Today's News-Tuesday, April 27, 2010-6:45am

FIRE IN MINERSVILLE

INVESTIGATORS WILL BE BACK ON SCENE TODAY TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF A FIRE IN MINERSVILLE THAT HEAVILY DAMAGED SEVERAL HOMES. WE FIRST TOLD YOU ABOUT THE BLAZE AT 319 NORTH FRONT STREET YESTERDAY, WHICH SPREAD TO ADJOINING PROPERTIES AT 321 AND 323 FRONT STREET. TEN PEOPLE ARE REPORTED HOMELESS, BUT NO INJURIES REPORTED. A HOME AT 317 FRONT STREET WAS ALSO DAMAGED. THIS IS THE SECOND MAJOR FIRE IN MINERSVILLE BOROUGH IN FOUR DAYS, THE OTHER BURNING PROPERTIES ON SUNBURY STREET SATURDAY MORNING. THE CAUSE OF THAT BLAZE IS CONSIDERED SUSPICIOUS.

OUT GO THE LIGHTS

MORE THAN 4-THOUSAND CUSTOMERS OF PPL UTILITIES, PLUS THE BOROUGH OF SCHUYLKILL HAVEN, WERE WITHOUT POWER MONDAY AFTERNOON DUE TO PROBLEMS IN THE ORWIGSBURG AREA. ABOUT 2 THOUSAND UTILITY USERS IN CRESSONA AND NORWEGIAN TOWNSHIP WERE AFFECTED. IN SCHUYLKILL HAVEN, OFFICIALS SAID THE POWER TO THE ENTIRE BOROUGH WAS OUT FOR ABOUT ONE HOUR. JUICE WAS RESTORED BEFORE THREE P.M.

TWO CHARGED FOR THEFT FROM POTTSVILLE HOUSING AUTHORITY

A POTTSVILLE MAN AND WOMAN ARE CHARGED WITH THEFT AND RELATED COUNTS
FROM THE POTTSVILLE HOUSING AUTHORITY. POLICE SAY ALICE AND LEONARD ROBINSON LIVED ON RACE STREET, WITH FINANCIAL HELP FROM HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT FUNDS THROUGH SUBSIDIZED RENTS. POLICE HAVE CHARGED THE ROBINSONS WITH THE THEFT CHARGES FOR DEFRAUDING H.U.D. BY MORE THAN $10 THOUSAND DOLLARS. THE ROBINSONS TURNED THEMSELVES INTO POLICE AFTER WARRANTS WERE ISSUED. THEY WERE RELEASED ON BAIL.

THEFT AT MALL STORE

STATE POLICE ARE LOOKING FOR TWO PEOPLE WHO COMMITTED A THEFT AT A CRESSONA MALL BUSINESS. YESTERDAY AFTERNOON, A WHITE MAN AND WOMAN ENTERED SAM'S PLACE. THE MALE PAID THE CASHIER FOR AN ITEM, THEN TOOK 100 INSTANT LOTTERY TICKETS FROM THE COUNTER, TAKES HIS CHANGE AND THEY LEAVE THE MALL. THE MAN WAS WEARINGA GRAY SWEATSHIRT AND WHITE BASEBALL CAP, THE WOMAN WORE A BLACK HOODED SWEATSHIRT WITH THE WORDS "ZOO YOU" ON IT. ANYONE WITH INFORMATION IS ASKED TO CALL STATE POLICE.

SPCA BURGLARIZED

SCHUYLKILL HAVEN STATE POLICE ARE INVESTIGATING A WEEKEND BURGLARY AT RUTH STEINERT SPCA IN PINE GROVE TOWNSHIP. SOMETIME SUNDAY, AN UNKNOWN PERSON ENTERED THE SHELTER ON WERTZ ROAD, TAKING BLOOD KITS FOR THE ANIMALS, AND CAUSED DAMAGE AS WELL. THE INVESTIGATION CONTINUES.

LAW ENFORCEMENT SYMPOSIUM

POLICE AND OTHER LAW ENFORCEMENT REPRESENTATIVES WILL DISCUSS IMMIGRATION, GANG VIOLENCE, FINANCIAL CRIMES AND DRUG INVESTIGATIONS DURING A TWO DAY SEMINAR HOSTED BY DISTRICT ATTORNEY JIM GOODMAN TODAY AND TOMORROW AT THE POTTSVILLE CLUB. THE EVENT IS PAID FOR BY FUNDS RECEIVED FROM THE DA'S OFFICE FROM THEIR DRUG FORFEITURE ACCOUNT.

RANDOM DRUG SWEEP AT POTTSVILLE HIGH

DRUG SNIFFING DOGS ROAMED THE HALLS OF POTTSVILLE HIGH SCHOOL MONDAY, WITH A SMALL AMOUNT OF POT UNCOVERED. THE REPUBLICAN HERALD REPORTS THAT THE DRUG SWEEP WAS PLANNED BY THE SCHOOL ADMINISTRATION SEVERAL MONTHS AGO AFTER REPORTS OF DRUG ACTIVITY SURFACED. POTTSVILLE POLICE WILL CHARGE A MALE STUDENT FOR POSSESSING MARIJUANA.

