Today's News-Saturday, October 31, 2009

POLLING LOCATION

TUESDAY'S GENERAL ELECTION FEATURES A SLEW OF LOCAL RACES, SEVERAL COUNTY ROW OFFICES AND A SPOT ON THE STATE'S HIGHEST COURT. BUT VOTERS IN THE BOROUGH OF MECHANICSVILLE WILL HAVE A DIFFERENT POLLING LOCATION. THE SITE TO VOTE HAS BEEN MOVED TO LESSIE'S GARDEN AND GIFT SHOP GREENHOUSE CRAFT ROOM, 2 PARK STREET. PREVIOUSLY, VOTERS CAST THEIR BALLOTS AT THE MECHANICSVILLE FIRE COMPANY.

WHITE SUSPENDED

THE COUNTY'S HUMAN RESOURCES DIRECTOR HAS BEEN SUSPENDED. S. THOMAS WHITE WAS SUSPENDED BY THE BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS THIS WEEK, AND A VOTE IS EXPECTED TO DECIDE HIS FATE SOON. COMMISSIONER CHAIRWOMAN MANTURA GALLAGHER TELLS THE REPUBLICAN HERALD THAT IF WHITE'S EMPLOYMENT IS TERMINATED, THE POSITION WOULD BE MERGED WITH THE RISK MANAGER'S POSITION CURRENTLY HELD BY MARTINA CHAWASTIAK. OFFICIALS ARE NOT SAYING WHY WHITE WAS SUSPENDED.

POTTSVILLE H1N1

THE POTTSVILLE SCHOOL DISTRICT WILL BEGIN OFFERING THE H1N1 VACCINE NEXT SATURDAY. SCHOOL SUPERINTENDENT DR. JAMES GALLAGHER:

GALLAGHER

THE DISTRICT REQUESTED 41-HUNDRED-FIFTY DOSES FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, BUT DUE TO LIMITED SUPPLY, 25- HUNDRED WERE MADE AVAILABLE, WITH THE REMAINING DOSES PROVIDED AT SOME TIME IN THE FUTURE. THE VACCINE WILL BE ADMINISTERED ON A FIRST COME, FIRST SERVED BASIS NEXT SATURDAY. ALL STUDENTS IN THE POTTSVILLE DISTRICT AND PRIVATE SCHOOLS WITHIN THE DISTRICT RECEIVED INFORMATION FRIDAY, ALONG WITH A CONSENT FORM. THAT FORM MUST BE PRESENTED IN ORDER FOR CHILDREN TO RECEIVE THE VACCINE. IT WILL BE ADMINISTERED IN SHOT FORM. FULL DETAILS ARE AVAILABLE ON THE POTTSVILLE SCHOOL DISTRICT WEBSITE.

COW CHIP BINGO

BEFORE YOU SETTLE IN TO WATCH THE WORLD SERIES TONIGHT, THERE'S AN OPPORTUNITY TO HELP THE WORK OF THE BLUE MOUNTAIN EAGLE FOUNDATION AT THEIR ANNUAL COW CHIP BINGO AND MOO AND BREW. THE FOUNDATION IS A NOT FOR PROFIT CHARITABLE ORGANIZATION DEDICATED TO ENCOURAGING EXCELLENCE AND ENHANCING THE EDUCATIONAL EXPERIENCE FOR ALL STUDENTS IN THE BLUE MOUNTAIN DISTRICT. BETH DAL SANTO, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE FOUNDATION SAYS THE CHIPS WILL FALL WHERE THEY MAY TONIGHT:

BETH DAL SANTO

THE EAGLE FOUNDATION RAISES FUNDS THROUGH ALUMNI AND COMMUNITY SUPPORT , AND IN THE PAST 10 YEARS, HAS DONATED OVER HALF A MILLION DOLLARS BACK TO THE SCHOOL DISTRICT IN SUPPORT OF MORE THAN 250 PROGRAMS AND STUDENT SCHOLARSHIPS. THE EVENT IS BEING HELD AT SECOND MOUNTAIN ROD AND GUN CLUB, LOCATED NEAR THE BLUE MOUNTAIN HIGH SCHOOL COMPLEX. FESTIVITIES GET UNDERWAY AT 5:30PM. TICKETS ARE $20 AVAILABLE AT THE DOOR.

TWO HURT IN CRASH

TWO PEOPLE WERE HURT IN A CRASH IN REILLY TOWNSHIP FRIDAY MORNING. KYLE MACK OF TREMONT WAS DRIVING NORTH ON ROUTE 209 AND KATHY MATUKEWICZ OF CRESSONA WAS SOUTHBOUND. THE TWO COLLIDED AND MACK'S CAR SPUN AROUND. EMERGENCY CREWS HAD TO CUT MACK FROM THE WRECKAGE, AND HE WAS TAKEN TO HERSHEY MEDICAL CENTER. MATUKEWICZ WAS TAKEN TO SCHUYLKILL MEDICAL CENTER SOUTH. THE CRASH HAPPENED AROUND 6:30AM YESTERDAY.

