TODAY'S NEWS: WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 24, 2011

A 5.8 MAGNITUDE EARTHQUAKE CENTERED IN VIRGINIA HAS BEEN FELT ACROSS PENNSYLVANIA. JASMINE BROOKS HAS MORE:

SCHOOL IS RIGHT AROUND THE CORNER AND THE TOP CONCERN EVERY YEAR IS SCHOOL SAFETY. JASMINE BROOKS HAS THE STORY:

***WATER BOIL ADVISORY***
RESIDENTS OF PINE GROVE ARE UNDER A WATER BOIL ADVISORY UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE DUE TO CONTAMINATION IN THE DISTRIBUTUION SYSTEM FOR INFO CALL 570-345-3555

CAR CHASE ENDS IN BLAZE

ONE MAN IS IN CUSTODY ANOTHER STILL ON THE LAMB FOLLOWING A HIGH SPEED CHASE MONDAY NIGHT. MAHANOY TWP REPORT THAT A HIGH SPEED CAR CHASE BEGAN NEAR MAHANOY CITY WITH SPEEDS EXCEEDING 100 MPH AND ENDED IN GIRARDVILLE WITH THE VEHICLE CATCHING FIRE. POLICE SAY THAT 29 YEAR OLD JOHN TYM OF MAHANOY CITY FLED ON FOOT AFTER THE CAR BECAME DISABLED AND A PASSENGER 28 YEAR OLD JOSH STEVENS ALSO OF MAHANOY CITY WAS TAKEN INTO CUSTODY AND ARRAIGNED ON FELONY DRUG CHARGES AND HELD IN SCHUYLKILL COUNTY PRISON ON $25,000 BAIL.

STABBING IN RYAN TWP

STATE POLICE IN FRACKVILLE HAVE CHARGED A BARNESVILLE MAN WITH AGGRAVATED AND SIMPLE ASSAULT AMONG OTHER CHARGES. POLICE RESPONDED TO A HOME IN RYAN TWP FOR AN ALLEGED STABBING. POLICE REPORTS SAY THAT 18 YEAR OLD BRYAN OSWALD OF BARNESVILLE WAS INVOLVED IN AN ARGUMENT WITH 29 YEAR OLD MICHAEL OSWALD WHEN IT BECAME HEATED, ANOTHER MAN 21 YEAR OLD WILLIAM OSWALD TRIED TO INTERVENE AND WAS STABBED BY BRYAN OSWALD ACCORDING TO POLICE REPORTS. BRYAN OSWALD WAS ARRAIGNED AND REMANDED TO SCHUYLKILL COUNTY PRION ON $10,000 BAIL.

STRIP CLUB HEARING

THE COUNTY'S REQUEST TO SHUT DOWN A STRIP CLUB IN WASHINGTON TWP WAS CONTINUED IN SCHUYLKILL COUNTY COURT. THE HEARING FOR STRIP MINE CABARET WILL BE HELD AUG 30. IN A JULY 5 LAWSUIT THE COUNTY ASKED THE COURT TO CLOSE THE CABARET WHICH IS OWNED BY DUTCHMAN MX PARK OF PINE GROVE BECAUSE IT VIOLATES ZONING LAWS. DUTCHMAN MX DID NOT ASK FOR A VARIANCE OR SPECIAL EXEMPTION THAT WOULD ALLOW IT TO OPERATE ON THE PROPERTY WHICH IS ZONED AS AGRICULTURE.

PROSTITUTION HEARING CONTINUED

A HEARING FOR THE TWO WOMEN CHARGED WITH PROSTITUTION IN NORTH MANHEIM TOWNSHIP HAD THEIR HEARING CONTINUED UNTIL OCTOBER ON MONDAY. MIDUCK PARK OF PHILADELPHIA AND CHUN YANG OF ROCKVILLE MARYLAND WILL APPEAR IN SCHUYLKILL COUNTY COURT ON OCTOBER 4. THE HEARING WILL BE CONTINUED UNTIL INTERPRETERS CAN BE FOUND FOR BOTH DEFENDANTS. POLICE CHARGED PARK AND YANG ON JULY 27 WITH PROSTITUTION AND RELATED OFFENSES AT THE AROMA SPA ON RT 61.

GIRARDVILLE MAN ARRESTED

A GIRARDVILLE MAN IS NOW IN CUSTODY AFTER TAKING A SHOTGUN ONTO THE STREET AND THREATENING RESIDENTS. STATE POLICE AT FRACKVILLE TELL US 55-YEAR-OLD EDWARD WEYMAN HAD MADE STATEMENTS THAT HE WAS GOING TO KILL EVERYONE. LOCAL RESIDENTS WERE ABLE TO DISARM WEYMAN AND HE NOW FACES TERRORISTIC THREATS AMONG OTHER CHARGES.

KIDS FIRST

A PROGRAM UNDER WAY IN SCHUYLKILL COUNTY IS DESIGNED TO HELP PARENTS INVOLVED IN CUSTODY BATTLES DO NOT FORGET THE CHILDREN INVOLVED. KIDS FIRST, IS A 4 HOUR COUNSELING SESSION OFFERED AT THE COURTHOUSE. THE KIDS FIRST PROGRAM TEACHES PARENTS WHAT THE KIDS INVOLVED IN PARENTAL CUSTODY BATTLES ARE GOING THROUGH AND AS OF THIS YEAR IS MANDATORY FOR PARENTS WHO FILE OR DEFENDING CUSTODY LAWSUITS.

