TODAY'S NEWS: FRIDAY, JANUARY 28, 2011

THE JURY FOUND A MIXED VERDICT IN THE CASE INVOLVING THREE FORMER SHENANDOAH POLICE OFFICERS. T102'S JAY LEVAN REPORTS:

COP VERDICT TRIAL 1

COP VERDICT TRIAL 2

TAMAQUA STABBING AND SHOOTING

POLICE WERE CALLED TO A TAMAQUA LIQUOR STORE WEDNESDAY NIGHT FOR A REPORT OF A STOLEN VEHICLE, BUT WHEN THEY ARRIVRED ONE PERSON HAD BEEN STABBED AND OTHER SHOT. POLICE REPORT, WHILE AN OFFICER WAS GETTING INFORMATION FROM A STORE EMPLOYEE ABOUT THE THEFT, ANOTHER EMPLOYEE LEFT AND CONFRONTED SEVERAL PEOPLE HE BELIEVED TO BE INVOLVED. AN ARGUMENT STARTED AND THAT STORE EMPLOYEE WAS CUT IN THE ARM BY A KNIFE AND THEN STABBED. TO PROTECT HIMSELF, THE EMPLOYEE PULLED OUT A GUN AND SHOT ONE OF THE ALLEGED THIEVES IN THE STOMACH. BOTH INJURED MEN WERE TAKEN TO ST. LUKE'S MINERS MEMORIAL HOSPITAL IN COALDALE. THE EMPLOYEE WAS TREATED AND RELEASED, BUT THE MAN WHO WAS SHOT REMAINS IN SERIOUS CONDITION.

THE GREATER POTTSVILLE WINTER CARNIVAL

THE SNOWDROP AND SNOWFLAKE PRINCESS CORONATION WILL TAKE PLACE THIS SATURDAY AS PART OF THE GREATER POTTSVILLE WINTER CARNIVAL. A BALL WILL BE HELD IN THEIR HONOR AT THE POTTSVILLE CLUB FOLLOWING THE CROWNING AT THE POTTSVILLE HIGH SCHOOL AUDITORIUM THAT STARTS AT 7PM. TICKETS FOR THE BALL ARE AVAILABLE AT MURPHY JEWELERS FOR JUST $5. THE CARNIVAL CELEBRATES THE PAST AND THE FUTURE WITH MORE THAN A MONTH OF EVENTS. THE QUEEN OF SNOWS CORONATION WILL TAKE PLACE FEB. 5.

STOLEN VAN

A THIEF STOLE A BLUE 1999 CHEVROLET 1500 SERIS CONVERSION VAN IN UNION TOWNSHIP AFTER IT WAS PARKED IN FRONT OF ITS OWNER'S HOUSE. POLICE REPORT, THE VAN WAS TAKEN BETWEEN 7AM TUESDAY AND 2PM WEDNESDAY. THE OWNER IS 71-YEAR-OLD LAMAR LEX OF RINGTOWN. ANYONE WITH INFORMATION IS ASKED TO CALL STATE POLICE AT 874-5300.

PRESS CONFERENCE

SCHUYLKILL COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY JAMES GOODMAN WILL HOLD A PRESS CONFERENCE TODAY AT 10AM IN COURTROOM NUMBER ONE IN THE SCHUYLKILL COUNTY COURTHOUSE IN POTTSVILLE. GOODMAN WILL HAND OUT CHECKS TO LOCAL POLICE DEPARTMENTS, THE SCHUYLKILL COUNTY PRISON, THE PENNSYLVANIA STATE POLICE, SCHUYLKILL WOMEN IN CRISIS, AND THE SEXUAL ASSAULT RESOURCE CENTER FROM THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY'S DRUG FORFEITURE ACCOUNT. THE PRESS CONFERENCE WILL ANNOUNCE THAT DRUG DEALER'S MONEY IS BEING GIVEN TO LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES TO FIGHT THE WAR ON DRUGS. THE MONEY WAS OBTAINED FROM THE SUCCESSFUL SCHUYLKILL ICE OPERATION INVOLVING A MAJOR METHAMPHETAMINE DRUG RING IN NORTHERN SCHUYLKILL COUNTY.

STATE NEWS:

WILKES-BARRE, PA. (AP) - ONE OF THREE FORMER PENNSYLVANIA POLICE OFFICERS ACCUSED OF COVERING UP THE BEATING DEATH OF AN ILLEGAL MEXICAN IMMIGRANT HAS BEEN CONVICTED OF THE MOST SERIOUS CHARGE AGAINST HIM. A FEDERAL JURY FOUND FORMER SHENANDOAH POLICE CHIEF MATTHEW NESTOR GUILTY OF FALSIFYING HIS POLICE REPORT, A CHARGE THAT CARRIES UP TO 20 YEARS IN PRISON.

