TODAY'S NEWS: WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 3, 2011

BREAKING NEWS: HOME INVASION IN NORTHUMBERLAND COUNTY

POLICE IN MOUNT CARMEL ARE LOOKING FOR TWO BLACK MEN INVOLVED IN A HOME INVASION AND SHOOTING THIS MORNING IN NORTHUMBERLAND COUNTY. THE INCIDENT HAPPENED JUST AFTER FOUR A.M. AT A HOME IN THE 400 BLOCK OF EAST COLUMBIA AVENUE IN ATLAS. WGRC REPORTS THE TWO MEN WERE DRESSED IN BLACK AND HAD SKI MASKS ON WHEN THEY ENTERED THE HOME AND ROBBED A 33-YEAR-OLD RESIDENT AND SHOT HIM IN THE FOOT. THE RESIDENT’S NAME IS NOT BEING RELEASED AT THIS TIME, BUT POLICE SAY HE IS IN STABLE CONDITION AFTER BEING TAKEN TO A LOCAL HOSPITAL. POLICE CONTINUE TO INVESTIGATE.


PEOPLE HAVE BEEN COMING FAR AND WIDE TO THIS YEARS SCHUYLKILL COUNTY FAIR. CARL JONES, PRESIDENT OF THE FAIR SAYS THAT SOME NEW ATTRACTIONS ARE ENTICING TO VISITORS. JAY MATTHEWS HAS MORE:

THE FAIR RUNS UNTIL SATURDAY WITH DAILY ENTERTAINMENT AND ATTRACTIONS.

CAT SHOOTER AVOIDS PRISON

A NEW PHILLY MAN CONVINCED A JUDGE TO KEEP HIM OUT OF PRISON FOR A SHOOTING A CAT WITH A CROSSBOW LAST AUGUST. NOW 37-YEAR-OLD PATRICK CANFIELD MUST PERFORM 150 HOURS COMMUNITY SERVICE AT THE COUNTY'S SPCA. CANFIELD HAS BEEN PLACED ON PROBATION FOR SIX MONTHS AND MUST PAY OVER ONE-THOUSAND DOLLARS TO THE CAT'S OWNER IN ADDITION TO OTHER FINES.

HAZLETON'S ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT ORDINANCE RULED UNCONSTITUTIONAL

THE U.S. THIRD CIRCUIT COURT OF APPEALS VACATED A MANDATE THAT DECLARES HAZLETON'S IMMIGRATION ORDINANCE UNCONSTITUTIONAL. THE REPUBLICAN HERALD REPORTS, HAZLETON MAYOR JOSEPH YANNUZZI ANNOUNCED THE NEWS TUESDAY, CALLING THE DEVELOPMENT "GOOD NEWS" FOR THE CITY, PUTTING ITS CONTROVERSIAL IMMIGRATING LAW BACK IN THE HANDS OF THE THIRD CIRCUIT COURT.

PROSTITUTION HEARING DELAYED

THE HEARING FOR TWO WOMEN FACING PROSTITUTION CHARGES HAS BEEN DELAYED FOR THREE WEEKS. BACK ON JULY 27 47 MIDUCK PARK OF PHILADELPHIA AND 47 YEAR OLD SUNG YANG OF ROCKVILLE, MARYLAND WERE ARRESTED AND CHARGED WITH RUNNING A PROSTITUTION RING FROM AROMA SPA IN NORTH MANHEIM TOWNSHIP. JUDGE JAMES FERRIER PUSHED BACK THE PRELIMINARY HEARING UNTIL AUGUST 23. THE ACCUSED WOMEN ARE BEING HELD BY U.S IMMIGRATION AND CUSTOMS ENFORCEMENT AT THE YORK COUNTY PRISON.

WEST PENN TOWNSHIP MAN DROWNS

INVESTIGATION CONTINUES TODAY IN THE DROWNING DEATH OF 88 YEAR OLD EDWARD SESTAKAUSKAS OF WEST PENN TOWNSHIP. SESTAKAUSKAS WAS PULLED FROM THE MAUCH CHUNK LAKE NEAR JIM THORPE IN CARBON COUNTY AND FLOWN TO LEHIGH VALLEY HOSPITAL CEDEAR CREST WHERE HE WAS PRONOUNCED DEAD BY THE LEHIGH COUNTY CORONERS OFFICE.

