On Friday, agents from the Attorney General’s office served a search warrant at 333 Osborn Road,in Salem Township.The warrant was aimed at verifying the identity of John Kern’s,  Kerns’ mother, Sandy Kern’s, was allowed to review web-cam video of the man agents believed used a computer in the home. While she was relieved to find out the person police were looking for was not her Husband, also John Kern’s, She was startled to find out her son would pull his pants down, and masturbate online and then send it to another person. She identified him as her son, and  was stunned he was actively seeking sexual contact with what he thought was a minor. His contact was with what he thought was a 13 year old girl, who was an agent of the task force in the Attorneys General Office.

Family members hung up crying when we tried to contact the for a comment directly.

Further investigation of this paper turns up previous web postings of an extensive porn collection uploaded to www.xtremesharing.com, which later switched formats, but  where then using user submitted video.  He is currently a member of the Meadville Based Porn Site hosted and Operated by Meadville Online Services, located between Sheakleyville and Meadville, and who formally operated-in the Valley as Shenango Valley Online.  Workers at SVOL and MDVL had no comment, he continued to use a screen name while on the Internet that reflected his use of the site.

Kerns is currently undergoing psychological evaluation at the request of his employer, prior to his arrest,  the Reynolds Water Authority,  after refusing to help workers bury illegal sludge rather than transport it to a proper dump site. He refused to do the work, and was advised to leave the plant about a month ago, and told Allen Media of the crimes by the Water Authority, but we were unable to find a second source to verify the claim, however, his continued employment was contingent upon his seeking help, before returning to work. Sources told us that he felt he was the center of a conspiricy to gethim fired, and that workers at the plant were cruel and mean to him, after he refused to break the law with them, according to statements made by him, and others to Allen Media.

Kerns claims the plant took toxic waste, in the form of human waste from the bottom of the processing tanks and buried it on the property with out permits, and in violation of the law.

This during the same time period the investigation was underway against Kerns for his internet activity.

Agents interviewed Kern’s at a picnic table outside the business. Kern’s said he uses the screen names “mercer_county_male” and “xtremesharing” and wasn’t aware of anyone else using his account, while attempting to say he was not involved, until agents produced the video.

Agents showed Kerns photos and videos sent to the undercover agents. Kern’s said they were his and he was the man pictured. The video was of naked genitalia, and of him masturbating according to a police source.

He was charged Friday with criminal use of a computer and two counts of unlawful contact with a minor.

He was arraigned Friday by District Judge Lorinda L. Hinch, Mercer, and taken to Mercer County Jail after failing to post $25,000 bond. His preliminary hearing is set for 1:30 p.m. Aug. 20.

Close family friends say he is on suicide watch at this time, and is very distraught, and remorseful.

The press releases also identified three other individuals not from this area caught in recent stings, who were deemed predators.

Kern’s Wrote to one of the children, who was an agent, “I Want To Get You Pregnant.”

American Electric Power wants to raise rates for its 1.5 million Ohio customers by 45% over the next three years.The utility says the proposed increases of 15% per year are necessary because of the surging price of coal and the cost of modernizing its systems to keep them reliable.

Columbus-based AEP says coal prices have doubled in the past year.

Executives with the company acknowledge that the rate hikes will be hard on customers already facing soaring gasoline and food prices. But AEP say even with the increases, its electric rates will still be among the lowest in the state.

The company’s plan must be approved by state regulators.

The state House Democratic caucus has paid lawyers and consultants more than $1.4 million for help in responding to an investigation into whether government money and resources were illegally used for political campaigns.The figure includes $618,000 in public funds the caucus paid to lawyers who represented more than 135 caucus employees and a small number of Democratic state representatives.

The caucus also has paid about $800,000 to Chadwick Associates Inc., a Washington business that is helping it respond to the attorney general’s investigation.

Earlier this month, 12 people associated with the House Democratic caucus were charged with theft, conflict of interest and conspiracy.

If you can sing like a lark, or think you know someone else who can, today just might be the lucky day to join the hundreds of others who are expected to be at the Eastwood Mall in Niles.

