Today's News-Wednesday, October 28, 2009

NORTHERN SCHUYLKILL DRUG SWEEP

STREET LEVEL DRUG DEALERS WERE ROUNDED UP IN A SWEEP IN NORTHERN SCHUYLKILL COUNTY TUESDAY. ALL TOLD, EIGHT PEOPLE WERE PICKED UP FOR DELIVERING PRESCRIPTION DRUGS AND MARIJUANA BY AGENTS FROM THE COUNTY DRUG TASK FORCE, SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT AND LOCAL POLICE. THE GROUP WERE CHARGED INDIVIDUALLY WITH VIOLATIONS OF THE CONTROLLED SUBSTANCE, DRUG, DEVICE AND COSMETIC ACT. SIX COULD NOT POST BAIL AND WERE TAKEN TO THE COUNTY PRISON. WARRANTS WERE ALSO SERVED ON TWO PEOPLE FROM ASHLAND WHO HAD OUTSTANDING CHARGES AND A MINOR WILL BE CHARGED WITH POSSESSING XANAX AND PERCOCET. ANYONE WITH TIPS ABOUT ILLEGAL DRUG ACTIVITY SHOULD CALL TOLL FREE 800-414-1406.

THOSE ARRAIGNED:
MARK BILLUS JR-ASHLAND-DELIVERY OF PERCOCET
MARK ZIMMERMAN-ASHLAND-DELIVERY OF OXYCONTIN
DAMIEN ZIMNICKI-ASHLAND-DELIVERY OF PERCOCET
DANA WALENTUKONIS-GIRARDVILLE-DELIVERY OF VICODIN
ERIK ZENDROSKY-ASHLAND-DELIVERY OF OXYCODONE
STEPHEN ZENDROSKY-ASHLAND-DELIVERY OF OXYCONTIN
ROBERT MERWINE-GORDON-DELIVERY OF MARIJUANA
SEINI GUSTITUS-TREMONT-DELIVERY OF OXYCONTIN

BEATING SUSPECT JAILED

POLICE HAVE CHARGED A NEW PHILADELPHIA MAN FOR BEATING ANOTHER EARLIER THIS MONTH. 37-YEAR-OLD ROBERT RULAVAGE IS CHARGED WITH AGGRAVATED ASSAULT AND RELATED COUNTS FOR SEVERELY BEATING ANTHONY BURKE AT BURKE'S HOME IN BLYTHE TOWNSHIP. OFFICERS SAY RULAVAGE WENT THERE IN THE EARLY MORNING HOURS OF OCTOBER 11TH AFTER LEARNING THAT BURKE WAS INVOLVED IN A RELATIONSHIP WITH HIS WIFE AND FOUND THEM TOGETHER. A FIGHT ENSUED AND RULAVAGE HIT BURKE SEVERAL TIMES BEFORE LEAVING WITH HIS WIFE. THE PAIR SCUFFLED AGAIN ON BURKE'S PORCH, AND RULAVAGE KICKED BURKE IN THE RIBS, SENDING HIM OFF THE PORCH. BURKE WAS TAKEN TO LEHIGH VALLEY MEDICAL CENTER FOR TREATMENT. RULAVAGE IS FREE AFTER POSTING BAIL.

THREE HURT IN CRASH NEAR PORT CLINTON

THREE PEOPLE WERE HURT IN A CRASH ON ROUTE 61 IN MOLINO TUESDAY NIGHT. 39 YEAR OLD STACY HARIG OF POTTSVILLE WAS SOUTHBOUND IN THE PASSING LANE AND AMBER BOHRMAN OF SCHUYLKILL HAVEN WAS DRIVING NORTH IN THE PASSING LANE. HARIG LOST CONTROL ON THE WET ROADWAY, CROSSED THE HIGHWAY AND HIT BOHRMAN'S CAR. A CAR OPERATED BY PAUL SLEVA OF NEW RINGGOLD HIT BOHRMAN'S CAR. HARIG WAS THROWN FROM HER VEHICLE. ALL THREE SUFFERED MODERATE INJURIES, WITH HARIG AND BOHRMAN TAKEN TO LEHIGH VALLEY MEDICAL CENTER AND SLEVA WAS TAKEN TO SCHUYLKILL MEDICAL CENTER EAST.

