Today's News-Wednesday, January 27, 2010-updated 820am

EIGHT YEAR OLD BOY TAKES CAR OUT FOR A RIDE

AN EIGHT YEAR OLD SCHUYLKILL HAVEN BOY ESCAPED INJURY WHEN HE TOOK A CAR OUT FOR A RIDE IN NORTH MANHEIM TOWNSHIP TUESDAY EVENING. THE BOY TOOK THE CAR KEYS FROM HIS GRANDMOTHER'S COAT AND DROVE THE VEHICLE NEAR RENNINGERS MARKET. WHILE TRYING TO RETURN HOME, THE BOY LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE, AND IT WENT DOWN AN EMBANKMENT, ENDING UP ON THE PASSENGER'S SIDE IN A CREEK. THE BOY WAS ABLE TO CRAWL OUT A WINDOW. STATE POLICE ARE STILL INVESTIGATING.

THREE VEHICLE CRASH ON I-81

A THREE VEHICLE CRASH ON INTERSTATE 81 CLOSED THE HIGHWAY FOR MORE THAN AN HOUR YESTERDAY MORNING. REPORTS SAY 28 YEAR OLD ERICA REILLY OF PINE GROVE WAS NORTHBOUND NEAR EXIT 131. HER CAR VEERED TO THE RIGHT, STRIKING A MARYLAND WOMAN'S VEHICLE ON THE ON RAMP. MICHELLE CVACH'S CAR WAS PUSHED INTO THE CEMENT BRIDGE. A CANADIAN TRUCKER, ROBERT MACDONALD WAS UNABLE TO AVOID CVACH'S CAR AND STRUCK IT AS WELL. THANKFULLY, NO INJURIES WERE REPORTED, BUT IT TOOK EMERGENCY CREWS SOME TIME TO CLEAN UP. ERICA REILLY WILL BE CITED WITH VARIOUS MOTOR VEHICLE VIOLATIONS.

POTTSVILLE MAN INVOLVED IN CHASE WITH POLICE

A POTTSVILLE MAN IS UNDER ARREST AFTER HE LED POLICE ON A HIGH SPEED CHASE TUESDAY AFTERNOON. THE REPUBLICAN HERALD REPORTS THAT 47 YEAR OLD TROY LANGTRY WAVED A GUN AT A WOMAN IN BRANCH TOWNSHIP AND FOUR MEN AT LLEWELLYN FIRE COMPANY BEFORE TAKING OFF. LOCAL POLICE, ALONG WITH A STATE POLICE HELICOPTER WERE IN PURSUIT FOR ABOUT 45 MINUTES BEFORE BEING CAUGHT IN BUCK RUN. LANGTRY IS CHARGED WITH AGGRAVATED AND SIMPLE ASSAULT, FLEEING POLICE AND POSSESSION OF DRUG PARAPHERNALIA. BAIL WAS SET AT $25-THOUSAND-DOLLARS.

MAN FACES DRUG CHARGES

POTTSVILLE POLICE ARRESTED A READING MAN MONDAY ON DRUG CHARGES. THIRTY SEVEN YEAR OLD DANTE KEY WAS FOUND TO BE SELLING COCAINE, AND WAS QUICKLY NABBED BY DRUG INVESTIGATORS. KEY WAS ALSO CHARGED FOR A DRUG SALE HE MADE LAST WEEK IN POTTSVILLE. KEY WAS ARRAIGNED ON THE VARIOUS DRUG COUNTS AND TAKEN TO THE SCHUYLKILL COUNTY PRISON IN LIEU OF BAIL.

KNOWLES TO SEEK RE-ELECTION

THE INCUMBENT STATE REPRESENTATIVE IN THE 124TH DISTRICT WILL SEEK RE-ELECTION TO THE STATE HOUSE. JERRY KNOWLES, WHO WAS ELECTED LAST SUMMER TO FILL THE SEAT VACATED BY DAVID ARGALL, WILL RUN FOR A FULL TERM. THE FORMER AIDE TO ARGALL HAS SERVED IN LOCAL ELECTED POSITIONS, AS WELL AS SCHUYLKILL COUNTY COMMISSIONER.

ANOTHER CANDIDATE ANNOUNCES FOR CONGRESSIONAL PRIMARY

A MYERSTOWN MAN IS THE LATEST PERSON TO ANNOUNCE HIS CANDIDACY FOR THE 17TH CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT. SIXTY FIVE YEAR OLD ALLEN GRIFFITH, FOUNDER OF BIBLICAL FAMILY MINISTRIES, WILL RUN IN THE GOP PRIMARY IN MAY, FACING STATE SENATOR DAVE ARGALL AND JOSH FIRST. THE WINNER WOULD FACE INCUMBENT CONGRESSMAN TIM HOLDEN IN THE NOVEMBER GENERAL ELECTION. A FORMAL ANNOUNCEMENT OF GRIFFITH'S CANDIDACY WILL BE MADE EARLY NEXT MONTH.

