Today's News-Friday, August 1st

Mahanoy City man charged in ongoing Ramirez investigation

The Schuylkill County District Attorney has filed charges against a Mahanoy City man relating to the Ramirez death case in Shenandoah. Summary counts of furnishing alcohol to minors against 23-year-old Joseph McTiernan of 511 Pine Street, Mahanoy City were lodged in the office of District Judge Anthony Kilker. McTiernan reportedly furnished the alcohol to Derrick Donchak. Donchak in turn gave some of the alcohol to the other minors, Brandon Piekarsky and Colin Walsh. All three have been charged in Ramirez's death. McTiernan is scheduled for a preliminary hearing on September 17th.

Tamaqua teen dies in crash with a trash truck

A Tamaqua teen dies in a crash with a trash truck in West Penn Township Thursday morning. 16-year-old Eric A. Fenstermacher was entering the intersection of Route 309 and Mush Dahl Road around 8:30am when his car was struck by a DMS Sanitation Truck, driven by Corey McHenry of Millville, which was northbound on 309. Emergency crews had a tough time trying to free Fenstermacher, and he was pronounced dead at the scene.

Haven man killed in motorcycle crash

A Schuylkill Haven man was killed when his motorcycle crashed last night in Wayne Township. 64-year-old Bruce Yost was traveling north on Route 183 near Kiehner Road and lost control on a left curve, crashing into a guiderail. He was pronounced dead at the scene around 7:30 Thursday night. State police at Schuylkill Haven say he was wearing a helmet.

Troopers visiting again

Schuylkill countians love the precision and pagentry of drum corps. This weekend, 5 of America's best are visiting the county while competing at the Drum Corps International Eastern Classic in Allentown. The Pioneers and the Madison Scouts from Wisconsin, the Cavaliers from Illinois, Santa Clara Vanguard and the Troopers from Casper, Wyoming, are polishing their shows at local schools prior to competition. Tonight, Santa Clara Vanguard will present an exhibition at Pottsville's Veterans Memorial Stadium at 8:30pm. Tomorrow, The Troopers, dubbed America's Corps, will present a full dress show at Rotary Field in Schuylkill Haven at 7pm, followed by a screening of their 50th anniversary video at the high school. These are some of the best young musicians you'll ever find, and they are right here in Schuylkill County.

Klush rocks the fair

Elvis tribute artist Shawn Klush "milked" the crowd during Dairy Day activities at the Schuylkill County Fair Thursday. The Pittston-native and number-one tribute artist rocked the house in two jammed packed shows to big crowds. It was a busy night on other parts of the fair as the annual livestock auction took place in the show ring, where young men and women watched the prices of their prized animals go to the highest bidder. Country Day is sure to please today, with more contests, nationally known country star Mark Chestnutt on the M&T stage and fireworks to follow.

9 charged in death of disabled Philly teen

PHILADELPHIA (AP) - Nine people, including a mother, father and two city workers, are charged in the starvation death of a disabled Philadelphia teen. Authorities say 14-year-old Danieal Kelly weighed just 42 pounds when she died of starvation and medical neglect in
2006. She had cerebral palsy. Grand jurors recommend murder and involuntary manslaughter
charges against the girl's mother and endangerment counts against the father. The jurors also recommend counts ranging from involuntary manslaughter to endangerment against two city social workers and two people who worked for a private care agency. The grand jury also recommends charging three of the mother's friends with perjury.

Small jet crashes in Minnesota; 8 killed, including 2 Pennsylvanians

OWATONNA, Minn. (AP) - Minnesota authorities say eight people were killed in the crash of a small jet preparing to land at a regional airport. Two of the victims were pilots from Pennsylvania. The victims also included casino and construction executives. Authorities initially thought nine people may have been aboard the jet, which went down about 60 miles south of the Twin Cities. The two pilots have been identified as Clark Keefer of Bethlehem, Pa., and Dan D'Ambrosio of Hellertown, Pa. Severe weather had been moving through southern Minnesota, but witnesses and the National Weather Service say the storms were subsiding at the time of the crash. The charter jet was flying from Atlantic City, New Jersey.

