Today's News-Tuesday, January 5, 2010

FIRE FOLLOW UP

POTTSVILLE CITY AND STATE POLICE FIRE INVESTIGATORS WILL BE BACK AT THE SCENE OF MONDAY'S FIRE THAT DESTROYED THE FORMER MADY'S CARWASH ON ROUTE 61. THAT'S ACCORDING TO POTTSVILLE FIRE CHIEF TODD MARCH, WHO TOLD WPPA/T102 NEWS YESTERDAY THAT THE CAUSE OF THE BLAZE THAT DID MORE THAN $300-THOUSAND-DOLLARS DAMAGE IS UNDETERMINED AT PRESENT. MARCH SAYS THE BUILDING WAS IN FORECLOSURE, AND OWNED BY SUSQUEHANNA BANK. THERE WAS ELECTRIC SERVICE CONNECTED TO THE BUILDING AT THE TIME OF THE FIRE. MARCH, CITY POLICE FIRE INVESTIGATOR BILL DEWALD AND STATE POLICE FIRE MARSHAL JOHN BURNS WILL CONTINUE TO SEARCH FOR CLUES TODAY. THREE FIREFIGHTERS WHO FELL ON THE ICE WHILE FIGHTING THE FIRE ARE DOING OKAY, ACCORDING TO MARCH.

CITY BUSINESS ROBBED

A POTTSVILLE TEENAGER HAS BEEN APPREHENDED AFTER HE ROBBED A DOWNTOWN BUSINESS. THE INCIDENT HAPPENED AROUND 10:30 AT SMOKERS HEAVEN ON NORTH CENTRE STREET. KRISTOPHER MCGUINNESS IS ALLEGED TO HAVE POINTED A KNIFE AT THE STORE CLERK, AND WALKED AWAY WITH ABOUT $200 DOLLARS. POLICE APPREHENDED MCGUINNESS A SHORT TIME LATER. THE SUSPECT WAS ARRAIGNED ON ROBBERY CHARGES AS AN ADULT AND TAKEN TO SCHUYLKILL COUNTY PRISON.

DRUG VIOLATION

A SHENANDOAH MAN IS JAILED FOLLOWING APPREHENSION YESTERDAY IN THE BOROUGH. STATE POLICE STOPPED 28 YEAR OLD FRANK DAGOSTINO FOR DRIVING WITH AN EXPIRED REGISTRATION. POLICE SAY DAGOSTINO WAS APPARENTLY INTOXICATED, AND THEY FOUND MORE THAN 360 GRAMS OF MARIJUANA, PARAPHERNALIA AND NEARLY $3-THOUSAND-DOLLARS CASH IN THE CAR. A SEARCH OF A MOTEL ROOM IN SHEPPTON UNCOVERED MORE DRUGS AND CASH. DAGOSTINO WAS ARRAIGNED ON A HOST OF DRUG CHARGES, AND TAKEN TO THE COUNTY JAIL. HE WILL ALSO HAVE TO FORFEIT THE CASH AND THE CAR HE WAS DRIVING.

BLOOD DRIVES

NEARLY EVERY SECOND OF EVERY DAY, SOMEONE IN THIS COUNTRY NEEDS BLOOD. TODAY, THAT COULD BE YOU OR SOMEONE CLOSE TO YOU. NOW, YOU HAVE A CHANCE TO HELP BY TAKING PART IN SEVERAL BLOOD DRIVES IN OUR AREA. WEDNESDAY, THE NORTHEAST BLOOD SERVICES DIVISION OF THE AMERICAN RED CROSS WILL HOST A BLOOD DRIVE FROM 11:30AM TILL 6:30PM AT FAIRLANE VILLAGE, ROUTE 61. THURSDAY, A DONATION CENTER WILL BE SET UP AT JERUSALEM LUTHERAN CHURCH, 252 DOCK STREET, SCHUYLKILL HAVEN FROM 12NOON TILL 6PM. PRESENTING DONORS WILL RECEIVE A RE-USEABLE HAND WARMER, AND BE REGISTERED TO WIN UP TO $1-THOUSAND DOLLARS IN WINTER HEATING ASSISTANCE. TO MAKE AN APPOINTMENT, CALL 1800-GIVE-LIFE. WPPA AND T102 ARE PROUD TO BE PART OF THIS WINTER BLOOD GATHERING EFFORT.

