TODAY'S NEWS: FRIDAY AUGUST 13, 2010

LOCAL NEWS

CRUISE CAR

IN SPITE OF LIGHT RAIN FALLING THURSDAY MORNING, IT WAS A BRIGHT DAY FOR A POTTSVILLE MAN AS HE WAS PRESENTED WITH THE KEYS TO THE 1997 MUSTANG CONVERTIBLE PACE CAR, THIS YEAR’S PRIZE IN THE 17TH GREAT POTTSVILLE CRUISE. JOE ROSHANNON WON THE BIG PRIZE.
THIS YEAR’S CRUISE WAS A RECORD SETTER ACCORDING TO OFFICIALS, WITH MORE THAN 15-HUNDRED CARS ROLLING THROUGH THE STREETS OF POTTSVILLE. THE PROCCEDS FROM THE CRUISE BENEFIT AREA NON-PROFITS THROUGHT THE POTTSVILLE LIONS CHARITIES.


TWO MEN ARE IN JAIL AFTER STABBING EACH OTHER IN MINERSVILLE

TWO MEN ARE IN JAIL THIS MORNING AFTER STABBING EACH OTHER IN MINERSVILLE WEDNESTDAY NIGHT. ROBERT JOHNSON, 30, OF MINERSVILLE AND JASON BIVINS, 30 OF SHILLINGTON, WERE TAKEN INTO CUSTODY LAST NIGHT AFTER THEIR RELEASE FROM GEISINGER MEDICAL CENTER IN DANVILLE. BIVINS AND JOHNSON WERE AT THE HOME OF REBEKAH RINKER AT 73 SUNBURY STREET AT THE TIME OF THE STABBINGS. RINKER SAYS JOHNSON WAS AT HER HOME WHEN BIVINS STARTED POUNDING ON THE FRONT DOOR. WHEN JOHNSON ANSWERER HE WAS IMMEDIATELY PUNCHED IN THE FACE, AND THE ALTERCATION CONTINUED ON THE SIDEWALK. A BYSTANDER TRIED TO BREAK THEM UP, BUT THEN JOHNSON ENTERED BACK INTO THE HOME AND RETURNED WITH A KNIFE. BIVINS ALSO HAD A KNIFE AND THE TWO STARTED STABBING EACH OTHER. THEY WERE TREATED ON THE SCENE FOR MULTIPLE LACERATIONS AND THEN FLOWN BY LIFE FLIGHT HELICOPTER TO GEISINGER.


HEGINS MAN TRYS TO RUN WOMAN OVER WITH TRUCK

A HEGINS MAN HAS BEEN CHARGED WITH TERRORISTIC TREATS AND RECKLESSLY ENDANGERING ANOTHER PERSON AFTER ATTEMPTING TO RUN A TREMONT WOMAN OVER IN HIS PICK-UP TRUCK LAST WEEK. MATTHEW KLINGER, 44, GOT INTO AN ARGUMENT WITH NIKKI LEININGER, 26, IN THE DRIVEWAY OF A HOME AT 256 HILL ROAD IN BARRY TOWNSHIP. KLINGER THEN GOT INTO HIS TRUCK AND ATTEMPTED TO RUN OVER LEININGER. AFTER BEING UNSUCCESSFUL, KLINGER STOPPED THE VEHICLE AND WAS THEN PUNCHED IN THE FACE BY THE WOMAN AS HE SAT BEHIND THE WHEEL. KLINGER THEN EXITED THE TRUCK WITH A GUN THREATENING TO KILL LEININGER AND HER CHILDREN. LEININGER WAS ABLE TO FLEE THE RESIDENCE IN HER VEHICLE WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT. LEININGER IS ALSO CHARGED WITH HARASSMENT.


STATE NEWS

AKRON, PA. (AP) - A MEMORIAL SERVICE WILL BE HELD SUNDAY FOR A
CENTRAL PENNSYLVANIA MAN WHO WAS KILLED WHILE ON A MEDICAL MISSION
IN AFGHANISTAN. GLEN LAPP WILL BE REMEMBERED AT BRIGHT SIDE BAPTIST
CHURCH IN LANCASTER. HE WAS ONE OF 10 RELIEF WORKERS KILLED AUGUST
5TH AFTER LEAVING REMOTE NURISTAN PROVINCE.

