TODAY'S NEWS - MONDAY JULY 19, 2010

LOCAL NEWS

PA DEBATE ON EXTENDING UNEMPLOYMENT

GOVERNOR RENDELL SAYS UNEMPLOYMENT BENEFITS SHOULD BE EXTENDED TO THOSE IN THIS COUNTRY WHO CAN’T FIND WORK. DR IRA WOLFE IS A WORKFORCE EXPERT AND PRESIDENT OF SUCCESS PERFORMANCE SOLUTIONS IN LANCASTER WHO SAYS WITHOUT THE EXTENSION, UNEMPLOYED PENNSYLVANIANS WILL FACE EVEN TOUGHER SCENARIOS AND TAXPAYERS STILL LOSE. SHE SAYS THE DECISION TO EXTEND BENEFITS MAY GET CLEARER FOR SOME CONGRESS WITH MID-TERM ELECTIONS DRAWING CLOSER, AND THAT THE JOB MARKET WAS ON A COLLISION COURSE FOR SOME TIME LEADING UP TO THE RECESSION. THOSE WHO OPPOSE THE EXTENSION SAY IT’S TOO COSTLY. LATEST JOBLESS NUMBERS FOR PENNSYLVANIA SHOW THE STATE LOST 6300 JOBS LAST MONTH, MOSTLY DUE TO THE LOSS OF THE CENSUS WORKERS, BUT HAS GAINED 64,000 THE FIRST HALF OF THIS YEAR. THO GOVERNOR RENDELL SAYS THOSE JOBS STILL DON’T CHANGE THE FACT THAT HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF PENNSYLVANIANS ARE UNEMPLOYED AND WITHOUT WORK.

SIMPLE ASSAULT CHARGES FILED

SIMPLE ASSAULT CHARGES HAVE BEEN FILED AGAINST ROBERT ANDERSON OF NEW PHILADELPHIA. THE ACCUSED ASSAULTED APRIL MILLER, ALSO OF NEW PHILADELPHIA, EARLY YESTERDAY MORNING. ANDERSON REPORTEDLY PULLED MILLER’S HAIR AND KICKED HER IN THE HEAD WHILE THEY WERE INVOLVED IN AN ARGUMENT. MILLER REFUSED MEDICAL TREATMENT, THO SHE DID SHOW SIGNS OF THE ASSAULT. ANDERSON WAS ARRAIGNED AND RELEASED ON BAIL. A PRELIMINARY HEARING WILL BE SCHEDULED IN FRONT OF DISTRICT JUDGE PLACHKO.

FUEL CANS/GAS STOLEN

10 FUEL CANS AND 100 GALLONS OF GAS HAVE BEEN STOLEN FROM A SHED IN OAK GROVE FARMS. SOMETIME LATE LAST WEEK, UNKNOWN SUSPECTS ENTERED KEVIN MARK HAAS’S SHED LOCATED IN THE READ OF OAK GROVE FARM ON 990 VISTA RD IN ELDRED TOWNSHIP, AND MADE OFF WITH APPROXIMATELY $565 WORTH GAS IN GAS CANS. THE SUSPECTS THEN FLED THE SCENE. ANYONE WITH INFORMATION ABOUT THIS THEFT IS TO CONTACT THE PSP OF SCHUYLKILL HAVEN. THE INVESTIGATION IS ONGOING.

SOLAR PANELS FOR BUILDING IN NORWEGIAN TOWNSHIP

SEEMS EVERYONE IS TRYING TO FIND A WAY TO SAVE MONEY AND GO GREEN THESE DAYS. THE LATEST IN THAT FEAT IS MILLER BROTHERS CONSTRUCTION WHO PLANS TO INSTALL SOLAR PANELS TO A BUILDING IN NORWEGIAN TOWNSHIP. THEY PLAN TO LEASE THE BUILDING TO MANUFACTURES AND OTHER BUSINESSES. IT IS GOING TO BE A 201.6 KILOWATT SOLAR FARM THAT WILL ALLOW MILLER BROTHERS TO MAKE A PROFIT ALLOWING THEM TO SELL WHAT POWER ISN’T NEEDED BACK TO PPL. THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE SOLAR PANELS SHOULD BE COMPLETED MID-SEPTEMBER.


