Friday, January 15, 2010

Russ and Merle Retire I: Announcement made today

SUNBURY – Major political and regional news today as both Merle Phillips (R-108^th, Sunbury) and Russ Fairchild (R-85^th, Lewisburg) have announced they would not be seeking reelection. A joint statement issued this morning indicates the two are making this term—their last terms in office. 

Despite the loss in seniority, they two say, come November, they trust voters will elect leaders capable of good local representation.

For Phillips, the announcement comes after nearly 30-years representing the 108^th District. The republican he has served since March of 1980.  Also a republican, Russ Fairchild of Lewisburg was first elected in 1988 and has served just over 21-years. The two say they will be forever grateful to the voters for their faith, confidence and support over the years.

The two said they feel fortunate and honored to serve the people of their respective districts and will serve out their final terms energetically. The statement issued today also says the two have grown increasingly frustrated with the ‘dynamics of government’ lately and the bitter partisan disputes.

Russ and Merle Retire II: State Senator reacts

HARRISBURG – Following the news that State House Representatives Merle Phillips (R-108^th, Sunbury) and Russ Fairchild (R-85^th, Winfield) will not seek reelection, State Senator John Gordner (R-27^th, Bloomsburg) is praising the two for their great work in Harrisburg and in the Central Susquehanna Valley.  Gordner says both have a tremendous amount of respect in Harrisburg and their home districts.  He also says he has never seen two House members work more closely together.

Gordner credits both Fairchild and Phillips for their work on the CSVT and to help stop tolling on I-80.  He calls them major transportation issues in our area that both took on with full steam.  Gordner says their replacements have big shoes to fill.  He says someone who wants to run will have to be willing to get their hands dirty and get deep into issues.  Gordner says the area is lucky to have both Fairchild and Phillips advocating for our area as they finish out their terms, and says he wishes them only the best for their future endeavors.  

Russ and Merle Retire III: Governor comments

HARRISBURG – Governor Ed Rendell has released a short statement following the this will be the last terms for State Representatives Merle Phillips (R-108^th, Sunbury) and Russ Fairchild (R-85^th, Lewisburg).  The Governor says:

“Although Representatives Phillips and Fairchild don’t agree often with some of the programs that I put forth, I believe both individuals are of high integrity, and I have enjoyed working with them on projects in their area.”

Russ and Merle Retire IV: Political bombshell prompts reaction

SUNBURY – State House members with more than 50 years of combined service say their current terms will be their last.  Neither Merle Phillips (R-108^th, Sunbury), nor Russ Fairchild (R-85^th, Lewisburg) will be seeking reelection this year.  The decision was announced in a joint statement issued this Friday morning.  The two say they trust voters will elect leaders capable of good local representation in November.

Whoever follows the two Republicans in the House will inherit an expensive problem, state employee pension costs.  That’s according to Democrat Steve Connolley, who says the bills for spending endorsed by Phillips and Fairchild will come due in 2011 and 2012.  Connolley ran without success against Fairchild a number of times, and continues to be active in local politics. Connolley says he plans to make an announcement whether or not he will run in the upcoming days. (Matt Farrand) 

Chairman of the Milton Harvest Festival is behind bars, accused of theft

MILTON – A Milton man who has been chairman of the Milton Harvest Festival for 20 years, is behind bars charged with stealing from the festival and another organization.  Dale Kriner was arraigned in Milton today on charges including theft by unlawful taking, theft by deception, receiving stolen property and several other counts.  He’s accused of taking money from the Milton Harvest Festival and also from the Milton High School Alumni Association.  Kriner served as treasurer of both organizations and allegedly wrote checks to himself totaling about $10,000.  He was sent to the Northumberland County Prison on $15,000 bail.  (Ali Stevens)

Teen boy remains in critical condition after being hit by a pickup truck

NORTHUMBERLAND – A Northumberland boy remains in critical condition at Geisinger Medical Center after he was struck by a pickup truck on Monday.  The accident took place along Route 11 as the boy was walking to his school bus stop in Northumberland just before 7 a.m.  16-year-old Jalen Threet stepped off the curb to cross Water Street near Wheatley Avenue when he was struck in the head by a passing pickup truck.  Threet is being treated for a head injury at Geisinger and is expected to recover.  The driver of the pickup has not been charged.  (Ali Stevens)

