury resident approached him more than a year ago claiming that Stan Seiple, the owner of the two Human Service buildings in Sunbury, which have been leased to the county since 2003, had been taking services from the buildings and using them for his other properties. Those services include sewer, gas and water. Seiple denied the allegations. The resident who made the accusation is a former employee of Seiple. The county business manager pulled invoices for water and sewer dating back to 2005 and claimed there were many instances of spiked usage during the summer. (Ali Stevens)
Support for Danville teen hurt in crash
DANVILLE -- The Valley rallied for a Danville high school student who remains in critical condition after a crash last week. Hundreds came to Danville High School Wednesday night to support Alex Vitunac and his family. He was a passenger in a vehicle that was hit by an SUV on Route 54 last Wednesday night. Vitunac is a basketball and football player at the high school and will be a senior this upcoming year. He was one of the many Danville football players who attended a Walk-a-Thon recently to support Seth Lauver and Alex Mullen, two Selinsgrove high school students critically hurt in a crash last month.
Another student in the vehicle, Ross Litz, remains in fair condition at Geisinger Medical Center. Two other students were treated and released, as well the driver of the SUV. (Sara Bartlett)
Danville man remains in critical condition
DANVILLE—The Danville man injured in the Tuesday morning crash on Route 11 is still in critical condition. Henry Baez’s van was broadsided by an SUV, forcing the van to hit some guide-rails and cross into oncoming traffic. Baez was rescued from the vehicle and taken to Geisinger Medical Center where he remains. The Lewisburg man, still unidentified, was taken to Geisinger, treated and released. The crash occurred around 7 AM Tuesday between School House Road and Maria Joseph Manor.
Property value errors may be widespread
HARRISBURG – The tax miscalculations could be widespread. One week ago, Milton Area School District board member Ken Johnson called for Auditor General Jack Wagner to look further into miscalculation of property values in his district. State House member Russ Fairchild (R-85th, Winfield) now not only agrees, but also believes the problem may be widespread.
Fairchild sent a letter to Auditor General Jack Wagner requesting a performance audit of the State Tax Equalization Board, even though the board apologized for the error Tuesday night. Fairchild says other districts will likely want their calculations reviewed, and the statewide deadline for school budget passage may have to be extended beyond June 30th.
STEB blames the miscalculation on computer software that initially called for property taxes in White Deer Township to increase by nearly 20%. That increase was scaled back to 2.2% after the problem was uncovered. The Warrior Run School District, Milton Area School District and Danville Area School Districts are among the districts locally, which cross county lines. (Matt Farrand)
The Valley's Quakin' I: Lab director calls Canadian quake unusual
LEWISBURG – There were no immediate reports of damage, but Central Pennsylvania residents felt the earth shake Wednesday afternoon. The tremors were part of a 5.5. magnitude earthquake centered in eastern Ontario, Canada.
Bucknell’s Brad Jordan is Lab Director for the university’s Department of Geology and in charge of the seismograph. Jordan says measurements of Wednesday’s tremor were different than the big quakes seen earlier this year in the Caribbean and South America. He says the seismograph showed a quick spike of activity, rather than the four hours of activity noticed during the greater quakes.
Jordan says since the quake was relatively mild, there’s little chance of damage through aftershocks. However, Jordan cautions that seismic events can happen anywhere on earth where two large tectonic plates are in motion. He says stress between them builds up, and is released in the form of an earthquake. (Matt Farrand)
The Valley's Quakin' I: Canada quake felt locally
SELINSGROVE -- Local residents say they felt the 5.5 magnitude earthquake that shook eastern Ontario, Canada Wednesday afternoon. Partner Karen Hackman of the Selinsgrove based Rudnitsky & Hackman law firm says it was felt on the second floor at their office near the Route 11 & 15 strip.
Hackman says the tremor rose noticeably from the ground, shook her desk, then faded away. She says it took a moment to realize what was happening, but the worst of it was over in about ten seconds.
