Today's News-Saturday, August 29 2009

ARSON IN HEGINS

STATE POLICE INVESTIGATORS HAVE RULED A FIRE IN HEGINS ARSON. THE BLAZE BROKE OUT EARLY FRIDAY AT A VACANT BUILDING ON VALLEY ROAD. THE PROPERTY IS OWNED BY DENNIS AND RICHARD KLOUSER OF REINHOLDS. FIRE MARSHAL JOHN BURNS SAYS THE BLAZE WAS INTENTIONALLY SET, CAUSING $5-THOUSAND DOLLARS IN DAMAGES. THE PROPERTY WAS TORCHED EARLIER THIS YEAR. THE INVESTIGATION IS CONTINUING. BURNS ALSO REPORTS THAT SEVERAL OTHER SUSPICIOUS FIRES, INCLUDING BRUSH FIRES, HAVE BURNED IN THE HEGINS VALLEY THIS YEAR. THE INVESTIGATION IS CONTINUING.

POTTSVILLE WOMAN ESCAPES INJURY IN CRASH

A POTTSVILLE WOMAN ESCAPED SERIOUS INJURY IN A CRASH ON GLENWORTH ROAD IN NORTH MANHEIM TOWNSHIP FRIDAY AFTERNOON. 34 YEAR OLD SANDRA RIVERA LOST CONTROL AND HER CAR WENT BACK AND FORTH ACROSS THE ROAD, SPINNING 90 DEGREES AND ROLLED OVER ON ITS SIDE. A 13 YEAR OLD BOY, A PASSENGER, HAD MINOR ARM AND HAND INJURIES.

PARADE OF NATIONS IN SHENANDOAH

THE 10TH ANNUAL PARADE OF NATIONS STEPS OFF IN SHENANDOAH TODAY AT 10AM, CELEBRATING MANY ETHNICITIES THAT HAVE MADE OUR AREA HOME. IN ADDITION, HERITAGE DAY, COMPLETE WITH FOOD, GAMES AND OTHER EVENTS WILL DOT THE STREETS OF THE NORTHERN SCHUYLKILL COUNTY BOROUGH THROUGHOUT THE DAY. SHENANDOAH NATIVE ELEANOR ORAVITZ WILL SERVE AS PARADE GRAND MARSHAL. THE 11TH HERITAGE DAY WILL FEATURE 20 DIFFERENT NATIONS, AND IS SURE TO BE AN EDUCATIONAL AND FUN DAY FOR ALL.

FIREMENS CONVENTION TODAY IN TAMAQUA

VOLUNTEER FIREFIGHTERS ARE THE BACKBONE OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY’S EMERGENCY RESPONDERS. TODAY IN TAMAQUA, OVER 200 PIECES OF APPARATUS AND 19 MARCHING BANDS WILL FILL THE STREETS AT THE 55TH ANNUAL FIREMEN’S CONVENTION. THE PARADE STEPS OFF IN TAMAQUA THIS AFTERNOON AT 1PM.

BOONE PARK DEDICATION

THERE ARE MANY FAMOUS PEOPLE IN HISTORY WHO HAVE CALLED SCHUYLKILL COUNTY HOME. ONE IS BEING CELEBRATED TODAY WITH THE DEDICATION OF THE ADMIRAL JOEL T. BOONE PARK. BORN 120 YEARS AGO TODAY IN ST CLAIR, BOONE WAS TRAINED AS A DOCTOR AND SERVED VALIANTLY ON THE BATTLEFIELDS OF WORLD WAR ONE, EARNING HIM THE CONGRESSIONAL MEDAL OF HONOR. HE WENT ON TO BECOME PERSONAL PHYSICIAN TO THREE U.S. PRESIDENTS. THE BOROUGH OF ST CLAIR AND THE ST CLAIR HISTORICAL SOCIETY HAVE SPENT THE LAST 5 YEARS RAISING NEARLY $70 THOUSAND DOLLARS TO BUILD A PARK IN ADMIRAL BOONE'S MEMORY. VAL DAVIS, BOROUGH COUNCILWOMAN, SAYS ITS SO IMPORTANT TO REMEMBER OUR NATIVE SONS:

DAVIS BOONE

A U.S. NAVY FRIGATE AND A HEALTHCARE CLINIC AT LITTLE CREEK NAVAL BASE IN NORFOLK, VIRGINIA BEAR HIS NAME. THE DEDICATION AT THE PARK ON THIRD STREET IN ST. CLAIR BEGINS AT 1PM.

