Today's News-Tuesday, December 29, 2009

THE CENSUS BUREAU WILL SET UP 20 QUESTIONAIRE ASSISTANCE CENTERS ACROSS SCHUYLKILL COUNTY NEXT YEAR. APPROVED BY THE COUNTY COMMISSIONERS LAST WEEK, THE FIRST CENTER WILL BE SET UP IN THE COUNTY COURTHOUSE NEXT MARCH AND WILL BE OPEN THREE HOURS EACH DAY. THE BUREAU IS STILL SEEKING OTHER LOCATIONS FOR THE REMAINING 19 CENTERS IN PLACES SUCH AS LIBRARIES AND MUNICIPAL BUILDINGS ACROSS THE COUNTY. THE GOAL IS TO MAKE SURE RESIDENTS FILL OUT THEIR CENSUS FORMS CORRECTLY. CENSUS FORMS CAN ALSO BE OBTAINED AT THESE CENTERS.

THE SCHUYLKILL MALL WILL BE HOLDING H1N1 FLU VACCINES ON JANUARY 8TH AND 9TH. THE CLINIC WILL BE HELD FROM 8 TO 4 EACH DAY IN THE SCHUYLKILL MALL COMMUNITY ROOM. APPOINTMENTS ARE URGED AND CAN BE MADE AT WWW.H1N1INPA.COM UNDER WHAT'S HOT OR BY CALLING 877-PA HEALTH, MONDAY THRU FRIDAY 7AM TILL 7PM, AND WEEKENDS FROM 9AM TILL 5PM. THE VACCINATION IS AVAILABLE TO ANYONE WHO WANTS IT. ITS FREE.

THE VETERANS OF FOREIGN WARS POST IN MAHANOY CITY HAS BEEN CITED FOR SEVERAL LIQUOR LAW VIOLATIONS. THE CHARGES INCLUDE SELLING OR GIVING ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES TO A VISIBLY INTOXICATED MALE AND POSSESSING OR OPERATING GAMBLING DEVICES OR PARAPHERNALIA WILL BE BROUGHT BEFORE AN ADMINISTRATIVE LAW JUDGE WHO HAS THE RIGHT TO IMPOSE PENALTIES.

CALIFORNIA, PA. (AP) - A PSYCHOLOGY PROFESSOR WHO HEADS THE FACULTY UNION AT CALIFORNIA UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA SAYS THE SCHOOL'S PRESIDENT DENIED HER PROMOTION BECAUSE OF HER GENDER. THE UNIVERSITY ISSUED A STATEMENT MONDAY ON BEHALF OF PRESIDENT ANGELO ARMENTI JR., DENYING ANY WRONGDOING AND CALLING PROFESSOR LINDA
TOTH'S FEDERAL LAWSUIT AND "UNFOUNDED ATTACK."

PHILADELPHIA (AP) - THE PHILADELPHIA POLICE DEPARTMENT IS CHANGING THE WAY OFFICERS HANDLE DOMESTIC ABUSE CASES. THERE HAS BEEN AN UNEXPECTED SURGE IN DOMESTIC HOMICIDES, EVEN AS THE CITY'S OVERALL HOMICIDE RATE HAS DROPPED SIGNIFICANTLY. AN UPDATED POLICE DIRECTIVE WILL NOT BE READY UNTIL AFTER THE NEW YEAR, BUT THE FOCUS
WILL BE ON BETTER COLLECTION AND USE OF INFORMATION.

READING, PA. (AP) - OFFICIALS HAVE VOTED TO APPROVE TAKING OUT A $3.25 MILLION LOAN AS PART OF A $10 MILLION MAKEOVER OF FIRSTENERGY STADIUM, HOME OF THE READING PHILLIES. THE WORK WILL GET UNDER WAY IN THE FALL. THE MINOR LEAGUE BASEBALL TEAM WILL REPAY THE $3.25 MILLION LOAN, UNDER THE AGREEMENT APPROVED MONDAY BY CITY COUNCIL.

