Today's News-Friday, March 6, 2009

HESS ANNOUNCES FOR RE-ELECTION

HESS WRAP

Schuylkill Haven businessman Gary Hess, in his last year as first term Mayor in the borough has more work to do, as he asked a packed house at Schuylkill Hose Company last night to endorse his re election bid. During the 30 minute address, Hess cited the accomplishments of his administration and the borough council's efforts to make Schuylkill Haven safer, more friendly and better for business. Among the projects he wants to see completed if re-elected are the Island Park project, downtown revitalization and improved public safety. There are no announced challengers for Schuylkill Haven Mayor yet.

MAN DIED OF HEART ATTACK

A Pottsville man who was involved in a multi vehicle crash earlier this week in the city died of a heart attack. That's according to County Coroner Joseph Lipsett, who said that 67 year old Hubert Muldowney was already unconscious when emergency crews removed him from his car Wednesday night. No one else was injured in the crash at Third and Mahantongo Streets.

FORMER TELECOM BIGWIG TO SERVE TIME AT MINERSVILLE

A convicted former telecom bigwig will serve his prison sentence at the Federal Prison at Minersville. The AP reports that Joseph Nacchio, who was once CEO of Qwest Communications will begin his six year prison sentence later this month. The 59 year old was convicted of insider trading and other charges in 2007 for profitting on selling Qwest Communications stock. The report says that Nacchio requested FCI-Minersville, a medium security facility, to be closer to his family in New Jersey.

DEMS COMMENT ON BUDGET HEARINGS

For the past two weeks, Pennsylvania cabinet secretaries have been coming before the Senate Appropriations Committee, defending their budget requests. Their testimony shows the need for budget cuts in a down economy and the need for federal stimulus money to keep some programs going. Don Rooney has more:

ROONEY

US jury heads home in ex-Pa. Sen. Fumo fraud case

PHILADELPHIA (AP) - A federal jury will resume deliberations Monday in the corruption case of a long-powerful Philadelphia Democrat. Former lawmaker Vincent Fumo is charged with using his large Senate staff to work on his homes, farm and political campaigns. He is also charged with using employees of a charity for similar chores. He's also accused of failing to pay for the use of a museum yacht and with destroying evidence. Jurors started deliberations Thursday. They are meeting in the courtroom, which offers electronic access to the 1,300 trial
exhibits, many of them e-mails. Fumo is named in 137 counts of the 139-count indictment as two counts were recently dropped. Co-defendant Ruth Arnao, the charity's director, faces 45 counts.

Philanthropic felon gets 8 years in tax, gun case

PHILADELPHIA (AP) - A felon-turned-philanthropist told a federal judge that "greed and stupidity took control" when he failed to report $4.3 million in income over five years. Joseph Mammana was sentenced Thursday to eight years in prison and a $50,000 fine. In addition to the tax charges, he faced weapons charges. A judge took a year off a year off the 49-year-old Yardley man's sentence because Mammana provided information that prompted a Philadelphia City Hall corruption probe. The judge questioned Mammana's motive for offering the rewards,
saying the pledges were "to some extent laudable" but partly "just ego-driven." Mammana seemingly turned his life around after he was released from prison in the 1990s and emerged as a successful businessman.

Pa. unemployment claims easing down from Jan. peak

HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) - The latest data shows unemployment compensation filings in Pennsylvania are slowing down after reaching a peak in early January. The state Department of Labor and Industry says fewer than 37,700 people filed initial claims for unemployment compensation in the week ending Feb. 28. That's down from nearly 59,600 in the week ending Jan. 10. That week was Pennsylvania's highest on record since the government began an official weekly count in 1987. Still, unemployment filings last month were up 51 percent over February 2008. That's a few percentage points above the January 2008 to January 2009 increase. In addition, the percentage of the covered work force that's receiving benefits reached a record high during the week of Feb. 21. It was at 6.7 percent.

Pa. state parks chief leaving for Philly job

PHILADELPHIA (AP) - The official in charge of Pennsylvania's parks has resigned his post to take a job with the city of Philadelphia. Department of Conservation and Natural Resources Secretary Michael DiBerardinis will leave April 3 to become Philadelphia's parks and recreation commissioner. Philadelphia Mayor Michael Nutter says DiBerardinis will oversee the merger of the Fairmount Park Commission and the Department of Recreation. DiBerardinis previously headed the department of recreation for eight years. While working for the state, DiBerardinis helped establish the Pennsylvania Wilds to market the large forests in northcentral Pennsylvania to tourists. The state also aggressively worked to protect parts of state forests as natural areas under DiBerardinis.

Transit labor dispute looms in Philadelphia

PHILADELPHIA (AP) - There could be a strike by Philadelphia bus, subway, and trolley operators in less than two weeks. Talks resume Friday between the Southeastern Pennsylvania
Transportation Authority and its largest union, Transport Workers Union Local 234. The current contract expires March 15. Union president Willie Brown says management has "ignored" the union's demands. SEPTA hasn't made an offer for wages and benefits, but officials have said economic woes will affect the transit agency's ability to meet labor's requests. The last strike that idled buses, subways and trolleys was a seven-day walkout in 2005. SEPTA's commuter rail service is handled by different unions and would not be halted by a Local 234 strike.

