Today's News-Thursday, March 11, 2010

SENAVITIS TRIAL OPENS

STROUDSBURG, Pa. (AP) - THE TRIAL OF A MONROE COUNTY MAN GOT UNDERWAY WEDNESDAY IN STROUDSBURG. 46 YEAR OLD THOMAS SENAVITIS IS CHARGED WITH VEHICULAR HOMICIDE AND DRUNK DRIVING IN THE DEATH OF SENATOR JAMES RHOADES OF MAHANOY CITY IN OCTOBER, 2008. POLICE SAY SENAVITIS, OF KUNKLETOWN, HAD A BLOOD ALCOHOL LEVEL NEARLY FOUR TIMES THE LEGAL LIMIT WHEN HIS PICKUP STRUCK RHOADES VEHICLE HEAD ON. THE PROSECUTION CALLED EMERGENCY RESPONDERS AND AN EYEWITNESS YESTERDAY, STATING THAT SENAVITIS "SMELLED LIKE A BREWERY" WHEN TENDED TO AFTER THE CRASH. MARY EDITH RHOADES, THE SENATOR'S WIFE SAID THAT SENAVITIS' VEHICLE CROSSED INTO THE PATH OF THEIR CADILLAC. MRS. RHOADES SAID SHE KNEW SOMETHING WAS WRONG WHEN HER HUSBAND WAS ASKED BY PARAMEDICS TO IDENTIFY THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES WHEN BEING TREATED, AND HE DIDN'T ANSWER. A MOTORIST WHO WAS PARKED ALONGSIDE THE ROAD THAT NIGHT NEAR THE ACCIDENT SCENE ALSO RECOUNTED THAT SENAVITIS STRUCK THE RHOADES VEHICLE. THE TRIAL IS BEING HELD AT THE MONROE COUNTY COURTHOUSE IN STROUDSBURG.

ANOTHER ARREST IN BAR FIGHT

MORE ARRESTS IN THE CASE OF A FIGHT AT A SHENANDOAH BAR LAST MONTH. SHENANDOAH POLICE ARRESTED 18 YEAR OLD MICHAEL BERDECIA OF GORDON ON FELONY COUNTS OF AGGRAVATED ASSAULT AND RELATED COUNTS. HE COULDN'T POST BAIL AND WAS JAILED. HIS STEPMOTHER, MIRIAM MALAVE, HAS BEEN LOCKED UP IN THE COUNTY PRISON SINCE THE INCIDENT AT THE M&T BAR. MALAVE HAD ATTACKED THE BARTENDER WITH A BASEBALL BAT, AND ALSO SHOUTED ETHNIC REMARKS DURING THE MELEE. MALAVE'S SONS, DANNY AND RICHARD, ARE BEING SOUGHT BY POLICE FOR THEIR ROLES IN THE INCIDENT.

MEN CHARGED WITH IMPERSONATING POLICE

TWO MEN ARE IN HOT WATER FOR IMPERSONATING POLICE AND OTHER COUNTS. POTTSVILLE CITY POLICE HAVE JUST RELEASED THE DETAILS OF THE ARREST OF 27 YEAR OLD ROBERT DAVIS OF POTTSVILLE AND 26 YEAR OLD JOSEPH DAVIS OF MINERSVILLE. THE PAIR WERE FOUND IN A YARD ON NORTH THIRD STREET SATURDAY, WEARING POLICE TYPE CLOTHING, IMPERSONATING DRUG TASK FORCE OFFICERS. JOSEPH DAVIS HAD PRESCRIPTION DRUGS ON HIM. A SEARCH OF A VEHICLE THEY WERE RIDING IN UNCOVERED A TOY GUN MADE TO LOOK LIKE A REAL WEAPON. BOTH MEN ADMITTED TO POLICE THAT THEY WERE TRYING TO GAIN ENTRY TO HOMES TO LOOK FOR MONEY AND/OR DRUGS. BOTH MEN WERE ARRAIGNED AND TAKEN TO THE COUNTY JAIL.

COMMISSIONERS

REPORTER SHERRY MARCHEFSKY REPORTS FROM THE COUNTY COURTHOUSE ON YESTERDAY'S COUNTY COMMISSIONERS MEETING:

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JR IDOL WINNER

AN ASHLAND TEENAGER HAS BEEN CROWNED THE WINNER OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY JUNIOR IDOL. SHERRY MARCHEFSKY HAS DETAILS:

MARCHEFSKY JR IDOL WINNER

SCHUYLKILL YMCA

THE SCHUYLKILL YMCA CELEBRATED ITS FIRST ANNIVERSARY WITH A DINNER LAST NIGHT AT THE POTTSVILLE CLUB. REPORTER SHERRY MARCHEFSKY HAS A REPORT:

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PITTSBURGH (AP) - PITTSBURGH MAYOR LUKE RAVENSTHAL HAS DECLARED A STATE OF EMERGENCY AS THE CITY AND SURROUNDING AREAS PREPARE FOR POSSIBLE FLOODING IN THE COMING DAYS. RAVENSTAHL MADE THE DECLARATION YESTERDAY. HEAVY RAINS FORECAST INTO THE WEEKEND COMBINED WITH MELTING SNOW CREATE THE POTENTIAL FOR RISING WATERS, PARTICULARLY IN THE OHIO RIVER.