Their reason for being there, besides great shopping…the hope of becoming the next American Idol!

Open auditions are being held this afternoon at Eastwood Mall, and the possibility of actually becoming the next big winner is sure to draw a huge crowd, between those wishing to audition and those who just want the chance to be among the crowd of spectators.

The winner of today’s auditions gets a guaranteed try-out in front of Idol producers in New Jersey next month, though it’s not promised just which producers may be present.

Contestants who want to audition must be between the ages of 16 and 28, and have a photo I. D.  And, of course, it won’t hurt to actually be able to “sing like a lark”!

Rite Aid Corporation (NYSE:RAD - News) today announced sales results for July.

For the four weeks ended July 26, 2008, same store sales increased 1.2 percent over the prior-year period. Front-end same store sales were up 2.1 percent. Pharmacy same store sales increased 0.7 percent, which included an approximately 252 basis point negative impact from new generic introductions.

For the four weeks ended July 26, 2008, same stores sales excluding the acquired Brooks Eckerd stores increased 3.8 percent over the prior-year period with front-end same store sales increasing 4.3 percent and pharmacy same store sales growing 3.5 percent.

For the four weeks ended July 26, 2008, same store sales at the acquired Brooks Eckerd stores decreased 3.8 percent over the prior-year period. Front-end same store sales decreased 3.8 percent while pharmacy same store sales declined 3.8 percent. This compares to a 6.2 percent decline in same store sales for the acquired Brooks Eckerd stores in June.

“We’re pleased with our overall sales results, especially in this challenging retail environment,” said Mary Sammons, Rite Aid chairman, president and CEO. “We had solid sales increases in the core Rite Aid stores, and sales trends in the former Brooks Eckerd stores continue to improve as we move closer to completing the integration over the next two months. We continue to expect same store sales in the acquired stores to turn positive in our third quarter.”

Total drugstore sales for the four-week period decreased 0.9 percent to $1.975 billion compared to $1.993 billion for the same period last year. Prescription revenue accounted for 66.8 percent of drugstore sales, and third party prescription revenue represented 96.3 percent of pharmacy sales.

Year-to-Date Sales

Same store sales for the twenty-one week period ended July 26, 2008 increased 0.9 percent, consisting of a 1.3 percent front-end same store sales increase and a 0.7 percent increase in pharmacy same store sales. Year-to-date same store sales include eight weeks of the acquired Brooks Eckerd stores.

Total drugstore sales for the twenty-one weeks ended July 26, 2008 increased 24.5 percent to $10.585 billion from $8.504 billion in last year’s like period. Prescription revenue accounted for 67.2 percent of total drugstore sales, and third-party prescription revenue was 96.3 percent of pharmacy sales.

Rite Aid Corporation is one of the nation’s leading drugstore chains, operating 4,961 stores on July 26, 2008 in 31 states and the District of Columbia. Information about Rite Aid, including corporate background and press releases, is available through the company’s website at http://www.riteaid.com.

Record gas prices are prompting drivers to steer clear of some toll roads, bridges and tunnels, causing declines in the revenue that’s used for repairs and maintenance.

Transportation facilities in 34 states collect about $8 billion in tolls a year, according to the International Bridge, Tunnel and Turnpike Association.

Those facilities are feeling the effects of high gas prices and a switch to carpooling and mass transit: Americans drove 9.6 billion fewer miles in May 2008 than in May 2007, the Federal Highway Administration says.

Here is a samplig of the numbers;

• Revenue is off 3.5% or $17.6 million for the period from July 2007 to March 2008 on Florida’s 600 miles of toll roads and bridges, says Christa Deason of Florida’s Turnpike Enterprise.

“It has the possibility to affect our upcoming work program,” which totals $1 billion, Deason says.

• Traffic on the Mackinac Bridge, which connects Michigan’s upper and lower peninsulas, was down 11.2% in June compared with a year ago but revenue is up 6.8% for the year because of toll hikes, says Bob Sweeney of the Mackinac Bridge Authority.

Still, the authority is considering ways to extend the life of the bridge deck so a $200 million deck replacement project can be delayed.

