TODAY'S NEWS: WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 29, 2010

YOUTH SPORTS SAFETY ACT PASSES

STATE REPRESENTATIVE, TIM BRIGGS, PASSED LEGISLATION YESTERDAY IN THE HOUSE. BRIGGS’ SAFETY IN YOUTH SPORTS ACT WAS VOTED IN 169 TO 29 VOTES. THE ACT IS DESIGNED TO IMPORVE CONCUSSION MANAGEMENT AND INCREASE AWARENESS OF THE LONG TERM EFFECTS. YOUNG ATHLETES WOULD BE REQUIRED TO HAVE MEDICAL CLEARENCE BEFORE RETURNING TO THEIR SPORT IF HEAD TRAUMA IS SUSTAINED. STUDENTS WOULD ALSO BE REQUIRED TO HAVE A PARENT OR GUARDIAN SIGN OFF ANNUALLY ON AN INFORMATION SHEET REGARDING CONCUSSION AND HEAD TRAUMA INFORMATION. BRIGGS’ SAID THAT IS THE MOST IMPORTANT PART OF THE BILL BECAUSE IT WILL HELP INCREASE AWARENESS ABOUT BRAIN INJURY.

BOROUGH MARKET BURGLARIZED

A TAMAQUA AREA MAN TURNED HIMSELF IN TUESDAY NIGHT AFTER TAMAQUA POLICE ISSUED A WARRANT FOR HIS ARREST. FRANKLIN JOHN KUNKEL THE-THIRD WAS IDENTIFIED THROUGH SECURITY FOOTAGE FROM PIERICINI MARKET WHERE THE BURGLARY TOOK PLACE. KUNKEL REPORTEDLY FORCED HIS WAY INTO THE MARKET WHERE HE REMOVED CASH, CIGARETTES AND OTHER ITEMS TOTALING OVER FOURTY EIGHT HUNDRED DOLLARS. ACCORDING TO TAMAQUA POLICE, KUNKEL WILL FACE CHARGES INCLUDING BURGLARY, CRIMINAL TRESSPASS, THEFT BY UNLAWFUL TAKING AND CRIMINAL MISCHIEF.

POLICE INVESTIGATE BURGLARY

SCHUYLKILL HAVEN STATE POLICE ARE INVESTIGATING A BURGLARY THAT OCCURRED MONDAY NIGHT AT THE CHAR-PAK COAL COMPANY, IN FOSTER TOWNSHIP. THE SUSPECTS GAINED ACCESS TO THE COMPANY BY FORCED ENTRY AND REMOVED VARIOUS PIECES OF EQUIPMENT USING A PICK-UP TRUCK TO HAUL THE ITEMS. POLICE ARE ASKING ANYONE WITH INFORMATION TO PLEASE CONTACT THEM.

SCHUYLKILL TRUST CO. BUILDING

DOWNTOWN POTTSVILLE'S SCHUYLKILL TRUST CO. BUILDING WILL NOT BE ONE OF THE PROPERTIES LISTED AT THE 2010 TAX CLAIM UPSET SALE GOING ON TODAY. PRESIDENT OF SCHUYKILL LAND & REALTY INC., JAMES J. CURRAN JR., MADE AN AGREEMENT ON TUESDAY WITH THE COUNTY TO PAY HIS OVER DUE TAXES. THE REPUBLICAN HERALD REPORTS THE AMOUNT JUST OVER $113,000 TOTAL WILL COVER 2008 THROUGH 2010. A PAYMENT PLAN HAS BEEN AGREED UPON AND CURRAN HAS ALSO MADE A DOWN PAYMENT ON HIS DEBTS.

CONSTRUCTION ALMOST FINISHED

THE UNION STATION IN DOWNTOWN POTTSVILLE IS 75 PERCENT COMPLETE AND SHOULD BE COMPLETED BY DECMEBER 22ND. THE $17 MILLION PROJECT WILL INCLUDE A BUS STATION, TRAIN STATION, POLICE SUBSTATION, VISITORS BUREAU, AND COMMERCIAL SPACE. ACCORDING TO THE REPUBLICAN HERALD, SPACE IS AVAILABLE FOR INTERESTED VENDORS.

HARRISBURG, PA. (AP) - HARRISBURG CITY COUNCIL HAS NIXED A PLAN TO HIRE A FINANCIAL FIRM CHOSEN BY THE MAYOR TO DEAL WITH THE STATE CAPITAL'S DIRE FISCAL PROBLEMS. INSTEAD, THE HARRISBURG PATRIOT NEWS REPORTS THE COUNCIL HAS VOTED TO LAUNCH A SEARCH FOR FINANCIAL ADVISERS. OFFICIALS WANT TO EXPLORE THE POSSIBILITIES OF FILING FOR MUNICIPAL BANKRUPTCY OR SEEKING "DISTRESSED CITY" STATUS.

