Today's News-Wednesday, July 22, 2009

FORMER BOARD MEMBERS FILE APPEAL

THE EIGHT FORMER MEMBERS OF THE NORTH SCHUYLKILL SCHOOL BOARD HAVE FILED COURT PAPERS TO APPEAL THEIR DISMISSAL. THE REPUBLICAN HERALD REPORTS THAT A HARRISBURG ATTORNEY IS REPRESENTING THE MEN AND WOMEN WHO WERE REMOVED BY JUDGE D MICHAEL STINE IN JUNE FOR REPORTEDLY NOT DOING THEIR JOB ACCORDING TO SCHOOL CODE. FOUR DIRECTORS WERE ALREADY APPOINTED BY JUDGE STINE, AND THE REMAINING FOUR ARE TO BE NAMED TODAY AT A HEARING AT THE COUNTY COURTHOUSE, FILLING THE UNEXPIRED TERMS OF THE OTHERS. MORE THAN TWO DOZEN PEOPLE HAVE SENT LETTERS OF INTEREST FOR THE SCHOOL BOARD POSITIONS.

ORWIGSBURG HOME BURGLARIZED

ORWIGSBURG POLICE ARE LOOKING FOR THE BURGLARS WHO WALKED AWAY WITH A HAUL OF ITEMS FROM A HOME ON NORTH WARREN STREET. THE INCIDENT HAPPENED EARLIER THIS MONTH BUT DETAILS ARE JUST COMING TO LIGHT. SOMEONE ENTERED THE PROPERTY AND TOOK CASH AND ITEMS WORTH ABOUT $7-THOUSAND-DOLLARS. ANYONE WITH INFORMATION IS ASKED TO CALL POLICE AT 628-3792.

WARMER AND WETTER

A PENN STATE STUDY OF CLIMATE CHANGE PROJECTS A WARMER, WETTER PENNSYLVANIA, WITH A LONGER GROWING SEASON AND LESS SNOW BY THE MIDDLE OF THE CENTURY. BUT WHETHER THAT WILL BE GOOD OR BAD FOR THE STATE'S AGRICULTURE ISN'T CLEAR. GARY ABDULLAH HAS THE STORY:

ABDULLAH WEATHER

GO JOE

A WELL KNOWN TV WEATHERMAN IS MAKING HIS ANNUAL RIDE FOR CHARITY ACROSS NORTHEAST AND CENTRAL PENNSYLVANIA. HE MAKES A STOP IN OUR AREA THIS AFTERNOON. WNEP’S JOE SNEDEKER WILL TREK THROUGH SCHUYLKILL COUNTY, STOPPING AT BUBECK PARK IN SCHUYLKILL HAVEN LATE THIS AFTERNOON AS PART OF GO JOE 12. WINDOWS IN THE TOWN’S BUSINESS DISTRICT ARE PAINTED WITH GREETINGS FOR THE BELOVED WEATHERMAN. A FESTIVAL TO WELCOME HIM WILL FEATURE MUSIC, FOOD AND MORE. SNEDEKER WILL STAY OVERNIGHT IN HAVEN, AND WILL DELIVER THE WEATHER TOMORROW MORNING ON THE LAWN OF ST JOHN’S UCC AT DOCK AND MAIN. SNEDEKER HAS RAISED HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS FOR ST JOSEPH’S CENTER IN NORTHEAST PA. T102 WILL BE LIVE IN SCHUYLKILL HAVEN TODAY BEGINNING AT 4PM.

STATE BUDGET
PA. BUDGET FIGHT SEEMS HEADED TO LEADER-RUN TALKS
HARRISBURG, PA. (AP) - A VOTE IN THE PENNSYLVANIA HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES MOVES THE THREE-WEEK-OLD BUDGET STALEMATE CLOSER TO BEING HANDLED BY A COMMITTEE OF LEGISLATIVE LEADERS. THE HOUSE VOTED 150-49 TO REJECT A REPUBLICAN-PENNED STATE BUDGET THAT PASSED THE SENATE LATE MONDAY. THE BILL WAS SENT BACK TO THE SENATE. ALL SIDES PREDICT A SIX-MEMBER, BIPARTISAN CONFERENCE COMMITTEE OF SENATORS AND REPRESENTATIVES WILL BE APPOINTED TO ATTEMPT TO FIND COMMON GROUND. THE NEXT FORMAL STEP IN THE PROCESS WILL OCCUR MONDAY, WHEN THE SENATE IS EXPECTED TO PROVIDE THE NECESSARY PROCEDURAL VOTE THAT WILL AUTOMATICALLY RESULT IN A CONFERENCE COMMITTEE. BUT LEADERS OF BOTH PARTIES SAID THEY EXPECT NEGOTIATIONS TO CONTINUE IN THE MEANTIME.

