TODAY'S NEWS, THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 8, 2011

LOCAL NEWS-THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 8, 2011

FLOODING

THE SEPTEMBER RAINS HAVE TURNED TO FLOODING, CREATING LIFE THREATENING SITUATIONS FOR SOME RESIDENTS IN OUR AREA THIS MORNING. THE RAINS FROM TROPICAL STORM LEE DUMPED MORE THAN HALF A FOOT OF RAIN ON AREAS IN WESTERN SCHUYLKILL COUNTY AND INTO NORTHUMBERLAND COUNTY. SCHUYLKILL COUNTY EMA DIRECTOR JOHN MATZ ASSESS THE SITUATION:
MATZ

EVACUATIONS IN THE TRI VALLEY AREA STARTED YESTERDAY AFTERNOON AND CONTINUED IN EARNEST IN PINE GROVE LAST NIGHT. SCHUYLKILL HAVEN RESIDENTS IN THE SOUTH AND WESTERN PARTS OF THE BOROUGH WERE GIVEN AN OPTIONAL EVACUATION EARLY THIS MORNING. JANET CURTIS OF THE AMERICAN RED CROSS SAID THERE ARE SEVERAL SITES FOR PEOPLE TO SEEK REFUGE.

CURTIS

SHELTER SITES AND ROAD CLOSURES ARE LISTED ON OUR WEBSITE

HOW MUCH RAIN?

FLASH FLOODING ACROSS THE REGION HAS FORCED EVACUATIONS AND ROAD CLOSINGS. METEROLOGIST DAVE MARTIN OF THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SAYS A SERIES OF FLOODING OVER THE NEXT COUPLE DAYS IS EXPECTED TO CONTINUE. THE HEAVIEST RAIN HAS PASSED US, LEAVING BEHIND TWO TO FIVE INCHES IN MOST SPOTS AND UP TO EIGHT INCHES IN THE WESTERN PART OF THE COUNTY. BY TOMORROW NIGHT THE RAIN IS EXPECTED TO DIE DOWN, BUT COULD LEAVE ANOTHER INCH OR TWO.

MARTIN WX

SON KILLS FATHER, FIRES ADDITIONAL SHOTS AT FAMILY

AN ORWIGSBURG MAN IS NOW DEAD AFTER BEING SHOT BY HIS SON WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON IN WEST PENN TOWNSHIP. POLICE TELL US 39 YEAR OLD FRANKLIN STUMHOFER JR. SHOT HIS FATHER, 58 YEAR OLD FRANKLIN STUMHOFER SR. AFTER AN ARGUMENT BROKE OUT. STUMHOFER THEN FLED THE COUNTY, LOOKING FOR OTHER FAMILY MEMBERS. IT WAS AT A RESIDENCE IN WINDSOR TOWNSHIP STUMHOFER JR. FOUND THREE FAMILY MEMBERS DRIVING IN THEIR TRUCK AND BEGAN FIRING A PISTOL AT THEM. THOSE VICTIMS WERE ABLE TO DRIVE SAFELY TO HAMBURG BOROUGH HALL. STUMHOFER JR CONFESSED TO THE CRIME AND IS IN CUSTODY.

WILKES-BARRE, PA. (AP) - OFFICIALS IN WILKES-BARRE HAVE ORDERED THE EVACUATION OF ABOUT 3,000 PEOPLE LIVING AROUND THE SWOLLEN SOLOMON CREEK. THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SAYS 1 1/2 TO 2 INCHES OF RAIN FELL ON THE AREA OVERNIGHT FROM THE REMNANTS OF TROPICAL STORM LEE.

PITTSBURGH (AP) - PITTSBURGH MAYOR LUKE RAVENSTAHL IS PROMISING TO SOLVE FLOODING PROBLEMS ALONG WASHINGTON BOULEVARD, WHERE A FLASH FLOOD KILLED FOUR PEOPLE LAST MONTH. HE SAYS OFFICIALS ARE LOOKING AT INSTALLING GATES THAT WOULD AUTOMATICALLY CLOSE THE ROAD WHEN TRIGGERED BY RISING WATER.

