WGRC Christian Radio

TREMONT – A bank is robbed this morning in Schuylkill County.  State police are looking for a man who robbed the Miners Bank on East Main Street in Tremont just before Noon.  Troopers said a man entered the bank, demanded money and then fled the area with some cash in a black mid-size sedan driven by another man. Police say the man is black and about 6 feet, 2 inches tall, and in his early to mid 30s with scruffy facial hair. He was wearing a New York Yankees hat and a dark hoodie.
(WGRC)

BELLEFONTE - In Centre County, the entire jury has now been seated for the Jerry Sandusky trial.  A total of 12 jurors and four alternates have been selected to sit for the trial, which is scheduled to move to opening statements Monday.  This is the second day of jury selection in the case. By the end of the day yesterday, nine had been picked.  The Centre Daily Times reports, earlier this morning, 12 people were excused from the original pool of 40 mostly for financial hardship.
(WGRC)

KEATING – A Clearfield County man died in a crash in Clinton County last evening. The crash happened around 6:30 p.m. on Route 120 near the village of Keating. Police say 42-year-old Kenneth Conway the Second of Bigler, lost control of his pick-up truck on a curve. The truck went off the roadway and slammed into a rocky embankment and a tree. Conway died at the scene.
Jim Diehl (WGRC)

BELLEFONTE  — Prospective jurors in 68-year-old Jerry Sandusky's case were told on the first day of jury selection Tuesday that the wife and son of the late football coach Joe Paterno were among the potential defense witnesses in the child sex-abuse trial. The names of Sue and Jay Paterno and members of Sandusky's family were on a list shown to the prospective jurors, along with assistant coach Mike McQueary and his father, John McQueary. Sandusky faces 52 criminal counts and potential penalties that could result in an effective life prison sentence. The former Penn State assistant football coach has denied the allegations. Judge John Cleland told the more than 220 potential jurors he would not sequester them, meaning they can spend nights at home during the trial that is expected to last several weeks. As of late yesterday afternoon nine of 12 jurors were picked for the case. Also released yesterday was evidence that Sandusky wrote love letters to victim number four. Those letters will be part of evidence presented at Sandusky’s trial which is to start Monday.
(WGRC)

SCRANTON - A Barnesville man faces decades behind bars after admitting Friday in federal court that he possessed child pornography over an 11-year period on his computer. The Republican Herald reports, 39-year-old Timothy Steward Jr., pleaded guilty before U.S. Magistrate Judge Malachy Mannion to sexual exploitation of children-production of child pornography. A federal grand jury indicted Steward in February, alleging that from January 2000 to December 2011, he produced pornographic images of a boy under age 18. Steward could receive a prison sentence of 20 years, followed by a lifetime of supervision.
(WGRC)

WILLIAMSPORT – A Pittsburgh-area man was arrested Tuesday afternoon in Williamsport on charges of shooting to death a young man during a botched robbery. Twenty-one-year-old Frank Booker, was spotted by Williamsport Police on a front porch near Washington Boulevard and Elizabeth Street about 1:30 p.m. City police had been tipped off to be on the lookout for the fugitive, who allegedly shot to death Calvonne Rollins on the night of May 11th in the Borough of Penn Hills. Booker was taken into custody without incident. Booker was taken before District Judge Allen Page on charges of homicide, robbery, and related counts and jailed without bail in the Lycoming County Prison.
(WGRC)

WILLIAMSPORT – A Lycoming County attempted homicide trial got underway yesterday. One day after a witness saw Shacoor Trapp allegedly fire a pistol into the air near Walnut and Maple streets May 28, 2011, the man broke into his neighbor's apartment and proceeded to stab, choke and shoot her three times, according to testimony at Tuesday's attempted homicide trial against Trapp in Lycoming County Court before Judge Marc Lovecchio. Trapp is accused of attacking Tiffany Nixon. A neighbor of Nixon’s testified yesterday the she saw Trapp with a gun outside the apartments about the time the assault took place. Trapp's lead defense attorney, Nicole Ippolito, of the Lycoming County Public Defender's Office questioned Nixon’s ability to identify Trapp as her assailant during testimony yesterday. Also to take the stand was the first responding police officers and what they witnessed. A second day of testimony is scheduled for today.
(WGRC)

POTTSVILLE – Thirty-two-year-old Kyle Kent did not commit burglary or terroristic threats in a September 2011 incident involving his now-former wife, a Schuylkill County jury ruled on Tuesday. However, jurors could not decide whether Kent, of Marion Heights, was guilty of seven other crimes, and Judge Cyrus Palmer Dolbin, who presided over the two-day trial, convicted him of two summary charges. Kent did not react to the mixed verdict, which occurred after the jury of six men and six women deliberated about 4 1/2 hours, but his ex-wife and alleged victim, Melissa Kent, angrily left the courtroom following it. Because the jury did not render any verdict on seven charges prosecutors can retry him on those without violating the constitutional ban on double jeopardy, and such a retrial is likely. Kent is accused of kidnapping and assaulting his wife in September 2011 from a home in Girardville.
(WGRC)

