Today's News-Tuesday, March 11th

Employers in the Pottsville area are expected to hire at a steady pace in the second quarter of this year, according to Manpower's Employment Outlook Survey. Thirty-three percent of the companies interviewed for the survey plan to hire more employees, while 13 percent expect to reduce their payrolls. Manpower spokesperson Irene Kadziela said that another 47 percent expect to maintain their current staffing levels and 7 percent are not certain of their hiring plans. The anticipated hiring increase is 3 percent more than the first quarter of this year. However, compared to last year, employers are less optimistic about hiring activity, possibly due to an economic slowdown. According to the survey, job prospects appear best in Construction, Wholesale/Retail trade and Education. Nationwide, U.S. employers forsee a gradual decline in hiring for the coming quarter.

At last night' Pottsville City Council meeting, the board and public were entertained by the Barbershop Harmony Society. The group consisted of 11 members, who sang the acapella versions of "Hello Mary Lou" and "It’s a Long Way to Tipperary." The board presented them with a proclamation stating that April 11th to the 13th would now be recognized as Barbershop Harmony Weekend. It was also announced that Darrell's Army, a group of 100 teenagers from New Jersey, would be arriving in Pottsville to revitalize the Elm Street neighborhood. Along with these teenagers, two college students whose majors are in landscaping, were hired as interns by the city of Pottsville to assist with the Elm Street project by creating new green space. A $1-thousand-dollar grant from the Pennsylvania Downtown Center was also issued to fund the project, and $2-thousand-dollars was given to the city to cover the cost of materials. This Friday, the city is holding a dance for all Pottsville Area School District students, ages 13 to 17, at the Y from 7 to 10pm. This is followed by the St. Patrick's Day Parade on Saturday, which starts at 11am, with a party open to the public afterwards at the Humane. The board also announced that the annual Easter Egg Hunt will be held Sunday at 2pm at Alumni Field. The city has also begun to accept summer job applications, which are due no later than April 25th.

State police are investigating a hit and run on Interstate 81 Sunday morning. Troopers now say that Michael Collura of Beaver Meadows was traveling south in the travel lane, near mile market 129, when his SUV veered into the passing lane. His vehicle ran into the back of the car driven by Thomas Lenahan of Hanover. Lenahan's car hit the guiderail. Collura fled the scene, but was picked up in Frackville a short time later. Police suspected that he was driving under the influence. Collura was transported to Pottsville Hospital for a blood test. Charges are pending the outcome of those tests. Lenahan complained of neck pain, but was not treated. The crash happened around 4:20am Sunday.

A Pottsville man was injured in a crash on the Gordon Nagle Trail yesterday afternoon. 61-year-old James Weyand was driving his motorcycle in a westerly direction on Route 901, near Trail Gardens, when traffic ahead of him began to slow down. Sensing that he would not be able to stop in time, he swerved to avoid hitting the vehicle ahead of him. The bike went down on the road and slid more than 20 feet before coming to rest. Weyand was thrown over the handlebars. He was transported to the Good Samaritan Regional Medical Center. The crash happened before 4pm.

New legislation has been introduced in the state House to fix Pennsylvania's roads and bridges, without new taxes and tolls. Carbon County Representative Keith McCall and 124th District Representative Dave Argall made the announcement yesterday, calling for $2.75 billion dollars over the next 10 years and $500 million dollars each year after to fix the state's crumbling roads and bridges. The plan would phase-out the practice of funding state police out of the Motor License Fund, and pay for police service out of the general fund. That would be done in $50-million-dollars reductions from the fund over 10 years. In 2006, the Transportation Funding and Reform Commission determined that 23 percent of the state's more than 25 thousand bridges are structurally deficient. According to PennDOT, 140 bridges in Berks, Schuylkill and Carbon counties have been either weight-restricted or closed. The bill is being co-sponsored by 41 legislators from both parties.

