Today's News-Tuesday, October 6, 2009

AN AUBURN WOMAN WAS INJURED IN A TWO VEHICLE CRASH IN BERKS COUNTY MONDAY MORNING. TERRY DERR OF HAMBURG WAS PULLING ONTO ROUTE 61 FROM LOWLAND ROAD IN TILDEN TOWNSHIP AND COLLIDED WITH JAMES LOPEZ'S CAR WHICH WAS DRIVING ON ROUTE 61. LOPEZ, OF AUBURN, WAS UNINJURED, AS WAS DERR. HOWEVER, 68 YEAR OLD ELLEN LOPEZ WAS HURT IN THE ACCIDENT AND WAS TAKEN TO SCHUYLKILL MEDICAL CENTER SOUTH. THE CRASH HAPPENED AFTER 7AM YESTERDAY.

HEARING SCHEDULED IN ST GEORGE'S CASE

TESTIMONY IS EXPECTED TOMORROW IN SCHUYLKILL COUNTY COURT TO SAVE A HISTORIC CHURCH IN SHENANDOAH. THE SUIT, BROUGHT BY PARISHONERS OF ST GEORGE’S CHURCH, IS SEEKING AN INJUNCTION TO STOP THE BUILDING FROM FALLING VICTIM TO THE WRECKING BALL. SEVERAL MEMBERS OF THE CONGREGATION FILED THE COURT PAPERS TO HOLD OFF DEMOLITION UNTIL FURTHER STUDY CAN TAKE PLACE. ST GEORGE'S, THE OLDEST LITHUANIAN CHURCH IN THE UNITED STATES, WAS CLOSED IN 2006 AS PART OF CONSOLIDATING CATHOLIC CHURCHES. OFFICIALS FROM THE DIOCESE OF ALLENTOWN SAY THAT IT WOULD COST TOO MUCH TO REPAIR THE BUILDING. THE REPUBLICAN HERALD REPORTS THAT THE CASE WILL BE HEARD BY JUDGE CYRUS PALMER DOLBIN AT 9:30AM. A PEACEFUL DEMONSTRATION OUTSIDE OF THE COURTHOUSE IS PLANNED FOR 9AM.

MAJOR DRUG BUST IN NORTHUMBERLAND

SHAMOKIN - PENNSYLVANIA ATTORNEY GENERAL TOM CORBETT ALONG WITH LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICIALS HELD A NEWS CONFERENCE IN SHAMOKIN NORTHUMBERLAND COUNTY MONDAY MORNING AS MORE THAN 30 SUSPECTED STREET LEVEL DRUG DEALERS WERE ROUNDED UP IN THE SHAMOKIN AND COAL TOWNSHIP AREA. AGENTS FOUND DEALERS SELLING HEROIN, COCAINE, MARIJUANA AND VARIOUS PRESCRIPTION DRUGS. CORBETT IS A REPUBLICAN CANDIDATE FOR GOVERNOR IN 2010.
(WGRC)

SHENANDOAH MAN SENT TO JAY FOR ASSAULTING SENIOR

A SHENANDOAH TEEN IS HEADED TO PRISON FOR ASSAULTING A SENIOR CITIZEN IN THE BOROUGH LAST YEAR. THE REPUBLICAN HERALD REPORTS 19 YEAR JOSHUA KAYLOR PLEADED GUILTY TO HARRASING AND STRIKING THEN 74 YEAR OLD HAROLD CREASY WHILE HE WALKED HIS DOG ON A BOROUGH STREET ON AUGUST 21, 2008. JUDGE JACQUELINE RUSSELL SENTENCED KAYLOR TO SERVE 3 TO 24 MONTHS, LESS ONE DAY IN THE COUNTY PRISON, PLUS PAY RESTITUTION AND COMMUNITY SERVICE.

VANDALISM IN HEGINS

STATE POLICE AT SCHUYLKILL HAVEN ARE INVESTIGATING VANDALISM IN HEGINS TOWNSHIP SUNDAY MORNING. REPORTS INDICATE THAT AFTER 4AM, SOMEONE TOSSED A MAILBOX AT THE FRONT WINDOW AT 67 WEST MOUNTAIN ROAD, SMASHING IT. THE SAME THING HAPPENED AT TWO OTHER HOMES IN THE VICINITY. TROOPERS ARE CONTINUING TO LOOK INTO WHAT HAPPENED.

PA. HOUSE SPEAKER: "PENNIES AWAY" FROM BUDGET

HARRISBURG, PA. (AP) - REPUBLICANS WHO CONTROL THE STATE SENATE SAYS THEY'VE DEVELOPED A FULL SET OF BUDGET BILLS. VOTING ON TAX AND SPENDING BILLS IN THE SENATE COULD BE FINISHED BY TODAY. WHETHER A TRUE AGREEMENT IS IN THE WORKS REMAINS ANYBODY'S GUESS. HOUSE SPEAKER KEITH MCCALL OF CARBON COUNTY:

KEITH MCCALL
:05

GOVERNOR RENDELL SAYS A DEAL IS "CLOSE'. THE HOUSE/SENATE CONFERENCE COMMITTEE MET YESTERDAY TO HAMMER OUT DETAILS OF THE ALTERNATIVE BUDGET, WHICH WOULD ELIMINATE TAXES ON SMALL GAMES OF CHANCE AND PROPOSED ARTS TAX WHILE IMPLEMENTING ADDITIONAL TAXES ON NATURAL GAS DRILLING AND ON SOME TOBACCO PRODUCTS. SENATE REPUBLICANS ARE REPORTEDLY PLANNING TO INTRODUCE A BRAND NEW BUDGET BILL, WHICH WOULD CERTAINLY SLOW THE PROCESS THAT’S ALREADY THREE MONTHS OVERDUE.

