LOCAL NEWS: TUESDAY, APRIL 12, 2011

GORDON HOME INVASION AND ROBBERY

TWO GORDON MEN WERE ARRESTED AFTER A HOME INVASION SATURDAY MORNING. POLICE REPORT 20-YEAR-OLD IAN KAUFMAN AND A 17-YEAR-OLD JUVENILE FORCED THEIR WAY INTO A WOMAN'S HOME AND HELD HER AT KNIFEPOINT. 71-YEAR-OLD SANDRA WOLFGANG GAVE THE MEN HER MEDICATION AFTER SHE WAS ORDERED TO GIVE THEM MONEY OR PAIN PILLS. DUE TO THE NATURE OF THE OFFENSE, THE JUVENILE HAS BEEN CHARGED AS AN ADULT. KAUFMAN AND THE JUVENILE WERE BOTH CHARGED WITH BURGLARY AND SIMPLE ASSAULT AMONG OTHER RELATED CHARGES. BOTH MEN WERE COMMITTED TO SCHUYLKILL COUNTY PRISON WITH A BAIL OF 10% OF $25,000.

8TH ANNUAL TRANSITION FAIR

A PROGRAM TARGETING HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES WILL TAKE PLACE TODAY IN ORWIGSBURG. THE 8TH ANNUAL "TRANSITION FAIR FOR YOUTH WITH DISABILITIES" WILL BE HELD AT 5PM AT BLUE MOUNTAIN HIGH SCHOOL. IN ADDITION TO STUDENTS, THE PROGRAM WILL TARGET PARENTS, TEACHERS AND HIGH SCHOOL ADMINISTRATORS WHO ARE TRANSITIONING FROM HIGH SCHOOL TO POST-SECONDARY EDUCATION OR EMPLOYMENT. IN ADDITION TO A VARIETY OF EDUCATIONAL PROVIDERS WHO WILL ATTEND, THIS YEAR'S PROGRAM WILL FEATURE A PRESENTATION BY LOWE'S REGARDING THEIR OUTREACH PROGRAM AIMED AT HIRING PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES.

HISTORY MAKES ITS WAY BACK TO THE COUNTY

SCHUYLKILL COUNTY INVITES A PIECE OF HISTORY BACK TO THE AREA TONIGHT IN SAINT CLAIR. JASMINE BROOKS HAS MORE:

INDIAN

TOBASH ANNOUNCES TWO NEW SATELLITE OFFICES

REPRESENTATIVE MIKE TOBASH ANNOUNCED MONDAY HE WILL NOW HOLD OFFICE HOURS EACH MONTH IN TOWER CITY AND VALLEY VIEW. THE TOWER CITY OFFICE WILL BE HELD AT 219 E. COLLIERY AVE FROM 9AM TO NOON ON THE THIRD SATURDAY OF EACH MONTH. THE VALLEY VIEW OFFICE HOURS WILL BE HELD AT 102 WEST MAIN STREET ON THE FIRST AND THIRD WEDNESDAY OF EACH MONTH FROM 3-6PM. TOBASH SAID, "RECOGNIZING THAT THE 125TH DISTRICT COVERS A LARGE AREA, I AM TAKING STEPS TO ENSURE PEOPLE CAN EASILY ACCESS SERVICES AVAILABLE FROM MY OFFICE." FOR MORE INFORMATION VISIT REPTOBASH.COM

PA PUTS ADDITIONAL DRUG RECOGNITION EXPERTS OF THE ROAD

IN PENNSYLVANIA'S LATEST EFFORT TO ENFORCE HIGHWAY SAFETY, 11 STATE TROOPERS AND FIVE MUNICIPAL POLICE OFFICERS HAVE BEEN CERTIFIED AS DRUG RECOGNITION EXPERTS. THE DRUG EVALUATION AND CLASSIFICATION PROGRAM IS A NATIONAL EFFORT TO TRAIN POLICE OFFICERS TO DETERMINE WHEN AN INDIVIDUAL HAS BEEN DRIVING UNDER THE INFLUENCE. THE PROGRAM ALSO TRAINS OFFICERS TO RECOGNIZE THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN AN INDIVIDUAL SUFFERING FROM A MEDICAL CONDITION AND SOMEONE ON DRUGS. IN 2004, PENNSYLVANIA BECAME THE 39TH STATE TO HAVE A DRUG EVALUATION AND CLASSIFICATION PROGRAM APPROVED BY THE IACP.

