Friday, January 22, 2010

Former chairman of the Milton Harvest Festival waives a preliminary hearing

MILTON – The former chairman of the Milton Harvest Festival was expected in court Thursday, but waived his right to a preliminary hearing and sent charges against him on to court.  Dale Kriner is accused of stealing about $10,000 while working as treasurer for the Milton High School Alumni Association.  He is also accused of taking about $4,000 from the Milton Harvest Festival, but charges have not yet been filed in that case.  Court officials say he plans to plead guilty to all charges against him in the weeks ahead.  Kriner is locked up in the Northumberland County Prison.  (Ali Stevens)

Snyder County Democratic Committee to endorse Steve Hoffman for commissioner

MIDDLEBURG – The Snyder County Democratic Committee had their monthly meeting last night and voted to endorse Steve Hoffman as their choice for Snyder County Commissioner.  Democratic Commissioner Bud Bickhart resigned effective January 29^th.   The committee will give their recommendation to Judge Harold Woelfel and Judge Michael Sholley, however the judges can still choose someone other than the recommended candidate.  The judges say they will not accept resumes and letters of interest until after Bickhart is off the job. 

Another candidate interested in the job, Peggy Chamberlain-Roup of Selinsgrove was present at the meeting and was interviewed by the committee, but was not selected.  Hoffman was chosen by a 7 to 4 vote.  The county judges say the process will take about a month once interviews get underway, so a new commissioner should be chosen by the end of February or early March.  (Ali Stevens)

State hospital patient accused of severely beating another man with a chain

DANVILLE – A patient at the Danville State Hospital is facing several charges after police say he seriously beat another patient with a chain.  51-year-old Robert Degraffenreid struck the male patient several times on Tuesday causing severe bruising and open wounds.  The native Wilkes-Barre man was arraigned on charges of aggravated and simple assault, reckless endangerment, harassment and disorderly conduct.  The Press-Enterprise reports hospital employees say Degraffenreid has been involved in 14 incidents since August.  He also served time in state prison for seriously beating a man with a pool cue.  Degraffenreid somehow obtained a 14-link chain from hospital security, which was found in his room.  He’s locked up in the Montour County Prison after failing to post bail.  (Ali Stevens)

Man charged with a series of hit and run incidents in Coal Township

COAL TOWNSHIP – A Coal Township man has been charged for a series of hit and run accidents in the township on Sunday Morning.  The News Item reports 29-year-old Jason Ruskuski struck a parked pickup truck with his vehicle while driving on Oak Street around 8:15 Sunday morning.  Then police say Ruskuski struck the front steps at a home on Oak Street.  He is also accused of hitting the front porch and steps at a home on Water Street that same morning.  Ruskuski was charged with hit and run, driving without a license and not notifying police about an accident.  (Ali Stevens)

Local newspaper celebrating 120 years

MILTON – Starting Saturday a familiar newspaper will have a new look.  The Milton Standard-Journal is celebrating their 120^th anniversary.  Amy Moyer has been the publisher since 1996.  She says they are switching from their broadsheet format.  The paper will be a different size, making it easier to read and carry.

Moyer says over the years, the newspaper has tried to stay progressive.  Moyer says with Internet popularity rising, The Standard-Journal has a presence on the web, but takes a different approach than other papers.  She says they show parts of the local news stories in order to drive customers to buy the newspaper.  Moyer says their goal in the years ahead is to remain a good local news source. (Sara Bartlett) 

Geisinger Doctor will be featured on the Discovery Channel on Saturday

Ribbon cutting at GMC’s Hospital for Advanced Medicine

DANVILLE – Thursday’s ribbon cutting means Geisinger Health System’s Hospital for Advanced Medicine is one step closer to accepting patients. Registered Nurse Joseph Costa will be taking care of cardiology and vascular patients, and was busy giving tours Thursday night.

He says each single occupancy room brings the latest technology to the bedside, and allows nurses to also stay at the bedside. Input provided by the nursing staff helped determine how each room would be arranged, according to Executive Vice-President and Chief Nursing Officer Susan Hallick, RN.

Ground for the building was broken in mid-2007, on the eve of what turned into a nationwide credit crunch. President and CEO Dr. Glenn Steele Jr. says the hospital was completed in spite economic troubles that slowed down or stopped other projects, because of good credit established by the corporation over the previous 100 years. The Hospital for Advanced Medicine will officially start taking patients February 9th. (Matt Farrand)

Buffalo Valley Rail-Trail gets a financial boost

LEWISBURG – The Buffalo Valley Rail-Trail got some exciting news about a financial boost from the state. The Lewisburg Area Recreation Authority has received a $350,000 grant to pay for the Buffalo Valley Rail Trail design costs. LARA Chairman Trey Casimir is thrilled about the news from Harrisburg.

