TODAY'S NEWS: MONDAY, OCTOBER 11, 2010

TERRORISTIC THREATS

A RINGTOWN MAN THREATED TO SHOOT HIS GIRLFRIEND DURING AN ARGUMENT EARLY SUNDAY MORNING. BARRY BERGER AIMED A LOADED ASSAULT RIFLE AT HIS GIRLFRIEND, LISA CONTI, AND THREATED TO SHOOT HER WHILE THEY WERE ARGUING. BERGER WAS ARRESTED AND CHARGED WITH TERRORISTIC THREATS, RECKLESSLY ENDANGERING AND DISORDERLY CONDUCT. HE WAS ARRAIGNED BEFORE MAGISTRATE PANCAKE AND COMMITTED TO SCHUYLKILL COUNTY PRISON. HIS BAIL WAS SET AT ONE HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS.

SOCIAL SECURITY BENEFITS STAY SAME

DISABLED AMERICANS WILL SEE NO INCREASE IN BENEFITS FOR 2010. THIS WEEK THE GOVERMENT IS EXPECTED TO ANNOUCE THAT MORE THAN FIFTY-EIGHT MILLION SOCIAL SECURITY RECIPIENTS WILL GO THROUGH ANOTHER YEAR WITHOUR AN INCREASE IN THIER MONTHLY BENEFITS. THIS WILL BE THE SECOND YEAR WITHOUT AN INCREASE SINCE AUTOMATIC ADJUSTMENTS FOR INFLATION WERE ADOPTED IN 1975.

RADIO UPGRADE

THE SCHUYLKILL COUNTY COMMUNICATIONS CENTER IS UNDER A FEDERAL MANDATE TO UPGRADE ITS WIDEBAND RADIO COMMUNICATIONS SYSTEM. THIS SYSTEM IS USED BY POLICE OFFICERS AND EMERGENCY PERSONNEL. ACCORDING TO THE REPUBLICAN HERALD, SCHUYLKILL COUNTY HAS UNTIL JANUARY 2014 TO COMPLY.

5TH ASHLAND AREA MINISTERIUM EVENT

TWENTY-TWO PEOPLE TOOK PART IN ASHLAND'S FIFTH ANNUAL CROP WALK ON SUNDAY. THE FUND DRIVE WAS TO COMBAT WORLD HUNGER. WALKERS ALSO DONATED FUNDS TO THE CAUSE. THE WALK TOOK PLACE AT NORTH SCHUYLKILL'S GHOSH ORTHODONTICS FIELD AT SPARTAN STADIUM. CROP STANDS FOR COMMUNITIES RESPONDING TO OVERCOME POVERTY.

PHILADELPHIA (AP) - SOME OF THE THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE WHO HEARD PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA SPEAK IN PHILADELPHIA ARE DIVIDED OVER WHETHER DEMOCRATS ARE DISENCHANTED WITH HIM AND WHETHER REPUBLICANS WILL MAKE MAJOR GAINS IN NOVEMBER'S ELECTION. OBAMA AND VICE PRESIDENT JOE BIDEN USED THE RALLY TO ENERGIZE DEMOCRATIC VOTERS FOR NEXT MONTH'S GENERAL ELECTION.

PHILADELPHIA (AP) - ABOUT 150 PEOPLE GATHERED IN PHILADELPHIA YESTERDAY FOR A VIGIL FOR GAY TEENAGERS WHO HAVE KILLED THEMSELVES RECENTLY FOLLOWING HARASSMENT DUE TO THEIR SEXUALITY. THE VICTIMS INCLUDE RUTGERS UNIVERSITY FRESHMAN TYLER CLEMENTI. HE KILLED HIMSELF BY JUMPING OFF A NEW YORK-AREA BRIDGE AFTER HIS ROOMMATE SECRETLY RECORDED HIM WITH ANOTHER MALE STUDENT.

