Today's News-Monday, April 12, 2010

FATAL IN BERKS

A BETHEL MAN IS DEAD FOLLOWING A CRASH SUNDAY NIGHT. 25 YEAR OLD JEFFREY ROYLES WAS WESTBOUND ON OLD ROUTE 22 AT A HIGH RATE OF SPEED WHEN HE LOST CONTROL OF HIS VEHICLE, STRIKING A UTILITY POLE. THE CAR THEN ROLLED OVER SEVERAL TIMES, THROWING ROYLES FROM HIS VEHICLE. THE BERKS COUNTY CORONER PRONOUNCED ROYLES DEAD AT THE SCENE. THE INVESTIGATION BY HAMBURG STATE POLICE CONTINUES.

TICKET THEFT

A POTTSVILLE MAN IS CHARGED WITH RETAIL THEFT AT A CRESSONA BUSINESS. OVER A FIVE DAY PERIOD, 19 YEAR OLD SHAWN DROGUS IS ACCUSED OF STEALING RUB OFF LOTTERY TICKETS FROM THE CRESSONA MOBIL, WHERE HE WAS EMPLOYED. DROGUS CASHED IN THE WINNING TICKETS WITHOUT PAYING FOR THEM. CHARGES AGAINST DROGUS WILL BE FILED IN DISTRICT COURT.

THREE INJURED IN CRASH

THREE TEENAGERS WERE INJURED IN A CRASH IN PINE GROVE TOWNSHIP SUNDAY NIGHT. A 17 YEAR OLD MALE WAS DRIVING NORTH ON LOVERS LANE AND A 17 YEAR OLD FEMALE WAS DRIVING ON SWEET ARROW LAKE ROAD. THE GIRL'S CAR STRUCK THE BOY'S VEHICLE ON THE LEFT SIDE, WITH HIS CAR ROLLING OVER. THE SECOND VEHICLE SPUN OUT. THE DRIVERS, AND A MALE PASSENGER IN THE SECOND CAR WERE ALL TAKEN TO SCHUYLKILL MEDICAL CENTER SOUTH FOR TREATMENT. THE CRASH HAPPENED JUST BEFORE 7PM LAST NIGHT.

BOGUS BILL

STATE POLICE AND THE SECRET SERVICE ARE INVESTIGATING A COUNTERFEIT BILL THAT WAS PASSED AT A FAST FOOD RESTAURANT. THE $10 BILL WAS USED TO PURCHASE FOOD, LOOKING LIKE A GENUINE BILL. HOWEVER, CLOSER EXAMINATION FOUND THAT THERE WAS NO WATERMARK OR SECURITY STRIP WAS FOUND, ALONG WITH OTHER INCONSISTENCIES. SCHUYLKILL HAVEN TROOPERS ARE CONTINUING THE INVESTIGATION. THE PERSON WHO PASSED THE BILL IS NOT KNOWN.

POT PLANTS FOUND

STATE POLICE ARE TRYING TO DETERMINE WHO WAS GROWING POT PLANTS IN THE WILD. INVESTIGATORS FOUND SEVERAL MARIJUANA PLANTS IN A WOODED AREA OFF OF TUMBLING RUN ROAD IN NORTH MANHEIM TOWNSHIP. ANYONE WITH LEADS ON THE WILD WEED SHOULD CALL SCHUYLKILL HAVEN STATE POLICE AT 593-2000.

MAN JAILED IN DOMESTIC DISPUTE

A VERBAL ARGUMENT LED TO A FIGHT IN PORT CLINTON, AND LANDS A BOROUGH MAN IN JAIL. 24 YEAR OLD STEPHEN PRENTICE ALLEGEDLY PUNCHED AND KICKED 24 YEAR OLD COURTNEY ALDERMAN, AND ALSO THREATENED A NEIGHBOR WHO TRIED TO STOP THE FIGHT. STATE POLICE FOUND PRENTICE IN THE WOODS BEHIND HIS HOUSE ON BROAD STREET. HE'S CHARGED WITH TERRORISTIC THREATS, SIMPLE ASSAULT AND HARASSMENT AND WAS TAKEN TO JAIL AFTER ARRAIGNMENT.

ISLAND CLEANUP

EFFORTS TO DEVELOP "THE ISLAND" IN SCHUYLKILL HAVEN CONTINUE, WITH A MAJOR CLEANUP ALONG THE SCHUYLKILL RIVER THIS SUNDAY. BRUSH CUTTING AND OTHER WORK IS SCHEDULED AND VOLUNTEERS ARE NEEDED TO MAKE THE PROJECT A SUCCESS. A LONG RANGE PLAN TO CREATE SPORTS FIELDS IS WELL ALONG IN PHASE ONE, BUT THE WALKING TRAIL BETWEEN THE BROADWAY BRIDGE AND THE MAIN STREET RAILROAD BRIDGE NEEDS CLEANUP. VOLUNTEERS, WHETHER INDIVIDUALS OR GROUPS, CAN CALL SCHUYLKILL HAVEN BOROUGH HALL AT 385-2841 OR MAYOR GARY HESS AT 385-3450, TO REGISTER. REMEMBER, CLEANUP IS SUNDAY, APRIL 18TH FROM NOON TO 6PM.

