TODAY'S NEWS: THURSDAY, DECEMBER 9, 2010

SHENANDOAH HEIGHTS MAN FOUND GUILTY

AFTER TRYING TO KILL A POTTSVILLE POLICE OFFICER IN MARCH, 29-YEAR-OLD LUIS DIAZ FROM SHENANDOAH HEIGHTS WAS FOUND GUILTY OF SOME, BUT NOT ALL, OF THE CHARGES AGAINST HIM. DIAZ WAS CHARGED WEDNESDAY IN SCHUYLKILL COUNTY COURT AND FOUND GUILTY OF AGGRAVATED ASSAULT, FLEEING OR ATTEMPTING TO ELUDE POLICE AND RECKLESSLY ENDANGERING ANOTHER PERSON. DIAZ WAS CHARGED WITH TRYING TO RUN DOWN PATROLMAN BRIAN KOTZMOYER ON MARCH 13TH WHILE FLEEING A HOME AFTER THREATENING A CONFIDENTIAL INFORMANT WHO LIVED THERE. DIAZ WAS ALSO FOUND GUILTY OF INTIMIDATION OF A WITNESS AND HARASSMENT. JURORS ALSO CONVICTED DIAZ OF DELIVERY OF A CONTROLLED SUBSTANCE, POSSESSION WITH INTENT TO DELIVER A CONTROLLED SUBSTANCE, AND POSSESSION OF A CONTROLLED SUBSTANCE AFTER HE SOLD $50 WORTH OF COCAINE TO UNDERCOVER OFFICER IN A CONTROLLED BUY ON MARCH 11TH. DIAZ NOW SITS IN THE COUNTY PRISON AWAITING SENTENCING.


POLICE CHASE SHENANDOAH MAN

AFTER ATTEMPTING TO FLEE POLICE WHO WERE TRYING TO ARREST HIM, A SHENANDOAH MAN IS NOW BEING HELD AT SCHUYLKILL COUNTY PRISON. POLICE WERE TRYING TO ARREST 31-YEAR-OLD FABIAN MCGEE ON AN OUTSTANDING WARRANT TUESDAY NIGHT IN NORTH MANHEIM TOWNSHIP. MCGEE WAS FOUND IN THE PARKING LOT OF SHEETZ ON ROUTE 61 AROUND 9PM, BUT IMMEDIATELY FLED LEADING COPS THROUGH PENN STATE SCHUYLKILL'S CAMPUS. AFTER ENDING UP BACK IN THE AREA OF SHEETZ, MCGEE BEGAN TO RUN, BUT WAS CAUGHT AND TAKEN INTO CUSTODY. MCGEE WAS ARRAIGNED ON A WARRANT ON CHARGES OF POSSESSION WITH INTENT TO DELIVER A CONTROLLED SUBSTANCE AND POSSESSION OF A CONTROLLED SUBSTANCE.

FRACKVILLE PROPOSED 2011 BUDGET

FRACKVILLE BORO COUNCIL TENTATIVELY APPROVED THE PROPOSED BUDGET FOR 2011, WEDNESDAY EVENING. THE BUDGET DOES NOT INCLUDE A TAX INCREASE, BUT SHUTS DOWN RECYCLING PROGRAMS AND OPERATING OF THE BORO’S PUBLIC POOL. THE COUNCIL WORKED THE BUDGET THROUGH A SERIES OF LENGTHY MEETINGS BEFORE DECIDING THE RECYCLING PROGRAMS AND POOL REOPENING WERE NOT POSSIBLE. THE ULTIMATE GOAL OF NOT RAISING THE TAXES IN THE BORO HAVE BEEN ACHIEVED, AND THE TENTATIVE BUDGET WILL BE OFFICIALLY APPROVED AT A SPECIAL MEETING BEFORE YEAR’S END.

FRACKVILLE'S BUDGET DOES NOT INCLUDE POOL REOPENING

FRACKVILLE BOUROGH COUNCIL TENTATIVELY APPROVED THE PROPOSED BUDGET FOR 2011, WEDNESDAY EVENING. THE BUDGET DOES NOT INCLUDE A TAX INCREASE, BUT SHUT DOWN RECYCLING PROGRAMS AND OPERATING OF THE BOUROUGH'S PUBLIC POOL. THE COUNCIL WORKED THE BUDGET THROUGH A SERIES OF LENGTHY MEETINGS BEFORE DECIDING THE RECYCLING PROGRAMS AND POOL REOPENING WERE NOT POSSIBLE. THE ULTIMATE GOAL OF NOW RAISING THE TAXES IN THE BOROUGH HAVE BEEN ACHIEVED, AND THE TENTATIVE BUDGET WILL BE OFFICIALLY APPROVED AT A SPECIAL MEETING BEFORE YEAR’S END.


STUDENTS RECOGNIZE FATHER CISZEK

TRINITY ACADEMY STUDENTS HONORED FATHER WALTER CISZEK’S WEDNESDAY DURING THE MASS THEY CELEBRATED FOR THE FEAST OF THE IMMACULATE CONCEPTION. THE STUDENTS RECOGNIZED THE CORRELATION IN HIS WILL SERVE JUST AS MARY DID, AND CONTINUE TO PRAY FOR FATHER CISZEK'S CANONIZATION AS A SAINT. FATHER CISZEK RETURNED TO SHENANDOAH IN 1963, AFTER BEING DETAINED FOR 23 YEARS IN THE SOVIET UNION, AND SPENT HIS TIME WORKING IN THE COMMUNITY UNTIL HIS DEATH ON DECEMBER 8TH 1984.


