Today's News-Wednesday, September 30, 2009

WEDNESDAY TRAVEL NOTES

MOTORISTS TRAVELING ROUTES 901, 183 AND 61 THIS MORNING MAY EXPEREINCE DELAYS DUE TO OVERSIZED CONCRETE BEAMS TRAVELING FROM NORTHEAST PRESTRESSED PRODUCTS TO A JOB SITE IN LUZERNCE COUNTY. TWO LOADS WILL LEAVE AT 7 AND 9AM AND ONE AT 11AM FROM THE YARD ALONG THE GORDON NAGLE TRAIL. PLAN ACCORDINGLY.

UNEMPLOYMENT RATE IN COUNTY

STATISTICS FROM THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF LABOR AND INDUSTRY INDICATE THAT THE UNEMPLOYMENT RATE IN THE COUNTY STANDS AT 10-POINT-3 PERCENT IN AUGUST. THAT'S UP SLIGHTLY FROM THE 10-POINT-2 PERCENT LEVEL IN JULY. STATEWIDE, THE JOBLESS NUMBER SITS AT 8-POINT-6 PERCENT. NATIONALLY, THE UNEMPLOYMENT RATE TEETERS AT 9-POINT-7 PERCENT.

PINE GROVE MAN DUPED OUT OF CASH

STATE POLICE ARE HELPING A PINE GROVE MAN FIND A BOAT HE BOUGHT ON THE INTERNET. TERRY HEIM WIRED $25-HUNDRED DOLLARS TO A MAN NAMED TONY RISPOLI IN CLEVELAND, OHIO TO BUY A BASS TRACKER BOAT ON CRAIGSLIST. THE BOAT WAS NEVER DELIVERED. THE INVESTIGATION CONTINUES.

SHENANDOAH MAN CHARGED WITH ASSAULTING A WOMAN

AUTHORITIES ARE LOOKING FOR A SHENANDOAH MAN IN CONNECTION WITH A WEEKEND INCIDENT IN THE BOROUGH. STATE POLICE ISSUED THE WARRANT FOR 34 YEAR OLD BRYCE BEAVER. HE IS ALLEGED TO HAVE PUNCHED A WOMAN THAT HE WAS INVOLVED WITH AT A SHENANDOAH BAR. BEAVER THEN FOLLOWED HER TO HER HOME IN WILLIAM PENN. HE IS CHARGED WITH SIMPLE ASSAULT, STALKING AND HARRASSMENT.

HOME AND BUSINESS BURGLARIZED

A HOME AND BUSINESS HAVE BEEN BURGLARIZED IN GRATZ. THE HOME OF JACK REED AND THE BOARDWALK RESTAURANT, BOTH ON EAST MARKET STREET, WERE BROKEN INTO RECENTLY. VARIOUS ITEMS AND CASH WERE TAKEN FROM THE HOME AND A CASH REGISTER WITH AN UNDETERMINED AMOUNT OF MONEY WERE TAKEN FROM THE RESTAURANT. LYKENS STATE POLICE ARE HANDLING THE INVESTIGATION.

HOME BREAK-IN AT PINE GROVE

A HOME COMPUTER, VALUED AT OVER $11-HUNDRED-DOLLARS WAS TAKEN FROM A PINE GROVE HOME TUESDAY. KAREN WILLMAN’S HOME ON OAK GROVE ROAD WAS ENTERED EARLY IN THE MORNING. STATE POLICE ARE INVESTIGATING.

MAN ESCAPES INJURY IN CRASH

AN ORWIGSBURG MAN ESCAPED INJURY IN A CRASH ON BRICK HILL ROAD, WEST BRUNSWICK TOWNSHIP MONDAY AFTERNOON. FRED BOLTZ APPARENTLY EXPERIENCED A MEDICAL PROBLEM WHILE DRIVING AND HIS PICKUP STRUCK A UTILITY POLE. HE WAS TAKEN TO SCHUYLKILL MEDICAL CENTER EAST FOR TREATMENT. THE ROAD WAS CLOSED FOR ABOUT 11 HOURS WHILE THE POLE WAS REPLACED.

VOTER DEADLINES

SCHUYLKILL COUNTY ELECTION OFFICIALS HAVE ANNOUNCED IMPORTANT DATES FOR THE UPCOMING NOVEMBER ELECTION. FRANNIE BRENNAN, BUREAU DIRECTOR INDICATES THAT MONDAY, OCTOBER 5TH IS THE LAST DAY TO REGISTER TO BE ELIGIBLE TO VOTE IN THE NOVEMBER 3RD ELECTION. ABSENTEE VOTERS MUST HAVE THEIR BALLOTS IN BY CLOSE OF BUSINESS ON OCTOBER 27TH.

HARRISBURG, PA. (AP) - DEMOCRATS IN THE STATE HOUSE HELD A PRIVATE CAUCUS MEETING YESTERDAY TO DISCUSS THE STATE OF BUDGET NEGOTIATIONS. IT'S NOT CLEAR WHETHER THE LEADERS WILL PROCEED WITH A DEAL THEY'VE MADE WITH THE SENATE AND GOVERNOR OR IF THE RANK AND FILE WILL INSIST ON CHANGES. GOV. ED RENDELL SAYS HE WANTS A BUDGET ON HIS DESK BY SUNDAY, OR EARLY NEXT WEEK AT THE LATEST.

