TODAY'S NEWS - THURSDAY AUGUST 12, 2010

LOCAL NEWS

BOIL ADVISORY

SOME CUSTOMERS OF THE PINE GROVE WATER AUTHORITY ARE UNDER A BOIL ADVISORY. RESIDENTS LIVING ON NORTH TULPEHOCKEN STREET, FROM WIDEAWAKE AND PENN DYE STREETS TO OAK GROVE ROAD MUST BOIL THEIR WATER BEFORE CONSUMPTION UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE. THE WATER MAIN BREAK THAT PROMPTED THE ADVISORY HAS BEEN FIXED.


SCHUYLKILL ALLIANCE FOR HEALTH CARE TO SUSPEND OPERATIONS IN OCTOBER

DUE TO GAPS IN ITS FUNDING STREAM, THE SCHUYLKILL ALLIANCE FOR HEALTH CARE IS LOOKING AT SUSPENDING ITS ACTIVITIES IN OCTOBER UNTIL GAP FUNDING CAN BE SECURED TO RESUME ACTIVITIES. THE SCHUYLKILL ALLIANCE IS A LOCAL NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION THAT PROVIDES LOW-COST HEALTH CARE AND PHARMACEUTICAL SERVICES TO UNINSURED LOW-TO-MODERATE INCOME SCHUYLKILL COUNTY RESIDENTS. IT ANTICIPATED RECEIPT OF FEDERAL FUNDING THROUGH THE EFFORTS OF REP. TIM HOLDEN IN NOVEMBER, BUT A GAP IN THE FUNDING CYCLE PROHIBITS THE CONTINUATION OF FULL-TIME ACTIVITIES UNTIL THE MONIES ARE REVIEWED. STATE REPS. TIM SEIP AND NEAL GOODMAN MET WITH THE PA HOUSE LEADERSHIP SEEKING FUNDING FOR THE SCHUYLKILL ALLIANCE IN THE 2011 CAPITAL BUDGET, BUT BECAUSE OF SEVERAL CUTS IN THE BUDGET, WERE UNABLE TO SECURE THE FUNDING. THE ALLIANCE IS ALSO SEEKING GRANTS FROM PUBLIC AND PRIVATE SOURCES.

PINE GROVE MAN DIES IN FISHING ACCIDENT IN SUNBURY

A PINE GROVE MAN IS DEAD AFTER BEING PULLED FROM THE SUSQUEHANNA RIVER YESTERDAY AFTERNOON. DAVID ZIMMERMAN, 68, WAS FISHING WITH A COMPANION JUST BELOW A DAM NEAR A PPL PLANT WHEN HE STEPPED INTO A HOLE AND WENT UNDER WATER. HE WAS PULLED OUT AND TAKEN BY BOAT TO STIELY’S CAMP GROUND, WHERE OTHER BOATERS OFFERED ASSISTANCE AND PERFORMED CPR. RESCUERS WERE UNABLE TO REVIVE ZIMMERMAN AND HE WAS PRONOUNCED DEAD AROUND 8PM LAST NIGHT.


STATE NEWS

LANCASTER, PA. (AP) - AN ARIZONA PRISONER WHOSE ESCAPE HAS
TRIGGERED A NATIONAL MANHUNT HAS A PENNSYLVANIA CRIMINAL RECORD FOR
CONVENIENCE STORE ROBBERIES IN LANCASTER COUNTY. JOHN MCCLUSKEY
SERVED 14 YEARS IN PENNSYLVANIA STATE PRISONS FOR A STRING OF
CRIMES IN APRIL 1992. HE WAS PAROLED TO A HALFWAY HOUSE THREE YEARS
AGO.

ROYERSFORD, PA. (AP) - AUTHORITIES IN SUBURBAN PHILADELPHIA SAY
A 4-YEAR-OLD BOY HAS DIED OF A GUNSHOT WOUND. POLICE IN MONTGOMERY
COUNTY WERE CALLED YESTERDAY AFTERNOON TO A ROYERSFORD HOME, WHERE
THE COUNTY CORONER SAYS MICHAEL DESANTIS WAS SHOT IN THE HEAD WITH
A GUN THAT BELONGED TO HIS FATHER.

PHILADELPHIA (AP) - A CHILD-RAPE SUSPECT BEATEN BY AN ANGRY
PHILADELPHIA MOB HAS PLEADED GUILTY TO BRUTALLY ATTACKING THE
11-YEAR-OLD GIRL. JOSE CARRASQUILLO (KAR-US-KEE'-OH) ENTERED THE
GUILTY PLEA YESTERDAY AND COULD FACE UP TO LIFE IN PRISON WHEN HE
IS SENTENCED IN NOVEMBER. HE WAS ARRESTED LAST YEAR AFTER BEING
CHASED DOWN AND BEATEN BY NEIGHBORS WHO RECOGNIZED HIM.

