Today's News-Monday, Septebmer 28, 2009-UPDATED

ADMINISTRATOR THREATENED

SHENANDOAH - POLICE ARE LOOKING FOR A SHENANDOAH MAN ACCUSED OF MAKING TERRORISTIC THREATS AGAINST A SCHOOL DISTRICT ADMINISTRATOR. POLICE SAY CARLOS CINTRON' LEFT THE GROUNDS OF SHENANDOAH VALLEY HIGH SCHOOL WHERE HE WORKED AS A SECURITY GUARD THROUGH ANTHRACITE PROTECTIVE SERVICES. SCHOOL ADMINISTRATION OFFICIALS BELIEVED CINTRON QUIT HIS JOB. WHILE OFFICIALS WERE PACKING THE MAN'S BELONGINGS THEY FOUND A NOT SCRIBBLED WITH PROFANITY AND THREATS AGAINST HIGH SCHOOL PRINCIPAL PHILIP ANDRAS, INCLUDING SLITTING ANDRAS' THROAT. A WARRANT WAS ISSUED FOR CINTRON'S ARREST. HE IS BELIEVED TO BE IN THE READING AREA.

TREMONT MAN JAILED FOR MAKING TERRORISTIC THREATS

A TREMONT MAN IS JAILED FOLLOWING AN INCIDENT IN THE BOROUGH SATURDAY NIGHT. STATE POLICE REPORT THAT A DOMESTIC DISPUTE WAS GOING ON BETWEEN KRISTEL AND STEPHEN SLINSKI AT 86 BRANCH STREET. STEPHEN SLINSKI RETRIEVED A PISTOL AND AMMUNITION, CLEANED IT AND POINTED IT AT HIMSELF. A ROUND WENT THROUGH TWO WALLS NEAR KRISTEL SLINSKI, AND SHE FLED. STEPHEN SLINSKI THEN SMASHED A COMPUTER WITH A TWO BY FOUR. HE'S CHARGED WITH MAKING TERRORISTIC THREATS, RECKLESS ENDANGERMENT AND HARRASSMENT. FOLLOWING ARRAIGNMENT, HE WAS TAKEN TO SCHUYLKILL COUNTY PRISON.

FIRE COMPANY BURGLARIZED

SCHUYLKILL HAVEN STATE POLICE ARE INVESTIGATING THE BURGLARY OF A CRESSONA FIRE COMPANY. UNKNOWN BURGLARS BROKE INTO A SIDE DOOR AT GOODWILL FIRE COMPANY, TAKING ABOUT $845 DOLLARS IN CASH FROM THE SNACK BAR AND SAFE OF THE BUILDING ON SILLYMAN STREET. THE BURGLARY HAPPENED LATE LAST WEEK.

STATE BUDGET

HARRISBURG (AP) - DEFENDING A HANDSHAKE AGREEMENT TO END PENNSYLVANIA'S LONG STATE GOVERNMENT BUDGET STANDOFF MIGHT BE AS COMPLICATED AS IT WAS TO REACH THE DEAL. MORE THAN A WEEK AFTER THE DEAL WAS REACHED BY GOV. ED RENDELL AND TOP REPUBLICAN AND DEMOCRATIC LAWMAKERS, PROPONENTS ARE GAMELY DEFENDING IT WHILE LOBBYISTS SEEK CHANGES AND RANK-AND-FILE LAWMAKERS BRIM WITH QUESTIONS. LEGISLATORS HAVE MAJOR WRINKLES TO IRON OUT AND ANOTHER WEEK OR MORE WHILE AIDES WRITE THE FINE PRINT OF THE SPRAWLING, PUZZLE-LIKE AGREEMENT INTO LEGISLATION BEFORE IT REACHES A VOTE. ALL SIDES SAY THEY PLAN TO STICK TO THE DEAL AND, FOR THE MOST PART, HAVE KEPT THEIR SKIRMISHES BEHIND THE SCENES WHILE THEY WORK TO SEW VOTES TOGETHER. AT STAKE IS ENDING PENNSYLVANIA'S STATUS AS THE ONLY STATE IN THE UNION STILL FIGHTING OVER ITS BUDGET. THE NEARLY $28 BILLION DEAL ANNOUNCED SEPT. 18 AVOIDS AN INCREASE IN THE STATE INCOME OR SALES TAX RATES AND CUTS OVERALL SPENDING BY ABOUT 1 PERCENT.

