TODAY'S NEWS: FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 2011

GIRARDVILLE FIRE LEAVES TWENTY-ONE HOMELESS

TWENTY-ONE PEOPLE WERE LEFT HOMELESS AFTER A FIRE IN GIRARDVILLE WEDNESDAY NIGHT. THE BLAZE STARTED WHEN A RESIDENT PLACED DURAFLAME FIRE LOGS INTO A WOOD BURNER. FIVE HOMES WERE DESTROYED ON THE 100 BLOCK OF WEST MAIN STREET. THE RED CROSS HAS BEEN CONTACTED TO PLACE THE VICTIMS IN HOUSING.

PINE GROVE MAN HEADED TO TRIAL ON HOMICIDE CHARGE

A PRELIMINARY HEARING FOR A PINE GROVE MAN WAS HELD THURSDAY. 22-YEAR-OLD JOSHUA HIPPERT WAS CHARGED WITH SHOOTING ANOTHER MAN DURING AN ARGUMENT AT HIS HOME FEBRUARY 4. HIPPERT WAS ARRESTED AND CHARGED WITH SIX OFFENSES. THE REPUBLICAN HERALD REPORTS THE VICTIM, PATRICK BEEN, HAD MOVED TO PINE GROVE JUST DAYS BEFORE THE SHOOTING.

SALVATION ARMY RECEIVES DONATION FROM HEATING COMPANY

TO HELP THE HEATING NEEDS OF THE LESS FORTUNATE THE BERKS-SCHUYLKILL OIL HEAT ASSOCIATION DONATED OVER $3,000 TO BOTH THE BERKS AND SCHUYLKILL COUNTY SALVATION ARMY. THE PROGRAM HAS GENERATED NEARLY $25,000 SINCE IT WAS INTRODUCED SIX YEARS AGO. THE PURPOSE OF THE ANNUAL FUNDRAISER IS TO GIVE BACK TO THE COMMUNITY.

TEEN SUSTAINS INJURIES IN HIT & RUN

A TOWER CITY TEEN SUSTAINED MINOR INJURIES THURSDAY AFTERNOON DURING A HIT AND RUN. THE 17-YEAR-OLD MALE WAS RIDING HIS BICYCLE AT THE INTERSECTION OF EAST WICONISCO AVENUE AND SOUTH 10TH STREET, IN TOWER CITY, WHEN A BLUE DODGE CHARGER STRUCK THE REAR BIKE WHEEL WHEN MAKING A RIGHT HAND TURN. THE TEEN WAS THROWN FROM HIS BIKE OVER THE VEHICLE'S HOOD, BUT LANDED ON HIS FEET ONLY SUFFERING MINOR INJURIES TO HIS WRIST. THE VICTIM IDENTIFIED THE DRIVER AS A BLACK MALE TALKING ON HIS CELL PHONE, AND WAS REPORTED TRAVELING EAST ON ROUTE 209. ANYONE WITH INFORMATION ABOUT THE DRIVER IS ASKED TO CONTACT STATE POLICE AT SCHUYLKILL HAVEN.

BLUE MOUNTAIN ELEMENTARY TO RESTRUCTURE

AFTER AN 8 TO 0 VOTE THURSDAY NIGHT, BLUE MOUNTAIN ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS WILL BE RESTRUCTURED BEGINNING THE 2011-2012 SCHOOL YEAR. THE SCHOOL BOARD'S DECISION WILL MOVE KINDERGARTEN THROUGH THIRD GRADE TO THE WEST BUILDING, FOURTH AND FIFTH TO CRESSONA AND EAST WILL CONTINUE TO OPERATE AS IS. THE REPUBLICAN HERALD REPORTS, SUPERINTENDENT ROBERT URZILLO BELIEVES THE DECISION IS IN THE BEST INTEREST OF THE SCHOOL DISTRICT.

PA UNIONS REACH OUT TO WI UNIONS

PENNSYLVANIA'S LARGEST UNION IS SENDING MONEY AND MANPOWER TO PUBLIC EMPLOYEES IN WISCONSIN AS THEY CONTINUE THEIR FIGHT TO KEEP THEIR COLLECTIVE BARGAINING RIGHTS. TOM JOSEPH REPORTS:

UNIONS

STATE NEWS:

PITTSBURGH (AP) - A FEDERAL JURY HAS SIDED WITH TWO PITTSBURGH POLICE OFFICERS AND A STATE TROOPER, SAYING THEY DIDN'T USE EXCESSIVE FORCE DURING A 2008 TRAFFIC STOP. THE PITTSBURGH POST-GAZETTE AND PITTSBURGH TRIBUNE-REVIEW REPORT DAVID PALMER HAD SUED AFTER SAYING THE OFFICERS BEAT HIM AND USED STUN GUNS ON HIM AFTER HE TOLD THEM HE HAD A GUN.

