TODAY'S NEWS: WEDNESDAY, MARCH 23, 2011

A LOCAL WORKSHOP IS BEING OFFERED TO PROVIDE INSPIRATION, ENCOURAGEMENT AND LEADERSHIP TO YOUR LIFE. JASMINE BROOKS HAS MORE:

DIVINE DESIGN

A LOCAL HIGH SCHOOL IS GIVING PEOPLE A CHANCE TO GRACE THEIR SCHOOL FOR GENERATIONS. JASMINE BROOKS REPORTS:

NATIVITY COMMEMORATIVE BRICKS

GIRARDVILLE AFTERMATH

THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE LINED THE STREETS OF GIRARDVILLE SATURDAY FOR THE ANNUAL ST. PATRICK’S DAY PARADE. AMONG THE CROWD, PENNSYLVANIA STATE POLICE BUREAU OF LIQUOR CONTROL ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS CONDUCTED A MINOR PATROL. FIFTEEN PEOPLE WERE CITED FOR DISORDERLY CONDUCT, ONE PERSON WAS ISSUED A CITATION FOR UNDERAGE DRINKING AND ONE PERSON WAS CITED FOR PUBLIC DRUNKENNESS.

SCAM CALLS

A NORTH UNION TOWNSHIP RESIDENT RECEIVED SEVERAL PHONE CALLS INSTRUCTING HIM TO WIRE MONEY TO SECURE PRIZE WINNINGS. POLICE ARE NOW WARNING THE PUBLIC TO WATCH OUT FOR ANY CALLS RECEIVED WHERE THE CALLER ASKS FOR MONEY. CALLERS MAY CLAIM A FAMILY MEMBER IS JAILED AND NEEDS BAIL OR MONEY FOR A MEDICAL TREATMENT IS DUE. ANYONE BEING ASKED TO SEND MONEY TO SECURE PRIZES OR OTHER BENEFITS IS ADVISED NOT TO RESPOND AND CONTACT POLICE IMMEDIATELY.

NURSING HOME OWNER PLEADED NOT GUILTY TO CHARGES

THE OWNER OF A MAHANOY CITY NURSING HOME PLEADED NOT GUILTY TUESDAY TO THREE CHARGES INVOLVING THE ALLEGED THEFT OF MONEY FROM A FORMER RESIDENT. 58-YEAR-OLD JAMES MCGILL JR., OF KELAYRES, OWNER OF WHITE OWL MANOR ASSISTED LIVING HOME, IS ACCUSED OF WITHDRAWING FUNDS TOTALING NEARLY $5,000 FROM THE ACCOUNT OF 80-YEAR-OLD WILLIAM BARLOW JR., A FORMER WHITE OWL RESIDENT. POLICE SAY MCGILL OBTAINED AN ATM CARD FOR BARLOW'S ACCOUNT WITHOUT BARLOW'S KNOWLEDGE AND WITHDREW THE FUNDS ON 13 OCCASIONS AT SOVEREIGN BANK, IN HOMETOWN, BETWEEN AUGUST 16TH AND 30TH, 2010. AFTER MCGILL'S HOUR-LONG PRELIMINARY HEARING TUESDAY, DISTRICT JUDGE STEPHEN BAYER, TAMAQUA, HELD CHARGES AGAINST MCGILL FOR COURT. HE REMAINS FREE ON BAIL AWAITING A COURT DATE. (WGRC)

VISITORS BUREAU MOVES IN

WITH HELP FROM COUNTY PRISON INMATES, THE SCHUYLKILL COUNTY VISITORS BUREAU BEGAN MOVING INTO ITS NEW HEADQUARTERS AT POTTSVILLE'S UNION STATION THIS WEEK. THE REPUBLICAN HERALD REPORTS, THE 18,000-SQUARE-FOOT FACILITY AT 300 SOUTH CENTRE STREET WILL HOUSE A BUS STATION AND A POTTSVILLE POLICE SUBSTATION ON THE THIRD FLOOR, COMMERCIAL SPACE ON THE SECOND AND THE VISITORS BUREAU ON THE GROUND FLOOR.CONSTRUCTION IS NEARLY COMPLETE BUT THE CITY DOES NOT YET HAVE A DATE WHEN THE SCHUYLKILL TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM WILL BEGIN OFFERING BUS SERVICE FROM THE SITE, OR WHEN THE GRAND OPENING CELEBRATION WILL BE HELD. IT'S THOUGHT A GRAND OPENING WILL BE HELD SOMETIME IN MAY. (WGRC)

STATE NEWS:

ALTOONA, PA. (AP) - AUTHORITIES HAVE IDENTIFIED THE FIVE VICTIMS OF AN APARTMENT FIRE THAT OFFICIALS ARE CALLING THE WORST IN ALTOONA SINCE THE 1970S. BLAIR COUNTY CORONER PATRICIA ROSS SAYS THE VICTIMS DIED OF SMOKE INHALATION EARLY YESTERDAY. HER OFFICE IDENTIFIED THEM AS: 57-YEAR-OLD THOMAS BOYLES, 40-YEAR-OLD BARON RICHARD SNYDER SR., 23-YEAR-OLD CHRISTOPHER ALVORD, 35-YEAR-OLD WARREN ARTHUR CARTER JR. AND 17-YEAR-OLD JOEY ALLEN MIDDAUGH.

