Today's News- Friday, January 16, 2009

MT CARMEL FIRE

A BLAZE TORE THROUGH FOUR ROW HOMES IN MT CARMEL, NORTHUMBERLAND COUNTY LAST NIGHT. THE FIRE WAS LOCATED AT THE CORNER OF SOUTH SPRUCE AND EAST SIXTH STREET. ACCORDING TO REPORTS, EVERYONE GOT OUT SAFELY, BUT THE PROPERTIES ARE IN RUINS. EMERGENCY CREWS RESPONDED JUST BEFORE 9PM, AND COMPANIES FROM MT CARMEL AND NEIGHBORING COMMUNITIES RESPONDED. THE CAUSE IS BEING INVESTIGATED.

COLDEST WEATHER OF THE SEASON MOVES IN

ITS MORE THAN SEEING YOUR BREATH THIS MORNING. THE COLDEST WEATHER OF THE WINTER HAS DESCENDED UPON THE REGION, FORCING PEOPLE TO BURN A LITTLE MORE GAS WARMING UP THE BUGGY BEFORE GOING TO WORK, AND THE KIDS DONNING THE WOOLEN HATS AND SCARVES AS THEY ARE OFF TO SCHOOL. TEMPS WILL ONLY REACH THE MID TEENS, THEN PLUMMET AGAIN TONIGHT. IT WILL WARM A BIT FOR THE WEEKEND, BUT THERE WILL BE SOME LIGHT SNOW TO CONTEND WITH. A WEATHERWATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR SOME AREA SCHOOL DELAYS.

SENAVITIS NOT THE ONLY ONE IN TROUBLE

THE MAN ACCUSED OF VEHICULAR HOMICIDE IN THE DEATH OF SENATOR JIM RHOADES ISN'T THE ONLY ONE WHO IS HAVING LEGAL TROUBLES. THE POCONO RECORD REPORTS THAT SENAVITIS' WIFE DOLORES WAS IN DISTRICT COURT IN PALMERTON WEDNESDAY TO ANSWER CHARGES RELATING TO AN INCIDENT AT THEIR TOWAMENSING TOWSHIP HOME IN NOVEMBER. DOLORES SENAVITIS WAS REPORTEDLY DRUNK AND GOT INTO AN ARGUMENT WITH HER DAUGHTER, REGINA REDNER, AND ASSAULTED HER. SHE ALSO ALLEGEDLY PUSHED HER HUSBAND THOMAS FROM HIS WHEELCHAIR, WHICH HE NEEDED WHILE ON THE MEND FROM HIS ACCIDENT WITH SENATOR RHOADES. SHE ALSO KICKED HER SON IN LAW IN THE GROIN. SENAVITIS GAVE STATE POLICE A HARD TIME, HITTING AN OFFICER. SHE HAD TO BE SUBDUED WITH A TASER, AND TAKEN INTO CUSTODY. WEDNESDAY'S HEARING WAS CONTINUED, BUT THOMAS SENAVITIS WAS TAKEN INTO CUSTODY ON CHARGES AGAINST HIM IN THE RHOADES CRASH.

TWO CRASHES WITHIN HALF HOUR AT FAIRLANE VILLAGE MALL

AN ASHLAND WOMAN SUFFERED MINOR INJURIES IN A CRASH IN NORWEGIAN TOWNSHIP THURSDAY AFTERNOON. HAZEL BARRY OF PINE GROVE WAS LEAVING THE FAIRLANE VILLAGE MALL, PAUL CAPPARELL OF ASHLAND WAS SOUTHBOUND ON ROUTE 61 AND MATTHEW SULLIVAN OF NEW PHILADELPHIA WAS WAITING TO TURN INTO THE MALL. BARRY'S CAR LOST ITS BRAKES AND RAN INTO CAPPARELL'S CAR, WHICH SPUN INTO SULLIVAN'S CAR. MARYBETH JEMO, A PASSENGER IN CAPPARELL'S CAR COMPLAINED OF NECK PAIN. EVERYONE ELSE WAS OK. WITHIN A HALF HOUR, DOREEN MENGEL'S CAR WAS REAR ENDED BY AN SUV OPERATED BY ASHLEY ADAMS OF GIRARDVILLE WHILE TRAFFIC WAS BACKED UP DUE TO THE EARLIER CRASH. NO ONE WAS INJURED.

