WKOK NEWS

SUNBURY – The Northumberland County Department of Public Safety is now investigating the sheriff’s office to determine if there was any misuse of the computers in the office. Sheriff Chad Reiner recently suggested that pornographic websites viewed on two computers in his department may have been logged onto remotely…by someone not in the office. This after Commissioner Vinny Clausi said the sheriff knows the two employees in the department that were involved in looking at the websites and demanded an apology from Reiner, who suggested the cleaning staff could have done it. The Department of Public Safety is now looking at any misuse of the JNET and CLEAN systems on the computers in the Sheriff’s department.

Director of public safety Paul Froutz says there will be no comments made regarding the investigation that is ongoing. Reiner claims the incidents took place in mid-November when he was on vacation. All staff members in the office have denied responsibility. Reiner suggested that the computers may have been logged onto remotely, prompting this new investigation. (Ali Stevens)

Lots of folks from our area are spending the week at the Pennsylvania Farm Show

HARRISBURG – Thousands of people are visiting the Pennsylvania Farm Show in Harrisburg and lots of folks from our area are working hard this week displaying their products. Wanda Erdman of Herndon has been coming to the Farm Show for several years and selling peacock feathers for one dollar. She says since 1992, they have been getting most of their feathers from the peacocks on their farm, but also ship feathers in from Illinois, Georgia, Minnesota and Florida. Erdman says they go through thousands of feathers each year at the farm show.

Ron Troutman of Rebuck is working hard selling Troutman’s famous french-fries. And how many potatoes do they need for the show? He says about 30 tons, most of which is in storage already. About 65 people work at the Troutman’s french fry booths at the farm show throughout the week.

The Pennsylvania Farm Show runs through Saturday evening at the Pennsylvania Farm Show Complex in Harrisburg and features many local vendors and farms. (Ali Stevens)

LEWISBURG – The Chief of Public Safety at Bucknell University has been named a finalist in a national magazine. Jason Friedberg is one of ten nationwide who could receive the title of Director of the Year by Campus Safety magazine. The award honors those who are ‘doing the serious and heroic work of protecting the nation’s students, patients, faculty and staff.’ Friedberg has been in law enforcement since 1995 and came to Bucknell in 2006. The winner will be announced in March.

Judge rules that a golf course property cannot be turned into a residential development

RIVERSIDE – A Northumberland County judge has ruled that a golf course near Riverside cannot be turned into a residential development. The Press-Enterprise reports the owners of Cherokee Golf Course, the Brouse family, cannot develop the land on Route 54 into a development with about 75-single family homes. The Brouse family wanted to build the housing development because business at the golf course has dwindled, however a zoning change was needed to do so since the property is zoned as agricultural, allowing for only one house per 10 acres. The family now has 30 days to appeal the judge’s ruling, if they choose to do so. Rush Township last year denied the zoning request due to strong public opposition. The case was then appealed to Northumberland County Court. (Ali Stevens)

SELINSGROVE – Storage tanks are no longer needed in the basement if you get a tankless water heater. Jason Nichols of Nichols Mechanical says tankless water heaters work using propane or natural gas and is an on-demand system and very efficient. If you open a spigot, it comes on, but if a spigot is off, it’s off. So, you no longer have to turn off a hot water heater when you leave for vacation. How expensive is it? Nichols says it costs about $1,900 to $2,000 including installation, which compares to a conventional water heater with a power vent at $1,100. Nichols took part in the recent Sunbury Broadcasting Home Improvement Show and says the tankless water heater was the hot topic at their booth. (Ali Stevens)

Nearly 50-thousand people vaccinated for H1N1 flu clinics across the state including at SU

SELINSGROVE – The state Department of Health has announced that nearly 50-thousand people were vaccinated for the H1N1 virus at 33 flu clinics across the state, including one at Garrett Sports Complex at Susquehanna University. The statewide clinics offered free shots on January 8^th and 9^th by appointment. The department is still urging anyone in the general population who hasn’t been vaccinated to get immunized. The vaccinations will be offered every Saturday at the state health centers through February 6^th. For more information, or to find a clinic, call 1-877-PA-Health. (Ali Stevens)

DOD call center to bring jobs to Sunbury building

SUNBURY – Supporters says a local Department of Defense call center in Sunbury’s former Moffatt floor covering building will not only provide information for military veterans, but also employ close to two dozen people.

