TODAY'S NEWS: WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 23, 2011

PIEKARSKY AND DONCHAK SENTENCED FOR HATE CRIME

AFTER BEING DELAYED ONE MONTH, TWO LOCAL MEN CONVICTED OF A HATE CRIME IN OCTOBER 2010 WILL BE SENTENCED TODAY. WPPA'S BRITTANY HAS MORE:

SENTENCING

RELATIVES CHARGED IN FRACKVILLE ROBBERY

AN ARISTES MAN HAS BEEN ARRESTED IN CONNECTION WITH AN ARMED ROBBERY AT CITY CHECK CASHING ON NOVEMBER 18. FRACKVILLE POLICE OBTAINED AN ARREST WARRANT FOR 34-YEAR-OLD WADE HUBLER WHO IS ACCUSED OF ROBBING THE STORE AT KNIFEPOINT AND STEALING MORE THAN $94,000. HUBLER'S MOTHER 52-YEAR-OLD ROBIN HUBLER AND SISTER 31-YEAR-OLD STEPHANIE HUBLER WERE ALSO CHARGED FOR THEIR ROLES IN COVERING UP THE CRIME. HUBLER WILL BE ARRAIGNED LATER THIS WEEK AND IS CURRENTLY BEING HELD IN NORTHUMBERLAND COUNTY PRISON.

DUI CHECKPOINTS THROUGH FEBRUARY

THE NORTH CENTRAL REGIONAL SOBRIETY CHECKPOINT D-U-I TASKFORCE ANNOUNCED TUESDAY THAT SOBRIETY CHECKPOINTS AND ROVING D-U-I PATROLS WILL BE PRESENT ON MANY ROUTES IN OUR AREA THROUGHOUT THE REMAINDER OF FEBRUARY. THE NORTH CENTRAL HIGHWAY SAFETY NETWORK WANTS TO REMIND DRIVERS IF THEY SUSPECT A DRUNK DRIVER TO DIAL 9-1-1 AND TO REPORT UNDERAGE DRINKING TO 1-888-UNDER 21.

NIGHT OF THE RACES

THIS YEAR THE SCHUYLKILL HAVEN ISLAND FUNDRAISING COMMITTEE IS KICKING OFF THEIR FUNDRAISING EFFORTS WITH SPONSORING A NIGHT AT THE RACES. COME ENJOY AN EVENING OF FUN WITH FAMILY AND FRIENDS SATURDAY MARCH 5 AND ST. AMBROSE PARISH HALL IN SCHUYLKILL HAVEN. THE FIRST RACE WITH START AT 7PM, BUT DOORS WILL OPEN AT 6PM. A DONATION OF JUST $7 PER PERSON WILL GET YOU ADMISSION, REFRESHMENTS, FOOD AND SNACKS. YOU CAN ALSO SPONSOR A HORSE AND NAME IT FOR $5. IF YOUR HORSE COMES IN FIRST YOU WILL WIN $25. HELP A GREAT CAUSE AND HAVE FUN ALL AT THE SAME TIME AT A NIGHT AT THE RACES.

STATE NEWS:

PHILADELPHIA (AP) - INVESTIGATORS ARE FOCUSING ON SEVERAL OVERLOADED ELECTRICAL OUTLETS AS THE POSSIBLE CAUSE OF YESTERDAY'S ROW HOUSE FIRE IN PHILADELPHIA THAT KILLED TWO YOUNG BOYS AND INJURED EIGHT OTHER PEOPLE. FIREFIGHTERS SAY TWO OF THE INJURED HAD SEVERE BURNS.

PITTSBURGH (AP) - AN ALLEGHENY COUNTY MAN HAS PLEADED GUILTY TO MANSLAUGHTER IN THE 2007 SHOOTING DEATH OF ANOTHER MAN AS HE WAS BEING RETRIED IN THE CASE. THE PITTSBURGH POST-GAZETTE SAYS CHRISTOPHER JAMES ROGERS APOLOGIZED AS HE ENTERED THE PLEA YESTERDAY. A JURY LAST FALL HAD DEADLOCKED IN HIS FIRST TRIAL.

FORT CARSON, COLO. (AP) - A PENNSYLVANIA SOLDIER HAS DIED IN AFGHANISTAN IN WHAT MILITARY OFFICIALS SAY WAS A NONCOMBAT INCIDENT. OFFICIALS AT FORT CARSON IN COLORADO SAY SERGEANT ROBERT SISSON (SY'-SUN) DIED MONDAY BUT DIDN'T HAVE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION ABOUT WHAT HAPPENED. THE NATIVE OF ALIQUIPPA'S MILITARY CAREER INCLUDED SEVERAL COMMENDATIONS, INCLUDING TWO ARMY ACHIEVEMENT MEDALS.

NATIONAL NEWS:

WASHINGTON (AP) - WITH VIOLENCE ESCALATING IN LIBYA, THE U.S. IS HELPING AMERICANS WHO WANT TO LEAVE THE COUNTRY TO GET OUT. THEY WILL BE FERRIED TODAY FROM TRIPOLI TO THE MEDITERRANEAN ISLAND OF MALTA. SECRETARY OF STATE HILLARY RODHAM CLINTON CALLS THE VIOLENCE DIRECTED AT PROTESTERS "COMPLETELY UNACCEPTABLE." BUT THE U.S. HAS STOPPED SHORT OF PERSONALLY CRITICIZING MERCURIAL LEADER MOAMMAR GADHAFI.

CHRISTCHURCH, NEW ZEALAND (AP) - POLICE IN CHRISTCHURCH, NEW ZEALAND, SAY THEY'RE "100 PERCENT CERTAIN" THERE ARE NO SURVIVORS IN THE RUINS OF A BUILDING THAT HOUSED A LANGUAGE SCHOOL AND TV STATION. IT'S BELIEVED THERE ARE 25 PEOPLE INSIDE. OFFICIALS SAY THERE ARE ABOUT 300 PEOPLE MISSING. AT LEAST 75 HAVE BEEN KILLED.

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) - REPUBLICANS WHO CONTROL THE INDIANA HOUSE SAY THEY'LL TRY TO RESUME BUSINESS TODAY DESPITE A BOYCOTT BY DEMOCRATS FIGHTING LEGISLATION OPPOSED BY UNIONS. IN WISCONSIN, GOV. SCOTT WALKER WARNS THERE WILL BE DIRE CONSEQUENCES UNLESS SENATE DEMOCRATS END THEIR BOYCOTT OVER ANTI-UNION LEGISLATION.

ST. PETERSBURG, FLA. (AP) - AUTHORITIES IN ST. PETERSBURG, FLA. SAY TIPS LED TO THE ARREST OF A 16-YEAR-OLD SUSPECTED OF KILLING A POLICE OFFICER. THE OFFICER WAS SHOT MULTIPLE TIMES LATE MONDAY WHILE INVESTIGATING A REPORT OF A PROWLER. THE SUSPECT IS A HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT AND OFFICIALS SAY IT'S UNCLEAR HOW HE GOT A GUN.

NEW YORK (AP) - THE ESTATE OF SULTRY JAZZ SINGER AND ACTRESS LENA HORNE IS SELLING SOME OF THE FANCY GOWNS, JEWELRY, FINE ART AND BOOKS THAT FILLED HER NEW YORK CITY APARTMENT. THE MORE THAN 200 ITEMS RANGE FROM A SEQUINED CARDIGAN EVENING COAT TO ABSTRACT ART. HORNE ALSO WAS A DANCER AND CIVIL RIGHTS ACTIVIST. SHE DIED LAST MAY AT AGE 92.