Today's News-Monday, August 24 2009

HEROIN BUST IN MAHANOY CITY

TWO PEOPLE WERE ARRESTED IN A DRUG BUST SATURDAY IN MAHANOY CITY. BOROUGH POLICE INDICATE THAT 27 YEAR OLD CRYSTAL LOTT AND 33 YEAR OLD JAMES NEDINSKY WERE STOPPED ON EAST MARKET STREET. LOTT WAS SEEN PUTTING SOMETHING INTO HER PANTS WHILE IN THE CAR, WHICH WAS LATER FOUND TO BE HEROIN. LOTT AND NEDINSKY WERE ARRAIGNED AND TAKEN TO SCHUYLKILL COUNTY PRISON.

CITIZENS FIRE COMPANY BREAK IN

PALO ALTO’S FIRE COMPANY WAS BROKEN INTO LATE LAST WEEK ACCORDING TO STATE POLICE. UNKNOWN BURGLARS BROKE INTO CITIZENS FIRE COMPANY THROUGHA A REAR DOOR. ONCE INSIDE THE BAR AREA, CASH FROM THE REGISTER AND A MONEY BAG WAS TAKEN TOTALING ABOUT $12 HUNDRED DOLLARS. THE INVESTIGATION IS CONTINUING.

UNIDENTIFIED DRIVER INJURED

AN ASHLAND WOMAN SUFFERED INJURIES IN A CRASH ON ROUTE 61. A 20 YEAR OLD FEMALE WAS SOUTHBOUND ON THE FRACKVILLE GRADE WHEN THE CAR LEFT THE ROAD AND WENT UP AN EMBANKMENT. THE WOMAN WAS WEARING HER SEATBELT, BUT WAS STILL TAKEN TO THE HOSPITAL FOR TREATMENT.

PENN STATE SCHUYLKILL STUDENTS MOVE IN

IT WAS A FLURRY OF ACTIVITY AT PENN STATE SCHUYLKILL OVER THE WEEKEND AS STUDENTS ARRIVED FOR THE START OF CLASSES. OFFICIALS SAY THAT ABOUT ONE THOUSAND STUDENTS WILL BEGIN CLASSES TODAY. LUCKY FISHER, A FRESHMAN FROM PHILADELPHIA TELLS WPPA/T102 NEWS WHY HE CHOSE SCHUYLKILL:

FISHER

PENN STATE IS ALSO OFFERING OPPORTUNITIES FOR ADULT LEARNERS, AS EXPLAINED BY SHANNON WABBY, ADULT PROGRAM DIRECTOR:

WABBY

ENROLLMENT IS DOWN SLIGHTLY FROM LAST YEAR ACCORDING TO CAMPUS OFFICIALS.

PENN STATE TWO

SOUTHERN SCHUYLKILL COUNTY WAS ABUZZ OVER THE WEEKEND AS STUDENTS AT PENN STATE SCHUYLKILL RETURNED TO CAMPUS. DR KEITH HILLKIRK, CAMPUS CHANCELLOR, RUNS DOWN THE NUMBERS:

HILLKIRK 1

OTHER OPPORTUNITIES FOR NON TRADITIONAL STUDENTS ARE ALSO SEEING AN UPTICK ACCORDING TO HILLKIRK:

HILLKIRK 2

ENROLLMENT OVERALL IS DOWN SLIGHTLY FROM LAST YEAR.

HARRISBURG, PA. (AP) - NONPROFIT GROUPS THAT RELY ON PAYMENTS FROM THE STATE TO PROVIDE SERVICES TO PENNSYLVANIA'S MOST VULNERABLE CITIZENS ARE FEELING THE PINCH DURING THE STATE BUDGET STALEMATE. BATTERED WOMEN, HOMELESS PEOPLE AND OTHERS GET SERVICES FROM SUCH GROUPS. THE ORGANIZATIONS ARE BURNING THROUGH THEIR SAVINGS AND OTHERWISE STRUGGLING TO STAY AFLOAT.

POCONO LAKE, PA. (AP) - AUTHORITIES IN NORTHEASTERN PENNSYLVANIA SAY POLICE OFFICERS WERE JUSTIFIED IN SHOOTING TO DEATH A MAN WHO HAD FIRED SEVERAL SHOTS AT OFFICERS. MICHAEL SCHAFFER, OF POCONO LAKE, WAS SHOT AND KILLED LAST WEEK BY POCONO MOUNTAIN REGIONAL POLICE. AUTHORITIES SAY SCHAFFER HAD BEEN MAKING THREATS IN A FOREST GLEN HOME.

