TODAY'S NEWS-TUESDAY, OCTOBER 18, 2011

LOCAL NEWS TUESDAY OCTOBER 18, 2011

DEADLINE NEARS TO FILE FOR FEMA AID

LOCAL RESIDENTS WHO SUFFERED DAMAGES FROM RECENT FLOODING MUST FILE PAPERWORK WITH FEMA AND THE SMALL BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION BY NOVEMBER 14TH. SUSAN SOLOMON, FEMA PUBLIC INFORMATION OFFICER, SAID FEDERAL RELIEF FUNDS HAVE BEEN ALLOCATED TO HELP THOSE IN NEED, BUT THEY MUST COMPLETE THEIR APPLICATIONS SOON. AN OFFICE HAS BEEN OPENED AT THE HOSE HOOK AND LADDER FIRE COMPANY IN PINE GROVE, OR RESIDENTS MAY CALL 1-800-621-FEMA.

PINE GROVE NOW FLOODED WITH BILLS

THE WATER HAS RECEDED, NOW PINE GROVE BOROUGH IS FLOODED WITH BILLS FOR THE CLEANUP WORK THAT HAS BEEN DONE SO FAR. TWO COMMITTEES HAVE BEEN ESTABLISHED BY BOROUGH COUNCIL TO COMPLETE THE NECESSARY PAPERWORK FOR FEMA AND INSURANCE CLAIMS. THE BILLS SO FAR ARE IN EXCESS OF TWO HUNDRED EIGHTY THOUSAND DOLLARS, AND IT IS EXPECTED THAT FEMA WILL COVER THE MAJORITY OF THAT AMOUNT. GRANT APPLICATIONS WILL ALSO BE COMPLETED TO HELP PAY FOR WORK TO CLEAN OUT BLOCKED STORM DRAINS IN TOWN, WHICH CONTRIBUTED TO THE FLOODING.

TAX INCREASE PONDERED IN ORWIGSBURG

INCOME FROM DEVELOPMENT AND NEW HOMES HAS LAGGED BEHIND EXPENSES IN ORWIGSBURG, AND COUNCIL IS CONSIDERING INCREASES IN TAXES AND SEWER FEES TO MAKE UP THE DIFFERENCE. ACCORDING TO A STORY IN TODAY'S REPUBLICAN HERALD, IT HAS BEEN "AT LEAST TEN YEARS" SINCE THERE HAS BEEN A TAX INCREASE IN THE BOROUGH. THE AVERAGE ASSESSED PROPERTY VALUE IN TOWN IS JUST OVER FIFTY THOUSAND DOLLARS, AND EACH PROPERTY OWNER WOULD SEE AN ANNUAL TAX INCREASE OF ABOUT EIGHT DOLLARS, WITH A SEWER RATE INCREASE OF THREE DOLLARS PER QUARTER. THE RESULT WOULD BE AN ADDITIONAL TEN THOUSAND DOLLARS PER YEAR IN REVENUE TO COVER ORWIGSBURG'S EXPENSES. THE 2012 BUDGET WILL UP FOR A VOTE AT COUNCIL'S NOVEMBER 9 MEETING.

HAVEN MAN FACES COURT ON INDECENY CHARGES

A SCHUYLKILL HAVEN MAN, ACCUSED OF CORRUPTION AND INDENCY CHARGES, HAS HIS CASE HEADED TO COURT. THIRTY TWO YEAR OLD EDWARD LEYMEISTER APPEARED BEFORE DISTRICT JUDGE FERRIER, CHARGED BY SCHUYLKILL HAVEN POLICE WITH HAVING INAPPROPRIATE CONTACT WITH A 16 YEAR OLD GIRL ON AUGUST 27TH. HE REPORTEDLY KISSED AND TOUCHED THE GIRL, TRYING TO FIGHT OFF HIS ADVANCES. LEYMEISTER ADMITTED TO POLICE THAT HE KNEW SHE WAS UNDER AGE. HE'S IN PRISON AWAITING FURTHER COURT ACTION.

SHENANDOAH GETS GRANT FOR BULLETPROOF VESTS

SHENANDOAH'S FOUR FULL-TIME POLICE OFFICERS WILL BE RECEIVING BULLETPROOF VESTS TO HELP PROTECT THEM WHILE ON DUTY. THE BOROUGH APPLIED TO THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE FOR A MATCHING GRANT TO PAY HALF THE COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH PURCHASE OF THE VESTS, AND RECEIVED APPROXIMATELY TWO THOUSAND DOLLARS.

