Today's News-Thursday, October 11th

The Schuylkill Chamber of Commerce hosted a county commissioner's debate during their second Wednesday breakfast meeting at the River Inn near Schuylkill Haven. Incumbent Republicans Frank Staudenmeier and Robert Carl, and minority Democratic Commissioner Mantura Gallagher and her running mate, County Sheriff Frank McAndrew talked about their achievements and qualifications in their opening statements. After the debate, WPPA / T-102 News talked to Chris Grabowski of Schuylkill Memorial Park, the breakfast sponsor, who said the debate was a good opportunity for Chamber members to learn where the candidates stand on important issues:

Grabowski #1

Grabowski said the candidates did an excellent job answering questions they had not seen before hand and that all four seem to be of the same sentiment on the issues facing the county:

Grabowski #2

Jim Donovan, the Chamber's 2nd Vice Chairman served as moderator of the event.

A proposed ethanol plant in western Schuylkill County has been awarded grant monies from the state for a portion of the project. State Rep. Tim Seip announced that a $750-thousand-dollar state grant for Green Renewable Energy will be used to install a corn-oil extraction system and to buy two 100-thousand-gallon tanks for storing corn oil, that will eventually turn into the biofuel ethanol. Seip said this is a plus for the area:

SEIP

The funding is being provided through Pennsylvania's Alternative Fuels Incentive Grant Program.

David Fleming, author of "Breaker Boys", is overwhelmed with the response of his book about the Pottsville Maroons, which was released here this week. The ESPN writer spent four years researching and writing the story of a team that rose to the pinnacle of the professional football world in 1925. In events at Pottsville City Hall, Maroons Sports Bar and Grill and the Schuylkill County Historical Society, crowds gathered to buy copies of the book, and to have them personally autographed by Fleming. While 82 years have passed since the Pottsville Maroons won the NFL championship, only to have it stripped away, Fleming said that people still care about the Maroons:

FLEMING

Jack Ernst, Doylestown, whose father Jack was the team quarterback, praised Fleming's work.

ERNST

The first book signing was a huge success, with people lining up on North Centre Street to purchase copies. Another signing is scheduled for today from 1 to 4pm at the Pottsville Free Public Library.

A man from Auburn will serve more time in state prison for additional crimes committed this year. 35-year-old Harry Auman, who was already in jail on an escape charge, will have 17 months to 7 years tacked on, after sentencing yesterday in county court, according to the Republican and Herald. Auman pleaded guilty to drunk driving, and other charges relating to an accident in North Manheim Township that injured a woman in March. Additionally, charges are pending against Auman for a crash in Deer Lake in May of this year.

Two Schuylkill County motorists escaped injury in a crash in northern Berks County Tuesday morning. Steven Pefley of Schuylkill Haven, and Daniel Perlman of Auburn were both southbound on Route 183 in Upper Tulpehocken Township, when Perlman yielded to a school bus. Pefley was unable to stop in time and rear-ended Perlman's car, causing significant damage to his vehicle. The mishap occurred around 6:40am.

One person was taken to an area hospital following a two-car mishap on Route 61 yesterday evening. David Dreher, Minersville, who was driving north swerved to avoid the Toyota SUV driven by Geraldine Bensinger, who was trying to turn left into the Pinedale Food Mart. Dreher lost control, slid across the road and rolled onto its roof. Bensinger, nor her passengers were hurt. Dreher was taken to Pottsville Hospital as a precaution. The accident happened around 6:30 last night.

The state's largest health-care union is urging regulators to figure out how the proposed sale of a nursing home chain will affect the people who live or work in its 46 Pennsylvania facilities, including one in Pottsville. S-E-I-U Healthcare Pennsylvania wants the state Health Department to delay transferring the licenses from Manor Care Incorporated to the private equity firm The Carlyle Group until it can hold public hearings on the buyout. The union wants to determine the impact on residents, employees and state taxpayers. But Manor Care says it has already informed its workers that they shouldn't see any staffing reductions or operational changes if the sale goes through next week. Manor Care operates about 500 facilities in 33 states under the names Heartland, ManorCare, Springhouse and Arden Courts. The Pottsville location is on Pulaski Drive.

WASHINGTON (AP) - Marine Commandant James Conway reportedly thinks his troops in Iraq could be more effective taking the lead in Afghanistan -- and leaving Iraq to the Army. The New York Times reports he's given his idea to Defense Secretary Robert Gates. Supporters think such a realignment could allow both services to operate more efficiently.

BAGHDAD (AP) - Two members of the U.S.-led coalition based at a camp near Baghdad's airport have been killed by a rocket or mortar barrage on the camp. The military says another 40 people were wounded in yesterday's attack. Most troops at the base are American
but there are small contingents from other countries.

STOCKHOLM, Sweden (AP) - British writer Doris Lessing is the 2007 winner of the Nobel Prize in literature. The Swedish Academy says the 87-year-old winner, the oldest person to win the Nobel Literature prize, could not be reached to be told of her award. Lessing's agent says she was out shopping in London.

CLEVELAND (AP) - One of two students wounded by a 14-year-old gunman yesterday at a Cleveland High School says he realized he had been shot when he felt his arm burning. Darnell Rodgers tells NBC's "Today" show that he doesn't think he was singled out as a target. Four people were wounded before the gunman killed himself.

UNDATED (AP) - Major league baseball's championships swing back into action tonight with Game One of the National League Championship Series. It's the NL West champion Arizona Diamondbacks hosting the wildcard Colorado Rockies. The American League series starts tomorrow night.

READING, Pa. (AP) - A judge is temporarily blocking higher mortgage bills facing more than 800 homeowners affected by last month's bankruptcy filing by a Berks County mortgage broker and its five subsidiaries. Berks County Judge Jeffrey Sprecher issued a temporary injunction yesterday that allows the homeowners to pay the amount of the original mortgages they signed with OPFM Incorporated. That company does business as Personal Financial
Management.

HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) - The board of Pennsylvania's student-loan agency is slated to meet today to consider how to fill the vacancy left by president and chief executive officer Dick Willey. Willey's last day at the Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency was
Wednesday - two months earlier than he originally planned.

HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) - A slot-machine casino in the Pocono Mountains will not open this month as planned because state regulators say they are not ready to allow it. A Pennsylvania
Gaming Control Board spokesman says at the top of the list for Mount Airy Casino Resort is approval of an independent auditing committee.

PITTSBURGH (AP) - Former state Rep. Jeff Habay has lost an appeal of his conviction for conflict of interest. He had been found guilty of using state workers and resources in his campaigns. Habay was sentenced to six to 12 months in jail for the Dec. 2005 conviction.

ERIE, Pa. (AP) - An Erie woman has been convicted of swinging her 4-week-old son to hit her boyfriend during a fight. An Erie County jury found 28-year-old Chytoria Graham guilty yesterday of aggravated assault, reckless endangerment, simple assault and child
endangerment.