TODAY'S NEWS: THURS. OCT 13, 2011

COUNTY COMMISSIONERS APPROVE GRANT MONEY. OUR J MATTHEWS HAS THE STORY FROM THE JOE ZERBE SCHUYLKILL COUNTY AIRPORT. THE COMMISSIONER'S ALSO RECOGNIZED MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY VOLUNTEERS IN ACTION PROCLAIMING OCT 22,2011 AS MAKE A DIFFERENCE DAY. PICTURED ARE JANICE JOHNSTON IS CVA DIRECTOR AND STAFF MEMBERS AMY BROBST AND KRISTA SMITH. ALSO PICTURED COMMSSIONER MANTURA GALLAGHER
MANORWOOD HOMES CLOSES DOORS

THE FLOOD OF 2011 WAS THE LAST STRAW FOR MANORWOOD HOMES IN PINE GROVE. WHILE THE MANUFACTURED HOUSING COMPANY SURVIVED OTHER FLOODS DURING THE LAST FIFTEEN YEARS, THIS WAS THE WORST, AND CAUSED SO MUCH DAMAGE THAT THE COMPANY’S OWNERS DECIDED TO CEASE OPERATIONS. MANAGER WAYNE MORRIS SAID THERE WAS UP TO EIGHT FEET OF WATER IN THE BUILDING, CAUSING LOSSES OF UP TO FIVE MILLION DOLLARS. IT PROVED TO BE TOO MUCH TO RECOVER FROM. APPROXIMATELY ONE HUNDRED EMPLOYEES HAVE BEEN PUT OUT OF WORK BY THE CLOSING.

CANDIDATES FOR COMMISSIONER DEBATE AT POTTSVILLE CLUB

THE FOUR CANDIDATES VYING FOR COUNTY COMMISSIONER MET AT THE POTTSVILLE CLUB WEDNESDAY TO DEBATE THE ISSUES THAT ARE IMPORTANT TO SCHUYLKILL COUNTY RESIDENTS. THE EVENT, SPONSORED BY THE SCHUYLKILL CHAMBER OF COMMERCE AND VISION, BROUGHT CANDIDATES FRANK STAUDENMEIER, GEORGE HALCOVAGE, JR., GARY HESS, AND JOHN PLACHKO, JR. TOGETHER BEFORE A CROWD OF 120 ONLOOKERS TO ADDRESS TOPICS THAT IMPACT THE VOTERS. QUESTIONS ABOUT TAXATION, PUBLIC SAFETY, JOBS, AND EDUCATION WERE INCLUDED FOR DISCUSSION. LISTENERS MAY HEAR THE ENTIRE DEBATE ON OUR WEBSITE, WPPARADIO.COM.

MAHANOY CITY FIGHTS AGAINST BLIGHT

DILAPIDATED BUILDINGS IN MAHANOY CITY ARE CAUSING SAFETY CONCERNS, AND BOROUGH COUNCIL IS LOOKING INTO WAYS TO BRING PROPERTY OWNERS TO JUSTICE. THERE ARE MANY PROPERTY OWNERS WHO HAVE ALLOWED THEIR BUILDINGS TO DETERIORATE OVER TIME, AND THEY MAY EVENTUALLY FACE CRIMINAL CHARGES. ACT 90, ALSO KNOWN AS THE BLIGHT BILL, INCLUDES PROVISIONS TO CHARGE LONG-TERM OFFENDERS WITH A FIRST DEGREE MISDEMEANOR. SOLICITOR MICHAEL O’PAKE AND CODE ENFORCEMENT OFFICER WILLIAM KILLIAN III ARE WORKING TO CLEAN UP THE RUN-DOWN PROPERTIES, BUT EXPECT IT WILL BE A LONG TERM PROJECT.

