TODAY'S NEWS: THURSDAY, JUNE 23, 2011

THE SCHUYLKILL COUNTY COMMISSIONER'S RECOGNIZED SEVERAL RESIDENTS FOR THEIR EXEPTIONAL PERFORMANCES. J MATTHEWS REPORTS.


THE AMERICAN RED CROSS NEEDS YOUR HELP. MITCHELL HECKMAN HAS MORE:

SCHUYLKILL COUNTY EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCY HELD A TABLE TOP EXERCISE WEDNESDAY NIGHT. BOB BECHTEL HAS MORE:

TIME IS RUNNING OUT FOR HUNDREDS OF STATE EMPLOYEES WHOSE CONTRACTS EXPIRE JUNE 30TH, AND THOSE RALLIED STATEWIDE THIS WEEK DEMANDING A FAIR SHAKE. TOM JOSEPH REPORTS:


TAX COLLECTOR CHARGED WITH STEALING FROM DISTRICT
STATE POLICE AT SCHUYLKILL HAVEN HAVE CHARGED 71 YEAR OLD WILLIAM WILDONER OF BARNESVILLE WITH STEALING OVER 170 THOUSAND DOLLARS OWED TO THE MAHANOY AREA SCHOOL DISTRICT. AUTHORITIES SAY THAT WILDONER BEGAN TAKING TAX PROCEEDS THAT HE COLLECTED FOR THE SCHOOL DISTRICT AND USING THAT MONEY FOR HIS OWN BENEFIT. CAUSING A SHORTFALL THAT WAS NEVER REPORTED TO THE SCHUYLKILL COUNTY TAX CLAIM BUREAU. WILDONER THEN USED 2010 TAX PROCEEDS TO MAKE UP FOR THE SHORTFALL. THE INVESTIGATION CONTINUES AND ADDITIONAL CHARGES MAY BE FILED.

FAMILY DOG ATTACKS CHILDREN

THREE CHILDREN WERE ATTACKED BY THEIR FAMILY DOG WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON, SENDING TWO TO LOCAL HOSPITALS WHILE A THIRD WAS FLOWN TO LEHIGH VALLEY HOSPITAL. POTTSVILLE POLICE TELL US THE OWNERS OF THE PIT BULL, JUSTIN AND NICOLE EADDY, WERE NOT HOME AT THE TIME OF ATTACK. THE OLDEST CHILD, A 13-YEAR-OLD GIRL, WAS FOUND LYING ON THE SIDEWALK WITH SERIOUS INJURIES WHEN POLICE ARRIVED. TWO OTHER CHILDREN, BOTH UNDER THE AGE OF 10, SUFFERED LESS SEVERE WOUNDS. OFFICERS WERE FORCED TO PUT THE DOG DOWN AFTER IT CONTINUED TO ACT EXTREMELY AGGRESSIVE.

MCADOO MAN SENTENCED TO 20 YEARS FOR ASSAULT ON GIRLS

A SELINSGROVE MAN WAS SENTENCED ON WEDNESDAY TO SPEND AT LEAST 20 YEARS FOR THE RAPE OF A CHILD AND INDECENT ASSAULT. MCADOO POLICE ARRESTED DAVID MILLER JR. IN JUNE OF LAST YEAR AFTER RECEIVING A PHONE CALL OF AN ALLEGED RAPE. POLICE REPORTS SAY THAT ONE OF THE VICTIMS REPRTED THAT WHILE MILLER WAS BABYSITTING HER AND ANOTHER GIRL MILLER WOULD ENGAGE IN DEVIANT SEXUAL BEHAVIOR WITH THEM, TO INCLUDE RAPE. DAVID MILLER’S SENTENCE WILL RUN CONSECUTIVELY WITH ANOTHER SIX TO 20 YEAR SENTENCE HE WILL SERVE FOR A SIMILAR INCIDENT IN SNYDER COUNTY.

