Today's News-Saturday, October 17, 2009

MOE'S BAR BURNS

A NEW PHILADELPHIA LANDMARK IS IN RUINS AFTER AN EARLY MORNING FIRE. CREWS FROM NEW PHILADELPHIA AND SURROUNDING COMMUNITIES WERE CALLED TO THE SCENE AROUND 3AM AT MOE'S BAR. FLAMES COULD BE SEEN FOR QUITE A DISTANCE AT THE SITE. FIREFIGHTERS WERE STILL ON SCENE KNOCKING DOWN HOTSPOTS AT MOE'S BAR IN NEW PHILADELPHIA.

TWO ESCAPE INJURY IN WASHINGTON TOWNSHIP

TWO GIRLS ESCAPED INJURY WHEN THEIR PICKUP TRUCK CRASHED EARLY THIS MORNING ON SWEET ARROW LAKE ROAD. 20 YEAR OLD TRICIA SEIDEL OF TREMONT WAS DRIVING EAST ON THE RAIN SLICKED ROADWAY WHEN SHE LOST CONTROL AND THE VEHICLE HIT AN EMBANKMENT, SPUN AROUND AND HIT A GUIDERAIL. SEIDEL AND HER PASSENGER WERE WEARING THEIR SEATBELTS. THE CRASH HAPPENED AROUND 3AM TODAY.

TWO CARS COLLIDE ON 61

A YORK WOMAN AND LEBANON MAN WERE NOT HURT IN A TWO VEHICLE CRASH ON ROUTE 61 FRIDAY. MARY GOODWILLIE WAS SOUTHBOUND IN THE PASSING LANE AND BRADLEY BRANDT DRIVING IN THE RIGHT HAND LANE. GOODWILLIE SWERVED TO AVOID STRIKING A VEHICLE IN FROM OF HERS AND WAS HIT BY BRANDT'S CHEVY LUMINA. BOTH VEHICLES COULD BE DRIVEN FROM THE SCENE.
　
PA. ALLOWS CABOT TO RESUME HYDRAULIC GAS DRILLING

HARRISBURG, PA. (AP) - STATE ENVIRONMENTAL REGULATORS SAY CABOT OIL AND GAS CORP. CAN RESUME A DRILLING TECHNIQUE IN PENNSYLVANIA THAT USES LIQUIDS TO FRACTURE ROCK AND RELEASE NATURAL GAS. THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION SAID FRIDAY THE HOUSTON-BASED COMPANY COMPLIED WITH THE TERMS OF AN ORDER THAT HALTED THE ACTIVITY LAST MONTH. THE DEP'S NORTHCENTRAL REGIONAL DIRECTOR ROBERT YOWELL SAYS CABOT SUBMITTED ACCEPTABLE PREVENTION PLANS AND AN ENGINEERING STUDY. REGULATORS ACTED AFTER CABOT REPORTED THREE SPILLS OF A LIQUID-GEL LUBRICANT WITHIN SEVEN DAYS AT ONE OF ITS GAS-DRILLING SITES. ALL OF CABOT'S SO-CALLED HYDRAULIC FRACTURING, OR "FRACKING," OPERATIONS ARE IN NORTHEASTERN SUSQUEHANNA COUNTY. CABOT IS ONE OF MANY EXPLORATION COMPANIES THAT HAVE FLOCKED TO PENNSYLVANIA IN HOPES OF PROFITING FROM THE POTENTIALLY LUCRATIVE MARCELLUS SHALE FORMATION.

