Today's News-Thursday, October 15, 2009

WEATHER

IN 2009 WEATHERWISE, WE EXPERIENCED A WET SUMMER AND FEW DAYS WITH TEMPERATURES ABOVE 90. AS WE HIT MID-OCTOBER, WE MAY SEE A BIT OF THE WHITE STUFF IN THE HIGHER ELEVATIONS OF THE REGION. THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HAS ISSUED A WINTER STORM WATCH FOR SCHUYLKILL AND SURROUNDING COUNTIES THROUGH TOMORROW MORNING. RAIN WILL MOVE INTO THE AREA TODAY, AND A MIX OF RAIN AND SNOW WILL OVERSPREAD THE AREA LATER TODAY. FORECASTERS SAY THAT WE COULD POSSIBLY SEE A FEW INCHES OF HEAVY, WET SNOW IN THE HIGHER ELEVATIONS. STAY TUNED FOR WEATHER UPDATES ALL DAY.

DEBATE
　
THE SCHUYLKILL CHAMBER OF COMMERCE GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS COMMITTEE HOSTED A DEBATE BETWEEN CANDIDATES FOR SCHUYLKILL COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY WEDNESDAY AT THE POTTSVILLE CLUB. INCUMBENT DEMOCRAT JIM GOODMAN AND REPUBLICAN CHALLENGER CHRISTINE HOLMAN FIELDED FOUR QUESTIONS, CITING THEIR QUALIFICATIONS, CRIMES AGAINST THE ELDERLY, ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION AND THE DRUG PROBLEM HERE IN THE COUNTY. HOLMAN WENT ON THE OFFENSIVE ABOUT DRUG CASES PROSECUTED BY GOODMAN'S OFFICE, SAYING THAT MANY OF THEM WERE PLEADED OUT. GOODMAN PRESSED HOLMAN TO SUBSTANTIATE HER CLAIMS. HOLMAN ALSO QUESTIONED WHY MORE WASN'T BEING DONE ON A COUNTY LEVEL ABOUT ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION, WITH GOODMAN REBUTTING THAT HIS OFFICE WAS WORKING CLOSELY WITH FEDERAL IMMIGRATION AUTHORITIES ABOUT THE ISSUE. THE SHENANDOAH BEATING TRIAL WAS ALSO BROUGHT UP IN THE HOUR LONG DEBATE. SHERIFF CANDIDATES JOSEPH GROODY AND DALE REPP ALSO OFFERED THEIR QUALIFICATIONS DURING THE PROGRAM. THE GENERAL ELECTION IS TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 3RD.

FRACKVILLE NOMINATES WOMAN FOR CHIEF

FRACKVILLE BOROUGH COUNCIL HAS NOMINATED A WOMAN TO BECOME CHIEF OF POLICE. THE REPUBLICAN HERALD REPORTS THAT FULL TIME OFFICER MICHELLE ASHMAN WILL UNDERGO CIVIL SERVICE TESTING AND IF PASSED, COULD BE NAMED CHIEF NEXT MONTH. BUT, MICHAEL CARNEY WAS TAPPED AS THE BOROUGH'S TOP LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICER, HAVING BEEN APPOINTED TWO MONTHS AGO. HE WAS EXPECTED TO START THIS MONTH OR NEXT, BUT NOW THAT'S CHANGED. OFFICIALS FOUND A BOROUGH ORDINANCE THAT LIMITS THE AGE OF THEIR POLICE CHIEF TO NOT EXCEED 45 YEARS OF AGE. CARNEY IS OLDER THAN THAT. COUNCILMAN PETER ZUBER MOTIONED TO HAVE THE ORDINANCE AMENDED TO PROTECT THE BOROUGH FROM AGE DISCRIMINATION. CHRIS HAND REMAINS
ACTING POLICE CHIEF IN THE INTERIM.

FRIEDENSBURG FIRE COMPANY BURGLARIZED

FRIEDENSBURG FIRE COMPANY IS THE LATEST VICTIM OF BURGLARY. THE INCIDENT HAPPENED BETWEEN TUESDAY AND WEDNESDAY AT THE WAYNE TOWNSHIP COMPANY. THE BUILDING WAS ENTERED BY USING A KEY AND CASH WAS TAKEN FROM A LOCKED CABINET AND FROM AN OFFICE. MORE THAN $500 DOLLARS WAS TAKEN IN THE BURGLARY.

FORMER RENT A COP CASE WILL HEAD TO COURT

THE CASE AGAINST A FORMER SECURITY GUARD AT SHENANDOAH VALLEY WILL BE BOUND OVER FOR COURT. 25 YEAR OLD CARLOS CINTRON THE THIRD IS ALLEGED TO HAVE WRITTEN A THREATENING NOTE THAT WAS FOUND AT THE SCHOOL SEVERAL WEEKS AGO. IN THE NOTE, CINTRON SUPPOSEDLY WROTE THAT HE WANTED TIME OFF TO SLIT THE THROAT OF THE CURRENT PRINCIPAL, PHILLIP ANDRAS. CINTRON WAS EMPLOYED BY ANTHRACITE PROTECTIVE SERVICES FOR SEVERAL MONTHS. CINTRON FACES FELONY COUNTS OF MAKING TERRORISTIC THREATS AND MISDEMEANOR COUNTS OF DISORDERLY CONDUCT AND HARRASSMENT. CINTRON'S ATTORNEY, WILLIAM BARNHART OF READING, SAID CINTRON NEVER INTENDED TO SEND THE DOCUMENT TO ANDRAS OR TO COMMIT ANY CRIME.

