Today's News-Saturday, January 23, 2010

TWO MORE ARRESTED IN PINE GROVE FIRE

A MAN AND WOMAN HAVE NOW BEEN ARRESTED FOR THEIR ROLES IN STARTING A FIRE THAT DESTROYED SEVEN HOMES IN PINE GROVE LAST WEEK. STEVEN DONTON AND ANGELA SINGH ARE NOW CHARGED WITH RISKING A CATASTROPHE AND OTHER COUNTS, STEMMING FROM AN EXPLOSION OF A METH LAB AT 75 SOUTH TULPEHOCKEN STREET ON JANUARY 12TH. DONTON AND SINGH NOW JOIN LANCE CHRISTMAN AND AMBER JOLLEY AS THOSE BEING CHARGED. THE FOUR ARE JAILED IN SCHUYLKILL COUNTY PRISON.

HEGINS FIRE WORK OF ARSONIST

A STRING OF FIRES IN THE HEGINS VALLEY, DATING BACK 9 MONTHS, HAVE RESIDENTS ON EDGE. THE MOST RECENT BLAZE AT A SUMMER HOME ON BROOK STREET HAS BEEN RULED ARSON, ACCORDING TO STATE POLICE FIRE MARSHAL JOHN BURNS. THURSDAY NIGHT'S FIRE DESTROYED THAT PROPERTY, AND ALL OF THE HALF DOZEN FIRES HAVE BEEN RULED ARSON.

FROM LEFT:

STUDENTS FROM MINERSVILLE'S 6TH GRADE CLASS

JOANNE WOOD AND LINDA CLEVELAND, FROM REST HAVEN

MAKE A DIFFERENCE RECEPTION

SCHUYLKILL COUNTY RESIDENTS HAVE NEVER TURNED AWAY THOSE IN NEED. THAT COMMITMENT TO SERVICE WAS CLEARLY EVIDENT FRIDAY NIGHT AT THE 2009 MAKE A DIFFERENCE DAY AWARDS CEREMONY AT ST. CATHERINE'S MEDICAL CENTER IN ASHLAND. GIRL SCOUT TROOPS, MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENTS, BUSINESSES AND COMMUNITY SERVICE AGENCIES WERE AMONG THE 134 REGISTERED PROJECTS CONDUCTED IN OCTOBER DURING MAKE A DIFFERENCE DAY. FAITH STERANKO AND JANEL KRAMER OF MINERSVILLE MIDDLE SCHOOL'S 6TH GRADE CLASS TALKED ABOUT THEIR PROJECT, OPERATION CHRISTMAS STOCKING:

MAKE A DIFFERENCE

CLICK TO LISTEN

OVER 61-HUNDRED VOLUNTEERS HELPED WITH PROJECTS, BENEFITTING COUNTLESS PEOPLE AND ANIMALS DURING MAKE A DIFFERENCE DAY IN OCTOBER.

CHAIN REACTION CRASH IN POTTSVILLE

A NEW PHILADELPHIA WOMAN ESCAPED INJURY IN A CRASH IN POTTSVILLE EARLY FRIDAY. CITY POLICE SAY NICOLE SCHREPPLE WAS EASTBOUND ON NICHOLS STREET WHEN SHE LOST CONTROL OF HER VEHICLE, AND STRUCK A PARKED JEEP. THE IMPACT PUSHED THE VEHICLE INTO A SECOND CAR, AND THE JEEP ALSO STRUCK A BASEMENT WALL OF THE HOUSE AT 447 NICHOLS STREET. SCHREPPLE'S CAR HAD TO BE TOWED FROM THE SCENE.

HIT AND RUN

STATE POLICE ARE LOOKING FOR A HIT AND RUN DRIVER INVOLVED IN A CRASH EARLY FRIDAY MORNING IN CRESSONA. REPORTS SAY THE CAR APPARENTLY WAS TRAVELING TOO FAST ON A CURVE NEAR THE CRESSONA ELEMENTARY SCHOOL. THE VEHICLE SPUN, STRIKING A WOODEN FENCE AND SPEED LIMIT SIGN, THEN LEFT THE SCENE. POLICE SAY RED PAINT WAS SEEN ON THE WOODEN FENCE. ANYONE WITH INFORMATION ON THIS ACCIDENT SHOULD CALL SCHUYLKILL HAVEN STATE POLICE.

