Thursday, March 27, 2008

Working structure fire near Trevorton

ZERBE TWP – Fire crews in Northumberland County are responding to a working structure fire in Zerbe Township near Trevorton.  Emergency services say the fire is in the 400 block of Big Mountain Road off of Shingara Road.  The first call came in around 6:10p.m. 

Troopers say Middleburg man uses Tazer device on wife

MIDDLEBURG – A Middleburg man faces harassment charges after allegedly using a Tazer on his sleeping wife.  State Police say 38-year-old Norbert Pronkoskie of Paxtonville Road struck his wife Penny Sue three times on the neck with the device late last Thursday night.  Troopers say she was asleep on a couch at their residence at the time.  Charges will be filed in District Court.  (Matt Farrand)

Injuries reported in two local accidents

UNDATED – Three injuries are reported after a two-vehicle crash near the intersections of Routes 147 and 225 Thursday afternoon .  Northumberland County Communications says one of the vehicles rolled over, and Lifeflight was called to take one of the injured to Geisinger Medical Center.  State Police are investigating and will provide details of the 3:00pm crash.

Also in the 3:00pm hour: Union County Communications says emergency crews were dispatched to a crash along route 15 in Kelly Township at AJK Boulevard.  Two vehicles were involved and three were injured.  All were taken to Evangelical Community Hospital.  The Union County crash is also being investigated by State Troopers.  (Matt Farrand) 

How is a possible recession affecting the environment?

LEWISBURG – Is a slumping economy helping or hurting the push to “go green?”  Associate Professor of Economics at Bucknell University, Tom Kinnaman, says even with leading economic indicators suggesting otherwise, he doesn’t believe we are facing too much of a problem at the current time.  He says the kind of recession we may be going to will be severe enough to diminish large-scale environmental improvement projects or policies put in place.  

Kinnaman says producing and consuming renewable products is a worthwhile endeavor and with the rising oil prices, might soon become even more affordable.

With prices rising, Kinnaman says it is likely that we will see more efficiently priced hybrid cars and possibly solar energy vehicles as well.  He also says while ethanol is a popular alternative, it’s really not the most efficient, because it takes just as much energy to create it from corn.  He says a true breakthrough will come when we can extract energy from the leaves of plants.  The Associate Professor has written two published books, which focus on the use of economic incentives in environmental policies. (Sara Bartlett)

Selling prom dresses for a good cause

SHAMOKIN – A local Girl Scout troop is selling prom dresses for a good cause.  Troop 2008 will be offering brand new or gently used prom dresses to people who donate $10.00 worth of toiletry items that will be sent to local female soldiers serving in Iraq.  The two-day event will take place at the Grace Lutheran Church in Shamokin Friday from 6:00p.m.-9:00p.m. and Saturday from 11:00a.m.-4:00p.m.  New dresses have been donated by bridal shops in Selinsgrove and Lewisburg, and other dresses have been donated by community members.  The church is located on 7^th and Chestnut Streets in Shamokin.  For more information you can call 648-5548. (Sara Bartlett)

Mifflinburg Hose Company spreading awareness about smoke detectors

MIFFLINBURG – The Mifflinburg Hose Company will be conducting smoke detector sweeps throughout their fire district in the month of April.  Fire Chief John Heiges says his crew will be stopping by homes to either replace batteries in smoke detectors or install a new detector if the homeowner would like.

He says you will know the person coming to your door is legitimate because a fire truck will be parked in the block, and crews will also be dressed in full fire gear.

Heiges says in the last couple months there have been a number of fire fatalities, and many of those homes did not have working smoke detectors in the proper location.  Crews will get to every town in the fire district starting in April, and Heiges says they will probably conduct the operation on Monday nights.  If anyone in the area knows they need a smoke detector, they can call the department at 966-1591. (Sara Bartlett)

Amish farmer serving state prison time wants a new hearing

Over 200 residents expressed opposition to halfway facility in Danville

DANVILLE— Over 200 residents and a petition displaying over 2,000 signatures voiced opposition to a proposed halfway house in Danville last night. A meeting held at Danville’s Borough Hall gave residents the chance to voice their concerns and ask questions about the facility being considered on the campus of the State Hospital.

Paul O’Conner with the State Department of Corrections says to say there was “a lot of opposition” would be an understatement. He says it seems that everyone in Danville came out to oppose the facility and he will take all concerns to his board so that they can make an informed decision.

Many area leaders including State Representative Robert Belfanti, three Montour County Police Chiefs and all of the County’s Commissioners also voiced their concerns. Danville’s Police Chief, Eric Gill, says he’s worried about an increase in crime.

