Today's News-Friday, July 10, 2009

WOMAN IDENTIFIED IN FATAL PEDESTRIAN ACCIDENT

POLICE ARE CONTINUING THEIR INVESTIGATION INTO A FATAL PEDESTRIAN CRASH LATE WEDNESDAY NIGHT IN NORTHUMBERLAND COUNTY. WE FIRST TOLD YOU YESTERDAY THAT A WOMAN WAS TRYING TO SLOW TRAFFIC DOWN ON ROUTE 901 IN MT CARMEL TOWNSHIP DUE TO A CAR FIRE WHEN SHE WAS STRUCK AND KILLED. STATE POLICE SAY THAT WOMAN WAS 34 YEAR OLD WANDA WISSINGER OF SHAMOKIN. SHE WAS STRUCK BY A CAR DRIVEN BY 41 YEAR OLD JENNIFER BRADY OF DANVILLE. THE ACCIDENT HAPPENED NEAR THE INTERSECTION OF ROUTE 901 AND 54 NEAR LOCUST GAP.

FIRE DESTROYS VACATION HOME

AN EARLY MORNING FIRE DESTROYED A HOME IN WESTERN SCHUYLKILL COUNTY THURSDAY. FIRE INVESTIGATORS ARE COMBING THROUGH WHATS LEFT OF DAVID AND JUDY MOYER’S SUMMER HOME IN THE VILLAGE OF FOUNTAIN. AN UNKNOWN FIRE GUTTED THE PROPERTY AT 417 PINE DRIVE ACCORDING TO THE CITIZEN STANDARD. THE MOYERS LIVE IN STRASBURG AND WERE REPORTEDLY LAST AT THE HOME TWO WEEKS AGO.

BLOOD DRIVE

THURSDAYS BLOOD DRIVE IN SCHUYLKILL HAVEN WAS A SUCCESS THANKS TO YOU. THE AMERICAN RED CROSS “O WHAT A SUMMER” CAMPAIGN WAS AT THE JERUSALEM LUTHERAN CHURCH, WHERE MORE THAN 100 PEOPLE CAME OUT TO DONATE THE GIFT OF LIFE, EXCEEDING THEIR GOAL. BLOOD SUPPLIES ARE SHORT DURING THE SUMMER MONTHS, BUT THE NEED FOR IT NEVER TAKES A HOLIDAY. SO….ROLL UP YOUR SLEEVES ONE MORE TIME TOMORROW AS THE SUMMER CAMPAIGN WRAPS UP AT FAIRLANE VILLAGE FROM 10AM TO 3PM. MAKE YOUR APPOINTMENT TODAY BY CALLING 1-800-GIVE-LIFE. FROM ALL OF US AT WPPA AND T102, THANK YOU.

PA. DEMS TO ADVANCE GOP BUDGET THEY HAVE ASSAILED

HARRISBURG, PA. (AP) - DEMOCRATS IN THE PENNSYLVANIA HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES ARE PUSHING FOR A BUDGET PASSED BY THE SENATE TWO MONTHS AGO ENTIRELY WITH REPUBLICAN VOTES. HOUSE APPROPRIATIONS CHAIR DWIGHT EVANS SAYS STATE EMPLOYEES AND TAXPAYERS ARE THE ONES WHO ARE SUFFERING:

EVANS

ITS PART OF A COMPLEX STRATEGY TO GET REPUBLICANS TO AGREE TO RESTORE SOME BUDGET CUTS. IF THE BUDGET PASSES THE HOUSE WITH NO AMENDMENTS, GOV. ED RENDELL COULD REJECT IT ENTIRELY, OR THE DEMOCRAT COULD USE HIS LINE-ITEM VETO TO CUT $1.7 BILLION FROM THE GOP PLAN. THAT WOULD MEET THE STATE CONSTITUION'S REQUIREMENT FOR A BALANCED BUDGET. HOUSE REPUBLICAN WHIP MIKE TURZAI SAYS RENDELL’S PROPOSED PERSONAL INCOME TAX INCREASE IS DEAD.

TURZAI

PENNSYLVANIA’S FISCAL YEAR BEGAN JULY 1ST.

