Today's News-Friday, October 5th

Three weeks have passed since a multi-million dollar blaze ruined a Schuylkill Haven fire company. There are some answers as to what happened, but some remain unsolved. Investigators, including the State Police Fire Marshal, insurance company representatives and others, continue to probe into the fire in the engine room at Schuylkill Hose Company Number 2. The fire was caused by an engine malfunction in a 1994 American LaFrance fire truck, but those involved in the investigation want to know why it happened. The Republican and Herald indicates that company personnel were able to begin cleaning the engine room at Schuylkill Hose yesterday. Two fire trucks and a hazardous materials trailer were destroyed in the September 12th fire. The company has received over $1 million dollars from Volunteer Fireman's Insurance Service for the vehicles so far. There has been an outpouring of support from fellow firefighters from across the nation to help Schuylkill Hose. They have been back in service for more than a week with borrowed fire trucks from area companies.

State police have released details about the death of Hazleton woman related to an instance of road rage. Pennsylvania State Police, Troop L Major Case team, announced yesterday that 23-year-old Angeline Francisci of Hazleton was traveling south on Route 61 near the Schuylkill/Berks county line last Friday evening when she became involved in a road rage incident with the driver of a light blue Ford Crown Victoria. Her car crossed the highway, and was struck by the other vehicle. She died from her injuries. State police are asking anyone who witnessed the crash to contact the Schuylkill Haven barracks at 593-2000, or anonymously to Crime Alert Berks County at 877-373-9913. The investigation is continuing.

Two people suffered minor injuries in a multi-vehicle crash on Route 61 at the intersection with Manheim Road yesterday afternoon during rush hour. 50-year-old Melanie Seigfried was driving her van north on Route 61. 39-year-old Mark Bressler of Port Carbon was westbound on Manheim Road, and had just entered the intersection. Seigfried went through the red light and the cars collided. Seigfried and her passenger were taken to the hospital for treatment. Bressler, nor his passenger were hurt. The crash happened around 4pm Thursday.

Schuylkill County Republicans gathered last night to hear from candidates who will appear on the general election ballot last month. A full house of the party faithful were present at Pine View Acres for their fall campaign kick-off. Among the attendees were candidates for the Pennsylvania Supreme Court and state Superior Court. Candidates for Schuylkill County Commissioner and other row offices also offered remarks with just over a month remaining until the election on November 6th. Incumbent Commissioners Frank Staudenmeier and Bob Carl, who are seeking re-election, said that they are running on their record of no tax increases and economic development as their platform. Staudenmeier comments on the ongoing debate about overcrowding at the Schuylkill County Prison and the possibility of building a pre-release center:

STAUDENMEIER

Carl believes that a full study must be done before moving forward:

CARL

Their opponents, Mantura Gallagher and Frank McAndrew, went on record this week in favor of the pre-release center at a recent press conference. Prison officials requested a budget adjustment of $744-thousand-dollars to cover funding shortfalls at the facility. Overcrowding at the prison has been a chronic problem, resulting in increased costs.

Pottsville’s Yuengling Park and Gardens has been awarded the Pennsylvania Horticulture Society’s 2007 Community Greening Award.

Tom Palamar of the Lasting Legacy Committee explains why the local park was selected for the award……

PALAMAR

The award announcement was made during a press conference at the park Thursday. Lasting Legacy Chairman Joe Schlitzer said the organization recently approved the establishment of an endowment fund at Schuylkill Area Community Foundation to manage and invest contributions for the West Norwegian Street park, Joulwan Park on Pottsville's East Side and Union Square Station. Eileen Kuperavage, Executive Director of the Foundation explained how her organization helps groups like Lasting Legacy…….

KUPERAVAGE

Kuperavage said the Foundation currently manages $11-million-dollars in charitable assets.
Schlitzer said his group's goal is to raise $100-thousand-dollars to maintain the parks.

