TODAY'S NEWS: WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 24, 2010

TRACTOR TRAILER CRASH UPDATE

AN OVERTURNED TRACTOR-TRAILER CLOSED PART OF ROUTE 61 SOUTH FOR SIX HOURS YESTERDAY. THE DRIVER OF THAT TRACTOR-TRAILER THANKFULLY WAS NOT INJURED, BUT CAN FACE FINES OVER $2,000.
　
HAMBURG FIRE

A RENTAL STORAGE BUILDING AND WORK AREA FOR BUILDING SHEDS AT GREEN ACRES OUTDOOR FURNITURE IS NOW DESTROYED AFTER A FIRE BROKE OUT JUST BEFORE NOON ON TUESDAY IN HAMBURG. FLAMES ENGULFED THE BUILDING AT 515 SOUTH THIRD STREET AS FIREFIGHTERS ARRIVED AFTER SEEING THE SMOKE WHILE HANGING HOLIDAY LIGHTS ALONG THE BOROUGH STREETS. A NEARBY GARAGE ALSO CAUGHT FIRE WHEN THE BLAZE MADE ITS WAY ACROSS A SMALL ALLEY, BUT WAS BROUGHT UNDER CONTROL QUICKLY. THE REPUBLICAN HERALD REPORTS THAT SOMEONE IN THE BUILDING HAD BEEN USING A BLOWTORCH INSIDE THE BUILDING JUST BEFORE THE SMOKE WAS DISCOVERED.
　
SCHUYLKILL HAVEN FIRE CAUSED BY FAULTY WIRING

AN ELECTRICAL PROBLEM IS TO BLAME FOR THE MASSIVE FIRE THAT DESTROYED A FORMER KNITTING MILL AT WILLIAM AND RAILROAD STREETS IN SCHUYLKILL HAVEN LAST WEEK.THE FLAMES STARTED IN AN ELECTRICAL PANEL BOX INSIDE THE BUILDING WHICH STORED CONSTRUCTION MATERIAL.
　
POTTSVILLE MAN CHARGED IN CONNECTION WITH METH LAB FIRE

A POTTSVILLE MAN CHARGED IN CONNECTION WITH A JANUARY FIRE AT A PINE GROVE METHAMPHETAMINE LAB IS NOW HEADED TO STATE PRISION. 29-YEAR-OLD STEVEN DONTAN IS ONE OF FOUR PEOPLE CHARGED. AFTER PLEADING GUILTY AND BEING SENTENCED WEDNESDAY IN SCHUYLKILL COUNTY COURT, DONTAN HAS A RESTITUTION BILL OF ALMOST $1 MILLION.
　
ROBBERY AT GUNPOINT UPDATE

AFTER ROBBING AN ORWIGSBURG MAN AT GUNPOINT, TWO WOMEN HAVE NOW BEEN ARRAIGNED. LESLIE PEREIRA AND DANIELLE WAKED, BOTH OF MT. POCONO WERE ARRAIGNED TUESDAY BY DISTRICT JUSTICE KILKER. ON NOVEMBER 12TH, THE TWO WOMEN FOLLOWED A MAN INTO HIS HOTEL ROOM AT THE COUNTRY SQUIRE IN SCHUYLKILL COUNTY, STUCK A GUN TO THE BACK OF HIS HEAD AND DEMANDED MONEY . BAIL WAS SET AT $25,000 CASH FOR BOTH WOMEN.

SCHUYLKILL COUNTY WOMAN WINS LOTTERY

A SCHUYLKILL HAVEN WOMAN IS GAURENTEED TO HAVE A JOLLY CHRISTMAS THIS YEAR AFTER WINNING THE LOTTERY. A $100,000 CHECK WAS PRESENTED TO MARYANN ZIMMERMAN OF SCHUYLKILL HAVEN TUESDAY MORNING AT THE TURKEY HILL ON WEST COLUMBIA STREET. ZIMMERMAN WON THE MONEY FROM THE PENNSYLVANIA LOTTERY’S JUMBO BUCKS INSTANT GAME. THE ODDS OF WINNING A TOP PRIZE IN THAT PARTICULAR GAME ARE 1-IN-720,000. ZIMMERMAN SAYS SHE PLANS TO PUT THE MONEY IN THE BANK TO SAVE FOR THE FUTURE. SHE ALSO ADDS THAT PLAYING INSTANT GAMES IS SOMETHING SHE ENJOYS AND DOES OFTEN. JUST A FEW YEARS AGO, ZIMMERMAN WON $1,000 FROM AN INSTANT TICKET. PENNSYLVANIA LOTTERY PLAYERS IN SCHUYLKILL COUNTY WON MORE THAN $35.2 MILLION IN PRIZES IN THE 2009-10 YEAR.

