TODAY'S NEWS: WEDNESDAY, JUNE 22, 2011

LOCAL VENDORS WILL HEAD TO SCHUYLKILL HAVEN FOR THE 3RD ANNUAL WINE, WALK AND WANDER. MITCHELL HECKMAN HAS MORE:

HOUSE BILL 1708 WOULD CREATE A RESCUE VOUCHER FOR FAMILIES IN NEED LIVING IN FAILING SCHOOL DISTRICTS. THE BILL ADDRESSES THE VIOLENT, FAILING DISTRICTS WHERE STUDENTS ARE TRAPPED. THESE SCHOOLS HAVE GRADUATION RATES IN THE 30 PERCENT RANGE, AND UNDER-PERFORMING PROFICIENCY RATES. MIKE DAVIES REPORTS:

FIRE CONSIDERED SUSPICIOUS

THE FIRE THAT RAVAGED FOUR HOMES ON DELAWARE AVENUE IN MINERSVILLE IS NOW BEING CONSIDERED SUSPICIOUS BY STATE FIRE MARSHAL JOHN BURNS. IT TOOK MORE THAN TWO HOURS AND SEVERAL FIRE CREWS TO CONTAIN THE FIRE MONDAY MORNING. NO ONE WAS INJURED AND THE RED CROSS IS HELPING THOSE DISPLACED BY THE FIRE.


2ND WAYMART LOCATION TO CLOSE

WHILE THE CHANGE IN OWNERSHIP FOR WAYMART IN POTTSVILLE WILL TAKE AFFECT JULY 18, STORE OWNER WAYNE HAAS HAS ANNOUNCED THE MINERSVILLE LOCATION WILL BE CLOSING. HAAS ANNOUNCED THE BUSINESS OF 33 YEARS WILL CLOSE ON JULY 4TH. A NEW COMPANY WILL BE REMODELING THE PROPERTY AND ADDING A "SUPER ADDITION" TO THE COMMUNITY OF MINERSVILLE.

TAMAQUA BOARD APPROVES BUDGET

THE FINAL BUDGET HAS BEEN APPROVED BY THE TAMAQUA AREA SCHOOL BOARD. THE 24 MILLION DOLLAR BUDGET INCLUDES THE ELIMINATION OF 10 PROFESSIONAL EMPLOYEES, A WAGE FREEZE AND AN INCREASE IN THE PAY-TO-PLAY FEE FOR STUDENT ATHLETES. NO DECISIONS HAS BEEN MADE TO THE PROPOSED WINTER SCHEDULE OF A 4 DAY SCHOOL WEEK AS NEGOTIATIONS CONTINUE WITH THE TEACHERS UNION.

BUTLER TOWNSHIP REQUIRES SEWER EXAM

RESIDENTS OF BUTLER TOWNSHIP WHO PLAN ON SELLING THEIR HOME WILL NOW BE REQUIRED TO HAVE THEIR SEWER SYSTEM INSPECTED BEFORE PROPERTY TRANSFER CAN BE COMPLETED. DESIGNED TO REDUCE THE AMOUNT OF STORM WATER ENTERING THE CLOSED SEWER SYSTEM, RESIDENTS WILL HAVE TO NOTIFY THE TOWNSHIP MUNICIPAL AUTHORITY PRIOR TO ANY PROPERTY TRANSACTIONS. IF VIOLATED A PERSON CAN FACE A FINE FROM $300 TO $1000 PER VIOLATION. THE ORDINANCE WAS APPROVED BY BUTLER TOWNSHIP SUPERVISORS ON TUESDAY.

MOST CHILD SAFETY SEATS IMPROPERLY INSTALLED

MORE THAN THREE-QUARTERS OF THE 319 CHILD PASSENGER SAFETY SEATS INSPECTED BY STATE TROOPERS DURING A TWO-WEEK ENFORCEMENT EFFORT KNOWN AS "CLICK IT OR TICKET" WERE FOUND TO BE IMPROPERLY INSTALLED. STATE POLICE ARE URGING PARENTS TO CHECK THE CHILD SAFETY SEATS IN THEIR VEHICLES AND SEEK ASSISTANCE FROM STATE POLICE IF THEY HAVE ANY QUESTIONS.

MEMORIAL HONORS HEROES AND VICTIMS OF 1959 ACCIDENT

ZION'S RED CHURCH IN ORWIGSBURG HAS CREATED A MEMORIAL FOR THE VICTIMS AND HEROES OF A TRAGIC PROPANE TANK EXPLOSION IN 1959. THE REPUBLICAN HERALD REPORTS, A STONE MEMORIAL AND GARDEN WILL HONOR THE 11 PEOPLE KILLED IN THE ACCIDENT. THE MEMORIAL PRAYER GARDEN DEDICATION WILL BE HELD JUNE 30 AT 6:30PM OUTSIDE THE CHURCH.


STUFF THE BUS

THE 10TH ANNUAL STUFF THE BUS CAMPAIGN WILL BEGIN JULY 1. ORGANIZED BY THE SCHUYLKILL UNITED WAY, THIS MONTH LONG CAMPAIGN WILL FEATURE BUSES PARKED IN FRONT OF SEVERAL LOCATIONS SERVING AS DROP OFF POINTS FOR DONATIONS OF SCHOOL SUPPLIES. FOR A COMPLETE LIST OF LOCATIONS LOG ON TO WPPA RADIO.COM

BUS LOCATIONS:

FAIRLANE VILLAGE MALL, POTTSVILLE
SCHUYLKILL MALL, FRACKVILLE
CRESSONA MALL, CRESSONA

STATE NEWS:

PHILADELPHIA (AP) - A CORONER'S REPORT SAYS "JACKASS" DAREDEVIL RYAN DUNN AND PASSENGER ZACHARY HARTWELL DIED FROM THE IMPACT AND RESULTING FIRE OF A CAR CRASH IN SUBURBAN PHILADELPHIA. OFFICIALS SAY TOXICOLOGY RESULTS WILL TAKE FOUR TO SIX WEEKS TO COMPLETE. AUTHORITIES SAY DUNN'S PORSCHE MAY HAVE BEEN TRAVELING AS FAST AS 100 MPH WHEN IT CRASHED EARLY MONDAY.

