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State police investigated 477 accidents during the three-day Easter holiday driving period in which 13 people died and 167 others were injured, Commissioner Frank Pawlowski said.
Pawlowski said seven of the people killed were not wearing seatbelts. Fifty-five of the 477 accidents, including four of the fatal crashes, were alcohol-related, state police said.
The official three-day Easter driving period was April 10 through April 12. During that time, state police issued 3,651 speeding citations, charged 266 people with DUI, cited 270 people for not wearing seatbelts, and issued citations to 31 motorists for not securing children in safety seats.
During the 2008 Easter holiday driving period, which covered March 21 through March 23, 14 people were killed and 202 others were injured in 508 accidents investigated by troopers.
Pawlowski said the statistics cover only those accidents investigated by state police and do not include incidents to which other law enforcement agencies responded.

A man allegedly assaulted a woman during an argument in Bethel Township, Lebanon County, on April 12, state police at Jonestown said.
The suspect, Robert Kneasel Jr., 58, allegedly slapped Edna Kneasel, pushed her several times, pushed her to the ground, and put his knee on her ribcage on Beagle Road, state police said.

President Obama’s recent visit to Europe is one of the worst foreign policy ventures in recent times. He made the United States look weak while not securing any concessions from any country he visited. The situation for America would have been better if Obama just stayed at home.
The whole trip was best summed up when Obama bowed to the king of Saudi Arabia. Not only did the photo of Obama bowing make Obama look ridiculous, it made the United States look weak. Given the strong and proud presidents who have stood up to foreign countries, Obama’s gesture did them a great disservice. Andrew Jackson, Theodore Roosevelt, Richard Nixon and Ronald Reagan never would have bowed to anyone because they believed in the greatness of America.
But the bow was not the only weak moment for Obama. He apologized to the Europeans for being too arrogant, and he publicly blasted the United States in Turkey in effort to win Turkish support.
The following is from the president’s speech in Turkey:
“I say this as the president of a country that not very long ago made it hard for somebody who looks like me to vote, much less be president of the United States. But it is precisely that capacity to change that enriches our countries. Every challenge that we face is more easily met if we tend to our own democratic foundation. This work is never over. That’s why, in the United States, we recently ordered the prison at Guantanamo Bay closed. That’s why we prohibited — without exception or equivocation — the use of torture. All of us have to change. And sometimes change is hard.
“Another issue that confronts all democracies as they move to the future is how we deal with the past. The United States is still working through some of our own darker periods in our history. Facing the Washington Monument that I spoke of is a memorial of Abraham Lincoln, the man who freed those who were enslaved even after Washington led our revolution. Our country still struggles with the legacies of slavery and segregation, the past treatment of Native Americans.”
Obama is right that the United States has taken actions in the past that were immoral and should be condemned. But the way to move forward is not to attack America in a foreign country. The United States has done many good things, and many of the problems that existed in the United States have been or are being resolving because of the democratic government set up by the Founders of our country. But Obama would rather dwell on the negative and act weak to gain the favor of foreign leaders.
The comments about Guantanamo Bay will ill serve the United States as well. The United States does not torture, and the people held at Guantanamo Bay are dangerous terrorist suspects.
Obama does not seem to care, and he would rather move these people into the United States and score cheap political points at the expense of his predecessor, President Bush, who kept the country safe.
Not only did Obama make the United States look weak, he failed to obtain any help from the Europeans in fighting the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq.
Fortunately, the Europeans largely rejected Obama’s calls for a costly fiscal stimulus plan, which Obama is now trying to impress upon the United States and which will drive the country deep in debt or cause inflation.
Obama achieved little on this diplomatic visit other than making the United States look timid and unsure of itself. The biggest victory goes to the Europeans, who rejected Obama’s economic stimulus plans. In the future, Obama needs to stop apologizing to everyone. He should be standing up for American interests.

