TODAY'S NEWS: TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 23, 2010

TRACTOR TRAILER ACCIDENT

AN OVERTURNED TRACTOR-TRAILER BLOCKED A PORTION OF A MAJOR HIGHWAY IN SCHUYLKILL COUNTY OVERNIGHT. THE CRASH HAPPENED ON ROUTE 61 BETWEEN FRACKVILLE AND SAINT CLAIR JUST BEFORE ONE THIS MORNING. STATE POLICE AT FRACKVILLE TELL US THE HIGHWAY WILL BE SHUT DOWN SO CREWS CAN UPRIGHT THE TRACTOR-TRAILER AND CLEAR THE SCENE. DRIVERS SHOULD USE CAUTION IN THAT AREA OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY OR USE A DIFFERENT ROUTE.

POTTSVILLE MAN DEAD

AFTER SUSTAINING A GUNSHOT WOUND TO THE HEAD, IT HAS NOW BEEN CONFIRMED THAT 27-YEAR-OLD ANDREW MULLINS OF POTTSVILLE HAS DIED. MULLINS WAS PRONOUNCED DEAD 6PM SUNDAY EVENING. POLICE TELL US AN AUTOPSY WILL BE CONDUCTED THIS MORNING AT 8AM. POLICE ARE INVESTIGATING IF THE GUNSHOT WOUND WAS SELF-INFLICTED OR IF FOUL PLAY WAS INVOLVED. CHARGES WILL BE FILED BY WEEKS END IF NECESSARY.


WALKING WARRIOR
HE'S ALREADY WALKED ACROSS AMERICA AND HE WON'T STOP THERE.


HOLDEN'S VIEW ON AIRPORT SECURITY PAT DOWNS

TIM HOLDEN SAID MONDAY IN MAHONOY CITY THAT HE BELIEVES AIRPORT SECURITY PAT-DOWNS ARE "OVERLY INTRUSIVE". THE U.S REPRESENTATIVE SAID CONGRESS SHOULD WORK WITH TRANSPORTATION SECURITY ADMINISTRATION OFFICIALS TO TRY AND REFORM THE PROCESS. HOLDEN WAS IN MAHANOY CITY PRESENTING GRANTS TO LOCAL OFFICIALS. HOLDEN IS A MEMBER OF THE HOUSE TRANSPORTATION COMMITTEE, AND ACCORDING TO THE REPUBLICAN HERALD, HE EXPECTS AN EXPLANATION AS TO WHY THE ELDERLY AND YOUNG CHILDREN ARE BEING SUBJECTED TO INVASIVE, FULL-BODY PAT-DOWNS AND SEARCHES BEFORE BOARDING FLIGHTS.

MAHONOY AREA SCHOOL HEARING

ON MONDAY, THE MAHANOY AREA SCHOOL BOARD HELD A PUBLIC HEARING REGARDING A DISCIPLINARY MATTER WITH THE DISTRICT'S BUSINESS MANAGER. HIRED IN MAY, MARK BELTZ IS NOW ON LEAVE WITHOUT PAY PENDING THE OUTCOME OF THE HEARING WHICH WILL CONTINUE NOVEMBER 29TH AT 5PM.

MURRYSVILLE, PA. (AP) - A SEARCH WARRANT IN A "SEXTING" INVESTIGATION SAYS A PITTSBURGH-AREA HIGH SCHOOL TEACHER OFFERED A MALE STUDENT MONEY FOR A PICTURE OF HIS PRIVATES AND WANTED THE STUDENT TO JOIN IN AN "ORGY." MURRYSVILLE POLICE AND OFFICIALS IN THE FRANKLIN REGIONAL SCHOOL DISTRICT HAVE CONFIRMED THE INVESTIGATION AND TELL THE PITTSBURGH TRIBUNE-REVIEW THE TEACHER IS ON PAID LEAVE.

ALLENTOWN, PA. (AP) - AN ALLENTOWN MAN HAS BEEN SENTENCED TO 20 TO 40 YEARS IN PRISON FOR THE BASEBALL BAT BEATING DEATH OF HIS ESTRANGED GIRLFRIEND LAST YEAR. THE ALLENTOWN MORNING CALL REPORTS ALFREDO REYES ORTIZ PLEADED GUILTY LAST MONTH TO THIRD-DEGREE MURDER IN THE JULY 2009 DEATH OF FRANCESCA ISLEY.

