The retailers says the move will free up space for more popular items like home furnishings and bedroom sets.

Boscov’s plans to stop selling electronics and major appliances by year's end, freeing space for what the retailer says are more profitable items like home furnishings and bedroom sets.

Cars fill the Boscov's parking lot at Palmer Park Mall during a prior year's Black Friday sale. The retailer says it will stop selling electronics and major appliances, shifting space toward things home furnishings and bedroom sets. Express-Times File Photo

'The train honked its horn, but the 18-wheeler could not go anywhere because of the other one (truck) being right in front of it,' witness Daniel Quinonez says.

Four military veterans died and 16 other people were injured Thursday when a parade float was struck by a train in Midland, Texas. AP Photo | JAMES DURBIN, The Reporter-Telegram

Four veterans were killed and 16 other people were injured when a train slammed into a parade float carrying the returning heroes to a banquet to honor them in Midland, Texas, officials said today.

The float took the full force of the train Thursday afternoon at a railroad crossing. Some people managed to jump clear as the train, with its horn blasting, bore down on the float decorated with American flags. Horrified spectators at the parade could only watch as the carnage unfolded.

"The train honked its horn, but the 18-wheeler could not go anywhere because of the other one (truck) being right in front of it," said Daniel Quinonez, who was waiting in his vehicle as the parade went by. "It was a horrible accident to watch happen right in front of me. I just saw the people on the semi-truck's trailer panic, and many started to jump off the trailer. But it was too late for many of them."

Sudip Bose, a front-line physician in Iraq who had been volunteering at the parade, said today the immediate aftermath of the collision reminded him of the war.

"It was a scene of total chaos," said Bose, of Odessa, about 20 miles to the northeast.

He described how veterans were already tending to the wounded with limited medical supplies when he reached the crash site.

"Instincts kicked in. They were applying tourniquets, holding pressure to the wounds." Bose said.

Early today, Midland police spokesman Ryan Stout said 37-year-old Sgt. Maj. Gary Stouffer and 47-year-old Sgt. Maj. Lawrence Boivin were pronounced dead at the scene. Army Sgt. Joshua Michael, 34, and Sgt. Maj. William Lubbers, 43, died later at Midland Memorial Hospital.

Of the 16 others hurt in the crash, four are stable and one is in critical condition. Ten others were treated and released from the hospital in Midland, about 320 miles west of Dallas.

The float was one of two flatbed tractor-trailers carrying veterans and their spouses. Police said the first truck safely crossed the tracks but that the second truck's trailer was still on the crossing as the train approached.

Patricia Howle was waiting in her car at a nearby traffic light as the train approached.

"I just started screaming," she said. "The truck was on the other side of the train, but I did see the panic on the faces of the people and saw some of them jump off."

Deborah Hersman, NTSB chairwoman, said today on NBC's "Today" show that the train was equipped with a forward-facing camera, the footage from which could help in the investigation.

"That will give us some video images if it survived the crash and we can download it, as well as recorders on the train," Hersman said. "We're going to be looking at the signals ... and making sure that the gates and lights were coming down."

Late Thursday, Union Pacific spokesman Tom Lange said a preliminary investigation indicated the crossing gate and lights were working. He did not know if the train crew saw the float. The black box from the train will determine its speed at the time of impact.

The parade had been scheduled to end at a "Hunt for Heroes" banquet honoring the veterans. The wounded service members were then going to be treated to a deer-hunting trip for the weekend. The events were canceled.

After retiring from the fire department, he was a security guard for the former J.T. Baker Chemical Co.

William G. Fistler, Jr. 

Gov. Tom Corbett's administration has not said which direction they plan to take.

Gov. Tom Corbett's administration has not indicated whether Pennsylvania will create a health insurance market under President Barack Obama's healthcare plan. AP Photo | MATT ROURKE

Gov. Tom Corbett received a one-month extension to tell the federal government whether Pennsylvania will be setting up a health insurance market under President Barack Obama’s health care law.

U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius told governors Thursday evening the administration was delaying a Friday deadline to declare their intentions until Dec. 14. States can still opt to have theirs run by the federal government or join in a partnership with Washington.

Corbett administration officials have not said which direction they plan to take. But they say they have put off development of the online exchange because too many questions about its cost and other operational details remain unanswered.

Asked about it last week, Corbett dismissed talk of a November deadline and said the actual deadline under the law is in January.

“We are still looking at it and you’ve heard me say this before, I’m looking at the cost,” Corbett said. “I’m looking at the cost to Pennsylvania taxpayers and whether we can afford it. I have some ideas of where we’re going, but I’m not ready to announce it right now.”

