Today's News-Wednesday, September 16, 2009

BODY FOUND IN EAST UNION TOWNSHIP

STATE POLICE AT FRACKVILLE ARE SEEKING THE PUBLIC'S HELP IN IDENTIFYING A NAKED MAN'S BODY FOUND IN EAST UNION TOWNSHIP TUESDAY AFTERNOON. THE REMAINS WERE FOUND IN A WOODED AREA NEXT TO OLD MILL ROAD AROUND 3:30PM WITH A GUNSHOT WOUND. A CAUSE OF DEATH IS EXPECTED TO BE DETERMINED UPON COMPLETION OF AN AUTOPSY BY DR. RICHARD BINDIE TODAY. THE BODY IS THAT OF A WHITE MALE, AGE 25 TO 35 YEARS OLD, APPROXIMATELY 5 FEET 10 INCHES TALL AND WEIGHING ABOUT 165 POUNDS. THE MAN HAD A TATOO ON ONE ARM "GODSMACK" AND THE NAME "BETHANY" ON THE OTHER ARM. ANYONE WITH INFORMATION SHOULD CALL THE FRACKVILLE BARRACKS AT 874-5300.

POTTSVILLE MAN SERIOUSLY INJURED IN CRASH ON SCHUYLKILL MOUNTAIN ROAD

A POTTSVILLE MAN HAD TO BE FLOWN TO LEHIGH VALLEY MEDICAL CENTER TUESDAY AFTER A SERIOUS ONE CAR CRASH IN NORTH MANHEIM TOWNSHIP. 38 YEAR OLD ROGER BRENSINGER WAS HEADED EAST ON SCHUYLKILL MOUNTAIN ROAD WHEN HIS CAR WENT OFF THE SOUTH BERM OF THE ROAD AND DOWN A SLIGHT EMBANKMENT, HITTING TREES AND BUSHES. INFORMATION ABOUT HIS CONDITION WAS NOT RELEASED BY LEHIGH VALLEY HOSPITAL PERSONNEL THIS MORNING.

MURDER DIES IN PRISON

A MAN SERVING A LIFE SENTENCE FOR MURDERING A YOUNG BOY NEAR CUMBOLA MORE THAN TWO DECADES AGO HAS DIED. REPORTS INDICATE THAT CHARLES KAUFFMAN DIED AT GRATERFORD PRISON LAST MONTH. HE WAS CONVICTED OF STRANGLING TIMOTHY FREED NEAR CUMBOLA IN 1988. ACCORDING TO THE REPUBLICAN HERALD, KAUFFMAN RECEIVED HIS LIFE SENTENCE IN MAY, 1989 AFTER A JURY COULDN'T AGREE ON THE DEATH PENALTY. HE REPORTEDLY DIED OF NATURAL CAUSES SEPTEMBER 1ST.

ANOTHER RULING IN NORTH SCHUYLKILL CASE

ANOTHER RULING HAS BEEN HANDED DOWN IN THE NORTH SCHUYLKILL SCHOOL BOARD CASE. THE REPUBLICAN HERALD REPORTS THAT COMMONWEALTH COURT SENIOR JUDGE ROCHELLE FRIEDMAN REFUSED TO STAY THE JUNE 23RD ORDER DIRECTING THE REMOVAL OF 8 DIRECTORS FROM THE BOARD FOR NEGLECTING THEIR DUTY TO HIRE A SUPERINTENDENT TO REPLACE ROBERT FRANKLIN. THE COURT DIDN'T SAY WHEN IT WOULD ISSUE ITS FINAL RULING. JUDGE FRIEDMAN SAID THAT BOARD SOLICITOR AND INTERIM SUPERINTENDENT MARK SEMANCHIK WAS NOT QUALIFIED TO SERVE AS PERMANENT SUPERINTENDENT. THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION TURNED DOWN THE BOARD'S EFFORTS TO GET A WAIVER TO ALLOW SEMANCHIK TO FILL THE JOB.

HARRISBURG, PA. (AP) - EVEN THOUGH LEGISLATIVE LEADERS ANNOUNCED A TENTATIVE BUDGET DEAL LAST FRIDAY, NO VOTES ARE SCHEDULED IN THE PENNSYLVANIA LEGISLATURE. IN ADDITION TO GETTING GOV. ED RENDELL ON
BOARD, LEGISLATIVE LEADERS MUST GET RANK-AND-FILE LAWMAKERS TO AGREE TO THE BUDGET. SOME SAY THEY NEED MORE DETAILS BEFORE THEY CAN DECIDE ON IT.

PHILADELPHIA (AP) - PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA IS URGING PENNSYLVANIA VOTERS TO RE-ELECT SEN. ARLEN SPECTER. SPEAKING YESTERDAY AT A SPECTER FUNDRAISER IN PHILADELPHIA, OBAMA SAID SPECTER HAS A LONG RECORD OF FIGHTING FOR THE WORKING MEN AND WOMEN OF PENNSYLVANIA. OBAMA ALSO HIGHLIGHTED SPECTER'S VOTE FOR THE $787 BILLION ECONOMIC STIMULUS BILL.

