Some Parts Of Harrisburg Area Hit With 10 Inches Of Rain Thursday Through Friday, Forecasters Say

Locator map of the Harrisburg metro area in the south central part of the of . Red denotes the Harrisburg-Carlisle Metropolitan Statistical Area, and yellow denotes the Lebanon Micropolitan Statistical Area, which is included in the Harrisburg-Carlisle-Lebanon CSA. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

After two days of record breaking rainfall, the sun is once again visible in the Harrisburg area this morning.

Some parts of the Cumberland, York and Dauphin counties received more than ten inches of rain during the last 48 hours, according to estimates by the National Weather Service in State College.

The Harrisburg area officially received a total of 9.74 inches of rain on Thursday and Friday, according to measurements taken at the Harrisburg International Airport.

Friday’s rainfall in Harrisburg was measured at 5.72 inches. That crushed the previous high for Oct. 11, which was 1.47 inches, set in 1905.

Read more: http://www.pennlive.com/midstate/index.ssf/2013/10/some_parts_of_harrisburg_area.html#incart_river_default

Massive Foreclosure Sale: 16 Office Buildings, $67M In Debt, Spanning 2 Counties

Locator map of the Harrisburg metro area in the south central part of the of . Red denotes the Harrisburg-Carlisle Metropolitan Statistical Area, and yellow denotes the Lebanon Micropolitan Statistical Area, which is included in the Harrisburg-Carlisle-Lebanon CSA. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Sixteen office buildings, $67 million in debt.

It is a sprawling real estate portfolio, one that stretches from Mechanicsburg in the west to Lower Paxton Township in the east. And its all being put up for sale to the highest bidder in October, dramatically enough on the steps of the U.S. Federal Courthouse in Harrisburg.

The foreclosure sale – one of the largest, if not the largest in the midstate’s recent history – comes after a year-long, largely uncontested civil case in federal court, between one of the nation’s largest banks and a real estate company which serves as proxy for other, largely unknown investors.

The buildings include sites in Rossmoyne Business Park in Upper Allen Township, Interstate Drive in Susquehanna Township, and along Flank Drive in Lower Paxton, home to dozens of private businesses and several state agencies, including PEMA.

Reads more: http://www.pennlive.com/midstate/index.ssf/2013/09/massive_foreclosure_scheduled.html#incart_m-rpt-2

Report: 25% Of NJ Struggling To Make Ends Meet

Trenton, New Jersey (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

TRENTON, N.J. (AP) – A new report claims one-quarter of New Jerseyans are living in poverty.

The study released Sunday by the Legal Services of New Jersey Poverty Research Institute concludes that more than two million people in New Jersey are struggling to meet their basic needs.  Their numbers have increased since the beginning of the economic recession by more than 300,000.

Read more at http://www.philly.com/philly/news/new_jersey/20130908_ap_b7f29f63ccbe4989a7e751fe8f4d067d.html#MIgPiDRtQXohdeUL.99

Thousands Of Doses Of Potential Synthetic Drugs Seized From Mechanicsburg Shop

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

More than a dozen people walked past the parked police cars Friday morning up to the door of the Magical Incense Shop that was guarded by police officers with a simple question:

“When’s the shop open?”

One of the men even tried to reach past Mechanicsburg Police Chief David Spotts to get to the door, Spotts said.

The downtown Mechanicsburg shop didn’t open Friday.  And Cumberland County District Attorney David Freed wants to keep the shop — which he alleges has been selling synthetic designer drugs for years — closed permanently.  Freed closed the store under a temporary injunction signed by Cumberland County Judge Albert Masland.  A hearing on the injunction will be held Tuesday, Freed said.

Read more: http://www.pennlive.com/midstate/index.ssf/2013/08/mechanicsburg_head_shop_shut_d_1.html#incart_m-rpt-2

PennDOT To Start $22M Rebuild Of I-83 York Split

Five years ago, and after a string of crashes, officials pledged to do something about the Interstate 83 York split.

Each day, like clockwork, traffic builds along this vital link among Harrisburg, the West Shore, York and points south. It’s one of the most congested and dangerous stretches of highway in the midstate.

