TODAY'S NEWS: FRIDAY, AUGUST 12, 2011

THE GREAT POTTSVILLE CRUISE ENTERS ITS SECOND DAY TODAY. JASMINE BROOKS HAS ALL THE DETAILS:

GILLINGHAM TO OPEN IN PORT CARBON

THE GILLINGHAM CHARTER WILL OPEN THE SCHOOL YEAR AT A TEMPORARY LOCATION. THE FORMER ST STEPHEN REGIONAL ELEMENTARY SCHOOL IN PORT CARBON. THE ANNOUNCEMENT WAS MADE AT LAST NIGHT’S PUBLIC MEETING. SCHOOL OFFICIALS DECIDED TO USE THE FORMER ELEMENTARY AS A TEMPORARY HOME DUE TO THE RENOVATIONS MADE TO THE ACTUAL CHARTER SCHOOL. GILLINGHAM CHARTER SCHOOL IS STILL ON SCHEDULE TO BE READY FOR THE OPENING OF THE SCHOOL ON SEPTEMBER 6.

SAFETY FIRST FOR CRUISE

POTTSVILLE POLICE ARE CAUTIONING POTTSVILLE CRUISE GOERS ABOUT RESPONSIBLE BEHAVIOR DURING THE 4 DAY EVENT. CITY POLICE WILL BE ON PATROL LOOKING FOR ANYONE WHO IS DISOBEYING LAWS. POLICE OFFICIALS ARE ADVISING THOSE WHO ATTEND THAT IF ALCOHOL IS BEING SERVED IT MUST BE KEPT ON THE PORCH AND HAVING AN OPEN CONTAINER ON THE STREETS IS AGAINST THE LAW. ALSO, ANYONE SPINNING TIRES OR BURNOUTS COULD BE CHARGED WITH CARELESS DRIVING OR DISORDERLY CONDUCT. THE GREAT POTTSVILLE CRUISE BEGAN LAST NIGHT AND WILL RUN THROUGH THE WEEKEND.

GUARDRAIL BID ACCEPTED

THE ASHLAND BOROUGH COUNCIL ACCEPTED A BID FOR GUARDRAILS TO BE INSTALLED ON OAKLAND AVE. AT LAST NIGHT’S MEETING. THE BIDS OPENED BY PROJECT MANAGER OF ENTECH ENGINEERING, DONALD CUFF, ACCEPTED THE OVER $17,000 BID FROM MORGAN RAIL OF TEMPLE. IT WAS ALSO DECIDED THAT AN ADJUSTMENT WILL BE MADE TO THE TRAFFIC PATTERN TO A SECTION OF ROAD ON OAKLAND AVENUE TO A ONE WAY MOVING EAST DUE TO PENNDOT REGULATIONS FOR GUIDERAILS OAKLAND AVE WILL NO LONGER BE WIDE ENOUGH FOR 2 LANE TRAFFIC.

MINE OWNER ORDER TO PAY OVER $900K

A JUDGE HAS ORDERED A MINE OWNER TO PAY MORE THAN $900,000 IN PENALTIES AFTER A MAN DIED IN A TREMONT TOWNSHIP COAL MINE EXPLOSION NEARLY FIVE YEARS AGO. THE REPUBLICAN HERALD REPORTS, R&D MINE COAL COMPANY INCORPORATED MUST PAY THE MONEY AS THE RESULT OF SAFETY VIOLATIONS THAT CAUSED THE DEATH OF 43-YEAR-OLD DALE REIGHTLER OF DONALDSON IN 2006.


ASSAULT CONVICTION UPHELD

A SUPERIOR COURT PANEL HAS UPHELD THE CONVICTION OF A NEW PHILADELPHIA MAN. THE PANEL RULED THAT 42 YEAR OLD RON REED JR WAITED TO LONG TO FILE AN APPEAL TO HIS SENTENCE IMPOSED ON HIM BY JUDGE JOHN DOMALAKES. REED WILL SPEND THE NEXT ONE DAY TO 23 MONTHS IN PRISON AND PAY A $200 FINE. REED WAS CONVICTED AND SENTENCED FOR HIS ASSAULT OF HIS THEN GIRLFRIEND IN 2009 IN POTTSVILLE

STS SCAVENGER HUNT

NEARLY FORTY KIDS FROM ACROSS SCHUYLKILL COUNTY PARTICIPATED IN THE THIRD ANNUAL SCAVENGER HUNT ON THE SCHUYLKILL COUNTY TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM THURSDAY MORNING. FIXED BUS ROUTES TOOK THE KIDS THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY TO DESIGNATED STOPS. STS EMPLOYEE, SHAWN SCHOFFTALL, SAYS THROUGH THE SCAVENGER HUNT THE KIDS WILL LEARN TO RIDE THE BUS WHICH WILL NOT ONLY HELP THEM NOW, BUT IN THE FUTURE.

ENERGY STORAGE PLANT AWARDED GRANT

A $5 MILLION STATE GRANT TO HELP ASSIST WITH THE COMPLETION OF A ENERGY STORAGE PLANT IN HUMBOLDT INDUSTRIAL PARK WILL BE AWARDED TO BEACON POWER CORPORATION AND HAZLE TOWNSHIP. IN ADDITION TO ENHANCING CLEAN ENERGY, THE $53 MILLION DOLLAR PROJECT WILL PROVIDE AN ECONOMIC BOOST TO THE AREA, WITH THE POTENTIAL TO CREATE NEARLY 60 NEW JOBS. THE REPUBLICAN HERALD REPORTS, THE GRANT WAS SECURED THROUGH THE STATE’S REDEVELOPMENT ASSISTANCE CAPITAL PROGRAM.

