TODAY'S NEWS: THURSDAY, JANUARY 6, 2011

EARLY MORNING BLAZE INJURIES FIREFIGHTERS

A FIRE IN SCHUYLKILL COUNTY BROKE OUT EARLY THIS MORNING ENGULFING HOMES AND INJURING FIREFIGHTERS. WPPA'S JASMINE BROOKS HAS MORE...

FIRE

THIEVES CAPTURED AFTER TRAFFIC STOP

STATE POLICE SAY THEY RECEIVED A CALL REGARDING THE THEFT OF A TOW ALONG AIR COMPRESSOR FROM DIVERSIFIED TECHNOLOGIES ON LAKESIDE AVENUE IN DELANO JUST BEFORE THREE O'CLOCK WEDNESDAY MORNING. THE THIEVES WERE FOLLOWED BY A WITNESS AND NABBED BY POLICE IN SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. THE PERSON WHO CALLED IN THE ROBBERY FOLLOWED THE SUSPECTS VEHICLE AND INFORMED POLICE OF THEIR LOCATION. POLICE PERFORMED A TRAFFIC STOP ON THE SUSPECT'S VEHICLE ON CATAWISSA ROAD IN RYAN TOWNSHIP AND TOOK 38-YEAR OLD MEL GERBER OF TAMAQUA AND 19-YEAR OLD TYLER TYSON OF NEW RINGGOLD INTO CUSTODY WITHOUT INCIDENT. GERBER AND TYSON ARE LOCKED UP ON $5,000 BAIL CHARGED WITH THEFT BY UNLAWFUL TAKING.

POTTSVILLE CHURCH TO REMAIN CLOSED

A 2008 DECISION MADE BY THE ROMAN CATHOLIC DIOCESE OF ALLENTOWN HAS BEEN UPHELD BY THE VATICAN CONGREGATION FOR THE CLERGY. MARY, QUEEN OF PEACE CHURCH, IN POTTSVILLE, WILL REMAIN CLOSED. THE CHURCH WILL MERGE WITH ST. PATRICK CHURCH, POTTSVILLE. THE DIOCESES HAS ALSO RECEIVED NOTIFICATION FROM THE VATICAN UPHOLDING THE CLOSURE OF THREE OTHER PARISHES. THE REPUBLICAN HERLAD REPORTS, A TOTAL OF 32 PARISHES CLOSED IN SCHUYLKILL COUNTY SINCE 2008.

PA ELK FREE OF CWD AND TB

SAMPLES TAKEN FROM THE 41 HUNTER-KILLED ELK DURING PENNSYLVANIA'S 2010 HUNTING SEASON HAVE ALL TESTED NEGATIVE FOR CHRONIC WASTING DISEASE AND TUBERCULOSIS. THE GAME COMMISSION TOOK SAMPLES FROM HARVESTED ELK FROM ELK HUNTERS AND TAXIDERMISTS. GAME COMMISSION VETERINARIANS ARE STILL IS AWAITING THE RESULTS OF TESTS TAKEN FROM HUNTER-KILLED DEER SAMPLES COLLECTED DURING THE 2010 RIFLE DEER SEASON, AND WILL ANNOUNCE THOSE RESULTS ONCE RECEIVED. CONDUCTING THE TESTS ON HUNTER-KILLED DEER AND ELK IS ONE PART OF THE GAME COMMISSION'S ONGOING EFFORTS TO MONITOR WILD DEER AND ELK POPULATIONS FOR THE PRESENCE OF DISEASE THAT MAY IMPACT THE HEALTH OF THOSE ANIMALS ACROSS THE STATE.

HIGH SPEED NETWORK TO EXPAND PA EDUCATION

DEVELOPERS OF THE PROPOSED PENNSYLVANIA RESEARCH AND EDUCATION NETWORK HAVE AWARDED $118.5 MILLION IN CONTRACTS THAT WILL ENABLE CONSTRUCTION TO BEGIN LATER THIS YEAR ON A NEW HIGH SPEED BROADBAND NETWORK THAT WILL GREATLY EXPAND EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES AND HEALTHCARE SERVICES THROUGHOUT THE COMMONWEALTH. THE NEW NETWORK WILL SPAN MORE THAN 1,600 MILES THROUGH AT LEAST 39 COUNTIES, MANY OF WHICH HAVE ONLY LIMITED ACCESS TO BROADBAND SERVICES. CONSTRUCTION OF THE NETWORK IS SET TO BEGIN LATER THIS YEAR, WITH THE FIRST SEGMENTS TO BE COMPLETED IN EARLY 2012.

STATE NEWS:

HARRISBURG, PA. (AP) - A CENTRAL PENNSYLVANIA MAN HAS BEEN SENTENCED TO 6 1/4 YEARS TO 27 YEARS IN PRISON IN THE SHOOTING DEATH OF A MAN WHO HAD FOUGHT WITH HIS SON EARLIER. A JURY IN OCTOBER CONVICTED LEMUEL MARRERO-JUARBE OF THIRD-DEGREE MURDER, AGGRAVATED ASSAULT AND CONSPIRACY IN THE JUNE 2009 DEATH OF JONATHAN MARTINEZ.

