Today's News-Thursday August 20 2009

COOPER HIGH SCHOOL SOLD

THE FORMER J.W. COOPER HIGH SCHOOL IN SHENANDOAH HAS BEEN SOLD…AND THE NEW OWNER HAS BIG PLANS. KENT STEINMETZ OF SCHUYLKILL HAVEN IS A JEWELER AND SAYS THE POSSIBILITIES FOR THE BUILDING ARE LIMITLESS. THE REPUBLICAN HERALD REPORTS THAT A CULTURAL CENTER, A BED AND BREAKFAST AND OTHER USES ARE ON THE DRAWING BOARD. THE PROJECT COULD ALSO INCLUDE A PARTNERSHIP WITH DOWNTOWN SHENANDOAH INCORPORATED. THE COOPER SCHOOL HAS BEEN VACANT FOR MANY YEARS, SO STEINMETZ SAYS A SIGNIFICANT INVESTMENT WOULD BE REQUIRED TO REHAB THE PROPERTY. J.W. COOPER HIGH SCHOOL WAS DEDICATED IN 1919.

READING MAN DROWNS

A READING MAN DROWNED WHILE SWIMMING IN THE SCHUYLKILL RIVER WEDNESDAY. EMERGENCY CREWS FROM BERKS COUNTY AND DIVERS FROM THE SCHUYLKILL HAVEN FIRE DEPARTMENT WERE CALLED TO PORT CLINTON LATE AFTERNOON. STATE POLICE SAY 32 YEAR OLD RAPHAEL MONTIRO AND SOME FRIENDS WERE TRYING TO SWIM ACROSS THE SCHUYLKILL NEAR "THE ROCK" WHEN HE WAS SWEPT UNDER BY THE CURRENT. MONTIRO'S BODY WAS FOUND IN ABOUT 12 FEET OF WATER ACCORDING TO HAMBURG FIRE CHIEF TROY HATT. AN AUTOPSY ON MONTIRO'S BODY IS SCHEDULED TODAY HERE IN SCHUYLKILL COUNTY.

WEEKEND BURGLARY

POTTSVILLE POLICE ARE INVESTIGATING A HOME BURGLARY FROM THE WEEKEND. OFFICER STEVE GUERS REPORTS THAT TWO MEN ENTERED A HOME IN THE 15-HUNDRED-BLOCK OF OAK ROAD SUNDAY NIGHT, REMOVING JEWELRY, SILVERWARE, MONEY AND MEDICATIONS. SUSPECTS ARE DESCRIBED AS BEING A WHITE MALE, 20 TO 40 YEARS OF AGE WITH DARK HAIR AND A WHITE FEMALE, SAME AGE RANGE WITH DARK HAIR AND A HEAVY BUILD. CALL 622-1234 FOR ANY CONFIDENTIAL TIPS.

TOOL THEFT AT CONSTRUCTION SITE

A POTTSVILLE CONSTRUCTION COMPANY IS THE VICTIM OF A THEFT. NUMEROUS TOOLS WERE TAKEN FROM THE SITE ON FIREHOUSE ROAD IN UNION TOWNSHIP. THE EQUIPMENT WAS OWNED BY HEIM CONSTRUCTION OF POTTSVILLE.

BUSINESS DAMAGED

A NORTH MANHEIM TOWNSHIP BUSINESS IS VANDALIZED AND STATE POLICE ARE INVESTIGATING. SOMEONE SHOT A PELLET GUN AT THE FRONT WINDOWS OF BLUE MOUNTAIN CANDLES ON ROUTE 61. ALL TOLD, EIGHT GLASS PANELS WERE DAMAGED. THE SHOOTER THEN FLED THE SCENE. SCHUYLKILL HAVEN STATE POLICE ARE INVESTIGATING.

ARGALL SAYS COLLEGE STUDENTS BEING HELD HOSTAGE

AS THE STATE BUDGET STALEMATE HEADS INTO ITS EIGHTH WEEK, COLLEGE STUDENTS ARE HEADING BACK TO SCHOOL, SOME WITHOUT MUCH NEEDED GRANT MONIES FOR TUITION, BOOKS AND BOARD. STATE SENATOR DAVE ARGALL TOOK TO THE FLOOR OF THE SENATE YESTERDAY TO SAY THAT THE GOVERNOR’S STOP GAP BUDGET IS HOLDING COLLEGE STUDENTS HOSTAGE:

ARGALL
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THE STOP GAP APPROVAL OF NEARLY $13 BILLION DOLLARS COVER STATE EMPLOYEES SALARIES ALONG WITH BASIC SERVICES. THERE APPEARS TO BE LITTLE MOVEMENT IN HARRISBURG TO FINALIZE A SPENDING PLAN.

HARRISBURG, PA. (AP) - A REPUBLICAN EFFORT TO OVERRIDE SPENDING ITEMS VETOED BY DEMOCRATIC GOV. ED RENDELL HAS FAILED IN THE PENNSYLVANIA STATE SENATE. LEGISLATORS VOTED TO OVERRIDE THE GOVERNOR'S VETOES OF COLLEGE TUITION GRANTS AND SERVICES FOR THE MENTALLY ILL AND RETARDED. IT WAS SHORT OF THE TWO-THIRDS COUNT NEEDED TO OVERRIDE A VETO.

