Today's News-Wednesday, December 9, 2009-8:45AM

WINTER WEATHER

ROADS ARE WET AND SLUSHY THIS MORNING FOLLOWING A WINTRY MIX THAT BEGAN AFTER 9 LAST NIGHT. THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN STATE COLLEGE SAYS THAT RAIN WILL CONTINUE THROUGH THE AFTERNOON AS TEMPERATURES RISE INTO THE 40'S. A WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 11AM. WATCH FOR STANDING WATER IN THE STREETS AS DRAINS MAY BE BLOCKED FROM THE SLUSH. WEATHER WATCH INFORMATION UPDATES ON OUR NEWS PAGE AT WPPARADIO DOT COM AND T102RADIO DOT COM.

PCV FOUND IN HEALTH STUDY

ALLENTOWN, PA. (AP) - FEDERAL HEALTH RESEARCHERS HAVE TESTED NEARLY 2,200 PEOPLE IN NORTHEASTERN PENNSYLVANIA FOR A GENETIC MUTATION ASSOCIATED WITH A RARE BLOOD CANCER. THE TESTING FOUND THE MUTATION IN 19 PEOPLE, OR 1.6 PERCENT OF THOSE WHO PARTICIPATED IN THE STUDY. SCIENTISTS DON'T YET KNOW HOW PREVALENT THIS MUTATION IS IN THE GENERAL POPULATION. THE TESTING WAS PERFORMED AFTER GOVERNMENT EPIDEMIOLOGISTS CONFIRMED A CLUSTER OF POLYCYTHEMIA VERA, OR PV, A CANCER THAT RESULTS IN THE OVERPRODUCTION OF RED BLOOD CELLS AND CAN LEAD TO HEART ATTACK OR STROKE. THREE SUPERFUND SITES, A POWER PLANT AND SEVERAL ABANDONED STRIP MINES ARE AMONG THE CULPRITS SUSPECTED OF MAKING PEOPLE SICK IN A 20-MILE STRETCH BETWEEN HAZLETON AND TAMAQUA. THE CAUSE OF PV IS UNKNOWN.PCV FOUND IN HEALTH STUDY

ALLENTOWN, PA. (AP) - FEDERAL HEALTH RESEARCHERS HAVE TESTED NEARLY 2,200 PEOPLE IN NORTHEASTERN PENNSYLVANIA FOR A GENETIC MUTATION ASSOCIATED WITH A RARE BLOOD CANCER. THE TESTING FOUND THE MUTATION IN 19 PEOPLE, OR 1.6 PERCENT OF THOSE WHO PARTICIPATED IN THE STUDY. SCIENTISTS DON'T YET KNOW HOW PREVALENT THIS MUTATION IS IN THE GENERAL POPULATION. THE TESTING WAS PERFORMED AFTER GOVERNMENT EPIDEMIOLOGISTS CONFIRMED A CLUSTER OF POLYCYTHEMIA VERA, OR PV, A CANCER THAT RESULTS IN THE OVERPRODUCTION OF RED BLOOD CELLS AND CAN LEAD TO HEART ATTACK OR STROKE. THREE SUPERFUND SITES, A POWER PLANT AND SEVERAL ABANDONED STRIP MINES ARE AMONG THE CULPRITS SUSPECTED OF MAKING PEOPLE SICK IN A 20-MILE STRETCH BETWEEN HAZLETON AND TAMAQUA. THE CAUSE OF PV IS UNKNOWN.

ST CLAIR MAN HOSPITALIZED AFTER CRASH

A ST CLAIR MAN WAS INJURED TUESDAY WHEN THE TRUCK HE WAS DRIVING CRASHED INTO THE BLYTHE TOWNSHIP WATER AUTHORITY BUILDING. 43 YEAR OLD MICHAEL TOBIN THE THIRD, DIRECTOR OF BUILDING AND GROUNDS FOR THE ST CLAIR SCHOOL DISTRICT, WAS TRAVELING ON VALLEY STREET IN NEW PHILADELPHIA WHEN THE PICKUP CRASHED BEFORE 11AM, HEAVILY DAMAGING THE CORNER OF THE BUILDING. A PARKED CAR WAS ALSO DAMAGED. TOBIN HAD TO BE FLOWN TO LEHIGH VALLEY HOSPITAL, WHERE HE REMAINS IN CRITICAL CONDITION.