Committee approves $500 per month for extended enlistees

WASHINGTON (AP) - Congress is working on a bonus for soldiers who were forced to stay in Iraq and Afghanistan past their enlistment. A House subcommittee has approved a measure that would provide an extra $500 a month in retroactive "special pay" for about 160,000 troops affected by the so-called "stop loss" policy after 9/11. An estimated 12,000 troops currently in that situation would also qualify. The panel approved the measure as part of a military spending
bill that Congress will take up when it returns in September. Congressman John Murtha says the 600-million-dollar cost is justified because some troops were unable to start jobs or attend
college when their enlistments were extended. The Pennsylvania Democrat calls that an unfair, "back-door draft." Military leaders have said the policy is necessary to keep troops with critical skills and maintain the continuity of a unit.

Subcommittee reviews proposed Pa. merger

WASHINGTON (AP) - Two senators are questioning whether a proposed merger between Pennsylvania's two largest health insurance companies was a good idea. The comments by Pennsylvania Senator Arlen Specter, and Wisconsin Senator Herbert Kohl, came during a Senate Judiciary subcommittee hearing in Washington on a proposed merger in Pennsylvania. Independence Blue Cross, based in Philadelphia, and Highmark, a Blue Shield affiliate based in Pittsburgh, announced last year they wanted to merge. The Blues say it would save them more than $1 billion over six years by reducing overhead expenses. Specter says he wants to know what immediate benefits there would be for consumers and whether the anticipated savings would go toward reducing premiums. The merger has been cleared by the Justice Department and it is under review by the Pennsylvania Insurance Department.

2 Pa. men killed at aviation convention in Wisconsin

OSHKOSH, Wis. (AP) - Two Pennsylvania men are dead after their small plane crashed at the EAA AirVenture in Oshkosh, Wisconsin. The homebuilt Lancair Legacy crashed yesterday
morning while attempting to land at Wittman Regional Airport, where the Experimental Aircraft Association is holding its annual fly-in and convention. EAA spokesman Dick Knapinski said the plane crashed just short of the airport's east-west runway. He identified the victims as the plane's owner, 62-year-old Roger Bock of Carnegie, Pa., and 56-year-old John Linden of Washington, Pa. Knapinski said the plane was not part of any air show, and the crash site was not near the show area at the airport. The NTSB and FAA are investigating.

Man testifies he shot boy after feeling threatened

PHILADELPHIA (AP) - A 19-year-old Philadelphia man says he shot a 14-year-old bicyclist during a road-rage incident last summer because he thought the boy was reaching under his shirt for a gun. Charles Meyers sobbed at his trial as he told jurors he never held a gun before that day. Meyers is charged with murder and firearm violations in the death of Tykeem Law on July 14, 2007. Law and several friends were riding their bikes near the Italian Market in South Philadelphia when Meyers' car pulled up behind them. Witnesses say Meyers was honking for the group to get out of the way. Five people testified during the three-day trial that Law made
no threatening moves as Meyers inched the car toward him and shot him once, killing him.
Defense attorney Daniel Conner says Meyers feared for his life and acted in self-defense.

WASHINGTON (AP) -A relative is confirming reports that a government scientist linked to the deadly 2001 anthrax attacks has committed suicide. According to the Los Angeles Times, the Justice Department was about to file criminal charges against 62-year-old Bruce Ivins of Maryland.

BANGKOK, Thailand (AP) - President Bush is getting ready to leave for an Asian tour, and he's countering critics who claim the focus on fighting terrorism has allowed China to gain more clout in the region. Speaking with senior editors before his three-nation trip, the president says U.S. foreign policy in Asia has been "robust."

BAGHDAD (AP) - The month of July was the least deadly month for U.S. troops in Iraq. Eleven American deaths were reported, but it's the lowest count since the war began. Iraqi civilian deaths are also dramatically lower, down 75 percent compared to the year before, but still at a rate of about 15 residents each day.

OWATONNA, Minn. (AP) - Federal crash investigators are sifting through the wreckage of a small charter jet that went down in southern Minnesota, killing all eight people on board. Stormy
weather had been reported in the area about an hour before the crash.

ST. PAUL (AP) -Prayers, songs and then silence this evening will mark the 1 year anniversary of the Minneapolis bridge collapse. The span buckling and breaking into the Mississippi River killed 13 people. The police liaison to the victims' families says they want it to be a "solemn day."