TODAY'S NEWS: THURSDAY, MARCH 3, 2011

COUNTERFEIT CURRENCY CIRCULATING IN THE CITY

POTTSVILLE POLICE ARE URGING LOCAL RESIDENTS AND BUSINESS OWNERS TO BE ON THE LOOKOUT FOR COUNTERFEIT CURRENCY. SEVERAL BUSINESSES IN THE CITY HAVE REPORTED UNKNOWINGLY ACCEPTING COUNTERFEIT BILLS, THE MOST RECENT BEING 100-DOLLAR BILLS. THE INCIDENTS HAVE BEEN REPORTED TO THE UNITED STATES SECRET SERVICE AND THEY ARE INVESTIGATING THE INCIDENTS IN POTTSVILLE AND SURROUNDING AREAS. TIPS ON RECOGNIZING COUNTERFEIT BILLS CAN BE FOUND AT WWW.SECRETSERVICE.GOV, AND ANYONE WITH INFORMATION CONCERNING THE CIRCULATION OF THE FRAUDULENT BILLS IS ASKED TO CONTACT AUTHORITIES.

GRATZ MAN THREATENS 5 WITH HANDGUN

A GRATZ MAN WAS ARRESTED LATE SUNDAY MORNING AFTER ENTERING A HOME IN THE EARLY MORNING HOURS AT 1332 RIDGE ROAD IN UPPER MAHANTONGO TOWNSHIP AND THREATENING FIVE PEOPLE INSIDE. POLICE REPORT 24-YEAR-OLD MICHAEL LESHER ENTERED THE HOME LOOKING FOR PERSONAL BELONGINGS AND WHEN HE COULDN'T FIND THEM HE THREATENED THE VICTIMS WITH A 9MM HANDGUN AND STATED HE WAS NOT PLAYING GAMES. LESHER THEN FLED THE SCENE WITHOUT INCIDENT AND WAS PICKED UP LATER THAT MORNING. LESHER WAS CHARGED WITH RECKLESS ENDANGERMENT, MAKING TERRORISTIC THREATS, AND SIMPLE ASSAULT, AND COMMITTED TO SCHUYLKILL COUNTY PRISON ON $75,000-DOLLARS BAIL.

GUNS SEIZED FROM MCADOO HOME

A MCADOO HOME WAS SEARCHED WEDNESDAY NIGHT FOR GUNS POLICE BELIEVE WERE USED TO SHOOT UP A HOME LAST MONTH. THE STANDARD SPEAKER REPORTS POLICE ENTERED ARMED AND WITH A SEARCH WARRANT SEIZING SHOTGUNS, RIFLES, AND AT LEAST ONE ASSAULT WEAPON FROM THE MCADOO HOME LOCATED AT 133 HANCOCK STREET. THE INVESTIGATION STARTED AFTER THE HOME AND CAR OF STEVE AND TARA BARNIC OF WEATHERLY WERE STRUCK BY 26 BULLETS ON FEBRUARY 12TH. NO ONE WAS ARRESTED OR TAKEN INTO CUSTODY.

SCHUYLKILL TECHNOLOGY GRADUATES LAND JOBS IN MARCELLUS SHALE INDUSTRY

SOME GRADUATES OF THE SCHUYLKILL TECHNOLOGY CENTER’S AIRPORT CAMPUS HAVE LANDED JOBS IN THE MARCELLUS SHALE NATURAL GAS DRILLING INDUSTRY. THE REPUBLICAN HERALD REPORTS AFTER COMPLETING THE PROGRAM TO BECOME A CERTIFIED HEAVY EQUIPMENT OPERATOR, A GRADUATE CAN EARN UP TO $100,000 A YEAR. DRILLING HAS NOT BEGUN YET IN SCHUYLKILL COUNTY, BUT OVER 1,300 WELLS WERE DRILLED THROUGHOUT PENNSYLVANIA AND A MAJORITY IN THE NORTHEAST. THE NATURAL GAS DRILLING INDUSTRY IS EXPECTED TO CREATE OVER 200,000 NEW JOBS IN THE STATE OVER THE NEXT DECADE.


REP. KNOWLES INTRODUCES ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION PACKAGE

REPRESENTATIVE JERRY KNOWLES INTRODUCED HIS LEGISLATION TO CURTAIL ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION WEDNESDAY. CHUCK NICHOLS HAS MORE:

KNOWLES

STATE NEWS:

PITTSBURGH (AP) -A WESTERN PENNSYLVANIA JURY WILL RESUME DELIBERATIONS TODAY IN THE TRIAL OF STATE SENATOR JANE ORIE. JURORS GOT THE CASE YESTERDAY AFTER HEARING NEARLY FIVE HOURS OF CLOSING ARGUMENTS. PROSECUTORS ALLEGE ORIE AND HER SISTER JANINE USED THE SENATOR'S LEGISLATIVE STAFF TO DO CAMPAIGN WORK.