Business owner and longtime resident, Tim Beiter, says there are still a lot of questions that need to be answered. And Mayor of Danville, Ed Coleman, says he wanted to go on the record in saying he firmly opposes the facility. The County Commissioners along with the League of Voters sponsored the meeting. (Sara Lauver)

Middleburg man charged with rape and other counts

MIDDLEBURG – A Middleburg man will have a court hearing in April after he was charged with rape and other counts. 40-year-old Gary Keister was arraigned last week before District Justice Willis Savidge of Middleburg on charges of statutory sexual assault, aggravated indecent assault, corruption of minors and other counts.  Court records say he provided alcohol to a 13 and 14-year-old girl in his home on Troxelville road and had indecent contact with both of them.  A preliminary hearing is set for April 21st. 

Indecent assault charges filed against Mifflinburg man

MIFFLINBURG – A Mifflinburg man is facing indecent assault charges after allegedly inappropriately touching a 3-year-old girl.  25-year-old David Ward reportedly touched the girl while she was visiting his Church Street home on March 17th.  He was arraigned before District Justice Jeffrey Mensch and will face a preliminary hearing on April 1st. (Sara Bartlett)

Sunbury Police Detective says murder charges are coming for Michael Harrell

SUNBURY – Sunbury Police Detective Christopher Blase tells WKOK that homicide charges should be filed in about two weeks against Michael Harrell, the man accused of shooting and killing 24-year-old Crystal Scholl-Gordon and 25-year-old David Moore.  The two were shot to death in a home at 226 North Fourth Street on January 18th. 

39-year-old Michael Harrell has been behind bars on a parole violation after he was taken into custody a short time after the double-homicide.  However, he has not been charged yet with homicide.  It’s not clear why police weren’t able to file homicide charges against Harrell until this point.  Footprints in the snow from the crime scene to a home on Fairmount Avenue lead police to Harrell.  (Ali Stevens)

Reward offered in connection with homicide arrest

RICHFIELD – Pennsylvania Crime Stoppers is offering a cash reward for anyone with information leading to an arrest in connection with a Snyder County homicide.  46-year-old Jeffrey Stock, of Richfield, was shot to death early Saturday morning while sitting on the porch of his home on Seven Stars Road in West Perry Township.  He was pronounced dead at Lewistown Hospital.  Stock reportedly worked at Maneval’s Orchard in Snyder County.

Selinsgrove State Police continue to scour the area between the Snyder and Juniata county line to investigate the shooting.  Anyone with information should call them at 374-8145. (Sara Bartlett)  

Couple charged after a fight at an apartment in Snyder County

SELINSGROVE – A Selinsgrove couple is facing charges after state police say they got into a violent altercation last night. 34-year-old Michael Buck sustained a bloody nose and a few cuts in the fight with his wife, 32-year-old Michelle Buck, who was taken to Sunbury Hospital for treatment of injuries to her eye and forehead.

Jeremy Buck was arraigned and charged with simple assault and harassment. Michelle Buck will be charged with harassment. The incident took place on Chubb Alley in Monroe Township around 9:40 last night. (Ali Stevens)

Tight Credit I: Small local borrowers unlikely to be hurt by credit crisis

STATE COLLEGE – Will problems facing big banks and financial institutions affect your chances of getting a student loan or financing a small business? Omega Financial president and CEO Donita Koval says it’s unlikely. To date, she says credit available at Omega for day-to-day businesses or consumers is largely unaffected.

Koval notes Omega did not engage in riskier sub-prime lending practices, which are prompting high foreclosure rates, lower property values, a weaker dollar, and the government-led bailout of the Bear Stearns brokerage. Koval says lower interest rates as directed by the Federal Reserves could even make mortgage terms easier. (Matt Farrand)

Bank stocks weigh heavy on market, most locals retreat

NEW YORK – Analysts are offering a pessimistic view for bank profits. It’s continuing to weigh heavily on the market, and banking stocks of local interest. West Milton Bancorp enters the new day down nearly 12 percent at 42.25, Sovreign is down more than 5.0%, M&T Bancorp is down nearly 3.0%, and Susquehanna Bancshares is down 1.2% to just over 21 dollars per share.

Takeover target Omega Financial and suitor FNB corp are each down a fraction. Meantime, Mid-Penn Bancorp gained about 2.5% and is trading at 25.25. the Dow Industrials lost nearly 110 points Wednesday, mostly through weakness in the financial stocks. The Dow enters the new day at 12,423. (Matt Farrand)

Tight Credit II: Stockholders approve FNB Corp takeover of Omega Financial

STATE COLLEGE – Shareholders of both Omega Financial and FNB Corp are giving their okay to a merger. A joint statement confirms that shareholders or their proxies agreed to go ahead with the deal as announced last year.

