TODAY'S NEWS - THURSDAY JULY 15, 2010

TODAY'S NEWS - THURSDAY JULY 15, 2010

LOCAL NEWS

COUNTY BURN BAN

A COUNTY-WIDE BURN BAN WILL GO INTO EFFECT TOMORROW MORNING AT 10AM. DUE TO A LARGE INCREASE IN BRUSH FIRES IN THE AREA, DISTRICT FORESTER MARK DEIBLER OF PA DISTRICT OF CONSERVATION AND NATURAL RESOURCE’S BUREAU OF FORESTRY REQUESTED TO ENACT THE BAN WHICH THE COMMISSIONERS APPROVED AT YESTERDAY MORNING’S MEETING. THE BAN FORBIDS ANY OUTDOOR BURNING OF ITEMS SUCH AS GARBAGE, LEAVES, GRASS, TWIGS, LITTER AND PAPER. GRILLING IS STILL PERMITTED, HOWEVER RESTRICTS LIGHTING FIRES IN OUTDOOR BURN BARRELS OR FIRE RINGS. CITIZENS CAUGHT IN VIOLATION OF THIS BAN WILL FACE FINES OF $100 FOR THE FIRST OFFENCE, $200 FOR THE SECOND AND $300 FOR EACH ADDITIONAL. COUNTY FIRE DEPARTMENTS AND THE DCNR WILL ALSO BILL THOSE VIOLATORS FOR MANPOWER, TIME AND RESOURCES NEEDED TO EXTINGUISH ANY BRUSH FIRE IN CONNECTION WITH THE BURN BAN VIOLATION. THOUGH IT HAS RAINED THE LAST FEW DAYS, IT IS STILL NOT ENOUGH TO PENETRATE THE FOREST FLOOR. THE LAST TIME A BURN BAN WAS IN EFFECT IN SCHUYLKILL COUNTY WAS APRIL OF 2008.

GILBERTON COUNCILMAN ARRESTED

A GILBERTON COUNCILMAN WAS ARRESTED YESTERDAY AFTER VERBALLY ABUSING THE BOROUGH’S MAYOR AND POLICE DEPARTMENT. ROBERT WAGNER, 50 OF 25 MAIN STREET IN GILBERTON WAS ARRAIGNED ON TWO COUNTS OF MISDEMEANOR HARASSMENT AND WAS TAKEN INTO CUSTODY AT HIS HOME. WAGNER WAS UNABLE TO POST 10 PERCENT OF HIS $10,000 BAIL BEFORE MAGISTERIAL DISTRICT JUDGE BERNADETTE J NAHAS AND CONTINUES TO SIT BEHIND BARS AT THE SCHUYLKILL COUNTY PRISON. BUREAU POLICE CHIEF MARK KESSLER STATED THAT EACH ONE OF THE HARASSMENT CHARGES ARE THIRD-DEGREE MISDEMEANOR OFFENSES.

TRAVEL PLAZA AT HIGHRIDGE BUSINESS PARK

DUE TO A STATE GRANT FROM THE COMMONWEALTH FINANCING AUTHORITY, A TRAVEL PLAZA HAS BEEN PLANNED AT HIGHRIDGE BUSINESS PARK IN MOUNT PLEASANT JUST OFF INTERSTATE 81 NEAR MINERSVILLE. THE PLAZA WILL INCLUDE A HOTEL, CONVENIENCE STORE, RESTAURANT, REST AREA AND 120 PARKING SPACES FOR TRACTOR TRAILORS. IT IS EXPECTED TO CREATE ATLEAST 150 JOBS FOR THE AREA WHEN COMPLETE, NOT INCLUDING THE NUMBER OF JOBS CREATED FOR CONSTRUCTION WOKERS ON THE PROJECT.
THE GRANT MONEY WILL ONLY FUND THE DESIGN AND ENGINEERING WORK FOR THE PLANNING PROCESS. SEDCO WILL THEN USE IT’S OWN MONEY FROM POTENTIAL PRIVATE DEVELOPERS TO COME IN AN CLEAR THE FIVE BUILDING PADS ON THE 36 ACRE TRACT AT THE INTERSECTION OF HIGHRIDGE PARK ROAD AND KEYSTONE BOULEVARD.




