Today's News-Tuesday, November 17, 2009

WRITE INS COUNTED

ITS BEEN TWO WEEKS SINCE THE GENERAL ELECTION, AND STAFF AT THE SCHUYLKILL COUNTY ELECTION BUREAU HAS BEEN WORKING TO COUNT A LARGE NUMBER OF WRITE INS. IN THE RACE FOR NORTH SCHUYLKILL SCHOOL BOARD, MORE THAN 51-HUNDRED WRITE INS WERE MADE FOR CANDIDATES SEEKING A SEAT ON THAT BODY. HOWEVER, NONE WERE SUCCESSFUL IN THEIR ATTEMPT. IN DATA PROVIDED BY THE ELECTION BUREAU, SUZANNE O'NEILL, ROBIN HETHERINGTON, DEBORAH HAMPTON, DANIEL HOLDERMAN AND KELLY MORAN WERE ELECTED TO THE BOARD. THREE WRITE IN CANDIDATES, JASON GREEN, WILLIAM HALKO AND CHARLES HEPLER GARNERED MORE THAN ONE THOUSAND VOTES, BUT IT WAS NOT ENOUGH TO DEFEAT THE ON-BALLOT CANDIDATES. JUDGE D MICHAEL STINE HAS YET TO APPOINT FOUR MORE CANDIDATES TO FILL THE NORTH SCHUYLKILL SCHOOL BOARD'S COMPLEMENT AFTER 8 OF THE 9 DIRECTORS WERE REMOVED THIS SUMMER. IN OTHER ELECTION NEWS, WEDNESDAY IS THE DAY THAT HAS BEEN SET ASIDE TO RECOUNT THE VOTES FOR JUDGE OF THE STATE SUPERIOR COURT, AS DIRECTED BY THE PENNSYLVANIA SECRETARY OF STATE, PEDRO CORTES. ONCE THAT HAS BEEN COMPLETED, THE PROCESS OF CERTIFYING THE NOVEMBER ELECTION VOTE COUNT CAN BEGIN, ACCORDING TO ELECTION BUREAU DIRECTOR, FRANNIE BRENNAN.

BECAUSE WE CARE

THE CURRENT ECONOMIC CLIMATE IS PUTTING A STRAIN ON ALL OF US. WITH THE HOLIDAYS FAST APPROACHING, MANY COUNTY FAMILIES ARE STRUGGLING TO PUT FOOD ON THE TABLE. WPPA IS JOINING WITH THE POTTSVILLE BUSINESS ASSOCIATION AND ITS PARTNERS TO GATHER FOOD AND MONETARY DONATIONS IN THE "BECAUSE WE CARE...FOOD TO SHARE" PROGRAM THROUGH CHRISTMAS. EVERYTHING THAT YOU GIVE TO THE PROGRAM WILL STAY HERE, ACCORDING TO JASON SHALLEY OF SCHUYLKILL COMMUNITY ACTION.

SHALLEY

GIVE GENEROUSLY TO HELP THOSE IN NEED THIS HOLIDAY SEASON, BECAUSE WE CARE...FOOD TO SHARE. A COMPLETE LIST OF DROP OFF LOCATIONS IS AVAILABLE ON OUR WEBSITE AT WPPARADIO.COM.

BARN DESTROYED BY FIRE

A BARN IN NEW RINGGOLD WENT UP IN FLAMES MONDAY MORNING. THE BLAZE BROKE OUT AROUND 2:30AM. AUTHORITIES SAY THAT THE BARN WAS EMPTY AND NO UTILITIES CONNECTED. NO ONE WAS INJURED. AN INVESTIGATION IS UNDERWAY AS TO WHAT CAUSED IT.

ONE INJURED IN CRASH IN NORTH MANHEIM TOWNSHIP

A POTTSVILLE WOMAN SUFFERED MINOR INJURIES IN A THREE VEHICLE CRASH ON ROUTE 61 MONDAY EVENING. BILLIE BUBECK MADE A LEFT TURN ONTO 61 TO HEAD SOUTHBOUND. CARS DRIVEN BY LINDA BUCHANAN AND ROBERT MCGOVERN OF AUBURN WERE SLOWED FOR A TRAFFIC LIGHT WHEN BUBECK REAR ENDED BUCHANAN'S CAR, WHICH RAN INTO MCGOVERN'S VEHICLE. BUBECK WAS TAKEN TO SCHUYLKILL MEDICAL CENTER SOUTH FOR TREAMTENT. THE CRASH HAPPENED AROUND 5:30PM.

HOME DECORATING CONTEST

AS WE INCH CLOSER TO THE CHRISTMAS HOLIDAYS, PEOPLE ARE DIGGING IN ATTICS AND CLOSETS TO BRING OUT THE HOLIDAY DECORATIONS. POTTSVILLE RECREATION COMMISSION IS LOOKING FOR THE BEST IN CHRISTMAS DECORATING AND ARE HOSTING A CONTEST, WITH A $100 DOLLAR PRIZE ON THE LINE. THREE DIFFERENT CATEGORIES ARE AT STAKE....PAST, WITH CLASSIC STYLE DECORATIONS, PRESENT, WITH LOTS OF LIGHTS AND COLOR AND FUTURE, WITH ANIMATED AND/OR INFLATABLE DECORATIONS. ENTRIES ARE DUE TO POTTSVILLE CITY HALL OR VIA EMAIL TO RECREATION AT POTTSVILLE.PA.US BY DECEMBER 7TH. YOU MUST LIVE IN THE POTTSVILLE CITY LIMITS TO PARTICIPATE IN THE HOLIDAY DECORATING CONTEST.