HARRISBURG, PA. (AP) - A MAN IS HOSPITALIZED AFTER HIS CAR WAS STRUCK BY TWO TRAINS TRAVELING IN OPPOSITE DIRECTIONS. HARRISBURG POLICE TOLD THE PATRIOT-NEWS THAT THE MAN DROVE ONTO THE TRACKS NEAR 13TH AND PAXTON STREETS EARLY THURSDAY. THE NEWSPAPER SAYS THE MAN WAS PULLED OUT OF THE VEHICLE BY RESCUE CREWS AND TAKEN TO HERSHEY MEDICAL CENTER.

CHARLESTON, W.VA. (AP) - FEDERAL REGULATORS SAY THEY'RE STILL FINDING SERIOUS SAFETY VIOLATIONS AT THE NATION'S COAL MINES DESPITE MORE THAN SIX MONTHS OF SO-CALLED IMPACT INSPECTIONS AT
DANGEROUS OPERATIONS. THE MINE SAFETY AND HEALTH ADMINISTRATION SAID THURSDAY IT ISSUED 288 CITATIONS DURING SUCH INSPECTIONS AT 17 MINES LAST MONTH IN WEST VIRGINIA, PENNSYLVANIA, VIRGINIA, KENTUCKY, TENNESSEE, INDIANA AND WYOMING.

MILWAUKEE (AP) - ART MUSEUMS ARE WAGERING LOANS OF MAJOR WORKS OF ART BASED ON THE OUTCOME OF THE SUPER BOWL. MILWAUKEE ART MUSEUM DIRECTOR DANIEL KEEGAN, AN AVID PACKERS FAN, IS BETTING "BOATING ON THE YERRES" BY GUSTAVE CAILLEBOTTE (KY-YUH-BUHT'). CARNEGIE MUSEUM OF ART DIRECTOR LYNN ZELEVANSKY IS WAGERING "BATHERS WITH CRAB," BY PIERRE-AUGUSTE RENOIR (REN'-WAH).

NATIONAL NEWS:

CAIRO (AP) - EGYPT'S FOUR PRIMARY INTERNET PROVIDERS HAVE STOPPED MOVING DATA IN AND OUT OF THE COUNTRY IN WHAT APPEARS TO BE A MOVE BY AUTHORITIES TO DISRUPT THE ORGANIZATION OF ANTI-GOVERNMENT DEMONSTRATIONS. THE COMMUNICATIONS CUT ALSO SEEMS TO INCLUDE CELL-PHONE DATA SERVICE. RIOT POLICE PRESENCE HAS BEEN SCARCE BUT TRUCKLOADS RIOT POLICE AND ARMORED CARS ARE STARTING TO RETURN TO THE STREETS OF CENTRAL CAIRO.

BAGHDAD (AP) - EVEN VEHICLES CARRYING THE DEAD ARE BEING STOPPED AS IRAQI SECURITY FORCES CRACK DOWN ON TRAFFIC IN BAGHDAD NEIGHBORHOODS TODAY AFTER A CAR BOMBING AT A FUNERAL YESTERDAY KILLED 51 PEOPLE. SHRAPNEL IS STILL SCATTERED ACROSS THE STREETS IN NORTHWESTERN BAGHDAD WHERE A NEAR-RIOT BROKE OUT AFTER THE AFTERNOON EXPLOSION. IRAQIS WERE ENRAGED AT SECURITY FORCES FOR FAILING TO STOP THE DEADLY STRIKE.

JAKARTA, INDONESIA (AP) - AT LEAST 16 PEOPLE ARE DEAD IN A PAIR OF TRAVEL DISASTERS IN INDONESIA. TWO INDONESIAN PASSENGER TRAINS COLLIDED, KILLING 5 AND A CROWDED FERRY BURST INTO FLAMES FRIDAY, KILLING 11 AND SENDING HUNDREDS TO THE HOSPITAL, MANY IN CRITICAL CONDITION, OFFICIALS SAY. MORE THAN 400 PEOPLE WERE RESCUED FROM THE FERRY.

WASHINGTON (AP) - ONE ECONOMIST SAYS THERE'S EVIDENCE THE ECONOMY IS BACK ON A PATH OF SUSTAINABLE GROWTH AS THE GOVERNMENT PREPARES TO REPORT FOURTH QUARTER GDP TODAY. ECONOMISTS PREDICT THAT THE ECONOMY GREW AT AN ANNUALIZED RATE OF 3.5 PERCENT IN THE FINAL QUARTER OF LAST YEAR. ECONOMISTS SAY STRONGER SPENDING BY CONSUMERS IS EXPECTED TO BE THE MAIN FACTOR BEHIND THE ECONOMY'S BETTER PERFORMANCE.

NASHVILLE, TENN. (AP) - KIDS IN THE SOUTH AND EAST WHO GOT A BUNCH OF SNOWDAYS IN RECENT WEEKS ARE ABOUT TO FACE THE DARK SIDE. SCHOOL OFFICIALS ARE SQUEEZING IN MORE CLASSROOM DAYS TO MAKE UP FOR LOST TIME. IN SOME CASES SPRING BREAK HAS BEEN CANCELED, ESPECIALLY FOR STUDENTS IN EASTERN KENTUCKY WHO'VE RACKED UP 20 MISSED DAYS.