TODAY'S NEWS: FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 5, 2010

BREAKING NEWS

THERE HAS BEEN A CRASH BETWEEN WEST SECOND MOUNTAIN ROAD AND MANHEIN ROAD. THE VEHICLE DROVE INTO A TREE, ENTRAPPING THE TWO PASSENGERS INSIDE. BOTH PEOPLE WERE LIFE FLIGHTED TO LEHIGH VALLEY HOSPITAL. WE WILL HAVE MORE INFORMATION AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.

EX-DIRECTOR STOLE $100K FROM NONPROFIT

THE U.S DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE HAS CHARGED MARY BETH SEMEROD OF POTTSVILLE WITH EMBEZZLEMENT. SEMEROD IS THE FORMER EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY'S RAPE AND VICTIM ASSISTANCE CENTER AND IS ACCUSED OF STEALING ABOUT $100,000 IN GRANT MONEY. THE MONEY WAS MEANT TO AID THE VICTUMS OF RAPE OR OTHER SEXUAL ABUSE. THE CHARGES WERE ANNOUNCED THURSDAY AFTERNOON.

SCHUYLKILL COUNTY AUDIT

AN AUDIT OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY BOOKS IS EXPECTED TO BE RELEASED TODAY. ACCORDING TO THE REPUBLICAN HERALD, COUNTY OFFICIALS AND THE COUNTY'S EXTERNAL AUDITOR WILL REVIEW THE AUDIT AT A MEETING TODAY IN THE COUNTY COURTHOUSE. THE AUDIT WILL CONTAIN MULTIPLE "FINDINGS" OR DEFICIENCIES WITH THE COUNTY'S FINANCIAL RECORDS.

VETERANS BREAKFAST

SCHUYLKILL COUNTY VETERANS AND CURRENT MEMBERS OF THE US MILITARY ARE INVITED TO AN APPRECIATION BREAKFAST THIS SATURDAY FROM 7:30 TO 9:30AM AT THE SCHUYLKILL MEDICAL CENTER ON EAST NORWEGIAN STREET IN POTTSVILLE. HELD IN THE WALL AUDITORIUM. REGISTRATION IS NOT REQUIRED BUT IS RECOMMENDED. INTERESTED VETERANS CAN CALL 570-621-5047. THE BREAKFAST IS OFFERED AS A THANK YOU TO ALL THE MEN AND WOMEN WHO HAVE SERVED OUR COUNTRY. FOR MORE INFORMATION TUNE INTO WPPA'S STEP UP TO THE MIC TODAY FROM TEN TILL NOON.
　
CONSERVATION CAN KEEP PA ANIMALS OFF ENDANGERED LIST

A RECENT REPORT IN THE JOURNAL OF SCIENCE FINDS A HUGE NUMBER OF ANIMALS, SOME FOUND IN PENNSYLVANIA, COULD BE HEADED FOR EXTINCTION UNLESS CONSERVATION EFFORTS ARE STEPPED UP. SOME BIRDS, FROGS, AND FISH ARE AT RISK. DR. BRUCE STEIN WITH THE NATIONAL WILDLIFE FEDERATION SAYS THE REASONS FOR THE DECLINE COULD BE THEIR HABITAT BEING WIPED OUT BY DEVELOPMENT AS WELL AS CLIMATE CHANGE. STEIN ADDS THAT CONSERVATION EFFORTS IN PENNSYLVANIA HAVE WORKED WELL OVER THE YEARS.

PHILADELPHIA (AP) - POLICE HAVE MADE AN ARREST IN THE SLAYING OF A MAN WHOSE BODY WAS DISCOVERED BY FIREFIGHTERS INSIDE A HOTEL ROOM IN PHILADELPHIA'S HISTORIC DISTRICT. POLICE CHARGED HERMAN BURTON WITH MURDER IN THE KILLING PATRICK MICHAEL BRADY. POLICE SAY BURTON ROBBED AND STRANGLED THE THORNDALE MAN BEFORE SETTING THE FIRE INSIDE THE OMNI HOTEL ON SATURDAY MORNING.

SCRANTON, PA. (AP) - A FORMER COUNTY OFFICIAL IN NORTHEASTERN PENNSYLVANIA HAS BEEN SENTENCED TO TWO YEARS OF PROBATION FOR DECEIVING AUTHORITIES WHILE UNDER INVESTIGATION FOR BRIBERY. A FEDERAL JUDGE IN SCRANTON YESTERDAY ALSO ORDERED FORMER LUZERNE COUNTY CLERK OF COURTS ROBERT REILLY TO PAY A $1,000 FINE AND PERFORM 50 HOURS OF COMMUNITY SERVICE.

