Today's News-Thursday, June 18, 2009

TEENS SENTENCED

TWO SHENANDOAH TEENAGED BOYS WILL SPEND TIME IN COUNTY PRISON ON CHARGES RELATING TO THE BEATING OF AN IMMIGRANT LAST SUMMER. JUDGE WILLIAM BALDWIN SENTENCED DERRICK DONCHAK TO SERVE 6-20 MONTHS ON SIMPLE ASSAULT CHARGES, AND AN ADDITIONAL 1 TO 3 MONTHS FOR CORRUPTING THE MORALS OF MINORS. BRANDON PIEKARSKY WILL SERVE 6 TO 23 MONTHS ON THE SIMPLE ASSAULT CHARGE AND 7 DAYS ON THE ALCOHOL RELATED COUNTS. DURING PROCEEDINGS, A LETTER WAS READ FROM LUIS RAMIREZ' MOTHER, WHO SAID THE BOYS SHOWED NO REMORSE FOR THE BEATING AND CALLED THEM ASSASSINS. RAMIREZ'S FIANCE CRYSTAL DILLMAN, IN TEARFUL TESTIMONY, SAID THAT SHE'LL CONTINUE TO FIGHT FOR JUSTICE FOR HER LATE PARTNER. SEVERAL CHARACTER WITNESSES TESTIFIED FOR DONCHAK AND PIEKARSKY BEFORE SENTENCING. BOTH DEFENSE ATTORNEYS ASKED FOR PROBATION FOR THEIR CLIENTS. JUDGE BALDWIN SAID THE BOYS GANGED UP ON RAMIREZ, AND THAT IT WAS MOTIVATED BY "JUST PLAIN MEANNESS." PIEKARSKY AND DONCHAK ARE TO REPORT TO PRISON ON JULY 19TH.

BALDWIN ON GOVERNOR, SHENANDOAH POLICE AND BOYS CONDUCT

GOVERNOR ED RENDELL'S COMMENTS AND CORRESPONDENCE ABOUT THE SHENANDOAH BEATING TRIAL HAS MADE HEADLINES, BUT IT DIDN'T IMPRESS PRESIDENT JUDGE WILLIAM BALDWIN. THE JUDGE OPENED WEDNESDAY'S SENTENCING HEARING TO ADDRESS THAT VERY SUBJECT, STATING "NEVER BEFORE HAS HE HEARD OF A HEAD OF STATE SUGGESTING A SENTENCE FOR A SPECIFIC CRIMINAL CASE." BALDWIN REFUSED TO CONSIDER IT, AND QUESTIONED THE SEPARATION OF THE EXECUTIVE AND JUDICIAL BRANCHES OF GOVERNMENT. RENDELL'S LETTER TO DA JIM GOODMAN SAID THAT THE MAXIMUM SENTENCE WAS WARRANTED FOR DERRICK DONCHAK AND BRANDON PIEKARSKY, AND SURMISED THAT THE FIGHT WAS RACIALLY MOTIVATED, EVEN THOUGH RENDELL KNEW NOTHING ABOUT THE CASE AS LITTLE AS 6 WEEKS AGO. BALDWIN CITED SERIOUS QUESTIONS ABOUT THE "FRIENDLY" SHENANDOAH POLICE AND THEIR ACTIONS IMMEDIATELY AFTER COMING ON SCENE ON JULY 12TH, 2008. BALDWIN ALSO HAD HARSH WORDS FOR BRANDON PIEKARSKY AND DERRICK DONCHAK, STATING THAT THIS TYPE OF VIOLENCE WON'T BE TOLERATED ON SCHUYLKILL COUNTY'S STREETS, AND THAT PIEKARSKY "LED THE TEAM" THAT GANGED UP ON LUIS RAMIREZ. HE ALSO SAID THAT DERRICK DONCHAK USED POOR JUDGEMENT IN WEARING A BORDER PATROL T-SHIRT TO A PARTY, EVEN WHILE HE WAS UNDER INVESTIGATION FOR THE CRIME. DEFENSE ATTORNEYS FRED FANELLI AND JEFF MARKOSKY WERE "DISAPPOINTED" WITH THE SENTENCING AND MAY APPEAL THE RESPECTIVE SENTENCES.

