TODAY'S NEWS: FRIDAY JULY 29, 2011

ON MAY 22, THE RESIDENTS OF JOPLIN, MISSOURI CAME FACE TO FACE WITH ONE OF MOTHER NATURE’S DEADLIEST FORCES: AN EF5 TORNADO. 158 CASUALTIES HAVE BEEN REPORTED AND IT'S ESTIMATED THAT THE DAMAGE RANGES FROM ONE TO THREE BILLION DOLLARS.MITCHELL HECKMAN REPORTS:

KANTNER FILES PETITION FOR CONTROLLER

SCHUYLKILL COUNTY CONTROLLER MELINDA KANTNER HAS FILED HER PETITION WITH ENOUGH SIGNATURES TO PUT HER ON THE BALLOT INT THE GENERAL ELECTION ON NOVEMBER 8, AS AN INDEPENDENT. KANTNER WILL FACE OFF AGAINST DEMOCRAT BRAD PETCHULIS AND G-O-P CANDIDATE CHRISTY JOY. KANTNER ANNOUNCED SHE WAS LEAVING THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY BACK IN JANUARY AND RUNNING AS AN INDEPENDENT. KANTNER HAS BEEN COUNTY CONTROLLER SINCE 2007 WHEN SHE TOOK OVER FOR GARY HORNBERGER WHO DID NOT SEEK RE-ELECTION AT THAT TIME.

MINERSVILLE MAN HEADED TO COURT

POLICE IN PINE GROVE HAVE CHARGED A MINERSVILLE MAN WITH STABBING A MAN EARLIER THIS MONTH. 32 YEAR OLD TODD GIBSON IS HEADED TO SCHUYLKILL COUNTY COURT AFTER HE ALLEGEDLY STABBED A MAN AND INJURED ANOTHER. POLICE REPORT THAT GIBSON WENT TO A HOME OF A FRIEND LOCATED ON POTTSVILLE STREET IN PINE GROVE AND STABBED HIM MULTIPLE TIMES BEFORE LEAVING THE SCENE.

LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT RECEIVE TRAINING

SPONSORED BY THE SCHUYLKILL COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY'S OFFICE AND SCHUYLKILL WOMEN IN CRISIS, LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT RECEIVED SPECIALIZED TRAINING ON HOW TO HANDLE DOMESTIC DISPUTES, ESPECIALLY VIOLENT CRIMES. THE TRAINING WAS CONDUCTED BY LT MARK WYNN A 20 YEAR VETERAN OF THE METRO POLICE IN WASHINGTON D.C. THE SEMINAR WAS ATTENDED BY PROFESSIONALS FROM MAHANOY CITY, POTTSVILLE, MCADOO AND SCHUYLKILL HAVEN AND SOME MEMBERS OF THE PENNSYLVANIA STATE POLICE.

DRIVE IN THEATRE TO OPEN

FAMECO REAL ESTATE, EMPIRE REALTY INVESTMENTS, AND KING THEATRE CIRCUIT HAVE JOINTLY ANNOUNCED THE OPENING OF A TWO-SCREEN ALL-DIGITAL DRIVE IN THEATRE AT THE SCHUYLKILL MALL NEAR FRACKVILLE, EXPECTED TO OPEN ON FRIDAY, AUGUST 12TH. "MOVIES ON THE MOUNTAIN" WILL FEATURE TWO ALL-DIGITAL PROJECTIONS, FM RADIO SOUND, AND FULL CONCESSIONS, WITH SPECIALTY FOOD VENDORS EACH WEEKEND. MOVIES WILL BE SHOWN AT DUSK EACH FRIDAY, SATURDAY, AND SUNDAY NIGHT. KING THEATRE WILL BE INSTALLING TWO SCREENS, ONE 50 FEET WIDE AND THE SECOND 60 FEET WIDE, AND UTILIZE THE PARKING FIELDS ON THE NORTH AND WEST SIDES OF THE PROPERTY. FIRST-RUN FEATURES WILL BE SHOWN AT THE DRIVE-IN. COST WILL BE ONLY $7 FOR ADULTS AND $2 FOR KIDS AGES 3 TO 12. CHILDREN UNDER 3 ARE FREE. THE LOCATION CAN HOLD ABOUT 700 CARS BETWEEN THE TWO PARKING AREAS FACING THE SCREENS. MARK CLEMENT, MANAGER OF SCHUYLKILL MALL THEATRES SAYS THEY WILL BE OFFERING THE ONLY DIGITAL DRIVE-IN THEATER EXPERIENCE IN THE STATE OF PENNSYLVANIA.(WGRC)

