TODAY'S NEWS: TUESDAY, JANUARY 25, 2011

COP TRIAL UPDATE:

3:00p
CLOSING STATEMENTS SET TO BEGIN THIS AFTERNOON.

12:15p
DEFENDANT JASON HAYES TOOK THE STAND JUST BEFORE 10:00 THIS MORNING.HAYES RECOUNTED HIS ROLE ON THE SCENE THE NIGHT OF JULY 12th, 2008. HAYES STATED HE DID NOT DISCUSS THE FIGHT, ONLY THE GUN, WITH BOTH TAMMY & BRANDON PIEKARSKY AT THE SCENE. HAYES ALSO TESTIFIED THAT HE WAS REMOVED FROM THE CASE THAT NIGHT AND HAD NO FURTHER INVOLVEMENT WITH THE INVESTIGATION.


FORMER SHENANDOAH OFFICERS TESTIFY

THE TRIAL OF THREE LOCAL OFFICERS WINDS DOWN AS THE DEFENDANTS BEGIN TO TESTIFY. WPPA'S BRITTANY HAS MORE:

TRIAL

SEEDLINGS FOR SCHOOLS

TO HELP SCHOOL STUDENTS LEARN ABOUT THE VITAL ROLE OF TREES IN THE ENVIRONMENT, "SEEDLINGS FOR SCHOOLS" WAS CREATED. THROUGH THIS PROGRAM STUDENTS WILL BE ABLE TO PLANT A VARIETY OF TREE SEEDLINGS AT HOME, SCHOOL, OR IN THE COMMUNITY. THERE IS NO CHARGE FOR SCHOOLS PARTICIPATING IN THIS PROJECT. ALL SEEDLINGS ARE PROVIDED BY THE GAME COMMISSION'S HOWARD NURSERY AND THE COST OF SHIPPING IS DONATED. THIS PROGRAM IS SPLIT INTO TWO LEVELS. "SEEDLINGS FOR YOUR CLASS" PROVIDES A CLASSROOM WITH ENOUGH SEEDLINGS FOR EACH STUDENT TO TAKE A SEEDLING HOME TO PLANT, THIS PROGRAM IS PRIMARILY FOR ELEMENTARY STUDENTS. "SEEDLINGS TO DEVELOP HABITATS" IS PRIMARILY FOR MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS AND PROVIDES A VARIETY OF SEEDLINGS TO STUDENTS. AS PART OF THIS PROGRAM, STUDENTS CAN PLANT ON SCHOOL OR COMMUNITY GROUNDS TO IMPROVE HABITAT. FOR MORE INFORMATION VISIT PGC.STATE.PA.US.

KNOWLES' OFFICE TO PROVIDE STATE AND FEDERAL TAX FORMS

REPRESENTATIVE JERRY KNOWLES WANTS RESIDENTS TO KNOW STATE AND FEDERAL INCOME TAX FORMS WILL BE AVAILABLE IN HIS DISTRICT OFFICE AT 237 W. BROAD STREET IN TAMAQUA. KNOWLES SAID NO OTHER LOCAL FACILITY IS SUPPLYING THE FORMS THIS YEAR AND THEY WILL BE ARRIVING TO HIS OFFICE SHORTLY. ALTHOUGH HIS OFFICE WILL BE PROVIDING THE FORMS, THEY CANNOT COMPLETE THEM. RESIDENTS ARE URGED TO CONTACT A TAX PROFESSIONAL FOR HELP COMPLETING THEIR FORMS.

ARRESTED ON WARRANT

A TOWER CITY MAN WAS PICKED UP ON A FUGITIVE FROM JUSTICE WARRANT RECENTLY IN DAUPHIN COUNTY. POLICE REPORT 33-YEAR-OLD CRAIG ALLEN JAMES WAS CHARGED IN 2008 AFTER HE ISSUED A CHECK ON A CLOSED ACCOUNT TO WAL-MART. IT WAS LEARNED THAT JAMES WAS A FUGITIVE FROM JUSTICE WHEN POLICE STOPPED HIM FOR A TRAFFIC VIOLATION. JAMES WAS TAKEN TO SCHUYLKILL COUNTY PRISON BY MINERSVILLE OFFICERS. HE WAS ARRAIGNED AND BAIL WAS SET AT $5,000.

BB GUN FOUND IN STUDENT'S BACKPACK

THE SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTIST PRIVATE SCHOOL WAS PUT ON A LOCKDOWN MONDAY AFTER A BB GUN WAS FOUND IN A STUDENTS DORM ROOM. POLICE REPORT 18-YEAR-OLD SARAH HARRIS WAS CITED AFTER SHE HAD THE PISTOL IN HER BACKPACL DURING CLASS. STATE POLICE AT HAMBURG AND HAMBURG BOROUGH POLICE SEARCHED FOR THE BLUE MOUNTAIN ACADEMY STUDENT. HARRIS WAS LOCATED AND TAKEN INTO CUSTODY WITHOUT INCIDENT AND THE GUN WAS FOUND IN HER DORM ROOM. HARRIS WAS CITED FOR SUMMERY DISORDERLY CONDUCT AND LATER RELEASED.

POWER OUTAGE

CUSTOMERS OF PPL FROM NORTHUMBERLAND AND COLUMBIA COUNTIES WERE WITHOUT POWER FOR PART OF MONDAY MORNING. THE POWER LOSS LEFT MORE THAN 6,000 PEOPLE FOR AS LONG AS 87 MINUTES WITHOUT POWER. THE REPUBLICAN HERALD REPORTS A MAJOR TRANSMISSION LINE HAD A FAULT AND IT AFFECTED THREE SUBSTATIONS. ALL POWER WAS RESTORED BY 9:15AM.

