Monday, July 19, 2010
Pilot not injured after helicopter goes down in Union County
WATSONTOWN -- The pilot of a helicopter escaped injury when his aircraft crashed along the Susquehanna River this morning. Just before 8:00a.m, the chopper hit power lines and landed along the shoreline of the river. The crash site is just north of I-80 on the Union County side of the river.
64-year-old Gerald Racey, of Woodstock, Virginia, is employed by Helicopter Applicators Inc. of Gettysburg. He was spraying for black flies, for the State Department of Environmental Protection.
Union County 911 sent volunteers from White Deer Township, a boat crew, the Milton fire department, the Warrior Run fire department and the Union County Emergency Squad. Volunteer crews remained on the scene for several hours.
Some local Ugandan mission group members to return home this week
UNDATED – Some local members of a mission group, who were in Uganda when two bombs struck, are on their way home. According to the group’s website, Kris Sledge of Selinsgrove, as well as Pam and Thomas Kramer of Winfield, are making their way back to the U.S. Monday. The three were injured in a July 11th bombing at a Kampala restaurant. All three were treated for injuries at a hospital in Africa.
Three group members remain over there, including Lori Ssebulime, who sustained minor injuries and plans to fly back this week, Joanne Kerstetter of Selinsgrove who also hopes to return this week, but will need more medical attention, and Joanne's granddaughter Emily Kerstetter of Maryland, who is undergoing surgeries at an African hospital.
Various individuals are collecting funds to pay for the mission group's return to the U.S. Donations can be sent to Christ Community United Methodist Church on Park Road in Selinsgrove. You can find out more information on our website at www.wkok.com. (Ali Stevens)
Search for treasurer in Northumberland County continues
SUNBURY -- The search for a treasurer in Northumberland County is underway following the resignation of Ronald Chamberlain. Commissioner Kurt Masser says the Republican Party in the county has been searching for someone to take over the position. Once they find someone, they will recommend them to the state Senate.
The Senate will have to approve the recommendation, and then Governor Ed Rendell will make the appointment for the position. Chamberlain, who cited ongoing health problems as his reason for resigning, had a term that ran through 2011, so a new appointee would serve for that time until the term expires. Chamberlain's resignation takes effect July 30th. (Sara Bartlett)
Betty Apple remembered as a lover of life and community
SUNBURY -- Friends are remembering Betty Apple, who passed away Sunday, as a lover of life and her community. We contacted Jean Schreffler of Sunbury, who has been friends with Apple since the age of 12. Schreffler says she has many great childhood memories with Apple from being in homeroom together, to sharing library books, to taking walks in Sunbury.
Schreffler says as adults, the two, along with their husbands and children, would go on vacations together, and were very involved in the community. She says Apple was very active at the Zion Lutheran Church in Sunbury, and a well known contributor to Susquehanna University with her husband John who was on the board of trustees. Apple died at Nottingham Village. She was 80. Funeral arrangements will be announced soon. (Sara Bartlett)
Former coach and principal remembered
NORTHUMBERLAND -- A colleague and friend of Trevor Lewis is remembering him as a good Christian person and a good family man." Lewis died Friday at Geisinger Medical Center at the age of 86. We contacted John Gotaskie, who served as the principal of CW Rice Middle School when Lewis was the principal at Sunbury Middle School.
Gotaskie declined to be interviewed on tape, said, "A person like Trevor is just a great person to work with. You could trust him and he had a great sense of humor." Gotaskie went on to say that Lewis was a terrific coach who was liked by his players and his colleagues. He said Lewis, "Left an impact and will be missed by the community."
Lewis coached football and basketball at the high school level, and also was at tennis coach at Bucknell University. He was a 1941 graduate of Northumberland High School, a 1956 graduate of Bloomsburg State Teachers College and received a doctorate from Bucknell University in 1974. A funeral is planned for Tuesday at 11:00 a.m. at St. Johns United Methodist Church in Sunbury.