YUENGLING PLANT EXPANSION

THE YUENGLING BREWERY MAY BE EXPANDING. THE MILL CREEK PLANT IS SEEKING TO BUILD 2 NEW STRUCTURES ON IT’S PROPERTY. ONE IS AN ADDITION TO THE EXISTING FERMENTING CELLAR AND THE OTHER IS A NEW STORAGE CELLAR. AN APPLICATION WAS SUBMITTED ON BEHALF OF D.G. YUENGLING AND SONS, YUENGLING BEER COMPANY INC. AND DGY REAL ESTATE LTD TO THE BOROUGH OF PORT CARBON. THE ZONING HEARING BOARD HELD OFF ON APPROVING THE DECISION UNTIL THEY COULD PROPERLY REVIEW ALL THE INFORMATION RECEIVED AT YESTERDAYS MEETING. THE BOROUGH’S CURRENT BUILDING HEIGHT ORDINANCES RESTRICT BUILDINGS MORE THAN 35 FEET IN THE INDUSTRIAL ZONED AREA. YUENGLING’S PLANS PROPOSED STATES THAT THE ADDITION WOULD BE ALMOST 75 FEET HIGH, THE SAME AS THE CURRENT FACILITY’S HEIGHT.


STATE NEWS

CLAIRTON, PA. (AP) - TWENTY PEOPLE ARE HURT, THREE OF THEM
CRITICALLY, FOLLOWING AN EXPLOSION AT A U.S. STEEL PLANT NEAR
PITTSBURGH. ONE OFFICIAL SAYS THE EXPLOSION AT U.S. STEEL'S
CLAIRTON COKE WORKS WAS SO POWERFUL IT BENT STEEL BEAMS AND
DESTROYED BLOCK WALLS. AN INVESTIGATION IS UNDER WAY.

HARRISBURG, PA. (AP) - THE STATE IS INVESTIGATING A FIRE AT A
NATURAL GAS WELL PAD IN NORTHEASTERN PENNSYLVANIA. LOCAL FIRE CREWS
AND COMPANY WORKERS EXTINGUISHED THE BLAZE YESTERDAY AT THE
CHESAPEAKE ENERGY SITE IN AUBURN TOWNSHIP AFTER ABOUT TWO HOURS. NO
ONE WAS HURT.

BELLEFONTE, PA. (AP) - A CENTRAL PENNSYLVANIA JUDGE MUST DECIDE
WHETHER A FRATERNITY ACCUSED OF PROVIDING ALCOHOL TO A PENN STATE
FRESHMAN SHOULD BE HELD RESPONSIBLE FOR THE STUDENT'S DEATH LAST
FALL. THE CENTRE DAILY TIMES REPORTS ALPHA TAU OMEGA IS ON TRIAL IN
THE DEATH OF STUDENT JOSEPH DADO, WHOSE BODY WAS FOUND IN SEPTEMBER
AT THE BOTTOM OF A STAIRWELL.

HARRISBURG, PA. (AP) - TURNPIKE TOLLS ARE GOING UP IN JANUARY.
THE TURNPIKE COMMISSION SAYS PEOPLE PAYING WITH CASH WILL SEE A 10
PERCENT INCREASE, WHILE E-ZPASS CUSTOMERS WILL PAY 3 PERCENT MORE.
IT'LL BE THE FIRST TIME THAT E-ZPASS DRIVERS WILL PAY LESS THAN
OTHERS FOR THE SAME TRIP.



NATIONAL NEWS

FORECLOSURE RATES
FORECLOSURES COULD REACH SEVEN FIGURES

LOS ANGELES (AP) - THE NUMBER OF FORECLOSURES THIS YEAR IS ON
TRACK TO TOP ONE MILLION.
THE HEAD OF A FIRM THAT FOLLOWS FORECLOSURES SAYS THAT WOULD BE
UNPRECEDENTED -- BREAKING LAST YEAR'S LEVEL OF MORE THAN 900,000.
REALTYTRAC INC. SAYS ALMOST 528,000 HOMES WERE TAKEN OVER BY
LENDERS DURING THE FIRST SIX MONTHS. BY CONTRAST, LENDERS
HISTORICALLY HAVE SEIZED ABOUT 100,000 HOMES A YEAR.
EXPERTS SAY THE PROSPECT OF LENDERS TAKING OVER MORE THAN A
MILLION HOMES IN 2010 IS LIKELY TO PUSH HOUSING VALUES DOWN.
A NEW WAVE OF FORECLOSURES COULD BE COMING IN THE MONTHS AHEAD,
ESPECIALLY IF THE UNEMPLOYMENT RATE REMAINS HIGH,
MORTGAGE-ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS FAIL, AND THE ECONOMY DOESN'T IMPROVE
FAST ENOUGH TO LIFT HOME SALES.

