TODAY'S NEWS WEDNESDAY JULY 27,2011

GILLINGHAM NAMES TRUSTEES

THE GILLINGHAM CHARTER SCHOOL TOOK ANOTHER STEP FORWARD TUESDAY NIGHT WHEN THEY NAMED ITS TOP ADMINISTRATORS AND NAMED A BOARD OF TRUSTEES. DURING THE PUBLIC MEETING LAST NIGHT IT WAS DECIDED THAT NICOLE HUTCHINSON AND CHRISTIE WERKHEISER WILL BE THE SCHOOL'S TOP ADMINISTRATORS AND THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES WERE INTRODUCED AND NAMED MARY RUSHANAN AS PRESIDENT. THE BOARD APPROVED THE 2011-12 BUDGET OF OVER $2.2 MILLION DOLLARS AND HIRED 11 TEACHERS. THE COLLABORATIVE PLAN TO OPEN IN SEPTEMBER BUT NO DATE HAS BEEN SET.

DELAY IN AREA CODE OVERLAY

THE IMPLEMENTATION OF AN OVERLAY FOR THE 5-7-0 AREA CODE HAS BEEN PUT OFF FOR AT LEAST ANOTHER YEAR. THE OVERLAY WILL NOW HAPPEN IN LATE 2012. THE NEW 2-7-2 AREA CODE WILL BE ISSUED IN THE SAME REGION AS THE CURRENT 5-7-0 WHICH WILL REMAIN INTACT. THE ADDITION OF THE 2-7-2 AREA CODE COINCIDES WITH THE DECISION FROM THE NORTH AMERICAN NUMBERING PLAN ADMINISTRATION WHO SAY WITH THE EXPANSION OF CELL PHONE NUMBERS HAS CAUSED A DEPLETION IN SEVERAL AREA CODES. THE LAST TIME AN OVERLAY TOOK PLACE IN OUR AREA WAS IN 1998 WHEN THE N-A-N-P-A DECIDED TO SPLIT THE 7-1-7 AREA CODE TO 5-7-0.

FRACKVILLE INMATE FOUND DEAD IN HIS CELL

AN INMATE AT THE STATE CORRECTIONAL INSTITUTION IN FRACKVILLE WAS FOUND DEAD IN HIS CELL SUNDAY NIGHT. WHILE MAKING ROUNDS, STAFF FOUND 31-YEAR-OLD LUIS DIAZ UNRESPONSIVE AND HANGING IN HIS CELL JUST AFTER 10PM. THE OFFICIAL CAUSE OF DEATH WILL BE DETERMINED BY THE SCHUYLKILL COUNTY CORONER’S OFFICE. DIAZ, FORMALLY OF SHENANDOAH HEIGHTS, WAS SERVING SIX TO FOURTEEN YEARS AFTER BEING CONVICTED LAST YEAR OF TRYING TO RUN OVER A POTTSVILLE POLICE OFFICER.

EX-STATE STORE MANAGER HEADED TO COURT

AFTER WAIVING HER RIGHT TO A PRELIMINARY HEARING TUESDAY, A FORMER STATE STORE MANAGER IN SCHUYLKILL HAVEN IS HEADED TO SCHUYLKILL COUNTY COURT. 44-YEAR-OLD LINDA MULLIN OF MINERSVILLE IS FACED WITH CHARGES SHE STOLE MORE THAN SEVENTY-SIX-HUNDRED DOLLARS FROM THE STORE IN 2010.

BRUSH FIRES DOWN, WATER PLENTIFUL

ALTHOUGH A DRY SPELL HAS HIT THE AREA, LOCAL WATER SUPPLIERS ARE CURRENTLY AT NORMAL CAPACITY. JOHN MATZ, EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT COORDINATOR, SAYS THE RAIN FROM EARLIER THIS YEAR HAS KEPT US REPLENISHED. IN ADDITION, THE HOT, DRY WEATHER BROUGHT SURPRISINGLY FEW BRUSH FIRES TO THE AREA. MATZ SAYS PEOPLE HAVE BEEN MORE CAREFUL WITH OPEN FIRES. EVERYONE IS ENCOURAGED TO EXERCISE EXTREME CAUTION WHEN LIGHTING A FIRE TO PREVENT AN EXTRA BURDEN ON EMERGENCY SERVICES.

