TODAY'S NEWS: MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 27, 2010

CRESSONA FIRE

A FIRE BROKE OUT AT CRESSONA TRUCKING IN SCHUYLKILL COUNTY JUST AFTER 2AM FRIDAY MORNING. THE FIRE WAS STARTED IN THE GARAGE AND WAS ACCIDENTAL IN NATURE. THE CAUSE WAS A POSSIBLE ELECTRICAL MALFUNCTION IN A VEHICLE PARKED IN THE GARAGE. THREE FIREFIGHTERS WERE REPORTED INJURED WHILE FIGHTING THE FIRE. THE GARAGE SUSTAINED SEVERE FIRE, SMOKE, AND WATER DAMAGE. THE DAMAGES ARE ESTIMATED AT $375,000.

MINERSVILLE CHURCH CELEBRATES 100TH ANNIVERSARY

SAINTS PETER AND PAUL ORTHODOX CHURCH, MINERSVILLE, CELEBRATED IT’S 100TH ANNIVERSARY SUNDAY MARKED BISHOP TIKHON, OF THE PHILADELPHIA DIOCESE. ORDINATION OF GREGORY HATRAK, SON OF PASTOR MICHAEL HATRAK, ALSO TOOK PLACE DURING THE CELEBRATION.

ALLENTOWN DIOCESE REMOVES PRIESTS

TWO ROMAN CATHOLIC PRIESTS WERE REMOVED SUNDAY FROM THE MINISTRY. MONSIGNOR BERNARD FLANAGAN AND REVEREND ANDREW ULINCY, BOTH HAVING SERVED PARISHES IN SCHUYLKILL COUNTY IN RECENT YEARS, WERE REMOVED AFTER SEXUAL ABUSE ALLEGATIONS WERE FOUND CREDIBLE BY THE ALLENTOWN DIOCESE. THE REPUBLICAN HERALD REPORTS THAT FLANAGAN AND ULINCY ARE BEING SENT TO A TREATMENT FACILITY AND WILL NO LONGER SERVE THE CHURCH.

BOY INJURED IN RODEO

A SEVENTEEN-YEAR-OLD NEW RINGGOLD BOY WAS INJURED SATURDAY EVENING DURING A RODEO HELD AT PLEASANT VALLEY RANCH, NEW RINGGOLD. AFTER BEING TRAMPLED BY A BULL, THE BOY WAS FLOW TO LEHIGH VALLEY HOSPITAL WITH FRACTURED RIBS AND A COLLAPSED LUNG. SINCE THE ACCIDENT REPORTS INDICATE THAT THE BOY IS DOING WELL.

STATE NEWS

TEHRAN, IRAN (AP) - AN IRANIAN NEWSPAPER REPORTS THAT AN OMAN
DELEGATION WILL VISIT IRAN TO PURSUE THE RELEASE OF TWO AMERICAN
MEN IMPRISONED FOR MORE THAN A YEAR. A THIRD AMERICAN, SARAH
SHOURD, WAS RELEASED THIS MONTH. SHANE BAUER AND JOSH FATTAL, WHO'S FROM THE PHILADELPHIA AREA, REMAIN IMPRISONED ACCUSED OF BEING
SPIES.

PHILADELPHIA (AP) - POLICE ARE LOOKING FOR A LUXURY CAR THAT
FATALLY STRUCK A 2-YEAR-OLD BOY AND INJURED A WOMAN ON A SIDEWALK
IN PHILADELPHIA. POLICE SAY THE SILVER-COLORED MERCEDES BENZ HIT
THE WOMAN AND THE TODDLER IN THE CITY'S BELLA VISTA NEIGHBORHOOD ON SATURDAY EVENING. THE NAMES OF THE VICTIMS HAVEN'T BEEN RELEASED.

PITTSBURGH (AP) - SOME DOCTORS AT UPMC'S CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL OF
PITTSBURGH ARE HELPING PATIENTS THOUSANDS OF MILES AWAY. DR.
RICARDO MUNOZ DOES WEEKLY ROUNDS FROM THE PITTSBURGH HOSPITAL ON PEDIATRIC HEART PATIENTS AT FUNDACION VALLE EL LILI, A HOSPITAL IN
CALI, COLOMBIA. THE PILOT PROGRAM STARTED EARLIER THIS YEAR.

PHILADELPHIA (AP) - A CADILLAC THAT ONCE BELONGED TO THE LATE
PHILADELPHIA MAYOR FRANK L. RIZZO HAS BEEN SOLD AT AUCTION FOR AN
UNDISCLOSED PRICE. RIZZO'S SON, PHILADELPHIA CITY COUNCILMAN FRANK
RIZZO, PLANS TO USE THE PROCEEDS TO CARE FOR HIS FATHER'S STATUE.
PHILADELPHIA RESIDENT GEORGE POULOS BOUGHT THE CAR SATURDAY AFTER SOMEONE ELSE'S BID OF $27,500 WAS REJECTED.

NATIONAL NEWS

ISLAMABAD (AP) - A NATO SPOKESMAN SAYS ITS AIRSTRIKES IN PAKISTAN OVER THE LAST FEW DAYS HAVE KILLED ABOUT 50 MILITANTS. NATO SAYS IT "MAINTAINS THE RIGHT TO SELF-DEFENSE." THE STRIKES TOOK PLACE IN AREAS CONTROLLED BY MILITANTS WHO ATTACK NATO TROOPS
IN AFGHANISTAN.

JERUSALEM (AP) - ONE SETTLEMENT LEADER SAYS GROUNDWORK WILL GET STARTED TODAY ON NEW JEWISH HOMES IN WEST BANK SETTLEMENTS. BUT HE PREDICTS ONLY A FEW HUNDRED HOMES WILL BE BUILT IN THE NEXT FEW MONTHS, NOW THAT THE CONSTRUCTION BAN HAS EXPIRED. THE SETTLEMENTS COULD JEOPARDIZE PEACE TALKS WITH THE PALESTINIANS.

JERUSALEM (AP) - ORGANIZERS OF A SMALL BOAT CARRYING JEWISH ACTIVISTS TO THE GAZA STRIP SAY THEY EXPECT ISRAEL TO INTERCEPT THE VESSEL LATER TODAY. THE ACTIVISTS ARE TRYING TO DRAW ATTENTION TO ISRAEL'S BLOCKADE OF GAZA. THEY SAY THEY WON'T RESIST IF THEY ARE STOPPED. THERE'S NO WORD FROM THE ISRAELI ARMY.

BAGHDAD (AP) - IRAQ'S STATE-RUN TELEVISION SAYS ONE OF ITS NEWS ANCHORS WAS INJURED BY A BOMB ATTACHED TO HIS CAR TODAY. TWO OTHER REPORTERS WERE KILLED EARLY THIS MONTH. BAGHDAD HAS BEEN HIT RECENTLY BY A WAVE OF BOMBINGS AND SHOOTINGS TARGETING SECURITY OFFICIALS AND GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEES.

WASHINGTON (AP) - A PRESIDENTIAL PANEL INVESTIGATING THE GULF OIL SPILL BEGINS TWO DAYS OF MEETINGS TODAY. IT WILL LOOK AT THE USE OF CHEMICAL DISPERSANTS, A MORATORIUM ON DEEP-WATER DRILLING AND WHO WAS IN CHARGE OF MAKING CRITICAL DECISIONS -- BP OR THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.