LIMA, PA. (AP) - OFFICIALS IN SUBURBAN PHILADELPHIA SAY AN ELDERLY MAN FOUND DEAD INSIDE A BURNING CAR LAST WEEK HAS BEEN IDENTIFIED AS 84-YEAR-OLD THOMAS LYNAM. STATE POLICE SAY LYNAM'S BODY WAS FOUND IN THE DRIVER'S SEAT AND HE WAS PRONOUNCED DEAD LAST WEDNESDAY AFTER FIREFIGHTERS DOUSED THE FLAMES OF THE FIRE IN BROOKHAVEN.

CHARLESTON, W.VA. (AP) - A 23-YEAR-OLD PITTSBURGH MAN HAS DROWNED IN CHEAT LAKE WHILE CAMPING WITH FRIENDS. THE MONONGALIA COUNTY SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT SAYS THE BODY OF PETER ANDREW SCALISE WAS PULLED FROM THE LAKE OVER THE WEEKEND. THE STATE MEDICAL EXAMINER'S OFFICE IS SOON EXPECTED TO RELEASE THE RESULTS OF AN AUTOPSY.

WILKES-BARRE, PA. (AP) - A FORMER NORTHEASTERN PENNSYLVANIA JUDGE IS ASKING THE STATE SUPREME COURT TO TAKE OVER A MISCONDUCT CASE AGAINST HER.THE STATE COURT OF JUDICIAL DISCIPLINE SAID IN DECEMBER THAT FORMER LUZERNE COUNTY JUDGE ANN LOKUTA FAILED TO PERFORM HER JUDICIAL DUTIES. BUT LOKUTA SAYS SHE WAS THE TARGET OF A VENDETTA BY OTHER JUDGES, WHO HAVE SINCE PLEADED GUILTY TO FEDERAL CORRUPTION CHARGES.

VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA (AP) - THE HUNT FOR A REALITY SHOW CONTESTANT WANTED IN THE GRUESOME DEATH AND MUTILATION OF HIS
EX-WIFE IS OVER. AUTHORITIES SAY RYAN JENKINS WAS FOUND DEAD, AN
APPARENT SUICIDE AFTER HANGING HIMSELF IN A SECLUDED MOTEL IN
BRITISH COLUMBIA IN CANADA.

PORTLAND, MAINE (AP) - HURRICANE BILL REMAINS A MINIMAL CATEGORY 1 STORM OFF THE COAST OF NEWFOUNDLAND. FORECASTERS EXPECT IT TO
WEAKEN AS IT MOVES OVER COOLER CANADIAN WATERS. BILL IS BLAMED IN
TWO DEATHS, INCLUDING A 7-YEAR-OLD GIRL WHO DIED IN MAINE AFTER SHE
WAS SWEPT INTO THE OCEAN BY A LARGE WAVE.

CHILMARK, MASS. (AP) - PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA AND HIS FAMILY WILL BE SPENDING THE FIRST FULL DAY OF THEIR WEEKLONG VACATION ON MARTHA'S VINEYARD IN MASSACHUSETTS. PLEADING FOR PRIVACY, THE WHITE HOUSE SAYS OBAMA WILL HAVE NO PUBLIC EVENTS WHILE ON HOLIDAY.

KARAI, MALAYSIA (AP) - AUTHORITIES IN MALAYSIA HAVE ABRUPTLY POSTPONED THE CANING OF A MUSLIM MODEL FOR DRINKING BEER UNTIL AFTER THE ISLAMIC HOLY MONTH OF RAMADAN. BUT THEY INSIST THE PUNISHMENT WOULD BE CARRIED OUT DESPITE CRITICISM THAT IT'S TOO HARSH.

NASSAU, BAHAMAS (AP) - MISS VENEZUELA WAS THE FAIREST OF THEM ALL ONCE AGAIN, WINNING THE 2009 MISS UNIVERSE CROWN FOR THE SECOND YEAR STRAIGHT. STEFANIA FERNANDEZ HUGGED THE RUNNER-UP FROM THE DOMINICAN REPUBLIC AND DANCED IN JOY AS HER VICTORY WAS ANNOUNCED LAST NIGHT IN THE BAHAMAS.