Today's News-Thursday, October 25th

The federal government says it found an elevated number of cases of a rare blood cancer in Schuylkill, Carbon and Luzerne counties. But a study found no link to something in the environment. The U.S. Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry became
involved after residents expressed concern about polycythemia vera, or PCV. That's a cancer that results in the overproduction of red blood cells and can lead to heart attack or stroke.
A large crowd gathered in Hazleton last night to hear the results of the study, which confirmed 38 cases of PCV in areas surrounding a Superfund cleanup site near McAdoo. Nearly 7-thousand-drums of hazardous waste was removed from the site in the early 80’s. According to reports, residents were not satisfied about the results of the study, and believe that contaminated water from the dump has sickened people.

An Ohio man who was killed in a truck crash Tuesday night has been identified by state police.
Jonestown troopers say that the deceased is 51-year-old Jerry Saunders of Defiance, Ohio. The crash happened in Frailey Township. Saunders lost control of his tractor-trailer on a downhill curve, crossed the highway and went down a 60-foot-embankment. He was ejected from the cab of the truck. Saunders was pronounced dead at the scene Tuesday night after 9pm.

Police in Port Carbon continue to dig into vandalism cases of residents vehicles. We reported to you on Monday that a number of vehicles were scratched on Coal Street, some with obscenities and one with a racial slur. The Republican and Herald reports that police are gathering leads, and are considering whether they were hate crimes. If anyone has information, call Port Carbon police at 622-5411.

The cause of a devastating fire at the Split Vein Coal Company in Ralpho Township, Northumberland County, can't be determined. State Police Fire Marshal Norman Fedder has officially ruled the cause of the fire undetermined in origin. The fire broke out Tuesday morning and kept fire crews busy for over seven hours. It was a total loss, with damages estimated at $100-thousand-dollars. Owner Joseph Kleeman didn't have insurance.

By a vote of 2-1, Schuylkill County adopted a $44 point 19 million dollar 2008 preliminary general fund budget during Wednesday’s County Commissioners meeting. Chairman Frank Staudenmeier said he believes it's the first time in county history that a sitting commissioner has a problem with a balanced budget. Democrat Minority Commissioner Mantura Gallagher, who voted against the motion, said adopting a preliminary budget before the assessment certification date has never been done before in the history of the county and called it a political move…..

Gallagher (1136)

Staudenmeier said that according to the county administrator, the expected assessments will not only enhance the budget but the revenues will be greater. In an interview with WPPA / T-102 News after the meeting, Commissioner Bob Carl commented on Commissioner Gallagher's no vote….

Carl (1137)

The county's real estate tax remains at 11 point 98 mills, and the $5.00 per capita tax remains in place.

The issue of responsibility of inmate health care in a proposed pre-release center came up during Wednesday's discussion on the county’s 2008 preliminary budget. Commissioners Gallagher and Robert Carl differ over who has the ultimate responsibility for the health care of inmates in that setting. In an interview with WPPA / T-102 News after the meeting, Commissioner Carl explained why he believes the county could be held responsible for the costs……

Carl (1138)

In a discussion with prison board Chairman Judge William Baldwin after Wednesday's prison board meeting, he said inmates presently in the work release program are responsible for their own health care costs. Baldwin said if they are injured on the job, they are covered by workmen's compensation and if injured during their overnight stay in the prison, they are covered by the county's liability coverage.

A St. Clair tavern that's scheduled to open a museum dedicated to the Molly Maguire heritage of our area has gained an important piece of art. The Wooden Keg Tavern, One West Caroline Avenue, has acquired a rare Molly Maguire statue, sculpted by Zenos Frudakis. There are only 4 of these statues in existence. One is being readied for display at the State Museum in Harrisburg, and one being bronzed for display at the Molly Maguire Park in Mahanoy City. They are 7 feet tall. The smaller statue will be displayed in the Molly Maguire Tunnel Room at the Wooden Keg. The final one is in the home of Sean Connery, who starred in the Molly Maguires movie, filmed at the Eckley Miners Village in Luzerne County. Tavern owner Jim Croley has been working diligently to complete the Tunnel Room in the basement of his business to mark the history and traditions of the Molly Maguires, and is converting a portion of it into a tavern room for parties. Croley said that the addition of the statue will only add to the historical significance of the property. The room is expected to open to the public in November.