CAIRNBROOK, PA. (AP) - POLICE SAY A BLOWOUT CAUSED A MINIVAN CARRYING SEVEN PEOPLE TO RUN OFF THE ROAD IN WESTERN PENNSYLVANIA, ROLLING REPEATEDLY AND KILLING TWO WOMEN AND AN INFANT. SHADE TOWNSHIP POLICE TELL THE PITTSBURGH POST-GAZETTE THAT SPEED WAS NOT A FACTOR IN THE SUNDAY'S CRASH IN SOMERSET COUNTY.

PHILADELPHIA (AP) - A GROUP WORKING TO PRESERVE A HISTORIC CRUISE LINER IS PITCHING AN IDEA TO SAVE THE SHIP: MAKE IT THE HOME FOR THE LONG-STALLED FOXWOODS CASINO PROJECT IN PHILADELPHIA. THE SS UNITED STATES CONSERVANCY SAYS IT HAS THE BACKING OF PHILANTHROPIST H.F. "GERRY" LENFEST, WHO EARLIER THIS YEAR PLEDGED TO DONATE UP TO $5.8 MILLION TO SAVE THE SS UNITED STATES.

WASHINGTON (AP) - PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA IS PROMOTING THE REBOUND IN THE AUTO INDUSTRY AS A BAILOUT SUCCESS STORY. LAST WEEK, THE PRESIDENT CLAIMED VINDICATION AFTER GENERAL MOTORS' GIANT PUBLIC STOCK OFFERING. OBAMA AND VICE PRESIDENT JOE BIDEN ARE VISITING A CHRYSLER AUTO PLANT IN KOKOMO, IND., TODAY.

WASHINGTON (AP) - ANALYSTS SAY THE REVISED ESTIMATE FOR THIRD QUARTER ECONOMIC GROWTH MAY ACTUALLY BE A BIT BETTER THAN ORIGINALLY REPORTED. THE COMMERCE DEPARTMENT IS EXPECTED TO REPORT 2.3 PERCENT JULY-SEPTEMBER GROWTH -- PROBABLY NOT ENOUGH TO RELIEVE UNEMPLOYMENT MUCH. THE FEDERAL RESERVE IS EXPECTED TO UPDATE ITS ECONOMIC PROJECTIONS TUESDAY.

MOAB, UTAH (AP) - AUTHORITIES IN UTAH SAY THEY'RE PRETTY SURE THEIR SUSPECT IN THE SHOOTING OF A PARK RANGER IS STILL HOLED UP SOMEWHERE IN THE RUGGED SEARCH AREA. OFFICIALS BELIEVE LANCE LEEROY ARELLANO MAY BE WOUNDED AND IN NEED OF MEDICAL HELP AFTER THE SHOOTOUT LATE FRIDAY. AUTHORITIES RECOVERED A RIFLE, BACKPACK AND A BLOODY T-SHIRT ALONG THE COLORADO RIVER. THE OFFICER IS IN SERIOUS CONDITION.

AUSTIN, TEXAS (AP) - THE JUDGE IN THE MONEY LAUNDERING TRIAL OF FORMER HOUSE SPEAKER TOM DELAY SAYS HE'LL ADDRESS JURY QUESTIONS TODAY BEFORE SENDING JURORS OFF FOR THEIR FIRST FULL DAY OF DELIBERATIONS. PROSECUTORS ALLEGE THAT DELAY HELPED ILLEGALLY FUNNEL $190,000 TO TEXAS LEGISLATIVE RACES IN 2002. THE MOVE ULTIMATELY HELPED SEND MORE REPUBLICANS TO CONGRESS. DELAY COULD FACE UP TO LIFE IN PRISON IF CONVICTED.

BEIJING (AP) - CHINA AND THE U.S. ARE AT ODDS OVER RESUMPTION OF SIX-NATION NUCLEAR TALKS WITH NORTH KOREA. A FOREIGN MINISTRY SPOKESMAN TOLD REPORTERS TUESDAY THAT IT'S IMPERATIVE TO RESUME THE TALKS, AFTER REPORTS THAT NORTH KOREA HAS BUILT A NEW URANIUM ENRICHMENT FACILITY. THE U.S. SAYS TALKS WON'T BE HELD WHILE NORTH KOREA WORKS ON THE NEW NUCLEAR FACILITY.