Today's News-Friday, November 6, 2009

CREWS CALLED TO FIRE ON STEVENS ROAD

FIRE CREWS WERE CALLED OUT TO A STRUCTURE FIRE EARLY TODAY IN WEST BRUNSWICK TOWNSHIP. THE CALL CAME IN JUST BEFORE 5AM FROM SCHUYLKILL COUNTY COMMUNICATIONS TO REPORTS OF A HOUSE FIRE ON STEVENS ROAD. NO OTHER DETAILS ARE AVAILABLE RIGHT NOW.

DIFFICULT BUDGET FOR COUNTY

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THAT'S SCHUYLKILL COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR MARK SCARBINSKY, COMMENTING ON THE DIFFICULT PROCESS OF FORMULATING A 2010 BUDGET. SCARBINSKY, AND BUDGET ANALYSTS PAUL STRAKA AND PAUL BUBER PRESENTED A PRELIMINARY BUDGET TO THE COUNTY COMMISSIONERS THURSDAY. THE ECONOMY, REDUCED REVENUES FROM LOCAL AND STATE SOURCES AND INCREASED COSTS HAVE OFFICIALS LOOKING AT A PROJECTED $3.5 MILLION DOLLAR SHORTFALL. INTEREST EARNINGS, TRANSFER TAXES AND OTHER SOURCES ARE DOWN. SCARBINSKY CITES SOME OF THE AGENCIES THAT ARE THE HARDEST HIT:

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SOME GOOD NEWS, THOUGH. PROJECTED INCREASES IN HEALTHCARE COSTS ARE LOWER THAN LAST YEAR AND THE ENERGY UPGRADE AT COUNTY FACILITIES ARE REALIZING SOME SAVINGS. NOW, COUNTY OFFICIALS HAVE ABOUT A WEEK TO DETERMINE A WAY TO CLOSE THE GAP, POSSIBLY BY CONSOLIDATING POSITIONS, NEGOTIATING WITH COUNTY LABOR UNIONS TO REDUCE CONTRACT COSTS, A TRANSFER FROM SURPLUS, MORE REDUCTIONS FROM DEPARTMENTS OR A TAX INCREASE, WHICH OFFICIALS SAY THEY WOULD TRY TO AVOID. THE SPENDING PLAN WILL BE PRESENTED AT NEXT THURSDAY'S COMMISSIONERS MEETING.

HOSPITAL BLOCKS YOUNG AND SICK VISITORS

WITH THE THREAT OF SEASONAL AND H1N1 INFLUENZA ACROSS THE REGION, SCHUYLKILL HEALTH IS ADJUSTING ITS VISITATION POLICY. EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY, SCHUYLKILL MEDICAL CENTER SOUTH AND EAST ARE PROHIBITING VISITORS AGE 18 OR YOUNGER UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE. IN ADDITION, OFFICIALS SAY THOSE WHO HAVE FLU-LIKE SYMPTOMS ARE ALSO ASKED TO REFRAIN FROM VISITING. THE VISTATION RESTRICTIONS ARE EXPECTED TO LAST THROUGHOUT THE FLU SEASON.

SHARE THE HARVEST HELPS MANY

WHILE MANY SPORTSMEN LOVE THE THRILL OF THE HUNT, SOME OF THE SAME REALLY DON'T CARE TO EAT WHAT THEY HARVEST. THE PENNSYLVANIA GAME COMMISSION SAYS THAT'S OK, BECAUSE THERE IS A PROGRAM THAT WILL ACCEPT THE VENISON THOSE SPORTSMEN DON'T WANT. ITS CALLED THE HUNTERS SHARING THE HARVEST IS MADE UP OF A NETWORK OF MEAT PROCESSORS WHO TAKE THE DEER AND MAKE IT AVAILABLE FOR FOOD PANTRIES, SOUP KITCHENS AND NEEDY FAMILIES ACROSS THE STATE. GAME COMMISSION SPOKESMAN JERRY FEASER SAYS EVEN FOR HUNTERS WHO DON'T GIVE UP THEIR DEER OR BAG SOME VENISON, THEY CAN GIVE FINANCIALLY TO HELP THE PROGRAM ALONG:

