TODAY'S NEWS: FRIDAY, JANUARY 7, 2011

WEATHERWATCH

EVENING CANCELLATIONS

POTTSVILLE V. TAMAQUA HS BOYS BBALL GAME WILL BE PLAYED AS SCHEDULED. YOU CAN HEAR THE GAME ON WPPA AND WPPARADIO.COM

CLOSED
MAHANOY AREA
MARIAN CATHOLIC
TAMAQUA - MODIFIED KG

2 HOUR DELAY

ALL SAINTS
BLUE MTN
CHILD DEVELOPMENT-HEAD START/PRE-K CLOSED-CHILDCARE OPEN
HAMBURG
LACY'S LITTLE ONES DAYCARE
LINE MTN
LOURDES REGIONAL
MINERSVILLE- NO AM 4K
MT. CARMEL
NATIVITY BVM
NORTH SCHUYLKILL
PINE GROVE
POTTSVILLE AREA
SCH. HEALTH SCHOOL OF NURSING
SCHUYLKILL HAVEN
SCHUYLKILL IU- VO-TECH & SPECIAL ED
SHAMOKIN
ST. AMBROSE
ST. CLAIR
ST. JOSEPH-POTTSVILLE
ST. NICHOLAS
ST. STEPHENS REGIONAL- MODIFIED KG
TRI VALLEY
TRINITY ACADEMY

1 1/2 HOUR DELAY

SHENANDOAH VALLEY

OTHER SERVICES:

STS ROUTES WILL BEGIN AT 10AM- FOR CANCELLED ROUTES CONTACT STS

NO MEALS ON WHEELS

TAMAQUA ADULT DAYCARE CLOSED

AVENUES TRANSPORTATION- 2 HOUR DELAY

HOLY FAMILY ADULT DAY CARE ORWIGSBURG CLOSED

LOCAL NEWS:

FIRE LEAVES POTTSVILLE RESIDENTS HOMELESS

AN EARLY MORNING FIRE THURSDAY LEFT POTTSVILLE RESIDENTS HOMELESS AND FIREFIGHTERS INJURED. WPPA'S JASMINE BROOKS HAS MORE...

FIRE

TRIAL BEGINS MONDAY FOR FORMER SHENANDOAH COPS

THE TRIAL SET FOR THREE FORMER SHENANDOAH COPS WILL BEGIN MONDAY AS SCHEDULED. JUDGE A. RICHARD CAPUTO SAID THURSDAY THAT THE DEFENDANTS MATTHEW NESTOR, JASON HAYES AND WILLIAM MOYER HAD WITHDRAWN THEIR MOTIONS TO CONTINUE THE TRIAL. THE TRIAL IS SET TO BEGIN AT 9:30 MONDAY MORNING AT THE MAX ROSENN UNITED STATES COURTHOUSE IN WILKES-BARRE. THE THREE FORMER OFFICERS ARE CHARGED WITH OBSTRUCTING JUSTICE IN A FEDERAL INVESTIGATION IN THE BEATING DEATH OF LUIS RAMIREZ IN JULY 2008.

MAN FALLS ASLEEP AT WHEEL

A ROBESONIA MAN WAS FLOWN TO A TRAUMA CENTER AFTER FALLING ASLEEP AT THE WHEEL WEDNESDAY NIGHT. 32-YEAR-OLD RYAN BACHMAN CRASHED IN THE SOUTHBOUND LANES OF INTERSTATE 81 NEAR MILE 136 DELANO TOWNSHIP. POLICE REPORT BACHMAN'S CAR TRAVELED OFF THE ROAD AND HIT TWO GUIDERAILS BEFORE COMING TO A STOP IN THE MEDIAN. BACHMAN WAS TAKEN TO HAZELTON GENERAL HOSPITAL THEN FLOW TO GEISINGER WYOMING VALLEY FOR TREATMENT OF BACK INJURIES. BACHMAN WILL BE CITED FOR CARELESS DRIVING AND DRIVING ON ROADWAYS LANED FOR TRAFFIC AS A RESULT OF THE CRASH.


STATE POLICE SWEAR OFF PROFANITY ARRESTS

PENNSYLVANIA STATE POLICE ARE SWEARING OFF GIVING PEOPLE CITATIONS FOR USING PROFANITY FOLLOWING A LAWSUIT FILED BY THE AMERICAN CIVIL LIBERTIES UNION. TOM JOSEPH HAS MORE...

SWEARING

STATE NEWS:

PHILADELPHIA (AP) - A MAN REMAINS IN CRITICAL CONDITION AFTER POLICE SAY HE WAS STABBED IN A RESTROOM IN DOWNTOWN PHILADELPHIA WHILE WAITING FOR HIS WIFE TO GET HER HAIR DONE. WITNESSES SAY THE SUSPECT TRIED TO FLEE, BUT WAS CAUGHT BY A SECURITY GUARD. WORKERS AT THE HAIR EXPRESS SALON IDENTIFIED THE VICTIM AS BEN DAVIS, AND SAID HE SITS IN THE CONCOURSE EVERY WEEK WAITING FOR HIS WIFE.

