TODAY'S NEWS: THURSDAY, AUGUST 18, 2011

POTTSVILLE SCHOOL BOARD

ALL IS IN READINESS FOR THE NEW SCHOOL YEAR AT POTTSVILLE AREA. THAT'S ACCORDING TO DIRECTORS AND ADMINISTRATION WHO SAID AT WEDNESDAY NIGHT'S MEETING THAT FACILITY REPAIR PROJECTS ARE JUST ABOUT COMPLETE, INCLUDING AN EXTENSIVE RENOVATION OF THE ROBERT WACHTER AUDITORIUM AT POTTSVILLE HIGH. FACULTY WILL RETURN FOR IN-SERVICE NEXT WEDNESDAY, AND STUDENTS RETURN ON MONDAY, AUGUST 29TH. AS FAR AS ENROLLMENT, AS OF WEDNESDAY, SUPERINTENDENT DR. JIM GALLAGHER REPORTED THAT OVERALL, THE DISTRICT IS DOWN ABOUT 64 STUDENTS COMPARED TO LAST YEAR. IT HAS BEEN REPORTED THAT THE GILLINGHAM CHARTER SCHOOL, SET TO OPEN IN SEPTEMBER, HAS RECEIVED 65 TRANSFERS OF STUDENTS FROM POTTSVILLE'S GRADES K THROUGH 9. GALLAGHER SAID THAT HE EXPECTS SOME NEW ENROLLMENTS AS THE FIRST DAY DRAWS CLOSER, BUT NOT TO MAKE UP THE DEFICIT. SALARIES WERE SET FOR PROFESSIONAL EMPLOYEES AND OTHER STAFF AS PART OF LAST NIGHT'S BOARD BUSINESS

POTTSVILLE AREA HALTS DRUG POLICY

THE COURT CASE BETWEEN THE A-C-L-U AND THE PANTHER VALLEY SCHOOL DISTRICT ABOUT STUDENT DRUG TESTING HAS CAUSED THE POTTSVILLE SCHOOL DISTRICT TO REACT. POTTSVILLE AREA WAS PLANNING TO ENACT ITS OWN DRUG POLICY BUT NOW HAS DECIDED TO HOLD OFF UNTIL THEY SEE WHAT HAPPENS WITH THE CURRENT LITIGATION WITH THE ACLU AND PANTHER VALLEY. THE POLICY REQUIRES ALL STUDENTS IN EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES IN GRADES 7-12 TO REGISTER FOR RANDOM DRUG TESTING.

FAMA MODIFIES SEWAGE BANK NOTE

ON WEDNESDAY THE FRACKVILLE AREA MUNICIPAL AUTHORITY ENTERED IN AN AGREEMENT WITH M&T BANK TO MODIFY ITS CURRENT SEWER REVENUE TO REDUCE INTEREST AND SAVE CLOSE TO $200,000. THE RATE WILL DROP DOWN TO 4 POINT FOUR-NINE WITH A DECREASE IN THE MONTHLY PAYMENT TO JUST OVER A THOUSAND DOLLARS. CREDIT APPROVAL SHOULD BE COMPLETE BY TOMORROW. THE BOARD VOTED UNANIMOUSLY TO APPROVE THE AGREEMENT.

SCH. HAVEN PLANS ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT OFFICE

THE SCHUYLKILL HAVEN BOROUGH COUNCIL HAVE REACHED AN AGREEMENT TO LEASE OFFICE SPACE FOR THE MAIN STREET ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT OFFICE. THE COUNCIL WOULD LIKE TO RENT THE OFFICE LOCATED 1719 MAIN ST. THE OFFICE WILL LIKELY OPEN BY EARLY NEXT MONTH BUT COULD NOT BE OPERATING BY THE MIDDLE OF SEPTEMBER UNTIL STAFFING IS IN PLACE. THE BOROUGH WILL BEGIN ADVERTISING FOR A PART TIME POSITION AT THE OFFICE WITH SALARY AND HOURS YET TO BE DETERMINED.

WEGMANS EXPANDING AT HIGHRIDGE DISTRIBUTION CENTER

WEGMANS RETAIL SERVICE CENTER ANNOUNCED WEDNESDAY, THE COMPANY PLANS TO CREATE 217 NEW JOBS IN THE REGION AND INVEST $65 MILLION TO DOUBLE THE SIZE OF ITS DISTRIBUTION CAPACITY. THE COMPANY ALSO PLANS TO MAKE SIGNIFICANT CAPITAL INVESTMENTS IN EQUIPMENT AND EMPLOYEE TRAINING. THE PROJECT WAS COORDINATED BY THE GOVERNOR'S ACTION TEAM, A GROUP OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PROFESSIONALS WHO WORK DIRECTLY WITH BUSINESSES THAT ARE CONSIDERING LOCATING OR EXPANDING IN PENNSYLVANIA.

