WGRC Christian Radio

FLEMINGTON – A body is found in Clinton County late this morning.  State Police are investigating the discovery of a body at a home on Woods Avenue in Flemington not far from Wright Street. The Clinton County Coroner is at the scene along with the Clinton County District Attorney and other investigators. The Express reports, officials have released no information as of yet, the discovery happened before noon today, according to emergency dispatches.
(WGRC)

LOCK HAVEN -The Clinton County commissioners approved a $6.3 million municipal bond debt yesterday to cover the costs of creating a new 911 center from an old school, make improvements to the Mill Hall District Court building and roll a $4.9 million bond from a 2006 issue into the new package to take advantage of low interest rates. The Express reports, the new debt amounts to about $1.4 million, according to Susquehanna Group Financial Advisors and bond counsel Joe Pierce, who outlined the financial transaction for the board and public yesterday.
(WGRC)

LEWISTOWN - Commencement for Mifflin County High School has been moved to 6 p.m. tomorrow due to storms predicted for this evening, when graduation exercises were originally scheduled to be held.  School officials are hoping that the field will have a better chance of drying off from the predicted rains if they move commencement to tomorrow evening.  The district will make every effort to have commencement outside on Mitchell Field to accommodate families and guests of the students.
(WGRC)

MILE RUN – Drivers heading west on Interstate 80 in Union County will need to slow down just before the Mile run exit due to a crash there this morning. One lane is closed westbound about one mile east of the Mile Run Interchange following that truck crash. The traffic restriction may be lifted by early afternoon today. Drivers are being warned about slow moving traffic in the vicinity of that crash.
(WGRC)

LOGANTON – Police in Clinton County are still looking for the blonde haired woman that robbed a bank at gunpoint late yesterday afternoon in Clinton County. Police say the woman is described as being a white woman, has blonde hair and is said to have a tattoo with the word "love" on the left side of her neck. Police say she walked into the First National Bank of Loganton, showed the teller a note and a handgun. The woman then ran from the bank into a maroon colored SUV that was waiting for her along Route 477. Anyone with information on that robbery is asked to call state police, Lamar.
John Callahan/ Jim Diehl (WGRC)

MIDDLEBURG – Snyder County Judge Michael Sholley has granted a new trial to 19-year-old Seth Hornberger of Mifflinburg, two months after a jury convicted him of fatally stabbing 21-year-old Alan Martin of Winfield in the head at a Selinsgrove apartment in March 2011. The request for a new trial was brought be froe the jusge this week by Hornberger’s attorney Ed Rymsza who brought to light Pennsylvania’s new Castle Doctrine and said Hornberger stabbed Martin while Martin was assaulting his friend 17-year-old Michael Lepley. Hornberger was convicted in late March of third degree murder and voluntary manslaughter. Hornberger’s attorney called for the new trial saying the jury had been instructed wrongly by the Judge before the case went to deliberations.
(WGRC)

SUNBURY — Sunbury police have arrested three people involved in a Memorial Day brawl that ended with two people being stabbed, one of them flown by helicopter to Geisinger Medical Center. Police arrested 21-year-old Leon Hastings, and 17-year-old Ryan Newman, both of Sunbury, and 17-year-old Jamie Raudales, of Northumberland, Wednesday after police say the three had been seen on video during the stabbing of a 17-year old boy and Manual Martinez, of Sunbury. The fight, which occurred early Monday morning on South 11th Street, sent Martinez to the hospital. Those arrested face felony charges of burglary, and aggravated assault, among other charges. All three are being held in the Northumberland County Prison on $125,000 straight-cash bail.
(WGRC)

WILLIAMSPORT – A Williamsport man is behind bars for hindering the capture of a wanted person in Lycoming County. State Police say John Derr of the Timberland Apartments in Williamsport has been charged and jailed in the Lycoming County Prison. Police say Derr aided an escapee and hiding her from police and lying to police who questioned him about the woman’s whereabouts between May 17th and the 29th.
Jim Diehl (WGRC)

UNIVERSITY PARK - Penn State police are investigating whether the man convicted of setting fire to two police cars and the State College Marine Corps recruiting office in 2010 may be connected to an unsolved burglary on campus in 2010. Police were notified of a possible DNA match in April after Mason Worley’s DNA was entered into a database. Worley is serving an 11and 1/ 2 month sentence in the Centre County jail after pleading guilty to arson and related charges from a string of fires in downtown State College in June and July 2010. Penn State police said a computer was stolen from the Buckhout Building sometime overnight between March 1 and 2, 2010. A window had been smashed, and police found a hammer with blood smears nearby.
(WGRC)

