TODAYS; NEWS: THURSDAY JULY 7. 2011

PIT BULL ATTACKS

AFTER AN 80-YEAR-OLD POTTSVILLE MAN WAS ATTACKED BY A PIT BULL SUNDAY, A STATE DOG LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICER BELIEVES CHARGES SHOULD BE FILED AGAINST THE OWNER. SUNDAY'S INCIDENT MARKS THE FOURTH ATTACK IN TWO WEEKS. FOR THE COMPLETE STORY LISTEN TO THIS MORNING'S EDITION OF STEP UP TO THE MIC.

SAINT CLAIR ONLINE BILLING TO START IN SEPTEMBER

TO MAKE PAYING BILLS A LITTLE EASIER, RESIDENTS OF SAINT CLAIR WILL SOON HAVE THE OPTION TO PAY THEIR ELECTRIC AND GARBAGE INVOICES ONLINE. THE REPUBLICAN HERALD REPORTS, THE BOROUGH COUNCIL ADOPTED A RESOLUTION TUESDAY TO ALLOW CREDIT CARD PAYMENTS. A WEBSITE, CURRENTLY BEING SET UP BY THE BOROUGH, IS EXPECTED TO START ACCEPTING PAYMENTS SEPTEMBER 1ST.


DEMOLITION OF TAMAQUA DUPLEXES AFTER FIRE

TWO OF THREE DUPLEXES WILL BE DEMOLISHED IN TAMAQUA AFTER A FIRE ON SOUTH LEHIGH STREET TUESDAY. HOMES AT 5-7 AND 9-11 SOUTH LEHIGH STREET WILL BE DEMOLISHED BY FRIDAY. THE BLAZE LEFT TWELVE PEOPLE HOMELESS AND KILLED AT LEAST TWO DOGS AND TWO CATS. THE CAUSE OF THE FIRE IS UNDETERMINED.

MCADOO FAMILY FILES COMPLAINT

THE 19 YEAR OLD MCADOO MAN WHO IS ACCUSED OF STALKING SARAH PALIN HAS FILED A COMPLAINT OF HARASSMENT WITH A PENNSYLVANIA STATE TROOPER. IN A CRIMINAL COMPLAINT FILED THIS WEEK SHAWN CHRISTY IS ALLEGING THAT TROOPER THOMAS POWELL SHOWED UP AT CHRISTY'S HOME ASKING CHRISY IF HE WAS PLANNING ON ATTENDING A BOOK SIGINING BY PALIN AND HER DAUGHTER BRISTOL IN MINNESOTA. SHAWN CHRISTY IS CURRENTLY UNDER A RESTRAINING ORDER FOR MAKING THREATENING REMARKS AND PHONE CALLS TO PALIN DURING HER 2008 VICE PRESIDENTIAL CAMPAIGN.


FATAL ACCIDENT AT KNOEBELS

TRAGEDY STRUCK AT KNOEBELS AMUSEMENT RESORT WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON WHEN A SIX-YEAR-OLD BOY DIED WHEN HE STRUCK HIS HEAD JUMPING INTO THE PARK'S POOL. LIFEGUARDS AT THE CRYSTAL POOL PERFORMED CPR BEFORE THE BOY WAS TRANSPORTED TO GEISINGER MEDICAL CENTER. THE NEWS ITEM REPORTS, WITNESSES SAW THE BOY JUMPING IN AND OUT OF THE SHALLOW-END OF THE POOL IN THE LOCATION WHERE HE STRUCK HIS HEAD.


SLAIN DEPUTY MOURNED

THOUSANDS FILLED THE SOVEREIGN CENTER IN READING ON TUESDAY TO MOURN AND PAY THEIR RESPECTS TO SLAIN SHERIFF'S DEPUTY KYLE PAGERLY. PAGELY WAS SHOT AND KILLED LAST WEEK WHILE SERVING A WARRANT TO MATTHEW CONNOR IN ALBANY TOWNSHIP.

