TODAY'S NEWS: FRIDAY, DECEMBER 21, 2010

HOLIDAY ENFORCEMENT EFFORT

STATE POLICE WOULD LIKE TO REMIND EVERYONE THAT EXTRA ENFORCEMENT EFFORTS WILL BE USED DURING THE UPCOMING HOLIDAY PERIOD. TROOPERS WILL BE WATCHING FOR SPEEDERS, AGGRESSIVE DRIVERS AND INTOXICATED DRIVERS. MOTORISTS ARE ASKED TO GIVE THEMSELVES EXTRA TIME TO TRAVEL AND OF COURSE WEAR THEIR SEATBELTS. THE NEW YEARS HOLIDAY ENFORCEMENT EFFORT WILL RUN THRU SUNDAY.

GAS PRICES GOING UP

GAS UP TO $5 A GALLON BY 2012? THAT'S WHAT SOME PREDICT THE OUTCOME WITH BE FOR THE NEW YEAR. GAS PRICES IN PA HAVE INCREASED OVER THE PAST MONTH AND THE REPUBLICAN HERALD THE IMPROVING ECONOMY MAY BE THE REASON. NOW SOME WILL DRIVE FURTHER OVER THE HOLIDAYS, AND THAT MEANS MORE PETROLEUM WILL BE USED.

STATE NEWS:

CHARLESTON, W.VA. (AP) - A MECHANICAL PROBLEM FORCED A US AIRWAYS FLIGHT FROM PHILADELPHIA TO CINCINNATI TO BE DIVERTED TO CHARLESTON'S YEAGER AIRPORT. YEAGER AIRPORT SPOKESMAN BRIAN BELCHER TOLD THE STATE JOURNAL THAT THE FLIGHT WITH 26 PASSENGERS ABOARD LANDED SAFELY AT ABOUT NOON THURSDAY.

PITTSBURGH (AP) - PITTSBURGH CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS ARE LAYING PLANS TO MEET THIS EVENING IF NEED BE AS THE CITY WORKS TO MEET A DEADLINE TO AVOID A STATE TAKEOVER OF THE MUNICIPAL PENSION SYSTEM. COUNCIL MEMBERS YESTERDAY OVERRODE A MAYORAL VETO OF A PROPOSAL USING PARKING TAXES TO BOLSTER THE PENSION SYSTEM.

PHILADELPHIA (AP) - POLICE ARE INVESTIGATING THE DEATH OF A 2-MONTH-OLD BOY FOUND INSIDE A FAMILY SHELTER BEFORE BEING TAKEN TO A HOSPITAL AS A HOMICIDE, LT. RAYMOND EVERS TOLD THE PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER ON THURSDAY. AN AUTOPSY OF THE BOY FOUND THAT HE DIED FROM STARVATION AND DEHYDRATION.

COLUMBUS, OHIO (AP) - WHILE IT'S TOO EARLY TO TELL FOR SURE, A NATURAL GAS COMPANY OFFICIAL SAYS THE FIRM IS OPTIMISTIC ABOUT ITS GAS EXPLORATION EFFORTS IN OHIO. CHESAPEAKE ENERGY HAS BEEN A MAJOR FORCE BEHIND DEVELOPMENT OF THE MARCELLUS SHALE REGION, ESPECIALLY IN PENNSYLVANIA.

NATIONAL NEWS:

BIZMARK, N.D. (AP) - EVEN THE SNOWPLOWS HAVE BEEN ORDERED OFF THE ROADS IN NORTH DAKOTA. SEVERE WINDS AND HEAVY SNOWFALL ARE CREATING DANGEROUS CONDITIONS IN NORTH AND SOUTH DAKOTA, AS WELL AS MINNESOTA, WHERE AT LEAST TWO FATAL ACCIDENTS HAVE BEEN BLAMED ON THE STORM. AND FORECASTERS SAY MORE IS TO COME. THERE'S A BLIZZARD WARNING THROUGH SATURDAY MORNING FOR PARTS OF NORTH DAKOTA AND
MINNESOTA.

DENVER (AP) - COLORADO, WYOMING AND NEW MEXICO ARE STRUGGLING AGAINST THE TAIL END OF STORMS THAT LEFT SOME WESTERN STATES RECOVERING FROM AN ONSLAUGHT OF SNOW, RAIN AND BITTER WIND. DENVER IS FACING ITS HEAVIEST SNOWS OF THE SEASON THIS MORNING. PARTS OF WYOMING AND NEW MEXICO ARE ENDURING STORMY WEATHER AND FRIGID TEMPERATURES.

NEW ORLEANS (AP) - SOME 221 HOUSEHOLDS ARE IN A RACE AGAINST THE CLOCK IN NEW ORLEANS. THEY'VE BEEN LIVING IN FEMA TRAILERS SUPPLIED AFTER HURRICANE KATRINA, BUT THE CITY IS TELLING THOSE RESIDENTS THEY HAVE TO MOVE OUT BY THE START OF 2011 OR FACE STEEP FINES. SIXTY-TWO-YEAR-OLD EDWIN WEBER SAYS THE LETTER HE RECEIVED JUST BEFORE CHRISTMAS WARNING OF FINES OF UP TO $500 A DAY IS "WORTHY OF EBENEZER SCROOGE HIMSELF."

ADELAIDE, AUSTRALIA (AP) - THE WORLD IS READY TO RING IN 2011. CITIES ACROSS ASIA ARE PREPPING FOR MIDNIGHT EVENTS RANGING FROM TRADITIONAL PRAYERS IN JAPAN TO A MASSIVE PYROTECHNIC DISPLAY IN THE SHAPE OF A DRAGON IN TAIWAN. IN NEW YORK CITY, NEARLY A MILLION REVELERS ARE EXPECTED TO CRAM INTO THE STREETS AROUND TIMES SQUARE TO WATCH THE TRADITIONAL MIDNIGHT BALL DROP.

MOSCOW (AP) - RUSSIAN SPY ANNA CHAPMAN IS REVEALING HER PERSONAL SECRETS FOR THE FIRST TIME ON TELEVISION. SHE APPEARED ON A RUSSIAN TALK SHOW YESTERDAY, AND SAYS THE FAILURE OF HER SPY MISSION IN THE UNITED STATES HAS GIVEN HER A CHANCE FOR NEW OPPORTUNITIES. CHAPMAN BECAME A TABLOID STAR AS ONE OF TEN RUSSIAN SLEEPER AGENTS EXPOSED IN THE U.S. AND DEPORTED THIS SUMMER IN THE BIGGEST SPY SWAP SINCE THE COLD WAR. SHE SAYS SEAN CONNERY IS HER FAVORITE JAMES BOND.