Today's News-Friday, March 26, 2010-630AM

CIVICS QUIZ AT DHH LENGEL

IT WAS THE STUDENTS TURN TO ASK QUESTIONS OF THE POTTSVILLE AREA SCHOOL BOARD THURSDAY AT D.H.H. LENGEL MIDDLE SCHOOL. SHERRY MARCHEFSKY HAS MORE:

CIVICS DAY Q AND A

NITTANY NEIGHBORS

MORE THAN ONE HUNDRED TWENTY SCHUYLKILL HAVEN RESIDENTS AND PENN STATE SCHUYLKILL STUDENTS SAT DOWN TO BREAK BREAD AND GET ACQUAINTED LAST NIGHT. PASTOR SHAWN VAN DYKE OF THE SCHUYLKILL HAVEN COUNCIL OF CHURCHES EXPLAINS:

VAN DYKE 1

PENN STATE SCHUYLKILL IS A BIG PART OF THE COMMUNITY, AND RACHEL MERCURI, A THIRD YEAR PSYCHOLOGY MAJOR, SAYS THAT THE OUTREACH BY THE RESIDENTS IS IMPORTANT:

MERCURI

THE EVENT WAS HELD AT THE SCHUYLKILL HAVEN COMMUNITY/SENIOR CENTER.

DOMESTIC INCIDENT LEADS TO ARREST

A MAHANOY CITY MAN IS JAILED FOLLOWING A DOMESTIC INCIDENT IN THE BOROUGH WEDNESDAY. BOROUGH POLICE WERE CALLED TO A HOME ON EAST PINE STREET WHERE MARK WILNER HAD ASSAULTED A WOMAN AND HER DAUGHTER, STRIKING THEM AND CHOKING THEM. WILNER IS CHARGED WITH AGGRAVATED AND SIMPLE ASSAULT AND RELATED COUNTS. HE WAS JAILED FOLLOWING ARRAIGNMENT BEFORE DISTRICT JUDGE ANTHONY KILKER.

FOOD AND FELLOWSHIP IN HAVEN

THE SCHUYLKILL HAVEN COUNCIL OF CHURCHES, AS PART OF THEIR COMMUNITY OUTREACH, HOSTED THE SECOND NITTANY NEIGHBORS DINNER LAST NIGHT. THE GOAL, TO SHARE GOOD FOOD AND GET TO KNOW THE PEOPLE THAT PENN STATE STUDENTS LIVE WITH EVERY DAY. MORE THAN 120 PEOPLE WERE EXPECTED FOR THE BUFFET MEAL AT THE SCHUYLKILL HAVEN COMMUNITY/SENIOR CENTER. SOPHOMORE ACCOUNTING STUDENT TERRY ROBINSON OF PHILADELPHIA WAS GRATEFUL FOR THE EVENT:

ROBINSON

ASSAULT IN NORWEGIAN TOWNSHIP

A SCUFFLE BETWEEN TWO MEN EARLIER THIS WEEK LEADS TO THE ARREST OF A MINERSVILLE MAN. A VERBAL ARGUMENT BETWEEN WILLIAM SPEARMAN AND STEPHEN WITMAN TURNED PHYSICAL IN THE PARKING LOT AT FAIRLANE MALL. SPEARMAN STRUCK WITMAN, WHO HAD TO BE TREATED AT LEHIGH VALLEY HOSPITAL FOR HIS INJURIES. SPEARMAN TURNED HIMSELF INTO POLICE ON WEDNESDAY AND WAS CHARGED WITH AGGRAVATED ASSAULT. HE'S JAILED IN THE COUNTY PRISON AND ADDITIONAL CHARGES MAY BE FILED. WITMAN'S INJURIES DID NOT APPEAR TO BE LIFE THREATENING.

