TODAY'S NEWS: THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 2010

SERVICE STATION VANDALIZED

POLICE ARE LOOKING FOR THE VANDALS THAT THREW A CEMENT BLOCK THROUGH THE WINDOW OF A SERVICE STATION IN SCHUYLKILL COUNTY EARLY THIS MORNING. THAT HAPPENED JUST BEFORE TWO A.M. AT THE GETTY SERVICE STATION ALONG THE POTTSVILLE/SAINT CLAIR HIGHWAY. POLICE SAY A DARK COLORED SUV PULLED UP TO THE SERVICE STATION. THEN SEVERAL MINUTES LATER A PASSENGER GOT OUT OF THE VEHICLE AND THREW THE BLOCK THROUGH THE WINDOW OF THE BUSINESS. THE VANDALS WERE LAST SEEN TAKING OFF ON ANN STREET. ANYONE WITH INFORMATION IS ASKED TO CALL STATE POLICE AT SCHUYLKILL HAVEN.

SEARCH CONTINUES FOR TWO MISSING PEOPLE

THE SEARCH CONTINUES TODAY FOR A 42-YEAR-OLD EXCELSIOR WOMAN AND A 31-YEAR-OLD SHAMOKIN MAN WHO HAVE BEEN MISSING FOR DAYS IN UNRELATED INCIDENTS. DEBORAH DEMSHOCK, A DIABETIC NURSE, WAS REPORTED MISSING SUNDAY AFTER NOT RETURNING HOME FROM WORK. JUSTIN BOYLES, WHO MAY BE UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF BATH SALTS, WAS REPORTED MISSING FEBRUARY 3 BY HIS LIVE-IN GIRLFRIEND.DESPITE AIR AND GROUND SEARCHES CONDUCTED BY POLICE AND FAMILY MEMBERS, NEITHER PERSON HAS BEEN LOCATED. STATE POLICE HAVE BEEN SUMMONED IN AN ATTEMPT TO LOCATE DEMSHOCK AND BOYLES.

TESTIMONY CONTINUES IN CIAVARELLA TRIAL

(AP)-A DEVELOPER WHO HELPED BUILD TWO JUVENILE DETENTION FACILITIES SAYS A FORMER LUZERNE COUNTY JUDGE PRESSURED HIM TO PAY MORE THAN A HALF-MILLION DOLLARS IN KICKBACKS. ROBERT POWELL IS TESTIFYING IN THE TRIAL OF FORMER JUDGE MARK CIAVARELLA. HE SAID WEDNESDAY THAT CIAVARELLA AND FORMER COUNTY PRESIDENT JUDGE MICHAEL CONAHAN SUMMONED HIM TO THE COURTHOUSE IN 2003 AND DEMANDED TO BE PAID. POWELL SAYS HE MADE $590,000 IN PAYMENTS DISGUISED AS RENT ON A CONDO IN FLORIDA. CIAVARELLA FACES CORRUPTION CHARGES FOR ALLEGEDLY TAKING THE MONEY IN RETURN FOR SENDING JUVENILE OFFENDERS TO THE FACILITIES. CONAHAN PLEADED GUILTY TO A SINGLE COUNT OF RACKETEERING CONSPIRACY AND AWAITS SENTENCING.

COUNTY MAN CHARGED WITH TERRORISTIC THREATS

A BARNSVILLE MAN IS JAILED IN THE SCHUYLKILL COUNTY PRISON AFTER SENDING THREATENING TEXT MESSAGES TO TWO OTHERS. POLICE SAY 38-YEAR-OLD JUSTIN BLUME IS JAILED ON $20,000 BAIL. BLUME ALLEGEDLY SENT THE TEXT MESSAGES TO A 38-YEAR-OLD WOMAN AND A 46-YEAR-OLD MAN BOTH FROM ORWIGSBURG, AFTER BEING ORDERED BY A SCHUYLKILL COUNTY JUDGE NOT TO HAVE CONTACT WITH THEM. BLUME IS CHARGES WITH TERRORISTIC THREATS, INTIMIDATION OF A WITNESS AND HARASSMENT.

WANTED NEW PHILLY MAN ARRESTED

STATE POLICE AT FRACKVILLE ARRESTED A NEW PHILADELPHIA MAN WEDNESDAY NIGHT. POLICE SAID THEY ENCOUNTERED 30-YEAR OLD KENNETH UMBENHAUER AROUND NOON TUESDAY DURING AN UNRELATED INVESTIGATION AT A NEW PHILADELPHIA RESIDENCE. UMBENHAUER WAS WANTED BY THE LEBANON COUNTY SHERIFF ON A BENCH WARRANT, AND WAS TURNED OVER TO SHERIFF'S AUTHORITY.

