TODAY'S NEWS: TUESDAY, OCTOBER 19, 2010

FIRE RULED ARSON

SUNDAY'S FIRE THAT DESTROYED A HOME IN SCHUYLKILL COUNTY HAS BEEN RULED ARSON. HARRY HOSSLER JUNIOR'S PROPERTY AT 47 SILVER CREEK ROAD IN NEW PHILADELPHIA, BLYTHE TOWNSHIP WAS INVESTIGATED MONDAY. THE INVESTIGATION REVEALED THE FIRE WAS INTENTIONALLY IGNITED. DAMAGE IS ESTIMATED AT OVER $30,000. NO INJURIES WERE REPORTED. ANYONE WITH INFORMATION IS ASKED TO CONTACT FRACKVILLE STATE POLICE AT 570-874-5300.

CARGO AIRPORT

RESIDENTS FROM UNION TOWNSHIP AND SEVERAL SURROUNDING COMMUNITIES GATHERED TOGETHER MONDAY AT THE SHEPPTON-ONEIDA FIREHOUSE. THEY ALL WERE THERE TO OPPOSE A CARGO AIRPORT TO BE BUILT IN HAZELTON. ALL RESIDENTS THAT MET WERE READY TO TAKE THE FIRST STEPS TOWARD A FUNRAISING EFFORT TO RECRUIT VOLENTEERS WHO WILL SERVE ON A COMMITTEE THAT WILL DEVELOP IDEAS FOR RAISING AWARENESS AND ATTORNEY FEES AS THEY OPPOSE THE CARGO AIRPORT PROPOSED BY GLADSTONE PARTNERS LP AND RIDGE GLOBAL.

WAITING FOR A SENTENCE

WHILE WAITING TO BE SENTENCED IN JANUARY,TWO SHENANDOAH MEN CONVICTED OF A HATE CRIME SIT IN PIKE COUNTY CORRECTIONAL FACILITY. DERRICK DONCHAK AND BRANDON PIEKARSKY WERE CONVICTED OF A HATE CRIME IN CONNECTION WITH THE FATAL BEATING OF AN ILLEGAL MEXICAN IMMIGRANT IN 2008. THE TWO MEN WERE CONVICTED THURSDAY OF VIOLATING THE CIVIL RIGHTS OF LUIS RAMIREZ, ALSO OF SHENANDOAH, BY PARTICIPATING IN THE BEATING THAT LED TO HIS DEATH.

MOTORCYCLE CRASH

SEVERAL MOTORCYCLES WERE TRAVELING NORTH ON SCENIC VIEW DRIVE, IN PINE GROVE TOWNSHIP SUNDAY WHEN ONE OF THE RIDERS CRASHED AND WAS THROWN OVER HIS HANDLEBARS. ROBERT KEICH OF SUMMIT HILL WAS APPROACHING A HARD LEFT TURN AND QUICKLY PRESSED HIS BREAKS, THAT'S WHEN THE FRONT TIRE OF HIS HARLEY-DAVIDSON MOTORCYLE LEFT THE ROADWAY LEAVING HIM IN A SHALLOW DITCH. KEICH SUFFERED MODERATE INJURIES.

THREE CAR COLLISION

A THREE CAR COLLISION TOOK PLACE MONDAY ON INTERSTATE 78. ALL THREE VEHICLES WERE TRAVELING WESTBOUND ON INTERSTATE 78 IN THE RIGHT HAND LANE. THREE PEOPLE SUFFERED INJURIES AND WERE TAKEN TO LEHIGH VALLEY HOSPITAL. ALL WERE WEARING A SEATBELT.

OPERATION SAFE STOP

OPERATION SAFE STOP IS A PROACTIVE APPROACH TO EDUCATE THE MOTORING PUBLIC THAT PASSING A STOPPED SCHOOL BUS, WHEN CHILDREN ARE LOADING OR UNLOADING, IS BOTH DANGEROUS AND ILLEGAL. LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES, SCHOOL TRANSPORTATION PROVIDERS, PUPIL TRANSPORTATION ASSOCIATIONS AND PENNDOT HAVE COMBINED THEIR EFFORTS TO RAISE PUBLIC AWARENESS ABOUT THE POTENTIAL CONSEQUENCES AND REDUCE THE OCCURRENCE OF ILLEGAL SCHOOL BUS PASSES. TODAY IS THE 14TH ANNUAL OPERATION SAFE STOP. THE GOAL OF TODAY IS FOR ALL SCHOOL DISTRICTS TO PARTICIPATE BY HAVING THIER DRIVERS DOCUMENT ANY ILLEGAL PASSES THAT OCCUR ON THIER ROUTES DURING THE DAY. PLEASE REMEMBER WHEN A SCHOOL BUS IS STOPPED, YOU SHOULD BE STOPPED TOO. IT CAN SAVE A LIFE!