STATE NEWS:

FREEMANSBURG, PA. (AP) - THE NORTHAMPTON COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY SAYS A POLICE OFFICER WHO WAS SHOT IN EASTERN PENNSYLVANIA HAS DIED. AUTHORITIES SAY 31-YEAR-OLD OFFICER ROBERT LASSO WAS INVESTIGATING A REPORT OF A DISTURBANCE IN FREEMANSBURG LAST NIGHT
WHEN HE WAS SHOT. OFFICIALS SAY A SUSPECT IS IN CUSTODY, BUT HASN'T BEEN CHARGED YET.

ASTON, PA. (AP) - AUTHORITIES SAY ONE WORKER IS DEAD AND ANOTHER INJURED AFTER AN ACCIDENT AT A SEWER PLANT NEAR PHILADELPHIA. THE ACCIDENT HAPPENED YESTERDAY MORNING AT THE SOUTHWEST DELAWARE COUNTY SEWER AUTHORITY PUMPING STATION IN ASTON. THE DELAWARE
COUNTY DAILY TIMES REPORTS FOUR WORKERS WERE CLEANING A VALVE, WHEN TWO OF THEM INSIDE A WELL FELL UNCONSCIOUS.

HALIFAX, PA. (AP) - POLICE SAY A WOMAN IS BEING TREATED FOR A DEEP WOUND ON HER ARM CAUSED BY A BENGAL TIGER AT LAKE TOBIAS WILDLIFE PARK IN CENTRAL PENNSYLVANIA. STATE POLICE SAY THE VICTIM IS BELIEVED TO BE A WOMAN IN HER 20S FROM HARRISBURG WHO WORKED AS
A DRIVER AT THE PRIVATE BUSINESS. POLICE SAY IT APPEARS THE WOMAN WAS IN THE WRONG AREA WHEN SHE STUCK HER ARM INSIDE A FENCE CONTAINING TWO TIGERS.

SCRANTON, PA. (AP) - SENTENCING HAS BEEN POSTPONED FOR TWO FORMER COUNTY COMMISSIONERS CONVICTED ON PUBLIC CORRUPTION CHARGES IN NORTHEASTERN PENNSYLVANIA. THE TIMES-TRIBUNE REPORTS A FEDERAL JUDGE ISSUED ORDERS YESTERDAY DELAYING THE SENTENCING FOR FORMER
LACKAWANNA COUNTY COMMISSIONERS ROBERT CORDARO AND A.J. MUNCHAK UNTIL OCTOBER.

NATIONAL NEWS:

AMES, IOWA (AP) - EIGHT CANDIDATES AND GROWING. A SPOKESMAN FOR RICK PERRY SAYS THE TEXAS GOVERNOR WILL ANNOUNCE SATURDAY THAT HE'LL BE RUNNING FOR THE GOP PRESIDENTIAL NOMINATION. PERRY WILL NOT BE PARTICIPATING IN THIS WEEKEND'S IOWA STRAW POLL, BUT HE'LL
BE VISITING SOUTH CAROLINA AND NEW HAMPSHIRE.

AUSTIN, TEXAS (AP) - IT WAS REPUBLICAN AGAINST REPUBLICAN, AND REPUBLICAN AGAINST PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA AT LAST NIGHT'S PRESIDENTIAL DEBATE IN IOWA. GOP FRONT RUNNER MITT ROMNEY BASHED OBAMA'S DEBT CEILING COMPROMISE, CALLING IT "DOG FOOD." MINNESOTANS TIM PAWLENTY AND MICHELE BACHMANN WENT AFTER EACH OTHER'S RECORD. ALSO ATTENDING WERE JON HUNTSMAN, NEWT GINGRICH, RON PAUL, RICK SANTORUM AND HERMAN CAIN.

BRUSSLES (AP) - WHO KNOWS WHERE THE WILD SWINGS OF THE U.S. MARKETS AND ABROAD WILL END UP EACH DAY? TODAY, EUROPEAN MARKETS ARE PUSHING HIGHER, FOLLOWING YESTERDAY'S BIG GAINS ON WALL STREET. MOST ASIAN MARKETS CLOSED SLIGHTLY UP TODAY, BUT JAPAN'S NIKKEI WAS
LOWER. FOR NOW, U.S. FUTURES ARE SLIGHTLY DOWN.

LONDON (AP) - OFFICIALS IN BRITAIN SAY MORE THAN 1,700 PEOPLE HAVE BEEN ARRESTED NATIONWIDE FOR ALLEGEDLY TAKING PART IN THE COUNTRY'S VIOLENT RIOTS, AND NEARLY 600 OF THEM HAVE BEEN CHARGED IN LONDON WITH VIOLENCE, DISORDER AND LOOTING. HUNDREDS OF
BRITAIN'S STORES WERE LOOTED AND BUILDINGS WERE SET ON FIRE, BUT SEVERAL PEOPLE ALSO DIED.

ABIDJAN, IVORY COAST (AP) - THE UNITED NATIONS SAYS PEOPLE ARE STILL PAYING IN BLOOD IN AFRICA'S IVORY COAST, WHERE STRONGMAN LAURENT GBAGBO (LOH-RAHN' BAHG'-BOH) WAS ARRESTED IN APRIL, AFTER HE REFUSED TO GIVE UP POWER FOLLOWING LAST NOVEMBER'S ELECTION. NOW
THE U.N. SAYS 26 PEOPLE LOYAL TO GBAGBO WERE EXECUTED LAST MONTH. THE U.N. SAYS A 17-MONTH-OLD CHILD WAS AMONG THOSE KILLED.