TODAY'S NEWS: THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 17, 2010

MAYOR GIVES STATE OF THE CITY ADDRESS

MAYOR JOHN D.W. REILEY GAVE HIS STATE OF THE CITY ADDRESS AT COUNCIL CHAMBERS WEDNESDAY NIGHT IN CITY HALL. THE REPUBLICAN HERALD REPORTS, REILEY EXPLAINED HOW THE CITY OF POTTSVILLE WORKED TO SURVIVE TOUGH ECONOMIC TIMES IN 2010 WHILE STILL ABLE TO AVOID A TAX INCREASE. THIS YEAR HOWEVER THE CITY COUNCIL APPROVED A 2.5-MILL INCREASE IN ITS 2011 BUDGET. DURING HIS TWENTY MINUTE SPEECH, THE MAYOR ALSO SPOKE ABOUT A SIDEWALK REPLACEMENT PROJECT AND THE WAR ON DRUGS.

HALE ANNOUNCES CANDIDACY FOR MAGISTERIAL DISTRICT JUDGE

CHRISTINA HALE, A FRACKVILLE LAWYER, ANNOUNCED HER CANDIDACY TUESDAY FOR MAGISTERIAL DISTRICT JUDGE. 34-YEAR-OLD HALE IS A LIFELONG RESIDENT OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY, AND HAS BEEN PRACTICING LAW SINCE 2001. IF ELECTED, HALE WOULD SERVE A SIX-YEAR TERM BASED OUT OF FRACKVILLE, AND SERVE RESIDENTS IN NORTHERN SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. HALE STATED SHE INTENDS TO RUN HER MAGISTERIAL DISTRICT COURT IN A FAIR AND ETHICAL MANNER IF ELECTED.

ASSISTANT DA RUNS FOR MAGISTERIAL DISTRICT JUDGE

SCHUYLKILL COUNTY'S FIRST ASSISTANT DISTRICT ATTORNEY, KAREN NOON, ANNOUNCED WEDNESDAY HER CANDIDACY FOR MAGISTERIAL DISTRICT JUDGE. 51-YEAR-OLD NOON HAS BEEN AN ASSISTANT DISTRICT ATTORNEY FOR 22 YEARS. IF ELECTED, NOON WOULD SERVE A SIX-YEAR TERM BASED OUT OF FRACKVILLE, AND SERVE RESIDENTS IN NORTHERN SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. NOON STATED SHE WOULD TREAT THOSE WHO ENTERED THE OFFICE WITH RESPECT AND DIGNITY IF SHE WERE GIVEN THE PRIVILEGE TO SERVE.

BIDS OPEN FOR DEMOLITION OF PROPERTIES

BIDS WERE OPENED FOR DEMOLITION OF PROPERTIES WEDNESDAY AT THE SCHUYLKILL COUNTY WORK SESSION. THREE BIDS WERE RECEIVED FOR CLEANING OF THE HUMAN SERVICES COMPLEX AND 16 WERE RECEIVED TO DEMOLISH PROPERTIES IN HEGINS, CASS, AND MAHANOY TOWNSHIPS. VOTING ON THESE ITEMS WILL TAKE PLACE AT NEXT WEEKS COMMISSIONER'S MEETING. THE COURT HOUSE WILL BE CLOSED MONDAY, FEBRUARY 21 IN OBSERVANCE OF PRESIDENT'S DAY.

ANOTHER ARRESTED IN MASSAGE PARLOR INVESTIGATION

ANOTHER WOMAN HAS BEEN APPREHENDED IN THE MASSAGE PARLOR INVESTIGATION BY THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY’S OFFICE DETECTIVES. 36-YEAR-OLD TARA LYNN SCHMEHL, OF MOUNT PENN, WAS ARRESTED AND ARRAIGNED TUESDAY ON CHARGES OF CRIMINAL SOLICITATION, PROSTITUTION AND RELATED OFFENSES. SCHMEHL AND TWO OTHER WOMEN HAD WARRANTS FOR THEIR ARREST STEMMING FROM THE INVESTIGATION OF AROMA AND ROUTE 61 SPAS. SCHMEHL WAS RELEASED ON 10,000-DOLLARS BAIL AND IS SCHEDULED FOR A PRELIMINARY HEARING FEBRUARY 24TH.

JURY BEGINS DELIBERATION IN CIAVARELLA TRIAL

(AP)-A JURY HAS STARTED DELIBERATING IN THE TRIAL OF A FORMER LUZERNE COUNTY JUDGE CHARGED IN A $2.8 MILLION DOLLAR BRIBERY-AND-EXTORTION SCHEME INVOLVING THE CONSTRUCTION OF TWO PRIVATELY OWNED JUVENILE DETENTION CENTERS. FORMER JUDGE MARK CIAVARELLA IS CHARGED IN A 39-COUNT FEDERAL RACKETEERING INDICTMENT WITH TAKING KICKBACKS FROM THE BUILDER OF THE DETENTION CENTERS AND SHAKING DOWN THE OWNER OF THE YOUTH LOCKUPS. THE JURY GOT THE CASE WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON AFTER CLOSING ARGUMENTS IN SCRANTON. ASSISTANT U.S. ATTORNEY GORDON ZUBROD SAID CHILDREN WHO APPEARED BEFORE CIAVARELLA, A JUVENILE COURT JUDGE, WERE "USED AS PAWNS IN A SCHEME TO ENRICH" CIAVARELLA AND A SECOND JUDGE.CIAVARELLA ADMITTED HE ACCEPTED MONEY FROM THE BUILDER BUT INSISTED THOSE PAYMENTS WERE "FINDER'S FEES." HE DENIED EXTORTING THE DETENTION CENTERS' OWNER. DELIBERATION WILL CONTINUE TODAY.

