Today's News-Thursday, October 4th

A New Philadelphia man had minor injuries in a crash early Wednesday morning near Port Clinton. Schuylkill Haven state police report that 50-year-old Charles Smerlick was traveling south on Route 61, approximately one-tenth of a mile north of Blue Mountain Road around 6am. He lost control of his pickup truck on the wet roadway and it crossed the median into the northbound lanes, then back across the road. The truck then rolled over onto the passenger's side and slid for about 135 feet. It came to rest blocking the southbound lane. Smerlick was taken to Pottsville Hospital by the Hamburg ambulance. He was wearing his seatbelt.

Two vehicles were involved in a crash in West Brunswick Township yesterday morning. A truck driven by Clark Sattizahn of Orwigsburg and an SUV driven by Bruce Fidler Jr. of Auburn were driving south on Route 61 before 6am. Sattizahn was driving in the right lane, and Fidler was slowing to a stop due to a backlog of traffic from another accident, in front of Sattizahn. Fidler was rear-ended by Sattizahn. The impact pushed Fidler's vehicle onto the shoulder of the road. He was taken to Pottsville Hospital. Sattizahn had minor cuts to his face. Both vehicles were damaged and had to be towed from the scene.

A Pine Grove man escaped injury in a one vehicle crash on Route 895 Wednesday morning.
Gavin Bowers was driving west on Route 895 in West Brunswick Township when he drifted to the right, striking a bridge abutment. The truck continued on, hitting several guideposts and went down an embankment. Bowers was wearing his seatbelt and was not hurt. The crash happened at 10am yesterday.

Fire destroyed a barn near Brandonville yesterday morning, and the cause is being termed suspicious. The East Union Township building, which contained old hay and corn, was about a century old, according to reports in the Republican and Herald. There was no electricity connected to it and had not been used for some time. A fire burned a home on the property about 7 years ago. Firefighters responded to the scene around 10am, and the building fell within a half hour. Crews from Sheppton and surrounding communities fought the fire.
The property had been in the Krantz family for a long time.

Democratic County Commissioner candidates, Mantura Gallagher and Frank McAndrew held a news conference Wednesday and issued their campaign "Pledge to Schuylkill County". The 10-point pledge spelled out their proposals if they are elected as a team in next month’s general election. After the news conference, WPPA/T-102 News asked them if they intend to build the controversial prison pre-release center if they both get elected and become the majority Commissioners. McAndrew said they would vote to build the center:

McAndrew

Commissioner Gallagher said the proposed pre-release center would not be a burden to the county taxpayers:

Gallagher

The controversial pre-release center has been the subject of much debate. Republican Majority commissioners Frank Staudenmeier and Bob Carl have been steadfast in their determination to wait for completion of a study by a firm hired to look at all alternatives to relieve overcrowding at the prison. The final decision on what to do about overcrowding and on any building project must have the approval of the county commissioners.

County prison officials have asked the County Commissioners for a $744,150 budget adjustment to cover overages due to overcrowding at the prison. David Wapinsky and Corrine Coward from the prison attended Wednesday’s commissioners work session seeking approval for the adjustment. The commissioners said they will discuss the issue with Warden Eugene Berdanier before considering the request. In other business, Schuylkill Community Action requested permission to apply for a $500-thousand-dollar housing and redevelopment assistance grant. The grant from the state department of Community and Economic Development will be used to support their recently funded Schuylkill Community Revitalization initiative. The program targets eliminating blight and providing affordable housing opportunities for low-to-moderate income families. The Office of Senior Services asked for permission to apply for a $5.9 million dollar block grant from the state department of aging. Approval was also sought to apply for a senior community service employment grant for just over $85-thousand-dollars.

