The GantDaily.com weekly reload gives readers a look back upon the most noteworthy stories of their work week. It contains the big headlines, as well as a few stories you might have missed. It might even include a story or two of the lighter side.
The GantDaily.com reload will be posted each weekend for your perusal. For most part, the reload will be filled with local headlines, but every now and again, a state, world or national story will make the list.
Fair Queen Contestants Introduced at Banquet
CLEARFIELD – Twelve young women will vie to be crowned Clearfield County fair queen at the 26th annual competition on Sunday, July 27 on the Grandstand stage at the Clearfield County Fairgrounds.
Contestants were unveiled at a fair queen banquet Sunday evening. The current fair queen is Taylor Rae Goodman of Curwensville. Both her first runner-up Chelsea Folmar of Luthersburg and her second runner-up Lyndsey Good of DuBois will return to this year’s competition.
Clearfield Man Gets Jail in Indecent Assault Case
CLEARFIELD – A Clearfield man pleaded guilty to indecent assault during plea and sentencing court in Clearfield County.
Clifford Lamonte Green, 19, 25 Chevy Ln., Clearfield, an inmate of the jail, also pleaded guilty to corruption of minors.
He was sentenced to 90 days to one year in jail and four years consecutive probation.
He must complete the Project Point of Light Program and 100 hours of community service. He was fined $200 plus costs.
Curwensville Man Pleads Guilty in City Drug Robbery Case
CLEARFIELD – A Curwensville man has pleaded guilty to trying to rob a local pharmacy through a drive-thru window.
David Peter Bracken Jr., 28, 608 Schofield St., Curwensville, an inmate of the jail, pleaded guilty to robbery and terroristic threats during plea and sentencing court in Clearfield County.
He was sentenced by Judge Paul E. Cherry to five to 10 years in state prison. In a second case, he pleaded guilty to possession of firearm prohibited, possession of a small amount of marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia. For this he was sentenced to an additional two to four years in state prison.
DuBois Woman Sentenced for Hurting Foster Children
CLEARFIELD – A DuBois woman accused of hurting foster children in her care was sentenced during plea and sentencing court in Clearfield County.
Sue Ann Sheets, 41, 1695 Carson Hill Rd., DuBois, pleaded guilty to three counts of recklessly endangering another person and was sentenced to four years probation. She was fined $700 plus costs.
Judge Paul E. Cherry also stated Sheets is prohibited from being a foster parent.
Gallitzin Man Headed to Trial in Stabbing Case
DUBOIS – A Gallitzin man will stand trial for stabbing another man.
Damien Mitchell Lee, 20, 331 Forest St., Gallitzin, who is charged with aggravated assault, simple assault, recklessly endangering another person and terroristic threats, waived his right to a preliminary hearing during Centralized Court. He remains in the Clearfield County Jail in lieu of $50,000 bail.
These charges stem from an incident in Sandy Township on June 20 when Lee allegedly stabbed a man.
DEP Awards Two Mine Reclamation Contracts in Centre, Clearfield Counties
WILLIAMSPORT – The Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) has announced it has awarded a $789,995 contract for the Beauty Camp Far West abandoned mine reclamation project in Burnside and Snow Shoe townships, Centre County, and a $105,583 contract for the Owens Cemetery project in Clearfield Borough, Clearfield County.
“These two projects are excellent examples of how DEP’s aggressive mine reclamation program is successfully reclaiming abandoned mine sites and eliminating harmful acid mine drainage, protecting private homeowners and restoring land to enhance recreational activities,” DEP Deputy Secretary for the Office of Active and Abandoned Mine Operations John Stefanko said.
The Beauty Camp Far West project will reclaim 53 acres of abandoned mine land, which includes an illegal waste dump. The reclamation work will include removing 20 tons of solid waste along with grading, drain installation, seeding and the planting of 5,600 trees.
Budget Bill Earns Gabler’s Vote
HARRISBURG – State Rep. Matt Gabler (R-Clearfield/Elk) joined the majority of his House colleagues Monday in voting to concur on Senate amendments to House Bill 2328, the general appropriations bill for fiscal year 2014-15.
The legislation, which contains no new taxes or tax increases, sets yet another record in funding for K-12 education at $10.5 billion, eclipsing the amount spent during 2013-14.
Gabler issued the following statement on House Bill 2328, which has been sent to Gov. Tom Corbett’s desk for his signature into law:
CCEDC and North Central Host Foreign Direct Investment Tour
The Clearfield County Economic Development Corp. (CCEDC) and the North Central Pennsylvania Regional Planning & Development Commission recently hosted a Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) Tour within the six-county North Central Region.
