LOCAL NEWS: TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 22, 2011

IU 29 APPROVE STRIKE WITHOUT CONTRACT

AFTER NEARLY TWO YEARS OF CONTRACT NEGOTIATION, THE TEACHERS AT SCHUYLKILL INTERMEDIATE UNIT 29 MAY STRIKE IF TALKS DO NOT PROGRESS. THE I-U'S 128 TEACHERS GAVE THE GO AHEAD TO STRIKE MONDAY. THE REPUBLICAN HERALD REPORTS THAT KRISTEN BROWN, THE ASSOCIATION'S PRESIDENT, SAID THEY ARE RUNNING OUT OF OPTIONS TO REACH AN AGREEMENT. BROWN ALSO STATED THEY ARE COMMITTED TO REACHING A FAIR AND EQUITABLE CONTRACT SO THEY CAN FOCUS ON THE CHILDREN. NEGOTIATIONS HAVE BEEN ONGOING SINCE JANUARY 2009, BEFORE THE PREVIOUS CONTRACT EXPIRED IN AUGUST 2009.

ASHLAND TEEN MISSING

POLICE ARE LOOKING FOR AN ASHLAND TEEN LAST SEEN LEAVING HER HOME ON FEBRUARY 15TH. POLICE REPORT 16-YEAR-OLD JESSICA BOWLES MAY BE STAYING WITH HER BOYFRIEND IN SHENANDOAH OR LEFT THE AREA TRAVELING TOWARD PHILADELPHIA. THE TEEN IS REPORTED TO HAVE TWO TATTOOS ONE ON EACH ARM, ONE READS "JESSIE BABY" AND THE OTHER "IN LOVE POP POP." BOWLES IS SAID TO HAVE BROWN HAIR AND WEIGH ABOUT 120 POUNDS. ANYONE WITH INFORMATION ON THE TEENS WHEREABOUTS IS ASKED TO CONTACT ASHLAND POLICE.

HAMBURG TEEN CRASH (UPDATE)

A HAMBURG TEEN INVOLVED IN A CRASH SUNDAY NIGHT REMAINS IN CRITICAL CONDITION AT THE LEHIGH COUNTY TRAUMA CENTER. 17-YEAR-OLD CONNOR STERN WAS CRITICALLY INJURED WHEN HE CRASHED ON OLD ROUTE 22 IN WINDSOR TOWNSHIP, BERKS COUNTY JUST BEFORE 10PM SUNDAY. HAMBURG FIREFIGHTERS EXTRACTED STERN FROM HIS VEHICLE AND HE WAS FLOWN TO LEHIGH VALLEY HOSPITAL NEAR ALLENTOWN.

POTTSVILLE STABBING

POLICE ARE INVESTIGATING A STABBING THAT HAPPENED SATURDAY IN POTTSVILLE. JAMES HAIRSTON ALLEGEDLY STABBED HIS NEIGHBOR DUSTIN BALLARD IN THE ABDOMEN AFTER THE TWO BECAME INVOLVED IN AN ALTERCATION. POTTSVILLE EMS TRANSPORTED BALLARD TO LEHIGH VALLEY HOSPITAL FOR HIS INJURIES. BOTH MEN OCCUPY APARTMENTS AT 123 WEST MARKET STREET IN POTTSVILLE.

WANTED MAN FOUND

A WANTED MAN WAS APPREHENDED DURING A ROUTINE TRAFFIC STOP FRIDAY IN MINERSVILLE. POLICE PULLED OVER 37-YEAR-OLD JOSEPH JOHNSON WHEN HE FAILED TO STOP AT A RED LIGHT AND LEARNED HE WAS WANTED BY THE CHESTER COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY'S OFFICE FOR DRUG-RELATED CHARGES. JOHNSON WAS TAKEN INTO CUSTODY AND TRANSPORTED TO THE SCHUYLKILL COUNTY PRISON TO AWAIT THE ARRIVAL OF CHESTER COUNTY AUTHORITIES. IN ADDITION, JOHNSON WAS CHARGED WITH TRAFFIC CONTROL SIGNAL VIOLATIONS AND DRIVING WHILE OPERATING PRIVILEGES ARE SUSPENDED OR REVOKED.

PALO ALTO MAN ARRESTED

A PALO ALTO MAN IS BEHIND BARS ON $50,000 STRAIGHT BAIL AFTER SMASHING HIS GIRLFRIEND'S WINDSHIELD WHILE THEIR TWO CHILDREN WERE INSIDE. POLICE ARRESTED 29-YEAR-OLD PHILIP HOPTAK SATURDAY. UPON TAKING HOPTAK INTO CUSTODY, HE ASSAULTED A UNIFORMED POTTSVILLE POLICE OFFICER AND RESISTED ARREST. HOPTAK WAS ARRAIGNED BEFORE JUDGE PANKAKE AND REMAINS IN SCHUYLKILL COUNTY PRISON.

STATE NEWS:

PHILADELPHIA (AP) - A WIDE SWATH OF PENNSYLVANIA IS SEEING A RETURN TO WINTER CONDITIONS THIS MORNING. CENTRAL PARTS OF THE STATE ARE UNDER A WINTER STORM WARNING, WITH FORECASTERS SAYING SOME AREAS COULD SEE ANYWHERE FROM 6 TO 10 INCHES. PITTSBURGH COULD SEE AS MUCH AS 7 INCHES, WHILE THE FORECAST IN THE PHILADELPHIA AREA RANGES FROM 3 TO 5 INCHES.

