NEWS

Driver, passenger injured in truck roll-over crash (5-13-2008)
An Ocala, FL man will be cited in the crash that closed down the on-ramp to US 522 West near the Industrial Park interchange. The truck was hauling large roll of Christmas wrapping paper to Mt. Union from NJ when the load shifted, causing the truck to overturn. The driver, Tomas Baez & a passenger was treated for injuries at Lewistown Hospital. US 522 was closed for 4 hours as 2 tow trucks worked to remove the rig.

Accused murderer will face 1st degree charges (5-13-2008)
Scott Bryner, who is accused of killing his girlfriend, Carlene Rhodes in 2005 will face 1st degree charges after having been denied a request to suppress evidence in the case. Bryner’s defense wanted to have comments made by Bryner during his arrest admitted as evidence, but Judge Rick Williams turned that request down yesterday in Mifflin Co. Court. Judge Williams said everything that pertained to Bryner’s arrest & detainment were “proper”.

Garbage collection method changes in Borough (5-13-2008)
A cost saving move will mean a new procedure for Lewistown Borough garbage customers. Starting July 2nd, the borough will no longer be issuing their own branded bags for garbage. Instead, residents will get sticker tags that should be placed on their own garbage bags. All garbage bags will be accepted that are not red or are no larger than 33 gallons. The same number of sticker tags will be issued as were the borough branded bags & customers should follow the same rules as always.

Death penalty sought on accused Richfield shooter (5-13-2008)
Prosecutors are seeking the death penalty against Travis Graham if he is convicted of 1st-degree murder in the shooting death of Jeffrey Stock. Snyder Co. DA Michael Sholley said he has filed a notice outlining reasons why the commonwealth is justified in seeking the death penalty. Graham has pleased not guilty & is awaiting trial on an open count of criminal homicide. Stock was shot on March 22 while he stood on a porch at his home along Potato Valley Rd. in West Perry Twp. near Richfield.

Hit & Run crash knocks out power in Wayne Twp. (5-13-2008)
State Police will charge 48-y/o Steven Stewart of Huntingdon for a crash that split a utility pole, leaving area Wayne Twp. residents without power. Stewart was traveling south on Old Pike Rd. when, for unknown reasons, he skidded off the road & hit the Verizon utility pole at the intersection with Equine Ln. After the crash a friend assisted Stewart in leaving the scene in the damaged Nissan XE. Police also think alcohol was a factor in the crash.

Rec Park to host the 40th Annual Arts Fest this weekend (5-13-2008)
Sporting over 40 different participants, the annual Arts Festival will make Rec Park come alive with arts & crafts, music, & the smell of exotic food you’ll not find in the Juniata Valley. The festival kicks off Saturday at 10am with music from the IV Area Elementary School Band, which will usher in music throughout the day. Plenty of food, too, from crab cakes to Thai, tacos to hamburgers. Folks who come can watch & learn from craftsmen from York & Gettysburg, local crafter will also showcase their talents, as well as out of state artists. The Festival runs from 10am-3pm Saturday & 11am-2:30pm on Sunday. Get more info at www.mifflinjuniataartsfest.com.

Retaining wall work closes intersection at N. Pine St. (5-13-2008)
Lewistown Borough has started retaining wall repairs this morning which will run for about a week. The work is along Pine Park Dr. near the intersection of N. Pine St. & running for about 50 ft. along Pine Park Dr. Crews will be excavating the area around the retaining wall work from 7am-3pm each day. This will mean Pine Park Dr. will be closed at the N. Pine St. intersection & motorists will need to enter & exit Pine Park Dr. from the lower end of N. Pine St. Single lane traffic may be necessary after 3pm, depending on the extent of the excavation work.

Lottery scams on the rise in the Juniata Valley (5-12-2008)
Regional Police have seen an increase in the number of reports of scams claiming to promise a “winner” lottery loot after first depositing a bank check that was received in the mail. The winner then must then send an amount of money to the fraudulent lottery to claim the total winnings. Police say the checks have been forged, making the winner out as the real loser because now they have become responsible for the money paid to the fraudulent lottery.

