Today's News-Tuesday, November 11th

HAPPY VETERANS DAY!

Fire crews were called out to battle a blaze early this morning in the borough of New Philadelphia. The fire was reported on Wiggans Street. Crews were called out around 1:30 this morning to that home which had also been the victim of an arson fire earlier this year. The suspicious blaze was brought under control and crews were back in service around 4:30 a.m. If anyone has any information on who started the fire is asked to call Schuylkill County 9-1-1.

Argall announces for Rhoades seat in state Senate

Less than a week after the late Senator Jim Rhoades was re-elected posthumously to the Pennsylvania Senate, another area Republican has announced his intention to run for the 29th Senatorial district seat. 124th District Representative Dave Argall of Lake Hauto explains why he made his decision:

ARGALL BITE

Argall is the minority whip in the House. No other candidates, Republican or Democrat, have announced their intentions yet. Argall said that the decision was not an easy one, but said it was the right time to make the move. Once the date for the special election is set by the state Senate, a convention of Republicans in the six county area served by the 29th district will be held to pick a nominee.

Law enforcement ices drug and gambling ring

Local, state and national law enforcement have put a big dent in a methamphetamine peddling ring involving over two dozen people from eastern Pennsylvania. Twenty five people have been charged, over $200 thousand dollars in meth and nearly $1-million-dollars in cash and assets seized. The two year investigation started simply enough, as explained by Assistant US Attorney Fran Sempa:

SEMPA BITE

The network was selling meth and cocaine, and some of the accused used profits from illegal bookmaking to fund the drug trade. During the investigation, wiretaps were used to trace the flow of drugs and money throughout the region, which led to the arrests. Eight people, 6 from Schuylkill County and 2 from Berks County, have already been federally indicted on various drug and gambling charges. The leader has been identified as 47 year old Michael Stockunas of Mahanoy City. Seventeen others have been charged on the state level, from Schuylkill, Lehigh and Northumberland counties. During a press conference yesterday, officials say additional arrests may be forthcoming.

Those charged under federal indictments:

Michael Stockunas, 47, Mahanoy City-drug conspiracy and distribution, gambling, money laundering and tax charges
Scott Stockunas, 37, Gilberton- gambling charges
Michael "Mickey" Stockunas, 23, Gilberton-drug conspiracy and gambling charges
Juan Rivera, 34, Berks County-drug conspiracy
Michael McGinley, 53, Mahanoy Plane-drug conspiracy and distribtuion
Quentin Lee, 24, Reading-drug conspiracy
Brian Specht-40, Frackville-drug conspiracy
Joseph Bepsistos, 41-Frackville-drug conspiracy

Those charged on the state level with various drug or gambling offenses:

George Eyster, 45-Frackville
Gerald Manbeck, 44-Frackville
Diane Kutsko, 39-Shenandoah
Stanley Andershonis, 45-Schuylkill Haven
Koreen Andershonis, 40-Schuylkill Haven
Steve Androsko, 65-Pottsville
Bridget Barto, 42-Minersville
Robert Bilder, 59-Mt Carmel
Barbara Hancock, 45- Shenandoah
Robert Hancock, 46-Shenandoah
Joe McAndrew, 30-Ashland
William Morgan, 44-Minersville
Robert Miller, 50-Coplay
Donald Reese, 59-Shenandoah
Angel Romeu, 24-Llewellyn
Clarence Wetzel, 37-Pine Grove
William McDonald, 39-Girardville

The Geisinger Health Plan and Geisinger Gold have been named the No. 1 commercial and Medicare health plans in Pennsylvania and are listed in the Top 5 in the U.S. by the U.S. News and World Report. Geisinger president and CEO Dr. Glenn Steele says that the health care organization is "delighted to have the affirmation." The rankings are based on factors such as cost, success preventing and treating illness and patient satisfaction.

2 convicted of conspiracy in Pa. student's death

READING, Pa. (AP) - A Berks County jury has a mixed verdict for
two Allentown brothers charged in the beating death of a Kutztown
University student. Twenty-three-year-old Terry Kline and 22-year-old Kenneth Kline are acquitted of third-degree murder. But they're convicted of lesser charges including conspiracy to commit third-degree murder. The conspiracy charge carries a maximum sentence of 20 to 40 years in state prison. A third man, 24-year-old Timothy Gearhart, had already pleaded guilty to third-degree murder and conspiracy in the death of 19-year-old Kutztown University sophomore Kyle Quinn. Gearhart admitted that he hit Quinn in the head with a wooden table leg
during a fight.

