TODAYS NEWS: THURSDAY SEPT 29, 2011

FLOODING HITS AREA AGAIN

HEAVY RAIN IN THE AREA HAS CAUSED THE SWATARA CREEK IN PINE GROVE TO OVERFLOW ONCE AGAIN AFTER MORE THAN FIVE INCHES OF RAIN FELL TUESDAY. SEVERAL PEOPLE WERE RESCUED FROM THEIR VEHICLES AFTER BECOMING STRANDED ON FLOODED STREETS. ADDITIONAL RESIDENTS TOOK SHELTER AT THE PINE GROVE HIGH SCHOOL. IN TREMONT, OVER TWENTY RESIDENTS LEFT THEIR HOMES TO STAY IN THE BOROUGH OFFICE UNTIL FLOOD WATERS RECEDED. FIRST RESPONDERS WERE ALSO ON SCENE CLEANING UP MUD AND VACUUMING FLOOD WATERS FROM THE NORTH END FIRE STATION. AN OIL RIG CLEANER IS HELPING FIREFIGHTERS UNPLUG THE STORM DRAINS. THE IDEA IS TO ALLOW MORE WATER TO FLOW IN THE CREEK.


PORT CARBON MAN SUMMONED FOR DUI CHARGES

A PORT CARBON MAN WILL RECEIVE A SUMMONS TO APPEAR BEFORE MDJ DAVID A. PLACHKO ON THE CHARGES OF DUI UNDER THE COMBINATION OF ALCOHOL AND A SCHEDULE II CONTROLLED SUBSTANCE. PORT CARBON POLICE REPORT 25-YEAR-OLD THOMAS MOORE WAS FOUND PASSED OUT BEHIND THE WHEEL, WHILE THE ENGINE WAS STILL RUNNING, AND THAT HE HAD STRUCK A PARKED JEEP PATRIOT VEHICLE. THE ACCIDENT HAPPENED ON THE 500 BLOCK OF THIRD STREET IN THE SCHOENTOWN SECTION OF THE BOROUGH ON THE AFTERNOON OF AUGUST 28TH. MOORE SHOWED SIGNS OF INTOXICATION AND BEING UNDER A DRUG INFLUENCE AND WAS TAKEN TO SCHUYLKILL MEDICAL CENTER - SOUTH FOR A BLOOD TEST.

CANDIDATE DEBATE

THE TAMAQUA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE WILL PLAY HOST NEXT MONTH TO A DEBATE AMONGST THE CANDIDATES FOR SCHUYLKILL COUNTY COMMISSIONER. THE DEBATE WILL TAKE PLACE OCT 12 FROM 6:30PM-8PM AT THE TAMAQUA COMMUNITY CENTER. TODD MILLER, PRESIDENT OF THE TAMAQUA AREA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE SAYS THAT THE DEBATE WILL GIVE LOCAL RESIDENTS AN OPPORTUNITY TO LEARN MORE ABOUT OUR COUNTY COMMISSIONER CANDIDATES AND THEIR STANCE ON IMPORTANT ISSUES. FOR MORE INFO LOG ON TO OUR WEBSITE WPPARADIO.COM

KOHL'S COMING TO FAIRLANE VILLAGE

THE FAIRLANE VILLAGE MALL WILL LOOK A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT THAN IT DOES TODAY, COME SPRING. CONSTRUCTION HAS BEGUN ON THE SITE WHERE KOHL'S DEPARTMENT STORE WILL BE COMING TO POTTSVILLE. THE STORE IS BEING BUILT ON THE FORMER VALUE CITY SITE, AND IS EXPECTED TO BE READY BY SPRING OF 2012. KOHL'S WEBSITE IS ALREADY TAKING APPLICATIONS FOR EMPLOYMENT AT THE POTTSVILLE LOCATION. KOHL’S HAS MORE THAN 1000 LOCATIONS NATIONWIDE.

COUNTY UNEMPLOYMENT ON THE RISE

SCHUYLKILL COUNTY UNEMPLOYMENT RATE CONTINUES TO RISE FOR THE 6 CONSECUTIVE MONTH. DURING THE MONTH OF AUGUST THE UNEMPLOYMENT RATE ROSE TO 10% UP A HALF A PERCENT FROM JULY. THE NUMBER OF NON FARM AND PROFESSIONAL JOBS INCREASED BY 300 JOBS BUT IT’S NOT ENOUGH TO BATTLE THE INCREASING NUMBER OF COUNTY RESIDENTS LOOKING FOR WORK. STATEWIDE SCHUYLKILL COUNTY RANKS 58TH IN THE NUMBER OF RESIDENTS UNEMPLOYED.