By ERIC FISHER
It’s difficult to find a busier sports month than April. The NCAA basketball tournaments crown their champions; baseball season begins; the NHL and NBA end their regular seasons and start their postseasons; the NFL holds its draft; and golf holds its most prestigious tournament.
So, without wasting any more time, here’s a quick look at the busy April schedule.
TIGER’S GRRRRRRRRREAT!!!: Tiger Woods returns to Augusta National for the Masters, his first major tournament since undergoing reconstructive knee surgery.
Woods should be playing his second round on the day you’re reading this (those who read the Myerstown Herald online or receive the e-version of the newspaper should be reading this column after the first round). But some members of the media are already caught up in Tigermania. One publication even evaluated Tiger’s chances of completing the grand slam and catching Jack Nicklaus for most major tournaments won in a career.
It’s exciting to have Woods back, but let’s remember that there are other golfers on the course. For example, Padraig Harrington has won the last two majors. And before Woods is handed another Masters green jacket, it should be noted that he’s only won one of the past six Masters.
THEY WON’T GO 0-162: Thank goodness the Phillies exploded for eight runs during the seventh inning Wednesday. Otherwise, impatient Phillies fans may have speculated about whether the team would win a game all year. Some may have wondered if manager Charlie Manuel made a deal with the devil, receiving a World Series championship in exchange for going winless for the rest of the franchise’s history.
Fortunately, thanks to the eight-run outburst and 12-11 victory, Phillies fans stop worrying about going winless and can move on to other concerns – such as if Cole Hamels’ elbow is truly OK. Hamels is scheduled to start Friday night in Colorado.
BLOWOUT CITY: North Carolina was considered the best men’s basketball team in the country at the beginning of the season. There were some doubts about the No. 1 status during the season, but the Tar Heels erased all doubts by cruising through the NCAA tournament, culminating with an 89-72 demolition of Michigan State in the championship game.
The Tar Heels dominated the tournament, winning all their games by double-digits. North Carolina’s closest game was a 12-point win over Oklahoma.
PROGNOSTICATOR-IN-CHIEF: President Barack Obama correctly predicted that North Carolina would prevail in the NCAA tournament. It should be noted, however, that he also picked the Tar Heels last year. His other Final Four picks – Louisville, Memphis, Pittsburgh – did not reach the Final Four.
Call me crazy, but I’d rather President Obama be able to predict economic outcomes correctly than the NCAA tournament.
BLOWOUT CITY II: If you thought the North Carolina men’s team was dominating, you should check out the Connecticut women’s basketball team. The Huskies also won every game by double figures, including a 76-54 romp over Louisville in Tuesday’s title game, en route to the national championship, their sixth since 1995.
But the Huskies didn’t simply win every tournament game by double figures. They won every game by double figures. As in every game this season. All 39 of them.
ICING ON THE CAKE: The Flyers, Penguins and Capitals are all headed for the postseason. But not much else is clear at press time, as teams continue to battle for playoff position.
The Capitals will open the playoffs at home, but their opponent may not be decided until Saturday or Sunday, the final day of the regular season. The Flyers are battling for the fourth seed and home-ice advantage in the first round. By the time you read this, the Penguins may be locked into a first-round matchup against New Jersey – or their fate could still be up in the air.
PLAYOFF POSITION: The 76ers clinched a playoff berth Saturday by defeating Detroit, but they followed that victory with a blowout loss at the hands of New Jersey and a loss to Charlotte. Those losses hurt the Sixers’ bid for the fifth seed in the Eastern Conference, which would allow them to avoid a first-round matchup with Orlando or Boston. The problem for the Sixers is that two of their remaining games are against the top-seeded Cavaliers and one is against the Celtics.
FIRST-ROUND KNOCKOUT?: The Eagles will have two first-round picks, Nos. 21 and 28, when the NFL draft commences on April 25. This means that it’s unlikely the Eagles will continue their pattern of trading out of the first round – I think.
INSTANT CLASSIC: Yes, I know professional wrestling isn’t a sport. But the incredible match between Shawn Michaels and the Undertaker last Sunday at WrestleMania deserves mention. These two 40-something veterans put together a 31-minute epic that ranks among the top five matches in the 25-year history of WrestleMania.