STATE NEWS:

LOS ANGELES (AP) - POLICE ARE HUNTING A YORK COUPLE THEY SAY KILLED A GOOD SAMARITAN WHO BEFRIENDED THEM BEFORE HE WAS CUT UP AND STUFFED INTO A BACKPACK IN A LOS ANGELES HOTEL ROOM. EDWARD AND MELISSA GARCIA ARE CHARGED WITH MURDER AND ARE CONSIDERED ARMED AND DANGEROUS. A MAID FOUND THE BODY OF HERBERT TRACY WHITE LATE LAST MONTH.

WEST MIFFLIN, PA. (AP) - POLICE IN WESTERN PENNSYLVANIA SAY A SCHOOL BUS DRIVER WILL BE CITED AFTER ALLEGEDLY THREATENING A 9-YEAR-OLD AUTISTIC BOY WITH A CROWBAR. WEST MIFFLIN POLICE TELL THE PITTSBURGH TRIBUNE REVIEW THAT JON SHIELDS WILL BE CITED FOR HARASSMENT IN CONNECTION WITH LAST WEEK'S INCIDENT. THE OWNER OF THE BUS COMPANY HAS DESCRIBED THE BEHAVIOR AS "HORSEPLAY."

MCKEES ROCKS, PA. (AP) - A 70-YEAR-OLD PITTSBURGH-AREA TAILOR HAS SURRENDERED AND BEEN JAILED ON CHARGES HE GROPED TWO FEMALE CUSTOMERS WHILE MEASURING THEM FOR CLOTHES. ALLEGHENY COUNTY POLICE SAY ANTHONY TORNATORE (TOR-NAH-TOR'-EE), OF KENNEDY TOWNSHIP, GROPED A 51-YEAR-OLD WOMAN ON OCTOBER 30TH, AND TWICE TRIED TO KISS AND GROPE A WOMAN DURING FITTINGS ON NOVEMBER 26TH AND DECEMBER 2ND.

ORLANDO, FLA. (AP) - ACTOR WESLEY SNIPES IS REQUIRED TO REPORT BY NOON TODAY TO A FEDERAL PRISON IN PENNSYLVANIA FOR FAILING TO PAY TAXES. SNIPES IS TO REPORT TO FEDERAL CORRECTIONAL INSTITUTION MCKEAN IN LEWIS RUN. THE STAR OF NUMEROUS ACTION FILMS INCLUDING, "BLADE" AND "PASSENGER 57" HAS BEEN SENTENCED TO THREE YEARS BEHIND BARS.

NATIONAL NEWS:

WASHINGTON (AP) - REPORTS OF PEOPLE POINTING LASERS AT AIRCRAFT COCKPITS ARE STEADILY RISING. THE FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION SAYS THERE HAVE BEEN MORE THAN 2,200 INCIDENTS THIS YEAR. FIVE YEARS AGO, THERE WERE FEWER THAN 300. THE FAA SAYS THE INCIDENTS ARE DANGEROUS, BECAUSE THE LASERS' INTENSE LIGHT CAN DISTRACT AND TEMPORARILY BLIND PILOTS.

BALTIMORE (AP) - ANOTHER NATURALIZED CITIZEN IS FACING CHARGES OF ATTEMPTING TO USE A WEAPON OF MASS DESTRUCTION AFTER BEING CAUGHT IN AN FBI STING. ANTONIO MARTINEZ WAS ARRESTED WHEN HE TRIED TO DETONATE WHAT HE THOUGHT WAS A BOMB AT A MILITARY RECRUITING CENTER IN MARYLAND. THE 21-YEAR-OLD HAS GONE BY THE NAME MUHAMMAD HUSSAIN SINCE RECENTLY CONVERTING TO ISLAM.

WASHINGTON (AP) - SOME DEMOCRATS ARE PREDICTING PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA'S TAX CUT COMPROMISE WILL PASS, BUT MAINLY BECAUSE OF REPUBLICAN SUPPORT. ANGER AMONG LIBERALS IS FOCUSED ON THE PROPOSED LOWERING OF ESTATE TAXES. BUT AFTER A MEETING OF HOUSE DEMOCRATS WITH THE VICE PRESIDENT, REP. GERALD CONNOLLY SAYS THERE'S MORE DEMOCRATIC SUPPORT THAN THERE APPEARS. HE SAYS, "SOME PEOPLE FELT THEY HAD TO VENT."

WASHINGTON (AP) - LEGISLATION TO FREEZE THE BUDGETS OF MOST CABINET DEPARTMENTS AND FUND THE WAR IN AFGHANISTAN IS NOW IN THE HANDS OF THE SENATE. THE HOUSE NARROWLY PASSED THE BUDGET DEAL LAST NIGHT BY A 212-206 VOTE. AS IT STANDS NOW, IT WOULD CAP THE OPERATING BUDGETS OF FEDERAL AGENCIES AT $1.2 TRILLION. THAT'S $46 BILLION LESS THAN PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA'S REQUEST.

WASHINGTON (AP) - THE SURGEON GENERAL SAYS EVEN THE OCCASIONAL CIGARETTE IS BAD FOR A PERSON'S HEALTH. WHILE LUNG CANCER CAN TAKE YEARS TO DEVELOP, A REPORT OUT TODAY SAYS TOBACCO SMOKE BEGINS POISONING IMMEDIATELY WITH MORE THAN 7,000 CHEMICALS IN EACH PUFF CAUSING CELLULAR DAMAGE IN NEARLY EVERY ORGAN. THE REPORT SAYS INHALING SECONDHAND SMOKE IS ALSO DANGEROUS.