TODAY'S NEWS: THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 3, 2011

POWER RESTORED TO ALL SCHUYLKILL COUNTY RESIDENTS

AFTER SATURDAY'S SNOWSTORM TOOK OUT POWER TO MORE THAN 27-THOUSAND HOMES IN SCHUYLKILL COUNTY, ELECTRICITY WAS FULLY RESTORED TO ALL RESIDENTS WEDNESDAY. STATEWIDE MORE THAN 376-THOUSAND PPL CUSTOMERS HAVE HAD POWER RESTORED, BUT THERE ARE STILL MORE IN THE DARK. PPL SAYS THEY ARE FULLY FOCUSED ON THOSE FEW REMAINING AREAS.

MORE ABSENTEE BALLOTS TO ARRIVE FRIDAY

WITH ELECTION DAY RIGHT AROUND THE CORNER, THE SCHUYLKILL COUNTY ELECTION BUREAU IS MAKING ITS' FINAL PREPARATIONS. BUREAU DIRECTOR FRANNIE BRENNAN SAID THAT AS OF WEDNESDAY OVER 13-HUNDRED ABSENTEE BALLOTS HAD BEEN RECEIVED. THE REMAINDER OF THE ABSENTEE BALLOTS ARE EXPECTED TO ARRIVE FRIDAY BY THE CLOSE OF BUSINESS. TUESDAY IS THE GENERAL ELECTION.

ENNETT'S GIRLFRIEND TESTIFIES

THE LONGTIME GIRLFRIEND OF DAMON ENNETT TESTIFIED WEDNESDAY IN SCHUYLKILL COUNTY COURT. STARLISA ENNETT SAID THAT STATE POLICE CORPORAL JAMES CUTTITTA TRIED TO INTIMIDATE HER, THREATENING THE LOSS OF HER CHILDREN AND JAIL TIME. CUTTITTA DENIED THOSE ALLEGATIONS. WEDNESDAY MARKED THE THIRD DAY OF DAMON ENNETT'S HEARING. JUDGE JACQUELINE RUSSELL DID NOT MAKE AN IMMEDIATE DECISION, BUT DID ACCEPT BRIEFS OFFERING LEGAL ARGUMENTS ON WHETHER THE STATEMENTS AND TESTIMONY SHOULD BE ALLOWED INTO EVIDENCE.

STATE NEWS:

HARRISBURG, PA. (AP) - JURORS IN THE STATE GOVERNMENT CORRUPTION TRIAL ARE SCHEDULED TO RESUME THEIR DELIBERATIONS TODAY IN HARRISBURG. FORMER STATE REPRESENTATIVE BRETT FEESE AND HIS FORMER AIDE, JILL SEAMAN, ARE CHARGED IN CONNECTION WITH AN ALLEGED SCHEME TO SPEND TAXPAYER DOLLARS ON POLITICAL WORK.

HARRISBURG, PA. (AP) - A BILL THAT WOULD MAKE IT A MISDEMEANOR TO RELEASE PHOTOS OR RECORDINGS FROM AN AUTOPSY IS CLOSER TO BECOMING LAW. THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES VOTED 195-TO-0 YESTERDAY TO SEND THE MEASURE TO THE STATE SENATE.

PHILADELPHIA (AP) - TENS OF THOUSANDS ARE STILL WITHOUT POWER FROM LAST WEEKEND'S SNOWSTORM. MET-ED REPORTS ABOUT 22,500 CUSTOMERS WITHOUT POWER, AND PPL SAYS JUST OVER 9,000 CUSTOMERS ARE STILL IN THE DARK.

NATIONAL NEWS:

ATHENS, GREECE (AP) - A LAWMAKERS REVOLT AGAINST PLANS FOR A GREEK REFERENDUM ON AN INTERNATIONAL BAILOUT PACKAGE HAS PROMPTED ONE GOVERNING SOCIALIST LEGISLATOR TO SAY PRIME MINISTER GEORGE PAPANDREOU IS "HISTORY." GREECE'S PARLIAMENT PLANS A CONFIDENCE VOTE TOMORROW. ONE SOCIALIST LAWMAKER ALREADY SAYS SHE'LL VOTE NO.

LOS ANGELES (AP) - PROSECUTORS AND DEFENSE ATTORNEYS WILL SUMMARIZE THEIR RESPECTIVE CASES TODAY IN THE INVOLUNTARY MANSLAUGHTER CASE AGAINST MICHAEL JACKSON'S PERSONAL PHYSICIAN. DR. CONRAD MURRAY IS ACCUSED OF IMPROPERLY ADMINISTERING A POWERFUL SEDATIVE. THE DEFENSE SUGGESTS JACKSON ADMINISTERED THE LETHAL DOSE HIMSELF.

CAIRO (AP) - AN EGYPTIAN PORT OFFICIAL SAYS A FERRY BOAT WITH 1,200 PASSENGERS ABOARD IS ON FIRE IN THE RED SEA. THE OFFICIAL SAYS A RESCUE SHIP REACHED THE FERRY TODAY AND THAT A RESCUE OPERATION IS UNDER WAY AND THERE ARE NO IMMEDIATE REPORTS OF CASUALTIES.

WASHINGTON (AP) - SENATE REPUBLICANS AND DEMOCRATS ARE POISED TODAY TO DEFEAT COMPETING JOBS PLANS. REPUBLICANS PLAN TO KILL PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA'S $60 BILLION PLAN FOR INFRASTRUCTURE JOBS. DEMOCRATS ARE LIKELY TO BLOCK A GOP PLAN TO EXTEND EXISTING HIGHWAY AND TRANSIT SPENDING PROGRAMS, ACCOMPANIED BY CUTS TO OTHER DOMESTIC PROGRAMS.

WASHINGTON (AP) - ONCE-BOOMING SUN BELT METRO AREAS ARE NOW SEEING SOME OF THE BIGGEST JUMPS IN CONCENTRATED POVERTY. THAT'S PART OF NEW CENSUS DATA SHOWING THAT THE POOREST AMERICANS HAVE NOWREACHED A RECORD HIGH 1 IN 15 PEOPLE. ABOUT 20 MILLION NOW RANK AMONG THE POOREST OF THE POOR.