Today's News-Saturday, June 19, 2010

AFTERNOON BURGLARY
Two Hispanic males are being sought in connection with a burglary at a Mahanoy Plane home Friday. One of the men knocked on the door of Jule Dougherty on Water Street after noon, saying he worked for the county and needed to trim trees in the backyard of Dougherty's neighbor. While Dougherty and the man were talking in the backyard, the other Hispanic male removed property from the second floor of Doughtery's home. The vehicle they were driving in was a silver or grey SUV . Anyone with information about these men should call state police at Frackville with details. All residents are asked to be vigilant in watching for scammers this summer.

DUI RELATED CRASH
A Hazleton man escaped injury but faces DUI charges following a crash in North Manheim Township early Friday. James Petrilla was driving north on Martha Lane, and as he negotiated a right hand curve, struck a fence post and got stuck on an embankment while attempting to make a U-turn on the road leaving the area. Schuylkill Haven state police expect to file drunk driving charges against Petrilla.

ORWIGSBURG MAN FACES DUI CHARGES
State police at Schuylkill Haven expect to file DUI related charges against an Orwigsburg man following a crash Friday morning in West Brunswick Township. Travis Sterner, 21, was driving east on Lincoln Avenue, attempting to turn right onto Second Mountain Road. Sterner's Honda Civic left the roadway then striking a utility pole. The car continued on for another 60 feet. Sterner is suspected of driving under the influence and was taken to the hospital for a blood alcohol test.


HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) - Former state lawmaker Mike Veon and a former aide both plan to appeal after being sentenced for their roles in the so-called "Bonusgate" scandal that saw
taxpayer-funded resources going into campaign efforts. A judge yesterday sentenced Veon to spend at least six years in prison in the case.


PHILADELPHIA (AP) - Authorities in northeast Philadelphia say one child was seriously injured yesterday afternoon when a car apparently rear-ended a school bus. They tell WPVI-TV several other children also suffered less serious injuries in the crash.


HAMBURG, N.Y. (AP) - Authorities say four people from Grove City, north of Pittsburgh, were injured when their car got wedged beneath a tractor-trailer rig in a crash on the New York State
Thruway yesterday near Buffalo. At least three of the injured were from one family, with one man taken from the scene by helicopter.


CHARLESTON, W.Va. (AP) - Greensburg-based Allegheny Energy and an Ohio power utility say an energy demand study shows a proposed power line from West Virginia to Maryland will need to be in place by June of 2015. The line's development has been on hold as the utilities reassess future demand across the Mid-Atlantic.



WASHINGTN (AP) - Republicans say President Barack Obama didn't react fast enough to the Gulf Oil Spill and some of his decisions will do more harm than good. In the weekly GOP radio and Internet address Sen. Roger Wicker of Mississippi criticized Obama for pushing an energy bill and increases in oil cleanup fees and for calling for a moratorium on deep-water drilling.


WASHINGTON (AP) - President Barack Obama says extended jobless benefits, thousands of jobs and a tax credit for first time homebuyers are threatened by Senate Republicans. In his weekly radio and Internet address, Obama accused Republicans of blocking legislation that would help the economy and lift a $75 million cap on oil spill reparations.


KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) - A NATO spokesman says despite a U.N. report that concludes security has not improved the international force is making steady strides in Afghanistan. The U.N. report released today paints a grim picture, saying roadside bombings and assassinations have soared.

MIR ALI, Pakistan (AP) - Officials say the area in Pakistan where a suspected U.S. missile strike killed 13 people is one where several militant outfits plot attacks on Western troops in
Afghanistan. meanwhile, a roadside bomb aimed at police in the volatile northwest killed a civilian and wounded eight people. The attacks came as U.S. special envoy Richard Holbrooke met with Pakistani leaders in Islamabad.

NEW ORLEANS (AP) - For the first time, BP's oil containment system in the Gulf of Mexico is approaching peak capacity. Coast Guard Adm. Thad Allen says it's capturing or burning more than 1 million gallons of oil per day. BP hopes that by the end of the month it will capture 90 percent of the oil spewing from its well. Officials say it won't all stop until a relief well is done.