LOCAL NEWS: WEDNESDAY, APRIL 13TH, 2011

BOY INJURED AFTER FALL FROM WINDOW

A 5-YEAR-OLD POTTSVILLE BOY IS IN UNKNOWN CONDITION AFTER FALLING FROM A 3RD STORY WINDOW TUESDAY MORNING. POLICE REPORT EMERGENCY PERSONNEL RESPONDED TO THE SCENE OF A FALL VICTIM AT 619 PIERCE STREET, POTTSVILLE, AND RUSHED THE UNIDENTIFIED 5-YEAR OLD VICTIM TO LEGHIGH VALLEY HOSPITAL VIA AMBULANCE BECAUSE WEATHER RESTRICTED THE USE OF A HELICOPTER. THE BOY WAS REPORTEDLY PLAYING WITH HIS 4-YEAR OLD SISTER IN THE 3RD STORY ATTIC WHEN HE FELL THROUGH THE WINDOW LANDING ON A REAR ROOF AND FALLING ANOTHER 20 FEET ONTO CONCRETE. DUE TO THE ONGOING INVESTIGATION, IT IS UNKNOWN WHETHER CHARGES WILL BE FILED, BUT THE CASE IS BEING REFERRED TO SCHUYLKILL COUNTY CHILDREN AND YOUTH. THE NAMES OF THE VICTIM AND PARENTS HAVE NOT BEEN RELEASED AT THIS TIME.

LOCAL RESTAURANT HELPS FIGHT HUNGER

A MONTH-LONG CAMPAIGN BY HOSS'S STEAK AND SEA HOUSE TO COLLECT DONATIONS FOR LOCAL FOOD BANKS HAS CONCLUDED, AND THE RESULTS COULD FILL A BUFFET CAPABLE OF FEEDING THOUSANDS OF HUNGRY FAMILIES. LOCALLY, THE POTTSVILLE LOCATION COLLECTED 250 CANS DURING THE FOUR WEEK PROMOTION. WITH THE AVERAGE AMOUNT BEING 183 CANS PER RESTAURANT, THE POTTSVILLE LOCATION DID EXCEPTIONALLY WELL. MORE THAN 6,000 CANNED GOODS WERE COLLECTED AT ALL 38 HOSS'S LOCATIONS.

RETAIL THEFT LEADS TO MISSING PERSON

STATE POLICE AT SCHUYLKILL HAVEN ARE LOOKING FOR A MISSING AUBURN WOMAN LAST SEEN TUESDAY MORNING. 49-YEAR-OLD ROBERTA SCHOENER IS FACING RETAIL THEFT CHARGES AFTER LEAVING SEARS STORE, SCHUYLKILL MALL WITH THREE UNPAID ITEMS. STATE POLICE AT FRACKVILLE TOOK SCHOENER INTO CUSTODY MONDAY, BUT THE ON-CALL MAGISTRATE WAS UNAVAILABLE, SO SHE WAS RELEASED. SCHOENER THEN LEFT A NOTE AT THE SCHUYLKILL COUNSELING CENTER AROUND 4:30 TUESDAY AFTERNOON THREATENING TO HARM HERSELF. SCHOENER WAS LAST SEEN BY HER HUSBAND AT 7:00 TUESDAY MORNING, AND ANYONE WITH MORE INFORMATION SHOULD CONTACT STATE POLICE AT SCHUYLKILL HAVEN.

COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT FUNDS COULD BE CUT

THE CITY OF POTTSVILLE IS WAITING TO RECEIVE ITS FINAL BUDGET FIGURES FOR THE FEDERAL COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANT PROGRAM. IN 2010 THE CITY RECEIVED OVER $400,000 IN FUNDS, BUT THIS YEAR THE PROGRAM COULD BE CUT SIGNIFICANTLY. THE REPULICAN HERALD REPORTS THE LACK OF FUNDING WILL DELAY PLANS TO IMPROVE THE TRAFFIC SIGNAL AT 12TH AND WEST MARKET STREETS, A $250,000 PROJECT. IF CDBG FUNDS CONTINUE TO BE CUT, FUTURE DEMOLITION AND SIDEWALK PROJECTS WILL ALSO BE DELAYED. HAVING A POPULATION OF MORE THAN 4,000, POTTSVILLE IS ONE OF NINE OF THE 67 MUNICIPALITIES IN SCHUYLKILL COUNTY TO RECIEVE ENTITLEMENT FUNDS THROUGH THE FEDERAL PROGRAM.

