Today's News-Monday, September 7, 2009

BREAK IN AT CONVENIENCE STORE

BURGLARS ALMOST GOT AWAY WITH A MAJOR HAUL AT AN AREA CONVENIENCE STORE EARLY SUNDAY. SOMEONE FORCED THEIR WAY INTO THE GETTY STATION ON ROUTE 61 IN NORTH MANHEIM TOWNSHIP AROUND 4:30AM ACCORDING TO STATE POLICE. REPORTS INDICATE THAT OVER 700 PACKS OF CIGARETTES, VALUED AT MORE THAN $4-THOUSAND-DOLLARS WERE TAKEN, ALONG WITH ABOUT $46-HUNDRED DOLLARS IN LOTTERY TICKETS. THANKFULLY, ALL OF THE ITEMS WERE RECOVERED AT THE SCENE. THE BURGLAR IS STILL AT LARGE. SCHUYLKILL HAVEN STATE POLICE ARE INVESTIGATING.

WINE FEST A SUCCESS

SUNDAY’S BEAUTIFUL WEATHER DREW HUGE CROWDS TO THE FIRST ANNUAL SCHUYLKILL COUNTY WINE FESTIVAL IN HEGINS. VISITORS BEGAN GATHERING AROUND NOON FOR THE DAY LONG EVENT, AND WITH ADMISSION RECEIVED A WINE GLASS TO SAMPLE WINES FROM FIVE REGIONAL WINERIES, ALONG WITH FOOD AND ENTERTAINMENT. THE PROCEEDS OF THE EVENT ARE TO BE USED FOR MAINTENANCE AND IMPROVEMENTS TO THE HEGINS PARK. ESTIMATED ATTENDANCE WAS AROUND 15-HUNDRED ACCORDING TO ORGANIZERS.

CHARLOTTE AMALIE, U.S. VIRGIN ISLANDS (AP) - A JUDGE IN THE U.S. VIRGIN ISLANDS HAS ORDERED A NEW TRIAL IN THE KILLING OF A SUBURBAN PHILADELPHIA MAN. IT'S BECAUSE THE FAMILY OF 21-YEAR-OLD JAMES
COCKAYNE OF NEW HOPE ALLEGEDLY PAID TWO OF THE PROSECUTION'S
WITNESSES $5,000 EACH.

HOOKSTOWN, PA. (AP) - A WESTERN PENNSYLVANIA CORONER SAYS MORE TESTS ARE NEEDED TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF DEATH FOR A 4-YEAR-OLD BOY WHOSE BODY WAS FOUND STUFFED IN A SEPTIC TANK. THE BODY OF WYATT SMITSKY WAS FOUND YESTERDAY ON PROPERTY NEAR HIS HOME IN GREENE TOWNSHIP, BEAVER COUNTY, ABOUT 25 MILES NORTHWEST OF PITTSBURGH.

NEW HOLLAND, PA. (AP) - THE LANCASTER COUNTY CORONER SAYS AN AUTOPSY WILL BE PERFORMED TUESDAY ON A 6-YEAR-OLD BOY WHO WAS FATALLY SHOT. NEIGHBORS SAY THE BOY AND A FRIEND WERE PLAYING WITH A GUN ON A FARM IN EARL TOWNSHIP WHEN HE WAS SHOT YESTERDAY AFTERNOON.

PITTSBURGH (AP) - MANY PITTSBURGH FIRMS ARE HOPING PUBLICITY GENERATED BY THE GROUP OF 20 GLOBAL ECONOMIC SUMMIT WILL HELP EXPAND THEIR BUSINESSES OVERSEAS. THEY'RE ALSO HOPING TO ATTRACT FOREIGN INVESTORS OR CONVINCE INTERNATIONAL COMPANIES TO SET UP NORTH AMERICAN HEADQUARTERS IN THE STEEL CITY.

PHILADELPHIA (AP) - A GROUP OF NAKED BICYCLISTS HAS TAKEN TAKE A FOUR-MILE CRUISE THROUGH PHILADELPHIA. ORGANIZERS OF THE PHILLY NAKED BIKE RIDE SAY SUNDAY'S EVENT WAS INTENDED TO BRING ATTENTION TO BICYCLISTS AND RAISE AWARENESS ABOUT FUEL CONSUMPTION. SIMILAR RIDES HAVE HAPPENED IN MORE THAN 70 CITIES WORLDWIDE.

WASHINGTON (AP) - PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA IS TAPPING A MEMBER OF HIS AUTO INDUSTRY TASK FORCE TO ADVISE HIM ON MANUFACTURING. OBAMA HAS CHOSEN THE AFL-CIO'S LABOR DAY PICNIC IN CINCINNATI AS THE BACKDROP TO ANNOUNCE HIS SELECTION OF RON BLOOM AS SENIOR COUNSELOR FOR MANUFACTURING POLICY.

BAGHDAD (AP) - A SUICIDE CAR BOMBER HAS TARGETED VEHICLES STOPPED A CHECKPOINT IN WESTERN IRAQ. OFFICIALS SAY SEVEN PEOPLE WERE KILLED AND 10 WOUNDED. POLICE SAY THE CAR EXPLODED AS VEHICLES WERE LINED UP FOR INSPECTION BEFORE CROSSING A BRIDGE NEAR RAMADI. THREE POLICEMEN ARE SAID TO BE AMONG THE DEAD.

TEHRAN, IRAN (AP) - IRAN SAYS IT'S READY TO HOLD TALKS WITH THE WORLD POWERS OVER GLOBAL CHALLENGES, INCLUDING ITS NUCLEAR PROGRAM.
PRESIDENT MAHMOUD AHMADINEJAD SAYS IRAN WILL INITIALLY PRESENT ITS
PACKAGE OF PROPOSALS TO THE FIVE PERMANENT MEMBERS OF THE U.N.
SECURITY COUNCIL PLUS GERMANY.

LONDON (AP) - MOAMMAR GADHAFI'S SON SAYS LIBYA WILL RESIST COMPENSATING THE FAMILIES OF PEOPLE KILLED BY LIBYAN EXPLOSIVES SUPPLIED TO THE IRISH REPUBLICAN ARMY. BUT HE SAYS RELATIVES COULD CHALLENGE THAT POSITION IN COURT, TELLING SKY NEWS "THEY HAVE THEIR LAWYERS. WE HAVE OUR LAWYERS."

SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA (AP) - SOUTH KOREA IS PRESSING NORTH KOREA TO EXPLAIN A MAJOR SURGE IN A RIVER FLOWING ACROSS THE BORDER FROM THE NORTH THAT KILLED THREE SOUTH KOREANS AND LEFT THREE OTHERS MISSING. THE SOUTH SUSPECTS THE WATER CAME FROM A NEW NORTH KOREAN DAM IT FEARS COULD BE USED AS A WEAPON.