Tuesday, September 30, 2008

Marion Heights blaze accidental in nature

MARION HEIGHTS – Fire that destroyed a home in Marion Heights Sunday evening has been ruled accidental in nature.  State Police Fire Marshal Norman Fedder says the blaze on 81-year-old Metro Burak’s property at 100 East North Street began in the basement around 8:10p.m.  Fedder says the fire spread throughout the house from a night-light that was plugged into an outlet.  The first floor kitchen, which was formerly a restaurant and bar, was also destroyed.  The blaze caused nearly $75,000 in damages.  No injuries were reported. (Sara Bartlett)  

Gricar’s computer hard drive too damaged to get any info

BELLEFONTE, Pa. (AP) - The hard drive believed to be from the computer of a former Centre County prosecutor missing for three years was too damaged to retrieve information.  Centre County District Attorney Michael Madeira shared details of a report from a private computer lab that recently analyzed the hard drive of Madeira's predecessor, Ray Gricar.  Gricar has been missing since April 2005.  The drive was found in the Susquehanna River months later. 

State and federal analysts had been unable to retrieve data.  Madeira says the private analysis yielded the same result, and that some damage may be due to previous attempts to retrieve clues.  Madeira got word about the latest results last week, but only recently received a detailed report.

Community college meeting planned this week

MONTANDON – The next Susquehanna Valley Community Education Project meeting will take place Thursday.  The group is working to get a community college in the Central Susquehanna Valley.  President and CEO of PennFuture, Jan Jarrett, will speak at the meeting to discuss the connection of education and green job creation.  The meeting will be held Thursday at 6:00p.m. at the CSIU in Montandon.  The public is invited. (Sara Bartlett)

Chris Hackett talks about the bailout and the economy on “On the Mark”

SUNBURY – The bailout plan was not passed on Monday and Chris Hackett says he would have voted against it.  Hackett is running for the 10th congressional seat against Chris Carney and was a guest on “On the Mark” Tuesday.  Hackett talked about what steps need to be taken now to fix the financial crisis in the country, including eliminating the capital gains tax.  He says the problem we have today in the markets is limited liquidity.  Hackett believes the best way we can bring more liquidity into the markets is by taking the capital gains tax to zero, therefore, increasing the value of underlying assets and increasing the ability to attract capital. 

Hackett also believes we need to cut government spending.  As part of this process, Hackett believes an assessment needs to be done of all government organizations, assess their level of waste and fraud and cut their budgets by those percentages that are not being used efficiently.  Hackett believes there needs to be accountability in government, just as their needs to be accountability on Wall Street.  To hear all of Chris Hackett’s comments, you can go online at www.wkok.com. (Ali Stevens)

Time to get your tickets for the annual Holiday Tea and Shopping Spree

SELINSGROVE – It’s time now to purchase your tickets for the annual Holiday Tea and Shopping Spree event at the Susquehanna Valley Country Club.  This is the 7th year for the event to benefit Sun Home Health Services of Northumberland.  Martha Kelly of J. Kleinbauer in Selinsgrove and Brenda Apple of Sun Home help organize the event each year and say this year’s tea will be October 19th with the doors opening at noon.  There will be boutique shopping, a fashion show and a sit-down tea. 

A large amount of proceeds go to support Sun Home according to Kelly, who says 15 percent of the shopping proceeds and all of the ticket sales will go to the Sun Home Health Auxiliary.  At the end of the day there will be a raffle held. Those prizes include trips, gift certificates, gift baskets and more.  To purchase tickets for the Holiday Tea, you are asked to contact Sun Home Health.  (Ali Stevens)

Eagle Scouts helping out Susquehanna River Trail Association

SHAMOKIN DAM – Midd-West High School student Zack Herman has always had an interest in the Susquehanna River and this weekend he’ll be working on his Eagle Scout badge while helping out the Susquehanna River Trail Association.  Chairman of Troop 417, Brian Ferry, says they will be building a trail on Byer’s Island around the existing dam at the Sunbury Generation LLC plant.  Ferry says the trail will allow canoes and kayaks a throughway, without putting the boaters in danger at the dam.  Work will include cutting brush, removing fallen trees and cutting a path which will be 6-feet wide and 350-feet in length. They will also include signage that will instruct canoes and kayakers how to access the area.

Bailout package rejected

WASHINGTON – Pennsylvania lawmakers were split in their support of a $700 billion emergency rescue plan for the nation’s financial system. Democratic Congressman Chris Carney (D-10th, Dimock) of the 10th District voted against the bailout package. In a released statement Carney says he could “not vote for a measure that bails out years of unmitigated Wall Street failings at the expense of hardworking taxpayers.”