ALLENTOWN, PA. (AP) - AN ALLENTOWN MAN WHOSE 8-YEAR-OLD SON AUTHORITIES SAY ACCIDENTALLY SHOT HIMSELF IS CHARGED WITH INVOLUNTARY MANSLAUGHTER. PROSECUTORS SAY 26-YEAR-OLD JOSE ALVARADO PUT A LOADED HANDGUN IN HIS SON'S BACKPACK, ALONG WITH THE BOY'S VIDEO GAMES, AND LEFT IN ON THE FLOOR. ALVARADO COULDN'T BE REACHED BY PHONE YESTERDAY, AND IT WASN'T KNOWN IF HE HAS A LAWYER.

ALLENTOWN, PA. (AP) - A 26-YEAR-OLD EASTERN PENNSYLVANIA WOMAN IS CHARGED WITH INVOLUNTARY MANSLAUGHTER FOR ALLEGEDLY LEAVING HER
14-MONTH-OLD SON LOCKED IN A BEDROOM, LEADING TO HIS DEATH BY A TOPPLED DRESSER. PROSECUTORS ALLEGE MARIANELLA TORRES-MATOS LEFT HIM IN THE ROOM WHILE SHE RAN ERRANDS. AUTHORITIES SAY SHE HAD NO CURRENT ADDRESS AND NO LISTED PHONE NUMBER.

PHILADELPHIA (AP) - POLICE ARE INVESTIGATING THE DISCOVERY OF A SKULL AND SOME BONES IN A NORTHEAST PHILADELPHIA FIELD. PHILADELPHIA POLICE SAY THE BONES WERE FOUND YESTERDAY AFTERNOON NEXT TO A DUFFEL BAG IN A WOODED AREA OFF ROOSEVELT BOULEVARD. POLICE FROM NEARBY BENSALEM ALSO WERE INVESTIGATING.

WASHINGTON (AP) - DEMOCRATIC LEADERS ARE CLOSE ENOUGH ON HEALTH CARE LEGISLATION TO GIVE THE RANK-AND-FILE A LOOK AT WHAT THEY HAVE AT TODAY'S CAUCUS MEETING. DEMOCRATS STILL NEED TO SEE A FINAL COST ESTIMATE FROM THE CONGRESSIONAL BUDGET OFFICE, BUT HOUSE SPEAKER
NANCY PELOSI SAYS ANY DIFFERENCES CAN BE WORKED OUT. PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA WILL MAKE SURE MEMBERS OF THE BLACK AND HISPANIC CAUCUSES ARE ON BOARD.

WASHINGTON (AP) - CONGRESS WANTS TO KNOW HOW WELL FEDERAL SAFETY OFFICIALS HAVE LIVED UP TO THEIR MISSION OF PROTECTING MOTORISTS. THE NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION WILL BE ON THE HOTSEAT TODAY AT THE LATEST CONGRESSIONAL HEARING LINKED TO TOYOTA'S MASSIVE RECALL. CONGRESS IS CONSIDERING NEW AUTO INDUSTRY REFORMS FOLLOWING TOYOTA'S PROBLEMS WITH ACCELERATOR PEDALS AND BRAKES.

HARRISON, N.Y. (AP) - ONE OF THE LATEST REPORTED CASES OF UNINTENDED ACCELERATION IN A TOYOTA PRIUS HAS GOTTEN THE ATTENTION OF FEDERAL REGULATORS. THE DRIVER IN NEW YORK SAYS THE PRIUS ACCELERATED ON ITS OWN, AND THEN LURCHED DOWN A DRIVEWAY, ACROSS A ROAD AND INTO A STONE WALL. POLICE SAY THE DRIVER ESCAPED SERIOUS INJURY.

KANSAS CITY, MO. (AP) - DESPITE PLEAS FROM PARENTS AND COMMUNITY LEADERS, THE KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI, SCHOOL DISTRICT WILL BE CLOSING ALMOST HALF OF ITS PUBLIC SCHOOLS BEFORE THE NEXT SCHOOL YEAR. THE SCHOOL BOARD DECIDED TO TAKE ACTION WEDNESDAY NIGHT BECAUSE THE DISTRICT IS FACING POTENTIAL BANKRUPTCY.

MEXICO CITY (AP) - WHO'S THE RICHEST PERSON IN THE WORLD? NO, IT'S NOT BILL GATES THIS YEAR. IT'S MEXICAN TELECOM TYCOON CARLOS SLIM. IT'S THE FIRST TIME SOMEONE FROM A DEVELOPING NATION IS TOPS ON FORBES MAGAZINE'S LIST. MICROSOFT CO-FOUNDER BILL GATES IS SECOND, AND THEN WARREN BUFFETT.