TODAY'S NEWS: WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 1, 2010

LOCAL NEWS

NE PA. TEACHER RELATIONSHIP WITH STUDENT ALLEGED

HAZLETON, PA. (AP) - A NORTHEASTERN PENNSYLVANIA SCHOOL DISTRICT
SAYS A TEACHER HAS RESIGNED AMID ALLEGATIONS OF A RELATIONSHIP WITH
AN 18-YEAR-OLD STUDENT.
SUPERINTENDENT SAMUEL MAROLO SAYS THE HAZLETON AREA SCHOOL
DISTRICT CONDUCTED AN INTERNAL INVESTIGATION INTO AN ALLEGATION
THAT THE 29-YEAR-OLD FEMALE TEACHER AND THE MALE STUDENT WERE
INVOLVED IN A "CONSENSUAL RELATIONSHIP." HE SAYS THE INTERNAL
PROBE IS OVER AND THE TEACHER HAS SUBMITTED A LETTER OF
RESIGNATION.
MAROLO SAYS THE DISTRICT HAS TURNED OVER INFORMATION TO THE
STATE AND ALSO TO THE SCHOOL RESOURCE OFFICE TO CONDUCT A CRIMINAL
INVESTIGATION. STATE POLICE AT HAZLETON CONFIRM THAT THEY ARE
INVESTIGATING. THE NAMES OF THE TEACHER AND STUDENT WERE NOT
RELEASED.


BASEBALL GAME-FIREWORKS ACCIDENT

MOOSIC, PA. (AP) - INVESTIGATORS ARE BLAMING A PREMATURELY
DETONATING FIREWORK FOR BURNING TWO PYROTECHNIC WORKERS WHO WERE
SETTING OFF A DISPLAY AT A MINOR LEAGUE BASEBALL PARK IN
NORTHEASTERN PENNSYLVANIA.
A STATE POLICE FIRE MARSHAL SAYS ONE OF THE FIREWORKS EXPLODED
WHILE STILL IN ITS PROJECTILE TUBE, SETTING OFF OTHER FIREWORKS
FRIDAY NIGHT AFTER A SCRANTON/WILKES-BARRE YANKEES MINOR LEAGUE
GAME.
TWO EMPLOYEES OF INTERNATIONAL FIREWORKS COMPANY WERE BURNED IN
THE INCIDENT. STATE POLICE IDENTIFIED THEM AS 48-YEAR-OLD JOSEPH
MASCARO, OF OLD FORGE, AND 56-YEAR-OLD HERBERT TRUHE, OF LEHIGHTON.
THEIR CONDITIONS HAVE NOT BEEN RELEASED.


TRIAL DATES SET FOR 4 FORMER SHENANDOAH POLICE OFFICERS

A TRIAL DATE HAS BEEN SET FOR 4 FORMER SHENANDOAH POLICE OFFICERS. FEDERAL JUDGE, A. RICHARD CAPUTO SCHEDULED THE START OF THE TRIAL OF MATHEW R. NESTOR, WILLIAM MOYER AND JASON HAYES FOR JAN 10 OF NEXT YEAR AND FOR NESTOR AND JAMIE GENNARINI FOR FEB 7TH. THE TRIALS WILL BE HELD AT THE MAX ROSEN U.S. COURTHOUSE IN WILKES-BARRE. HAYES, MOYER AND NESTOR ARE CHARGED WITH CONSPIRACY AND FALSIFICATION OF RECORDS FOR ALLEGEDLY OBSTRUCTING THE INVESTIGATION OF THE BEATING DEATH OF LUIS EDUARDO ON JULY 12, 2008.


STATE NEWS

PHILADELPHIA (AP) - A TEAM OF FEDERAL AUDITORS STARTS TODAY ON A
"COMPREHENSIVE" AUDIT OF THE PHILADELPHIA HOUSING AUTHORITY TO
SEE HOW IT HAS BEEN USING FEDERAL MONEY. A U.S. DEPARTMENT OF
HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT SPOKESMAN SAYS AUDITORS ARE "LOOKING
AT THE FINANCIAL AND MANAGERIAL STATE" OF THE AGENCY.