On Monday, the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation will start rolling out the first phase of a two-year, $22 million project to rebuild the I-83 York split in Cumberland County.  Nighttime lane restrictions are expected to begin Aug. 12 and last for three weeks, as work crews prepare the site for construction.

PennDOT is hosting a meeting about the project on Aug. 28 at Cedar Cliff High School.

Read more: http://www.pennlive.com/midstate/index.ssf/2013/08/i-83_york_split_penndot_conges.html#incart_m-rpt-2

Cumberland County Coroner Says Man Shot Himself In Hampden Township Yard

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

A 53-year-old Enola man who died Sunday in the yard of a Hampden Township home shot himself in the chest, Cumberland County Coroner Charles Hall said.

The man’s death was ruled a suicide, Hall said.  An autopsy performed Monday found the cause of death to be a single gunshot wound to the chest.

Read more:  http://www.pennlive.com/midstate/index.ssf/2013/07/cumberland_county_coroner_says.html#incart_river_default

Police Find Man Dead Of Gunshot Wound In Hampden Township

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

An unidentified adult male was found dead in the backyard of a home in the 5400 block of Barbara Drive in Hampden Township.

The man was killed by a single gunshot, Cumberland County District Attorney David Freed said.

“It initially appears to be an accident or suicide,” Freed said. “It’s too soon to be sure.”

The call came in at 6:14 p.m. Sunday and police found the victim lying in the backyard of the house, Freed said.

Read more: http://www.pennlive.com/midstate/index.ssf/2013/07/police_find_man_dead_of_gunsho.html#incart_m-rpt-2

$3.8 Million Heroin Ring Busted After Operating In Dauphin, Cumberland, Franklin Counties; 12 People Arrested

Locator map of the Harrisburg metro area in the south central part of the of . Red denotes the Harrisburg-Carlisle Metropolitan Statistical Area, and yellow denotes the Lebanon Micropolitan Statistical Area, which is included in the Harrisburg-Carlisle-Lebanon CSA. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

HARRISBURG – Twelve people, including nine from the midstate, were charged this morning in the distribution of more than $3.8 million worth of heroin in Cumberland, Dauphin and Franklin counties, according to the Pennsylvania Attorney General‘s office.

Attorney General Kathleen G. Kane said the investigation focused on the alleged heroin trafficking activities of Sabriel “Pony” Rivera, 29, of Chambersburg.

According to the grand jury report, Rivera was a major source of heroin sold in the Harrisburg area; he allegedly purchased in Philadelphia and distributed through dealers in Dauphin, Cumberland and Franklin counties.

The investigation took place from December 2011 through January 2013, according to court records.

Read more:  http://www.pennlive.com/midstate/index.ssf/2013/07/state_agents_bust_38_million_h.html#incart_m-rpt-2

Have We Lost All Desire To Vote?

Editor’s note:  Apparently yes!

While other row offices were eliminated, Luzerne County’s home rule charter kept the controller to independently scrutinize its $260 million in spending, 1,400-plus workers and more than 50 departments providing services from tax assessment to 911 dispatch.

The public — not county employees or officials — pick the person who fills this $64,999 elected post for the next four years to be the fiscal watchdog.

Although an estimated 256,800 residents are eligible to vote on this decision, the number who narrowed down the controller finalists from four to two in Tuesday’s primaries was 31,000 — only 12 percent of the over-18 population.

“When you break it down and see the percentage of the population making the decision, that’s pretty troublesome,” said Barry Kauffman, executive director of the nonprofit citizen advocate group Common Cause Pennsylvania.

Read more: http://www.timesleader.com/news/local-news/539857/Have-we-lost-all-desire-to-vote

Carlisle Residents Face Home-Rule Question: Primary Focus

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

In Carlisle, Tuesday’s ballot won’t be just about filling the borough’s elective offices.

Residents are also being asked whether they want to embark on a study of home rule, the municipal equivalent of a constitutional convention.

Council voted in January to place a question on the May primary ballot asking whether a study commission should be formed to explore whether it makes sense for Carlisle to adopt its own charter for local government, and replace some of the current limitations imposed by the state’s borough code.

