TODAY'S NEWS: FRIDAY, APRIL 8, 2011

THREE WOMEN CHARGED WITH PROSTITUTION HEAD TO COURT

THREE WOMEN IN CONNECTION WITH AROMA AND SPA 61MASSAGE PARLORS ARE HEADED TO SCHUYLKILL COUNTY COURT AFTER BEING CHARGED WITH PROSTITUTION AND CRIMINAL SOLICITATION. SUNJA SONG AND MARIA FONTANEZ WAIVED THEIR RIGHTS TO A PRELIMINARY HEARING BEFORE MAGISTERIAL DISTRICT JUDGE DAVID PLACHKO. CHARGES AGAINST TARA LYNN SCHMEHL WERE HELD OVER TO COURT AFTER A PRELIMINARY HEARING. ASSISTANT DISTRICT ATTORNEY WILLIAM REILEY SAID THE MONTHS-LONG INVESTIGATION REVEALED ILLEGAL ACTIVITIES OCCURRING AT BOTH AROMA SPA AND SPA 61 BEFORE THE UNDERCOVER OPERATION BEGAN.

RED CROSS CONTINUES TO HELP MAHANOY FIRE VICTIMS

AFTER AN EARLY MORNING FIRE TUESDAY IN MAHANOY CITY, THE RED CROSS IS HELPING SEVEN FAMILIES GET THROUGH THE HEARTACHE. FOOD, CLOTHING, AND LODGING IS ALL BEING PROVIDED TO THE FOURTEEN FIRE VICTIMS. DIRECTOR OF EMERGENCY SERVICES, TIM FIRESTONE, SAYS AFTER SEVERAL FIRES RECENTLY THE RED CROSS IS IN NEED OF MONETARY DONATIONS. TO DONATE YOU CAN CALL THE RED CROSS AT 570-622-9550.

TOBASH SUPPORTS WELFARE REFORM PACKAGE

REPRESENTATIVE MIKE TOBASH ANNOUNCED THURSDAY THAT HOUSE REPUBLICANS HAVE INTRODUCED A PACKAGE OF LEGISLATION AIMED AT REFORMING THE WELFARE SYSTEM. THERE HAVE BEEN RECENT REPORTS OF WASTE, FRAUD AND ABUSE WITHIN THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WELFARE. TOBASH SAYS THE WELFARE SYSTEM WAS CREATED TO LOOK OUT FOR PEOPLE WHO NEED HELP, BUT ALSO FOR THE TAXPAYERS WHO FUND THE SYSTEM. RECENT AUDITS SHOW REFORM IS NEEDED AND THE EIGHT BILL PACKAGE KNOWN AS WelFAIR WOULD DO JUST THAT. THE PACKAGE WOULD REFORM THE WELFARE SYSTEM BY REQUIRING PHOTO ID TO MAKE SURE BENEFITS AREN’T MISUSED, PROHIBITING THE PURCHASE OF TOBACCO WITH WELFARE BENEFIT CARDS AND STRENGTHENING LEGAL PENALTIES FOR THOSE WHO COMMIT WELFARE FRAUD. FOR MORE INFORMATION YOU CAN VISIT REP TOBASH.COM

LPN UNION FIGHTS BACK

SCHUYLKILL MEDICAL CENTER SOUTH JACKSON STREET ANNOUNCED EARLIER THIS WEEK THE LAY-OFF OF 51 LICENSED PRACTICAL NURSES TO COME LATER THIS YEAR. THE LPN UNION DOES NOT PLAN TO ACCEPT THE FATE SET BY THE HOSPITAL, BUT WANTS TO NEGOTIATE TO KEEP THEIR JOBS. THE REPUBLICAN HERALD REPORTS MARY IRELAND, A UNION ORGANIZER FROM HARRISBURG, SAID, “WE ARE TAKING A STRONG STANCE AGAINST THIS.” IRELAND, REPRESENTING THE 41 FULL-TIME AND 10 PART-TIME LPN’S, SENT A DEMAND TUESDAY TO BARGAIN WITH THE HOSPITAL AND IS WORKING OUT DETAILS TO SET UP TALKS. OVER A 6-MONTH PERIOD THE LPN’S WILL BE PHASED OUT WITH AN OPPORTUNITY TO BECOME NURSES AIDES AND TAKE A SALARY-CUT, OR PAY THEIR WAY TO BECOME REGISTERED NURSES.