SHAMOKIN - A Shamokin couple accused of stealing more than $12,000 in jewelry from the home of a longtime city councilman and fire official were taken into custody Tuesday afternoon and charged with three felony counts. The News Item reports, 22-year-old Carrie Phillips, of Coal Township, and her boyfriend, 20-year-old Colin Parsons, of Paxinos, were taken before District Judge Hugh Jones of Mount Carmel on charges of theft by unlawful taking, criminal conspiracy and receiving stolen property in connection with the theft of the gold jewelry. Police said the jewelry was stolen between April 6 and May 13 from the North Shamokin Street home of R. Craig and Pamela Rhoades while they were away on vacation. The two then sold the jewelry to a pawn shop, of which the owner had identified some of the jewelry as belonging to Rhoades. Phillips and Parsons, who were taken into custody around 2 p.m. yesterday and jailed in the Northumberland County Prison on $50,000 cash bail.
(WGRC)

BLOOMSBURG — A shop employee was arrested for selling synthetic marijuana to a 15-year-old boy in Bloomsburg. Police have charged 21-year-old Kyle Savitski, of Mount Carmel, with counts of drug delivery and corrupting a minor. The Press Enterprise reports, the boy bought the dope for $30 in late January at Symplegades Requiem, a shop at East Main and Iron streets in Bloomsburg. The teen allegedly told police he would drive regularly to Bloomsburg to buy "legal weed" because it isn't sold in Sunbury. While Savitski was charged this week as the person making the transaction, the business itself or its owner is not charged with anything. But prosecutors say a business owner could be held accountable if knowingly engaged in selling a banned product. Savitski is free on bail awaiting a hearing.
(WGRC)

MIFFLINTOWN – In Juniata County two have been arrested and charged with the escape of a prisoner. Police say Friday afternoon 27-year-old Joshua Foultz of Mifflintown had walked away from his job along Industrial Park Road in Mifflintown. Police say Foultz is an inmate at the Juniata County prison and was out on work release when he took off. His escape was made possible by 25-year-old Jessica Foultz of Carisle. Both have been located by Juniata County probation officials and Joshua is now behind bars in Juniata County.
(WGRC)

NEW BERLIN – A 34-year-old New Berlin man is facing felony aggravated assault charges after an attack on a woman at his home last week. Police have charged Justin Budman with aggravated assault, simple assault and harassment for the incident Wednesday at his home at 323 Front Street in New Berlin. Police say Budman punched, and choked the woman to near unconsciousness then threw her onto the floor of the home.
Jim Diehl (WGRC)

SHENANDOAH – A Shenandoah woman is being charged with receiving stolen property, unauthorized use of a motor vehicle and driving on a suspended license. Around nine Tuesday night state police in Schuylkill County spotted a vehicle driving without its lights on just South of the Schuylkill Mall, so they pulled it over. They then discovered the car has been stolen from Laureldale in Berks County. Police then arrested the car’s driver 23-year-old Angela Kohl who faces charges.
Jim Diehl (WGRC)

LEWISBURG – A Lewisburg woman is facing felony criminal trespass charges after breaking into a home in White Deer Township back in May. Police have charged 20-year-old Marra Smith with the break-in at the home at 836 White Deer Pike. Police say Smith broke into the home May ninth and stealing clothing for herself and her child after residing there for several weeks and then leaving without telling the home owner. Smith was living at the home after a previous stay in jail.
Jim Diehl (WGRC)

BLOOMSBURG — The merger of Bloomsburg Health System with Geisinger appears on track to be finalized July 1. The Press Enterprise reports, Geisinger announced the state Attorney General's office has completed its review of the merger and plans to file paperwork in federal court for final approval by a federal judge. The timing would coincide with the start of a new fiscal year for Geisinger.    Bloomsburg Health System officials first announced the hospital and its sister businesses were up for sale in April 2011. In addition to the hospital, the system includes Bloomsburg Health Care Center, Columbia-Montour Home Health&Hospice and Bloomsburg Physician Services. Once the merger is finalized, Geisinger would take over management of Bloomsburg Hospital and its affiliates, and Bloomsburg Health System workers would become Geisinger employees.     Geisinger has not revealed its plans for Bloomsburg Hospital. The hospital was $3.4 million in the red for last fiscal year.  
(WGRC)

JERSEY SHORE - An attorney representing one family remaining at the Riverdale Mobile Home Park near Jersey Shore said Tuesday that officials of the park's new owner, Aqua-PVR, have a new proposal for the residents. Jonathan Butterfield, of Williamsport law firm Murphy, Butterfield and Holland, said he could not reveal the specific details of the proposal until park residents have been notified. But Butterfield did say the proposal was an improvement over what had initially been offered to Park residents. Aqua-PVR bought the 37-unit mobile home park in late February. The company plans to build a water withdrawal site from the Susquehanna River for the booming natural gas industry. Residents' leases were terminated and they were given until June 1 to vacate the park. The company offered a moving incentive of $2,500 to residents who moved out of the park by the June 1 deadline. As of Tuesday morning, six families remained at the park. Three of those families said they will not leave because they cannot afford to.
(WGRC)