Schuylkill County Democrats have endorsed their slate of candidates for the upcoming election. At a meeting of the party Sunday, Democratic committee members announced that they are supporting Congressman Tim Holden, and Representatives Neil Goodman and Tim Seip for re-election. Holden is being challenged by Republican Toni Gillhooley of Dauphin County. Goodman is unchallenged for re-election. Seip is being challenged on the Republican side by former County Controller Gary Hornberger, and political newcomer James McGovern. Current County Prothonotary Peter Symons was also given the party nod in his bid for the 29th Senatorial District, currently held by Jim Rhoades of Mahanoy City. Hamburg resident Dennis Baylor is also seeking the 29th seat, but is not affiliated with any party, according to the Republican and Herald. Bill Mackey of Andreas will try to unseat Dave Argall, the 124th incumbent, for a second time.

Three Penn State Schuylkill students are taking their acting talents on the road to the Pennsylvania Renaissance Faire this summer. Nick Freer, Melissa Romero and Monique Shenoster attended a national audition to work at the faire at the Mount Hope Estate and Winery. The trio, who are actively involved in the upcoming Schuylkill performance of "Peter Pan", have been offered acting positions. Campus theatre instructor Cathy Fiorillo said that the competition is fierce for spots at the PA Renaissance Faire, and notes that it is a great experience for students who are pursuing careers in acting.

Bananas bar license renewed but owners must sell

ALLENTOWN, Pa. (AP) - The state has reversed a decision not to renew the license of an Allentown bar that was the scene of noise complaints, police calls and a fatal shooting. The state Liquor Control Board says that's on the condition that the current owners sell the license to a new owner with no connection to the troubled Bananas nightspot. In return, the club owner, a corporation called Unit 37, has dropped an appeal of the refusal to renew the license. The bar has been closed since September. Business dropped off following a fatal shooting outside the club. The Liquor Control Board refused to renew the license about a week later. That denial was not based on the shooting, but on earlier noise complaints and police calls.

Hershey withholds executive bonuses after not so sweet 2007

HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) - Neither the new chief executive of The Hershey Co. nor the man he replaced received a bonus in 2007. That came after a disappointing year for the nation's largest candymaker. Hershey struggled to sell its chocolate and cope with rising costs. David J. West received compensation valued at $4.4 million from Hershey after taking over as president in October and CEO in December. He took over from Richard H. Lenny, who abruptly announced his decision to leave. Lenny served as chairman until Jan. 1. He received compensation valued at nearly $6.2 million in 2007, down from the $6.6 million he received in 2006.

Pa. Democrats add 65,000 to voter rolls, Republicans only 3,000

HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) - Pennsylvania Democrats have added more than 65,000 voters to their rolls since last fall. The number of Democrats increased 1.7 percent as of March 4. GOP enrollment grew by a tenth of a percent during the period. State elections officials provided the interim totals Monday. The Democratic primary is open only to registered Democrats. Voters have until March 24 to switch or join parties. The Democrats' biggest registration gains were in three suburban Philadelphia counties - Chester, Delaware and Montgomery.

Democratic campaigns turn attention to Pa.

HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) - The Democratic presidential campaigns will hit the ground in Pennsylvania in earnest today. At noon, New York Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton will appear at a rally in Harrisburg before she heads to Temple University for another rally at 6 p.m. This follows a major rally in Scranton last night. Her rival, Illinois Sen. Barack Obama, will hold a town hall meeting with workers at a Gamesa wind turbine plant in Fairless Hills at 2 p.m. after he tours the facility. Former President Bill Clinton will campaign for his wife in the western part of the state. He will attend rallies at Washington and Jefferson College in Washington and at Center Area High School in Beaver County. In between, he will meet voters at the Canonsburg Area Senior Center in Canonsburg.

Fewer Pa. school districts seek property-tax exceptions

HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) - The state Education Department says fewer school districts will be able to raise property taxes above the inflation rate for next school year without seeking approval from the voters. The department granted referendum exceptions to 102 of Pennsylvania's 501 school districts this year, compared to 210 districts last year. State law requires school districts to keep tax increases within an inflationary index that varies from district to district. Larger tax increases must be placed on the April 22 primary ballot unless districts can demonstrate to state officials or a county judge that the increases are linked to certain factors beyond their control. Those factors include the costs of pension contributions, special education and health insurance.