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FOR MORE INFORMATION, GO TO THE PROGRAMS' WEBSITE AT SHAREDEER.ORG
(WGRC NEWS)

CRASH IN POTTSVILLE

A MINERSVILLE WOMAN ESCAPED INJURY IN AN EARLY THURSDAY MORNING CRASH HERE IN THE CITY. POTTSVILLE POLICE REPORT THAT 25 YEAR OLD ANGELICA HARKINS WAS TRAVELING ON WEST RAILROAD STREET AROUND 2:30AM WHEN SHE STRUCK TWO PARKED VEHICLES. POLICE ARE CONTINUING THEIR INVESTIGATION AS TO WHAT EXACTLY HAPPENED.

ST CLAIR MAN CHARGED IN THEFT AND DISORDERLY CONDUCT

A ST CLAIR MAN IS CHARGED WITH STEALING ITEMS AND THEN TAKING THEM TO A RECYCLING CENTER FOR CASH. BOROUGH POLICE SAY 28 YEAR OLD JEFFREY LEINHEISER AND A 17 YEAR OLD TOOK ITEMS VALUED AT NEARLY $3-THOUSAND DOLLARS AND GOT ABOUT $25 DOLLARS FOR THEM. LEINHEISER IS ALSO ACCUSED OF TRESPASSING ON THE PROPERTY ON ANN STREET THAT WAS CLEARLY MARKED. LEINHEISER WAS PICKED UP A SHORT TIME LATER.

PHILADELPHIA (AP) - OFFICIALS FROM PHILADELPHIA TRANSIT'S LARGEST UNION HAVE MET WITH GOV. ED RENDELL TO DISCUSS THEIR CONTRACT. A STRIKE BY TRANSPORT WORKERS UNION LOCAL 234 HAS HALTED TRANSIT SERVICE IN THE CITY SINCE TUESDAY. UNION WORKERS ARE SEEKING A 9 PERCENT WAGE HIKE OVER FOUR YEARS AND THEY WANT TO MINIMIZE THEIR HEALTH CARE CONTRIBUTIONS AT 1 PERCENT.

HARRISBURG, PA. (AP) - DEMOCRATIC GUBERNATORIAL CANDIDATE TOM KNOX IS UNVEILING A PLAN TO REFORM PENNSYLVANIA STATE GOVERNMENT. KNOX IS ONE OF FIVE DEMOCRATIC HOPEFULS. HE'S CALLING FOR IMPOSING FIRST-EVER LIMITS ON CAMPAIGN CONTRIBUTIONS IN STATE ELECTION CAMPAIGNS. CURRENTLY, PENNSYLVANIA BANS CONTRIBUTIONS FROM CORPORATIONS BUT IMPOSES NO OTHER LIMITS.

MOUNT UNION, PA. (AP) - FEDERAL, STATE AND LOCAL OFFICIALS HAVE ARRESTED 11 PEOPLE ON DRUG CHARGES AT A CENTRAL PENNSYLVANIA HOUSING PROJECT THAT GREW OUT OF THE INVESTIGATION OF A DOUBLE MURDER IN JANUARY. THE NAMES OF THE SUSPECTS ARRESTED WEDNESDAY HAVE NOT BEING RELEASED. THAT'S BECAUSE THEY ARE CHARGED IN A SEALED FEDERAL GRAND JURY INDICTMENT.

WASHINGTON, PA. (AP) - A SOUTHWESTERN PENNSYLVANIA JURY HAS DECIDED AGAINST THE DEATH PENALTY FOR A FORMER PITTSBURGH MAN ACCUSED OF FATALLY SHOOTING TWO OHIO COLLEGE STUDENTS. YESTERDAY'S VERDICT MEANS TERRELL YARBROUGH WILL SPEND LIFE IN PRISON FOR SLAYING FRANCISCAN UNIVERSITY STUDENTS AARON LAND OF PHILADELPHIA AND BRIAN MUHA OF WESTERVILLE, OHIO.