Architect Stan Seiple is a World War II veteran, who says he is acting as a local advocate for the unnamed private company involved, says the site in the 200-block of Chestnut Street would be set up as a communications hub.

He expects a staff of about 20 to be on the phone and online, getting answers for veterans with health, education and vocational questions. Seiple is also asking Sunbury City Council to consider sale or lease of a five-foot strip of city right of way near the Moffatt Building that would be used for handicapped access. He says the private company that will do the work for the DOD will be named soon. (Matt Farrand)

New HARB board picked to encourage exterior improvements

SUNBURY – Four new members of Sunbury’s HARB board were endorsed Monday night by Mayor David Persing and approved by Sunbury City Council. The Historical Architecture and Review Board regulates how homes and businesses look on the outside.

The mayor says he hopes the new members will encourage renovation of rundown properties, and break from the past practices of old board which he says discouraged from improving their properties.

The mayor acknowledged the need for the HARB board to preserve properties with historic value, but only when deserving, noting that simply because a building is over 100 years old does not necessarily make it a historical site.

Bob Snyder, Adam Purdy, Cindy Inkrote and Bruce Whipple were approved for service on the board; replacing Whitney Anderson, Rose Bennick, and Matt Strawser who resigned, along with another recent vacancy. (Matt Farrand)

Sunbury police officer recognized by attorney general

SUNBURY – A Sunbury police officer is being honored for his role in helping investigate and arrest over 100 drug traffickers. Officer Travis Bremigen received a special commendation Monday night from the state attorney general. More than $500,000 worth of heroin, cocaine, crack, and other illegal drugs were seized in five recent raids; and more than 115 suspects were arrested.

Bremigen is also being commended for establishing two separate task force programs credited with dismantling criminal organizations that transported and sold illegal drugs in Snyder, Northumberland, Montour and Union Counties. Sunbury mayor David Persing made the presentation before city council, on behalf of the attorney general. (Matt Farrand)

New program makes students more mobile

SELINSGROVE – Students who don’t have a vehicle at Susquehanna University now have another option thanks to a new and innovative program taking effect this week. Vice President of Finance at SU, Mike Coyne, says they are offering two cars for students to rent.

Right now, they are offering a Prius and a Mini Cooper. Coyne says many students are from far away and don’t have vehicles, but would like to travel to Washington D.C., Philadelphia or Harrisburg. Coyne says he also thinks the program will be a selling point for people coming to the University.

Susquehanna University is only in the handful of small schools around the country who are implementing this program. Students 18 and older are eligible to sign up for a membership and then sign out the car for a period of time. They pay a fee for the amount they use the vehicle. The University is working to get the word out to students about the cars, and are offering to waive the membership fee until March for those who sign up.

One to three years in prison for mom who left newborn outside

BERWICK – A Berwick woman accused of leaving her newborn baby outside in the cold was sentenced to up to three years in jail Monday. 24-year-old Jennifer Killian admitted to having a baby in November 2008, then putting it in a plastic bag and placing it outside in the cold.

In court, Killian said she never meant to hurt the child. The baby is now up for adoption. Killian was sentenced to one to three years in Columbia County Prison.

Congressman tackles healthcare reform questions

SELINSGROVE – Retirees, recent college graduates and the wife of a deployed U.S. soldier—were just a few of the people who addressed U.S. Congressman Chris Carney (D-10th, Dimock) Monday. The lawmaker held a town hall style meeting in Selinsgrove.

Carney says the three most important issues he wants in healthcare reform are preexisting conditions coverage, being able to keep the healthcare you have if you change jobs (portability) and making the coverage more affordable. Carney also said that he does not think a public option will be part of this reform plan.

The Congressman took questions for about an hour on the campus of Susquehanna University. Other topics included the CSVT, the federal stimulus package, the Marcellus Shale drilling and job creation. (Sara Bartlett)

Two children in DUI crash

RIVERSIDE – An area woman is accused driving drunk with her kids in the car. Two children sustained injuries after the DUI crash Sunday near Riverside. State police say 30-year-old Jamie Knepp of McClure was traveling east on Route 54 near Bowden Road in Rush Township when she lost control of the vehicle. The crash happened around 8:30p.m.

The vehicle went off the road and down a 25-foot embankment. Knepp sustained moderate injuries in the crash. Two children in the vehicle—including a 9-year-old boy and a 5-year-old girl–were both treated for minor injuries. Knepp was charged with DUI and other counts. (Ali Stevens)

Woman found dead in a car is identified as a Columbia County woman

WILKES-BARRE – A woman found dead in a vehicle near Wilkes-Barre on Friday has been identified as a missing Columbia County woman. The Luzerne County coroner says the body found in the car is that of Joyce Martini of Hemlock Township.

