TODAY'S NEWS: AUGUST 25, 2011

ATTEMPTED MURDER IN BARRY TOWNSHIP

A HEGINS MAN IS BEHIND BARS ON ATTEMPTED MURDER CHARGES AFTER AN INCIDENT WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON IN BARRY TOWNSHIP. SCHUYLKILL HAVEN POLICE TELL US 48-YEAR-OLD JEFFREY DALY VERBALLY THREATENED 46-YEAR-OLD CHRISTOPHER SAUERS BEFORE PICKING UP A RIFLE AND FIRING MULTIPLE SHOTS TOWARDS HIM. DALY WAS ARRAIGNED AT SCHUYLKILL COUNTY PRISON AND CHARGED WITH ATTEMPTED MURDER AMONG OTHER RELATED CHARGES.

COMMISSIONERS HIRE ENGINEER

THE SCHUYLKILL COUNTY COMMISSIONERS HAVE AGREED WITH ALFRED BENESCH AND COMPANY OF POTTSVILLE TO PROVIDE ENGINEERING REPAIRS TO BRIDGE 120. THE BARRY TWP BRIDGE ON BLACK CREEK ROAD WILL COST OVER $25,000. AN ADDED $2,500 WILL NEED TO BE ADDED IF WETLAND DELINEATION IS NECESSARY. THE COMMISSIONERS ALSO APPROVED THE ADVERTISING OF BIDS TO FURNISH AND INSTALL UNINTERRUPTED POWER SUPPLY TO THE COUNTY'S SEVEN TRAFFIC SIGNALS.

MCADOO BUSINESS OWNER FACES FINES

A MCADOO BUSINESS OWNER IS FACING FINES EXCEEDING $10,000 FOR BUILDING CODE VIOLATIONS. STEFAN LISZKA, OWNER OF MUG SHOTS PUB, WAS FOUND IN VIOLATION OF SEVERAL BUILDING CODES BY MCADOO BOROUGH ENGINEERS. LISZKA PLEADED NOT GUILTY BUT FAILED TO SHOW UP FOR HIS HEARING ON AUGUST 17. THE COURT FOUND LISZKA GUILTY AND WAS ORDERED BY MAGISTERIAL JUDGE STEPHEN BAYER TO PAY OVER AN $11,000 FINE. LISZKA HAS 30 DAYS TO TO PAY THE FINE OR APPEAL THE DECISION TO THE SCHUYLKILL COUNTY COURT OF COMMON PLEAS.

KANTER QUESTIONS COUNTY POLICIES

SCHUYLKILL COUNTY CONTROLLER MELINDA KANTNER SPOKE AFTER THE COMMISSIONERS MEETING ON WEDNESDAY. HER MESSAGE WAS TO MAKE EVERYONE AWARE OF THE CURRENT POLICY CONCERNING MEAL REIMBURSEMENTS FOR COUNTY EMPLOYEES. KANTER SAYS THAT COUNTY COMMISSIONERS HAVE PUT INTO PLACE A POLICY THAT REQUIRES COUNTY EMPLOYEES TO FILE ONE-DAY MEAL REIMBURSEMENTS MUST GO THROUGH PAYROLL. KANTER ADDS THAT THE COUNTY DOES REIMBURSE EMPLOYEES FOR MEALS INCURRED WHEN THEY ARE ON OFFICIAL COUNTY BUSINESS.

CONSTRUCTION CONTINUES TO SHEN VALLEY

CONSTRUCTION CONTINUES ON THE ADDITION OF 34 NEW CLASSROOMS IN THE SHENANDOAH VALLEY SCHOOL DISTRICT. HOWEVER, DISTRICT OFFICIALS SAY THAT CLASSROOMS WILL BE READY FOR ALL STUDENTS BY THE FIRST DAY OF CLASSES ON MONDAY. THE ORIGINAL PLAN WAS TO HAVE ALL CLASSROOMS FINISHED BY THAT START OF THIS SCHOOL YEAR BUT DUE TO SETBACKS AND OTHER DELAYS DISTRICT OFFICALS SAY REALISTICALLY THE ACTUAL COMPLETION DATES WILL NOT BE TILL AUGUST OF 2012. CURRENTLY, PHASE 1 OF THE PROJECT IS UNDER WAY WITH THE HIGH SCHOOL GYM AND AUDITORIUM ALONG WITH THE HIGH SCHOOL AND ELEMENTARY LIBRARIES BEING RENOVATED.