Power play: Pa. lawmakers pursue leadership posts

HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) - State Rep. Bill DeWeese says he plans to
run for "a leadership assignment," but he isn't saying which one.
The Greene County Democrat is currently the House majority leader.
Three other Democrats have said they're seeking that post. Rep. David Levdansky, of Allegheny County, is currently chairman of the Finance Committee. Rep. Frank Dermody, of Allegheny County, is the Democratic caucus secretary. Rep. Kathy Manderino, of Philadelphia, is the daughter of former state Rep. Jim Manderino. He was a Westmorelad County Democrat who was majority leader from the late '70s and most of the '80s. House Republicans appear poised to re-elect Rep. Sam Smith of Jefferson County as floor leader and to name Rep. Mike Turzai of Allegheny County as whip.

Pa. Senate urged to return to work on health care

PHILADELPHIA (AP) - Gov. Ed Rendell and House Majority Leader
Bill DeWeese are calling on the Senate to return to Harrisburg and
work on expanding subsidized health coverage to thousands of
uninsured Pennsylvanians. At a news conference in Philadelphia on Monday, Rendell asked the Senate to return to negotiations. He said there is ample time to reach agreement and pass a plan that could be running by spring. October 8 was the final scheduled working day of the current Legislature. In January, a new Legislature will be sworn in.
Republicans say they do not believe it is appropriate to consider legislation after the election. Senate Majority Leader Dominic Pileggi says health care remains a priority, but Pennsylvania is facing a revenue shortfall. He notes the new president may take action on the issue.

Pa. man gets 25-50 years for killing wife, son

WILKES-BARRE, Pa. (AP) - A former local politician in northeastern Pennsylvania is getting 25 to 50 years in prison for killing his wife and son. Former Rice Township Supervisor Charles Oleski pleaded guilty to
two counts of third-degree murder in a deal with Luzerne County
prosecutors. He was sentenced Monday for the Jan. 25 shooting deaths of 62-year-old Maureen Oleski and 28-year-old Christian Oleski. Defense lawyers said the 25- to 50-year sentence is effectively a life sentence because their client is 63 years old. Oleski apologized in court, saying he doesn't know what happened.

Police uniforms found in Pa. drug suspect's home

UPPER DARBY, Pa. (AP) - Police in suburban Philadelphia are
worried that a man suspected of distributing marijuana might have
impersonated a police officer. That's because Upper Darby Township police found police uniforms in the home of 43-year-old Edward Hatton and 52-year-old Debra Hatton. Police Superintendent Mike Chitwood told reporters Monday that the variety of badges, jackets and police equipment makes him worried that Edward Hatton might have impersonated an officer. But no charges related to police impersonation had been filed as of Monday. Chitwood says police also found Nazi soldier uniforms and a loaded assault rifle in the home. The Hattons were jailed Monday; it was not immediately clear if they had lawyers.

Phila. police: Teen acknowledges shooting cousin in head, says it was accidental

PHILADELPHIA (AP) - Philadelphia police say an 18-year-old man
has acknowledged shooting his 15-year-old cousin in the head, killing him, but said the shooting was an accident. It happened Monday night as the two teens were sitting in a car in Southwest Philadelphia. Police say the older cousin left the scene but later came back and said he was the one who shot his cousin. Police say the suspect, whose name wasn't immediately released, told police he didn't know the revolver was loaded. Police say he told investigators that he was playing with the gun when it discharged.

Pa. hunters bagged 42 elk during recent season

HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) - Pennsylvania sportsmen bagged 42 elk
during this year's hunting season, and the largest weighed 799
pounds. The Pennsylvania Game Commission said Monday that Susan Luce of Aaronsburg killed the trophy elk in Clearfield County on Nov. 3.
The next heaviest animals were 653-pound and 652-pound elks that
also were killed in Clearfield County. Larger elk were also taken in Elk and Cameron counties. The commission collected samples to test the animals for disease, food preferences and habitat use. The agency is also examining elk liver samples for mineral content.

Pa. lobbyist reporting law provokes rule dispute

HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) - Rules governing Pennsylvania's 2-year-old
lobbyist disclosure law are bogged down in a dispute over how soon
lobbyists and their employers must register with the state and report how much they spend. A panel that included state lawyers and legislators has proposed rules requiring the quarterly reports be filed as soon as a contract is signed or payment made for at least $2,500. But a regulatory review panel objected to that interpretation and rejected the rules on a 3-1 vote last week. The Independent Regulatory Review Commission says registration and reporting should wait until the lobbyist makes direct or
indirect contact with a state policymaker. Critics say that would allow lobbyists to delay registering - and possibly avoid disclosure - of the fees they receive up to that point.