Laura LeBeau is the newscaster and talk-show host on WLBR 1270-AM in Lebanon. Her show airs every weekday morning from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Recently, LeBeau answered questions from the Herald Magazine:
1). Thank you for sharing your time with us. You are the host of an extremely popular radio weekday morning show on 1270 WLBR, you also work on newscasts and you are a mother of a young girl. How do you balance career and family?
LAURA LeBEAU: First, thank you for the opportunity to share some of my thoughts with The Herald’s readers. Balancing my extremely busy work and family life is quite a challenge, but I’m so blessed and fortunate to have a great family and support system around me to help care for my 21-month old daughter, Laurette Marie. In addition to Laurette’s father (and love of my life) John, we have the help of John’s daughter Jenelle, her husband and two children, a variety of aunts, uncles and cousins who’ve all pitched in many times, and the two best babysitters in the world, Stacey and Torrie! Without them, I’d be unable to attend the many meetings, town hall forums and debates that I either cover for the news or help to moderate.

2). How did you get your start in broadcasting?
LAURA LeBEAU: I started as an unpaid volunteer at WUSL Power 99fm during my junior year at Temple University in Philadelphia. This was 1987 and I knew nothing about radio or working with audio tape and the variety of equipment that we used at that time. But I was eager, diligent, had my own car and came to the station as often as possible. Thankfully, many of the on-air personalities recognized that and helped me along. I was immediately bitten by the radio bug and 22 years later……..here I am!

3). You once worked with G. Gordon Liddy. What is he like?
LAURA LeBEAU: The G-Man is awesome! I worked with him at WJFK-FM back in the early 1990’s before and after his show became nationally syndicated. He is the most intelligent person I’ve ever personally known. He’ll give you an in depth analysis of Greek mythology, a full recitation of the text of the U.S. Constitution or explain the inner workings of a Smith and Wesson revolver…….. and do it all with the same ease he’d have telling you his date of birth.
We’d always tease him about his time with J. Edgar Hoover in the FBI and whether he had to cover up incidents involving Hoover cross-dressing as a woman, which he was rumored to have done. He always maintained that after Hoover’s death they went to his home and found nudie magazines. But he could never explain why Hoover had a male “roommate” all those years!

4). What do you like to do in your spare time?
LAURA LeBEAU: I love to cook and bake. But John gets so mad, because we have a deal that I cook and he does the dishes. I love my pots and pans and kitchen gadgets and have no problem using most of them when I’m in “Top Chef” mode.

5). On your show, you called Lebanon County men “passive aggressive.” What do you mean?
LAURA LeBEAU: I’m beginning to think I may have to expand the boundaries of that “Passive-Aggressive man thing,” but in general I find the men in Lebanon County are very unwilling to enter into a verbal conflict or confrontation with a woman. I’ve personally had instances where men will say to me…..”stop yelling at me, I don’t respond well when someone yells at me.”
Well, excuse me! There are times when voices have to be raised in order to convey the gravity or seriousness of a situation. I don’t pull the crazy, angry lady card often……. but I’d rather pull it when necessary than to be afraid to pull it at all. People who never want to get angry frighten me. They’re ticking time bombs just waiting to explode!

6). Who is the most influential person in your life (past or present)?
LAURA LeBEAU: My parents. I’d be nothing without them. They’ve supported me in so many ways as I’ve tried to carve out a radio career for myself through the years. I owe everything to them. Honorary mention to my three sisters!

7). What would you do if you won the lottery?
LAURA LeBEAU: How much are we talking about? Can you say shopping spree? No, seriously, I’d make sure my parents wxere extremely comfortable, make sure my family members got a little something-something, make a generous donation to two of the Catholic churches where I’ve worshipped over the years, then it’s time to travel and shop!

8). If you had one pair of shoes, what would it be? What is the most expensive pair of shoes you have ever purchased?
LAURA LeBEAU: One pair of shoes? I cannot fathom such a tragedy and would not even venture a guess. Most expensive pair of shoes……. about $180 dollars for this beautiful pair of Brazilian, off-white pumps with lime green trim on them. They’re gorgeous, despite the description.

9). Who is your favorite fashion icon?
LAURA LeBEAU: It’s a toss-up for me, but I’d say either Yves Saint Laurent from the 1970’s or anything from Georgio Armani. Beautiful clothing!

10). How do you handle annoying callers on your show?
LAURA LeBEAU: I really try to give every caller the opportunity and the time to have their say. I’m often criticized for giving callers too much time and not cutting them off sooner. If a caller gets too obnoxious, I simply cut them off! Sometimes, it is good to be king!

