Today's News-Thursday, October 1, 2009

A STRING OF CAR BREAK INS AND THEFTS IN ST CLAIR AND NEW CASTLE TOWNSHIP OVER THE PAST SEVERAL DAYS HAS BEEN SOLVED. 20 YEAR OLD CASEY WOOLSON OF ST CLAIR WAS ARRESTED AFTER A SEARCH OF HIS BROAD STREET HOME UNCOVERED SOME OF THE STOLEN ITEMS FROM AS MANY AS 15 VEHICLES THUS FAR. WOOLSON IS CHARGED WITH MISDEMEANOR THEFT FROM MOTOR VEHICLES, RECEIVING STOLEN PROPERTY AND RELATED COUNTS. WOOLSON WAS OUT ON BAIL FOR UNRELATED THEFT CHARGES. HE WAS JAILED ON THE CHARGES. IF ANYONE WAS VICTIMIZED BY THESE CRIMES, CALL ST CLAIR POLICE AT 429-2240.

THREE ARRESTED IN STRING OF BUSINESS BURGLARIES

THREE MALES, TWO FROM ORWIGSBURG AND ONE FROM SCHUYLKILL HAVEN, HAVE BEEN ARRESTED IN CONNECTION WITH A RASH OF BURGLARIES IN SOUTHERN SCHUYLKILL COUNTY OVER THE PAST TWO MONTHS. 23-YEAR-OLD DAVID FERRAR AND 18-YEAR-OLD MICHAEL GOETZ OF ORWIGSBURG WERE APPREHENDED WEDNESDAY MORNING AFTER THEY BURGLARIZED THE RED AND WHITE MARKET ON ROUTE 61. BOTH ADMITTED TO HAVING COMMITTED 20 BURGLARIES SINCE EARLY AUGUST. THEY ALSO IMPLICATED 18 YEAR OLD RICHARD CANNAUACCUIOLO OF SCHUYLKILL HAVEN IN SOME OF THE BURGLARIES. ALL THREE WERE ARRAIGNED ON THEIR RESPECTIVE CHARGES BEFORE DISTRICT JUDGE DAVID PLACHKO YESTERDAY.

FIRE AT WAYNE TOWNSHIP BARN

AN OVERNIGHT FIRE HEAVILY DAMAGED A BARN IN WAYNE TOWNSHIP OVERNIGHT. CREWS FROM SCHUYLKILL AND BERKS COUNTIES RESPONDED TO THE CALL AROUND 11:30 LAST NIGHT ON SCHWARTZ VALLEY ROAD. AS OF 4:30 THIS MORNING, FIREFIGHTERS WERE STILL ON SCENE CLEANING UP FROM THE BLAZE. NO INJURIES OR ESTIMATES OF DAMAGES WERE REPORTED.

TWO ARRESTED IN POTTSVILLE THEFTS

POLICE TRACKED THE USE OF STOLEN CREDIT CARDS FROM CAR BREAK INS IN POTTSVILLE, LEADING TO THE ARREST OF TWO MEN. POTTSVILLE P.D. SAYS VEHICLES BELONGING TO STEPHANIE GOW AND DAVID BORTON WERE BROKEN INTO SEPTEMBER 2ND AT THE BIRCHWOOD GARDENS APARTMENTS. BORTON'S CREDIT CARDS WERE STOLEN, AMONG OTHER ITEMS, AND WERE USED IN THE HAZLETON AREA. ARRESTED IN THE BURGLARIES WERE 25 YEAR OLD CARLOS CESAR TAVEREZ OF MCADOO AND 19 YEAR OLD MARCO GUERRERO OF HAZLETON. BOTH WERE CHARGED WITH THEFT AND OTHER COUNTS AND REMANDED TO SCHUYLKILL COUNTY PRISON.

GORDON MAN CHARGED

A GORDON MAN IS CHARGED WITH AGGRAVATED ASSAULT FOLLOWING AN INCIDENT IN A LUZERNE COUNTY DISTRICT COURT. THE REPUBLICAN HERALD REPORTS THAT 31 YEAR OLD JOHN MAGDEBURG BECAME BELLIGERENT AFTER HIS TRIAL ON CHARGES FROM ANOTHER INCIDENT. MAGDEBURG ARGUED WITH A STATE TROOPER AND USED PROFANITY. A SCUFFLE ENSUED WHEN THE TROOPER WENT TO ARREST HIM. CPL ROGER STIPCAK WAS ABLE TO TAKE CONTROL. THE INCIDENT HAPPENED IN PLAINS TOWNSHIP.