2 FIRES: ONE HOME, ONE WEEK

AUTHORITIES ARE INVESTIGATING A MONDAY MORNING FIRE THAT BROKE OUT IN A CITY HOME. ALL SEVEN POTTSVILLE FIRE COMPANIES REPSONDED TO THE CALL AT 6 SOUTH 20TH STREET, THE HOME OF MICHAEL AND SAMANTHA RESNICK. THE REPUBLICAN HERALD REPORTS THE FIREFIGHTERS WERE ABLE TO EXTINGUISH THE FLAMES WITHIN FIVE MINUTES, CAUSING DAMAGE TO A MATTRESS AND WALL IN A BEDROOM WITH NO INJURIES REPORTED. THIS IS THE SECOND FIRE EMERGENCY PERSONNEL RESPONDED TO AT THE HOME IN THE LAST WEEK, AND THE THIRD IN THE LAST YEAR. THE FIRE THAT BROKE OUT THURSDAY WHILE THE RESIDENTS WERE OUT IS STILL UNDER INVESTIGATION, BUT IS NOT CONSIDERED SUSPICIOUS.

INVESTIGATION OF ALLEGED PRISON BEATING

POTTSVILLE POLICE AND SCHUYLKILL COUNTY PRISON OFFICIALS ARE INVESTIGATING AN ALLEGED BEATING INSIDE THE PRISON THURSDAY. 23-YEAR-OLD BRANDON MOYER OF POTTSVILLE IS ACCUSING SEVERAL CORRECTIONS OFFICERS OF THE BEATING. THE REPUBLICAN HERALD REPORTS THE INVESTIGATION IS IN ITS BASIC STAGES AND SOME INTERVIEWS HAVE BEEN CONDUCTED. THE WARDEN HAS TAKEN ADMINISTRATIVE ACTION AT THIS TIME.

CITY'S BAN AGAINST BATH SALTS

POTTSVILLE IS JOINING IN THE FIGHT AGAINST BATH SALTS ALONG WITH OTHER NEARBY AREAS. THE REPUBLICAN HERALD REPORTS POLICE CHIEF JOSEPH MURTON V WANTS HIS CITY TO BE FREE OF "BATH SALTS," WHICH DRUG-USERS ARE USING AS INHALANTS. THREE WEEKS AGO, POLICE USED A TASER TO TRY TO SUBDUE A MAN WHO WAS CAUSING A DISTURBANCE WHILE ON THE DRUG, BUT IT SEEMED TO HAVE NO EFFECT. THE SCHUYLKILL COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY’S OFFICE AWARDED CITY POLICE $10,000 FOR ITS EFFORTS IN FIGHTING THE DRUG WAR.

STATE NEWS:

HARRISBURG, PA. (AP) - ABORTION CLINICS IN PENNSYLVANIA WOULD BE REQUIRED TO MEET THE SAME SAFETY STANDARDS AS OUTPATIENT SURGERY CENTERS UNDER A BILL THAT HAS THE APPROVAL OF A STATE HOUSE COMMITTEE. THE HOUSE HEALTH COMMITTEE APPROVED THE BILL YESTERDAY. IT WAS WRITTEN IN THE WAKE OF ALLEGATIONS THAT A PHILADELPHIA DOCTOR PERFORMED ILLEGAL ABORTIONS THAT KILLED A PATIENT AND VIABLE INFANTS.

PHILADELPHIA (AP) - POLICE SAY A DRIVE-BY SHOOTING IN WEST PHILADELPHIA HAS KILLED ONE MAN AND WOUNDED TWO OTHERS. A POLICE SPOKESWOMAN SAYS AN UNKNOWN NUMBER OF SHOOTERS OPENED FIRE FROM INSIDE A CAR LAST NIGHT. A 20-YEAR-OLD MAN WAS FOUND WITH A GUNSHOT WOUND NEARBY AND DIED AT THE HOSPITAL AT THE UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA SHORTLY AFTERWARD.

