WGRC Christian Radio

WILLIAMSPORT - A fatal fire in Lycoming County this morning. Off duty fire fighters were called in shortly before five a.m. this morning to a "working structure" fire in Williamsport. Within four minutes a second and then a third alarm sounded for more manpower for a fire at a 2 1/2 story home at 215 Germania Street in the city. Shortly after that, a number of volunteer fire companies were called to the scene.    County Coroner Charles Kiessling says 57-year old Linda Mayer died in that blaze. Fire chief Dean Heinbach could not release too much information at the scene but with quite an amount of emotion said it's the first fatal fire since he became chief. Fire fighters report that the home was "fully involved" in flames when they arrived. They say neighbors scrambled to move vehicles away from the blaze.
(WRAK) 

TAMAQUA - A 28-year-old Schuylkill County man is being arraigned this morning on charges stemming from an attempted strangling of his 13-year-old stepbrother Friday in Walker Township. Ronald Goepfert of Tamaqua was arrested this morning and taken before a judge. The Republican Herald reports, police allege Goepfert, while horseplaying, began strangling his stepbrother. After being asked numerous times to stop, he finally did after the boy began to turn blue. Goepfert fled the scene and the boy was treated for injuries at St. Luke's Miners Memorial Hospital in Coaldale.
John Callahan (WGRC)

ORANGEVILLE - An Orangeville man accused of taking part in a Northern Columbia County burglary spree will face numerous charges in Columbia County court. 21-year-old Weston Cox sent his charges on to court Wednesday. Cox and 2 others are believed to have broken into 4 businesses last fall and made off with about 43 hundred dollars. When police caught up with Cox allegedly was in posession of 2 empty heroin packets, 7 needles and burglary tools. He remains jailed. His partners in crime, 21-year-old Brandon Kile of Orangeville and 22-year-old Jessica Embree of Bloomsburg, both also sent their charges on to court.
(WFYY)

GIRARDVILLE - Two brothers from Girardville are behind bars and facing drug charges after they were pulled over yesterday on Route 61 in Schuylkill County's Butler Township. During the traffic stop police say 33-year-old Dennis Cope lied about who he was. Once police confirmed his identity it was discovered that he had an outstanding warrant for his arrest in Northampton Ccounty. Meanwhile the driver of the vehicle, 31-year-old Michael Cope, was found to be in possession of marijuana, cocaine and a large amount of cash. A search of their vehicle then turned up more pot, packaging supplies and a digital scale. Both Cope brothers face multiple drug charges and are locked up in the Schylkill County Prison under 35 thousand dollars bail.
(WFYY)
   
BLOOMSBURG - In Columbia County, the town wants Google to consider Bloomsburg as a test site for a fiber-optic network the search giant describes as "100 times faster" than existing Internet connections.
Unlike Topeka, Kansas, - which renamed itself "Google, Kansas" for the month - Mayor Dan Knorr didn't see the town changing its name to woo the company. But he joked the town would consider calling Block Party the "Google Bash." He tells the Press-Enterprise, the combination of the presence of a university and the town's technology center might make Bloomsburg attractive to Google. A council committee voted yesterday to give Knorr permission to fill out Google's request for information.
(WGRC)

WILLIAMSPORT - Fire crews were called out just before five this morning in Williamsport to battle a blaze. The fire was reported at 215 Germania Street in Williamsport. Fire was ravaging the front of the 2-and-a-half story home when crews arrive and the fire soon went to a second alarm. No word at this time on any injuries or the cause of that blaze.
Jim Diehl (WGRC)    

TAMAQUA - A Tamaqua man is dead after being struck by a car Friday. 54-year-old William Steele, had been in critical condition since the accident. Police said he was taken off life support Wednesday and died a short time later at St. Luke's Hospital, Bethlehem. Police says the crash happened just before nine p.m. Friday. Steele was on the 300 block of East Union Street when he was struck by a car driven by 24-year-old David Ems, of Tamaqua. Ems is facing charges stemming from the crash. The crash is still under investigation.
Jim Diehl (WGRC)

STATE COLLEGE - State College Police believe they have caught three men involved in several armed robberies that have taken place in Centre County. State College Police Chief Thomas King says during these robberies, the suspects displayed various weapons including pistols and assault rifles. King gave credit to the task force that was set up just a week ago to deal with the problem. Shortly after midnight Tuesday, task force members found a suspicious vehicle and took into custody a man who was armed with a stolen pistol. A short time thereafter two other men  were taken into custody arrested one of them also had a stolen pistol, and police also found two AK-47 style assault rifles. At the time of their arrests, police found evidence that linked all three suspects to the residential burglary on the 400 block of Ridge Avenue and an attempted theft from a vehicle in the Borough of State College. The men, ages 21, 23, and 28 are in police custody and are in the process of being charged with burglary, and weapons charges.   
Jim Diehl (WGRC)