"MEGADRIVE" FILMS AT COUNTY AIRPORT (FIRST VERSION)

YOU WEREN'T HEARING THINGS IF YOU HEARD THE WHOOSH OF FIGHTER AIRCRAFT IN THE SKIES ABOVE SCHUYLKILL COUNTY MONDAY AFTERNOON. A NEW MTV REALITY SHOW, "MEGADRIVE", CAME TO THE SCHUYLKILL COUNTY AIRPORT TO FILM SEGMENTS WITH VINTAGE CZECH-MADE L39 FIGHTER JETS YESTERDAY, WHICH ARE PRIVATELY OWNED. THE THREE FIGHTER JETS CLIMBED TO 75-HUNDRED FEET AND CRUISED AROUND THE REGION FOR ABOUT 45 MINUTES DURING FILMING. EXECUTIVE PRODUCER OF THE SHOW, ROB ANDERSON, TALKS ABOUT WHAT HOST, COMEDIAN JOHNNY PEMBERTON, DOES WITH THE SHOW:

ANDERSON MEGADRIVE INFO
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JOE ZERBEY AIRPORT MANAGER BILL WILLARD GOT THE WORD THAT THE FILM CREW WOULD BE COMING TO THE COUNTY OVER THE NEW YEAR'S WEEKEND, AND HE SAYS ITS A REAL PLUS FOR THE FACILITY AND THE COUNTY AS A WHOLE. MEGADRIVE HAS BEEN ALL OVER THE COUNTRY ALREADY FILMING THE 30 MINUTE EPISODES, WHICH EXPECT TO BEGIN AIRING ON MTV IN THE NEXT FEW MONTHS.

MEGA DRIVE FILMS AT COUNTY AIRPORT (SECOND VERSION)

IN THE AGE OF REALITY TV, ANYTHING GOES. THAT CERTAINLY WAS THE CASE MONDAY AT THE SCHUYLKILL COUNTY AIRPORT AS THE NEW MTV REALITY SHOW "MEGADRIVE" FILMED ON THE GROUND AND IN THE AIR IN CZECHOSLOVAKIAN MADE L39 JETS, AT SPEEDS OF NEARLY 300 MILES PER HOUR, WITH HOST JOHNNY PEMBERTON STRAPPED IN TIGHT. LARRY LABRIOLA, SCARSDALE, NEW YORK, A 40 YEAR VETERAN AND SELF PROFESSED WEEKEND PILOT, SAYS THERE ARE A MYRIAD OF BENEFITS TO FLYING THESE "TOYS"

LABRIOLA

MEGADRIVE EXECUTIVE PRODUCER ROB ANDERSON EXPLAINS WHY THE LION TELEVISION COMPANY CREW CHOSE THE SCHUYLKILL COUNTY AIRPORT:

ANDERSON WHY SCHUYLKILL
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COUNTY AIRPORT MANAGER BILL WILLARD HAD A BUSY NEW YEARS WEEKEND PREPARING FOR THE FILMING, BUT SAID IT WAS A REALLY EXCITING TIME HAVING THE MTV CREW ON SITE. "MEGADRIVE" WILL BEGIN AIRING ON MTV LATER ON THIS YEAR.

HARRISBURG, PA. (AP) - GOVERNOR ED RENDELL SAYS THE STATE PRISON SYSTEM AND THE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WELFARE WILL SEE THE BULK OF THE NEARLY 1,000 JOB CUTS IF A BILL TO LEGALIZE TABLE GAMES DOESN'T PASS SOON. RENDELL YESTERDAY RELEASED A LIST OF DEPARTMENTS WHERE WORKERS WILL BE LET GO, IF THE BILL ISN'T ON HIS DESK BY THE END OF THIS WEEK.

PERKASIE, PA. (AP) - POLICE SAY A MIDDLE-SCHOOL PRINCIPAL HIT A HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT WITH HER SUV IN PERKASIE IN SUBURBAN PHILADELPHIA, BUT DIDN'T IDENTIFY HERSELF AS THE DRIVER UNTIL DIALING 911 50 MINUTES LATER. THE 15-YEAR-OLD PENNRIDGE HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT SUFFERED HEAD INJURIES AND IS IN CRITICAL CONDITION.

