TODAY'S NEWS: TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 29, 2010

MAHANOY CITY FIRE RULED ACCIDENTAL

A MALFUNCTIONING OIL BURNER IS TO BLAME FOR THE FIRE THAT DESTROYED THREE HOMES AND DAMAGED ANOTHER IN MAHANOY CITY EARLY MONDAY MORNING. THE BLAZE STARTED IN THE BASEMENT OF 1117 EAST PINE STREET, HOME OF CORNELIUS AND MILDRED VANDERPLUYM AND SPREAD THROUGH THREE OTHER HOMES. THE DAMAGE IS ESTIMATED IN EXCESS OF $100,000. TWELVE PEOPLE ARE LEFT HOMELESS AND THE RED CROSS IS NOW HELPING THOSE FAMILIES.
　
ARMED ROBBERY

POLICE ARE NOW SEARCHING FOR THREE ARMED ROBBERS WHO BURST INTO YORKVILLE DRUG STORE IN POTTSVILLE LATE MONDAY AFTERNOON, PUT A PISTOL TO A CUSTOMER'S HEAD AND DEMANDED CASH AND PRESCRIPTION DRUGS FROM THE STAFF. MORE THAN $10,000 WORTH OF NARCOTICS AND OVER $1,000 IN CASH WAS TAKEN. THE THREE ROBBERS ARE BEING DESCRIBED AS BLACK MEN WEARING DARK HOODED SWEATSHIRTS. ANYONE WITH INFORMATION IS ASKED TO CALL WOJCIECHOWSKY OR CITY DETECTIVE STEVE GUERS AT CITY HALL AT 570-622-1234.
　
TAXES WILL RISE IN 2011

THE CITY COUNCIL ANNOUNCED MONDAY ITS PLANS TO INCREASE TAXES BY 2.5 MILLS IN 2011. BY RAISING THE TAXES, THE AVERAGE PROPERTY OWNER WILL PAY $70 MORE IN TAXES PER YEAR. ACCORDING TO THE REPUBLICAN HERALD, THE CITY'S SPENDING PLAN TOTALS MORE THAN EIGHT MILLION DOLLARS FOR 2011, AND RAISING TAXES WAS THE ONLY WAY TO BALANCE THAT PLAN.
　
HOLIDAY CRASHES

SEVENTEEN PEOPLE WERE KILLED AND 348 INJURED IN OVER 1,000 CRASHES INVESTIGATED BY PA STATE POLICE DURING A FIVE-DAY THANKSGIVING HOLIDAY DRIVING PERIOD. OF THOSE CRASHES, 79 WERE ALCOHOL-RELATED, INCLUDING SIX CRASHES INVOLVING ONE OR MORE FATALITIES. A TOTAL OF 11 PEOPLE WHO DIED WERE NOT WEARING SEATBELTS.
　
LIBRARY PROGRAM

CHILDREN AGES FOUR AND OLDER ALONG WITH THEIR PARENTS AND SIBLINGS ARE INVITED TO TAKE A BITE OUT OF CRIME WITH MCGRUFF AND OFFICER FRIENDLY AND LEARN ABOUT STAYING SAFE. THE PROGRAM WILL TAKE PLACE AT THE POTTSVILLE FREE PUBLIC LIBRARY THURSDAY, DECEMBER 2ND AT 6PM. ALL INTERESTED IN ATTENDING ARE ASKED TO CALL 570-622-8880 AND REGISTER.
　
WORLD AIDS DAY

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 1ST IS WORLD AIDS DAY. THIS IS A TIME FOR ALL OF US TO GET THE FACTS TO PREVENT THE SPREAD OF THE VIRUS AND TO FOSTER A CONCERN FOR THOSE ALREADY INFECTED. PREVENTION IS THE ONLY "VACCINE" WE HAVE AGAINST HIV/AIDS. ONE IN FOUR NEW INFECTIONS OCCUR IN PEOPLE UNDER THE AGE OF 22. BASED ON CURRENT TRENDS, AN AVERAGE OF TWO YOUNG PEOPLE ARE INFECTED WITH HIV EVERY HOUR OF THE DAY. SCHUYLKILL WELLNESS SERVICES WILL BE HAVING HIV GENERAL TESTING FROM 2-6PM WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 1ST. THEY ARE LOCATED AT 514 NORTH CENTER STREET IN POTTSVILLE. WALK-INS ARE WELCOME AND SERVICES ARE FREE AND CONFIDENTIAL.

SCRANTON, PA. (AP) - A NORTHEASTERN PENNSYLVANIA LAWMAKER INDICTED ON FEDERAL CORRUPTION CHARGES WILL BE ARRAIGNED IN MID-DECEMBER. A JUDGE HAS GRANTED STATE SENATOR RAY MUSTO'S REQUEST TO DELAY HIS ARRAIGNMENT ON CHARGES INCLUDING BRIBERY AND FRAUD. MUSTO HAD BEEN SCHEDULED FOR A COURT APPEARANCE TOMORROW BUT IT WAS POSTPONED UNTIL DECEMBER 15.