EASTON, PA. (AP) - POLICE IN EASTON HAVE CHARGED TWO MORE MEN
WITH A TRIPLE KILLING THAT AUTHORITIES SAY WAS GANGLAND HIT. EASTON
POLICE CHARGED OLAYIWOLA HOLLIST AND DEMAR EDWARDS EACH WITH THREE
COUNTS OF HOMICIDE AND CONSPIRACY FOR THE DEATHS IN NOVEMBER 2007.
HOLLIST WAS ARRESTED YESTERDAY IN NEWARK, NEW JERSEY. POLICE ARE
STILL LOOKING FOR EDWARDS, WHO'S ALSO OF NEWARK.

PHILADELPHIA (AP) - JURORS ARE EXPECTED TO BEGIN DELIBERATING A
SENTENCE TODAY FOR TWO MEN CONVICTED IN THE FATAL SHOOTING OF A
PHILADELPHIA POLICE OFFICER, EVEN THOUGH NEITHER PULLED THE
TRIGGER. PROSECUTORS WASNT A DEATH SENTENCE FOR LEVON WARNER AND
ERIC FLOYD WERE CONVICTED OF MURDER LAST MONTH IN THE 2008 KILLING
OF SERGEANT STEPHEN LICZBINSKI (LIZ-BIN'-SKEE).

PITTSBURGH (AP) - AUTHORITIES IN PITTSBURGH SAY FIRE DAMAGED
FIVE CARS AT A DOWNTOWN PARKING GARAGE AFTER FLAMES ERUPTED FROM
ONE VEHICLE'S ENGINE AND SPREAD. FIRE CHIEF DARRYL JONES SAYS THE
BLAZE BROKE OUT YESTERDAY AFTERNOON ON THE THIRD FLOOR OF THE
GARAGE AT THE GREYHOUND BUS STATION. IT WAS UNDER CONTROL ABOUT AN
HOUR LATER.


NATIONAL NEWS

SERIAL STABBINGS
UPDATE: FEARS REMAIN IN MICH. AFTER STABBING SPREE ARREST

FLINT, MICH. (AP) - THE ARREST OF A SUSPECT IN A THREE-STATE
STABBING SPREE HASN'T BROUGHT COMPLETE RELIEF TO ONE OF MICHIGAN'S
TOUGHEST CITIES.
FIVE PEOPLE HAVE BEEN KILLED IN AND AROUND FLINT SINCE MAY AFTER
A MAN ASKED FOR DIRECTIONS OR SAID HE HAD CAR TROUBLE. IT HAS
CHANGED THE WAY THE COMMUNITY VIEWS HELPING OTHERS, EVEN IF THE
ASSAULTS ARE OVER.
FLINT RESIDENT ALDRIDGE GARDNER SAYS HE WOULD HELP A WOMAN WHO
CLAIMED DISTRESS BUT NOT A MAN.
ELIAS ABUELAZAM WAS ARRESTED WEDNESDAY NIGHT IN ATLANTA BEFORE A
FLIGHT TO ISRAEL. HE'S SUSPECTED IN A STRING OF ATTACKS AGAINST 18
PEOPLE, ALL BUT FOUR IN THE FLINT AREA. THE OTHERS WERE IN
LEESBURG, VA., AND TOLEDO, OHIO.
THE 33-YEAR-OLD ABUELAZAM IS CHARGED OF WITH ONE COUNT OF
ATTEMPTED MURDER SO FAR.

GULF OIL SPILL
OFFICIALS TESTING SEAL AT BP'S BUSTED GULF WELL

NEW ORLEANS (AP) - IT MAY BE POSSIBLE THAT BP'S RUPTURED WELL IN
THE GULF OF MEXICO MAY HAVE ALREADY BEEN SEALED.
RESULTS ARE EXPECTED FRIDAY ON TESTS PERFORMED ON LAST MONTH'S
"STATIC KILL" WHEN DRILLING MUD AND CEMENT WERE FORCED DOWN THE
TOP OF THE WELL. THE TESTS ARE CHECKING PRESSURE INSIDE THE WELL.
OFFICIALS WILL THEN DECIDE WHETHER FURTHER WORK IS NECESSARY. IF
SO, CREWS WILL GO AHEAD WITH DRILLING RELIEF WELLS TO ALLOW FOR A
SO-CALLED "BOTTOM KILL."
THE GOVERNMENT ESTIMATES THE WELL HAS SPEWED 206 MILLION GALLONS
OF OIL INTO THE GULF OF MEXICO.

