Today's News- Saturday,April 19th

DAVID FLEMING

Author David Fleming emphasizes a point during his closing statement at the Great Maroons Debate last night. He went on to win the debate, 254- 218. Before a capacity crowd at the Sovereign Majestic Theatre, the Breaker Boys author and NFL Hall of Fame Vice President Joe Horrigan answered questions about the Pottsville Maroons 1925 stolen championship. Fleming pressed for reconsideration of the football championship by NFL ownership. Horrigan said that the team and its ownership violated territorial rights. There were a number of matters that the two agreed on during the two hour debate. A three judge panel decided the scoring. The outcome was cheered by the largely pro-Maroons crowd. The debate was carried live on wpparadio.com. Pottsville's Lasting Legacy Foundation organized the event. The future of the Pottsville Maroons 1925 NFL hampionship lies in the hands of NFL team owners.

A member of one of America's most respected families made a campaign stop on behalf of Barack Obama in Pottsville yesterday. 80-year-old Ethel Kennedy, her daughter in law and two grandchildren came to the Pottsville city Democratic headquarters. She greeted a crowd of more than 50, shook hands and posed for pictures. But her mission was to ask Schuylkill countians to vote for Barack Obama. Ethel Kennedy stood in for her son, Max, who was unable to visit as planned. Among her soft spoken remarks, Mrs. Kennedy said that her family was grateful for the friendship of Bill and Hillary Clinton, but she felt that Barack Obama could better lead the nation. Kennedy told WPPA News when she knew that she wanted to support Obama:

KENNEDY

Since her husband Robert's assassination in 1968, Ethel Kennedy has worked tirelessly on various human rights issues.

Brush fires continue to plague area firefighters. Two fires scorched acreage in Mahanoy and North Manheim Townships Friday. Early Friday afternoon, more than 10 acres were singed near Mahanoy City. The fire required a number of community fire companies to battle it before bringing it under control. The second fire was called in after 1:30pm, on Sharp Mountain. Rough terrain made the firefighters work more difficult. More than 80 brush fires have burned in Schuylkill County already this year, and we haven't even reached peak season yet. The cause of both fires are under investigation.

Pottsville native Pat Flannery is hanging up his whistle as Bucknell men's basketball coach. In an announcement yesterday in Lewisburg, Flannery said that he was stepping down from the post to spend more time with his family. The Bucknell alum and his teams rose to prominence during his tenure by appearing in the NCAA tournament twice. His 2005 squad defeated Kansas. They also appeared in the AP Top 25, among the nation’s elite basketball programs. Flannery experienced some health problems this past season, but rebounded from them. He has accepted a position in Bucknell's Development office, as a fundraiser. Flannery said that he’ll be able to put his Bucknell degree to good use.


CLINTON-OBAMA
Clinton, Obama complain about complaining
RADNOR, Pa. (AP) - Democratic presidential rivals Hillary Rodham Clinton and Barack Obama are complaining about which candidate is the biggest complainer. The issue is their treatment in debates. Obama is objecting to the questions posed this week in one moderated by ABC News. Many of the toughest questions were targeted at Obama, the front-runner for the nomination, and he's said too much time was spent on political divisions instead of issues that matter to Americans. Clinton said Friday in suburban Philadelphia that if Obama thinks the debate was tough, it pales in comparison to the pressures a president faces. But it wasn't so long ago that Clinton was the front-runner and complaining about her treatment in debates. Obama greeted by largest crowd of his campaign

PHILADELPHIA (AP) - Barack Obama was greeted by the largest crowd of his campaign at his Philadelphia rally. Some 35,000 people jammed into Independence Park to see the Democratic presidential candidate, four days before Tuesday's crucial Pennsylvania primary. The crowd estimate was made by Frank Friel, director of security at the Independence Visitor Center. The crowd exceeded the 30,000 who greeted Obama and Oprah Winfrey in December in Columbia, S.C. Obama called Democratic rival Hillary Rodham Clinton a "tenacious" opponent but said it was time to move beyond the politics of the 1990s.

Pa. judge tells candidate to stop distributing fliers

NORRISTOWN, Pa. (AP) - A Montgomery County judge has ordered a state Senate candidate to stop distributing a flier that allegedly confuses voters. Now an emergency hearing is scheduled Saturday over a similar dispute in Delaware County over Lisa Paolino's campaign materials. She's running against Lance Rogers in the 17th Senate District, which includes parts of both counties. The flyer the Montgomery County case is marked "Official Republican Ballot." It is the same size and color as the list of endorsed candidates distributed by the Montgomery County Republican Committee. The judge says voters looking at it would think Paolino is the party-endorsed candidate, when Rogers really is. The Montgomery County judge ordered the Paolino campaign to turn over the handbills until a full hearing can be held Monday.

