TODAY'S NEWS: WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 26, 2011

COP TRIAL UPDATE:
JUDGE A. RICHARD CAPUTO CHARGED THE JURY AND GAVE THEM THE CASE AT 1130am.

DEFENSE RESTS IN THE TRIAL OF OFFICERS

THERE MAY BE A VERDICT TODAY AS THE TRIAL OF THREE LOCAL POLICE OFFICERS WRAPS UP. WPPA'S BRITTANY HAS MORE:

COP TRIAL 13

SENATOR ARGALL ANNOUNCES COMMITTEE ASSIGNMENTS

SENATOR DAVID AGRALL HAS BEEN APPOINTED BY PRESIDENT PRO TEMPORE JOE SCARNATI TO FIVE COMMITTEES IN THE SENATE OF PENNSYLVANIA FOR THE 2011-2012 LEGISLATIVE SESSION. SENATOR ARGALL WILL SERVE ON AGING AND YOUTH, APPROPRIATIONS, COMMUNITY, ECONOMIC AND DEVELOPMENT, INTER-GOVERNMENT OPERATIONS AND URBAN AFFAIRS AND HOUSING COMMITTEES. SENATOR ARGALL WILL ALSO CONTINUE TO SERVE ON THE JOINT LEGISLATIVE AIR AND WATER POLLUTION CONTROL AND CONSERVATION COMMITTEE.

PENNDOT URGES DRIVERS TO USE EXTRA CAUTION AROUND SNOWPLOWS

TWENTY-EIGHT PENNDOT PLOW TRUCKS HAVE BEEN STRUCK BY MOTORISTS THIS WINTER. FOR YOUR SAFETY AND THE SAFETY OF OTHER MOTORISTS AND THE SAFETY OF STATE AND MUNICIPAL SNOWPLOW CREWS, PENNDOT IS ASKING DRIVERS TO TAKE EXTRA PRECAUTIONS WHEN DRIVING NEAR OPERATING SNOWPLOWS. STAY AT LEAST SIX CAR-LENGTHS BEHIND A PLOW, REMAIN ALERT, NEVER PASS OR DRIVE BESIDE A PLOW, AND KEEP YOUR HEADLIGHTS ON. FOR MORE TIPS VISIT DOT.STATE.PA.US/WINTER.

COUPLE ARRESTED FOR THEFT FROM THE POTTSVILLE HOUSING AUTHORITY

A POTTSVILLE COUPLE WAS ARRESTED AFTER AN INVESTIGATION REVEALED THEY DECEIVED THE POTTSVILLE HOUSING AUTHORITY. 28-YEAR-OLD TINA HEISTER WAS CHARGED AFTER SHE SUBSIDIZED HER RENT IN THE AMOUNT OF $4,182 OF H.U.D FUNDS. POLICE ALSO CHARGED HER HUSBAND 30-YEAR-OLD ROBERT HEISTER. BOTH TURNED THEMSELVES INTO DISTRICT JUSTICE JAMES REILEY'S OFFICE AFTER WARRANTS OF ARREST WERE ISSUED. THEY WERE ARRAIGNED AND RELEASED ON $25,000/10% UNSECURED BAIL.

CRIMINAL MISCHIEF IN SCHUYLKILL HAVEN

SCHUYLKILL HAVEN STATE POLICE ARE LOOKING FOR THE PERSON(S) RESPONSIBLE FOR FIRING A GUN SHOT OUTSIDE A PINE GROVE WOMAN'S HOME BETWEEN 4PM FRIDAY AND 7AM MONDAY. POLICE REPORT, 39-YEAR-OLD MICHELLE MORASKI'S TWO LAMP POST LAMPS WERE SMASHED BY THE GUN SHOT AND THE ACTOR(S) FLED THE SCENE. MORASKI'S HOME IS LOCATED AT 495 BIRDS HILL ROAD. ANYONE WITH INFORMATION IS ASKED TO CONTACT PSP SCHUYLKILL HAVEN AT 593-2000.

POTTSVILLE'S YWCA WILL DISSOLVE

ESTABLISHED IN 1926, THE YWCA OF POTTSVILLE WILL OFFICIALLY DISSOLVE IN JUNE. THE REPUBLICAN HERALD REPORTS, THE LOCAL ORGANIZATION IS IN THE PROCESS OF SURRENDERING ITS CHARTER TO THE YMCA OF THE USA. THE YWCA IS ALSO FIGURING OUT WHAT TO DO WITH ITS REMAINING ASSETS, INCLUDING A $200,000 TRUST FUND.

