Today's News-Tuesday, June 23, 2009

DAMS GET MONEY

STATE FUNDING ANNOUNCED MONDAY WILL GO A LONG WAY TO MAKING MUCH NEEDED IMPROVEMENTS AT AREA DAMS. LAST WEEK, A $5 MILLION DOLLAR GRANT WAS ANNOUNCED TO UPGRADE THE OWL CREEK DAMS IN THE TAMAQUA AREA. ANOTHER $11 MILLION DOLLARS WAS DOLED OUT YESTERDAY TO IMPROVE 3 DAMS, CONSIDERED HIGH HAZARDS, OWNED BY SCHUYLKILL COUNTY MUNICIPAL AUTHORITY. THE KAUFFMAN RESERVOIR AND MOUNT LAUREL DAM IN NEW CASTLE TOWNSHIP AND INDIAN RUN DAM IN BRANCH TOWNSHIP WORK WILL CREATE JOBS, AND THE FUNDING HELP WILL REDUCE THE NEED TO RAISE CONSUMER WATER RATES. SCHUYLKILL COUNTY MUNICIPAL AUTHORITY GENERAL MANAGER DAVE HOLLEY SAYS THE DAMS AREN'T IN DANGER OF COLLAPSE, BUT THE TIME HAS COME TO FIX THEM:

HOLLEY 1

ACCORDING TO REPORTS, THE $17 MILLION DOLLAR GRANT PACKAGE FROM THE H2O HIGH HAZARD DAM PROGRAM IS THE LARGEST TO COME TO SCHUYLKILL COUNTY.

TOVAR SUES

A HISPANIC MAN WHO WAS A DEFENSE WITNESS IN THE SHENANDOAH BEATING TRIAL IS SUING A HOST OF PEOPLE, INCLUDING THE DEFENDANTS. REPORTS IN THE REPUBLICAN HERALD SAY THAT DIEGO TOVAR, WHO IS INCARCERATED AT SCHUYLKILL COUNTY PRISON, FILED THE FEDERAL SUIT AGAINST BRANDON PIEKARSKY, ATTORNEYS IN THE CASE, COUNTY OFFICIALS, INCLUDING JUDGE BALDWIN AND DA JIM GOODMAN. TOVAR ALLEGES THAT HIS CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHTS WERE VIOLATED PRIOR TO AND DURING THE TRIAL OF PIEKARSKY AND DERRICK DONCHAK. AMONG HIS CONTENTIONS, TOVAR SAID HE WAS FORCED TO ANSWER QUESTIONS ABOUT THE EVENTS SURROUNDING LUIS RAMIREZ' DEATH LAST JULY, EVEN THOUGH HE DIDN'T WANT TO. TOVAR ALSO ALLEGES THAT HE WAS FORCED TO PLEAD GUILTY IN HIS OWN CASE. TOVAR IS SEEKING $1 MILLION DOLLARS IN DAMAGES.

GIRLS RESCUED

TWO SCARED YOUNG LADIES WERE RESCUED FROM THE SIDE OF A BANK MONDAY NIGHT NEAR MAHANOY CITY. REPORTS INDICATE THAT THE 10 YEAR OLDS CLIMED A SLATE BANK NEAR THE MAHANOY AREA SCHOOL DISTRICT BUT WERE TOO SCARED TO CLIMB BACK DOWN. EMEGENCY CREWS MADE QUICK WORK TO GET THEM BACK TO SAFETY. NO ONE WAS INJURED.

ONE INJURED IN WRECK

A MINERSVILLE WOMAN WAS INJURED IN A CRASH MONDAY AFTERNOON. THE ACCIDENT HAPPENED ON ROUTE 901 NEAR KINGS VILLAGE MALL, AS 78 YEAR OLD LEROY RENNINGER ATTEMPTED TO MAKE A LEFT TURN INTO THE SHOPPING CENTER, FAILING TO SEE JESSICA STEVENOSKY'S VEHICLE. THE TWO COLLIDED. STEVENOSKY WAS TAKEN TO SCHUYLKILL MEDICAL CENTER SOUTH FOR TREATMENT OF MODERATE INJURIES.

TOOLS TAKEN

DAMAGES AND THEFT TO A NORTH MANHEIM TOWNSHIP BUSINESS ARE BEING INVESTIGATED. SCHUYLKILL HAVEN STATE POLICE INDICATE THAT SOMEONE DAMAGED THE RICHARD GRICKIS MOBILE HOME BUSINESS ON ROUTE 61 AND TOOK OVER $700 DOLLARS WORTH OF TOOLS.

COMMITTEE ASSIGNMENTS OUTLINED

AS REPRESENTATIVE JERRY KNOWLES SETTLES INTO HIS ROLE IN THE STATE HOUSE, HIS COMMITTEE ASSIGNMENTS HAVE BEEN ANNOUNCED. KNOWLES, WHO WON THE SPECIAL ELECTION IN THE 124TH DISTRICT IN MAY, WILL SERVE ON THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT, INTERGOVERNMENTAL AFFAIRS AND CHILDREN AND YOUTH COMMITTEES. KNOWLES REPLACED DAVE ARGALL, WHO WON THE 29TH SENATE SEAT IN MARCH.

