TODAY'S NEWS: TUESDAY, DECEMBER 7, 2010

2 HOUR SCHOOL DELAYS:

WEATHERWATCH

LINE MOUNTAIN
MCCANN SCH. BUS./SUNBURY
MEADOWVIEW CHRISTIAN ACAD.
MT.CARMEL
N'UMBERLAND CO VO-TECH
N'UMBERLAND CHRISTIAN
SHAMOKIN AREA
SHIKELLAMY
TRIANGLE TECH/SUNBURY
WARRIOR RUN
NORTH SCHUYLKILL

CANCELLATIONS:

WEST END FIRE AND RECUE, MAHANOY CITY BINGO CANCELED

VERTERAN RETURNS HOME

AN HONOR GUARD OF VETERANS STOOD IN THE COLD MONDAY AFTERNOON AS THE REMAINS OF ARMY PRIVATE HENRY WEIKEL WERE TRANSPORTED TO MAHANOY CITY IN PREPARATION FOR FUNERAL SERVICES 92 YEARS AFTER WEIKEL WAS KILLED IN ACTION DURING WORLD WAR I.
THE HEARSE CARRYING WEIKEL FROM THE PHILADELPHIA INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT WAS ESCORTED BY STATE POLICE TO LOUIS TRUSKOWSKY FUNERAL HOME, WHERE THE FLAG-DRAPED CASKET WAS REMOVED AND TAKEN INSIDE BY MEMBERS OF THE PATRIOT GUARD RIDERS OF PENNSYLVANIA AS VETERANS STOOD AT ATTENTION AND SALUTED A FELLOW COMRADE.
THE 28-YEAR-OLD WEIKEL WAS KILLED IN ACTION IN NORTHEASTERN FRANCE ON SEPT. 16, 1918, IN THE BATTLE OF SAINT-MIHIEL, DURING WHICH THE AMERICAN EXPEDITIONARY FORCE RECLAIMED THE AREA FROM THE GERMANS.
WEIKEL WAS BURIED AT THE LOCATION WITH OTHER CASUALTIES.
THE REPUBLICAN HERALD REPORTS, A PUBLIC VIEWING WILL BE HELD FROM 6 TO 8 P.M. WEDNESDAY AT THE FUNERAL HOME. THE FUNERAL SERVICE WILL BE HELD AT 11 A.M. THURSDAY AT TRUSKOWSKY FUNERAL HOME. INTERMENT WITH FULL MILITARY HONORS WILL BE AT 1 P.M. AT INDIANTOWN GAP NATIONAL CEMETERY, ANNVILLE.

MISTRIAL DECLARED

ARTHUR UROSKIE, OF SAINT CLAIR, REMAINS FREE ON BAIL AFTER MORE THAN THREE HOURS OF DELIBERATION MONDAY. JUDGE WILLIAM E. BALDWIN DECLARED A MISTRIAL IN THE SEXUAL MOLESTATION CASE AGAINST UROSKIE, BUT CAN BE PROSECUTED AGAIN BECAUSE HE WAS NOT FOUND NOT GUILTY OF THE CHARGES. UROSKIE ALLEGEDLY ASSAULTED TWO FEMALE TEENAGERS OVER A FOUR YEAR PERIOD, BEGINNING IN 2005 AND ENDING IN 2009. HE FACED 16 COUNTS OF AGGRAVATED INDECENT ASSAULT, FOUR EACH OF INDECENT ASSAULT AND INDECENT EXPOSURE, THREE OF INVOLUNTARY DEVIANT SEXUAL INTERCOURSE AND TWO OF CORRUPTION OF MINORS.

GAME COMMISSION

PENNSYLVANIA GAME COMMISSION OFFICIALS ARE URGING WILDLIFE ENTHUSIASTS TO JOIN THE TENS OF THOUSANDS OF VOLUNTEERS THROUGHOUT THE UNITED STATES IN THE AUDUBON SOCIETY'S 111TH ANNUAL CHRISTMAS BIRD COUNT. THE COUNT TAKES PLACE DECEMBER 14TH, THROUGH JANUARY 5TH IN A COUNT CIRCLE OR GEOGRAPHICAL AREA SPECIFIED BY THE AUDUBON SOCIETY. THE DATA COLLECTED THROUGH THE EFFORT ALLOWS RESEARCHERS, CONSERVATION BIOLOGISTS, AND OTHER INTERESTED INDIVIDUALS TO STUDY THE LONG-TERM HEALTH AND STATUS OF BIRD POPULATIONS ACROSS NORTH AMERICA. VOLUNTEERS CAN PICK THE MOST CONVENIENT GEOGRAPHICAL AREA, OR PARTICIPATE IN MORE THAN ONE COUNT.

