Today's News-Monday July 20 2009

FIVE INJURED IN SUNDAY CRASH

A SECTION OF ROUTE 61 WAS CLOSED FOR A TIME SUNDAY FOLLOWING A TWO VEHICLE CRASH. STATE POLICE REPORT THAT MARK BAUMGARD OF BOYERTOWN WAS TRAVELING NORTH ON THE HIGHWAY NEAR DEER LAKE BEVERAGE AND ROBERT HENNE OF HAMBURG WAS HEADED SOUTH WHEN BAUMGARD’S CAR CROSSED THE CENTER LANE AND HIT HENNE’S CAR HEAD ON. BAUMGARD WAS TAKEN TO SCHUYLKILL MEDICAL CENTER SOUTH FOR TREATMENT. HENNE AND TWO PASSENGERS IN HIS CAR WERE FLOWN TO READING HOSPITAL. A THIRD PASSENGER IN THAT CAR WAS ALSO TAKEN TO READING HOSPITAL. ANYONE WHO WITNESSED THE SUNDAY AFTERNOON CRASH IS ASKED TO CALL SCHUYLKILL HAVEN STATE POLICE.

NEW JERSEY WOMAN ESCAPES INJURY IN MOTORCYCLE CRASH

A NEW JERSEY WOMAN RECEIVED MINOR INJURY WHEN SHE LOST CONTROL OF HER MOTORCYCLE IN HEGINS TOWNSHIP SUNDAY AFTERNOON. 56 YEAR OLD MICHELLE SCHMIDT OF TRENTON, NEW JERSEY WAS NORTHBOUND ON GOODSPRING ROAD, ROUTE 125 WHEN SHE LOST CONTROL OF THE CYCLE AND IT SLID ACROSS THE ROADWAY. FORTUNATELY SCHMIDT WAS ABLE TO DRIVE AWAY FROM THE SCENE.

CRASH INVESTIGATED

FRACKVILLE STATE POLICE ARE INVESTIGATING A CRASH THAT OCCURRED EARLY SATURDAY IN DELANO TOWNSHIP. THE FORD TAURUS WAS TRAVELING NORTH ON INTERSTATE 81 AND WENT OFF THE SIDE OF THE ROAD, HIT A ROCK EMBANKMENT CAUSING THE CAR TO FLIP. TROOPERS SAY THE CAR SLID FOR ABOUT 135 FEET ON ITS ROOF. THE UNIDENTIFIED DRIVER FLED THE SCENE BEFORE POLICE ARRIVED. ANYONE WITH INFORMATION IS ASKED TO CONTACT FRACKVILLE STATE POLICE AT 874-5300.

PIEKARSKY, DONCHAK REPORT TO JAIL

TWO SHENANDOAH TEENS FOUND GUILTY OF CHARGES RELATED TO THE BEATING OF AN ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT A YEAR AGO HAVE REPORTED TO PRISON. ONE YEAR AND ONE WEEK AFTER THE BEATING OF LUIS RAMIREZ NEAR A SHENANDOAH PLAYGROUND, DERRICK DONCHAK AND BRANDON PIEKARSKY REPORTED TO SCHUYLKILL COUNTY PRISON TO BEGIN SERVING UP TO 23 MONTHS FOR SIMPLE ASSAULT AND ALCOHOL RELATED CHARGES.

MIN WAGE TO GO UP

MINIMUM WAGE EARNERS, YOU ARE GETTING A RAISE LATER THIS WEEK. THE FEDERALLY MANDATED MINIMUM WAGE GOES TO $7.25 ON FRIDAY. DEPARTMENT OF LABOR AND INDUSTRY SPOKESMAN CHRISTOPHER MANLOVE EXPLAINS THAT IT DOESN’T APPLY TO EVERYONE THOUGH…

MANLOVE

STATE BUDGET-SENATE GOP
6 YEARS LATER, SENATE GOP TESTED AGAIN BY RENDELL
HARRISBURG, PA. (AP) - SIX YEARS AGO, 14 REPUBLICAN STATE SENATORS VOTED WITH DEMOCRATS TO PAVE THE WAY FOR AN INCREASE IN PENNSYLVANIA'S PERSONAL INCOME TAX. NOW, GOP SENATORS ARE AGAIN UNDER INTENSE PRESSURE FROM DEMOCRATIC GOV. ED RENDELL TO RAISE THE TAX. BUT THEY SAY TOO MUCH HAS CHANGED FOR THEM TO SPLIT AGAIN ON A CORE REPUBLICAN PRINCIPLE. THE 2003 VOTE STILL STIRS REGRET AMONG SOME MEMBERS OF THE CAUCUS, EVEN AS THEY FACE ANOTHER HIGH-STAKES TEST OF THEIR COLLECTIVE WILL. RENDELL SAYS HE WILL FIGHT FOR AS LONG AS IT TAKES TO GET THE LEGISLATURE TO APPROVE THE MONEY HE WANTS FOR PUBLIC SCHOOLS AND HIS OTHER PRIORITIES. BUT THE GOP HAS A 30-20 MARGIN IN THE SENATE - THE ONLY STATE LEGISLATIVE CHAMBER IN THE NORTHEAST IN GOP HANDS. SO FAR, THE BUDGET STANDOFF HAS DRAGGED NEARLY THREE WEEKS PAST THE JULY 1 DUE DATE. THE STALEMATE IS A PRODUCT OF THE STATE'S MULTIBILLION-DOLLAR, RECESSION-DRIVEN DEFICIT AND ENTRENCHED PARTISAN POSITIONS ON HOW TO DEAL WITH IT.

