Today's News-Thursday, September 10, 2009

RASH OF BURGLARIES CONTINUE

STATE POLICE ARE INVESTIGATING A RASH OF BURGLARIES IN THE COUNTY BETWEEN TUESDAY AND WEDNESDAY. SOMEONE PRIED OPEN A GARAGE DOOR AT BOB'S POOLS ON LONG RUN ROAD AND TOOK OVER $700 DOLLARS CASH. A REAR DOOR AT DINO'S PIZZA ON ROUTE 183 WAS BROKEN INTO AND SEVERAL HUNDRED DOLLARS CASH WAS STOLEN. DURING THE SAME PERIOD OF TIME, THE UNIFORM CORNER WAS BROKEN INTO AND ABOUT $250 DOLLARS CASH WAS REMOVED. ANY INFORMATION TO HELP STATE POLICE CAN BE CALLED IN TO 593-2000.

TRAFFIC TO OPEN UP IN PORT CLINTON

PENN DOT OFFICIALS SAY THAT TRAFFIC WILL REOPEN TO TWO LANES ON ROUTE 61 IN PORT CLINTON BY FRIDAY. SEAN BROWN, SAFETY INFORMATION SPECIALIST REPORTS THAT THE WORK ON THE BRIDGE OVER THE SCHUYLKILL RIVER IS COMPLETE. THAT WORK BEGAN A YEAR AGO. THE COST OF THE PROJECT ON ROUTE 61 WAS NEARLY $2 MILLION DOLLARS.

CRASH WITH INJURY

A TAMAQUA MAN RECEIVED MINOR INJURIES IN A ONE VEHICLE CRASH ON AN INTERSTATE 81 OFF RAMP WEDNESDAY. 30 YEAR OLD KEITH BINDER WAS DRIVING HIS MOTORCYCLE AT AN APPARENT HIGH RATE OF SPEED ON ROUTE 309 AND LOST CONTROL. HIS CYCLE ROLLED OVER. BINDER WAS TAKEN TO HAZLETON GENERAL HOSPITAL FOR TREATMENT. HE WAS WEARING A HELMET, BUT WILL BE CITED FOR TRAFFIC VIOLATIONS.

VISION SALUTES PARTNERS

SCHUYLKILL COUNTY'S VISION AND ITS PARTNERS HAVE BEEN HARD AT WORK OVER THE PAST TWO YEARS TO IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF LIFE IN THE COUNTY. LAST NIGHT, THEY SALUTED THOSE PARTNERSHIPS AT A PICNIC AT SWEET ARROW LAKE COUNTY PARK. VISION'S PROJECT COORDINATOR KAY JONES TALKS ABOUT THE EVENT:

KAY JONES

VISION WAS STARTED ABOUT 10 YEARS AGO. THEY ARE UPDATING THEIR STRATEGIC PLAN AND HAVE DEVELOPED A NEW WEB PORTAL: SCHUYLKILLVISION.ORG FULL OF INFORMATION ABOUT PROGRESS AND PLANS FOR THE FUTURE.

KAY JONES ON VISION PARTNERS

JOANNE PARULIS-VISION PROGRESS

POTTSVILLE MAN CHARGED WITH RECEIVING STOLEN PROPERTY

A POTTSVILLE MAN IS CHARGED WITH RECEIVING VARIOUS STOLEN ITEMS. ACCORDING TO CITY POLICE, DANIEL GREASER REPORTED HIS MOTORCYCLE STOLEN BACK IN JULY TO HEGINS TOWNSHIP POLICE. THE BIKE WAS FOUND ON EBAY FOR SALE, AND WAS TRACED BACK TO WILLIAM WITTER OF PIERCE STREET. ANOTHER DIRTBIKE, TWO ATV'S AND OTHER ITEMS WERE FOUND AFTER A SEARCH OF WITTER'S HOME. HE'S JAILED IN SCHUYLKILL COUNTY PRISON IN LIEU OF BAIL.

ALLENTOWN, PA. (AP) - TWO FORMER PENNSYLVANIA JUDGES HAVE BEEN INDICTED IN CONNECTION WITH THE ALLEGED IMPROPER PLACEMENT OF JUVENILES IN PRIVATELY OWNED DETENTION CENTERS. A FEDERAL GRAND JURY IN HARRISBURG RETURNED A 48-COUNT INDICTMENT AGAINST FORMER LUZERNE COUNTY JUDGES MICHAEL CONAHAN AND MARK CIAVARELLA JR. THEY ARE ACCUSED OF TAKING KICKBACKS TO PLACE JUVENILE OFFENDERS IN PRIVATE FACILITIES.

