Today's News-Monday, May 3, 2010

ONE INJURED IN CRASH

A SCHUYLKILL HAVEN MAN SUFFERED MINOR INJURY IN A ONE VEHICLE CRASH ON THE GORDON NAGLE TRAIL SATURDAY. POLICE SAY ANTHONY STRATTON WAS DRIVING EAST ON THE TRAIL NEAR RED HORSE ROAD WHEN A DEER RAN INTO HIS FORD CROWN VICTORIA. THE CAR CAME TO REST ON THE SOUTH BERM OF ROUTE 901. THREE PASSENGERS ACCOMPANIED THE DRIVER, WITH DUSHAWN ROBERTS SUFFERING MINOR INJURIES. THE CRASH HAPPENED AROUND 1AM SATURDAY.

THREE VEHICLE CRASH

FOUR PEOPLE ESCAPED INJURY IN A THREE VEHICLE CRASH SUNDAY AFTERNOON ON THE PORT CARBON/ST CLAIR HIGHWAY. GINA COSTY OF PORT CARBON WAS ATTEMPTING TO TURN ONTO MILL CREEK AVENUE WHEN A CAR OPERATED BY JOHN STROKELITUS OF PORT CARBON CRASHED INTO THE PASSENGER SIDE OF COSTY'S CAR, FORCING IT TO SPIN INTO THE AUTO OPERATED BY ROBERT LEDDY OF POTTSVILLE. EVERYONE WALKED AWAY UNSCATHED. THE CRASH HAPPENED AFTER 1PM YESTERDAY.

AUBURN DRIVER ESCAPES INJURY

AN AUBURN WOMAN ESCAPED INJURY FROM A CRASH ON INTERSTATE 78 IN UPPER BERN TOWNSHIP YESTERDAY. A CAR DRIVEN BY KATHERINE HARMER OF ROSLYN, PA. WAS TRAVELING AT A HIGH RATE OF SPEED AND REAR ENDED JENNIFER ANTHONY'S CAR. BOTH DRIVERS WERE ABLE TO STOP THEIR VEHICLES QUICKLY. HARMER SUFFERED HEAD INJURIES AND WAS TAKEN TO READING HOSPITAL. ANTHONY, OF AUBURN, REFUSED MEDICAL TREATMENT. THE INVESTIGATION IS ONGOING.

EVICTION OF CENTRALIA RESIDENTS

PITTSBURGH (AP) - SOME OF THE LAST FEW RESIDENTS OF CENTRALIA, A TOWN EMPTIED BY AN UNDERGROUND FIRE THAT BEGAN NEARLY HALF A CENTURY AGO ARE SCHEDULED TO BE IN A HARRISBURG COURTROOM TODAY TO ASK A JUDGE TO STOP THE STATE FROM EVICTING THEM. CENTRALIA RESIDENTS HAVE LONG ALLEGED THAT THEIR TOWN'S DEMOLITION IN THE 1980S WAS PART OF A PLOT TO GET THE MINERAL RIGHTS TO ANTHRACITE COAL WORTH HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS. STATE AND FEDERAL AUTHORITIES CALLED IT THE SOLUTION TO AN OUT-OF-CONTROL UNDERGROUND MINE FIRE THAT MENACED THE TOWN WITH TOXIC GASES. THE STATE CONDEMNED THE HOMES IN THE EARLY 1990S BUT ONLY RECENTLY MOVED TO OUST THOSE WHO REMAIN FROM THE TOWN, WHICH CURRENTLY HAS A POPULATION OF NINE. STATE ATTORNEYS HAVE RIDICULED THE ALLEGATIONS AS "CONSPIRACY THEORIES" AND SAID THEY EXPECT THEM TO BE DISMISSED.

WAGNER, CORBETT GIVEN INQUIRER NOD

PHILADELPHIA (AP) - THE PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER IS ENDORSING STATE AUDITOR GENERAL JACK WAGNER FOR THE DEMOCRATIC NOMINATION IN THE PENNSYLVANIA GOVERNOR'S RACE AND STATE ATTORNEY GENERAL TOM CORBETT FOR THE REPUBLICAN NOMINATION. THE INQUIRER ON SUNDAY CALLED WAGNER THE DEMOCRATS BEST CHOICE FOR FISCAL LEADERSHIP, SAYING HE IS "ALREADY TAKING A FOCUSED, UNBIASED LOOK AT HOW PENNSYLVANIA CAN DO A BETTER JOB MANAGING ITS BUDGET." THE PAPER PRAISED WAGNER'S PROPOSALS, SUCH AS AN END TO EXPENSIVE ONE-BIDDER CONTRACTS AND STATE CONTRACTS LINKED TO POLITICAL DONATIONS, AND HIS CALLS TO ELIMINATE STATE WORKER BONUSES, CAP POLITICAL DONATIONS AND HAVE AN INDEPENDENT COMMISSION REDRAW LEGISLATIVE DISTRICT LINES. IN ITS GOP ENDORSEMENT, THE PAPER PRAISED CORBETT'S EFFORTS TO SHAKE UP WHAT IT CALLED "THE CORRUPT CULTURE THAT HAS TAKEN HOLD IN HARRISBURG."