The Press-Enterprise newspaper is reporting that Martini was reported missing shortly before Christmas. She reportedly had an appointment at the VA Hospital in Wilkes-Barre, but disappeared. Foul play has been ruled out but Martini’s death is still under investigation. (Ali Stevens)

Time for an update on NorCo time clocks

SUNBURY – Northumberland County commissioner Vinny Clausi gave us an update on the idea of installing time clocks in Northumberland County government offices. Clausi spoke telephonically on Monday’s On The Mark program and talked about the status of the time clock idea.

Clausi says they have purchase the new devices and need to finish installing the technology for the clocking and payroll system to work. Clausi says the time clock system will be efficient and accurate.

He says the technology is very advanced and that’s the way the county still needs to do a better job of keeping track of employee hours. Clausi proposed the idea of time clocks when he took office last year. You can hear more from Vinny Clausi on our Monday On The Mark program online at www.wkok.com. (Ali Stevens)

Clausi calls for ‘wind’ royalties

SUNBURY – A Northumberland County commissioner believes if they can receive royalties for coal, then they should receive something for wind and solar power in the county. Commissioner Vinny Clausi was a phone guest on our On The Mark program Monday expressing his opinion.

Clausi believes counties and townships where windmills and solar panels are located should receive a percentage of the profits, the same way they receive coal royalties. Clausi says in the past, the coal companies have “made all the money” and that needs to change when it comes to wind and solar energy companies. You can listen to all of Vinny Clausi’s comments on energy from our On The Mark program from Monday online at www.wkok.com.

State Senator covering a portion of Union County will seek re-election

STATE COLLEGE – A State Senator whose district includes part of Union County plans to seek re-election. Senator Jake Corman (R-34th, State College) announced Sunday his plans to run again, saying he is looking forward to talking with voters about how to best move our communities and the commonwealth in the right direction.

The Republican was elected to the State Senate in 1998 and is serving his third consecutive term. He is also chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee. He follows in the footsteps of his father, Jay Doyle Corman and Jake serves on the controversial PHEAA board.

Corman’s 34th district covers Hartleton and New Berlin as well as Hartley, Lewis and Limestone Townships in Union County. He also covers all of Perry and Juniata Counties and parts of Centre and Mifflin Counties. Corman lives with his wife and three children in Benner Township, Centre County. (Ali Stevens)

Latest Pennsylvania news, lottery, business and entertainment

HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) - Five companies are willing to pay more than $128 million for the right to drill for natural gas on Pennsylvania state forest land. The unsealing of winning bids Tuesday by the state forests department unofficially awarded drilling rights on nearly 32,000 acres in northcentral Pennsylvania. The per-acre average bid of about $4,000 is less than the $5,000 plus that some groups of private landowners received last year. The companies are interested in the Marcellus Shale natural gas formation, which some geologists expect will become the nation's most prolific gas field. The winning bidders on the six tracts included Chesapeake Energy, Exco Resources, Penn Virginia Oil & Gas, Seneca Resources and Anadarko Petroleum. The state would take 18 percent of production royalties.

MONTROSE, Pa. (AP) - A northeastern Pennsylvania county treasurer has been cleared of charges he used bait to hunt deer. Luzerne County Treasurer Michael Morreale and five others were found not guilty Tuesday of hunting over bait by a district judge in Montrose. Wildlife officers say the Game Commission received an anonymous tip Dec. 3. Two days later officials went to a private property in Forest Township where they say they found the bait. Morreale, 75, says he and his sons own the property where it was found. He says his group did not put out the wait.

HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) - A central Pennsylvania man has been found guilty of the gunpoint robbery of a retired New York City police officer during a conference for narcotics officers. A Dauphin County jury on Tuesday convicted 19-year-old Jerome Blanchett of Harrisburg of robbing former NYPD Lt. John Comparetto in a bathroom at a hotel hosting a meeting of the Pennsylvania Narcotics Officers Association. Blanchett was sentenced to 6 1/2 to 13 years in prison after being convicted of the March 2009 robbery. About 300 police officers were at the hotel - which had signs welcoming law enforcement officials - at the time of the attack. Comparetto and other attendees chased Blanchett down after the robbery. Blanchett is currently serving a 52-year sentence on other robbery charges.

