Today's News-Friday, November 4, 2009

POTTSVILLE POLICE ARREST BURGLARY SUSPECTS

POTTSVILLE CITY POLICE HAVE MADE ARRESTS IN CONNECTION WITH A HOME BURGLARY FROM THIS SUMMER. 35 YEAR OLD JESSICA CHATTIN AND 20 YEAR OLD KODIE DEFOUR WERE PICKED UP THURSDAY ON SUSPICION THAT THEY BURGLARIZED AN ELDERLY WOMAN'S HOME AUGUST 16TH. OVER $9-THOUSAND DOLLARS WORTH OF ITEMS WERE TAKEN. REPORTS SAY CHATTIN WAS A CLEANING PERSON AT THE WOMAN'S HOME, BUT WAS FIRED BECAUSE SHE WAS SUSPECTED OF STEALING. FOLLOWING ARRAIGNMENT ON BURGLARY, CRIMINAL TRESPASS, RECEIVING STOLEN PROPERTY AND OTHER COUNTS, BOTH WERE RELEASED ON $50-THOUSAND DOLLARS UNSECURED BAIL.

FIRE INVESTIGATION CONTINUES

INVESTIGATORS ARE STILL TRYING TO DETERMINE AN OFFICIAL CAUSE OF WEDNESDAY'S DEVASTATING FIRE THAT INJURED ONE MAN AND LEFT 8 HOMELESS IN ASHLAND. ACCORDING TO REPORTS, THERE IS A POSSIBILITY THAT SOME TYPE OF ELECTRICAL HEATER MAY HAVE SPARKED THE BLAZE AT 1322 WEST CENTRE STREET. THAT FIRE SPREAD UP AND DOWN THE BLOCK, DESTROYED OR DAMAGING A LARGE PART OF THAT SECTION ON THE SOUTH SIDE OF THE STREET. CLEANUP IS CONTINUING, AND ROBERT O'DONNELL, WHO WAS BURNED, REMAINS IN CRITICAL CONDITION AT THE LEHIGH VALLEY BURN UNIT.

HOW TO FIX HEALTHCARE

WHILE THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT CONSIDERS THE LARGEST HEALTHCARE SYSTEM OVERHAUL EVER, PEOPLE GATHERED AT PENN STATE SCHUYLKILL THURSDAY MORNING TO DISCUSS THE PROBLEM. THE MEETING, "REFORMING HEALTH CARE: THE PENNSYLVANIA PERSPECTIVE", WAS HOSTED BY SENATOR DAVE ARGALL, FEATURED REPRESENTATIVES FROM THE HEALTHCARE AND INSURANCE INDUSTRY LABOR, THE LEGAL COMMUNITY AND OTHERS. ALL IN ATTENDANCE ACKNOWLEDGED THAT HEALTHCARE IS BROKEN, BUT THERE ARE NO EASY SOLUTIONS. AMONG THE ITEMS DISCUSSED WERE A SINGLE PAYER SYSTEM, NATIONALIZED HEALTHCARE, TORT REFORM AND THE SHORTAGE OF HEALTHCARE PROVIDERS. ABOUT 100 PEOPLE ATTENDED THE MEETING.

STUDENT TO STAND WITH OBAMA

AN AUBURN AREA WOMAN WILL HAVE THE CHANCE OF A LIFETIME TO STAND ONSTAGE WITH PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA TODAY WHEN HE BEGINS HIS NATIONWIDE TOUR TO DISCUSS THE ECONOMY. 21 YEAR OLD ANGELA REAGER, A CRIMINAL JUSTICE MAJOR AT LEHIGH CARBON COMMUNITY COLLEGE WAS SELECTED TO BE ONSTAGE WHEN THE PRESIDENT APPEARS AT THE SCHOOL LATER THIS MORNING. REAGER IS ECSTATIC TO BE APPEARING WITH THE PRESIDENT:

REAGER 1

REAGER'S FATHER, KARL, IS A DISPLACED WORKER, AND SHE SAYS THAT'S A QUESTION SHE'D LIKE TO ASK THE PRESIDENT, GIVEN THE CHANCE:

REAGER 2

OBAMA IS SCHEDULED TO MEET WITH LOCAL BUSINESS LEADERS, THEN SPEAK TO THE GATHERING IN SCHNECKSVILLE AT 11:50AM TODAY.

HARRISBURG, PA. (AP) - HARLEY-DAVIDSON SAYS IT WILL NO LONGER PURSUE A PLAN TO MOVE SOME OPERATIONS TO KENTUCKY AFTER WORKERS AT THE MOTORCYCLE MAKER'S CENTRAL PENNSYLVANIA PLANT AGREED TO A NEW
SEVEN-YEAR CONTRACT. HARLEY-DAVIDSON CEO KEITH WANDELL SAYS THE
COMPANY'S BOARD DECIDED YESTERDAY TO RESTRUCTURE ITS OPERATIONS AT
THE YORK, PA. PLANT.