PITTSBURGH (AP) - FOR JUST THIS WEEKEND, A PITTSBURGH NEIGHBORHOOD THAT'S BEEN DORMANT IN BOXES AND UNDER PLASTIC COVERINGS FOR NEARLY A DECADE IS COMING BACK TO LIFE. THE SET OF MISTER ROGERS' NEIGHBORHOOD IS BEING REBUILT AND OPENED TO THE PUBLIC SATURDAY AND SUNDAY, GIVING GENERATIONS OF AMERICANS A LOOK AT ONE OF TV'S MOST FAMOUS NEIGHBORHOODS.

FORT HOOD, TEXAS (AP) - A SENIOR U.S. OFFICIAL IS OFFERING MORE INSIGHT INTO WHY AUTHORITIES INITIALLY CLAIMED THE SUSPECTED SHOOTER AT TEXAS' FORT HOOD WAS DEAD. THE OFFICIAL SAYS AUTHORITIES THOUGHT ONE OF THE 12 VICTIMS IN YESTERDAY'S RAMPAGE WAS THE SHOOTER. THE MISTAKE MEANT IT TOOK SEVERAL HOURS BEFORE AUTHORITIES IDENTIFIED ARMY PSYCHIATRIST MAJ. NIDAL MALIK HASAN AS THE GUNMAN. HASAN WAS SHOT FOUR TIMES, BUT SURVIVED.

WASHINGTON (AP) - THOUSANDS OF CONSERVATIVES RALLIED ON THE CAPITOL AGAINST THE DEMOCRATS' HEALTH CARE PLAN, CHANTING "KILL THE BILL" AND LABELING IT A GOVERNMENT TAKEOVER OF THE NATION'S MEDICAL SYSTEM. DEMOCRATS HOPE TO PASS THE FAR-REACHING LEGISLATION TOMORROW AND HAVE GAINED THE BACKING OF THE AMERICAN MEDICAL ASSOCIATION AND THE AARP.

TEGUCIGALPA, HONDURAS (AP) - OUSTED HONDURAN PRESIDENT MANUEL ZELAYA SAYS A U.S.-BROKERED ACCORD MEANT TO END A FOUR-MONTH-OLD POLITICAL CRISIS "IS DEAD." A MIDNIGHT DEADLINE FOR FORMING A UNITY GOVERNMENT HAS PASSED WITH NO SOLUTION. ZELAYA TELLS RADIO GLOBO THE PACT HAS FAILED AND THAT "THERE IS NO SENSE IN DECEIVING HONDURANS."

ELDORADO, TEXAS (AP) - YEARNING FOR ZION RANCH MEMBER RAYMOND JESSOP IS FACING UP TO 20 YEARS IN PRISON AFTER BEING CONVICTED FOR HAVING SEX WITH THE TEEN WITH WHOM HE HAD A SO-CALLED SPIRITUAL MARRIAGE. JESSOP'S CONVICTION CAME FROM TEXAS' APRIL 2008 RAID OF THE POLYGAMIST GROUP'S RANCH, IN WHICH MORE THAN 400 CHILDREN WERE TAKEN INTO FOSTER CARE. THE CHILDREN WERE EVENTUALLY ORDERED TO RETURN TO THEIR PARENTS.

NEW YORK (AP) - YANKEES ANDY PETTITTE, DEREK JETER, JORGE POSADA, HIDEKI MATSUI AND THEIR WORLD SERIES TROPHY HAVE PAID DAVID LETTERMAN A VISIT. PETTITTE TOLD CBS' "LATE SHOW" HOST THE WIN WAS ESPECIALLY GRATIFYING IN NEW YORK, WHERE MISSING OUT ON A CHAMPIONSHIP IS CONSIDERED A FAILURE.