TODAY'S NEWS: SATURDAY, DECEMBER 11, 2010

This year, the Schuylkill County Courthouse Christmas tree is getting its own gift - ornaments from municipalities across the county. As part of the county's bicentennial celebration - which will include a variety of events next year - the tree is not only being decked out with the usual decorations but also ornaments donated from Saint Clair, Union Township, Cressona and other parts of the county. According to the Republican and Herald, Friday afternoon, county Register of Wills Mike McCord was putting the finishing touches on the 12-foot Douglas fir, which stands in front of the district attorney's office on the first floor of the courthouse. So far, McCord said at least five municipalities have given ornaments. Others, including Schuylkill Haven and Pine Grove, are expected to send ornaments soon. Ornaments will be accepted any time before Christmas, McCord said, and he stressed that they do not necessarily have to be traditional-style decorations. Municipalities interested in donating an ornament or seeking more information can call McCord at 628-1382.

A dozen people were rounded up Friday morning as part of a drug sweep orchestrated by Schuylkill County District Attorney James P. Goodman, the county sheriff's office and local police departments. As reported by the Republican and Herald, the arrest warrants were executed in New Ringgold, Tamaqua, Delano, Kelayres, Shenandoah, Mahanoy City and Girardville, according to a press release from Goodman's office. Most of the arrests were the result of investigations by the county's Drug Task Force, though several were initiated directly by the Shenandoah Police Department, according to Goodman. Those arrested include: Christopher Hill, New Ringgold; Dawn Brozyno, Tamaqua; Mark Schmeer, Kelayres; Anthony Edmondson, Girardville; Ronald Kennedy, Delano; Eric Berezwick, Mahanoy City; Jose Rivera-Cabrera, Nathaniel Shoup, Stephanie Grant, Richard Davidson, Hope McMannus and Jeifri Suazo, all of Shenandoah, on charges of delivery of crack cocaine. Each alleged drug offender posted bail on Friday and was released, according to the district attorney's office. To report drug activity, call the Schuylkill County District Attorney's Drug Tip Line at 800-414-1406.

Monday marks the busiest day of the year for the Postal Service. Processing and distribution facilities throughout Pennsylvania and the rest of the Nation become abuzz with holiday greeting card volumes mounting. 4.5 million greeting cards are expected to be processed on December 20th. Postal officials also would like to remind you that there will be a modified mail collection on December 24th. Mailboxes and other postal locations will be picked up by noon on Christmas Eve and that postal retail windows will be closing early as well. Mail delivery will not be affected by this change.

State police at Frackville are searching for a 15-year-old girl who has been missing since Tuesday. Police said Jasmine Marie Steinheiser, New Philadelphia, was reported missing by her mother Wednesday. Steinheiser is 5 feet 1 inch tall, weighs about 100 pounds and has brown hair and eyes and double piercings in each ear, police said. She is a student at Saint Clair Elementary/Middle School. Anyone with information should call state police at Frackville at 874-5300.

A Shenandoah man was jailed Thursday and charged with assaulting his girlfriend during the early morning hours. According to the Republican and Herald, Dennis Yezulinas was arrested by Shenandoah Police Capt. George Carado and charged with one count each of felony aggravated assault and misdemeanor offenses of simple assault and recklessly endangering another person. He was arraigned by Magisterial District Judge Anthony J. Kilker, Shenandoah, and committed to Schuylkill County Prison in lieu of $15,000 straight cash bail. The charges stem from an incident at 427 E. Oak St. between 2:30 and 4 a.m. The assault was brought to the attention of Shenandoah Police by a supervisor from Schuylkill Medical Center-East Norwegian Street, after Fern Subach was brought into the emergency room for treatment of a fractured hip she said she suffered in a fall. During an interview Subach said she and Yezulinas had been living together for several months and had been at Who's Place bar on East Centre Street when Yezulinas became angry because two men were talking to her.

PHILADELPHIA (AP) - A Philadelphia couple who relied on prayer, not medicine, to cure their dying child have been convicted of involuntary manslaughter and child endangerment. Herbert and Catherine Schaible (SHY'-bull) face more than a decade in prison for the January 2009 death of their two-year-old son Kent. The Schaibles have six other children.

PITTSBURGH (AP) - The Attorney General's office says several people have been arrested for breaking into western Pennsylvania veterinary clinics and stealing drugs that were then sold at rave parties in Pittsburgh. A grand jury Friday indicted six people involved in the scheme.

ALLENTOWN, Pa. (AP) - A man is facing kidnapping and robbery charges after police say he forced a woman to drive to a store and buy him clothes. Tyquann S. McCord was charged after a woman said he confronted her in the parking lot of a mall Thursday night and made her drive to a store and buy him clothing.

PITTSBURGH (AP) - Officials at Pittsburgh International Airport are going to spend about $300,000 on an advertising campaign aimed at drawing Ohio residents over the border to fly out of Pittsburgh. The Allegheny County Airport Authority on Friday approved spending
the money in the Cleveland, Akron and Canton areas.

KANDAHAR, Afghanistan (AP) - More bombings are being reported in Afghanistan today. In Helmand province, Afghan officials say a roadside bomb planted by the Taliban killed 15 civilians. Meanwhile in Kandahar, a car bomb exploded outside a police headquarters, wounding at least six people and blowing out the windows of buildings up to a mile away.

CANCUN, Mexico (AP) - A fund to help poorer nations cope with global warming is among the steps agreed to at a U.N. conference climate conference in Mexico. Most of the steps are modest, and that prompted Bolivia to object. It said the deal doesn't go far enough to address climate change. But the chief U.S. and Chinese delegates are both describing the agreements as a good basis for future negotiations.

MILLBRAE, Calif. (AP) - Attorney General Eric Holder is standing behind the FBI sting operations being used in anti-terrorism cases. But in a speech to a Muslim advocacy group last night, he says he's heard from many Muslim and Arab Americans who feel singled out by law enforcement. And he reiterated his resolve to prosecute hate crimes. An Islamic Center in Oregon was set on fire after a man who occasionally worshipped there was arrested for allegedly trying to set off a bomb in Portland.

PERUGIA, Italy (AP) - The American student convicted of murdering her British roommate in Italy in 2007 says she is the innocent victim of an "enormous mistake." Amanda Knox made an
emotional address to an Italian appeals court today, saying her life has been "broken" by three years in jail. She is serving a 26-year sentence.

LOS ANGELES (AP) - A fugitive task force has arrested a Pennsylvania couple suspected of chopping up a man and putting pieces of the remains in a backpack. Authorities in Los Angeles say Edward and Melissa Garcia were found yesterday living in squalid conditions in an abandoned office building in Hollywood.