Today's News-Saturday, July 12th

A Mahanoy City man is jailed for drug and traffic violations following a high speed chase in Pottsville Friday morning. City police report that they tried to stop a van driven by 18-year-old Iashe William Thompson of Mahanoy City. He led police on a high speed pursuit toward St. Clair, where he was stopped. Police found a large amount of marijuana and packaging material was seized in the vehicle. Thompson was charged with possession with intent to deliver drugs, fleeing police and other related counts. He was arraigned before District Judge John Anthony.

Residents living in the eastern part of Schuylkill County are being asked to boil their water.
Blythe Township Water Authority say that a water main break in Tuscarora Friday prompted the boil advisory. Residents in the village of Tuscarora should boil their cooking and drinking water through Sunday. Again...that water boil advisory affects customers in Tuscarora only.

They're big, they're distinctively aromatic, and they are coming to a home near you. Stink bugs are on the move across Pennsylvania and an insect expert in Penn State's College of Agricultural Sciences says we should get ready for a long stay. Gary Abdullah has more:

ABDULLAH

For the next four weeks, WPPA News will be bringing you a special feature on local Schuylkill County Farmers Markets. Reporter Kerry Dowd takes you on her first journey through the market...and tells you there's more to this than just buying fruit...

KERRY DOWD

Beginning today area Catholic Churches will hear the final prayers as parishes will start to close and merge throughout Schuylkill County on Tuesday at 12:01 am. Some are still awaiting the decision on appeals in a process that was first talked about in April 2007. The decisions for most parishes was met with great sorrow from those attending the churches, however some parishes await the decision in the upcoming months. The Diocese of Allentown has provided guidelines for Transition Sunday Mass with readings, homily suggestions, special intercessions, suggested songs, closing rituals and final processions. Even those churches that will house the merged parishes will be included in the closing Masses.

A 25-year-old Frackville man is in Schuylkill County Prison after he allegedly held a shotgun to his mother's head and threatened to kill her Thursday night. According to the Republican and Herald, Christopher R. Weyman, 201 S. Spencer St., was arraigned before Magisterial District Judge Carol A. Pankake, Tremont, on felony offenses of criminal attempt, aggravated assault and aggravated assault with a deadly weapon; misdemeanor charges of simple assault, recklessly endangering another person and disorderly conduct; and, summary offenses of harassment and terroristic threats.He was committed to prison unable to post $50,000 straight cash bail set by Pankake.

A murder victim's family spoke out yesterday following the sentencing of Joseph Cress of Girardville. Cress was sentenced to 100 to 200 months in a state correctional facility for the killing of Roseann Barrett in June of 2007. When handing down his decision Judge John Domalakes ruled that Cress’ actions were reckless, however he felt that Cress did not intend to kill Cress. The sentence also includes over five thousand dollars in restitution, Cress must also submit to DNA registration.

PARADISE, Calif. (AP) - More help from the National Guard and foreign countries is on its way to California, where exhausted firefighters are battling wildfires. Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger says fire season has become a "year-round" event in his state.

HAMILTON, Bermuda (AP) - Bermuda could be feeling tropical storm conditions from Hurricane Bertha by late tonight. The storm is churning in the Atlantic about 225 miles southeast of the island.

HOUSTON (AP) - World-renowned heart surgeon Michael DeBakey has died. Doctor Debakey pioneered such procedures as bypass surgery and invented a host of devices to help heart patients. He was 99.

WASHINGTON (AP) - Arctic oil drilling will be the topic of President Bush's radio chat today. Bush is pushing Congress to allow drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge in Alaska and
more offshore oil exploration.

WINNSBORO, Texas (AP) - A burglary suspect's loose lips have gotten him tied up in Winnsboro, Texas. A woman called her husband after she saw the man breaking into their house. He hurried home, spotted the suspect by the side of the road and chatted him up
until deputies arrived. He says suspect John Baker seemed "pretty intoxicated."