TODAY'S NEWS AND SPORTS-SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 10, 2011

STROUDSBURG 21

POTTSVILLE 8

EXETER 27

BLUE MTN 7

LEHIGHTON 14

TAMAQUA 6

SCHUYLKILL VALLEY 48

PANTHER VALLEY 13

MT CARMEL 27

LEWISBURG 16

LOCAL NEWS-SATURDAY SEPTEMBER 10, 2011

REACTION TO FLOODING IN PINE GROVE

THE BOROUGH OF PINE GROVE WAS AMONG THE HARDEST HIT AREAS BY FLOODING FROM TROPICAL STORM LEE. NEWS REPORTER JASMINE BROOKS SURVEYED THE DAMAGE THERE ON FRIDAY AND FILED THIS REPORT:

PINE GROVE FLOODING

HOLDEN SURVEYS DAMAGE

CONGRESSMAN TIM HOLDEN WAS IN OUR AREA LOOKING AT FLOODING DAMAGE. JAY MATTHEWS HAS THE STORY.

HOLDEN FLOOD

HOW TO REPORT FLOOD DAMAGE

WHILE RESIDENTS CONTINUE TO CLEAN UP FROM FLOODING THIS WEEK, STATE REPRESENTATIVE JERRY KNOWLES SAYS THAT HELP WILL BE AVAILABLE. THE STATE DECLARED A DISASTER AREA BY THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, THE FIRST STEP IN THE PROCESS. KNOWLES SAID THAT LOCAL EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT OFFICIALS WILL CONDUCT DAMAGE ASSESSMENTS TO DETERMINE WHAT QUALIFIES FOR FEDERAL ASSISTANCE. ALL DAMAGES SHOULD BE REPORTED WHEN REQUESTED. STAY TUNED AND KEEP CHECKING OUR WEBSITE FOR UPDATES FROM SCHUYLKILL COUNTY EMA AS TO WHEN THE ASSESSMENTS WILL COMMENCE.

HALEY NAMED COMMANDER

A LOCAL WAR VET IS NOW THE TOP MAN FOR THE CATHOLIC WAR VETERANS. JAY MATTHEWS TELLS US MORE:

HALEY COMMANDER

UNITED WAY KICKOFF

NEARLY ONE HUNDRED FIFTY PEOPLE GATHERED AT PENN STATE SCHUYLKILL FRIDAY MORNING TO KICKOFF THE 2012 SCHUYLKILL UNITED WAY CAMPAIGN. GENERAL CHAIRMAN PATRICK KANE OFFERED WORDS OF ENCOURAGEMENT TO THE GATHERING AS THEY EMBARK ON RAISING JUST OVER 1 MILLION DOLLARS TO BE SPLIT AMONG 15 PARTNER AGENCIES. THE PACESETTERS PORTION OF THE CAMPAIGN HAS ALREADY RAISED MORE THAN 350-THOUSAND DOLLARS ALREADY, ABOUT 35 PERCENT OF THE GOAL. THE TAMAQUA CAMPAIGN STARTS ON MONDAY. THIS IS THE 75TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE SCHUYLKILL UNITED WAY. PLEASE DONATE WHAT YOU CAN TO THE SCHUYLKILL UNITED WAY. ALL MONIES RAISED HERE, STAY HERE.

PATRIOTS DAY OBSERVANCE

IT WILL BE A TIME FOR REFLECTION AND REMEMBRANCE ACROSS THE NATION ON SUNDAY AS WE OBSERVE THE 10TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE ATTACKS ON THE WORLD TRADE CENTER, WASHINGTON DC AND SHANKSVILLE PENNSYLVANIA. LOCALLY, THE SCHUYLKILL HAVEN COUNCIL OF CHURCHES WILL HOST A PATRIOTS DAY SERVICE AT 7PM SUNDAY AT THE FIRST UNITED CHURCH OF CHRIST ON ROUTE 61 IN SCHUYLKILL HAVEN. THE LATE REVEREND ROSE HOFFMAN STARTED THIS SERVICE AFTER THE ATTACKS IN 2001, AND ARE CONTINUING IN HER MEMORY. THE PUBLIC IS CORDIALLY INVITED TO ATTEND.

SCHUYLKILL DEMS MAY HAVE NEW LEADER

TAMAQUA MAYOR CHRISTIAN MORRISON HAS RESIGNED WITH REGRET AS CHAIRMAN OF THE SCHUYLKILL COUNTY DEMOCRATIC COMMITTEE. MORRISON WAS APPOINTED TO THE POST IN JUNE AND WANTED TO BRING A YOUTH MOVEMENT TO THE PARTY AND RENEWED LIFE. MORRISON WOULD NOT PROVIDE MUCH INSIGHT INTO HIS DECISION.

STATE NEWS

WILKES-BARRE, Pa. (AP) - Authorities are closely watching the Susquehanna River as it continues to rise in Wilkes-Barre. The river could crest this morning at just under 41 feet -- essentially the same height as the city's levee system. Flooding has already been blamed for at least five deaths across the state.

WILKES-BARRE, Pa. (AP) - Members of Pennsylvania's delegation in Congress are urging President Barack Obama to quickly grant Governor Tom Corbett's request for a federal disaster area declaration because of the flooding. Lawmakers say riverfront communities have done as much as they could ahead of flooding, including tens of thousands of evacuations.

STATE COLLEGE, Pa. (AP) - With major and secondary highways threatened by floodwaters, particularly along the Susquehanna River, transportation officials are warning that getting to Happy Valley for Saturday's Penn State-Alabama game will be a challenge. Hundreds of roads have been closed across the eastern half of Pennsylvania.

YORK, Pa. (AP) - A relative has testified that a Russian boy adopted by a Pennsylvania couple had head injuries and seemed lethargic the week before he died in 2009. The York Dispatch
reports the description came yesterday in the trial for Michael and Nanette Craver. A psychiatrist also testified the couple had told him the boy had injured himself.

NATIONAL NEWS
WASHINGTON (AP) - Government officials say they are workingaround the clock to confirm a credible tip that Al-Qaida may havesent American terrorists or men carrying U.S. travel documents tolaunch attack on Washington or New York. An official says al-Qaidadispatched three men to detonate a car bomb in one of the cities tocoincide with 9/11 anniversary events.

VATICAN CITY (AP) - Pope Benedict says the Sept. 11 tragedy iscompounded by the attackers claiming to act in God's name. In aletter to Archbishop Timothy Dolan of New York, the pope insistedthat violence must never be carried out in God's name as he markedthe 10th anniversary of the attacks with a message to the UnitedStates.

SAN DIEGO (AP) - Now that the power is back in in the Southwestand Mexico, the unanswered question is how could such a massiveoutage have been caused by a single utility worker doing a minorrepair job? Federal and state investigators are trying to determinewhat caused the blackout and how future problems can be prevented.

WISHATA, Libya (AP) - Volunteer fighters are arriving to joinwhat they expect to be the final battle for one of MoammarGadhafi's last remaining strongholds. After a weeklong standoffover a peaceful surrender of the town, the Libyan fighters onFriday launched a two-pronged assault on Bani Walid that soondissolved into street fighting.

ATLANTA (AP) - President Barack Obama's jobs pitch appears to beresonating well with blacks, who had grown plenty irked over whatthey perceived as his indifference to their needs. Many blacks hopethe pitch will translate into reduced misery over the comingmonths. Black unemployment has hit 16.7 percent, the highest since1984.