STATE NEWS:

PHILADELPHIA (AP) - PROSECUTORS HAVE CLEARED FOUR UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA POLICE OFFICERS OF ANY WRONGDOING IN THE SHOOTING DEATH OF A TEENAGE CARJACKING SUSPECT LAST FALL. THE PHILADELPHIA DAILY NEWS REPORTS THAT PROSECUTORS SAID MONDAY OFFICERS WERE DEFENDING THEMSELVES WHEN THEY FIRED BACK AT KARL SAPPLETON ON NOVEMBER 21.

ALLENTOWN, PA. (AP) - A JURY HAS DECIDED THAT A MAN CONVICTED OF A SHOOTING DEATH DURING A BOTCHED HOME INVASION ROBBERY LAST SPRING SHOULD SPEND THE REST OF HIS LIFE IN PRISON WITHOUT PAROLE. THE ALLENTOWN MORNING CALL SAYS JURORS DELIBERATED FOR ABOUT AN HOUR MONDAY BEFORE DECIDING TO SPARE THE LIFE OF KYLE DICKERSON.

PITTSBURGH (AP) - A WESTERN PENNSYLVANIA JUDGE HAS DECLINED TO TOSS OUT ETHICS CHARGES AGAINST A STATE SENATOR. ALLEGHENY COUNTY COMMON PLEAS JUDGE JEFFREY MANNING ON MONDAY REJECTED SENATOR JANE ORIE'S MOTION TO DISMISS THE CHARGES ON CONSTITUTIONAL GROUNDS. HER ATTORNEY HAD ARGUED THAT THE LAW WAS TOO VAGUE.

READING, PA. (AP) - A MAN FACES LIFE IN PRISON AFTER BEING CONVICTED OF WHAT AUTHORITIES CALLED A DRUG-RELATED SLAYING IN AN EASTERN PENNSYLVANIA BAR ALMOST THREE YEARS AGO. JURORS DELIBERATED FOR NEARLY TWO HOURS BEFORE CONVICTING JAVIER ANTONETTY-RODRIGUEZ OF READING OF FIRST-DEGREE MURDER IN THE DEATH OF JOSE RIVERA JR.

NATIONAL NEWS:

WASHINGTON (AP) - PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA'S STATE OF THE UNION ADDRESS IS EXPECTED TO AGREE WITH THE NEED TO CUT SPENDING BUT NOT AT THE EXPENSE OF HELPING COMPANIES CREATE JOBS. OBAMA HAS MADE IT CLEAR TO BACKERS THAT THE NEW DIVIDED GOVERNMENT MAKES FOR A REAL BALANCING ACT WHICH HE HOPES WILL BE HELPED BY THE POST-TUCSON-SHOOTING SPIRIT OF TONED-DOWN RHETORIC.

WASHINGTON (AP) - REPUBLICANS CONTROLLING THE HOUSE EXPECT TO GO ON RECORD TODAY IN FAVOR OF CUTTING THE DAY-TO-DAY BUDGETS FOR DOMESTIC CABINET AGENCIES. THE NONBINDING RESOLUTION PROMISES CUTS APPROACHING 20 PERCENT OF THE BUDGETS FOR AGENCIES LIKE THE DEPARTMENTS OF EDUCATION AND COMMERCE WHEN CONGRESS WRAPS UP THE LONG-OVERDUE BUDGET FOR THE CURRENT FISCAL YEAR. THE WHITE HOUSE WARNS THAT SUCH CUTS WOULD MEAN FURLOUGHS OF TENS OF THOUSANDS OF FEDERAL WORKERS.

CHICAGO (AP) - CHICAGO MAYORAL CANDIDATES ONCE OVERSHADOWED BY FORMER WHITE HOUSE CHIEF OF STAFF RAHM EMANUEL ARE SCRAMBLING FOR THE SPOTLIGHT NOW THAT A COURT HAS RULED EMANUEL OFF THE BALLOT. BUT EMANUEL'S LAWYERS ARE EXPECTED TO APPEAL THE RULING TO THE ILLINOIS SUPREME COURT TODAY. THE LOWER COURT RULED EMANUEL DIDN'T MEET A RESIDENCY REQUIREMENT.

DALLAS (AP) - U.S. AIRLINES ABOUT TO REPORT FOURTH-QUARTER RESULTS ARE EXPECTED TO CAP THE INDUSTRY'S FIRST MONEYMAKING YEAR SINCE 2007. INDICATIONS ARE THE RETURN TO PROSPERITY WILL BE ABLE TO SUSTAIN ITSELF BASED ON A SIMPLE SOLUTION -- MORE IS NOT NECESSARILY BETTER. BY GROUNDING PLANES AND ELIMINATING FLIGHTS, AIRLINES HAVE CUT COSTS AND PUSHED FARES HIGHER WHILE TRAVEL DEMAND IS RISING AND PLANES ARE FULL.

MOSCOW (AP) - THE FINGER-POINTING HAS BEGUN IN RUSSIA FOLLOWING THE AIRPORT SUICIDE BOMBING IN MOSCOW THAT KILLED 35 PEOPLE. RUSSIAN PRESIDENT DMITRY MEDVEDEV SAYS AIRPORT OFFICIALS MUST BEAR RESPONSIBILITY FOR SECURITY FAILURES. AIRPORT MANAGEMENT CONTENDS RUSSIAN TRANSPORT POLICE WERE IN CHARGE. IT COULD SERVE TO FURTHER UNDERMINE CONFIDENCE IN RUSSIA'S SECURITY.