BENEFIT FOR LOCAL ANIMAL SHELTERS

AFTER A SUCCESSFUL BENEFIT LAST YEAR, A LOCAL PHOTOGRAPHER WILL HOLD THE 2ND ANNUAL PET PORTRAIT EVENT TO HELP LOCAL ANIMAL SHELTERS. JASMINE BROOKS HAS MORE:

PET EVENT


NATIONAL CONDOM DAY

THERE ARE MORE THAN 100 DIFFERENT BRANDS OF CONDOM ON THE MARKET, BUT "THE ORIGINAL CONDOM" IS LIKE NO OTHER. T102's JASMINE BROOKS HAS MORE:

THE ORIGINAL CONDOM

STATE NEWS:

ALLENTOWN, PA. (AP) - AT LEAST TWO PEOPLE ARE UNACCOUNTED FOR AFTER A DOWNTOWN ALLENTOWN ROW HOUSE EXPLODED LATE LAST NIGHT, ACCORDING TO THE CITY'S POLICE CHIEF. THE BLAST SPARKED FIRES, DOWNED POWER LINES AND PROMPTED THE EVACUATION OF TWO CITY BLOCKS. THE SOURCE OF THE BLAST WAS NOT IMMEDIATELY KNOWN.

PHILADELPHIA (AP) - A JUDGE HAS DENIED A PHILADELPHIA ABORTION CLINIC DOCTOR A PRELIMINARY HEARING BECAUSE A GRAND JURY AUTHORIZED MURDER AND OTHER CHARGES AGAINST HIM AND SEVERAL EMPLOYEES IN THE DEATHS OF A PATIENT AND OF SEVEN BABIES BORN ALIVE. DR. KERMIT GOSNELL HAS HIRED PROMINENT CRIMINAL LAWYER JACK MCMAHON, DAYS AFTER A JUDGE DENIED HIM A PUBLIC DEFENDER.

PITTSBURGH (AP) - AN INDIANA COUNTY TEEN HAS PLEADED GUILTY TO A FEDERAL CHARGE STEMMING FROM A 2009 CROSS BURNING IN THE YARD OF A FAMILY WITH THREE CHILDREN, ONE OF WHOM WAS BLACK. MICHAEL BEALONIS WAS ONE OF THREE PEOPLE CHARGED IN THE INCIDENT. HE FACES SENTENCING IN MAY.

READING, PA. (AP) - A BERKS COUNTY PRIEST IS FACING EMBEZZLEMENT CHARGES. AUTHORITIES SAY RICHARD NACHAJSKI (NAH-HY'-SKEE) TOOK MORE THAN $476,000 WHILE SERVING AT A CHURCH IN MILLMONT. CHURCH OFFICIALS IN ALLENTOWN SAY THE MISSING FUNDS WERE DISCOVERED IN A ROUTINE AUDIT. NACHAJSKI IS CURRENTLY FREE ON BOND.


NATIONAL NEWS:

LOS ANGELES (AP) - IT APPEARS LENDERS ARE TAKING LONGER TO MOVE AGAINST HOMEOWNERS WHO HAVE FALLEN BEHIND ON MORTGAGE PAYMENTS. ACCORDING TO THE FORECLOSURE LISTING FIRM REALTYTRAC, FEWER U.S. HOMES ENTERED THE FORECLOSURE PROCESS IN JANUARY THAN IN ANY MONTH IN MORE THAN THREE YEARS.

ALLENTOWN, PA. (AP) - AT LEAST TWO PEOPLE ARE STILL UNACCOUNTED FOR AFTER THEIR TWO-STORY ROW HOUSE BLEW UP IN A RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBORHOOD IN DOWNTOWN ALLENTOWN, PA. A NATURAL GAS EXPLOSION LAST NIGHT LEVELED TWO HOMES, SPAWNED FIRES THAT ARE STILL BURNING, AND PROMPTED THE EVACUATION OF TWO CITY BLOCKS.

FAYETTEVILLE, ARK. (AP) - ICY BLASTS HAVE SENT TEMPERATURES PLUNGING TO WELL BELOW ZERO IN PARTS OF THE SOUTH. TEMPERATURES DROPPED DRAMATICALLY AFTER A BLIZZARD SWEPT THROUGH THE NATION'S MIDSECTION YESTERDAY. FORECASTERS PREDICT LOWS OF NEGATIVE 11 IN NORTHWEST ARKANSAS AND MINUS 10 IN PARTS OF OKLAHOMA.

WASHINGTON (AP) - PENTAGON OFFICIALS ARE FANNING OUT ACROSS
CAPITOL HILL, PLEADING WITH LAWMAKERS TO APPROVE THE 2011 DEFENSE SPENDING LEVELS PROPOSED BY THE OBAMA ADMINISTRATION. THE DEFENSE LEADERS SAY LESS MONEY IN THE BUDGET WILL PUT AT RISK THOUSANDS OF JOBS AND CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS NATIONWIDE.

PESHAWAR, PAKISTAN (AP) - A SUICIDE BOMBER WHO KILLED 27 PAKISTANI SOLDIERS AND WOUNDED 40 OTHERS THIS MORNING AT AN ARMY TRAINING CAMP IS BEING LINKED TO THE PAKISTANI TALIBAN. THE ARMY AND POLICE SAY THE BOMBER WAS A TEEN IN A SCHOOL UNIFORM, BUT THE PAKISTANI TALIBAN CLAIM HE WAS A SOLDIER AT THE CAMP.