Today's News - Saturday, November 19th, 2011

LOCAL HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL WEEK 12

DISTRICT 11 AAA

ALLENTOWN CENTRAL CATHOLIC 49
POTTSVILLE 7

EASTERN CONFERENCE CLASS A

MAHANOY AREA 47
NATIVITY 0

EASTERN CONFERENCE CLASS 11

NORTH PENN 34
TAMAQUA 28 OT

DISTRICT 4 AA

SHAMOKIN 21
MILTON 20

DISTRICT 4 AA

MT CARMEL 19
LEWISBURG 13

DISTRICT 4 A

SOUTHERN COLUMBIA 35
LINE MOUNTAIN 14

LOCAL NEWS

The former head of the now-closed Rape and Victim Assistance Center of Schuylkill County admitted Thursday in federal court that she stole about $100,000 from the agency. According to the Republican Herald, Mary Beth Semerod of Pottsville, pleaded guilty in Scranton to theft from a program receiving federal funds. Senior U.S. District Judge Edwin M. Kosik accepted Semerod's plea but did not immediately schedule her sentencing. Semerod could be sentenced to spend as long as 10 years in prison, plus an additional three years on supervised release after any imprisonment, and pay a fine of up to $250,000. Semerod, who served as the center's executive director from its opening in 1983 until she was fired in December 2008, admitted taking the money between June 2006 and June 2008. A federal grand jury in Scranton indicted Semerod on Oct. 26, 2010, alleging she took about $100,000 in checks from the center and converted them to her own use.

The brother of a man who was fatally shot in March 2010 in Shenandoah spent about an hour in prison on Friday before deciding he would testify in Schuylkill County Court at a pretrial hearing for a man charged with participating in the killing. As reported in the Republican Herald, Nathan Forker sat in a county prison cell from about 2:30 p.m. until about 3:30 p.m. under the order of Judge Jacqueline L. Russell, who was presiding over the hearing for Damon L. Ennett of Freeland. After changing his mind, Forker returned to Russell's courtroom in handcuffs and a prison jumpsuit to tell what he knew of the early morning hours of March 16, 2010, when Bruce Lee Forker, 24, was gunned down in his 333 E. Centre St. home. Russell allowed Forker to go free after he testified.

Pine Grove police arrested a Minersville man for violating a protection from abuse order while being out on bail on attempted criminal homicide charges. Police said Todd Gibson, 468 North St., was arraigned Thursday by Magisterial District Judge Carol A. Pankake, Tremont, on a charge of indirect criminal contempt. He is also awaiting charges of terroristic threats and harassment, police said. Pankake set bail at 10 percent of $10,000 and committed Gibson to Schuylkill County Prison when he was able to post the required $1,000. Police said Gibson was taken into custody on a warrant by Minersville police. The warrant charges Gibson with violating the PFA filed by Elizabeth Gibson. Elizabeth Gibson, Bobby Jo Hoffman and Russell Lymaster are the victims of the other charges, police said. Gibson was arrested in July after he allegedly stabbed a Schuylkill Haven man in the chest during an argument in Pine Grove.

STATE NEWS

STATE COLLEGE, Pa. (AP) - Former Penn State coach Joe Paterno has a treatable form of lung cancer. Paterno's son, Scott, says in a statement provided to the AP by a family representative that his 84-year-old father is undergoing treatment and that "his doctors are optimistic he will make a full recovery."

PHILADELPHIA (AP) - Police have arrested about a dozen members of the Occupy Philadelphia movement who were protesting at a bank downtown. The protesters refused to leave the Wells Fargo branch last night and were arrested peacefully. About two dozen members of Occupy Philadelphia were arrested on Thursday during a protest on
the Market Street bridge.

PHILADELPHIA (AP) - An elderly Philadelphia cardinal won't have to testify at the trial of a monsignor accused of covering up alleged sexual abuse by priests, but will probably give a videotaped deposition later this month. A judge says she expects to find 88-year-old retired Cardinal Anthony Bevilacqua competent to be deposed at home before the trial of his former secretary for clergy.

PHILADELPHIA (AP) - The new president of a charity founded by a former Penn State assistant football coach accused of molesting boys says the organization is looking at three options for its future and may not close. David Woodles told The Harrisburg
Patriot-News that since he became president of The Second Mile this week it's looking at whether it will continue its broad array of programs to help children, transfer them to another charity or close.

NATIONAL NEWS

UNDATED (AP) - President Barack Obama is pointing to a deal between Boeing and Indonesia's Lion Air is an example of progress in opening markets and boosting exports to create U.S. jobs. In his weekly media message, Obama says it's another important part of building a strong, lasting economy. Pennsylvania Sen. Pat Toomey
used the Republican message to continue criticism of the administration for failed stimulus programs, overspending and overtaxing.

BALI, Indonesia (AP) - A White House official says President Barack Obama stressed the importance of China adjusting the value of its currency in a meeting with the Chinese premier today. The U.S. feels it's undervalued, hindering trade. The two men also discussed China's claims to the South China Sea and Beijing's response was called constructive.

TRIPOLI, Libya (AP) - A Libyan militia commander says a son of Moammar Gadhafi has been captured while trying to slip into neighboring Niger. The commander told a news conference that Seif al-Islam was captured in southern Libya along with two aides.

CAIRO (AP) - Egypt's riot police are dismantling tents and arresting hold-out activists as they clear out protesters from central Cairo's Tahrir Square. Scuffles broke out today between the police and a small number of protesters, who had spent the night following massive demonstrations the day before.

LOS ANGELES (AP) - Natalie Wood's sister says she doesn't believe what happened was deliberate, but also says she doesn't think the actress simply fell from a boat into the sea off Southern California nearly 30 years ago. Lana Wood tells CNN's Piers Morgan in an interview that the boat's captain told her that Natalie Wood's husband Robert Wagner was involved. The investigation has been reopened.