Today's News-Friday, December 11, 2009-1130AM

ROBBERY AT DOLLAR GENERAL

A POTTSVILLE MAN HAS BEEN CHARGED WITH NUMEROUS COUNTS FOLLOWING AN INCIDENT AT DOLLAR GENERAL THURSDAY NIGHT. COPS WERE CALLED TO THE STORE AROUND 8:30PM AND FOUND 55 LEONARD ROBINSON HAD TAKEN MERCHANDISE FROM THE STORE. OFFICERS FOUND ROBINSON A SHORT TIME LATER AT PROGRESS AVENUE AND LAUREL BOULEVARD AND TOOK HIM INTO CUSTODY. ROBINSON IS CHARGED WITH ROBBERY, RETAIL THEFT, TERRORISTIC THREATS, RESISTING ARREST, RECEIVING STOLEN PROPERTY AND PUBLIC DRUNKENNESS. HE IS NOW A PRISONER AT SCHUYLKILL COUNTY PRISON. DURING THE INCIDENT, THE STORE MANAGER HAD TRIED TO STOP ROBINSON, AND WAS THREATENED WITH A PURPORTED GUN.

MAN INJURED IN FIGHT AT HIGH SCHOOL

A JUVENILE IS CHARGED WITH AGGRAVATED ASSAULT AND OTHER COUNTS AND AN 18 YEAR OLD CITY MAN IS IN CRITICAL CONDITION FOLLOWING A FIGHT AT POTTSVILLE HIGH SCHOOL WEDNESDAY NIGHT. CITY POLICE REPORT THAT THE UNNAMED TEEN ATTACKED BRYAN SHIPTON IN THE PARKING LOT OF THE SCHOOL. SHIPTON REPORTEDLY SUFFERED HEAD INJURIES AND WAS TAKEN TO LEHIGH VALLEY HOSPITAL. THE TEEN IS IN THE CARE OF BERKS COUNTY JUVENILE DETENTION CENTER. THE INVESTIGATION IS ONGOING.

CITY MAN FOUND GUILTY ON CHILD PORN CHARGES

A 39 YEAR OLD POTTSVILLE MAN HAS BEEN CONVICTED IN COUNTY COURT FOR POSSESSION OF CHILD PORN. THE REPUBLICAN HERALD REPORTS STEWARD STECKLEY JR. WAS FOUND GUILTY OF TWO COUNTS OF SEXUAL ABUSE OF CHILDREN-POSSESSING CHILD PORN, AND NOT GUILTY OF POSSESSING A PROHIBITED OFFENSIVE WEAPON BY A JURY YESTERDAY. POLICE FOUND STECKLEY HAD CHILD PORN ON HIS HOME COMPUTER IN MAY. AFTER AN EVALUATION BY THE SEXUAL OFFENDERS ASSESSMENT BOARD, STECKLEY WILL BE SENTENCED. HE FACES A PRISON SENTENCE AND REGISTRATION AS A SEX OFFENDER UNDER MEGAN'S LAW.

HANUKKAH BEGINS

THE FESTIVAL OF LIGHTS, HANUKKUAH, BEGINS TONIGHT AT SUNDOWN. THE 8 DAY CELEBRATION OF THE JEWISH FAITH MARKS THE VICTORY OF THE MACCABEES OVER THE SYRIANS CENTURIES AGO. A CANDLE WILL BE LIT EACH NIGHT DURING THE 8 DAYS, GIFTS EXCHANGED AND OTHER OBSERVANCES PLANNED. TO ALL OF OUR FRIENDS OF THE JEWISH FAITH, HAPPY HANUKKAH!

CRASH INJURES ONE IN NEW RINGGOLD

A WOMAN FROM NEW RINGGOLD WAS HURT IN A CRASH THURSDAY AFTERNOON IN EAST BRUNSWICK TOWNSHIP. THE ACCIDENT HAPPENED ON ROUTE 895 AS 38 YEAR OLD TABITHA KOVACH'S CAR WENT OFF THE ROADWAY, HIT AN EMBANKMENT AND LANDED IN A FARM FIELD.

MAHANOY CITY MAN CONVICTED OF ROBBERY

STATE PRISON IS IN THE FUTURE OF A MAHANOY CITY MAN WHO WAS CONVICTED THURSDAY IN SCHUYLKILL COUNTY COURT OF ROBBERY FOR HIS PART IN A HOME INVASION IN OCTOBER 2008 IN SHENANDOAH. JOSEPH YUTKO, AGE 27, WAS FOUND GUILTY OF PARTICIPATING IN THE ROBBERT OF TWO MEN IN OCTOBER, 2008. YUTKO MAINTAINS HIS INNOCENCE. HE WILL BE SENTENCED AT A LATER DATE, AND REMAINS IN SCHUYLKILL COUNTY PRISON.

MISTRIAL IN SEX RELATED CASE

A JURY OF MEN AND WOMEN COULD NOT REACH A VERDICT IN A SEX RELATED CASE IN SCHUYLKILL COUNTY COURT. 33 YEAR OLD ERNEST SCHAEFFER JR OF MINERSVILLE WAS ON TRIAL FOR SEXUALLY ASSAULTING A 13 YEAR OLD GIRL IN MAY, 2008 IN WASHINGTON TOWNSHIP. SCHAEFFER COULD BE TRIED DURING THE NEXT CRIMINAL COURT TERM.

