Today's News-Monday, November 10, 2008

Armed robbery at Orwigsburg Diner

State police are on the lookout for a man who robbed the Orwigsburg Diner at gunpoint last night. After 8pm, the white male, 5 feet 7 to 5 feet 9, wearing a brown jacket with a fur collar and blue jeans entered the diner on Route 61 and took a bank bag with an undisclosed amount of cash from the owner. He fled from the diner through a rear door and into the cemetery. A state police helicopter used a thermal imaging camera to try and find the thief but was unsuccessful. Anyone with information should call Schuylkill Haven state police at 593-2000.

Another Route 61 business is victimized by burglary early this morning. The break in happened before 4am at Super Gas in West Brunswick Township. The thief smashed the front door with a hammer and took numerous packs of cigarettes and smokeless tobacco products. The white male, approximately 5 feet 9 inches tall was wearing a white hooded sweatshirt, black jeans, glove, ski mask and boots. Schuylkill Haven state police are investigating.

An area wildlife rehabilitation center outside Schuylkill Haven is desparately seeking a red tailed hawk that left its home last night. The Red Creek Wildlife Center has presented over 500 educational programs in the past 17 years. For many years, one of the birds used is a Red Tailed Hawk. As a baby it had a severe case of West Nile Virus, and is unable to hunt. They use this bird to teach kids that everyone with a disability still has a special place in the world. Since he's been raised by humans, he will look for them, not for wildlife. If you see a hawk acting strange, please call Red Creek immediately--24 hr/day 7 days/wk at 739-4393.

Sobriety checkpoints busy over weekend

Sobriety checkpoints were busy on area roads over the weekend. 5 drivers were tested for DUI, with three arrests, 2 juvenile arrests and 3 for underage drinking. Officers from nearly a dozen police departments also issued 19 traffic arrests as well. The checkpoints are funded with monies from the North Central PA Regional Sobriety checkpoint program.

Tamaqua working hard on budget

With the nation's economy on the minds of many-one Schuylkill county community is working hard to get their 2009 budget in order, as T-102 reporter Kerry Dowd explains

Tamaqua budget package

Budget cuts mean Philly officers won't patrol I-95

PHILADELPHIA (AP) - State troopers will soon be patrolling Interstate 95 in Philadelphia. City officials say the three Philadelphia police vehicles assigned to patrol the interstate are getting new assignments.
That's because of budget cuts announced by Mayor Michael Nutter. Last week, Nutter announced that the city was anticipating a $1 billion budget shortfall. He says the city will close libraries and swimming pools, cut more than 800 jobs and trim some salaries. Officials say budget cuts forced the removal of the three cars from Interstate 95. Those officers will now be assigned to cover other streets in the city. They will take over patrols on Kelly Drive, Lincoln Drive and Roosevelt Boulevard. The unit that had patrolled Kelly and Lincoln drives is being dissolved.

$5M gift to Pa. university came from board chair

CHESTER, Pa. (AP) - The chairman of Widener University's board
of trustees is donating $5 million for a leadership institute at the suburban Philadelphia school. Last week, the school announced the gift from an anonymous alumnus. On Saturday, it identified the donor as David Oskin, along with his wife and son. The 66-year-old Oskin lives in New Canaan, Conn. He has chaired the board since 2001. The money is going toward a leadership institute that will involve undergraduate and graduate students at the school in Chester. Previously, the largest gift to Widener had been a $3.5 million donation in 1998.

Philly mayor to move ahead with goals despite cuts

PHILADELPHIA (AP) - Despite wide-ranging budget cuts, Philadelphia Michael Nutter is vowing to push forward with goals that include increasing the high school graduation rate and improving public safety.
Ten months after taking office with an ambitious agenda, Nutter now faces a five-year budget deficit of close to $1 billion. Nutter announced Thursday that the city would have to make painful cuts, closing 11 libraries and 68 public pools and cutting more than 800 jobs. But Nutter says he still hopes to halve the high school dropout rate within seven years, and double the city's four-year college-degree attainment rate within 10 years. He vowed to continue pushing forward with efforts to reduce crime. Tax cuts have been frozen. Funding for the Community College of Philadelphia was cut by $2 million.

