TODAY'S NEWS: MONDAY, DECEMBER 20, 2010

WATER BOIL ADVISORY
THE TAMAQUA AREA WATER AUTHORITY HAS ISSUED A WATER BOIL ADVISORY FOR ITS CUSTOMERS IN ONE SECTION OF HOMETOWN, DUE TO A WATER MAIN BREAK ON DECEMBER 19TH.THIS WATER BOIL ADVISORY APPLIES TO ALL TAMAQUA AREA WATER AUTHORITY CUSTOMERS LOCATED ON THE FOLLOWING STREETS IN HOMETOWN: BEECHWOOD, CLARRYAN, ELIZABETH, LAURELWOOD, LOCUST, SHERWOOD, RYMIN ROAD AND ARDMORE AVENUE SOUTH OF LOCUST STREET. DO NOT DRINK THE WATER WITHOUT BOILING IT FIRST.

PINE GROVE MAN INJURED IN CRASH

A 19-YEAR-OLD PINE GROVE MAN REMAINS IN FAIR CONDITION AT GEISINGER MEDICAL CENTER AFTER BEING FLOWN THERE FOLLOWING A CRASH IN SCHUYLKILL COUNTY SUNDAY. THAT HAPPENED JUST AFTER ONE A.M. ON ROUTE 895 IN WASHINGTON TOWNSHIP. POLICE SAY JESSE AUNGST SUFFERED MODERATE INJURIES WHEN HE WAS SPEEDING AND HIS CAR SLID OUT OF CONTROL, HITTING A UTILITY POLE. AUNGST WAS TRAPPED IN HIS VEHICLE AND WAS EXTRACTED BY SUMMIT STATION AND PINE GROVE FIRE DEPARTMENTS. HE FACES MULTIPLE CHARGES INCLUDING DUI PENDING TEST RESULTS.

FRACKVILLE WOMAN FACES FELONY CHARGES

POLICE ARE LOOKING FOR A FRACKVILLE WOMAN FACING FELONY RETAIL THEFT AND RELATED CHARGES. 23-YEAR-OLD STEPHANIE KNORR WAS IDENTIFIED AFTER AN INCIDENT IN EARLY DECEMBER IN THE SEARS STORE, SCHUYLKILL MALL. KNORR WAS APPROACHED BY LOSS PREVENTION PERSONNEL AFTER REMOVING VARIOUS RETAIL ITEMS FROM THE STORE. WHEN CONFRONTED, KNORR STRUCK THE ASSOCIATE WITH A TOOL SET AND PUSHED HER TO THE GROUND. AS OF THIS DATE, KNORR IS NOT IN CUSTODY AND ANYONE WITH INFORMATION LEADING TO HER WHEREABOUTS IS ASKED TO CONTACT STATE POLICE AT FRACKVILLE.

FORMER COUNSELOR FOUND DEAD

A FORMER HIGH SCHOOL GUIDANCE COUNSELOR WHO WAS FACING MULTIPLE CHARGES OF CORRUPTION OF MINORS WAS FOUND DEAD THURSDAY AT HER HOME. POLICE SAY HEATHER COOK WAS FOUND THURSDAY NEAR AN OUTDOOR SHED BEHIND HER HOME AT 300 TREMONT ROAD. POLICE AND THE SCHUYLKILL COUNTY CORONER SAYS IT APPEARS SHE TOOK HER OWN LIFE. COOK WAS ARRESTED MARCH 18TH BY PINE GROVE POLICE FOR ALLEGEDLY HAVING SEXUAL RELATIONS WITH A FEMALE STUDENT. COOK PLEADED NOT GUILTY IN SCHUYLKILL COUNTY COURT ON MAY 17TH AND WAS FREE ON $25,000 BAIL. CHARGES AGAINST COOK WERE STILL PENDING AT THE TIME OF HER DEATH. THE REPUBLICAN HERALD REPORTS, PINE GROVE DISTRICT HAS MADE ADDITIONAL COUNSELORS AVAILABLE AT THE HIGH SCHOOL FOR STUDENTS, STAFF AND RESIDENTS.

