Today's News-Friday, August 28 2009

ATTEMPTED BANK HEIST

AUTHORITIES ARE LOOKING FOR A WOMAN WHO ATTEMPTED A BANK ROBBERY IN OUR AREA YESTERDAY. THE INCIDENT HAPPENED AT THE M&T BANK BRANCH IN FRACKVILLE WHERE REPORTS SAY THE HEAVYSET WOMAN WALKED INTO THE OFFICE BEFORE 5PM, AND HANDED THE TELLER A NOTE DEMANDING MONEY WITH NO DYE PACKS. THE NOTE ALSO REPORTEDLY SAID THERE WAS AN EXPLOSIVE DEVICE AROUND. NO MONEY WAS TAKEN, BUT THE WOMAN TOOK THE NOTE AND FLED ON FOOT. THE WOULD BE ROBBER IS DESCRIBED AS A WHITE FEMALE, BELIEVED TO BE IN HER 30'S, 5 FEET 6 TO 5 FEET 8 INCHES TALL, BETWEEN 160 AND 180 POUNDS. SHE WAS WEARING JEANS, A MAROON SHIRT, BANDANA AND SUNGLASSES. AN ALL OUT SEARCH BY POLICE DID NOT LOCATE HER, BUT THE INVESTIGATION IS ONGOING.

FUNDS TO KEEP WORKERS HERE

TWO SCHUYLKILL COUNTY LAWMAKERS PRESENTED GRANT MONIES TO HELP STUDENTS DEVELOP CAREER OPPORTUNITIES HERE. TIM SEIP AND NEAL GOODMAN PRESENTED THE $10-THOUSAND-DOLLAR CHECK TO THE NORTHEAST PA MANUFACTURERS AND EMPLOYERS COUNCIL TO HELP FUND A NUMBER OF PROJECTS, INCLUDING THE YOUR EMPLOYABILITY SKILLS PROGRAM, INTERNSHIP PLACEMENT AND CAREER FAIR PROGRAMS. THE MONIES HAD BEEN APPROPRIATED IN LAST YEAR’S STATE BUDGET ACCORDING TO THE LAWMAKERS.

TRAFFIC PATTERNS TO CHANGE AT JOHN S CLARKE ELEMENTARY

PARENTS AND STUDENTS AT POTTSVILLE’S JOHN S CLARKE ELEMENTARY WILL SEE NEW TRAFFIC PATTERNS AS CLASSES BEGIN MONDAY. POTTSVILLE POLICE LT. STEVE DURKIN TELLS US WHAT TO EXPECT:

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A LACK OF PARKING IN THE BUS CIRCLE AREA CAUSED CONGESTION WITH PARENTS DROPPING OFF KIDS AND PREVENTED BUSSES FROM GETTING THROUGH. THAT CONGESTION CREATED A DANGEROUS SITUATION WITH STUDENTS TRYING TO CROSS THE STREET. PARKING ON 16TH STREET IN FRONT OF THE SCHOOL WILL BE LIMITED TO 10 MINUTES, BETWEEN THE HOURS OF 8:15 AND 9:15AM.

BOONE PARK DEDICATION SATURDAY

AN AMERICAN HERO, A DOCTOR TO PRESIDENTS…AND BORN IN ST CLAIR. THAT WAS ADMIRAL JOEL T. BOONE, WHO WILL BE HONORED WITH THE DEDICATION OF A PARK TOMORROW. BOONE, BORN IN 1889, WENT TO WAR AS A FIELD DOCTOR IN WORLD WAR ONE, ACCORDING TO VAL DAVIS, BOROUGH COUNCILWOMAN AND AN ORGANIZER OF THE BOONE MEMORIAL PARK EFFORT:

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AFTER THE WAR, ADMIRAL BOONE WENT ON TO SERVE AS PERSONAL PHYSICIAN TO SEVERAL PRESIDENTS AND DIRECTOR OF THE VETERANS ADMINISTRATION. THE PROJECT COST NEARLY $70 THOUSAND DOLLARS, WITH GRANT MONIES, DONATIONS AND LOCAL FUNDRAISERS. BOONE PARK IS LOCATED ON THIRD STREET IN ST CLAIR, NEAR BOROUGH HALL. DEDICATION SERVICES WILL TAKE PLACE AT 1PM SATURDAY.

DOYLESTOWN, PA. (AP) - A SUBURBAN PHILADELPHIA WOMAN ACCUSED OF FAKING AN ABDUCTION AND FLEEING TO DISNEY WORLD WITH HER 9-YEAR-OLD DAUGHTER WILL SPEND NINE TO 23 MONTHS IN PRISON. BONNIE SWEETEN PLEADED GUILTY YESTERDAY TO IDENTITY THEFT AND MAKING FALSE REPORTS TO POLICE. A JUDGE CALLED SWEETEN A MANIPULATIVE, COLD-HEARTED WOMAN WHO MADE HER DAUGHTER A PAWN AS SHE ATTEMPTED TO FLEE A CRIMINAL PROBE.

