Today's News-Monday, September 21, 2009

PEDESTRIAN STRUCK IN PORTER TOWNSHIP

A LITTLE GIRL WAS SEVERELY INJURED WHEN SHE WAS STRUCK BY A CAR SATURDAY AFTERNOON IN PORTER TOWNSHIP. THE ACCIDENT HAPPENED ON WEST GRAND AVENUE AS THE TWO YEAR OLD CROSSED BETWEEN TWO PARKED CARS INTO THE PATH OF A VEHICLE DRIVEN BY PAULA KELLY OF HARRISBURG. THE GIRL HAD TO BE FLOWN TO HERSHEY MEDICAL CENTER WITH LIFE THREATENING INJURIES. KELLY NOR HER PASSENGER WERE HURT.

ANOTHER DAY ANOTHER BURGLARY

IT ALMOST SEEMS THAT NOT A DAY GOES BY AND ANOTHER BUSINESS ISN'T BURGLARIZED. THIS TIME, A BEVERAGE DISTRIBUTOR WAS KNOCKED OFF IN NORTH MANHEIM TOWNSHIP. SOMEONE PRIED OPEN A STEEL DOOR AT KEGS AND CASES ON ROUTE 61, TAKING CASE, 5 CASES OF MIKE'S HARD LEMONADE, 10 CARTONS OF SMOKES AND OTHER ITEMS. THE BURGLARY HAPPENED LATE LAST WEEK ACCORDING TO PA STATE POLICE.

DUI CHECKPOINTS

LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT WAS BUSY WITH DUI CHECKPOINTS OVER THE WEEKEND. IN TAMAQUA FRIDAY, OVER 15-HUNDRED VEHICLES WERE CONTACTED, WITH 30 VEHICLES DETAINED AND TWO DUI ARRESTS AND 4 UNDERAGE DRINKING CITATIONS ISSUED. THIRTY THREE VEHICLES WERE STOPPED IN A ROVING PATROL, WITH 3 DUI ARRESTS AND 4 NABBED FOR UNDERAGE DRINKING. THE NORTH CENTRAL PA REGIONAL SOBRIETY DUI TASK FORCE CONDUCTED THE PATROLS.

VETERANS REMEMBER THE MISSING

A CANDLELIGHT VIGIL TO REMEMBER THOSE VIETNAM VETERANS STILL MISSING IN ACTION WAS HELD AT THE SCHUYLKILL COUNTY MEMORIAL SUNDAY NIGHT. ANNUALLY, THE VIETNAM VETERANS POST 29 LIGHTS CANDLES FOR THE 95 SOLDIERS STILL OFFICIALLY M.I.A, INCLUDING ONE FROM THE COUNTY. THE VIETNAM WAR ENDED NEARLY 35 YEARS AGO.

CAMDEN, N.J. (AP) - TWO PHILADELPHIA RESIDENTS ARE DEAD AFTER A SHOOTING INSIDE A CAMDEN HOME. IT'S BEEN RULED A MURDER-SUICIDE. THE CAMDEN COUNTY PROSECUTOR SAYS SAMUEL BEY SHOT TAKESHA POINTER SEVERAL TIMES IN AN UPSTAIRS BEDROOM IN HIS COUSIN'S LIBERTY STREET HOME SATURDAY, THEN SHOT HIMSELF. THE MURDER-SUICIDE DETERMINATION WAS MADE YESTERDAY.

PHILADELPHIA (AP) - PHILADELPHIA POLICE SAY AN OFF-DUTY OFFICER SHOT AND KILLED ONE OF TWO MALES WHO TRIED TO ROB HIM EARLY SUNDAY. LT. FRANK VANORE SAYS THE 19TH DISTRICT OFFICER WAS IN THE COBBS CREEK SECTION OF WEST PHILADELPHIA WHEN THE TWO SUSPECTS APPROACHED, POINTED A GUN AT HIM AND DEMANDED MONEY. VANORE SAYS THE OFFICER HAD AN OFF-DUTY WEAPON AND FIRED ONCE, STRIKING ONE OF THE SUSPECTS. THE OFFICER WAS NOT INJURED.

