MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 6, 2010

HOLIDAY WEEKEND D-U-I ARRESTS

POLICE PROMISED SOBRIETY CHECKPOINTS AND ROVING PATROLS OVER THE LABOR DAY WEEKEND… AND THEY FOLLOWED THROUGH. DURING THE FIRST PENN STATE FOOTBALL WEEKEND OF THE SEASON, POLICE ARRESTED 7 PEOPLE FOR D-U-I. THEY ALSO ISSUED 24 TRAFFIC CITATIONS, 90 WARNINGS AND SERVED 5 WARRANTS. IN BLAIR COUNTY, A D-U-I CHECKPOINT WAS CONDUCTED LATE SATURDAY INTO EARLY SUNDAY IN GREENFIELD TOWNSHIP. TROOPERS BUSTED 2 PEOPLE FOR DRUNK DRIVING AND ISSUED SEVERAL OTHER CITATIONS. IN CLEARFIELD COUNTY, D-U-I STRIKE FORCE MEMBERS NABBED 1 DRUNK DRIVER…AND HANDED OUT 10 TRAFFIC CITATIONS AND 10 WARNINGS.
STATE POLICE IN CENTRE COUNTY ALSO ISSUED 2 CITATIONS DURING A SOBRIETY CHECKPOINT FRIDAY NIGHT INTO SATURDAY MORNING ALONG STATE ROUTE 150 IN SPRING TOWNSHIP. 7 PEOPLE RECEIVED WARNINGS.

APARTMENTS EVACUATED

ALTOONA FIRE CREWS EVACUATED PENN STATE ALTOONA STUDENTS AND OTHER RESIDENTS YESTERDAY AFTERNOON WHEN A FIRE BROKE OUT AT THE COLLEGE PARK APARTMENTS OFF WOPSONONOCK ROAD. FIRE OFFICIALS SAY THE FLAMES STARTED ON THE HILLSIDE ON THE BACKSIDE OF BUILDING 100 WHEN THE DRY MULCH IGNITED. THE HEAT WAS MELTING THE VINYL SIDING ON THE BUILDING.

SOME STUDENTS TOOK THEIR FIRE EXTINGUISHERS AND WERE TRYING TO CONTROL THE FIRE UNTIL CREWS ARRIVED. NO INJURIES WERE REPORTED.

100-THOUSAND DOLLAR HOUSE FIRE

DAMAGE IS ESTIMATED AT 100-THOUSAND DOLLARS AFTER A FIRE EARLY SUNDAY MORNING AT A HOUSE ALONG DAISY STREET IN CLEARFIELD. THE BUILDING WAS OWNED BY BARRY REDDINGER AND WAS UN-OCCUPIED AT THE TIME. THE CAUSE IS STILL UNDER INVESTIGATION.

ALTOONA ARSON

THE ALTOONA FIRE INSPECTOR SAYS AN ARSONIST SET A FIRE EARLY SATURDAY MORNING AT A VACANT HOUSE AT 15-30 TENTH STREET. THE FLAMES STARTED ON THE SECOND FLOOR AND CAUSED ABOUT 15-THOUSAND DOLLARS IN DAMAGE. THE INVESTIGATION CONTINUES.

SERIOUS INJURIES IN MOTORCYCLE WRECK

MOTORCYCLIST MICHAEL LIPTAK OF PHILIPSBURG WAS FLOWN TO ALTOONA REGIONAL TRAUMA CENTER AFTER A CRASH SATURDAY AFTERNOON IN PHILIPSBURG BORO. STATE POLICE SAY LIPTAK WAS DRIVING ON NORTH CENTRE STREET WHEN HIS BIKE SKIDDED AND STRUCK A CONCRETE ISLAND. LIPTAK WENT AIRBORNE AND LANDED ON THE ROAD. HE WAS NOT WEARING A HELMET.

INMATE THREATENS JUDGE AND OTHERS

AN INMATE AT THE STATE PRISON IN CRESSON HAS BEEN CHARGED WITH MAKING WRITTEN THREATS AGAINST SEVERAL ELECTED OFFICIALS, INCLUDING CAMBRIA COUNTY JUDGE PAT KINIRY, DISTRICT ATTORNEY KELLY CALLIHAN, DISTRICT JUDGE CHARITY NILESKI, THE CLERK OF COURTS AND THE COUNTY TREASURER. 42 YEAR OLD STONEY LEE SCHAEFFER FACES A PRELIMINARY HEARING SEPTEMBER 30TH. THE TRIBUNE DEMOCRAT REPORTS THAT SCHAEFFER IS SERVING A 5 TO 20-YEAR SENTENCE FOR BURGLARY CASE.

ELDERLY MAN CHARGED WITH INDECENT ASSAULT

75 YEAR OLD LEROY CAMPBELL JUNIOR OF ALTOONA IS FREE ON BAIL, CHARGED WITH AGGRAVATED INDECENT ASSAULT IN HUNTINGDON COUNTY. STATE POLICE SAY A 12 YEAR OLD GIRL WAS SLEEPING IN A CAMPER WITH CAMPBELL AT THE L & L CAMPGROUND EARLY SATURDAY MORNING WHEN HE ALLEGEDLY TOUCHED HER INAPPROPRIATELY. THE GIRL CALLED HER PARENTS WHO CAME AND PICKED HER UP.
CAMPBELL WAS ARRESTED LATER THAT DAY.

TRANSPORTATION FUNDING BATTLE

STATE REPRESENTATIVE DARYL METCALFE SAYS TAXPAYERS WILL BE SADDLED WITH A HALF-BILLION-DOLLAR TRANSPORTATION TAX INCREASE IF RUMORS ARE CORRECT AND SENATE REPUBLICANS CAVE ON THEIR PROMISE NOT TO PARTICIPATE IN A LAME-DUCK LEGISLATIVE SESSION. IN SUCH SESSIONS, LAWMAKERS WHO FAIL TO WIN RE-ELECTION VOTE ON FREQUENTLY UNPOPULAR BILLS, BUT WESTMORELAND COUNTY REPUBLICAN SENATOR KIM WARD SAYS THOSE RUMORS ARE MERITLESS. OUTGOING GOVERNOR ED RENDELL HAS BEEN PRESSING LAWMAKERS TO PASS HIS TRANSPORTATION FUNDING TAX PACKAGE TO GENERATE ONE-BILLION DOLLARS.