BERWICK — An apartment raid Wednesday night in Berwick in Columbia County, netted 208 heroin packets and a large shoebox crammed full of drug packaging equipment and other drug items. Police also found an infant and an undernourished pit bull at the East Third Street apartment, where police informants repeatedly bought the drug 10 packs at a time in May from 34-year-old Wilson Rosembert, and 30-year-old Theresa Lopez. Investigators say Rosembert was selling heroin brought to Berwick from New York. The Press Enterprise reports, the baby, the pit bull and two chihuahuas in the apartment were turned over to Lopez's mother. Both are now jailed in the Columbia County Prison.
(WGRC)

WHEATFIELD TOWNSHIP — A Perry County father will stand trial on charges he encouraged his three-year-old son to smoke marijuana. Twenty-six-year-old Damian Seiler, sent his charges of endangering the welfare of a child, corruption of a minor and related counts on to Perry County Court Wednesday. In December, the 3-year-old told state police and a caseworker from Perry County Children and Youth Services about how “My daddy said ‘go get the bong.” The boy then explained how Seiler let him smoke from the bong twice, causing the boy to vomit. Seiler is free on bail.
(WGRC)

STATE COLLEGE - A Bellefonte man is suspected of tampering with his mother's medical care and bringing a gun into a local hospital. State College police say 44-year-old Christopher Haupt, brought a revolver into Mount Nittany Medical Center in State College. Court documents say that on the night of April 8, Haupt was also caught putting a knife to his mother's morphine supply. Police say Haupt, who's a convicted felon didn't have a permit for the gun.
(WGRC)

BELLEFONTE — Thirty-four year-old Ryan Ho, accused of being a serial streaker who engaged in increasingly aggressive assaults on 16 women in the State College area between 2009 and 2011, was found guilty Thursday of more than 70 crimes, including charges of assault and indecent exposure. The verdict followed jury deliberations and closing arguments in a case that began in Centre County court Tuesday in front of Judge Pamela Ruest. The prosecution based its case on DNA evidence linking Ho to several crime scenes and his confession to police after his arrest in May 2011. The jury deliberated for more than two hours before delivering the guilty verdicts. Ho, who lived in Patton Township during the time the crimes were committed, is originally from Taiwan. Ho will be detained at the Centre County jail until his sentencing, which is scheduled for August 7th.
(WGRC)

WILLIAMSPORT - A Texas company and a field operations supervisor stand accused of conspiring to harbor and transport Mexican workers living in Williamsport but not permitted to live or work in the U.S., employing them as part of a team doing surface mapping surveys for the oil and gas industry. GPX, a seismic surveying company based in Sealy, Texas, and its field operations supervisor, 42-year-old Douglas Wiggill, of Fort Worth, Texas, are named in a grand jury indictment charging the company and Wiggill with harboring and transporting illegal aliens in May 2011. Wiggill pleaded not guilty Tuesday to the charge before U.S. Middle District Magistrate Judge William Arbuckle and is free on bail. Federal officials were not aware of the Mexicans living in the city until city police arrested one of the workers, 27-year-old Adrian Arriaga-Castro, last June  for alleging luring a 12-year-old city girl into his pickup truck and harassing her. The charges were later dismissed by county District Attorney Eric R. Linhardt. But it was Castro's arrest that resulted in police contacting U.S. Immigration Customs and Enforcement officials, who apprehended nine Mexicans living in overcrowded conditions in an apartment complex in the 300 block of Elmira Street. If convicted, Wiggill faces a maximum sentence on all 20 counts of the indictment of 100 years in prison, a fine of $5 million. GPX also faces a possible maximum fine of $10 million.
(WGRC)

BELLEFONTE - The day after a judge denied a delay in the Jerry Sandusky case, one of Sandusky’s attorneys has taken the request to a higher state court. On Thursday, Carlisle-based attorney Karl Rominger filed a petition for review and an application for a stay with the Superior Court in Harrisburg. The request came a day after the presiding judge, John Cleland, denied two motions to delay the proceedings. Cleland first denied the defense’s motion to delay jury selection, which starts Tuesday morning, and then denied a defense request to certify the judge’s order to get permission to appeal to a higher court. Cleland has kept the Sandusky case to a strict schedule, twice before denying motions to delay the case. Opening statements won’t be until as early as June 11, which allows jury selection to last at least four days. Defense attorney Joe Amendola has indicated he wants to have a jury consultant, but it appears the consultant won’t be ready, which was one of his reasons for the delay that was denied Wednesday.
(WGRC)