HARRISBURG, PA. (AP) - A NEW AUDIT FINDS SHORTCOMINGS IN HOW THE PENNSYLVANIA DEPARTMENT OF LABOR AND INDUSTRY ADMINISTERS THE SYSTEM DESIGNED TO PREVENT PEOPLE FROM CUTTING UTILITY LINES WHEN THEY DIG. THE AUDITOR GENERAL'S OFFICE SAID YESTERDAY THAT STATE REGULATORS HAVE NOT CONSISTENTLY CHECKED TO MAKE SURE PEOPLE DOING EXCAVATING HAVE CALLED THE PENNSYLVANIA ONE CALL SYSTEM BEFOREHAND.

PITTSBURGH (AP) - PITTSBURGH PENGUINS FANS CAN NOW OWN A PIECE OF THE OLD CIVIC ARENA. SEATS FROM THE OLD BUILDING ARE CURRENTLY ON SALE. THE TEAM AND THE SPORTS AND EXHIBITION AUTHORITY ANNOUNCED THAT PENGUINS SEASON-TICKET HOLDERS WILL BE ABLE TO BUY THE SEATS FROM NOW UNTIL NOVEMBER 30TH. AFTER THAT, THE SALE WILL BE OPENED TO THE GENERAL PUBLIC.

WASHINGTON (AP) - ECONOMISTS EXPECT THE LABOR DEPARTMENT TO FIND UNEMPLOYMENT UNCHANGED FOR A THIRD STRAIGHT MONTH. THAT WOULD MEAN AN UNEMPLOYMENT RATE OF 9.6 PERCENT FOR OCTOBER WHEN JOB FIGURES COME OUT. ECONOMISTS ANTICIPATE THAT 60,000 JOBS WERE ADDED, FEWER THAN THE 100,000 NEEDED TO KEEP PACE WITH POPULATION GROWTH.

HAVANA (AP) - CUBAN OFFICIALS SAY THERE ARE NO SURVIVORS AFTER A STATE AIRLINER CRASHED IN A MOUNTAINOUS REGION. AUTHORITIES SAY THE PLANE WAS TRAVELING FROM THE EASTERN CITY OF SANTIAGO DE CUBA TO HAVANA WHEN IT REPORTED AN EMERGENCY AND THEN LOST CONTACT WITH AIR TRAFFIC CONTROLLERS. SIXTY-EIGHT PEOPLE WERE ON BOARD.

MOUNT MERAPI, INDONESIA (AP) - INDONESIA'S MOST VOLATILE VOLCANO HAS BLOWN BIGGER THAN ANYONE EXPECTED AND HAS CLAIMED MORE LIVES. THE DEATH TOLD IS NEARLY 100 AFTER MOUNT MERAPI (MEH-RAH'-PEE) ERUPTED TODAY, INCINERATING HOUSES AT THE EDGE OF THE DANGER ZONE AND LEAVING MANY PEOPLE INJURED. STREETS ARE BLANKETED BY ASH THREE INCHES DEEP.

OLYMPIA, WASH. (AP) - WASHINGTON STATE'S U.S. SENATE RACE THAT WASN'T DECIDED ON ELECTION NIGHT, HAS FINALLY BEEN RESOLVED. SEN. PATTY MURRAY HAS WON A FOURTH TERM, BEATING REPUBLICAN CHALLENGER DINO ROSSI. IT TOOK THREE DAYS OF TALLYING TO DECLARE THE DEMOCRAT THE WINNER WITH 51 PERCENT OF THE VOTE.

FORT HOOD, TEXAS (AP) - A CEREMONY AND MEMORIAL SERVICE TODAY WILL MARK THE ONE-YEAR ANNIVERSARY OF THE SHOOTING RAMPAGE AT FORT HOOD. THIRTEEN PEOPLE WERE KILLED AND 32 OTHERS INJURED WHEN A GUNMAN OPENED FIRE ON THE U.S. MILITARY BASE. AN ARTICLE 32 HEARING TO DETERMINE WHETHER THERE'S ENOUGH EVIDENCE TO TRY ARMY PSYCHIATRIST MAJ. NIDAL HASAN FOR THE SHOOTINGS WILL RESUME LATER THIS MONTH.