LOCAL NEWS: FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 18, 2011

MEN INVOLVED IN TAMAQUA ASSAULT SURRENDER TO POLICE

TWO MEN SURRENDERED TO POLICE AFTER BEING INVOLVED IN A TAMAQUA ASSAULT BACK IN JANUARY. 18-YEAR-OLD CORY WHITLEY OF TAMAQUA AND 20-YEAR-OLD JOSHUA GAUGLER OF NORTHAMPTON TURNED THEMSELVES IN THURSDAY MORNING. BOTH WERE COMMITTED TO SCHUYLKILL COUNTY PRISON AFTER BEING ARRAIGNED ON ROBBERY, ASSAULT AND OTHER CHARGES. THE TWO MEN ALLEGEDLY STOLE A VEHICLE AND THEN ASSAULTED A LIQUOR STORE CLERK WHEN HE TRIED TO INTERVENE.

CRASH CLAIMS ONE

A FATAL CRASH OCCURRED THURSDAY EVENING ON ROUTE 25 IN DAUPHIN COUNTY WHEN A VEHICLE STRUCK A TRACTOR-TRAILER. 73-YEAR-OLD GILBERT GLENN JOHNSON, OF MILLERSBURG, WAS PRONOUNCED DEAD AT THE SCENE AFTER HIS VEHICLE CROSSED OVER INTO ONCOMING TRAFFIC. GILBERT’S PASSENGER 23-YEAR-OLD ENGLISH MAY JOHNSON, OF SHENANDOAH, WAS FLOWN TO HERSHEY MEDICAL CENTER WITH MODERATE INJURIES. THE TRACTOR-TRAILER DRIVER WAS NOT INJURED.

WAYNE TOWNSHIP HOME ROBBED

STATE POLICE AT SCHUYLKILL HAVEN ARE INVESTIGATING A ROBBERY THAT OCCURRED THURSDAY EVENING AT A WAYNE TOWNSHIP HOME. IT'S REPORTED THAT THREE MALES APPROACHED THE RESIDENT OF THE HOME STATING THEY WERE LOOKING AT THE PROPERTY LINE TO INSTALL AN ELECTRIC FENCE FOR A NEIGHBOR. WHILE ONE MALE OCCUPIED THE VICTIM, THE TWO OTHERS PROCEEDED TO BREAK INTO THE HOME AND REMOVE $10,000-DOLLARS WORTH OF JEWELRY AND CASH. THE SUSPECTS ARE DESCRIBED AS THREE WHITE MALES DRIVING AN OFF-WHITE FORD FLEX. ANYONE WITH INFORMATION IS ASKED TO CONTACT STATE POLICE AT SCHUYLKILL HAVEN.

A THIRD ENTERS RACE FOR MAGISTERIAL DISTRICT JUDGE

FRACKVILLE LAWYER, KAREN DOMALAKES, HAS ANNOUNCED A RUN FOR MAGISTERIAL DISTRICT JUDGE. 38-YEAR-OLD DOMALAKES HAS WORKED AS AN ASSISTANT PUBLIC DEFENDER SINCE 1998 AND IN PRIVATE PRACTICE HANDLING CIVIL CLAIMS. IF ELECTED, DOMALAKES WOULD SERVE A SIX-YEAR TERM BASED OUT OF FRACKVILLE, AND SERVE RESIDENTS IN NORTHERN SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. DOMALAKES STATED HER CAREER HANDLING CIVIL AND CRIMINAL CASES HAS PREPARED HER FOR DISTRICT COURT JUDGE.

JURY CONTINUES DELIBERATIONS IN FORMER LUZERNE JUDGE TRIAL

(AP)-A FEDERAL JURY DELIBERATED 7 1/2 HOURS YESTERDAY WITHOUT REACHING A VERDICT IN THE CORRUPTION TRIAL OF A FORMER LUZERNE COUNTY JUDGE CHARGED IN A $2.8 MILLION SCHEME INVOLVING TWO PRIVATELY OWNED JUVENILE DETENTION CENTERS. DELIBERATIONS WILL RESUME THIS MORNING IN THE TRIAL OF FORMER JUDGE MARK CIAVARELLA. HE FACES A 39-COUNT FEDERAL RACKETEERING INDICTMENT THAT ALLEGES HE AND ANOTHER JUDGE TOOK KICKBACKS AND EXTORTION PAYMENTS FROM THE BUILDER AND CO-OWNER OF THE DETENTION FACILITIES.CIAVARELLA ACKNOWLEDGED RECEIVING HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS FROM THE BUILDER BUT CONTENDED THE PAYMENTS WERE LEGAL "FINDER'S FEES."

