Today's News-Saturday, June 14th

A preliminary report has been issued about the MedEvac helicopter crash in Pottsville. Information from the National Transportation Safety Board late Friday, indicated that the chopper took off from the helipad at Mazzuca Enterprises, rose a little over 70 feet from the pad, and stopped as the pilot moved the helicopter forward. The helicopter went right, then landed on the ground on its left side. No apparent mechanical problems were found in the preliminary study. A final report is expected to be released in several months. MedEvac flights from the Mazzuca helipad have been grounded indefinitely.

After a nearly week long suspension, Tamaqua's police chief has been reinstated. The Republican and Herald indicates that Tamaqua borough council overturned Mayor Christian Morrison's suspension of Chief Dave Mattson at a special meeting yesterday. Issues regarding the scheduling of police officers led to the suspension. Chief Mattson reportedly relinquished the scheduling to Mayor Morrison several months ago. Disagreements ensued, and when Mattson developed a schedule different from the Mayor's, he was suspended. Morrison also called for termination of Mattson. The vote to reinstate the chief was 5 to 2.

Three people escaped injury in a two vehicle crash in East Brunswick Township yesterday afternoon. 18-year-old Brittany Cummings of New Ringgold was attempting to cross Route 443 and failed to see Harry Grym's car approaching the intersection and the vehicle's collided. Cummings' vehicle had to be towed from the scene. Grym's truck had minor front end damage. The crash happened around 1:30 Friday afternoon.

The Pennsylvania Senate is poised to vote on legislation that would block State Board of Education imposed high school exit exams. Hanson Quickel has more from the State Capitol with State Senator James Rhoades:

QUICKEL (click to listen)

HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) - Gov. Ed Rendell has signed a statewide smoking ban into law, giving ashtrays the boot from break rooms and restaurants in 90 days. Under the new law, most private businesses and public spaces must be smokefree. Rendell advocated such a ban as a way to cut health care costs.

Rendell says that it was a long time coming:

RENDELL (click to listen)

Pennsylvania is now the 33rd state with some sort of statewide smoking ban. The ban covers restaurants, office buildings, theaters, arenas and more. Exemptions will allow smoking to continue in bars and taverns that have limited food service, casinos, private clubs, nursing homes, tobacco-related businesses and volunteer ambulance, fire and rescue squads.

WPPA News correspondent Allie Raring shares her recollections of the 10th Annual Schuylkill River Sojourn, and her love of the river:

RARING (click to listen)