Wednesday, October 1, 2008

Barn destroyed by fire in Snyder County

Coal royalties to pay for alternative, renewable energy sources

SHAMOKIN – It’s an attempt to revive the coal industry in Northumberland County, and support alternative energy programs at the same time.  Officials unveiled the Northumberland County FUTURES Program Wednesday in Shamokin.  Venture financier Richard Caruso says it’s a timely plan that could help communities that were economically hurt by the decline of the coal after World War II. 

No word when homicide charges will be filed for Lewisburg man

LEWISBURG – Homicide charges for the Lewisburg man accused of shooting and killing a woman in the borough are expected to be filed, but an administrator at District Justice Leo Armbruster’s office says they don’t know when those charges will come.  46-year-old Roderick Sims, of Lewisburg, already faces charges of attempted murder, aggravated assault and burglary after breaking into 55 South Water Street Saturday night and shooting his estranged fiancé, 27-year-old Charity Spickler.  Sims has a preliminary hearing for his initial charges November 13^th in Union County.

Spickler, a mother of four, died at Geisinger Medical Center Monday.  Her funeral service, originally to be held in Middleburg, has been postponed and arrangements will be announced at a later date. (Sara Bartlett)

One teen dead; five injured after Columbia County crash

BERWICK – A 16-year-old boy was killed and five other 16-year-olds injured after a crash Tuesday evening in Columbia County.  Steven Geraci, of West Hazelton, was a passenger in a vehicle driving along Scotch Valley Road in Beaver Township.  The vehicle traveled off the roadway and hit a cinder block garage.  Geraci was pronounced dead on the scene.  A passenger in the vehicle, Paul Penkala of Hazelton, was taking to Geisinger Medical Center and is listed in critical condition, and another passenger, Steven Scatton, of West Hazelton, was taken to Wilkes-Barre General Hospital with what were described as major injuries.  The driver and two other passengers were treated and released from the hospital. (WKOK)

Man wanted for causing a serious crash earlier this year is now behind bars

BLOOMSBURG – A Bloomsburg man wanted for causing a serious crash earlier this year is now behind bars.  State police say 19-year-old David Nolte was arrested at his residence on Old Berwick Road Wednesday on several charges related to a crash in March.  The crash critically injured Paula Novak of Nescopeck and Nolte and Novak’s passenger were also injured.  Following a lengthy investigation, troopers determined Nolte caused a hit-and-run accident and while trying to flee the scene of that crash, caused another accident, which resulted in the ejection of Novak from her vehicle.

Nolte was taken into custody without incident, arraigned and sent to the Columbia County prison on $250,000 bail.  He’s been charged with aggravated and simple assault by motor vehicle, hit and run, fleeing and eluding and reckless endangerment along with several traffic counts. Paula Novak was hospitalized for several weeks at Geisinger and continues her recovery.  (Ali Stevens)

Nuclear power plant near Berwick looks to expand

BERWICK – PPL says they’ve taken another step in the ongoing evaluation of developing a new nuclear power plant near Berwick.  PPL has submitted an application to the U.S. Department of Energy for a federal loan guarantee for the project.  Joe Scopelliti of PPL says the design has to be certified, which is expected in 2012 and a license will be submitted in this fourth quarter.  He says it takes about three years just to get approval for a project, so that’s why they are starting now.  

And why is a new nuclear plant needed? Scopelliti says they have projected that the region will be using more power in the future.  That means they need to get started now since the project takes so long to complete.  If all is finished, it will be 2016 before construction is underway or completed. 

Scopelliti says the new plant will provide an enormous amount of power, providing enough power to cover more than one million homes.  And he says the project will be an economic benefit to the area, offering thousands of construction jobs and hundreds of new permanent jobs.  The new plant, which would be called Bell Bend, would be located near the company’s existing two-unit Susquehanna nuclear power plant.  That facility has a 25-year history of safe operations.  PPL has not made a final decision to move forward with construction of the Bell Bend plant.  They will reassess the power market in several years, once all steps are completed.  (Ali Stevens)

Jack and Jill Tourney raises over $37,600

SELINSGROVE – Over $37,600 was raised Monday at the Jack and Jill golf tournament.  Mel Purdy, Co-founder of the event, says the first annual tourney was a success, with 100 golfers in all.  The money was raised for Arnie’s Army Cancer Foundation and the Breast Cancer Coalition.