A Frackville man convicted of drug dealing in Northumberland County

SUNBURY – A Frackville man accused of selling cocaine to a confidential police informant has been convicted in Northumberland County Court.  Joseph Yutko was on trial this week on charges of criminal conspiracy, delivery and possession of cocaine for an incident in August of 2008.  Police say a Mount Carmel police officer working with the Northumberland Montour Drug Task Force was able to buy cocaine from Yutko in Mount Carmel Township.  Yutko was arrested and more than $300 was confiscated along with marijuana and cocaine.  Yutko will be sentenced within 90 days.  The Commonwealth is seeking a mandatory sentence due to the amount of cocaine found with Yutko at the time of the arrest.  (Ali Stevens)

How was the porno discovered in the Sheriff’s Department? Commissioner explains

SUNBURY – Commissioner Frank Sawicki couldn’t talk much about the pending lawsuit in Northumberland County regarding Vinny Clausi accusing Sheriff’s Department employees of looking at pornography, however he did tell us how the pornography was discovered.  Sawicki was a guest on our On The Mark program and was asked by a listener if the attack on the Sheriff’s office by Commissioner Clausi was a “witch hunt” similar to the recent attacks Clausi made against the former warden at the Northumberland County Prison, who retired last year.  Sawicki says this was not a “witch hunt” and explained how the pornography was discovered.  He says they discovered many people were listening to the radio online and that caused download time to be extremely slow.  They then asked employees to stop listening to the radio online, but the download time was still very slow.  That’s when they ran a scan on all systems and the porn was discovered. 

Two employees from the sheriff’s office, Michael Boris and Joe Jones, were both terminated for leaving their computers logged in under their names, but it’s not known if they are the ones who looked at the porn.  They are suing Commissioner Clausi for $200,000 and an apology for what they called a defamation of character.  Other’s involved in the suit have dropped out, after Clausi made an apology to several of the Sheriff’s office employees.  You can hear more from Frank Sawicki on our Friday On The Mark program online at www.wkok.com.  (Ali Stevens)

Learning more about the Revitalizing River Towns initiative

SELINSGROVE – SEDA Council of Governments has teamed up with the Susquehanna Greenways Partnership on an effort called, “The Revitalizing River Towns Initiative.  SEDA-COG’s Tom Grbenick of the Community Resource Center was a guest speaker at the Greater Susquehanna Valley Chamber of Commerce’s monthly meeting Thursday.  Grbenick says the river-towns initiative focuses on communities along the river and ways to revitalize them and keep them unique. Grbenick says the middle Susquehanna Valley is unique in that there are several small towns within 5 or 10 minutes of each other, also nestled along the river. 

Grbenick says river towns need to be the focus now because now is the time to plan for the future.  He says areas like Reading and Bethlehem are changing quickly and we need to plan how we would like our river-towns to look in the future.  Some of the 10 river towns that are part of the initiative include Sunbury, Catawissa, Selinsgrove, Danville, Watsontown and many others.  You can visit SEDA-COG’s website to learn more at www.seda-cog.org.  (Ali Stevens)

Man who destroyed a gazebo in a crash is charged with DUI

WASHINGTONVILLE – State police have filed charges against a Turbotville man for an accident on New Year’s Eve near Washingtonville.  Troopers say 55-year-old Samuel Long lost control of his vehicle on Preserve Road in Anthony Township and drove down a five-foot embankment, striking a gazebo in a yard and destroying it.  Long fled the accident scene on foot, but was located by state police a short time later, about a mile from the crash.  Troopers say blood alcohol results show Long was under the influence of illegal drugs and alcohol at the time of the crash.  He has been charged with DUI and other counts in District Court.  (Ali Stevens)

Woman charged for a hit and run accident on Route 15

LEWISBURG – A Montoursville woman has been charged with hit and run following a crash on Route 15 near Commerce Drive outside Lewisburg on Thursday afternoon.  State police tell us 22-yearold Ashley Clees was passing a vehicle driven by 39-year-old Benjamin O’Connell of Williamsport.  Clees struck O’Connell’s vehicle and troopers say she kept going without stopping.  There were no injuries reported, following that crash around 4 p.m. on Thursday.  (Ali Stevens)

McClure man was flown to the hospital following a crash on Paxtonville Road

Verdict reached in a Sunbury rape trial

SUNBURY – A verdict was reached Thursday evening in the trial of a Sunbury man accused of raping a 7-year-old girl and sexually assaulting two 6-year-olds. 50-year-old Gilberto Quinones was found not guilty of the most serious charge against him, which was rape of a child.