Some Democratic lawmakers, insurers and hospitals want Corbett to set up a state-run system. The Washington, D.C.-based group Americans for Prosperity, which was founded by billionaire energy executives Charles and David Koch and spent tens of millions of dollars trying to defeat Obama in the election, has urged Corbett and other governors to reject it.

Many states, including Pennsylvania, put off a decision until after the Nov. 6 election, since the Republican presidential nominee, Mitt Romney, had said he would move to repeal the 2010 law known as the Affordable Care Act. With Obama’s victory, Republicans acknowledged that the law would go forward.

Another key decision Corbett must make because of the law is whether to expand eligibility limits for Medicaid, the state-federal program that pays for medical care for the poor and disabled. The federal government would pick up the lion’s share of the cost to expand the limits.

The new insurance exchanges will allow households and small businesses to buy a private health plan, and many will get help from the government to pay their premiums. Under the law, states that can’t or won’t set up exchanges will have theirs run by the federal government.

States considering a partnership have until mid-February to make a decision. The partnership option allows states to handle consumer relations and oversight of health plans, while the federal government does the bulk of the work, including handling enrollment and figuring out how much taxpayer-funded help consumers may be entitled to.

Eagles' QB Michael Vick is still experiencing concussion symptoms and is 'not even close to playing' this week.

Kim Johnson looks over the destruction near her seaside apartment in Atlantic City after Superstorm Sandy. A New Jersey senator believes beach rebuilt post-Sandy should be free for patrons. AP Photo | SETH WENIG

N.J. senator requests beaches rebuilt after Sandy to be free for patrons [nj.com]

Not happy with JCP&L after Sandy, towns explore starting their own power utilities [nj.com]

Christie calls Romney comments 'divisive,' urges GOP to move past election [nj.com]

Newark teachers union approves landmark contract offering merit pay bonuses [nj.com]

59th killing is new record in Camden [philly.com]

Boston College soccer player barred from PSU game over Sandusky-related tweets [pennlive.com]

Penn State's accreditation upheld after review related to Sandusky case [pennlive.com]

Pennsylvania colleges' faculty union to count strike-authorization votes [pennlive.com]

Vick still experiencing concussion symptoms; "Not even close to playing" this week [philly.com]

Saturday's rivalry game is the first between the Lehigh Valley schools since the alcohol-related death in May of Lafayette freshman Everett Glenn. Vote in the NEWS POLL.

Lehigh University and Lafayette College football fans will be expected to cheer for their teams on Saturday in Easton during the 148th edition of America's most-played football rivalry, but both schools expect their students to celebrate in moderation. Express-Times File Photos

The epic rivalry between Lehigh University and Lafayette College is always a raucous affair.

But after the alcohol-related death in May of Lafayette freshman Everett Glenn, the rules surrounding the long-awaited game and its festivities are likely to be more strictly enforced.

Lafayette, which hosts the 2012 game Saturday, is hoping campus and city police presence and rules about tailgating provide a safe environment during the 148th meeting of the two teams.

Lehigh, in an email to students, sought to remind them about Glenn’s death and how to properly behave when visiting Easton for the match-up.

“As you may know last May a tragic alcohol-related death of a student occurred at Lafayette College, which has raised the level of awareness about the dangerous consumption of alcohol on campus,” the email reads. “Lafayette has been actively engaged in addressing these issues, and we want to make all Lehigh students, alumni and fans who plan on attending the upcoming game ... aware of the enforcement efforts and alcohol regulations that will be in effect for game day.”

Easton police Capt. Scott Casterline said Lafayette College will often hire city officers to add security during football games, but there’s considerably more officers requested when the Mountain Hawks and Leopards face off. He said this year, rules will likely be more strictly enforced.

“We’re going to have a pretty big presence there,” Casterline said. “Alcohol is much more of a factor during this game than in an average game and so are crowds.”

Lehigh reminded students that mischief during tailgating will be met with criminal consequences. Visibly intoxicated students will be barred from buses that haul Lehigh students from Bethlehem to Fisher Stadium, according to policies sent to students via email. Drinking at the stadium and on the bus is prohibited, and all students entering the stadium will be screened, according to officials.

12-pack maximum

The personal carry limit for tailgating at Lafayette is defined as two 6-packs of 12-ounce beer, or the equivalent malt beverages or wine in non-glass containers. Liquor is prohibited.

Kegs, party balls and other means of rapid alcohol consumption -- including funnels -- are also outlawed for campus tailgating, according Lafayette policies. All alcohol must be consumed from cups, the rules state.

Lafayette spokesman Roger Clow, in a statement Thursday, said:

“As always, the college will focus its energy on ensuring that all students, faculty, staff, parents, alumni and their guests can enjoy the day’s activities surrounding the Lafayette versus Lehigh game while also actively addressing behaviors that are disruptive, illegal or dangerous.

