Today's News-Tuesday, December 15, 2009

GOULDS PUMPS PURCHASED

A LONGTIME NORTHERN SCHUYLKILL COUNTY MANUFACTURER HAS NEW LIFE BREATHED INTO IT. ITT INDUSTRIES/GOULDS PUMPS IS NOW ASHLAND FOUNDRY AND MACHINE WORKS AFTER THE OPERATION WAS PURCHASED BY TWO MEN FROM CALIFORNIA. THE ANNOUNCEMENT MADE MONDAY WILL PRESERVE MORE THAN 180 JOBS, MOSTLY UNIONIZED WORKERS. A NUMBER OF WORKERS HAD BEEN TRANSFERRED TO ITT'S NEW YORK STATE PLANT EARLIER THIS YEAR, AND SOME HAD BEEN LAID OFF. NOW, MICHAEL BARGANI, OWNER OF A CALIFORNIA STAINLESS STEEL FOUNDRY AND HIS PARTNER, SHARREL HEBERT, FINALIZED THE PURCHASE ON FRIDAY. ASHLAND FOUNDRY WAS STARTED BY THE GOYNE BROTHERS IN 1881.

BURGLARY UPDATE

POLICE ARE CONTINUING THEIR SEARCH FOR A MAN WHO ROBBED A MOUNT CARMEL CONVENIENCE STORE AND IS SUSPECTED IN A SIMILAR INCIDENT IN LAVELLE SUNDAY NIGHT. THE NEWS ITEM REPORTS THAT THE MAN, DESCRIBED AS BEING 5 FEET 6 INCHES TALL WITH A SLENDER BUILD AND A SMALL AMOUNT OF HAIR ON HIS CHIN, WALKED INTO THE TOWER SALES MINI MARKET AFTER 8:30PM, AND DEMANDED MONEY FROM THE CLERK, SAYING HE NEEDED CASH FOR CHRISTMAS. THE SUSPECT BRANDISHED A GUN AND FLED WITH THE CASH ON FOOT. POLICE SAY THE BANDIT MAY BE DRIVING A GRAY, MID 1980'S BUICK LESABRE. A PERSON FITTING SIMILAR DESCRIPTION TRIED TO HOLD UP THE PHEASANT RUN MINI MARKET IN LAVELLE A SHORT TIME EARLIER, BUT LEFT EMPTY HANDED. ONE OTHER UNIQUE FEATURE OF THE BURGLAR WAS A COLORFUL HOODED SWEATSHIRT HE WAS WEARING, ADORNED WITH BOB MARLEY'S IMAGE ON IT. ANYONE WITH INFORMATION SHOULD CALL BUTLER TOWNSHIP POLICE AT 875-4131 OR MOUNT CARMEL POLICE AT 339-6020.

MAN JAILED AFTER FIGHT AND HIT WITH A CAR

AN ORWIGSBURG MAN IS JAILED AFTER HE ALLEGEDLY ASSAULTED AN AUBURN MAN SUNDAY. STATE POLICE REPORT THAT 20 YEAR OLD HECKMAT AMMAR AND SEVERAL OTHER UNIDENTIFIED MEN PULLED 18 YEAR OLD EDWARD EMERICH JR. FROM HIS CAR SUNDAY NIGHT, THEN PUNCHED AND KICKED HIM. THE ATTACKERS THEN JUMPED INTO AMMAR'S VEHICLE, DROVE TOWARD EMERICH AND PINNED HIM BETWEEN TWO VEHICLES. AMMAR IS CHARGED WITH AGGRAVATED ASSAULT, ARRAIGNED AND TAKEN TO PRISON. NO WORD ON THE OTHER ASSAILANTS.

IMPERSONATION OF A COP

A POTTSVILLE MAN IS CHARGED WITH IMPERSONATING A POLICE OFFICER. OVER THE WEEKEND, 18 YEAR OLD SEAN COOKE WAS KNOCKING ON DOORS IN AN APARTMENT BUILDING IN THE 2100 BLOCK OF WEST NORWEGIAN STREET, IDENTIFYING HIMSELF AS BEING A POTTSVILLE POLICE OFFICER AND UNDERCOVER STATE POLICE TROOPER. COOKE WAS LOOKING FOR PATRICK SHARTEL, ABOUT COOKE'S CELL PHONE BEING LEFT IN SHARTEL'S CAR.
COOKE WAS CHARGED WITH MISDEMEANOR COUNTY OF IMPERSONATING A PUBLIC SERVANT AND PERSISTENT DISORDERLY CONDUCT. COOKE IS IN THE SCHUYLKILL COUNTY PRISON.

WOMAN ASSAULTED IN POTTSVILLE

A CITY MAN WAS CHARGED WITH ASSAULT FOLLOWING A DOMESTIC DISPUTE IN POTTSVILLE OVER THE WEEKEND. POLICE SAY A FIGHT BETWEEN 27 YEAR OLD MICHAEL CLARK AND 24 YEAR OLD NICOLE MANLEY TURNED PHYSICAL AS THEY ARGUED ABOUT THIER TWO CHILDREN. CLARK PUNCHED MANLEY IN THE FACE. HE WAS CHARGED WITH SIMPLE ASSAULT AND POSTED BAIL.