Police seek help in at-home slaying of Pa. supermarket executive

PHILADELPHIA (AP) - Police investigating the slaying of a supermarket executive in his Berks County home are offering few clues. They aren't saying if 55-year-old Gary Redner appeared to be the victim of a random crime or if someone targeted him. They also aren't saying who found the body. Redner served as executive vice president of Reading-based Redner's Wholesale Markets, which operates 39 grocery stores and a
dozen convenience stores. The company was started by his 82-year-old father, Earl Redner, who says he last spoke to Gary Redner on Saturday. He says his son seemed in good spirits and didn't voice any particular concerns. Earl Redner says his son was an extraordinarily popular man who didn't have any known enemies.

PRIMARIES-CORZINE-RENDELL
Corzine, Rendell willing to raise money for Fla., Mich. revotes

TRENTON, N.J. (AP) - New Jersey Gov. Jon Corzine and Pennsylvania Gov. Ed Rendell are ready to help raise money for new Democratic Party primaries in Florida and Michigan. Corzine and Rendell both support Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, who's fighting Sen. Barack Obama for the presidential nomination. Rendell said on "Meet the Press" that he and Corzine would help raise half the $30 million needed to hold new elections in the states. He says the campaigns ought to pay the rest of the cost. Clinton won Florida and Michigan but the national Democratic Party stripped the states of delegates because they moved their primaries up earlier than allowed.

CLINTON-SPITZER
Clinton declines comment on Spitzer

SCRANTON, Pa. (AP) - Democrat Hillary Rodham Clinton is carefully sidestepping questions about the sex scandal engulfing Eliot Spitzer, her home state governor and political ally. Clinton says she doesn't have any comment on the matter. Those remarks came as she opened her first campaign swing through Pennsylvania, which holds its presidential primary April 22. Spitzer apologized Monday after he was accused of paying for sex with a high-priced call girl. Authorities say he was caught on a federal wiretap arranging a tryst with the woman at a Washington hotel room. Clinton and Spitzer have been friendly colleagues since the former first lady first ran for the Senate in New York in 2000.

PENNSYLVANIA PRIMARY-MAYOR
New Philadelphia mayor sticks with early endorsement of Clinton

PHILADELPHIA (AP) - Michael Nutter, Philadelphia's newly installed black mayor, endorsed Hillary Rodham Clinton in December while she was the front-runner. He's not backing off, even though Barack Obama is expected to easily carry Philadelphia in Pennsylvania's Democratic presidential primary. Nutter says people are more interested in who can deliver results than about race. Nutter's backing could prove very helpful for Clinton if he can help hold down Obama's margin of victory in Pennsylvania's largest city. In addition to Nutter, she also has the backing of former two-term mayor, Gov. Ed Rendell. On April 22, Pennsylvania will apportion 158 delegates among candidates based on their relative support.

NEW YORK (AP) - New York Governor Eliot Spitzer is contemplating his political and legal future after being caught up in a prostitution scandal. He's apologized and retained a big Manhattan law firm amid calls for his resignation.

JOHNSON SPACE CENTER, Houston (AP) - A rare and spectacular nighttime launch has propelled space shuttle Endeavour into orbit. The seven-man crew is on its way to the international space station on NASA's longest mission ever, 16 days. The crew will be doing more construction work.

WHITE HOUSE (AP) - President Bush will speak to religious broadcasters today as he looks ahead to next week's fifth anniversary of the Iraq invasion. He'll insist that now is not the time to squander recent successes by pulling out too many troops.

BAGHDAD (AP) - The U.S. military says additional deaths made yesterday the worst for American troops in Iraq since January. Eight soldiers died, three in a roadside bombing and five more in a suicide bombing attack.

DAYTON, Ohio (AP) - The world's first stealth attack aircraft is fading into history. The radar-evading F-117 is being retired as of next month. It was part of the Air Force arsenal for 27 years, secretly patrolling skies from Serbia to Iraq.