Today's News-Tuesday, February 5th-SHROVE TUESDAY

Pottsville police arrested one man and are looking for two others in connection with an assault in the city early Sunday. Officers were called to the home of 30-year-old Jesse Evans on Spring Garden Street, where they found him bleeding from the head. They learned that 26-year-old Bradley Leonard, 27-year-old Derrick McFarland and a third man forcibly entered Evans' home and assaulted him. During the assault, Evans was kicked, punched and struck with a metal lamp. After police were contacted, the men fled. Leonard was found by officers a short time later and arraigned on charges of burglary, aggravated and simple assault, among other offenses. He was taken to Schuylkill County Prison after he was unable to post bail. A warrant has been issued for McFarland, on charges similar to Leonard. The third man is still at large as well. The investigation continues.

Fire damaged two homes in Mahanoy City last night. The blaze reportedly started in the McGuire home at 320 West Spruce Street, on the second floor. McGuire, his wife and four children were able to escape from the fire, but their home sustained heavy damage, according to the Republican and Herald. Two men in an adjoining home were displaced, due to smoke and water damage. Investigators believe that the fire started accidentally, but will investigate it further. The blaze broke out before 7pm Monday night.

It was a chaotic scene at a convenience store in Pottsville yesterday, where gas prices were rolled back due to a computer problem. Around 4:30pm, that malfunction lowered the prices of gasoline at Sheetz on West Market Street and the Gordon Nagle Trail by a dollar a gallon. Consumers caught on quickly, and a traffic jam ensued while people stopped to fill up. The Republican and Herald indicates that employees at the store were unaware of what was happening, but company officials say that they honored the lower price for credit card purchases. Regular price for unleaded was posted at $2.99 per gallon before the problem. The pumps had to be shut down some three hours later while the computers were fixed. It is believed that an employee made the mistake in lowering the prices. It has been nearly 3 years since the price of a gallon of unleaded gasoline was $1.99.

Congressman Tim Holden has announced his re-election bid for another two year term in Washington. The St. Clair Democrat has served 8 terms in Congress, representing the 17th Congressional District. He serves on numerous committees, including Agriculture and Transportation. His Republican challenger is Toni Gillhooley of Lower Paxton Township, Dauphin County. She is a retired state police trooper and a consultant. County Prothonotary Peter Symons has announced his bid for the Democratic nomination for the state Senate in the 29th District, a seat currently held by Republican Senator Jim Rhoades. Rhoades is also seeking re-election. Symons won re-election as Prothonotary in November. He switched his party affiliation to Democrat last year.

A Wiconisco man was charged with raping a woman in northern Dauphin County. Lykens State Police now say that the incident happened in mid January, on a dirt road in Jackson Township. 22-year-old Christopher Rague was charged with criminal attempted rape, unlawful restraint and indecent assault of an unidentified adult woman. Rague was arraigned in district court, and released on $25-thousand-dollars unsecured bail.

A Dauphin county man has been charged by state police in connection with two separate cases of sexually assaulting minors. Lykens state police report that charges have been filed against 49-year-old Terry Lee Wolff, who is a prisoner at the Dauphin County Prison. Wolff is charged with involuntary deviate sexual intercourse, unlawful contact with a minor and corruption of minors against a minor female between 1996 and 1998. In a second set of offenses, Wolff is charged with indecent assault and exposure, unlawful contact with a minor, corruption of minors and endangering the welfare of children against a minor female between 1998 and 2005. Those charged were reported by state police Monday.

It will be the last opportunity to let their hair hang down and live it up before the Lenten season begins tomorrow. Around the world, parties and carnivals are celebrated for one more day of excess before the holy season begins, known as Mardi Gras. Downtown Pottsville will come alive this evening with a Mardi Gras celebration at the Greystone Restaurant on North Centre Street. Food, drink and merriment will be the order of the evening, with proceeds going to Pottsville's Lasting Legacy fund and the Pottsville Police New Badge Fund. Today is also Donut Day, where bakers, both home and professional, will prepare Fastnacht's, or potato donuts, for people to enjoy before they give up sweets for the Lenten season. The Pennsylvania German tradition of eating the donuts is meant to satisfy people until the 40 day observance ends on Easter Sunday in March. Enjoy it while you have the chance.

JOHNSTOWN, Pa. (AP) - President Bush's proposed 2009 budget allocates $19.5 million to shut a contentious Johnstown drug intelligence center. The financially strapped region will lose hundreds of white-collar jobs if the National Drug Intelligence Center is closed. Bush has repeatedly tried to shut NDIC, only to be fought down by House Democrat John Murtha.

MONTPELIER, Vt. (AP) - What's in a label? Plenty, say the folks at Ben & Jerry's Homemade Ice Cream. They're fighting for their right to use labels that proclaim their ice cream free of a synthetic hormone used by some dairy farmers to get more milk from their cows. In October, Pennsylvania banned hormone-free labeling
but later rescinded the ban.

PHILADELPHIA (AP) - Building trades unions say they will agree to minority hiring goals in order to secure jobs on the $700 million expansion of the Pennsylvania Convention Center in Philadelphia. The unions supplied statistics on their minority membership Monday during a day of negotiations with the City
Council.

PITTSBURGH (AP) - Some Pittsburgh gangs are agreeing to a truce after a 12-year-old girl was mistakenly killed in their turf war. Officials who attended a meeting on Friday say eight of the 11 groups fighting for drug territory in Pittsburgh's North Side entered the deal. They met with Allegheny County District Attorney
Stephen Zappala.

PITTSBURGH (AP) - Pittsburgh may put a planned science and technology school in its Carnegie Science Center. Pittsburgh Public Schools Superintendent Mark Roosevelt wants to expand his initial idea for a science and technology high school into a broader academy for children from the sixth grade through the 12th.

WASHINGTON (AP) - Democrat Hillary Clinton has already cast her vote this Super Tuesday. Clinton headed to a polling spot near her New York home with her daughter and husband, the former president. Bill Clinton calls it the "proudest day" of his life. Meanwhile, top rival Barack Obama is predicting a "split decision" on the
busy primary day.

WASHINGTON (AP) - All eyes are on California in the Republican race where polls show Mitt Romney has made gains on frontrunner John McCain. Romney made his final pitch to voters there yesterday in a bid for an upset Super Tuesday win that could give his campaign a much needed boost. McCain plans to head to California following a New York City rally this morning.

LA ROCHELLE, France (AP) - French President Nicolas Sarkozy says his country is ready to launch a military
operation against rebels in Chad if necessary. More than 1,000 French troops are already in the country, but Sarkozy says they haven't been involved in fighting except for defending French civilians who were evacuating.

LOS ANGELES (AP) - A deal may be near for striking writers and Hollywood studios that would end a three-month walkout. The move would save this month's Oscars telecast from a celebrity boycott. The two sides are working out the precise language of the potential agreement.

NEW YORK (AP) - Today is being dubbed "Super Super Tuesday" in New York City as voters will head to the polls and fans will head to a traditional ticker-tape parade for the Super Bowl champion New York Giants. The team will be showered by some 50 tons of confetti and honored with the key to the city. The Giants upset the Patriots 17-14 to win the NFL title Sunday.