Illegal search leads to charges thrown out

Storm impacts roads, power

<b>First Posted:</b> 11/14/2008<br><br>MARC LEVY Associated Press Writer
HARRISBURG &amp;mdash; The death of Lt. Gov. Catherine Baker Knoll has catapulted a former northwestern Pennsylvania restaurant owner who is fond of his small town roots into the state&amp;rsquo;s second-highest elected post.

Sen. Joe Scarnati will pull double duty as Pennsylvania&amp;rsquo;s lieutenant governor and the Senate&amp;rsquo;s president pro tempore, his present job &amp;mdash; forcing him to balance not only the demands of two branches of government, but the often-conflicting interests of Democratic Gov. Ed Rendell and the Republican Senate majority that he leads.
&amp;ldquo;It will be a tremendous challenge to balance those responsibilities and expectations, which are going to be high, and I think he&amp;rsquo;s capable,&amp;rdquo; Robert C. Jubelirer, a Scarnati supporter and his predecessor as the Senate&amp;rsquo;s president pro tempore, said Thursday.
Knoll, 78, who had battled neuroendocrine cancer since July, died Wednesday.
Scarnati&amp;rsquo;s aides were making preparations Thursday for him to assume the duties of Knoll&amp;rsquo;s office, but plans for his swearing-in ceremony had not been announced.
The Jefferson County Republican stayed in his rural district and kept a low profile Thursday out of respect for Knoll as messages of condolence poured in for state&amp;rsquo;s first female lieutenant governor.
&amp;ldquo;Joe Scarnati is my kind of person,&amp;rdquo; said Minority Leader Robert J. Mellow, D-Lackawanna. &amp;ldquo;Very reasonable, a moderate, not an overly partisan person and he wants to get the job done.&amp;rdquo;
Plain-spoken and usually accessible, Scarnati, 46, has said that his sensibilities are guided by his upbringing in an Italian-American family in a small town.

New Pa. exec proud of rural roots