TODAY'S NEWS: WEDNESDAY, MAY 25, 2011

LOCAL NEWS: WEDNESDAY, MAY 25, 2011

TORNADO CONFIRMED IN SCHUYLKILL COUNTY

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HAS CONFIRMED THAT A TORNADO DID TOUCH DOWN IN SCHUYLKILL COUNTY DURING MONDAY'S HEAVY STORMS. A EF-1 TORNADO, WITH WINDS RANGING FROM 86 TO 110 MILES PER HOUR, TORE THROUGH WALKER TOWNSHIP, ACCORDING TO BARRY LAMBERT METEOROLOGIST WITH THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN STATE COLLEGE. THE STORM DESTROYED BARNS AND TORE THE ROOF'S OFF HOUSES OTHER TONARDOS WERE CONFIRMED IN NORTHUMBERLAND AND CARBON COUNTIES AS WELL. FOR SCHULKILL COUNTY IT WAS THE FIRST TORNADO SINCE MAY 1996.

2 CHARGED WITH SHENANDOAH DEATH BACK IN COURT

THE TWO MEN CHARGED IN CONNECTION WITH THE MARCH 2010 KILLING IN SHENANDOAH WERE BACK IN SCHUYLKILL COUNTY COURT ON TUESDAY FOR A CHANCE TO TESTIFY IN THE RETRIAL OF THEIR ALLEGED ACCOMPLICE. 30 YEAR OLD DAMON ENNETT OF FREE LAND AND 20 YEAR OLD JAHMAL OLLIVIRRE OF READING HAD THEIR CASES CONTINUED BY JUDGE JACQULINE RUSSELL. THE TWO MEN ARE THE PRINCIPLE WITNESS'S IN THE CASE AGAINST 32 YEAR OLD JULIUS ENOE OF READING. ENOE WAS CHARGED WITH THE MURDER OF BRUCE FORKER OF SHENANDOAH BUT JUROR'S IN THE FIRST CASE COULD NOT COME TO A VERDICT AND A MISTRIAL WAS DECLARED ON THE CHARGES OF CRIMINAL HOMICIDE, CONSPIRACY, ROBBERY AMONG OTHER CHARGES. SINCE ENOE WAS NOT ACQUITTED IN THE LAST TRIAL HE DOES NOT FALL UNDER THE DOUBLE JEOPARDY RULE.

CHARGES HELD AGAINST TAMAQUA MAN

A TAMAQUA MAN INVOLVED IN A HIT-AND-RUN ACCIDENT EARLIER THIS YEAR THAT SERIOUSLY HURT ANOTHER MAN HAD CHARGES HELD AGAINST HIM HELD TO COURT DURING A PRELIMINARY HEARING TUESDAY AFTERNOON. STATE POLICE CHARGED 18-YEAR-OLD STEPHEN KUPETZ IN CONNECTION WITH THE MARCH 28 CRASH THAT SERIOUSLY INJURED 20-YEAR-OLD ROBERT REHRIG. THE REPUBLICAN HERALD REPORTS, KUPETZ WILL BE SENT TO SCHUYLKILL COUNTY COURT ON CHARGES OF FELONY ACCIDENTS INVOLVING SERIOUS BODILY INJURY OR DEATH, MISDEMEANOR ACCIDENTS INVOLVING DEATH OR INJURY, SUMMARY DUTY TO GIVE INFORMATION AND RENDER AID, AND CARELESS DRIVING. KUPETZ REMAINS FREE ON $25,000 UNSECURED BAIL.