STATE NEWS:
PITTSBURGH (AP) - A SUBURBAN PITTSBURGH SCHOOL DISTRICT WILL PAY $775,000 TO SETTLE LAWSUITS ALLEGING TWO GIRLS WERE RAPED ON CAMPUS BY ANOTHER STUDENT. THE PITTSBURGH POST-GAZETTE AND TRIBUNE REVIEW BOTH REPORT THE LAWSUITS FILED BY THE GIRLS' PARENTS CLAIM OFFICIALS DIDN'T PROTECT STUDENTS FROM THE BOY WHO THEY SAY WAS KNOWN FOR VIOLENT BEHAVIOR.

BROOKHAVEN, PA. (AP) - A SUBURBAN PHILADELPHIA WOMAN REMAINS JAILED WITHOUT BAIL AFTER POLICE SAY SHE SHOWED THEM A PHOTO OF HER TODDLER DAUGHTER DUCT-TAPED TO A CHAIR AS PART OF AN IDENTITY THEFT COMPLAINT. CAIRA FERGUSON CLAIMED SOMEONE HAD POSTED THE PHOTO ONLINE, BUT POLICE SAY SHE LATER ADMITTED TAPING THE GIRL TO A
CHAIR. THE PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER REPORTS THAT FOR NOW, THE GIRL WILL STAY WITH HER GODPARENTS.

TRAVERSE CITY, MICH. (AP) - THE U.S. HOUSE HAS REJECTED A PROPOSAL TO CLOSE CHICAGO-REGION SHIPPING LOCKS IN HOPES OF PREVENTING INVASIVE ASIAN CARP FROM GETTING INTO THE GREAT LAKES. A MICHIGAN CONGRESSMAN WAS BEHIND THE EFFORT, CLAIMING THE FISH COULD DECIMATE NATIVE FISH POPULATIONS, BUT OPPONENTS SAY THE LOCKS ARE VITAL TO CHICAGO COMMERCE.

NATIONAL NEWS:
WASHINGTON (AP) - THE HOUSE HOPES TO WRAP UP ACTION TODAY ON A BIG REPUBLICAN SPENDING BILL THAT WOULD IMPOSE SWEEPING CUTS ACROSS DOMESTIC PROGRAMS. LAWMAKERS PLAN TO LOOK AT PROPOSALS THAT WOULD BLOCK FEDERAL AID TO PLANNED PARENTHOOD AND BAR THE PENTAGON FROM SPENDING TAXPAYER MONEY TO SPONSOR NASCAR RACE TEAMS.

MADISON, WIS. (AP) - REPUBLICANS IN WISCONSIN'S STATE SENATE SAY THEY'LL TRY FOR ANOTHER VOTE TODAY ON A PLAN TO END COLLECTIVE BARGAINING RIGHTS FOR PUBLIC WORKERS IN ORDER TO EASE THE STATE'S BUDGET WOES. BUT DEMOCRATIC LAWMAKERS SAY THEY DON'T PLAN TO RETURN TO THE CAPITOL BEFORE SATURDAY TO DEBATE THE ISSUE. DEMOCRATS
WALKED OUT OF THURSDAY'S SESSION IN SUPPORT OF PROTESTING TEACHERS, PRISON GUARDS AND OTHER STATE WORKERS WHO WANT THE BILL KILLED.

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) - PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA'S TECH TRIP ON THE WEST COAST CONTINUES TODAY WITH A TOUR OF INTEL'S SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING FACILITY IN HILLSBORO, OREGON. ON THURSDAY, OBAMA HAD DINNER WITH TOP PEOPLE FROM GOOGLE, FACEBOOK, APPLE, YAHOO!, AND OTHER LEADING INNOVATORS. OBAMA IS PUSHING FOR NEW SPENDING ON INNOVATION, EDUCATION, HIGH-SPEED RAIL AND FASTER INTERNET SERVICE.

MANAMA, BAHRAIN (AP) - BURIALS BEGIN TODAY FOR DEMONSTRATORS KILLED IN BAHRAIN'S ANTI-GOVERNMENT PROTESTS. THOUSANDS TOOK TO THE STREETS OF THE CAPITAL MANAMA (MAH-NAH'-MAH) THURSDAY TO CALL FOR AN END TO SUNNI MINORITY RULE, ONLY TO BE MET WITH VIOLENCE. AT LEAST FIVE PEOPLE WERE KILLED.

LOS ANGELES (AP) - THE TV REPORTER WHO LAPSED INTO GIBBERISH DURING A LIVE REPORT OUTSIDE THE GRAMMYS SAYS SHE KNEW SOMETHING WAS WRONG AS SOON AS SHE OPENED HER MOUTH. KCBS-TV REPORTER SERENE BRANSON TELLS THE STATION SHE HAD A "REALLY BAD HEADACHE" AND BLURRED VISION EARLIER IN THE DAY SUNDAY, BUT ASSUMED SHE WAS
TIRED. DOCTORS SAY BRANSON HAD A TYPE OF MIGRAINE WHICH CAN MIMIC SYMPTOMS OF A STROKE.