TODAY'S NEWS: FRIDAY, DECEMBER 17, 2010

UPDATE 845AM
A TAN PIT BULL, ANSWERS TO EMMA, IS MISSING. SHE WAS LAST SEEN IN THE MIDDLEPORT AREA & IS WEARING A PINK HARLEY DAVIDSON COLLAR WITH A LICENSE. IF ANYONE SEES EMMA PLEASE CALL (570) 449-8766.

SKOOKAPELLA

SCHUYLKILL COUNTY WILL HEAR THE SOUND OF THE HOLIDAYS THROUGHOUT MANY COMMUNITY STREETS, THANKS TO LOCAL RESIDENTS. JASMINE BROOKS HAS MORE...

SKOOKAPELLA

SALVATION ARMY KETTLE ROBBED

A SALVATION ARMY EMPLOYEE WAS ROBBED OF HIS KETTLES THURSDAY NIGHT AFTER RETURNING TO THE SALVATION ARMY. CAPTAIN ADAM HENCH, THE OFFICER ROBBED, WAS INSIDE THE BUILDING WHEN HE WAS KNOCKED TO THE GROUND BY AT LEAST TWO UNIDENTIFIED MEN. ACCORDING TO POLICE, THE AMOUNT OF MONEY TAKEN AND IF ANY OTHER VAUABLES WERE LIFTED IS UNKNOWN. NO INJURIES WERE REPORTED.

RULES SET FOR EX-SHENANDOAH COPS' TRIAL

THE JUDGE PRESIDING OVER THE TRIAL FOR THREE FORMER SHENANDOAH COPS SET RULES THURSDAY FOR THE JANUARY 10TH TRIAL. UNITED STATES DISTRICT JUDGE A. RICHARD CAPUTO BARRED THE USED OF CAMERAS, CELL PHONES AN OTHER ELECTRONIC DEVICES. RESTRICTIONS HAVE BEEN PLACED ON ATTEMPTS TO CONTACT JURORS AT ANY TIME AND SEATING PRIORITY IN THE COURTROOM. THE FORMER COPS MATTHEW NESTOR, WILLIAM MOYER AND JASON HAYES HAVE BEEN CHARGED WITH OBSTRUCTIONING THE INVESTIGATION IN THE JULY 12TH 2008 BEATING OF LUIS RAMIREZ.

PPL RATES TO REMAIN THE SAME IN NEW YEAR

TOTAL ELECTRIC BILLS WILL REMAIN ABOUT THE SAME BEGINNING JANUARY 1ST FOR THE TYPICAL RESIDENTIAL CUSTOMER WHO RECEIVES ELECTRIC GENERATION SUPPLY FROM PPL ELECTRIC UTILITIES. THE PENNSYLVANIA PUBLIC UTILITY COMMISSION ,APPROVED THURSDAY, THE COMPANY'S RATES FOR NEXT YEAR. FOR RESIDENTIAL CUSTOMERS, THEY INCLUDE AN INCREASE IN DISTRIBUTION CHARGES, A DECREASE IN TRANSMISSION CHARGES AND A DECREASE IN GENERATION CHARGES THAT PPL ELECTRIC UTILITIES PASSES ON TO CUSTOMERS WHO DON'T SWITCH TO ANOTHER SUPPLIER.

HEAD ON COLLISION INJURS TWO

A CRASH IN PALO ALTO THURSDAY MORNING INJURED TWO. THE CRASH HAPPENED AROUND 7:30 AT THE INTERSECTION OF WEST BACON AND WEST UNION STREETS. POLICE SAY A CAR DRIVEN BY 32-YEAR-OLD RONALD WOLFE JR. OF CUMBOLA SLAMMED HEAD-ON INTO A CAR DRIVEN BY 28-YEAR-OLD JESSICA YOUST OF PORT CARBON. BOTH HAD TO BE CUT FREE OF THE WRECKAGE. POLICE SAY WOLFE WAS FLOWN TO THE LEHIGH VALLEY HOSPITAL WITH MODERATE INJURIES WHILE YOUST WAS FLOWN TO READING HOSPITAL WITH SERIOUS INJURIES. CONDITION REPORTS WERE NOT AVAILABLE.


STATE NEWS:

HARRISBURG, PA. (AP) - STATE GAMBLING REGULATORS HAVE REVOKED THE LICENSE FOR A LONG-STALLED PHILADELPHIA CASINO PROJECT. THE PENNSYLVANIA GAMING CONTROL BOARD ON HAS REJECTED A REQUEST FOR ANOTHER EXTENSION FOR THE FORMER FOXWOODS PHILADELPHIA PROJECT
ALONG A STRETCH OF THE DELAWARE RIVER WATERFRONT.

