Today's News - Saturday July 21, 2007

POTTSVILLE - One of northeast Pennsylvania's most recognizable faces will be in downtown Pottsville on Monday. It's Joe Snedeker! The morning meteorologist from WNEP is embarking on his annual Go Joe tour to raise money for St. Joseph's Center in Dunmore, a facility for the severely mentally and physically challenged. His goal for this year's trek will be to surpass the $1-million-dollar amount. His stop in Pottsville will be at the Schuylkill County Municipal Authority, South Centre Street, from 5 to 7:30pm. Area residents are encouraged to stop by and say hello to Joe. Go Joe the Tenth will wind its way across northeast and central Pennsylvania, returning to the Wyoming Valley on Saturday, July 28th. WPPA and T102 will be out front of our studios as part of the fun. GO JOE.

SUMMIT STATION - It's just one more week until the 24th edition of the Schuylkill County Fair! The annual celebration of agriculture in Summit Station promises to be "Bushels of Fun" for the entire family. Whether you are searching out your favorite food, to learning more about agriculture, one of Schuylkill County’s economic drivers, or the top-notch entertainment, the Schuylkill County Fair will not disappoint. Some of the headlining acts this year include rock and roll greats the Grass Roots and Chuck Negron, formerly of Three Dog Night, the country sounds of Lee Greenwood and Jeff Bates, and local favorites, the VIH Band and Psycho Bettie. The Schuylkill County Fair is a great family value, with daily admission, including entertainment, just $9 dollars. Children under 12 are just $6 dollars. The fair opens with Preview Day on Sunday, July 29th, and closes Saturday night, August 4th.

POTTSVILLE - A man, accused of fraud and other crimes, was picked up in Georgia earlier this week. Pottsville Police Detective Glenn Dove reports that 29-year-old Jimmy Smith, whose last known address was on 2nd Street in the city, was arrested in Floyd County, Georgia, where he was being detained on outstanding felony warrants in Pennsylvania, including Pottsville and Schuylkill Haven. The incidents in question are from March 28th and April 20th, in which Smith is accused of taking mail from victim's homes, then using the information to make cash withdrawals or produce counterfeit checks on the accounts at a local bank. Smith is charged with forgery, access device fraud, identity theft and theft by deception. Pottsville police were aided by US Postal Inspectors. Smith was due to be arraigned in Federal Court in Georgia, then is to be extradited back to Pennsylvania.

WASHINGTON TOWNSHIP - A Washington Township man is in Schuylkill County Prison on drug possession charges. Wednesday evening, agents from the Schuylkill County DA's drug task force and Pennsylvania State Police, executed a search warrant at the home of 29-year-old Justin Currey, on Stony Top Road. The search of the residence uncovered several bags of marijuana, packaged for re-sale, and other drug paraphernalia. Currey was charged with possession and possession with intent to deliver marijuana, and associated offenses. He was arraigned and taken to Schuylkill County Prison.

SCHUYLKILL HAVEN - A Schuylkill Haven man who forged prescriptions in Carbon County learned his sentence this week. 47-year-old Mark Drey, who worked as a pharmacist in Lehighton, repeatedly forged prescriptions for erectile dysfunction drugs for himself avoided a criminal record this week when he was placed in a probation-without-a-verdict program. Drey who's in a 3 year drug treatment program, was also ordered to get a mental health evaluation, complete 30 hours of community service and make restitution at an amount to be determined by Carbon County probation officials. Drey worked for Eckerd Drugs, and apparently forged scripts for Viagra and Cialis, using doctor's names and a fictious man from Northampton, and an Eckerd pharmacy customer who had no idea what was going on. Drey is charged with theft, identity theft and forgery.

PHILADELPHIA (AP) - A state Senate leader says investors are talking to Major League Soccer officials and state lawmakers about bringing a team to Chester. Senate Majority Leader Dominic Pileggi says plans would involve building a 100 million dollar waterfront stadium. Pileggi says the talks are still in the preliminary stages and he's been asked not to identify members of the group. A league offical confirms that talks have been going on with potential investors for a franchise in the Philadelphia area. But he wouldn't identify the individuals involved or the exact locations being discussed.

