TODAY'S NEWS: APRIL 28,2011

STORMS CAUSE POWER OUTAGES IN COUNTY

UPDATED: 7:45A
POWERFUL STORMS RIPPED THROUGH SCHUYLKILL AND SURROUNDING COUNTIES EARLY THIS MORNING CAUSING POWER OUTAGES. PPL REPORTS 918 SCHUYLKILL COUNTY CUSTOMERS SUFFERING POWER OUTAGES DURING THIS MORNING STORMS, BUT SERVICE HAS BEEN RESTORED TO ALL BUT 200 CUSTOMERS. FLOOD ADVISORIES REMAIN IN EFFECT UNTIL 10:00AM.

MURDER TRIAL CONTINUES

"NOT PART OF THE PLAN" THAT'S WHAT DAMON ENNETT SAID WHILE TESTIFYING ABOUT THE SHOOTING DEATH OF BRUCE FORKER OF SHENANDOAH IN SCHUYLKILL COUNTY COURT ON WEDNESDAY, THE THIRD DAY OF THE TRIAL FOR JULIUS ENOE. SO FAR ENNETT AND JAHMAL OLLIVIRRE HAVE BEEN THE MAIN WITNESSES IN THE TRIAL. DISTRICT ATTORNEY JAMES GOODMAN AND ASSISTANT DISTRICT ATTORNEY WILL CONTINUE TO PRESENT THEIR CASE AGAINST ENOE TODAY WHEN THE TRIAL RESUMES AT 9:30 AM IN SCHUYLKILL COUNTY COURT.

WOMAN STRUCK BY CAR IN LOT

AN 84-YEAR-OLD ORWIGSBURG WOMAN WAS INJURED WHEN SHE WAS STRUCK BY A VEHICLE WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON IN THE PARKING LOT OF DR. LUO EYE CARE CENTER IN POTTSVILLE. POLICE REPORT EULA KOPERNA WAS WALKING BEHIND A VEHICLE THAT WAS BACKING OUT OF A PARKING SPACE. THE VEHICLE, DRIVEN BY 41-YEAR-OLD HEATHER BREISCH OF POTTSVILLE, WAS PARTIALLY OUT OF THE SPACE WHEN IT STRUCK KOPERNA, CAUSING HER TO FALL ONTO THE GROUND. KOPERNA SUFFERED AN INJURY TO HER RIGHT HIP AND WAS TRANSPORTED TO SCHUYLKILL MEDICAL CENTER-SOUTH JACKSON STREET FOR TREATMENT.

SHENANDOAH SCHOOL BOARD APPROVES BUDGET

THE SHENANDOAH SCHOOL BOARD MET LAST NIGHT AND ACCORDING TO THEIR TENTATIVE BUDGET PLAN REAL ESTATE TAXES WILL REMAIN THE SAME AND THE PRE-K AND KINDERGARTEN PROGRAMS WILL REMAIN FOR THE UPCOMING SCHOOL YEAR. THE BUDGET FOR 2011-2012 SCHOOL YEAR TOTALS NEARLY 16 MILLION DOLLARS AND WAS CREATED ON THE ASSUMPTION THAT STATE FUNDING WILL BE DISTRIBUTED AS INDICATED IN GOV. TOM CORBETT'S PROPOSED BUDGET.



A PLAYFUL OPPORTUNITY FOR MEN TO RAISE AWARENESS HERE IN SCHUYLKILL COUNTY ABOUT THE SERIOUS CAUSES, EFFECTS AND REMEDIATION TO SEXUALIZED VIOLENCE IS HAPPENING TODAY. JASMINE BROOKS HAS MORE:

WALK A MILE IN HER SHOES

OF COURSE WOMAN ARE INVITED TO REGISTER AND MARCH WITH WALKERS TO SHOW THEIR SUPPORT. WALKERS WHO OBTAIN $50 OR MORE IN PLEDGES WILL RECEIVE A FREE T-SHIRT. THE WALK WILL END WITH A CELEBRATION AT MAROONS SPORTS BAR AND GRILL.

SCHUYLKILL COUNTY IS CELEBRATING NATIONAL JAZZ HISTORY MONTH WITH A SPECIAL PERFORMANCE BY FIVE TALENTED ARTISTS. JASMINE BROOKS HAS MORE:

SPRING FLING

ITEMS USED TO MANUFACTURE METHAMPHETAMINE WERE CONFISCATED FROM A TREMONT HOME TUESDAY NIGHT MARKING THE THIRD SUCH LAB FOUND IN SCHUYLKILL COUNTY IN THE PAST TWO MONTHS. POLICE DISCOVERED THE LAB AT THE HOME OF ROSS WOLFF WHILE ASSISTING WOLFF’S EX-WIFE RETRIEVE ITEMS FROM INSIDE THE HOME. THE REPUBLICAN HERALD REPORTS A SEARCH WARRANT WAS OBTAINED AT THE 34 N. CRESCENT ST. HOME, WITH A SEARCH BY BOROUGH POLICE, SCHUYLKILL COUNTY DRUG TASK FORCE DETECTIVES AND HEGINS TOWNSHIP POLICE TURNING UP A CONCEALED METHAMPHETAMINE LAB. WOLFF IS CURRENTLY INCARCERATED IN SCHUYLKILL COUNTY PRISON ON A DUI CONVICTION. CHARGES AGAINST WOLFF AND ANOTHER PERSON IN CONNECTION WITH THE METH LAB ARE PENDING THE CONCLUSION OF THE INVESTIGATION.


