Today's News-Monday, August 10 2009

FOUR INJURED

A TWO VEHICLE CRASH ON THE GOLD STAR HIGHWAY SATURDAY AFTERNOON LEAVES SEVERAL INJURED. JUST AFTER LUNCHTIME, DOROTHY LINDENMUTH OF TURKEY RUN WAS NORTHBOUND ON ROUTE 924 WHEN SHE STOPPED TO MAKE A LEFT HAND TURN. HER VEHICLE WAS REAR ENDED BY AN SUV DRIVEN BY BRIAN SAWECKI OF SHENANDOAH. STATE POLICE INDICATE THAT HARRY LINDENMUTH, A PASSENGER IN THE FIRST CAR, WAS TRAPPED INSIDE THE VEHICLE. HE WAS FLOWN TO GEISINGER MEDICAL CENTER. OTHERS WERE TREATED AT AREA HOSPITALS FOR LESS SERIOUS INJURIES.

LOADS MOVING

MOTORISTS MAY EXPERIENCE DELAYS DURING RUSH HOUR THE EARLY PART OF THE WEEK AS OVERSIZED LOADS WILL MOVE THROUGH THE REGION. NORTHEAST PRESTRESSED PRODUCTS WILL BE TAKING CONCRETE PRODUCTS TO A JOB SITE IN LUZERNE COUNTY. 2 LOADS DEPART AT 7 AND 9AM TODAY. DELAYS MAY RESULT ON ROUTE 901 AND 61.

CRUISE GOOD

IN SPITE OF RAIN STORMS THAT RAN THROUGH THE AREA SUNDAY, CAR CRUISERS FILLED THE STREETS OF POTTSVILLE FOR THE 16TH ANNUAL GREAT POTTSVILLE CRUISE. OVER 800 VEHICLES OF ALL VINTAGES WOUND THEIR WAY AROUND THE 10 MILE COURSE, WITH THOUSANDS LINING THE ROUTE. MOTHER NATURE STARTED THE DAY OFF WET, AND A HEAVY THUNDERSTORM SHORTENED THE TWO HOUR CRUISE BY ABOUT 45 MINUTES. BEST OF CRUISE AWARD WENT TO HARRY ZERBEY OF POTTSVILLE FOR HIS 1941 WILLYS COUPE. MAYORS AWARD WINNER WAS DONNA ZUBER OF ELIZABETHVILLE. LIONS PRESIDENT AWARD BEST OF THE 50'S WENT TO DAVID BAVER OF AUBURN. THE $5-THOUSAND-DOLLAR CASH RAFFLE WINNER WAS JANELLE STARR OF POTTSVILLE. NO COLLECTOR CORVETTE WAS CHANCED OFF THIS YEAR.


HUDSON MID-AIR COLLISION
NYPD: BODIES OF PLANE'S PILOT, ADULT PASSENGER REMAIN MISSING
HOBOKEN, N.J. (AP) - DIVERS RESUME THEIR SEARCH MONDAY FOR THE BODIES OF THE PILOT OF THE SMALL PLANE AND AN ADULT PASSENGER WHO WERE KILLED ALONG WITH SEVEN OTHERS IN A MIDAIR COLLISION OVER THE HUDSON RIVER. A NEW YORK POLICE SPOKESMAN SAYS THE BODIES OF THE SIX ABOARD THE SIGHTSEEING HELICOPTER - THE PILOT AND FIVE ITALIAN TOURISTS - AND THE BODY OF ONE TEENAGE BOY ABOARD THE PLANE HAVE BEEN RECOVERED. FEDERAL INVESTIGATORS DO NOT KNOW WHAT CAUSED THE TWO AIRCRAFT TO COLLIDE WITHIN THE BUSY CORRIDOR ABOVE THE RIVER ALONG MANHATTAN. WITNESSES SAY THE PLANE APPROACHED THE HELICOPTER, WHICH HAD JUST TAKEN OFF FOR A 12-MINUTE TOUR, FROM BEHIND AND CLIPPED IT WITH A WING. BOTH AIRCRAFT SPLIT APART AND FELL INTO THE RIVER. THE WRECKAGE OF THE LIBERTY HELICOPTERS AIRCRAFT WAS PULLED FROM THE RIVER.

