Today's News-Thursday July 9 2009

BERNVILLE MAN KILLED

STATE POLICE AT SCHUYLKILL HAVEN HAVE JUST RELEASED DETAILS OF A FATAL CRASH ON ROUTE 183 THAT HAPPENED SUNDAY AFTERNOON. TONY BYLINA OF LAWRENCEVILLE, NEW JERSEY PULLED OUT ONTO ROUTE 183, FORCING TWO MOTORCYCLISTS, BARRY AND SUSAN STURGES OF BERNVILLE TO TAKE EVASIVE ACTION TO AVOID COLLISION. BOTH LOST CONTROL OF THEIR CYCLES. SUSAN STURGES RECEIVED MINOR INJURIES BUT HER HUSBAND WAS THROWN FROM THE MOTORCYCLE. HE DIED MONDAY AT READING HOSPITAL FROM HIS INJURIES. THE INVESTIGATION IS ONGOING. WITNESSES ARE ASKED TO CALL SCHUYLKILL HAVEN STATE POLICE AT 593-2000 WITH INFORMATION.

HEARING ON CAB SERVICE HELD

A LENGTHY HEARING WAS HELD WEDNESDAY IN POTTSVILLE TO CONSIDER A REQUEST TO EXPAND CAB SERVICE IN SCHUYLKILL AND CARBON COUNTIES. CLAUDE AND LINDA DAVIS, POTTSVILLE NATIVES, WANT TO START CHARLIE’S CAB SERVICE ON A 24 HOUR BASIS. PUC ADMINISTRATIVE LAW JUDGE EMBER JANDEBEUR PRESIDED OVER THE HEARING TO CONSIDER DAVIS’S APPLICATION TO START THE SERVICE. ACCORDING TO THE REPUBLICAN HERALD SOME QUESTIONS WERE RAISED BY THE JUDGE ABOUT DAVIS’S PAST CONVICTIONS FOR BAD CHECKS, AGGRAVATED BATTERY AND JURY TAMPERING. THE ADEQUACY OF DAVIS’S FINANCING PLAN WAS ALSO CALLED INTO QUESTION. CURRENTLY, BLACK DIAMOND CAB OFFERS CAB SERVICE IN NORTHERN SCHUYLKILL COUNTY AND OPPOSED DAVIS’S REQUEST TO OPEN A SECOND CAB SERVICE IN SCHUYLKILL. JUDGE JANDEBEUR WILL RULE ON THE REQUEST IN THE NEXT SEVERAL MONTHS.

STIMULUS MONIES TO FIX ROAD

MORE FEDERAL STIMULUS MONIES ARE TRICKLING INTO OUR AREA, THIS TIME TO FIX A MAIN ARTERY IN NORTHERN SCHUYLKILL. PENNDOT ANNOUNCED WEDNESDAY THAT MORE THAN $719 THOUSAND DOLLARS FROM THE AMERICAN RECOVERY AND REINVESTMENT ACT WILL BE USED FOR MILLING, PAVING AND OTHER UPGRADES ON ROUTE 924 BETWEEN ROUTE 61 IN FRACKVILLE AND THE GILBERTON BOROUGH LINE, AND ON ROUTE 61 BETWEEN THE WEST MAHANOY TOWNSHIP LINE AND ROUTE 924. WORK IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN IN THE COMING MONTHS.

SEXUAL ASSAULT ARREST

A MINERSVILLE MAN HAVE CHARGED A BOROUGH MAN WITH SEXUAL ASSAULT FOLLOWING AN INCIDENT IN MAY. BOROUGH POLICE INDICATE THAT 28 YEAR OLD CLINTON KNOTT WAS CHARGED WITH SEX RELATED CHARGES AFTER HE ALLEGEDLY FORCED HIMSELF ON A 29 YEAR OLD WOMAN AND HAD SEX WITH HER. CHARGES AGAINST KNOTT WERE FILED IN DISTRICT COURT.