HARRISBURG, PA. (AP) - PENNSYLVANIA HOUSE DEMOCRATIC LEADERS SAY THEY'RE ANGRY OVER THE LATEST BUDGET NEGOTIATIONS AND PLAN TO RESUME PUBLIC TALK. SPEAKER KEITH MCCALL AND MAJORITY LEADER TODD EACHUS SAID THAT SENATE REPUBLICANS UNDID WEEKS OF WORK BY OFFERING A PROPOSAL ABOUT A HALF-BILLION DOLLARS LESS THAN THE FIGURE THEY THOUGHT HAD BEEN AGREED TO.

PHILADELPHIA (AP) - CONVICTED FORMER STATE SEN. VINCENT FUMO OF PHILADELPHIA HAS LOST A BID TO DELAY THE START OF HIS PRISON SENTENCE NEXT MONDAY.FUMO HAD ASKED THE 3RD U.S. CIRCUIT COURT OF APPEALS TO LET HIM REMAIN FREE ON BAIL WHILE HE APPEALS HIS 139-COUNT CONVICTION AND SENTENCE. BUT A TWO-JUDGE PANEL QUICKLY REJECTED THE REQUEST WITHOUT COMMENT

NEWPORT NEWS, VA. (AP) - A JUDGE IN VIRGINIA HAS APPROVED A PLAN FOR MICHAEL VICK TO REPAY $20 MILLION TO HIS CREDITORS AND EMERGE FROM BANKRUPTCY. THE JUDGE APPROVED THE PLAN YESTERDAY ON THE CONDITION THAT VICK RETAIN A PERSONAL FINANCIAL PLANNER TO MANAGE HIS FUTURE EARNINGS. THE PLAN WAS OVERWHELMINGLY APPROVED IN A BALLOT OF CREDITORS.

PHILADELPHIA (AP) - PHILADELPHIA ANIMAL LOVERS ARE TRYING TO TAKE THE SPOTLIGHT OFF MICHAEL VICK AND PUT IT ON DOGS IN NEED OF HOMES. THE PENNSYLVANIA S.P.C.A. HELD A TAILGATE PARTY OUTSIDE OF LAST NIGHT'S GAME WITH MORE THAN A DOZEN DOGS. THE EVENT WAS INTENDED TO RAISE AWARENESS OF DOGFIGHTING AND ENCOURAGE MORE PET ADOPTIONS.

BOSTON (AP) - MANY OF THE PEOPLE WHO TOOK TIME OUT TO PAY THEIR RESPECTS TO SEN. EDWARD KENNEDY SAY THEY DID SO BECAUSE HE HAD MADE TIME FOR THEM AT SOME POINT DURING HIS 47 YEARS IN OFFICE. ABOUT 20,000 PEOPLE HAVE FILED PAST KENNEDY'S CLOSED CASKET AT THE JOHN F. KENNEDY PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM IN BOSTON.

WASHINGTON (AP) - TAPES REVEAL THAT PRESIDENT RICHARD NIXON CONSIDERED TED KENNEDY SUCH A THREAT THAT HE TRIED TO CATCH KENNEDY CHEATING ON HIS WIFE, EVEN ORDERING AIDES TO RECRUIT SECRET SERVICE AGENTS TO SPILL SECRETS ON THE SENATOR'S BEHAVIOR. NIXON WANTED A SHARP AND PRIVATE EYE KEPT ON KENNEDY'S MOVEMENTS AFTER THE CHAPPAQUIDDICK SCANDAL.

LOS ANGELES (AP) - WILDFIRES ARE CHEWING THROUGH TINDER-DRY BRUSH UP AND DOWN CALIFORNIA, FORCING THOUSANDS TO FLEE RITZY SEASIDE NEIGHBORHOODS, COMFORTABLE FOOTHILL SUBURBS AND FARMING COMMUNITIES. AT LEAST 2,000 PEOPLE WERE ORDERED TO EVACUATE FROM
THE WEALTHY SEASIDE COMMUNITY OF RANCHO PALOS VERDES LATE YESTERDAY.

TOKYO (AP) - TOYOTA IS SHUTTING THE CALIFORNIA FACTORY IT RAN WITH GENERAL MOTORS FOR 25 YEARS. THE JAPANESE AUTOMAKER SAYS IT WILL MOVE PRODUCTION OF THE COROLLA SUBCOMPACT AND THE TACOMA PICKUP TO OTHER PLANTS IN THE U.S., CANADA AND JAPAN. IT'S THE FIRST TIME TOYOTA IS CLOSING A MAJOR AUTO ASSEMBLY PLANT.

PLACERVILLE, CALIF. (AP) - A LITTLE GIRL KIDNAPPED ON HER WAY TO SCHOOL 18 YEARS AGO HAS BEEN FOUND. INVESTIGATORS IN CALIFORNIA SAY JAYCEE LEE DUGARD, WHO WAS 11 AT THE TIME, WAS KEPT HIDDEN FROM THE WORLD FOR YEARS. THEY SAY SHE EVEN GAVE BIRTH TO HER SUSPECTED ABDUCTOR'S CHILDREN IN HIS BACKYARD COMPOUND.