Today's News- Tuesday, October 7, 2008

Robber on loose after holdup at Minersville Turkey Hill

Schuylkill Haven state police are on the lookout for a 40 to 50 year old man who robbed the Turkey Hill Market near Minersville. Around 4am, the unidentified man entered the store brandishing a weapon and demanded the clerk, 23 year old William Seltzer, give him $20 and a pack of cigarettes. The thief fled on foot. The suspect is described as being 5 to 5 feet 5 inches tall with a stocky build, wearing blue pants and shirt and black sneakers, and carrying a black and red backpack. If anyone has information that can aid state police, please contact them at 593-2000.

Traffic backed up after wide load breaks down

Traffic was tied up in the village of Llewellyn last night due to an oversized load breakdown. The drive shaft of the "cold box", being transported for Air Products and Chemicals, broke down on Route 209. Attempts to repair the rig were unsuccessful and the rig had to be towed, forcing traffic to be detoured for over 4 hours.

More than 400 register to vote on deadline day

More than 400 Schuylkill County residents registered to vote on Monday, the deadline to file for the November election. Voter Bureau Director Betty Dries told WPPA/T102 News last night that as of 7pm, 405 people had signed up to cast their ballots. That number does not include those persons who mailed their applications into the bureau. More than 90 thousand county residents are on the voter rolls and entitled to vote in the November 4th election.

Reading man arrested in drug bust

A Reading man was apprehended in Shenandoah late last week for trafficking drugs. The County DA's Drug Task Force picked up 28-year-old Raul Ortiz on various drug counts. Undercover agents staged a controlled buy of cocaine with Ortiz, and seized 22 grams of cocaine with a street value of $22-hundred-dollars. Ortiz could not post bail and is lodged at the Schuylkill County Prison. Two other men are expected to be charged in the investigation. The DA's office was assisted bypolice from West Mahanoy and Butler Townships, and Shenandoah and Schuylkill Haven borough police.

7 in Pa. legislative bonus case due in court

HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) - Seven people tied to the state House Democratic caucus are due in court today for a preliminary hearing into charges they used public resources to conduct campaigns. On Monday, court officials said Scott and Jennifer Brubaker and Jeff Foreman waived their right to a preliminary hearing. Scott Brubaker is the House Democrats' former director of staffing and administration. His wife Jennifer Brubaker and Foreman are legislative aides on leave without pay. Last week Mike and Rachel Manzo also announced they're waiving the hearing. Mike Manzo was House Majority Leader Bill DeWeese's chief of staff, and Rachel Manzo is on leave without pay as executive director of the House Democratic Policy Committee.

Pa. to select 2009 top teacher from 12 finalists

HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) - Pennsylvania's top education official will announce the 2009 Teacher of the Year today. A dozen finalists from across the state are competing for the honor. State Education Secretary Gerald Zahorchak will reveal the winner at an awards ceremony in Harrisburg. The winner will represent Pennsylvania in the national Teacher of the Year competition in Washington, D.C. The national winner will be chosen in April. Service set for Biden's mother-in-law

WILMINGTON, Del. (AP) - A service is planned for 10 a.m. today in Abington, Pa., for Democratic vice presidential nominee Joe Biden's mother-in-law. Bonny Jean Jacobs died Sunday after a long illness. She was 78. She is the mother of Biden's wife, Jill. The service will be held at Abington Presbyterian Church and a private burial is planned. Campaign spokesman David Wade said he expects Biden to resume campaigning on Wednesday.

Top court rejects Abu-Jamal appeal for new trial

WASHINGTON (AP) - The Supreme Court has rejected an appeal for a new trial for death row inmate Mumia Abu-Jamal, convicted in the 1981 killing of a Philadelphia police officer. The justices did not comment on their action Monday a state Supreme Court ruling upholding Abu-Jamal's murder conviction. Separately, a federal appeals court also has upheld the conviction, but ordered a new sentencing hearing. Officer Daniel Faulkner was shot to death in 1981 after pulling over Abu-Jamal's brother in an overnight traffic stop. The case has drawn worldwide attention.

Top state lawmakers predict massive Pa. deficit

HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) - Two senior state legislators say Pennsylvania's state government could be looking at massive deficits that will have to addressed in the spring. The legislators, state Senators Vincent Fumo and Gibson Armstrong, say they don't see a way out of the problem without raising taxes. If spending isn't cut and taxes aren't increased, they say a deteriorating economy and rising costs could leave a deficit of at least $2.5 billion in June 2010. In July, Gov. Ed Rendell signed a $28.3 billion budget that raised spending by 4 percent. But Fumo and Armstrong say there isn't enough time in the fall legislative session to address the budget. They say that will have to happen next year.