SCRANTON, Pa. (AP) - A northeastern Pennsylvania prosecutor is looking into a sex abuse allegation against the superintendent of schools for a Roman Catholic diocese. Lackawanna County District Attorney Andy Jarbola said Monday that his office is looking into claims reported to the Diocese of Scranton about Superintendent Joseph Casciano. Jarbola says the statute of limitations has run out in the case but his office is reviewing the allegations of inappropriate touching. Casciano has taken a leave of absence. Diocese officials have not given a reason for the leave.

PITTSBURGH (AP) - Punxsutawney Phil will text his weather prediction to those who sign up to have texts sent to their mobile phones. Mickey Rowley, the state's deputy tourism secretary, says he realizes that not everyone can come to Punxsutawney for Groundhog Day, so this is a good way to get the word out. Those wanting Phil's prediction can text "Groundhog" to 247365 until Feb. 2. They can also give their e-mail to get other Pennsylvania tourism messages. Each Feb. 2, thousands of people descend on Punxsutawney, a town of about 6,100 people about 65 miles northeast of Pittsburgh, for Phil's prediction. According to the Punxsutawney Groundhog Club, Phil has seen his shadow nearly 100 times since 1897.

HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) - Pennsylvania House Speaker Keith McCall has decided to retire from the Legislature at the end of this year. McCall said Tuesday that he will step down when his 14^th term ends in December because he wants to spend more time with his family. McCall says he wants to be able to join his family more often for dinner, help his children with their homework and be able to attend ball games. The Carbon County Democrat's decision ensures that the House will soon have its fourth speaker in a period of about four years. McCall was first elected in 1982 to fill a House seat left open by the death of his father, Rep. Thomas McCall. The 50-year-old McCall became speaker a year ago.

WASHINGTON (AP) - Federal regulations on animal feeding, development and stormwater runoff will be tightened to help Chesapeake Bay restoration efforts. Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lisa Jackson announced the changes Monday. Jackson also asked watershed residents to consider their own actions and not limit their thinking to the idea that the federal government would only crack down on big polluters, "because oftentimes the polluters are us." Jackson made the announcement at a clean water conference where she participated in a panel discussion on what's coming next from the Obama administration on bay restoration. The EPA said it expects to have new national stormwater regulations in place by November 2012.

WASHINGTON (AP) - High-speed downloading will soon be possible on Amtrak's Acela Express trains. Amtrak said Monday that its installation of wireless Internet access on the high-speed trains would be complete in March and initially free to passengers. Amtrak made the announcement as part of a 2010 preview of its activities. This year is the 10th anniversary of the Acela Express train service, which began operating in 2000. The trains make the trip from Washington to Boston in about six and a half hours, about an hour and a half faster than regional trains. Also in 2010 Amtrak will complete upgrades on the interiors of the Acela trains, including leather seats and improved tray tables and power outlets. Last year Acela had some 3 million riders.

Update on the latest in business

Dow: 10,627.26, down –36.73

S&P 500: 1,136.22, down –10.76

NASDAQ: 2,282.31, down –30.10

NEW YORK (AP) - Stocks are losing ground today. The key averages have been lower as inventors react to an Alcoa earnings report that failed to inspire confidence.

WASHINGTON (AP) - Federal banking regulators have moved to get public reaction to their plan to link FDIC insurance premiums to the level of risk-taking encouraged by executive pay policies. The vote by the FDIC board was divided.

WASHINGTON (AP) - A congressman says he will subpoena the Federal Reserve Bank of New York for documents related to the AIG bailout. New York Democrat Edolphus Towns says he will demand the documents in a probe of decisions made when Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner was head of the New York Fed.

WASHINGTON (AP) - Federal housing officials are investigating 15 mortgage companies that have relatively high default rates for FHA-backed loans. The Department of Housing and Urban Development's Office of Inspector General says it served subpoenas to the companies demanding information about failed loans.

DETROIT (AP) - Chinese automaker BYD not only plans to sell an electric crossover vehicle in North America by year end, it may also expand its lineup for export. BYD sold 450,000 vehicles in China last year alone.

