TODAY'S NEWS: MONDAY, JANUARY 24, 2011

COP TRIAL UPDATE:
FORMER CHIEF MATTHEW NESTOR TOOK THE STAND THIS MORNING JUST AFTER 10:00. NESTOR STATED HE CONTACTED TAMMY PIEKARSKY AFTER RAMIREZ' AUTOPSY TO FIND OUT HOW SHE WAS HOLDING UP. HE ALSO STATED BRANDON PIEKARSKY WAS A POTENTIAL SUSPECT AT THE TIME. WILLIAM MOYER IS EXPECTED TO TAKE THE STAND LATER TODAY.



WEEK THREE BEGINS IN TRIAL OF FORMER OFFICERS

THE TRIAL OF THREE FORMER SHENANDOAH POLICE OFFICERS IS SCHEDULED TO CONTINUE THIS MORNING WITH THE TESTIMONY OF WITNESSES CALLED BY THE DEFENSE. THE PROSECUTION RESTED THEIR CASE FRIDAY, AND THE DEFENSE PROCEEDED AFTER BEING DENIED OF A MOTION TO DISMISS THE CHARGES AGAINST THE DEFENDANTS. DUE TO THE LENGTHY TRIAL, THE SENTENCING OF BRANDON PIEKARSKY AND DERRICK DONCHAK WILL BE POSTPONED UNTIL THE MORNING OF FEBRUARY 23RD AT 9:00 AND 9:15. BOTH MEN WERE CONVICTED IN OCTOBER 2010 OF VIOLATING THE CIVIL RIGHTS OF LUIS RAMIREZ DUE TO THEIR INVOLVEMENT IN HIS BEATING DEATH IN JULY 2008. THE TRIAL OF THE OFFICERS WILL CONTINUE THIS MORNING AFTER 10:00 AT THE UNITED STATES COURTHOUSE IN WILKES-BARRE.

FOREST SERVICE STUDY CALLS PA HIGHLANDS, 'THREATENED BY DEVELOPMENT'

A NEW REPORT FROM THE U.S FOREST SERVICE SAYS PENNSYLVANIA'S 1.4 MILLION ACRE HIGHLANDS REGION, WHICH PROVIDES DRINKING WATER TO MILLIONS, IS FACING MAJOR THREATS FROM DEVELOPMENT. TOO MUCH DEVELOPMENT WILL CUT INTO THE HIGHLANDS' VAST ARRAY OF FOREST AND STREAMS AND DISRUPT WILDLIFE. MARK ZAKUTANSKY IS THE PA HIGHLANDS COORDINATOR FOR THE APPALACHIAN MOUNTAIN CLUB. ZAKUTANSKY SAYS "HAVING THE DATA PROVIDED BY THE U.S FOREST SERVICE IS A HUGE STEP FORWARD IN CONTINUING TO ADVANCE LAND PRESERVATION AND TO CONTINUE TO ADVANCE DRINKING WATER QUALITY FOR RESIDENTS THROUGHOUT THE REGION." THE STUDY ALSO HAS POTENTIAL LONGER-TERM BENEFITS CONCERNING RENEWAL OF THE ACT IN 2014.

HIKING ALONG SCHUYLKILL COUNTY

ON SUNDAY, PATRICK MCKINNEY AKA "PORCUPINE PAT" LED ABOUT 40 WINTER HIKERS ALONG A SECTION OF THE JOHN BARTRAM TRAIL IN SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. THE REPUBLICAN HERALD REPORTS, MCKINNEY IS THE ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION COORDINATOR FOR THE SCHUYLKILL CONSERVATION DISTRICT. THE TREK WENT ALONG THE MARSH ON A FORMER RAILROAD LINE THAT HAS BEEN CONVERTED TO A WALKING TRAIL. THE NEXT WALK WILL BE IN FEBRUARY WHEN HIKERS WILL TRAVEL TO INDIAN CAVE ABOVE THE POTTSVILLE CLUB.

SCAM ARTISTS WANTED

THREE MEN ARE NOW WANTED IN CONNECTION WITH TWO SCAM INCIDENTS THAT OCCURRED THURSDAY. IN THE FIRST INCIDENT, $6,000 WAS TAKEN FROM A HOME AFTER THE MEN PRETENDED TO BE INSTALLING FENCING NEXT DOOR. A SIMILAR INCIDENT OCCURRED JUST 15 MINUTES LATER. SCHUYLKILL COUNTY CRIMESTOPPERS AND STATE POLICE AT SCHUYLKILL HAVEN NEED YOUR HELP IN FINDING THESE THREE MEN THAT ARE DESCRIBED AS MIDDLE EASTERN OR HISPANIC WITH MEDIUM BUILDS AND WEARING WORK CLOTHING AND GLOVES. ALL INFORMATION RECEIVED WILL REMAIN CONFIDENTIAL AND A REWARD OF UP TO $1,000 IS BEING OFFERED.

SHEETZ THEFT

AFTER AN INCIDENT ON SATURDAY AT THE SHEETZ IN NORTH MANHEIM TOWNSHIP, A MINERSVILLE MAN WILL BE CHARGED FOR THEFT. POLICE REPORT, 25-YEAR-OLD JUSTIN NEFF STOLE A QUART OF MOTOR OIL AND A WHITE JUG CONTAINING $217. THAT MONEY WAS TO BE USED FOR A CHILDREN'S CHRISTMAS PARTY. CRIMINAL CHARGES WILL BE FILED WITH MAGISTERIAL DISTRICT JUDGE DAVID PLACHKO, PORT CARBON.

