Today's News-Saturday, April 17, 2010

LOCAL AIRMAN RETURNS FROM AFGANISTAN


A FRACKVILLE MAN RETURNED HOME AND WAS LAUDED BY BOROUGH OFFICIALS AND FAMILY AND FRIENDS. SHERRY MARCHESKY HAS THE STORY.


BILL SHANER


MAN HOLDS UP GROCERY STORE WITH RIFLE


MINERSVILLE POLICE ARE ON THE HUNT FOR THE MAN HELD UP RODNICK'S DISCOUNT GROCERIES IN THE BOROUGH LAST NIGHT AROUND 6:30. ACCORDING TO REPORTS, VAN VESAY USED A HUNTING RIFLE IN THE HEIST THAT NETTED APPROXIMATELY TWO THOUSAND DOLLARS. HE LATER THREW THE GUN BEHIND THE STORE DURING HIS GET AWAY. THE HOLD UP FOLLOWED A DOMESTIC VIOLENCE CALL IN WHICH POLICE RESPONDED TO AT VESAY'S RESIDENCE. IT WAS BELIEVED THAT VESAY WAS HEADED TO THE TREMONT AREA. ANYONE WITH INFORMATION ABOUT THE ROBBERY OR THE WHEREABOUTS OF VESAY IS ENCOURAGED TO CONTACT MINERSVILLE POLICE AT 544-6212 OR THE SCHUYLKILL COUNTY COMMUNICATIONS CENTER BY DIALING 911.


PREVENT DISEASED TOMATO PLANTS


LAST YEAR, A TOMATO DISEASE EPIDEMIC FORCED MANY HOME GARDENERS TO THROW OUT THEIR PLANTS, AND THREATENED THE CROPS OF THOUSANDS OF PROFESSIONAL GROWERS. A RESEARCHER IN PENN STATE'S COLLEGE OF AGRICULTURAL SCIENCES SAYS THIS YEAR, GARDENERS CAN MINIMIZE DISEASE RISK. MORE FROM GARY ABDULLAH.


ABDULLAH TOMATOES


PINE GROVE MAN BUSTED FOR DEALING DRUGS IN MINERSVILLE


DONALD FELTY OF PINE GROVE IN KEEPING RESIDENCE IN THE SCHUYLKILL COUNTY PRISON THESE DAYS AFTER BEING ARRESTED IN MINERSVILLE ON THURSDAY. IN A CONTINUING EFFORT TO FIGHT THE WAR ON DRUGS IN MINERSVILLE, THE BOROUGH POLICE STAGED SURVIELLANCE IN THE 100 BLOCK OF WESTWOOD STREET. THURSDAY EVENING FELTY CAME TO DELIVER AND AFTER MAKING AN ILLEGAL TURN WAS STOPPED BY OFFICERS. DURING A SEARCH OF THE CAR FELTY WAS TRAVELING IN OFFICERS FOUND A KNIFE AND A CLUB, A TIN CONTAINING HEROIN WRAPPERS, MARIJUANA, DRUG PARAPHERNALIA, AND A STOLEN VEHICLE TITLE BELONGING TO A DECEASED PERSON ADDING MORE CHARGES TO CRIME. FELTY IS BEING HELD ON $15,000 BAIL. MINERSVILLE BOROUGH RESIDENTS ARE ENCOURAGED TO PROVIDE INFORMATION REGARDING ILLEGAL DRUG DEALS IN THE COMMUNITY AND CAN CONTACT BOROUGH POLICE AT 544-6212, ALL INFORMATION WILL BE HELD CONFIDENTIAL.


JOBLESS BENEFITS CAN BE RESTORED


THOUSANDS OF PENNSYLVANIA RESIDENTS WHO STARTED LOSING THEIR UNEMPLOYMENT BENEFITS WHEN THE FEDERAL DEADLINE EXPIRED A FEW WEEKS AGO, CAN NOW GET THEIR BENEFITS RESTORED. ROSEANN CADAU HAS THE STORY FROM HARRISBURG.


CADAU


BLOOD DONATIONS NEEDED


THE NORTHEASTERN BLOOD SERVICES REGION OF THE AMERICAN RED CROSS IS EXPERIENCING A DECLINE IN BLOOD COLLECTIONS THIS SPRING. OFFICIALS SAY THAT COLLECTIONS ARE CURRENTLY AT 85 PERCENT OF WAS WAS ANTICIPATED. CEO TONY FERLENDA SAYS THE DECLINE IS UNUSUAL, AND MAY BE BECAUSE OF THE NICE WEATHER WE HAVE BEEN HAVING. IN ORDER THAT SUPPLIES CAN BE REPLENISHED, ELIGIBLE DONORS ARE ASKED TO SCHEDULE AN APPOINTMENT TODAY AT 1-800-GIVE-LIFE, OR VISIT ONLINE AT REDCROSSBLOOD.ORG.


