Today's News-Tuesday, March 16, 2010-9am

SHENANDOAH MURDER

A SHENANDOAH MAN IS DEAD FOLLOWING AN INCIDENT IN THE BOROUGH OVERNIGHT. STATE POLICE LT. THOMAS MCDANIEL OF TROOP L, PA STATE POLICE.

MCDANIEL 1

THE 300 BLOCK OF EAST CENTRE STREET IS ROPED OFF AS INVESTIGATORS LOOK FOR CLUES AS TO WHAT HAPPENED AT 333 EAST CENTRE STREET AROUND 2AM. AUTHORITIES ARE INTERVIEWING OTHER FAMILY MEMBERS WHO WERE IN THE HOME AT THE TIME, AND ARE ASKING FOR THE PUBLIC'S HELP IN THEIR INVESTIGATION. ANY TIPS CAN BE CALLED INTO THE FRACKVILLE STATE POLICE BARRACKS AT 874-5300 OR 1-800-PA-TIPS.

SENAVITIS FOUND NOT GUILTY ON MOST SERIOUS CHARGES

A KUNKLETOWN, MONROE COUNTY MAN HAS BEEN ACQUITTED OF VEHICULAR HOMICIDE WHILE DRIVING DRUNK IN A 2008 CRASH THAT KILLED SENATOR JAMES RHOADES AND SERIOUSLY INJURED HIS WIFE. JURORS IN STROUDSBURG DECIDED MONDAY THAT 46-YEAR-OLD THOMAS SENAVITIS WAS HIGHLY INTOXICATED BUT DID NOT CAUSE THE CRASH ON STATE ROUTE 209 IN THE POCONOS IN OCTOBER, 2008. SENAVITIS WAS CONVICTED OF RECKLESS ENDANGERMENT AND DRUNKEN DRIVING CHARGES. PROSECUTORS ALLEGED SENAVITIS HAD A BLOOD-ALCOHOL LEVEL MORE THAN FOUR TIMES THE LEGAL LIMIT FOR DRIVING AND HIS PICKUP TRUCK CROSSED A CENTER LINE AND HIT RHOADES' CADILLAC SEDAN. SENAVITIS' ATTORNEY INSISTED THAT IT WAS RHOADES WHO CAUSED THE CRASH BY VEERING INTO THE DEFENDANT'S LANE TO AVOID A MINIVAN PARKED ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. HE ALSO QUESTIONED THE RELIABILITY OF THE BLOOD TEST PERFORMED ON HIS CLIENT. THE JURY DELIBERATED FOR ALMOST 5 HOURS BEFORE A VERDICT WAS REACHED.

MAN WANTED FOR TRYING TO RUN OVER OFFICER

POTTSVILLE CITY POLICE ARE LOOKING FOR A SHENANDOAH MAN WHO ALLEGEDLY TRIED TO RUN OVER A POTTSVILLE POLICE OFFICER SATURDAY NIGHT. OFFICERS WERE CALLED TO A HOME ON JOHN O'HARA STREET, WHERE A WOMAN THERE HAD RECEIVED A DEATH THREAT FROM 28 YEAR OLD LUIS ANGEL DIAZ-RIVERA. THE SUSPECT SHOWED UP AT THE HOME, AND FLED WITH POLICE IN PURSUIT. DIAZ GOT INTO A CAR, AND ATTEMPTED TO RUN OVER A CITY POLICEMAN WHO WAS ON FOOT IN PURSUIT. NO SHOTS WERE FIRED, AND DIAZ GOT AWAY. THE SUSPECT'S LAST KNOWN ADDRESS WAS 205 OHIO AVENUE IN SHENANDOAH HEIGHTS. HE FACES CHARGES OF ATTEMPTED HOMICIDE, AGGRAVATED ASSAULT AND OTHER RELATED COUNTS. ANYONE WITH INFORMATION ABOUT DIAZ' WHEREABOUTS SHOULD CALL POTTSVILLE POLICE.

INDUSTRIAL THEFT

A COAL COMPANY IN REILLY TOWNSHIP IS THE VICTIM OF THEFT. STATE POLICE AT SCHUYLKILL HAVEN ARE INVESTIGATING THE THEFT OF 120 FEET OF HEAVY GAUGE COOPER WIRE FROM THE WHITE PINE COAL COMPANY. THE INCIDENT HAPPENED OVER THE WEEKEND AT THE SITE ON NEW MINES ROAD. THE SUSPECTS ARE STILL AT LARGE.

SEVERAL WANTED ON WARRANTS PICKED UP

FRACKVILLE STATE POLICE HAVE NABBED TWO PEOPLE WHO WERE WANTED ON OUTSTANDING CRIMINAL WARRANTS. 20 YEAR OLD TIFFANY JADUS OF SHENANDOAH WAS SEEN WALKING NEAR WEST CHERRY STREET IN THE BOROUGH, AND WAS PICKED UP ON A THEFT WARRANT. A VEHICLE STOP ON ROUTE 54 LED TO THE APPREHENSION OF 23 YEAR OLD GREGORY SMITH OF GIRARDVILLE. SMITH HAD AN OUTSTANDING WARRANT AGAINST HIM FOR FAILING TO APPEAR ON A CHARGE OF RECEIVING STOLEN PROPERTY. BOTH SMITH AND JADUS WERE TAKEN TO SCHUYLKILL COUNTY PRISON.

