Today's News-November 18, 2009

CRASH INJURES ONE IN BRANCH TOWNSHIP

A BRANCHDALE MAN WAS FLOWN TO GEISINGER MEDICAL CENTER WITH INJURIES SUFFERED IN A ONE VEHICLE CRASH IN BRANCH TOWNSHIP LAST NIGHT. SCHUYLKILL HAVEN STATE POLICE REPORT THAT 51 YEAR OLD MONTGOMERY MASER WAS WESTBOUND ON ROUTE 209. HIS VEHICLE WENT OFF THE RIGHT SHOULDER, HIT THE GUIDERAIL AND SPUN ACROSS THE HIGHWAY, AND CRASHED INTO A TREE ON THE LAWN AT 1370 BUNTING STREET. MASER IS IN FAIR CONDITION THIS MORNING. THE ACCIDENT HAPPENED JUST BEFORE 6:30PM.

BARN FIRE RULED ARSON

STATE POLICE FIRE MARSHAL JOHN BURNS HAS RULED THAT A BARN FIRE IN NEW RINGGOLD WAS DELIBERATELY SET. THE BUILDING, OWNED BY JAMES BIRDSALL, WAS DESTROYED EARLY MONDAY MORNING. SOME FARM EQUIPMENT WAS DESTROYED IN THE BLAZE. LOSS WAS PEGGED AT ABOUT $15-THOUSAND DOLLARS. INVESTIGATION INTO WHO SET THE FIRE IS CONTINUING.

DEP GRANTS FOR TAMAQUA AND ORWIGSBURG

TWO COMMUNITIES ARE BENEFITTING FROM STATE ENVIRONMENTAL GRANTS. SENATOR DAVE ARGALL AND REPRESENTATIVE JERRY KNOWLES ANNOUNCES THE CONSERVATION WORKS! GRANTS THIS WEEK. THE BOROUGH OF TAMAQUA WILL RECEIVE A QUARTER MILLION DOLLARS TO INSTALL A GEOTHERMAL HVAC SYSTEM FOR THE BOROUGH'S WASTEWATER TREATMENT FACILITY. IN ORWIGSBURG, $250 THOUSAND DOLLAR UPGRADES ARE SCHEDULED AT THE MEMORIAL BUILDING AND INSTALLATION OF A GEOTHERMAL HVAC SYSTEM. BOTH PROJECTS ARE EXPECTED TO SAVE SIGNIFICANT AMOUNTS OF ELECTRICITY.

PIT BULL ATTACKS TEEN

A MAHANOY CITY BOY SUFFERED SEVERE INJURIES TO HIS ARM AFTER A FAMILY PET ATTACKED HIM MONDAY. POLICE WERE CALLED TO A HOME ON EAST MARKET STREET WHERE THE PIT BULL HAD ATTACKED 17 YEAR OLD ZACHARY MEROOK WHILE HE WAS TRYING TO TAKE HIM OUTSIDE. A STATE DOG WARDEN PUT THE ANIMAL DOWN, ACCORDING TO REPORTS. MEROOK WAS TAKEN TO GEISINGER MEDICAL CENTER FOR TREATMENT.

WEST LAWN, PA. (AP) - WITH A MESSAGE OF LOW TAXES AND RESISTING WHAT HE CALLS AN OVERBEARING FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, PENNSYLVANIA STATE REP. SAM ROHRER HAS DECLARED HIS CANDIDACY FOR THE REPUBLICAN NOMINATION FOR GOVERNOR. THE NINTH-TERM LAWMAKER'S CAMPAIGN BEGAN HIS CAMPAIGN AT AN EVENT LAST NIGHT AT A FIREHOUSE IN BERKS COUNTY.

HARRISBURG, PA. (AP) - HOUSE MINORITY LEADER SAM SMITH SAYS IF PROSECUTORS' ALLEGATIONS ARE TRUE, THEN HE WAS MISLED ABOUT THE USE
OF TAXPAYER DOLLARS TO BOOST REPUBLICAN POLITICAL CAMPAIGNS. SMITH
SAYS HE WAS UNAWARE OF ANY ALLEGED PLOT TO USE TAXPAYER-PAID EMPLOYEES OR STATE FUNDS FOR POLITICAL PURPOSES UNTIL AFTER AN
INVESTIGATION BEGAN.

