Today's News-Friday, October 19th

A North Manheim Township auto dealer was the victim of thieves in several cars earlier this week. Schuylkill Haven state police just released the information about the incident this morning. Someone came to the R&R Auto Group lot on Route 61 between Tuesday night and Wednesday, and smashed the windows on 4 vehicles. They removed a stereo and wheels from two of the cars, and a tail light assembly from another. Total loss is estimated at $14-thousand-dollars. The investigation continues.

A Pottsville man's car was stolen yesterday. Shawn Klinger's white Pontiac Sunfire was parked in the lot at Van Heusen on Route 61 near Schuylkill Haven. After 1pm, someone entered the car and drove off. If you have any information, contact Schuylkill Haven state police at 593-2000.

State police are looking for a hit and run driver from a crash in East Union Township yesterday.
Sandra McCoog of Girardville was driving south on Route 924, and an unidentified Chevy Cavalier was headed north. The driver of the Chevy crossed over the center line and hit McCoog's car then left the scene. Frackville troopers are continuing their investigation.

The water situation in Schuylkill County is bad and people are wasting it. That was the message county resident Ed Pautienus gave to the Commissioners during their work session Wednesday. Pautienus is a bioscience expert. He asked the commissioners to get the word out that people need to conserve and provided 150 tips to save water. Pautienus said the average metered water use in the county is 32 to 40 million gallons per day, and water is drying up in a lot of areas. Mandatory water restrictions were put in place last week for individuals and businesses served by the Ashland and Shenandoah Municipal Authorities. Schuylkill and surrounding counties have been under a drought watch since October 5th according to the State DEP. Pautienus said water conservation begins in the home and that the three R's of conservation are "Reduce, Reuse and Recycle".

Schuylkill County voters who need a refresher on using the touch-screen voting machines will have two chances to try them out next week. The County Election Bureau will conduct voting machine demonstrations at the Schuylkill Regional Resource Center on West Center Street, Mahanoy City on Wednesday, October 24th from 10:30am to 1pm. Saturday, October 27th, demonstrations will be held at the St. Clair Wal-Mart from 8:30am till 2pm. Check out Schuylkill County's website,http://www.co.schuylkill.pa.us/.), for additional times and information.
The general election is November 6th.

As a Schuylkill Haven fire company continues to recover after a devastating fire last month, more people are stepping up to help. Among the events planned to help Schuylkill Hose Company Number 2 to raise funds are a car show sponsored by R&R Auto Group, Schuylkill Haven Saturday afternoon. Classic car and motorcycle owners can show off their rides, with judging in 12 different classes. Registration will be held from 9 to noon at the Route 61 dealership. Entry fee is $10. Food and refreshments will be available. For more information, call R&R at 385-2881. Michael B's Restaurant and Tavern, Deer Lake, are hosting a benefit dinner weekend tonight and Saturday, with 20 percent of all food sales being donated to Schuylkill Hose. Saturday, October 27th, a benefit golf outing will be held for the fire company at Hidden Valley Golf Course, Friedensburg. The 4 person scramble tees off with a shotgun start at 10am. Call Matt at 573-0961 to sign up. Last weekend, a softball tournament was held in Schuylkill Haven to help Schuylkill Hose. A number of teams got together to have fun and raise funds to help the cause. The company suffered a multi-million dollar fire on September 12th.

Students from thirty-two Pennsylvania school districts have been named award winners for their artwork by the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board, including several from our area.
The 2007 Alcohol Awareness Poster Contest was open to students in grades K through 12, and the winners best exemplified the message that underage drinking is dangerous. PLCB Chairman Patrick Stapleton explains the importance of kids getting the message out:

STAPLETON

More than 15-hundred students participated in the contest, promoting healthy alternatives to drinking alcohol, like regular exercise and participation in sports activities. Among the local winners were Megan Collins and Leah Lengel from Pine Grove, Aaron Joyce, Kailee Romanchick and Brynn Smela from Jim Thorpe, a first grader from Blue Mountain, and Felicia Stine from Minersville.

A Pottsville man is charged with two hit and run crashes in the city Wednesday night. City police say that 18-year-old Scott Parsons borrowed a pickup truck owned by Joseph Marhon and drove through the city, breaking off a mirror on a van on Elk Avenue. Parsons reportedly was speeding on West Market Street, and hit the side of a building in the 700 block, causing minor damage. Parsons and a 14 year old passenger fled the scene but were quickly apprehended. He will be charged with driving without a license, hit and run and other motor vehicle offenses.

A rock concert that entertains little kids and adults? Can't e… But that' exactly what’s coming to the Sovereign Majestic this evening. The Dirty Sock Funtime Band, dubbed the "First Real Rock Band for Kids" will bring their music and a whole lot more to Pottsville at 7pm. The band members have musical and education backgrounds, and create an exciting program that gets the kids out of their seats and expanding their imaginations, as member Stephen Jacobs tells us:

JACOBS

They got their start on Nickelodeon's Noggin Jack's Big Music Show, and have been spreading their high-energy entertainment across the country for the past three years. The Dirty Sock Funtime Band show at the Sovereign Majestic is open to all ages. Call the box office for tickets to this evening’s show at 628-4647.

HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) - Pennsylvania National Guard officials
expect to get official word today that nearly 4,000 Guard members
could be sent to Iraq within a year. It would be the state Guard's
largest deployment there. The soldiers are members of the 28th
Division's 56th Stryker Brigade in Philadelphia, but they're spread
out in roughly 30 armories across the state.
PHILADELPHIA (AP) - The homicide rate in Philadelphia has slowed
in recent months and police say the death toll was at 320 by
midnight Wednesday. For a change, that was one less than the number
on the same date last year. Homicides have run about five percent
above last year's level for much of the year, and police say they
don't know the reason for the change.
WILLIAMSPORT, Pa. (AP) - A Williamsport man who tried to rescue
his wife from a fire that killed her has died of his own injuries.
Officials say 80-year-old Carl DiMassimo died Thursday at Lehigh
Valley Medical Center of complications from second- and
third-degree burns over 30 percent of his body. His 84-year-old
wife, Shirley DiMassimo, died in the fire October 1st.
HOLLIDAYSBURG, Pa. (AP) - Blair County Treasurer James Carothers
will reduce his public office hours because his staff has been cut
due to budget constraints. The treasurer's office sells dog
licenses, as well as licenses for hunting, fishing, boating and
small games of chance. Carothers' staff will still work full time,
but also handle banking and revenue collection.
MOUNT LEBANON, Pa. (AP) - The Pittsburgh Presbytery says a
conservative congregation can leave the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A)
and take its property, too. Reverend Rick Wolling says his church
is leaving because central doctrines, including the divinity of
Jesus Christ, are under attack in the national church. Beverly
Heights is joining the Evangelical Presbyterian Church.

HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) - Pennsylvania National Guard officials expect to get official word today that nearly 4,000 Guard members could be sent to Iraq within a year. It would be the state Guard's largest deployment there. The soldiers are members of the 28th Division's 56th Stryker Brigade in Philadelphia, but they're spread out in roughly 30 armories across the state.

PHILADELPHIA (AP) - The homicide rate in Philadelphia has slowed in recent months and police say the death toll was at 320 by midnight Wednesday. For a change, that was one less than the number on the same date last year. Homicides have run about five percent
above last year's level for much of the year, and police say they don't know the reason for the change.

WILLIAMSPORT, Pa. (AP) - A Williamsport man who tried to rescue his wife from a fire that killed her has died of his own injuries. Officials say 80-year-old Carl DiMassimo died Thursday at Lehigh Valley Medical Center of complications from second- and third-degree burns over 30 percent of his body. His 84-year-old wife, Shirley DiMassimo, died in the fire October 1st.

HOLLIDAYSBURG, Pa. (AP) - Blair County Treasurer James Carothers will reduce his public office hours because his staff has been cut due to budget constraints. The treasurer's office sells dog licenses, as well as licenses for hunting, fishing, boating and small games of chance. Carothers' staff will still work full time, but also handle banking and revenue collection.

MOUNT LEBANON, Pa. (AP) - The Pittsburgh Presbytery says a conservative congregation can leave the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A) and take its property, too. Reverend Rick Wolling says his church is leaving because central doctrines, including the divinity of Jesus Christ, are under attack in the national church. Beverly Heights is joining the Evangelical Presbyterian Church.

SPOKANE, Wash. (AP) - A man who was one of the most wanted fugitives in the U.S. is to be arraigned today in Spokane, Washington. Kenneth Freeman is accused of raping his daughter and posting footage of the abuse online. He had fled to China and was arrested in Hong Kong before being sent back yesterday.

BANGKOK, Thailand (AP) - The subject of an international manhunt is to be extradited to Canada after being prosecuted for child-sex crimes in Thailand. Christopher Neil was arrested there today. He's accused of sexually abusing young boys. Thai police say a friend led them to the house where Neil was hiding.

CAMP LIBERTY, Iraq (AP) - A U.S. Army officer has been acquitted in Iraq on charges of aiding the enemy. Lieutenant Colonel William Steele had been accused of letting Iraqi inmates at a U.S. prison use his cell phone for unmonitored call. He was found guilty today on a number or lesser charges, including failure to obey an order.

NEW YORK (AP) - An anniversary today that businesses won't be celebrating. It's been 20 years since the stock market crash of 1987. On that day the Dow fell 508 points, nearly 23 percent of it's value. Those working on Wall Street remember it as a day filled with fear, disbelief and frustration.

CLEVELAND (AP) - The Red Sox are still alive in the baseball chase. Boston beat Cleveland 7-1 last night in game five of the American League Championship Series. Cleveland leads the series,
3-2. Game six is tomorrow in Boston.