TODAY'S NEWS: FRIDAY, JANUARY 14, 2011

1:00pm COP TRIAL UPDATE:
ARIEL GARCIA TOOK THE STAND SHORTLY AFTER 9:00am. GARCIA RECOUNTED THE EVENTS FROM JULY 12, 2008, AND ANSWERED QUESTIONS REGARDING MULTIPLE STATEMENTS GIVEN TO SHENANDOAH POLICE AND SCHUYLKILL COUNTY DETECTIVES. GARCIA STATED SHE DID NOT MENTION ROXANNE RECTOR IN HER FIRST STATEMENT TO PROTECCT CRYSTAL DILLMAN, LUIS RAMIREZ FIANCE. BRIAN SCULLY TOOK THE STAND SHORTLY BEFORE NOON, AND CROSS-EXAMINATION WILL CONTINUE AFTER 2:00 THIS AFTERNOON.


TESTIMONY CONTINUES IN COP TRIAL

AFTER A LENGHTY JURY SELECTION, THE TRIAL INVOLING THREE LOCAL POLICE OFFICERS IS UNDER WAY. WPPA'S BRITTANY HAS MORE...

COP TRIAL

PPL OFFERS TOOLS TO HELP OUT CUSTOMERS

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BACK TO COURT OVER AUDITOR PAYMENTS

ON THURSDAY, COUNTY COMMISSIONERS ASKED A JUDGE TO COMPEL CONTROLLER MELINDA KANTNER TO PAY THE REMAINING MONEY OWED TO THE COUNTY'S EXTERNAL AUDITOR. THEY ARE REQUESTING KANTNER PAY THE LAST INSTALLMENT OF $18,000 OWED TO POTTSVILLE ACCOUNTANT SAM DEEGAN. THE REPUBLICAN HERALD REPORTS, DEEGAN WAS HIRED IN LATE 2009 WITH A FOUR YEAR CONTRACT. ACCORDING TO HIS CONTRACT, DEEGAN IS TO BE PAID THREE INSTALLMENTS OF $18,000 PLUS A $6,000 RETAINER FEE AFTER HIS WORK IS DONE.

BLUE MOUNTAIN SCHOOL DISTRICT TO MAKE CHANGES

ADMINISTRATORS OF THE BLUE MOUNTAIN SCHOOL DISTRICT ARE CONSIDERING A CHANGE FOR THE CRESSONA AND WEST ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS. CREATING A PRIMARY INTERMEDIATE ELEMENTARY MODEL FOR STUDENTS IN THE CRESSONA AND WESTERN PARTS OF THE DISTRICT WAS ONE OPTION TEACHERS AND PARENTS HAVE CONSIDERED. THE REPUBLICAN HERALD REPORTS, THE DISTRICT IS LOOKING AT MANY WAYS TO IMPROVE ITS ELEMENTARY INSTRUCTION WHILE FACING A NEARLY $1.7 MILLION DEFICIT.

TEEN DONATES HAIR

A POTTSVILLE TEEN DONATED TEN INCHES OF HER BLONDE HAIR TO "LOCKS FOR LOVE" THURSDAY. THE REPUBLICAN HERALD REPORTS, 17-YEAR-OLD CHELSEA DALTON GAVE HER LOCKS TO CHILDREN SUFFERING FROM LONG-TERM MEDICAL HAIR LOSS. IT TOOK FOUR YEARS TO GROW AND JUST TWENTY-FIVE SECONDS TO CUT OFF, BUT DALTON IS GIVING BACK TO AN ORGANIZATION THAT ONCE HELPED HER. AT THE AGE OF FIVE, DALTON WAS DIAGNOSED WITH LEUKEMIA. SHE IS NOW HEALTHY AND IN REMISSION.

THE TOLL OF MEDICAL ERRORS IN PA

A NEW REPORT SAYS IN PENNSYLVANIA, AND EVERY STATE IN THE NATION, LIVES ARE BEING LOST DUE TO MEDICAL ERRORS. THE U-S DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES ESTIMATES 180 THOUSAND PEOPLE DIE EACH YEAR BECAUSE OF THEM. THOSE NUMBERS HAVE BEEN GOING UP STEADILY FOR A DECADE. IT CAN BE HARD FOR AFFECTED PATIENTS TO SEEK LEGAL RECOURSE AND A VERY SMALL PERCENTAGE LEAD TO LAWSUITS. A STUDY PUBLISHED IN THE NEW ENGLAND JOURNAL OF MEDICINE CONCLUDED THAT PREVIOUS HOSPITAL QUALITY INITIATIVES OVER THE PAST DECADE HAVE NOT MADE PROGRESS IN REDUCING MEDICAL ERRORS.

STATE NEWS:

PHILADELPHIA (AP) - TWO PEOPLE CONVICTED OF KILLING A MAN AND A TEENAGER IN NORTHEAST PHILADELPHIA HAVE BEEN SENTENCED TO LIFE IN PRISON. ROBERT MCDOWELL AND GERALD DRUMMOND HAD FACED THE DEATH PENALTY IN THE DOUBLE HOMICIDE THAT TOOK PLACE IN JULY 2007. MCDOWELL AND DRUMMOND WERE CONVICTED LAST MONTH OF KILLING DAMIEN HOLLOWAY AND TIMOTHY CLARK.

