Today's News-Friday, May 29, 2009

MAN ADMITS SHAKING BABY

A Schuylkill County man has pleaded guilty in county court to charges related to shaking a baby, causing significant injury. The Republican Herald reports that 23 year old Kyle Bluge admitted to shaking the child last year, causing brain injuries. Bluge was charged with aggravated and simple assault and endangerment charges. Bluge reportedly harmed the child at a New Ringgold home after he couldn't get the baby boy to stop crying. He faces significant jail time and will be sentenced later.

FIRE STARTER ARRESTED

Police in Shenandoah have charged a man for setting a fire in the borough earlier this month. Officers charged 27 year old David Reidel with arson and related counts Thursday for setting the fire on West Penn Street on May 21st. Fire extensively damaged that home and two adjoining structures. Reidel was arraigned and placed in Schuylkill County Prison, where he was lodged due to violating a PFA. Bail was set at $50 thousand dollars.

THREE HURT IN LEBANON COUNTY CRASH

Three people were injured in a crash in Lebanon County Wednesday afternoon. Jonestown state police say that 21 year old Clay Fleagle of Tower City was driving south on the winding Gold Mine Road in Cold Spring Township around 4pm when he lost control of his vehicle and slid off the road. The car struck several trees and rolled over onto its roof in a ditch. Fleagle and his two passengers were able to get out of the vehicle. They were taken to Good Sam Hospital, Lebanon for treatment.

PHILADELPHIA (AP) - The 9-year-old suburban Philadelphia girl at the center of what police say was an abduction hoax perpetrated by her mother has returned home. Julia Rakoczy and her father landed at Philadelphia International Airport on Thursday evening. Thirty-eight-year-old Bonnie Sweeten remains jailed in Orlando, Fla. She's facing charges of false reports and identity theft in Bucks County.

PHILADELPHIA (AP) - The man accused of killing an employee at an Atlantic City, N.J., casino also wrote a letter accusing the casino of cheating. The letter from 57-year-old Mark Magee of Norristown, Pa., to Philadelphia television station WPVI doesn't contain any threats. But it says the Atlantic City casinos have been cheating for 20 years.

PHILADELPHIA (AP) - A federal appeals court has overturned a murder conviction handed down by a jury in a state court. A panel of the 3rd Circuit Court of Appeals in Philadelphia ruled
unanimously Thursday that there was not enough evidence to convict Paul Kamienski. He was one of three men convicted in 1987 of the 1983 murder of Nick and Barbara DeTournay during a drug deal in Toms River, N.J.

HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) - The head of the agency that runs Pennsylvania's 117 state parks says at least 35 of them would have to close under the budget plan that passed the state Senate. Department of Conservation and Natural Resources acting Secretary John Quigley said Thursday that his agency would also have to close 1,000 miles of state forest roads.

PHILADELPHIA (AP) - Ric Flair still has a few more trademark "Woooooo's!" left to howl inside the squared ring. The former World Wrestling Entertainment champ is working for Ring of Honor. The Philadelphia-based wrestling company hopes the 60-year-old "Nature Boy" can give the next generation of stars a brand-name boost.

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) - North Korea says it will take further "self-defense" measures if it's provoked by the U.N. Security Council. The Security Council is discussing how to punish Pyongyang for conducting a nuclear test earlier this week in defiance of previous resolutions.

WASHINGTON (AP) - President Barack Obama says digital security is a top priority for his administration. He'll announce later this morning that he's creating a "cyber czar" to oversee an enhanced security system for the nation's computer networks, whether they are systems that manage electrical grids and air traffic control or those protecting customers who pay bills online.

NEW YORK (AP) - After a marathon session that ended just before midnight, Chrysler's bankruptcy hearing resumes this morning. A judge is trying to determine whether it's in the best interests of Chrysler and its stakeholders to sell most of the company to Italy's Fiat Group SpA.

WASHINGTON (AP) - The government originally estimated that the nation's economy shrank at a 6.1 percent annual rate in the first quarter. A revised estimate is due today and analysts expect it will be a little better, though still a steep tumble. They're guessing 5.5 percent.

MILWAUKEE (AP) - A recent fire in a Milwaukee public school turned up an American flag that had sat unused in an attic for more than a century. District officials say the flag is from 1897 and
has just 45 stars, representing the number of states at that time. School officials plan to restore and display the flag.