TANNERSVILLE, PA. (AP) - A RETIRED PENNSYLVANIA PASTOR HAS BEEN ORDERED TO STAND TRIAL ON CHARGES HE KILLED HIS WIFE AND STAGED A CAR ACCIDENT TO COVER IT UP. A JUDGE IN MONROE COUNTY RULED YESTERDAY THAT 62-YEAR-OLD ARTHUR BURTON "A.B." SCHIRMER WILL BE TRIED ON CHARGES OF HOMICIDE AND EVIDENCE TAMPERING IN THE 2008 DEATH OF HIS WIFE BETTY.

HARRISBURG, PA. (AP) - THE PENNSYLVANIA HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES IS MAKING A LAST-MINUTE CHANGE ON ITS LEGISLATION TO IMPOSE A TAX ON NATURAL GAS DRILLING. THE HOUSE YESTERDAY AMENDED THE GAS TAX BILL BY A 154-TO-45 VOTE TO ADD MORE MONEY FOR ENVIRONMENTAL NEEDS. THE PROPOSAL WOULD TAX THE GAS AT THE RATE OF 39 CENTS PER 1,000 CUBIC FEET.

BETHLEHEM, PA. (AP) - UP TO 300 TONS OF HAY HAS CAUGHT FIRE ON A FARM IN EASTERN PENNSYLVANIA, AND FIREFIGHTERS HAVE BEEN BATTLING FLAMES AND THICK SMOKE FOR HOURS. THE FIRE WAS REPORTED EARLY LAST EVENING AT THE FARM IN BETHLEHEM TOWNSHIP.


HAVANA (AP) - FORECASTERS SAY A TROPICAL DEPRESSION THAT'S EXPECTED TO BRING HEAVY RAINS AND HIGH WINDS TO CUBA OVERNIGHT WILL PROBABLY STRENGTHEN BEFORE IT HEADS TOWARD FLORIDA. THE NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER IN MIAMI SAYS THE STORM COULD BECOME A TROPICAL STORM BEFORE IT'S EXPECTED TO BE NEAR OR OVER SOUTHEASTERN FLORIDA BY THIS EVENING.

NEW YORK (AP) - SOME 100 POTENTIAL JURORS WILL BE QUESTIONED BEGINNING TODAY IN NEW YORK FOR THE TRIAL OF THE FIRST GUANTANAMO DETAINEE TO BE TRIED IN A CIVILIAN COURT. AHMED KHALFAN GHAILANI (KAL'-FAHN GUH-LAHN'-EE) IS ACCUSED OF BEING A BOMB MAKER AND AIDE TO OSAMA BIN LADEN.

DES MOINES, IOWA (AP) - PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA IS IN DES MOINES, IOWA THIS MORNING FOR ANOTHER DAY OF "BACKYARD DISCUSSIONS" WITH VOTERS. OBAMA IS TRYING TO LIGHT A FIRE UNDER YOUNG VOTERS AND OTHER DEMOCRATS AHEAD OF NOVEMBER'S ELECTIONS. HE'LL WRAP UP A FOUR-STATE TOUR THIS AFTERNOON WITH A MEETING WITH VOTERS IN RICHMOND, VA.

CLEVELAND (AP) - FORMER PRESIDENT JIMMY CARTER IS IN A CLEVELAND HOSPITAL AFTER DEVELOPING STOMACH PROBLEMS ON AN AIRLINE FLIGHT. THE 85-YEAR-OLD CARTER HAD TO CANCEL TWO EVENTS IN WASHINGTON TO PROMOTE HIS NEW BOOK. HE PLANS TO RESUME HIS BOOK TOUR LATER TODAY.

WASHINGTON (AP) - THAT 4TH-GRADE SCIENCE KIT MAY FACE AN UNCERTAIN FUTURE. THE CONSUMER PRODUCT SAFETY COMMISSION IS EXPECTED TO RULE TODAY ON GUIDELINES FOR CHILDREN'S PRODUCTS. BECAUSE OF LEGISLATION PASSED BY CONGRESS THERE'VE BEEN RIGOROUS SAFETY CHECKS FOR LEAD, CHEMICALS, FLAMMABILITY AND OTHER POTENTIAL DANGERS THAT COULD LEAD TO FEWER HANDS-ON SCIENCE EXPERIMENTS FOR YOUNGER CHILDREN.