Friday, July 4, 2008
Happy Independence Day!

Water back on, but work continues on Packer’s Island

UPPER AUGUSTA TWP – Although water was restored Friday morning to residents on Packer Island, crews continue to figure out what caused the Thursday night water main break.  An eight-inch water line under the river, which is about 25-feet out from the bank on the island side, broke.  Joe Woodward, Manager of Field Operations at Pennsylvania American Water, says the problem is the pipe can’t be repaired yet because it’s currently under about 10-feet of water.

Woodward says they restored water to the customers by running a five-inch fire hose from a fire hydrant in the Northumberland Borough, to a newly installed hydrant on Packer’s Island.  He says they ran the line over the railroad and says train operations are stopped until Sunday, so it will not affect the work on the line.

Woodward says they don’t know yet what caused the line to burst, and they will continue to work to determine if the pipe is broken or if it just split.  He says these types of pipes usually last between 90 and 100 years, and this one is only 20-years-old.  Woodward says customers will continue to be problem free, with no dirty or low-pressurized water. (Sara Bartlett)

Police investigate assault with a weapon in Sunbury

SUNBURY— Police in Sunbury are investigating after four men allegedly assaulted a woman and threatened to kill her.  Police say the incident happened just before 6 p.m. yesterday (Thursday), when four males assaulted the 20-year-old female in the area of North Eleventh Street.  Reports say the men knocked the female to the ground and kicked her head and upper body.  One of the males then displayed a handgun and threatened to kill her.  Police say the victim was treated for injuries at an area hospital.  State Police, officers from surrounding departments, and the Northumberland County Sheriff’s Office all assisted Sunbury PD in that investigation.  Police ask anyone with information to contact them.  (Sara Lauver)

Record field runs Mifflinburg 5K

MIFFLINBURG – Nearly 500 runners and walkers completed the 25^th Annual Mifflinburg Fourth of July 5K.  The record field enjoyed ideal conditions.  Sophia Zemian was the first woman to cross the finish line in a little more than 18 minutes.  It is the first win in a road race for the Lewisburg Hiogh School senior, known more for her expertise on the track and in cross country.  Tim Stackhouse of New Berlin was first overall to finish the 3.1 mile course, in less than 17 minutes.  (Matt Farrand) 

Mifflinburg Pet Parade attracts exotic animals and their owners

MIFFLINBURG – Dogs, cats, rabbits, and exotic animals are among the pets seen on the holiday in Mifflinburg.  Samuel Payson of Mifflinburg brought a leopard gecko to Community Park, which won first prize in the exotic pet category at the annual Fourth of July pet parade.  He says they are native to India and Pakistan.  Domesticated leopard geckos are mostly yellow, with red and green markings, and live on crickets and worms.

Barbara Baker of Lewisburg, and her sister arrived too late to compete but enjoy the event all the same.  They brought cocker spaniel “Mack” and a female beagle mix; both were rescued from a shelter.  The pet parade is part of a holiday tradition in Mifflinburg, which starts with the annual 5K race and concludes in the evening with fireworks.   (Matt Farrand)

Two ATV accidents in Excelsior

EXCELSIOR – Northumberland County Communications reported two ATV crashes Friday afternoon.  The separate accidents both happened around noon in the lower part of Excelsior in Coal Township.  One ATV was involved in each accident and emergency officials say medics were called to both scenes. (Sara Bartlett) 

Accidents reported as holiday weekend nears

UNDATED— State Police in Milton are reporting two accidents in Union and Northumberland counties yesterday.  Police say a Montgomery man suffered minor injuries after his vehicle sideswiped a car that failed to yield at the intersection of Routes 44 and 405 in Delaware Township.  It happened just before 3 p.m. and police say 55-year-old, Marlon Bennett, was taken to Evangelical Community Hospital for treatment.  79-year-old Frances Noll, of Watsontown, was driving the other vehicle.  She was not injured.

It wasn’t Mary Poppins, just two teens running from police

SUNBURY— It was a rooftop chase for Police in Sunbury yesterday, after two teens fled authorities in the city. Police in Sunbury say they were called to a reported harassment incident on the block of South Third Street. That’s when 17-year old, Corey Dreese of Sunbury, and a female juvenile who was not named, fled the scene.

Reports say officers chased the teens from rooftop to rooftop along the 500 block of Market Street. A perimeter was set-up in the area and officers from Shamokin Dam, Point Township and Northumberland assisted at the scene.

