Today's News-Wednesday, October 7, 2009

BANK HEIST MAY BE TIED TO OTHERS

FRACKVILLE - BANK ROBBERIES IN THE BOROUGH OF FRACKVILLE AND TWO OTHER PENNSYLVANIA COUNTIES AND TWO TOWNS IN MARYLAND MAY BE THE WORK OF A SERIAL FEMALE ROBBER. THE LATEST HEIST HAPPENED FRIDAY EVENING AT METRO BANK IN PALMYRA. AN ATTEMPTED ROBBERT AT M&T BANK ON SOUTH LEHIGH AVENUE, FRACKVILLE HAPPENED AUGUST 27TH. LOCAL AND STATE POLICE ALONG WITH AGENTS FROM THE FBI ARE INVOLVED IN THE INVESTIGATION. IN EACH CASE, THE WOMAN ENTERS THE BANK, HANDS THE TELLER A NOTE DEMANDING MONDY AND WALKS OUT. SHE IS DESCRIBED AS BEING HEAVYSET, ABOUT 5 FEET FOUR INCHES TALL WEARING A HAT OR SCARF OVER HER HEAD AND GLASSES.

SUSPECT CAUGHT IN THEFTS

A PORT CARBON MAN IS ACCUSED OF THEFT AND PROWLING AT NIGHT AFTER BREAKING INTO CARS. STATE POLICE SAY THAT 21 YEAR OLD KEVIN KINTZEL WAS CAUGHT EARLY TUESDAY TRYING TO ENTER CARS ON COAL STREET IN PORT CARBON. WHEN LOCATED, OFFICERS FOUND CASH, ELECTRONIC EQUIPMENT AND OTHER ITEMS ON HIM. HE WAS APPARENTLY DRUNK AS WELL. ARRAIGNMENT ON THE THEFT CHARGES TOOK PLACE YESTERDAY AT THE COUNTY PRISON. IF YOU WERE VICTIMIZED IN THE BREAK-INS, CALL STATE POLICE AT 593-2000.

DISPUTE OVER WALL GOES TO COURT

THE DISPUTE OVER A COLLAPSED WALL ALONG A RAILROAD SIDING IN POTTSVILLE WILL GO TO COURT LATER THIS WEEK. THE REPUBLICAN HERALD INDICATES THAT CITY CODE ENFORCEMENT OFFICIALS WILL MAKE THEIR CASE AGAINST READING, BLUE MOUNTAIN AND NORTHERN RAILROAD FOR THE COLLAPSE OF THE SIDEWALK AND RAILING ALONG SOUTH CENTRE STREET. THE CITY SAYS THE RAILROAD IS RESPONSIBLE TO FIX THE PROBLEM, THE RAILROAD SAYS THE PROBLEM RESULTED FROM WORK DONE BY THE GREATER POTTSVILLE SEWER AUTHORITY. THE RAILROAD WAS CITED SEVERAL TIMES FOR FAILING TO ADDRESS THE MATTER. DISTRICT JUDGE JAMES REILEY WILL HEAR THE CASE. THE WALL BEGAN TO CRUMBLE BACK IN EARLY SUMMER.

ST GEORGE'S HEARING TODAY

SEVERAL PARISHONERS FROM THE NOW CLOSED ST GEORGE'S CHURCH IN SHENANDOAH ARE TAKING THEIR PLEA TO PREVENT THE CHURCH EDIFICE FROM BEING TORN DOWN TO COURT THIS MORNING. JUDGE CYRUS PALMER DOLBIN WILL HEAR TESTIMONY ABOUT THE HISTORIC BUILDING AT 9:30AM. THE DIOCESE OF ALLENTOWN CLOSED ST GEORGE'S, THE OLDEST LITHUANIAN CHURCH IN AMERICA IN 2006. RELIGIOUS ARTIFACTS AND STAINED GLASS ARE INSIDE, AND THE PLAINTIFFS WANT DEMOLITION TO BE PUT ON HOLD FOR FURTHER STUDY. A PEACEFUL PROTEST IS PLANNED FOR 9AM OUTSIDE THE SCHUYLKILL COUNTY COURTHOUSE.