ABDUCTED CALIFORNIA GIRL
POLICE: ABDUCTED CALIF. GIRL FOUND IN PHOENIX HOME

PHOENIX (AP) - AUTHORITIES SAY A GIRL ABDUCTED BY RELATIVES FROM
HER CALIFORNIA FOSTER PARENTS NEARLY SEVEN YEARS AGO WHEN SHE WAS
AN INFANT HAS BEEN FOUND LIVING IN PHOENIX.
INVESTIGATORS FROM THE PHOENIX POLICE DEPARTMENT, LOS ANGELES
COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE AND FBI FOUND THE 7-YEAR-OLD GIRL WEDNESDAY
AFTERNOON AT A PHOENIX HOUSE. INVESTIGATORS SAY A WOMAN WAS TRYING
TO HIDE THE CHILD IN A BATHROOM WHEN THEY SEARCHED THE HOME UNDER A
COURT ORDER.
THE GIRL'S NAME WASN'T RELEASED. POLICE SAY THREE BIOLOGICAL
AUNTS - ALL JUVENILES AT THE TIME - ABDUCTED THE GIRL WHEN SHE WAS
LESS THAN A YEAR OLD, DURING A "NONCUSTODIAL VISITATION" AT A
NORWALK, CALIF., RESTAURANT.
AUTHORITIES SAY TWO OF THE AUNTS WERE LATER ARRESTED, AND THE
THIRD HASN'T BEEN LOCATED.
THE LA COUNTY SHERIFF SAYS THE GIRL APPARENTLY WASN'T RELATED TO
THE PHOENIX FAMILY SHE WAS LIVING WITH. THE INVESTIGATION IS
ONGOING.

MAYOR-DAUGHTER-DEAD
UPDATE: DALLAS-AREA MAYOR APPARENTLY KILLS DAUGHTER, SELF

COPPELL, TEXAS (AP) - POLICE SAY A DALLAS-AREA MAYOR APPARENTLY
LEFT FOUR NOTES BEFORE SHOOTING HER TEENAGE DAUGHTER TO DEATH THEN
TURNING THE GUN ON HERSELF.
COPPELL (KUH-PEHL') MAYOR JAYNE PETERS AND HER 19-YEAR-OLD
COLLEGE-BOUND DAUGHTER CORRINE WERE BOTH FOUND DEAD OF GUNSHOT
WOUNDS TO THE HEAD IN WHAT INVESTIGATORS SAY WAS AN APPARENT
MURDER-SUICIDE COMMITTED BY THE MAYOR.
POLICE SAY AN ENVELOPE TAPED TO THE FRONT DOOR CONTAINED A KEY
AND A TYPED NOTE WARNING OFFICERS THEY WOULD FIND SOMETHING
UNPLEASANT INSIDE THE HOUSE.
THREE OTHER NOTES ALSO WERE FOUND. BUT POLICE SAY THEY DIDN'T
OFFER AN EXPLANATION FOR THE DEATHS, ONLY INSTRUCTIONS FOR MANAGING
FAMILY AFFAIRS, SUCH AS CARE FOR THE DOGS.

IRAN-MISSING SCIENTIST
REPORT: CIA PAID IRANIAN SCIENTIST $5 MILLION

WASHINGTON (AP) - A NEWSPAPER IS REPORTING THAT THE CIA PAID AN
IRANIAN NUCLEAR SCIENTIST $5 MILLION TO PROVIDE INTELLIGENCE ON
IRAN'S NUCLEAR PROGRAM.
THE SCIENTIST, SHAHRAM AMIRI, RETURNED TO IRAN ON WEDNESDAY TO A
HERO'S WELCOME AFTER CLAIMING HE WAS ABDUCTED BY U.S. AGENTS AND
THEN OFFERED $50 MILLION TO STAY IN THE U.S. THE U.S. SAYS AMIRI
WAS A WILLING DEFECTOR WHO CHANGED HIS MIND AND ASKED TO GO BACK TO
IRAN.
THE WASHINGTON POST SAID IN ITS ONLINE EDITION LATE WEDNESDAY
THAT AMIRI HAD BEEN WORKING FOR THE CIA FOR MORE THAN A YEAR. IT
SAID HE WAS PAID $5 MILLION OUT OF A SECRET PROGRAM AIMED AT
INDUCING SCIENTISTS AND OTHERS WITH INFORMATION ON IRAN'S NUCLEAR
PROGRAM TO DEFECT.
AMIRI SAYS HE HAD NO CLASSIFIED INFORMATION.

