A RETIRED POCONOS PASTOR ACCUSED OF KILLING HIS SECOND WIFE IS TESTIFYING IN HIS OWN DEFENSE. ARTHUR SCHIRMER TOOK THE STAND ON FRIDAY AT HIS TRIAL IN STROUDSBURG. SCHIRMER IS CHARGED WITH HOMICIDE IN THE 2008 DEATH OF BETTY SCHIRMER. HE IS CHARGED SEPARATELY IN THE 1999 DEATH OF HIS FIRST WIFE, JEWEL. HE HAS PLEADED NOT GUILTY IN BOTH CASES. IN COURT, HE APPEARED CALM AND SHOWED LITTLE EMOTION AS HE DESCRIBED THE DEATHS OF BOTH WIVES. HE SAYS HE FOUND JEWEL DEAD AT THE BOTTOM OF THE BASEMENT STAIRCASE WHEN HE CAME HOME FROM A JOG. HE SAYS SHE HAD BEEN VACUUMING DOG HAIR FROM THE STEPS. SCHIRMER DESCRIBED HIS DECISION TO REMOVE BETTY FROM LIFE-SUPPORT AFTER A CAR ACCIDENT AS "AGONIZING."
THE OLD CIRCUIT CITY STORE ON GRAPE STREET IN WHITEHALL IS NOW THE HABITAT FOR HUMANITY OF THE LEHIGH VALLEY'S NEW ReSTORE. MANAGER JANET KOLEPP SAYS THE STORE'S 15,000 SQUARE FEET OF SPACE IS FILLED WITH GENTLY USED ITEMS SOLD AT 30 TO 80 PERCENT OFF RETAIL. "THERE ARE REFRIGERATORS, DISHWASHERS TO WINDOWS AND DOORS. WE HAVE WHOLE SETS OF KITCHEN CABINETS THAT HAVE BEEN DONATED WHEN SOMEBODY IS REDOING THEIR KITCHEN. WE'VE GOT PLUMBING SUPPLIES, BATHROOM FIXTURES AND BEAUTIFUL LIGHTING. A LOT OF THAT CAME TO US NEW FROM BUILDING SUPPLIERS," KOLEPP SAYS. THE ReSTORE OPENS SATURDAY MORNING AND WILL BE OPEN EVERY WEDNESDAY THROUGH SATURDAY. EARNINGS WILL BE USED TO CONTINUE HABITAT FOR HUMANITY'S WORK IN OUR AREA.
THE CITY OF ALLENTOWN IS GIVING YOU ANOTHER CHANCE TO RECYCLE ELECTRONIC DEVICES. ALLENTOWN RESIDENTS CAN BRING COMPUTERS, KEYBOARDS, MONITORS, PRINTERS, SCANNERS, LAPTOPS, TV'S AND OTHER ELECTRONICS TODAY FROM 1 TO 3 AT THE CITY'S YARD WASTE SITE AT FISH HATCHERY ROAD AND OXFORD DRIVE. EVERYTHING DROPPED OFF WILL BE RECYCLED. A SIMILAR EVENT IS COMING UP TWO WEEKS FROM TODAY ON FEBRUARY 2.
WE'VE GOT ANOTHER PRETTY MILD DAY ON TAP TODAY AND AGAIN TOMORROW BEFORE THINGS DRASTICALLY SUNDAY NIGHT. "THAT'S WHEN THE BOTTOM DROPS OUT LIKE HOUDINI PULLING THE RUG OUT FROM UNDER US WITH A BLAST OF COLD AIR THAT'LL MAKE THINGS VERY COLD FOR NEXT WEEK," SAYS ACCU-WEATHER'S DEAN DEVORE. HE SAYS OUR HIGH TEMPERATURES WILL BE IN THE 20S MONDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY AND ONLY 30 ON THURSDAY.
ON SUNDAY, MEMBERS OF THE ANTI-GAY WESTBORO BAPTIST CHURCH IN KANSAS PLAN TO DEMONSTRATE OUTSIDE FOUR ALLENTOWN CHURCHES THAT WESTBORO CALLS "WHOREHOUSES MASQUERADING AS CHURCHES." WESTBORO SAYS IT'LL BE PROTESTING OUTSIDE ST. PAUL'S ANGLICAN CHURCH ON LIVINGSTON STREET, ASBURY UNITED METHODIST CHURCH ON SPRINGHOUSE ROAD, ST. CATHERINE OF SIENA ON WEST TURNER STREET AND THE FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH ON NORTH 19TH STREET. SHOULD WESTBORO'S MEMBERS SHOW UP, A COUNTER-PROTEST HAS BEEN PLANNED.
PENNSYLVANIA'S TWO U.S. SENATORS AND THE CONGRESSMAN WHO REPRESENTS GETTYSBURG ARE ASKING PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA TO ATTEND THE NOVEMBER EVENT THAT WILL COMMEMORATE THE 150TH YEAR SINCE THE GETTYSBURG ADDRESS. SENS. BOB CASEY AND PAT TOOMEY AND U.S. REP. SCOTT PERRY ON THURSDAY WROTE THE PRESIDENT, ASKING HIM TO DELIVER THE KEYNOTE ADDRESS. THE LETTER SAYS OBAMA'S PARTICIPATION "WOULD MEAN A GREAT DEAL TO PENNSYLVANIA AND TO THE NATION." PRESIDENT ABRAHAM LINCOLN'S SHORT SPEECH AT THE 1863 DEDICATION OF A CEMETERY FOR WAR DEAD IS CONSIDERED ONE OF THE GREATEST ACHIEVEMENTS IN AMERICAN POLITICAL ORATORY. HOLLYWOOD DIRECTOR STEVEN SPIELBERG GAVE THE KEYNOTE ADDRESS TWO MONTHS AGO.
