Today's News-Friday August 21 2009

READING MAN'S DEATH ACCIDENTAL

AUTOPSY RESULTS HAVE DETERMINED A READING MAN'S DEATH IN THE SCHUYLKILL RIVER WEDNESDAY WAS ACCIDENTAL. DR. RICHARD BINDIE PERFORMED THE AUTOPSY ON 32 YEAR OLD RAPHAEL MONTIRO, WHO WITH FRIENDS WERE SWIMMING NEAR THE ROCK AT PORT CLINTON. INVESTIGATORS SAY THE MEN TIRED AND TRIED TO GET BACK TO THE SCHUYLKILL COUNTY SIDE. THAT'S WHEN MONTIRO WAS TAKEN UNDER BY THE CURRENT.

SEXUAL ASSAULT

AN ASHLAND MAN IS CHARGED WITH ALLEGED SEXUAL ASSAULT OF A YOUNG GIRL. POLICE SAY 46 YEAR OLD DAVID WAIZENEGGER WAS ARRESTED WEDNESDAY ON FELONY COUNTS OF AGGRAVATED INDECENT ASSAULT AND SEVERAL MISDEMEANORS. TWO GIRLS WERE REPORTEDLY WATCHING TV ON AUGUST 11TH WHEN WAIZENEGGER CAME INTO THE ROOM AND IS ALLEGED TO HAVE TOUCHED THE 10 YEAR OLD GIRL INAPPROPRIATELY. WAIZENEGGER HAS ADMITTED TO TOUCHING THE GIRL. HE FACES A PRELIMINARY HEARING NEXT WEEK.

HOLDEN WEIGHS IN ON HEALTHCARE

WHO REALLY KNOWS WHAT A HEALTHCARE REFORM PACKAGE WILL LOOK LIKE? CONGRESSMAN TIM HOLDEN WEIGHED IN ON THE ISSUE THAT'S ON EVERYONE'S MIND ON WPPA'S STEP UP TO THE MIC PROGRAM THURSDAY:

HOLDEN 1

HOLDEN SAYS HE'S GETTING A LOT OF FEEDBACK FROM HIS CONSTITUENTS ON BOTH SIDES, WITH SOME MISINFORMATION:

HOLDEN 2

THE CONGRESSMAN ACKNOWLEDGED THAT NO ONE PIECE OF LEGISLATION WILL PLEASE EVERYONE.

HEALTHCARE TWO

TALK OF MASSIVE CHANGES IN THE NATION'S HEALTHCARE SYSTEM DOMINATES THE DAILY NEWS. IDEAS OF ALL SORTS CONTINUE TO BE SPECULATED ON IN WASHINGTON AND AT THE LOCAL PUB. CONGRESSMAN TIM HOLDEN TOLD WPPA'S STEP UP TO THE MIC AUDIENCE THURSDAY THAT WE NEED TO CLEAR UP THE MISINFORMATION AND GET A HANDLE ON THE COST:

HOLDEN HLTH 3

HOLDEN SAID THAT HE AND HIS COLLEAGUES CONTINUE TO RESEARCH WHETHER A PUBLIC HEALTH PLAN TO COMPETE WITH PRIVATE INSURERS IS THE RIGHT WAY TO GO.

MAHANOY WOMAN CHARGED WITH HEROIN POSSESSION

POLICE IN MAHANOY CITY HAVE CHARGED A BOROUGH WOMAN WITH HEROIN POSSESSION. THE REPUBLICAN HERALD INDICATES 40 YEAR OLD MICHELLE BRENNAN IS CHARGED WITH DRUG COUNTS AFTER POLICE RECEIVED A TIP SHE WAS BRINGING HEROIN INTO THE COUNTY FROM READING. OTHER WARRANTS WERE ALSO OUTSTANDING AGAINST BRENNAN. FOURTEEN BAGS OF HEROIN WERE FOUND DURING A SEARRCH. BRENNAN WAS JAILED IN LIEU OF BAIL AND FACES A PRELIMINARY HEARING LATER ON THE CHARGES.

WASHINGTON (AP) - FORMER HOMELAND SECURITY SECRETARY TOM RIDGE SAYS HE HAD TO RESIST PRESSURE FROM OTHER CABINET MEMBERS TO STOP THE NATION'S TERROR ALERT LEVEL FROM BEING RAISED JUST BEFORE THE 2004 PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION. THE ERIE NATIVE, FORMER CONGRESSMAN AND PENNSYLVANIA GOVERNOR MAKES THE CLAIM IN A NEW BOOK WHICH COMES OUT
SEPTEMBER 1.