HAITI-EARTHQUAKE
NEW: RAND REPORT: HAITI MUST CLEAR RUBBLE, AID BUSINESSES, FIX
GOVERNMENT

PORT-AU-PRINCE, HAITI (AP) - A U.S.-BASED THINK TANK IS PAINTING
A GRIM PICTURE OF THE EARTHQUAKE RECOVERY EFFORT IN HAITI.
THE RAND CORP. REPORT RELEASED TODAY TICKS OFF A LITANY OF
PROBLEMS, MANY OF WHICH PREDATE THE JAN. 12 EARTHQUAKE. THEY
INCLUDE UNQUALIFIED GOVERNMENT WORKERS, GENERAL LAWLESSNESS, AND AN
ONEROUS BUSINESS CLIMATE.
BUT THE DIRECTOR OF THE RAND INTERNATIONAL SECURITY AND DEFENSE
POLICY CENTER SAYS HE WAS SHOCKED BY THE POST-EARTHQUAKE SITUATION.
FORMER U.S. SPECIAL ENVOY TO HAITI JAMES DOBBINS SAYS WHILE THE
HUMANITARIAN RESPONSE WAS "DRAMATICALLY QUICK," THE SECOND STAGE
HAS BEEN TOO SLOW. HE SAYS "LITTLE OF THE RUBBLE HAS BEEN CLEARED,
AND SO FEW OF THE BASIC DECISIONS HAVE BEEN MADE."
THE REPORT CALLS REMOVAL OF RUBBLE "THE SINGLE MOST IMPORTANT
STEP TOWARD RECONSTRUCTION" THAT THE HAITIAN GOVERNMENT AND DONORS
CAN TAKE. IT ALSO RECOMMENDS THAT DONORS FOCUS ON "STATE
BUILDING" RATHER THAN REBUILDING EARTHQUAKE DAMAGED STRUCTURES IN
THE COMING YEARS.

CHINA-FLOODS
NEW RAIN PILES ON MISERY FOR CHINA FLOOD SURVIVORS

ZHOUQU, CHINA (AP) - HEAVY RAIN KEEPS FALLING ON CHINA'S REMOTE
NORTHWEST.
IT'S TRIGGERED NEW LANDSLIDES IN FLOOD-RAVAGED GANSU PROVINCE,
WHILE MAKING RESCUE WORK NEARLY IMPOSSIBLE.
CHINA'S OFFICIAL XINHUA (SHIHN-WAH) NEWS AGENCY SAYS 14 PEOPLE
HAVE BEEN KILLED AND ANOTHER 20 ARE MISSING AFTER THE OVERNIGHT
DELUGE. THAT COMES ON TOP OF THE MORE THAN 1,100 DEAD AND 600
MISSING FROM EARLIER MUDSLIDES.
TENTS SET UP AS EMERGENCY SHELTERS ARE BEING FLOODED. CLEAN
DRINKING WATER IS ALSO A PRIMARY CONCERN, WITH MOST LOCAL SOURCES
KNOCKED OUT OR POLLUTED. STATE MEDIA IS REPORTING NUMEROUS CASES OF
DYSENTERY, THOUGH THERE ARE NO REPORTS OF AN EPIDEMIC.
MEANWHILE, MUDSLIDES ALSO HAVE HIT PARTS OF SICHUAN PROVINCE IN
CHINA'S SOUTHWEST. XINHUA REPORTS FIVE PEOPLE HAVE BEEN KILLED
THERE AND 500 ARE STRANDED IN RURAL MOUNTAIN AREAS.
FLOODING HAS KILLED MORE THAN 2,000 PEOPLE IN CHINA SO FAR THIS
YEAR.

