Powerball jackpot: What would you buy?

Reblogged from Suquehanna Reporting:

The Powerball jackpot is up to $500 million for tonight's drawing.

No matter whether you buy a ticket or not, everybody that hears that just stops and wonders: what would I do with that kind of money?

Here at the Daily Item, there's an office pool and we're dreaming big!

Here's my list:

• Pay off my student loans, plus my older sister's and my boyfriend's.

Read more… 109 more words

The Powerball is up to more than $550 million again! It's all people can talk about at the Daily Item! So what would you buy if you hit it big? Here's a reminder of what I would buy, from the last time the jackpot was through the ceiling:

Facebook reaction to treehouse story

One of the stories that has really captured the public’s attention this week is the story of a little girl her treehouse in Selinsgrove.

Here’s a synopsis:

John “J.C.” Carlson was preparing to finish building a tree house for his daughter, Samantha, last Saturday when he received a notice from the borough zoning office informing him the structure is illegal.

He began building the eight-foot, by six-foot wood structure on a tree stump in the front yard of his 701 W. Spruce St. home a few weeks ago for his daughter’s 11th birthday.

Carlson didn’t give zoning regulations a second thought when he began construction.

“A tree house is a tree house,” he said. “What possible harm can it do to build one for an 11-year-old.”

Carlson’s tree house violates the zoning ordinance because it is located on his front lawn on a lot that doesn’t accommodate its large size, said deputy zoning officer Janet Powers.

When that story hit social media, it really took off, with people overwhelmingly on the side of the family wanting to build the treehouse.

It appears the borough is going to be receiving some phone calls and letters now that this story has gotten out.

I understand both sides of the issue: You have to enforce laws uniformly, no matter what a person’s intentions are. You can’t make exceptions for one person then refuse to help another.

But it’s really hard to stand up against a little girl and her treehouse. It’s going to be unpopular, no matter what she wants – which is, after all, only a treehouse.

What do you think about this situation? Which side are you on?

Riding the StratosFear at Knoebels

Sunday, as part of my family’s Mother’s Day festivities at Knoebels in Elysburg, my younger sister, brother-in-law and I took our first ride on the new StratosFear drop tower.

Wow.

I was surprised at how fast we went and how high it was. I literally thought as we were falling – “OMG I HOPE THEY STOP THIS THING!!!”

And they did. But it didn’t feel like they could, which, after all, is the point of the thrill ride.

Here’s my journey through the StratosFear. I secured my phone inside my jacket for the ride up and stowed it for the crash downward – see the note below.

[Disclaimer: Please don't be reckless with your smartphone or electronics while on the ride. Please secure your belongings. Seriously, it's really fast and you will lose things]

OK, so here’s the ascent. And from your vantage point, you have no idea when you reach the top. It’s like a fun, yet terrifying mystery:

Soaking wet on the job.

Yesterday I spent plenty of time outdoors.

Oh, and it rained 3 inches yesterday, mostly in the morning.

Me and 240 kids were outside for Envirothon. We were in the rain until the event was canceled.

Here’s us:

How well do you know your neighbors?

This morning, the entire country is buzzing with the news that three women, missing for more than 10 years were found alive inside a Cleveland house.

As pictures of the house came out – it looks like a typical urban neighborhood, with houses lining the street, neighbors walking around, etc.

The man arrested for the crime was well-known in the neighborhood, according to Charles Ramsey, who rescued the women:

“Yeah, we all knew him!”

Here’s that interview:

So that got us thinking: how well do you know your neighbors?

I’ve lived in several different places in recent years, and honestly, there were times I wouldn’t know my neighbors if they walked down the street past me.

Is that a problem? Should we know our neighbors better?

One Daily Item newser says of his/her neighbors:

I am 75 percent sure that no one is doing anything illegal. True monsters are people and you just don’t know where they live.

Very true.

What do you think? How well do you know your neighbors?

Heading to Prom 2013

This weekend a ton of Valley schools headed out to the biggest dance of the year – the prom.

My younger sister attended the Danville High School prom, and I was front and center to check out all the beautiful dresses and matching ties.

Sparkles were big – and that was just fine with me, as a lover of all things big and glittery.

