Today's News-Monday, April 28th

No one was hurt when a heating unit in a nursing home caught fire early Saturday morning in Schuylkill County. The Republican Herald reports, a small fire broke out in a heating unit about seven a.m. at Broad Mountain Nursing and Rehabilitation Center. A large amount of smoke poured from the unit as patients on the wing where the unit was located were moved to another part of the facility until the smoke was cleared and the area cleaned. Residents were back in their rooms later that day.

A 16-year-old girl was injured Saturday night when the sport-utility vehicle she was riding in flipped over on Route 54. Mount Carmel Township Police said 19-year-old Luke Reber of Schuylkill Haven, was driving east on 54 at the Strong connector around 7:30 p.m. and tried to beat the light as it turned red. The Daily Item reports, a 17-year-old Kulpmont girl coming off Brennans Farm Road got the green light and drove her S-U-V into the intersection, clipping the back end of Reber's vehicle. The 16-year-old girl from Locust Gap, was thrown from her vehicle as it flipped onto it's roof. The girl, broke her foot and injured her spine and was taken to Geisinger Medical Center where she's listed in fair condition. Reber and another passenger, 19-year-old Kevin Peiffer, received minor injuries. Peiffer was charged with underage drinking, and charges are pending against Reber for driving under the influence.

State police at Schuylkill Haven are investigating reports of underage drinking in Pine Grove Township last night. Troopers report that they received information about minors being provided alcohol at a party at 14 Short Lane, between 8 and 10pm Sunday night. No additional information has been released as yet. The investigation is continuing.

Two area men escaped injury in a crash in Landingville Saturday night. According to state police, 18-year-old Zachary Leeper of Pottsville was driving south on Canal Street when he lost control on the wet roadway and his vehicle struck a tree. After impact, the car came to rest on the shoulder of the road. Leeper's car was heavily damaged and had to be towed from the scene. He was not wearing a seatbelt, and will be cited in the crash. Leeper's passenger, Aaron Foster of Schuylkill Haven, escaped injury. The crash happened around 10:20pm Saturday.

A Paxinos man was injured in a two vehicle crash in Cass Township Sunday morning. Robert Devitz of Ashland was driving south on State Route 4007 when he failed to stop for a red light. 19-year-old Christopher Jones of Paxinos was attempting to pull onto the road from Interstate 81 when the cars collided. Devitz avoided injury. Jones, who was not wearing his seatbelt, suffered a hip injury and was taken to St. Catherine's Medical Center for treatment. Both vehicles were heavily damaged. Frackville state police are continuing their investigation.

A big crowd gathered yesterday for the annual Avenues Rubber Duck race. The event, held at the Coal Creek Commerce Center, St. Clair, raises money for the organization, formerly known as United Cerebral Palsy. More than 5-thousand-ducks were adopted, then dumped into the Mill Creek to race to the finish line. A host of prizes were available for participants. The carnival-like atmosphere was the 20th edition of the Duck Race. Monies raised help people with developmental disabilities or handicaps that participate in numerous Avenues programs.

Inflation for breakfast, lunch and dinner isn't very nutritious for Pennsylvania families. Egg prices are up 35 percent, chicken is up 10 percent. Deborah Smith reports.

SMITH (click to listen)

The third graders at John S. Clarke Elementary have cast their votes. No, not for President. For 5 deserving charities. The Karen's Heroes program, in memory of teacher Karen Chattin Ney, recently concluded its 9th edition. Ney died of cancer nearly a decade ago. The students heard presentations from 5 different charities, and then cast their votes, worth $5 dollars each. A total of $15-hundred-dollars were awarded in this year's competition. The Pottsville Free Public Library received $455 dollars, The Schuylkill Conservancy, $385 dollars, the Schuylkill County Diabetes Organization, $345 dollars, the Pottsville Soup Kitchen, $170 dollars, and the Literacy Council of Schuylkill County, $145 dollars.

WASHINGTON (AP) - A group of truck drivers is planning to caravan past the White House and the Capitol before a rally to protest high gas prices. The group Truckers and Citizens Unite says it has organized hundreds of truckers to participate in the event today. The activities are expected to start about 9 a.m. A rally is scheduled at the Capitol at 11 a.m.

NEW YORK(AP) - Scientists for the first time have used gene therapy to dramatically improve sight in people with a rare form of blindness. Teams of researchers in the United States and Britain report that some vision was restored in four of the six young people who got the treatment. The Foundation Fighting Blindness helped pay for one study done at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia.

WILKES-BARRE, Pa. (AP) - Two siblings of a Luzerne County man believed to have killed and dismembered a man before committing suicide say their brother was abused as a child. Police believe 38-year-old John Ryan killed 51-year-old John O'Brien of Wilkes-Barre this year, then cut up the body and put the parts in two bags found on an embankment near his home.

PITTSBURGH (AP) - State liquor officials are seeking proposals for a contractor to operate up to 100 wine kiosks throughout the state. The kiosks would be similar to a temperature-controlled vending machine capable of holding 500 bottles of wine. They would be placed in grocery stores and other places. They would offer about a dozen different types of wine.

HOLLIDAYSBURG, Pa. (AP) - A lawsuit accusing the former president of a bicycle club of misappropriating some $370,000 is being allowed to proceed. The Altoona Bicycle Club sponsors the annual International Tour de 'Toona race. The club says ex-president Kirk Leidy wrote himself 120 checks and used club equipment for his own benefit from 1990 to 2002. Leidy says he's done nothing wrong.

VIENNA, Austria (AP) - Oil prices have hit another all-time high, this time near $120 a barrel. Analysts say a confluence of events are disrupting oil supplies and driving prices up. They include a weekend labor strike that closed a North Sea oil pipeline in Scotland, and attacks on pipelines in Nigeria.

KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) - The U.S. military says a dozen insurgents have been killed in eastern Afghanistan. It says fighting erupted after the militants launched coordinated attacks on five U.S. and Afghan military outposts. No U.S. or Afghan soldiers were hurt.

BEIJING (AP) - Chinese authorities are blaming human error for a deadly train crash. A high-speed passenger train jumped the tracks in eastern Shandong province, then slammed into a second train. The official Xinhua News Agency says at least 70 people were killed. Some 420 people were injured, with 70 in critical condition.

AMSTETTEN, Austria (AP) - Austrian police say a 73-year-old man has confessed to imprisoning his daughter for 24 years and fathering seven children with her. Now 42, the daughter was held captive in a basement along with three of the children. Police describe the woman as appearing "greatly disturbed."

SOLANA BEACH, Calif. (AP) - Seventeen miles of coastline in Southern California are expected to reopen today, but many beachgoers say they'll be cautious about going in the water. The beaches were closed for the weekend after a deadly shark attack near San Diego. David Martin bled to death Friday after being bitten across both legs by what is believed to have been a 15-foot-long great white.