"Any behavior that compromises the safety of individuals will not be permitted.”

Lehigh spokesman Jordan Reese said the university regularly communicates to students, reminding them how they should behave during the game and its festivities — particularly when visiting another school. He said social media is among the most effective ways to spread the message.

“We communicate with Lafayette regularly and pass on what they expect of students,” Reese said in an email. “From our own standpoint, we know there will be increased alumni presence on our campus so we alter our parking and transportation services schedules to accommodate the increased population.”

Protecting residents

Casterline said Easton police defer to Lafayette’s rules when dealing with incidents on campus during the game and partying outside the stadium. But he said the students aren’t the only ones police are aiming to protect.

“We want to minimize the disruption to all the residents living on College Hill,” Casterline said.

An editorial in the Brown and White, Lehigh’s student newspaper, called on Mountain Hawk fans to be respectful of their rivals, acknowledging that Lafayette’s hints at stricter enforcement may have put a “somewhat dark cloud over the game” for some students.

A poll on the paper’s website measures students' reactions to the policies.

“But with the terrible loss of one of their own students last May, Lafayette has put many rules and guidelines in place to protect not only its own students, but Lehigh students as well this year,” the editorial reads. “Too many people have been saying that this will ruin the game, not thinking about why these rules were put in place.

"We have to imagine the frustration and pain Lafayette must have experienced with the loss of a student to drinking, and think about how we would feel in their place.”

The afternoon crash follows two closures of the highway this morning in the Lehigh Valley.

Traffic is backed up this afternoon on Route 22 East in the area of the Route 378/Schoenersville Road interchange following a multi-vehicle crash.Courtesy of Pennsylvania Department of Transportation

A speeding vehicle slammed into a vehicle carrying William Wilson III, 24, who was ejected after it overturned, police said.

The bright lights to the left are from an accident investigation this morning on Route 22 West near Route 145 in Whitehall Township. The crash happened about 2:30, police said; this photo is from just after 6:30. PennDOT Traffic Camera Photo

The man's mother contacted police, telling them she worried her son had purchased weapons similar to those used during the fatal Colorado theater shooting.

This undated photo provided by the Polk County, Mo. Sheriff's Department shows Blaec Lammers, 23, who is accused of plotting to open fire inside a movie theater during a screening of the new "Twilight" film. AP Photo | Polk County Sheriff's Department

A southwest Missouri man accused of plotting to shoot up a movie theater during the new "Twilight" film was charged today after his mother contacted police, telling them she worried her son had purchased weapons similar to those used during the fatal Colorado theater shooting.

Blaec Lammers, 20, of Bolivar, is charged with first-degree assault, making a terroristic threat and armed criminal action. He was jailed in Polk County on $500,000 bond.

"Thankfully we had a responsible family member or we might have had a different outcome," Bolivar Police Chief Steve Hamilton told The Associated Press. He said Lammers is under a doctor's care for mental illness, and court documents said he was "off of his medication."

A phone message left by The Associated Press at Lammers' home wasn't returned today. No attorney is listed for him in online court records.

His mother contacted authorities Thursday, saying she worried that with this weekend's opening of the final film in the popular Vampire movie series, her son "may have intentions of shooting people at the movie," police wrote in the probable cause statement.

She said she thought the weapons — two assault rifles and hundreds of bullets — resembled those used by a gunman who opened fire inside a theater in Aurora, Colo., during the latest Batman movie in July. That attack killed 12 people.

Lammers was questioned Thursday afternoon and told authorities he bought tickets to a Sunday "Twilight" screening in Bolivar and planned to shoot people inside the theater. The town of roughly 10,000 people is about 130 miles southeast of Kansas City.

According to the probable cause statement, Lammers also planned to "just start shooting people at random" at a Walmart store less than a mile away. He said he'd purchased two assault rifles and 400 rounds of ammunition, and if he ran out of bullets, he would "just break the glass where the ammunition is being stored and get some more and keep shooting until police arrived," investigators wrote.

Lammers stated he wanted to stab a Walmart employee to death and followed an employee around a Walmart store before officers got involved in 2009, according to police.

When asked about recent shootings in the news, Lammers told police "he had a lot in common with the people that have been involved in those shootings," the probable cause statement said. Investigators also wrote that Lammers said he "was quiet, kind of a loner, had recently purchased firearms and didn't tell anybody about it, and had homicidal thoughts."

Police said Lammers bought one firearm Monday and another Tuesday. He then went to the Missouri town of Aldrich to practice shooting because he "had never shot a gun before and wanted to make sure he knew how they shot and how they functioned," the probable cause statement said.

Hamilton said it appeared that Lammers obtained the firearms legally but that police were continuing to investigate "to determine how in fact he was able to obtain a permit."

