TODAY'S NEWS: WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 13, 2010

TRAIL UPDATE

THE DEFENSE RESTED THIS MORNING AT 9:45AM. OFFICER ROBERT SENAPE, OF WEST MAHANOY TOWNSHIP POLICE DEPARTMENT, WAS THE FIRST AND ONLY WITNESS TO TESTIFY THIS MORNING. OFFICER SENAPE TESTIFIED THAT ARIELLE GARCIA NAMED BRIAN SCULLY AS THE KICKER, ON THE NIGHT OF THE BEATING. SENAPE'S STATEMENTS MATCHED THOSE IN THE REPORT GIVEN TO SHENANDOAH PD ON JULY 15, 2008. CLOSING STATEMENTS ARE SCHEDULED TO BEGIN THIS MORNING AFTER 10:30AM. JUDGE CAPUTO WILL PROCEED WITH THE CHARGE, SO THE JURY CAN DELIBERATE.

HATE CRIME TRIAL

THE HATE CRIME TRIAL INVOLVING BRANDON PIEKARSKY AND DERRICK DONCHAK RESUMED TUESDAY MORNING. PROSECUTION CALLED THE LAST OF THEIR WITNESSES AND RESTED THEIR CASE MID-TUESDAY AFTERNOON. JOSH REDMOND, ONE OF THE MEN INVOLVED IN THE INCIDENT, TESTIFIED THAT DONCHAK DID NOT OFTEN USE RACIAL SLURS OR EXPRESS HIS OPINION ABOUT HISPANICS. REDMOND ALSO RECOUNTED THE EVENTS OF JULY 12TH 2008, ANSWERING MANY OF THE SAME QUESTIONS AS THE OTHER MEN INVOLVED THAT TESTIFIED LAST WEEK. OTHER SHENANDOAH BORO RESIDENTS AND EMPLOYEES TOOK THE STAND THROUGHOUT TUESDAYS TESTIMONY, INCLUDING JESSE GOMEZ. GOMEZ TESTIFIED DONCHAK HAD BEEN INVOLVED IN AN INCIDENT IN MARCH OF 2008 WHERE HE ALLEGEDLY DAMAGED THE VEHICLE GOMEZ WAS DRIVING, ON MAIN STREET IN SHENANDOAH. THE DEFENSE CALLED THREE MEN INVOLVED IN THAT INCIDENT TO THE STAND. ALL THREE MEN TESTIFIED THAT DONCHAK WAS NOT PRESENT DURING THE ALTERCATION. DEFENSE ALSO CALLED FRACKVILLE CHIEF OF POLICE, MICHELLE ASHMAN, WHO TESTIFIED THAT ARIELLE GARCIA NAMED BRIAN SCULLY AS THE PERSON DELIVERING THE FINAL KICK TO LUIS RAMIREZ. ASHMAN WAS PRESENT WHEN GARCIA IDENTIFIED SCULLY, AS THE KICKER, TO OFFICER JASON HAYES ON THE NIGHT OF THE BEATING. TESTIMONY BEING LED BY THE DEFENSE IS SCHEDULED TO CONTINUE THIS MORNING AFTER 9:00AM. JUDGE CAPUTO EXPECTS THE TRIAL WILL CONCLUDE BY WEEKS END.

MARCELLUS SHALE TAX

HOUSE DEMOCRATIC LEADERS WANT THE SENATE TO TAKE ACTION. ON TUESDAY DEMOCRATS URGED THE STATE SENATE TO BEGIN NEGOTIATING, COMPROMISING, AND ULTIMATELY ENACT LEGISLATION ON A REASONABLE TAX ON NATURAL GAS. BY TAXING THE EXTRACTION OF MARCELLUS SHALE NATURAL GAS, THE TAXPAYERS WILL BE COMPENSATED AND THE WATER AND AIR PROTECTED. HOUSE DEMOCRATS BELIEVE THIS MULTI-TRILLION-DOLLAR INDUSTRY CAN AFFORD A REASONABLE TAX.

FALL ALLERGIES

RED EYES AND RUNNY NOSES ARE TYPICALLY THE OUTCOME OF THE FALL ALLERGY SEASON. ACCORDING TO THE NATIONAL WILDLIFE FEDERATION, THIS YEAR PENNSYLVANIANS ARE REALLY FEELING THE EFFECTS. THE WET AND DRY CONDITIONS CAN AFFECT THE SEVERITY OF ALLERGY SEASONS AS WELL AS CLIMATE CHANGE. DR. AMANDA STAUDT SAYS WE CREATE MORE CARBON DIOXIDE IN THE ATMOSPHERE BY BURNING FOSSIL FUELS WHICH DIRECTLY AFFECTS THE CLIMATE. SO THIS YEAR EXPECT FALL ALLERGIES TO HIT AND HIT HARD.

TRUCK TIPS

ROUTE 901 WAS CLOSED FOR SEVERAL HOURS TUESDAY AFTERNOON AFTER A DUMP TRUCK ROLLED ON ITS SIDE, SPILLING DIRT ON THE ROAD.THE DRIVER OF THE DUMP TRUCK HIT A TELEPHONE POLE CAUSING THE TRUCK TO TIP AND SKID DOWN THE NORTHBOUND LANE ABOUT ONE HUNDRED FEET ON ITS SIDE. THE DRIVER WAS INJURED AND HAD TO BE FLOWN BY HELICOPTER TO LEHIGH VALLEY HOSPITAL IN ALLENTOWN.