ORWIGSBURG - Police in Schuylkill County are looking for three men involved in a break-in at two businesses in Orwigsburg. That happened sometime between 7:30 Tuesday night and six o'clock Wednesday morning at the Hawk Mountain General Store and the Reading Stove Company. Police say the three, wearing masks, were caught on video camera entering the store and taking money from a cash register and lock box. They then used a tool to break into an ATM machine in the store, took money from that as well as around 100 cartons of cigarettes. The bandits also kicked open the door to the Reading Stove Company and stole a lock box from that business containing around $120 dollars. The empty lock box was found along Coal Mountain Road. Anyone with information on this break-in is asked to call state police Schuylkill Haven.
Jim Diehl (WGRC)

BERWICK - A man and woman on the run after robbing a pizza shop in Punxsutawney were hiding in a Berwick attic when U.S. Marshals found them Tuesday evening. 33-year-old Richard Kirby, and 30-year-old Amanda Ecelberger, were arrested without incident. They were in Columbia County Prison without bail Wednesday night. The couple is accused of robbing Frank'n Steins in Punxsutawney at gunpoint in October 2008. Punxsutawney Police, filed charges against Kirby and Ecelberger December 8th and asked the U.S. Marshals Fugitive Task Force for help finding them. Meanwhile, the Press Enterprise reports, Berwick police are looking at possible charges against the people who helped hide them. 
Jim Diehl (WGRC)

NORTHUMBELRAND - Point Township Police in Northumberland County have charged a home visiting nurse with theft. Police say 40-year-old Kristin Bowersox of Northumberland took $180 dollars from the night stand of a patient in Point Township. When questioned by police about the theft she allegedly admitted to the crime. During their investigation police found that Bowersox had been suspended from her job with the Visiting Nurse Association. She is also accused of stealing $400 dollars from another patient in the Northumberland area.
Jim Diehl (WGRC)

COGAN STATION - A Cogan Station, Lycoming County man is facing a host of charges after police arrested him Wednesday afternoon at a Williamsport car wash/Laundromat for allegedly soliciting sex on the internet with who he thought was a 13-year-old girl, but was actually a Michigan police officer. Fifty-three year old Bruce Daugherty of Kenyon Avenue began an on-line relationship with the officer shortly before Christmas and police tell us that he was accessing the internet to talk with her when he was taken into custody. They say there were numerous contacts and that he had a webcam that he used for her to view in his explicit conversations. He is now jailed in the Lycoming County Prison.
(WRAK)

LEWISBURG - A former Bucknell University Professor pleaded guilty Wednesday to sexually abusing a young boy years ago. The prospect of two of his victims and his own daughter testifying against him may have prompted retired Bucknell University professor 74-year-old Jack Harclerode to plead guilty in Union County. As part of the plea, Harclerode, is expected to be in jail well into his 80s. Harclerode allegedly abused the young boys at his office on the campus of Bucknell University from the 1960s till the 1990s. Harclerode, is currently serving a nine-month to 30-month state prison sentence in Mercer for sexually assaulting a 10-year-old Lancaster boy at a Columbia County campground in 2006. He was scheduled to go on trial in Union County for 11 counts of involuntary deviate sexual intercourse. Under the plea Harclerode will receive a 5-year to 10-year state prison sentence, followed by 120 months of probation, plus being labeled a sexual predator.
Jim Diehl (WGRC)

BLOOMSBURG - A Bloomsburg man already jailed on probation violations is now facing new charges for allegedly concealing and corrupting a child reported missing last month. 23-year-old Craig Haytmanek, also assaulted the young girl and gave her alcohol at his apartment in the 200 block of West Third Street. The child, who is under age 16, was reported missing by her mother February 20th when police got word she was in the suspect's home. An officer checking that location said he heard the girl upstairs in the bathroom after Haytmanek initially denied she was there. The Press Enterprise reports, Haytmanek, formerly of the Catawissa area, was already on probation for heroin possession. Haytmanek was ordered back to jail in lieu of $25,000 bail on charges of corrupting a minor, concealing a child's whereabouts, indecent assault and furnishing alcohol.
Jim Diehl (WGRC)

