TODAY'S NEWS: WEDNESDAY, JUNE 15, 2011

PPL ELECTRIC UTILITY CUSTOMERS MAY BE ABLE TO SAVE ON THEIR NEXT BILL. JASMINE BROOKS HAS MORE:


FORMER SHENANDOAH POLICE OFFICER REPORTS TO PRISON

FORMER SHENANDOAH POLICE OFFICER WILLIAM MOYER HAS REPORTED EARLY FOR HIS PRISON SENTENCE IN FEDERAL PRISON. MOYER WAS TO REPORT TO U-S MARSHALS OFFICE IN SCRANTON TUESDAY AFTERNOON. JUDGE RICHARD CAPUTO HAD ORIGINALLY SCHEDULED MOYER TO REPORT ON JUNE 29TH BUT MOYER INDICATED HE WANTED TO REPORT EARLY. MOYER WAS CONVICTED OF LYING TO F-B-I AGENTS IN REGARDS TO THE BEATING DEATH OF AN ILLEGAL MEXICAN IMMIGRANT IN SHENANDOAH IN 2008

NEW RINGGOLD MAN ASSAULTED ON ROUTE 61

STATE POLICE ARE INVESTIGATING AN INCIDENT IN WHICH SOMEONE ALLEGEDLY THREATENED A NEW RINGGOLD MAN WITH A GUN MONDAY AFTERNOON. POLICE TELL US 22-YEAR-OLD JORDAN BERG STOPPED TO HELP A MAN WHO WAS BROKEN-DOWN ON ROUTE 61 NEAR DEER LAKE. THE MAN GOT INTO BERG'S VEHICLE AND BRANDISHED A HANDGUN AT HIM. BERG SUFFERED INJURIES DURING THE INCIDENT BUT WAS ABLE TO GET AWAY FROM THE MAN. ANYONE WHO SAW A DISABLED TAN CHEVROLET BLAZER ON ROUTE 61 AND MAY HAVE INFORMATION IS ASKED TO CALL STATE POLICE AT 593-2000.

MARCELLUS SHALE TASK FORCE TO HOLD 1ST MEETING

THE SCHUYLKILL COUNTY MARCELLUS SHALE TASK FORCE WILL BE HOLDING A KICK OFF MEETING TODAY AT 1PM. ALL 15 MEMBERS OF THE FORCE WERE CHOSEN LAST MONTH BY THE BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS. TODAY'S MEETING WILL REVIEW THE MISSION AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE TASK FORCE; SELECT A CHAIRMAN AND VICE CHAIRMAN AND ESTABLISH GOALS, SUBCOMMITTEES AND FUTURE MEETING DATES. THE MEETING WILL BE HELD AT THE SCHUYLKILL COUNTY OFFICE OF PUBLIC SAFETY BUILDING IN POTTSVILLE.


SOLICITING REQUIRES PERMITS IN BOROUGH

RINGTOWN BOROUGH COUNCIL HAS AGREED TO REQUIRE A PERMIT IN ORDER TO PRIVATELY SOLICIT WITHIN THE BOROUGH. THE ORDINANCE WILL REGULATE PEOPLE AND ORGANIZATIONS WHO VISIT RESIDENCES AND BUSINESSES FOR THE PURPOSE OF SELLING GOODS AND OTHER WARES. THIS ORDINANCE DOES DIFFER FROM COMMERCIAL SOLICITATION.

PORT CARBON TO FIGHT THE BLIGHT

PORT CARBON BOROUGH COUNCIL HAS AGREED TO HIRE LEHIGH ENGINEERING OF POTTSVILLE TO SERVE AS ITS ON CALL CODE ENFORCEMENT AGENCY. THEIR DUTY TO BRING BLIGHTED PROPERTIES UP TO CODE. COUNCIL MEMBERS ARE SCHEDULED TO MEET TODAY WITH LEHIGH ENGINEERING TO FINALIZE THE AGREEMENT.

DUMP THE PUMP

DUMP THE PUMP, THE ANNUAL EVENT HELD BY SCHUYLKILL TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM IS SET FOR TOMORROW. THE IDEA BEHIND THE EVENT IS TO SAVE PEOPLE GAS MONEY AND THOSE NOT FAMILIAR WITH THE PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM IN SCHUYLKILL COUNTY THE CHANCE TO RIDE THE BUS FOR JUST A DOLLAR. S-T-S REPORTS LAST YEAR 380 PEOPLE TOOK ADVANTAGE OF THE REDUCED RATE

COALDALE MAN TO SERVE ON PA NURSING BOARD

THE PENNSYLVANIA SENATE UNANIMOUSLY APPROVED THE GOVERNOR'S NOMINATION OF ROBERT AMES OF COALDALE TO SERVE ON PENNSYLVANIA'S NURSING BOARD. SENATOR DAVE ARGALL AND REPRESENTATIVE JERRY KNOWLES STRONGLY SUPPORT THE GOVERNOR'S NOMINATION AND SAY HIS EXPERIENCE AS A HOSPITAL PATIENT AND A LONG-TERM BOARD MEMBER AT ST. LUKE'S MINERS MEMORIAL HOSPITAL IN COALDALE GIVE HIM A UNIQUE AND VALUABLE INSIGHT. THE STATE BOARD OF NURSING MEETS ONCE A MONTH IN HARRISBURG.