PITTSBURGH (AP) - A JUDGE HAS DENIED A PITTSBURGH-AREA MAN'S
PETITION TO LEGALLY CHANGE HIS NAME TO BOOMER THE DOG. GREEN TREE
RESIDENT GARY GUY MATHEWS TELLS THE PITTSBURGH POST-GAZETTE HE
FILED FOR THE NAME CHANGE BECAUSE HE'S A FAN OF A SHORT-LIVED 1980S
NBC TELEVISION SERIES CALLED "HERE'S BOOMER," WHICH FEATURED A
DOG THAT RESCUED PEOPLE.


NATIONAL NEWS

IOWA STORMS
NEW: HUNDREDS EVACUATED, 1 DEAD AFTER FLOODING IN IOWA

DES MOINES, IOWA (AP) - FLOODING IN IOWA HAS FORCED HUNDREDS OF
PEOPLE FROM THEIR HOMES AND LEFT A 16-YEAR-OLD GIRL DEAD.
IN AMES, FLOODING CONTRIBUTED TO A WATER MAIN BREAK THAT FORCED
THE CITY TO SHUT OFF WATER TO ITS ROUGHLY 55,000 RESIDENTS. IT ALSO
LEFT IOWA STATE UNIVERSITY'S BASKETBALL ARENA UNDER 4 TO 5 FEET OF
WATER.
THE FLOODING IN CENTRAL AND EASTERN IOWA ON WEDNESDAY FOLLOWED
THREE STRAIGHT NIGHTS OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS.
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HAS ISSUED A FLASH FLOOD WATCH FOR
NORTHWEST IOWA FROM THURSDAY AFTERNOON THROUGH FRIDAY EVENING.
STORMS THERE COULD BRING UP TO 3 INCHES IN SOME ALREADY SATURATED
AREAS.
OTHER PARTS OF THE STATE AREN'T EXPECTED TO GET MORE RAIN UNTIL
FRIDAY AND SATURDAY.

DRUG WAR-POT FARMS
UPDATE: FEDS: 1 DRUG GROUP BEHIND POT FARMS IN WIS. FOREST

GREEN BAY, WIS. (AP) - FEDERAL PROSECUTORS BELIEVE A SINGLE DRUG
ORGANIZATION IS BEHIND SEVERAL MARIJUANA FARMS THAT WERE RAIDED BY
AUTHORITIES IN A NATIONAL FOREST IN NORTHEAST WISCONSIN.
EIGHT MEN WERE CHARGED WEDNESDAY AFTER AGENTS RAIDED GROWING
PLOTS IN THE CHEQUAMEGON-NICOLET NATIONAL FOREST. INVESTIGATORS SAY
THEY ALSO FOUND A HOUSE TRANSFORMED INTO A MARIJUANA PROCESSING
PLANT WITH A CACHE OF GUNS.
WISCONSIN ATTORNEY GENERAL J.B. VAN HOLLEN PLANS TO HOLD A NEWS
CONFERENCE ABOUT THE RAIDS THURSDAY.
COURT DOCUMENTS FILED LATE WEDNESDAY SAY ONE DRUG TRAFFICKING
ORGANIZATION WAS OVERSEEING MARIJUANA GROWS AND EMPLOYING WORKERS
ON MULTIPLE SITES IN THE FOREST. THE DOCUMENTS DIDN'T NAME THE
GROUP, BUT NATIONAL FORESTS HAVE BECOME PRIME TARGETS OF MEXICAN
DRUG GANGS IN RECENT YEARS.

BLAGOJEVICH TRIAL
UPDATE: ALL SIDES WAITING TO HEAR FROM BLAGOJEVICH JURY

CHICAGO (AP) - ALL SIDES AT FORMER ILLINOIS GOV. ROD
BLAGOJEVICH'S CORRUPTION TRIAL ARE SET TO GATHER IN COURT TO SEEK
CLARITY ON A JURORS' NOTE HINTING THEY'RE DEADLOCKED ON AT LEAST
SOME COUNTS.
THE GATHERING THURSDAY COMES AFTER A NOTE FROM DELIBERATING
JURORS THE DAY BEFORE.
IT WAS THE FIRST NOTE FROM JURORS TO JUDGE JAMES ZAGEL IN OVER A
WEEK.
PROSECUTORS, ATTORNEYS AND REPORTERS WHO ASSEMBLED IN COURT
WEDNESDAY HOPED IT WOULD SHED LIGHT ON WHERE JURORS ARE AFTER
NEARLY TWO WEEKS OF DELIBERATIONS.
THE WORDING OF THE NOTE SEEMED TO SUGGEST JURORS HADN'T AGREED
ON SOME COUNTS BUT MAY HAVE AGREED ON OTHERS.
ZAGEL SENT A NOTE BACK WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON SAYING HE NEEDS MORE
SPECIFICS BEFORE HE CAN OFFER ANY GUIDANCE.