Pa. judges testify in retired judge's fraud case

PITTSBURGH (AP) - A string of judges have taken the stand in the
federal fraud trial of retired Pennsylvania Superior Court Judge Michael Joyce in Pittsburgh. Supreme Court Justice Seamus McCaffery, Superior Court President Judge Kate Ford Elliott and Erie County Common Pleas Judge Michael Dunlavey all took the stand Monday. And all remember Joyce complaining of back and neck pain since the August 2001 fender
bender at issue in Joyce's criminal trial. Joyce is accused of defrauding two insurance companies out of $440,000 by allegedly exaggerating or faking neck and back injuries after the accident. The defense says the injuries were legitimate or, at the very least, that Joyce truly believed they were. In either case, they say he's innocent of fraud.

Philadelphia to begin bridge project next month

PHILADELPHIA (AP) - Philadelphia's long-crumbling South Street
bridge is coming down. The bridge will be torn down starting next month. Mayor Michael Nutter says the city will spend $67 million to rebuild the bridge, which has been in bad shape for years. It is currently rated as "structurally deficient" and has a 6-ton weight limit. The project is expected to take up to two years. During that time, traffic will be detoured. About 23,000 vehicles travel over the bridge every day. It
connects downtown with West Philadelphia, home to numerous hospitals and the University of Pennsylvania. Nutter says the new bridge will be paid for with 80 percent federal funds. The rest of the money will come from city and state funding.

Asia stocks lackluster, China stimulus hopes wane

HONG KONG (AP) - A lackluster performance on Asian stock markets
after weakness on Wall Street. Concerns about the global economy have been sapping enthusiasm over China's nearly $600 billion package to boost growth. Tokyo's Nikkei 225 index was down 0.5 percent Tuesday after initially slipping 3.3 percent. In Hong Kong, the Hang Seng benchmark was 0.6 percent lower. Australia's benchmark fell 2.7 percent while markets in Singapore and South Korea eked out slim gains.
Regional equities were up sharply Monday on hopes that China's $586 billion stimulus package would keep its economic growth from falling too fast and help fuel demand for exports from other Asian countries. But the rally proved short-lived amid fresh evidence of more economic troubles.

Bushes and Obamas: All smiles at the White House

WASHINGTON (AP) - President-elect Barack Obama is back in
Chicago to work on setting up his new administration. He and his wife, Michelle, were in Washington yesterday to get a special close-up look at their next home come January 20th. The two were greeted at the White House by President Bush and First Lady Laura Bush. The two men met alone in the Oval Office for about an hour. Mrs. Bush and Mrs. Obama also had their own private chat. That was followed by separate personal tours of the White House living quarters. A White House statement says the president and president-elect discussed issues both foreign and domestic. Obama's aides say it was a "broad" conversation about matters relating to the transition. Mrs. Obama arrived earlier than her husband in the nation's capital, and stayed after him, hunting a new school for their daughters by visiting two of the city's best-known private institutions.

President Bush to rededicate Intrepid carrier museum

NEW YORK (AP) - President Bush is making one of his last visits to New York City as chief executive to formally rededicate the Intrepid museum this Veterans Day. Thousands of visitors are expected to gather at the aircraft carrier's newly rebuilt pier on Manhattan's West Side. Bush will mingle with some 2,500 war veterans aboard the World War II carrier. The ship was recently returned to its Hudson River site after a 19-month, $120 million overhaul that added more planes to its aircraft collection and updated its museum displays. White House Press Secretary Dana Perino says Bush will pay tribute to those who served on the Intrepid -- and those he calls a "new generation of heroes" serving in the war on terror.

Oil falls to $60 as China spending optimism wanes

SINGAPORE (AP) - Oil prices have fallen to near an 18-month low
around $60 a barrel Tuesday in Asia as optimism waned that a huge
Chinese spending plan will avert a prolonged slowdown in the global
economy. Oil prices and stock markets jumped Monday after China said it planned to spend $586 billion in a bid to spur economic growth. But
pessimism soon returned as investors focused again on a swooning U.S. economy, which faces its worst recession in decades. Most Asian stock markets fell Tuesday, following the lead of the Dow Jones industrials average on Monday.

Citigroup to help at-risk borrowers stay in homes

NEW YORK (AP) - Citigroup says it is imposing a moratorium on
most foreclosures. It's part of a series of initiatives aimed at helping at-risk borrowers remain in their homes. It makes Citi the latest big bank
to announce sweeping efforts to try to curtail losses from souring mortgages. Citi said late Monday it won't initiate a foreclosure or complete a foreclosure sale on any eligible borrower who seeks to
stay in a home. The home needs to be the borrower's principal residence, the homeowner would have to be working in good faith with Citi and have sufficient income to make affordable mortgage payments. Citi said it is also working to expand the program to include mortgages the bank services but does not own.

