TODAY'S NEWS: SATURDAY, JULY 30, 2011

SCHUYLKILL HAVEN MAY CHANGE ORDINANCE
The borough of Schuylkill Haven is proposing to amend its ordinance regulating customer-owned electric generation. As reported by the Republican and Herald, the council will consider for adoption the ordinance at its 6:30 p.m. Wednesday meeting. According to the ordinance, the borough does not have be named as additional insured if the customer has a $1 million insurance policy - something the previous ordinance stated was needed. However, the customer will be responsible if something happens to the system. This is good news to Ed Woznicki, who spent $50,000 for 32 solar panels on his property and has yet to use them. Woznicki said he is just doing his part to "go green" and help the environment. He said he didn't expect to encounter the resistance he has with the borough. While he was aware of the additional insured requirement, he didn't think it would be a problem.

DUMP TRUCK STOLEN IN FRACKVILLE

Frackville police are investigating the theft of a red 2004 Chevrolet dump truck from Quality Auto Market at 134 N. Lehigh Ave. that occurred sometime Monday or Tuesday. Police said someone stole the vehicle that has a Pennsylvania registration of MP3451D, a snow plow attachment and a Class III hitch that is bent to the right. Anyone with information is asked to call police at 874-0238 or 874-2040. Information will remain confidential.

POLICE SEEK ILLEGAL DUMPERS

State police at Frackville are investigating a scattering rubbish incident on Old Mill Road, just east of Green Mountain Road in East Union Township, sometime Thursday. Troopers said several bags of household waste were found alongside the road and that items inside them will help identify the person who discarded them. Anyone with information is asked to call troopers at 874-5300.

LATE CRASH ON ROUTE 183

Four people escaped injury in a one-vehicle crash on Route 183, just east of Fox Hollow Road, about 1:45 a.m. Thursday. State police at Schuylkill Haven said Matthew Sinkovich of Saint Clair, was driving a 2001 Dodge Caravan south when he was unable to avoid a deer that jumped onto the road and struck the animal, causing disabling damage to his van. Sinkovich and his passengers, George Dillman of Saint Clair, a 17-year-old Orwigsburg boy and a 17-year-old Friedensburg girl, escaped injury, troopers said.

SCRANTON, Pa. (AP) - Thousands of customers are without power and winds have caused serious damage after heavy thunderstorms swept across eastern Pennsylvania. In suburban Philadelphia, an estimated 40,000 customers were reported without power in Bucks and
Montgomery counties last night.

PHILADELPHIA (AP) - Philadelphia police say a man accused of fatally stabbing a Drexel University senior apparently acted in self-defense and may not face charges. Officials say 22-year-old Evan Morris was killed early yesterday morning in the city's Powelton Village neighborhood, just off Drexel's campus. But police tell The Philadelphia Inquirer it appears that the man who stabbed Morris was acting in self-defense.

PHILADELPHIA (AP) - A jury has reached a guilty verdict in the murder trial of a Philadelphia man left disfigured by a suicide attempt after he killed his longtime girlfriend following their
breakup. Jurors have found 57-year-old Edward Wilson guilty of third-degree murder in the March 2009 slaying of 26-year-old Antoinette Austin. Authorities say Wilson shot himself in the face during a standoff with police after shooting Austin.

ERIE, Pa. (AP) - An Erie doctor has been cleared of charges that he stockpiled painkillers prescribed to cancer patients. The Erie Times-News reports that a jury acquitted Dr. Amer Khouri of all remaining charges. Khouri had denied stockpiling the Fentanyl lozenges after prescribing them to patients who were told to return them after saying he prescribed the wrong dosage.

WASHINGTON (AP) - Debt legislation that's required to avoid a first-ever default on U.S. financial obligations remains in limbo as an impasse drags into the weekend. Even before the Democrat-run Senate tries to pass its own plan tomorrow, House Republicans plan to go tit-for-tat and reject it today. The Senate said no to the House plan yesterday.

WASHINGTON (AP) - The debt ceiling impasse dominated the weekly radio and Internet messages today from President Barack Obama and Republicans. Obama says "there are plenty ways out of this mess." GOP Arizona Sen. Jon Kyl says Democrats have used the crisis to try
to raise taxes.

McALLEN, Texas (AP) - Don was a dud as far as South Texans are concerned. They were hoping for a soaking after months without substantial rain but Tropical Storm Don failed to deliver. Much of Texas is in extreme drought.

CHICAGO (AP) - Two Delta Airlines aircraft being backed away from loading gates collided on the tarmac at Chicago's O'Hare International Airport but no one was hurt. Officials say the planes incurred minor damage. Passengers were put on other planes.

KIEV, Ukraine (AP) - The death toll rose to 25 in Ukraine after rescue workers found five more bodies at two coal mines where accidents occurred. Twelve other miners remain missing. There was an explosion at one mine and an elevator collapse at another.