Today's News-Thursday, June 12th
2008 Schuylkill Chamber of Commerce Winners:
Woman of the Year: Diana Gabardi, Realtor, Prudential Landis Homesale Services
Man of the Year: Albert Evans Jr., Evans Delivery
Entrepreneur of the Year: Rodger Wehbe, President, Yooter Interactive Marketing
For Profit Organization: Boyer's Food Markets
Non Profit Organization: Schuylkill YMCA
Two county officials had a heated discussion during Wednesday’s Commissioners Board meeting over lack of communication in the courthouse and a bank account. The argument came after County Controller Melinda Kantner read a prepared statement which among other things, suggested that communications between county officials is lacking and her office is being blamed for problems it’s not responsible for. County Commissioners Chairwomen Mantura Gallagher responded that it was Kantner who has shut down communication in the courthouse and a week has been wasted in setting up a separate bank account for HAVA funds as required by the Pennsylvania State Department. Kantner said it’s the responsibility of the Treasurer’s office to set up a bank account and not the Controller’s office. Gallagher said all that needed to be done was for the controller’s office to communicate with the Treasurer’s office which is connected by a door and the problem could have been cleared up in a half an hour. Kantner said that Gallagher or another county commissioner should have spoken to the Treasurer’s office about the account. Gallagher responded that the account can’t be opened until the Controllers office pulls that money and appropriate interest. Reportedly, the Treasurer’s office has set up an account but it was not yet active because of confusion over signatories to the account. Grant Writer Gary Bender warned the Commissioners at last week’s work session that future HAVA grants could be jeopardized if those grants are not placed in separate interest bearing accounts. HAVA grants are used for buying voting machines, training poll workers and other activities related to voting. The Commissioners voted to accept an additional $215-thousand-dollars in HAVA funds during the meeting bringing the counties total allocation for 2008 to $350-thousand- dollars.A Tremont man was picked up on an outstanding warrant Monday, stemming from his inappropriate contact with a young girl between 1999 and 2005. Lykens state police wanted 38-year-old Edward Peters for rape, involuntary deviate sexual intercourse and related counts for incidents involving a young girl while she was between 6 and 12 years old. The sexual assaults took place at a Wiconisco home and a trailer in Lykens Township. Peters admitted to touching the girl and providing her with alcohol on several occasions. Peters is encarcerated in Dauphin County prison.
Tamaqua's police chief has been suspended for 10 days by Mayor Christian Morrison. Effective Tuesday, Chief Dave Mattson was relieved of duty, without pay, according to the Republican and Herald. Officers were reportedly being treated unfairly by the Mayor, and Mattson is purported to have taken steps to remedy the situation. These events led to the suspension, but further details were not released by either side. An unfair labor complaint had been filed by police against the Mayor, but both parties have agreed to negotiate the matter, rather than go to a hearing. A special meeting to discuss the suspension will be held tomorrow evening in Tamaqua.
A bill introduced by Representative Tim Seip to reduce flood-related damage in Pennsylvania has moved out of committee. The House Environmental Resources and Energy Committee unanimously approved House Bill 2539 yesterday. The bill would give DEP more tools to reduce flood damage proactively. Seip said the agency needs authority to exercise voluntary property buyouts, flood proofing and floodplain management, especially those homes nears small creeks and streams. If passed by the full House and Senate, Seip thinks it will help alot:
SEIP (click to listen)
Seip concluded that communities like Schuylkill Haven and Pine Grove could benefit from the bill. Both towns suffered more than $2 million dollars in damages during flooding over the past several years.Two vehicles were damaged following a car break-in in the borough of Auburn earlier this week. An unknown burglar broke into a Ford Mustang on South Front Street and began to remove the radio from the console. The car was then put into neutral and went rolling down a steep hill. The vehicle struck a pickup truck at the bottom of the hill. Schuylkill Haven state police are investigating.
PHILADELPHIA (AP) - Authorities in Philadelphia and Montgomery County say nine people are dead from heat-related causes. Philadelphia Medical Examiner's spokesman Jeff Moran says the eight heat-related deaths in the city aren't unusual. A 65-year-old man died Tuesday from sunstroke in Pottstown.
