Today's News-Wednesday, February 17, 2010

MAN KILLED WALKING ALONG ROUTE 61

A MAN IS DEAD AFTER BEING STRUCK AND KILLED BY A CAR AS HE WALKED ALONG ROUTE 61 LAST NIGHT. THE ACCIDENT HAPPENED NEAR ST CLAIR AFTER 11PM. REPORTS SAY 26 YEAR OLD CHARLES LEVAN WAS WALKING HOME FROM WORK WHEN HE WAS STRUCK AND KILLED NEAR ANN STREET. THE INVESTIGATION CONTINUES.

HIGH SPEED CRASH ON INTERSTATE 81

A GORDON MAN CRASHED HIS VEHICLE ON INTERSTATE 81 TUESDAY AFTERNOON. 25 YEAR OLD JONATHAN MENNE WAS SOUTHBOUND AT AN APPARENT HIGH RATE OF SPEED IN PINE GROVE TOWNSHIP WHEN HE LOST CONTROL TRYING TO PASS ANOTHER VEHICLE. MENNE'S CAR SLID SIDEWAYS ACROSS THE ROAD AND CRASHED INTO A TRAFFIC SIGN AND A SNOW BANK, THEN ROLLED OVER SEVERAL TIMES MORE THAN 200 FEET, LANDING RIGHT SIDE UP. STATE POLICE SAY THAT MENNE WAS DRIVING UNDER THE INFLUENCE, AND WAS ARRESTED. HE WAS NOT INJURED.

NORTHUMBERLAND MAN GIVEN PROBATION FOR ARMED ROBBERY

A RIVERSIDE, NORTHUMBERLAND COUNTY MAN WILL SERVE 10 YEARS PROBATION FOR A 2008 ROBBERY AT A CONVENIENCE STORE. 24 YEAR OLD JOHN MACULLOCH WAS SENTENCED IN SCHUYLKILL COUNTY COURT AFTER PLEADING GUILTY TO ROBBERY AND RELATED COUNTS FOR THE ATTEMPTED ROBBERY AT FEGLEY'S MINI MARKET, SOUTH TAMAQUA. THE REPUBLICAN HERALD REPORTS THAT MACULLOCH RECEIVED PROBATION DUE TO ISSUES ABOUT HIS MENTAL STATE. THE SENTENCE PROVIDES FOR HOUSE ARREST AND ELECTRONIC MONITORING AS PART OF HIS SENTENCE. THE INITIAL INCIDENT TOOK PLACE IN SEPTEMBER, 2008.

PEDESTRIAN KILLED ON ROUTE 61

REPORTS ARE SKETCHY THIS MORNING ABOUT A PEDESTRIAN BEING STRUCK AND KILLED ON ROUTE 61 IN ST CLAIR. POLICE WERE CALLED TO THE SCENE NEAR ANN STREET AFTER 11PM. STATE POLICE AND ST CLAIR OFFICERS HAD TO SHUT A PART OF THE HIGHWAY DOWN FOR THE INVESTIGATION. WE EXPECT MORE INFORMATION THIS MORNING.

HISTORY ALIVE

SCHUYLKILL COUNTY IS RICH IN HISTORY AND TRADITION. AS SHERRY MARCHEFSKY REPORTS, THERE IS MORE THAN MEETS THE EYE:

MARCHEFSKY HISTORY

2009 GOOD YEAR FOR HIGHWAY FATALITIES

PENN DOT HAS REPORTED THE LOWEST NUMBER OF HIGHWAY FATALITIES ON RECORD IN 2009. AGENCY SECRETARY ALLEN BIEHLER ANNOUNCED THAT 12-HUNDRED-56 PEOPLE DIED ON PENNSYLVANIA ROADWAYS LAST YEAR, THE LOWEST SINCE 1944. BIEHLER SAYS THERE WERE SIGNIFICANT DECREASES IN UNRESTRAINED, ALCOHOL-RELATED AND AGGRESSIVE DRIVING FATALITIES. RECORD KEEPING OF SUCH STATISTICS BEGAN IN 1928.

PHILADELPHIA (AP) - A JUDGE HAS DISMISSED DISORDERLY CONDUCT AND
OTHER CHARGES AGAINST 13 PEOPLE WHO WERE ARRESTED DURING A EPTEMBER PROTEST AT THE SITE OF A PROPOSED CASINO IN PHILADELPHIA. AUTHORITIES SAID THE PROTESTERS WERE BLOCKING THE ENTRANCE TO THE SITE AND IGNORED POLICE WARNINGS TO MOVE.

PALMYRA, PA. (AP) - THE WEEKEND DEATHS OF TWO PEOPLE IN CENTRAL PENNSYLVANIA HAVE BEEN RULED MURDER-SUICIDE. AUTHORITIES IN LEBANON
COUNTY SAY 35-YEAR-OLD BONNIE FURBUSH SHOT HER BOYFRIEND, 39-YEAR-OLD BRIAN BELAIR, THEN TURNED THE GUN ON HERSELF.

