TODAY'S NEWS: FRIDAY, APRIL 22, 2011

POLICE ARREST ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS

TWO HAZELTON MEN WERE ARRESTED THURSDAY FOR ALLEGEDLY BEING IN THE COUNTY ILLEGALLY. POLICE REPORT A TRAFFIC STOP NEAR INTERSTATE 81 IN MAHANOY TOWNSHIP REVEALED 32-YEAR-OLD GONZALO VILLEGAS AND HIS PASSENGER 27-YEAR-OLD DAVID JUAREZ WERE ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS. BOTH MEN WERE TURNED OVER TO IMMIGRATION OFFICERS FROM BERKS COUNTY.

SENTENCING POSTPONED

THE SENTENCING OF THE TWO FORMER SHENANDOAH POLICE OFFICERS WILL HAVE TO WAIT ANOTHER MONTH. SENIOR U.S. DISTRICT COURT JUDGE A. RICHARD CAPUTO RESCHEDULED THE SENTECING OF MATTHEW NESTOR AND WILLIAM MOYER BEGINNING AT 10AM JUNE 1ST. NESTOR AND MOYER WERE BOTH CONVICTED OF OBSTRUCTION IN THE INVESTIGATION OF THE BEATING OF LUIS EDUARDO RAMIREZ ZAVALA IN 2008.

REQUEST TO CONVERT BUILDING REJECTED

A REQUEST FROM A POTTSVILLE DEVELOPER TO TURN THE FORMER GREENWOOD HILL FIRE COMPANY INTO OFFICE SPACE HAS BEEN REJECTED. THE UNANIMOUS VOTE THURSDAY AT THE POTTSVILLE ZONING HEARING BOARD MEETING WAS BASED ON WHAT THE COMMUNITY WANTED. THE REPUBLICAN HERALD REPORTS RESIDENTS OF GREENWOOD HILL ATTENDED THE MEETING WITH A PETITION OF 279 SIGNATURES. SOME RESIDENTS FELT AN OFFICE WOULD INCREASE TRAFFIC IN THE AREA, WHICH COULD PRESENT A DANGER TO CHILDREN USING THE PLAYGROUND OR POSSIBLY SHUT IT DOWN.

UNION STATION NEGOTIATES LEASE

NEGOTIATIONS ARE SET TO RESUME NEXT WEEK BETWEEN THE CITY OF POTTSVILLE AND SCHUYLKILL TRANSPORTATION AUTHORITY PERTAINING TO THE LEASE OF UNION STATION BEFORE BUS SERVICE CAN BEGIN. ONCE COMPLETE, THE 17 MILLION DOLLAR FACILITY WILL HOUSE THE SCHUYLKILL COUNTY VISITORS BUREAU, A POLICE SUBSTATION AND A BUS STATION. NEGOTIATIONS STALLED WHILE THE S-T-A WORKS ON TAKING CONTROL OF THE SCHUYLKILL TRANSPORTAION SYSTEM AND ITS EMPLOYEES.

SCHUYLKILL MEDICAL CENTERS RECOGNIZED FOR PATIENT SAFETY AND ORTHOPEDICS

SCHUYLKILL HEALTH HAS BEEN RECOGNIZED FOR OUTSTANDING ORTHOPEDIC CARE AND PATIENT SAFETY BY THE NATION’S MOST TRUSTED SOURCE OF HEALTHCARE PROVIDER INFORMATION, HEALTHGRADES. SCHUYLKILL MEDICAL CENTER SOUTH JACKSON STREET RECEIVED A FIVE-STAR RATING FOR JOINT REPLACEMENT SURGERY, TOTAL KNEE REPLACEMENT SURGERY AND IS RANKED AMONG THE TOP NINE HOSPITALS IN PENNSYLVANIA.

SCHUYLKILL UNITED WAY SETS GOAL

THE SCHUYLKILL UNITED WAY HAS SET A GOAL FOR THEIR 2012 CAMPAIGN. THE GOAL IS SET AT ONE-MILLION SEVENTY-FIVE DOLLARS, A REPRESENTATION OF THE SCHUYLKILL UNITED WAY'S 75TH ANNIVERSARY AND SYMBOL OF OPTIMISM FOR THE UPCOMING YEAR. THE 2012 CAMPAIGN KICK OFF BREAKFAST WILL TAKE PLACE IN SEPTEMBER.

TOBASH TO HOST VOLUNTEER FIRST RESPONDER GRANT SEMINAR

REPRESENTATIVE MIKE TOBASH WILL HOST A GRANT SEMINAR FOR VOLUNTEER FIRE AND AMBULANCE ORGANIZATIONS IN THE 125TH DISTRICT THURSDAY, JUNE 2 AT PENN STATE SCHUYLKILL'S MORGAN AUDITORIUM FROM 6-9PM. STATE FIRE COMMISSIONER ED MAN WILL EXPLAIN STATE AND FEDERAL GRANT PROGRAMS AND PROVIDE IMPORTANT INFORMATION FOR THOSE FILLING OUT GRANT APPLICATIONS. TOBASH HOPES ALL OF THE EMERGENCY RESPONSE ORGANIZATIONS IN THE AREA TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE OPPORTUNITY TO LEARN MORE ABOUT PROGRAMS AVAILABLE TO HELP THEM TRAINING, EQUIPMENT AND OTHER NEEDS.


