Friday, March 21, 2008

UnCo leader: Target not idled by I-80 tolls

SUNBURY – An aide for Congressman John Peterson (R-PA 5th) isn’t so sure that the Target Distribution Center won’t put its construction plans on hold in Union County if I-80 becomes a toll road. Mike Glazer was a recent guest on On The Mark, and discussed the negative affect that tolls would have on our region.

Glazer says although the Target Corporation has a lot of money invested in the Distribution Center project, they may wait on the construction, while monitoring the toll situation. He cites a similar project in Bradford County along the I-80 corridor, where a trucking company has put their plans on hold to build there.

Union County Commissioner Preston Boop, who has been vocal in his opposition to tolling I-80, says construction of the Target DC is moving along. It is still slated to open in 2009 and employ nearly 500 people. (Sara Bartlett)

Republican candidates speak in Lewisburg

LEWISBURG – Members of the Union County Republican Committee gathered at the Lewisburg Hotel Thursday night for their annual “Lincoln Day Dinner.” The dinner is designed to raise money for the committee’s voter contact activities.

The keynote speaker for the event was retiring U.S. Congressman John Peterson (R-5th, Pleasantville). Peterson is battling against the proposed tolling of Interstate 80. Committee Chairman Yvonne Morgan says they stand behind Peterson in the fight against tolling.

She said, “I was honored that Congressman Peterson came out to join us. I believe that if the I-80 tolling goes through, it will absolutely destroy whatever economy we have left in the central Pennsylvania Valley.” Current State Representative Russ Fairchild (R-85th, Lewisburg) also spoke briefly, as did candidates for both the U.S. Congress and the State House and Senate. (Clayton Gessner)

Sunbury blazes leaves damages at $270,000

SUNBURY – The fire that destroyed a duplex in Sunbury has been listed undetermined in origin. State Police Fire Marshal Norman Fedder says the fire originated in the 2nd floor bathroom of 829 North 5th Street.

The majority of the blaze was reportedly located in the ceiling area of the bathroom, where there was an exhaust fan and a light. Fedder says the extent of damage and the location of electrical items in the bathroom made it unable to determine the exact cause.

The home is owned by James and Phyllis Gordon, who were insured. 62-year-old Phyllis Gordon had to be rescued from the roof of the building; she has been released from Sunbury Community Hospital. The tenant in the other half of the duplex, 34-year-old Tricia Reitz, escaped the blaze, and no other injuries were reported. Damage to the structure and the contents are estimated at $270,000. (Sara Bartlett)

In Milton, a man on a scooter was hit and killed

MILTON – A man on an electric scooter was hit and killed by a train last night in Milton. 59-year-old Warren Cotner of 25 Broadway, Milton, died around 6p.m. Police say he was hit and killed at a rail crossing on Mahoning Street.

Officers say the battery-operated device was traveling east and the train was southbound and Cotner may have ridden around the crossing barriers. He was pronounced dead at the scene by the Northumberland County deputy coroner Barry Leisenring. The coroner’s office says the cause of the accidental death was blunt force trauma to the head.

The Lycoming Valley train was traveling about 45 miles per hour and authorities say the train’s horn was sounding at the intersection. The train was traveling from Williamsport to Northumberland and is part of the ‘North Shore Railroad’ family of rail lines.

U.S. Marshals capture two fugitives from 2006 alleged drug ring

WILLIAMSPORT— Two federal drug fugitives that were involved in an alleged 2006 gang-related drug trafficking ring have been captured. A release sent by the U.S. Marshals says that 27-year old, Edwin Lozano and 28-year old, Jermaine Mack were among a list of 16 defendants in that crack cocaine distribution ring centered around Northumberland, Snyder and Union Counties.

Lozano and Mack have been on the run since those arrests in May of 2006. Lozano was apprehended during the early morning hours of February 7th while Mack was captured Monday afternoon (March 17). That means fifteen of the sixteen defendants have now been arrested, leaving Troy Goodman who is believed to be the leader of that distribution ring.

In 2005, a criminal investigation was initiated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives after an increase in drug activity was identified in Northumberland, Snyder and Union Counties. The federal indictments were the result of a joint investigation.

