Today's News-Saturday, March 7, 2009

PENN DOT DECLARES PROPERTIES

Pennsylvania is moving forward with plans to change Route 61 in Deer Lake and West Brunswick Township. According to the Republican and Herald, the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation a declaration filed of taking Thursday in Schuylkill County Court, announcing plans to acquire all or part of six properties - five in the township and one in the borough - in order to redo Route 61. PennDOT has drafted several proposals for changing Route 61 in the borough and township. In that area, the road narrows both northbound and southbound from four lanes, two in each direction, to three, one in each direction plus a left-turn lane. The declaration allows PennDOT to take possession of one entire property in the township, Parcel 104, which is now owned by Anthony Vincent Mattera, Orwigsburg, and portions of the five other properties, according to the declaration. It also permits temporary construction easements on those properties, allowing PennDOT to perform the roadwork. Also, according to the lawsuit, Penn-DOT took possession of the right of support for all surface properties, meaning that if mining is ever done on them, it cannot be performed in such a manner that would undermine, or gain access to the minerals from, those surface areas. Under the federal and state constitutions, PennDOT must pay just compensation - the value of the property taken - to all owners of the land seized. The state's taxation power will secure that compensation, the declaration reads in part. The declaration does not indicate when work will begin on the roadway.

POTTSVILLE MAN FOUND GUILTY ON ALCOHOL AND WEAPONS CHARGES

A Pottsville man faces a possible state prison sentence after being convicted Friday in Schuylkill County Court of carrying a stun gun and committing two alcohol-related offenses in the city. As reported by the Republican and Herald, Demetrious Manaroulas Jr., did not react as Judge Cyrus Palmer Dolbin, who heard his case without a jury, found him guilty of carrying a prohibited offensive weapon, public drunkenness and carrying an open container. Dolbin ordered a presentence investigation to be prepared and said he would sentence Manaroulas within 60 days. City police had charged Manaroulas with carrying the stun gun, and being intoxicated with an open bottle of beer shortly after 2 a.m. June 30 on the steps near North Second and Harrison streets. The officer testified he could smell alcohol on Manaroulas when he approached him, and that the defendant took a drink from a 40-ounce bottle of Budweiser beer before noticing him. Originally, the officer said, he arrested Manaroulas for the alcohol-related offenses, but he then picked up the black object and noticed it was a stun gun. The officer then demonstrated the stun gun, causing a loud bang that startled Dolbin and others in the courtroom. Erv D. McLain, Bethlehem, Manaroulas' lawyer, challenged the undercover officer's statement that the weapon was a stun gun.

RINGTOWN MAN SEEKS VACATED HOUSE SEAT

Barron "Boots" Hetherington, 55, owner and operator of B&R Farms, Ringtown, announced Friday his intention to seek the Republican nomination as state representative for the 124th District. In an interview with the Republican and Herald Friday, Hetherington said he would take a populist approach to his job, and use one day a month to visit a different part of the area - a police department or a manufacturing plant - to better understand the district. On Tuesday, state Rep. David Argall, R-124, was elected to the 29th District state Senate seat left vacant after the late state Sen. James J. Rhoades was posthumously re-elected. The votes have yet to be certified. State officials are aiming to roll the special election for the 124th District House seat in with the May 19 primary. Hetherington listed school property tax reform as the top issue on his platform. Hetherington said he wants to see the property tax completely eliminated as a source of school funding. He would also like to see local revenues benefit the area, pointing in particular to infrastructure funds benefitting airports outside the region. Hetherington said he would also like to see the police gradually funded out of the general budget, instead of the liquid fuels tax. A farmer and past chairman of the Schuylkill County Conservation District, Hetherington said preservation, conservation and management of natural resources and wildlife will also be a priority if he is elected. Hetherington has served as chairman of the Union Township Auditors Board since 1986. He ran for Schuylkill County Register of Wills in 2007, but lost to Democrat Michael M. McCord.

MINOR INJURY IN THREE CAR CRASH FRIDAY AFTERNOON

An Orwigsburg man suffered minor injury in a 3 vehicle crash in Schuylkill Haven Friday afternoon. Just before 3pm, Nicholas Stripe of New Ringgold and Christian Benulis of Orwigsburg were waiting for traffic to clear at East Main and Randel Streets. A car operated by Jennifer Jenkins of Schuylkill Haven rear ended Stripe's vehicle, forcing his vehicle into the rear end of Benulis's Ford Mustang. Benulis reportedly had minor injuries. Jenkins will be cited in the crash.

BETTER EDUCATION LEADS TO BETTER JOBS

With opportunities shrinking and the pool of applicants growing, getting a job is difficult in today's economy, as Sid Michaels tells us, there's one state Senator who says Pennsylvanian's can improve their employment chances through education:

MICHAELS

BUDGETS AND EDUCATION HIGHLIGHT WORK IN STATE CAPITOL
Dollars and cents and graduation requirements highlighted activity in Harrisburg this week. Mike Davies has this week's Republican roundup:

ROUNDUP

LEHIGHTON, Pa. (AP) - An explosion at an eastern Pennsylvania kennel has killed 12 dogs and injured 13 others, including many that were bred for dog shows. Officials say the explosion at
Pazzazz Pet Boarding near Lehighton occurred Friday while a tank was being filled by a propane delivery truck.

HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) - A state appeals court says the city of Erie isn't obligated to pay former mayor Richard Filippi's legal bills. He spent more than $370,000 defending himself against public corruption charges.

PITTSBURGH (AP) - The Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra will play in China for the first time since 1987 when it plays four Asian dates in May. The symphony visited China only once before.

PHILADELPHIA (AP) - In many places, drinking before noon is something to hide. Not Philadelphia. The second annual Philly Beer Week has eight scheduled beer-drinking events before noon today. An event called "Lew Bryson's Wheat Beer Breakfast of Champions" begins at 9 a.m. Saturday at a tavern in Philadelphia's Tacony neighborhood.

PHILADELPHIA (AP) - A Philadelphia attorney says there's nothing wrong with performing magic during his arguments to the jury. Steven Leventhal says he uses magic tricks to drive home the point that what we think we see might be an illusion. One opposing lawyer once asked a judge to ban the tricks, but the case was settled before the judge ruled.

WASHINGTON (AP) - President Barack Obama says there's opportunity in hard times and he's sure Americans will find it. In his weekly radio and Internet address, Obama challenges the nation to do more than just endure the crumbling economy.

WASHINGTON (AP) - President Barack Obama's plan to allow Americans the chance to buy government-sponsored health insurance is being challenged by Republicans. In the weekly GOP radio address, Missouri Congressman Roy Blunt warns private health plans could disappear if the government gets involved.

NEW YORK (AP) - Bernard Madoff could soon share a courtroom with some of the same devastated investors he allegedly ripped off in one of the biggest financial frauds in history. A person close to the case says Madoff is expected to plead guilty at a hearing next week.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) - NASA's telescope Kepler is on a historic voyage to track down other Earth-like planets in a faraway patch of the Milky Way galaxy. Kepler blasted off last night from Cape Canaveral.

WASHINGTON (AP) - Get ready for more daylight toward the end of the day and the annual lost hour of sleep. Daylight-saving time is returning to shift an hour of light from the morning to the evenings. That means you push your clocks forward one hour before going to bed tonight.