Emporium greets Sen. Specter

Tri-County Sunday

U.S. Sen. Arlen Specter's brief visit in Emporium Tuesday evening starkly contrasted with a recent round of heated town hall meetings.Dozens of area residents applauded Specter's stance on reforming health care, which includes allowing citizens to keep their current insurance. No one protested the private meeting hosted by the Cameron County Democratic Committee. The best choice, he said, could be the "public option," where many citizens would be covered under the federal government. That would give people a choice of selecting a carrier at low rates, with it operating like Medicare. "I think we need to fight it out," said Specter, who is serving his fifth term. "Everything (the benefits for veterans, etc.,) is going to stay the same."Meanwhile, Democratic Committee member Von Hause questioned whether Cameron County will see any of the $16 billion federal stimulus money......read MORE