TODAY'S NEWS: SATURDAY, APRIL 16, 2011

LEGISLATIVE DIALOGUE THE SCHUYLKILL ELDER ABUSE PREVENTION ALLIANCE, INC. (SEAPA) HELD A DIALOGUE FRIDAY MORNING TO INCREASE AWARENESS ON ELDER ABUSE. OUR ELECTED OFFICIALS JOINED SEAPA BOARD OF DIRECTORS AT THE SCHUYLKILL COUNTY COUNTRY CLUB. JASMINE BROOKS HAS THE DETAILS:

ELDER ABUSE (0005)

PRELIMINARY HEARING FOR POTTSVILLE MAN

A PRELIMINARY HEARING, FOR A POTTSVILLE MAN ACCUSED OF FIRING SHOTS AT POLICE OFFICERS EARLIER THIS MONTH, WAS HELD FRIDAY AT DISTRICT JUDGE REILEY’S OFFICE. 42-YEAR-OLD DAVID CHARLES BENTZ WAS PROSECUTED BY ASSISTANT DA LEO BREZNIK. OFFICER MICHAEL STANK OF THE POTTSVILLE POLICE DEPARTMENT WAS THE ONLY WITNESS. THE ENTIRE CASE WAS BOUND OVER FOR COURT. BENTZ REMAINS IN SCHUYLKILL COUNTY PRISON ON $200,000 BAIL.

HEALTHY KIDS DAY AT THE Y

KIDS ACROSS THE COUNTY SHOULD PUT PLAY IN THEIR DAY TODAY AS THE SCHUYLKILL YMCA HOSTS THE 2011 HEALTHY KIDS DAY. IN CONJUNCTION WITH GEISINGER HEALTH SYSTEMS AND THE RHOADES FOUNDATION, THE Y IS HOSTING THE EVENT FOR BOTH KIDS AND FAMILIES TO ENCOURAGE KIDS TO GET MOVING. SOME OF THE THINGS AVAILABLE AT THE Y IN POTTSVILLE TODAY ARE A TODDLER OBSTACLE COURSE, SEASONAL GAMES AND HEALTH AND WELLNESS CHECKS. SCHUYLKILL Y SENIOR PROGRAM DIRECTOR CHRIS GRASSLEY SAID THE GOAL OF THE EVENT FROM 9AM TILL 1PM TODAY IS “TO ENCOURAGE KIDS TO PLAY MORE AND BUILD A LIFETIME LOVE FOR PHYSICAL ACTIVITY”. FOR MORE INFORMATION, CALL THE Y TODAY AT 622-7850.

MAN WITH GUN INSIDE GROCERY STORE

A TAMAQUA MAN FACES CHARGES OF POSSESSING A GUN AT A GROCERY STORE IN THE BOROUGH FRIDAY. THE REPUBLICAN HERALD REPORTS THAT TAMAQUA POLICE APPREHENDED 44 YEAR OLD GINO CICIONI AT BOYERS FOOD MARKET YESTERDAY AFTER HE ALLEGED THREATENED A STORE EMPLOYEE WITH WHAT APPEARED TO BE A PISTOL, BUT TURNED OUT TO BE A BB GUN. POLICE CONFRONTED CICIONI IN THE STORE PARKING LOT AFTER THE INCIDENT INSIDE. HE’S CHARGED WITH POSSESSING AN INSTRUMENT OF CRIME, TERRORISTIC THREATS, RESISTING ARREST AND OTHER COUNTS. CICIONI IS LODGED IN THE SCHUYLKILL COUNTY PRISON.

ANCHORAGE, ALASKA (AP) - FORMER ALASKA GOV. SARAH PALIN HAS WON ANOTHER PROTECTIVE ORDER AGAINST A 19-YEAR-OLD PENNSYLVANIA MAN ACCUSED OF STALKING THE 2008 REPUBLICAN VICE PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE AND HER FAMILY. A MAGISTRATE IN ANCHORAGE ISSUED THE TEMPORARY PROTECTIVE ORDER AGAINST SHAWN CHRISTY OF MCADOO, PA., AND SET A MAY COURT DATE IN THE CASE.