PITTSBURGH (AP) - PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA SAYS THE SUCCESS OF ORGANIZED LABOR AND THE AMERICAN MIDDLE CLASS ARE ESSENTIAL TO THE FUTURE PROSPERITY OF THE COUNTRY. IN A ROUSING SPEECH TO THE AFL-CIO CONVENTION, OBAMA TOLD THE LABOR FEDERATION YESTERDAY THAT THE REVITALIZATION OF THE U.S. ECONOMY DEPENDS ON BETTER LIVES FOR WORKING CLASS AMERICANS.

PITTSBURGH (AP) - HUNDREDS OF STUDENTS AROUND THE WORLD WILL MIRROR THE WORK BEING DONE NEXT WEEK AT THE G-20 SUMMIT IN PITTSBURGH BY USING TECHNOLOGY TO INTERACT.FROM THEIR SCHOOLS AND CITIES THIS WEEK THEY WILL USE BROADBAND CONNECTIONS, WEBCASTS, INTERNET LINES AND VIDEO CONFERENCING TO TRY TO SOLVE THE VERY ISSUES THAT BEWILDER WORLD LEADERS.

PHILADELPHIA (AP) - THE PHILADELPHIA POLICE OFFICER WHO SAT NEXT TO MICHELLE OBAMA DURING THE PRESIDENT'S ECONOMIC ADDRESS TO CONGRESS IN FEBRUARY HAS FIRED HIS GUN AT SUSPECTS IN THE CITY'S KENSINGTON NEIGHBORHOOD. NO INJURIES ARE REPORTED FROM LAST NIGHT'S SHOOTING. POLICE SAY IT HAPPENED AFTER TWO PEOPLE ON A MOTORCYCLE TRIED TO RUN DOWN OFFICER RICHARD DECOATSWORTH. TWO PEOPLE ARE IN CUSTODY.

WASHINGTON (AP) - AN UPDATE ON CONSUMER PRICES IS DUE FROM THE COMMERCE DEPARTMENT THIS MORNING. THE GOVERNMENT RELEASES THE
CONSUMER PRICE INDEX BEFORE WALL STREET'S OPENING BELL. ECONOMISTS
ARE EXPECTING IT TO SHOW INFLATION HAS REMAINED IN CHECK THE PAST
MONTH.

WASHINGTON (AP) - CHANCES OF A BIPARTISAN COMPROMISE ON HEALTH CARE REFORM APPEAR MORE REMOTE TODAY, WITH SEN. MAX BAUCUS' DECISION TO RELEASE HIS VERSION OF OVERHAUL LEGISLATION WITH NO REPUBLICAN BACKING. THE SENATE FINANCE COMMITTEE CHAIRMAN HAS BEEN NEGOTIATING FOR WEEKS WITH THREE REPUBLICANS AND TWO DEMOCRATS ON THE PANEL. HE SAYS HE HOPES HE CAN STILL PICK UP SOME GOP SUPPORT.

NEW HAVEN, CONN. (AP) - POLICE HAVE TAKEN A YALE UNIVERSITY ANIMAL RESEARCH TECHNICIAN INTO CUSTODY AS THE INVESTIGATE THE DEATH OF ANNIE LE (LAY.) THEY SAY THEY WANT TO COLLECT DNA SAMPLES FROM RAYMOND CLARK III. THEY'VE ALSO SEARCHED THE 24-YEAR-OLD'S APARTMENT FOR EVIDENCE THAT MIGHT LINK HIM LE'S SLAYING.

UNITED NATIONS (AP) - A U.N. TREATY AIMED AT FIXING THE EARTH'S OZONE LAYER HAS BECOME THE FIRST GLOBAL ENVIRONMENTAL AGREEMENT TO ACHIEVE UNIVERSAL RATIFICATION. THE OBAMA ADMINISTRATION HAS ANNOUNCED THAT THE U.S., CANADA AND MEXICO NOW SUPPORT THE TREATY. IT REQUIRES CUTS IN GREENHOUSE GASES KNOWN AS HYDROFLUOROCARBONS.

WASHINGTON (AP) - ASTRONOMERS HAVE FINALLY FOUND A ROCKY PLANET OUTSIDE OUR SOLAR SYSTEM. SCIENTISTS HAVE FOUND MORE THAN 300 PLANETS OVER THE YEARS, BUT THEY'LL ALL BEEN GAS BALLS OR CAN'T BE PROVEN TO BE SOLID. NOW, ASTRONOMERS IN EUROPE SAY THEY'VE PROVED A PLANET ABOUT 500 LIGHT YEARS AWAY IS ROCKY. HOWEVER IT'S SO CLOSE TO ITS SUN, THAT ITS SURFACE TEMPERATURE IS MORE THAN 3,600 DEGREES.