Friday, March 5, 2010

Huge Norry theft uncovered

NORTHUMBERLAND – Charges have been filed against a former Northumberland Sewer Authority clerk for stealing nearly $300,000 from the Authority over a five-year  period.  48-year-old Cynthia Lark of Northumberland is charged on a number of counts including theft and forgery. 

Police say while in charge of accounting duties, Lark would transfer money from the Authority’s account to a payroll account.  She would then write herself checks for more than her authorized pay and forge signatures of the Authority’s president and treasurer.  A Northumberland Borough employee discovered the forgery and contacted authorities.

Lark turned herself in and is free on $20,000 bail.  She will have a preliminary hearing next week.  Lark resigned from her position at the Authority and as a member of the Northumberland Borough Council this week. (Sara Bartlett)     

One case dismissed, one going to court in restaurant theft

LEWISBURG – A Mifflinburg woman waived her right to a preliminary hearing and a Watsontown woman had her case dismissed following theft from a Lewisburg restaurant.  22-year-old Aeron Fox of Mifflinburg and 45-year-old Kathy Clayton of Watsontown were facing felony charges after stealing more than $25,000 from the Country Cupboard Restaurant while they worked as waitresses last December. 

Fox, who admitted to stealing more than $21,000, waived her charges on to court.  Clayton, charged with taking more than $5,800, claims her transfers were for legitimate purposes, and District Judge Leo Armbruster dismissed her case. (Sara Bartlett)    

$1.5 million for Shikellamy State Park

SUNBURY – Renovations at Shikellamy State Park are closer to reality thanks to $1.5 million in state spending.  As expected, Governor Ed Rendell announced the release of the money today.  It will be used for improvements to the marina building.  The additional money will hopefully be used to complete the design phase of the project this year, allowing work on research, education and conference facilities to start in 2011.

DCNR and the Susquehanna River Heartland Coalition are spearheading this project for Environmental Studies. The renovated facility will also serve as new offices for the Shikellamy State Park and Marina staff. More information about this project is posted at www.srhces.org.

Do you…ZUMBA?

SUNBURY – ZUMBA is the latest exercise craze and there are some special events planned to get more people involved in the newest craze.  What exactly is ZUMBA?  It’s a combination of aerobics and dancing, featuring hip-hop, salsa and belly dancing.  Health experts say one hour of ZUMBA has the potential to burn 1,000 calories. 

A ZUMBA-thon is being held at the Milton YMCA on Saturday from 6 to 8 p.m.  The Sunbury YMCA also has a ZUMBA-thon planned for Saturday, March 27^th with registration at 8:30 and then ZUMBA will take place from 9 to 12 that day.  You can learn more about ZUMBA and other programs at the Greater Susquehanna Valley YMCA at www.gsvymca.org.

Hit and run trucker caught

SHAMOKIN – The truck driver that struck a fire hydrant and traffic light in Shamokin and kept on driving has been charged by police.  The driver from Ontario, Canada, 51-year-old Joseph Colosimo, turned right onto Market Street from Sunbury Street around 6:20 p.m. Wednesday and struck the traffic signal and hydrant. 

Colosimo was pulled over along Route 901 in Locust Gap several minutes later. The crash caused extensive damage to the traffic light, which had to be replaced.  No injuries were reported.   (Ali Stevens)

Help for Danville-area fire company

WASHINGTON – The Liberty Township Volunteer Fire Company has been awarded a grant of over $25,000 from the Federal Emergency Management Agency.  The money will provide assistance to the company helping them get the necessary tools and resources to perform their job.  Also in our area, the Catawissa Hose Company Number One was awarded over $70,000.

Probation for a Danville coach charged with DUI

DANVILLE – The Danville boy’s basketball coach was sentenced to probation and community service for a DUI arrest in January.  Lenny Smith, who has been the varsity boy’s basketball coach since 2002 was accepted into Montour County’s ARD program for first-time offenders. 

The 51-year-old was pulled over January 9^th along Route 54 in Mahoning Township for driving erratically around 1 a.m.   His blood-alcohol level was .13 percent.  Smith must do 50 hours of community service and pay a fine for careless driving.  (Ali Stevens)

Congressman wants to cut Medicare prescription drug costs

UNDATED – Congressman Chris Carney (D-10^th, Dimock) wants to cut Medicare prescription drugs costs for both seniors and taxpayers.  Carney is a co-sponsor of a bill introduced this week that would require the Secretary of Health and Human Services to negotiate prescription drug prices on behalf of Medicare Part D beneficiaries for the first time.  Carney says the potential savings is $156-billion over 10 years. 

