Today's News-Saturday August 15 2009

MAN CHARGED WITH RAPING GIRL

A MAN ONLY IDENTIFIED AS JOHN DOE IS JAILED IN THE COUNTY PRISON FOR ALLEGEDLY RAPING A 13 YEAR OLD GIRL THURSDAY. THE GIRL REPORTEDLY WENT TO THE MAN’S HOUSE TO TALK TO HIM, THEN WENT INSIDE WHERE HE WAS TO HAVE GIVEN HER PILLS AND A DRINK THEN ASSAULTED HER. SHENANDOAH POLICE SAY THE MAN IS AROUND 19 YEARS OLD, BUT HE SPEAKS NO ENGLISH. HE IS LOCKED UP ON $500 THOUSAND DOLLARS BAIL.

HIDDEN VALLEY CLUBHOUSE BURGLARIZED

STATE POLICE ARE LOOKING FOR THE BANDITS WHO BROKE INTO THE CLUBHOUSE AT HIDDEN VALLEY. IT HAPPENED OVERNIGHT THURSDAY, WHERE A WINDOW WAS BROKEN TO GAIN ACCESS. SNACKS, SOME CHANGE AND 8 BOTTLES OF BOOZE WERE TAKEN. TROOPERS AT SCHUYLKILL HAVEN WILL TAKE YOUR TIPS IN THE CASE. CALL 593-2000.

HIT AND RUN INVESTIGATION CONTINUES

SCHUYLKILL HAVEN STATE POLICE NEED YOUR HELP IN IDENTIFYING A COUPLE INVOLVED IN A HIT AND RUN EARLIER THIS MONTH. A 25 YEAR OLD MARYLAND MAN WAS STOPPED FOLLOWING THE AUGUST 4TH INCIDENT ON ROUTE 61 AT GREENVIEW ROAD IN NORTH MANHEIM TOWNSHIP. TROOPERS SAY A WITNESS TO THE CRASH GAVE POLICE A DESCRIPTION OF THE MAN'S VEHICLE. AN ELDERLY COUPLE IN A SILVER SEDAN THAT WAS HIT BY THAT CAR ALSO LEFT THE SCENE. ANYONE WITH INFO SHOULD CALL 593-2000.

SWITCHEROO

A NEW FREEDOM MAN WHO WAS SIMPLY GETTING HIS TIRES CHANGED GOT MORE THAN HE BARGAINED FOR. SOMETIME OVER THE PAST TWO WEEKS, HARRY HEADLEY JR HAD HIS VOLVO TRACTOR BEING WORKED ON AT BASHORE TRUCKING IN NORTH MANHEIM TOWNSHIP. EIGHT NEW TIRES WERE REPORTEDLY ON HIS RIG, BUT WHEN HE PICKED UP THE RIG, FOUR OF THE NEW TIRES HAD BEEN REPLACED WITH RE-CAPS. THE INVESTIGATION IS CONTINUING.

TASTE OF THE ISLAND IN SCHUYLKILL HAVEN

IT'S A TASTE OF THE ISLANDS IN SCHUYLKILL HAVEN TODAY. ISLAND FEST 2009 IS A FUND RAISING EFFORT IN ITS THIRD YEAR TO HELP DEVELOP THE RECREATIONAL AREA IN THE BOROUGH. FOOD, GAMES, ENTERTAINMENT FOR THE ENTIRE FAMILY AND MUCH MORE WILL HIGHLIGHT THE DAYS FESTIVITIES BEGINNING AT 1PM. FIVE DOLLARS ADMISSION IS ALL IT WILL TAKE TO GET YOU IN AND ENJOY THE DAY. THE SCHUYLKILL HAVEN POLICE DEPARTMENT IS ALSO HOLDING THEIR ANNUAL BIKE RODEO AT 9AM. HELMETS ARE REQUIRED FOR PARTICIPANTS.

HARRISBURG, PA. (AP) - MORE THAN 250 STATE GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEES HAVE WORKED THEIR LAST DAY. GOVERNOR ED RENDELL ANNOUNCED THE LAYOFFS EARLIER THIS WEEK TO DEAL WITH THE MULTIBILLION-DOLLAR STATE REVENUE SHORTFALL. MORE THAN HALF OF THE LAYOFFS WERE TO OCCUR AT THE DEPARTMENTS OF REVENUE AND AGRICULTURE.

