TODAY'S NEWS: SATURDAY, MAY 21, 2011

STATE POLICE PROMOTE SCHUYLKILL COUNTY MAN

A NATIVE OF POTTSVILLE HAS BEEN PROMOTED BY THE STATE POLICE. EDWARD HOKE OF NORWEGIAN TOWNSHIP IS NOW CAPTAIN AND COMMANDER OF TROOP N, HAZLETON. THE TROOP COVERS CARBON, COLUMBIA AND MONROE COUNTIES AND THE SOUTHERN PORTION OF LUZERNE COUNTY. HOKE ENLISTED IN THE STATE POLICE IN 1987 AND HAS SERVED AT STATIONS IN FRACKVILLE, HAZLETON, READING, SCHUYLKILL HAVEN, HONESDALE AND HAMBURG.

SUMMER SCAMMERS STARTING

SAINT CLAIR POLICE WARN OF A POSSIBLE TELEPHONE SCAM WITH A CALLER CLAIMING TO REPRESENT WAL-MART. POLICE SAID LOSS PREVENTION PERSONNEL FROM THE STORE IN SAINT CLAIR CONTACTED OFFICERS ABOUT 3:30 P.M. WEDNESDAY AFTER AN ORWIGSBURG WOMAN REPORTED HAVING RECEIVED A TELEPHONE CALL FROM A MAN WITH A HEAVY ACCENT WHO TOLD HER SHE HAD WON A $1.2 MILLION DRAWING OR LOTTERY THROUGH WAL-MART. THE CALLER TOLD THE WOMAN TO GO TO THE WESTERN UNION OFFICE AT THE STORE AND WIRE $300 TO COVER THE TAXES AND THEN THE $1.2 MILLION WOULD BE GIVEN TO HER, POLICE SAID. BUT WHEN THE WOMAN REPLIED THAT SHE WOULD GO TO THE WESTERN UNION WITH HER CHIEF OF POLICE, THE CALLER HUNG UP. WAL-MART OFFICIALS SAID THE CORPORATION IS OFFERING NO SUCH LOTTERY OR DRAWING, POLICE SAID. ANYONE RECEIVING SUCH A TELEPHONE CALL SHOULD CONTACT THEIR LOCAL POLICE DEPARTMENT IMMEDIATELY.

LOCAL MAN WINS PRESTIGIOUS AWARD

STATE COLLEGE, PA. (AP) - LA SALLE UNIVERSITY STUDENT VINCENT VELLA WAS AWARDED THE 2011 RALPH FLAMMINIO MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP AT THE PENNSYLVANIA ASSOCIATED PRESS MANAGING EDITORS' ANNUAL MEETING FRIDAY. THE AWARD HONORING THE FORMER EDITOR OF THE MORNING CALL OF ALLENTOWN AND COATESVILLE RECORD SALUTES AN EXEMPLARY PENNSYLVANIA COLLEGE STUDENT WHO BEST DISPLAYS THE IDEALS OF RALPH FLAMMINIO: PASSIONATE ABOUT JOURNALISM AND THE FIRST AMENDMENT, AND A CHAMPION
FOR A BETTER INFORMED CITIZENRY. VELLA, A JUNIOR FROM TAMAQUA, WILL RECEIVE A $3,000 SCHOLARSHIP FROM THE STATE APME. HE WAS CHOSEN FROM AMONG 47 CANDIDATES FOR HIS PORTFOLIO OF WORK AT THE LA SALLE COLLEGIAN, LEHIGHTON TIMES NEWS AND INTERNSHIP WORK AT THE PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER. VELLA, THE SON OF LINDA AND VINCENT VELLA OF KRESGEVILLE, RECEIVED THE AWARD AT THE ANNUAL APME STATE AWARDS CEREMONY AT THE PENN STATER IN STATE COLLEGE. VELLA HOLDS A 3.99 GRADE-POINT-AVERAGE AT LA SALLE WHERE HE WRITES FOR THE STUDENT NEWSPAPER AND SERVES AS EDITOR OF THE UNIVERSITY'S LITERARY MAGAZINE. HE IS ALSO A MEMBER OF THE COMMUNICATION DEPARTMENT'S STUDENT ADVISORY BOARD AND HELPS TUTOR AT LA SALLE'S WRITING CENTER. "I DON'T NEED TO TELL YOU ABOUT THE UPHEAVAL WE ARE EXPERIENCING IN JOURNALISM. AS A RESULT, SOME YOUNG PEOPLE ARE DISILLUSIONED ABOUT THE PROFESSION," SAID JOHN H. KENNEDY, AN ASSISTANT PROFESSOR AT LA SALLE. "YET VINNY IS ONE OF THOSE TALENTED AND COMMITTED PEOPLE WE NEED AS LEADERS TO ENSURE ROBUST NEWSPAPER JOURNALISM SURVIVES AND THRIVES."

