TODAY'S NEWS: TUESDAY, MARCH 29, 2011

WANTED FUGITIVE CAPTURED IN BERKS CO

STATE POLICE AT READING, US MARSHALLS AND PENNSYLVANIA STATE PATROL CAPTURED A WANTED FUGITIVE MONDAY MORNING IN READING. POLICE REPORTED 26-YEAR OLD MARQUES REAVES WAS WANTED IN SCHUYLKILL COUNTY ON TWO OUTSTANDING WARRANTS AFTER HITTING A POTTSVILLE POLICE OFFICER WITH HIS VEHICLE WHILE FLEEING A TRAFFIC STOP ON MARCH 4TH AND ON MARCH 20TH FLEEING STATE POLICE NEAR FRACKVILLE BORO WHERE HE TOOK OFF ON FOOT. REAVES WAS RETURNED TO SCHUYLKILL COUNTY AND WAS COMMITTED TO SCHUYLKILL COUNTY PRISON WHERE HE FACES CHARGES OF AGGRAVATED ASSAULT, FLEEING AND ELUDING, AND PAROLE VIOLATIONS.

TOBASH TO HOLD OFFICE HOURS IN TREMONT

REPRESENTATIVE MIKE TOBASH WILL HOLD OFFICE HOURS AT TREMONT BOROUGH'S GRIFFITHS COMMUNITY ROOM ON THURSDAY, MARCH 31 AND WEDNESDAY, APRIL 13. STAFF WILL BE ON HAND TO HELP WITH ANY STATE-RELATED ISSUES OR CONCERNS. THEY WILL BE PREPARED SPECIFICALLY TO HELP AREA SENIOR CITIZENS WITH FILLING OUT THEIR PROPERTY TAX/RENT REBATE APPLICATIONS. FOR MORE INFORMATION YOU CAN VISIT REPTOBASH.COM.

SENATORS TO HEAR ABOUT AREA DISEASE CLUSTERS

THE SENATE ENVIRONMENT AND PUBLIC WORKS COMMITTEE WILL HEAR TESTIMONY ON THE PROPOSED U.S SENATE BILL 76 TODAY IN WASHINGTON. THE "DISEASE CLUSTER ACT" FOCUSES ON CONFIRMING DISEASE CLUSTERS AND FINDING THEIR CAUSES. DISEASE CLUSTERS HAVE SICKENED A LARGE NUMBER OF PEOPLE IN 13 STATES WHICH INCLUDE 42 CLUSTERS. THE REPUBLICAN HERALD REPORTS TWO OF THOSE DISEASE CLUSTERS REPRESENT PEOPLE IN SCHUYLKILL, CARBON AND LUZERNE COUNTIES. A 2008 STUDY SHOWED A BLOOD DISEASE HAS AFFECTED OVER 33 PEOPLE IN THESE COUNTIES WHERE RESIDENTS POINT OUT A NEARBY TOXIC WASTE DUMPING SITE USED IN THE LATE 1970’S. A SECOND REPORT FROM 2004 SHOWS ANOTHER CLUSTER THAT APPEARED WHERE 12 EMPLOYEES OF THE LUZERNE INTERMEDIATE IU18 WERE DIAGNOSED WITH LUPUS AND NON-HODGKINS LYMPHOMA. IN THIS CASE LEVELS OF T-C-E 10,000 HIGHER THAN ACCEPTABLE WERE TRACED TO A CLEANING SOLVENT ROUTINELY SPILLED ONTO CARPETS. IF THE LEGISLATION BEING PROPOSED TODAY PASSED IT WOULD FUND RESEARCH TO DETERMINE CONNECTIONS BETWEEN THE DISEASE CLUSTER AND ENVIROMENTAL CONTAMINATS.

