Today's News-Friday, February 5, 2010

WEATHER

WE MAY SEE THE FIRST MEASUREABLE SNOW ACCUMULATIONS OVER THE NEXT 36 HOURS ACROSS THE REGION. NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FORECASTER BILL GARTNER:

GARTNER WEATHER

SNOW SHOWERS ARE EXPECTED TO MOVE THROUGH THE AREA THIS AFTERNOON, WITH HEAVIER SNOW OVERNIGHT INTO MID DAY SATURDAY. ACCUMULATIONS MAY EXCEED SIX INCHES. STAY TUNED FOR WEATHERWATCH UPDATES, ON AIR AND ON LINE.

COURT RULES IN MYSPACE PARODY CASE

A UNITED STATES APPEALS COURT SAYS THAT THE BLUE MOUNTAIN SCHOOL DISTRICT CAN DISCIPLINE STUDENTS FOR CREATING MYSPACE PARODIES OF SCHOOL OFFICIALS AT HOME-BUT ONLY IF THEY ARE LIKELY TO DISRUPT SCHOOL. THE THIRD U.S. CIRCUIT COURT DETERMINED THAT BLUE MOUNTAIN OFFICIALS CAN SUSPEND A TEEN FOR HER SEXUALLY EXPLICIT PARODY OF HER PRINCIPAL, JAMES MCGONIGLE. THE PANEL SAYS THE SCHOOL COULD EXPECT THE POSTING TO DISRUPT SCHOOL. THE ACCUSED STUDENT AND HER PARENTS HAVE BEEN IN A LEGAL BATTLE SINCE THE INCIDENT NEARLY THREE YEARS AGO. A DIFFERENT CONCLUSION WAS REACHED IN A SIMILAR CASE IN MERCER COUNTY, WITH THE COURT SAYING THAT A HIGH SCHOOL CANNOT REACH INTO A FAMILY'S HOME AND POLICE INTERNET SPEECH.

THREE ARRESTED ON DRUG CHARGES

STATE AND PINE GROVE BOROUGH POLICE HAVE CHARGED THREE PEOPLE WITH DRUG RELATED CHARGES. AN INVESTIGATION HAS BEEN UNDERWAY FOR SEVERAL WEEKS ABOUT DRUG SALES, LEADING TO THE ARREST OF 50 YEAR OLD BRENDA NAUMAN, 24 YEAR OLD DAVID WILSON AND 24 YEAR OLD BUTCH AUNGST. THE TRIO WERE ARRAIGNED AND TAKEN TO COUNTY PRISON.

FLORIDA MAN TAKEN INTO CUSTODY IN POTTSVILLE

A FORT MYERS, FLORIDA MAN WAS TAKEN INTO CUSTODY WEDNESDAY NIGHT BY POTTSVILLE POLICE. 59 YEAR OLD KENNETH KAHN WAS REPORTEDLY SITTING IN AN IDLING VAN IN FRONT OF AN ELK AVENUE HOME, AND APPARENTLY HAD BEEN WALKING AROUND THE PROPERTY. POLICE FOUND FOOTPRINTS MATCHING KAHN'S IN THE SNOW, AND A LADDER HAD BEEN PERCHED AT THE REAR OF THE HOME. KAHN WAS CHARGED WITH LOITERING AND PROWLING, AND DRIVING UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF ALCOHOL. FOLLOWING ARRAIGNMENT, HE WAS TAKEN TO THE COUNTY PRISON.

MAN SOUGHT FOR SEX OFFENSES

RUSH TOWNSHIP POLICE ARE LOOKING FOR A WEST PENN TOWNSHIP MAN FOR COMMITTING SEX RELATED CRIMES. CHRISTOPHER HILL IS ALLEGED TO HAVE HAD SEXUAL INTERCOURSE WITH A 12 YEAR OLD CHILD. THE SEARCH FOR HILL HAS BEEN ONGOING FOR SEVERAL WEEKS. IF YOU CAN HELP POLICE IN FINDING HILL, PLEASE CALL 668-4242.

