Today's News-Tuesday, September 15, 2009

CAR FIRE

A POTTSVILLE MAN'S VAN WAS DAMAGED BY FIRE WHILE HE WAS DRIVING ON A POTTSVILLE STREET MONDAY NIGHT. REPORTS INDICATE THAT RAY POPPICH WAS WESTBOUND ON WEST MARKET STREET AFTER 7PM WHEN HE NOTICED HIS VAN CATCAHING FIRE. HE TURNED LEFT ONTO THE GORDON NAGLE TRAIL AND PULLED OFF TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. FIRE UNITS QUICKLY EXTINGUISHED THE BLAZE UNDER THE HOOD. THERE WERE NO INJURIES REPORTED.

MOTORCYCLE STOLEN

A LLEWELLYN MAN'S MOTORCYCLE WAS STOLEN LAST NIGHT WHILE PARKED IN A SECOND STREET LOT. POTTSVILLE CITY POLICE REPORT THAT THE 2001 BLACK HARLEY DAVIDSON BELONGING TO ANTHONY RICCIO WAS TAKEN BETWEEN 230 AND 830 PM WHILE PARKED IN THE ROMA PIZZA LOT. ANYONE WITH LEADS ON THE STOLEN CYCLE SHOULD CALL POTTSVILLE POLICE AT 622-1234.

WEEKEND BURGLARY AT SCHUYLKILL COUNTRY CLUB

POLICE CONTINUE TO BE KEPT BUSY INVESTIGATING BURGLARIES ACROSS THE REGION. OVER THE WEEKEND, SOMEONE BROKE INTO THE SNACK BAR AT SCHUYLKILL COUNTRY CLUB. THE BANDIT PUSHED OUT AN AIR CONDITIONER AND CRAWLED THE WINDOW OPENING, STEALING GOODIES. DAMAGES AND ITEMS TAKEN WERE VALUED AT ALMOST $1-THOUSAND DOLLARS. STATE POLICE AT SCHUYLKILL HAVEN ARE INVESTIGATING.

HORSES ON THE LOOSE

VANDALS DAMAGED PROPERTY AND LET ANIMALS LOOSE AT A SUMMER HILL ROAD PROPERTY OVERNIGHT SUNDAY. WOODEN POSTS AROUND A HORSE CORRAL WERE BROKEN AND REMOVED FROM THE GROUND AT PROPERTY OWNED BY BRIAN WOLFE. THE AREA WAS A PEN FOR HORSES. A GATE WAS LEFT OPEN AND FOUR ANIMALS SET LOOSE. THE INVESTIGATION CONTINUES.

BUSINESS DAMAGED, SMALL AMOUNT OF MONEY TAKEN

A WAYNE TOWNSHIP BUSINESS WAS BURGLARIZED OVER THE WEEKEND. SOMEONE PRIED OPEN THE FRONT DOOR AT KRAMER'S SOLID ROCK ON LONG RUN ROAD. LOOSE CHANGE WAS TAKEN FROM THE BUSINESS BY THE BURGLARS AND THEY FLED. STATE POLICE ARE CHECKING INTO THE INCIDENT.

HEATING SEASON COMING

WITH THE HEATING SEASON APPROACHING, THE DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION URGES HOMEOWNERS TO INSPECT THEIR HOME HEATING OIL TANKS. WHETHER YOUR TANK IS INSIDE OR OUTDOORS, D.E.P. NORTHEAST REGIONAL DIRECTOR MICHAEL BEDRIN SAYS A QUICK, 10 MINUTE INSPECTION COULD WARD OFF POTENTIAL PROBLEMS. CHECK THE TANK AND SUPPORTS FOR SIGNS OF RUSTING. ALSO, TAKE A LOOK AT THE FEED LINE TO THE FURNACE FOR LEAKS. THOSE LEAKS COULD CAUSE INDOOR AIR PROBLEMS AND POTENTIAL CONTAMINATION OF GROUNDWATER AND PRIVATE DRINKING WATER WELLS. A D.E.P. FREE FACT SHEET FOR TAKING CARE OF YOUR OIL TANKS IS AVAILABLE ONLINE AT DEPWEB.STATE.PA. US, KEYWORD STORAGE TANKS.

