TODAY'S NEWS: TUESDAY, MAY 3, 2011

STILL NO VERDICT IN CAPITAL HOMICIDE TRIAL

DAY SIX OF THE CAPITAL HOMICIDE TRIAL AGAINST 32-YEAR-OLD JULIUS ENOE ENDED WITHOUT A DECISION. AFTER NEARLY 18 TOTAL HOURS OF DELIBERATIONS, JURORS DECIDING THE FATE OF THE READING MAN CHARGED WITH KILLING A SHENANDOAH MAN STILL DID NOT DECIDE MONDAY IF HE IS GUILTY OF ANY OF 12 CHARGES AGAINST HIM. THE REPUBLICAN HERALD REPORTS ENOE IS FACING POSSIBLE EXECUTION. THE JURY WILL RETURN THIS MORNING AT 9:30 TO RESUME THE DEBATE OVER ENOE'S FATE.

SCHUYLKILL COUNTY D.A RIDDING COUNTY OF "BATH SALTS"

WITH A GROWING CONCERN FOR RIDDING COMMUNITIES OF DANGEROUS SYNTHETIC AND DESIGNER DRUGS SUCH AS "BATH SALTS" SCHUYLKILL COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY JAMES GOODMAN IS TAKING STEPS TO DECLARE THESE SYNTHETIC HALLUCINOGENS A PUBLIC NUISANCE IN ORDER TO PROHIBIT THEIR POSSESSION OR SALE IN OUR COUNTY AND IS PREPARED TO SEEK CIVIL INJUNCTION IF NECESSARY.

BASED ON AN INVESTIGATION BY HIS OFFICE, DA GOODMAN HAS LEARNED THAT THESE BATH SALTS ARE BEING OFFERED IN FOR SALE IN LOCAL GAS STATIONS, MARKETS AND SMOKE SHOPS. DA GOODMAN URGES RETAILERS NOT TO MAKE THESE PRODUCTS AVAILABLE TO CONSUMERS. HE APPLAUDS THE LOCAL RETAILERS WHO DO NOT OFFER THESE POTENTIALLY DEADLY PRODUCTS TO THE PUBLIC ESPECIALLY TO JUVENILES WHO DO NOT UNDERSTAND THE DESTRUCTIVE EFFECTS THESE DRUGS CAN HAVE.


BUREAU TO HIRE FIRM TO DEVELOP VISITORS GUIDE

POTENTIAL PRINTERS FOR THE 2012 VISITORS GUIDE ARE STILL BEING CONSIDERED BY THE SCHUYLKILL COUNTY VISITORS BUREAU BOARD OF DIRECTORS. THE REPUBLICAN HERALD REPORTS THREE PARTIES ARE INTERESTED AT THIS TIME AND A POSSIBLE DECISION MAY BE MADE AT THE BOARD'S NEXT MEETING ON MAY 31. STATE FUNDING FOR 2011-12 IS NOT EXPECTED. THE VISITORS BUREAU RECEIVES REVENUE FROM THE COUNTY ROOM TAX, YEARLY MEMBERSHIP DUES AND A GIFT SHOP.

POTTSVILLE ECONOMIC SUMMIT SET FOR JUNE

COMMUNITY LEADERS WILL HOLD THE THIRD ECONOMIC SUMMIT SINCE 2000 THIS JUNE. POTTSVILLE CITIZENS, BUSINESS REPRESENTATIVES AND TOURISTS ARE CURRENTLY FILLING OUT SURVEYS TO SUGGEST HOW THE CITY CAN IMPROVE ITS AMENITIES. THOSE RESULTS WILL BE UNVEILED AT A POTTSVILLE ECONOMIC SUMMIT SCHEDULED FOR JUNE 22 AT THE SOVEREIGN MAJESTIC THEATER AT 8AM. THE REPUBLICAN HERALD REPORTS IN ADDITION TO HEARING THE RESULTS, SUGGESTIONS TO HELP DEVELOP A FIVE-YEAR PLAN FOR THE CITY WILL ALSO BE ON THE AGENDA.

STATE NEWS:

HARRISBURG, PA. (AP) - STATE TAX COLLECTIONS IN APRIL BROUGHT NGOOD NEWS FOR PENNSYLVANIA STATE GOVERNMENT, WHICH IS NOW REPORTING A $506 MILLION SURPLUS WITH TWO MONTHS UNTIL THE END OF THE FISCAL YEAR. THE STATE REVENUE DEPARTMENT SAID MONDAY THAT PENNSYLVANIA COLLECTED $3.3 BILLION IN REVENUE IN APRIL FOR THE ACCOUNT THAT PAYS FOR THIS YEAR'S $28 BILLION APPROVED BUDGET.