Ashley Miller, who lives in a nearby town, said she has known Lammers for about a year and described him as "one of the sweetest guys I had ever met" but "very emotional," noting he would periodically stop talking to her.

She said he told her that he had bounced between relatives growing up. As an adult, he bounced between girlfriends, she said.

"He was never actually happy," she told the AP in a phone interview. "I think he had depression or something."

Polk County prosecutor Ken Ashlock said Lammers' first court appearance likely will happen Wednesday. He said his office would file a motion asking for a mental exam of Lammers. He said he wasn't aware of any charges in the 2009 Walmart incident.

Like the police chief, the prosecutor credited Lammers' mother for contacting police.

"It was a good thing they found what they found and took care of it," Ashlock said. "Everything was there as far as the weapons. He did have the weapons; he did have the ammunition ... Those things were all there, and then he made the statements to the officer about what his plans were."

Years of poor distribution and competition from Tastykake mean area grocery stores aren't exactly frantic over losing Hostess.

Andy Wagar loads Twinkies, Ho-Hos and CupCakes into a van Friday outside the Wonder Bakery Thrift Shop in Bellingham, Wash. Announcing plans Friday to shutter operations, Hostess Brands Inc. had difficulty stocking its product at local stores, representatives of the stores said. AP Photo

The Easton Corner Food Market on Northampton Street doesn’t even sell Twinkies.

The Towne Market on South Main Street in Phillipsburg had a small shelf of Hostess products, but its biggest display was devoted to Tastykake.

Friday, as Hostess Brands Inc. announced it wants to close up shop, area grocery stores were ambivalent, having joined forces with other bakeries after supplies grew unreliable.

The maker of Twinkies and Wonder Bread had warned employees it would file a motion with U.S. Bankruptcy Court on Friday seeking permission to shutter its operations and sell its brands if plants hadn’t resumed normal operations by a Thursday night deadline. The deadline passed without a deal.

The closing would mean the loss of about 18,500 jobs from the Irving, Texas-based baking company. The privately held company filed for Chapter 11 protection in January, its second trip through bankruptcy court in less than a decade.

“I don’t know if they thought that was a bluff,” CEO Gregory Rayburn said Friday on CNBC of the warning to union workers. He said the financial impact of the strike makes it “too late” to save the company even if union leaders have a change of heart. That’s because clients, such as retailers, stopped carrying products when supplies became inadequate.

The pending closure follows the failure of Hostess, whose roster of brands dates as far back as 1888, to invest heavily in marketing or innovation in recent years as it struggled with debt and management changes.

Supply concerns

One Giant Food Store representative said Hostess supplies have been inadequate for years and that's why some Giants don’t carry its products.

“We’re about quality selection and savings,” said Giant public relations manager Chris Brand. “If we’re going to promise customers we’re going to carry a brand or a particular item, then it has to be there. But they’ve been in and out of bankruptcy for the last few years.”

In Pennsylvania, New Jersey and other Mid-Atlantic states, Hostess faced “some big players in the bakery market,” including Philadelphia-based Tastykake, Brand said.

“For many Pennsylvania shoppers, it’s just not on the radar,” Brand said. One Giant store in Harrisburg hasn’t carried Hostess products for years because of supply issues, he said.

Others, such as the Tilghman Street location in Allentown, still have some Hostess products left, as does the Trexlertown location. But Brand did admit they’ve sold out of Hostess’ most popular product: Twinkies.

Dennis Curtin, of Weis Markets, said their stores have had similar problems stocking Hostess.

“From our perspective their decision to shut down was a long time coming,” Curtin said in an email. “With one exception -- we sell Wonder Bread in three of our (New Jersey) stores -- we stopped selling Hostess products about eight months ago.”

As Hostess waned, Weis nurtured its relationship with Tastykake.

“In addition to their branded products, (Tastykake) now produces some of our private label snack cakes. We also sell four varieties of Weis Quality Tastykake ice cream,” Curtin said.

Hope for brand rebirth

That doesn’t mean Twinkies are extinct.

“We do not rule out selling Twinkies and Wonder Bread in the future should another company with a proven track record of sales building and solid service buy these brands,” Curtin said.

Some area food stores did see increased sales Friday as word spread of Hostess' pending demise.

Wegmans spokesman Jo Natale said early in the afternoon there were no reports of a run on Hostess products. Later, she sent an email update, saying, “We have had a run on Twinkies and Hostess Cup Cakes in many of our stores. Some shelves are empty.”

Rayburn, the CEO, said he’s hopeful the company will find buyers for its roster of about 30 brands, which include Ho Hos, Dolly Madison, Drake’s and Nature’s Pride snacks. The company booked about $2.5 billion in sales a year.

