TODAY'S NEWS: FRIDAY, JANUARY 21, 2011

COP TRIAL UPDATE:

PROSECUTION RESTED THIS MORNING AFTER 11:00. JUDGE A. RICHARD CAPUTO DENIED THE DISMISSAL OF THE CHARGES FOR ALL THREE DEFENDANTS. THE DEFENSE WILL PROCEED AFTER LUNCH.

BREAKING NEWS:
FIREFIGHTERS FROM PINE GROVE BOROUGH'S HOSE, HOOK AND LADDER FIRE COMPANY WERE CALLED TO THE RUTH STEINERT MEMORIAL SPCA AT 9:30AM FOR A REPORTED STRUCTURE FIRE. SCHUYLKILL COUNTY COMMUNICATIONS SAID THE COUNTY ANIMAL RESPONSE TEAM WAS ALSO CALLED TO THE SCENE WITH CAGES TO HELP THE ANIMALS. THE SHELTER IS LOCATED AT 18 WERTZ DRIVE IN PINE GROVE.

COP TRIAL UPDATE:
THE TRIAL HAS BEEN DELAYED UNTIL 11am DUE TO WEATHER CONDITIONS.

PROSECUTION NEARS END OF WITNESS LIST

PROSECUTION MAY REST TODAY IN THE TRIAL OF THREE LOCAL POLICE OFFICERS. WPPA'S BRITTANY HAS MORE:

COP TRIAL

THE EDUCATION EXPRESS

THE EDUCATION EXPRESS IS TRAVELING TO POTTSVILLE THIS SATURDAY, JANUARY 22 FROM 11AM TO 3PM. BRING YOUR CHILD TO THE FAIRLANE VILLAGE MALL CENTER COURT TO EXPERIENCE THIS EDUCATIONAL EVENT. CHILDREN WILL RECEIVE A "PASSPORT TO EDUCATION" WHICH THE PARTICIPATING ORGANIZATIONS WILL STAMP AT EACH ACTIVITY. ALL CHILDREN WHO COMPLETE THEIR PASSPORTS WILL GET TO ENJOY A FREE PRETZEL COMPLIMENTS OF VILLAGE PRETZEL. THIS EVENT WILL INCLUDE CRAFTS, ACTIVITIES, CHANCES FOR LEARNING AND OF COURSE FUN! KINDERGARTEN REGISTRATION WILL ALSO BE AVAILABLE.

SCHUYLKILL COUNTY LEGISLATORS ANNOUNCE GRANTS

SENATOR DAVID ARGALL ALONG WITH REPRESENTATIVES NEAL GOODMAN, JERRY KNOWLES AND MIKE TOBASH ANNOUNCED THURSDAY THREE GRANTS FOR IMPROVEMENTS FOR WATER QUALITY AND SAFETY. CASS TOWNSHIP, SCHUYLKILL TOWNSHIP, AND POTTSVILLE ALL RECEIVED GRANTS THAT WILL HELP IMPROVE THE ENVIRONMENT. SCHUYLKILL TOWNSHIP RECEIVED THE GRANT FOR THE THIRD AND FINAL PHASE OF THE BELL COLLIERY AMD REMEDIATION PROJECT. THE GRANT, ALONG WITH THE CASS TOWNSHIP GRANT, WILL HELP REDUCE WATER- POLLUTION FROM NONPOINT SOURCES. THE FUNDING RECEIVED BY THE CITY OF POTTSVILLE WILL CONTINUE TO HELP FILL THE REMAINING 28.25 ACRES BY DANGEROUS MINING SUBSIDENCE ON SHARP MOUNTAIN. MIKE TOBASH COMMENTED "THIS IS CERTAINLY A WORTHWHILE INVESTMENT BY THE COMMONWEALTH."

ASSAULT BY LIFE PRISONER

A FORMER INMATE SERVING A LIFE SENTENCE AT THE STATE CORRECTIONAL INSTITUTION IN MAHANOY TOWNSHIP WAS CHARGED BY STATE POLICE THURSDAY WITH ASSAULTING A CORRECTIONS OFFICER THERE IN DECEMBER. OFFICER DONALD MALICK SUFFERED SERIOUS INJURIES BY 31-YEAR-OLD ANTHONY MOTEN. MOTEN WAS ARRAIGNED ON ONE COUNT EACH OF ASSAULT BY LIFE PRISONER, ASSAULT BY PRISONER AND RECKLESSLY ENDANGERING ANOTHER PERSON, ALONG WITH TWO COUNTS OF AGGRAVATED ASSAULT. MOTEN IS CURRENTLY AN INMATE AT SCI/FRACKVILLE. BAIL WAS SET AT $100,000 STRAIGHT CASH. MOTEN RETURNED TO PRISON WITH A HEARING SET FOR FEBUARY 10TH.

STATE NEWS:

PHILADELPHIA (AP) - A FORMER STATE HEALTH OFFICIAL ADMITS TO A MISTAKE IN FAILING TO INVESTIGATE PHILADELPHIA ABORTION DR. KERMIT GOSNELL, WHO IS NOW CHARGED IN THE DEATHS OF SEVEN BABIES AND A WOMAN PATIENT. JANICE STALOSKI HEADED THE DIVISION REGULATING ABORTION PROVIDERS. A GRAND JURY REPORT SAYS STALOSKI FAILED TO ORDER A PROBE OF GOSNELL'S CLINIC DESPITE REPEATED COMPLAINTS.

