Today's News-Tuesday, February 23, 2010-7:25AM

WOLFGANG IS COMPETENT TO STAND TRIAL

A MOUNT CARMEL MAN, ACCUSED OF MURDERING HIS WIFE THREE YEARS AGO, IS COMPETENT TO STAND TRIAL. THAT'S THE RULING FROM NORTHUMBERLAND COUNTY JUDGE ROBERT SACAVAGE YESTERDAY. WOLFGANG IS SCHEDULED TO STAND TRIAL IN THE DEATH OF SHERRY WOLFGANG. HER BODY WAS FOUND IN MAHANOY CREEK IN WESTERN SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. IF HE IS CONVICTED OF FIRST DEGREE MURDER, WOLFGANG COULD FACE THE DEATH PENALTY.

WEATHER

DEPENDING ON WHERE YOU LIVE WILL DETERMINE WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE OUTSIDE THIS MORNING. SNOW SHOWERS, FREEZING RAIN AND JUST PLAIN RAIN AWAIT YOU TODAY. NORTH OF INTERSTATE 81, AN INCH OR TWO OF SNOW AND RAIN IS MAKING THINGS SLOPPY FOR THE MORNING COMMUTE, WITH JUST PLAIN RAIN IN THE SOUTHERN PART OF THE COUNTY. TEMPERATURES ARE HOVERING AT OR JUST ABOVE FREEZING, SO WATCH FOR ANY ICY PATCHES. A WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR SCHUYLKILL COUNTY UNTIL 9AM TODAY.


DRUG BUST IN MINERSVILLE

AN ONGOING INVESTIGATION BY AGENTS FROM THE COUNTY DA'S DRUG TASK FORCE AND MINERSVILLE POLICE HAS NETTED THE ARREST OF TWO BERKS COUNTY MEN FOR TRYING TO SELL COCAINE. THE INCIDENT HAPPENED SUNDAY AT A CONVENIENCE STORE ALONG ROUTE 901, AS 58 YEAR OLD LARRY BATTLE OF READING, AND 52 YEAR OLD RONALD PASKINGS OF MOHNTON WERE CAUGHT WITH THE DRUGS. BOTH WERE ARRAIGNED AND TAKEN TO THE COUNTY PRISON. DRUG RELATED ARRESTS WERE MADE LAST WEEK AT THE SAME SPOT.

FOLLOW UP TO DUI RELATED CRASH

IN A FOLLOWUP TO A STORY WE REPORTED YESTERDAY, A PINE GROVE MAN WILL HAVE ADDITIONAL CHARGES FILED AGAINST HIM. 23 YEAR OLD JESSE RHEN WAS INVOLVED IN A HEAD-ON COLLISION ON SWEET ARROW LAKE ROAD. IN ADDITION TO TRAFFIC CITATIONS AND DRIVING UNDER THE INFLUENCE, SCHUYLKILL HAVEN STATE POLICE SAY THAT RHEN ALSO HAD MATERIALS IN HIS CAR THAT WOULD BE USED TO MANUFACTURE METHAMPHETAMINE. THE CRASH RHEN WAS INVOLVED IN HAPPENED SUNDAY AFTERNOON.

NORTHUMBERLAND DRUG BUST

TWO SHENANDOAH MEN WERE AMONG FOUR ARRESTED FOR TRAFFICKING ECSTACY IN NEIGHBORING NORTHUMBERLAND COUNTY. THE NEWS ITEM REPORTS THAT 23 YEAR OLD JONATHAN CEREZO AND 21 YEAR OLD RAFAEL MATEO OF SHENANDOAH WERE INVOLVED WITH MEN FROM LEBANON AND WEST READING WHO WERE NABBED IN DOWNTOWN SHAMOKIN LAST FRIDAY. REPORTS SAY THAT POLICE USED AN UNDERCOVER INFORMANT TO BUY THE DRUGS FROM ONE OF THE MEN. ALL WERE ARRAIGNED IN SHAMOKIN, WITH MATEO RELEASED ON BAIL. CEREZO AND 20 YEAR OLD LUIS BUTLER OF LEBANON WERE JAILED IN NORTHUMBERLAND COUNTY PRISON.

PFA VIOLATION IN POTTSVILLE

A POTTSVILLE MAN IS LOCKED UP IN THE COUNTY PRISON FOR VIOLATING A PROTECTION FROM ABUSE ORDER. THE INCIDENT HAPPENED AT A WEST MARKET STREET HOME, WHERE 23 YEAR OLD DARLENE SERAFIN TOLD POLICE THAT HER EX-BOYFRIEND, 21 YEAR OLD WALTER PARFAITE, APPROACHED HER AT THE DOLLAR GENERAL PARKING LOT ON EAST ARCH STREET, BEGAN TO CHASE HER AND YELLED AT HER, PLUS HARASSED HER BY MAKING NUMEROUS CALLS TO HER CELL PHONE. POLICE SAY PARFAITE IS ALSO FATHER OF SERAFIN'S CHILDREN. CHARGES WERE BROUGHT AGAINST PARFAITE AT DISTRICT JUDGE CHARLES MORAN'S OFFICE.

WEEKEND BURGLARY AT GARAGE

SCHUYLKILL HAVEN STATE POLICE ARE LOOKING FOR THE BURGLAR WHO BROKE INTO A PALO ALTO GARAGE OVER THE WEEKEND. HRENYO'S GARAGE WAS BROKEN INTO, AND $375 DOLLARS CASH TAKEN. THE INVESTIGATION CONTINUES.