SCROOGE VANDALIZES CHRISTMAS TREE

SCROOGE PAID A VISIT TO GARFIELD SQUARE, DAMAGING THE CITY'S CHRISTMAS TREE. VANDALS APPARENTLY SET FIRE TO THE 14 FOOT TREE OVERNIGHT SUNDAY, CAUSING MORE THAN $100 DOLLARS DAMAGE. POTTSVILLE POLICE ARE INVESTIGATING THE INCIDENT, AND THE TREE WAS REPLACED YESTERDAY. THE TREE HAD BEEN LIT ON THANKSGIVING WEEKEND.

POTTSVILLE MAN FOUND GUILTY OF RAPING GIRL

A POTTSVILLE MAN HAS BEEN FOUND GUILTY OF RAPING A 12 YEAR OLD GIRL. THE JURY RENDERED THE VERDICT AGAINST 19 YEAR OLD ANTHONY BRYANT, ON CHARGES OF RAPING A CHILD AND CORRUPTION OF THE MORALS OF A MINOR, ACCORDING TO THE REPUBLICAN HERALD. BRYANT WAS FOUND NOT GUILTY OF INVOLUNTARY DEVIATE SEXUAL INTERCOURSE AND STATUTORY SEXUAL ASSAULT. ANOTHER DEVIATE SEXUAL INTERCOURSE CHARGE HAD BEEN DROPPED BY THE JUDGE. BRYANT REPORTEDLY RAPED THE GIRL, NOW 13 YEARS OLD, ON AUGUST 7, 2008. THE GIRL SUFFERED INJURY IN THE INCIDENT. BRYANT IS FREE ON BAIL, PENDING SENTENCING.

TRUCK ROLLS ON ROUTE 54

A TRUCKER HAULING LIME ROLLED HIS RIG, CLOSING ROUTE 54 FOR A TIME NEAR HOMETOWN YESTERDAY AFTERNOON. THE CRASH CAUSED A UTILITY POLE TO BE BROKEN OFF. POLICE BELIEVE THAT THE DRIVER MAY HAVE BEEN SPEEDING. THE SECTION OF ROUTE 54 WAS REOPENED AROUND 7:30 LAST NIGHT.
WILMINGTON, DEL. (AP) - A FEDERAL JUDGE IS WEIGHING WHETHER TO STOP THE ARMY CORPS OF ENGINEERS FROM DREDGING THE DELAWARE RIVER WITHOUT PERMISSION FROM DELAWARE. THE JUDGE HEARD MORE THAN THREE HOURS OF ARGUMENTS YESTERDAY BUT SAID SHE WOULD ACCEPT ADDITIONAL BRIEFS BEFORE RULING. THE CORPS WANTS TO DREDGE THE RIVER TO MAINTAIN NAVIGATION.

HARRISBURG, PA. (AP) - SEAN RAMALEY'S MOTHER AND A RETIRED PRIEST ARE AMONG THE WITNESSES WHO TESTIFIED ON BEHALF OF THE FORMER STATE LEGISLATOR IN A GOVERNMENT CORRUPTION TRIAL IN HARRISBURG.RAMALEY IS ACCUSED OF TAKING A NO-WORK JOB AS AN AIDE TO THEN-HOUSE DEMOCRATIC WHIP MICHAEL VEON DURING HIS FIRST LEGISLATIVE CAMPAIGN IN 2004.

