Today's News-November 3, 2009

ELECTION DAY-POLLS (UPDATED 9AM)

THE POLLS OPENED AT 7AM TODAY FOR THE GENERAL ELECTION, AND FROM EARLY REPORTS, VOTING HAS BEEN STEADY ACROSS THE COUNTY. LOCAL RACES FOR MAYOR, SCHOOL BOARDS, BOROUGH COUNCILS AND SEVERAL COUNTY ROW OFFICES HIGHLIGHT VOTING IN THE 67 MUNICIPALITIES THAT MAKE UP SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. ELECTION OFFICIALS ARE TEST DRIVING ELECTRONIC SIGN-IN DEVICES AT PRECINCTS IN POTTSVILLE AND FRACKVILLE. IF THEY ARE SUCCESSFUL, THE HAND WRITTEN MANUAL SIGN IN PROCESS MAY BE REPLACED IN THE FUTURE. AFTER THE POLLS CLOSE THIS EVENING, LISTEN FOR ELECTION RESULTS ON-AIR AND ONLINE AS THE VOTES ARE TOTALED AT THE STS BUILDING IN ST CLAIR. THE POLLS CLOSE AT 8PM.

ELECTION DAY-COUNTY AND STATE

VOTERS WILL ELECT A DISTRICT ATTORNEY, SHERIFF AND JURY COMMISSIONER TODAY IN THE GENERAL ELECTION. INCUMBENT D.A. JIM GOODMAN AND ATTORNEY CHRISTINE HOLMAN HAVE BEEN SPARRING FOR THE PAST SEVERAL MONTHS OVER THE DRUG PROBLEM IN THE COUNTY, ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION AND OTHER ISSUES. FORMER POTTSVILLE CHIEF OF POLICE DALE REPP, A REPUBLICAN, IS SEEKING A SEAT IN THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE, FACING DEMOCRAT JOSEPH GROODY, THE INCUMBENT WHO IS LOOKING FOR HIS OWN FULL TERM. FOR JURY COMMISSIONER, EDWARD KLEHA AND PEGGY ZIMMERMAN ARE SEEKING ELECTION.

ON THE STATEWIDE BALLOT, JOAN ORIE MELVIN AND JACK PANELLA ARE SEEKING A SEAT ON THE STATE SUPREME COURT, 9 CANDIDATES ARE SEEKING 4 SPOTS ON THE STATE SUPERIOR COURT AND FOUR CANDIDATES ARE LOOKING TO BE ELECTED TO TWO SEATS ON THE COMMONWEALTH COURT. JUDGE KATE FORD ELLIOTT IS SEEKING RETENTION ON THE STATE SUPERIOR COURT, AND DAN PELLIGRINI IS UP FOR A RETENTION VOTE ON THE STATE COMMONWEALTH COURT.

POTTSVILLE MAN FACES JAIL TIME IN CHILD PORN CASE

FEDERAL AUTHORITIES HAVE ENTERED INTO A PLEA DEAL WITH A POTTSVILLE MAN, PLEADING GUILTY TO POSSESSING CHILD PORN. MICHAEL MAROUKIS IS ALLEGED TO HAVE HAD THE MATERIAL EARLIER THIS YEAR, AND PLEADED GUILTY TO CHARGES THAT CARRY UP TO TEN YEARS IN PRISON, A QUARTER MILLION DOLLARS IN FINES AND REGISTRATION AS A SEX OFFENDER. THE REPUBLICAN HERALD REPORTS THAT THE CHARGES AGAINST MAROUKIS STEM FROM AN INVESTIGATION BY THE FBI, CUSTOMS OFFICIALS AND THE MINISTRY OF INTERNAL AFFAIRS IN BELARUS. SENTENCING HAS NOT YET BEEN SCHEDULED IN THE CASE.

