TODAY'S NEWS: TUESDAY, OCTOBER 20, 2010

VO-TECH STUDENTS LEND A HAND

THANKS TO THE SCHUYLKILL TECHNOLOGY CENTER STUDENTS, THE BOROUGH OF ASHLAND IS SAVING MONEY ON LABOR COSTS. THE STUDENTS HELPED BUILD A POLICE STATION IN ASHLAND WHICH DOESN'T JUST HELP THE BOROUGH, BUT IMPROVES THE STUDENTS SKILLS AS WELL. THE TAXPAYERS ALSO BENIFIT, AN ESTIMATED SAVINGS OF ABOUT $125,000 HAS BEEN REPORTED FROM THE REPUBLICAN HERALD.

SCHUYLKILL COUNTY ROBBERY

A MAN WAS INCARCERATED IN THE SCHUYLKILL COUNTY PRISON MONDAY NIGHT AFTER ROBBING TWO PEOPLE OF THIER POSSESSIONS. 26-YEAR-OLD JAMES CHEETY OF BENSALEM STRUCK 18-YEAR-OLD MICHAEL WAGNER OF AUBURN WITH A BRICK. AUBURN WAS STRUCK MULTIPLE TIMES IN THE HEAD AND HANDS. CHEETY THEN STOLE WAGNER'S WALLET AND A 17-YEAR-OLD JUVENILE'S CELL PHONE. CHEETY WAS APPREHENDED A SHORT DISTANCE FROM THE SCENE AND FACES CHARGES OF ROBBERY, SIMPLE ASSAULT, THEFT, AND HARASSMENT.

FREE CHECKING NO MORE

IF YOU HAVE A NEW ACCOUNT AT BANK OF AMERICA YOU'LL PAY $8.96 PER MONTH JUST TO MEET WITH A TELLER OR GET A PAPER STATEMENT. THAT'S RIGHT, THE DAYS OF FREE CHECKING AND BASIC SERVICES ARE COMING TO AN END. BANKS ARE NOW ADDING FEES DUE TO NEW REGULATIONS. ACCORDING TO THE REPUBLICAN HERALD, THE CHANGE COMES FROM NEW LAWS ENACTED IN THE PAST YEAR, INCLUDING "THE FINANCIAL OVERHAUL PACKAGE". YOUR BANK MAY NOT BE AFFECTED JUST YET, BUT ALMOST ALL OF THE LARGEST U.S BANKS ARE ALREADY MAKING FREE CHECKING MUCH HARDER.

AWAITING RENDELL'S SIGNATURE

GOV. ED RENDELL IS EXPECTED TO SIGN A BILL TO KEEP WAYWARD PAROLEES OUT OF OVERCROWDED STATE PRISIONS AND PUT A DENT IN CORRECTIONS SPENDING. THE HOUSE AND SENATE HAS APPROVED THIS MEASURE TO ALLOW PAROLEES WHO COMMIT A MINOR VIOLATION TO FACE SANCTIONS THAT DON'T INVOLVE BEING SENT BACK TO STATE PRISON.

THE BALD EAGLE BECOMES DOUBLE SUCCESS STORY

RAPTOR BIOLOGISTS, AT HAWK MOUNTAIN, ANNOUNCED THE BALD EAGLE RECOVERY, A DOUBLE SUCCESS, DURING A PRESS CONFERENCE TUESDAY AFTERNOON. AFTER BEING REMOVED FROM THE ENDANGERED SPECIES LIST IN 2007, THE BIRD HAS RECOVERED TO COMMON STATUS. DR. KEITH BILDSTEIN, ACOPIAN DIRECTOR FOR CONSERVATION SCIENCE, SPOKE ON WHAT HE FEELS MAY POSSIBLY BE "THE GREATEST WILDLIFE SUCCUESS STORY OF OUR TIME…"HAWK MOUNTAIN OPERATES THE FIRST AND LONGEST-RUNNING MIGRATION HAWK WATCH, AND PROVIDES THE MOST

DETAILED RECORD OF RAPTOR POPULATIONS IN THE WORLD.

DR. BILDSTEIN ESTIMATES A RECORDING UP TO 350 BALD EAGLES BEFORE THE 2010 SEASON ENDS.

(Above: Dr. Keith Bildstein, South Lookout)

NEW PLAYGROUND

STUDENTS AT WILLIAMS VALLEY ELEMEMTARY SCHOOL WILL SOON BE ABLE TO ENJOY A NEW PLAYGROUND. ON SATURDAY, OCTOBER 23, COMMUNITY MEMBERS, AREA BUSINESS VOLUNTEERS, AND WILLIAMS VALLEY SCHOOL DISTRICT FACULTY AND STAFF WILL COME TOGETHER TO BUILD A NEW PLAYGROUND. THE NEW PLAYGROUND EQUIPMENT WILL REPLACE EQUIPMENT INSTALLED IN 1992 AND REMOVED IN THE BEGINNING OF THE 2010-2011 SCHOOL YEAR. INTERESTED SKILLED VOLUNTEERS, AGE 18 OR OVER, MAY CONTACT ELEMENTARY PRINCIPAL, MRS. PAULA HROMYAK AT 717-647-2181.

