Today's News-Friday, June 25, 2010

METH LAB SUSPECTS HEADED TO COUNTY COURT
Individuals accused of operating a meth lab in Tremont are headed to county court. Thirty-two year old Jason Frew and 34 year old Tanya Koch of Tremont and 35 year old Charles Kille of Lebanon appeared before District Judge Carol Pankake Thursday, charged with criminal attempt to manufacture a controlled substance and related counts for running a methamphetmine operation in Tremont. It all started with a traffic stop last month that led to a search of Frew's home and subsequent arrests. Following testimony, Judge Pankake ruled that there was sufficient evidence to have the case moved to Schuylkill County Court. Kille and Koch are free on bail, while Frew's bail was revoked and was remanded to county prison.

ATM THEFT
Pottsville police are looking for suspects who may have taken money from a woman's bank account through an ATM. Details of the May 21st incident have just been released. A woman used her ATM card at the Susquehanna Bank branch on South Centre Street in Pottsville, but left her card behind. Reports say that after the woman left, an as yet unidentified man used the card to withdraw $300 from the woman's account, left the card in the machine and fled. Pottsville police are looking for leads in the case. If you have any information, please call them at 622-1234.

POST OFFICE BREAK IN
U.S. Postal Inspectors and police are investigating a reported break in at a post office in the Mahanoy Plane section of Gilberton. Details of the crime are limited at this point, but its believed that entry was gained over the past weekend. The investigation is being handled by the U.S. Postal Service.

WALK, WINE AND WANDER
Early afternoon rain Thursday could have put a damper on outdoor activities, but the sun came out, drawing big crowds to downtown Schuylkill Haven for the second annual Walk, Wine and Wander. Hundreds of people sampled locally produced wines, viewed various works of art by more than two dozen artisans and enjoyed a wide variety of music and food up and down Main Street. The Greater Schuylkill Haven Business Association organized the event, in conjunction with the weekly farmers market.

HOLDEN NAMED TO HALL OF FAME
U.S. Congressman Tim Holden was inducted into the Pennsylvania Department of Military and Veterans Affairs Hall of Fame yesterday at Indiantown Gap. Holden, of St. Clair, was honored for his contributions to the Department and the Pennsylvania National Guard. Election to the Hall of Fame is the highest honor bestowed by the Department. Holden said it was an honor and a privilege to be inducted, and that to be recognized for supporting the men and women of our Armed Forces is truly humbling.

JIM THORPE

A son of late sports legend Jim Thorpe wants his father's body returned home. CBS News Correspondent Bill Whitney has the story.

WHITNEY JIM THORPE REMAINS

PHILADELPHIA (AP) - Nearly 200,000 customers have been left without power and one regional rail line is shut down after a thunderstorm socked the Philadelphia region. A PECO spokeswoman says it could take two to three days for crews to restore power to customers in Philadelphia, Chester and Delaware counties.

HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) - Former Homeland Security Secretary and Pennsylvania Governor Tom Ridge says he's dumbfounded by the ouster of General Stanley McChrystal as commander of U.S. forces in Afghanistan. Ridge tells The Patriot-News of Harrisburg that he's "astounded" that President Barack Obama decided to dismiss McChrystal over controversial remarks in a Rolling Stone interview.

HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) - Negotiations between Governor Ed Rendell and Senate Republican leaders on a new budget appear to be at a standstill with the new fiscal year a week away. Rendell says his proposed $28.2 billion budget brings spending about as low as he believes is manageable. Republicans want Rendell to strip another $400 million from the package.

WEST CHESTER, Pa. (AP) - A woman accused of assaulting MTV star Bam Margera outside his suburban Philadelphia nightclub has been held for trial. Elizabeth Ray lives near The Note, a club the Margera owns in West Chester. The Philadelphia Inquirer reports Margera says he got into a verbal altercation with Ray and was later hit on the head. Ray says she's innocent.

TORONTO (AP) - President Barack Obama joins a host of world leaders today at the economic summit in Toronto. He has been warning that nations should be slow to cut back their stimulus
efforts - but that view hasn't been getting much support among nations whose economies have been struggling, as the U.S. economy has been.

WASHINGTON (AP) - Congressional Democrats are trying to find ways to save their jobs program - this after the Senate failed to pass an extension of jobless payments. Even though Senate Democrats cut billions from the program in an effort to sway enough Republicans to sign no, the measure fell three votes shy of the 60 needed to end a GOP filibuster.

BRIDGEPORT, Conn. (AP) - Connecticut's governor has declared a state of emergency after fierce winds ripped through the state's largest city, Bridgeport, yesterday. Winds reaching 78 mph toppled trees and destroyed buildings. No one has been reported seriously injured.

WASHINGTON (AP) - A recent surge of young children dying in hot automobiles is prompting the government and safety groups to warn parents to never leave their children alone in a vehicle. One researcher says 18 children have died from overheating since the beginning of this year, eight of them reported since June 13.

CHICAGO (AP) - A federal jury resumes deliberations today in the trial of a former Chicago police officer accused of lying about the torture of suspects. Ex-police Lt. Jon Burge is accused by five felons of taking part in beatings, suffocations and games of Russian roulette against those arrested.