TODAY'S NEWS: THURSDAY, OCTOBER 21, 2010

STIPEND REQUESTED

SCHUYLKILL COUNTY MUNICIPAL AUTHORITY BOARD MEMBERS ASKED THE SCHUYLKILL COUNTY COMMISSIONERS WEDNESDAY TO APPROVE A $100-PER-MONTH STIPEND FOR EACH OF THE SEVEN MEMBERS. THE COMMISSIONERS APPROVED A $200 PER MONTH STIPEND YEARS AGO, BUT MEMBERS VOTED TO SUSPEND IT. NOW BOARD MEMBERS ARE SEEKING TO HAVE THEIR STIPEND REINSTATED.

JUDGE WILL RETIRE

SCHUYLKILL COUNTY COURT WILL SAY GOOD-BYE TO JUDGE D. MICHAEL STINE AFTER MORE THAN TWENTY YEARS. STINE HAS HELD THE POSITION SINCE JUNE OF 1990 AND NOW WILL STEP DOWN AT THE AGE OF SIXTY-THREE. THE STATE'S NEW GOVENOR WILL NOMINATE STINE'S SUCCESSOR AND THAT PERSON WILL SERVE UNTIL THE NOVEMBER 2011 ELECTION.

COMMISSIONERS REFUSE TO PAY

COUNTY OFFICIALS SAID WEDNESDAY, THEY WILL NOT BE PAYING A POTTSTOWN ACCOUNTING FIRM THAT ASSISTED IN THE PREPARATION OF TWO STATE-MANDATED FINANCIAL REPORTS. THE $5,000 BILL IS CAUSING A BATTLE BETWEEN THE COUNTY COMMISSIONERS AND CONTROLLER MELINDA KANTNER. THE REPUBLICAN HERALD REPORTS, THE ACCOUNTING CONTRACT WAS NEVER APPROVED.

GRANTS TO HELP FARMERS MARKETS

THROUGH A FEDERAL GRANT THAT SUPPORTS MARKETING AND BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES, FARM STANDS AND FARMERS MARKETS CAN EXPAND THEIR BUSINESSES. THE DIRECT FARM SALES GRANT PROVIDES $7,500 IN MATCHING GRANT FUNDS TO PRODUCERS AND MARKETS SELLING DIRECTLY TO CONSUMERS. THIS FUND IS FUNDED BY THE FEDERAL SPECIALTY CROPS BLOCK GRANT PROGRAM THROUGH THE 2008 FARM BILL. APPLICANTS MUST PROVIDE AT LEAST TWENTY-FIVE PERCENT OF THE GRANT AMOUNT IN MATCHING OR INKIND SERVICES. COMPLETED APPLICATIONS MUST BE POSTMARKED BY TUESDAY, NOVEMBER TWENTY-THIRD. FOR MORE INFORMATION VISIT AGRICULTURE.STATE.PA.US AND SEARCH "DIRECT FARM SALES GRANT".
　
PHILADELPHIA (AP) - DEMOCRAT JOE SESTAK AND REPUBLICAN PAT TOOMEY ARE STRIVING TO SHOW WHO IS MORE EXTREME AND OUT OF STEP WITH VOTERS IN THE FIRST DEBATE IN PENNSYLVANIA'S CLOSELY CONTESTED RACE FOR U.S. SENATE. SESTAK AND TOOMEY SQUARED OFF LAST NIGHT AT THE NATIONAL CONSTITUTION CENTER IN PHILADELPHIA IN AN HOUR-LONG DEBATE.

MEADVILLE, PA. (AP) - REPUBLICAN NATIONAL COMMITTEE CHAIRMAN MICHAEL STEELE IS CREDITING GRASSROOTS ACTIVISTS WITH RE-ENERGIZING THE GOP FOR THE UPCOMING ELECTION. THE MEADVILLE TRIBUNE REPORTS STEELE TOLD ABOUT 75 PARTY MEMBERS IN NORTHWESTERN PENNSYLVANIA'S CRAWFORD COUNTY YESTERDAY THAT THEY HAVE MADE THE DIFFERENCE IN HELPING REPUBLICANS REBOUND FROM DEFEATS TWO YEARS AGO.

