Hello and welcome to this week’s edition of the GantDaily Weekly Reload!
This week we brought you coverage regarding a new sexting case, the commissioners’ concerns regarding a biosolids permit, and a DuBois man accused of child predation.
We also brought you coverage of a KOZ presentation to the commissioners, litigation against a school board and a man accused of selling heroin.
Troop G Announces Arrest in Heroin Investigation
PHILIPSBURG – State police have announced the arrest of a man accused of selling drugs in the Philipsburg area.
Troop G Vice and Narcotics Unit said after they began receiving information about large amounts of heroin being sold in the Philipsburg area they sent undercover troopers to make controlled buys. The troopers went to a residence along Copelin Road in Decatur Township. Between Feb. 12 and March 4 four separate controlled heroin buys were made form the residence. The buys consisted of 10 packets, 18 packets, 44 packets and 18 packets. Over $2,000 in official state funds were used for the undercover heroin buys.
Click here for that story.
‘Sexting’ Incident Reported at Clearfield Middle School
CLEARFIELD – On Tuesday, the Lawrence Township Police Department initiated an investigation into a reported “sexting” incident at the Clearfield Area Middle School.
According to police, the incident occurred toward the end of the school day, when “inappropriate” content went from “phone to phone.” Police said that “young people” were involved in the incident.
Police said that “sexting” is the practice of taking or sending naked or sexually explicit photographs on a cell phone camera. Police said “sexting” occurs when the pictures are sent or displayed
For that story click here.
Consumer Alert: CertifiChecks Inc. Filing for Bankruptcy, Area Chambers Respond
DAYTON, OH – One Ohio company’s bankruptcy may have an affect on local consumers.
CertifiChecks Inc. has announced that they are filing for Chapter 7 bankruptcy. According to their Web site:
Due to an extremely difficult economic environment, CertifiChecks, Inc., has ceased operations, effective immediately.
CertifiChecks will no longer administer gift certificate programs.
CertifiChecks gift certificate sales have been halted.
CertifiChecks is in the process of filing Chapter 7 bankruptcy in Dayton, Ohio.
Click here for that story.
And …
Clearfield Chamber Comments on CertifiChecks Situation
CLEARFIELD – The Board of Governors of the Clearfield Chamber of Commerce has announced that they have just been notified that the vendor, who supplied them with the Certifichecks gift certificate program, is filing for Chapter 7 bankruptcy, and therefore participating chamber members of that particular program will no longer be able to accept them, as the company will no longer redeem them. The chamber has stopped all sales of the Certifichecks and has also notified all of its members who participated in that program of this development, advising them to not accept any more Certifichecks, as they can no longer be deposited in the bank.
The Clearfield Chamber of Commerce is very committed to the businesses and residents of the area, and therefore it is only right that neighbors stand behind neighbors and they will do their best to correct this situation to the best of their ability. In order to do so, we need anyone who is in possession of an unexpired Clearfield Chamber of Commerce Certificheck to turn it in to the chamber office located at 125 East Market Street, Clearfield, by March 18 so that we can issue a receipt upon which the chamber promises to give reimbursement within 90 days.
For that story click here.
Commissioners Express Concerns to DEP Over Biosolid Sludge Permit Application in Graham Township
CLEARFIELD – The Clearfield County Commissioners are expressing their concerns to DEP regarding a permit for biosolid sludge that was applied for in Graham Township.
According to Commissioner John Sobel the commissioners have been approached by citizens of Graham Township who are opposed to the spreading of biosolid sludge. Sobel said the commissioners have executed a letter to DEP expressing their concerns. He said the commissioners are asking DEP to carefully look over the permit application.
Click here for that story.
WBESPA Files Charges Against West Branch School Board
MORRISDALE – Calling it a “demoralizing and disrespectful,” situation for the district’s support staff workers, union leaders of the West Branch Education Support Professional Association (WBESPA) today filed unfair labor practice charges against the West Branch School Board for failing to vote on a tentative contract agreement, which was approved by both the union’s and the school board’s bargaining teams in December 2008.
“We are extremely frustrated and dispirited by the board’s lack of action on this agreement. When the school board’s negotiations team gave their approval to the tentative agreement in December, they had an obligation to take it back to the full board for a vote,” said WBESPA Vice President Ron Natalie. “We bargained in good faith for a year and as we promised, we took the tentative agreement back to our members for a vote. The school board’s attitude towards the support staff workers is disdainful. We are shocked that they would not live up to their word.”
For that story click here.
County Commissioners Hear KOZ Proposal
CLEARFIELD – On Tuesday the Clearfield County Commissioners were asked to consider two resolutions to help get property in the Clearfield Firemen’s Commerce Park enrolled in the Keystone Opportunity Zone program.
According to Tom Stojek, executive director of the Clearfield Foundation, his group wishes to re-enroll all unoccupied land at the Firemen’s Commerce Park into the new KOZ program. Stojek also asked that the lower southern parcel, owned by the Clearfield County Fair Board, be included in the new KOZ as well. Stojek indicated that the Clearfield Foundation has an option to purchase that land and would like to incorporate it into their plans.
“We believe the new KOZ program is a valuable tool for leveraging private investment and for creating new jobs for north central Pennsylvania,” said Stojek.
Click here for that story.
A Closer Look at LT’s Zoning/Code Meeting
Members of the Lawrence Township Supervisors, Zoning Board and Planning Commission got together Thursday evening to begin looking at what the zoning laws needed done.
Questions came up like: Did the township need more zone types of zoning, or did the current zones needed usages added or removed? What could the township do to control where people can drill wells for gas?
So far it doesn’t look like there will be any new types of zoning arrangements. There are currently four residential zone types, two industrial, two commercial, village, rural agriculture and “local economic revitalization tax assistance areas” with most of the township categorized as rural agriculture.
For that story click here.
DuBois Man Among Five Arrested in Child Predator Investigations
HARRISBURG — Attorney General Tom Corbett announced that agents from the Attorney General’s Child Predator Unit have arrested five men during the past week, all accused of using the Internet to sexually proposition what they believed were children.
One of the men arrested was a 44-year-old DuBois man.
Corbett said that in one of the cases, a Montgomery County man allegedly took advantage of heavy snow and school cancellations in the Philadelphia area to arrange a meeting with what he believed was a 13-year old girl. The “girl” was actually an undercover agent from the Child Predator Unit.
Click here for that story.