Local News - Saturday April 14, 2007

Opposition grows to water bottling operation

Residents in one northern Schuylkill County community are gaining allies in fighting a proposed water bottling operation. Far Away Springs, owned and operated by Stanley Frompovicz, has applied for a permit to draw about 200-thousand-gallons of water to be bottled and sold from a site in East Union Township. Brandonville residents and the Pumping Station Preservation Association are requesting that the Susquehanna River Basin Commission deny the application. The group operates a trout hatchery at the reservoir, and they are concerned that the daily withdrawal of groundwater will negatively impact the water supply for the Pumping Station. Frompovicz owns about 115 acres of land near the Brandonville Industrial Park, and is already allowed to draw down 20-thousand-gallons a day under a permit from DEP. Concerned citizens will have the opportunity to voice their concerns at a meeting on May 2nd at the Brandonville Fire Station.

Mt Carmel SD declares litter free zone

A Northumberland County school district wants to keep their campuses clean by declaring them a "Litter-Free School Zone". Officials from the Mt. Carmel School District and the Department of Environmental Protection made the announcement Thursday as part of this year's Great PA Cleanup, scheduled for next Saturday. The Litter-Free School Zones program was launched by Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful, co-sponsor of the Great Pennsylvania Cleanup. Participating schools agree to check the campus grounds weekly, remove litter, and also to promote and implement all campus events as litter-free events. Last year during the Great Pennsylvania Cleanup, more than 132,000 volunteers from all 67 counties removed 6.7 million pounds of trash.

Breast cancer coalition presents exhibit

The Pennsylvania Breast Cancer Coalition is working with a local hospital to debut its traveling photo exhibit beginning next Friday. St. Catherine's Medical Center in Fountain Springs will display "67 Women, 67 Counties: Facing Breast Cancer in Pennsylvania," from April 19th through the 29th in the hospital's cafeteria. This work of art features women from each of Pennsylvania's 67 counties, along with a message about how breast cancer has touched their lives. The women reflect the diversity of Pennsylvania, and their stories reflect the impact of breast cancer on themselves, their families and their communities. "67 Women, 67 Counties: Facing Breast Cancer in Pennsylvania" is sponsored by the PBCC and funded by the Pennsylvania Department of Health. The exhibit travels to several select Pennsylvania communities each year, and has been to over 80 communities since its launch ten years ago. For more information please call 1-800-377-8828 or visit the website at www.pabreastcancer.org.

Karen's Heroes awards funds

Third Grade students at John S. Clarke Elementary Center have voted $1,500 to 5 charities in the local community, through the Karen's Heroes program. During the school week of March 26th to 30th, they learned about needy organizations in the community and voted to direct money from the KAREN CHATTIN NEY EDUCATION FUND to five community charities, at $7.50 per vote. Two hundred students voted to award $750 dollars to the Make-A-Wish Foundation, $315 dollars to the Sovereign Majestic Theatre, $180 dollars to the Schuylkill County Diabetes Organization, $135 dollars to the Pottsville Free Public Library and $120 dollars to the Pottsville Soup Kitchen. Karen Chattin-Ney was a third-grade teacher at the John S. Clarke School, who died from ovarian cancer 9 years ago. Her husband Tom Ney, along with friends and family, endowed the fund.

Time running out to register for primary

If you have not registered to vote in the May primary, Monday is your last chance. Schuylkill County Election Bureau Director Betty Dries (dreez) reminds voters that April 16th is the last day to either register, or to make changes to your voting registration for the May 15th primary.
If you do not know who is running for local office, you can check out all of the candidates at www.co.schuylkill.pa.us, then click on the tab for the 2007 Election. To check your voting status, contact the Registration and Election Bureau at 628-1467, or stop by the office at 420 North Centre Street in Pottsville, from 8:30am to 4:30pm.