• The Maine Turnpike saw a 4% drop in traffic in June.

• Traffic on the Indiana Toll Road was down about 5% in the first quarter of the year, spokesman Matt Pierce says.

• Traffic is down slightly on the New Jersey Turnpike and Garden State Parkway, says Kris Kolluri, Turnpike Authority chairman and transportation commissioner. Tolls on the New Jersey Turnpike declined 4.8% in June compared to a year earlier and the parkway’s drop was 4.3%.

Mass-transit ridership is up 4-5% and traffic is steady on the Atlantic City Expressway, which suggests that the gambling mecca is a vacation destination for residents who decided to stay closer to home, Kolluri says.

• Traffic is down less than 1% on the Illinois Tollway, probably.

Here in Pennsylvania, the numbers show were off as much as 11% so far this year, and the gap is growing wider, Pennsylvania however is seeking to Toll I-80 under a federal program to increase funds, and is planning to lease it’s turn pike and use the funds from the sale to generate interest revenue that will pay for road repair and mass transit while the lease is in effect. 

Legislators in Pennsylvania hav moixed opinions on the plan lead by Demopcratic Gov. Ed Rendell.

U.S. gay and lesbian couples from outside Massachusetts are now free to marry in the state.

Gov. Deval Patrick signed a bill Thursday repealing a 1913 law that barred couples from marrying in Massachusetts if their union would not be valid in their own states.

Gay couples will be able to marry immediately if a court waives the state’s standard three-day waiting period for them.

Patrick supported repeal of the law, which he said had its roots in racism. It was first passed 95 years ago as states tried to prevent interracial marriages.

Opponents said repealing the law would make Massachusetts the “Las Vegas of gay marriage.”

A small plane flying from New Jersey to Minnesota crashed in poor weather Thursday, killing at least seven people.

FAA spokeswoman Elizabeth Isham Cory said the plane went down at or near Degner Regional Airport, about 60 miles south of the Twin Cities. A line of storm thunderstorms was moving across southern Minnesota at the time.

Cory said authorities believe the aircraft was en route from Atlantic City, but cautioned that the information was preliminary.

The flight-tracking website FlightAware.com showed a Raytheon Hawker 800 was due to arrive in Owatonna from Atlantic City at 9:42 a.m. Thursday. The plane was scheduled to leave an hour later for Crossville, Tenn.

The plane was operated by a charter firm called East Coast Jets Inc. A person who answered the phone at the company declined to comment.

A pair of Queen Victoria’s 50-inch waist bloomers were snapped up for $9,000 by a Canadian buyer at a central England auction Wednesday.

Auctioneer Charles Hanson said Queen Victoria’s underpants belonged to “a very big lady of quite small stature with a very wide girth.” She was said to be 5 feet tall.

The handmade knickers — which date back to the 1890s — bear the monogram “VR” for Victoria Regina. They are open-crotch style, with separate legs joined by a drawstring at the waist, a popular style in the late Victorian era.

The royal drawers belonged to a family in western England whose ancestor was a lady-in-waiting for the queen, Also up for auction was Queen Victoria’s chemise, with a 66-inch bust, sold for $8,000. Her nightgown sold for $11,000.

Before the auction, Hanson valued the underwear at $1,000, while the chemise and nightgown were valued at $600 each.

Queen Victoria lived from 1819 to 1901. She became queen at age 18 and was the U.K.’s longest-reigning monarch.

Her reign is noted for both imperial expansion and the decreasing political power of the monarch.

A 44-pound cat found lumbering around New Jersey was abandoned by a woman who said her home was foreclosed, an animal shelter official said Thursday.

The porky white cat found Saturday became a local media sensation and was dubbed “Princess Chunk”. But the animal is really a male whose name is Powder.

Jennifer Anderch, director of the Camden County Animal Shelter, said Thursday that the cat’s owner came forward to describe the animal’s background.

Anderch said she’s received hundreds of calls from people seeking to adopt Powder.

The cat appeared Thursday on “Live With Regis and Kelly.” A veterinarian on the show examined it and determine he was indeed a male.