TODAY'S NEWS: JUNE 14, 2011

STATE REP. MIKE TOBASH(SCHUYLKILL, BERKS)SPEAKS OUT ABOUT MARCELLUS SHALE AND THE STATE BUDGET. J MATTHEWS REPORTS

BLUE MOUNTAIN TEEN WINS FEDERAL CASE

THE 3RD CIRCUIT COURT OF APPEALS IN PHILADELPHIA HAS RULED IN A STUDENT FROM BLUE MOUNTAIN SCHOOL DISTRICT'S FAVOR. THE COURT RULED THAT THE SCHOOL CANNOT DISCIPLINE STUDENTS FOR MYSPACE PARODIES OF THEIR PRINCIPLES OFF SCHOOL GROUNDS BECAUSE STUDENT SPEECH IS PROTECTED UNDER SUPREME COURT CASE LAW. THE STUDENT HAD POSTED A MYSPACE PROFILE OF BLUE MOUNTAIN MIDDLE SCHOOL PRINCIPLE JAMES MCGONIGLE IN MARCH 2007 THE PROFILE INCLUDED ALLEGATIONS OF SEXUAL MISCONDUCT, INSULTS AND PICTURES OF THE PRINCIPLE.

POTTSVILLE BANS SYNTHETIC DRUG

POTTSVILLE CITY COUNCIL BANNED THE POSSESSION , SALE AND MANUFACTURING OF BATH SALTS LACED WITH ILLEGAL DRUGS AT LAST NIGHT'S CITY COUNCIL MEETING. THE FIRST OFFENSE CARRIES A HEAVY FINE OF $1000 AND 30 DAYS IN JAIL. IN MAY SCHUYLKILL COUNTY JUDGE JACQUELINE RUSSELL ISSUED A COUNTY-WIDE BAN ON THE SYNTHETIC DRUG.

CHARTER SCHOOL MEETING WILL ALLOW POTTSVILLE SCHOOL BOARD

POTTSVILLE AREA SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS ALONG WITH THE DISTRICT SUPERINTENDENT HAVE BEEN GRANTED PERMISSION TO ATTEND THE NEXT MEETING OF THE GILLINGHAM CHARTER SCHOOL COLLABORATIVE. THE REPUBLICAN HERALD REPORTS, THE MEETING SCHEDULED FOR THURSDAY WILL BE HELD AT THE HOME OF NICOLLE HUTCHINSON, THE COLLABORATIVE PRESIDENT. NEITHER THE PUBLIC NOR PRESS IS ALLOWED AT THE MEETING.

SENIOR PICNIC HELD TODAY

THE SENIOR SET WILL HAVE PLENTY TO DO IN THE BOROUGH OF SCHUYLKILL HAVEN TODAY AS IT'S TIME FOR THE ANNUAL SENIOR CITIZEN APPRECIATION DAY AND PICNIC AT PICTURESQUE BUBECK PARK. THERE'S ALWAYS PLENTY OF GREAT FOOD, SUPER ENTERTAINMENT AND FELLOWSHIP FOR THOSE OVER 50 WHO LIVE IN THE BOROUGH. GET THERE EARLY AS THE EVENT HAS DRAWN LARGE CROWDS IN PREVIOUS YEARS. RESERVATIONS ARE STRONGLY SUGGESTED. CALL SCHUYLKILL HAVEN BOROUGH HALL AT 385-2841.


MAYOR ADVISORY COMMITTEE TO HOLD MEETING.

SCHUYLKILL HAVEN MAYOR GARY HESS’S ADVISORY COMMITTEE IS PLANNING A MEETING FOR JUNE 20TH TO DISCUSS THE TOURISM ASSETS OF THE COMMUNITY. THE PURPOSE IS THE MARKETING PLAN FOR THE 130 MILE SCHUYLKILL RIVER TRAIL. WHEN COMPLETED THE TRAIL WILL RUN FROM POTTSVILLE TO PHILADELPHIA AND OFFER PEOPLE THE CHANCE TO HIKE OR BIKE. IN JANUARY OF THIS YEAR SCHUYLKILL HAVEN WAS AWARDED A GRANT TO BE USED FOR THE FORMATION OF A HERITAGE ACTION PLAN FOR THE COMMUNITY.

BID FOR FRACKVILLE DEMOLITION APPROVED

AT A SPECIAL MEETING MONDAY, FRACKVILLE BOROUGH COUNCIL ACCEPTED A LOW BID TO DEMOLISH THE HOMES DESTROYED IN THE JANUARY 2 FIRE ON HOWARD STREET. THE REPUBLICAN HERALD REPORTS, OUT OF EIGHT BIDS, THE LOW BID CAME FROM PENN EARTHWORKS INC. IN HAZLE TOWNSHIP FOR OF $29,440. A TOTAL SEVEN PROPERTIES WILL BE DEMOLISHED.

DEADLINE TO REPORT STORM DAMAGE

RESIDENTS AND BUSINESSES OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY THAT WERE AFFECTED BY THE EXTREME WEATHER ON MAY 23-26 SHOULD CONTACT SCHUYLKILL COUNTY EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCY TO REPORT ANY DAMAGE RELATED TO THE EXTREME WEATHER. SCHUYLKILL COUNTY EMA IS COLLECTING DATA TO POSSIBLY QUALIFY FOR LOW INTEREST LOANS FROM THE SMALL BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION TO ASSIST IN RESTORING PROPERTY AND HOMES TO LIVABLE CONDITION. THE DEADLINE TO REPORT DAMAGE TO BE INCLUDED IS FRIDAY, JUNE 17. TO REPORT STORM DAMAGE, PLEASE CONTACT THE SCHUYLKILL COUNTY EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCY PUBLIC INFORMATION LINE AT 570-621-9966.


