TODAY'S NEWS: MONDAY, JUNE 20, 2011

BOIL ADVISORY

A WATER BOIL ADVISORY TAKES EFFECT THIS MORNING FOR SHENANDOAH, SHENANDOAH HEIGHTS, BROWNSVILLE, TURKEY RUN AND WESTON PLACE AND WILL CONTINUE UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE DUE TO IMPROVEMENTS BEING MADE TO THE SYSTEM IN THOSE MUNICIPALITIES.

FIRE IN MINERSVILLE

FIRE CREWS WERE CALLED OUT EARLY THIS MORNING TO BATTLE A BLAZE IN MINERSVILLE.THE FIRE WAS REPORTED JUST AFTER TWO THIS MORNING AT 233 SOUTH DELAWARE AVENUE AND SOON WENT TO TWO ALARMS.SCHUYLKILL COUNTY 9-1-1 REPORTS THAT FOUR HOMES ARE INVOLVED IN THAT FIRE. THERE HAVE BEEN NO INJURIES REPORTED. THREE PEOPLE ARE WITHOUT A PLACE TO STAY DUE TO THAT FIRE. A STATE POLICE FIRE MARSHAL IS INVESTIGATING. FOUR MOTORCYCLISTS INJURED IN CRASH

FOUR MOTORCYCLISTS WERE INJURED SATURDAY MORNING WHEN THEY LOST CONTROL OF THEIR MOTORCYCLES IN TILDEN TOWNSHIP. AMONG THOSE MEN WAS 29-YEAR-OLD CHAD DANEHOWER OF ORWIGSBURG. HAMBURG POLICE TELL US, ALL SUFFERED SEVERE ABRASIONS AND WERE TAKEN TO VARIOUS HOSPITALS. ALL WERE WEARING HELMETS.

WITH LESS THAN TWO WEEKS REMAINING IN THE FISCAL YEAR, HOUSE AND SENATE NEGOTIATORS ARE WORKING NON-STOP IN HARRISBURG TOWARD A FINAL VERSION OF THIS YEAR'S STATE BUDGET PLAN. MIKE DAVIES HAS MORE


LAST WEEK, STATE LEGISLATURE PASSED A BILL TO BAN THE USE AND SALE OF BATH SALTS. REP MIKE TOBASH SAYS HE'S GLAD OF THE APPROVAL. MIKE DAVIES HAS MORE

THE AARP IS ADVISING OLDER AMERICANS HOW TO MAKE THE MOST OF THEIR MONEY, AND SUGGESTING WAYS TO PROTECT AGAINST FRAUD. A NEW STUDY FINDS SOME KEY BEHAVIORS CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN STAYING SAFE AND BECOMING A VICTIM YOUTH CENTER OPENS

MINERSVILLE YOUTH CENTER HAS OPENED ITS DOORS TO STUDENTS IN GRADES SEVEN THRU TWELVE. THE CENTER, LOCATED IN THE HALL OF ST. MICHAELS THE ARCHANGEL CATHOLIC CHURCH,WAS DESIGNED TO KEEP AREA YOUTH OFF THE STREETS AND OUT OF TROUBLE. THE CENTER CURRENTLY HAS GAMES SUCH AS PINBALL AND ARCADE GAMES PLUS KIDS CAN LISTEN TO MUSIC ON THE JUKEBOX. THE REPUBLICAN HERALD REPORTS ABOUT A DOZEN STUDENTS HAVE USED THE CENTER. HOURS OF OPERATION 6P-10P DAILY, EXCEPT FOR WEDNESDAY AND SUNDAY.


MINERSVILLE SCHOOL DISTRICT

THE MINERSVILLE ELEMENTARY IS LOOKING TO RENOVATE TWO CLASSROOMS THIS SUMMER WITH PROPOSALS BEING WRITTEN BY THE DISTRICT. SCHOOL OFFICIALS ARE HOPING TO HAVE THE RENOVATIONS COMPLETED FOR THE 2011-2012 SCHOOL YEAR. THE CLASSROOMS BEING RENOVATED ARE CURRENTLY MUSIC ROOMS BUT THE DISTRICT WANTS TO CHANGE THEM BACK TO TWO SEPARATE CLASSROOMS AND INCLUDE NEW ELECTRICAL WIRING, LIGHTING AND A NEW PHONE SYSTEM.

JUNETEENTH CELEBRATION

OVER FIFTY PEOPLE GATHERED AT THE ROUNDHOUSE IN POTTSVILLE SATURDAY TO HONOR THE 11TH ANNUAL JUNETEENTH CELEBRATION. JUNETEENTH IS THE OLDEST CELEBRATION RECOGNIZING THE END OF SLAVERY IN THE UNITED STATES. POTTSVILLE MAYOR, JOHN REILLY, PRESENTED A KEY TO THE CITY TO FREEDOM RIDER BETTY DANIELS ROSEMOND. REILLY PROCLAIMED JUNE 17 THROUGH JUNE 19 TO BE JUNETEENTH WEEKEND.