CYCLIST HURT IN CRASH

AN ANDREAS MAN WAS HURT THURSDAY WHEN HIS MOTORCYCLE COLLIDED WITH A CAR IN WEST PENN TOWNSHIP. POLICE REPORT THAT 89 YEAR OLD THOMAS FUDGE OF TAMAQUA WAS EASTBOUND ON ROUTE 443 WHEN HE ATTEMPTED TO TURN LEFT. HIS CAR CROSSED INTO THE PATH OF COLTON GIBISERS MOTORCYCLE. GIBISER WAS THROWN FROM THE BIKE. HE WAS FLOWN TO ST LUKES HOSPITAL WHERE HE IS REPORTED TO BE IN FAIR CONDITION TODAY. FUDGE HAD MINOR INJURIES AND WILL BE CITED IN THE CRASH.

BODIES UNEARTHED
PA. JURY TO DELIBERATE SELENSKI FATE FRIDAY
STROUDSBURG, PA. (AP) - JURY DELIBERATIONS ARE SCHEDULED TO BEGIN FRIDAY MORNING IN THE TRIAL OF A MAN ACCUSED OF A HOME INVASION ROBBERY IN NORTHEASTERN PENNSYLVANIA. THIRTY-FIVE-YEAR-OLD HUGO SELENSKI IS BEST KNOWN FOR THE HUMAN REMAINS FOUND BURIED ON HIS PROPERTY IN KINGSTON TOWNSHIP, LUZERNE COUNTY. POLICE HAVE SAID AS MANY OF 12 SETS OF REMAINS WERE FOUND THERE. HE WAS ACQUITTED OF MURDER IN THE DEATHS OF TWO OF THOSE PEOPLE AND IS AWAITING TRIAL IN THE DEATHS OF TWO OTHERS. BUT THE CURRENT TRIAL IS ABOUT THE ROBBERY OF MONROE COUNTY JEWELER SAM GOOSAY AT HIS HOME IN JANUARY 2003. PROSECUTORS ARE TRYING TO USE EVIDENCE FROM THE ROBBERY CASE AGAINST SELENSKI IN THE UPCOMING MURDER CASE. THE DEFENSE IS FIGHTING THE USE OF THAT EVIDENCE.

GRADUATION EXAMS
ED BOARD CHAIRMAN OFFERS PLAN FOR GRADUATION TESTS
HARRISBURG, PA. (AP) - THE CHAIRMAN OF PENNSYLVANIA'S BOARD OF EDUCATION IS TOUTING A PLAN TO PHASE IN NEW HIGH-SCHOOL GRADUATION COMPETENCY TESTS THAT HE SAYS WILL SAVE TIME AND MONEY. JOE TORSELLA SAID THURSDAY THAT THE BOARD DEVELOPED THE PLAN WITH SCHOOL BOARD OFFICIALS, TEACHERS AND LEGISLATORS IN AN EFFORT TO RESOLVE CONCERNS ABOUT THE PROPOSED KEYSTONE EXAMS. THE EXAMS WOULD BE PHASED IN OVER SEVEN YEARS STARTING NEXT YEAR AND WOULD BE TAKEN THROUGHOUT HIGH SCHOOL AS STUDENTS COMPLETE COURSE WORK IN SPECIFIC SUBJECTS. THEY'D REPLACE THE PENNSYLVANIA SYSTEM OF SCHOOL ASSESSMENT TESTS NOW USED TO MEASURE STUDENTS' PROFICIENCY IN THE ELEVENTH GRADE. LOCAL SCHOOL DISTRICTS COULD SUBSTITUTE THEIR OWN TESTS, BUT STATE APPROVAL WOULD BE REQUIRED IN ADVANCE. TORSELLA SAYS THE BOARD IS EXPECTED TO CONSIDER THE PROPOSAL AT A MEETING IN MID-AUGUST.