STATE NEWS:

PHILADELPHIA (AP) - POLICE SAY GUNFIRE IN SOUTH PHILADELPHIA HAS
KILLED TWO PEOPLE AND INJURED TWO OTHERS, INCLUDING A SHOOTING
SUSPECT WOUNDED BY POLICE. SHOTS RANG OUT LAST NIGHT IN THE GRAYS
FERRY SECTION OF THE CITY. POLICE CONTINUE TO INVESTIGATE.

WILKES-BARRE, PA. (AP) - PARTS OF NORTHEASTERN PENNSYLVANIA
ALREADY DEVASTATED BY MASSIVE FLOODING FROM TWO BIG STORMS HAVE
BEEN HIT WITH EVEN MORE RAIN, LEADING TO EVEN MORE PROBLEMS. THE
(WILKES-BARRE) CITIZENS VOICE REPORTS SOME RESIDENTS HAD TO BE
EVACUATED AFTER WATER SPILLED OVER THE TWIN LAKES DAM ALONG
BOWMAN'S CREEK IN LUZERNE COUNTY.

YORK, PA. (AP) - STATE POLICE SAY THEY'RE INVESTIGATING THE
DEATH OF A CENTRAL PENNSYLVANIA MAN FOLLOWING USE OF A STUN GUN
DURING AN ARREST. AUTHORITIES SAY IT ALL STARTED WHEN TWO YORK
OFFICERS PURSUED HOWARD THOMAS COOKE OF YORK AFTER HE FLED FROM A
CAR THAT HAD STOPPED AFTER A TRAFFIC VIOLATION YESTERDAY.

UNIONTOWN, PA. (AP) - AUTHORITIES SAY A MAN WAS ARRESTED TUESDAY
NIGHT AFTER SEVERAL HOMEMADE EXPLOSIVE DEVICES WERE FOUND INSIDE
HIS HOME. ACCORDING TO WPXI-TV, POLICE SAY MICHAEL SUICH WILL BE
ARRAIGNED ON CRIMINAL CHARGES OF PROHIBITED OFFENSIVE WEAPONS,
RECKLESSLY ENDANGERING ANOTHER PERSON AND MANUFACTURE OF WEAPONS OF
MASS DESTRUCTION.


NATIONAL NEWS:

WASHINGTON (AP) - A SHORT-TERM SPENDING BILL THAT WOULD PREVENT
A PARTIAL GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN AT MIDNIGHT FRIDAY IS EXPECTED TO GET
A NOD FROM THE HOUSE TODAY. THAT'LL BUY TIME UNTIL THE ENTIRE HOUSE
GETS BACK NEXT WEEK FROM A ONE-WEEK BREAK TO TAKE UP THE LONGER
TERM FUNDING MEASURE THAT'S ALREADY BEEN APPROVED BY THE SENATE.

LOS ANGELES (AP) - PROSECUTORS WILL CALL A MICHAEL JACKSON
BODYGUARD TO THE STAND TODAY AS A KEY WITNESS IN THE INVOLUNTARY
MANSLAUGHTER TRIAL OF THE SINGER'S PHYSICIAN, DR. CONRAD MURRAY.
TESTIMONY FROM ALBERTO ALVAREZ MAY SHOW THAT MURRAY DELAYED CALLING
AUTHORITIES AND TRIED TO HIDE THE USE OF A POWERFUL SURGICAL
ANESTHETIC.

BERLIN (AP) - A SCHEDULED VOTE BY GERMAN LAWMAKERS TODAY IS
EXPECTED TO BE A KEY STEP TOWARD TACKLING THE EUROZONE'S SPRAWLING
SOVEREIGN DEBT CRISIS. GERMANY'S PARLIAMENT IS EXPECTED TO APPROVE
NEW POWERS FOR THE BLOC'S BAILOUT FUND.

BILLINGS, MONT. (AP) - THE OBAMA ADMINISTRATION IS TAKING STEPS
TO EXTEND NEW PROTECTIONS TO A LIST OF IMPERILED ANIMALS AND
PLANTS. WITH A FRIDAY DEADLINE TO ACT ON MORE THAN 700 CASES, THE
U.S. FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE ALREADY HAS ADVANCED MORE THAN 500
SPECIES TOWARD POTENTIAL NEW PROTECTIONS.

UNDATED (AP) - IT WAS ONE OF THE MORE EXCITING ENDS TO
BASEBALL'S REGULAR SEASON AS TWO PLAYOFF SPORTS WERE DECIDED ON THE
FINAL DAY. TAMPA BAY CLAIMED THE AL WILDCARD BY BEATING THE YANKEES
WHILE BOSTON LOST TO BALTIMORE. AND THE ST. LOUIS CARDINALS CLAIMED
THE NL WILDCARD BY DEFEATING HOUSTON WHILE PHILADELPHIA BEAT
ATLANTA.