Today's News-Saturday, March 15th

A full day of activities are planned today in Pottsville to celebrate St. Patrick. The 33rd annual St. Patrick's Day parade steps off at 11am from 12th and Market Street, complete with bands, marching units and the magic of the Irish. The parade is sponsored by the John F. Kennedy Division Number 2, AOH. State Representative Neal Goodman of Mahanoy City is this year’s parade Grand Marshal. He is a member of the Kehoe Division, Ancient Order of Hibernians. After the parade, it's a Grand Irish Party at the Humane Fire Company at noon, complete with great Irish foods, beverages and the music of Celt Heart. St. Patrick’s Day is Monday.

A full day of competition is on tap for the 10th Annual Friendship Classic gymnastic festival at Martz Hall today. The Pottsville Gymnastics Training Center hosts the annual celebration of excellence, spotlighting their own athletes, as well as gymnasts from nine countries around the globe. There is special significance for this year’s event, because it is an Olympic year. The summer games will be held in Bejing, China. And several Olympic hopefuls from Australia, Canada and other countries are displaying their prowess in the various gymnastic venues. Competitions run today at Martz Hall at 9am, Noon, 3pm. The World Class event takes place tonight at 6:30pm. Tickets are available at the door. Sunday, its another full day of competition, also at the Mecca. Monday, the traveling competitors leave from New York for home or other competition venues. This is one event you don't want to miss.

Schuylkill County will be seeking almost a half-million-dollars in funds for rehabilitation work in Courtroom Number-One in the courthouse. The county's grant writer received approval to apply for a $100-thousand dollar grant from the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission and to submit an application to the Department of Community and Economic Development for $370-Thousand Dollars. Courtroom room number-one is the largest of the county’s courtrooms and is used primarily for special occasions. Permission was also granted to apply to the Schuylkill Area Community Foundation for $750.00 on behalf of the Community Volunteers in Action for the maintenance of their website promoting and facilitating volunteerism in the county.

This is St. Patrick's Day weekend. PennDOT and law enforcement agencies have a simple message for young people…plainclothes officers will be on duty to prevent underage consumers from purchasing alcohol. As part of the "Cops in Shops" enforcement effort, officers will be stationed, undercover, at wine and spirits shops, six pack shops and beer distributors, designed to curb underage drinkers. Police in 20 counties will participate. Penalties for breaking underage drinking laws are stiff. Fines can range up to $300 dollars, up to 90 days in jail and a 90-day license suspension, just for a first offense. Adults who are cited for furnishing alcohol to minors could see fines up to $25-hundred-dollars and up to a year in jail. Enjoy the celebration of St. Patrick's Day…responsibly. The consequences of illegal actions are just not worth it.

Value City is apparently staying open for the time being. The company had announced the closing of the Pottsville store in February, along with several dozen others across the nation after the parent company changed ownership. Now, company officials tell the Republican and Herald that they are reviewing their markets where Value City locations currently are. It is not known if the reprieve to keep the store open is permanent. The discounter is popular with Schuylkill County shoppers. A store closing sale was already underway before the news was announced.

A McAdoo man was hurt in a crash on Interstate 81 yesterday. Hazleton state police say that 36-year-old David Danishefsky was traveling south on I-81 in Hazle Township around 2am when he lost control and rolled his SUV. Troopers say he wasn’t wearing a seatbelt. Danishefsky had to be freed by emergency personnel. He was taken to Hazleton General Hospital, then flown to Lehigh Valley Hospital, Allentown where he is in critical condition.

State police are looking for the persons who shot at a Shenandoah man’s camper. Between Tuesday and Thursday this week, someone struck Stephen Sosna's camper with BB’s or pellets while it was parked at the corner of 2nd Boulevard and Reagan Street. The investigation continues to find out who did it.

