Today's News-Wednesday, September 9 2009

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.WOMAN IDENITIFIED IN MOTORCYCLE CRASH

AUTHORITIES HAVE RELEASED THE INDENTITY OF A MINERSVILLE WOMAN KILLED IN A MOTORCYCLE CRASH SATURDAY NIGHT ON ROUTE 61. ST CLAIR POLICE CHIEF MICHAEL CAREY SAID 36 YEAR OLD GENEVIEVE LEVERTAVISH WAS NORTHBOUND ON ROUTE 61 AT HANCOCK STREET WHEN SHE LOST CONTROL OF HER MOTORCYCLE. POLICE SAY SHE WAS NOT WEARING A HELMET. LEVERTAVISH HAD MASSIVE HEAD TRAUMA AND WAS PRONOUNCED DEAD AT SCHUYLKILL MEDICAL CENTER SOUTH. POLICE ARE CONTINUING THEIR INVESTIGATION.

INTERMODAL GROUND BREAKING

LOCAL OFFICIALS GATHERED IN POTTSVILLE TUESDAY TO OFFICIALLY BREAK GROUND FOR THE LONG-AWAITED INTERMODAL TRADE AND TRANSIT CENTER. AFTER MORE THAN A DECADE OF PLANNING, FUNDING AND OTHER HURDLES, THE $18.1 MILLION DOLLAR TRANSPORTATION HUB IS FINALLY UNDERWAY. MAYOR JOHN REILEY THANKED OFFICIALS FOR THEIR WORK IN SECURING THE FUNDING FOR THE BLOCK LONG FACILITY ON SOUTH CENTRE STREET. THE WRECKING BALL IS EXPECTED TO FALL SOON TO BEGIN DEMOLITION OF THE PROPERTIES, WITH A COMPLETION DATE OF NEXT DECEMBER. THE INTERMODAL CENTER WILL ALSO HOUSE THE SCHUYLKILL COUNTY VISITORS BUREAU AND A POTTSVILLE POLICE SUBSTATION. FEDERAL STIMULUS MONIES HELPED TO COMPLETE THE FINANCING PACKAGE.

FIRE DAMAGES HOME IN MINERSVILLE

A HOME WAS DAMAGED BY A SMOKY FIRE MONDAY MORNING IN THE BOROUGH OF MINERSVILLE. THE CALL CAME BEFORE 9AM, WITH COMPANIES FROM MINERSVILLE AND POTTSVILLE RESPONDING TO TWIN AND SECOND STREETS. THE STRUCTURE WAS A DOUBLE HOME. OFFICIALS ON SCENE SAID FIRE WAS CONTAINED MAINLY TO THE BASEMENT AREA. IT WAS BROUGHT UNDER CONTROL WITHIN THE HOUR. THERE WERE NO INJURIES.

SEIP IDEA FOR TAX CHANGES

70 DAYS WITHOUT A BUDGET IN PENNSYLVANIA. REPRESENTATIVE TIM SEIP OF SCHUYLKILL AND BERKS COUNTY PROPOSED EXPANDING THE SALES TAX TO COVER MORE ITEMS, AND TRY TO PROVIDE PROPERTY TAX RELIEF FOR HOMEOWNERS. SEIP SAYS THAT BY LEAVING THE RATE AT 6 PERCENT BUT EXPANDING IT TO COVER MORE GOODS, THE STATE'S REVENUES COULD BE SIGNFICANTLY EXPANDED AND HELP BALANCE THE STATE BUDGET BY A BILLION DOLLARS ANNUALLY. A CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT WOULD BE REQUIRED TO MAKE THE EFFORT HAPPEN. LAWMAKERS IN HARRISBURG ARE NOT EXPECTED BACK IN SESSION UNTIL TOMORROW.

PHILADELPHIA (AP) - THE U.S. HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES SECRETARY VISITED A PHILADELPHIA SCHOOL TO TALK ABOUT FLU PREPAREDNESS AND STAYED TO WATCH THE PRESIDENT'S TELEVISED SPEECH TO STUDENTS NATIONWIDE. SECRETARY KATHLEEN SEBELIUS SPOKE TO SEVENTH- AND EIGHTH-GRADERS AT THURGOOD MARSHALL ELEMENTARY SCHOOL ON THEIR FIRST DAY YESTERDAY.

TELFORD, PA. (AP) - A 12-YEAR-OLD BOY IS RECOVERING AFTER POLICE SAY HIS MOTHER STABBED HIM TWICE IN THE BACK IN PENNSYLVANIA'S LEHIGH VALLEY. TELFORD BOROUGH POLICE SAY THE BOY CALLED 911 ON HIS OWN. HE WAS AIRLIFTED TO A HOSPITAL AND LISTED IN STABLE CONDITION. THE MOTHER IS UNDER ARREST AND UNDERWENT A MENTAL AND MEDICAL EVALUATION.

