TODAY'S NEWS: WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 5, 2011

FEMA TO THE RESCUE

FOR THOSE AFFECTED BY TROPICAL STORM LEE AND THOSE JUST INTERESTED IN RECEIVING IMPORTANT INFORMATION, FEMA WILL AGAIN BE ON HAND AT SELECT LOWE’S LOCATIONS TO HELP. IN SCHUYLKILL COUNTY, THE FEMA COMMUNICATION, EDUCATION AND OUTREACH TEAM WILL HAVE ANSWERS ABOUT NATIONAL FLOOD INSURANCE, FLOOD PREPARATION AND SAFETY, FEDERAL DISASTER ASSISTANCE, HOW TO CLEAN UP MOLD AND MILDEW AND MITIGATION IDEAS FOR REDUCING FLOOD LOSS.AN AVERAGE OF 30 PEOPLE HAVE BEEN TAKING ADVANTAGE OF THE ASSISTANCE BEING PROVIDED AT THE POTTSVILLE LOWES.TODAY IS THE LAST DAY, HOWEVER THE DISASTER RECOVERY CENTER LOCATED IN PINE GROVE WILL REMAIN OPEN.

CATHLEEN ROADS SHARES SOME HELPFUL TIPS FOR THOSE AFFECTED BY RECENT FLOODING.

FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION AND TO APPLY FOR ASSISTANCE, FEMA WELCOMES YOU TO THEIR WEBSITE—DISASTER ASSISTANCE.GOV

MAN ACCUSED OF STEALING FROM SCOUTS

A MICHIGAN MAN WHO IS ACCUSED OF STEALING $5500 FROM THE LOCAL BOY SCOUTS TROOP HAD HIS CASE SENT TO SCHUYLKILL COUNTY COURT ON TUESDAY. 50 YEAR OLD TOM BIELEC OF FLINT, MICH. IS FACING CHARGES OF THEFT BY DECEPTION AND THEFT BY FAILURE TO MAKE REQUIRED DISPOSITION. STATE POLICE AT SCHUYLKILL HAVEN CHARGED BIELEC WITH THEFT AFTER HE ALLEGEDLY TOOK $5500 TO INSTALL SOUND EQUIPMENT FOR THE HAWK MOUNTAIN COUNCIL OF THE BOY SCOUTS OF AMERICA BUT NEVER DID THE JOB. BIELEC REMAINS FREE THIS MORNING ON $10,000 BAIL.

TAMAQUA MAN WAIVES HEARING IN ASSAULT

A 24 YEAR OLD MAN ACCUSED OF SEXUALLY ASSAULTING A TEENAGE GIRL IN TAMAQUA WAIVED HIS HEARING ON TUESDAY. DAVID REED IS CHARGED WITH INVOLUNTARY DEVIATE SEXUAL INTERCOURSE AND STATUTORY SEXUAL ASSAULT, BOTH FELONIES AND MISDEMEANOR CRIMES OF INDECENT ASSAULT, INDECENT EXPOSURE AND CORRUPTION OF MINORS. POLICE REPORT THAT LAST MONTH REED EXPOSED HIMSELF TO A 14 YEAR OLD GIRL. A BACKGROUND CHECK DETERMINED REDD WAS LISTED ON THE MEGAN’S LAW WEBSITE AS A NON COMPLIANT SEXUAL OFFENDER FOR A RAPE THAT OCCURRED IN DELAWARE. REED REMAINS IN SCHUYLKILL COUNTY PRISON ON $75,000 BAIL.

CRIME DOWN IN PENNSYLVANIA

OVERALL CRIME IS DOWN ALMOST 3% IN THE COMMONWEALTH WITH THE MOST SIGNIFICANT DROP IN VIOLENT CRIMES. PA STATE POLICE REPORT THAT OVER 900,000 CRIMES OCCURRED IN PENNSYLVANIA IN 2010 DOWN 2 AND A HALF PERCENT FROM 2009. VIOLENT CRIMES FELL ALMOST 3% WHICH IS THE LOWEST IN EIGHT YEARS.