SCHUYLKILL HAVEN DRUG AND ALCOHOL COUNCIL

THE PROBLEMS OF TEEN DRUG AND ALCOHOL ABUSE IS ALL AROUND. ONE COMMUNITY IN OUR AREA IS WORKING HARD ON THE ISSUE, AS SHERRY MARCHEFSKY REPORTS:

SH DRUG AND ALCOHOL
　
PHILADELPHIA (AP) - UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA OFFICIALS SAY A PENN FOOTBALL PLAYER HAS BEEN FOUND DEAD IN HIS OFF-CAMPUS RESIDENCE IN PHILADELPHIA. THE UNIVERSITY SAYS A CAUSE OF DEATH FOR JUNIOR OWEN THOMAS HASN'T BEEN DETERMINED, BUT FOUL PLAY ISN'T SUSPECTED.

READING, PA. (AP) - A BERKS COUNTY MAN HAS BEEN ORDERED TO SERVE 14 TO 35 YEARS IN PRISON IN A STABBING DEATH AT A PARTY IN MUHLENBERG TOWNSHIP LAST SUMMER. THE READING EAGLE REPORTS ANDREW GEISINGER PLEADED GUILTY TO THIRD-DEGREE MURDER AND RELATED COUNTS YESTERDAY. POLICE SAY HE STABBED KRISTOFFER SCHILDT TO DEATH WITH A STEAK KNIFE.

LANSDALE, PA. (AP) - IT'S BACK TO SCHOOL TODAY FOR STUDENTS AND TEACHERS IN ONE OF SUBURBAN PHILADELPHIA'S LARGEST SCHOOL DISTRICTS. A JUDGE HAS ORDERED STRIKING TEACHERS IN THE NORTH PENN SCHOOL DISTRICT BACK TO WORK SO STUDENTS CAN GET THEIR MANDATORY 180 DAYS OF CLASSES BY JUNE 30TH.

PHILADELPHIA (AP) - SENATOR ARLEN SPECTER HAS GOTTEN A PAIR OF HIGH-PROFILE ENDORSEMENTS IN HIS DEMOCRATIC PRIMARY FIGHT WITH CONGRESSMAN JOE SESTAK. THE PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER AND THE PITTSBURGH POST-GAZETTE ARE BOTH BACKING THE 80-YEAR-OLD FIVE-TERM FORMER REPUBLICAN.

PARIS (AP) - AFTER YEARS IN PRISON IN THE UNITED STATES FOR DRUG
RACKETEERING, FORMER PANAMANIAN DICTATOR MANUEL NORIEGA HAS BEEN EXTRADITED TO FRANCE TO FACE MONEY LAUNDERING CHARGES. THE FORMER STRONGMAN WAS OUSTED IN A U.S. INVASION OF PANAMA IN 1989. A JUDICIAL OFFICIAL IN FRANCE SAYS NORIEGA ARRIVED IN PARIS TUESDAY MORNING.

WASHINGTON (AP) - A SENATE PANEL IS PRIMED TO INTERROGATE THE CEO OF GOLDMAN SACHS IN THE WAKE OF THE CIVIL FRAUD CASE THE GOVERNMENT BROUGHT AGAINST THE WALL STREET POWERHOUSE. THE PERMANENT SUBCOMMITTEE ON INVESTIGATIONS ALLEGES GOLDMAN HAD A STRATEGY THAT ALLOWED IT TO PROFIT FROM THE HOUSING MELTDOWN AND MAKE BILLIONS AT THE EXPENSE OF CLIENTS.

MEXICO CITY (AP) - MEXICO'S PRESIDENT FELIPE CALDERON IS PUSHING BACK AGAINST ARIZONA'S TOUGH NEW IMMIGRATION LAW, CALLING IT DISCRIMINATORY. THE MEASURE MAKES IT A CRIME UNDER STATE LAW TO BE AN ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT, A SITUATION THAT CALDERON SAYS "OPENS THE DOOR" TO INTOLERANCE AND HATE.

BISHKEK, KYRGYZSTAN (AP) - A LEADER OF OPPOSITION FORCES IN CONTROL OF KYRGYZSTAN (KEER'-GIH-STAN) SAYS THE OUSTED PRESIDENT HAS BEEN CHARGED WITH ORGANIZING MASS KILLINGS IN THE DEADLY UPRISING THAT FORCED HIM FROM OFFICE. THE OFFICIAL SAYS KURMANBEK BAKIYEV, NOW LIVING IN EXILE IN
BELARUS, WILL HAVE HIS PRESIDENTIAL IMMUNITY STRIPPED TO FACE CHARGES THAT INCLUDE ABUSE OF POWER.

BEIJING (AP) - CHINA IS READY TO REQUIRE TELECOMMUNICATIONS AND INTERNET COMPANIES TO REPORT ANY REVELATION OF STATE SECRETS, IN A
MOVE THAT COULD FORCE BUSINESSES TO HELP STIFLE POLITICAL DISSENT.
THE DECISION WAS REPORTED TUESDAY BY STATE MEDIA. IT COMES AMID CHINA'S EFFORTS TO CLAMP DOWN ON THE INTERNET AND TELECOMMUNICATIONS SERVICES.