Fire officials in the City of Pottsville, recognizing the need for more smoke detectors in city homes, are offering them for free for those at the greatest risk. Pottsville Fire Chief Todd March announced that the 8 city fire companies are participating in a residential smoke detector giveaway program, made possible by Wilkes-Barre/Scranton TV station WNEP.
The goal of the program is to reduce the loss of life from accidental fires. Homeowners and renters can receive a free smoke detector and battery, which can be installed by trained Pottsville firefighters at no charge, if necessary. Households with children under the age of 5, senior citizens age 70 and older and disabled individuals are at the greatest risk of fire death. The free smoke detector program will give first priority to households with these at-risk residents. To obtain a free smoke detector, contact any Pottsville fire company, or Chief Todd March, at 622-1234.

An acid mine drainage cleanup project in our area received an award from the state Department of Environmental Protection yesterday. State DEP Secretary Kathleen McGinty was on hand at the Audenreid Mine Tunnel near Sheppton to present the Schuylkill Conservation District with a Governor's Award for Environmental Excellence for their innovative approach to clean up the site. Acid mine drainage is a by-product of years of anthracite mining. At Audenreid, the water quality deteriorated, killing aquatic life. The Conservation District worked with a contractor to design a passive acid mine drainage treatment system. It has successfully treated the water, returning native brook trout to the Catawissa Creek. This project is the largest one of its kind ever undertaken and successfully completed in Pennsylvania. The total cost was just under $2 million dollars.

WHITE PLAINS, N.Y. (AP) - Track star Marion Jones is to appear in federal court today and a law enforcement source says she'll plead guilty to charges connected with steroid use. The Washington Post reports Jones has written a letter to family and friends admitting to doping. She could lose her five Olympic medals.

ALEXANDRIA, La. (AP) - A standoff at a Louisiana law office has left a gunman and two of his victims dead. Police shot and killed former city worker John Ashley early today in the law office where he had shot five people yesterday. Two escaped earlier. One was rescued.

PHILADELPHIA (AP) - The search continues for a gunman who shot and killed two armored-car guards in Philadelphia yesterday. The shooting happened at an ATM. A third guard was cut by shattered glass. Police don't know how much money the robber got.

CAMDEN, N.J. (AP) - Check the label on your soup cans. Campbell Soup is recalling more than 72,000 cans of Chunky soup because they may contain pieces of plastic that could cause choking. The recalled soup variety is Chunky Baked Potato with Cheddar and Bacon
Bits.

WASHINGTON (AP) - Retailers are getting caught selling tobacco to minors less often than before. A government study says 10.9 percent of retailers were caught in unannounced inspections last year. That's the lowest rate since states started conducting stings
a decade ago.

PHILADELPHIA (AP) - A manhunt continues this morning for the gunman who killed two armored car guards outside a Philadelphia bank. Police Commissioner Sylvester Johnson says the gunman never gave the guards a chance to give up the money to avoid being killed.

WILKES-BARRE, Pa. (AP) - Luzerne County prosecutors are seeking the death penalty against two men accused of murdering a porn producer. At yesterday's court appearance both defendants denied the allegations. One blames two other men involved in the gay porn
industry.

BETHLEHEM, Pa. (AP) - Police say a Moravian College student has been stabbed in an apparent robbery attempt. Bethlehem Police Lieutenant Robert Sacco said the woman was stabbed twice in the back last evening as she got out of her car near a women's dormitory.

CARLISLE, Pa. (AP) - Two Army officers are accused of trying to fool a paternity test when they were at the Army War College in Carlisle. Cumberland County prosecutors say Lieutenant Colonel Bruce Adkins gave a DNA sample, pretending to be Colonel Scott Carlson.

SMETHPORT, Pa. (AP) - About 350 people may have to be revaccinated for illnesses including hepatitis. That's because a faulty storage refrigerator at a medical office in Smethport,
McKean County, could have altered the vaccines' effectiveness.