GOODMAN SATISFIED

GOODMAN 1 SENTENCE

SCHUYLKILL COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY JIM GOODMAN COMMENTING ON WEDNESDAY'S SENTENCING OF BRANDON PIEKARSKY AND DERRICK DONCHAK WILL SERVE AT LEAST 6 MONTHS, BUT POSSIBLY CLOSE TO TWO YEARS IN COUNTY PRISON FOR SIMPLE ASSAULT AND ALCOHOL RELATED COUNTS IN THE DEATH OF LUIS RAMIREZ LAST JULY IN SHENANDOAH. THE TEENS WERE ACQUITTED OF MORE SERIOUS CHARGES OF THIRD DEGREE MURDER AND AGGRAVATED ASSAULT, BUT GOODMAN SAYS THAT THE PROSECUTION WOULDN'T HAVE DONE ANYTHING DIFFERENTLY:

GOODMAN 2 SENTENCE

THE DEFENSE SAYS THEY MAY APPEAL THE SENTENCE. THE DA ACKNOWLEDGED THAT A FEDERAL PROBE INTO THE SHENANDOAH POLICE DEPARTMENT'S ROLE IN THE INVESTIGATION CONTINUES, BUT WOULD NOT COMMENT FURTHER.

DOWNTOWN CENTER HONORS RHOADES

A FITTING HONOR WAS PAID TO THE LATE SENATOR JIM RHOADES LAST NIGHT. MORE THAN 100 PEOPLE ATTENDED THE DEDICATION OF THE SENATOR JAMES RHOADES DOWNTOWN CENTER, IN THE FORMER MAHANOY CITY DOWNTOWN CENTER AND ONCE HOME TO RHOADES DISTRICT OFFICE. THE SENATOR DIED FROM INJURIES IN A CAR CRASH IN MONROE COUNTY LAST OCTOBER. FAMILY AND FRIENDS WERE ON HAND TO HONOR THE SENATOR’S MEMORY AT THE BUILDING WHICH ONCE HOUSED A STORE THAT THE SENATOR WORKED IN AS A TEEN.

ASST COUNTY SOLICITOR RETIRING

LONGTIME ASSISTANT COUNTY SOLICITOR JAY JONES IS RETIRING AFTER ACTION AT WEDNESDAY’S COUNTY COMMISSIONERS MEETING. MOVING IN TO SERVE AS ASSISTANT TO COUNTY SOLICITOR ERIC MIKA IS ATTORNEY ED BRENNAN, WHO MOVES FROM THE SHERIFF’S SOLICITOR’S ROLE.

POTTSVILLE SD BUDGET RATIFIED

NO TAX INCREASE FOR RESIDENTS IN THE POTTSVILLE SCHOOL DISTRICT. THE NEARLY $37 MILLION DOLLAR SPENDING PLAN KEEPS PROPERTY TAX MILLAGE AT 34.

PITTSBURGH (AP) - IN PITTSBURGH, FIREFIGHTERS AND AMBULANCE WORKERS RESCUED MOTORISTS STRANDED ATOP CARS IN SEVERAL FLOODED NEIGHBORHOODS. WEATHER SERVICE FORECASTER RICH REDMOND SAYS PEOPLE HAVE REPORTED SEEING TORNADOES TOUCH DOWN, BUT THOSE REPORTS ARE UNCONFIRMED. THERE WERE NO IMMEDIATE REPORTS OF INJURIES FROM YESTERDAY'S STORMS.

ERIE, PA. (AP) - SPEAKING IN ERIE, PENNSYLVANIA FORMER PRESIDENT GEORGE W. BUSH SAYS WATCHING HIS FATHER CELEBRATE HIS 85TH BIRTHDAY BY PARACHUTING WAS AN AMAZING EXPERIENCE. HE SPOKE AT A DINNER HELD BY A MANUFACTURERS ASSOCIATION IN NORTHWEST PENNSYLVANIA. HE SAYS THE MANUFACTURING INDUSTRY CAN BE ENERGIZED THROUGH LOW REGULATIONS AND EXPORTING.

