TODAY'S NEWS: SATURDAY, DECEMBER 4, 2010

TAMAQUA BUISNESS ROBBED

TAMAQUA POLICE WERE DISPATCHED EARLY FRIDAY MORNING AFTER A REPORT OF A ROBBERY AT 'WE ARE CIGARETTES', ROUTE 309. ACCORDING TO THE TAMAQUA POLICE DEPARTMENT, THE ROBBERS ARE DESCRIBED AS THREE HISPANIC MALES WEARING BLACK CLOTHING AND MASKS. THE MEN HELD THE OWNER AND CUSTOMERS AT GUN POINT WHILE THEY DEMANDED THE OWNER EMPTY THE REGISTER. ONE MINOR INJURY WAS REPORTED IN THE HEIST AFTER A CUSTOMER WAS STRUCK IN THE HEAD BY A HANDGUN. SUSPECTS ARE BELIEVED TO HAVE FLED THE SCENE DRIVING A BURGUNDY VAN WITH A RAISED, REAR ROOF. ANYONE WITH INFORMATION ABOUT THE ROBBERY IS ASKED TO CONTACT THE TAMAQUA POLICE DEPARTMANT OR SCHUYLKILL COUNTY COMMUNICATIONS CENTER.

DRUG BUST
　
FOUR MEN WERE ARRESTED, IN THE CITY, FRIDAY ON FELONY DRUG CHARGES. KEITH LAMONG KING, 38, JUAN ROMERO-VAZQUEZ, 36, JEREMY ALLEN EVANS, 34, AND ROBERT KOONS, 22, ALL OF POTTSVILLE, EACH FACE MULTPLE CHARGES AND ALL ARE BEING HELD IN SCHUYLKILL COUNTY PRISON IN LIEU OF BAIL.
KING WAS ARRESTED ON THREE SEPARATE DELIVEIES OF CRACK COCAINE, FACES NINE FELONY CHARGES, THREE MISDEMEANORS, AND IS BEING HELD ON $150,000 BAIL. ROMERO-VAZQUEZ WAS ARRESTED FOR TWO SEPARATE CHARGES OF CRACK COCAINE, FACES SIX FELONY CHARGES, TWO MISDEMEANORS, AND BEING HELD ON $75,000 BAIL. EVANS WAS ARRESTED ON TWO SEPARATE DELIVERIES OF MARIJUANA, FACES SIX FELONY CHARGES, TWO MISDEMEANORS, AND IS BEING HELD ON $40,000 BAIL. KOONS WAS ARRESTED FOR THE SALE OF COCAINE AND FACES TWO FELONY CHARGES, ONE MISDEMEANOR AND IS BEING HEALD ON $35,000. POTTSVILLE POLICE ARE ASKING ANYONE WITH INFORMATION ABOUT THE CITY-WIDE SALE OF DRUGS TO PLEASE CONTACT THEM.
　
GIVE THE GIFT OF LIFE

GIVE THE GIFT OF LIFE THIS HOLIDAY SEASON, GIVE BLOOD. SCHUYLKILL HEALTH IS OFFERING A COMMUNITY, EMPLOYEE BLOODMOBILE MONDAY, DECEMBER 6TH FROM NOON TO FIVE. PARTICIPANTS ARE BEING ASKED TO PRE-REGISTER ONLINE AT REDCROSSBLOOD.ORG OR 1 800 RED CROSS, BUT WALK-INS WILL ALSO BE WELCOME.

STATE NEWS:

WILLIAMSPORT, PA. (AP) - A PENNSYLVANIA WOMAN FOUND GUILTY OF SEXUALLY ABUSING UNDERAGE GIRLS HAS BEEN SENTENCED TO SERVE FIVE TO 10 YEARS IN PRISON. AMBER BARTO WAS CONVICTED IN MAY OF CORRUPTION OF MINORS, SEXUAL ABUSE OF CHILDREN AND MULTIPLE DRUG COUNTS. PROSECUTORS SAY SHE AND HER HUSBAND, GREGORY BARTO, GAVE UNDERAGE GIRLS DRUGS IN EXCHANGE FOR SEX AND THEN VIDEOTAPED IT.

MEDIA, PA. (AP) - AN ELDERLY MAN HAS PLEADED GUILTY TO A VOLUNTARY MANSLAUGHTER CHARGE IN THE STABBING DEATH OF HIS WIFE OF 63 YEARS, WHO SUFFERED FROM ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE, IN THEIR SUBURBAN PHILADELPHIA HOME. EIGHTY-EIGHT-YEAR-OLD ERNEST RAYFIELD HAS BEEN IN PRISON SINCE THE AUGUST SLAYING OF HIS 87-YEAR-OLD WIFE, MARY, AT THEIR HOME IN SPRINGFIELD, DELAWARE COUNTY.

