Today's News-Tuesday, December 1, 2009

HUNTING CABIN DESTROYED

STATE POLICE FIRE INVESTIGATORS HAVE RULED A FIRE AT A HUNTING CABIN IN HEGINS TOWNSHIP WAS ARSON. THE BUILDING AT 160 DELL ROAD BURNED UNDETECTED FOR SEVERAL DAYS BEFORE BEING FOUND ON SATURDAY, ACCORDING TO FIRE MARSHAL JOHN BURNS. THE PROPERTY IS OWNED BY WEAVERS SAWMILL OF LIVERPOOL, PENNSYLVANIA. DAMAGES ARE IN EXCESS OF $50 THOUSAND DOLLARS. BURNS SAYS THAT SEVERAL BRUSH AND FOUR STRUCTURE FIRES, DELIBERATELY SET, HAVE OCCURRED IN THE HEGINS AREA THROUGHOUT THE YEAR. IF ANYONE HAS INFORMATION ABOUT THESE FIRES, CALL THE STATE POLICE BARRACKS AT FRACKVILLE AT 874-5300.

HAMBURG WOMAN, FOUR OTHERS ESCAPE INJURY IN CRASH

FIVE PEOPLE ESCAPED INJURY IN A TWO VEHICLE CRASH ON ROUTE 61 NEAR CRESSONA MALL MONDAY AFTERNOON. JUST AFTER 5PM, MARCY FIKE OF HAMBURG WAS ATTEMPTING TO MAKE A LEFT TURN INTO THE MALL UNDER THE GREEN LIGHT WHEN HER CAR WAS HIT BY A SOUTHBOUND AUTO OPERATED BY A 17 YEAR OLD FEMALE FROM ORWIGSBURG, FORCING FIKE'S CAR ONTO ITS ROOF. FIKE HAD TO BE REMOVED FROM HER VEHICLE BY EMERGENCY PERSONNEL AND WAS WEARING HER SEATBELT. THE GIRL, AND THREE OTHER TEENS, WERE NOT HURT.

NEW YORK MEN INVOLVED IN CRASH, ONE INJURED

TWO MEN FROM NEW YORK WERE INVOLVED IN A CRASH ON INTERSTATE 81 SOUTH MONDAY MORNING. STATE POLICE AT FRACKVILLE REPORT THAT PAUL BRONSON OF ILION, NEW YORK WAS DRIVING SOUTH IN BUTLER TOWNSHIP WHEN HE FELL ASLEEP AT THE WHEEL. BRONSON WOKE UP AND TRIED TO REGAIN CONTROL. THE VAN SPUN AND CAME TO REST ON ITS SIDE. BRONSON'S PASSENGER, GEORGE SALANCO, SUFFERED INJURY TO HIS SHOULDER AND HEAD AND WAS TAKEN TO SCHUYLKILL MEDICAL CENTER EAST FOR TREATMENT.

PITTSBURGH (AP) - THE U.S. SUPREME COURT HAS CLEARED THE WAY FOR THE RETRIAL OF A CENTRAL PENNSYLVANIA MAN WHO ALLEGEDLY MURDERED HIS WIFE AND THEN SHOT HIMSELF IN THE HEAD, LEAVING HIM DELUSIONAL AND A PARAPLEGIC. BUT EDWARD HUMMEL'S LAWYER SAYS HE WILL MOST LIKELY BE KEPT IN A STATE MENTAL HOSPITAL BECAUSE HE ISN'T COMPETENT TO STAND TRIAL.

PITTSBURGH (AP) - SOME 150 PITTSBURGH STUDENTS ARE ATTENDING A PUBLIC HEARING TO OPPOSE A PROPOSED 1 PERCENT COLLEGE TUITION TAX. MAYOR LUKE RAVENSTAHL SAYS THE TAX WILL FILL A $15 MILLION BUDGET GAP. HE SAYS THE TAX WILL NOT BE IN THE 2010 BUDGET, BUT CAN SOLVE SOME OF THE CITY'S LONG-TERM REVENUE PROBLEMS.