MIDAIR-COLLISION VICTIMS
NY CRASH A TRAGEDY FOR FAMILIES FROM ITALY, PA.
BLUE BELL, PA. (AP) - FOR AN ITALIAN FAMILY IT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE A JOYOUS OCCASION, THE CELEBRATION OF 25 YEARS OF MARRIAGE. FOR A PENNSYLVANIA FAMILY, IT WAS A FLIGHT TO THE NEW JERSEY SHORE THAT INCLUDED A PASSING VIEW OF ONE OF THE WORLD'S MOST RENOWNED SKYLINES. BUT THE TRIPS TURNED TO DISASTER SATURDAY IN THE SKIES OVER NEW YORK WHEN A TOURIST HELICOPTER FERRYING FIVE ITALIAN TOURISTS AND A SMALL PLANE WITH TWO PENNSYLVANIA MEN AND ONE OF THEIR SONS COLLIDED OVER THE HUDSON RIVER. NINE PEOPLE, INCLUDING THREE TEENAGERS, DIED. THE PLANE WAS PILOTED BY STEVEN ALTMAN, A 60-YEAR-OLD DEVELOPMENT EXECUTIVE FROM AMBLER, PA. WITH HIM WAS HIS BROTHER DANIEL ALTMAN, 49, OF DRESHER, PA., AND DANIEL ALTMAN'S 16-YEAR-OLD SON, DOUGLAS. BY SUNDAY, A FACEBOOK MEMORIAL PAGE HAD BEEN SET UP TO DOUGLAS ALTMAN AND A FOUR-MINUTE TRIBUTE POSTED ON YOUTUBE SHOWED PICTURES AND VIDEO OF HIM WITH HIS FRIENDS. A FRIEND AND FELLOW PILOT, MICHAEL V. CHIODO, OF BLUE BELL, PA., SAID STEVEN ALTMAN WAS AN EXPERIENCED PILOT AND CALLED THE ALTMANS A VERY CLOSE-KNIT FAMILY.

HEALTH CLUB SHOOTING
PA GUNMAN'S FORMER CHURCH SAYS GOD WILL JUDGE ALL
FOREST HILLS, PA. (AP) - THE GUNMAN WHO KILLED THREE WOMEN AND WOUNDED NINE OTHERS AT A SUBURBAN PITTSBURGH HEALTH CLUB HAS NOT BEEN MENTIONED IN SUNDAY SERVICES AT TETELESTAI CHURCH, WHERE HE HAD SAT QUIETLY IN A PEW FOR YEARS. ASSOCIATE PASTOR JOHN DOROHOVICH, WHO HELD THE SERVICE IN THE AUDITORIUM OF TRINITY CHRISTIAN SCHOOL IN FOREST HILLS, URGED PARISHIONERS TO REJECT BITTERNESS AND "MAN'S FRANTIC SEARCH FOR HAPPINESS." HE SAID "WHEN YOU SEEK THAT OUT OVER THE WORD OF GOD, THAT BRINGS UPON YOU A LIFESTYLE OF MISERY, AND THEN YOU WANT TO TAKE IT OUT ON OTHERS." DOROHOVICH DID NOT USE GEORGE SODINI'S NAME BUT SAID GOD KNOWS THE MOTIVES IN HUMAN HEARTS AND WILL HOLD ALL TO ACCOUNT FOR WHAT THEY DO. OFFICIALS SAY PASTOR ALAN "RICK" KNAPP, CRITICIZED BY SODINI IN AN ONLINE DIARY AS HE PLOTTED TUESDAY NIGHT'S ATTACK ON THE LA FITNESS CLUB, IS IN FLORIDA WITH HIS CRITICALLY ILL FATHER. CHIEF DEACON CHUCK MATTONE SAYS THE CONGREGATION DOES NOT PRAY FOR THE DEAD BUT IS PRAYING FOR SODINI'S FAMILY AND SURVIVING VICTIMS.