2011 RIVER OF THE YEAR

FOR THE FIRST TIME, CITIZENS WILL DIRECTLY CHOOSE THE 2011 PENNSYLVANIA RIVER OF THE YEAR. THE SIX FINALISTS FOR 2011 ARE: CLARION RIVER, CONEWANGO CREEK, DELAWARE RIVER, KISKIMINETAS RIVER, PINE CREEK, AND THE STONYCREEK RIVER. THE SELECTION PROCESS WAS OPEN TO A PUBLIC VOTE AS A MEANS TO HIGHLIGHT THE MANY GREAT RIVERS PENNSYLVANIA IS FORTUNATE TO HAVE, AND TO RALLY COMMUNITY SUPPORT FOR THEIR NATURAL ASSETS ACCORDING TO THE DEPARTMENT OF CONSERVATION AND NATURAL RESOURCES SECRETARY JOHN QUIGLEY. PENNSYLVANIA?S RIVER OF THE YEAR IS AN HONOR DESIGNED TO ELEVATE PUBLIC AWARENESS OF SPECIFIC RIVERS AND RECOGNIZE IMPORTANT CONSERVATION NEEDS AND ACHIEVEMENTS. RIVER OF THE YEAR DESIGNATIONS HAVE BEEN PRESENTED ANNUALLY SINCE 1983. WWW.PA WATERSHEDS.ORG AND CLICK ON THE LINKS TO READ THE NOMINATION STATEMENT FOR EACH RIVER AND TO VOTE. VOTING ENDS MONDAY, JAN. 3. MORE THAN 2,200 VOTES ALREADY HAVE BEEN RECEIVED.

TEACHERS UNION FILES CHARGES

TEACHERS AT SCHUYLKILL INTERMEDIATE UNIT 29 HAVE FILED UNFAIR LABOR PRACTICE CHARGES WITH THE SATE AGAINST THE IU 29 SCHOOL BOARD. THE TEACHERS ARE FED UP WITH WITH CONTRACT NEGOTIATIONS THAT ARE NOT MEETING THEIR NEEDS. FOLLOWING A SCHOOL BOARD MEETING ON NOVEMBER 1ST, THE TEACHERS UNION FILED CHARGES. THE REPUBLICAN HERALD REPORTS, THE TEACHERS MADE AN EFFORT TO BRING THE PARTIES BACK TO THE NEGOTIATING TABLE, BUT THE SCHOOL BOARD WAS NOT RECEPTIVE. A HEARING ON THE MATTER WILL TAKE PLACE AT 9:30AM JANUARY 4TH AT THE LABOR AND INDUSTRY BUILDING IN HARRISBURG.

HIGH SPEED CHASE

A LEBANON MAN NOW SITS BEHIND BARS AFTER STEELING A TRUCK AND LEADING POLICE ON A HIGH SPEED CHASE. THE INCIDENT BEGAN WHEN 47-YEAR-OLD ANTHONY GUSTITUS STOLE A 2000 CHEVROLET PICKUP TRUCK IN LEBANON. POLICE MET GUSTITUS IN NORTH LEBANON TOWNSHIP, BUT WERE NOT ABLE TO IMMEDIATELY STOP HIM. WAS APPREHENDED ON INTERSTATE 81 JUST OVER THE SCHUYLKILL COUNTY LINE. GUSTITUS FACES SEVEN CHARGES INCLUDING DUI.

STATE NEWS:

HARRISBURG, PA. (AP) - THE CRIMINAL CASE AGAINST 10 PEOPLE WITH TIES TO THE PENNSYLVANIA HOUSE REPUBLICAN CAUCUS IS HEADING TO COUNTY COURT, WHERE A JUDGE WILL CONSIDER MOTIONS TO HAVE CHARGES THROWN OUT. THE HEARING FOR FORMER STATE REPS. JOHN PERZEL AND BRETT FEESE, AND THEIR CO-DEFENDANTS, IS SCHEDULED TO GET UNDER WAY TOMORROW MORNING IN A HARRISBURG COURTROOM. IT COULD LAST THREE DAYS OR MORE.

GREENSBURG, PA. (AP) - THE WESTMORELAND COUNTY CORONER SAYS A TEENAGER KILLED BY A TRAIN WAS WEARING HEADPHONES AND MAY NOT HAVE HEARD IT COMING. OFFICIALS SAY 15-YEAR-OLD ERIKA STEFAN, OF SMITHTON, WAS KILLED SUNDAY AS SHE WALKED NEAR A CSX TRAIN CROSSING. THE TRAIN BLEW ITS HORN BUT THE CORONER'S OFFICE SAYS STEFAN APPEARED TO BE WEARING HEADPHONES AND PROBABLY DIDN'T HEAR THE WARNING.