UNIVISION POLL-HISPANICS-MEDIA
NEW: POLL: MANY US HISPANICS TURN TO SPANISH TV, RADIO

WASHINGTON (AP) - AN ASSOCIATED PRESS-UNIVISION POLL FINDS MANY
ENGLISH-SPEAKING HISPANICS TURN FREQUENTLY TO SPANISH-LANGUAGE TV
AND RADIO, DRAWN BY A CULTURAL CONNECTION AND SOME CONCERNS THAT
ENGLISH-LANGUAGE MEDIA PORTRAY THEM NEGATIVELY.
THE POLL SAYS ABOUT 4 IN 10 LATINOS WHO SPOKE MOSTLY ENGLISH
SPENT TIME EACH DAY - TYPICALLY SEVERAL HOURS - CHECKING OUT
SPANISH MEDIA.
ABOUT 35 PERCENT OF MAINLY ENGLISH-SPEAKING LATINOS ALSO SAY
ENGLISH MEDIA PORTRAY HISPANICS MOSTLY IN A NEGATIVE WAY. THAT IS
NEARLY THREE TIMES THE PERCENTAGE WHO SAY THE PORTRAYALS ARE MOSTLY
POSITIVE.
THE MEDIA CONSUMPTION OF HISPANICS IS DRAWING ATTENTION AS
BUSINESSES AND POLITICAL GROUPS BATTLE FOR THEIR LOYALTY. HISPANICS
NOW REPRESENT 16 PERCENT OF THE U.S. POPULATION, A NUMBER PROJECTED
TO GROW TO ABOUT 30 PERCENT BY 2050.

FORECLOSURE RATES
HOMES LOST TO FORECLOSURE UP 6 PCT FROM LAST YEAR

LOS ANGELES (AP) - THE NUMBER OF U.S. HOMES LOST TO FORECLOSURE
SURGED IN JULY.
ACCORDING TO FORECLOSURE LISTING FIRM REALTYTRAC, LENDERS
REPOSSESSED NEARLY 93,000 PROPERTIES LAST MONTH, UP 9 PERCENT FROM
JUNE AND AN INCREASE OF 6 PERCENT FROM JULY 2009.
JULY MAKES THE EIGHTH MONTH IN A ROW THAT THE PACE OF HOMES LOST
TO FORECLOSURE HAS INCREASED ON AN ANNUAL BASIS.
MEANWHILE, HOMEOWNERS WHO ARE FALLING BEHIND ON THEIR PAYMENTS
ARE BEING ALLOWED TO STAY IN THEIR HOMES LONGER BECAUSE LENDERS ARE
RELUCTANT TO ADD TO THE GLUT OF FORECLOSED HOMES ON THE MARKET.
REALTYTRAC SAYS THE NUMBER OF PROPERTIES RECEIVING AN INITIAL
DEFAULT NOTICE ROSE 1 PERCENT LAST MONTH FROM JUNE, BUT TUMBLED 28
PERCENT VERSUS JULY LAST YEAR.
CALIFORNIA, FLORIDA, ILLINOIS, MICHIGAN AND ARIZONA COMBINED
ACCOUNTED FOR 50 PERCENT OF ALL U.S. HOUSEHOLDS RECEIVING
FORECLOSURE NOTICES LAST MONTH.

