TODAY'S NEWS: TUESDAY, APRIL 26, 2011

CAPITAL HOMICIDE TRIAL BEGINS

THE CAPITAL HOMICIDE TRIAL OF A BERKS COUNTY MAN CHARGED WITH MURDERING A SHENANDOAH MAN BEGAN MONDAY. THE REPUBLICAN HERALD REPORTS THE VICTIM'S FIANCEE KASA BRENNAN WAS THE FIRST WITNESS TO TESTIFY IN SCHUYLKILL COUNTY COURT. 32-YEAR-OLD JULIUS ENOE OF READING IS ACCUSED OF SHOOTING 26-YEAR-OLD BRUCE FORKER DURING A HOME BURGLARY AND ROBBERY IN MARCH. PROSECUTORS ARE ASKING THE JURY TO CONVICT ENOE OF FIRST-DEGREE MURDER AMONG OTHER CHARGES AND THEN IMPOSE THE DEATH PENALTY ON HIM. THE TRIAL WILL RESUME AT 9:30AM TODAY WITH PROSECUTORS CONTINUING THEIR DIRECT EXAMINATION OF ENOE'S NEPHEW AND ONE OF HIS TWO ALLEGED ACCOMPLICES IN THE CRIME.

TWO JURORS EXCUSED IN CAPITAL HOMICIDE TRIAL

TWO JURORS HAVE BEEN EXCUSED IN THE CAPITAL HOMICIDE TRIAL OF A BERKS COUNTY MAN WHO ALLEGEDLY SHOT A SHENANDOAH MAN IN MARCH. THE REPUBLICAN HERALD REPORTS JURORS ONE AND TWO, BOTH WOMEN, WERE EXCUSED AFTER THE LATTER REVEALED HER DAUGHTER WORKS AT THE SCHUYLKILL COUNTY PRISON. JULIUS ENOE HAS BEEN HELD IN THAT FACILITY PENDING TRIAL FOR THE KILLING OF BRUCE FORKER.

UNEMPLOYMENT RATE DROPS IN SCHUYLKILL COUNTY

SCHUYLKILL COUNTY'S UNEMPLOYMENT RATE DROPPED AGAIN IN MARCH TO 8.7 PERCENT. THE REPUBLICAN HERALD REPORTS THE UNEMPLOYMENT RATE HAS CONTINUED TO FALL SINCE THE BEGINNING OF 2010. DROPPING ANOTHER FOUR-TENTHS OF A PERCENTAGE LAST MONTH, THE DROP WAS LESS THAN FEBRUARY'S DECLINE. THE COUNTY MAINTAINS ITS STATE RANKING AT 55TH OF 67, TIED WTH CLARION AND LUZERNE COUNTIES.

LOCAL MAN IN 2 COUNTY CHASE BY POLICE

A MAHANOY CITY MAN WAS ARRESTED MONDAY AFTERNOON AFTER LEADING POLICE ON A 2 COUNTY CHASE ON HIS ATV. 19 YEAR OLD JUSTIN KLINGER WAS ARRESTED BY SHAMOKIN POLICE AFTER KLINGER'S ATV DISABLED IN A RUNOFF FROM AN ABANDONED MINE DISCHARGE. POLICE REPORTS SAY THAT KLINGER IS WANTED ON A BENCH WARRANT STEMMING FROM FAILURE TO APPEAR IN SCHUYLKILL COUNTY COURT FOR RECEIVING STOLEN PROPERTY AND RETAIL THEFT.

MARCH ON RACISM

SOME MINERSVILLE HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS WILL PARTICIPATE IN A MARCH AGAINST RACISM ON FRIDAY. THE SCHOOL'S MARCHING BAND WILL LEAD THE 40 MINUTE WALK IN ORDER TO ALERT THE PUBLIC AND TO PROVIDE SAFETY. THE EVENT WHICH IS SPONSORED BY THE PEER EDUCATION CLUB AND YOUTH COUNCIL WILL BEGIN AT 8AM ON FRIDAY. MINDERSVILLE RESIDENTS ARE ENCOURAGED TO ATTEND.

PRISONS ARE A REVOLVING DOOR FOR SOME CRIMINALS. TOME JOSEPH HAS MORE.



STATE NEWS:

LEGISLATION THAT REPEALED THE STATE MANDATE REQUIRING SPRINKLER SYSTEMS TO BE INSTALLED IN ALL NEWLY CONTRUCTED HOMES IN PENNSYLVANIA WAS SIGNED INTO LAW YESTERDAY BY GOV. CORBETT. THE MANDATE RELIEF BILL WAS SPONSORED BY REP. GARTH EVERETT( R-LYCOMING), WHO SAYS THIS LEGISLATION IS A GREAT EXAMPLE OF LAWMAKERS AND THE ADMINISTRATION ACTING COOPERTIVELY TO REMOVE A REGULATION THAT WAS HURTING BOTH HOMEOWNERS AND HOMEBUILDERS.