PSU BOOKSTORE WELCOMES PUBLIC TO BUY BOOKS

THE BOOKSTORE AT PENN STATE SCHUYLKILL WELCOMES THE PUBLIC TO COME FIND A GOOD READ. IN RECENT YEARS, TWO MAJOR BOOKSTORES IN THE AREA HAVE CLOSED, LEAVING LITTLE OPTIONS FOR BOOK LOVERS TO SHOP. THE REPUBLICAN HERALD REPORTS, THE PSU BOOKSTORE KEEPS AN INVENTORY OF POPULAR READING BOOKS. ALL OF PSU BOOKSTORES ARE OWNED BY BARNES AND NOBLE.

LEGISLATION TO DETER UNDERAGE GAMBLING

LEGISLATION TO MAKE UNDERAGE GAMBLING A CRIMINAL OFFENSE WILL BE INTRODUCED BY STATE REPRESENTATIVE PAUL COSTA. AFTER HEARING SEVERAL SOURCES ABOUT THE INCREASING NUMBER OF INDIVIDUALS UNDER 21 TRYING TO GAMBLE AT PENNSYLVANIA’S CASINOS, COSTA SAID HE WAS PROMPTED TO AUTHOR THE LEGISLATION. THE CURRENT GAMBLING ACT MAKES IT UNLAWFUL FOR ANYONE UNDER 21 TO DO SO; HOWEVER UNDERAGE GAMBLING IS NOT A CRIMINAL OFFENSE.

POSTAL SERVICE TO STUDY LOCAL OFFICES

ON TUESDAY IT WAS REPORTED THAT THE U.S. POSTAL SERVICE WILL CLOSE OVER 3,000 OFFICES NATIONWIDE. LOCALLY SEVEN OFFICES WILL BE STUDIED IN SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. CUMBOLA, LOCUSTDALE, LOST CREEK, MAHANOY CREEK, MARY-D, MUIR AND SPRING GLENN. THE POSTAL SERVICE CITES CHANGES IN CUSTOMER HABITS SUCH AS USING MORE ONLINE OR SMARTPHONE SERVICES FOR THE DECREASE IN PHYSICAL OFFICES.

OVER 1,000 CLASSIC CARS, RODS, TRUCKS AND CORVETTES WILL MAKE THEIR WAY TO THE 18TH ANNUAL GREAT POTTSVILLE CRUISE. THIS YEAR IS UNLIKE ANY OTHER AS JERRY ENDERS AND DAVE CLEWS WILL TELL YOU. SAVE THE DATE! THE CRUISE ROLLS IN SUNDAY, AUGUST 14TH.

STATE NEWS:

A JUDGE HAS STOPPED ENFORCEMENT OF A NORTHEASTERN PENNSYLVANIA SCHOOL DISTRICT'S POLICY TO REQUIRE STUDENTS TO SUBMIT TO RANDOM DRUG TESTING AS A CONDITION OF PARTICIPATING IN EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES OR DRIVING TO SCHOOL. PIKE COUNTY JUDGE JOSEPH KAMEEN SAYS THE POLICY IS AN UNCONSTITUTIONAL VIOLATION OF STUDENTS' PRIVACY. HE ISSUED A PRELIMINARY INJUNCTION AGAINST THE DELAWARE VALLEY SCHOOL DISTRICT. THE SCHOOL DISTRICT ARGUES THE 13-YEAR-OLD POLICY IS NEEDED TO PROTECT STUDENT SAFETY AND HEALTH, AND TO GET HELP TO STUDENTS FOUND TO BE USING DRUGS OR ALCOHOL.

PETERSBURG, PA. (AP) - STATE POLICE SAY THE CAUSE OF A CABIN FIRE THAT KILLED FOUR PEOPLE IN CENTRAL PENNSYLVANIA LAST WEEK REMAINS UNDER INVESTIGATION. THE FIRE REPORTED EARLY FRIDAY DESTROYED A THREE-STORY CABIN OWNED BY THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF
CONSERVATION AND NATURAL RESOURCES IN ROTHROCK STATE FOREST NEAR STATE COLLEGE. INVESTIGATORS HAVE FOUND NO EVIDENCE OF FOUL PLAY.