LEVITTOWN, PA. (AP) - AUTHORITIES SAY THE DAUGHTER OF A WOMAN FOUND IN A FIRE IN A HOMELESS ENCAMPMENT OUTSIDE PHILADELPHIA OVER THE WEEKEND HAS BEEN CHARGED IN HER DEATH. PROSECUTORS IN BUCKS COUNTY SAY 24-YEAR-OLD REBECCA OLENCHOCK FACES HOMICIDE, ARSON AND OTHER COUNTS IN THE DEATH OF 44-YEAR-OLD KIMBERLY VENOSE-OLENCHOCK.

BEAVER, PA. (AP) - A JURY HAS ACQUITTED A WESTERN PENNSYLVANIA DOCTOR OF ALL CHARGES OF FONDLING, KISSING OR GROPING FEMALE PATIENTS. DR. ROBERT KNAPP OF NEW BRIGHTON TOWNSHIP, AN ENDOCRINOLOGIST WITH AN OFFICE IN BRIDGEWATER, HAD BEEN ACCUSED OF IMPROPERLY TOUCHING EIGHT FEMALE PATIENTS OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS.

EIGHTY FOUR, PA. (AP) - POLICE HAVE ARRESTED A TRUCK DRIVER BELIEVED TO HAVE BEEN DRIVING A RIG THAT DAMAGED AN INTERSTATE 70 BRIDGE THAT HAD TO BE DEMOLISHED. STATE POLICE SAY TONY KYLE OF TEXAS WAS ARRESTED YESTERDAY AT A HIGHWAY REST STOP. THE OVERPASS IN SOMERSET TOWNSHIP, WASHINGTON COUNTY, WAS DAMAGED MONDAY WHEN AUTHORITIES SAY KYLE'S TRUCK STRUCK THE BRIDGE THEN TOOK OFF.

HARRISBURG, PA. (AP) - THE PENNSYLVANIA FARM BUREAU IS APPLAUDING A NEW STATE LAW THAT LOOSENS RESTRICTIONS ON TRUCKS USED AS FARM VEHICLES. GOVERNOR ED RENDELL YESTERDAY SIGNED LEGISLATION THAT INCREASES THE WEIGHT LIMIT FOR FARM-USE TRUCKS FROM 17,000 POUNDS TO 26,000 POUNDS. THE CHANGE WILL MAKE IT POSSIBLE FOR CHILDREN UNDER 18 TO OPERATE THEM.

WASHINGTON (AP) - A CONGRESSIONAL INVESTIGATION HAS FOUND THAT EASED REQUIREMENTS HAVE ALLOWED CANCER PATIENTS TREATED WITH RADIOACTIVE IODINE TO EXPOSE OTHERS TO RADIATION. REP. EDWARD MARKEY SAYS THE PROBLEM STEMS FROM A DECISION BY THE NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION TO EASE REQUIREMENTS THAT THYROID CANCER PATIENTS REMAIN IN THE HOSPITAL A FEW DAYS AFTER TREATMENT.

(AP) - A REPORT ON COLLEGE MINORITIES FINDS A MIXED BAG OF RESULTS, ESPECIALLY AMONG HISPANICS. IN 2008, 28 PERCENT OF TRADITIONAL COLLEGE-AGE HISPANICS WERE IN COLLEGE, UP FROM 17 PERCENT TWO DECADES EARLIER. BUT OTHER RACIAL GROUPS MADE GREATER GAINS, AND AN ENROLLMENT GAP THAT HAS WHITES AHEAD OF HISPANICS HAS WIDENED. HISPANIC MEN ARE LAGGING FARTHER BEHIND HISPANIC WOMEN.

WICHITA, KAN. (AP) - A KANSAS DOCTOR AND HIS WIFE WILL BE SENTENCED TODAY FOR RUNNING A "PILL MILL" CLINIC BLAMED FOR DOZENS OF OVERDOSE DEATHS. DR. STEPHEN SCHNEIDER AND HIS WIFE, LINDA COULD GET LIFE IN PRISON. FAMILIES OF THE VICTIMS TESTIFIED AT A SENTENCING HEARING YESTERDAY.

LONDON (AP) - THERE'S GOING TO BE SOME SERIOUS BELT-TIGHTENING IN BRITAIN. THE GOVERNMENT TODAY WILL OUTLINE THE LARGEST CUTS TO PUBLIC SPENDING SINCE WORLD WAR II, AIMED AT PULLING THE COUNTRY OUT OF A MASSIVE DEFICIT. TAX INCREASES COULD ALSO BE PART OF THE MIX AND 500,000 PUBLIC SECTOR JOBS COULD BE LOST.

ISLAMABAD (AP) - PAKISTAN'S LARGEST CITY AND MAIN ECONOMIC HUB IS REELING FROM A SPATE OF VIOLENCE THAT HAS KILLED AT LEAST 51 PEOPLE SINCE SATURDAY, INCLUDING 11 LATE YESTERDAY. GUNMEN OPENED FIRE IN A COMMERCIAL MARKET, UNDERSCORING THE POOR STATE OF LAW AND ORDER IN THE U.S.-ALLIED NATION. MANY KILLINGS IN KARACHI HAVE BEEN LINKED TO GANGS ALLEGEDLY CONTROLLED BY POLITICAL PARTIES.