U.S REPS BAN VIDEO AND AUDIO RECORDERS

THE WORD FROM U.S REPRESNTATIVE TOM MARINO AND LOU BARLETTA IS THAT YOU CAN COME TO THE TOWN HALL MEETINGS BUT DON'T RECORD THEM. BARLETTA HAS BANNED ANYONE WHO IS NOT A MEMBER OF THE MEDIA FROM USING VIDEO OR AUDIO RECORDERS TO PEOPLE WHO COME TO THE MEETINGS WILL FEEL MORE OPEN TO SPEAK. THE FEAR OF HAVING THEIR COMMMENTS RECORDED AND PUT ON DISPLAY SUCH AS ON THE INTERNET HAS SOME PEOPLE CONCERNED AND FOR GOOD REASON, THE STATE DEMORCRATIC PARTY HAS ACKNOWLEDGED THAT THEY HAVE SENT PEOPLE TO TOWN HALL MEETINGS CONDUCTED BY BARLETTA AND MARINO AND RECORDED THEM AND POSTED ON IT'S WEBSITE.

KEYSTONE OPPORTUNITY ZONES

THIS MONTH'S LOCAL TV REPORT BY SENATOR ARGALL FEATURES A PUBLIC HEARING REGARDING THE PROS AND CONS OF KEYSTONE OPPORTUNITY ZONES THROUGHOUT SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. THE HEARING FEATURED A WIDE-RANGE OF SPEAKERS WITH FIRSTHAND EXPERIENCE ON THE KOZS, TAX FREE ZONES AND FIGHT BLIGHT IN PENNSYLVANIA. ARGALL SAYS WITH 3,000 NEW JOBS IN SCHUYLKILL COUNTY BECAUSE OF KEYSTONE OPPORTUNITY ZONES, THIS PROGRAM HAS BEEN A VALUABLE PART OF OUR REGION'S ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY. HE ADDS NOT ONLY ARE JOBS BEING CREATED, BUT SEVERAL OF OUR LOCAL SCHOOL DISTRICTS AND OUR COUNTRY AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS ARE NOW REAPING THE REWARDS WITH AN INFLUX OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS IN NEW TAX REVENUE ON FORMERLY ABANDONED SITES TO ALLEVIATE THE STRESS ON LOCAL HOMEOWNERS. BEGINNING THIS YEAR, SCHUYLKILL COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICTS WILL RECEIVE AN ADDITIONAL $3 MILLION EACH, NOW THAT KOZS ARE BEGINNING TO EXPIRE ACROSS THE STATE.

MEMORIAL DAY HOLIDAY ENFORCEMENT PERIOD

MEMORIAL DAY WEEKEND IS JUST A FEW DAYS AWAY AND THAT MEANS THE MEMORIAL DAY HOLIDAY ENFORCEMENT PERIOD BEGINS. FROM 1AM FRIDAY UNTIL 12AM MONDAY TROOPERS WILL ENGAGE IN HIGH VISIBILITY ENFORCEMENT EFFORTS DIRECTED TOWARD AGGRESSIVE VIOLATIONS. IN ADDITION, THERE WILL BE A ZERO-TOLERANCE ATTITUDE TOWARD SEATBELT VIOLATIONS. CORPORAL FRED KRUTE OF SCHUYLKILL HAVEN STATE POLICE TOOK PART IN A SURVEY ON ROUTE 445 IN WAYNE TOWNSHIP RECENTLY THAT RESULTED IN A 67% COMPLIANCE. KRUTE SAYS POLICE ARE TRYING TO GET PEOPLE TO REALIZE THE BENEFITS OF WEARING A SEATBELT, BUT ALSO GUARANTEES A TICKET WILL BE ISSUED IF A PERSON IS NOT WEARING ONE WHEN PULLED OVER.



STATE NEWS:

MIFFLINTOWN, PA. (AP) - THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HAS CONFIRMED TORNADOS TOUCHED DOWN MONDAY NIGHT IN FIVE COUNTIES IN EASTERN PENNSYLVANIA. STRONG WINDS DAMAGED HOMES AND DESTROYED BARNS. NO SERIOUS INJURIES WERE REPORTED.

HARRISBURG, PA. (AP) - MAJORITY REPUBLICANS IN THE HOUSE ARE SENDING THEIR STATE BUDGET PROPOSAL TO THE SENATE OVER LOUD OBJECTIONS BY DEMOCRATS DURING A MARATHON FLOOR DEBATE. THE CHAMBER VOTED 109-TO-92 YESTERDAY TO APPROVE A $27.3 BILLION SPENDING PLAN.