RIDLEY SHOOTING
PA. MAN CONFESSES TO CHILD DEATHS BEFORE HIS OWN
MEDIA, PA. (AP) - A SUBURBAN PHILADELPHIA PROSECUTOR SAYS A MAN WHO SHOT HIS GIRLFRIEND AND WAS LATER GUNNED DOWN BY POLICE CALLED FRIENDS SHORTLY BEFORE HIS DEATH AND MADE A STARTLING CONFESSION. DELAWARE COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY MIKE GREEN SAID TUESDAY THAT 28-YEAR-OLD AARON MICHAEL OF CHESTER TOLD FRIENDS HE WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE DEATHS OF TWO OF HIS SONS. THE DEATHS OF 4-MONTH-OLD ALIJAH TOWNES IN 20007 AND 4-YEAR-OLD LAMAR PATRICK IN 2005 HAD BEEN CLASSIFIED BY THE MEDICAL EXAMINER AS "UNDETERMINED." AUTHORITIES SAY MICHAEL SHOT HIS GIRLFRIEND, 23-YEAR-OLD ANDREA ARRINGTON, ON MONDAY NIGHT AT HER HOME IN RIDLEY TOWNSHIP. SHE DIED AT A HOSPITAL TUESDAY MORNING. POLICE SAY MICHAEL FLED TO CHESTER, WHERE HE POINTED A GUN AT POLICE AROUND MIDNIGHT. POLICE SHOT HIM AND HE DIED AT A HOSPITAL.

SUSPECT SLAIN
PHILLY POLICE KILL MAN WHO GRABBED OFFICER'S GUN
PHILADELPHIA (AP) - A MAN IS DEAD AFTER PHILADELPHIA POLICE SAY HE GRABBED AN OFFICER'S GUN AND FIRED ONE SHOT, BUT DIDN'T HIT ANYBODY.
POLICE WERE CALLED TO A SCENE IN PHILADEPHIA'S OLNEY NEIGHBORHOOD TUESDAY NIGHT FOR A REPORT OF A MAN EXPOSING HIMSELF. POLICE SAY THE MAN STRUGGLED WITH POLICE AND GRABBD AN OFFICERS GUN AND FIRED A SHOT. THE CLIP FELL OUT OF THE GUN AND THE MAN POINTED THE GUN ONE OF THE OFFICERS. THE OFFICER'S PARTNER THEN SHOT THE MAN IN THE CHEST. HE WAS PRONOUNCED DEAD AT THE SCENE. THE TWO OFFICERS WERE TAKEN TO ALBERT EINSTEIN MEDICAL CENTER FOR MINOR INJURIES.

KILLER'S CONFESSION
PA. MAN CONFESSES TO CHILD DEATHS BEFORE HIS OWN
MEDIA, PA. (AP) - A SUBURBAN PHILADELPHIA PROSECUTOR SAYS A MAN WHO SHOT HIS GIRLFRIEND AND WAS LATER GUNNED DOWN BY POLICE CALLED FRIENDS SHORTLY BEFORE HIS DEATH AND MADE A STARTLING CONFESSION. DELAWARE COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY MIKE GREEN SAID TUESDAY THAT 28-YEAR-OLD AARON MICHAEL OF CHESTER TOLD FRIENDS HE WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE DEATHS OF TWO OF HIS SONS. THE DEATHS OF 4-MONTH-OLD ALIJAH TOWNES IN 20007 AND 4-YEAR-OLD LAMAR PATRICK IN 2005 HAD BEEN CLASSIFIED BY THE MEDICAL EXAMINER AS "UNDETERMINED." AUTHORITIES SAY MICHAEL SHOT HIS GIRLFRIEND, 23-YEAR-OLD ANDREA ARRINGTON, ON MONDAY NIGHT. SHE DIED AT A HOSPITAL TUESDAY MORNING. POLICE SAY MICHAEL FLED TO CHESTER, WHERE HE POINTED A GUN AT POLICE AROUND MIDNIGHT. POLICE SHOT HIM AND HE DIED AT A HOSPITAL.