LOCAL SUPPORT NEEDED IN SHARP MOUNTAIN RECLAMATION PROJECT

FUTURE STATE AND FEDERAL FUNDING MAY NOT BE AVAILABLE FOR THE SHARP MOUNTAIN RECLAMATION PROJECT. THE CITY HOPES TO GET LOCAL SUPPORT TO CONTINUE THE PROJECT BY INTRODUCING A NEW PLAN. THE PLAN WOULD INCLUDE LOCAL BUSINESSES TO HELP WITH FUNDING AND KEEP THE PROJECT MOVING WITHOUT STATE MONEY. ACCORDING TO THE REPUBLICAN HERALD, THE GROWING GREENER FUND, WHICH HAS FUNDED THE PROJECT SINCE 1999, HAS BEEN DRASTICALLY CUT.

PA LEADS STATES IN RIVER CLEANUP

PENNSYLVANIA IS REMOVING SOME KEY BARRIERS TO CLEANER RIVERS. IN FACT, IT'S DOING A BETTER JOB THAN ANY OTHER STATE IN THE NATION, ACCORDING TO THE GROUP AMERICAN RIVERS. TOM JOSEPH REPORTS...

PA RIVERS

COUNTY MAGISTERIAL DISTRICT JUDGES COULD DROP

THE NEW YEAR COULD BRING MAJOR CHANGES TO SCHUYLKILL COUNTY'S MAGISTERIAL DISTRICT JUDGE SYSTEM. THE REPUBLICAN HERALD REPORTS, PROPOSED CHANGES HAVE BEEN SUBMITTED TO THE ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICE OF PENNSYLVANIA COURTS BY PRESIDENT JUDGE WILLIAM E. BALDWIN. THE REASON FOR THE PROPOSAL IS THE CHIEF JUSTICE WANTS TO REDUCE THE NUMBER OF MAGISTERIAL JUDGE DISTRICTS THROUGHOUT THE COMMONWEATH. THE DETAILS HAVE NOT BEEN GIVEN, BUT MAGISTERIAL DISTRICT JUDGE CHARLES V. MORAN WILL RETIRE AT THE END OF JANUARY. DISTRICTS WILL NEED TO BE SET IN TIME FOR THE MAY 17TH PRIMARY ELECTION.


MINERSVILLE FOOD DRIVE

TIS' THE SEASON FOR GIVING AND THANKS TO DONATIONS MORE THAN 100 FAMILIES RECEIVED NUTRITIOUS STAPLES FOR THE HOLIDAYS AT A FOOD DRIVE IN MINERSVILLE. THE BOROUGH KICKED OFF THE FOOD DRIVE BACK IN NOVEMBER AND WERE ABLE TO COLLECT ENOUGH FOOD TO HELP OVER 100 FAMILIES. THE REPUBLICAN HERALD REPORTS, MORE THAN 60 VOLUNTEERED FRIDAY TO HELP SORT, PACK, AND DELIVER THE FOOD.

STATE NEWS:

CHAMBERSBURG, PA. (AP) - POLICE SAY A CAR RAN OFF A ROAD AND THROUGH SEVERAL YARDS IN CENTRAL PENNSYLVANIA BEFORE HITTING A FIRE HYDRANT, A TREE AND THE PORCH OF A HOUSE, KILLING FOUR PEOPLE. THE CRASH HAPPENED AROUND 2 A.M. YESTERDAY IN CHAMBERSBURG. OFFICIALS SAY FELIX PEREZ-CENAS, DORIAN SANCHEZ-REYES, TOMAS RAMIREZ AND CECELIA RAMIREZ WERE EJECTED FROM THE CAR AND PRONOUNCED DEAD AT THE SCENE.

PHILADELPHIA (AP) - POLICE IN PHILADELPHIA SAY THEY BROKE OFF AN EARLY MORNING PURSUIT OF A CAR BUT LATER FOUND THE VEHICLE ENGULFED IN FLAMES AFTER A CRASH, AND TWO OF THE OCCUPANTS DIED. POLICE SAY THREE PEOPLE IN THE CAR HAD FLED FROM OFFICERS IN THE CITY'S LOGAN SECTION. THEY LATER CAME UPON THE VEHICLE FLIPPED OVER. ONE PERSON DIED AT THE SCENE AND ANOTHER WAS PRONOUNCED DEAD AT A HOSPITAL.

