Today's News-Thursday, March 13th

Schuylkill County has set a deadline for North Manheim Township and any others who may be interested in making an offer for the county owned 1912 Building in Schuylkill Haven. County Commissioner Chairwomen Mantura Gallagher made the announcement during Wednesday's Commissioners board meeting:


So far, the only offer has come from Penn State Schuylkill's Advisory Board. They made an offer of $450-Thousand Dollars for the building and its 38 acres of land. North Manheim Township has shown interest in the property and recently received a tour of the building, but has not yet made an offer. Township Supervisor Barbara Miller said last month that talk of the Township wanting the property for nothing was not true. She said the Township has enough money to match Penn State’s offer. County Solicitor Eric Mika said the county and township officials had met previously about the building but that for at least seven years, the Township has not submitted a proposal. Penn State had said acquiring the land is part of their master plan for campus expansion. They also said plans call for demolition of the 1912 building to make way for a 12,000 square foot multipurpose center.

Can you hear me now? Legislation continues to be considered in Harrisburg to improve cell phone coverage here in the Commonwealth. State Senator Jim Rhoades has amended legislation he proposed to require cell phone companies to do a better job providing coverage, including minimizing dropped calls:



Senate Resolution 206 calls for a study to find ways to improve and enhance telecommunication coverage throughout Pennsylvania. In many rural areas of Pennsylvania, the ability for a strong wireless communication network often proves difficult as a result of geography. The bill would study ways to improve cell coverage of thos underserved areas. If approved, Senate Resolution 206 will require the Legislative Budget and Finance Committee to submit a final report to the General Assembly by June.

A Cass Township man is facing charges after he tried to strike a Minersville man with a baseball bat. Minersville police now tells WPPA/T102 News that 46-year-old David Oswald came to a home in the borough carrying a bat. Authorities say that Oswald was upset over a personal matter, and swung the bat at the unidentified man. Oswald is expected to be charged with simple assault, terroristic threats, possessing instruments of crime and other offenses. Those charges will be handled through District Court.

Reading state police say a supermarket executive killed over the weekend was beaten to death. We reported to you yesterday about the findings from an autopsy of 55-year-old Gary W. Redner. His body was found Sunday morning outside a neighbor's house in Lower Heidelberg Township. Redner had been in Ganly's Pub & Restaurant less than a quarter-mile from his house on the night before he was found dead. But authorities say they are not aware of any trouble at the establishment before he left. State police say they are working around the clock to try to solve the murder. Lt. Thomas G. McDaniel says investigators are looking at a variety of possible motives. The family has put up $10,000 to raise to $20,000 the reward offered for information leading to an arrest.

The County Commissioners and Salary Board approved the restructuring of the County Tax Claim Bureau Wednesday. But approval wasn't unanimous in all areas. Responsibilities within the Bureau will now be divided between three new positions. The new positions are, Chief Assessor, Assistant County Solicitor/Director of Tax Claim and Assistant Director of Tax Claim. County Controller Melinda Kantner voted with the majority for the restructuring including the salaries with two exceptions. She voted against creating the Assistant Director position and as a condition for her vote for Assistant Solicitor coupled with that of the Director of Tax Claim, she wanted a full-time Assistant Solicitor's position eliminated. County Administrator Darlene Dolzani, who at one time held all the positions at the same time in the Bureau, plus the head of mapping, said in an interview after the meeting that "the Controller has no idea how important the positions are and what they bring back to the county." Dolzani went on to explain the consequences of not having enough employees in the Tax Claim Bureau:

Dolzani said a couple of senior citizens recently made their point in a dramatic way that property taxes have become too heavy a burden……

pennsylvania should be singing the prison blues. A new analysis of prison and corrections spending shows it's up 340 percent over twenty years – one of the highest growth rates in the nation. Deborah Smith reports.


There is a waiting list for adults needing health insurance. A Schuylkill County legislator is working with the House to come up with a solution. Representative Tim Seip says that the House is debating a proposal, called Pennsylvania Access to Basic Care, that would provide access to health coverage for uninsured adults who aren’t eligible for Medicare or Medicaid. In Schuylkill and Berks counties, 42-hundred working adults are on the adultBasic waiting list, and more that 270-thousand people statewide. Seip says the plan would take over coverage for current adultBasic enrollees, and expand coverage for those on the waiting list. PA ABC would also include prescription drugs, preventive care, behavioral health services and chronic disease management. The coverages would be available at no cost, up to a $50 monthly premium, based on earnings levels. PA ABC would also help small employers to offer coverage. Seip said the House may vote on the legislation as soon as next week.

FUMO'S FUTURE
Pa. Sen. Vincent Fumo dropping out of race, will retire

PHILADELPHIA (AP) - State Sen. Vincent Fumo says a federal indictment -- not his health -- prompted his decision to retire. Fumo says it isn't fair to ask people to vote for him while he's preparing for a trial on federal corruption charges. He says he had a lot of time to think about it while he was in a hospital for a week recovering from a heart attack. He was released from the hospital Sunday. The Philadelphia Democrat says he will retire at the end of the year, when his term ends. He says he's staying on till then at Gov. Ed Rendell's insistence. Rendell spoke to reporters after Fumo. He says Fumo has been instrumental in passing many bills. He says Pennsylvania wouldn't have health insurance that covers all children if not for Fumo.

