Today's News-Wednesday, March 19th

A two-vehicle crash in Dauphin County Tuesday claimed the life of a Pine Grove man. State police report that 26-year-old Ernest Beltz was a passenger in a pickup truck, traveling on Interstate 81. The truck rear-ended a parked tractor-trailer near the rest area at Grantville. He died from his injuries. The driver of the truck, Kevin Snyder of Spring Glen, and another passenger suffered serious injuries, and were taken to Hershey Medical Center. The tractor trailer driver had minor injuries. The crash happened after 5:30 Tuesday morning.

The Hillside SPCA needs your help. In a story we brought to you last week, the animal shelter in North Manheim Township is in the midst of a financial crisis, and is in danger of closing its doors. WPPA/T102 News spoke with Hillside board member Sylvia Nabholz yesterday about the situation. She said that there has been an outpouring of support, but more is needed to overcome the deficit. Nabholz attributes the shortfall to a significant increase in operating costs, including workers' compensation insurance, utilities, garbage and other regular expense. Add to that some major expenses that they didn’t count on, and a decline in monetary donations and adoptions of animals. Current economic conditions are also putting a strain on finances as well. The Hillside SPCA needs your support at this critical time. Adopt a pet, maybe even adopt one of the monthly bills to help them through this difficult time. The shelter does have adequate supplies of food and medicines, so in-kind donations are not a priority at this time. Nabholz said that the board is looking at different ways to raise much need funds, and a mailing is expected to be issued soon. If you’d like to contribute to the Hillside SPCA, there are several ways to help. Mail your donations to Hillside SPCA, PO Box 233, Pottsville, PA, or check out their website, hillsidespca-dot-com. You can donate online through PayPal. The Hillside SPCA employs 24 full-and part time employees, along with an army of volunteers.

Its time to be thinking about Easter baskets, filled with goodies. If your taste in Easter Candy has progressed beyond the basic chocolate bunny, you’ll be happy to hear that a specialist in Penn State's College of Agricultural Sciences finds the latest trends in luxury chocolates are actually good for you. Gary Abdullah has more:

A plan to provide access to health care for many of Pennsylvania's uninsured passed out of the state House. Pennsylvania Access to Basic Care, better known as PA ABC, would give access to health insurance while continuing to help doctors pay their medical malpractice insurance. The House plan would eliminated the Mcare fund, returning all malpractice insurance coverage to the private market, and pay off Mcare's unfunded liabilities. Rendell said PA ABC is a win-win for the uninsured:

House Republicans are concerned that there will not be adequate funding for the program, and the abolition of the Mcare fund could drive good doctors from Pennsylvania.

Today is the 5th anniversary of the Iraq war. Grassroots groups are taking to the streets all across Pennsylvania. Deborah Smith has more:

Declining interest rates are making it favorable for school district's to refinance bond debt. The Panther Valley School Board voted last night to do just that.
The Morning Call reports that after consultation with bond counsel, the board decided to refinance the debt at 4.3 percent fixed, over 20 years, through Mellon Financial. The move will cost the district $3 million dollars more over the life of the bonds, but early interest payments will be more than $1.4 million dollars less. Refinancing the bonds will help Panther Valley reduce a proposed property tax increase. Initially, the board proposed a 9 mill increase. That could be lowered to 5 mills due to the savings. In other business, the Panther Valley school board approved its share of the operating budget for Lehigh Carbon Community College. That payment amounts to just over $177-thousand-dollars. Panther Valley can send its students to L-tri-C for one third of the total tuition cost. Students can also participate in the dual enrollment program while in high school.

OBAMA-RACE
Obama makes major speech on race relations in Philadelphia

PHILADELPHIA (AP) - Barack Obama is refusing to reject his controversial former pastor, but is denouncing his inflammatory statements. In a speech in Philadelphia, Obama urged America to confront its racial divide which he says involves both black grievances and white resentment. Obama said racial resentments are real, the "anger is real" and can't be wished away. He made his remarks at the National Constitution Center, near Philadelphia's Independence Hall.

CLINTON
Clinton discusses Iraq war with young vets

LANCASTER, Pa. (AP) - Hillary Rodham Clinton told a group of young veterans that one lesson of the Iraq War is not to commit troops "unless you are prepared to go all the way and are prepared to be successful." Speaking in Lancaster, Clinton was questioned politely about her plans to begin withdrawing troops within 60 days after taking office. The former first lady also said U.S. forces already have fulfilled the mission they were assigned. She says the Iraqi government has failed to create a stable political system despite the U.S. effort. She says it doesn't make sense to stick around indefinitely in that situation.

MURTHA-CLINTON
Murtha backs Clinton for president

JOHNSTOWN, Pa. (AP) - Rep. John Murtha is endorsing Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton for the Democratic nomination for president. The western Pennsylvania congressman is a leading critic of the Iraq war and a prolific fundraiser. His endorsement could help attract anti-war voters. Murtha says Clinton "will forge a consensus on health care, education, the economy, and the war in Iraq."