STATE HOUSE PRAYERS
PROTESTS FOLLOW PA. HOUSE POLICY ON OPENING PRAYER
PITTSBURGH (AP) - STATE HOUSE OFFICIALS SAY THEY HAVE BEEN INUNDATED WITH PROTESTS ABOUT A POLICY THAT BARRED A CLERGYMAN FROM USING THE WORD "JESUS" IN A PRAYER THAT WAS TO OPEN ONE OF THE LAWMAKERS' DAILY SESSIONS. THE REV. GERRY STOLTZFOOS, OF GETTYSBURG, HAD PLANNED TO END HIS PRAYER THREE WEEKS AGO WITH "IN JESUS' NAME, AMEN." HE WAS ASKED TO SUBMIT THE PLANNED PRAYER IN WRITING AND IT WAS REJECTED. SO, HE DECIDED NOT TO SAY THE PRAYER AT ALL RATHER THAN OMIT JESUS' NAME. THE INCIDENT HAS SPARKED A CONTROVERSY INCLUDING AN ONLINE PETITION AND DENUNCIATIONS OF HOUSE SPEAKER KEITH MCCALL. HOUSE OFFICIALS NO LONGER ASK TO SEE PRAYERS IN ADVANCE, BUT THEY ASK CLERGY MEMBERS TO USE "AN INTERFAITH, NON-DENOMINATIONAL PRAYER" AND TO OMIT THE NAMES OF SPECIFIC RELIGIOUS FIGURES. STATE SENATORS SAY THEY ALLOW SUCH NAMES BUT HAVE OPENED PRAYERS TO SPEAKER FROM VARIOUS FAITHS.

PITTSBURGH HOME INVASION
EX-PITTSBURGH OFFICIAL STABBED IN HOME INVASION
PITTSBURGH (AP) - POLICE IN WESTERN PENNSYLVANIA ARE SEARCHING FOR A SUSPECT IN THE ABDUCTION AND STABBING OF A FORMER DIRECTOR OF THE PITTSBURGH HOUSING AUTHORITY. POLICE SAY TWO MEN BROKE INTO THE HOME OF 59-YEAR-OLD STANLEY LOWE EARLY SATURDAY, STABBED HIM, TIED HIM UP AND LATER DROVE HIM TO AN ATM MACHINE AND FORCED HIM TO WITHDRAW $200. THEY THEN STABBED HIM SEVERAL MORE TIMES AND FLED IN HIS SUV. POLICE SAY A WARRANT HAS BEEN ISSUED FOR A 32-YEAR-OLD MCKEES ROCKS MAN WHOM LOWE SAID HE HAD KNOWN FOR ABOUT SIX MONTHS THROUGH A WORK PROGRAM. LOWE WAS TAKEN TO UPMC MERCY HOSPITAL. HIS FAMILY SAID IN A STATEMENT THAT HIS WOUNDS WERE NOT LIFE-THREATENING.

STIMULUS-BROADBAND
OFFICIAL: STIMULUS MONEY COULD SPUR PA. BROADBAND
PHILADELPHIA (AP) - MONEY FROM THE FEDERAL STIMULUS PACKAGE COULD HELP PENNSYLVANIA EXTEND BROADBAND INTERNET ACCESS TO RURAL NORTHERN AREAS OF THE COMMONWEALTH. THE $787 BILLION STIMULUS PACKAGE CONGRESS APPROVED IN FEBRUARY INCLUDES $7.2 BILLION TO EXTEND BROADBAND ACCESS, PRIMARILY TO ISOLATED AREAS NOT SERVED BY PRIVATE PROVIDERS. AN ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL SAYS THE STATE PLANS TO APPLY FOR $25 MILLION TO $35 MILLION DURING THE FIRST ROUND OF STIMULUS GRANTS LATER THIS YEAR TO EXTEND BROADBAND ACCESS, MAINLY FOR A DOZEN OR SO COUNTIES ABOVE THE I-80 CORRIDOR. NAOMI WYATT, GOV. ED RENDELL'S SECRETARY OF AMINISTRATION, SAYS PENNSYLVANIA WILL ALSO SEEK STIMULUS MONEY TO INCREASE INTERNET USAGE IN POOR URBAN AREAS, WHICH COULD INCLUDE MORE SERVICES AT LIBRARIES.