CARLISLE, PA. (AP) - OFFICIALS SAY ONE STUDENT HAS SUFFERED MINOR INJURIES AND A SCHOOL BUS DRIVER HAS BEEN CITED AFTER AN ACCIDENT IN CENTRAL PENNSYLVANIA. THE SENTINEL OF CARLISLE REPORTS THE CRASH HAPPENED YESTERDAY AFTERNOON IN DICKINSON TOWNSHIP. CARLISLE AREA SCHOOL DISTRICT OFFICIALS SAY THERE WERE 24 ELEMENTARY SCHOOL CHILDREN ON THE BUS AND ONE WAS TAKEN TO THE HOSPITAL WITH LEG PAINS.

LANCASTER, PA. (AP) - A FORMER BOROUGH COUNCILMAN AND CHURCH YOUTH GROUP LEADER HAS BEEN SENTENCED TO PRISON ON SEX CHARGES IN PENNSYLVANIA. THE INTELLIGENCER JOURNAL/LANCASTER NEW ERA REPORTS 54-YEAR-OLD LITITZ RESIDENT GREG NIES WAS SENTENCED YESTERDAY TO FOUR TO 17 YEARS IN STATE PRISON. HE'S ALSO BEEN CLASSIFIED AS A SEXUALLY VIOLENT PREDATOR.

PHILADELPHIA (AP) - GOVERNOR ED RENDELL HAS ANNOUNCED THAT WAWA CONVENIENCE STORES THROUGHOUT PENNSYLVANIA WILL FEATURE SELF-SERVICE LOTTERY KIOSKS. RENDELL SAYS THE TOUCH-SCREEN MACHINES COULD BOOST TICKET SALES BY UP TO $37 MILLION EACH YEAR. HE TOUTED THE TERMINALS ON YESTERDAY AT A WAWA IN PHILADELPHIA.

NATIONAL NEWS:

WASHINGTON (AP) - PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA SAYS ALLOWING BUSH-ERA TAX CUTS TO EXPIRE WHILE THE UNEMPLOYMENT RATE STANDS AT 9.8 PERCENT WOULD BE "A CHILLING PROSPECT." SO, HE'S REACHED A DEAL WITH CONGRESSIONAL REPUBLICANS TO KEEP THOSE TAX CUTS IN PLACE, EVEN FOR THOSE WITH THE HIGHEST INCOMES. THE DEAL ALSO WOULD RENEW JOBLESS BENEFITS FOR THE LONG-TERM UNEMPLOYED.

SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA (AP) - SOUTH KOREA'S PRESIDENT IS VOWING TO TURN FIVE ISLANDS NEAR THE BORDER WITH NORTH KOREA INTO "MILITARY FORTRESSES." THE PRESIDENT SAYS THAT WILL ALLOW CIVILIAN RESIDENTS TO CONTINUE LIVING ON THE ISLANDS. A NORTH KOREAN ARTILLERY ATTACK LAST MONTH ON ONE OF THE ISLANDS LEFT FOUR DEAD AND REDUCED MANY HOMES AND SHOPS TO RUBBLE.

GENEVA (AP) - THERE'S BEEN NO SIGN OF PROGRESS IN TALKS BETWEEN WORLD POWERS AND IRAN ON ITS NUCLEAR PROGRAM. THE TALKS ARE ENTERING A SECOND DAY, BUT ONE OFFICIAL SAYS AFTER YESTERDAY'S MEETING THERE'S LITTLE REASON TO BELIEVE TEHRAN WILL ADDRESS U.N. SECURITY COUNCIL DEMANDS THAT IT CURB ITS NUCLEAR ACTIVITIES. IRAN INSISTS THE PROGRAM IS ONLY INTENDED TO PROVIDE POWER FOR A GROWING POPULATION.

LONDON (AP) - WIKILEAKS FOUNDER JULIAN ASSANGE (AH-SAHNJ') IS EXPECTED TO SURRENDER TO BRITISH POLICE TODAY. HE'S WANTED IN SWEDEN IN A SEX-CRIMES INVESTIGATION. ASSANGE HAS BEEN HIDING IN BRITAIN SINCE WIKILEAKS BEGAN RELEASING HUNDREDS OF CLASSIFIED U.S. DIPLOMATIC CABLES LAST WEEK. MEANWHILE, AUTHORITIES HAVE CLOSED ASSANGE'S SWISS BANK ACCOUNT, DEPRIVING HIM OF ANOTHER FUNDRAISING TOOL.

BEIJING (AP) - CHINA'S OFFICIAL NEWS AGENCY IS REPORTING THAT A GOVERNMENT OFFICIAL WHO BACKED HIS CAR INTO A GROUP OF TEENAGERS OVER THE WEEKEND IS SUSPECTED OF HAVING BEEN DRUNK AT THE TIME. FIVE OF THE TEENS WERE KILLED. THE OFFICIAL HAS BEEN DETAINED AS THE INCIDENT IS INVESTIGATED. IT FOLLOWS A DEADLY HIT-AND-RUN ACCIDENT LESS THAN TWO MONTHS AGO THAT INVOLVED THE SON OF A POLICE OFFICIAL.