Pennsylvania Lottery Numbers

HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) - These Pennsylvania lotteries were drawn on Tuesday:

Midday Big 4

8-0-1-3

Midday Number

8-9-2

Midday Quinto

5-8-3-2-5

Treasure Hunt

03-06-14-24-26

HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) - These Pennsylvania lotteries were drawn on Monday:

Big 4 9-6-0-5

Cash 5 04-09-15-31-37

Daily Number 4-6-0

Evening Quinto 6-0-3-0-7

Midday Big 4 2-3-7-7

Midday Number 4-2-7

Midday Quinto 4-8-2-9-6

Mix and Match 13-10-06-16-02

Treasure Hunt 01-19-20-21-29

Conan O'Brien says no thanks to NBC move

LOS ANGELES (AP) - Conan O'Brien says he's rejecting NBC's attempt to move "The Tonight Show" to a post-midnight slot to accommodate Jay Leno's return to late-night. In a statement Tuesday, O'Brien says that NBC has given him a scant seven months to try to establish himself as host of "Tonight." NBC wants to move "The Jay Leno Show" out of prime-time and to the 11:35 p.m. EST daily slot, bumping "Tonight" to 12:05 p.m. EST. O'Brien said he hoped he and NBC could resolve the issue quickly so he could do a show of which he and his crew could be proud - "for a company that values our work" - raising the possibility he might go to another network. But he said he has no such offer.

Best-seller a hard find

NEW YORK (AP) - The country's hottest book is also hard to find. "Game Change," an insider account of the 2008 presidential election written by John Heilemann and Mark Halperin, was released Tuesday and is No. 1 on both Amazon.com and Barnes & Noble.com. But the book is out of stock until at least Friday, and the e-edition will not come out until Feb. 23, HarperCollins spokeswoman Leslie Cohen said Tuesday. With increasing frequency, publishers have been withholding the release of the digital version of new books, citing concerns that sales would be hurt for the hardcover, which is more expensive. On Amazon.com, several readers identifying themselves as Kindle users complained about the policy. Cohen said HarperCollins was not commenting on the e-release. The hardcover was available Tuesday on Walmart.com.

NY court rejects Dan Rather's appeal against CBS

ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) - New York's top court has rejected Dan Rather's bid to reinstate his $70 million breach-of-contract lawsuit against CBS Corp. Rather's motion was denied without comment Tuesday by the Court of Appeals. CBS spokeswoman Shannon Jacobs says the network is pleased with the outcome. Rather calls the ruling "a grave miscarriage of justice." Rather sued CBS and its top executives in 2007, claiming he had been wrongfully removed from his "CBS Evening News" anchor post over a report that examined President George W. Bush's military service. In September, a five-member Appellate Division panel unanimously concluded there was no breach of contract because CBS still paid Rather his $6 million annual salary after the disputed 2004 broadcast.

Pope denounces failure to forge new climate treaty

VATICAN CITY (AP) - Pope Benedict has denounced the failure of world leaders to agree to a new climate change treaty, saying world peace depends on safeguarding God's creation. Benedict issued the admonition in a speech Monday to ambassadors accredited to the Vatican. The pontiff criticized the "political resistance" to charting a new treaty during last month's negotiations in Copenhagen and said he hoped upcoming discussions would bear more fruit. Benedict said the issue is critical for island nations and in places like Africa, where the battle for resources results in wars. He said "to cultivate peace, one must protect creation!"

UK vicar invokes God's blessing on smart phones, laptops

LONDON (AP) - A British church has done what e-mail addicts and workaholics have been doing for years -- invoking God's blessing on their high-tech gadgets. The Rev. Canon David Parrott blessed a symbolic heap of laptops and smart phones Monday on the altar of a 17th-century church in London's financial district. Worshippers took out cell phones as Parrott recited a blessing over them and their electronic devices. A few held their phones up in the air as he ran through the prayer. Parrott said the blessing ceremony was an update of a traditional back-to-work ceremony called "Plow Monday," in which villagers gathered to bless a symbolic farming implement dragged to the church's door.

Hair Fight

MESQUITE, Texas (AP) - A Texas school board is adjusting its grooming policy after a 4-year-old boy's long, flowing hair got him suspended. But his parents say it isn't enough. Pre-kindergartner Taylor Pugh has been under in-school suspension since November at Floyd Elementary School in Balch Springs near Dallas. He sits alone with a teacher's aid in the school library. After a closed-door meeting Monday, the Mesquite school board decided Taylor could wear his hair braided but keep it no longer than his ears. Taylor's mother, Elizabeth, says her son likes his hair long and braiding it would make his scalp bleed. She plans to keep fighting the ban. She says she'll take Taylor to school in a ponytail Tuesday, acknowledging it will keep him suspended.