WOMAN HURT IN WALKER TOWNSHIP CRASH

A SUMMIT HILL WOMAN WAS INJURED IN A CRASH THURSDAY AFTERNOON IN WALKER TOWNSHIP. POLICE SAY 23-YEAR-OLD TERRI MCHUGH WAS FLOWN FROM THE SCENE TO LEHIGH VALLEY HOSPITAL AFTER SHE LOST CONTROL OF HER VEHICLE. IT WENT OFF THE ROADWAY AND STRUCK A BRICK RETAINING WALL.
PHILADELPHIA (AP) - A MAJOR WINTER STORM IS BEARING DOWN ON THE MID-ATLANTIC REGION. FORECASTERS EXPECT THE SNOW TO BEGIN THIS AFTERNOON, WITH THE HEAVIEST AMOUNTS OVERNIGHT AND THROUGH THE DAY TOMORROW. A WINTER STORM WARNING HAS BEEN POSTED FOR THE PHILADELPHIA-AREA, WHICH COULD GET A FOOT OF SNOW OR MORE. SOME AIRLINES HAVE ALREADY CANCELLED FLIGHTS FROM THE REGION.

HARRISBURG, PA. (AP) - MORE HELP IS ON THE WAY FOR LOW-INCOME PENNSYLVANIA FAMILIES STRUGGLING TO STAY WARM THIS WINTER. STATE
OFFICIALS SAY ADDITIONAL MONEY IS BEING MADE AVAILABLE THROUGH THE
FEDERALLY-FUNDED PROGRAM THAT PROVIDES CASH GRANTS TO HELP FAMILIES
PAY THEIR WINTER HEATING BILLS.

HARRISBURG, PA. (AP) - THE CROSS-EXAMINATION OF A KEY DEFENSE WITNESS IN THE CORRUPTION TRIAL OF FORMER REP. MIKE VEON IS EXPECTED TO CONTINUE TODAY. YESTERDAY, QUESTIONS RAISED ABOUT THE ACCURACY OF MIKE MANZO'S TESTIMONY AND HIS MOTIVATION TO COOPERATE WITH PROSECUTORS CAUSED THE TRIAL TO BE HALTED FOR SEVERAL HOURS.

NEW WASHINGTON, PA. (AP) - INVESTIGATORS ARE AWAITING AUTOPSY REPORTS ON A 30-YEAR-OLD MAN FOUND DEAD IN A HORSE PASTURE IN CLEARFIELD COUNTY. A STATE TROOPER SAYS INVESTIGATORS BELIEVE DOYLE MUSSELMAN SUSTAINED BLUNT FORCE TRAUMA, BUT THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY SAYS IT'S TOO EARLY TO DECLARE THE CASE A HOMICIDE.

TOKYO (AP) - TOYOTA'S CHIEF EXECUTIVE IS ABOUT TO SPEAK OUT ON THE COMPANY'S INCREASING QUALITY CONTROL WOES OVER GAS PEDALS AND BRAKES. AKIO TOYODA HOLDS HIS FIRST NEWS CONFERENCE TODAY SINCE THE AUTOMAKER ISSUED MASSIVE GLOBAL RECALLS. CRITICISM HAS BEEN GROWING THAT TOYODA, THE GRANDSON OF THE COMPANY'S FOUNDER, HAS LARGELY BEEN INVISIBLE AMID THE AUTOMAKER'S WORST CRISIS SINCE IT WAS FOUNDED.

WASHINGTON (AP) - UNEMPLOYMENT IS FORECAST TO CREEP UP TO 10.1 PERCENT WHEN THE LABOR DEPARTMENT ANNOUNCES ITS JANUARY FIGURES TODAY. ANALYSTS ARE ALSO EXPECTING THE DEPARTMENT TO ADD ANOTHER 800,000 JOBS TO THE TOTAL LOST DURING THE RECESSION, WHICH WILL BE AROUND 8 MILLION IN THE YEAR THAT ENDED IN MARCH, 2009.

IQALUIT, NUVAVUT (AP) - TREASURY SECRETARY TIMOTHY GEITHNER IS EXPECTED TO URGE OTHER G-7 NATIONS TO KEEP PROVIDING STIMULUS THROUGH THE REST OF THIS YEAR. HE SAYS THE RISK OF ENDING STIMULUS TOO SOON IS A PLUNGE BACK INTO RECESSION. THE TOP FINANCE MINISTERS AND CENTRAL BANK PRESIDENTS ARE MEETING TODAY IN AN UNUSUAL PLACE -- A SNOWSWEPT CANADIAN TOWN JUST 200 MILES SOUTH OF THE ARCTIC CIRCLE.

NEW YORK (AP) - IT'S NOT JUST THE SUPER BOWL THAT MILLIONS OF FANS ARE GETTING READY TO WATCH THIS WEEKEND -- IT'S THE COMMERCIALS. THE ADS THEMSELVES HAVE BECOME A TRADITION ALL ON THEIR OWN, AS THE GAME GENERATES SOME OF THE MOST CREATIVE -- AND EXPENSIVE COMMERCIALS. A 30 SECOND SPOT THIS YEAR COSTS $3 MILLION.