Today's News-Thursday, April 8, 2010

SEXUAL ASSAULT

A SECOND ARREST HAS BEEN MADE BY ST CLAIR POLICE IN CONNECTION WITH A SEXUAL ASSAULT OF A TEENAGER. 24 YEAR OLD JOHN MYRO IS CHARGED WITH INVOLUNTARY DEVIATE SEXUAL INTERCOURSE, SEXUAL ASSAULT, FURNISHING ALCOHOL TO MINORS AND OTHER COUNTS. POLICE SAY THAT MYRO AND 49 YEAR OLD RONALD BRIDY OF ST CLAIR, WHO WAS PREVIOUSLY CHARGED, WITH SEXUALLY ASSAULTING A TEENAGED GIRL ON MARCH 12TH AND 13TH. THE GIRLS AND OTHER MALES WERE DRINKING AND SMOKING POT AT BRIDY'S HOME WHEN THE ALLEGED ASSAULT TOOK PLACE. BRIDY AND MYRO ARE LODGED IN THE SCHUYLKILL COUNTY PRISON. THEIR PRELIMINARY HEARING IS SCHEDULED FOR LATER THIS MONTH.

TOWN HALL

THE FOUR CHALLENGERS FOR THE REPUBLICAN PRIMARY IN THE 17TH CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT ADDRESSED A WIDE RANGE OF ISSUES AT A TOWN HALL MEETING LAST NIGHT AT PINE VIEW ACRES. SPONSORED BY THE SCHUYLKILL COUNTY CONSERVATIVES, DAVID ARGALL, JOSH FIRST, ALLEN GRIFFITH AND FRANK RYAN FIELDED QUESTIONS ON HEALTHCARE REFORM, JOBS AND THE ECONOMY, CONGRESSIONAL EARMARKS AND FISCAL RESPONSIBILITY BEFORE A CROWD OF ABOUT 80 PEOPLE IN THE OPEN FORUM. CONSERVATIVES ORGANIZER BRUCE JOHNSON COMMENTS AFTER THE TOWN HALL MEETING:

JOHNSON

INCUMBENT CONGRESSMAN TIM HOLDEN AND DEMOCRATIC CHALLENGER SHEILA DOW-FORD WERE ALSO INVITED TO PARTICIPATE. HOLDEN HAD A PREVIOUS COMMITMENT IN HARRISBURG. DOW-FORD ALSO DECLINED THE INVITATION, CITING HER NEED TO DEFEND A CHALLENGE ON HER NOMINATING PETITION BY CONGRESSMAN HOLDEN. THE PRIMARY ELECTION IS MAY 18TH.

PROSECUTION WANTS MORE TIME IN SHENANDOAH POLICE CASE

FEDERAL PROSECUTORS IN THE CASE OF THREE FORMER SHENANDOAH POLICEMEN ARE ASKING FOR MORE TIME TO RESPOND TO PRE-TRIAL MOTIONS BY THE DEFENSE. THE REPUBLICAN HERALD REPORTS THE REQUEST FOR EXTENSION, ANOTHER 30 DAYS UNTIL MAY 7TH TO ANSWER THE MOTIONS OF FORMER CHIEF MATTHEW NESTOR, FORMER LT. WILLIAM MOYER AND OFFICER JASON HAYES. THE THREE FORMER OFFICERS ARE CHARGED WITH OBSTRUCTING THE INVESTIGATION INTO THE DEATH OF LUIS RAMIREZ IN JULY, 2008. OTHER CIVIL RIGHTS AND EXTORTION CHARGES ARE PENDING AGAINST NESTOR AND FORMER CAPT. JAMIE GENNARINI. THE FEDERAL TRIALS OF DERRICK DONCHAK AND BRANDON PIEKARSKY, CHARGED WITH HATE CRIMES, IS TO BEGIN IN OCTOBER.

BRUSH FIRE WARNING

TROOP L STATE POLICE FIRE MARSHALS ARE WARNING RESIDENTS IN SCHUYLKILL AND SURROUNDING COUNTIES ABOUT CONTROLLED BURNING DURING THE SPRING MONTHS. TROOPERS REMIND PEOPLE TO CHECK WITH THEIR LOCAL MUNICIPALITIES ABOUT RULES GOVERNING OUTDOOR BURNING BEFORE DOING SO. FAILURE TO CONTROL AND MAINTAIN OUTDOOR BURNING MAY RESULT IN CRIMINAL CHARGES, ACCORDING TO STATE POLICE.

