Today's News-Friday, May 15, 2009

SECOND SUSPECT NABBED
A second suspect linked to the robbery and assault of a Supershoes employee earlier this month has been arrested. Pottsville police report that 25 year old Jason Roldan, Shenandoah, was arraigned on charges of robbery, conspiracy and other counts. Roldan and 21 year old Fabian Diaz allegedly took over $2-thousand-dollars from the employee as she was making a night deposit at M&T Bank on May 2nd. Police say the employee suffered a broken arm in the incident. Roldan reportedly worked at Supershoes, but quit a week before the robbery. After arraignment, Roldan was taken to the county prison. Diaz is also a prisoner there, having been arrested earlier.

CHRYSLER BANKRUPTCY WILL FORCE ELIMINATION OF JEEP LINE AT LOCAL DEALERSHIP
Fifty three dealers Pennsylvania who sold Chrysler manufactured vehicles will be eliminated as part of a nationwide bankruptcy plan announced yesterday. The state has the largest casualty of the 32-hundred US dealer network. In some cases, entire dealerships are being eliminated, while others are seeing portions of their product line being dropped. In Schuylkill County, the R&R Dealership on Route 61 will see its Jeep line of products shut down, but the remainder of the product line will continue. Chrysler says in the bankruptcy filing that sales are too low at many dealers it wants to close. Overall, Chrysler wants to close 789 US dealerships. The dealers likely will have the right to appeal to get off the list.

IMPROVEMENTS WILL UPGRADE SCH RIVER TRAIL
A historic part of the Schuylkill River trail near Landingville will get some much needed improvements thanks to grant monies announced Thursday afternoon. A stone railroad arch will be repaired and a portion of the Bartram Trail will be extended thanks to $200 thousand dollars procured by Representative Tim Seip and Senator Dave Argall. The walking trail in that area, about 1 1/2 miles, is already in operation. When completed, the trail is expected to run the entire length of the Schuylkill River, from Pottsville to Philadelphia. Monies will come from legislative initiative grants, Schuylkill County Growing Greener funds and other county monies.

REAGER TERMINATED
A long battle between Pine Grove's police chief and borough council has come to an end. Joshua Reager, who was the borough's top cop for about a year, has been removed after an independent examiner ruled recently. The Republican and Herald reports that Attorney Christopher Reidlinger has been looking at the events surrounding Reager's time as chief and allegations against him by council under the Police Tenure Act. A number of issues brought by council about Reager's conduct brought about the decision to terminate him. Numerous complaints were lodged against Reager and the Pine Grove police department by residents and business owners. Reager had been on unpaid leave since last fall.

HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) - A political consultant in Pennsylvania's Lehigh Valley is accused of violating election laws. Tom Severson was charged with 17 third-degree felonies, including 12 counts of tampering with public records or information and five counts of criminal conspiracy, as well as dozens of misdemeanor counts.

PHILADELPHIA (AP) - Convicted former state Senator Vincent Fumo can keep his Philadelphia mansion. A federal judge has denied prosecutors' bid to recoup $4 million in alleged proceeds from his crimes. U.S. District Judge Ronald Buckwalter says the government did not prove that Fumo's property is traceable to his crimes.

UNIONTOWN, Pa. (AP) - Police have searched a western Pennsylvania cemetery after a maintenance worker reported finding a photo of an infant, a bloody T-shirt and electrical tape. State Trooper Brian Burden says it was unclear whether foul play was involved in North Union Township. That's about 40 miles south-southeast of Pittsburgh.

WILKES-BARRE, Pa. (AP) - A northeastern Pennsylvania county where judges have been charged in kickback scandals is taking steps to improve confidence in the courts. Luzerne County judges demonstrated a new computer system that randomly assigns civil cases to judges. They hope have a similar system for criminal cases by fall.

CARLISLE, Pa. (AP) - A prosecutor says he's considering the death penalty for a 19-year-old south-central Pennsylvania man accused of breaking into his 88-year-old neighbor's home and
killing her. Police say Colton Matthew Hardy broke into Ethel Weaver's Dickinson Township home to steal her car keys and beat her to death.

VIENNA (AP) - The American journalist convicted on spy charges in Iran has arrived in Europe. She was freed from prison Monday after an appeals court reduced her eight-year sentence. She says she's grateful for the support she's received from "both journalists and non-journalists around the world."

JERUSALEM (AP) - Pope Benedict is wrapping up his Mideast trip with a visit to the site of Jesus' tomb. The traditional escort of men in black robes and red fezzes accompanied the pontiff into Jerusalem's Church of the Holy Sepulcher. Afterwards, he told the people gathered to remain hopeful -- a central theme during his five-day visit.

KANDAHAR, Afghanistan (AP) - Officials in Afghanistan say at least 22 Taliban militants have been killed in overnight fighting. There's also word that a NATO soldier has been killed in a roadside bombing. There's no word yet on the soldier's nationality.

PHOENIX (AP) - Health officials in Arizona say a woman in her late 40s is the fourth person to die with swine flu in the U.S. They say she also had a lung condition. Meanwhile, concern about
the virus continues around the world. Philippine officials had to track down "American Idol" singers David Cook and David Archuleta for mandatory swine-flu checks before their concert.

CAPE CANAVERAL (AP) - Spacewalking astronauts are gearing up to install six new gyroscopes on the Hubble Space Telescope. The equipment is crucial because it helps point the telescope in the right direction. NASA lists the gyro replacement as its top priority because three gyros are broken.