Friday, April 18, 2008

Obama campaigns in Williamsport

WILLIAMSPORT – US Senator Bob Casey welcomed Barack Obama to Lycoming College in Williamsport Friday.  Obama was greeted by over 2,000 supporters.  He spoke and then took questions from the audience.  The democratic presidential hopeful first responded to those who question why he is running so early in his career, and he answered with a quote from Dr. Martin Luther King, saying it’s the ‘fierce urgency of now.’  He says America cannot wait to fix schools, healthcare, the economy and the war.

Obama spoke about gradually pulling troops from Iraq, investing in energy efficient technology like wind, solar and biodiesel and his stance on registering illegal immigrants so that they can become legal citizens.  He also answered questions about paying for higher education and a revision of ‘No Child Left Behind.’

University searches for successor to coach Pat Flannery

LEWISBURG – The most successful coaching career in Patriot League history is coming to a close.  Bucknell University men’s basketball head coach Pat Flannery is stepping down from the job he’s held since 1994.  He’ll stay with the University in fundraising capacity.  Flannery says he’s accomplished all he can in his time as head coach, and his health is good.  Flannery is a graduate of Bucknell and also coached at Lebanon Valley College.

Flannery steps down with a Bucknell record of 234-178, including 125 Patriot League wins.  His Bison teams won Patriot League titles in 2005 and 2006, entered the NCAA Division I tournament and respectively defeated the University of Kansas and Arkansas during their appearances. Coach Flannery collapsed during a game at Sojka Pavilion earlier this year, but credits the treatment he received at local hospitals for letting him finish the season. University president Brian Mitchell says a search for a successor is underway.  Flannery officially begins his new job July 1^st.  (Matt Farrand)

Lycoming College hosts Obama

WILLIAMSPORT – Lycoming College in Williamsport is hosting an appearance by Democrat Presidential candidate Barack Obama.  The Illinois senator is scheduled to appear in the Lamade Auditorium at this hour.  Thousands of free tickets for the event were reportedly taken within hours of the announcement of his appearance.  The gym is reportedly packed with supporters, signs, and other gear. 

Obama is considered the front-runner for the nomination, though many polls have Hillary Rodham Clinton ahead in advance of the Pennsylvania primary on Tuesday.  (Sara Bartlett)

Woman sues over trip to Middleburg in police car

MIDDLEBURG – A York County woman is filing a lawsuit against Snyder County and District Attorney Mike Sholley.  According to the Patriot-News, Marci Bittner, of Spring Grove, claims her constitutional rights were violated after being handcuffed and driven to Middleburg in a police car for failing to honor a subpoena in Snyder County.  Bittner says a member of Sholley’s staff agreed to arrange transportation for the 87-mile drive to attend her ex-husband’s criminal trial, but when police arrived to her home, she was reportedly handcuffed and served a bench warrant. 

She alleges that the trip to Middleburg was in a sweltering hot car and that he rights were violated because she was subjected to excessive physical force.  Sholley has said that Bitter never was promised transportation, and that all of the proper procedures were followed.  The suit seeks unspecified damages, it was filed Wednesday in U.S. Middle District Court.      

Merrill Linn Conservancy hosts day of free events

LEWISBURG – Celebrate Earth Day this weekend with the Merrill Linn Land & Waterways Conservancy’s Caring for Communities.  The 5^th annual event to be held Sunday puts the spotlight on agriculture, wildlife and music.  All of the events are free and include workshops for kids, bluebird house building, live bat presentations, string music, Celtic and Appalachian flute music and talks about honeybees.  Lunch and snacks will also be served and the day will round down with a performance by Larry Lawson and the Lawson and Disorder Trio.  The event will be held Sunday outside of Lewisburg on the Dale/Engle/Walker property on Strawbridge Road, off of Route 192 from 1:00p.m.-5:00p.m.  Everyone is encouraged to attend this free event. (Sara Bartlett)  

Two injured in a crash on Route 54 near Elysburg

ELYSBURG – Two people were injured in a crash this morning on Route 54 at Kaboodle Road near Elysburg.  State police say 27-year-old Nicole Sheriff of Shamokin crossed the centerline and struck another vehicle nearly head-on, driven by 46-year-old Shaun Recla of Danville.  Sheriff was flown to Geisinger Medical Center with serious injuries.  Recla was transferred there by ambulance with unknown injuries. 