READING - Berks County and Reading city officials are investigating the death of an Auburn man whose body was found Wednesday morning in Reading. The autopsy confirmed no trauma or injury contributing to the death of 25-year-old Matthew Pormann. Investigators say neither the cause nor the manner of Pormann's death has been established. Investigators are now waiting on toxicology tests to determine if drugs may have caused the man’s death. Reading police said a passer-by found Pormann's body about 11 a.m. behind an old factory between the 100 blocks of Orange and South Ninth streets. Police say Pormann had two brushes with the law in Berks County both dealing with substance abuse.
(WGRC)

MCALLISTERVILLE - State Police Lewistown report one woman was flown to a hospital on Thursday after a motor vehicle crash at the intersection of state Route 235 and Fairview Road in McAlisterville. Police say the woman driving a car was traveling north on Fairview Road and sped through a stop sign. Her car drove into the path of a Wenger Feeds tractor trailer on Route 235.  The Driver of the rig was not hurt. Police have not released the woman’s name.
(WGRC)

SCHUYLKILL HAVEN - A firefighter suffered minor injuries when he fell partially through the floor of a burning building while battling a massive fire in Schuylkill Haven Thursday afternoon. The fire was located inside a building off Wilson Street Alley, to the rear of Schuylkill Gun Works at 22 West Main Street. The fire was discovered to the rear of the Schuylkill gun shop owned by Joseph Peters, where flames were shooting across Wilson Street Alley when the first crews arrived on the scene. Flames destroyed the garage attached to the gun shop along with a garage next to it which housed a privately owned woodworking shop, and two other garages. Schuylkill Haven Fire officials say the fire was contained to the rear of the properties and that a state police fire marshal was contacted to assist in finding a cause. The gun shop and another near-by business suffered smoke damage from the blaze. More than 100 firefighters from Schuylkill Haven and surrounding communities worked for more than two hours to bring the flames under control.
(WGRC)

WILLIAMSPORT – Williamsport City Council Thursday night accepted a $419,000 federal grant enabling the full funding of two police officers for three years, with the fourth year cost to be drawn from the general fund. Following the 6-1 vote, police Chief Gregory A. Foresman can give notice to the U.S. Department of Justice the city will accept a COPS Hiring Grant. The long-awaited decision led several in the audience inside City Hall to applaud. The Sun Gazette reports, Mayor Gabriel Campana indicated he wants to restart community policing, putting the new officers in specific neighborhoods. While the city has experienced a significant drop in the number of homicides, non-negligent manslaughter, forcible rape and aggravated assaults, The FBI has indicated a rise in home and business burglaries, thefts and stolen motor vehicles, in statistics released for 2009-2010. The department's complement remains at 52 officers at the conclusion of the grant period and will not be increased unless authorized by council.
(WGRC)

SUNBURY - Property taxes will be raised 2.5 mills in Northumberland County in 2013 as part of a long-term plan to avoid bankruptcy. The 11 percent increase is necessary to pay off a $5.1 million loan the county will pursue - money it needs to meet payroll and other operating expenses. During a news conference Thursday morning, Commissioner Chairman Vinny Clausi outlined a plan he says is necessary for fiscal security as the county fights growing costs for labor, health care and pensions that total millions of dollars every year. Noting this is "only the beginning," Clausi thanked budget director Jeff McClintock and Controller Tony Phillips for their assistance. The 2.5-mill increase is expected to generate $1.85 million dollars for the County. The proposed increase is scheduled to be approved as part of the 2013 budget by the end of December, but the loan will be sought now. The county may also need to obtain a $12 million bond to pay for upgrades to the 911 center that involve constructing three new communication towers to comply with a federal mandate to change from a wide to narrow band frequency system by 2013. If the county has to secure both loans, the overall millage increase would jump from 2.5 to 4.25. But Clausi said the county and other entities are seeking an extension from the federal government to give them time to secure grants to help fund the 911 center upgrades.
(WGRC)