SCHUYLKILL RIVER FILM

THE SCHUYLKILL RIVER HAS A REMARKABLE HISTORY. NATIVE AMERICANS AND EARLY SETTLERS RELIED ON THE RIVER FOR FOOD AND WATER. REVOLUTIONARY WAR BATTLES WERE FOUGHT ALONG ITS BANKS AND COAL TRANSPORTED ALONG THE SCHUYLKILL CANAL HELPED FUEL THE INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTION. A NEW PBS DOCUMENTARY "OUR NATIONAL HERITAGE EPISODE ONE: THE REVOLUTIONARY RIVER" WILL PREMIERE SATURDAY NIGHT AT THE SOVEREIGN MAJESTIC THEATURE AT 7PM. THE 47 MINUTE FILM WAS PRODUCED ON BEHALF OF THE SCHUYLKILL RIVER NATIONAL AND STATE HERITAGE AREA IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE WILLIAM PENN FOUNDATION, THE NATIONAL PARK SERVICE AND THE PA DEPARTMENT OF CONSERVATION AND ENVIRONMENTAL RESOURCES. TICKETS ARE ONLY AVAILABLE IN ADVANCE BY CALLING CINDY KOTT AT 484-945-0200 OR AT CKOTT@SCHUYLKILLRIVER.ORG.

FAMILIES OF FLIGHT 93 SAY MEMORIAL IS ON TRACK

WASHINGTON (AP) - FAMILIES OF THOSE KILLED ON UNITED AIRLINES FLIGHT 93 SAY PLANS FOR A NATIONAL MEMORIAL AT THE SEPT. 11 CRASH SITE IN SOUTHWESTERN PENNSYLVANIA ARE ON TRACK. THE GROUP FAMILIES OF FLIGHT 93 TOLD A HOUSE APPROPRIATIONS PANEL THURSDAY THAT CONTINUED FEDERAL FUNDING AND OTHER SUPPORT IS NEEDED SO THE MEMORIAL'S FIRST PHASE CAN OPEN ON THE 10TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE 2001 TERRORIST ATTACKS. THE INITIAL PHASE REPRESENTS MOST OF THE MEMORIAL'S EXPENSE AND WILL COST $58 MILLION. ABOUT $30 MILLION OF THAT IS TO COME FROM PRIVATE CONTRIBUTIONS. FLIGHT 93 WAS TRAVELING FROM NEWARK, N.J., TO SAN FRANCISCO WHEN HIJACKERS TOOK IT OVER, APPARENTLY WITH THE GOAL OF CRASHING IT INTO THE WHITE HOUSE OR CAPITOL. THE PASSENGERS FOUGHT BACK, AND THE HIJACKERS CRASHED THE PLANE INTO A FIELD INSTEAD.

ALLENTOWN, PA. (AP) - THE FAMILY OF A 63-YEAR-OLD MAN WHO DIED OF CARBON MONOXIDE POISONING AT A PENNSYLVANIA HOTEL HAS SETTLED A LAWSUIT. PHILIP PRECHTEL DIED IN 2008 AFTER A MAKESHIFT CANOPY PLACED ON THE SIDE OF THE BEST WESTERN ALLENTOWN INN & SUITES FOR A REMODELING PROJECT CAUSED HIS ROOM TO FILL WITH THE DEADLY GAS. TERMS OF THE SETTLEMENT WEREN'T DISCLOSED.

DOYLESTOWN, PA. (AP) - A 44-YEAR-OLD PHILADELPHIA WOMAN ACCUSED OF OFFERING SEXUAL FAVORS FOR WORLD SERIES TICKETS HAS BEEN FOUND NOT GUILTY OF PROSTITUTION, BUT GUILTY OF ATTEMPTED PROSTITUTION. TESTIFYING AT HER TRIAL YESTERDAY, SUSAN FINKELSTEIN SAID SHE PLACED AN ONLINE AD WITH SEXUAL OVERTONES, BUT SHE ISN'T A PROSTITUTE.

PHILADELPHIA (AP) - PHILADELPHIA MAYOR MICHAEL NUTTER HAS ENDORSED STATE SENATOR ANTHONY WILLIAMS FOR GOVERNOR. NUTTER AND PENNSYLVANIA HOUSE APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE CHAIRMAN DWIGHT EVANS
ANNOUNCED THEIR SUPPORT FOR WILLIAMS YESTERDAY. ALL THREE MEN SHARE
A POLITICAL BASE AMONG AFRICAN-AMERICAN VOTERS IN HEAVILY DEMOCRATIC PHILADELPHIA.

