LOCAL NEWS: FRIDAY, MARCH 18TH, 2011

MARCELLUS SHALE TASK FORCE

THE SCHUYLKILL COUNTY COMMISSIONERS ANNOUNCED PLANS TO CREATE A MARCELLUS SHALE TASK FORCE ON THURSDAY. INCASE THE COUNTY FACES GAS DRILLING, A BODY OF OFFICIALS WHO WILL STUDY THE ISSUE WILL BE AVAILABLE. THE REPUBLICAN HERALD REPORTS THE TASK FORCE WILL CONSIST OF 15 TO 20 GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS, LOCAL BUSINESSMEN BUSINESSWOMEN AND RESIDENTS OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. THEN PLAN IS TO HAVE THE TASK FORCE IN PLACE IN ABOUT A MONTH.

PERTUSSIS OUTBREAK STIRS TALK OF VACCINATION

A NEIGHBORING COUNTY HAS REPORTED AN OUTBREAK OF OVER 40 CASES OF PERTUSSIS AND LOCAL HEALTH PROFESSIONALS ARE URGING BOTH CHILDREN AN ADULTS IN THE AREA TO GET VACCINATED. WPPA'S JAMSINE BROOKS HAS MORE:

PERTUSSIS

COAL & OIL CO. BURGLARY UNDER INVESTIGATION

STATE POLICE AT FRACKVILLE ARE INVESTIGATING A BURGLARY THAT TOOK PLACE IN MAHANOY TOWNSHIP OVERNIGHT WEDNESDAY. POLICE REPORT A SMASHED GARAGE DOOR WINDOW AT SKYTOP COAL AND OIL WHERE THE ACTORS ENTERED THE GARAGE REMOVING TOOLS AND WELDING CABLES. THE VEHICLE USED TO FLEE THE SCENE IS UNKNOWN AND ANYONE WITH INFORMATION SHOULD CONTACT STATE POLICE AT FRACKVILLE.

LOCAL CHURCHES TO HELP VICTIMS IN JAPAN

TO HELP THE VICTIMS OF THE DEVASTATING EARTHQUAKE AND TSUNAMI IN JAPAN, BISHOP JOHN O. BARRES OF THE CATHOLIC DIOCESE OF ALLENTOWN HAS AUTHORIZED PARISHES TO TAKE UP A SPECIAL COLLECTION. THE REPUBLICAN HERALD REPORTS ALL 104 PARISHES IN FIVE COUNTIES, INCLUDING SCHUYLKILL COUNTY, WILL TAKE UP THE SPECIAL COLLECTION DURING THE WEEKENDS OF MARCH 19-20, MARCH 26-27 OR APRIL 2-3. ALL PROCEEDS WILL BE SENT TO CATHOLIC RELIEF SERVICES.

LOCAL SYRUP DEMONSTRATION SUPPORTS PARK

GET OUT THIS WEEKEND AND ENJOY A SIMPLY SWEET BREAKFAST CONSISTING OF REAL MAPLE SYRUP WHILE LEARNING ABOUT THE PROCESS AND SUPPORTING A LOCAL PARK. WPPA'S JASMINE BROOKS HAS MORE:

MAPLE SYRUP

8th ANNUAL GIRARDVILLE ST. PATRICK'S DAY PARADE

THE EIGHTH ANNUAL ST. PATRICK’S DAY PARADE WILL BE HELD THIS SATURDAY IN GIRARDVILLE. THE CELEBRATION WILL KICK OFF AT NOON WITH HUNDREDS TO PERFORM INCLUDING LOCAL HIGH SCHOOL BANDS, BAGPIPES AND FLOATS. AN ESTIMATED 20,000 ONLOOKERS WILL FILL THE STREETS FOR ONE OF THE LARGEST ST. PATRICK’S DAY PARADE ON THE EAST COAST.

STATE NEWS:

HOLBROOK, PA. (AP) - A SOUTHWESTERN PENNSYLVANIA BUSINESS AND ITS OWNER HAVE BEEN ACCUSED OF ILLEGALLY DUMPING MILLIONS OF GALLONS OF WASTE WATER FROM NATURAL GAS DRILLING, SEWAGE SLUDGE AND RESTAURANT GREASE. THE ATTORNEY GENERAL'S OFFICE HAS FILED 98 CRIMINAL COUNTS AGAINST ROBERT ALLAN SHIPMAN OF HOLBROOK AND ALLAN'S WASTE WATER SERVICE INC.

