TODAY'S NEWS: THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 30, 2010

HEAVY RAINS & POSSIBLE FLOODING

TROPICAL STORM NICOLE MAY DUMP UP TO 3 INCHES OF RAIN THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY TODAY. ACCORDING TO THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE, A FLOOD WARNING IS IN EFFECT FOR SURROUNDING AREAS THROUGH 10:00PM. SMALL STREAMS AND CREEKS ARE EXPECTED TO REACH FULL-BANK LEVELS CAUSING POSSIBLE FLOODING IN SOME AREAS.

TAXING NATURAL GAS BILL PASSES IN HOUSE

A BILL PASSED IN THE HOUSE YESTERDAY TO IMPOSE TAX ON NATURAL GAS DRILLING IN PENNSYLVANIA. THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES VOTED THE BILL IN 104 TO 94. STATE REPRSENTATIVES TIM SEIP AND NEIL GOODMAN WELCOMED THE BILL'S PASSAGE SAYING IT WOULD END PENNSYLVANIA'S STATUS AS ONLY ONE OF FIFTEEN NATURAL GAS PRODUCING STATES WITHOUT AN EXTRACTION TAX OR FEE. STATE REPRESENTATIVE JERRY KNOWLES OPPOSED THE BILL SAYING THAT IT WOULD IMPOSE A SEVERENCE TAX ON PENNSYLVANIA'S GROWING NATURAL GAS INDUSTRY AND CALLED IT A JOB KILLER, FORCING JOBS OUT OF THE COMMONWEALTH. THE BILL WOULD SPLIT PROCEEDINGS AMONG THE STATE GENERAL FUND, ENVIROMENTAL NEEDS AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS.

PENN STATE HOLDS 4TH ANNUAL WELLNESS FAIR

PENN STATE SCHUYLKILL HELD IT'S 4TH ANNUAL HEALTH AND WELLNESS FAIR WEDNESDAY. A VARIETY OF VENDORS ATTENDED THE FAIR TO PROMOTE LIVING A HEALTHY AND SAFE LIFESTYLE. STUDENTS, FACULTY AND THE PUBLIC WERE INVITED TO ATTENED. DEBBIE HERB, FROM THE SCHUYLKILL MEDICAL CENTER, REMEBERED A TOUCHING STORY THAT CONFIRMED THE FAIR'S IMPORTANCE:

HEALTH AND WELLNESS FAIR

THE FAIR COVERED OTHER HEALTH AND WELLNESS TOPICS SUCH AS BLOOD PRESSURE SCREENINGS, DIABETES, SKIN CARE, HIGHWAY SAFETY, AND YOGA.

BLIGHT BILL NEARS HOUSE

THE BLIGHT BILL WAS INTRODUCED IN THE STATE LEGISLATURE OVER A YEAR AGO. THE BILL PASSED THROUGH THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES URBAN AFFAIRS AND HOUSING COMMITTEE EARLY WEDNESDAY WITH A VOTE OF 22 TO 1. THE REPUBLICAN HERALD REPORTS THAT THE BLIGHT BILL COULD COME TO A FULL HOUSE VOTE AS EARLY AS NEXT TUESDAY. WITHIN THE LAST TEN YEARS SCHUYLKILL COUNTY SAW A TWENTY-EIGHT PERCENT INCREASE IN VACANT PROPERTIES, AND THIS BILL WOULD ALLOW MUNICIPALITIES AND COUNTY COURTS TO HOLD ABSENTEE LANDLORDS RESPONSIBLE FOR THEIR PROPERTIES.


CAMP HILL, PA. (AP) - A SPOKESMAN FOR THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION IS FACING CHARGES THAT HE MOLESTED AND SEXUALLY ABUSED TWO TEENAGE GIRLS FOR YEARS. AN AFFIDAVIT SAYS THE GIRLS TOLD POLICE THAT THE 53-YEAR-OLD TOM RATHBUN HAD MOLESTED THEM IN A CAMP HILL HOME BEGINNING WHEN THEY WERE 8 OR 9.