ROMAN POLANSKI
NEW DOCUMENTS SHOW SWISS SOUGHT POLANSKI DATA

LOS ANGELES (AP) - NEWLY OBTAINED DOCUMENTS SAY THE SWISS
GOVERNMENT CLAIMS IT WAS REBUFFED BY THE U.S. JUSTICE DEPARTMENT
WHEN IT ASKED FOR SEALED TRANSCRIPTS IN THE ROMAN POLANSKI
EXTRADITION CASE.
A LETTER FROM SWISS OFFICIALS TO THE AMERICAN EMBASSY AT BERN
SAID THE KEY REASON FOR THE SWISS DECISION DENYING POLANSKI'S
EXTRADITION TO THE U.S. WAS THE REFUSAL TO SHOW THEM THE
TRANSCRIPTS OF TESTIMONY BY POLANSKI'S ORIGINAL PROSECUTOR
REGARDING THE DIRECTOR'S SEX CASE 33 YEARS AGO. THE LETTER WAS
OBTAINED BY THE ASSOCIATED PRESS WEDNESDAY NIGHT.
A SPOKESWOMAN FOR THE LOS ANGELES COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY'S
OFFICE SAID THEY WERE NEVER NOTIFIED OF THE SWISS REQUEST. A
JUSTICE DEPARTMENT SPOKESWOMAN SAID WEDNESDAY NIGHT THAT SHE WOULD
LOOK INTO THE MATTER.

GULF OIL SPILL
BP SAYS ISOLATED LEAK DISCOVERED IN VALVE ON CAP

NEW ORLEANS (AP) - BP SAYS A LEAK HAS BEEN DETECTED NEAR THE TOP
OF A NEW CAP DESIGNED TO STOP THE FLOW OF OIL INTO THE GULF OF
MEXICO, BUT IT WAS ISOLATED AND BEING REPAIRED.
THE LEAK WAS DISCOVERED AFTER THE OIL GIANT STARTED SHUTTING OFF
VALVES TO TEST WHETHER THE LATEST FIX WILL STANCH THE FLOW FOR THE
FIRST TIME IN ALMOST THREE MONTHS. BP SAYS ON ITS WEB SITE THE LEAK
WAS IN A LINE THAT CAN FUNNEL OIL UP TO A SHIP IF NECESSARY. IT
SHUTS OFF LIKE A DIMMER SWITCH. THE OTHER TWO VALVES WERE SHUT OFF
LIKE A REGULAR LIGHT SWITCH.
THE CAP IS A STOPGAP MEASURE DESIGNED TO KEEP THE OIL IN THE
WELL OR FUNNEL IT TO SHIPS UNTIL THE RELIEF WELL IS DONE. IT WASN'T
IMMEDIATELY CLEAR HOW THE LEAK REPAIR WOULD AFFECT THE TIMING OF
THE TEST OPERATION.

GULF OIL SPILL-MAJOR NESTING AREA
OIL HITS LOUISIANA'S LARGEST PELICAN NESTING AREA

NEW ORLEANS (AP) - BIOLOGISTS SAY OIL HAS SMEARED AT LEAST
300-400 PELICANS AND HUNDREDS OF TERNS IN THE LARGEST SEABIRD
NESTING AREA ON THE LOUISIANA COAST - MARKING A SHARP AND SUDDEN
INCREASE IN WILDLIFE DAMAGE FROM BP'S GULF OF MEXICO OIL SPILL.
BIOLOGIST MARC DANTZKER SAID WEDNESDAY THAT A TEAM FROM THE
CORNELL LAB OF ORNITHOLOGY SPOTTED THE OILED BIRDS ON RACCOON
ISLAND IN TERREBONNE PARISH. AN ESTIMATED 10,000 BIRDS NEST ON THE
ISLAND.
THE COLONY WAS ESTABLISHED BY THE STATE IN THE 1980S. ITS
SUCCESS HAD EPITOMIZED RESTORATION EFFORTS THAT GOT BROWN PELICANS
TAKEN OFF THE ENDANGERED SPECIES LIST LAST YEAR.
U.S. FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE BIOLOGIST LISA WILLIAMS SAYS
STATE AND FEDERAL OBSERVERS HAVE SEEN ONLY 68 PELICANS WITH OIL ON
THE ISLAND.

