Wednesday, April 23, 2008
Carney still undecided where to place superdelegate vote
UNDATED – An all-important superdelegate vote for the presidential primary lies in the hands of 10th District Democratic Congressman Chris Carney, but Carney says he’s still undecided. He calls the primary results in Pennsylvania “interesting,” but says that’s not the only thing he’ll take into consideration when decided where to cast his vote. He says he’ll also look at the temperament of the candidate during the stressful campaigning time. He says leadership is about temperament.
Carney says he feels no pressure to vote for Clinton, the way Pennsylvania voted, or to vote for Obama. He says he will use his best judgment at the right time. Carney is one of the nearly 300 superdelegates that are still undecided. There are 794 superdelegates in all. They must choose who to vote for by the Democratic National Convention in August. (Sara Bartlett)
Hackett to focus on bringing Republican Party together
SUNBURY – Now that Chris Hackett has defeated Dan Meuser and won the Republican nod for Pennsylvania’s 10th Congressional District, his goal is to bring the Republican Party back together. Hackett will take on Democratic Congressman Chris Carney who has held the position for the past two years. Hackett says if he does win in the fall, he hopes Republican John McCain will be on top of the Presidential ticket.
Hackett’s message throughout his campaign has been to stop wasteful spending, shrink the size of government and let communities make their own decisions. He says he runs his life and business with great fiscal responsibility, and wants the government to be run the same way. Hackett will continue to campaign raising money and building a grassroots organization. He spent half of what Meuser did campaigning for the primary. In the final results, Hackett won by 4%. (Sara Bartlett)
Local baseball legend describes career in All American Girls League
HUMMELS WHARF – Sarah Jane “Salty” Sands Ferguson of Orangeville drives a school bus these days. However, she is also a coach, a former pro basketball player and one-time member of the Rockford Peaches of the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League. The two-year veteran of the women’s baseball circuit founded during World War II says it seemingly took forever for the league to be recognized by the National Baseball Hall of Fame. She says Cooperstown first considered a display in appreciation of the AAGPBL in 1982, but took nearly six years to decide to proceed with plans.
The AAGPBL and the Peaches are remembered in the 1992 film “A League of Their Own.” “Salty” Ferguson appears in the film and was the keynote speaker at today’s Office Staff Recognition Luncheon hosted by the Greater Susquehanna Valley Chamber of Commerce. Other than having her two children, Ferguson says her years in the league were the two best years of her life, and she would do it again in a heartbeat if she could. (Matt Farrand)
Uncontested Carney gets 70,000 Democratic votes
CLARKS SUMMIT – Democrat Congressman Chris Carney was uncontested in Tuesday’s primary and now he’s slated to run against Republican Chris Hackett, who defeated Dan Meuser in the 10th District Congressional race. Carney received over 70,000 votes throughout the district. By contrast, the GOP primary generated 64,000 votes. Carney says he is proud to run on his record against Hackett and thinks the way he’s worked well ‘across the aisle’ is an asset to his campaign.
Carney has held the seat for two years after defeating Republican Don Sherwood. He was the first Democrat to win the 10th Congressional District in 45 years. (Sara Bartlett)
Bumpy ride home for Line Mountain students
LECK KILL – Three Line Mountain elementary school students were injured in a school bus accident Tuesday afternoon. The Shamokin News-Item reports, the students from the Leck Kill School, were on buses returning from a trip to Harrisburg, when a chain reaction accident led to the collision. The unidentified students were taken to Harrisburg Hospital, according to school officials.
The 3p.m. accident happened when a car on Route 147, slowed down suddenly, leading one of the three buses to hit the car. Then another bus ran into the first. Most of the 115 students were taken to the nearby Millersburg Fire Company. The News Item says a school physician examined the students there. The fire company staff provided coloring and activity books and arranged for the firehouse Dalmatian, Sparky, to visit the building, while the students waited four hours.
SU campus excited for Governor’s visit and speech
SELINSGROVE – Susquehanna University has been celebrating their 150th academic year since it’s kickoff in March with an orchestra and chorus concert at Carnegie Hall in New York City. To conclude this part of the year, Governor Ed Rendell with address the graduating class of 2008. University President Dr. L. Jay Lemons says the campus and the community are excited about the visit. He says the Rendell was the first person they thought of when planning for a graduation speaker.
Lemons says the University has not had a Governor speak at commencement since Dick Thornburgh, who spoke at the school’s 125-year celebration. Nearly 450 graduates will walk across the stage for the graduation on May 11th. (Sara Bartlett)
Hackett wins 10th District GOP primary
HARVEY’S LAKE - A business owner heavily outspent by his Republican opponent won the GOP Congressional nomination for the 10th District Tuesday. With 90% of precincts reporting, Chris Hackett had 52%, while Dan Meuser had 48% of the vote. Hackett will face incumbent Democrat Chris Carney in the general election.
