Today's News-Wednesday, February 10, 2010-7:30AM

SNOW


THE LARGEST STORM OF THE SEASON THUS FAR IS BARRELING THROUGH SCHUYLKILL COUNTY THIS MORNING, WITH HEAVY, BLOWING SNOW ACCUMULATING QUICKLY. THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ESTIMATES THAT SIX TO TEN INCHES WILL PILE UP BEFORE THE STORM ENDS TONIGHT. ROAD CREWS HAVE BEEN OUT FOR OVER TWELVE HOURS, PLOWING, SALTING AND CINDERING, BUT ANYONE DRIVING SHOULD ALLOW EXTRA TIME HEADING TO WORK. THE KIDS HAVE THE DAY OFF FROM SCHOOL, AND NUMEROUS BUSINESSES HAVE OPTED TO OPEN LATE OR CLOSE ALTOGETHER. WEATHERWATCH INFORMATION IS POSTED ON OUR WEBSITE  

MAHANOY CITY DEADLY SHOOTING
 
THE .22 CALIBER REVOLVER THAT KILLED JASON WORMAN OF EAST PINE STREET IN MAHANOY CITY WAS NOT REGISTERED AT THE TIME OF THE SHOOTING.  THE WEAPON WAS OLD AND WAS PURCHASED BEFORE THERE WERE LAWS REQUIRING REGISTRATION, OR COULD HAVE CHANGED OWNERS AND MAY NOT HAVE KNOWN ABOUT THE REGISTRATION.  WORMAN AND HIS GIRLFRIEND, AMY SIMMS WERE HANDLING THE WEAPON IN WOMAN'S ATTIC WHEN THE REVOLVER ACCIDENTALLY FIRED, STRIKING WORMAN IN THE CHEST.  IT WAS INITIALLY REPORTED THAT THE SHOT WAS SELF INFLICTED, BUT ACCORDING TO POLICE, IT WAS NOT A SUICIDE ATTEMPT.  THE OFFICIAL RULING TO WORMAN'S DEATH IS YET TO BE DETERMINED.
 
WEAPONS STOLEN
 
TWENTY ONE FIREARMS WERE TAKEN FROM A HOME IN NEW PHILADELPHIA IN LATE JANUARY.  THE OWNER, RICHARD FRYER OF 85 MACCOMB STREET IN NEW PHILADELPHIA SAYS THAT THE PERPETRATORS ENTERED THE HOME AND TOOK THE GUNS.  STATE POLICE AT FRACKVILLE ARE INVESTIGATING.  CALL THEM AT 874-5300 WITH LEADS.
 
CURVES ANNUAL FOOD DRIVE
 
CURVES FACILITIES ACROSS THE COUNTY ARE ENCOURAGING WOMEN TO PARTICIPATE IN THE ANNUAL CURVES FOOD DRIVE.  FROM MARCH 1ST THROUGH 31ST, LOCATIONS WILL BE COLLECTING NON-PERISHABLE ITEMS AND MONETARY DONATIONS FOR FOOD BANKS IN THE LOCAL AREA.  THE GOAL IS FOR THE COMMUNITY TO COME TOGETHER TO HELP FAMILIES IN NEED AND SHOW HOW POWERFUL AND GENEROUS THEIR MEMBERS CAN BE.  MEMBERS WHO DONATE A BAG OF GROCERIES OR MAKE A MINIMUM DONATION OF $30 WILL RECEIVE A REUSEABLE CURVES GROCERY BAG FOR FREE AND NON MEMBERS WHO DO LIKEWISE WILL HAVE THEIR COST TO JOIN THE GYM WAIVED.  EACH YEAR, CURVES LOCATIONS COLLECTIVELY DONATE MILLIONS OF POUNDS TO FEED THE HUNGRY.
 
