TODAY'S NEWS: TUESDAY, JUNE 28, 2011

LEGISLATION HAS BEEN SIGNED APPROVING A LAWSUIT ABUSE REFORM BILL. MIKE DAVIES REPORTS

WILDONER RESIGNS

RYAN TOWNSHIP SUPERVISORS ACCEPTED THE RESIGNATION OF TAX COLLECTOR WILLIAM WILDONER DURING A SPECIAL MEETING MONDAY. WILDONER, WHO WAS CHARGED WITH STEALING OVER $170 THOUSAND DOLLARS FROM THE MAHANOY AREA SCHOOL DISTRICT, WAS TOWNSHIP TAX RECEIVER FOR 35 YEARS. HIS UNEXPIRED TERM WILL BE FILLED BY JOHN KOWALCHICK. NEITHER STATE POLICE AT SCHUYLKILL HAVEN NOR SUPERINTENDENT JOIE GREEN WOULD COMMENT DUE TO THE ONGOING INVESTIGATION.

OWNERS CITED

ALMOST A WEEK AFTER THAT PITBULL ATTACKS THAT INJURED THREE CHILDREN THE OWNER WILL BE CITED. JUSTIN EADDY THE OWNER OF THE PITBULL WILL BE CITED FOR NOT HAVING THE DOG LICENSED. DOCUMENTATION SHOWS THAT THE ANIMAL HAD UP TO DATE RABIES SHOTS BUT DID NOT HAVE A LICENSE AS REQUIRED BY SCHUYLKILL COUNTY LAW. LAST WEDNESDAY EADDY'S PITBULL ATTACKED HIS CHILDREN SENDING ONE TO LEHIGH MEDICAL CENTER FOR NON LIFE THREATENING INJURIES AND 2 OTHERS TO LOCAL HOSPITALS. POTTSVILLE POLICE WERE FORCED TO SHOOT THE DOG DURING THE ATTACK.


RUSH TWP MAN TO STAY IN PRISON

A RUSH TOWNSHIP MAN WHO RAN A METHAMPHETAMINE LAB FROM HIS HOME IS BACK IN PRISON THIS MORNING AFTER HAVING HIS PAROLE REVOKED IN SCHUYLKILL COUNTY COURT ON MONDAY. 30 YEAR OLD JEREMY SNYDER OF QUAKAKE WAS CHARGED WITH RUNNING A METH LAB FROM HIS HOME AMONG OTHER CHARGES. JUDGE WILLIAM BALDWIN FELT THAT PROSECUTORS DISPLAYED ENOUGH EVIDENCE TO SHOW SNYDER VIOLATED HIS PAROLE.

PORT CARBON MAN CONVICTION UPHELD

A STATE SUPERIOR COURT PANEL UPHELD THE CONVICTION OF 30 YEAR OLD RODOLFO VALDEZ OF PORT CARBON. VALDEZ IS CHARGED WITH UNLAWFULLY POSSESSING 4 GUNS IN 2009. YESTERDAY, THE PANEL RULED THAT VALDEZ WAS IN VIOLATION OF THE LAW BECAUSE EVEN THOUGH HE DID NOT OWN THE WEAPONS HE WAS IN POSSESSION OF THEM WHICH STILL VIOLATES THE LAW

ROTARY "PEDALS OUT POLIO"

BICYCLISTS TOOK A RIDE THROUGH SCHUYLKILL COUNTY MONDAY FOR POLIO CURE. IT'S ALL TO RAISE MONEY AS ROTARY "PEDALS OUT POLIO". THROUGH ITS POLIOPLUS PROGRAM, THE ROTARY DISTRICT 7370 PLANS TO RAISE $10,000 THROUGH A FOUR-DAY BIKE RIDE. MONDAY THREE BICYCLISTS ARRIVED IN ASHLAND WHILE TODAY'S RIDE WILL CONTINUE THROUGH THE COUNTY, VISITING 12 TOWNS WHERE ROTARY CLUBS ARE LOCATED.

STATE NEWS:

HARRISBURG, PA. (AP) - THE STATE BUDGET DEBATE IS PICKING UP STEAM IN HARRISBURG. YESTERDAY, THE REPUBLICAN MAJORITY UNVEILED A $27.15 BILLION SPENDING PROPOSAL OPPOSED BY DEMOCRATS, WHILE DEBATES OVER A MARCELLUS SHALE DRILLING TAX AND CUTS TO UNIVERSITY AID THREATEN TO STALL IT. REPUBLICAN GOVERNOR TOM CORBETT HAS
AGREED TO THE PROPOSAL. COMMENTS FROM REP. MIKE TOBASH

HARRISBURG, PA. (AP) - TENTATIVE CONTRACTS COVERING 55,000 STATE EMPLOYEES WOULD COST TAXPAYERS AN ADDITIONAL $164 MILLION OVER FOUR YEARS. GOVERNOR TOM CORBETT'S OFFICE OF ADMINISTRATION HAS RELEASED COST ESTIMATES OF THE PACTS WITH THE STATE GOVERNMENT'S TWO LARGEST UNIONS.

