TODAYS NEWS: TUESDAY AUGUST 30, 2011

RECOVERY CONTINUES IN WAKE OF IRENE

MANY PP&L CUSTOMERS ARE STILL WITHOUT POWER IN SCHUYLKILL COUNTY THIS MORNING. PP&L WEBSITE SAYS THAT OVER 3000 CUSTOMERS ARE STILL WITH OUT POWER. OVER THE WEEKEND HURRICANE IRENE CAUSED UPTO 6 INCHES OF RAIN AND DAMAGED POWER LINES. AT ONE POINT SCHUYLKILL COUNTY HAD OVER 20,000 CUSTOMERS WITHOUT POWER. NOW OVER 20,000 CUSTOMERS HAVE HAD POWER RESTORED IN SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. KEEP LISTENING TO WPPA FOR CONTINUOUS UPDATES ON WHEN POWER WILL BE RESTORED.


MURDER TRIAL BEGINS

AFTER A MISTRIAL WAS DECLARED IN MAY, THE CASE AGAINST 32 YEAR OLD JULIUS ENOE OF READING WILL ONCE AGAIN TAKE CENTER STAGE AT THE SCHUYLKILL COUNTY COURTHOUSE. ENOE IS ACCUSED OF SHOOTING 24 BRUCE FORKER OF SHENANDOAH LAST YEAR. IN YESTERDAY’S TRIAL KASA BRENNAN THE GIRLFRIEND OF FORKER TESTIFIED THAT SHE WAS FORCED BY ENOE TO LET HIM IN HER HOUSE WHERE HE ALLEGEDLY SHOT FORKER. BRENNAN WAS THE ONLY WITNESS TO TESTIFY AT MONDAY’S TRIAL. IF CONVICTED ENOE FACES LIFE IN PRISON.

OFF DUTY POLICE CHIEF SHOT BY OWN GUN

AN OFF DUTY GILBERTON POLICE CHIEF WAS WOUNDED BY HIS OWN GUN SATURDAY NIGHT DURING AN ALTERCATION AT A GIRARDVILLE BAR. THE REPUBLICAN HERALD REPORTS MARK KESSLER WAS IN THE SECOND STREET PUB WHEN A FIGHT BROKE OUT AMONG PATRONS. KESSLER GOT INVOLVED AND ENDED UP BEING SHOT IN THE HAND WHEN THE PISTOL HE WAS CARRYING DISCHARGED. KESSLER WAS TAKEN TO THE HOSPITAL BY A FRIEND. STATE POLICE ARE STILL INVESTIGATING THE INCIDENT.

SALVATION ARMY FACES DAMAGES AFTER STORM

AS IF THE WEATHER WASN'T ENOUGH TO SCARE PEOPLE OVER THE WEEKEND. PARISHIONERS AT THE SALVATION ARMY ON SANDERSON STREET WERE GIVEN A FRIGHT SUNDAY MORNING AS THE WIND AND A WEAKENED DIRT EMBANKMENT FORCED SEVERAL TREES ONTO THE ROOF AT THE REAR OF THE CHURCH. CAPTAIN ADAM HENCH SAID THEY WERE PREPARING FOR SUNDAY SERVICES WHEN IT HAPPENED. POTTSVILLE FIREFIGHTERS WERE CALLED TO THE SCENE AND RELIEVED SOME OF THE PRESSURE ON THE ROOF. THE AIR CONDITIONING UNIT WAS TOTALED AND A HOLE LEFT IN THE ROOF. THANKFULLY NO ONE WAS HURT. INSURANCE ADJUSTERS ARE EXPECTED TO ASSESS THE DAMAGE THIS WEEK. CLEANUP COMMENCED MONDAY.

TAMAQUA RAPE

STATE POLICE AT FRACKVILLE ARE NOW INVESTIGATING A REPORT OF RAPE. TROOPER KYPER TELLS US A 24-YEAR-OLD TAMAQUA FEMALE REPORTED THAT SHE WAS ASSAULTED BY A PERSON KNOWN TO HER LATE SUNDAY NIGHT. IN ORDER TO PROTECT THE VICTIM'S IDENTITY, NO IDENTIFYING INFORMATION IS BEING RELEASED AT THIS TIME.