COLTS-HARRISON-SHOOTING
HARRISON'S ACCUSER SHOT AGAIN IN PHILADELPHIA
PHILADELPHIA (AP) - A PHILADELPHIA MAN WHO SAYS HE WAS SHOT BY INDIANAPOLIS COLTS RECEIVER MARVIN HARRISON LAST YEAR HAS REPORTEDLY BEEN SHOT AGAIN. PHILADELPHIA TELEVISION STATION WTXF AND THE PHILADELPHIA DAILY NEWS REPORT THAT 33-YEAR-OLD DWIGHT DIXON WAS MULTIPLE TIMES TUESDAY. THE SHIFT DIRECTOR AT HAHNEMANN UNIVERSITY HOSPITAL SAID DIXON WAS IN CRITICAL CONDITION LATE TUESDAY. WHEN ONTACTED BY THE ASSOCIATED PRESS LATE TUESDAY, POLICE SAID DETECTIVES WERE STILL AT THE SCENE OF THE SHOOTING AND NO INFORMATION WAS
AVAILABLE. DIXON WAS CONVICTED OF A MISDEMEANOR IN JANUARY FOR LYING TO POLICE ABOUT THE EARLIER SHOOTING, WHICH HAPPENED APRIL 28, 2008. DIXON'S LAWYERS SAID HE INITIALLY LIED TO POLICE BECAUSE HE FEARED HARRISON.

EX-OFFICIAL-STABBED
MAN WANTED IN PITTSBURGH STABBING ARRESTED IN NYC
PITTSBURGH (AP) - PITTSBURGH POLICE SAY ONE OF TWO MEN WHO ALLEGEDLY KIDNAPPED, ROBBED AND STABBED THE FORMER DIRECTOR OF THE CITY'S HOUSING AUTHORITY HAS BEEN ARRESTED IN NEW YORK CITY. HE IS 32-YEAR-OLD MATTHEW FRAZIER, WHO WAS ARRESTED TUESDAY AFTERNOON BY AMTRAK POLICE AT PENN STATION FOR CRIMINAL TRESPASS AND DISORDERLY CONDUCT. AMTRAK POLICE LEARNED THAT FRAZIER WAS WANTED FOR SATURDAY'S ATTACK ON STANLEY LOWE. POLICE SAY TWO MEN BURST INTO LOWE'S HOME ON SATURDAY, DROVE HIM TO AN AUTOMATIC TELLER MACHINE AND FORCED HIM TO WITHDRAW MONEY. POLICE SAY THEY MEN CHASED AND STABBED LOWE WHEN HE TRIED TO RUN AWAY.

CARLISLE TIRE & WHEEL
PA. FACTORY WITH 340 JOBS MOVING TO TENN.
CARLISLE, PA. (AP) - A FACTORY IN SOUTH-CENTRAL PENNSYLVANIA THAT EMPLOYS ABOUT 340 PEOPLE IS CLOSING AND MOVING PRODUCTION TO TENNESSEE. CLOSING THE CARLISLE TIRE & WHEEL FACTORY IN CARLISLE IS
EXPECTED TO BE COMPLETE BY THE END OF 2010. PRODUCTION IS MOVING TO
JACKSON, TENN., ABOUT 75 MILES EAST-NORTHEAST OF MEMPHIS. GREATER CARLISLE AREA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE PRESIDENT MICHELLE HORNICK CROWLEY SAYS THE COMPANY'S DISTRIBUTION CENTER IN CARLISLE IS TO REMAIN OPEN.

FATAL SCRANTON FIRE
SCRANTON, PA., FIRE KILLS 9-YEAR-OLD BOY
SCRANTON, PA. (AP) - A 9-YEAR-OLD NORTHEASTERN PENNSYLVANIA BOY IS DEAD FROM A FIRE IN HIS HOME AND HIS 10-YEAR-OLD BROTHER IS BADLY INJURED. THE FIRE THAT KILLED TAEVON MILES AND INJURED MICHAEL MILES BROKE OUT BEFORE DAWN TUESDAY AT THEIR HOME IN SCRANTON AND WAS RULED TO BE ARSON TUESDAY AFTERNOON. SCRANTON PUBLIC SAFETY DIRECTOR RAY HAYES DECLINED TO SAY WHETHER POLICE HAVE A SUSPECT.