PITTSBURGH (AP) - THE SUPERINTENDENT AND THREE OTHER TOP MANAGERS HAVE BEEN REPLACED AT THE STATE CORRECTIONAL INSTITUTION-PITTSBURGH, WHERE A UNION OFFICIAL SAID LAST MONTH THAT EIGHT GUARDS HAVE BEEN SUSPENDED WITHOUT PAY BECAUSE OF AN ONGOINGETHICS PROBE. STATE PRISON OFFICIALS AREN'T SAYING IF THE DECISION
TO REPLACE SUPERINTENDENT MELVIN LOCKETT AND THE OTHERS WAS RELATED TO THE GUARD SUSPENSIONS.

YORK, PA. (AP) - A JUDGE HAS THROWN OUT THE ALLEGED CONFESSIONS OF A CENTRAL PENNSYLVANIA MAN ACCUSED OF HAVING KILLED AND DISMEMBERED HIS BROTHER LAST SUMMER. YORK COUNTY JUDGE JOHN KENNEDY RULED THAT THE STATEMENTS BY JUSTIN CARBAUGH WERE MADE AFTER HE INVOKED HIS RIGHT TO A LAWYER. STATE POLICE SAY CARBAUGH TOLD
INVESTIGATORS THAT HE SHOT BRANDON CARBAUGH TO DEATH FOLLOWING AN ARGUMENT IN AUGUST.

BEAVER, PA. (AP) - A WESTERN PENNSYLVANIA MAN IS ON TRIAL ON CRIMINAL HOMICIDE AND INVOLUNTARY MANSLAUGHTER CHARGES IN THE DEATH OF ANOTHER MAN AFTER A FIGHT LAST SUMMER. THE BEAVER COUNTY TIMES REPORTS FORTY-ONE-YEAR-OLD RAYMOND BALL OF BEAVER FALLS IS CHARGED IN THE JULY 15TH DEATH OF 62-YEAR-OLD RICHARD LITTELL OF PATTERSON
TOWNSHIP. WITNESSES TESTIFIED MONDAY THAT BALL PUNCHED LITTELL OUTSIDE THE EVERGREEN CAFÉ IN BEAVER FALLS. LITTELL HIT HIS HEAD ON THE CURB AND LATER DIED.

NATIONAL NEWS:

WASHINGTON (AP) - U.S. OFFICIALS HAVEN'T DECIDED YET WHETHER TO RELEASE THE GRAPHIC PHOTOS OF A DEAD OSAMA BIN LADEN THEY SAY SHOW A PRECISION KILL SHOT ABOVE HIS LEFT EYE AND A BULLET TO THE CHEST. OFFICIALS WANT TO DEBUNK MYTHOLOGY BUILDING THAT BIN LADEN IS STILL ALIVE, BUT THEY DON'T WANT TO INFLAME ISLAMIC SENTIMENT BY SHOWING THE BODY AND A VIDEO OF BIN LADEN'S BURIAL AT SEA.

WASHINGTON (AP) - NAVY SEALS WHO KILLED THE WORLD'S MOST-WANTED TERRORIST SEIZED A TROVE OF AL-QAIDA DOCUMENTS DURING THE RAID ON OSAMA BIN LADEN'S COMPOUND. THE CIA IS ALREADY PORING OVER CONFISCATED HARD DRIVES, DVDS AND OTHER DOCUMENTS LOOKING FOR INSIDE INFORMATION ON AL-QAIDA, INCLUDING CLUES ABOUT HIS PRESUMED SUCCESSOR, EGYPTIAN AYMAN AL-ZAWAHRI (AY'-MUHN AHL-ZWAH'-REE).

CHICAGO (AP) - PROSECUTORS WILL BEGIN PRESENTING EVIDENCE TODAY IN ROD BLAGOJEVICH'S CORRUPTION RETRIAL. ONE OF THE EARLY WITNESSES WILL BE JOHN HARRIS, BLAGOJEVICH'S FORMER CHIEF OF STAFF. HE'S A CENTRAL FIGURE TO THE ALLEGATION THAT THE OUSTED ILLINOIS GOVERNOR SOUGHT TO SELL OR TRADE PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA'S VACATED U.S. SENATE SEAT.

AUCKLAND, NEW ZEALAND (AP) - AT LEAST ONE PERSON DIED WHEN A TORNADO RIPPED ACROSS PART OF NEW ZEALAND'S LARGEST CITY TODAY. WITNESSES AND NEWS REPORTS SAY THE TWISTER IN AUCKLAND OVERTURNED CARS AND SENT DEBRIS SLICING THROUGH THE AIR. A HOSPITAL OFFICIAL SAYS ABOUT 20 PEOPLE WERE INJURED. TORNADOS ARE SOMEWHAT COMMON IN NEW ZEALAND, BUT THEY TEND TO BE SMALLER THAN THOSE SEEN IN THE U.S.

ANKARA, TURKEY (AP) - THE MAYOR SAYS THERE WERE NO CASUALTIES WHEN AN EMPTY 7-STORY BUILDING COLLAPSED BECAUSE OF POOR CONSTRUCTION IN SOUTHERN TURKEY. THE BUILDING CAME DOWN IN THE SOUTHERN CITY OF MALATYA. OFFICIALS SAY AN INITIAL SEARCH OF THE DEBRIS REVEALED THAT THERE WERE NO CASUALTIES.