Ronald McDonald House to receive a substantial grant for guest room renovations
DANVILLE – The Danville Ronald McDonald House will receive a $30,000 grant for their ongoing project of renovating guest rooms at the facility. Several northeastern Pennsylvania owners and operators of businesses contributed to the grant including $5,000 from the local McDonald’s restaurants, owned by Tom and Jason Rippon. The funds will be used to make various improvements to the Danville Ronald McDonald House’s 17 guest rooms and apartments. The house was last renovated in 2002. (Ali Stevens)
Woman remains in serious condition following a Friday night crash in Danville
DANVILLE – A Washingtonville woman remains hospitalized in following a crash on Route 54 at Valley Road in Danville Friday night. State police say 22-year-old Tanya Anspach was traveling west on Route 54, when another vehicle pulled from a stop sign and in front of her vehicle. Anspach sustained major injuries in the crash and was taken to Geisinger around 10:20 p.m. on Friday, where she remains in serious condition. The driver of the other vehicle, 80-year-old John Reilly of Danville sustained minor injuries. (Ali Stevens)
The big Union County book sale is this week
LEWISBURG – The big Union County library book sale is this week in Lewisburg. Board member Sally Kobus, who heads up the book sale committee, says this event has become extremely popular amongst readers in the valley. This year there are 40,000 books on sale. Last year, $26,000 in sales went to benefit the Union County libraries.
The sale has become so popular, that customers line up early Wednesday to be the first in the door. The sale is Wednesday through Saturday starting at 9 a.m. each day. The sale takes place at Faith Lutheran Church across Route 45 from Reitz Boulevard, where the Union County library is located.
The deaths of three local leaders is in the news
UNDATED -- The Valley lost three local leaders over the weekend:
-- Elizabeth Apple of Northumberland died Sunday at Nottingham Village. The wife of John Apple of King Street Northumberland, she was well known contributor to Susquehanna University, Zion Lutheran Church and other non-profit organizations. Funeral arrangements will be announced soon. Elizabeth Apple was 80-years old.
-- NORTHUMBERLAND -- A former athletic coach and administrator for the Shikellamy School District passed away Friday. Trevor Lewis died at Geisinger Medical Center at the age of 86. Lewis is being fondly remembered for his coaching of football and basketball, as well as serving as principal of Sunbury Middle School, and later at CW Rice Middle School.
He was a 1941 graduate of Northumberland High School, a 1956 graduate of Bloomsburg State Teachers College and received a doctorate from Bucknell University in 1974. A funeral is planned for Tuesday at 11:00 a.m. at St. Johns United Methodist Church in Sunbury.
-- Former Northumberland County president judge Samuel Ranck has died. He was 82-years old and had served for 20-years on the bench as an elected judge and over a dozen years as a senior judge. Known for his calm demeanor and an even paced deliberate manner, the judge helped initiate numerous juvenile offender assistance initiatives and his rulings were rarely overturned. Judge Ranck lived in Milton.
Woman killed in a motorcycle crash near Knoebels
ELYSBURG – One woman is dead and a man is in critical condition following a motorcycle crash yesterday afternoon near Knoebels Amusement Resort outside Elysburg. 51-year-old Beverly Latshaw of Montgomery County was a passenger on the motorcycle that collided with a car driven by 19-year-old Elise Pure of Bloomsburg along Route 487.
The driver of the motorcycle, 53-year-old Thomas Latshaw, was thrown from the bike along with Beverly Latshaw, who was pronounced dead at the scene. Thomas Latshaw was flown to Geisinger Medical Center and is listed in critical condition. Beverly and Thomas were not wearing helmets. Pure was not injured. (Ali Stevens)
Investigation into Watsontown man's death
WATSONTOWN -- Watsontown Police are investigating the death of a man who lived on Vincent Avenue. They say neighbors concerned about the welfare of 81-year-old William Hill called them Saturday night.
Police found Hill dead when they entered his residence. District Judge John Gembic then issued a search warrant, and Pennsylvania State Police collected evidence for further analysis. The office Northumberland County District Tony Rosini is also part of the investigation.
An autopsy will be performed Monday at Lehigh Valley Medical Center. Watsontown Police are requesting calls at 538-2773 from anyone who may have had contact with Hill in the last several days. (Matt Farrand)
Sunday morning structure fire reported
POINT TOWNSHIP -- An early Sunday fire call to a garage attached to a house kept firefighters busy in Point Township. Northumberland County Communications says the call to 279 14th Street came in at about 3:45 a.m. It was unclear if the structure was occupied at the time, but there were no medical transports for either firefighters or occupants.
Montour County sent a rapid intervention team to assist Point Township, Upper Augusta Township, Sunbury and Northumberland firefighters. Firefighters remained on the scene until about 7:15 a.m. A fire marshal has been called to investigate. (Matt Farrand)
Skydiving, vintage aircraft, music at Heritage Aviation Airshow
SELINSGROVE-- Tandem parachute jumps were among the highlights at Saturday's Heritage Aviation Airshow at the Penn Valley Airport. Linked together skydivers reach speeds of up to 200 miles per hour before their chutes open.
Cathy Dippery of the Selinsgrove area was understandably leery prior to her son's jump with a member of a local skydiving club. She says they were excited by the impending jump, but both wanted it to be over.