DOWNTOWN LOCATION LAW PASSED

SENATOR DAVE ARGALL'S LEGISLATION THAT STRENGTHENS THE CURRENT DOWNTOWN LOCATION LAW HAS UNANIMOUSLY PASSED THE SENATE'S COMMUNITY, ECONOMIC, AND RECREATIONAL DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE. THIS LAW WHICH WAS INTRODUCED BY ARGALL AND SIGNED INTO LAW BY GOVERNOR TOM RIDGE DURING THE 1999-2000 SESSION ENCOURAGES STATE AGENCIES TO LOCATE OFFICES IN CENTRAL BUSINESS DISTRICTS TO AID AND REVITALIZE AGING DOWNTOWNS. THE AMENDMENTS TO THE LAW THAT HAVE BEEN PASSED REQUIRE THE PENNSYLVANIA DEPARTMENT OF GENERAL SERVICES TO COORDINATE WITH LOCAL PUBLIC AND PRIVATE SECTOR COMMUNITY REVITALIZATION ORGANIZATIONS WHEN DECIDING ON A LOCATION FOR ANY STATE AGENCY OFFICE.

STATE NEWS:

PHILADELPHIA (AP) - THE STATE SUPREME COURT IS WADING INTO THE BATTLE BETWEEN THE PHILADELPHIA SCHOOL DISTRICT AND ITS TEACHERS UNION OVER WHAT COULD BE THE BIGGEST JOB LOSSES IN A GENERATION. THE CASH-STRAPPED DISTRICT ISSUED MORE THAN 1,500 PINK SLIPS TO TEACHERS LAST WEEK. THE LAYOFFS ARE ON HOLD WHILE THE JUSTICES REVIEW THE CASE.

PHILADELPHIA (AP) - UNION LEADERS IN PHILADELPHIA SAY A PROPOSED TAX ON SODA AND OTHER SUGARY BEVERAGES WOULD FORCE HUNDREDS TO LOSE THEIR JOBS. MAYOR MICHAEL NUTTER IS PUSHING A 2-CENTS-PER-OUNCE TAX ON SODA AND OTHER SUGARY BEVERAGES TO HELP PREVENT CUTS IN THE CITY'S CASH-STRAPPED SCHOOL SYSTEM. A SIMILAR PLAN WAS SCRAPPED LAST YEAR.

HARRISBURG, PA. (AP) - POLICE IN CENTRAL PENNSYLVANIA SAY A MAN WAS SHOT AND KILLED AFTER HE INTERVENED IN AN ARGUMENT DURING A PICKUP BASKETBALL GAME. POLICE TELL THE PATRIOT-NEWS OF HARRISBURG, OFFICERS WERE CALLED TO THE BASKETBALL COURTS IN HARRISBURG'S RESERVOIR PARK LAST NIGHT.


NATIONAL NEWS:

LUNA, N.M. (AP) - TODAY COULD BE THE DAY A MASSIVE ARIZONA WILDFIRE BECOMES THE LARGEST IN STATE HISTORY. AS FIREFIGHTING CREWS CONTINUE THEIR WORK, INVESTIGATORS ARE FOCUSED ON TWO PEOPLE WHOSE CAMPFIRE MAY HAVE STARTED THE BLAZE. FIRES ALSO GREW ELSEWHERE IN NEW MEXICO, INCLUDING ONE NEAR THE COLORADO BORDER THAT FORCED THE CLOSURE OF A BUSY INTERSTATE HIGHWAY.

HAMBURG, IOWA (AP) - IF A SECONDARY LEVEE CAN'T DO ITS JOB, OFFICIALS FEAR HAMBURG, IOWA WILL FILL UP LIKE A BATHTUB WITH FLOODWATER FROM THE MISSOURI RIVER. CREWS WORKING FOR THE ARMY CORPS OF ENGINEERS HOPE TO PILE AT LEAST THREE FEET OF EXTRA DIRT ATOP THE TEMPORARY BARRIER BEFORE THIS EVENING. THE RIVER HAS ALREADY SMASHED THROUGH THE MAIN LEVEE.

SANAA, YEMEN (AP) - ISLAMIC MILITANTS WHO HAVE SEIZED ENTIRE EIGHBORHOODS IN A SOUTHERN YEMEN CITY ARE BELIEVED TO INCLUDE AL-QAIDA MEMBERS. THE MILITANTS, EMBOLDENED BY MONTHS OF TURMOIL IN YEMEN LAUNCHED A SURPRISE DAWN ATTACK TODAY, SEIZED ENTIRE NEIGHBORHOODS OF HOUTA AFTER GUNFIGHTS WITH GOVERNMENT FORCES. HOUTA IS THE PROVINCIAL CAPITAL OF LAHJ PROVINCE.

JERUSALEM (AP) - THE ACTING U.S. MIDDLE EAST ENVOY AND ANOTHER TOP DIPLOMAT ARE IN THE REGION TO TRY TO FIND A WAY TO RESUSCITATE ISRAELI-PALESTINIAN PEACE TALKS. THE BIG CHALLENGE IS TO FIND A FORMULA FOR TALKS THAT WOULD ENTICE THE PALESTINIANS TO DROP THEIR BID TO SEEK RECOGNITION FOR A STATE AT THE UNITED NATIONS IN SEPTEMBER.

ORLANDO, FLA. (AP) - THERE ARE A FEW MORE BITS OF EVIDENCE TO INTRODUCE TODAY BUT THE PROSECUTION SAYS IT EXPECTS TO REST ITS CASE IN THE MURDER TRIAL OF CASEY ANTHONY, THE FLORIDA MOTHER ACCUSED OF KILLING HER 2-YEAR-OLD DAUGHTER. THE DEFENSE SAYS IT WILL BE READY TO CALL ITS FIRST WITNESS TOMORROW, BUT ONLY IF A STANDARD MOTION ASKING THE JUDGE TO THROW OUT THE CASE IS DENIED.