HARRISBURG, PA. (AP) - THE CITY OF HARRISBURG HAS NOTIFIED BOND
TRUSTEES THAT IT CAN'T MAKE A PAYMENT COMING DUE THIS MONTH ON ITS
REGULAR GENERAL OBLIGATION BONDS. THE HARRISBURG PATRIOT-NEWS
REPORTS MAYOR LINDA THOMPSON'S INTERIM CHIEF OF STAFF SAYS THE
CITY'S FINANCIAL SITUATION "PRECLUDES" HARRISBURG FROM MAKING
PAYMENT.

BALDWIN, PA. (AP) - POLICE IN SUBURBAN PITTSBURGH SAY AN OFFICER
SHOT AND KILLED A MAN WHO POINTED A HIGH-POWERED RIFLE AT ANOTHER
OFFICER AND THREATENED TO KILL HER. BALDWIN POLICE TELL THE
PITTSBURGH TRIBUNE-REVIEW THAT EDWARD ZEVOLA WAS KILLED BY A SINGLE
GUNSHOT LAST NIGHT. POLICE FOUND ZEVOLA SITTING OUTSIDE ON LAWN
FURNITURE OUTSIDE A HOME WITH A HIGH-POWERED ASSAULT RIFLE.

SCRANTON, PA. (AP) - THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNIVERSITY OF SCRANTON
WILL BE LEAVING TO TAKE THE HELM OF MARQUETTE UNIVERSITY IN
WISCONSIN. THE MARQUETTE BOARD OF TRUSTEES HAS UNANIMOUSLY ELECTED
THE REVEREND SCOTT PILARZ TO SUCCEED THE RETIRING REVEREND ROBERT
WILD. PILARZ WILL REMAIN AT SCRANTON UNTIL NEXT SUMMER.


NATIONAL NEWS

OBAMA
OBAMA DECLARES END TO US COMBAT MISSION IN IRAQ

WASHINGTON (AP) - CLAIMING NO VICTORY, PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA
FORMALLY ENDED THE U.S. COMBAT ROLE IN IRAQ AFTER SEVEN LONG YEARS
OF BLOODSHED, DECLARING FIRMLY TUESDAY NIGHT: "IT'S TIME TO TURN
THE PAGE."
NOW, HE SAID, THE NATION'S MOST URGENT PRIORITY IS FIXING ITS
OWN SICKLY ECONOMY.
FROM THE OVAL OFFICE, OBAMA SAID THE UNITED STATES "HAS PAID A
HUGE PRICE" TO GIVE IRAQIS THE CHANCE TO SHAPE THEIR FUTURE. HE
SAID THE IRAQ WAR HAD STRIPPED AMERICA OF MONEY NEEDED FOR ITS OWN
PROSPERITY, AND HE CALLED FOR AN ECONOMIC COMMITMENT AT HOME TO
RIVAL THE GRIT AND PURPOSE OF A MILITARY CAMPAIGN.

GATES-IRAQ
GATES ARRIVES IN IRAQ AS COMBAT MISSION ENDS

AL-ASAD AIR BASE, IRAQ (AP) - DEFENSE SECRETARY ROBERT GATES HAS
ARRIVED IN IRAQ TO MEET WITH U.S. TROOPS AS THEY FORMALLY CLOSE
DOWN THEIR COMBAT MISSION.
THE PENTAGON CHIEF'S PLANE LANDED AT AL-ASAD AIR BASE, ABOUT 100
MILES WEST OF BAGHDAD, JUST A FEW HOURS AFTER PRESIDENT BARACK
OBAMA TOLD AMERICANS IT WAS TIME TO "TURN THE PAGE" ON IRAQ.
FEWER THAN 50,000 U.S. TROOPS REMAIN, DOWN FROM MORE THAN
165,000 AT THE HEIGHT OF THE FIGHTING. THE REMAINING FORCES'
PRIMARY ROLE IS TO HELP TRAIN AND EQUIP IRAQI FORCES OVER THE NEXT
YEAR.
GATES FLEW TO IRAQ FROM MILWAUKEE, WHERE HE TOLD AN AMERICAN
LEGION AUDIENCE TUESDAY THAT IRAQ'S PROBLEMS HAD NOT ALL BEEN
SOLVED.
STILL, HE EXPRESSED "PRIDE ON WHAT OUR TROOPS AND THEIR IRAQI
PARTNERS HAVE ACCOMPLISHED."

