Isaac Steers Clear Of Direct Blow On New Orleans

Location of Orleans Parish in Louisiana (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Hurricane Isaac sidestepped New Orleans on Wednesday, sending the worst of its howling wind and heavy rain into a cluster of rural fishing villages that had few defenses against the slow-moving storm that could bring days of unending rain.

Isaac arrived exactly seven years after Hurricane Katrina and passed slightly to the west of New Orleans, where the city’s fortified levee system easily handled the assault.

The city’s biggest problems seemed to be downed power lines, scattered tree limbs and minor flooding.  Just one person was reported killed, compared with 1,800 deaths from Katrina in Louisiana and Mississippi.  And police reported few problems with looting.  Mayor Mitch Landrieu ordered a dusk-to-dawn curfew just to be sure.

But in Plaquemines Parish, a sparsely populated area south of the city that is outside the federal levee system, dozens of people were stranded in flooded coastal areas.  The storm pushed water over an 18-mile levee and put so much pressure on it that authorities were considering intentionally puncturing the floodwall to relieve the strain.

Read more: http://thetimes-tribune.com/news/isaac-steers-clear-of-direct-blow-on-new-orleans-1.1365207

Scranton’s Payday Hinges On Loan Closing

Scranton‘s next employee payday on Friday hinges on a loan closing on Thursday, city officials said.

Mayor Chris Doherty expressed confidence that the closing between the city and Amalgamated Bank of New York and Washington, D.C., would occur as scheduled Thursday and payroll would be made Friday.

“Everything seems to be on track” with the loan and payroll, Mr. Doherty said.

On Aug. 23, the mayor and council President Janet Evans announced the city had secured a $6.25 million tax-anticipation note loan from Amalgamated Bank, which bills itself as the largest union-owned bank in the country.

Read more: http://thetimes-tribune.com/news/scranton-s-payday-hinges-on-loan-closing-1.1365473

Unidentified Woman Found Dead In New Hanover Field, Autopsy Wednesday Night

Location of New Hanover Township in Montgomery County (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

NEW HANOVER TOWNSHIP (Montgomery County) — The body of a young woman was discovered by a township farmer cutting grass in his field Wednesday morning.

The identity of the woman, described as a white female by the Montgomery County District Attorney’s Office, was not determined as of Wednesday night.

Sources further described the woman as being in her late teens or early 20s, though that was not confirmed by officials.

Renninger Road, for a report of an unresponsive subject around 10:21 a.m. When police arrived, however, they determined the person was deceased, and the Montgomery County Detectives were called to the scene.

Read more: http://www.pottsmerc.com/article/20120829/NEWS01/120829301/updated-unidentified-woman-found-dead-in-new-hanover-field-autopsy-wed-night-(video)&pager=full_story

Kane, Pennsylvania Being Evacuated After Butane Truck Overturns On Route 6

Map of Pennsylvania highlighting McKean County (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

An overturned tanker truck hauling butane has overturned in a northwestern Pennsylvania community where residents within a half-mile radius of the accident are being evacuated Wednesday morning.

A civil emergency message sent out at 5:42 a.m. through the National Weather Service‘s State College Bureau says the truck overturned on Route 6 in the borough of Kane in McKean County. The exact location of the spill is at Greeves Street and Fraley Street, which is Route 6 and near the junctions with Routes 321 and 66.

About half of the 1.6-square-mile borough of about 3,700 residents was being evacuated. Kane is located about 100 miles southeast of Erie and 100 miles northwest of State College.

Read more: http://www.mcall.com/news/breaking/mc-pennsylvania-evacuation-butane-truck-birds-dead-20120829,0,3425805.story

MOSAIC To Hold “Open Garden” In Pottstown

August 29, 2012 – Pottstown, PA – MOSAIC Community Land Trust is holding an “Open Garden” on Saturday, September 22 from 12-2 pm.  All are invited into the Community Garden at 423 Chestnut Street in Pottstown to participate in a salsa-making workshop, learn how the garden works, and pick vegetables to take home.

“The idea of many people gardening their own plot within a larger space may have seemed unusual last spring when this was just a vacant lot,” said David Jackson, President of MOSAIC’s Board of Trustees.  “We want to welcome the community to see the garden in action.”

The Community Garden has plots being tended by Pottstown residents, including groups from Pottstown Middle School, the Olivet Boys and Girls Club, and the Maternity Care Coalition/Early Head Start.  Hundreds of pounds of squash, tomatoes, kale, basil and many other vegetables and herbs are being harvested.  Members weigh their produce and record it on a sheet; totals will be announced at the end of the season.

Garden guests on September 22 will be able to take home vegetables and herbs from one of MOSAIC’s community plots. There will also be salsa-making demonstrations and tastings, along with pesto made from basil grown in the garden. MOSAIC is now seeking another site in Pottstown to add a garden next year.  Interested residents can get on a list for next year’s gardens.

Support for acquisition and construction of the garden on Chestnut Street came from the Pottstown School District, Pottstown Area Health and Wellness Foundation, National Penn Bank, Genesis Housing Corporation, Susquehanna Bank, Lowes, Borough of Pottstown, Davey Tree Experts, and Andrew Monastra, Esq.

MOSAIC Community Land Trust’s a mission to increase homeownership in Pottstown, develop community gardens, and support the arts.  Their office and gallery is at 10 S. Hannover Street. Membership in the CLT is open to all; details can be found at their website at www.mosaiccommunitylandtrust.org or by calling David Jackson at 484-949-4235.