Today's News-Wednesday, November 11, 2009-VETERAN'S DAY

VETERANS DAY

WE PAUSE ON THIS MID NOVEMBER DAY TO PAY TRIBUTE TO ALL VETERANS. VETERANS DAY WAS CREATED TO MARK THE END OF THE FIRST WORLD WAR, ON THE 11TH DAY OF NOVEMBER, AT THE 11TH HOUR AND THE 11TH MINUTE WHEN THE ARMISTICE WAS SIGNED. TODAY, ITS AN OPPORTUNITY TO HONOR THE LIVING AND THE DEAD WHO CARRIED THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES INTO BATTLE AND FOR SERVICE IN PEACETIME. OBSERVANCES ARE BEING HELD ACROSS THE REGION TO MARK THE DAY. MANY FEDERAL AND STATE OFFICES ARE CLOSED, AS WELL AS SOME BANKING INSTITUTIONS. WHEN YOU SEE A VETERAN TODAY, SAY THANK YOU!

ANOTHER HOME BURGLARY

STATE POLICE ARE LOOKING FOR CLUES ABOUT A BURGLARY AT AN EAST BRUNSWICK TOWNSHIP HOME YESTERDAY. SOMETIME DURING THE DAY, WILLIAM DITZLER'S HOME ON CHESTNUT STREET, NEW RINGGOLD WAS ENTERED BY BREAKING A BACK DOOR WINDOW. SEVERAL FIREARMS AND A JEWELRY BOX WERE REMOVED. THE BURGLAR ALSO ATTEMPTED TO BREAK INTO A SHED AT THE REAR OF THE PROPERTY, THEN FLED. FRACKVILLE STATE TROOPERS ARE HANDLING THE INVESTIGATION.

ST CLAIR WOMAN HURT IN CRASH

A ST CLAIR WOMAN WAS CRITICALLY INJURED IN A CRASH MONDAY AFTERNOON IN BERKS COUNTY. MELISSA DONLEN WAS DRIVING SOUTH ON ROUTE 183 IN BETHEL TOWNSHIP, NEAR THE INTERSECTION WITH ROUTE 419 AND LOST CONTROL OF HER SUV, FLIPPING ON TO ITS ROOF. SHE WAS TAKEN TO LEHIGH VALLEY HOSPITAL FOR TREATMENT. THE ROADWAY WAS CLOSED FOR A TIME FOR CLEANUP.

ROUTE 61 CRASH

TWO PEOPLE ESCAPED INJURY IN A CRASH ON BUSY ROUTE 61 TUESDAY AFTERNOON. BEFORE 5PM, SYDELL WILLIAMS OF AUBURN WAS HEADED SOUTH NEAR THE ENTRANCE TO ALDI FOOD STORE WHEN SHE REAR ENDED AN SUV OPERATED BY PETER PRITISKUTCH OF SCHUYLKILL. TRAFFIC HAD TO BE RE-ROUTED DURING RUSH HOUR WHILE THE SCENE WAS CLEARED.

COMPULSORY UNIONISM DEBATED

AN EFFORT FOR PENNSYLVANIA TO END COMPULSORY UNIONISM IS BEING UNDERTAKEN IN THE STATE HOUSE. CHUCK NICHOLS HAS THE STORY FROM HARRISBURG:

NICHOLS END UNION
:53

CAR IN MINE PIT

FROM ARISTES, POLICE ARE LOOKING FOR THE DRIVER OF A VEHICLE THAT WENT OFF A ROAD AND SLIPPED INTO AN ABANDONED MINING PIT FILLED WITH WATER IN COLUMBIA COUNTY. IT HAPPENED OVERNIGHT ALONG LILY ROAD NEAR ARISTES. DIVE TEAMS WERE ABLE TO GET TO THE VEHICLE, BUT NO ONE WAS INSIDE. CREWS HOPE TO GET THE VEHICLE OUT OF THE PIT SOMETIME TODAY.
(WGRC)

HARRISBURG, PA. (AP) - A RECOUNT OF A TIGHT PENNSYLVANIA SUPERIOR COURT RACE COULD COST TAXPAYERS AS MUCH AS $1.3 MILLION. THREE CANDIDATES CLOSELY TRAIL THE FOURTH-PLACE CANDIDATE IN AN ELECTION TO PICK 4 SUPERIOR COURT JUDGES. SINCE THE 3 TRAILING CANDIDATES ARE WITHIN HALF OF 1 PERCENT OF THE TOTAL VOTES CAST, STATE LAW CALLS FOR AN AUTOMATIC RECOUNT.

