Today's News-Tuesday, March 23, 2010-5AM

VICTIM IDENTIFIED IN ATV CRASH

WEST MAHANOY TOWNSHIP POLICE HAVE NOW IDENTIFIED THE MAN WHO DIED IN AN ATV CRASH SUNDAY NIGHT. 24 YEAR OLD JOSEPH ROLLMAN OF FRACKVILLE WAS RIDING THE ALL TERRAIN VEHICLE ON ROUTE 61, ATTEMPTED TO PASS ANOTHER VEHICLE AND COLLIDED WITH THE FUEL TANK ON A RIG OPERATED BY ROBERT NEITZ OF BERWICK. ROLLMAN WAS THROWN FROM THE ATV AND SUFFERED SEVERE INJURIES. HE WAS PRONOUNCED DEAD AT THE SCENE.

FRAUD IN POTTSVILLE

A POTTSVILLE WOMAN IS CHARGED WITH DEFRAUDING THE POTTSVILLE HOUSING AUTHORITY. POTTSVILLE POLICE SAY THAT 50 YEAR OLD DEBRA CRAIG OF 247 NICHOLS STREET HAD HER RENT SUBSIDIZED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT BY MORE THAN $24-HUNDRED DOLLARS. CRAIG WAS ARRESTED ON FELONY THEFT BY DECEPTION, RECEIVING STOLEN PROPERTY AND OTHER COUNTS. SHE WAS ARRAIGNED, THEN RELEASED ON $20-THOUSAND DOLLARS, UNSECURED BAIL.

DEER HARVEST NUMBERS DOWN

THE PENNSYLVANIA GAME COMMISSION REPORTS THAT HUNTERS TOOK FEWER DEER DURING THE 2009-10 SEASON. HUNTERS HARVESTED NEARLY 309-THOUSAND ANTLERED AND ANTLERLESS DEER THIS PAST SEASON, A DROP OF NEARLY 8 PERCENT FROM THE PREVIOUS HUNTING SEASON. THE BIGGEST DECLINE IN THE DEER HARVEST WAS NOTED IN THE ANTLERLESS CATEGORY, DOWN 11 PERCENT FROM THE PREVIOUS YEAR.

COST STUDY COMMITTEE UPDATE

THE STATE SENATE GOVERNMENT MANAGEMENT AND COST STUDY COMMISSION MET AGAIN AT THE STATE CAPITOL MONDAY. HANSON QUICKEL SPOKE WITH COMMITTEE CHAIRMAN, SENATOR DAVE ARGALL OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY:

ARGALL COST STUDY

CORBETT WEIGHS IN ON HEALTHCARE

HARRISBURG, PA. (AP) - PENNSYLVANIA ATTORNEY GENERAL TOM CORBETT IS PLANNING TO JOIN A LEGAL CHALLENGE TO FEDERAL HEALTH CARE REFORM LEGISLATION. CORBETT'S OFFICE SAID MONDAY HE IS WORKING WITH COUNTERPARTS IN AT LEAST 10 OTHER STATES ON A STRATEGY TO CHALLENGE THE CONSTITUTIONALITY OF THE BILL. IT IS NOT CLEAR WHERE THE CHALLENGE WILL BE FILED OR WHAT ASPECT OF THE BILL THE SUIT WILL CHALLENGE.
IN ADDITION, REPUBLICAN STATE SEN. MIKE FOLMER SAYS HE PLANS TO INTRODUCE A BILL TO PREVENT PENNSYLVANIANS FROM BEING CHARGED A FINE IF THEY DON'T GET HEALTH INSURANCE. PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA IS PREPARING TO SIGN THE BILL THAT PASSED THE U.S. HOUSE SUNDAY NIGHT. UNDER THE BILL, ALMOST EVERYONE IS REQUIRED TO GET HEALTH INSURANCE OR ELSE PAY A FINE, WHICH TAKES EFFECT IN 2014.

JURY IN PA. CORRUPTION CASE ISSUES MIXED VERDICT

HARRISBURG, PA. (AP) - A HARRISBURG JURY CONVICTED FORMER STATE REP. MIKE VEON AND TWO OF HIS FORMER AIDES OF SOME CHARGES AND ACQUITTED THEM OF OTHERS - BUT THE PANEL ACQUITTED A FOURTH DEFENDANT OF ALL CHARGES IN THE PUBLIC CORRUPTION CASE. THE JURY ON MONDAY FOUND FORMER STATE HOUSE DEMOCRATIC REP. MIKE VEON OF BEAVER COUNTY GUILTY OF 14 OF THE 59 COUNTS HE FACED. THE PANEL FOUND FORMER AIDES ANNAMARIE PERRETTA-ROSEPINK GUILTY OF FIVE COUNTS AND BRETT COTT GUILTY OF THREE COUNTS. DEFENDANT STEVE KEEFER WAS ACQUITTED OF ALL CHARGES. THE JURY VERDICT COMES AFTER NEARLY SIX WEEKS OF TESTIMONY BY DOZENS OF WITNESSES, MANY WHO HAD BEEN GIVEN IMMUNITY OR STRUCK DEALS WITH THE PROSECUTION.