PIEKARSKY'S EDUCATION WILL CONTINUE

A SCHUYLKILL COUNTY JUDGE HAS RULED THAT A SHENANDOAH TEEN'S LEARNING PLAN WILL CONTINUE AS IS, EVEN THOUGH THE SCHOOL WANTED TO CHANGE IT. BRANDON PIEKARSKY, ONE OF THE FOUR BOYS CHARGED IN THE BEATING OF LUIS RAMIREZ, HAS BEEN RECEIVEING HOMEBOUND INSTRUCTION WITH A TUTOR. THE SHENANDOAH VALLEY SCHOOL DISTRICT ASKED JUDGE JOHN DOMALAKES TO CHANGE THE ARRANGEMENT, REQUESTING THAT HE BE PUT INTO THE ALTERNATIVE EDUCATION PROGRAM, AT THE SCHOOL AFTER NORMAL SCHOOL HOURS. THE REPUBLICAN AND HERALD REPORTS THAT SCHOOL OFFICIALS BELIEVE PIEKARSKY'S WOULD BE BETTER SERVED IN THE OTHER PROGRAM, AND WOULD SAVE THE DISTRICT MONEY. PIEKARSKY'S ATTORNEY SAID THAT THE BOY IS DOING FINE THE WAY IT IS. JUDGE DOMALAKES RULED THAT THE PROGRAM IS WORKING.

SCRANTON- A PHONE DISRUPTION IN PART OF SCRANTON COULD LAST UNTIL SUNDAY. VERIZON MANAGER JOHN WEBER SAYS NEARLY 1,000 LANDLINE CUSTOMERS ARE WITHOUT SERVICE BECAUSE A CONTRACTOR ACCIDENTALLY CUT THOUSANDS OF PHONE LINES WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON.

PHILADELPHIA- PHILADELPHIA MAYOR MICHAEL NUTTER SAYS HE HOPES PRESIDENT ELECT BARACK OBAMA'S ECONOMIC STIMULUS PACKAGE WILL PROVIDE AID TO CITIES. NUTTER SAYS THE CRISIS STEMS IN PART FROM PLUNGING TAX REVENUES AND THE WORLDWIDE ECONOMIC MELTDOWN.

PITTSBURGH- A TUNNEL BORING MACHINE HAS COMPLETED THE SECOND OF TWO TUNNELS UNDER THE ALLEGHENY RIVER IN PITTSBURG. THE PROJECT IS EXTENDING THE CITY'S 25-MILE LIGHT RAIL SYSTEM BY 1.2 MILES TO CONNECT DOWNTOWN TO THE AREA THAT'S HOME TO HEINZ FIELD, PNC PARK AND MUSEUMS.

HARRISBURG- DIESEL FUEL SOLD IN PENNSYLVANIA A YEAR FROM NOW MUST DRAW 2 PERCENT OF ITS CONTENT FROM ORGANIC MATTER, SUCH AS SOYBEANS. THE IDEA BEHIND THE LAW IS TO CUT POLLUTION FROM FOSSIL FUELS AND SHIFT PENNSYLVANIA'S FUEL RELIANCE ONTO DOMESTIC SOURCES.

PHILADELPHIA- FORMER GOVERNOR MARK SCHWEIKER IS LEAVING HIS JOB AS CHIEF EXECUTIVE OF THE GREATER PHILADELPHIA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE AFTER SIX YEARS. SCHWEIKER WAS LT GOVERNOR WHEN TOM RIDGE LEFT TO HEAD THE DIRECTOR OF HOMELAND SECURITY.