Philly lawyer's mural of justice draws objection

PHILADELPHIA (AP) - In the city where a young nation held some
of its earliest Supreme Court sessions, attorney Paul Rosen can't imagine a better place for a mural about justice. But his opponents say Rosen - like justice - must be blind if he thinks the planned site near one of this city's toniest neighborhoods is appropriate. It would be a typical not-in-my-backyard controversy except that mural supporters say they hear a darker undercurrent in the resistance. Namely, that murals connote blight and aren't good enough for uptown ZIP codes like Rittenhouse Square, where luxury high-rises, upscale shopping and sidewalk bistros hug a historic park. The resulting 38-foot-long mural has created plenty of animosity.

Man charged in shooting death of woman in Pa. fast-food restaurant parking lot

EVERETT, Pa. (AP) - Police in western Pennsylvania say they have
charged a man in the shooting death of a woman in a fast-food restaurant parking lot. State police say 38-year-old John Lewis Gerholt, of Mount Union, was arrested shortly after the Sunday afternoon homicide of
24-year-old Karen Marie Gerholt, of Hopewell. Police say the victim was shot at 3 p.m. in the parking lot of the McDonald's restaurant at the Bedford Square Plaza in Snake Spring Valley Township in Bedford County. Police say John Gerholt was charged with criminal homicide and related counts. They have not indicated the relationship between
victim and defendant. Gerholt was arraigned before a Bedford County
district judge, and it is unclear whether he has an attorney.

Pa. man arrested in beating death of woman in Lancaster; victim's body dumped 15 miles away

LANCASTER, Pa. (AP) - Police in southeastern Pennsylvania have charged a man in the beating death of his girlfriend. Lancaster police say the body of 28-year-old Tonya Jean Fetrow was found at about 7 a.m. Sunday in East Donegal Township. Police allege that 29-year-old Kenneth Brown Jr., of Philadelphia, beat Fetrow on a Lancaster street corner shortly after midnight. Police say witnesses saw Brown choke, punch and stomp on the victim, and they allege that he drove her body 15
miles from the scene and dumped it in a driveway. Brown was arrested Sunday afternoon and charged with attempted murder and aggravated assault. Investigators say he may be charged with homicide after an autopsy Monday. Brown remains in custody and it isn't clear whether he has an attorney.

Historic covered bridge burned in western Pa.

ERIE, Pa. (AP) - Police say an arsonist set fire to a historic covered bridge near Erie. The Gudgeonville bridge is in Girard Township, Erie County. Investigators say someone set fire to it on Friday night and the
bridge was heavily damaged. The bridge was built in 1868 and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. It is the oldest of three covered bridges still standing in Erie County. Pennsylvania State Police have ruled it arson and are searching for suspects. Officials say it's too early to talk about what will be done with the bridge now.

Endeavour commander is a Philly product

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) - Space Shuttle Endeavour Commander
Christopher Ferguson secretly wanted to be an astronaut even before
he joined the Navy. His wish came true 10 years ago. Now, he's about to command his first space mission. Liftoff for the two-week mission is set for Friday night. Ferguson says he has had his mind on a space mission since high school. He says it is nice to be in charge. The 47-year-old Ferguson is a Navy captain and former test pilot who has flown in space once before, as co-pilot on a 2006 mission. He loves music and is a drummer in an astronaut rock 'n' roll band. He and his wife, Sandra, have a 16-year-old daughter and two sons, ages 14 and 12. All their children play in the school band. He grew up in Philadelphia.

WASHINGTON (AP) - Barack Obama and his wife, Michelle, will be
visiting the White House today. The president-elect has a private
sit-down scheduled with President Bush, while his wife will meet
with first lady Laura Bush.

BAGHDAD (AP) - It's the single deadliest attack that Baghdad has seen in weeks. A suicide bomber struck in a crowd gathered at the site of an explosion that had gone off moments earlier, killing at least 22 people during morning rush hour.

ST. JOHNS, Ariz. (AP) - An 8-year-old boy is due in an Arizona court today on two counts of premeditated murder as mourners prepare to remember his father. Police say the boy confessed to shooting his father and another man last week.

JOHANNESBURG, South Africa (AP) - South Africans are mourning
Miriam Makeba, the singer known for her sultry voice but who was
banned from her own country for 30 years under apartheid. Makeba
died early today after a concert in Italy. She was 76.

NEW YORK (AP) - It's a sign of the economic times. The New York City apartment of the late society doyenne Brooke Astor didn't sell for $46 million. So the price tag has been slashed by $12 million. Maintenance tops $17,000 a month.