Today's News-Thursday, March 25, 2010-7am

PUMP BROKEN IN GILBERTON

UNDERGROUND MINE WATER IN GILBERTON HAS BEEN A WAY OF LIFE FOR MANY YEARS. NOW, A PUMP THAT DISCHARGES THAT WATER IS BROKEN, AND RESIDENTS ARE BEING WARNED TO TAKE PRECAUTIONS FOR POSSIBLE FLOODING IN SOME HOME BASEMENTS. D.E.P. OFFICIALS TELL THE REPUBLICAN HERALD THAT APPARENTLY A MOTOR BURNED OUT IN THE PUMP, AND NEEDS TO BE REPAIRED OR REPLACED. THE AFFECTED AREAS ARE ON DRAPER STREET AND LONG ROW ROAD. RESIDENTS THERE ARE CAUTIONED TO MOVE ITEMS IN THEIR BASEMENTS TO HIGHER GROUND IN THE EVENT OF HEAVY RAINS. A LOCAL COMPANY IS OFFERING THE USE OF EQUIPMENT TO HELP GET RID OF THE WATER UNTIL PUMP REPAIRS ARE MADE.

OLLIVIRRE REMAINS IN NEW YORK

THE THIRD SUSPECT IN THE ROBBERY AND SHOOTING DEATH OF A SHENANDOAH MAN IS FACING CHARGES IN NEW YORK FOR AN UNRELATED INCIDENT THERE. JAHMAL OLLIVIRRE SURRENDERED TO POLICE IN NEW YORK CITY, WANTED IN CONNECTION WITH THE DEATH OF BRUCE FORKER LAST WEEK. OFFICIALS SAY THAT OLLIVIRRE IS BEING DETAINED IN A ROBBERY AND SHOOTING. POLICE HAVE NOT RELEASED ANY SPECIFICS AS TO WHY JULIUS ENOE, DAMON ENNETT AND OLLIVIRRE COMMITTED THE CRIME IN FORKERS EAST CENTER STREET HOME IN SHENANDOAH.

COMMISSIONERS

THE SCHUYLKILL COUNTY COMMISSIONERS TOOK THEIR MEETING ON THE ROAD TO WESTERN SCHUYLKILL COUNTY ON WEDNESDAY. SHERRY MARCHEFSKY HAS MORE FROM PORTER TOWNSHIP:

COMMISSIONERS 3.24

ALLENTOWN MEN NABBED ON DRUGS

POLICE IN SHENANDOAH ARRESTED TWO MEN FROM ALLENTOWN ON DRUG RELATED CHARGES. THE INCIDENT HAPPENED TUESDAY AFTERNOON AT A HOME ON MAIN STREET. COCAINE WAS FOUND DURING A SEARCH, AND 31 YEAR OLD FREDERICK VASQUEZ JR. AND 39 YEAR OLD EDWIN VEGA CHARGED WITH POSSESSION WITH INTENT TO DELIVER AND OTHER RELATED COUNTS. POLICE ALSO APPREHENDED DANIEL GUIDA ON A PAROLE VIOLATION. ACCORDING TO POLICE, VASQUEZ AND VEGA HAD BEEN TRAVELING TO THE REGION TO DELIVER DRUGS FOR SOME TIME. THEY ARE JAILED IN THE SCHUYLKILL COUNTY PRISON.

BARNESVILLE MAN JAILED

ACTIVE PURSUIT BY POLICE HAS LED TO THE ARREST OF A BARNESVILLE MAN. TROOPERS REPORT THAT MICHAEL STEWART WAS WANTED ON OUTSTANDING DRUG COUNTS RELATING TO AN INCIDENT IN CUMBOLA LAST SPRING. STEWART WAS LOCATED AT A HOME IN RYAN TOWNSHIP AND ARRESTED. HE'S LODGED IN THE SCHUYLKILL COUNTY PRISON PENDING A PRELIMINARY HEARING.

CRASH AT MT CARBON

TWO PEOPLE SUFFERED MINOR INJURIES WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON IN MOUNT CARBON. 33 YEAR OLD JASON GREGORY WAS STOPPED FOR TRAFFIC AT THE JUGHANDLE WHEN HE WAS REAR ENDED BY A VEHICLE OPERATED BY 27 YEAR OLD ANGELA LAWELL. LAWELL WAS TAKEN TO THE HOSPITAL WHILE GREGORY WENT FOR HIS OWN MEDICAL ATTENTION. LAWELL WAS CITED FOR DRIVING UNDER A PERMIT WITHOUT A LICENSED DRIVER PRESENT AND FAILURE TO STOP FOR TRAFFIC AHEAD.