Hiring freeze won't affect Pa. open-records office

HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) - Pennsylvania's new open-records chief says she has permission to hire all the employees she needs, despite a statewide hiring freeze. Terry Mutchler told a Senate panel Monday that the Office of Open Records was granted an exception to the hiring freeze Gov. Ed Rendell ordered last month . Mutchler says she expects the office to have nine employees when the hiring is complete. Mutchler fielded questions from the Senate State Government Committee about how the office will help implement the state's new open-records law, which will take effect in January. The law is designed to give citizens better access to government records. Rendell ordered the hiring freeze and other spending cuts to save $200 million, citing the weakening national economy.

Judge rejects Allegheny Co. drink tax questions

HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) - Referendum questions about Allegheny County's maligned 10 percent drink tax won't appear on the November ballot. Commonwealth Court Judge Keith Quigley upheld a county judge's ruling keeping the questions off the ballot following arguments Monday. Drink tax foes proposed a ballot measure slashing the levy to 0.5 percent. County council in turn sought its own referendum, essentially asking voters to choose between eliminating the tax and raising property taxes. Opponents say they'll appeal to the state Supreme Court. The tax was enacted in January to help pay for public transit. Last month, County Executive Dan Onorato said he wants to lower it to 7 percent starting next year because it's bringing in more money than anticipated.

Man critical after Philadelphia highway shooting

PHILADELPHIA (AP) - Authorities have identified the 41-year-old New Jersey man who was shot in the head during what Philadelphia police say was an apparent road rage incident. Police say Thomas Timko was taking his 8-year-old daughter back to her home in Norristown, Pa., when the shooting occurred around 8:45 p.m. Sunday on the Schuylkill Expressway. The daughter told police she heard two bullets hit the rear passenger-side window and saw her father slump forward. The car was found on the side of the expressway near the Passyunk Avenue exit about 9:40 p.m. Timko is in critical condition at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania. Authorities say his 8-year-old daughter was unhurt.

Philly archdiocese warns teens of sexual violence

PHILADELPHIA (AP) - In the wake of the priest-abuse crisis, the Philadelphia archdiocese is using a short film to urge teens to report sexual violence. The film remind teens that victims are never to blame and that abusers are often trusted adults - including parents, teachers and priests. The clergy-abuse issue is not otherwise discussed. Cardinal Justin Rigali says the goal was to give victims hope, not to dwell on the abusers. The film will be shown to students in 10th through 12th grades at archdiocesan high schools. The program comes three years after a Philadelphia grand jury named 63 Catholic priests with documented sexual-abuse histories. Rigali debuted the film Monday at St. Joseph's University for selected students.

Woman reports being raped outside Eagles' stadium

PHILADELPHIA (AP) - Philadelphia police are hoping surveillance cameras will help them find a man who allegedly raped a woman in a parking lot near Lincoln Financial Field during Sunday's Eagles game. The 40-year-old woman told investigators she went to the game with a group of people on a bus. Police say she left her friends during the game and planned to return to the bus to rest. She had trouble finding the vehicle and asked a man wearing a yellow shirt with the word "Staff" on it to help her. Police say he walked her to the bus and then left, but returned a few minutes later and raped her. Police Capt. John Darby says investigators are looking at surveillance video in hopes of finding footage of the man and woman walking near the stadium.

Philly won't enforce tour guide testing, for now

PHILADELPHIA (AP) - Philadelphia's plan to test and license tour guides has been put on hold - for now. Lawyers for three tour guides who challenged the plan say a federal judge on Monday temporarily blocked the city from enforcing the testing law. The ordinance was scheduled to take effect next Monday. Mayor Michael Nutter signed the law in April amid concerns some guides were perpetuating gross inaccuracies in Philadelphia's history. The three guides say it violates their free speech rights. The guides' lawyers say the judge's order prevents the law from being enforced for six months, or until the litigation is resolved.

WASHINGTON (AP) - The Federal Reserve is talking with the Treasury Department about buying "commercial paper," a short-term financing mechanism many companies use to finance their day-to-day operations. The amount of available commercial paper has gotten tight, and it's a key reason why the U.S. economy is faltering.

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) - Asian markets have revived a little bit, thanks mostly to a major cut in Australia's key interest rate. Other central banks could follow. However, Japan's Nikkei also fell to its lowest level in almost five years.

NEW YORK (AP) - New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg's quest to serve a third term begins when a bill allowing him to do that gets introduced by the City Council. Some lawmakers want to ensure any decision about term limits is only decided by voters in a referendum, like the existing term limits were.

TSUKUBA, Japan (AP) - A Japanese researcher has invented a robotic suit that can help the disabled and elderly walk around easier. The suit has sensors that relay brain signals to mechanical leg braces strapped to the thighs and knees, which provide robotic assistance to people as they walk.

WASHINGTON (AP) - Worried about how the stock market's dive is affecting your retirement accounts? Congress is too. The House Oversight and Government Reform Committee plans to take up the issue in a hearing today.