WASHINGTON (AP) - IN AN INTERVIEW YESTERDAY WITH PHILADELPHIA-BASED RADIO TALK SHOW HOST MICHAEL SMERCONISH, PRESIDENT OBAMA IS STANDING BY HIS POSITION THAT A PUBLIC OPTION FOR HEALTH INSURANCE COVERAGE SHOULD BE CONSIDERED AS PART OF LEGISLATION TO OVERHAUL THE HEALTH CARE SYSTEM. THE PRESIDENT SAYS NO ONE SHOULD BE OBLIGATED TO GO INTO THE PUBLIC PLAN.

PHILADELPHIA (AP) - PHILADELPHIA MAYOR MICHAEL NUTTER SAYS HE HAS ORDERED DEPARTMENT HEADS TO SUBMIT LAYOFF LISTS TODAY FOR A "DOOMSDAY BUDGET" THAT WOULD CUT 3,000 CITY JOBS. NUTTER SAYS HE DOESN'T WANT TO IMPLEMENT SUCH A BUDGET, BUT SAYS HE WILL IF THERE IS NO RELIEF FROM THE STATE. POLICE AND FIREFIGHTERS WOULD BE AMONG THOSE LOSING THEIR JOBS.

PHILADELPHIA (AP) - JUDGE RONALD BUCKWALTER RULED YESTERDAY THAT FORMER STATE SEN. VINCENT FUMO MUST REPORT TO PRISON BY AUG. 31. LAWYERS FOR THE PHILADELPHIA DEMOCRAT HAD FILED COURT PAPERS ASKING
THAT FUMO REMAIN FREE ON BAIL WHILE HE APPEALS HIS CONVICTION. FUMO
WAS CONVICTED OF DEFRAUDING THE STATE SENATE, A NONPROFIT AND A SEAPORT MUSEUM OF MILLIONS.

EAST STROUDSBURG, PA. (AP) - A STUDENT AT EAST STROUDSBURG UNIVERSITY HAS ADMITTED TO POLICE THAT SHE FALSELY REPORTED BEING RAPED LAST WEEK. THE STUDENT REPORTED THAT SHE WAS ATTACKED LATE IN THE MORNING ON AUG. 13 WHILE WALKING THROUGH A PARKING LOT. STATE POLICE SAID THAT THE WOMAN LATER ADMITTED SHE WAS NOT ATTACKED AND THAT SHE MADE UP A FALSE REPORT.

MIAMI (AP) - HURRICANE BILL IS PACKING WINDS NEAR 120 MPH, AND COULD STILL GAIN STRENGTH AS IT CHURNS OVER THE WARM ATLANTIC TOWARD BERMUDA. THE SEASON'S FIRST HURRICANE THREATENS TO FLOOD BERMUDA'S COASTLINES AND BRING DANGEROUS SURF AND RIPTIDES TO THE EASTERN U.S. LARGE SWELLS ARE ALREADY AFFECTING PUERTO RICO, HISPANIOLA AND THE BAHAMAS.

BEIJING (AP) - THE WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION IS WARNING THAT SWINE FLU WILL BE PUTTING MORE LIVES AT RISK IN THE COMING MONTHS. AN OFFICIAL IS URGING NATIONS TO SPEED UP PREPARATIONS FOR THE NEW STRAIN. HE SAYS MOST COUNTRIES MAY SEE SWINE FLU CASES DOUBLE EVERY THREE TO FOUR DAYS -- FOR SEVERAL MONTHS.

SACRAMENTO, CALIF. (AP) - CALIFORNIA'S STATE ASSEMBLY IS BALKING AT A SENATE-PASSED BUDGET-TRIMMING PLAN THAT WOULD CUT THE STATE'S
PRISON POPULATION BY 27,000 INMATES. LAWMAKERS HAVE A NEW VERSION
THAT WOULD KEEP 10,600 MORE INMATES BEHIND BARS. IT WOULD ALSO LEAVE THE STATE WITH A NEW, NEARLY $200 MILLION BUDGET HOLE.

DALLAS (AP) - THE DALLAS POLICE DEPARTMENT IS NOW THE NATION'S LARGEST FORCE TO USE A NEW APPROACH TO THE PHOTO LINEUP SYSTEM LONG USED TO IDENTIFY SUSPECTS. SEQUENTIAL BLIND PHOTO LINEUPS ARE DESIGNED TO REDUCE MISTAKES MADE BY WITNESSES. POLICE SAY THE PRACTICE LEADS TO FEWER -- BUT MORE ACCURATE -- IDENTIFICATIONS.

WASHINGTON (AP) - PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA HAS BEEN TAKING A FEW JABS AT THOSE HE ACCUSES OF SPREADING MISINFORMATION ABOUT HIS HEALTH CARE REFORM PROPOSAL. HE'S ALSO TAKING ON THE MEDIA, SAYING THERE'S NO QUESTION HOW THE LIES ARE BEING SPREAD. BUT HE SAYS THERE'S A WAY TO COUNTER THE MISINFORMATION -- BY HAVING AN HONEST DEBATE.