Today's News-Friday, January 22, 2010

SNOWFLAKE AND SNOWDROP CORONATION TOMORROW NIGHT FOR WINTER CARNIVAL

IT'S JANUARY AND THAT MEANS WINTER CARNIVAL FOR POTTSVILLE. IN THE MID 1960’S G. EARL STEVENSON, A CITY COUNCILMAN AND DIRECTOR OF PARKS AND PUBLIC PROPERTY WENT TO ST. PAUL MINNESOTA AND ATTENDED THEIR WINTER CARNIVAL, WHICH HAD BEEN IN EXISTENCE FOR OVER 100 YEARS. STEVENSON PRESENTED THE IDEA TO THE POTTSVILLE RECREATION COMMISSION AND BUILT THE FOUNDATION WE KNOW TODAY AS THE GREATER POTTSVILLE WINTER CARNIVAL. 1968 MARKED ITS FIRST YEAR AND THE PAGENT WAS HELD IN THE HENRY CLAY ROOM AT THE NECHO ALLEN HOTEL. THE CARNIVAL WEEK’S EVENTS INLUDED FIREWORKS, SKI JUMPING, DOWN HILL SKIING, A TORCH LIGHT SKI PARADE, ICE SCUPLTURES IN GARFIELD SQUARE, HOUSE DECORATING CONTEST, AND DOG SLEDDING. MANY CHANGES HAVE TAKEN PLACE SINCE 1968, BUT THE CARNIVAL PRESSES ON TO THIS DAY. THE SNOWDROP & SNOWFLAKE PAGANT WILL BE HELD JANUARY 23RD AT THE POTTSVILLE AREA HIGH SCHOOL AT 7PM. A PAGENT PARTY WILL BE HELD FOLLOWING THE CORONATION AT THE POTTSVILLE CLUB. TICKETS ARE AVAILABLE AT THE DOOR. COME OUT AND SHOW YOUR SUPPORT.


ESSENCE OF JOY TO PERFORM AT PENN STATE SCHUYLKILL CAMPUS

PENN STATE MAIN CAMPUS’S "ESSENCE OF JOY" WILL BE PERFORMING AT THE SCHUYLKILL CAMPUS JANUARY 23RD AT THE JOHN E MORGAN AUDITORIUM AT 7:30PM. TICKETS ARE $5 FOR ADULTS, AND $3FOR SENIORS AND STUDENTS. UNDER THE DIRECTION OF DR ANTHONY LEACH, AN ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR OF MUSIC AND MUSIC EDUCATION AND PENN STATES 2ND CHOSEN LAUREATE, THE ESSENCE OF JOY WILL BE PERFORMING A VARIETY OF MUSIC GENRES FOR YOUR ENJOYMENT. THEY WILL ALSO TAKE PART IN THE WORSHIP SERVICE ON SUNDAY AT 10, WHICH IS FREE TO THE PUBLIC. THESE ACTIVITY IS IN HONOR OF THE CAMPUS’S 75TH ANNIVERSARY.


FIRE DESTROYS HOME IN HEGINS

A THURSDAY NIGHT FIRE ALL BUT DESTROYED A HOME IN HEGINS. FIREFIGHTERS WERE CALLED TO 12 BROOK STREET SHORTLY AFTER 7PM. REPORTS INDICATE THAT FIRE WAS HEAVY AT TIMES, AND IT TOOK SEVERAL HOURS FOR CREWS TO EXTINGUISH THE BLAZE. THE SUMMER HOME WAS UNOCCUPIED AT THE TIME. A CAUSE HAS NOT YET BEEN DETERMINED IN THAT FIRE IN HEGINS TOWNSHIP.

EDUCATION EXPRESS

PARENTS WITH CHILDREN HEADED TO KINDERGARTEN CAN SPEND A FUN DAY SATURDAY AT FAIRLANE VILLAGE MALL AT THE EDUCATION EXPRESS. TAMMY SPEVAK, COORDINATOR FOR COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT FOR EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION EXPLAINS:

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VARIOUS ACTIVITIES, INCLUDING CRAFTS AND STORY TIME WILL BE OFFERED
FROM 11AM TILL 4PM. INFORMATION ABOUT COUNTY-WIDE KINDERGARTEN REGISTRATION WILL ALSO BE AVAILABLE. SPEVAK SAYS THAT THE PROGRAM SHE COORDINATES IS MUCH MORE THAN BUILDING BLOCKS AND TOYS:

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COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT IS FUNDED IN PART BY A STATE GRANT AWARDED TO CHILD DEVELOPMENT INCORPORATED.