WASHINGTON, PA. (AP) - POLICE IN WESTERN PENNSYLVANIA SAY SEVEN STUDENTS HAVE SUFFERED MINOR INJURIES IN A SCHOOL BUS CRASH. WASHINGTON COUNTY AUTHORITIES SAY THE ACCIDENT HAPPENED IN FRANKLIN TOWNSHIP THURSDAY AFTERNOON. POLICE SAY A CAR HIT THE BACK OF THE BUS AS IT WAS MAKING A LEFT-HAND TURN.

HARRISBURG, PA. (AP) - GOVERNOR ED RENDELL SAYS PENNSYLVANIA'S
EMPLOYMENT OUTLOOK CONTINUES TO IMPROVE AND STATE TAX COLLECTIONS ARE ON TRACK AS HE PREPARES TO STEP DOWN AFTER EIGHT YEARS IN OFFICE. RENDELL SAYS THE STATE'S UNEMPLOYMENT RATE FELL TO 8.6 PERCENT IN NOVEMBER, A 0.2 PERCENT DECLINE THAT REFLECTS THE ADDITION OF 5,100 NONFARM JOBS.

NATIONAL NEWS:

WASHINGTON (AP) - MILLIONS OF AMERICANS WON'T BE SEEING A BIG TAX INCREASE NEXT YEAR AND ALMOST ALL WORKERS WILL BE GETTING A BREAK FROM SOCIAL SECURITY TAXES. THE HOUSE YESTERDAY COMPLETED ACTION EXTENDING THE BUSH-ERA TAX BREAKS AS WELL AS EXTENDING JOBLESS BENEFITS FOR THE LONG-TERM UNEMPLOYED. PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA IS EXPECTED TO SOON SIGN THE BILL.

MCALESTER, OKLA. (AP) - EXPERTS SAY A SEDATIVE USED TO EUTHANIZE ANIMALS COULD BECOME MORE POPULAR FOR HUMAN EXECUTIONS BECAUSE OF THE NATIONWIDE SHORTAGE OF ANOTHER DRUG. JOHN DAVID DUTY IS BELIEVED TO BE THE FIRST PERSON IN THE UNITED STATES WHOSE EXECUTION INCLUDED THE USE OF PENTOBARBITAL. THE DRUG PUTS THE PERSON TO SLEEP BEFORE OTHER DRUGS PARALYZE THE MUSCLES AND STOP THE HEART. DUTY WAS EXECUTED IN OKLAHOMA.

WASHINGTON (AP) - AN UNUSUAL PROTECTION AGREEMENT IS USING TAXPAYER DOLLARS TO DEFEND TWO CIA CONTRACTORS WHO ALLEGEDLY WATERBOARDED TERRORISM SUSPECTS -- A PRACTICE THE U.S. NOW SAYS IS TORTURE. THE MEN'S LEGAL FEES WERE PAID DIRECTLY BY THE CIA. THE CONTRACTORS WERE NOT ONLY BELIEVED TO BE THE ARCHITECTS OF THE INTERROGATION PROGRAM, BUT FORMER U.S. OFFICIALS CONFIRMED THAT THE MEN PERSONALLY CONDUCTED DOZENS OF WATERBOARDINGS.

SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA (AP) - NORTH KOREA IS PROMISING AN EVEN GREATER INTENSITY AND SCOPE OF RETALIATION IF SOUTH KOREA GOES AHEAD WITH PLANNED LIVE-FIRE DRILLS ON AN ISLAND THE NORTH BOMBED LAST MONTH. SEOUL SAYS THE ONE-DAY EXERCISE WILL HAPPEN SOMETIME BETWEEN SATURDAY AND TUESDAY AND IS PART OF "ROUTINE, JUSTIFIED" EXERCISES.

PESHAWAR, PAKISTAN (AP) - PAKISTANI OFFICIALS SAY 15 PEOPLE ARE DEAD IN TWO U.S. MISSILE STRIKES ALONG THE AFGHAN BORDER TODAY. THE ATTACKS STRUCK TWO VILLAGES IN THE KHYBER TRIBAL REGION, AN AREA IN NORTHWEST PAKISTAN THAT HAS SEEN FEW SUCH STRIKES IN THE PAST.