AROMA SPA EMPLOYEES HEAD TO COURT NEXT WEEK

PRELIMINARY HEARINGS ARE SCHEDULED FRIDAY, AUGUST 5 FOR TWO AROMA SPA EMPLOYEES CHARGED WITH PROSTITUTION. SCHUYLKILL COUNTY DETECTIVES ARRESTED SUNG CHUN YANG AND MIDUCK PARK WEDNESDAY AFTER RECEIVING NUMEROUS CALLS ABOUT THE POSSIBILITY OF PROSTITUTION OCCURRING AT THE SPA ON ROUTE 61 IN NORTH MANHEIM TOWNSHIP. OFFICERS SEIZED SURVEILLANCE CAMERAS, MONEY, COMMUNICATION EQUIPMENT, BUSINESS RECORDS AND PROSTITUTION RELATED EQUIPMENT. BOTH WOMEN WERE ARRAIGNED BEFORE JUDGE FERRIER AND COMMITTED TO SCHUYLKILL COUNTY PRISON IN DEFAULT OF $2,500 EACH.

WEEKEND SOBRIETY CHECKPOINT

THE PENNSYLVANIA STATE POLICE AT SCHUYLKILL HAVEN WILL BE CONDUCTING A SOBRIETY CHECKPOINT THIS WEEKEND. ONE OF THE MAIN CASUAL FACTORS IN FATAL ACCIDENTS IS DRIVERS AND/OR PASSENGERS NOT WEARING SEATBELTS. MOTORISTS ARE REMINDED TO UTILIZE PROPER RESTRAINT SYSTEMS IN THEIR VEHICLES.


STATE NEWS:

CHICORA, PA. (AP) - A MAN HAS BEEN BROUGHT BACK TO WESTERN PENNSYLVANIA FROM NEW JERSEY TO FACE CRIMINAL HOMICIDE CHARGES FOR ALLEGEDLY KILLING HIS FATHER AND STEPMOTHER LAST MONTH. STATE POLICE IN BUTLER SAY 40-YEAR-OLD COLIN ABBOTT IS SET TO BE ARRAIGNED BEFORE A DISTRICT JUDGE IN CHICORA, BUTLER COUNTY. HE'S ACCUSED OF KILLING KENNETH AND CELESTE ABBOTT LAST MONTH AND BURNING THEIR BODIES OUTSIDE THEIR HOME NEAR SLIPPERY ROCK.

WASHINGTON (AP) - THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT IS PROPOSING FOR THE FIRST TIME TO CONTROL AIR POLLUTION AT OIL AND GAS WELLS, PARTICULARLY THOSE DRILLED USING A METHOD CALLED HYDRAULIC FRACTURING. THE PROPOSAL ADDRESSES AIR POLLUTION PROBLEMS REPORTED IN THE MIDST OF A NATURAL GAS DRILLING BOOM IN PLACES SUCH AS PENNSYLVANIA, WYOMING, TEXAS, AND COLORADO.

