TODAY'S NEWS: APRIL 30th, 2011

LOCAL COUNSELORS ORGANIZE HIGHER EDUCATION FAIR

HIGH SCHOOL COUNSELORS FROM ACROSS SCHUYLKILL COUNTY HAVE JOINED TOGETHER TO ORGANIZE A “HIGHER EDUCATION FAIR”. HERE STUDENTS WILL FIND OPPORTUNITIES TO PREPARE THEM FOR LIFE LONG CAREERS. EACH OF THE EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS RUN TWO YEARS OR LESS AND INCLUDES: APPRENTICESHIP, LICENSE, DIPLOMA, CERTIFICATE, OR ASSOCIATE DEGREE. MAHANOY AREA HIGH SCHOOL COUNSELOR, ARTIE DICASIMIRRO, SAYS TOO MANY STUDENTS QUIT OR FAIL OUT OF COLLEGE AFTER RUSHING THEIR DECISION TO ATTEND. THIS LEAVES THEM WITH UNWANTED BILLS THAT ARE EXTREMELY COSTLY. BEFORE COMMITTING TO A FOUR YEAR COLLEGE, DICASIMIRRO WANTS STUDENTS TO BECOME KNOWLEDGEABLE OF ALL OPTIONS. THE HIGHER EDUCATION FAIR WILL BE HELD AT THE SCHUYLKILL MALL THIS TUESDAY, MAY THIRD, FROM 6:30-8PM.

CORONER RULES OUT FOUL PLAY

NO FOUL PLAY IS SUSPECTED IN THE DEATH OF A MAN WHOSE BODY WAS FOUND IN A DESERTED AREA OF NEW CASTLE TOWNSHIP LATE THURSDAY. ACCORDING TO THE REPUBLICAN AND HERALD, SCHUYLKILL COUNTY CORONER JOSEPH LIPSETT SAID WARREN W. SMITH, 58, OF 410 W. POPLAR ST., SHENANDOAH, WAS FOUND OFF DARKWATER ROAD NEAR A STONE CRUSHING FACILITY. LIPSETT SAID HE PRONOUNCED SMITH DEAD AT 8:45 P.M. AND THAT AN AUTOPSY WAS CONDUCTED FRIDAY BY FORENSIC PATHOLOGIST DR. RICHARD BINDIE AT SCHUYLKILL MEDICAL CENTER-SOUTH JACKSON STREET. LIPSETT SAID BINDIE HAS LISTED BOTH THE CAUSE AND MANNER OF DEATH AS UNDETERMINED, PENDING THE RESULTS OF TOXICOLOGY TESTS. THE CORONER SAID AN ONGOING INVESTIGATION INTO THE DEATH IS BEING CONDUCTED BY STATE POLICE AT FRACKVILLE AND JAMES NETTLES, CHIEF DEPUTY CORONER. NO OTHER INFORMATION WAS AVAILABLE FRIDAY ABOUT SMITH, HIS LAST KNOWN WHEREABOUTS OR FAMILY. TROOPERS FROM THE FRACKVILLE STATION WERE STILL CONDUCTING INTERVIEWS FRIDAY AFTERNOON. THEY SAID SMITH'S BODY WAS FOUND BY ATV RIDERS IN THE AREA BEHIND POTTSVILLE MATERIALS LLC, 2 E. DARKWATER ROAD, A FACILITY THAT PROVIDES SAND, GRAVEL, CRUSHED STONE AND OTHER MATERIALS.

MOTORCYCLIST FLOWN FROM SCENE

A MOTORCYCLIST WHO SUFFERED INJURIES IN AN OFF-ROAD ACCIDENT IN BLYTHE TOWNSHIP ON FRIDAY AFTERNOON WAS FLOWN FROM THE SCENE BY HELICOPTER TO AN AREA HOSPITAL, ACCORDING TO A SUPERVISOR AT THE SCHUYLKILL COUNTY COMMUNICATIONS CENTER. BLYTHE TOWNSHIP POLICE SAID THE INCIDENT OCCURRED ON PRIVATE PROPERTY AND WAS "NON-REPORTABLE" AND DID NOT PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION. A TWO-VEHICLE ACCIDENT, IT OCCURRED AT 2:45 P.M. FRIDAY NEAR BURMA ROAD. RESPONDERS INCLUDED A MEDEVAC HELICOPTER, SAINT CLAIR AMBULANCE AND FIREFIGHTERS AND POTTSVILLE/SCHUYLKILL HAVEN ALS, ACCORDING TO THE COMMUNICATION SUPERVISOR.