TRANSITION TO TEACHING
TEMPLE U HOPES MATH, SCIENCE PROS TURN TO TEACHING
PHILADELPHIA (AP) - DESPITE A 20-YEAR CAREER IN BIOCHEMISTRY, TREVOR SELWOOD RECENTLY FOUND HIS APPRECIATION FOR SCIENCE BEING OVERSHADOWED BY THE CONSTANT UNCERTAINTY OF RESEARCH FUNDING. HE FOUND ANOTHER CAREER THROUGH TEMPLE UNIVERSITY. THE TRANSITION TO TEACHING PROGRAM HELPED SELWOOD COMBINE HIS SCIENCE SMARTS AND REAL-WORLD EXPERIENCE WITH THE EDUCATIONAL SKILLS NEEDED TO TEACH MIDDLE SCHOOL. SELWOOD IS AMONG THE PROGRAM'S FIRST CLASS OF GRADUATES IN JULY. HE'S SLATED TO START TEACHING SCIENCE THIS FALL IN PHILADELPHIA, WHERE HE DID HIS STUDENT TEACHING. TEMPLE ASSISTANT PROFESSOR DIANE JASS KETELHUT HELPED DESIGN THE PROGRAM. SHE SAYS THE HOPE IS THAT BY BRINGING IN PEOPLE WITH REAL-WORLD EXPERIENCE TO THE CLASSROOM, STUDENTS WILL SEE HOW THE SUBJECTS APPLY TO DAILY LIFE.

PITTSBURGH CASINO
SLOTS PARLOR OPENS IN PITTSBURGH
PITTSBURGH (AP) - HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE ARE TRYING THEIR LUCK AT PITTSBURGH'S BRAND-NEW RIVERS CASINO FOLLOWING A NOON SUNDAY OPENING THAT KICKED OFF THE SLOT-MACHINE GAMBLING ERA IN THE CITY. THE OPENING WAS CELEBRATED WITH FIREWORKS AND CLOUDS OF CONFETTI. MANY PATRONS HAD STOOD OUTSIDE IN HOT WEATHER BEFORE THE OPENING AS CASINO WORKERS PASSED OUT BOTTLED WATER. OTHERS PACKED AN AIR-CONDITIONED BUS DEPOT WAITING AREA. SIXTY-THREE-YEAR-OLD JIM VISCUSI OF BELLEVUE ARRIVED AT 5:30 A.M. TO BE FIRST IN LINE. THE NEW $780 MILLION CASINO FEATURES 3,000 SLOT MACHINES. IT WILL ALSO FEATURE NINE RESTAURANTS AND BARS AND A MULTISTORY GLASS FACADE THAT OVERLOOKS THE OHIO RIVER, DOWNTOWN PITTSBURGH AND MOUNT WASHINGTON.

TRACTOR-TRAILER CRASH
WESTERN PA. CRASH OF TRACTOR-TRAILER, CAR KILLS 2
DUNCANSVILLE, PA. (AP) - STATE POLICE IN WESTERN PENNSYLVANIA SAY A TRACTOR-TRAILER CROSSED THE MEDIAN AND COLLIDED WITH AN ONCOMING CAR, KILLING TWO PEOPLE. POLICE SAY THE TRACTOR-TRAILER WAS HEADING EAST ON STATE ROUTE 22 IN BLAIR COUNTY AT 3:30 P.M. WHEN IT CROSSED INTO THE WESTBOUND LANES AND HIT THE CAR. POLICE SAY THE CRASH CLAIMED THE LIVES OF THE TOYOTA'S FRONT-SEAT PASSENGERS, GARY SMITH AND TRACEY SMITH, OF NEW BETHLEHEM. AN 8-YEAR-OLD BOY ALSO IN THE CAR WAS FLOWN TO ALTOONA HOSPITAL AND LATER TO CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL OF PITTSBURGH. POLICE SAY THE CAUSE OF THE CRASH REMAINS UNDER INVESTIGATION AND A RECONSTRUCTION IS BEING DONE.

PENN STATE BEGINS
PRESEASON STARTS MONDAY FOR JOEPA, PENN STATE
STATE COLLEGE, PA. (AP) - IT'S TIME FOR PENN STATE TO HIT THE PRACTICE FIELD AGAIN. COACH JOE PATERNO'S SQUAD STARTS PRESEASON DRILLS ON MONDAY. THE 2009 SEASON WILL BE THE HALL OF FAME COACH'S 60TH SEASON AT PENN STATE, INCLUDING 16 YEARS AS AN ASSISTANT. PATERNO WILL HAVE TO BLEND A MIX OF STARS AND NEWCOMERS AS THE NITTANY LIONS TRY TO DEFEND THEIR BIG TEN TITLE. QUARTERBACK DARYLL CLARK AND TAILBACK EVAN ROYSTER RETURN ON OFFENSE, WHILE LINEBACKERS SEAN LEE AND NAVORRO BOWMAN, AND DEFENSIVE TACKLE JARED ODRICK LEAD THE DEFENSE. BUT JOEPA MUST REPLACE THE ENTIRE STARTING RECEIVING CORPS AND SECONDARY. PENN STATE WILL ALSO HAVE THREE NEW STARTERS ON THE OFFENSIVE LINE AND TWO NEW STARTING DEFENSIVE ENDS. tHE SEASON KICKS OFF SEPT. 5 AT HOME AGAINST AKRON.

