TODAY'S NEWS: FRIDAY AUGUST 5, 2011

BODY FOUND IN HUMBOLDT

A BODY WAS FOUND THURSDAY AT THE BOTTOM OF A 60 FOOT EMBANKMENT AT THE HUMBOLDT INDUSTRIAL PARK IN EAST UNION TOWNSHIP. STATE POLICE AT FRACKVILLE ARE REPORTING THAT 35 YEAR OLD JOSEPH KELLY DROVE HIS VEHICLE THROUGH A GUARDRAIL AND DOWN THE EMBANKMENT. TROOPERS SAY THE CRASH OCCURRED BETWEEN WEDNESDAY AND THURSDAY. THE INVESTIGATION CONTINUES.

GILLINGHAM RELEASE RENOVATIONS TO CITY

ON THURSDAY, THE GILLINGHAM CHARTER SCHOOL DELIVERED THEIR PLAN TO RENOVATE THE 116 YEAR OLD BUILDING THAT IS TO BECOME THE FIRST CHARTER SCHOOL IN SCHUYLKILL COUNTY TO THE CITY OF POTTSVILLE, WITH THE HOPES ALL RENOVATIONS WILL BE COMPLETE BY THE SEPTEMBER 6 OPENING. HOWEVER THE TWO ISSUES FACING GILLINGHAM IS THE LACK OF A FIRE ALARM SYSTEM AND HANDICAP ACCESSIBILITY. CITY CODE ENFORCEMENT OFFICER DON CHESCAVAGE TELLS THE REPUBLICAN HERALD THAT IT'S HARD TO SAY IF THE IMPROVEMENTS COULD BE MADE BY THE SEPTEMBER 6 DATE.

HAVEN MAN CAN USE SOLAR PANELS

AN UPDATE NOW ON A STORY WE BROUGHT YOU A FEW WEEKS AGO ABOUT A SCHUYLKILL HAVEN MANS QUEST TO USE SOLAR PANELS AT HIS HOME. ON THURSDAY A BOROUGH EMPLOYEE REMOVED THE PADLOCK PLACED ON THE SOLAR PANEL SYSTEM AT THE HOME OF ED WOZNICKI. AN AMENDMENT WAS MADE TO THE CUSTOMER OWNED ELECTRIC GENERATION ORDINANCE WHERE UP UNTIL NOW THIS ORDINANCE PROHIBITED WOZNICKI FROM USING THE SOLAR SYSTEM AT HIS HOUSE. IN ADDITION, WOZNICKI WILL NOW NEED TO INSTALL A SPECIAL METER AT A COST OF $350 AND ANOTHER $300 IN ADDITIONAL COSTS IN ORDER TO USE THE $50,000 SYSTEM.

MODIFIED SENTENCE FOR CAT SHOOTER

A NEW PHILADELPHIA MAN, WHO ADMITTED SHOOTING A CAT WITH A CROSSBOW LAST AUGUST, HAS HAD HIS SENTENCE MODIFIED. 37-YEAR-OLD PATRICK CANFIELD’S INITIAL SENTENCE REQUIRED HE COMPLETE 150 HOURS COMMUNITY SERVICE AT THE LOCAL SPCA SHELTERS, BUT NOW CANFIELD MUST PERFORM HIS COMMUNITY SERVICE AT OTHER COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS ACCEPTABLE TO THE COUNTY ADULT PROBATION AND PAROLE OFFICE. THE REPUBLICAN HERALD REPORTS, SCHUYLKILL COUNTY JUDGE CYRUS PALMER DOLBIN WOULD NOT COMMENT ON WHY THE ORDER HAD BEEN MODIFIED.

CHARGES WITHDRAWN AGAINST FORMER PRISON GUARD

CHARGES WERE WITHDRAWN AGAINST A FORMER GUARD AT THE SCHUYLKILL COUNTY PRISON AFTER HE HAD BEEN INVOLVED IN THE BEATING OF AN INMATE IN APRIL. THE REPUBLICAN HERALD REPORTS, CHARGES OF SIMPLE ASSAULT AND HARASSMENT AGAINST 28-YEAR-OLD JAMES PRENETA WERE TEMPORARILY WITHDRAWN, BUT ARE EXPECTED TO BE REFILED LATER THIS MONTH. TWO OTHER FORMER GUARDS WERE FOUND GUILTY LAST MONTH.

GEAR GRINDERS TO HOLD ANNUAL CAR SHOW

THE GEAR GRINDERS HOT ROD ASSOCIATION OF POTTSVILLE WILL HOST ITS 15TH ANNUAL CAR SHOW AND CHINESE AUCTION ON SATURDAY, AUGUST 6TH, AT SOUTH CASS FIRE COMPANY ON ROUTE 901 IN PRIMROSE. VEHICLE REGISTRATION BEGINS AT 8 AM AND COSTS TEN DOLLARS. ALL VEHICLES MUST BE ON THE FIELD BY 11 AM IN ORDER TO BE JUDGED. THIS EVENT WILL BE HELD RAIN OR SHINE.

PRE-REGISTRATION FOR CRUISE

THE POTTSVILLE LIONS CLUB IS KICKING OFF PRE-REGISTRATION FOR THE 18TH ANNUAL GREAT POTTSVILLE CRUISE SET FOR AUGUST 11TH, 12TH, 13TH, AND 14TH. REGISTRATION PACKETS ARE NOW AVAILABLE AT THE YORKVILLE CONEY ISLAND, DOWNTOWN CONEY ISLAND, 12-VOLT DAVE’S AUDIO AND JERRY’S NORTHEAST AUTO SALES, RT. 61. FOR MORE INFORMATION ON THE GREAT POTTSVILLE CRUISE GO TO THEGREATPOTTSVILLECRUISE.COM.