COUNCILMAN REQUESTS CHIEF’S RESIGNATION

MONTHS AFTER A MINERSVILLE GIRL WAS KILLED WHILE RIDING HER BICYCLE WITHOUT A HELMET, DEBATE OVER THE HELMET LAW CONTINUES. AT A BOROUGH COUNCIL MEETING TUESDAY COUNCILMAN AL BOBINAS ASKED FOR THE RESIGNATION OF MINERSVILLE POLICE CHIEF, MICHAEL COMBS, CLAIMING THE HELMET LAW HAS NOT BEEN ENFORCED. COMBS DECLINED THE REQUEST TO RESIGN. BOBINAS SAYS HIS MAIN CONCERN IS KEEPING CHILDREN SAFE. THE HELMET LAW REQUIRES ALL CHILDREN UNDER 12-YEARS OF AGE TO WEAR A HELMET.

FRACKVILLE COUNCILMAN RESIGNS

A FRACKVILLE COUNCILMAN ANNOUNCED HIS RESIGNATION DURING A MEETING WEDNESDAY. HARRISON HARPER SAID THE RESIGNATION WAS DUE TO CIRCUMSTANCES BEYOND HIS CONTROL. THE COUNCIL NOW HAS THIRTY-DAYS TO CONSIDER SOMEONE TO FILL THE VACANCY FOR THE REMAINING TWO YEARS AND TWO MONTHS OF THE TERM.

STATE NEWS:

HARRISBURG, DAUPHIN COUNTY - THE CITY OF HARRISBURG IS FILING FOR BANKRUPTCY. CITY COUNCIL WAS NOT ABLE TO RESOLVE A DEBT CRISIS SO THE CAPITAL FILED THE CHAPTER NINE MUNICIPAL MEASURE. THE CITY CONTROLLER SAYS IT WAS THE ONLY REAL OPTION. THE FILING COMES DAYS BEFORE THE STATE SENATE WILL VOTE ON TAKING OVER THE CITY'S FINANCES.

LOWER BURRELL, PA. (AP) - AUTHORITIES SAY A POLICE OFFICER HAS BEEN SHOT AND KILLED NEAR A WESTERN PENNSYLVANIA FAST-FOOD RESTAURANT. THEY SAY THE MAN BELIEVED TO BE THE GUNMAN IS ALSO DEAD. WESTMORELAND COUNTY SPOKESMAN DAN STEVENS SAYS THE SHOOTING
HAPPENED WEDNESDAY NIGHT IN LOWER BURRELL, A CITY OF ABOUT 13,000 RESIDENTS NEAR DOWNTOWN PITTSBURGH.

EASTON, PA. (AP) - AN EASTERN PENNSYLVANIA MAN HAS BEEN CONVICTED OF FIRST-DEGREE MURDER IN A LOVE-TRIANGLE SLAYING THAT LEFT TWO PEOPLE DEAD. JURORS IN NORTHAMPTON COUNTY DELIBERATED FOR LESS THAN TWO HOURS BEFORE CONVICTING BARRY SOLDRIDGE JR. OF LEHIGH TOWNSHIP IN THE SEPTEMBER 2010 KILLINGS OF CANDICE SHUEY AND DEREK
HENRY.

PHILADELPHIA (AP) - THE SEVENTH DAY OF OCCUPY PHILADELPHIA PROTESTS INCLUDED SEVERAL MARCHES AND SHOWS OF SUPPORT FROM UNIONS AND A UNIVERSITY. MEMBERS OF THE TEAMSTERS UNION ATTENDED YESTERDAY'S DEMONSTRATION AT CITY HALL IN SOLIDARITY AND THE UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA RELEASED AN OPEN LETTER OF SUPPORT TO THE PROTESTERS SAYING THAT "EXTREME INEQUALITIES THAT STRUCTURE OUR SOCIETY" MUST END.

KENNETT SQUARE, PA. (AP) - STATE POLICE SAY A SUBURBAN PHILADELPHIA POLICE CHIEF WHO REAR-ENDED ANOTHER VEHICLE WHILE ON DUTY AND THEN LEFT THE SCENE WILL NOT BE CITED BECAUSE THE ACCIDENT WAS DUE TO A MEDICAL CONDITION. STATE POLICE SAY 60-YEAR-OLD
KENNETT TOWNSHIP POLICE CHIEF ALBERT MCCARTHY WAS "SUFFERING FROM A MEDICAL CONDITION, LOST FOCUS AND STRUCK THE REAR" OF ANOTHER VEHICLE ON OCTOBER 4TH ON ROUTE 82.