BIG BUCKS AT FREEDOM

SOME LUCKY INDIVIDUAL WILL GET THEIR OWN ECONOMIC STIMULUS TONIGHT AT THE FREEDOM DEALERSHIPS, POSSIBLY WALKING AWAY WITH $15 THOUSAND DOLLARS. FREEDOM TOYOTA AND HYUNDAI HAVE BEEN RUNNING THEIR "SWING FOR THE MONEY" CAMPAIGN FOR NEW CAR PURCHASERS, BY PUTTING ON AN INDOOR GREEN. TONIGHT, THE FINAL QUALIFIERS WILL COMPETE TO WIN FROM $15-THOUSAND TO AS MUCH AS $30-THOUSAND DOLLARS. FREEDOM PRESIDENT ERIC SAVAGE GUARANTEES THAT SOMEONE WILL TAKE HOME THE $15 GRAND. THE FREEDOM DEALERSHIPS ARE LOCATED AT THE INTERSECTION OF ROUTES 61 AND 78 IN HAMBURG.

PA. JOBLESS RATE UP, JOBS AT MOST SCARCE IN DECADE

HARRISBURG, PA. (AP) - A NEW REPORT SAYS JOBS IN PENNSYLVANIA WERE HARDER TO FIND IN DECEMBER THAN THEY HAVE BEEN IN MORE THAN A DECADE. THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF LABOR AND INDUSTRY SAID THURSDAY THAT STATEWIDE UNEMPLOYMENT JUMPED TO 8.9 PERCENT LAST MONTH. THE OCTOBER RATE ALSO WAS 8.9 PERCENT, THE HIGHEST LEVEL IN 25 YEARS, BEFORE DIPPING TO 8.5 PERCENT IN NOVEMBER. THE DEPARTMENT SAYS EMPLOYERS ELIMINATED ABOUT 81-HUNDRED JOBS IN DECEMBER, LEAVING PENNSYLVANIA WITH FEWER THAN 5.6 MILLION JOBS -THE LOWEST LEVEL SINCE SEPTEMBER 1999. THE STATE'S UNEMPLOYMENT RATE IS BELOW THE NATIONAL AVERAGE OF 10 PERCENT. AMONG THE 10 MOST POPULOUS STATES, ONLY TEXAS' RATE IS LOWER.

PA. SLOTS REVENUE IN DEC. PASSES NJ FOR 1ST TIME

HARRISBURG, PA. (AP) - GAMBLERS ARE PUTTING MORE MONEY INTO SLOT MACHINES IN PENNSYLVANIA THAN THEY ARE IN ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. THE GAMING INDUSTRY OBSERVER SAYS DECEMBER WAS THE FIRST MONTH EVER THAT SLOT-MACHINE HANDLE IN PENNSYLVANIA SURPASSED ATLANTIC CITY'S. EDITOR JOSEPH WEINERT CALLS IT A MILESTONE THAT IS A RESULT OF DECLINING SLOTS PLAY IN NEW JERSEY AND RISING SLOTS PLAY IN PENNSYLVANIA. THE DIFFERENCE WAS $2.1 BILLION IN PENNSYLVANIA TO ABOUT $2 BILLION IN NEW JERSEY. ON TOP OF THAT, WEINERT IS FORECASTING AN INCREASE IN PENNSYLVANIA'S SLOTS REVENUE IN 2010 AND A DROP IN ATLANTIC CITY'S. HOWEVER, ATLANTIC CITY CASINOS BROUGHT IN MORE MONEY TOTAL BECAUSE OF TABLE GAMES REVENUE THERE. PENNSYLVANIA JUST LEGALIZED TABLE GAMES EARLIER THIS MONTH.

PHILADELPHIA (AP) - PHILADELPHIA'S TEACHERS UNION HAS APPROVED A THREE-YEAR CONTRACT. THE PHILADELPHIA FEDERATION OF TEACHERS APPROVED THE PACT BY A VOTE OF 1,831 TO 885 ON THURSDAY NIGHT. THE CONTRACT RUNS THROUGH AUGUST 2012 AND INCLUDES TWO ACROSS-THE-BOARD RAISES OF 3 PERCENT.