11. How often are you recognized when you are out and about?
LAURA LeBEAU: Usually, it’s not my face that gets me noticed…….. it’s my voice. I’ve had people overhear me talking when I’m out, and they come over and ask if I’m the lady on the radio! It’s nice……. and people are usually very nice to me.

12). Are men intimidated by career women like you?
LAURA LeBEAU: Definitely! Refer to Question No. 5.

13). Let’s say you are Lebanon mayor for a day. What changes would you make to the city? And what would you do to improve downtown?
LAURA LeBEAU: If I could, I’d issue an executive order rescinding the Home Rule Charter. I think it’s caused more problems that it’s been worth with the strong mayor form of governance. As for downtown improvements, I have to say I think it’s been coming along quite nicely. I’m very encouraged by what I’m seeing, giving all credit due to the property owners who are making the improvements.

14). What’s your favorite television show?
LAURA LeBEAU: Without question………. “24.” Jack Bauer rules!

15). What is the best beauty tip you have learned?
LAURA LeBEAU: Less is more! Makeup should be used as an enhancement to your beauty……. not as a mask!

16). If you were to have three dinner guests at your home (past or present, dead or alive), who would they be?
LAURA LeBEAU: You know, I’ve really struggled with this question more than any other. I know a lot of people always say they’d invite Jesus…..so okay, I’d invite him. Then, given that Jesus was going to be there, I’d have to invite my Grandma Bruder, who’s been dead for almost 20 years. She was the most devout person I’ve ever known and I just miss her so much. I’m up for suggestions on the third guest, though. I really am struggling with this one!

17). What is your dream job?
LAURA LeBEAU: I’m doing it. OK….admittedly I’d love to be nationally syndicated and make a lot more money (who among us wouldn’t), but in terms of WHAT I’m doing I couldn’t ask for a better job! To think I went from talking into curling irons and candlesticks as a little girl to talking on the radio for real…. and to get paid for it, LIFE IS GOOD.

18). Who are your celebrity crushes?
LAURA LeBEAU: Jeremy Sisto from “Law & Order” and Keifer Sutherland from “24.”

19). Tell us about your worst date.
LAURA LeBEAU: When I was in Philadelphia working “The Quiet Storm” on Power 99fm from 10pm to 2am weeknights, Danny Bonaduce was auditioning for a slot across town at Eagle106fm. I called him on his studio lines, we talked for a bit and then met around 2:30am that night at the Denny’s on City Line Avenue. He spent the whole time talking about “The Partridge Family” and living in Santa Barbara next door to Michael Jackson’s “Neverland Ranch.” The only interest I could muster in the conversation was to say, “Wow, do all those animals smell?” Needless to say, that was the one and only time I went out with him.

20). Tell us about your best date.
LAURA LeBEAU: Going to a Pittsburgh Pirates / Detroit Tigers baseball game with John a few years ago. Pittsburgh is a great city and we had a blast, plus they have the best hot dogs and caramel corn at the ballpark. It was an awesome weekend because the Tigers took two of the three games they played against the Pirates.

By ERIC FISHER
For the 25th edition of its biggest event of the year, World Wrestling Entertainment returns to Houston, site of what many believe was the best WrestleMania (XVII) in history.
It’s unfair to expect this year’s WrestleMania to match the standard set by WrestleMania XVII, but, as usual, Sunday’s pay-per-view extravaganza (7 p.m.) features a little something for everyone.
Are you an old-time fan who wants to see some legends? For you, there’s a match involving Rowdy Roddy Piper, Superfly Jimmy Snuka and Ricky Steamboat.
Do you like to see women in the ring? For you, there’s a 25-Diva battle royal, with the winner being named Miss WrestleMania.
Do you prefer violent matches involving ladders and other foreign objects? For you, there’s the brotherly love-turned-to-hatred match between Matt and Jeff Hardy, as well as the annual Money In the Bank ladder match.
The biggest attractions at WrestleMania are the three main events: Undertaker vs. Shawn Michaels in a battle of legendary WWE superstars; Edge vs. Big Show vs. John Cena in a triple-threat match for the World Heavyweight Championship; and a grudge match between challenger Randy Orton and WWE champion HHH.
One of the strengths of WrestleMania XXV is that it’s not obvious who will win any of the matches. The outcomes are unpredictable, which is good for the fans but bad for those of us attempting to predict winners.