World War II era aircraft was on display, helicopter rides were offered and music from the 1940's was performed during the event meant to highlight recent improvements to the Penn Valley Airport. WWII veteran Arville Walt of Sunbury hoped the event would keep the contributions of his generation from being forgotten. (Stephanie Klock).
Youth assaulted in Kelly Township.
LEWISBURG -- State troopers are asking for the public's help after a robbery. The victim was walking along Pawlings Road, in Union County's Kelly Township shortly after midnight Sunday, when he was assaulted and robbed of his belongings.
The victim told troopers his assailants were driving a white Chevy S-10 pickup, but the registration was unknown. The suspects drove away in an unknown direction. Troopers request a call to 524-2662 if you have information. (Matt Farrand)
Turbotville man injured by combatant in vehicle
TURBOTVILLE -- A Watsontown man faces charges after getting into an argument with a Turbotville man, and driving a motor vehicle over him. State troopers say 19-year-old James Frederick drove over 27-year-old Nathaniel Huffman early Saturday morning after their argument turned physical, and Frederick was leaving the scene.
Huffman was treated and released from Geisinger Medical Center. Troopers say the incident was reported shortly after midnight Saturday, along Hockley Hill road in Northumberland County's Lewis Township. Frederick was jailed at the Union County Prison for a probation violation, and will be charged with aggravated and simple assault, and recklessly endangering another person. (Matt Farrand)
Welcoming Joe Snedeker of WNEP to Selinsgrove on today
SELINSGROVE – For the 13th year, weatherman Joe Snedeker of WNEP TV will be taking part in his Go Joe bike tour to raise money for St. Joseph’s Children’s Hospital. This year, Snedeker will make a stop in Selinsgrove today from 4 to 7 p.m. Selinsgrove Borough Manager John Bickhart says they have been busy planning a number of events to showcase the downtown.
Three blocks of Market Street will be closed for Joe Snedeker’s arrival today and there will be live music in the downtown with a number of vendors set up at Selinsgrove Commons at Pine and Market Streets. The public is welcome to come and cheer Joe on as he arrives in Selinsgrove and broadcasts live from Selinsgrove Commons. (Ali Stevens)
Local corn hard to find as farmers wait for rain
POINT TOWNSHIP -- The month of July continues to be mostly hot and dry, and it's making fresh corn hard to find. Corn grower Bill Geise says he's stopped selling fresh-picked ears from his Point Township stand, for now. Geise says the season seemed promising six weeks ago, thanks to moisture left over from a cold, wet winter. An unusual warm stretch in March then gave the corn a growth spurt.
But the current planting is simply too small, and not ready to sell. Geise suspects dry conditions and the record high temperatures seen in July are making their mark. Giese says every rain shower helps the crop; and when it's ready, he'll resume selling corn from his stand between Northumberland and Danville in Point Township. (Matt Farrand)
Traffic Switch On Veterans' Memorial Bridge Tuesday
SUNBURY -- Motorists who travel the Route 61 Veterans' Memorial Bridge between Shamokin Dam and Sunbury are advised that work zone traffic patterns will be changing on Tuesday, July 20. The contractor is finishing up phase one of the construction and will shift to phase two on Tuesday.
Traffic will be shifted to the completed half of the bridge so work can begin on the second half. The traffic pattern changes may take most of the day Tuesday to complete. Motorists should expect delays as the traffic patterns are switched. All work under the $1.8 million project is scheduled for a fall completion. (Matt Farrand)
House of Hope helping young girls throughout the Valley
RIVERSIDE – An encore presentation featuring the House of Hope Susquehanna Valley is on Roundtable this weekend. The house has been helping teen girls get their lives back on track. Its been open in the Riverside area for more than 4-years, before that doing non-resident counseling. Susan McDowell, the founder of the program told us they have graduated more than 20 girls who were experiencing significant family and behavioral problems.
McDowell tells us, they are looking for more support and commitment from The Valley. She says financial support, volunteers and help spreading the word about the House of Hope Susquehanna Valley—would go a long way to help dozens of teen girls change their lives. You can hear Roundtable at www.wkok.com
Here is the latest Pennsylvania news from The Associated Press
STATE COLLEGE, Pa. (AP) - A Penn State study says Pennsylvania may be more susceptible than other states to losing jobs overseas. The study says one-fourth of Pennsylvanians working in the service industry were vulnerable to having their jobs shipped abroad, and that Pennsylvania workers were more likely to hold "offshorable" jobs than the national average. Service jobs most susceptible to being sent overseas are those considered routine, and which do not require face-to-face contact or regional knowledge. They include call center employees, payroll and radiology. The study cited lower wages and the ability to avoid employee benefits among reasons to ship jobs overseas. Author David Passmore says such cost savings may be especially appealing to employers in a recession.