WILLIAMSPORT, PA. (AP) - CHARGES HAVE BEEN DROPPED AGAINST A FORMER PENNSYLVANIA GYM TEACHER ACCUSED OF MOLESTING A STUDENT. JAMES JAMISON, WHO TAUGHT AT BONIFACE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL IN WILLIAMSPORT, SAID HE DID NOTHING WRONG AND CALLED THE DECISION WELL OVERDUE. PROSECUTORS SAY THE BOY HAS SUFFERED "ENORMOUSLY" AND A TRIAL MIGHT BE MORE THAN HE COULD BEAR.

PHILADELPHIA (AP) - A JUDGE HAS ORDERED THREE PHILADELPHIA TEENAGERS TO STAND TRIAL FOR MURDER IN THE JANUARY DEATH OF A PIZZA DELIVERY DRIVER WHO DIED OF A HEART ATTACK FOLLOWING A CARJACKING. THE 14-, 17- AND 18-YEAR-OLD DEFENDANTS ARE ACCUSED IN THE DEATH OF 60-YEAR-OLD JAIME OROZCO-TORRES.

DOYLESTOWN, PA. (AP) - PROSECUTORS IN SUBURBAN PHILADELPHIA HAVE RESTED THEIR CASE AGAINST A 44-YEAR-OLD WOMAN ACCUSED OF OFFERING AN UNDERCOVER POLICE OFFICER SEXUAL FAVORS IN RETURN FOR WORLD SERIES TICKETS. SUSAN FINKELSTEIN'S LAWYER SAYS HE HASN'T DECIDED IF HE'LL HER TO THE STAND WHEN HE PRESENTS HIS CASE TODAY. FINKLESTEIN DENIES THE CHARGES.

PITTSBURGH (AP) - AUTHORITIES SAY SKELETAL REMAINS UNCOVERED IN A PITTSBURGH-AREA PARK BELONGED TO A MAN WHO COMMITTED SUICIDE. THE
ALLEGHENY COUNTY MEDICAL EXAMINER SAYS 51-YEAR-OLD DANIEL VANTASSEL, OF WILKINSBURG, HANGED HIMSELF WITH A CHAIN THAT WAS FOUND NEAR HIM IN BULLOCK-PENS PARK. A HUNTER LOOKING FOR DEER ANTLERS FOUND THE REMAINS ON MARCH 17TH.

WASHINGTON (AP) - THE HEALTH CARE FIX-IT BILL THAT'S PART OF THE DEAL THAT WON PASSAGE OF HEALTH CARE REFORM WILL HAVE TO GO BACK TO THE HOUSE. SENATE REPUBLICANS HAVE FOUND MINOR GLITCHES IN TWO PROVISIONS THAT VIOLATE THE RULES. THE LANGUAGE WILL HAVE TO BE STRIPPED, AND THE HOUSE WILL HAVE TO VOTE AGAIN.

MANILA, PHILIPPINES (AP) - A STRONG EARTHQUAKE IN THE PHILIPPINES, WEST OF MANILA, HAS SHAKEN BUILDINGS AND FRIGHTENED WORKERS, BUT THERE ARE NO IMMEDIATE REPORTS OF INJURIES OR DAMAGE. THE QUAKE WAS SAID TO BE MAGNITUDE 6.2, AND SHOOK MANILA FOR ABOUT 30 SECONDS. BUT NO TSUNAMI ALERT WAS ISSUED.

SACRAMENTO, CALIF. (AP) - THIS NOVEMBER, CALIFORNIANS WILL GET TO VOTE ON WHETHER THEY WANT TO LEGALIZE RECREATIONAL USE OF MARIJUANA FOR ADULTS. A PROPOSITION CALLING FOR THAT HAS GATHERED ENOUGH SIGNATURES TO GET ON THE BALLOT. CALIFORNIA AND 14 OTHER STATES ALREADY ALLOW MEDICINAL USE OF POT.

KUALA LUMPUR, MALAYSIA (AP) - AN APPEALS COURT IN MALAYSIA HAS OVERTURNED A COURT RULING IN FAVOR OF A POLITICAL ACTIVIST, AND TOLD HIM TO PAY $15,000 IN COURT COSTS. ANOTHER COURT HAD AWARDED HIM $752,000 FOR BEING ILLEGALLY DETAINED AND ABUSED BY POLICE. THE MAN'S LAWYER SAYS THEY'LL APPEAL.

WASHINGTON (AP) - THE U.S. MINT IS COMING OUT WITH NEW QUARTERS THAT WILL FEATURE AMERICA'S NATIONAL PARKS AND FORESTS ON THE BACK. THE FIRST FIVE DESIGNS WERE UNVEILED YESTERDAY, WITH A TOTAL OF 56 PLANNED. THE FIRST ONE WILL GO INTO CIRCULATION NEXT MONTH, HIGHLIGHTING HOT SPRINGS NATIONAL PARK IN ARKANSAS.