House candidate charged with burglary vows to stay in race

STATE COLLEGE, Pa. (AP) - A congressional candidate is voing to stay in a closely contested House race after being charged with felony burglary and criminal trespass. Republican Derek Walker maintains that Clearfield County prosecutors are politically motivated -- an allegation the district attorney denies. Walker says his campaign has gotten a big boost of support with people requesting yard signs. He says he believes rival Republican Matt Shaner was meeting with District Attorney William Shaw Jr. and influenced Shaw. Shaner says Walker is desperate and making ridiculous accusations. Shaw says he couldn't even pick Shaner out of a lineup. Walker and Shaner are among nine Republicans seeking their party's nomination. Three Democrats are also running.

Police investigating dismembered body find second man's body

WILKES-BARRE, Pa. (AP) - Police have identified the dismembered body found near Wilkes-Barre. The disembered body found Thursday is that of John O'Brien, who had been missing since Dec. 28. Police believe his case is connected to the discovery of 38-year-old John Ryan, who the Luzerne County coroner says committed suicide. Ryan's body was found in his Hanover Township home by police investigating O'Brien's death. O'Brien's sister, Mary, says her brother had occasionally lived with Ryan in recent months. She says investigators were given her brother's medical and dental records. State police say they don't think there is any continuing threat to the community.

'Body of Evidence' exhibit spotlights human evolution

PHILADELPHIA (AP) - A new exhibit at the University of Pennsylvania about human evolution gives a new meaning to the expression "nobody's perfect." Scientists say we have evolution to thank for our survival. But it's also where we can point the finger when we experience backaches, impacted wisdom teeth or difficulty giving birth. The remarkable yet imperfect process that has brought homo sapiens to where we are now, and where it might take us down the road, is the theme of "Surviving: The Body of Evidence." The exhibit five years in the making is now at the Penn Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology. It uses fossils and interactive multimedia displays to tell the story about how the human race adapted, thrived and continues to evolve. It leaves Penn in May 2009 for a multi-city tour.

Philadelphia Parking Authority under fire for patronage, lack of school funding

PHILADELPHIA (AP) - The Philadelphia Parking Authority has an army of proudly ruthless officers ready to slap tickets on double-parked cars. The PPA also has its own reality show on cable's A&E network, "Parking Wars." But a growing number of critics say the PPA is shortchanging the city's long- struggling schools. The parking authority, once controlled by city Democrats, was taken over by the state in 2001. That was engineered by Republicans in Harrisburg who pledged to sweep away PPA's reputation of scandal and mismanagement and provide a funding source for city schools. Under a 2004 compromise, the PPA, which is run by a seven-member board, would send its first $25 million in profits to the city and any amount beyond that to the schools. But the authority has made only one payment to the school district - $4 million in 2004. Two audits of the PPA are under way on both sides of the political aisle.

NEW YORK (AP) - Pope Benedict is celebrating Mass this morning with priests from around the United States at New York's St. Patrick's Cathedral. Benedict was greeted this morning by hundreds of screaming well-wishers outside the church on Fifth Avenue. The pope could again address the clergy sex abuse crisis, which he has mentioned in most of his public appearances this week.

BAGHDAD (AP) - Police and hospital officials in Iraq are reporting nearly 20 deaths across the country, including at least 12 from clashes in Baghdad's Sadr City district. In northern Iraq, at least five people were killed separate roadside bombings in the city of Mosul and the town of Kirkuk.

KEREM SHALOM, Israel (AP) - A top army commander in Israel says 13 soldiers were wounded by Hamas suicide bombers, who drove into an Israeli border crossing and detonated two booby-trapped military-style jeeps. The commander says four Hamas assailants were killed in the attack, which came hours before the start of Passover.

MOSCOW (AP) - A Russian space capsule carrying South Korea's first astronaut is back on Earth, but nowhere near where it was supposed to end up. Officials say the capsule landed about 260 miles off target in northern Kazakhstan. The crew, which was subjected to severe G-forces, is said to be in satisfactory condition.

TRENTON, N.J. (AP) - The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission is looking into the possible health hazards of lead in artificial turf. Two fields in New Jersey were closed this week after health officials detected what they said were unexpectedly high levels of lead in the turf.