HARRISBURG, PA. (AP) - A PROPOSAL TO EXPAND CASINO GAMBLING IN PENNSYLVANIA IS PAST A CRUCIAL FIRST HURDLE. THE STATE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES GAVE PRELIMINARY APPROVAL TO A KEY AMENDMENT THAT
PROPONENTS SAY WILL HELP THE STATE RAISE MONEY TO BOLSTER TAX COLLECTIONS.IT REQUIRES A FINAL VOTE IN THE HOUSE AND APPROVAL FROM
THE SENATE BEFORE IT CAN BECOME LAW.

PHILADELPHIA (AP) - DOZENS OF ASIAN STUDENTS AT SOUTH PHILADELPHIA HIGH SCHOOL SKIPPED CLASSES YESTERDAY WHILE A CITY COMMISSION HELD A MEETING TO DISCUSS THE ATTACKS THEY SAY ARE RACIALLY MOTIVATED. OFFICIALS SAY THE MEETING WAS HELD TO OPEN LINES OF COMMUNICATION AND AVOID A LAWSUIT. THE STUDENTS SAY THE SCHOOL HAS NOT DONE ENOUGH TO PREVENT VIOLENCE.

PHILADELPHIA (AP) - A PENNSYLVANIA COMPANY IS CHARGED WITH GAMING THE WORK-VISA PROGRAM BY OBTAINING HUNDREDS OF TEMPORARY VISAS UNDER PHONY NAMES. FEDERAL PROSECUTORS SAY WEST CHESTER, PA.-BASED INTERNATIONAL PERSONNEL RESOURCES INC. NEEDED THE VISAS TO PROVIDE SEASONAL WORKERS TO BUSINESSES IN LANDSCAPING, CONSTRUCTION AND OTHER INDUSTRIES.

WASHINGTON (AP) - PENNSYLVANIA REP. JOHN MURTHA HAS BEEN HOSPITALIZED WITH ABDOMINAL PAINS. HIS SPOKESMAN SAYS HE WAS ADMITTED TO THE NATIONAL NAVAL MEDICAL CENTER IN BETHESDA, MD. THE SPOKESMAN SAYS IT HAS BEEN DETERMINED THAT THE 77-YEAR-OLD RETIRED MARINE COLONEL HAS A GALLBLADDER ISSUE. MAZONKEY SAYS MURTHA IS RESTING AND DOING WELL AT THE HOSPITAL.

PHILADELPHIA (AP) - STUDIES SUGGEST THAT THE NUMBER OF CHILDREN KILLED OR INJURED BY FALLING TELEVISIONS HAS RISEN EVEN AS MORE CONSUMERS REPLACE THEIR CLUNKY OLD TVS WITH LIGHTER FLAT SCREENS. THE REASON FOR THE RISE ISN'T CLEAR, BUT COULD STEM FROM RELEGATING OLD SETS TO RICKETY FURNITURE IN OTHER ROOMS.

WASHINGTON (AP) - PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA IS INVITING SENATE DEMOCRATS TO THE WHITE HOUSE TODAY TO DISCUSS WAYS TO PASS A HEALTH CARE OVERHAUL BY CHRISTMAS. DISPUTES OVER ABORTION FUNDING AND A PROPOSED EXPANSION OF MEDICARE ARE AMONG SIMMERING ISSUES. THE SENATE IS IN ITS THIRD WEEK OF DEBATE ON THE NEARLY $1 TRILLION BILL.

COPENHAGEN (AP) - THE U.N. SECRETARY-GENERAL SAYS RICH AND POOR COUNTRIES NEED TO "STOP POINTING FINGERS" AND START WORKING TOGETHER TO SALVAGE TALKS ON A GLOBAL WARMING PACT. BAN KI-MOON SAYS NEGOTIATORS NEED TO SETTLE THEIR DIFFERENCES IN THE NEXT FEW DAYS. THE COPENHAGEN CLIMATE SUMMIT ENDS FRIDAY.

UNDATED (AP) - THERE'S WORD THAT A SUICIDE CAR BOMBER HAS ATTACKED A HEAVILY GUARDED NEIGHBORHOOD NEAR THE HOME OF A FORMER AFGHAN VICE PRESIDENT. AT LEAST EIGHT PEOPLE HAVE BEEN KILLED AND DOZENS WOUNDED. AND IN IRAQ, OFFICIALS SAY CAR BOMBINGS IN DOWNTOWN BAGHDAD HAVE LEFT FIVE PEOPLE DEAD AND 16 OTHERS WOUNDED.

MANILA, PHILIPPINES (AP) - AUTHORITIES IN THE PHILIPPINES HAVE BEEN EVACUATING THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE NEAR THE COUNTRY'S MOST ACTIVE VOLCANO. THE 8,000-FOOT MAYON VOLCANO STARTED OOZING DARK ORANGE
LAVA AND SHOOTING PLUMES OF ASH OVERNIGHT. THE ALERT LEVEL HAS BEEN
RAISED TO TWO NOTCHES BELOW A MAJOR ERUPTION.