Today's News - Sat. Aug. 25

POTTSVILLE - A man who was involved in a fight at a Mount Carbon bar early Friday was arrested for disorderly conduct at the Good Samaritan Regional Medical Center. Frackville state police were assisting Schuylkill Haven troopers with a fight at Goodfella's that involved approximately 30 people. 34-year-old Carl Johnson was in the hospital’s emergency room, creating a disturbance. After failing to leave, Johnson was arrested for Persistent Disorderly Conduct via video conference. State Police are conducting interviews for the incident and several others may face charges including Simple Assault and Harassment. He is lodged in Schuylkill County Prison on bail.

CRESSONA — Two people were injured in a single-car accident on Friday at 4:45 p.m., which closed Sweet Arrow Lake Road for several hours. According to the Republican and Herald, State police at Schuylkill Haven said Claire Maffeo, 57, of Pottsville, was driving west on Sweet Arrow Lake Road when she became drowsy and momentarily closed her eyes, at which point she drove off of the roadway and struck a PPL power pole. Police said a passenger, Margaret Landonis, 93, of Allentown, was transported to Pottsville Hospital with a complaint of pain. Maffeo received minor injury in the accident, police said. The other passenger, Joshua Landonis, 10, of Nescopeck, was not injured, police said. All three were wearing seatbelts, according to police. The vehicle, a 2007 Volkswagon Jetta, was towed from the scene. Cressona Fire Company and Friedensburg Fire Company assisted at the scene.

BRANDONVILLE — A 2000 Jeep Wrangler belonging to Samuel White, Brandonville, received damage to the front passenger side window by a BB pellet on Tuesday evening as reported in the Pottsville Republican and Herald. A vandal also damaged two vehicles traveling on Route 924 with a BB gun early Thursday, according to state police at Frackville. Between 12:05 and 12:10 a.m. a blue 2005 Ford Explorer XLT owned by Steve Motil, Nuremberg, sustained damage to its passenger rear door, and a white 2001 Honda Civic owned by Joseph Kriesher, Brandonville, sustained damage to its windshield, police said. Anyone with information is asked to call 874-5300.

SOUTH WILLIAMSPORT, Pa. (AP) - An acquaintance of a Little League player from Japan diagnosed last week with measles at the World Series may have also contracted the contagious illness. That's according to the state health department, which is awaiting test results to confirm the diagnosis. A Little League spokesman says there's a confirmed second case
of measles, and that the person has no connection to the Little League World Series. State health officials plan a news conference tomorrow at the Little League complex in South Williamsport. They plan to answer questions before the start of the international championship game between Japan and Curacao.

ALLENTOWN, Pa. (AP) - The investigation is continuing today into why a packages delivered on the Saint Lukes Hospital campus sickened at least six people and caused the evacuation of three buildings. The F-B-I, police, firefighters and hazardous materials teams were on the scene Friday. Bethlehem police Lieutenant Dave Strawn says investigators found that the substance had leaked from a box onto other boxes on aFedEx plane. He says the F-B-I doesn't believe this was a terrorist attack. Company officials say FedEx closed its distribution center for about an hour last night so authorities could investigate.

DALLAS, Pa. (AP) - College Misericordia is now Misericordia University. The school has its largest incoming class of more than 300 freshman and has added three new graduate studies to help it achieve university status. Misericordia's Paul Krzywicki says it is exciting to see the
excitement of students, staff and faculty after plenty of hard work. University officials say they expect the expanded studies to bring in more students, but they intend to stay small.

ZAHARO, Greece (AP) - Water-dropping helicopters and airplanes are back in the skies today over southern Greece to battle raging wildfires. But some are hampered for a second day by strong winds. At least 37 people have died in the massive fire area.

UNDATED. (AP) - A 28-square-mile wildfire in central Idaho is only about a 10th contained. It's prompted a mandatory evacuation of nearly 100 homes, with another 200 families being advised to get out. Officials at a nearby resort have placed hoses on top of a ski mountain, but don't expect to have to use them.

UNDATED (AP) - Tens of thousands of people are without power in the Chicago area following this week's storms. Volunteers are scrambling to sandbag low-lying areas against rising water. Storms in southeast Michigan yesterday produced a least one destructive tornado. Parts of Fenton were heavily damaged. The National Weather Service says at least one tornado touched down in Fenton, Michigan, yesterday. Homes and businesses sustained major damage but no serious injuries are reported. Most of the city's 10,000 residents are without power. As many as five other tornadoes may have hit elsewhere in southeast Michigan.

SURREY, British Columbia (AP) - At least 11 people are hurt and two missing after a hot-air balloon caught fire and crashed in British Columbia. The balloon's basket reportedly burst into flames shortly after takeoff. Screaming passengers jumped about 25 feet to the ground.