Omega Financial shareholders will receive a fraction more than two shares of FNB for each share of Omega they hold. The deal is approved by regulators and will officially take effect April 1st. The former Omega Bank branches will be known as the Omega Region of FNB and cover a major portion of Central PA. (Matt Farrand)

Local New Deal era Post Offices featured in WVIA film

LEWISBURG—Take a good look at your local post office; it may be a gem from the New Deal era of the 1930’s. That’s the theme of a film set to premiere in Lewisburg Thursday night. Executive Director Andrew Miller of the Susquehanna Valley Visitors Bureau says five local post local post offices will be featured for their architecture, and interior artwork.

Miller says the artwork often reflects local scenes, and artists interviewed local residents to ensure the accuracy of their work. Plaster relief sculptures, murals and canvases placed directly on the wall are among the artistic media used. Federal spending on construction of post offices and other public buildings is remembered as an attempt to stimulate the economy during the early stages of the Great Depression.

“New Deal Legacy: A Passage through Pennsylvania’s Valleys of the Susquehanna” will be shown for the first time at the Campus Theater at 7:00pm. It is a WVIA production, but will not air on television until April 3rd. Tickets are free and available at the Visitors Bureau or at the Campus Theater. (Matt Farrand)

Coaches and police want to know who vandalized a youth soccer complex

TURBOTVILLE – AYSO’s soccer season is set to begin next week, but police want to know who vandalized the youth soccer complex used by Warrior Run players. Vandals drove their vehicles onto the soccer fields leaving ruts in the ground with their tires.

Troopers say the vandals spun their tires and left large track marks through the fields. The damage to the fields is estimated at $6,000. The fields may be unusable, forcing the league to find another field to play on. Anyone with information on the incident is asked to call state police. (Ali Stevens)

Northumberland woman arrested after hindering apprehension of illegal alien

NORTHUMBERLAND – A Northumberland woman is facing charges after telling an illegal alien that police were coming after him. On March 12th, the Northumberland Police Department and Code Enforcement Officer were inspecting an area of Queen and Front Streets. That’s when police say 20-year-old Jolyn Rought warned an illegal alien, she identified as Francesco, that police were about to enter her apartment.

Francesco then fled out the back door. Rought told police that Francesco was the brother of her boyfriend, who had been deported earlier this year. Rought faces charges of hindering apprehension and will face a preliminary hearing in front of District Justice Robert Bolton in Sunbury. (Sara Bartlett)

New York man injured in a crash on Route 54 in Montour County

DANVILLE – A New York man was injured in a crash on Route 54 in Derry Township, Montour County Tuesday morning and was discovered injured an hour after the crash. State police say 34-year-old Dwayne Crisp of Geneva was heading north around 1:15 in the morning and lost control, striking a ditch. The pick-up truck rolled over then struck a utility pole, severing it.

Crisp crawled from the scene of the wreck and then collapsed in a driveway of a home along Continental Boulevard. About an hour later, a resident heard the man calling for help and Crisp was taken to Geisinger Medical Center, where he was treated and released. (Ali Stevens)

Reality stars from a program on TLC visit Reptiland in Allenwood

ALLENWOOD – Have you heard of the TLC program called “John and Kate Plus 8”? The reality show follows the day-to-day life of John and Kate Gosselin, who are parents of two-year-old sextuplets and six-year-old twins. One of their eight children, Alexis, is very fond of alligators, so the whole gang decided to visit Clyde Peeling’s Reptiland and did some filming in early February for their television program.

The episode is set to air on Monday at 9 p.m. on TLC and will feature Alexis touching a baby alligator and other experiences at Reptiland. TLC is featured on most cable and digital television packages. The Gosselin’s are residents of Elizabethtown, Pennsylvania. (Ali Stevens)

Start of spring means the start of construction

DANVILLE – As the spring flowers pop-up, so do the road construction zones in the Central Susquehanna Valley. Rick Mason of PennDOT says several projects will get underway in April and May and motorists need to be careful in work zones. He says everyone deserves to get home safely to their families.