LEHIGH COUNTY CRASH
3-VEHICLE EASTERN PA. CRASH KILLS 2 TEENS

GERMANTOWN, PA. (AP) - AUTHORITIES IN EASTERN PENNSYLVANIA SAY A THREE-VEHICLE CRASH HAS KILLED TWO TEENAGERS AND INJURED TWO OTHERS. STATE POLICE AT BETHLEHEM SAY A CAR HEADING EAST ON MOUNTAIN ROAD IN LEHIGH COUNTY'S HEIDELBERG TOWNSHIP WAS PASSING PASSING ANOTHER VEHICLE ON THE CREST OF A HILL AT 1:34 P.M. SATURDAY. POLICE SAY THE CAR WENT OUT OF CONTROL AFTER RETURNING TO THE EASTBOUND LANE AND COLLIDED WITH AN ONCOMING PICKUP, THROWING ALL OF THE CAR'S OCCUPANTS FROM THE VEHICLE. THE LEHIGH COUNTY CORONER'S OFFICE SAYS 17-YEAR-OLD RUSSELL JACOBY OF SLATEDALE AND 17-YEAR-OLD ANGELICA FOX OF NAZARETH WERE PRONOUNCED DEAD AT THE SCENE. POLICE SAY A 17-YEAR-OLD TEENAGER FROM WALNUTPORT AND A 16-YEAR-OLD GIRL FROM SLATINGTON WERE FLOWN TO HOSPITALS WITH SERIOUS INJURIES.

KILLING SPREE-TRIAL
TEXAS TRIAL SET FOR ACCUSED KILLER OF 6 IN 2007

AUSTIN, TEXAS (AP) - OPENING STATEMENTS BEGIN MONDAY IN THE TEXAS MURDER TRIAL OF HANDYMAN PAUL DEVOE, ACCUSED OF KILLING SIX PEOPLE DURING A CROSS-COUNTRY SHOOTING SPREE, INCLUDING AN ELDERLY WOMAN IN PENNSYLVANIA. PROSECUTORS ARE SEEKING THE DEATH PENALTY AGAINST 46-YEAR-OLD DEVOE, WHO HAS A LONG CRIMINAL RAP SHEET IN HIS NATIVE NEW YORK AND A HISTORY OF ALCOHOL AND DRUG ABUSE. AUTHORITIES SAY DEVOE'S MURDEROUS RAMPAGE BEGAN IN CENTRAL TEXAS IN AUGUST 2007. HIS FIRST ALLEGED VICTIM WAS BARTENDER MICHAEL ALLRED, SHOT IN IN MARBLE FALLS. THEN AUTHORITIES SAY DEVOE ALLEGEDLY DROVE TO THE HOME OF HIS EX-GIRLFRIEND, PAULA GRIFFITH, IN JONESTOWN, AND SHOT AND KILLED HER, HER BOYFRIEND, HER 15-YEAR-OLD DAUGHTER AND A 17-YEAR-OLD FRIEND. THEN, AUTHORITIES SAY DEVOE FLED TEXAS AND WAS ON THE WAY TO HIS NATIVE LONG ISLAND, N.Y. BUT THEY SAY HE HAD CAR TROUBLE NEAR STATE LINE, PA., AND SHOT AND KILLED 81-YEAR-OLD WIDOW BETTY JANE DEHART, AND STOLE HER VEHICLE.

CO-CONSPIRATOR KILLED
PA. MAN CHARGED WITH CONSPIRATOR'S DEATH IN HEIST

NEW EAGLE, PA. (AP) - A MAN WHO ALLEGEDLY PLANNED A ROBBERY WITH A PARTNER HAS BEEN CHARGED IN THE PARTNER'S DEATH WHEN THE ROBBERY'S TARGET - A WESTERN PENNSYLVANIA HOME OWNER - FATALLY SHOT THE PARTNER. STATE POLICE IN BELLE VERNON HAVE CHARGED 25-YEAR-OLD COLE MACFARLANE WITH CRIMINAL HOMICIDE IN THE DEATH OF 25-YEAR-OLD WILLIAM EYLES. POLICE SAY EYLES WAS FATALLY SHOT BY HOMEOWNER JOSEPH GALLICK, WHEN THE MACFARLANE AND EYLES ALLEGEDLY TRIED TO ROB GALLICK AT HIS HOME ABOUT 3 A.M. FRIDAY. GALLICK IS NOT CHARGED WITH A CRIME. POLICE CHARGED MACFARLANE BECAUSE EYLES WAS KILLED DURING ANOTHER FELONY. IN PENNSYLVANIA, THAT IS COVERED BY THE CRIMINAL HOMICIDE STATUTE. MACFARLANE'S PARENTS SAY THAT'S UNFAIR BECAUSE HE WAS UNARMED AND COULD HAVE BEEN KILLED BY GALLICK.