MIDDLETOWN, PA. (AP) - THE EVACUATION OF HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE FROM AREAS NEAR JAPAN'S DAMAGED NUCLEAR PLANTS HAS STIRRED 32-YEAR-OLD MEMORIES IN PENNSYLVANIA OF THE WORST NUCLEAR CRISIS IN U.S. HISTORY. THE 1979 ACCIDENT AT THREE MILE ISLAND NEAR HARRISBURG IS STILL VIVIDLY RECALL BY THOSE WHO LIVED THROUGH IT.

WASHINGTON, PA. (AP) - A MOTHER AND SON FROM WESTERN PENNSYLVANIA HAVE BEEN CHARGED IN THE HOME INVASION ROBBERY AND BEATING OF A PARAPLEGIC MAN WITH MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS. POLICE SAY TERRI LYNN STARK AND HER 18-YEAR-OLD SON MICHAEL PETER STARK BEAT THE VICTIM IN THE HEAD WITH A GUN AND THREATENED HIS LIFE.

LANCASTER, PA. (AP) - A FORMER EMPLOYEE OF A PENNSYLVANIA SECURITY FIRM HAS BEEN CHARGED WITH STEALING $886,000 FROM THE COMPANY OVER A PERIOD OF SEVERAL YEARS. POLICE SAY PATRICIA WARKOSKI SPENT THE MONEY SHE TOOK FROM YARNELL SECURITY SYSTEMS ON VACATIONS, CARS, FURNITURE AND OTHER ITEMS.

NATIONAL NEWS:

UNITED NATIONS (AP) - NATO ENVOYS ARE MEETING IN BRUSSELS TODAY. THEY'RE CONSIDERING WAYS TO ENFORCE A NO-FLY ZONE OVER LIBYA. THE U.N. RESOLUTION, PASSED YESTERDAY, IS AIMED AT PREVENTING MOAMMAR GADHAFI'S FORCES FROM ATTACKING LIBYANS WHO ARE TRYING TO OUST HIM.

YAMAGATA, JAPAN (AP) - THE HEAD THE U.S. NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION SAYS IT COULD TAKE DAYS AND "POSSIBLY WEEKS" TO GET THE MESS AT A CRIPPLED NUCLEAR PLANT IN JAPAN UNDER CONTROL. JAPANESE OFFICIALS HAVE REACHED OUT TO THE U.S. TO HELP DEAL WITH
THE CRISIS.

YAMAGATA, JAPAN (AP) - IT'S BEEN ONE WEEK SINCE A 9.0-MAGNITUDE EARTHQUAKE ROCKED JAPAN FOLLOWED BY A DEADLY TSUNAMI. TO MARK THE DAY, SURVIVORS OBSERVED A MINUTE OF SILENCE. MORE THAN 6,500 ARE CONFIRMED DEAD, 10,300 ARE MISSING AND MORE THAN 452,000PEOPLE ARE HOMELESS.

WASHINGTON (AP) - PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA SAYS THE U.S. MUST LEARN FROM JAPAN'S NUCLEAR POWER PLANT CRISIS. HE'S ORDERED A "COMPREHENSIVE REVIEW" OF THE SAFETY OF ALL U. S. NUCLEAR PLANTS. THERE ARE 104 NUCLEAR REACTORS IN THE U.S., PROVIDING ROUGHLY 20 PERCENT OF THE NATION'S ELECTRICITY.

TOPEKA, KAN. (AP) - PLANNING A HOLDUP? HERE'S A TIP: DON'T WEAR SOMETHING THAT STANDS OUT. POLICE IN TOPEKA, KAN., SAY THEY PICKED UP A ROBBERY SUSPECT AT A ST. PATRICK'S DAY PARADE BECAUSE SHE WAS STILL WEARING THE BRIGHT BLUE WARM-UP SUIT WITH BROAD YELLOW STRIPE SEEN ON THE STORE'S SURVEILLANCE TAPE.