STATE NEWS:

ALLENTOWN, PA. (AP) — A NATURAL GAS PIPELINE PROJECT REMAINS SHUT DOWN AFTER DRILLING MUD TWICE SPILLED INTO A NORTHEASTERN PENNSYLVANIA STREAM. THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION SAYS IT HASN'T DETECTED ANY IMPACT ON AQUATIC LIFE FROM THE SPILL INTO LAUREL LAKE CREEK IN SUSQUEHANNA COUNTY.

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — POLICE SAY A PROFESSOR AT CHESTNUT HILL COLLEGE IS DEAD AFTER HE DOVE OVER A SECOND-FLOOR RAILING INSIDE A BUILDING ON CAMPUS DURING CLASS. THE PHILADELPHIA DAILY NEWS REPORTS RUDOLF ALEXANDROV WAS AN ADJUNCT MATH PROFESSOR AT THE PRIVATE FOUR-YEAR SCHOOL. PHILADELPHIA POLICE ARE CALLING IT A SUICIDE.

PITTSBURGH (AP) — PITTSBURGH POLICE SAY A TWO-MONTH-OLD BABY WAS SERIOUSLY INJURED YESTERDAY DURING AN ALLEGED DOMESTIC DISPUTE. POLICE SAY DANIEL HAYNES STRUCK HIS INFANT DAUGHTER'S HEAD AGAINST THE FRONT DOOR OF THE HOME. THE BABY'S MOTHER WAS ALSO INJURED DURING THE ALLEGED INCIDENT.

BELLEVUE, PA. (AP) — POLICE SAY AN APARTMENT BUILDING IN BELLEVUE PARTIALLY COLLAPSED YESTERDAY. WPXI-TV REPORTS EIGHT FAMILIES LIVED IN THE BUILDING. THERE'S NO WORD ON ANY INJURIES OR WHAT CAUSED THE COLLAPSE.

NATIONAL NEWS:

WASHINGTON (AP) - AT LEAST IT ISN'T BAD NEWS. THAT'S HOW ONE ECONOMIST SEES TODAY'S REPORT THAT THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE APPLYING FOR UNEMPLOYMENT BENEFITS EDGED DOWN LAST WEEK BY 1,000 -- AFTER CONSIDERING THE UPWARD REVISION OF THE PREVIOUS WEEK'S NUMBERS. THE
FOUR-WEEK AVERAGE DROPPED FOR THE FIFTH WEEK IN A ROW, SUGGESTING THERE'S A DOWNWARD TREND IN LAYOFFS. BUT ON WALL STREET, STOCKS ARE POSTING ADDITIONAL LOSSES, WITH THE DOW LOSING MORE THAN 100 POINTS IN THE OPENING MINUTES.

NEW YORK (AP) - SEVERAL RETAILERS ARE POSTING SOLID SALES NUMBERS FOR JULY -- INCLUDING TARGET, COSTCO AND LIMITED BRANDS. THEIR NUMBERS ALL BEAT WALL STREET ESTIMATES. BUT ANALYSTS ARE WORRIED THAT THE MOMENTUM WON'T CONTINUE THROUGH THE BACK-TO-SCHOOL
SHOPPING SEASON.

OSLO, NORWAY (AP) - HE'S CONFESSED TO THE DEADLY NORWAY TERROR ATTACKS -- BUT ACCORDING TO A PROSECUTOR, ANDERS BREIVIK (AHN'-DURS BRAY'-VIHK) ISN'T COMPLETELY COMING CLEAN. THE PROSECUTOR SAYS BREIVIK IS HOLDING BACK INFORMATION THAT COULD HELP DETERMINE IF HE
HAD ACCOMPLICES. HE SAYS AUTHORITIES STILL BELIEVE BREIVIK ACTED ALONE, BUT CAN'T BE SURE OF THAT.

NAIROBI, KENYA (AP) - THE U.N. IS ESTIMATING THAT THE DROUGHT AND FAMINE IN SOMALIA HAVE KILLED MORE THAN 29,000 CHILDREN UNDER THE AGE OF 5. IT'S THE FIRST TIME THAT SUCH A PRECISE DEATH TOLL HAS BEEN RELEASED FROM THAT CRISIS. THE DROUGHT IS THE WORST IN
SOMALIA IN 60 YEARS. THE U.N. SAYS 640,000 SOMALI CHILDREN ARE ACUTELY MALNOURISHED -- SUGGESTING THAT THE DEATH TOLL AMONG SMALL CHILDREN WILL RISE.

MARIETTA, GA. (AP) - A GEORGIA WOMAN WHO WAS CONVICTED IN THE DEATH OF HER 4-YEAR-OLD SON IS ACCEPTING A JUDGE'S OFFER TO HAVE THE CASE RETRIED. RAQUEL NELSON'S SON WAS KILLED LAST YEAR BY A HIT-AND-RUN DRIVER AS SHE JAYWALKED WITH HIM AND HER TWO OTHER
YOUNG CHILDREN ON A BUSY ROAD. A JUDGE LAST WEEK SENTENCED HER TO A YEAR OR PROBATION BUT GATE HER A MONTH TO DECIDE IF SHE WANTS A NEW TRIAL INSTEAD.