HARRISBURG, PA. (AP) - STATE HOUSE MEMBERS ARE HEADED TOWARD A FINAL VOTE ON A DEMOCRATIC-PENNED BILL TO LEGALIZE AND TAX TABLE GAMES AT PENNSYLVANIA'S SLOT-MACHINE CASINOS. A VOTE IS SCHEDULED FOR TODAY. THAT'S AFTER TWO DAYS OF DEBATE TO SORT THROUGH PROPOSED
AMENDMENTS, MANY OF THEM WRITTEN BY REPUBLICANS WHO OPPOSE THE
EXPANSION OF LEGAL GAMBLING.

PITTSBURGH (AP) - THE LAWYER FOR THE ESTATE OF A MAN WHO KILLED
THREE WOMEN IN A SUBURBAN PITTSBURGH HEALTH CLUB SHOOTING SAYS AT
LEAST FIVE PEOPLE HAVE FILED NOTICES THAT THEY PLAN TO SUE THE
ESTATE. REBECCA BOWMAN IS THE LAWYER FOR THE ESTATE OF GEORGE
SODINI, WHO FIRED AT LEAST 52 SHOTS FROM THREE WEAPONS IN THE
AUGUST 4TH ATTACK AT AN L.A. FITNESS HEALTH CLUB IN COLLIER
TOWNSHIP.

PITTSBURGH (AP) - TWO WOMEN HAVE PLEADED GUILTY TO REDUCED CHARGES FOR ABUSING A 94-YEAR-OLD ALZHEIMER'S PATIENT AT A PITTSBURGH-AREA NURSING HOME. THE FORMER EMPLOYEES OF THE KANE REGIONAL CENTER IN GLEN HAZEL BOTH GOT PROBATION AFTER YESTERDAY'S GUILTY PLEAS. AS A CONDITION OF THEIR PROBATION, KAREN PERRY OF HOMESTEAD AND SHELLY KEENE OF WEST MIFFLIN MUST NOT SEEK JOBS WORKING WITH THE ELDERLY.

SAYLORSBURG, PA. (AP) - A NEIGHBOR OF THE NORTHEASTERN PENNSYLVANIA WOMAN KILLED BY THE BEAR SHE KEPT AS A PET SAYS SHE WASN'T DOING ANYTHING UNUSUAL. SCOTT CASTONE SAYS KELLY ANN WALZ HAD KEPT THE BEAR SHE CALLED "TEDDY" FOR YEARS WITHOUT ANY PROBLEMS. BUT THE 350-POUND BEAR ATTACKED WALZ WHEN SHE WENT TO CLEAN THE CAGE SUNDAY NIGHT. THE BEAR WAS SHOT AND KILLED BY A NEIGHBOR IN SAYLORSBURG, PA.

ISLAMABAD (AP) - TALIBAN MILITANTS ARE CLAIMING RESPONSIBILITY
FOR THE DEADLY SUICIDE BOMBING AT THE U.N. FOOD AGENCY'S HEAVILY
FORTIFIED COMPOUND IN ISLAMABAD. THEY SAY INTERNATIONAL RELIEF WORK
IN PAKISTAN IS NOT IN "THE INTEREST OF MUSLIMS." YESTERDAY'S ATTACK KILLED FIVE WORKERS FOR THE WORLD FOOD PROGRAM.

KABUL, AFGHANISTAN (AP) - AFGHANISTAN'S DEFENSE MINISTRY SAYS 10
AFGHAN SOLDIERS HAVE DIED AND MORE THAN 100 INSURGENTS HAVE BEEN
KILLED OR WOUNDED IN THE LAST 24 HOURS. ON SATURDAY, EIGHT U.S.
SOLDIERS WERE KILLED AND MORE THAN 20 AFGHAN SECURITY TROOPS WERE
CAPTURED IN BATTLES AT A PAIR OF REMOTE OUTPOSTS.

WASHINGTON (AP) - INTELLIGENCE OFFICIALS FAMILIAR WITH THE TERRORISM INVESTIGATION OF AN AFGHAN IMMIGRANT SAY JUST WEEKS BEFORE THE EIGHTH ANNIVERSARY OF THE 9/11 ATTACKS, NAJIBULLAH ZAZI'S TIES TO A SENIOR AL-QAIDA OPERATIVE HAD DRAWN THE ATTENTION OF U.S. INTELLIGENCE. ZAZI IS
ACCUSED OF PLANNING A TERROR ATTACK IN NEW YORK.

WASHINGTON (AP) - THERE'S GOOD NEWS FOR CONSUMERS ON THE HOME
HEATING FRONT. SOME UTILITIES EXPECT TO REDUCE NATURAL GAS CUSTOMERS' BILLS FROM 10 TO IN SOME CASES MORE THAN 30 PERCENT THIS WINTER BECAUSE GAS SUPPLIES ARE AT RECORD LEVELS. THE GOVERNMENT RELEASES ITS FORECAST FOR WINTER FUELS TODAY.

WASHINGTON (AP) - THE LAST CONGRESSIONAL PANEL WORKING ON HEALTH CARE REFORM WILL HAVE TO WAIT A LITTLE LONGER BEFORE IT'S DONE. THE SENATE FINANCE COMMITTEE WAS SUPPOSED TO MEET TODAY TO VOTE ON A BILL BUT IT'S STILL WAITING FOR A FINAL COST ANALYSIS FROM THE CONGRESSIONAL BUDGET OFFICE. IT'S NOW EXPECTED THE VOTE WILL TAKE PLACE TOMORROW.