The event started June 24 in Karthaus where Paul McCloskey, CCEDC vice president of Energy and Business Development, presented to 12 representatives from other countries and additional foreign investment officials from the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development (DCED).
County Unveils Online Map Viewer, Real Estate Data Tool
CLEARFIELD – Members of the general public now have access to an online map viewer and real estate data tool, announced John Kaskan, GIS coordinator, at yesterday’s workshop meeting of the Clearfield County Commissioners.
The county’s GIS office collaborated with the assessment office and IT department to develop the online map viewer application. It allows users to search many county dataset layers, including physical addresses; tax parcel information; flood zones; and emergency services, post office, school and government building locations; municipal boundaries; and voting precinct boundaries and locations.
Tropical Storm Arthur said to be Gathering Strength
News Room Administrators Staff
West Palm Beach, FL, United States (NewsBahn) – The Atlantic hurricane season’s first named storm, Arthur, was reportedly about 90 miles east of Cape Canaveral as of early Wednesday morning.
Arthur is said to be gaining strength and is expected to be considered a hurricane as of Thursday evening, according to forecasters.
DEP Completes $5.6M Mine Reclamation Project in Clearfield County
WILLIAMSPORT – The Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) has announced it has completed a $5,614,964 abandoned mine reclamation project in Houtzdale Borough, Clearfield County, which stabilized the ground beneath 154 homes to protect them from the threat of mine subsidence.
“This critically important project that required two years to complete eases the concerns homeowners had expressed about potential mine subsidence causing thousands of dollars in damage and possibly making their homes unlivable,” DEP Deputy Secretary for the Office of Active and Abandoned Mine Operations John Stefanko said.
LT Zoning Changes Tabled for Further Review
CLEARFIELD – The Lawrence Township Supervisors agreed to postpone any decision on proposed zoning changes at Tuesday night’s meeting.
More than 40 people attended a public hearing Monday regarding the zoning changes. Only one person present was in favor of the changes, according to Township Secretary/Treasurer, Barbara Shaffner.
Two petitions were presented from residents of Golden Rod and Country Club/Long Meadow districts strongly opposing the zoning proposal to allow multi-unit dwellings in districts zoned Residential Suburban. The supervisors voted to send the proposed zoning changes back to the zoning hearing board for further review.
Woman Pleads Guilty in Contraband Case
CLEARFIELD – A Philadelphia woman accused of sneaking marijuana into a state prison has pleaded guilty in Clearfield County Court.
Maria I. Rivera, 33, 117 E. Lippincott St., Philadelphia, pleaded guilty to controlled substance/contraband to confined person.
She was sentenced to six months to one year in jail and two years consecutive probation. She was fined $500 plus costs.
Man Waives Hearing in Sexual Assault Case
CLEARFIELD – A man accused of sexual assault waived his right to a preliminary hearing Wednesday during Centralized Court at the Clearfield County Jail.
Donald Thomas Reid, 22, of Philipsburg has been charged with involuntary deviate sexual intercourse and statutory sexual assault. He’s incarcerated at the CCJ in lieu of $50,000 bail.
According to the affidavit of probable cause, on Feb. 9, 2013, the alleged victim received a call from Reid at approximately 3 a.m. Reid asked how she was doing and if he could come over to her Decatur Township residence.
Hearing Continued in Clearfield Man’s Sexual Assault Case
CLEARFIELD – During Centralized Court on Wednesday, the preliminary hearing was continued until 10 a.m. July 16 for a Clearfield man accused of sexual assault.
Kyle Andrew Wilson, 20, of Clearfield has been charged with statutory sexual assault, aggravated indecent assault and indecent assault. He’s incarcerated at the Clearfield County Jail in lieu of $50,000 bail.
According to the affidavit of probable cause, on May 28, Clearfield Borough police received a report about an alleged sexual assault. Further, the alleged victim, a 14-year-old girl, told police she’d been sexually assaulted by Wilson.
Gabler Elk License Auction Bill Headed to Governor’s Desk
HARRISBURG – The state House has unanimously granted final approval to House Bill 2169, legislation authored by state Rep. Matt Gabler (R-Clearfield/Elk) that reauthorizes the Special Elk License Auction program.
HB 2169 expands the program to provide an additional tag for auction or raffle by the Keystone Elk Country Alliance (KECA), the organization that manages the Elk Country Visitors’ Center in Benezette, Elk County.
Additionally, the bill requires the Pennsylvania Game Commission to move its annual elk hunting license lottery drawing from the PGC headquarters in Harrisburg to the Elk Country Visitors’ Center in Benezette. The bill has been sent to Gov. Tom Corbett’s desk to be signed into law.