Today's News-Saturday, February 27, 2010

FIRE CLAIMS LIFE IN LAKE WYNONAH

FIRE DAMAGED A HOME IN LAKE WYNONAH LAST NIGHT AND ONE PERSON IS DEAD. FIRE CREWS FROM FRIEDENSBURG, SCHUYLKILL HAVEN AND SUMMIT STATION WERE CALLED TO 511 COYOTE DRIVE AT THE DINNER HOUR. SCHUYLKILL COUNTY COMMUNICATIONS RADIO REPORTED THAT THE FIRE STARTED IN THE GARAGE OF THE HOME, AND SPREAD TO THE HOUSE. THE CORONER AND FIRE MARSHAL WERE CALLED TO THE SCENE. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION AS TO THE IDENTITY OF THE VICTIM IS EXPECTED LATER THIS MORNING.

GIRL SCOUT COOKIE TIME

SWEET TREATS THAT BENEFIT GIRL SCOUTS...ITS COOKIE TIME. SHERRY MARCHEFSKY HAS THE STORY:

GIRL SCOUT COOKIES

CAR STRIKES TREE

A BERWICK MAN ESCAPED INJURY WHEN HIS CAR STRUCK A TREE ON ROUTE 895 YESTERDAY MORNING. 20 YEAR OLD MICHAEL CORBACIO LOST CONTROL ON THE SNOW COVERED ROADWAY IN WEST BRUNSWICK TOWNSHIP AND HIT THE GUIDERAIL, THEN TRAVELED FOR ABOUT 75 FEET BEFORE HITTING THE TREE. THE CRASH HAPPENED AFTER 11AM FRIDAY MORNING.

ASHLAND MAN PLEADS IN FEDERAL DRUG CASE

A MAN FROM ASHLAND HAS PLEADED GUILTY TO FEDERAL DRUG CHARGES. THE REPUBLICAN HERALD REPORTS THAT MICHAEL STOCKUNAS PLEADED GUILTY TO CONSPIRING TO DISTRIBUTE METHAMPHETAMINE, RUNNING AN ILLEGAL GAMBLING BUSINESS AND FILING A FALSE TAX RETURN. SENTENCE BY A FEDERAL JUDGE WILL TAKE PLACE LATER. STOCKUNAS'S SON MICKEY AND BROTHER SCOTT STOCKUNAS WERE ALSO INVOLVED IN THE DRUG RING AND PLEADED GUILTY PREVIOUSLY. THEY WERE INVOLVED IN SHIPPING METH TO THE STATE FOR RESALE.
　
UNION DALE, PA. (AP) - IT COULD BE ANOTHER DAY BEFORE 57 STUDENTS AT A PHILADELPHIA HIGH SCHOOL AND THEIR CHAPERONES CAN GET HOME AFTER GETTING STRANDED BY A STRONG WINTER STORM DURING A CLASS TRIP. THE STUDENTS FROM CALVARY CHRISTIAN ACADEMY WERE STAYING IN A RED CROSS SHELTER IN NORTHEASTERN PENNSYLVANIA WHILE THEY WAIT FOR ONE OF THEIR VEHICLES TO BE REPAIRED.

PHILADELPHIA (AP) - THE WINTER STORM THAT HAD THE NORTHEAST ON EDGE FOR MORE THAN A DAY BEGAN TAPERING OFF IN SOUTHERN PARTS OF THE REGION AFTER LEAVING MORE THAN 1 MILLION HOMES AND BUSINESSES WITHOUT POWER FROM MAINE TO PENNSYLVANIA. CREWS HAVE REOPENED THE PENNSYLVANIA TURNPIKE IN BOTH DIRECTIONS AFTER AS MANY AS 20 TRACTOR-TRAILERS WERE INVOLVED IN CRASHES THAT FORCED THE SHUTDOWN OF A 60-MILE STRETCH OF HIGHWAY.