PHILADELPHIA (AP) - POLICE SAY THEY'VE ARRESTED A THIRD PRETEEN IN THE ASSAULT OF A WOMAN WALKING HOME THROUGH A PHILADELPHIA PLAYGROUND AS PART OF WHAT AUTHORITIES SAY IS A VIOLENT GAME IN WHICH CHILDREN BEAT AND ROB PEOPLE FOR FUN. ANOTHER 12-YEAR-OLD GIRL AND AN 11-YEAR-OLD BOY WERE PREVIOUSLY CHARGED. POLICE SAY ADDITIONAL ARRESTS ARE POSSIBLE.

WASHINGTON (AP) - HELP COULD BE COMING TO MORE FINANCIALLY-TROUBLED HOMEOWNERS. THE OBAMA ADMINISTRATION PLANS TO ANNOUNCE TODAY A PLAN THAT WOULD ALLOW PEOPLE WHO OWE MORE ON THEIR MORTGAGES THAN THEIR PROPERTIES ARE WORTH TO GET NEW LOANS BACKED BY THE FEDERAL HOUSING ADMINISTRATION. ALSO, MORTGAGE COMPANIES PARTICIPATING IN THE ADMINISTRATION'S EXISTING FORECLOSURE PREVENTION PROGRAM WOULD HAVE TO CONSIDER SLASHING THE AMOUNT BORROWERS OWE.

WASHINGTON (AP) - AT LEAST ONE REPUBLICAN SENATOR SAYS THE $9 BILLION TO EXTEND JOBLESS BENEFITS IS TOO MUCH. SEN. TOM COBURN OF OKLAHOMA BLOCKED A STOPGAP BILL, SAYING THAT MUCH MONEY SHOULD NOT BE ADDED TO THE NATIONAL DEBT. SOME PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN OUT OF WORK FOR MORE THAN SIX MONTHS WILL AT LEAST TEMPORARILY LOSE BENEFITS.

WASHINGTON (AP) - PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA SAYS IF REPUBLICANS CAMPAIGN FOR THE REPEAL OF HEALTH CARE REFORM AS THEY'VE PROMISED, "I WELCOME THAT FIGHT." CONGRESSIONAL DEMOCRATS PUT THE FINAL TOUCHES ON HEALTH CARE LATE YESTERDAY, WITH A HOUSE VOTE OF 220-207. NOW THE FIXES GO TO THE PRESIDENT FOR HIS SIGNATURE, WHICH IS EXPECTED EARLY NEXT WEEK.

WASHINGTON (AP) - IT'S HARDER TO BOOT GAYS OUT OF THE MILITARY. THE PENTAGON HAS APPROVED NEW RULES TO EASE ENFORCEMENT OF THE 1993 CONGRESSIONAL BAN MEANT TO KEEP THE LAW FROM BEING USED TO LAUNCH WITCH HUNTS OR SETTLE GRUDGES. SOME 13,000 PEOPLE HAVE BEEN DISCHARGED FROM THE MILITARY UNDER THE BAN.

SOUTH PASADENA, CALIF. (AP) - THE TEENAGER WHO GOT THE CALIFORNIA ASSEMBLY TO APPROVE A NO CUSSING RESOLUTION EARLIER THIS MONTH IS TELLING VICE PRESIDENT JOE BIDEN TO WATCH HIS LANGUAGE. SOUTH PASADENA HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT MCKAY HATCH SAYS HE'LL ASK BIDEN TO APOLOGIZE FOR LETTING A PROFANITY SLIP DURING A BILL-SIGNING CEREMONY EARLIER THIS WEEK. HATCH SAYS HE'LL ALSO MAIL BIDEN ONE OF HIS NO CUSSING CLUB'S PENALTY JARS AND AN OFFICIAL CLUB T-SHIRT.