STATE NEWS

LANCASTER, PA. (AP) - A PROPOSAL FOR PENNSYLVANIA'S COUNTIES TO
ABSORB MUNICIPAL GOVERNMENTS IS DRAWING FIRE FROM LOCAL GOVERNMENT
OFFICIALS. UNDER THE LEGISLATION, TOWNSHIPS, BOROUGHS AND CITIES
WOULD BE ELIMINATED AND PENNSYLVANIA'S 67 COUNTIES WOULD ASSUME ALL
RESPONSIBILITY FOR LOCAL SERVICES. THE LANCASTER INTELLIGENCER
JOURNAL REPORTS THE BILL IS SLATED FOR A HEARING NEXT MONTH.

JOHNSTOWN, PA. (AP) - TWO BROTHERS WANTED IN A JOHNSTOWN
SHOOTING DEATH LAST WEEKEND ARE IN CUSTODY FOLLOWING THEIR ARREST
IN THE POCONOS. POLICE SAY TAEVON DIXON AND JHARON DIXON WERE FOUND
IN A MOVING VAN ON INTERSTATE 80 IN TANNERSVILLE FRIDAY. BOTH WERE
WANTED IN THE JULY 11TH SHOOTING DEATH OF JAMES PELHAM.

HARRISBURG, PA. (AP) - THE STATE HAS RELEASED A REPORT
CATALOGUING WHAT IT CALLS "DISRUPTIVE BEHAVIOR" BY HEALTH CARE
WORKERS THAT CAN POSE A DANGER TO PATIENTS. THE HARRISBURG
PATRIOT-NEWS REPORTS PENNSYLVANIA PATIENT SAFETY AUTHORITY CITES
177 INCIDENTS OF DISRUPTIVE BEHAVIOR BY HEALTH CARE WORKERS DURING
A 31-MONTH PERIOD ENDING LAST OCTOBER.

ERIE, PA. (AP) - THE U.S. BRIG NIAGARA IS MARKING THE 20TH
ANNIVERSARY OF ITS FIRST VOYAGE. THE BRIG NIAGARA IS A
RECONSTRUCTED 19TH CENTURY SHIP RECOVERED FROM LAKE ERIE IN 1913.
THE ERIE TIMES-NEWS REPORTS THE PRESENT NIAGARA IS THE THIRD
RECONSTRUCTION OF THE SHIP THAT COMMODORE OLIVER HAZARD PERRY
SAILED TO VICTORY AGAINST THE BRITISH IN THE BATTLE OF LAKE ERIE
DURING THE WAR OF 1812.


NATIONAL NEWS

INDIA-TRAIN CRASH
OFFICIALS RAISES QUESTIONS AS DOZENS KILLED IN INDIA TRAIN CRASH

CALCUTTA, INDIA (AP) - THE RAILWAY MINISTER IS RAISING THE
POSSIBILITY OF FOUL PLAY IN THE DEADLY COLLISION OF TWO TRAINS IN
EASTERN INDIA.
A SPEEDING EXPRESS TRAIN COLLIDED WITH A PASSENGER TRAIN AT A
STATION EARLY MONDAY, MANGLING THE CARRIAGES AND KILLING AT LEAST
61 PEOPLE.
THE RAILWAY MINISTER RAISED THE POSSIBILITY THE CRASH COULD HAVE
BEEN ANOTHER CASE OF SABOTAGE, TWO MONTHS AFTER MAOIST REBELS WERE
BLAMED FOR A DERAILMENT THAT KILLED 145 PEOPLE.
THE EARLY MORNING COLLISION ABOUT 125 MILES NORTH OF CALCUTTA
DESTROYED TWO PASSENGER CARS AND A LUGGAGE CAR. THE PASSENGER CARS
WERE RESERVED FOR THOSE ON THE CHEAPEST TICKETS AND SUCH CARRIAGES
ARE USUALLY PACKED TO CAPACITY.
THE FORCE OF THE CRASH THREW THE ROOF OF ONE CAR ONTO AN
OVERPASS.
THE DISASTER WAS THE SECOND MAJOR TRAIN CRASH IN THE STATE OF
WEST BENGAL IN THE PAST TWO MONTHS.