SHEN VAL CREATES POSITION

THE SHENANDOAH VALLEY SCHOOL DISTRICT PLAN TO CREATE A THIRD COUNSELING POSITION TO FOCUS ON TESTING PROGRAMS. SHENANDOAH VALLEY SCHOOL BOARD APPROVED THE POSITION WEDNESDAY. SUPERINTENDENT STANLEY RAKOWSKY SAYS THAT HAVING A THIRD COUNSELOR POSITION WILL HELP SECONDARY AND ELEMENTARY SCHOOL COUNSELORS SPEND TIME WORKING WITH STUDENTS INSTEAD OF FOCUSING ON TESTING REQUIREMENTS.

18TH ANNUAL GREAT POTTSVILLE CRUISE

PRE-REGISTRATION FOR THE 18TH ANNUAL GREAT POTTSVILLE CRUISE ARE NOW ON SALE. THE FIRST 500 REGISTERED CRUISERS RECEIVE THE YEAR'S YUENGLING COLLECTOR'S DASH PLAQUE. THIS YEAR'S CRUISE WILL BE HELD AUGUST 11TH THROUGH THE 14TH WITH CRUISE DAY BEING SUNDAY, AUGUST 14TH.

LOCATIONS TO PRE-REGISTER:

YORKVILLE CONEY ISLAND
DOWNTOWN CONEY ISLAND
12-VOLT DAVE'S AUTO
JERRY'S NORTHEAST AUTO SALES

NEW BILL PASSED

THE PENNSYLVANIA HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES RECENTLY PASSED A BILL WHICH AMENDS THE WORKERS’ COMPENSATION ACT TO INCLUDE CANCER AS AN OCCUPATIONAL DISEASE FOR FIREFIGHTERS WHO HAVE SERVED FOR AT LEAST FOUR CONTINUOUS YEARS. REPRESENTATIVE JERRY KNOWLES SAID HE WAS PLEASED TO VOTE FOR THIS BILL AS HE SERVED AS A VOLUNTEER FIREFIGHTER FOR MORE THAN 30 YEARS. UNDER THE BILL, FIREFIGHTERS WHO CAN ESTABLISH A WORK RELATED EXPOSURE TO A GROUP 1 CARCINOGEN AS IDENTIFIED BY THE INTERNATIONAL AGENCY FOR RESEARCH ON CANCER WOULD BE COVERED. KNOWLES SAID THIS LEGISLATION WILL ENSURE THAT FIREFIGHTERS ARE PROTECTED IF THEY GET SICK AS A RESULT OF THEIR SERVICE. THE BILL WILL NOW GO TO THE STATE SENATE FOR CONSIDERATION.

STATE NEWS:

HARRISBURG, PA. (AP) - GOVERNOR TOM CORBETT AND REPUBLICAN LEGISLATIVE LEADERS ARE SAYING LITTLE ABOUT THEIR PRIVATE TALKS AS THEY TRY TO REACH A DEAL ON THE STATE BUDGET. MEETINGS IN CORBETT'S OFFICES YESTERDAY WERE CONDUCTED ON THE EVE OF WHAT A SENIOR SENATE REPUBLICAN SAYS IS THE DEADLINE TO GET A HANDSHAKE AGREEMENT IN TIME TO ENACT A BUDGET BEFORE THE NEW FISCAL YEAR STARTS.

PHILADELPHIA (AP) - STATE POLICE SAY NO CHARGES ARE PLANNED AGAINST THE SUBURBAN PHILADELPHIA BAR WHERE "JACKASS" STAR RYAN DUNN DRANK JUST BEFORE HE AND A PASSENGER DIED IN A FIERY CAR CRASH THIS WEEK. AUTHORITIES TELL THE ASSOCIATED PRESS THEY'VE DETERMINED DUNN WAS APPARENTLY NOT VISIBLY INTOXICATED WHEN BAR EMPLOYEES SERVED HIM TWO BEERS AND SIX SHOTS OVER FOUR HOURS.