An Orwigsburg man's legal troubles continue after a hearing in Schuylkill County Court Wednesday. Carl Zehner, who is charged with throwing a lighted bottle of gasoline on the porch of the Orwigsburg Borough Manager in July, was sent back to prison. Judge John Domalakes said he violated his probation and parole from another arrest in 2006. At that time, Zehner was sentenced for burglary and criminal trespass at the Orwigsburg water treatment plant. The Republican and Herald reports that Zehner is charged with reckless endangerment, arson and risking a catastrophe in the incident. He will face trial next spring on those charges. No one was hurt in the fire, but Orwigsburg Borough Manager Mike Lonergan’s home had minor damage to the porch.

A Schuylkill and Berks county legislator reminds residents about help available with their mortgage. In the wake of the closure of Personal Financial Management Incorporated of Berks County, a mortgage firm, Representative Tim Seip is urging local customers about the Pennsylvania Homeowners Emergency Mortgage Assistance Program. The issue came to light when Seip heard from a constituent in western Schuylkill County who was affected by the firm's closing. HEMAP helps people who, through no fault of their own, are financially unable to make their mortgage payments and are in danger of losing their homes to foreclosure, according to Seip. Affected homeowners may call HEMAP at 800-342-2397, or one of Seip's local offices, located in Pottsville, Hegins and Tilden Township.

WASHINGTON (AP) - A health problem is apparently the reason behind the upcoming retirement of New Mexico Senator Pete Domenici. The 75-year-old lawmaker is expected to
announce today he has a progressive brain disease that might affect his decision-making abilities, and he won't seek reelection.

SAN DIEGO (AP) - San Diego's mayor is blaming Wednesday's landslide on natural land movement and possibly poor grading along a hilltop neighborhood in La Jolla (lah HOY'-uh). More than one hundred homes have been evacuated and an emergency shelter is open.

CARLETONVILLE, South Africa (AP) - More than 1,500 gold miners have been brought up from a South African mine after being trapped more than a day. Hundreds more are still coming up. They were stuck deep beneath the surface yesterday by a damaged elevator. One
safety official says the men and women are "very stressed and tired."

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) - You've heard of cleaner burning cars, but what about oceangoing ships? California's Attorney General Jerry Brown is asking the federal government to limit emissions of gases from marine vessels. Environmentalists say ships cause as much
damage as cars.

MOSCOW (AP) - Today marks the 50th anniversary of the launch of the world's first artificial satellite, Sputnik. Observances are being held today near Moscow, as engineers, military officials and former cosmonauts mark the dawn of the Space Age.

CRESSON, Pa. (AP) - A second student from Saint Francis University has died nearly a week after the car she and four teenagers were riding in went down an embankment and crashed into a tree. Officials say Kayla Nicodemus, a freshman from Bedford, died yesterday. Classmate Kaylee Harford, an 18-year-old from Emporium, died the night of the crash, and two other passengers are recovering at a hospital.

PITTSBURGH (AP) - The Pittsburgh Zoo & PPG Aquarium will receive $250,000 from the state for its new Animal Health Center and Water's Edge exhibit. The grant will bring the zoo's Grow Wild Capital Campaign to more than 18 million dollars. Attendance at the zoo has increased 27 percent since the Water's Edge exhibit opened in November.

HOLLIDAYSBURG, Pa. (AP) - An Altoona man who prosecutors say tried to asphyxiate his seven-month-old granddaughter last year after he told family members he had heard the voice of God has been sentenced to ten years' probation. Fifty-two-year-old Patrick Settlemyer says he doesn't remember what happened that day and that he had taken the wrong medication for his mental health problems.

PITTSBURGH (AP) - Mine Safety Appliances of O'Hara Township has received two contracts worth more than 14 million dollars to provide combat helmets for the Army. The contracts ensure the production of MSA's Advanced Combat Helmets into next year. The helmets are used by soldiers in Iraq and Afghanistan.

PITTSBURGH (AP) - Columbia Gas of Pennsylvania is planning to replace 24-hundred miles of aging steel and cast iron pipes across western Pennsylvania over the next 20 years at a cost of more than 1.5 billion dollars. The utility says the project will create hundreds of jobs.