TODAY'S NEWS: FRIDAY, AUGUST 26, 2011

FRACKVILLE WOMAN DRUNK AT WORK

A FRACKVILLE WOMAN WHO POLICE SAY ADMITS TO DRINKING UP TO A QUART OF WHISKEY BEFORE GOING TO WORK AS A HOME CARE NURSE HAS BEEN CHARGED WITH RECKLESS ENDANGERMENT, SIMPLE ASSAULT RESISTING ARREST AND A SLEW OF OTHER CHARGES. MOUNT CARMEL POLICE REPORT THAT 36 YEAR OLD SHANNON O'CONNELL OF FRACKVILLE, WHO IS A LICENSED PRACTICAL NURSE SCREAMED OBSCENITIES AT THOMAS SCHOTT AND HIS WIFE AND THREW ITEMS IN THERE HOUSE WHILE O'CONNELL WAS SUPPOSED TO BE CARING FOR THE SCHOTT'S BEDRIDDEN SON. ONCE POLICE ARRIVED O'CONNELL REFUSED TO LEAVE THE HOME AND BRANDISHED A POCKET KNIFE AS POLICE ATTEMPTED TO TAKE HER INTO CUSTODY. O'CONNELL IS CURRENTLY EMPLOYED WITH BAYADA NURSES


MAN DIES IN CRASH

WEST PENN TOWNSHIP POLICE REPORT THAT A CARBON COUNTY MAN HAS DIED FROM INJURIES INCURRED IN A HEAD ON VEHICLE CRASH WITH A TRACTOR TRAILER ON RT 309 WEDNESDAY NIGHT. AUTHORITIES HAVE NOT RELEASED THE MAN'S NAME PENDING FAMILY NOTIFICATION. REPORTS SAY THAT THE TRACTOR TRAILER WAS DRIVING SOUTH WHEN IT STRUCK SOME DEBRIS ON THE ROAD AND VEERED INTO THE NORTHBOUND LANE STRIKING THE SLATINGTON MAN. OFFICIALS PRONOUNCED THE SLATINGTON MAN DEAD AT THE SCENE. AN INVESTIGATION CONTINUES.

POTTSVILLE MAN JAILED ON DRUG CHARGES

A POTTSVILLE MAN WAS JAILED WEDNESDAY EVENING ON DRUG CHARGES AFTER ALLEGEDLY ATTEMPTING TO DISTRIBUTE MORPHINE SULFATE PILLS AT THE FUEL ON CONVENIENCE STORE IN MINERSVILLE. POLICE ARRESTED 41-YEAR-OLD WILLIAM STRIMBOULIS JR. AND CHARGED HIM WITH ONE FELONY COUNT EACH OF POSSESSION WITH INTENT TO DELIVER A CONTROLLED SUBSTANCE AND CRIMINAL ATTEMPT IN ADDITION TO OTHER MISDEMEANOR CHARGES. STRIMBOULIS WAS COMMITTED TO SCHUYLKILL COUNTY PRISON, UNABLE TO POST TEN PERCENT OF $25,000 BAIL.


COUNCILMAN PLANS TO FILE CIVIL RIGHTS LAWSUIT

A GILBERTON BOROUGH COUNCILMAN PLANS TO FILE A CIVIL RIGHTS LAWSUIT AGAINST THE BOROUGH IF CERTAIN CONDITIONS ARE NOT MET RELATING TO HIS ARREST LAST YEAR. COUNCILMAN ROBERT WAGNER SUBMITTED A LETTER TO THE GILBERTON BOROUGH COUNCIL FROM HIS ATTORNEY ALONG WITH THE A-C-L-U. WAGNER WAS ARRESTED IN JULY OF 2010 ON MISDEMEANOR CHARGES OF VERBAL HARASSMENT OF GILBERTON MAYOR MARY LOU HANNON AND POLICE CHIEF MARK KESSLER FOR MAKING PHONE CALLS TO BOTH OFFICIALS ABOUT A-T-V'S RACING NEAR HIS HOME THAT WERE CAUSING A DISTURBANCE. WAGNER STATES THAT HIS FIRST AMENDMENT RIGHTS WERE VIOLATED AND THAT HIS ARREST WAS IN RETALIATION OF HIM USING HIS FREEDOM OF SPEECH.

