WPPA/T102 NEWS Saturday October 14, 2006

More on the slate for Pottsville Bicentennial celebration

With more than two months left in the year, the Bicentennial Committee has at least six more bicentennial events for Pottsville residents to enjoy. According to the Pottsville Republican and Herald, the Third Annual Chili Cook-Off will be held at the Humane Fire Company, Laurel Boulevard, from 4 to 7 p.m. Oct. 21. The winner will earn bragging rights for "Best Chili in the City." Residents, restaurants, organizations and fire companies are welcome to enter the contest, which will include trophies for first-, second- and third- place winners as well as an award for the "Best Dressed Table." Judging of the chili will be anonymously conducted by a panel. The "Best Dressed Table" will be awarded based on votes from the crowd. Tickets for the event cost $10, which includes chili taste-testing and entertainment. Alcoholic beverages will be available at an additional cost. Also, the day's football games will be broadcast on a TV at the event. For more information about the Chili Cook-Off, contact Shannon Wabby at 449-5317 or Lisa Fishburn at 294-0313.

The Pottsville Lions Club Halloween Parade will be held on Tuesday, Oct. 24. The parade will begin at 7 p.m. at 12th and Market streets. For more information about the parade, contact Leo Haley at 622-1917.

The Pottsville Joint Veterans Council will host a Veterans Ball on Nov. 11 at Pine View Acres. The event will begin at 7 p.m. and tickets cost $25 per person. Proceeds for this event will benefit the Medal of Honor Monument being constructed in Gen. George A. Joulwan Park. For more information about this event, contact Leo Haley at 622-1917 or call City Hall at 622-1234.

A 200 Years of Giving Thanks event is slated to take place Thanksgiving weekend, but a definitive date has not yet been set according to City Administrator Thomas A. Palamar.

On Nov. 26, Mayor John D.W. Reiley will light the Christmas tree on Garfield Square. The tree lighting will take place at 6 p.m. following the Santa Parade at 5:30 p.m. Immediately following the tree lighting, a Children's Santa Claus Party will be held at the Humane Fire Company.

The bicentennial year will wrap up with a New Year's Eve Celebration in downtown Pottsville. "New Year’s Eve plans are well in the works," Palamar said. The night will include fireworks, activities for children and horse and buggy rides. The Bicentennial Store and Headquarters located on Centre Street will also be open for business. Raffle tickets will be sold for various prizes, totalling over $2,000. The drawings will take place at 11:45 p.m. For more information about the New Year's Eve Celebration, contact City Hall at 622-1234

Make A Difference Day

Organizations are making plans for Make A Difference Day on October 28th. Is your group one of them? The annual day of volunteer service is coming up quickly. A project could be as simple as cleaning up a park, to visiting the elderly or any type of service project will do. If you are a little short on ideas, give Nancy Clark at Community Volunteers in Action, at 628-1426.

DEP finds 15 violations

Ten trucks hauling material to the Commonwealth Environmental Systems Landfill in Foster Township were in violation of operational and safety regulations, according to The Pottsville Republican and Herald. The 10 trucks are just a small percentage of the 152 vehicles that were inspected from 5 a.m. to 1 p.m. Thursday, DEP spokesman Mark R. Carmon said. "The department found 15 violations on the 10 trucks cited with problems," the press release said. The violations include trucks with no signs or improper signs, improper tarps or enclosures, discharged fire extinguisher, no fire extinguisher and leaking material. The violations were against the haulers and are not a reflection on the landfill in Foster Township. Carmon said DEP conducts inspections on a random basis. On the 10 trucks, 15 violations were found during Thursday's inspection, eight notices of violation and five summary citations were issued. Two others required additional follow-up in conjunction with Act 90, the state's Waste Transportation Safety Act. For more information, visit DEP's Web site at www.depweb.state.pa.us, keyword "targeting trash."

Three vehicle hit and run

State police are looking for a driver who caused a three vehicle crash in New Philadelphia early Friday. An unknown driver, operating a white Ford Taurus was driving west on Wiggans Street around 2:40am. The operator lost control and struck a parked car, then hit a second car, which were both legally parked on the street. After the crash, the driver took off in an unknown direction. The car bears a Pennsylvania License plate DBP-5531. If you have any information, please call Frackville State Police at 874-5300.

UNITED NATIONS (AP) - The U-S and Japan will push today for a U-N Security Council vote imposing non-military sanctions on North Korea for its reported nuclear test. It's still not clear whether North Korea tested a nuclear device. U-S officials say air samples did detect radioactive debris.

BUFFALO, N.Y. (AP) - It may be several days before power is fully restored to parts of western New York hit by a record-breaking storm. Some areas are buried under two feet of
snow, and about 392-thousand customers were left without electricity. At least three deaths have been blamed on the storm.

BAGHDAD, Iraq (AP) - Police in Iraq today report finding the decapitated corpses of seven people. They say several were from among a group of construction workers seized Thursday. Police say that abduction appears to be retaliation for the earlier kidnapping of three Sunni Arabs by a Shiite militia.

WHITE HOUSE (AP) - In today's radio broadcast, President Bush will make a case for punishing North Korea for attempting to detonate a nuclear device. A Bush spokesman says North Korea has often been rewarded for its bad behavior. This time, the White House says it's pushing for consequences.

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) - A 14-year-old California girl says she didn't know it was against the law last spring when she posted a picture of the president on her Website with the word "Kill" across it. She's upset because two Secret Service men questioned her at school. She says the questioning was "mean."

BURLINGTON, Vt. (AP) - Authorities in Vermont are trying to come up with evidence to link a man to the death of University of Vermont student Michelle Gardner-Quinn. Police believe Brian Rooney lent the 21-year-old his cell phone before she disappeared a week ago. Rooney is behind bars on unrelated charges.

FORT APACHE INDIAN RESERVATION, Ariz. (AP) - Federal officials have arrested a man they say raped 12 girls and one woman on an Indian reservation in Arizona. Authorities say Jimi Aday posed as a tribal police officer, telling his victims they were under arrest and handcuffing them before the attacks.

WASHINGTON (AP) - Federal prosecutors have opened a preliminary investigation into a camping trip that Congressman Jim Kolbe took with a group that included two former pages. Kolbe's spokeswoman says it was a Fourth of July rafting trip in the Grand Canyon ten years ago.

WASHINGTON (AP) - At least two dozen people have been arrested after three days of protests at Gallaudet University in Washington, D-C. Students have been blocking the entrance to the nation's liberal arts university for the deaf and hearing-impaired. They're protesting the school's incoming president.

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) - A co-founder of the Black Panther Party says he's proud of how his party stood up for civil rights and social change. Bobby Seale will be among those in Oakland,
California this weekend marking the 40th anniversary of the party's founding.

CYPREMORT POINT, La. (AP) - Two people are still missing after a Gulf Coast pipeline fire that left four other people dead. Authorities say the fire may have started when a barge hit a
pipeline Thursday, about two miles off the Louisiana coast. An investigation is continuing.

WASHINGTON (AP) - A congressional investigation is showing that food-stamp fraud consumes 240 (m) million dollars a year. But the Government Accountability Office report finds there's been a decline in certain types of fraud since the government switched from paper coupons to cards that work like debit cards.