FIRE DESTROYS HOME IN RUSH TOWNSHIP

A HOME IN RUSH TOWNSHIP WAS DESTROYED BY FIRE TUESDAY AFTERNOON. GEORGE YEMM JR., CLAREMONT AVENUE, WAS LEFT HOMELESS FROM THE BLAZE THAT APPARENTLY STARTED FROM A KEROSENE HEATER BEING USED TO WARM THE BATHROOM. THE FIRE WAS PUT OUT QUICKLY BY FIRE CREWS. THE FIRE HAPPENED AROUND 5:15PM.

PICTOGLYPH

ANYONE WHO HAS WALKED THROUGH THE MOUNTAINS OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY MAY HAVE PICKED UP ARROWHEADS AND FOSSILS THAT WERE LEFT FROM THE INDIANS AND NOMADS THAT TREKKED THROUGH THE COUNTY HUNDREDS OF YEARS AGO. FOR FRANCIS BURKE OF MARLIN, ARCHAEOLOGY HAS BEEN HIS LIFE LONG PURSUIT, AND SOME FORTY YEARS AGO, MADE A STARTLING DISCOVERY IN NORWEGIAN TOWNSHIP:

BURKE

THE PICTURE WAS CUT OUT OF THE SANDSTONE AND WEIGHED SEVERAL HUNDRED POUNDS. ITS BEEN IN THE CARE OF THE STATE MUSEUM IN HARRISBURG SINCE THEN. THE PICTOGLYPH WILL COME TO LIFE TONIGHT AT THE SCHUYLKILL COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY WITH BURKE GOING INTO GREAT DETAIL ABOUT THE FACE CARVED BY INDIANS AROUND 1700. THE PROGRAM IS FREE TO THE PUBLIC.

STATE COLLEGE, PA. (AP) - DEMOCRAT HOWARD DEAN AND REPUBLICAN KARL ROVE TRADED ARGUMENTS AND ONE-LINERS IN A LIVELY DEBATE OVER HEALTH CARE REFORM AT PENN STATE LAST NIGHT. THE EX-DEMOCRATIC NATIONAL COMMITTEE CHAIRMAN AND FORMER DEPUTY CHIEF OF STAFF TO PRESIDENT GEORGE W. BUSH HAMMERED EACH OTHER WITH FAMILIAR RETORTS IN THE FRACTURED HEALTH CARE FIGHT.

NEW CASTLE, PA. (AP) - POLICE IN WESTERN PENNSYLVANIA HAVE ARRESTED EIGHT PEOPLE, INCLUDING TWO JUVENILES, ACCUSED OF SETTING A DOZEN FIRES IN THE ARSON-PLAGUED CITY OF NEW CASTLE. NEW CASTLE POLICE CHIEF THOMAS SANSONE SAYS THE SUSPECTS ALL KNEW EACH OTHER BUT WORKED IN GROUPS OF TWO OR THREE. ALL EIGHT WERE ARRESTED YESTERDAY ON CHARGES INCLUDING ARSON.

WASHINGTON, PA. (AP) - THREE WESTERN PENNSYLVANIA MEN WILL SERVE TIME FOR THE ROBBERY AND SLAYING OF A RETIRED POLICE CHIEF AND HIS WIFE. JUSTIN WELCH, OF CHARLEROI WAS SENTENCED TO 20 TO 40 YEARS IN PRISON YESTERDAY. HE PLEADED GUILTY TO CONSPIRACY TO COMMIT HOMICIDE IN THE SHOOTING DEATHS OF FORMER CARROLL TOWNSHIP CHIEF HOWARD SPRINGER AND HIS WIFE NANCY.