PITTSBURGH (AP) - TWO SISTERS WHO HELPED BRING 54 ORPHANS FROM EARTHQUAKE-RAVAGED HAITI TO PITTSBURGH SAY THEY HAVEN'T HAD TIME TO
STOP AND THINK ABOUT WHAT HAPPENED. JAMIE AND ALI MCMUTRIE SAY THEY'RE JUST THANKFUL THAT ALL THE CHILDREN ARE SAFE AND SOUND.

READING, PA. (AP) - AUTHORITIES SAY TWO EASTERN PENNSYLVANIA STUDENTS ACCUSED OF ARRANGING A GUN PURCHASE AT THEIR HIGH SCHOOL WERE NOT PLANNING TO HARM ANYONE. SCHUYLKILL VALLEY HIGH SCHOOL OFFICIALS SAY A 15-YEAR-OLD BOY TOLD THEM HE BOUGHT A PISTOL AND AMMUNITION FROM AN 18-YEAR-OLD STUDENT.

PHILADELPHIA (AP) - A JEWISH TEENAGER TRYING TO PRAY ON A NEW YORK-TO-KENTUCKY FLIGHT CAUSED A SCARE THURSDAY WHEN HE PULLED OUT A SET OF SMALL BOXES CONTAINING HOLY SCROLLS. THAT LED THE FLIGHT'S CAPTAIN TO DIVERT THE PLANE TO PHILADELPHIA WHERE IT WAS MET BY POLICE AND FEDERAL AGENTS. THE 17-YEAR-OLD FROM WHITE PLAINS, N.Y. WAS LATER CLEARED TO CONTINUE HIS TRAVELS.

HARRISBURG, PA. (AP) - PENNSYLVANIA'S DEMOCRATIC CHAIRMAN SAID THURSDAY THE PARTY WOULD BE BETTER OFF IF CONGRESSMAN JOE SESTAK WERE TO ABANDONS HIS BID FOR SEN. ARLEN SPECTER'S SEAT AND INSTEAD SEEK A THIRD TERM IN THE HOUSE. DEMOCRATIC LEADER T.J. ROONEY SAID A SESTAK WITHDRAWAL WOULD ALLOW SPECTER TO FOCUS MORE ON THE GENERAL-ELECTION CAMPAIGN.

WASHINGTON (AP) - PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA TRAVELS TO A STATE HIT HARD BY THE RECESSION TODAY AS HE CONTINUES THIS WEEK'S FOCUS ON THE ECONOMY. HE'LL VISIT LORAINE COUNTY COMMUNITY COLLEGE IN OHIO, WHERE HE'LL TALK TO WORKERS AND BUSINESS OWNERS ABOUT PLANS FOR PUTTING MORE AMERICANS TO WORK.

PORT-AU-PRINCE, HAITI (AP) - IN HAITI, THE STRUGGLE CONTINUES TO GET FOOD, WATER AND CRITICAL SUPPLIES TO SURVIVORS OF LAST WEEK'S EARTHQUAKE. SCAVENGERS HAVE BEEN SEEN RAMPAGING THROUGH COLLAPSED SHOPS. A U.S. CHARITY REPORTS THAT STICK-WIELDING QUAKE VICTIMS HAVE MADE OFF WITH ABOUT 50 TONS OF RICE, OIL, DRIED BEANS AND SALT.

ISLAMABAD (AP) - DEFENSE SECRETARY ROBERT GATES SAYS THE U.S. HAS NO DESIGNS ON PAKISTAN'S NUCLEAR WEAPONS OR "A SINGLE INCH OF PAKISTANI SOIL." HE'S BEEN TALKING TO PAKISTANI MILITARY STUDENTS AND TRYING TO COMBAT MISPERCEPTIONS ABOUT AMERICAN INTENTIONS IN THE REGION.

KABUL (AP) - AFGHANISTAN IS BANNING THE USE OF A FERTILIZER CHEMICAL THAT CAN ALSO BE USED TO MAKE BOMBS. THE PRESIDENTIAL DECREE GIVES CITIZENS 30 DAYS TO TURN IN SUPPLIES TO AUTHORITIES. FARMERS ARE BEING URGED TO USE FERTILIZER WITH UREA NITRATE INSTEAD OF THE NOW-BANNED AMMONIUM NITRATE.

PHOENIX (AP) - THE WEATHER THREAT IS EASING IN ARIZONA, AND FLIGHTS ARE RESUMING AT PHOENIX'S SKY HARBOR INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT. THOUSANDS OF PASSENGERS HAD BEEN STRANDED AFTER A WINTER STORM DUMPED HEAVY RAIN AND DEEP SNOW ON MUCH OF ARIZONA AND CALIFORNIA.