TODAY'S NEWS: TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 9, 2010

BREAKING NEWS

I81 NORTH BOUND IS CLOSED AT THE 100 MILE MARKER DUE TO A FATAL ACCIDENT. WE WILL HAVE MORE DETAILS AS THEY BECOME AVAILABLE.

POTTSVILLE PARKING STUDY

POTTSVILLE IS USING SENSORS TO GAUGE PARKING PATTERNS IN THE BUSINESS DISTRICT IN AN EFFORT TO FREE UP PARKING IN FRONT OF DOWNTOWN BUSINESSES. THE STUDY THAT WILL LAST UP TO 90 DAYS BEGAN INSTALLATION ON MONDAY BY STREETSMART TECHNOLOGY LLC. ABOUT 100 SENSORS AT METERED AND ONE-HOUR SPACES IN THE 100 AND 200 BLOCKS OF WEST MARKET STREET AND THE FIRST AND 100 BLOCKS OF NORTH CENTRE STREET WERE PUT IN PLACE. THE REPUBLICAN HERALD REPORTS, THE INITIAL WORK SHOULD BE COMPLETED BY WEDNESDAY WITH THE STUDY TO BEGIN BY YEAR'S END.

KANTNER'S APPEAL DISMISSED

SCHUYLKILL COUNTY CONTROLLER, MELINDA B. KANTNER'S APPEAL HAS BEEN DISMISSED. KANTNER WAS ORDERED BY A JUDGE THAT SHE COMPLETE TWO LEGALLY MANDATED REPORTS, BUT HER APPEAL HAS BEEN DISMISSED BY COMMONWEALTH COURT. SENIOR JUDGE BARRY F. FEUDALE DISMISSED KANTNER'S APPEAL FOR FAILURE TO COMPLY WITH A DEFECT CORRECTION NOTICE OF OCTOBER 4TH.

SCHUYLKILL COUNTY ARREST
　
A SCHUYLKILL COUNTY MAN WAS PLACED BEHIND BARS FOR BREAKING A PROTECTION FROM ABUSE ORDER. POLICE SAY AROUND SIX SUNDAY MORNING 48-YEAR-OLD GENE MASCHAL OF NEW PHILADELPHIA SHOWED UP AT A HOME WHERE A PROTECTION FROM ABUSE ORDER WAS PLACED AGAINST HIM. POLICE ARRESTED HIM ON VALLEY STREET IN NEW PHILADELPHIA AND HE WAS PLACED IN SCHUYLKILL COUNTY JAIL.

SMUGGLING POT

A PITTSBURGH WOMAN ACCUSED OF TRYING TO SMUGGLE POT INTO A STATE PRISON IN SCHUYLKILL COUNTY WAS SENTENCED TO SPEND THE NEXT TWO YEARS IN A STATE PRISON. 28-YEAR-OLD JULIA KEEN WAS SENTENCED BY SCHUYLKILL COUNTY JUDGE JACUELINE RUSSELL MONDAY TO THE PRISON TERM OF TWO TO FOUR YEARS IN STATE PRISON, KEEN PLEADED GUILTY IN SEPTEMBER TO SMUGGLING MARIJUANA INTO STATE PRISON AT MAHONOY IN NOVEMBER LAST YEAR.

AVOID DROWSY DRIVING

THIS WEEK IS DROWSY DRIVING PREVENTION WEEK. WITH THE EALIER ARRIVAL OF NIGHTFALL, THE DEPARTMENTS OF TRANSPORTATION AND INSURANCE REMIND DRIVERS TO BE AWARE OF THE IMPORTANCE OF STAYING ALERT BEHIND THE WHEEL. IF YOU FEEL DROWSY, PULL OVER AND TAKE BREAK FROM YOUR TRAVEL. BETWEEN 2005 AND 2009, PENNSYLVANIA HAS HAD NEARLY 2,300 DROWSY DRIVING-RELATED CRASHES A YEAR.

CANCER TREATMENT

NEW CANCER RESEARCH INTRODUCED AT THE AMERICAN SOCIETY FOR RADIATION ONCOLOGY'S 52ND ANNUAL MEETING WILL IMPACT PATIENTS ACROSS THE COUNTRY. CUTTING EDGE RESEARCH IN THE AREAS OF LUNG CANCER, LYMPHOMA, PROSTATE CANCER, AND BREAST CANCER WERE PRESENTED AT THE ANNUAL MEETING HELD OCTOBER 31ST THROUGH NOVEMBER 4TH. RESEARCHERS PROVIDED THE LATEST FINDINGS FOR EACH OF THESE IMPORTANT CANCER TREATMENTS.
　
PHILADELPHIA (AP) - A HIGH-RANKING PHILADELPHIA POLICE OFFICIAL IS PLEADING 'NOT GUILTY' TO CHARGES THAT HE TRIED TO HAVE A "COLLECTOR" USE THREATS TO RECOUP THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS FROM A FAILED REAL ESTATE DEAL. CARLO DANIEL CASTRO, AN INSPECTOR WHO HEADED THE TRAFFIC DIVISION, ENTERED THE PLEA BEFORE A FEDERAL JUDGE YESTERDAY. HE'S FACING BRIBERY AND EXTORTION CHARGES.