SWINE FLU SHOTS

HARRISBURG, PA. (AP) - CHILDREN IN SOME PARTS OF PENNSYLVANIA SHOULD RECEIVE THE FIRST DOSES OF FREE, VOLUNTARY SWINE FLU VACCINES AS EARLY AS NEXT WEEK. STATE HEALTH DEPARTMENT DEPUTY SECRETARY MICHAEL HUFF OUTLINES WHO ARE THE MOST AT RISK:

HUFF SHOTS

HEALTHY CHILDREN AGES FIVE TO NINE WILL BE ELIGIBLE IN PORTIONS OF THE STATE WHERE SWINE FLU IS MOST ACTIVE. THOSE AREAS ARE THE SOUTHEAST, NORTHCENTRAL AND SOUTHWEST PORTIONS OF PENNSYLVANIA. THEY SHOULD RECEIVE A FOLLOW-UP DOSE THREE TO FOUR WEEKS LATER. THE NASAL MIST VACCINE WILL BE AVAILABLE THROUGH SCHOOLS, DOCTORS' OFFICES AND HEALTH CLINICS THAT PREREGISTERED WITH THE STATE TO ADMINISTER IT. BY MID-JANUARY, PENNSYLVANIA SHOULD RECEIVE ENOUGH DOSES TO COVER TEENS, YOUNG ADULTS, PREGNANT WOMEN, HEALTH CARE WORKERS AND
OTHERS.

H1N1 VERSION TWO

HARRISBURG, PA. (AP) - CHILDREN IN SOME PARTS OF PENNSYLVANIA SHOULD RECEIVE THE FIRST DOSES OF FREE, VOLUNTARY SWINE FLU VACCINES AS EARLY AS NEXT WEEK. HEALTHY CHILDREN AGES FIVE TO NINE WILL BE ELIGIBLE IN PORTIONS OF THE STATE WHERE SWINE FLU IS MOST ACTIVE. THOSE AREAS ARE THE SOUTHEAST, NORTHCENTRAL AND SOUTHWEST PORTIONS OF PENNSYLVANIA. THEY SHOULD RECEIVE A FOLLOW-UP DOSE THREE TO FOUR WEEKS LATER. HEALTH DEPARTMENT DEPUTY SECRETARY MICHAEL HUFF SAYS IT'S A MATTER OF SUPPLY UNTIL EVERYONE AT RISK CAN GET THE VACCINE:

HUFF SHOTS 2

A LIST IS BEING COMPILED WHERE THE SHOTS WILL BE AVAILABLE AND IS EXPECTED TO BE POSTED ON THE PA HEALTH DEPARTMENT WEBSITE SOON.



HARRISBURG, PA. (AP) - CHILDREN IN SOME PARTS OF PENNSYLVANIA SHOULD RECEIVE THE FIRST DOSES OF FREE, VOLUNTARY SWINE FLU VACCINES AS EARLY AS NEXT WEEK.STATE HEALTH DEPARTMENT OFFICIALS SAID YESTERDAY THAT HEALTHY CHILDREN AGES FIVE TO NINE WILL BE ELIGIBLE IN PORTIONS OF THE STATE WHERE SWINE FLU IS MOST ACTIVE. THOSE AREAS ARE THE SOUTHEAST, NORTHCENTRAL AND SOUTHWEST PORTIONS OF PENNSYLVANIA.

PHILADELPHIA (AP) - A PHILADELPHIA JURY MUST DECIDE WHETHER A MURDER SUSPECT KILLED A "TYPICAL TEEN" OVER A SNOWBALL FIGHT OR WHETHER THE VICTIM CAME AT HIM WITH A KNIFE. JURORS HEARD OPENING STATEMENTS YESTERDAY IN THE MURDER TRIAL OF JOSE OMAR MENDEZ. HE IS CHARGED WITH SHOOTING 15-YEAR-OLD TEVEN RUTLEDGE, WHO LATER DIED. MENDEZ HOPES TO PROVE HE SHOT A KNIFE-WIELDING RUTLEDGE IN SELF-DEFENSE.