Purdy says most people don’t realize that one in eight women and one in six men are at risk for developing breast or prostate cancer.  She says until there is a cure, they will continue to hold this golf tournament in order to raise awareness.  She is also reminding women during October, which is breast cancer awareness month, to get a mammogram and do self-breast checks, while men should get blood tests and a prostate exam. (Sara Bartlett) 

Sunbury Ice Rink will soon open for the fall and winter season

SUNBURY – Friday is the official opening of the Sunbury Ice Rink.  Mark Getz is manager of the ice rink and says they have had a busy few days getting the ice ready for skating. On Friday morning, WNEP TV will be doing a live program from the rink and then skating will be open from 6:30 to 9 p.m. Betz says the ice rink is also home for Bucknell, Susquehanna and Bloomsburg University ice hockey teams. 

You can purchase a 2008/2009-season pass for the ice rink in the city treasurer’s office or at the skating rink.  Individual admission is $3.00 for students and $5.50 for adults.  Skate rentals are available for $2.00.  Skating sessions are available every day of the week and various times.  (Ali Stevens)

Registered sex offender jailed for not giving his address to police

DANVILLE – A Danville man, who is a registered sex offender, is behind bars after failing to give police his address.  44-year-old Samuel Swartzlander of Ash Street in Danville had told authorities earlier this month that he was living on Ferry Street, but was actually living with a woman on Ash Street.  The Press Enterprise reports Swartzlander moved to Ash Street in July to live with a woman and told police he hadn’t updated his address because he wasn’t sure if he was allowed to be around the woman’s children.  Swartzlander was found guilty of aggravated indecent assault in Northumberland County in 2,000.  Sunbury police charged Swartzlander with assaulting a child under the age of 16.  The owner of the home on Ferry Street alerted police that Swartzlander was no longer there.  (Ali Stevens)

Was Abraham Lincoln truly depressed?

LEWISBURG – Presidential historians continue to debate whether Abraham Lincoln was truly depressed.  Author Doris Kearns Goodwin says America’s 16^th President may have suffered pangs of depression when younger, but it largely passed by the time he made it to the White House.  Goodwin believes Lincoln acted as his own psychologist as president, and was not only able to shake his own gloom, but lift the spirits of those around him.  He also managed to turn political foes within the new Republican Party into allies. 

Lewisburg murder: Neighbors saddened by crime and loss

LEWISBURG – Neighbors near the Lewisburg apartment where 27-year-old Charity Spickler was shot Saturday are saddened by the incident, and by her passing Monday. Michael Payne lives nearby and says the circumstances are troubling, as it appears that a person with a history of abuse was allowed to carry a firearm.

46-year-old Roderick Sims of Lewisburg already faces charges of attempted murder, aggravated assault and burglary, and will face additional charges in connection with the death. Meantime, Payne says the incident will not change his appreciation of a community where multi-unit apartments exist side by side with single-family dwellings. Sims remains in the Union County Prison on $500,000 bail. (Matt Farrand)

Bucknell Presidential series continues, hosts historian

LEWISBURG – Historian Doris Kearns Goodwin says lying in politics has gotten out of hand. More than 1,000 people took in her comments Tuesday at Bucknell University, part of the school’s “Citizen and Politics in America” series. The award-winning author of books about Lincoln, the Kennedys and Lyndon Johnson says the US invaded Iraq on a premise that turned out to be false, something that strikes close to home.

Kearns Goodwin says her son Joseph enlisted in the Army after September 11th, 2001, and was part of the invasion Iraq in 2003, with the believe that the Hussein regime still had weapons of mass destruction. He safely returned from Iraq, and tolerates the now acknowledged errors out of respect for his fellow troops. He’s since been recalled to active duty. (Matt Farrand)

Bowhunters take to the woods this weekend

UNDATED – Thousands will hit the woods this weekend for the start of deer archery season. It officially kicks off Saturday and Rick Macklem, Information Education Supervisor at the PA Game Commission says bowhunters should be happy with what they see. He says the majority of the field officers they surveyed would rate this year’s prospects, “good to very good.”

Macklem says he has heard no complaints about the antler restrictions put into place a few years ago, which limits hunters to which deer they can shoot. He says safety is always important out in the field, and hunters should know what they’re shooting and what’s behind what they’re shooting.