The seismograph at Bucknell University confirmed the tremor at about 1:40 pm. The last confirmed quake in Pennsylvania was in October, 2009 when a 2.8 magnitude temblor struck an area southeast of Carlisle, near Dillsburg. Northumberland County Communications requests a call to 988-4217 to report information and damages. (Matt Farrand)
Sunbury man hired as transportation director in Northumberland County
SUNBURY -- A transportation director has been hired in Northumberland County. Lester Albright II, of Sunbury, will take over the position. Albright is a lifelong resident of Northumberland County, and most recently was the manager of the shared-ride service for Capital Area Transit in Harrisburg.
He has also worked for CAT in Elizabethville and at SUNCOM in Sunbury. Albright takes over the job for Dennis Hepler, who stepped down in February after admitting to overcharging the county's shared ride program and Area Agency on Aging by $15,000. (Sara Bartlett)
August preliminary hearings set for Bryan Wolfe
UNDATED -- Preliminary hearings in two counties have been delayed for former Northumberland Borough Council president Bryan Wolfe. The 39-year-old, accused with felony theft charges, was scheduled for preliminary hearings in Snyder and Northumberland Counties Wednesday, but both have been delayed until August.
In Snyder County, Wolfe is accused of stealing more than $178,000 from his former employer, Northway Industries. He allegedly bought software using the company's money, then resold the software and kept the money.
In Northumberland County, Wolfe is facing charges after allegedly purchasing over $18,000 worth of computer software while he was borough council president. That software is currently unaccounted for. Wolfe remains free on bail. (Sara Bartlett)
$135,000 overcharge in county's transportation department
SUNBURY -- Northumberland County Commissioner Vinny Clausi continues to hound the county's transportation department following the exposure they overcharged the Department of Transportation $135,000. Clausi says the county must now pay the state back that money, and it isn't fair to the taxpayers.
The charge was made during the time Dennis Hepler was the director of the transportation department. Hepler stepped down in February after admitting to overcharging the county's shared ride program and Area Agency on Aging $15,000. Commissioner Chairman Frank Sawicki says the total of the overcharge is still being refined, and until the true number is known, the investigation will continue.
The outpouring of support touches many for Seth and Alex
SELINSGROVE – as fundraisers continue to raise money for Seth Lauver and Alex Mullen, who were critically injured in a crash following the Selinsgrove High School prom, the outpouring of support from the community touches many people. Many fundraisers have been planned and held over the last few weeks to benefit Seth Lauver and Alex Mullen.
One person who has really been touched by the community support is Seth’s grandmother, Jenny Lauver, who attended a Splash Hop benefit in Sunbury. She says you don’t realize how much help is out there until something like this happens. She says the fundraisers are just great and she doesn’t know how to put into words how wonderful the support has been.
Sandy Hetherington of the Selinsgrove Boosters Club has been very active in helping to raise money for Seth and Alex, including distributing bracelets that say “Stay Strong” Seth and Alex. Hetherington says she is doing this because we love these kids and they are part of our community. She says when something impacts people, its just human nature for people to try to help someone else.
The Splash Hop raised about $1,000 according to Hetherington. Other fundraisers planned include Rocco’s in Selinsgrove, which is donating a portion of their proceeds to the Seth and Alex fund, since Seth and Alex worked at Rocco’s.
There will be an upcoming event at the Selinsgrove Pool and a chicken barbeque in July. You can go to our website at www.wkok.com for the latest information on how you can help Seth Lauver and Alex Mullen. (Ali Stevens)
Danville man critically injured in a crash Tuesday morning
DANVILLE -- A Danville man was critically injured in a crash on Route 11 Tuesday morning. Police say the crash happened around 7 a.m. along Route 11 between School House Road and Maria Joseph Manor when Henry Baez struck some guide-rails and crossed into oncoming traffic.
