Today's News-Monday, December 14, 2009

WILD WEATHER

FREEZING RAIN AND SLEET SUNDAY MORNING CREATED A VERITABLE SKATING RINK ON AREA ROADWAYS, RESULTING IN NUMEROUS ACCIDENTS AND TREACHEROUS TRAVEL. MAJOR TIE UPS WERE REPORTED ON THE MAJOR ROADWAYS AND STREETS. FRACKVILLE STATE POLICE REPORT THEY RESPONDED TO 11 TRAFFIC COLLISIONS, NONE MAJOR. PENN DOT AND LOCAL ROAD CREWS HAD THEIR HANDS FULL KEEPING UP WITH SPREADING ANTI SKID MATERIALS. THE PRECIPTATION CHANGED TO ALL RAIN BY LATE AFTERNOON, BUT THERE MAY BE SOME ICY SPOTS DURING YOUR MORNING COMMUTE TODAY.

ARMED ROBBERY AT MT CARMEL AND LAVELLE GAS STATION ROBBERIES

POLICE ARE INVESTIGATING TWO ARMED ROBBERIES IN SCHUYLKILL AND NORTHUMBERLAND COUNTIES THAT MAY BE RELATED. WHILE DETAILS ARE LIMITED AT THIS TIME, WE DO KNOW THAT A MAN ENTERED A GAS STATION IN LAVELLE AND DEMANDED MONEY, BUT WAS TURNED AWAY AND FLED. A PERSON FITTING THAT DESCRIPTION REPORTEDLY HELD UP THE TOWER MINI MARKET IN MOUNT CARMEL A SHORT TIME LATER. IT IS UNCLEAR RIGHT NOW IF THE SUSPECTED BANDITS WERE TAKEN INTO CUSTODY, ACCORDING TO REPORTS.

NEW YORK MAN FACES JAIL TIME

A NEW YORK CITY MAN WAS CONVICTED FRIDAY AFTERNOON ON CHARGES OF INTIMIDATION OF A WITNESS, CONSPIRACY, SIMPLE ASSAULT AND OTHER COUNTS. THE REPUBLICAN HERALD REPORTS THAT OLANDO GUICHARD OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK, FORMERLY OF LANSFORD, WAS CONVICTED OF THREATENING A MAN IN POTTSVILLE WITH A GUN IN JULY, 2008. THAT MAN WAS SUPPOSED TO TESTIFY IN A CASE AGAINST GUICHARD'S BROTHER. SENTENCING IS SCHEDULED FOR LATE JANUARY.

PHILADELPHIA (AP) - FREEZING RAIN YESTERDAY COATED ROADS WITH SLICK ICE THAT CAUSED TRAFFIC PROBLEMS ACROSS PENNSYLVANIA, CLOSING ROADS AND LEADING TO AT LEAST ONE FATAL ACCIDENT. POLICE SAY A 22-YEAR-OLD DERRY WOMAN DIED AFTER HER VEHICLE WENT OUT OF CONTROL ON ROUTE 22 IN MURRYSVILLE AND WAS STRUCK BY ANOTHER CAR.

PHILADELPHIA (AP) - A NEWSPAPER SAYS PHILADELPHIA HAS THE LOWEST FELONY CONVICTION RATE AMONG THE NATION'S LARGE URBAN COUNTIES. THE PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER SAYS IT FOUND THAT PEOPLE ACCUSED OF SERIOUS
CRIMES IN THE CITY GO FREE ON ALL CHARGES IN NEARLY TWO THIRDS OF
VIOLENT CRIME CASES.

PHILADELPHIA (AP) - A PHILADELPHIA MOTHER WHO PLACED A 911 CALL CLAIMING SHE HAD BEEN CARJACKED BUT INSTEAD FLEW TO DISNEY WORLD WITH HER CHILD TO ESCAPE ARREST WILL BE IN COURT WEDNESDAY. BONNIE SWEETEN IS EXPECTED TO ASK A JUDGE TO ALLOW HER TO SERVE THE REST OF HER SENTENCE ON HOUSE ARREST.