BLOOD DRIVES

ABOUT EVERY TWO SECONDS SOMEONE NEEDS BLOOD IN AMERICA. DURING THE SUMMER THE AMERICAN RED CROSS SEES A 10 TO 15 PERCENT DROP IN BLOOD DONATIONS DUE TO DONORS BEING ON VACATIONS AND FEWER BLOOD DRIVES IN SCHOOLS SAYS TONY FERLENDA, NORTHEAST PA BLOOD SERVICES CEO. BUT THERE IS STILL TIME TO HELP IN THE "O WHAT A SUMMER" BLOOD CAMPAIGN, OF WHICH WPPA AND T102 ARE A PART. YESTERDAY, THE RED CROSS COLLECTED 42 UNITS AT THE ROLLER ROOST IN POTTSVILLE. TODAY THE BLOODMOBILE VISITS JERUSALEM LUTHERAN CHURCH IN SCHUYLKILL HAVEN FROM NOON-6PM WITH A GOAL OF 98 UNITS. SATURDAY, THE BLOOD DRIVE SHIFTS TO FAIRLANE VILLAGE FROM 10AM TILL 3PM. ALL DONORS ARE WELCOME, BUT THE FOCUS OF THE CAMPAIGN IS ON TYPE O DONORS. MAKE YOUR APPOINTMENT BY CALLING 1-800-GIVE-LIFE OR STOP BY ONE OF THE SITES. THANK YOU.

WOMAN DIES FROM BEING STRUCK BY CAR

A WOMAN WHO TRIED TO WARN TRAFFIC ABOUT A CAR FIRE IN NORTHUMBERLAND COUNTY IS DEAD AFTER BEING STRUCK BY A VEHICLE LAST NIGHT. IT ALL HAPPENED JUST AFTER 11PM NEAR THE ROUTE 54/901 INTERSTECTION IN MT CARMEL TOWNSHIP NEAR LOCUST GAP. APPARENTLY THERE WAS A CAR FIRE NEAR THE INTERSECTION WHEN THE WOMAN TRIED TO ALERT OTHER DRIVERS ABOUT THE BLAZE, SHE WAS STRUCK AND KILLED. THE NORTHUMBERLAND COUNTY CORONER WAS CALLED TO THE SCENE AND PRONOUNCED THE WOMAN DEAD. ROUTE 901 WAS CLOSED FOR SEVERAL HOURS.

PHILADELPHIA (AP) - A FEDERAL PROSECUTOR SAYS THE ONLY WAY TO INTERPRET THE GUILTY VERDICT FOR FORMER PENNSYLVANIA STATE SEN. VINCENT FUMO IS THAT HE PERJURED HIMSELF DURING THE TRIAL. THE JUDGE SENTENCING FUMO NEXT WEEK PLANS TO RULE THURSDAY ON THAT QUESTION. THE JURY FOUND THAT FUMO USED STAFF AND RESOURCES OF THE SENATE AND NONPROFITS FOR PERSONAL AND POLITICAL CHORES. FUMO MAINTAINED THEY DID THE WORK ON THEIR OWN TIME.

HUNTINGDON VALLEY, PA. (AP) - A SUBURBAN PHILADELPHIA PRIVATE SWIM CLUB TURNED AWAY CHILDREN FROM A DAY CAMP AFTER THE CAMP'S DIRECTOR SAYS MEMBERS QUESTIONED WHY BLACK PEOPLE WERE SWIMMING THERE. CLUB PRESIDENT JOHN DUESLER TELLS PHILADELPHIA TELEVISION STATION WTXF THAT SEVERAL CLUB MEMBERS COMPLAINED BECAUSE THE CHILDREN "CHANGED THE ATMOSPHERE" AT THE POOL, BUT SAYS THE COMPLAINTS DIDN'T INVOLVE RACE.

COLLEGEVILLE, PA. (AP) - AN EXPLOSIVE DEVICE FOUND IN A SUBURBAN PHILADELPHIA PARKING LOT HAS BEEN DISARMED. MONTGOMERY COUNTY SHERIFF JOHN DURANTE SAYS THE DEVICE WAS FOUND WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON AT LANDES BROTHERS FOOD IN UPPER PROVIDENCE TOWNSHIP. HE SAYS THE MATERIALS WILL BE TESTED IN A LABORATORY.

