Today's News-Friday, October 9, 2009

ELECTRIC RATES TO RISE

RESIDENTIAL ELECTRIC UTILITY CUSTOMERS ARE GOING TO SEE A SIZEABLE JUMP IN THEIR ELECTRIC BILLS. THE PUBLIC UTILITY COMMISSION APPROVED THE ALLENTOWN-BASED COMPANY'S FINAL PURCHASE OF WHOLESALE ELECTRICITY FOR 2010, ESTIMATED TO BE 30 PERCENT HIGHER THAN THIS YEAR. SIX AUCTION PRICES FOR JUICE WERE BLENDED TOGETHER TO COME UP WITH THE PRICE FOR 2010, WHEN RATE CAPS EXPIRE. SMALL BUSINESS CUSTOMERS OF PPL WILL SEE AN 18 PERCENT JUMP WHILE MIDSIZE BUSINESSES WILL BE WALLOPED BY A 36 PERCENT INCREASE. THE COMPANY SAYS THAT ELECTRIC GENERATION COSTS ACCOUNT FOR MORE THAN HALF OF A CUSTOMERS ELECTRIC BILL. PORT CARBON

MAN CHARGED FOR DRUG DEALING

A FORMER NEW YORK CITY MAN, NOW LIVING IN OUR AREA, IS CHARGED WITH PEDDLING HEROIN. POTTSVILLE CITY POLICE CHARGED 28 YEAR OLD RODOLFO VALDEZ ON VARIOUS DRUG RELATED COUNTS FOR SELLING PACKETS OF ALLEGED HEROIN TO A CONFIDENTIAL INFORMANT FROM TWO DIFFERENT LOCATIONS. REPORTS INDICATE VALDEZ WAS ON PROBATION FOR DRUG, WEAPONS AND THEFT CHARGES IN NEW YORK. DISTRICT JUDGE JAMES REILEY SENT VALDEZ TO THE COUNTY PRISON TO AWAIT A PRELIMINARY HEARING NEXT WEEK.

HIT AND RUN

A GIRARDVILLE WOMAN WAS NOT HURT IN A HIT AND RUN CRASH IN GILBERTON THURSDAY ACCORDING TO STATE POLICE. 52 YEAR OLD BETTY LOU LABIE WAS ATTEMPTING TO TURN FROM STATE ROUTE 8002 ONTO MAIN STREET IN THE BOROUGH WHEN A WHITE MALE DRIVING A DARK CAR REAR ENDED HERS AND FLED THE SCENE. TROOPERS BELIEVE THE MAN MAY BE IN HIS 20'S. THEY ARE STILL LOOKING FOR HIM. LABIE'S VEHICLE HAD MINOR DAMAGE IN THE EARLY MORNING ACCIDENT.

MAHANOY CITY NATIVE NOMINATED AS AMBASSADOR

A GRADUATE OF MAHANOY AREA HIGH SCHOOL IS BEING NOMINATED TO A UNITED STATES AMBASSADOR POSITION FOR NEW ZEALAND AND SAMOA. ATTORNEY DAVID HUEBNER, A 1978 GRADUATE, IS A MEDIATION ATTORNEY IN SHANGHAI, CHINA. HIS APPOINTMENT WOULD HAVE TO BE APPROVED BY THE U.S. SENATE. HUEBNER IS A GRADUATE OF PRINCETON UNIVERSITY AND YALE LAW SCHOOL. HE ALSO SERVES AS THE GENERAL COUNSEL FOR THE GAY AND LESBIAN ALLIANCE AGAINST DEFAMATION. THE ANNOUNCEMENT WAS MADE BY THE WHITE HOUSE.

AFGHAN WAR COSTS PA RESIDENTS BILLIONS

THIS WEEK MARKS THE EIGHT YEAR ANNIVERSARY OF THE U.S. WAR IN AFGHANISTAN, A WAR FOR WHICH THE PRICE TAG KEEPS RISING. JO COMERFORD WITH THE NATIONAL PRIORITIES PROJECT SAYS THE TAB IS OVER 228 BILLION DOLLARS, WITH PENNSYLVANIA TAXPAYERS ON THE HOOK FOR $8.7 BILLION OF THAT; MONEY, SHE SAYS, THAT COULD GO A LONG WAY SPENT DIFFERENTLY IN THE COMMONWEALTH:

COMERFORD

BROKEN DOWN FURTHER, THE NUMBERS SHOW THE WAR COSTING PHILADELPHIA TAXPAYERS $826 MILLION, HARRISBURG, $23 MILLION AND PITTSBURGH, $169 MILLION. COMERFORD SAYS THE COMBINED COSTS OF AFGHANISTAN AND IRAQ WILL TOP ONE TRILLION DOLLARS IN MARCH.

HARRISBURG, PA. (AP) - GOVERNOR ED RENDELL'S CHIEF OF STAFF SAYS BUDGET NEGOTIATORS HAVE STOPPED FIGHTING EACH OTHER AND STARTED FIGHTING TO GET SOMETHING DONE. KEY BILLS HAVE BEEN READIED FOR VOTES TODAY IN THE SENATE. THIS COMES AFTER A DAY OF COMMITTEE MEETINGS, BILL DRAFTING AND RENDELL'S TOP AIDES SHUTTLING BETWEEN THE OFFICES OF KEY LEGISLATORS.

