Today's News-Tuesday, March 9, 2010-645AM

TWO SERIOUSLY INJURED IN CRASH

A MAN AND WOMAN FROM AUBURN WERE SERIOUSLY INJURED IN A CRASH IN SOUTH MANHEIM TOWNSHIP LATE LAST NIGHT. 20 YEAR OLD ALICIA ANTHONY LOST CONTROL OF HER VEHICLE ON MEADOW DRIVE, ROLLED OVER, CROSSED THE ROADWAY AND STRUCK A POLE BUILDING. ANTHONY AND HER PASSENGER WERE FLOWN TO LEHIGH VALLEY MEDICAL CENTER FOR TREATMENT. A VEHICLE PARKED INSIDE THE POLE BUILDING WAS ALSO DAMAGED.

FIRE IN SOUTH MANHEIM

A MODULAR HOME WAS DESTROYED BY FIRE MONDAY AFTERNOON NEAR SUMMIT STATION. NO ONE WAS INJURED IN THE BLAZE AT 25 YERGER LANE. CREWS FROM SUMMIT STATION AND SURROUNDING COMMUNITIES HAD IT UNDER CONTROL IN ABOUT AN HOUR. A CAUSE IS NOT YET KNOWN.

TEEN SELLS PILLS

AN INVESTIGATION IS CONTINUING AS TO HOW A TEENAGED GIRL GOT PRESCRIPTION MEDS AND THEN SOLD THEM TO FELLOW STUDENTS AT MAHANOY AREA MIDDLE SCHOOL. THE REPUBLICAN HERALD REPORTS THAT THE SEVENTH GRADER HAD SEVERAL OF THE UNIDENTIFIED PILLS, AND SOLD TWO OF THEM OUTSIDE OF SCHOOL. THE INVESTIGATION AS TO THE SOURCE OF THE MEDICATIONS IS CONTINUING.

PROPERTY STOLEN FROM CAR

VARIOUS ITEMS WERE STOLEN FROM A CAR IN MAHANOY TOWNSHIP YESTERDAY. MEGGAN YEDSENA'S CAR WAS FORCIBLY ENTERED ON PARK PLACE ROAD, AND CLOTHING, JEWELRY AND OTHER ITEMS TAKEN DURING THE OVERNIGHT HOURS. THE INVESTIGATION CONTINUES.

GUN TAKEN FROM TAMAQUA HOME

A .357 MAGNUM REVOLVER WAS STOLEN FROM A WALKERT TOWNSHIP HOME OVER THE WEEKEND. THE GUN BELONGS TO JOHN BRODE, AND WAS REPORTED MISSING SATURDAY MORNING. STATE POLICE AT FRACKVILLE ARE HANDLING THE INVESTIGATION.

WARRANTS SERVED

A POTTSVILLE MAN WAS ARRESTED AT HIS PLACE OF EMPLOYMENT MONDAY FOR OUTSTANDING DRUG RELATED WARRANTS. FRACKVILLE STATE POLICE NABBED 32 YEAR OLD AARON VANDALEY AT HIS JOB AT HIGHRIDGE BUSINESS PARK IN FOSTER TOWNSHIP. AMONG THE CHARGES FACING VANDALEY ARE POSSESSION WITH INTENT TO DELIVER DRUGS, CONSPIRACY AND ADDITIONAL FELONY AND MISDEMEANOR COUNTS FROM DISTRICT JUDGE MORAN'S OFFICE. BAIL WAS SET FOR VANDALEY AT $25 THOUSAND DOLLARS CASH. HE'S LOCKED UP IN THE SCHUYLKILL COUNTY PRISON.

POTTSVILLE CITY COUNCIL MEETS

REPORTER SHERRY MARCHEFSKY HAS THIS REPORT FROM LAST NIGHT'S POTTSVILLE CITY COUNCIL MEETING:

MARCHEFSKY COUNCIL

STORY MADE UP

FOLLOWING UP ON A STORY WE REPORTED MONDAY, A MINERSVILLE WOMAN IS NOW ACCUSED WITH FILING A FALSE REPORT WITH POLICE ABOUT THE THEFT OF A RENTAL CAR. 48 YEAR OLD CAROL LEMPFERT OF MINERSVILLE REPORTED THE VEHICLE STOLEN OVER THE WEEKEND. NOW, POLICE SAY THE CAR WAS FOUND IN PHILADELPHIA, HEAVILY DAMAGED. LEMPFERT ORIGINALLY SAID THAT THE CAR WAS STOLEN FROM THE PARKING LOT AT FAIRLANE VILLAGE, IN FACT, SHE HAD KNOWLEDGE THAT SOMEONE ELSE DROVE THE VEHICLE AND THAT IT HAD BEEN DAMAGED IN AN ACCIDENT. CHARGES AGAINST LEMPFERT WILL BE FILED IN DISTRICT COURT.

SHENANDOAH WOMAN JAILED

A SHENANDOAH WOMAN HAS BEEN ARRESTED ON OUTSTANDING WARRANTS. STATE POLICE PULLED OVER 25 YEAR OLD JENNIFER CHATCAVAGE SUNDAY NIGHT. SHE WAS WANTED ON DRUG COUNTS AND A RETAIL THEFT WARRANT. BAIL WAS SET FOR CHATCAVAGE AT $75-THOUSAND DOLLARS, PERCENTAGE BAIL. SHE'S LOCKED UP IN THE COUNTY PRISON.