CHILD HOMICIDE
Pa. mother charged with endangering child, 3, who died

SCRANTON, Pa. (AP) - Authorities in Scranton say they have filed charges against a woman who vanished after bringing her murdered 3-year-old daughter to the hospital. Kashema Reddish is charged with a felony count of child endangerment, three weeks after Kavannah Salvador's death on February 21st. Reddish's 25-year-old boyfriend, Darak Williams, was charged with child endangerment five days after the lifeless child was brought into the lobby of a Scranton hospital and pronounced dead on arrival. Authorities said the pair dropped out of sight soon after Kavannah's death. The Lackawanna County coroner ruled the death a homicide but the cause of death is still pending.

PHILADELPHIA HOMICIDES
Philadelphia slayings still falling in 2008

PHILADELPHIA (AP) - The number of homicides in Philadelphia continues to fall this year compared to a year ago. As of late Thursday, there were 56 murders in the city this year. During the comparable period last year, 78 people were killed. That's a 28 percent decrease. Police say the decline began last fall. Chief of Detectives Keith Sadler says shootings are down as well. Police Commissioner Charles Ramsey this year unveiled a crime-fighting strategy to reduce the homicide rate by 25 percent from last year, when 392 people were killed. The plan puts a heavy emphasis on increasing police visibility and patrols. Crime experts are cautious in explaining why rates rise or fall, saying the reasons are complicated and numerous factors are involved.

WATER WARNING
Water warning in York County township

YORK, Pa. (AP) - Officials in a York County community are issuing a water warning. Residents on the Dover Township water system are being told to not give water to their infants or use it to make their formula because of potentially high nitrate levels. Township public works director Chuck Farley says one of its wells was shut down earlier this week after test results showed the high nitrate levels. Nitrates in drinking water can cause serious illness in infants up to six months old. Township officials say parents should use bottled water or other water low in nitrates for infants until further notice.

INVESTMENT SCAM
Pa. man gets prison term for running Ponzi scheme

ALLENTOWN, Pa. (AP) - A man who admitted to running an investment scheme that authorities said cost investors millions of dollars is headed to prison. Fifty-four-year-old Craig Reinhard of Upper Macungie has been sentenced to more than 12 years in federal prison for selling worthless certificates of deposit to more than 50 people, many of them senior citizens who lost their life savings. Prosecutors said Reinhard netted $3.3 million in the Ponzi scheme from 1994 to 2006. Reinhard pleaded guilty in December to mail fraud and related counts. A woman prosecutors said was Reinhard's partner in the scheme pleaded guilty in February to similar charges. Debra Bzik will be
sentenced in July.

NAME THE MASCOT
Contest to name new mascot for Williamsport Crosscutters

WILLIAMSPORT, Pa. (AP) - Officials in Williamsport are looking to put a name to a face. Williamsport Crosscutters spokesman Gabe Sinicropi says the fans will determine the rest in a "Name the Mascot" contest. Starting tomorrow, fans can see the new critter for the first time on the team's Web site. The fan who picks the winning name will get a 2008 Crosscutters general admission season ticket and the opportunity to throw out the ceremonial first pitch on opening night June 20th.

WHITE HOUSE (AP) - President Bush is warning against too much government intervention in trying to fix the economy. Bush says sweeping government solutions could "make a complicated problem even worse." Democrats say Bush is relying on inaction to solve the problem.

ATLANTA (AP) - Officials in Atlanta are bracing for another round of storms after a possible tornado ripped through downtown last night. Crews have been hauling broken glass and furniture out of the streets as homeowners surveyed damage. Authorities are examining wreckage today to see if a tornado caused it.

ATLANTA (AP) - The SEC tournament is moving to the coliseum at Georgia Tech after a fierce storm interrupted last night's game at the Georgia Dome. A possible tornado ripped the fabric roof and small chunks of insulation and debris fell. Because of Georgia Tech's smaller capacity, only players' families, cheerleaders, bands and those with working credentials will be allowed to attend.

BEIJING (AP) - China is keeping government workers in Tibet confined to their offices following days of protests that have left a number of people dead. Chinese state media reports say 10 people were killed in clashes, but a Tibetan exile group says that number
is at least 30.

BEIJING (AP) - It's the first Major League Baseball game in China. The Los Angeles Dodgers and the San Diego Padres played to a 3-3 tie today in Beijing. The game at the new Olympic venue nearly sold out. A second game is set for tomorrow.