HARRISBURG, PA. (AP) - AUTHORITIES IN HARRISBURG SAY FIRE RIPPED THROUGH A ROW HOME LAST NIGHT, KILLING FIVE PEOPLE, INCLUDING FOUR YOUNG CHILDREN. A SPOKESMAN FOR THE MAYOR'S OFFICE SAYS A 48-YEAR-OLD WOMAN DIED ALONG WITH FOUR CHILDREN RANGING IN AGE FROM TWO TO FOUR YEARS OLD.

PHILADELPHIA (AP) - DEMOCRAT DAN ONORATO ACCUSED HIS REPUBLICAN COUNTERPART IN PENNSYLVANIA GOVERNOR'S RACE OF POLITICAL DOUBLE-TALK ON TAXES, WHILE FRONT-RUNNER TOM CORBETT SAID ELECTING ONORATO WOULD PREVENT THE "TOUGH DECISIONS" NECESSARY TO REIN IN STATE SPENDING. THE COMMENTS CAME LAST NIGHT DURING THE THIRD AND FINAL DEBATE OF THE CAMPAIGN IN PHILADELPHIA.

ALLENTOWN, PA. (AP) - VICE PRESIDENT JOE BIDEN SAYS PEOPLE HAVE A RIGHT TO BE ANGRY IN THIS ELECTION SEASON - BUT THEY SHOULD BE MAD AT THE PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATION, NOT THE OBAMA ADMINISTRATION. BIDEN WAS IN EASTERN PENNSYLVANIA LAST NIGHT TO APPEAR AT AN EVENT IN ALLENTOWN FOR CONGRESSIONAL HOPEFUL JOHN CALLAHAN. THE BETHLEHEM MAYOR IS CHALLENGING INCUMBENT GOP CONGRESSMAN CHARLIE DENT.

HARRISBURG, PA. (AP) - THE PENNSYLVANIA NEWSPAPER ASSOCIATION HAS AWARDED ITS LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD TO NEWSPAPER VETERANS WILLIS SHENK OF LANCASTER AND HAROLD MARION OF SCRANTON. SHENK STARTED AT LANCASTER NEWSPAPERS AS AN ACCOUNTANT AND ROSE TO PRESIDENT IN 1977. MARION HAS WORKED FOR TIMES-SHAMROCK COMMUNICATIONS FOR MORE THAN A HALF-CENTURY AND RETIRED IN DECEMBER 2008.

ST. PETE BEACH, FLA. (AP) - SCIENTISTS SAY THAT WHILE THE DAMAGE FROM THE GULF OIL SPILL HASN'T BEEN AS DRAMATIC AS SOME FEARED, IT FURTHER ERODED A BELEAGUERED BODY OF WATER. IN AN INFORMAL ASSOCIATED PRESS SURVEY, 35 RESEARCHERS LOWERED THEIR RATING OF THE GULF'S ECOLOGICAL HEALTH FROM 71 TO 65 ON A SCALE OF 100. AND WORRIES PERSIST ABOUT THE OIL RESTING ON THE SEA FLOOR.

WASHINGTON (AP) -HOME FORECLOSURES ARE ABOUT TO RATCHET BACK UP DESPITE CONCERNS OVER FLAWED DOCUMENTS. BANK OF AMERICA AND ALLY FINANCIAL'S GMAC MORTGAGE UNIT BOTH SAY THEY'RE GOING TO RESUME FORECLOSURES IN 23 STATES THAT REQUIRE JUDICIAL AUTHORIZATION TO
RESTART THEM. ANALYSTS EXPECT OTHER LENDERS TO FOLLOW SUIT AFTER CORRECTING DOCUMENTATION.

WASHINGTON (AP) - THE COST OF FLIGHT DELAYS TO PASSENGERS IS EVEN MORE THAN TO THE AIRLINES THEMSELVES. A GOVERNMENT-FUNDED STUDY SAYS AIRLINE FLIGHT DELAYS COST PASSENGERS $16.7 BILLION IN 2007, THE LATEST YEAR FOR WHICH COMPLETE DATA IS AVAILABLE. THE COST TO AIRLINES FOR DELAYS WAS $8.3 BILLION.

NEW DELHI, INDIA (AP) - THE INDIAN GOVERNMENT'S REPORT ON ITS JUNE INTERROGATION OF DAVID HEADLY SAYS HE TOLD INTERROGATORS THAT PAKISTAN'S SPY AGENCY WAS DEEPLY INVOLVED IN THE PLANNING OF THE 2008 MUMBAI ATTACK. THE REPORT WAS OBTAINED BY THE ASSOCIATED PRESS. HEADLY WAS CONVICTED OF SCOUTING LOCATIONS.

GROZNY, RUSSIA (AP) - AUTHORITIES IN CHECHNYA SAYS AN INSURGENT ATTACK ON THE PARLIAMENT COMPLEX HAS ENDED WITH THE DEATHS OF AT LEAST THREE ATTACKERS. OFFICIALS SAY AT LEAST 2 POLICE OFFICERS AND ONE PARLIAMENTARY OFFICIAL ALSO DIED. ONE INSURGENT SET OFF A BOMB AT THE GATES OF THE COMPLEX.