NBC SAYS IT WILL AIR AN INTERVIEW WITH FORMER PENN STATE ASSISTANT COACH JERRY SANDUSKY NEXT WEEK.  THE NETWORK ANNOUNCED THAT THE SEGMENT WILL BE BROADCAST ON THE "TODAY" SHOW MONDAY, AND THAT SANDUSKY WILL PROVIDE HIS VERSION OF WHAT OCCURRED, AND HIS THOUGHTS ABOUT HIS FORMER BOSS JOE PATERNO.  SANDUSKY IS SERVING A 30- TO 60-YEAR PRISON TERM AFTER BEING CONVICTED IN JUNE OF 45 COUNTS OF CHILD SEXUAL ABUSE.  NBC SAYS SANDUSKY ALSO WILL COMMENT ON MIKE MCQUEARY, A GRADUATE ASSISTANT WHO TOLD PATERNO IN 2001 HE HAD SEEN SANDUSKY SHOWERING WITH A YOUNG BOY IN A TEAM SHOWER LATE ON A FRIDAY NIGHT.  MCQUEARY IS PURSUING A DEFAMATION AND WHISTLEBLOWER LAWSUIT AGAINST PENN STATE. 

  GRAMMY WINNER JOHN MAYER IS COMING TO THE GREAT ALLENTOWN FAIR ON TUESDAY, AUGUST 27.  AMERICAN IDOL WINNER PHILLIP PHILLIPS WILL JOIN MAYER THAT NIGHT.  IT'S MAYER'S FIRST EVER SHOW AT THE FAIR AND IT'S PART OF HIS "BORN AND RAISED TOUR."  TICKETS GO ON SALE MARCH 29 ONLY VIA TICKETMASTER.  IF ANY TICKETS REMAIN AFTER THAT, THEY'LL BE SOLD AT THE FAIRGROUNDS BOX OFFICE.

  GOV. TOM CORBETT SAYS OFTEN CONTROVERSIAL ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION SECRETARY MICHAEL KRANCER IS STEPPING DOWN.  CORBETT SAYS KRANCER WILL RETURN TO PRIVATE LAW PRACTICE IN MONTGOMERY COUNTY APRIL 15.  KRANCER HELPED OVERSEE CORBETT'S MARCELLUS SHALE ADVISORY COMMISSION AND HAS RUN THE AGENCY IN CHARGE OF REGULATING PENNSYLVANIA'S NATURAL GAS BOOM.  CORBETT SAYS THE AGENCY WAS IN GOOD HANDS WITH KRANCER.  KRANCER, HOWEVER, OFTEN CLASHED WITH ENVIRONMENTAL ADVOCATES, THE FEDERAL ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY AND DEMOCRATIC LAWMAKERS.
 

  BETHLEHEM CATHOLIC GIRLS BASKETBALL COACH BILL LANSCEK SAYS THE TURNING POINT IN A SEASON THAT HAS THEM PLAYING FOR A STATE TITLE SATURDAY NIGHT WAS THE SECOND OF TWO LOSSES THE TEAM HAS SUFFERED THIS SEASON.  "WE LOST THE LEAGUE SEMIFINALS AND THAT KIND OF SET US STRAIGHT A LITTLE BIT.  WE GOT OUR HEADS ON RIGHT AND REALIZED ANYTHING CAN HAPPEN AND WE BETTER BE PREPARED AND WE BETTER HAVE PEOPLE READY TO GO IN PEOPLE'S PLACES IF THEY'RE HURT OR IN FOUL TROUBLE.  THE GIRLS KIND OF REDEDICATED THEMSELVES AND HERE WE ARE," LANSCEK SAYS.  THE GOLDEN HAWKS ARE 28-AND-2.  THEY'LL PLAY A 27-AND-2 SOUTH PARK TEAM FROM NEAR PITTSBURGH SATURDAY NIGHT AT 6 O'CLOCK IN HERSHEY.  NEITHER TEAM HAS EVER WON A STATE TITLE.