Army to destroy Ky. nerve agent container

RICHMOND, Ky. (AP) - The U.S. Army is expected to begin draining
and neutralizing a container of lethal nerve agent at a Kentucky depot this week. The operation will take place almost 15 months after a one-gallon leak of sarin was identified at the storage site for chemical weapons. No worker or member of the surrounding community was exposed. Since then, the Army has been trying to reassure the local
community that it can dispose of the container of sarin safely. The project named "Operation Swift Solution" hasn't gone as swiftly as hoped. But Army officials say they expect the project will solve the problem. Sarin, first developed as a pesticide in Germany in 1938,
attacks the central nervous system and can cause death within hours
in severe cases.

AmEx approved to become bank holding company

WASHINGTON (AP) - The Federal Reserve is citing "emergency
conditions" for allowing credit card giant American Express to
become a commercial bank. The decision opens the door to American Express being able to accept deposits and permanently access low-cost financing from the Fed. More AmEx consumers are having trouble paying their bills and the value of its primary assets has been declining. That's made it harder for the company to borrow to pay for daily operations. AmEx revealed severe financial troubles late last month, when it laid off about 7,000 people, or 10 percent of its global work force.
In a statement, AmEx says becoming a bank holding company will
give it "maximum flexibility and stability."

New tax policy will save some firms billions

WASHINGTON (AP) - A new tax policy from the Treasury Department
will let companies that take over banks hit by the mortgage crisis to write off more of the losses. One estimate says it could save those firms up to $140 billion dollars in taxes. Private tax experts say in some cases, the tax breaks could exceed the cost of acquiring the banks. And they would
come on top of the $700 billion government bailout. Some members of Congress are upset that such a sweeping tax change was issued with no public hearings or congressional input. But the Treasury Department says it's just trying to give guidance to firms involved in bank takeovers at a time when numerous financial institutions are struggling, and their value can be difficult to determine.

Harvard seeking spending cuts amid economic crisis CAMBRIDGE, Mass. (AP) - Harvard University says it is considering spending cuts because the economic slowdown may reduce federal grants or the school's substantial endowment. In an e-mail to faculty, staff, and students Monday, school President Drew Faust said Harvard needs to prepare for "unprecedented endowment losses and plan for a period of greater financial restraint." Harvard's endowment was valued before the current economic downturn at $36.9 billion. It is the nation's largest university endowment and provides about a third of the annual operating
budget. Faust said Harvard was looking at ways to cut spending and may
curtail expansion plans. She gave no detail what cuts are being considered. Her spokesman declined further comment.

Drifter gets 55 years in Wis. torture-slay case

PORTAGE, Wis. (AP) - A member of a gang of drifters has been sentenced in Wisconsin to 55 years in prison for helping to kill another woman in the group and torturing the woman's 11-year-old son. Candice Clark pleaded no contest to being party to second-degree reckless homicide and guilty to charges including child abuse. Clark was among three drifters charged in the death of 36-year-old Tammie Garlin, whose body was found buried last year behind a Portage home. Garlin's then-11-year-old son also was found naked, severely beaten and burned in a locked closet. Investigators believe the gang crisscrossed the country, running financial scams and stealing identities to support themselves.

Jury orders NFL union to pay $28.1M to retirees

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) - A federal jury has ordered the NFL Players
Association to pay $28.1 million to retired players after finding the union failed to properly market their images. The figure includes $21 million in punitive damages awarded to the former players Monday afternoon. It's just short of the $21.9 million award that the players' lawyer had asked of the jury, or roughly 10 percent of the union's net worth at the start of the
year. A union lawyer urged the jury to award a far lesser amount so as
not to damage the union's ability to represent its members. The class action lawsuit represents 2,056 retirees who contend the union cut them out of lucrative licensing deals.

Confusion at 'Dallas' reunion rankles fans

DALLAS (AP) - A weekend event organized to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the TV series "Dallas" has created a drama worthy of the Ewing family itself. Angry fans complained they didn't get the access to cast members they'd ponied up for - while others got close to the stars without paying for the privilege. It happened in part because hundreds more people than expected showed up for Saturday night's barbecue and cast reunion at the famed Southfork Ranch in suburban Dallas. The event's organizers are blaming Southfork for allowing gatecrashers; a ranch official places the blame on the organizers. Fans had paid anywhere from $100 to $1,000 for tickets, with those who paid higher prices promised greater access to Larry Hagman, Linda Gray, Patrick Duffy and others.