YORK, PA. (AP) - KIM BRACEY HAS TAKEN OVER AS YORK'S NEW MAYOR. BRACEY IS THE CITY'S FIRST BLACK MAYOR. SHE TOOK THE OATH OF OFFICE YESTERDAY DURING A FRIGID OUTDOOR CEREMONY ATTENDED BY HUNDREDS. HER SHORT-TERM PRIORITIES INCLUDE ESTABLISHING A COMMUNITY POLICING NETWORK AND ATTACKING BLIGHT.

HARRISBURG, PA. (AP) - THE NEW MAYOR OF HARRISBURG, LINDA THOMPSON, SAYS SHE WILL MAKE TOUGH DECISIONS REQUIRED TO STABILIZE THE CITY'S BUDGET. THOMPSON, WHO WAS SWORN IN YESTERDAY, BEAT REPUBLICAN NEVIN MINDLIN IN THE GENERAL ELECTION AFTER UPSETTING LONG-TIME MAYOR STEPHEN REED IN LAST YEAR'S DEMOCRATIC PRIMARY.

PHILADELPHIA (AP) - PHILADELPHIA POLICE COMMISSIONER CHARLES RAMSEY SAYS HE PLANS TO FIRE AN OFFICER WHO SHOT AND KILLED AN UNARMED MAN WHILE OFF DUTY. LT. FRANK VANORE SAYS THAT THE DECISION TO FIRE FRANK TEPPER WAS BASED ON INFORMATION DETECTIVES GATHERED IN AN INVESTIGATION THE NOV. 21 SHOOTING.

SAN'A, YEMEN (AP) - THE U.S. EMBASSY IN YEMEN SAYS IT'S REOPENING ITS DOORS. THE EMBASSY CLOSED SUNDAY BECAUSE OF THE THREAT OF AN IMMINENT AL-QAIDA ATTACK. TODAY, THE EMBASSY SAYS YEMENI ACTIONS HAVE ADDRESSED ITS CONCERNS.

WASHINGTON (AP) - PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA WILL ANNOUNCE NEW MEASURES TODAY TO BEEF UP AIRLINE SECURITY AFTER THE CHRISTMAS DAY TERROR ATTEMPT. THE WHITE HOUSE SAYS AFTER A MEETING WITH SECURITY OFFICIALS, OBAMA WILL OFFER NEW STEPS TO IMPROVE WATCH LISTS AND THWART FUTURE TERROR ATTACKS.

WASHINGTON (AP) - A NEW FEDERAL STUDY SAYS THE U.S. SPENT A TOTAL OF $2.3 TRILLION ON HEALTH CARE IN 2008, EVEN THOUGH SPENDING ACTUALLY SLOWED DRAMATICALLY IN THE FACE OF A RECESSION. STILL, THE STUDY PUBLISHED IN THE JOURNAL HEALTH AFFAIRS SAYS HEALTH SPENDING DIDN'T SLOW DOWN AS MUCH AS THE NATION'S OVERALL ECONOMIC OUTPUT.

COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) - AN ARCTIC CHILL IS RUNNING THROUGH THE EASTERN HALF OF THE NATION AND IT'S EXPECTED TO LINGER THROUGH THE REST OF THIS WEEK. ST. LOUIS LATER THIS WEEK COULD SEE TEMPERATURES DROP BELOW ZERO FOR THE FIRST TIME SINCE 1999. FARMERS IN THE FLORIDA PANHANDLE ARE SCRAMBLING TO SAVE CROPS FROM THE FREEZING TEMPERATURES.

LOS ANGELES (AP) - THE FAMILY OF SOCIALITE CASEY JOHNSON SAYS IT'S IN MOURNING AFTER THE 30-YEAR-OLD JOHNSON & JOHNSON HEIRESS DIED. POLICE SAY JOHNSON'S DEATH MAY HAVE BEEN FROM NATURAL CAUSES SINCE A PRELIMINARY INVESTIGATION TURNED UP NO SIGNS OF FOUL PLAY. JOHNSON GAINED CELEBRITY STATUS AS THE GIRLFRIEND OF REALITY TV STAR TILA TEQUILA.