Penn State President Erickson’s Statement Regarding NCAA Consent Decree:

“The tragedy of child sexual abuse that occurred at our University altered the lives of innocent children. Today, as every day, our thoughts and prayers continue to be with the victims of Mr. Sandusky and all other victims of child abuse.

“Against this backdrop, Penn State accepts the penalties and corrective actions announced today by the NCAA. With today’s announcement and the action it requires of us, the University takes a significant step forward.

“The NCAA ruling holds the University accountable for the failure of those in power to protect children and insists that all areas of the University community are held to the same high standards of honesty and integrity.

“The NCAA also mandates that Penn State become a national leader to help victims of child sexual assault and to promote awareness across our nation. Specifically, the University will pay $12 million a year for the next five years into a special endowment created to fund programs for the detection, prevention and treatment of child abuse. This total of $60 million can never reduce the pain suffered by victims, but will help provide them hope and healing.

“The NCAA penalty will also affect the football program. There is a four-year ban on all post-season games, including bowl games and the Big Ten Championship game, and a future reduction in the number of football scholarships that can be granted. We are grateful that the current student athletes are not prevented from participation because of the failures of leadership that occurred. Additionally the NCAA has vacated all wins of Penn State football from 1998-2011.

“We also welcome the Athletics Integrity Agreement and the third-party monitor, who will be drilling into compliance and culture issues in intercollegiate athletics, in conjunction with the recommendations of the Freeh Report. Lastly a probationary period of five years will be imposed.  

“It is important to know we are entering a new chapter at Penn State and making necessary changes.  We must create a culture in which people are not afraid to speak up, management is not compartmentalized, all are expected to demonstrate the highest ethical standards, and the operating philosophy is open, collegial, and collaborative.

“Since receiving Judge Freeh’s preliminary recommendations in January, the University has instituted several reforms. Today we accept the terms of the consent decree imposed by the NCAA. As Penn State embarks upon change and progress, this announcement helps to further define our course. It is with this compass that we will strive for a better tomorrow.

“Penn State will move forward with a renewed sense of commitment to excellence and integrity in all aspects of our University. We continue to recognize the important role that intercollegiate athletics provides for our student athletes and the wider University community as we strive to appropriately balance academic and athletic accomplishments. Penn State will continue to be a world-class educational institution of which our students, faculty, staff and alumni can be justifiably proud.”

Statement by Acting Athletic Director David Joyner:

“The Freeh Report concluded that individuals at Penn State University entrusted to positions of authority, shunned their basic responsibility to protect children, and innocent children suffered as a result.  Our hearts go out to the victims of this abuse and their families.

“Today Penn State takes another step forward in changing the culture at the institution as we accept the penalties of the NCAA for the failure of leadership that occurred on our campus.  We are deeply disappointed that some of our leaders could have turned a blind eye to such abuse, and agree that the culture at Penn State must change.

“As we move forward, today’s student athletes have a challenging road ahead.  But they will do the right thing, as they have always done. I am confident all of our head coaches will come together to make the change necessary to drive our university forward.  Penn State will continue to fully support its established athletic programs, which provide opportunities for over 800 student athletes. 

“Working together, the path ahead will not be easy.  But it is necessary, just, and will bring a better future.  Our faculty, staff, students, athletes, and parents will work together as Penn State begins this new chapter.  Though this cooperation and collaboration, Penn State will become a national model for compliance, ethics, and embodiment of the student athlete credo.”

Statement by Head Football Coach Bill O’Brien:

“Today we receive a very harsh penalty from the NCAA and as Head Coach of the Nittany Lions football program, I will do everything in my power to not only comply, but help guide the University forward to become a national leader in ethics, compliance and operational excellence. I knew when I accepted the position that there would be tough times ahead.  But I am committed for the long term to Penn State and our student athletes.

“I was then and I remain convinced that our student athletes are the best in the country.  I could not be more proud to lead this team and these courageous and humble young men into the upcoming 2012 season. Together we are committed to building a better athletic program and university.”

Maurice Townsend, 24, from Shenandoah was picked up Sunday night.

Authorities believe he slashed a woman’s arm during an argument on Cherry Street in Shenandoah around 7:30 p.m.

Townsend faces aggravated assault and reckless endangerment charges.

He was taken to the Schuylkill County prison on $50,000 bail.

(CNN) — The National Collegiate Athletic Association announced a $60 million fine against Penn State University on Monday and banned its football team from the postseason for four years.