SUNBURY - A man convicted during a two-day trial in November of stabbing another man was sentenced to serve four-and-a-half to nine years in state prison. 26-year-old Manuel Molina was sentenced yesterday by Northumberland County President Judge Robert Sacavage. During his trial Molina was acquitted of the most serious charges of attempted homicide but was found guilty of aggravated assault for stabbing 41-year-old Mario Solorio.
Jim Diehl (WGRC)

JERSEY SHORE - Because he was "having trouble" making mortgage payments on his Nippenose Township home in 2005, 45-year-old Harry Braim Jr. allegedly paid another man that summer to burn down his property. Braim will now face Lycoming County court as charges against him were bound for trial by District Judge Jerry Leply during a preliminary hearing Wednesday. Anthony Dunn Jr., who has admitted to torching the property and is the key prosecution witness in the case, took the stand and testified against Braim. Dunn remains jailed in the Lycoming County Prison on $25,000 bail, Braim is free on $75,000 bail.
Jim Diehl (WGRC)

DANVILLE - A Montour County man faces court action for allegedly shaking a 4-month-old boy causing severe injuries. The type of shaken baby injuries a Mooresburg infant suffered would only be seen if he was thrown from a high speed motor vehicle during a crash, an expert medical witness testified Wednesday. Dr. Paul Bellino said 4-month-old Amir Isbell suffered four fractured ribs, a tear in his right retina, retinal hemorrhaging and had a larger than normal head because of old and new blood accumulating in the brain. Bellino was a witness for the preliminary hearing of 26-year-old Amir Isbell, of Mooresburg Road, who is charged with child abuse of his son. Following a 1½-hour hearing, Montour County District Judge Marvin Shrawder sent the case to court. Isbell remains free on bail.
Jim Diehl (WGRC)

SUNBURY - A Northumberland attorney sued Tuesday by county Commissioner Vinny Clausi for abuse of process and intentionally inflicting emotional distress believes the suit lacks merits, and was filed in retaliation for a defamation lawsuit pending against the commissioner. Attorney Gregory Stuck tells the News Item, the suit was filed in an attempt to bring a resolution to the defamation suit we filed against Mr. Clausi. It lacks merit. He's trying to stiff-arm his way to bring a resolution to the suit filed against him. It's unfortunate for the taxpayers of Northumberland County that a county commissioner is spending his own money to avoid being responsible for his actions. Clausi filed a $3 million lawsuit against fired Deputy Sheriffs Michael Boris and Joseph Jones, and Stuck, who is representing the deputies in a defamation suit against the commissioner relating to the porn viewing scandal at the courthouse.    
Jim Diehl (WGRC)

POTTSVILLE - Schuylkill County Commissioners on Wednesday shelled out $292-thousand dollars for a maintenance agreement with Motorola that covers all replacement parts and repairs to the county communications center's $2.2 million radio console system installed in 2008. The maintenance agreement, approved unanimously at Wednesday's commissioners meeting, covers the system through February 2011.
Jim Diehl (WGRC)

NEW BERLIN - Around 40 people showed up last night at the New Berlin Fire Company Social  Hall to continue on with the New Berlin Energy Independence project. Representative from SEDA-COG and PPL Electric Utilities were on hand for a discussion of electric choice and to discuss PPL programs that offer incentives which reduce electricity usage. The Borough of New Berlin received funding from the Appalachian Regional Commission for this energy independence project. The Borough of New Berlin in Union County, is the only Borough in SEDA-COG's 11 county district to be selected as a participant in an energy independence study.
Jim Diehl (WGRC)

LEWISBURG - Geisinger Health System has established a partnership with Central Pennsylvania Cardiology Associates in Lewisburg. Cardiologists Charles Heid, and Dennis Smith, welcome new patients to their practice while providing care to current patients at 131 JPM Road in Lewisburg. The site is now Geisinger Cardiology - Lewisburg. Geisinger interventional cardiologist Michel Vandormael,  will also provide outpatient services at this new location.
Jim Diehl (WGRC)

WASHINGTON - U.S. Rep. Chris Carney, is pushing to stop adoption of laws imposing stricter regulations on use of agricultural vehicles. The laws, soon to go into effect, would impose many of the same driver laws and record keeping required of interstate trucking companies, opponents contend. Carney is joining the Pennsylvania Farm Bureau in trying to step in and prevent the laws. He and other members of the Pennsylvania congressional delegation, including U.S. Rep. Glenn Thompson, urged the state Department of Transportation to apply for an extension to the federal deadline until lawmakers have the opportunity to fully investigate the impacts of the proposed rules. The Sun Gazette reports, Carney spokesman Josh Drobnyk says it's an issue that would hurt family farms at a time when farmers are struggling economically.
Jim Diehl (WGRC)