State News-Monday, Jan. 29th

PITTSBURGH (AP) - Until today, it was unclear who was in charge of end-of-life decisions when someone became incapacitated in Pennsylvania. A new law taking effect today spells out who's in charge -- unless the patient designated someone in advance. Under the new law, the decisions are made by the person's spouse, adult child, parent, adult sibling, adult grandchild or close friend, in that order.

JOHNSTOWN, Pa. (AP) - About 160 workers are on strike at a Johnstown-based American Red Cross chapter that provides blood to southwestern Pennsylvania and parts of five other states. The Communications Workers of America began the strike yesterday. A union representative says they plan to return to work, at least temporarily, on Wednesday. The Red Cross had proposed that blood drive employees pay more for their health benefits. Red Cross officials say they were prepared for the strike and have adequate blood supplies. The Greater Alleghenies Red Cross supplies blood to parts of Pennsylvania, Maryland, Kentucky, Ohio, Virginia and West Virginia.

UNDATED (AP) - Barbaro's top veterinarian says he thinks the team will "quit" if a bone treated Saturday breaks again. Doctor Dean Richardson says "it's like a house of cards." He says when one body part fails, that puts more stress on all the other parts. Barbaro is no longer bearing weight on the right hind leg he shattered eight months ago in the Preakness. The fear is that the bone bearing the weight can break. Barbaro has been at the University of Pennsylvania's New Bolton Center in Chester County since his injury.

PHILADELPHIA (AP) - While the last mayoral election in Philadelphia focused on public corruption, another problem is likely to dominate the race this year: gun violence. The city notched more than 400 homicides last year, and 2007 is proving no less deadly. A growing field of Democratic candidates are proposing measures to address the crime problem, such as adding police officers or surveillance cameras. Some have accused two-term Mayor John Street of not doing enough to curb violent crime. The Democratic primary on May 15th could decide the race, given the city's overwhelmingly Democratic voter rolls. Democrats who have entered the race include Congressman Bob Brady and retired health care executive Tom Knox, both of whom want to add more police officers. Congressman Chaka Fattah, another candidate, would add more surveillance cameras while former City Councilman Michael Nutter would give more power to police to "stop and frisk" people.

HAGERSTOWN, Md. (AP) - Maryland State Police say a Shippensburg man is in critical condition tonight after crashing a car while trying to flee from authorities. Police were trying to stop 28-year-old William Neil for speeding this afternoon on Route 66, just off Interstate 70. Police say Neil was driving about 88 miles per hour and weaving aggressively in and out of traffic. A state trooper tried to pull him over, but Neil started driving faster. Police say Neil hit two vehicles while trying to elude the trooper. No one in the two vehicles was injured. Police put down two sets of stop sticks, which deflated tires on the unregistered vehicle Neil was driving. He eventually lost control, and the car crashed into a tree and overturned.

LAS VEGAS (AP) - Miss Pennsylvania is looking good after the preliminary swimsuit portion of the 2007 Miss America Pageant. Emily Wills, a 24-year-old Penn State student, won the night's swimsuit competition after donning a black and white striped bikini. Wills, who is from Beaver, takes home one-thousand dollars for the effort. The pageant concludes tomorrow night in Las Vegas, Nevada. In a new format, talent and swimsuit winners are named in each of three preliminary nights. Miss California, 24-year-old Jacquelynne Fontaine, won last night's talent winner for her performance from the opera "Tosca." Preliminary winners on Thursday and Friday include competitors from Hawaii, Nebraska, Texas and Oklahoma.

ERIE, Pa. (AP) - An injured bald eagle spotted by a motorist on Interstate 79 is recuperating at a wildlife rehabilitation clinic in western Pennsylvania. The eagle is among a growing number treated for injuries as the birds have multiplied in Pennsylvania in recent years. Barbara Amato, of Meadville, says she saw the bald eagle hopping along the highway before it flew to the median and walked up an embankment as she was driving home from Pittsburgh. She says she stopped, called 9-1-1 and took pictures of the bird, which came within five or ten feet of her car. The eagle is currently recuperating from a dislocated shoulder at the Tamarack Wildlife Rehabilitation and Education Center in Saegertown.

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) - Hershey Company is going into a joint venture with South Korea's Lotte Confectionary Company to make chocolate in China. Lotte will own a 51 percent stake in the joint venture, to be operated in Shanghai but headquartered in Hong Kong. That's according to the joint statement released by Lotte. In addition, the companies say Lotte will use a Hershey distribution channel in the United States to sell its chewing gum products beginning in March.

SOMERSET, Pa. (AP) - A coalition of groups overseeing efforts to build a Flight 93 memorial is retaining an adviser to evaluate the fundraising performance of a Pittsburgh-based consulting firm. Flight 93 National Memorial partners have chosen T-C Benson, who has led development efforts at America's Promise Alliance, Americans for the Arts and the National Trust for Historic Preservation, to prepare a study of the work of Ketchum Incorporated. Ketchum was hired two years ago and prepared a study saying the group should aim to raise 30 million dollars in private donations. It has helped the group raise 10 million dollars and was to be paid a flat fee of 80-thousand dollars. The firm's contract expires next month.