Today's News-Thursday, April 29, 2010

FIRE DAMAGES BUILDING AT WEINER IRON AND METAL

A SMOKY FIRE, STOKED BY HEAVY WINDS, GAVE FIREFIGHTERS A TUSSLE WEDNESDAY NIGHT AT A POTTSVILLE BUSINESS. REPORTS OF A TRASH FIRE AT WEINER IRON AND METAL DREW POTTSVILLE CITY FIREFIGHTERS TO THE FACILITY ALONG ROUTE 61 JUST BEFORE 5PM. FIREFIGHTERS ON SCENE TOLD WPPA/T102 NEWS THAT FLAMES FROM THE CARDBOARD PILE THAT WAS BURNING SPREAD INTO A STORAGE BUILDING, CAUSING FOUL-SMELLING SMOKE TO MAKE VISIBILITY ON ROUTE 61 LIMITED. SCHUYLKILL HAVEN FIREFIGHTERS PROVIDED BACKUP TO WORK THE FIRE. NO ONE WAS INJURED.

CRASH ON I-81

A CRASH ON INTERSTATE 81 WEDNESDAY MORNING SENT THREE SHENANDOAH RESIDENTS TO THE HOSPITAL. THE ACCIDENT HAPPENED JUST BEFORE 4AM NEAR MILE MARKER 117 IN BUTLER TOWNSHIP. POLICE SAY THE DRIVER OF THE VEHICLE LOST CONTROL AND IT WENT INTO THE MEDIAN OF THE HIGHWAY WHERE IT STRUCK A TREE ON THE PASSENGER SIDE AND ROLLED OVER ONTO ITS ROOF. 20 YEAR OLD WARREN FREY AND 18 YEAR OLD ANITA GEORGE WERE FLOWN TO GEISINGER MEDICAL CENTER FOR TREATMENT. 19 YEAR OLD SAMANTHA PRICE WAS TAKEN TO ST CATHERINE'S MEDICAL CENTER. STATE POLICE ARE STILL INVESTIGATING THE ACCIDENT.

TWO TEENS ASSAULTED IN LYKENS

A WILLIAMSTOWN MAN IS CHARGED WITH AGGRAVATED INDECENT ASSAULT AND RELATED COUNTS FOLLOWING INCIDENTS IN LYKENS. OVER A PERIOD OF TIME DATING BACK TO SEPTEMBER, 2009, 25 YEAR OLD KYLE YEAGLEY HAD INDECENT CONTACT WITH A 14 AND 15 YEAR OLD FEMALE WITHOUT THEIR CONSENT. THE CHARGES WERE LODGED AGAINST YEAGLEY IN DISTRICT COURT.

FALSE ID, OUTSTANDING WARRANT NETS ARREST OF CAMP HILL MAN

POTTSVILLE POLICE HAVE ARRESTED A MAN FOLLOWING A HIT AND RUN IN THE CITY. TUESDAY NIGHT, 43 YEAR OLD STEVEN KREITZER OF CAMP HILL STRUCK A PARKED CAR AND FLED THE SCENE, BUT WAS SPOTTED A SHORT TIME LATER. KREITZER GAVE POLICE A FAKE NAME, AND HIS VEHICLE HAD AN ALTERED REGISTRATION AND INSPECTION STICKER, AND FOUND THAT HE WAS WANTED ON AN OUTSTANDING WARRANT FROM PERRY COUNTY. KREITZER WAS ARRAIGNED ON CHARGES OF PROVIDING A FAKE I.D. TO POLICE AND OTHER COUNTS, THEN TAKEN TO JAIL.

COMMISSIONERS 4.28.10

SCHUYLKILL COUNTY COMMISSIONERS MET WEDNESDAY MORNING IN HEGINS. SHERRY MARCHEFSKY HAS MORE:

COMM 4.28.10

PSU RESEARCH CONFERENCE

THE ANNUAL PENN STATE SCHUYLKILL RESEARCH CONFERENCE WAS HELD WEDNESDAY. SHERRY MARCHEFSKY REPORTS FROM SCHUYLKILL HAVEN:

RESEARCH CONFERENCE

PHILADELPHIA (AP) - NURSES AND OTHER STAFFERS AT PHILADELPHIA'S TEMPLE UNIVERSITY HOSPITAL ARE HEADING BACK TO WORK AFTER RATIFYING A CONTRACT PROPOSAL THAT ENDS A MONTHLONG WALKOUT. THE UNION SAYS 97 PERCENT OF MEMBERS WHO VOTED APPROVED THE DEAL.

