Today's News-Monday, October 15th

Two people were hurt in a Sunday morning crash in West Penn Township. The unidentified people were riding their Harley Davidson struck the rear of a car driven by 79-year-old Edith Coombe of New Ringgold. She was turning left onto Spring Road from Route 443 when her Chevy van was hit. The motorcyclists were thrown from the bike on impact. Both were flown to St. Luke's Hospital in Bethlehem. State police at Frackville say that prosecution is pending further investigation.

A Tamaqua woman was hurt during a crash in Pottsville Sunday afternoon. A car operated by a juvenile was westbound on Market Street when they failed to stop at a traffic signal at 12th Street. The car collided with a vehicle driven by Lucinda Ellison of Tamaqua, who was driving south on 12th. Elison's vehicle rolled on its side. Emergency crews had to extricate her from her vehicle. Charges are pending in the crash, which happened around 4:30pm.

A St. Clair man is in jail following an attempted arson at a convenience store in Port Carbon.
Early Sunday morning, 25-year-old Kevin Kline was reportedly intoxicated at the Turkey Hill store on Pike Street. He took two packs of cigarettes from the business, and refused to leave.
Kline finally exited the store and set fire to bundles of the Republican and Herald newspapers that were there for delivery, and fled the scene. Kline was picked up by St. Clair PD, and taken to the county prison where he was arraigned via video conference. Bail was set at $20-thousand-dollars cash. He remains there today.

State police at Schuylkill Haven are investigating burglaries in North Manheim Township.
In two separate incidents, burglars broke into an unoccupied trailer on Bear Creek Road between the end of September and this past weekend. The would-be thief removed several pieces of insulation from a space where a water heater was located. Nothing appeared to be removed. During the same time frame, a thief entered a home on Wynonah Drive, removing several pieces of furniture and two fishing rods, then fled. The investigations are continuing.

A Pottsville native and Broadway performer is coming home to the Sovereign Majestic Theatre tonight. 1988 Pottsville High graduate Bradley Dean, who has performed in numerous Broadway productions and on TV, will entertain theatergoers at 7pm. Dean tells WPPA/T102 News what the program will entail:

DEAN

Dean graduated from Carnegie Mellon University in 1993, and has performed in lead and supporting roles in shows like "The Rocky Horror Show", the "Man of La Mancha" and the Tony award winning "Company". He told us that he is thrilled to perform in a benefit for the Sovereign Majestic in front of his hometown fans. According to Diana McGeever of the Pottsville Downtown Corporation, the show is almost sold out. Call 628-4647 to check ticket availability. Welcome home, Bradley Dean.

Port Carbon police investigated several incidents over the weekend. Pottsville resident, 20-year-old Chelsea Ciccanti, will be cited for underage drinking after borough police were called to a Pottsville Street address, where she refused to leave the premises. Before police arrived, she fled the scene, and was later located after hiding in a wooded area near the Yuengling Brewery at Mill Creek. She will have to answer charges before District Judge David Plachko. Port Carbon police are also looking for those who smashed several cases of empty beer bottles on Route 209, near Mill and Pike Streets early Sunday morning. The road had to be closed for a time for cleanup. Anyone with information should contact Port Carbon police at 622-5411.

Four county fire companies and one ambulance service are set to receive funds from the Department of Homeland Security, according to US Senator Arlen Specter. These grants are part of rounds four through twelve of the competitive Fiscal Year 2007 Fire Grants announcements. The awards are administered by the Department of Homeland Security's Federal Emergency Management in cooperation with the U.S. Fire Administration's Assistance to Firefighters Grant Pogram. The AFG program is designed to enhance first responders' ability to protect the health and safety of the public, as well as that of first-responder personnel. Funding has been approved for the Tremont Fire Company, Pine Grove Hose, Hook and Ladder, Cressona Fire Company Number 1, the Tuscarora Fire Company and the Shenandoah Community Ambulance Association.

SANTA CLARITA, Calif. (AP) - A nightmare of a commute is expected for some motorists in Southern California this morning. Authorities are running detours around Interstate 5 after Friday's fiery truck pileup on the freeway. The main southbound lanes are expected to reopen today.

AUSTIN, Texas (AP) - Three college students are safe and sound after being rescued from a cave in Austin, Texas, yesterday. Officials say the students went in to explore the cave the day
before, and ended up in a tunnel the diameter of a sewer pipe.

WASHINGTON (AP) - House Democrats are pledging to come up with a new bill for children's health insurance in case the current one fails to get enough votes to override a veto. The White House says it's willing to work with Congress on the issue but that Democrats are refusing to compromise.

JERUSALEM (AP) - Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice hopes to salvage plans for a Middle East peace conference when she meets with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas today. After Rice met with Israeli leaders yesterday, the State Department indicated the conference might have to be postponed.

DENVER (AP) - A bit of a chill for marathon runners and baseball fans in Colorado. A storm dropped rain and up to a foot of snow. The weather slowed participants in the Denver marathon and chilled fans watching the Colorado Rockies beat the Arizona Diamondbacks in a baseball playoff game.

SHARON, Pa. (AP) - A township supervisor in Mercer County has pleaded guilty to open lewdness. An unidentified woman had accused 64-year-old Lackawannock Township supervisor Willis Swartz of driving up to her in a truck in October 2005 and engaging in a lewd act in front of her. In exchange for Swartz's plea on Wednesday, a charge of indecent exposure was dropped.

ERIE, Pa. (AP) - An anonymous donor has given $100 million to a charitable umbrella organization in Erie. It is the largest-ever gift of its kind in the area and one of the biggest nationwide to a community foundation. About $85 million of the money will be invested in 46 local nonprofit organizations such as a soup kitchen and a refugee resettlement agency. The remaining $15 million will go to five organizations outside Erie.

PITTSBURGH (AP) - Two vehicles plowed into a herd of cows that wandered onto the Pennsylvania Turnpike yesterday. Three of the animals died immediately and two had to be euthanized later because of injuries. Authorities say no one was hurt in the accident.

INDUSTRY, Pa. (AP) - The bodies of a man and a woman were found at a secluded Beaver County home after an apparent murder-suicide. A relative discovered the bodies of 49-year-old Arvin Vaughn and 23-year-old Stephanie Irvine on Saturday at Irvine's residence in
Industry, about 28 miles northwest of Pittsburgh.

PITTSBURGH (AP) - A trial begins today in a wrongful death suit filed by the father of Michael Ellerbe, a 12-year-old boy who was fatally shot by state troopers in 2002. Police say the boy was shot in an alley while running from the troopers, who were chasing a stolen SUV.