The Daily Intelligencer from Doylestown, Pennsylvania • Page 1

t- QUICK DRAW Newtown illustrator has a lot of inspiration. 1 TATTOO SNAFUS Removal business is thriving. 1 OUT FOR REPAIRS Ten ways to fix the Eagles in the offseason. C1 phillyBurbs.com/ihtell In print and online Sunday, January 6,2008 Serving communities In Bucks and Montgomery counties Like most 2-year-olds, Kathryn Drenth loves to eat Goldfish crackers and to run and jump and play. Unlike many of them, she has Down syndrome, a genetic disorder that often includes heart defects and mental disabilities.

I dlwrdwca Earlier prenatal screening for Down syndrome has some people worried that abortions will increase. A support group wants doctors to present pregnant women with more options. nlM out of 10 worntn BY SAKAII LAKSON athryn Drenth is 2, loves Goldfish crackers and can sign more than 30 words, including "cry" when she hears a baby wail. Roman Santoro, also 2, likes to play in the dirt, loves "Shrek" and enjoys pulling things out of drawers. They both have an extra 21st chromosome.

To most of the world, that's called Down syndrome. To their mothers, Mariah Drenth and Diana Santoro, both of Nock- amixon, they are just kids. "Other people might look at him and see a condition," Sanloro said ol Roman. "But on any given day, he is a tyrant, a clown and a snuggle bunny, just like any oilier 2' year-old." Drenth and Sanloro worry llial more kids like Kathryn and Roman will never he born, il earlier prenatal tests lead lo more abortions ol fetuses believed lo have Down syndrome. Doctors can now identity, early in pregnancy, whether an unborn baby lias a grealer chance ol having Down syndrome, and dial test may soon be routine.

The American Academy Obstetricians and (iynecolo- gisl-, now recommends all pregnant wunn.ii be sci LCI it (I liii not insl 11 lose at David Garrutt Tim Intelligence Roman Santoro, 2, plays with blocks while Nicholas Drenth, 1, watches at Calvary Church in Hilltown. higher risk because ol age or lamily Insloi Advocates say llie tests will give expectant couples more mlornuilion so they ea alcr and more private or so they icnamiK lo raise a child with RISK, A 2 INSIDE SUNDAY WEATHER Mild vyith times of cloudjjndfiun; Qlpudy IHPIX 06 Biwinfji, Calonfcr Primary shift will be focus at party meeting A. Raided bars await charges Illegal video poker machines were seized nearly 18 months ago from four area establishments. BY JACOB FENTON THE INTELLIGENCER The owner of a Warminster bar cited for illegal video poker machines last October had similar machines seized from another of his bars in July 2006, but has yet to face charges. Bensalem Public Safety Director Fred Harran said no charges have been filed against any of the operators of four establishments where illegal video poker machines were seized nearly 18 months ago.

Harran said the two-year statute of limitations means the department still has time to file charges and plans to do so within four to six weeks. "I don't want to minimize it, but other cases have taken precedence," Harran said. He added that he was limited in what he could say because the case was ongoing. Nor have the owners of the two bars raided, Carmen's Place and The Fox Hunt Tavern, been referred to the state liquor control board, which has specific rules against gambling on premises where alcohol is sold, according to a spokeswoman. The other two establishments raided in 2006 were Monster Cigars and Fusco's Pool Hall.

The slow enforcement appears to fly in the face of Pennsylvania authorities encouraging a crackdown on unauthorized gambling that might compete with state-sanctioned slot machines. John Karpinski has owned Carmen's Place for 2Vz years, but he said it's been operating for at least 36 years. He's also owned Karp's Davisville Pub in Warminster for nine years. After Bensalem police raided Carmen's shutting it down for a whole lunch shift Karpinski complained to Harran and Bensalem Mayor Joseph DiGirolamo about the shoddy treatment he received. Harran said he couldn't talk "about any meeting." DiGirolamo was at a funeral Friday and couldn't be reached for comment.

"Couldn't they give me a warning?" Karpinski asked, nqting that he pays taxes just like everyone else. "I'm not trying to kill anyone here I'm just trying to run a business," he said, adding that he'd been a supporter of youth football, soccer and baseball. Now, he said, he doesn't have the money to support children's sports. Small bar owners have been asking for some type of gambling for years, he said, a privilege that's now been given to the Philadelphia Park Casino just miles away. A2 Presidential Primaries Regional primaries would give Pennsylvania more influence in picking nominee.

BvKoRi WALTER THBNTiWGENCER the Iowa aod the New Hampshire prirtaiy. PsSBByJvaflia voijep will teve much more gt stake the Republican fcfettpflil later this month in p.C, corainiuee's njJes paael is expected to discuss switching to regional presidential primaries in 2012. Les Fygate, deputy assistant secretary of state in Jtentusky, the meeting will be important to advancing the concept of regional primaries and moving away from the current front-loaded primary system that diminishes the influence of Pennsylvania and other states in picking presidential nominees. That's because decisions 09 how and when to bold primaries are left up to the Republican? and Pemoc- rats, Fugate said. "A primary or caucus is tecJbni- cally a state Fugafe said.

a party function-" States that vote before Pennsylvania Pemwjratic Primary Feb. 6, Republican Primary after Pennsylvania Source: National Association of secretaries of States.