Today's News-Saturday, December 5, 2009

RUNAWAY CAR CRASHES

A CAR LEFT IN GEAR IN DOWNTOWN POTTSVILLE HAD A MIND OF ITS OWN FRIDAY, AS THE VEHICLE CRASHED INTO A RAILING AT A BUILDING ACROSS THE STREET. THE NOONTIME INCIDENT HAPPENED AS 70 YEAR OLD ELIZABETH BASGIL OF NEW PHILADELPHIA PARKED AT THE M&T BANK ON SOUTH CENTRE STREET, BUT NEVER PUT IT IN PARK. THE CAR HEADED ACROSS NORWEGIAN STREET, STRIKING THE CENTRE SQUARE BUILDING. NO ONE WAS INJURED.

MALL RESTAURANT TO CLOSE

A LONG TIME RESTAURANT AT SCHUYLKILL MALL WILL CLOSE IN TWO WEEKS. THE CHICK-FIL-A FRANCHISE IS SHUTTING DOWN DECEMBER 22ND, WITH THE COMPANY SAYING THAT THE SITE DID NOT MEET CORPORATE SALES TARGETS, EVEN THOUGH THE RESTAURANT IS ALWAYS BUSY. CHICK-FIL-A HAS BEEN OPEN AT SCHUYLKILL MALL FOR DECADES.

FRACKVILLE MAN TO SPEND MORE TIME IN JAIL

A FRACKVILLE MAN HAS PLEADED GUILTY TO SEXUALLY ASSAULTING AN EMPLOYEE AT S.C.I. MAHANOY, AND IS BOUND TO SPEND A LONG TIME IN JAIL. THE REPUBLICAN HERALD REPORTS THAT 35 YEAR OLD MILBERT COX ASSAULTED THE EMPLOYEE IN NOVEMBER 2007, WHEN HE WAS AN INMATE THERE. THE CHARGES HAD BEEN PRESENTED, AND COX PLEAD GUILTY BACK IN MAY, BUT THEN WITHDREW HIS PLEA. JUDGE JOHN DOMALAKES SENTENCED COX TO A STIFF 25 YEARS TO LIFE IN PRISON, DEEMED A SEXUALLY VIOLENT PREDATOR WHICH WILL FORCE HIM TO REGISTER UNDER MEGAN'S LAW. THE CHARGES COX PLEADED TO INCLUDE AGGRAVATED INDECENT ASSAULT, AGGRAVATED HARRASSMENT BY A PRISONER, INDECENT ASSAULT AND INDECENT EXPOSURE.

HARRISBURG, PA. (AP) - A LAWYER HAS BEEN NOMINATED TO REPLACE A LUZERNE COUNTY JUDGE ACCUSED OF GETTING KICKBACKS TO SEND JUVENILES TO PRIVATE DETENTION FACILITIES. GOVERNOR ED RENDELL CHOSE JOSEPH COSGROVE TO FILL THE VACANCY CREATED WHEN JUDGE MARK CIAVARELLA RESIGNED IN MARCH.

ERIE, PA. (AP) - ERIE COUNTY HAS ANNOUNCED WHAT MAY BE ITS FIRST SWINE FLU FATALITY, BUT HEALTH OFFICIALS SAY THE OUTBREAK IS SUBSIDING. THE COUNTY HAS RECEIVED ONLY 18 REPORTED CASES OF THE VIRUS IN THE PAST TWO WEEKS. IN OCTOBER AND EARLY NOVEMBER, THE COUNTY WAS GETTING HUNDREDS OF CASES.

PHILADELPHIA (AP) - PHILADELPHIA SCHOOL OFFICIALS SAY THIS WEEK'S ATTACKS ON ASIAN STUDENTS AT SOUTH PHILADELPHIA HIGH SCHOOL ARE AN ABERRATION. THE VIOLENCE LED TO 10 SUSPENSIONS AND SEVERAL STUDENTS SEEKING TREATMENT AT A HOSPITAL. THE SCHOOL HAS BEEN LABELED "PERSISTENTLY DANGEROUS" BY THE STATE.