HARRISBURG, PA. (AP) - A HIGH SCHOOL MATH INSTRUCTOR FROM THE PITTSBURGH SUBURBS IS PENNSYLVANIA'S NEW TEACHER OF THE YEAR. MICHELLE SWITALA (SWIH-TAH'-LAH) RECEIVED THE HONOR YESTERDAY FROM THE STATE CHAPTER OF THE NATIONAL STATE TEACHERS OF THE YEAR ORGANIZATION. SWITALA BEAT OUT 11 OTHER FINALISTS TO COLLECT THE AWARD.

NEW YORK (AP) - PHILADELPHIA PHILLIES MANAGER CHARLIE MANUEL HAS ANNOUNCED THAT PEDRO MARTINEZ IS SCHEDULED TO START FOR THE PHILADELPHIA PHILLIES IN GAME 2 OF THE WORLD SERIES ON THURSDAY NIGHT AT YANKEE STADIUM. MANUEL HAD ALREADY ANNOUNCED THAT CLIFF LEE WILL START THE OPENING GAME OF THE WORLD SERIES AT YANKEE STADIUM TONIGHT.

KABUL (AP) - THE U.S. EMBASSY SAYS ONE AMERICAN IS AMONG THE SIX UNITED NATIONS EMPLOYEES KILLED IN AN ATTACK ON A GUEST HOUSE IN THE AFGHAN CAPITAL OF KABUL. TWELVE PEOPLE IN TOTAL DIED IN THE ASSAULT, INCLUDING THE THREE GUNMEN STRAPPED WITH SUICIDE VESTS. AFGHAN PRESIDENT HAMID KARZAI HAS CONDEMNED THE ATTACK AS AN "INHUMAN ACT."

PESHAWAR, PAKISTAN (AP) - A DOCTOR SAYS THE DEATH TOLL IN A MARKET BOMBING IN NORTHWESTERN PAKISTAN HAS RISEN TO 43. THE DOCTOR SAYS THE DEATH TOLL IS EXPECTED TO RISE. THE BOMBING IN PESHAWAR COMES AS SECRETARY OF STATE HILLARY RODHAM CLINTON STARTS A THREE-DAY VISIT IN ISLAMABAD.

UNITED NATIONS (AP) - A U.N. HUMAN RIGHTS INVESTIGATOR SAYS U.S. USE OF UNMANNED WARPLANES TO CARRY OUT TARGETED EXECUTIONS MAY VIOLATE INTERNATIONAL LAW. PHILIP ALSTON SAYS UNLESS THE OBAMA ADMINISTRATION EXPLAINS THE MEASURES IT'S TAKING TO COMPLY WITH INTERNATIONAL HUMANITARIAN LAW, "IT WILL INCREASINGLY BE PERCEIVED AS CARRYING OUT INDISCRIMINATE KILLINGS."

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) - THERE WILL BE EXTRA TRAINS RUNNING IN THE SAN FRANCISCO BAY AREA TO TRY AND EASE TOMORROW'S EXPECTED TRAFFIC NIGHTMARE, AFTER CREWS WERE FORCED TO SHUT DOWN THE BAY BRIDGE.
OFFICIALS SAY THE SPAN CONNECTING SAN FRANCISCO TO THE EAST BAY WILL BE CLOSED INDEFINITELY AFTER A ROD AND METAL BRACE FELL INTO WESTBOUND LANES DAMAGING TWO VEHICLES.

WASHINGTON (AP) - LEGISLATION TO EXTEND UNEMPLOYMENT BENEFITS FOR OUT-OF-WORK AMERICANS IS HEADED TO THE FLOOR OF THE SENATE AFTER CLEARING A PROCEDURAL HURDLE. THE LEGISLATION WOULD PROVIDE 14 WEEKS IN EXTRA FINANCIAL AID FOR EVERYONE. PEOPLE LIVING IN 27 STATES WHERE THE UNEMPLOYMENT RATE IS AT LEAST 8.5 PERCENT WOULD GET ANOTHER SIX WEEKS ON TOP OF THE 14.