Today's News-Saturday, January 19th

NORTH MANHEIM TOWNSHIP - A Pottsville woman is dead following an accident early Friday morning in Schuylkill Haven. State police say that Barbara Tenney and James Smith, both of Pottsville, were traveling south on Route 61, following each other in the left hand lane. 55-year-old Frances Eichert was on foot, attempting to cross Route 61 from University Drive when she struck the driver’s side rear of Tenney's car. After impact, Eichert was struck by Smith's driver's side. Eichert was pronounced dead at the scene. The crash happened around 7:40am.

MAHANOY CITY - A significant drug bust was executed at a home in Mahanoy City yesterday morning, seizing a large cache' of heroin. Mahanoy City PD and agents from the DA's drug task force executed a warrant at the home on West South Street. Six people were taken into custody. Among those arrested were Jennifer Davila, of Mahanoy City, Emmanuel Morel of New York City and Kyle Wronski of Morea. Two juveniles were also nabbed. A Connecticut man, Ales Rojas, took off from the home but was apprehended quickly. A backpack filled with heroin and other paraphernalia had been tossed by Rojas onto the roof of a neighboring home, but was picked up. The seizure netted 600 bags of heroin, along with weapons, cash and cell phones apparently used in the drug trade. A stash of marijuana was also uncovered. The four adults were arraigned and are housed in the county prison.

POTTSVILLE - A freshman legislator from the 125th Legislative District is seeking re-election. Tim Seip of Pine Grove will announce his bid for a second two-year term in Harrisburg on Sunday. Seip cites unfinished business that he wants to complete in a second term. He will make his circuit run to announce his re-election tomorrow with two stops. First, at the Centerport Lions Club at noon and at the Sweet Arrow Lake Club House at 3pm.

POTTSVILLE - In observance of the birthday of Dr. Martin Luther King and Christian Unity Week, the Unity Coalition of Schuylkill County is hosting a special event on Sunday. The group, in existence since 1998, promotes the understanding of diversity in our community. At the Sovereign Majestic Theatre tomorrow, there will be a special showing of the Peace Tree Movie, a heartwarming film which shares the message of embracing different cultures. It is the group’s hope that the movie will spark discussion and understanding of cultural diversity. In addition to the film, which will be shown at 2pm at the Sovereign Majestic, there will be activities for the kids, including the opportunity to make ornaments for a Peace Trees that will be on display throughout the county. Tickets are $5 for adults. Children are free, but must be accompanied by an adult.

SCHUYLKILL HAVEN - New life continues to blossom at a former factory in Schuylkill Haven. The Walk-In Shoe Company, which closed more than a decade ago, was acquired by Albert Evans Jr. and his company, Evans Delivery in 2002. The manufacturing portion is expected to be used for a community and cultural center. And yesterday, a $23-thousand-dollar grant from the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources will help to get that project going in a portion of the 90-thousand-square foot space. Walk-In Shoe was a major supplier of children’s orthopedic shoes worldwide for many years before closing. A portion of the building is also under renovation as the new home of the Schuylkill Haven police department. Their new space on the second floor of the factory is expected to be ready in spring.

MINERSVILLE - Minersville police responded to a crash in the borough Friday morning. 19 year old Tristan Killian was traveling east on Berger Street at an unsafe speed on the snow and ice covered road. He lost control of his vehicle and collided with a concrete abutment, severely damaging his vehicle. Killian will be cited by Minersville police for traveling at an unsafe speed.

POTTSVILLE - The County Commissioners made several appointments and reappointments during their board meeting Wednesday. James Setlock of Orwigsburg was reappointed to a four-year term on the Planning Commission. Joseph Chiaretti of Girardville and Kenneth Lehman of Pine Grove were appointed to four-year terms as new members of the planning commission. Michael Chickersky of Gorden was reappointed to a three-year term on the Zoning Hearing board and Craig Shields of Pottsville was appointed to a five-year term on the Schuylkill County Airport Authority. The Prison board will meet next Wednesday at 11am in the Commissioners board room.

