Today's News-Saturday, May 15, 2010

THEY'RE OFF AND WALKING

THE 17TH ANNUAL RELAY FOR LIFE IS OFF AND WALKING FOR CANCER AT POTTSVILLE'S VETERANS MEMORIAL STADIUM. SURVIVORS OF THE DEADLY DISEASE, ALONG WITH FAMILY AND FRIENDS TOOK TO THE TRACK FRIDAY AFTERNOON AT 3PM TO RAISE FUNDS IN THE FIGHT AGAINST CANCER, AND WILL DO SO THROUGH THIS AFTERNOON. NEARLY 600 PEOPLE HAVE REGISTERED, ACCORDING TO AMERICAN CANCER SOCIETY OFFICIALS FOR THE ANNUAL WALK. LUMINARIAS LINED THE TRACK FOR THE NIGHTTIME CEREMONIES, AND CLEAR SKIES AND A LIGHT BREEZE ARE KEEPING SUPPORTERS GOING THROUGHOUT THE DAY. THE GOAL FOR THIS YEARS WALK IS JUST OVER $194 THOUSAND DOLLARS. WPPA'S SHERRY MARCHEFSKY WILL HAVE A REPORT THIS MORNING LIVE FROM VETERANS MEMORIAL STADIUM.

KAREN'S HEROES

THE VOTES ARE IN FOR THE KAREN'S HEROES PROGRAM AT JOHN S CLARKE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL IN POTTSVILLE. THIRD GRADE STUDENTS HEARD PRESENTATIONS FROM NON PROFIT ORGANIZATIONS ABOUT THE WORK THEY DO, AND CHILDREN CAST VOTES, WORTH $5 EACH. THIS YEAR, AVENUES WAS THE TOP VOTE GETTER, BEING AWARDED $408 DOLLARS FOR THEIR WORK. FIVE TOTAL ORGANIZATIONS PRESENTED THIS YEAR, AND A TOTAL OF $15-HUNDRED DOLLARS GIVEN AWAY IN MEMORY OF KAREN CHATTIN NEY, A THIRD GRADE TEACHER WHO DIED OF CANCER.

POTTSVILLE MAN INJURED IN CRASH

A POTTSVILLE MAN HAD TO BE FLOWN FROM THE SCENE OF A CRASH ON ROUTE 61 FRIDAY EVENING. SCHUYLKILL HAVEN POLICE SAY 53 YEAR OLD WALTER GRADWELL WAS NORTHBOUND ON CENTRE AVENUE WHEN HE REAR ENDED A CAR DRIVEN BY 18 YEAR OLD RODNEY MCDONALD OF SCHUYLKILL HAVEN. GRADWELL'S CAR WENT ON TO HIT A STONE WALL AT 63 CENTER AVENUE. GRADWELL SUFFERED HEAD AND FACIAL INJURIES. PART OF SOUTHBOUND ROUTE 61 WAS SHUT DOWN FOR A TIME FOR CLEANUP. THE CRASH HAPPENED AFTER 7PM LAST NIGHT.

SWIC GROUNDBREAKING

SCHUYLKILL WOMEN IN CRISIS EXPANSION PROJECT BROKE GROUND YESTERDAY. THE AGENCY THAT HELPS VICTIMS OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE WILL SIGNIFICANTLY INCREASE CAPACITY OF ITS EMERGENCY SHELTER AS WELL AS RELOCATION OF ITS ADMINSTRATIVE OFFICES AND NON RESIDENTIAL SERVICES TO A SEPARATE FACILITY. A MAJOR CAPITAL CAMPAIGN IN 2008 RAISED $2 MILLION DOLLARS TO HELP THE AGENCY TO UNDERTAKE THE PROJECT. SWIC HAS BEEN IN OPERATION SINCE 1983.

PHILADELPHIA (AP) - DEMOCRATS ARLEN SPECTER AND JOE SESTAK ARE MAKING THEIR FINAL PITCHES TO VOTERS AHEAD OF TUESDAY'S SENATE PRIMARY. BOTH CANDIDATES WERE IN THE LEHIGH VALLEY LAST NIGHT. SESTAK SPOKE AT A STEELWORKERS UNION HALL IN BETHLEHEM, AND SPECTER ADDRESSED A LABOR COUNCIL DINNER.

