Today's News-Tuesday, February 16, 2010

TAMAQUA MAN DIES FROM CRASH
A NEW RINGGOLD MAN SUCCUMBED TO HIS INJURIES IN A WEEKEND CRASH ON ROUTE 309. TAMAQUA POLICE REPORT THAT THE INVESTIGATION IS CONTINUING INTO THE CRASH WHERE 46 YEAR OLD EDWARD STOOT'S CAR LEFT THE ROADWAY AND HIT A SHED. CREWS HAD TO DIG STOOT OUT FROM THE VEHICLE. HE WAS TAKEN TO ST LUKE MINERS MEMORIAL HOSPITAL WHERE HE LATER DIED.

SHENANDOAH MAN BITTEN BY DOG

A MAN FROM SHENANDOAH WAS BITTEN BY A DOG SATURDAY NIGHT DURING A DOMESTIC DISTURBANCE. A FIGHT WAS IN PROGRESS BETWEEN TWO MEN AT A MOUNT VERNON STREET HOME, AND NEIGHBOR MICHAEL KILKENNY CAME TO THE HOME, WHEN RYAN ARROYO PUNCHED KILKENNY IN THE FACE AND THE TWO BEGAN TO FIGHT. A PIT BULL RAN IN AND BIT KILKENNY SEVERAL TIMES. KILKENNY WAS TREATED FOR THE BITES AT ST CATHERINE'S MEDICAL CENTER.

HEAD ON CRASH IN UNION TOWNSHIP

A RINGTOWN MAN WAS INJURED IN A HEAD ON COLLISION IN UNION TOWNSHIP MONDAY AFTERNOON. FRACKVILLE STATE POLICE SAY A TEENAGED BOY FROM RINGTOWN WAS DRIVING EAST ON BREISCH ROAD WHEN HIS CAR WENT INTO THE WESTBOUND LANE , STRIKING 45 YEAR OLD MICHAEL SLOTCAVAGE'S VEHICLE HEAD ON. THE RINGTOWN MAN SUFFERED SEVERE INJURIES AND WAS TAKEN TO GEISINGER MEDICAL CENTER FOR TREATMENT. THE TEEN AND HIS PASSENGER WEREN'T HURT, BUT THE DRIVER WAS OPERATING WITH A SUSPENDED LICENSE. NO WORD ON SLOTCAVAGE'S CONDITION THIS MORNING.

SHROVE TUESDAY

ITS NO HOLES BARRED FOR REVELERS AND THOSE WITH A SWEET TOOTH AS WE MARK SHROVE, OR FAT TUESDAY, THE DAY BEFORE ASH WEDNESDAY, THE BEGINNING OF LENT. THOSE OF US WHO ARE GIVING UP SWEETS FOR LENT WILL DIVE INTO FASCHNACHTS, OR POTATO DONUTS, AND ENJOY FOOD AND DRINK BEFORE MIDNIGHT TONIGHT. THE 40 DAY SEASON OF LENT CULMINATES WITH EASTER IN EARLY APRIL.

ARGALL NAMED TO COST STUDY COMMISSION


LEADERS IN THE PENNSYLVANIA SENATE HAVE NAMED MEMBERS TO THE NEWLY FORMED COST STUDY COMMISSION. A BILL INTRODUCED BY SCHUYLKILL COUNTY STATE SENATOR DAVE ARGALL TO LOOK AT WAYS FOR THE STATE TO REDUCE EXPENSES PROMPTED THE FORMATION OF THE COMMITTEE, MADE UP OF LEGISLATORS AND SEVEN PEOPLE FROM THE BUSINESS AND EDUCATION FIELDS. ARGALL IS ONE OF THE APPOINTEES, WHO WILL MEET FOR THE FIRST TIME THIS FRIDAY IN HARRISBURG.

POT PLANTS FOUND IN BURNED OUT HOME


POLICE HAVE SEIZED 47 MARIJUANA PLANTS FROM A HOME IN THE 400 BLOCK OF SOUTH HARRISON STREET THAT WAS DAMAGED BY FIRE LATE FRIDAY NIGHT. ALTHOUGH NO CHARGES HAVE BEEN FILED YET RELATING TO THE DISCOVERY OF THE PLANTS, WHICH WERE GROWING IN TWO BEDROOMS ON THE SECOND FLOOR OF THE HOME, POLICE SAY THEY BELONG TO 37-YEAR-OLD CHRISTOPHER ELLIOT OF 449 SOUTH HARRISON STREET. ELLIOTT AND HIS SON RESIDED AT THE HOUSE, BUT WERE NOT HOME AT THE TIME OF THE FIRE AND HAVE NOT BEEN LOCATED SINCE. THE FIRE HAS BEEN RULED ACCIDENTAL AND BELIEVED TO HAVE BEEN CAUSED BY FAULTY ELECTRICAL WIRES. NO DAMAGE ESTIMATES ARE AVAILABLE.
PALMYRA, PA. (AP) - POLICE ARE INVESTIGATING THE DEATHS OF TWO PEOPLE IN A HOME IN CENTRAL PENNSYLVANIA. AUTHORITIES IN LEBANON COUNTY BELIEVE THE 40-YEAR-OLD MAN AND 35-YEAR-OLD WOMAN WERE SHOT.  THE BODIES WERE FOUND YESTERDAY. NO NAMES HAVE BEEN RELEASED AND AUTOPSIES ARE PLANNED.

