Today's News-Thursday, February 12, 2009

BLUSTERY THURSDAY-POWER OUTAGES REPORTED

As the winds kicked up overnight, more households in eastern PA began to lose power due to downed lines and trees. According to PPL's storm centerThousands of PPL electric customers are feeling the brunt of today's windy weather, as downed trees are knocking out power. In Schuylkill, the largest number are reported in South Manheim and West Brunswick, according to PPL's Storm Outage website. Gusts in excess of 50 miles per hour are expected this morning, with diminshed winds this afternoon and evening.

POTTSVILLE MAN CHARGES BOUND OVER FOR COURT

A 29-year-old Pottsville man who acted inappropriately while serving as a therapeutic staff support person, had three additional felony charges against him held over for court, Wednesday. District Judge Bernadette Nahas ruled that three counts of interference with custody of children against Jason Noble, will go to county court. State police say Noble had taken some of his clients, all children, to the home of his grandfather in Ashland and also out of state to the Maryland Zoo. The charges against stem from when Noble while he was employed at both ACCESS Services in Pottsville and the Pottsville Behavioral Health Service. Officials at both services testified Noble was never given permission for the trip out of Pennsylvania, or to his grandfather's home. Noble was released on $25-thousand dollars bail.

PIZZA DELIVERY BOY SLASHED

Pottsville city police are looking for a Hispanic man who reportedly slashed a pizza delivery driver late last night. Cops were called to North Second and Harrison Street and found 35 year old Michael Davis, a driver for Domino's, was stabbed. An unidentified Hispanic man demanded money from Davis, getting about 35 bucks, and then slashed the left side of Davis's face. The man, wearing a blue hooded sweatshirt, blue jeans and a bandanna, fled on foot towards Third Street. Davis was taken to Schuylkill Medical Center-South to treat his laceration and other wounds. If you have information, call Pottsville police at 622-1234, or the Schuylkill Comm Center at 628-3792.

SEDCO MAKES PAYMENT TO COUNTY

Continued development at Highridge Business Park nets return to Schuylkill County. The sixth payment from SEDCO, the county's economic development arm, was presented to the county commissioners Wednesday. In 2001, Schuylkill county bond funds were used to help develop Highridge in Butler, Cass and Foster townships. As parcels are sold, monies are returned to the county. Yesterday's payment of $277 thousand dollars came from the recent purchase of land by Gordon Food Services, who is setting up shop in a 200-thousand-square foot distribution center at Highridge. To date, nearly $1.2 million dollars have been returned to Schuylkill County's coffers.

Pennsylvania's school funding mechanism appears to be leaving many special education students behind. Glen Gardner reports:

GARDNER EDUCATION

PEORIA, Ill. (AP) - Caterpillar Inc. says it's offering voluntary early retirement packages to about 2,000 production workers in Pennsylvania, Illinois, Colorado and Tennessee. It's
been a string of layoffs at the heavy equipment maker as it struggles with lower demand amid the global economic downturn.

UNDATED (AP) - A University of Pennsylvania researcher says dangling enough dollars in front of smokers who want to quit helps many more succeed. Dr. Kevin Volpp says the study found that 15 percent of those offered $750 to refrain from smoking for a year were still tobacco-free about a year later.

PHILADELPHIA (AP) - Philadelphia Mayor Michael Nutter and five other mayors are getting together for two days to talk about design issues facing their cities. Likely to dominate the conversation is the federal stimulus package of which all the mayors are hoping to get a slice.

ALLENTOWN, Pa. (AP) - The Lehigh Valley Zoo is getting a $525,000 influx of funds to aid in its bid to stay open. Lehigh County Commissioners voted Wednesday night to provide that amount plus $325,000 to continue operating the zoo over the next five years. About 100 supporters attended the meeting.

HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) - Some of the most serious crimes could ban someone for life from working in Pennsylvania's schools under a bill under consideration in the Legislature. The measure would expand the list of offenses that could trigger the current five-year ban that's law and make it for life.

WASHINGTON (AP) - There's some good news in today's fresh economic numbers. Retail sales rose 1 percent last month, reversing six months of decline. There's also been a slight drop in new
jobless claims. But the jobless tally is still above what analysts had expected. Stocks are falling again, with the Dow more than 150 points lower in early trading.

WASHINGTON (AP) - A House vote could come today or tomorrow on President Barack Obama's $789 billion economic rescue bill. He's been campaigning throughout the week for a measure that he says will "get our economy back on track."

UNDATED (AP) - Powerful wind gusts are causing power outages from the Great Lakes to the East. Hundreds of thousands of customers are without power, thanks to a wind storm that's downed power lines and even closed Interstate 90 west of Erie, Pa.

SATSUMA, Fla. (AP) - A search contiues in north Florida for a 5-year-old girl last seen in her home late Monday. Her father tells NBC he's sure she didn't just wander off in the night because
"she's afraid of the dark." Investigators are treating it as an abduction.

SALINAS, Calif. (AP) - A California man is pleading not guilty to charges that he tried to sell his daughter into marriage in exchange for money, meat and beer. Authorities learned of the
alleged deal after the father went to police, saying he wanted the 14-year-old back when the promised payment fell through.