Carney says the Medicare Part D program, which benefits 28 million seniors, accounted for more than $50-billion worth of prescription drugs in 2009.  But, he says the federal government has been barred from negotiating rates with the pharmaceutical industry since the program’s inception in 2004.  Carney claims there is clear evidence that negotiating rates will save money and the legislation has been co-sponsored by 61 members of the house.  (Ali Stevens)

Controller officially kicks off his campaign for state house

SUNBURY – Northumberland County Controller Chuck Erdman officially kicked off his campaign for the 108^th District State House seat on Thursday night in Northumberland.  Erdman and about 75 supporters gathered at the Townside at the Savoy for a campaign kickoff event. 

At the event, Erdman introduced his campaign team, which includes Northumberland County Register and Recorder May Zimmerman and Preston “Lin” Davis of Milton as campaign co-chairs.  Erdman told those who gathered that, “Our state needs to change.” 

He said he’s running for the seat being vacated by Merle Phillips (R-108^th, Sunbury) because he thinks he can make the difference and lead by example. Erdman says a conservative leader is needed to create jobs, cut taxes and reform Harrisburg.  (Ali Stevens)

Sixth annual celebration of Celtic culture

LEWISBURG – The local celebration of Celtic traditions planned for tonight and Saturday is emblematic of new interest in the cultures of Ireland, Wales and Scotland. Lewisburg Arts Council President Sara Kelley says the Celtic Days festivities are in their sixth year, and remain a big hit locally.

Celtic Days start at 7:30 p.m. tonight (Friday) at Puirseil’s Irish Pub in Lewisburg, with a Celtic jam session that’s open to all at no charge. It is hosted by Jim Van Fleet, and encourages people to bring musical instruments and participate.

Tonight’s “jam session” is followed by a performance by the group, Lux Bridge. Irish step dancing and Irish cooking demonstrations are being offered at no charge on Saturday afternoon. However, there is a charge for a buffet and concert planned for Saturday night in the banquet room behind Puirseil’s. Information available online at www.lewisburgartscouncil.com (Matt Farrand)

Local attorney fires back at commissioner

SUNBURY – Northumberland Attorney Gregory Stuck is responding to a countersuit filed by Northumberland County Commissioner Vinny Clausi against Stuck and former sheriff’s deputies Joe Jones and Michael Boris.

Clausi says the multimillion-dollar suit is the result of a ‘frivolous and baseless lawsuit’ the three defendants filed against him in January claiming that the Commissioner made defamatory remarks against the sheriff’s department.

Attorney Stuck says the lawsuit filed by Clausi is ‘ridiculous’ and is a ‘blatant attempt to resolve the suit filed against Clausi without his dirty laundry being shown to the public.’ Stuck also wonders why he is named in Clausi’s suit, when he is not part of the original lawsuit filed against Clausi.

Clausi alleged that pornography was viewed in the sheriff’s department under the computer log-in names of Jones and Boris, but never claimed that they were the ones who were looking at it. A suit filed by Stuck claims that Clausi did accuse and defame the two deputies, who were recently fired. (Ali Stevens)

Jail time for man accused of stabbing

SUNBURY – A Sunbury man accused of a stabbing in the city has been sentenced to up to nine years in prison. 26-year-old Manuel Molina was in court Wednesday on a number of charges including attempted homicide for an incident last January where he stabbed a 40-year-old Sunbury man in the abdomen and back during an altercation at a home on Reagan Street.

The victim survived but was in the hospital in critical condition for several weeks. Molina says his actions were in self-defense. Northumberland County President Judge Robert Sacavage sentenced Molina to 4 ½ to nine years in prison.

Dancing to raise money for local summer camp

LEWISBURG – Dancers are welcome to the annual dance-a-thon to raise money for summer camp at the Donald Heiter Community Center in Lewisburg. Jane Kessler is a Youth Programmer at the center, and says Saturday there will be different kinds of dance music from 11:00a.m.-midnight. The first hour is a mommy and me hour, featuring the chicken dance and hokey pokey.

There will also be a reggae, disco, county, ballroom and swing hour, along with a Michael Jackson hour. All of the proceeds from the annual event will go to help put on the summer camp at the center. Kessler says money can be raised for the dance-a-thon, or a donation can be made at the door.

A minimum donation of $25.00 is encouraged. There will be door prizes each hour, and all who dance are entered to win a grand prize at the end of the event, held at the Heiter Center. For more information you can call 524-5000. (Sara Bartlett)

Canned food drive supports local organization

LEWISBURG – A canned food drive is getting underway to help support the Lewisburg Food Bank and the Lewisburg/Milton Meals on Wheels program. Stacy Drum is Meals on Wheels Volunteer Coordinator at Riverwoods in Lewisburg and says they are holding a canned food drive during the Feinstein Foundation’s campaign to fight hunger.

