TODAY'S NEWS: JUNE 1, 2011

FIRE BREAKS OUT IN POTTSVILLE

AN EARLY MORNING FIRE BROKE OUT IN POTTSVILLE ALONG THE 600 BLOCK OF NORTH SECOND STREET. FIRE CREWS WERE CALLED TO THE BLAZE JUST BEFORE 1AM THIS MORNING. THE HOME HAD A FOR SALE SIGN ON IT AND APPEARED TO BE VACANT. WE WILL HAVE MORE DETAILS AS THEY BECOME AVAILABLE.

FIRE RULED ACCIDENTAL

FIRE OFFICIALS IN MAHANOY CITY HAVE RULED THE FIRE IN THE MAHANOY MIDDLE SCHOOL ACCIDENTAL CITING ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS IN THE CAFETERIA STORAGE ROOM AS THE CAUSE. THE FIRE WAS UNDER CONTROL WITHIN 20 MINUTES, HOWEVER, THE FIRE WAS SO INTENSE IT DID CAUSE STRUCTURAL DAMAGE TO THE SCHOOL. THE MIDDLE SCHOOL RECEIVED THE MOST DAMAGE WHILE THE ELEMENTARY AND HIGH SCHOOL SUFFERED MINOR SMOKE DAMAGE.

CLASSES CONTINUE FOR ELEMENTARY AND HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS

DUE TO THE FIRE THAT TORE THROUGH THE MIDDLE SCHOOL IN MAHANOY CITY ON MONDAY, SCHOOL OFFICIALS SPENT YESTERDAY DECIDING ON HOW TO COMPLETE THE REMAINING SCHOOL YEAR FOR STUDENTS. OFFICIALS DECIDED TO CANCEL THE REMAINING DAYS FOR MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENTS, BUT ELEMENTARY AND HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS WILL CONTINUE WITH CLASSES SINCE THOSE BUILDINGS RECEIVED THE LEAST DAMAGE. ACCORDING TO THE SCHOOL DISTRICT'S WEBSITE, ELEMENTARY STUDENTS WILL ATTEND FULL DAY CLASSES UNTIL FRIDAY. HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS WILL DISMISS TODAY AT 11 AM SO THEY CAN ATTEND A FILED TRIP TO MCANN'S. GRADUATION CEREMONIES WILL GO ON AS SCHEDULED FOR JUNE 7TH. DISTRICT OFFICIALS WILL MEET ON FRIDAY TO DISCUSS NEXT WEEK'S SCHEDULE.

FORMER SHENANDOAH COPS TO BE SENTENCED TODAY

TWO FORMER POLICE OFFICERS ACCUSED OF HINDERING AN FBI INVESTIGATION INTO THE BEATING DEATH OF AN ILLEGAL MEXICAN IMMIGRANT ARE DUE IN COURT FOR SENTENCING. FORMER SHENANDOAH POLICE CHIEF MATTHEW NESTOR AND FORMER LT. WILLIAM MOYER WILL BE SENTENCED TODAY IN WILKES-BARRE. FEDERAL PROSECUTORS CHARGED NESTOR, MOYER AND A THIRD FORMER OFFICER WITH HELPING A GROUP OF WHITE HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL PLAYERS CONCEAL THEIR ROLES IN THE JULY 2008 ATTACK ON 25-YEAR-OLD LUIS RAMIREZ IN SHENANDOAH. JURORS CLEARED ALL THREE DEFENDANTS OF CONSPIRACY TO OBSTRUCT THE FEDERAL INVESTIGATION. NESTOR WAS CONVICTED OF A SINGLE COUNT OF FALSIFYING A POLICE REPORT. MOYER WAS FOUND GUILTY OF LYING TO THE FBI. THE THIRD OFFICER, JASON HAYES, WAS ACQUITTED OF ALL CHARGES.

MAHANOY CITY HOUSE COLLAPSES

THE REAR PORTION OF A THREE-STORY BUILDING IN MAHANOY CITY COLLAPSED MONDAY, AFTER BEING VACANT FOR NEARLY A DECADE. DEMOLITION ON THE PROPERTY AT 425 WEST CENTRE STREET, THE FORMER GUTSIE PIZZA HOUSE, COULD BEGIN AS EARLY AS TODAY. THE REPUBLICAN HERALD REPORTS, DECLARING THE PROPERTY TO BE AN EMERGENCY SITUATION ALLOWS THE BOROUGH TO SKIP THE BIDDING PROCESS TYPICALLY REQUIRED. BEFORE THE BUILDING IS DEMOLISHED, THE BOROUGH MUST ALSO GET PERMISSION FROM THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF COMMUNITY AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT'S HISTORICAL PRESERVATION OFFICE.

