WPPA / T-102 RADIO NEWS / Thursday

08/24/06 OVERSIZE LOADS ARE ON THE MOVE TODAY ON AREA ROADS.


SCH. PRODUCTS OF CRESSONA WILL BE MOVING OVERSIZE LOADS TODAY.2 LOADS WILL BE LEAVING AT 7 AND 2 LOADS WILL BE LEAVING AT 9AM. MOTORIST CAN EXPECT DELAYS AT THE INTERSECTIONS OF ROUTE 901 AND ROUTE 183 AND AGAIN AT ROUTE 183 AND ROUTE 61. THE LOADS WILL BE TRAVELLING SOUTH ON ROUTE 61 TO 78 WEST AND TO 81 NORTH TO 80 WEST.


08/24/06 TAMAQUA MAN FACES CHARGES AFTER A WEDNESDAY MORNING INCIDENT IN THE BOROUGH

A 28 YEAR OLD TAMAQUA MAN FACES CHARGES FOLLOWING AN INCIDENT THAT OCCURRED EARLY WEDNESDAY MORNING . ACCORDING TO POLICE PAUL DERR 31 OF EAT UNION STREET REPORTED THAT HIS MOTHER CALLED HIM AROUND 1 AM AND SAID THAT MATTHEW DERR 28 IF HUNTER STREET WAS COMING TO HIS HOME. AROUND 6:30 AM POLICE SAY PAUL DERR DISCOVERED THAT A VEHICLE OWNED BY HIS MOTHER HAD TWO PUNCTURED TIRES AND THAT HIS VEHICLE HAD A PUCTURED TIRE AND VULGARITY WRITTEN ON THE WINDOW. MATTHEW DERR WILL FACE CHARGES OF CRIMINAL MISCHIEF TO VEHICLES BEFORE DISTRICT JUDGE STEPHEN BAYER.

08/24/06 COUNTY REVISES PUBLIC RECORDS POLICY

COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR WILLIAM REPPY ANNOUNCED SEVERAL REVISED POLICIES AT THE COMMISSIONERS WORK SESSION WEDNESDAY , ONE OF WHICH AFFECTS REQUEST FOR INFORMATION. REPPY SUBMITTED AN UPDATED OPEN RECORDS POLICY THAT DOES NOT INCLUDE A PROVISION REQUIRING INFORMATION REQUEST BE SUBMITTED IN WRITING. WHEN QUESTIONED EARLIER THIS MONTH ABOUT THE POLICY CHANGES ,REPPY SAID HE WOULD FAVOR A PROCEDURE THAT MANDATES WRITTEN RECORD REQUESTS. HOWEVER THE PEOPLE AND LOCATIONS TO WHICH THOSE REQUESTS WOULD BE SUBMITTED HAVE CHANGED. COMMISSIONER MANTURS GALLAGHER SAID SHE WILL REVIEW THE POLICY BEFORE VOTING TO APPROVE IT AT AN AUGUST 30TH BOARD MEETING. THE COMMISSIONERS ALSO DISCUSSED THREE OTHER POLICIES THAT WILL BE VOTED ON INCLUDING A POLICY REGARDING AN OCCUPATION ILLNESS OR INJURY PROBATIONARY PERIOD,A POLICY ON GIVING REFERENCES FOR CURRENT OR FORMER EMPLOYEES AND A POLICY REGARDING RETIREMENT HEALTH BENEFITS.THE GUDELINES ON PROVIDING REFERENCES FOR CURRENT OR FORMER EMPLOYEES ACCORDING TO REPPY ARE DESIGNED TO PROTECT THE COUNTY FROM LAWSUITS. AS PART OF THE GUIDELINES ALL INQUIRIES INTO AN EMPLOYEES WORK HISTORY MUST GO THROUGH THE HUMAN RESOURCES DEPARTMENT AND CERTAIN INFORMATION WILL BE DEVULGED, INCLUDING WORK HISTORY AND POSITION HELD.


08/24/06 LACK OF LIFEGUARDS CLOSES CITY POOL EARLIER THAN EXPECTED

THE SUMMER SWIM SEASON AT THE JFK POOL COMPLEX ENDED ON A HIGH NOTE TUESDAY NIGHT AS 707 TEENS ATTENDED A SPLASH PARTY , HOWEVER THERE WAS CONFUSION AMONG CITY OFFICALS AND RESIDENTS WHEN THE POOL DIDN’T REOPEN WEDNESDAY. ACCORDING TO THE POTTSVILLE REPUBLICAN CITY ADMINISTRATOR THOMAS PALAMAR AND MAYOR JOHN D W REILEY WERE BOTH UNDER THE IMPRESSION THAT THE POOL WAS ORIGINALLY SCHEDULE TO REMAIN OPEN UNTILL SUNDAY. THE REASON FOR THE PREMATURE CLOSING ACCORDING TO POOL MANAGER MISSY WHITAKER THERE WAS NO OTHER CHOICE THAN TO CLOSE THE POOL DUE TO THE LACK OF LIFEGUARDS.ONLY TWO LIGEGUARDS WERE AVAILABLE TO WORK FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE WEEK AND STATE LAW REQUIRES A MINIMUM OF FOUR LIFEGUARDS FOR A POOL THAT SIZE. CITY OFFICALS SAID PUBLIC SAFETY SHOULD COME FIRST BUT THE LACK OF COMMUNICATION CAUSED SOME CONFUSION.THIS YEARS CLOSING HAS ALREADY PROMPTED CITY OFFICALS AND POOL MANAGEMENT TO START THINKING OF SOLUTIONS TO PREVENT THE PROBLEM FROM HAPPENING NEXT YEAR. WHITAKER SAID ALTHOUGH THE POOL CLOSED A FEW DAYS EARLIER THE SEASON WAS A SUCCESS AND THE POOL DIDN’T HAVE TO CLOSE FOR A FULL DAY ALL SEASON.