ALLENTOWN, Pa. (AP) - Martin Plastering contractors of Lancaster County has been fined $2,300 for a carbon monoxide buildup that killed a 63-year-old guest and made others ill Jan. 18 at the Best Western Allentown Inn & Suites. The Morning Call newspaper cites an OSHA report the newspaper obtained.
PHILADELPHIA (AP) - Union leaders say they haven't made any progress in settling the Philadelphia transit police labor dispute. They walked out of talks Wednesday night with negotiators for SEPTA. They say the approximately 200 transit police officers plan to go on strike this afternoon.
HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) - A bill to borrow $800 million for water and sewer systems and dams is on its way to the House as legislators try to chip away at the state's massive infrastructure needs. The Senate unanimously approved the Republican bill. The borrowing plan is one of at least pending in the Legislature.
PITTSBURGH (AP) - Pittsburgh City Council has tentatively approved a plan to create a domestic registry for people living together in a committed relationship. Councilman Bruce Kraus says it is meant to treat people who live together and are financially dependent on one another the same as married couples.
BLENCOE, Iowa (AP) - Threats of floods and tornadoes are badgering wide parts of the Midwest. Four people were killed and more than 40 others hurt last evening when a twister roared through a Boy Scout Ranch in western Iowa. In Kansas, a twister smashed dozens of homes and businesses in the town of Chapman. At least one person was killed there.
UNDATED (AP) - Iowa, so far, is getting the worst of the flooding from Midwestern storms. Rising waters along the Cedar River forced evacuations in Waterloo. Authorities used boats to rescue inmates from the jail in Vinton, Iowa.
ROME (AP) - President Bush continues his farewell trip to Europe with talks today in Italy. Thousands of police officers have been deployed in Rome and commercial flights banned overhead because of protests planned by anti-war demonstrators.
CAPITOL HILL (AP) - Unbowed by President Bush's veto threat, House Democrats are confident they'll be able to pass an extension of jobless benefits today by a simple majority. Hopes of winning a veto-proof majority yesterday came up three votes short.
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (AP) - They may get really good mileage, but golf carts can be dangerous to your health. A study out this week finds more than 10,000 cart riders get hurt every year. And less than half the accidents happen on the golf course. Most involve riders falling or jumping out.
Woman of the Year: Diana Gabardi, Realtor, Prudential Landis Homesale Services
Man of the Year: Albert Evans Jr., Evans Delivery
Entrepreneur of the Year: Rodger Wehbe, President, Yooter Interactive Marketing
For Profit Organization: Boyer's Food Markets
Non Profit Organization: Schuylkill YMCA
Two county officials had a heated discussion during Wednesday’s Commissioners Board meeting over lack of communication in the courthouse and a bank account. The argument came after County Controller Melinda Kantner read a prepared statement which among other things, suggested that communications between county officials is lacking and her office is being blamed for problems it’s not responsible for. County Commissioners Chairwomen Mantura Gallagher responded that it was Kantner who has shut down communication in the courthouse and a week has been wasted in setting up a separate bank account for HAVA funds as required by the Pennsylvania State Department. Kantner said it’s the responsibility of the Treasurer’s office to set up a bank account and not the Controller’s office. Gallagher said all that needed to be done was for the controller’s office to communicate with the Treasurer’s office which is connected by a door and the problem could have been cleared up in a half an hour. Kantner said that Gallagher or another county commissioner should have spoken to the Treasurer’s office about the account. Gallagher responded that the account can’t be opened until the Controllers office pulls that money and appropriate interest. Reportedly, the Treasurer’s office has set up an account but it was not yet active because of confusion over signatories to the account. Grant Writer Gary Bender warned the Commissioners at last week’s work session that future HAVA grants could be jeopardized if those grants are not placed in separate interest bearing accounts. HAVA grants are used for buying voting machines, training poll workers and other activities related to voting. The Commissioners voted to accept an additional $215-thousand-dollars in HAVA funds during the meeting bringing the counties total allocation for 2008 to $350-thousand- dollars.A Tremont man was picked up on an outstanding warrant Monday, stemming from his inappropriate contact with a young girl between 1999 and 2005. Lykens state police wanted 38-year-old Edward Peters for rape, involuntary deviate sexual intercourse and related counts for incidents involving a young girl while she was between 6 and 12 years old. The sexual assaults took place at a Wiconisco home and a trailer in Lykens Township. Peters admitted to touching the girl and providing her with alcohol on several occasions. Peters is encarcerated in Dauphin County prison.
