TODAY'S NEWS: MONDAY, JUNE 6, 2011

RESIDENTS AND BUSINESSES IN SCHUYLKILL COUNTY THAT WERE AFFECTED BY ANY OF THE EXTREME WEATHER EVENTS FROM MAY 23 TO MAY 26 ARE INVITED TO ATTEND A WORKSHOP BEING CONDUCTED TODAY. JASMINE BROOKS HAS MORE:

FATAL CRASH

A CRASH EARLY SUNDAY MORNING CLAIMED THE LIFE OF A POTTSVILLE WOMAN. POLICE TELL US 25-YEAR-OLD KRISTEN PROKOP FLIPPED HER BRONCO AFTER HITTING A TELEPHONE POLL AT THE INTERSECTION OF ROUTE 901 IN BRANCH TOWNSHIP. PROKOP WAS LAST SCENE SPEEDING OUT FROM AMIGO’S MEXICAN GRILL. PROKOP WAS NOT WEARING A SEATBELT. THE EXACT CAUSE OF DEATH IS PENDING AN AUTOPSY.

PINE GROVE MAN TO FACE TRIAL ON 2ND SET OF DRUG, ANIMAL CRUELTY CHARGES

A PINE GROVE MAN SERVING A STATE PRISON SENTENCE AFTER VIOLATING HIS PROBATION ON ANIMAL CRUELTY AND DRUG CHARGES IS SLATED TO BE TRIED ON SIMILAR CHARGES DURING THE TWO-WEEK CRIMINAL COURT SESSION THAT STARTS TODAY. THE REPUBLICAN HERALD REPORTS, 40-YEAR-OLD ANDY OXENRIDER FACES SEVEN COUNTS OF CRUELTY TO ANIMALS AND ONE COUNT EACH OF POSSESSION OF A SMALL AMOUNT OF MARIJUANA AND DRUG PARAPHERNALIA. OXENRIDER IS SERVING HIS SENTENCE AT SCI/MAHANOY.

STATE NEWS:

HARRISBURG, PA. (AP) - STATE LAWMAKERS ARE CONSIDERING CHANGING STATE LAW SO VOTERS WOULD HAVE GREATER CONTROL OVER WHETHER SCHOOL BOARDS RAISE TAXES ABOVE THE RATE OF INFLATION. SUPPORTERS OF THE CHANGE SAY IT WOULD FORCE BOARDS TO BE MORE ACCOUNTABLE TO TAXPAYERS, BUT SCHOOL OFFICIALS WARN IT WOULD CREATE FINANCIAL CHAOS.

HARRSIBURG, PA. (AP) - PENNSYLVANIA'S AUDITOR GENERAL SAYS GOVERNOR TOM CORBETT WAS RIGHT TO SAVE UNEXPECTED REVENUE FLOWING INTO STATE COFFERS RATHER THAN USE IT TO EASE PAINFUL BUDGET CUTS. AUDITOR GENERAL JACK WAGNER BROKE WITH FELLOW DEMOCRATS LAST WEEK IN SAYING IT WAS MORE PRUDENT TO PUT THE HALF-BILLION DOLLARS INTO RESERVE.

CHESTER, PA. (AP) - NURSES AT A SUBURBAN PHILADELPHIA HOSPITAL SAY THEY MAY STRIKE IF NO AGREEMENT IS REACHED TO REPLACE THE CURRENT CONTRACT, WHICH EXPIRES WEDNESDAY. THE DELAWARE COUNTY DAILY TIMES REPORTS, THE UNION REPRESENTING THE NURSES HAS BEEN NEGOTIATING WITH CROZER CHESTER MEDICAL CENTER SINCE MARCH.

KITTANNING, PA. (AP) - AUTHORITIES IN WESTERN PENNSYLVANIA SAY A BOY PULLED FROM A MOTEL SWIMMING POOL IN ARMSTRONG COUNTY HAS DIED. THE ALLEGHENY COUNTY MEDICAL EXAMINER'S OFFICE SAYS 8-YEAR-OLD TRENT BARRETT OF KITTANNING WAS PLAYING IN THE POOL AT STALEY'S MOTEL IN RAYBURN TOWNSHIP SATURDAY NIGHT.

NATIONAL NEWS:

FORWARD OPERATING BASE SHARANA, AFGHANISTAN (AP) - RETIRING DEFENSE SECRETARY ROBERT GATES SAYS DESPITE THE DEATH OF OSAMA BIN LADEN, IT'S STILL TOO SOON TO WIND DOWN THE AFGHAN WAR. HE SAYS MORE PRESSURE MUST BE APPLIED TO THE TALIBAN BEFORE THEY ARE LIKELY TO FEEL IT NECESSARY TO TALK PEACE. GATES IS IN AFGHANISTAN SAYING A FINAL FAREWELL TO FRONT-LINE U.S. TROOPS.

DERA ISMAIL KHAN, PAKISTAN (AP) - THE UNITED STATES IS KEEPING THE PRESSURE ON INSURGENTS ALONG THE PAKISTAN-AFGHANISTAN BORDER. MISSILE STRIKES ON THREE SUSPECTED MILITANT TARGETS IN NORTHWEST PAKISTAN KILLED 16 PEOPLE TODAY, DAYS AFTER A STRIKE WAS BELIEVED TO HAVE KILLED A TOP AL-QAIDA COMMANDER.

MAJDAL SHAMS, GOLAN HEIGHTS (AP) - ALL IS REPORTED QUIET SO FAR TODAY AS ISRAELI TROOPS BRACE FOR MORE BORDER VIOLENCE. SYRIAN REPORTS SAY 20 PEOPLE DIED IN A DAY OF DEADLY CLASHES YESTERDAY WITH HUNDREDS OF PALESTINIANS AND THEIR SUPPORTERS AS THEY TRIED TO SURGE FROM SYRIA INTO THE GOLAN HEIGHTS.

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) - ATTORNEYS FOR PLANNED PARENTHOOD OF INDIANA AND THE STATE SQUARE OFF IN COURT TODAY OVER A PARTIAL FUNDING CUT FOR THE GROUP BECAUSE IT PROVIDES ABORTIONS. A TOUGH NEW INDIANA ABORTION LAW CUTS OFF SOME OF MEDICAID FUNDING. FEDERAL MEDICAID ADMINISTRATOR DONALD BERWICK HAS REJECTED CHANGES IN INDIANA'S MEDICAID PLAN.

LONDON (AP) - AN ATLANTA-BASED FBI PARTNER ORGANIZATION SAYS IT DOESN'T YET KNOW HOW IT WAS HACKED AND SOME OF ITS PASSWORDS STOLEN. THE ONLINE HACKING COLLECTIVE LULZ SECURITY CLAIMED IT HACKED INFRAGARD, A PUBLIC-PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP DEVOTED TO SHARING INFORMATION ABOUT THREATS TO THE U.S.