The 10th District is largely Republican, but the GOP lost it to a Democrat two years ago. Hackett and Meuser traded accusations regarding their conservative credentials. Here are the District 10 numbers: Withy 531 of 531 precincts counted (100%), Chris Hackett received 33,603 votes or 52%. Dan Meuser got 30,643 votes, or 48%. You can read more election results at www.wkok.com.
Yaw wins three-way primary for State Senate nomination
WILLIAMSPORT – Attorney Gene Yaw will face Democrat Trey Casmir for 23rd District State Senate seat now held by retiring Roger Madigan. Yaw defeated Doug McLinko of Bradford county and House Member Steve Cappelli for the nomination with 48% of the vote. McLinko and Cappelli each received 26%. Casmir ran without opposition.
Here are the state senate vote totals: In the 23rd District State Senate GOP race, with all 205 precincts reporting, Gene Yaw received 15,492 vote, or 48% of the total. Steven Cappelli got 8,472, or 26% of the vote. And Doug McLinko got 8,240 votes, or 26%.
Polling place inequities to be looked at by Masser, Clausi
SUNBURY – He doesn’t consider it unusual, but Northumberland County Commissioner chair Frank Sawicki says there were problems getting enough volunteers to work at polling places Tuesday. Some voters in Northumberland Borough encountered longer lines than expected. Reasons behind the problem include population shifts, a dwindling base of volunteers and an issue hasn’t been looked at for years.
Sawicki says a bi-partisan committee of Republican Kurt Masser and Democrat Vinny Clausi will look into the matter. The Commissioner chair is unsure whether changes can be made in time for this fall’s general election, as voters need to be notified of changes within a specific time frame. There are 94 precincts in Northumberland County. (Matt Farrand)
Teacher and students clean up on Earth Day
LEWISBURG – Tuesday was the 39th Earth Day, and a local communications arts teacher took the opportunity to take his students outside for some fresh air and cleanup of the grounds of Shikellamy High School.
Mark Cox says the group filled a trash bag with athletic mouthpieces, plastic bottles, combs and even a toothbrush they found. Cox notes that this year’s Earth Day fell on the date of the Pennsylvania primary, which underscores the need to address environmental issues in the political arena.
Earth Day was first proposed in late 1969 by Senator Gaylord Nelson of Wisconsin to promote awareness and appreciation of the earth’s environment. April 22nd, 1970 was the date of the first Earth Day in the US. Locally, the Bucknell University Environmental Center offered music and locally produced food last night in recognition of the day. (Matt Farrand)
Outdoor burning banned for 30 days due to fire risk
SUNBURY – Dry conditions are prompting Northumberland County to issue a ban on outdoor burning. Commissioners approved a resolution to ban the practice for 30 days, county wide starting (Wednesday). It is considered a temporary measure and was presented on behalf of the Department of Public Safety. (Matt Farrand)
Woman killed in a Union County crash
LEWISBURG – A Lewisburg woman was killed in a crash on Route 192 in Union County Tuesday morning. 73-year-old Lorraine Delauney pulled from Beaver Run Road, in front of a truck. The truck was hauling hay and collided with her car. The driver of the truck was not injured. The accident happened just after 10:00a.m. and Route 192 remained closed for about three hours for cleanup. (Sara Bartlett)
Two I-80 crashes in Union County Tuesday
MILTON – Two early morning crashes were reported Tuesday morning on I-80 in White Deer Township, Union County, and one was fatal. State Police tell us the first occurred shortly after midnight when 47-year-old Mahesh Amin, of New Jersey crashed his vehicle.
He was traveling east when he lost control of his vehicle and struck another car driven by 72-year-old Joseph Ronan of Altoona. A 32-year-old male passenger in Amin’s car was killed in the accident; his name has not yet been released. Police say there were several other injuries among passengers in both vehicles.
Another accident involved a Lock Haven man and occurred just before 5:00a.m. 30-year-old Lance McCloskey was traveling east when he lost control of his vehicle and it flipped over in the median. Life Flight took McCloskey to Geisinger Medical Center where he is listed in fair condition. (Sara Bartlett)
Northumberland County to save money under lease-to-own plan
SUNBURY – Northumberland County Commissioners are giving their okay to a plan that will change the terms of a costly lease. Terms of the original agreement could have eventually cost the county more than two-and-a-half times the initial rent, or roughly $2.6 million dollar per year for the three Sunbury properties.
Commissioner chair Frank Sawicki calls it a good deal for both sides in that it will free up money for other county services. The new lease will eliminate basing rent increases on the rate of inflation, fix the amount paid to the private lessor after 2014, and extend the length of the agreement through 2028. The county will own the buildings at that time.
