Friday, October 10, 2008

Plant that manufactures motor homes will close its doors

RIVERSIDE, CA – Fleetwood Motor Homes of Paxinos will close their plant in early December.  That announcement was made at the plant today and approximately 325 workers will be out of a job.  The Paxinos manufacturing facility will cease operations completely, with a full line of products moved to the Decatur, Illinois manufacturing complex.  The plant in Paxinos opened in 1973 and was a leading producer of manufactured RVs.  Employees say they were notified today that the plant is closing and their last day on the job will be December 8^th.  (Ali Stevens)

Personnel issues reported in Point Township Police Department

POINT TOWNSHIP – It appears Curt Brown’s three years as Point Township Police Chief may be coming to an end. Sources, that have remained unnamed, tell us Brown may resign at a meeting Monday. If he doesn’t resign, disciplinary action is likely and he may be asked to leave. This reportedly comes after a number of personnel disputes in Point Township.

Brown became Chief in 2005 amid controversy of former Police Officer Seth Cotner. Cotner filed a lawsuit claiming the township Supervisors and Chief Brown deliberately tried to keep him from becoming Police Chief after the resignation of Chief Gary Steffen. In September of this year a judge dismissed all Cotner’s charges against the township Supervisors and Chief Brown.

Since then, Brown has reportedly lost the confidence of most of his officers and township supervisors. A closed-door meeting is set for Monday. Point Township Patrolman Joshua VanKirk and Sunbury Police Chief Steven Mazzeo say they have no comment on the matter. Calls to Curt Brown, as well as Point Township Supervisors Randy Yoxheimer and Todd Snyder have been unreturned. (Sara Bartlett)

Shik Music Department receives large donation

SUNBURY – During the regular meeting of the Shikellamy School Board last night, the district’s music department received a surprise gift from middle school parent Dave Woodring. Woodring presented the district with a check for $15,000, earmarked for the music departments at C.W. Rice and Sunbury Middle Schools.

Woodring explained that one of his passions has always been music and that through his charitable donations; he always tries to do something to help local underprivileged children.

He said, “The intent of this money is to introduce children to music whose parents are unable to purchase or rent a musical instrument due to financial difficulties.” Members of the music department happily accepted the generous donation and stated that the funds will help numerous music students in years to come. (Lura Scott)

Consultant supports use of wood for heating

NORTHUMBERLAND – The use of wood as a heating fuel can reduce expenses incurred by a business. So says John Karakash of Lewisburg’s Resource Professional Group. The consultant and advocate for sustainable energy notes that using wood products for heating could also reduce the demand for petroleum, as one-third of the oil use din America is used for heating.

Karakash says a school system in Western Pennsylvania is among his first clients to install a modern wood burning system. He says they’ve saved as much as $100,000 annually in heating costs since 1990. Karakash spoke to the Greater Susquehanna Valley Chamber of Commerce on Thursday. (Matt Farrand)

9th graders “Create a Candidate” to learn about campaigns

MIDDLEBURG – 9th graders at Midd-West High School are getting hands-on this election year. Charles Volchansky is a Civics teacher at the school and is doing “Create a Candidate” with his classes. He says they are lucky this year to have a vigorous primary with two good candidates.

Two classes are running the McCain campaign, while two are running the Obama campaign. Volchansky says are split into four sections: advertising, fundraising, posters and pamphlets. With these, they will learn how and what messages to send to the public based on demographics and how much money is really spent in campaigns.

Volchansky says the experiment is not to push the kids to support one candidate or the other, but rather, by the end of the election, learn to separate the “fluff” from the “stuff.” This is the 13th year that Civic classes at Midd-West High School have done “Create a Candidate.” (Sara Bartlett)

Crash injures two near Forest Hill

MIFFLINBURG – A pair of motorists from Mifflinburg sustained minor injuries after a two-vehicle crash near Forest Hill in Union County. State Police say a vehicle driven by 54-year-old Donna Swartzlander pulled into the path of a vehicle driven by 35-year-old Jason Royer.