OBAMA GREAT OUTDOORS INITIATIVE HOLD PROMISE FOR LOCAL RIVERS

PENNSYLVANIA WATERWAYS COULD SEE SOME MAJOR BENEFITS FROM AN INITIATIVE BEING ANNOUNCED BY THE OBAMA ADMINISTRATION. TOM JOSEPH HAS MORE:

SCHUYLKILL & SUSQUEHANNA

STATE NEWS:

ALLENTOWN, PA. (AP) - THERE HAVE BEEN A HANDFUL OF NEW EVACUATIONS IN ALLENTOWN AFTER REPORTS OF A NATURAL GAS ODOR, ONLY BLOCKS AWAY FROM THE SITE OF LAST WEEK'S GAS EXPLOSION THAT KILLED FIVE PEOPLE. WFMZ-TV REPORTS FIREFIGHTERS AND A CREW FROM GAS COMPANY UGI DUG INTO THE STREET TRYING TO GET TO THE SOURCE OF THE ODOR.

PHILADELPHIA (AP) - THREE PHILADELPHIA AREA PRIESTS ACCUSED OF CHILD MOLESTATION IN A GRAND JURY REPORT HAVE BEEN SUSPENDED WHILE THEIR CASES ARE REVIEWED, AND CARDINAL JUSTIN RIGALI SAYS A FORMER CHILD ABUSE PROSECUTOR WILL RE-EXAMINE COMPLAINTS MADE AGAINST 34 OTHER PRIESTS. CHURCH OFFICIALS HAD PREVIOUSLY SAID THEY COULDN'T SUBSTANTIATE THE ABUSE ALLEGATIONS.

PARADISE, PA. (AP) - A LANCASTER COUNTY CORONER SAYS A FATAL HEART ATTACK CAUSED A TRUCKER TO SWERVE OFF A HIGHWAY AND INTO A HOME TUESDAY. FOLLOWING AN AUTOPSY ON JOHN BRASHER, THE CORONER TELLS THE LANCASTER INTELLIGENCER JOURNAL/NEW ERA BRASHER WAS DEAD BEFORE THE CRASH. A WOMAN INSIDE THE HOME WAS UNHURT.

NEW YORK (AP) - PITTSBURGH'S U.S. STEEL TOWER HAS REPORTEDLY BEEN SOLD TO A GROUP OF INVESTORS LED BY NEW YORK LANDLORD MARK KARASICK. PEOPLE INVOLVED WITH THE NEGOTIATIONS TELL THE WALL STREET JOURNAL THE $250 MILLION DEAL IS DEPENDENT ON KARASICK'S GROUP BEING ABLE TO SECURE FINANCING FOR THE PROPERTY.

NATIONAL NEWS:

WASHINGTON (AP) - THE HOUSE WILL CONTINUE TODAY TO DIG ITS WAY THROUGH A RAFT OF AMENDMENTS TO THE REPUBLICANS' BILL TO CUT $61 BILLION FROM THE FISCAL YEAR BUDGET THAT ENDS IN SEPTEMBER. THE $1.2 TRILLION LEGISLATION FUNDS THE PENTAGON AND THE OPERATING BUDGETS OF EVERY CABINET AGENCY AND PROVIDES $158 BILLION FOR THE WARS IN IRAQ AND AFGHANISTAN.

WASHINGTON (AP) - PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA WILL BE TALKING TECH TODAY AS HE PUSHES HIS EDUCATION AND INNOVATION AGENDA DURING STOPS IN CALIFORNIA AND OREGON. OBAMA HEADS TO THE SAN FRANCISCO BAY AREA TO MEET WITH BUSINESS LEADERS IN TECHNOLOGY AND INNOVATION. TOMORROW HE HEADS TO AN INTEL FACILITY IN OREGON.

LAHORE, PAKISTAN (AP) - A HEARING FOR A U.S. EMBASSY WORKER HELD FOR SHOOTING AND KILLING TWO MEN IN PAKISTAN HAS BEEN DELAYED. THE U.S. CLAIMS HE HAS DIPLOMATIC IMMUNITY AND RAYMOND DAVIS SAYS HE SHOT TWO ARMED PAKISTANI MEN AS THEY TRIED TO ROB HIM. THE DELAY CAME A DAY AFTER A VISITING U.S. SENATOR PRESSED FOR A QUICK RESOLUTION TO AVERT A MELTDOWN IN THE COUNTRIES' TENSE RELATIONS.

NEW YORK (AP) - A FORMER CARGO HANDLER FACES SENTENCING IN FEDERAL COURT IN NEW YORK TODAY FOR HIS ROLE IN A FOILED TERROR PLOT AGAINST JOHN F. KENNEDY INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT. PROSECUTORS ARE ASKING THAT RUSSELL DEFREITAS GET LIFE IN PRISON. HE WAS CONVICTED LAST YEAR ON MULTIPLE CONSPIRACY CHARGES.

HOUSTON (AP) - A CLOSE FRIEND WHO RECENTLY VISITED WOUNDED CONGRESSWOMAN GABRIELLE GIFFORDS IS PAINTING A POSITIVE PICTURE. SHE SAYS GIFFORDS RESPONDS TO QUESTIONS, LAUGHS AT JOKES AND RECOGNIZES VISITORS. TILMAN FERTITTA TELLS THE ASSOCIATED PRESS THAT GIFFORDS IS DOING THERAPY FROM MORNING UNTIL NIGHT, IS IN GOOD SPIRITS, AND IMPROVING FASTER THAN HAD BEEN EXPECTED.