TODAY'S NEWS: WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 6, 2010

HATE CRIME

THE JURY WILL BE SEATED AND SWORN IN THIS AFTERNOON. OPENING STATEMENTS ARE TO FOLLOW.

THE JURY POOL HAS BEEN NARROWED TO FORTY-SIX PEOPLE. BRITTANY REPORTS:

HATE CRIME

COMMISSIONERS TO RETIRE

TWO COUNTY LEADERS TO MAKE A MAJOR ANNOUNCEMENT. JAY LEVAN REPORTS:

COMMISSIONERS TO RETIRE

BRIDGE TO BE REPLACED

THE POTTSVILLE STREET BRIDGE WILL BE REPLACED IN 2013. THE ORIGINAL CONCRETE T-BEAM BRIDGE WAS BUILT IN 1926 AND WAS DAMAGED BY AN EXCAVATOR THAT CRASHED THROUGH IT IN 2009.

ENERGY AWARENESS MONTH

OCTOBER IS ENERGY AWARENESS MONTH. PPL ELECTRIC UTILITIES IS URGING ITS CUSTOMERS AND THE COMMUNITIES IT SERVES TO USE THIS MONTH TO FOCUS ON WISER AND MORE EFFICIENT WAYS OF USING THE ELECTRICITY THAT POWERS THIER LIVES. PPL'S WEBSITE OFFERS A VARIETY OF TOOLS TO HELP PEOPLE SAVE ENERGY. VISIT PPLECLECTRIC.COM.

EXPLORE PA

REPRESENTATIVE JERRY KNOWLES WELCOMES AUTUMN BY INVITING LOCAL RESIDENTS TO EXPLORE ALL THAT PENNSYLVANIA HAS TO OFFER. PENNSYLVANIA'S DEPARTMENT AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPEMENT OFFERS A ONE-STOP WEBSITE WITH INFORMATION ON STATEWIDE EVENTS, PLACES TO STAY, MAPS, TRIP IDEAS, AND TRAVEL TOOLS. VISIT REPKNOPWLES.COM AND CLICK ON "EXPLORE THIS FALL."

POTTSVILLE BURGLARIES

POTTSVILLE POLICE RESPONDED TO A NUMBER OF BURGLARIES IN THE AREA OVER THE PAST TWO MONTHS. THE SUSPECT(S) ARE FORCING THEIR WAY INTO THE HOMES THROUGH THE FIRST FLOOR WINDOWS AND BY PUSHING IN UNSECURED AIR-CONDITIONERS. ALL RESIDENTS ARE ASKED TO BE AWARE AND TO REPORT ANY SUSPICIOUS ACTIVITY.

DUI CHECKPOINTS

THE NORTH CENTRAL REGIONAL SOBRIETY CHECKPOINT DUI TASKFORCE WILL BE CONDUCTED TODAY THROUGH SUNDAY. TRAVELERS ARE REMINDED TO CALL 9-1-1 IF THEY SUSPECT A DRUNK DRIVER.

HARRISBURG, PA. (AP) - PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA WILL HEADLINE A RALLY IN PHILADELPHIA THIS WEEKEND THAT'S OPEN TO THE PUBLIC AS HE TRIES TO INVIGORATE DEMOCRATIC VOTERS AHEAD OF TWO CRUCIAL STATEWIDE RACES. OBAMA WILL BE JOINED SUNDAY BY U.S. SENATE CANDIDATE JOE SESTAK AND GUBERNATORIAL CANDIDATE DAN ONORATO.

UNIONTOWN, PA. (AP) - A WESTERN PENNSYLVANIA WOMAN ACCUSED OF CONSPIRING WITH HER BOYFRIEND TO DRUG HER 13-YEAR-OLD DAUGHTER SO HE COULD TRY TO IMPREGNATE HER HAS REACHED A PLEA DEAL WITH PROSECUTORS. POLICE SAID THE MOTHER IS UNABLE TO HAVE MORE CHILDREN AND ASKED HER DAUGHTER TO CARRY HER BOYFRIEND'S CHILD, BUT SHE REFUSED.

SAEGERTOWN, PA. (AP) - AUTHORITIES IN WESTERN PENNSYLVANIA HAVE CHARGED A WOMAN IN THE SHOOTING DEATH OF HER HUSBAND. STATE POLICE SAY 53-YEAR-OLD PATRICIA OLIVER OF CONNEAUTVILLE WAS ARRAIGNED YESTERDAY ON A CHARGE OF CRIMINAL HOMICIDE. POLICE SAY ANTHONY LIVER WAS SHOT DEAD IN THE COUPLE'S HOME YESTERDAY MORNING.

PHILADELPHIA (AP) - A NEW REPORT SAYS THAT THE RATE OF PEOPLE MOVING INTO THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA IS RISING FASTER THAN THE RATE OF PEOPLE MOVING OUT. THE PEW CHARITABLE TRUSTS' REPORT SAYS MORE PEOPLE STILL ARE LEAVING THE CITY THAN ARE ARRIVING. BUT RESEARCHERS SAY THE NET OUTFLOW TO THE SUBURBS AND ELSEWHERE HAS DROPPED.

BEIRUT (AP) - THE U.S. ISN'T HAPPY ABOUT IRANIAN PRESIDENT MAHMOUD AHMADINEJAD'S PLANNED VISIT TO LEBANON NEXT WEEK. THAT'S BECAUSE, ACCORDING TO STATE DEPARTMENT SPOKESMAN P.J. CROWLEY, IRAN IS UNDERMINING LEBANON'S SOVEREIGNTY THROUGH ITS ASSOCIATION WITH GROUPS LIKE HEZBOLLAH.

QUETTA, PAKISTAN (AP) - PAKISTANI POLICE SAY GUNMEN SET A DOZEN TANKERS ABLAZE IN SOUTHWESTERN PAKISTAN. THE TRUCKS WERE CARRYING FUEL TO NATO TROOPS. THE ATTACKERS ALSO KILLED A DRIVER. IT'S THE LATEST STRIKE AGAINST SUPPLY CONVOYS HEADING FOR AFGHANISTAN SINCE PAKISTAN SHUT A KEY BORDER CROSSING LAST WEEK.

SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA (AP) - A TOP SOUTH KOREAN OFFICIAL SAYS THE THREAT POSED BY NORTH KOREA'S NUCLEAR PROGRAM HAS REACHED AN "EXTREMELY DANGEROUS LEVEL." PRESIDENT LEE MYUNG-BAK'S (LEE MYUHNG BAHKZ) DEPUTY NATIONAL SECURITY SECRETARY SAYS "THE NORTH KOREAN NUCLEAR THREAT HAS, IN REALITY, BEEN ACCELERATING."

SAN'A, YEMEN (AP) - A YEMENI SECURITY OFFICIAL SAYS A MORTAR ROUND HAS EXPLODED NEAR A BRITISH DIPLOMATIC MOTORCADE NOT FAR FROM ITS EMBASSY IN THE CAPITAL SAN'A. THE OFFICIAL SAYS AT LEAST THREE BYSTANDERS WERE WOUNDED IN THE BLAST BUT HE DOES NOT KNOW OF ANY BRITISH CASUALTIES.

WASHINGTON (AP) - A NEW POLL SUGGESTS WORKING-CLASS WHITES ARE FLOCKING TO REPUBLICAN CANDIDATES IN THIS FALL'S ELECTIONS. THE ASSOCIATED PRESS-GFK POLL, CONDUCTED LAST MONTH, FOUND THIS GROUP FAVORING GOP HOPEFULS 58 PERCENT TO 36 PERCENT -- A WHOPPING 22 PERCENTAGE-POINT GAP.