NEW CASTLE SUP'V FACE DRUG CHARGE

A ST CLAIR MAN WHO CRASHED A VEHICLE INTO THE BLYTHE TOWNSHIP WATER AUTHORITY BUILDING LAST MONTH IS FACING CHARGES. ACCORDING TO THE REPUBLICAN HERALD, MICHAEL TOBIN THE THIRD WAS IN POSSESSION OF DRUG PARAPHERNALIA WHEN HE CRASHED A ST CLAIR SCHOOL DISTRICT VEHICLE INTO THE BUILDING ON VALLEY STREET, ROUTE 209 ON DECEMBER 7TH. EMERGENCY CREWS FOUND A PIPE WITH MARIJUANA RESIDUE IN IT WHEN TREATING TOBIN.PA. HOUSE VOTES TO BAN DRIVERS' HAND-HELD PHONES

HARRISBURG, PA. (AP) - POLICE COULD PULL OVER AND FINE DRIVERS FOR TEXTING BEHIND THE WHEEL OR USING A CELL PHONE WITHOUT A HANDS-FREE DEVICE UNDER A BILL THAT PASSED THE STATE HOUSE OVERWHELMINGLY TUESDAY. THE HOUSE VOTED 189-6 TO IMPOSE THE NEW RULES ON MOVING VEHICLES, WITH EXCEPTIONS FOR NAVIGATIONAL SYSTEMS OR DIALING 911. THE BILL WAS SPONSORED BY REP. JOE MARKOSEK OF ALLEGHENY. IT WAS SENT TO THE SENATE, WHICH IN JULY PASSED NARROWER LEGISLATION TO BAN TEXTING WHILE DRIVING. THE HOUSE-PASSED BILL MAKES VIOLATIONS A "PRIMARY OFFENSE," WHICH MEANS OFFICERS CAN STOP MOTORISTS FOR VIOLATIONS WITHOUT NEEDING SOME OTHER REASON TO PULL THEM OVER. NINETEEN STATES BAN TEXTING WHILE DRIVING, AND SIX BAN HAND-HELD CELL PHONES.
FORMER NFL LINEMAN PLEADS GUILTY IN PA. PROBE

SCRANTON, PA. (AP) - A FORMER NFL LINEMAN HAS PLEADED GUILTY TO ACCEPTING A BRIBE WHILE SERVING AS A COUNTY COMMISSIONER IN LUZERNE COUNTY. FORMER COMMISSIONER GREG SKREPENAK PLEADED GUILTY TUESDAY IN FEDERAL COURT IN SCRANTON. PROSECUTORS CHARGED HIM LAST MONTH WITH ACCEPTING $5,000 IN GIFTS FROM A DEVELOPER SEEKING PUBLIC FINANCING OF A TOWNHOUSE PROJECT. SKREPENAK IS FREE PENDING SENTENCING ON MAY 12. HE FACES 33 TO 41 MONTHS IN PRISON UNDER FEDERAL GUIDELINES. THE MAXIMUM SENTENCE FOR THE OFFENSE IS 10 YEARS IN PRISON. SKREPENAK WAS CHARGED AS PART OF AN ONGOING FEDERAL CORRUPTION PROBE. HE SAID IN COURT, "I HAVE TO HOLD MYSELF ACCOUNTABLE FOR WHAT HAS HAPPENED."

EASTON, PA. (AP) - JURORS IN EASTERN PENNSYLVANIA ARE TO HEAR CLOSING ARGUMENTS TODAY ON WHETHER A MAN CONVICTED OF A TRIPLE MURDER THAT AUTHORITIES CALLED A "GANGLAND HIT" SHOULD BE SENTENCED TO DEATH OR TO LIFE IN PRISON WITHOUT PAROLE. TWENTY-TWO-YEAR-OLD ALI ELIJAH DAVIS OF FREEMANSBURG WAS CONVICTED MONDAY OF THE NOVEMBER 2007 TRIPLE SLAYING.