STATE COLLEGE, PA. (AP) - POLICE IN STATE COLLEGE ARE TRYING TO FIND OUT WHETHER THERE IS A CONNECTION BETWEEN TWO STABBINGS IN AS MANY DAYS DURING BRAWLS BETWEEN LARGE GROUPS. POLICE SAID DOZENS WERE INVOLVED IN THE FIGHT OUTSIDE A CLUB EARLY YESTERDAY THAT INJURED TWO MEN. THREE MEN WERE HOSPITALIZED THE NIGHT BEFORE FOLLOWING A STABBING TWO MILES AWAY.

LANGHORNE, PA. (AP) - NEARLY 200 PEOPLE GATHERED AT A UFO CONFERENCE IN SUBURBAN PHILADELPHIA TO DISCUSS ACCOUNTS OF RECENT SIGHTINGS AND GENERALLY INSIST THAT "THE TRUTH IS OUT THERE." MEMBERS OF THE MUTUAL UFO NETWORK SAY THEY HAVE 364 REPORTS OF SIGHTINGS IN THE COMMONWEALTH LAST YEAR.

NEW YORK (AP) - A SCANDAL THAT THREATENS TO FURTHER UNHINGE THE HOUSING MARKET HAS GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS LOOKING AT OPTIONS. SENIOR WHITE HOUSE ADVISER DAVID AXELROD QUESTIONS THE NEED FOR A BLANKET HALT TO FORECLOSURES, BUT THE IDEA HAS GAINED TRACTION. THERE ARE ALLEGATIONS MANY FORECLOSURES HAVE BEEN ACCOMPANIED BY FORGED DOCUMENTS, PHANTOM TITLES, DISAPPEARING PAPER TRAILS AND FAKED SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBERS.

DENVER (AP) - A FEDERAL LAW THAT MAKES IT A CRIME TO LIE ABOUT BEING A WAR HERO IS BEING DEFENDED BY THE JUSTICE DEPARTMENT AGAINST TWO COURT DECISIONS RULING IT UNCONSTITUTIONAL. GOVERNMENT LAWYERS IN CALIFORNIA HAVE ASKED A FEDERAL APPEALS COURT TO RECONSIDER ITS RULING. PROSECUTORS IN COLORADO SAY THEY ALSO WILL FILE AN APPEAL OF A RULING BY A FEDERAL JUDGE THERE.

AJKA, HUNGARY (AP) - OFFICIALS SAY THE AIR ISN'T SAFE NEAR A RED SLUDGE RESERVOIR THAT BROKE LAST WEEK FLOODING SEVERAL TOWNS IN WESTERN HUNGARY AND KILLING AT LEAST SEVEN PEOPLE. THEY'RE WARNING THE LOCAL POPULATION AND CLEANUP CREWS TO USE PROTECTIVE GEAR AGAINST THE DUST. BUT CRACKS ON A WALL NEAR THE RESERVOIR REMAIN STABLE.

GREEN OAK TOWNSHIP, MICH. (AP) - A HEAD-ON COLLISION ON A BUSY SOUTHEASTERN MICHIGAN EXPRESSWAY HAS LEFT FIVE PEOPLE DEAD AND FOUR SERIOUSLY INJURED. THREE YOUNG CHILDREN ARE AMONG THE INJURED IN THE WRECK ON U.S. 23 IN LIVINGSTON COUNTY'S GREEN OAK TOWNSHIP, JUST SOUTH OF BRIGHTON. THE HIGHWAY WAS CLOSED FOR ABOUT FOUR HOURS.

BRUSSELS (AP) - A RIFT AMONG NATO MEMBERS IS THE SUBJECT OF A CONFERENCE THIS WEEK TO CONSIDER CHANGES IN THE ALLIANCE'S MISSION STATEMENT. THE U.S. FAVORS A GREATER INTERNATIONAL ROLE FOR THE ALLIANCE, AND EUROPEAN NATIONS WANT IT TO RETAIN ITS TRADITIONAL DEFENSIVE FOCUS. THE CONFERENCE THURSDAY COMES AHEAD OF A MEETING NEXT MONTH OF NATO HEADS OF STATE.