Saturday, March 8, 2008
Northumberland man in prison after a chase with Sunbury police
SUNBURY – A Northumberland man is now behind bars after leading Sunbury police and state police on a four-hour chase through the city. Sunbury police suspected a drug deal was going on along Market Street. They stopped Damian McDermitt of Northumberland and found a knife in his pocket along with a small amount of marijuana.
McDermitt reportedly grabbed the marijuana back, and took off, with officers Travis Bremigen and Steve Bennick chasing after him. The chase started around 1:15 Friday afternoon and the suspect was finally taken into custody shortly after 5 p.m. A state police helicopter was also used in the search.
McDermott was seen jumping over fences and running on a number of streets before being found hiding under a porch. He was sent to the Northumberland County Prison on numerous charges with bail set at $100,000. (Ali Stevens)
Robber pleads guilty to federal charges
WILLIAMSPORT – A man who robbed the Sovereign Bank of Lewisburg twice in 2005 has pleaded guilty to federal bank robbery charges. 50-year-old Daniel Gaudio, who’s last known address was in California, admitted to taking more than $10,000 from a bank teller in Lewisburg.
The robbery happened May 9th, after Gaudio pointing a pellet gun at the teller. Four day’s later, he robbed the same bank of $2,400. In both incidents, he rode a bicycle to and from the bank. He faces 45 years in prison when he is sentenced. (Ali Stevens)
Local bank stocks enter new week up a bit
NEW YORK – Stocks enter the new week below 12,000 for the first time in two months. A Labor Department report indicating contraction in payrolls for the second month in a row was among the factors weighing on stocks. The Dow Industrials are down 3.0% percent from the previous week. The S&P 500 lost 2.8 percent and the NASDAQ retreated 2.6 percent for the week.
Banking stocks of local interest enter the new week on an upbeat note. Omega Financial gained 2.7% to finish Friday at 27.01, and FNB gained 1.2% percent to 13.46. M&T Bank and Sovreign Bancorp also pared early losses and finished in positive territory.
Weis Markets also gained close to a full percent and closed at 32.12. But, Sara Lee and Community Health Systems had off days Friday, losing about two percent apiece. Conagra lost 1.3% percent to close at 21.25, and The Pennsylvania Real Estate Investment Trust dropped 1.2% percent to end the week at 23.59. Community Health Systems also lost nearly two percent.
Items on this week’s economic calendar could further confirm what many already know, that prices of a lot of things are going up. The Consumer Price Index and the core CPI will be released at the end of the week by the Commerce Department. Those figures will follow retails sales figures and initial unemployment claims on Thursday. (Matt Farrand)
Community pool struggling financially will officially close
WATSONTOWN – Borough council has decided to close the community pool in Watsontown. They voted this week to close the pool, citing costly repairs and renovations to the pool, which has been open for 36-years.
Borough maintenance foreman Dale Stahl tells WNEP there are cracks in the concrete casing and ceramic tiles and the pool is losing anywhere from an inch to an inch and a half of water per day. Borough officials say that could be as much as 13,000 gallons of water a day. (Ali Stevens)
Major drug bust in the Mount Carmel area
MOUNT CARMEL – There was a large drug bust in the Coal Region on Friday with 40 alleged drug users and seller charged. The News Item reports the Northumberland-Montour Drug Task Force rounded up the suspects ranging in age from 17 to 60. They were taken into custody during a six-hour raid that began around 6:30 a.m. in Mount Carmel.
Police seized heroin, methamphetamine, cocaine, marijuana and prescription pills. They also found cash, rifles and drug paraphernalia. Most of the suspects were sent to the Northumberland County Prison after failing to post bail. The drug offenses took place from December of 2006 to February of this year. Several local police departments assisted in the drug bust. (Ali Stevens)
Two teens involved in school fight; charges pending
MIDDLEBURG – Charges are pending after two 16-year-old Midd-West High School students got into a fight. Middleburg Police report the two males began arguing in school around 10:45 Friday morning. They then began to shove each other and one male punched the other in the mouth. The victim was taken to the hospital for treatment of lip injuries. Charges of simple assault, harassment and disorderly conduct could be filed. (Sara Bartlett)
Belfanti reacts to anti-smoking ad
COAL TWP – State House member Bob Belfanti is reacting to a print ad run in local newspapers this week by the Tobacco Free Kids Action Fund. The group is targeting members of a House committee that’s working on a compromise bill that would restrict tobacco-smoking statewide.
Belfanti says he’s not surprised to be on the receiving end of the campaign, and notes there could be a lot of money spent to influence a decision. The half page ad shows a photo of the 107th district Democrat with a notice in the style of the Surgeon General’s warning on a pack of cigarettes.
The boxed text of the ad claims “This Representative’s Decisions May be Hazardous to Your Health.” The campaign is appearing in the districts of three Republicans and two Democrats, including House member Ron Miller, Majority Leader Bill DeWeese, Minority Leader Sam Smith, Minority Leader Robert Mellow and State Senator Chuck Mcllhinney.
The Tobacco Free Kids fund often works with groups such as Common Cause, and favors banning smoking from all workplaces, including restaurants, bars and casinos. Hearings will be conducted next week to arrive at a compromise between House and Senate anti-smoking bills. (Matt Farrand)
Registration deadline approaches this month for voters
MIDDLEBURG— This year’s upcoming primary election in the state of Pennsylvania is getting a lot of attention and Director of Elections in Snyder County, Pat Nace, says a strong democracy relies on residents using their votes.