HARRISBURG, PA. (AP) - A BILL TO PRESERVE EXTENDED UNEMPLOYMENT BENEFITS FOR MORE THAN 100,000 JOBLESS PENNSYLVANIANS IS ON ITS WAY TO THE HOUSE. THE BILL WON FINAL SENATE APPROVAL YESTERDAY. IT WOULD REQUIRE PEOPLE TO ACTIVELY SEARCH FOR WORK AS A CONDITION OF BENEFITS.

HARRISBURG, PA. (AP) - A DAUPHIN COUNTY JUDGE HAS POSTPONED THE SECOND TRIAL OF DISGRACED POLITICAL POWER BROKER MIKE VEON UNTIL NEXT YEAR. THE JUDGE ISSUED AN ORDER YESTERDAY MOVING THE TRIAL DATE FROM JUNE 1ST TO FEBRUARY 6TH OF 2012.

NATIONAL NEWS:

DENNING, ARK. (AP) - TWO DEATHS IN ARKANSAS BRING TO NINE THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE WHO WERE KILLED WHEN SEVERE STORMS HIT THREE STATES. AN ARKANSAS EMERGENCY OFFICIAL SAYS AT LEAST ONE PERSON DIED AFTER A TORNADO RIPPED THROUGH THE COMMUNITY OF DENNING EARLY TODAY. AT LEAST FIVE PEOPLE DIED IN OKLAHOMA AND ANOTHER TWO IN
KANSAS.

PHOENIX (AP) - JARED LEE LOUGHNER WILL APPEAR IN COURT TODAY FOR A HEARING ON WHETHER HE'S COMPETENT TO STAND TRIAL IN THE SHOOTING SPREE THAT CRITICALLY WOUNDED CONGRESSWOMAN GABRIELLE GIFFORDS. SIX PEOPLE DIED. HE SPENT FIVE WEEKS GETTING A MENTAL EVALUATION.

LONDON (AP) - AIDES SAY AN ADDRESS TO BRITAIN'S PARLIAMENT TODAY IS THE CENTERPIECE OF PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA'S FOUR-COUNTRY,SIX-DAY EUROPEAN TRIP. AFGHANISTAN, LIBYA AND UPRISINGS IN THE MIDDLE EAST WILL BE ON THE AGENDA EARLIER, WHEN OBAMA MEETS WITH
BRITISH PRIME MINISTER DAVID CAMERON. OBAMA'S MESSAGE TO ALLIES IS THAT THEIR LONGSTANDING PARTNERSHIPS REMAIN THE CORNERSTONE OF AMERICA'S ENGAGEMENT WITH THE WORLD.

SANTA ANA, CALIF. (AP) - ATTORNEYS FOR TOY MAKER MGA ENTERTAINMENT INC. WILL ARGUE FOR DAMAGES AND COURT COSTS AGAINST MATTEL IN A TRADE SECRETS CASE. MATTEL WILL ASK THE FEDERAL JUDGE IN CALIFORNIA JUDGE TO THROW OUT A JURY'S GUILTY VERDICT TODAY. THE
MULTIMILLION DOLLAR ARGUMENT IS OVER THE BRATZ DOLL LINE.

LOS ANGELES (AP) - NASA HAS MADE ONE LAST CALL TO ITS PLUCKY MARS ROVER SPIRIT, BUT CONCEDES IT'S TIME TO SAY GOODBYE. SHORTLY AFTER MIDNIGHT, NASA SENT A WAKE UP SIGNAL TO THE ROVER MIRED IN SAND ON MARS. ORBITING SPACECRAFT WILL CONTINUE TO PASSIVELY LISTEN UNTIL THE END OF MAY -- WITHOUT MUCH CHANCE OF SUCCESS. SPIRIT
LANDED IN 2004 AND WORKED LONG BEYOND ITS EXPECTED THREE MONTHS.