TODAY'S NEWS: FRIDAY, MARCH 11, 2011

HEAVY RAINFALL CAUSES LOCAL FLOODING

A FLOOD WARNING IS IN EFFECT FOR SCHUYLKILL COUNTY UNTIL 12:45 THIS AFTERNOON DUE TO HEAVY RAINFALL THURSDAY THAT HAS CAUSED MUCH FLOODING THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY INTO THIS MORNING. AREAS IN SOUTHERN SCHUYLKILL COUNTY BEGAN REPORTING FLOODING AS EARLY AS THURSDAY EVENING, WHILE THE NORTHERN END FLOOD REPORTS BEGAN LATE INTO THE NIGHT. SCHUYLKILL COUNTY EMA REPORTED THE BOROUGH OF GILBERTON TO HAVE HEAVY FLOODING WITH MAJOR ROAD CLOSINGS ON MAIN AND RAILROAD STREETS WITH RED CROSS ON THE SCENE. PENNDOT HAS RELEASED A LIST OF STATE ROUTES THAT ARE BOTH RESTRICTED AND CLOSED DUE TO FLOODING AND ADVISES MOTORISTS TO NOT DRIVE ACROSS WATER COVER ROADS, BUT INSTEAD TURN AROUND AND USE AN ALTERNATE ROUTE. FOR A COMPLETE LIST OF ROAD CONDITIONS, LOG ON TO WPPA'S WEATHER WATCH AT WPPRADIO.COM.


SCHUYLKILL HAVEN MAN ARRAIGNED

A SCHUYLKILL HAVEN MAN ACCUSED OF ASSISTING A FRIEND'S SUICIDE TURNED HIMSELF IN TO POLICE THURSDAY MORNING. 26-YEAR OLD DAVID FITTING WAS ARRAIGNED ON CHARGES OF AIDING 27-YEAR-OLD ANDREW MULLIN'S SUICIDE AND RECKLESS ENDANGERMENT. POLICE REPORT FITTING PROVIDED MULLINS WITH A 9MM SEMIAUTOMATIC HANDGUN ON NOVEMBER 21.


SCHUYLKILL HEALTH IS NOW OFFERING THE VNUS CLOSURE PROCEDURE. T102'S/WPPA'S JASMINE BROOKS REPORTS:

VNUS PROCEDURE

FLOOD CLAIMS MOTORIST

A TREMONT MAN WAS KILLED THURSDAY AFTER HIS VEHICLE DROVE THROUGH A FLOODED ROADWAY IN PINE GROVE TOWNSHIP. 74-YEAR-OLD DAVID SALLADA ATTEMPTED TO DRIVE AROUND BARRICADES CLOSING THE FLOODED ROADWAY WHEN HIS DODGE STRATUS BEGAN TO FLOAT. WHEN STATE POLICE AT SCHUYLKILL HAVEN ARRIVED THE VEHICLE WAS SINKING, BUT WERE ABLE TO FREE SALLADA FROM THE SUBMERGED VEHICLE. SALLADA WAS PRONOUNCED DEAD AT THE SCENE AND AN AUTOPSY HAS NOT YET BEEN PERFORMED

STATE NEWS:
PHILADELPHIA (AP) - THE NATION'S TOP HOUSING AUDITOR HAS ISSUED A 114-PAGE REPORT BLASTING THE EMBATTLED PHILADELPHIA HOUSING AUTHORITY FOR SPENDING MORE THAN $30 MILLION FOR OUTSIDE LEGAL SERVICES. THE ACTING INSPECTOR GENERAL OF THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT, MICHAELSTEPHENS, SAYS THE PHA NEEDS "AGGRESSIVE REFORM."

PHILADELPHIA (AP) - THE PHILADELPHIA TEACHERS UNION HAS GONE TO FEDERAL COURT TO PREVENT THE FIRING OF AN OUTSPOKEN INSTRUCTOR WHO CRITICIZED THE SCHOOL DISTRICT. THE UNION IS SEEKING AN INJUNCTION IN THE CASE OF HOPE MOFFETT, WHO WAS REMOVED HER CLASS AT AUDENRIED (AW'-DEN-REED) HIGH SCHOOL LAST MONTH.