  IT'S STILL NOT TOO LATE TO REGISTER FOR BETHLEHEM'S ANNUAL CITIZENS' ACADEMY.  THE ACADEMY GIVES BETHLEHEM RESIDENTS A CHANCE TO LEARN MORE ABOUT WHAT THEIR GOVERNMENT DOES.  THE CLASSES, WHICH ARE FREE, BEGIN APRIL 3 AND THE REGISTRATION DEADLINE IS APRIL 2.  TO REGISTER, CALL 610-865-7100.

  FAMED GROUNDHOG PUNXSUTAWNEY PHIL MIGHT WANT TO GO BACK INTO HIBERNATION.  AUTHORITIES IN STILL-FRIGID OHIO HAVE ISSUED AN "INDICTMENT" OF THE FURRY RODENT, WHO PREDICTED AN EARLY SPRING WHEN HE DIDN'T SEE HIS SHADOW AFTER EMERGING FROM HIS WESTERN PENNSYLVANIA LAIR ON FEBRUARY 2.  MIKE GMOSER, THE PROSECUTOR IN SOUTHWESTERN OHIO'S BUTLER COUNTY, SAYS "PUNXSUTAWNEY PHIL DID PURPOSELY, AND WITH PRIOR CALCULATION AND DESIGN, CAUSE THE PEOPLE TO BELIEVE THAT SPRING WOULD COME EARLY."  THE PENALTY?  GMOSER SAYS, TONGUE FIRMLY IN CHEEK, IS DEATH.  WINTER HAS BEEN DRAGGING ON IN THE BUCKEYE STATE AND SURROUNDING AREAS, WITH DAILY HIGH TEMPERATURES THIS WEEK HOVERING IN THE MID-30S.  A STORM MOVING INTO SOUTHWEST OHIO SUNDAY COULD BRING BETWEEN 4 AND 8 INCHES OF SNOW.

  MOTORISTS WHO CAN'T PUT DOWN THEIR CELLPHONES MIGHT FACE TOUGHER PENALTIES IN NEW JERSEY.  THE ASSEMBLY HAS PASSED A BILL THAT INCREASES PENALTIES FOR REPEAT OFFENDERS.  FIRST-TIME OFFENDERS WOULD HAVE TO PAY A FINE OF $200.  DRIVERS CONVICTED OF A SECOND OFFENSE WITHIN 10 YEARS OF THE FIRST WOULD HAVE TO PAY $400.  MOTORISTS CONVICTED OF A THIRD AND SUBSEQUENT OFFENSES WITHIN 10 YEARS WOULD HAVE TO PAY A FINE OF $600 AND FACE DRIVER'S LICENSE SUSPENSION OF UP TO 90 DAYS.  NEW JERSEY IS AMONG NINE STATES AND THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA THAT BAN HAND-HELD CELL PHONE USE FOR ALL DRIVERS.  IT'S ALSO ONE OF 35 STATES THAT BANS TEXTING FOR ALL DRIVERS, ALONG WITH D.C.  THE BILL RETURNS TO THE STATE SENATE.

  SOME OF THE JERSEY SHORE'S AMUSEMENT PIERS AND PARKS ARE SPRINGING BACK TO LIFE NEARLY FIVE MONTHS AFTER SUPERSTORM SANDY.  GATES ARE SET TO OPEN AT NOON TODAY AT ATLANTIC CITY'S STEEL PIER, WHICH WAS UNDAMAGED BY THE STORM.  AMONG ITS NEW ATTRACTIONS IS A THRILL RIDE CALLED THE MIX.  IT SPINS LIKE A PROPELLER AND SWINGS RIDERS OUT OVER THE OCEAN.  THE KEANSBURG AMUSEMENT PARK ALSO OPENS THIS WEEKEND.  IT WAS HEAVILY DAMAGED BY SANDY'S FLOODWATERS.