Today's News-Tuesday July 21 2009

PINE GROVE WOMANS CAR HEAVILY DAMAGED

A PINE GROVE WOMANS CAR WAS HEAVILY DAMAGED DURING AN INCIDENT MONDAY MORNING. SCHUYLKILL HAVEN STATE POLICE SAY 21 YEAR OLD AMY JO BRIXIUS WAS TRAVELING SOUTH ON ROUTE 645 WHEN THE SUSPENSION ON HER CAR BROKE CAUSING HER TO LOSE CONTROL. THE VEHICLE STRUCK AN EMBANKMENT. BRIXIUS WAS NOT HURT

DRUNK DRIVER IN GIRARDVILLE

AN ASHLAND MAN IS SUSPECTED OF DRIVING UNDER THE INFLUENCE AND CRASHING HIS CAR IN GIRARDVILLE MONDAY AFTERNOON. 37 YEAR OLD GERALD BARRYS VEHICLE STRUCK A POLE ON EAST MAHANOY AVENUE. BARRY LEFT THE SCENE AND WAS TAKEN BY ANOTHER MOTORIST TO ST CATHERINES HOSPITAL IN ASHLAND FOR TREATMENT OF MINOR FACIAL INJURIES. DURING THE INVESTIGATION STATE POLICE FOUND THAT BARRY WAS INTOXICATED. HE WILL BE CHARGED AFTER BLOOD TEST RESULTS ARE RECEIVED.

CAR STOLEN FROM HOME

STATE POLICE ARE LOOKING FOR THE CULPRIT WHO STOLE A CAR MONDAY. DURING THE DAYLIGHT HOURS SOMEONE ENTERED THE GARAGE OF LOUIS DEANGELES, CHUCKWAGON DRIVE IN AUBURN. AN ORANGE PONTIAC GT WAS TAKEN FROM THE VICTIMS GARAGE. THE CAR BEARS PA REGISTRATION GVV-6337. IF YOU SPOT THIS VEHICLE CALL SCHUYLKILL HAVEN STATE POLICE AT 593-2000.

LANCASTER MAN ESCAPES SERIOUS INJURY

A MOTORCYCLE STUNT SUNDAY AFTERNOON RESULTED IN MINOR INJURY FOR A LANCASTER MAN. 42 YEAR OLD ELVIS BIGIO WAS TRAVELING ON ROUTE 125 AND WHILE SHIFTING TRIED TO DO A WHEELIE ON THE CYCLE AND HE LOST CONTROL. BIGIO WAS THROWN FROM THE MOTORCYCLE AND LANDED IN THE MIDDLE OF ROUTE 125. HE WAS TAKEN TO SCHUYLKILL MEDICAL CENTER SOUTH FOR TREATMENT.

NO SOFTENING STANCES AS PA. SENATE ANSWERS HOUSE

HARRISBURG, PA. (AP) - PENNSYLVANIA'S THREE-WEEK-OLD BUDGET STALEMATE SHOWS NO SIGN OF EASING. THE REPUBLICAN-CONTROLLED SENATE PASSED A SPENDING PLAN MONDAY NIGHT THAT WOULD RAISE NO TAXES AND PLUGS BUDGET HOLES WITH MONIES FROM THE STATE’S RAINY DAY FUND, FEDERAL STIMULUS APPROPRIATION, AND THE TOBACCO SETTLEMENT FUND. DEMOCRATIC STATE SENATOR MIKE O’PAKE OF BERKS COUNTY SAYS THE PLAN IS NOT GOING TO FIX FUTURE SHORTFALLS:

O’PAKE

SENATOR DAVE ARGALL SAID DURING DEBATE THAT THE END RESULT IS SIMPLE, NO NEW TAXES:

ARGALL

THE BILL RETURNS TO THE HOUSE WHERE ITS CERTAIN TO BE REJECTED BY THE DEMOCRATIC MAJORITY. LIKE DEMOCRATIC GOV. ED RENDELL, HOUSE DEMOCRATS HAVE SOUGHT TAX INCREASES.

SENATOR INVESTIGATION-TRIAL
PA. POWERBROKER'S CO-DEFENDANT FACES SENTENCING
PHILADELPHIA (AP) - FEDERAL PROSECUTORS ARE SEEKING A SENTENCE OF 70 TO 81 MONTHS FOR A WOMAN WHO WAS CONVICTED OF 45 COUNTS RELATED TO HER WORK FOR A POWERBROKER IN THE PENNSYLVANIA SENATE. RUTH ARNAO FACES SENTENCING TUESDAY. HER FRIENDS SAY THE 52-YEAR-OLD WOMAN IS GUILTY MOSTLY OF BLIND LOYALTY TO HER LONGTIME BOSS, FORMER STATE SEN. VINCENT FUMO. ALTHOUGH PROSECUTORS ARE SEEKING 70 TO 81 MONTHS, THEY DON'T EXPECT TO GET THAT MUCH. THEY EXPECT SHE'LL BE SENTENCED TO 30 TO 55 MONTHS. ANOTHER JUDGE GAVE A COMPUTER TECHNICIAN WHO DESTROYED EVIDENCE FOR FUMO 30 MONTHS. THE SAME JUDGE WHO'S SENTENCING ARNAO GAVE FUMO 55 MONTHS, TAKING INTO ACCOUNT HIS LONGTIME PUBLIC SERVICE. PROSECUTORS ARE TRYING TO APPEAL THAT SENTENCE, SAYING IT'S TOO LENIENT.