PHILADELPHIA (AP) - OPENING STATEMENTS ARE SCHEDULED LATER TODAY IN THE ATTEMPTED MURDER TRIAL OF THREE MEN BEATEN BY PHILADELPHIA POLICE AFTER A CAR CHASE. LAWYERS FOR THE THREE SHOOTING SUSPECTS HAVE SUGGESTED THAT POLICE ARRESTED THE WRONG MEN. THE BEATING WAS
CAPTURED ON VIDEO FROM A TV NEWS HELICOPTER RESULTING IN THE FIRING
OF FOUR OFFICERS.

MEDIA, PA. (AP) - A JURY IN SUBURBAN PHILADELPHIA HAS CONVICTED A MAN OF KILLING A CABDRIVER. JURORS ARE TO RECONVENE WEDNESDAY TO HEAR EVIDENCE ABOUT WHETHER HE DESERVES THE DEATH PENALTY. THE DELAWARE COUNTY JURY CONVICTED RAMIR STEVE OF FIRST-DEGREE MURDER ON MONDAY AFTER DELIBERATING FOR MORE THAN 18 HOURS

BERNVILLE, PA. (AP) - A TRAFFIC CRASH IN SOUTHEASTERN PENNSYLVANIA HAS RESULTED IN THE DEATH OF TWO PEOPLE. STATE POLICE SAY IT HAPPENED MONDAY AFTERNOON ON NEW SCHAEFFERSTOWN ROAD IN JEFFERSON TOWNSHIP, BERKS COUNTY.THE CRASH KILLED 86-YEAR-OLD HERBERT BARE OF RICHLAND, PA., AND ANOTHER DRIVER WHOSE NAME WASN'T RELEASED.

WIND GAP, PA. (AP) - IN PENNSYLVANIA'S LEHIGH VALLEY, POLICE SAY AN ELECTED OFFICIAL PASSED OUT DRUNK AT A PUBLIC MEETING. COPS SAY THAT PLAINFIELD TOWNSHIP SUPERVISORS CHAIRMAN TIM FRANKENFIELD HAD A BLOOD-ALCOHOL CONTENT MORE THAN TWICE THE LEGAL LIMIT FOR DRIVING. FRANKENFIELD DECLINED TO COMMENT ABOUT THE INCIDENT.

HARRISBURG, PA. (AP) - GOV. ED RENDELL IS APPEALING TO HIS FELLOW DEMOCRATS IN HARRISBURG FOR THE NEED FOR A TAX INCREASE . HE MET PRIVATELY YESTERDAY WITH HOUSE AND SENATE DEMOCRATS AS HE WORKED THE CAPITOL HALLS TO LINE UP VOTES BEHIND A 16 PERCENT INCREASE IN THE STATE PERSONAL INCOME TAX.

WASHINGTON (AP) - CREWS ARE STILL PICKING THROUGH THE WRECKAGE OF TWO METRORAIL TRAINS THAT CRASHED IN THE NATION'S CAPITAL YESTERDAY KILLING AT LEAST NINE PEOPLE AND INJURING SCORES OF OTHERS. INVESTIGATORS ARE TRYING TO DETERMINE WHY ONE TRAIN PLOWED INTO THE REAR OF ANOTHER.

TEHRAN, IRAN (AP) - OPPOSITION SUPPORTERS ALLEGE SYSTEMATIC FRAUD IN IRAN'S PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION BUT THEY AREN'T GETTING ANY HELP FROM THE COUNTRY'S TOP ELECTORAL BODY. IRAN'S STATE TV IS REPORTING THE GUARDIAN COUNCIL HAS FOUND "NO MAJOR FRAUD" IN THE DISPUTED JUNE 12 VOTE AND HAS RULED OUT ANNULLING THE RESULTS.

PARIS (AP) - A FRENCH NEWSPAPER IS REPORTING THAT FRENCH MILITARY SHIPS HAVE DETECTED A SIGNAL FROM THE BLACK BOXES OF AIR FRANCE FLIGHT 447 DEEP IN THE ATLANTIC. THE REPORT IN LE MONDE SAYS A MINI RESEARCH SUBMARINE HAS DIVED IN SEARCH OF THE FLIGHT RECORDERS AFTER SHIPS PICKED UP A "VERY WEAK SIGNAL.

HONG KONG (AP) - IT'S A DOWN DAY FOR ASIAN STOCK MARKETS. BENCHMARKS IN TOKYO, HONG KONG AND ELSEWHERE SANK AROUND 3 PERCENT IN A BROAD-BASED ROUT AFTER THE WORLD BANK WARNED OF A SHARPER CONTRACTION IN THE WORLD ECONOMY. CRUDE OIL PRICES AND THE DOLLAR ALSO DECLINED.

NEW YORK (AP) - CELEBRITY PARENTS JON AND KATE GOSSELIN SAY THEY PLAN TO DIVORCE. THE CO-STARS OF "JON & KATE PLUS 8" SPOKE OF THEIR DECISION TO SEPARATE DURING MONDAY'S EPISODE OF THE TLC REALITY SERIES. THE COUPLE'S INCREASINGLY TROUBLED MARRIAGE HAS DOMINATED THE SERIES IN RECENT WEEKS.