TODAY'S NEWS: MONDAY, JULY 25, 2011

FOR RESIDENTS IN SCHUYLKILL COUNTY WHO NEED HELP SUPPORTING THEIR PETS, A NEW FOOD PANTRY IS IN THE WORKS. JASMINE BROOKS HAS MORE:

FIRES DAMAGES HOME IN MAHANOY CITY

A FIRE RIPPED THROUGH A HOME IN MAHANOY CITY ON SUNDAY MORNING. THE FIRE WAS CONTAINED TO 1 HOME OWNED BY JAMES WRONSKI. THE HOME LOCATED AT 1111 AND 1115 E PINE ST IN MAHANOY CITY WAS KEPT TO JUST THE KITCHEN AND PANTRY AREA, THIS IS THE SECOND TIME A FIRE AS HIT THE HOME, BACK IN NOVEMBER 2010 A FIRE BROKE OUT THAT DAMAGED 5 HOMES. FIRE OFFICIALS HAVE RULED THIS BLAZE ACCIDENTAL.


ASHLAND FIRE

A FIRE IN ASHLAND DAMAGED A HOME SUNDAY MORNING. OFFICIALS SUSPECT THE FIRE AT 732 WALNUT STREET WAS ACCIDENTAL. THE OWNER OF THAT HOME, JAMES FLANAGAN, WAS REMOVED AND TAKEN TO A LOCAL HOSPITAL FOR A FOOT INJURY. DAMAGE WAS CONTAINED TO THE DINING ROOM.

MAR LIN FIRE LEAVES FAMILY HOMELESS

THREE PEOPLE ARE HOMELESS AFTER A SATURDAY MORNING FIRE DESTROYED A TWO STORY HOME IN MAR LIN. THE BLAZE AT 215 CHESTNUT STREET, HOME OF JASON AND BETHANY CLARK AND THEIR 11-YEAR-OLD SON KILLIAN, IS BELIEVED TO HAVE STARTED OUTSIDE THE HOME. THE CAUSE OF THE FIRE IS UNKNOWN AT THIS TIME.

FATAL CRASH IN BERKS COUNTY

A VEHICLE ACCIDENT IN BERKS COUNTY TOOK THE LIFE OF A WOMAN SUNDAY MORNING. HAMBURG POLICE TELL US A 64-YEAR-OLD BETHEL WOMAN TRAVELED DOWN AN EMBANKMENT IN UPPER TULPEHOCKEN TOWNSHIP AND SUFFERED FATAL INJURIES FROM TO THE IMPACT.

MAHANOY AREA READY FOR NEW SCHOOL YEAR

THE MAHANOY AREA SCHOOL DISTRICT WILL WELCOME STUDENTS BACK TO SCHOOL WITH MOST REPAIRS AND RESTORATION COMPLETE AFTER A FIRE DAMAGED THE MIDDLE SCHOOL ON MEMORIAL DAY. STUDENTS WILL RETURN TO CLASS AUGUST 29TH AND TEACHERS RETURN AUGUST 22ND. THE COST FOR REPAIRS AND RESTORATION IS ABOUT THREE MILLION DOLLARS.

MAIN STREET PROGRAM GOOD FOR TWO YEARS

IN SHENANDOAH THE DOWNTOWN SHENANDOAH INC RECENTLY COMPLETED THE FIFTH YEAR OF PENNSYLVANIA'S MAIN STREET PROGRAM AND RECEIVED AND EXIT GRANT FOR THE SIXTH AND SEVENTH YEARS. THE GRANT FOR $60,000 WILL COVER OPERATIONAL EXPENSES FOR THE NEXT TWO YEARS. THE PROGRAM IS DESIGNED TO HELP THE DOWNTOWN BUSINESS DISTRICT MAKE IMPROVEMENTS TO THEIR PROPERTIES HAS BEEN SUCCESSFUL WITH OVER 20 COMPLETED PROJECTS IN 5 YEARS


PINE GROVE TO VOTE ON LIBRARY

AT A RECENT MEETING ABOUT FINANCIAL SUPPORT PINE GROVE TOWNSHIP RESIDENTS DISCUSSED THE MATTER OF BUILDING A LIBRARY IN THE TOWNSHIP. THE PARACLETE FOUNDATION PRESENTED A PETITION TO PUT THE PROJECT ON THE BALLOT IN THIS YEARS GENERAL ELECTION NOVEMBER 8. THE TOWNSHIP ALSO APPROVED A CONTRACT WITH PENNY SUPPLY OF SUMMIT STATION TO DO LEVELING AND MILLING TO DARKSWOODS ROADS AND OLD FORGE ROAD AT A COST OF JUST OVER $270,000.