STATE NEWS:

STATE COLLEGE, PA. (AP) - THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HAS CONFIRMED TWO TORNADOS TOUCHED DOWN IN YORK COUNTY OVER THE WEEKEND. FORECASTERS SAY A WEAK EF-1 TORNADO TOUCHED DOWN IN EAST WINDSOR SUNDAY AFTERNOON. THE TORNADO KNOCKED DOWN ABOUT 50 TREES. THE WEATHER SERVICE SAYS AN EF-0 TORNADO TOUCHED DOWN ABOUT FIVE MINUTES LATER NORTHEAST OF SPRINGVALE.

WASHINGTON, PA. (AP) - NEARLY 400 SUPPORTERS AND OPPONENTS OF NATURAL GAS DRILLING GATHERED AT WASHINGTON & JEFFERSON COLLEGE IN WESTERN PENNSYLVANIA FOR A U.S. DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY HEARING. LAST NIGHT'S HEARING WAS AIMED AT GATHERING COMMENTS ABOUT HYDRAULIC FRACTURING, OR FRACKING.

PHILADELPHIA (AP) - THE PHILADELPHIA FEDERATION OF TEACHERS SAYS THE PENNSYLVANIA SUPREME COURT HAS ISSUED A STAY IN A LAWSUIT THE UNION BROUGHT AGAINST THE PHILADELPHIA SCHOOL DISTRICT OVER TEACHER LAYOFFS. THE UNION SAID IN A STATEMENT LAST NIGHT THE RULING POSTPONES A HEARING SCHEDULED FOR THIS MORNING. A REPRESENTATIVE OF THE PHILADELPHIA SCHOOL DISTRICT COULDN'T BE REACHED FOR COMMENT.

YARDLEY, PA. (AP) - AUTHORITIES SAY SMOKING MAY HAVE SPARKED A SUBURBAN PHILADELPHIA HOUSE FIRE THAT LEFT ONE WOMAN DEAD. OFFICIALS SAY THE BLAZE IN LOWER MAKEFIELD TOWNSHIP BROKE OUT YESTERDAY MORNING. THE NAME OF THE VICTIM HAS NOT YET BEEN RELEASED PENDING NOTIFICATION OF HER RELATIVES.

NATIONAL NEWS:

BAGHDAD (AP) - THERE ARE CONFLICTING REPORTS ABOUT WHETHER AN ATTACK ON AN IRAQI GOVERNMENT COMPOUND THAT KILLED EIGHT PEOPLE IS UNDER CONTROL. AN IRAQI ARMY OFFICIAL SAYS THE ASSAILANTS SET OFF TWO CAR BOMBS OUTSIDE THE COMPOUND IN BAQOUBA 3MILES NORTHEAST OF BAGHDAD. GUNMEN THEN STORMED THE BUILDING AND TOOK HOSTAGES. IT'S NOT KNOWN IF ATTACKERS ARE AMONG THE DEAD.

HAMBURG, IOWA (AP) - AN EFFORT TO BOLSTER A SECONDARY LEVEE IS TRYING TO BEAT THE CLOCK, AND FLOODWATERS HEADING FOR A SMALL IOWA TOWN. HAMBURG COULD FIND ITSELF UNDER 10 FEET OF WATER IF THE SECOND LEVEE FAILS. CREWS ARE TRYING TO RAISE IT THREE FEET AFTER A MAIN LEVEE BROKE.

LUNA, N.M. (AP) - FIRE CREWS CLEARING BRUSH AND SETTING FIRE LINES HAVE BEEN ABLE TO PREVENT A MASSIVE WILDFIRE IN EASTERN ARIZONA FROM SPREADING TO A TOWN ACROSS THE STATE LINE IN NEW MEXICO. THE FIRE HAS BURNED FOR TWO WEEKS.

BERLIN (AP) - GERMAN AUTHORITIES SAY IT COULD TAKE WEEKS TO INVESTIGATE OF THE CRASH OF A GOODYEAR BLIMP THAT BURST INTO FLAMES, KILLING THE PILOT. A SPOKESMAN FOR THE FEDERAL BUREAU OF AIRCRAFT ACCIDENT INVESTIGATION, SAYS THE OFFICE IS INTERVIEWING
WITNESSES AND ANALYZING PHOTOS. A SURVIVOR WHO JUMPED FROM A WINDOW SAYS THE PILOT YELLED "WE HAD AN ACCIDENT!"

MANCHESTER, N.H. (AP) - MINNESOTA CONGRESSWOMAN MICHELE BACHMANN HAS USED THE FIRST MAJOR DEBATE OF THE CAMPAIGN SEASON TO ANNOUNCE HER CANDIDACY. FORMER HOUSE SPEAKER NEWT GINGRICH SAID NEW LEADERSHIP IS NEEDED TO END WHAT HE CALLED "THE OBAMA DEPRESSION." THE SEVEN GOP HOPEFULS APPEARED IN NEW HAMPSHIRE. THEY WERE LARGELY UNIFIED IN OPPOSITION TO SAME-SEX MARRIAGE.