FALL FOLIAGE EXPECTED TO BE SPECTACULAR

FANS OF COLORFUL AUTUMN LEAF DISPLAYS CAN TAKE HEART: A RESEARCHER IN PENN STATE'S COLLEGE OF AGRICULTURAL SCIENCES SAYS PENNSYLVANIA'S FALL FOLIAGE HAS THE POTENTIAL TO BE OUTSTANDING THIS YEAR. GARY ABDULLAH HAS THE STORY:

ABDULLAH FOLIAGE


BUDGET

HARRISBURG, PA. (AP) - SENATE SPENDING AND TAX BILLS ARE ON THEIR WAY TO THE HOUSE, ALTHOUGH PARTISAN SPARKS ARE FLYING AS THE STATE'S BUDGET STALEMATE NEARS 100 DAYS. THE REPUBLICAN-CONTROLLED SENATE TUESDAY MORNING OVERWHELMINGLY APPROVED A $27.8 BILLION SPENDING PLAN IN A BID TO END THE IMPASSE. HOWEVER, A SPOKESMAN SAYS HOUSE DEMOCRATS WILL STRIP $12 MILLION IN DISCRETIONARY GRANT PROGRAMS FROM THE PLAN AND SEND IT BACK. IT IS UNCLEAR WHEN THAT WILL HAPPEN. DEMOCRATS ADJOURNED THE HOUSE ON TUESDAY WITHOUT SAYING WHY. WHIP BILL DEWEESE SAYS PARTISAN FRICTION IS COOLING AND NEGOTIATORS ARE TALKING. SENATE DEMOCRATIC LEADER ROBERT MELLOW OF LACKAWANNA COUNTY ESTIMATES THE TIMETABLE FOR A FINAL BUDGET AGREEMENT:

MELLOW BUDGET

OVERALL, THE BUDGET WOULD CUT SPENDING BY MORE THAN 1 PERCENT FROM LAST YEAR AND RAISE TAXES ON SOME BUSINESSES AND SALES OF CIGARETTES TO HELP RESOLVE PENNSYLVANIA'S MULTIBILLION-DOLLAR BUDGET SHORTFALL.


PITTSBURGH (AP) - ALLEGHENY COUNTY EXECUTIVE DAN ONORATO, WHO ANNOUNCED HE IS RUNNING FOR GOVERNOR, IS TO APPEAR IN JOHNSTOWN, STATE COLLEGE AND WILKES-BARRE FOR THE SECOND DAY OF HIS CAMPAIGN. TOMORROW, ONORATO PLANS TO APPEAR IN ALLENTOWN AND ERIE. ONORATO FACES SEVERAL COMPETITORS FOR THE DEMOCRATIC NOMINATION FOR GOVERNOR NEXT YEAR. ATTORNEY GENERAL TOM CORBETT AND U.S. REP. JIM GERLACH ARE SEEKING THE REPUBLICAN NOMINATION.


HARRISBURG, PA. (AP) - CENTRE COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY MICHAEL MADEIRA SAYS HE EXPECTS THE PENNSYLVANIA DISTRICT ATTORNEYS ASSOCIATION TO WORK WITH LEGISLATORS ON A NEW LAW TO BAN COUNTERFEIT TRADEMARKS. THIS COMES AFTER THE STATE SUPREME COURT RULED THAT THE LAW CRIMINALIZES SPEECH PROTECTED BY THE FIRST AMENDMENT.