Prosecutors in Hunterdon, Northampton and Warren counties are looking for these fugitives.

From left, Kari Gitzke, Eddie Manuel Rivera-Viera and Fernando Reyes. Courtesy Photos

Hunterdon County authorities seek Kari Gitzke

Northampton County authorities seek Eddie Manuel Rivera-Viera

Warren County authorities seek Fernando Reyes - fugitive of the week

Also, a Pennsylvania native was one of the veterans killed in a Texas train crash with parade float.

An Iron Dome missile is launched in Tel Aviv to intercept a rocket fired from Gaza Saturday. Israel bombarded the Hamas-ruled Gaza Strip with nearly 200 airstrikes early Saturday, the military said, widening a blistering assault on Gaza rocket operations to include the prime minister's headquarters, a police compound and a vast network of smuggling tunnels. AP Photo | ODED BALILTY

Israel: 'Iron Dome' blocks rocket fired toward Tel Aviv [cnn.com]

Israel destroys office of Hamas PM [washingtonpost.com]

'A brave man': Family remembers Perry County Marine killed in Texas freight train crash [pennlive.com]

'It was awesome': Returning veteran, daughter have surprise reunion at school [pennlive.com]

N.J. assemblyman introduces bill to make Diwali a school holiday [nj.com]

North Jersey Coast Line to resume 3 weeks after Sandy [nj.com]

Trenton officers shoot, kill pit bull that was thrown at them [nj.com]

A flood of lemons: Hurricane-damaged vehicles could be headed to car lot near you [readingeagle.com]

Scholarship organizations are just beginning to take money so it seems unlikely they will grant any scholarships this school year.

Hundreds of Allentown and Bethlehem Area students attending 22  state-designated low-performing schools became eligible this year for scholarships to attend other schools.

But few, if any, students have received scholarships and left their home schools as the holiday season approaches. And it doesn't seem like any of the state-approved Lehigh Valley nonprofits tasked with awarding the scholarships expect to issue any for this school year.

The Opportunity Scholarship Tax Credit Program was signed into law this summer and puts $50 million in business tax credits up for grabs for businesses that donate to state-approved opportunity scholarship organizations.

Students attending the 414 public schools that landed on the state's list of low-performing schools can use the scholarships to enroll in new schools as long as students meet financial aid guidelines.

The state has a 63-page list of schools, largely non-public, that are accepting transfers as well as 23-pages of approved scholarship groups. In Lehigh and Northampton counties, 45 schools are accepting students and there are three approved scholarship groups on the list.

Parents must contact the scholarship groups, not the state, to apply for scholarships and find a new school.

When details of how the program would work were released in August, officials said at the time that Gov. Tom Corbett was eager to make the scholarships available this school year.

The Department of Community and Economic Development has approved around $10 million in business contributions and a little over $2.7 million of that has been sent to the scholarship organizations, spokesman Steven Kratz said Thursday.

The department expects that figure to grow as more businesses hit the 90 day post-approval deadline to report their contribution; they have 60 days after their approval to make the contribution, Kratz said.

"As is the case with any new program, the administration anticipated that it would take time getting the program up and running," Kratz said.

The department could not say how many students have received scholarships because the law doesn't require organizations to disclose that until they submit a renewal application, according to the law, Kratz said.

Bethlehem Area Superintendent Joseph Roy, who has criticized how the list of schools was compiled, said no students have left the seven schools on the state list. Allentown officials said they have no way of tracking why a student leaves the district.

Allentown Superintendent Russell Mayo said he wants to keep students in the district because urban educators can serve them best.

"It does take resources from our school district when the money follows the child to some other place," Mayo said. "It diminishes our budget and therefore diminishes the opportunities for our remaining students."

The Swain School in Salisbury Township, one of the approved scholarship organizations, has received more than 100 phone calls inquiring about the program, said Judy Skinner, the school's associated head for advancement.

"You had no money so you couldn't give it to anybody," Skinner said of the beginning of the school year.

Three weeks before school started, schools learned the details of the program and now must actually solicit funds themselves, Skinner said. The application process to be a scholarship organization was confusing and involved several steps, she said.

"They're not making it very easy in Harrisburg," Skinner said. "They just didn't make it very clear."

Swain has received some business contributions and expects to start providing scholarships next year, which Skinner said seems to be the norm. Applicants will have to meet Swain's admission requirements and the financial aid package will include the opportunity scholarship, she said.

The Diocese of Allentown's Eastern Pennsylvania Scholarship Fund is in a similar situation.

"There is a lot of interest. We've gotten a lot of phone calls," said Matt Kerr, diocese spokesman. "We are in the process of raising the money from the people who can qualify for the tax credits and the plan is to have scholarships to offer for the next school year."

