Today's News - Saturday, Nov. 17

SCHUYLKILL HAVEN - The Schuylkill United Way ended a successful 2008 campaign Friday with the announcement that they exceeded their $1-Million campaign goal by $11,215. The announcement was made by Campaign chairman Dr. Keith Hillkirk of Penn State Schuylkill Campus during the United Way's appreciation breakfast held on the campus Friday morning. The Houser Award, named for former long-time Executive Director Clair Houser, and awarded the top employee & company contributor, went to Lowe's regional for raising $61-thousand-dollars.

POTTSVILLE - People with sleep disorders have a new, state of the art center for testing in Pottsville. The Pottsville Hospital and Warne Clinic held an open house for its Sleep Disorders Center at One Norwegian Plaza. The 5 bed-unit has been expanded from 2-beds, and was moved from the hospital property. The new site is very comfortable, and will run around the clock testing for all forms of sleep disorders, four days a week. The sleep center is located on the first floor of the One Norwegian Plaza corporate building.

TAMAQUA -A Tamaqua man, who is already in federal prison on child pornography charges, is facing other charges in Carbon County. 30-year-old John Levernier is expected to plead guilty to an indecent assault of a 6 year old girl. However, he couldn’t attend his hearing Thursday because he's in federal prison. Levernier will plead to aggravated indecent assault and endangering the welfare of children under his plea agreement. He is accused of raping the six year old and taking pictures of her. The federal charges stem from possessing child pornography on his home computer. He pleaded guilty to those charges, but according to reports, is planning to change his plea to not guilty. The girl's mother contacted Carbon County Children and Youth, which led to the investigation and arrest.

POTTSVILLE - Tamaqua police Patrolman Henry D. Woods testified Friday in Schuylkill County Court that he believes a Bucks County man charged with sexually assaulting two boys would flee if released on bail. According to the Republican and Herald, Mullin is charged with two sets of sex-related charges for what prosecutors allege are assaults against the boys, one in Tamaqua and one in Kaska. County Judge D. Michael Stine did not rule Friday on Mullin's bail request. Mullin has been in prison since Oct. 23, when Bayer hiked his bail from 10 percent of $25,000 to $25,000 straight cash after the defendant violated a bail condition by failing to get fingerprinted. He asked Stine to reduce his bail — he did not name a figure — testifying he would appear for all proceedings. A Pottsville native who grew up in Tamaqua, Mullin also testified he has no criminal record but does not have any assets beyond his car and a few hundred dollars in a bank account to post for bail. He said he would live in Kaska with his father and brother if freed on bail.

WASHINGTON (AP) - Nearly a year after anti-war voters put them in power, congressional Democrats still haven't been able to pass legislation to get troops home from Iraq. The latest effort fell to Republican roadblocks yesterday in the Senate. Democrats say an Iraq funding bill will now have to wait until next year.

CAMP PENDLETON, Calif. (AP) - The highest-ranking U.S. serviceman to face a combat-related court-martial since the Vietnam War says through his attorney that he plans to plead not guilty. Marine Lieutenant Colonel Jeffrey Chessani was arraigned in California yesterday on charges of failing to investigate the killings of 24 Iraqis.

ISLAMABAD, Pakistan (AP) - A Pakistani official says President Pervez Musharraf defended emergency rule in a two-hour meeting with Washington's number-two diplomat today. Deputy Secretary of State John Negroponte is trying to nudge Musharraf back toward democracy.

DHAKA, Bangladesh (AP) - Relief operations are expanding following Thursday's cyclone in southwest Bangladesh that killed a reported 1,100 people. Military helicopters and ships have now joined rescue and relief operations to villages torn apart by the savage storm with 150-mile-an-hour winds.

JOLIET, Ill. (AP) - A broadcast report in Illinois says a nationally known pathologist has determined that the death of a former police officer's third wife was a homicide. The death, once thought accidental, is being re-examined now that Drew Peterson is a suspect in the disappearance of his fourth wife.

LOS ANGELES (AP) - A two-week-old strike will continue but Hollywood film and TV writers will return to contract negotiations with the studios a week from Monday. The two sides issued a joint announcement yesterday. Compensation for shows offered on the Internet is a main issue.

UNDATED (AP) - Negotiations to end crippling entertainment industry strikes are cranking up again. Broadway stagehands resume talks today with producers in New York. Out in Hollywood, writers and studios have agreed to resume negotiations a week from Monday.

JUNEAU, Alaska (AP) - The state of Alaska is boosting the tax on profits by oil companies. The legislature Friday raised the tax to 25 percent to generate an extra 1.5 billion dollars a year for the state treasury. Oil companies say the higher tax will discourage future investment.

ATLANTA (AP) - The deepening drought in the Southeast is creating another problem: making what water is left, fit to drink. The Atlanta area's reservoirs are almost down to the dregs – the dirtier, more bacteria-laden water close to the bottom. And it will cost more to keep it drinkable.

NEW YORK (AP) - Christie's auction house in New York will be selling off some rock nostalgia this month. It's a collection of 30 vintage rock-and-roll T-shirts. They're not just any T-shirts. They're originals from an era when the shirts were often available only to the tour crew.

JACKSON, Miss. (AP) - The Government Accountability Office says money is still being wasted in the effort to recover from Hurricane Katrina. The latest report found about 30 million dollars in "wasteful and improper or potentially fraudulent payments" to Mississippi contractors between June 2006 and January 2007.

NEW ORLEANS (AP) - A mistake in flood maps from the Army Corps of Engineers means flood gates and pumps built since Hurricane Katrina won't protect several New Orleans neighborhoods as much as first thought. Instead of a flood reduction of more than five feet, they now think the protection will be only about six inches.