ARGALL SEEKS SUPPORT IN SHRINKING STATE LEGISLATURE

STATE SENATOR DAVID ARGALL, ALONG WITH REPRESENTATIVE MIKE TOBASH, PROPOSED LEGISLATION THURSDAY THAT WOULD DOWNSIZE STATE LEGISLATURE AND CUT COSTS. DURING THE PRESS CONFERENCE HELD AT THE POTTSVILLE OFFICE SHARED WITH TOBASH, ARGALL SAID, “WE MUST LEAD BY EXAMPLE…I BELIEVE IT’S WRONG TO DEMAND CUTS IN VARIOUS STATE DEPARTMENTS WITHOUT A SIMILAR WILLINGNESS TO REDUCE OUR OWN COSTS.” THE LEGISLATION WOULD GRADUALLY REDUCE THE SIZE OF THE HOUSE BY 50 MEMBERS AND THE SENATE BY 5, WHILE INCREASING THE LENGTH OF A STATE REPRESENTATIVE’S TERM FROM TWO TO FOUR YEARS.

TEEN FACES FELONY AFTER FLEEING POLICE

A 19-YEAR-OLD FACES FELONY CHARGES OF FLEEING POLICE AND DRIVING WHILE INTOXICATED FOLLOWING AN INCIDENT EARLY THURSDAY MORNING THAT HAPPENED ON PEACH MOUNTAIN ROAD IN NORWEGIAN TOWNSHIP. POLICE SAY THEY TRIED TO STOP KYLE CASTELLANO AFTER HIS SUV SWERVED INTO THE ONCOMING LANE. POLICE FOLLOWED AND CASTELLANO TOOK OFF INTO POTTSVILLE WHERE HE CRASHED INTO A PARKED VEHICLE AND THEN FLED ON FOOT. HE WAS EVENTUALLY CAUGHT AND WAS ALSO FOUND CARRYING A MARIJUANA SMOKING PIPE. (WGRC)

LOCAL POST OFFICE TO PARTICIPATE IN NATIONAL PASSPORT DAY

TO HELP CUSTOMERS WHO NEED A PASSPORT GET READY FOR OVERSEAS TRAVEL, THE POTTSVILLE POST OFFICE HAS EXTENDED THEIR HOURS THIS SATURDAY. WPPA/T102'S JASMINE BROOKS HAS MORE:

NATIONAL PASSPORT DAY

STATE NEWS:

NEW CASTLE, PA. (AP) - FORMER WESTERN PENNSYLVANIA STATE REP. FRANK LAGROTTA HAS PLEADED GUILTY TO ALTERING PRESCRIPTIONS TO OBTAIN MORE OF AN ANTI-ANXIETY DRUG THAN HIS DOCTOR WANTED HIM TO TAKE LAST YEAR. LAGROTTA PLEADED GUILTY TO ALL THE CHARGES HE FACED IN THREE INCIDENTS LAST YEAR, TWO IN LAWRENCE COUNTY AND ONE IN BEAVER COUNTY WHERE HE WAS CAUGHT TRYING TO PASS A PRESCRIPTION FOR XANAX THAT HE HAD ALTERED.

HAVERFORD, PA. (AP) - A THIRD AIDE AT A SUBURBAN PHILADELPHIA ASSISTED LIVING FACILITY IS FACING CHARGES OVER THE ABUSE OF A DEMENTIA PATIENT AFTER FAMILY MEMBERS INSTALLED A HIDDEN CAMERA. PROSECUTORS IN DELAWARE COUNTY SAY AYESHA MUHAMMAD IS CHARGED WITH PHYSICALLY OR VERBALLY ABUSING THE 78-YEAR-OLD PATIENT AT THE QUADRANGLE ASSISTED LIVING FACILITY IN HAVERFORD.