WOMEN CHARGED WITH PROSTITUTION HEAD TO COURT

TWO WOMEN CHARGED WITH PROSTITUTION AT A NOW CLOSED AROMA SPA IN NORTH MANHEIM TOWNSHIP HEADED TO COURT TUESDAY. 47-YEAR-OLDS MI DUK PARK AND SUNG CHUN YANG WAIVED THEIR RIGHTS TO A PRELIMINARY HEARING AND NOW HAVE SCHUYLKILL COUNTY COURT DATES. BOTH WOMEN HAVE BEEN CHARGED WITH CRIMINAL SOLICITATION, PROSTITUTION AND RELATED OFFENSES. YANG REMAINS FEE ON 25-HUNDRED DOLLARS BAIL. MI PARK RETURNED TO THE CLINTON COUNTY CORRECTIONAL FACILITY.

GORDON MAN ESCAPES SERIOUS INJURIES IN CRASH

A GORDON MAN ESCAPED SERIOUS INJURIES TUESDAY AFTER A TWO VEHICLE CRASH ON ROUTE 61 NEAR SHEETZ. STATE POLICE AT SCHUYLKILL HAVEN REPORT THE IMPACT CAUSED DOUG FEGLEY’S CAR TO ROLL ONTO ITS ROOF AND SLIDE ABOUT 25-FEET ALONG THE HIGHWAY. THE OTHER VEHICLE WAS A TRUCK DRIVEN BY A 17-YEAR-OLD. POLICE SAY FEGLEY WAS ABLE TO CLIMB OUT OF A WINDOW AND ONLY SUFFERED MINOR INJURIES.


TRINITY MISSION OF SHENANDOAH HEIGHTS NOW RIDGEVIEW HEALTHCARE

COMPLETE WITH NEW IDEAS AND ADDITIONAL STAFF, TRINITY MISSION OF SHENANDOAH HEIGHTS IS NOW RIDGEVIEW HEALTHCARE AND REHABILITATION CENTER LLC AND PART OF NATIONWIDE HEALTHCARE SERVICES LLC. THE REPUBLICAN HERALD REPORTS, NATIONWIDE HEALTHCARE SERVICES PROVIDES COMPREHENSIVE MEDICAL, EMOTIONAL, AND SOCIAL SUPPORT ON A PERSONAL LEVEL. THE SHENANDOAH HEIGHTS FACILITY BECAME PART OF THE COMPANY ON SEPTEMBER 1ST.

DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AWARENESS MONTH
OCTOBER IS NATIONAL DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AWARENESS MONTH AND STUDIES SHOW THOUSANDS OF WOMEN ARE AFFECTED EACH YEAR BY THIS ISSUE ON A NATIONAL LEVEL.
IN AN EFFORT TO SUPPORT DOMESTIC VIOLENCE PREVENTION, “TELLING AMY’S STORY,” A DOCUMENTARY CREATED BY PENN STATE PUBLIC BROADCASTING ABOUT DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, WILL BE AVAILABLE ONLINE FOR FREE DURING THE MONTH OF OCTOBER AT WWW.TELLING.PSU.EDU TELLING AMY’S STORY, WHICH PREMIERED IN THE FALL OF 2010, NARRATES THE EVENTS LEADING TO STATE COLLEGE RESIDENT AMY HOMAN MCGEE’S TRAGIC DEATH IN 2001, WHEN SHE WAS SHOT AND KILLED BY HER HUSBAND.PLEASE SUPPORT THIS EFFORT BY READING THE FOLLOWING PSA AS PART OF YOUR OCTOBER BROADCASTS AND POSTING TO YOUR SOCIAL MEDIA ACCOUNTS.


STATE:

PHILADELPHIA (AP) - POLICE SAY TWO MEN HAVE BEEN KILLED AND TWO OTHER PEOPLE INJURED IN A SHOOTING IN NORTH PHILADELPHIA. AUTHORITIES IT'S NOT CLEAR WHETHER ALL OF THE VICTIMS WERE THE INTENDED TARGETS OR SOME WERE CAUGHT BY STRAY BULLETS.