The Feinstein Challenge is a yearly project where the national organization gives money to agencies and organizations that are trying to prevent hunger. Any can goods donated will generate a donation to the Meals on Wheels program through the Feinstein Challenge.

Drum says they need the public to help by donating canned goods or monetary donations, which can be dropped off at the Riverwoods Senior Living Community in Lewisburg between now and March 26th. The Meals on Wheels program, which is a United Way agency supported by the Union County and Greater Susquehanna Valley United Way’s, currently serves about 95 individuals with hot meals delivered weekdays.

For those individuals who can’t afford the price of daily meals, there is a fund that provides financial assistance, offering them meals for about $2.50 a day. If you would like to contribute to the cause, drop off your canned goods or monetary donations at the Riverwoods Senior Living Community in Lewisburg. (Ali Stevens)

Latest Pennsylvania news, lottery, business and entertainment

HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) - Harrisburg's mayor says she is vetoing a budget passed by city council in a dispute over debt payments.  Harrisburg Mayor Linda Thompson announced her veto Friday.  The city does not have the money to pay the debt, but Thompson says she would violate state and city laws by signing a budget that does not recognize the amount owed this year.  Council voted 4-3 last month to reject Thompson's request to authorize $68 million in debt payments for a city authority's trash-to-energy incinerator.  To deal with the debt, Thompson says she is considering selling city assets and is trying to renegotiate loans with bondholders.  She also wants Dauphin County taxpayers to pay higher trash-dumping fees.

SCRANTON, Pa. (AP) - Roman Catholic officials say a northeastern Pennsylvania priest who was facing drug charges has died after developing a medical problem in rehab. Officials from the Diocese of Scranton say 50-year-old James Shimsky died Thursday at a Rochester, Minn. hospital. Shimsky had been residing at a nearby rehab facility following his Jan. 30 arrest in North Philadelphia.  Philadelphia police say Shimsky was charged with drug possession after officers saw him buying cocaine.  Shimsky had been on leave from his position as pastor at St. John Vianney Parish in Scott Township, Lackawanna County.  Diocese spokesman William Genello said he didn't have details of Shimsky's death.

CAMP HILL, Pa. (AP) - Authorities are trying to find out what killed a person whose body was found outside a burning car at a central Pennsylvania gas station.  Lower Allen Township Police say they responded to a report of a car fire at the gas station around 3 a.m. Friday in Camp Hill, just outside Harrisburg. When officers arrived they discovered the body lying beside the burning car and gas pump.  Investigators say the body was badly burned and could not immediately be identified.  Authorities are trying to determine the cause of the fire and how the unknown victim died.

PHILADELPHIA (AP) - President Barack Obama is coming to the Philadelphia area as part of his pitch for health care reform.  The White House on Friday announced Obama will speak at Arcadia University in Glenside on Monday morning.  The president has been trying to rally congressional support to push through legislation that would overhaul the health insurance system, calling for an up-or-down vote in the coming weeks.

HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) - The state Labor and Industry Department is estimating that Pennsylvania employers shed 195,000 jobs in 2009, or better than 1 in 30. The revised estimate released, however, also says employers added nearly 10,000 jobs to payrolls in January. The department had previously estimated that employers shed about 150,000 jobs in 2009. The state's 5.56 million jobs on record in January is the fewest since March 1999. The department says the unemployment rate was 8.8 percent in December and January after initially setting it at 8.9 percent in December.

HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) - At least nine current Democratic state representatives could soon find themselves testifying in the public-corruption trial of one of their former colleagues, depending on how the presiding judge rules. Defense attorneys want to question the sitting lawmakers, as well as legislative staff aides. Earlier this week, Dauphin County Judge Richard Lewis threw out subpoenas issued to state Senate and House Republicans, but has not ruled on the House Democrats. The witness issue will have to be resolved by Monday, when defense attorneys are expected to begin putting on their case in the theft, conspiracy and conflict-of-interest trial of former Rep. Mike Veon and three ex-aides Brett Cott, Steve Keefer and Annamarie Perretta-Rosepink.