INTELLIGENCE INVESTIGATION
POST DOCUMENTS GROWTH OF INTELLIGENCE SINCE 9/11

WASHINGTON (AP) - A PUBLISHED REPORT SAYS THAT SINCE 9/11,
TOP-SECRET INTELLIGENCE GATHERING HAS BALLOONED TO THE POINT WHERE
NO ONE REALLY KNOWS WHAT IT COSTS AND HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE INVOLVED.
A TWO-YEAR INVESTIGATION BY THE WASHINGTON POST FOUND WHAT IT
CALLED A "TOP SECRET AMERICA" THAT'S HIDDEN FROM PUBLIC VIEW AND
LARGELY LACKING IN OVERSIGHT.
IN ITS FIRST INSTALLMENT TODAY OF A SERIES OF REPORTS, THE POST
SAYS THERE ARE NOW MORE THAN 1,200 GOVERNMENT ORGANIZATIONS AND
MORE THAN 1,900 PRIVATE COMPANIES INVOLVED. THEY WORK ON
COUNTERTERRORISM, HOMELAND SECURITY AND INTELLIGENCE IN SOME 10,000
LOCATIONS ACROSS THE U.S.

GULF OIL SPILL-RICO
RICO LAW MADE TO COMBAT MAFIA USED IN BP LAWSUITS

MIAMI (AP) - ATTORNEYS ARE USING A LAW ENACTED TO COMBAT THE
MAFIA IN LAWSUITS ACCUSING BP AND TRANSOCEAN OF COMMITTING CRIMES
THAT LED TO THE GULF OF MEXICO OIL SPILL.
AT LEAST THREE LAWSUITS HAVE BEEN FILED UNDER THE FEDERAL LAW
KNOWN AS RICO, WHICH STANDS FOR RACKETEERING INFLUENCED AND CORRUPT
ORGANIZATIONS. THEY ARE AMONG MORE THAN 200 LAWSUITS FILED SINCE
THE DEEPWATER HORIZON DRILL RIG EXPLODED AND SANK IN APRIL.
THE RICO LAWSUITS ACCUSE BOTH COMPANIES OF COMMITTING WIRE AND
MAIL FRAUD BY FILING FALSE DOCUMENTS WITH THE U.S. GOVERNMENT,
MISLEADING INVESTORS AND BRIBING GOVERNMENT REGULATORS.
CIVIL RICO CASES CAN LEAD TO CRIMNAL PROSECUTIONS. THE JUSTICE
DEPARTMENT IS LOOKING AT ALL POSSIBLE CRIMINAL VIOLATIONS.
THE COMPANIES DECLINED COMMENT.

GULF OIL SPILL-BRITAIN-BP
BP PUTS GULF OIL SPILL COST AT NEARLY $4 BILLION

LONDON (AP) - OIL COMPANY BP SAYS THAT THE COST OF DEALING WITH
THE GULF OF MEXICO SPILL HAS NOW REACHED NEARLY $4 BILLION.
THE COMPANY, WHICH LAST WEEK MANAGED TO PLACE A TEMPORARY CAP ON
THE LEAK, SAID MONDAY IT HAS MADE PAYMENTS TOTALING $207 MILLION TO
SETTLE INDIVIDUAL CLAIMS FOR DAMAGES FROM THE SPILL ALONG THE
SOUTHERN COAST OF THE UNITED STATES.
TO DATE, ALMOST 116,000 CLAIMS HAVE BEEN SUBMITTED AND MORE THAN
67,500 PAYMENTS HAVE BEEN MADE, TOTALING $207 MILLION.
INCLUDING THE COST OF THE SPILL RESPONSE, CONTAINMENT, RELIEF
WELL DRILLING, GRANTS TO THE GULF STATES, PAYMENT OF CLAIMS AND
U.S. GOVERNMENT COSTS, BP SAYS IT HAS NOW SPENT $3.95 BILLION.
THE COMPANY ADDS THAT IT IS STILL TOO EARLY TO QUANTIFY THE
EVENTUAL TOTAL COST.

GULF OIL SPILL
OFFICIAL: TESTING EXTENDED; CONCERN RAISED ABOUT SEEPAGE AND
POSSIBLE METHANE AT OIL SPILL SITE

NEW ORLEANS (AP) - AN ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL SAYS TESTING WILL
CONTINUE AMID A SIMMERING CONFLICT BETWEEN THE GOVERNMENT AND BP
OVER THE NEWLY CAPPED WELL IN THE GULF OF MEXICO.
BP HAS BEEN GETTING HAMMERED FOR MONTHS AND DOESN'T WANT TO SEE
MORE CRUDE BOILING OUT INTO THE GULF.
THE GOVERNMENT WANTS TO PIPE OIL TO THE SURFACE, WHICH WOULD
REQUIRE UP TO THREE MORE DAYS OF OIL SPILLING INTO THE GULF TO
RELIEVE PRESSURE.
RETIRED COAST GUARD ADM. THAD ALLEN, THE ADMINISTRATION'S SPILL
RESPONSE CHIEF, SAYS A SEEP HAS BEEN DETECTED NEAR THE BLOWN OUT
WELL.
THE CONCERN - SINCE PRESSURE READINGS WERE LOWER THAN EXPECTED -
WAS A LEAK ELSEWHERE WHICH COULD FORCE OFFICIALS TO REOPEN THE CAP
TO PREVENT MORE PROBLEMS.
AN ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL TELLS THE ASSOCIATED PRESS THAT
POSSIBLE METHANE WAS FOUND.
THE OFFICIAL SAYS ALLEN DECIDED TO EXTEND TESTING BEYOND SUNDAY.