PROSTITUTION RING-TROOPER

Feds charge trooper in pimp case

HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) - A former Pennsylvania state trooper is facing federal charges he tipped off pimps who ran a child prostitution ring in exchange for money and sex. A federal indictment announced yesterday accuses 42-year-old Kevin Coleman of interfering with a nationwide investigation of a ring that used the girls and young women as prostitutes. Prosecutors say that among Coleman's duties was conducting anti-prostitution patrols at Gables Truck Stop near Harrisburg at a time when pimps from Toledo, Ohio, were operating there. The federal investigation known as Precious Cargo led to the conviction of 14 pimps and two lead prostitutes who are awaiting sentencing. Prosecutors say Coleman resigned as a state trooper after learning that he was under investigation. It couldn't immediately be determined if he has a lawyer.

LOVE TRIANGLE SLAYING

Juror deliberations expected to begin in 1976 slaying

MONTROSE, Pa. (AP) - Jurors are expected to begin deliberations today in the case of a doctor accused of
killing his friend three decades ago. Sixty-seven-year-old Dr. Stephen Scher is accused of killing attorney Martin Dillon in 1976 as the two were skeet shooting at the Dillon family's hunting camp near the New York border. Prosecutors allege that Scher killed Dillon so he could marry Dillon's wife. Scher was convicted of first-degree murder in 1997 and sentenced to life in prison. An appeals court ordered a new trial in 2004. A defense expert yesterday lost a piece of evidence from the victim's body. Dr. Michael Baden was examining the piece of tissue from Dillon's body in a courthouse bathroom when it went down the drain. that led to a tense confrontation in court as prosecutor Patrick Blessington upbraided the nationally known pathologist. Baden says the sample was tiny and irrelevant to the case, but Blessington says no one can know that for sure.

HUMAN REMAINS-INTERSTATES
Tobyhanna to review security policies after suspect's arrest

TOBYHANNA, Pa. (AP) - Tobyhanna Army Depot says it will review its security policies after a contract employee was charged with killing a woman whose dismembered remains were found dumped along Pennsylvania highways in January. Police arrested 33-year-old Charles Ray Hicks in the death of 36-year-old Deanna Null after two severed human hands were found hidden in his bathroom. Most of Null's remains were found Jan. 29 in trash bags strewn along Interstates 80 and 380. Hicks began working as an electronics technician for a Tobyhanna contractor on Jan. 2. The army depot says in a statement that Hicks passed a background check prior to beginning work there. Police searched the depot on Saturday and seized a toolbox with Hicks' name on it. Police believe the toolbox is large enough to contain cutting tools used to dismember Null's corpse.

TOLL BROTHERS-SHAREHOLDERS
Toll Brothers shareholders approve CEO bonus plan

HORSHAM, Pa. (AP) - Shareholders of Toll Brothers Inc. have approved a compensation plan designed to award bonuses to the chief executive even when the housing market is slumping. The Horsham-based builder of luxury homes did not disclose how many votes there were in favor of the plan. But a shareholder activist group says executives disclosed at the shareholders meeting that it was at least 50 percent. Reporters were barred from the event. CEO Robert Toll didn't get a bonus last year as the housing market slumped. But the company says under the new plan, he would have received $6.56 million. Jennifer O'Dell of the Laborers' International Union of North America says CEOs should be paid for performance, not -- in her words -- "simply for existing." The union's pension funds has at least 200,000 shares of Toll Brothers.

NEW YORK (AP) - There aren't many reasons for optimism this morning on Wall Street, where stocks are down sharply amid some worrisome developments. The government says retail sales fell last month, even though analysts had been expecting an increase. Gold has hit a thousand dollars an ounce for the first time. The dollar
continues its fall against foreign currencies and oil is trading at new record highs.

ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) - New York's lieutenant governor is taking some time to prepare before he replaces Eliot Spitzer in the state's top office. David Paterson will become governor on Monday, and will have to deal with a budget and soured relations with state lawmakers. Spitzer resigned yesterday in the wake of a prostitution
scandal.

BAGHDAD (AP) - At least 11 people are dead after a parked car bomb exploded in central Baghdad. Another 57 people are wounded. Meanwhile, the U.S. military confirms that soldiers killed a young Iraqi girl in a shooting yesterday in the volatile Diyala province.

WHITE HOUSE (AP) - As the House prepares to vote on a terrorist surveillance bill, President Bush is vowing to veto it. He says the version of the bill supported by House Democrats would undermine America's security. A vote is expected later today.

HILLSBOROUGH, N.C. (AP) - A second suspect is in custody, and charged with first-degree murder in the killing of University of North Carolina student body president Eve Carson. The first man arrested in the case appeared in court yesterday and is being held on bond.