MOTHER-SON SLAYINGS
DEATH PENALTY SOUGHT FOR PA. DOUBLE MURDER SUSPECT
BRODHEADSVILLE, PA. (AP) - PROSECUTORS IN NORTHEASTERN PENNSYLVANIA ARE SEEKING THE DEATH PENALTY FOR A MAN ACCUSED OF KILLING HIS GIRLFRIEND AND THEIR 2-YEAR-OLD SON. DURING HIS ARRAIGNMENT THURSDAY EVENING IN BRODHEADSVILLE, 23-YEAR-OLD MICHAEL PARRISH REFUSED THE HELP OF A COURT-APPOINTED LAWYER AND SAID HE PLANS TO REPRESENT HIMSELF. POLICE SAY PARRISH KILLED 21-YEAR-OLD VICTORIA ADAMS AND 2-YEAR-OLD SIDNEY PARRISH ON MONDAY NIGHT IN THEIR APARTMENT AT EFFORT IN RURAL MONROE COUNTY. PARRISH AND A COMPANION, 23-YEAR-OLD CONRAD JANKOWSKI, WERE ARRESTED IN SOMERSWORTH, N.H., AROUND MIDNIGHT TUESDAY.

TEXTING WHILE DRIVING
PA. SENATE OKS BILL TO BAN TEXTING WHILE DRIVING
HARRISBURG, PA. (AP) - A BILL IS ON THE MOVE IN THE PENNSYLVANIA LEGISLATURE TO PUNISH PEOPLE CAUGHT SENDING ELECTRONIC TEXT MESSAGES WHILE DRIVING. THE STATE SENATE VOTED 44-3 TO APPROVE THE BILL THURSDAY AND SEND IT TO THE STATE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. UNDER THE BILL, A MOTORIST IN PENNSYLVANIA CAUGHT TEXTING WHILE DRIVING WOULD BE FINED $100. THE VIOLATION WOULD BE A SECONDARY OFFENSE, MEANING THE MOTORIST MUST BE PULLED OVER FOR ANOTHER, MORE SERIOUS VIOLATION IN ORDER TO
BE TICKETED FOR TEXTING WHILE DRIVING. THE SPONSOR, SEN. ROBERT TOMLINSON OF BUCKS COUNTY, SAYS 10 STATES HAVE OUTLAWED EXTING WHILE DRIVING, AND EIGHT OTHER STATES BAR TEXTING BY NOVICE DRIVERS OR MOTORISTS WITH CERTAIN SPECIALIZED CLASSIFICATIONS. HE SAYS TEXTING WHILE DRIVING IS DISTRACTING, DANGEROUS, UNNECESSARY AND POTENTIALLY DEADLY.

SWIM CLUB-BLACKS
CLUB: RACISM ACCUSATIONS AT PA. POOL UNTRUE
HUNTINGDON VALLEY, PA. (AP) - A SUBURBAN PHILADELPHIA SWIM CLUB ACCUSED OF KICKING OUT A GROUP OF MINORITY CHILDREN VISITING FROM THE CITY DENIES ANY RACIAL DISCRIMINATION. THE VALLEY CLUB IN HUNTINGDON VALLEY SAYS ACCUSATIONS OF RACISM TOWARD THE CREATIVE STEPS DAY CAMP ARE UNTRUE. IT SAYS IT WAS OVERCROWDED AND RETURNED FUNDS TO MORE THAN ONE CAMP. CREATIVE STEPS DIRECTOR ALETHEA WRIGHT SAYS THE CAMP PAID FOR
WEEKLY SWIM TIME AT THE GATED CLUB, WHICH IS IN A VILLAGE THAT STRADDLES TWO TOWNSHIPS WITH OVERWHELMINGLY WHITE POPULATIONS. BUT SHE SAYS ON JUNE 29 SOME OF THE CHILDREN SAID THEY HEARD PEOPLE ASKING WHAT "BLACK KIDS" WERE DOING THERE. THE CLUB SAYS ANY COMMENTS THAT MAY OR MAY NOT HAVE BEEN MADE BY MEMBERS AREN'T SHARED BY ITS BOARD. BLACK OLYMPIC GOLD MEDALIST SWIMMER CULLEN JONES SAYS "HEARING ABOUT WHAT'S HAPPENED TO THESE 65 KIDS IS BOTH DISTURBING AND APPALLING."