COPPER THEFT IN AND AROUND COUNTY

MULTIPLE REPORTS OF THEFT OF COPPER PIPE AND WIRE HAVE BEEN REPORTED IN AND AROUND THE AREA IN RECENT WEEKS. STATE POLICE AT HAMBURG REPORT THE MAJORITY OF COPPER PIPING FROM A FARMHOUSE IN PERRY TOWNSHIP, BERKS COUNTY STOLEN BETWEEN MARCH 22ND AND 27TH, AND STATE POLICE AT SCHUYLKILL HAVEN ARE INVESTIGATING THE THEFT OF COPPER WIRING OVERNIGHT SUNDAY FROM THE LEBANON WATER AUTHORITY BUILDING LOCATED IN PINE GROVE TOWNSHIP. STATE POLICE AT SCHUYLKILL HAVEN ARE ASKING ANYONE WITH INFORMATION TO CONTACT THEM.

DUI CHECKPOINTS INTO APRIL

THE NORTH CENTRAL REGIONAL SOBRIETY CHECKPOINT DUI TASK FORCE ANNOUNCED MONDAY THAT SOBRIETY CHECKPOINTS AND ROVING DUI PATROLS WILL BE PRESENT ON MANY ROUTES IN OUR AREA THROUGH APRIL 4TH. THE SOBRIETY CHECKPOINTS ARE PART OF THE NORTH CENTRAL PA REGIONAL SOBRIETY CHECKPOINT AND EXPANDED DUI/UNDERAGE DRINKING ENFORCEMENT PROGRAM FUNDED THROUGH PENNDOT AND THE NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION. THE NORTH CENTRAL HIGHWAY SAFETY NETWORK WANTS TO REMIND DRIVERS IF THEY SUSPECT A DRUNK DRIVER TO DIAL 911 AND TO REPORT UNDERAGE DRINKING TO 1-888-UNDER 21.

WPPA/CAREER LINK JOB FAIR

OVER THIRTY LOCAL BUSINESSES, WHO ARE CURRENTLY LOOKING TO HIRE, WILL BE AT THE WPPA/T102-CAREER LINK JOB FAIR HELD AT THE FAIRLANE VILLAGE MALL THIS WEDNESDAY. STOP BY ANYTIME FROM 10AM TO 6PM TO SPEAK WITH REPRESENTATIVES THAT WILL BE ON HAND TO DISCUSS EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES. APPLICATIONS WILL BE AVAILABLE ON THE SPOT TO ALL JOB SEEKERS.

STATE NEWS:

HARRISBURG, PA. (AP) - A LEADER OF THE UNION THAT REPRESENTS MOST EMPLOYEES OF STATE-OWNED LIQUOR AND WINE STORES SAYS THEY DO A BETTER JOB OF COLLECTING TAXES AND PREVENTING UNDERAGE DRINKING THAN PRIVATE BUSINESSES WOULD DO. WENDELL YOUNG OF THE UNITED FOOD AND COMMERCIAL WORKERS UNION SAYS STATE STORES HAVE A REPUTATION
FOR ENFORCING THE LAW THAT DISCOURAGES UNDERAGE PEOPLE FROM TRYING TO BUY LIQUOR.

SCRANTON, PA. (AP) - AN EASTERN PENNSYLVANIA JUDGE HAS APPROVED THE $150 MILLION SALE OF SCRANTON'S MERCY HOSPITAL AND AFFILIATED FACILITIES TO COMMUNITY HEALTH SERVICES. THE DECISION IS THE LAST FORMAL STEP IN THE SALE OF HOSPITALS IN SCRANTON, NANTICOKE AND TUNKHANNOCK ALONG WITH SOME OUTPATIENT CLINICS TO THE FOR-PROFIT COMPANY.

SOMERSET, PA. (AP) - TESTIMONY HAS BEGUN IN THE TRIAL OF A MAN ACCUSED OF HAVING KILLED HIS WIFE THREE DECADES AGO IN SOUTHWESTERN PENNSYLVANIA. DISTRICT ATTORNEY JERRY SPANGLER TOLD THE SOMERSET COUNTY JURY THAT JOHN DAWSON HAD THE MOTIVE AND THE MEANS TO KILL KATHERINE DAWSON. AUTHORITIES SAY THE 30-YEAR-OLD WOMAN WAS BEATEN TO DEATH WITH A BLACKJACK AND PUT IN A CAR SET ABLAZE IN NOVEMBER 1981.