HARRISBURG, PA. (AP) - MORE LEGAL FIREWORKS ACCOMPANIED THE END OF THE FOURTH WEEK OF TESTIMONY IN PENNSYLVANIA'S LEGISLATIVE CORRUPTION TRIAL. JUDGE RICHARD LEWIS CAUTIONED DEFENSE ATTORNEY DAN RAYNAK NOT TO "PUSH IT" AT THE END OF THE DAY AFTER RAYNAK COMPLAINED ABOUT A PROSECUTOR'S REACTION TO A WITNESS' TESTIMONY. THREE FORMER AIDES ARE ON TRIAL WITH FORMER REP. MIKE VEON.

MORGANTOWN, W.VA. (AP) - THE SIERRA CLUB AND THE WEST VIRGINIA HIGHLANDS CONSERVANCY ARE THREATENING TO SUE CONSOL ENERGY IF IT DOESN'T MEET FEDERAL WATER-QUALITY STANDARDS. THE CANONSBURG, PA.-BASED COAL COMPANY IS DEVELOPING PLANS TO BUILD MINE WATER TREATMENT PLANTS IN THE DUNKARD CREEK WATERSHED. THE CREEK RUNS ALONG THE PENNSYLVANIA-WEST VIRGINIA BORDER AND WAS THE SITE OF A MASSIVE FISH KILL LAST FALL.
　
SANTIAGO, CHILE (AP) - THE AFTERMATH OF A MASSIVE 8.8-MAGNITUDE EARTHQUAKE CAPABLE OF TREMENDOUS DAMAGE IS GETTING WORSE IN CHILE,
WITH AT LEAST 16 DEAD AND THE TOLL EXPECTED TO RISE. THE QUAKE CENTERED IN CENTRAL CHILE SHOOK THE CAPITAL, SANTIAGO, FOR 90 SECONDS, COLLAPSING BUILDINGS AND CUTTING UTILITIES. PRESIDENT MICHELE BACHELET (BAH-CHEH-LET') DECLARED A "STATE OF CATASTROPHE" IN CENTRAL CHILE.

ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) - UTILITY CREWS FACE AN UPHILL CLIMB IN THEIR EFFORTS TO RESTORE POWER TO MORE THAN A MILLION CUSTOMERS IN THE NORTHEAST AFTER A MAJOR WINTER STORM. DEEP SNOWDRIFTS, FALLEN TREES AND DOWNED POWER LINES ARE IN THE WAY. THE SLOW-MOVING STORM POUNDED THE REGION WITH HEAVY SNOW, RAIN AND HURRICANE-FORCE WINDS.

ORLANDO, FLA. (AP) - THERE WON'T BE ANY SPECTACULAR STUNTS WITH TRAINER AS SEAWORLD IN FLORIDA GOES ON WITH THE SHOW TODAY. THE FIRST KILLER WHALE SHOW SINCE AN ORCA KILLED A TRAINER WILL HAPPEN WITH TRAINERS BANNED FROM ENTERING THE POOL. A VIDEO TRIBUTE IS PLANNED FOR DAWN BRANCHEAU (BRAN-CHOH'), THE VETERAN TRAINER WHO DIED.

WASHINGTON (AP) - THE SUPREME COURT AGAIN TAKES UP THE ISSUE OF GUN OWNERSHIP THIS WEEK, CONSIDERING WHETHER THE SECOND AMENDMENT APPLIES TO STATES AS WELL AS TO THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT. IT'S WIDELY ELIEVED THE JUSTICES WILL SAY IT DOES. THE CASE INVOLVES HANDGUN BANS IN CHICAGO AND ITS SUBURB OF OAK PARK, ILL. ORAL ARGUMENTS ARE SET FOR TUESDAY.

BEIJING (AP) - CHINA'S PREMIER DID A RARE THING TODAY, ANSWERING QUESTIONS IN AN ONLINE CHAT WITH CITIZENS WORRIED ABOUT CORRUPTION,
FOOD SAFETY AND OTHER SOCIAL PROBLEMS. HE SAYS 2010 WILL BE THE MOST COMPLICATED YEAR FOR THE COUNTRY'S ECONOMY, AND HE PROMISES THE GOVERNMENT WILL FIGHT INFLATION AND SOARING PROPERTY PRICES.