SLIPPERY ROCK ISSUES MENINGITIS ALERT AFTER DEATH

SLIPPERY ROCK, PA. (AP) - SLIPPERY ROCK UNIVERSITY IN WESTERN PENNSYLVANIA SAYS A STUDENT MAY HAVE DIED OF BACTERIAL MENINGITIS AND IS ALERTING THOSE WHO HAVE COME INTO CLOSE CONTACT WITH HIM. SPOKESMAN KARL SCHWAB SAYS 20-YEAR-OLD BENJAMIN SWANTNER, OF NATRONA HEIGHTS, DIED ABOUT 3:30 A.M. FRIDAY AT GROVE CITY MEDICAL CENTER. OFFICIALS SAY HE HAD ALL THE CLINICAL SIGNS OF MENINGITIS, THOUGH THAT HASN'T BEEN CONFIRMED. SWANTNER LIVED IN AN OFF-CAMPUS APARTMENT COMPLEX AND HIS ROOMMATES HAVE ALREADY BEEN TREATED WITH ANTIBIOTICS. THE SCHOOL WANTS TO TREAT ANYONE WHO HAS BEEN IN CLOSE CONTACT WITH SWANTNER RECENTLY. SWANTNER CAME TO THE STUDENT HEALTH CENTER AFTER MIDNIGHT COMPLAINING OF ILLNESS.

BOYFRIEND ARRESTED IN DEATH OF PREGNANT PA. WOMAN

PHILADELPHIA (AP) - POLICE IN PHILADELPHIA HAVE ARRESTED A MAN THEY SAY KILLED HIS 21-YEAR-OLD PREGNANT GIRLFRIEND IN A DOMESTIC DISPUTE. NINETEEN-YEAR-OLD TYRELL HART IS CHARGED WITH MURDER, MURDER OF AN UNBORN CHILD AND OTHER OFFENSES IN THE DEATH OF HIS GIRLFRIEND,
SELENE RAYNOR. RAYNOR'S BODY WAS FOUND SLUMPED OVER THE STEERING WHEEL OF AN SUV IN THE CITY'S STRAWBERRY MANSION NEIGHBORHOOD ON THURSDAY AFTERNOON. POLICE SAY SHE WAS SHOT IN THE HEAD. RAYNOR WAS A THIRD-YEAR CHEMISTRY MAJOR AT WEST CHESTER UNIVERSITY, ABOUT 25 MILES WEST OF PHILADELPHIA. AUTHORITIES SAY HER PREGNANCY WAS IN ITS EARLY STAGES.

PA. TEEN ACCUSED OF THREATENING CLASSMATES

HANOVER, PA. (AP) - A 14-YEAR-OLD NORTHEASTERN PENNSYLVANIA BOY IS ACCUSED OF MAKING THREATS AGAINST CLASSMATES AT HIS SCHOOL IN LUZERNE COUNTY. HANOVER TOWNSHIP POLICE CHIEF ALBERT WALKER SAID FRIDAY THAT THE NINTH GRADER AT HANOVER AREA HIGH SCHOOL USED A COMPUTER INSTANT MESSAGING PROGRAM TO MAKE THREATS AGAINST STUDENTS. HE SAYS A GIRL REPORTED SUCH A THREAT THURSDAY NIGHT. POLICE WENT TO THE BOY'S HANOVER TOWNSHIP HOME FRIDAY MORNING WITH A SEARCH WARRANT AND REMOVED SOME COMPUTER EQUIPMENT AND GUNS, WHICH MAY BELONG TO THE BOY'S PARENTS. THE BOY'S NAME WASN'T RELEASED. HE'S CHARGED AS A JUVENILE WITH TERRORISTIC THREATS AND DISORDERLY CONDUCT. POLICE SAY THEY'RE CONFIDENT THAT NOTHING WILL COME OF THE THREATS BECAUSE THEY WERE REPORTED TO POLICE PROMPTLY.

