TODAY'S NEWS: THURSDAY, APRIL 7, 2011

SHENANDOAH TEEN SENTENCED FOR HATE CRIME

THE FOURTH TEEN INVOLVED IN THE BEATING DEATH OF AN ILLEGAL MEXICAN IMMIGRANT IN JULY 2008 LEARNED HIS FATE WEDNESDAY. 19-YEAR-OLD COLIN WALSH, OF SHENANDOAH HEIGHTS, WAS SENTENCED TO 4 YEARS AND SEVEN MONTHS IN FEDERAL PRISON AFTER ENTERING A PLEA AGREEMENT TO A HATE CRIME CHARGE NEARLY TWO YEARS EARLIER WITH THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT. THOUGH THE PUBLIC AND MEDIA WERE BARRED FROM THE COURTROOM, THE OFFICE OF JUDGE A. RICHARD CAPUTO CONFIRMED THE SENTENCE. WBRE REPORTS WALSH BELIEVED HE GOT A FAIR SENTENCE SAYING "I THINK IT IS GONNA MAKE MY LIFE A LOT BETTER. I'M GONNA ADVANCE AND MAKE SOMETHING BETTER OUT OF THIS AND BE A BETTER PERSON BECAUSE OF IT." THE TEEN WILL BEGIN HIS 55 MONTH PRISON TERM IN EARLY MAY.

DEER LAKE FIRE DAMAGES HOME AND DESTROYS VEHICLE; NO ONE INJURED

SEVERAL MUNICIPALITIES WERE DISPATCHED TO A FIRE WEDNESDAY MORNING IN DEER LAKE. FIRE CREWS ARRIVED TO 125 LAUREL ROAD JUST BEFORE NOON TO FIND A DAMAGED HOME AND DESTOYED VEHICLE. SUSAN REASER AND HER 5-YEAR-OLD DAUGHTER WERE THE ONLY PEOPLE HOME AT THE TIME AND ESCAPED UNHARMED. FIREFIGHTERS WERE ABLE TO RESCUE TWO DOGS AND ONE OF THE FAMILY'S FIVE CATS. THE CAUSE AND ORIGIN OF THE BLAZE IS UNKNOWN AS THIS TIME.

COMMISSIONERS MEETING

BIDS WERE OPEN FOR 4 DIFFERENT PROJECTS IN SCHUYLKILL COUNTY AT THE COMMISSIONERS' WORK SESSION WEDNESDAY. THE FIRST PROJECT, EXPECTED TO BEGIN SHORTLY, IS CONSTRUCTION ON A TAMAQUA BRIDGE LOCATED ON GREENWOOD STREET. THE NEXT BID WAS FOR ACCESSIBILITY IMPROVEMENTS ON THE GORDON MUNICIPAL BUILDING. THE PROJECT WILL ADD HANDICAP RAMPS AND ACCESSIBLE DOORS. THERE WAS A LONE BIDDER FOR LAUNDRY AND LINEN RENTAL SERVICES AT REST HAVEN. THE FINAL BID WAS FOR A CONTINUATION ON THE REPLACEMENT OF OLD STORM SEWERS IN GIRARDVILLE. THIS WILL BE THE THIRD PHASE OF THE GIRARDVILLE OAK STREET REHABILITATION PROJECT. THE SCHUYLKILL COUNTY MUNICIPAL RESOURCE GUIDE FOR BLIGHT MANAGEMENT HAS BEEN REPLACED WITH A CD THAT IS NOW COMPLETE. PLANS TO HOLD A WORKSHOP FOR MUNICIPAL OFFICIALS TO DISCUSS CONSERVATORSHIP ARE IN THE WORKS.

METH ITEMS SEIZED FROM HOME

FOUR COALDALE RESIDENTS WERE ARRESTED TUESDAY WHEN ITEMS USED TO MAKE METHAMPHETAMINE WERE SEIZED FROM A HOME AFTER THE VISIT FROM THE RESIDENT'S PROBATION OFFICER. 37-YEAR-OLD MICHELE ROMIG, 21-YEAR OLD PATRICK SHOEMAKER, 20-YEAR-OLD JAMES LEVAN, AND 18-YEAR OLD TYLER STRAWDINGER WERE CHARGED WITH POSSESSION OF DANGEROUS CHEMICALS, INCLUDING LIQUEFIED AMMONIA, AND OTHER DRUG-RELATED CHARGES. THE REPUBLICAN HERALD REPORTS THE SCHUYLKILL COUNTY DRUG TASK FORCE AGENTS WERE CONTACTED AFTER ROMIG'S PROBATION OFFICER DISCOVERED THE ITEMS USED TO COOK METH ALONG WITH OTHER DRUG PARAPHERNALIA DURING A SEARCH OF THE 101 EAST HIGH STREET HOME. ALL FOUR REMAIN IN SCHUYLKILL COUNTY PRISON IN LIEU OF $20,000 STRAIGHT-CASH BAIL.

ADULT EASTER EGG HUNT FOR CHAIRTY

A LOCAL FIRE COMPANY IS HOSTING A NOT SO TYPICAL EASTER EGG HUNT. WPPA/T102'S BRITTANY HAS MORE:

EASTER EGG HUNT

SHENANDOAH ROBBER SURRENDERS

A MAN CHARGED IN CONNECTION WITH A FEBRUARY 18 ROBBERY AT THE RITE-AID PHARMACY IN SHENANDOAH SURRENDERED TO AUTHORITIES WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON. THE REPUBLICAN HERALD REPORTS 32-YEAR-OLD MICHAEL GARVEY WAS ARRAIGNED ON THREE COUNTS OF FELONY ROBBERY AND OTHER RELATED CHARGES. GARVEY NOW SITS IN SCHUYLKILL COUNTY PRISON UNABLE TO POST $100,000 STRAIGHT CASH BAIL.

