Today's News- Monday, May 19th

A Tamaqua man was killed early Saturday morning in a one car crash just a short distance from his home. Walker Township police chief Eric Leiby is investigating the crash along Valley Road that claimed the life of 21 year old Matthew Breiner. According to the Republican Herald, Breiner was heading home at 4:30 am when his Chevrolet Cobalt struck a tree along the south berm of the roadway in front of a home at 880 Valley Road. The car struck two more trees before coming to rest. Breiner was just a quarter mile from reaching his destination. Sch. County Deputy Coroner Larry Neff pronounced Breiner dead at the scene. The road was closed for several hours.

Charges will be filed after a crash at Routes 61 and 895 that occurred about 2am Saturday. According to state police at Schuylkill Haven , 37 year old Wilbur Shaw of Orwigsburg was driving south on Route 61 at a high rate of speed, left the roadway and struck a guard rail. The vehicle than traveled about 36 feet before crossing both the northbound and southbound travel lanes and struck a concrete bridge wall on the east side of the roadway. Shaw was transported by helicopter to Lehigh Valley Hospital for treatment and was listed in critical condition. A passenger in the vehicle, 36 year old Justin Christman of Auburn refused treatment. Charges will be filed against Shaw pending blood alchohol tests.

Two women escaped injury Saturday morning when when their car veered off the road and into a guide rail according to state police at Frackville. The driver 36 year old Susan Cooney of Shenandoah will be charged with making improper or erratic lane changes. The mishap took occurred at 11:20am as Cooney was headed east on route 54. While rounding a sharp left curve she traveled off the south edge of the road steered back, lost control and again veered off the south edge and struck the guide rail head on. Cooney and her passenger, 42 year old Helen Kufrovich of Lost Creek refused medical treatment.

The Pine Grove police department will implement a proactive enforcement program to protect the safety of school children and school crossing guards. According to police chief Joshua Reager, the reasons for the high frequency of accidents involving school children and school crossing guards across the nation include the number of vehicles on the roadways. A large percentage of students are driven to school resulting in congestion in school zones far beyond what the streets were designed to handle. Another reason is that many drivers are distracted because they are eating or drinking behind the wheel, using cell phones or simply not paying attention. The enforcement details will target aggressive and inattentive drivers in and around the Pine Grove school district campus. Violations of the posted speed limit will also be enforced. Chief Reager requests that any person seeing an incident of unsafe driving including double parking or unsafe conditions such as blocking the view of a crossing guard should notify the police department.

HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) - A Spanish company and a unit of Citigroup have teamed up to submit the largest bid for the right to lease the Pennsylvania Turnpike for 75 years. Gov. Ed Rendell told a news conference Monday that Barcelona-based Abertis Infraestructuras - along with partners Criteria CaixaCorp of Spain and Citi Infrastructure Investors - offered $12.8 billion. That was $700 million more than their nearest competitor. Rendell said he
was "strongly in favor of it," but the Legislature must approve any deal.

PHILADELPHIA (AP) - The Philadelphia police commissioner is seeking to terminate four officers and discipline four others over the videotaped beating of three suspects. Commissioner Charles Ramsey says a detailed review was made of an enhanced videotape. In all, 19 officers - 18 city police and one transit officer - were involved in the apprehension of the three shooting suspects two
weeks ago.

PHILADELPHIA (AP) - New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg is telling University of Pennsylvania graduates they must push the presidential candidates to "break the death grip that partisanship has on Washington." Bloomberg spoke Monday at Penn's commencement ceremonies. He sayd many of the graduates must think very carefully before voting in their first presidential election.

PITTSBURGH (AP) - A skittish financial market is forcing the Jewish Healthcare Foundation of Pittsburgh to delay making grants. Foundation President Karen Wolk says the foundation will not make a final decision about grants until it learns what its assets are going to be toward the end of the year. She says it's the first time the foundation has had to delay grants.

PHILADELPHIA (AP) - Philadelphia electrical contractor Donald "Gus" Dougherty Jr. has pleaded guilty in federal court to illegally providing $115,000 worth of free renovations on the South Philadelphia home of labor leader John Dougherty. Donald Dougherty, no relation to John Dougherty, pleaded guilty Monday to a single count of providing illegal payments to a union official.

CHICAGO (AP) - John McCain is accusing Barack Obama of inexperience and reckless judgment for saying Iran poses less of a threat than the Soviet Union did in its day. Obama responded that McCain prefers tough talk over "tough, disciplined and direct diplomacy."

MAYSVILLE, Ky. (AP) - Democrat Hillary Clinton says her opponent Barack Obama may be getting a little ahead of himself in acting like the party's nominee before the final contests of the primary season are over. But after tomorrow's balloting in Oregon and Kentucky, Obama is expected to reach a majority of the pledged delegates won in primaries and caucuses.

NEW YORK (AP) - Stocks have settled mixed, with the blue chips in positive territory. The Dow gained 41 points to close at 13,028. The market got a boost from the Conference Board's index of leading economic indicators. The forward-looking gauge was positive in April.

NEW YORK (AP) - Oil prices have soared to yet another closing high. They jumped 76 cents to settle at $127.05 a barrel. Meanwhile, prices at the pump ahead of the holiday weekend are hitting records of their own, with Americans paying an average of $3.79 a gallon for regular.

SUPREME COURT (AP) - The Supreme Court has ruled that leading someone to believe you have child pornography to show or exchange is a federal crime. Opponents have said the law could apply to movies like "Traffic" or "Titanic" that depict adolescent sex or to the marketing of other material that may not be pornography.