Today's News-Wednesday, August 22nd

A Minersville woman was hurt in a tractor-trailer/car crash on Route 61 during rush hour yesterday afternoon. Traffic was shut down for several hours as remnants of the accident were cleaned up near Deer Lake. Schuylkill Haven state troopers report that 23-year-old Amber Blickley was traveling south on Route 61 when her car veered into the northbound lane, into the path of a tractor-trailer driven by 51-year-old Dave Stoudt of Reading. The impact caused Blickley's car to spin and it struck a stone wall. She had to be freed from the wreckage, and was taken to Reading Hospital for treatment of her injuries. Stoudt was not injured. Fuel from the rig spilled onto the highway, and required a haz-mat team to clean it up.

A group of state lawmakers came to Pottsville yesterday to talk about new legislation to reduce property taxes for homeowners. Members of the House Finance Committee, chaired by Representative David Levdansky, received testimony from several civic leaders and residents at the Sovereign Majestic Theatre. About 25 people were in attendance. Hosted by State Representatives Neal Goodman and Tim Seip, the committee discussed House Bill 1600, which would boost the state sales tax by a half-percent and the personal income tax by point 22 in order to reduce school property taxes by 40 to 50 percent. A common theme throughout the hearing was the extreme burden that property taxes puts upon homeowners, specifically the elderly. Several presenters told the panel that school property tax elimination, not just reduction, should be their ultimate goal. Neal Goodman said that the previous attempts at reform, Act 72 and Act 1, were too complex for taxpayers to understand. Among the presenters were Schuylkill County Commissioner Mantura Gallagher and Pottsville Mayor John D.W. Reiley. The bill will be discussed when the state House and Senate return to Harrisburg in September.

A video store in the Cressona Mall was robbed yesterday afternoon. Just before 5pm, a white man entered the Blockbuster Video Store at the mall and gave the clerk a note demanding money. Preliminary reports indicate that the robber may be the same individual who robbed the Dairy Queen store in Pottsville last Saturday, and a stand at Renninger's Market in Orwigsburg on Sunday. State police indicate that the man, reported to be in his late-20's, got an undetermined amount of cash at Blockbuster, and fled the scene in a car parked in the mall parking lot. If anyone has any information about the string of robberies, contact Schuylkill Haven state police at 593-2000.

A Schuylkill Haven man will spend time in state prison for stabbing a man last year. 28-year-old Robert Leymeister pleaded guilty to aggravated assault, reckless endangerment and disorderly conduct in Schuylkill County Court and was sentenced yesterday, according to the Republican and Herald. Leymeister, who had charges of attempted homicide dropped against him, stabbed Edward Bassininsky in the stomach at a home on Fritz Reed Avenue in Schuylkill Haven last June. Judge D. Michael Stine sentenced Leymeister to 8 to 16 years in state prison. He will also have to pay more than $42-thousand-dollars in restitution to various agencies.

We now know the details of a tractor trailer crash on I-81 Monday afternoon. We told you yesterday that a man was injured when his tractor-trailer rig lost control on the wet roadway near mile marker 104 near Ravine. Nelson Gonzalez of Miami, Florida and his rig went onto the shoulder and struck a tree, causing the rig to spin clockwise. He was rescued from the wreckage and taken to Hershey Medical Center for treatment. That crash happened around 3pm Monday.

Three people escaped injury in a two vehicle crash yesterday morning in West Brunswick Township. Raquel Torres of Reading was driving west on Route 895, at the intersection of Route 61, and Raymond Sidella Jr. was driving east. State police say that both had the green light, and Torres attempted to turn left in front of Sidella’s tractor trailer. Sidella's rig struck Torres' passenger’s side. Torres, Sidella and a passenger in Torres' car were not hurt, but her car had to be towed from the scene. The crash happened around 10:30 Monday morning.

Make a Difference Day is just about 2 months away. Organizations who are planning projects, but need funds, can apply for a mini-grant to help. Organizers of the local Make A Difference Day program have announced that mini-grants are once again available for materials required to complete a MADD project. The Schuylkill United Way, Community Volunteers in Action, and Retired Senior Volunteer Program join together each year to organize the event which is traditionally held the last Saturday in October. This year, MADD is scheduled for Oct. 27, and all groups applying for a grant to work on a project must complete the project on or near that date. Grants are available for $50 to $300 through First Federal Charitable Foundation and the Sovereign Foundation and must be submitted by Sept. 7 to any of the three organizations.
For more information on MADD mini-grants, contact the Schuylkill United Way at 622-6421, CVIA at 628-1426, or RSVP at 622-3103.

BAGHDAD (AP) - The military says an Army helicopter has gone down in northern Iraq, killing all 14 U.S. soldiers on board. It's the deadliest crash there since January 2005 when a transport
chopper crashed in a sandstorm in western Iraq and 31 U.S. troops died.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) - President Bush is pointing out similarities between the Iraq and Afghanistan wars and World War II and Vietnam in urging patience. Bush plans to tell the Veterans of Foreign Wars convention today that the hard work the U.S. is doing in the Middle East can have the same results as past conflicts in Asia.

CAREY, Ohio (AP) - Ohio residents are the latest victims of flooding in the Midwest and the Plains. Intense rainfall washed out roads, canceled schools and sent rescuers out in boats. In
Minnesota, thousands of homes have been damaged, including more than 250 completely destroyed.

TECOLUTLA, Mexico (AP) - The last tourists have left the beaches of a Mexican resort on the western Gulf of Mexico ahead of Hurricane Dean. The storm is on course to hit mainland Mexico
today, a day after pounding the Yucatan. A physics professor vacationing from Poland says he wanted to stay and see the hurricane but his wife said no.

GIG HARBOR, Wash. (AP) - Two pit bull terriers have left a woman in serious condition in Washington state. The dogs broke into her home through a pet door and attacked the woman in her bed. She managed to get away and call 911. Police used pepper spray to get the dogs under control.

HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) - The Pennsylvania Supreme Court has unanimously upheld a decision to throw a Cambria County district judge out of office for making inappropriate comments to his staff. District Judge Allan Berkhimer was removed from office in June
2005. A month before he was removed from office, Berkhimer lost both party primaries.

HORSHAM, Pa. (AP) - Toll Brothers says its third-quarter profit tumbled. The luxury homebuilder was hurt by hefty writedowns and higher-than-expected cancellations as the housing downturn and concerns about credit quality continued. Earnings dropped to 16
cents per share. Analysts surveyed by Thomson Financial expected a loss of 2 cents per share.

SCRANTON, Pa. (AP) - The attorney for a woman who gave birth in a Lackawanna County prison cell says the results of a prison review support what the woman has been saying. Despite her pleas, Shakira Staten of Chambersburg gave birth unattended about 4 a.m. on July
10th. A nurse practitioner had told prison employees to take Staten to the hospital.

EBENSBURG, Pa. (AP) - All charges have been dropped against a Westmont Hilltop school board member and former jeweler accused of stealing two Rolex watches and an automatic winder from a customer. Cambria County District Attorney Patrick Kiniry says there wasn't
enough evidence to pursue a case against 48-year-old Thomas Kirby of Westmont.

UNIONTOWN, Pa. (AP) - Joe Hardy, the millionaire founder of 84 Lumber, is filing for divorce less than four months after marrying his third wife. The Herald-Standard of Uniontown reports that Hardy filed a divorce petition Monday in Fayette County, seeking to end his marriage to 23-year-old Kristin Georgi. The petition says the couple have irreconcilable differences.