TODAY'S NEWS MON. OCTOBER 31, 2011

PPL URGRADES DISTRIBUTION SYSTEMS IN SCHUYLKILL COUNTY

PPL ELECTRIC UTILITIES IS UPGRADING THE DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM IN NORTH AND SOUTH MANHEIM TOWNSHIPS. JOE OLIVER FILED THIS REPORT.
"PPL UPGRADES"

JASMINE BROOKS REPORTS ON HOW YOU CAN PROTECT YOUR HOME ELECTRICITY BILL FROM ZOMBIE ELECTRONICS THIS HALLOWEEN:

FATAL CRASH IN LYKENS

TWO PEOPLE SUFFERED FATAL INJURIES SUNDAY NIGHT IN A CRASH IN LYKENS TOWNSHIP. POLICE REPORT 24-YEAR-OLD MICHAEL ANDERSON OF DALMATIA STRUCK 52–YEAR-OLD TARALEE MOYER OF SUNBURY ON STATE ROUTE 1009 NEAR PHILLIPS ROAD. ANDERSON WAS EXTRICATED FROM HIS VEHICLE THAT WAS FULLY ENGULFED IN FLAMES. POLICE SAY BOTH ANDERSON AND MOYER WERE DECEASED UPON ARRIVAL ON SCENE.

FIVE PEOPLE INJURED IN CRASH

FIVE PEOPLE WERE INJURED SATURDAY IN A CRASH ALONG STATE ROUTE 61 IN THE BOROUGH OF DEER LAKE. SCHUYLKILL HAVEN POLICE TELL US SHERRY CROMLEIGH LOST CONTROL OF HER VEHICLE ON THE SLUSH COVERED ROAD. HER PASSENGER, JENNIFER SANCHEZ, ALONG WITH THREE CHILDREN WERE INJURED. A SUMMARY TRAFFIC CITATION WILL BE FILED AGAINST CROMLEIGH FOR DRIVING AT AN UNSAFE SPEED.

WEEKEND SNOWFALL SETS RECORDS IN SCHUYLKILL COUNTY

MOTHER NATURE PLAYED HER OWN HALLOWEEN TRICK ON SATURDAY, BLANKETING THE AREA WITH A COVERING OF HEAVY WET SNOW. THOUSANDS OF LOCAL RESIDENTS WERE WITHOUT POWER, AS THE SNOW TOOK DOWN TREES AND SNAPPED POWER LINES. TRAVEL QUICKLY BECAME HAZARDOUS, AND MANY EVENTS WERE CANCELLED OR POSTPONED THROUGHOUT THE DAY. SOME SCHUYLKILL COUNTY RESIDENTS ARE STILL WAITING FOR THEIR ELECTRICITY TO BE RESTORED, AND PPL IS WORKING QUICKLY TO BRING THEM BACK ON LINE. SUNNY SKIES AND MORE SEASONAL TEMPERATURES MELTED MOST OF THE SNOW AND ICE BY SUNDAY AFTERNOON.

DONATIONS TO RED CROSS FLOOD RELIEF HAVE POURED IN

THE AMERICAN RED CROSS BEGAN ACCEPTING DONATIONS FOR FLOOD RELIEF ALMOST IMMEDIATELY AFTER MANY COMMUNITIES WERE PUT UNDER WATER BY HURRICANE IRENE AND TROPICAL STORM LEE. MANY RESIDENTS AND CORPORATIONS HAVE OPENED THEIR HEARTS AND WALLETS TO ASSIST THOSE WHO WERE AFFECTED, RESULTING IN DONATIONS OF NEARLY THREE HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS SO FAR. THE MONEY HAS HELPED THE RED CROSS PROVIDE OVER ONE HUNDRED SHELTERS FOR MORE THAN EIGHT THOUSAND PEOPLE IN NORTHEASTERN AND CENTRAL PENNSYLVANIA, AND HAS PROVIDED SUPPLIES FOR THE CLEANUP EFFORT. DONATIONS CAN STILL BE SENT TO RED CROSS LOCAL FLOOD RELIEF AT 1402 LAUREL BOULEVARD IN POTTSVILLE.

2011 CLICK IT OR TICKET CAMPAIGN

IN JUST A FEW WEEKS STATE POLICE FROM SCHUYLKILL, BERKS, AND LEBANON COUNTIES WILL BE PARTICIPATING IN THE NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION’S "CLICK IT OR TICKET CAMPAIGN". FROM NOVEMBER 14 THROUGH THE 27 STATE POLICE WILL ENFORCE OCCUPANT RESTRAINT VIOLATIONS. IN ADDITION, POLICE WILL BE PROVIDING FREE CHILD PASSENGER SAFETY SEAT CHECKS. THE GOAL OF THE PENNSYLVANIA STATE POLICE AND PENNDOT IS TO RAISE THE AVERAGE OF SEAT BELT USAGE.

CHILD PASSENGER SAFETY SEAT CHECKS

SCHUYLKILL COUNTY:
WEST END FIRE AND RESCUE
700 WEST MAHANOY AVE
MAHANOY CITY PA
11/14/11
2-6PM

SCHUYLKILL COUNTY:
WAL MART SUPER CENTER
500 TERRY RICH BLVD
ST. CLAIR PA
11/21/11
10AM-2PM

BERKS COUNTY:
CABELAS
100 CABELA DR
HAMBURG OA
11/19/11
10AM-6PM

STATE NEWS:

PHILADELPHIA (AP) - PENNSYLVANIA RESIDENTS ARE STILL DIGGING OUT AFTER THIS WEEKEND'S UNUSUAL OCTOBER SNOWSTORM. UTILITY OFFICIALS SAY IT WILL LIKELY TAKE SEVERAL DAYS TO RESTORE POWER TO HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF HOMES AND BUSINESSES. THE STORM IS BEING BLAMED FOR FIVE DEATHS IN THE STATE.