HARRISBURG, PA. (AP) - ORGANIZERS OF GOVERNOR-ELECT TOM CORBETT'S JANUARY 18TH INAUGURATION ARE LIMITING THE NUMBER OF INAUGURAL EVENTS IN RECOGNITION OF THE HARD ECONOMIC TIMES AND THE STATE'S SERIOUS FINANCIAL CHALLENGES. STILL, THERE WILL BE A PERFORMING ARTS PROGRAM, A ROMAN CATHOLIC MASS AT ST. PATRICK'S CATHEDRAL AND AN INAUGURAL BALL AT THE PENNSYLVANIA FARM SHOW COMPLEX.

PHILADELPHIA (AP) - FANS OF A BYGONE AGE HAVE BEEN TAKING TIME IN PHILADELPHIA TO CELEBRATE THE NONDIGITAL, SOLOTASKING, ADMITTEDLY NOISY ERA OF THE MANUAL TYPEWRITER OVER THE WEEKEND. ABOUT A DOZEN PEOPLE SHOWED UP WITH MACHINES IN TOW TO "TYPE-IN" AT BRIDGEWATER'S PUB IN THE CITY HISTORIC 30TH STREET STATION.

NATIONAL NEWS:

UNITED NATIONS (AP) - THE U.N. SECURITY COUNCIL IS HOLDING AN EMERGENCY MEETING REQUESTED BY RUSSIA AMID RISING TENSIONS ON THE KOREAN PENINSULA. A DRAFT STATEMENT FROM RUSSIA THAT'S BEING
CIRCULATED URGES EFFORTS TO DEFUSE TENSIONS BETWEEN NORTH AND SOUTH KOREA AND RESUME DIALOGUE. IT ASKS SECRETARY-GENERAL BAN KI-MOON (BAHN KEE-MOON) TO IMMEDIATELY SEND AN ENVOY TO BOTH COUNTRIES FOR URGENT CONSULTATIONS.

ABIDJAN, IVORY COAST (AP) - THE UNITED NATIONS SAYS THERE'S GROWING EVIDENCE OF HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATIONS SINCE IVORY COAST'S DISPUTED ELECTION, IN WHICH TWO PEOPLE CLAIM TO HAVE BEEN ELECTED PRESIDENT. THE TOP U.N. HUMAN RIGHTS OFFICIAL SAYS MORE THAN 50 PEOPLE HAVE BEEN KILLED OVER THE PAST THREE DAYS, AND THERE ARE HUNDREDS OF REPORTS OF PEOPLE BEING ABDUCTED FROM THEIR HOMES BY ARMED ASSAILANTS IN MILITARY UNIFORM.

COBAN, GUATEMALA (AP) - THE GUATEMALAN MILITARY HAS DECLARED A STATE OF SIEGE IN A PROVINCE THAT THEY CLAIM IS CONTROLLED BY MEXICAN DRUG TRAFFICKERS. AN ORDER THAT WENT INTO EFFECT TODAY ALLOWS THE ARMY TO DETAIN SUSPECTS WITHOUT WARRANTS, CONDUCT WARRANTLESS SEARCHES, PROHIBIT GUN POSSESSION, AND CONTROL THE LOCAL NEWS MEDIA.

MEXICO CITY (AP) - A PIPELINE EXPLOSION IN CENTRAL MEXICO HAS KILLED AT LEAST 22 PEOPLE AND INJURED MORE THAN 30 OTHERS. AN OFFICIAL TELLS MEXICAN TELEVISION THAT THE EXPLOSION HAS DESTROYED 32 HOUSES AND DAMAGED 83. ANOTHER OFFICIAL SAYS THE BLAST OCCURRED AT A DUCT WHERE THIEVES WERE ATTEMPTING TO STEAL EITHER GAS OR OIL. (NOTE LANGUAGE IN THE FOLLOWING)

WASHINGTON (AP) - VICE PRESIDENT JOE BIDEN SAYS U.S. TROOPS WILL BE OUT OF AFGHANISTAN BY 2014 "COME HELL OR HIGH WATER." BIDEN'S STATEMENT ON NBC'S "MEET THE PRESS" APPEARS TO GO FURTHER THAN STATEMENTS BY PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA. OBAMA SAID LAST MONTH THAT THERE WOULD BE A REDUCED U.S. FOOTPRINT IN AFGHANISTAN BY 2014 BUT THAT THE NUMBER OF TROOPS THAT WOULD REMAIN WAS STILL IN QUESTION.