SCHUYLKILL C&Y TAKING LESS CHILDREN

SCHUYLKILL COUNTY CHILDREN AND YOUTH HAS RELEASED ITS SECOND QUARTER REPORT TO COUNTY COMMISSIONERS DURING TUESDAY'S WORK SESSION. IN THE REPORT AS OF DEC 31,2010 OVER TWO THOUSAND CHILDREN ARE RECEIVING SERVICES WITH OVER 250 OF THEM BEING TAKEN FROM THEIR HOMES AND PLACED IN FOSTER CARE OR OTHER INSTITUTIONS. LISA STEVENS DIRECTOR OF SCHUYLKILL C&Y SAYS THAT MOST OF THE SERVICES ARE PROVIDED IN HOME AND THAT BECAUSE OF THIS CHILDREN AND YOUTH ARE MUCH BETTER IN TERMS OF CHILD PLACEMENT THAN THEY WERE IN THE PAST BECAUSE OF THESE SERVICES.

RED CROSS CHILL N FILL

FOR MANY PEOPLE THE FIRST WEEK OF JULY IS VACATION WEEK, FOR A TRIP TO THE JERSEY SHORE, THE MOUNTAINS OR ON DAY STOPS AT FAVORITE LOCALES. THE LAST THING ON OUR MINDS IS GIVING BLOOD. BUT THE NEED FOR BLOOD DONATIONS, ESPECIALLY O NEGATIVE, IS CRITICAL. THE AMERICAN RED CROSS ALONG WITH WPPA AND T102 ARE PARTNERING FOR CHILL AND FILL THIS SATURDAY AT FAIRLANE VILLAGE MALL FROM 9 TILL 3PM.DONORS CAN COOL OFF WITH COUPONS FOR CARTONS OF FRIENDLY'S ICE CREAM AND OTHER GREAT PRIZES, INCLUDING AN APPLE IPAD. HELP OUT, WON'T YOU, BY CALLING 1-800-GIVE-LIFE TO SCHEDULE AN APPOINTMENT OR STOP BY THE CHILL AND FILL AT FAIRLANE VILLAGE MALL SATURDAY FROM 9AM TILL 3PM.

POTTSVILLE NIGHT OUT

ENJOY AN EVENT CELEBRATING THE HISTORY AND HERITAGE OF THE CITY OF POTTSVILLE TOMORROW EVENING AT THIS WEEK'S POTTSVILLE NIGHT OUT. THE THEME IS DAY'S OF OLD; WHO'S WHO IN POTTSVILLE HISTORY.

ON THE MAIN STAGE:
THE BREAKER BOYS
POTTSVILLE HISTORY INFORMATION
JOHN O'HARA

VENDORS ON NORTH CENTRE STREET:
HISTORIC TOURS OF POTTSVILLE RUN BY THE HISTORICAL SOCIETY OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY
DRESS IN YOUR FAVORITE HISTORY STYLE AND JOIN THE COMPETITION
SCHUYLKILL COUNTY WINERIES AND FOOD VENDORS
KIDS CRAFTS AND ACTIVITIES
FIRE TRUCK RIDES
SCHUYLKILL HISTORIC FIRE MUSEUM DISPLAY

HISTORICAL SOCIETY OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY:
JOULWAN EXHIBIT
BIKES AND BARBIE'S EXHIBIT

POTTSVILLE FREE PUBLIC LIBRARY:
HISTORIC STYLE JUDGING STATION
CRAFTS AND GAMES
TOYS OF APPALACHIA WITH PORCUPINE PAT

STATE NEWS:

PHILADELPHIA (AP) - A FORMER PHILADELPHIA PHARMACY OWNER HAS BEEN SENTENCED TO 10 YEARS BEHIND BARS ON DRUG-RELATED CHARGES. LAWRENCE YOUNG OF CHERRY HILL, NEW JERSEY WAS ALSO ORDERED TO PAY A $400,000 FINE AND FORFEIT MORE THAN $1.2 MILLION IN PROCEEDS.