Baez's vehicle was broadsided by an SUV driven by a Lewisburg man. Baez was rescued from his vehicle and taken to Geisinger Medical Center, where he is listed in critical condition. The driver of the SUV, who has not been identified, was taken to Geisinger and then treated and released. Route 11 was shut down for a time following that crash. (Ali Stevens)
Increase in taxes is approved in the Danville School District
DANVILLE – Real estate taxes will rise by 3.6 percent in Montour County portion of the Danville School District after a $33.8-million budget was approved. In Northumberland County, taxes will actually decrease 10.5 percent.
The increase for property owners in Montour County amounts to about $50 dollars for the average resident. District teachers and administrators were told to cut projects and field trips to increase revenue in the district by $2.29-million. The district eliminated $596,000 spent on projects and $84,000 for field trips. (Ali Stevens)
Boroughs to the Bay and Beyond I: Over 30 interns on the Susquehanna River
LEWISBURG -- Not everyone who is out on the Susquehanna River this summer is only shooting the breeze. Over 30 interns from 6 different universities are getting their feet wet in environmental projects across the Valley.
At this month’s Susquehanna River Heartland Coalition for Environmental Studies meeting professors introduced these interns and explained exactly what projects they will be working on in the next coming months. The results of the projects will be displayed at the annual Susquehanna River Symposium at Bucknell University in October. (Stephanie Klock)
Boroughs to the Bay and Beyond II: Foundation for Pennsylvania Watershed receives $50,000
LEWISBURG -- Money is flowing into the foundation for the Pennsylvania Watershed to promote awareness to the environmental and economic impacts of Marcellus Shale. Brandon Diehl, grant program consultant, says the foundation has received a $50,000 payment, is expecting a $125,000 grant by the end of the year.
Another $125,000 for 2011 In addition to this, the foundation hopes to develop a website to act as a digital tracking device, for public and scientific use, to mark where the wells are placed throughout the state. (Stephanie Klock)
Latest Pennsylvania news, business, lottery and entertainment
HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) - Gov. Ed Rendell says he doesn't believe a budget that fulfills the state's obligations to Pennsylvanians can be balanced without new taxes. Rendell met Thursday with legislative leaders and said his proposed $28.2 billion budget brings spending about as low as he believes is manageable. To support it, Rendell wants new taxes on natural gas extraction and sales of some tobacco products. Pennsylvania is weathering a $1 billion-plus deficit, and uncertainties in federal support could force more services cuts and layoffs than are already planned. Senate Republican leaders who want to spend about $400 million less are studying Rendell's counterproposal. The new fiscal year is a week away. Rendell's proposal would raise spending about 1 percent from this year's approved amount, including more for public school instruction.
HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) - State officials say Pennsylvania's first comprehensive report on infections acquired in hospitals reveals a statewide rate of 2.4 for every day 1,000 patients spent in a hospital. Department of Health officials said Thursday its report established a baseline for how a hospital's performance in reducing infections will be judged in the future. The state provides incentive payments to health care facilities that reduce infections by 10 percent over the previous year. Some of the 250 hospitals in the 2009 report also reported infections in 2008. Based on those figures, health officials say health-care associated infections dropped by more than 12 percent. The reporting by hospitals is required by a 2007 law. Pennsylvania's hospitals and nursing homes must promptly report patient infections and take measures to reduce them.
PHILADELPHIA (AP) - A son of Jim Thorpe is suing the Poconos town that bears his father's name over the remains of the Native American often called the 20th Century's greatest athlete. Jack Thorpe of Shawnee, Oklahoma, filed the lawsuit Thursday under a federal law designed to return Native American artifacts to their tribal homelands. His father, a member of the Sac and Fox tribe, won the decathlon and pentathlon in the 1912 Olympics and played professional football and baseball. The town of Mauch Chunk made an odd 1950s deal with his third wife, renaming the town Jim Thorpe to attract tourists and building a monument where he is buried.