He was convicted of several other charges including statutory sexual assault and aggravated indecent assault. Quinones was charged in February 2008 for assaulting the girls through several months in 2006 and 2007. He has not yet been sentenced. (Ali Stevens)

New ideas welcome at next LASD facilities meeting

LEWISBURG – Meetings to determine the future for Lewisburg Area School District facilities are continuing. The next community session in a series that has included discussion of whether a new high school should be built is planned for Tuesday night at 7:00 p.m., in the current high school cafeteria.

Lewisburg Area School District Superintendent Mark DiRocco expects a big turnout, and says recommendations of a consultant will be presented. He also says there is an item on the agenda for brainstorming ideas not yet explored.

Many attending previous meetings wanted a new high school built, and were willing to see taxes rise by as much as two mils. Board President Kathy Swope said during a meeting in December that taxpayers could expect a thorough evaluation of all the options before a multi-million dollar decision is made. Talk of a new high school reportedly polarized the community in the 1980’s. (Matt Farrand)

Hazardous trees could be removed

LEWISBURG – The Lewisburg Area School District is considering removal a line of trees on the edge of its property along Newman Road in Kelly Township. The trees are prone to falling during stormy weather, and are considered a hazard both to homes on Alana Lane, and to a nearby fiber optic cable that runs underground.

A decision has not been made, but school board members will consider a $7,500 bid for the job submitted by the Willow Tree Service of Middleburg. (Matt Farrand)

Green Dragon Foundation presents LASD with checks for computers, online programs

LEWISBURG – Money raised from private sources is helping improve Lewisburg Area School District facilities. Green Dragon Foundation President Brooks Gronlund says funds contributed by companies such as Swineford National Bank and Wood-Mode will help the district expand what it offers.

He says the idea for the not-for-profit foundation that raised the money took shape about three years ago, roughly when the need for a master facilities plan began to emerge. The master plan is also pointing toward a need for better public school athletic facilities, something Gronlund says is also getting the attention of the foundation.

The Green Dragon Foundation presented checks to the district totaling $40,000 Thursday night. One check for $30,000 will buy 25 laptop computers for use at the Kelly Elementary School, while the other for $10,000 will be used to enhance an online service for students in an advanced placement program. More information at www.greendragonfoundation.org (Matt Farrand)

Shortage of blood donors

LEWISBURG – The Union County Red Cross is encouraging people to give blood today. A blood drive is going on at the Evangelical Community Health Education Center off of Route 15 in Lewisburg. Blood Services Coordinator Wendy Oldright says they are experiencing a shortage of O negative and B negative.

She also said all donors are welcome. Today’s blood drive will be held from 1:00p.m. -6:00p.m. For more information you can call the Union County Red Cross at 524-0400 or go online to www.unioncounty.pa.redcross.org.

Clausi issues apology; deputies withdraw from defamation suit

SUNBURY – Seven of the nine sheriff’s deputies named in the defamation suit against Northumberland County Commissioner Vinny Clausi have withdrawn their participation from the action. This follows an apology by the commissioner to the seven sheriff’s deputies this morning, according to Attorney Gregory Stuck. The suit involving the other two deputies still stands and they are seeking nearly $200,000 and an apology.

Stuck says the commissioner made the apology to those in the sheriff’s department, but that did not include recently fired deputies Michael Boris and Joe Jones, since they were not there this morning. This means Boris and Jones are still, as of now, participating in the complaint. Stuck says the terminations are not linked to pornography viewed on county computers.

According to a release by Sheriff Chad Reiner, Boris and Jones were terminated because they left their computers logged on under their names. Deputies are responsible for any actions made while a computer is logged on under their access codes.

Thursday, commissioner Vinny Clausi said he “did apologies” to the other deputies. He told us that there is evidence porn was looked at while computers were logged under Boris and Jones’ codes. He said the two are responsible for their computers. Clausi also reiterated that, if need be, he will present evidence and represent himself in court.

