Today's News-Monday, July 14th

Fire investigation resumes today

PEEL

That's Schuylkill Haven Fire Chief Bob Peel, explaining what firefighters found when they arrived at the scene of a fire that heavily damaged the 1912 building at Rest Haven Saturday afternoon. Crews from many Schuylkill County fire companies battled the smoky blaze at the abandoned building which was sold to Penn State Schuylkill by Schuylkill County. The fire damaged the upper floors of the building, but did not put residents at Rest Haven at risk. Emergency plans were in place to move residents of the home to other sites, including Penn State, if necessary. The preliminary cause is deemed suspicious, and investigators will be on scene today to sift through the charred remains. County officials lauded the work of more than 150 volunteer firefighters that knocked down the blaze quickly Saturday.

Shenandoah man injured in melee'

A Shenandoah man was hurt in a fight in the borough Saturday night. Police report that 25-year-old Luis Ramirez was involved in a fight with more than a dozen people near the Vine Street playground. He was found lying on the ground when officers arrived around 11:30pm Saturday night, and taken to Geisinger Medical Center. Shenandoah police and agents from the Schuylkill County DA's office interviewed people yesterday, but there are a number of unanswered questions as to what prompted the melee'. The investigation continues.

Churches conduct final masses

The weekend marked the final masses of a number of Schuylkill County catholic churches as the process of closing parishes continues. Tearful worshippers attended final services as the churches identified by the Diocese of Allentown prepare to close by tomorrow. The Catholic faithful by and large are not happy with the move to consolidate parishes. Diocesan officials cite a lack of priests as the reason for the closures. While the closure process continues, many members are continuing their efforts to appeal the decision. More than 30 churches are closing as part of the move.

Pottsville man injured in motorcycle crash

A Pottsville man was injured in a motorcycle crash on the Burma Road last Thursday afternoon. Information just received from Frackville state police indicates that 28-year-old William Smeltzer was traveling south on the Burma Road, three tenths of a mile north of the fire tower when he lost control of his bike and struck an embankment. Smeltzer suffered extensive injuries and was taken to Pottsville Hospital, then life flighted to Lehigh Valley Trauma Center. He is reported to be in stable condition.

Theft from motor vehicle Saturday morning

State police are looking for thieves who took items from vehicles in East Brunswick Township Saturday morning. Someone broke into SUV's belonging to Charles Vincent of Orwigsburg. Items taken include a radar detector, GPS unit and an XM radio. Total value of items taken is about $900 dollars. Anyone with information about the break-ins should call Frackville state police at 874-5300.

Three vehicles broken into

Schuylkill Haven state police are looking for leads into thefts from several vehicles in Cressona late last week. Unlocked vehicles belonging to Elizabeth Galan, Eugene Woll and Scott Bergan, parked at homes in the Amber Ridge Development in Cressona had items taken during the overnight hours Thursday. Items taken include a GPS navigation system and two satellite radios. If you have information to aid state police in their investigation, call the Schuylkill Haven barracks at 593-2000.

Funding for emergency aid down due to umemployment rate change

Funding for emergency aid in Schuylkill County is down, according to a report from the Schuylkill United Way. The county's Emergency Food and Shelter National Board Program budget is down more than $40-thousand-dollars, according to Executive Director Kelly Malone. The United Way administers the funding. According to the Republican and Herald, a change in unemployment rates moved Schuylkill County into a new pool which receives less funding. The county missed the unemployment rate cutoff by just one tenth of one percent, changing its classification. The funding has been in decline for several years. The cut in funding affects a number of agencies, including Schuylkill Women in Crisis, the Salvation Army and Schuylkill Community Action, among others.

STATE NEWS

READING, Pa. (AP) - Authorities in Berks County say they have arrested a suspect in the homicide of a man stabbed to death at a backyard birthday party. Police and officials at the Berks County coroner's office say 22-year-old Kristoffer Schildt was stabbed at about 4:30 a.m. Sunday. He was pronounced dead an hour later in the Reading Hospital emergency room. Police Chief Erik P. Grunzig says four men arrived at the Muhlenberg Township party after 4 a.m. and were asked to leave after they began causing a disturbance. Grunzig says Schildt was stabbed once in the chest as the men were leaving. Muhlenberg Township police say a 24-year-old Mertztown man was arrested Sunday night and will be charged with first- and third-degree murder. Police say they believe they have recovered the knife used, but they do not know the motive for the stabbing.

RIP CURRENTS

Waves claim 3 swimmers in NJ; 2 from Philadelphia

TRENTON, N.J. (AP) - Atlantic County authorities say a New Jersey swimmer who died after being rescued off Atlantic City on Saturday didn't drown. Instead, they say 51-year-old Abdul Rasheed Ahmed died of natural causes, but further details have not been disclosed. He was one of three men who died while swimming over the weekend at the Jersey Shore amid storm-driven waves and rip currents spawned by the remnants of Hurricane Bertha. The other victims perished in Wildwood. Officials say 36-year-old Ismael Lopez of Philadelphia died Saturday after he and two friends swam toward a buoy near the beach. Lopez and one friend made it back to shore, but Lopez was died a short time later. The third man, 28-year-old Juan Moore, remains missing and is presumed dead.

MISSING SWIMMER

Coast Guard joins search for missing swimmer in Delaware River near Philadelphia bridge

PHILADELPHIA (AP) - Coast Guard crews have been searching for a swimmer reported missing in the Delaware River near Philadelphia's Talcony-Palmyra bridge. Officials say 21-year-old Sandro Valentine was swimming with a friend about 30 yards from the bridge Sunday when he was caught in a strong current and disappeared under the water. Police called the Coast Guard for assistance at 7:21 p.m. and a rescue helicopter was dispatched from the Coast Guard station in Atlantic City. Also joining the search were police and fire personnel and a rescue boat from the Coast Guard's Philadelphia station.