RESULTS IN HAMBURG SOBRIETY CHECKPOINT

A SOBRIETY CHECKPOINT IN BERKS COUNTY FRIDAY NIGHT RESULTED IN THREE DUI ARRESTS, ONE ARREST FOR DRUG POSSESSION AND ONE OPERATOR TAKEN INTO CUSTODY FOR A FELONY WARRANT. HAMBURG POLICE CONDUCTED THE STOP IN SUPPORT OF CHECKPOINT STRIKE FORCE. APPROXIMATELY THREE-HUNDRED VEHICLES WERE STOPPED AND FIFTEEN TRAFFIC CITATIONS ISSUED.

CHILD HIT BY CAR

A 14-YEAR-OLD BOY WAS INJURED AND TAKEN TO THE HOSPITAL MONDAY WHEN HIS BICYCLE COLLIDED WITH A PICKUP TRUCK. STATE POLICE AT SCHUYLKILL HAVEN REPORT BENJAMIN KRAMER WAS RIDING HIS BIKE WHEN HIS FRONT BRAKES FAILED CAUSING HIM TO TRAVEL INTO AN INTERSECTION AND STRIKE A TRUCK DRIVEN BY 42-YEAR-OLD MARK ATKINSON. KRAMER FLIPPED OVER THE HANDLEBARS AND ONTO THE STREET. KRAMER WAS NOT WEARING A HELMET. ATKINSON WILL NOT BE CHARGED IN THE CRASH.


RESERVOIR OPTIONS PRESENTED IN ASHLAND

ON MONDAY THE ASHLAND MUNICIPAL AUTHORITY HELD A MEETING AND WERE PRESENTED WITH FIVE OPTIONS TO COMPLY WITH A SAFETY UPGRADE AT THE AUTHORITY'S RESERVOIR. THE UPGRADE, WHICH IS ORDERED BY THE STATE DEPT OF ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION REQUIRES AN ADDITION OF AN UPSTREAM CLOSURE AT THE RESERVOIR IN BUTLER TWP. ONE OPTION IS TO DO NOTHING AT ALL. THE OTHERS INCLUDE INSTALLING MANUAL VALVES, PNEUMATIC VALVES OR TO INSTALL SLUICE GATES AND HAVE THE VALAVES ENCLOSED IN A TOWER. COST FOR EACH OF THE OPTIONS WILL COST ANYWHERE FROM $200,000 UP TP $1 MILLION FOR THE UPGRADE.


MUIR MAN PULLS GUN ON ANOTHER

PA STATE POLICE ARE REPORTING THAT A 34 YEAR OLD MUIR MAN IS BEHIND BARS THIS MORNING IN SCHUYLKILL COUNTY PRION STEMMING FROM AN INCIDENT SATURDAY. 34 YEAR OLD MICHAEL KLINGER OF MUIR VERBALLY THREATENED AND PULLED OUT A SEMI AUTOMATIC PISTOL AND POINTED IT AT 32 YEAR OLD RAHN ERDMAN OF TREMONT. ALTHOUGH, ERDMAN’S LIFE WAS THREATENED NO ONE WAS INJURED IN THE ALTERCATION. KLINGER WAS ARRESTED BY STATE POLICE CHARGED WITH AGGRAVATED ASSAULT, SIMPLE ASSAULT, AND CARRYING A WEAPON WITHOUT A LICENSE AMONG OTHER CHARGES AND PLACED IN SCHUYLKILL COUNTY PRISON ON $15,000 BAIL.

STATE NEWS:

WASHINGTON (AP) - PRESIDENT OBAMA HAS ISSUED AN EMERGENCY DECLARATION FOR PENNSYLVANIA AND ORDERED FEDERAL AID TO SUPPLEMENT STATE AND LOCAL RESPONSE EFFORTS STEMMING FROM HURRICANE IRENE. THE ACTION AUTHORIZES THE FEDERAL EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCY TO COORDINATE DISASTER RELIEF EFFORTS IN 13 COUNTIES.