ALLENTOWN, PA. (AP) - THE STATE SUPREME COURT HAS ORDERED A NEW COMPETENCY HEARING FOR A MAN WHO KILLED 13 PEOPLE IN A 1982 SHOOTING RAMPAGE IN NORTHEASTERN PENNSYLVANIA. THE HIGH COURT SET ASIDE A JUDGE'S RULING THAT GEORGE BANKS IS TOO MENTALLY ILL TO BE EXECUTED.

PITTSBURGH (AP) - A SHORT-LIVED BAN ON ASSAULT WEAPONS IN PITTSBURGH MAY GET NEW LIFE UNDER LEGISLATION DRIVEN BY NEXT MONTH'S GROUP OF TWENTY SUMMIT. THE BAN WAS QUASHED BY THE STATE LEGISLATURE IN 1994 BUT IT'S STILL ON THE CITY'S BOOKS. A PROPOSED ORDINANCE TO KEEP PROTESTERS FROM THWARTING POLICE CROWD CONTROL MENTIONS THE DEFUNCT ASSAULT WEAPONS BAN.

HARRISBURG, PA. (AP) - RITE AID CORP. FOUNDER ALEX GRASS HAS DIED AT AGE 82. GRASS DIED THURSDAY IN HARRISBURG AFTER A 10-YEAR BATTLE WITH LUNG CANCER. HE HELPED BUILD RITE AID INTO ONE OF THE NATION'S LARGEST DRUGSTORE CHAINS AND WAS A PHILANTHROPIST WHO GAVE TO CIVIC, HEALTH AND EDUCATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS.

PITTSBURGH (AP) - PENNSYLVANIA AUDITOR GENERAL JACK WAGNER IS STILL FIGHTING A PROPOSED DEAL TO SELL THE STATE OFFICE BUILDING IN PITTSBURGH TO A DEVELOPER FOR $4.6 MILLION. WAGNER SAYS IT WILL COST TAXPAYERS $55 MILLION FOR 30-YEAR LEASES TO MOVE ABOUT 800 WORKERS INTO OTHER OFFICE SPACE IN THE CITY.

HARRISBURG, PA. (AP) - GAMBLING REGULATORS HAVE APPROVED A 21-MONTH EXTENSION FOR THE PLANNED FOXWOODS SLOT-MACHINE CASINO ALONG THE DELAWARE RIVER IN SOUTH PHILADELPHIA. STATE GAMING CONTROL BOARD CHAIRMAN GREGORY FAJT (FITE) WARNED FOXWOODS OFFICIALS BEFORE THE VOTE TO STOP ANY FURTHER CONSIDERATION OF ALTERNATIVE SITES.

BOSTON (AP) - PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA WILL DELIVER THE EULOGY FOR SEN. EDWARD KENNEDY AT A FUNERAL MASS THIS MORNING IN BOSTON. JOINING OBAMA AND NEARLY 1,500 OTHER INVITEES AT OUR LADY OF PERPETUAL HELP BASILICA WILL BE FORMER PRESIDENTS GEORGE W. BUSH, BILL CLINTON AND JIMMY CARTER.

BOSTON (AP) - FOR MORE THAN THREE HOURS LAST NIGHT, FRIENDS AND POLITICAL COLLEAGUES OF ALL STRIPES REMEMBERED TED KENNEDY IN "A
CELEBRATION OF LIFE." THEY GATHERED AT THE JFK PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY IN BOSTON TO RECALL TED KENNEDY'S DEEP PASSION FOR HIS FAMILY AND COUNTRY.

CAPE CANAVERAL, FLA. (AP) - NASA SAYS IT APPEARS NO FOAM FLEW OFF THE FUEL TANK DURING THE LAUNCH OF SHUTTLE DISCOVERY LAST NIGHT. DISCOVERY IS CARRYING SEVEN ASTRONAUTS AND 17,000 POUNDS OF EQUIPMENT AND SUPPLIES TO THE SPACE STATION. IT SHOULD ARRIVE TOMORROW.

MIAMI (AP) - THE NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER SAYS DANNY HAS BEEN DOWNGRADED FROM A TROPICAL STORM TO A TROPICAL DEPRESSION BUT IS
STILL EXPECTED TO PRODUCE A WEEKEND OF DANGEROUS SURF ON THE EAST
COAST. IN THE PACIFIC, TROPICAL STORM JIMENA HAS FORMED SOUTH OF MEXICO. IT HAS MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS NEAR 40 MPH.

LOS ANGELES (AP) - THE LOS ANGELES COUNTY CORONER SAYS MICHAEL JACKSON'S DEATH WAS A HOMICIDE PRIMARILY CAUSED BY TWO DRUGS. THE CORONER SAYS THE CAUSE OF DEATH WAS ACUTE INTOXICATION FROM THE ANESTHETIC PROPOFOL BUT THAT OTHER SEDATIVES CONTRIBUTED TO THE DEATH.