TAMAQUA TO FIX OWL CREEK DAMS

TAMAQUA COUNCIL APPROVED A $2 MILLION LOAN TUESDAY TO FINANCE THE REHABILITATION OF THE UPPER AND LOWER CREEK DAMS. THE 25-YEAR LOAN IS THROUGH JIM THORPE NATIONAL BANK. THE BOROUGH COUNCIL IS HOPING BOTH DAMS CAN BE COMPLETED FOR A TOTAL COST OF $1.5 MILLION. TAMAQUA CAN DRAW FROM THE LOAN BEGINNING SEPTEMBER 15 AND WILL HAVE 2-YEARS TO USE THE FUNDS.

STATE NEWS:


PHILADELPHIA (AP) - MEMBERS OF THE STATE'S LEGISLATIVE BLACK CAUCUS ARE STANDING BEHIND EMBATTLED PHILADELPHIA SCHOOLS SUPERINTENDENT ARLENE ACKERMAN. LAWMAKERS MET WITH ACKERMAN BEHIND CLOSED DOORS YESTERDAY AMID RUMORS SHE MIGHT BE BOUGHT OUT OF HER CONTRACT. A BUYOUT COULD COST UP TO $1.5 MILLION.

ALLENTOWN, PA. (AP) - AN EASTERN PENNSYLVANIA MAN HAS BEEN SENTENCED TO 10 TO 20 YEARS BEHIND BARS IN A HOME INVASION MURDER. THE MORNING CALL OF ALLENTOWN REPORTS MARCUS BREELAND RECEIVED THE MAXIMUM SENTENCE TUESDAY IN THE JULY 2008 DEATH OF DAVID WALTERICK OF ALLENTOWN.

RANSOM, PA. (AP) - AUTHORITIES SAY A PILOT HAS DIED AT A HOSPITAL FOLLOWING THE CRASH OF AN ULTRALIGHT AIRCRAFT IN NORTHEASTERN PENNSYLVANIA. OFFICIALS IN LACKAWANNA COUNTY SAY THE SINGLE-PERSON AIRCRAFT WENT DOWN LAST NIGHT IN A WOODED AREA OF RANSOM TOWNSHIP. AUTHORITIES TELL THE TIMES-TRIBUNE OF SCRANTON THE
PILOT WAS PRONOUNCED DEAD AT THE HOSPITAL ABOUT AN HOUR AFTER THE CRASH.

NATIONAL NEWS:

BEIRUT (AP) - AS U.S. OFFICIALS PREPARE TO MAKE AN EXPLICIT STATEMENT ABOUT SYRIA'S LEADER, BASHAR ASSAD IS QUOTED AS TELLING THE U.N. CHIEF THAT MILITARY OPERATIONS IN HIS COUNTRY HAVE ENDED. ACTIVISTS SAY SYRIAN TROOPS HAVE SHOT DEAD NINE PEOPLE IN THE CENTRAL CITY OF HOMS. U.S. OFFICIALS SAY THE OBAMA ADMINISTRATION IS READY TO FLATLY CALL FOR ASSAD TO LEAVE POWER.

WASHINGTON (AP) - PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA ISN'T GOING TO BE IN WASHINGTON LONG AFTER HIS THREE-STATE MIDWEST CAMPAIGN SWING. HE'S HEADED TO A 10-DAY MARTHA'S VINEYARD VACATION LATER TODAY WITH HIS WIFE, MICHELLE, AND DAUGHTERS, MALIA AND SASHA.

WASHINGTON (AP) - A NEW SYSTEM THAT WAS SUPPOSED TO SIMPLIFY THE SEPARATION PROCESS HAS LEFT THOUSANDS OF WOUNDED, SICK AND INJURED TROOPS STUCK IN LIMBO. MANY HAVE BEEN WAITING AS LONG AS TWO YEARS TO BE DISCHARGED AFTER BEING INJURED. THE PROCESS WAS SUPPOSED TO STREAMLINE DISCHARGE AND DETERMINATION OF BENEFITS, BUT REMAINS CUMBERSOME.

STERLING HEIGHTS, MICH. (AP) - CAR DEALERS ARE BEGINNING TO WORRY THAT THE INCONSISTENT ECONOMY AND STOCK VOLATILITY ARE HAVING A RIPPLE EFFECT ON AUTO SALES. DEALERS ARE BEGINNING TO THINK HEALTHY SALES FORECASTS IN MAY ARE NOW OVERLY OPTIMISTIC.

MADRID (AP) - RIOT POLICE AND PROTESTERS OPPOSED TO A VISIT BY POPE BENEDICT ARE CLASHING IN MADRID. SPANISH POLICE SAY EIGHT DEMONSTRATORS WERE ARRESTED AND 11 PEOPLE INJURED WEDNESDAY NIGHT. AMONG OTHER THINGS, OPPONENTS ARE ANGRY ABOUT TAXPAYER MONEY BEING SPENT ON THE 4-DAY VISIT BY THE POPE.