6 CHARGED IN PA. WITH BILKING WIC OUT OF $375K

PHILADELPHIA (AP) - A GRAND JURY HAS CHARGED SIX EMPLOYEES OF A PHILADELPHIA NONPROFIT WITH SWINDLING TAXPAYERS OUT OF $375,000 THAT WAS SUPPOSED TO GO TO LOW-INCOME MOMS. ATTORNEY GENERAL TOM CORBETT SAYS THE DEFENDANTS WERE EMPLOYEES OF NORTH INC., A NONPROFIT THAT DISTRIBUTES CHECKS FROM THE WOMEN, INFANTS AND CHILDREN PROGRAM. WIC CHECKS CAN BE REDEEMED FOR ITEMS SUCH AS BABY FORMULA AND CEREAL BUT CORBETT SAYS THE WORKERS CREATED FAKE CHECKS AND USED THEM TO BUY FOOD OR TRADED THEM OUTRIGHT FOR CASH. CORBETT SAYS A SUPERVISOR, 43-YEAR-OLD MIKIBA CARTER, WOULD BUY BABY FORMULA AND SELL IT ON THE STREET. CARTER AND FIVE OTHERS WERE CHARGED THURSDAY WITH THEFT, TAMPERING WITH PUBLIC RECORDS AND OTHER CHARGES. CORBETT SAYS HE WILL RECOMMEND THE STATE AUDITOR GENERAL EXAMINE THE WIC PROGRAM.

MAN ACCUSED OF SWINDLING 3 PA. CREDIT UNIONS

HARRISBURG, PA. (AP) - PENNSYLVANIA ATTORNEY GENERAL TOM CORBETT SAYS A PITTSBURGH-AREA MAN IS ACCUSED OF RIPPING OFF THREE CREDIT UNIONS OF $2 MILLION. EUGENE MILEY IS ACCUSED OF RUNNING A PONZI SCHEME IN WHICH HE PROMISED TO PURCHASE HIGH-INTEREST CERTIFICATES OF DEPOSIT FOR CREDIT UNIONS. BUT PROSECUTORS SAY THE 58-YEAR-OLD BEAVER MAN SOLD FICTITIOUS CDS AND PAID INTEREST USING MONEY FROM NEW CUSTOMERS, SO THE SCHEME COLLAPSED WHEN HE RAN OUT OF NEW CLIENTS. PROSECUTORS SAY MILEY DEFRAUDED THE MOONLIGHT CREDIT UNION IN WORTHINGTON, THE VANTAGE TRUST CREDIT UNION IN WILKES-BARRE AND THE STANWOOD AREA CREDIT UNION IN NEW STANTON. MILEY WAS ARRESTED FRIDAY.

FLA. MAN ACCUSED OF BILKING INVESTORS OF MILLIONS

HARRISBURG, PA. (AP) - A FLORIDA MAN FACES A 55-COUNT FEDERAL INDICTMENT IN PENNSYLVANIA THAT ACCUSES HIM OF BILKING INVESTORS OUT OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS THAT HE SPENT ON LUXURY ITEMS. THE INDICTMENT AGAINST SEAN HEALY WAS UNSEALED THURSDAY IN FEDERAL COURT IN HARRISBURG. IT INCLUDES CHARGES OF FRAUD AND MONEY LAUNDERING. THE 38-YEAR-OLD HEALY ALLEGEDLY COLLECTED NEARLY $20 MILLION FROM MORE THAN 50 INVESTORS PRIMARILY IN PENNSYLVANIA BEGINNING IN 2003. BUT PROSECUTORS SAY HE SPENT IT ON A WATERFRONT MANSION IN WESTON, FLA., JEWELRY AND EXOTIC SPORTS CARS INSTEAD OF INVESTING IT AS PROMISED. SOME OF THOSE ASSETS WERE SEIZED AS A RESULT OF GOVERNMENT LAWSUITS FILED IN JULY.

