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AM=Altoona Mirror, CDT=Centre Daily Times, SJ=Milton Standard-Journal, DI=Daily Item, CS=Carlisle Sentinel, NI=News Item, LS=Lewistown Sentinel, PCT=Perry County Times, PN=Patriot News

Local community leader to challenge Rep. Adam Harris (2-7-2012)
A 2nd Republican has decided to go against incumbent PA State Rep. Adam Harris for the 82nd District. Jim Felmlee of Lewistown announced yesterday of his intention to run for the seat. He, along with Jim Knepp of Mifflintown, will challenge the GOP incumbent in the April primary. Felmlee said he wants to "put a stop" to the "debt & turmoil" the next generation is going to inherit "from the decisions our legislators are making today". Felmlee, first elected to the Lewistown council in 1995, has been council president since 1999. He is active with the PA State Association of Boroughs, Gov. Tom Corbett appointed Felmlee to serve on his Local Government Transition Committee & most recently to the Marcellus Shale Advisory Committee.

Man arrested on new charges hours after being released from jail (2-7-2012)
Lewistown Police charged 34-y/o Mark Millard of Lewistown with robbery, assault, & other offenses after a 17-y/o juvenile said Millard knocked him to the ground & took items from his pocket as he walked along Charles St.. Millard also was reported going door-to-door along Valley St. challenging people to fight. He was arrested & incarcerated on $15,000 bail. Millard was arrested on the new charges which allegedly occurred within 5 hours of him being release from the correctional facility.

List of PSU trustee candidates continues to grow (2-7-2012)
(CDT) With just 3 seats that are up for election, there are now close to 25 candidates who are seeking to fill the vacancies on the PSU Board of Trustees as 2 more names are added. John Diercks & Andrew Jackson Sr. have announced their desire to seek the position. Diercks, of Fairfax Station, VA, earned a bachelor’s from PSU in 1963, before going on to earn a master’s & doctorate. Jackson, a State College area resident, was an academic adviser in PSU’s College of Education for 20 years before retiring in 2007. Candidates need to receive 50 nominations to earn a spot on the ballot.

Jury deliberates 2 hrs. & issues guilty verdict in murder trial (2-6-2012)
After 5 days of testimony & 2 hrs. of jury deliberation, Brenda Smith displayed no emotional reaction as she heard the guilty verdict delivered on Friday afternoon. The 56-y/o woman was convicted of killing her son-in-law, Michael Hockenbarry, with a shotgun following a domestic dispute in Sept., 2010 in Mifflintown. The parents of the victim were heard gasping as they reacted to the verdict. Since Smith has been convicted of 1st-degree murder, the Juniata Co. DA, Cory Snook, requested an immediate imposition of her sentence, but Judge Kathy Morrow opted to scheduled sentencing for this Thursday at 8:30am. An appeal is expected.

Police say area mother drove drunk, leaving kids at home (2-6-2012)
State Police say that 44-y/o Dawn Woolford of Port Trevorton is facing a variety of charges after she allegedly drove drunk, & left her 7-y/o child at home unattended. Woolford faces resisting arrest, endangering the welfare of children, & other charges after a traffic stop Saturday night. Troopers say they pulled Woolford over after she allegedly ignored a stop sign in Snyder County’s Union Township. They also claim she left home to go to a bar.

State College Borough to re-tool noise ordinance (2-6-2012)
(CDT) Making too much noise in State College soon may be a shorter-lasting offense, but may carry a larger range of fines. Borough police have considered revising the ordinance for a couple of years because they don’t enforce it as-is, instead citing violators with disorderly conduct. State College Borough Council will discuss, & potentially vote on, the proposed changes at today’s regular meeting.

Lewistown Police investigate disappearance of local man (2-3-2012)
A search for 45-y/o Robert Rickabaugh, Jr. has begun after the man’s brother told Lewistown Police he has not heard from him since Jan. 25th. Rickabaugh was living at the Depot St. Shelter & left on Jan. 4th with the Shelter having no further contact with him after then. Rickabaugh has been entered into the National Police Files as a missing person & is described as 6'1" white male with brown eyes. Lewistown Police request any information on his whereabouts be phoned in at 248-0607.