PITTSBURGH (AP) - THE FORT PITT MUSEUM IN PITTSBURGH AND SEVERAL OTHER HISTORIC SITES ARE CLOSING INDEFINITELY AMID THE ONGOING STATE BUDGET IMPASSE. THE BUSHY RUN BATTLEFIELD IN WESTMORELAND COUNTY, THE JOSEPH PRIESTLEY HOUSE IN NORTHUMBERLAND COUNTY AND THE BRANDYWINE BATTLEFIELD IN CHESTER COUNTY ARE ALSO CLOSING.

WASHINGTON (AP) - REGULATORS HAVE SHUT DOWN DWELLING HOUSE SAVINGS AND LOAN ASSOCIATION, A SMALL BANK IN PITTSBURGH. PNC BANK HAS AGREED TO ASSUME DWELLING HOUSE'S DEPOSITS, AND THE LONE DWELLING HOUSE BRANCH WILL REOPEN MONDAY AS A PNC BRANCH.

SINKING SPRING, PA. (AP) - POLICE IN EASTERN PENNSYLVANIA SAY THEY RESPONDED TO AN ARGUMENT THURSDAY AT THE HOME OF JON AND KATE GOSSELIN, THE STARS OF THE TLC SHOW "JON & KATE PLUS 8." POLICE SAY THEY CALMED THE SITUATION DOWN. THERE WERE NO ARRESTS OR CITATIONS.

PHILADELPHIA (AP) - MICHAEL VICK'S RETURN TO THE NFL WITH THE EAGLES IS GETTING A MIXED REACTION IN PHILADELPHIA. SOME HARDCORE PHILLY FANS ARE SEEING RED, BUT OTHERS ARE CREDITING THE FRANCHISE FOR GIVING VICK A SECOND CHANCE AFTER HE WAS CONVICTED FOR HIS ROLE IN RUNNING A DOGFIGHTING RING.

WASHINGTON (AP) - PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA IS KEEPING UP THE FIGHT FOR HIS HEALTH CARE OVERHAUL, HEADING TO A TOWN HALL MEETING TODAY IN GRAND JUNCTION, COLO. IT'LL BE HIS SECOND TOWN HALL-STYLE MEETING IN AS MANY DAYS. IN A MONTANA AIRPORT HANGAR YESTERDAY, OBAMA FACED A LARGELY FRIENDLY CROWD BUT TOOK SOME TOUGH QUESTIONS.

DAVENPORT, CALIF. (AP) - STRONG WINDS HAVE CALIFORNIA OFFICIALS WORRIED ABOUT NEW WILDFIRES FORCING MORE EVACUATIONS IN AREAS ALREADY UNDER A STATE OF EMERGENCY. THE WINDS ARE SPREADING THE FIRES ALREADY BURNING AND HUNDREDS HAVE FLED THEIR HOMES IN THE SANTA CRUZ MOUNTAINS. GOV. ARNOLD SCHWARZENEGGER IS SCHEDULED TO VISIT THE FIRE ZONE TODAY.

KABUL (AP) - SEVEN PEOPLE DIED AND 91 WERE WOUNDED BY A SUICIDE CAR BOMB NEAR THE NATO FORCE HEADQUARTERS IN A HEAVILY GUARDED SECTION OF AFGHANISTAN'S CAPITAL. THE BOMBER EVADED SEVERAL RINGS OF AFGHAN POLICE IN THE BIGGEST ATTACK IN KABUL IN SIX MONTHS. IT COULD BE AN EFFORT TO SEND A MESSAGE THAT THE TALIBAN CAN ATTACK ANYWHERE WITH A PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION DAYS AWAY.

ISLAMABAD (AP) - THE FIRST SUICIDE ATTACK IN PAKISTAN'S SWAT VALLEY SINCE LAST MONTH HAS KILLED AT LEAST THREE SOLDIERS. THE BOMBER RAMMED AN EXPLOSIVES-LADEN VEHICLE INTO A SECURITY CHECKPOINT. THE GOVERNMENT LAST MONTH HAD PROCLAIMED ITS MILITARY OFFENSIVE AGAINST THE PAKISTANI TALIBAN IN THE SWAT AREA LARGELY SUCCESSFUL.

SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA (AP) - HE'S BEEN REJECTED BEFORE BUT SOUTH KOREA'S PRESIDENT HAS RENEWED HIS OFFER OF AID FOR IMPOVERISHED NORTH KOREA IF IT ABANDONS ITS NUCLEAR WEAPONS. HE'S ALSO CALLING FOR TALKS ON THE REDUCTION OF CONVENTIONAL WEAPONS ALONG THE HEAVILY FORTIFIED BORDER BETWEEN THE TWO COUNTRIES.