TODAY'S NEWS: WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 7, 2011

AREA IN FLOOD WATCH

ACCORDING TO THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SCHUYLKILL COUNTY WILL BE IN A FLOOD WATCH UNTIL TOMORROW. OVERNIGHT MOTHER NATURE DROPPED ANYWHERE FROM 4 TO 8 INCHES OF RAIN, THIS DUE TO TROPICAL STORM LEE WHICH MADE LAND FALL OVER THE CAROLINAS EARLIER THIS WEEK. METEOROLOGIST CHARLIE ROSS OF THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SAYS THAT FLOODING OF THE SCHUYLKILL RIVER IS POSSIBLE, BUT WHERE THE HEAVIEST RAIN WILL BE IS UNKNOWN. THE GOOD NEWS IN ALL OF THIS? THE HEAVIEST RAIN IS PAST US COMING OVERNIGHT INTO THIS MORNING. T102 NEWS WILL KEEP YOU UPDATED ON ANY FURTHER INFORMATION ON ANY POSSIBLE FLOODING.


COUNCILMAN FACES CHARGES IN TREMONT

TREMONT POLICE HAVE CHARGED A TREMONT BOROUGH COUNCILMAN WITH GIVING FALSE INFORMATION TO LAW ENFORCEMENT AND OTHER OFFENSES. 66 YEAR OLD GERALD FASNACHT WILL BE RECEIVING A MISDEMEANOR CHARGE RELATED TO INCIDENTS ON MAY 26 AND JULY 6. POLICE SAY THAT FASNACHT FILED TO FALSE REPORTS OF DAMAGE TO THE MOST BLESSED TRINITY CHURCH CEMETERY. IN THE REPORT FASNACHT ALLEGES THAT ANOTHER MAN, CARL WISCOUNT, SPUN HIS TIRES AND TORE UP THE GRASS AND MUD AT THE CEMETERY. DURING THE POLICE INVESTIGATION IT WAS FOUND THAT FASNACHT WAS NOT PRESENT DURING THE TIMES HE SAYS THAT WISCOUNT SUPPOSEDLY DAMAGED THE CEMETERY.

2ND LIFE SENTENCE ISSUED TO CORRECTION OFFICER ASSAULT

A SECOND LIFE SENTENCE WAS HANDED DOWN TO 38 ANTHONY MOTON IN SCHUYLKILL COUNTY COURT ON TUESDAY. MOTON, WHO IS ALREADY SERVING A LIFE SENTENCE FOR A 1992 MURDER, WAS CONVICTED YESTERDAY FOR ASSAULTING A CORRECTION’S OFFICER LAST DECEMBER AT S-C-I MAHANOY . MOTON ASSAULTED DONNIE MALEK BACK IN DECEMBER 2010 STRIKING HIM 45 TIMES CAUSING FRACTURES TO MALEK'S FACE AND BACK. JUDGE CHARLES MILLER SENTENCED MOTON TO SERVE HIS SENTENCE CONSECUTIVELY. MOTON IS CURRENTLY IMPRISONED AT S-C-I FRACKVILLE.


LOCAL CHURCH HONORS HEROES ON 911

WITH THE TENTH ANNIVERSARY OF 911 FAST APPROACHING, LOCAL CHURCHES ARE COMING TOGETHER TO HONOR THOSE WE CALL HEROES. IN COORDINATION WITH SCHUYLKILL HAVEN COUNCIL OF CHURCHES, THE FIRST UNITED CHURCH OF CHRIST WILL BE OFFERING A SERVICE OF REMEMBRANCE ON PATRIOT'S DAY, THE TENTH ANNIVERSARY OF THE SEPTEMBER ELEVENTH. PASTOR SEAN VAN DIKE SAYS THIS SERVICE WILL BE LEAD BY MANY PASTORS OF MANY DIFFERENT CHURCHES FROM THE AREA. VAN DIKE ADDS IT IS THROUGH THE LATE REVEREND ROSE HOFFMAN THIS SERVICE STARTED, ALMOST IMMEDIATELY AFTER 911.THE SERVICE WILL ALSO FEATURE SCHUYLKILL HAVEN AMERICAN LEGION POST THIRTY-EIGHT, BOY SCOUTS AND GIRL SCOUTS. THE EVENT IS OPEN TO THE PUBLIC.

LOCAL RESIDENTS HELP IRENE VICTIMS

WITH THE HELP OF HABITAT FOR HUMANITY, SOME LOCAL RESIDENTS ARE HELPING VICTIMS HIT BY HURRICANE IRENE. THE REPUBLICAN HERALD REPORTS, THOMAS RYAN OF HAZLETON ALONG WITH A GROUP OF POTTSVILLE RESIDENTS SPENT THE WEEKEND IN NEW JERSEY HELPING WITH THE CLEANUP. FROM CLEANING OUT BASEMENTS TO REMOVING RUINED FURNITURE FROM HOMES, THE CREW WAS ABLE TO CLEAN AT LEAST 15 HOMES. THE RED CROSS PROVIDED SHELTER FOR ALL VOLUNTEERS.

