Today's News-Saturday, July 3, 2010

A man charged with killing his wife and dumping her body in a creek was sentenced Friday in Northumberland County. Steven Wolfgang received 20 to 40 years in prison after pleading no contest to third-degree murder and abuse of a corpse. That means Wolfgang neither denies nor admits to the charges. Wolfgang entered the same plea last year but withdrew it right before sentencing. Investigators said Wolfgang killed his wife, Sherry, in 2007 then dumped her body in Mahoning Creek near Helfenstien in Schuylkill County.

A report released Friday by the University of New Mexico Office of the Medical Investigator concludes that John Anczarski died from multiple blunt force injuries sustained while bicycling cross country to raise funds for breast cancer research. Findings released by Dr. Clare H. Cunliffe state that Anczarski's left lung partially collapsed and hemorrhaging occurred in and around his brain and spinal cord as a result of injuries suffered when he was struck by a vehicle June 21 in New Mexico. He also suffered several cuts, scrapes and bruises. His manner of death was listed as accidental.

Gov. Rendell has signed legislation into law that’s intended to address a chronic shortage of nurses and other health care providers in Pennsylvania. Howard Ondick has this report.

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State police at Frackville are investigating a criminal mischief incident that occurred at 216 Railroad Ave. in New Ringgold about 3:45 a.m. Friday. Troopers said Evelyn Geiger saw two white men removing pieces of her cement wall and throwing them onto the roadway. Troopers said arrests are pending in the case and ask that anyone with information contact them at 874-5300.

Frackville Borough police are investigating the theft of a handicap parking sign on June 27. Police said a resident reported the sign taken from in front of 27 S. Second St. Anyone with information is asked to call police through the Schuylkill County Communications Center by calling 462-1991.

A tractor-trailer struck a guiderail and concrete wall along a bridge on Interstate 81 early Thursday in Ryan Township. State police at Frackville said Jeremy Stum, 31, of York Haven, was driving a 2003 International north about 3 a.m. near mile marker 126.2 when he drifted off the roadway, causing the vehicle to strike the bridge before coming to rest in a ditch. Stum will be cited for driving on roadways not laned for traffic.

There’s good news for senior citizens and others who missed the June 30th deadline for applying for a property tax or rent rebate. Howard Ondick explains.

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HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) - State lawmakers are expected to begin voting this morning on the final bills needed to finish the state budget package. Lawmakers resolved a late-developing dispute yesterday over whether to set up a new office to analyze state revenue and spending.

HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) - Final legislative action appears likely today on a bill creating a new cabinet-level agency to deal with drug and alcohol addiction. Supporters say the Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs will improve the state's ability to pursue federal grants and coordinate with other agencies.

ROHRERSTOWN, Pa. (AP) - Police in Lancaster County say a house that caught fire and killed the couple inside was being used as a marijuana-growing operation. East Hempfield police say numerous pot plants and grow lights were found in the basement. Investigators haven't determined whether the lights sparked the blaze.

LANCASTER, Pa. (AP) - Lancaster Mayor Rick Gray has been injured in a motorcycle crash in New Jersey, but officials say he is expected to make a full recovery. The accident happened yesterday as Gray was heading to his home at the Jersey shore. A truck driver was cited for careless driving and failure to obey a stop sign.

STATE COLLEGE, Pa. (AP) - Two off-duty deputy coroners in Centre County showed they're pretty good with living people too. Judy Pleskonko and Debra Smeal were having dinner at a steakhouse Wednesday when a teenager near them started choking. They used the Heimlich maneuver and kept him calm until an ambulance arrived.

WASHINGTON (AP) - Defense Secretary Robert Gates is tightening up on media interviews with top military officials. The new rules say officials now must to tell the Pentagon's public affairs branch before giving interviews. The move follows an embarrassing episode that led to the removal last week of the commanding general in Afghanistan.

TAMPA, Fla. (AP) - A man suspected of killing two Tampa police officers makes his first court appearance today with charges in a third slaying hanging over him. Dontae Morris turned himself in yesterday evening. In addition to murder charges in the deaths of the officers, police say Morris has also been charged in the May shooting death of a man outside his Tampa apartment.

LOS ANGELES (AP) - Jury deliberations will continue Tuesday in Los Angeles in the trial of a white former transit officer who shot and killed an unarmed black man in Oakland. The trial was moved to Los Angeles because of racial tensions. The officer said he thought he drew his Taser when he had actually drawn his gun.

BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) - Louisiana says BP PLC needs more claims adjusters to handle the load from the Gulf oil spill A statement says a consultant hired by the state reports the number of checks spiked less than a week after Louisiana pressed BP to speed up claims, and the average dollar amount peaked when BP gave the state data for large loss claims. It's gone down since. The consultant found that the number of claims rose 170 percent in June while the number of adjusters rose 87 percent.

BETHESDA, Md. (AP) - The Consumer Product Safety Commission says kicking back at poolside this holiday weekend still requires a little common sense about safety. The CPSC's Kathleen Reilly says people always need to keep an eye on the kids at pools and not get distracted by cell phone calls or reading a book. She says over 70
kids under 15 have drowned in pools since Memorial Day.