BETHLEHEM, PA. (AP) - THOUSANDS OF MOURNERS ARE EXPECTED AT A HOMETOWN FUNERAL IN EASTERN PENNSYLVANIA FOR A POLICE OFFICER GUNNED DOWN IN A WASHINGTON STATE AMBUSH. LAKEWOOD POLICE SGT. MARK RENNINGER WAS ONE OF FOUR OFFICERS FATALLY SHOT IN A COFFEE SHOP LAST MONTH. HE'LL BE LAID TO REST FRIDAY IN HIS HOMETOWN OF BETHLEHEM.

PITTSBURGH (AP) - A SUBURBAN PITTSBURGH POLICE OFFICER KILLED IN THE LINE OF DUTY WILL BE EULOGIZED AND BURIED FRIDAY. THE FUNERAL FOR PENN HILLS OFFICER MICHAEL CRAWSHAW WILL BE HELD IN PITTSBURGH. ALLEGHENY COUNTY POLICE HAVE CHARGED 32-YEAR-OLD RONALD ROBINSON WITH KILLING CRAWSHAW AND ANOTHER MAN SUNDAY NIGHT.

PHILADELPHIA (AP) - THE PRINCIPAL AT A PHILADELPHIA HIGH SCHOOL WILL DISCUSS A NEW SAFETY PLAN AFTER A SERIES OF ATTACKS ON THE SCHOOL'S ASIAN STUDENTS LAST WEEK. SOUTH PHILADELPHIA HIGH SCHOOL PRINCIPAL LAGRETA BROWN WILL DISCUSS THE PLAN FRIDAY. ABOUT 30 ASIAN STUDENTS WERE HURT IN THE ATTACKS. DOZENS OF THM ARE BOYCOTTING CLASSES THIS WEEK.

PITTSBURGH (AP) - THE MAYOR OF PITTSBURGH SAYS THE CITY'S UNIVERSITIES MUST AGREE TO CONTRIBUTE $5 MILLION PER YEAR TO THE CITY'S BUDGET BY NEXT WEEK OR FACE A FIRST-OF-ITS-KIND TUITION TAX. MAYOR LUKE RAVENSTAHL SAYS THE CITY'S NON-PROFITS, INCLUDING ITS COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES, MUST AGREE TO THE PAYMENTS BY MONDAY AFTERNOON. OTHERWISE CITY COUNCIL WILL VOTE ON THE TAX WEDNESDAY.

ISLAMABAD (AP) - A MEMBER OF THE PAKISTANI TEAM INTERROGATING FIVE AMERICANS BEING HELD IN PAKISTAN SAYS THEY'RE IN "GOOD HEALTH." AND ACCORDING TO THE U.S. EMBASSY THERE, U.S. OFFICIALS -- INCLUDING SOME FROM THE FBI -- HAVE VISITED THE MEN IN CUSTODY. PAKISTANI AUTHORITIES SAY THE FIVE WILL PROBABLY BE DEPORTED.

WASHINGTON (AP) - THERE'S RENEWED HOPE THAT THE AMERICAN CONSUMER WILL HELP SUPPORT THE SHAKY ECONOMIC RECOVERY. RETAIL SALES ROSE MORE THAN EXPECTED IN NOVEMBER. THE NUMBERS CAME AS A SURPRISE BECAUSE RETAILERS HAVE BEEN REPORTING GENERALLY LACKLUSTER RESULTS FOR THE START OF THE HOLIDAY SHOPPING SEASON.

BRUSSELS (AP) - EUROPEAN LEADERS ARE AGREEING TO COMMIT $3.6 BILLION A YEAR UNTIL 2012 TO HELP POORER COUNTRIES DEAL WITH GLOBAL WARMING. THE AGREEMENT IS AIMED AT BOLSTERING THE TALKS THAT ARE UNDER WAY IN DENMARK. BRITAIN, FRANCE AND GERMANY WILL EACH CONTRIBUTE ABOUT 20 PERCENT OF THE MONEY.

CHARLESTON, S.C. (AP) - THE GOVERNOR OF SOUTH CAROLINA, WHO CONFESSED MONTHS AGO TO AN AFFAIR WITH A WOMAN IN ARGENTINA, HASN'T BEEN ABLE TO HOLD HIS MARRIAGE TOGETHER. JENNY SANFORD ANNOUNCED TODAY THAT SHE'S FILING FOR DIVORCE FROM HER HUSBAND, GOV. MARK SANFORD. HE HAD TOLD REPORTERS THIS WEEK THAT HE STILL WANTED TO RECONCILE WITH HIS WIFE.

WASHINGTON (AP) - FEDERAL SCIENTISTS SAY THE CHOLESTEROL PILL CRESTOR LOWERS THE RISK OF HEART ATTACK, DEATH AND STROKE IN PATIENTS WITHOUT A HISTORY OF HEART DISEASE. BUT THERE ARE STILL SOME SAFETY CONCERNS, INCLUDING A HIGHER RATE OF DIABETES IN PATIENTS TAKING CRESTOR. THE FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION IS CONFIRMING THE FINDINGS OF A STUDY FROM THE DRUG'S MAKER, ASTRAZENECA.