FOSTER CARE TRANSITION MONIES AVAILABLE


A STATE SENATE COMMITTEE HAS APPROVED A BILL THAT’S AIMED AT PROVIDING FINANCIAL AID TO OLDER FOSTER CARE CHILDREN WHO ARE TRANSITIONING INTO INDEPENDENCE. HOWARD ONDICK HAS THIS REPORT.


ONDICK

PITTSBURGH (AP) - A SEVERE STORM SYSTEM IS BEING BLAMED FOR POWER OUTAGES ACROSS PENNSYLVANIA. MORE THAN 90,000 HOMES AND BUSINESSES IN THE PITTSBURGH AREA LOST POWER AFTER THE SYSTEM MOVED THROUGH. ROSS TOWNSHIP POLICE SAY A WOMAN SUFFERED MINOR INJURIES WHEN A TREE FELL ON HER CAR AND SHATTERED THE WINDSHIELD.


PITTSBURGH (AP) - PENNSYLVANIA STATE POLICE ARE EXAMINING THE CONDUCT OF TROOPER ED JOYNER, WHO WAS WITH BEN ROETHLISBERGER THE NIGHT HE WAS ACCUSED OF SEXUALLY ASSAULTING A WOMAN IN A GEORGIA NIGHTCLUB. STATE POLICE SAY JOYNER IS SUBJECT TO THE DEPARTMENT'S CODE OF CONDUCT WHETHER HE WAS WORKING FOR ROETHLISBERGER OR THERE AS A FRIEND.


READING, PA. (AP) - AN BERKS COUNTY POULTRY PLANT HAS BEEN FORCED TO SHUT DOWN AND 185 EMPLOYEES ARE OUT OF WORK AMID A DISPUTE OVER THE PLANT'S WASTE DISCHARGE. EXETER TOWNSHIP SAYS THE MEHADRIN KOSHER POULTRY PLANT HAS BEEN DISCHARGING MORE THAN FOUR TIMES THE WASTE ALLOWED INTO THE TOWNSHIP'S SEWER PLANT.



MIDDLETOWN, PA. (AP) - THE NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION HAS IDENTIFIED MINOR SAFETY ISSUES AT THREE MILE ISLAND FOLLOWING A NOVEMBER INCIDENT IN WHICH WORKERS WERE EXPOSED TO RADIOACTIVE DUST. A REPORT SAYS POWER COMPANY EXELON COULD HAVE PREVENTED THE EXPOSURE IF A VACUUM SYSTEM WAS EQUIPPED WITH A SPECIALIZED FILTER.


LONDON (AP) - A GEOLOGIST IN ICELAND SAYS A VOLCANIC ERUPTION THERE HAS INCREASED, RAISING THE PROSPECT OF STILL MORE FLIGHT CANCELLATIONS IN EUROPE. AN ASH PLUME HAS RISEN MORE THAN FIVE MILES. SCIENTISTS HOPE TO GET A GOOD LOOK AT THE VOLCANO TODAY. MEANWHILE, THOUSANDS OF TRAVELERS REMAIN STRANDED.


BISHKEK, KYRGYZSTAN (AP) - AN ABOUT-FACE BY THE INTERIM GOVERNMENT IN KYRGYZSTAN (KEER'-GIH-STAN). A TOP OFFICIAL SAYS THE U.S. AIR BASE THERE IS "NOT JUSTIFIED." JUST DAYS AGO, THE GOVERNMENT'S LEADER SAID THE BASE'S LEASE WOULD BE EXTENDED ANOTHER YEAR. THE BASE IS USED TO SUPPORT OPERATIONS IN AFGHANISTAN.


SAN DIEGO (AP) - THERE WILL BE NO TRIAL FOR THE MAN SUSPECTED OF KILLING TWO TEENAGE GIRLS IN THE SAN DIEGO AREA. JOHN ALBERT GARDNER III HAS PLEADED GUILTY TO BOTH MURDERS TO AVOID A POSSIBLE DEATH SENTENCE IF CONVICTED. PROSECUTORS SAY THEY HAD EVIDENCE AGAINST HIM FOR ONLY ONE OF THE KILLINGS.


PESHAWAR, PAKISTAN (AP) - SUICIDE BOMBERS HAVE REPORTEDLY TAKEN ANOTHER 20 LIVES IN PAKISTAN. POLICE SAY IT HAPPENED IN THE NORTHWESTERN PART OF THE COUNTRY, AT A CAMP FOR PEOPLE FLEEING MILITARY OFFENSIVES. THE BOMBERS STRUCK AS REFUGEES WERE LINED UP FOR FOOD.


CHICAGO (AP) - THE CELL PHONES AND SURVEILLANCE CAMERAS THAT HAVE MADE POLICE WORK EASIER HAVE ALSO PUT OFFICERS UNDER GREATER SCRUTINY. CHICAGO'S POLICE SUPERINTENDENT SAYS HE TELLS HIS OFFICERS THAT THEY MUST ASSUME THEY'RE BEING RECORDED AT ALL TIMES.