PHILADELPHIA (AP) - Governor Ed Rendell has signed legislation aimed at making health care more accessible and less expensive for Pennsylvanians. Rendell calls it a good first step but says more work is needed to achieve full-fledged reform. One law is aimed at eliminating hospital-acquired and antibiotic-resistant infections. The other expands the scope of duties that can be performed by some medical professionals, including nurse practitioners, midwives and dental hygienists. The initiatives are part of the governor's broader "Prescription for Pennsylvania" agenda. It intends to reduce health care costs and improve the quality of care.

NEW YORK (AP) - Bookstores across the U-S and around the world welcomed eager readers young and old at the stroke of midnight, all waiting for the final book in the Harry Potter series. Twelve (m) million copies of "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows" have been printed for the U-S alone.

WHITE HOUSE (AP) - President Bush undergoes a routine colonoscopy today. The procedure will take place at the presidential retreat at Camp David, Maryland. While Bush is under anesthesia, Vice President Cheney will assume the powers of the presidency. Polyps were found in past tests.

WHITE HOUSE (AP) - President Bush and Congress continue to battle over Iraq. Democrats are pressing for a withdrawal. Bush says they're delaying action on much needed money to fight the war. Despite Bush's characterization of it as a must-pass funding bill, the war bill debated in the Senate this week is a policy measure.

NEPHI, Utah (AP) - A wildfire that has already burned thousands of acres in Utah is now threatening a small town. Residents from about two dozen homes in Indianola have been told to be ready to evacuate quickly. Dozens of wildfires are burning in the West, nearly half of them in Nevada and Idaho.

LA PLATA, N.M. (AP) - A 19-year-old woman is recovering from burns she suffered after her cigarette lighter sparked a blaze at a New Mexico gas station. Witnesses say Brianna Sanchez was fiddling with the lighter while pumping gas when flames shot out of the tank. The extent of her burns isn't known.

BAKER, La. (AP) - The C-D-C is going to begin testing trailers issued to hurricane victims by FEMA for high levels of formaldehyde. The move comes after government documents revealed government lawyers tried to hide reports of dangerous levels of fumes in the trailers.

NEW YORK (AP) - It could take several more days before cleanup of a steam pipe explosion in Manhattan is complete. City officials say businesses in the "frozen zone" could lose hundreds of (m) millions of dollars if the cleanup goes much beyond next week.

BERTHOUD, Colo. (AP) - A chlorine explosion at a water treatment plant in Colorado has injured four people and heavily damaged the facility. Fire officials say yesterday's explosion occurred because chemicals being unloaded were not compatible with others already at the plant.

UNDATED (AP) - The N-B-A acknowledges the F-B-I is investigating a referee for betting on games, including ones in which he officiated. Law enforcement officials say they're looking at whether Tim Donaghy made calls to affect the point spread in games he and associates had bet on.

HONOLULU (AP) - A tropical depression is expected to bring flooding, strong winds and high waves to Hawaii. The National Weather Service says it could dump up to ten inches of rain on the Big Island. Officials are warning people to be careful driving in the rain.

CAMP PENDLETON, Calif. (AP) - A Marine convicted of kidnapping and conspiracy to murder an Iraqi civilian won't have to serve any more jail time. Corporal Trent Thomas has been reduced in rank to private and given a bad-conduct discharge.

ABINGDON, Va. (AP) - Purdue Pharma and three of its executives have been ordered to pay a 634-and-a-half (m) million dollar fine for misleading the public about its risk of addiction to OxyContin. The pill, if crushed and then swallowed, snorted or injected, produces heroin-like effects.

LAGUNA NIGUEL, Calif. (AP) - Former Vice President Al Gore's son is now charged with possessing drugs including marijuana. A California prosecutor filed charges Friday against Al Gore the Third. Police say they found the drugs when they pulled him over for speeding on the Fourth of July.