TODAY'S NEWS: MONDAY, MAY 2, 2011

LOCAL NEWS: MONDAY MAY 2, 2011

UNION STATION SCHEDULES OPENING

THE CITY OF POTTSVILLE'S $17 MILLION DOLLAR PROJECT, UNION STATION , SHOULD BE READY FOR IT'S OPENING SOMETIME BY THE END OF MAY OR EARLY JUNE. J MATTHEWS HAS THE STORY


JURY DELIBERATIONS CONTINUE IN ENOE TRIAL

JURY DELIBERATIONS RESUME IN THE CAPITAL MURDER TRIAL OF JULIUS ENOE TODAY. THE JURORS DELIBERATED FOR OVER 9 HOURS UNTIL BEING TOLD TO RESUME THIS MORNING BY JUDGE JACQUELINE RUSSEL. ENOE'S DEFENSE HAS ARGUED THAT IT WAS JAHMAL OLLIVIERRE AND DAMON ENNETT, WHO ARE TWO MAIN WITNESSES IN THE CASE FOR THE PROSECUTION, ROBBED AND KILLED BRUCE FORKER OF SHENANDOAH. THE PROSECUTION IS BANKING ON CELLPHONE RECORDS AND SUSPICIOUS BEHAVIOR ON ENOE'S PART SHORTLY AFTER THE SHOOTING IN PROVING HIS GUILT.

BLUE MOUNTAIN SCHOOL BOARD ADOPTS RESOLUTION OPPOSING VOUCHERS

THE BLUE MOUNTAIN SCHOOL BOARD TOOK A STAND AGAINST PART OF GOV. TOM CORBETT'S BUDGET PLAN THURSDAY NIGHT BY ADOPTING A RESOLUTION OPPOSING SENATE BILL 1 AND ANY OTHER EFFORT TO IMPLEMENT A VOUCHER PROGRAM IN PENNSYLVANIA. THE REPUBLICAN HERALD REPORTS SENATE BILL 1, THE CHOICE BILL, WOULD ALLOW STUDENTS FROM ECONOMICALLY DISADVANTAGED FAMILIES TO USE PUBLICLY-FUNDED TUITION VOUCHERS TO ENROLL IN NON-PUBLIC AND PRIVATE SCHOOLS. IN ADDITION, THE SCHOOL BOARD PROPOSED SOLUTIONS TO THE $2.8 MILLION DEFICIT IN ITS 2011-12 BUDGET.

SCHUYLKILL COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY DONATES MAP

THE SHAMOKIN-COAL TOWNSHIP PUBLIC LIBRARY IS ANXIOUSLY AWAITING THE DELIVERY OF A PIECE OF HISTORY THEY CAN ENJOY AND PRESERVE FOR GENERATIONS TO COME. DIRECTOR OF THE HISTORICAL SOCIETY OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY, PETER YASENCHAK, WILL GIVE THE LIBRARY A 1907 SANBORN CO. MAP BOOK THAT FELL INTO HIS HANDS BY AN ANONYMOUS DONOR. THE REPUBLICAN HERALD REPORTS THE REMAINING RECORDS OF SHAMOKIN'S LAYOUT TEND TO BE ANECDOTAL WITH FEW DETAILED MAPS MADE OR IN EXISTENCE. THE 1907 MAP IS SPECIFIC, ACCURATE AND DETAILED MAKING IT A VERY IMPORTANT DOCUMENT.

STATE NEWS:

NEW YORK (AP) - HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE GATHERED IN NEW YORK CITY AT GROUND ZERO AFTER PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA ANNOUNCED THAT OSAMA BIN LADEN WAS DEAD. MANY WAVED AMERICAN FLAGS OR TOOK PICTURES. THE GROUP BROKE INTO SPONTANEOUS, JUBILANT CHEERS AND SONG. MORE THAN 3,000 PEOPLE DIED IN THE ATTACKS INVOLVING NEW YORK, WASHINGTON, D.C., AND PENNSYLVANIA.

PHILADELPHIA (AP) - FORMER SECRETARY OF HOMELAND SECURITY AND PENNSYLVANIA GOVERNOR TOM RIDGE SAYS HE NEVER DOUBTED THAT SOMEDAY OSAMA BIN LADEN WOULD BE BROUGHT TO JUSTICE. HE SAID IT COULDN'T TAKE AWAY THE PAIN OF THOSE WHO LOST LOVED ONES IN THE ATTACKS, BUT IT HAS FULFILLED A COMMITMENT THE COUNTRY MADE TO THEM.