PITTSBURGH (AP) - POLICE IN PITTSBURGH HAVE ARRESTED MORE THAN A DOZEN PEOPLE FOR ALLEGEDLY TAKING PART IN A DRUG RING THAT USED METHADONE CLINICS TO FIND BUYERS. INVESTIGATORS SAY SOME OF THE BUYERS TRADED COUNTY-DISTRIBUTED BUS PASSES AND GAS CARDS FOR DRUGS.

ROSSITER, PA. (AP) - STATE POLICE SAY THREATENING GRAFFITI INSIDE AN INDIANA COUNTY HOME MAY HAVE BEEN THE RESULT OF A CASE OF MISTAKEN IDENTITY. AUTHORITIES SAY GREGORY RISHELL FOUND HIS HOUSE RANSACKED AND THREATS SCRATCHED INTO HIS KITCHEN COUNTERTOP. BUT THE THREATS WERE DIRECTED AT SOMEONE WITH A DIFFERENT NAME.

WASHINGTON (AP) - PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA'S BIG JOBS SPEECH TO A JOINT SESSION OF CONGRESS IS TODAY. HE'LL PRESENT AN ECONOMIC PLAN AIMED AT CREATING JOBS AND FORCING REPUBLICANS TO OWN THE PROBLEM WITH HIM. OBAMA IS LIKELY TO OFFER AT LEAST A $300 BILLION PACKAGE THAT INCLUDES TAX RELIEF AND SPENDING.

WINDHAM, N.Y. (AP) - THE REMNANTS OF TROPICAL STORM LEE HAVE FLOODED ROADS, SWELLED WATERWAYS AND PUT EMERGENCY RESPONDERS IN THE EAST BACK ON ALERT. THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PREDICTS THAT RAIN WILL CONTINUE TO FALL HEAVILY ACROSS THE MID-ATLANTIC AND NORTHEASTERN STATES THROUGH TODAY WITH ANYWHERE FROM 4 TO 7 MORE INCHES POSSIBLE.

SIMI VALLEY, CALIF. (AP) - THERE WAS PLENTY OF CRITICISM OF PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA BUT REPUBLICAN PRESIDENTIAL RIVALS INCREASINGLY BEGAN TAKING ON ONE ANOTHER IN LAST NIGHT'S DEBATE. IN PARTICULAR, TEXAS GOV. RICK PERRY AND FORMER MASSACHUSETTS GOV. MITT ROMNEY, THE TWO FRONTRUNNERS, WERE QUICK TO TANGLE ON JOB CREATION AND SOCIAL SECURITY.

RIVERHEAD, N.Y. (AP) - A LONG ISLAND PHARMACY HEIST THAT LEFT FOUR PEOPLE DEAD IS EXPECTED TO END IN GUILTY PLEAS TODAY FROM THE SUSPECTS. A LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICIAL TELLS THE ASSOCIATED PRESS THAT DAVID LAFFER AND HIS WIFE, MELINDA BRADY, WERE DUE TO ADMIT THEIR ROLES IN COURT. LAFFER IS CHARGED WITH FIRST-DEGREE MURDER WHILE BRADY FACES ROBBERY CHARGES FOR ALLEGEDLY DRIVING THE GETAWAY CAR.

NEW DELHI (AP) - INDIAN AGENCIES ARE SCRAMBLING FOR LEADS ON THE BRIEFCASE BOMBING THAT KILLED AT LEAST 11 OUTSIDE A COURTHOUSE IN
THE CAPITAL. INVESTIGATORS ARE LOOKING INTO AN EMAIL SENT TO SEVERAL TV NEWS CHANNELS ALLEGEDLY BY A PAKISTAN-LINKED EXTREMIST GROUP. THEY WANT TO DETERMINE WHETHER IT IS A GENUINE CLAIM OF RESPONSIBILITY OR A FAKE.