PA. MAN GETS 8-16 MONTHS FOR KILLING CAGED DOG

PITTSBURGH (AP) - A PITTSBURGH-AREA MAN WHO SHOT A DOG TO DEATH WHILE IT WAS IN A CAGE HAS BEEN SENTENCED TO EIGHT TO 16 MONTHS IN PRISON. KEVIN WRIGHT WAS SENTENCED FRIDAY AFTER PLEADING GUILTY TO CRUELTY TO ANIMALS. POLICE SAY THE 43-YEAR-OLD GLASSPORT MAN WAS HEAVILY INTOXICATED WHEN POLICE ARRIVED AT HIS APARTMENT ON JUNE 23, 2008, TO RESPOND TO A REPORT OF SHOTS FIRED. POLICE SAY WRIGHT CLAIMED THE DOG HAD ATTACKED HIM, BUT IT WAS IN A CAGE AND WRIGHT WASN'T INJURED. THE DOG DIED IN ABOUT 20 MINUTES. POLICE FOUND TWO HANDGUNS AND 14 SHELL CASINGS ON THE FLOOR.

FISH KILL PROMPTS PA. TO SEEK BRINE WELL SHUTDOWN

HARRISBURG, PA. (AP) - THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT IS CONSIDERING A REQUEST TO SHUT DOWN AN UNDERGROUND COALBED-METHANE WASTEWATER STORAGE OPERATION THAT PENNSYLVANIA OFFICIALS SUSPECT CONTRIBUTED TO A MASSIVE FISH KILL. U.S. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY SPOKESMAN DAVID STERNBERG SAID FRIDAY THAT HIS AGENCY IS PREPARING A RESPONSE TO THE OCT. 5 REQUEST FROM PENNSYLVANIA'S ENVIRONMENTAL REGULATORS. ENVIRONMENTAL OFFICIALS IN PENNSYLVANIA AND WEST VIRGINIA ARE PURSUING THE CAUSE BEHIND THE DEATH OF FISH, MUSSELS, SALAMANDERS
AND OTHER AQUATIC LIFE IN DUNKARD CREEK. THE 38-MILE CREEK MEANDERS ALONG THE STATES' BORDER. A 2005 EPA PERMIT ALLOWS A CONSOL ENERGY SUBSIDIARY TO INJECT THE BRINE INTO UNDERGROUND CAVERNS. THE WATER IS LEFT OVER FROM METHANE DRILLING ON A CLOSED COAL MINE. A COMPANY SPOKESMAN SAYS IT DOESN'T BELIEVE THE BRINE IS THE SOURCE OF THE FISH KILL.

TLC NETWORK IS SUING ITS STAR JON GOSSELIN

NEW YORK (AP) - THE LAWYER FOR REALITY TV PERSONALITY JON GOSSELIN SAYS THE ALLEGATIONS IN A LAWSUIT FROM THE TLC NETWORK ARE "WEAK, FEEBLE AND BASELESS." ATTORNEY MARK JAY HELLER SAYS THE CONTRACT HIS CLIENT IS ACCUSED OF BREACHING IS "UNENFORCEABLE AND UNCONSCIONABLE." THE LAWSUIT, FILED IN MONTGOMERY COUNTY, MARYLAND, ALLEGES THAT GOSSELIN HAS FAILED TO MEET HIS OBLIGATIONS AS AN EXCLUSIVE EMPLOYEE OF THE NETWORK. IT SAYS HE DID SO WHILE APPEARING ON RIVAL NETWORKS' PROGRAMS FOR PAY AND MAKING UNAUTHORIZED PUBLIC DISCLOSURES ABOUT THE SHOW. HELLER SAYS TLC IS DENYING HIS CLIENT THE RIGHT TO EARN A LIVING. GOSSELIN HAS STARRED SINCE 2007 ON THE WEEKLY "JON & KATE PLUS 8." IT'S A RATINGS HIT FOR THE NETWORK THAT HAS BEEN ROCKED IN RECENT MONTHS BY MARITAL TURMOIL AS GOSSELIN AND HIS WIFE, KATE, FEUDED, THEN FILED FOR DIVORCE.