TWO CHARGED AFTER LEAVING ANIMALS BEHIND

TWO PEOPLE WERE ARRESTED WEDNESDAY FOR ABANDONING ANIMALS INSIDE A MAHANOY CITY HOME. BOROUGH POLICE FILED CHARGES AGAINST 35-YEAR-OLD BRANDY LEE AND 39-YEAR-OLD CHARLES PALULIS AFTER THEY LEFT FOUR DOGS AND OTHER ANIMALS IN A HOME UNFIT FOR HUMANS OR ANIMALS. POLICE SAY THE ANIMALS HAD NO WATER OR FOOD AND TWO WERE KEPT IN SMALL, RUSTED CAGES FILLED WITH FECES. BOTH LEE AND PALULIS ARE NOW LIVING WITH RELATIVES.

BLUE MOUNTAIN OK'S RENOVATIONS

THE BLUE MOUNTAIN SCHOOL BOARD HAS AGREED TO A $35,000 RENOVATION TO BLUE MOUNTAIN ELEMENTARY EAST. THE PROJECT WILL INVOLVE THE TESTING AND BALANCING OF THE HEATING VENTILATION AND AIR CONDITIONING SYSTEM IN THE SCHOOL. THE WORK IS PLANNED TO LAST 2 WEEKS AND WILL NOT INTERRUPT CLASSES. THIS WILL BE THE SECOND SCHOOL IN THE DISTRICT WITH AIR CONDITIONING, WHICH ALSO USES GEOTHERMAL TECHNOLOGY FOR HEATING AND COOLING THE SCHOOL. THE MIDDLE SCHOOL ALSO USES THE ADVANCED TECHNOLOGY.


SCHUYLKILL COUNTY, PRIMARY NATURAL DISASTER AREA

DUE TO LOSSES CAUSED BY EXCESSIVE RAIN, FLOODING, HIGH WINDS AND TORNADOES THAT OCCURRED IN MAY, THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE HAS DESIGNATED SCHUYLKILL COUNTY AS A PRIMARY NATURAL DISASTER AREA. FARMERS AND RANCHERS FROM COUNTIES INCLUDING BERKS, COLUMBIA, DAUPHIN, LUZERNE, LEHIGH AND NORTHUMBERLAND QUALIFY FOR NATURAL DISASTER ASSISTANCE. AGRICULTURE SECRETARY TOM VILSACK SAID "PENNSYLVANIA PRODUCERS CAN CONTINUE TO COUNT ON USDA TO PROVIDE EMERGENCY ASSISTANCE DURING DIFFICULT TIMES."

SOME SCHOOL SUPPLIES MADE WITH TOXIC PLASTIC

PENNSYLVANIA PARENTS ARE BEING OFFERED A LESSON IN BACK-TO-SCHOOL SHOPPING. THE GROUP HEALTHY LEGACY IS WARNING THAT SOME SCHOOL SUPPLIES CONTAIN HARMFUL CHEMICALS THAT CAN AFFECT A CHILD'S LEARNING ABILITY AND HEALTH. ORGANIZER KIM LABO SAYS THEIR FOCUS THIS YEAR IS ON P-V-C, WHICH CAN BE FOUND IN BACKPACKS, LUNCHBOXES AND BINDERS. CLUES THAT A PRODUCT CONTAINS P-V-C: A "3" OR “V” UNDER THE UNIVERSAL RECYCLING SYMBOL. IN THE PAST, PENNSYLVANIA HAS CONSIDERED LEGISLATION REQUIRING MANUFACTURERS TO DISCLOSE TOXINS IN THEIR PRODUCTS, BUT NO LAW HAS BEEN PASSED.


STATE NEWS:

PHILADELPHIA (AP) - PENNSYLVANIA OFFICIALS ARE KEEPING A CLOSE EYE ON HURRICANE IRENE. GOVERNMENTS, AIRPORTS, UTILITIES AND RESCUE WORKERS ACROSS THE STATE ARE BRACING FOR FLOODING AND OTHER PROBLEMS THAT COULD ARISE IF THE STATE GETS SWAMPED BY HEAVY RAINS
THIS WEEKEND.

