Today's News-Monday, August 31, 2009

TWO DIE IN CRASH

A BALTIMORE POLICE OFFICER LOST CONTROL OF HIS PICKUP TRUCK DURING A SUDDEN DOWNPOUR ON INTERSTATE 81 IN SCHUYLKILL COUNTY, LEADING TO A CRASH THAT KILLED HIS SON AND HIS SON'S GIRLFRIEND. FORTY-ONE-YEAR-OLD MICHAEL JONES SR. HAS BEEN AIRLIFTED TO MARYLAND SHOCK TRAUMA CENTER, WHERE HE'S LISTED IN SERIOUS CONDITION. BALTIMORE POLICE SPOKESMAN ANTHONY GUGLIELMI SAYS JONES WAS DRIVING SOUTHBOUND ALONG INTERSTATE 81 IN TREMONT TOWNSHIP SHORTLY AFTER 6 P.M. SATURDAY WHEN HE LOST CONTROL OF THE TRUCK IN BAD WEATHER. GUGLIELMI SAYS THE VEHICLE OVERTURNED, WENT DOWN AN EMBANKMENT AND HIT A TREE. JONES' SON, 18-YEAR-OLD MICHAEL JONES JR., WAS PRONOUNCED DEAD AT THE HOSPITAL. HIS SON'S GIRLFRIEND, 19-YEAR-OLD SHANIQUA TUCKER, WAS KILLED INSTANTLY.

ROBBERY
A DISGUISED MAN ROBBED A TREMONT CONVENIENCE STORE EARLY TODAY. STATE POLICE REPORT THAT THE LONE BANDIT ENTERED KREISER'S QUICK STOP ON TREMONT STREET BEFORE 1AM AND DEMANDED CASH FROM THE CLERK. LESS THAN $100-DOLLARS WAS TAKEN. THE WHITE MALE IS DESCRIBED AS BEING 20 TO 25 YEARS OLD, ABOUT 5 FEET 9 INCHES TALL AND WORE A HOODED SWEATSHIRT. THE VEHICLE HE WAS DRIVING WAS APPARENTLY A DARK COLORED IMPORT . SCHUYLKILL HAVEN STATE POLICE ARE INVESTIGATING.

HOME BURGLARIZED
A BARRY TOWNSHIP HOME WAS BURGLARIZED OVER THE WEEKEND. SOMEONE ENTERED THERESA CHIESA'S HOME ON HALL DRIVE AND TOOK COINS, CASH AND A BULOVA WATCH, ALL VALUED AT MORE THAN $75-HUNDRED DOLLARS. CALL SCHUYLKILL HAVEN STATE POLICE IF YOU CAN AID IN THE INVESTIGATION.

ASSAULT IN SHENANDOAH
FRACKVILLE STATE POLICE HAVE CHARGED A SHENANDOAH MAN WITH AGGRAVATED ASSAULT. DURING AN ARGUMENT WITH HIS GIRLFRIEND, JOHN BLASE STRUCK HER AND STABBED HER WITH A SCREWDRIVER. THE UNIDENTIFIED VICTIM WAS TREATED AT ST CATHERINE'S MEDICAL CENTER FOR PUNCTURE WOUNDS, THEN RELEASED. TROOPERS CHARGED BLASE WITH AGGRAVATED AND SIMPLE ASSAULT AND HARRASSMENT AND TAKEN TO SCHUYLKILL COUNTY PRISON IN LIEU OF $10 THOUSAND DOLLARS BAIL.

ATV STOLEN
A WEST MAHANOY TOWNSHIP MAN'S HOME WAS BROKEN INTO EARLY SATURDAY. SOMEONE FORCIBLY ENTERED THE GARAGE OF KEVIN GRAFF OF LOST CREEK AND TOOK AN ATV WORTH $35-HUNDRED DOLLARS. THE VEHICLE WAS YELLOW IN COLOR. TROOPERS FROM FRACKVILLE ARE CONTINUING THEIR INVESTIGATION.