An annual event that helps high school girls is in need of some financial assistance

LEWISBURG – One local non-profit organization that helps high school girls—is struggling due to the slow economy. Each year, Junior Achievement hosts a Young Women’s Future Symposium at Bucknell University.

Joyce Hendricks is chairman of the conference, which selects girls in the “middle” who aren’t in advanced classes, but aren’t falling behind in school. Those girls often don’t have many opportunities presented to them to help them find a successful career path. Hendricks says she’s not surprised they are struggling to pay for this year’s symposium since the economy is in poor shape.

She says they have until the first week of February to raise about $8,000 more to pay for the symposium. Hendricks says many corporations give year after year to the cause, but they are hoping some new businesses that haven’t been involved with the symposium in the past will step forward and offer financial assistance. Hendricks says they have been able to raise some money, but they are looking for more help.

If you would like to assist the Junior Achievement’s efforts to help teen girls find a successful path in the future, you can make a contribution by contacting Future Symposium chairperson Joyce Hendricks by calling her at 374-7128. (Ali Stevens)

Kids Day Out and other activities scheduled for upcoming women’s basketball games

LEWISBURG – Bucknell women’s basketball is hosting three events at their upcoming series of home games. Tomorrow (Saturday), Bucknell will take on Patriot League rival, Holy Cross, at 2p.m. But before the game, the team will host a Kid’s Day Out event, featuring games, face painting and also a meet and greet with some of the women players on the team.

Head Coach Kathy Fedorjaka says the event will be held at 12:30 on the concourse level of Sojka Pavilion. Other events are planned for Wednesday January 20th and Saturday January 23rd. Bucknell will take on Lafayette on Wednesday the 20th at 7 p.m. and if you bring a coat, you get into the game for free. The coats will be donated to the needy.

Saturday the 23rd, the women will be playing against Colgate at 7 p.m. and there will be a halftime performance by the USA Jump Rope Team and it’s also Girl Scout Night with at least 200 Girl Scouts expected in attendance. To find out more about all the events planned, you can go to www.bucknellbison.com. (Ali Stevens)

Wood thief faces charges

SUNBURY – A Coal Township man has been charged with theft after stealing firewood from a Sunbury business. In November, 52-year-old Mark Boyd allegedly noticed the firewood at the self-storage business along a local road near Sunbury.

Boyd then drove onto the property and began to load the firewood into the back of his vehicle. As he attempted to flee the site, his vehicle got stuck in the ground. Boyd is charged with theft, criminal mischief and trespass. Charges were filed by District Judge Carl Rice. (Sara Bartlett)

Latest Pennsylvania news, lottery, business and entertainment

HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) - A Dauphin County-based Pennsylvania Air National Guard unit is heading to Haiti to help with earthquake relief efforts.  Gov. Ed Rendell says the 193rd Special Operations Wing has been called upon to provide rapid response capabilities.  He says about 50 airmen, two cargo planes and one airborne radio and television station have been deployed as part of the mission.  One of the three C-130 planes left Middletown, late Thursday; the other two departed Friday.

EAST BERLIN, Pa. (AP) - Authorities say a central Pennsylvania teen was fleeing state police when he hit another car head-on, killing its driver.  State Police say 18-year-old Zachary Kennedy refused to stop for police and ran a red light before Wednesday night's crash. The driver of the other vehicle, 21-year-old Justin Gilbert, was pronounced dead at the scene. Both men are from Hanover.  Police say Kennedy was traveling at a high rate of speed and had passed multiple vehicles before the crash. Adams County's Assistant District Attorney Brian Sinnett says police had been pursuing him for at least a mile.  Kennedy was hospitalized in stable condition following the crash. No charges were filed against him as of Thursday.  Gilbert was majoring in accounting at York College.

HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) - A defense lawyer in the Pennsylvania legislative corruption trial says a prosecutor had improper contact with one of his clients.  In a loud and profane confrontation inside a Harrisburg courtroom after a hearing Friday, attorney Bryan Walk accused Senior Deputy Attorney General Patrick Blessington of violating rules for lawyer conduct by encouraging one of   Walk's clients to hire a different lawyer.  The outbreak came after a daylong hearing in which   lawyers argued over the remaining pretrial issues in the corruption case against former Beaver County Rep. Mike Veon and three former House Democratic aides.  Walk says the dispute involves a female client he won't name.  Walk also represents defendant Brett Cott, a former Veon aide.  A spokesman for the attorney general's office says the accusation against Blessington isn't true.

