TODAY'S NEWS - MONDAY SEPTEMBER, 13, 2010

LOCAL NEWS

ATV RIDERS ARRESTED FOR ASSAULTING COPS IN GILBERTON

Two Ashland ATV riders were arrested for assaulting a cop and a hit and run of a police car on Saturday night in Gilberton. Melissa Snyder, 287Main Street, and Stephan Willison, 324 Oakland Ave, were riding their vehicles westbound on Railroad Street in the Borough at a high rate of speed. The Gilberton police attempted to catch the riders, and as they did one of the ATV riders rammed into a police car twice, while the other tried to run over an officer while he was lying on the ground. Snyder and Willison were found a short time later hiding in the woods in Butler Township. They are charged with multiple counts, including aggravated assault on a police officer and tampering with or fabricating evidence.

THIRD LARGEST SOLAR ENERGY PRODUCING FARM IN PA SHEDULED FOR WESTERN SCHULYKILL COUNTY

The third largest solar energy producing farm in Pennsylvania is scheduled to be built in the western part of the county. A two-megawatt, 10-acre solar farm is to be build at 44 Walnut Lane, in Sacramento. Beil Energy LLC has been working on developing the $10.2Million project for five years in Hubley Township in hopes to cut local energy bills making it cheaper for customers to purchase power. The solar farm is expected to be completed and online in the next six to eight months. Electricity produced will be used to self-power the farm and surrounding buildings on the property, and the surplus will be put on the energy grid and sold to PPL. The location in Hubley Township was based on 40 years of weather data.

STATE NEWS

PHILADELPHIA (AP) - PHILADELPHIA NEWSPAPER DELIVERY DRIVERS HAVE
ONCE AGAIN REJECTED A CONTRACT OFFER AIMED AT CLEARING THE WAY FOR
CREDITORS TO TAKE OVER THE CITY'S TWO MAJOR PAPERS. TEAMSTERS LOCAL
628 PRESIDENT JOHN LAIGAIE (LAH-SHAY') SAYS MEMBERS VOTED 191 TO
FOUR AGAINST THE PROPOSAL YESTERDAY. IT INCLUDES MOVING FROM A
DEFINED PENSION TO A 401 (K) PLAN.

ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) - THE EPA IS PREPARING TO HOLD THE LAST OF
FOUR HEARINGS ABOUT A NATURAL GAS DRILLING TECHNIQUE THAT INVOLVES
BLASTING CHEMICAL-LACED WATER INTO THE GROUND. TODAY'S HEARING IN
BINGHAMTON, NEW YORK, IS PART OF THE AGENCY'S STUDY OF DRILLING IN
THE LUCRATIVE MARCELLUS SHALE REGION PRIMARILY BENEATH
PENNSYLVANIA, NEW YORK, WEST VIRGINIA AND OHIO.

WEST CHESTER, PA. (AP) - THE CO-PILOT OF ONE OF THE PLANES THAT
HIJACKERS CRASHED INTO THE WORLD TRADE CENTER DURING THE SEPTEMBER
11TH ATTACKS HAS BEEN HONORED WITH A STATUE AT THE SUBURBAN
PHILADELPHIA UNIVERSITY HE ATTENDED. ABOUT 500 FRIENDS AND
RELATIVES OF MIKE HORROCKS ATTENDED SATURDAY'S UNVEILING AT WEST
CHESTER UNIVERSITY.

BLOOMSBURG, PA. (AP) - A CENTRAL PENNSYLVANIA JURY HAS SET
VALUES FOR HOMES IN A CENTRAL PENNSYLVANIA TOWN DECIMATED BY A MINE
FIRE AT VALUES FAR BELOW THOSE SOUGHT BY HOMEOWNERS WHO ARE
CHALLENGING THE STATE'S CONDEMNATION OF THEIR PROPERTY. ON FAMILY
SAID THEIR CENTRALIA HOME SHOULD BE WORTH $90,000. BUT A COLUMBIA
COUNTY JURY SET THE VALUE AT HALF THAT AMOUNT.