GIRARDVILLE WOMAN ASSAULTED

A GIRARDVILLE WOMAN WAS TAKEN TO THE HOSPITAL TUESDAY AFTER BEING ASSAULTED. STATE POLICE SAY 34-YEAR-OLD AMY DEMBINSKY WAS WALKING IN A WOODED AREA SOUTH OF THE 200 BLOCK OF EAST MAIN STREET IN GIRARDVILLE JUST AFTER NOON WHEN SHE WAS ASSAULTED BY A MAN SHE DID NOT KNOW. DEMBINSKY WAS INJURED IN THE ALTERCATION AND TAKEN TO AN AREA HOSPITAL BY AMBULANCE. ANYONE WITH INFORMATION ABOUT THIS ASSAULT IS ASKED TO CALL STATE POLICE AT FRACKVILLE.

ORWIGSBURG CRASH LEAVE ONE INJURED

A TWO CAR CRASH IN ORWIGSBURG LEFT ONE MAN INJURED. STATE POLICE WERE CALLED TO AN ACCIDENT ALONG ROUTE 61 IN WEST BRUNSWICK TOWNSHIP JUST AFTER 9AM TUESDAY. MARY HERING WAS PULLING OUT OF HER DRIVEWAY WHEN SHE HIT ANOTHER VEHICLE DRIVEN BY SCOTT MILLER OF POTTSVILLE IN THE PASSENGER SIDE DOOR CAUSING IT TO SPIN AND ROLL OVER. THE VEHICLE CAME TO REST IN A BUSINESS PARKING LOT. POLICE SAY MILLER WAS MODERATELY INJURED IN THE COLLISION. HE WAS NOT WEARING A SEAT BELT. AN 11-YEAR OLD BOY WAS A PASSENGER IN MILLER'S VEHICLE BUT POLICE DID NOT INDICATE WHETHER HE WAS HURT OR NOT. HERING WAS NOT HURT. SHE WAS WEARING A SEAT BELT. HERING WILL BE CITED FOR THE ACCIDENT.

SCHUYLKILL COUNTY WILL AGAIN BE A HOME AWAY FROM HOME THIS WEEK FOR SOME OF THE BEST DRUM CORPS FROM ACROSS THE COUNTRY. IT HAS BECOME A TRADITION TO GIVE THESE YOUNG MEN AND WOMEN A PLACE TO REHEARSE THEIR SHOWS PRIOR TO WINDING UP THEIR SEASONS. THE LATE GARY POST OF SCHUYLKILL HAVEN WORKED DILIGENTLY TO BRING THESE CORPS TO OUR AREA, AND HIS WIFE CAROL AND A GROUP OF MUSIC ENTHUSIASTS HAVE ARRANGED FOR THEIR STAYS DURING THE WEEK.

SCHEDULE OF CORPS

CASPER TROOPERS- WYOMING-FRIDAY AND SATURDAY HOUSED AT SCHUYLKILL HAVEN MIDDLE SCHOOL-PERFORMANCE SAT NIGHT AT ROTARY FIELD, 7:30PM

THE COLTS-DUBUQUE, IOWA-FRIDAY AND SATURDAY HOUSED AT PENN STATE SCHUYLKILL

PIONEERS-MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN-THROUGH MONDAY. ST CLAIR SCHOOL-PERFORMANCE SATURDAY AT 8PM

GLASSMEN-TOLEDO, OHIO FRIDAY HOUSED AT BLUE MOUNTAIN

SANTA CLARA VANGUARD, CALIFORNIA-HOUSED AT DHH LENGEL MIDDLE SCHOOL FRIDAY AND SATURDAY..

BLUE DEVILS, CALIFORNIA-HAMBURG HIGH SCHOOL, SATURDAY AND SUNDAY-

STATE NEWS:

WASHINGTON (AP) - THE WHITE HOUSE SAYS PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA AND FIRST LADY MICHELLE OBAMA IN WILL ATTEND EVENTS IN NEW YORK CITY, PENNSYLVANIA AND WASHINGTON IN SEPTEMBER TO MARK THE 10TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE 9/11 TERRORIST ATTACKS. VICE PRESIDENT JOE BIDEN WILL ALSO ATTEND EVENTS IN SHANKSVILLE, WHERE UNITED FLIGHT 93 CRASHED ON 9/11 AS PASSENGERS WERE BATTLING HIJACKERS.