PITTSBURGH (AP) - FUNERAL ARRANGEMENTS ARE SET FOR A SLAIN SUBURBAN PITTSBURGH POLICE OFFICER. THE FUNERAL FOR PENN HILLS OFFICER MICHAEL CRAWSHAW WILL BE FRIDAY AT 10 A.M. AT ST. BONIFACE CHURCH IN PITTSBURGH. THE OFFICER'S VIEWING IS FROM 3 P.M. TO 8 P.M. TODAY AND TOMORROW. RONALD ROBINSON IS CHARGED WITH GUNNING DOWN THE OFFICER SUNDAY NIGHT.

PHILADELPHIA (AP) - THE CHIEF EXECUTIVE OF TIME WARNER CABLE HAS THIS WORD OF CAUTION TO COMCAST ABOUT ITS PURCHASE OF A CONTROLLING STAKE IN NBC UNIVERSAL: MIXING CONTENT AND THE CABLE DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM ISN'T EASY.TIME WARNER CABLE CEO GLENN BRITT SAYS THE EXPECTED BENEFITS OF MARRYING A CABLE TV SYSTEM AND CABLE CHANNELS DIDN'T APPEAR.

WASHINGTON (AP) - DEMOCRATS SAY THEY MAY BE CLOSER TO PUSHING PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA'S HEALTH CARE BILL THROUGH THE SENATE. THAT'S AFTER A TENTATIVE DEAL WAS STRUCK THAT WOULD DROP A TOP LIBERAL PRIORITY - A GOVERNMENT-RUN INSURANCE OPTION. THE SENATE IS IN ITS SECOND WEEK OF DEBATE ON THE 10-YEAR, NEARLY $1 TRILLION OVERHAUL.

WASHINGTON (AP) - A WATCHDOG PANEL SAYS THE GOVERNMENT'S $700 BILLION WALL STREET BAILOUT HELPED PREVENT AN ALL-OUT PANIC LAST FALL. BUT THE GROUP ALSO NOTES THAT THE BAILOUT HASN'T MET MANY OF THE TARGETS CONGRESS SET. TREASURY SECRETARY TIMOTHY GEITHNER CAN EXTEND THE $700 BILLION PROGRAM BEYOND THIS YEAR, BUT OPPONENTS SAY SOME OF THE UNUSED OR RETURNED BILLIONS SHOULD GO TOWARD REDUCING THE DEFICIT.

DES MOINES, IOWA (AP) - AT LEAST FIVE DEATHS ARE BEING BLAMED ON A FIERCE WINTER STORM THAT'S HIT MORE THAN A DOZEN STATES WITH DANGEROUS ICE, HEAVY SNOW AND VICIOUS WINDS. IT'S THREATENING TO CREATE 15-FOOT DRIFTS IN PARTS OF THE UPPER MIDWEST. FORECASTERS PREDICT TWO-THIRDS OF THE COUNTRY WILL BE AFFECTED BY THE STORM BY THE TIME IT MOVES OFF THE MAINE COAST TOMORROW NIGHT.

BAGHDAD (AP) - IRAQI LAWMAKERS WANT THE MINISTERS OF DEFENSE AND INTERIOR TO APPEAR BEFORE A SPECIAL SESSION OF PARLIAMENT TOMORROW.
A SPOKESMAN FOR THE PARLIAMENT SPEAKER SAYS THE SECURITY OFFICIALS
ARE BEING SUMMONED TO ANSWER QUESTIONS OVER SECURITY LAPSES THAT
ALLOWED BOMBERS TO STRIKE GOVERNMENT SITES YESTERDAY THAT KILLED AT
LEAST 127 PEOPLE.

TOKYO (AP) - VOLKSWAGEN IS BUYING A 20 PERCENT STAKE IN SUZUKI. THE $2.5 BILLION DEAL COULD GIVE A BOOST TO THE AUTOMAKERS IN THE FAST-GROWING CHINESE AND INDIAN MARKETS. SUZUKI SAYS IT WILL ALSO PURCHASE SHARES IN VOLKSWAGEN WORTH UP TO HALF THE AMOUNT THE GERMAN MAKER BUYS.