Today's News-Saturday, July 17, 2010

MISSING MAN
State police have reported a missing person. Thirty-one year old Christopher Young of New Philadelphia was last seen early Thursday morning in Pottsville. He's reported to be operating a dark green Dodge Caravan, with damage to the right front fender. Brown is about 6 feet 7 inches tall, weighing about 210 pounds, with brown hair and eyes. Frackville state police say Young is reported to be without necessary seizure and diabetes medication. Young is known to frequent the area of 8 Ton Road near New Philadelphia and Pottsville's Peach Mountain. If you have information about Young's whereabouts, contact State Police at 874-5300.

TWO TO ANSWER CHARGES
Two Ringtown residents will have to answer harassment charges following an incident in Union Township on Thursday. Thirty nine year old Melanie Lex and 19 year old Thomas Lex reportedly got into an argument. Melanie Lex slapped the teen across the face. Thomas Lex then pushed the woman. Charges will be filed in the office of District Judge Bernadette Nahas.

HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) - Authorities have charged 11 people who they say operated a $6 million marijuana ring that stretched through several states. Attorney General Tom Corbett says the case is another phase in the investigation that resulted in drug charges against four Penn State students in April 2009.

PITTSBURGH (AP) - Trustees at the University of Pittsburgh have approved a 5.5 percent tuition hike for in-state undergraduates, an increase of about $734 per year. Out-of-state students will see their tuition bills rise 3 percent, to about $23,733 a year. That's about $692 more than last year.

PHILADELPHIA (AP) - Police say they have recovered an arsenal of high-powered guns from the scene where a Philadelphia police officer was shot. Police have arrested one man and are searching for two others. The officer was wounded in the leg Thursday and is expected to recover.

SCRANTON, Pa. (AP) - Former Luzerne County Clerk of Courts Robert Reilly has admitted deceiving authorities while under investigation for bribery. He pleaded guilty yesterday. Prosecutors say Reilly lied about payments he received from contractor Barton Weidlich for work done at the clerk's office.

MIDDLETOWN, Pa. (AP) - Police in central Pennsylvania say a popular middle school teacher has been lying about having an inoperable brain tumor. Leslie Herneisey of Middletown allegedly faked documents to take sick leave. She faces 12 counts of forgery. Her attorney says she is battling depression.

NEW ORLEANS (AP) - This afternoon will mark two full days since BP stopped the oil from leaking into the Gulf of Mexico with a new, tighter cap and entered into the pressure-testing phase. The pressure isn't as high as expected but there's no sign of a leak as the end of a critical 48-hour testing window approaches.

HACKENSACK, N.J. (AP) - Rescuers are still digging today, looking for at least one missing person in a partially collapsedNew Jersey parking garage. They've removed a car from the rubble but it's not known if anyone was inside. The garage collapsed after being hit by a glass canopy that fell off a high-rise condominium.

WASHINGTON (AP) - The man who replaces the longest serving Senator is going to be the youngest member of that body. Thirty-six-year old Carte Goodwin says the late West Virginia Sen. Robert Byrd was an irreplaceable legend whose shoes can never be filled. Goodwin is expected to be the 60th vote Democrats need to break a GOP filibuster and pass an extension of jobless benefits about 15 minutes after he's sworn in on Tuesday.

WASHINGTON (AP) - Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton is off to an international conference in Afghanistan. Her trip is aimed at refining the goals of the nearly 9-year-old conflict. At the conference, the Afghan government will outline plans to bolster deteriorating security, reintegrate militants into society and crack down on corruption.

WASHINGTON (AP) - It's a busy weekend having fun for the first family in Maine's Acadia National Park. So far, President Barack Obama and his family have gone biking, hiking boating and taken time for ice cream. The trip wraps up tomorrow.