TODAY'S NEWS: MONDAY, OCTOBER 4, 2010

SHENANDOAH FIRE RULED ARSON

THE SHENANDOAH FIRE THAT DESTROYED FIVE HOMES AND DAMAGED AT LEAST THREE OTHERS HAS BEEN RULED ARSON. THE BLAZE IN SHENANDOAH WAS REPORTED SHORTLY AFTER 2 A.M. SATURDAY AND THE FLAMES WERE NOT BROUGHT UNDER CONTROL FOR MORE THAN THREE HOURS. ONE MAN RESCUED FROM A SECOND-FLOOR PORCH ROOF WAS TAKEN TO A HOSPITAL FOR TREATMENT OF SMOKE INHALATION. SHENANDOAH FIRE CHIEF RICHARD MENSICK SAID TWO FIREFIGHTERS WERE TREATED FOR MINOR INJURIES. THE BLAZE ALSO LEFT SEVEN PEOPLE HOMELESS.

TERROR WARNING
AN ADVISORY HAS BEEN ISSUED FOR U.S TRAVELERS TO BEWARE OF POTENTIAL TERRORIST THREATS IN EUROPE. THE STATE DEPARTMENT ALERT ADVISED U.S. CITIZENS LIVING OR TRAVELING IN EUROPE TO TAKE MORE PRECAUTIONS ABOUT THIER PERSONAL SECURITY. THE TRAVEL ALERT IS A STEP BELOW A FORMAL WARNING NOT TO VISIT EUROPE, BUT SOME EXPERTS BELIEVE IT MAY STILL HURT EUROPEAN ECONOMY THAT HAS ALREADY BEEN HIT HARD BY THE DEBT CRISIS.

SCHUYLKILL VOTE

SCHUYLKILL COUNTY REGISTRATION/ELECTION BUREAU REMINDS VOTERS TODAY IS THE LAST DAY TO REGISTER TO BE ELIGIBLE TO VOTE FOR THE NOVEMBER SECOND ELECTION.

FRACKVILLE VICTIM
PENNSYLVANIA STATE POLICE ARE NOW INVESTIGATING A REPORT OF AN ATTEMPTED CRIMINAL HOMICIDE, AGGRAVATED ASSAULT, ROBBERY AND THEFT TO HAVE OCCURED. A 35 YEAR OLD MALE OF FRACKVILLE REPORTS THAT HIS GREY 2008 DODGE DAKOTA AS WELL AS OTHER PERSONAL BELONGINGS WERE TAKEN SATURDAY. THE MAN WAS ASSAULTED BY TWO MEN AS HE WAS LEAVING THE GAME LANDS. THE TWO MEN ARE REPORTED TO HAVE HAD WEAPONS/FIREARMS, BUT NO SHOTS WERE FIRED. ANYONE WITH INFORMATION ARE ASKED TO CALL PSP FRACKVILLE AT 570-874-5300.

ALLENTOWN, PA. (AP) - THE HATE CRIME TRIAL OF TWO FORMER HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL STARS BEGINS TODAY IN A FEDERAL COURT IN PENNSYLVANIA. BRANDON PIEKARSKY AND DERRICK DONCHAK ARE CHARGED IN CONNECTION WITH THE FATAL BEATING OF 25-YEAR-OLD LUIS RAMIREZ, AN ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT, DURING A BRAWL TWO YEARS AGO IN THE OLD MINING TOWN OF SHENANDOAH.

HARRISBURG, PA. (AP) - A REPORT NAMING PENNSYLVANIA AS ONE OF THE MAIN SOURCES OF GUNS USED IN CRIMES IN OTHER STATES HAS TRIGGERED CALLS FOR A LAW REQUIRING REPORTING OF LOST OR STOLEN HANDGUNS. BUT THE HARRISBURG PATIOT-NEWS REPORTS GUN RIGHTS SUPPORTERS POINT TO DECLINING VIOLENT CRIME RATES AND SAY EXISTING FIREARMS LAWS SHOULD BE ENFORCED.

NICKEL MINES, PA. (AP) - FAMILIES OF CHILDREN KILLED AND INJURED IN A MASS SHOOTING AT AN AMISH SCHOOL IN CENTRAL PENNSYLVANIA MARKED THE FOURTH ANNIVERSARY OF THE TRAGEDY QUIETLY OVER THE WEEKEND, ACCORDING TO THE LANCASTER SUNDAY NEWS. FIVE GIRLS DIED AND FIVE OTHERS WERE BADLY HURT WHEN A MILK TRUCK DRIVER BARRICADED HIMSELF INSIDE THE WEST NICKEL MINES AMISH SCHOOL AND OPENED FIRE IN 2006.

READING, PA. (AP) - FANS OF JOHN UPDIKE NOVELS MET UP OVER THE WEEKEND IN THE AUTHOR'S FORMER READING STOMPING GROUNDS. THE PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER REPORTS IT WAS THE FIRST INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE OF THE JOHN UPDIKE SOCIETY. UPDIKE WROTE MORE THAN 60 BOOKS INCLUDE "RABBIT, RUN."

METAIRIE, LA. (AP) - THE NEXT ROUND OF HEARINGS IN THE GULF OIL SPILL INVESTIGATION BEGINS TODAY NEAR NEW ORLEANS. FEDERAL INVESTIGATORS WILL BE LOOKING FOR KEY INFORMATION ABOUT PRESSURE TESTS, DECISION MAKING AND BP'S SAFETY CULTURE. BESIDES FIGURING OUT A CAUSE, THE PANEL IS EXAMINING HOW SAFETY AND OVERSIGHT CAN BE IMPROVED.

KABUL, AFGHANISTAN (AP) - A NATO SERVICE MEMBER HAS BEEN KILLED BY BOMB IN SOUTHERN AFGHANISTAN. NATO SAYS AN IMPROVISED EXPLOSIVE DEVICE WAS USED BUT GAVE NO FURTHER DETAILS. IT IS THE EIGHTH COALITION DEATH SINCE THE BEGINNING OF THE MONTH. TWO SERVICE MEMBERS DIED OVER THE WEEKEND.

BAGHDAD (AP) - A BODYGUARD IS DEAD AND SEVEN PEOPLE HAVE BEEN WOUNDED BY A ROADSIDE BOMB TARGETING THE CONVOY OF A DEPUTY MINISTER IN IRAQ'S GOVERNMENT. BAGHDAD HAS BEEN HIT BY A WAVE OF APPARENT SUNNI INSURGENT ATTACKS AGAINST SECURITY PERSONNEL AND GOVERNMENT WORKERS. THE DEPUTY MINISTER WAS NOT HARMED.

ISLAMABAD (AP) - ANOTHER SUPPLY CONVOY BOUND FOR TROOPS IN AFGHANISTAN HAS BEEN ATTACKED IN PAKISTAN. ISLAMIST MILITANTS ATTACKED AND SET FIRE TO AT LEAST 20 TANKERS CARRYING OIL FOR NATO AND U.S. TROOPS TODAY. IT'S THE THIRD SUCH STRIKE INSIDE PAKISTAN IN AS MANY DAYS. THE PAKISTANI TALIBAN CLAIM RESPONSIBILITY.

WASHINGTON (AP) - THE SUPREME COURT BEGINS ITS NEW TERM TODAY WITH A NEW FACE, JUSTICE ELENA KAGAN, GIVING THE COURT THREE WOMEN ON THE BENCH. MANY APPELLANTS WILL GET BAD NEWS TODAY AS THE COURT IS EXPECTED TO START BY DENYING MANY OF THE NEARLY 2,000 APPEALS THAT PILED UP IN RECENT MONTHS.