PHILADELPHIA (AP) - A BATCH OF CAKE MIX MAILED TO A PHILADELPHIA PRISON INMATE TRIGGERED A BRIEF EVACUATION AND INVESTIGATION BY HAZARDOUS MATERIALS TEAMS. THE POWDERY CAKE MIX WAS FOUND FRIDAY MORNING IN THE INCOMING MAIL THAT WAS BEING INSPECTED BY A CORRECTIONAL OFFICER AT THE HOUSE OF CORRECTION, A MEDIUM- AND MINIMUM-SECURITY JAIL IN THE PHILADELPHIA PRISON SYSTEM.

HANOVER, PA. (AP) - SHAREHOLDERS OF SNYDER'S OF HANOVER INC. HAVE GIVEN THEIR APPROVAL FOR TO BE ACQUIRED BY LANCE INC., A MOVE THAT COMBINES THE TWO SNACK MAKERS. THE PRIVATELY HELD MAKER OF EATSMART PRODUCTS, KRUNCHERS! AND GRANDE TORTILLA CHIPS, SAID FRIDAY THE DEAL WAS APPROVED BY ITS SHAREHOLDERS AND THE MERGER IS EXPECTED TO BE COMPLETE BY MONDAY.

NATIONAL NEWS:


WASHINGTON (AP) - VICE PRESIDENT JOE BIDEN IS EMPHASIZING THE NEEDS OF THE MIDDLE CLASS AND THE UNEMPLOYED TODAY. IN THE WEEKLY WHITE HOUSE RADIO AND INTERNET ADDRESS, BIDEN SAYS MILLIONS OF MIDDLE CLASS FAMILIES "WILL SEE A BIG BITE OUT OF THEIR PAYCHECKS STARTING JANUARY 1" IF THEIR TAX CUTS EXPIRE. HE SAYS THAT CAN'T BE ALLOWED TO HAPPEN. HE ALSO SAYS UNEMPLOYMENT BENEFITS NEED TO BE EXTENDED.

WASHINGTON (AP) - REPUBLICANS SAY IT'S NO TIME TO BE RAISING TAXES AND THAT MID-TERM ELECTION VOTERS SHOWED THEY AGREE. IN THE GOP WEEKLY RADIO AND INTERNET ADDRESS, SEN. MARK KIRK OF ILLINOIS, WHO WAS SWORN INTO OFFICE THIS WEEK, SAYS THE UNCERTAINTY ABOUT WHETHER THE EXPIRING BUSH-ERA TAX CUTS WILL BE EXTENDED IS HURTING THE ECONOMIC RECOVERY.

WASHINGTON (AP) - THE SENATE IS IN SESSION TODAY FOR TWO TEST VOTES ON TAX CUTS THAT ARE EXPECTED TO FAIL. THEY WOULD ONLY EXTEND BUSH-ERA TAX CUTS FOR THE MIDDLE CLASS. REPUBLICANS WANT THE CUTS FOR WEALTHIER AMERICANS EXTENDED TOO. NEGOTIATIONS ARE UNDER WAY TO DO THAT BUT DEMOCRATS ARE EAGER FOR TODAY'S SHOWDOWN IN AN ATTEMPT TO DEPICT REPUBLICANS AS GUARDIANS OF THE RICH.

SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA (AP) - SOUTH KOREA'S NEW DEFENSE MINISTER SAYS NORTH KOREA IS IN FOR A MILITARY RESPONSE THAT WOULD FORCE ITS SURRENDER IF THERE'S ANOTHER ATTACK ON THE SOUTH. THE STRONG WORDS TODAY COME FROM KIM KWAN-JIN, WHOSE PREDECESSOR RESIGNED AMID CRITICISM THAT THE GOVERNMENT RESPONDED WEAKLY TO A NORTH KOREAN ARTILLERY BARRAGE THAT KILLED FOUR PEOPLE.

NEW DELHI (AP) - INDIA IS BLAMING A PAKISTANI GROUP FOR A CYBER ATTACK THAT TEMPORARILY SHUT DOWN THE WEBSITE OF A FEDERAL INVESTIGATIVE AGENCY. THE CENTRAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION SAYS ITS WEBSITE WAS ACCESSED WITHOUT AUTHORIZATION AND DEFACED LAST NIGHT. THE PRESS TRUST OF INDIA NEWS AGENCY SAYS THE HACKERS IDENTIFIED THEMSELVES AS MEMBERS OF THE PAKISTAN CYBER ARMY. THEY WARNED INDIANS NOT TO ATTACK PAKISTANI WEBSITES.