Route 54 was closed for about an hour and a half following that crash in Rush Township around 5:45 this morning.  (Ali Stevens)

Employment applications still arriving at Firetree Ltd.

MIDDLEBURG – It’s been over a week since the company that plans to open a drug and alcohol rehabilitation center in Spring Township, Snyder County held a job fair. Firetree Limited calls the fair a success in spite of criticism it’s drawing for buying the former Beaver-Adams Elementary School building and planning their facility for that site.

Snyder County Commissioner Malcolm Derk says opponents of the center have few options remaining, as the property is already held by Firetree and the area is not zoned. Derk notes, “Maybe it’s time for the count, maybe in areas where we haven’t had zoning, to consider whether this is the time. If we can have some county leadership, we’d like to see that.”

Firetree Human Resources Director Scott Snyder says they accepted over 200 applications at the job fair last week, and more arrive at their Williamsport office daily. At least 30 employees will be needed including drivers, program monitors, intake technicians and additional positions with expertise in the substance abuse field. (Matt Farrand)

Another victim of Harclerode steps forward

LEWISBURG – A retired Bucknell University professor accused of molesting a boy is facing new charges. 72-year-old Jack Harclerode of Lewisburg was in court Thursday after officials say another victim came forward alleging that he had been sexually abused.

Reports say Harclerode had sexual contact with the young boy over a four-year period starting in 1992, with incidents taking place both in Harclerode’s home and his office on campus. He is charged with multiple counts of involuntary deviate sexual intercourse and is jailed on $100,000 bail. Harclerode already faces charges of indecent assault for molesting a 10-year-old boy at a Columbia County campground in 2006.

He also faces pornography allegations in Union County after hundreds of inappropriate images of children were found on his personal computer. Last year, Union County District Attorney Pete Johnson held a news conference urging any victims of Harclerode’s to come forward. (Sara Bartlett)

PSP catches alleged arson suspect setting fires

DANVILLE – Authorities say a Jerseytown area man is being charged with 37 criminal counts related to arson fires set since November, and he could be linked to others. 52-year-old Chester A. Cyphers, of Whitehall Road, is being held in the Montour County Prison on $400,000 bail.

Montour County District Attorney Bob Buehner says there was a fire reported at about 9:00 a.m. in Madison Township near Jerseytown, and troopers arrived about three minutes behind the suspect. However, Buehner says, “He was literally caught in the act of fire-setting,” along Berriman Road in Muncy Creek Township Lycoming County.

Cyphers will face a preliminary hearing next Friday in front of District Justice Marvin Shrawder. He is also being charged with aggravated assault in connection with allegedly setting a November fire that paralyzed Warrior Run firefighter Wayne Hawley. (Matt Farrand)

Northumberland County gets $1 million grant for Moran Industries

WATSONTOWN – A $1 million grant has been awarded to Northumberland County to improve rail lines and rail infrastructure in support of a Watsontown logistics provider. Jeff Stroehmann is the Vice President of Operations at Moran Industries, and says they are thankful that Northumberland County Commissioners, State Representative Merle Phillips and State Senator John Gordner were behind the company 100% when applying for the grant. Stroehmann says by using rail, the company is able to help manufacturers be more competitive in distributing their products. The grant was issued through the Rail Freight Capital Budget Transportation Assistance Program. Moran Industries operates a 1.8 million square foot facility and provides trucking services to 48 states. (Sara Bartlett)

Latest Pennsylvania news, sports, business and entertainment:

HAVERFORD, Pa. (AP) - Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Rodham Clinton stood between her 88-year-old mother and 28-year-old daughter. It was to personalize issues for the "sandwich generation" facing the demands of parents and children. She's renewing a push for the female voters who have drifted away from her campaign in recent weeks. The New York senator said the three generations of women in her family give her "firsthand experience of all the challenges and changes that we face in our lives because different stages of life do present different questions." A recent Associated Press-Ipsos poll shows women are no longer so overwhelmingly convinced that Clinton would make the best president. Clinton owes many of her victories so far in the race to support from women. But that backing has receded in recent weeks to about even with rival Barack Obama.

HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) - Pennsylvania is reporting a loss of 2,900 jobs in March, the second straight monthly decline in the state. The loss represents less than a tenth of a percent of the state's seasonally adjusted count of 5.8 million nonfarm jobs. That's a similar proportion to the 80,000 jobs that the federal government said were shed by employers in March. The state Department of Labor and Industry says construction, manufacturing and tourism lost jobs. Meanwhile, education and health services and the trade, transportation and utilities sector added jobs. The state's unemployment rate, a gauge of how many people are looking for work, remained stable at 4.9 percent, but is above the rate of 4.3 percent a year ago. The national rate was 5.1 percent in March.

HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) - A new state report says Pennsylvania hospital revenues grew last year but the mount of money they lost to charity care and other unpaid bills grew at a faster rate. Hospital bills that were unpaid due to bad debt and treating the uninsured amounted to an estimated 678 million dollars statewide in the fiscal year that ended June 30th, 2007, compared with 604 million dollars in the previous fiscal year. The Pennsylvania Health Care Cost Containment Council analysis finds that hospitals' overall margins rose for the fifth consecutive year, improving from 5.4 percent in 2006 to 6.5 percent in 2007. The Pennsylvania Hospital and Healthsystem Association says the report is encouraging, but hospital officials worry about how their finances will hold up in the midst of the nation's economic downturn.

RADNOR (AP) - Democratic presidential rivals Hillary Rodham Clinton and Barack Obama are complaining about which candidate is the biggest complainer.  The issue is their treatment in debates.  Obama, the front-runner for the nomination, is objecting to the questions posed this week in one moderated by ABC News. Many of the toughest questions were targeted at him and he has said too much time was spent on political divisions instead of issues that matter to Americans.

Today, Clinton said that if Obama thinks the debate was tough, it pales in comparison to the pressures a president faces. She told voters in suburban Philadelphia she's "with Harry Truman on this." She said, "If you can't stand the heat get out of the kitchen."

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

Daily Number

     2-2-2

Big 4

     4-7-7-4

Treasure Hunt

     11-13-20-27-29

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

NEW YORK (AP) - After visiting Washington, Pope Benedict hits the Big Apple today. Among his first stops in New York is the United Nations, where he'll speak to the General Assembly. Later he'll visit a synagogue and attend a prayer service with leaders from other Christian denominations. The pontiff will be in the city through the weekend. On Saturday, thousands of young people are expected to attend a rally and prayer service where the pope will speak and music will be provided by artists including Third Day and TobyMac. Sunday's events include a visit to Ground Zero with families and survivors of Nine-Eleven attacks, and a Mass at Yankee Stadium. The pontiff leaves New York Sunday night.

WASHINGTON (AP) - The head of the FBI is wondering whether Americans are "becoming more crooked." Speaking to a lawyers' group, FBI Director Robert Mueller asked, "Have we as a society become more corrupt? Or have we in the FBI simply become more adept at rooting out fraud and corruption?" He was talking about the bureau's growing number of public corruption cases and a surge in mortgage fraud investigations. Mueller asked members of the American Bar Association for help in "creating a culture of integrity" by reporting evidence of wrongdoing by politicians and corporate executives alike. He says the number of public corruption cases at his agency has increased 50 percent from five years ago, and corporate fraud cases have increased by more than 80 percent.

WASHINGTON (AP) - Planet Earth continues to run a fever. Last month was the warmest March on record over land and the second warmest overall worldwide. However, government weather watchers say it was just an average March for the U.S. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration says high temperatures over Asia pulled the worldwide land temperature up to an average of 40.8 degrees Fahrenheit, more than three degrees warmer than the average in the 20th century. While Asia had its greatest January snow cover this year, warm March readings caused a rapid melt and March snow cover on the continent was a record low. Global ocean temperatures were the 13th warmest on record. The agency says overall land and sea surface temperatures were second highest in 129 years of record keeping, trailing only 2002.

NEW YORK (AP) - Slump? What housing slump? While people in much of the country are worried about declining home values, the New York City market is rising faster than an express elevator. Average Manhattan condo prices have soared 41 percent in the last year. Now, it costs 1.6 million dollars to buy the typical New York apartment. One the trendy Upper West Side, prices have shot up even more. The average price for an apartment in that part of town rose 96 percent to more than two million bucks. The figures come from the Real Estate Board of New York.

ROCKFORD, Ill. (AP) - As radio promotions go -- it's not a very big prize. A name for a newborn baby. Sean Henry is letting his listeners pick the name for his coming son. The baby is due in a few weeks. Henry hosts the morning show on B103-FM in Rockford, Illinois. He's trimmed the list of suggested names to three: Brock, Declan and Logan. Listeners can vote for their favorite on the station's Web site. Henry's wife Amy wasn't thrilled with the idea at first. But she says it's grown on her since the listeners have so become so interested.