STATE NEWS:

PHILADELPHIA (AP) - POLICE ARE TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHY SOMEONE KILLED THE OWNER OF A NORTH PHILADELPHIA CORNER GROCERY STORE. POLICE SAY THE 59-YEAR-OLD OWNER OF LOS INGENITOS WAS FOUND SHOT TO DEATH SATURDAY NIGHT. THREE MEN WERE REPORTEDLY SEEN RUNNING FROM THE AREA.

NEW KENSINGTON, PA. (AP) - AUTHORITIES IN WESTERN PENNSYLVANIA SAY FOUR FIREFIGHTERS WERE HURT IN ONE OF TWO BLAZES THAT BROKE OUT A FEW BLOCKS APART. OFFICIALS SAY THE PERSON WHO LIVED AT ONE OF THE NEW KENSINGTON HOMES WAS AT WORK WHEN THE FIRST FIRE WAS REPORTED SATURDAY NIGHT. THE SECOND BLAZE WAS REPORTED LESS THAN AN HOUR LATER AT A VACANT HOME.

NOXEN, PA. (AP) - RESIDENTS AND VISITORS IN NORTHEASTERN PENNSYLVANIA SPENT THE WEEKEND DEVELOPING A RELATIONSHIP WITH RATTLERS. THE RATTLESNAKE ROUNDUP IN WYOMING COUNTY'S NOXEN TOWNSHIP HAS BEEN HELD FOR ALMOST FOUR DECADES. PEOPLE COULD HELP
CATCH SNAKES, OR JUST LOOK AT THEM IN AN ENCLOSURE. THE FESTIVITIES ALSO INCLUDED A CARNIVAL, FLEA MARKET AND SOFTBALL TOURNAMENT.

NATIONAL NEWS:

ATLANTA (AP) - GEORGIA'S NEW LAW CRACKING DOWN ON ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION IS THE SUBJECT OF LEGAL ARGUMENTS TODAY. A FEDERAL JUDGE IN ATLANTA WILL HEAR THE CASE BROUGHT BY CIVIL LIBERTIES GROUPS TRYING TO BLOCK THE LAW FROM TAKING EFFECT PENDING A LAWSUIT FILED EARLIER THIS MONTH. JUDGE THOMAS THRASH HAS INDICATED HE MAY RULE FROM THE BENCH.

LACEY TOWNSHIP, N.J. (AP) - ACCOMMODATIONS MADE FOR AGING NUCLEAR PLANTS BY U.S. REGULATORS HAVE RAISED FEARS THAT SAFETY IS BEING UNDERMINED AND THE REACTORS ARE INCHING CLOSER TO AN ACCIDENT THAT COULD HARM THE PUBLIC AND JEOPARDIZE THE FUTURE OF NUCLEAR POWER. AN ASSOCIATED PRESS INVESTIGATION FINDS THAT REGULATORS HAVE
REPEATEDLY WEAKENED RULES OR NOT ENFORCED THEM TO KEEP THE NATION'S AGING NUCLEAR REACTORS RUNNING WITHIN SAFETY LIMITS.

MEDFORD, N.Y. (AP) - POLICE IN MEDFORD, N.Y., ABOUT 60 MILES EAST OF NEW YORK CITY, ARE STILL LOOKING FOR A SUSPECT WHO SHOT AND KILLED FOUR PEOPLE INSIDE A PHARMACY DURING AN APPARENT ROBBERY SUNDAY. INVESTIGATORS BELIEVE THAT A SINGLE GUNMAN WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE SHOOTING. THEY SAY HE TOOK PRESCRIPTION DRUGS AND FLED THE PHARMACY CARRYING A BLACK BACKPACK.

COLUMBUS, OHIO (AP) - A NEW U.S. STUDY ON DROWNINGS SAYS EVEN PORTABLE POOLS CARRY A DROWNING RISK FOR CHILDREN. THE STUDY IN THE JOURNAL PEDIATRICS SAYS A CHILD DIES EVERY FIVE DAYS IN A PORTABLE POOL DURING THE WARM-WEATHER MONTHS. IT CALLS FOR EFFECTIVE AND AFFORDABLE PROTECTION DEVICES FOR THE POOLS, ALONG WITH CONSTANT ADULT SUPERVISION.

BEIRUT (AP) - A SPEECH TODAY COULD BE A KEY TEST OF WHETHER SYRIAN PRESIDENT BASHAR ASSAD WILL BEND TO OPPOSITION DEMANDS. IT'S HIS THIRD ADDRESS TO THE NATION SINCE THE COUNTRY'S UPRISING BEGAN IN MARCH, FOLLOWED BY A VIOLENT GOVERNMENT CRACKDOWN. MANY PROTESTERS INSIST THEY WILL ACCEPT NOTHING LESS THAN THE REGIME'S DOWNFALL.