LANCASTER, PA. (AP) - AN AUTOPSY IS PLANNED TODAY ON A BODY FOUND ALONG A ROAD IN A REMOTE, WOODED AREA IN SOUTH-CENTRAL PENNSYLVANIA. THE LANCASTER COUNTY CORONER, WOULD NOT SPECULATE ON THE CAUSE OF DEATH FOR THE MAN WHOSE BODY WAS FOUND YESTERDAY. THE BODY WAS FOUND ALONG CREEK ROAD IN SADSBURY TOWNSHIP. AUTHORITIES ARE WITHHOLDING THE MAN'S NAME.

ALLENTOWN, PA. (AP) - A LEGAL ADVOCACY GROUP THAT SOUNDED THE ALARM ABOUT UNCONSTITUTIONAL PRACTICES IN A PENNSYLVANIA JUVENILE COURT WANTS TO KNOW IF SIMILAR RIGHTS VIOLATIONS ARE TAKING PLACE ELSEWHERE IN THE STATE.THE JUVENILE LAW CENTER IS PROMOTING AN ONLINE QUESTIONNAIRE FOR CHILDREN OR THEIR PARENTS TO TELL THEIR STORIES ANONYMOUSLY.

PHILADELPHIA (AP) - A JUDGE SAYS CREDITORS TRYING TO TAKE OVER PHILADELPHIA'S TWO MAJOR NEWSPAPERS IN A BANKRUPTCY AUCTION MUST
BID IN CASH, NOT WITH THE $300 MILLION OWED THEM. THE DECISION YESTERDAY OVERTURNS A BANKRUPTCY COURT RULING THAT SEEMED LIKELY TO GIVE THE PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER AND PHILADELPHIA DAILY NEWS TO CREDITORS.

HARRISBURG, PA. (AP) - THOUSANDS OF PENNSYLVANIA RESIDENTS WHO HAVE EXHAUSTED THEIR UNEMPLOYMENT COMPENSATION BENEFIT MAY BE ABLE
TO GET 20 MORE WEEKS OF CHECKS. WITH THE EXTENSION APPROVED BY CONGRESS, PENNSYLVANIA NOW OFFERS UP TO 99 WEEKS OF JOBLESS BENEFITS. THE STATE'S MAXIMUM UNEMPLOYMENT COMPENSATION PAYOUT IS $583 PER WEEK.

WASHINGTON (AP) - THERE'S FINGER-POINTING IN WASHINGTON ABOUT WHETHER INVESTIGATORS MISSED CLUES THAT COULD HAVE HEADED OFF LAST WEEK'S DEADLY RAMPAGE AT FORT HOOD, TEXAS. ONE QUESTION IS WHETHER PENTAGON OFFICIALS LEARNED ABOUT CONTACTS MADE BETWEEN ACCUSED SHOOTER MAJ. NIDAL HASAN AND A RADICAL ISLAMIC CLERIC. THE SENATE IS ALSO LAUNCHING AN INQUIRY.

WASHINGTON (AP) - PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA IS SALUTING THE TROOPS ON VETERANS DAY BY HOSTING A SPECIAL BREAKFAST AT THE WHITE HOUSE. HE'LL ALSO ATTEND A WREATH-LAYING AT ARLINGTON NATIONAL CEMETERY. AT A MEMORIAL FOR THE 13 SHOOTING VICTIMS AT FORT HOOD YESTERDAY, HE SAID AMERICAN VETERANS WELL KNOW THE MEANING OF THE WORD "SACRIFICE."

WASHINGTON (AP) - PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA MEETS WITH HIS NATIONAL SECURITY TEAM TODAY TO DISCUSS OPTIONS FOR U.S. STRATEGY IN AFGHANISTAN. MILITARY OFFICIALS SAY OBAMA IS CONSIDERING ADDING TENS OF THOUSANDS MORE TROOPS.

SINGAPORE (AP) - SECRETARY OF STATE HILLARY RODHAM CLINTON SAYS THE U.S. WON'T IMPOSE CONDITIONS ON MYANMAR TO FORCE DEMOCRATIC CHANGES THERE. BUT SHE SAYS CURRENT SANCTIONS WILL REMAIN IN PLACE UNTIL THE JUNTA MAKES "MEANINGFUL PROGRESS" TOWARD DEMOCRACY IN KEY AREAS.

RIO DE JANEIRO (AP) - THE LIGHTS ARE BACK ON IN BRAZIL'S TWO LARGEST CITIES. PARTS OF RIO DE JANEIRO, SAO PAULO AND ELSEWHERE WERE BLACKED OUT FOR HOURS AFTER A HYDROELECTRIC DAM WENT OFFLINE. AN OFFICIAL SAYS STRONG STORMS UPROOTED TREES NEAR THE DAM AND COULD BE TO BLAME.