LOCAL NEWS: MONDAY, MAY 23, 2011

MOTORCYCLE CRASH NEAR SCHUYLKILL/BERKS COUNTY LINE

A LEESPORT MAN SUFFERED MAJOR INJURIES SATURDAY AFTER LOSING CONTROL OF HIS MOTORCYCLE. STATE POLICE AT HAMBURG SAID 50-YEAR-OLD KEITH UHL WAS RIDING HIS 2010 TRIUMPH SCRAMBLER 900 MOTORCYCLE WHEN HE LOST CONTROL WHILE TRAVELING NORTH ON ROUTE 61, NEAR THE SCHUYLKILL/BERKS COUNTY LINE. AFTER FLIPPING OVER, UHL WAS THROWN FROM THE MOTORCYCLE. UHL WAS WEARING A HELMET. HAMBURG EMS THEN TRANSPORTED UHL TO THE CABELA'S PARKING LOT AND HE WAS LATER FLOWN TO THE LEHIGH VALLEY HOSPITAL. ROUTE 61 WAS PARTIALLY CLOSED IN BOTH DIRECTIONS FOR ABOUT AN HOUR BECAUSE OF THE ACCIDENT.

WECARE ORGANICS IN REILLY TOWNSHIP

A NEW YORK COMPANY THAT RECYCLES HUMAN WASTE PLANS ON BUILDING A PLANT IN REILLEY TOWNSHIP. THE REPUBLICAN HERALD REPORTS, WECARE ORGANICS WILL CONSTRUCT AND MANAGE THE FACILITY. AS A PART OF THE PERMITTING PROCESS, THE PENNSYLVANIA DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION HELD THE REQUIRED LOCAL MUNICIPALITY INVOLVEMENT PROCESS MEETING EARLY THIS MONTH. ALTHOUGH THE WECARE ORGANICS APPLICATION HAS NOT BEEN OFFICIALLY ACCEPTED, IT CAN BE DONE AFTER A 60-DAY COMMENT PERIOD.


CITY ISSUING CITATION TO VIOLATORS

CITATIONS HAVE BEEN ISSUED AGAINST 80 PROPERTIES IN POTTSVILLE FOR NOT COMPLYING WITH STORM WATER AND SEWER SEPARATION PROJECT. UNTIL THE PROJECT IS COMPLETE THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION WILL CONTINUE TO ALLOW A WAITING PERIOD FOR NEW HOOKUPS. IN 2007 THE CITY STARTED AN EFFORT TO HAVE PROPERTY OWNERS IN THE CITY TO SEPARATE THEIR STORM DRAINS FROM SEWER PIPES AND FINING THOSE WHO DO NOT COMPLY UPTO 600 DOLLARS A DAY. CITY OFFICIALS HAVE ALSO DISCUSSED SHUTTING OFF WATER SERVICE TO THOSE PROPERTIES AS WELL, TO THOSE WHO DO NOT PAY THE FINES NOR ADHERE TO THE WATER AND SEWER SEPARATION.


PENNDOT WORKING HARD IN SCHUYLKILL COUNTY

IT'S BEEN A RATHER BUSY SPRING FOR PENN-DOT WORKERS IN THE COUNTY. PENNSYLVANIA DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPOTATION HAVE BEEN VERY ACTIVE IN THE WESTERN PART OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY THIS YEAR, WHERE DAMAGE HAS BEEN THE GREATEST TO ROADS. THE REPUBLICAN HERALD REPORTS THAT PENNDOT HAS CONDUCTED REPAIRS TO STATE ROUTE 4020 AND THAT WORKERS WERE FINISHING UP ON REPAIRS TO A BRIDGE ON GAP STREET IN VALLEY VIEW THAT DATES BACK TO 1922. THOSE PROJECTS ARE EXPECTED TO BE COMPLETED BY JULY OR AUGUST OF THIS YEAR. PENN-DOT RECENTLY COMPLETED THE PROJECT OF REPLACING A WATER DAMAGED PIPE ON ROUTE 25 IN HEGINS, THE DAMAGED PIPE WAS CAUSING WATER TO POOL OVER THE ROAD MAKING IT DANGEROUS FOR DRIVERS.


STATE NEWS

THIS WEEK THE STATE LAWMAKERS WILL VOTE ON A STATE BUDGET. THE PROPOSED 28 BILLION BUDGET PROPOSED BY HOUSE REPUBLICANS WILL HAVE TO MEET APPROVAL OF THE SENATE ON THE SPENDING PLAN. THE HOUSE WILL CONSIDER AMENDMENTS TO THE BUDGET TODAY OR TOMORROW AND THEN HAVE THEIR FIRST VOTES CAST BY WEDNESDAY. THE GOP PLAN WILL USE PART OF GOV TOM CORBETT'S CUTS TO SCHOOL DISTRICTS AND WILL ALSO HAVE THOSE RECEIVING MEDICAL ASSISSTANCE MAKE CO-PAYS FOR SERVICES. IF PASSED, IT WOULD RESTORE 210 MILLION DOLLARS TO BASIC EDUCATION AND CLOSE TO 400 MILLION DOLLARS IN HIGHER EDUCATION.