NEW YORK (AP) - NEW YORK CITY POLICE HAVE HEADED TO AN UNNAMED PENNSYLVANIA TOWN TO TALK A TOURIST THEY SAY MIGHT HAVE RECORDED THE SUSPECT IN SATURDAY'S FAILED CAR BOMB ATTACK IN TIMES SQUARE. POLICE SAY THEY ALREADY HAVE SURVEILLANCE VIDEO OF A POSSIBLE SUSPECT SHEDDING HIS CLOTHES IN AN ALLEY.

PITTSBURGH (AP) - POLICE SAY A SUSPECTED DEVICE NEAR THE FINISH LINE OF THE PITTSBURGH MARATHON PROMPTED THEM TO HALT THE RACE BRIEFLY YESTERDAY. A BOMB SQUAD USED A ROBOT TO DISABLE THE DEVICE. INVESTIGATORS DON'T THINK IT WAS AN ACTUAL EXPLOSIVE.

MEMPHIS, TENNESSEE (AP) - AT LEAST 15 PEOPLE ARE DEAD AS A RESULT OF SEVERE WEATHER IN MISSISSIPPI AND TENNESSEE. A LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS BROUGHT HEAVY FLOODING AND TORNADOS TO THE STATES. TENNESSEE GOV. PHIL BREDESEN SAYS IT COULD BE DAYS BEFORE THE WATERS RECEDE ENOUGH TO ASSESS DAMAGE. AND THE CUMBERLAND RIVER IS EXPECTED TO CREST TODAY IN NASHVILLE.

BOSTON (AP) - BOSTON OFFICIALS WILL KNOW THIS AFTERNOON WHETHER CLEAN WATER HAS BEEN RESTORED. TWO MILLION EASTERN MASSACHUSETTS RESIDENTS HAVE BEEN UNDER A BOIL-WATER ORDER SINCE SATURDAY WHEN A 10-FOOT WATER PIPE BROKE. STILL, OFFICIALS ARE ENCOURAGING COMMUTERS TO COME TO WORK.

VENICE, LA. (AP) - ANOTHER WEEK OF OIL POURING FROM THE SEAFLOOR. CONCRETE AND METAL BOXES ARE BEING BUILT TO SIPHON THE OIL GUSHING INTO THE GULF OF MEXICO FROM THE BLOWN OUT WELL, BUT THEY WON'T BE IN PLACE FOR SIX DAYS. MEANWHILE DEAD SEA TURTLES ARE WASHING ASHORE, FEDERAL FISHING AREAS ARE CLOSED, AND SHIPPING ON THE MISSISSIPPI COULD SOON BE LIMITED.

NEW ORLEANS (AP) - FEAR OF THE UNKNOWN IS SETTING IN AMONG CHEFS, RESTAURANT OWNERS AND SEAFOOD DEALERS AS A GIANT OIL SLICK LAPS AT SOUTHEASTERN LOUISIANA'S ECOLOGICALLY SENSITIVE COAST. THEY KNOW THE OIL SPILL WILL SQUEEZE THE STATE'S $2.4 BILLION SEAFOOD INDUSTRY -- THEY'RE JUST NOT SURE HOW BADLY OR FOR HOW LONG. FEDERAL OFFICIALS SHUT DOWN FISHING FOR AT LEAST 10 DAYS FROM THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER TO THE FLORIDA PANHANDLE.

ISLAMABAD (AP) - TWO NEW VIDEOS FROM THE PAKISTANI TALIBAN SHOW THEIR LEADER ALIVE AND WELL. THE VIDEOS OF HAKIMULLAH MEHSUD SURFACED OVER THE WEEKEND. THEY REFUTE EARLIER AMERICAN AND PAKISTANI CLAIMS THAT HE WAS KILLED IN A U.S. MISSILE STRIKE EARLIER THIS YEAR.