TODAY'S NEWS: TUESDAY, MAY 24, 2011

STORMY WEATHER NOT CONFIRMED AS TORNADO

MONDAY NIGHT'S POWERFUL STORM IN SCHUYLKILL COUNTY FEATURED HEAVY WIND, RAIN AND LIGHTNING. IN WALKER TOWNSHIP, TREES WERE KNOCKED DOWN AND ROOFS RIPPED OFF THE SIDE OF BARNS. STILL THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HAS NOT CONFIRMED THE STORM AS A TORNADO. METEOROLOGIST GREG DEVOIR SAYS THE DAMAGE HAS NOT YET BEEN INVESTIGATED. AS FOR THE REST OF THE WEEK, DEVOIR SAYS WEDNESDAY MAY BE THE ONLY DRY DAY.

ELDERLY WOMAN INJURED IN CRASH

ROUTE 61 WAS CLOSED TO ONE LANE AFTER A TWO VEHICLE CRASH. THE CRASH HAPPENED AROUND 10:30 YESTERDAY MORNING AT THE INTERSECTION OF RT 61 AND ARCH STREET IN POTTSVILLE. AN ELDERLY WOMAN DRIVING A CHEVROLET IMPALA ATTEMPTED TO MAKE A LEFT TURN ONTO ARCH STREET FROM RT 61 SOUTH WHEN HER VEHICLE COLLIDED WITH A FORD EXPLORER HEADED NORTH ON 61. BOTH VEHICLES CAME TO REST IN THE NORTHBOUND LANE OF 61 TAKING OUT A LAMP POST AND STREET LIGHT. MEDICAL CREWS WERE CALLED TO THE SCENE FOR THE WOMAN AND BOTH VEHICLES RECIEVIED MODERATE DAMAGE AND NEEDED TO BE TOWED. PENN DOT WAS ALSO ON SCENE TO INSPECT THE DAMAGED TRAFFIC LIGHT. AT THIS TIME POLICE ARE NOT RELEASING THE INDIVIDUALS NAMES.

TRI-VALLEY SCHOOL BOARD APPROVES BUDGET

THE TRI VALLEY SCHOOL BOARD VOTED 7-2 LAST NIGHT IN FAVOR OF THEIR PROPSED 12 MILLION DOLLAR BUDGET FOR THE 2011-2012 SCHOOL YEAR. THE BUDGET REFLECTS A DECREASE FROM THIS YEARS BUDGET. SUPERINTENDENT MARK SNYDER SAYS THAT FOR NEXT YEAR'S BUDGET VACANT POSITONS IN SPECIAL EDUCATION, TECHNOLOGY EDUCATION LIBRARY, AND CUSTODIAL WILL NOT BE FILLED.

SHIELD SEVEN PROGRAM

A PROGRAM SPONSORED BY DISTRICT ATTORNEY JAMES GOODMAN WILL GIVE SEVENTH-GRADE STUDENTS ACROSS SCHUYLKILL COUNTY A CHANCE TO HAVE A GOOD TIME WHILE LEARNING TO BE SAFER. THE SHIELD 7 PROGRAM WILL FOCUSES ON BULLYING, ALCOHOL USE, DRUG USE AND SEXTING. THE REPUBLICAN HERALD REPORTS "CHOICES COUNT" IS THE THEME WHICH TRIES TO TELL STUDENTS THAT CHOICES THEY MAKE NOW CAN AFFECT THEM FOR THE REST OF THEIR LIVES. ELEVEN OF THE COUNTY'S 12 SCHOOL DISTRICTS HOST THE SHIELD 7 PROGRAM.



STATE NEWS:

HUNDREDS OF BIKERS ROARED INTO THE STATE CAPITOL MONDAY FOR AN ANNUAL MOTORCYCLISTS RIGHTS RALLY WHILE LEGISLATION WAS INTRODUCED THAT WOULD MAKE HELMET USE MANDATORY FOR RIDERS STATEWIDE. UNDER THE CURRENT LAW, PASSED IN 2003, RIDERS OVER 21 WHO HAVE TAKEN A SAFETY COURSE OR HAVE TWO YEARS OF MOTORCYCLING EXPERIENCE CAN RIDE WITHOUT A HELMET.THE MOTORCYCLE RIGHTS RALLY ALSO INCLUDED AN ANNOUNCEMENT THAT THERE IS A BILL IN THE PA. HOUSE RIGHT NOW TO MAKE HARLEY-DAVIDSON THE OFFICIAL STATE MOTORCYCLE OF PENNSYLVANIA.

HARRISBURG, PA. (AP) - THE HOUSE REPUBLICANS' $27.3 BILLION STATE BUDGET BILL IS A VOTE AWAY FROM PASSAGE. THE HOUSE VOTED 110-89 YESTERDAY TO POSITION THE GOP SPENDING PLAN FOR A FINAL VOTE, SUGGESTING IT WILL ADVANCE EASILY TO THE STATE SENATE.A FINAL HOUSE VOTE COULD HAPPEN AS EARLY AS TONIGHT.

