Today's News- Thursday, May 29th

DUI fines that were deposited in Schuylkill County's General Fund will be transferred into accounts for the county Prison and Drug and Alcohol program for their exclusive use. The County Commissioners adopted the necessary resolutions during their Wednesday meeting, after learning of the problem during last week's prison board meeting. Commissioners Chairwomen Mantura Gallagher said the funds will be split evenly between the two and will be put to good use:

Gallagher #1 (click to listen)

Gallagher credited County Administrator Darlene Dolzani with discovering that nearly $200-Thousand Dollars in DUI fines were placed in the general fund over the last several years, instead of the separate accounts as required by state law:

Gallagher # 2 (click to listen)

A Pottsville man was injured in a motorcycle crash Wednesday night in Norwegian Township. 30-year-old Allen Johns was driving his Harley Davidson bike on Ann Street in the township around 10:45pm, when he laid the motorcycle down on its left side while negotiating a sharp curve. The cycle slid 60 feet before striking the guiderail. Johns was flown to Lehigh Valley Hospital for treatment of his injuries.

Several sick employees at the county courthouse prompted a visit from Pottsville firefighters yesterday. After the reports of workers feeling dizzy and nauseous, officials contacted Pottsville fire officials to check the building for carbon monoxide, according to the Republican and Herald. The courthouse is heated by coal, known to give off carbon monoxide fumes. A room to room check found no traces of the odorless, colorless gas. Officials believe that some form of virus was the cause of the employees illness.

An Ashland man, charged by federal authorities for running a drug ring, is out of jail, but subject to electronic monitoring. 46-year-old Michael Stockunas was charged by the US Attorney's office for running a gambling operation to fund a large methamphetamine distribution network. Stockunas had been jailed last week on counts of conspiracy, distrubuting meth, illegal gambling and money laundering. But, a federal judge yesterday released him, placing him under electronic monitoring and restricting contact with others involved in the case, among other conditions. Stockunas' arrest came after a cooperative effort between federal, state and local authorities, along with witnesses testimony. A federal judge has been assigned the case.

A Hazleton man was injured in a crash in East Union Township yesterday afternoon. Frackville state police indicate that 31 year old Christhian Denunez was pulling out of the Office Max Warehouse lot onto Green Mountain Road, into the path of a truck operated by Carlos Diaz of New Jersey. The truck hit Denunez's Jeep, forcing it into a drainage ditch. Denunez was injured, but the extent of those injuries is unknown. The crash happened at noontime Wednesday.

Frackville state police are looking for a burglar who tried to rob a Girardville home Tuesday. Just before 10pm, Sarah Hennessy was walking toward her home on Pine Street when she saw a man fleeing from the rear of the building. Apparently, the man gained access to the property through a rear door. The man is described as being 6 feet tall, thin build, with dark hair, wearing a light orange shirt and jean shorts. Anyone with information should call the Frackville barracks at 874-5300.

Today is 529 College Savings Plan Day in Pennsylvania, a day to learn more about saving for your children's college education. Lauren Rooney has more:

ROONEY (click to listen)

WASHINGTON (AP) - Thirteen states, including Pennsylvania, are taking the EPA to court. They're suing to overturn federal ozone standards that the states say are too weak. The federal lawsuit says the Environmental Protection Agency's new smog-control standards are not stringent enough to protect the elderly, children, and people with respiratory problems.

WASHINGTON (AP) - While cities are hot spots for global warming, people living in them turn out to be greener than their country cousins. Researchers at the Brookings Institution say in a report being released today that each resident of the 100 largest metropolitans areas is responsible on average for nearly two and a half tons of carbon dioxide in energy consumption each year. That's 14 percent below the U.S. average.

TRAVERSE CITY, Mich. (AP) - A new report says climate change could worsen a litany of problems plaguing the Great Lakes. Troubles range from low water levels to depleted fish populations. The report was released by the Healing Our Waters-Great Lakes Coalition, which represents more than 100 advocacy groups. The U.S. Senate is preparing to debate global warming legislation next week.

HOMER CITY, Pa. (AP) - The state Department of Environmental Protection is investigating a fish kill in a stream that supplies drinking water to Homer City and other nearby communities in Indiana County. Officials with the Central Indiana Water Authority say recent water tests from the Big Yellow Creek are normal. That's why officials are mystified by the deaths of 1,000 fish in a four-mile stretch of the creek on Tuesday.

PHILADELPHIA (AP) - Mayor Michael Nutter's administration is suspending land-acquisition activities by Philadelphia's ambitious anti-blight program pending an audit. The audit will look at the Neighborhood Transformation Initiative enacted by former Mayor John Street. The program was designed to demolish blighted buildings and package property for development to revitalize neighborhoods.

WASHINGTON (AP) - The economy picked up a little steam during the first three months of the year, but was still plodding along. The Commerce Department says the gross domestic product -- the measure of all goods and services -- rose at an annual rate of nine-tenths of a percent. That's a bit better than the initial estimate and stronger than in the final quarter of last year.

STOCKHOLM, Sweden (AP) - Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice is the latest administration official to weigh in on an insider's book that charges that the American public was misled about going to war with Iraq. While she would not comment specifically on charges made by ex-press secretary Scott McClellan, she did say President Bush was honest and forthright about the reasons for the war. She also says she's convinced that toppling Saddam Hussein was right and
necessary.

BAGHDAD (AP) - Officials say at least 16 men were killed and 14 others were wounded today when a bomber blew himself up in a crowd of police recruits in northwestern Iraq. While nobody has claimed responsibility, officials say it appears to be the work of al-Qaida in Iraq.

NEWTON, Mass. (AP) - Investigators are looking into the cause of yesterday's commuter train wreck near Boston, which left the operator of a trolley dead and several passengers injured. Officials say the two-car trolley piled into the back of another two-car train approaching a station during the evening rush hour.

BOSTON ( AP) - A Dunkin' Donuts ad featuring Rachael Ray has disappeared from the Internet. The coffee and baked goods chain pulled the ad after complaints that the celebrity chef's fringed black-and-white scarf looks like the Arab headdress popularized by Yasser Arafat. Critics claim it offers symbolic support for Muslim extremism and terrorism.