Today's News-Friday, October 26th

Two county men escaped injury in a crash in northern Dauphin County Wednesday night. A car driven by Joseph Klinger of Minersville was westbound on Clarks Valley Road, driving too fast for conditions and lost control of his vehicle. The car hit the guide rail, traveled 100 feet and ended up on the shoulder of the eastbound lane. Klinger, and his passenger, John Liptok of Pottsville, left the scene, but were located by state police. KIinger was apparently intoxicated, and submitted to a breath test at the Lykens barracks. He faces charges.

Tremont police arrested two men in connection with making a homemade chemical bomb and detonating it Monday night. Police said they were called to 37 West Main Street for a report of a loud explosion and learned from witnesses that two men dropped the bomb from the third floor of a building. The investigation led to the arrest of Justin Blouch and Darrin Schneck, both of 37 West Main Street. Both men were charged with causing or risking a catastrophe, recklessly endangering another person, disorderly conduct and related counts. Both are locked up on $15-thousand dollars bail each.

A Girardville man was flown to Geisinger Medical Center, after a fire at 323 East Main Street in Girardville yesterday. Borough fire officials say 38-year-old John Stapinski, was cooking on the stove in the kitchen of his home about noon when the oil he was using caught fire. Fire officials say Stapinski's shirt caught fire. He ran to the bathroom and took off the shirt and threw it into the tub where earlier in the day he had dumped paint thinner which then exploded. Officials say there was more damage in the bathroom than in the kitchen. Damage to the home was moderate and, the fire was ruled accidental. Stapinski remains in serious condition at the hospital.

A federal researcher says he hasn't ruled out an environmental link to an elevated number of cases of a rare blood cancer in our area. But Vince Seaman says finding a cause is "somewhat of a fishing expedition." The government reported that it confirmed a higher-than-expected incidence of polycythemia vera, or PCV, in Schuylkill and Luzerne counties on Wednesday night. But that its yearlong study found no link to something in the environment. Seaman says his findings suggest an "external factor" is at play. But he noted that until researchers discover the cause of PCV, it could be anything.

A deer crossing the road caused an accident in Barry Township last night. Tyler Swinehart was driving north on State Route 4020 around 10pm when a deer ran across the road. In attempting to avoid the animal, he swerved his car, and struck an embankment. The car then struck a utility pole and rolled over onto its roof. Swinehart was taken to Good Samaritan Hospital for treatment of minor injuries. His passenger, Justin Klinger, was not injured. Swinehart's car was severely damaged.

The County Prison board announced two retirements during their Wednesday meeting. Elzabeth Antalosky and David Devlin will retire within the next several weeks. The personnel committee will begin the process of seeking replacements. The status of a $35-thousand-dollars study of prison issues such as overcrowding, was discussed. County Administrator Darlene Dolzani said representatives from Crabtree, Rohrbaugh and Associates met with the Warden earlier this month and also looked to see if any land was available near the prison. She said the only land is the jury parking lot and it’s not available. The county solicitor's office presented the board with a report pertaining whether, and to what extent the county prison has a right to refuse to accept an inmate who is in need of medical treatment at the time they are initially presented for commitment, and who is responsible for the costs associated with any necessary treatment at that time. The report will be studied to determine if the present prison policy conforms with the Pennsylvania Administrative Code regarding prison procedures and administration.

The Schuylkill County Commissioners Wednesday authorized Rest Haven to solicit bids for resident furniture and dietary equipment. Bids will be opened at the November 14th meeting.
In other business, approval was granted to the Solid Waste Department to enter into a contract with Hazleton Scrap recycling for various services provided during the 2007 county fall cleanup program at $12-thousand-five-hundred dollars. The Public Works Department was authorized to accept a proposal from Losch Plumbing and Heating Inc. of Schuylkill Haven to replace a grate in the boiler at the Prison at a cost of $20,225. The Commissioners authorized extending the bid award date for asbestos removal at the Rest Haven 1912 building to the November 14th meeting. Two proclamations were issued during the meeting. October 23- 31 was designated Red Ribbon week and October 27th was designated Make-A-Difference Day. The Commissioners also announced that the court house will be closed Tuesday, November 6th in observance of Election Day. The next scheduled commissioner's work session will be held November 8th at 10am at the Hofmann Room of the commissioner’s office.

The North Schuylkill school district has made some changes to their school handbook regarding attendance at school functions. At this week's board meeting, directors okayed the change, where students, and non-district guests at proms or formal dances, may be required to submit to a random drug test. The Republican and Herald reports that previously, parent were required to attend an information session about drugs and alcohol before purchasing tickets. Now, the parental sessions will be voluntary, but the tests will be done, based on a formula established on ticket numbers for the event. Officials say that the results of the drug tests would be known immediately, and any issues turned over to Butler Township Police. The Spartan Task Force, a group of faculty and concerned parties have been working to inform and increase awareness of the drug and alcohol problems among students and the community.

A distinguished alumni of Penn State Schuylkill will be honored for his professional achievements next week. Leon Krushinski has been selected as the 2007 Penn State Schuylkill Alumni Achievement Award Winner. A dinner on November 2nd at the campus will honor his award. Krushinski serves as Deputy Director for Strategic Business Management of the Defense Finance and Accounting Service (DFAS) of the U.S. Department of Defense. He has received numerous awards for his work in government, spanning 30 years.

BLOOMSBURG, Pa. (AP) - Representative John Peterson is hitting the road again in his oppostion to turning Interstate 80 into a toll road. Peterson is expected to testify at a state House Republican Policy Committee field hearing in Bloomsburg this morning. Local politicians and representatives from the trucking industry are also scheduled to attend.

HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) - A woman who prodded the Pennsylvania Department of State to drastically reduce the price of its statewide registered-voter list is now contemplating a new
public-records battle. Stephanie Frank Singer of Philadelphia says she's now concerned about the department's refusal to release a list of polling places in Pennsylvania.

ALTOONA, Pa. (AP) - Federal investigators blame excessive heat in a training fire for the death of an instructor at a state fire academy class two years ago. Investigators say the heat caused a
"catastrophic failure" in Robert Gallardy's face mask. The 47-year-old Altoona man collapsed at the Lewistown academy and died two days later in a hospital.

STROUDSBURG, Pa. (AP) - Longtime Pocono Mountain tourism leader Robert Uguccioni is making a big change from mountain hawk to Florida-wintering snowbird. Uggucioni says he is
retiring as executive director of the four-county Pocono Mountains Visitors Bureau. Deputy Director Carl Wilgus of the Idaho Department of Commerce will succeed him.

STATE COLLEGE, Pa. (AP) - Penn State's 80-year-old head coach got the rock-star treatment from sweatshirt-wearing students camped out in front of Beaver Stadium. Coach Joe Paterno and his wife, Sue, dished out slices of pizza to the line-standers yesterday. The students and others are hoping to get prime seats for Saturday's night's game against top-ranked Ohio State.