TODAY'S NEWS: MONDAY, AUGUST 1, 2011

YOUNGSTERS FROM NEW YORK CITY ARRIVED IN THE AREA LAST WEEK FOR A CHANCE TO GET SOME FRESH AIR. JASMINE BROOKS REPORTS ON THE FRESH AIR FUND


SEVEN HOMELESS AFTER WEEKEND FIRES

TWO FIRES IN WEST PENN AND NORTH MANHEIM TOWNSHIP OVER THE WEEKEND LEFT A TOTAL OF SEVEN PEOPLE HOMELESS. THE FIRST FIRE WAS REPORTED JUST BEFORE 4AM ON APPLEJACK LANE IN WEST PENN TOWNSHIP. THE FAMILY DOG ALERTED THE RESIDENTS OF THE FIRE, AND ALL FIVE OCCUPANTS WERE ABLE TO ESCAPE SAFELY. ABOUT THREE HOURS LATER, A SECOND FIRE IN NORTH MANHEIM TOWNSHIP BROKE OUT, LEAVING A COUPLE HOMELESS. BOTH FIRES ARE SUSPECTED TO BE ELECTRICAL, BUT ARE STILL UNDER INVESTIGATION.

CRASH AT INTERSECTION SCHEDULED FOR UPGRADE

A TWO CAR CRASH IN POTTSVILLE SATURDAY AFTERNOON LEFT TWO PEOPLE INJURED. POLICE SAY 27-YEAR-OLD AUSTIN STEFFY DROVE THROUGH A RED LIGHT AT 12TH AND MARKET STREET, DRIVING INTO THE PATH OF 62-YEAR-OLD CHARLES BECKER JUNIOR. STEFFY AND HIS THREE PASSENGERS EXITED THE BLAZER ON THEIR OWN, BUT SUSTAINED MINOR INJURIES. PLANS TO UPGRADE THAT TRAFFIC LIGHT ARE IN THE WORKS.

SCHUYLKILL COUNTY FAIR OPENS TODAY

THE 2011 SCHUYLKILL COUNTY FAIR BEGINS TODAY. GATES WILL OPEN AT 4PM AND TODAY IS “FAMILY DAY” WITH $6 ADMISSION. FAIR-GOERS WILL HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO VISIT THE MOBILE AGRICULTURAL SCIENCE LAB UNTIL WEDNESDAY. SPECIAL EVENTS, ENTERTAINMENT AND CONTESTS ARE PLANNED THROUGHOUT THE WEEK. LIVESTOCK, PLANTS AND FOOD WILL ALSO BE MAIN ATTRACTIONS.

POTTSVILLE CHURCH CONSECRATED

THE FORMER PROTESTANT CHURCH LOCATED ON WEST MARKET STREET IN POTTSVILLEHAS BEEN CONSECRASTED BY THE REV. RAMZI MUSALLUM. THE NEW NAME FOR THE CHURCH IS NOW ST ANN ARABIC CATHOLIC CHURCH. ARCHBISHOP MUSALLUM ANNOUNCED THE NAME AFTER SERVICES ON SUNDAY AND ALSO ANNOUNCED THAT IT WILL BE THE CATHEDRAL CHURCH FOR THE DIOCESE. THE BUILDING ITSELF WAS THE FORMER FIRST GERMAN REFORMED CHURCH BUT THE OWNERS SOLD IT TO THE ARCHDIOCESE OF ST JAMES EARLIER THIS YEAR. THE ARCHDIOCESE HAS ABOUT 20 CHURCHES SINCE ITS FOUNDUING IN 2008 ARCHBISHOP MUSALLUM IS ITS FIRST PRIEST AND ARCHBISHOP OF THE RELIGION THAT DATES BACK TO THE 19TH CENTURY.

COUNTY GRAVE MARKERS FOUND IN TENNESSEE

A BOX FULL OF BRONZE FLAG HOLDERS FROM THE GRAVES OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY VETERANS HAVE BEEN LOCATED..IN TENNESSEE. THE REPUBLICAN HERALD IS REPORTING THAT AN ORGANIZATION CALLED WHITE COUNTY LITTER CONTROL FOUND THE BOX OF MARKERS LAYING ALONG THE ROAD IN CASSVILLE, TENN. MEMBERS CONTACTED SCHUYLKILL COUNTY DIRECTOR OF VETERANS AFFAIRS BRENDA GRIFFITHS-ZECHMAN WHO SAYS SHE HAS NO CLUE HOW THE MARKERS MAED THEIR WAY TO TENNESSEE BUT SHE IS GLAD THEY WERE RETURNED. COUNTY CODE REQUIRES ALL 37,000 SCHUYLKILL COUNTY VETERANS GRAVES BE MARKED WITH FLAG HOLDERS.