LOU PAPARAZO'S STAUDACHER LOU'S AWARD FROM F.A.A.

LOU PAPARAZO FLIES FOR 50 YEARS
LEARNING TO FLY A PLANE IS NO SMALL FEAT. BUT FOR A POTTSVILLE BUSINESSMAN, ITS BEEN PART OF HIS LIFE FOR 50 YEARS. LOU PAPARAZO, OWNER OF POTTSVILLE PIZZERIA, WAS HONORED RECENTLY BY THE FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION FOR TAKING TO THE SKIES FOR HALF A CENTURY. PAPARAZO DOESN'T JUST FLY YOUR RUN OF THE MILL PLANE…HE IS AN ACCOMPLISHED AEROBATIC PILOT, AND THE 350 HORSEPOWER STUNT PLANE HE FLIES WAS BUILT FOR A HOLLYWOOD ICON:

PAPARAZO

SO IF YOU LOOK TO THE SKIES OVER JOE ZERBEY AIRPORT AND SEE A SMALL WHITE AND GREEN PLANE DOING STUNTS IN THE AIR, ITS PROBABLY LOU PAPARAZO. JAY LEVAN'S INTERVIEW WITH LOU PAPARAZO WILL AIR ON STEP UP TO THE MIC THIS MORNING ON WPPA.

FIRE ESCAPE FALL
1 KILLED, 1 INJURED IN PHILLY FIRE ESCAPE FALL
PHILADELPHIA (AP) - A MAN IS DEAD AND A WOMAN IS CRITICALLY INJURED AFTER THEY FELL FOUR STORIES FROM A DOWNTOWN PHILADELPHIA FIRE ESCAPE. POLICE SAY THE ACCIDENT HAPPENED AT AN APARTMENT IN THE CITY'S UPSCALE RITTENHOUSE SQUARE NEIGHBORHOOD AROUND 3 A.M. SUNDAY. INVESTIGATORS SAY THE TWO FELL AFTER A RAILING THAT THEY WERE LEANING ON GAVE WAY. THE 25-YEAR-OLD MAN WAS PRONOUNCED DEAD AT THE SCENE. THE WOMAN IS IN CRITICAL CONDITION AT A DOWNTOWN HOSPITAL. CITY INSPECTORS ARE INVESTIGATING WHAT CAUSED THE RAILING TO GIVE WAY. OFFICIALS SAY A POPULAR BELGIAN RESTAURANT BELOW THE APARTMENT, MONK'S CAFE, WILL BE CLOSED WHILE THE BUILDING'S OWNER CORRECTS STRUCTURAL PROBLEMS. RESIDENTS OF OTHER APARTMENTS IN THE BUILDING ALSO ARE BEING MOVED ELSEWHERE.

SENATOR INVESTIGATION-TRIAL
FORMER PA. STATE SENATOR HEADED TO PRISON MONDAY
PHILADELPHIA (AP) - A FORMER PENNSYLVANIA STATE SENATOR CONVICTED ON FRAUD CHARGES IS SCHEDULED TO REPORT TO FEDERAL PRISON IN KENTUCKY TODAY. SIXTY-SIX-YEAR-OLD VINCENT FUMO HAS BEEN SENTENCED TO 4 1/2 YEARS IN PRISON FOR DEFRAUDING THE SENATE AND TWO NONPROFITS OF SEVERAL MILLION DOLLARS. FUMO IS SET TO REPORT TO A LOW-SECURITY PRISON IN ASHLAND, KY. THE 66-YEAR-OLD FUMO WAS A WEALTHY DEMOCRATIC POWER BROKER DURING A 30-YEAR STATE SENATE CAREER. HE WAS CONVICTED IN MARCH OF DEFRAUDING THE STATE SENATE, A SOUTH PHILADELPHIA NONPROFIT AND A SEAPORT MUSEUM OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS. IN JULY, HE WAS SENTENCED TO 55 MONTHS IN PRISON. THE SENTENCE WAS WELL UNDER THE GUIDELINE RANGE OF ABOUT 10 TO 12 YEARS.