RUSSIA-FIRES
NEW: RAIN REFRESHES MOSCOW, BUT WILDFIRES STILL BURNING

MOSCOW (AP) - HEAVY DOWNPOURS HAVE COOLED THE RUSSIAN CAPITAL
AFTER WEEKS OF UNPRECENDENTED HEAT AND DRY WEATHER, BUT DOZENS OF
WILDFIRES ARE STILL RAGING AROUND MOSCOW.
THE CITY ON FRIDAY REMAINS LARGELY FREE OF CLOUDS OF SUFFOCATING
SMOG AFTER THEY WERE BLOWN AWAY BY FAVORABLE WINDS EARLIER THIS
WEEK. WEATHER EXPERTS SAY, HOWEVER, THAT SMOKE FROM BURNING FORESTS
AND PEATBOGS MAY AGAIN CHOKE THE CITY LATER IN THE DAY AFTER WINDS
CHANGE THEIR DIRECTION.
RUSSIA'S EMERGENCY SITUATIONS MINISTRY SAYS ITS TEAMS HAVE
MANAGED TO REDUCE THE AREA COVERED BY WILDFIRES, BUT MORE THAN 500
ARE CONTINUING TO BURN ACROSS THE COUNTRY, INCLUDING 29 AROUND
MOSCOW. IT SAID ABOUT 14,000 FIREFIGHTERS ARE BATTLING BLAZES
AROUND THE RUSSIAN CAPITAL.

BLAGOJEVICH TRIAL
NEW: BLAGO JURORS ON BREAK AFTER SAYING THEY'RE STALLED

CHICAGO (AP) - JURORS DELIBERATING THE CORRUPTION CASE AGAINST
FORMER ILLINOIS GOV. ROD BLAGOJEVICH ARE TAKING THE DAY OFF.
THEY WON'T BE MEETING ON FRIDAY - OR GIVING ANY PUBLIC CLUES
ABOUT WHAT THEY'RE THINKING. ON THURSDAY, JURORS CREATED A STIR BY
TELLING THE JUDGE THAT THEY COULD AGREE ON ONLY TWO OUT OF 24
COUNTS. JUDGE JAMES B. ZAGEL RESPONDED BY TELLING THEM TO
DELIBERATE FURTHER.
SINCE THEY BEGAN DELIBERATIONS TWO WEEKS AGO, JURORS HAVE MET
MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY. A BRIEF STATEMENT FROM A COURT CLERK SAYING
JURORS WOULDN'T COME IN FRIDAY DIDN'T EXPLAIN WHY.
BLAGOJEVICH HAS PLEADED NOT GUILTY TO ALL CHARGES AGAINST HIM,
INCLUDING THAT HE TRIED TO SELL OR TRADE AN APPOINTMENT TO
PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA'S OLD SENATE SEAT.

LA FAMILY BURNED
NEW: LA BOY KILLED IN HOUSE FIRE WAS ASPIRING ACTOR

LOS ANGELES (AP) - A 14-YEAR-OLD BOY WHO WAS PLACED ON LIFE
SUPPORT AFTER BEING PULLED FROM A BURNING SAN FERNANDO VALLEY HOME
HAS DIED.
OFFICIALS SAID THURSDAY THAT EITAN DJIJI DIED WEDNESDAY
AFTERNOON.
DJIJI WAS FEATURED IN THE 2009 COMEDY FILM "MY HOMEWORK ATE MY
DOG" AND WAS DUE TO ATTEND THE PRESTIGIOUS HIGH SCHOOL FOR THE
PERFORMING ARTS IN LOS ANGELES THIS FALL.
DJIJI AND HIS FAMILY WERE SLEEPING IN THEIR SHERMAN OAKS HOME
WHEN THE FIRE BEGAN AT DAWN TUESDAY. HE WAS UNCONSCIOUS WHEN
FIREFIGHTERS FOUND HIM IN AN UPSTAIRS BEDROOM. THE FAMILY MOVED
FROM NEW ZEALAND FOUR YEARS AGO.
HIS 12-YEAR-OLD SISTER AND HIS FATHER WERE TREATED FOR BURNS.
HIS MOTHER ESCAPED SERIOUS INJURY.

