Today's News-Tuesday, January 26, 2010

KLINGERSTOWN WOMAN HURT IN CRASH

A KLINGERSTOWN WOMAN WAS HURT WHEN A TREE PLUNGED THROUGH HER WINDSHIELD MONDAY DURING THE STORM. STATE POLICE AT SCHUYLKILL HAVEN SAY 58 YEAR OLD DARCIE WEHRY WAS DRIVING ON STATE ROUTE 4016 IN ELDRED TOWNSHIP AFTER 5:30AM WHEN HER CAR HIT A TREE BRANCH, AND IT SMASHED THROUGH HER WINDSHIELD, INJURING HER FACE. WEHRY WAS TAKEN TO GEISINGER MEDICAL CENTER FOR TREATMENT. STATE POLICE AREN'T CERTAIN IF THE TREE BRANCH WAS ALREADY ON THE ROADWAY OR WHETHER IT FELL ON HER CAR DURING HIGH WINDS AND DRIVING RAIN.

TEEN CHARGED WITH HARASSMENT

POLICE SAY A SHENANDOAH TEENAGER WILL BE CHARGED WITH HARASSMENT AFTER AN INCIDENT IN WEST MAHANOY TOWNSHIP SUNDAY NIGHT. TROOPERS FROM THE FRACKVILLE BARRACKS SAY 48 YEAR OLD JOYCE BAROWSKI WENT TO HER PARENTS HOME ON TEXAS AVENUE, HEAVILY INTOXICATED, AND YELLED AT HER TEENAGED SON TO CLEAN UP HIS ROOM. REPORTS SAY THE BOY BECAME UPSET, AND SAID HE WAS GOING TO A FRIEND'S HOUSE. THE BOY REPORTEDLY GRABBED HIS MOTHER'S WRISTS AS HE PUSHED PAST HER. CHARGES OF HARASSMENT ARE EXPECTED TO BE FILED.

PUC DENIES CAB COMPANY PERMIT

A PUBLIC UTILITY COMMISSION JUDGE HAS DENIED THE APPLICATION OF AN ILLINOIS COUPLE WHO WANTED TO START A NEW CAB COMPANY IN THE AREA. THE REPUBLICAN HERALD REPORTS THAT ADMINISTRATIVE LAW JUDGE EMBER JANDEBEUR RULED THAT CLAUDE DAVIS JR. AND HIS WIFE LINDA "DID NOT PROVE THEY HAD THE ABILITY OR INCLINATION TO OPERATE CHARLIE'S YELLOW CAB INCORPORATED." THE DAVISES HAVE BEEN WORKING FOR SEVERAL YEARS TO TRY AND START A CAB OPERATION IN THE CITY. JUDGE JANDEBEUR WAS CRITICAL OF CLAUDE DAVIS'S APPLICATION AND HIS CRIMINAL PAST. DAVIS INTENDED TO OPERATE THE CAB SERVICE IN SCHUYLKILL AND CARBON COUNTIES.

SALVATION ARMY CHRISTMAS RESULTS

IN SPITE OF TOUGH ECONOMIC TIMES, SCHUYLKILL COUNTIANS DUG DEEP TO HELP OTHERS DURING THE CHRISTMAS SEASON. CAPTAIN ADAM HENCH OF THE POTTSVILLE SALVATION ARMY REPORTED POSITIVE RESULTS YESTERDAY AT THE ARMY'S BOARD MEETING. HENCH SAID THAT CASH DONATIONS FROM THE KETTLE CAMPAIGN AND OTHER SOURCES EXCEEDED 2008'S LEVELS. OVER 15-THOUSAND-TOYS WERE GIVEN OUT TO MORE THAN 18-HUNDRED CHILDREN, MORE THAN 600 FAMILIES WERE ALSO AIDED DURING THE CHRISTMAS SEASON. HENCH SAID THAT THERE WERE ALOT OF FIRST TIME FAMILIES SEEKING AID DURING THE HOLIDAYS.

PADCO BUSINESS PLAN COMPETITION

THE POTTSVILLE DOWNTOWN BUSINESS ASSOCIATION HAS ROLLED OUT ITS 2010 BUSINESS PLAN COMPETITION. WPPA/T102 NEWS REPORTER SHERRY MARCHEFSKY HAS MORE:

PADCO

ESSENCE OF JOY CONCERT

SOUNDS OF BEAUTIFUL MUSIC FILLED THE AIR OVER THE WEEKEND AT PENN STATE SCHUYLKILL. SHERRY MARCHEFSKY TOOK IN THE SIGHTS AND SOUNDS AND FILED THIS REPORT:

ESSENCE OF JOY

ESSENCE OF JOY WORKSHOP-SHERRY MARCHEFSKY


PHILADELPHIA (AP) - JURY SELECTION IS UNDER WAY IN THE MURDER TRIAL OF A MAN ACCUSED OF FLEEING OVERSEAS JUST BEFORE A 1998 TRIAL IN THE SLAYING OF A PHILADELPHIA RETIREE. PROSECUTORS SAY THEN 19-YEAR-OLD DAVID NAM KILLED A WORLD WAR II VETERAN DURING A 1996 HOME-INVASION ROBBERY.