AUSTRIA-AIDS CONFERENCE
NEW: BILL CLINTON SPEAKS AT INT'L AIDS CONFERENCE

VIENNA (AP) - FORMER PRESIDENT BILL CLINTON SAYS AIDS MONEY
NEEDS TO GET TO THE PEOPLE WHO ACTUALLY NEED THE HELP.
SPEAKING AT AN INTERNATIONAL AIDS CONFERENCE IN VIENNA, CLINTON
SAYS MONEY FOR AIDS IS MISSPENT IN MANY COUNTRIES. HE CALLED FOR
MORE EFFICIENT USE OF FUNDING IN THE FIGHT AGAINST AIDS.
CLINTON SAYS FUNDING SHOULD GO DIRECTLY TO LOCAL ORGANIZATIONS
AND NATIONAL PLANS IN DEVELOPING COUNTRIES THAT CAN DELIVER
SERVICES WELL AT A LOWER COST AND LESS OVERHEAD THAN ESTABLISHED
ORGANIZATIONS.
HE SAYS TOO MUCH OF THE MONEY NOW "GOES TO PAY FOR TOO MANY
PEOPLE TO GO TO TOO MANY MEETINGS, GET ON TOO MANY AIRPLANES."
YESTERDAY, THE HEAD OF THE CONFERENCE SAID WORLD LEADERS LACK
THE POLITICAL WILL TO ENSURE THAT EVERYONE INFECTED WITH HIV AND
AIDS GETS NEEDED TREATMENT.

AIDS-POVERTY
STUDY: POVERTY, MORE THAN RACE, TIED TO HIV

ATLANTA (AP) - A FIRST-OF-ITS-KIND GOVERNMENT STUDY HAS FOUND
THAT POVERTY IS PERHAPS THE MOST IMPORTANT FACTOR IN WHETHER
INNER-CITY HETEROSEXUALS ARE INFECTED WITH THE AIDS VIRUS.
THE STUDY SAYS HIV IS EPIDEMIC IN CERTAIN POVERTY-STRICKEN URBAN
NEIGHBORHOODS. WHAT'S MORE, POOR HETEROSEXUALS IN THOSE
NEIGHBORHOODS ARE TWICE AS LIKELY TO BE INFECTED AS THOSE WHO LIVE
IN THE SAME COMMUNITY BUT HAVE MORE MONEY.
FEDERAL SCIENTISTS FOUND RACE WAS NOT A FACTOR. THE RESEARCH WAS
RELEASED MONDAY AT THE INTERNATIONAL AIDS CONFERENCE IN VIENNA.

FLU-MICRONEEDLES
MICRONEEDLES MAY MAKE GETTING FLU SHOTS EASIER

WASHINGTON (AP) - RESEARCHERS DEVELOPING A NEW METHOD OF VACCINE
DELIVERY ARE HOPING THAT ONE DAY, PEOPLE WILL GET THEIR ANNUAL FLU
SHOTS IN THE MAIL.
RESEARCHERS SAY THE NEW METHOD OF VACCINE DELIVERY INVOLVES A
PATCH WITH MICRONEEDLES. THEY'RE SO SMALL THEY CAN'T EVEN BE FELT.
ATTACHED TO A PATCH LIKE A BAND-AID, THE LITTLE NEEDLES BARELY
PENETRATE THE SKIN BEFORE THEY DISSOLVE AND RELEASE THEIR VACCINE.
RESEARCHERS LED BY MARK PRAUSNITZ OF GEORGIA INSTITUTE OF
TECHNOLOGY REPORTED THEIR RESEARCH ON MICRONEEDLES IN SUNDAY'S
EDITION OF NATURE MEDICINE.
HE SAYS THE BUSINESS SIDE OF THE PATCH FEELS LIKE FINE SANDPAPER
AND THAT IN TESTS OF MICRONEEDLES WITHOUT VACCINE, PEOPLE RATED THE
DISCOMFORT AT ONE-TENTH TO ONE-TWENTIETH THAT OF GETTING A STANDARD
INJECTION. NEARLY EVERYONE SAID IT WAS PAINLESS.