HARRISBURG, PA. (AP) - TWO CENTRAL PENNSYLVANIA SISTERS ACCUSED OF THROWING SCALDING WATER ON TWO OTHER SISTERS HAVE BEEN ORDERED TO STAND TRIAL ON CHARGES OF AGGRAVATED ASSAULT AND CRIMINAL CONSPIRACY. THE PATRIOT-NEWS OF HARRISBURG SAYS A DAUPHIN COUNTY DISTRICT JUDGE SENT CHARGES AGAINST ASIA WANNAMAKER AND LASHAE TOLBERT TO COURT AFTER A PRELIMINARY HEARING.

KEMPTON, PA. (AP) - BIRDWATCHERS IN EASTERN PENNSYLVANIA SAY THEY HAVE SEEN A RECORD NUMBER OF AMERICAN BALD EAGLES SO FAR THIS YEAR DURING THE ANNUAL MIGRATORY RAPTOR BIRD COUNT. OFFICIALS AT THE HAWK MOUNTAIN SANCTUARY IN BERKS COUNTY SAY 310 BALD EAGLES HAD BEEN COUNTED AS OF YESTERDAY.

PORTLAND, ORE. (AP) - PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA IS STARTING DAY 2 OF A FOUR-DAY CAMPAIGN BLITZ ON THE WEST COAST IN SEATTLE. OBAMA CAMPAIGNED FOR OREGON GOVERNOR JOHN KITZHABER WEDNESDAY, TELLING DEMOCRATS TO "DEFY THE CONVENTIONAL WISDOM" AND VOTE KITZHABER BACK INTO OFFICE. OBAMA WILL ALSO TRAVEL TO CALIFORNIA, NEVADA AND MINNESOTA.

WASHINGTON (AP) - EARLY-VOTING FIGURES GIVE DEMOCRATS AN EDGE IN A NUMBER OF STATES AND BIG COUNTIES. GEORGE MASON UNIVERSITY PROFESSOR MICHAEL MCDONALD SAYS "IF PEOPLE THOUGHT THE DEMOCRATS WERE JUST GOING TO ROLL OVER AND PLAY DEAD IN THIS ELECTION, THAT'S NOT WHAT WE'RE SEEING." MORE THAN 3 MILLION AMERICANS HAVE VOTED EARLY.

PARIS (AP) - THE FRENCH SENATE COULD VOTE ON A PENSION REFORM BILL TODAY THAT HAS SET OFF PROTESTS THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY. PROTESTERS ARE BLOCKING THE AIRPORT AT MARSEILLE (MAHR-SAY') AMID A STANDOFF OVER A BILL TO RAISE THE RETIREMENT AGE. STUDENTS ARE PLANNING NATIONWIDE PROTESTS TO URGE LEGISLATORS TO STRIKE IT DOWN. PROTESTS HAVE EVEN PROMPTED LADY GAGA TO CANCEL HER PARIS CONCERTS.

KABUL, AFGHANISTAN (AP) - AN AFGHAN OFFICIAL SAYS THE MILITARY OFFENSIVE IN THE SOUTH IS CHASING THE TALIBAN OUT OF KANDAHAR. PRESIDENT HAMID KARZAI'S HALF BROTHER SAYS MOST OF THE INSURGENTS LEFT KANDAHAR BEFORE NATO AND AFGHAN FORCES BEGAN THE OPERATION IN JULY. HE SAYS THERE'S NOT A SINGLE TALIBAN BASE LEFT IN KANDAHAR. PARACHINAR, PAKISTAN (AP) - A ROADSIDE BOMB HAS KILLED SIX TALIBAN MILITANTS IN NORTHWESTERN PAKISTAN. A LOCAL ADMINISTRATOR SAYS THE BOMB WAS DETONATED BY REMOTE CONTROL, KILLING A TALIBAN COMMANDER AND FIVE LOWER RANKING MILITANTS. THE ATTACK COULD HAVE BEEN CARRIED OUT BY A RIVAL INSURGENT GROUP.