RETAIL SPENDING
REPORT: OVERALL CONSUMER SPENDING TEPID IN JULY

NEW YORK (AP) - A NEW REPORT SHOWS AMERICAN SHOPPERS DUG IN
THEIR HEELS IN JULY.
EXCLUDING GASOLINE AND AUTOS, U.S. RETAIL SALES ROSE A MEAGER
0.1 PERCENT LAST MONTH FROM JUNE, ACCORDING TO FIGURES RELEASED
THURSDAY BY MASTERCARD ADVISORS' SPENDINGPULSE, WHICH ESTIMATES
SPENDING IN ALL FORMS INCLUDING CASH.
EXCLUDING AUTOS BUT INCLUDING GASOLINE, SALES FELL 0.9 PERCENT.
THE TEPID MONTH-TO-MONTH INCREASE FOLLOWS A 0.5 PERCENT DECLINE
FROM MAY TO JUNE AND A 2.1 PERCENT DROP FROM APRIL TO MAY.
COMPARED WITH A YEAR EARLIER, HOWEVER, JULY SALES EXCLUDING
AUTOS AND GASOLINE ROSE A FULL PERCENTAGE POINT. INCLUDING
GASOLINE, THE MONTH'S SALES ROSE STILL MORE FROM JULY 2009.
THE COMMERCE DEPARTMENT RELEASES ITS JULY SPENDING FIGURES
FRIDAY.

TARP-GLOBAL IMPACT
WATCHDOG PANEL CITES GLOBAL IMPACT OF US BAILOUT

WASHINGTON (AP) - A CONGRESSIONAL WATCHDOG PANEL SAYS THE $700
BILLION U.S. BAILOUT PROGRAM LAUNCHED IN RESPONSE TO THE GLOBAL
ECONOMIC MELTDOWN HAD A FAR GREATER IMPACT OVERSEAS THAN OTHER
COUNTRIES' FINANCIAL RESCUE PLANS DID ON THE U.S.
BILLIONS OF DOLLARS IN U.S. RESCUE FUNDS WOUND UP IN BIG BANKS
IN FRANCE, GERMANY AND OTHER NATIONS. THAT WAS PROBABLY INEVITABLE
BECAUSE OF THE STRUCTURE OF THE TREASURY DEPARTMENT'S BAILOUT
PROGRAM, THE CONGRESSIONAL OVERSIGHT PANEL SAYS IN A NEW REPORT
ISSUED THURSDAY.
THE U.S. PROGRAM AIMED TO STABILIZE THE FINANCIAL SYSTEM BY
INJECTING MONEY INTO AS MANY BANKS AS POSSIBLE, INCLUDING THOSE
WITH SUBSTANTIAL OPERATIONS OVERSEAS. MOST OTHER COUNTRIES, BY
CONTRAST, FOCUSED THEIR EFFORTS MORE NARROWLY ON BANKS IN THEIR
NATIONS THAT USUALLY LACKED MAJOR U.S. OPERATIONS.

AFGHANISTAN
UPDATE: AFGHAN VILLAGERS PROTEST ALLEGED KILLING OF 3 CIVILIANS
IN NATO RAID

KABUL, AFGHANISTAN (AP) - A PRE-DAWN RAID IN EASTERN AFGHANISTAN
HAS KILLED THREE MEN NATO CALLS "SUSPECTED INSURGENTS."
BUT IT'S ALSO DRAWN A CROWD OF ABOUT 300 VILLAGERS INTO THE
STREETS IN PROTEST. THEY SAY THE MEN WERE INNOCENT CIVILIANS.
VILLAGE ELDERS SAY U.S. TROOPS STORMED A FAMILY'S HOUSE IN A
TALIBAN-DOMINATED AREA OF WARDAK PROVINCE AND SHOT THREE BROTHERS.
THEY SAY THE YOUNG MEN'S FATHER WAS TAKEN INTO CUSTODY.
NATO REJECTS THE CLAIM THAT THE MEN WERE CIVILIANS. IT SAYS THE
MEN DREW WEAPONS AND POINTED THEM AT COALITION TROOPS. NATO ALSO
SAY THE ASSAULT FORCE DETAINED A LOCAL TALIBAN COMMANDER.
MEANWHILE, THE TALIBAN IS DENOUNCING THE UNITED NATIONS AFTER
THE INTERNATIONAL BODY ISSUED A REPORT BLAMING INSURGENT GROUPS FOR
76 PERCENT OF CIVILIAN DEATHS AND INJURIES THIS YEAR. THE TALIBAN
CALLS THE U.N. "A PROPAGANDA ORGANIZATION" FOR AMERICAN
IMPERIALISM.

