Today's News-Thursday, November 26, 2009

COUNTY CONSIDERS WAYS TO SAVE MONEY

SCHUYLKILL COUNTY OFFICIALS ARE TRYING TO FIND WAYS TO BALANCE THE 2010 BUDGET. UNIONIZED EMPLOYEES HAVE BEEN ASKED TO CONSIDER MAKING CHANGES TO THEIR WORK SCHEDULE. UNION BUSINESS AGENT GUY WEIDERHOLD:

WEIDERHOLD-ON THE TABLE

AFTER VOTES WERE TOTALED LAST NIGHT, RANK AND FILE MEMBERS DECIDED THEY'D RATHER TAKE LAYOFFS THAN A REDUCTION IN SALARY. DURING YESTERDAY'S WORK SESSION, THE SALARY BOARD PRESENTED CONSOLIDATION OF POSITIONS IN THE HUMAN RESOURCES AND COMMISSIONERS OFFICE, GIVING ADDITIONAL DUTIES TO PAUL STRAKA, MARTINA CHWASTIAK AND HEATHER GARRITY, WITH SALARY ADJUSTMENTS PROPOSED. THOSE INCREASES RAISED THE IRE OF THE UNION WORKERS, ACCORDING TO WEIDERHOLD. THE VOTE ON THOSE POSITIONS WILL TAKE PLACE NEXT WEEK. COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR MARK SCARBINSKY SAID THAT THE SHORTER WORK WEEK WOULD HAVE SAVED MONEY:

SCARBINSKY JOBS

IN OTHER BUSINESS, SCHUYLKILL COUNTY'S CHIEF ASSESSOR VIRGINIA MURRAY PRESENTED THE CERTIFIED VALUATION OF PROPERTY IN THE COUNTY, WHICH TAXES ARE BASED ON. THE 2010 ASSESSED VALUE IS $2.459 BILLION DOLLARS, AN INCREASE OF ABOUT $19 MILLION DOLLARS, OR 8 TENTHS OF ONE PERCENT. MURRAY SAID THAT THE CURRENT ECONOMIC CLIMATE IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE MINIMAL INCREASE. THE COUNTY FACES A $3.5 MILLION DOLLAR BUDGET SHORTFALL FOR THE 2010 SPENDING PLAN.

DRUG BUST IN POTTSVILLE

A NEW JERSEY WOMAN AND A NEW YORK MAN ARE JAILED FOLLOWING A DRUG BUST IN POTTSVILLE. OFFICERS WERE INVESTIGATING AN INCIDENT AT THE POTTSVILLE HOUSING AUTHORITY SITE ON NORTH SECOND STREET TUESDAY AND CHARGED 35 YEAR OLD HEATHER MILLER FROM PHILLIPSBURG, NEW JERSEY WAS FOUND TO HAVE A CONTROLLED SUBSTANCE IN HER POSSESSION, AND TAKEN TO THE COUNTY PRISON. 35 YEAR OLD JERAL JONES, THE BRONX, NEW YORK, WAS ALSO TAKEN INTO CUSTODY ON AN OUTSTANDING DRUG WARRANT FROM EASTON, AND JAILED IN THE COUNTY PRISON.

CRASH INJURES ONE ON ROUTE 61

A POTTSVILLE MAN WAS INJURED IN A TWO VEHICLE CRASH ON ROUTE 61 YESTERDAY MORNING. ALLEN WOOD'S VEHICLE WAS ENTERING THE INTERSECTION WITH TUNNEL ROAD WHEN HIS CAR WAS STRUCK BY A VEHICLE DRIVEN BY RUSSELL CHUB OF MT CARMEL. WOOD'S SUBARU SPUN AROUND AND HIT A CURB, EJECTING HIM FROM THE VEHICLE. HE WAS TAKEN TO LEHIGH VALLEY MEDICAL CENTER FOR TREATMENT. THE CRASH HAPPENED JUST BEFORE NOON WEDNESDAY.

