Today's News-Thursday, April 10th

The Schuylkill County Commissioners approved the sale of the 1912 building and 34 acres of land at Rest Haven to Penn State Schuylkill's Advisory Board during their board meeting Wednesday. Penn State was one of four parties that made an offer for the property. Their offer totaled $655,507. North Manheim Township offered $495,662. Barry Jones and David Jones Partnership offered to buy between 15 to 30 acres of land for $10,000 per acre with no interest in purchasing the 1912 building. Metropolitan Development Group of Wyomissing offered 110% of the highest proposed sum offered for the property but not less than $750,000. Commissioner Chairwoman Mantura Gallagher explained why the county decided to go with Penn State’s proposal:

GALLAGHER (click to listen)

Penn State plans to spend an estimated $1-Million Dollars to demolish he 1912 building and build a multi-purpose facility and use the remaining acres for future expansion.

CHOPLICK (click to listen)

That strong message from Shenandoah Valley senior Wally Choplick echoed the theme of Wednesday's Kick Butts Day event at the Schuylkill County Courthouse. Three-hundred-seventy students from 12 area schools participated in the event, and dropped to the ground to symbolize the number of people from Schuylkill County who die each year due to tobacco use. Teens Kickin' Nicotene hosted the annual drop, not only to make the public aware of the dangers of tobacco use, but also to push the state Legislature to make Pennsylvania a smoke-free state in public places. Legislation has lingered in Harrisburg for some time to make that happen, but remains unresolved. The speeches and cheers offered by students at the rally made it clear that they won't give up until the job is done. Organizers say that not only do an estimated 370 people die in Schuylkill County as a result of tobacco use, but 55 lose their lives as the result of second-hand smoke. Clinical Outcomes Group Inc. and various businesses and individuals support the work of Teens Kickin' Nicotene.

Donors and scholarship winners were honored by Penn State Schuylkill last night. The annual Scholarship Recognition Banquet was held at the Schuylkill Country Club. The campus Office of Development at Schuylkill presents the dinner each year to honor the generosity of benefactors whose contributions are invaluable in helping students get a college education in spite of financial challenges. More than 40 students received scholarship awards through the program. Vice President for Commonwealth Campuses Dr. John Romano was the guest speaker for the dinner. As the man in charge of campuses like Schuylkill, Romano recognizes the contribution that the campus makes for students, and for the community:

ROMANO (click to listen)

The annual dinner was attended by more than 150 people, including students, families and benefactors.

Orwigsburg borough council says "no deal" at this time to an offer to purchase their water and sewerage system. During their meeting last night, council members voted 4 to 3 to reject the proposal from the Schuylkill County Municipal Authority to take over the water business. The Republican and Herald reports that council members had several concerns about approving the deal, which would eliminate outstanding debt and reduced rates for consumers. A financial shortfall for the borough’s general fund budget would result if the deal was done now. Schuylkill County Municipal Authority officials made the presentation to borough officials and the public in March.

A fire at a vacant home in Shenandoah Tuesday has been ruled arson. Investigators say that the blaze at 214 West Atlantic Street was set from the outside. The property is owned by a New Jersey couple. Quick work by firefighters contained the blaze from spreading to the adjoining property. The investigation into who set the Shenandoah fire is continuing.

Several people had minor injuries in an early morning crash in Pottsville yesterday. Just before 3am, Thomas Dino Jr. of Pottsville was traveling north on 3rd Street and failed to stop for a flashing red light. His vehicle was struck by a car driven by Ronda Kerns of Llewellyn, which was westbound on Market Street. The impact forced Dino's vehicle onto its roof. Kern's husband and three passengers suffered injuries and were taken to Pottsville Hospital. Dino sought treatment on his own.

The Schuylkill County Commissioners board room was bulging at the seams during Wednesday's meeting with guests awaiting their turn to receive proclamations. The Commissioners awarded seven proclamations including Underage Drinking Week, The Week of the Young Child, Duck Month, National Tele-Communicator Week, Barbershop Harmony Weekend, recognition of three new Eagle Scouts and the Schuylkill County Sheriff’s Office. The Sheriff's office was recognized for providing crowd control during Girardville's St. Patrick's Day parade, which included a visit by Former President Bill Clinton. In other business, the Commissioners receive one bid for solid waste disposal for six county operated buildings in including the courthouse and prison. The bid was submitted by Waste Management of Camp Hill for one, two and three year periods.

ALIQUIPPA, Pa. (AP) - Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton will address the Allegheny County Democratic Committee's annual Jefferson Jackson Dinner this evening at Heinz Field in Pittsburgh. Clinton will also speak this afternoon at the Beaver County Democratic Dinner in Hopewell Township, while daughter Chelsea Clinton will attend campaign events earlier in the day at Villanova and St. Joseph's universities in the Philadelphia area and then at Penn State University in State College. Former Massachusettes Gov. Mitt Romney will speak on Republican John McCain's behalf at a Lancaster County GOP event at the Willow Valley Resort and Conference Center.

HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) - Municipal, farm and conservation groups are asking the state for hundreds of millions of dollars to help clean up waterways that lead to the Chesapeake Bay. All told, the groups are asking the administration of gov. Ed Rendell for $750 million over seven years to improve wastewater plants and curtail farm runoff. The dollar figures represent half the amount that the groups say it will cost to meet a 2010 federal deadline for water quality standards.

HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) - More than 30,000 patients who were hospitalized in Pennsylvania in 2006 contracted infections during their hospital stays. That's according to a newly released state report. The numbers rose sharply from the previous year. But officials attributed much of the increase to a change in how the data is collected and improved reporting by hospitals.

HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) - A bill that received Senate approval would require people to prove they are U.S. citizens or legal residents if they want public benefits. The bill passed 39-10 and now goes to the House. Programs that would be affected by the bill include applications for Medicaid, state universities, state
college grants, unemployment compensation, the state's health insurance program, home-heating help, food stamps, welfare cash grants and more.

PHILADELPHIA (AP) - The owners of hundreds of large Philadelphia homes will soon face higher tax bills. Authorities say 54 reassessments released Monday are just a start. They include a previously announced increase in the $250,000 assessment on state Sen. Vincent Fumo's brownstone mansion. He has tried to sell it for up to $7 million, and tax officials say they are quadrupling his yearly taxes.

WHITE HOUSE (AP) - President Bush addresses the nation from the White House this morning, giving a progress report on Iraq. Word is he's endorsing a pause in troop withdrawals. The president is having his top general in Iraq over for breakfast this morning, along with the U.S. ambassador.

BAGHDAD (AP) - Another soldier has been killed in Iraq. The military says the death happened yesterday when a roadside bomb went off in Baghdad. At least 18 Americans have been killed in Iraq since Sunday. The military says four militants were killed in an airstrike today. Iraqi police say two of the dead were children.

SAN ANGELO, Texas (AP) - Communities in wide parts of West Texas and Oklahoma are recovering from storms, some of them believed to have spun off tornadoes. At least one person was killed. Near Abilene, Texas, they got hail the size of baseballs.

DALLAS (AP) - This has been a rough week for American Airlines and its passengers. It's canceling 900 more flights today while technicians check bundles of wiring on hundreds of planes, under government orders. It's the third day of disruptions and the airline says there could be more cancellations tomorrow.

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) - It's on to Argentina for the Beijing Olympic torch after a disappointing relay yesterday in San Francisco. City officials ordered last-minute changes in the route because of anti-China demonstrators. Thousands of people who had lined up to see it, never did.