PITTSBURGH (AP) - STRIKING CAFETERIA WORKERS AT THE UNIVERSITY OF PITTSBURGH HAVE GONE BACK TO WORK AFTER ALLEGHENY COUNTY EXECUTIVE DAN ONORATO URGED BOTH SIDES TO RETURN TO THE BARGAINING TABLE. THE 200 EMPLOYEES WALKED OFF THE JOB MONDAY. THE UNION WANTS HIGHER WAGES AND LOWER HEALTH CARE COSTS FROM THE FOODSERVICE COMPANY THAT HAS THE UNIVERSITY'S CATERING CONTRACT.

HARRISBURG, PA. (AP) - THE RENDELL ADMINISTRATION IS PUTTING MORE STAFF ON PHONE-ANSWERING DUTY TO HANDLE BIGGER CALL VOLUME FROM PEOPLE WANTING TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF A NEW STATE TAX AMNESTY PROGRAM. SOME PEOPLE HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO GET THROUGH DURING THE PROGRAM'S FIRST FEW DAYS.

HARRISBURG, PA. (AP) - FLAGS WILL BE LOWERED TO HALF-STAFF TODAY IN HONOR OF THE LATE CIVIL RIGHTS LEADER DOROTHY HEIGHT. HEIGHT DIED LAST WEEK AT THE AGE OF 98. SHE BEGAN HER CAMPAIGN IN THE 1930S, MARCHED ALONGSIDE MARTIN LUTHER KING JR. AND LED THE NATIONAL COUNCIL OF NEGRO WOMEN FOR 40 YEARS.

NEW ORLEANS (AP) - THE COAST GUARD SAYS OIL GIANT BP ISN'T GETTING THE JOB DONE AND THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT MAY HAVE TO STEP IN TO HELP. BP LEASES THE DRILLING RIG THAT EXPLODED, BURNED AND SANK INTO THE GULF OF MEXICO LAST WEEK. OIL HAS BEEN LEAKING FROM AT LEAST TWO SPOTS IN THE BLOWN-OUT WELL'S PIPES. FEDERAL AUTHORITIES ESTIMATE MORE THAN 200,000 GALLONS OF OIL A DAY IS ESCAPING.

WASHINGTON (AP) - FINAL DETAILS OF FINANCIAL OVERHAUL LEGISLATION WILL BE WORKED OUT ON THE SENATE FLOOR. REPUBLICANS HAVE GIVEN UP EFFORTS TO BLOCK DEBATE. SENATE OFFICIALS EXPECT TWO WEEKS OF VOTES ON AMENDMENTS. SEN. BOB CORKER SAYS IT COULD TURN INTO "A REAL DEBATE," THE TENNESSEE REPUBLICAN ADDS THAT WOULD "SHOCK AMERICA."

CHICAGO (AP) - FIRST QUARTER CORPORATE EARNINGS REPORTS ARE CONVINCING ANALYSTS THAT THE ECONOMY IS OUT OF CRISIS AND SHOULD CONTINUE TO STRENGTHEN. COMPANIES IN THE STANDARD & POOR'S 500 INDEX HAVE REPORTED 76 PERCENT HIGHER OPERATING EARNINGS THAN A YEAR AGO AND ARE ON PACE FOR THE BIGGEST YEAR-OVER-YEAR INCREASE EVER. THE POSITIVE REPORTS HAVE COME ACROSS SECTORS AND INDICATE PEOPLE ARE SPENDING AGAIN.

WASHINGTON (AP) - THE U.S. COMMISSION ON INTERNATIONAL RELIGIOUS FREEDOM HAS NAMED 12 COUNTRIES AS SERIOUS VIOLATORS OF RELIGIOUS FREEDOM. THE LIST INCLUDES SAUDI ARABIA, IRAQ AND CHINA ALONG WITH IRAN, NORTH KOREA, SUDAN AND MYANMAR. THE PANEL ALSO CRITICIZES THE OBAMA AND BUSH ADMINISTRATIONS FOR DOING TOO LITTLE TO MAKE BASIC RELIGIOUS RIGHTS UNIVERSAL.

CIUDAD JUAREZ, MEXICO (AP) - THE MEXICAN BORDER CITY OF CIUDAD JUAREZ IS RECOVERING FROM ANOTHER SPASM OF VIOLENCE, THAT SAW 16 PEOPLE SHOT DEAD IN AT LEAST FOUR SEPARATE INCIDENTS YESTERDAY. THE DEADLIEST HAPPENED IN THE EARLY MORNING HOURS WHEN EIGHT PEOPLE WERE DRAGGED OUT OF A BAR AND SHOT DEAD IN THE PARKING LOT.