PHILADELPHIA (AP) - HEALTH OFFICIALS SAY DOSES OF THE SWINE FLU VACCINE HAVE BEGUN ARRIVING IN PHILADELPHIA, AS WELL AS SOUTHWEST AND NORTH-CENTRAL REGIONS OF THE STATE. PHILADELPHIA HEALTH COMMISSIONER DONALD SCHWARTZ SAYS MOST OF THE FIRST SHIPMENT OF THE H1N1 VACCINE IS GOING TO A FEW PEDIATRIC PRACTICES. CHILDREN AGES FIVE TO NINE WILL GET THE VACCINE FIRST.

HOUSTON, PA. (AP) - A PROSECUTOR SAYS THREE MEN, INCLUDING A FORMER POLICE OFFICER, USED A SLOT MACHINE "GLITCH" AT THE MEADOWS RACETRACK & CASINO NEAR PITTSBURGH TO GET IT TO PAY THEM $420,000. WASHINGTON COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY STEVEN TOPRANI SAID YESTERDAY THAT THE MEN EXPLOITED A GLITCH IN THE MACHINE'S SOFTWARE TO CAUSE IT TO DISPLAY A FALSE JACKPOT 14 TIMES THIS SUMMER. THE MEN WERE ARRAIGNED BEFORE A DISTRICT JUDGE.

WASHINGTON (AP) - A NEW POLL SUGGESTS DEMOCRATS' HEALTH CARE REFORM EFFORTS ARE GAINING FAVOR. THE LATEST ASSOCIATED PRESS-GFK POLL HAS FOUND THAT THE OPPOSITION DROPPED DRAMATICALLY FROM SEPTEMBER, WHEN 49 PERCENT OPPOSED AN OVERHAUL AND ONLY 34 PERCENT WERE IN FAVOR. THIS POLL SHOWS A 40-40 SPLIT.

NEW YORK (AP) - PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA'S APPROVAL RATINGS ARE UP. AN ASSOCIATED PRESS-GFK POLL FINDS 56 PERCENT OF THOSE SURVEYED IN THE PAST WEEK APPROVE OF OBAMA'S JOB PERFORMANCE. THAT'S UP FROM 50 PERCENT IN SEPTEMBER. PADANG PARIAMAN, INDONESIA (AP) - INTERNATIONAL EMERGENCY CREWS IN INDONESIA'S EARTHQUAKE ZONE SAY THEIR FOCUS IS NOW THE HEALTH OF THE SURVIVORS. AID WORKERS FROM AT LEAST 20 COUNTRIES HAVE TRAVELED
TO WEST SUMATRA, WHERE SOME 180,000 BUILDINGS WERE DESTROYED, LEAVING HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS HOMELESS. THE OFFICIAL DEATH TOLL FROM THE QUAKE IS 704, BUT FAR MORE ARE FEARED DEAD.

WRIGHTWOOD, CALIF. (AP) - NEARLY 2,000 FIREFIGHTERS AND 30 AIRCRAFT APPEAR TO BE GAINING CONTROL OVER A WILDFIRE BURNING NEAR THE COMMUNITY OF WRIGHTWOOD, CALIFORNIA, IN THE SAN BERNARDINO MOUNTAINS. FIRE OFFICIALS SAY THE 11 SQUARE MILE BLAZE IT 75 PERCENT CONTAINED. AUTHORITIES HAVE LIFTED ALL EVACUATION ORDERS.

UNDATED (AP) - MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL HAS THREE DIVISION SERIES STARTING TODAY. THE DEFENDING CHAMPION PHILLIES HOST THE COLORADO ROCKIES IN PHILADELPHIA THIS AFTERNOON. THIS EVENING, THE ST. LOUIS CARDINALS VISIT THE L.A. DODGERS. IN THE AMERICAN LEAGUE, THE MINNESOTA TWINS WILL BE IN NEW YORK TO PLAY THE YANKEES. THE TWINS BEAT THE DETROIT TIGERS LAST NIGHT IN A DRAMATIC 12-INNING, ONE-GAME PLAYOFF.