ARLEN SPECTER, A PUGNACIOUS AND PROMINENT FORMER MODERATE IN THE U.S. SENATE WHO DEVELOPED THE SINGLE-BULLET THEORY IN PRESIDENT JOHN F. KENNEDY'S ASSASSINATION AND PLAYED STARRING ROLES IN SUPREME COURT CONFIRMATION HEARINGS, HAS LOST A BATTLE WITH NON-HODGKIN LYMPHOMA.  SPECTER, 82, WHO DIED SUNDAY AT HIS HOME IN PHILADELPHIA, SPENT MUCH OF HIS CAREER IN THE U.S. SENATE WARNING OF THE DANGERS OF POLITICAL INTOLERANCE.  FOR MOST OF HIS 30 YEARS AS PENNSYLVANIA'S LONGEST-SERVING U.S. SENATOR, SPECTER WAS A REPUBLICAN, THOUGH OFTEN AT ODDS WITH THE GOP LEADERSHIP.  HIS BREAKS WITH HIS PARTY WERE HARDLY A SURPRISE.  HE HAD BEGUN HIS POLITICAL CAREER AS A DEMOCRAT AND ENDED IT AS ONE, TOO.

  FORMER PHILADELPHIA MAYOR AND EX-GOVERNOR ED RENDELL SAYS ARLEN SPECTER DID MORE FOR THE PEOPLE OF PENNSYLVANIA OVER HIS MORE THAN 30 YEAR CAREER WITH THE POSSIBLE EXCEPTION OF BENJAMIN FRANKLIN.  "I CAME OUT OF LAW SCHOOL AS A YOUNG ASSISTANT D.A. AND HE TAUGHT ME A LOT OF WHAT I KNOW," RENDELL SAYS.  PRESIDENT OBAMA CALLS SPECTER FIERCELY INDEPDENDENT AND ALWAYS A FIGHTER.  SENATOR PAT TOOMEY SAYS SPECTER WAS A MAN OF SHARP INTELLIGENCE AND DOGGED DETERMINATION, WHILE SENATOR BOB CASEY CALLS SPECTER A STATESMAN AND A PROBLEM SOLVER.  FORMER SENATOR RICK SANTORUM SAYS SPECTER WAS A FIGHTER WITH A COMMITMENT TO PUBLIC SERVICE THAT WAS ADMIRABLE.  GOVERNOR TOM CORBETT SAYS SPECTER WAS DEVOTED TO PUBLIC SERVICE FOR MORE THAN FIVE DECADES.

  NEGOTIATORS SAY PENN STATE HAS STARTED PRELIMINARY SETTLEMENT TALKS WITH AT LEAST 20 MEN WHO ACCUSE ASSISTANT COACH JERRY SANDUSKY OF SEXUAL ABUSE.  THAT NUMBER INCLUDES EIGHT PEOPLE NAMED IN THE PROSECUTION OF SANDUSKY, FOUR OTHERS WHO HAVE FILED LAWSUITS OR TOLD REPORTERS THEY WERE MOLESTED, AND AT LEAST EIGHT OTHERS WHO HAVE NOT PUBLICLY AIRED ALLEGATIONS OF ABUSE.  ATTORNEY MICHAEL ROZEN, WHO WAS HIRED ALONG WITH HIS PARTNER TO HANDLE SETTLEMENT TALKS, SAYS MEDIATORS HAVE NOT STARTED EVALUATING ANY OF THE 20 CASES.  HE SAYS OFFICIALS ARE TALKING ABOUT HOW TO "PUT THE CLAIMS INTO SOME SORT OF HIERARCHY."  SANDUSKY WAS SENTENCED LAST WEEK TO 30 TO 60 YEARS IN PRISON ON MOLESTATION CONVICTIONS.