MIAMI (AP) - The U.S. Department of Education has named 16 finalists in the first round of its "Race to the Top" competition, which will deliver $4.35 billion in school reform grants. Selected Thursday from a pool of 41 applicants are: Colorado, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Kentucky, Louisiana, Massachusetts, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina and Tennessee. The winners will be chosen in April. The grants are designed to reward and spur states to lift student achievement by developing strong standards, getting high-quality teachers in the classroom, and turning around low-performing schools. The money is part of President Barack Obama's economic stimulus law. A second round of applications will be accepted in June.

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

Updates on the latest in business

Dow: 10,560.38, up 116.24

S&P 500: 1,137. 78, up 14.81

NASDAQ: 2,324.33, up 32.02

Consumer borrowing up in January after 11 declines

WASHINGTON (AP) - Consumer borrowing broke a record stretch of declines with a small increase in January as a boost in auto loans offset continued weakness in credit card borrowing. The small gain, the first in nearly a year, could be a signal that Americans are regaining confidence in the economy.  The Federal Reserve reported Friday that consumer borrowing rose by $4.96 billion in January, surprising economists who were looking for borrowing to decline by $4.5 billion. It was the first gain after a record 11 straight declines and it was the largest increase since July 2008.

Interest rates rise on reassuring jobs report

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) - Interest rates are shooting higher in the bond market after the government reported better than expected February jobs data.  The Labor Department says the unemployment rate stood at 9.7 percent in February as employers shed 36,000 jobs. That was fewer than the 50,000 jobs analysts expected.  The figures, released Friday, suggest the job market is slowly healing but that significant hiring has yet to occur.  The reassuring news on the economy led investors to sell out of bonds and buy riskier assets.  The yield on the 10-year Treasury note that matures in February 2020 rose to 3.69 percent from 3.61 percent late Thursday. Its price is down 21/32 to 99 15/32. Bond prices move in the opposite direction of their yields.

Coke CEO gets pay cut in 2009

(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

     5-3-1-1

 Midday Number

     2-5-0

 Midday Quinto

     3-2-7-2-0

 Treasure Hunt

     16-18-24-28-29

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

Big 4 9-8-6-9

Cash 5 09-24-29-32-33

Daily Number 1-3-1

Evening Quinto 6-1-7-2-2

Midday Big 4 5-1-5-3

Midday Number 0-9-6

Midday Quinto 0-3-3-3-9

Mix and Match 05-09-19-08-15

Treasure Hunt 01-16-18-19-21

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

Sean Penn- Haiti Aid

NEW YORK (AP) - Sean Penn isn't mincing words for those who think he's showing off with his aid to earthquake-ravaged Haiti. In an interview airing on this weekend's "Sunday Morning" on CBS, Penn says he hopes any cynic who dismisses his efforts will "die screaming of rectal cancer." Penn has visited the devastated Caribbean nation accompanied by doctors, brought water filters for distribution to villages and has established a relief organization. Besides raising funds, Penn says he has contributed his own money. When asked how much, he replies with a laugh, "Enough that I'd better get a job soon."

Starbucks…even bigger!

PHOENIX (AP) - Sometimes a grande just isn't grand enough. Coffee lovers who want even more java can order a new 31-ounce drink at Starbucks called a Trenta. That's Italian for 30.  The super-sized drink is being test marketed in 170 Starbucks in the Phoenix and Tampa, Florida areas. The nearly-quart-sized Trenta is available only for iced coffee and iced teas. Sorry, no lattes or mochas available. An iced Trenta coffee goes for $3.30.

Happy funeral home

Judge upholds teacher's right to hang God banners

SAN DIEGO (AP) - A federal judge has ruled that a San Diego school district violated a teacher's constitutional rights when it ordered him to remove two patriotic banners from his classroom because they supposedly "overemphasized God." Judge Roger Benitez ruled that the Poway Unified School district overstepped its bounds when it ordered math teacher Bradley Johnson to take down two large banners in January 2007. One banner with red, white and blue stripes displayed the phrases "In God We Trust," "One Nation Under God," "God Bless America," and "God Shed His Grace on Thee." The other read "All Men Are Created Equal, They Are Endowed By Their Creator." The judge noted that other teachers were allowed to display religious-themed personal posters.

Report: Unexpectedly large methane release in Arctic

WASHINGTON (AP) - Experts say methane is bubbling out of the frozen Arctic faster than had been expected. Researchers blame the release of the gas on a warming climate. Methane has been trapped in the permafrost over time. The findings are in a report in Friday's edition of the journal Science. A co-author of the report says the amount of methane coming out of the East Siberian Arctic Shelf is comparable to the amount coming out of the entire world's oceans. Concerns about global warming have centered on rising levels of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. But scientists say methane can be 30 times more effective at trapping heat than carbon dioxide.