Sexual assault charges suspected from a 12-y/o boy (5-12-2008)
Lewistown State Police are investigating a case where 2 juveniles, a 7-y/o boy & a 6-y/o girl, were sexually assaulted by a 12-y/o male juvenile in Milfort Twp., Juniata Co. The incidents was reported to have happened in 1999 at the suspect’s residence. The exact dates in that year are still unknown as police continue their investigation.

Road work to begin today in Mifflintown (5-12-2008)
PennDOT will begin milling work along both east & westbound lanes of US 322 at the Arch Rock Rd. interchange as they prepare for resurfacing & patching work. Bridge deck repairs, drainage improvements, guard rail updates, & pavement marking work will also be done. The operation will then move eastward toward the Thomsontown exit. Lane restrictions will be imposed upon motorists for the course of the operation through mid-October, and all work is weather dependant.

Ames True Temper to shovel out more shovels (5-12-2008)
What has been a curse on our local employment now becomes a blessing. With other manufacturing firms shutting down operations in the area to shift work to other more efficient locations, now we are on the receiving end. Ames True Temper’s Louisville, KY assembly plant will be shutting down, which will positively impact the company’s Lewistown facility. Plans are to add a dozen or more new jobs as the company takes advantage of the facility’s more cost-effective, productive, & better serving plant here.

Punishment at the pump: Gas prices on the rise...again (5-12-2008)
This morning, motorists awoke to see $3.75 at many convenience stores around our area. At 8am, some stations were still charging a price of $3.69, but when prices at Sheetz go up, other stations tend to follow. Gas prices are nearing a critical point for consumers, according to research by Kelley Blue Book. Its survey released last month found that 62% of new-car buyers are shopping for cars they would not have considered if gas weren’t at historically high levels. Oregon-based marketing research firm CNW found that consumers take a dramatic turn somewhere between $2.75 & $3.75 per gallon of gas.

"Buckle Up PA Day" proclaimed by Governor Rendell. (5-12-2008)
All vehicle occupants are encouraged to buckle up during their roadway travels. Local & state authorities will join 47-other states in the national "Click It or Ticket" initiative that begins today & runs until June 1st. In a press release, PennDOT stated that PA had the fewest unbelted fatalities in the past 25 years, nevertheless, over 530 people lost their lives last year because they were not properly restrained. PA’s seatbelt law states that unbelted drivers who are stopped & cited for a traffic violation can get a 2nd citation for not wearing a seatbelt.

Two morning crashes scramble rescue/emergency crews (5-12-2008)
Traffic is being diverted around a late morning upset where a box truck flipped over as it was entering the Northern Bypass/US 522 from the Industrial Park interchange. There was no hazardous materials found & crews are diverting traffic around the scene. Earlier in the morning, 2 cars crashed at the Freedom Ave/Logan Blvd. intersection where 2 individuals received some minor injuries.

Convicted child molester sentenced up to 25 years (5-9-2008)
Charles Swartz, Sr., who was convicted of multiple sex charges in Juniata Co. & who is currently serving a 7½-15 yr. sentence, received an additional 5-10 years for his sexual assault conviction in Mifflin Co. Yesterday in Lewistown, the Thompsontown man was told by the judge in Common Pleas Court that the additional years would be served consecutively alongside his current sentence. Court documents show that in committing the sex acts, Swartz had routine contact with victim & used a video camera as well as suppling alcohol & marijuana to the youth.

Local MH/MR program feels over-regulated by state (5-9-2008)
Patricia Serra, the administrator for the Juniata Valley Tri-Co. Mental Health/Mental Retardation Program, expressed her frustration to the Mifflin Co. Commissioners last night. She’s frustrated that each year, the program gets more regulated by the state to the point that she feels as if the state wants the program to fail. She said other administrators feel the same way. This, combined with rising costs for medications, prevents the program from being effective.

