TODAY'S NEWS : THURSDAY, SEPT 1, 2011

WEST NILE VIRUS

THE DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION SAYS MOSQUITO SAMPLES TAKEN IN THE AREA WERE FOUND TO BE INFECTED WITH THE WEST NILE VIRUS, HOWEVER IT IS NOT BEING CONSIDERED HIGH RISK. THE DEP PLANS TO START SPRAYING TO CONTROL MOSQUITO POPULATION LATER TODAY IN LANDINGVILLE. YOU CAN ELIMINATE MOSQUITO BREEDING AREAS BY ELIMINATING STAGNANT WATER. THE CDC SAYS THAT IF INFECTED WITH WEST NILE YOU CAN EXPECT TO SEE SYMPTOMS IN 3 TO 14 DAYS IF BITTEN BY AN INFECTED MOSQUITO. FOR MORE INFO VISIT WWW.WESTNILE.STATE.PA.US

PROSECUTION TO WRAP IN ENOE CASE

PATHOLOGIST RICHARD BINDIE TESTIFIED IN THE BRUCE FORKER MURDER TRIAL ON WEDNESDAY AND SAYS THAT IT WAS DEFINITELY A BULLET THAT KILLED 24-YEAR-OLD BRUCE FORKER OF SHENANDOAH. BINDIE ADDED THAT THE ENTRANCE WOUND IS CONSISTANT WITH A GUN PLACED RIGHT NEXT TO THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE BACK OF THE HEAD. THE PROSECUTION PLANS TO WRAP UP THEIR CASE THIS MORNING WHEN THE TRIAL RESUMES FOR JULIUS ENOE IN SCHUYLKILL COUNTY COURT AT 9:30.

PLAN PROPOSED TO BOOST JOBS IN ANTHRACITE INDUSTRY

LEGISLATION THAT COULD LEAD TO INCREASED EMPLOYMENT, RECLAMATION AND COAL PRODUCTION THROUGHOUT THE ANTHRACITE REGION WAS UNVEILED WEDNESDAY BY THREE STATE HOUSE LEGISLATORS FROM SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. REPRESENTATIVES MIKE TOBASH, JERRY KNOWLES AND NEAL GOODMAN UNVEILED HOUSE BILL 1813 WHICH AIMS TO ADDRESS THE STATE'S BONDING REGULATIONS WHICH ARE NOW AT A HIGH COST, INHIBITING THE VOLUME OF RECLAMATION ACTIVITY AND DRIVING UP THE COST TO TAXPAYERS. "WORLDWIDE, THE DEMAND FOR ANTHRACITE IS AT ITS HIGHEST LEVEL IN YEARS," SAID KNOWLES. HOUSE BILL 1813 HAS BEEN REFERRED TO THE ENVIRONMENTAL RESOURCES AND ENERGY COMMITTEE FOR CONSIDERATION.

PARADE RETURNS

ONE OF THE LONGEST STANDING TRADITIONS MAKES ITS GRAND RETURN THIS WEEKEND IN ASHLAND. THE LABOR DAY PARADE WILL TAKE PLACE DURING A-B-A PRIDE DAY ON SATURDAY. THE CENTURY OLD PARADE WILL NOT BE AS BIG AS IN YEARS PAST BUT STILL WILL RESONATE WITH RESIDENTS WHO HAVE LONG YEARNED FOR THE PARADES RETURN. THE PARADE BEGAN AS A REMEMBRANCE OF THE DAYS WHEN FORMER RESIDENTS OF ASHLAND WHO HAD LEFT FOR EMPLOYMENT IN THE COAL MINES RETURNED TO THEIR FAMILIES ON LABOR DAY. IN 2009, THE ABA CANCELLED THE PARADE DUE TO LACK OF FUNDS AND INTEREST. FESTIVITIES GET UNDER WAY SATURDAY NIGHT AT 7.

STATE NEWS:

PHILADELPHIA (AP) - TENS OF THOUSANDS OF CUSTOMERS ARE STILL WITHOUT POWER IN PENNSYLVANIA AS THE STATE CONTINUES TO DEAL WITH THE AFTERMATH OF HURRICANE IRENE. OFFICIALS SAY MOST OF THE OUTAGES ARE IN THE EASTERN AND CENTRAL PARTS OF THE STATE.