COUNTERFEIT BILLS
OREGON POLICE SAY FAKE $100 BILLS SHOWING UP

EUGENE, ORE. (AP) - AUTHORITIES IN OREGON SAY COUNTERFEITERS ARE
BLEACHING $5 BILLS AND REPRINTING THEM AS HIGH-QUALITY BUT
COMPLETELY PHONY $100S.
POLICE SAY THE BOGUS BILLS HAVE BEEN PASSED AT MORE THAN A DOZEN
BUSINESSES IN THE EUGENE AND SPRINGFIELD AREAS IN RECENT WEEKS.
THEY SAY THE EASIEST WAY TO IDENTIFY ONE OF THE FAKE BILLS IS TO
HOLD IT UP TO A LIGHT TO CHECK THE BILL'S EMBEDDED WATERMARK.
EUGENE POLICE DETECTIVE PATRICK WILLIS SAYS IF THE BEARDED LINCOLN
IS SEEN ON ANYTHING OTHER THAN A $5 BILL, THAT'S A PROBLEM.
THE REGISTER-GUARD NEWSPAPER IN EUGENE SAYS SO FAR THIS SUMMER,
POLICE HAVE FIELDED BETWEEN 15 AND 20 REPORTS INVOLVING COUNTERFEIT
$100S CREATED FROM GENUINE $5S. INVESTIGATORS SAY THE SUDDEN SURGE
SUGGESTS THAT A SINGLE GROUP IS PRODUCING THE BILLS.

SMELLY BILLS
P.U.! WASH. UTILITY ADDS ROTTEN EGG SMELL TO BILLS

BELLEVUE, WASH. (AP) - PAYING BILLS USUALLY STINKS, BUT GAS
BILLS FROM A UTILITY IN WASHINGTON STATE WILL INCLUDE SOMETHING
TRULY ODOROUS THIS MONTH: THE STENCH OF ROTTEN EGGS.
AS PART OF A SAFETY CAMPAIGN, PUGET SOUND ENERGY IS INCLUDING A
SCRATCH-AND-SNIFF PAMPHLET WITH ITS BILLING STATEMENTS TO REMIND
CUSTOMERS OF WHAT LEAKING GAS SMELLS LIKE.
NATURAL GAS IS ODORLESS, BUT PROVIDERS ADD A CHEMICAL TO THE GAS
THAT HAS A DISTINCTIVE, SULFUR-LIKE AROMA SIMILAR TO ROTTEN EGGS SO
LEAKS CAN BE DETECTED.
BELLEVUE, WASH.-BASED PSE SERVES NEARLY 750,000 NATURAL GAS
CUSTOMERS IN 11 COUNTIES. THE COMPANY SAYS MANY ELECTRIC CUSTOMERS
ARE ALSO GETTING THE PAMPHLETS TO HELP MAKE EVERYONE AWARE OF THE
SMELL OF NATURAL GAS.

LANDSCAPE AUCTION
NEW: AUCTION OFFERS PIECES OF COUNTRY FOR CONSERVATION

ROYALTON, VT. (AP) - FOR $275, YOU CAN BID TO ADOPT A PUREBRED
RAM. FOR $1,375, YOU CAN BID TO HELP CREATE HABITAT FOR THE
CHESTNUT-SIDED WARBLER AND SPEND A DAY BIRDWATCHING. OR HOW ABOUT
PONYING UP $13,750 TO HELP PRESERVE A COVERED BRIDGE?
A VERMONT CONSERVATION GROUP IS HOLDING A "LANDSCAPE AUCTION"
ON SATURDAY. PRIVATE LANDOWNERS WILL SELL WORKING LANDSCAPE
ELEMENTS TO RAISE MONEY, PROMOTE SUSTAINABILITY AND GIVE CITY FOLKS
A DOSE OF COUNTRY LIFE.
THE AUCTION IS A WAY OF PROMOTING CONSERVATION BY PUTTING DONORS
IN THE HABITAT THEY'RE BEING ASKED TO HELP PRESERVE.
THE IDEA CAME FROM EUROPE, WHERE ABOUT TWO DOZEN HAVE BEEN HELD
OVER THE LAST THREE YEARS.
ORGANIZERS SAY THE VERMONT AUCTION IS THE FIRST OF ITS KIND IN
THE UNITED STATES.