The state is confident the program will grow, Kratz said, noting the Educational Improvement Tax Credit was created in fiscal year 2001-02 with a cap of $30 million and it's grown to be oversubscribed at $100 million.

"We are confident that the Opportunity Scholarship Tax Credit program will be fully up and running for the beginning of the next new school year," Kratz said.

***

SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM

A qualified scholarship organization must be a federally tax-exempt nonprofit that contributes 80 percent of its annual scholarship donations to an approved scholarship program.

Interested public and nonpublic schools must enroll with the Pennsylvania Department of Education to accept new students.

Students must attend one of the state's 414 low-performing schools and live in homes with an annual household income no greater than $60,000, plus $12,000 for each dependent household member.

Schools on the list scored in the bottom 15 percent in combined math and reading test scores based on last year's Pennsylvania System of School Assessment exams.

Follow @sarasatullo

He was employed at Essroc, Nazareth for 40 years.

Frederick L. Perna 

Kevin Cleeves allegedly killed his estranged wife, her boyfriend and the boyfriend's mother before fleeing with his 4-year-old daughter.

Prosecutors in central Pennsylvania say they plan to seek the death penalty against a man accused of having killed his estranged wife, her boyfriend and the boyfriend's mother before fleeing with his 4-year-old daughter.

The (Chambersburg) Public Opinion says Franklin County District Attorney Matthew Fogal filed notice to seek capital punishment in the event that 35-year-old Kevin Cleeves of Waynesboro is convicted of first-degree murder.

Officials say he was locked in a bitter custody battle with 25-year-old Brandi Cleeves before the July 27 slayings in Quincy Township. Authorities allege that he killed her and 28-year-old Vincent Santucci outside a home and then killed 55-year-old Rosemary Holma when she tried to help her son. Police said Kevin Cleeves was later captured near Youngstown with his daughter, who was unharmed.

Contrary to popular belief, Twinkies don’t last forever. Most bought in stores Friday carry an expiration date of early December.

Hostess, the maker of Twinkies, is going out of business. So buyers snapped up the remaining boxes and are now selling them online. AP File Photo

Twinkies are being sold on the Internet like exquisite delicacies.

Hours after Twinkie-maker Hostess announced its plans to close its doors forever, people flocked to stores to fill their shopping baskets with boxes of the cream-filled sponge cakes and their sibling snacks — Ding Dongs, Ho Hos and Zingers.

Late Friday and today, the opportunists took to eBay and Craigslist. They began marketing their hoard to whimsical collectors and junk-food lovers for hundreds — and in some cases — thousands of dollars. That’s a fat profit margin, when you consider the retail price for a box of 10 Twinkies is roughly $5.

Greg Edmonds of Sherman, Texas is among those who believe Twinkies are worth more now that Hostess Brands Inc. has closed its bakeries. He lost his job as a sales representative eight months ago, so he is hoping to make some money feeding the appetites of Twinkie fans and connoisseurs

After spending a couple hours driving around to stores Friday, Edmonds wound up with 16 boxes of Twinkies and Ding Dongs. He started selling them Saturday on eBay, advertising three boxes for a hefty price of $300.

“I could really use the extra money since I’m unemployed,” Edmonds, 50, said. “I figure I better sell them pretty quickly because I am not sure how long this novelty is going to last.”

Contrary to popular belief, Twinkies don’t last forever. Most bought in stores Friday carry an expiration date of early December. If buyers don’t bite, Edmonds isn’t sure what he will do with his supply. He doesn’t even like them.

“I do like to have a Ding Dong, every once in a while though,” he said.

John Stansel of Tampa, Fla. blanches at the thought of eating a Twinkie. He’s a self-described health nut.

Yet he, too, rummaged shelves late Friday at a neighborhood Walgreens and then again early Saturday at Target and a grocery store. He spent about $100 for 20 boxes of Twinkies and Ding Dongs. His goal: sell them for about $1,000 and put the money to good use.

“Maybe I will hire a personal trainer for myself or go do some shopping at Whole Foods or donate the money to a charity to fight diabetes,” Stansel, 40, said. “No matter what, I figure I am getting sugar off the streets.”

Although Hostess is shutting down, it’s still possible that Twinkies, Ding Dongs and Ho Hos could make a comeback. That’s because Hostess is planning to sell its brands and other assets at an auction to be overseen by a U.S. bankruptcy judge in New York. Several potential buyers could emerge for Twinkies, particularly with the recent outpouring of affection.

A hearing on Hostess’ liquidation request is scheduled for Monday morning.

Not all online sellers are demanding top dollar. Some boxes are being listed at $5 to $20. Others are willing to barter. “I am willing to trade a box for some good microbrew. A real quality six pack,” offered a thirsty New York seller on Craigslist.