PITTSBURGH (AP) - THE FBI IS LOOKING INTO WHETHER PITTSBURGH POLICE OFFICERS VIOLATED THE CIVIL RIGHTS OF AN 18-YEAR-OLD VIOLIST WHO ACCUSED THEM OF BRUTALLY BEATING HIM AS HE WALKED TO HIS GRANDMOTHER'S HOUSE AFTER DARK. AN FBI SPOKESMAN SAYS THE AGENCY HAS LAUNCHED AN INITIAL PROBE EVEN THOUGH IT HAS NOT YET RECEIVED A LETTER FROM JORDAN MILES' ATTORNEY FORMALLY REQUESTING A CRIMINAL INVESTIGATION INTO THE JANUARY 12TH CONFRONTATION.

ELKINS PARK, PA. (AP) - POLICE IN SUBURBAN PHILADELPHIA SAY A MAN ARRESTED IN A DOMESTIC DISPUTE LAST WEEK TURNED OUT TO BE WANTED IN CONNECTION WITH A DOUBLE MURDER IN CALIFORNIA MORE THAN 15 YEARS AGO. POLICE IN MONTGOMERY COUNTY SAY 34-YEAR-OLD THIEU VAN TRAN WAS TAKEN INTO CUSTODY LAST WEEK AND HIS FINGERPRINTS INDICATED THAT HE WAS WANTED ON A WARRANT ISSUED IN 1994 IN SACRAMENTO, CHARGING HIM WITH TWO COUNTS OF MURDER AND ONE COUNT OF ATTEMPTED MURDER.

PITTSBURGH (AP) -AUTHORITIES IN WESTERN PENNSYLVANIA SAY AN 8-YEAR-OLD BOY HAS DIED A DAY AFTER HE WAS ACCIDENTALLY SHOT WHILE HUNTING RACCOONS WITH RELATIVES. STATE POLICE SAID RUDY SHETLER OF FREDONIA WAS HIT IN THE HEAD WHEN A RIFLE ACCIDENTALLY DISCHARGED LATE MONDAY NIGHT IN A WOODED AREA OF MERCER COUNTY. HE DIED AT A PITTSBURGH HOSPITAL TUESDAY AFTERNOON.

WASHINGTON (AP) - THE THEME OF PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA'S FIRST STATE OF THE UNION MESSAGE TONIGHT WILL BE HEAVY ON JOBS CREATION AND THE ECONOMY. HE'LL BE TRYING TO REASSURE MILLIONS OF AMERICANS THAT HE UNDERSTANDS THEIR STRUGGLES. HE'LL ALSO BE MAKING THE CASE THAT HE'S WORKING TO CHANGE WASHINGTON EVEN AS HE FINDS HIMSELF HAVING TO WORK WITHIN ITS OLD POLITICAL WAYS.

WASHINGTON (AP) - THERE'S WORD THAT PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA IS PLANNING TO CREATE A TASK FORCE TO DEAL WITH THE COUNTRY'S $1.35 TRILLION BUDGET DEFICIT. THE SENATE REJECTED A SIMILAR PLAN YESTERDAY. BUT THE NEW YORK TIMES IS REPORTING ON ITS WEB SITE THAT OBAMA WILL USE AN EXECUTIVE ORDER TO ESTABLISH THE PANEL.

SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA (AP) - NORTH KOREA AND SOUTH KOREA HAVE BEEN EXCHANGING FIRE NEAR THEIR DISPUTED SEA BORDER. THERE ARE NO REPORTS OF CASUALTIES. THE NORTH SAYS IT'S FIRING ARTILLERY ROUNDS AS PART OF A MILITARY DRILL. THE SOUTH HAS BEEN RESPONDING WITH ABOUT 100 SHOTS FROM AN ISLAND MARINE BASE.

BEIRUT (AP) - A LEBANESE ARMY OFFICIAL SAYS CREWS ARE EXPANDING THEIR SEARCH FOR THE BLACK BOXES AND OTHER WRECKAGE OF AN ETHIOPIAN AIRLINES JET THAT CRASHED MINUTES AFTER TAKING OFF FROM BEIRUT. ALL 90 PEOPLE ABOARD THE PLANE ARE BELIEVED TO BE DEAD. INVESTIGATORS WANT TO KNOW WHY THE PLANE WENT DOWN IN FLAMES EARLY MONDAY. AN OFFICIAL SAYS "ONLY THE BLACK BOX CAN TELL."

WASHINGTON (AP) - ANALYSTS ARE CALLING TOYOTA'S MOVE UNPRECEDENTED. THE AUTOMAKER IS SUSPENDING U.S. SALES OF EIGHT OF ITS MOST POPULAR MODELS WHILE IT WORKS TO FIX FAULTY GAS PEDALS. TOYOTA IS ALSO PLANNING TO STOP PRODUCTION AT SIX NORTH AMERICAN PLANTS, STARTING NEXT WEEK.