Today's News-Friday, November 7, 2008

Fire destroys a single home in a quiet Schuylkill County community. Kerry Dowd was there and has the story:

DOWD CRESSONA

The 2009 county spending plan could find itself about $800 thousand dollars short and the commissioners may be forced to dip into surplus to balance its budget for 2009 in spite of continued cost cutting measures. Mark Catranis, county budget analyst indicates that expenses for the spending plan have already been cut over 3.4 percent, but the assessed valuation of properties in the county, the measure on which property tax revenue is collected, only increased $38-million-dollars between 2007 and 2008, a 45 percent drop compared to the prior year. That means that new revenue will fall short. Elimination of two positions, one at the 9-1-1 center and another in planning and zoning have been proposed. Both jobs were funded with grants, but have expired and the salary and benefit packages covered by the county. Commissioner Chairwoman Mantura Gallagher says that Schuylkill County can’t afford the positions anymore:

SALARY BOARD

Commissioner Frank Staudenmeier questioned the loss of experience by possibly eliminating the positions. Human Resource Director Tom White was asked to look into possible grant opportunities for one of the positions before the board votes on it next week.


County teens will have a state of the art fitness area to get and stay fit at the Schuylkill YMCA in Pottsville, thanks to a grant from Lowe’s Distribution Center. The Schuylkill YMCA continues to build its dream facility in the former Pottsville Armory on North Centre Street. A $25 thousand dollar shot in the arm from Lowe’s, located at the Highridge Industrial Park. Situated on the second floor balcony, the Virtual Edge Fitness center will provide teens ages 14 and up with high tech equipment like simulated snowboarding, game system stationary bikes and more to have fun and work out at the same time. Mike Byrne-Lowe’s Regional General Manager, explains why they got on board:

BYRNE

The fitness area expands the Teen Center, which will also have a recording studio and radio booth, developed in conjunction with WPPA and T102. Other additions at the Y include an adult fitness center and aerobics and yoga studio. Those improvements are expected to be completed within the next several months.

Electric markets are broken, Pa. officials told

HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) - Representatives of major manufacturers
are saying power deregulation in Pennsylvania and other states isn't helping consumers. The Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission heard testimony Thursday that electric prices are artificially high under the
federally regulated wholesale power markets. In addition, representatives of aluminum maker Alcoa, General Motors and others say power companies have no incentives to generate power more cheaply.
Most Pennsylvania consumers are protected from the high electric
prices, until price caps expire in the next two years. Power companies and the managers of the electric grid defend the current system, saying the prices are set fairly to ensure that new power sources are built.

Philadelphia mayor outlines drastic budget cuts

PHILADELPHIA (AP) - Philadelphia's firefighters' union is calling city budget cuts "life-threatening." Some fire equipment will be taken out of service under Mayor Michael Nutter's plan to deal with a billion-dollar budget shortfall. City officials say fire response time will still meet national standards. The city is closing libraries and swimming pools, suspending planned tax reductions, cutting more than 800 jobs and trimming salaries for some administrators. The mayor himself is taking a 10 percent pay cut. Nutter outlined the drastic budget cuts in a live, 10-minute televised address on Thursday - a rarity that represented an
attempt to convey the dire nature of the city's financial situation.

Former aide: Pa. paid for Fumo political work

PHILADELPHIA (AP) - A former associate of indicted state Sen.
Vince Fumo says he was primarily doing campaign work during the
years he was paid more than $500,000 under state Senate contracts.
Howard Cain testified Thursday in Fumo's federal court trial in Philadelphia. Fumo is charged with defrauding the state Senate and
others of more than $3.5 million. He's accused of using his senate
staff for personal and political work. Cain says while he was paid by the Senate since the mid-1980s, his primary work was campaign operations for Fumo and scores of other candidates the Philadelphia Democrat wanted to support. Cain is due back on the stand when the trial resumes Monday.

AG expects no new charges in probe before Dec. 31

HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) - Pennsylvania's attorney general says he
does not expect to file new charges before the end of the year in the investigation of alleged corruption in the Legislature. But Tom Corbett told a Harrisburg news conference Thursday that could change as investigators uncover new details. The Republican, who was re-elected Tuesday, reiterated that the probe is focused on both political parties and that he anticipates more arrests. He says more than a half-dozen criminal investigators and six full-time prosecutors are working on the case. So far, 12 people have been charged with crimes -- all connected
to the House Democratic caucus.

Pa. settles Ellerbe case for $12.5M

PITTSBURGH (AP) - The state of Pennsylvania has agreed to pay $12.5 million to settle the wrongful death suit brought by the father of an unarmed 12-year-old boy fatally shot during a foot chase by state troopers. A federal jury in Pittsburgh awarded Michael Hickenbottom more than $28 million - including $24 million in punitive damages - in
March. Hickenbottom is the father of Michael Ellerbe, the 12-year-old boy shot on Christmas Eve 2002 as troopers chased him from a stolen vehicle. Attorneys for the troopers appealed the verdict arguing the punitive damages were excessive. The settlement includes a confidentiality agreement that prohibits the parties and their attorneys from commenting on it. But the settlement itself is filed publicly with the Pennsylvania Office of General Counsel.