PHILADELPHIA (AP) - A REAL ESTATE DEVELOPER WHO BRIBED A PHILADELPHIA CITY COUNCIL AIDE HAS BEEN SENTENCED TO TWO AND A HALF YEARS IN PRISON AND A $25,000 FINE.RAVINDER CHAWLA AND A LAWYER WHO WORKED FOR HIM PROVIDED THE AIDE WITH MONEY, A RENT-FREE APARTMENT AND LEGAL WORK VALUED AT MORE THAN $20,000 IN EXCHANGE FOR FAVORABLE TREATMENT FROM CITY GOVERNMENT.

NEW OXFORD, PA. (AP) - THE 911 SYSTEM THAT FAILED IN A PART OF ADAMS COUNTY IN SOUTH-CENTRAL PENNSYLVANIA HAS BEEN FIXED. THE PROBLEM DEVELOPED YESTERDAY IN THE 624 EXCHANGE, WHICH IS LARGELY AROUND NEW OXFORD. IT WAS FIXED IN LESS THAN TWO HOURS. IT WAS NOT IMMEDIATELY CLEAR WHAT CAUSED THE PROBLEM.

PHILADELPHIA (AP) - A PHILADELPHIA-AREA WOMAN IS GOING TO PRISON FOR 25 YEARS FOR LETTING A SEXUAL PREDATOR ABUSE AND FILM CHILDREN IN HER HOME DAY CARE. CONCETTA JACKSON OF COLLINGDALE IS THE THIRD AND FINAL PERSON SENTENCED IN A CHILD-PORNOGRAPHY CASE THAT INVOLVES MORE THAN 1 MILLION IMAGES. THE VICTIMS RANGED IN AGE FROM INFANTS TO TEENS.

ALLENTOWN, PA. (AP) - POLICE AND ANIMAL CONTROL OFFICERS IN ALLENTOWN HAVE CAPTURED A 6-FOOT ALLIGATOR THAT WAS IN JORDAN PARK. OFFICERS PINNED THE 130-POUND ALLIGATOR AND SECURED ITS SNOUT CLOSED WITH TAPE. IT WAS TRANSFERRED TO A REPTILE FARM IN THE POCONOS.

WASHINGTON (AP) - A SNAP POLL SUGGESTS PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA HAS SHIFTED PUBLIC OPINION IN HIS FAVOR WITH HIS SPEECH TO CONGRESS ON HEALTH CARE. THE CNN/OPINION RESEARCH CORP. SURVEY SAID 53 PERCENT OF RESPONDERS SUPPORTED THE PRESIDENT'S PLANS DAYS BEFORE THE ADDRESS. AFTER THEN SPEECH, THE NUMBER SURGED TO TWO-THIRDS.

WASHINGTON (AP) - PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA DETAILED SOME OF HIS PLANS TO COVER THE MILLIONS OF UNINSURED AMERICANS IN HIS SPEECH TO CONGRESS. OBAMA'S PROPOSAL WOULD SET UP A NEW MARKETPLACE IN WHICH CONSUMERS COULD POOL TOGETHER. NEW FIGURES ON HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE UNINSURED COME OUT TODAY. BUT EXPERTS ON BOTH SIDES HAVE SAY THE CENSUS BUREAU NUMBERS COULD BE OFF BY MILLIONS EITHER WAY, DEPENDING ON WHO IS COUNTED -- OR NOT.

WASHINGTON (AP) - CONGRESS WILL HEAR TODAY FROM THE MAN BEHIND A REPORT DETAILING THE SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION'S BUNGLING
OF INVESTIGATIONS INTO WALL STREET SWINDLER BERNIE MADOFF'S BUSINESS. SEC INSPECTOR GENERAL DAVID KOTZ'S REPORT SAID THE AGENCY RECEIVED SIX "SUBSTANTIVE COMPLAINTS THAT RAISED SIGNIFICANT RED FLAGS," BUT FAILED TO COMPLETE A COMPETENT INVESTIGATION.

IRWINDALE, CALIF. (AP) - FIREFIGHTERS ARE BURNING BRUSH NORTH OF LOS ANGELES BEFORE A MASSIVE BLAZE CAN FEED OFF IT. THE BACKFIRE SETTING HAD BEEN DELAYED FOR TWO DAYS BEFORE A TURN IN THE WEATHER. CREWS ARE RACING TO CLEAR THE TINDER AHEAD OF EXPECTED WARMER AND DRIER CONDITIONS ACROSS SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA.

CAPE CANAVERAL, FLA. (AP) - MOTHER NATURE COULD KEEP SPACE SHUTTLE DISCOVERY IN ORBIT FOR A COUPLE MORE DAYS. THE SHUTTLE AND ITS CREW OF SEVEN ARE HOPING TO RETURN TO EARTH TODAY, BUT A STORMY FORECAST IS THREATENING TO DERAIL THOSE PLANS. THE OUTLOOK WORSENS TOMORROW AND DOES NOT IMPROVE MUCH SATURDAY.