PITTSBURGH (AP) - THREE EMPLOYEES AT A PITTSBURGH ABORTION CLINIC AND A FORMER REGISTERED NURSE HAVE BEEN CHARGED IN CONNECTION WITH PRESCRIPTION DRUGS ALLEGEDLY BEING ABUSED BY ONE OF THE STAFF MEMBERS. STATE PROSECUTORS SAY THE CLINIC'S FORMER AND CURRENT MEDICAL DIRECTORS AUTHORIZED ORDERING A PRESCRIPTION WEIGHT LOSS DRUG FOR AN EMPLOYEE AT THE CLINIC, WHO WAS ALLEGEDLY USING THE DRUG TO INSTEAD TREAT ANXIETY AND DEPRESSION.

PHILADELPHIA (AP) - THE DEATH TOLL FROM LAST WEEK'S OPPRESSIVE HEAT WAVE KEEPS GROWING. THE PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER REPORTS EIGHT ADDITIONAL DEATHS OVER THE WEEKEND HAVE BEEN CLASSIFIED AS HEAT-RELATED. HEALTH DEPARTMENT SPOKESMAN JEFF MORAN SAYS A TOTAL OF 15 DEATHS IN THE CITY HAVE BEEN CONNECTED TO THE SCORCHING HEAT WAVE. AT LEAST THREE OTHER DEATHS IN THE STATE HAVE ALSO BEEN ATTRIBUTED TO THE HEAT WAVE.

PHILADELPHIA (AP) - A POST OFFICE THAT PREDATES THE AMERICAN COLONIES IS ON THE POSTAL SERVICE'S LIST OF BRANCHES THAT COULD CLOSE. THE POST OFFICE IN PHILADELPHIA'S OLD CITY NEIGHBORHOOD IS LOCATED IN A HOUSE ONCE OWNED BY BENJAMIN FRANKLIN, THE COUNTRY'S FIRST POSTMASTER GENERAL.

NATIONAL NEWS:

WASHINGTON (AP) - REPUBLICANS AND DEMOCRATS ARE STILL COMPETING AS TIME RUNS OUT TO COMPROMISE ON A DEFICIT CUTTING MEASURE THAT ALSO WOULD EXTEND THE GOVERNMENT'S BORROWING AUTHORITY AHEAD OF A POSSIBLE DEFAULT NEXT MONTH. CONSERVATIVE AND TEA PARTY GROUPS ARE CRITICIZING HOUSE SPEAKER JOHN BOEHNER'S PLAN, EVEN AS HE REWORKS IT. IT'S NOT LIKELY TO PASS THE SENATE.

DENVER (AP) - EFFORTS TO REDUCE VIOLATIONS OF U.S. AIRSPACE RESTRICTIONS MAY BE WORKING. THERE ARE FEWER THIS YEAR DESPITE RECENT INCIDENTS NEAR THE CAMP DAVID PRESIDENTIAL RETREAT. THE FAA SAYS VIOLATIONS ARE ON A PACE THAT WOULD RESULT IN ABOUT 220 FOR THE FULL YEAR. THAT WOULD BE THE LOWEST BY FAR SINCE 2008.

LOS COYOTES INDIAN RESERVATION, CALIF. (AP) - AUTHORITIES SAY A SIX-DAY-OLD, 45 PERCENT CONTAINED WILDFIRE ON A SAN DIEGO COUNTY INDIAN RESERVATION IS MOST ACTIVE IN AN AREA THICK WITH VEGETATION AND NO KNOWN HISTORY OF FIRE. THE CURRENT CHALLENGES FOR FIREFIGHTERS IN THE RUGGED TERRAIN ARE HIGHER TEMPERATURES AND LOWER HUMIDITY.

SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA (AP) - AT LEAST 19 PEOPLE ARE DEAD AFTER A QUICK BLAST OF HEAVY RAIN SENT LANDSLIDES BARRELING THROUGH SOUTH KOREA'S CAPITAL AND A NORTHERN TOWN. TEN OF THE DEAD WERE COLLEGE STUDENTS DOING VOLUNTEER WORK ABOUT 68 MILES NORTHEAST OF THE CAPITAL, SEOUL.

KANDAHAR, AFGHANISTAN (AP) - A MAN MENTIONED AS A POSSIBLE SUCCESSOR TO THE ASSASSINATED HALF-BROTHER OF AFGHAN PRESIDENT HAMID KARZAI HAS NOW BEEN KILLED. THE MAYOR OF TROUBLED KANDAHAR WAS ASSASSINATED TODAY BY A SUICIDE BOMBER WHO HID EXPLOSIVES IN HIS TURBAN.