HARRISBURG, PA. (AP) - ALL BUT TWO PENNSYLVANIA MEMBERS OF CONGRESS SUPPORTED A DEFICIT-REDUCTION PACKAGE ALLOWING THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT TO CONTINUE TO BORROW. REPUBLICAN PAT TOOMEY OPPOSED THE BILL IN A SENATE VOTE TODAY, WHILE DEMOCRAT MIKE DOYLE OF PITTSBURGH WAS THE ONLY PENNSYLVANIA HOUSE MEMBER TO OPPOSE IT IN YESTERDAY'S VOTE.

HARRISBURG, PA. (AP) - TWO MARINES FROM PENNSYLVANIA HAVE BEEN KILLED IN THE WAR IN AFGHANISTAN. MILITARY OFFICIALS ON TUESDAY CONFIRMED THE DEATHS OF STAFF SERGEANT PATRICK DOLPHIN AND SERGEANT CHRISTOPHER WRINKLE. DOLPHIN IS FROM MOSCOW IN LACKAWANNA COUNTY AND WRINKLE IS FROM STEWARTSTOWN IN YORK COUNTY.

NATIONAL NEWS:

CAIRO (AP) - EGYPT'S FORMER PRESIDENT, HOSNI MUBARAK, IS BEGINNING HIS TRIAL IN CAIRO ON A HOSPITAL GURNEY. MUBARAK, WHO DOCTORS SAY HAS HEART PROBLEMS, WAS WHEELED INTO A COURTROOM TO FACE CHARGES OF CORRUPTION, AND ORDERING THE KILLING OF PROTESTERS DURING THE UPRISING THAT KNOCKED HIM FROM POWER. HUNDREDS OF MUBARAK CRITICS AND SUPPORTERS SCUFFLED OUTSIDE THE BUILDING.

BEIRUT (AP) - NEW EXPLOSIONS ARE REPORTED IN HAMA, SYRIA, WHICH IS UNDER SIEGE BY TROOPS TRYING TO CRUSH ANTI-GOVERNMENT PROTESTERS. THE WORD COMES FROM SYRIAN ACTIVISTS, AND COULDN'T BE INDEPENDENTLY CONFIRMED BECAUSE OF THE FIGHTING. RESIDENTS OF HAMA REPORTEDLY HAVE SEEN LINES OF TANKS MOVING INTO THE CITY.

BEIJING (AP) - THE GOVERNOR OF CHINA'S CENTRAL BANK IS WARNING THE U.S. THAT IF IT DOESN'T HANDLE ITS DEBT RESPONSIBLY, THE GLOBAL ECONOMIC RECOVERY COULD BE HURT. BEIJING HOLDS MORE THAN $1 BILLION IN AMERICAN DEBT. MEANWHILE, A LITTLE-KNOWN CREDIT RATING AGENCY IN CHINA HAS DOWNGRADED THE UNITED STATES' CREDIT RATING.

WASHINGTON (AP) - ONE OF AMERICA'S -- AND THE WORLD'S -- TOP CREDIT RATING AGENCIES SAYS IT WILL KEEP ITS RATING OF U.S. BONDS AT TRIPLE-A. BUT MOODY'S INVESTORS SERVICE SAYS IT WILL GIVE THEM A "NEGATIVE" OUTLOOK, WHICH MEANS THE COMPANY MAY DOWNGRADE THEM IN THE FUTURE IF IT THINKS FISCAL DISCIPLINE IS WEAKENING.

PORT-AU-PRINCE, HAITI (AP) - PUERTO RICO HAS BEEN SPARED THE BRUNT OF TROPICAL STORM EMILY, BUT HAITI AND THE DOMINICAN REPUBLIC MAY NOT BE SO LUCKY. BY MIDDAY, THE ISLAND THAT BOTH COUNTRIES SHARE COULD BE DRENCHED BY WHAT ONE METEOROLOGIST CALLS A "STEADY SHIELD OF RAIN." THOUSANDS IN HAITI ARE STILL WITHOUT DECENT SHELTER FOLLOWING A MASSIVE EARTHQUAKE.