PHILADELPHIA (AP) - A LONGTIME SECRETARY TO FORMER PENNSYLVANIA
STATE SEN. VINCENT FUMO HAS BEEN SENTENCED TO FOUR YEARS OF PROBATION FOR DEFRAUDING THE STATE. SUSAN SKOTNICKI, WAS ALSO FINED $1,000 AND ORDERED TO PAY A SPECIAL ASSESSMENT OF $100 AT YESTERDAY'S SENTENCING. SHE PLEADED GUILTY TO DEFRAUDING THE STATE BY WRITING CHECKS TO HERSELF.

PHILADELPHIA (AP) - THE WIDOW OF A PHILADELPHIA POLICE OFFICER IS EXPECTED TO TESTIFY TODAY AT THE TRIAL OF THE MAN WHO ADMITTED TO KILLING HER HUSBAND. THE DEFENDANT, JOHN LEWIS, PLEADED GUILTY TO MURDER LAST WEEK FOR SHOOTING OFFICER CHUCK CASSIDY IN THE HEAD IN 2007. NOW A JURY MUST DECIDE WHETHER HE COMMITTED FIRST- OR SECOND-DEGREE MURDER.

PITTSBURGH (AP) - THE STATE AGENCY WHICH OVERSEES PITTSBURGH'S FINANCES HAS REJECTED THE MAYOR'S $453.8 MILLION BUDGET, WHICH WOULD HAVE TAXED COLLEGE TUITION. THE INTERGOVERNMENTAL COOPERATION AUTHORITY SAYS THAT THE TAX DIDN'T COMPLY WITH STATE LAW. LUKE RAVENSTAHL WANTED TO TAX TUITION AT 1 PERCENT TO RAISE SOME $16 MILLION.

BEIJING (AP) - PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA HAS VISITED THE GREAT WALL OF CHINA AS HIS VISIT TO THE COUNTRY NEARS ITS END. EARLIER, THE PRESIDENT HELD TALKS WITH THE CHINESE PREMIER, WHO SAID OBAMA'S VISIT IS SETTING THE U.S-CHINA RELATIONSHIP ON A BETTER PATH.

STOCKHOLM (AP) - LEADERS OF THE EUROPEAN UNION AND RUSSIA ARE HOLDING A SUMMIT ON ENERGY SECURITY, CLIMATE CHANGE, TRADE AND HUMAN RIGHTS. BOTH SIDES ARE EXPRESSING HOPE THE TALKS IN STOCKHOLM WILL HELP PATCH UP BATTERED RELATIONS.

KABUL (AP) - SECURITY FORCES HAVE INCREASED PATROLS AND HELICOPTER FLYOVERS IN THE AFGHAN CAPITAL. THEY'RE BRACING FOR POSSIBLE MILITANT ATTACKS DURING TOMORROW'S INAUGURATION OF PRESIDENT HAMID KARZAI, WHO WILL BE SWORN IN FOR HIS SECOND FIVE-YEAR TERM.

CAPE CANAVERAL, FLA. (AP) - SPACE SHUTTLE ATLANTIS IS CLOSING IN ON THE INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION. ATLANTIS WILL DO A PIROUETTE FOR THE STATION CAMERAS LATE THIS MORNING, FOR A FINAL CHECK TO MAKE SURE THERE'S NO DAMAGE TO THE THERMAL TILES ON ITS BELLY. THEN THE SHUTTLE WILL DOCK AT THE ORBITING OUTPOST.

WASHINGTON (AP) - THE SENATE IS MARKING A MILESTONE TODAY. WEST VIRGINIA SEN. ROBERT C. BYRD WILL BECOME THE LONGEST-SERVING LAWMAKER IN CONGRESSIONAL HISTORY: 56 YEARS AND 320 DAYS. IT'S NOT CLEAR WHETHER BYRD, WHO TURNS 92 ON FRIDAY, WILL BE ABLE TO ATTEND TODAY'S SESSION.