Despite his disdain for junk food, Stansel confesses he won’t sell a few of his individually wrapped Twinkies. He plans to give them to his nostalgic friends and family as stocking stuffers for Christmas.

Food spoiled in refrigerators and freezers without power, leading to an increase in demand from families in need.

Nazareth Area Food Bank volunteers Karen Reimer, left, of Nazareth, and Barbara Ahearn, of Bath, help keep up the quick pace of inspecting and sorting incoming donations. Express-Times Photo LISA MASSEY

Food spoiled in refrigerators and freezers without power, leading to an increase in demand from families in need.

At the Nazareth Area Food Bank, 330 families turned out this month for food, the highest the organization has seen all year.

"We had a few people who previously needed help, but stopped coming when their situations improved, come back and said say, 'We lost so much food as result of the power failure from Sandy, we need food again,'" said Jim Byrnes, director of the Nazareth Area Food Bank.

Byrnes said donors with no phone or email access due to blackouts didn’t hear about a pre-Thanksgiving food drive until the last minute. Boy Scout and Cub Scout troops collected 8,600 pounds of food this year compared with 15,000 pounds last year.

“The storm had a definite effect on communication within the organization and marshaling the scouting groups to do what they ordinarily do," Byrnes said. "The economy still isn't chugging along on all cylinders. More people are working part-time than full-time and that makes it harder to make ends meet."

He added, "We say our goal is to go out of business, but we don't think that's going to happen anytime soon, unfortunately."

Need is great

Jeannie Judd Wagner, chairwoman for the Bath Area Food Bank board of directors, said scouts collected only 2,100 pounds of food this year, down from the usual 4,000 pounds.

“That’s a ton of food we don’t have,” she said.

Wagner said her food bank, which serves 450 individuals monthly, has more families need more food recently.

“I haven’t seen this kind of growth in two years,” she said.

The Vienna United Methodist Church Food Bank in Independence Township is in "extremely dire need," said Pastor James Craig.

The food bank, which supports about 60 area families, usually receives its food from local schools. After Sandy closed schools for weeks, the pantry went empty.

“We are almost completely out,” Craig said.

The need prompted the Great Meadows Middle School Girls on Track club and Independence Township Police Department to jointly hold a “Cram the Cruiser” event. To benefit the church’s food bank, collection boxes are in the lobbies of all Great Meadows Schools until Tuesday.

Funding cuts, food givebacks

Other food banks are facing major cuts in food supplies.

Ellen Potter, who runs the Easton Area Society of St. Vincent de Paul Food Pantry with her husband, said the amount of money the state provides for food each quarter was cut by 40 percent.

The West Ward pantry supports about 200 families in the Easton area. An additional 30 people showed up for help last week.

Diane Elliott, executive director of New Bethany Ministries in Bethlehem, said one of the organization's primary suppliers pulled out last month, taking away 4,000 pounds of food, or enough for an estimated 350 to 400 families a month.

"That was about half of what we need each week," Elliott said.

Some relief could be on the way.

Ann McManus, director of the Second Harvest Food Bank, said some funding cuts are now directly paying for food.

“That money that was cut from the state for food has been redirected into chicken, pork and peanut butter,” she said.

McManus expects 1,300 cases of peanut butter from the state Department of Agriculture this month. Her organization warehouses food for about 200 member agencies and shelters in six counties.

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GIVE HELP, GET HELP

Find out more about area food banks:

Bath Area Food Bank: 610-837-1061

Easton Area Society of St. Vincent de Paul Food Pantry: 610-253-3553, ext. 50.

Nazareth Area Food Bank: 610-365-8869 or nazarethareafoodbank.org.

New Bethany Ministries Food Bank in Bethlehem: 610-691-5602 or newbethanyministries.org.

NORWESCAP Food Bank: 908-454-4322 or norwescap.org.

Second Harvest Food Bank of Lehigh Valley and Northeast Pennsylvania in Allentown: 610-434-0875 or shfblv.org.

Trinity United Methodist Church Lords Pantry in Hackettstown: 908-852-3020.

Vienna United Methodist Church Food Bank in Independence Township: 908-637-4340.

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MORE DETAILS

Food banks urge the public to check expiration dates as they cannot distribute expired items.

Food from the Bath Area Food Bank, 206 East Main Street, Bath, is available from 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. the second Tuesday of the month. There is a need for canned goods, peanut butter, mashed potato boxes, stuffing boxes, gift cards and monetary donations. Drop-off points include St. John’s Lutheran Church, Bath and Christ Church, UCC, Bath.