WILLIAMSPORT - As Williamsport Area School District continues with two construction projects, the school board approved the next steps in its high school construction at Tuesday's meeting. The board voted 7-0 to approve estimated project costs and preliminary designs. With the help of blueprint designs, Vern McKissick and Benjamin Crum, both of McKissick Associates, the engineering firm overseeing the project, explained the layout of the high school project, which includes changes to the gymnasium, cafeterias and building exterior. McKissick tells the Sun Gazette, he estimated the total cost of the project at around $25.93 million. In other business, Dr. Kathleen Kelley, superintendent, said the final budget would be discussed at the board's next meeting on June 19th.  She says some staff members have volunteered to be furloughed so less will have to be dismissed from their positions to balance the budget.
(WGRC)

ARISTES - A nearly two mile section of Route 42 between Centralia and Aristes in Columbia County will be resurfaced under a project set to start today. The resurfacing will take place in Conyngham Township, from the intersection with Route 61 and Big Mine Run Road in Centralia, to the intersection with Aristes Ringtown Road in Aristes. Penn DOT reports when the work is completed, the stretch of roadway should not require any major maintenance for the next 8 to 10 years. The roadway will be down to one lane and flaggers will be controlling traffic flow. Motorists are advised to plan extra time for their travels through the work zone.
(WGRC)

SELINSGROVE - Folks in one part of Snyder County may need to set aside a little more time for their daily commute. A bridge in Selinsgrove is the only way onto the Isle of Que, but that bridge is closed and it will stay that way for the next few months. People will be allowed to drive on a ramp that is usually used only for emergencies as a detour, but that detour will take residents of the Island an extra two miles out of their way. The $1.8 million project will repair the bridge, which PennDOT said is 60 years old. PennDOT will replace some steel, paint and put a new driving surface on the bridge. The bridge repairs are scheduled to be finished by late August.
(WNEP)

KULPMONT - Two Northumberland County communities received funds last night for improvements to their storm water systems. The Northumberland County Commissioners presented a check for $129,000 to Marion Heights and another for nearly $95,000 to Kulpmont. The funds are from the County’s Community Development Block Grant Entitlement program. The Kulpmont project will focus on a section of Scott Street at the foot of 8th Street, where surface water routinely inundates several homes. In Marion Heights, the community’s project will focus on Rosenthal Street, allowing the Borough to upgrade the storm water system.  
(WGRC)

LEWISBURG - For the third year the Pennsylvania Farm Bureau will be hosting a week-long youth conference at Bucknell University, in Lewisburg from June 18-22.  The Fueling Agriculture and Cultivating Excellence Youth Conference allows youth across the state to learn about the various career opportunities available in the agriculture field.  Most importantly, youth will have an opportunity to network with other youth across the Commonwealth who share the same interest in agriculture.  They will make friends through team building activities. Openings are available for current high school sophomores or juniors to attend this event.  For an application or more information those interested can contact Laura Daubert, at ledaubert@pfb.com.
(WGRC)

BELLEFONTE — Centre County commissioners heard an update Tuesday on spending for 911 system improvements. The commissioners on Tuesday approved making payments that included roughly $2 million in spending for the long-planned project. Commissioner Chris Exarchos said most of the funds, about $1.7 million, comes from grant money. The funds were used to purchase portable radios for emergency responders. The rest of the money was spent on upgrades to the county’s 911 towers.
(WGRC)

WILLIAMSPORT - Communities in our region looking to improve their welcome signs are encouraged to apply for a mini grant from the PA Wilds Community Signage Grant Program.  State Representative Garth Everett says the program is good for communities in Lycoming County and the other eleven and a half counties that make up the PA Wilds.  The program provides grants of up to $3,000 dollars for a new community welcome sign which incorporates the natural themes of wood, stone, water and wildlife.  The deadline to apply is June 22nd and questions can be addressed by emailing to vshelley@lumberheritage.org.
(WGRC)

WASHINGTON D.C. - The battle over the Bible resolution passed unanimously by the State House in January has reached federal court. Lawyers for state Representative Rick Saccone, of Allegheny County, the resolution’s sponsor, and two other House officials made that argument in asking U.S. Middle District Judge Christopher Connor to dismiss a lawsuit by the Freedom From Religion Foundation that challenges the constitutionality of the resolution. The group sued in March on behalf of a bevy of its Pennsylvania members. It claims the resolution is an attempt to impose state-sanctioned religion. Supporters of the resolution say it’s harmless and does not impinge on anyone. Saccone’s resolution urges Pennsylvanians to read the Bible in the context of its “unique contribution in shaping the United States as a distinctive and blessed nation.” There are no state-imposed penalties for ignoring the recommendation. Saccone has said the resolution’s opponents don’t know their history or have chosen to ignore that Judeo-Christian tenets have shaped the state and national governments.
(WGRC)