A K-9 unit was also used in a building search. Dreese and the female juvenile tried to break-in to an apartment before they were found hiding on a nearby roof. Dreese was charged with three counts of criminal trespass, underage drinking, harassment and others. The girl will be charged through Northumberland County Juvenile Court. (Sara Lauver)

Truck stolen, troopers ask for help

STONINGTON – State Police are appealing to the public for information into who stole a dump truck from a business along Route 147 in Lower Augusta Township. The 2000 Sterling “Triaxle” has a white cab, aluminum box, and carries a Pennsylvania license plate (YFM-9052). The vehicle was taken some time between 8:00 p.m. Wednesday and 5:15 a.m. Thursday. Please call troopers with information at 286-5601. (Matt Farrand)

Selinsgrove woman sentenced for box cutter stabbing

MIDDLEBURG – 18-year-old Fendi Thomson will serve time in the Snyder County Prison for the September stabbing of a 17-year-old female with a box cutter. Judge Harold Woelfel sentenced her Thursday to six to 23 months, and eight years of probation for stabbing a 17-year-old female with a box cutter in September.

Thompson was also 17 at the time of the attack, but faced charges of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon was an adult. She pleaded guilty in May. An argument over a boy is said to have been part of a feud that lasted several days. The victim sustained cuts to the head and wrist. (Matt Farrand)

Head-on collision on Route 405

MILTON – Minor injuries were reported after a head-on collision Thursday in West Chillisquaque Township, Northumberland County. Around 9:20a.m. 35-year-old Harry Bidelspach Jr. was driving on Route 405 when he attempted to turn onto Route 45.

He struck the front of a vehicle driven by 48-year-old Nicholas Lair Jr. Lair was not injured. Bidelspach was transported to Evangelical Community Hospital with minor injuries. He will also be cited for the crash. (Sara Bartlett)

Liverpool man dies in crash

LIVERPOOL – A Liverpool man was killed Thursday on Routes 11 & 15 after his rollback truck was hit by a tractor-trailer. 57-year-old Robin Deibler was attempting to pull out onto the highway from North Alley in the Liverpool Borough.

He reportedly pulled in front of a tractor-trailer driven by 60-year-old Jan Stepniewski, of Canada. The tractor-trailer struck the driver’s side of Deibler’s vehicle. Police say Deibler died at the scene; he was reportedly not wearing a seatbelt at the time of the crash. Stepniewski was not injured. Traffic was backed up into the early evening hours after the accident. (Sara Bartlett)

Roving patrols focusing on Northumberland County

COAL TWP— Roving patrols in the area will begin today and continue over the holiday weekend through next week. The North Central Highway Safety Network’s Regional DUI Enforcement Group along with the Coal Township Police Department plan to conduct the patrols. They will be done on various roadways including Routes 61, 901, 125, 225, 54 and 487. Motorists are asked to report drunken drivers by dialing 911. (Sara Lauver)

Corbett spokesman says Gricar case not in jurisdiction

BELLEFONTE— In more response to accusations by Montour County DA Bob Buehner that elected officials are not doing enough in the case of missing Centre County DA, Ray Gricar, the State Attorney General’s press secretary, Kevin Harley, says Tom Corbett did what he should have. He says Corbett’s office offered a plane and agents to assist in the search back in April 2005, but that is different than taking over the case.

Harley says the case lies in Centre County DA, Michael Madeira’s jurisdiction and the Attorney General cannot get involved until it is referred to him. He says, at this point, that has not been done because there is no basis in law for that to happen.

Both Buehner and Harley made comments on this week’s edition of WKOK’s On The Mark Program. Discussions on the over 3-year-old case were ignited after Buehner held a press conference on the matter. He says the case involved multiple counties in the state and believes Corbett should get involved in the investigation. (Sara Lauver)

Meeting planned to discuss future of Pennsylvania House

EAST BUFFALO TWP – The future of the former Pennsylvania House property near Lewisburg is the topic of a meeting next week. The East Buffalo Township Board of Supervisors will hold the meeting Wednesday, July 9th at 6:00p.m.

Meridian Development Partners Inc, who owns the property, will discuss their development goals. Township Solicitor, Peter Matson and Planning Director Ralph Hess will talk about the changing of the zoning ordinances. Kim Wheeler, of the Governor’s Center for Local Services, will discuss ways in which her branch of the state government could be of assistance with the redevelopment project.

A question and answer session will follow the speakers. The meeting is open to the public and will be held at the Union County Government Center on North 15th Street in Lewisburg. (Sara Bartlett)

Roundtable looks at the Keys to Success for small businesses…

SUNBURY – The Keys to Success for Small Business is the topic of Roundtable this weekend. The Greater Susquehanna Valley Chamber of Commerce is back on the show, along with representatives from J. Kleinbauer’s, Keystone Mobile Shredding and Kreamer Feed.