STATE COLLEGE, PA. (AP) - PENN STATE FRATERNITIES WILL USE A THIRD-PARTY, PRIVATE SECURITY AGENCY TO MONITOR SOCIAL EVENTS IN A NEW POLICY THAT SCHOOL AND GREEK SYSTEM LEADERS HOPE WILL HELP DISCOURAGE HIGH-RISK DRINKING. FRATERNITIES WILL HIRE "SOCIAL MONITORS" TO ENSURE VISITORS ARE ON A GUEST LIST AND TO CHECK PHOTO IDS.

PHILADELPHIA (AP) - A FUNERAL IS SET FOR SATURDAY MORNING IN PHILADELPHIA FOR JOAQUIN (WAH-KEEN') RIVERA, THE 63-YEAR-OLD MAN
WHOSE WATCH WAS STOLEN WHILE HE LAY DEAD IN A PHILADELPHIA EMERGENCY ROOM. TWO SUSPECTS HAVE BEEN CHARGED IN THE THEFT. A VIDEO SHOWS NO ONE ATTENDING TO RIVERA FOR 50 MINUTES AFTER HE PASSES OUT.

PERM, RUSSIA (AP) - THE DEATH TOLL HAS GROWN TO 103 AFTER A FIRE TORE THROUGH A CROWDED NIGHTSPOT IN RUSSIA. AN EYEWITNESS TELLS THE ASSOCIATED PRESS THAT PANICKED CLUBGOERS CRUSHED EACH OTHER AS THEY
TRIED TO FLEE THE SCENE. MORE THAN 130 PEOPLE ARE REPORTED INJURED.

ISLAMABAD (AP) - AUTHORITIES SAY AT LEAST THREE PEOPLE ARE DEAD AFTER AN ACCIDENTAL EXPLOSION IN A BUILDING IN NORTHWEST PAKISTAN. OFFICIALS FIRST BLAMED THE PESHAWAR EXPLOSION ON A BOMB, BUT INVESTIGATORS HAVE FOUND NO TRACE OF EXPLOSIVES. THE EXACT CAUSE OF THE BLAST REMAINS UNCLEAR.

TEHRAN, IRAN (AP) - IRAN'S NUCLEAR CHIEF SAYS HIS COUNTRY WILL REQUIRE 20 INDUSTRIAL-SCALE URANIUM ENRICHMENT FACILITIES. THE ANNOUNCEMENT MARKS A DRAMATIC EXPANSION OF IRAN'S OFFICIAL NUCLEAR AMBITIONS. IT COMES DAYS AFTER THE TEHRAN GOVERNMENT APPROVED A PLAN TO BUILD 10 NEW URANIUM ENRICHMENT PLANTS.

WASHINGTON (AP) - MEMBERS OF THE U.S. SENATE HEAD TO WORK THIS MORNING AS THEY TRY TO REACH AGREEMENT ON A $1 TRILLON PROPOSED HEALTH CARE OVERHAUL. BOTH PARTIES ARE BRACING FOR GRUELING DEBATE, AS SENATE MAJORITY LEADER HARRY REID PUSHES FOR PASSAGE OF THE 2,000-PAGE BILL BY CHRISTMAS.

WASHINGTON (AP) - A SPOKESMAN FOR SENATE FINANCE COMMITTEE CHAIRMAN MAX BAUCUS CONFIRMS THE SENATOR WAS ROMANTICALLY INVOLVED WITH A WOMAN HE NOMINATED FOR U.S. ATTORNEY LAST YEAR. SHE LATER WITHDREW HER NAME FROM CONSIDERATION. THE SPOKESMAN SAYS BAUCUS AND THE WOMAN BEGAN THEIR RELATIONSHIP AFTER THE SENATOR SEPARATED FROM HIS WIFE.