RENDELL STILL VOWS VETO

HARRISBURG, PA. (AP) - GOV. ED RENDELL CONTINUED HIS CRITICISM OF A TENTATIVE STATE BUDGET AGREEMENT AT A CAPITOL NEWS CONFERENCE MONDAY. HE SAYS HE STILL INTENDS TO VETO THE NEARLY $28 BILLION PLAN IF CHANGES ARE NOT MADE. RENDELL SAYS HIS VETO IS LIKELY TO BE OVERRIDDEN, EVEN THOUGH HOUSE REPUBLICANS ARE ALSO AGAINST THE DEAL. REPRESENTATIVE JERRY KNOWLES OF SCHUYLKILL AND BERKS COUNTIES IS AMONG THOSE WHO AREN’T THRILLED WITH THE PROSPECT OF HIGHER TAXES.

KNOWLES TAXES

RENDELL SAYS HIS BUDGET SECRETARY PLANS TO ISSUE AN OFFICIAL REVENUE ESTIMATE OF ZERO PERCENT GROWTH FOR THIS YEAR, WHICH WOULD BLOW A $205 MILLION HOLE IN THE AGREEMENT'S MATH. THE CONFERENCE COMMITTEE WAS SCHEDULED TO MEET ABOUT THE BUDGET YESTERDAY AFTERNOON.

MAN HURT IN INDUSTRIAL ACCIDENT

A MAN HAD TO BE FLOWN FROM THE SCENE OF AN INDUSTRIAL ACCIDENT AT ALPHA MILLS WAREHOUSE FACILITY MONDAY AFTERNOON. THE UNIDENTIFIED MAN WAS TRAPPED AFTER A LARGE RACK FELL ON THE FORKLIFT HE WAS OPERATING AT THE FORMER VAN HEUSEN PLANT ON ROUTE 61. THE ACCIDENT HAPPENED AROUND 1:30PM. EMERGENCY CREWS FROM SCHUYLKILL HAVEN AND POTTSVILLE RESPONDED TO THE SCENE.

RETIRED POLICE TRIAL BEGINS

MONDAY WAS THE FIRST DAY OF TRIAL FOR A RETIRED POLICE CHIEF IN SCHUYLKILL COUNTY ACCUSED OF RECKLESS ENDANGERMENT AFTER HE TRIED TO RUN DOWN TWO TEENS WITH HIS POLICE CRUISER. 68-YEAR-OLD JOHN HARLEY SR. OF ST CLAIR, FORMER CASS TOWNSHIP POLICE CHIEF IS ACCUSED OF HITTING 17-YEAR-OLD BRANDON BARR WHILE HE RODE AN ATV AND IAN BUFFINGTON WHILE HE RODE A DIRT BIKE ON JULY 24TH, 2005. STATE POLICE HAVE CHARGED HARLEY. THE TRIAL IS CONTINUING TODAY. ITS EXPECTED TO LAST THREE DAYS.

PITTSBURGH (AP) - PENNSYLVANIA ATTORNEY GENERAL TOM CORBETT HAS LAUNCHED HIS CAMPAIGN FOR THE 2010 REPUBLICAN GUBERNATORIAL NOMINATION, VOWING TO RESTORE TRUST IN HARRISBURG, PROTECT TAXPAYER
MONEY AND IMPROVE THE STATE'S ECONOMY. CORBETT'S ANNOUNCEMENT LAST
NIGHT AT THE HEINZ HISTORY CENTER IN PITTSBURGH KICKS OFF A 10-DAY
TOUR OF THE STATE.