PITTSBURGH (AP) - PITTSBURGH OFFICIALS SAY THEY ARE CHANGING HOW EMERGENCY CALLS ARE HANDLED AFTER A MAN DIED WAITING FOR AN
AMBULANCE AT HIS HOME DURING A RECENT SNOWSTORM. THE CITY'S PUBLIC
SAFETY DIRECTOR HAS APOLOGIZED TO THE FAMILY OF 50-YEAR-OLD CURTIS
MITCHELL, WHO DIED WHEN AN AMBULANCE COULDN'T REACH HIS HOME BECAUSE OF HEAVY SNOW.

PHILADELPHIA (AP) - THE DIRECTOR OF THE PHILADELPHIA VETERANS
ADMINISTRATION MEDICAL CENTER PLANS TO RETIRE ON MAY 1. RICHARD
CITRON POINTED TO IMPROVEMENTS DURING HIS TENURE, BUT ALSO
ACKNOWLEDGED CHALLENGES SUCH AS A PROSTATE CANCER PROGRAM IN WHICH DOZENS OF VETERANS GOT INCORRECT RADIATION DOSES.

HARRISBURG, PA. (AP) - A STATE LAWMAKER SAYS HE WILL ONCE AGAIN
FILE LEGISLATION TO LOOSEN PENNSYLVANIA'S RESTRICTIVE BEER-SALES LAW. SURROUNDED BY SUPPORTERS HOLDING "FREE MY BEER" SIGNS, SEN.
JOHN RAFFERTY SAID HIS BILL WOULD ALLOW SALES OF SIX-PACKS AND 12-PACKS AT BEER DISTRIBUTORSHIPS, GROCERIES AND CONVENIENCE STORES.

TOKYO (AP) - MORE POSSIBLE PROBLEMS FOR THE WORLD'S NO. 1 AUTOMAKER. TOYOTA'S QUALITY CONTROL EXECUTIVE SAYS THE AUTOMAKER IS LOOKING INTO POSSIBLE POWER-STEERING PROBLEMS WITH THE COROLLA SUBCOMPACT, THE WORLD'S BEST-SELLING CAR. AND TOYOTA IS CONSIDERING A RECALL. THE TOYOTA EXEC SAYS IT'S STILL UNCLEAR WHAT'S WRONG WITH THE CARS. HE SAYS COMPLAINTS ABOUT THE COROLLA ARE IN THE U.S., AND ARE FEWER THAN 100.

TOKYO (AP) - TOYOTA'S PRESIDENT SAYS HE WILL NOT BE MAKING A TRIP TO THE U.S. TO TESTIFY BEFORE CONGRESS ABOUT THE AUTOMAKER'S SAFETY LAPSES. AKIO TOYODA SAYS THE COMPANY'S U.S. EXECUTIVES WILL ANSWER LAWMAKERS' QUESTIONS ON THE MASSIVE RECALL OF FAULTY GAS PEDALS.

CAPE CANAVERAL, FLA. (AP) - THE ASTRONAUTS HAVE A WINDOW ON THE WORLD. AFTER CARRYING OUT THEIR THIRD AND FINAL SPACEWALK, THEY
OPENED THE SHUTTERS ON THE SPACE STATION'S NEW OBSERVATION DECK.  THE NEW ROOM, ADDED ON TO THE SPACE STATION DURING THIS MISSION, HAS A HUGE ROUND CENTRAL WINDOW, WHICH SPACE STATION COMMANDER
JEFFREY WILLIAMS SAYS "WILL GIVE US A VIEW OF THE ENTIRE GLOBE."

DATELINE (AP) - THIS CONTEST DIDN'T SEEM TOO RUFF FOR SADIE THE SCOTTIE. SHE WAS EXPECTED TO EARN BEST IN SHOW AT THE WESTMINSTER DOG SHOW -- AND THAT'S WHAT SHE DID. SADIE DID HAVE TO WAIT A LITTLE LONGER TO GET HER RIBBON. RIGHT BEFORE THE JUDGE PICKED THE 4-YEAR-OLD, TWO PROTESTERS FROM PETA INTERRUPTED THE SHOW. SECURITY GUARDS SHOWED THEM THE DOOR.

WEST HOLLYWOOD, CALIF. (AP) - WEST HOLLYWOOD OFFICIALS SAY THEY
WANT TO TAKE A STAND AGAINST PUPPY MILLS AND KITTEN FACTORIES. ON
TUESDAY, THE CITY COUNCIL VOTED UNANIMOUSLY TO BAN THE SALE OF DOGS AND CATS. CURRENTLY, NO PET STORES IN THE CITY SELL ANIMALS.