TODAY'S NEWS: WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 2011

NEW TEACHER EVALUATION SYSTEM INTRODUCED

TEACHERS, ADMINISTRATORS AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS ATTENDED A STATEWIDE TOWN HALL MEETING ON EDUCATION TUESDAY NIGHT IN MAR LIN. "MAKING THE GRADE" JOINED ABOUT 14-HUNDRED PEOPLE STATEWIDE TO DISCUSS A NEW PUBLIC SCHOOL TEACHER EVALUATION SYSTEM. SCHUYLKILL INTERMEDIATE UNIT 29 WAS ONE OF ABOUT 30 OTHER INTERMEDIATE UNITS ACROSS PENNSYLVANIA TO PARTICIPATE.

PPL CONTINUES TO RESTORE POWER

SOME COUNTY RESIDENTS ARE STILL DEALING WITH THE AFTERMATH OF SATURDAY'S SNOWSTORM. 29 HOMES IN SCHUYLKILL COUNTY STILL NEED POWER RESTORED TO THEM AND PPL UTILITIES HAS BEEN WORKING AROUND THE CLOCK SINCE 10AM SATURDAY. OUTSIDE SCHUYLKILL COUNTY, THOUSANDS ARE STILL WITHOUT POWER. CUSTOMERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO CONTINUE REPORTING OUTAGES IF THEY HAVEN'T ALREADY DONE SO.

ENNETT ASKS FOR TESTIMONY TO BE DISMISSED

31-YEAR-OLD DAMON ENNETT TESTIFIED TUESDAY IN SCHUYLKILL COUNTY COURT THAT HE HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH THE KILLING OF A SHENANDOAH MAN IN MARCH 2010. ENNETT IS CLAIMING HE WAS INTIMIDATED INTO ADMITTING ANY INVOLVEMENT AND THAT POLICE VIOLATED HIS RIGHTS IN OBTAINING THE STATEMENTS. THE REPUBLICAN HERALD REPORTS, ENNETT IS ASKING JUDGE JACQUELINE RUSSELL TO BAR PROSECUTORS FROM USING HIS STATEMENTS TO POLICE AND TESTIMONY AGAINST AN ALLEGED CO-CONSPIRATOR ON HIS TRIAL ON CRIMINAL HOMICIDE AND RELATED CHARGES IN CONNECTION WITH THE DEATH OF 24-YEAR-OLD BRUCE FORKER. RUSSELL DID NOT ISSUE AN IMMEDIATE DECISION.

CHARGE WITHDRAWN DURING DRUG TRIAL

ONE CHARGE HAS BEEN WITHDRAWN AGAINST A KLINE TOWNSHIP MAN ACCUSED OF GROWING NEARLY 300 MARIJUANA PLANTS IN HIS BACKYARD. DURING A PRELIMINARY HEARING TUESDAY, ONE COUNT OF MANUFACTURE/DELIVERY/POSSESSION WITH INTENT TO DELIVER A CONTROLLED SUBSTANCE AGAINST 57-YEAR-OLD MICHAEL MERENDA WAS WITHDRAWN. THREE OTHER CHARGES WERE HELD FOR COURT. MERENDA IS FREE ON 15-THOUSAND DOLLARS BAIL HE POSTED ON SEPTEMBER 28.

ARGALL'S STATEMENT ON TEXTING LEGISLATION

SENATOR DAVID G. ARGALL RELEASED A STATEMENT REGARDING SENATE BILL 314, LEGISLATION TO BAN THE USE OF "TEXTING" WHILE DRIVING IN THE STATE OF PENNSYLVANIA. "THE SENATE AND HOUSE WORKED TOGETHER TO PASS BIPARTISAN LEGISLATION AIMED AT MAKING OUR STATE A SAFER PLACE TO DRIVE", ARGALL SAID. "WE CONTINUALLY SEE DEVASTATING HEADLINES OF ACCIDENTS CAUSED BY DISTRACTED DRIVERS. I AM HOPEFUL THIS LEGISLATION WILL TAKE THE FOCUS OFF THE CELL PHONE AND BACK ON THE ROAD.” THE BILL DEFINES TEXT-BASED COMMUNICATION AS A TEXT MESSAGE, INSTANT MESSAGE, E-MAIL OR OTHER WRITTEN COMMUNICATION COMPOSED OR RECEIVED ON AN INTERACTIVE WIRELESS DEVICE. VIOLATIONS ARE ENFORCEABLE AS A PRIMARY OFFENSE AND INCLUDE A $50 FINE. THE BILL WAS APPROVED TODAY BY THE STATE SENATE. SENATE BILL 314 NOW MOVES TO THE GOVERNOR'S DESK FOR HIS SIGNATURE.

