Today's News-Monday, February 23, 2009

DEVINE ANNOUNCES FOR SHERIFF

A Pottsville man has announced his candidacy for Schuylkill County Sheriff. 53 year old Joseph Devine, a Democrat, will face current incumbent Joseph Groody, who's also a Democrat in the May primary. Devine, a retired postal service employee and military veteran, is also pursuing a degree in administration of justice from Penn State. He cites his military experience as one of the reasons why he is seeking the sheriff's position.

CRASH DETAILS RELEASED

State police at Schuylkill Haven have released the details of Friday's crash at Cressona Mall where several people were injured. 44 year old David Friedman of Breinigsville was making a left turn into the Cressona Mall from Route 61. His SUV was struck by a pickup truck driven by 51 year old Joseph Sayetta of Frackville, which rolled Friedman's vehicle on its side. The impact forced Friedman's vehicle into a car driven by 80 year old Violet Kubilus of Mahanoy City who was attempting to exit the mall. Sayetta's truck also hit a car driven by Tammy Sukeena of Schuylkill Haven. Friedman and a passenger were flown to Lehigh Valley Hospital for treatment. Several others were taken to area hospitals, treated and released. State police will cite Friedman for turning in front of another vehicle.

CAR FLIPS, DUI SUSPECTED

A Minersville woman flipped her vehicle Saturday night, and may have been driving drunk. The crash happened on the Pottsville/Minersville highway. State police say that 37 year old Tina Hoy was apparently driving at a high rate of speed, dropped a lit cigarette and lost control of the vehicle, going up an embankment and flipping onto its roof. She was arrested on suspicion of DUI and taken to the hospital for a blood alcohol test. A passenger, 45 year old Robert Fitzpatrick of Schuylkill Haven, had minor facial injuries.

DUI CHECKPOINTS NET ARRESTS

Two adults were arrested for driving under the influence during regional DUI checkpoints Friday night. According to North Central Regional Sobriety Checkpoint officials, 76 vehicles were checked, and 40 traffic arrests were made as well. Six police departments were involved in the enforcement effort.

PHILADELPHIA (AP) - The owner of The Philadelphia Inquirer and Philadelphia Daily News has filed for bankruptcy. Philadelphia Newspapers Inc. filed for Chapter 11 protection Sunday. PNI is owned by Philadelphia Media Holdings LLC. It is the second newspaper company in two days, and fourth in recent months, to seek bankruptcy protection.

PITTSBURGH (AP) - A western Pennsylvania jail warden says he'll ask a judge to move an 11-year-old boy accused of killing his father's pregnant girlfriend to a juvenile detention center.
Lawrence County Warden Charles Adamo says his 300-inmate jail cannot offer proper long-term care for the suspect, Jordan Brown, of Wampum, who was charged Friday.

PITTSBURGH (AP) - A federal jury is scheduled to be picked Monday to hear a $1 million religious freedom lawsuit against southwestern Pennsylvania officials. William Pritts heads the
Church of Universal Love and Music in Bullskin Township, about 35 miles southeast of Pittsburgh. Pritts contends the "jam band" concerts he holds on his 147-acre spread are church services. The events have been banned by a county judge.

HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) - Three decades ago, environmentalists and public officials rang the alarm when the price of fossil fuels shot up and drilling companies descended on western Pennsylvania's oil and gas fields. The state Legislature responded with the 1984 Oil and Gas Act. But it also allowed them to keep secret most information about their below-ground discoveries for five years. State legislators are considering peeling back that cloak of secrecy.

NEW CASTLE, Pa. (AP) - Authorities say a man drowned and his stepfather died of an apparent heart attack while rescuing a child from a frozen pond in northeastern Pennsylvania. Divers recovered the body of 36-year-old Willard Roy Van Fleet Jr. after a three-hour search in North Abington Township on Saturday. Officials say 55-year-old Mark Keene died after collapsing on the ice.

WASHINGTON (AP) - President Barack Obama brings advisers and adversaries together at the White House today. They'll discuss how to curb a federal deficit that's ballooned to more than a trillion dollars. Some participants already are cautioning against overinflated expectations.

HONG KONG (AP) - Investors in Asia seem relieved upon hearing reports the U.S. government might raise its stake in the teetering lender Citigroup. Asian stocks were mostly higher today.

MUMBAI, India (AP) - The "Slumdog" celebration has filled Mumbai's crowded slums, where people gathered to watch the film win eight Oscars, including best picture. Two of the child actors were flown to the glitzy ceremony.

LOS ANGELES (AP) - Sean Penn has won his second Oscar for best actor, this one for playing slain gay-rights pioneer Harvey Milk in "Milk," while Kate Winslet took best actress for "The Reader," in which she plays a former concentration camp guard.

WASHINGTON (AP) - Some of the dozens of suspected teenage prostitutes rescued in a weekend sweep across the U.S. were as young as 13. The FBI says the operation is part of a larger federal program to crack down on the sexual exploitation of children. More than 50 alleged pimps were rounded up.