NATIONAL NEWS

LARGE EXPLOSION
DAMAGED PIPELINE WILL UNDERGO ANALYSIS

SAN BRUNO, CALIF. (AP) - INVESTIGATORS IN SAN BRUNO, CALIF.,
HAVE PACKED UP A 28-FOOT SECTION OF A RUPTURED NATURAL GAS
PIPELINE.
IT WAS BLOWN OUT OF THE GROUND AND HURLED 100 FEET IN LAST
WEEK'S EXPLOSION THAT DESTROYED DOZENS OF HOMES AND KILLED AT LEAST
FOUR PEOPLE.
THE NATIONAL TRANSPORTATION SAFETY BOARD SAYS THE PIPELINE WILL
BE SENT TO A LAB IN WASHINGTON FOR ANALYSIS.
CALIFORNIA REGULATORS, MEANWHILE, ARE TELLING PACIFIC GAS AND
ELECTRIC TO SURVEY ALL OF ITS NATURAL GAS LINES IN THE STATE, IN
HOPES OF HEADING OFF ANOTHER DISASTER.
RESIDENTS WERE ALLOWED TO RETURN TO THEIR DAMAGED HOMES SUNDAY.
THEY WERE ACCOMPANIED BY GAS WORKERS TO HELP RESTORE PILOT LIGHTS
AND MAKE SURE IT WAS SAFE TO TURN THE POWER BACK ON.

COLORADO WILDFIRES
SECOND COLO FIRE ERUPTS, DESTROYS AT LEAST 1 HOME

BOULDER, COLO. (AP) - SOME OF THE CREWS AND EQUIPMENT THAT HAD
BEEN FIGHTING THE WILDFIRE NEAR BOULDER, COLO., ARE BEING DIVERTED
TO ANOTHER FIRE ABOUT 35 MILES TO THE NORTHEAST, IN THE LOVELAND
AREA.
THAT FIRE HAS BURNED HUNDREDS OF ACRES, DESTROYING ONE HOME AND
THREATENING OTHERS.
NEAR BOULDER, MEANWHILE, CREWS ARE GETTING CLOSER TO FULLY
CONTAINING A FIRE THAT DESTROYED MORE THAN 160 HOMES.
THE DENVER POST REPORTS THAT INVESTIGATORS AT THE BOULDER FIRE
WERE LOOKING AT THE POSSIBILITY THAT THE BLAZE WAS SPARKED BY A
RESIDENT'S FIRE PIT.

IRAN-US HIKERS
RELEASE APPARENTLY NEAR FOR ONE AMERICAN, TRIAL FOR ALL THREE

TEHRAN, IRAN (AP) - EVEN AS THE FAMILY OF SARAH SHOURD (SHURD)
AWAITS HER POSSIBLE RELEASE IN IRAN IN THE COMING DAYS, THE
GOVERNMENT THERE APPEARS TO BE MOVING AHEAD WITH THE SPY CHARGES
AGAINST THE TWO AMERICAN MEN WHO WERE ARRESTED WITH HER.
ALL THREE WERE TAKEN INTO CUSTODY MORE THAN A YEAR AGO NEAR
IRAN'S BORDER WITH IRAQ. THEIR FAMILIES SAY THEY WERE HIKING, BUT
IRAN SAYS THEY WERE SPYING.
IRAN'S PRESIDENT HAD SAID SHOURD WOULD BE RELEASED FRIDAY. BUT
THE COUNTRY'S JUDICIARY SET ITS OWN GROUND RULES, INCLUDING BAIL IN
THE AMOUNT OF $500,000. SWISS DIPLOMATS HAVE BEEN MAKING
ARRANGEMENTS TO PAY IT.
BUT SHE AND THE TWO MEN WHO WERE ALSO DETAINED ARE STILL FACING
ESPIONAGE CHARGES. TEHRAN'S CHIEF PROSECUTOR SAYS INDICTMENTS WERE
ISSUED SUNDAY, AND THAT THE PROSECUTION'S CASE IS NEARLY COMPLETE.
THAT COULD MEAN TRIALS SOON FOR SHANE BAUER AND JOSH FATTAL. AND
SHOURD COULD STILL BE TRIED IN ABSENTIA.