CHARTER SCHOOL PROBE
ANOTHER GUILTY PLEA EXPECTED IN PHILLY CHARTER SCHOOL PROBE PHILADELPHIA (AP) - THE FORMER BOARD PRESIDENT OF A PHILADELPHIA CHARTER SCHOOL WHO'S ACCUSED OF TAKING KICKBACKS IS SCHEDULED TO PLEAD GUILTY IN FEDERAL COURT, A DAY AFTER A CO-DEFENDANT ALSO PLEADED GUILTY. SHE IS 51-YEAR-OLD ROSEMARY DILACQUA, WHO RAN THE BOARD OF THE PHILADELPHIA ACADEMY CHARTER SCHOOL. UNTIL RECENTLY, SHE WAS A PHILADELPHIA POLICE DETECTIVE. DILACQUA IS EXPECTED TO PLEAD GUILTY TUESDAY. PROSECUTORS SAY SHE SECRETLY TOOK $34,000 FROM TWO MEN WHOM SHE AWARDED RAISES AND LUCRATIVE CONSULTING CONTRACTS. ONE OF THOSE MEN IS 50-YEAR-OLD KEVIN O'SHEA, WHO PLEADED GUILTY MONDAY. HE ADMITTED TO BILKING THE SCHOOL OUT OF BETWEEN $400,000 AND $1 MILLION. THE OTHER MAN IS BRIEN GARDINER, ANOTHER SCHOOL OFFICIAL WHO KILLED HIMSELF DURING THE FEDERAL INVESTIGATION.

SWIM CLUB-MINORITIES
ACTOR PAYS FOR PHILLY KIDS' TRIP TO DISNEY WORLD
PHILADELPHIA (AP) - TYLER PERRY IS PAYING FOR 65 CHILDREN FROM A PHILADELPHIA DAY CAMP TO GO TO WALT DISNEY WORLD AFTER READING
ABOUT ALLEGATIONS THAT A SUBURBAN SWIM CLUB HAD SHUNNED THEM BECAUSE OF RACISM. THE BLACK AND HISPANIC CHILDREN WHO ATTEND THE DAY CAMP RUN BY CREATIVE STEPS INC. CHEERED MONDAY WHEN THEY LEARNED ABOUT THE ACTOR'S GIFT. CREATIVE STEPS DIRECTOR ALETHEA WRIGHT SAYS SHE'S THRILLED TO GET THE GENEROUS OFFER, ESPECIALLY BECAUSE PERRY "COMES FROM HUMBLE BEGINNINGS" LIKE THE CHILDREN IN HER CAMP. THE VALLEY CLUB IN HUNTINGDON VALLEY HAS MAINTAINED THAT REFUNDING THE CAMP'S SWIMMING FEE HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH RACE BUT RATHER WAS A SAFETY ISSUE, IN PART BECAUSE MANY CHILDREN COULDN'T SWIM. PERRY IS BEST KNOWN FOR HIS SIGNATURE CHARACTER MADEA, A BIG-HEARTED BUT FOUL-TEMPERED GRANDMOTHER.

MEDICAL DEVICES-FRAUD
2 PA. EXECS PLEAD OVER BONE-CEMENT TRIALS
PHILADELPHIA (AP) - TWO PHARMACEUTICAL EXECUTIVES IN PENNSYLVANIA HAVE PLEADED GUILTY TO MISDEMEANORS OVER THEIR ROLES IN WHAT THE GOVERNMENT CALLS ILLEGAL CLINICAL TRIALS. A JULY INDICTMENT CHARGES WEST CHESTER-BASED NORIAN CORP. WITH ILLEGALLY TESTING BONE CEMENT ON ABOUT 200 SPINE-SURGERY PATIENTS, THREE OF WHOM DIED IN SURGERY. EXECUTIVES MICHAEL HUGGINS OF WEST CHESTER AND JOHN WALSH OF COATESVILLE PLEADED GUILTY MONDAY TO ONE COUNT OF SHIPPING MISBRANDED VERSIONS OF NORIAN XR. THEY FACE UP TO A YEAR IN PRISON AT THEIR OCT. 22 SENTENCING. HUGGINS' LAWYERS SAY HE ACCEPTS RESPONSIBILITY BUT DID NOT KNOWINGLY DO ANYTHING WRONG. WALSH'S LAWYER DID NOT IMMEDIATELY RETURN MESSAGES. NORIAN IS A SUBSIDIARY OF SYNTHES, WITH GLOBAL HEADQUARTERS IN SWITZERLAND.