We also hear from Bucknell University’s Small Business Development Center. We discuss how small businesses can survive during slow economies, how ‘niche’ markets are key to small businesses, and how the chamber is helping businesses grow.

This Roundtable is part of our monthly series of programs, looking at the work of, membership and goals of the Greater Susquehanna Valley Chamber of Commerce. You can hear Roundtable (Sunday) on: Eagle 107 (107.3FM) at 6a.m. 100.9, The Valley, at 6a.m. WKOK at 9a.m. Talkradio 1380 WMLP, 11a.m. 94KX at 11p.m. And anytime, at www.wkok.com

Fiona Powell says Celts were first to discover Irish gold

LEWISBURG – Following news this week of a big gold find in Ireland, a local expert in Celtic culture notes the original inhabitants of the Emerald Isle also placed a high value on it. However, folklorist Fiona Powell of Lewisburg says the Celts saw the metal as precious in ways that most no longer do.

Rather than as a medium of exchange or storage of value, Powell says the Celts considered gold as something from the gods, thus only priest or chieftains could hold it. It’s not the first time gold’s been found on one of the British Isles, but it is likely the biggest strike ever.

As many as a million ounces could lie in an area of the Republic near the border with Northern Ireland. Powell says gold’s been a part of Irish lore since the days of the Roman Empire. The Romans never successfully invaded Ireland, but if they knew that the find confirmed this week could be worth more than $900 million dollars, they might try again. (Matt Farrand)

Part One with Susquehanna River Basin Commission:
Who are they and what do they do?

UNDATED – As we begin our Boroughs to the Bay and Beyond segments, we first talk about the Susquehanna River Basin Commission. Their job? To safeguard the watershed. This means, among other things, protecting streams and aquatic resources, monitoring water quality and watching out for floods and droughts.

Executive Director of the SRBC, Paul Swartz, says it also means they make sure that those who need water get enough of it, and no one gets too much. He says they want to make sure during dry times that the water is evenly split. He says he doesn’t want a power or energy producer having water, when a farmer doesn’t.

And, why should we worry about water? Swartz says because it is a finite resource. He says it must be planned for and managed for the long term, and we should conserve water not just during drought times. The SRBC continues to manage resources so there is enough water for now and for generations to come.

The Commission, which consists of a staff of less than 40 people and operates with a budget of about $5 million, takes care of the over 27,500 square miles of the Watershed from Cooperstown, New York to the Chesapeake Bay.

In our next segment of Boroughs to the Bay and Beyond, we’ll talk with Swartz about the state of the Susquehanna River and why the Watershed is getting a lot of attention for new energy production projects. You can read this and all Boroughs to the Bay stories online at wkok.com. (Sara Bartlett)

Latest Pennsylvania news, sports, business and entertainment:

HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) - Pennsylvania lawmakers on Friday passed a 2008-09 state budget - and a flurry of other legislation – four days into state government's new fiscal year.  The deal was wrapped up early enough for some lawmakers to make it back to their home districts in time for the Independence Day fireworks.  The nearly $28.3 billion budget plan will boost spending by $1 billion over the just-ended fiscal year, with more than 90 percent of that increase going to education and social services.  Public schools will get an unprecedented $274 million increase, or 5.5 percent, for operations and instruction. An additional $65 million, or 40 percent more, will go to charter schools.  The Department of Public Welfare budget will rise by $633 million, or 6.6 percent, with huge increases in primary and nursing home care for the poor, services for the mentally retarded, child welfare services and help for the working poor who have children. Payments on debt will rise by nearly $50 million, or more than 5 percent.

HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) - The chairman of the state House Transportation Committee says Gov. Ed Rendell's plan to lease the Pennsylvania Turnpike won't get a vote in the House, essentially killing the proposal.  Rep. Joseph Markosek, an Allegheny County Democrat, says legislation that would authorize the proposed $12.8 billion lease won't get a vote in the committee he heads. Markosek says there's very little support for it in the House, and believes it's time to focus on other aspects of state transportation policy.  He says "there's no realistic scenario under which this deal will happen."

HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) - Sen. Vincent Fumo, a 30-year state senator from Philadelphia, says he won't return to the Senate.  Fumo made the announcement on the Senate floor on Friday  during an unusual session in which the chamber is finishing up the budget.  Fumo, who isn't running for re-election, faces trial in September on federal corruption charges and his term officially ends in November.  In a speech on the Senate floor, Fumo says he'll fight that "challenge."  Lawmakers will leave for their traditional two-month summer break and return in the fall for an election-shortened session.

HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) - Here are the winning numbers selected Friday in the midday Pennsylvania State Lottery drawing:

 Daily Number

     6-1-5

 Big 4

     2-8-4-8

 Treasure Hunt

     3-11-13-16-29