Today's News-Thursday, February 25, 2010

WEATHER


MOTHER NATURE IS SET TO DUMP AS MUCH AS A FOOT OF SNOW ON THE REGION AS A NOR'EASTER RUMBLES UP THE EAST COAST. WET SNOW BEGAN FALLING EARLY THIS MORNING, AND WILL INTENSIFY THROUGH TODAY INTO FRIDAY. THE SNOW WILL BE HEAVY AT TIMES, AND AS AARON TYBURSKI, METEROLOGIST AT THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN STATE COLLEGE SAYS, ANOTHER DIMENSION WILL CREATE PROBLEMS TOMORROW:


TYBURSKI


THE WEATHER WATCH COMPUTER IS FIRED UP THIS MORNING. CHECK OUT WEATHER RELATED INFORMATION ON OUR WEBSITE UNDER "WEATHERWATCH".


KETUSKY DEATH UPDATE


WE NOW KNOW THE OFFICIAL CAUSE OF DEATH OF A BARNESVILLE MAN FOUND IN MAHANOY CITY TUESDAY AFTERNOON. OFFICIALS SAY THAT 52 YEAR OLD MARK KETUSKY DIED OF A GUNSHOT WOUND TO THE HEAD. BUT, THE MANNER IN WHICH HE DIED IS STILL UNDER INVESTIGATION. POLICE CONTINUED TO COMB THE BOROUGH OF MAHANOY CITY WEDNESDAY TO TRY AND FIND OUT MORE INFORMATION IN THE CASE. KETUSKY WAS REPORTED MISSING MONDAY NIGHT FROM HIS HOME. HIS DEATH IS STILL BEING RULED AS SUSPICIOUS.


THE SIPHONING GAS THIEF


AS GAS PRICES CONTINUE TO DENT OUR WALLETS, WE HAVE REPORTED NUMEROUS WAYS THAT PEOPLE HAVE STOLEN GAS FROM DEALERS. THIS ONE IS RATHER NOVEL. STATE POLICE REPORT THAT 33 YEAR OLD JEREMIAH SHIVERS OF PRESCOTT, NEW MEXICO, PULLED INTO THE GASWAY STATION ON ROUTE 61 IN NEW CASTLE TOWNSHIP AFTER MIDNIGHT WEDNESDAY, PULLING A UTILITY TRAILER. SHIVERS HOOKED UP A HOSE TO THE UNDERGROUND GAS STORAGE TANKS AND USED A TRANSFER PUMP TO STEAL GASOLINE AND PUT IT IN 55 GALLON DRUMS ON THE TRAILER. SHIVERS IS CHARGED WITH BURGLARY AND RELATED COUNTS AND WAS JAILED IN THE SCHUYLKILL COUNTY PRISON.


COUNTY BUYS D.J. OFFICE


SCHUYLKILL COUNTY IS LOOKING TO PURCHASE THE BUILDING THAT HOUSES ONE OF ITS DISTRICT COURT. SHERRY MARCHEFSKY HAS THE STORY FROM THE COUNTY COURTHOUSE:


MARCHEFSKY COURT


INVESTIGATION NETS ARREST IN BURGLARY

A SECOND PERSON HAS BEEN ARRESTED IN CONNECTION WITH A BURGLARY AT A MINI MARKET IN LYKENS. STATE POLICE THERE SAY THAT 19 YEAR OLD OLIVIA KLINGER OF TOWER CITY, WHO WAS EMPLOYED BY THE STORE, HAS BEEN CHARGED WITH CONSPIRACY TO COMMIT BURGLARY, THEFT AND CRIMINAL MISCHIEF. KLINGER AIDED HER BOYFRIEND, CHESTER HUBLER THE THIRD OF LYKENS, IN THE DECEMBER BURGLARY THAT NETTED THEM CASH, AND CAUSED ABOUT $4-THOUSAND DOLLARS DAMAGE. HUBLER WAS ARRESTED EARLIER IN THE INVESTIGATION. KLINGER IS NOW HOUSED IN THE DAUPHIN COUNTY PRISON.