VETERANS COMMITTEE RELEASE BOOK

A NEW VETERANS BOOK THAT DETAILS A VALLEY VIEW PARACHUTE COMPANY AND ALSO INCLUDES STORIES ABOUT FOREIGN LANDS IS NOW AVAILABLE. THE NON PROIFIT GROUP TRI-VALLEY VETERANS COMMITTEE HAVE RELEASED DEFENDING OUR FREEDOM-PAST, PRESENT AND FUTURE, BOOK 2. THE BOOK INCLUDES PHOTOS AND BIOGRAPHIES OF SOLDIERS. THE COMMITTEE IS HEADED BY LEON MAURER WHO SERVED IN THE U.S. NAVY. IT'S THE SECOND BOOK FROM THE COMMITTEE WHO DEDICATE THE CURRENT VERSION TO ALL THE PAST, PRESENT AND FUTURE VETERANS OF THE TRI VALLEY AREA.YOU CAN PURCHASE THE BOOK FOR $15 AND IS AVAILABLE AT SEVERAL LOCAL LIBRARIES

STATE NEWS:
CLAIRTON, PA. (AP) - POLICE SAY AN 18-YEAR-OLD MAN FACES CHARGES IN THE SHOOTING DEATH OF A TEENAGE GIRL. POLICE IN ALLEGHENY COUNTY SAY SEVERAL YOUNG PEOPLE WERE DRINKING BEER IN A GARAGE IN CLAIRTON EARLY YESTERDAY WHEN ONE PRODUCED A PISTOL. AUTHORITIES SAY HE ALLOWED PARTYGOERS TO PLAY WITH IT. THEY SAY HE WAS LOADING THE WEAPON WHEN IT WENT OFF AND A BULLET STRUCK THE GIRL.

CAMDEN, N.J. (AP) - AUTHORITIES HAVE TRACKED DOWN A NEW JERSEY MAN WANTED FOR HOMICIDES IN NEW JERSEY AND PENNSYLVANIA. AN ANONYMOUS TIP LED POLICE TO LAURIE WINT. HE FACES MURDER CHARGES IN CONNECTION WITH A FATAL SHOOTING IN CAMDEN COUNTY, NEW JERSEY AND A FATAL STABBING IN WARMINSTER TOWNSHIP, PENNSYLVANIA.

SHANKSVILLE, PA. (AP) - OFFICIALS SAY A BIG BOULDER WILL MARK THE SITE WHERE FLIGHT 93 CRASHED DURING THE SEPTEMBER 11TH TERRORIST ATTACKS. THE DAILY AMERICAN OF SOMERSET REPORTS RELATIVES OF THE VICTIMS HAVE TALKED WITH THE NATIONAL PARK SERVICE AND OTHERS OVER THE YEARS ABOUT HOW TO MARK THE IMPACT SITE.

PHILADELPHIA (AP) - PHILANTHROPIST RUTH PERELMAN HAS DIED AT THE AGE OF 90. PERELMAN AND HER HUSBAND WERE MAJOR DONORS TO INSTITUTIONS IN PHILADELPHIA. SHE DIED YESTERDAY AT THE HOSPITAL OF THE UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA. THE PERELMANS HAVE GIVEN MILLIONS OF DOLLARS TO THE UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA, THE KIMMEL CENTER AND THE PHILADELPHIA MUSEUM OF ART.

NATIONAL NEWS:

WASHINGTON (AP) - THE NEXT STEP FOR THE DEBT LIMIT DEAL REACHED BY PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA AND CONGRESSIONAL LEADERS IS A VOTE IN THE HOUSE AND THE SENATE. RIGHT NOW, LAWMAKERS ARE REVIEWING THE DEAL THAT CALLS FOR RAISING THE GOVERNMENT'S BORROWING POWER THROUGH THE 2012 ELECTIONS, IN EXCHANGE FOR MORE THAN $2 TRILLION IN SPENDING CUTS.

SAN ANGELO, TEXAS (AP) - THE TRIAL OF POLYGAMIST LEADER WARREN JEFFS CONTINUES THIS MORNING IN TEXAS. JEFFS, WHO'S ACCUSED OF SEXUALLY ASSAULTING TWO UNDERAGE GIRLS HE TOOK AS BRIDES, IS NOW REPRESENTING HIMSELF AFTER FIRING HIS ATTORNEYS.

CHICAGO (AP) - FORMER ILLINOIS GOV. ROD BLAGOJEVICH MAY LEARN WHEN HE'LL BE SENTENCED DURING TODAY'S STATUS HEARING. LEGAL OBSERVERS SAY THE 54-YEAR-OLD IS LIKELY TO GET 10 YEARS IN PRISON FOR A LONE CONVICTION AT HIS FIRST TRIAL AND CONVICTIONS ON 17 CORRUPTION COUNTS AT HIS RETRIAL.

ROME (AP) - THE BODIES OF 25 PEOPLE HAVE BEEN FOUND IN THE HOLD OF A BOAT ON THE MEDITERRANEAN NEAR AN ITALIAN ISLAND AFTER SURVIVORS SAY THEY FLED LIBYA TWO DAYS AGO. A COAST GUARD OFFICIAL SAYS THE BOAT WAS CARRYING CLOSE TO 300 PEOPLE. IT'S NOT CLEAR HOW THEY DIED, BUT THEY WERE FOUND IN AN AREA THAT ALSO SERVES AS THE BOAT'S ENGINE ROOM.

LOS ANGELES (AP) - SCIENTISTS ARE PORING OVER MORE THAN 500 IMAGES OF THE MASSIVE ASTEROID VESTA. THE PHOTOS WERE TAKEN BY THE DAWN SPACECRAFT, WHICH SLIPPED INTO ORBIT LAST MONTH. IT'S THE FIRST TIME VESTA HAS BEEN PHOTOGRAPHED UP CLOSE.