LANCASTER, PA. (AP) - JURY SELECTION HAS BEGUN FOR THE DEATH PENALTY TRIAL OF A MAN ACCUSED OF KILLING A FORMER FRIEND IN CENTRAL PENNSYLVANIA BECAUSE HE HEARD THAT THE VICTIM WAS CALLING HIM A "SNITCH." THE INTELLIGENCER JOURNAL/LANCASTER NEW ERA REPORTS AUTHORITIES CLAIM CHARLIE JOSE RIVERA-RODRIGUEZ OF LANCASTER AND ANOTHER MAN DRAGGED ANTHONY SWAYDIS FROM HIS BED IN AUGUST 2009 AND SHOT HIM IN A ROOM WHERE TWO WOMEN AND A 3-YEAR-OLD GIRL WERE SLEEPING.

HOUSTON, PA. (AP) - AUTHORITIES IN WESTERN PENNSYLVANIA SAY A MAN WAS ELECTROCUTED WHEN HE HIT A POWER LINE AS HE WAS TRIMMING TREES. WASHINGTON COUNTY CORONER TIM WARCO IDENTIFIED THE VICTIM AS 46-YEAR-OLD DALE DELOZIER OF EIGHTY FOUR. WARCO SAYS DELOZIER WAS WORKING AT A CHARTIERS TOWNSHIP HOME WHEN HIS SAW HIT A HIGH-VOLTAGE LINE YESTERDAY AFTERNOON.

NATIONAL NEWS:

TOKYO (AP) - NEW ASSESSMENTS OF THE RADIATION LEAKAGE FROM A JAPANESE NUCLEAR PLANT HAVE PROMPTED OFFICIALS TO RAISE THE SEVERITY LEVEL OF THE CRISIS. IT'S NOW PEGGED AT THE HIGHEST LEVEL ON AN INTERNATIONAL SCALE, PUTTING IT ON PAR WITH THE 1986CHERNOBYL DISASTER. OFFICIALS SAY THE RADIATION THAT'S LEAKED SO FAR IS A TENTH OF WHAT WAS EMITTED AT CHERNOBYL.

PARIS (AP) - THE FRENCH FOREIGN MINISTER SAYS NATO SHOULD BE DOING MORE TO TAKE OUT HEAVY WEAPONRY TARGETING CIVILIANS IN LIBYA. HE SAYS NATO SHOULD BE FIRING ON THE WEAPONS USED BY MOAMMAR GADHAFI'S FORCES TO TARGET CIVILIANS IN THE REBEL-HELD CITY OF MISRATA. HIS COMMENTS COME A DAY AFTER LIBYAN REBELS REJECTED A CEASE-FIRE PROPOSAL BY AFRICAN MEDIATORS BECAUSE IT DIDN'T INSIST THAT GADHAFI GIVE UP POWER.

MINSK, BELARUS (AP) - AUTHORITIES IN BELARUS (BEHL'-UH-ROOS) SAY THEY'VE IDENTIFIED A SUSPECT IN A SUBWAY BOMBING THAT KILLED 12 PEOPLE AND WOUNDED MORE THAN 200. THE DOMESTIC SECURITY AGENCY IN THE FORMER SOVIET NATION DIDN'T ELABORATE BUT SAID IT'S SEARCHING FOR THE SUSPECT. AN OPPOSITION LEADER IS VOICING FEARS THAT YESTERDAY'S ATTACK MAY LEAD TO AN INCREASED CRACKDOWN ON DISSENT.

WASHINGTON (AP) - THE MAYOR OF WASHINGTON D.C. SAYS HE AND SIX COUNCIL MEMBERS WENT TO JAIL FOR A FEW HOURS YESTERDAY TO MAKE A STATEMENT. MAYOR VINCENT GRAY WAS AMONG 41 PEOPLE ARRESTED OUTSIDE THE CAPITOL WHILE PROTESTING THE BUDGET DEAL LAWMAKERS STRUCK TO AVOID A GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN. THE DEAL COULD PRECLUDE THE CITY FROM
SPENDING ITS OWN TAX DOLLARS ON ABORTIONS FOR LOW-INCOME WOMEN AND OTHER PROGRAMS.

CHARLESTON, S.C. (AP) - A FOUR-YEAR NATIONAL COMMEMORATION OF THE CIVIL WAR'S 150TH ANNIVERSARY IS GETTING UNDER WAY IN SOUTH CAROLINA WITH A RE-ENACTMENT OF THE BOMBARDMENT OF FORT SUMTER. THE WAR THAT LEFT MORE THAN 600,000 DEAD BEGAN WHEN CONFEDERATE FORCES UNLEASHED 36 HOURS OF SHELLING ON THE FORT, RESULTING IN THE SURRENDER OF UNION SOLDIERS.