SOUTHAMPTON, PA. (AP) - POLICE NORTH OF PHILADELPHIA HAVE OPENED A HOMICIDE PROBE INTO THE DEATH OF A WOMAN FOUND DEAD IN THE NAIL SALON SHE OWNED. EMPLOYEES FOUND ANNIE HUYNH'S BODY YESTERDAY WHEN THEY ARRIVED FOR WORK. AN AUTOPSY HAS CONCLUDED HER DEATH WAS A HOMICIDE BUT AUTHORITIES HAVE NOT SAID HOW SHE DIED.

AMBLER, PA. (AP) - AUTHORITIES SAY A TEENAGER WHOSE BODY WAS FOUND IN A PHILADELPHIA-AREA CEMETERY DIED AS A RESULT OF A FALL FROM A 175-FOOT MAUSOLEUM BELL TOWER. POLICE SAY THE 16-YEAR-OLD FOUND DEAD SUNDAY APPARENTLY GAINED ACCESS TO THE TOWER OF CHIMES USING A LADDER THAT WAS BROUGHT TO WHITEMARSH MEMORIAL PARK IN AMBLER. THE IDENTITY OF THE TEEN HAS NOT BEEN RELEASED.

PITTSBURGH (AP) - NEW NUTRITIONAL GUIDELINES UP FOR REVIEW SUGGEST THAT SCHOOLS ALLOW FEWER BIRTHDAY CELEBRATIONS INSIDE PENNSYLVANIA'S CLASSROOMS. THE STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION IS RECOMMENDING THAT SCHOOLS STRONGLY ENCOURAGE PARENTS TO OFFER NO MORE THAN A SINGLE HOMEMADE SWEET AT SCHOOL PARTIES. THE BOARD EXPECTS TO VOTE ON THE NEW GUIDELINES THIS SPRING.

JAKARTA, INDONESIA (AP) - INDONESIANS ARE FINALLY ABOUT TO GET A CHANCE TO CHEER FOR PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA, WHO LIVED THERE AS A CHILD FOR FOUR YEARS. BUT THE PRESIDENT WILL BE THERE FOR JUST 24 HOURS. THAT DISAPPOINTS SOME MUSLIM LEADERS AND CHILDREN AT THE SCHOOL OBAMA ATTENDED. OBAMA IS TO MEET WITH INDONESIA'S PRESIDENT AND MAKE A SPEECH ABOUT THE NEED TO IMPROVE RELATIONS BETWEEN THE WEST AND THE MUSLIM WORLD.

MOUNT MERAPI, INDONESIA (AP) - INDONESIAN AUTHORITIES SAY THE DEATH TOLL FROM TWO WEEKS OF ERUPTIONS FROM MOUNT MERAPI (MEH-RAH'-PEE) HAS RISEN TO 153. TWELVE MORE BODIES HAVE BEEN RECOVERED. MOST OF THE VICTIMS WERE KILLED FRIDAY WHEN SUPERHEATED GASES ROLLED DOWN THE MOUNTAIN AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS.

BEIJNG (AP) - ECONOMIC ADVISER PAUL VOLCKER IS PREDICTING THE UNEMPLOYMENT RATE WILL DECLINE GRADUALLY. VOLCKER, CHAIR OF THE PRESIDENT'S ECONOMIC ADVISORY BOARD, ONLY EXPECTS THE ECONOMY TO GROW SLOWLY FOR THE NEXT YEAR OF MORE. HE OFFERED THE FORECAST AT A BUSINESS FORUM IN CHINA.

DANNENBERG, GERMANY (AP) - TRUCKS CARRYING 123 TONS OF NUCLEAR WASTE ARE FINALLY MAKING THEIR WAY TO A STORAGE FACILITY IN NORTHERN GERMANY. POLICE WORKED THROUGH THE NIGHT TO CLEAR ABOUT 3,000 PROTESTERS WHO HAD BLOCKED THE ROAD. ACTIVISTS SAY THE STORAGE SITES ARE NOT SAFE.

WASHINGTON (AP) - THE NATIONAL TRANSPORTATION SAFETY BOARD IS HOLDING A TWO-DAY FORUM IN WASHINGTON TO CONSIDER THE SAFETY RISKS THAT OLDER DRIVERS FACE. MORE THAN ONE IN FIVE LICENSED DRIVERS WILL SOON BE 65 OR OLDER. SMARTER CARS AND BETTER DESIGNED ROADS MAY HELP KEEP THEM STAY BEHIND THE WHEEL LONGER.