One of the big projects getting underway in early April is along Route 54 in Montour County. Milling and resurfacing work will take place from the Route 11 intersection in Danville to just south of Interstate 80 in Mausdale. Traffic will be limited around-the-clock to a single lane in each direction. The work will begin on April 7th and wrap up in mid-August. (Ali Stevens)

Friends of the Library hold fundraiser this weekend

SUNBURY – A live and silent auction will be held this weekend to raise money for the Degenstein Community Library. The 26th annual event is hosted by non-profit group Friends of the Library. Secretary of the group Ada Lee Newman says it’s the biggest fundraiser of the year.

Items up for bid include framed prints by local artists, baskets of wine and food, signed books, Penn State memorabilia and gift certificates for restaurants and vacations. The theme of this year’s auction is ‘Rock and Roll is Here Today’ and Newman encourages everyone to dress in their 1950’s rock and roll gear.

Everyone is invited to the event this Saturday in the community room of the Degenstein Community Library. The silent auction beings at 4:30p.m, and the live auction beings at 6:00p.m. Admission is $10.00 and refreshments will be provided. For more information and to see pictures of the items up for bid, go to www.degensteinlibrary.org. (Sara Bartlett)

Elysburg woman heading to court on 17 felony charges against her

ELYSBURG – An Elysburg woman will be formally arraigned on May 7th in Northumberland County Court after waiving her right to a preliminary hearing Tuesday on 17 felony charges. 40-year-old Lisa Renn is accused of fraudulently purchasing close to 7,000 prescription pills for her own personal use. The pills were obtained from the Rite Aid pharmacy in Shamokin and the Community Pharmacy in Mount Carmel.

Police say Renn was able to get the prescriptions by calling them in using a doctor’s name that she worked for and asking for the drugs for her ex-husband. She also reportedly used her ex-husbands insurance card to pay for the numerous prescriptions over a 2 ½ year period. (Ali Stevens)

Danville residents targeted in a multi-state phone scam

DANVILLE – Several Danville residents have been targeted in a multi-state phone scam. The Press Enterprise reports at least 100 residents were called on Tuesday morning from someone claiming to be from security for Central Susquehanna Community Federal Credit Union. The message told residents that their accounts had been cancelled and instructed them to call back with their 16-digit account number, expiration date and PIN number.

The caller is a recording of a man with a foreign accent and shows up on Caller ID as a number from Florida. Residents are warned not to give out their PIN number or account number to anyone over the phone. Central Susquehanna is a credit union in this area and recently opened a new office on Market Street. (Ali Stevens)

Rail crossing in Sunbury will be closed next week for construction

SUNBURY – Norfolk Southern has announced that a rail crossing in Sunbury will be closed next week while they replace the rails and reconstruct the crossing. The Packer Street rail crossing will be closed all week long while the work is completed. A signed detour is posted and motorists are advised to give themselves extra time in case there are delays. The closing will start early Monday and continue through Friday of next week. (Ali Stevens)

Latest Pennsylvania news, sports, business and entertainment:

HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) - States, cities, hospitals and major public agencies are getting battered by wild interest rate swings in one sector of the municipal bond market. They are  scrambling to refinance the debt as they add up the damages to their budgets and nurse some hard feelings.  The highest-profile fallout so far is the tightening of the student-loan market. Agencies in Pennsylvania, Iowa and Michigan have suspended new student loans.  Budgetmakers had planned on paying around 4 percent on borrowed funds as recently as December. Now they are searching for ways to fit rates of 5 percent to 10 percent into their budgets. So far, most affected institutions appear to be withstanding the tens of millions of dollars in additional costs without laying off workers or shutting down crucial services.

HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) - Gov. Ed Rendell says he's abandoned his proposal to give lower-income families special payments of up to $400 this year to help stimulate the economy. Rendell said at a state Capitol news conference Wednesday that there wasn't sufficient support in the Legislature for the proposal. Even fellow Democrats balked at the idea, which called for dipping into the state's fiscal reserve to pay the $130 million cost. The plan would have directed the payments to about 475,000 families, typically those who have at least one dependent but don't earn enough to pay state income taxes.

HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) - Federal regulators are reviewing a security problem that occurred last year at Pennsylvania's Three Mile Island nuclear power plant. But they aren't saying what happened. Diane Screnci of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission says the agency examined the issue as part of a routine security inspection that was completed last month. A preliminary report characterized the problem as having moderate to serious significance. Screnci says she can't provide any details because federal rules prohibit the disclosure of nuclear plant security deficiencies. The Patriot-News of Harrisburg reports that the problem was identified last summer by the plant's operator, AmerGen Energy, and was quickly corrected.

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

 Daily Number

     5-1-8

 Big 4

     4-5-7-9

 Treasure Hunt

     1-5-17-21-27