LEBANON, PA. (AP) - THE LAWYER FOR THE PENNSYLVANIA SOCCER MOM FOUND DEAD IN AN APPARENT MURDER-SUICIDE SAYS HIS CLIENT TOLD HIM THAT SHE'D SEPARATED FROM HER HUSBAND. MATTHEW WEISBERG SAYS MELANIE HAIN ALSO TOLD HIM THAT SHE WANTED TO PURSUE A PROTECTIVE ORDER AGAINST SCOTT HAIN. BOTH WERE FOUND SHOT DEAD IN THEIR HOME IN LEBANON, PENNSYLVANIA.

PHILADELPHIA (AP) - CREDITORS OF PHILADELPHIA'S MAJOR DAILY NEWSPAPERS CAN USE THE $300 MILLION DEBT THEY'RE OWED TO BID FOR THE COMPANY IN A BANKRUPTCY AUCTION. THE DECISION YESTERDAY FROM A BANKRUPTCY JUDGE COULD DETERMINE WHO TAKES OVER THE PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER, PHILADELPHIA DAILY NEWS AND PHILLY.COM WEB SITE.

PHILADELPHIA (AP) - TWO ROMAN CATHOLIC HIGH SCHOOLS IN PHILADELPHIA ARE CLOSING FOR GOOD. STUDENTS AT CARDINAL DOUGHERTY HIGH SCHOOL AND NORTHEAST CATHOLIC HIGH SCHOOL FOR BOYS WILL GO TO OTHER SCHOOLS RUN BY THE ARCHDIOCESE OF PHILADELPHIA AFTER THE CURRENT SCHOOL YEAR. OFFICIALS SAY THE SCHOOLS ARE BEING CLOSED BECAUSE OF DECLINING ENROLLMENT.

PHILADELPHIA (AP) - FILMMAKER STEVEN SPIELBERG HAS BEEN HONORED IN PHILADELPHIA WITH THE 2009 LIBERTY MEDAL FOR HIS ARTISTIC AND HUMANITARIAN ACHIEVEMENTS. FORMER PRESIDENT BILL CLINTON PRESENTED
THE MEDAL TO SPIELBERG AT THE NATIONAL CONSTITUTION CENTER LAST NIGHT. IT HONORS THOSE WHOSE ACTIONS REPRESENT THE FOUNDING PRINCIPLES OF THE UNITED STATES.

ISLAMABAD (AP) - PAKISTAN'S INTERIOR MINISTER SAYS THE NATION HAS "NO OPTION" BUT TO ATTACK MILITANT STRONGHOLDS IN THE WAKE OF A DEADLY SUICIDE CAR BOMBING IN PESHAWAR TODAY. OFFICIALS SAY THE BLAST KILLED 41 PEOPLE AND INJURED MORE THAN 100 OTHERS.

PADANG, INDONESIA (AP) - THE U.S. NAVY HAS ARRIVED ON AN AID MISSION TO INDONESIA TO HELP RECOVERY EFFORTS AFTER LAST WEEK'S DEADLY EARTHQUAKE. FOUR HELICOPTERS FLEW AID TO THE DEVASTATED CITY OF PADANG. THEY'LL ALSO BE EVACUATING INJURED PEOPLE FROM VILLAGES CUT OFF BY LANDSLIDES. THE QUAKE'S DEATH TOLL HAS REACHED 784, WITH 242 PEOPLE STILL MISSING.

WASHINGTON (AP) - A CONGRESSIONAL PANEL OVERSEEING THE OBAMA ADMINISTRATION'S EFFORT TO HELP HOMEOWNERS AVOID FORECLOSURE SAYS
THE PROGRAM IS OUT OF DATE AND MAY FALL SHORT OF ITS GOALS. THE PANEL'S REPORT SAYS UNEMPLOYMENT IS PUSHING A GROWING NUMBER OF FAMILIES WITH CONVENTIONAL MORTGAGES TOWARD FORECLOSURE.

WASHINGTON (AP) - FEDERAL RESERVE CHAIRMAN BEN BERNANKE SAYS THE FED'S KEY BANK LENDING RATE WILL PROBABLY STAY NEAR ZERO FOR AN "EXTENDED PERIOD." THE REMARKS IN A WASHINGTON SPEECH LAST NIGHT FOLLOW A SURPRISE MOVE EARLIER THIS WEEK BY AUSTRALIA'S CENTRAL BANK WHEN IT RAISED RATES.

CHARLESTON, W.VA. (AP) - RESIDENTS OF HUNTINGTON, W. VA., ARE EXPRESSING WORRIES THAT A NEW REALITY TV SHOW IS GOING TO REOPEN SOME WOUNDS. LAST YEAR, AN ASSOCIATED PRESS STORY USED FEDERAL DATA TO PROCLAIM THE TOWN AMERICA'S FATTEST CITY. NOW, CELEBRITY CHEF JAMIE OLIVER IS TAPING A SHOW FOR ABC AIMED AT IMPROVING THE EATING HABITS OF RESIDENTS.