EASTER BUNNY NOT GOOD FOR PET

WITH EASTER COMING UP TOM JOSEPH REPORTS WHY THE BUNNY CAN MAKE A BAD PET FOR KIDS

SCHUYLKILL HAVEN CELEBRATES EARTH DAY

TODAY IS EARTH DAY AND WHAT BETTER WAY TO CELEBRATE THAN WITH AN ECO-FAIR WPPA'S JASMINE BROOKS HAS MORE


STATE NEWS:

CANTON, PA. (AP) - A NATURAL GAS COMPANY HAS SUSPENDED A DRILLING TECHNIQUE INVOLVING CHEMICAL-LACED WATER AT ITS PENNSYLVANIA WELLS UNTIL IT DETERMINES THE CAUSE OF A SPILL IN THE NORTHERN PART OF THE STATE. CHESAPEAKE ENERGY SAYS CREWS HAVE
SIGNIFICANTLY REDUCED THE FLOW OF THE CHEMICAL-LADEN WATER FROM ITS OUT-OF-CONTROL WELL NEAR CANTON IN BRADFORD COUNTY.

HARRISBURG, PA. (AP) - THE PENNSYLVANIA LIQUOR CONTROL BOARD IS CLOSE TO ROLLING OUT A PILOT PROGRAM TO ALLOW SALES OF HARD LIQUOR AT WINE VENDING KIOSKS INSIDE GROCERY STORES. WGAL-TV REPORTS THAT THE AGENCY PLANS TO TEST THE SALES IN ABOUT FIVE OR 10 LOCATIONS,POSSIBLY STARTING IN THE NEXT FEW WEEKS.

PHILADELPHIA (AP) - A CANADA GOOSE THAT HAD BEEN FOUND WITH A BLOW DART THROUGH ITS NECK HAS BEEN RETURNED TO THE WILD IN PHILADELPHIA. THE INJURED GOOSE WAS FOUND LAST WEEK ON THE MANAYUNK CANAL IN THE CITY'S MANAYUNK NEIGHBORHOOD. OFFICIALS WITH THE
SCHUYLKILL CENTER'S WILDLIFE REHABILITATION CLINIC TELL THE PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER RESCUERS WERE EVENTUALLY ABLE TO CARE FOR IT AND NURSE IT BACK TO HEALTH.


NATIONAL NEWS:

BENGHAZI, LIBYA (AP) - SEN. JOHN MCCAIN SAYS LIBYAN REBELS FIGHTING MOAMMAR GADHAFI'S TROOPS ARE HIS HEROES. MCCAIN, ONE OF THE STRONGEST CONGRESSIONAL SUPPORTERS OF THE AMERICAN MILITARY INTERVENTION IN LIBYA,ARRIVED IN THE REBEL-HELD CITY OF BENGHAZI TODAY. MCCAIN IS THE TOP REPUBLICAN ON THE SENATE ARMED SERVICES
COMMITTEE AND SAYS HE'S THERE TO ASSESS THE SITUATION.

LAS VEGAS (AP) - REPUBLICAN SEN. JOHN ENSIGN OF NEVADA CONTINUES TO INSIST HE'S DONE NO WRONG IN THE FACE OF AN ETHICS PROBE BUT WILL TURN IN HIS RESIGNATION TODAY. HE SAYS THE ONGOING PROBE WOULD RESULT IN FURTHER "WEAR AND TEAR" ON HIMSELF AND HIS
FAMILY. ENSIGN HAS ADMITTED AN EXTRAMARITAL AFFAIR WITH A FORMER STAFFER, AND THAT HE HELPED HER HUSBAND OBTAIN LOBBYING WORK.

BAGHDAD (AP) - THE WORD FROM IRAQ'S PRIME MINISTER IS THAT IRAQI FORCES CAN TAKE CARE OF THEIR OWN COUNTRY'S SECURITY. PRIME MINISTER NOURI AL-MALIKI MADE THE REMARK DURING A MEETING LATE YESTERDAY WITH ADM. MIKE MULLEN, THE CHAIRMAN OF THE JOINT CHIEFS OF STAFF. DISCUSSIONS ARE INTENSIFYING OVER WHETHER TO KEEP ANY U.S. FORCES IN IRAQ PAST THIS YEAR.

TOKYO (AP) - JAPAN IS TAKING STEPS TO FINANCE THE RECONSTRUCTION OF ITS TSUNAMI-DEVASTATED NORTHEAST. THE CABINET TODAY APPROVED AN EXTRA BUDGET WORTH OVER $50 BILLION. JAPAN'S PARLIAMENT IS EXPECTED TO PASS IT NEXT WEEK.

SAN PEDRO CUTUD, PHILIPPINES (AP) - A BIZARRE ANNUAL RITE HAS AGAIN TAKEN PLACE IN THE PHILIPPINES AS SEVERAL FILIPINOS WERE NAILED TO WOODEN CROSSES TODAY TO REENACT JESUS CHRIST'S SUFFERING. THE GOOD FRIDAY RITUAL IS REJECTED BY CATHOLIC CHURCH LEADERS BUT DRAWS THOUSANDS OF TOURISTS.