Wednesday, September 17, 2008
PA planning experts to speak at Union County meeting
MIFFLINBURG – Union County’s future will be the topic of an upcoming meeting in Mifflinburg and the public is invited. Union County Planning Director Shawn McLaughlin says three planning experts from around Pennsylvania will be in attendance, and they will help with Union County’s Cultivating Community initiative. The guests will be James Cowhey, of the Lancaster Planning Commission, Bill Fontana, of the Pennsylvania Downtown Center and John Trant Jr, Planning Officer in Cranberry Township. McLaughlin says learning the successes and pitfalls of other communities can help with the planning of Union County.
The session will be moderated by WKOK’s Mark Lawrence and there will be an opportunity for the public to ask questions as well. The meeting is Thursday September 25th at 7:00p.m. at the Carriage Corner restaurant in Mifflinburg. (Sara Bartlett)
Economist says AIG bailout should prompt questions
LEWISBURG – The White House says the federal takeover of insurer American International Group was needed to prevent broader harm to the economy. It follows months of foreclosures among sub-prime mortgage holders and plummeting real estate prices in many regions. Professor of Economics and International Relations Steve Stamos of Bucknell University says taxpayers are right to ask questions as the crisis broadens.
Stamos says problems at AIG included their inability keep enough cash to cover their debt. He says it all dovetails with what has become a financial crisis and part of a speculative bubble that has been allowed to grow in this economy. Meantime, officials acknowledge the $85 billion dollar package of loans made to AIG may ever not be paid back entirely. The stock market is enduring another day of losses, and bank lending is reportedly seizing up following news of the takeover. (Matt Farrand)
Local stocks down after AIG bailout
NEW YORK – Stocks of local interest are finishing the day down sharply. Banking and financial stocks among the issues taking a hit in the aftermath of the government’s bailout of insurer AIG. Sovereign Bancorp is down 18% to 7.20, M&T Bank, Susquehanna Bancshares, are down about 5% apiece. Monroe Marketplace developer Pennsylvania Real Estate Investment Trust is off more than 4% to 20.11, and FNB Bank is down fraction. Weis Market, PPL Utilities and Sara Lee are also down. (Matt Farrand)
Lewistown man sentenced to prison for driving two men that robbed a bank
WILLIAMSPORT – A Lewistown man has been sentenced to 33 months in prison for driving two men to a Beavertown bank for an armed robbery. 35-year-old Shawn Sassaman pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit bank robbery for the incident on November 18th of 2005 at Susquehanna Bank of Beavertown. 32-year-old Shawn Shimp and 33-year-old Kenneth Harpster, both of Lewistown, are serving five years in prison for robbing the bank with a sawed off shotgun. Sassaman has been ordered to return his share of more than $5,400 that was stolen to the bank. He was also sentenced to three years of supervised release. (Ali Stevens)
Prison time for Shamokin man
SHAMOKIN – A man charged with involuntary manslaughter for the death of a friend in a vehicle accident has been sentenced to one to three years in prison. 21-year-old Michael Rutkowski pleaded guilty to aggravated assault by motor vehicle while driving under the influence and involuntary manslaughter before his trial got underway this morning at the Northumberland County Courthouse. Rutkowski was driving an SUV when he collided with a utility pole along Bear Valley Road in November of 2006. His passenger, 18-year-old Tristen Schrader of Burnside was killed in the crash. Rutkowski was charged with vehicular homicide, but the charge was dropped as part of a plea agreement. Judge William Wiest sentenced him to one to three years in state prison. (Ali Stevens)
Selinsgrove child safety seat check next week
SELINSGROVE – Selinsgrove State Police will be conducting child safety seat checks Monday September 22nd at the Selinsgrove barracks. In connection with National Child Passenger Safety Week, certified safety technicians will be available to instruct on proper child seat installation. All are welcome and for more information call 374-8145. (Sara Bartlett)
Missing Northumberland woman found
NORTHUMBERLAND – 80-year-old Marie Martini, of Northumberland is safe now. Borough Police say she was found in the City of Sunbury Wednesday afternoon, and taken to Sunbury Community Hospital to be checked out. She’d been missing since Tuesday night. Northumberland Police and Sunbury Police were involved in the search. (staff)Credit troubles could extend to consumers
LEWISBURG – Faulty short-term strategies are partly why some financial houses are in the shape they are in. So says Associate Professor of Economics Michael Moohr of Bucknell University. Dr. Moohr says some institutions borrowed heavily, investing in bonds based on risky sub-prime mortgages. He calls it a near-sighted strategy, but says it is hard to resist, as the practice often yield returns of up to 20%.
However, Dr. Moohr says it backfired as the economy slowed, and certain mortgage holders couldn’t keep up with their payments. He notes that troubles that led to the bankruptcy of Lehman Brothers ought to prompt further regulation of industry practices. Meantime, he says homeowners, students, farmers and retailers who buy on credit could have a hard time finding it for a time. (Matt Farrand)
Truck stop owner sentenced for firing handgun at nearby group
LEWISBURG – The former owner of a truck stop near Allenwood will serve a year of house arrest for firing a handgun at a group gathered to change a baby’s diaper. 45-year-old Sudhir Kumar pled no contest in June to firing the weapon near the group at the Route 15 truck stop in June of 2006. Kumar will need to wear an electronic monitor, also pay a $10,000 fine and serve four months of probation.