SEIP TO HOLD HOMEOWNER'S WORKSHOP

A FREE WORKSHOP FOR HOMEOWNERS IS BEING OFFERED IN CRESSONA SATURDAY, MARCH 27TH. STATE REPRESENTATIVE TIM SEIP IS HOLDING THE EVENT, DESIGNED TO ASSIST HOMEOWNERS WHO MAY HAVE DIFFICULTY MAKING THEIR MORTGAGE PAYMENTS OR WHO MAY BE FACING FORECLOSURE. IN ADDITION, A SESSION WILL BE HELD TO PROVIDE INFORMATION ON FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE TO HOMEOWNERS WHO ARE LOOKING TO MAKE HOME RENOVATIONS OR ENERGY EFFICIENCY IMPROVEMENTS. PEOPLE WHO WISH TO ATTEND MUST REGISTER BY FRIDAY, MARCH 19TH BY CALLING ONE OF SEIP'S DISTRICT OFFICES OR ONLINE AT PAHOUSE.COM/SEIP.

DENVER (AP) - UNITED STATES STEEL CORPORATION CEO JOHN SURMA EARNED 84 PERCENT LESS LAST YEAR THAN IN 2008 AFTER HE TOOK A SALARY CUT AND REFUSED STOCK AWARDS AMID THE PITTSBURGH STEELMAKER'S STRUGGLES WITH WEAK DEMAND. AN AP ANALYSIS OF REGULATORY FILINGS FINDS SURMAN RECEIVED TOTAL COMPENSATION OF $1.5 MILLION IN 2009, COMPARED WITH $11.1 MILLION IN 2008.

WEST CHESTER, PA. (AP) - A FIFTH DEFENDANT HAS BEEN CONVICTED IN THE JULY 2007 SHOOTING DEATH OF A PHILADELPHIA-AREA FATHER OF TWO WHO HAD BEEN SCHEDULED TO PLEAD GUILTY IN A DRUG CASE. A JUDGE YESTERDAY FOUND 21-YEAR-OLD ANDRES MORALES OF COATESVILLE GUILTY OF SECOND-DEGREE MURDER, ROBBERY, AND RELATED OFFENSES IN THE SHOOTING DEATH OF CHRISTIAN OLIVERAS.

HARRISBURG, PA. (AP) - JURORS IN THE PUBLIC-CORRUPTION TRIAL OF A FORMER TOP PENNSYLVANIA HOUSE DEMOCRAT AND THREE FORMER AIDES DELIBERATED FOR A SECOND DAY WITHOUT REACHING A VERDICT. THE 12-MEMBER PANEL SPENT ABOUT NINE HOURS YESTERDAY BEHIND CLOSED DOORS AND WENT HOME AT AROUND 5 P.M. THE CASE IS CENTERED ON FORMER BEAVER COUNTY STATE REPRESENTATIVE MIKE VEON.

JERUSALEM (AP) - A U.S. OFFICIAL SAYS WASHINGTON'S MIDDLE EAST PEACE ENVOY STILL PLANS TO GO TO THE MIDDLE EAST BUT THE TIMING IS UNCERTAIN AMID A DEEPENING FEUD WITH JERUSALEM. GEORGE MITCHELL HAS DELAYED HIS TRIP TO THE REGION. IT ALL STARTED DURING VICE PRESIDENT JOE BIDEN'S VISIT WHEN ISRAEL ANNOUNCED PLANS TO BUILD MORE SETTLEMENTS IN DISPUTED EAST JERUSALEM.

WASHINGTON (AP) - PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA AND DEMOCRATIC LEADERS ARE DOING EVERYTHING THEY CAN TO ROUND UP ENOUGH VOTES TO PASS THE HEALTH CARE REFORM BILL. THE MAKE-OR-BREAK VOTE THIS WEEK IS EXPECTED TO BE TIGHT. THE PRESIDENT IS WOOING FRESHMAN DEMOCRATS IN THE OVAL OFFICE AND AIDES TO THE LAWMAKERS INVITED SAY THERE WERE AT LEAST TWO ONE-ON-ONE SESSIONS IN THE PAST FEW DAYS THAT NEVER APPEARED ON HIS OFFICIAL SCHEDULE.

WASHINGTON (AP) - AN ASSOCIATED PRESS REVIEW OF ANNUAL FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT REPORTS INDICATES THE GOVERNMENT'S USE OF LEGAL EXEMPTIONS ROSE DURING PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA'S FIRST YEAR IN OFFICE. IN SPITE OF PROMISES OF INCREASED OPENNESS, THE REVIEW FOUND THAT OVERALL, THE USE OF NEARLY EVERY ONE OF THE LAW'S NINE EXEMPTIONS ROSE IN FISCAL YEAR 2009.

WASHINGTON (AP) - THE REAL NEWS AS THE FEDERAL RESERVE WRAPS UP ITS POLICY-SETTING MEETING TODAY COULD COME IN WHAT HINTS IT MAY DROP ABOUT FUTURE ACTION ON INTEREST RATES. IT'S NOT EXPECTED TO RAISE THEM TODAY, BUT THE FED COULD SIGNAL WHEN AND HOW THEY WILL BEGIN BOOSTING RATES DOWN THE LINE.

WASHINGTON (AP) - MILLIONS OF USERS ARE SIGNING ON TO FACEBOOK, MYSPACE, LINKEDIN AND TWITTER - AND SO ARE THE FEDS. LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENTS ARE GOING UNDERCOVER TO COMMUNICATE WITH SUSPECTS AND GATHER INFORMATION, ACCORDING TO AN INTERNAL JUSTICE DEPARTMENT DOCUMENT. BUT CIVIL LIBERTIES ADVOCATES SAY THE DOCUMENT, OBTAINED IN A FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT LAWSUIT, APPEARS LACKING WHEN IT COMES TO ACCOUNTABILITY AND RESPONSIBLE USE.