Arrest in shooting of 12-year-old Philadelphia boy

PHILADELPHIA (AP) - A 17-year-old boy charged as an adult with attempted murder in the shooting of a 12-year-old boy has turned himself in to Philadelphia police. Shaheem Willis declined to comment to a news reporter when he turned himself in Thursday. Police say the Feb. 25 shooting of the boy sitting in his mother's parked car is believed to be retaliation for another nonfatal shooting five days earlier. Police say the 12-year-old boy remained in serious condition Thursday at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia. He has multiple gunshot wounds.
Police have an arrest warrant for 18-year-old Antwon Sanders, who's charged in the Feb. 20 shooting.

2nd annual Philly Beer Week begins Friday

PHILADELPHIA (AP) - Philadelphia's second annual Philly Beer Week is about to get under way. Major craft brewers from across the country will be in town. The second Beer Week begins with an "Opening Tap" ceremony featuring Philadelphia Mayor Michael Nutter. The ceremony is at 7 p.m. Friday in the lobby of the Comcast Center, Philadelphia's newest skyscraper. It features more than 30 regional breweries. Tickets are $40 if purchased online or $50 at
the door. That's the first of hundreds of events at more than 100 venues. Some will pair beer with particular dishes, while others will host tastings featuring the brewers. Beer Week runs through March 15.

2 Pa. men die in apparent murder-suicide

DOYLESTOWN, Pa. (AP) - A suburban Philadelphia prosecutor says two men have been found shot dead in the upscale home they shared. Bucks County First Assistant District Attorney David Zellis says a housekeeper showed up Thursday to clean the home and found the body of 48-year-old accountant Jerry Rudman lying in the garage. He was shot multiple times. Zellis says the housekeeper continued into the Solebury Township house and found Rudman's longtime domestic partner dead of an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head. He was Joseph Lofft, a 50-year-old pharmacist. Police last saw them alive after Lofft was involved in a minor traffic accident before dawn Wednesday and was accused of driving under the influence. Rudman picked him up at the police station.

W.Pa. man charged with causing 2 year old's death

JOHNSTOWN, Pa. (AP) - A western Pennsylvania man has been charged with killing his girlfriend's 2-year-old daughter. Police say 30-year-old Richard Martin Hubler, of Paint Township, punched Sandra Furgason in the head on Feb. 8. She was taken off l ife support at a Pittsburgh hospital on Feb. 26. Police say Hubler admitted striking the girl after he and the
child's mother initially claimed she had fallen from her crib. The couple said the girl had hypotonia, which causes weak muscles and poor motor skills, and was prone to falling out of bed.
Hubler is being held in the Somerset County Jail on homicide and related charges. Police are still investigating and say more charges could follow.

Pa. widow who shot spouse to be returned to Canada

WILKES-BARRE, Pa. (AP) - A federal judge has ordered the extradition of a northeastern Pennsylvania woman to Canada to face harges in her husband's death. Forty-four-year-old Mary Beth Harshbarger fatally shot her husband while the couple were on a hunting trip near Buchans Junction, Newfoundland, in 2006. Canadian officials say it was too dark to safely fire a weapon and charged Harshbarger with criminal negligence causing death. The Meshoppen woman says she mistook her husband, Mark Harshbarger, for a black bear. After a hearing in Wilkes-Barre, a federal judge has ruled there is probable cause to extradite Harshbarger to Canada. Prosecutors say Harshbarger must surrender herself to a U.S. marshal by March
13.

Mother, child die in Philadelphia row house fire

PHILADELPHIA (AP) - Fire in a Philadelphia row house with an illegal electric hookup has killed a mother and an 8-year-old girl. Firefighters arrived to find the second floor of the row house in flames early Thursday in the Point Breeze section. Fire Commissioner Lloyd Ayers says he suspects a lamp cord bypassing the electric meter caused the fire. He says a woman was
found in a bedroom and an 8-year-old girl in a hallway in the house. Ayers says the woman was pronounced dead. He says the 8-year-old was taken to a hospital but also died. Jennifer Smith identified the victims as her 29-year-old sister, Keisha Jackson, and Jackson's daughter, Hynia.
Officials say a man and two other children got out of the burning house.

Globetrotters rise to the (roof)top of Spectrum

PHILADELPHIA (AP) - The Harlem Globetrotters have said farewell to Philadelphia's Spectrum with a game against the Washington Generals on the roof of the soon-to-be demolished arena. The game had all the markings of a regulation game, complete with two 10-foot regulation baskets, and lines and logos on the court. The game was scheduled for 19 minutes, 67 seconds to commemorate the Spectrum's 1967 opening, but went a bit longer because nothing is ever ordinary with the Globetrotters. Yes, the Generals were foiled again by the yo-yo ball and other tricks. Final score: Globetrotters 36, Generals 24. The Globetrotters play the Generals again Saturday at Temple's Liacouras Center and Sunday at the Wachovia Center.