Today's News-Wednesday, March 10, 2010-7AM

SPEED LIMIT LOWERED

IT TOOK A CAR CRASHING INTO A DAY CARE CENTER, BUT NOW PENNDOT HAS LOWERED THE SPEED LIMIT ON A STRETCH OF ROUTE 209 IN SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. THE CRASH HAPPENED IN LATE NOVEMBER AT LITTLE SUNSHINES DAY CARE CENTER IN PORT CARBON. A CAR CRASHED THROUGH THE WALL AND ENDED UP IN THE ROOM WHERE CHILDREN USUALLY NAP. THE KIDS WERE IN ANOTHER ROOM AND WERE NOT HURT. ONE WORKER WAS INJURED. AUTHORITIES SAY THE DRIVER WAS DRUNK. AFTER THE CRASH, PORT CARBON BOROUGH OFFICIALS ASKED FOR HELP. THE SPEED LIMIT ON ROUTE 209 HAS BEEN REDUCED FROM 45 MILES PER HOUR TO 30 MILES PER HOUR. THERE ARE ALSO NEW YELLOW REFLECTING SIGNS URGING DRIVERS TO BE CAUTIOUS. POLICE ARE PLANNING TO INCREASE PATROLS IN THE AREA.

CENTRALIA FINAL DAYS

ALLENTOWN, PA. (AP) - THE FEW REMAINING RESIDENTS OF CENTRALIA, A COAL TOWN DECIMATED BY A 48-YEAR-OLD UNDERGROUND MINE FIRE CLAIM IN COURT PAPERS THAT A "MASSIVE FRAUD" IS BEING PERPETRATED AGAINST CENTRALIA BY PARTIES SEEKING TO GRAB THE MINERAL RIGHTS TO HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS WORTH OF COAL. IN A FILING LATE MONDAY, FOUR PROPERTY OWNERS AND THE BOROUGH ASKED A STATE APPEALS COURT TO BLOCK PENNSYLVANIA OFFICIALS FROM SEIZING THEIR HOMES. THE STATE CONDEMNED THE HOMES IN THE EARLY 1990S BUT ONLY RECENTLY MOVED TO OUST THE REMAINING HOLDOUTS. CENTRALIA ALL BUT CEASED TO EXIST IN THE 1980S AS THE MINE FIRE SPREAD UNDERNEATH HOMES AND BUSINESSES. MORE THAN 1,000 PEOPLE MOVED OUT. THE HOLDOUTS SAY THEY HAVE EVIDENCE THAT THE FIRE ISN'T A THREAT AND MAY NEVER HAVE ENDANGERED THE TOWN.

DOMESTIC VIOLENCE IN HAVEN

CHARGES ARE PENDING AGAINST A MAN AND WOMAN FOLLOWING A DOMESTIC DISPUTE IN NORTH MANHEIM TOWNSHIP OVERNIGHT. POLICE REPORT THAT A 38 YEAR OLD WOMAN AND A 41 YEAR OLD MAN, WHO AREN'T IDENTIFIED, GOT INTO A FIGHT AT HILLTOP MOBILE HOME PARK. THE WOMAN REPORTEDLY REFUSED TO BE HANDCUFFED. SIMPLE ASSAULT AND RESISTING ARREST CHARGES ARE PENDING.

SENAVITIS TRIAL BEGINS TODAY

STROUDSBURG, PA. (AP) - A MAN CHARGED WITH VEHICULAR HOMICIDE AND DRUNKEN DRIVING IN A HEAD-ON CRASH THAT KILLED A VETERAN PENNSYLVANIA LAWMAKER IS SCHEDULED TO HEAD TO TRIAL WEDNESDAY. POLICE SAY 46-YEAR-OLD THOMAS SENAVITIS HAD A BLOOD-ALCOHOL LEVEL MORE THAN FOUR TIMES THE LEGAL LIMIT FOR DRIVING WHEN HIS PICKUP TRUCK PLOWED INTO SEN. JAMES RHOADES' CADILLAC ON OCT. 17, 2008, IN THE POCONOS. POLICE SAY SENAVITIS CROSSED OVER THE CENTER LINE INTO RHOADES' LANE. THE SEVEN-TERM REPUBLICAN FROM SCHUYLKILL COUNTY DIED THE FOLLOWING DAY. HIS WIFE, MARY EDITH, WAS SERIOUSLY INJURED. SENAVITIS HAS DENIED THAT HE WAS DRIVING DRUNK. HE SAYS RHOADES VEERED INTO HIS LANE TO AVOID HITTING A MINIVAN THAT WAS PARKED ON THE SHOULDER. SENAVITIS IS SCHEDULED TO STAND TRIAL IN MONROE COUNTY COURT IN STROUDSBURG.

JR IDOL

THREE FINALISTS COMPETED IN SCHUYLKILL COUNTY'S JUNIOR IDOL COMPETITION AT THE SCHUYLKILL MALL LAST NIGHT. SHERRY MARCHEFSKY HAS MORE:

JR IDOL

PROTECTING YOUR IDENTITY

PROTECTING ONE'S IDENTITY IS SOMETHING WE ALL SHOULD BE VIGILANT ABOUT. ONE SUCH COMPANY, LIFELOCK, HAS BEEN ACCUSED OF MAKING MISLEADING STATEMENTS ABOUT ITS COVERAGE. PENNSYLVANIA ATTORNEY GENERAL TOM
CORBETT:

CORBETT LIFELOCK

AMONG THE ITEMS IN QUESTION AGAINST LIFELOCK... OFFERING COMPLETE PROTECTION AGAINST IDENTITY THEFT, CONSTANT MONITORING OF CONSUMER CREDIT REPORTS AND SEVERAL OTHERS. PEOPLE CONCERNED WITH PROTECTING THEIR IDENTITY SHOULD CHECK OUT THE "IDENTITY THEFT TOOLKIT" LOCATED ON THE ATTORNEYGENERAL'S WEBSITE "ATTORNEYGENERAL.GOV".