AFGHANISTAN
NEW: NATO: AIRSTRIKES KILL 14 INSURGENTS IN AFGHANISTAN

KABUL, AFGHANISTAN (AP) - NATO SAYS AIRSTRIKES HAVE KILLED 14
INSURGENTS IN CENTRAL AFGHANISTAN.
THE MILITARY ALLIANCE SAID IN A STATEMENT MONDAY THAT THE AIR
POWER WAS USED AFTER A JOINT NATO-AFGHAN PATROL CAME UNDER SMALL
ARMS AND MACHINE-GUN FIRE FROM MILITANTS. IT HAPPENED SUNDAY WHILE
THE PATROL WAS CROSSING A RIVER IN THE CENTRAL URUZGAN PROVINCE.
NATO SAID TROOPS REQUESTED AIR SUPPORT AFTER CONCLUDING THERE
WAS NO DANGER OF CIVILIAN CASUALTIES. NATO AIRCRAFT TARGETED THE
INSURGENTS IN THREE RAIDS WITH PRECISION-GUIDED AMMUNITION.
NATO SAID INITIAL REPORTS INDICATED NO CIVILIAN CASUALTIES
OCCURRED.

AIRLINE ATTACK
NEW: TRIAL DATE MAY BE SET IN DETROIT AIRLINE ATTACK

DETROIT (AP) - A NIGERIAN MAN CHARGED WITH TRYING TO BLOW UP AN
INTERNATIONAL FLIGHT NEAR DETROIT ON CHRISTMAS IS RETURNING TO A
FEDERAL COURTROOM FOR THE FIRST TIME SINCE JANUARY.
A PRETRIAL HEARING IS BEING HELD MONDAY IN THE CASE AGAINST UMAR
FAROUK ABDULMUTALLAB (OO'-MAHR FAH-ROOK' AHB-DOOL'-MOO-TAH'-LAHB).
U.S. DISTRICT JUDGE NANCY EDMUNDS COULD SET A TRIAL DATE.
ABDULMUTALLAB IS IN CUSTODY AWAITING TRIAL ON CHARGES THAT
INCLUDE ATTEMPTING TO USE A WEAPON OF MASS DESTRUCTION. NEARLY 300
PEOPLE WERE ABOARD NORTHWEST AIRLINES FLIGHT 253.
DEFENSE LAWYERS SAY THEY'VE BEEN TALKING TO PROSECUTORS ABOUT A
PLEA DEAL. ABDULMUTALLAB HAS NOT APPEARED IN COURT SINCE JAN. 8.

CENTRAL BANKS-BASEL RULES
REGULATORS AGREE ON NEW CAPITAL RULES FOR WORLD'S BANKS

BASEL, SWITZERLAND (AP) - AN EFFORT TO PREVENT ANOTHER FINANCIAL
COLLAPSE IS GETTING A THUMBS-UP FROM THE WORLD'S MAJOR CENTRAL
BANKS.
THEY'VE ENDORSED NEW RULES THAT WOULD REQUIRE BANKS TO MAKE A
BIG INCREASE IN THEIR CAPITAL RESERVES.
IT'LL LIMIT THE AMOUNT OF LOANS THEY CAN MAKE, BUT THEY'LL BE
BETTER ABLE TO WITHSTAND THE BLOW IF MANY OF THE LOANS GO SOUR.

DRUG WAR-MEXICO
MEXICAN MARINES ARREST PRESUMED CARTEL OPERATOR

MEXICO CITY (AP) - FOR THE FOURTH TIME IN THE PAST YEAR,
MEXICO'S GOVERNMENT HAS DEALT A MAJOR BLOW TO THE COUNTRY'S DRUG
CARTELS.
THIS TIME, MEXICAN MARINES CAPTURED SERGIO VILLARREAL BARRAGAN,
WHO'S BELIEVED TO BE THE LEADER OF ONE OF THE MAJOR CARTELS. HE WAS
ONE OF THE COUNTRY'S MOST-WANTED FUGITIVES.
HE WAS CAUGHT IN A RAID SUNDAY IN THE CENTRAL STATE OF PUEBLA.
BARRAGAN'S CAPTURE COMES TWO WEEKS AFTER THE ARREST OF EDGAR
VALDEZ VILLARREAL, OR "THE BARBIE," ANOTHER ALLEGED CAPO LINKED
TO THE BELTRAN LEYVAS.