STATE NEWS:

PHILADELPHIA (AP) - A FEDERAL INDICTMENT ACCUSES A FORMER TOP OFFICIAL AT TEMPLE UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF MEDICINE WITH HAVING SUBMITTED MORE THAN $3 MILLION IN FALSE MEDICAL CLAIMS. DR. JOSEPH J. KUBACKI WAS CHARGED TUESDAY WITH HEALTH CARE FRAUD AND MAKING FALSE STATEMENTS BETWEEN 2002 AND 2007, WHEN HE WAS OPHTHALMOLOGY DEPARTMENT CHAIRMAN AND AN ASSISTANT DEAN.

HOLLIDAYSBURG, PA. (AP) - AN ATTORNEY REPRESENTING A HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT CHARGED WITH STABBING A CLASSMATE IN FRONT OF THE SCHOOL'S FIELD HOUSE LAST MONTH SAYS HIS CLIENT SHOULD HAVE A PSYCHIATRIC EVALUATION TO DETERMINE IF HE CAN BE TREATED IN THE JUVENILE SYSTEM. JEREMIAH MOSER IS CHARGED AS AN ADULT WITH ATTEMPTED HOMICIDE, AGGRAVATED ASSAULT AND RECKLESSLY ENDANGERING ANOTHER PERSON.

CALIFORNIA, PA. (AP) - AUTHORITIES HAVE WITHDRAWN CHARGES AGAINST A CALIFORNIA UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA FRATERNITY MEMBER IN AN ACCIDENTAL SHOOTING THAT SLIGHTLY INJURED A FEMALE STUDENT LAST FALL. POLICE AND THE PROSECUTOR REACHED AN AGREEMENT WITH DUSTIN FULLER OF WAYNESBORO THAT REQUIRED HIM TO COMPLETE A FIREARMS CLASS.

PITTSBURGH (AP) - POLICE IN PITTSBURGH SAY A MAN WAS KILLED AFTER BEING SHOT INSIDE HIS VEHICLE, WHICH THEN CRASHED INTO A BOARDED-UP HOME AND FLIPPED ONTO ITS ROOF. THE ALLEGHENY COUNTY MEDICAL EXAMINER'S OFFICE IDENTIFIED THE VICTIM AS JABBAR FRIDIA OF THE CITY'S HAZELWOOD NEIGHBORHOOD.

NATIONAL NEWS:

WASHINGTON (AP) - PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA SAYS HIS ECONOMIC SOLUTION IS CAREFULLY BALANCED SPENDING ON EDUCATION, RESEARCH, TECHNOLOGY AND TRANSPORTATION, AND A BUDGET FREEZE. BUT REPUBLICANS SAY THE FREEZE OBAMA TALKS ABOUT IN HIS STATE OF THE UNION ADDRESS, DOESN'T GO FAR ENOUGH. HOUSE BUDGET COMMITTEE CHAIRMAN PAUL RYAN SAYS WITHOUT BIG SPENDING CURBS, THE NATION'S BEST DAYS MAY BE BEHIND IT.

WASHINGTON (AP) - THE FEDERAL RESERVE IS EXPECTED TO REPEAT ITS PLEDGE TO HOLD INTEREST RATES AT A RECORD LOW NEAR ZERO FOR AN "EXTENDED PERIOD" TO HELP BOLSTER THE ECONOMY. THE FED WRAPS UP ITS TWO-DAY POLICY-SETTING SESSION TODAY AND ALSO IS EXPECTED TO CONTINUE A $600 BILLION BOND-BUYING PLAN BECAUSE OF HIGH UNEMPLOYMENT AND SINKING HOME PRICES.

HOUSTON (AP) - SHE HAS A TUBE TO HELP DRAIN FLUID FROM HER BRAIN BUT BARRING SETBACKS, WOUNDED ARIZONA CONGRESSWOMAN GABRIELLE GIFFORDS WILL BE MOVED TO A REHABILITATION FACILITY THIS MORNING. DOCTORS HAVE UPGRADED HER CONDITION FROM SERIOUS TO GOOD.

TOKYO (AP) - THE BULK OF TOYOTA'S LATEST RECALL IS IN JAPAN AND INVOLVES ABOUT 1.3 MILLION VEHICLES THERE. BUT SOME OF THE NEARLY 1.7 MILLION CARS BEING RECALLED ARE IN THE U.S. TOYOTA SAYS THERE ARE VARIOUS DEFECTS THAT MAY CAUSE FUEL LEAKS.

HALF MOON BAY, CALIF. (AP) - A SURFER WHO NEARLY DROWNED AT THE BIG WAVE CALIFORNIA SPOT KNOWN AS MAVERICKS IS IN FAIR CONDITION THREE DAYS AFTER GETTING PUMMELED ONTO ROCKS. SURFERS HAVE BEEN COMING IN EVER GREATER NUMBERS WHEN THE WAVES ARE RIGHT. MAVERICKS PIONEER JEFF CLARK, WHO FIRST SURFED IT ALONE IN 1975, SAYS MAYBE SOME OF THE NEWCOMERS AREN'T QUITE READY.