HERDON, PA. (AP) - AUTHORITIES IN CENTRAL PENNSYLVANIA SAY AN ELDERLY COUPLE DIED AFTER THEIR CAR WENT INTO THE PATH OF A FREIGHT TRAIN. STATE POLICE IN NORTHUMBERLAND COUNTY SAY THE ACCIDENT HAPPENED JUST BEFORE NOON YESTERDAY IN HERNDON. THE COUNTY CORONER SAYS EARL HOLLENBACH AND EDITH HOLLENBACH WERE PRONOUNCED DEAD AT THE SCENE.

EASTON, PA. (AP) - A DEFENSE ATTORNEY SAYS AN EASTERN PENNSYLVANIA MAN WHOSE TEENAGE SON PULLED OUT TWO OF HIS OWN TEETH WITH PLIERS BECAUSE HE HADN'T RECEIVED DENTAL CARE WILL PLEAD GUILTY TO RECKLESSLY ENDANGERING ANOTHER PERSON. FRANCISCO TORRES WAIVED HIS PRELIMINARY HEARING YESTERDAY IN NORTHAMPTON COUNTY.


NATIONAL NEWS:

BRUSSELS (AP) - NATO'S SECRETARY-GENERAL SAYS THE U.S. DECISION TO BEGIN PULLING TROOPS OUT OF AFGHANISTAN HIGHLIGHTS THE PROGRESS THE ALLIANCE HAS MADE THERE. HE SAYS THE DRAWDOWN IS COMING AS "THE TIDE IS TURNING" IN AFGHANISTAN. PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA SAYS HE'S BRINGING HOME MORE THAN 30,000 TROOPS BY SEPTEMBER NEXT YEAR.

WASHINGTON (AP) - LESS THAN 50 PERCENT OF RESPONDENTS TO AN ASSOCIATED PRESS-GFK POLL SAY PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA DESERVES RE-ELECTION. IT'S THE FIRST TIME THIS YEAR THAT'S HAPPENED. ECONOMIC SLUGGISHNESS HAS CONVINCED MORE AMERICANS THAT THE COUNTRY
IS HEADED IN THE WRONG DIRECTION. IT'S AN OBSTACLE TO OBAMA'S RE-ELECTION HOPES AND THE ECONOMIC RECOVERY WHICH DEPENDS ON PUBLIC PERCEPTION.

PHOENIX (AP) - CONTROL OF ONE OF THE THREE MAJOR WILDFIRES IN ARIZONA IS AT HAND MOSTLY BECAUSE THE 348-SQUARE MILE FIRE HAS BURNED NEARLY EVERYTHING THAT WILL BURN, INCLUDING AN ENTIRE FOREST. A PRIME BIRD WATCHING WAS NOT SEVERELY DAMAGED AND A FIRE SPOKESWOMAN SAYS MUCH OF THE AREA COULD RECOVER QUICKLY.

ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) - NEW YORK GOV. ANDREW CUOMO IS STILL WORKING HARD TO FIRM UP THE VOTES FOR ONE OF THE STATE'S BIGGEST SOCIAL CHANGES IN A GENERATION. DOZENS OF GAY COUPLES ARE PLANNING TO CONVERGE ON ALBANY TODAY TO WITNESS WHAT WOULD BE A HISTORIC VOTE TO LEGALIZE GAY MARRIAGE IN NEW YORK. BUT A FULL STATE SENATE VOTE IS NOT YET ASSURED, NOR IS THE ULTIMATE OUTCOME.

TOKYO (AP) - A FORMER NUCLEAR SAFETY ADVISER IN JAPAN SAYS NUCLEAR POWER IN THE EARTHQUAKE-PRONE COUNTRY MAY NEVER BE SAFE. HE SAYS JAPAN NEEDS TO OVERHAUL ITS NUCLEAR POLICIES BECAUSE VIRTUALLY ALL FACILITIES AROUND THE COUNTRY ARE IN DANGER OF THE SAME KIND OF CRISIS FACED BY THE FUKUSHIMA DAI-ICHI PLANT AFTER THE MARCH 11 EARTHQUAKE AND TSUNAMI.