The issue got some legs after last year’s arrest of former borough tax collector George Hicks on drug charges, and a resulting examinations that found Hicks had done a shoddy job of record-keeping.

Read more:  http://www.pennlive.com/midstate/index.ssf/2013/05/carlisle_borough_residents_fac.html

Greek Festival Kicks Off In Wormleysburg With Gyros, Baklava And Music

80-ply dough baklava (which is usually 40-ply), speciality of Beypazarı district of Ankara,Turkey (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Plenty of people are getting their Greek on this weekend.

Shortly before the 11 a.m. start of the Capital Region Greek Festival at Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Cathedral in Wormleysburg this morning, customers were lining up for gryos, baklava and lamb dinners.

It’s a little known secret – you can arrive early at the festival at 1000 Yverdon Drive to beat the rush.

“It’s a beautiful day. It’s perfect for this,” said Donna Angeloff of Willamstown.

Read more:  http://www.pennlive.com/entertainment/index.ssf/2013/05/greek_festival_wormleysburg_1.html#incart_m-rpt-1

More Copper Thefts Reported In The Midstate

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

Copper remains a tempting target among thieves in the midstate.

Today state police in Lykens reported the theft of an unknown amount of copper from the Lykens Borough Pump Station at Pottsville and Market streets in Wiconisco Township. Police said the theft occurred overnight Sunday July 22 into Monday July 23. Brass items were also taken.

Police in North Middleton Township last week reported that more than $3,000 worth of copper was taken from a Comcast storage building on Newville Road. That case remains unsolved, township police said.

Read more: http://www.pennlive.com/midstate/index.ssf/2012/07/more_copper_thefts_reported_in.html

Pennsylvania Fall Foliage News

Click on the link below if you are looking for information about fall foliage viewing in Central Pennsylvania:

http://www.wgal.com/news/29397588/detail.html

Friday’s Feel Good Story – Good Samaritan Comes To Community Theater’s Aid

Here’s a great feel good story about the Little Theatre of Mechanicsburg.  The community theater was in jeopardy of closing their doors because a new furnace was needed.  A fundraiser was planned for August 5 at the Mechanicsburg Club to hopefully raise $2,000.

A local business man, Homer Hetrick, President of L.B. Smith Ford-Lincoln, read about the non-profit theater’s plight this morning and within a few hours the theater was depositing a $2,000 check to cover the cost of the furnace replacement!  This was a case of paying it forward by Mr. Hetrick, who has never even attended a play at the Little Theatre of Mechanicsburg.

Remco, Inc., of Mechanicsburg, will be doing the removal and installation of the new furnace at no charge!  Yet another good Samaritan!  The theater is getting a new Lennox furnace to replace the old furnace which was no longer safe to operate.

The fundraiser will still go on.  As with any non-profit, there is always a need for money.  In the theater’s case, a tree removal project moves to the top of the list!

Cumberland Valley School District Considers Larger Elementary Classroom Size

The Cumberland Valley School District is facing a $6.7 million budget shortfall for the 2011-2012 school year but is not considering redistricting or closing schools.  However, there are 17 teachers retiring who may not be replaced and that would lead to larger elementary class sizes.  Hiring nine new teachers would cost the school district $1 million and is part of a possible compromise plan to keep class sizes below a certain level.

The board does not want to increase taxes and is looking at all options to cut spending, including teacher and administrator wage freezes.  If teachers took a one year wage freeze it would save the district $1 million.  Teachers have not volunteered to do so at this time.  Administration wage freezes would save the district $177,000.  The board is also shelving a contract that would have given teachers 3.15 percent raises over the next four years.  The board will begin renegotiating with the teachers unions.

The Cumberland Valley School District is located on Harrisburg’s West Shore with the principal town being Mechanicsburg.  The district has about 7,800 students.  There are seven elementary schools, two middle schools, a high school and some administration buildings.  The district was recognized in 2007 for the number of students achieving high PSSA scores and having a relatively low per-pupil expenditure.  In 2011 Cumberland Valley was ranked 23rd out of Pennsylvania’s 498 school districts.