Today's News-Wednesday, March 31, 2010

THREE FIREFIGHTERS CHARGED IN ARSONS

THE INVESTIGATION INTO A STRING OF SUSPICIOUS FIRES IN SCHUYLKILL COUNTY HAS NETTED THE ARREST OF THREE FIREFIGHTERS. NINE FIRES, DATING BACK TO LAST SEPTEMBER, CAUSED OVER TWO MILLION DOLLARS IN DAMAGE TO PROPERTIES IN WASHINGTON, WAYNE, WEST AND EAST BRUNSWICK TOWNSHIPS. YESTERDAY, INVESTIGATORS FROM THE STATE POLICE MAJOR CASE TEAM RECEIVED INFORMATION LEADING TO THE ARREST OF 21 YEAR OLD SHAWN HOY OF PINE GROVE, 21 YEAR OLD JOHN EICHERT OF ORWIGSBURG AND 18 YEAR OLD MATTHEW DIXON OF FRIEDENSBURG. ALL THREE WERE ACTIVE MEMBERS OF THE FRIEDENSBURG FIRE COMPANY. A FIRE IN JANUARY, 2007 WAS ALSO LINKED TO HOY. THE MEN ARE CHARGED WITH CONSPIRACY TO COMMIT ARSON AND RELATED CHARGES.

WILD WEATHER

A COMBINATION OF RAIN, SLEET AND IN SOME PLACES, SNOW, MADE FOR SLIPPERY ROADS TUESDAY AFTERNOON. A NUMBER OF ACCIDENTS WERE REPORTED AS A RESULT OF THE SPRING WINTERY MIX. TWO PEOPLE HAD TO BE FLOWN TO GEISINGER MEDICAL CENTER AFTER A CRASH IN MAHANOY TOWNSHIP. ALLISON HEINTZE OF SHENANDOAH AND GERALD FOLEY OF ZION GROVE COLLIDED HEAD ON ON ROUTE 924. EMERGENCY CREWS HAD TO BE REMOVED FROM THEIR VEHICLES IN THE CRASH ON THE WET ROADWAY. BOTH ARE IN SERIOUS CONDITION. IN A CRASH ON STATE ROUT 1012 IN DELANO TOWNSHIP, CHRISTINE JOSEPH'S CAR ROLLED OVER ON ITS ROOF. SHE WAS TAKEN TO SCHUYLKILL MEDICAL CENTER EAST FOR TREATMENT.

CRIMINAL MISCHIEF IN PINE GROVE TOWNSHIP

A CELL PHONE TOWER WAS DAMAGED BY GUNSHOTS IN PINE GROVE TOWNSHIP OVER THE PAST SEVERAL MONTHS. STATE POLICE SAY THAT UNKNOWN PERSONS SHOT AT A VERIZON WIRELESS TOWER LOCATED BEHIND A HOME ON SWOPES VALLEY ROAD. THOSE SHOTS CAUSED ABOUT $7-THOUSAND DOLLARS DAMAGE. SCHUYLKILL HAVEN STATE POLICE ARE INVESTIGATING.

MAN ACCUSED OF TRYING TO RUN OVER POLICE OFFICER NABBED

A SHENANDOAH MAN WAS TAKEN INTO CUSTODY YESTERDAY, RELATING TO AN INCIDENT SEVERAL WEEKS AGO. 29 YEAR OLD LUIS ANGEL DIAZ IS CHARGED WITH CRIMINAL ATTEMPT TO COMMIT HOMICIDE AND OTHER COUNTS ACCORDING TO THE REPUBLICAN HERALD. ON MARCH 13TH, DIAZ IS ALLEGED TO HAVE THREATENED TO KILL A POTTSVILLE WOMAN AND ATTEMPTED TO RUN DOWN A POTTSVILLE POLICE OFFICER WHO WAS TRYING TO APPREHEND HIM. THE WOMAN REPORTEDLY HAD BEEN WORKING WITH POLICE ON AN UNDERCOVER DRUG OPERATION. FOLLOWING ARRAIGNMENT, DIAZ WAS TAKEN TO THE COUNTY PRISON IN LIEU OF $125 THOUSAND DOLLARS BAIL.

ANGEL RECEPTION

A FORMER PENN STATE AND NFL STANDOUT WAS THE GUEST SPEAKER AT LAST NIGHT'S BOY SCOUTS OF AMERICA ANGEL RECEPTION AT THE SCHUYLKILL COUNTRY CLUB. REPORTER SHERRY MARCHEFSKY HAS THE STORY:

MARCHEFSKY ANGEL RECEPTION

LIHEAP EXTENDED

PENNSYLVANIA'S ENERGY ASSISTANCE PROGRAM HAS BEEN EXTENDED, ACCORDING TO STATE REPRESENTATIVE JERRY KNOWLES. LIHEAP WAS SCHEDULED TO CLOSE FOR THE SEASON ON FRIDAY. BUT THE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WELFARE HAS ANNOUNCED THE TWO WEEK EXTENSION. LIHEAP HELPS INCOME ELIGIBLE HOUSEHOLDS PAY FOR HEAT DURING THE WINTER MONTHS. APPLICATIONS ARE AVAILABLE AT THE COUNTY ASSISTANCE OFFICE IN POTTSVILLE.