WINTER CARNIVAL

THE GREATER POTTSVILLE WINTER CARNIVAL CONTINUES IN FULL SWING THIS WEEKEND. WITH A LOOK BACK AT PAST EVENTS, AND WHAT'S ON THE CALENDAR, HERE'S REPORTER SHERRY MARCHEFSKY.

WINTER CARNIVAL

ESSENCE OF JOY CONCERT

A WELL KNOWN MUSICAL GROUP FROM PENN STATE'S MAIN CAMPUS WILL BE PERFORMING AT SCHUYLKILL CAMPUS SATURDAY NIGHT. WPPA NEWS REPORTER SHERRY MARCHEFSKY HAS MORE:

ESSENCE OF JOY (click to listen)

EDWARD JONES RANKS HIGH IN FORTUNE 500

THE ST LOUIS BASED FINANCIAL SERVICES FIRM EDWARD JONES HAS RANKED NUMBER 2 ON FORTUNE MAGAZINE'S "100 BEST COMPANIES TO WORK FOR IN 2010". EDWARD JONES ALSO RANKED NUMBER ONE FOR LARGE-SIZED COMPANIES. THE COMPANY'S FORTUNE RANKINGS INCLUDE TOP 10 FINISHES FOR EIGHT YEARS AND CONSECUTIVE NUMBER 1 RANKINGS IN 2002 AND 2003. JIM WEDDLE, MANAGING PARTNER OF EDWARD JONES, SAID THAT IN PART, THE SATISFACTION OF THE FIRM'S ASSOCIATES STEMS FROM THE WORK THEY DO:

WEDDLE

IN NAMING EDWARD JONES TO THE LIST, FORTUNE EDITORS NOTED THAT THE FIRM HAS NOT CLOSED ANY OFFICES-OVER 12 THOUSAND NATIONWIDE DURING THE RECESSION. EDWARD JONES HAS OFFICES IN SCHUYLKILL HAVEN, TAMAQUA AND HAMBURG.

HARRISBURG, PA. (AP) - THE FIELD OF CANDIDATES EYEING THE GOVERNOR'S OFFICE HAS GOTTEN SMALLER. PHILADELPHIA BUSINESSMAN TOM KNOX IS DROPPING OUT AND THROWING HIS SUPPORT BEHIND ALLEGHENY COUNTY EXECUTIVE DAN ONORATO. KNOX SAYS HE WILL URGE THE OTHER THREE DEMOCRATS TO ALSO WITHDRAW AND ENDORSE ONORATO.

PITTSBURGH (AP) - THE MOTHER OF A BLACK TEENAGE VIOLA PLAYER ALLEGING BRUTALITY BY THREE WHITE PITTSBURGH POLICE OFFICERS SAYS SHE BELIEVES HER SON WAS ATTACKED BECAUSE OF HIS RACE. JORDAN MILES ATTENDS THE CREATIVE AND PERFORMING ARTS HIGH SCHOOL. HE WAS CHARGED LAST WEEK WITH ASSAULT AND RESISTING ARREST.

PHILADELPHIA (AP) - THE SENTENCE IS A YEAR OF HOME CONFINEMENT FOR MICHAEL PALERMO, A FRIEND OF CONVICTED FORMER STATE SENATOR VINCENT FUMO. PALERMO PLEADED GUILTY LAST YEAR TO TAKING $287,000 FOR LITTLE- OR NO-WORK STATE CONTRACTS. FUMO IS SERVING A 55-MONTH SENTENCE FOR DEFRAUDING THE STATE AND TWO NONPROFITS OF MILLIONS.