NEW FLORENCE, PA. (AP) - STATE POLICE ARE INVESTIGATING A CROSS BURNING IN WESTERN PENNSYLVANIA, NEAR PITTSBURGH OUTSIDE A HOME OF A WHITE FAMILY WHO TOOK IN A BLACK CHILD WHO PLAYS FOR THE LOCAL HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL TEAM. POLICE SAY THEY STILL DON'T KNOW WHO BURNED THE WOODEN CROSS JOE AND MARY WALBECK FOUND IN THEIR YARD IN WEST WHEATFIELD TOWNSHIP.

WASHINGTON (AP) - PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA WILL TRAVEL TO PENNSYLVANIA AND OTHER STATES NEXT MONTH AFTER HOSTING A WHITE HOUSE FORUM ON CREATING JOBS. THE WHITE HOUSE SAYS THAT THE DEC. 3 FORUM WILL INCLUDE ECONOMISTS AND BUSINESS OWNERS AND EXECUTIVES. OBAMA ANNOUNCED THE FORUM EARLIER THIS MONTH AS THE NATION'S UNEMPLOYMENT RATE SURPASSED 10 PERCENT.

HARRISBURG, PA. (AP) - PENNSYLVANIA CORRECTIONS SECRETARY JEFFREY BEARD SAYS SOMETHING HAS TO BE DONE TO SLOW THE GROWTH OF THE PRISON POPULATION. BEARD TELLS MEMBERS OF THE STATE SENATE JUDICIARY COMMITTEE THAT EFFORTS TO DIVERT NON-VIOLENT OFFENDERS INTO NON-PRISON SETTINGS SHOULD BE STEPPED UP. OFFICIALS ARE TRYING TO ELIMINATE PRISON OVERCROWDING.

HARRISBURG, PA. (AP) - A FORMER SPEAKER OF THE PENNSYLVANIA HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES SAYS HE HASN'T DECIDED WHETHER TO SERVE OUT THE YEAR REMAINING IN HIS CURRENT TERM OR SEEK RE-ELECTION WHILE HE FIGHTS CORRUPTION CHARGES FILED AGAINST HIM LAST WEEK. REPUBLICAN REP. JOHN PERZEL OF PHILADELPHIA SAYS HE'S KEEPING HIS OPTIONS OPEN.

PHILADELPHIA (AP) - A JURY ON MONDAY WATCHED SIX SECONDS OF VIDEO FROM A NORTH PHILADELPHIA DOUGHNUT SHOP THAT SHOWS JOHN LEWIS SHOOTING OFFICER CHUCK CASSIDY IN THE HEAD ON OCT. 21, 2007. LEWIS PLEADED GUILTY LAST WEEK. NOW JURORS MUST DECIDE WHETHER HE COMMITTED FIRST- OR SECOND-DEGREE MURDER.

BEIJING (AP) - PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA AND CHINESE PRESIDENT HU JINTAO HAVE CONCLUDED SEVERAL HOURS OF MEETINGS SOUNDING A COOPERATIVE THEME. WHILE DIFFERENCES REMAIN ON SUCH THINGS AS ECONOMIC POLICY, SECURITY AND HUMAN RIGHTS, BOTH SPOKE IN BOLD TERMS OF THE GROWING RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE U.S. AND CHINA.

WASHINGTON (AP) - THE MONEY'S FLOWING FROM BUSINESS AND OTHER GROUPS TRYING TO EXERT THEIR INFLUENCE AS A HEALTH CARE OVERHAUL BILL INCHES THROUGH CONGRESS. BUSINESS OPPONENTS OF HEALTH CARE REFORM, LED BY THE GIANT U.S. CHAMBER OF COMMERCE, SPENT $24 MILLION ON TV COMMERCIALS OVER THE PAST MONTH, OUTPACING HEALTH CARE SUPPORTERS 2-1.

WASHINGTON (AP) - A LOOPHOLE IS ALLOWING TOBACCO COMPANIES TO DUCK HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS A YEAR IN INCREASED TAXES THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN PAID ON ROLL-YOUR-OWN CIGARETTE TOBACCO. SIMPLY REPACKAGING IT AS PIPE TOBACCO PUTS THE PRODUCT IN A MUCH CHEAPER TAX CLASSIFICATION. THE TAXES GO TO HELP PAY FOR PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA'S CHILD HEALTH LAW.

WASHINGTON (AP) - THE ALZHEIMER'S ASSOCIATION IS ADAPTING TECHNOLOGY DEVELOPED FOR MONITORING PRISONERS TO ALLOW CAREGIVERS TO TRACK ALZHEIMER'S PATIENTS AS THE DISEASE WORSENS. EACH FAMILY CAN SET A SORT OF VIRTUAL FENCE, AND BE ALERTED IF THEIR LOVED ONE STRAYS TOO FAR.

NEW YORK (AP) - A PANEL OF GOVERNMENT EXPERTS IS GOING AGAINST DECADES OF ADVICE ON MAMMOGRAMS FROM THE AMERICAN CANCER SOCIETY. THE DOCTORS AND SCIENTISTS SAY MOST WOMEN SHOULD START GETTING MAMMOGRAMS AT AGE 50, NOT 40. THE TASK FORCE ALSO SAYS BREAST SELF-EXAMS DO NO GOOD AND WOMEN SHOULDN'T BE TAUGHT TO DO THEM. THE
ACS ISN'T PLEASED AND IS STICKING TO ITS GUNS.