ALLENTOWN, PA. (AP) - THREE DOZEN FORMER OR CURRENT INMATES AT AN EASTERN PENNSYLVANIA PRISON WILL GET $7,500 EACH AS TO SETTLE A FEDERAL LAWSUIT AFTER THEY CONTRACTED THE DRUG-RESISTANT STAPH INFECTION KNOWN AS MRSA (MUR'-SUH). THE INMATES HAD CLAIMED THAT CONDITIONS INSIDE THE NORTHAMPTON COUNTY PRISON HAD FOSTERED A BREEDING GROUND FOR THE INFECTION.

PHILADELPHIA (AP) - PHILADELPHIA HAS SET A NEW ALL-TIME RECORD FOR WET WEATHER. FORECASTERS SAY THIS IS THE WETTEST 12-MONTH PERIOD IN THE CITY'S HISTORY WITH MORE THAN 62 INCHES OF PRECIPITATION. PHILADELPHIA HAS ALREADY SET A NEW MARK FOR THE SNOWIEST WINTER ON RECORD WITH NEARLY 79 INCHES OF SNOW.

HARRISBURG, PA. (AP) - IT'S A BIG ENDORSEMENT FOR ARLEN SPECTER'S RE-ELECTION BID. THE PENNSYLVANIA AFL-CIO HAS VOTED TO BACK THE REPUBLICAN TURNED DEMOCRAT AS HE SEEKS A SIXTH TERM IN THE SENATE. THE LABOR GROUP ISN'T BACKING A REPUBLICAN CANDIDATE IN THE SENATE PRIMARY.

BETHLEHEM, PA. (AP) - IF YOU'RE LOOKING FOR A NEW JOB AND YOU'RE A SMOKER, DON'T BOTHER APPLYING FOR A JOB AT ST. LUKE'S HOSPITAL IN ALLENTOWN. THE HOSPITAL SAYS IT PLANS TO STOP HIRING NEW EMPLOYEES WHO ARE SMOKERS. BEGINNING IN MAY ALL PROSPECTIVE EMPLOYEES WILL BE SCREENED FOR NICOTINE AND WILL BE INELIGIBLE FOR A JOB IF THEY TEST POSITIVE.

DETROIT (AP) - BOND HEARINGS ARE SCHEDULED TODAY FOR THE ALLEGED RINGLEADER AND OTHER ALLEGED MEMBERS OF A CHRISTIAN MILITIA THAT
PROSECUTORS CLAIM PLOTTED TO KILL POLICE OFFICERS. NINE MEMBERS
WERE ARRESTED AFTER A SERIES OF RAIDS IN INDIANA, MICHIGAN AND OHIO. PROSECUTORS SAY THE MILITIA PLANNED TO KILL POLICE OFFICERS AND THEN BLOW UP A BOMB AT THE FUNERAL.

CRANSTON, R.I. (AP) - PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA HAS ISSUED AN EMERGENCY DECLARATION FOR THE ENTIRE STATE OF RHODE ISLAND. THE TINY STATE HAS SEEN THE WORST OF WIDESPREAD FLOODING IN THE NORTHEAST. HUNDREDS OF RHODE ISLAND RESIDENTS HAVE BEEN EVACUATED.

LONDON (AP) - THE FIRST OF SEVERAL BRITISH INVESTIGATIONS SAYS THERE SEEMS TO BE NO EVIDENCE THAT ONE OF THE WORLD'S LEADING CLIMATE RESEARCH CENTERS DID ANYTHING TO EXAGGERATE THE GLOBAL WARMING THREAT. THE HOUSE OF COMMONS' SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY COMMITTEE SAYS IT APPEARS NOTHING IN THE MORE THAN 1,000 STOLEN E-MAILS CHALLENGED SCIENTIFIC CONSENSUS THAT GLOBAL WARMING IS REAL AND CAUSED BY HUMAN ACTIVITY.

UNITED NATIONS (AP) - THE UNITED NATIONS WILL GET AN EARTHQUAKE AID REQUEST FROM HAITI TODAY. IT INCLUDES A COMMISSION TO ADMINISTER THE MONEY AS A KEY STEP TO ALLAY DONOR CONCERNS OVER HAITI'S HISTORY OF OFFICIAL CORRUPTION AND POLITICAL UNREST. FORMER PRESIDENT BILL CLINTON HAS BEEN NAMED TO HEAD THE COMMISSION.

KABUL (AP) - THE PENTAGON'S TOP MILITARY OFFICER SAYS THE CITY OF KANDAHAR IN SOUTHERN AFGHANISTAN IS A "CORNERSTONE IN REVERSING THE MOMENTUM" OF THE TALIBAN. JOINT CHIEFS CHAIRMAN ADM. MIKE MULLEN SAID AT A NEWS CONFERENCE TODAY IN KABUL THAT SEIZING CONTROL OF KANDAHAR WOULD HELP TO PUT THE AFGHAN GOVERNMENT IN A POSITION OF STRENGTH. KANDAHAR REMAINS THE SPIRITUAL HEARTLAND OF THE INSURGENCY.