PHILADELPHIA (AP) - FEDERAL ENVIRONMENTAL OFFICIALS WILL BE IN PHILADELPHIA TOMORROW TO GATHER INFORMATION ON PROPOSED RULES TO FORCE COAL PLANTS TO CLEAN UP THEIR STACKS. THE PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER REPORTS THE ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY IS SEEKING PUBLIC COMMENT ON A RULE THAT WOULD CURB EMISSIONS FROM COAL PLANTS.

PITTSBURGH (AP) - A PITTSBURGH NEWSPAPER SAYS A PREVIOUSLY UNDISCLOSED STATE ENVIRONMENTAL DEPARTMENT POLICY GIVES ADMINISTRATORS SOLE POWER TO APPROVE ENVIRONMENTAL VIOLATION NOTICES IN CASES INVOLVING OTHER STATE OR FEDERAL GOVERNMENT
AGENCIES. THE PITTSBURGH POST-GAZETTE SAYS A MARCH 2ND INTERNAL DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION MEMO DETAILS THE POLICY.

HARRISBURG, PA. (AP) - THE NUMBER OF MEDICAL MALPRACTICE LAWSUITS FILED AGAINST DOCTORS AND HOSPITALS IN THE STATE DROPPED LAST YEAR FOR THE SIXTH YEAR IN A ROW. ACCORDING TO A REPORT FROM THE ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICE OF PENNSYLVANIA COURTS, A TOTAL OF 1,491 MALPRACTICE LAWSUITS WERE FILED IN 2010.

PHILADELPHIA (AP) - AUTHORITIES IN PHILADELPHIA SAY POLICE OFFICERS SHOT AND KILLED A MAN SUSPECTED OF STABBING ANOTHER MAN TO DEATH DURING A ROBBERY. AUTHORITIES SAY POLICE FOUND THE SUSPECT HOLDING A BUTCHER KNIFE AND ORDERED HIM TO DROP IT. INSTEAD, THEY SAY, HE LUNGED AT THE OFFICERS, WHO SHOT AND KILLED HIM.

NATIONAL NEWS

JOPLIN, MO. (AP) - OFFICIALS IN JOPLIN, MO., SAY THEY WORRY THAT A REPORT OF AT LEAST TWO DOZEN DEAD AFTER A MASSIVE TORNADO MAY BE LOW. ELECTRICITY AND COMMUNICATIONS ARE DOWN AND OFFICIALS SAY THEY'RE RELUCTANT TO GIVE A SPECIFIC NUMBER OF DEAD. THE MASSIVE TORNADO BLASTED A FOUR-MILE PATH ACROSS SOUTHWESTERN MISSOURI AND SLAMMED INTO THE CITY.

WASHINGTON (AP) - AN ASSOCIATED PRESS-GFK POLL SUGGESTS THAT ARGUMENTS FOR OVERHAULING SOCIAL SECURITY AND MEDICARE TO PARE GOVERNMENT DEBT HAVE FAILED TO SWAY THE PUBLIC. THE POLL FINDS 54 PERCENT SAID IT'S POSSIBLE TO BALANCE THE BUDGET WITHOUT CUTTING MEDICARE, AND 59 PERCENT SAY DITTO FOR SOCIAL SECURITY. THE POLL
FOUND 3 OUT OF 5 SAY THE TWO PROGRAMS ARE VITAL TO THEIR BASIC FINANCIAL SECURITY AS THEY AGE.

KARACHI, PAKISTAN (AP) - PAKISTAN'S NAVY SAYS IT APPEARS TO HAVE REGAINED CONTROL OF A BASE THAT HAD BEEN ATTACKED AND OCCUPIED BY ISLAMIST MILITANTS FOR MORE THAN 15 HOURS. SPOKESMAN SALMAN ALI SAYS COMMANDOS ARE STILL SEARCHING THE SPRAWLING FACILITY IN KARACHI BUT THAT "APPARENTLY THERE IS NO MORE MILITANT RESISTANCE." AT LEAST 12 SECURITY OFFICIALS HAVE BEEN KILLED.

MIAMI (AP) - PROSECUTORS AT A HEARING TODAY WILL ASK A JUDGE TO REJECT BAIL FOR A SOUTH FLORIDA MUSLIM CLERIC AND HIS SON CHARGED WITH PROVIDING SUPPORT TO THE PAKISTANI TALIBAN. ARE DUE IN FEDERAL COURT FOR A BAIL HEARING. PROSECUTORS SAY 76-YEAR-OLD HAFIZ MUHAMMAD SHER ALI KHAN AND 24-YEAR-OLD IZHAR KHAN, ARE A DANGER TO
THE COMMUNITY AND WOULD LIKELY TRY TO FLEE THE COUNTRY.

WASHINGTON (AP) - THE SENATE VOTES THIS AFTERNOON TO BLOCK A POSSIBLE FILIBUSTER WITH LAWMAKERS DOWN TO A FEW DAYS TO EXTEND CRITICAL ASPECTS OF THE PATRIOT ACT BEFORE THEY EXPIRE. THE LAW HAS COME UNDER FIRE FROM BOTH SIDES OF THE AISLE FOR INFRINGING ON FREE SPEECH RIGHTS AND OTHER PROTECTIONS. BUT THE AGREEMENT THAT WAS
HAMMERED OUT DOESN'T ADD ANY NEW PRIVACY PROTECTIONS.