PAKISTAN-FLOODS
NEW: RAMADAN OR NOT, HUNGER HITS PAKISTAN FLOOD VICTIMS

MULTAN, PAKISTAN (AP) - RAMADAN IS NORMALLY A FESTIVE, SOCIAL
TIME FOR MUSLIMS, BUT IN PAKISTAN IT'S MARKED THIS YEAR BY MISERY
AND FEARS OF AN UNCERTAIN FUTURE.
MAJOR FLOODING HAS DAMAGED CROPS, ROADS AND BRIDGES. THAT'S
CAUSED FOOD PRICES TO TRIPLE IN SOME PARTS OF THE COUNTRY, ADDING
TO THE PAIN OF THE 14 MILLION PEOPLE AFFECTED BY THE DISASTER.
ONE WOMAN LIVING IN A TENT OUTSIDE OF SUKKUR SAYS "RAMADAN OR
NO RAMADAN, WE ARE ALREADY DYING OF HUNGER." SHE SAYS "WE ARE
FASTING FORCIBLY, AND MOURNING OUR LOSSES."
AROUND 1,500 PEOPLE HAVE BEEN KILLED, AND THE U.N. ESTIMATES UP
TO 7 MILLION PEOPLE NEED EMERGENCY ASSISTANCE.
NEVERTHELESS, MILLIONS OF OBSERVANT MUSLIMS ARE PERFORMING THE
FAST FROM DAWN TO DUSK EACH DAY FOR A MONTH TO CONTROL THEIR
DESIRES AND SHOW EMPATHY FOR THE POOR.
ONE OF PAKISTAN'S TOP RELIGIOUS SCHOLARS SAYS VICTIMS LIVING IN
DIFFICULT CONDITIONS DEPENDENT ON CHARITY COULD SKIP THE FAST AND
PERFORM IT LATER IN THE YEAR.

US-RUSSIA-NUCLEAR
NEW: BLOCKAGE OF US-RUSSIA CIVIL NUCLEAR DEAL UNLIKELY

WASHINGTON (AP) - DESPITE MISGIVINGS ABOUT RUSSIA, CONGRESS
APPEARS UNLIKELY TO BLOCK A DEAL THAT WOULD ALLOW U.S. COMPANIES TO
EXPORT NUCLEAR TECHNOLOGY TO AMERICA'S FORMER COLD WAR RIVAL.
THE LIKELY PASSAGE OF THE CIVIL NUCLEAR AGREEMENT STANDS IN
CONTRAST TO THE UNEXPECTEDLY ROCKY ROAD FACING A SEPARATE TREATY TO
REDUCE U.S. AND RUSSIAN ATOMIC ARSENALS.
THE CIVIL AGREEMENT WOULD ALLOW THE EXCHANGE OF NUCLEAR ENERGY
TECHNOLOGY AND JOINT COMMERCIAL NUCLEAR POWER VENTURES. IT HAS
SUPPORT FROM LAWMAKERS WHOSE DISTRICTS INCLUDE BUSINESSES THAT
STAND TO BENEFIT FROM U.S. NUCLEAR EXPORTS TO RUSSIA.
THE AGREEMENT TAKES EFFECT UNLESS CONGRESS VOTES TO BLOCK IT, AN
UNLIKELY OCCURRENCE.
THE NUCLEAR ARMS AGREEMENT NEEDS A TWO-THIRDS VOTE IN THE SENATE
TO PASS.
BARRING CONGRESSIONAL ACTION, THE AGREEMENT WILL TAKE EFFECT
AFTER 90 DAYS IN WHICH CONGRESS IS IN SESSION. THAT WOULD PROBABLY
FALL IN OCTOBER.

OBIT-ROSTENKOWSKI
NEW: ROSTENKOWSKI BECAME SYMBOL OF POWER AND EXCESSES

CHICAGO (AP) - THOSE WHO KNEW THE LATE DAN ROSTENKOWSKI ARE
RECALLING A MEAT-AND POTATOES ILLINOIS POLITICIAN FROM AN ERA WHEN
LEADERS CROSSED PARTY LINES TO CUT DEALS AND SEEK CONSENSUS.
ROSTENKOWSKI DIED WEDNESDAY OF LUNG CANCER AT AGE 82.
HE QUIETLY WIELDED ENORMOUS POWER ON CAPITOL HILL FOR MORE THAN
30 YEARS, BECOMING ONE OF THE MOST POWERFUL LAWMAKERS OF HIS TIME.
HE ALSO BECAME A POTENT SYMBOL OF WASHINGTON'S EXCESSES AFTER HE
PLEADED GUILTY TO CORRUPTION CHARGES.
ILLINOIS DEMOCRATIC CONGRESSWOMAN JAN SCHAKOWSKY CALLED
ROSTEKNOWSKI "A BIG D DEMOCRAT," BUT NOTED HE WAS "ALWAYS ABLE
TO WORK ACROSS THE AISLE TO GET THINGS DONE."
ROSTENKOWSKI WAS CREDITED WITH PUSHING THROUGH A SWEEPING 1986
OVERHAUL OF THE NATION'S TAX SYSTEM.