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MONDAY, AUGUST 8, 2011
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THE TIMES LEADER
www.timesleader.com
Family unhappy over pizza bomber film
Producers of ‘30 Minutes or Less’ deny movie is about Brian Wells. By JOE MANDAK Associated Press
PITTSBURGH — When the Columbia Pictures comedy “30 Minutes or Less” opens in theaters nationwide Friday, one small group of people will be sure to avoid it. That would be the surviving family members of Brian Wells, the 46-year-old pizza delivery driver who was killed when a metal bomb collar he was forced to wear while robbing a bank exploded in Erie eight years ago. The movie’s handlers acknowledge the screenwriters were
“vaguely” aware of Wells, but say the movie — in which two ne’erdo-wells force a pizza driver to rob a bank while wearing a bomb vest timed to explode in nine hours — isn’t based on the infamous Pennsylvania collar-bomb case, and especially Wells’ grisly, tragic death. Still, Wells’ 51-year-old sister, Jean Heid, of Erie, said the movie isn’t funny — whether or not it was inspired by her brother’s fate. “It’s hard for me to grasp how other human beings can take delight and pride in making such a movie and consider it a comedy,” Heid wrote in an email to The Associated Press. Heid asked to respond by email because she wanted to choose her words carefully. “I don’t think it’s funny to
laugh at the innocent who are victimized by criminals, who care nothing for human life.” Steve Elzer, the senior vice president who handles media relations for Sony Pictures’ Columbia TriStar Motion Picture Group, refused to be interviewed, but issued a statement saying, “Neither the filmmakers nor stars the stars of ‘30 Minutes or Less’ were aware of this crime prior to their involvement in the film. The writers were vaguely familiar with what had occurred and wrote an original screenplay that does not mirror the real-life tragedy.” Screenwriters Michael Diliberti and Matt Sullivan didn’t respond to requests for comment through their agent at William Morris Endeavor Entertainment
in Beverly Hills, Calif. But, based on its madcap theatrical trailer, it appears the film doesn’t “mirror” the Wells case — beyond the pizza-bomber plot device — or go anywhere near paralleling Wells’ death. It’s still too close for comfort for some people, however. Jerry Clark, 50, the since-retired FBI agent who led the investigation after watching the bomb kill Wells from 30 feet away, said he watched the trailer for “30 Minutes or Less” because “I was so curious myself.” “Having been on the scene the day that it happened and watching the device detonate, linking that with a comedy, that’s sort of difficult for me to comprehend,” said Clark, who is co-writing a book on the case with Erie
AP FILE PHOTO
An Erie bomb squad member prepares to turn over the body of Brian Wells on Aug. 28, 2003, to check for more explosives after a device detonated, killing Wells.
Times-News reporter Ed Palattella. “The tragedy of the day itself doesn’t, to me, translate to a comedy from my perspective.” The movie is unlikely to offend anyone unless they’re intimately
familiar with Wells or the criminal case — like Heid or Clark, said Paul Dergarabedian, president of the box office division of Hollywood.com and a movie business analyst for the AP.
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square foot. Of course, saying it’s the cheapest new high school is a tad misleading; only one other high schoolisonthestatelistof12new buildings that year. But even if you look at all those schools, Dallas came in the second cheapest – no small accomplishment, considering high schools, by their nature, tend to cost Galicki more than elementary or middle schools. Data from the National Clearinghouse for Educational Facilities lists the average cost of a high school in 2010 at $205 per square foot, compared to about $185 for elementary and middle schools, though costs vary by region. Among the schools on Pennsylvania’s 2009 list, the most expensive was a new high school in Bethel Park School District – a southern suburb of Pittsburgh – which cost $212 per square foot. The least expensive was an elementary school in Elizabethtown Area School District, about midway between Harrisburg and
U.S. Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner and Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke participated in the G-7 call. Asian stocks fell early today but losses were contained amid the G-7 promise. Japan’s Nikkei 225 stock average was down 1.3 percent at 9,178.30 and Seoul’s Kospi dropped 1.6 percent to 1,913.58. Hong Kong’s Hang Seng tumbled 2.6 percent to 20,409.01 while Australia’s S&P/ASX 200 pared its initial sell-off to be down 1 percent at 4,062.70. Futures pointed to losses on Wall Street when it opens today. Dow futures were off 225 points, or 2 percent, at 11,177 and broader S&P 500 futures shed 23.6, or 2 percent, to 1,174.20. Even before the downgrade, the Dow Jones industrial average last week fell nearly 700 points, or 6 percent. Investors were worried because economic signals in the U.S. and overseas were pointing toward trouble: •On July 29, the government dramatically lowered its estimate of how much the economy grew during the first quarter. It had said the economy grew at an annual rate of 1.3 percent, but revised that number down to 0.4 percent. Second-quarter growth was also weak, a 1.3 percent rate. •European officials are trying to help Italy — the world’s eighthlargest economy — avoid the kind of bailouts that Greece, Portugal and Spain were forced to accept to prevent them from defaulting on their debt. And those
bailouts haven’t solved all the problems in those countries. •The first reports on the economy during the third quarter have been mixed. Manufacturing, which helped pull the economy out of the recession, fell to its weakest level since July 2009 — the month after the recession officially ended. The Labor Department said 117,000 jobs were created last month. But that came after 99,000 jobs were created in May and June combined — and 250,000 new jobs are needed each month to reduce unemployment. As a result, financial analysts interviewed Sunday said they expect markets to be volatile this week — and beyond. “We are in unchartered territory and, therefore, should all brace for volatility over a number of days if not weeks,” said Mohamed El-Erian, CEO and cochief investment officer of the bond mutual fund company PIMCO. Mark Zandi, chief economist at Moody’s Analytics, said he expected the downgrade to cause a selloff today. “There’s a lot of fear and misunderstanding and confusion, and that all could come out in the stock and bond markets. I don’t think it takes much to unnerve investors given the current environment. I think anything could drive investors to sell given how fragile sentiment is,” he said. Investors may get more insight on Tuesday, when the Federal Reserve holds a regularly scheduled meeting on the economy and interest rates. It’s expected the central bank will state that interest rates will need to remain at their current low levels for at least another year.