MUNHALL, PA. (AP) - A MAN AND WOMAN ACCUSED OF LOCKING A 6-YEAR-OLD BOY IN HIS BEDROOM FOR TWO MONTHS HAVE BEEN ORDERED TO HAVE NO CONTACT WITH THE CHILD. THE PITTSBURGH POST-GAZETTE REPORTS CHRYSTAL PLESNIAK AND ROBERT GUYER WERE CHARGED LAST WEEK WITH CHILD ENDANGERMENT AND AGGRAVATED ASSAULT. THE TWO WAIVED THEIR PRELIMINARY HEARINGS AND WERE RELEASED YESTERDAY FROM THE ALLEGHENY COUNTY JAIL.

CONFLUENCE, PA. (AP) - OFFICIALS SAY THE BODY OF A MISSING MARYLAND BOATER HAS BEEN FOUND IN WESTERN PENNSYLVANIA. RESCUE CREWS RECOVERED THE BODY OF PATRICK HIMMLER YESTERDAY. HIMMLER AND THREE OTHER PEOPLE WERE THROWN FROM A BOAT INTO YOUGHIOGHENY RIVER LAKE NEAR CONFLUENCE OVER THE HOLIDAY WEEKEND.

NATIONAL NEWS:

ORLANDO, FLA. (AP) - CASEY ANTHONY RETURNS TO AN ORLANDO, FLA.,COURTROOM TODAY FOR SENTENCING. HER ATTORNEY IS ASKING THE COURT TO GIVE HER TO TIME SERVED FOR HER CONVICTION ON FOUR COUNTS OF LYING TO INVESTIGATORS. THE 25-YEAR-OLD HAS BEEN IN JAIL FOR NEARLY THREE YEARS AWAITING TRIAL FOR THE MURDER OF HER TWO-YEAR-OLD DAUGHTER, CAYLEE. A JURY ACQUITTED HER ON THOSE CHARGES.

NEW YORK (AP) - THE LAWYER FOR THE HOTEL MAID WHO HAS ACCUSED DOMINIQUE STRAUSS-KAHN OF TRYING TO RAPE HER IS ASKING THAT A SPECIAL PROSECUTOR HANDLE THE CASE. MEANWHILE THE CLOCK IS TICKING ON A JULY 13 DEADLINE FOR THE FORMER LEADER OF THE INTERNATIONAL
MONETARY FUND TO ENTER A FRENCH PRESIDENTIAL PRIMARY. A FRENCH WRITER ALSO IS ACCUSING STRAUSS-KAHN ATTEMPTED RAPE.

WASHINGTON (AP) - FRIEND AND FOE ALIKE WILL BE AT THE WHITE HOUSE THIS MORNING TO TALK WITH PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA ABOUT CUTTING THE BUDGET DEFICIT. LESS THAN FOUR WEEKS REMAIN TO REACH A DEAL AND AVERT A DEFAULT ON U.S. FINANCIAL OBLIGATIONS.

KUALA LUMPUR, MALAYSIA (AP) - MALAYSIAN POLICE HAVE ENDED A SEVEN-HOUR HOSTAGE DRAMA AT A KINDERGARTEN. THEY STORMED THE SCHOOL AND SUBDUED A MAN WHO TOOK SOME 30 CHILDREN AND TEACHERS CAPTIVE TODAY. ALL THE HOSTAGES ARE SAFE.

LAS VEGAS (AP) - HE APPEARED TO BE JUST ANOTHER MOURNER UNTIL HE PULLED OUT A GUN AND STARTED FIRING OUTSIDE A LAS VEGAS FUNERAL HOME. POLICE SAY SEVEN PEOPLE WERE WOUNDED WEDNESDAY BEFORE THE GUNMAN LEFT IN A CAR. NONE OF THE INJURIES IS LIFE-THREATENING.