PITTSBURGH (AP) - A SMALL-TOWN MAYOR UPSET ABOUT THE CLOSING OF A HOSPITAL IN HIS COMMUNITY HAS BEEN ARRESTED AT THE HOSPITAL'S CORPORATE HEADQUARTERS IN PITTSBURGH. PITTSBURGH POLICE SAY BRADDOCK MAYOR JOHN FETTERMAN IS CHARGED WITH DEFIANT TRESPASSING FOR REFUSING TO LEAVE THE U.S. STEEL TOWER DOWNTOWN. THE SKYSCRAPER HOUSES THE OFFICES OF THE UNIVERSITY OF PITTSBURGH MEDICAL CENTER.

QUAKERTOWN, PA. (AP) - POLICE IN SUBURBAN PHILADELPHIA ARE INVESTIGATING THE SHOOTING DEATH OF A HUNTER ON THE FIRST DAY OF DEER SEASON. RICHLAND TOWNSHIP POLICE TELL KYW-TV THAT THE MAN'S DEATH YESTERDAY AFTERNOON IS SUSPICIOUS. INVESTIGATORS SAY THE QUAKERTOWN MAN KILLED A DEER AND CALLED HIS WIFE TO GET THEIR SON TO HELP CARRY THE ANIMAL. BY THE TIME THE SON ARRIVED, THE MAN HAD BEEN SHOT.

EVANS CITY, PA. (AP) - RESCUE CREWS HAD TO USE ROPES AND LADDERS TO RETRIEVE A WESTERN PENNSYLVANIA WOMAN FROM HER PICKUP TRUCK AFTER IT RAN OFF A ROAD AND LANDED IN TREE TOPS ABOUT 30 FEET ABOVE GROUND IN A RAVINE. POLICE SAY THEY'LL BE CITING 33-YEAR-OLD DANA BOWSER FOR DRIVING TOO FAST FOR CONDITIONS ON ROUTE 68 NEAR EVANS CITY. THAT'S ABOUT 25 MILES NORTH OF PITTSBURGH.

WASHINGTON (AP) - THE NEW BALANCE OF POWER IN WASHINGTON IS ON DISPLAY TODAY AS PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA HOLDS THE FIRST MEETING WITH REPUBLICAN AND DEMOCRATIC CONGRESSIONAL LEADERS SINCE THE MIDTERM ELECTION. KEY TOPICS WILL LIKELY INCLUDE THE BUSH-ERA TAX CUTS AND A U.S.-RUSSIA TREATY TO REDUCE NUCLEAR WEAPONS ARSENALS. THE MEETING WILL ALSO HELP DEFINE THE INTERACTION BETWEEN THE WHITE HOUSE AND A DIVIDED CONGRESS.

WASHINGTON (AP) - THE DEBATE OVER GAYS SERVING OPENLY IN THE MILITARY COULD INTENSIFY TODAY AFTER THE PENTAGON'S STUDY ON "DON'T ASK, DON'T TELL" IS RELEASED. OFFICIALS FAMILIAR WITH THE RESULTS OF THE 10-MONTH STUDY HAVE SAID A CLEAR MAJORITY OF RESPONDENTS DON'T CARE IF GAYS SERVE OPENLY. SOME 70 PERCENT OF THOSE WHO SURVEYED PREDICT THAT LIFTING THE BAN WOULD HAVE POSITIVE, MIXED OR NO RESULTS.

WASHINGTON (AP) - A NEW POLL SAYS MOST AMERICANS OVERWHELMINGLY PREFER THE OPTION TO CUT FEDERAL SERVICES TO REDUCE BUDGET DEFICITS UNTIL IT'S TIME TO MAKE SPECIFIC CUTS. THE ASSOCIATED PRESS-CNBC
POLL FINDS LITTLE AGREEMENT ON THE PARTICULARS - AND A WARINESS TO CHANGE SOCIAL SECURITY AND MEDICARE, WHICH TOGETHER TAKE UP A THIRD OF THE ANNUAL FEDERAL BUDGET.

WASHINGTON (AP) - THE HOUSE COULD VOTE TODAY ON A $4.6 BILLION SETTLEMENT WITH AMERICAN INDIAN LANDOWNERS AND AFRICAN-AMERICAN FARMERS WHO CLAIM THEY WERE SUBJECTED TO MISTREATMENT AND
DISCRIMINATION. THAT WOULD COMPLETE CONGRESSIONAL ACTION AND SEND THE AUTHORIZATION TO PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA, WHOSE ADMINISTRATION BROKERED SETTLEMENTS ON THE LAWSUITS OVER THE PAST YEAR. THE SETTLEMENT COULD END YEARS OF LITIGATION.

MARINETTE, WIS. (AP) - THERE'S NO WORD YET ON THE CONDITION OF THE WISCONSIN STUDENT WHO POLICE SAY SHOT HIMSELF AFTER HOLDING A TEACHER AND NEARLY TWO DOZEN OTHER STUDENTS HOSTAGE FOR FIVE HOURS IN A MARINETTE HIGH SCHOOL CLASSROOM. ALL OF THE HOSTAGES WERE FREED UNHARMED. ONE OF THE HOSTAGES SAYS THE GUNMAN APPEARED DEPRESSED BUT DIDN'T SEEM LIKE HE WANTED TO HURT ANYONE.