ALLENTOWN, Pa. (AP) - A skydiving accident in northeastern Pennsylvania has claimed the life of a second man. The Lehigh County Coroner's Office says 75-year-old George Flynn, of Colonia, N.J., died Sunday, a day he tumbled to the ground after he and another jumper got their parachutes tangled. Flynn and 70-year-old Theodore Wilson of New Rochelle, N.Y., had jumped at Sky's the Limit Skydiving near the Stroudsburg-Pocono Airport in Monroe County when they collided and became tangled about 75 feet from the ground. Authorities say Flynn died of multiple blunt force trauma. His death was ruled an accident. Wilson was pronounced dead Saturday at Pocono Medical Center.
HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) - Police have arrested two people they say stole laptops and other equipment from a Harrisburg high school. Police say 20-year-old Gregory Greene and a 17-year-old accomplice were charged last week with stealing Apple laptops and auto repair equipment from William Penn High School. Investigators say 23 laptops were stolen from the school in a May 29 burglary. Police say a number of the missing laptops was recovered from the juvenile's home. The auto repair equipment was stolen last month. It was recovered from a rented garage in Middletown. Both suspects face charges including burglary and conspiracy. Greene is also charged with corruption of a minor. Greene is behind bars in lieu of $15,000 bail. It was not clear if he had an attorney. The juvenile suspect was released to his parents.
LANCASTER, Pa. (AP) - A proposal for Pennsylvania's counties to absorb municipal governments is drawing fire from local government officials. Under the legislation, townships, boroughs and cities would be eliminated and Pennsylvania's 67 counties would assume all responsibility for local services. The Lancaster Intelligencer Journal reports the bill is slated for a hearing next month.
HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) - The state has released a report cataloguing what it calls "disruptive behavior" by health care workers that can pose a danger to patients. The Harrisburg Patriot-News reports Pennsylvania Patient Safety Authority cite 177 incidents of disruptive behavior by health care workers during a 31-month period ending last October.
ERIE, Pa. (AP) - The U.S. Brig Niagara is marking the 20th anniversary of its first voyage. The Brig Niagara is a reconstructed 19th century ship recovered from Lake Erie in 1913. The Erie Times-News reports the present Niagara is the third reconstruction of the ship that Commodore Oliver Hazard Perry sailed to victory against the British in the Battle of Lake Erie during the War of 1812.
(Copyright 2010 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
Update on the latest in business
Dow: 10,154.43, up 56.53
S&P 500: 1,071.25, up 6.37
NASDAQ: 2,198.23, up 19.18
NEW YORK (AP) - Stocks are modestly higher but have fluctuated after a report showed that the nation's homebuilders are losing faith in the economy. With a couple of hours left in today's trading session, the Dow was up 16 points, the Nasdaq was up 3 and the S&P was up 1.
FARNBOROUGH, England (AP) - Arch rivals Boeing and Airbus have announced new orders worth almost $18 billion at the start of the Farnborough International Airshow. A Boeing executive says the aerospace market has come back faster than expected, raising hopes that the aviation industry is on the way back up after a dire two-year slump.
NEW YORK (AP) - Halliburton says its second-quarter profit soared 83 percent as natural gas drilling activity picked up in the U.S. The results beat Wall Street expectations, and Halliburton shares rose more than 5 percent.
WASHINGTON (AP) - The administrator of a $20 billion Gulf oil spill compensation fund is promising fishermen and others with lost-income claims from the disaster that he'll be more generous with them than any court would be. Kenneth Feinberg says claimants are free to file their own lawsuits instead, but would be "crazy to do so."
WOODBURY, N.Y. (AP) - Jennifer Convertibles has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection following liquidity problems. The sofabed retailer says it was unable to get alternative financing, but plans to keep operating and does not expect the filing to hurt its fulfillment of existing or future customer orders.