YORK, PA. (AP) - DOZENS OF PEOPLE ARE DISPLACED FROM THEIR HOMES AFTER FIRE RIPPED THROUGH AN ENTIRE BLOCK OF ROW HOUSES IN SOUTH-CENTRAL PENNSYLVANIA. YORK FIRE CHIEF JOHN SENFT SAYS THERE ARE NO SERIOUS INJURIES FROM WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON'S FIRE BUT MASSIVE DAMAGE. SENFT SAYS THE FIRE SPREAD QUICKLY, MOST LIKELY BECAUSE THE HOUSES DIDN'T HAVE FIRE WALLS.

BETHLEHEM, PA. (AP) - THE U.S. WOMEN'S OPEN KICKS OFF THURSDAY ON THE LONG, NARROW FAIRWAYS AND UNDULATING GREENS OF SAUCON VALLEY COUNTY CLUB. THE TYPICALLY TOUGH USGA SETUP ON THE BETHLEHEM COURSE WILL PLAY MORE THAN 6,700 YARDS TO A PAR 71.

SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA (AP) - SOUTH KOREAN WEB SITES ARE UNDER CYBER ATTACK AGAIN. A STATE OFFICIAL SAYS SEVEN SITES HAVE BEEN AFFECTED, INCLUDING ONE GOVERNMENT SITE. SOUTH KOREA'S SPY AGENCY SUSPECTS NORTH KOREA IS BEHIND THE ATTACKS. EARLIER ATTACKS HAVE AFFECTED WEB SITES IN THE U.S. TOO, INCLUDING THE WHITE HOUSE AND THE PENTAGON SITES.

TEHRAN, IRAN (AP) - OPPOSITION SUPPORTERS IN IRAN ARE CALLING FOR NEW DEMONSTRATIONS TO PROTEST THE PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION THEY SAY WAS STOLEN FROM THEIR REFORMIST CANDIDATE. THERE HAVE BEEN NO MAJOR PROTESTS SINCE A GOVERNMENT CRACKDOWN MORE THAN A WEEK AGO. THE GOVERNOR OF TEHRAN PROVINCE WARNS SECURITY FORCES WILL "SMASH" ANY MORE.

KABUL (AP) - THERE HAVE BEEN A NUMBER OF DEADLY BOMBINGS IN BOTH IRAQ AND AFGHANISTAN TODAY. MILITANTS SET OFF A MASSIVE BLAST ON A ROAD LEADING TO THE AFGHAN CAPITAL, KILLING 25 PEOPLE INCLUDING MORE THAN A DOZEN SCHOOL CHILDREN. THREE ROADSIDE BOMBS IN BAGHDAD HAVE KILLED SEVEN, WHILE A PAIR OF SUICIDE BOMBERS STRUCK IN NORTHERN IRAQ, KILLING AT LEAST 34 PEOPLE.

ARUSHA, TANZANIA (AP) - THE FRENCH NAVY HAS ARRIVED ON AN ISLAND OFF THE TANZANIAN COAST TO HELP SEARCH FOR THE REMAINS OF THE YEMENI AIRLINE THAT CRASHED INTO THE INDIAN OCEAN WITH 153 PEOPLE ON BOARD LAST MONTH. THE PLANE WENT DOWN OFF THE COAST OF THE COMOROS ISLANDS. CURRENTS ARE BELIEVED TO HAVE CARRIED DEBRIS MORE THAN 500 MILES. ONLY ONE PERSON SURVIVED THE CRASH.

PORT RICHEY, FLA. (AP) - THE COAST GUARD IS SEARCHING THE WATERS OFF FLORIDA'S GULF COAST FOR FIVE PEOPLE BELIEVED TO HAVE BEEN ON A PLANE THAT WENT MISSING YESTERDAY AFTERNOON. A TWO-MILE DEBRIS FIELD HAS BEEN FOUND. THE TWIN-ENGINE CESSNA WAS FLYING FROM MCKINNEY, TEXAS, TO TAMPA WHEN IT WENT DOWN AFTER REPORTING TURBULENCE.