Today's News- Friday, March 14th

The County Commissioners Wednesday hired a Pottsville firm to do an architectural study for the proposed $3-million-dollar prison pre-release center. A professional services agreement with Yongcheol Kim Architects will cost $6,800. At last week's Commissioners work session, John Richmond of the Adult Probation Office said the study is a required part of the application process for a USDA loan the county hopes to secure to build the proposed facility. The pre-release center, which would help ease overcrowding at the county prison, would hold non-violent inmates. The preferred site is on the grounds of the State Correctional facility in Frackville.

The Hillside SPCA is in dire financial straits, and in jeopardy of closing. The shelter located outside of Pottsville has hit some hard economic times, with unexpected repairs and rising costs eating into their already tight resources. If things don't improve quickly, Hillside SPCA may close in a few weeks. That possible closure could force the euthanization of more than 300 animals. Shelter officials say that donations are needed now. Assistant Manager Tricia Moyer tells the Republican and Herald that "if we don’t get money in, we’ll be out of money."

The Schuylkill County Commissioners have hired a co-council to help in its dispute with New World Systems.
At Wednesday's meeting the board hired, Peter Vogel of Dallas Texas, an expert in computer technology. Vogel will work with the County Solicitors office in litigation involving software purchased by the county they say doesn’t work. The software cost nearly $1-Million Dollars. The county purchased the software in 2005
and after efforts to resolve problems with it failed, the county decided to terminate the contact and proceed with litigation. The county bought the software to reconcile differences in budget periods between the county and some human services departments which run on the state's budget calendar.

The 10th annual Friendship Classic gets underway today here in Pottsville. The event brings female gymnasts of all levels, from novice through Olympic-class to compete in the various disciplines of the sport, like floor exercise and balance beam. Some of the best athletes in the world come to Schuylkill County year after year.
The Pottsville Gymnastic Training Center hosts the competition, which begins this morning with preliminary competitions at the gym on North Centre Street, then moves to Martz Hall on the Pottsville middle school campus this evening, Saturday and Sunday. The area benefits economically, because the Classic brings hundreds of athletes and their families, some traveling from as far away as Australia, spending money and enjoying Schuylkill County hospitality. On a recent edition of WPPA's For Your Information, gymnasts from Pottsville Gymnastic Training Center talked about the excitement of the Friendship Classic, where some international Olympic hopefuls are bound for Bejing, China this summer. Brianna Rauenzahn talks about what it takes for gymnasts to train for the Olympics:

This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to see the best of our local gymnastic athletes and the best from around the world at the Friendship Classic this weekend.

There will a wearin' of the green in Pottsville tomorrow for the 33rd Annual St. Patrick's Day parade. The John F. Kennedy Division Number 2 is sponsoring the celebration, which moves out from 12th and Market Streets at 11am. A mass will be held at St. Patrick's Church at 8am, and breakfast at the Catholic War Veterans post just before 9. The public is invited. Parade chair Leo Haley talks about the lineup for the parade:

State Representative Neal Goodman, a member of the Kehoe Division of the AOH is this year's Grand Marshal. Leo Haley said he was an easy choice:

Following the parade through downtown Pottsville, a Grand Irish Party will be held at the Humane Fire Company on Laurel Boulevard. Food, fun and the music of "Celtheart" will culminate the day's festivities.
St. Patrick's Day is Monday, March 17th.

Investigators are looking for more clues in the death of Gary Redner. The Reading Eagle reports that investigators are looking for an individual or individuals who may have been injured during a fight with the supermarket executive near his Lower Heidleberg Township home, where he was found dead last weekend.
Troopers believe that Redner fought back his attackers before succumbing to his injuries. A neighbor found his body Sunday. State police have been very tight lipped with information about the case. 55-year-old Gary Redner was mourned yesterday during a funeral mass at St. Ignatius Loyola Roman Catholic Church yesterday. A $20-thousand-dollar reward is being offered for information leading to the arrest of Gary Redner’s killers. Anyone with information can call Crime Alert of Berks County at 877-373-9913.

The Pottsville Business Association welcomed Patti’s Lunch Box to the city Thursday with a box of gifts from local merchants. Patty Krause and her husband Rick opened the luncheonette at 317 Mauch Chunk Street.
She said their homemade food is a hit with their customers….

The Krause’s also own Patty’s Dynamite Dollar on South Centre Street.

Lehigh to boost financial aid for lower, middle income students

BETHLEHEM, Pa. (AP) - Starting this fall, Lehigh University students whose families have incomes less than $50,000 will receive grants instead of having to take out student loans. The grants will be funded by the endowment of the 4,657-student university in Bethlehem. The university also says students with family incomes of $50,000 to $75,000 will not have to borrow more than $3,000 a year. Lehigh officials say they are boosting aid to lower- and middle-income students to send a message that all families can afford an education at the private university. The new policy will cost the university $3 million a year. Lehigh recently announced that the cost of tuition, room and board, fees, and personal expenses will rise to $47,320 for the next academic year.