HERSHEY, PA. (AP) - THE MILTON HERSHEY SCHOOL IN SOUTH-CENTRAL PENNSYLVANIA REPORTS THAT AT LEAST FIVE STUDENTS HAVE TESTED
POSITIVE FOR SWINE FLU AT THE MILTON HERSHEY ACADEMY IN SOUTH-CENTRAL PENNSYLVANIA. AND TEST RESULTS ARE PENDING ON TWO MORE. CLASSES ENDED A WEEK EARLY AND SUMMER PROGRAMMING IS BEING POSTPONED.

PHILADELPHIA (AP) - A HEARING IS SCHEDULED TODAY FOR A PHILADELPHIA POLICE DETECTIVE ACCUSED OF TIPPING OFF A DRUG KINGPIN ABOUT A PLANNED RAID. A PROSECUTOR SAYS HE'LL TRY TO HAVE 43-YEAR-OLD DETECTIVE RICKIE DURHAM JAILED. DEFENSE LAWYER FORTUNATO PERRI SAYS HIS CLIENT PLANS TO FIGHT THE CHARGES.

HARRISBURG, PA. (AP) - GOV. ED RENDELL'S PROPOSED BUDGET CUTS INCLUDE MONEY FOR COUNTY FAIRS, COMPUTERS IN PUBLIC SCHOOLS AND TREATING THE MENTALLY ILL. RENDELL HAS BEEN WARNING FOR TWO WEEKS THAT SUCH REDUCTIONS WERE NECESSARY AS THE STATE'S REVENUE COLLECTIONS HAVE FALLEN SHORT. HE STILL NEEDS APPROVAL FROM THE LEGISLATURE ON A FINAL BUDGET.

TEHRAN, IRAN (AP) - IRAN IS BRACING FOR ANOTHER DAY OF MASSIVE PROTESTS BY OPPONENTS OF PRESIDENT MAHMOUD AHMADINEJAD. THE COUNTRY'S OPPOSITION LEADER IS TELLING HIS SUPPORTERS TO WEAR BLACK AS A SIGN OF MOURNING OVER LAST WEEK'S ALLEGED ELECTION FRAUD. IT WOULD ALSO SERVE AS A TRIBUTE TO THOSE KILLED DURING EARLIER PROTESTS.

WASHINGTON (AP) - A NEW POLL SUGGESTS THAT HEALTH-CARE COSTS ARE
WEIGHING HEAVILY ON AMERICANS. NEARLY HALF OF THOSE SURVEYED SAY
THEY'RE WORRIED ABOUT PAYING FOR FUTURE CARE. THE UNIVERSITY OF
MICHIGAN FINDS THAT NEARLY ONE IN FOUR PEOPLE ARE AFRAID OF LOSING
COVERAGE IN THE NEXT YEAR.

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) - A CONSULTING FIRM SAYS EMPLOYERS WHO OFFER HEALTH INSURANCE COVERAGE COULD SEE COSTS RISE BY ABOUT 9 PERCENT NEXT YEAR. PRICEWATERHOUSECOOPERS SAYS THAT'S PARTLY BECAUSE WORKERS WORRIED ABOUT LOSING THEIR JOBS ARE USING THEIR HEALTH CARE BENEFITS MORE WHILE THEY STILL HAVE IT.

WASHINGTON (AP) - THE DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS IS ABOUT TO HIT A MILESTONE: 1 MILLION CLAIMS TO PROCESS. THAT HIGH MARK COMES AS THE AGENCY SCRAMBLES TO IMPROVE ITS CUMBERSOME SYSTEM FOR PROCESSING CLAIMS. A HOUSE SUBCOMMITTEE LOOKS INTO THE MATTER LATER TODAY.

WASHINGTON (AP)- A NEW REPORT SAYS THE U.S. ISN'T DOING ENOUGH TO CRACK DOWN ON GUN-SMUGGLING ALONG THE U.S.-MEXICO BORDER. THE PROBLEM MAY BE LACK OF COORDINATION BETWEEN FEDERAL AGENCIES, WHICH LEAVES PENINGS THAT MEXICAN DRUG CARTELS CAN USE. A HOUSE PANEL IS INVESTIGATING THE PROBLEM.