TODAY'S NEWS: MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 26, 2011

POTTSVILLE TO OPEN CANCER TREATMENT CENTER

A CANCER TREATMENT FACILITY IN POTTSVILLE IS SET TO OPEN IN SPRING 2012. SCHUYLKILL HEALTH SYSTEM AND GEISINGER HEALTH SYSTEM ARE WORKING TOGETHER TO OPEN UP THE FACILITY ON THE CAMPUS OF SCHUYLKILL MEDICAL CENTER-EAST NORWEGIAN STREET. THE REPUBLICAN HERALD REPORTS, THROUGH THE NEW FACILITY CANCER PATIENTS WILL NOT HAVE TO TRAVEL AWAY FROM CENTRAL PENNSYLVANIA FOR TREATMENT.

FALL FUN IN PALO ALTO

FALL FESTIVAL ACTIVITIES BROUGHT LOCAL RESIDENTS AND PEOPLE FROM AROUND THE AREA TO PALO ALTO SUNDAY. THE EVENT WAS HELD ON BACON STREET AND ORCHESTRATED BY THE PALO ALTO MENNONITE CHURCH. AT LEAST 150 PEOPLE PARTICIPATED, MAKING THIS YEARS EVENT VERY SUCCESSFUL.

GIRL SCOUTS PRESERVE ORWIGSBURG'S HISTORY

TO PRESERVE HISTORY IN ORWIGSBURG, TWO TEENS ARE MAKING A MAP OF HISTORICAL SITES IN THE BOROUGH. THE REPUBLICAN HERALD REPORTS, 18-YEAR-OLD MOLLY LETCHER AND 17-YEAR-OLD MAGGIE BURKHARDT HAVE ALSO ORDERED IDENTIFICATION MARKERS FOR A FEW SIGNIFICANT BUILDINGS. THE TEENS TOOK ON THE PROJECT TO ACHIEVE THEIR GOLD AWARD PROJECT FOR GIRL SCOUTS.

COPPER WIRE STOLEN

THIEVES STOLE MORE THAN $27,000 WORTH OF COPPER WIRE FROM MINING EQUIPMENT IN SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. STATE POLICE SAID SOMEONE BROKE INTO THE READING ANTHRACITE COMPANY NEAR POTTSVILLE, AND STRIPPED 800 FEET OF COPPER WIRE FROM A POWER SHOVEL. POLICE ESTIMATE THE COPPER WIRE IS WORTH MORE THAN $27,000. ANYONE WITH INFORMATION ABOUT THE THEFT IS ASKED TO CALL STATE POLICE.

FEMA ASSISTANCE

THE FEDERAL EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCY (FEMA) AND THE PENNSYLVANIA EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCY (PEMA) ANNOUNCED THAT, TO DATE, MORE THAN $47.2 MILLION HAS BEEN APPROVED FOR PENNSYLVANIANS WHO SUFFERED DAMAGE FROM HURRICANE IRENE AND TROPICAL STORM LEE. 73 APPLICANTS HAVE VISITED THE DISASTER RECOVERY CENTER IN SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. FEMA/COMMONWEALTH GRANTS TO ELIGIBLE APPLICANTS UNDER THE INDIVIDUALS AND HOUSEHOLDS PROGRAM MAY INCLUDE TEMPORARY HOUSING, HOME REPAIRS, PERSONAL PROPERTY LOSSES AND OTHER DISASTER-RELATED NEEDS SUCH AS MEDICAL, DENTAL AND FUNERAL COSTS. LOW INTEREST RATE LOANS MAY ALSO BE AVAILABLE THROUGH THE U.S. SMALL BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION.

STUFF THE BUS HELPS FLOOD VICTIMS

NORTH SCHUYLKILL SCHOOL DISTRICT HELD A "STUFF THE BUS" CAMPAIGN TO BENEFIT FLOOD VICTIMS IN THE PINE GROVE AREA FRIDAY. STUDENT FANS AT THE NORTH SCHUYLKILL VS SCHUYLKILL HAVEN FOOTBALL GAME BROUGHT A DONATION AND WERE THEN ABLE TO GET INTO THE GAME FREE. ADULTS MAKING A DONATION WILL RECEIVED $1 OFF TICKET PRICE. ITEMS REQUESTED WERE: CLEANING SUPPLIES, LAUNDRY DETERGENT, BLEACH, BROOMS, MOPS, GLOVES, TOILETRIES, BABY SUPPLIES, DIAPERS, NON-PERISHABLE FOOD. ALL DONATED ITEMS WILL BE DISTRIBUTED IN PINE GROVE.

SCHUYLKILL UNITED WAY GETS HELP FROM LOCAL BUSINESSES

THE SCHUYLKILL UNITED WAY, WITH THE HELP OF LOCAL BUSINESSES, WILL GIVE COUNTY RESIDENTS ANOTHER WAY TO GIVE BACK TO THE COMMUNITY.KELLY K. MALONE, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE SCHUYLKILL UNITED WAY, SAID THE ORGANIZATION WILL “SELL” DIE CUT CARDS IN THE SHAPE OF THE NUMBER 75 FOR $1 WHICH CAN BE HUNG IN STORES TO SHOW SUPPORT FOR THE NONPROFIT. THIS IS THE SECOND YEAR THAT THE SCHUYLKILL UNITED WAY HAS RUN THIS PROMOTION. THE SCHUYLKILL UNITED WAY IS CELEBRATING THEIR 75TH ANNIVERSARY THIS YEAR WHICH IS THE REASON WHY THE DIE CUT CARD IS SHAPED INTO THE NUMBER 75. THIS YEAR ICONS WILL BE SOLD AT THE FOLLOWING BUSINESSES IN THE COUNTY:

BOYER'S FOOD MARKETS (ALL LOCATIONS)
MCDONALDS (SCHUYLKILL HAVEN & POTTSVILLE)
BG'S VALUE MARKET (MINERSVILLE)
LUCKENBILL'S FAMILY RESTAURANT (SCHUYLKILL HAVEN)
BEER SHAK (MINERSVILLE & SCHUYLKILL HAVEN)
IF ANY OTHER BUSINESSES WOULD LIKE TO PARTICIPATE PLEASE CONTACT TANYA M. WEHR, ADMINISTRATIVE DIRECTOR, OF THE SCHUYLKILL UNITED WAY AT 570-622-6421.