DREXEL HILL, PA. (AP) - A FORMER FEDERAL PROSECUTOR IS RUNNING FOR THE SUBURBAN PHILADELPHIA CONGRESSIONAL SEAT BEING VACATED BY REP. JOE SESTAK. PAT MEEHAN, WHO RESIGNED LAST YEAR FROM HIS POSITION AS U.S. ATTORNEY FOR THE EASTERN DISTRICT OF PENNSYLVANIA, ANNOUNCED HIS CANDIDACY YESTERDAY.

PHILADELPHIA (AP) - AN HEIR TO THE ROHM & HAAS CO. FORTUNE CONFIRMS HE IS ONE OF THE LOCAL INVESTORS TRYING TO WIN PHILADELPHIA NEWSPAPERS AT AUCTION.DAVID HAAS HAS JOINED HOUSING COMPANY CO-FOUNDER BRUCE TOLL AND A PENSION FUND IN OFFERING $37 MILLION PLUS REAL ESTATE TO BUY THE PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER AND PHILADELPHIA DAILY NEWS.

PHILADELPHIA (AP) - ALLENTOWN LAWYER JOHN KAROLY IS FIGHTING CHARGES HE LAUNDERED $500,000 THROUGH TWO CHARITIES BEFORE USING MOST OF IT FOR HIMSELF. PROSECUTORS SAY KAROLY GAVE THE MONEY TO THE LEHIGH VALLEY COMMUNITY FOUNDATION BUT THEN STEERED IT TO A CHURCH THAT KICKED MOST OF IT BACK TO HIM.

WASHINGTON (AP) - SENATE FINANCE COMMITTEE CHAIRMAN MAX BAUCUS SAYS SWEEPING HEALTH CARE LEGISLATION IS "GETTING VERY CLOSE" TO BEING FINALIZED. FOLLOWING WEEKS OF CLOSED-DOOR NEGOTIATIONS WITH WO OTHER DEMOCRATIC SENATORS AND THREE REPUBLICANS, BAUCUS PLANS O UNVEIL HIS BILL WEDNESDAY.

NEW HAVEN, CONN. (AP) - AUTHORITIES SAY THE SLAYING OF A YALE GRADUATE STUDENT INSIDE A SECURE BUILDING WAS NOT A RANDOM ACT. A AMPUS VIGIL WAS HELD LAST NIGHT FOR 24-YEAR-OLD ANNIE LE, WHOSE BODY WAS FOUND STUFFED INSIDE A WALL IN A HEAVILY SECURED LAB BUILDING ACCESSIBLE ONLY TO UNIVERSITY EMPLOYEES.

LOS ANGELES (AP) - PATRICK SWAYZE HAS DIED. THE ACTOR PERSONIFIED A PARTICULAR KIND OF MASCULINE GRACE BOTH ON AND OFF SCREEN, FROM HIS ROLES IN FILMS LIKE "DIRTY DANCING" AND "GHOST" TO THE WAY HE CARRIED HIMSELF IN HIS LONG FIGHT WITH PANCREATIC CANCER. SWAYZE DIED FROM THE ILLNESS YESTERDAY IN LOS ANGELES. HE WAS 57.

WASHINGTON (AP) - PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA WILL BE ON THE STUMP TODAY. HE'LL BE TALKING UP THE ECONOMY ON A VISIT TO A GM PLANT IN OHIO. AND HE'LL TRY TO RALLY HIS POLITICAL BASE ON HEALTH CARE WITH A SPEECH AT THE AFL-CIO CONVENTION IN PITTSBURGH AND A FUNDRAISER FOR SENATOR ARLEN SPECTER IN PHILADELPHIA.

KABUL (AP) - THE U.N.-BACKED ELECTORAL COMPLAINTS COMMISSION SAYS VOTE TALLIES FROM ABOUT 10 PERCENT OF AFGHANISTAN'S POLLING STATIONS NEED TO BE RECOUNTED BECAUSE OF POSSIBLE IRREGULARITIES. THE COUNTRY'S AUG. 20 PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION WAS MARRED BY HUNDREDS OF COMPLAINTS OF FRAUD.