BERWICK, PA. (AP) - THE OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH ADMINISTRATION ASSESSED A $7,500 PENALTY AGAINST STEPHEN BODNAR OF BERWICK AFTER A FATAL TRE. BODNAR AND JAMES BERRY WERE WORKING AT THE FUTURE SITE OF THE BODNAROSA MOTEL AND CAMPGROUND IN SALEM TOWNSHIP LAST APRIL WHEN A TRENCH CAVED IN, HURTING BODNAR AND KILLING BERRY.

SHARON HILL, PA. (AP) - FIREFIGHTERS IN SHARON HILL FOUND 10 DEAD PIT BULLS AFTER PUTTING OUT A FIRE IN A GARAGE AROUND 9:30 A.M. THURSDAY, AND OFFICIALS ARE INVESTIGATING WHETHER THE STRUCTURE WAS AN ILLEGAL KENNEL. WPVI-TV REPORTS NO ONE WAS HOME AT THE TIME AND IT IS NOT YET CLEAR HOW THE FIRE STARTED.

PITTSBURGH (AP) - FEDERAL OFFICIALS HAVE FINED U.S. STEEL AND A SUBCONTRACTOR A TOTAL OF $175,000 FOR SAFETY VIOLATIONS FOUND AFTER A COKE PLANT EXPLOSION INJURED AT LEAST 15 WORKERS. THE OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH ADMINISTRATION ANNOUNCED THURSDAY IT CITED THE COMPANIES FOLLOWING A PROBE OF THE JULY 14 EXPLOSION AT THE CLAIRTON COKE WORKS NEAR PITTSBURGH.

NATIONAL NEWS:

TUCSON, ARIZ. (AP) - DOCTORS SAY ARIZONA REP. GABRIELLE GIFFORDS HAS TAKEN A "LEAP FORWARD" IN HER RECOVERY. GIFFORDS IS OPENING HER EYES, MOVING HER LEGS AND ARMS AND IS RESPONDING TO FRIENDS AND FAMILY. DOCTORS SAY THEY HOPE SHE CROSSES "MANY MORE" MILESTONES.

SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA (AP) - DEFENSE SECRETARY ROBERT GATES SAYS THERE MUST BE "CONCRETE STEPS" BY NORTH KOREA FOR NEW TALKS TO BEGIN INVOLVING THE UNITED STATES. HE SAYS THOSE STEPS INVOLVE A WILLINGNESS TO BARGAIN IN GOOD FAITH AND BACK OFF RECENT AGGRESSION AGAINST SOUTH KOREA. HE SAYS DIPLOMACY COULD START WITH DIRECT NORTH-SOUTH TALKS.

TERESOPOLIS, BRAZIL (AP) - DOZENS MORE FUNERALS WILL COME TODAY
AND ANOTHER 300 GRAVES WILL BE DUG TOMORROW IN NORTHEASTERN BRAZIL FOR THE HUNDREDS KILLED BY TORRENTIAL RAINS. AT LEAST 476 PEOPLE ARE KNOWN DEAD AFTER HEAVY RAINS UNLEASHED MUDSLIDES BEFORE DAWN WEDNESDAY, BURYING PEOPLE AS THEY SLEPT. RIO STATE'S CIVIL DEFENSE DEPARTMENT SAID ON ITS WEBSITE THAT ABOUT 14,000 PEOPLE HAD BEEN DRIVEN FROM THEIR HOMES.

WASHINGTON (AP) - REPUBLICANS PICK A NATIONAL PARTY CHAIRMAN WHEN THE 168 MEMBERS OF THE REPUBLICAN NATIONAL COMMITTEE VOTE BY SECRET BALLOT TODAY. CURRENT CHAIRMAN MICHAEL STEELE IS FIGHTING FOR SURVIVAL, SEEKING TO HOLD OFF FOUR CHALLENGERS ACCUSING HIM OF FINANCIAL MISMANAGEMENT AND POOR STEWARDSHIP DURING HIS ROCKY, TWO-YEAR TENURE.

NEW YORK (AP) - IF PROSECUTORS GET THE SENTENCE THEY REQUESTED TODAY, 93-YEAR-OLD CONVICTED MOB BOSS JOHN "SONNY" FRANZESE IS ALMOST CERTAIN TO DIE IN PRISON. THE REPUTED UNDERBOSS OF THE COLOMBO ORGANIZED CRIME FAMILY IS OLD ENOUGH THAT HE KNEW FRANK SINATRA IN HIS HEYDAY. SUPPORTERS INSIST FRANZESE, WHO SUFFERS FROM AN ARRAY OF AILMENTS, SHOULD BE ALLOWED TO "LIVE OUT THE REMAINING FEW YEARS OR MONTHS WITH HIS FAMILY."