Today's News-Wednesday, January 13, 2010

FIRE IN PINE GROVE

FAMILIES ARE HOMELESS AND SEVEN BUILDINGS HEAVILY DAMAGED FOLLOWING AN OVERNIGHT FIRE IN PINE GROVE. FIRE CREWS FROM THAT BOROUGH, SUMMIT STATION, FRIEDENSBURG AND SCHUYLKILL HAVEN RESPONDED TO THE BLAZE THAT'S BELIEVED TO HAVE STARTED AT 73 TULPEHOCKEN STREET, DOWNTOWN PINE GROVE AROUND MIDNIGHT. REPORTS INDICATE THAT EVERYONE GOT OUT SAFELY. AN INVESTIGATION WILL BE CONDUCTED TO FIND OUT WHAT CAUSED THE FIRE IN PINE GROVE.FOUR PICKED UP IN NOVEMBER BURGLARY

STATE POLICE HAVE CHARGED FOUR PEOPLE IN A BURGLARY IN GIRARDVILLE IN NOVEMBER. THE INCIDENT HAPPENED AT GIRARDVILLE BEVERAGE ON EAST MAIN STREET DURING THE OVERNIGHT HOURS OF NOVEMBER 24TH AND 25TH. THE CULPRITS CUT A HOLE IN AN OVERHEAD STEEL DOOR TO GAIN ACCESS. CHARGED WITH BURGLARY AND RELATED COUNTS ARE 18 YEAR OLD CHARLES HUHN, 19 YEAR OLD ANTHONY EDMONSON, 20 YEAR OLD THOMAS STANTON AND A 17 YEAR OLD MALE, ALL FROM GIRARDVILLE. THE GROUP CAUSED DAMAGES IN EXCESS OF $27 HUNDRED DOLLARS AND TOOK A CASH REGISTER AND CASES OF BEER IN THE BREAK IN.

ANOTHER CANDIDATE THROWS HAT INTO 17TH CONGRESSIONAL RING

A BUSINESSMAN FROM LEBANON COUNTY IS THE LATEST TO ANNOUNCE HIS CANDIDACY FOR THE 17TH CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT RACE. 58 YEAR OLD FRANK RYAN, A CERTIFIED PUBLIC ACCOUNTANT, WILL RUN FOR A SLOT ON THE BALLOT, BUT WHICH PARTY HE'LL RUN UNDER IS YET TO BE DETERMINED. RYAN TELLS THE REPUBLICAN HERALD HE'S "DISENCHANTED" WITH THE REPUBLICAN PARTY. RYAN IS ALSO A 33 YEAR MILITARY VETERAN.

WINTER OUTING AT HAWK MOUNTAIN

CHASE THE WINTER BLUES THIS WEEKEND AT HAWK MOUNTAIN. SHERRY MARCHEFSKY HAS MORE:

MARCHEFSKY SNOWFLAKE FLURRY

FARM SHOW

WEDNESDAY MARKS THE HALFWAY POINT OF THE 94TH PENNSYLVANIA FARM SHOW, WITH THE SHEEP TO SHAWL COMPETITION AMONG THE FEATURED EVENTS. GARY ABDULLAH HAS A PREVIEW:

WED PREVIEW

PHILADELPHIA (AP) - POLICE IN PHILADELPHIA HAVE ARRESTED FOUR TEENAGERS IN THE DEATH OF A PIZZA DELIVERY DRIVER WHO DIED AFTER AN APPARENT HEART ATTACK FOLLOWING A CARJACKING. AUTHORITIES SAY THE SUSPECTS RANGE IN AGE FROM 14 TO 18 AND FACE CHARGES OF MURDER, ROBBERY, THEFT AND CONSPIRACY IN THE DEATH OF 69-YEAR-OLD JAIME OROZCO-TORRES.

WILKES-BARRE, PA. (AP) - AUTHORITIES IN EASTERN PENNSYLVANIA SAY AN EMERGENCY RESPONDER WAS FOUND DEAD IN A BURNING SUV OUTSIDE HIS HOME. THE LUZERNE COUNTY CORONER'S OFFICE HAS IDENTIFIED THE VICTIM AS 25-YEAR-OLD RYAN BROGHAMER OF HANOVER TOWNSHIP. A STATE POLICE FIRE MARSHAL IS INVESTIGATING THE CAUSE OF THE BLAZE.

