Today's News-Thursday, February 4, 2010

FIRE HEAVILY DAMAGES PINE GROVE HOME

COOKING OIL ON A STOVE APPARENTLY CAUSED SIGNIFICANT DAMAGE TO A PINE GROVE AREA HOME WEDNESDAY MORNING. FIRE OFFICIALS SAY THAT FRANKLIN RHOADE WAS COOKING AT HIS HOME ON TERRACE HILL ROAD BEFORE LUNCHTIME WHEN THE OIL CAUGHT FIRE, AND FLAMES SPREAD INTO THE WALLS, ACCORDING TO THE REPUBLICAN HERALD. AN EXHAUST FAN MAY HAVE CAUSED THE SPREAD. CREWS HAD THE FIRE QUICKLY UNDER CONTROL. RHOADE SUFFERED BURNS TO HIS HANDS.

BRIDGE WORK, OTHERS AT COMMISSIONERS

THE SCHUYLKILL COUNTY COMMISSIONERS MET FOR THEIR WEEKLY MEETING WEDNESDAY. REPORTER SHERRY MARCHEFSKY HAS MORE:

COMMISSIONERS 2/3/10

RYAN MAKES IT OFFICIAL

LEBANON COUNTY BUSINESSMAN FRANK RYAN MAKES IT OFFICIAL. HE'S A GOP CANDIDATE FOR THE 17TH CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT RACE. RYAN HAD MADE OVERTURES ABOUT A POSSIBLE RUN WEEKS AGO, BUT WASN'T CERTAIN HE'D RUN FOR THE REPUBLICAN NOMINATION, OR AS AN INDEPENDENT. THE GOP FIELD IS ALREADY GETTING CROWDED, WITH SENATOR DAVE ARGALL, JOSH FIRST OF HARRISBURG AND ALLEN GRIFFITH OF MYERSTOWN HAVE ALREADY ANNOUNCED THEIR CANDIDACY. INCUMBENT TIM HOLDEN OF ST CLAIR WILL BE CHALLENGED BY HARRISBURG ATTORNEY SHEILA DOW-FORD. THE PRIMARY ELECTION IS MAY 18TH.

SNOWY ROAD LEADS TO CRASH

A FREDERICKSBURG MAN WRECKED HIS CAR ON ROUTE 895 EARLY WEDNESDAY MORNING. ROADS WERE APPARENTLY SLUSH COVERED WHEN 31 YEAR OLD MICHAEL ZENZ LOST CONTROL OF HIS VEHICLE AND IT BEGAN TO SPIN. THE VEHICLE HIT A UTILITY POLE ON THE PASSENGER SIDE. A TWO YEAR OLD PASSENGER WAS ALSO IN THE CAR. HE WAS TAKEN TO HERSHEY MEDICAL CENTER AS A PRECAUTION DUE TO A PRIOR MEDICAL CONDITION, ACCORDING TO STATE POLICE.

KENO?

THE COST OF HIGHER EDUCATION CONTINUES TO PUT A STRAIN ON A FAMILY'S BUDGET. SEVERAL STATE LEGISLATORS ARE ASKING THE HOUSE LEADERSHIP TO STUDY OFFERING KENO GAMES AT LICENSED RETAIL LIQUOR ESTABLISHMENTS, WITH PROFITS TO GIVE ADDITIONAL AID. REPRESENTATIVE NEAL GOODMAN JOINED HIS COLLEAGUES IN OFFERING A RESOLUTION THAT WOULD LOOK INTO OFFERING THE GAMES, WHICH WOULD BE SUPERVISED BY THE PENNSYLVANIA LOTTERY. GOODMAN SAYS HE'S HOPEFUL THAT THE STUDY WOULD PROVIDE A SOLUTION TO HELP FAMILIES SEND THEIR KIDS TO COLLEGE. PROCEEDS FROM THE GAMES WOULD BE FUNNELED TO PHEAA TO PROVIDE ADDITIONAL GRANTS. THE STUDY ABOUT POSSIBLE KENO GAMES WOULD LOOK AT BEST PRACTICES FROM OTHER STATES, AND IS TO BE COMPLETED WITHIN SIX MONTHS.

KNOWLES WEIGHS IN ON PAYING FOR STATE POLICE COVERAGE

MUNICIPALITIES WHO CAN'T AFFORD TO HAVE THEIR OWN POLICE FORCE RELY ON THE PENNSYLVANIA STATE POLICE FOR PROTECTION. MIKE DAVIES REPORTS FROM HARRISBURG ABOUT THE LEGISLATION, AND ONE AREA REPRESENTATIVE'S OPPOSITION TO IT:

STATE POLICE

DISORDERLY CONDUCT IN SHENANDOAH

STATE POLICE WILL CITE A SHENANDOAH MAN WITH DISORDERLY CONDUCT AFTER AN INCIDENT EARLY THIS MORNING. 41 YEAR OLD PAUL MOZDY CAME TO TRACY MOZDY'S HOME ON NORTH GILBERT STREET AROUND 3AM AFTER BEING KICKED OUT OF HIS GIRLFRIENDS HOUSE. PAUL MOZDY REPORTEDLY STAYED AT THE HOUSE FOR ABOUT 90 MINUTES AND BECAME INTOXICATED. AFTER BEING TOLD TO LEAVE, MOZDY BANGED ON THE VICTIM'S DOOR FOR ABOUT TEN MINUTES BEFORE SHE CALLED POLICE.