BETHLEHEM, PA. (AP) - ONE OF TWO MEN ACCUSED OF KILLING A WOMAN WHOSE BODY WAS FOUND IN A MINIVAN OUTSIDE A PENNSYLVANIA NIGHTCLUB MORE THAN THREE YEARS AGO HAS BEEN BROUGHT TO THE STATE TO FACE CHARGES. CHRISTIAN BUENO OF BROOKLYN, N.Y., WAS EXTRADITED FROM STATE PRISON IN NEW YORK. DENNIS VELEZ OF ALLENTOWN IS ALSO CHARGED
IN THE CASE.

WILKES-BARRE, PA. (AP) - A NORTHEASTERN PENNSYLVANIA MAN HAS BEEN SENTENCED TO 15 TO 30 YEARS IN PRISON IN A BEATING AND STRANGULATION DEATH. NICHOLAS POLICARE WAS SENTENCED WEDNESDAY IN LUZERNE COUNTY IN THE AUGUST 2009 DEATH OF JOSEPH LESH IN PITTSTON. POLICARE AND A CO-DEFENDANT, ANDRE EDWARDS, BOTH PLEADED GUILTY TO THIRD-DEGREE MURDER IN THE CASE IN SEPTEMBER.

JUNEAU, ALASKA (AP) - A MAN WHO HUNTED WITH AN ALASKA GUIDE HAS AVOIDED JAIL TIME WITH A GUILTY PLEA. THE JUNEAU EMPIRE REPORTS THAT JEFFREY PEACOCK OF LEBANON, PA. PLEADED GUILTY TO BAITING A BEAR WITHOUT A PERMIT, UNLAWFUL POSSESSION OF GAME AND UNSWORN FALSIFICATION IN THE SHOOTING OF THE BLACK WOLF, ALL MISDEMEANORS.

NATIONAL NEWS:

OMAHA, NEB. (AP) - SCHOOL FRIENDS AND ACQUAINTANCES WHO KNEW A 17-YEAR-OLD BOY WHO OPENED FIRE AT A NEBRASKA HIGH SCHOOL SAY HIS FINAL ACTIONS DON'T JIBE WITH THEIR MEMORIES OF A FUN, OUTGOING STUDENT. AUTHORITIES SAY ROBERT BUTLER JR. KILLED AN ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL BEFORE LATER FATALLY SHOOTING HIMSELF.

WASHINGTON (AP) - THE SECOND DAY OF THE REPUBLICAN MAJORITY IN
THE HOUSE INVOLVES A LOT OF READING -- NOT OF BILLS BEING CONSIDERED, BUT THE DOCUMENT THAT GOVERNS THE NATION. VOLUNTEERS WILL READ THE SEVEN ARTICLES AND 27 AMENDMENTS THAT MAKE UP THE CONSTITUTION. REPUBLICANS HAVE PLEDGED STRICT ADHERENCE TO THE CONSTITUTION. THE HOUSE ALSO TAKES UP ITS FIRST SPENDING CUT MEASURE, CUTS IN THEIR OWN OPERATIONS.

WASHINGTON (AP) - DEFENSE SECRETARY ROBERT GATES IS ANNOUNCING THE LATEST ROUND OF COST-CUTTING PLANS IN AN EFFORT TO SHOW THE PENTAGON TAKES DEFICIT REDUCTION SERIOUSLY. THE CUTS INCLUDE DOING AWAY WITH A NEW AMPHIBIOUS VEHICLE THAT CAN FERRY TROOPS TO SHORE WHILE UNDER FIRE. THE PLAN IS AIMED AT STAVING OFF POTENTIALLY DEEPER CUTS BY THE WHITE HOUSE OR CONGRESS.

TEHRAN, IRAN (AP) - A STATE-OWNED NEWSPAPER REPORTS AN AMERICAN DETAINED FOR SPYING ENTERED THE COUNTRY FROM NEIGHBORING ARMENIA WITHOUT A VISA. THE DAILY IRAN SAYS THE WOMAN HAD SPYING EQUIPMENT HIDDEN ON HER BODY. THE WOMAN IS THE FOURTH AMERICAN IRAN HAS ARRESTED AND ACCUSED OF SPYING IN LESS THAN TWO YEARS.

KANKAKEE, ILL. (AP) - IMPRISONED FORMER ILLINOIS GOV. GEORGE RYAN IS WAITING FOR A DECISION FROM EITHER PRISON AUTHORITIES OR A FEDERAL COURT ON A REQUEST TO BE WITH HIS GRAVELY ILL WIFE. SHE'S SAID TO BE SUFFERING FROM COMPLICATIONS OF CHEMOTHERAPY. OTHER FAMILY MEMBERS HAVE GATHERED AT HER HOSPITAL BEDSIDE. THE COURT MOTION SAYS RYAN'S WIFE "HAS, AT MOST, WEEKS TO LIVE."