FACEBOOK HOAX CAUSES WEEKEND STIR
ATTENTION FACEBOOK'ERS…THIS IS SOMETHING YOU CAN ACTUALLY SAY YOU HEARD ON THE NEWS. FACEBOOK HAS ISSUED A STATEMENT IN RESPONSE TO THE WEEKEND FLURRY OF STATUS POSTS WARNING MEMBERS THAT FACEBOOK WOULD PLAN TO START CHARGING FOR THEIR SERVICES STARTING THIS MORNING. FACEBOOK RELEASED THIS STATEMENT EARLIER THIS MORNING SAYING "A RUMOR ON THE INTERNET CAUGHT OUR ATTENTION. WE HAVE NO PLANS TO CHARGE FOR FACEBOOK. IT'S FREE AND ALWAYS WILL BE." THE POPULAR SOCIAL NETWORK CURRENTLY HAS 800THOUSAND MEMBERS, AND THAT IS SOMETHING YOU CAN "LIKE".

STATE NEWS:

STROUDSBURG, PA. (AP) - A MONROE COUNTY MAN FINDS OUT WHETHER HE WILL GET A DEATH SENTENCE OR LIFE IN PRISON FOR THE MURDER OF HIS GIRLFRIEND AND HER TODDLER SON TWO YEARS AGO WEST OF STROUDSBURG. MATTHEW PARRISH PLEADED GUILTY TO THE KILLINGS OF VICTORIA ADAMS AND SIDNEY PARRISH, SAYING HE SUSPECTED ADAMS WAS CHEATING ON HIM. PARRISH HAS TOLD THE POCONO RECORD HE "WON'T CONTEST EXECUTION," IF HE IS SENTENCED TO DEATH TODAY.

POTTSTOWN, PA. (AP) - A CAMBRIA LAWMAKER SAYS IT'S TIME TO DIVERT MONEY FROM THE "JOHNSTOWN FLOOD TAX" ON LIQUOR BACK TO ITS ORIGINAL PURPOSE: FLOOD AND DISASTER RELIEF. STATE SENATOR JOHN WOZNIAK TELLS THE (POTTSTOWN) MERCURY THAT HE'S HOPING THE RECENT FLOODING WILL SPUR MORE SUPPORT TO USE ONE-FIFTH OF THE 18 PERCENT TAX TO CREATE A DISASTER RELIEF FUND.

NATIONAL NEWS:

NEW YORK (AP) - THE ECONOMY MAY BE BAD, BUT IT DOESN'T MEAN THE UPCOMING HOLIDAY SHOPPING SEASON WILL BE A TOTAL DISASTER FOR RETAILERS. FINANCIAL ADVISER DELOITTE FORECASTS A SLIGHT GAIN FOR IN-STORE SALES, THOUGH SMALLER THAN LAST YEAR, AS WELL AS A SOLID INCREASE IN ONLINE RETAILING.

NEW YORK (AP) - JOSH FATTAL (FUH-TAHL') AND SHANE BAUER SAY THEY MAY NEVER KNOW IF THEY REALLY CROSSED THE BORDER FROM IRAQ INTO IRAN WHILE HIKING. THE TWO 29-YEAR-OLDS CONVICTED OF SPYING WERE FREED FROM IRAN LAST WEEK UNDER A $1 MILLION BAIL DEAL. THEY SAY THEY WERE MISTREATED AND FACED DIFFICULT CONDITIONS IN NEAR
ISOLATION.

WASHINGTON (AP) - THE PENTAGON IS EXTENDING EFFORTS TO HARDEN THE NETWORKS OF DEFENSE CONTRACTORS AGAINST CYBERATTACKS THAT ARE GETTING MORE AND MORE CLEVER. THE MOVE COMES AS PENTAGON ANALYSTS INVESTIGATE A GROWING NUMBER OF INTRUSIONS INTO DEFENSE NETWORKS. THAT'S NOW ABOUT 30 PERCENT OF THE PENTAGON'S CYBER CRIME CENTER'S WORKLOAD.

ATHENS, GREECE (AP) - NAVIGATING THE GREEK CAPITAL IS NOT A PLEASANT EXPERIENCE TODAY AS PUBLIC TRANSPORT WORKERS STRIKE TO PROTEST THE GOVERNMENT'S NEW AUSTERITY MEASURES. ATHENS METRO, TRAM AND SUBURBAN RAIL WORKERS ARE ON A 24-HOUR STRIKE. AIRLINE PASSENGERS ALSO FACED DELAYS AS AIR TRAFFIC CONTROLLERS REFUSED TO WORK OVERTIME.

JERUSALEM (AP) - THE DEATH OF A PROMINENT PALESTINIAN PEACE ACTIVIST'S 10-YEAR-OLD DAUGHTER WILL COST THE ISRAELI GOVERNMENT. AN ISRAELI COURT HAS ORDERED THE GOVERNMENT TO PAY $432,000 TO THE GIRL'S FAMILY. THE GIRL WAS KILLED BY AN ISRAELI RUBBER BULLET IN 2007.