HARRISBURG, PA. (AP) - A FORMER PENNSYLVANIA LEGISLATOR IS SLATED TO BE THE FIRST DEFENDANT TO GO ON TRIAL IN AN ONGOING INVESTIGATION OF ALLEGED CORRUPTION. JURY SELECTION STARTS TOMORROW IN THE CASE OF FORMER REP. SEAN RAMALEY IN DAUPHIN COUNTY COMMON PLEAS COURT IN HARRISBURG. HE'S ACCUSED OF ACCEPTING A NO-SHOW STATE JOB.

HARRISBURG, PA. (AP) - PENNSYLVANIANS CAN NOW MAKE APPOINTMENTS AT ONE OF THE 60 STATE HEALTH CENTERS TO BE VACCINATED AGAINST THE SWINE FLU VIRUS. THE VACCINE WILL BE AVAILABLE TO MEMBERS OF A PRIORITY GROUP WHO CANNOT GET THE VACCINE THROUGH THEIR DOCTOR. PEOPLE WHO WANT THE SHOTS CAN CALL 877-PA-HEALTH. AGAIN THAT NUMBER IS 877-PA-HEALTH.

HARRISBURG, PA. (AP) - STATE OFFICIALS SAY PENNSYLVANIA'S ONLINE UNEMPLOYMENT COMPENSATION FILING SYSTEM IS DOWN BUT IS EXPECTED TO
BE FUNCTIONING PROPERLY SOON. DEPARTMENT OF LABOR AND INDUSTRY
SPOKESMAN DAVID SMITH SAID THE SYSTEM HAD A TECHNICAL FAILURE ON
SUNDAY BUT SHOULD BE BACK UP AND RUNNING TODAY.

KABUL (AP) - AFGHAN PRESIDENT HAMID KARZAI AND PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA HAVE HAD A DETAILED DISCUSSION ABOUT OBAMA'S NEW WAR STRATEGY. THE PRESIDENTIAL PALACE SAYS THE TWO LEADERS HAD AN HOUR-LONG VIDEO CONFERENCE THIS MORNING. OBAMA WILL PUBLICLY OUTLINE THE PLAN IN A SPEECH THIS EVENING AT WEST POINT. HE'LL BE SENDING UP TO 35,000 MORE U.S. OVER THE NEXT YEAR.

SEATTLE (AP) - POLICE HAVE BEEN FANNING OUT ACROSS TWO COUNTIES IN WASHINGTON STATE, SEARCHING FOR A MAN SUSPECTED OF GUNNING DOWN
FOUR POLICE OFFICERS AT A TACOMA COFFEE SHOP. AUTHORITIES SAY THEY'VE DETAINED MAURICE CLEMMONS' SISTER WHO THEY BELIEVE MAY HAVE BANDAGED HIS GUNSHOT WOUNDS.

WASHINGTON (AP) - THOUSANDS OF UNEMPLOYED AMERICANS ARE FACING A POTENTIAL HEALTH CARE CRISIS. A FEDERAL SUBSIDY ENDS TODAY THAT REDUCED THE COST OF COBRA, THE PLAN THAT ALLOWS WORKERS TO KEEP THEIR COMPANY'S HEALTH INSURANCE PLAN AFTER THEY LEAVE THEIR JOB. THE ADVOCACY GROUP FAMILIES USA SAY FAMILIES LOSING THE SUBSIDY COULD SEE PREMIUMS INCREASE TO AS MUCH AS $1,100 PER MONTH.

ATLANTA (AP) - VOTERS IN ATLANTA CHOOSE A NEW MAYOR TODAY. THE CONTEST MAY HINGE ON RACE AS A WHITE CITY COUNCILWOMAN FACES A BLACK FORMER STATE SENATOR. TURNOUT IS NOT EXPECTED TO BE HIGH, AND THE WINNER WILL INHERIT A LIST OF PROBLEMS THAT INCLUDE SAGGING FINANCES AND FEARS ABOUT CRIME.

HANOI, VIETNAM (AP) - REMAINS BELIEVED TO BE THOSE OF FOUR AMERICAN SERVICEMEN KILLED DURING THE VIETNAM WAR ARE ON A PLANE HEADED BACK TO THE UNITED STATES. THEY'RE DESTINED FOR A LAB IN HAWAII WHERE FORENSICS TESTS WILL TRY TO IDENTIFY THEM. NEARLY 1,800 U.S. SERVICEMEN ARE STILL UNACCOUNTED FROM THE VIETNAM WAR.