STATE NEWS:

NEW YORK (AP) - AN ARCTIC FRONT WILL BRING BITTER COLD THROUGH MONDAY MORNING WITH FRIGID DAYTIME HIGHS OF ABOUT 10 TO 30 DEGREES BELOW AVERAGE. THE COLD IS ALREADY BEING BLAMED FOR AT LEAST ONE DEATH. ABOUT 90 MILES NORTHWEST OF PHILADELPHIA, A MAN DIED AFTER SPENDING A NIGHT IN HIS CAR.

NEW CASTLE, PA. (AP) - AUTHORITIES IN WESTERN PENNSYLVANIA SAY A WOMAN SHOT HER 12-YEAR-OLD SON AND HER ELDERLY MOTHER BEFORE TURNING THE GUN ON HERSELF LAST WEEK. LAWRENCE COUNTY CORONER RUSSELL NOGA RULED THE DEATHS OF 40-YEAR-OLD LJUBA (L'YOO-BAH) NOVOSEL, 12-YEAR-OLD TOMISLAV NOVOSEL, AND 81-YEAR-OLD ANKA DENK, A DOUBLE HOMICIDE-SUICIDE AFTER AN AUTOPSY SATURDAY.

DARBY, PA. (AP) - AUTHORITIES SAY A WOMAN DIED AFTER SHE WAS PULLED OUT OF A TWO-ALARM FIRE IN AN APARTMENT. FIRE CREWS IN DELAWARE COUNTY SUNDAY FOUND SMOKE AND FLAMES SHOOTING FROM THE THREE-STORY DARBY BUILDING AND FOUND A WOMAN IN THE SECOND-FLOOR APARTMENT. MEDICS TRANSPORTED HER TO MERCY FITZGERALD HOSPITAL, WHERE SHE WAS PRONOUNCED DEAD.

PITTSBURGH (AP) - GOVERNOR TOM CORBETT SAYS HE WILL ISSUE A PLAN TUESDAY AIMED AT FULFILLING A CAMPAIGN PROMISE FOR CHANGES IN THE WAY GOVERNMENT DOES BUSINESS. CORBETT, SWORN IN AS PENNSYLVANIA'S 46TH GOVERNOR ON TUESDAY, TOLD THE PITTSBURGH TRIBUNE-REVIEW IN AN INTERVIEW THAT THE EFFORT WILL BE AN ONGOING DIALOGUE WITH LEGISLATIVE LEADERS.

NATIONAL NEWS:

WASHINGTON (AP) - JOBS. THAT'S EXPECTED TO BE THE MESSAGE TOMORROW WHEN PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA DELIVERS HIS STATE OF THE UNION SPEECH. HE PLANS TO FOCUS ON KEY INVESTMENTS AND INCENTIVES TO MAKE U.S. COMPANIES MORE COMPETITIVE AND READY TO HIRE. THAT'LL BE TEMPERED BY THE NEED TO START BRINGING DOWN AMERICA'S MOUNTAIN OF DEBT.

WASHINGTON (AP) - PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA HAS A MESSAGE FOR THE NATION TOMORROW AND REPUBLICANS HAVE A MESSAGE FOR THE PRESIDENT. HOUSE REPUBLICANS HAVE SCHEDULED A VOTE JUST A FEW HOURS BEFORE THE STATE OF THE UNION SPEECH, INSTRUCTING BUDGET COMMITTEE CHAIR PAUL RYAN TO CUT NON-SECURITY SPENDING FOR THE SECOND HALF OF THE CURRENT FISCAL YEAR BACK TO 2008 LEVELS.

WASHINGTON (AP) - A TENNESSEE POULTRY FARMER IN A GAME OF CHICKEN WITH TYSON FARMS IS HOPING TO FIND OUT TODAY IF THE SUPREME COURT WILL ACCEPT HIS CASE FOR REVIEW. ALTON TERRY SAYS HE LOST HIS CONTRACT TO RAISE CHICKENS FOR TYSON AND THEN LOST HIS 12-ACRE FARM. TERRY SAYS IT HAPPENED BECAUSE HE BROUGHT TOGETHER A GROUP OF AREA FARMERS AND TOLD THEM THEY HAD THE RIGHT TO COMPLAIN ABOUT TYSON'S PRACTICES. A LOWER COURT RULED AGAINST HIM.

CAIRO (AP) - EGYPT WANTS ITS QUEEN BACK. BUT GERMANY SAYS THAT AT 3,300 YEARS OLD, SHE MAY NOT BE WELL ENOUGH TO TRAVEL. CAIRO HAS OFFICIALLY REQUESTED THE RETURN OF THE BUST OF QUEEN NEFERTITI THAT HAS BEEN IN A BERLIN MUSEUM FOR DECADES. EGYPT HAS AN ONGOING CAMPAIGN TO RETRIEVE THOUSANDS OF ANTIQUITIES SPIRITED OUT DURING THE COLONIAL PERIOD AND AFTERWARD. GERMANY SAYS THE QUEEN IS IN THE COUNTRY LEGALLY AND THE BUST IS VERY FRAGILE.

UNDATED (AP) - THE SUPER BOWL MATCHUP IN TWO WEEKS IS SET, AS THE PITTSBURGH STEELERS AND GREEN BAY PACKERS MEET IN DALLAS. THE STEELERS BEAT THE NEW YORK JETS 24-19 WHILE THE PACKERS BEAT THE CHICAGO BEARS 21-14, FOR THEIR AFC AND NFC CONFERENCE TITLES.