SAVE THE DATE

THIS SUNDAY FROM NOON TO FIVE YOU ARE INVITED TO ENJOY YOURSELF AT THE HOLIDAY OPEN HOUSE AND CHRISTMAS PARADE IN SCHUYLKILL HAVEN. CARRIAGE RIDES, HOT CHOCOLATE, HOLIDAY CHANCES, AND OF COURSE SANTA CLAUSE WILL ALL BE A PART OF THE DAY’S FESTIVITES. THE CHRISTMAS PARADE WILL START AT 3PM AND THE ANNUAL TREE LIGHTING WILL BE HELD AT 5PM, SO COME ON OUT AND CELEBRATE THIS SPECIAL DAY!

FREE THANKSGIVING DINNER

NO NEED TO LOOK ANY FURTHER THAN YOUR LOCAL RESTARAUNT FOR A GREAT THANKSGIVING DINNER. THE FRIEDENSBURG COUNTRY RESTARAUNT IS HOLDING A THANKSGIVING DINNER, FREE OF CHARGE, THURSDAY NOVEMBER 25TH. ALL AREA RESIDENTS ARE INVITED, ESPECIALLY THOSE LOOKING TO SHARE THE HOLIDAY WITH OTHERS AND THOSE HAVING DIFFICULT FINANCIAL TIMES. DINNER WILL BE SERVED BUFFET STYLE BETWEEN NOON AND 2:00PM. ANYONE IN NEED OF TRANSPORTATION CAN CONTACT THE RESTARAUNT TO MAKE ARRANGEMENTS.

SANTA SHUTTLE

SCHUYLKILL COUNTY HAS A GREAT ALTERNATIVE TO AVOID DRIVING AND PARKING DURING THE BUSY HOLIDAY SHOPPING SEASON. STS WILL BE RUNNING A SANTA SHUTTLE FOR ALL OF YOUR HOLIDAY SHOPPING NEEDS, BEGINING BLACK FRIDAY UNTIL CHRISTMAS EVE. THE SHUTTLE WILL PICK UP AND DROP OFF EVERY THIRTY MINUTES AT THE SCHUYLKIL MALL, FAIRLANE VILLAGE MALL, WALMART, AND THE STS TERMINAL IN DOWNTOWN POTTSVILLE. RIDERS PAY A FEE OF $1.25 AND RECEIVE A FREE TRANSFER AT THE POTTSVILLE TERMINAL ONTO THE SANTA SHUTTLE.


PHILADELPHIA (AP) - PHILADELPHIA POLICE TELL THE PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER DNA EVIDENCE APPEARS TO LINK THE STRANGULATION DEATHS OF TWO WOMEN IN THE CITY'S KENSINGTON NEIGHBORHOOD TO THE SAME KILLER. THE BODY OF NICOLE PIACENTINI WAS FOUND IN THE REAR OF AN ABANDONED BUILDING ON NOVEMBER 13TH. TEN DAYS EARLIER, THE BODY OF NURSING STUDENT ELAINE GOLDBERG WAS FOUND ABOUT A HALF-MILE AWAY.

SLIPPERY ROCK, PA. (AP) - POLICE SAY FOUR PEOPLE ARE DEAD AFTER A VAN TAKING A GROUP OF AMISH TO A FUNERAL COLLIDED WITH A PICKUP TRUCK NEAR SLIPPERY ROCK IN WESTERN PENNSYLVANIA. THE PITTSBURGH POST-GAZETTE REPORTS THE VAN'S DRIVER, 76-YEAR-OLD LEWIS SWEETAPPLE, WAS TAKING SIX AMISH NEIGHBORS TO A FUNERAL. POLICE SAY SWEETAPPLE AND TWO PASSENGERS WERE KILLED.