WASHINGTON (AP) - FORMER SENATOR RICK SANTORUM IS BLASTING PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA ON ABORTION. IN AN INTERVIEW WITH THE CHRISTIAN BROADCASTING NETWORK, SANTORUM YESTERDAY SAID IT SURPRISES HIM THAT THE NATION'S FIRST BLACK PRESIDENT IS WILLING TO DENY CIVIL RIGHTS TO FETUSES. THE WHITE HOUSE WOULDN'T COMMENT ON SANTORUM'S CRITICISM.

SCRANTON, PA. (AP) - A SCRANTON BUSINESSMAN WHO DISAPPEARED BEFORE HE WAS SUPPOSED TO START A 10-YEAR PRISON TERM ON A FRAUD CONVICTION HAS BEEN CAUGHT IN LAS CRUCES, NEW MEXICO. FEDERAL MARSHALS SAY JOSEPH DONAHUE WAS ARRESTED YESTERDAY AS HE LEFT A HOTEL. HE NOW AWAITS AN EXTRADITION HEARING.

HARRISBURG, PA. (AP) - GOVERNOR TOM CORBETT AND HIS WIFE PLAN TO OPEN THE DOORS OF THE GOVERNOR'S OFFICIAL RESIDENCE IN HARRISBURG SUNDAY AFTERNOON FOR AN OPEN HOUSE. THE GEORGIAN-STYLE HOME WAS BUILT IN 1968 ALONG THE SUSQUEHANNA RIVER. THERE WILL BE GUIDED TOURS AND MUSICAL ENTERTAINMENT.

NATIONAL NEWS:

NEW YORK (AP) - FEDERAL AUTHORITIES ARE HOPING A MAJOR CRACKDOWN ON NEW YORK'S FIVE INFAMOUS CRIME FAMILIES WILL BE AN IMPORTANT AND ENCOURAGING STEP IN DISRUPTING THEIR OPERATIONS. SOME 127 SUSPECTED MOBSTERS AND THEIR ASSOCIATES HAVE BEEN CHARGED WITH MURDER, EXTORTION AND OTHER CRIMES - SOME THAT GO BACK DECADES. THURSDAY'S ARRESTS ARE THE LATEST EFFORT TO CRIPPLE LA COSA NOSTRA (LUH KOH'-ZUH NOH'-STRUH).

WASHINGTON (AP) - PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA HAS NAMED GENERAL ELECTRIC'S CEO TO HEAD HIS REVAMPED ECONOMIC ADVISORY BOARD. JEFFREY IMMELT WILL TAKE OVER AFTER FEDERAL RESERVE CHAIRMAN PAUL VOLCKER'S TENURE EXPIRES FEBRUARY 6. THE NEW ADVISORY BOARD ALSO HAS A NEW NAME - THE PRESIDENT'S COUNCIL ON JOBS AND COMPETITIVENESS - AND IT'LL PUT MORE EMPHASIS ON CREATING JOBS.

TUCSON, ARIZ. (AP) - U.S. CONGRESSWOMAN GABRIELLE GIFFORDS IS EXPECTED TO BE TRANSFERRED TODAY FROM HER TUCSON, ARIZ. HOSPITAL TO A REHAB FACILITY IN HOUSTON. GIFFORDS' HUSBAND SAYS HE'S HOPING HIS WIFE WILL MAKE A FULL RECOVERY, AFTER BEING SHOT IN THE HEAD ALMOST TWO WEEKS AGO. MARK KELLY SAYS HIS WIFE IS "A FIGHTER LIKE NOBODY ELSE THAT I KNOW." HOUSTON IS ALSO WHERE KELLY LIVES AND TRAINS AS AN ASTRONAUT.

SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA (AP) - A WEEK OF BEING HELD CAPTIVE BY SOMALI PIRATES IS OVER FOR 21 CREW MEMBERS OF A SOUTH KOREAN VESSEL. SOUTH KOREAN SPECIAL FORCES STORMED THE FREIGHTER IN THE ARABIAN SEA BEFORE DAWN, RESCUING THE CREW AND KILLING EIGHT PIRATES. FIVE SOMALIS WERE TAKEN INTO CUSTODY. SOUTH KOREAN PRESIDENT LEE MYUNG-BAK SAID IN A TELEVISED STATEMENT, "WE WILL NOT TOLERATE ANY BEHAVIOR THAT THREATENS THE LIVES AND SAFETY OF OUR PEOPLE IN THE FUTURE."

MANILA, PHILIPPINES (AP) - THE PHILIPPINE COAST GUARD SAYS IT'S SEARCHING FOR A SAILBOAT WITH FIVE AMERICANS THAT WAS REPORTED MISSING AFTER LEAVING THE PACIFIC ISLAND OF GUAM MORE THAN TWO WEEKS AGO. A COAST GUARD SPOKESMAN SAYS THE U.S. ASKED FOR HELP LOCATING THE FOUR MEN AND ONE WOMAN ABOARD THE BOAT, BUT IT'S NOT CLEAR IF IT HAD ACTUALLY REACHED PHILIPPINE WATERS. THE AMERICANS WERE ON THEIR WAY TO CEBU ISLAND IN THE CENTRAL PHILIPPINES.