PHILADELPHIA (AP) - A COMMISSION PLANS TO MEET TODAY TO TRY TO MEDIATE TENSIONS AT A PHILADELPHIA HIGH SCHOOL FOLLOWING ATTACKS ON ABOUT 30 ASIAN STUDENTS. DOZENS OF STUDENTS HAVE BEEN BOYCOTTING CLASSES AT SOUTH PHILADELPHIA HIGH SCHOOL. THEY SAY THE DEC. 3 ASSAULTS WERE RACIALLY MOTIVATED.

PITTSBURGH (AP) - POLICE IN PITTSBURGH SAY AN OFF-DUTY OFFICER WHO WAS REPAIRING A BAR'S BATHROOM DOOR SHOT A MAN WHO TRIED TO ROB THE PLACE. POLICE SAY THE 24-YEAR-OLD SUSPECT RAISED A GUN TOWARD THE OFFICER, WHO FIRED THREE TIMES. THE SUSPECT WAS HOSPITALIZED IN CRITICAL CONDITION.

WASHINGTON (AP) - PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA WILL SPEND THIS MORNING TALKING ECONOMY. FIRST, THE PRESIDENT WILL MEET WITH THE NATION'S
TOP FINANCIAL INDUSTRY EXECUTIVES TO DISCUSS ECONOMIC RECOVERY,
SMALL BUSINESS LENDING, IMPROVING LENDING PRACTICES FOR HOMEOWNERS
AND THE ADMINISTRATION'S PLANS FOR FINANCIAL REFORM. THEN OBAMA
WILL DELIVER A STATEMENT ON THE ECONOMY.

WASHINGTON (AP) - SENATE DEMOCRATS FIND THEIR HEALTH CARE REFORM COMPROMISE IN SOME JEOPARDY. INDEPENDENT SEN. JOE LIEBERMAN HAS
SAID HE'LL OPPOSE THE LEGISLATION IF IT EXPANDS MEDICARE COVERAGE
TO UNINSURED AMERICANS AS YOUNG AS 55.

NEW ORLEANS (AP) - SOME LAWMAKERS IN SOUTHERN STATES SAY IT'S GOING TO TAKE TOO LONG FOR THEIR FARMERS TO GET HELP FROM THE GOVERNMENT FOLLOWING NATURAL DISASTERS IN AT LEAST 20 STATES. THE LAWMAKERS ARE ASKING FOR BILLIONS IN EMERGENCY LOW-INTEREST LOANS FROM A FARM DISASTER PROGRAM THAT ISN'T FULLY IN PLACE. SOME FARMERS SAY THE LAST THING THEY NEED IS ANOTHER LOAN.

LAHORE, PAKISTAN (AP) - FIVE AMERICANS BEING HELD IN PAKISTAN ON SUSPICION OF TERROR LINKS WON'T BE COMING BACK TO THE U.S. RIGHT NOW. A PAKISTANI COURT HAS RULED THAT JUDGES WILL FIRST REVIEW THE CASE. THE MEN ARE ACCUSED OF USING FACEBOOK AND YOUTUBE TO TRY TO CONNECT WITH EXTREMIST GROUPS IN PAKISTAN. THEY HAVE NOT BEEN CHARGED.

KABUL (AP) - JOINT CHIEFS OF STAFF CHAIRMAN MIKE MULLEN HAS ARRIVED IN AFGHANISTAN FOR A SERIES OF MEETINGS WITH GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS. MULLEN'S TRIP FOLLOWS LAST WEEK'S VISIT BY DEFENSE SECRETARY ROBERT GATES, WHO TOLD AFGHAN OFFICIALS THE U.S. WILL NOT ABANDON THEIR COUNTRY AFTER AMERICAN TROOPS START TO LEAVE IN 2011.