HARRISBURG, PA. (AP) - THE MAYOR OF HARRISBURG SAYS SHE HAS RECEIVED AN OFFER BUY THE TRASH INCINERATOR WHOSE DEBT HAS WEIGHED HEAVILY ON THE CITY'S BUDGET. MAYOR LINDA THOMPSON SAYS SHE'LL MEET WITH REPRESENTATIVES OF THE LANCASTER COUNTY SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT AUTHORITY TO DISCUSS THE OFFER. THOMPSON DIDN'T GIVE DETAILS, BUT THE AUTHORITY SAYS IT IS OFFERING $45 MILLION IN CASH.

ALLENTOWN, PA. (AP) - A ROMAN CATHOLIC DIOCESE HAS APPEALED A VATICAN RULING THAT SEVERAL SHUTTERED CHURCHES IN EASTERN PENNSYLVANIA MUST REOPEN FOR WORSHIP. THE ALLENTOWN DIOCESE SAYS IT'S SEEKING CLARIFICATION OF RECENT RULINGS BY THE VATICAN'S CONGREGATION FOR THE CLERGY.

NATIONAL NEWS:
TOKYO (AP) - JAPAN SAYS A NUMBER OF PEOPLE HAVE BEEN KILLED IN A MASSIVE, MAGNITUDE 8.9 EARTHQUAKE AND RESULTING TSUNAMI. THE 13-FOOT TSUNAMI SWEPT BOATS, CARS, BUILDINGS AND TONS OF DEBRIS MILES INLAND. FIRES TRIGGERED BY THE QUAKE ARE BURNING OUT OF CONTROL UP AND DOWN THE COAST, INCLUDING ONE AT AN OIL REFINERY.

HONOLULU (AP) - A TSUNAMI WARNING HAS BEEN EXPANDED TO INCLUDE PARTS OF THE WESTERN U.S. COAST FOLLOWING A MASSIVE EARTHQUAKE OFF JAPAN. THE TSUNAMI WARNING CENTER IN ALASKA SAYS THE WARNING IS IN EFFECT FROM POINT CONCEPCION IN CENTRAL CALIFORNIA TO THE OREGON-WASHINGTON BORDER AND PARTS OF SOUTHERN ALASKA.

WASHINGTON (AP) - PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA TALKS ABOUT HIGH
GASOLINE PRICES TODAY AS AMERICANS' FRAGILE OPTIMISM ABOUT THE ECONOMY HAS BEEN SHAKEN BY THE SPIKE AT THE PUMP. WITH GAS PRICES NOW AVERAGING MORE THAN $3.50 A GALLON, THE PRESIDENT HAS CONCLUDED IT'S TIME TO CONFRONT THE CONCERNS DIRECTLY. HE'S ALSO EXPECTED TO TALK ABOUT LIBYA DURING HIS NEWS CONFERENCE.

LOS ANGELES (AP) - A HEARING BEGINS TODAY IN LOS ANGELES ON HOW TO DIVIDE A $200 MILLION SETTLEMENT IN ONE OF THE NATION'S DEADLIEST PASSENGER TRAIN CRASHES. MORE THAN 100 SURVIVORS AND FAMILIES OF THOSE KILLED WILL GET TO TELL A JUDGE ABOUT THE DISASTER'S IMPACT. TWENTY-FIVE PEOPLE WERE KILLED AND MORE THAN 100 WERE INJURED WHEN A METROLINK TRAIN RAN A RED LIGHT AND SLAMMED INTO A FREIGHT TRAIN. INVESTIGATORS BELIEVE A METROLINK ENGINEER WAS TEXTING MOMENTS BEFORE THE CRASH.

NEW ORLEANS (AP) - THE FEDERAL EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCY SAYS IT'S HOLDING OFF ON FINAL APPROVAL OF NEW FLOOD RISK MAPS. IT'S TAKING A SECOND LOOK AT COMMUNITIES WITHOUT FEDERAL FLOOD PROTECTION. MANY COMMUNITIES COMPLAIN THAT FEMA AND THE ARMY CORPS OF ENGINEERS DISREGARD LEVEE IMPROVEMENTS PAID FOR BY LOCAL AND STATE GOVERNMENTS. THE MAPS ARE IMPORTANT BECAUSE INSURERS BASE THEIR RATES ON THEM.