SUNBURY  - A Catholic school in Northumberland County is getting ready to close its doors for the last time, but not without one last hurrah. In March Bishop Joseph McFadden decided to close Saint Monica School in Sunbury because of low enrollment. Parents fought to keep the school open but were not successful. Students celebrated the school’s 62 years Thursday with food, face-painting and lots of fun. It was the last time students would enjoy the annual Fun Fair at St. Monica’s. This coming Tuesday after 62 years of providing Catholic education in Sunbury, Saint Monica School will close. Staff and students found out in March that the Diocese of Harrisburg would close the school. Finances and low enrollment were the reasons given. There are currently 130 students at Saint Monica School in grades pre-k through eight. The students will have several options for the next school year. They can go to public school or attend one of two Catholic schools in Danville or Shamokin.
(WNEP)

CATAWISSA - The Southern Columbia Area School District Board of Education, as well as high school Principal James Becker, are facing a federal lawsuit filed by a former student. The student who filed the suit was sexually assaulted by two athletes who were later convicted of sex crimes. However, the suit says, the district allowed the two boys to play football and basketball and they continued harassing the girl.
(WNEP)

SPRING MILLS — In the wake of criticism and outcry from hundreds of residents, the Penns Valley Area School District Board of Directors voted to rescind a controversial land lease agreement, before quickly re-voting to schedule a new public forum on the proposal. Nearly 1,400 residents in the district signed a petition against the 30-year lease agreement, to build a $4.5 million community center on school property. The non-profit originally planned to have a YMCA, medical offices and a senior center inside the complex. The board voted to push a new public forum to July 26 at 6:30 p.m. inside the Penns Valley Area High School.
(WGRC)

SUNBURY – The state Department of Conservation and Natural Resources is planning to hire a contractor for three million dollars in renovations to the Shikellamy State Park Marina building by this fall with construction to get underway shortly thereafter. The Daily Item reports, the facility will be called the Visitors and Environmental Center will serve as a new DCNR administrative building and research station. Shikellamy State Park Manager Frank Nanna made the announcement to about 25 people who showed up for a presentation last evening at the Degenstein Library in Sunbury. The key part of the building will be the Susquehanna River Heartland Coalition for Environmental Studies where scientists, researchers and students from six universities will study the River and surrounding environment.
(WGRC)

NORTHUMBERLAND — Furmano Foods cut the ribbon yesterday afternoon on a $11 and-a-half million dollar expansion of its waste water treatment plant that added 26 jobs and will let it generate about 30 percent of its own energy. Furmano’s President Chad Geise says the new system saves the cannery about $150,000 a year on its electric bill. Geise says the plant, which began running in January after two years of construction, shows Furmano’s commitment to being a responsible employer in the Susquehanna Valley, noting the new plant also produces less waste water containing fewer organic solids. The expansion incorporates an anaerobic digester that processes tomato and dried bean waste at the Northumberland-based plant. The methane by-product is sent to a converter that uses it to generate electricity.
(WGRC)

SELINSGROVE – The East Pine Street bridge crossing Penns Creek onto the Isle of Que in Selinsgrove, Snyder County will close to traffic on June 5th. The bridge was painted last month. PennDOT says the Isle of Que bridge will close will remain closed through August 24th. Once the bridge closes, the only way to drive on and off the Isle will be the emergency access road along the Routes 11 and 15 bypass.  Bicycle and pedestrian traffic will be allowed to cross the bridge at all times during construction.
(WGRC)

MONTOURSVILLE - State Police in Montoursville , In Lycoming County will be holding a child safety seat checkpoint this Saturday. The event will be held from nine a.m. till three p.m. at the state police barracks in Montoursville. The seat check is by appointment only to make an appointment call 368-5700.
(WGRC)

HARRISBURG – Pennsylvania Game Commission biologists are seeking assistance from residents in a regional monitoring effort to collect bat maternity colony data this summer. This monitoring is especially important due to the mortalities in bat populations throughout the northeastern United States, including Pennsylvania, being caused by White-Nose Syndrome.  To obtain applications and information on how to participate, visit the Game Commission’s website at pgc.state.pa.us and click on “Wildlife” in the menu bar at the top of the homepage. Then scroll down and choose “Pennsylvania Bats” in the Mammal section, and then click on “Appalachian Bat Count.” Forms on the website guide interested participants through the steps of timing, conducting a survey and submitting their findings to the Game Commission.  Scout groups, 4-H clubs, local environmental organizations, and individual homeowners can all participate in this important effort.
(WGRC)