NEW MIDDLE SCHOOL

NORTH SCHUYLKILL'S SCHOOL BOARD HAS SET IN MOTION TO BUILD A NEW MIDDLE SCHOOL. THE JUNIOR/SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL WILL END, WELCOMING A MORE COMMON MIDDLE SCHOOL/HIGH SCHOOL PLAN. THE REPUBLICAN HERALD REPORTS, THE RENOVATIONS ARE ESTIMATED AT OVER THIRTY MILLION DOLLARS. THE CONSTRUCTION IS SCHEDULED TO BEGIN IN 2012 AND LAST THROUGH 2014.

SCRANTON, PA. (AP) - PROSECUTORS HAVE RESTED THEIR CASE AGAINST TWO PENNSYLVANIA MEN CHARGED WITH A FEDERAL HATE CRIME IN THE BEATING DEATH OF A MEXICAN IMMIGRANT. JUSTICE DEPARTMENT PROSECUTORS FINISHED CALLING WITNESSES YESTERDAY IN THE TRIAL OF DERRICK DONCHAK AND BRANDON PIEKARSKY. THEY'RE CHARGED IN THE JULY 2008 ASSAULT ON LUIS RAMIREZ, AN ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT.

PHILADELPHIA (AP) - PROSECUTORS IN PHILADELPHIA SAY THREE POLICE OFFICERS WERE JUSTIFIED IN SHOOTING A MAN TO DEATH ON A PLAYGROUND LAST SPRING. DISTRICT ATTORNEY SETH WILLIAMS SAYS THE OFFICERS ACTED PROPERLY DURING THE CONFRONTATION WITH VINCENT PARSONS. HE SAID PARSONS FIRED FIRST AND THE OFFICERS HAD NO CHOICE BUT TO RETURN FIRE.

ALIQUIPPA, PA. (AP) - A JUDGE HAS TOSSED OUT SOME SEX ABUSE CHARGES AGAINST A WESTERN PENNSYLVANIA PASTOR BUT ORDERED HIM TO STAND TRIAL ON OTHERS. BEAVER COUNTY JUDGE EDWARD HOWE HAS DISMISSED CHARGES OF SEXUAL ASSAULT AND AGGRAVATED ASSAULT AGAINST REVEREND LANEER FISHER OF MOON TOWNSHIP. BUT THE JUDGE HAS ORDERED HIM TO STAND TRIAL ON INDECENT ASSAULT AND OTHER COUNTS.

PITTSBURGH (AP) - THE STEPCHILDREN OF PENNSYLVANIA'S FORMER STATE TREASURER ALLEGE IN A LAWSUIT THAT SHE TOOK ADVANTAGE OF HER LATE HUSBAND AND HAD HIM REARRANGE HIS FINANCES BEFORE HE DIED TO BENEFIT HER. THE PITTSBURGH POST-GAZETTE REPORTS BARBARA HAFER'S THREE CHILDREN FILED THE LAWSUIT YESTERDAY IN INDIANA COUNTY.

SAN JOSE MINE, CHILE (AP) - A 19-YEAR-OLD WHO IS THE YOUNGEST OF 33 MINERS TRAPPED IN A MINE IN CHILE HAS NOW BEEN BROUGHT TO THE SURFACE. JIMMY SANCHEZ IS THE SON, GRANDSON AND BROTHER OF MINERS. EARLIER, THE LONE BOLIVIAN MINER THANKED CHILE AFTER HIS RESCUE. THE ONE-PERSON RESCUE CAPSULE CONTINUES ITS JOURNEY UP AND DOWN A NARROW SHAFT.

CANCUN, MEXICO (AP) - THE CENTER OF CATEGORY 2 HURRICANE PAULA IS EXPECTED TO PASS JUST TO THE EAST OF CANCUN THIS MORNING AND SLOW DOWN AS IT TURNS TO THE NORTHEAST. THAT WOULD TAKE THE STORM ON A PATH TOWARD THE WESTERN END OF CUBA LATER TODAY. EVACUATIONS HAVE BEEN ORDERED ON A PAIR OF ISLANDS NEAR THE YUCATAN PENINSULA.

WASHINGTON (AP) - UP TO 40 STATE ATTORNEYS GENERAL PLAN TO ANNOUNCE A JOINT INVESTIGATION TODAY INTO THE MORTGAGE INDUSTRY'S FORECLOSURE-DOCUMENT MESS. THEY'VE ALSO BEEN DISCUSSING OUTLINES OF POSSIBLE SETTLEMENTS. AUTHORITIES WOULD LIKE TO SEE MORTGAGE COMPANIES REVAMP THE WAY THEY HANDLE FORECLOSURES, PAY PENALTIES FOR VIOLATIONS AND EXPAND HELP TO DISTRESSED HOMEOWNERS.

BRUSSELS (AP) - NATO'S TOP COMMANDER IN AFGHANISTAN IS EXPECTED TO BE CAUTIOUSLY UPBEAT WHEN HE BRIEFS ALLIANCE MEMBERS TODAY. THE BRIEFING BY GEN. DAVID PETRAEUS COMES A DAY AHEAD OF THE FIRST-EVER JOINT CONFERENCE OF NATO FOREIGN AND DEFENSE MINISTERS.

BEIJING (AP) - SOME OF THE PEOPLE WHO USED TO BE RESPONSIBLE FOR A STRICT CENSORSHIP SYSTEM IN CHINA THINK IT MAY BE TIME FOR A CHANGE. A GROUP OF CHINESE COMMUNIST ELDERS HAS POSTED A LETTER ONLINE CALLING FOR THE LIFTING OF CHINA'S RESTRICTIONS ON FREE SPEECH. IT COMES AFTER A CONTROVERSIAL NOBEL PEACE PRIZE AWARD TO AN IMPRISONED CHINESE DISSIDENT.