RENO, NEV. (AP) - FORMER SENATOR RICK SANTORUM SAYS HE'S VISITING RENO BECAUSE HE'S SERIOUSLY CONSIDERING RUNNING FOR PRESIDENT AND NEVADA VOTERS WILL PLAY AN IMPORTANT ROLE IN THE 2012 ELECTION WITH THEIR EARLY PRESIDENTIAL CAUCUS. THE PENNSYLVANIAN
SAYS HE HAS A REPUTATION AS A CONSISTENT, AUTHENTIC, CONSERVATIVE VOICE WHO WON TWO RACES IN A STATE THAT DOESN'T ELECT MANY CONSERVATIVES.

STATE COLLEGE, PA. (AP) - PENN STATE FANS WHO FOLLOW "AMERICA IDOL" WEREN'T SEEING THINGS. THAT WAS UNIVERSITY PRESIDENT GRAHAM SPANIER IN THE AUDIENCE OF THE NATIONAL TELEVISION SHOW. PENN STATE SPOKESWOMAN LISA POWERS TELLS THE CENTRE DAILY TIMES THAT SPANIER WAS A GUEST OF SHOW HOST RYAN SEACREST WHOSE FATHER IS AN ALUMNUS
OF THE UNIVERSITY.

NATIONAL NEWS:

WASHINGTON (AP) - A NEW POLL SAYS AMERICANS LACK CONFIDENCE IN EXPANDING NUCLEAR POWER AND THE COUNTRY'S ABILITY TO DEAL WITH AN EMERGENCY. JUST 25 PERCENT OF AMERICANS WHO ANSWERED THE ASSOCIATED PRESS-GFK POLL SAY THEY'RE CONFIDENT THE GOVERNMENT IS PREPARED FOR AN EMERGENCY SIMILAR TO THE ONE IN JAPAN. SIXTY PERCENT OPPOSE NEW CONSTRUCTION, UP FROM 48 PERCENT IN 2009. MOST PEOPLE DON'T THINK THE LIKELIHOOD OF AN ACCIDENT IS HIGH.

WASHINGTON (AP) - PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA SAYS HE'S NOT READY TO EXPRESS "WILD OPTIMISM" ABOUT A BUDGET DEAL AND THAT AIDES ARE WORKING LATE TO GET HIM "AN ANSWER IN THE MORNING." BUT SO FAR, THERE'S NO BUDGET DEAL TO FUND THE GOVERNMENT THROUGH SEPTEMBER AND FRIDAY MIDNIGHT COULD BRING A PARTIAL GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN.

BRUSSELS (AP) - NATO SAYS ADVANCES AND RETREATS OF THE OPPOSING FORCES IN LIBYA ARE MAKING IT DIFFICULT FOR ITS PILOTS TO TELL WHO THE PLAYERS ARE. NATO SAYS ITS PLANES HAVE STRUCK REBELS USING TANKS, BECAUSE THERE HAD BEEN NO PREVIOUS INFORMATION THAT
ANTI-GOVERNMENT FORCES HAD HEAVY WEAPONS. NATO SAYS THERE WILL BE NO APOLOGY FOR FIVE DEATHS IN THE ATTACK.

ABIDJAN, IVORY COAST (AP) - IVORY COAST'S DEMOCRATICALLY ELECTED LEADER SAYS HIS FORCES WILL TAKE A HANDS-OFF APPROACH TOWARD STRONGMAN LAURENT GBAGBO (LOH-RAHN' BAHG-BOH'). GBAGBO IS HOLED UP IN A BUNKER AT THE PRESIDENTIAL RESIDENCE AND ALASSANE OUATTARA (AH-LAH-SAHN' WAH-TAH-RAH') SAYS HIS FORCES WILL SET UP A SECURITY
PERIMETER AND WAIT FOR GBAGBO TO RUN OUT OF FOOD AND WATER. MEANWHILE OUATTARA SAYS FORCES WILL WORK TO SECURE THE STREETS OF ABIDJAN, THE CAPITAL.

BELL, CALIF. (AP) - BELL CALIFORNIA OFFICIALLY HAS A NEW CITY COUNCIL TO REPLACE MEMBERS ACCUSED OF LOOTING THE CITY BY DOLING OUT ENORMOUS SALARIES TO THEMSELVES. THAT GROUP WAS SWEPT OUT IN A RECALL AND THE NEW COUNCIL, WHICH MEETS FOR THE FIRST TIME NEXT WEEK, WAS SWORN IN YESTERDAY.