PHILADELPHIA (AP) - A JUDICIARY OVERSIGHT PANEL SAYS IT NEVER INVESTIGATED COMPLAINTS AGAINST A FORMER PENNSYLVANIA JUDGE ACCUSED
OF TAKING KICKBACKS FOR SENDING JUVENILES TO FOR-PROFIT DETENTION
CENTERS. THE JUDICIAL CONDUCT BOARD SAYS IT RECEIVED FOUR COMPLAINTS ABOUT FORMER LUZERNE COUNTY JUDGE MICHAEL CONAHAN BUT NEVER FOLLOWED UP ON THEM.

SCRANTON, PA. (AP) - A FORMER PENNSYLVANIA SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER WHO PLEADED GUILTY TO TAKING A BRIBE HAS BEEN SENTENCED TO SIX MONTHS IN FEDERAL PRISON. PROSECUTORS AGREED TO THE REDUCED SENTENCE IN EXCHANGE FOR 53-YEAR-OLD JAMES HEIGHT'S GUILTY PLEA ON A CHARGE THAT HE ACCEPTED $2,000 FROM A CONTRACTOR WHILE A MEMBER OF THE WILKES-BARRE AREA SCHOOL BOARD.

LOUISVILLE, KY. (AP) - THE U.S. COAST GUARD SAYS HEAVY SNOWS IN THE NORTHEAST THIS WINTER COULD RESULT IN OHIO RIVER FLOODING, PARTICULARLY AROUND PITTSBURGH. COAST GUARD COMMANDER ANDREW TUCCI SAYS THE PITTSBURGH AREA IS THE BIGGEST CONCERN BECAUSE A LOT OF SNOW IS STILL ON THE GROUND THERE.

BALTIMORE (AP) - DOZENS OF PROTESTERS YESTERDAY LINED UP OUTSIDE A BANQUET HALL WHERE PHILADELPHIA EAGLES QUARTERBACK MICHAEL VICK
RECEIVED THE ED BLOCK COURAGE AWARD. THE AWARD IS PRESENTED TO ONE
PLAYER FROM EACH NFL TEAM WHO EXEMPLIFIES COMMITMENT TO THE PRINCIPLES OF SPORTSMANSHIP AND COURAGE. VICK SERVED 18 MONTHS IN FEDERAL PRISON FOR HIS ROLE IN A DOGFIGHTING RING.

WASHINGTON (AP) - PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA WILL TRY TO CRANK UP THE PRESSURE ON SKITTISH DEMOCRATIC LAWMAKERS TO ACT QUICKLY AS HE MAKES A CLOSING ARGUMENT FOR HEALTH CARE REFORM. HE'LL SPEAK AT A SUBURBAN ST. LOUIS HIGH SCHOOL AND ALSO PUSH A NEW ANTI-FRAUD PLAN THAT WILL URGE INDEPENDENT AUDITORS TO ROOT OUT WASTE AND THEFT.

NEW YORK (AP) - BANK OF AMERICA IS TAKING A STEP TODAY THAT COULD SIGNAL THE END OF OVERDRAWN ACCOUNTS LINKED TO DEBIT CARDS. THE BANK'S CUSTOMERS WILL SOON BE UNABLE TO SPEND MORE THAN THEY HAVE IN SUCH ACCOUNTS. THE STEP MAY BECOME A COMMON MOVE AHEAD OF NEW FEDERAL REGULATIONS LIMITING OVERDRAFT FEES.

KABUL (AP) - IRAN'S LEADER IS IN AFGHANISTAN, WHERE HE'S CRITICIZED THE UNITED STATES FOR FIGHTING THE AFGHAN GROUP THAT IT ONCE SUPPORTED. PRESIDENT MAHMOUD AHMADINEJAD SAYS THE UNITED STATES IS PLAYING A
"DOUBLE GAME." HE WAS RESPONDING TO SIMILAR ACCUSATIONS AGAINST
IRAN FROM DEFENSE SECRETARY ROBERT GATES, WHO IS ALSO IN AFGHANISTAN.

PUL-E-CHARKHI, AFGHANISTAN (AP) - DEFENSE SECRETARY GATES IS HINTING THAT SOME TROOPS WHO ARE PART OF THE AFGHAN SURGE MAY GET TO LEAVE A BIT EARLIER THAN EXPECTED. THE PROJECTED WITHDRAWAL DATE IS JULY OF NEXT YEAR. GATES SAYS ANY EARLY DRAWDOWN "WOULD HAVE TO BE CONDITIONS-BASED."

WASHINGTON (AP) - THE ATTEMPTED CHRISTMAS DAY AIRLINER ATTACK NEAR DETROIT HAS HAD AN EFFECT ON THE GOVERNMENT NO-FLY LIST. AN INTELLIGENCE OFFICIAL SAYS THE GOVERNMENT HAS NEARLY DOUBLED THE
NUMBER OF PEOPLE ON THE LIST SINCE THE ATTACK. THE LIST WAS EXPANDED, IN PART, TO ADD PEOPLE ASSOCIATED WITH AL-QAIDA'S YEMEN BRANCH AND OTHERS FROM NIGERIA AND YEMEN WITH POTENTIAL TIES TO THE ALLEGED WOULD-BE BOMBER.