NESQUEHONING MAN MEMORIALIZED AT STATE CAPITOL

A LOCAL BUSINESS OWNER AND EMPLOYER IN CARBON COUNTY WAS HONORED AT THE STATE CAPITOL AFTER HIS PASSING IN JANUARY. REPRESENTATIVES DOYLE HEFFLEY AND JERRY KNOWLES HAVE CO-SPONSORED A HOUSE RESOLUTION ON HONORING JOHN J. "SONNY" KOVATCH, FORMERLY OF NESQUEHONING. HOUSE RESOLUTION 151, A CONDOLENCE RESOLUTION, PASSED THE HOUSE UNANIMOUSLY ON TUESDAY, APRIL 12. KOVATCH WAS A WORLD WAR II VETERAN AND OWNER OF KOVATCH MOBILE EQUIPMENT AND THE KOVATCH ORGANIZATION, WHICH HAS EMPLOYED HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE IN CARBON COUNTY THROUGH THE YEARS.

DEATH PENALTY NOT SOUGHT IN PA. WOMAN'S KILLING

(AP)- PROSECUTORS IN MONTOUR COUNTY SAY THEY WILL NOT SEEK THE DEATH PENALTY AGAINST A MAN CHARGED WITH STABBING HIS GIRLFRIEND TO DEATH EARLIER THIS YEAR. THIRTY-THREE-YEAR-OLD WESTLEY WISE IS CHARGED WITH CRIMINAL HOMICIDE IN THE JAN. 24 DEATH OF 26-YEAR-OLD JESSICA FREDERICK IN DANVILLE. MONTOUR COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY ROBERT BUEHNER JR. SAID AT WISE'S ARRAIGNMENT MONDAY THAT THERE IS NO LEGAL BASIS TO SEEK CAPITAL PUNISHMENT. HE SAID THE DEATH PENALTY DID NOT HOLD UP ON APPEAL IN A SIMILAR KILLING IN NORTHUMBERLAND COUNTY IN 1989. DEFENSE ATTORNEY ANTHONY MCDONALD HAS SAID HE PLANS TO SEEK PSYCHOLOGICAL OR PSYCHIATRIC EVALUATIONS OF HIS CLIENT. BUEHNER SAID HE WOULD OPPOSE THE REQUESTS FOR MENTAL EVALUATIONS AT TAXPAYER EXPENSE.

STATE NEWS:

HARRISBURG, PA. (AP) - THE STATE SENATE HAS DELAYED TO VOTE ON A BILL THAT WOULD ALLOW MORE CHILDREN TO ATTEND PRIVATE SCHOOLS IN PENNSYLVANIA WITH TAXPAYER HELP IS ENCOUNTERING TROUBLE. THE BILL HAD BEEN SCHEDULED FOR A SENATE VOTE YESTERDAY HOURS AFTER HUNDREDS OF PRIVATE SCHOOL STUDENTS, SHEPHERDED BY PARENTS AND TEACHERS, RALLIED AT THE CAPITOL FOR ITS PASSAGE. A VOTE WILL BE PUT OFF UNTIL AT LEAST APRIL 26TH.

WEST CHESTER, PA. (AP) - A JUDGE HAS REJECTED A BID FOR A NEW TRIAL FOR TWO MEN CONVICTED OF KILLING FOUR TEENAGERS IN THE 1970S TO COVER UP A MULTIMILLION-DOLLAR SOUTHEASTERN PENNSYLVANIA BURGLARY RING. SIXTY-THREE-YEAR-OLD DAVID JOHNSTON AND 60-YEAR-OLD NORMAN JOHNSTON WERE CONVICTED IN 1980 IN THE CHESTER COUNTY KILLINGS. THE DAILY LOCAL NEWS OF WEST CHESTER SAYS THEY APPEALED IN 2009, SAYING A NEW BOOK CONTAINED DETAILS THAT WOULD HAVE HELPED THEM AT TRIAL.