(Copyright 2010 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
Pennsylvania Lottery Numbers
HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) - These Pennsylvania lotteries were drawn Monday:
Mega Millions
Estimated jackpot: $12 million
Midday Big 4
9-9-3-6
Midday Number
7-1-1
Midday Quinto
1-7-3-9-4
Powerball
Estimated jackpot: $37 million
Treasure Hunt
01-03-11-17-20
HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) - These Pennsylvania lotteries were drawn
Sunday:
Big 4
5-0-8-2
Cash 5
06-07-21-25-37
Daily Number
4-8-6
Evening Quinto
0-7-7-6-7
Midday Big 4
0-4-5-7
Midday Number
5-0-4
Midday Quinto
9-4-6-4-3
Treasure Hunt
02-12-15-18-24
(Copyright 2010 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
Lohan jailed
LYNWOOD, Calif. (AP) -- This is Lindsay Lohan's last day of freedom for a while. Lohan is scheduled to start serving her 90-day sentence for violating probation tomorrow. Her new home will be a 12-by-8 cell. She'll be by herself for her own protection. Lohan will be allowed to leave her cell at least an hour a day. It's not likely she'll serve her entire 90-day sentence. In Los Angeles, women who commit nonviolent crimes usually serve only a quarter of their time. The last time Lohan was in this same jail for drunken driving, she was let go after 84 minutes because of overcrowding.
Lost tortoise
BRISTOL, Tenn. (AP) - Lilly the tortoise is back home. The 40-pound creature wandered away from the pen where owner Jeff Roark kept it in East Tennessee. Tom Addair swerved to miss Lilly on a Sullivan County road. He says it moved pretty fast for a tortoise, but he was able to catch Lilly. Addair says he and his daughter feed it carrots and put it in a backyard baby pool. A call to the Bristol Herald Courier helped reunite owner Roark and Lilly. Roark offered the Addairs a reward but they refused. However, the Addairs volunteered to tortoise-sit for their new shelled friend if needed.
Utah town officials criticized for Spanish prayer
HYRUM, Utah (AP) - The Hyrum, Utah, city council is being criticized for allowing the closing prayer at the city's Fourth of July program to be given in Spanish. A councilwoman in charge of the celebration says she was merely accommodating a nervous Spanish-speaking pastor asked to deliver the prayer. Maria Montalvo, of Hyrum's Church of God Ebenezer, asked if the prayer could be offered in Spanish and translated into
English. Some critics say the prayer was unpatriotic and wrong. It has sparked letters to the local newspaper, the Logan Herald Journal. One writer said the city council should be impeached and sent to Mexico.
Apple has another lame excuse and a new giveaway
CUPERTINO, Calif. (AP) - Apple is offering a way to ease the "death grip" some users have been putting on their new iPhone 4s. The company says it will give free protective cases to those who buy the newest version of its mobile device to prevent the kind of reception problems that occur when people cover a certain spot on
the phone with their bare hand. In announcing the solution to the reception and public relations problem, Apple CEO Steve Jobs apologized to those who have been dissatisfied with the iPhone 4 - but he denied that it had an antenna problem that needs more than a case to fix it. Said Jobs: "We're not perfect." And Jobs says those who remain dissatisfied with their iPhone4 can return them for a full refund.
Various and poultry details about a summer camp
CORVALLIS, Ore. (AP) - Summer is camp time. Chicken camp, at least in Corvallis, Oregon. Sisters Kelly and Ginger Becker held an encore week of chicken camp on their family farm this month. The first session of the poultry vacation was last summer and kids -- well -- flocked to it. Kelly is 14 and kid sister, Ginger, is 11.
Their dad, John, is the camp chaperone. A local paper (Capital Press) reports campers pay 35 bucks apiece for a taste of farm life. Each kid got five hours of chicken time for a week, everything from handling the birds to cleaning the coops. For many kids, it's their first contact with livestock. Lunch was included, too. No word, though, if they had chicken salad.
Santana returns to Woodstock
BETHEL, N.Y. (AP) - He hasn't been back at Woodstock since 1969. But this past weekend, Carlos Santana made the pilgrimage to Bethel, New York, again. He performed at a new arts pavilion located just yards from the original stage. It was on that stage that Santana and his band performed "Soul Sacrifice." A spokeswoman for the Bethel Woods Center for the Arts says Santana is one of the artists "who embody the spirit" of the original Woodstock - and that his return "is something special."
Real Scranton stuff headed to TV
SCRANTON, Penn. (AP) - Maybe the average viewer doesn't notice, but some probably do see that stuff on the desks on "The Office," is from real businesses in the Scranton, Pennsylvania area. "The Office" is set in Scranton but it's filmed in the Los Angeles area. Producers collect items with logos from Scranton-area businesses to use as props on the set. This past week, the Greater Scranton Chamber of Commerce collected hundreds of items at its annual Prop Drop. The hope is those mugs, magnets and menus that have company names will find their way onto workers' desks at the fictional Dunder Mifflin Paper Company.
(Copyright 2010 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)