The mishap occurred at the intersection of Forest Hill and Shiveley Roads shortly after 2:00 p.m. Tuesday. Both drivers were taken to Evangelical Community Hospital for injuries received and vehicles had to be towed. (Matt Farrand)

Turbotville man accused following fight

TURBOTVILLE – A Turbotville man is accused of injuring another man with a skateboard, and damaging his vehicle with a mop. State Police say 19-year-old Timothy Engel repeatedly struck 22-year-old Richard Rolon of Milton on his arm as he attempted to leave a residence on Paradise Street late last month. Troopers allege he then took the mop and began to hit the vehicle with it. Engel will face charges of simple assault, harassment and criminal mischief. (Matt Farrand)

Furniture missing after theft from storage unit

VALLEY TWP. – Furniture valued at about $1,200 is missing after someone broke into a storage unit in Montour County in September. State Police say the theft from the padlocked unit on Red Roof Road in Valley Township was not discovered until this week. A Danville woman owned the furniture. Troopers have no suspects and request anyone with information to call the Milton State Police station. (Matt Farrand)

Support sought for community college

NORTHUMBERLAND – Proponents of a local two-year college say as technology grows, so does the need for technicians. Former Shikellamy School District assistant superintendent Dan Perna says technical classes in high school are okay, but will not be enough in the future. That’s where a local community college fits in.

Dr. Perna and President Lenaire Alhum of the Susquehanna Valley Community Education Project addressed the monthly meeting of the Greater Susquehanna Valley Chamber of Commerce Thursday, and are encouraging business owners and private citizens to write their legislators, and express their support for a community college in the immediate area. (Matt Farrand)

More charges filed in Beaver Springs burglary

BEAVER SPRINGS – Another man was arrested in connection with a Beaver Springs burglary. 18-year-old Robert Hannick, of Beaver Springs, is charged with burglary, theft and criminal mischief after breaking into and stealing from a convenience store last month. He was released on $25,000 bail.

18-year-old Curt Zechman of Beaver Spring was charged earlier this week in the same incident. Police also say more charges are now filed against Zechman after he allegedly broke into a restaurant the same week as the convenience store burglary. Additional charges of burglary, theft and criminal mischief will be filed against Zechman. (Sara Bartlett)

Danville woman sentenced to jail for her role in a local drug ring

WILLIAMSPORT – A Danville woman has been sentenced to 30 months in prison for her role in a local drug ring. 37-year-old Wendy Barrett was sentenced Tuesday in Middle District Court in Williamsport on charges of delivery and possession of cocaine and heroin.

Barrett plead guilty in May of last year to getting heroin in New Jersey and bringing it to the Danville area. She was one of 12 people indicted for the drug distribution ring in Columbia, Montour, Northumberland and Union Counties. She was also given three years of supervised release. (Ali Stevens)

Milton man charged with statutory sexual assault

MILTON – A Milton man is charged with statutory sexual assault for having sex with a teen girl, who gave birth to his child. State police say 20-year-old Richard Rolon has been charged with corruption of minors for having a sexual relationship with a 16-year-old girl. State police were notified after the girl gave birth at Geisinger Medical Center. (Ali Stevens)

Jury to be selected in Union County pornography case

LEWISBURG – Jury selection will get underway October 27th in the pornography case against retired Bucknell University professor 73-year-old Jack Harclerode. In Union County Court Wednesday, Harclerode’s attorney, Pete Campana, requested a motion for a change of venue saying he believes media reports have been sensationalized and that may lead to a biased jury.

Judge Louise Knight said she would also decided on the 27th if a change of venue is needed. Harclerode is charged with having nearly 250 pornographic images on his personal computer. Meanwhile, Judge Knight postponed trial for involuntary deviate sexual intercourse charges against Harclerode. He is charged with allegedly sexually assaulting a young boy in his Bucknell office between 1992 and 1995.

Harclerode also faces charges in Columbia County for sexually assaulting a young boy at a campground in 2006. He will appear in Columbia County Court today and is expected to withdrawal his guilty plea to first-degree indecent assault.

McClure man missing after teen soliciting charge filed

MCCLURE – A McClure man, who was charged for soliciting sex from a 14 and 15-year-old boy in Hershey this week, is now reported missing. State police say 63-year-old Rodney Snyder was arrested Tuesday in Dauphin County after police say he was found with an adult male prostitute and the two young boys.

Snyder was arraigned and posted $250,000 bail, but has not been in contact with his family since then. Due to recent events, the family believes Snyder may be in danger and filed a missing persons report. Anyone who may know of Snyder’s whereabouts is asked to call State Police at Selinsgrove. (Ali Stevens)

Latest Pennsylvania news, sports, business and entertainment:

HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) - Serious crime in Pennsylvania fell by more than 2 percent last year while overall crime numbers were also down slightly, state police said. The Uniform Crime Report's so-called "crime index" offenses - including murder, rape, robbery and other serious crimes – fell from about 345,000 in 2006 to 338,000 last year, police said Thursday. That was a decrease of 2.2 percent. The number of murders fell from 736 to 727, while robberies were down 7 percent. Juvenile arrests decreased 6 percent, but drug abuse violations were up by nearly 1 percent and driving-under-the-influence arrests rose 4.4 percent. Nearly 79 percent of those arrested for driving under the influence were male, police said. The total number of crimes reported to state police last year was 995,000, a drop-off of just under 1 percent from 2006.

HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) - New laws added to Pennsylvania's books authorize the repair of 411 bridges and provide for a new system to review the deaths of children. Among the 10 bills Gov. Ed Rendell signed into law on Thursday are licensing mandates for acupuncturists and municipal rules for amateur radio antennas. Other new laws crack down on out-of-state recreational vehicle dealers and require registration for online auctioneering trading assistants.

HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) - A watchdog group says a lack of voting machines and poll workers could leave some Pennsylvania voters facing long lines on Election Day. The Washington-based Advancement Project says the surge in voter registration and expected larger-than-usual turnout may overwhelm the resources of some precincts. The group focused on Montgomery, Berks and Philadelphia counties and used publicly available data to analyze the effects of a large turnout on precincts in those counties. It did not include the additional machines that many counties are leasing or buying this year. It found that even if only an additional 5 percent new or infrequent voters turn out, there would be more voters per machine than state officials recommend at most precincts in Montgomery and Berks counties.

PHILADELPHIA (AP) - Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama is returning to Pennsylvania, a key battleground state. Obama will make four campaign stops in Philadelphia on Saturday while his running mate, Joe Biden, travels to Biden's hometown of Scranton for a rally Sunday. Biden will be joined by former President Bill Clinton and Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton. GOP vice presidential nominee Sarah Palin, the Alaska governor and self-described "hockey mom," will be in Philadelphia on Saturday evening to drop the ceremonial first puck when the Flyers open their NHL season against the New York Rangers. Palin will also attend a private fundraising dinner in Pittsburgh on Friday evening and a rally in Johnstown on Saturday morning. Republican John McCain campaigned with Palin in Bethlehem on Wednesday.

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

HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) - Here are the winning numbers selected Thursday night in the Pennsylvania State Lottery:

Daily Number 9-9-9

Big 4 3-2-2-0

Quinto 0-8-4-7-4

Here are the winning numbers selected Thursday in the midday Pennsylvania State Lottery drawing:

Daily Number 7-9-7

Big 4 9-3-8-9

Quinto 9-7-6-5-6

Treasure Hunt 9-15-25-29-30

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

MONSTER SQUASH

NEW YORK (AP) - It's a squash that -- well -- just might squash you. Gardener Rolan Udugampola has grown a 5-foot-3-inch tall yellow squash in his New York City backyard. He says the monster veggie is taller than his wife and tastes good, too. And it's not just his green thumb that makes for giant yellow squash. The Staten Island gardener credits free compost from the city's Sanitation Department. He says the fertilizer is amazing.

IN THE NEWS: FTC WARNS "PHISHING" SCAMS ON RISE

NEW YORK (AP) - Something else to worry about in these tough economic times, as if we needed something else to fret over. The government is warning that e-mail efforts to separate you from your hard-earned money may be on the rise during the current money crisis. The Federal Trade Commission says it's likely that would-be thieves will step-up "phishing" attempts. For those not familiar with the term, that's when a scammer sends e-mails disguised as being from an official financial institution, like a bank or mortgage company. They try to get you to part with personal information like account numbers or passwords, then use that data to swipe your identity or access your funds. To avoid phishing scams, be careful about responding to e-mails that seem to come from financial institutions, especially if they try to get you to give them information they should already have, such as passwords. At the same time, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation says it is getting reports about a bogus e-mail that claims to be from the FDIC. It tries to lure victims in with the subject line: "Funds wired into your account are stolen."

Scientists: Va. shark's pup a 'virgin birth'

RICHMOND, Va. (AP) - Scientists are confirming the second case of a "virgin birth" in a shark. The Journal of Fish Biology reports that scientists say DNA testing proves that a pup carried by a female Atlantic blacktip shark in the Virginia Aquarium & Marine Science Center contained no genetic material from a male. The first documented case of asexual reproduction, or parthenogenesis, among sharks involved a pup born to a hammerhead at an Omaha, Neb., zoo. Shark scientist Demian Chapman says "it is quite possible that this is something female sharks of many species can do on occasion." Scientists say absent the chromosomes present in the male sperm, the offspring of an asexual conception may be at a disadvantage for surviving in the wild. Virgin birth has been proven in some bony fish, amphibians, reptiles and birds, and has been suspected among sharks in the wild.

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