BICENTENNIAL BUS BASH

THIS COMING WEEKEND TAKE A WALK THROUGH HISTORY WITH THE BICENTENNIAL BUS BASH. HOSTED BY THE SCHUYLKILL COUNTY CONSERVANCY THE BUS BASH BEGINS SATURDAY AT 9 AM VISITING SOME FAMOUS AND NOT SO FAMOUS PLACES IN THE COUNTY. STOPS WILL INCLUDE ST NICHOLAS BREAKER AND THE GRAVE SITE OF CIVIL WAR SURVIVOR BILLY HEATH OF TAMAQUA. HEATH CLAIMED TO HAVE FOUGHT IN THE BATTLE OF LITTLE BIG HORN JUNE 25 AND 26, 1876. FOR MORE INFORMATION AND TO RESERVED A SEAT CALL 622-4124 EXT 113.


STATE NEWS:

WARMINSTER, PA. (AP) - AUTHORITIES SAY A MAN WAS STABBED TO DEATH AT A SUBURBAN PHILADELPHIA APARTMENT COMPLEX. POLICE IN BUCKS COUNTY WERE CALLED TO THE BUCKS LANDING APARTMENTS IN WARMINSTER EARLY YESTERDAY MORNING. OFFICIALS SAY THE VICTIM WAS RUSHED TO AN AREA HOSPITAL, WHERE HE DIED.

HARRISBURG, PA. (AP) - ACCORDING TO ADVOCATES FOR THE POOR AND DISABLED, GOVERNOR TOM CORBETT'S ADMINISTRATION IS PILING UP A STRING OF CHANGES IT ORDERED TO SOCIAL AND HUMAN SERVICES BEFORE SEEKING OUTSIDE INPUT. THE ADVOCATES SAY THAT'S A DEPARTURE FROM THE PRACTICE UNDER PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATIONS.

PHILADELPHIA (AP) - A NEWSPAPER SAYS INTERNAL SAFETY AUDITS INDICATE SECURITY CAMERAS INSTALLED IN PHILADELPHIA PUBLIC SCHOOLS ARE HAPHAZARDLY MONITORED AND NOT ENOUGH PERSONNEL ARE TRAINED TO USE THEM - IF THEY'RE OPERATIONAL AT ALL. THE PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER SAYS THE AUDITS WERE CONDUCTED LAST WINTER.

NATIONAL NEWS:

WASHINGTON (AP) - SENATE MAJORITY LEADER HARRY REID SAYS HE'S CRAFTING A $2.7 TRILLION PACKAGE OF SPENDING CUTS THAT WOULD ALSO INCREASE THE GOVERNMENT'S BORROWING AUTHORITY THROUGH NEXT YEAR. HOUSE SPEAKER JOHN BOEHNER (BAY'-NUR) PLANS TO MEET WITH HIS CHAMBER'S REPUBLICANS TODAY TO DISCUSS THE IMPASSE. HE ALSO MAY UNVEIL DEBT CEILING LEGISLATION.

OSLO, NORWAY (AP) - THE MAN WHO CONFESSED TO THE TWIN ATTACKS THAT KILLED 93 PEOPLE IN NORWAY IS SCHEDULED FOR ARRAIGNMENT TODAY. ANDERS BEHRING BREIVIK (AHN'-DURS BRAY'-VIHK) SAYS HE WANTS TO EXPLAIN HIS MASSACRE TO THE PUBLIC. HE DENIES ANY CRIMINAL RESPONSIBILITY.

SAN ANGELO, TEXAS (AP) - JURY SELECTION BEGINS TODAY IN THE TRIAL OF POLYGAMIST RELIGIOUS LEADER WARREN JEFFS. THERE ARE FEW IN THE REMOTE WEST TEXAS TOWN OF SAN ANGELO WHO HAVEN'T ALREADY HEARD OF JEFFS, BUT JURY SELECTION IS ONLY ONE OF THE CHALLENGES IN WHAT'S EXPECTED TO BE A COMPLEX CASE. JEFFS IS ACCUSED OF TWO COUNTS OF SEXUAL ASSAULT.

ATLANTA (AP) - A NEW GOVERNMENT STUDY SAYS THE CHICKENPOX VACCINE HAS MADE A BIG DIFFERENCE IN THE DEATH RATE FROM THE DISEASE. THE STUDY FOUND THAT CHICKENPOX DEATHS FELL FROM AN AVERAGE OF 105 PER YEAR TO 14, AFTER THE VACCINE HAD BEEN AVAILABLE FOR 12 YEARS.

BEIRUT (AP) - SYRIA'S OPPOSITION HAS DISMISSED PROPOSED GOVERNMENT REFORMS AS LARGELY SYMBOLIC. SYRIA'S GOVERNMENT HAS ENDORSED A LAW THAT IT SAYS WILL ALLOW THE FORMATION OF POLITICAL PARTIES. PRESIDENT BASHAR ASSAD HAS PROMISED A SERIES OF REFORMS HOPING TO QUELL MONTHS OF PROTESTS.