HONDURAN MAN ARRESTED

A MAN FROM HONDURAS IS CHARGED WITH DRUG RELATED COUNTS BY SHENANDOAH POLICE. THE MAN'S IDENTITY IS STILL A MYSTERY, BUT HE IS ALLEGED TO HAVE SOLD COCAINE TO UNDERCOVER AGENTS ON TWO OCCASIONS, ACCORDING TO THE REPUBLICAN HERALD. "JOHN DOE" AS THE SUSPECT IS IDENTIFIED AS, REPORTEDLY FORGED IDENTIFICATION. THE ARREST TOOK PLACE IN LATE OCTOBER, AND FOLLOWING ARRAIGNMENT, WAS JAILED INTHE COUNTY PRISON. POLICE ARE WORKING WITH IMMIGRATION OFFICIALS TO DETERMINE THE SUSPECT'S TRUE IDENTITY.

PHILADELPHIA (AP) - THE LARGEST UNION FOR WORKERS AT PHILADELPHIA'S TRANSIT AGENCY IS STRIKING AFTER NEGOTIATIONS ON A NEW CONTRACT BROKE DOWN. THE STRIKE COMES JUST HOURS AFTER THE WORLD SERIES LEFT TOWN AND SHIFTED TO NEW YORK.

PHILADELPHIA (AP) - THE PHILADELPHIA PHILLIES ARE STILL ALIVE IN THE WORLD SERIES. CHASE UTLEY HIT TWO HOME RUNS AND CLIFF LEE WON AGAIN AS THE PHILLIES STAVED OFF ELIMINATION WITH AN 8-6 VICTORY OVER THE NEW YORK YANKEES IN GAME 5 ON MONDAY NIGHT.

CHARLESTON, W.VA. (AP) - ALPHA NATURAL RESOURCES, THE NATION'S TOP METALLURGICAL COAL PRODUCER, IS DUE TO WEIGH IN ON WHETHER IT BENEFITED FROM THE RECOVERING ASIAN STEEL INDUSTRY IN THE THIRD-QUARTER.

SCRANTON, PA. (AP) - A NORTHEASTERN PENNSYLVANIA PRIEST HAS BEEN REMOVED FROM HIS DUTIES AFTER CHURCH OFFICIALS SAY HE ACCIDENTALLY DISPLAYED INAPPROPRIATE PICTURES FROM HIS COMPUTER BEFORE SUNDAY MASS.

WASHINGTON (AP) - THE GOVERNMENT SAYS TESTS SHOW THE SWINE FLU VACCINE WILL PROTECT PEOPLE AND DO IT SAFELY. DR. ANTHONY FAUCI OF THE NATIONAL INSTITUTES OF HEALTH SAYS TESTS WERE DONE ON MILLIONS OF PEOPLE WHO HAVE RECEIVED THE H1N1 FLU VACCINE. HE APPEARED THIS MORNING ON CBS.

KABUL (AP) - AFGHANISTAN'S PRESIDENT IS REACHING OUT TO HIS POLITICAL OPPONENTS AFTER WINNING RE-ELECTION IN A VOTE MARRED BY FRAUD. HAMID KARZAI WON BY DEFAULT WHEN HIS CHIEF RIVAL DROPPED OUT OF A PLANNED RUNOFF. HE'S PROMISING TO CREATE AN INCLUSIVE GOVERNMENT AND END THE CORRUPTION THAT HAS UNDERMINED HIS ADMINISTRATION.

WASHINGTON (AP) - GERMAN CHANCELLOR ANGELA MERKEL IS MEETING WITH PRESIDNET BARACK OBAMA THIS MORNING, THEN PLANS TO MAKE A CASE FOR A GLOBAL DEAL ON CLIMATE CHANGE TO A JOINT MEETING OF CONGRESS. FORMER VICE PRESIDENT AL GORE SAYS HE THINKS OBAMA WILL ATTEND TALKS IN COPENHAGEN NEXT MONTH AIMED AT NEGOTIATING AN INTERNATIONAL AGREEMENT ON CUTTING CARBON EMISSIONS.

LONDON (AP) - MADELEINE MCCANN WAS FOUR YEARS OLD WHEN SHE DISAPPEARED WHILE ON VACATION WITH HER FAMILY IN PORTUGAL IN MAY 2007. A VIDEO RELEASED TODAY BY BRITISH POLICE IMAGINES WHAT SHE MIGHT LOOK LIKE TWO YEARS LATER. POLICE URGED INTERNET USERS TO SPREAD THE PICTURES AND HER FATHER TELLS THE BBC THE VIDEO IS AN ATTEMPT TO CONTACT SPECIFIC PEOPLE.