TODAY'S NEWS: FRIDAY JULY 8, 2011

STABBING IN POTTSVILLE

A POTTSVILLE MAN WAS TAKEN TO GEISINGER MEDICAL CENTER WEDNESDAY NIGHT AFTER A VERBAL ARGUMENT TURNED PHYSICAL. POLICE REPORT 42-YEAROLD ROBERT SEDLAK HAD BEEN STABBED SEVERAL TIMES BY 33-YEAR-OLD BRIAN DUNLAP ON 16TH STREET. DUNLAP WAS TAKEN TO SCHUYLKILL COUNTY PRISON. THE INVESTIGATION CONTINUES.

MAROONS FOR SALE

THE POPULAR POTTSVILLE RESTAURANT AND BAR MAROONS IS NOW UP FOR SALE. THE OWNERS KAREN AND BOB DITTMAR HAVE PUT THE ESTABLISHMENT UP FOR SALE DUE TO FAMILY REASONS, BUT SAY THAT THE EATERY LOCATED ON CENTRE ST IN POTTSVILLE IS NOT CLOSING ITS DOORS JUST LOOKING FOR NEW OWNERS AND WILL REMAIN OPEN.

KNOEBELS

MORE DETAILS ARE COMING OUT ABOUT THE TRAGIC DEATH OF A 6 YEAR OLD BOY EARLIER THIS WEEK AT KNOEBELS AMUSEMENT RESORT. POLICE CONFIRMED ON THURSDAY THAT GEORGE ROBERTS III OF WILKES BARRE DROWNED IN THE RESORTS CRYSTAL POOL. EARLIER REPORTS HAD THE BOY HITTING HIS HEAD AT SOME POINT. POLICE AND MONTOUR COUNTY CORONER'S OFFICE CONTINUE TO INVESTIGATE THE INCIDENT AN AUTOPSY IS SCHEDULED FOR TODAY AT LEHIGH VALLEY MEDICAL CENTER


COMMISSIONERS SEEKING FUNDS FOR TRAFFIC SIGNALS

THE SCHUYLKILL COUNTY COMMISSIONERS ARE EXPECTED TO APPROVE A REQUEST FOR 7 COUNTY OWNED CONTINUOUS MAINTAINED TRAFFIC SIGNALS ALONG RT 61. THE COMMISSIONS SAY THEY WILL SEEK GRANT MONEY TO HELP FUND THE PROJECT. THE ESTIMATED COST FOR THE PROJECT IS $70,000 AND WOULD BE USED TO PROVIDE UNINTERRUPTED SERVICE TO THOSE LIGHTS IN CASE OF POWER OUTAGES WITHIN THE COUNTY.


POTTSVILLE NIGHT OUT

ENJOY AN EVENT CELEBRATING THE HISTORY AND HERITAGE OF THE CITY OF POTTSVILLE TONIGHT. POTTSVILLE NIGHT OUT WILL BEGIN THIS EVENING AT 5PM. TONIGHT'S THEME IS "DAYS OF OLD, WHO'S WHO IN POTTSVILLE HISTORY". POTTSVILLE NIGHTS OUT ARE COMMUNITY EVENTS THAT BRING FAMILIES, ORGANIZATIONS, VENDORS AND PERFORMERS TOGETHER. THE FESTIVAL ATMOSPHERE IS DRIVEN BY THE DESIRE TO MAKE FAMILIES FEEL WELCOME IN THE DOWNTOWN. ALL EVENTS ARE GEARED TOWARD FAMILY ORIENTED ACTIVITIES. TONIGHT, NORTH CENTRE STREET WILL BE CLOSED FROM ARCH STREET TO RACE STREET FROM 3-9:30PM.


IN ADDITION, NORTH CENTRE STREET WILL BE CLOSED SATURDAY NIGHT FROM HARRISON STREET TO NICOLS STREET, AND HARRISON STREET WILL BE CLOSED FROM PROGRESS AVENUE TO NORTH CENTRE STREET FOR THE SCHUYLKILL ROAD HAWGS BIKER DAY FROM 8AM-7PM.