PHILADELPHIA (AP) - POLICE SAY TWO MEN WERE KILLED WHEN A CAR RAN INTO THE REAR OF A TOW TRUCK IN PHILADELPHIA. TWENTY-ONE-YEAR-OLD WITCHY LEWIS AND 20-YEAR-OLD SHAHARIAR AHMED RABBI WERE KILLED SUNDAY NIGHT WHEN THEIR SEDAN RAN UNDER THE FLATBED OF THE TRUCK ON ROOSEVELT BOULEVARD IN THE BUSTLETON SECTION OF THE CITY. THE CRASH REMAINS UNDER INVESTIGATION.

SWANSEA, MASS. (AP) - A 38-YEAR-OLD CENTRAL PENNSYLVANIA WOMAN IS BEING RETURNED TO MASSACHUSETTS TO FACE CHARGES THAT SHE ABDUCTED HER 13-MONTH-OLD NIECE LAST MONTH. ALYSSA DAWN JOHNSON, OF ALTOONA, IS ACCUSED OF DRIVING AWAY WITH THE GIRL WHEN HER MOTHER WENT INTO A GAS STATION LAST MONTH AND THEN ABANDONING HER IN CONNECTICUT.

HARRISBURG, PA. (AP) - A 28-YEAR-OLD CENTRAL PENNSYLVANIA MAN HAS BEEN SENTENCED TO 11 YEARS IN PRISON FOR SELLING DRUGS THAT AUTHORITIES SAY LED TO FOUR PEOPLE'S FATAL OVERDOSES. THOMAS SWEGER OF CUMBERLAND COUNTY WAS SENTENCED YESTERDAY AFTER HE PLEADED GUILTY TO DISTRIBUTING HEROIN LACED WITH FENTANYL, AN OPIATE DRUG THAT IS USED AS AN ANESTHETIC.

WASHINGTON (AP) - PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA'S SIGNATURE TODAY ON THE HEALTH CARE OVERHAUL ISN'T THE END, JUST THE BEGINNING OF THE NEXT PHASE OF THE FIGHT. HE PLANS TO MAKE TRIPS AROUND THE COUNTRY, STARTING WITH IOWA THURSDAY, TO PERSUADE SKEPTICS THAT THE MEDICAL SYSTEM REMAKE WILL MAKE THEIR LIVES BETTER. REPUBLICANS SAY THEY'LL CONTINUE TO FIGHT IT IN WHATEVER FORUM IS APPROPRIATE, INCLUDING THE COURTS.

SAN DIEGO (AP) - FORMER REPUBLICAN PRESIDENTIAL CONTENDER MITT ROMNEY HAS HARSH CRITICISM FOR THE JUST-PASSED HEALTH CARE BILL. HE SAYS IT'S UNCONSTITUTIONAL, DESERVES TO BE REPEALED AND WILL HELP COST PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA A SECOND TERM. HE COMMENTED AFTER A BOOK SIGNING IN CALIFORNIA.

MEXICO CITY (AP) - SECRETARY OF STATE HILLARY RODHAM CLINTON TAKES THE LEAD IN MEXICO TODAY AS U.S. OFFICIALS DISCUSS THE DRUG WAR WITH MEXICAN GOVERNMENT REPRESENTATIVES. THE MEETING IS IN KEEPING WITH A PROMISE THAT PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA MADE TO BE A "FULL PARTNER" WITH MEXICO IN THE ANTI-DRUG TRAFFICKING EFFORT. IT COMES JUST TWO WEEKS AFTER THREE PEOPLE LINKED TO THE AMERICAN CONSULATE WERE KILLED.

BEIJING (AP) - CHINA'S OFFICIAL XINHUA NEWS AGENCY SAYS A MAN WHO STABBED EIGHT ELEMENTARY SCHOOL CHILDREN TO DEATH HAS A HISTORY OF MENTAL HEALTH PROBLEMS. FIVE CHILDREN WERE WOUNDED IN THIS MORNING'S ATTACK AND THE MAN, SAID TO BE A FORMER DOCTOR ARMED WITH A LARGE KNIFE, WAS ARRESTED.

DOHA, QATAR (AP) - THE HEAVILY FISHED HAMMERHEAD SHARK IS STILL IN THE SOUP DESPITE A U.S.-BACKED PROPOSAL TO SAVE IT FROM THE COOKING POT. THE PROPOSAL TO PROTECT THREE SPECIES OF HAMMERHEAD SHARKS, PRIZED FOR THEIR FINS FOR USE IN SOUP, WAS REJECTED AT A U.N. CONSERVATION MEETING. JAPAN LED THE OPPOSITION.