PHILADELPHIA (AP) - A NORTH PHILADELPHIA MAN HAS BEEN CONVICTED OF FIRST-DEGREE MURDER AND SENTENCED TO LIFE IN PRISON FOR THE STABBING DEATH OF HIS GIRLFRIEND THREE YEARS AGO. THE PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER SAYS A JUDGE CONVICTED SOLOMON CARTER OF FIRST-DEGREE MURDER YESTERDAY IN THE OCTOBER 2008 SLAYING OF KARIMAH BALLARD.

SCRANTON, PA. (AP) - A NORTHEASTERN PENNSYLVANIA COUPLE ACCUSED OF MAKING A 7-YEAR-OLD BOY SLEEP IN A COFFIN HAVE BEEN ARRAIGNED ON ENDANGERMENT AND UNLAWFUL RESTRAINT CHARGES. THE (SCRANTON) TIMES-TRIBUNE REPORTS THE DIAPER-CLAD BOY WAS FOUND CRYING IN THE BASEMENT OF A HOME. HIS MOTHER, LORI GARDNER, AND STEPFATHER, BRIAN SLEBODA, ARE EACH BEING HELD ON $60,000 BAIL.

NATIONAL NEWS:


SEATTLE (AP) - AMANDA KNOX IS HOME. SHE RETURNED TO SEATTLE YESTERDAY AFTER BEING ACQUITTED ON MURDER CHARGES BY AN ITALIAN APPEALS COURT. HER FATHER SAYS THE FAMILY'S FOCUS IS ON AMANDA'S WELL-BEING AND, AS HE PUTS IT, "GETTING HER RE-ASSOCIATED WITH JUST BEING A REGULAR PERSON AGAIN" AFTER SPENDING FOUR YEARS IN
PRISON.

BRUSSELS (AP) - DEFENSE SECRETARY LEON PANETTA SAYS DEEP BUDGET CUTS WILL HURT AMERICA'S ABILITY TO MAKE UP FOR THE SIGNIFICANT SHORTFALLS THAT HAVE PLAGUED NATO OPERATIONS IN LIBYA AND AFGHANISTAN. SPEAKING IN BRUSSELS, PANETTA SAID U.S. ALLIES MUST WORK TOGETHER OR RISK LOSING THE ABILITY TO TAKE ON SUCH MISSIONS.

WASHINGTON (AP) - A NEW OPINION POLL SUGGESTS THAT ONE IN THREE U.S. VETERANS OF THE POST-9/11 MILITARY BELIEVES THE WARS IN IRAQ AND AFGHANISTAN WERE NOT WORTH FIGHTING. ACCORDING TO THE PEW RESEARCH CENTER, A MAJORITY OF THOSE SURVEYED THINK THAT AFTER 10 YEARS OF COMBAT AMERICA SHOULD BE FOCUSING LESS ON FOREIGN AFFAIRS AND MORE ON ITS OWN PROBLEMS.

NEW ORLEANS (AP) - A FEDERAL JUDGE IS PREPARED TO SENTENCE ONE OF FIVE FORMER POLICE OFFICERS WHO PLEADED GUILTY TO HELPING COVER UP DEADLY SHOOTINGS ON A NEW ORLEANS BRIDGE AFTER HURRICANE KATRINA. FEDERAL PROSECUTORS ARE URGING THE JUDGE TO BE LENIENT WHEN HE SENTENCES IGNATIUS HILLS TODAY. TWO PEOPLE WERE KILLED AND FOUR OTHERS WOUNDED ON DANZIGER BRIDGE LESS THAN A WEEK AFTER THE 2005 STORM.

NEW YORK (AP) -PROTESTS ON WALL STREET ARE EXPECTED TO SWELL WITH REINFORCEMENTS AS MORE GROUPS HEAD TOWARD LOWER MANHATTAN, WIDENING THE SCOPE OF THE ONGOING DEMONSTRATIONS. AMONG THOSE PLANNING TO JOIN THE PROTESTS TODAY ARE THE LIBERAL GROUP
MOVEON.ORG AND VARIOUS COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS. MANY WALL STREET WORKERS SAY THEY DON'T TAKE THE PROTESTS PERSONALLY. SOME EVEN SYMPATHIZE.