SENATOR INVESTIGATION-TRIAL
EX-SEN. FUMO LOSES SECOND BID FOR NEW FRAUD TRIAL
PHILADELPHIA (AP) - CONVICTED FORMER PENNSYLVANIA SEN. VINCENT FUMO HAS LOST A SECOND REQUEST FOR A NEW TRIAL IN HIS 137-COUNT FRAUD CASE. THE 66-YEAR-OLD PHILADELPHIA DEMOCRAT FACES SENTENCING NEXT WEEK AND COULD GET MORE THAN 10 YEARS. A JURY IN MARCH FOUND THE WEALTHY BANKING HEIR DEFRAUDED THE SENATE, A NONPROFIT AND A MUSEUM BY USING THEIR ASSETS FOR PERSONAL AND POLITICAL CHORES. PROSECUTORS PUT THE LOSS AT $4 MILLION. FUMO ALLEGES JURY PREJUDICE, SAYING ONE JUROR REFERENCED THE
DELIBERATIONS ON FACEBOOK AND TWITTER AND ANOTHER LEARNED FUMO HAD BEEN ACQUITTED IN AN EARLIER CASE. THE JUDGE'S RULING THURSDAY DISMISSES THOSE ARGUMENTS. THE JUDGE MUST STILL DECIDE IF FUMO PERJURED HIMSELF AT TRIAL AND OTHER MATTERS AFFECTING HIS SENTENCE.

REFORM ADVOCATE-ETHICS
AP: STATE TO APPEAL RULING ON ETHICS PANEL RULE
HARRISBURG, PA. (AP) - PENNSYLVANIA'S ATTORNEY GENERAL IS APPEALING A FEDERAL JUDGE'S ORDER THAT BLOCKED THE STATE ETHICS COMMISSION'S GAG RULE ON PEOPLE WHO FILE COMPLAINTS. STATE LAWYERS FILED NOTICE OF THEIR APPEAL TO THE 3RD U.S. CIRCUIT COURT OF APPEALS ON THURSDAY. THE STATE IS SEEKING TO OVERTURN U.S. DISTRICT JUDGE CHRISTOPHER CONNER'S ORDER GRANTED A PRELIMINARY INJUNCTION SOUGHT BY CITIZEN ACTIVIST GENE STILP OF HARRISBURG. THE JUDGE SAID THE COMMISSION'S BAN ON DISCLOSING INFORMATION ABOUT ANY PENDING COMPLAINTS PROBABLY VIOLATES THE CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHT TO FREE SPEECH. STILP CALLED THE DECISION TO APPEAL AN "IDIOTIC WASTE OF THE TAXPAYERS' MONEY."

GERMANTOWN WHITE HOUSE
PA. HOUSE WHERE WASHINGTON STAYED IN 1790S REOPENS
PHILADELPHIA (AP) - A HOUSE WHERE GEORGE WASHINGTON STAYED TO ESCAPE A YELLOW FEVER EPIDEMIC IN PHILADELPHIA IN 1793 AND TO GET AWAY FROM CITY HEAT IN THE SUMMER OF 1794 IS REOPENING TO THE PUBLIC THIS WEEKEND. THE HOUSE IS IN GERMANTOWN, WHICH IS NOW PART OF PHILADELPHIA BUT WAS A RURAL RETREAT IN WASHINGTON'S TIME. THE HOUSE CLOSED IN FEBRUARY 2008 FOR AN EXTENSIVE RENOVATION AND REOPENS ON SATURDAY. STARTING SATURDAY, THE GERMANTOWN WHITE HOUSE AT 5542 GERMANTOWN
AVE. IS TO BE OPEN FROM NOON TO 4 P.M. EVERY DAY BUT MONDAY AND TUESDAY. ADMISSION IS FREE. A PUBLIC CEREMONY MARKING THE REOPENING IS TO TAKE PLACE FROM 5:30 TO 8 P.M. FRIDAY AT THE NEARBY IMPACTING YOUR WORLD CHRISTIAN CENTER, 5507 GERMANTOWN AVE.