The Easton Area Society of St. Vincent de Paul Food Pantry, 841 Washington St., makes food available to families from 6 to 7:30 p.m. on the first and third Tuesday of the month. Since most clients rely on food stamps, which can only be used for food products, Potter said there often is a need for soaps, paper products, toiletries and laundry detergent. Also needed are pasta, Hamburger Helper boxes, stuffing mix, canned fruits and vegetables, canned tuna, baked beans and cereal and oatmeal.

Food from the Nazareth Area Food Bank is distributed on the second Tuesday and following Wednesday of every month and by appointment at the food bank, 529 S. Main St. Most needed items often include mashed potato mix, stuffing, cranberry sauce, peanut butter and jelly, baked beans, chili, and pasta sauce.

At New Bethany Ministries, 337 Wyandotte St., Bethlehem, baskets are distributed between 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. Monday to Friday. Donations are accepted 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday to Friday and 8 a.m. to 11:30 p.m. Saturday and Sunday by making an appointment. Items needed include stuffing, gravy, yams/sweet potatoes, mashed potato boxes, corn, cranberry sauce, soups, tuna, peanut butter, rice and pudding. Turkeys also are needed on Tuesday and Wednesday this week.

The NORWESCAP Food Bank, 201 N. Broad St., Phillipsburg, is open 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Mondays through Thursdays and 9 a.m. to noon Fridays and Saturdays. Backed by the help of more than 900 volunteers, NORWESCAP distributes more than 2 million pounds of food annually to more than 120 pantries, shelters, soup kitchens, on-site feeding programs, child care centers, senior centers and programs for the disabled in Hunterdon, Sussex and Warren counties.

Trinity United Methodist Church Lords Pantry, 213 Main Street, Hackettstown. The Hackettstown PBA No. 369 is accepting donations until Nov. 30 at the station, 215 Stiger St., Hackettstown. Items needed include canned vegetables, pasta, canned meat, pasta sauces, instant potatoes, peanut butter, jelly, cereal, soup, stuffing mix, gravy and cranberry sauce. Turkeys also will be accepted.

Vienna United Methodist Church Food Bank, 226 Route 46, Vienna section of Independence Township. A “Cram the Cruiser” collection is being taken up by The Great Meadows Middle School Girls on Track and Independence Township Police. Items can be dropped off at Great Meadows Schools until Tuesday. Items needed include rice, cereal, fruit juice, boxed meals, beans-dried or canned, peanut butter and jelly, snack bars, applesauce, condiments, canned goods, tuna, salad dressing, toiletries, diapers and baby wipes, laundry detergent and cleaning supplies. Turkeys can be dropped off in a freezer outside the church’s parsonage.

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A Lafayette student dressed in a full-body green leotard was arrested after he ran out onto the field during the halftime festivities and boogied with the Lafayette dancers.

Easton police escort a man in a green costume out of Fisher Field during the Lehigh-Lafayette game Saturday. Express-Times Photo | TIM WYNKOOP

Six Lehigh University and Lafayette College students arrested Saturday for alcohol-related violations were hospitalized, police said today.

As Lehigh went on to achieve its fifth straight win over its rival, police were involved in their own struggle to keep highly intoxicated students under control, Bethlehem police Chief Jason Schiffer said.

Bethlehem police arrested eight Lehigh students for underage drinking, one for public drunkenness and two for other violations.

Schiffer said police took a tolerant approach with the students.

“We only made eight arrests, which in and of itself is not that much … and isn’t all that astonishing,” he said. “At least four out of those eight required individuals to go to the hospital for high levels of intoxication, and that’s what I find the most alarming.”

Easton police Capt. Scott Casterline said his patrol had a more peaceful evening. Police arrested five during the game and only two were students.

“The rest were either alumni or people there watching the game,” he said. “One guy who I think was there with family members … I don’t think he had any affiliation with either of the colleges at all.”

Casterline believes only three went to the hospital, two of which were students, and he said that wasn't too bad.

"It's not unusual for a few students to end up in the hospital," he said. "During the course of the game, it wasn't much higher than usual."

A Lafayette student dressed in a full-body green leotard was arrested after he ran out onto the field during the halftime festivities and boogied with the Lafayette dancers.

"He just received a disorderly conduct citation and was ejected from the game," Casterline said, who did not have the name of the student immediately available.

Bethlehem police said several of the Lehigh students arrested were found passed out in streets, two were yelling and throwing furniture into the street, and one was banging loudly on the front door of an unoccupied residence.

Schiffer reiterated that the police don’t intend to keep the students from enjoying themselves.

“They need to be smart and consider their own safety,” he said. “A lot of us are out there trying to look out for them, and it would be a big help if they helped us out.”

Representatives from Lafayette and Lehigh were unavailable for comment Sunday night.

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