PHILADELPHIA (AP) - POLICE SAY A HOMELESS MAN WAS FATALLY STABBED IN A WELL-KNOWN PHILADELPHIA PARK. AUTHORITIES SAY THE MAN WAS STABBED LAST NIGHT AT THE ENTRANCE TO LOVE PARK. THE VICTIM WAS RUSHED TO THE HOSPITAL BUT LATER DIED. POLICE TOOK A MALE SUSPECT INTO CUSTODY NEAR THE SCENE. THEY SAY HE AND THE VICTIM WERE ARGUING BEFORE THE STABBING.

MURRYSVILLE, PA. (AP) - AUTHORITIES SAY AN AMMONIA LEAK AT A WESTERN PENNSYLVANIA BUSINESS SENT AT LEAST THREE PEOPLE TO THE HOSPITAL. GENERAL PRODUCT & SUPPLY INCORPORATED IN MURRYSVILLE WAS EVACUATED YESTERDAY AFTERNOON. WESTMORELAND COUNTY EMERGENCY DISPATCHERS SAY ABOUT 20 GALLONS OF AMMONIA SPILLED AND THREE PEOPLE WERE SICKENED BY FUMES.

BLOOMSBURG, PA. (AP) - A BOOK MANUFACTURING PLANT IN NORTHEASTERN PENNSYLVANIA HAS TOLD ITS EMPLOYEES IT'S CLOSING ITS DOORS. EMPLOYEES HEADING OUT OF THE RR DONNELLEY PLANT OUTSIDE BLOOMSBURG TELL WNEP-TV THEY LEARNED YESTERDAY THEY HAVE ONLY 60 DAYS LEFT OF EMPLOYMENT. THE CHICAGO-BASED COMPANY WILL CLOSE THE PLANT BY THE END OF OCTOBER. ABOUT 400 PEOPLE WILL LOSE THEIR JOB

NATIONAL NEWS:

MIAMI (AP) - THE HURRICANE WARNING FOR IRENE NOW RUNS ALL THE WAY FROM NORTH CAROLINA TO NEW JERSEY. FORECASTERS SAY IRENE HAS WEAKENED TO A CATEGORY 2 STORM AS IT APPROACHES THE EAST COAST. THE NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER SAYS IT COULD GET STRONGER AGAIN AND BE
NEAR CATEGORY 3 STRENGTH AS IT REACHES NORTH CAROLINA'S COAST TOMORROW.

NAGS HEAD, N.C. (AP) - AS MANY AS 65 MILLION PEOPLE ALONG THE DENSELY POPULATED EAST COAST ARE WARILY WAITING FOR A DANGEROUS WEEKEND HURRICANE THAT HAS THE POTENTIAL TO INFLICT BILLIONS OF DOLLARS IN DAMAGE. NORTH CAROLINA IS FIRST IN LINE FOR HURRICANE
IRENE AND THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SAYS BIG WAVES AND SWELLS ARE HITTING THE OUTER BANKS.

UNDATED (AP) - PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA HAS DECLARED AN EMERGENCY FOR NORTH CAROLINA TO FREE UP FEDERAL RESOURCES TO HELP DEAL WITH HURRICANE IRENE. PEOPLE LEAVING THE NEW JERSEY SHORE, INCLUDING ATLANTIC CITY, COULD BE PART OF THE BIGGEST EVACUATION IN STATE
HISTORY. OFFICIALS IN MARYLAND HAVE ORDERED THOUSANDS OF RESIDENTS AND VISITORS TO LEAVE OCEAN CITY.

SAN DIEGO (AP) - LAWYERS FOR THE TUCSON SHOOTING RAMPAGE SUSPECT ARE STILL FIGHTING THE FORCIBLE MEDICATION OF THEIR CLIENT. A JUDGE IN SAN DIEGO WILL HEAR ARGUMENTS TODAY IN THE LATEST ATTEMPT. HE REJECTED A SIMILAR MOTION BROUGHT IN JUNE. THE SHOOTINGS KILLED 13
AND CRITICALLY WOUNDED A CONGRESSWOMAN.

WASHINGTON (AP) - A SURVEY OF ECONOMISTS FINDS PESSIMISM IN THEIR PREDICTION OF THE COMMERCE DEPARTMENT'S REVISED SECOND QUARTER GROWTH ANNOUNCEMENT TODAY. THE ECONOMISTS TELL FACTSET THEY EXPECT THE NUMBER TO BE REVISED DOWN FROM 1.3 PERCENT TO 1.1 PERCENT ANNUAL GROWTH. THAT COULD AMPLIFY WORRIES OF A NEW RECESSION.