HARRISBURG, PA. (AP) - THE HOUSE HAS APPROVED THREE PIECES OF LEGISLATION DESIGNED TO ADDRESS THE STATE'S SYSTEM OF COUNTY PROPERTY REASSESSMENTS. TWO RESOLUTIONS APPROVED YESTERDAY WOULD SET UP TASK FORCES TO SET UNIFORM STANDARDS AND NEW PROCEDURES. THE THIRD ITEM, A BILL, WOULD IMPOSE A TEMPORARY MORATORIUM WHILE THE
ISSUE IS BEING STUDIED.

PITTSBURGH (AP) - A MAN FACING THE POSSIBLE DEATH PENALTY FOR MURDERING THREE PITTSBURGH POLICE OFFICERS CRIED AS THE WIDOW OF ONE OFFICER TESTIFIED ABOUT NIGHTMARES, SUICIDAL THOUGHTS AND OTHER PROBLEMS HER TWO YOUNG DAUGHTERS HAVE HAD. SHANDRA MAYHLE WAS THE FINAL WITNESS TO TESTIFY FOR THE PROSECUTION YESTERDAY IN THE
PENALTY PHASE OF THE TRIAL OF 24-YEAR-OLD RICHARD POPLAWSKI.

NATIONAL NEWS:

WASHINGTON (AP) - A JOINT FBI AND HOMELAND SECURITY DEPARTMENT INTELLIGENCE BULLETIN, OBTAINED BY THE ASSOCIATED PRESS, SHOWS THAT COUNTERTERRORISM OFFICIALS REMAIN CONCERNED ABOUT A POSSIBLE TERROR ATTACK AT UPCOMING HOLIDAY CELEBRATIONS OR OTHER LARGE GATHERINGS. BUT INTELLIGENCE OFFICIALS SAY THERE IS NO SPECIFIC OR CREDIBLE INFORMATION OF AN INDEPENDENCE DAY THREAT.

WASHINGTON (AP) - A SENATE COMMITTEE TAKES UP U.S. OPERATIONS IN LIBYA TODAY. THE SENATE FOREIGN RELATIONS COMMITTEE WILL HEAR FROM STATE DEPARTMENT LEGAL ADVISER HAROLD KOH ABOUT PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA'S CLAIM THAT HE DOESN'T NEED CONGRESSIONAL AUTHORIZATION. THAT ARGUMENT HAS ANGERED REPUBLICANS AND DEMOCRATS. LATER, THE
COMMITTEE CONSIDERS A RESOLUTION TO GIVE OBAMA LIMITED AUTHORITY FOR A YEAR.

STOCKHOLM (AP) - SWEDISH ACTIVISTS SAY SOMEONE CUT OFF A PROPELLER SHAFT ON A SHIP SCHEDULED TO BE IN A GAZA-BOUND FLOTILLA DESIGNED TO TEST THE ISRAELI BLOCKADE. THEY'RE CALLING IT SABOTAGE AND SAY IT WILL TAKE A COUPLE OF DAYS TO FIX. ISRAEL HAS SAID IT HAS INFORMATION ABOUT EXTREMISTS AMONG THE PARTICIPANTS.

BAGHDAD (AP) - THE DEATH OF A REVERED EIGHTH CENTURY SAINT HAS SENT HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF SHIITE MUSLIM PILGRIMS FLOCKING TO A BAGHDAD SHRINE. THE OBSERVANCE HAS SNARLED TRAFFIC AND SENT SECURITY FORCES TO THE STREETS TO PROTECT THE WORSHIPPERS. SHIITE PILGRIMS HAVE BEEN A FAVORITE TARGET OF SUNNI INSURGENTS HOPING TO INFLAME SECTARIAN TENSIONS.

WASHINGTON (AP) - THE GOVERNMENT HAS LAUNCHED A NEW CAMPAIGN FOR SAFE COOKING AWARENESS. THE SIMPLE RECIPE FOR FOOD HANDLING IS: CLEAN. COOK. CHILL. SEPARATE. THE CAMPAIGN COMES IN THE WAKE OF A EUROPEAN E. COLI OUTBREAK THAT HAS KILLED ALMOST 50 PEOPLE. THE U.S. CAMPAIGN HOPES TO REMIND HOME CHEFS TO CLEAN OFF SURFACES AND
UTENSILS, WASH HANDS, SEPARATE RAW MEATS FROM OTHER FOODS AND COOK MEAT TO THE RIGHT TEMPERATURE.