PRISON PORNOGRAPHY
PA. SUPREME COURT UPHOLDS STATE PRISONS' PORN BAN
HARRISBURG, PA. (AP) - THE PENNSYLVANIA SUPREME COURT IS LETTING THE STATE PRISON SYSTEM CONTINUE TO BAN PORNOGRAPHY INSIDE ITS INSTITUTIONS. THE COURT ON MONDAY VOTED UNANIMOUSLY TO THROW OUT A CHALLENGE TO THE DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS' POLICY BY CONVICTED RAPIST SHANNON BRITTAIN. THE PRISON SYSTEM SAYS PROHIBITING PORNOGRAPHY HELPS TREAT AND REHABILITATE INMATES AND HELPS KEEP THE PRISONS FROM BECOMING A HOSTILE ENVIRONMENT FOR THE PEOPLE WHO WORK THERE. CORRECTIONS OFFICIALS SAY THEIR RATES OF ASSAULT AND SEXUAL MISCONDUCT HAVE FALLEN SINCE THE BAN WAS IMPOSED. THE COURT SAYS BRITTAIN DIDN'T REFUTE THE DEPARTMENT'S ARGUMENTS IN ANY MEANINGFUL WAY. BUT IT SAYS IT'S POSSIBLE THAT SOME OTHER INMATE MIGHT BE ABLE TO SHOW THE BAN ISN'T A VALID APPROACH.

TEENAGER-HIT-RUN
PA. MAN GETS 2-5 YEARS IN TEEN HIT-AND-RUN DEATH
MEDIA, PA. (AP) - A SUBURBAN PHILADELPHIA MAN HAS BEEN SENTENCED TO TWO TO FIVE YEARS IN PRISON FOR KILLING AN HONOR STUDENT IN A HIT-AND-RUN CRASH LAST SUMMER. TWENTY-SEVEN-YEAR-OLD LEMUEL PAYNE OF UPPER DARBY COULD HAVE GOTTEN UP TO NINE YEARS IN PRISON. HE WAS SENTENCED MONDAY IN DELAWARE COUNTY COURT. LAST MONTH HE PLEADED GUILTY TO LEAVING THE SCENE OF THE CRASH THAT KILLED 16-YEAR-OLD FAITH SINCLAIR IN AUGUST 2008 IN SHARON HILL, ABOUT 5 MILES OUTSIDE OF PHILADELPHIA. AUTHORITIES SAY PAYNE STRUCK THE RIDLEY HIGH SCHOOL HONOR STUDENT AS SHE CROSSED A BUSY STREET ON HER WAY TO A SLEEPOVER.

SEVERE STORMS
FEMA REJECTS DISASTER AID FOR WESTERN PA. STORMS
PITTSBURGH (AP) - THE FEDERAL EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCY SAYS JUNE 17 STORM DAMAGE IN TWO PITTSBURGH-AREA COUNTIES ISN'T BAD ENOUGH TO WARRANT FEDERAL DISASTER AID. ALLEGHENY COUNTY OFFICIALS SAY THEY'LL MEET WITH PENNSYLVANIA EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCY OFFICIALS ON TUESDAY TO MAP OUT A PLAN TO APPEAL MONDAY'S RULING BY FEMA. FEMA OFFICIALS TOURED SEVERAL COMMUNITIES IN ALLEGHENY AND WESTMORELAND COUNTIES TO ASSESS FLOOD AND WIND DAMAGE, BUT DETERMINED IT DIDN'T QUALIFY AS A FEDERALLY FUNDED DISASTER. THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE WERE LEFT WITHOUT POWER AND MANY ROADS AND BASEMENTS FLOODED WHEN THE STORMS PRODUCED MORE THAN FOUR INCHES OF RAIN. IN SOME AREAS, THE RAINFALL WAS THE HEAVIEST RECORDED SINCE REMNANTS OF HURRICANE IVAN CAUSED SEVERE FLOODING IN SEPTEMBER 2004.