DALAI LAMA

Dalai Lama defends Islam as peaceful religion

BETHLEHEM, Pa. (AP) - The Dalai Lama says that "it's totally wrong" and "unfair" to call Islam a violent religion. The Tibetan spiritual leader spoke Sunday at Lehigh University. He offered a defense of Islam in response to a question about the rise of violent religious fundamentalism. The Dalai Lama has been at Lehigh since Thursday for a series of talks on a 600-year-old Buddhist text. The lecture on "Generating a Good Heart" was heard by about 5,000 people. He did not mention next month's Beijing Olympics. China has governed Tibet since the 1950s, and the Chinese government has demanded that the Dalai Lama express support for the Games. The spiritual leader is scheduled to speak in Philadelphia on Wednesday.

GOVERNORS-GLOBAL WARMING

Governors talk of moving beyond corn-based ethanol

PHILADELPHIA (AP) - Governors from the coal fields of West Virginia to the corn fields of Iowa are talking about moving beyond ethanol produced just from food sources. About half the nation's governors have gathered at a conference in Philadelphia, where clean and renewable energy is the top official topic. Some, like Texas Gov. Rick Perry, say the push to turn more corn into ethanol is raising food prices and the cost of feed for livestock. But the current buzz is cellulosic ethanol, which is ethanol made from plant matter. Iowa Gov. Chet Culver says he welcomes the debate as a way to reduce the country's dependence on foreign oil. According to the Renewable Fuels Association, the nation has 134 ethanol plants in 26 states - and 77 more are under construction or expanding.

GPS VIDEO TOUR

Deaf history buffs get Philly GPS video tours

PHILADELPHIA (AP) - Students from the Pennsylvania School for the Deaf have tested devices that give virtual guided tours of Philadelphia's historic district in sign language. The gadgets are called GPS Rangers. They give video-guided tours triggered by a person's location, which is determined by a GPS antenna inside the device. When the students stepped up to the Liberty Bell on Friday, a man appeared on their screens and explained in sign language the significance of where they were standing. The devices are available at parks and zoos in more than 20 locations nationwide, but Philadelphia is the first with sign language as an option. The gadgets are made by a Texas-based company called BarZ Adventures. They'll be offered in Philadelphia starting July 21, including versions in German, French and Spanish.

TRUCKERS-FUEL PRICES

Truckers hope green options save green in wallet

MILTON, Pa. (AP) - So-called "electrified truck stops" like one in Milton are getting attention from truckers interested in reducing pollution, engine grind and fuel bills. The truck stops allow drivers to connect to power hookups to watch TV, surf the Internet, or just keep their cabs at the right temperature - all without idling their diesel engines. Environmentalists have long been critical of the pollution emitted by diesel engines. Tractor-trailers are among the most common and plentiful sources of soot. Some trucking companies have installed auxiliary power units for their cabs. Those also allow drivers to have heat or air conditioning during breaks without having to run the engine. Pennsylvania Motor Trucking Association president Jim Runk says many truckers are using such options now because fuel prices are at a point where "they just can't put up with it."

GRANDMOTHER VS FOX

Pa. grandmother, 77, pins rabid fox that bit her

STROUDSBURG, Pa. (AP) - A 77-year-old grandmother from Monroe County is recovering at home after she pinned down a rabid fox that bit her, and held it until help arrived. Avis Blakeslee says she was attacked as she tended to her petunias outside her Stroudsburg farmhouse. She says she pushed the animal to the ground after it bit her last week. She then held its jaws shut with one arm as she flagged down a passing driver with the other.
Blakeslee's teenage grandson, who lives next door, heard the motorist's cries. He ran to help, followed by Blakeslee's son, who shot the animal. A state wildlife official confirmed the fox was rabid. Blakeslee ended up spending four days in the hospital.

GOVERNORS VEEPSTAKES

In a switch, governors now await running-mate call

PHILADELPHIA (AP) - For more than 30 years, the National Governors' Association has met in presidential election years as one of its members made a bid for the White House. Think of Jimmy Carter, Ronald Reagan, Michael Dukakis, Bill Clinton or George W. Bush. But not this time. With two senators as the presumed presidential nominees, the governors have been consigned to the running-mate heap. So governors and former governors are eyeing each other for telltale hints during their gathering this weekend in Philadelphia. Yet no one is tipping a hand. Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty is often mentioned as a possible pick for Republican John McCain. Kansas Gov. Kathleen Sebelius is said to have caught the eye of Barack Obama's campaign.

WASHINGTON (AP) - Political leaders in Washington have been quickly getting behind the plan announced by the Federal Reserve and the Treasury to shore up Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. The Fed is ready to make direct loans to the mortgage giants at the same rate charged commercial banks.

HONG KONG (AP) - The depth of the U.S. credit problems continue to cause concerns overseas. Most Asian markets have fallen in overnight trading, though China and the Philippines have held up against the negative swing.

WASHINGTON (AP) - John McCain today will tell Hispanic voters he's earned their trust through his support for an immigration reform bill in the Senate. In a San Diego speech, McCain will say Barack Obama failed to take tough stands on the issue that's important to a key November voting bloc.

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) - Fires, floods and mud are plaguing California. While the battle against nearly 300 wildfires goes on, heavy rain has washed out some roads and triggered a mudslide that damaged dozens of homes in the town of Independence. No rain fell
on most of the fires yesterday.

BRIDGEPORT, Calif. (AP) - A 10-member search team sets out in the rugged mountains along the Nevada-California border today, trying to find the wreckage of Steve Fossett's plane. The multimillionaire adventurer vanished on a flight in September and was declared legally dead in February.