SUNBURY - Police give few details of a double homicide in Northumberland County during a press conference. Police did identify the female victim. She is 24-year old Crystal Gordon of Selinsgrove. The male victim, a black man in his 20s, has not been identified pending notification of next of kin. The two were shot in an apartment on 4th Street in Sunbury around one Friday morning. Both victims bodies are undergoing autopsies at Lehigh Valley Medical Center. Police say they do have a suspect in custody but did not name that person. They have not found the murder weapon. They are using a helicopter to continue to search for evidence. They also executed a search warrant for a home on Fairmount Avenue in Sunbury yesterday morning, but would not say whether it was the suspects home or not.

COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) - Republican John McCain is hoping to hold off Mike Huckabee in South Carolina's GOP primary today and score a follow-up victory to his New Hampshire win. A Fox News poll shows McCain with a slight lead. A Carolina snowfall could hurt turnout.

LAS VEGAS (AP) - Democrat Hillary Clinton is gambling that an attack on Barack Obama over comments admiring Ronald Reagan will win her more delegates in today's Nevada caucuses. Obama has been endorsed by a powerful union that represents 60,000 workers on the Las Vegas strip.

WHITE HOUSE (AP) - President Bush will be using his radio address this morning to reiterate the need for congressional action to stimulate the economy. Congressman Barney Frank will speak for the Democrats. He says they stand ready to work with Republicans to put together a bipartisan package that will include tax rebates for most Americans. President Bush's endorsement of an economic stimulus package failed to rally Wall Street yesterday as it wrapped up a bad week. An analyst says investors are "disappointed in the size" of the stimulus package, which the president puts at up to 150 billion dollars.

KIRKUK, Iraq (AP) - A double bombing has killed at least two people observing a Shiite holiday in northern Iraq. Five more people are hurt in the attack that took place during a traditional holiday march. Iraqi officials have stepped up security to protect processions during the week-long celebration.

WASHINGTON (AP) - Former Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge says there is no doubt in his mind that waterboarding is torture, under any set of rules. Current Homeland Security chief Michael Chertoff says the question of waterboarding must be asked in the context of specific facts.

MEXICO CITY (AP) - Federal agents acting on a tip have found six bodies buried in a shallow grave at a house in northern Mexico. An anonymous caller told police that the house, about 250 miles south of El Paso, Texas, is used by the Juarez drug cartel.

LOS ANGELES (AP) - A former Los Angeles gang member who started an anti-violence group called No Guns has pleaded no contest to federal weapons charges. The group received one and a-half million dollars in city funds last year. The contract was canceled after authorities found out the founder had hired his gang member son to work for the group.

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (AP) - Police in Florida say eight men whose skeletal remains were discovered in Fort Myers last year were murdered. Police aren't saying how they died and have stopped short of tying the murders to a serial killer. Only two of the men have been identified.

WASHINGTON (AP) - A problem on the drawing board for NASA's next generation of spacecraft. The rocket being designed to help lift astronauts to the moon could shake so violently after lift off that it could destroy the entire vehicle. NASA hopes to have a fix for the design flaw in a matter of months.

HONOLULU (AP) - An autopsy shows a toddler thrown off a pedestrian overpass onto a busy Honolulu freeway Thursday was killed by the 30-foot fall, not by the car that hit him. Police are investigating how the 23-year-old suspect in the case got hold of the child.

LOS ANGELES (AP) - Striking writers could begin informal talks with Hollywood studios as early as next week in an effort to end their two-month walkout. That word follows a tentative agreement with the studios and the directors union.

LOS ANGELES (AP) - St. Louis' "first lady of sports" has died. Georgia Frontiere brought the NFL's Rams to her hometown from Los Angeles in 1995. Frontiere inherited the franchise from the sixth of her seven husbands. She was 80 and had been hospitalized with breast cancer.

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia (AP) - A popular Malaysian rock singer has been deemed too hot for TV. The singer has slapped with a three-month ban for taking his shirt off during a live television concert. Malaysia's communications commission calls the stunt "insensitive" to viewers and the country's culture.