Today's News-Saturday November 14, 2009

IDENTITY KNOWN IN SHENANDOAH FIRE

WE NOW KNOW THE IDENTITY OF A MAN FOUND DEAD INSIDE A DOUBLE BLOCK HOME DESTROYED BY FIRE IN SHENANDOAH THURSDAY NIGHT. FIRE CREWS WERE CALLED TO 419 WEST NEW YORK STREET BEFORE 8PM WITH HEAVY SMOKE COMING FROM THE THIRD FLOOR OF THE HOME. FLAMES QUICKLY SPREAD TO 421 WEST NEW YORK STREET, WHERE 53 YEAR OLD ROBERT SPECHT WAS FOUND DEAD. NO OTHER INJURIES WERE REPORTED. 415-417 WEST NEW YORK STREET WAS ALSO DAMAGED. THERE WAS ABOUT $75 THOUSAND DOLLARS IN DAMAGES.

ATTORNEY BEING INVESTIGATED

THE STATE ATTORNEY GENERALS OFFICE IS NOW INVOLVED IN THE INVESTIGATION OF A POTTSVILLE ATTORNEY. THE REPUBLICAN HERALD REPORTS THAT POTTSVILLE POLICE HAVE BEEN LOOKING INTO THE BILLING RECORDS OF ATTORNEY LYNNE BRESSI, FORMER SCHUYLKILL COUNTY CUSTODY CONCILIATION OFFICER. QUESTIONS HAVE ARISEN ABOUT POSSIBLE BILLING BY BRESSI FOR WORK
THAT WAS NEVER PERFORMED. POLICE SAY THAT THEY CONFIRMED THAT. BRESSI WORKED IN THAT CAPACITY FOR ABOUT 19 YEARS UNTIL SEPTEMBER. CONCILIATION OFFICERS DEAL WITH CHILD CUSTODY CASES.

DRUG BUST IN MAHANOY CITY

TWO HOMES WERE RAIDED FOR DRUGS IN MAHANOY CITY LAST NIGHT. POLICE TOOK SEVERAL PEOPLE INTO CUSTODY AT 117 AND 119 EAST PINE STREET, BUT THEIR IDENTITIES HAVE NOT BEEN RELEASED YET. DRUG DOGS WERE ALSO INVOLVED IN THE SEARCH.

HARRISBURG, PA. (AP) - PENNSYLVANIA'S TOP ELECTION OFFICIAL SAYS A SUPERIOR COURT CANDIDATE IN A CLOSE RACE WON'T GIVE UP HIS RIGHT TO A RECOUNT THAT'S EXPECTED TO COST TAXPAYERS AS MUCH AS $1.3 MILLION. WITHOUT THE RECOUNT, PHILADELPHIA JUDGE ANNE LAZARUS WOULD BE ELECTED TO THE SUPERIOR COURT. SHE SAYS SHE'S CONFIDENT HER LEAD WILL HOLD UP.

WASHINGTON (AP) - JON GOSSELIN HAS FILED A COUNTER LAWSUIT AGAINST THE TLC NETWORK, CLAIMING TELEVISION PRODUCERS VIOLATED PENNSYLVANIA'S CHILD LABOR LAWS IN FILMING THE HIT REALITY SHOW "JON & KATE PLUS 8" AND ARE PREVENTING HIM FROM WORKING. THE SUIT FILED THURSDAY IN A MARYLAND COURT SEEKS MORE THAN $5 MILLION IN DAMAGES.

STATE COLLEGE, PA. (AP) - PENN STATE MAILED OUT SECOND-SEMESTER TUITION BILLS ON FRIDAY WITH RATES UNCHANGED FROM THE FALL EVEN AS STATE FUNDING REMAINS IN LEGISLATIVE LIMBO. SPOKESWOMAN LISA POWERS
SAYS THE SCHOOL MAY HAVE TO RECONSIDER SPRING TUITION RATES IF IT
GETS ANYTHING LESS THAN THE $334 MILLION APPROVED BY THE STATE
SENATE.

HARRISBURG, PA. (AP) - CLINICS AROUND THE STATE WILL OFFER SWINE FLU VACCINE TO PEOPLE WHO ARE IN AN AT-RISK GROUP. THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH SAID FRIDAY THAT IT WILL HOLD THE CLINICS AROUND THE STATE FROM NOV. 20 THROUGH NOV. 22. PEOPLE CAN GET MORE INFORMATION BY LOGGING ONTO WWW.H1N1INPA.COM OR BY CALLING 1-877-PA-HEALTH.

TOKYO (AP) - PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA IS DECLARING A NEW AGE OF ENGAGEMENT WITH ASIA, LABELING THE U.S. A "NATION OF THE PACIFIC" AND SAYING THE CONTINENT AND AMERICA ARE "BOUND" BY THE OCEAN. OBAMA SAYS HE'S DETERMINED TO ENGAGE ASIANS AS EQUAL PARTNERS IN THE ECONOMY, DIPLOMACY AND SECURITY. HE'S TRAVELING TO SINGAPORE AFTER A STAY IN JAPAN.

KIEL, WIS. (AP) - FUNERALS ARE PLANNED FOR A HANDFUL OF THE VICTIMS IN THE FORT HOOD SHOOTINGS TODAY. AMONG THEM IS STAFF SGT. AMY KRUEGER, WHO WAS SET TO DEPLOY TO AFGHANISTAN. SHE WAS REMEMBERED YESTERDAY DURING A VISITATION IN WISCONSIN AS A DETERMINED WOMAN WHO SIGNED UP AFTER THE 2001 TERROR ATTACKS TO HUNT DOWN OSAMA BIN LADEN.

WASHINGTON (AP) - ATTORNEY GENERAL ERIC HOLDER EXPECTS TO SEEK THE DEATH PENALTY WHEN THE SELF-PROCLAIMED 9/11 MASTERMIND AND FOUR ALLEGED ACCOMPLICES ARE TRIED IN FEDERAL COURT IN NEW YORK, NEAR
THE SITE OF THE TWIN TOWERS. THE FIVE SUSPECTS CURRENTLY HELD AT GUANTANAMO ARE LIKELY TO FACE THOUSANDS OF COUNTS OF MURDER AND
CONSPIRACY.

ALEXANDRIA, VA. (AP) - FORMER LOUISIANA LAWMAKER WILLIAM JEFFERSON HAS BEEN HANDED THE LONGEST TERM EVER IMPOSED ON A CONGRESSMAN FOR BRIBERY -- 13 YEARS IN PRISON. JEFFERSON, WHO FAMOUSLY HID $90,000 IN HIS FREEZER, WAS CONVICTED IN AUGUST OF TAKING BRIBES AND SEEKING MILLIONS MORE IN EXCHANGE FOR USING HIS INFLUENCE TO BROKER BUSINESS DEALS IN AFRICA. HE'S BEEN ALLOWED TO REMAIN FREE UNTIL A HEARING NEXT WEEK.

LOS ANGELES (AP) - THE DISCOVERY OF WATER ON THE MOON IS MAKING THE PROSPECT OF LUNAR EXPLORATION EXCITING AGAIN, BUT IT'S NOT MAKING IT ANY CHEAPER. MEMBERS OF A BLUE-RIBBON PANEL REVIEWING NASA'S FUTURE PLANS SAY THE PROGRAMS STILL NEEDS MORE MONEY TO GET BEYOND NEAR-EARTH ORBIT. THE PANEL WANTS NASA TO LOOK AT OTHER DESTINATIONS SUCH AS ASTEROIDS AND MARS.