Today's News-Monday, March 8, 2010-8AM

HIGH SPEED CHASE

A HIGH SPEED CHASE TOOK PLACE SUNDAY AFTERNOON IN THE REGION. TAMAQUA POLICE SPOTTED A MAN DRIVING THROUGH A RED LIGHT IN THE BOROUGH. WHEN THEY ATTEMPTED TO STOP 50 YEAR OLD TIMOTHY EWER OF DOYLESTOWN, HE LED OFFICERS ON A CHASE, WITH SPEEDS IN EXCESS OF 100 MILES AN HOUR. AIDED BY WEST PENN TOWNSHIP POLICE, EWERS WAS FINALLY STOPPED IN NEW RINGGOLD. EWERS IS CHARGED WITH DUI, REPORTEDLY HIS 7TH DRUNK DRIVING CHARGE, RECKLESS ENDANGERMENT AND OTHER COUNTS. EWERS WAS ARRAIGNED AND TAKEN TO SCHUYLKILL COUNTY PRISON IN LIEU OF $25-THOUSAND-DOLLARS BAIL.

SUDS STOLEN

STATE POLICE ARE LOOKING FOR TWO MEN WHO TOOK A CASE OF BEER FROM A WAYNE TOWNSHIP BUSINESS. A PICKUP TRUCK PULLED INTO COUNTRY BEVERAGE ON ROUTE 183 LATE FRIDAY AFTERNOON, AND A WHITE MALE, BELIEVED TO BE IN HIS 40'S, TOOK A 30 PACK OF BEER AND GOT BACK IN THE TRUCK AND FLED THE SCENE. EYEWITNESSES SAY THE THIEF WAS ABOUT 5 FEET 8 INCHES TALL, WEARING BLUE JEANS, BLUE SWEATSHIRT AND A BASEBALL CAP. THE FORD F-150 PICKUP THEN FLED ON ROUTE 183 NORTH. THE INVESTIGATION CONTINUES.

CAR STOLEN

A RENTAL CAR WAS STOLEN FROM THE FAIRLANE VILLAGE MALL PARKING LOT SATURDAY AFTERNOON. THE VEHICLE APPARENTLY HAD THE KEYS IN THE IGNITION WHEN TAKEN. 48 YEAR OLD CAROL LEMPFERT OF MINERSVILLE HAD RENTED THE VEHICLE FROM A POTTSVILLE BUSINESS. THE VEHICLE WAS A 2001 DODGE STRATUS, TAN IN COLOR. ANYONE WITH INFORMATION SHOULD CALL STATE POLICE AT SCHUYLKILL HAVEN, 593-2000.

BURGLARY AT GAS STATION

TROOPERS FROM THE SCHUYLKILL HAVEN BARRACKS ARE LOOKING FOR THE BANDIT WHO BROKE INTO A WEST BRUNSWICK TOWNSHIP BUSINESS EARLY SUNDAY MORNING. BEFORE 4AM, THE BURGLAR CUT THE WIRES TO THE ALARM SYSTEM AT SUPER GAS ON ROUTE 61 AND ENTERED THE BUILDING, TAKING CARTONS OF CIGARETTES AND CASH. THE IN-STORE ATM WAS ALSO VANDALIZED. A NEWSPAPER DELIVERY DRIVER APPARENTLY STARTLED THE INDIVIDUAL, AND HE FLED INTO A NEARBY FIELD BEHIND THE BUILDING. THE SEARCH FOR THE BANDIT CONTINUES.

BAD DENTAL CARE IN PA

PENNSYLVANIA IS ONE OF THE WORST STATES IN THE NATION AT PROVIDING GOOD DENTAL CARE TO ITS YOUNGEST RESIDENTS ACCORDING TO A NEW STUDY. THE PEW CENTER ON THE STATES REPORT GIVES PENNSYLVANIA AN "F" FOR MEETING CRITERIA IN ONLY TWO OF EIGH AREAS EXAMINED. PEW'S DENTAL CAMPAIGN MANAGER LAURIE NORRIS SAYS ONE OF THOSE AREAS INVOLVES THE WATER KIDS USE TO BRUSH THEIR TEETH:

NORRIS

NORRIS SAYS RURAL AREAS IN PENNSYLVANIA, AND MOST STATE, PROVIDE A CHALLENGE SINCE THERE MAY NOT BE DENTISTS PRACTICING THERE. NORRIS SAYS THE TWO AREAS WHERE PENNSYLVANIA PERFORMED WELL IN THE STUDY CONCERN THE STATE REPORTING ITS DATA TO A NATIONAL DATABASE, AND THE ABILITY OF DENTAL ASSISTANTS TO PUT SEALANTS ON KIDS' TEETH. PENNSYLVANIA IS ONE OF NINE STATES TO RECEIVE A FAILING GRADE.

