FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 3, 2010
LOCAL MARINE KILLED IN ACTION
ANOTHER LOCAL MARINE HAS BEEN KILLED IN ACTION. AUTHORITIES SAY 21 YEAR OLD LANCE CORPORAL JOSHUA TWIGG WAS SHOT AND KILLED WHILE FIGHTING IN AFGHANISTAN THURSDAY MORNING. TWIGG IS AN INDIANA COUNTY NATIVE AND GRADUATED FROM PENNS MANOR HIGH SCHOOL IN 2007. HE WAS STATIONED AT CAMP LEJEUNE, NORTH CAROLINA.
DIVERS FIND BODY IN CREEK
TUESDAY NIGHT, HUMAN REMAINS WERE FOUND IN A BARREL IN BLACKLICK CREEK NEAR BLAIRSVILLE, INDIANA COUNTY…NOW CORONER MICHAEL BAKER SAYS “CIRCUMSTANTIAL EVIDENCE HAS PROVIDED A TENTATIVE IDENTIFICATION” BUT DENTAL RECORDS AND OTHER CHECKS ARE NECESSARY TO CONFIRM.” BAKER THINKS THE BODY WAS THROWN INTO THE WATER MONTHS AGO, BUT LESS THAN A YEAR. BAKER ALSO SAYS IT’S UNLIKELY THAT MORE SPECIFIC INFORMATION WILL BE RELEASED BEFORE THE HOLIDAY WEEKEND. ANYONE WHO SAW SUSPICIOUS ACTIVITY IN THE AREA IS ASKED TO CALL STATE TROOPERS.
IS WRIGHT MENTALLY COMPETENT?
WILLIAM WRIGHT OF ALTOONA IS ON DEATH ROW FOR THE 1998 SHOOTING DEATH OF JAMES MOWRY…AND NOW, THE ALTOONA MIRROR REPORTS THAT A FEDERAL APPEALS COURT HAS ORDERED A JUDGE IN PITTSBURGH TO DETERMINE IF WRIGHT IS MENTALLY COMPETENT. THE JUDGES DISMISSED A REQUEST FROM WRIGHT THAT WOULD CLEAR THE WAY FOR HIS EXECUTION. HE HAS WRITTEN A LETTER TO THE GOVERNOR SAYING HE WOULD RATHER DIE THAN STAY IN PRISON. A BLAIR COUNTY JUDGE IS SCHEDULED TO HOLD A HEARING SEPTEMBER 28TH TO DECIDE IF FEDERAL PUBLIC DEFENDERS SHOULD BE REMOVED FROM THE CASE AT THE REQUEST OF DISTRICT ATTORNEY RICH CONSIGLIO. THAT HEARING COULD NOW BE DELAYED.
MURDER TRIAL LATER THIS MONTH
BLAIR COUNTY JUDGE TIM SULLIVAN SAYS JURY SELECTION IS NOW SCHEDULED TO START SEPTEMBER 13TH IN YORK COUNTY FOR THE MURDER TRIAL OF SEAN ALLEN. THE JURORS WILL BE BROUGHT TO BLAIR COUNTY TO DECIDE WHETHER THE HOLLIDAYSBURG MAN DESERVES LIFE IN PRISON FOR THE MARCH 2009 MURDER OF PENN STATE ALTOONA STUDENT MARGO “MAGGIE” DAVIS. HER BODY WAS FOUND IN HER CAR’S TRUNK PARKED NEAR ALLEN’S APARTMENT. SHE HAD A HEAD INJURY AND SHOWED SIGNS OF STRANGULATION. TESTIMONY IS TO BEGIN SEPTEMBER 22ND.
CRASH NEAR ALTOONA
ONE PERSON WAS HOSPITALIZED AFTER A CRASH JUST AFTER 9 LAST NIGHT AT GRANDVIEW ROAD AND PONDEROSA DRIVE OUTSIDE OF ALTOONA. LOGAN TOWNSHIP POLICE SAY A DRIVER LOST CONTROL OF HIS VEHICLE AND STRUCK A NUMBER OF MAILBOXES. THE CAR THEN OVERTURNED, TRAPPING THE DRIVER INSIDE. THAT PERSON WAS TAKEN TO ALTOONA REGIONAL TRAUMA CENTER.
ALTOONA DRUG ARREST
THE BLAIR COUNTY DRUG TASK FORCE ARRESTED 29 YEAR OLD DARNELL VENEY OF PHILADELPHIA LAST NIGHT IN THE PARKING LOT OF THE TARGET STORE IN ALLEGHENY TOWNSHIP. POLICE SAY VENEY DELIVERED 80 HEROIN PACKETS TO A CONFIDENTIAL INFORMANT ON SUNDAY AND CAME BACK LAST NIGHT TO GET THE MONEY. POLICE FOUND 100 PACKETS OF HEROIN IN VENEY’S CAR ALONG WITH AN EIGHTH OF AN OUNCE OF CRACK COCAINE…A HALF OUNCE OF POWDERED COCAINE …AND 2 OUNCES OF MARIJUANA. VENEY HAS PREVIOUSLY SERVED STATE PRISON TIME FOR DRUG CONVICTIONS.
LOUSY ROADS
WE ALL COMPLAIN ABOUT PENNSYLVANIA ROADS…AND NOW THE REASON FOUNDATION'S ANNUAL HIGHWAY REPORT RANKS THEM 38TH IN THE COUNTRY. OUR STATE IS 49TH IN THE NATION FOR BAD BRIDGES, AND WE’RE 50TH FOR NARROW RURAL ROADS. ACCORDING TO PENNDOT, THAT’S BECAUSE IN THE 1930’S THE STATE ABSORBED A LOT OF RURAL ROADS INTO THE SYSTEM TO HELP OUT FARMERS.PENNDOT OFFICIALS SAY THEY AGREE WITH MUCH OF THE REPORT AND THAT’S WHY THEY’RE HOPING FOR MORE TRANSPORTATION FUNDING.
PARADE TOMORROW
THE BLAIR-BEDFORD CENTRAL LABOR COUNCIL’S 92ND ANNUAL LABOR DAY PARADE IS TOMORROW AT 10AM IN DOWNTOWN ALTOONA. IT STARTS AT GREEN AVENUE AND 9TH STREET AND CONTINUES ONTO 11TH AVENUE…14TH STREET…AND 15TH STREET.