Tamaqua's police chief has been suspended for 10 days by Mayor Christian Morrison. Effective Tuesday, Chief Dave Mattson was relieved of duty, without pay, according to the Republican and Herald. Officers were reportedly being treated unfairly by the Mayor, and Mattson is purported to have taken steps to remedy the situation. These events led to the suspension, but further details were not released by either side. An unfair labor complaint had been filed by police against the Mayor, but both parties have agreed to negotiate the matter, rather than go to a hearing. A special meeting to discuss the suspension will be held tomorrow evening in Tamaqua.
A bill introduced by Representative Tim Seip to reduce flood-related damage in Pennsylvania has moved out of committee. The House Environmental Resources and Energy Committee unanimously approved House Bill 2539 yesterday. The bill would give DEP more tools to reduce flood damage proactively. Seip said the agency needs authority to exercise voluntary property buyouts, flood proofing and floodplain management, especially those homes nears small creeks and streams. If passed by the full House and Senate, Seip thinks it will help alot:
SEIP (click to listen)
Seip concluded that communities like Schuylkill Haven and Pine Grove could benefit from the bill. Both towns suffered more than $2 million dollars in damages during flooding over the past several years.Two vehicles were damaged following a car break-in in the borough of Auburn earlier this week. An unknown burglar broke into a Ford Mustang on South Front Street and began to remove the radio from the console. The car was then put into neutral and went rolling down a steep hill. The vehicle struck a pickup truck at the bottom of the hill. Schuylkill Haven state police are investigating.
PHILADELPHIA (AP) - Authorities in Philadelphia and Montgomery County say nine people are dead from heat-related causes. Philadelphia Medical Examiner's spokesman Jeff Moran says the eight heat-related deaths in the city aren't unusual. A 65-year-old man died Tuesday from sunstroke in Pottstown.
ALLENTOWN, Pa. (AP) - Martin Plastering contractors of Lancaster County has been fined $2,300 for a carbon monoxide buildup that killed a 63-year-old guest and made others ill Jan. 18 at the Best Western Allentown Inn & Suites. The Morning Call newspaper cites an OSHA report the newspaper obtained.
PHILADELPHIA (AP) - Union leaders say they haven't made any progress in settling the Philadelphia transit police labor dispute. They walked out of talks Wednesday night with negotiators for SEPTA. They say the approximately 200 transit police officers plan to go on strike this afternoon.
HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) - A bill to borrow $800 million for water and sewer systems and dams is on its way to the House as legislators try to chip away at the state's massive infrastructure needs. The Senate unanimously approved the Republican bill. The borrowing plan is one of at least pending in the Legislature.
PITTSBURGH (AP) - Pittsburgh City Council has tentatively approved a plan to create a domestic registry for people living together in a committed relationship. Councilman Bruce Kraus says it is meant to treat people who live together and are financially dependent on one another the same as married couples.
BLENCOE, Iowa (AP) - Threats of floods and tornadoes are badgering wide parts of the Midwest. Four people were killed and more than 40 others hurt last evening when a twister roared through a Boy Scout Ranch in western Iowa. In Kansas, a twister smashed dozens of homes and businesses in the town of Chapman. At least one person was killed there.
UNDATED (AP) - Iowa, so far, is getting the worst of the flooding from Midwestern storms. Rising waters along the Cedar River forced evacuations in Waterloo. Authorities used boats to rescue inmates from the jail in Vinton, Iowa.
ROME (AP) - President Bush continues his farewell trip to Europe with talks today in Italy. Thousands of police officers have been deployed in Rome and commercial flights banned overhead because of protests planned by anti-war demonstrators.
CAPITOL HILL (AP) - Unbowed by President Bush's veto threat, House Democrats are confident they'll be able to pass an extension of jobless benefits today by a simple majority. Hopes of winning a veto-proof majority yesterday came up three votes short.
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (AP) - They may get really good mileage, but golf carts can be dangerous to your health. A study out this week finds more than 10,000 cart riders get hurt every year. And less than half the accidents happen on the golf course. Most involve riders falling or jumping out.
posted by PBC Radio (WAVT & WPPA) @ 6:01 AM
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