STATE NEWS:

MONTROSE, PA. (AP) - RESIDENTS AND ACTIVISTS IN NORTHEASTERN PENNSYLVANIA SAY THEY WANT THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT TO STEP IN AND KEEP WATCH OVER THE RAPIDLY EXPANDING NATURAL GAS DRILLING INDUSTRY. MORE THAN A DOZEN PEOPLE MET YESTERDAY WITH OFFICIALS FROM THE U.S. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY AND OTHER FEDERAL AGENCIES IN SUSQUEHANNA COUNTY.

HARRISBURG, PA. (AP) - WAL-MART IS CANCELING AN AGREEMENT TO INSTALL MORE THAN 20 STATE-CONTROLLED WINE-VENDING MACHINES IN SOME PENNSYLVANIA STORES. A COMPANY STATEMENT CITES MECHANICAL CONCERNS. BUT A LAWYER FOR THE CONTRACTOR SAYS MECHANICAL PROBLEMS AFFECT
LESS THAN ONE-HALF PERCENT OF TRANSACTIONS.

NORRISTOWN, PA. (AP) - AUTHORITIES SAY FOUR PEOPLE WERE INJURED WHEN A CAR PLUNGED THROUGH THE WINDOW OF A SUBURBAN PHILADELPHIA FAST-FOOD RESTAURANT. POLICE IN MONTGOMERY COUNTY SAY THE CRASH HAPPENED YESTERDAY AFTERNOON AT A TACO BELL IN EAST NORRITON
TOWNSHIP. OFFICIALS SAY A MAN WAS BACKING OUT OF A PARKING SPOT WHEN HE HID A SEDAN, AND THEN ACCELERATED FORWARD INTO THE RESTAURANT.

HARRISBURG, PA. (AP) - THREE HARRISBURG MEN CONVICTED IN A CONVENIENCE STORE ROBBERY IN 1996 HAVE BEEN CHARGED WITH MURDER FOLLOWING THE DEATH OF THE WOUNDED OWNER. JEREMY ENAIRE, RONALD BRILEY AND LEE SMITH, ALL SERVED TIME ON ROBBERY AND CONSPIRACY CONVICTIONS. DAUPHIN COUNTY AUTHORITIES SAY STORE OWNER CHONG KWAK LINGERED IN A COMA UNTIL HE DIED IN JUNE.

NATIONAL NEWS:

WASHINGTON (AP) - A NEW POLL SUGGESTS AN INCREASE IN AMERICAN PESSIMISM ABOUT THE ECONOMY AND A GROWING LACK OF CONFIDENCE IN PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA. THE AP-GFK POLL ALSO SHOWS MORE ADULTS BLAME FORMER PRESIDENT GEORGE W. BUSH FOR THE NATION'S ECONOMIC
WOES THAN OBAMA.

BUXTON, N.C. (AP) - OFFICIALS ARE SCRAMBLING TO INSPECT BRIDGES, DUSTING OFF EVACUATION PLANS AND GETTING SANDBAGS READY FOR POTENTIAL FLOODS AHEAD OF HURRICANE IRENE. THE STORM COULD HIT THIS WEEKEND ANYWHERE FROM THE CAROLINAS TO NEW ENGLAND AND FORECASTERS
SAY IT COULD BE A CATEGORY 4 STORM WHEN IT ARRIVES.

LINCOLN, CALIF. (AP) - CALIFORNIANS EVACUATED FROM HOMES NEAR A BURNING PROPANE RAIL TANKER ARE BEING ALLOWED TO GO HOME. AUTHORITIES SAY FIRE CREWS HAVE CONTAINED THE BLAZE AND ENDED THE THREAT OF A MAJOR EXPLOSION. THE TANKER WAS ALLOWED TO BURN ITSELF
OUT.

NEW YORK (AP) - THE HIGHWAY LOSS DATA INSTITUTE SAYS THE MOST STOLEN VEHICLE THESE DAYS IS THE CADILLAC ESCALADE. THE LUXURY SUV IS LOVED BY THE RICH AND THE NOT-SO-RICH -- AND ALSO BY THIEVES AS A STATUS SYMBOL. IT'S SIX TIMES MORE LIKELY TO BE HIT BY THIEVES
THAN THE AVERAGE VEHICLE.

LONDON (AP) - SOCIAL NETWORK EXECUTIVES AND THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT ARE TALKING ABOUT HOW TO PREVENT SOCIAL NETWORKS FROM BEING USED TO PLOT VIOLENCE. EXECUTIVES FROM FACEBOOK, TWITTER AND BLACKBERRY MAKER RESEARCH IN MOTION ARE MEETING THE GOVERNMENT AND POLICE. THE GOVERNMENT HAS EXPRESSED CONCERN ABOUT THE WAY SOCIAL MEDIA WERE USED DURING THIS MONTH'S RIOTS ACROSS ENGLAND.