Today's News-Wednesday, February 3, 2010

COMMISSIONERS' MEETING

THE AUBURN ARCH BRIDGE REPLACEMENT PROJECT WAS ON DISPLAY AT THE COMMISSIONERS’ MEETING THIS WEEK. NOEL CARON, PROJECT ENGINEER, PROPOSED THE DESIGN THAT PENNDOT HOPES TO IMPLEMENT AS EARLY AS AUGUST OF THIS YEAR. KRISTEN TIFFEN WAS APPOINTED AS FISCAL ASSISTANT FOR THE OFFICE OF SENIOR SERVICES. SEVERAL MOTIONS OF APPROVAL WERE REQUESTED INCLUDING THE ANNUAL SOFTWARE LICENSE FOR PREMIER ELECTION SOLUTIONS, GRANT AGREEMENT FOR THE HAZARDOUS MATERIAL EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS PROGRAM, STIPULATION AND JOINT MOTION FOR AGREED ORDER IN CONNECTION WITH SETTLEMENT OF TAX ASSESSMENT FOR THE BON TON DEPARTMENT STORE IN THE SCHUYLKILL MALL, COUNTY COURTHOUSE WINDOW CLEANING WITH S.L. SMITH COMPANY, AND SCHUYLKILL COUNTY FIRE CHIEFS ASSOCIATION BOARD APPOINTMENTS. AN APPROVAL WAS MOTIONED TO EXTEND THE CONTRACT WITH REGNIER CONSULTING GROUP INC FOR ACTUARIAL SERVICES FOR FOUR MORE YEARS WITH THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATION OFFICE.


REACTION TO DEMOLITION ACCIDENT

INVESTIGATORS FROM A FEDERAL AGENCY ARE LOOKING INTO THE DEATH OF AN ONEIDA MAN FROM A FALL AT A CHURCH DEMOLITION SITE. SHERRY MARCHEFSKY HAS MORE FROM SHENANDOAH.

MARCHEFSKY CHURCH DEATH REACTION

WOMAN HURT IN CRASH ON ROUTE 61

A WOMAN WAS HURT IN A CRASH ON ROUTE 61 IN ST CLAIR YESTERDAY AFTERNOON. TUESDAY MORNING, THE WOMAN, WHOSE IDENTITY HAS NOT BEEN YET BEEN RELEASED, WAS SOUTHBOUND NEAR THE INTERSECTION WITH HANCOCK STREET, CROSSED THE NORTHBOUND LANES AND HIT THE GUIDERAIL. THE WOMAN WAS TAKEN TO AN AREA HOSPITAL FOR TREATMENT.

DUI

A SHENANDOAH MAN WILL BE CHARGED WITH DRIVING UNDER THE INFLUENCE AND OTHER COUNTS AFTER HIS PICKUP TRUCK CRASHED LAST NIGHT ON ROUTE 924. ROGER WEIKEL'S VEHICLE LEFT THE ROAD AND STRUCK A GUIDERAIL. STATE POLICE ISSUED A FIELD SOBRIETY TEST WHICH WEIKEL FAILED, AND HE WAS TAKEN INTO CUSTODY. THE CRASH HAPPENED AT 11PM.

GIRARDVILLE WOMAN PICKED UP ON WARRANTS

A WOMAN WANTED BY AUTHORITIES WAS PICKED UP TUESDAY AT THE SCHUYLKILL COUNTY COURTHOUSE. 40 YEAR OLD CHARLOTTE DOWLING WAS POSTING BAIL FOR A FAMILY MEMBER, AND WAS PUT UNDER ARREST FOR FIFTEEN DIFFERENT WARRANTS FILED BY TWO DISTRICT JUDGES. DOWLING WAS TAKEN TO SCHUYLKILL COUNTY PRISON FOLLOWING ARRAIGNMENT.

BAIL HEARING

A POTTSVILLE MAN, CHARGED WITH SEXUAL ASSAULTING TWO TEENS, HAD HIS BAIL REDUCED. SEAN COOKE WAIVED HIS RIGHT TO A PRELIMINARY HEARING TUESDAY, ACCORDING TO THE REPUBLICAN HERALD. THE 18 YEAR OLD AND PROSECUTORS AGREED TO A REDUCED BAIL ON THE CHARGES, AND IS BANNED FROM HAVING CONTACT WITH THE ALLEGED VICTIMS. COOKE FACES STATUTORY SEXUAL ASSAULT CHARGES, AGGRAVATED INDECENT ASSAULT AND OTHER COUNTS FROM INCIDENTS IN NOVEMBER. PROSECUTORS AND THE VICTIMS FAMILIES AGREED TO THE REDUCED BAIL DEAL.

CATHOLIC SCHOOLS WEEK

ALLENTOWN DIOCESE BISHOP JOHN BARRES CONTINUED HIS VISITS TO OUR AREA FOR CATHOLIC SCHOOLS WEEK. SHERRY MARCHEFSKY HAS MORE FROM TRINITY ACADEMY IN SHENANDOAH:

MARCHEFSKY CATHOLIC SCHOOLS WEEK

HARRISBURG, PA. (AP) - PRESIDENT OBAMA'S PLAN TO BOOST MEDICAID PAYMENTS TO STATES NEXT YEAR COULD HELP PENNSYLVANIA DEAL WITH ANOTHER PROJECTED BUDGET GAP. A SPOKESMAN FOR GOV. ED RENDELL SAYS THE PRESIDENT'S JUST-RELEASED BUDGET - WHICH NEEDS CONGRESSIONAL APPROVAL - WOULD MEAN ANOTHER $850 MILLION FOR PENNSYLVANIA.