RAYMOND, MAINE (AP) - OFFICIALS HAVE RELEASED THE NAMES OF AN ELDERLY COUPLE WHO ARE BELIEVED TO HAVE DIED OF CARBON MONOXIDE POISONING FROM A GENERATOR IN THEIR SUMMER HOME IN MAINE DURING TROPICAL STORM IRENE. THE VICTIMS HAVE BEEN IDENTIFIED AS LEWIS
SOMERS III AND HIS WIFE, ELIZABETH SOMERS FROM LAFAYETTE HILL,PENNSYLVANIA.

HARRISBURG, PA. (AP) - COUNCIL MEMBERS HAVE REJECTED A RECOVERY PLAN PROPOSED FOR THE FINANCIALLY TROUBLED CITY OF HARRISBURG. CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS VOTED 4-3 AGAINST THE PLAN LAST NIGHT WHICH AIMS TO PAY DOWN ABOUT $300 MILLION IN DEBT TIED TO HARRISBURG'S TRASH INCINERATOR. CRITICS SAY IT'S NEARLY IDENTICAL TO A STATE TASK
FORCE'S PLAN THAT THE COUNCIL REJECTED IN JULY.

PHILADELPHIA (AP) - AUTHORITIES SAY A PHILADELPHIA POLICE OFFICER HAS BEEN CHARGED WITH RAPING A WOMAN WHILE ON DUTY IN EARLY AUGUST. POLICE SAY KEITH CORLEY II IS CHARGED WITH RAPE, INDECENT ASSAULT AND RELATED OFFENSES. THE PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER SAYS A WOMAN TOLD POLICE SHE WAS WAITING FOR A BUS IN WEST PHILADELPHIA AND CORLEY OFFERED HER A RIDE, BUT TOOK HER TO A NEARBY PARK AND ASSAULTED HER.

NATIONAL NEWS:

MIAMI (AP) - FORECASTERS SAY KATIA (KAH'-TYAH) COULD BECOME A MAJOR HURRICANE BY THE WEEKEND, BUT IT'S TOO EARLY TO TELL IF IT'S A THREAT TO THE U.S., STILL RECOVERING FROM IRENE. ALSO A CONCERN IS A THUNDERSTORM CLUSTER IN THE GULF OF MEXICO, WHICH HAS A HIGH CHANCE OF BECOMING A TROPICAL DEPRESSION.

WASHINGTON (AP) - PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA'S JOBS AND ECONOMY ADDRESS TO A JOINT SESSION OF CONGRESS NEXT WEEK IS A GRAND STAGE TO UNVEIL HIS ECONOMIC AGENDA. HE'S SWITCHED THE SPEECH TO SEPT. 8 AFTER HOUSE SPEAK JOHN BOEHNER BALKED AT SEPT. 7 BECAUSE OF A REPUBLICAN PRESIDENTIAL DEBATE. THERE'S AN NFL GAME ON SEPT. 8.

CARTHAGE, N.C. (AP) - THE TRIAL OF A MAN ACCUSED OF KILLING EIGHT PEOPLE IN A NORTH CAROLINA NURSING HOME IS WRAPPING UP. CLOSING ARGUMENTS ARE EXPECTED TO BEGIN TODAY. PROSECUTORS SAY ROBERT STEWART WAS LOOKING FOR HIS ESTRANGED WIFE. THE DEFENSE SAYS
HE WAS DISORIENTED BY DEPRESSION AND A MIXTURE OF PRESCRIPTION MEDICATION.

LOS ANGELES (AP) - A CALIFORNIA MAN IS TO BE SENTENCED IN A LOS ANGELES FEDERAL COURT TODAY FOR EXTORTING SEXUALLY EXPLICIT PHOTOS AND VIDEOS FROM WOMEN AND TEENAGE GIRLS WHOSE COMPUTERS HE HACKED. PROSECUTORS ARE ASKING A JUDGE TO IMPOSE A SEVEN-YEAR PRISON SENTENCE AGAINST 32-YEAR-OLD LUIS MIJANGOS.

TOKYO (AP) - A NEW POLL INDICATES JAPANESE ARE UNHAPPY WITH THEIR GOVERNMENT AFTER THE TSUNAMI AND NUCLEAR DISASTERS AND THEY'RE FEELING PRETTY GLOOMY ABOUT THE FUTURE. THE ASSOCIATED PRESS-GFK POLL ALSO SAYS THAT A MAJORITY OF THOSE SURVEYED ARE NOT CONFIDENT IN THE GOVERNMENT'S ABILITY TO HANDLE ANOTHER MAJOR DISASTER.