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treasurer. While the news is still sinking in, the three watched their first race as holders of their new titles and responsibilities on Sunday. A family affair indeed. And fittingly, the winner, Brad Keselowski, is part of a racing family that includes father Bob, uncle Ron and brother Brian. And the second and third place finishers are the brothers Busch – Kyle and Kurt. Pocono and Indianapolis are the only two family-run racetracks on the NASCAR Sprint Cup circuit. And Brandon Igdalsky said he sees no reason for Indy to be alone on that list. He also doesn’t see any reason for the track to lose one of its two summer races, something that has been long rumored, even before he became track president two
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er personnel have been trained to step in and perform emergency work assignments,” Verizon spokesman Rich Young said. Engleman said union members hope for “the least possible inconvenience” to customers. “And we’re ready to go back to work as soon as progress is made at the bargaining table.” Talks in Philadelphia and New York stalled Saturday night after Verizon continued to demand more than 100 concessions from workers regarding health care, pensions and work rules, according to the CWA. Contract negotiations began June 22. Mark C. Reed, Verizon’s executive vice president of human resources, called the outcome of the unions’ actions “regrettable” for customers and employees. “We will continue to do our part to reach a new contract that
CHARLOTTE BARTIZEK/FOR THE TIMES LEADER
The main entrance of the new Dallas High School, which was built at a lower cost than any other in the state.
York on the east side of the Susquehanna River. That school cost $113 per square foot. While admitting timing was a big help, Galicki credited district staff and school board members past and present for “a lot of due diligence” in keeping costs of the roughly $40 million structure down. The board had done substan-
tial research before hiring Crabtree, Rohrbaugh & Associates to spearhead the project. It was Crabtree’s Project Manager Craig Zimmerman who touted the state report to the school board after a tour of the facility Aug. 1. Crabtree also noted it is working on three of the four lowestcost schools listed in the report.
The costs are based on district filings of “Part G” of the state’s “PlanCon” process – an 11-part process districts must go through to get state reimbursement for construction projects. Part G is based on actual construction bid costs. It does not include any changes after bids are received. Final accounting is done in Part J.
years ago. Igdalsky said other than plans already in the works for the track, he has no agenda and no tricks up his sleeve. His main goal is the same as his grandfather’s: Make the track a great place to watch a race, a family-friendly event and continue to be a part of NASCAR. Though Mattioli, 86, announced he and Rose were stepping away to “take it a little easy,” Igdalsky said he has no doubt his grandfather will be keeping a close watch over everything and letting him know what he’s doing right and wrong. “He’ll be barking orders,” Igdalsky said. “He’s not going to give that up.” “One day we’ll set our mark, but right now it’s continuing what he started,” Igdalsky said. He said he and his brother Nick have been increasing their involvement in recent years and will rely on their grandfather’s insight -- past, present and future. “We’ll still go to him and get his
ideas and see what he thinks. And if he tells us ‘Screw you, it’s awful,’ we’ll understand,” Igdalsky said. A native of Holland, Bucks County, Igdalsky said that when he began coming up to the track as a teenager, he was put to work cleaning up trash and doing whatever was needed. The June 1989 race was the first one he recalled working. Being family didn’t mean plumb jobs. Igdalsky worked at the track’s sewer plant at the track before handling hospitality and track services. Conversations with his grandfather were plentiful and Igdalsky began keeping a file he called “Docology.” “The knowledge that me and my brother and sister have learned from him is countless. We would sit with him for hours drilling his brain, and he would talk and we’d just listen. It was useful, to say the least,” Igdalsky said.