Local law enforcement observe National Police Week (5-9-2008)
Mifflin Co. Regional Police pauses today to pay tribute to local officers who have given their lives in 2007 in the line of duty. A memorial ceremony will be held today at 11am at the Bethel AME Church HOPE Center to commemorate those who have given the ultimate sacrifice. Just as police week is being observed, 2 memorial gardens were finished by a local Scout. Spencer Miller worked to complete the memorial at the Regional Police baracks as part of his Eagle Scout project.

A jack-knifed tractor-trailer shuts down Seven Mtns. (5-8-2008)
Regional Police were on the scene just before midnight last night as the jack-knifed semi from MCT Transportation had crushed through about 20 ft. of the center concrete barrier along US 322 in Seven Mountains. It all started when the rig missed a gear while climbing the grade & began drifting backwards. The semi jack-knifed through the barrier, coming to rest on top it. The driver, Vernon Vrooman of Sioux Falls, SD, was not injured but east & westbound lanes were shut down for 2½ hours while the crash scene was cleared.

Brown Elementary Students updates local history presentation (5-8-2008)
Fourth grade local history will get a facelift thanks to the students this year who are working with a grant from Best Buy to replace the slide show that has been the staple for Mifflin Co. history for years. The students are getting some help from the Lewistown High School’s Media Club & local author/educator, Forest Fisher, is directing the endeavor. Students were at Monument Square & the McCoy House yesterday filming for the project & tomorrow the students will then portray local historic figures before working on editing their project next week. The production is scheduled to be complete by the end of the school year.

PennDOT to begin line painting along roadways (5-8-2008)
Crews will be out in the next few weeks in their paint trucks throughout District 2, which includes Mifflin & Juniata Counties. Emphasis will be placed on painting high volume roadways first such as expressways, freewasy, & the interstate. Lower priority roads will be painted later this summer. Motorists should stay 8-10 car lengths from the painting operation to avoid running over wet paint. Paint trucks should never be passed by motorists unless instructed to do so by a PennDOT crew member, a police officer, or when the trucks pull over when conditions are safe to do so.

Pay-per-view, web movies affecting local rental stores (5-8-2008)
Blockbuster Video is closing 1 of its State College stores in a consolidation move. Another State College video store, Mike’s Movies, lost its lease & will be closing its store at the end of the month. The movie rental market is facing added pressures with increased gas prices & added competition from sources such as mail movie services & pay-per-view. Already closed is the Movie Gallery in Lewistown's Wal-Mart Plaza, which also abruptly closed its State College "sister store", Hollywood Video, last Friday. Signs taped to the front window read, “We’re closed forever” & hand-drawn “sad” face with a number listed to call the corporate office. The manager for Blockbuster’s in the Greater Lewistown Shopping Plaza said that it will still be “business as usual”.

Vehicles stolen in Perry Co., 1 found in Snyder Co. (5-8-2008)
Over the weekend Newport State Police reported that 2 vehicles were reported taken without authorization in Perry Co. The 1st was a white 2001 Chevrolet Cavalier with PA registration that was taken from a parking lot at US 11/15 in Liverpool. It was recovered in Snyder Co. after being involved in a hit & run accident. In the 2nd incident, an automobile owned by an Ickesburg man was taken from E. Main St. in Blain Borough. Police ask anyone with information about the incidents to call 567-3110.

Downtown business asked to participate at a state capitol expo (5-8-2008)
One of downtown Lewistown’s newest businesses, B.R. Beans, will travel to Harrisburg next Tuesday to display its wares & to demonstrate the making & distribute its signature gourmet fudge. PSU’s Small Business Development Center coordinates the expo at the capitol building, which is now in its 14th year. B.R. Beans established its business in a former run-down building in Dorcas St. & has transformed it into a showcase enterprise as part of the revitalization project of Downtown Lewistown, Inc.

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