Randy Orton vs. HHH
(for WWE championship)
Orton was once a member of Evolution, the historic group that also featured HHH, Ric Flair and Batista. When Orton became the youngest world champion in WWE history, a jealous HHH and the other members of evolution turned on Orton.
That’s the back story from 2004, but the focus for this match has been attacks on each other’s family. The dastardly Orton kicked Vince McMahon and Shane McMahon, HHH’s real life father-in-law and brother-in-law, respectively, in the head.
He also delivered an RKO to Stephanie McMahon, HHH’s wife. HHH responded by attacking Orton in his home.
Orton then handcuffed HHH to the ring ropes and forced him to watch as he kissed an unconscious Stephanie. This feud is definitely personal.
Prediction: Orton prevails, perhaps with assistance from a turncoat member of the McMahon family.

Edge vs. Big Show vs. John Cena
(for World championship)
The side story to this match is that Big Show had an affair with Edge’s wife, Vickie Guerrero. Unlike the HHH-Stephanie McMahon relationship, Guerrero and Edge are only married in the WWE’s world, not in real life. Cena’s role has been to stir the pot. He revealed the Big Show-Vickie affair and repeatedly stirs up trouble between Edge and Big Show.
Prediction: Cena becomes world champion. (Although if HHH wins his match with Orton, in increases the likelihood that Edge will win this match.)

Shawn Michaels vs. Undertaker
The Undertaker is 16-0 at WrestleMania. Michaels, who calls himself “Mr. WrestleMania” – my list of the top 25 matches in WrestleMania history lends some validation to that claim – intends to end that streak. This is a battle between two of the WWE’s greatest all-time superstars.
Prediction: Michaels has had the upper hand in the mind games leading up to this match, but the Undertaker will win in the end.

Money In the Bank Ladder Match
The first wrestler to climb the ladder and retrieve the briefcase hanging high above the ring is the winner. The briefcase contains a contract for a world title shot, which the winner can exercise any time until the next WrestleMania. This year’s participants in this annual match are C.M. Punk, Christian, Kane, Mark Henry, MVP, Shelton Benjamin, Finlay and Kofi Kingston. There isn’t an obvious winner here. Benjamin has been in every MITB match, but has yet to win and isn’t really a serious threat to be world champion. Punk won last year’s match and cashed in to win the world title from Edge. Christian would be an interesting choice, especially if Edge, his former tag team partner, keeps the World heavyweight title. Kane has an outside shot.
Prediction: Punk gets elevated with another win, with Kane and Christian my next two choices.

MATT HARDY VS. JEFF HARDY
(Extreme Rules)
Brotherly love gone bad. When Jeff Hardy won the WWE championship, it set off a jealous streak in Matt Hardy, who felt he was being overshadowed despite having won the ECW championship. Jeff suffered a series of mishaps, including being run off the road. Matt eventually claimed responsibility for these awful deeds, including burning down Jeff’s house the previous year. Oh yeah, Matt also cost Jeff the WWE championship at the Royal Rumble. After initially refusing Matt’s overtures for a match, Jeff accepted – under extreme rules.
Prediction: Jeff is the logical winner, but Matt needs a win to keep this feud boiling. Matt in an upset.

Chris Jericho vs. Legends (with Ric Flair)
This match was originally slated to pit Jericho against Mickey Rourke, who was nominated as best actor for his role in Academy Award-nominated movie “The Wrestler.” Instead, Jericho will face wrestling legends Roddy Piper, Jimmy Snuka and Ricky Steamboat. Ric Flair will be in the legends’ corner.
If anybody can make this match work, it is Jericho. His tremendous promos make fans want to see him get his butt kicked. Jericho does as good a job of making wrestling seem “real” as anyone in the business.
Predictions: Legends prevail after Stone Cold Steve Austin delivers a stunner to Jericho.

25-Diva Battle Royal
Divas from the present and past converge in a battle royal. Let’s hope the 80-something Mae Young is not a participant. However, there are rumors that past Divas such as Trish Stratus, Lita and even Wendy Richter may take part in the battle royal.
Prediction: The returning Gail Kim prevails.