HARRISBURG, PA. (AP) - A BILL TO IMPOSE PENNSYLVANIA'S FIRST TAX ON NATURAL GAS EXTRACTION IS ON ITS WAY TO THE STATE SENATE FOLLOWING NARROW PASSAGE IN THE HOUSE. THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES VOTED 104-TO-94 YESTERDAY IN FAVOR OF A BILL THAT WOULD SPLIT THE PROCEEDS AMONG THE STATE GENERAL FUND, ENVIRONMENTAL NEEDS AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS.

PHILADELPHIA (AP) - POLICE IN PHILADELPHIA SAY A WOMAN WHO WAS ABDUCTED, RAPED AND LEFT BOUND IN A CITY PARK HAD BEEN HELD FOR $20,000 RANSOM. INVESTIGATORS SAY THAT THEY ARE LOOKING FOR TWO MEN AND A WOMAN IN THE TARGETED KIDNAPPING. POLICE SAY THE 28-YEAR-OLD VICTIM WAS RETURNING TO HER HOME WHEN SHE WAS GRABBED FROM BEHIND,
BLINDFOLDED AND THROWN INTO A CAR.

PITTSBURGH (AP) - THE PITTSBURGH COMPANY FOUNDED BY TELEVISION'S MISTER ROGERS HAS RECEIVED A $496,000 FEDERAL GRANT FOR A PROGRAM THAT BRINGS POLICE AND CHILDREN TOGETHER. THE MONEY WILL BE USED FOR A NATIONAL ROLLOUT OF THE FRED ROGERS COMPANY'S VIDEO PROGRAM "ONE ON ONE: CONNECTING COPS & KIDS."


WASHINGTON (AP) - THE GOVERNMENT WILL KEEP OPERATING DESPITE NO BUDGET FOR THE NEW FISCAL YEAR FRIDAY. CONGRESS HAS APPROVED A TEMPORARY SPENDING MEASURE TO KEEP FEDERAL AGENCIES GOING. CONGRESS WILL HAVE TO VOTE ON A NEW BUDGET WHEN LAWMAKERS RETURN AFTER THE
ELECTIONS.

WASHINGTON (AP) - GET READY FOR THE COST OF MAILING A LETTER TO GO UP AGAIN. THE POSTAL REGULATORY COMMISSION IS EXPECTED TODAY TO INCREASE THE COST OF A STAMP BY 2 CENTS - TO 46 CENTS. THE POSTAL SERVICE LOST $3.8 BILLION LAST YEAR AND IS ON TRACK TO LOSE $7 BILLION THIS YEAR AND NEXT. THE LAST TIME POSTAL RATES WENT UP WAS
IN JULY.

CLEVELAND (AP) - FORMER PRESIDENT JIMMY CARTER IS SPENDING A SECOND NIGHT IN AN OHIO HOSPITAL AS HE RECOVERS FROM A VIRAL INFECTION. THE 85-YEAR-OLD CARTER WAS TAKEN OFF A PLANE AND RUSHED TO THE HOSPITAL TUESDAY MORNING AFTER HAVING STOMACH PROBLEMS. HE WAS IN THE MIDDLE OF A BOOK TOUR.

LONDON (AP) - A BRITISH STUDY SUGGESTS THAT CHILDREN WITH ATTENTION DEFICIT HYPERACTIVITY DISORDER ARE TWICE AS LIKELY TO HAVE MISSING OR EXTRA CHROMOSOMES THAN CHILDREN WHO DON'T HAVE THE DISORDER. IT'S THE FIRST EVIDENCE THAT ADHD IS A GENETIC DISORDER.RESEARCHERS ALSO FOUND THAT CHILDREN WITH LEARNING DISABILITIES HAD CHROMOSOME ABNORMALITIES.

LITTLE ROCK, ARK. (AP) - AN ARKANSAS DEATH-ROW INMATE CONVICTED IN THE MURDERS OF THREE CUB SCOUTS WILL ASK FOR A NEW TRIAL WHEN HE'S EXPECTED TO APPEAR IN BEFORE THE STATE SUPREME COURT TODAY. LAWYERS FOR DAMIEN ECHOLS SAY THERE'S NO TRACE OF THEIR CLIENT'S DNA AT THE CRIME SCENE. THE 8-YEAR-OLD BOYS WERE FOUND BEATEN AND
NUDE IN 1993.