PHILADELPHIA (AP) - A PHILADELPHIA JURY HAS ORDERED GLAXOSMITHKLINE TO PAY $2.5 MILLION OVER BIRTH DEFECTS ALLEGEDLY CAUSED BY ITS ANTIDEPRESSANT DRUG PAXIL. THE VERDICT IS THE FIRST OF ABOUT 600 SIMILAR PAXIL LAWSUITS FILED AROUND THE COUNTRY. THE JURY FOUND THE COMPANY GUILTY OF NEGLIGENCE BUT NOT OUTRAGEOUS CONDUCT AND REJECTED PUNITIVE DAMAGES.

HARRISBURG, PA. (AP) - A SPECIAL STATE PANEL IS STARTING ITS EFFORT TO FIGURE OUT WHAT HAPPENED IN THE "KIDS-FOR-CASH" JUDICIAL CORRUPTION SCANDAL IN LUZERNE COUNTY AND TO RECOMMEND WAYS TO AVOID SIMILAR PROBLEMS. THE INTERBRANCH COMMISSION ON JUVENILE JUSTICE BEGAN YESTERDAY IN HARRISBURG BY HEARING FROM SEVERAL WITNESSES,INCLUDING A JUDGE WHO WENT TO THE FBI.

STATE COLLEGE, PA. (AP) - PENN STATE AND THREE OTHER INSTITUTIONS ARE STILL WAITING FOR THEIR APPROPRIATIONS DESPITE THE END OF PENNSYLVANIA'S STATE BUDGET STALEMATE. MONEY FOR THOSE FOUR SCHOOLS, WHICH ALSO INCLUDES LINCOLN, PITT AND TEMPLE, WASN'T INCLUDED IN THE BUDGET DEAL SIGNED FRIDAY. THEY RECEIVE JUST A PART OF THEIR FUNDING FROM THE STATE.

HARRISBURG, PA. (AP) - A REPORT RECOMMENDS 52 POSSIBLE WAYS TO CUT PENNSYLVANIA'S GLOBAL WARMING POLLUTION. GOV. ED RENDELL SAYS THAT REDUCING GREENHOUSE GASES IS NECESSARY TO PROTECT THE STATE'S ECONOMY AND ENVIRONMENT. A 2008 STATE LAW ORDERED THE REPORT, ALTHOUGH THE LEGISLATURE IS NOT REQUIRED TO PASS A LAW MANDATING THE REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GASES.

WASHINGTON (AP) - SEN. ARLEN SPECTER MAINTAINS A SIGNIFICANT FUNDRAISING ADVANTAGE OVER HIS LIKELY GOP RIVAL. THE REPUBLICAN-TURNED-DEMOCRAT SPECTER REPORTED YESTERDAY THAT HE HAS RAISED $1.8 MILLION IN THE FUNDRAISING QUARTER THAT ENDED SEPT. 30. SPECTER'S DEMOCRATIC PRIMARY CHALLENGER, REP. JOE SESTAK, HAS YET TO RELEASE HIS FUNDRAISING TOTALS.

WASHINGTON (AP) - THE ABSENCE OF INFLATION DUE TO THE RECESSION MEANS BAD NEWS NEXT YEAR FOR SENIOR CITIZENS. THE SOCIAL SECURITY ADMINISTRATION PLANS TO ANNOUNCE THERE WILL BE NO COST OF LIVING
INCREASE. IT WILL BE THE FIRST YEAR WITHOUT A COST OF LIVING INCREASE SINCE 1975.

WASHINGTON (AP) - MOST ECONOMISTS EXPECT THE LACK OF INFLATION TO BE REFLECTED IN THIS MORNING'S SEPTEMBER CONSUMER PRICE INDEX REPORT. ECONOMISTS ARE FORECASTING THAT CONSUMER PRICES ROSE JUST 0.2 PERCENT IN SEPTEMBER. THAT'S AFTER A 0.4 PERCENT GAIN IN AUGUST AND A FLAT READING IN JULY.

WASHINGTON (AP) - A NEW REPORT SHOWS THE NUMBER OF HOUSEHOLDS CAUGHT IN THE FORECLOSURE CRISIS HAS RISEN MORE THAN 5 PERCENT BETWEEN SUMMER AND FALL. BEING OUT OF WORK CONTINUES TO BE THE MAIN REASON BEHIND FORECLOSURE FILINGS.

LAHORE, PAKISTAN (AP) - A PAKISTANI OFFICIAL SAYS SECURITY FORCES HAVE KILLED THE MILITANTS WHO ATTACKED A POLICE TRAINING FACILITY. A FAMILY TAKEN HOSTAGE HAS BEEN RESCUED UNHARMED. THE ATTACK WAS ONE OF SEVERAL ACROSS PAKISTAN TODAY THAT HAVE LEFT ABOUT THREE DOZEN PEOPLE DEAD, INCLUDING MILITANT CASUALTIES.

WASHINGTON (AP) - PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA HEADS TO NEW ORLEANS TODAY TO CHECK OUT THE CONTINUING RECOVERY FROM HURRICANE KATRINA. HE'LL HOLD A TOWN HALL MEETING AND STOP BY A SCHOOL IN THE HARD-HIT LOWER NINTH WARD. OBAMA HAS SAID HE'S DETERMINED TO MAKE GOOD ON PROMISES TO HELP THE CITY.