PITTSBURGH (AP) - FORMER PENNSYLVANIA TREASURER AND AUDITOR GENERAL BARBARA HAFER, A DEMOCRAT, SAYS SHE'LL RUN FOR THE SEAT OF THE U.S. LATE REP. JOHN MURTHA. SEVERAL OTHER DEMOCRATS AND REPUBLICANS ARE CONSIDERING ENTERING THE RACE. MURTHA DIED LAST WEEK AT THE AGE OF 77. HIS FUNERAL WILL BE HELD TODAY.

PHILADELPHIA (AP) - MORE SNOW IS ON THE WAY FOR WINTER-WEARY PENNSYLVANIANS. FORECASTERS EXPECT MUCH OF THE STATE TO GET 2 TO 7 INCHES OF SNOW BEFORE THE STORM MOVES OFF LATER IN THE DAY. BUT UP TO A FOOT COULD FALL ON SOME COUNTIES. MOST OF PENNSYLVANIA IS UNDER A WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY UNTIL 1 P.M.

ROSTRAVER, PA. (AP) - THE OWNER OF A SUBURBAN PITTSBURGH ICE SKATING RINK SAYS HE BELIEVES EXCESSIVE SNOW OVER THE PAST COUPLE OF WEEKS CAUSED A PORTION OF THE FACILITY'S ROOF TO COLLAPSE. THE COLLAPSE OCCURRED SUNDAY WHILE A YOUTH HOCKEY TOURNAMENT WAS BEING HELD, BUT NO ONE WAS INJURED. THE RINK IS UNLIKELY TO REOPEN ANYTIME SOON.

SCHWENKSVILLE, PA. (AP) - INVESTIGATORS SAY A DEADLY WEEKEND CAR CRASH IN SUBURBAN PHILADELPHIA HAPPENED WHEN A 17-YEAR-OLD BOY LOST CONTROL OF HIS CAR. THE VEHICLE DRIVEN BY MATTHEW WESOLOWSKI COLLIDED SUNDAY WITH A CAR DRIVEN BY 32-YEAR-OLD JODIE SOUDERTON IN LOWER FREDERICK TOWNSHIP. BOTH DRIVERS DIED AND TWO OTHER PEOPLE WERE HURT.

ISLAMABAD (AP) - THERE IS SPECULATION THAT THE ARREST OF THE TALIBAN'S TOP MILITARY COMMANDER IN PAKISTAN IS RELATED TO A NATO DRIVE INTO AN INSURGENT STRONGHOLD IN SOUTHERN AFGHANISTAN. MULLAH ABDUL GHANI BARADAR IS THE MOST SENIOR AFGHAN TALIBAN LEADER ARRESTED SINCE THE BEGINNING OF THE AFGHAN WAR IN 2001. ONE AFGHAN OFFICIAL SAYS PAKISTANI OFFICIALS COULD HAVE ARRESTED HIM WHENEVER THEY WANTED AND ASKED, "WHY DID THEY ARREST HIM NOW?"

MARJAH, AFGHANISTAN (AP) - AN AFGHAN HUMAN RIGHTS GROUP SAYS IT COUNTS 19 CIVILIANS KILLED SO FAR IN A NATO-AFGHAN OFFENSIVE INTO A TALIBAN STRONGHOLD, FOUR MORE THAN THE MILITARY'S COUNT. THE AFGHANISTAN RIGHTS MONITOR SAYS FOUR PEOPLE WERE CAUGHT IN THE CROSSFIRE WHEN THEY HAD TO LEAVE THEIR HOMES. THE GROUP SAYS IT'S NOT CLEAR IF NATO FORCES OR INSURGENTS WERE TO BLAME FOR THE DEATHS.

HUNTSVILLE, ALA. (AP) - THE HUSBAND OF AN ALABAMA PROFESSOR ACCUSED OF GUNNING DOWN HER COLLEAGUES SAYS SHE WASN'T ACTING STRANGELY IN THE DAYS BEFORE THE RAMPAGE. AMY BISHOP'S HUSBAND TELLS THE AP "SHE WAS JUST A NORMAL PROFESSOR." THREE PEOPLE WERE KILLED AND THREE OTHERS WOUNDED IN FRIDAY'S SHOOTING.

SANTO DOMINGO, DOMINICAN REPUBLIC (AP) - THE FORMER LEGAL ADVISER OF AMERICAN MISSIONARIES JAILED IN HAITI IS NOW THE FOCUS OF A MANHUNT IN THE DOMINICAN REPUBLIC. JORGE PUELLO ACKNOWLEDGES THAT HE IS WANTED IN EL SALVADOR FOR ALLEGED INVOLVEMENT IN A HUMAN SMUGGLING RING. CALLING FROM AN UNDISCLOSED LOCATION, PUELLO TOLD THE AP HE'S INNOCENT.

RIO DE JANEIRO (AP) - THE FAMED MINISKIRT THAT LED TO ONE BRAZILIAN WOMAN'S EXPULSION FROM COLLEGE HAS BEEN "CARNIVALIZED." TWENTY-YEAR-OLD GEISY ARRUDA DONNED A RED-SEQUINED GARMENT DURING HER STINT AS CARNIVAL QUEEN IN ONE OF RIO'S PREMIER SAMBA PARADES. THE HEAT OVERWHELMED HER AND BY THE END OF THE 80-MINUTE PARADE SHE FELL ILL. SHE RECOVERED AFTER SOME MEDICAL ATTENTION.