Accused murderer spends the day on the stand in J.-Co. trial (2-3-2012)
(LS) Brenda Smith, who is defending a 1st degree murder charge, was on the witness stand most of yesterday testifying in her own defense. Smith told the jury she believed her daugher had become withdrawn over recent years due to mental & physical abuse by Micahel Hockenberry, her son-in-law, whom she is accused of fatally shooting on Sept. of 2010. Smith told the jury of bruises she saw on her daughter on more than one occasion & of Hockenberry's frequent angry outburts from a bad temper. The is expected to hear closing arugument today & begin deliberations soon after.

Accused robbers of area business arraigned this week (2-3-2012)
(SJ) A pair of Union Co. men have been charged with multiple counts of robbery & related offenses for their role in a holdup that occurred last weekend at the Forest Hill Store. Appearing before District Judge Jeffrey Mensch was 31-y/o Jeffrey Stahl, of Mifflinburg. Following the arraignment, Stahl was locked up in the Union Co. Prison in lieu of $100,000 bail. He has been charged with 2 counts of robbery & one count each of theft by unlawful staking or disposition, receiving stolen property & simple assault.

Beaver Springs woman dies in Snyder Co. car crash (2-2-2012)
Yesterday morning following a 1-vehicle crash, 76-y/o Nancy Frye of Beaver Springs died after she succumbed to her injuries. Frye was driving on Rt. 235 in Spring Twp., Snyder Co., near Beaver Springs, around 9am when she traveled off of the road, struck a parked car & then a house. Frye was taken to Evangelical Community Hospital & was pronounced dead there about an hour & a half after the crash. Rt. 235 was closed for about an hour while crews remained on the scene.

Jury deliberation expected today in Juniata Co. murder trial (2-2-2012)
(LS) After the defense attorney for accused muderer, Brenda Smith, tried to convince the jury of his client's threatened state, President Judge Kathy Morrow told the jury in the Juniata Co. murder trial to expect to deliberate the decision today. Smith is accused of 1st degree murder of her son-in-law, Michael Hockenberry in 2010. Smith's lawyer, Don Zagurskie, told the jury how Smith felt threatened by Hockenberry, who "had another side" to his personality. In a heated argument, Zagurskie said Smith was hit in the head by a wooden TV tray before she retreated to a bedroom to get a gun that would eventually be used in Hockenberry's death.

Cong. Thompson could face opposition in next election (2-2-2012)
Charles Dumas, a professor in PSU’s School of Theatre, is collecting signatures to appear on the ballot opposing US Rep. Glenn Thompson for the seat in the 5th Congressional District. Dumas, a Democrat, has until Feb. 16 to gather the 1,000 signatures that would place him on the April 24 primary election ballot. The 66-y/o has lived in State College for 17 years with his wife & is a visiting professor at the University of the Free State in South Africa, holds a political science degree from the State University of NY, & a law degree from Yale.

Defense to call witnesses today in murder trial (2-1-2012)
(LS) In the Juniata Co. 1st-degree murder trial of 56-y/o Brenda Smith, county DA Cory Snook rested the prosecution's case in Mifflintown. Smith's defense attorney, Don Zagurskie, began an intense cross-examination of the lead investigator in the case, trying to prove that the death of Smith's son-in-law, Michael Hockenberry, was a suicide. Zagurskie also twice attempted to have the court supress a written statement Smith gave to authorities but that was denied by President Judge Kathy Morrow. Today the trial continues with Zagurskie expected to call a host of witnesses for the defense.

Penn State to pay for Paterno memorial (2-1-2012)
(CDT) The PSU athletic department will pay the bill for the 3 days of public mourning events held last week for former head football coach Joe Paterno. The university hasn’t yet calculated how much it cost to use & staff the facilities. Once those costs are computed, the athletic department, which has its own budget & supports itself, will bear the costs. The Paternos will pay for costs from the funeral home. The costs will not be paid with tuition or public money. The events started with 2 days of private & public viewings last week that were attended by more than 40,000 people.

Local United Way in the home stretch for funding goal (2-1-2012)
The 2012 fund-raising campaign of the United Way of Mifflin-Juniata began last September & ends March 15 with a goal of raising $600,000-$25,000 more than last year–for local nonprofit groups. To date the annual campaign has raised $487,401 or 81% of its goal. United Way Executive Director Marie Mulvihill is cautiously optimistic about meeting the goal as employees of local companies are being asked to donate a portion of their paychecks to the cause, additional mailings are being sent to remind donors to send in their contributions & others are encourage to support the 2nd annual Walk for Warmth on February 11. Donations can be made to the United Way of Mifflin-Juniata by calling 248-9636.

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