Delta launches direct Pittsburgh-to-Paris flight

PITTSBURGH (AP) - Delta Air Lines will launch a direct flight from Pittsburgh to Paris' Charles de Gaulle International Airport in June 2009. As part of the deal, Pittsburgh International Airport will waive
landing fees for two years. The Allegheny Conference and the state
will provide up to $9 million in subsidies for two years should revenues fall below the estimates. The flight will be Pittsburgh's only direct link to Europe since airlines cut hundreds of flights at Pittsburgh International
Airport after the Sept. 11 attacks. Beginning in June, the Pittsburgh-Paris flight will fly every day, except Tuesdays and Fridays. Allegheny County Executive Director Dan Onorato says re-establishing nonstop service between Pittsburgh and Europe has been a priority.

Ex-teacher sentenced for threats at Pa. school

DOYLESTOWN, Pa. (AP) - A former elementary school teacher in
suburban Philadelphia is getting up to two years confinement and 20
years probation for leaving threatening notes around the school where she worked. Susan Romanyszyn has cancer and is allowed
to begin serving her sentence under house arrest. The Bucks County
judge who sentenced her Thursday said if her health improves, she
will serve the remainder of her time in jail. Romanyszyn was convicted in June of 11 counts of making terroristic threats. Authorities alleged that the 46-year-old woman orchestrated a campaign of fear at Longstreth Elementary School last year because she was angry over a classroom assignment. She denied making the threats and said she was framed.

3 dead in two-car Pa. crash; speed likely cause

HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) - Pennsylvania State Police say three people have died in a two-car crash near Harrisburg. Police say the crash occurred at around 1:30 p.m. Wednesday on Routes 11 and 15 in Watts Township, about 10 miles north of Harrisburg. Police say 76-year-old Harry Leitner of Harrisburg was trying to make a left turn when his car collided with another car driven by 29-year-old Jonathan Cleaver of Harrisburg. Troopers say Leitner was flown to Hershey Medical Center and later died there. Cleaver and his 26-year-old passenger, Amber
Bingaman of Sunbury, were pronounced dead at the scene. Police say Cleaver was apparently speeding at the time of the crash.

DA: Pittsburgh-area man scams grandma out of home

PITTSBURGH (AP) - A prosecutor says a Pittsburgh-area man
scammed his grandmother out of her home by telling her to sign over
the property to him so he could get money to repair the home through a government program. Thirty-eight-year-old Tony Armstead, of McDonald, was in custody Thursday on theft charges. Online court records do not list an attorney for him. District Attorney Stephen Zappala Jr. says Armstead told his grandmother he wanted to reopen a storefront that is part of the property in question. He promised to give back the property after allegedly using a power of attorney she never granted him to transfer the property to him. Instead, Armstead sold the property for $60,000. He allegedly gave his grandmother $17,000 she thought was for the repairs, and used some of the other money to pay off bills.

Judge nixes 2 of 3 claims by Pa. Muslim scientist

PITTSBURGH (AP) - A federal judge says he has no jurisdiction to
decide if a Muslim scientist from Pittsburgh was wrongly denied a
security clearance at a nuclear warship parts plant. But U.S. District Judge Terrence McVerry is still considering the scientist's claim that the U.S. Department of Energy violated his due process rights. The American Civil Liberties Union is suing on behalf of Abdel Moniem El-Ganayni, saying the government is hiding behind a claim of "national security" to keep from disclosing why the scientist lost his job. The ACLU says El-Ganayni was wrongly fired for speaking out against U.S. foreign policy and the alleged mistreatment of Muslims by the FBI. The judge will decide the remaining issue after written arguments are filed next month.

Craigslist to crack down on prostitution ads

HARTFORD, Conn. (AP) - Under the watchful eye of law enforcement
in 40 states including Pennsylvania, Craigslist is pledging to crack down on ads for prostitution on its Web sites. The popular classified-advertising Web site has made an agreement with attorneys general around the country. Anyone who posts an "erotic services" ad will be required to provide a working phone number and pay a fee with a valid credit card. The Web site will provide that information to law enforcement if subpoenaed. Jim Buckmaster, Craigslist's president, says the deal with 43 attorneys general will allow legitimate escort and other services to continue advertising. He says it will also provide a strong disincentive to companies conducting illegal business.

Pa. newspaper accuses rival of stealing obituaries

SCRANTON, Pa. (AP) - The chief operating officer of an obituary Web site says newspapers that affiliate with the site aren't allowed to reprint other affiliates' obituaries. This comes in the midst of a fight between the The Times-Tribune of Scranton and The Times Leader of Wilkes-Barre. The Times Leader reprinted Times-Tribune obituaries in its new Scranton edition, so now The Times-Tribune is suing. The Times Leader's lawyer says it had the right to reprint the obits because both papers are affiliates of the obituary Web site Legacy.com. The statement from Legacy's chief operating officer would seem to undercut that defense.

Specter portrait to be unveiled at Philly museum

PHILADELPHIA (AP) - Sen. Arlen Specter's official portrait is to be unveiled Friday at the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia.
Specter is Pennsylvania's longest serving senator. His portrait was commissioned by Yale University, which is where he attended law school. The painting by Michael Shane Neal will hang in the law school's library.
Actor Michael J. Fox, Gov. Ed Rendell and former U.S. Sen. Bob Dole are expected to speak at the unveiling. Specter has already said he will run for re-election when his term is up in two years.