STATE NEWS:

FAIRLESS HILLS, PA. (AP) - THREE YEARS AFTER HE CAMPAIGNED AT A WIND TURBINE PLANT IN FAIRLESS HILLS, PRESIDENT OBAMA RETURNED YESTERDAY PITCHING THE PROMISE OF ENERGY INDEPENDENCE. OBAMA MET WITH WORKERS AT AN ARM OF THE SPANISH COMPANY GAMESA (GUH-MAY'-SUH) TO TALK ABOUT MOVING THE NATION TOWARD LESS POLLUTING SOURCES OF ENERGY, SUCH AS WIND

PHILADELPHIA (AP) - POLICE COMMISSIONER CHARLES RAMSEY SAYS DESPITE CONVERSATIONS WITH CHICAGO MAYOR-ELECT RAHM EMANUEL ABOUT THE TOP POLICE JOB THERE, HE IS STAYING PUT IN PHILADELPHIA. RAMSEY ANNOUNCED HIS DECISION YESTERDAY AFTER WEEKS OF DEBATE HAD SWIRLED OVER WHETHER HE WOULD HE BOLT FOR THE WINDY CITY.

PITTSBURGH (AP) - A PITTSBURGH WOMAN HAS PLEADED GUILTY TO BANK FRAUD AND MONEY LAUNDERING FOR TAKING ADVANTAGE OF AN ONLINE GLITCH THAT ENABLED HER TO MAKE $1.1 MILLION IN OVERDRAFT WITHDRAWALS. JAMMIE HARRIS LEARNED OF THE GLITCH FROM ANOTHER WOMAN. THAT WOMAN WAS INDICTED IN JANUARY ON CHARGES THAT SHE STOLE MORE THAN $900,000 FROM DWELLING HOUSE SAVINGS AND LOAN.

PHILADELPHIA (AP) - A PHILADELPHIA RESEARCHER WHO SHARED THE 1976 NOBEL PRIZE IN PHYSIOLOGY OR MEDICINE FOR HIS DISCOVERY OF THE HEPATITIS B VIRUS HAS DIED IN CALIFORNIA. DR. BARUCH BLUMBERG WAS 85. SON GEORGE BLUMBERG SAYS HIS FATHER COLLAPSED WHILE AT NASA'S AMES RESEARCH CENTER IN MOFFETT FIELD, CALIFORNIA, TO GIVE A SPEECH. BLUMBERG WORKED AT THE FOX CHASE CANCER CENTER IN PHILADELPHIA.

NATIONAL NEWS:

WASHINGTON (AP) - HOUSE REPUBLICANS PLAN TO MOVE A ONE-WEEK STOPGAP SPENDING BILL TODAY EVEN AS TALKS CONTINUE FOR A PERMANENT FUNDING SOLUTION THAT WOULD AVERT A GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN. THE WHITE HOUSE AND SENATE DEMOCRATS ARE PRESSING FOR A SOLUTION THAT FUNDS THE GOVERNMENT THROUGH SEPTEMBER.

MINAMI SOMA, JAPAN (AP) - TIME AND TIDES OF RADIATION FROM A CRIPPLED NUCLEAR COMPLEX ARE WORKING AGAINST JAPANESE POLICE TRYING TO FIND THOUSANDS OF MISSING BODIES IN THE TSUNAMI-PUMMELED NORTHEAST. THE AREA HAS BEEN LARGELY OFF-LIMITS BECAUSE OF THE RADIATION BUT OFFICIALS ARE RAMPING UP EFFORTS TO FIND MORE THAN 14,700 PEOPLE.

ST. LOUIS (AP) - MISSOURI VOTERS IN KANSAS CITY AND ST. LOUIS HAVE DECIDED TO PROTECT HUGE CHUNKS OF BOTH CITIES' BUDGETS DESPITE A NATIONAL ANTI-TAX MOOD. LOCAL VOTERS IN THE STATE'S TWO LARGEST CITIES HAVE OVERWHELMINGLY AGREED TO RENEW EARNINGS TAXES FOR THE NEXT FIVE YEARS.

LONDON (AP) - A STUDY IN A BRITISH MEDICAL JOURNAL IS RAISING ALARMS ABOUT A NEW SUPERBUG FROM INDIA. EXPERTS SAY IT'S THE LATEST PROOF THAT THE BUG IS WIDELY CIRCULATING IN THE ENVIRONMENT - AND COULD POTENTIALLY SPREAD TO THE REST OF THE WORLD. THE STUDY SAYS THE DRUG-RESISTANT BACTERIA WERE FOUND IN ABOUT A QUARTER OF WATER SAMPLES TAKEN FROM DRINKING SUPPLIES AND PUDDLES ON THE STREETS OF
NEW DELHI.

PITTSBURGH (AP) - TWENTY PEOPLE FROM THE UNITED STATES AND CANADA WHO RISKED THEIR LIVES FOR OTHERS ARE BEING HONORED TODAY BY THE PITTSBURGH-BASED CARNEGIE HERO FUND COMMISSION. AMONG THE WINNERS IS A RETIRED NEW JERSEY POLICE OFFICER WHO WAS FATALLY INJURED WHILE RESCUING A WOMAN FROM A DOMESTIC ASSAULT. CARNEGIE MEDALISTS, OR THEIR HEIRS, RECEIVE FINANCIAL GRANTS.