He says the “bailout bill does not provide any source of revenue to pay for its enormous costs, which is not fair to middle class families that have played by the rules but are struggling to keep up with rising costs of daily expenses.” He goes on to say that the “current situation needs to be assessed and long-term solutions must be considered thoughtfully to stabilize the economy, not pass hurried legislation.”

Meanwhile, Congressman John Peterson (R-5th, Pleasantville), of the 5th District, cast the lone Republican “yes” vote in favor of the package. In a statement, Peterson says he reluctantly supported the plan, calling it one of the toughest votes in his legislative career.

He agrees that the “potential price tag was huge and public outrage is warranted,” but goes on to say that with “the lack of capital in the market today and the inability for citizens to obtain home loans, auto loans, funding for college education and the devaluation of pension plans and retirement savings, something had to be done.”

Democratic Congressman Tim Holden, of the 17th district, and Republican Congressman Bill Shuster, of the 9th District voted against the plan, while Democrat Congressman in the 11th District Paul Kanjorski voted in favor. In Pennsylvania, three Democrats and seven Republicans in voted “no” to the bail out package, while right Democrats and one Republican voted “yes.” The plan was defeated by a vote of 228-205. (Sara Bartlett)

Hackett trails Carney in new Lycoming College poll

DALLAS, Pa. (AP) - On paper, freshman Rep. Chris Carney (D-10th, Dimock) should be relatively easy pickings for the Republican Party and its nominee, Chris Hackett. After all, Republican voters outnumber Democrats in Carney's rural district in northeastern Pennsylvania by more than 30,000. And Carney owed his 2006 election win largely to a sex scandal that engulfed the GOP incumbent, Don Sherwood.

Yet some observers believe Carney has put himself in a good position to secure a second term. That view is bolstered by a new Lycoming College poll that shows him with a 10-point lead over Hackett, a wealthy businessman who has largely funded his own campaign.

The Sept. 21-25 poll of 460 likely voters has Carney with 46 percent of the vote to Hackett's 36 percent, with 18 percent undecided. It has a sampling error margin of plus or minus 4.6 percentage points. The poll's director, Lycoming political scientist Jonathan Williamson, says he thinks Carney has had some success in portraying himself ands a moderate and in working to bring money back into the district.

Carney calls himself a conservative Democrat and touts what he calls his "rock-solid Pennsylvania values.," He was one of 65 Democrats to vote against the $700 billion rescue of Wall Street, saying its oversight provisions were too weak and that it "did not address the fundamentals that caused this problem."

Jewish New Year begins Monday at sundown

SUNBURY – The Jewish New Year began Monday night at sundown. Rosh Hashanah marks the start of the year 5769, and is heralded by the sound of the shofar, or traditional ram’s horn. Rabbi Nina Mandel of Congregation Beth-El in Sunbury says the start of the New Year also brings a period of reflection on personal and communal goals, and on making amends. A formal Day of Atonement, Yom Kipper, will be observed in one week.

The rabbi says how Jews observe the New Year varies, but there are some traditions that are maintained almost across the board. They include serving apples dipped in honey, for the hopes of a sweet new year. Other practices such as living within walking distance of a temple vary because of practical considerations such as geography. (Matt Farrand)

Renovations expected to be done by end of the year for Public Library

LEWISBURG – A $2.5-million expansion and renovation project at the Union County Public Library is still underway. Library Director, Tracy Carey, says things are a little behind schedule, but they still expect renovations to be complete by the end of the year. She says the expansion will add 7,000-square feet and the library will then encompass about 20,000 square feet.

Carey adds that the expansion will allow them to add 25 percent more shelf space for books as well. The Public Library in Lewisburg will be closed October 19th through the 21st while shelving and books are being moved to their expanded area. For more information you can contact the Library at 523-1172. (Sara Lauver)

Police search for drive-through hit and run

LEWISBURG – Police are searching for a hit and run driver that fled a fast food restaurant in Lewisburg Monday afternoon. East Buffalo Township Police say around 3:10p.m. a male in a red Dodge Durango drove over parking curbs and ran over the drive-through speaker at the Kentucky Fried Chicken/ Taco Bell restaurant along Route 15. The driver then reportedly got in the drive-thru line, got his food and fled the scene. Anyone with information is asked to call police. (Sara Bartlett)

Latest Pennsylvania news, sports, business and entertainment:

HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) - A top state environmental official says Pennsylvania is ill equipped to handle the huge influx of interest in drilling for a potentially lucrative natural gas formation.  John Hanger, the acting secretary of the state Department of Environmental Protection, made the comments during a hearing in Harrisburg before the state House Environmental Resources and Energy Committee.  Hanger told lawmakers that he needs dozens more employees to review drilling permit applications and inspect drilling sites over the Marcellus Shale gas formation.  He also said he is concerned the state will run out of capacity to treat the contaminated water left over from the drilling process, but that state laws are largely adequate for protecting the environment.

HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) - The partnership that offered $12.8 billion to lease the Pennsylvania Turnpike is walking away from the deal, citing inaction by the state Legislature.  Pennsylvania Transportation Partners decided not to renew its offer, which was set to expire at the end of the business day Tuesday.  A spokesman for the group says it's still interested in the roadway and they're "willing and ready to come back at any time called."  The General Assembly has only a few days of session left before the election, and leaders of both chambers said they weren't interested in putting the offer up for a floor vote.  If approved, it would have been the nation's largest infrastructure deal. Opponents say the bid from Abertis Infraestructuras of Spain and Citi Infrastructure Investors to operate 500 miles of the interstate for 75 years was too low.

NEW YORK (AP) - Shares of Philadelphia-based Sovereign Bancorp Inc. more than doubled in value as the bank named former Chittenden Corp. top executive Paul A. Perrault to replace Joseph P. Campanelli as chief executive.  The change takes effect Jan. 3. Sovereign's chief financial officer - and former Chittenden CFO - Kirk W. Walters will take the additional title of chief administrative officer. With Campenelli stepping down immediately, Walters also will serve as interim president and chief executive until Perrault joins the company.  The bank says Campanelli is leaving to pursue other family and business interests. He has served as president and CEO since he took over from embattled predecessor Jay Sidhu in 2006. Sidhu had made investors unhappy by negotiating the sale of a large stake in the bank to Spain's Banco Santander without asking for shareholder approval.  While Campanelli has been credited for improving transparency and disclosure with Wall Street, Sovereign's stock price has declined to record lows amid fears about instability in the banking sector. Earlier this month, the bank sold off its portfolio of collateralized debt obligations, complex investments backed by pool of mortgages or other assets that have plummeted in value since the start of the credit crisis.

IMPERIAL, Pa. (AP) - Dick's Sporting Goods will have a new president and chief operating officer when the Pittsburgh-area retail chain begins its new fiscal year February first.  Joseph Schmidt has been the company's executive vice president and chief operating officer since February. A federal securities filing says Schmidt will take on the title of president.  Edward Stack will continue as chief executive officer and chairman of the company but will drop the president's title.  The company based in Findlay Township, operates more than 350 Dick's Sporting Goods stores in 38 states, plus 80 Golf Galaxy stores in 30 states and 15 Chick's Sporting Goods stores in southern California.

HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) - Here are the winning numbers selected Tuesday in the midday Pennsylvania State Lottery drawing:

Daily Number

0-9-8

Big 4

8-7-2-3

Quinto

7-7-2-7-6

Treasure Hunt

2-11-21-27-30

     (Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press.  All Rights Reserved.)

Disney's 'The Lion King' set to roar in Sin City

LAS VEGAS (AP) - It's Simba's turn to roar on the Strip.  Disney's "The Lion King" has been picked to replace "Mamma Mia!" at the Mandalay Bay hotel-casino, where it will take over for the musical, part of a wave of Broadway hits to migrate to the desert. Disney's stage version of the animated hit is the company's first show to set up residence in Sin City. Versions of the musical also are playing in six other cities as resident shows. "Mamma Mia!" closes Jan. 4 after 2,300 performances. The show is based on the hits of 1970s supergroup ABBA and premiered in Las Vegas in 2003.

Annual Woodstock Film Festival kicks off this week

WOODSTOCK, N.Y. (AP) - Director Kevin Smith and '60s troubadour Donovan will make appearances at the ninth annual Woodstock Film Festival this week.  The festival runs Wednesday through Sunday at venues in Woodstock, New York, and nearby Kingston, Rosendale and Rhinebeck.  More than 120 films will be featured.  Honorary awards will be presented to Smith, cinematographer Haskell Wexler and veteran writer-producer James Schamus, chief executive officer of Focus Features.  For the first time, the festival is opening its awards ceremony to the public. The admission fee for the ceremony and after-party is $50.