TODAY'S NEWS:THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 11, 2010

VETERANS DAY

VETERANS DAY TODAY, WE PAUSE TO SAY THANK YOU TO ALL OF OUR VETERANS. ON THE 11TH DAY OF THE 11TH MONTH, AT THE 11TH HOUR, IN 1918, THE ARMISTICE (AR-MISS-TISS) WAS SIGNED, ENDING THE FIRST WORLD WAR. SINCE THEN, OUR BRAVE MEN AND WOMEN HAVE SAFEGUARDED OUR FREEDOMS IN THE JUNGLES OF THE FAR EAST, THE BEACHES OF EUROPE AND THE SANDS OF THE MIDDLE EAST, WHEREVER THEY WERE CALLED. MANY CAME HOME, SOME WERE INJURED, OTHERS MADE THE ULTIMATE SACRIFICE. IN COMMUNITIES AND SCHOOLS AROUND THE COUNTY, PROGRAMS ARE PLANNED IN OBSERVANCE OF VETERANS DAY. MANY FEDERAL , STATE AND LOCAL OFFICES, POST OFFICES AND BANKS ARE CLOSED. IF YOU ARE ENJOYING A DAY OFF TODAY, DO SO..BUT MAKE CERTAIN THAT YOU PAUSE IN REMEMBRANCE OF ALL OF OUR BRAVE MEN AND WOMEN, THOSE WHO HAVE PROUDLY WORN THE UNIFORM OF THE UNITED STATES ARMED FORCES , AND PRAY FOR THOSE WHO ARE ON DUTY NOW, FOR OUR PROTECTION.

KANTNER'S SPEECH

CONTROLLER MELINDA KANTNER BLASTED COMMISSIONERS AND THE COUNTY'S EXTERNAL AUDITOR AT WEDNESDAY MORNING'S COMISSIONERS MEETING. AMONG OTHER THINGS, KANTNER CLAIMED TO BE THE VICTIM OF A CONSPIRACY BY OTHER COUNTY OFFICIALS. THE EIGHT MINUTE MONOLOGUE WAS EVENTUALLY STOPPED BY COMMISSIONERS CHAIRWOMAN MANTURA M. GALLAGHER, BUT OFFICIALS WERE STILL EMBARRASSED AND DISGUSTED FOR WHAT THEY HAD ALREADY WITNESSED.

TAMAQUA MAN ARRESTED

A TAMAQUA MAN NOW SITS BEHIND BARS ON A $1 MILLION STRAIGHT CASH BAIL. 28-YEAR-OLD QUINTEN T. HUTTY WAS JAILED LATE TUESDAY NIGHT AFTER HE WAS PICKED UP BY BOROUGH POLICE ON ATTEMPTED CRIMINAL HOMICIDE CHARGES IN MARYLAND. HUTTY WAS TAKEN BEFORE MAGISTERIAL DISTRICT JUDGE STEPHEN J. BAYER, TAMAQUA ON A CHARGE OF ARREST PRIOR TO REQUISITION IN CONNECTION WITH GOVERNOR'S WARRANTS FROM BOTH MARYLAND AND PENNSYLVANIA. THE WARRANTS CHARGE HUTTY WITH ATTEMPTED FIRST-DEGREE MURDER, ATTEMPTED SECOND-DEGREE MURDER, SECOND-DEGREE ASSUALT AND WEARING OR CARRYING A DANGEROUS WEAPON WITH INTENT TO INJURE. BAYER SET THE BAIL AND ORDERED HUTTY TO BE HELD IN SCHUYLKILL COUNTY PRISON UNTIL HE IS EXTRADITED TO MARYLAND.
　
MINERSVILLE WANTS TAX EXEMPTION

MINERSVILLE BOROUGH OFFICIALS ASKED SCHUYLKILL COUNTY COURT ON WEDNESDAY TO ALLOW A TAX EXEMPTION ON A PROPERTY THAT HOUSED A RESTURANT DESTROYED BY A FIRE IN APRIL. IF GRANTED BY THE COURT, THE RELIEF WOULD LOWER TAX RECEIPTS FOR FOR THE COUNTY AND MINERSVILLE AREA SCHOOL DISTRICT, AND WOULD REVERSE THE OCTOBER 11TH DECISION OF THE COUNTY BOARD OF ASSESSMENT APPEALS THAT REFUSED TO GRANT THE EXEMTION OR CHRAGE THE ASSESSMENT.
　
BUSY SANTA

WITH CHRISTMAS RIGHT AROUND THE CORNER, SANTA CLAUS IS ONE BUSY MAN. MORE THAN 200 CHILDREN HAVE ALREADY REGISTERED FOR FREE PHOTOGRAPHS WITH SANTA CLAUS THIS SATURDAY. THE BOOKED EVENT IS SPONSORED BY THE REPUBLICAN-HERALD.