STROUDSBURG, PA. (AP) - THE CALENDAR MAY SAY IT'S SPRING, BUT THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HAS POSTED A WINTER STORM WARNING FOR PARTS OF EASTERN PENNSYLVANIA. THE WARNING IS IN EFFECT FOR CARBON AND MONROE COUNTIES FROM 2 A.M. THIS MORNING TO 6 A.M. TOMORROW. FORECASTERS SAY RESIDENTS CAN EXPECT FOUR TO 10 INCHES OF SNOW WITH SLEET MIXING IN AT TIMES.

STATE COLLEGE, PA. (AP) - A CENTRAL PENNSYLVANIA WOMAN AND A MAN HAVE BEEN CONVICTED OF THE MURDER OF HER HUSBAND, A FATHER OF FOUR. A CENTRE COUNTY JURY DELIBERATED FOR ABOUT TWO HOURS LAST BEFORE CONVICTING 28-YEAR-OLD MIRINDA BOOB AND 31-YEAR-OLD RONALD HEICHEL OF ALL CHARGES. AUTHORITIES SAID MIRINDA BOOB PLANNED THE MURDER OF SAMUEL BOOB IN POTTER TOWNSHIP IN SEPTEMBER 2009.

HARRISBURG, PA. (AP) - STATE LIQUOR CONTROL OFFICIALS SAY THEY SUPPORT MORE CHANGES TO MODERNIZE THE STATE-OWNED SYSTEM OF ABOUT 620 RETAIL LIQUOR STORES IN PENNSYLVANIA, INCLUDING INCREASING THE AVAILABILITY OF ALCOHOL ON SUNDAYS. LIQUOR CONTROL BOARD OFFICIALS APPEARED BEFORE THE SENATE APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE, AS THE AGENCY TRIES TO FEND OFF A MOVEMENT BY REPUBLICANS TO PRIVATIZE LIQUOR AND WINE SALES IN PENNSYLVANIA.


NATIONAL NEWS:

TRIPOLI, LIBYA (AP) - PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA SAYS WHEN THE U.S.- HANDS THE LIBYA MILITARY OPERATION OVER TO INTERNATIONAL FORCES "IT IS NOT GOING TO BE OUR PLANES THAT ARE MAINTAINING THE NO-FLY ZONE" OR U.S. SHIPS "NECESSARILY ENFORCING THE ARMS EMBARGO." OBAMA TALKED WITH THE LEADERS OF BRITAIN AND FRANCE TUESDAY ABOUT HOW TO CARRY OUT THE TRANSITION, WHICH OBAMA SAYS IS DAYS AWAY.

TOKYO (AP) - TOKYO'S UTILITY COMPANY SAYS BLACK SMOKE IS COMING FROM UNIT 3 OF THE CRIPPLED NUCLEAR PLANT IN NORTHEASTERN JAPAN, PROMPTING A NEW EVACUATION OF THE COMPLEX. OPERATORS OF THE POWER STATION HAVE BEEN TRYING TO COOL PLANT REACTORS AND SPENT FUEL POOLS THAT WERE DAMAGED BY THIS MONTH'S TSUNAMI, WHICH KNOCKED OUT POWER TO THE COOLING SYSTEMS.

JOINT BASE LEWIS-MCCHORD, WASH. (AP) - A U.S. SOLDIER ACCUSED OF CARRYING OUT A BRUTAL PLOT TO MURDER AFGHAN CIVILIANS FACES A COURT-MARTIAL IN WASHINGTON STATE TODAY. AN ATTORNEY FOR SPECIALIST JEREMY MORLOCK SAYS THE 22-YEAR-OLD HAS AGREED TO PLEAD GUILTY TO THREE COUNTS OF MURDER, ONE COUNT OF CONSPIRACY TO COMMIT ASSAULT AND BATTERY AND OTHER OFFENSES IN EXCHANGE FOR A MAXIMUM SENTENCE OF 24 YEARS. MORLOCK IS ONE OF FIVE SOLDIERS CHARGED IN THE KILLINGS OF THREE UNARMED AFGHAN MEN IN KANDAHAR PROVINCE.

ATHENS, GA. (AP) - AUTHORITIES IN ATHENS, GEORGIA ARE CONDUCTING A HOUSE TO-HOUSE SEARCH FOR A MAN ACCUSED OF GUNNING DOWN TWO POLICE OFFICERS, KILLING ONE OF THEM. POLICE SAY THE ARMED MAN WAS IN AN SUV THAT WAS STOPPED IN A CARJACKING INVESTIGATION TUESDAY. THE ALLEGED GUNMAN WAS A PASSENGER IN THE VEHICLE. THE DRIVER WAS TAKEN INTO CUSTODY.

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) - A SPOKESWOMAN FOR PHILIPPINE AIRLINES SAYS A TELEPHONED BOMB THREAT THAT FORCED THE EVACUATION OF 357 PASSENGERS AND CREW WAS LIKELY A HOAX BECAUSE AUTHORITIES HAVE YET TO FIND ANYTHING SUSPICIOUS. THE PLANE LANDED LAST NIGHT AT SAN FRANCISCO INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT AFTER TAKING OFF FROM MANILA AND WAS MOVED TO A REMOTE PART OF THE AIRPORT TO BE SEARCHED.