RETAIL SALES
RETAIL DATA: AMERICANS STILL CAUTIOUS IN AUGUST

NEW YORK (AP) - NEW DATA SHOWS AMERICANS SPENT - AT BEST - ONLY
SLIGHTLY MORE THIS AUGUST THAN LAST.
MASTERCARD'S SPENDINGPULSE IS REPORTING WEDNESDAY THAT AUGUST
SPENDING ROSE ON CHILDREN'S CLOTHING AND CONSUMER ELECTRONICS. BUT
SHOPPERS PULLED BACK ON MOST OTHER MERCHANDISE, INCLUDING WOMEN'S
AND MEN'S FASHIONS AND LUXURY GOODS.
IN FACT, SPENDING ON MANY NONESSENTIALS REMAINED ABOUT WHERE IT
WAS FIVE YEARS AGO.
ONLINE SALES, UP FOR A 13TH MONTH IN A ROW, OFFERED A RARE
BRIGHT SPOT. THEY ROSE 7.2 PERCENT FROM A YEAR AGO, WHEN THEY WERE
UP 1.5 PERCENT.
THE FIGURES CONFIRM A FLURRY OF ANECDOTAL EVIDENCE THAT THIS
YEAR'S BACK-TO-SCHOOL SEASON WILL DISAPPOINT RETAILERS.

MELTDOWN INVESTIGATION
NEW: LEHMAN, WACHOVIA CEOS COMING BEFORE PANEL

WASHINGTON (AP) - THE "TOO BIG TO FAIL" THEORY IS THE SUBJECT
TODAY AS THE CONGRESSIONAL PANEL LOOKING INTO THE FINANCIAL
MELTDOWN HEARS FROM TWO FORMER BANK CEOS WHOSE INSTITUTIONS FAILED.
THE FINANCIAL CRISIS INQUIRY COMMISSION WILL HEAR FROM THE EX
HEADS OF LEHMAN (LEE'-MUHN) BROTHERS AND WACHOVIA CORP. AS IT LOOKS
AT SYSTEMWIDE RISK FROM FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS.
FEDERAL BANK REGULATORS ALSO ARE APPEARING BEFORE THE
COMMISSION, ESTABLISHED BY CONGRESS TO INVESTIGATE THE FINANCIAL
MELTDOWN THAT PLUNGED THE ECONOMY INTO THE MOST SEVERE RECESSION
SINCE THE 1930S.
UNDER THE LANDMARK FINANCIAL OVERHAUL LAW ENACTED IN JULY,
REGULATORS ARE EMPOWERED TO SHUT DOWN FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS WHOSE
COLLAPSE COULD THREATEN THE SYSTEM, ENDING THE DOCTRINE OF "TOO
BIG TO FAIL."

BLAIR'S BOOK
BLAIR MEMOIR EXCITES BOOKSELLERS, RILES CRITICS

LONDON (AP) - A POLITICAL MEMOIR BY FORMER BRITISH PRIME
MINISTER TONY BLAIR HITS THE BOOKSTORES WEDNESDAY, BUT SOME DETAILS
ARE ALREADY OUT.
BLAIR SAYS HE CRIED FOR THE SOLDIERS AND CIVILIANS KILLED IN
IRAQ, BUT STILL THINKS IT WAS RIGHT TO INVADE AND TOPPLE SADDAM
HUSSEIN. HE SAYS HE "CAN'T REGRET THE DECISION TO GO TO WAR." THE
MONEY BLAIR IS GETTING FOR THE BOOK, ESTIMATED AT $7.5 MILLION,
WILL GO TO INJURED VETERANS.
BLAIR ALSO SAYS HE FOUND HIS RIVAL AND SUCCESSOR, GORDON BROWN,
DIFFICULT AND MADDENING.