CHARTER SCHOOL PROBE
2ND EX-COP ADMITS DEFRAUDING PHILLY CHARTER SCHOOL
PHILADELPHIA (AP) - ANOTHER FORMER PHILADELPHIA DETECTIVE HAS PLEADED GUILTY IN A SCHEME TO DEFRAUD A CHARTER SCHOOL OF MORE THAN $400,000. RETIRED DETECTIVE ROSEMARY DILACQUA ADMITS SHE TOOK $34,000 FROM TWO SCHOOL OFFICIALS AND THEN GRANTED THEM RAISES AND LUCRATIVE CONTRACTS. DEFENSE LAWYER MARK GOTTLIEB SAYS THE CONTEXT OF HER ACTIONS WILL BECOME CLEAR AT HER OCT. 23 SENTENCING. CO-DEFENDANT KEVIN O'SHEA, ANOTHER FORMER DETECTIVE, ADMITS HE TOOK KICKBACKS, HOME REPAIRS AND OTHER IMPROPER PAYMENTS AS THE SCHOOL'S $200,000-A-YEAR CHIEF EXECUTIVE. BRIEN GARDINER, FOUNDER OF THE PHILADELPHIA ACADEMY CHARTER SCHOOL, KILLED HIMSELF DURING THE FEDERAL INVESTIGATION. DILACQUA, THE SCHOOL'S PRESIDENT FROM 2002 TO 2008, FACES UP TO 20 YEARS FOR MAIL FRAUD.

PHUKET, THAILAND (AP) - SECRETARY OF STATE HILLARY RODHAM CLINTON SAYS THE U.S. HAS A PLAN TO PREVENT A NUCLEAR IRAN FROM DOMINATING THE MIDDLE EAST. SHE SAYS THE U.S. CAN STRENGTHEN ITS DEFENSE UMBRELLA WITH ITS ALLIES IN THE REGION. SHE SAYS THEN TEHRAN WON'T BE ABLE TO "INTIMIDATE AND DOMINATE" AS THEY "APPARENTLY BELIEVE THEY CAN."

TEHRAN, IRAN (AP) - IRAN'S SUPREME LEADER HAS REPORTEDLY ORDERED
HARDLINE PRESIDENT MAHMOUD AHMADINEJAD TO DISMISS THE VICE PRESIDENT HE CHOSE LAST WEEK. THE ORDER IS A HUMILIATING SETBACK FOR AHMADINEJAD, WHO HAS STRONGLY DEFENDED THE DECISION TO APPOINT HIS SON'S FATHER-IN-LAW TO THE POST.

WASHINGTON (AP) - PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA IS EXPECTED TO FOCUS ON HEALTH CARE AGAIN TODAY DURING A PRIME-TIME NEWS CONFERENCE. BUT OBSERVERS SAY IT'S STARTING TO LOOK LIKE HE MAY HAVE TO SETTLE FOR LESS THAN FULL PASSAGE OF THE BILL BY AUGUST. SOME DEMOCRATS IN BOTH CHAMBERS ARE VOICING DOUBTS ABOUT MOVING SUCH COMPLEX AND COSTLY LEGISLATION TOO QUICKLY.

ADELAIDE, AUSTRALIA (AP) - A SWINE FLU VACCINE IS BEING TESTED ON HUNDREDS OF ADULTS IN AUSTRALIA. IT'S THE FIRST HUMAN TESTING WITH THE AIM OF CONTROLLING THE VIRUS THAT HAS SO FAR KILLED MORE THAN 700 WORLDWIDE.

WILLIS, TEXAS (AP) - INVESTIGATORS SAY A TEXAS MAN APPARENTLY SHOT AND CRITICALLY INJURED HIS WIFE BECAUSE HE THOUGHT SHE WAS AN INTRUDER. AUTHORITIES SAY HE FIRED SEVERAL TIMES AT THE WOMAN, WHO HAD GOTTEN UP TO USE THE BATHROOM EARLY YESTERDAY MORNING. THE MAN WAS NOT ARRESTED, BUT THE CASE IS UNDER INVESTIGATION.