WASHINGTON, PA. (AP) - A 30-YEAR-OLD WESTERN PENNSYLVANIA MAN CONVICTED OF BEATING TWO PEOPLE TO DEATH IN 2007 HAS BEEN SENTENCED TO LIFE IN PRISON WITHOUT THE POSSIBILITY OF PAROLE. EUGENE NAGY, OF DONORA, WAS CONVICTED THIS MONTH OF FIRST-DEGREE MURDER IN THE DEATHS OF 47-YEAR-OLD VINCE TROTTA AND 40-YEAR-OLD YVONNE HELTON.

PITTSBURGH (AP) - THE ATTORNEY FOR A BLACK PITTSBURGH TEENAGER WHO CLAIMS WHITE POLICE OFFICERS BEAT HIM DURING HIS ARREST LAST MONTH SAYS HE PASSED AN FBI LIE DETECTOR TEST YESTERDAY. THE FBI IS INVESTIGATING 18-YEAR-OLD JORDAN MILES' CLAIM THAT THE ARREST WAS A RACIST ATTACK. THE OFFICERS, WHO ARE SUSPENDED, SAY HE WAS ACTING SUSPICIOUSLY AND THEY THOUGHT HE HAD A WEAPON.

JOHNSTOWN, PA. (AP) - CONGRESSMAN JOHN MURTHA'S WIDOW WILL NOT RUN TO FINISH HER LATE HUSBAND'S TERM. THE MURTHA FOR CONGRESS COMMITTEE SAID IN AN E-MAIL YESTERDAY THAT JOYCE MURTHA FEELS IT'S "TOO SOON AFTER HIS DEATH TO BE ON THE CAMPAIGN TRAIL." MURTHA DIED ON FEBRUARY 18TH. A SPECIAL ELECTION TO REPLACE HIM WILL BE HELD ON MAY 18TH.

HARRISBURG, PA. (AP) - PENNSYLVANIA STATE SENATOR ANTHONY WILLIAMS SAYS HE'S RAISED NEARLY $2 MILLION IN CASH AND FINANCIAL COMMITMENTS AND WILL SEEK THE DEMOCRATIC NOMINATION FOR GOVERNOR.  WILLIAMS, WHO'S FROM PHILADELPHIA, ENTERS THE FRAY THREE MONTHS BEFORE THE MAY 18TH PRIMARY WITH A FOCUS ON EDUCATION AND JOB TRAINING.

ISLAMABAD (AP) - THE CAPTURE OF THE FOURTH TOP AFGHAN TALIBAN LEADER IN RECENT WEEKS IN PAKISTAN IS BEING REPORTED IN U.S. MEDIA.  THE NEW YORK TIMES AND WASHINGTON POST REPORT THE LATEST CAPTURE IS MULLAH ABDUL KABIR, A MEMBER OF THE MILITIA'S RULING COUNCIL, WHO WAS PICKED UP SEVERAL DAYS AGO IN PAKISTAN'S NORTHWEST.

BRUSSELS (AP) - NATO IS PLEDGING MORE HELP TO TRAIN AN EVER-EXPANDING AFGHAN ARMY. NATO SAYS MILITARY OFFICIALS FROM ITS 28 MEMBER STATES AND OTHER ALLIES ARE MEETING TO PLEDGE AT LEAST 2,000 ADDITIONAL INSTRUCTORS. MEANWHILE, AN EXPLOSION THIS MORNING IN THE CAPITAL OF HELMAND PROVINCE LEFT EIGHT PEOPLE DEAD AND AT LEAST 16 OTHERS WOUNDED. POLICE SAY THE EXPLOSIVES WERE IN A PARKED MOTORBIKE.

WASHINGTON (AP) - A BIPARTISAN JOBS BILL IS EXPECTED TO PASS THE SENATE TOMORROW AFTER FIVE REPUBLICANS BROKE RANKS TO JOIN DEMOCRATS IN SHUTTING DOWN A FILIBUSTER. THE FIVE INCLUDED THE SENATE'S NEWEST REPUBLICAN, SCOTT BROWN OF MASSACHUSETTS. AMONG PROVISIONS ENJOYING BIPARTISAN SUPPORT IS ONE EXEMPTING BUSINESSES HIRING THE UNEMPLOYED FROM SOCIAL SECURITY PAYROLL TAXES THROUGH DECEMBER .

WASHINGTON (AP) - FORMER VICE PRESIDENT DICK CHENEY IS SAID TO BE RESTING COMFORTABLY AFTER HE WAS HOSPITALIZED IN WASHINGTON WITH CHEST PAINS. CHENEY HAS A HISTORY OF HEART PROBLEMS, INCLUDING FOUR HEART ATTACKS STARTING AT AGE 37. CHENEY HAD BYPASS SURGERY IN 1988, AS WELL AS TWO LATER ANGIOPLASTIES TO CLEAR NARROWED CORONARY ARTERIES.

VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA (AP) - CANADA HAS DEFAULTED ON ITS PLANS TO OWN THE PODIUM AT THE VANCOUVER OLYMPICS. AMERICA IS TROUNCING ITS NEIGHBOR TO THE NORTH, WITH 25 MEDALS SO FAR, COMPARED TO CANADA'S 10. THE CHIEF EXECUTIVE OF THE CANADIAN OLYMPIC COMMITTEE SAYS CANADIANS WOULD BE "LIVING IN A FOOL'S PARADISE" TO BELIEVE THEY COULD BEAT THE U.S. NOW.