JBL vs. Rey Mysterio
(Intercontinental title)
JBL is promising to make history in this match. There are rumors that JBL is going to retire. That would indicate a Mysterio victory.
Prediction: Rey Mysterio.

John Morrison & The Miz vs. Carlito & Primo Colon
(Tag team titles unification lumberjack match)
There is a dearth of good tag teams in WWE, but these are two good ones. Morrison and Miz have more personality, but the Colons seem to need this win more. Why is this a lumberjack match (with wrestlers surrounding the ring)? To get every wrestler possible a pay-per-view payday.
Prediction: The Colons become the undisputed tag team champions.

This week, Myerstown Herald sports columnist Eric Fisher has revealed his 25 greatest matches at WrestleMania. Here is the top five:
5. Hulk Hogan vs. Andre the Giant (III, Pontiac, Mich.)
The match that arguably sold the most tickets in wrestling history. Not a technical masterpiece, but the magnitude of this match earns it a top-five ranking.
4. TLC (XVII, Houston)
Edge and Christian, Matt and Jeff Hardy, and D-Von and Bubba Ray Dudley brought the house down with this innovative Tables, Ladders and Chairs match. (You thought TLC stood for Tender Loving Care?)
3. Kurt Angle vs. Shawn Michaels (XXI, Los Angeles)
Another great example of story-telling in the ring. An amazing match.
2. Randy Savage vs. Ricky Steamboat (III, Pontiac, Mich.)
An all-time classic that still holds up after all these years.
1. Bret Hart vs. Steve Austin (XIII, Chicago)
An outstanding brawl featuring a perfectly executed double heel/face (bad guy/good guy) turn. By the end of this match, the fans are vociferously booing Hart and wildly cheering for Austin. Hart and Austin use their actions to tell a story, which is what professional wrestling is all about.

This week, Herald sports columnist Eric Fisher will reveal his 25 greatest matches at WrestleMania. Today, he unveils 11 through 15:
10. Bret Hart vs. Owen Hart (X, N.Y.)
The Hart brothers put on a wrestling clinic in the opening match of WrestleMania X. Perfect execution, with younger brother Owen pulling off the upset of Bret, who won the world title later that night.
9. Shawn Michaels vs. Chris Jericho (XIX, Seattle)
An often-overlooked match because no title was on the line and it is on the same card as Angle vs. Lesnar and Steve Austin vs. The Rock (which turns out to be Austin’s final match).
8. Shawn Michaels vs. Ric Flair (XXIV, Orlando)
Flair’s retirement match. An incredibly emotional match that might bring a tear to your eye.
7. Shawn Michaels vs. Razor Ramon (X, N.Y.)
Michaels and Ramon brought ladder matches to the masses with this dramatic confrontation.
6. Kurt Angle vs. Brock Lesnar (XIX, Seattle)
Two former NCAA wrestling champions battle it out in this tremendous WWE championship match. Lesnar is the current Ultimate Fighting heavyweight champion.

This week, Herald sports columnist Eric Fisher will reveal his 25 greatest matches at WrestleMania. Today, he unveils 11 through 15:
15. Money In the Bank Ladder Match (XXI, Los Angeles)
This ranks at the top of the now-annual MITB WrestleMania matches because it was so innovative.
14. Hulk Hogan vs. Ultimate Warrior (VI, Toronto)
An exciting match in which Hogan passes the torch to the Warrior.
13. The Rock vs. Steve Austin (XVII, Houston)
A terrific match featuring a surprising ending. This is the best of the Austin-Rock WrestleMania encounters, all of which were good.
12. Bret Hart vs. Shawn Michaels (XII, Anaheim)
What do you do with two of the best wrestlers of all-time? Give them an hour to entertain the fans on your biggest show of the year. An excellent iron man match between two real-life rivals.
11. Shawn Michaels vs. Chris Benoit vs. HHH (XX, N.Y.)
As good a triple-threat match as you’ll ever see. This match may have ranked higher on this list except the feel-good moment of seeing Benoit finally win the world title is spoiled by the knowledge that Benoit kills himself and his family a few years later.