HARRISBURG, PA. (AP) - A DEFENSE ATTORNEY SAYS HIS CLIENT WAS ACTING IN SELF-DEFENSE WHEN HE SHOT AND KILLED ANOTHER MAN AND WOUNDED A NEIGHBOR DURING AN ARGUMENT OVER A CELL IN HARRISBURG LAST SUMMER. THE PATRIOT-NEWS OF HARRISBURG REPORTS JHONN LEON-OLIVENCIA IS CHARGED WITH CRIMINAL HOMICIDE AND ATTEMPTED HOMICIDE IN THE SHOOTING DEATH OF GORDON KOCHENOUR.

PHILADELPHIA (AP) - MICHAEL VICK AND THE PHILADELPHIA EAGLES HAVE AGREED ON A SIX-YEAR DEAL. THE EAGLES MADE THE ANNOUNCEMENT LAST NIGHT. A SOURCE FAMILIAR WITH THE NEGOTIATIONS TELLS THE ASSOCIATED PRESS THE DEAL IS WORTH $100 MILLION, INCLUDING ABOUT $40 MILLION GUARANTEED. THE PERSON SPOKE TO THE AP ON CONDITION OF ANONYMITY BECAUSE TERMS WEREN'T RELEASED.


NATIONAL NEWS:

NEWFANE, VT. (AP) - WASHED OUT ROADS AND BRIDGES IN LANDLOCKED VERMONT HAVE LEFT RESIDENTS FEELING LIKE YOU CAN'T GET THERE FROM HERE. IRENE HAS LEFT SOME PLACES INACCESSIBLE BY CAR AND REPAIRS WON'T HAPPEN QUICKLY. OTHER STATES ALSO FACE FLOOD WOES FOLLOWING THE STORM, AND ELECTRICITY IS STILL OUT TO MILLIONS OF EAST COAST
RESIDENTS.

WASHINGTON (AP) - PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA HAS PROMISED A JOBS PROPOSAL NEXT MONTH BUT HE'S FACING LIMITS THAT WILL MAKE IT ALL THE MORE DIFFICULT TO CRAFT. BUDGET CUTS AND A TIGHT DEBT CEILING LEAVE HIM WITH LIMITED ECONOMY-BOOSTING TOOLS. AND CONGRESSIONAL REPUBLICANS ARE DEMANDING AUSTERITY, NOT MORE SPENDING.

WASHINGTON (AP) - SAFETY AND INDUSTRY OFFICIALS ARE STARTING TO WORRY ABOUT A DOWNSIDE OF INCREASINGLY AUTOMATED AIRLINE COCKPITS. AS ONE AIRLINE CAPTAIN PUT IT, PILOTS ARE FORGETTING HOW TO FLY BECAUSE THEY DON'T GET ENOUGH HANDS-ON TIME AT IT. EXPERTS WORRY THE RESULT MAY BE AN INCREASE IN DEADLY ACCIDENTS TRACED TO PILOT ERROR.

WASHINGTON (AP) - THE GOVERNMENT WILL SHED MORE LIGHT TODAY ON A PIPELINE ACCIDENT LAST SEPTEMBER THAT INCINERATED A SUBURBAN SAN FRANCISCO NEIGHBORHOOD AND KILLED EIGHT PEOPLE. A FEDERAL SAFETY PANEL PLANS TO REVEAL THE RESULTS OF A YEARLONG INVESTIGATION INTO THE EXPLOSION THAT PROMPTED A NATIONAL REEVALUATION OF PIPELINE SAFETY.

WASHINGTON (AP) - POST-IRENE DISASTER AID FROM WASHINGTON COULD BE IN SHORT SUPPLY BECAUSE OF MONEY WOES. THE GOVERNMENT'S MAIN DISASTER AID ACCOUNT HAS LESS THAN $800 MILLION WHILE DAMAGE FROM IRENE IS EXPECTED TO BE IN THE BILLIONS. THE FEDERAL EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCY IS BEING FORCED TO FREEZE REBUILDING PROJECTS FROM EARLIER DISASTERS.