I-95 EMERGENCY REPAIR
Rendell says I-95 woes show need for infrastructure money

PHILADELPHIA (AP) - Gov. Ed Rendell says the emergency repairs to Interstate 95 are just one example of the need for a "massive federal commitment" to the nation's infrastructure. Rendell says Pennsylvania's infrastructure problem is so bad that as soon as the state repairs two bridges, three more are added to the structurally deficient list. The closure of a three-mile stretch of I-95 in Philadelphia forced those traveling the major northeast artery to detour onto local roads. The roadway is expected to remain closed until at least Wednesday night, and possibly as late as Friday.

MARRIAGE AMENDMENT
Proposal to ban gay marriage, civil unions advances in Pa.
Senate

HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) - A state Senate committee has passed a proposal to amend the state Constitution to ban gay marriage and civil unions. The Judiciary Committee approved it Tuesday, 10-4. Opponents sought more hearings on the bill, saying the wording of the proposal that bans civil unions is so poorly defined that it could endanger the rights that gay and lesbian couples have now. Supporters say the wording isn't meant to take away current rights, such as a partner's health care coverage or ability to grant power of attorney. A constitutional amendment requires approval from both legislative chambers in two consecutive two-year sessions and ultimate approval in a statewide referendum.

FLIGHT 93 MEMORIAL
Flight 93 families to buy large piece of land needed for memorial

PITTSBURGH (AP) - The Families of Flight 93 have reached an agreement with a coal mining company to purchase about 1 1/2 square miles of land needed for a planned national memorial. The deal follows an agreement between PBS Coals and the state Department of Environmental Protection for the company to treat drainage from a former surface mine at the site where Flight 93 crashed about 65 miles southeast of Pittsburgh. Financial terms were not disclosed, but the group says proceeds from the sale will be placed into a trust fund to pay for the mine water treatment system. The transaction is expected to be completed within 60 days. The National Park Service plans to buy the 932 acres from the group.

HOSPITAL PERFORMANCE
Pa. hospital performance data now online

PHILADELPHIA (AP) - For the first time, it takes only a couple of mouse clicks to access information on how Pennsylvania hospitals stack up against each other. The Pennsylvania Health Care Quality Alliance is starting a new Web site, www.phcqa.org . It has quality reports that compare performance and outcomes of all 162 primary acute care hospitals in the state. Users of the Web site can look up hospitals with the best, and worst, track records in four categories during a certain year. They are treating heart attacks, heart failure, pneumonia, or preventing certain hospital-acquired infections. The group says those four categories were the first chosen, in part, because they are ailments among the most common and most costly for hospitals.

MERIT SELECTION-JUDGES
Judicial merit advocates present case

HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) - People who want Pennsylvania to replace its system of electing appellate judges with an appointed system are undertaking a new effort to convince the Legislature. They say last year's state Supreme Court campaigns that cost nearly $8 million are evidence that the need to raise large campaign donations may be putting judicial independence at risk. At an event in the Capitol Rotunda on Tuesday, a coalition of lawmakers, judges and the advocacy group Pennsylvanians for Modern Courts said legislation is about to be introduced to start the constitutional amendment process. They're acknowledging they face an uphill battle, but are hoping the reform momentum and support from Gov. Ed Rendell will lead to wider public support for their cause.

WASHINGTON (AP) - An environmental group says the amount of carbon dioxide released by U.S. power plants grew by nearly three percent last year. The Environmental Integrity Project reports it's the largest annual increase in nearly a decade. The group used data on 2006 and 2007 carbon dioxide emissions from the Environmental Protection Agency and the federal Energy Information Administration. The analysis covered more than 1,000 plants including those burning coal, natural gas and oil. The report says Texas, Georgia, Arizona, California and Pennsylvania had the biggest one-year increases. Bill Sang with the Edison Electric Institute says the increase
reflected greater demand for power last year. He also cited a shortage of hydroelectric power that forced utilities to shift to fossil fuels.

WASHINGTON (AP) - President Bush says the war in Iraq has been longer, harder and more costly than what his administration anticipated at the start of the invasion five years ago today. Bush, in a speech at the Pentagon strongly signaled that there may not be further troop withdrawals from Iraq beyond those already planned for this year.

FAYETTEVILLE, N.C. (AP) - Barack Obama, in a speech not far from North Carolina's Fort Bragg, said that the Iraq war has emboldened al-Qaida, the Taliban, Iran and North Korea. The Democratic presidential candidate also said rival Hilary Rodham Clinton only became opposed to the war when she readied for her run for the White House.

NEW YORK (AP) - Stock prices have been wavering after yesterday's huge rally. Traders have had positive earnings reports from the investment bank Morgan Stanley and the government's decision to free up billions of dollars held by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac to be used to help struggling home owners.

PIEDMONT, Mo. (AP) - Nine people are dead and at least three others are missing in flooding and heavy rain that's pounded the nation's midsection. Hundreds of people have been forced from their homes by raging rivers and streams in Missouri, Arkansas and Ohio. Flash flood warnings are also up from Texas to Pennsylvania.

SAN MANUEL, Texas (AP) - A 20-mile-long, 2-mile-wide wildfire has forced about 500 people from their homes in the Rio Grande Valley in Texas. Fire officials say at least four homes have burned and bulldozers are being used to build fire lines around a school and the Hidalgo County jail which are in the path of the blaze.