The school will also forfeit all football wins from 1998, NCAA President Mark Emmert said. That decision strips the late Joe Paterno of the title of winningest coach in major football college history.

While the school’s football program will not face the so-called “death penalty” that would have prevented the team from playing in the fall, the school might have preferred a one-year suspension because of the severity of the scholarship losses, a four-year postseason sanctions and other penalties, a source familiar with the case told CNN on Sunday.

The punishment is part of the continued fallout from the child sex abuse scandal involving former assistant football coach Jerry Sandusky, who was convicted in late June of 45 of the 48 counts he faced involving 10 young victims.

The NCAA’s punishments follow an independent investigation led by former FBI Director Louis Freeh, whose report held four top Penn State officials, including late football coach Joe Paterno, responsible for failing to stop the abuse.

Emmert wrote a letter to Penn State President Rodney Erickson in November that included four questions he wanted the university to answer.

The NCAA felt the questions were answered by the Freeh report and therefore it could act before the university responded, a source familiar with the case said.

On Sunday, in State College, Pennsylvania, the 900-pound bronze statue of Paterno was removed from its place outside the 106,000-seat football stadium. Erickson said in a statement the statue is being stored in a “secure location.”

The statue was removed exactly six months after Paterno died of lung cancer. He died less than three months after he coached his last game, an October 29 victory over Illinois that gave him a major college record 409 wins, 111 of which came after 1998. Under Paterno’s 46-season tenure as head coach, the Nittany Lions won two national championships, went undefeated five times, and finished in the top 25 national rankings 35 times.

The tribute to the coach had become an object of contention after the child rape scandal involving Sandusky.

However, Paterno’s relatives said they believe taking down the statue serves no purpose.

“Tearing down the statue of Joe Paterno does not serve the victims of Jerry Sandusky’s horrible crimes or help heal the Penn State community. We believe the only way to help the victims is to uncover the full truth,” the family said in a statement.

“It is not the university’s responsibility to defend or protect Joe Paterno. But they at least should have acknowledged that important legal cases are still pending and that the record on Joe Paterno, the board and other key players is far from complete,” it added.

Dan Vecellio, a staff writer for the blog Black Shoe Diaries, said there were about 100 people who watched the statue taken down, put on a forklift and driven into the stadium through a loading-dock door.

The Freeh report found several Penn State officials concealed evidence that Sandusky had sexually abused minors. Freeh concluded that Paterno could have prevented further sexual abuse had he taken action.

“I now believe that, contrary to its original intention, coach Paterno’s statue has become a source of division and an obstacle to healing in our university and beyond,” Erickson said.

“I believe that, were it to remain, the statue will be a recurring wound to the multitude of individuals across the nation and beyond who have been the victims of child abuse,” he added.

Another tribute to Paterno — the university library that bears his name — will remain as it is, Erickson said.

The Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (SNAP) called Paterno “a powerful man who acted selfishly” who “deserves no public honors whatsoever.”

“We’re glad the statue is gone but that’s just a tiny step forward,” SNAP spokesman David Clohessy said in a statement. “We as a society must learn that a good way to deter child sex cover-ups is to punish, not praise, those who instigate such cover-ups.”

Sandusky is expected to be sentenced in September. His legal team has said it will appeal the convictions.

Two former university administrators are awaiting trial for their role in the scandal, and more charges are possible as the state’s attorney general investigates what Penn State may have known about Sandusky’s behavior.

“Since we learned of the Grand Jury presentment and the charges against Jerry Sandusky and University officials last November, members of the Penn State community and the public have been made much more acutely aware of the tragedy of child sexual abuse. Our thoughts and prayers continue to go out to those victims of Mr. Sandusky and all other victims of child abuse. I assure you that Penn State will take a national leadership role in the detection and prevention of child maltreatment in the months and years ahead.

“With the release of Judge Freeh’s Report of the Special Investigative Counsel, we as a community have had to confront a failure of leadership at many levels. The statue of Joe Paterno outside Beaver Stadium has become a lightning rod of controversy and national debate, including the role of big time sports in university life. The Freeh Report has given us a great deal to reflect upon and to consider, including Coach Paterno’s legacy.

“Throughout Penn State, the two most visible memorials to Coach Paterno are the statue at Beaver Stadium and the Paterno Library. The future of these two landmarks has been the topic of heated debate and many messages have been received in various University offices, including my own. We have heard from numerous segments of the Penn State community and others, many of whom have differing opinions. These are particularly important decisions when considering things that memorialize such a revered figure.