OLD FORGE, PA. (AP) - TEACHERS IN A SCRANTON-AREA SCHOOL DISTRICT HAVE GIVEN NOTICE THEY PLAN TO WALK OFF THEIR JOBS NEXT MONTH, WHEN THEIR DISTRICT IS SET FOR STATE READING AND MATH TESTS. OLD FORGE TEACHERS HAVE BEEN WORKING WITHOUT A CONTRACT SINCE JUNE AND THE LAST ATTEMPT TO NEGOTIATE A DEAL ENDED FEBRUARY 15TH. DISTRICT OFFICIALS TELL THE TIMES-TRIBUNE THEY ARE SEEKING STATE MEDIATION.

PITTSBURGH (AP) - A FORMER STAFFER TO STATE SENATOR JANE ORIE HAS ACKNOWLEDGED THAT MANY MESSAGES HE GOT FROM ORIE'S SISTER JANINE DID NOT EXPLICITLY ORDER HIM TO DO CAMPAIGN WORK ON STATE TIME FOR ANOTHER SISTER, CURRENT STATE SUPREME COURT JUSTICE JOAN ORIE MELVIN. JOSHUA DOTT HAD TESTIFIED EARLIER THAT HE'D DONE SO MUCH WORK ON MELVIN'S SUCCESSFUL 2009 CAMPAIGN THAT HE FELL BEHIND ON THE LEGISLATIVE WORK HE WAS ACTUALLY PAID TO DO.

PITTSBURGH (AP) - A BRADDOCK MAN IMPRISONED 18 YEARS FOR MURDER BEFORE BEING EXONERATED BY DNA EVIDENCE IS ASKING THE U.S. SUPREME COURT TO REVIEW A FEDERAL JUDGE'S DECISION ALLEGHENY COUNTY CAN'T BE HELD LIABLE FOR VIOLATING HIS RIGHTS. DREW WHITLEY SUED FOLLOWING HIS 2006 RELEASE.

NATIONAL NEWS:
CHRISTCHURCH, NEW ZEALAND (AP) - A POWERFUL EARTHQUAKE HAS HIT ONE OF NEW ZEALAND'S BIGGEST CITIES AT THE HEIGHT OF A BUSY WORKDAY, KNOCKING OVER TALL BUILDINGS AND KILLING AT LEAST 65 PEOPLE. AN UNKNOWN NUMBER OF PEOPLE ARE FEARED TRAPPED. THE 6.3-MAGNITUDE TEMBLOR WAS THE SECOND MAJOR QUAKE TO HIT CHRISTCHURCH, A CITY OF 350,000, IN FIVE MONTHS.

UNITED NATIONS (AP) - THE U.N. SECURITY COUNCIL WILL MEET IN EMERGENCY SESSION LATER TODAY TO DISCUSS THE UPHEAVAL IN LIBYA, WHERE CALLS FOR THE RESIGNATION OF LONGTIME RULER MOAMMAR GADHAFI ARE RISING. GADHAFI IS BEING CASTIGATED FOR HIS BRUTAL CRACKDOWN ON PROTESTERS. LIBYA'S AMBASSADOR TO THE UNITED STATES URGED HIM TO GET OUT.

MANAMA, BAHRAIN (AP) - THE EMBATTLED RULING MONARCHY IN BAHRAIN IS TRYING TO ENGAGE PROTESTERS THERE IN TALKS DESIGNED TO CALM DOWN WEEKLONG AGITATION FOR CHANGE IN THE STRATEGIC GULF NATION. A LEADING MEMBER OF BAHRAIN'S SHIITE OPPOSITION (ABDUL JALIL KHALIL) SAYS A PLANNED PRISONER RELEASE IS "A GOOD STEP" AND A "POSITIVE GESTURE."

AHMADABAD, INDIA (AP) - A COURT IN INDIA HAS FOUND 31 MUSLIMS GUILTY OF SETTING FIRE TO A TRAIN IN WHICH 60 HINDUS WERE KILLED NINE YEARS AGO. THE COURT ON TUESDAY ALSO ACQUITTED 63 PEOPLE OF PARTICIPATING IN THE 2002 ATTACK ON THE TRAIN, WHICH WAS PACKED WITH HINDU PILGRIMS IN THE WESTERN INDIAN STATE OF GUJARAT GOO'-JUHR-AHT). THE ATTACK TRIGGERED DEADLY ANTI-MUSLIM RIOTS.

NEW YORK (AP) - CREDIT CARD HOLDERS ARE FACING FEWER INTEREST RATE HIKES AND FORKING OVER SHARPLY LESS IN LATE FEES. A YEAR AFTER NEW REGULATIONS CURBED SEVERAL QUESTIONABLE BILLING PRACTICES, FEDERAL OFFICIALS SAY OVER-THE-LIMIT PENALTY CHARGES HAVE ALSO BEEN DRAMATICALLY CURTAILED. THE FINDINGS COME FROM THE NEWLY CREATED CONSUMER FINANCIAL PROTECTION BUREAU.