Casimir says at times, the rail trail plan has been controversial, however he feels the majority will be pleased when the rail trail is in place. And Casimir is ready to move forward with the next phase of the project. He says this is a process that has been going on for at least 10 years with many people involved and they are glad construction will get underway later this year.

A $3.7-million grant for construction of the rail-trail has already been received from PennDOT’s Pennsylvania Community Transportation Initiative Program and the design grant from the Keystone Fund clears the way for the completion of the first phase of the project. (Ali Stevens)

Who will be the next SnyCo Commissioner when Bud Bickhart leaves

Biomass energy facility in Northumberland County benefiting from state’s alternative energy funds

MOUNT CARMEL – A nearly $5 million loan has been given to a biomass energy facility in Mount Carmel Township. IntelliWatt Renewable Energy LLC will receive the $4.98 million alternative and clean energy program loan to assist with construction of the system. Biomass is burned waste that is used as a fuel or energy source.

The money is part of Governor Ed Rendell’s Alternative Energy Investment Fund throughout the state. IntelliWatt is the region’s first biomass energy system and will generate nearly 205,000-megawatt hours of electricity per year, which is enough to power about 20,000 homes. The power will also be sold to PPL. The $9.9 million project is expected to create 31 jobs in three years.

Weis Markets expands beer sales to Lewisburg store

LEWISBURG – Beer sales at the Weis Markets began Thursday in Lewisburg. Spokesman for Weis Markets, Dennis Curtain, says they began stocking the shelves Wednesday and opened the sit-in café Thursday, following a thorough review process by the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board. He says the PLCB sends an inspector to the store.

That inspector makes sure all regulations are followed including a separate entrance, a separate register and a 20-seat café. Last summer, beer sales began at the Weis Markets in Sunbury and Curtain says they have had positive feedback from customers. Curtain says there are no current plans to place any new in-store cafés in other Weis Markets in the area. Weis currently sells beer in seven stores throughout the state. (Sara Bartlett)

Criminal cases continue to rise in Northumberland County

SUNBURY – Criminal cases have reached a record number in Northumberland County. According to District Attorney Tony Rosini, 1,661 criminal cases were filed in 2009, and that’s up from 1,553 in 2008. Rosini attributes the rise to the recession and increased drug use, saying they typically see more drug use when the unemployment rate goes up.

The number of juvenile and miscellaneous appeals also increased, according to Rosini, but he says summary appeals and juvenile cases both dropped in 2009. Rosini says the increase in work is putting a strain on staff and is hopeful for decreased criminal cases in 2010.

H1N1 flu shots given at Weis Markets

LEWISBURG – Weis Markets will be holding an H1N1 flu clinic at their Lewisburg location Saturday. The store will be bringing in a third party clinic to administer the shots throughout the day. Cost is typically $15.00, but the fee could be waived depending on health insurance. In addition, the pharmacists at the Weis Markets stores in Sunbury and Mifflinburg are certified to administer the H1N1 shots, so all are welcome to walk-in a receive the vaccine.

Latest Pennsylvania news, lottery, business and entertainment

READING, Pa. (AP) - Pennsylvania-based retailer Boscov's says it will add 240 new jobs across its 39-store chain over the next year.   Company officials say they're adding staff to improve customer service four months after the retailer emerged from Chapter 11 bankruptcy.  Reading-based Boscov's got approval in September for a plan that saved the company from liquidation. Albert Boscov, the son of the company's founder, led an ownership team that took control of the company.  The chain closed 10 stores after filing for bankruptcy in late 2008, shedding about 1,300 jobs.  Boscov's employs about 6,800 workers at stores in Pennsylvania, New York, New Jersey, Maryland and Delaware.

HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) - Millionaire Tom Knox is dropping out of the Democratic nomination race for Pennsylvania governor and throwing his support behind Dan Onorato.  The Philadelphia businessman disclosed his decision Friday in a conference call with reporters.  Knox says he's quitting mainly because his wife doesn't want him to run. He says he believes he could win if he stayed in the race.  He says he will urge the other three Democrats to also withdraw and endorse Onorato, who's the Allegheny County executive. He says he shares Onorato's goals and is vowing to make sure that he has enough money to win the governor's race.  Knox's withdrawal leaves Onorato and three others vying for the nomination. They are Scranton Mayor Chris Doherty, Montgomery County Commissioner Joe Hoeffel and state Auditor General Jack Wagner.

HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) - A new report says jobs in Pennsylvania were harder to find in December than they have been in more than a decade. The state Department of Labor and Industry said Thursday that statewide unemployment jumped to 8.9 percent last month. The October rate also was 8.9 percent, the highest level in 25 years, before dipping to 8.5 percent in November. The department says employers eliminated about 8,100 jobs in December, leaving Pennsylvania with fewer than 5.6 million jobs - the lowest level since September 1999. The state's unemployment rate is below the national average of 10 percent. Among the 10 most populous states, only Texas' rate is lower.

PITTSBURGH (AP) - Two sisters who helped bring 54 orphans from earthquake-ravaged Haiti to Pittsburgh say they haven't had time to stop and think about what happened. Jamie and Ali McMutrie say they're just thankful that all the children are safe and sound. The Pittsburgh sisters had run the BRESMA orphanage in the Haitian capital of Port-au-Prince. They spoke during a news conference Thursday about their journey to bring the children to Pittsburgh. They say there were a total of 120 children at the orphanage; the children who did not come to Pittsburgh went to Holland and France. Twenty-eight of the children brought to Pittsburgh have found adoptive families.

HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) - Pennsylvania's Democratic chairman said Thursday the party would be better off if Congressman Joe Sestak were to abandons his bid for Sen. Arlen Specter's seat and instead seek a third term in the House. T.J. Rooney was reacting Thursday to Republican Scott Brown's Senate victory in heavily Democratic Massachusetts on Tuesday. He also was reacting to polling that suggests Republican former Congressman Pat Toomey may be pulling ahead in a hypothetical November matchup against the fifth-term Specter, who defected from the GOP last year. Rooney said a Sestak withdrawal would allow Specter to focus more on the general-election campaign, while Sestak could lock in his seat representing the 7th District in suburban Philadelphia for two more years. Sestak's campaign responded that it's staying the course.

HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) - A panel of 12 jurors and six alternates is in place for the upcoming criminal trial of a former leader in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives and three of his one-time aides. Prosecutors and lawyers in the case of former Rep. Mike Veon and the aides selected the final alternate jurors Thursday, although opening statements in the case won't be made until Feb. 1. The primary jury consists of eight women and four men. Four alternates are men and two are women. Two alternates are expected to be dismissed on the eve of trial. The trial is expected to take about a month. The Beaver County Democrat and his co-defendants are accused of a conspiracy to illegally use state workers and legislative resources for campaign purposes.

HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) - Gamblers are putting more money into slot machines in Pennsylvania than they are in Atlantic City, N.J. The Gaming Industry Observer says December was the first month ever that slot-machine handle in Pennsylvania surpassed Atlantic City's. Editor Joseph Weinert calls it a milestone that is a result of declining slots play in New Jersey and rising slots play in Pennsylvania. The difference was $2.1 billion in Pennsylvania to about $2 billion in New Jersey. On top of that, Weinert is forecasting an increase in Pennsylvania's slots revenue in 2010 and a drop in Atlantic City's. However, Atlantic City casinos brought in more money total because of table games revenue there. Pennsylvania just legalized table games earlier this month.

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

Updates on the latest in business

Dow: 10,170.11, down –219.77

S&P 500: 1,091.67, down 24.81

NASDAQ: 2,205.29, down –60.41

WASHINGTON (AP) - Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke faces mounting Senate opposition for another four-year term, even as the White House described President Barack Obama as confident about his confirmation. Sen. Barbara Boxer of California says she'll vote against Bernanke, adding another Democrat to the ranks of those arrayed against Bernanke.

ELYRIA, Ohio (AP) - President Barack Obama is calling on Congress to approve a new jobs creation bill. Speaking in Ohio, he's asking for tax breaks for small business hiring and for Americans to make their homes more energy efficient.

HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) - U.S. candy giant Hershey says it has no immediate plans to make an offer for British competitor Cadbury. That appears to clear the way for Kraft Foods' $19.5 billion bid for Cadbury.

NEW YORK (AP) - Shares of General Electric are up nearly 3 percent at midday. The industrial conglomerate reported that its quarterly net profit fell 19 percent, but it is seeing positive signs of stabilization.

