LOCAL NEWS: TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 27, 2011

THE RED CROSS RECEIVED SOME HELP YESTERDAY IN ADDING TO THEIR DISASTER RELIEF FUND. JASMINE BROOKS REPORTS:

CASE DISMISSED IN STRIP CLUB

THE FEDERAL COURTS HAVE DISMISSED THE CASE AGAINST SCHUYLKILL COUNTY AND WASHINGTON TOWNSHIP BY THE OWNERS OF AN ADULT ENTERTAINMENT ESTABLISHMENT. U.S DISTRICT JUDGE JAMES MUNLEY RULED LAST WEEK THAT DUTCHMEN MX PARK OWNERS OF THE STRIP MINE CABARET DOESN’T HAVE A CLAIM AGAINST THE TOWNSHIP AND THAT THE FEDERAL COURT SHOULD ABSTAIN FROM HEARING THE CASE BECAUSE OF PENDING LITIGATION IN A ZONING CASE IN SCHUYLKILL COUNTY COURT. THE COUNTY COURT WILL DECIDE WHETHER THE CABARET SHOULD SHUT DOWN FOR BEING IN VIOLATION OF A COUNTY ZONING ORDINANCE. DUTCHMEN MX PARK FILED A LAWSUIT BACK IN MAY CLAIMING THE COUNTY ZONING ORDINANCE IS UNCONSTITUTIONALLY LIMITING THE ADULT ENTERTAINMENT BUSINESS.

ST CLAIR MAN JAILED FOR SEX ACTS

A ST CLAIR MAN IS BEHIND BARS THIS MORNING CHARGED WITH TAPING HIMSELF AND HIS GIRLFRIEND HAVING SEX WITH OUT HER KNOWLEDGE. POLICE CHARGED 41 YEAR OLD MARK STEFAN WITH FELONY COUNTS OF INTERCEPTION, DISCLOSURE OR USE OF A WIRE AND INVASION OF PRIVACY. PATROLMAN ROBERT CLINK SAYS THE INCIDENTS CAME TO LIGHT ON AUGUST 19 WHEN STEFAN’S ESTRANGED GIRLFRIEND CONTACTED POLICE INFORMING THEM OF STEFAN’S HARASSING PHONE CALLS AND TEXT MESSAGES AND THAT STEFAN CLAIMED HE HAD A VIDEO OF THE TWO IN A SEX ACT. STEFAN WAS SUBSEQUENTLY ARRESTED AND REMANDED TO SCHUYLKILL COUNTY PRISON ON $10,000 BAIL.


MCADOO FIRE CAUSED BY ELECTRICAL PROBLEM

FIRE OFFICIALS SAY ELECTRICAL WIRE DAMAGE WAS THE CAUSE OF A FIRE SUNDAY IN MCADOO. THE THIRD STREET HOME SUFFERED SOME EXTERIOR DAMAGE AS WELL AS INTERIOR SMOKE DAMAGE. THE HOME OWNER IS EXPECTED TO RETURN TO LIVE ONCE THE ELECTRIC IS FIXED. NO ONE WAS INJURED IN THAT BLAZE.

MURAL FOR MINERS BANK

A NEW MURAL WAS WELCOMED TO THE MINERS BANK IN MINERSVILLE. THE RECENTLY UNVEILED WALL PAINTING IS FEATURED IN ITS ROCKWOOD CENTER LOBBY. THE REPUBLICAN HERALD REPORTS THE MURAL ACTS AS A TIMELINES, SHOWING HOW BOTH THE BANK AND COMMUNITY EVOLVED OVER TIME. THE MURAL DESCRIBES THE AREA'S MINING AND RAILROAD HISTORY ALONG WITH MINERSVILLE'S CLASSIC ARCHITECTURE AND THE ROLE OF MINERS BANK IN THE COMMUNITY. DAVID NAYDOCK IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE ARTWORK.

FLOOD FUND

THE RED CROSS LOCAL FLOOD RELIEF FUND IS CLOSING IN ON $200,000 IN DONATIONS. AS OF MONDAY AFTERNOON THE FUND STANDS AT A LITTLE OVER $185,000 WITH DONATIONS COMING IN BY MAIL AND THROUGH THE INTERNET. ALL OF THE MONEY WILL BE GIVEN TO THE RED CROSS TO HELP LOCAL FLOOD VICTIMS IN NORTHEAST AND CENTRAL PENNSYLVANIA

STATE NEWS:

LANGHORNE, PA. (AP) - AUTHORITIES IN SUBURBAN PHILADELPHIA SAY AN ELDERLY MAN AND HIS WIFE HAVE BEEN FOUND DEAD IN WHAT OFFICIALS ARE CALLING A MURDER-SUICIDE. THE BUCKS COUNTY CORONER SAYS 92-YEAR-OLD CHARLES HOEZ AND 90-YEAR-OLD JEANNE HOEZ DIED OF CARBON MONOXIDE POISONING IN THEIR MIDDLETOWN TOWNSHIP HOME.