TALLMAN FARMS BURGLARIZED


A PORTER TOWNSHIP FARM HAS BEEN BURGLARIZED. SOMEONE ENTERED A BARN OWNED BY TALLMAN FARMS TUESDAY EVENING AND TOOK A WELDING MACHINE, THEN FLED THE SCENE. SCHUYLKILL HAVEN STATE POLICE ARE INVESTIGATING THE CASE.


CHARTER SCHOOL PROPOSAL TURNED DOWN


THE POTTSVILLE SCHOOL DISTRICT HAS TURNED DOWN A PROPOSAL TO START A CHARTER SCHOOL IN THE CITY. THE REPUBLICAN HERALD REPORTS THAT THE DISTRICT BOARD VOTED UNANIMOUSLY TO REJECT THE APPLICATION FOR THE GILLINGHAM CHARTER SCHOOL COLLABORATIVE. REVEREND STORM HUTCHINSON AND HIS WIFE NICOLLE APPLIED TO OPEN THE SCHOOL ON HOWARD AVENUE. THE BOARD CITED THAT THERE WAS A LACK OF COMMUNITY INTEREST IN THE SCHOOL, AND RAISED QUESTIONS ABOUT CURRICULUM, BUDGET AND OTHER ISSUES. THE ACTION TOOK PLACE AT THE BOARD'S WORK SESSION LAST NIGHT.


PENN DOT GEARS UP


AS FAMILIES PREPARE FOR ANOTHER WINTER BLAST, PENN DOT IS GEARING UP AS WELL TO KEEP ROADS CLEARED. THE EASTERN HALF OF THE STATE IS EXPECTED TO SEE ABOUT A FOOT OF NEW SNOW TODAY INTO FRIDAY. PENN DOT SPOKESPERSON STEVE CHIZMAR SAID ITS ALL ABOUT BEING PREPARED:


CHIZMAR


MOTORISTS SHOULD USE CAUTION WHEN TRAVELING, AND CAN CHECK ON INTERSTATE ROAD CONDITIONS BY LOGGING ON TO 511-PA.COM.

VANDALISM IN CEMETERYPHILADELPHIA (AP) - A SUBURBAN PHILADELPHIA EDUCATOR NAMED IN A WEBCAM SPYING LAWSUIT SAYS SHE DIDN'T MONITOR STUDENTS THROUGH SCHOOL-ISSUE LAPTOPS OR AUTHORIZE ANYONE ELSE TO.


THREE TEENAGED GIRLS AND A MAN FROM WILBURTON ARE CHARGED WITH CRIMINAL MISCHIEF AT A CEMETERY IN CENTRALIA. THE GIRLS, AGED 17, 14 AND 13 AND DAVID PAVLOSKI THE SECOND TOPPLED TOMBSTONES IN THE ODD FELLOWS CEMETERY IN CENTRALIA THE DAY AFTER CHRISTMAS. MORE THAN $5-THOUSAND-DOLLARS IN DAMAGE WAS DONE. PAVLOSKI ALSO FACES THREE CHARGES OF CORRUPTION OF MINORS. CHARGES AGAINST THE GIRLS WILL BE HANDLED IN THE JUVENILE SYSTEM.


HARRITON HIGH SCHOOL VICE PRINCIPAL LYNN MATSKO RESPONDED TO THE LAWSUIT WITH A WRITTEN STATEMENT YESTERDAY. THE SUIT CLAIMS THE SCHOOL VIOLATED A STUDENT'S PRIVACY BY SPYING ON HIM AT HOME.


PHILADELPHIA (AP) - A PHILADELPHIA JURY HAS DECIDED A MAN CONVICTED OF MURDERING TWO FORMER PHILADELPHIA POLICE OFFICERS IN AN ARMORED CAR HOLDUP SHOULD BE SENTENCED TO LIFE IN PRISON WITHOUT THE POSSIBILITY OF PAROLE. PROSECUTORS HAD SOUGHT THE DEATH PENALTY FOR 39-YEAR-OLD MUSTAFA ALI, WHO WAS CONVICTED LAST WEEK.


