TODAY'S NEWS:FRIDAY, OCTOBER 1, 2010

WEATHER UPDATE

HEGINS TOWNSHIP HAS LIFTED THEIR STATE OF EMERGENCY STATUS

PINE GROVE AREA SCHOOL DISTRICT IS ON A TWO HOUR DELAY


SCHUYLKILL COUNTY REMAINS UNDER A FLOOD WATCH UNTIL THIS EVENING. THE TAIL-END OF TROPICAL STORM NICOLE CAUSED VOLUNTARY EVACUATIONS, ROAD CLOSURES AND SOME FLOODING. THE JOE ZERBEY AIRPORT, MOUNT PLEASEANT, RECIEVED THE HARDEST HIT WITH MORE THAN 7.3 INCHES OF RAIN. PINE GROVE STUDENTS WERE SENT HOME EARLY THURSDAY AFTERNOON, AND THE SCHOOL'S GYM WAS TURNED INTO A SHELTER FOR THOSE WHO NEEDED TO EVACUATE FROM THEIR HOMES. SHOWERS AND WINDY CONDITIONS WILL CONTINUE INTO THE AFTERNOON TODAY, BUT NO MORE THAN A QUATER-INCH OF RAIN.

HOLDEN ANNOUNCES PASSAGE OF BILL

CONGRESSMAN TIM HOLDEN ANNOUNCED YESTERDAY AFTERNOON THE PASSAGE OF HIS BILL THAT WAS BEING WORKED THROUGH CONGRESS FOR YEARS. THE BILL WILL PROVIDE SURVIVOR BENEFITS TO SPOUSES OF FORMER PRISONERS OF WAR. BOTH THE HOUSE AND SENATE UNANIMOUSLY VOTED IN THE LEGISLATION THIS WEEK, AND IT WILL BE SENT AS PART OF THE VETERANS' BENEFIT ACT OF 2010 TO PRESIDENT OBAMA TO BE SIGNED INTO LAW.

COUNTY AUDIT DEADLINE NOT MET

COUNTY CONTROLLER, MELINDA KANTNER, ASSURED THURSDAY AFTERNOON THAT SHE WOULD BE COMPLIANT WITH JUDGE CHARLES MILLER’S RULING, AND FILE THE FINANCIAL REPORTS BY THE END OF THE BUSINESS DAY. THE COMPLETION DEADLINE FOR AN AUDIT OF THE COUNTY BOOKS WOULD NOT MEET THE DEADLINE, ACCORDING TO MARK SCARBINSKY, COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR, AND SAM DEEGAN, THE COUNTY’S EXTERNAL AUDITOR. THE REPUBLICAN HERALD REPORTS, SCARBINSKY EXPECTS THE AUDIT WILL BE COMPLETE IN THE NEXT COUPLE WEEKS.

MINERSVILLE BORO MAN ARRESTED

A MINERSVILLE BORO MAN WAS ARRESTED THURSDAY AFTER ALLEGEDLY STABBING A NEIGHBOR. THE REPUBLICAN HERALD REPORTS, BORO POLICE CHIEF, MICHAEL COMBS, SAID GLENN WOODFORD IS BELIEVED TO HAVE STABBED NEIGHBOR, CHARLES KULL, IN RETALIATION. KULL HAD GIVEN A TESTIMONY AGAINST WOODFORD IN A CRIMINAL CASE A FEW WEEKS PRIOR TO THE STABBING. WOODFORD IS FACING CHARGES OF TWO COUNTS OF AGGRIVATED ASSUALT AND SIMPLE ASSAULT, ONE COUNT EACH OF INTIMIDATING A WITNESS, RECKLESS ENDANGERMENT, AND POSSESSION OF AN INSTRUMENT OF CRIME. WOODFORD IS BEING HELD IN THE SCHUYLKILL COUNTY PRISON ON $15,000 BAIL.

PHILADELPHIA (AP) - PARTS OF EASTERN AND CENTRAL PENNSYLVANIA ARE BRACING FOR MORE FLOODING WITH RAINS EXPECTED TO KEEP POUNDING THE STATE FOR SEVERAL MORE HOURS. IN PHILADELPHIA, THE CITY IS SETTING UP TWO SHELTERS IN FLOOD-PRONE AREAS ALONG THE SCHUYLKILL RIVER. LANCASTER COUNTY OFFICIALS ARE ALSO BRACING FOR MORE FLOODING.