STATE NEWS:

HARRISBURG, PA. (AP) - STATE ENVIRONMENTAL REGULATORS SAY THE ELEVATED LEVELS OF BARIUM AND CONTAMINANTS IN A SICK WOMAN'S WELL WATER IN NORTHERN PENNSYLVANIA ARE NOT CAUSED BY NATURAL GAS DRILLING. OFFICIALS CONCLUDED THAT GEOLOGIC CONDITIONS ARE
RESPONSIBLE FOR THE CONTAMINANTS IN THE WELL.


MAMMOTH, PA. (AP) - THE REPUTED NATIONAL PRESIDENT OF THE PAGANS MOTORCYCLE GANG WILL STAND TRIAL ON DRUG CHARGES IN WESTMORELAND COUNTY. DENNIS KATONA APPEARED AT A PRELIMINARY HEARING YESTERDAY. A STATE TROOPER TESTIFIED THAT HE FOUND COCAINE, METHAMPHETAMINES AND CASH DURING A RAID LAST MONTH AT KATONA'S HEMPFIELD HOME.

PHILADELPHIA (AP) - A PHILADELPHIA FAMILY SAYS THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT SHOULDN'T SEIZE 10 RARE GOLD COINS BECAUSE OFFICIALS CAN'T PROVE THEY WERE STOLEN FROM THE U.S. MINT IN THE 1930S. THE 1933 "DOUBLE EAGLES" ARE POTENTIALLY WORTH $80 MILLION OR MORE. JOAN LANGBORD SAYS SHE FOUND THE COINS AFTER HER FATHER'S DEATH.

NATIONAL NEWS:

CAPE CANAVERAL, FLA. (AP) - THUNDERSTORMS OR RAIN MAY PUT THE FINAL LIFTOFF OF THE SPACE SHUTTLE PROGRAM ON HOLD THIS MORNING. BUT FUELING OF ATLANTIS IS COMPLETED AND NASA OFFICIALS ARE CROSSING THEIR FINGERS THAT IT'LL HAPPEN AT 11:26 A.M. IF ATLANTIS
DOESN'T LAUNCH BY MONDAY, IT'LL HAVE TO WAIT UNTIL AT LEAST JULY 16.

WASHINGTON (AP) - IT'S WORK THIS WEEKEND FOR TOP REPUBLICANS AND DEMOCRATS WHO ARE TRYING TO COME TO AN AGREEMENT ON A BUDGET DEAL TO RAISE THE NATION'S BORROWING ABILITY. PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA HAS CALLED THEM BACK TO THE WHITE HOUSE FOR MORE TALKS SUNDAY. IF THE DEBT CEILING ISN'T INCREASED BY AUG. 2, THE GOVERNMENT GOES INTO
DEFAULT.

LONDON (AP) - POLICE IN LONDON SAY A FORMER AIDE TO BRITISH PRIME MINISTER DAVID CAMERON HAS BEEN ARRESTED IN THE PHONE HACKING SCANDAL THAT'S LEAD TO THE COLLAPSE OF THE NEWS OF THE WORLD TABLOID. CAMERON HAS PROMISED A FULL INVESTIGATION INTO ALLEGED HACKING AND POLICY BRIBERY THAT HE SAYS HAVE BEEN IGNORED FOR TOO
LONG BY POLITICIANS.

PARIS (AP) - PROSECUTORS IN PARIS HAVE OPENED A PRELIMINARY INVESTIGATION INTO ACCUSATIONS BY A FRENCH WRITER THAT FORMER IMF CHIEF DOMINIQUE STRAUSS-KAHN TRIED TO RAPE HER IN 2003. THE PROBE COMES AS NEW YORK PROSECUTORS WEIGH WHETHER TO GO AHEAD WITH THEIR SEXUAL ASSAULT CASE AGAINST STRAUSS-KAHN NOW THAT THERE'VE BEEN
QUESTIONS ABOUT THE ACCUSER'S CREDIBILITY.

KARACHI, PAKISTAN (AP) - SECURITY FORCES IN KARACHI, PAKISTAN ARE BEING TOLD TO SHOOT GUNMEN ON SIGHT AFTER THREE DAYS OF VIOLENCE THAT KILLED MORE THAN 60 PEOPLE. THIS WEEK'S VIOLENCE IN THE CITY IS AMONG THE WORST THIS YEAR AND PROMPTED POLITICAL
LEADERS TO CALL FOR A DAY OF MOURNING.