PITTSBURGH (AP) - PITTSBURGH BUSINESS OWNER NICK MANCINI HARTNER DOESN'T KNOW WHAT TO EXPECT IF THOUSANDS OF PROTESTERS SHOW UP FOR
THE GROUP OF 20 ECONOMIC SUMMIT OR HOW MANY CUSTOMERS WILL SHOW UP.
SECURITY PLANS INCLUDE A VEHICLE-FREE, THREE-BLOCK PERIMETER AROUND
THE CONVENTION CENTER AND A BAN ON MOST VEHICLES ELSEWHERE DOWNTOWN.

PALMERTON, PA. (AP) - THE AMERICAN CIVIL LIBERTIES UNION SAYS THE PALMERTON SCHOOL DISTRICT WAS WRONG TO REPRIMAND STUDENTS WHO
WORE T-SHIRTS PROTESTING A NEW DRESS CODE. STUDENTS THE EASTERN PENNSYLVANIA DISTRICT WERE TOLD TO REMOVE THE T-SHIRTS OR FACE IN-SCHOOL SUSPENSIONS. AT LEAST ONE STUDENT SAID HE WAS SUSPENDED FOR REFUSING TO CHANGE HIS SHIRT.

PHILADELPHIA (AP) - A PHILADELPHIA NEWSPAPER SAYS AMTRAK BRIDGE INSPECTION REPORTS INDICATE THAT NEARLY HALF OF THE COMPANY'S 302
BRIDGES IN THE PHILADELPHIA AREA HAVE SOME ELEMENTS RATED "POOR"
OR WORSE. THE PAPER SAYS INSPECTORS GAVE 47.4 PERCENT OF THE BRIDGES "POOR" OR LOWER MARKS FOR SUCH DEFECTS AS DETERIORATED METAL PLATES OR DECAYING STONE WALLS.

DENVER (AP) - AN AFGHANISTAN-BORN COLORADO MAN, HIS FATHER AND A NEW YORK CITY IMAM ARE EXPECTED TO MAKE INITIAL COURT APPEARANCES TODAY ON CHARGES OF LYING TO FEDERAL AUTHORITIES IN A TERRORISM PROBE. AUTHORITIES HAVE SAID THEY DON'T KNOW THE TIMING OR LOCATION OF ANY PLANNED ATTACK.

WASHINGTON (AP) - THE SITUATION IN AFGHANISTAN IS SERIOUS AND GROWING WORSE AND WITHOUT MORE BOOTS ON THE GROUND THE U.S. RISKS FAILURE THERE. THAT'S ACCORDING TO A CONFIDENTIAL REPORT BY GEN. STANLEY MCCHRYSTAL, THE TOP U.S. AND NATO COMMANDER IN AFGHANISTAN. MCCHRYSTAL'S ASSESSMENT WERE FIRST REPORTED LATE YESTERDAY BY THE
WASHINGTON POST.

SEATTLE (AP) - AN INSANE KILLER WAS RECAPTURED IN WASHINGTON STATE YESTERDAY, THREE DAYS AFTER HE SLIPPED AWAY FROM THE STAFF OF A MENTAL INSTITUTION DURING A TRIP TO A COUNTY FAIR. PHILLIP ARNOLD PAUL WALKED OUT OF THE BRUSH TO A HIGHWAY JUST AS SEARCH PERSONNEL ARRIVED AT THE SCENE. HE DIDN'T PUT UP ANY RESISTANCE.

WASHINGTON (AP) - PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA WILL BE MAKING HIS MAIDEN SPEECH TO THE U.N. GENERAL ASSEMBLY THIS WEEK. HE'LL ALSO HOST A THREE-WAY MEETING IN NEW YORK WITH ISRAELI AND PALESTINIAN LEADERS.

HAVANA (AP) - HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF CUBANS FLOCKED TO SPRAWLING REVOLUTION PLAZA YESTERDAY FOR AN OPEN-AIR "PEACE CONCERT" HEADLINED BY COLOMBIAN ROCKER JUANES. THE EVENT WAS CRITICIZED BY SOME CUBAN-AMERICANS WHO SAY THE PERFORMERS WERE LENDING SUPPORT TO THE ISLAND'S COMMUNIST GOVERNMENT SIMPLY BY SHOWING UP.