Today's News- Monday, January 19, 2009

NEWS- MONDAY JANUARY 19, 2009

LIGHT SNOW MAKES FOR SLICK ROADS
While we're out of the icy grip that chilled us all going into the weekend, snow showers continue to blanket streets, making for some icy patches. A little extra time before leaving for work this morning, and a close watch for a coating of slush and black ice will ensure you get to your destination on time. The day will bring mostly cloudy skies.

CRASHES

1-A Bethlehem teen is injured in a crash on I-81 Sunday. 19 year old Breanna Santiago was traveling west in Upper Tulpehocken Township when her Jeep spun on the snow covered road, struck an embankment and was thrown from the vehicle. The SUV went on to roll over several times. Santiago was taken to Lehigh Valley Hospital.

2-A Lancaster woman was hurt when the van she was a passenger in crashed on Route 895 Sunday afternoon. 44 year old Niraj Patel was westbound and missed a left hadn curve and slid on the snow covered roadway. In attempting to correct the oversteer, the van hit an embankment and struck a utility pole. Shamita Patel had minor injuries. The other passengers were wearing their seatbelts and were not injured. The crash happened around 5pm yesterday.

3- A rollover crash injures a Cumbola woman yesterday morning. Brooke Kuperavage was driving on a slush covered Route 209 in East Norwegian Township and lost control on a left curve, struck a sign, hit a stone culvert and rolled on the right side. Kuperavage was taken to Schuylkill Medical Center for treatment.

Steelers 23, Ravens 14

PITTSBURGH (AP) - Pittsburgh's dominating defense beat the Baltimore Ravens 23-14 in the AFC championship and put the Steelers back in the Super Bowl. Santonio Holmes scored on an electrifying 65-yard catch-and-run in the first half, and hard-hitting safety Troy Polamalu returned an interception 40 yards for a clinching TD with 4:24 remaining for the Steelers (14-4). Pittsburgh earned a matchup with the NFC champion Arizona Cardinals in two weeks in Tampa, where they will meet in the championship game. Jeff Reed kicked three field goals for the Steelers, who will be seeking their sixth Super Bowl title.

Skeletal remains in western Pa. those of woman shot, dismembered, coroner says

MARCHAND, Pa. (AP) - Investigators in western Pennsylvania say they believe skeletal remains found in Beaver County are those of a black woman who was shot and dismembered. The remains were found by a construction worker Dec. 29 in North Mahoning Township, about 50 miles northeast of Pittsburgh. Indiana County Coroner Michael Baker says a bullet wound is clearly visible in the back of the woman's skull, and there is evidence her body was dismembered. Investigators say they think she was 30 to 40 years old and the remains were dumped three to 10 years ago. Baker says authorities hope to use dental records to identify the victim, and more excavation will be done at the site.

Philly police shoot, kill man after struggle during domestic disturbance call

PHILADELPHIA (AP) - Philadelphia police are investigating the death of a man shot by an officer after he allegedly tried to grab a police baton during a domestic disturbance. Police spokesman Lt. Frank Vanore says police were called to the second floor of a residence in northeast Philadelphia at 1:15 p.m. Sunday, where they encountered a male who became combative. Vanore says he was told the man appeared to be under the influence of drugs or alcohol. During the struggle, Vanore says, the man tried to take one of the officer's nightsticks, and he also reportedly tried to grab a knife at one point. One of the officers fired a single shot, striking the man in the chest. He was pronounced dead at the scene. The police homicide and internal affairs units are investigating. The man's name has not been released.

3 more arsons in southeastern Pennsylvania community plagued by more than 20 in the past
year

COATESVILLE, Pa. (AP) - Authorities say a southeastern Pennsylvania community hit by a string of arsons has had three more fires that displaced nine people and injured two fire firefighters. Officials in Coatesville say firefighter Jason Overholt was hurt when a burning porch roof fell on him while he was battling one of the fires. He was treated at a hospital and released. A member of the fire police was struck in the leg while directing traffic at another fire scene. Fire officials did not provide his name or injury status. The arsons occurred within the same hour on Saturday morning. They're the latest in a series of more than 20 that have plagued the city for the past year.

Philadelphia's Walnut Street Theatre celebrates 200th anniversary with same "vox populi" ethic

PHILADELPHIA (AP) - Philadelphia's Walnut Street theater has been the scene of performances ranging from George M. Cohan to The Clash, from opera to animal shows during its 200 years in existence. The 1,100-seat National Historic Landmark is generally regarded as the nation's oldest theater. In many ways, it is entering its third century much as it began, with mass-appeal programming focused largely on musicals and comedy. The Walnut opened its doors on Feb. 9, 1809, as an equestrian circus of trick riding circled the theater's dirt ring. In 1812, President Thomas Jefferson and the Marquis de Lafayette were at theater, then called The Olympic, for its first theatrical production: "The Rivals," a comedy by Irish playwright Richard Sheridan. The venue is said to be the birthplace of the curtain call, in 1821. And a 19th-century stagehand, John "Pop" Reed, bequeathed his skull to be used during Hamlet's soliloquy on Yorick, the deceased court jester and "fellow of infinite jest."