PHILADELPHIA (AP) - AFTER A ONE-DAY DELAY, OPENING STATEMENTS ARE EXPECTED TODAY FOR THE TRIAL OF FOUR FORMER SOCIAL WORKERS IN A CASE LINKED TO THE STARVATION DEATH OF A DISABLED PHILADELPHIA TEENAGER. DANIEAL KELLY, A 14-YEAR-OLD WITH CEREBRAL PALSY, WEIGHED JUST 42 POUNDS WHEN SHE DIED IN 2006. HER MOTHER PLEADED GUILTY LAST YEAR TO THIRD-DEGREE MURDER.

YORK, PA. (AP) - PROSECUTORS SAY THEY WON'T FILE CHARGES IN THE DEATH OF A TODDLER WHO ACCIDENTALLY SHOT HIMSELF WITH HIS PARENTS' GUN IN THE FAMILY'S MANCHESTER TOWNSHIP HOME LAST MONTH. A POLICE DETECTIVE CALLS THE CASE "A TRAGIC, TRAGIC ACCIDENT," AND PROSECUTORS SAY BRINGING CRIMINAL CHARGES WOULD BE EXCESSIVE.

WASHINGTON (AP) - A MARINE FROM CENTRAL PENNSYLVANIA HAS BEEN KILLED IN AFGHANISTAN. THE PENTAGON SAYS 21-YEAR-OLD LANCE CPL. MICHAEL FREEMAN JR. OF FAYETTEVILLE, DIED MONDAY DURING COMBAT OPERATIONS IN THE SOUTHERN PART OF THE COUNTRY. FREEMAN GRADUATED FROM CHAMBERSBURG AREA HIGH SCHOOL IN 2008 AND WAS DEPLOYED TO AFGHANISTAN IN OCTOBER.

WILKES-BARRE, PA. (AP) - TESTIMONY HAS BEGUN IN THE ANIMAL CRUELTY TRIAL OF A NORTHEASTERN PENNSYLVANIA WOMAN ACCUSED OF MARKETING "GOTHIC KITTENS" WITH EAR AND NECK PIERCINGS OVER THE INTERNET. A VETERINARIAN TESTIFIED THAT HOLLY CRAWFORD'S ACTIONS MEET THE LEGAL DEFINITION OF ANIMAL CRUELTY. CRAWFORD SAYS SHE USED STERILIZED NEEDLES AND MADE SURE THE CATS HEALED PROPERLY.

ISLAMABAD (AP) - PAKISTANI SECURITY OFFICIALS SAY THREE U.S. SOLDIERS TRAINING LOCAL SECURITY FORCES WERE AMONG SIX PEOPLE KILLED IN A BOMB BLAST IN NORTHWEST PAKISTAN. THE BOMB STRUCK A SECURITY CONVOY THIS MORNING NOT FAR FROM THE AFGHAN BORDER.

BAGHDAD (AP) - AN IRAQI POLICE OFFICIAL SAYS A MOTORCYCLE BOMB BLAST HAS KILLED AT LEAST 10 SHIITE PILGRIMS NEAR KARBALA. THE OFFICIAL SAYS THE BOMB EXPLODED THIS MORNING AS PILGRIMS WERE MAKING THEIR WAY TO THE CITY FOR A SHIITE RELIGIOUS OBSERVANCE. THE OFFICIAL SAYS AT LEAST 15 PEOPLE HAVE BEEN WOUNDED IN THE BLAST.

THE HAGUE, NETHERLANDS (AP) - AN INTERNATIONAL COURT AT THE HAGUE HAS ORDERED JUDGES TO RECONSIDER CHARGING SUDAN'S PRESIDENT WITH WAGING GENOCIDE IN DARFUR. PROSECUTORS HAD APPEALED THE JUDGES' EARLIER RULING THAT SAID THERE WAS INSUFFICIENT EVIDENCE TO MERIT CHARGING PRESIDENT OMAR AL-BASHIR WITH GENOCIDE.

WASHINGTON (AP) - CIA DIRECTOR LEON PANETTA SAYS AL-QAIDA IS DEPLOYING OPERATIVES TO AMERICA TO CARRY OUT NEW ATTACKS FROM INSIDE THE COUNTRY, INCLUDING "CLEAN" RECRUITS WITH A NEGLIGIBLE TRAIL OF TERRORIST CONTACTS. TOP INTELLIGENCE OFFICIALS TOLD SENATORS ON TUESDAY, THE TERROR GROUP CAN BE EXPECTED TO ATTEMPT AN ATTACK IN THE NEXT THREE TO SIX MONTHS.

PARIS (AP) - PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA'S ARMS CONTROL ADVISER SAYS TALKS WITH RUSSIA ON THE FIRST MAJOR ARMS CONTROL TREATY SINCE 1991 ARE "IN THE ENDGAME." U.S. UNDERSECRETARY OF STATE ELLEN TAUSCHER SAYS ONLY "TECHNICAL ANNEXES" REMAIN TO BE IRONED OUT. TAUSCHER SPOKE TODAY AT A DISARMAMENT CONFERENCE IN PARIS.