PHILADELPHIA (AP) - AN ORIGINAL MEMBER OF A U.S. ARMY UNIT THAT OPERATED BEHIND ENEMY LINES IN WORLD WAR II AND IS CREDITED WITH INSPIRING THE MOVIE "THE DIRTY DOZEN" HAS DIED IN SUBURBAN PHILADELPHIA. JOHN "JACK" AGNEW WAS 88. AGNEW BELONGED TO A UNIT OF THE 101ST AIRBORNE KNOWN AS THE "FILTHY THIRTEEN." HE'LL BE BURIED WITH FULL MILITARY HONORS.

HARRISBURG, PA. (AP) - AUTHORITIES SAY THREE YOUNG CHILDREN DIED WHEN THE STATION WAGON THEY WERE RIDING IN CRASHED IN CENTRAL PENNSYLVANIA. STATE POLICE SAY A 5-YEAR-OLD BOY AND A 3-YEAR-OLD BOY AND GIRL BELIEVED TO BE TWINS WERE PRONOUNCED DEAD AT THE SCENE OF THE CRASH IN HARRISBURG SATURDAY NIGHT. THE CAUSE OF THE ACCIDENT IS UNDER INVESTIGATION.

PHILADELPHIA (AP) - FIRE OFFICIALS SAY A MAN DIED IN A FIRE IN NORTHEAST PHILADELPHIA. THE BLAZE ON LAWLER STREET IN THE CITY'S SOMERTON SECTION WAS REPORTED AROUND 9:30 P.M. FRIDAY ON THE SECOND FLOOR OF A THREE-STORY BUILDING. THE FLAMES WERE UNDER CONTROL IN MINUTES, BUT A MAN SAID TO BE ABOUT 60 YEARS OLD WAS FOUND DEAD IN THE HOUSE.

CHESWICK, PA. (AP) - AUTHORITIES IN WESTERN PENNSYLVANIA SAY TWO MEN DIED WHEN THEIR 16-FOOT FISHING BOAT OVERTURNED NEAR A DAM. THE BODIES OF 59-YEAR-OLD GARY WATSON AND 26-YEAR-OLD BRIAN ABERCROMBIE WERE FOUND IN THE WATER ABOUT AN HOUR AFTER THE BOAT CAPSIZED IN THE ALLEGHENY RIVER NEAR LOCK NUMBERS 3 IN HARMAR TOWNSHIP ON SATURDAY AFTERNOON.

WASHINGTON (AP) - KEEPING NUCLEAR WEAPONS OUT OF TERRORIST HANDS IS THE FOCUS IN WASHINGTON TODAY. PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA AND TOP LEADERS AND OFFICIALS FROM 47 COUNTRIES ARE STARTING WORK ON A PLAN TO CONFRONTING WHAT THE PRESIDENT CONSIDERS THE "SINGLE BIGGEST THREAT TO U.S. SECURITY." OBAMA IS LOOKING FOR GLOBAL HELP IN HIS GOAL OF ENSURING ALL NUCLEAR MATERIALS WORLDWIDE ARE SECURED.

PETTUS, W.VA. (AP) - TODAY'S THE DAY INVESTIGATORS BEGIN LOOK HARD AT WHAT CAUSED THE WEST VIRGINIA COAL MINE BLAST THAT KILLED 29 MEN. A TEAM OF FEDERAL INVESTIGATORS IS EXPECTED TO ARRIVE AT MASSEY ENERGY CO.'S UPPER BIG BRANCH MINE IN MONTCOAL. AUTHORITIES HAVE SAID HIGH LEVELS OF VOLATILE METHANE GAS MAY HAVE PLAYED A ROLE IN THE DISASTER.

WARSAW, POLAND (AP) - RUSSIAN INVESTIGATORS SAY READINGS FROM FLIGHT RECORDERS INDICATE THAT THERE WERE NO TECHNICAL PROBLEMS WITH POLISH PRESIDENT LECH KACZYNSKI'S SOVIET-MADE PLANE. THE CRASH OF THAT PLANE KILLED KACZYNSKI AND 95 OTHER PEOPLE. TV FOOTAGE SHOWS THE INVESTIGATORS TELLING RUSSIAN PRIME MINISTER VLADIMIR PUTIN THE PILOT WAS WARNED OF BAD WEATHER OVER THE AIRPORT IN SMOLENSK, WESTERN RUSSIA.

MILLEDGEVILLE, GA. (AP) - PITTSBURGH STEELERS QUARTERBACK BEN ROETHLISBERGER FINDS OUT TODAY IF A DISTRICT ATTORNEY IN CENTRAL GEORGIA WILL FILE CHARGES IN A CASE OF ALLEGED SEXUAL ASSAULT. DISTRICT ATTORNEY FRED BRIGHT SAYS HE'S REVIEWED THE INVESTIGATION REPORTS AND WILL HOLD A NEWS CONFERENCE TO ANNOUNCE HIS DECISION. A COLLEGE STUDENT CLAIMS ROETHLISBERGER SEXUALLY ASSAULTED HER AT A CLUB.

WASHINGTON (AP) - LEADING ECONOMISTS ARE LOOKING FOR SOMEWHAT UNCERTAIN TIMES INTO NEXT YEAR. AN ASSOCIATED PRESS SURVEY OF LEADING ECONOMISTS FINDS THEM OF THE OPINION THAT THINGS LIKE JOBS AND HOME VALUES -- KEY TO AN ECONOMIC RECOVERY -- WILL MOVE SLOWLY AND FITFULLY THIS YEAR AND NEXT. THE NEW AP SURVEY WILL BE CONDUCTED QUARTERLY.