Today's News-Friday, January 4th

A Thursday afternoon crash near Orwigsburg injured three people. Schuylkill Haven state police report that 29-year-old Kenneth Stine of Orwigsburg was traveling north on Route 61 near Renninger's Market when he failed to see the stopped traffic ahead of him. His car rear-ended the vehicle driven by 41-year-old John Rose of Pottsville, who was ahead of him.
Stine and a passenger in Rose's car, Tina Brown of Palo Alto, were flown from the scene for treatment. Rose was taken to Pottsville Hospital. Traffic was backed up in the northbound lanes at the scene for about an hour, following the 3:30pm crash.

For one Schuylkill County school district, business is booming and enrollment is growing. But with that growth is the challenge of finding space. A public meeting was held at Blue Mountain Middle School to discuss the district's projected growth and ways that the administration may deal with that growth. According to the Republican and Herald, architect James Lewis discussed a year-long feasibility study about the most pressing issues facing the county's second largest district and its 5 buildings. Blue Mountain has 3 elementary schools, a middle and a senior high school. Among the highlights of Lewis's study was projected enrollment in the district, which is estimated to be 11 to 13 percent higher in 10 years. The architect will present solutions to the board and public in two weeks.

Three Tamaqua school students were injured in a crash yesterday morning in Norwegian Township. The students were being driven by private contractor Arthur Oakes of Tamaqua, and attempted to turn onto Maple Avenue in MarLin, and into the path of John Schumann's vehicle. The three students, from Tamaqua School District, were being taken to the Intermediate Unit at MarLin when the crash happened. They had minor injuries, which were taken care of. Oakes nor Schumann were injured.

A Mahanoy City man is charged with simple assault and related offenses following his arrest Sunday. Borough police report they were called to 35-year-old Stephen Barrett's home Sunday, where a verbal argument was going on between him and Michelle Houtz. Barrett was taken to a friend's house for the night, but returned later. Houtz would not let him in, and Barrett is alleged to have broken in through a rear door and assaulted her. District Judge James Ferrier arraigned Barrett on charges, and he was taken to Schuylkill County Prison.

WASHINGTON (AP) - U.S. Representative John Peterson says he won't run for re-election this year. The 69-year-old Republican and former grocery store owner says he'll retire when his term is up. Peterson represents a region of north-central Pennsylvania that includes State College and Punxsutawney. It's a heavily Republican district.

ALLENTOWN, Pa. (AP) - The grand jury that recommended a perjury charge against a Roman Catholic priest linked to Poconos casino owner Louis DeNaples isn't finished with its work. Prosecutors say the panel may consider charges against other people. Officials apparently believe that DeNaples lied to state gaming regulators when he said he had no ties to organized crime.

PITTSBURGH (AP) - Attorneys for Pittsburgh pathologist Cyril Wecht are trying to stop federal prosecutors from dropping more than half the 84 criminal counts he faces. Prosecutors say they want to simplify their case, but Wecht's attorneys believe it shows the government's case was poorly investigated. Wecht is accused of using his public office to benefit his private pathology practice.

AUSTIN, Pa. (AP) - The state Health Department says people shouldn't eat canned products from Schumacher's Inn in rural Potter County until officials determine that they're safe. It's because of botulism found in canned chicken soup bought at the restaurant. The state says a 43-year-old woman who ate the soup on December 19th got sick and was taken to a hospital.

HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) - Livestock owners want to make their animals look as good as possible for judges and prospective buyers at the Pennsylvania Farm Show. Nearly 8,000 animals will be on display at the 92nd annual Farm Show, billed as the nation's largest indoor agricultural exposition. The show opens tomorrow and continues daily through January 12th.

CONCORD, N.H. (AP) - Presidential candidates are arriving in New Hampshire after last night's Iowa caucuses. Democrat Barack Obama and Republican Mike Huckabee are both coming away with big wins. Huckabee is pushing for an end to partisanship. He says Americans should be more concerned about "going up" instead of "just going to the left or to the right."

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) - Hillary Clinton is remaining optimistic following a third-place finish behind Barack Obama and John Edwards in Iowa. She says a big turnout among her party's supporters foreshadows a Democratic presidential victory in the fall. The New York senator says she'll "keep pushing" as the campaign heads to New Hampshire.

PHILADELPHIA (AP) - City officials in Philadelphia are facing questions about how police ended up shooting innocent bystanders on New Year's Eve for the second year in the row. Officers were responding to celebratory New Year's Eve gunfire when they shot into a house and injured three people. Last year a man was killed by police after his neighbors fired guns into the air.

LOS ANGELES (AP) - Britney Spears is reportedly in a hospital this morning after a nearly three-hour dispute over the custody of her children last night. Police say the pop singer was under the influence of an unknown substance. She left her home in an police-escorted ambulance tailed by dozens of reporters.

UNDATED (AP) - An avalanche warning is in effect in the mountains of Northern California as the West Coast deals with a series of winter storms. Southern California is expected to get
heavy rain and officials are warning of mudslides.