TODAY'S NEWS: WEDNESDAY, APRIL 27, 2010

NEPHEW TESTIFIES AT CAPITAL HOMICIDE TRIAL

DAY TWO OF THE CAPITAL HOMICIDE TRIAL OF JULIUS ENOE BEGAN TUESDAY WITH ONE ALLEGED ACCOMPLICE UNDER CROSS-EXAMINATION. ENOE'S NEPHEW, JAHMAL OLLIVIRRE ACKNOWLEDGED HE HAD NOT TOLD THE TRUTH AT A PRIOR HEARING IN REGARDS TO THE MURDER WEAPON'S WHEREABOUTS. THE REPUBLICAN HERALD REPORTS OLLIVIRRE TESTIFIED EARLIER TUESDAY THAT ENOE HAD TAKEN THE GUN WITH HIM TO NEW YORK CITY WHEN THE PAIR FLED BY BUS AFTER BRUCE FORKER'S SHOOTING. THE TRAIL IS SCHEDULED TO RESUME TODAY AT 9:30AM WITH ENOE'S OTHER ALLEGED ACCOMPLICE DAMON ENNETT.

2010 SURPLUS FOR COUNTY

PRELIMINARY FIGURES SHOW SCHUYLKILL COUNTY HAS A SURPLUS OF MORE THAN $1.2 MILLION AFTER PREPARING TO END 2010 IN THE RED. THE REPUBLICAN HERALD REPORTS COUNTY FINANCIAL EXPERTS CAUTION THAT MONEY IS AN UNAUDITED EXCESS BUT EXPECT THE COUNTY TO END UP IN THE BLACK ONCE THE FINAL AUDIT IS COMPLETE. A SAVINGS OF $1.5 MILLION LESS THAN WHAT WAS BUDGETED FOR CHILDREN AND YOUTH SERVICES MADE A BIG IMPACT. SCHUYLKILL COUNTY IS ALSO REALIZING SAVINGS THROUGH AN ENERGY UPGRADE THAT BEGAN IN 2008. 2011 COULD STILL FACE A $3.5 MILLION DEFICIT, BUT THE COMMISSIONERS PLAN TO TIGHTEN THE COUNTY'S BELT AND PULL MONEY FROM RESERVES IN LIEU OF A TAX INCREASE.

UNWANTED PRESCRIPTION DRUGS

ORGANIZED BY THE PENNSYLVANIA STATE POLICE AND THE PENNSYLVANIA COMMISSION ON CRIME AND DELINQUENCY, EXPIRED, UNUSED AND UNWANTED PRESCRIPTION DRUGS MAY BE TURNED IN AT COLLECTION SITES ACROSS THE STATE THIS SATURDAY APRIL 30TH. IT'S ALL PART OF NATIONAL PRESCRIPTION DRUG TAKE BACK DAY. PA STATE POLICE COMMISSIONER FRANK NOONAN SAYS "IT GIVES PENNSYLVANIA RESIDENTS AN OPPORTUNITY TO SAFELY DISPOSE OF POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS DRUGS." MORE THAN 121 TONS OF PILLS WERE COLLECTED LAST YEAR WHEN THE PROGRAM KICKED OFF. ANYONE INTERESTED IN PARTICIPATING CAN DROP OFF ANY CONTROLLED, NON CONTROLLED, OR OVER THE COUNTER DRUGS FROM 10AM-2PM AND THE FRACKVILLE OR SCHUYLKILL HAVEN STATE POLICE BARRACKS.

LOCAL STATE POLICE BARRACKS DROPOFF:
PSP FRACKVILLE: 31 ELEANOR AVE., FRACKVILLE

PSP SCH.HAVEN: 23 MEADOWBROOK DRIVE, SCHUYLKILL HAVEN

FOR A COMPLETE LIST OF DROP OFF CENTERS CLICK HERE

CONTINUANCE REQUESTED IN TRIAL

IN A MOTION FILED IN U.S DISTRICT COURT, MATTHEW NESTOR, WHO IS ONE OF THE TWO FORMER SHENANDOAH POLICE OFFICERS CHARGED IN AN ALLEGED EXTORTION RING FILED FOR A CONTINUANCE YESTERDAY IN HIS TRIAL WHICH IS SET TO BEGIN NEXT MONTH. NESTOR AND HIS FORMER CAPTAIN JAIME GENNARINI ARE SCHEDULED TO GO ON TRIL MAY 10TH. SENIOR U.S DISTRICT COURT JUDGE A. RICHARD CAPUTO HAS NOT RULED ON NESTOR'S REQUEST

