Today's News-Saturday, May 17th

The kids are almost out of school. Time to plan the family vacation. But, with the price of a gallon of gas, how far ya' gonna go? Jay Levan has more:

TOURISM

Thirty six seniors from area high schools were honored Friday for completing the YES program. YES, Your Employability Skills, is a cooperative effort between schools, employers, business organizations and the Schuylkill Workforce Partnership. It gives students a year-long program to prepare them for the working world. Subjects covered included communication, personal development and visits to area employers. Darlene Robbins, Executive Director of the Northeast PA Manufacturers and Employers Association, comments on the successes already realized in two years:

ROBBINS

Ashley Dreher, a senior at Schuylkill Haven High School who completed the program, thought it was well worth it:

DREHER

Pine Grove School District will join Pottsville, Blue Mountain, Schuylkill Haven, Minersville and Mahanoy Area in the program next school year.

TREMONT — A five-mile stretch of Interstate 81 southbound in Frailey Township was closed for more than five hours Friday after a man lost control of the tractor-trailer he was driving and the trailer detached from the cab, blocking both lanes of traffic. According to the Republican and Herald, Christopher Vautrin of Hagerstown, Md., lost control of the Volvo truck-tractor he was driving about 7:10 a.m. near mile marker 107. The tractor-trailer turned counterclockwise, striking the guide rail and bridge on the east side of the road, then slid across both travel lanes and struck the guide rail and bridge on the west side of the road. The trailer detached from the cab and both came to rest blocking the travel lanes. According to state police at Frackville, who assisted with traffic control, a hazmat crew was called in to clean up diesel fuel spilled on the roadway as a result of the accident. Southbound traffic was detoured off the interstate onto Route 25 in Hegins at Exit 112 while crews cleaned up the accident. The road reopened about 12:30 p.m., according to PennDOT.

ORWIGSBURG — A Mount Carmel man who allegedly kidnapped his mother from a nursing home was arraigned Friday on new charges, including involuntary manslaughter. According to the Republican and Herald, Robert Netchel faces the new charges because Ruth Ann Netchel died as a direct result of the April 30 kidnapping, according to the criminal complaint filed by Trooper Chad Smith of state police at Schuylkill Haven. Netchel was released after his arraignment Friday before Magisterial District Judge James R. Ferrier, who did not increase the $50,000 straight bail set May 1 by Magisterial District Judge Bernadette J. Nahas, Frackville, which Netchel had paid. A preliminary hearing is scheduled before Magisterial District Judge Charles V. Moran, Pottsville, at 10 a.m. May 23, Ferrier said. Assistant District Attorney Jennifer Lehman will represent the commonwealth, according to District Attorney James P. Goodman. Sud Patel, an attorney with Riley & Fanelli P.C., Pottsville, will represent Netchel. Netchel was arraigned Friday on four counts each of aggravated assault, a first-degree felony, and recklessly endangering another person and simple assault, both second-degree misdemeanors; three counts each of aggravated assault, a second-degree felony; and one count each of kidnapping, a first-degree felony, and involuntary manslaughter and unlawful restraint, both first-degree misdemeanors, according to the criminal complaint.

The County Commissioners Wednesday approved a request by District Attorney Jim Goodman for a supplemental budget appropriation for funding he received from the COPS Methamphetamine Initiative. Goodman said his office received just over $269-Thousand-Dollars of an almost $450-Thousand Dollar grant acquired by the City of Pottsville. He said the money will pay for a newly hired Assistant District Attorney's salary and benefits for three years and for drug task force equipment as well as overtime pay for police officers in the task force. In other business, the Commissioners approved the hiring of Joan Copeland of Schuylkill Haven as Director of Staff Development at Rest Haven, at a salary of just over $50-thousand-dollars. In other salary board action, a Drug and Alcohol Assistant Administrator position was created at a salary of $34,269.00.

President Bush has arrived in Egypt for two days of talks with leaders from throughout the Middle East. They'll be discussing such issues as Middle East peace and the fight against al-Qaida.

A Chinese government spokesman says the confirmed death toll in Monday's massive earthquake has risen to almost 29,000. Today, thousands of victims are fleeing a Chinese village near the epicenter for fears a dam may have burst.

Britain's prime minister is accusing authorities in Myanmar of inhumane behavior for blocking attempts to get foreign aid to the cyclone victims. Gordon Brown says they've turned the May 3rd natural disaster into a "man-made catastrophe."

The Energy Department says it won't buy any more oil for the strategic petroleum reserve for the rest of the year. Congress passed legislation this week ordering the move. The White House and some analysts don't think the 70,000 additional barrels on the market will have any impact on gas prices.

A biochemist will spend the rest of her life in prison for killing her estranged husband. Prosecutors in Fresno, California, say Larissa Schuster knocked him out and stuffed him into a vat of acid, possibly while he was still alive.

Most people expect Kentucky Derby winner Big Brown to win the second leg of horse racing's Triple Crown this afternoon, the Preakness. The horse was the overwhelming 1-to-9 favorite in early wagering yesterday.

Three people have been airlifted to hospitals following a carnival ride collapse that left two dozen people hurt at a county fair in California. Most of those on board the spinning ride, called the Yo-Yo, were children.

UNDATED (AP) - With another round of Democratic primaries coming up Tuesday, Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton will be on the campaign trail today. Obama will be in Oregon, while the former first lady campaigns in Kentucky. Republican John McCain is scheduled to make an appearance tonight on NBC's "Saturday Night Live."