PHILADELPHIA (AP) - FOUR ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS ARE ACCUSED OF RUNNING BROTHELS OUT OF A PAIR OF SOUTH PHILADELPHIA HOUSES. THREE OF THE MEN WERE ARRESTED MONDAY, THE SAME DAY A FEDERAL INDICTMENT AGAINST THEM WAS UNSEALED. INVESTIGATORS SAY THE SUSPECTS WOULD SCHEDULE WOMEN TO TRAVEL FROM NEW YORK, NEW JERSEY AND DELAWARE TO WORK IN THE BROTHEL FOR ABOUT A WEEK AT A TIME.

PHILADELPHIA (AP) - FEDERAL AUTHORITIES SAY A MAN WITH TUBERCULOSIS WAS ALLOWED TO BOARD A PLANE FROM PHILADELPHIA TO SAN FRANCISCO OVER THE WEEKEND DESPITE HAVING BEEN PLACED ON A "DO NOT BOARD" LIST. OFFICIALS SAY THE RISK OF INFECTION FOR PASSENGERS FROM A FLIGHT LESS THAN EIGHT HOURS IS "EXCEEDINGLY SMALL."

NEW YORK (AP) - PHILADELPHIA IS AMONG THE 18 METROPOLITAN AREAS INCLUDED IN U.S. PLANS FOR THE 2018 OR 2022 WORLD CUP. AMERICAN ORGANIZERS SELECTED 21 STADIUMS IN 18 METROPOLITAN AREAS TO BE INCLUDED IN THE U.S. BID TO HOST THE EVENT. PHILADELPHIA'S LINCOLN FINANCIAL FIELD IS AMONG THE STADIUMS THAT WILL BE PART OF THE BID. A DECISION IS EXPECTED IN DECEMBER ON THE HOST NATIONS FOR THE 2018 AND 2022 WORLD CUP.

PORT-AU-PRINCE, HAITI (AP) - THE U.S., MEXICO AND VENEZUELA ARE AMONG THE COUNTRIES PROMISING HELP FOR HAITI TO RECOVER FROM ITS DISASTROUS EARTHQUAKE. THERE'S NO WORD YET ON CASUALTIES, BUT PEOPLE ON THE SCENE BELIEVE THE DEATH TOLL IS HIGH.

PORT-AU-PRINCE, HAITI (AP) - EARLY REPORTS FROM THE CAPITAL OF HAITI AFTER YESTERDAY'S 7.0 EARTHQUAKE ARE OF PEOPLE CRAWLING OUT OF RUBBLE, AND PLEADING IN THE STREETS FOR DOCTORS. LITTLE HELP SEEMS AVAILABLE. A HOSPITAL IS AMONG THE BUILDINGS DAMAGED.

KABUL (AP) - DETAILS ARE SKETCHY, BUT OFFICIALS SAY TWO AMERICAN SERVICE MEMBERS HAVE DIED IN A BOMB BLAST IN EASTERN AFGHANISTAN. THAT RAISES THE U.S. DEATH TOLL IN THE COUNTRY TO 12 SO FAR THIS MONTH. ANOTHER BOMB KILLED FOUR AFGHAN POLICEMEN.

WASHINGTON (AP) - PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA REPORTEDLY WANTS TO RECOVER BILLIONS OF DOLLARS IN TAXPAYER MONEY USED TO HELP KEEP BANKS AFLOAT LAST YEAR. A SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL SAYS OBAMA WILL ASK TOMORROW FOR A NEW FEE ON BIG BANKS.

AUSTIN, TEXAS (AP) - THE TEXAS BOARD OF EDUCATION BEGINS HEARING TESTIMONY TODAY ON HOW HISTORY AND SOCIAL STUDIES WILL BE TAUGHT. REACHING THE GUIDELINES, WHICH WILL APPLY FOR A DECADE, COULD TRIGGER NUMEROUS IDEOLOGICAL FLASHPOINTS.