PHILADELPHIA (AP) - PROSECUTORS IN PHILADELPHIA SAY THEY WILL SEEK THE DEATH PENALTY AGAINST A MAN CHARGED IN A HOME INVASION THAT RESULTED IN THE DEATHS OF HIS BEST FRIEND AND A WOMAN LAST SUMMER. TWENTY-ONE-YEAR-OLD NAFIS PINKNEY IS CHARGED WITH MURDER AND RELATED COUNTS IN THE DEATHS OF 21-YEAR-OLD JONATHAN PITTS AND 20-YEAR-OLD NAKEISHA FINKS.

EASTON, PA. (AP) - JURORS IN EASTERN PENNSYLVANIA HAVE CONVICTED A MAN OF A TRIPLE MURDER THAT AUTHORITIES CALLED A "GANGLAND HIT." THE NORTHAMPTON COUNTY PANEL DELIBERATED FOR A LITTLE MORE THAN THREE HOURS MONDAY BEFORE CONVICTING 22-YEAR-OLD ALI ELIJAH DAVIS OF FREEMANSBURG OF FIRST-DEGREE MURDER IN THE NOVEMBER 2007 DEATHS OF THREE YOUNG PEOPLE.

PITTSBURGH (AP) - A JUDGE HAS REVOKED THE BOND OF A SUBURBAN PITTSBURGH MAN WHO AUTHORITIES SAY FLED TO VIETNAM TO AVOID TRIAL AFTER ONE OF HIS 9-YEAR-OLD ADOPTED TWINS ACCIDENTALLY SHOT AND KILLED THE OTHER.SIXTY-EIGHT-YEAR-OLD MICHAEL LANESE, OF UPPER ST. CLAIR, ARRIVED IN PITTSBURGH ON SATURDAY AFTER SURRENDERING LAST WEEK TO FBI AGENTS.

HARRISBURG, PA. (AP) - A BILL THAT WOULD IMPOSE A FINE ON MOTORISTS IN PENNSYLVANIA WHO USE A CELL PHONE WITHOUT A HANDS-FREE DEVICE IS ADVANCING IN THE STATE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. THE HOUSE GAVE PRELIMINARY APPROVAL TO THE BILL MONDAY AND A FINAL VOTE ON THE BILL COULD HAPPEN AS EARLY AS TODAY.

BEIRUT (AP) - LEBANON'S TRANSPORTATION MINISTER SAYS THE PILOT OF AN ETHIOPIAN AIRLINES JET WAS FLYING THE WRONG WAY BEFORE YESTERDAY'S FATAL CRASH. HE SAYS THE BEIRUT CONTROL TOWER ASKED THE PILOT TO CHANGE DIRECTIONS BUT HE "DID A VERY FAST AND STRANGE TURN." AN INVESTIGATION IS UNDER WAY INTO WHY THE PLANE WENT DOWN IN FLAMES SOON AFTER TAKING OFF WITH 90 PEOPLE ABOARD.

PORT-AU-PRINCE, HAITI (AP) - HAITI'S PRESIDENT IS ASKING FOR DONATIONS OF HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF TENTS TO HELP SHELTER EARTHQUAKE SURVIVORS, NEARLY TWO WEEKS AFTER THE DISASTER STRUCK. PEOPLE HAVE BEEN SPREADING OUT ACROSS EMPTY LOTS, PARKS AND PLAZAS UNDER THE BURNING TROPICAL SUN. AN ESTIMATED 1 MILLION PEOPLE HAVE BEEN LEFT HOMELESS BY THE 7.0 MAGNITUDE QUAKE.

UNDATED (AP) - A WINTER STORM BLOWING ACROSS SEVERAL MIDWESTERN STATES HAS BEEN BRINGING FIERCE WINDS AND SNOW. IN SOUTHWESTERN MINNESOTA, ABOUT 100 STUDENTS ARE SPENDING THE NIGHT AT THEIR HIGH SCHOOL AFTER THE WEATHER BECAME TOO DANGEROUS FOR TRAVEL. MEANWHILE, CREWS IN THE DAKOTAS, NEBRASKA AND IOWA HAVE BEEN TRYING TO RESTORE ELECTRICITY TO ABOUT 13,000 CUSTOMERS.

WASHINGTON (AP) - PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA HAS BEEN HINTING AT WHAT HE'LL BE TALKING ABOUT IN TOMORROW NIGHT'S STATE OF THE UNION MESSAGE. THE SPEECH IS EXPECTED TO FOCUS ON THE ECONOMY AND BOOSTING JOB CREATION. HE'S ALSO EXPECTED TO SUBMIT A PLAN TO REDUCE SWELLING BUDGET DEFICITS.

DETROIT (AP) - THERE'S WORD THAT FORD MOTOR CO. IS SET TO ANNOUNCE THAT IT'S ADDING ABOUT 1,200 JOBS AT ITS CHICAGO ASSEMBLY PLANT. THE WORKERS WOULD HELP BUILD THE NEW FORD EXPLORER STARTING LATER THIS YEAR. SOME OF THE JOBS ARE EXPECTED TO GO TO FORMER FORD EMPLOYEES LAID OFF AT OTHER FACTORIES.