ANOTHER ACCIDENT AT TWELFTH AND MARKET

POTTSVILLE POLICE REPORT THAT TWO VEHICLES COLLIDED AT THE INTERSECTION OF TWELFTH AND MARKET STREETS ON MONDAY AFTERNOON. POLICE RECORDS SHOW THAT THERE HAVE BEEN AT LEAST 48 ACCIDENTS AT THAT INTERSECTION SINCE 2005. THE CITY HAS A PLAN IN PLACE TO IMPROVE TRAFFIC SIGNALS, BUT MUST WAIT FOR APPROVAL FROM PENNDOT SINCE MARKET STREET IS ALSO ROUTE 209.


STATE NEWS TUESDAY OCTOBER 18, 2011

POLICE INVESTIGATE ADULTS FOUND IN PHILLY BASEMENT

POLICE SAY THEY'VE RECOVERED AS MANY AS 50 FORMS OF IDENTIFICATION AND POWER OF ATTORNEY DOCUMENTS THAT POINT TO A WIDE-RANGING FRAUD SCHEME AFTER FOUR MENTALLY DISABLED ADULTS WERE FOUND LOCKED IN A PHILADELPHIA BASEMENT. THE VICTIMS APPEARED MALNOURISHED AFTER BEING FOUND IN A SUB-BASEMENT BY THE BUILDING'S LANDLORD ON SATURDAY. ONE MAN WAS CHAINED TO THE BOILER.

STATE LAWMAKERS CONSIDER FLOOD RELIEF FUNDS

STATE LAWMAKERS FROM NORTHEASTERN PENNSYLVANIA HAVE INTRODUCED LEGISLATION TO BOOST STATE DISASTER AID FOR INDIVIDUALS AND BUSINESSES HIT BY LAST MONTH'S DEVASTATING FLOODS. TWO OF THE HOUSE BILLS WOULD DIP INTO THE STATE'S SURPLUS TO FUND FLOOD MITIGATION WORK AND TO PROVIDE LOW-INTEREST LOANS FOR BUSINESSES AND INDIVIDUALS NOT ELIGIBLE FOR FEDERAL AID.

MOLD CLOSES CENTRAL PA. FIRE STATION

A CENTRAL PENNSYLVANIA FIRE STATION HAS BEEN CLOSED DUE TO MOLD PROBLEMS FROM FLOODING LAST MONTH WHILE A SECOND HAS FOUNDATION PROBLEMS BEING BLAMED ON A SMALL EARTHQUAKE OVER THE SUMMER. YORK FIRE CHIEF STEVEN BUFFINGTON SAYS THE MOLD CLOSES THE DEPARTMENT'S LINCOLN STATION LAST WEEK. MOLD WAS FOUND GROWING ON THE WALLS OF THE STATION'S BASEMENT DURING A RECENT TRAINING SESSION. BUFFINGTON SAYS THE MOLD FORCED THE DEPARTMENT TO MOVE PERSONNEL TO A DOWNTOWN STATION WITH ROOM TO HOUSE ITS TRUCK. HE SAYS HE EXPECTS IT TO COST MORE THAN $100,000 TO CLEAN UP THE MOLD. BUFFINGTON IS ALSO BLAMING MOTHER NATURE FOR ANOTHER PROBLEM. HE TELLS THE YORK DISPATCH A SMALL EARTHQUAKE IN AUGUST MAY HAVE WORSENED FOUNDATION CRACKS AT ANOTHER STATION. AN ENGINEER IS EVALUATING THE STRUCTURE.

BANKRUPTCY JUDGE SETS ARGUMENTS FOR NOVEMBER

LAWYERS DEBATING WHETHER PENNSYLVANIA'S CASH-STRAPPED CAPITAL CAN SEEK BANKRUPTCY PROTECTION WILL LAY OUT THEIR ARGUMENTS BEFORE A FEDERAL JUDGE NEXT MONTH. ON MONDAY, U.S. BANKRUPTCY JUDGE MARY D. FRANCE SET NOV. 23 AS THE FIRST DATE TO HEAR FROM ATTORNEYS FOR HARRISBURG'S CITY COUNCIL, WHICH FILED THE CHAPTER 9 PETITION LAST WEEK, ALONG WITH MAYOR LINDA THOMPSON AND THE STATE OF PENNSYLVANIA, BOTH OF WHOM OPPOSE IT. THOMPSON IS FIGHTING THE 4-3 VOTE BY THE COUNCIL THAT RESULTED IN THE BANKRUPTCY FILING. LAWMAKERS ARE PUSHING A BILL THAT WOULD LET THE GOVERNOR DECLARE A STATE OF FISCAL EMERGENCY AND INSTALL SOMEONE TO MAKE DECISIONS ABOUT SERVICES AND SPENDING. THE CITY OF 50,000 IS SADDLED WITH HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS IN DEBT RELATED TO AN AGING TRASH INCINERATOR.