STATE NEWS:

PHILADELPHIA (AP) - A 5.8 MAGNITUDE EARTHQUAKE CENTERED IN VIRGINIA HAS BEEN FELT ACROSS PENNSYLVANIA. PEOPLE FROM PHILADELPHIA TO PITTSBURGH EXPERIENCED SHAKING BUILDINGS AND SLIGHT TREMORS. NO INJURIES OR MAJOR DAMAGE WERE REPORTED DURING THE BRIEF WAVE YESTERDAY JUST BEFORE 2 P.M. IN HARRISBURG, PARTS OF THE STATE CAPITOL WERE EVACUATED.

HARRISBURG, PA. (AP) - PENNSYLVANIA DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION INSPECTORS ARE CHECKING BRIDGES ACROSS THE STATE IN THE WAKE OF YESTERDAY'S EARTHQUAKE. PENNDOT SAYS IT'S GIVING PRIORITY TO BRIDGES THAT ARE AT LEAST 200 FEET OR LONGER AND AT LEAST 60 FEET HIGH. PENNDOT SAYS THERE'S NO REASON TO BELIEVE THE QUAKE CAUSED ANY MAJOR DAMAGE TO STATE ROADWAYS OR BRIDGES.

PHILADELPHIA (AP) - THE OWNER OF A LANDMARK SOUTH PHILADELPHIA CHEESESTEAK STAND WHO ONCE TOLD CUSTOMERS TO ORDER IN ENGLISH HAS DIED. JOEY VENTO WAS 71. GENO'S STEAKS MANAGER JOSEPH PERNO SAYS HIS UNCLE HAD A MASSIVE HEART ATTACK AND DIED LAST NIGHT.

PHILADELPHIA (AP) - AUTHORITIES IN PHILADELPHIA HAVE ANNOUNCED A $20,000 REWARD FOR INFORMATION LEADING TO THE GUNMAN WHO OPENED FIRE MONDAY NIGHT AT A CROWDED SOUTHWEST PHILADELPHIA BASKETBALL COURT. SIX PEOPLE WERE INJURED AND HUNDREDS WERE SENT SCATTERING.
THE PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER REPORTS MAYOR MICHAEL NUTTER AND POLICE ANNOUNCED THE REWARD YESTERDAY AT THE KINGSESSING RECREATION CENTER.

NATIONAL NEWS:

WILMINGTON, N.C. (AP) - THE FIRST TEST COMES TODAY OF WHETHER PEOPLE WILL HEED OFFICIAL WARNINGS TO GET OUT OF THE WAY OF A POTENTIALLY MAJOR HURRICANE IRENE. TOURISTS HAVE BEEN TOLD TO EVACUATE OCRACOKE ISLAND IN NORTH CAROLINA, WHICH IS ACCESSIBLE ONLY BY BOAT. FORECASTERS SAY IRENE COULD APPROACH THE U.S. COAST AS A CATEGORY 4.

TRIPOLI, LIBYA (AP) - MOAMMAR GADHAFI IS OUT OF SIGHT BUT NOT SILENT. HE'S CALLED ON THE RESIDENTS OF THE LIBYAN CAPITAL TO "FREE TRIPOLI" FROM THE "DEVILS" WHO HAVE OVERRUN IT. IN THE SPEECH, AIRED TODAY BY LOCAL TV, GADHAFI SOUNDS SUBDUED AND WITHOUT HIS USUAL FIERY RHETORIC.

MONTGOMERY, ALA. (AP) - A FEDERAL JUDGE IN BIRMINGHAM HOLDS A HEARING TODAY ON A CONTROVERSIAL, ALABAMA IMMIGRATION LAW. AT ISSUE IS WHETHER THE LAW IS AN UNFAIR ASSAULT ON CIVIL LIBERTIES OR A LONG-NEEDED EFFORT TO TIGHTEN BORDERS AND PROTECT JOBS. THE LAW'S
PROVISIONS MAKE IT A CRIME TO EVEN TRANSPORT OR PROVIDE SHELTER TO AN ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT.

NORFOLK, VA. (AP) - CLOSING ARGUMENTS ARE SCHEDULED TODAY FOR A NAVAL OFFICER WHO'S TRYING TO REMAIN IN THE SERVICE. CAPT. OWEN P.HONORS WAS RELIEVED OF COMMAND OF A NUCLEAR-POWERED AIRCRAFT CARRIER AFTER RAUNCHY VIDEOS PRODUCED ABOARD THE USS ENTERPRISE
SURFACED. HE'S FACING A BOARD OF INQUIRY.

JACKSON, MISS. (AP) - A MAJOR-PARTY NOD FOR MISSISSIPPI GOVERNOR HAS GONE TO A BLACK CANDIDATE FOR THE FIRST TIME EVER. HATTIESBURG MAYOR JOHNNY DUPREE DEFEATED ATTORNEY AND DEVELOPER BILL LUCKETT IN A DEMOCRATIC PRIMARY RUNOFF. THE 57-YEAR-OLD WILL FACE REPUBLICAN LT. GOV. PHIL BRYANT IN NOVEMBER