PHILADELPHIA (AP) - SOME OCCUPY PROTESTERS BRAVED THE COLD AND SNOW, WHILE OTHERS SOUGHT SHELTER. DEANNA SUMMERS SAYS PROTESTERS HUNKERED DOWN IN THEIR TENTS NEXT TO PHILADELPHIA'S CITY HALL AND WEATHERED IT OUT. THE MORNING CALL REPORTS SOME ALLENTOWN PROTESTERS STUCK IT OUT, WHILE OTHERS WENT HOME TO WARM UP NOW AND THEN.

HARRISBURG, PA. (AP) - A PANEL IN CHARGE OF ALIGNING PENNSYLVANIA'S 253 LEGISLATIVE DISTRICTS WITH THE 2010 CENSUS MAY HAVE TO CHOOSE BETWEEN DEMOCRATIC AND REPUBLICAN MAPS. THE LEGISLATIVE REAPPORTIONMENT COMMISSION IS SCHEDULED TO MEET TODAY ON A PRELIMINARY PLAN FOR REDRAWING HOUSE AND SENATE DISTRICTS TO MAINTAIN EQUAL REPRESENTATION IN HARRISBURG.

HARRISBURG, PA. (AP) - LAWYERS IN PENNSYLVANIA'S GOVERNMENT CORRUPTION TRIAL ARE PREPARING TO MAKE THEIR CLOSING ARGUMENTS. THE TRIAL IN DAUPHIN COUNTY COURT IN HARRISBURG IS ENTERING ITS SIXTH WEEK. FORMER STATE REPRESENTATIVE BRETT FEESE AND HIS FORMER AIDE, JILL SEAMAN, ARE CHARGED IN CONNECTION WITH AN ALLEGED SCHEME BY
LEADERS OF THE HOUSE REPUBLICAN CAUCUS TO ILLEGALLY SPEND MILLIONS OF DOLLARS IN PUBLIC FUNDS FOR POLITICAL PURPOSES BETWEEN 2000 AND 2007.

NATIONAL NEWS:

BRUSSELS (AP) - NATO IS ENDING ITS SEVEN-MONTH AIR CAMPAIGN OVER LIBYA AT MIDNIGHT TONIGHT. THE ALLIANCE STOPPED ITS BOMBING MISSIONS SOON AFTER MOAMMAR GADHAFI'S DEATH EARLIER THIS MONTH, BUT HAS KEPT UP REGULAR AIR PATROLS.

ATLANTA (AP) - A NEW STUDY SUGGESTS THAT WHEN MILITARY PERSONNEL ARE DEPLOYED, THEIR CHILDREN ARE MORE THAN TWICE AS LIKELY TO BECOME INVOLVED IN VIOLENCE. THE RESEARCHERS SAY THE SOLDIERS' SONS AND DAUGHTERS ARE MORE LIKELY TO CARRY A WEAPON, JOIN A GANG OR BE INVOLVED IN FIGHTS WHEN AT LEAST ONE PARENT IS AWAY. THE 2008 STUDY
OF MILITARY AND NON-MILITARY FAMILIES IN WASHINGTON STATE WILL BE PRESENTED TODAY AT A PUBLIC HEALTH CONFERENCE IN WASHINGTON, D.C.

SOUTH WINDSOR, CONN. (AP) - NO TRICK-OR-TREATING? THAT'S WHAT KIDS IN PARTS OF THE NORTHEAST COULD FACE TONIGHT AFTER THEIR COMMUNITIES GOT SOCKED WITH SNOW OVER THE WEEKEND. SOME AREAS GOT AS MUCH AS 30 INCHES AND SCHOOL HAS BEEN CANCELED TODAY FOR THOUSANDS. JUST UNDER 3 MILLION HOMES AND BUSINESSES ARE STILL WITHOUT ELECTRICITY.

RICHMOND, VA. (AP) - POLICE IN RICHMOND, VA., HAVE BROKEN UP AN OCCUPY WALL STREET CAMP WHERE PROTESTERS HAD SET UP A TENT CITY, COMPLETE WITH A MAKESHIFT LIBRARY, KITCHEN AND PORTABLE TOILETS. POLICE SAY MOST OF THE PROTESTERS LEFT WHEN TOLD TO, BUT THE DOZEN WHO STAYED WERE ARRESTED FOR TRESPASSING. THE "OCCUPY" MOVEMENT BEGAN SIX WEEKS AGO IN NEW YORK AND HAS SPREAD TO CITIES ACROSS THE COUNTRY.

WASHINGTON (AP) - PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA WILL SIGN AN EXECUTIVE ORDER THIS AFTERNOON DESIGNED TO HELP THE ECONOMY. SAYING THE COUNTRY CAN'T WAIT FOR CONGRESS, OBAMA HAS BEGUN TAKING UNILATERAL STEPS THAT HE SAYS WILL ENCOURAGE ECONOMIC GROWTH. THE ACTIONS DO NOT REQUIRE CONGRESSIONAL APPROVAL.