PITTSBURGH POLICE SHOOTING
UNDERCOVER PITTSBURGH OFFICERS SHOOT MAN IN LEG
PITTSBURGH (AP) - AUTHORITIES SAY UNDERCOVER NARCOTICS OFFICERS IN PITTSBURGH SHOT A SUSPECT IN THE LEG AFTER HE TRIED TO ROB THEM DURING A DRUG PURCHASE. POLICE SAY 29-YEAR-OLD OMAR PRYOR POINTED A GUN AT THE HEAD OF ONE OF THE OFFICERS AND TRIED TO ROB HIM AROUND 8:40 P.M. SATURDAY. THE DETECTIVE BACKED AWAY AND THEN TOLD THE MAN HE WAS UNDER ARREST. POLICE SAY PRYOR OPENED FIRE; THE OFFICERS SHOT BACK, HITTING HIM IN THE LEG. PRYOR WAS TAKEN TO THE HOSPITAL AND CHARGED WITH ATTEMPTED HOMICIDE, AGGRAVATED ASSAULT AND FIREARMS VIOLATIONS. POLICE SAY A SECOND MAN WHO HAD ARRANGED FOR THE DRUG BUY WAS ALSO ARRESTED. AUTHORITIES SAY THAT 22-YEAR-OLD ANTHONY DAVIS IS CHARGED WITH CRIMINAL CONSPIRACY TO COMMIT ROBBERY. BOTH OFFICERS ARE ON ADMINISTRATIVE LEAVE PENDING AN INTERNAL INVESTIGATION.

SMALL PLANE CRASH
POLICE: 1 KILLED IN SMALL PLANE CRASH IN PA.
EFFORT, PA. (AP) - STATE POLICE SAY ONE PERSON HAS BEEN KILLED IN A SMALL PLANE CRASH IN THE POCONOS. TROOPER BRYON DICKSON SAYS THE ACCIDENT HAPPENED SUNDAY MORNING NEAR A SMALL AIRPORT IN CHESTNUTHILL TOWNSHIP, MONROE COUNTY. THE PLANE CRASHED BEHIND A HOME NEAR THE PEGASUS AIR PARK. DICKSON SAYS THE CALL CAME IN SHORTLY BEFORE 10 A.M. HE SAYS POLICE BELIEVE THE PLANE WAS SOME KIND OF EXPERIMENTAL AIRCRAFT AND THAT IT APPEARED TO BE A ONE-SEATER. THE FEDERAL AVIATION DMINISTRATION IS HEADING TO THE SCENE TO INVESTIGATE.

TOM RIDGE-BOOK
RIDGE: NO PRESSURE TO RAISE TERROR ALERT LEVEL
ERIE, PA. (AP) - FORMER HOMELAND SECURITY SECRETARY TOM RIDGE SAYS HE DIDN'T FEEL "PRESSURE" FROM THE BUSH ADMINISTRATION TO RAISE THE TERROR ALERT LEVEL BEFORE THE 2004 PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION. RIDGE TELLS THE ERIE TIME-NEWS THAT, INSTEAD, OFFICIALS "EXPRESSED AN OPINION" DIFFERENT FROM HIS. RIDGE HAS A NEW BOOK COMING OUT TUESDAY, CALLED "THE TEST OF OUR TIMES: AMERICA UNDER SIEGE ... AND HOW WE CAN BE SAFE AGAIN." RIDGE IS A FORMER PENNSYLVANIA GOVERNOR FROM ERIE. HE TOLD THE NEWSPAPER THAT THE BOOK IS BOTH A HISTORICAL ACCOUNT OF THE FLEDGLING DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY AND A CAUTION FOR THE FUTURE.