PHILADELPHIA (AP) - The Phillies fan who became a global sensation after police stunned him with a Taser for running onto the baseball field has been sentenced to six months probation. Seventeen-year-old Steven Consalvi was also ordered by a Philadelphia Family Court judge to complete 80 hours of public service. Consalvi, of Gilbertsville, did not comment after the ruling on Thursday. He had been charged with defiant trespass, disorderly conduct and resisting arrest. Consalvi jumped onto the field at the top of the eighth inning during a May 3 game between the Phillies and the St. Louis Cardinals. He ran around the field until a city police officer used a stun gun to subdue him. The incident was captured on video and went viral on the Internet.
PHILADELPHIA (AP) - Pennsylvania's top environmental official says the director of an award-winning documentary about drilling in the Marcellus Shale region is a "propagandist" whose film is "fundamentally dishonest." Department of Environmental Protection Secretary John Hanger says the movie by Josh Fox is a "deliberately false presentation for dramatic effect." Fox's film, "Gasland," portrays the gas industry as exploiting loopholes to inject toxins in the ground, among other dangerous activities. In the movie, Fox challenges Hanger to drink a bottle of what he says is water polluted by drilling. Hanger declines. Fox says Hanger is being dishonest himself by portraying Marcellus Shale drilling as anything but a disaster. Accolades for "Gasland" include a special jury prize at the Sundance Film Festival.
HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) - Republican gubernatorial hopeful Tom Corbett is drawing flak from the Rendell administration for urging environmental regulators to work with the natural gas industry in developing rules for drilling in the lucrative Marcellus Shale formation. Corbett, the state attorney general, suggested Wednesday that the two sides should agree on interim clean-water and safety standards while the Legislature debates longer-term remedies. Secretary John Hanger of the Department of Environmental Protection says new rules to prevent drilling wastewater from polluting drinking water or public waterways have won key votes of approval and are slated to take effect Jan 1. Separate rules governing gas-well construction also are in the works. Hanger says the rules took two years to develop and officials received input from numerous groups - including the industry.
HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) - Legislative budget negotiators are about $700 million apart with a week to go before Pennsylvania's new fiscal year begins. Senate Appropriations Committee Chairman Jake Corman said after a bargaining session Wednesday that Democrats produced a $28.2 billion offer that would boost the basic education subsidy by about $300 million. The Centre County Republican says the Democratic proposal requires additional revenues, unlike the GOP's $27.5 million position. Republicans are suggesting keeping the basic education subsidy flat for the coming year. Negotiators are scheduled to resume talks in early afternoon, joined by Democratic Gov. Ed Rendell. The new budget year starts July 1, and Corman says talks will go through the weekend if a deal hasn't been struck by then.
PHILADELPHIA (AP) - Governor Ed Rendell says rumors that have been circulating about an extramarital affair are not true. In an advance copy of the Philadelphia magazine article obtained by The Associated Press, the governor and the former beauty queen who works for him say in interviews that they are not romantically involved. Forty-year-old Kirstin Snow says she's surprised that it took months for the whispers to develop into full-fledged rumors. She says she worries about the gossip hurting the governor's wife, Midge Rendell, and insists that the two have a purely professional relationship. Rendell tells the magazine that he's never said he's perfect, but he doesn't have extramarital affairs. The magazine hits newsstands Friday.
PITTSBURGH (AP) - Thunderstorms over western Pennsylvania have left thousands of electric customers without power. Duquesne Light said about 10,000 customers were without power Wednesday night. Allegheny Power's website listed 13,292 Pennsylvania customers without electricity as of 8 p.m. Wednesday, many of them in Westmoreland County. Duquesne Light spokesman Joseph Vallarian said company crews have been removing trees and repairing downed wires, but he could not say when all power would be restored.
PHILADELPHIA (AP) - A jury says the city of Philadelphia cannot evict a local Boy Scouts chapter from a city-owned building for refusing to admit gays. The city insisted that nonprofits given free use of Fairmount Park property must abide by city anti-discrimination laws. The scouts said they can legally limit their membership under a 2000 Supreme Court decision. And they say they provide valuable services to thousands of needy city boys. The local Cradle of Liberty Council has tried to walk a fine line to retain city support without losing their national Boy Scouts charter. The national organization bans gays. Scouts lawyer Jason Gosselin says he hopes the two sides will now work out their differences in negotiations.