REMSEN, PA. (AP) - GORDON FELT OF THE FAMILIES OF FLIGHT 93, THE PLANE HIJACKED BY TERRORISTS THAT CRASHED IN WESTERN PENNSYLVANIA, CALLED THE ANNOUNCEMENT OF BIN LADEN'S DEATH "IMPORTANT NEWS" FOR THE COUNTRY AND THE WORLD. FELT SAID IT BRINGS SOME MEASURE OF COMFORT TO KNOW BIN LADEN IS GONE.

SUNAPEE, N.H. (AP) - A GERMANTOWN, PA., MAN IS BEING CELEBRATED FOR HIS CONTRIBUTIONS 100 YEARS AGO TO THE PRESERVATION OF FORESTS IN NEW HAMPSHIRE. HERBERT WELSH, WHO WAS A SUMMER RESIDENT OF THE MOUNT SUNAPEE AREA, BEGAN THE CAMPAIGN TO SAVE FORESTS ON THE MOUNTAIN. HE IS BEING CELEBRATED BY PEOPLE IN THE REGION.


NATIONAL NEWS:

WASHINGTON (AP) - PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA SAYS OSAMA BIN LADEN, THE GLOWERING MASTERMIND BEHIND THE SEPT. 11, 2001, TERROR ATTACKS, DIED IN A FIREFIGHT WITH U.S. FORCES IN PAKISTAN. OBAMA SAYS "JUSTICE HAS BEEN DONE" BUT THE FIGHT AGAINST TERRORISM ISN'T OVER.

ABBOTTABAD, PAKISTAN (AP) - THE DEATH OF AL-QAIDA MASTERMIND OSAMA BIN LADEN AT A FORTRESS-LIKE COMPOUND IN A PAKISTANI ARMY TOWN RAISES QUESTIONS ABOUT WHETHER PAKISTAN KNEW WHERE HE WAS. A U.S. OFFICIAL SAYS THE COMPOUND WAS "CUSTOM BUILT TO HIDE SOMEONE OF SIGNIFICANCE." ABBOTTABAD (AB-AH'-TIH-BAHD) IS AROUND 60 MILES FROM THE CAPITAL ISLAMABAD.

WASHINGTON (AP) - U.S. EMBASSIES ARE ON ALERT TODAY FOLLOWING THE DEATH OF AL-QAIDA MASTERMIND OSAMA BIN LADEN IN A FIREFIGHT WITH U.S. FORCES IN PAKISTAN. THE STATE DEPARTMENT IS ALSO URGING U.S. CITIZENS ABROAD TO LIMIT THEIR TRAVEL OUTSIDE OF THEIR HOMES AND HOTELS AND AVOID MASS GATHERINGS, ESPECIALLY WHERE ANTI-AMERICAN VIOLENCE IS POSSIBLE.

KABUL, AFGHANISTAN (AP) - AFGHANISTAN'S PRESIDENT SAYS THE DEATH OF OSAMA BIN LADEN IN A FIREFIGHT WITH U.S. FORCES IN PAKISTAN IS THE AL-QAIDA LEADER'S "DUE PUNISHMENT. HAMID KARZAI ALSO PRAISED THE DEATH AS A SERIOUS BLOW TO TERRORISM AND ARGUED THAT IT PROVES THE REAL FIGHT AGAINST TERRORISTS IS OUTSIDE AFGHANISTAN.

TOLEDO, OHIO (AP) - AN OHIO LANDLORD IS DUE IN COURT TODAY TO FACE SELDOM-SEEN CHARGES IN THE DEATHS OF FOUR TENANTS OVERCOME BY DEADLY FUMES. INVESTIGATORS IN TOLEDO SAY STEVEN SNOW DROPPED OFF A PORTABLE GENERATOR AT THE RENTAL HOME BECAUSE IT DIDN'T HAVE HEAT OR ELECTRICITY. THEY SAY HE KNEW THE DANGERS OF RUNNING THE GENERATOR IN THE HOUSE. HE'S CHARGED WITH RECKLESS HOMICID