STATE BUDGET HOLDOUTS
PENNSYLVANIA AND CONNECTICUT STATE BUDGETS STILL IN LIMBO
HARRISBURG, PA. (AP) - PENNSYLVANIA AND CONNECTICUT ARE THE ONLY TWO STATES STILL WORKING ON THEIR STATE BUDGETS AMID PLUMMETING STATE REVENUES. CONNECTICUT'S REVENUE FLOW HAS DROPPED BY $2 BILLION FROM LAST YEAR WHILE PENNSYLVANIA'S CAME IN $3.3 BILLION LESS THAN EXPECTED. MEANWHILE, STATES SUCH AS CALIFORNIA, ARIZONA, ILLINOIS, VIRGINIA AND MARYLAND ARE ALREADY REVISITING OR ARE LIKELY TO REVISIT THEIR BUDGETS SO THEY CAN ADJUST THEM TO NEWER, LOWER REVENUE FIGURES. SCOTT PATTISON, OF THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF STATE BUDGET OFFICERS, SAYS THE PROBLEM LIES IN THE SEVERE RECESSION. HE SAYS LESS MONEY MEANS LAWMAKERS HAVE TO MAKE VERY DIFFICULT POLITICAL CHOICES.

MAYOR-THEFT CHARGES
SUBURBAN PHILLY MAYOR RESIGNS AMID THEFT CHARGES
GLENOLDEN, PA. (AP) - THE MAYOR OF A SMALL PHILADELPHIA SUBURB HAS RESIGNED AMID CHARGES THAT HE STOLE MORE THAN $78,000 FROM CUSTOMERS AT A FUNERAL HOME HE OWNED. GLENOLDEN OFFICIALS ANNOUNCED THE RESIGNATION OF 68-YEAR-OLD THEODORE BATHURST ON FRIDAY. HE HAD BEEN MAYOR SINCE 1994. DELAWARE COUNTY PROSECUTORS SAY BATHURST DEFRAUDED CUSTOMERS OVER A NINE-YEAR PERIOD. AUTHORITIES SAY HE PAID OPERATING EXPENSES USING MONEY FROM A FUND CUSTOMERS COULD PAY INTO IN ADVANCE. HE FACES CHARGES INCLUDING THEFT BY DECEPTION AND RECEIVING STOLEN PROPERTY. BATHURST SOLD THE FUNERAL HOME IN 2007. THE CURRENT OWNER SAYS SHE DISCOVERED THAT MONEY WAS MISSING WHEN SHE TRIED TO ACCESS THE ESCROW ACCOUNT OF A CLIENT IN MARCH 2008. AFTER HIS AUG. 21 ARRAIGNMENT, BATHURST SAID HE WAS SORRY BUT WOULD NOT SAY WHETHER HE WOULD STEP DOWN AS MAYOR.

LITTLE LEAGUE-BIDEN
BIDEN HONORED AT LITTLE LEAGUE WORLD SERIES
SOUTH WILLIAMSPORT, PA. (AP) - VICE PRESIDENT JOE BIDEN FONDLY RECALLED PLAYING YOUTH BASEBALL IN PENNSYLVANIA WHILE BEING HONORED AT THE LITTLE LEAGUE WORLD SERIES. BIDEN WAS ENSHRINED INTO LITTLE LEAGUE'S HALL OF EXCELLENCE BEFORE SUNDAY'S TITLE GAME BETWEEN CALIFORNIA AND TAIWAN. ACCOMPANIED BY THREE GRANDDAUGHTERS, BIDEN TOLD THE CROWD HE STARTED OUT IN LITTLE LEAGUE AS AN 8-YEAR-OLD PLAYING SHORTSTOP FOR THE GREEN RIDGE LITTLE LEAGUE IN SCRANTON BEFORE MOVING TO CENTER FIELD. BIDEN JOKED THAT IF HE WAS GIVEN THE CHOICE AS A CHILD TO PITCH IN THE WORLD SERIES OR BE VICE PRESIDENT, HE WOULD PICK THE WORLD SERIES. SPORTING A LITTLE LEAGUE WORLD SERIES HAT, BIDEN THEN SIGNED A FEW AUTOGRAPHS.

