LOCAL NEWS: THURSDAY, MARCH 17, 2011

LOCALS WHO LOST ADULT BASIC CAN GET HELP

OVER 41 THOUSAND PENNSYLVANIANS RECENTLY LOST THEIR BASIC HEALTH INSURANCE DUE TO ADULT BASIC ENDING. JASMINE BROOKS HAS MORE:

SCHUYLKILL ALLIANCE

COUNTY'S WATER RATES WILL RISE

FOR THE FIRST TIME IN 18 YEARS, THE SCHUYLKILL MUNICIPAL AUTHORITY VOTED WEDNESDAY TO RAISE ITS WATER RATES. THE ANNUAL WATER RATE FOR AN AVERAGE FAMILY WILL INCREASE MORE THAN $50. THE REPUBLICAN HERALD REPORTS REASONS FOR THE INCREASE INCLUDE COSTS TO COMPLY WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF THE STATE AND FEDERAL REGULATORY AGENCIES AND INCREASED COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH THE OPERATION AND MAINTENANCE OF THE WATER SYSTEM. CUSTOMERS WILL FIND THEIR RATES ADJUSTED IN BILLS DUE MAY 15. THE AUTHORITY SERVES MORE THAN 30,000 CUSTOMERS IN 24 MUNICIPALITIES.

TRUCK COLLISION INJURES TWO

A WEDNESDAY MORNING CRASH INVOLVING TWO TRACTOR-TRAILERS ON INTERSTATE 81 NORTH OF FRACKVILLE RESULTED IN INJURIES AND LANE CLOSURES. POLICE REPORT 30-YEAR-OLD CHRISTOPHER HUMLHANZ WAS HAULING A 122,000 POUND MACHINE WHEN HE TRAVELED OFF THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE ROAD HITTING A PARKED PRODUCE RIG, DRIVEN BY 44-YEAR-OLD FRANCIS BRUNO, RIPPING APART IT'S TRAILER. HUMLHANZ'S TRUCK CONTINUED DOWN AN EMBANKMENT BEFORE COMING TO FINAL REST. BOTH DRIVERS SUFFERED INJURIES AND WERE TRANSPORTED TO AREA HOSPITALS BY EMS. THE RIGHT NORTHBOUND LANE OF 81 REMAINED CLOSED WHILE CLEAN-UP CREWS WORKED INTO THE AFTERNOON HOURS.

PENNDOT REPAIRS PRESERVE BRIDGE

THE PENNSYLVANIA DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION BEGAN WORK WEDNESDAY TO PRESERVE THE POTTSVILLE MAROONS HIGHWAY BRIDGE OVER THE READING AND NORTHERN RAIL ROAD IN BRANCH TOWNSHIP. THE BRIDGE WAS CONSTRUCTED IN 1926, AND SUPPORTS ALMOST 10,000 VEHICLES DURING DAILY TRAFFIC. BEAM AND JOINT REPAIRS WILL BE MADE TO THE CONCRETE ENCASED STEEL BEAMS THAT HAVE BECOME DEFICIENT OVER TIME. MOTORISTS CAN EXPECT LANE RESTRICTIONS ON U.S. 209 AND PA 901 THROUGH MAY WHEN THE REPAIRS ARE EXPECTED TO BE COMPLETE.

TEACHERS URGED TO CONSIDER PAY FREEZE

WITH PENNSYLVANIA'S NEW GOVERNOR CALLING FOR A BILLION DOLLAR CUT IN PUBLIC SCHOOL FUNDING, THE HEAD OF PENNSYLVANIA STATE EDUCATION ASSOCIATION IS URGING TO SERIOUSLY CONSIDER A ONE YEAR PAY FREEZE. TOM JOSEPH HAS MORE:

PAY FREEZE

STATE NEWS:

PHILADELPHIA (AP) - A SUBURBAN PHILADELPHIA PHYSICS TEACHER FIRED OVER HIS RELATIONSHIP WITH A ONE-TIME STUDENT HAS SUED HER FOR LIBEL. ROBERT SCHANNE (SHOW'-NEE) SAYS HIS AFFAIR WITH JENNA ADDIS DIDN'T START UNTIL 2004, A YEAR AFTER SHE GRADUATED FROM LOWER MERION HIGH SCHOOL. HE SAYS SHE LIED WHEN SHE LATER TOLD DISTRICT OFFICIALS THE AFFAIR STARTED WHEN SHE WAS A STUDENT.