PHILADELPHIA (AP) - TWO PHILADELPHIA FIREFIGHTERS ARE HOSPITALIZED -ONE OF THEM IN CRITICAL CONDITION -AFTER A FIRE IN A HIGH-RISE APARTMENT BUILDING. AUTHORITIES SAY YESTERDAY'S BLAZE ON THE EIGHTH FLOOR OF THE 18-STORY BUILDING ALSO LEFT EIGHT OTHER FIREFIGHTERS AND SIX RESIDENTS WITH MINOR INJURIES.

PHILADELPHIA - FIVE PEOPLE, INCLUDING FOUR CURRENT AND FORMER PRIESTS, FACE A COURT APPEARANCE TODAY ON CHARGES THEY RAPED CHILDREN OR HELPED HIDE THE ABUSE BY TRANSFERRING PROBLEM PRIESTS TO DIFFERENT PARISHES. MONSIGNOR WILLIAM LYNN IS THE FIRST CHURCH OFFICIAL IN THE U.S. CHARGED WITH A CRIME AFTER BEING ACCUSED OF KEEPING PROBLEM PRIESTS IN JOBS AROUND CHILDREN.

PITTSBURGH (AP) - THREE PITTSBURGH CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS ARE PROPOSING MERGING THE CITY'S FINANCIAL SYSTEM WITH ALLEGHENY COUNTY TO KEEP BETTER FINANCIAL RECORDS. THE PITTSBURGH TRIBUNE-REVIEW REPORTS THE MOVE IS A PRE-EMPTIVE ONE. THE AUTHORITY OVERSEEING THE CITY'S FINANCES LAST WEEK GAVE MAYOR LUKE RAVENSTAHL AN ULTIMATUM TO DRAW UP A MERGER PROPOSAL OR FACE FINANCIAL SANCTIONS.

NATIONAL NEWS:

WASHINGTON (AP) - THE OBAMA ADMINISTRATION IS MAKING AN EFFORT TO REIN IN "LOOSE TALK" ABOUT MILITARY OPTIONS TO FORCE MOAMMAR GADHAFI FROM POWER IN LIBYA. OFFICIALS ARE TEMPERING TOUGH TALK BY EXPLAINING THAT EVEN A NO-FLY ZONE OVER THE COUNTRY WOULD REQUIRE A MILITARY ATTACK. THE PENTAGON IS MAKING IT CLEAR THAT IT DOESN'T WANT WAR.

AJDABIYA, LIBYA (AP) - WITNESSES SAY LIBYAN WARPLANES ARE ON THE ATTACK AGAIN. THE LATEST TARGET APPEARS TO BE NEAR THE REBEL-HELD OIL PORT IN THE EASTERN TOWN OF BREGA. ARMED REBELS REPELLED AN ATTACK YESTERDAY BY FORCES LOYAL TO LEADER MOAMMAR GADHAFI. MEANTIME, DUTCH OFFICIALS SAY THEY'RE NEGOTIATING FOR THE RELEASE OF DUTCH WORKERS AND THREE OF THEIR MARINES CAPTURED DURING AN ATTEMPT TO RESCUE THE OTHERS.

KABUL, AFGHANISTAN (AP) - AFGHANISTAN'S PRESIDENT IS AGAIN TRYING TO PERSUADE THE WEST TO USE MORE CAUTION TO AVOID CIVILIAN CASUALTIES DURING NATO MILITARY OPERATIONS. AN AFGHAN GOVERNMENT STATEMENT TODAY SAYS HAMID KARZAI AND PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA HELD A VIDEO CONFERENCE CALL YESTERDAY. KARZAI TOLD OBAMA THAT CIVILIAN CASUALTIES IN THE WAR ARE A SERIOUS PROBLEM THAT NEEDS TO BE BETTER ADDRESSED.

NEW YORK (AP) - NEW RESEARCH ON DIABETES SHOWS PEOPLE WITH THE DISEASE DIE SOONER THAN THOSE WHO DON'T HAVE IT AND NOT JUST FROM HEART ATTACK OR STROKE. THE STUDY IN THE NEW ENGLAND JOURNAL OF MEDICINE SHOWS DIABETICS FACE AN ELEVATED RISK OF DEATH FROM A HOST OF OTHER CAUSES. IT SAYS A 50-YEAR-OLD WITH DIABETES DIES SIX YEARS SOONER THAN SOMEONE WITHOUT THE DISEASE.

DELRAY BEACH, FLA. (AP) - AUTHORITIES SAY THEY'LL KEEP SEARCHING A SOUTH FLORIDA CANAL TODAY USING DIVERS AFTER MAKING A GRUESOME DISCOVERY. THE BODIES OF TWO CHILDREN, A BOY AND A GIRL BELIEVED TO BE 6-10 YEARS OLD, WERE FOUND STUFFED IN LUGGAGE. DIVERS WILL RE-ENTER THE CANAL WATERS TODAY.