READING TEEN SHOT
2ND READING, PA. TEEN FOUND SHOT DEAD IN ALLEY
READING, PA. (AP) - POLICE SAY A SECOND TEENAGER HAS BEEN FOUND SHOT TO DEATH IN THE SAME ALLEY IN AN EASTERN PENNSYLVANIA TOWN WHERE THE BODY OF ANOTHER TEEN WAS FOUND A DAY EARLIER. AND POLICE IN READING SAY THEY BELIEVE THE TWO DEATHS ARE CONNECTED. AUTHORITIES SAY THE BODY OF 17-YEAR-OLD DONALD ELMORE JR. WAS FOUND AT ABOUT 2 A.M. SUNDAY AFTER POLICE WERE TIPPED OFF BY AN ANONYMOUS CALL. POLICE CAPT. FRANCIS DREXLER SAYS ELMORE'S BODY WAS FOUND AT A MEMORIAL FOR 17-YEAR-OLD ANTHONY LIAS, WHO WAS FOUND SHOT TO DEATH IN THE SAME NORTH 10TH STREET ALLEY EARLY SATURDAY. ELMORE HAD BEEN SHOT, AND AN AUTOPSY SUNDAY CONCLUDED THAT LIAS DIED OF A SINGLE GUNSHOT TO THE BACK OF THE NECK. DREXLER DESCRIBES THE TWO READING HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS AS CLOSE ACQUAINTANCES. POLICE ARE LOOKING FOR WITNESSES TO BOTH SHOOTINGS.
BODY IN HOME WESTERN PA. MAN CHARGED WITH MURDER

BOSWELL, PA. (AP) - AUTHORITIES IN WESTERN PENNSYLVANIA HAVE CHARGED A MAN WITH KILLING ANOTHER MAN AND HIDING HIS BODY IN THE HOUSE THE TWO WERE WORKING ON. STATE POLICE AT SOMERSET SAY 34-YEAR-OLD SHAWN EARNEST SHAULIS, OF FRIEDENS, ASSAULTED AND KILLED 60-YEAR-OLD THOMAS WILLIAMS, OF GREENSBURG, ON THURSDAY. POLICE SAY WILLIAMS WAS REPORTED MISSING THE NEXT DAY, AND POLICE FOUND HIS BODY HIDDEN IN THE JENNER TOWNSHIP HOME HE OWNED. SHAULIS WAS SPOTTED BY A TROOPER ON SATURDAY AFTERNOON IN SOMERSET TOWNSHIP, AND POLICE SAID THE SUSPECT SPED OFF BUT LATER ABANDONED THE VEHICLE AND WAS CAPTURED AFTER A CHASE ON
FOOT. HE WAS CHARGED WITH CRIMINAL HOMICIDE, ARRAIGNED BEFORE A DISTRICT JUDGE AND TAKEN TO SOMERSET COUNTY JAIL.

CAPE CANAVERAL, FLA. (AP) - THE SECOND OF FIVE SPACEWALKS IS THE FEATURE ATTRACTION ABOARD THE INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION TODAY. BUT A FLOODED TOILET WILL BE GETTING PLENTY OF ATTENTION TOO AS REPAIR WORK CONTINUES ON THE 40TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE FIRST MOON LANDING.

WASHINGTON (AP) - PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA WELCOMES THE FIRST MEN ON THE MOON TO THE WHITE HOUSE TODAY, THE 40TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE APOLLO 11 MISSION. THE APOLLO MEMBERS PLAN TO PITCH THE PRESIDENT ON BACKING A HUMAN MISSION TO MARS.

SACRAMENTO, CALIF. (AP) - TOP CALIFORNIA LAWMAKERS AND GOV. ARNOLD SCHWARZENEGGER ARE HOPING TODAY'S THE DAY THEY CAN HAMMER OUT THE FINAL DETAILS ON A DEAL TO CLOSE THE STATE'S $26.3 BILLION BUDGET DEFICIT. TODAY'S NEGOTIATIONS COME AS THE STATE PAYS ITS BILLS WITH IOUS FOR THE FIRST TIME IN NEARLY 20 YEARS.

TEHRAN, IRAN (AP) - A POPULAR FORMER IRANIAN PRESIDENT IS PROPOSING A REFERENDUM TO END THE COUNTRY'S POST-ELECTION CRISIS. MOHAMMAD KHATAMI (HAH'-TAH-MEE) WANTS IRANIANS TO VOTE ON THE LEGITIMACY OF THE GOVERNMENT. KHATAMI SAYS IRANIANS HAVE LOST THEIR FAITH IN THE SYSTEM FOLLOWING THE JUNE 12 ELECTION. THE OPPOSITION CHARGES THAT PRESIDENT MAHMOUD AHMADINEJAD WON THROUGH MASS FRAUD.

NEW YORK (AP) - THE DOW JONES INDUSTRIAL AVERAGE IS COMING OFF ITS BEST WEEK SINCE MARCH AFTER HOPEFUL REPORTS FROM SOME BIG COMPANIES. CORPORATE HEAVYWEIGHTS REPORTING THIS WEEK SHOULD SHARPEN INVESTORS' VIEWS OF THE ECONOMY. FEDERAL RESERVE CHAIRMAN BEN BERNANKE MAKES HIS SEMIANNUAL REPORT TO CONGRESS TUESDAY AND WEDNESDAY.