  A STROUDSBURG MAN IS CHARGED WITH HITTING TWO MEN WITH A HAMMER OUTSIDE THE LOWER NAZARETH TOWNSHIP WALMART AFTER A ROAD-RAGE INCIDENT.  POLICE SAY AHMED GOSPODEV CUT OFF A CAR ON ROUTE 248.  BOTH CARS PULLED INTO THE WALMART PARKING LOT AND THAT'S WHEN GOSPODEV PULLED THE HAMMER FROM HIS CAR'S TRUNK.  DURING AN ARGUMENT, GOSPODEV BEGAN SWINGING THE HAMMER, HITTING ONE MAN IN THE HEAD.  BOTH MEN WHO WERE ATTACKED WERE TREATED AT THE HOSPITAL.  GOSPODEV IS IN NORTHAMPTON COUNTY PRISON UNDER $30,000 BAIL.

  FORMER TWO-TERM NEW MEXICO GOVERNOR GARY JOHNSON WILL BE ON PENNSYLVANIA'S BALLOT NEXT MONTH AS THE LIBERTARIAN PARTY'S PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE.  THE NATIONAL LIBERTARIAN PARTY'S EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR SAYS JOHNSON'S PRESENCE ON THE BALLOT LIKELY MEANS MITT ROMNEY CAN'T WIN HERE.  CARLA HOWELL SAYS THAT'S A GOOD THING BECAUSE SHE VIEWS ROMNEY AS MAYBE A BIGGER POLITICAL DANGER THAN PRESIDENT OBAMA.  "IF MITT ROMNEY REPLACES OBAMA-CARE WITH ROMNEY-CARE, WHICH HE SAYS HE PLANS TO DO, THERE WILL NO OBJECTION TO IT.  THERE WILL BE NO DEBATE.  REPUBLICANS WILL FALL INTO LINE.  BUT IF BARACK OBAMA, AS A LAME DUCK PRESIDENT IS RE-ELECTED, REPUBLICANS WILL CONTINUE TO FIGHT IT, HOPEFULLY DEFUND IT AND STOP IT," HOWELL SAYS.  LAST WEEK, JOHNSON SURVIVED A REPUBLICAN CHALLENGE TO HAVE HIM BOOTED FROM PENNSYLVANIA'S BALLOT.  HE'LL BE ON EVERY STATE'S BALLOT EXCEPT FOR OKLAHOMA AND MICHIGAN.

  ALLENTOWN'S WEEK WITHOUT VIOLENCE KICKED OFF SUNDAY BUT REALLY KICKS INTO GEAR TOMORROW WITH AN AFTERNOON AND EVENING FULL OF ACTIVITIES INCLUDING A PROGRAM CALLED CHARACTER COUNTS.  MARY ELLEN JACKSON IS WITH THE CENTER FOR HUMANISTIC CHANGE.  "THE CHARACTER COUNTS PROGRAM WORKS WITH YOUNG KIDS.  WE'RE GOING TO BE AT THE YMCA ON TUESDAY AND WE'RE GOING TO BE TEACHING KIDS DIFFERENT WAYS TO PRACTICE CARING, KINDNESS, HONESTY, FAIRNESS, SELF CONTROL AND RESPECT FOR OTHERS," JACKSON SAYS.  ACTIVITIES THIS WEEK INCLUDE EVERYTHING FROM INTERNET SAFETY TO BULLYING PREVENTION TO PROGRAMS ON DATING SAFETY.  LEARN MORE BY ENTERING THE KEYWORD 'VIOLENCE'.

  TUESDAY IS THE DEADLINE FOR NEW JERSEYANS TO REGISTER TO VOTE IN THE NOVEMBER ELECTION.  APPLICATIONS ARE AVAILABLE ONLINE AT WWW.ELECTIONS.NJ.GOV.  THEY MUST BE POSTMARKED BY OCTOBER 16 TO BE ACCEPTED.  VOTERS MAY ALSO REGISTER AT MOTOR VEHICLE COMMISSION OFFICES AND HUMAN SERVICES OFFICES.