HARRISBURG, PA. (AP) - FEDERAL PROSECUTORS SAY PENNSYLVANIA STATE SENATOR RAY MUSTO HAS BEEN CHARGED BY A FEDERAL GRAND JURY WITH TAKING BRIBES AND KICKBACKS. PROSECUTORS SAID YESTERDAY THE LUZERNE COUNTY DEMOCRAT IS CHARGED WITH A COUNT EACH OF WIRE FRAUD AND MAIL FRAUD, AND TWO COUNTS EACH OF BRIBERY AND MAKING FALSE STATEMENTS TO FBI AGENTS.

PHILADELPHIA (AP) - A PHILADELPHIA ARENA THAT HOSTED MORE THAN 40 YEARS OF PROFESSIONAL SPORTS AND ENTERTAINMENT HAS MET THE WRECKING BALL. THE DEMOLITION OF THE SPECTRUM BEGAN YESTERDAY AFTERNOON. MANY SPECTATORS GATHERED IN A PARKING LOT TO WATCH THE ARENA'S SLOW DEMISE, INCLUDING SPORTS LEGENDS LIKE JULIUS ERVING WHO PLAYED THERE.

INCHEON, SOUTH KOREA (AP) - TUESDAY'S NORTH KOREAN ATTACK ON A SOUTH KOREAN ISLAND HAS KILLED AT LEAST FOUR PEOPLE. THE SOUTH KOREAN COAST GUARD SAYS IT'S FOUND THE BURNT BODIES OF TWO MALE CIVILIANS ON THE ISLAND. AT LEAST TWO MARINES ALSO WERE KILLED. GREYMOUTH, NEW ZEALAND

(AP) - A SAD ENDING IN A NEW ZEALAND MINE. POLICE SAY NONE OF THE 29 MINERS TRAPPED UNDERGROUND SINCE LAST FRIDAY'S EXPLOSION COULD HAVE SURVIVED A SECOND BLAST WEDNESDAY. RESCUERS WEREN'T ABLE TO ENTER THE MINE BECAUSE OF DANGEROUS GASES.

PHNOM PENH, CAMBODIA (AP) - AN INVESTIGATION IN CAMBODIA HAS INITIALLY CONCLUDED THAT A STAMPEDE THAT KILLED MORE THAN 350 PEOPLE WAS SET OFF WHEN A CROWDED BRIDGE STARTED SWAYING. CAMBODIAN TV SAYS THAT A COMMITTEE INVESTIGATING MONDAY'S TRAGEDY FOUND THAT MANY PEOPLE WEREN'T FAMILIAR WITH THE NORMAL SWAYING OF A SUSPENSION BRIDGE AND TRIED TO RUN OFF WHEN THEY FEARED IT WOULD COLLAPSE.

KABUL, AFGHANISTAN (AP) - AFGHANISTAN'S INDEPENDENT ELECTION COMMISSION HAS RELEASED THE FINAL RESULTS OF SEPTEMBER'S PARLIAMENTARY ELECTIONS FOR ALL 34 PROVINCES EXCEPT GHAZNI. THAT'S WHERE MANY POLLING STATIONS WERE CLOSED AND OTHERS WERE EXCLUDED BECAUSE OF FRAUD. THE COMMISSION CHAIRMAN SAYS A DECISION ABOUT GHAZNI WILL BE MADE IN THREE DAYS TO A WEEK.

WASHINGTON (AP) - CONSUMERS MAY BE FEELING LESS STRESS ABOUT DEBT THESE DAYS. FIFTY-NINE PERCENT OF THOSE SURVEYED IN AN ASSOCIATED PRESS-GFK POLL SAY THEY FEEL LITTLE OR NO STRESS FROM THEIR FAMILY'S DEBT - UP FROM 49 PERCENT A YEAR AGO. AND 52 PERCENT SAY THEY SELDOM OR NEVER WORRY ABOUT THEIR FINANCIAL LIABILITIES. THAT'S THE SAME AS LAST YEAR.