PITTSBURGH (AP) - A MAN ACCUSED OF CAUSING ABOUT $15,000 IN PROPERTY DAMAGE DURING THE GROUP OF 20 GLOBAL ECONOMIC SUMMIT WILL STAND TRIAL. DAVID JAPENGA WAS AMONG 52 PEOPLE ARRESTED DURING THE G-20 IN PITTSBURGH WHO APPEARED IN COURT YESTERDAY. A JUDGE HELD JAPENGA FOR TRIAL.A COURT ADMINISTRATOR SAYS 49 OF THE PRELIMINARY HEARINGS WERE POSTPONED. AT LEAST TWO PEOPLE PLEADED GUILTY TO SUMMARY OFFENSES.

HARRISBURG, PA. (AP) - THE PENNSYLVANIA STATE BUDGET NOW UNDER DISCUSSION WOULD DEVOTE ANOTHER $5 MILLION TO A NEW HOCKEY ARENA
FOR THE PITTSBURGH PENGUINS. STATE SEN. JAY COSTA, SAYS THE APPROPRIATION REMAINS IN THE BUDGET LAWMAKERS ARE TRYING TO
COMPLETE.THE STATE HAS ALREADY AGREED TO PUT UP $40 MILLION IN
CAPITAL GRANTS FOR THE $325 MILLION ARENA.

LANCASTER, PA. (AP) - THE MOTHER OF THE NATION'S FIRST DOUBLE HAND TRANSPLANT PATIENT SAYS HE'S OUT OF THE HOSPITAL AND LOOKING FORWARD TO RETURNING TO HIS WIFE AND DAUGHTER IN GEORGIA. JEFF KEPNER IS ORIGINALLY FROM THE SOUTH-CENTRAL PENNSYLVANIA CITY OF LANCASTER. HIS MOTHER, DORIS SCHAFER, SAYS HER SON STILL HAS NO FEELING IN HIS FINGERS, BUT IS LEARNING HOW TO CATCH A BALL AND PICK UP SMALL ITEMS.

PADANG, INDONESIA (AP) - THE GOING IS TOUGH FOR RESCUE CREWS IN INDONESIA. A SECOND BIG EARTHQUAKE ROCKED WESTERN INDONESIA TODAY JUST AS RESCUERS ARE STRUGGLING TO REACH SURVIVORS OF WEDNESDAY'S POWERFUL QUAKE, WHICH KILLED AT LEAST 467 PEOPLE AND LEFT THOUSANDS TRAPPED UNDER COLLAPSED BUILDINGS.

APIA, SAMOA (AP) - SAMOANS ARE COMBING THROUGH THE WATERLOGGED WRECKAGE OF THEIR LIVES AND TELLING OF THE TERROR OF BEING TRAPPED
UNDERWATER OR FLUNG INLAND BY A DEVASTATING TSUNAMI. THE WAVES
RAVAGED TOWNS AND KILLED AT LEAST 149 PEOPLE ON THE SOUTH PACIFIC
ISLAND CHAIN TUESDAY FOLLOWING AN UNDERWATER EARTHQUAKE. OFFICIALS
EXPECT THE DEATH TOLL TO RISE.

GENEVA (AP) - THE UNITED STATES AND FIVE OTHER WORLD POWERS HAVE BEGUN HIGH-STAKES TALKS WITH IRAN TO DEMAND A FREEZE OF ITS NUCLEAR ACTIVITIES. THE EUROPEAN UNION'S JAVIER SOLANA, WHO IS FORMALLY HEADING THE NEGOTIATIONS WITH IRAN'S CHIEF NEGOTIATOR, WAS UPBEAT BEFORE THE START OF THE TALKS IN GENEVA.

COPENHAGEN (AP) - FIRST LADY MICHELE OBAMA HAS WASTED NO TIME GOING TO WORK FOR HER HOMETOWN. SHE'S IN COPENHAGEN HAVING ONE-ON-ONE VIP MEETINGS AND DINING WITH DIGNITARIES AND STARS. SHE'S PITCHING CHICAGO FOR THE 2016 OLYMPICS. ON FRIDAY, SHE AND HER HUSBAND WILL BOTH BE PART OF CHICAGO'S FINAL PRESENTATION TO IOC MEMBERS.

NEW YORK (AP) - THE PILOTS WHO LANDED A US AIRWAYS JET SAFELY IN THE HUDSON RIVER LAST JANUARY WILL REUNITE IN THE COCKPIT TODAY FOR THE FIRST TIME. THEY'LL FLY THE SAME ROUTE THEY WERE TAKING ON THAT FATEFUL DAY. CAPT. CHESLEY "SULLY" SULLENBERGER AND 1ST OFFICER JEFFREY SKILES WILL PILOT A FLIGHT FROM LAGUARDIA AIRPORT TO CHARLOTTE, N.C.