HARRISBURG, PA. (AP) - UNOFFICIAL ELECTION-NIGHT RESULTS FOR A STATE SENATE SEAT IN SOUTHEASTERN PENNSYLVANIA SHOW THE REPUBLICAN
CANDIDATE LEADING WITH 66.2 PERCENT OF THE VOTE.REPUBLICAN STATE
REP. BOB MENSCH HAD 12,496 VOTES. THE DEMOCRATIC CANDIDATE, LANSDALE COUNCILWOMAN ANNE SCHEURING, HAD 5,730 VOTES, OR 30.3 PERCENT.THE 24TH SENATE DISTRICT TAKES IN PARTS OF MONTGOMERY, LEHIGH, BUCKS AND NORTHAMPTON COUNTIES.

PHILADELPHIA (AP) - A FORMER LIQUOR ENFORCEMENT OFFICER WITH THE
PENNSYLVANIA STATE POLICE IS ACCUSED OF USING HER JOB TO EXTORT MONEY. GINA MARIA KEPLER IS CHARGED WITH EXTORTION. PROSECUTORS SAY THE WARRINGTON WOMAN EXTORTED MONEY FROM OWNERS OF BARS AND RESTAURANTS WITH LIQUOR LICENSES IN BUCKS AND MONTGOMERY COUNTIES
BETWEEN 2006 AND 2008.

PHILADELPHIA (AP) - A FORMER IVY LEAGUE PROFESSOR WILL SERVE 25 YEARS FOR MAKING CHILD PORNOGRAPHY AND LYING TO AUTHORITIES TO GET A TEEN VICTIM INTO THE UNITED STATES. PROSECUTORS SAY FORMER UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA PROFESSOR LAWRENCE SCOTT WARD HAS BEEN A SEXUAL PREDATOR WHO PREYED ON IMPOVERISHED BOYS IN THE U.S. AND OVERSEAS.

HARRISBURG, PA. (AP) - A SOUTH-CENTRAL PENNSYLVANIA MAN IS ACCUSED OF FATALLY SUFFOCATING IN 5-WEEK-OLD SON. DAUPHIN COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY EDWARD MARSICO SAID YESTERDAY THAT BRANDON MURRAY
OF MIDDLETOWN IS CHARGED WITH CRIMINAL HOMICIDE IN THE DEATH OF HIS
SON, DAVID MURRAY, WHO DIED EARLY SUNDAY AT A HOSPITAL. AN AUTOPSY
SHOWED THE BABY HAD MULTIPLE FRACTURES, INCLUDING A SKULL FRACTURE.

APIA, SAMOA (AP) - RESIDENTS OF SAMOA AND AMERICAN SAMOA ARE TRYING TO RECOVER AFTER A POWERFUL EARTHQUAKE IN THE SOUTH PACIFIC HURLED MASSIVE TSUNAMI WAVES AT THEIR SHORES EARLY TUESDAY. THE WAVES LEVELED VILLAGES AND SWEPT CARS AND PEOPLE OUT TO SEA, LEAVING AT LEAST 82 DEAD AND DOZENS MISSING.

WASHINGTON (AP) - PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA HAS DECLARED A MAJOR DISASTER IN AMERICAN SAMOA FOLLOWING A DEADLY TSUNAMI THAT KILLED AT LEAST 19 PEOPLE THERE. THE U.S. TERRITORY IN THE SOUTH PACIFIC IS HOME TO 65,000 PEOPLE. THE DISASTER DECLARATION PROVIDES FEDERAL AID TO SUPPLEMENT LOCAL RECOVERY EFFORTS.

COPENHAGEN (AP) - BRAZIL'S PRESIDENT AND FIRST LADY MICHELLE OBAMA ARE GOING TO BE IN COPENHAGEN TODAY TRYING TO CONVINCE THE INTERNATIONAL OLYMPIC COMMITTEE TO AWARD THE 2016 OLYMPICS TO THEIR RESPECTIVE CITIES. CHICAGO AND RIO DE JANEIRO ARE THOUGHT TO BE THE FRONT-RUNNERS. THE IOC VOTES ON FRIDAY.

WASHINGTON (AP) - NATO'S SECRETARY-GENERAL SAYS PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA IS RIGHT TO DELAY TROOP DECISIONS UNTIL A POSSIBLY REVAMPED APPROACH TO THE AFGHANISTAN WAR IS DEVISED. ANDERS FOGH RASMUSSEN MET WITH OBAMA AT THE WHITE HOUSE YESTERDAY. THE OBAMA ADMINISTRATION IS BEGINNING TO DEBATE IN EARNEST THE INCREASINGLY UNPOPULAR WAR.

WASHINGTON (AP) - A SWEEPING HEALTH OVERHAUL BILL HAS SURVIVED A MAJOR CHALLENGE FROM THE LEFT. LIBERAL DEMOCRATS HAVE FAILED IN TWO EFFORTS TO INCLUDE A GOVERNMENT-RUN INSURANCE OPTION IN LEGISLATION BEFORE THE SENATE FINANCE COMMITTEE. BUT PUBLIC OPTION SUPPORTERS AREN'T GIVING UP AND HOPE TO HAVE BETTER LUCK IN THE FULL SENATE.