ALLENTOWN, PA. (AP) - A JUDGE HAS APPROVED MORE THAN $65,000 IN COMPENSATION PAYMENTS TO NEARLY 100 CRIME VICTIMS TARGETED BY YOUTHS WHO LATER HAD THEIR CONVICTIONS DISMISSED AS THE RESULT OF A JUVENILE JUSTICE SCANDAL IN NORTHEASTERN PENNSYLVANIA. SPECIAL MASTER ARTHUR GRIM DETERMINED THAT EACH CRIME VICTIM IN LUZERNE COUNTY WILL GET AN AMOUNT THAT'S EQUAL TO THE RESTITUTION THE VICTIM WOULD HAVE RECEIVED HAD THE CONVICTION NOT BEEN OVERTURNED.

PITTSBURGH (AP) - PITTSBURGH POLITICIANS ARE CALLING THE THIRD INSTALLMENT OF DIRECTOR CHRISTOPHER NOLAN'S BATMAN FILMS ANOTHER STEP IN THE CITY'S MAKEOVER FROM STEEL CITY TO HOLLYWOOD DESTINATION. NOLAN PRAISED PITTSBURGH'S DOWNTOWN ARCHITECTURE TODAY, CALLING IT "INCREDIBLY VALUABLE" TO THE LOOK OF THE UPCOMING FILM "THE DARK KNIGHT RISES."

NATIONAL NEWS:

WASHINGTON (AP) - ECONOMISTS IN A FACTSET SURVEY ARE PREDICTING THE ECONOMY EXPANDED AT AN ANNUAL RATE OF 1.7 PERCENT. THAT FOLLOWS A 1.9 PERCENT GROWTH RATE IN THE FIRST THREE MONTHS OF THE YEAR. THEY'RE THE SLOWEST BACK-TO-BACK QUARTERS SINCE THE ECONOMY BEGAN
RECOVERING FROM THE RECESSION. THE GOVERNMENT RELEASES ITS REPORT TODAY.

WASHINGTON (AP) - REPUBLICAN HOUSE SPEAKER JOHN BOEHNER TRIES AGAIN TODAY TO MUSTER ENOUGH SUPPORT FOR HIS DEBT CEILING BILL AFTER A STINGING SETBACK YESTERDAY. HE WAS FORCED TO POSTPONE ANOTHER VOTE ON HIS PROPOSAL TO EXTEND THE NATION'S BORROWING
AUTHORITY TO AVOID DEFAULT WHILE CUTTING FEDERAL SPENDING BY NEARLY $1 TRILLION.

WASHINGTON (AP) - USING LESS GASOLINE DOWN THE ROAD IS A KEY GOAL OF THE ADMINISTRATION, AND PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA AND TOP AUTO EXECUTIVES ARE SET TO UNVEIL DETAILS OF A COMPROMISE TODAY. THE DEAL WILL DOUBLE FUEL ECONOMY STANDARDS TO 54.5 MILES PER GALLON BY
2025 AND FURTHER RESTRICT THE TAILPIPE EMISSIONS BLAMED FOR GLOBAL WARMING.

SACRAMENTO, CALIF. (AP) - NEW MAPS FOR CALIFORNIA'S CONGRESSIONAL AND LEGISLATIVE DISTRICTS COULD PUT MORE DEMOCRATS IN OFFICE IF IT'S APPROVED. THE CALIFORNIA CITIZENS REDISTRICTING COMMISSION IS SCHEDULED TO ADOPT THE FINAL MAPS DURING A MEETING FRIDAY. THEY WILL BE USED IN STATE ELECTIONS FOR THE NEXT DECADE.

WARSAW, POLAND (AP) - A HOTLY ANTICIPATED REPORT ON THE PLANE CRASH THAT KILLED POLAND'S PRESIDENT IS DUE OUT TODAY. SOME POLITICAL OBSERVERS BELIEVE IT COULD LEAD TO THE DISMISSAL OF THE DEFENSE MINISTER IF THE REPORT POINTS TO MILITARY MISMANAGEMENT. A
RUSSIAN REPORT RELEASED MONTHS AGO CITED HUMAN ERROR BY POLISH OFFICIALS.