A Mount Carmel man is charged with a host of offenses after breaking in to two homes outside of Pottsville yesterday. State police at Schuylkill Haven say that 30-year-old Wayne Lewis broke into a home on Maple Avenue, but after the owner called the burglar alarm company, he fled the scene. Lewis proceeded to another home on Bull's Head Road when he was confronted by the owner inside. After jumping from a second floor window, Lewis threatened the homeowner, who called 9-1-1. State police troopers spied Lewis and gave chase on foot, but was apprehended. Lewis was arraigned on charges including burglary, theft, robbery, simple assault, and other related offenses. Another home was broken into in that vicinity, and police are investigating whether it is connected to the two other burglaries.

HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) - A House Republican spokesman says a state representative's aide complained to party leadership last year that she was pressured to perform campaign duties on state time. Steve Miskin, spokesman for Republican Leader Sam Smith, says Lisa Deon's allegations about then-Representative Matthew Wright prompted Republican leaders to offer her a job with another representative. Miskin says there wasn't proof about Deon's claims and Wright denied them. At least two political Web sites have posted a lengthy document
that purports to be a sworn statement by Deon about illegal campaign work by Wright's legislative employees. Deon and Wright didn't return phone messages seeking comment.

PHILADELPHIA (AP) - State Supreme Court candidate Michael Krancer says he admires U.S. Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia -- who says judges should only look to the law as it's written. Rival candidate Debra Todd says her role model is former Justice William Brennan Junior -- who believes the courts have a role in advancing civil rights. Both spoke yesterday at a forum for judicial candidates. They spoke along with Maureen Lally-Green, who says she
doesn't legislate from the bench, but considers both doctrine and evolving court precedents.
The fourth candidate for the two seats on the state's highest court, Seamus McCaffery, didn't attend. Todd and McCaffery are Democrats. Krancer and Lally-Green are Republicans.

PHILADELPHIA (AP) - A man who escaped from a New Jersey prison 28 years ago is being held in Philadelphia after his life on the lam ended yesterday. He is Maximo Jurado, who's now 75 years old. He was arrested yesterday in Philadelphia. Jurado served less than four months of a three- to 10-year prison sentence before he escaped. He will have to complete the
original sentence -- and could get up to five more years in prison, if convicted of escape.

BALTIMORE (AP) - The founder of a church being sued by a York man over a protest at the funeral of a Marine killed in Iraq has taken the stand. Fred Phelps of the Westboro Baptist Church testified that he hadn't considered whether children would see a sign carried by
protesters with the words "Semper Fi Fags" and two stick figures that appear to be engaged in sodomy. Under cross-examination by the plaintiffs yesterday, Phelps agreed he didn't believe his presence was wanted at the funeral and could just as easily have protested somewhere else.
The Topeka, Kansas, church is being sued by Albert Snyder, of York, Pennsylvania. It's over a protest at the funeral of his son, Lance Corporal Matthew Snyder, in Westminster, Maryland, in March 2006.

TRENTON, N.J. (AP) - A man accused of stealing an art masterpiece from a transport truck in the Poconos last year has made his first appearance in federal court. Steven Lee Olson of Carlstadt, New Jersey, is accused of taking "Children with a Cart," a 1778 painting by famed Spanish artist Francisco de Goya. The painting disappeared as it was being shipped to a Manhattan museum last November. It was stolen as the transport drivers spent the night at a Stroudsburg (Pennsylvania) motel. Within days, an attorney for Olson contacted federal authorities to say Olson had found the painting in his basement. But authorities later concluded that Olson, a self-employed truck driver, had lifted the piece himself.

WHITE HOUSE (AP) - President Bush sees the California fire devastation first-hand today. He'll get a helicopter tour and have lunch with emergency responders near San Diego. The fires have destroyed about 1,500 homes since Sunday and led to the largest evacuation in California history.

WASHINGTON (AP) - The Bush administration is expected to announce new sanctions today, aimed at Iran's Revolutionary Guards, which U.S. officials blame for stirring up trouble in Iraq. A senior official tells the New York Times it will involve "freezing assets."

JOHNSON SPACE CENTER (AP) - Space shuttle Discovery delivers the newest crew member to the international space station in a few hours, when it docks with the orbiting lab. NASA says it has found no signs of launch damage on Discovery but there will be a final check during its final approach.

BOSTON (AP) - Early and often. The Boston Red Sox got a leadoff homer from Dustin Pedroia last night and kept rolling to a 13-to-1 win over Colorado in Game One of the World Series. Curt Schilling starts for Boston against Ubaldo Jimenez of the Rockies in Game Two tonight.