NORRISTOWN, PA. (AP) - A FORMER MIDDLE SCHOOL VICE PRINCIPAL HAS ADMITTED SENDING SALACIOUS TEXT MESSAGES TO TWO TEENAGE STUDENTS. THIRTY-SEVEN-YEAR-OLD CHARLES DANIELHURST PLEADED TO GUILTY TO TWO COUNTS OF CORRUPTING A MINOR AND ONE OF COCAINE POSSESSION MONTGOMERY COUNTY COURT. AUTHORITIES SAY THE FORMER PENNBROOK
MIDDLE SCHOOL ADMINISTRATOR HAD EXPLICIT CONVERSATIONS WITH TWO BOYS WHO ATTENDED THE SCHOOL.

PHILADELPHIA (AP) - A MAN HAS PLEADED GUILTY TO SHOOTING A PHILADELPHIA POLICE OFFICER OUTSIDE A BAR ALMOST TWO YEARS AGO. THE PHILADELPHIA DAILY NEWS REPORTS LAWRENCE PEEL PLEADED GUILTY WEDNESDAY TO AGGRAVATED ASSAULT, ASSAULTON A LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICER AND FIREARMS OFFENSES.

PHILADELPHIA (AP) - A FORMER DEATH ROW INMATE GRANTED A NEW TRIAL IN A 1982 DOUBLE MURDER IN PHILADELPHIA BECAUSE BLACKS WERE DISPROPORTIONATELY EXCLUDED FROM THE JURY HAS PLEADED GUILTY IN A DEAL WITH PROSECUTORS. DONALD HARDCASTLE PLEADED GUILTY IN COMMON PLEAS COURT TO THIRD-DEGREE MURDER AND ARSON IN THE MAY 1982 BREAK-IN AND SLAYINGS OF JOSEPH GREGG AND ERNESTINE DENNIS IN NORTH
PHILADELPHIA.

NATIONAL NEWS:

ZAO, JAPAN (AP) - IT'S GETTING DICIER IN JAPAN, WHERE MILITARY HELICOPTERS ARE DUMPING SEAWATER ON A CRIPPLED NUCLEAR POWER PLANT. BUT TELEVISION FOOTAGE SHOWS MUCH OF THE WATER APPEARING TO DISPERSE IN THE WIND. THE U.S. SAYS IT'S CHARTERING PLANES TO HELP AMERICANS GET OUT OF THE COUNTRY.

ZAO, JAPAN (AP) - NEARLY A WEEK AFTER THE EARTHQUAKE AND TSUNAMI IN JAPAN, OFFICIALS SAY MORE THAN 452,000 PEOPLE ARE STAYING IN SHELTERS, AND SUPPLIES ARE RUNNING SHORT. MORE THAN 5,300 PEOPLE ARE CONFIRMED DEAD, BUT OFFICIALS BELIEVE THE TOLL WILL CLIMB TO WELL OVER 10,000.

WASHINGTON (AP) - THE TOP U.S. COMMANDER IN AFGHANISTAN IS URGING THE HOUSE NOT TO BE HASTY. THE CHAMBER WILL CONSIDER TODAY A RESOLUTION TO WITHDRAW AMERICAN FORCES BY YEAR'S END. BUT GEN. DAVID PETRAEUS (PEH-TRAY'-UHS) SAYS THE TALIBAN AND AL-QAIDA WILL SEE THAT AS A VICTORY.

WASHINGTON (AP) - BOTH DEMOCRATS AND REPUBLICANS SAY THEY'RE TIRED OF STOPGAP FUNDING BILLS TO KEEP THE GOVERNMENT OPEN. BUT THEY'LL BE VOTING TODAY ON ANOTHER BILL THAT WILL KEEP THINGS RUNNING FOR THREE MORE WEEKS. THE MEASURE INCLUDES $6 BILLION IN DOMESTIC SPENDING CUTS.

AUSTIN, TEXAS (AP) - LAWMAKERS IN TEXAS ARE FACING A HARD FACT: THE STATE IS IN SERIOUS FINANCIAL TROUBLE. THEY'RE FINDING IT TOUGH TO SOLVE THE $27 BILLION BUDGET CRISIS BY CUTTING SPENDING ALONE. A MOVE TO WITHDRAW BILLIONS FROM THE RESERVE FUND WILL HELP IN THE SHORT TERM.