PHILADELPHIA (AP) - A FORMER PHILADELPHIA HOUSING AUTHORITY WORKER IS ACCUSED OF EXTORTING $25,000 IN KICKBACKS FROM TWO CONTRACTORS. THE FEDERAL INDICTMENT FILED YESTERDAY AGAINST KERRI BIZZELL COMES A WEEK AFTER THE RECENT FIRING OF THE AGENCY'S
EMBATTLED DIRECTOR, CARL GREENE.

PITTSBURGH (AP) - A MAN SERVING A LIFE SENTENCE FOR THE RAPE AND BEATING DEATH OF A WESTERN PENNSYLVANIA WOMAN IN 1978 HAS DIED OF NATURAL CAUSES. JAMES FRANCIS "SILKY" SULLIVAN, OF GRINDSTONE, DIED MONDAY AT THE STATE CORRECTIONAL INSTITUTION-PITTSBURGH. HE WAS CONVICTED IN 2002, 24 YEARS AFTER HE KILLED 29-YEAR-OLD LINDA MAE COVACH.

PITTSBURGH (AP) - A PENNSYLVANIA COMPANY HAS BEEN AWARDED A $4.5 MILLION CONTRACT TO BUILD THE ENTRANCE ROAD TO THE FLIGHT 93 MEMORIAL UNDER CONSTRUCTION NEAR SHANKSVILLE. NEW ENTERPRISE STONE AND LIME COMPANY WILL BUILD A 2.3-MILE ROAD TO CONNECT ROUTE 30 TO RING ROAD, WHICH IS ADJACENT TO THE MEMORIAL.


RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) - SOME EAST COAST CITIES FROM THE CAROLINA'S TO MAINE HAVE GOTTEN MORE RAIN IN HOURS THAN THEY NORMALLY GET IN MONTHS. TORRENTIAL DOWNPOURS FROM A FADED TROPICAL STORM HAVE REACHED NEW ENGLAND AFTER CLAIMING FIVE LIVES AND WASHING OUT ROADS FURTHER SOUTH.

SHIKARPUR, PAKISTAN (AP) - AN ATTACK ON A FUEL CONVOY IN PAKISTAN HIGHLIGHTS THE VULNERABILITY OF THE U.S.-LED MISSION A DAY AFTER PAKISTAN CLOSED A MAJOR BORDER CROSSING. SUSPECTED MILITANTS IN SOUTHERN PAKISTAN TORCHED MORE THAN TWO DOZEN TANKERS. PAKISTAN SHUT DOWN ONE BORDER CROSSING IN APPARENT PROTEST AT A NATO HELICOPTER INCURSION THAT KILLED THREE OF ITS SOLDIERS. ANOTHER CROSSING REMAINS OPEN.

QUITO, ECUADOR (AP) - ECUADOREAN PRESIDENT RAFAEL CORREA HAS SPOKEN TO CHEERING BACKERS FROM THE BALCONY OF HIS PALACE IN QUITO AFTER HIS RESCUE LATE YESTERDAY FROM REBELLIOUS POLICE. THE POLICE WERE UPSET BY A LAW CUTTING BENEFITS. SOLDIERS FIRING AUTOMATIC WEAPONS AND CONCUSSION GRENADES RESCUED CORREA FROM A HOSPITAL.

SACRAMENTO, CALIF. (AP) - SEVEN MAJOR HEALTH CARE-REFORM BILLS
HAVE BEEN SIGNED INTO LAW BY CALIFORNIA GOV. ARNOLD SCHWARZENEGGER.
THE LEGISLATION INCLUDES AN INSURANCE EXCHANGE THAT WILL ALLOW
CONSUMERS TO COMPARISON-SHOP FOR COVERAGE. THE LEGISLATION AIMS TO
BRING THE NATION'S MOST POPULOUS STATE IN LINE WITH FEDERAL REFORMS
SCHEDULED TO TAKE EFFECT IN 2014.

TOKYO (AP) - JAPAN IS TRYING TO LOSE ITS POSITION OF HAVING THE HIGHEST SMOKING RATE AMONG INDUSTRIALIZED NATIONS. JAPAN IMPOSED A RECORD 40 PERCENT TAX HIKE ON CIGARETTES TODAY, WHICH WILL RAISE THE PRICE OF THE COUNTRY'S MOST POPULAR BRAND, MILD SEVEN, BY A THIRD TO NEARLY $5 A PACK. SMOKERS HAVE BEEN STOCKING UP ON CIGARETTES, SOME BUYING CARTONS BY THE ARMFUL.