Today's News - Saturday October 11th

The county's 2009 budget will undergo significant revisions as officials search for ways to cut costs without raising taxes. As reported by the Republican and Herald, Overall, requested money was down almost $388,000 compared to 2008, but that didn't stop the commissioners from cutting nearly $1 million from 2009 requests. With the county retirement fund down more than $12 million since Sept. 1, officials are hoping to avoid a tax increase at all costs. Taxpayer contributions to the fund would have to nearly triple next year to cover losses. While overall budget requests are down, some departments requested significantly more money.Some of these departments have already seen budget requests cut significantly. The preliminary budget is expected in November, with 30 days of public display before a December vote. Salaries are expected to remain largely the same.

State and local officials have agreed to a plan to help prevent or at least greatly reduce truck accidents at the base of Gordon Mountain Road. According to the Republican and Herald, a report on the meeting, held Oct. 1 at the Mahanoy City office of state Sen. James J. Rhoades, R-29. A possible solution is that the size and number of signs at the top of the mountain will increase. The accidents have resulted in driver fatalities and property damage. In most cases, the trucks involved in the accidents entered the borough accidentally, with drivers being confused on how to get to the Highridge Business Park. The plan also stipulates that trucks weighing more than 19,000 pounds will no longer be allowed to come down the highway. A meeting among officials from PennDOT, SEDCO and the trucking departments at Highridge is scheduled for Oct. 24, to discuss the situation and get input on the plan. One of the suggestions to the companies will be to find a uniform address system.

An Auburn man charged with setting three fires in the county, including two blazes set three days apart, will face trial. Thirty-one-year-old John Yerusavage was returned to Schuylkill County prison on $250-thousand dollars bail after a preliminary hearing before District Judge James Ferrier in Orwigsburg. Yerusavage is a suspect in three fires including the one at Precision Air Industries in Auburn that caused over a million dollars in damage alone.

Pottsville police are looking for the vandals who busted up a door at a local insurance agency. Early Thursday, a motion detector went off at the State Farm agency on North Claude Lord Boulevard. The initial investigation also uncovered drawers pried open. Damages are estimated to be around $1000 dollars. The agency is owned by Jeremy Buchinsky.

PHILADELPHIA (AP) - Pennsylvania is again hosting the presidential campaigns this weekend as candidates vie for voters in the key battleground state. Democratic nominee Barack Obama will make four stops in Philadelphia on Saturday, including rallies at a park and a diner. GOP vice presidential nominee Sarah Palin will start Saturday in western Pennsylvania with a rally in Johnstown. The self-described "hockey mom" will then head east to Philadelphia, where she'll drop the ceremonial first puck in the Flyers' home opener against the New York Rangers. On Sunday, Democratic VP hopeful Joe Biden travels to Scranton for a rally with former President Bill Clinton and Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton.

HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) - Gambling at Pennsylvania's slot-machine casinos remains steady, although a Pocono Mountains vacation spot is giving up pursuit of a mini-slots license amid economic turbulence. Split Rock Resort said it is pulling its application for a $5 million license after deciding it should be prudent in the current downturn. It was applying for one of the two state licenses that allow up to 500 slot machines. There are two remaining applicants for the licenses, Fernwood Hotel and Resort in the Poconos and the Valley Forge Convention Center in suburban Philadelphia. Seven slots casinos are open, each with a license that allows up to 5,000 slot machines. September wagering at the five facilities that were open in September 2007 showed a six percent improvement.

HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) - The woman who has headed the Pennsylvania Department of Aging for the past six years is leaving office, and Gov. Ed Rendell has announced an interim successor.
Nora Dowd Eisenhower's resignation was a nnounced Friday and takes effect at the end of the month. The 54-year-old will be returning to the private sector. John Michael Hall, who heads the state's Office of Long Term Living, was appointed acting secretary. The governor credits Eisenhower for helping expand a program that subsidizes prescription drugs for older residents.
She also oversaw an effort to reach underserved populations and adapt services for the needs of baby boomers.

WASHINGTON (AP) - President Bush will host top finance officials from the U.S., as well as their counterparts from the other G7 countries this morning. The White House hopes this meeting will demonstrate global resolve in attacking the current crisis.

WASHINGTON (AP) - Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson says the Bush administration will move ahead with a plan to buy stock in financial institutions. The stock purchases will be of nonvoting shares so that the government will not have power to run the companies.

ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) - An investigation into the "Troopergate" scandal in Alaska says Governor Sarah Palin abused her powers and violated state ethics laws by trying to get her
former brother-in-law fired. The McCain campaign dismisses the report as politically motivated.

CINCINNATI (AP) - A federal appeals court has ruled Ohio's secretary of state will not have to come up with a way to verify voter registration information and make that info available to all
88 county election boards. A majority opinion sided with Jennifer Brunner, who claims sufficient systems are already in place to verify new-voter registration.

UNDATED (AP) - A new poll among registered voters has Barack Obama leading John McCain by seven percentage points. According to Fox News/Opinion Dynamics, Obama is up 46 percent to 39 percent for McCain. The poll also says Sarah Palin is starting to drag on the McCain campaign.