PHILADELPHIA (AP) - AUTHORITIES SAY FIVE CARS ON A FREIGHT TRAIN DERAILED IN DOWNTOWN PHILADELPHIA, BUT NONE TIPPED OVER AND THERE WERE NO INJURIES OR HAZARDOUS MATERIALS INVOLVED. CSX SPOKESMAN BOB SULLIVAN SAYS THE 123-CAR TRAIN WAS HEADING FROM UPSTATE NEW YORK TO NORTH CAROLINA, WHEN IT DERAILED ABOUT 10:35 P.M. YESTERDAY.

HARRISBURG, PA. (AP) - PENNSYLVANIA DEMOCRATS HAVE CHOSEN FORMER CONGRESSIONAL AIDE MARK CRITZ AS THEIR NOMINEE IN THE SPECIAL ELECTION TO FILL THE U.S. HOUSE SEAT FORMERLY HELD BY THE LATE JOHN MURTHA. CRITZ WON 46 OF THE 83 VOTES CAST BY PARTY MEMBERS IN A NON-BINDING STRAW POLL OVER THE WEEKEND. HE WAS MURTHA'S LONG-TIME AIDE AND IS ENDORSED BY MURTHA'S WIDOW.

PHILADELPHIA (AP) - A WEEKLONG STRIKE AT THE PHILADELPHIA PRODUCE DISTRIBUTION CENTER THAT SERVES RESTAURANTS AND MARKETS IN THE REGION HAS ENDED. TEAMSTERS LOCAL 929 AND THE PHILADELPHIA REGIONAL PRODUCE MARKET ANNOUNCED A SETTLEMENT YESTERDAY. UNION PRESIDENT ROCKY BRYAN SAYS THE TWO SIDES MANAGED TO RESOLVE DIFFERENCES OVER PAY, HEALTH CARE AND PENSIONS.

EASTON, PA. (AP) - AN EASTERN PENNSYLVANIA MAN IS ON TRIAL FOR MURDER IN WHAT PROSECUTORS SAY RESULTED FROM A LONG-SIMMERING FEUD OVER A WOMAN. PROSECUTORS ALLEGE THAT 33-YEAR-OLD MARK WILLIAMS OF NAZARETH NEVER GOT OVER THE FACT THAT A WOMAN HE LIKED DECIDED TO DATE A FORMER FRIEND, PATRICK O'BRIEN, SO HE KILLED O'BRIEN LAST SUMMER. WILLIAMS DENIES HE DID IT.

WASHINGTON (AP) - THERE'S A TEST VOTE IN THE SENATE TODAY THAT'S IMPORTANT TO LONGTERM JOBLESS AID RECIPIENTS. DEMOCRATS WILL NEED
AT LEAST ONE REPUBLICAN VOTE TO MOVE LEGISLATION EXTENDING UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE AND PREVENTING DOCTORS FROM ABSORBING A
CRIPPLING CUT IN MEDICARE PAYMENTS. THE BILL CONTAINS NEW VERSIONS
OF SEVERAL POPULAR TAX BREAKS WHICH EXPIRED LAST YEAR AND THAT
COULD HELP.

FORWARD OPERATING BASE FRONTENAC, AFGHANISTAN (AP) - DEFENSE SECRETARY ROBERT GATES IS FULL OF PRAISE FOR A HARD HIT BATTLE UNIT AT THE FRONT OF THE FIGHT IN AFGHANISTAN. GATES VISITED A SMALL, REMOTE OUTPOST NEAR KANDAHAR, WHERE THE FORT LEWIS, WASHINGTON-BASED STRYKER UNIT HAS LOST 22 MEN AND SUFFERED AN ADDITIONAL 62 WOUNDED SINCE SUMMER. HE SAYS THE UNIT HAS HELPED PUSH BACK AGAINST THE TALIBAN IN SOUTHERN AFGHANISTAN.

SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA (AP) - NORTH KOREA STEPPED UP ITS WAR RHETORIC TODAY AGAINST THE UNITED STATES AND SOUTH KOREA, WHICH ARE HOLDING ANNUAL JOINT MILITARY MANEUVERS. THE NORTH SAYS IT'S A PRELUDE TO ATTACK, WHILE WASHINGTON AND SEOUL SAY IT'S PURELY DEFENSIVE. MEANWHILE, SOUTH KOREAN NEWS REPORTS SAY PYONGYANG HAS RECENTLY CREATED AN ARMY DIVISION IN CHARGE OF NEWLY DEVELOPED INTERMEDIATE-RANGE MISSILES.

BOSTON (AP) - A U.S. HUMAN RIGHTS GROUP ACCUSES BANGLADESH OF SWEEPING THE PLIGHT OF TENS OF THOUSANDS OF BURMESE REFUGEES UNDER THE RUG. SINCE THE 1990S, TENS OF THOUSANDS OF REFUGEES HAVE MADE THEIR WAY TO BANGLADESH FROM MYANMAR, WHICH HAD EXPERIENCED UNREST RESULTING FROM ITS MILITARY JUNTA. PHYSICIANS FOR HUMAN RIGHTS SAYS THOSE REFUGEES ARE BEING FORCED INTO MAKESHIFT CAMPS IN BANGLADESH AND FACE WIDESPREAD STARVATION.

WASHINGTON (AP) - IT'S ANOTHER LANDMARK DAY FOR SAME-SEX COUPLES IN THE NATION'S CAPITAL. TODAY IS THE FIRST DAY SAME-SEX COUPLES CAN PICK UP MARRIAGE LICENSES AND TIE THE KNOT IN THE CITY. SOME COUPLES PLANNED QUICK CEREMONIES AT A CHURCH OR GAY RIGHTS GROUP'S OFFICE WHILE OTHERS SAID THEY'LL WAIT AND HAVE MORE ELABORATE CELEBRATIONS. ABOUT 150 COUPLES COULD PICK UP THEIR MARRIAGE LICENSES BEGINNING THIS MORNING.