TODAY'S NEWS: FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 4, 2011

Shenandoah girl to appear on TV

A Shenandoah girl will make her television debut next week on PBS. Her name is Mia Michalik and she is just three-years-old. Mia had the chance to record a segment on the popular evening series "The Good Night Show" that airs from 6 to 9pm. The young star traveled to Center City Philadelphia to Film and Video in the Comcast Center back in March. Mia’s segment will be shown sometime next week.

Charges withdrawn against Shenandoah man

Mahanoy Township police were forced to withdraw charges against a 29-year-old Shenandoah man after a lack of three key witnesses. The Republican Herald reports John Tym allegedly led officers on a high-speed chase back in August that resulted in the fleeing car bursting into flames. Tym was originally charged with felony fleeing or attempting to elude police among other charges. He pleaded guilty to the driving at an unsafe speed and no passing zone charges, but without the three key witnesses authorities were unable to prove their case resulting in the remaining offences being withdrawn.

Company files for bankruptcy

A company that declared bankruptcy in October says it needs more money from investors to build a flywheel plant in the Humboldt Industrial Park. The 53-million dollar project, to be built in the Hazleton Area, was lead by Beacon Power of Tyngsboro, Mass. By declaring bankruptcy, the company will restructure its overhead, seek investors and resolve its loan obligations.

Schuylkill County hospitals score better than state average

Good news for Schuylkill County Hospitals. Three of the four in the county fared well in the recently released Healthcare Associated Infections report by the Pennsylvania Department of Health. The state average for the report is 2.29 per one-thousand patient days in 2010 and three facilities here in the county fared better than that state average. The Republican Herald reports this is the third year for the report which details infections in the hospital setting.

State News:

PHILADELPHIA (AP) - Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney is scheduled to visit Philadelphia for a private fundraiser. The Philadelphia Inquirer reports the former Massachusetts governor will attend a reception at the Rittenhouse Hotel tonight. Organizers expect Romney to raise about $300,000.

HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) - Pennsylvania's rising jobless rate is qualifying some unemployed people for up to seven weeks of additional benefits. The state Department of Labor and Industry says it would notify people who might quality for the "high unemployment period extended benefits." The amount they'll be paid varies.

HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) - Increasing parking fines and business license fees in Pennsylvania's financially troubled capital and laying off some city employees is part of the state's initial takeover plans. Governor Tom Corbett's administration says it wants Harrisburg to adopt some key suggestions, such as the fee increases and layoffs, recommended previously by a state consultant, but rejected by the City Council.

ERIE, Pa. (AP) - Senator Bob Casey wants to ensure that Erie's minor league baseball team stays in northwestern Pennsylvania. Responding to speculation the Erie SeaWolves might move to the Canadian capital of Ottawa, Casey wrote a letter yesterday to the club's ownership group. He says the team is an important part of the region's economy.

National News:

ATHENS, Greece (AP) - The next act of political drama begins today for Greece's beleaguered Socialist government. Lawmakers take a confidence vote on the prime minister's government and his future. One Socialist lawmaker has said she will not back the government. The prime minister yesterday abandoned plans for a referendum on a European bailout plan.

WASHINGTON (AP) - The next snapshot of U.S. economic health is due out today when the government releases October employment data. A FactSet survey of economists suggests the nation added 100,000 jobs last month, just enough to keep the unemployment rate unchanged at 9.1 percent.

AUSTIN, Texas (AP) - The former CEO of a Texas-based investment firm faces sentencing today in a scam that defrauded investors, including some athletes, out of more than $50 million. Kurt Branham Barton, founder of Triton Financial in Austin, was convicted on 39 counts after his August trial. The charges could carry up to life
in prison.

LOS ANGELES (AP) - The involuntary manslaughter case against Michael Jackson's personal doctor is in the hands of a jury starting today. Jurors will decide whether Dr. Conrad Murray is guilty of causing the pop icon's death by administering a powerful anesthetic.

MOSCOW (AP) - A long bout of cabin fever ends today for an international crew of researchers. They are set to leave their claustrophobic quarters after wrapping up a grueling 520-day simulation of a flight to Mars. They lived inside a network of windowless modules at a Moscow research center. The only thing they didn't have to deal with was weightlessness.