PHILADELPHIA (AP) - A MEMBER OF THE DELAWARE RIVER PORT AUTHORITY SAYS MORE THAN $50 MILLION IN UNSPENT ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT FUNDS SHOULD BE FROZEN. THE DRPA OPERATES BRIDGES BETWEEN PENNSYLVANIA AND NEW JERSEY. STATE AUDITOR GENERAL JACK WAGNER TELLS THE PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER ANY FURTHER SPENDING WOULD VIOLATE THE "SPIRIT" OF A MOVE TO END SPENDING ON PROJECTS NOT RELATED TO THE BRIDGES.

WASHINGTON (AP) - DEMOCRATIC SENATOR AND REPUBLICAN SENATOR-ELECT ARE VOWING TO WORK TOGETHER ON ISSUES OF INTEREST TO THE COMMONWEALTH AND THE NATION.SENATOR BOB CASEY AND SENATOR-ELECT PAT TOOMEY SAY THEY HAD LUNCH YESTERDAY AND TALKED OVER A NUMBER OF ISSUES.

PITTSBURGH (AP) - FIREFIGHTERS IN PITTSBURGH SAY A BLAZE AT A GLASS COMPANY WENT TO FIVE ALARMS, BUT NO INJURIES HAVE BEEN REPORTED. THE FIRE AT EMERALD ART GLASS IN THE SOUTH SIDE OF THE CITY TOOK ABOUT AN HOUR AND A HALF TO GET UNDER CONTROL. OFFICIALS SAY NO HOMES WERE THREATENED BY THE FLAMES.

PITTSBURGH (AP) - A COUNTY JAIL IDENTIFICATION WORKER STATIONED AT PITTSBURGH MUNICIPAL COURT IS CHARGED WITH FONDLING A WOMAN AND MAKING ADVANCES WHILE FINGERPRINTING HER. LLOYD WILSON IS CHARGED WITH INDECENT ASSAULT AND OFFICIAL OPPRESSION IN THE INCIDENT. POLICE SAY WILSON TOLD THEM HE MERELY KISSED AND HUGGED THE WOMAN BECAUSE HE FELT SORRY FOR HER.

SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA (AP) - PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA SAYS THE FEDERAL RESERVE'S ACTIONS TO HELP THE U.S. CLIMB OUT OF RECESSION WERE PRUDENT AND STABLE. OBAMA DEFENDED THE ACTIONS AT A NEWS CONFERENCE IN SEOUL, KOREA. OBAMA ALSO SAYS HE EXPECTS THE G-20 NATIONS MEETING IN SEOUL TO ACHIEVE BALANCED AND SUSTAINABLE ECONOMIC GROWTH.

LOS ANGELES (AP) - FEWER HOMEOWNERS ARE HAVING THEIR HOMES REPOSSESSED. THE FORECLOSURE LISTING FIRM REALTYTRAC INC. SAYS HOME REPOSSESSIONS DROPPED 9 PERCENT FROM SEPTEMBER TO OCTOBER, FALLING BY THE SHARPEST MARGIN THIS YEAR, BUT THEY WARN THAT FORECLOSURES MAY PICK UP SOON.

WASHINGTON (AP) - A PENTAGON STUDY GROUP REPORTEDLY SAYS THE MILITARY CAN LIFT THE BAN ON GAYS SERVING OPENLY WITH ONLY MINIMAL AND ISOLATED INCIDENTS OF RISK TO CURRENT WAR EFFORTS. THE WASHINGTON POST IS REPORTING ON THE SURVEY OF U.S. TROOPS AND THEIR FAMILIES.

MOUNT MERAPI, INDONESIA (AP) - INTERNATIONAL FLIGHTS HAVE RESUMED IN AND OUT OF INDONESIA'S CAPITAL OF JAKARTA, HUNDREDS OF MILES AWAY FROM THE COUNTRY'S DEADLY VOLCANO. THE U.S. IS TELLING AMERICAN TOURISTS TO USE CAUTION WHEN TRAVELING IN INDONESIA. THE VOLCANO HAS KILLED MORE THAN 190 SINCE IT STARTED ERUPTING MORE THAN TWO WEEKS AGO.

SAN DIEGO (AP) - A VERY UNCOMFORTABLE CRUISE SHIP VACATION IS ALMOST OVER FOR THE PASSENGERS OF THE CARNIVAL SPLENDOR WHO HAD PLANNED TO GO TO THE MEXICAN RIVIERA. THE SHIP IS BEING PULLED TO PORT IN SAN DIEGO AND SHOULD GET THERE BY MIDDAY THURSDAY. SPLENDOR HAS HAD NO POWER SINCE AN ENGINE ROOM FIRE MONDAY.