Today's News, Tuesday November 20, 2007

What was white and sloppy yesterday is just rain this morning. Accumulations as high as 9 inches in parts of Schuylkill County greeted residents yesterday, and the first heavy, wet snow of the season reeked havoc for power customers of PPL Resources. As of 8am this morning, about 123 customers served in the Frackville and Orwigsburg service areas were without power. Roads are mainly wet this morning, with some slushy accumulations along the shoulder of the road. Watch for wet leaf buildup in drains and standing water.

The weather on Sunday, and accompanying snow covered roads kept police busy with accidents. The highest number of crashes happened on Interstate 81 Sunday afternoon in Mahanoy, Foster and Delano Townships. While there was moderate and severe damages to vehicles, injuries were minor to drivers and passengers. A man in East Brunswick Township was injured Monday when he came in contact with an electric line that was downed due to heavy snow. Reports indicate that he was taken to Lehigh Valley Hospital for treatment.
A Walker Township man was burned during a fire in his home yesterday morning.

Before 8am, fire crews were called to the home on River Road, where the blaze fully engulfed the house. Anthony Zahora had to be taken to Lehigh Valley Hospital for significant burns. The Republican and Herald indicates that the cause may be accidental. Estimates of damage are about $90-thousand-dollars.

A man from Orwigsburg may have to spend a long time in jail after pleading guilty for having sexual relations with several young boys. The Republican and Herald reports that 26-year-old Scott Donati admitted to having sexually molested the boys over a two year period. He pleaded guilty to corrupting the morals of minors, indecent assault and exposure, involuntary deviate sexual intercourse and rape. Donati’s case will be evaluated to determine if he is a violent predator or an offender under Megan’s Law. Judge Charles Miller said that Donati may face up to 169 years in prison, and more thant $380-thousand-dollars in fines.

Two Pottsville men are headed to state prison after pleading guilty to shooting firearms earlier this year. 19-year-olds Alex Bulino and Jonathan Kline appeared before County Judge Cyrus Palmer Dolbin yesterday. The Republican and Herald reports that the pair, along with a teenager, fired a rifled into four home and six cars on Davis and Fairview Streets in the city of Pottsville in February. Plus, they robbed a sporting goods store on Harrison Street in January. The long list of charges will land Bulino in state prison for 42 to 84 months, plus 2 years probation. Kline will serve 2 to 4 years in state prison. Both face fines and restitution. The juvenile’s case was settled by Schuylkill County juvenile authorities.

A Tamaqua man who in May robbed the Wachovia Bank office in West Penn Township, Schuylkill County will spend at least two years in a state prison after pleading guilty Monday. 27-year-old Michael Marchalk could spend as long as four years in a state prison.
Schuylkill Hose Company Number 2 received a financial shot in the arm last night, with a government grant.

While federal grants for fire and ambulance companies are nothing new, the Schuylkill Hose receiving the money is coming just at the right time as the company recovers from a devastating fire September 12th. The more than $53-thousand-dollars was presented by US Congressman Tim Holden. Funds will be used to purchase much needed equipment. The company is working hard to get the reconstruction underway, and the money, along with the significant contributions from fellow firefighters, friends and strangers. A dump trailer is parked at the fire company, as debris is cleared and a new roof and renovations get underway. Way to go, TUFF 2.

HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) - State House Majority Leader Bill DeWeese
wants a vote on an open-records bill today. But he says there was a
problem with committee votes yesterday, so he needs a two-thirds
vote to suspend the House rules to go ahead with the bill he wants.

PITTSBURGH (AP) - Pittsburgh city council wants to offer
incentives for green construction. One bill would require new
construction or renovation undertaken by the city to have a
green-building rating. The other bill would allow green buildings
to be 20 percent taller than others.

LOCK HAVEN, Pa. (AP) - The homicide retrial of 34-year-old
Alexandre McClellan is about to go to the jury in Clinton County
Court. McClellan is charged with third-degree murder and conspiracy
in the death of her infant son, Devine,11 years ago.

JOHNSTOWN, Pa. (AP) - A historic Johnstown bandshell has a new
lease on life. City council has approved 20-year lease with a
preservation group. The Roxbury Bandshell Preservation Alliance
will care for the 68-year-old structure, which has deteriorated
from decades of neglect.

PHILADELPHIA (AP) - La Salle University is dropping its football
program for the second time. It's citing a shrinking number of
conference foes for shutting down a program it revived just 10
years ago. La Salle had reinstituted football in 1997 after a
56-year absence.

WASHINGTON (AP) - Mixed news on the housing picture. The
government says apartment construction shot up almost 45 percent in
October, while construction of single-family homes fell for a
seventh straight month. And applications for building permits fell
for the fifth straight month, by a larger-than-expected amount.

NEW YORK (AP) - Stocks are higher in early trading. They're
recovering from yesterday's steep losses, which came amid growing
anxiety about losses at the world's biggest banks. Investors are
relieved by strong results from Hewlett-Packard.

LOS ANGELES (AP) - Fog is complicating holiday travel for some
people flying to or from the West Coast. Heavy fog shut down one of
the runways at Los Angeles International Airport last night and
caused minor delays in Santa Monica and San Diego. The fog is
expected to lift this morning.

WASHINGTON (AP) - A federal grand jury is reportedly
investigating the role of Blackwater security guards in the
September killings of 17 Iraqi civilians. ABC News says some
Blackwater guards have been subpoenaed to appear before a grand
jury in Washington next week. Blackwater and the Justice Department
aren't commenting.

INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION (AP) - Spacewalking astronauts are
wiring up the newest compartment on the international space
station. And in the process, they may have found the sharp edge
that's been ripping gloves during previous walks. One of the
astronauts scraped his glove today while working with fluid line
hookups.