OTHER COMMISH NEWS

THE PRISON PRE-RELEASE CENTER CONTINUES TO MAKE NEWS HERE IN SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. THIS TIME, REPRESENTATIVES FROM A PITTSBURGH COMPANY MADE THEIR PITCH TO OFFICIALS TO OPERATE SUCH A FACILITY IN DOWNTOWN POTTSVILLE. STEPHEN DEVLIN OF RENEWAL INCORPORATED OPERATES A 600 BED FACILITY IN PITTSBURGH, AND SAID THEY COULD DO THE SAME HERE. HOWEVER, COUNTY OFFICIALS SAY THAT THEY COULDN'T AFFORD TO PAY AN ADDITIONAL MILLION DOLLARS OR MORE TO DO IT. THE IDEA OF CONSTRUCTING A PRISON PRE-RELEASE CENTER IN RYAN TOWNSHIP HAS BEEN IN THE WORKS FOR SEVERAL YEARS, TO HOUSE LESS VIOLENT CRIMINALS WHO ARE ON WORK-RELEASE TO RELIEVE OVERCROWDING AT THE COUNTY PRISON. JUDGE WILLIAM BALDWIN SAID ITS JUST A MATTER OF DOLLARS AND CENTS, AND IT WOULD BE MORE COST EFFECTIVE TO BUILD THEIR OWN CENTER, RATHER THAN CONTRACT THOSE SERVICES OUT. THE PRISON BOARD CHAIR DID ACKNOWLEDGE THAT RENEWAL, INC. HAS DONE A GOOD JOB IN THEIR PROGRAM IN THE STEEL CITY, FROM EVERYTHING HE HAS HEARD.

SHIREY'S NEW TRIAL DENIED

A WOMAN WHOSE SERVING A LIFE SENTENCE FOR HAVING HER HUSBAND KILLED IN 1992 WILL NOT GET A NEW TRIAL. THAT'S THE RULING FROM A STATE SUPERIOR COURT PANEL, WHO SAID BETH SHIREY FAILED TO PROVIDE ANY REASON TO GRANT A NEW TRIAL. SHIREY HIRED RONALD CHAMPNEY TO KILL HER HUSBAND ROY BENSINGER IN THE DRIVEWAY OF HIS HOME ON JUNE 4, 1992. CHAMPNEY, WHO WAS CONVICTED OF FIRST DEGREE MURDER, IS SLATED TO GET A NEW TRIAL AFTER IT WAS DETERMINED HIS COUNSEL PROVIDED INEFFECTIVE LEGAL REPRESENTATION. THIS WAS THE FOURTH TIME SHIREY TRIED TO GET HER CASE REOPENED. SHE IS SERVING A LIFE PRISON TERM AT THE STATE CORRECTIONAL INSTITUTION AT MUNCY.

HARRISBURG, PA. (AP) - GOV. ED RENDELL SAYS SPECIAL INTERESTS EXERT TOO MUCH CONTROL OVER STATE GOVERNMENT. RENDELL RENEWED HIS PITCH YESTERDAY FOR OVERHAULING THE STATE'S CAMPAIGN-FINANCE LAWS, THE SELECTION OF APPELLATE JUDGES AND THE PROCESS BY WHICH STATE LEGISLATIVE DISTRICTS ARE REDRAWN EVERY 10 YEARS.

PHILADELPHIA (AP) - THE CONFESSED KILLER OF A PHILADELPHIA POLICE OFFICER SHOUTED A TEARFUL APOLOGY TO THE SLAIN MAN'S WIDOW AS SHE TESTIFIED DURING HIS TRIAL. JOHN LEWIS SHOUTED, "I'M SORRY, MRS. CASSIDY" AFTER THE WIDOW OF OFFICER CHUCK CASSIDY RECOUNTED THEIR FINAL CONVERSATION DURING TESTIMONY YESTERDAY. CLOSING ARGUMENTS ARE SCHEDULED FOR TODAY.

HARRISBURG, PA. (AP) - FORMER PENNSYLVANIA SUPREME COURT CHIEF JUSTICE STEPHEN ZAPPALA SAYS HE'S "VERY COMFORTABLE" THAT THE CASINO GROUP HE NOW LEADS DIDN'T BREAK ANY LAWS. A STATE LAWMAKER IS QUESTIONING WHY THE PENNSYLVANIA CASINO ASSOCIATION ISN'T REGISTERED AS A LOBBYING GROUP, DESPITE ITS APPARENT ATTEMPTS TO INFLUENCE DEBATE ON GAMBLING.