SHARP MOUNTAIN RECLAMATION PROJECT CONTINUES

SENATOR DAVID ARGALL AND POTTSVILLE MAYOR JOHN REILEY WERE AMONG THOSE AT SHARP MOUNTAIN TUESDAY LEARNING ABOUT PHASE VII OF THE RECLAMATION PROJECT. PHASE VII, WHICH TOTALS OVER EIGHT-HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS, STARTED EARLIER THIS SUMMER IN ORDER TO HELP REDUCE POLLUTION TO THE SCHUYLKILL RIVER. THE PROJECT COULD BE COMPLETE BY NOVEMBER.

STATE NEWS:

PHILADELPHIA (AP) - PHILADELPHIA POLICE SAY THREE PEOPLE WERE SHOT AND KILLED AT A SMALL NEIGHBORHOOD GROCERY STORE. AUTHORITIES SAY THE SHOOTINGS HAPPENED DURING AN ARMED ROBBERY ATTEMPT LAST NIGHT AT LORENA'S GROCERY IN THE CITY'S MILL CREEK SECTION. POLICE SAY THE VICTIMS INCLUDE THE STORE'S MALE OWNER AND TWO WOMEN. THEY'RE BELIEVED TO BE RELATED.


MORRISTOWN, N.J. (AP) - JURY SELECTION WILL START TODAY IN THE TRIAL OF A CHURCH JANITOR FROM EASTON, PENNSYLVANIA ACCUSED OF KILLING A NEW JERSEY PRIEST NEARLY TWO YEARS AGO. LAWYERS FOR JOSE FELICIANO WANTED THE PROCESS DELAYED, SAYING THEY NEEDED MORE TIME TO REVIEW MATERIAL FROM MORRIS COUNTY PROSECUTORS. BUT A JUDGE HAS DENIED THAT REQUEST.

PHILADELPHIA (AP) - THREE TEENAGERS HAVE ADMITTED TO RANDOMLY ATTACKING A MAN IN DOWNTOWN PHILADELPHIA IN JULY, LEAVING HIM WITH A FRACTURED JAW. THE PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER REPORTS THE NINTH- AND 10TH-GRADERS ENTERED THE EQUIVALENT OF GUILTY PLEAS IN FAMILY COURT YESTERDAY.

NATIONAL NEWS:

TEHACHAPI, CALIF. (AP) - FIREFIGHTERS IN TWO STATES ARE GETTING SOME HELP FROM THE WEATHER. IN CALIFORNIA, WINDS PUSHED A 20-SQUARE-MILE BLAZE TOWARD ALREADY BURNED LAND, BUT HUNDREDS OF HOMES ARE THREATENED. IN TEXAS LIGHTER WINDS AND HIGHER HUMIDITY MAY ALLOW FIREFIGHTERS TO MAKE PROGRESS AGAINST THE WORST WILDFIRE IN STATE HISTORY.

GENEVA (AP) - A GLOBAL ECONOMIC GROUP SAYS THE U.S. IS LOSING GROUND AMONG COMPETITIVE ECONOMIES DUE TO HUGE DEFICITS AND PESSIMISM ABOUT GOVERNMENT. SWITZERLAND RETAINED THE TOP SPOT IN THE GENEVA-BASED WORLD ECONOMIC FORUM'S ANNUAL RANKING, BASED ON ECONOMIC DATA AND A SURVEY OF 15,000 BUSINESS EXECUTIVES. IT WAS FOLLOWED BY SINGAPORE, SWEDEN AND FINLAND. THE U.S. SLIPPED TO FIFTH FROM FOURTH.

QUETTA, PAKISTAN (AP) - AT LEAST 23 PEOPLE, INCLUDING EIGHT SOLDIERS, HAVE BEEN KILLED BY TWIN SUICIDE BOMBINGS IN SOUTHWESTERN PAKISTAN. OFFICIALS SAY A PAIR OF SUICIDE BOMBERS ATTACKED THE HOUSE OF A TOP MILITARY OFFICER. HIS WIFE IS AMONG THE DEAD.

NEW DELHI (AP) - AN EXPLOSION OUTSIDE A TOP COURT IN NEW DELHI HAS KILLED 10 PEOPLE. AUTHORITIES SAY THE BOMB WAS APPARENTLY HIDDEN IN A BRIEFCASE. IT'S THE DEADLIEST ATTACK IN THE INDIAN CAPITAL IN NEARLY THREE YEARS.

CARSON CITY, NEV. (AP) - AN FBI SPECIAL AGENT SAYS THERE'S NO INDICATION OF ANY TERRORIST PLOT IN THE SHOOTING DEATHS OF THREE NEVADA NATIONAL GUARD TROOPS BY A GUNMAN WIELDING AN AK-47. THE MAN OPENED FIRE ON A TABLE OF UNIFORMED NATIONAL GUARD MEMBERS AT AN IHOP RESTAURANT. IN ALL, FIVE PEOPLE DIED, INCLUDING A CIVILIAN AND THE GUNMAN.