Welcome to the Gant’s most read strories for the month of November 2009.
These stories are the ones that you, the readers, have looked at the most over the month of November. Enjoy the look back.
Election Results: Read Out as Controller, Gilliland Out as Mayor
CLEARFIELD – With 71 of 71 precincts counted, the results are in for the contested county races as well as the mayoral race for Clearfield Borough, and it appears that two shake-ups are in store after two of those races. These results do not include write-in votes, which will be tallied at a later date.
Controller: Challenger Tony Scotto defeated incumbent Claudia Read. Scotto received 7,927 (52.85 percent) votes, while Read received 7,063(47.09 percent) votes.
Mayor of Clearfield Borough: Challenger James Schell defeated incumbent Mayor Patty Gilliland. Schell received 838 (54.63 percent) votes, while Gilliland received 690 (44.98 percent) votes.
Sheriff: Incumbent Chester Hawkins received 11,258 (74 percent) votes, beating challenger James Ward, who received 3,944 (25.93) votes.
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PA Landowners Get Big Payments as Marcellus Shale Bidding Escalates
UNIVERSITY PARK – As legislators, environmentalists and others strive to balance the many interests involved in developing the natural gas deposits contained in the Marcellus shale formation, a fierce bidding war has doubled the prices being offered for leases in Pennsylvania. The resulting competition could be a boon for landowners, according to experts in Penn State’s College of Agricultural Sciences.
The nation’s economic troubles may have slowed development of natural gas wells for the last year, but energy companies seem to be returning to the state and buying up drilling leases with a vengeance. Joann Kowalski, Penn State Extension economic development educator in Susquehanna County, said the proven performance of existing wells may have companies competing to lock up prime properties in the state’s Northern Tier.
“Word hit the street in September that Fortuna Energy was going to be paying the Friendsville Group $5,500 an acre for a five-year lease, with 20 percent royalties for producing wells,” Kowalski said. “That was probably about twice the rate that had been offered up to that point. Fortuna had not been buying leases in Susquehanna County before this — they were doing most of their work in Bradford County.”
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Fatal Accident Closes SR 153 Near Ike’s Tee Pee
CLEARFIELD – According to the Clearfield County Emergency Management Agency, State Route 153, near the intersection of the old Erie Pike (Ikes Tee Pee) will be closed the majority of the day due to a fatal motor vehicle accident.
Driver’s are asked to find an alternate route of travel and avoid this area.
No other details were provided
Two Flown from Weekend Accident in Lawrence Township
CLEARFIELD – Two people were airlifted following a single vehicle accident over the weekend.
According to the Lawrence Township Police Department the accident occurred on the Glen Richey Highway near the intersection with state Route 153. A Clearfield man failed to round a curve. His vehicle went into a ditch and traveled about 300 feet before striking a cement culvert. After striking the culvert the vehicle overturned onto its roof.
The driver and a female passenger from Curwensville were flown from the scene to Altoona for treatment.
Police noted that the accident is under investigation.
Clearfield County EMA Director Waives Hearing on DUI Charges
CLEARFIELD – The head of a Clearfield County government department waived his right to a preliminary hearing on DUI charges.
Josh Quigley, director of the Clearfield County Emergency Management Agency, faces charges of DUI (incapable of safe driving); DUI (highest rate of alcohol); driving on right side of roadway; driving on roadways laned for traffic; careless driving; restrictions on alcoholic beverages; and failure to use safety belt system.
According to the affidavit of probable cause, on Oct. 31 a state trooper was on routine patrol at 2:40 a.m., westbound on state Route 879. The trooper noted that he observed a vehicle, a tan 2001 Chevrolet S-10 traveling east on SRT 879. As the truck traveled east the trooper reported that it crossed the double yellow line while in the area of Berndt’s Tobacco Outlet and partially into the lane of travel of the state trooper. The trooper then conducted a traffic stop.
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