A committee directed by commissioner Vinny Clausi wrote the plan. It included Coal Township commissioners Gene Welsh and Craig Fetterman and consultant Joe Pancerella. Since 2003, the buildings that house agencies such as Children and Youth, Mental Health and Mental Retardation, and the Office on the Aging are leased from two private firms. (Matt Farrand)
Cutting a ribbon to celebrate the opening of a new store in Selinsgrove
SELINSGROVE – Foss Jewelers was a popular store in the Susquehanna Valley Mall for several years and now they hope to be just as popular at their new location. A ribbon cutting ceremony was held at Foss Jewelers new store Tuesday afternoon. The store is now located on Route 522 next to Amato’s Pizza and is a freestanding location.
The Greater Susquehanna Valley Chamber of Commerce hosted the ribbon cutting and the mayor of Selinsgrove, the Snyder County Commissioners and other supporters of the jewelry store attended the event. In honor of the new location, Dan Foss is registering customers for a $5,000 shopping spree. (Ali Stevens)
As gas prices rise, will families be able to take summer vacation trips?
UNDATED – How many people in our area will be able to afford a summer vacation this year with the gas prices on the rise? We asked that question to our listeners in our weeklong series on tourism and how gas prices are impacting all of us.
Heath Hile of Northumberland County says gas prices have him limited and he will not be able to travel this summer. He says most of his money would go into the gas tank so he plans to spend vacation at home this year. Hile says 25 % of his monthly income goes into his gas tank, in comparison with 5 % just four years ago.
Jane Konyar of Trevorton says they will have to cut back on summer trips. She says they like to take long weekends with their camper, but they won’t be able to go to a lot of the state parks they like to go to because of the gas prices. Konyar is also surprised with the rise in diesel fuel. She says it’s the trucks that move this country.
Konyar says diesel is a bi-product of gasoline and is not refined as much and the fact that it’s so much more than gasoline goes to show that there is gouging going on. She says , “ I would like to have a total boycott on the trucks. They should just pull over, pull their keys out and not move this country until the price of diesel fuel comes down.”
And James Finkler of Hughesville plans on traveling this summer, because he says he has planned ahead by limiting gas consumption. Finkler says by cutting back on speeding, he was able to save money spent on gas. He also purchased a Toyota Yaris, which he says gets about 38 miles per gallon. Finkler believes hybrid and fuel-efficient vehicles are the way to go along with alternative energy sources. (Ali Stevens)
Bucknell Habitat for Humanity host’s their annual duck derby
LEWISBURG -- It’s the annual Duck Derby in Lewisburg on Saturday. The event is held at the Bull Run Creek and ducks are sold this week at the Langone Center at Bucknell or on the day of the event. Ducks are $5 each or $20 for a “six-quack”.
The ducks will be dropped in the creek at 2:30 on Saturday. If your numbered duck crosses the finish line first, second or third, you will win a prize. This year’s prizes are $500 for 1st place, a Hershey Park prize pack for 2nd and Eagles memorabilia including a signed McNabb football for 3rd prize.
All of the money raised from the Duck Derby will support Bucknell Habitat for Humanity, which works with Union-Snyder Habitat to provide housing for a family in need. The Duck Derby helps them pay for construction costs and other expenses. (Ali Stevens)
Latest Pennsylvania news, sports, business and entertainment:
HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) - Hillary Rodham Clinton won 60 of Pennsylvania's 67 counties in a comfortable primary victory yesterday. Only a 130-thousand-vote margin for Barack Obama in Philadelphia kept the state race from turning into a rout. Unofficial results showed the New York senator ended the night with a 55-45 margin, but in the state outside of Philadelphia, Obama ran nearly 19 percentage points behind. Obama won in two suburban Philadelphia counties - Chester and Delaware. In central Pennsylvania, he won Dauphin County, which includes Harrisburg; and Lancaster County, in the heart of Amish country. The Illinois senator took Centre County, with Penn State University; and tiny Union County, home to Bucknell University, where just 4,400 Democratic votes were cast.
WILKES-BARRE, Pa. (AP) - Hundreds of jobs are now up for grabs at Mohegan Sun at Pocono Downs Casino in Luzerne County. Work is under way for a new casino, with more slots, retail stores and restaurants. Mohegan Sun held a job fair Tuesday for prospective employees. Spokesman Jim Wise says the casino and its vendors are looking for nearly 700 additional workers. Pocono Downs opened Pennsylvania's first slots parlor on Nov. 14, 2006. Mohegan Sun wants to open a new $180 million casino, restaurant, night club and retail space by late summer, and officials say they need people fast. One applicant, Richard Passarello of Lake Ariel, says the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre area needs all the jobs it can get in the current economic downturn.
HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) - Here are the winning numbers selected Tuesday in the Pennsylvania State Lottery:
WEDNESDAY MIDDAY
Daily Number 3-7-4
Big 4 4-7-7-3
Treasure Hunt 1-3-7-14-19(Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)