STATE NEWS:

HARRISBURG, PA. (AP) - GOVERNOR TOM CORBETT'S MARCELLUS SHALE ADVISORY COMMISSION HEARD FROM DOZENS OF SOMETIMES ANGRY RESIDENTS WHO SAY THEY ARE WORRIED THAT THE BOOMING NATURAL GAS INDUSTRY IS HARMING PUBLIC HEALTH AND DESTROYING THE ENVIRONMENT. ABOUT 60 PEOPLE, MOST OF THEM ANTI-DRILLING PROTESTORS, SPOKE AT A MEETING YESTERDAY.

PHILADELPHIA (AP) - THE PHILADELPHIA PUBLIC SCHOOLS WILL HAVE TO CUT 3,800 JOBS - INCLUDING ALMOST 1,300 TEACHERS - IF THE GOVERNOR'S PLANNED BUDGET CUTS ARE APPROVED. DISTRICT CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER MICHAEL MASCH SAYS THE SCHOOLS FACE A $292
MILLION LOSS IN STATE AID, CREATING A $629 MILLION DEFICIT OVERALL.

ALLENTOWN, PA. (AP) - AUTHORITIES SAY A MELEE IN AN ALLENTOWN WAWA CONVENIENCE STORE INJURED SIX POLICE OFFICERS, INCLUDING ONE WHO WAS KNOCKED UNCONSCIOUS. IT ALL STARTED EARLY YESTERDAY MORNING WHEN OFFICERS SAW A MAN THROW A SODA AT A WOMAN. OFFICERS SAID THEY TRIED TO ARREST HIM, BUT HE THREW ONE OFFICER INTO A COOLER, ELBOWED ANOTHER AND PUSHED A THIRD INTO A DOUGHNUT STAND. POLICE SAY ABOUT 200 ONLOOKERS THEN SURROUNDED THE OFFICERS IN WHAT THEY DESCRIBED AS A "NEAR RIOT."

PHILADELPHIA (AP) - A NEWLY DISCOVERED SPECIES OF LICHEN (LIKE'-IN) HAS BEEN NAMED FOR ALFRED "ERNIE" SCHUYLER, EMERITUS CURATOR OF BOTANY AT THE ACADEMY OF NATURAL SCIENCES IN PHILADELPHIA AND A WORLD EXPERT ON RARE PLANTS. LICHEN IS A TYPE OF FUNGUS. THE NEWLY NAMED VEZDAEA SCHUYLERIANA (VEZ-DEE'-UH SKY-LER-EE-AH'-NAH) IS BARELY VISIBLE AND SO RARE THAT IT IS ONLY KNOWN TO EXIST ON A SINGLE BOULDER IN CENTRAL PENNSYLVANIA.

NATIONAL NEWS:

TUSCALOOSA, ALA. (AP) - FIERCE STORMS OBLITERATED LARGE SWATHS OF LAND FROM MISSISSIPPI TO GEORGIA, TAKING 83 LIVES IN FIVE STATES. THE STORM WIPED OUT HOMES AND BUSINESSES, CAUSED A NUCLEAR POWER PLANT TO USE BACKUP GENERATORS AND EVEN FORCED THE EVACUATION OF A NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE OFFICE. ONE OF THE HARDEST-HIT AREAS WAS TUSCALOOSA, ALABAMA.

WASHINGTON (AP) - ECONOMISTS ARE PREDICTING SLOWER GROWTH FOR FIRST THREE MONTHS OF THIS YEAR BUT SAY IT'S JUST TEMPORARY AND THINGS SHOULD PICK UP THE REST OF THE YEAR. IT'S BLAMED ON A HARSH WINTER AND HIGH OIL PRICES. THE GOVERNMENT'S REPORT THIS MORNING IS FORECAST TO SHOW A 1.9 PERCENT ANNUAL GROWTH RATE IN THE JANUARY-MARCH QUARTER.

WASHINGTON (AP) - PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA IS EXPECTED TO MAKE IT OFFICIAL TODAY AND ANNOUNCE THAT ARMY GEN. DAVID PETRAEUS WILL TAKE COMMAND OF AMERICA'S SPY AGENCY. HE IS EXPECTED TO RETIRE LATER THIS YEAR AFTER 37 YEARS IN THE ARMY AND WILL NOW HAVE A ROLE IN SHAPING U.S. POLICY. THE CURRENT CIA DIRECTOR, LEON PANETTA, IS EXPECTED TO BE SHIFTED TO DEFENSE SECRETARY.

SANTA CRUZ, CALIF. (AP) - POLICE IN SANTA CRUZ, CALIFORNIA, SAY NEIGHBORS' CALLS ABOUT AN UNUSUAL SMELL LED TO THE DISCOVERY OF A BODY IN AN APARTMENT. THE 30-YEAR-OLD WOMAN HAD BEEN DEAD FOR AT LEAST A WEEK AND POLICE SAY A MAN LIVING THERE IS IN CUSTODY -- BUT HASN'T BEEN CHARGED YET.

WASHINGTON (AP) - RESEARCHERS IN SAN DIEGO SAY SIGNS OF AUTISM IN CHILDREN MAY BE PRESENT AT ONE YEAR OLD, IF PEOPLE KNOW TO LOOK FOR THEM. SCIENTISTS SAY A SIMPLE CHECKLIST COULD SOMEDAY HELP DOCTORS AND PARENTS SEE THE WARNINGS. PEDIATRICIANS HAD THE PARENTS OF 10,000 ONE-YEAR-OLDS FILL OUT A CHECKLIST, LOOKING FOR THINGS LIKE HOW THE TOTS BABBLE, GESTURE AND INTERACT WITH OTHERS.