STATE NEWS:

DARBY, PA. (AP) - THE HOT WEATHER PROMPTED OFFICIALS AT ONE PHILADELPHIA-AREA ELEMENTARY SCHOOL TO SEND STUDENTS HOME EARLY YESTERDAY. THE DELAWARE COUNTY DAILY TIMES REPORTS THE SCHOOL WILL ALSO BE CLOSED TODAY. THE HEAT BUCKLED WESTBOUND LANES OF ROUTE 422 NEAR POTTSTOWN. IN PITTSBURGH, OFFICIALS OPENED A COOLING CENTER AND SPRAY PARK TO COMBAT TEMPERATURES.

PHILADELPHIA (AP) - FORMER ALASKA GOVERNOR SARAH PALIN MADE A BRIEF STOP IN PHILADELPHIA YESTERDAY AFTER A VISIT TO GETTYSBURG NATIONAL MILITARY PARK. PALIN SPENT ABOUT A HALF HOUR VISITING BOTH INDEPENDENCE HALL AND THE LIBERTY BELL BEFORE SHE LEFT.

POTTSTOWN, PA. (AP) - ONE OF THE TWO NUCLEAR REACTORS AT EXELON NUCLEAR'S LIMERICK GENERATING STATION REMAINS SHUT DOWN BECAUSE OF AN ELECTRICAL GLITCH. EXELON SAID IN A STATEMENT THAT UNIT 2 SHUT DOWN SUNDAY MORNING WHEN A TURBINE CONTROL VALVE TRIPPED AFTER SCHEDULED TESTING AND MAINTENANCE ON AN ELECTRICAL SYSTEM IN A
NON-NUCLEAR SECTION OF THE POWER PLANT.

PHILADELPHIA (AP) - AUTHORITIES IN PHILADELPHIA SAY A POLICE OFFICER LOST CONTROL OF HIS PERSONAL CAR ON A RIVERSIDE DRIVE, AND PLUNGED INTO THE WATER AND DIED. PASSERS-BY TRIED TO RESCUE SERGEANT STEPHEN NAUGHTON FROM THE SCHUYLKILL (SKOO'-KILL) RIVER.
POLICE SAY NAUGHTON HAD TO BE CUT FREE FROM HIS SEAT BELT. HE LATER DIED AT A HOSPITAL.

NATIONAL NEWS:

WASHINGTON (AP) - A WHITE HOUSE MEETING ON RAISING THE DEBT CEILING IS PLANNED FOR THIS MORNING AS PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA SITS DOWN WITH HOUSE REPUBLICANS. THEY WANT ANY HIKE IN THE DEBT CEILING TO BE TIED TO STEEP SPENDING CUTS. YESTERDAY, IN A SYMBOLIC VOTE SET UP BY REPUBLICANS, THE HOUSE SOUNDLY DEFEATED A BILL TO RAISE
THE CEILING.

CAPE CANAVERAL, FLA. (AP) - ENDEAVOUR'S FLYING DAYS ARE OVER,AND ITS NEXT DESTINATION IS A SCIENCE CENTER IN CALIFORNIA. THE SHUTTLE AND ITS SIX-PERSON CREW LANDED A FEW HOURS AGO AT CAPE CANAVERAL, FINISHING ITS 25TH MISSION. THE NEXT, AND FINAL, SHUTTLE MISSION IS SET TO BEGIN JULY 8TH BY ATLANTIS.

PESHAWAR, PAKISTAN (AP) - PAKISTANI POLICE SAY AT LEAST FIVE SECURITY TROOPS WERE KILLED WHEN SOME 200 MILITANTS FROM AFGHANISTAN CROSSED THE BORDER AND ATTACKED A CHECKPOINT. IT'S BELIEVED THE ATTACK WAS REACTION TO OFFENSIVES ALONG THE BORDER BY
PAKISTAN'S MILITARY, RATHER THAN REVENGE FOR THE KILLING OF OSAMA BIN LADEN.

TOKYO (AP) - U.N. NUCLEAR INSPECTORS HAVE BOTH CRITICISM AND PRAISE FOR JAPAN CONCERNING ITS RECENT NUCLEAR DISASTER. THE INTERNATIONAL ATOMIC ENERGY AGENCY SAYS JAPAN SHOULD HAVE REALIZED A TSUNAMI COULD CAUSE SO MUCH DAMAGE. BUT THE IAEA ALSO SAYS THE OVERALL RESPONSE TO THE CRISIS WAS EXEMPLARY.

WASHINGTON (AP) - ATTORNEY GENERAL ERIC HOLDER TESTIFIES TODAY AT A HEARING BEFORE THE U.S. SENTENCING COMMISSION ABOUT GUIDELINES FOR CRACK COCAINE. THE COMMISSION MAY EASE THE GUIDELINES, CHOPPING AN AVERAGE THREE YEARS OFF THE SENTENCES OF THOUSANDS OF FEDERAL INMATES. IT COULD MEAN EARLY RELEASE FOR SOME 12,000 OF THEM.