PHILADELPHIA (AP) - The first criminal case involving "sexting" to reach a U.S. appeals court is unfolding in Philadelphia, in a fight over cell-phone images of three girls. The three judges hearing arguments Friday must decide if a county prosecutor can charge the girls with child pornography.  The American Civil Liberties Union calls the photos harmless - and argues the girls are victims, if anything.  Defense lawyers say the girls did not distribute the photos, which show two 12-year-olds in training bras and a topless 16-year-old.  Prosecutors in Wyoming County say the images are dangerous because predators could get them.  They ordered 16 public-school students to attend a "re- education" class or face prosecution. Three families are challenging the order.

FRANKLIN, Pa. (AP) - Pennsylvania State Police officials say Trooper Paul Richey was fatally shot by a suicidal man made who had set up a sniper's "perch" inside his home. Authorities say 44-year-old Michael Smith's position in an upstairs bedroom allowed him to ambush the 40-year-old trooper after he had volunteered to investigate a domestic-abuse report at Smith's home. Police say Smith used a scope-equipped .30-30 hunting rifle to shoot Richey above his bulletproof vest as he tried to enter Smith's home in northwestern Pennsylvania Wednesday morning. Police believe Smith used the same weapon to kill his 53-year-old wife, Nancy Frey-Smith, and himself. His wife and two children, a 9-year-old boy and a 6-year-old girl survive trooper Richey.

STATE COLLEGE, Pa. (AP) - Fraternities at Penn State University plan to prohibit alcohol at all recruitment events starting next week. The school's Interfraternity Council says the new policy is aimed at keeping new recruits safe. The policy says that during the recruitment process chapters may hold alcohol-free recruitment events during specified times. Chapters will be allowed to host one last recruitment event on Feb. 8; bids will be extended Feb. 9 and must be accepted by Feb. 11. The fine for violating the alcohol-free rule is $1,000 per event. State College police say they are pleased with the move. Capt. Dana Leonard says it's a step in the right direction.

HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) - A state appeals court has sided with the Pennsylvania Department of Public Welfare in a dispute over its authority to regulate religious child-care facilities. Commonwealth Court last week upheld the department's 1997 order shutting down St. Elizabeth's Child Care Center near Allentown. The judges said the Catholic day care's case was too short on specifics and that it did not establish that regulations would interfere with its free exercise of religion. Public Welfare Secretary Harriet Dichter said the ruling will help the agency ensure children are safe in child-care settings. In January 1997, welfare inspectors discovered 20 children were in a facility that lacked the requisite DPW certificate of compliance and issued a cease-and-desist order.

STATE COLLEGE, Pa. (AP) - Officials plan to poison thousands of birds at a central Pennsylvania airport more than three years after a commercial airline struck a flock there. As many as 15,000 European Starlings may be poisoned to reduce the threat. University Park Airport Director Bryan Rodgers says the U.S. Department of Agriculture plans to use a pesticide on the starlings to help reduce the bird-strike risk. Rodgers says the plan comes in response to an incident on Aug. 19, 2006, when a commercial airliner ran into a flock after takeoff. He says the plane suffered engine damage and had to return to the airport. A USDA spokeswoman says the starling flock found in the area has about 15,000 to 20,000 birds, and that the department plans to kill about 90 percent of them.

(Copyright 2010 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

Updates on the latest in business

Dow: 10,609.65, down –100.90

S&P 500: 1,136.03, down 12.43

NASDAQ: 2,287.99, down 28.75

NEW YORK (AP) - Stock prices are falling today. The Dow has been down more than 100 points. Investors were upset to see rising loan losses within JPMorgan Chase & Co.'s consumer bank business. 

WASHINGTON (AP) - President Barack Obama and congressional Democrats are working strike final deals on historic health care legislation. One leading lawmaker warns that the outcome of a special Senate election in Massachusetts could sink the bill.

WASHINGTON (AP) - American families were feeling pressure on any number of fronts last year, including an inflation squeeze. Inflation-adjusted weekly wages fell 1.6 percent even as consumer prices rose only modestly.