PHILADELPHIA WATER
PHILLY PLAN USES GREEN TECH TO REDUCE STORM RUNOFF

PHILADELPHIA (AP) - THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA IS PROPOSING A $1.6 BILLION EFFORT OVER THE NEXT TWO DECADES TO USE GREEN TECHNOLOGY TO RADICALLY CHANGE THE WAY THE CITY HANDLES STORM RUNOFF. THE PLAN WOULD USE POROUS PAVEMENT, RAIN GARDENS, GREEN ROOFS AND THOUSANDS OF NEW TREES TO ABSORB OR AT LEAST DELAY BILLIONS OF GALLONS OF RAINWATER THAT OVERWHELMS THE URBAN SEWER SYSTEM. THE CITY WATER DEPARTMENT SAYS THE PLAN'S COMPLEX FUNDING FORMULA WOULD RAISE RATES SOMEWHAT, BUT THEY SAY THE PLAN WOULD ALSO ATTRACT GRANTS AND ENCOURAGE PRIVATE INVESTMENT. AND, OFFICIALS SAY, IT WOULD BRING MORE JOBS AND HIGHER PROPERTY VALUES AND WOULD ALSO IMPROVE AIR QUALITY, SAVE ENERGY AND EVEN REDUCE THE NUMBER OF HEAT DEATHS. REGULATORS AND ENVIRONMENTAL OFFICIALS ARE STILL EVALUATING THE 3,369-PAGE PROPOSAL. IT'S A RADICAL DEPARTURE FROM THE TRADITIONAL URBAN APPROACH OF USING HIGHLY ENGINEERED TUNNELS AND SEWAGE PLANT EXPANSIONS.

STUDYING STARBUCKS
WHAT'S TRUE COST OF A STARBUCKS LATTE, AUTHOR ASKS

PHILADELPHIA (AP) - IF BRYANT SIMON OWNED A COFFEE SHOP, IT WOULD NOT HAVE CONVERSATION-KILLING WI-FI. IT PROBABLY WOULDN'T OFFER TO-GO CUPS. BUT IT WOULD HAVE A BIG, ROUND TABLE STREWN WITH NEWSPAPERS TO STIMULATE DISCUSSION. THAT SENSE OF COMMUNITY IS WHAT'S MISSING FROM STARBUCKS, SIMON CONCLUDED AFTER VISITING ABOUT 425 OF ITS COFFEE SHOPS IN NINE COUNTRIES. AND YET MILLIONS OF PEOPLE PATRONIZE THE OUTLETS EACH DAY. SIMON, A HISTORY PROFESSOR AT TEMPLE UNIVERSITY IN PHILADELPHIA, HAS SPENT THE PAST FEW YEARS FIGURING OUT WHY. HE SAYS HIS NEW BOOK, "EVERYTHING BUT THE COFFEE: LEARNING ABOUT AMERICA FROM STARBUCKS," IS MEANT TO EXPLORE "WHAT OUR PURCHASES MEAN ... (AND) HOW CONSUMPTION SHAPES OUR LIVES EVEN WHEN WE DON'T INTEND IT TO." SEATTLE-BASED STARBUCKS HAD NEARLY $10.4 BILLION IN REVENUE IN 2008. BUT SIMON ARGUES THE TRUE COST OF MACCHIATOS AND FRAPPUCCINOS IS MUCH GREATER. HE CONTENDS THAT STARBUCKS HAS ENRICHED ITSELF IN PART BY TAKING ADVANTAGE OF AMERICANS' IMPOVERISHED CIVIC LIFE.

CIVIL WAR MUSEUM
CLOSED PHILLY CIVIL WAR MUSEUM ITEMS TO TRAVEL

PHILADELPHIA (AP) - ARTIFACTS FROM THE CIVIL WAR MUSEUM IN PHILADELPHIA ARE TO BE DISPLAYED IN OTHER INSTITUTIONS WHILE THE MUSEUM, CLOSED FOR MORE THAN A YEAR, SEEKS FUNDING FOR A NEW HOME IN THE CITY OF BROTHERLY LOVE. AN INTERIM PLAN WOULD HAVE THE COLLECTION EXHIBITED AND CARED FOR OVER THE NEXT THREE YEARS AT THE GETTYSBURG NATIONAL PARK VISITORS CENTER, THE NATIONAL CONSTITUTION CENTER, AND THE AFRICAN AMERICAN MUSEUM IN PHILADELPHIA. SOME ITEMS WOULD ALSO BE PART OF A TRAVELING EXHIBIT DURING THE 150TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE WAR. SHARON SMITH, MUSEUM PRESIDENT AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER, CALLS IT THE BEST 'PLAN B' OFFICIALS COULD IMAGINE. SHE SAYS THE COLLECTION WILL BE TAKEN CARE OF AND SEEN IN DIFFERENT VENUES, AND THE MUSEUM BOARD CAN CONCENTRATE ON BUILDING A MUSEUM IN PHILADELPHIA, WHICH THEY HOPE TO ACCOMPLISH LONG BEFORE A 2014 TARGET DATE. THE MUSEUM WAS ESTABLISHED BY FORMER UNION OFFICERS IN 1888 AND HAS MORE THAN 3,000 ARTIFACTS. THEY INCLUDE JEFFERSON DAVIS' SMOKING JACKET, THE FIRST JOHN WILKES BOOTH WANTED POSTER, AND ALL
MANNER OF WEAPONRY AND BATTLE FLAGS.

