State briefs
Man robbed CHARLEROI, Pa. (AP) – A man was robbed at gunpoint when he stopped along a road to help what he thought was a stranded motorist, police said.
Chad Coyle, 32, of Scenery Hill, Washington County was robbed of $83 Sunday in Fallowfield Township, state police said.
Police said Coyle stopped to offer help and a man approached his vehicle, pulled out a handgun and demanded money. There were two women and a child in the man’s older-model blue and gray Chevrolet customized van, police said.
Revenue increased
PITTSBURGH (AP) – Sales of alcohol at liquor stores open on Sunday generated more than $9.6 million for the state in the first six months they’ve been allowed, according to the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board.
“I think it’s an idea that’s here to stay,” said Ray Burchill, manager of a suburban Pittsburgh store. “It’s certainly providing a convenience for the customer, and the feedback has been positive.”
Board Chairman Jonathan Newman said having stores open on Sundays does not seem to be hurting weekday sales. About 60 stores, or 10 percent of the state’s liquor stores, are open on Sundays.
In the first two months of the state’s fiscal year, store revenues grew nearly 11 percent to $171.2 million compared to the same period a year ago, Newman said. Sunday sales, competitive pricing and the opening of four discount outlet stores close to border states helped the increase, he said.
Suspect arrested
STATE COLLEGE, Pa. (AP) – A man was arrested on assault charges in connection with a fight that left a Penn State student hospitalized with a concussion.
Jason S. Rodriguez, 20, of Hazleton, was identified as a participant in the assault by witnesses who were questioned by police. Rodriguez denied taking part in the fight but acknowledged being present for it.
Rodriguez allegedly punched Jeffrey Hughey, and several other men are accused of kicking him in the head.
Brian Stumpf said in an affidavit that he and Hughey were confronted by Rodriguez and another man while walking. He said Rodriguez told them he was calling his “cousins and boys,” and then three or four men later came out of an apartment building to fight.
Stumpf said Hughey was bleeding from the head and not moving when police arrived around 1 a.m. Monday. Hughey was being treated at a hospital for a laceration to his lip and head.
Law change sought
YORK, Pa. (AP) – A woman is pushing for the creation of state and federal laws that would require immediate family members to be notified of a loved one’s death and given the right to see the body and attend the funeral.
Melody Baum, of Springettsbury Township, said she did not learn that her father died in July 1999 until the day after his burial. Her stepmother, she said, had failed to notify her and her siblings. After consulting with lawyers, Baum learned that her stepmother had the “right of disposition” and was not legally bound to share the news.
“Like so many people, I never knew something like this could take place,” Baum said. “I never realized there were no laws to protect families from this until it was too late.”
Baum and a friend met recently with state Sen. Michael Waugh to discuss possible legislation. They have also requested a meeting with U.S. Rep. Todd Platts.
Computers fail
LANCASTER, Pa. (AP) – The Recorder of Deeds office in Lancaster County suffered a computer failure two weeks ago that required documents to be recorded by hand and delayed record keeping.
Officials said the county courthouse office is nearly done with rebuilding its computer system. The office processes and records mortgages, property liens, deeds and other documents.
“We got it limping along last week and we spent last week rebuilding the server with new hard drives and reformatting,” said Steve McDonald, the county’s elected recorder of deeds.
Even so, the filing of deeds and mortgages is about two weeks behind, McDonald said. Documents showing mortgage payments are about two months behind schedule.
Man shoots wife, self
BUSHKILL, Pa. (AP) – A man killed himself after shooting and critically injuring his estranged wife, state police said.
Russell J. Carter, 45, of Dingmans Ferry, fired several shots at Margaret M. Carter inside her Lehman Township home Monday afternoon before turning his pistol on himself, police said. The couple had reportedly been arguing before the shooting.
Margaret Carter, 49, who was struck in the midsection, was listed in critical condition Monday evening at Lehigh Valley Medical Center near Allentown.
Police did not know whether the Carters were divorced.
Woman to go free
ALLENTOWN, Pa. (AP) – A woman charged with hiding a crack pipe inside a stuffed animal bunny was to be released after serving three months in prison.
Norma Jean Kitchens, 34, of Easton, pleaded guilty to possession of drug paraphernalia and was set to be released on Friday, a prison spokesman said. Northampton County Judge Edward G. Smith had ordered Kitchens to serve three to 12 months in county jail after her arrest in May.
Police said they found a glass crack pipe hidden in the back of the bunny after searching her possessions. She was questioned because she was spotted in the parking lot of a Days Inn with a man who was accused by witnesses of breaking into vehicles, police said.
Bear hauled away
NAZARETH, Pa. (AP) – A black bear romped around town and spent several hours in the backyard of a private house before being tranquilized and placed inside a containment tank.
Police, fire police and two game wardens arrived at the Nazareth home of Steve and Janice Bajan on Sunday evening to get the bear down from a tree that it had partially climbed. Their efforts worked; the bear, which weighed between 280 and 300 pounds, was lowered with a rope into a state Game Commission tank around 2 a.m. Monday.
“My kids always wanted a dog, so instead I got them a bear,” Steve Bajan said jokingly.
Nazareth police officer Eric Swanson said he was told about the bear by two boys who flagged him down. The bear ran to a museum, but officers later cornered it in the Bajans’ backyard and coerced it to run up a tree by clapping and making noise.
The bear’s ear was tagged, Swanson said, indicating that the animal had likely been tracked.