NEW YORK FAMILY HURT

FOUR PEOPLE FROM NEW YORK STATE WERE HURT WHEN THEN CRASHED THEIR VEHICLE ON INTERSTATE 81 SATURDAY. AFTER 2PM, DHRUBA MUKHERJEE OF ITHACA’S CAR WENT OFF THE ROAD IN FOSTER TOWNSHIP AND CRASHED INTO A TREE. THE VEHICLE ROLLED OVER. THREE OTHER PASSENGERS, MEMBERS OF THE MUKHERJEE FAMILY WERE HURT. THEY WERE TAKEN TO SCHUYLKILL MEDICAL CENTER EAST FOR TREATMENT.

HEALTH CARE TOWN HALLS GET OUT OF HAND

WHAT WERE DESIGNED AS TOWN HALL MEETINGS TO ADDRESS HEALTH CARE REFORM IN PENNSYLVANIA HAVE RECENTLY TURNED INTO UGLY DISPLAYS WHERE ELECTED OFFICIALS ARE HECKLED, AND SHOUTING MATCHES ARE ERUPTING BETWEEN SUPPORTERS AND OPPONENTS. TOM JOSEPH REPORTS:

JOSEPH BITCH

BAGHDAD (AP) - AUTHORITIES ARE REPORTING THAT AT LEAST 42 PEOPLE HAVE DIED IN A WAVE OF VIOLENCE IN IRAQ. THEY SAY ANOTHER 138 PEOPLE HAVE BEEN WOUNDED. THE U.S. MILITARY HAS BEEN WARNING THAT MILITANTS MAY TRY TO DERAIL SECURITY GAINS AS AMERICAN FORCES TRY TO SCALE BACK THEIR PRESENCE IN IRAQ.

WASHINGTON (AP) - THE OBAMA ADMINISTRATION IS ASKING CONGRESS FOR TIME TO SEE WHETHER A REVAMPED WAR PLAN FOR AFGHANISTAN IS WORKING. AN ADVISER SAYS THE U.S. WILL KNOW BY THE END OF NEXT YEAR WHETHER THE STRATEGY PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA ANNOUNCED LAST MARCH IS WORKING.

GUADALAJARA, MEXICO (AP) - PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA IS IN MEXICO ATTENDING THE SO-CALLED "THREE AMIGOS" SUMMIT. THE MEETING BETWEEN THE LEADERS OF THE U.S., CANADA AND MEXICO WRAPS UP TODAY. THE AGENDA INCLUDES CROSS-BORDER TRADE AND A JOINT PLAN OF ATTACK AGAINST SWINE FLU.

HOBOKEN, N.J. (AP) - DIVERS WILL BE BACK IN NEW YORK'S HUDSON RIVER THIS MORNING, AS THEY SEARCH FOR BODIES AND WRECKAGE FROM THIS WEEKEND'S MID-AIR COLLISION. OFFICIALS ARE INVESTIGATING WHY A SMALL PLANE CRASHED INTO A SIGHTSEEING HELICOPTER NEAR MANHATTAN. NINE PEOPLE WERE KILLED.

BEIJING (AP) - TWO TYPHOONS IN ASIA HAVE KILLED DOZENS OF PEOPLE AND FORCED NEARLY 1 MILLION PEOPLE TO FLEE TO SAFETY. ONE STORM HIT CHINA, THE PHILIPPINES AND TAIWAN, WHERE IT'S TRIGGERED THE WORST FLOODING IN 50 YEARS. AS MANY AS 400 PEOPLE ARE UNACCOUNTED FOR IN TAIWAN. ANOTHER STRUCK JAPAN'S WEST COAST, CAUSING LANDSLIDES AND FLOODING HUNDREDS OF HOMES.