Inadditiontohisvicepresidential duties Sunday, Nick Igdalsky also spent some time behind the wheel of the No. 23 Fox Realty Chevrolet in the ARCA series race. He started 26th and finished 19th. The Pocono Summit resident earned degrees in marketing and management from Elon University in North Carolina. Ashley Igdalsky, of Long Pond, also graduated from Elon with a degree in communication and film, with a minor in photography, in 2002. She has held several positions at the raceway and also worked as a freelance assistant director for the Speed Channel. Most recently she has served as executive director of the nearby Village at Pocono, something her grandfather proudly touted during his retirement speech. The private gated community, literally across the street from Pocono Raceway, includes villas, an aquatic center, tennis courts and a playground.
reflects today’s economic realities in our wireline business and addresses the needs of all parties,” he said in a statement. Workers covered by the expired contract include 10,000 represented by the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, who serve as telephone and repair technicians, customer service representatives, operators and more. “Even at the 11th hour, as contracts were set to expire, Verizon continued to seek to strip away 50 years of collective bargaining gains for middle class workers and their families,” the CWA said in a statement Sunday. New York-based Verizon, the nation’s largest wireless carrier, has 196,000 workers; 135,000 are non-union. The CWA said the concessions are unjustified and harsh, given that Verizon is highly profitable — the company’s revenue rose 2.8 percent to $27.5 billion in the second quarter. Its growth was largely attributed to its wire-
less business. And, Engleman said, top Verizon management was paid about $268 million of that amount. “Our message since June 22 has been the simple: It’s about jobs, keeping good, family-sustaining, middle-class jobs. We want Verizon to be prosperous. We’re willing to cooperate and we have a long history of cooperation, but we’re not willing to give up 50 years of bargaining gains,” Engleman said. But Verizon said its wireline business has been in decline for more than a decade, and that it is asking for changes in the contract to strengthen the unit. The company said union employees contribute nothing to their health care premiums. A customer satisfaction survey released in May showed Verizon Wireless and Sprint Nextel Corp. ranked highest among the Big 4 wireless carriers. The survey polled 8,000 households in the first quarter of this year.
Verizon added 1.26 million wireless subscribers under contract in the April to June period this year, a result that flies in the face of the slowdown in new subscribers across the industry in the last two years. A year ago, Verizon added just 665,000 subscribers under contract. Verizon ended the last quarter with 106.3 million devices connected to its wireless network. No. 2 and chief rival AT&T is trying to leapfrog Verizon in size by buying No. 4 T-Mobile USA for $39 billion. Lowell McAdam, the former head of Verizon Wireless, became CEO of Verizon Communications Inc. on Aug. 1, replacing Ivan Seidenberg. Seidenberg, the longtime CEO, remains chairman of the company. Associated Press writer Cristian Salazar contributed to this story. Steve Mocarsky, a Times Leader staff writer, may be reached at 970-7311.
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Vrabel, a 1984 graduate of Susquehanna University in Selinsgrove and co-owner of Snowbird Softball, which runs softball tournaments in South Carolina. “And I was feeling strong.” As part of the members’ support of literacy, the group visited local libraries along their way. Vrabel indicated that each library visit depended upon the nature of those who attended and on the requests of that specific library. In Clarksburg, W.Va., that meant participating in a reading activity for children that centered on monsters. In Seymour, Ind., it meant presenting a slide show based on the group’s journey to both children and adults. Vrabel said that in addition to encouraging reading and exercise as they biked through the country, the group also gained an appreciation for relationships with those from different parts of the country. For example, when the group was invited to stay overnight at the Wolf Sanctuary in Lucerne Valley, Calif., it was able to actually assist in tending to some of the wolves there. “One of the wolves was used as a model for the movie ‘Twilight,’ ” said Vrabel, who admitted with a laugh that he had never seen the movie. Vrabel said he was surprised that other cyclists did not join them for parts of their trip. However, he was also surprised that, again and again, he received input from others that they were reading at home, they were cycling in their own neighborhoods
or attempting to journal in their own living rooms. That made Vrabel smile, believing that he might not only have influenced people across the country, but also that he might have motivated people in some way to become more balanced and healthy intellectually or physically. His favorite example is his own younger brother, who did not join them, but who was committed to reading and to riding his stationary bike on a regular basis. Vrabel’s father, Frank Vrabel, or “Big Frank,” of Denville, N.J., also had his own healthy goals to work toward, even as he drove the RV in support of the group. He stopped drinking caffeinated beverages throughout the trip and is committed to continuing a healthy lifestyle. Vrabel also gained an appreciation for the diversity and spirituality of those throughout the country. He once again quoted his favorite passage from John Steinbeck’s “Travels with Charlie”: “Once a journey is designed, equipped and put in process, a new factor enters and takes over. A trip, a safari, an exploration is an entity, different from other journeys. It has personality, temperament, individuality, uniqueness.” Vrabel said he was determined to live his life as a purposeful journey, implementing healthy principles and intellectual engagement. He encourages those who are interested in learning more about the journey or in providing input in regard to their own journey, to go to the group’s Facebook page titled “Bikes, Books, and Beyond.”