Today's News-Saturday October 27th

SCHUYLKILL COUNTY - The annual Make a Difference Day is today. The USA Today editorial board came up with the idea of setting aside one day each year for individuals and groups to work at a project to better the community. While a project can last longer than today, some work must be done on this last Saturday in October. Whether it's a cleanup effort, slapping some paint on a building or whatever the endeavor, Make A Difference Day truly does just that. We reported to you earlier this week that 35 projects were registered in the county for the observance. As of yesterday, 56 projects signed up to help the community. We salute all who are Making a Difference today!

POTTSVILLE - A Pottsville man will serve time in prison for a fall in which his son was injured. Christopher Mease learned his fate in Schuylkill County Court before Judge Jacqueline Russell yesterday. Mease was charged with endangering the welfare of his children from an incident last September, where his son fell from a second-story window, causing severe injuries. According to the Republican and Herald, Mease left his son and daughter in a second floor room, and the child got to the unsecured window, then fell. Mease pleaded no contest, which neither admits to the crime, but agreed to be sentenced if he had pleaded or been found guilty. He will serve 1 to 23 months in prison.

SCHUYLKILL HAVEN - Schuylkill United Way donors who "set the pace" for the annual campaign were honored Thursday for their efforts. The 2008 Pacesetters reception was held at Schuylkill Campus to recognize the importance of these donors, who commit at least $500 dollars to the campaign every year. More than 300 contributors make up the group. This year, the Schuylkill United Way has 15 more Pacesetters than last year, contributing over $215-thousand-dollars toward the $1-million-dollar target. "We Are… Community Strong" is this year's theme, and is led by General Campaign Chairman Dr. R. Keith Hillkirk, Chancellor at Penn State Schuylkill. The Schuylkill United Way serves 16 member agencies with contributions from the campaign. All monies collected stay right here in the county. You still have time to contribute to the 2008 effort. Call Schuylkill United Way at 622-6421,

SCHUYLKILL COUNTY COURT - Two teachers are suing several area school districts for not giving them a job after the student pool they taught at IU 29 dried up. The Republican and Herald indicates that a lawsuit was filed in Schuylkill County Court by Brian McMullin of New Philadelphia and Marcia Smith of Reading. The two taught vocational math to high school students at the IU, but when the districts stopped sending their kids there, the IU laid them off. Among the districts named in the suit are Blue Mountain, Mahanoy Area, North Schuylkill, Pine Grove, Pottsville, Shenandoah Valley and Tamaqua. The court documents say that the plaintiffs contend that the school districts must hire them for open math positions, and not new employees because they stopped sending students to the IU. The district's named reportedly had math positions opened in November, 2006, but McMullin and Smith were not hired. The suit also asks for lost wages and benefits.

RAMONA, Calif. (AP) - For some Californians returning to once fire-threatened homes, life won't be easy. Thousands are facing polluted air, power outages and no drinking water. For those whose homes were destroyed, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger is promising that there won't be a let-up in recovery efforts.

ANKARA, Turkey (AP) - Kurdish rebels say they hope to "end the issue" of eight Turkish soldiers captured less than a week ago. The rebels responded to a Turkish lawmaker's request for the soldiers' release in order to help defuse tensions between the rebels and Turkish forces near the Iraqi border.

WASHINGTON (AP) - Assignment Baghdad: it's not exactly the hottest ticket in the U.S. diplomatic corps. The State Department says it'll begin ordering diplomats to serve in Iraq because of a lack of volunteers to work at the Embassy in Baghdad.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER (AP) - Now that a new live-in compartment at the international space station has been installed, it's time to go in and have a look. Astronauts will enter the Harmony module today. It's a bus-sized addition that will be used for science work on future missions.

KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) - Three Afghan soldiers and one Afghan civilian are dead after a suicide bomber struck outside a U.S. military base in eastern Afghanistan. Four other Afghans were wounded. No Americans were hurt in the attack.