PHILADELPHIA (AP) - TWO PHILADELPHIA POLICE OFFICERS ARE RECOVERING FROM INJURIES AFTER A MAN THEY WERE TRYING TO STOP ALLEGEDLY REVERSED HIS VEHICLE INTO THEM AS HE FLED. THE OFFICERS WERE LISTED IN GOOD CONDITION AT A HOSPITAL AFTER LAST NIGHT'S INCIDENT IN NORTH PHILADELPHIA. POLICE SAY SHOTS WERE FIRED DURING THE INCIDENT AND A SUSPECT WAS ARRESTED.

PENN HILLS, PA. (AP) - ONE OF THE PITTSBURGH AREA'S LARGEST SCHOOL DISTRICTS HAS CANCELED CLASSES FOR TODAY AND TOMORROW BECAUSE OF A THREATENED STRIKE BY MORE THAN 400 TEACHERS. A WALKOUT IN THE PENN HILLS SCHOOL DISTRICT WOULD AFFECT UP TO 6,000 STUDENTS. THE SCHOOL BOARD IS SEEKING A WAGE FREEZE AND OTHER CONCESSIONS FROM THE TEACHERS.

PRIMOS, PA. (AP) - POLICE IN UPPER DARBY SAY A 10-YEAR-OLD STUDENT HAS BEEN CHARGED WITH BRINGING A KNIFE TO SCHOOL AND THREATENING ANOTHER STUDENT. POLICE SAY THE CHILD DISPLAYED THE WEAPON TO SEVERAL STUDENTS AND THREATENED A CLASSMATE AT ST. EUGENE SCHOOL IN THE PRIMOS SECTION OF THE TOWNSHIP. NO ONE WAS HURT.

SHICKSHINNY, PA. (AP) - INVESTIGATORS SAY STUDENTS AT A NORTHEASTERN PENNSYLVANIA HIGH SCHOOL ORGANIZED A "FIGHT CLUB" OFF CAMPUS. POLICE SAID TWO STUDENTS FROM NORTHWEST AREA SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL WOULD FIGHT EACH WHILE THE OTHERS CHEERED THEM ON. SCHOOL OFFICIALS FOUND OUT ABOUT IT WHEN VIDEO OF THE FIGHTS WAS POSTED ON THE INTERNET.

WILKES-BARRE, PA. (AP) - A NORTHEASTERN PENNSYLVANIA WOMAN WHO MARKETED "GOTHIC KITTENS" WITH EAR AND NECK PIERCINGS HAS BEEN CONVICTED BY A JURY OF ANIMAL CRUELTY. HOLLY CRAWFORD'S LAWYERS ARGUED THAT IF PARENTS ARE ALLOWED TO LET THEIR CHILDREN GET PIERCED EARS AT YOUNG AGES, CAT OWNERS SHOULDN'T BE HELD TO A HIGHER STANDARD.

TOKYO (AP) - THE IMPACT OF MILLIONS OF RECALLS DUE TO GAS PEDAL PROBLEMS AND A NEW BRAKE ISSUE ON THE HYBRID PRIUS WILL BE FELT IN FUTURE REPORTS BUT TOYOTA SAYS IT EARNED A PROFIT AT THE END OF LAST YEAR. TOYOTA SAYS IT MADE $1.7 BILLION IN THE OCTOBER-DECEMBER QUARTER.

RICHMOND, VA. (AP) - FORECASTERS SAY A WEEKEND STORM HEADING FOR THE MID-ATLANTIC REGION COULD BE AS BAD OR WORSE THAN ONE THAT DROPPED 20 INCHES OF SNOW IN SOME AREAS. VIRGINIA'S GOVERNOR HAS DECLARED A STATE OF EMERGENCY IN ADVANCE OF THE STORM EXPECTED EARLY FRIDAY THROUGH SATURDAY.

WASHINGTON (AP) - PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA'S BUSY DAY STARTS WITH A PRAYER. BOTH HE AND THE FIRST LADY TAKE PART IN THE ANNUAL NATIONAL PRAYER BREAKFAST, WITH OBAMA DELIVERING REMARKS. LATER IN THE MORNING, THE PRESIDENT WILL MEET WITH DEMOCRATIC CONGRESSIONAL LEADERS TO TALK ABOUT A BROAD RANGE OF LEGISLATIVE PRIORITIES. HE'LL ALSO HAVE LUNCH WITH BUSINESS LEADERS.

BOSTON (AP) - PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA'S AFRICAN AUNT TAKES HER IMMIGRATION TROUBLES BACK TO A JUDGE TODAY IN BOSTON. KENYA NATIVE
ZEITUNI ONYANGO (ZAY-TUH'-NEE AWN-YAHN'-GOH) MOVED TO THE UNITED
STATES IN 2000. HER FIRST ASYLUM REQUEST WAS REJECTED BUT SHE CONTINUED TO LIVE IN THE U.S. ILLEGALLY AFTER BEING ORDERED DEPORTED IN 2004. A JUDGE AGREED TO REOPEN THE ASYLUM CASE.

WASHINGTON (AP) - TWO AMERICAN-BORN GIANT PANDAS WILL HEAD FOR THEIR NATIVE LAND OF CHINA TODAY. THREE-YEAR-OLD MEI LAN OF ATLANTA AND 4 1/2 YEAR-OLD TAI SHAN OF WASHINGTON WILL FLY TO NEW HOMES IN CHINA, TO BECOME PART OF A PANDA BREEDING PROGRAM. THEY'VE BEEN HUGELY POPULAR WITH THE PUBLIC AND KEEPERS SAY THEY'LL MISS THEIR YOUNG CHARGES.