PORT CARBON POLICE NEWS

A PORT CARBON MAN WILL BE CHARGED IN A DOMESTIC DISPUTE LAST NIGHT IN THE BOROUGH. POLICE WERE CALLED TO 84 COAL STREET, WHERE 35 YEAR OLD JEREMY DEAN ALLEGEDLY HARASSED 47 YEAR OLD KATHLEEN AMMON. DEAN WAS ALSO WANTED ON A PAROLE VIOLATION, AND WILL ANSWER TO THE HARASSMENT CHARGE BEFORE DISTRICT JUDGE DAVID PLACHKO. IN A SEPARATE INCIDENT, PORT CARBON POLICE RESPONDED TO A DISTURBANCE AT A HOME ON COAL STREET. A 15 YEAR OLD POTTSVILLE GIRL ASSAULTED HER 14 YEAR OLD BROTHER, AND THREATENED HER MOTHER. ASSAULT CHARGES WILL BE FILED IN JUVENILE COURT AGAINST THE GIRL.

PHILADELPHIA (AP) - A PREGNANT COLORADO WOMAN CHARGED IN A GLOBAL TERRORISM PLOT HAS PLEADED NOT GUILTY IN A PHILADELPHIA COURTROOM. JAIME PAULIN-RAMIREZ USED A SHAKE OF HER HEAD TO ENTER THE PLEA IN ORDER TO AVOID GIVING INVESTIGATORS A VOICE SAMPLE THAT COULD BE USED AGAINST HER. PAULIN-RAMIREZ IS CHARGED WITH AIDING A TERROR GROUP THAT WAS PLOTTING TO KILL A SWEDISH CARTOONIST.

ROCHESTER, PA. (AP) - PROSECUTORS ARE SEEKING THE DEATH PENALTY AGAINST A MAN CHARGED WITH SHOOTING HIS ESTRANGED WIFE AND KILLING HER COMPANION IN A WESTERN PENNSYLVANIA STRIP MALL PARKING LOT. THE
BEAVER COUNTY TIMES REPORTS PROSECUTORS MADE THE ANNOUNCEMENT AT
YESTERDAY'S ARRAIGNMENT OF GREGORY BAKER, WHO'S CHARGED IN THE
SHOOTINGS LAST DECEMBER.

HARRISBURG, PA. (AP) - STATE REGULATORS HAVE SIGNED OFF ON TABLE GAMES AT THREE MORE CASINOS IN PENNSYLVANIA. GAMES SUCH AS POKER AND BLACKJACK ARE COMING TO THE MOUNT AIRY CASINO IN THE POCONOS, SANDS CASINO IN BETHLEHEM AND HOLLYWOOD CASINO NEAR HARRISBURG.

PHILADELPHIA (AP) - THERE'S BEEN NO MOVEMENT IN THE STANDOFF BETWEEN STRIKING NURSES AND ONE OF PHILADELPHIA'S BIGGEST HOSPITALS. ABOUT 1,500 NURSES AND HEALTH CARE PROFESSIONALS HAVE BEEN PICKETING TEMPLE UNIVERSITY HOSPITAL FOR A WEEK. THE PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER REPORTS THE HOSPITAL CLAIMS THE UNION REJECTED A PROPOSAL SUGGESTED BY A MEDIATOR.

PRAGUE (AP) - PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA IS IN THE CZECH REPUBLIC, WHERE HE WILL SOON SIGN A NEW TREATY WITH RUSSIA REDUCING NUCLEAR ARMS. THE AGREEMENT WOULD SLASH THE NUMBER OF NUCLEAR MISSILES, SUBMARINES AND BOMBERS EACH COUNTRY HAS BY MORE THAN HALF.

MONTCOAL, W.VA. (AP) - TOXIC GASES HAVE DISSIPATED ENOUGH THAT RESCUE CREWS CAN ENTER THE WEST VIRGINIA COAL MINE WHERE FOUR MEN REMAIN MISSING AFTER MONDAY'S EXPLOSION. HOPES ARE SLIM THAT ANYONE COULD STILL BE ALIVE.

KABUL (AP) - AFGHAN POLICE SAY THEY'VE CAPTURED THE BIGGEST SUICIDE BOMB TEAM EVER FOUND IN THE CAPITAL, KABUL. FIVE WOULD-BE BOMBERS WERE STOPPED AS THEY RODE IN AN SUV. POLICE ACTED ON INTELLIGENCE, AND SAY THE SUSPECTS ARE LINKED TO AL-QAIDA.

DENVER (AP) - OFFICIALS SAY A DIPLOMAT FROM QATAR WON'T BE FACING CHARGES FOR TRYING TO SNEAK A SMOKE ABOARD A FLIGHT TO DENVER. WHEN HE JOKED THAT HE WAS TRYING TO LIGHT HIS SHOES, IT SPARKED A FIGHTER ESCORT AND A BOMB SCARE. THE PLANE LANDED SAFELY AND OFFICIALS SAY THEY DON'T THINK THE MAN HAD ANY MALICIOUS INTENT.

BISHKEK, KYRGYZSTAN (AP) - FOLLOWING CLASHES THAT LEFT 68 PEOPLE DEAD, THE GOVERNMENT OF KYRGYZSTAN , IN CENTRAL ASIA, APPEARS TO BE IN THE HANDS OF AN OPPOSITION COALITION. ITS LEADER SAYS THEY'LL RULE FOR SIX MONTHS.