LITTLE LEAGUE
CALIFORNIA BEATS TAIWAN, TAKES LITTLE LEAGUE WS
SOUTH WILLIAMSPORT, PA. (AP) - CALIFORNIA CAME UP BIG LATE TO WIN THE LITTLE LEAGUE WORLD SERIES. BULLA GRAFT'S SINGLE SCORED THE GO-AHEAD RUN IN THE FOURTH INNING AND CHULA VISTA RALLIED TO DEFEAT TAOYUAN, TAIWAN, 6-3 ON SUNDAY TO TAKE THE LITTLE LEAGUE CROWN. KIKO GARCIA PITCHED THREE-PLUS SCORELESS INNINGS OF RELIEF TO SETTLE DOWN A CALIFORNIA TEAM THAT FELL BEHIND 3-0 EARLY. CALIFORNIA SCORED A RUN IN THE THIRD BEFORE SURGING AHEAD IN THE FOURTH. CALIFORNIA TIED IT ON A SACRIFICE FLY AND WILD PITCH BEFORE GRAFT'S SINGLE WITH TWO OUTS SCORED ANDY RIOS FOR A 4-3 LEAD. GARCIA GOT YU CHIEH KAO TO STRIKE OUT TO END THE GAME. THE UNITED STATES HAS WON FIVE STRAIGHT TITLES.

LOS ANGELES (AP) - CALIFORNIA GOV. ARNOLD SCHWARZENEGGER SAYS "OUR HEARTS ARE HEAVY" FOLLOWING THE DEATHS OF TWO LOS ANGELES COUNTY FIREFIGHTERS. THEY WERE KILLED SUNDAY WHEN THEIR VEHICLE ROLLED DOWN A MOUNTAINSIDE. FIRE CREWS ARE BATTLING A WILDFIRE THAT'S THREATENING 12,000 HOMES.

CABO SAN LUCAS, MEXICO (AP) - BAJA CALIFORNIA IS BRACING FOR THE POSSIBLE ARRIVAL OF HURRICANE JIMENA BY TOMORROW EVENING. JIMENA IS NOW A DANGEROUS CATEGORY 4 STORM WITH TOP SUSTAINED WINDS OF 145 MPH. RESIDENTS HAVE BEEN STOCKING UP ON FOOD AND AUTHORITIES SET UP SHELTERS.

PORT ARANSAS, TEXAS (AP) - THREE TEXAS BOATERS MISSING FOR A WEEK IN THE GULF OF MEXICO ARE BACK WITH THEIR FAMILIES. THE COAST GUARD SAYS THEY WERE FOUND SITTING ON TOP OF THEIR CAPSIZED CATAMARAN 180 MILES FROM LAND. THE THREE WERE REPORTED MISSING AUG. 22 AFTER THEY FAILED TO RETURN FROM A FISHING TRIP.

CAPE CANAVERAL, FLA. (AP) - SPACE SHUTTLE DISCOVERY IS NOW DOCKED AT THE INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION, WITH A FULL LOAD OF GEAR AND SCIENCE EXPERIMENTS. ONE OF THE ITEMS IS A TREADMILL NAMED FOR COMEDY CENTRAL'S STEPHEN COLBERT.

SOUTH WILLIAMSPORT, PA. (AP) - CALIFORNIA CAME FROM BEHIND TO WIN THE LITTLE LEAGUE WORLD SERIES CHAMPIONSHIP. CALIFORNIA DEFEATED THE TEAM FROM TAIWAN 6-3 TO CLAIM THE TITLE. IT'S THE FIFTH STRAIGHT LITTLE LEAGUE CHAMPIONSHIP FOR THE UNITED STATES.