PITTSBURGH (AP) - A MCKEESPORT MAN HAS BEEN SENTENCED TO 10 TO 20 YEARS IN THE SHOOTING DEATH OF ANOTHER MAN OUTSIDE A WESTERN PENNSYLVANIA BAR NEARLY SEVEN YEARS AGO. AN ALLEGHENY COUNTY COMMON PLEAS JUDGE IMPOSED THE SENTENCE ON 28-YEAR-OLD CAMERON MEADOWS. WITNESSES SAID MEADOWS SHOT VITO LEE OF DUQUESNE IN THE BACK OUTSIDE COOTIE'S BAR IN AUGUST 2004.

HARRISBURG, PA. (AP) - THE PENNSYLVANIA GAMING COMMISSION SAYS PESKY PORCUPINES CAN BE HUNTED, GIVING ITS APPROVAL FOR A NEARLY SIX-MONTH HUNTING SEASON. COMMISSIONERS APPROVED THE PROPOSAL YESTERDAY BUT FAVORED A HUNTING SEASON FROM SEPTEMBER 1ST TO MARCH 31ST INSTEAD OF THE INITIAL YEAR-LONG SEASON.

NATIONAL NEWS:

KABUL, AFGHANISTAN (AP) - A SUICIDE BOMBING IN AFGHANISTAN HAS KILLED AT LEAST 10 PEOPLE. THE POLICE CHIEF IN KUNAR PROVINCE SAYS THE BOMBER DETONATED A VEST FULL OF EXPLOSIVES AT A MEETING OF LOCAL ELDERS AND OFFICIALS. AMONG THE DEAD WAS THE APPARENT TARGET OF THE ATTACK, AN INFLUENTIAL TRIBAL ELDER AND FORMER MILITARY COMMANDER.

SANAA, YEMEN (AP) - A HOSPITAL OFFICIAL IN YEMEN SAYS SECURITY FORCES HAVE OPENED FIRE DURING CLASHES WITH ANTI-GOVERNMENT PROTESTERS, KILLING ONE PERSON AND WOUNDING FOUR. THE OFFICIAL SAYS THE SHOOTING STARTED AFTER PROTESTERS IN THE SOUTHERN PORT OF ADEN (AY'-DUHN) SET UP BARRICADES AND THREW ROCKS AT THE TROOPS IN AN EFFORT TO PREVENT TANKS FROM ROLLING INTO THE CITY'S MAIN STREET.

CAIRO (AP) - EGYPT'S OUSTED LEADER IS BEING DETAINED. THE PROSECUTOR GENERAL SAYS THE FORMER PRESIDENT HOSNI MUBARAK IS BEING HELD FOR 15 DAYS PENDING INQUIRIES INTO ACCUSATIONS OF CORRUPTION, ABUSE OF AUTHORITY AND THE KILLING OF PROTESTERS. THE ANNOUNCEMENT CAME SHORTLY AFTER MUBARAK WAS ADMITTED TO A HOSPITAL WITH HEART
PROBLEMS. HIS TWO SONS ARE ALSO BEING DETAINED.

TOKYO (AP) - PATIENCE IS WEARING THIN AMONG PEOPLE FORCED FROM THEIR HOMES NEAR JAPAN'S DAMAGED NUCLEAR POWER PLANT. A GROUP OF PROTESTERS FROM THE AFFECTED AREA GATHERED AT THE TOKYO HEADQUARTERS OF THE PLANT'S OPERATOR TODAY TO DEMAND COMPENSATION. THE UTILITY'S PRESIDENT APOLOGIZED AND TOLD THE PROTESTERS THAT CASH PAYMENTS WILL BE MADE AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.

SANTA CRUZ, CALIF. (AP) - VETS A HOUSECAT IN NORTHERN CALIFORNIA HOUSECAT IS "DOING REALLY WELL" AFTER SURGERY TO REMOVE AN ARROW FROM ITS HEAD. THE 12-INCH ARROW WAS STICKING THROUGH ONE EAR AND INTO THE BASE OF THE CAT'S HEAD. ANIMAL CONTROL OFFICERS ARE CANVASSING THE NEIGHBORHOOD TRYING TO FIND OUT WHO DID IT.