TEST TUBE BABIES-CANCER
TEST-TUBE KIDS AND CANCER? METHOD UNLIKELY A CAUSE

CHICAGO (AP) - FOR THE FIRST TIME, A LARGE STUDY SUGGESTS A
HIGHER RATE OF CHILDHOOD CANCER AMONG TEST-TUBE BABIES. BUT SWEDISH
RESEARCHERS SAY THE REASON PROBABLY HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH THE
METHOD.
MORE LIKELY, IT'S RELATED TO THE GENETICS OF THE PARENTS WHO
USED IN VITRO FERTILIZATION BECAUSE OF INFERTILITY. THE STUDY'S
AUTHORS AND OTHER EXPERTS SAY THERE COULD BE ANOTHER REASON:
TEST-TUBE INFANTS OFTEN ARE BORN PREMATURELY AND HAVE BREATHING
PROBLEMS AT BIRTH. BOTH HAVE ALSO BEEN LINKED WITH INCREASED CANCER
RISKS.
BUT EVEN WITH AN ELEVATED RISK, FAR LESS THAN 1 PERCENT OF THESE
CHILDREN DEVELOP CANCER.
THE FINDINGS WERE PUBLISHED ONLINE MONDAY IN PEDIATRICS.
WHETHER SIMILAR RESULTS WOULD BE FOUND AMONG U.S. CHILDREN IS
UNCERTAIN.

NABE SURVEY
ECONOMISTS SAY RECOVERY CONTINUES, BUT PACE SLOWS

NEW YORK (AP) - A BUSINESS SURVEY SUGGESTS THE PACE OF U.S.
ECONOMIC GROWTH IS SLOWING BUT THE ECONOMY DID CONTINUE TO GROW
DURING THE SECOND QUARTER OF THIS YEAR.
THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION FOR BUSINESS ECONOMICS SURVEY SAYS MORE
BUSINESSES ARE HIRING AND FEWER ARE CUTTING JOBS.
THE SURVEY, RELEASED MONDAY, FOUND 31 PERCENT OF BUSINESSES
ADDED WORKERS BETWEEN APRIL AND JUNE, THE HIGHEST LEVEL IN THREE
YEARS. AND 39 PERCENT OF THOSE SURVEYED SAY THEY EXPECT TO HIRE
MORE WORKERS OVER THE NEXT SIX MONTHS - THE MOST SINCE JANUARY
2008. MANUFACTURERS DID BEST WHILE THE FINANCE, INSURANCE AND REAL
ESTATE SECTORS SAW THE SLOWEST GROWTH.
THE NUMBER OF RESPONDENTS WHO THINK REAL GROSS DOMESTIC PRODUCT
(GDP) WILL EXPAND BY MORE THAN 3 PERCENT THIS YEAR SLID TO 20
PERCENT. BUT 67 PERCENT OF RESPONDENTS STILL BELIEVE 2010 GROWTH
WILL BE MORE THAN 2 PERCENT.

UNEMPLOYMENT COMPENSATION
NEW SENATOR EXPECTED TO BE THE 60TH VOTE TO PUSH THROUGH JOBLESS
EXTENSION

WASHINGTON (AP) - DEMOCRATS ARE SET TO PICK UP A CRUCIAL VOTE IN
THE SENATE AS 36 YEAR OLD CARTE GOODWIN BECOMES THE YOUNGEST
SENATOR WHEN HE TAKES THE OATH OF OFFICE TOMORROW TO SUCCEED THE
LONGEST SERVING ONE.
GOODWIN SUCCEEDS THE LATE SEN. ROBERT BYRD OF WEST VIRGINIA.
WEST VIRGINIA SEN. JAY ROCKEFELLER SAYS GOODWIN WILL BE THE VOTE
DEMOCRATS HAVE BEEN LACKING IN THEIR BID TO BREAK A REPUBLICAN
FILIBUSTER AND PASS AN EXTENSION OF JOBLESS BENEFITS.
THE LEGISLATION IS SCHEDULED FOR A VOTE JUST A FEW MINUTES AFTER
GOODWIN IS SWORN IN.
REPUBLICANS HAVE OPPOSED THE EXTENSION BECAUSE DEMOCRATS DON'T
INCLUDE A WAY TO COVER THE COST.