WASHINGTON (AP) - FEDERAL AUTHORITIES SAY AN EASTERN PENNSYLVANIA COMPANY IS RECALLING ABOUT 5,550 POUNDS OF PUREED PORK PRODUCTS THAT MAY CONTAIN FOREIGN MATERIALS. THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE'S FOOD SAFETY AND INSPECTION SERVICE SAYS THE RECALL BY K. HEEPS INCORPORATED OF ALLENTOWN IS FOR 4.5 POUND BOXES OF IMPERIAL SYSCO "PUREE SHAPED MEATS COUNTRY STYLE PORK AND BINDER PRODUCT."

WASHINGTON (AP) - THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT HAS COMMITTED $10 MILLION FOR TEMPORARY JOBS TO HELP PENNSYLVANIA RECOVER FROM HURRICANE IRENE. THE DEPARTMENT OF LABOR ANNOUNCED YESTERDAY THE EMERGENCY GRANT FUNDING WILL CREATE MORE THAN 2,100 TEMPORARY JOBS FOR WORKERS DISPLACED BY LAST MONTH'S STORM.

NATIONAL NEWS:

WASHINGTON (AP) - IT APPEARS CONGRESS HAS NEARLY WORKED ITS WAY OUT OF ANOTHER BITTER PARTISAN BATTLE, THIS ONE OVER DISASTER AID. YESTERDAY, SENATE LEADERS DROPPED $1 BILLION FROM THE LEGISLATION AFTER THE FEDERAL EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCY SAID IT HAD ENOUGH MONEY TO COVER RELIEF EFFORTS THROUGH THE END OF THE WEEK. THE DEAL NEEDS HOUSE APPROVAL, BUT IT'S ON RECESS UNTIL NEXT WEEK.

LOS ANGELES (AP) - PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA FINISHES HIS TOUR OF THE WEST TODAY WITH A STOP IN DENVER. HE'S BEEN PITCHING HIS JOBS PLAN AND HOLDING FUNDRAISERS ALONG THE WAY. YESTERDAY HE TOLD SUPPORTERS IN LOS ANGELES THAT THE AMERICAN PEOPLE WANT A "BOLD AND GENEROUS" VISION FOR THE COUNTRY, NOT THE "CRAMPED" ONE HE SAYS REPUBLICANS ARE OFFERING.

WASHINGTON (AP) - SAFETY ADVOCATES AND THE OIL AND GAS PIPELINE INDUSTRY ARE BACKING LEGISLATION NOW BEFORE THE SENATE THAT WOULD TOUGHEN SAFETY REGULATIONS. BUT ONE SENATOR IS BLOCKING IT. KENTUCKY REPUBLICAN RAND PAUL SAYS HE OPPOSES NEW FEDERAL REGULATIONS ON PHILOSOPHICAL GROUNDS. HE'S MAKING HIS STAND DESPITE A GAS PIPELINE EXPLOSION LAST WEEK THAT SHOOK CONSTITUENTS AWAKE IN THREE KENTUCKY COUNTIES.

WASHINGTON (AP) - TEENS AND YOUNG ADULTS SAY THEY'RE SEEING MORE HARASSMENT AND BULLYING ONLINE THESE DAYS. AN ASSOCIATED PRESS-MTV POLL FINDS 56 PERCENT OF RESPONDENTS SAY THEY'VE BEEN THE TARGET OF MEAN BEHAVIOR, FALSE GOSSIP OR TRICKS ON SOCIAL NETWORKING SITES OR IN TEXT MESSAGES. THE POLL ALSO FOUND A THIRD OF THOSE SURVEYED HAVE BEEN INVOLVED WITH "SEXTING."

LOS ANGELES (AP) - THE TRIAL OF DR. CONRAD MURRAY IS SCHEDULED TO BEGIN IN A LOS ANGELES COURTROOM TODAY. MURRAY IS CHARGED WITH INVOLUNTARY MANSLAUGHTER IN THE DEATH OF MICHAEL JACKSON. AUTHORITIES ALLEGE THE DOCTOR ADMINISTERED A LETHAL DOSE OF THE ANESTHETIC PROPOFOL (PROH'-PUH-FAHL) ALONG WITH OTHER SEDATIVES, AND LACKED THE PROPER LIFESAVING EQUIPMENT TO REVIVE JACKSON IN JUNE 2009.