BETHLEHEM, PA. (AP) - A LEHIGH UNIVERSITY GRAD STUDENT WHO RETURNED TO HIS NATIVE LIBYA AND IS NOW FIGHTING WITH REBEL FORCES HAS SHARED HIS STORIES WITH STUDENTS AND FACULTY. ISSA HAKIM SPOKE FRIDAY FROM BENGHAZI THROUGH A LIVE SKYPE VIDEO-CONFERENCE CALL. HE TALKED OF TAKING UP ARMS AND WHAT HE ENVISIONS FOR A NEW GOVERNMENT.

PHILADELPHIA (AP) - THE PRESIDENT OF THE NAACP PLANS TO BE IN PHILADELPHIA ON MONDAY WHEN MAYOR MICHAEL NUTTER SIGNS A LAW TO PROHIBIT QUESTIONS ABOUT A PERSON'S CRIMINAL RECORD ON JOB APPLICATIONS. PROPONENTS OF THE "BAN THE BOX" MEASURE SAY EX-OFFENDERS DON'T GET JOB INTERVIEWS IF THEY ADMIT THEIR RECORDS EARLY ON.

CHESTER, PA. (AP) - A 16-YEAR-OLD BOY HAS BEEN CHARGED WITH MURDER IN CONNECTION WITH THE FATAL SHOOTINGS OF TWO OTHER TEENS AT A PARTY IN CHESTER. DELAWARE COUNTY PROSECUTORS SAY KANEI AVERY, OF CHESTER, WAS ARRAIGNED AS AN ADULT ON FIRST- AND THIRD-DEGREE MURDER CHARGES IN THE SHOOTING AT MINARET TEMPLE NO. 174.

TOKYO (AP) - JAPAN'S NUCLEAR SAFETY AGENCY HAS ORDERED NUCLEAR PLANT OPERATORS TO BEEF UP EARTHQUAKE-PREPAREDNESS SYSTEMS TO PREVENT A RECURRENCE OF THE CRISIS AT THE RADIATION-LEAKING FUKUSHIMA PLANT. MEANWHILE, A MAGNITUDE-5.9 AFTERSHOCK RATTLED THE COUNTRY TODAY, BUT THERE HAVE BEEN NO REPORTS OF MAJOR DAMAGE AND NO TSUNAMI RISK.

GRAHAM, TEXAS (AP) - STRONG WINDS AND DROUGHT-STRICKEN GRASSES AND SHRUBS ARE FUELING WILDFIRES ACROSS TEXAS. THE BLAZES HAVE FORCED HUNDREDS OF EVACUATIONS, INCLUDING THE ENTIRE TOWN OF GORMAN. AT LEAST 60 HOMES WERE DESTROYED YESTERDAY. FIREFIGHTERS HAVE BEEN WORKING OVERNIGHT, DESPITE LOSING ONE OF THEIR OWN. OFFICIALS SAY GREGORY SIMMONS WAS OVERCOME BY SMOKE AND FELL IN A DITCH.

BIRMINGHAM, ALA. (AP) - THE VIOLENT STORMS THAT HAVE BEEN BATTERING THE DEEP SOUTH ARE EXPECTED TO SPREAD NORTH UP THE EAST COAST TODAY. THE STORMS HAVE PRODUCED NUMEROUS TORNADOES AND LEFT AT LEAST 10 DEAD IN THREE STATES. AN ALABAMA MAN WAS KILLED WHEN A TWISTER HURLED HIS MOBILE HOME NEARLY A QUARTER OF A MILE ACROSS A STATE HIGHWAY.

BEIRUT (AP) - SYRIA'S STATE-RUN NEWS AGENCY SAYS PROTESTERS HAVE BEATEN TO DEATH A POLICEMAN DURING A DEMONSTRATION. THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE PARTICIPATED IN ANTI-GOVERNMENT PROTESTS ACROSS SYRIA YESTERDAY. WHILE POLICE DISPERSED CROWN WITH TEAR GAS AND CLUBS IN DAMASCUS, SECURITY FORCES GENERALLY WATCHED FROM THE SIDELINES ELSEWHERE. IN SOME CITIES, SECURITY FORCES BECAME THE TARGET OF ATTACKS.

NEW DELHI (AP) - THE OWNERS OF A HIJACKED SHIP SAY THEY'VE PAID A MULTIMILLION-DOLLAR RANSOM, BUT SOMALI PIRATES CONTINUE TO HOLD SOME OF THEIR CREW. ONE PIRATE SAYS THE INDIAN CREW MEMBERS ARE BEING KEPT IN RETALIATION FOR THE ARRESTS OF MORE THAN 100 SOMALI PIRATES BY THE INDIA'S NAVY.