HARRISBURG, PA. (AP) - GOVERNOR ED RENDELL IS VETOING A BILL HE SAYS WOULD HAMPER THE STATE LIQUOR STORE SYSTEM'S ATTEMPTS TO MODERNIZE. THE BILL WOULD HAVE PROHIBITED STATE STORES FROM HAVING AN INTERIOR CONNECTION TO ANOTHER BUSINESS THAT ALLOWS ALCOHOL CONSUMPTION.

SCRANTON, PA. (AP) - A WYOMING COUNTY WOMAN WHO SAYS SHE ACCIDENTALLY SHOT AND KILLED HER HUSBAND ON A CANADIAN HUNTING TRIP IN 2006 HAS TURNED HERSELF IN TO FACE CHARGES. MARY BETH HARSHBARGER IS CHARGED WITH CRIMINAL NEGLIGENCE CAUSING DEATH AND CARELESS USE OF A FIREARM.

PHILADELPHIA (AP) - THE CEO OF THE PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER AND PHILADELPHIA DAILY NEWS IS LEAVING AS PART OF THE TRANSITION TO NEW
OWNERSHIP BY THE COMPANY'S CREDITORS. THE COMPANY SAYS BRIAN TIERNEY WILL STEP DOWN MAY 21ST AFTER FOUR YEARS AS CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER. HE WILL REMAIN PUBLISHER UNTIL THE SALE CLOSES.

TRIPOLI, LIBYA (AP) - THE DUTCH BOY WHO IS THE SOLE SURVIVOR OF A PLANE CRASH IN LIBYA IS ON HIS WAY BACK TO THE NETHERLANDS ABOARD MEDICAL EVACUATION FLIGHT. HE'S NOW BEEN TOLD THAT HIS PARENTS AND OLDER BROTHER PERISHED IN THE DISASTER. THE NINE-YEAR-OLD'S SURVIVAL OF A CRASH THAT SHATTERED THE AIRLINER AND KILLED 103 PEOPLE IS ONLY THIN RAY OF SUNSHINE IN THE OTHERWISE GRIM TALE.

BANGKOK (AP) - THE U.S. EMBASSY IN BANGKOK IS TELLING AMERICANS TO STAY AWAY AFTER WEEKS OF DEADLY POLITICAL UNREST IN THE THAI CAPITAL. THE EMBASSY IS OFFERING TO EVACUATE FAMILY MEMBERS OF ITS STAFF WHO WANT TO VOLUNTARILY LEAVE THE COUNTRY.

WASHINGTON (AP) - AN ASSOCIATED PRESS-GFK POLL SHOWS VOTER RESTLESSNESS AS MID-TERM ELECTIONS APPROACH IN NOVEMBER. THE POLL SHOWS THE PUBLIC NARROWLY FAVORS DEMOCRATS FOR CONTROL OF CONGRESS BUT WITH A DEFINITE ANTI-INCUMBENT SENTIMENT. ONLY 1 IN 3 PEOPLE SAY THE COUNTRY IS HEADING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION AND JUST HALF APPROVE OF THE JOB PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA IS DOING.

WASHINGTON (AP) - PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA SAYS HE'S AS ANGRY AS THE REST OF THE NATION OVER THE GULF OIL SPILL, BOTH AT OIL DRILLERS AND HIS OWN ADMINISTRATION. HE'S ORDERED EXTRA SCRUTINY OF DRILLING PERMITS SAYING RELATIONSHIPS MAY HAVE GOTTEN TOO COZY. NEXT WEEK, ADMINISTRATION OFFICIALS FACE THEIR OWN CAPITOL HILL GRILLINGS FOR THE FIRST TIME SINCE THE ACCIDENT.

COLEBROOK, N.H. (AP) - STATE FIRE MARSHAL BILL DEGNAN SAYS EXPLOSIONS AT A GUN AND AMMUNITION PLANT IN COLEBROOK HAVE KILLED TWO PEOPLE AND INJURED ONE. THE EXPLOSIONS AT THE MDM MUZZLELOADER BUILDING YESTERDAY SHOOK BUILDINGS BLOCKS AWAY AND FORCED THE EVACUATION OF DOZENS OF HOMES. SOME RESIDENTS HAVE BEEN ALLOWED TO RETURN.