PHILADELPHIA (AP) - A 14-YEAR-OLD BOY WHO WAS SHOT JUST AFTER STEPPING OFF A BUS IN PHILADELPHIA HAS DIED. PHILADELPHIA POLICE LT. FRANK VANORE SAYS KAREEM HAYNES WAS SHOT ONCE IN THE CHEST BY A GUNMAN RIDING A PURPLE BICYCLE YESTERDAY AFTERNOON IN THE CITY'S BREWERYTOWN NEIGHBORHOOD. THE GUNMAN FLED AND NO ARRESTS WERE IMMEDIATELY MADE.

PITTSBURGH (AP) - THE SECRET SERVICE HAS RELEASED DETAILS OF THE SECURITY PERIMETERS FOR THE G-20 ECONOMIC SUMMIT IN PITTSBURGH. THE SECRET SERVICE HAS CREATED TWO PERIMETERS AROUND THE DAVID L. LAWRENCE CONVENTION CENTER, A SMALLER ONE FOR PEDESTRIANS AND A LARGER ONE RESTRICTING VEHICLES. THE CHECKPOINTS GO INTO EFFECT AT 8 P.M. ON WEDNESDAY SEPT. 23.

SCRANTON, PA. (AP) - A KINGSTON, PENN. MAN ACCUSED OF ATTACKING A SECRET SERVICE AGENT WITH BRASS KNUCKLES AND A CHUNK OF ASPHALT HAS WORKED OUT A PLEA AGREEMENT. KENNETH KILE SIGNED THE PLEA AGREEMENT WITH LACKAWANNA COUNTY PROSECUTORS YESTERDAY. HE AGREED TO PLEAD GUILTY TO SIMPLE ASSAULT, RECKLESS ENDANGERMENT AND A WEAPONS OFFENSE FOR THE JUNE 9 ALTERCATION THAT POLICE DESCRIBED AS ROAD RAGE.

WASHINGTON (AP) - AS HE PREPARES FOR TONIGHT'S PRIME-TIME SPEECH ON HEALTH CARE, PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA SAYS HIS ADMINISTRATION ISN'T BEING RIGID AND IDEOLOGICAL. OBAMA TELLS ABC HE'S OPEN TO NEW IDEAS. THE WHITE HOUSE SAYS TONIGHT'S SPEECH WILL "ANSWER ALL THE MAJOR QUESTIONS" - INCLUDING HOW TO PAY FOR GETTING COVERAGE FOR THE 50 MILLION AMERICANS WHO LACK IT.

KABUL (AP) - AN AFGHAN OFFICIAL SAYS BRITISH SPECIAL FORCES DROPPED DOWN ON A HOUSE IN HELICOPTERS TO FREE NEW YORK TIMES REPORTER STEPHEN FARRELL. THE JOURNALIST WAS TAKEN HOSTAGE WITH HIS TRANSLATOR SATURDAY. OFFICIALS SAY THE TRANSLATOR AND A BRITISH COMMANDO DIED IN THE RESCUE.

ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) - THE PRESSURE IS ON FOR TENS OF THOUSANDS OF HEALTH CARE WORKERS TO GET VACCINATED AS HOSPITALS AND CLINICS PREPARE FOR A SPIKE IN SWINE FLU CASES. ROUGHLY HALF OF HEALTH CARE WORKERS SKIP THE IMMUNIZATIONS. NEW YORK IS REQUIRING THE SHOTS AND OTHER STATES ARE CONSIDERING SUCH ACTION.

UNDATED (AP) - A NEW BOOK IS CHALLENGING THE IDEA THAT ALL STUDENTS PUSH FOR THE MOST SELECTIVE COLLEGE THEY CAN GET INTO. "CROSSING THE FINISH LINE" SUGGESTS PART OF THE REASON U.S. COLLEGE COMPLETION RATES ARE AMONG THE WORST IN THE DEVELOPED WORLD IS BECAUSE SOME STUDENTS SETTLE FOR LESS SELECTIVE SCHOOLS THEY IMAGINE WILL BE EASIER. INSTEAD, ACCORDING TO THE BOOK, THOSE STUDENTS ARE MORE LIKELY TO DROP OUT.

NEW YORK (AP) - BEATLES FANS WILL HAVE PLENTY TO KEEP THEM OCCUPIED TODAY. THE VIDEO GAME "THE BEATLES: ROCK BAND" WILL BE IN STORES ALONG WITH A CD FILLED WITH REMASTERED SONGS.