MILWAUKEE (AP) - HARLEY-DAVIDSON POSTED A LARGER-THAN-EXPECTED FOURTH-QUARTER LOSS. THE COMPANY LOST NEARLY $219 MILLION, OR 94 CENTS PER SHARE. HARLEY HAS BEEN REORGANIZING ITS BUSINESS OVER THE PAST YEAR TO COPE WITH FALLING DEMAND, CUTTING EMPLOYEES, CLOSING FACILITIES AND SHUTTERING OR SELLING BRANDS.

PITTSBURGH (AP) - CARNEGIE MELLON UNIVERSITY IN PITTSBURGH SAYS A SEARCH OF THREE CLASSROOM BUILDINGS FRIDAY AFTERNOON TURNED UP NOTHING UNUSUAL AFTER THE CAMPUS RECEIVED AN UNSPECIFIED SECURITY THREAT. A CAMPUS SPOKESMAN SAYS THE SCHOOL RECEIVED A PHONED-IN THREAT ABOUT NOON BUT REOPENED THE BUILDINGS ABOUT 2:30 P.M.

PORT-AU-PRINCE, HAITI (AP) - A PAIR OF RESCUES A STARTLING 10 DAYS AFTER HAITI'S EARTHQUAKE COULD BE THE LAST. THE UNITED NATIONS SAYS HAITI'S GOVERNMENT HAS DECLARED AN END TO THE SEARCH AND RESCUE PHASE FOR SURVIVORS, AS AN INCREASED HUMANITARIAN RELIEF EFFORT CONTINUES.

PORT-AU-PRINCE, HAITI (AP) - A SEVERELY DEHYDRATED 21-YEAR-OLD IS EXPECTED TO MAKE A FULL RECOVERY IN WHAT COULD BE THE LAST SURVIVAL MIRACLE IN EARTHQUAKE-DEVASTATED HAITI. AN ISRAELI RESCUE TEAM PULLED THE MAN FROM THE RUINS OF HIS BEDROOM 10 DAYS AFTER THE QUAKE. AN 84-YEAR-OLD WOMAN IS REPORTED IN CRITICAL CONDITION AFTER RELATIVES SAY SHE WAS RESCUED FROM THE WRECKAGE OF HER HOME. HAITI HAS NOW DECLARED THE SEARCH AND RESCUE PHASE COMPLETED.

BAGHDAD (AP) - VICE PRESIDENT JOE BIDEN IS HOLDING TALKS TODAY WITH IRAQI LEADERS ABOUT THE BLACKLISTING OF CANDIDATES FOR THE MARCH ELECTION. THE WHITE HOUSE WORRIES THE BANS COULD RAISE QUESTIONS ABOUT THE VOTE'S LEGITIMACY. A VETTING PANEL HAS PUT 512 NAMES ON THE BLACKLIST BECAUSE OF SUSPECTED LINKS TO SADDAM HUSSEIN'S REGIME AND MORE ARE EXPECTED.

KABUL (AP) - POLICE SAY A GUNBATTLE IN THE MIDDLE OF A PROTEST IN AFGHANISTAN STARTED WHEN MILITANTS HIDING AMONG DEMONSTRATORS OPENED FIRE AND OFFICERS SHOT BACK. TWO PEOPLE WERE WOUNDED. THE PROTEST WAS AGAINST THE DEATHS OF FOUR MEN IN A NATO-AFGHAN RAID. VILLAGERS SAY THE MEN WERE CIVILIANS BUT NATO AND AFGHAN POLICE SAY
THEY WERE MILITANTS.

LOS ANGELES (AP) - SHE ACTED ALONGSIDE SOME OF THE BIGGEST NAMES IN FILM IN THE MID 20TH-CENTURY. JEAN SIMMONS, WHOSE ETHEREAL SCREEN PRESENCE MADE HER AN ICON OF THE TIME, HAS DIED AT THE AGE OF 80. THE ACTRESS SANG WITH MARLON BRANDO IN "GUYS AND DOLLS," CO-STARRED WITH GREGORY PECK, AND PLAYED OPHELIA TO LAURENCE OLIVIER'S "HAMLET."