OVERTURNED VEHICLE
 
A CAR OVERTURNED EARLY THIS MORNING ON ROUTE 209 NEAR JOHN'S DINER IN EAST NORWEGIAN TOWNSHIP.  24 YEAR OLD JEFF HUGHES OF PALO ALTO WAS DRIVING WITH PASSENGER LISA HUGHES SOUTH ON 209 WHEN HE LOST CONTROL OF HIS FORD PICKUP AND ENTERED THE NORTHBOUND LANE.  THE VEHICLE OVERTURNED AND WENT DOWN AN EMBANKMENT.  BOTH DRIVER AND OCCUPANT REFUSED MEDICAL TRANSPORT FROM THE SCENE.
 
PSP STATS
 
SCHUYLKILL HAVEN STATE POLICE HAVE RELEASED THEIR JANUARY STATISTICS.  A TOTAL OF 550 INCIDENTS WERE REPORTED.  THERE WERE 70 CRASHES, 1 FATAL CRASH, 8 HIT AND RUNS, 1 FATALITY, 14 PEOPLE INJURED, 8 DUI ARRESTS, 5 DUI RELATED CRASHES. THEY ISSUED 186 CITATIONS AND 204 WARNINGS.  
 
PHILADELPHIA (AP) - IT'S DEJA VU ALL OVER AGAIN AS THE REGION DEALS WITH ANOTHER FEROCIOUS WINTER STORM THAT COULD DROP 10-20 INCHES OF SNOW ON THE REGION BEFORE FINALLY WINDING DOWN TONIGHT.  FORECASTERS SAY INCREASING WINDS COULD ALSO CREATE NEAR BLIZZARD CONDITIONS ALONG THE COAST LATER TODAY. SCHOOL DISTRICTS AROUND THE STATE HAVE CANCELLED CLASSES FOR THE DAY. PHILADELPHIA NEEDED ONLY NINE INCHES OF SNOW TO MAKE THIS THE SNOWIEST WINTER SINCE THEY STARTED KEEPING RECORDS IN 1884.

PHILADELPHIA (AP) - THE STORM IS MAKING JUST ABOUT ANY KIND OF TRAVEL DIFFICULT, IF NOT DOWNRIGHT TREACHEROUS. THE SOUTHEASTERN PENNSYLVANIA TRANSPORTATION AUTHORITY IS WARNING RIDERS TO PREPARE FOR POSSIBLE SERVICE DISRUPTIONS AND SAYS IT CAN'T PROMISE THAT ALL COMMUTERS WHO TAKE PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION TO WORK WILL BE ABLE TO GET HOME THE SAME WAY.

PITTSBURGH (AP) - THE LATEST WINTER BLAST COMES EVEN AS UTILITIES WORK TO FINISH REPAIRS CAUSED BY LAST WEEKEND'S STORM. AS OF LATE YESTERDAY, MORE THAN 40,000 CUSTOMERS REMAINED WITHOUT POWER IN WESTERN PENNSYLVANIA, AND THE CURRENT STORM IS LIKELY TO TRIGGER ADDITIONAL OUTAGES.

HARRISBURG, PA. (AP) - GOV. ED RENDELL'S PROPOSAL TO RAISE MONEY BY ELIMINATING DOZENS OF SALES TAX EXEMPTIONS IS PLAYING TO MIXED REVIEWS IN HARRISBURG. REPUBLICANS WHO CONTROL THE STATE SENATE SAY THE PLAN IS DEAD ON ARRIVAL AND EVEN RENDELL'S FELLOW DEMOCRATS DID NOT VOICE IMMEDIATE SUPPORT FOR THE SALES TAX EXPANSION.

JOHNSTOWN, PA. (AP) - FUNERAL ARRANGEMENTS ARE BEING SET FOR JOHN MURTHA. THE LONG-TIME PENNSYLVANIA CONGRESSMAN WILL BE BURIED TUESDAY IN GRANDVIEW CEMETERY IN WESTMONT. MURTHA'S FAMILY SAYS A VIEWING WILL BE HELD SUNDAY AND MONDAY AT DUCA'S FUNERAL HOME. MURTHA, WHO WAS 77, DIED MONDAY AFTER COMPLICATIONS FROM GALLBLADDER SURGERY.