(Copyright 2010 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

Pennsylvania Lottery Numbers

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

 Midday Big 4

     4-1-9-0

 Midday Number

     7-4-0

 Midday Quinto

     5-9-4-8-7

 Treasure Hunt

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

Big 4 0-7-1-8

Cash 5 10-12-35-36-41

Daily Number 4-6-7

Evening Quinto 1-4-6-8-2

Midday Big 4 0-9-5-3 (zero, nine, five, three)

Midday Number 5-0-8

Midday Quinto 9-3-6-7-6

Mix and Match 15-09-13-17-07

Treasure Hunt 02-10-11-18-23

(Copyright 2010 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

Woods looking to help Haiti relief effort

IRVINE, Calif. (AP) - Tiger Woods plans to help with relief efforts in earthquake-ravaged Haiti by supporting groups providing resources to children.  The president of the Tiger Woods Foundation says he hasn't received any information from rap mogul Russell Simmons, who has said on Twitter that Woods is providing $3 million to help with the recovery.  Foundation president Greg McLaughlin says Woods' staff is evaluating the best way to help the Haitian people.  McLaughlin says supporting groups aimed at youth services would be consistent with what Woods' foundation has done previous with relief efforts of Hurricane Katrina and the tsunami in Indonesia.

Obama to honor MLK at Kennedy Center celebration

WASHINGTON (AP) - President Barack Obama is joining the lineup for the Kennedy Center's annual Martin Luther King Jr. Day celebration.  The White House says Obama will speak during the first part of Monday evening's show. He will then join his family in the presidential box for his first King holiday as president.  Singer India.Arie will perform along with Georgetown University's Let Freedom Ring Choir.  Free tickets for the 6 p.m. event will be handed out beginning Monday morning at the Kennedy Center's Concert Hall.

Haitian relief telethon to grace several networks

NEW YORK (AP) - MTV is joining the major broadcast networks and several cable channels for an all-star telethon for Haitian earthquake relief on Jan. 22.   A statement released by MTV Networks on Friday says "Hope for Haiti" will be shown at 8 p.m. Eastern time.  Networks showing the telethon are ABC, CBS, NBC, Fox, CNN, BET, the CW, HBO, MTV, VH1 and CMT. It will also be available internationally.  Haitian-born entertainer Wyclef Jean will helm the show from New York, and George Clooney will host the Los Angeles part. CNN's Anderson Cooper will be in Haiti.  MTV says there will be musical performances and celebrity appearances. No other talent was announced.  The show will benefit Jean's Yele Haiti Foundation, as well as UNICEF, Oxfam America, Partners in Health, and the Red Cross.

NBC-LENO

UNDATED (AP) - Conan O'Brien says he knows what he's going to do next. He's selling the "Tonight Show" on Craig's List. O'Brien showed the online ad during last night's program. It lists a barely used "late night talk show -- guaranteed to last for up to seven months!" Jay Leno had Jimmy Kimmel as a guest last night. Kimmel joked that Leno had "$800 million, for God's sake," and urged him to leave other hosts' shows alone. Over on CBS, David Letterman said NBC is listing the NBC peacock as an endangered species.

Repossessed Child

SAN JOSE, Calif. (AP) - Police in California say a car dealer who repossessed a San Jose woman's Honda Accord left with something a bit more valuable: her 2-year-old son. The child, Cyrus Lopez, was sleeping in the back of the car on Tuesday night when it was taken away because the boy's mother, Isabel Leuvano, was behind on her payments. Leuvano says she was waiting for her daughter outside the running car when someone jumped in and drove off. Police say the driver was 47-year-old Alberto Luna, the owner of Alberto's Auto Sales. Officers located the toddler a half-hour later - about the same time Luna told authorities that he discovered the boy. Sgt. Ronnie Lopez says kidnapping charges don't appear to be warranted. But he says Luna should have checked the car thoroughly.

TEXTING WORLD CUP E500]

NEW YORK (AP) - It's thumb-versus-thumb -- at the texting world cup in New York City. And a couple of South Korean teens have the fastest thumbs. The team of Bae Yeong Ho and Ha Mok Min took on competitors from more than a dozen countries, to win the texting World Cup yesterday. Americans teenagers Kate Moore, of Des Moines, Iowa, and Morgan Dynda of Pooler, Ga. take second place. Letting their fingers do the talking pays off for the winning teenagers, at the LG Mobile World Cup. The two-person championship team takes home $100,000.