YORK, Pa. (AP) - About 200 union production workers at Harley-Davidson plant in central Pennsylvania will be losing their jobs in the latest round of layoffs. Company spokesman Michael DiMauro said the workers at the Springettsbury Township plant were notified Friday or Monday that this week would be their last. The plant has been reducing its full-time union work force from about 1,950 employees to between 700 and 800 full-time workers and 200 to 300 employees who would only work as needed. DiMauro says about 1,300 union production employees will remain after the 200 job cuts. He says the company is "getting closer to the final number."
SEATTLE (AP) - The Democratic governors of Washington, Colorado, Michigan and Pennsylvania are asking a federal judge to consider their views in deciding whether to uphold President Barack Obama's health care overhaul. The four states are among 20 challenging the constitutionality of the sweeping legislation. The governors disagree with decisions by Republican attorneys general in their states to join the lawsuit. Govs. Chris Gregoire of Washington, Edward Rendell of Pennsylvania, Bill Ritter Jr. of Colorado and Jennifer Granholm of Michigan filed a motion in federal court in Florida on Wednesday seeking permission to file a friend-of-the-court brief in the case. They say they could provide the court with evidence that the health care overhaul falls within the federal government's authority to regulate interstate commerce.
(Copyright 2010 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
Updates on the latest in business:
Dow: 10,152.80, down -145.64
S&P 500: 1,073.69, down -18.35
NASDAQ: 2,217.42, down -36.81
NEW YORK (AP) - Investors continue to worry about the strength of the economic recovery. The key stock market averages have been losing ground today.
NEW ORLEANS (AP) - A federal judge in New Orleans has refused to delay his decision to strike down a six-month moratorium on deepwater drilling imposed after the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. The Justice Department had asked the judge to stay his ruling while it appeals the decision.
WASHINGTON (AP) - Republicans in the Senate appear likely to kill legislation to provide continued unemployment checks to millions of people and provide states with billions of dollars to avert layoffs. That would mark a defeat for President Barack Obama and Democratic lawmakers, who have been trying to advance the measure for months.
WASHINGTON (AP) - The Supreme Court has narrowed the scope of a federal fraud law frequently used to target suspected white-collar crime suspects. The decision could benefit former Enron CEO Jeffrey Skilling and a host of politicians who face charges or have been convicted of "honest services" fraud.
BERLIN (AP) - German airline Lufthansa and its pilots say they have settled a pay dispute through arbitration. That fends off the prospect of further strikes.
Stocks struggling...Jobless claims due...iPhone in short supply in Japan
NEW YORK (AP) - Wall Street has yet to mount a rally this week that could last through the closing bell. In the latest session, the Dow gained nearly 5 points to settle at 10,298. The S&P was down 3, and the Nasdaq shed nearly 8 points.
BANGKOK (AP) - Asian stock markets mostly rose today - but the gains were tentative. The markets are reacting to the latest move by the Federal Reserve - which kept interest rates at a record low, but struck a note of caution about the U.S. economy.
SINGAPORE (AP) - Oil prices have fallen to $76 a barrel in Asia amid signs the U.S. economic recovery and demand for crude remains uneven. The benchmark price for crude for August delivery: $76.09.
WASHINGTON (AP) - An update on the job market is due today. The Labor Department releases its weekly look at new claims for unemployment benefits.
TOKYO (AP) - Apple's newest iPhone is already in short supply - just hours after its launch in Japan. Hundreds lined up outside stores to become among the first in the world to get one. But some went home empty-handed - as stores ran out by early afternoon.
