Today's News-Wednesday, June 17, 2009

SENTENCING TODAY
TWO SHENANDOAH TEENAGERS ARE DUE IN COURT TO BE SENTENCED FOR SIMPLE ASSAULT IN THE BEATING DEATH OF AN ILLEGAL MEXICAN IMMIGRANT LAST SUMMER. AN ALL-WHITE JURY ACQUITTED 17-YEAR-OLD BRANDON PIEKARSKY AND 19-YEAR-OLD DERRICK DONCHAK OF MORE SERIOUS CHARGES AT A TRIAL IN THE COUNTY IN APRIL. THE VERDICT IN THE DEATH OF LUIS RAMIREZ ANGERED HISPANIC LEADERS AND CIVIL-RIGHTS GROUPS. PROSECUTORS SAID RAMIREZ WAS THE VICTIM OF A GANG OF DRUNKEN WHITE TEENS WHO DISLIKED THE INFLUX OF HISPANIC IMMIGRANTS IN THEIR TOWN. DEFENSE LAWYERS SAID THE 25-YEAR-OLD RAMIREZ WAS THE AGGRESSOR. PIEKARSKY AND DONCHAK ARE SLATED TO BE SENTENCED TODAY IN COURTROOM NUMBER 4 BY SCHUYLKILL COUNTY PRESIDENT JUDGE WILLIAM BALDWIN.

COPTER CRASH
FEDERAL AVIATION AUTHORITIES HAVE RELEASED THEIR FINDINGS IN THE CRASH OF A HELICOPTER AT A COUNTY GOLF COURSE LAST SUMMER. THE REPUBLICAN HERALD REPORTS THAT PILOT ERROR PROBABLY CAUSED THE CRASH OF THE CHOPPER AS IT DROPPED GOLF BALLS OVER MOUNTAIN VALLEY GOLF COURSE AS PART OF A FUNDRAISING EVENT. THE NATIONAL TRANSPORTATION SAFETY BOARD, IN ITS REPORT, SAYS THAT PILOT AL ROMAN DID NOT HAVE A CURRENT MEDICAL CERTIFICATE AND FLIGHT REVIEW, AND THE HELICOPTER HAD NOT BEEN INSPECTED WITHIN THE PREVIOUS YEAR….PLUS, REGULATORS BELIEVE THAT ROMAN LOST CONTROL WHILE FLYING AT A SLOW SPEED OVER THE COURSE IN AUGUST, 2008. ROMAN AND A PASSENGER, JOSEPH MATTEO, WERE INJURED IN THE CRASH.

NO RAID
AS THE CLOCK TICKS CLOSER TO DEMOLITION OF BUILDINGS HERE IN POTTSVILLE TO MAKE WAY FOR THE INTERMODAL TRADE AND TRANSIT CENTER, MORE GROUPS ARE USING THE ABANDONED STRUCTURES FOR TRAINING PURPOSES. TUESDAY MORNING, GUARDS FROM SCI/MAHANOY WERE FULLY DECKED OUT IN RIOT GEAR AS THEY STORMED THE BUILDING, AS HAS BEEN THE CASE WITH AREA IREFIGHTING CREWS BEFORE. A REPRESENTATIVE FROM THE PRISON, WHO DECLINED TO BE IDENTIFIED, TOLD WPPA/T102 NEWS THAT THESE EXERCISES PROVIDE A VALUABLE RESOURCE FOR OFFICERS TO TRAIN FOR SITUATIONS THEY HOPE NEVER HAPPEN. BIDS FOR THE $20 MILLION DOLLAR PROJECT EXPECT TO BE AWARDED SOON.

DUMP THE PUMP
GAS PRICES GOT YOU DOWN? DUMP THE PUMP TOMORROW AND TAKE PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION INSTEAD OF DRIVING, JOINING THOUSANDS OF AMERICANS TO SAVE GAS AND HELP THE ECONOMY. SCHUYLKILL TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM IS PARTICIPATING IN THE FOURTH ANNUAL OBSERVANCE OF DUMP THE PUMP WITH OTHER MEMBERS OF THE AMERICAN PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION ASSOCIATION. JOAN BRESLIN OF STS TELLS US WHAT YOU’LL GET FOR JUST A BUCK THURSDAY…

BRESLIN

ACCORDING TO THE APTA, PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION SAVES 900-THOUSAND AUTOMOBILE FILLUPS EACH DAY…THAT EQUATES TO 4 POINT 2 BILLION GALLONS OF GAS PER YEAR.

PHILADELPHIA (AP) - THE STATE-CREATED AGENCY THAT OVERSEES PHILADELPHIA'S FINANCES IS GIVING CITY OFFICIALS UNTIL MONDAY TO SUBMIT A 2010 BUDGET AND FIVE-YEAR SPENDING PLAN. MAYOR MICHAEL NUTTER'S ADMINISTRATION IS AWAITING STATE LAWMAKERS' APPROVAL ON TWO KEY FUNDING PROPOSALS, INCLUDING A PLAN TO RAISE PHILADELPHIA'S SALES TAX, BUT THERE IS NO GUARANTEE THAT APPROVAL IS LIKELY, OR THAT IT WOULD HAPPEN IN TIME.