PITTSBURGH (AP) - AUTHORITIES IN PITTSBURGH SAY A MAN WHOSE BODY WAS FOUND IN A CARNEGIE MELLON UNIVERSITY FRATERNITY HOUSE YESTERDAY "LIKELY DRANK TOO MUCH," BUT THEY HAVEN'T YET DETERMINED WHAT CAUSED HIS DEATH. POLICE SAY 20-YEAR-OLD MATTHEW TEMBO WAS A STUDENT AT THE UNIVERSITY OF PITTSBURGH AT GREENSBURG AND HAD BEEN IN TOWN CELEBRATING A FRIEND'S BIRTHDAY.

PITTSBURGH (AP) - POLICE IN WESTERN PENNSYLVANIA SAY A WOMAN WAS STABBED TO DEATH IN AN APPARENT DOMESTIC DISPUTE. PITTSBURGH POLICE COMMANDER THOMAS STANGRECKI SAYS A MAN AND TWO CHILDREN, AGED 7 AND 13, ALSO WERE HOSPITALIZED AFTER THE INCIDENT IN THE CITY'S WEST END NEIGHBORHOOD. THEIR IDENTITIES WEREN'T IMMEDIATELY RELEASED.

HARRISBURG, PA. (AP) - THINKING ABOUT PAYING BACK TAXES YOU OWE TO THE STATE PENNSYLVANIA? YOU MIGHT WANT TO WAIT UNTIL APRIL 26TH. THAT'S WHEN THE STATE IS STARTING A TAX AMNESTY PROGRAM. DURING THE 54-DAY AMNESTY PERIOD, ALL PENALTIES AND HALF THE INTEREST WILL BE WAIVED FOR BUSINESSES AND INDIVIDUALS THAT PAY OFF DELINQUENT TAXES ACCRUED THROUGH JUNE 2009.

LIMERICK, PA. (AP) - POLICE SAY THE DRIVER OF A CAR THAT CRASHED AND KILLED TWO PEOPLE IN SUBURBAN PHILADELPHIA WAS LIKELY SPEEDING. LIMERICK TOWNSHIP POLICE CHIEF WILLIAM ALBANY SAYS 21-YEAR-OLD RYAN MENKINS OF ROYERSFORD AND 22-YEAR-OLD SHANA GEYER OF LOWER POTTSGROVE WERE FOUND DEAD AT THE SCENE YESTERDAY.

DATELINE (AP) - AN OFFICIAL IN TURKEY SAYS DOZENS OF PEOPLE HAVE BEEN KILLED IN A MAGNITUDE 6 EARTHQUAKE IN THE EASTERN PART OF THE COUNTRY. A LOCAL MAYOR SAYS THE QUAKE STRUCK SIX VILLAGES IN ELAZIG PROVINCE, AND WAS FOLLOWED BY SEVERAL AFTERSHOCKS, INCLUDING ONE MEASURING 5.5.

ISLAMABAD (AP) - PAKISTANI OFFICIALS SAY AN AMERICAN MEMBER OF AL-QAIDA PICKED UP IN A RAID IN KARACHI IS PROBABLY NOT AMERICA AL-QAIDA SPOKESMAN ADAM GADAHN. PAKISTAN OFFICIALS SAY THE MAN DETAINED HAS A NAME VERY CLOSE TO AN ALIAS FOR GADAHN. GADAHN HAS APPEARED IN SEVERAL VIDEOS THREATENING THE WEST SINCE 2001.

KABUL (AP) - DEFENSE SECRETARY ROBERT GATES SAYS DESPITE SUCCESSES FIGHTING AL-QAIDA IN THE AFGHAN TOWN OF MARJAH, "PEOPLE STILL NEED TO UNDERSTAND THERE IS SOME VERY HARD FIGHTING, VERY HARD DAYS AHEAD." GATES IS IN AFGHANISTAN, WHERE HE'LL MEET WITH HIS TOP MILITARY COMMANDERS AND SENIOR AFGHAN OFFICIALS.

WASHINGTON (AP) - PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA IS TAKING HIS LAST-DITCH PUSH FOR HEALTH CARE REFORM ON THE ROAD. HE'S SPEAKING THIS MORNING IN PHILADELPHIA, WHERE HE'LL TRY TO PERSUADE THE PUBLIC TO BACK HIS PLAN TO REMAKE THE NATION'S HEALTH CARE SYSTEM. OBAMA TRAVELS TO ST. LOUIS ON WEDNESDAY.

NEW YORK (AP) - GRAMMY AWARD-WINNING RAPPER LIL WAYNE WILL FINALLY BE SENTENCED THIS MORNING TO A YEAR IN JAIL IN NEW YORK FOR CARRYING A LOADED GUN. LIL WAYNE HAD PLEADED GUILTY TO ATTEMPTED CRIMINAL POSSESSION OF A WEAPON IN OCTOBER, BUT HIS SENTENCING WAS POSTPONED TWICE. FIRST HE NEEDED SURGERY ON HIS BLING BLING TEETH AND THEN A FIRE SHUT DOWN THE COURTHOUSE.