She says Pennsylvania has a permanent registration that only becomes purged if an individual does not respond to a number of mailings after a few years. But if you aren’t registered, she says the deadline to do so is March 24th. The upcoming Pennsylvania primary election is set for April 22nd. (Sara Lauver)
Man in critical condition following a crash in Coal Township
COAL TOWNSHIP – A Coal Township man was seriously injured in a crash Thursday morning. The News Item reports 60-year-old Donald Faust was driving north on Sherman Street when his truck slid on a patch of ice and crashed into a utility pole around 5 a.m. Faust was flown by Life Flight to Geisinger Medical Center and is listed in critical condition. (Ali Stevens)
Sunbury man charged after beating up man for heroin
LEWISBURG – A Sunbury man faces charges after allegedly robbing and beating up another man on Tuesday in Lewisburg. 29-year-old Steven Anderson broke into a home on Saint Anthony Street and beat up William Green, of Lewisburg, around 12:40a.m. Anderson knew Green, and was apparently going to get heroin from him, but instead of the transaction.
Anderson reportedly assaulted him and held a knife to his neck. He also took Green’s wallet and a cane that was reportedly filled with heroin. Anderson is charged with felony counts of aggravated assault and robbery, as well as a misdemeanor charge of simple assault and recklessly endangering another person. (Sara Bartlett)
OSHA investigates a deadly accident at a construction site
HUMMELS WHARF – The Occupational Safety and Health Administration is now investigating a deadly accident at the Monroe Marketplace construction site in Hummels Wharf. The Daily Item reports OSHA investigators were at the Target construction site on Thursday. 38-year-old Ronald Collins of Mount Union was killed Wednesday morning when a 33,000-pound forklift ran over his head. OSHA is looking to see if there were any violations of federal regulations, which could take up to six months. The contractor being investigated is Harrisburg-based S & R Enterprises LLC. They could be fined up to $70,000 for the accident. (Ali Stevens)
Prison time for a drunk driver involved in a fatal crash
NEWPORT – A Middleburg man was sentenced to prison for a DUI crash that left a Newport man dead in February of 2006. 53-year-old Rickey Zechman was sentenced in Perry County Court to 3 to 6 years in state prison for the incident that left 92-year-old William Reisinger dead.
Police say Zechman was driving at a high rate of speed on Routes 11 and 15 in Liverpool Township when he hit the rear of Reisinger’s vehicle, causing it to flip over. It was determined that Zechman’s blood alcohol was .139 percent at the time of the crash. Reisinger spent a month at a hospital in Hershey before dying from his injuries. He was not insured and Zechman was ordered to pay $190,000 to cover medical expenses. (Ali Stevens)
Message of hope and courage from nationally known radio journalist
SELINSGROVE – When you get knocked down, get back up. That was the message to a group of local business professionals from nationally known radio journalist and motivational speaker Nelson Lauver. He was the keynote speaker Thursday at The Greater Susquehanna Valley Chamber of Commerce’s annual meeting.
Lauver, who grew up in Juniata County, says he loves to tell stories of those who never gave up. Lauver has taken his own life’s advice. He was illiterate until the age of 29, caused by undiagnosed dyslexia. After getting help from Pennsylvania’s office of Occupational Vocational Rehabilitation, he decided to peruse his broadcasting dreams.
He created The American Storyteller Radio Journal in 2000, which is now played on radio stations all over the country, including our sister station 100.7 The Valley. You can hear him on The Valley every weekday morning at 6:20. (Sara Bartlett)
Pennsylvania news, sports, business and entertainment:
PHILADELPHIA (AP) - Philadelphia's Democratic ward leaders have postponed a decision on whether to take sides in the presidential nomination race. They're waiting until they can hear from Sens. Hillary Rodham Clinton and Barack Obama in person. U.S. Rep. Bob Brady, the city Democratic chairman, says both campaigns support the idea. He said he envisions scheduling both candidates' appearances and the city committee vote on the same day. Brady also said says both candidates have agreed to attend the Philadelphia Democrats April 14 Jefferson-Jackson Day dinner. And he says they've agreed that that if they decide to hold a debate in Pennsylvania it will take place in Philadelphia. He says he's reserved the dates between April 15-17 to stage the event at the National Constitution Center.
HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) - The state House of Representatives expects to debate next week whether to expand state-subsidized health insurance for uninsured adults. This comes more than a year after Gov. Ed Rendell introduced a plan intended to accomplish that goal. Rep. Todd Eachus says he's putting the finishing touches on legislation to provide low-cost health insurance to roughly 800,000 uninsured adults and small businesses that cannot afford to cover their employees. The Luzerne County Democrat says rank-and-file lawmakers are expected to receive the details on Monday. Rendell's plan was unveiled in January 2007. It has been opposed by lawmakers who do not want the new taxes required to help finance it.
HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) - Here are the winning numbers selected Friday in the Pennsylvania State Lottery:
FRIDAY NIGHT Daily Number 8-1-4
Big 4 4-3-0-0
FRIDAY MIDDAY Daily Number 6-8-0
Big 4 0-4-1-5
Treasure Hunt 4-5-6-22-25
The winning numbers drawn Friday in the "Pennsylvania Cash 5" game were: 05-11-18-28-34.
The winning numbers drawn Friday in the "Pennsylvania Match 6 Lotto" game were: 01-05-35-36-39-48.
(Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
Sports schedule
Wrestling continues on WKOK this afternoon. WKOK’s last local sports broadcast for the 2007-2008 Fall/Winter Sports Broadcasting Season will be this afternoon. It will be the PIAA Class AA State Wrestling Championship Finals. 2:00p.m. airtime… Steve Williams will be our reporter.
Penn State plays at Wisconsin tonight. That game will be on WKOK after the State Wrestling finals.
Bucknell plays Colgate in the 2nd Round of the Patriot League Tournament. That game will be on our sister station Eagle 107 at 1:30 this afternoon.