But honestly, I was glad to leave after the promenade. High school was a long time ago, but I remember the awkwardness and would rather stay where I am, diploma in hand.

Here’s some photos of prom attendees – all of whom I’m biased toward, but think were some of the best dressed out there:

[Note: It's fairly easy to discern my sister, she's the one who looks just like me]

 

Facebook reaction to gun story

Yesterday, I talked about a tragic case involving two young children in Kentucky.

The case has created a lot of reaction from across the board, including on The Daily Item’s Facebook page. Here’s a taste of that:

The consensus seems to be that poor parental supervision may be to blame in this situation – although I would say it can be so easy to overlook something that other people think is obvious if you’re busy and frazzled, such as when trying to take care of a house and at least two young children.

And only about 5 posts blaming “the media” – that’s a win in my book.

Anyway, you can read more at dailyitem.com, but the company that made the gun isn’t commenting until a full investigation is complete.

What’s your take on situation? Do we need stricter gun laws or was this just a tragic accident?

Child’s accidental shooting puts Milton business in hot seat

In a tragic case that came out Wednesday, a young girl’s death in Kentucky is putting a local business in the hot seat.

Here’s a bit from the Associated Press:

BURKESVILLE, Ky. — In southern Kentucky, where children get their first guns even before they start first grade, Stephanie Sparks paid little attention as her 5-year-old son, Kristian, played with the rifle he was given last year. Then, as she stepped onto the front porch while cleaning the kitchen, “she heard the gun go off,” a coroner said.

In a horrific accident Tuesday that shocked a rural area far removed from the national debate over gun control, the boy had killed his 2-year-old sister, Caroline, with a single shot to the chest with a children’s rifle made by a company in Milton, Pa.

The rifle was manufactured by Keystone Sporting Arms, which sells guns specifically for children — “My first rifle” is the slogan — in colors ranging from plain brown to hot pink to orange to royal blue to multi-color swirls.

Keystone Sporting Arms has a “Kids Corner” on its website with pictures of young boys and girls at shooting ranges and on bird and deer hunts. It says the company produced 60,000 Crickett and Chipmunk rifles for kids in 2008. The smaller rifles are sold with a mount to use at a shooting range.

Keystone also makes guns for adults, but most of its products are geared toward children, including books and bright orange vests and hats.

“The goal of KSA is to instill gun safety in the minds of youth shooters and encourage them to gain the knowledge and respect that hunting and shooting activities require and deserve,” the website said.

The incident has put Keystone in the national spotlight – here’s some links to national coverage of the accident. We’ll have some local coverage on dailyitem.com coming up:

• Guns for Kids Marketing Debate Ignited by Latest Child Death
• New York Daily New Coverage including pictures of rifles
• Rifle used by Ky. boy in sister’s death made for kids

What should all this mean for the gun control debate? Is this just a freak accident or is it time for a drastic change?

Images from riding with a motorcycle ride

I’ve covered several motorcycle rides before – but I’ve never ridden with one.

That could be a number of things: A) I don’t ride motorcycles and B) People can’t answer questions when they’re riding.

But Saturday, before heading to Knoebels, I was inadvertently in the middle of the action when my fiance and I ended up driving behind the American Legion Ride for Ashley, which was held to benefit a young woman in Sunbury with Ehlers–Danlos syndrome, “part of a group of inherited connective tissue disorders, caused by a defect in the synthesis of collagen,” Wikipedia says.

Ashley Gay is looking to raise $70,000 for needed surgery and the Post 201 Riders – known for their charity rides – were happy to help Saturday.

It was a great cause, and I was happy to see the great turnout. Here’s my view of the ride:

Milton art show displays some great student work

The Milton district-wide art show begins tomorrow and the Daily Item got a sneak peek today at the set-up.

There’s tons of different art pieces and mediums represented at the show, which features work from kindergarteners all the way up to some very talented high school students. Some of this art is so good, I would pay for it if it was sold in stores.

The show is free and open to the public. Read more at dailyitem.com.

Here’s some of my top picks:

Masks made by 8th graders. I don’t think I could make something that good and I’m twice their age.