MARRIAGE PAPERWORK
PA. COUPLE HAS 49-YEAR MARRIAGE, BUT NO DOCUMENTS

WILMORE, PA. (AP) - A WESTERN PENNSYLVANIA COUPLE STILL PLAN TO CELEBRATE THEIR 49TH WEDDING ANNIVERSARY NEXT MONTH, EVEN THOUGH THEY RECENTLY LEARNED THEIR MARRIAGE PAPERWORK WAS NEVER FILED. FRANK AND BETTY SKROUT WERE MARRIED OCT. 6, 1960 AT A CATHOLIC CHURCH IN WILMORE, WHERE THEY STILL LIVE. THE TINY BOROUGH IS IN CAMBRIA COUNTY, ABOUT 55 MILES EAST OF PITTSBURGH. THE COUPLE LEARNED OF THE PROBLEM WHEN BETTY SKROUT RECENTLY APPLIED FOR PENSION BENEFITS AND WAS TOLD SHE WAS STILL LISTED AS SINGLE. THE COUPLE LEARNED THE PRIEST WHO MARRIED THEM NEVER FILED A "RETURN OF MARRIAGE" DOCUMENT WITH THE COUNTY, PROVING THAT HE PERFORMED THE CEREMONY. THE COUPLE IS WORKING WITH THE CHURCH TO FIX THE PROBLEM, BUT FOR NOW ARE JOKING ABOUT IT - AND HAVE NO PLANS TO LIVE APART.

MANILA, PHILIPPINES (AP) - OFFICIALS IN THE PHILIPPINES SAY THE DEATH TOLL FROM THE LANDSLIDE AND MASSIVE FLOODING THAT HIT MANILA AND NEARBY PROVINCES THIS WEEKEND HAS REACHED 100. U.S. TROOPS ARE HELPING THE ARMY, POLICE AND CIVILIAN VOLUNTEERS IN THE SEARCH AND RESCUE EFFORT. MORE THAN 115,000 PEOPLE HAVE BEEN FORCED INTO EMERGENCY SHELTERS.

TEHRAN, IRAN (AP) - IRAN'S REVOLUTIONARY GUARD HAS FIRED ONE OF THE LONGEST-RANGE MISSILES IN ITS ARSENAL. STATE TELEVISION SAYS THE TEST OF THE SHAHAB-3 MISSILE WAS A SUCCESS. IT'S CAPABLE OF CARRYING A WARHEAD. A TOP GUARD OFFICER SAYS THE MISSILE TESTS ARE A DEMONSTRATION OF IRAN'S PREPAREDNESS FOR AN ATTACK.

BERLIN (AP) - GERMAN CHANCELLOR ANGELA MERKEL HAS BEGUN LAYING THE GROUNDWORK FOR HER NEW, CENTER-RIGHT COALITION. GERMAN VOTERS RE-ELECTED MERKEL YESTERDAY. SHE'S HOLDING A MEETING WITH LEADERS OF HER OWN PARTY THIS MORNING TO PREPARE FOR TALKS WITH THE PRO-BUSINESS FREE DEMOCRATS.

CHICAGO (AP) - A LEADING PEDIATRICIAN SAYS A NEW STUDY IS EVIDENCE THAT PARENTS NEED TO PAY CLOSE ATTENTION WHEN THEY GIVE THEIR CHILDREN A MEDICINE FOR THE FIRST TIME. THE STUDY SHOWS THAT EVERY YEAR MORE THAN HALF A MILLION U.S. CHILDREN HAVE BAD REACTIONS OR SIDE EFFECTS REQUIRING MEDICAL TREATMENT AND SOMETIMES EVEN HOSPITALIZATION.

NEW YORK (AP) - A NEW POLL SUGGESTS MANY AMERICANS THINK TWITTER IS A FAD. THE "60 MINUTES"-VANITY FAIR POLL FINDS A THIRD OF RESPONDENTS FELT THAT WAY AND THINK THE EXCITEMENT WILL LIKELY FADE. MEANWHILE, HALF SAY TAXING THE RICHEST AMERICANS BY AT LEAST 50 PERCENT IS A GREAT IDEA.