COATESVILLE, PA. (AP) - A 24-YEAR-OLD SOUTHEASTERN PENNSYLVANIA MAN ACCUSED OF SETTING FIVE FIRES NEAR HIS HOME HAS PLEADED GUILTY BUT MENTALLY ILL. LEROY MCWILLIAMS OF COATESVILLE WAS SENTENCED WEDNESDAY TO 12 1/2 TO 25 YEARS OF CONFINEMENT, WHICH WILL BEGIN AT A STATE MENTAL INSTITUTION AND COULD END IN A PRISON IF DOCTORS DETERMINE HE'S COMPLETED HIS TREATMENT.


PHILADELPHIA (AP) - PHILADELPHIA POLICE HAVE ARRESTED AND CHARGED A 27-YEAR-OLD MAN WITH SETTING A FIRE THAT DAMAGED THE OFFICES OF A FAMED MUSIC COMPANY THAT PRODUCED DOZENS OF BEST-SELLING RECORDS IN THE 1960S AND 1970S. CHRISTOPHER CIMINI IS ACCUSED OF SETTING SUNDAY'S FIRE AT PHILADELPHIA INTERNATIONAL RECORDS. 

WASHINGTON (AP) - LIVE FROM WASHINGTON, IT'S OBAMA'S HEALTH CARE SUMMIT. PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA AND HIS DEMOCRATIC ALLIES WILL TRY TO MAKE THEIR CASE FOR HEALTH CARE REFORM IN A SUMMIT WITH REPUBLICANS THIS MORNING, AND IT'LL BE BROADCAST LIVE ON DAYTIME TV. THE PUBLIC IS SPLIT OVER THE DEMOCRATS' PACKAGE AND ITS $1 TRILLION, 10-YEAR PRICE TAG.


ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) - IF YOU'RE IN THE NORTHEAST, HOLD ON TO YOUR HATS. FORECASTERS SAY A WINTER STORM EXPECTED TODAY COULD PACK POTENTIALLY DAMAGING WIND GUSTS AND COULD BE "SIGNIFICANT AND LONG-LASTING." ANOTHER STORM THIS WEEK ALREADY HAS DUMPED ABOUT A FOOT OF SNOW AND LEFT THOUSANDS WITHOUT POWER FROM PHILADELPHIA TO NEW ENGLAND.

ORLANDO, FLA. (AP) - SEAWORLD IN FLORIDA HASN'T DECIDED WHAT TO DO ABOUT A WHALE THAT KILLED ONE OF ITS HANDLERS. VETERAN TRAINER DAWN BRANCHEAU WAS RUBBING THE 12,000-POUND KILLER WHALE FROM A POOLSIDE PLATFORM WEDNESDAY WHEN IT REACHED UP, GRABBED HER WITH ITS MOUTH AND DRAGGED HER UNDERWATER. IT'S THE THIRD TIME THE ANIMAL HAS BEEN INVOLVED IN A HUMAN DEATH.

WASHINGTON (AP) - A STUDY SUGGESTS AN ONLINE PROGRAM SOME EMPLOYERS USE TO WEED OUT ILLEGAL WORKERS MISSES MORE THAN HALF THE PEOPLE IT'S SUPPOSED TO IDENTIFY. THE RESEARCH COMPANY THAT EVALUATED THE E-VERIFY SYSTEM FOR THE HOMELAND SECURITY DEPARTMENT FOUND 54 PERCENT OF THE ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS CHECKED THROUGH THE SYSTEM ARE CLEARED TO WORK BECAUSE THEY ARE USING STOLEN OR BORROWED IDENTITIES.


OMAHA, NEB. (AP) - SOME LAWMAKERS ARE PUSHING TO MAKE NEBRASKA THE FIRST STATE TO OUTLAW MOST ABORTIONS AFTER 20 WEEKS OF PREGNANCY. THEY ARGUE THAT THE FETUS MIGHT FEEL PAIN DURING THE PROCEDURE. ACCORDING TO THE NATIONAL CONFERENCE OF STATE LEGISLATURES THERE ARE SIX STATES THAT CURRENTLY REQUIRE THAT A WOMAN BE TOLD AN ABORTION COULD CAUSE PAIN FOR THE FETUS.