ISRAEL-US-FUGITIVE DEPORTED
PA. FUGITIVE IN PRISON AFTER 20 MONTHS IN ISRAEL
HARRISBURG, PA. (AP) - A PENNSYLVANIA MAN WANTED FOR QUESTIONING ABOUT AN ARSON FIRE THAT DAMAGED A JUDGE'S CAR IS IN A COUNTY PRISON AFTER SPENDING 20 MONTHS AS A FUGITIVE IN ISRAEL. MICKY MAYON OF STEELTON WAS APPREHENDED IN A TEL AVIV LAST WEEK BY ISRAELI OFFICIALS WHO PLANNED TO DEPORT HIM. STEELTON POLICE PATROLMAN TROY ELHAJJ SAYS MAYON WAS ARRAIGNED MONDAY AND SENT TO DAUPHIN COUNTY PRISON IN LIEU OF $2 MILLION BAIL. STEELTON POLICE WANT TO QUESTION MAYON ABOUT THE JUNE 2007 TORCHING OF A CAR AT THE HOME OF A HARRISBURG JUDGE WHO ORDERED HIM TO STAND TRIAL ON CHARGES STEMMING FROM A DISTURBANCE TWO MONTHS EARLIER. MAYON, WHOSE CASE WAS FEATURED ON THE "AMERICA'S MOST WANTED" TV SERIES, ALLEGEDLY FLED TO ISRAEL IN NOVEMBER 2007.

YOUTH PASTOR-SEX ASSAULT
FORMER PA. YOUTH PASTOR SENTENCED FOR SEX ASSAULT
WILKES-BARRE, PA. (AP) - A FORMER YOUTH PASTOR WILL SPEND EIGHT TO 16 MONTHS IN JAIL FOR FONDLING THREE TEEN GIRLS IN NORTHEASTERN PENNSYLVANIA. TWENTY-SEVEN-YEAR-OLD BRIAN NEISWENDER WAS SENTENCED MONDAY ON THREE COUNTS OF CORRUPTION OF MINORS AND TWO COUNTS OF INDECENT ASSAULT. IN JUNE THE LAKEWOOD, FLA. RESIDENT PLEADED NO CONTEST TO CHARGES HE MOLESTED THE GIRLS WHILE WORKING AT CHRIST COMMUNITY CHURCH IN KINGSTON. AUTHORITIES SAY NEISWENDER BEGAN TOUCHING THE GIRLS IN 2003 WHILE PLAYING HIDE-AND-SEEK AND GIVING ONE-ON-ONE MUSIC LESSONS. HE WAS ARRESTED LAST YEAR AFTER THE GIRLS WENT TO POLICE.

WASHINGTON (AP) - FEDERAL RESERVE CHAIRMAN BEN BERNANKE IS SET TO GIVE CONGRESSIONAL LAWMAKERS AN UPDATE ON THE ECONOMY TODAY. HE'S EXPECTED TO FACE SOME TOUGH QUESTIONS ABOUT TAXPAYER-FUNDED BAILOUTS OF FINANCIAL COMPANIES. HOUSE COMMITTEE MEMBERS MAY ALSO ASK ABOUT THE GOVERNMENT'S SLOW-MOVING EFFORTS TO CURB HOME FORECLOSURES.

WASHINGTON (AP) - PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA IS SUMMONING KEY HOUSE DEMOCRATS TO THE WHITE HOUSE TODAY, AS STEPS UP HIS PUSH FOR HIS HEALTH OVERHAUL PLAN. HE'LL MEET WITH MEMBERS OF A HOUSE COMMITTEE THAT HAS BEEN BOGGED DOWN DUE TO OPPOSITION BY FISCAL CONSERVATIVES OVER THE BILL'S COST.

WASHINGTON (AP) - SENATE REPUBLICANS ARE DIVIDED OVER WHETHER TO CONFIRM SUPREME COURT NOMINEE SONIA SOTOMAYOR. BUT THEY'RE APPARENTLY NOT PLANNING A DRAWN-OUT FLOOR DEBATE OVER THE NOMINATION. MEANWHILE, SOTOMAYOR HAS SOLID SUPPORT FROM MAJORITY
SENATE DEMOCRATS AS WELL AS AT LEAST THREE REPUBLICANS.

NEW YORK (AP) - A FEDERAL SAFETY AGENCY REPORTEDLY HELD BACK HUNDREDS OF PAGES OF RESEARCH AND WARNINGS ABOUT THE HAZARDS OF DRIVERS USING CELL PHONES. AMONG OTHER THINGS, THE NEW YORK TIMES SAYS THE FINDINGS SHOWED THAT DRIVER DISTRACTION CONTRIBUTES TO ABOUT 25 PERCENT OF ALL POLICE-REPORTED TRAFFIC CRASHES.

WASHINGTON (AP) - THE SENATE IS SET TO VOTE ON WHETHER SPENDING $1.75 BILLION ON SEVEN F-22 JETS MAKES GOOD ECONOMIC SENSE. PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA HAS THREATENED TO VETO THE MEASURE IF THE F-22 MONEY REMAINS IN THE DEFENSE BILL. IT WOULD BE THE FIRST VETO OF HIS PRESIDENCY.