HARRISBURG, PA. (AP) - COMEDIAN BILL COSBY JOINED PENNSYLVANIA GOV. ED RENDELL AT A NEWS CONFERENCE THAT CELEBRATED STEADY IMPROVEMENTS IN PENNSYLVANIA'S STANDARDIZED TEST SCORES IN MATH AND READING. RENDELL AND COSBY ALSO CRITICIZED SENATE REPUBLICANS' PLAN TO PROVIDE LESS MONEY FOR PUBLIC SCHOOLS THAN THE DEMOCRATIC GOVERNOR HAS PROPOSED.

PHILADELPHIA (AP) - SEVERAL OF PHILADELPHIA'S WORST-PERFORMING SCHOOLS ARE HEADED FOR EXTREME MAKEOVERS. THE "RENAISSANCE SCHOOLS" INITIATIVE SEEKS TO TRANSFORM THE MOST TROUBLED SCHOOLS BY REPLACING ENTIRE STAFFS, TURNING THEM INTO CHARTER SCHOOLS. AN ADVISORY BOARD MEETS TODAY TO DECIDE WHICH OF THE DISTRICT'S SCHOOLS WILL BE MADE OVER.

PHILADELPHIA (AP) - BEGINNING THIS FALL, FORMER TALK SHOW HOST AND SITCOM STAR TONY DANZA WILL BE CO-TEACHING AN ENGLISH CLASS OF PHILADELPHIA 10TH GRADERS FOR A YET-TO-BE-TITLED REALITY SHOW ON
THE A&E CABLE CHANNEL. SCHOOL COMMISSIONERS APPROVED THE FILMING OF
THE SERIES YESTERDAY. THE VOTE ALLOWS AT LEAST 13 EPISODES TO BE SHOT AND BROADCAST.

WASHINGTON (AP) - PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA PLANS TO DISCUSS HIS PUSH FOR HEALTH CARE OVERHAUL WITH CONSERVATIVE RADIO TALK SHOW HOST MICHAEL SMERCONISH (SMUR-KAHN'-IHSH). THE PHILADELPHIA-BASED BROADCASTER IS TO INTERVIEW OBAMA FROM THE WHITE HOUSE THIS AFTERNOON. SMERCONISH ALSO INTERVIEWED OBAMA DURING THE PRESIDENTIAL CAMPAIGN LAST YEAR.

WASHINGTON (AP) - PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA WILL BE PROMOTING HIS PLANS FOR HEALTH CARE REFORM IN A CONFERENCE CALL AND AN ONLINE ADDRESS TO SUPPORTERS TODAY. PUBLICLY, THE PRESIDENT IS STILL CALLING FOR A BIPARTISAN BILL. BUT PRIVATELY, DEMOCRATS ARE PREPARING TO GO IT ALONE, WITHOUT REPUBLICAN HELP.

WASHINGTON (AP) - THE WHITE HOUSE PLANS TO ANNOUNCE THAT THE FEDERAL BUDGET DEFICIT FOR THE CURRENT FISCAL YEAR WON'T BE AS BIG AS ORIGINALLY PREDICTED. IT WILL STILL BE A RECORD-BREAKER AT $1.58 TRILLION, BUT ABOUT $262 BILLION LESS THAN FIRST THOUGHT.

KABUL (AP) - THERE HAVE BEEN SCATTERED REPORTS OF VIOLENCE FROM AROUND AFGHANISTAN, WHICH IS HOLDING ITS PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION. TALIBAN THREATS ARE KEEPING VOTER TURNOUT LOW IN THE CAPITAL KABUL AND IN THE MILITANT SOUTH. LOW TURNOUT IN THE SOUTH COULD HARM PRESIDENT HAMID KARZAI'S RE-ELECTION CHANCES.

MIAMI (AP) - HURRICANE BILL HAS WEAKENED SLIGHTLY OVER THE OPEN ATLANTIC. IT'S NOW A CATEGORY 3 STORM. FORECASTERS SAY BILL SHOULD
BEGIN PUSHING LARGE SWELLS TOWARD BERMUDA AND PARTS OF THE SOUTHEASTERN U.S. COAST BY THE WEEKEND. IT'S NOT CLEAR YET HOW
CLOSE THE STORM WILL COME TO LAND.

WASHINGTON (AP) - THE TINY SMART FORTWO AUTOMOBILE IS THE TOP SCORER IN TESTS FOR ROOF STRENGTH, CONSIDERED IMPORTANT IN ROLLOVER ACCIDENTS. THE FORTWO WAS THE ONLY 2009 MODEL YEAR MINICAR TO EARN THE BEST RATING OF GOOD IN RESULTS RELEASED BY THE INSURANCE INSTITUTE FOR HIGHWAY SAFETY.