JAPAN-CHINA-SHIPS COLLIDE
JAPAN FREES 14 CREW MEMBERS OF CHINESE SHIP

TOKYO (AP) - JAPAN IS RELEASING A CHINESE FISHING BOAT, ALONG
WITH 14 CREW MEMBERS -- BUT IT'S STILL KEEPING THE CAPTAIN IN
CUSTODY.
THE CHINESE VESSEL COLLIDED WITH TWO JAPANESE PATROL BOATS
NEARLY A WEEK AGO NEAR SOME DISPUTED ISLANDS.
JAPAN'S FOREIGN MINISTER SAYS THE SHIP IS BEING SENT BACK TO
CHINA UNDER THE CONTROL OF A NEW SET OF CREW MEMBERS. THEY WERE
FLOWN IN ON A CHINESE PLANE THAT WAS SENT TO BRING THE OTHER CREW
MEMBERS HOME.
CHINA HAS DEMANDED THAT JAPAN RELEASE THE CAPTAIN AS WELL. HE
WAS ARRESTED FOR ALLEGEDLY OBSTRUCTING OFFICIAL DUTIES DURING THE
COLLISION. A JAPANESE COURT SAYS HE CAN REMAIN IN CUSTODY FOR
ANOTHER WEEK UNTIL AUTHORITIES DECIDE WHETHER TO INDICT HIM.
CHINA SAYS THE DISPUTE COULD DAMAGE ITS RELATIONS WITH JAPAN.

KOREAS-TENSION
SOUTH KOREA ANNOUNCES AID PLANS FOR FLOOD-HIT NORTH KOREA

SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA (AP) - IN A SIGN OF EASING TENSIONS, SOUTH
KOREA SAYS IT'LL SEND 5,000 TONS OF RICE AND OTHER AID TO
FLOOD-STRICKEN NORTH KOREA.
IT WOULD BE SOUTH KOREA'S FIRST MAJOR AID SHIPMENT TO THE NORTH
SINCE MARCH'S DEADLY SINKING OF A SOUTH KOREAN WARSHIP THAT THE
SOUTH BLAMES ON PYONGYANG.
SOUTH KOREA'S RED CROSS SAYS IN ADDITION TO RICE, $8.5 MILLION
IN AID WOULD INCLUDE 10,000 TONS OF CEMENT, MEDICINE AND OTHER
ITEMS TO BE FINANCED BY THE GOVERNMENT.
NORTH KOREA HAD ALSO ASKED FOR HEAVY EQUIPMENT, BUT THE SOUTH
HAD CONCERNS THAT IT COULD BE USED FOR MILITARY PURPOSES.
NORTH KOREA'S ANNOUNCEMENT TO SEND AID COMES AS OFFICIALS MEET
IN SEOUL TO DISCUSS RESTARTING NEGOTIATIONS OVER NORTH KOREA'S
NUCLEAR PROGRAM.

TROPICAL WEATHER
TROPICAL STORM JULIA FORMS WITH WINDS OF 40 MPH

MIAMI (AP) - IT'S STILL FAR OUT IN THE ATLANTIC, BUT HURRICANE
IGOR COULD STRENGTHEN EVEN FURTHER TODAY INTO A MONSTROUS CATEGORY
5 STORM.
ITS WINDS INCREASED OVER THE WEEKEND TO 150 MILES AN HOUR.
EVEN FARTHER AWAY IS TROPICAL STORM JULIA, WHICH IS EXPECTED TO
STRENGTHEN AND POSSIBLY BECOME A HURRICANE THIS WEEK.

ANTARCTICA-EVACUATION
NEW: SICK US MAN AWAITS MEDICAL FLIGHT FROM ANTARCTICA

WELLINGTON, NEW ZEALAND (AP) - AN AMERICAN MAN WHO'S IN SERIOUS
MEDICAL CONDITION IS WAITING IN ANTARCTICA FOR BLIZZARD CONDITIONS
TO EASE, SO A PLANE CAN ARRIVE TO TAKE HIM TO A HOSPITAL IN NEW
ZEALAND.
OFFICIALS SAY A PLANE IS STANDING BY IN NEW ZEALAND TO FLY TO A
U.S. SCIENCE BASE ON THE NORTH ANTARCTIC COAST TO PICK UP THE MAN.
THEY'RE NOT IDENTIFYING HIM OR GIVING DETAILS ON HIS CONDITION.
IN ANTARCTICA THIS TIME OF YEAR, THERE'S JUST A SHORT WINDOW OF
DAYLIGHT IN WHICH A PLANE COULD LAND, LOAD THE PATIENT AND REFUEL
BEFORE TAKING OFF AGAIN.