JOHNSTON, IOWA (AP) - RICK SANTORUM IS BLASTING PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA'S DECISION TO STOP DEFENDING THE CONSTITUTIONALITY OF THE FEDERAL DEFENSE OF MARRIAGE ACT, WITH THE FORMER PENNSYLVANIA SENATOR SAYING THE MOVE BREAKS A CAMPAIGN PROMISE. SANTORUM MADE THE COMMENT YESTERDAY IN IOWA, A KEY STATE SHOULD SANTORUM DECIDE TO RUN FOR PRESIDENT NEXT YEAR.

PHILADELPHIA (AP) - FEDERAL REGULATORS HAVE SANCTIONED A DOCTOR OVER NEARLY 100 BOTCHED PROSTATE CANCER PROCEDURES AT PHILADELPHIA'S VA MEDICAL CENTER. AUTHORITIES SAY MANY OF DR. GARY KAO'S PATIENTS GOT INCORRECT DOSES OF RADIOACTIVE "SEEDS" THAT WERE IMPLANTED TO KILL CANCER CELLS. KAO WON'T BE ALLOWED TO TAKE PART IN AGENCY-RELATED ACTIVITIES UNTIL HE GETS MORE TRAINING.

DETROIT (AP) - A MICHIGAN INSURANCE COMPANY IS SUING THE FBI AND THE JUSTICE DEPARTMENT, WANTING TO KNOW HOW AN AGENT CRASHED ITS $750,000 FERRARI. THE DETROIT NEWS REPORTS COURT RECORDS SAY THE CAR HAD BEEN STOLEN FROM A PENNSYLVANIA DEALERSHIP IN 2003 BUT RECOVERED IN 2003. AN AGENT CRASHED IT WHILE TAKING A JUSTICE DEPARTMENT OFFICIAL FOR A "SHORT RIDE" IN 2009.

NATIONAL NEWS:

GENEVA (AP) - A DOUBLE-EDGED U.N. EFFORT IS UNDER WAY TO DECIDE WHAT TO DO ABOUT LIBYA. THE U.N. 'S TOP HUMAN RIGHTS BODY IS PREPARING TO HOLD AN EMERGENCY MEETING ON LIBYA TO DECIDE WHETHER TO CONDEMN AND OSTRACIZE THE NORTH AFRICAN COUNTRY FOR ITS CRACKDOWN ON ANTI-GOVERNMENT PROTESTERS. THE SECURITY COUNCIL IS ALSO TO CONSIDER OPTIONS.

MAYFIELD, KY. (AP) - AUTHORITIES HAVE FOUND THE BODIES OF THREE AMISH CHILDREN WHO WERE AMONG FOUR SWEPT AWAY IN A CREEK SWOLLEN BY HEAVY RAINS IN SOUTHWESTERN KENTUCKY. THE SEARCH CONTINUES FOR A FOURTH CHILD. A MOTHER AND HER SIX CHILDREN WERE TRYING TO CROSS THE CREEK THURSDAY ON A ROADWAY IN THEIR HORSE-DRAWN BUGGY WHEN IT OVERTURNED, KNOCKING THEM INTO THE WATER.

HOUSTON (AP) - INVESTIGATORS WILL TRY TO FIND SOME ANSWERS TODAY TO THE DEATHS OF THREE CHILDREN DURING A HOME DAYCARE CENTER FIRE. FROM THE OUTSIDE, ONLY A HOLE HACKED IN THE ROOF OFFERS ANY SIGN THAT THE HOME IN HOUSTON WAS FILLED WITH SMOKE FROM A KITCHEN FIRE. FOUR OTHER CHILDREN WERE HURT.

LUBBOCK, TEXAS (AP) - A COLLEGE STUDENT FROM SAUDI ARABIA
CHARGED WITH ATTEMPTED USE OF A WEAPON OF MASS DESTRUCTION IS EXPECTED TO APPEAR IN U.S. FEDERAL COURT IN TEXAS TODAY. THE JUSTICE DEPARTMENT SAYS THE MAN BOUGHT EXPLOSIVE CHEMICALS ONLINE AS PART OF A PLAN TO BLOW UP DAMS, NUCLEAR PLANTS OR THE DALLAS HOME OF FORMER PRESIDENT GEORGE W. BUSH.

LOS ANGELES (AP) - THE DOOR WAS OPEN BUT NONE OF THE
15-YEAR-OLDS ALLOWED TO AUDITION FOR "AMERICAN IDOL" THIS YEAR HAVE WALKED THROUGH INTO THE SEMIFINALS. THE 24 CONTESTANTS WHO ADVANCED IN THE SINGING CONTEST ARE MOSTLY IN THEIR EARLY 20S. A HANDFUL OF 16- AND 17-YEAR-OLDS DID GET THE NOD. CALIFORNIA, NEW YORK, TENNESSEE AND LOUISIANA ARE THE BEST REPRESENTED STATES.