PITTSBURGH (AP) - A TEENAGER TESTIFIED IN A PITTSBURGH COURTROOM YESTERDAY THAT HE CALLED RICHARD POPLAWSKI DURING A STANDOFF WITH POLICE IN 2009. POPLAWSKI IS ON TRIAL FOR ALLEGEDLY SHOOTING AND KILLING THREE POLICE OFFICERS WHO RESPONDED TO A DOMESTIC DISPUTE WITH HIS MOTHER. MICHAEL BOGART TESTIFIED POPLAWSKI ADMITTED ON THE
PHONE THAT HE SHOT THREE POLICE OFFICERS.

PHILADELPHIA (AP) - A SUBURBAN PHILADELPHIA WOMAN WHO STAGED A FAKE KIDNAPPING THAT ENDED AT DISNEY WORLD HAS PLEADED GUILTY TO SWINDLING NEARLY $1 MILLION FROM HER EX-BOSS AND AN ELDERLY RELATIVE. FEASTERVILLE RESIDENT BONNIE SWEETEN TOLD 911 OPERATORS
IN 2009 THAT TWO MEN KIDNAPPED HER AND HER 9-YEAR-OLD DAUGHTER. THEY LATER SURFACED AT A DISNEY HOTEL IN ORLANDO, FLORIDA.

WEST CHESTER, PA. (AP) - AN ELDERLY SUBURBAN PHILADELPHIA MAN AWAITING SENTENCING IN THE STABBING DEATH OF HIS WIFE OF 63 YEARS HAS DIED. EIGHTY-NINE-YEAR-OLD ERNEST RAYFIELD OF SPRINGFIELD DIED SATURDAY, ACCORDING TO HIS SON, PAUL. HE SAYS HIS FATHER HAD BEEN DIAGNOSED WITH LUNG CANCER IN FEBRUARY AND DIED IN HIS SLEEP.

NATIONAL NEWS:

WASHINGTON (AP) - A SENIOR U.S. DEFENSE OFFICIAL SAYS THE TROOP DRAWDOWN IN AFGHANISTAN TO BEGIN THIS JULY WILL INVOLVE THE PHASED WITHDRAWAL OF ABOUT 10,000 MILITARY MEMBERS. THE OFFICIAL SAYS IT'S EXPECTED TO TAKE LESS THAN A YEAR WITH 5,000 TROOPS COMING HOME THIS SUMMER AND AN ADDITIONAL 5,000 BY WINTER OR SPRING 2012. OBAMA MAKES HIS ANNOUNCEMENT TODAY.

WASHINGTON (AP) - PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA HAS LAID OUT THE RULES OF ENGAGEMENT FOR THE MILITARY'S USE OF CYBER-WARFARE. HE'S SIGNED EXECUTIVE ORDERS THAT LAY OUT HOW FAR MILITARY COMMANDERS AROUND THE GLOBE CAN GO USING COMPUTER TECHNOLOGY AGAINST ENEMIES AND AS PART OF ROUTINE ESPIONAGE IN OTHER COUNTRIES.

NEW ORLEANS (AP) - TRIAL BEGINS WITH JURY SELECTION TODAY FOR FIVE CURRENT OR FORMER NEW ORLEANS POLICE OFFICERS CHARGED IN DEADLY SHOOTINGS OF UNARMED RESIDENTS ON A BRIDGE AFTER HURRICANE KATRINA. THE TRIAL IS EXPECTED TO LAST ABOUT EIGHT WEEKS. FIVE
FORMER OFFICERS ALREADY HAVE PLEADED GUILTY TO PARTICIPATING IN A COVER-UP. ONE INVESTIGATOR WILL BE TRIED SEPARATELY.

CHICAGO (AP) - OFFICIALS SAY TWO EMPTY OR NEARLY EMPTY INBOUND TRAINS ON CHICAGO'S COMMUTER RAIL SYSTEM WERE STILL STRANDED BEFORE DAWN AFTER SEVERE STORMS HIT THE AREA. THUNDERSTORMS AND HEAVY WINDS POUNDED THE UPPER MIDWEST LAST NIGHT CREATING HAVOC FOR AIR TRAVELERS AND COMMUTER RAIL PASSENGERS, SOME OF WHOM WERE STRANDED
FOR HOURS.

PHOENIX (AP) - OFFICIALS SAY THE FIRE DANGER IN THE SOUTHWEST IS LIKELY TO REMAIN HIGH FOR WEEKS UNTIL SEASONAL RAINS ARRIVE. STORMS THAT NORMALLY STOP THE THREAT AREN'T EXPECTED UNTIL AT LEAST MID-JULY. OFFICIALS SAY THAT MEANS THE LARGE BLAZES CHURNING ACROSS ARIZONA MAY NOT BE THE LAST. CREWS HAVE MADE SIGNIFICANT PROGRESS
ATTACKING THREE MAJOR FIRES.