Man accused of selling angel statue from Pa. shrine for scrap faces more charges

READING, Pa. (AP) - State police say one of the men accused of stealing a 1,200-pound brass angel statue from a Roman Catholic shrine is facing additional charges in a similar case. Thirty-one-year-old Jamie Custer of Norristown on Saturday was charged with stealing a 60-foot-long copper snake sculpture three years ago from a Hereford Township artist. He and another man already had been charged with stealing the "Angel of the Roses" statue from the National Center for Padre Pio near Barto in September. The snake sculpture was stolen in 2005 from the property of Val Bertoia. He created the sculpture from material collected by his late father, world-famous sculptor and chair designer Harry Bertoia. The sculpture's value was estimated at $90,000. State police say it was sold to a recycler for about $1,400.

Falconer seeks help to find bird he's raised since birth; "Hanna" missing for 2 weeks

MIDDLEBURG, Pa. (AP) - A central Pennsylvania falconer is asking people in the area to keep a sharp eye out for his missing hawk. Mike Dupuy has been searching in the snow, wind and cold for the past two weeks for Hanna, a 1-year-old falcon he has had since her birth. The hawk is trained to hunt for small game and return to Dupuy. She escaped from her house in Middlesburg, about 50 miles north of Harrisburg. Dupuy says Hanna may be hungry, and his fear is that someone will shoot her. He's offering a reward and will provide reimbursement if she causes any harm to livestock. Dupuy said Hanna is wearing anklets and leg straps and she isn't afraid of people. More details are available at http://www.mikedupuyfalconry.com/hanna.html.

Philadelphia children's museum receives a "Big" musical gift from classic comedy

PHILADELPHIA (AP) - A "Big" musical gift will be on display starting next month at a museum in Philadelphia. The 16-foot long walking piano from the 1988 film "Big," starring Tom Hanks, is now part of the collection of the Please Touch Museum, the children's museum of Philadelphia. The interactive keyboard is played by the user's feet. It was built in Philadelphia by Remo Saraceni, whose company, Museum Interactive Technologies, is based in the city. In the film, Hanks, a 12-year-old magically transformed into an adult, and Robert Loggia, his boss at a toy company, jump on the giant piano and play tunes including "Chopsticks." The three-octave piano is a gift to the museum from Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Shein of suburban Merion, who purchased it for their art collection shortly after the release of the movie.

Pour on the grease: College students use melted butter, cooking oil to make biodiesel fuel

DAYTON, Ohio (AP) - Forgive the students at Ohio's Sinclair Community College if they get hungry when the tractors that cut grass, blow leaves and sweep snow on the campus motor by. Cooking oil that once browned french fries and onion rings is being used to power the vehicles. Students have begun making biodiesel fuel by converting waste cooking oil from the dining hall. It saves the school a little money on gasoline, gives the students lessons in engineering and chemistry, and pulls oil out of the waste stream. Sinclair is among the latest colleges around the country making their own biodiesel fuel. The concept is growing in popularity, driven by greater environmental awareness among students. Dickinson College in Carlisle, Pa., produces 50 to 150 gallons of biodiesel each week to power campus lawn mowers, a garbage truck and farm equipment. Its biodiesel byproducts are being used in a composting research project at the school's organic farm and have been used to make soap that was sold in the campus bookstore. The school has more than doubled its capacity of biodiesel, growing from 20-gallon to 54-gallon batches.

WASHINGTON (AP) - President-elect Barack Obama will take part in a community renovation project today to honor the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. Obama thinks the day set aside to remember the slain civil rights leader should be a national day of service. Obama also will attend dinners honoring Vice President-elect Joe Biden, John McCain, and Colin Powell.

WASHINGTON (AP) - Some of the biggest performers in the world are in Washington ahead of Barack Obama's inauguration. Bruce Springsteen, Stevie Wonder, and U2 were among those playing a massive concert at the Lincoln Memorial yesterday. It drew hundreds of thousands of people.

JERUSALEM (AP) - Israel is promising an "almost immediate" withdrawal from Gaza, provided things stay quiet there. Hamas has called a weeklong truce. Israel says its troops will be out of Gaza before President-elect Barack Obama is sworn in tomorrow.

GUANTANAMO BAY NAVAL BASE, Cuba (AP) - Hearings are set to begin in a Guantanamo war crimes court for five men accused of planning the 9/11 terror attacks. Prosecutors and defense lawyers had asked to postpone the hearings until after tomorrow's inauguration. Many
believe the Obama administration will suspend the commissions set up to prosecute dozens of men held at Guantanamo.

GENEVA (AP) - A lawyer working on behalf of the Iraqi journalist who threw shoes at President Bush last month says his client will seek political asylum in Switzerland. The Geneva-based lawyer says the man has been beaten and tortured in Iraq and his life is in danger.