Judge Louise Knight sentenced him in Union County Court. The group was from the Williamsport area and had stopped nearby to change the diaper of a 7-month old girl. Kumar previously admitted fearing the group after asking them to leave an area near wires that he thought were dangerous. Kumar has since moved from the area. (Matt Farrand)
No more metal roof over Sunbury’s Stroh Alley
SUNBURY – There’s no longer a large steel grid metal roof above Stroh Alley between Market Street and Woodlawn Avenue in Sunbury. Mayor Jesse Woodring says the city saved thousands of dollars by having their own city crew take down the metal structure. Woodring says renovation will continue in the area, and the former CVS building, Market House and Edison Plaza are all moving ahead with improvements.
The city has intentions to reseal the parking area and install up-to-date meter machines that will allow anyone to park there. Revitalization of the city and the River Front Project will be the topic of a public meeting next week, which we will preview on Leaders & Lawmakers this Thursday at 11:00a.m. (Sara Bartlett)
Man jailed after child pornography charges
MILTON – A member of the US Coast Guard and former volunteer at the Milton Fire Department faces a number of child pornography charges. 21-year-old Thomas Dreistadt was arraigned Monday in front of District Justice William Kear.
He faces nine counts of felony sexual abuse of children and nine felony counts of possessing child pornography. Photos and videos were found on Dreistadt’s laptop, which was reportedly kept at the Milton Fire Department. Dreistadt is in prison on $25,000 bail. (Sara Bartlett)
Snyder County shooting still considered accidental
MIDDLEBURG – The investigation into a shooting in Snyder County continues. 39-year-old Kathleen Day, of Salem Church Road in Center Township, Snyder County, allegedly shot 22-year-old David Vazquez in the back Saturday morning. Police notified Vazquez’s family Monday. Initial reports call the shooting accidental, and it’s still not clear what, if any, charges will be filed against Day for the incident. (Staff)
Entertainment, food, crafts…all at Milton Harvest Festival
MILTON – After a successful weekend, the Milton Harvest Festival continues downtown this week. Chairman of the Harvest Festival committee, Dale Kriner, says they have musical entertainment in the upcoming days with music in the park Wednesday and a pops concert Thursday.
Saturday’s events begin at 9:00 a.m. with over 150 arts, crafts, antique and food vendors that line Broadway & Bound Avenue downtown. The annual parade begins at 4:30 p.m. and the tournament of high school bands is at 6:00 p.m.
The festival ends Sunday with a car cruise and a block dance. All are invited to the events of the Milton Harvest Festival, which is now in its 32nd year. For more information you can go to www.miltonharvestfestival.org. (Sara Bartlett)
Breast health is the topic of “Talk With the Doc”
SELINSGROVE – Tomorrow Evan Hospital is getting a jump on Breast Cancer Awareness Month. October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month and Evangelical Community Hospital is hosting a “Talk with the Doc” seminar featuring two local doctors talking about breast health. Topics include breast cancer screen and treatment, along with follow-up care.
Public Relations Assistant at Evangelical Community Hospital, Liz Hendricks, says the featured doctors are John Turner, MD and Bradley Mudge, DO, of Central Susquehanna Surgical Specialists in Lewisburg. All are invited to the free “Talk With the Doc” event Thursday at 6:30 p.m. in the Susquehanna Valley Mall Community room. You can register by calling 522-2693. (Sara Bartlett)
Latest Pennsylvania news, sports, business and entertainment:
HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) - A bill to improve conditions for dogs in Pennsylvania kennels passed the state House of Representatives overwhelmingly and was sent to the state Senate. The House voted 181-to-17 on Wednesday in favor of the new regulations. They would increase the size of cages, require annual veterinary checkups and crack down on what critics describe as inhumane puppy mills. A leading opponent, Rep. Bob Bastian, called the bill "a triumph of extreme policy making over sensible regulation." Bastian, a veterinarian said a number of amendments the House rejected Monday would have resulted in a more balanced bill. Also Wednesday, the House voted unanimously in favor of a companion bill to prohibit owners and breeders from performing surgical techniques on their dogs.
MIMS, Fla. (AP) - The Florida Highway Patrol has closed part of I-95 after a truck carrying $187,000 worth of nickels crashed and scattered coins across the road, killing one person. The highway patrol says the tractor-trailer was carrying the nickels from Philadelphia to Miami when it apparently rear-ended another truck early Wednesday. Authorities say a passenger in the truck with the coins was killed and both drivers were hospitalized. Authorities say so many nickels spilled out that the highway is sparkling in the Florida sun. Florida Trooper Kim Miller says the nickels also were littering the grass - and that shovels might be needed to pick them up. Secret Service and Treasury agents went to the area to make sure no one tries to grab the coins.
WILLIAMSPORT, Pa. (AP) - Police say a student at student at Pennsylvania College of Technology who was attacked with a stun gun knew his attacker. Police are looking for a 30-year-old man from Limestone Township, Lycoming County. Campus police said Wednesday that some sort of stun gun was used to give the victim an electric shock on Tuesday. But the weapon hadn't been recovered so police were unable to say exactly what sort of device it was.
HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) - Here are the winning numbers selected Wednesday in the Pennsylvania State Lottery:
WEDNESDAY MIDDAY
Daily Number 6-3-3
Big 4 1-6-6-8
Quinto 7-5-2-2-6
Treasure Hunt 4-6-18-22-28
(Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)