A NURSE'S AIDE IN US TO BE CROWNED AFRICAN KING

HARRISBURG, PA. (AP) - AN AFRICAN MAN WHO HELPED THE ELDERLY AND SICK AS A NURSE'S AIDE IN THE UNITED STATES IS BACK IN HIS HOMELAND TO BE CROWNED KING OF HIS PEOPLE IN WESTERN UGANDA. CHARLES WESLEY MUMBERE'S CORONATION IS SET FOR MONDAY. HE WILL RULE OVER RWENZURURU (RWEN-ZOO'-ROO-ROO), A MOUNTAIN KINGDOM OF ABOUT 300,000 PEOPLE THAT IS NOW RECOGNIZED BY THE UGANDAN GOVERNMENT. MUMBERE LIVED IN THE UNITED STATES FOR 25 YEARS. HE KEPT HIS ROYAL ROOTS SECRET UNTIL JULY, WHEN HE GRANTED AN INTERVIEW TO THE PATRIOT-NEWS OF HARRISBURG AS HE WAS PREPARING TO RETURN TO UGANDA. MUMBERE, NOW IN HIS 50S, CAME TO THE UNITED STATES IN 1984. HE MOVED TO HARRISBURG IN 1999 AND WORKED FOR AT LEAST TWO HEALTH CARE FACILITIES THERE.

ISLAMABAD (AP) - A FULL-SCALE PAKISTANI MILITARY OFFENSIVE HAS BEEN LAUNCHED AGAINST THE MAIN AL-QAIDA AND TALIBAN STRONGHOLD NEAR
THE AFGHAN BORDER. OFFICIALS SAY MORE THAN 30,000 TROOPS ARE BEING
DEPLOYED FOR THE GROUND OPERATION IN THE REMOTE AND MOUNTAINOUS
REGION. THE PUSH COMES AFTER WEEKS OF MILITANT ATTACKS THAT HAVE
KILLED MORE THAN 175 PEOPLE.

BAGHDAD (AP) - POLICE IN IRAQ SAY A ROADSIDE BOMB HAS LEFT FOUR IRAQI SOLDIERS DEAD. FOURTEEN OTHER PEOPLE WERE WOUNDED IN THE ATTACK. ELSEWHERE IN WESTERN IRAQ, A SUICIDE BOMBER TARGETED A DYNAMITE-LADEN TRUCK, DESTROYING A BRIDGE ON A HIGHWAY OFTEN USED BY THE U.S. MILITARY.

WASHINGTON (AP) - FEDERAL HEALTH OFFICIALS ARE WARNING THAT SUPPLIES OF SWINE FLU VACCINE WILL BE MORE SCARCE THAN EXPECTED IN THE COMING WEEKS. PRODUCTION DELAYS MEAN THAT UP TO 28 TO 30 MILLION DOSES WILL BE DOLED OUT NATIONWIDE BY THE END OF THE MONTH, FAR LESS THAN EXPECTED. THAT MEANS FLU-SHOT CLINICS IN SOME PARTS OF THE U.S. MAY HAVE TO BE POSTPONED.

MANILA, PHILIPPINES (AP) - MANDATORY EVACUATIONS ARE UNDER WAY IN A NORTHERN PHILIPPINE PROVINCE, AS A NEW TYPHOON THREATENS THE AREA. PARTS OF THE PHILIPPINES ARE STILL RECOVERING FROM A LATE SEPTEMBER STORM AND AN EARLY OCTOBER TYPHOON THAT KILLED MORE THAN 773 PEOPLE.

MIAMI (AP) - THE NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER SAYS HURRICANE RICK HAS GROWN INTO A MAJOR CATEGORY 3 STORM OFF MEXICO'S PACIFIC COAST. THE STORM IS CENTERED ABOUT 250 MILES SOUTHWEST OF ACAPULCO. IT'S EXPECTED TO REMAIN OFFSHORE DURING THE WEEKEND AS ITS MOVES PARALLEL TO MEXICO'S COASTLINE. RICK COULD BECOME A DANGEROUS CATEGORY 4 STORM BY TOMORROW.