A hunting license for deer runs around $40.00 and lasts for the entire year. Macklem says a separate license is needed to hunt for antlerless deer. The archery season lasts until November 15th, and then begins again December 26th. (Sara Bartlett)

West Nile Virus found in dead bird near Danville

DANVILLE – A bird has tested positive for West Nile Virus in Montour County. The sample was collected on September 16th in Mahoning Township. The county’s West Nile Virus center says the crow likely contracted the infection prior to arriving to the area. Officials will wrap up their surveillance and control operations for the season starting today, but will continue to monitor for the virus on a county-to-county basis as they see fit. (Sara Bartlett)

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 (D-10th, Dimock) 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 and click on “On the Mark” for Tuesday. (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.

The troop plans to begin the project Saturday morning, and figures it will take about three days to complete and to put up proper signage. Once complete, the Susquehanna River Trail Association and the Bureau of Forestry will continue to maintain the new trail for future use. (Sara Bartlett)

Latest Pennsylvania news, sports, business and entertainment:

WASHINGTON (AP) - Pennsylvania Sen. Bob Casey says he plans to vote in favor of a $700 billion plan aimed at rescuing the ailing financial industry.  The Democratic senator says he's concerned about an increase in the number of unemployed workers in Pennsylvania. He also says he wants businesses to be able to get the credit they need to keep the economy rolling.  Similar legislation failed Monday in the House, but changes have been made, including adding $100 billion in tax breaks for businesses and the middle class. The Senate is expected to vote Wednesday evening.  Pennsylvania's senior senator, Republican Arlen Specter, is reviewing the legislation and has scheduled a Wednesday afternoon meeting with reporters.

HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) - Avoiding jury duty just got much harder in Pennsylvania.  The state court system on Wednesday began providing counties with a greatly expanded list of names from which juries will be selected.  The 11.5 million name list was developed following passage of a new state law last year.  Chief Justice Ronald Castille says anyone who votes, pays taxes, drives a car or receives welfare or food stamps is on  the list. He says the idea is to enhance the administration of justice by improving the jury system.  It's the first such statewide list ever established in Pennsylvania, and it'll be updated yearly.  Authorities caution that some duplication of names is inevitable but hope the new list will make juries more diverse.

SCRANTON, Pa. (AP) - Lackawanna County's communications director will no longer be required to be present whenever a county official is interviewed.  Commissioners adopted a requirement in January that Communications Director Lynne Shedlock be in the room or on the phone line for all such interviews.  Commissioner Mike Washo says it was intended to make sure reporters received all the information they requested and protect commissioners from being accused of withholding information.  Critics question the need for the extensive public relations presence, however. Washo says the commissioners favor openness and transparency in government. He says they now realize the communications director's presence at all interviews could give the appearance of a lack of transparency.  The spokeswoman will continue to facilitate interviews and help the media gather information and documents.

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

Daily Number

     8-4-2

  Big 4

     0-7-1-1

Quinto

     6-1-5-7-2

  Treasure Hunt

     5-17-23-24-25

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

Hollywood studios agree to digital rollout

LOS ANGELES (AP) - Five Hollywood studios have agreed to help pay for an expanded rollout of digital technology in movie theaters, a precursor to more 3-D screens.  Digital Cinema Implementation Partners, a consortium of major theater chains, is set to announce the deal Wednesday. The amount that the studios will contribute has yet to be revealed. The studios include The Walt Disney Co., Viacom Inc.'s Paramount Pictures, News Corp.'s Twentieth Century Fox, General Electric Co.'s Universal Pictures, and Lions Gate Entertainment Corp.  Box office figures have shown that theaters with 3-D showings draw around three times the revenue of 2-D versions.  More than 20 3-D movies are set to hit the big screen through 2010.

Dunkin’ Donuts Deal

NEW YORK (AP) - Congress can't agree on a financial bailout plan. But Dunkin' Donuts is giving the economy an afternoon jolt of caffeine. The company is offering small lattes for 99 cents, as part of a new push to get cash-strapped customers to take a late-day coffee break. The bargain java is served weekdays, between 2 and 5 p.m. The regular latte price is around $2.60. Dunkin' Donuts is also offering a 99-cent egg and cheese sandwich, with a coffee purchase. The price promotions last through November 11th.