PHILADELPHIA (AP) - U.S. APPELLATE JUDGES HEARING A NEW JERSEY TERRORISM CASE SAY THE TRIAL JUDGE MAY HAVE BEEN RIGHT TO LET PROSECUTORS PLAY BEHEADING VIDEOTAPES TO THE JURY. FIVE MUSLIM IMMIGRANTS CONVICTED OF PLOTTING A DEADLY STRIKE AT A NEW JERSEY MILITARY BASE ARE APPEALING THEIR 2008 CONVICTIONS.

PHILADELPHIA (AP) - THE REPUTED BOSS OF THE PHILADELPHIA MOB, HIS ALLEGED CHIEF LIEUTENANT AND ELEVEN OTHERS ARE FACING CHARGES. JOSEPH "UNCLE JOE" LIGAMBI WAS AMONG 11 ALLEGED MOBSTERS ARRESTED YESTERDAY ON CHARGES INCLUDING CONSPIRACY, EXTORTION, ILLEGAL GAMBLING AND WITNESS TAMPERING. TWO OTHERS WERE ALREADY IN CUSTODY.

NORRISTOWN, PA. (AP) - PROSECUTORS IN SUBURBAN PHILADELPHIA SAY THEY WILL SEEK THE DEATH PENALTY AGAINST A MAN CHARGED IN THE RAPE AND MURDER OF HIS 9-YEAR-OLD NEIGHBOR. JAMES TROUTMAN IS CHARGED IN THE MAY 9TH DEATH OF SKYLER KAUFFMAN. KAUFFMAN'S BODY WAS FOUND IN A TRASH BIN AT THE SOUDERTON ARMS APARTMENT BUILDING WHERE THEY BOTH LIVED.

NATIONAL NEWS:

JOPLIN, MO. (AP) - WITH POSSIBLE STRONG STORMS ON THE HORIZON, RESCUE CREWS IGNORED LIGHTNING AND STRONG WINDS AND WORKED INTO THE NIGHT, LOOKING FOR VICTIMS OR SURVIVORS OF THE DEADLIEST TORNADO IN NEARLY 60 YEARS. THE DEATH TOLL IN JOPLIN, MO., REACHED 116 YESTERDAY AND IS EXPECTED TO CLIMB. RESCUERS PULLED 17 PEOPLE FROM THE RUBBLE ALIVE AND THE SEARCH CONTINUES.

WASHINGTON (AP) - EXPERTS SAY IT'S RARE, BUT NOT UNKNOWN FOR POPULATED AREAS TO TAKE DIRECT HITS FROM TORNADOES JUST WEEKS APART. UNIVERSITY OF OKLAHOMA RESEARCHER HOWARD BLUESTEIN SAYS TORNADO-APPROPRIATE WEATHER SOMETIMES LINGERS OVER A WIDE AREA AND THAT'S WHAT'S HAPPENING THIS YEAR. EXPERTS SAY URBAN SPRAWL HAS INCREASED THE ODDS THAT MORE PEOPLE WILL BE AFFECTED.

NEW ORLEANS (AP) - SOME RESIDENTS NEAR THE FLOODED MISSISSIPPI RIVER WHO'VE RETURNED HOME ARE KEEPING THEIR BAGS PACKED IN CASE THEY'RE FORCED TO EVACUATE AGAIN. ONE RESIDENT IN KROTZ SPRINGS, LA. SAYS THE EVACUATIONS ARE COSTING HER BIG MONEY. MEANWHILE, BARGES ON THE MISSISSIPPI AT BATON ROUGE ARE ONLY ALLOWED TO TRAVEL THAT STRETCH IN ONE DIRECTION AT A TIME.

LONDON (AP) - PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA GETS AN OFFICIAL WELCOME TODAY AT BUCKINGHAM PALACE DURING A TWO-DAY STATE VISIT TO BRITAIN AT THE INVITATION OF QUEEN ELIZABETH. OBAMA ARRIVED IN LONDON A BIT AHEAD OF SCHEDULE LAST NIGHT BECAUSE OF SAFETY CONCERNS OVER A VOLCANIC ASH CLOUD BEING BLOWN TOWARD BRITAIN FROM ICELAND.

BUFFALO, N.Y. (AP) - A SPECIAL ELECTION IN WESTERN NEW YORK TODAY IS SHAPING UP AS A REFERENDUM ON THE GOP'S PLAN TO TRANSFORM MEDICARE. INITIALLY, THE HOUSE RACE WAS PEGGED AS AN EASY GOP WIN. BUT A SIENA COLLEGE POLL PUBLISHED SATURDAY SHOWS DEMOCRAT KATHY HOCHUL (HOH'-KUHL) WITH A SLIGHT LEAD OVER REPUBLICAN JANE CORWIN, 42-38 PERCENT FOR THE 26TH CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT SEAT.