PITTSBURGH (AP) - A MAN WHO POSTED PRO-TERRORIST SONGS AND STATEMENTS ONLINE UNDER AN ALIAS AND IS CHARGED WITH BITING A PAIR OF FBI AGENTS STRUGGLING FOR HIS CONCEALED GUN WILL BE ALLOWED TO REMAIN FREE PENDING TRIAL, PROVIDED HE IS IN A HALFWAY HOUSE. A FEDERAL PROSECUTOR PROMISED AN IMMEDIATE APPEAL AND EMERSON BEGOLLY WILL REMAIN JAILED FOR 24 HOURS.

ALLENTOWN, PA. (AP) - AN AUTOPSY HAS DETERMINED THAT A CONSTRUCTION WORKER KILLED WHILE WORKING ON AN ALLENTOWN BRIDGE WAS CRUSHED BY GRAVEL AND CONCRETE CHUNKS. THE LEHIGH COUNTY CORONER'S OFFICE SAYS MICHAEL WILSON DIED OF TRAUMATIC INJURIES SUFFERED WHILE WORKING IN A SIX-FOOT-DEEP TRENCH UNDER THE LINDEN STREET BRIDGE ON TUESDAY MORNING.

PITTSBURGH (AP) - PITTSBURGH'S ROMAN CATHOLIC BISHOP IS RECOVERING AFTER UNDERGOING BACK SURGERY. BISHOP DAVID ZUBIK UNDERWENT THE SURGERY ON THURSDAY AT UPMC MERCY HOSPITAL IN PITTSBURGH. IT'S THE SECOND BACK SURGERY ZUBIK HAS HAD IN NINE MONTHS. A SPOKESMAN FOR THE DIOCESE SAYS THE SURGERY WENT WELL.

NATIONAL NEWS:

WASHINGTON (AP) - ECONOMISTS PREDICT THAT GOVERNMENT EMPLOYMENT FIGURES DUE OUT TODAY WILL BE PAINT A BIT BRIGHTER PICTURE. ECONOMISTS ARE PREDICTING THAT EMPLOYERS ADDED A NET TOTAL OF 145,000 JOBS LAST MONTH AND THAT THE UNEMPLOYMENT RATE DIPPED TO 9.7 PERCENT. THE STEPPED UP HIRING IN DECEMBER IS A TREND ECONOMISTS SAY IS LIKELY TO GAIN MOMENTUM IN 2011.

WASHINGTON (AP) - THE SENATE BUDGET COMMITTEE IS SET TO HEAR FEDERAL RESERVE CHAIRMAN BEN BERNANKE'S LATEST TAKE ON THE ECONOMY TODAY. BERNANKE GOES TO CAPITOL HILL MORE CONFIDENT ABOUT THE ECONOMY AND THE OUTLOOK FOR HIRING, BUT NOT ENOUGH TO PULL BACK FROM THE FED'S $600 BILLION BOND-BUYING PROGRAM. THE PROGRAM IS DESIGNED TO BOOST THE ECONOMY BY LOWERING INTEREST RATES AND LIFTING STOCK PRICES.

HANOVER, MD. (AP) - MAILROOM WORKERS FOR THE STATE OF MARYLAND ARE EXPECTED BACK AT WORK TODAY AFTER A SPATE OF SUSPICIOUS PACKAGES, INCLUDING TWO THAT IGNITED, SINGING SOME FINGERS. A DISGRUNTLED "LONE WOLF" GRIPING ABOUT HIGHWAY SIGNS MAILED A SMALL PACKAGE TO MARYLAND'S GOVERNOR AND THE PARCEL IGNITED WHEN SOMEONE IN THE STATE MAILROOM UNZIPPED IT. ABOUT 15 MINUTES LATER A SECOND WORKER WAS INJURED OPENING A SIMILAR PACKAGE ABOUT 20 MILES AWAY.

SPRINGFIELD, ILL. (AP) - THE ILLINOIS SENATE IS THE NEXT BATTLEGROUND FOR A BILL ABOLISHING THE DEATH PENALTY. THE HOUSE APPROVED THE PLAN YESTERDAY, REVERSING AN EARLIER VOTE THAT FELL SHORT OF THE 60 NEEDED. THE STATE SENATE PRESIDENT SUPPORTS THE MEASURE BUT SAYS MEMBERS' VOTES ON THIS BILL ARE A PERSONAL DECISION.

BRISBANE, AUSTRALIA (AP) - AT LEAST SOME AUSTRALIANS IN QUEENSLAND STATE ARE GETTING TO GO BACK TO THEIR HOMES BUT WHAT THEY SEE IS CAKED IN SLUDGE AFTER DRENCHING RAINS AND THE WORST FLOODS IN DECADES. OFFICIALS SAY THE WORST APPEARS TO BE OVER FROM THE FLOODING THAT LEFT AN AREA THE SIZE OF FRANCE AND GERMANY COVERED IN MURKY BROWN WATER FOR LONGER THAN A WEEK, AND ATTENTION IS TURNING TO REBUILDING.