Obama, Clinton to debate next month in Philadelphia

WASHINGTON (AP) - Democratic Sens. Barack Obama and Hillary Rodham Clinton plan to debate in Philadelphia next month just days before Pennsylvania's primary. ABC News will host the debate on a date still to be determined. Pennsylvania voters go to the polls April 22 for the primary, a contest with 158 delegates at stake. Obama's campaign says he has also agreed to a matchup on April 19 hosted by CBS News in North Carolina. North Carolina has 115 delegates up for grabs in its May 6 primary. CBS News says it is awaiting word on whether Clinton will participate. The contenders have debated 20 times during the presidential campaign.

Michelle Obama stumps for husband in Phila. suburbs

HAVERTOWN, Pa. (AP) - Michelle Obama says her husband, Sen. Barack Obama, has met every campaign challenge thrown at him. She told an overflow crowd at Abington High School that some people doubted whether her 44-year-old husband could raise enough money or build a national organization. But she says he "reached out to regular folks." Mrs. Obama is making her first campaign trip to Pennsylvania to secure votes for her husband in the state's April 22 primary. Mrs. Obama began her swing through suburban Philadelphia with a stop at St. George's Episcopal Church in Haverford Township. She spent her time reading Dr. Seuss to children and joining a women's round-table. Senators Barack Obama and Hillary Rodham Clinton are waging an intense battle for the 158 delegates at stake in the Democratic primary.

Ex-reporter involved in sources dispute to speak at FOIC meeting

PHILADELPHIA (AP) - A former USA Today reporter held in contempt for not revealing her sources for stories about the 2001 anthrax attacks will give the keynote address at the annual meeting of the National Freedom of Information Coalition in May. Toni Locy had been ordered by a federal judge to pay fines of up to $5,000 for each day she refuses to reveal her confidential sources. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia blocked the order earlier this week. That means means Locy will not have to pay the fines or face further sanctions such as jail time while her lawyers fight the contempt ruling. Locy says she cannot recall which of her FBI and Justice Department sources provided information for two stories about a government scientist now suing the government for dragging his name into the investigation. Locy began her career at the former Pittsburgh Press. She also was a reporter at the Philadelphia Daily News, Boston Globe, Washington Post, U.S. News & World Report and Associated Press. She left the AP in 2006 to get a master's degree and now teaches journalism at West Virginia University.

Former treasurer of Lutheran group charged with $1M embezzlement

HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) - Police say the former treasurer of a 261-congregation Lutheran church synod stole more than $1 million dollars from the institution. Barry R. Herr of Lancaster is facing 36 counts of criminal use of a communication facility and a count of theft. He was charged Thursday by Lower Paxton Township Police in the Harrisburg suburbs. The 61-year-old served for 28 years as treasurer of the Lower Susquehanna Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. The synod's bishop sent a letter to the 122,000-member organization saying the money was taken from bequests to a global mission program and from a fund to help pastors who need financial assistance. Court records say the scheme dated back to 1991.

New Pa. juvenile court rules require parents to be notified

HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) - New rules in Pennsylvania will require parents and guardians to be notified whenever their minor children have to appear in court. The rules announced Thursday by the state Supreme Court go into effect in June and replace a system in which only the juvenile had to be notified. They also change the court system's official terminology. From now on, the term "minor" means a witness, and the term "juvenile" refers to the subject of a proceeding. The court system says it's responding to problems such as a case in which police took a 13-year-old boy out of school to a detention center after he didn't appear to testify as a witness. His parents weren't notified he'd been subpoenaed, or that police had taken him from the school.

WASHINGTON (AP) - The inflation figures for February have come in lower than expected, showing no change from the month before. It's the mildest reading in six months, but it's not expected to last very long. With energy prices resuming an upward climb, many analysts expect a reversal in the coming months. On Wall Street, stocks are moderately higher so far.

UNDATED (AP) -Oil prices pulled back a bit in trading today after yesterday's surge that went as high as $111 a barrel before retreating. Analysts say it shows how volatile crude futures trading has become as investors flee a weakening dollar. But, they also note the market can't justify a new record high every day.

BAGHDAD (AP) - A Chaldean Catholic leader is being laid to rest today in northern Iraq. The archbishop was
kidnapped by gunmen two weeks ago and his body was found yesterday. Iraqi officials say it's the work of "a barbaric enemy."

WASHINGTON (AP) - The Pentagon says there's a decrease in the number of sexual assault reports filed by military personnel last year. There were nearly 2,700 assaults reported, but that's 9 percent lower than the previous year. Congress has pressured the military to improve the way sexual assault cases are handled.

DURHAM, N.C. (AP) - The teen now charged in the January death of a Duke University graduate student will be in court today. Authorities say 17-year-old Laurence Lovette was on a crime spree that started late last year. He's facing first-degree murder charges for the killing at Duke and for this month's shooting of Eve Carson, student body president at the University of North Carolina.