UPPER DARBY, PA. (AP) - A SUBURBAN PHILADELPHIA POLICE CHIEF SAYS TWO TEENAGE BOYS MADE VIDEO RECORDINGS OF THEMSELVES BURGLARIZING HOMES. UPPER DARBY POLICE SUPERINTENDENT MICHAEL CHITWOOD TOLD REPORTERS YESTERDAY THAT THE 15- AND 16-YEAR-OLD BOYS "TERRORIZED THE NEIGHBORHOOD" WITH THEIR BURGLARIES AND ADDED A BIZARRE TWIST WITH THE VIDEO RECORDINGS.

HARRISBURG, PA. (AP) - PENNSYLVANIA LEGISLATORS, JUDGES AND TOP STATE OFFICIALS WON'T BE GETTING THE AUTOMATIC COST-OF-LIVING SALARY INCREASES THIS YEAR THAT THEY USUALLY ENJOY. THOSE INCREASES ARE TIED TO THE U.S. CONSUMER PRICE INDEX FOR THE PHILADELPHIA METROPOLITAN REGION WHICH USUALLY RISES, BUT IT FELL THIS YEAR.

SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA (AP) - PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA IS ON HIS WAY BACK TO WASHINGTON AFTER AN ASIAN TOUR THAT INCLUDED EFFORTS TO PROD CHINA ON HUMAN RIGHTS AND NORTH KOREA TO RETURN TO NUCLEAR TALKS. OBAMA TODAY SAID THE UNITED STATES HAS BEGUN TALKING WITH ALLIES ABOUT FRESH PUNISHMENT AGAINST IRAN FOR DEFYING EFFORTS TO HALT ITS NUCLEAR WEAPONS PURSUITS.

KABUL (AP) - AFGHAN PRESIDENT HAMID KARZAI IS PROMISING TO GO AFTER CORRUPT OFFICIALS AND END A CULTURE OF IMPUNITY. HE SPOKE TODAY AFTER AN INAUGURATION CLOSELY WATCHED BY THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY FOR SIGNS THAT HIS ADMINISTRATION IS MOVING BEYOND THE CRONYISM AND GRAFT OF THE PAST FIVE YEARS.

DEARBORN, MICH. (AP) - THE CIA'S LATEST RECRUITING EFFORT IS LOOKING TO INTEREST ARAB-AMERICANS IN CAREERS WITH THE AGENCY. THE AD AND ANOTHER 30-SECOND SPOT AIMED AT IRANIAN-AMERICANS ARE PART OF AN AMBITIOUS OUTREACH EFFORT TO COMMUNITIES THE AGENCY DEEMS CRITICAL TO REDUCING THE THREAT OF TERRORISM IN THE U.S.

WASHINGTON (AP) - CONGRESSIONAL INVESTIGATORS CHARGE MONEY FROM A $4 BILLION GOVERNMENT PROGRAM DESIGNED TO HELP DISABLED MILITARY VETERANS WHO RUN SMALL BUSINESSES MAY BE GOING TO THE WRONG PEOPLE.
THE GOVERNMENT ACCOUNTABILITY OFFICE SAYS AT LEAST $100 MILLION
WENT FRAUDULENTLY TO COMPANIES THAT AREN'T SMALL BUSINESSES, OR
EVEN RUN BY VETERANS.

LONDON (AP) - HEALTH EXPERTS SAY SWINE FLU HAS DEFIED EVEN EXTRAORDINARY MEASURES TO CONTAIN ITS SPREAD. EVEN CHINA, WHICH
INITIALLY CLAIMED SUCCESS WITH STRICT QUARANTINES WHERE ENTIRE
PLANELOADS OF PASSENGERS WERE ISOLATED, NOW ACKNOWLEDGES ITS SWINE
FLU OUTBREAK IS MUCH LARGER THAN OFFICIAL NUMBERS SHOW.