State News - Saturday June 2

HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) - After two years of uncertainly, Willow Grove Naval Air Station is closer to getting a mission. It will be transformed to a hub for military personnel and civilian emergency response and preparedness operations. In the Iraq funding bill signed into law, the Navy was ordered to give the suburban Philadelphia site to the Air Force. The Air Force said in April that it would take the land from the Navy and eventually sell it to the state for use by the National Guard and other reserve units. But the Navy said regulations prohibited it from giving the land to the Air Force. Governor Ed Rendell said he envisions turning Willow Grove into
a model homeland security center for the mid-Atlantic region. Agencies interested in having facilities there include the Department of Justice, the I-R-S and the Pennsylvania Southeastern
Regional Counter-Terrorism Task Force.

HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) - Governor Ed Rendell has tapped two people to fill vacancies at state agencies that regulate Pennsylvania's state-owned liquor stores and utility companies. The governor has also nominated two other regulators to new terms with those agencies. The nominations to the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board and the Public Utility Commission require confirmation by the state Senate. Robert Marcus of Indiana was nominated to the liquor control board to fill the unexpired term of Jonathan Newman, who resigned as the board's chairman in January. Rendell also nominated board member Thomas Goldsmith, to a second term. Ty Christy of Renfrew was nominated to a five-year term on the five-member utility commission. Renfrew would fill a vacancy left by commissioner Bill Shane, who was not re-nominated last year after his term expired. P-U-C Commissioner Kim Pizzingrilli was
nominated to a second term.