STATE COLLEGE, PA. (AP) - A PENN STATE PROFESSOR SAYS HE WELCOMES THE SCHOOL'S INVESTIGATION INTO E-MAILS HE SENT ABOUT GLOBAL WARMING THAT ARE AT THE CENTER OF AN INTERNATIONAL CONTROVERSY. HACKERS RECENTLY BREACHED SERVERS AT A RESEARCH CENTER IN LONDON, STEALING THOUSANDS OF PIECES OF CORRESPONDENCE AND POSTING THE INFORMATION ON THE INTERNET.

PITTSBURGH (AP) - A PITTSBURGH-AREA MAN ACCUSED OF RAPING A WOMAN AT KNIFEPOINT HAS BEEN RELEASED FROM JAIL DUE TO A PAPERWORK MISTAKE. THE PAPERWORK IN THE CASE AGAINST DAVID BRADFORD NEVER MOVED FROM OFFICE TO OFFICE, LEADING TO HIM BEING IN JAIL FOR MORE THAN A YEAR ON $100,000 STRAIGHT BOND WHILE HIS CASE REMAINED STAGNANT.

WASHINGTON (AP) - SEN. ARLEN SPECTER IS TRYING TO KEEP FIVE FEDERALLY FUNDED CENTERS THAT HELP PREDOMINANTLY OLDER VETERANS IN RURAL PENNSYLVANIA OPEN. THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF LABOR AND INDUSTRY ANNOUNCED IN NOVEMBER THAT THEY WILL CLOSE JAN. 1 DUE TO ECONOMIC
TROUBLES. A FINAL DECISION IS SOON EXPECTED TO BE MADE ABOUT THE
FATE OF THE CENTERS.

ROCHESTER, PA. (AP) - AFTER A DOUBLE SHOOTING IN A STRIP MALL PARKING LOT, POLICE IN WESTERN PENNSYLVANIA HAVE THE ESTRANGED HUSBAND OF ONE OF THE VICTIMS IN CUSTODY. THE SHOOTING IN THE EAST ROCHESTER SHOPPING PLAZA YESTERDAY KILLED A MAN AND INJURED THE SUSPECT'S WIFE. ROCHESTER POLICE SAY GREG BAKER SURRENDERED TO AUTHORITIES SHORTLY AFTER THE SHOOTING.

WASHINGTON (AP) - SENATORS ARE CONTINUING THEIR PUSH FOR A PROPOSED $1 TRILLION, 10-YEAR HEALTH CARE OVERHAUL THIS WEEKEND. SENATE MAJORITY LEADER HARRY REID WANTS TO GET THE MEASURE PASSED THIS MONTH. MAJOR ISSUES REMAINING INCLUDE A GOVERNMENT PLAN TO SELL INSURANCE IN COMPETITION WITH PRIVATE COMPANIES. A SHOWDOWN IS ALSO LIKELY OVER ABORTION FUNDING.

WASHINGTON (AP) - PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA'S OPTIONS FOR SPURRING JOB GROWTH MAY BE LIMITED BY THE NATION'S OUT-OF-CONTROL BUDGET DEFICITS. BUT HIS RECENT STATEMENTS SHOW HE MAY BE OPEN TO MOVES BY CONGRESSIONAL DEMOCRATS TO TRY FOR A JOBS-BOOSTING BILL. OBAMA
HOSTED A WHITE HOUSE JOBS SUMMIT YESTERDAY, AHEAD OF KEY NOVEMBER
UNEMPLOYMENT NUMBERS DUE OUT LATER TODAY.

BRUSSELS (AP) - NATO SECRETARY GENERAL ANDERS FOGH RASMUSSEN IS PREDICTING THAT THE ALLIES WILL PREVAIL IN THEIR BID TO STABILIZE AFGHANISTAN. HE ADDS THAT FOR THE AFGHANISTAN MISSION TO SUCCEED "IT MUST BE A TRUE TEAM EFFORT." THE U.S. HAS BEEN ASKING FOR MORE ALLIED TROOPS TO JOIN U.S. FORCES.

ISLAMABAD (AP) - POLICE IN PAKISTAN SAY GUNMEN HAVE ATTACKED A MOSQUE CLOSE TO ARMY HEADQUARTERS. AT LEAST ONE EXPLOSION HAS BEEN HEARD AS SOLDIERS CLOSE OFF THE AREA. THE ATTACK IS IN A CITY ABOUT JUST A FEW MILES FROM PAKISTAN'S CAPITAL.

SAN DIEGO (AP) - OFFICIALS HAVE SEIZED THOUSANDS OF COUNTERFEIT BARBIES AND OTHER TOYS ALONG SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA BORDER POINTS. FEDERAL OFFICIALS SAY THE TOYS ARE WORTH ABOUT $1.6 MILLION.