GULF OIL SPILL-COMMAND CENTER
OFFICIAL: LA. OIL COMMAND CENTER TO SHUT OVER RENT

CHALMETTE, LA. (AP) - A PARISH OFFICIAL SAYS A LOUISIANA OIL
SPILL COMMAND CENTER IS SHUTTING DOWN OVER A DISPUTE WITH BP OVER
RENT AND OTHER EXPENSES
ST. BERNARD PARISH PRESIDENT CRAIG TAFFARO SAYS THE OWNER OF THE
PROPERTY THAT HAS BEEN HOME TO THE OPERATION SINCE MAY IS ORDERING
WORKERS TO VACATE BY THE END OF THE WEEK BECAUSE BP HAS FAILED TO
MAKE PAYMENTS.
TAFFARO SAYS THE COMPANY OWES MILLIONS IN RENT AND THAT ITS
POLICY OF REVIEWING INVOICES BEFORE CUTTING CHECKS HAS MADE SOME
PAYMENTS WEEKS OVERDUE. BP OFFICIALS DID NOT IMMEDIATELY RETURN A
TELEPHONE OR EMAILED MESSAGE FOR COMMENT ON THE AMOUNT OR DISPUTE.
HOPEDALE IS ONE OF THREE ST. BERNARD PARISH SITES WHERE COMMAND
CENTERS WERE SET UP TO DEAL WITH THE BP SPILL THAT DUMPED MORE THAN
200 MILLION GALLONS OF OIL INTO THE GULF OF MEXICO.

PAKISTAN-US-AIRPORT ROW
PAKISTAN ARMY CANCELS US TRIP AMID SEARCH DISPUTE

ISLAMABAD (AP) - PAKISTAN'S MILITARY SAYS IT HAS CANCELED A TRIP
BY OFFICERS TO THE UNITED STATES AFTER THEY WERE SUBJECTED TO
"UNWARRANTED SECURITY CHECKS" AT AN AIRPORT IN WASHINGTON.
A STATEMENT WEDNESDAY SAID THE DELEGATION HAD BEEN INVITED TO
ATTEND A MEETING AT U.S. CENTRAL COMMAND, IN TAMPA, FLORIDA.
PAKISTAN'S DAWN NEWSPAPER REPORTED THE INCIDENT TOOK PLACE
ABOARD A PLANE BEFORE TAKEOFF AT DULLES AIRPORT ON AUG. 30. IT
REPORTED A DISAGREEMENT HAD OCCURRED BETWEEN A MEMBER OF THE
DELEGATION AND EITHER A PASSENGER OR A FLIGHT ATTENDANT.