LCB BUST FOUR LOCAL ESTABLISHMENTS

THE PENNSYLVANIA BUREAU OF LIQUOR CONTROL ENFORCEMENT CITED FOUR BARS IN SCHUYLKILL COUNTY FOR LIQUOR LAW VIOLATIONS, SGT. TIMOTHY F. GALLOWAY, THE BUREAU'S DISTRICT OFFICE COMMANDER, SAID FRIDAY. MARTHA J. HOWELLS, MARTHA'S PLACE, 300 LAFAYETTE ST., TAMAQUA, WAS CITED FOR SELLING OR FURNISHING ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES TO A MINOR ON FEB. 10. VETERANS OF FOREIGN WARS, POST 1420, MAHANOY CITY, WAS CITED FOR POSSESSION OR OPERATION OF GAMBLING DEVICES OR PARAPHERNALIA OR PERMITTED GAMBLING OR LOTTERIES, POOL SELLING OR BOOKMAKING ON JAN. 20. GOOD INTENT HOSE CO. NO. 1, LLEWELLYN, WAS CITED FOR FAILING TO REQUIRE PATRONS TO VACATE THE PREMISES A HALF-HOUR AFTER THE BAR CLOSES, AND PERMITTING PATRONS TO POSSESS OR REMOVE ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES FROM THE BAR AFTER 2:30 A.M. ON DEC. 11, 2010. FREDDY'S PUB LLC, TAMAQUA, WAS CITED FOR SELLING OR FURNISHING ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES ON SUNDAY BETWEEN 2 AND 11 A.M. AND A NOISE VIOLATION ON JAN. 9.

NEW ORTHOPEDIC SURGEON JOINS COMMUNITY

SAINT CATHERINE MEDICAL CENTER IN FOUNTAIN SPRINGS HAS A NEW ADDITION TO THEIR MEDICAL STAFF. DR. ASHISH ANAND IS NOW ACCEPTING NEW PATIENTS IN HIS OFFICE LOCATED AT 93, BROAD STREET, SUITE A, ON THE CAMPUS OF SAINT CATHERINE MEDICAL CENTER. MEDICAL PRACTICE MANAGER, PAULA ZLOWENICK SAYS DR. ANAND IS EXCITED TO BE BACK ON THE EAST COAST AFTER SPENDING SEVERAL YEARS IN MISSOURI. ZLOWENICK ALSO FEELS DR. ANAND WILL BE A BIG ASSET TO THE COMMUNITY BECAUSE HE IS SO DIVERSE.

PITTSBURGH (AP) - Former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum has
told National Rifle Association members meeting in Pittsburgh that
President Barack Obama doesn't understand America. The Republican
presidential hopeful criticized remarks Obama made about two weeks
ago when he said America "would not be a great country" without
social programs like Medicare and Medicaid.

PHILADELPHIA (AP) - A judge has put on hold a federal
whistle-blower case against the former head of the embattled
Philadelphia Housing Authority. A former assistant to ousted
executive director Carl Greene claims in a civil rights lawsuit
that he was fired for speaking out. The judge says Vincent Morris'
complaint lacked information necessary to make a civil rights
claim.

HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) - The owners of a suburban Philadelphia
elder-care facility are appealing the revocation of their state
license. The state Department of Public Welfare says it's moving to
revoke the license of the Quadrangle facility in Haverford after a
hidden camera allegedly captured aides assaulting and mocking a
dementia patient.

LANCASTER, Pa. (AP) - A school district is canceling plans for
elementary students to take a field trip to the state Capitol next
week for a protest over education funding. The Lancaster New Era
and Intelligencer Journal reported yesterday that the School
District of Lancaster made the decision after fielding complaints
from some parents.

NORMAN, Okla. (AP) - The National Weather Service says at least
one of the massive tornadoes that killed hundreds across the South
this week was a devastating EF-5 storm. Forecasters say they
suspect several others also were the worst of the worst but the
analysis continues. At least 339 people died in 7 states.

WASHINGTON (AP) - President Barack Obama says tax breaks for oil
and gas companies have to go. In his weekly radio and Internet
address, Obama says the $4 billion a year in giveaways aren't right
amid high gas prices and big profits. For the Republicans,
first-term Oklahoma Congressman Jim Lankford says Obama's plan
won't punish CEOs of big companies but will hurt everyday consumers
and put jobs at risk.

CAIRO (AP) - Egypt's justice minister says that if ousted
President Hosni Mubarak is ever convicted of ordering the shooting
of protesters during the uprisings that brought him down, he could
face the death penalty. The minister says Mubarak, his two sons and
wife are also facing allegations of corruption.

BRUSSELS (AP) - NATO is downplaying the Taliban's announcement
of their spring military offensive in Afghanistan as a sign of
desperation over recent setbacks. A NATO official in Brussels also
says the Taliban will try to gain a propaganda victory through
coordinated attacks and that the U.S.-led coalition already has
tightened security.

LONDON (AP) - Newlyweds Prince William and Kate Middleton have
left Buckingham Palace but their honeymoon spot is still a secret.
An Associated Press photographer saw their helicopter depart this
morning. William has a two-week leave from military duty.