PITTSBURGH (AP) - THE POSH NEMACOLIN WOODLANDS RESORT IN WESTERN
PENNSYLVANIA RESORT THAT HAS HOSTED FORMER PRESIDENTS BILL CLINTON
AND GEORGE W. BUSH WILL ACCOMMODATE AT LEAST SOME OF THE 19 WORLD
LEADERS WHO WILL ATTEND THE G-20 ECONOMIC SUMMIT. PRESIDENT BARACK
OBAMA CHOSE PITTSBURGH AS THE SITE FOR THE G-20'S NEXT SUMMIT ON
SEPT. 24-25. ALL 335 ROOMS ARE LISTED AS SOLD OUT.

HARRISBURG, PA. (AP) - A MISSING CENTRAL PENNSYLVANIA WOMAN HAS BEEN FOUND ALIVE IN THE TRUNK OF HER CAR IN HARRISBURG. POLICE HAD BEEN LOOKING FOR 57-YEAR-OLD MARY WILKERSON SINCE RECEIVING A TELEPHONE CALL MONDAY FROM A RELATIVE. SUSQUEHANNA TOWNSHIP POLICE SEARCHED THE WOMAN'S HOUSE THAT DAY BUT SAY SHE WAS FOUND IN THE CAR TRUNK AROUND 7:30 P.M. TUESDAY IN THE 1900 BLOCK OF YORK STREET.

HARRISBURG, PA. (AP) - A BILL THAT DRAWS TOGETHER VARIOUS STATE LAWS RELATED TO CONSTABLES IS ON ITS WAY TO THE HOUSE FLOOR FOLLOWING UNANIMOUS PASSAGE BY THE JUDICIARY COMMITTEE. JUDICIARY CHAIRMAN TOM CALTAGIRONE ON TUESDAY CALLED THE MEASURE A FIRST STEP AND SAID HE WILL INTRODUCE A FOLLOW-UP BILL LATER IN THE CURRENT SESSION TO IMPROVE CONSTABLE OPERATIONS, THEIR TRAINING AND QUALIFICATIONS.

TEHRAN, IRAN (AP) - IRANIAN OPPOSITION LEADER MIR HOSSEIN MOUSAVI IS RENEWING HIS CHALLENGE TO THE RESULTS OF THE COUNTRY'S ELECTION. HE'S CALLING FOR A MASS, PEACEFUL RALLY TOMORROW TO PROTEST HIS DISPUTED ELECTION LOSS TO PRESIDENT MAHMOUD AHMADINEJAD AND THE VIOLENCE DIRECTED AT HIS FOLLOWERS.

MOSCOW (AP) - THE LEADERS OF RUSSIA AND CHINA HAVE ISSUED A JOINT STATEMENT VOICING "SERIOUS CONCERN" ABOUT BUILDING TENSIONS
ON THE KOREAN PENINSULA. THEY URGE NORTH KOREA TO RETURN TO THE
SIX-NATION TALKS ON ITS NUCLEAR PROGRAM, BUT THE STATEMENT DID NOT
INCLUDE ANY NEW INITIATIVES.

WASHINGTON (AP) - THERE'S FRESH EVIDENCE THAT THE RECESSION IS
KEEPING INFLATION IN CHECK. CONSUMER PRICES ROSE LESS THAN EXPECTED
IN MAY. THE GOVERNMENT SAYS PRICES INCREASED BY A SEASONALLY-ADJUSTED 0.1 PERCENT. THAT'S BELOW ANALYSTS' EXPECTATIONS OF A 0.3 PERCENT RISE.

WASHINGTON (AP) - THE LINES ARE BEING DRAWN OVER PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA'S MIDDAY ANNOUNCEMENT DETAILING HIS ADMINISTRATION 'S OVERHAUL OF THE WAY FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS ARE REGULATED. THE CHAIRMAN OF THE WHITE HOUSE COUNCIL OF ECONOMIC ADVISERS SAYS IT STRIKES "THE APPROPRIATE BALANCE." BUT HOUSE REPUBLICAN LEADER JOHN BOEHNER WORRIES THAT IT PUTS "TOO BIG OF A FOOT" ON A TROUBLED INDUSTRY.

WASHINGTON (AP) - PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA PLANS AN ANNOUNCEMENT TODAY THAT MAY HELP QUIET COMPLAINTS FROM HIS GAY AND LESBIAN SUPPORTERS. THE PRESIDENT WILL EXTEND BENEFITS TO SAME-SEX PARTNERS OF FEDERAL EMPLOYEES. OBAMA HAS BEEN CRITICIZED FOR SOME RECENT MOVES, INCLUDING A JUSTICE DEPARTMENT BRIEF IN SUPPORT OF THE DEFENSE OF MARRIAGE ACT.