MAKE A DIFFERENCE AWARDS

THE MAKE A DIFFERENCE DAY AWARD RECEPTION WILL BE HELD ON WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 9, AT 5 P.M. AT PROVIDENCE PLACE IN POTTSVILLE. IN ADDITION TO RECOGNIZING THE VOLUNTEERS, ALSO BEING CELEBRATED IS THE COUNTY'S BICENTENNIAL WITH "ALL THINGS SCHUYLKILL." THERE WILL BE COMMENDATIONS FROM THE COUNTY COMMISSIONERS, CONGRESSMAN TIM HOLDEN'S OFFICE, AND STATE REP MIKE TOBASH. THE RESULTS OF THE FRIENDLY CHALLENGE TO REGISTER 200 PROJECTS TO COMMEMORATE THE BICENTENNIAL WILL BE REVEALED. OVER 8,500 PEOPLE PARTICIPATED TO BENEFIT OVER 11,000 PEOPLE. THIS PROMISES TO BE OUR BIGGEST RECEPTION YET. WE INVITE YOU TO JOIN US TO CONGRATULATE OUR RECIPIENTS AND TO CELEBRATE THE COUNTY'S BICENTENNIAL.

STATE NEWS:

PHILADELPHIA (AP) - TENS OF THOUSANDS OF PENNSYLVANIA RESIDENTS REMAIN WITHOUT POWER FOLLOWING A RARE OCTOBER SNOWSTORM THAT AUTHORITIES SAY CONTRIBUTED TO AT LEAST EIGHT DEATHS IN THE COMMONWEALTH. UTILITY OFFICIALS SAY SOME CUSTOMERS MIGHT NOT HAVE SERVICE RESTORED UNTIL THE END OF THE WEEK.

PHILADELPHIA (AP) - A TUG PILOT DISTRACTED BY A FAMILY EMERGENCY HAS BEEN SENTENCED TO ONE YEAR AND A DAY IN PRISON FOR A DEADLY RIVER CRASH IN PHILADELPHIA. PILOT MATTHEW DEVLIN OF CATSKILL, NEW YORK WAS ON A CELLPHONE AND LAPTOP FOR NEARLY AN HOUR BEFORE RAMMING A HUGE BARGE INTO A STALLED DUCK BOAT. THE JULY 2010 CRASH KILLED TWO HUNGARIAN STUDENTS AND SENT 35 OTHERS INTO THE DELAWARE RIVER.

HARRISBURG, PA. (AP) - PENNSYLVANIA IS GETTING SET TO JOIN MORE THAN 30 OTHER STATES THAT BAN MOTORISTS FROM TEXTING WHILE DRIVING. THE SENATE YESTERDAY VOTED 45-5 TO APPROVE AN AMENDED VERSION OF A BILL IT EASILY PASSED IN JUNE. THE HOUSE OVERWHELMINGLY APPROVED THE BILL ON MONDAY. GOVERNOR TOM CORBETT IS EXPECTED TO SIGN IT.

NATIONAL NEWS:

WASHINGTON (AP) - THE FEDERAL RESERVE IS EXPECTED TO WRAP UP A TWO-DAY, CLOSED DOOR MEETING TODAY BY DOING NOTHING OUT OF THE ORDINARY. IT'S EXPECTED TO ANNOUNCE A WAIT-AND-SEE APPROACH TO DETERMINE IF ACTIONS IT TOOK IN AUGUST AND SEPTEMBER ARE HAVING A
POSITIVE ECONOMIC EFFECT.

LOS ANGELES (AP) - A COURT WILL SUPERVISE THE PROCESS OF SELLING THE LOS ANGELES DODGERS BASEBALL CLUB. THE TEAM AND MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL HAVE AGREED ON THE PROCESS AHEAD OF AN EXPECTED CLASH IN BANKRUPTCY COURT.

LONDON (AP) - THE LEADER OF THE WORLD'S ANGLICANS HAS STOPPED SHORT OF ENDORSING A PROPOSED TAX ON FINANCIAL TRANSACTIONS AS A POSSIBLE RESPONSE TO THE BANKING CRISIS. BUT IN A FINANCIAL TIMES COMMENTARY HE CALLED FOR A "ROBUST PUBLIC DISCUSSION" OF THE
SO-CALLED "ROBIN HOOD" TAX. THE COMMENTS COME AS THE CHURCH ATTEMPTS TO DEAL WITH ANTI-CAPITALIST DEMONSTRATORS CAMPING OUTSIDE LONDON'S LANDMARK ST. PAUL'S CATHEDRAL.

LONDON (AP) - WIKILEAKS FOUNDER JULIAN ASSANGE HAS LOST HIS APPEAL AGAINST EXTRADITION TO SWEDEN TO ANSWER SEX CRIME ALLEGATIONS. IT'S NOT IMMEDIATELY CLEAR WHETHER ASSANGE, WHO'S SPENT MUCH OF THE PAST YEAR UNDER VIRTUAL HOUSE ARREST IN BRITAIN, HAS THE RIGHT TAKE HIS APPEAL TO BRITAIN'S SUPREME COURT.

WASHINGTON (AP) - GOP PRESIDENTIAL HOPEFUL HERMAN CAIN IS PLANS A SERIES OF MEETINGS TODAY IN WHICH HE'LL DISCUSS HEALTH CARE REFORM AND LIKELY HIS OWN POLITICAL VIABILITY WITH CONGRESSIONAL REPUBLICANS. THE MEETINGS COME AMID CHARGES THAT HE SEXUALLY HARASSED TWO WOMEN IN THE 1990S, AND HIS DENIALS. CAIN REMAINS ATOP THE POLLS ONLY TWO MONTHS BEFORE REPUBLICANS BEGIN CHOOSING THEIR PRESIDENTIAL NOMINEE.