STATE NEWS:


PHILADELPHIA (AP) - A DELTA JET HEADED FROM FLORIDA TO NEW YORK HAD TO LAND IN PHILADELPHIA LAST NIGHT AFTER SMOKE WAS REPORTED IN THE PLANE'S COCKPIT. THERE WERE NO INJURIES AND AN AIRLINE SPOKESWOMAN SAYS PASSENGERS WERE PUT UP IN HOTELS OVERNIGHT.

HARRISBURG, PAS. (AP) - FOUR MEMBERS OF GOVERNOR TOM CORBETT'S CABINET HAVE BEEN APPROVED BY THE STATE SENATE. THE FOUR OK'D UNANIMOUSLY YESTERDAY INCLUDE CAROL AICHELE TO BECOME SECRETARY OF THE COMMONWEALTH AND RONALD TOMALIS AS SECRETARY OF EDUCATION.

BEAVER, PA. (AP) - A JUDGE HAS ORDERED THREE MEN TO STAND TRIAL ON CHARGES THEY SPRAYED AN ALIQUIPPA HOME WITH GUNFIRE IN 2006, KILLING A MAN AS HE SAT IN A BASEMENT RECORDING STUDIO. POLICE SAY JORDAN CAIN'S HOME WAS HIT BY MORE THAN 20 ROUNDS FROM AN AK-47 AND A 9 MILLIMETER HANDGUN.

LANCASTER, PA. (AP) - A LANCASTER JURY HAS SPARED THE LIFE OF A MAN CONVICTED OF KILLING A FORMER FRIEND. THE (LANCASTER) INTELLIGENCER JOURNAL/LANCASTER NEW ERA REPORTS JURORS YESTERDAY TOOK JUST OVER AN HOUR YESTERDAY TO DECIDE ON A LIFE PRISON TERM FOR CHARLIE RIVERA-RODRIGUEZ.

NATIONAL NEWS:

VILONIA, ARK. (AP) - ANOTHER NIGHT OF SEVERE, VIOLENT WEATHER IN THE SOUTH. AT LEAST ONE PERSON DIED IN ARKANSAS, IN ADDITION TO 10 OTHERS WHO WERE KILLED A DAY EARLIER. MORE THAN 100 HOMES WERE DAMAGED IN A RURAL EAST TEXAS COMMUNITY.

WASHINGTON (AP) - REPUBLICANS ARE DISMISSING A CALL BY PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA TO REPEAL OIL INDUSTRY TAX BREAKS BECAUSE OF RISING GAS PRICES. SENATE REPUBLICAN LEADER MITCH MCCONNELL CALLS THE PROPOSAL "AS PREDICTABLE AS IT IS COUNTERPRODUCTIVE."

KABUL, AFGHANISTAN (AP) - OFFICIALS SAY AN AFGHAN ARMY OFFICER WAS SHOT DEAD AFTER HE OPENED FIRE ON FOREIGN TROOPS FOLLOWING AN ARGUMENT AT THE AIRPORT IN THE CAPITAL. SOURCES AT THE SCENE SAY FOREIGN TROOPS ARE AMONG THE DEAD.

MINAMI-SANRIKU, JAPAN (AP) - JAPAN'S EMPEROR AND EMPRESS HAVE OFFERED ENCOURAGEMENT TO RESIDENTS WHO LOST HOMES AND LOVED ONES IN LAST MONTH'S EARTHQUAKE AND TSUNAMI. THE DEEPLY RESPECTED ROYAL COUPLE MET EVACUEES AT A SCHOOL GYMNASIUM.

BOULDER, COLO. (AP) - A MAN SUSPECTED OF PLACING A HOMEMADE BOMB IN A SHOPPING MALL NEAR COLUMBINE HIGH SCHOOL IN COLORADO IS SCHEDULED TO APPEAR IN COURT TODAY. EARL ALBERT MOORE WAS ARRESTED OUTSIDE A BOULDER SUPERMARKET.