PITTSBURGH (AP) - OFFICIALS AT THE CARNEGIE MUSEUM OF ART IN PITTSBURGH WANT TO DISPLAY A BALLET CURTAIN DESIGNED BY SALVADOR DALI THAT HAS BEEN IN STORAGE SINCE IT WAS DONATED TO THE MUSEUM 33 YEARS AGO. THE CURTAIN IS MORE THAN 26 FEET HIGH AND MORE THAN 49 FEET WIDE. IT DEPICTS A STRUGGLE BETWEEN THE MYTHOLOGICAL CHARACTERS THE MINOTAUR AND THESEUS.

WASHINGTON (AP) - AS THE OBAMA ADMINISTRATION REVIEWS THE NATION'S SECURITIES POLICIES, THE TOP REPUBLICAN ON THE HOUSE INTELLIGENCE COMMITTEE SAYS THE GOVERNMENT NEEDS TO DO A BETTER JOB OF TELLING AMERICANS ABOUT THE THREAT FROM TERRORISM. ON CBS' "THE EARLY SHOW," MICHIGAN CONGRESSMAN PETE HOEKSTRA ALSO SAYS THE U.S. NEEDS TO EMPLOY THE LATEST TECHNOLOGY TO DEAL WITH THE THREAT.

SAN'A, YEMEN (AP) - YEMEN SAYS IT HAD NO INFORMATION FROM U.S. AUTHORITIES THAT WOULD HAVE WARRANTED PUTTING UMAR FAROUK ABDULMUTALLAB ON A WATCH LIST. HE'S THE NIGERIAN MAN ACCUSED OF TRYING TO ATTACK A U.S. AIRLINER ON CHRISTMAS DAY. YEMEN'S INTERIOR MINISTER SAYS THE COUNTRY WILL TIGHTEN CONTROLS ON STUDENT VISAS. ABDULMUTALLAB HAD BEEN IN YEMEN ON SUCH A VISA EARLIER THIS MONTH.

TEHRAN, IRAN (AP) - IRANIAN SECURITY FORCES ARE ARRESTING MORE OPPOSITION ACTIVISTS TODAY. THE LATEST ROUNDUP INCLUDES THE SISTER OF NOBEL PEACE LAUREATE SHIRIN EBADI AND A RELATIVE OF OPPOSITION LEADER MIR HOSSEIN MOUSAVI. MEANWHILE, TEHRAN IS ACCUSING THE U.S., BRITAIN AND OTHER WESTERN COUNTRIES OF FOMENTING VIOLENCE.

KARACHI, PAKISTAN (AP) - PAKISTANI AUTHORITIES ARE TRYING TO CALM SECTARIAN TENSIONS IN THE COUNTRY'S LARGEST CITY. THOUSANDS ARE GATHERING IN KARACHI TODAY FOR THE FUNERALS OF SOME OF THE 43 PEOPLE KILLED WHEN A SUICIDE BOMBER ATTACKED A SHIITE MUSLIM PROCESSION YESTERDAY. THAT SET OFF RIOTING THAT LEFT MARKETS AND STORES ABLAZE. OFFICIALS ARE BLAMING "MISCREANTS" FOR THE VIOLENCE, NOT THE SHIITES.

NEW YORK (AP) - JOHNSON & JOHNSON IS EXPANDING A VOLUNTARY RECALL OF TYLENOL ARTHRITIS CAPLETS. THE COMPANY SAYS IT'S RECEIVED REPORTS OF A MOLDY SMELL THAT CAN CAUSE NAUSEA AND STOMACH PAIN. THE RECALL INVOLVES ALL LOTS OF THE ARTHRITIS PAIN CAPLET 100-COUNT BOTTLES WITH THE RED EZ-OPEN CAP. JOHNSON & JOHNSON SAYS IT WILL
MOVE PRODUCTION TO A NEW FACILITY AND REINTRODUCE THE MEDICINE BY JANUARY.