The investigation involved the Pennsylvania Office of the Attorney General, Pennsylvania State Police, New York City Police, the Federal Bureau of Investigation and local police departments from Milton, Mt. Carmel, Northumberland, Point Township and Sunbury. (Sara Lauver)

Charges pending after a naked woman driver causes a crash

SHAMOKIN DAM – A Perry County woman is facing charges after police say she was driving in the nude and on the wrong side of the road when she hit an SUV. Shamokin Dam police tell us 64-year-old Susan Shuman of New Buffalo was naked driving north in the southbound lane of Routes 11 & 15.

She struck an SUV driven by Lori Knowlden of Trout Run, who then hit a vehicle driven by Fred Grunsby of Muncy Valley. Knowlden and Shuman were taken to Geisinger Medical Center. Grunsby was taken to Sunbury Community Hospital.

Shamokin Dam police tell us the investigation will continue and charges are pending against Shuman. They were not able to release details on why the woman was naked. The accident happened around 9:00 this morning near the Veteran’s Memorial Bridge overpass. Traffic was heavy in the area for more than an hour following the crash. (Ali Stevens)

Bullets fired at a church in Union County

WHITE DEER TWP – Police are searching for a suspect who allegedly fired bullets at a church in White Deer Township, Union County. On Wednesday around 1:30a.m. someone shot numerous bullets at the Mt. Deliverance Worship Center on Pleasant View Road. No injuries reported, but the building sustained damage. The investigation continues and anyone with information about incident is asked to call Milton State Police. (Sara Bartlett)

Two alleged heroin dealers taken into custody in Danville

DANVILLE – Danville police have arrested two alleged heroin dealers. Police say 36-year-old Jennifer Hunt and 21-year-old Shawn Ashton sold drugs to a confidential informant on several occasions from an apartment on East Mahoning Street in Danville.

Police say they were alerted to the drug activity by complaints from neighbors. Preliminary hearings for both suspects are set for the end of March. Hunt faces nine charges from three alleged drug buys and Ashton faces seven charges. (Ali Stevens)

March is Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month and Daffodil Days is next week

SUNBURY – March is an important time for the American Cancer Society, with one of their biggest fundraisers and also the recognition of Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month. Daffodil Days are next week in the Central Susquehanna Valley, where daffodils will be distributed to those who purchase them. The daffodil represents hope and renewal and daffodils will be distributed next week to those who contribute.

Also in March, it’s time to recognize the importance of getting regular screenings for colorectal cancer. Karen Maurer of the American Cancer Society says colorectal cancer is the number one cancer killer in America and education is key.

Dr. Joe Gallagher of Central Penn GI Associates says the good news about colon cancer is its preventable and treatable. He says the disease takes a long time to develop. It starts as a polyp, but it takes about 7 to 10 years to develop, so doctors have a window of opportunity to remove the polyp and prevent the cancer from developing.

He adds that you only have to be screened for colon cancer every 10 years if you are healthy. To learn more about colon cancer and other cancers you can go to www.cancer.org. They have a 20-question test online that will help you determine what screenings you may need. (Ali Stevens)

Latest Pennsylvania news, sports, business and entertainment:

HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) - Hunters in Pennsylvania killed an estimated 323,070 deer during the 007-08 season, an 11 percent decrease from the prior season.  The Pennsylvania Game Commission says hunters killed 109,200 antlered deer, down 19 percent from the previous season's 135,290. Hunters killed 213,870 antlerless deer, down five percent from the previous season's 226,270.  The opening day antlered deer harvest dropped more than 50 percent from the prior season. Opening day was marked by poor weather.  Estimates were based on 124,569 report cards hunters submitted and 25,400 deer examined by commission staff.  Hunters may kill one buck, but may apply for permits to shoot more than one doe or buck with antlers shorter than three inches.

POTTSVILLE, Pa. (AP) - A Pottsville man is being held without bail after the bodies of a 19-year-old man and a 17-year-old girl missing for nearly three weeks were found in his basement. Officials say 53-year-old Norman Nickels is charged with criminal homicide and other counts, and is lodged in the Schuylkill County Prison.  Schuylkill County Coroner Joseph Lipsett says both 19-year-old Joshua Yevak of Pottsville and the 17-year-old girl had been shot.  The girl's name wasn't immediately released. Authorities say she was from Port Carbon and had been reported missing on March 3rd.

HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) - A northeastern Pennsylvania businessman accused of lying to get his casino license has given the contents of his FBI file to state gambling regulators. That's according to a spokesman for Mount Airy Casino Resort owner Louis DeNaples. Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board spokesman Doug Harbach wouldn't confirm that. DeNaples' attorneys received the documents after filing a freedom-of-information request with the FBI. But DeNaples' spokesman, Kevin Feeley, disputed suggestions in the grand jury report that DeNaples withheld the information from gaming board agents before he won the license in December 2006. Feeley said the FBI had not sent all the information to DeNaples before then. He would not say what was in the file.

HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) - The interim chief executive of Pennsylvania's embattled student-loan agency has been hired to fill the job. The board of the Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency voted unanimously at its Thursday meeting to make James Preston the president and CEO. He had been serving in an interim capacity since October. He replaces Dick Willey, who resigned in the wake of a state auditor's report on bonuses and perks that the agency gave to employees -- after PHEAA executives had pledged to curb unnecessary spending. Preston joined PHEAA in 2003 as the executive vice president of client relations and loan operations.

HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) - State officials have taken down a Web site that allowed Pennsylvanians to fill out voter registration forms from their computers. People who want to register can still print out the forms and fill them out by hand. Either way, the forms must be manually signed and filed. Officials took down the site Tuesday night, after learning it was possible to tamper with the coding and use the site to view other people's registration information, including voters' driver's license numbers or the last four digits of Social Security numbers. They say they don't know how many forms may have been viewed this way, but are trying to find out.

POTTSVILLE, Pa. (AP) - Authorities have identified both of the teenagers whose bodies were found in the basement of a Pottsville home.  They are 19-year-old Joshua Brian Yevak of Pottsville and his 17-year-old girlfriend, 17-year-old Cayla Cierra Turner of Port Carbon.  Police say the bodies were found stacked and covered with a blanket. They were in the home of 53-year-old Norman Edward Nickels, who's charged with two counts of criminal homicide.  Both teens had been missing for weeks and it's unclear how long the bodies were in the basement.  According to court papers cited by the Republican & Herald of Pottsville, Nickels told police he covered the bodies so he didn't have to look at them while doing laundry.

HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) - Pennsylvania reported a loss of 8,000 jobs in February, a faster rate of decline than job losses nationally.  The monthly drop in jobs comes on the heels of a hiring slowdown that has left Pennsylvania with fewer jobs than it had in July.  Pennsylvania last reported a monthly drop in jobs in September.  Economist Ryan Sweet of Moody's Economy.com says the slump is not surprising, considering the nation appears to be in the midst of a slight recession.  The state's unemployment rate rose slightly to 4.9 percent, above the national rate of 4.8 percent.  Most sectors remained stable in February, while the construction, trade, transportation and utility sectors slid.

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

 Daily Number

     1-2-6

 Big 4

     1-9-9-5

 Treasure Hunt

     7-16-22-27-30

     (Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press.  All Rights Reserved.)

ROME (AP) - Pope Benedict has washed the feet of a dozen priests in a Holy Week ritual to symbolize humility and encourage people to set aside rancor toward others. The Holy Thursday ceremony in Rome's St. John in Lateran Basilica commemorates Jesus' last supper with his 12 apostles on the evening before his Good Friday crucifixion. The Vatican said that the collection taken up at the Mass would be given to an orphanage in Cuba. Holy Week culminates in an Easter vigil Mass Saturday night in St. Peter's Basilica and Mass on Sunday morning in St. Peter's Square. The pope also will preside over a cross-carrying procession Friday night at Rome's Coliseum.

WASHINGTON (AP) - For at least this moment, science and the Bible are in agreement: it's better to give than to receive. According to a report in the current issue of the journal Science, people who made gifts to others or to charities reported feeling happier than folks who didn't share. That debunks previous studies indicating that having more money can increase happiness. But researchers at the University of British Columbia and Harvard University looked into whether the way people spent their money made any difference. Turns out, it does. Lead researcher Elizabeth Dunn, of the University of British Columbia, says while she's not surprised, she is struck by how big the effect was and that how people spent money was more important than how much money they had.

STATE COLLEGE, Pa. (AP) - Joe Paterno's sometimes-prickly interactions with the media are about to fall under the microscope of academia. Penn State will start a class this fall examining the university's longtime football coach's relationship with the media. The court also is to examine Paterno' role in general as a communicator. The evolution of sports journalism into today's fast-paced, Internet-driven media marketplace, and its effect on Penn State coverage, will be a main focus of the class. For instance, weekly in-season news conferences once meant Paterno talking with six reporters around a table, no microphone or TV camera in sight. Now Paterno sits at a table overlooking more than a dozen reporters, with at least another dozen asking questions on the phone.