ISRAEL-PALESTINIANS
ISRAELI SETTLERS TO RESUME WEST BANK CONSTRUCTION

JERUSALEM (AP) - WEST BANK SETTLERS SAY THEY WILL BREAK A
GOVERNMENT FREEZE ON CONSTRUCTION IN THEIR COMMUNITIES TO PROTEST A
PALESTINIAN SHOOTING ATTACK THAT KILLED FOUR ISRAELIS ON THE EVE OF
NEW PEACE TALKS BETWEEN THE ISRAELIS AND PALESTINIANS IN
WASHINGTON.
THE YESHA COUNCIL, WHICH REPRESENTS THE SETTLERS, SAID WEDNESDAY
THAT CONSTRUCTION WILL RESUME IN THE EVENING.
THE ISRAELIS WERE KILLED TUESDAY EVENING WHEN THEY DROVE THROUGH
THE WEST BANK AS A NEW ROUND OF MIDEAST TALKS OPENED IN WASHINGTON.
ISRAEL IMPOSED A 10-MONTH FREEZE ON CONSTRUCTION IN WEST BANK
SETTLEMENTS IN AN EFFORT TO GET NEGOTIATIONS WITH THE PALESTINIANS
BACK ON TRACK.
THE MORATORIUM EXPIRES ON SEPT. 26 AND THE PALESTINIANS SAY THEY
WILL WITHDRAW FROM TALKS UNLESS IT IS EXTENDED.
PALESTINIANS WANT THE WEST BANK ALONG WITH THE GAZA STRIP AND
EAST JERUSALEM AS PART OF THEIR FUTURE STATE.

FOUR KILLED-TEXAS
POLICE: SOUTH TEXAS MAN KILLED 3 WOMEN, SELF

RIO GRANDE CITY, TEXAS (AP) - POLICE SAY A SOUTH TEXAS MAN SHOT
AND KILLED HIS WIFE, HER MOTHER AND ANOTHER WOMAN BEFORE TURNING
THE GUN ON HIMSELF.
INVESTIGATORS SUSPECT FRANCISCO PINAL SHOT AND KILLED HIS WIFE,
LYDIA PINAL, HER MOTHER, ROSA ALANIZ AND A THIRD WOMAN IN THE FRONT
YARD OF THE THIRD WOMAN'S HOUSE TUESDAY NIGHT IN RIO GRANDE CITY,
WHICH IS ON THE BORDER WITH MEXICO.
POLICE SAY FRANCISCO PINAL THEN DROVE HOME AND KILLED HIMSELF.
POLICE HAVE NOT RELEASED THE THIRD WOMAN'S IDENTITY.
POLICE CHIEF DUTCH PIPER SAYS OFFICERS HAVEN'T FOUND ANY
WITNESSES AND DO NOT YET HAVE A MOTIVE.
HOWEVER, LYDIA PINAL'S NEPHEW, RICARDO GONZALEZ, TOLD THE
MONITOR OF MCALLEN THAT THERE WAS A HISTORY OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE
BETWEEN HIS AUNT AND HER HUSBAND OF MORE THAN 20 YEARS.

THROWN IN FACE
WASH. WOMAN BURNED BY SUBSTANCE THROWN IN FACE

VANCOUVER, WASH. (AP) - A 28-YEAR-OLD WASHINGTON WOMAN SEVERELY
BURNED WHEN A STRANGER THREW AN ACID-LIKE LIQUID IN HER FACE IS
LISTED IN SERIOUS CONDITION IN A PORTLAND, ORE., HOSPITAL BURN
CENTER.
THE MOTHER OF THE INJURED WOMAN, BETHANY STORRO OF VANCOUVER,
WASH., NEUWELT TELLS THE OREGONIAN HER DAUGHTER WAS GETTING
SOMETHING OUT OF HER CAR IN DOWNTOWN VANCOUVER WHEN THE ATTACK
HAPPENED MONDAY EVENING.
NANCY NEUWELT SAYS A YOUNG WOMAN WALKED UP TO HER DAUGHTER AND
SAID, "HEY, PRETTY GIRL, DO YOU WANT TO DRINK THIS?" AND TOSSED A
CUP OF LIQUID IN STORRO'S FACE.
NEUWELT SAYS HER DAUGHTER BOUGHT A PAIR OF SUNGLASSES SHORTLY
BEFORE THE ATTACK, AND THAT MAY HAVE SAVED HER EYESIGHT. STILL,
STORRO'S FAMILY SAYS HER FACE WILL TAKE MONTHS TO HEAL.
VANCOUVER POLICE SAY DOCTORS AND AUTHORITIES ARE TRYING TO
DETERMINE WHAT KIND OF SUBSTANCE CAUSED STORRO'S FACIAL BURNS.