PITTSBURGH, PA. (AP) - GOVERNOR TOM CORBETT WILL APPEAR TODAY AT A SEMINAR FOR THE OIL AND GAS DRILLING INDUSTRY IN PITTSBURGH. HE'LL BE SPEAKING JUST DAYS AFTER HIS ADMINISTRATION ASKED NATURAL GAS DRILLERS TO STOP TAKING POLLUTED WASTEWATER TO RIVERSIDE TREATMENT PLANTS THAT AREN'T EQUIPPED TO REMOVE ALL THE CONTAMINANTS.

BROWNSVILLE, PA. (AP) - A WESTERN PENNSYLVANIA MAN IS FACING A HOMICIDE CHARGE FOR ALLEGEDLY CAUSING HIS STEPFATHER'S FATAL HEAD INJURY DURING AN ARGUMENT AT A FAYETTE COUNTY GRAVESITE. AUTHORITIES SAY SCOTT RODEHEAVER OF JEFFERSON KNOCKED CHARLES RODEHEAVER TO THE GROUND IN DECEMBER DURING AN ARGUMENT ABOUT FLOWERS.

INDIANA, PA. (AP) - STATE POLICE ARE MARKING THE 24TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE DISAPPEARANCE OF A WESTERN PENNSYLVANIA GIRL WITH A NEWS CONFERENCE TODAY THEY HOPE WILL JUMP-START THEIR INVESTIGATION. FIFTEEN-YEAR-OLD ALICIA MARKOVICH OF WINDBER WAS LAST SEEN IN APRIL 1987 IN INDIANA COUNTY, WHERE SHE WAS VISITING HER FATHER.

FORT BRAGG, N.C. (AP) - MILITARY OFFICIALS SAY AN ARMY SERGEANT FROM SOUTH-CENTRAL PENNSYLVANIA HAS DIED OF WOUNDS HE SUFFERED WHEN HIS UNIT WAS ATTACKED IN AFGHANISTAN. THE PENTAGON SAYS 37-YEAR-OLD BENJAMIN BITNER OF GREENCASTLE, PENNSYLVANIA, DIED SATURDAY IN KANDAHAR PROVINCE.

NATIONAL NEWS:

POPLAR BLUFF, MO. (AP) - LEVEES ALREADY CLOSE TO BURSTING ARE BEING POUNDED BY DRIVING RAIN AGAIN IN SOUTHERN MISSOURI. RESIDENTS HAVE FLED TO HIGHER GROUND AND THE RAIN IS EXPECTED TO CONTINUE FOR SEVERAL DAYS. FIVE PEOPLE HAVE DIED IN STORMS IN ARKANSAS.

DETROIT (AP) - AN INSURER-FUNDED RESEARCH GROUP THAT LOOKS AT AUTO SAFETY HAS FOUND A PAIR OF ELECTRIC CARS TO ITS LIKING. THE CHEVROLET VOLT AND NISSAN LEAF GOT TOP SAFETY RATINGS IN SOME OF THE FIRST-EVER TESTS OF ELECTRIC CARS BY THE INSURANCE INSTITUTE OR HIGHWAY SAFETY. BOTH CARS EARNED TOP SCORES FOR FRONT, SIDE AND REAR-IMPACT CRASHES AND FOR ROLLOVER CRASH PROTECTION.

KABUL, AFGHANISTAN (AP) - NATO SAYS TWO AL-QAIDA LEADERS IN AFGHANISTAN ARE DEAD. THE INTERNATIONAL MILITARY COALITION SAYS THE REGIONAL COMMANDER IN CHARGE OF SUICIDE BOMBINGS AND CASH FLOW WAS KILLED IN AN AIRSTRIKE EARLIER THIS MONTH. THE ALLIANCE SAYS THE STRIKE KILLED A NUMBER OF INSURGENTS, INCLUDING ANOTHER AL-QAIDA LEADER.

BEIRUT (AP) - A SYRIAN HUMAN RIGHTS GROUP SAYS A SPATE OF ARRESTS TODAY HAVE TARGETED DOZENS OF PEOPLE ACROSS THE COUNTRY, A DAY AFTER THE ARMY'S DEADLY RAID ON PRO-DEMOCRACY SUPPORTERS IN A SOUTHERN CITY THE RAIDS ON DARAA, AT THE CENTER OF THE UPRISING AGAINST PRESIDENT BASHAR ASSAD, KILLED AT LEAST 11 PEOPLE.

CHICAGO (AP) - A FEDERAL JUDGE PLANS TO QUESTION ONE LAST BATCH OF PROSPECTIVE JURORS FOR THE RETRIAL OF FORMER ILLINOIS GOV. ROD BLAGOJEVICH ON CORRUPTION CHARGES. TWENTY-FIVE JURORS HAVE MADE THE INITIAL CUT AND THE JUDGE SAYS HE WANTS 40 IN THAT POOL BEFORE MAKING FINAL JURY SELECTION DECISIONS.