“I now believe that, contrary to its original intention, Coach Paterno’s statue has become a source of division and an obstacle to healing in our University and beyond. For that reason, I have decided that it is in the best interest of our university and public safety to remove the statue and store it in a secure location. I believe that, were it to remain, the statue will be a recurring wound to the multitude of individuals across the nation and beyond who have been the victims of child abuse.

“On the other hand, the Paterno Library symbolizes the substantial and lasting contributions to the academic life and educational excellence that the Paterno family has made to Penn State University. The library remains a tribute to Joe and Sue Paterno’s commitment to Penn State’s student body and academic success, and it highlights the positive impacts Coach Paterno had on the University. Thus I feel strongly that the library’s name should remain unchanged.

“Coach Paterno’s positive impact over the years and everything he did for this University predate his statue. At the same time it is true that our institution’s excellence cannot be attributed to any one person or to athletics. Rather, Penn State is defined by our actions and accomplishments as a learning community. Penn State has long been an outstanding academic institution and we will continue to be.

“The world will be watching how Penn State addresses its challenges in the days ahead. While some may take issue with the decisions I have made, I trust that everyone associated with our University will respond in a civil and respectful manner.

“I fully realize that my decision will not be popular in some Penn State circles, but I am certain it is the right and principled decision. I believe we have chosen a course that both recognizes the many contributions that Joe Paterno made to the academic life of our University, while taking seriously the conclusions of the Freeh Report and the national issue of child sexual abuse. Today, as every day, our hearts go out to the victims.”

The National Collegiate Athletic Association will hold a news conference Monday morning.

Monday will be a day many Penn State fans have been anxiously awaiting since the sex abuse scandal broke eight months ago.

The NCAA  news conference comes one month after Jerry Sandusky was convicted of 45 counts of child sex abuse and nearly two weeks after the release of the Freeh report which detailed high-ranking school officials had knowledge of the abuse and covered it up.

The NCAA plans “corrective and punitive measures” for the university and the possible penalties against the university had people talking.

“I think they should fire all the ones that were on the board when this happened and everything. That`s my opinion,” said Donna Cravath of Gouldsboro.

“As far as I`m concerned, there`s not enough money in this world that could compensate for what those victims went through,” said Rose Ann Rukse of Scranton.

There has been speculation the NCAA could impose the so-called ‘death penalty,’ which would suspend the football program for at least one year.

Some Nittany Lion fans said that would be severe.

“They shouldn`t punish the program because it`s one bad apple that did everything wrong and a couple bad people covered it up,” said Steve Cravath of Gouldsboro. “People love Penn State football and they don`t want to miss the new season coming up.”

“I wouldn`t give them the death penalty, but I would definitely cut their scholarships severely, restrict the bowls that they can be in, like USC was. They weren`t allowed bowls for I think three years, so at least that. Just enough to deter recruits, like a normal NCAA football punishment would be,” said Josh Cramer of Dickson City.

Some people said it will take years for the university to recover from the scandal and the sanctions.

“My son goes to Penn State and I think it`s a shame their reputation is at risk now. It`s a great school and I don`t really know what the punishment should be. I think basically, everyone`s suffered enough,” said Joanne Paradise of Scranton.

The NCAA news conference will be held at 9 a.m. at its headquarters in Indianapolis.

Newswatch 16 will have complete coverage throughout the day on the Penn State penalties.

According to police, the men were taking out trash around 2 p.m. at a facility not far from the jail, when they simply walked away.

The men were caught a couple hours later in Plains Township.

Police have not released the names of the prisoners involved in the escape.

It happened around 1:30 a.m. outside Pub 570 in Middle Smithfield Township, near East Stroudsburg.

Troopers said two workers at the restaurant were taking out trash, when two men with guns, pistol whipped them.

The robbers took the workers’ wallets, cell phone, and the keys to their vehicles, before taking off in one of the stolen cars.

The vehicle was later recovered, but troopers are still looking for the robbers in Monroe County.

Our WNEP Facebook page is overflowing with comments after the decision to remove the JoePa statue was announced.

The statue came down at 8:20 a.m. and was brought into Beaver Stadium. There is no word on what will happen next.