IMMIGRATION-STATES
BRIEF FOR 9 STATES BACKS ARIZONA IMMIGRATION LAW

DETROIT (AP) - MICHIGAN ATTORNEY GENERAL MIKE COX HAS FILED A
LEGAL BRIEF ON BEHALF OF NINE STATES SUPPORTING ARIZONA'S
IMMIGRATION LAW.
THE REPUBLICAN GUBERNATORIAL CANDIDATE SAID WEDNESDAY THAT
MICHIGAN IS THE LEAD STATE BACKING ARIZONA IN FEDERAL COURT.
MICHIGAN IS JOINED BY ALABAMA, FLORIDA, NEBRASKA, PENNSYLVANIA,
SOUTH CAROLINA, SOUTH DAKOTA, TEXAS AND VIRGINIA, AS WELL AS THE
NORTHERN MARIANA ISLANDS.
COX SAYS STATES ARE AUTHORIZED TO ENFORCE IMMIGRATION LAWS AND
PROTECT THEIR BORDERS.
THE ARIZONA LAW DIRECTS OFFICERS TO QUESTION PEOPLE ABOUT THEIR
IMMIGRATION STATUS DURING THE ENFORCEMENT OF OTHER LAWS AND IF
THERE'S A REASONABLE SUSPICION THEY'RE IN THE U.S. ILLEGALLY.
PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA'S ADMINISTRATION RECENTLY FILED SUIT TO
BLOCK IT, SAYING IMMIGRATION IS A FEDERAL ISSUE.

GROUND ZERO-BURIED SHIP
SHIP BURIED IN 18TH CENTURY UNEARTHED AT WTC SITE

NEW YORK (AP) - WORKERS EXCAVATING AT THE WORLD TRADE CENTER
SITE HAVE UNEARTHED THE 32-FOOT-LONG HULL OF A SHIP LIKELY BURIED
IN THE 18TH CENTURY.
ARCHEOLOGISTS SAY THE VESSEL PROBABLY WAS USED ALONG WITH OTHER
DEBRIS TO FILL IN LAND TO EXTEND LOWER MANHATTAN INTO THE HUDSON
RIVER.
ARCHEOLOGISTS MOLLY MCDONALD AND A. MICHAEL PAPPALARDO WERE AT
THE SITE OF THE SEPT. 11 ATTACKS ON TUESDAY MORNING WHEN WORKERS
UNCOVERED THE ARTIFACTS. THEY CALL THE FIND SIGNIFICANT BUT SAY
MORE STUDY IS NEEDED TO DETERMINE THE AGE OF THE SHIP.
THE TWO ARCHEOLOGISTS WORK FOR AKRF, A FIRM HIRED TO DOCUMENT
ARTIFACTS DISCOVERED AT THE SITE. THEY FOUND A 100-POUND BOAT
ANCHOR IN THE SAME AREA ON WEDNESDAY, BUT THEY'RE NOT SURE IF IT
BELONGS TO THE SHIP.

ESPY AWARDS
DREW BREES WINS 4 ESPY AWARDS

LOS ANGELES (AP) - DREW BREES IS THE BIG WINNER AT THE ESPY
AWARDS, COLLECTING FOUR TROPHIES, INCLUDING MALE ATHLETE OF THE
YEAR.
THE NEW ORLEANS SAINTS QUARTERBACK ALSO WON BEST CHAMPIONSHIP
PERFORMANCE, NFL PLAYER AND SHARED THE TEAM AWARD WITH HIS SUPER
BOWL CHAMPION COLLEAGUES.
SKIIER LINDSEY VONN WON FEMALE ATHLETE OF THE YEAR HONORS
WEDNESDAY NIGHT AT THE SHOW HOSTED BY "SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE" COMIC
SETH MEYERS AND AIRED LIVE ON ESPN FROM THE NOKIA THEATRE.
VONN WAS ALSO CHOSEN BEST FEMALE OLYMPIAN.
LANDON DONOVAN OF THE U.S. NATIONAL SOCCER TEAM PICKED UP THREE
TROPHIES, FOR BEST MOMENT IN A WORLD CUP GAME AGAINST ALGERIA, BEST
MLS PLAYER AND THE PERFORMANCE UNDER PRESSURE AWARD.