PHILADELPHIA (AP) - OFFICIALS SAY SHARPSHOOTERS HAVE KILLED 600 DEER AT VALLEY FORGE NATIONAL HISTORICAL PARK, OR NEARLY HALF OF THE PARK'S ESTIMATED DEER POPULATION. NATIONAL PARK SERVICE OFFICIALS SAY THE FIRST YEAR OF THE FOUR-YEAR CULLING PROGRAM HAS SENT MORE THAN NINE TONS OF MEAT TO FOOD BANKS.

NATIONAL NEWS:

WASHINGTON (AP) - THE HUNT IS ALREADY ON FOR TREATMENTS TO HELP PEOPLE EXPOSED TO LARGE AMOUNTS OF RADIATION AS PART OF THE NATION'S PREPARATIONS AGAINST A TERRORIST ATTACK. BUT EXPERTS SAY JAPAN'S NUCLEAR EMERGENCY HIGHLIGHTS THE NEED TO CLOSE A BIG MEDICAL GAP SOONER. FEW TREATMENTS ACTUALLY EXIST TO FIGHT RADIATION EXPOSURE AND SOME IN THE PIPELINE COULD BE A LONG WAY OFF.

WASHINGTON (AP) - THE ANSWER TO THE QUESTION OF HOW READY U.S. NUCLEAR PLANTS ARE FOR A LENGTHY BLACKOUT LIKE THE ONE IN JAPAN IS IT DEPENDS. A LONG BLACKOUT COULD MEAN A RADIATION RELEASE. BUT CHANCES ARE REMOTE THAT A U.S. NUCLEAR POWER PLANT WOULD HAVE THE SORT OF CRISIS FACING JAPAN. HOWEVER, AN ASSOCIATED PRESS
INVESTIGATION FINDS THAT SOME NUCLEAR PLANTS ARE MORE SUSCEPTIBLE TO DANGERS FROM A POWER FAILURE THAN OTHERS.

LONDON (AP) - A SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL SAYS THE U.S. WANTS TO IMPROVE TIES WITH LEADERS OF THE LIBYAN REBELS. THE OFFICIAL SAYS AMERICAN DIPLOMAT CHRIS STEVENS WILL TRAVEL TO THE REBEL STRONGHOLD OF BENGHAZI IN THE COMING DAYS TO ESTABLISH BETTER TIES WITH GROUPS SEEKING TO OUST LONGTIME LIBYAN LEADER MOAMMAR GADHAFI. THE MOVE DOES NOT MEAN FORMAL RECOGNITION OF THE REBELS.

CAMP SPRINGS, MD. (AP) - FORECASTERS SAY ANOTHER STORM IS BREWING OVER TEXAS THAT COULD QUICKLY MOVE INTO THE DEEP SOUTH AND THE MID-ATLANTIC STATES. THE NATIONAL FORECAST DESK IN CAMP SPRINGS, MARYLAND, SAYS THE SYSTEM WILL PRODUCE SOME HEAVY
THUNDERSTORMS, AND A RAIN-SNOW MIX FARTHER NORTH. EVEN THOUGH SPRING BEGAN MORE THAN A WEEK AGO, FORECASTERS SAY THE NORTHERN TIER WILL STAY COLD, WITH FORECAST LOWS REACHING ZERO IN SOME PLACES.

MADISON, WIS. (AP) - A WISCONSIN COURT HEARING TODAY COULD HEP DETERMINE WHETHER A NEW LAW ELIMINATING MOST OF STATE WORKERS' COLLECTIVE BARGAINING RIGHTS HAS GONE INTO EFFECT. REPUBLICAN GOV. SCOTT WALKER'S ADMINISTRATION INSISTS IT HAS, BECAUSE IT WAS PUBLISHED. OTHER STATE AND MUNICIPAL LEADERS DISPUTE THAT BECAUSE OF A COURT ORDER AGAINST THE OFFICIAL PUBLISHING.