In a statement from President Rodney Erickson he says

“I now believe that, contrary to its original intention, Coach Paterno’s statue has become a source of division and an obstacle to healing in our University and beyond. For that reason, I have decided that it is in the best interest of our university and public safety to remove the statue and store it in a secure location. I believe that, were it to remain, the statue will be a recurring wound to the multitude of individuals across the nation and beyond who have been the victims of child abuse.”

Newswatch 16 has a crew at State College today to cover any developments on this story.

Police said Beatrice Phelps of New Milford disappeared on Wednesday.

On Saturday state troopers said the woman was found in the woods behind Maple Lane in Hallstead.

Phelps’ daughter said her mom is a little dehydrated, but is otherwise doing fine after her ordeal in Susquehanna County.

Officers said the crash happened on Oak Street in Taylor around 3:00 p.m.

Authorities said a car struck another vehicle while attempting to pass it.  Police said the stuck car went airborne and smashed into a utility pole. 

The Lackawanna County Coroner’s Office said Kim Smith, 49, of Taylor was killed.

Witnesses said they saw one woman being taken from the scene in handcuffs by Taylor police.

Investigators said the woman driver who caused the deadly crash had three children passengers that were uninjured.  Police are investigating the woman may have been driving under the influence.

Police said William Price, 18, of Scranton followed a man around the corner after the man left the Sunoco Gas Station on South Main Avenue in the city.

Price along with two others, surrounded the man, pushed him to the ground. Then took his wallet, cell phone, and cigarettes.

The robbers left the scene.

Police said they are still looking for the two other culprits.

State police said the fight happened as dozens of people were lined up outside the Laurel Mall near Hazleton, waiting for the release of a popular sneaker.

Investigators charged Carlos Mejia, 19, of Hazleton with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon after state police said he stabbed two men and hurt a teenager.

The incident happened around 1 a.m. as dozens of people were waiting for the release of the Air Jordan 7 “Olympic” sneaker.

Hours after the incident, people were still lined up.

Peter Henriquez waited overnight with friends to make sure he got seven pairs of sneakers. He said he paid $69.99 for kids sizes and $160 for adult.

Henriquez said at first, everyone in line was getting along.

“Everybody was good until there was just words being exchanged and then one thing led to another,” said Peter Henriquez of Hazleton. “We didn`t even notice until, you know, you just saw a little kid swinging. So it was hectic.”

Investigators said when officers arrived at the mall, they found a 17-year-old boy lying on the sidewalk, bleeding from his nose and being treated for a head injury.

The teen was taken to Hazleton General Hospital where troopers learned Christopher Vega, 19, of Hazleton was being treated for stab wounds to his ribs and arm.

Vega was taken to Geisinger Wyoming Valley near Wilkes-Barre for surgery.

A short time later, Geisinger security told troopers that another victim, Joel Fernandez, 21, of Hazleton arrived at the hospital with a stab wound to his abdomen.

Mejia was arrested after troopers at the mall noticed he had blood on his hands. A knife was found in a nearby garbage can.

Some people at the mall overnight said there were about 100 people lined up waiting for the Jordan 7 sneakers to go on sale, but that there was no security until the mall opened early around 8 a.m., so they were not surprised a fight broke out.

“Maybe the sneakers should be produced more instead of having this problem, cause it`s not the first time. It happens all over the United States. They say here`s 10 pairs and you have 200 people outside. So it becomes crazy,” added Henriquez.

“Probably the mall or the store at least probably should have had somebody here doing crowd control if they knew that they were that popular and that there was going to be a line for them,” said Shelly Zito of Drums.

It is unclear what exactly started the argument.

Officials with the Laurel Mall were not available to comment on the incident.

There is no word on the teen’s condition. Fernandez and Vega are in fair condition at Geisinger Wyoming Valley.

Carlos Mejia is locked up in the Luzerne County jail on $100,000 bail.

Lackawanna County district attorneys tell us, state representative Kevin Murphy (D) turned himself over to police Saturday morning after officers say he hit his wife and another person last night.

Authorities said Murphy arrived at a home on Legget Street in the city after 9:00 p.m. when he got into an argument with his wife, which then turned violent.

Investigators said another person tried to stop the fight.  Murphy then assaulted that person as well.

Kevin Murphy was elected to the state house in 2008.

The democrat represents the 113th district which covers parts of Scranton, the Abingtons, Moosic, Taylor, and all of Throop.

Murphy now faces two counts of simple assault and two counts of harassment.

He was released on bail. Calls to his office were not returned.