WEST CHESTER, Pa. (AP) - Texas billionaire T. Boone Pickens says
President Barack Obama has failed to develop the energy plan he
promised Americans as a presidential candidate in 2008. The oil
magnate and booster of alternative fuels said at a town hall
meeting at West Chester University yesterday that the president
hasn't followed up on a campaign promise to end America's reliance
on Mideast oil within 10 years.

WASHINGTON (AP) - A Republican lawmaker is backing off an
amendment he authored that critics say would make it harder for the
Federal Aviation Administration to write new safety rules. Rep.
Bill Shuster of Pennsylvania says he's withdrawing his support from
the plan to require extensive economic studies for new FAA
regulations. The amendment is opposed by the families of victims
killed in an air crash near Buffalo, N.Y., two years ago and by
Chesley "Sully" Sullenberger, the pilot who successfully guided
an airliner into the Hudson River after it was disabled.

HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) - Pennsylvania may have an opportunity to
land a multibillion-dollar chemical manufacturing plant. That's
thanks to the increasing flow of natural gas from the Marcellus
Shale formation. The Patriot-News of Harrisburg reported that state
Secretary of Community and Economic Development Alan Walker says
that three large international chemical companies have expressed
interest in such an investment in the state.

WILKES-BARRE, Pa. (AP) - Authorities in northeastern
Pennsylvania say a domestic shooting at an apartment building has
left two people dead, including the gunman, and two others wounded.
Shaundra Langille tells The Citizens' Voice of Wilkes-Barre that
the shooter was her ex-boyfriend. She says he stormed into her
apartment yesterday at the Hanover Village complex and started
firing. The apartment complex is in Hanover Township, outside
Wilkes-Barre.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) - A small gash in the belly of space
shuttle Endeavour got a very close inspection today by astronauts
using the shuttle robot arm and an extension boom, tipped with
lasers and cameras. NASA ordered the inspection during the
next-to-last shuttle flight, even though managers said there was no
reason to be alarmed. The 12 astronauts aboard the International
Space Station are also expecting a phone call from Pope Benedict
today.

KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) - Afghanistan's Defense Ministry says at
least three people are dead and many others wounded by a powerful
blast at Kabul's main military hospital. Afghan media reported that
it was a suicide attack and another bomber might be on the hospital
grounds. Officials say the blast was in a tent on the grounds.

MEXICO CITY (AP) - An apparent birthday party turned into a
farewell gathering for a leading member of the Gulf drug cartel
when he was captured by Mexican federal police. A police spokesman
says Gilberto Barragan Balderas "is considered one of the main
leaders of the Gulf Cartel." The U.S. Drug Enforcement
Administration has a $5 million bounty on the suspect.

BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) - The Mississippi River looks more like a
stormy ocean at Vidalia, La. Whitecaps are moving beneath the
bridge that connects Vidalia to Natchez, Miss. Downstream in Baton
Rouge, three grain barges sank. River pilots say the surging water
and debris makes navigation even more of a challenge. Forecasters
say it could be days before the river starts to recede anywhere.

NAIROBI, Kenya (AP) - Officials say the official royal honeymoon
on the island nation of the Seychelles has ended. Before they left
after a 10-day stay, Britain's Prince William and his new wife, the
former Kate Middleton, invited members of the Seychelles coast
guard ashore to thank them for helping to ensure privacy.