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

Pennsylvania Lottery Numbers

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

Daily Number: 7  6  9 

Big 4: 4  8  7  9

Quinto: 2  7  4  1  0

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

Big 4 4-2-6-2

Cash 5 06-23-25-33-40

Daily Number 9-9-6

Evening Quinto 7-6-1-5-2

Midday Big 4 7-9-5-1

Midday Number 9-3-9

Midday Quinto 2-2-5-0-6 (two, two, five, zero, six)

Mix and Match 04-07-03-02-12

Treasure Hunt 10-11-15-19-26

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

Hope for Haiti telethon

NEW YORK (AP) - George Clooney says if he thought everyone could "pick up shovels" and help Haiti without being in the way, he thinks a lot of people would do it. Clooney, in an MTV interview, says what people can do for the earthquake-ravaged country is raise money. The organizer of tonight's telethon "Hope for Haiti Now" says people have a responsibility to look out for those who can't look out for themselves. Beyonce, Madonna, Bruce Springsteen, Alicia Keys, Stevie Wonder, Taylor Swift, Justin Timberlake and Keith Urban are among the telethon performers. The two-hour show will air on all the major networks and many other channels. It will be broadcast from New York, London, Los Angeles and Haiti. People can donate by phone and text. Viewers can also download musical performances from the show via iTunes for 99 cents. Those profits will also be donated to Haiti relief.

O’Brien’s last night

UNIVERSAL CITY, Calif. (AP) - If last night was any indication, Conan O'Brien should get another rousing ovation from his studio audience tonight -- his last on the "Tonight Show." After the show wraps, O'Brien will be taking his $33 million dollar exit deal and going home. His 200-member staff will be sharing in $12 million in severance. Tonight's guests will be Tom Hanks and Will Ferrell, who was O'Brien's first guest when he debuted as host last June.  NBC will run O'Brien reruns next week. O'Brien joked last night that he had a great lineup ready for next week: President Obama, the Pope, Queen Elizabeth and Elvis Presley.

Pendergrass funeral

PHILADELPHIA (AP) - A funeral for R&B star Teddy Pendergrass is set for tomorrow in Philadelphia. Pendergrass is best known for singing "If You Don't Know Me By Now" when he was with Harold Melvin and the Blue Notes. He died last week of colon cancer at age 59. The public viewing is this afternoon at Enon Tabernacle Baptist Church. The funeral will be held at the church tomorrow, followed by a private burial. Pendergrass was paralyzed from the waist down following a 1982 car crash, but continued his solo career.

Prince pens tune about Minnesota Vikings

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) - Prince has recorded a purple-tinted tribute to the Minnesota Vikings.  The "Purple Rain" superstar told Fox affiliate KMSP-TV that he penned "Purple and Gold" after he saw the Vikings beat Dallas at the Metrodome last weekend. Prince told the station he hadn't seen the team play in years until this season.  The Vikings play the Saints in New Orleans on Sunday in the NFC championship game.  The hymn-like Vikings song from the Minnesota rocker includes the lyrics, "Raise every voice and let it b' known/in the name of the purple and gold."  Wide receiver Bernard Berrian thanked Prince for the song on his Twitter page, saying "He is definitely one of   my favorites."  

SMITHSONIAN-FOOD STAMPS

WASHINGTON (AP) - Food stamps are getting some respect. They're going into the Smithsonian. The National Museum of American History will preserve a collection of food stamps and their early designs. The Food Stamp Program began in the 1960s under President John F. Kennedy. Food stamps have been phased out in favor all electronic transactions using a credit-like card. Officials note few food stamps remain because they were destroyed after being used.

RENT-A-HUSBAND ARRAIGNMENT

PORTLAND, Maine (AP) - Rent-A-Husband is in some deep trouble -- and not with his wife. The founder of the Rent-A-Husband home-repair company now faces federal fraud and theft charges. Kaile Warren has pleaded not guilty in a Maine federal court. Prosecutors charge that Rent-A-Husband misled investors by taking their money when he knew his company was on the skids.

UNEMPLOYED-$1 SUBSCRIPTION

LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) - It's a newspaper deal for tough times. The Journal-World of Lawrence, Kan. is giving a break to people out of work. The paper is offering a 13-week subscription for just a buck. Circulation director Chris Bell says they want unemployed people to stay connected to the news and to job listings. To get the dollar deal, subscribers must bring a current Kansas unemployment statement to the paper's circulation office.