HARRISBURG, PA. (AP) - GOVERNOR ED RENDELL SAYS IT'S INEXCUSABLE THAT SENATE REPUBLICANS AND HOUSE DEMOCRATS HAVEN'T IRONED OUT THE DETAILS OF A BILL LEGALIZING TABLE GAMES AT THE STATE'S CASINOS. RENDELL IS HOLDING UP STATE FUNDS FOR SEVERAL UNIVERSITIES UNTIL THE BILL IS PASSED.

HARRISBURG, PA. (AP) - GOVERNOR ED RENDELL SAYS THE STATE IS HELPING PEOPLE GET SWINE FLU VACCINE MORE QUICKLY. HE SAYS THE STATE IS ALLOWING HOSPITALS TO ADMINISTER THE VACCINE FROM TEMPORARY SITES WITHOUT THE NORMAL RED TAPE. AND THE STATE IS ALLOWING THE VACCINE TO BE GIVEN BY PHYSICIAN ASSISTANTS.

GREENSBURG, PA. (AP) - THE ESTRANGED HUSBAND OF A WOMAN ONCE MARRIED TO THE FOUNDER OF 84 LUMBER HAS BEEN SENTENCED TO UP TO NEARLY TWO YEARS IN JAIL FOR STEALING $5 MILLION WORTH OF HER JEWELRY. PAUL UCMAN OF ROSTRAVER INTENDED TO USE THE STOLEN JEWELRY AS LEVERAGE IN HIS PENDING DIVORCE FROM DEBRA HARDY-UCMAN.

NEW YORK (AP) - TELEVISION RATINGS FOR THE WORLD SERIES ARE REBOUNDING FROM LAST YEAR'S RECORD LOWS. THE YANKEES' 3-1 WIN OVER THE PHILLIES ON THURSDAY NIGHT ON FOX EARNED AN 11.7 FAST NATIONAL RATING AND 19 SHARE. THAT'S UP 44 PERCENT FROM LAST YEAR'S PHILLIES-RAYS GAME 2.

PHILADELPHIA (AP) - THE SPECTRUM IS READY TO CLOSE FOR GOOD. THE ARENA THAT ONCE WAS HOME TO THE PHILADELPHIA 76ERS AND THE PHILADELPHIA FLYERS IS READY FOR ITS FINAL ACT. SATURDAY NIGHT'S PEARL JAM CONCERT IS THE FINAL EVENT IN THE 42-YEAR HISTORY OF THE OLDEST ARENA LEFT IN SOUTH PHILADELPHIA'S SPORTS COMPLEX.

WASHINGTON (AP) - PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA SAYS REPORTS FINDING THAT THE ECONOMY IS GROWING AGAIN AND THAT HIS STIMULUS PLAN SAVED OR CREATED MORE THAN 1 MILLION JOBS SHOW THE ECONOMY IS "MOVING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION." IN HIS WEEKLY RADIO AND INTERNET ADDRESS, HE WARNED ABOUT FUTURE JOB LOSSES AND SAID THERE'S MORE THAT NEEDS TO BE DONE.

WASHINGTON (AP) - REPUBLICANS SAY A HEALTH CARE OVERHAUL BILL PRESENTED BY HOUSE DEMOCRATS WOULD RAISE THE COST OF PREMIUMS, KILL JOBS AND CUT MEDICARE BENEFITS. IN THE GOP WEEKLY RADIO AND INTERNET ADDRESS, HOUSE MINORITY LEADER JOHN BOEHNER SUGGESTED A BETTER SOLUTION IS ALLOWING PEOPLE AND ORGANIZATIONS TO POOL TOGETHER TO BUY INSURANCE FOR LOWER PRICES AND REINING IN MALPRACTICE LAWSUITS.

PHILADELPHIA (AP) - "THERE IS NO STRIKE RIGHT NOW." THAT'S THE WORD FROM A TRANSPORT WORKERS LOCAL 234 OFFICIAL AS THE UNION NEGOTIATES WITH PHILADELPHIA'S TRANSIT AUTHORITY. THE UNION HAD SET A MIDNIGHT DEADLINE FOR THE STRIKE, BUT HAS SINCE EXTENDED IT TO 6 P.M. -- JUST TWO HOURS BEFORE THE START OF GAME 3 OF THE WORLD SERIES BETWEEN THE PHILLIES AND THE NEW YORK YANKEES.

TEHRAN, IRAN (AP) - IRAN APPEARS LESS LIKELY TO APPROVE A U.N.-BACKED PLAN TO SHIP MUCH OF THE COUNTRY'S URANIUM ABROAD FOR FURTHER ENRICHMENT AFTER SENIOR LAWMAKERS REJECTED THE DEAL. THE HEAD OF THE PARLIAMENT'S NATIONAL SECURITY COMMITTEE TELLS THE SEMI-OFFICIAL ISNA NEWS AGENCY THE LEGISLATURE IS TOTALLY AGAINST THE IDEA.

MANILA, PHILIPPINES (AP) - AT LEAST SEVEN PEOPLE ARE DEAD AND SEVERAL MORE MISSING AFTER A TYPHOON SWEPT THROUGH THE PHILIPPINES. THE STORM WAS THE FOURTH IN A MONTH TO LASH THE NATION BEFORE MOVING OUT TO SEA AND WEAKENING TO A TROPICAL STORM.