(Copyright 2010 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
Pennsylvania Lottery Numbers
HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) - These Pennsylvania lotteries were drawn Thursday:
Mega Millions
Estimated jackpot: $12 million
Midday Big 4
3-4-1-8
Midday Number
7-5-2
Midday Quinto
2-9-4-8-6
Powerball
Estimated jackpot: $20 million
Treasure Hunt
02-10-15-20-21
HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) - These Pennsylvania lotteries were drawn Wednesday:
Big 4
2-5-2-6
Cash 5
03-06-07-23-34
Daily Number
0-5-1
Evening Quinto
0-5-2-2-8
Midday Big 4
1-5-9-3
Midday Number
1-3-4
Midday Quinto
0-8-2-3-8
Powerball
11-30-45-47-48, Powerball: 10, Power Play: 3
Treasure Hunt
02-03-19-20-24
(Copyright 2010 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
Jackson anniversary
NEW YORK (AP) - Friday marks a year since Michael Jackson's death, but fans are already starting to commemorate it. In Hong Kong, Jackson impersonators performed his classics in a mall on Thursday. In London, a small plaque was unveiled featuring a photo of Jackson when he was a child star. The King of Pop died at age 50 last year as he was preparing for comeback concerts in London. More remembrances are planned for Friday, including an event in his hometown in Gary, Ind., parties at clubs and a moment of silence by the Rev. Al Sharpton in New York City.
Many plan to attend Jackson cemetery vigil
LOS ANGELES (AP) - Michael Jackson fans by the hundreds are expected to descend on Forest Lawn cemetery outside Los Angeles tomorrow to mark the first anniversary of his death. They will not be allowed access to his tomb inside the Great Mausoleum. Cemetery officials also have nixed plans to release doves or balloons. One fan club organizer says fans are hoping to bring more than 3,000 roses to the cemetery. Others are sending artwork, poems, letters or other gifts.
Beach buzzed
HOUSTON (AP) - A buzz has created quite a headache for a Texas private pilot. Federal officials have yanked Joseph Bryan Kirbow's flying license after he buzzed the crowd at a Galveston area beach. Officials say the stunt took the single-engine plane as low as 15 feet above the ground and even snagged a man's fishing line. Flight regs require planes to be at least 1,000 feet high, except during take off or landing. Kirbow must wait a year before applying for a new license.
Stolen razors in the news
SOMERSET, Pa. (AP) - You might call it a case of razor burn. Someone has burned Wal-mart for nearly five-grand worth of razors. State police in Pennsylvania are searching for a crook who took a shopping cart full of razors from a Wal-mart in Somerset Township. Authorities in a number of areas are reporting similar rip-offs. Police believe the stolen razors are being sold online or at flea markets.
First Lady-Fitness
WASHINGTON (AP) - Michelle Obama launched her recast President's Council on Fitness, Sports and Nutrition by working out with local D.C. students. The First Lady exercised with the group on Wednesday afternoon at the Bell Multicultural High School gymnasium in northwest Washington. The group struck yoga poses, jump-roped and made healthy trail mix snacks. The council, co-chaired by gymnast Dominique Dawes and NFL quarterback Drew Brees, will encourage children to eat healthy and be active. It adds nutrition to the former President's Council on Physical Fitness and Sports started by Dwight D. Eisenhower in 1956. Obama urged Congress to pass a child nutrition bill to support the efforts of the council and her "Let's Move" initiative to reduce child obesity.
Superman's walk across America starts in Philadelphia
PHILADELPHIA (AP) - The Man of Steel will hoof it across America to reconnect with everyday people in a story featuring cities, towns and neighborhoods submitted by readers. Superman, one of DC Comics' flagship fictional heroes, begins his journey next month in Philadelphia. He'll embark on a 12-issue, cross-country walk through Illinois, Iowa, Nebraska, Colorado, Utah, Nevada, California, Oregon and Washington. Dan DiDio, DC's co-publisher, says the Krypton-born, Kansas-bred hero had lost touch "with the people he grew up with, his adopted home on earth" and he'll "take a walk across America to reconnect." Readers can submit essays touting why their town or city should be included in the story entitled "Grounded." DC will select nine winners. The story starts with Superman No. 701, which goes on sale next month, and lasts through No. 712.
(Copyright 2010 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)