PPL Buys Natural Gas Power Plant

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PPL Corp. is buying a natural gas-fired power plant in Lebanon, the company announced on Monday

AES Corp. of Arlington, Va., is selling its Ironwood plant for $304 million, PPL said.

The plant, which began operation in 2001, has a 705-megawatt capacity, or roughly enough to power 564,000 homes.

For the past four years, PPL EnergyPlus, the marketing and trading subsidiary of Allentown-based PPL, has supplied natural gas for the operation of the Ironwood plant in return for rights to its full output.

Read more: http://www.mcall.com/business/mc–ppl-power-plant-20120228,0,7169860.story

PennDOT Looking At Mass Transit Coordination In Central Pennsylvania

Adams, Cumberland, Dauphin, Lancaster, Lebanon and York counties will be participating in a PennDOT sponsored mass transit study aimed at making regional mass transit better.  The study will look at Capital Area Transit, Red Rose Transit, redrabbit and Lebanon Transit see how these four systems can best work together to benefit the Harrisburg, Lancaster, Lebanon and York metropolitan areas.  The goal is to enhance service while making all four transit systems more cost-effective.

13 Storm Related Deaths In Pennsylvania

Last week’s massive flooding in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania has left 13 people dead.  The Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency (PEMA) listed 13 possible storm-related deaths on Sunday in the following counties:

3 Lancaster, 2 Bradford, 2 Dauphin, 2 Lebanon, 1 Chester, 1 Luzerne, 1 Philadelphia and 1 York.

Central PA Flooding Claims Five Lives

Flood waters have claims five lives in the midstate and two people are missing.  Dauphin, York, Lancaster and Lebanon counties all reported deaths related to flooding.

Front Street in Harrisburg has flooded.  The Shipoke section of Harrisburg was evacuated along with the Governor’s Mansion.  Several blocks in Midtown had power shut off to force residents to evacuate.  An 8 p.m. to 6 a.m. curfew has been issued by the mayor’s office.

The Susquehanna River at Harrisburg is predicted to crest at 26.5 feet at around 8 p.m. this evening.

Harrisburg Area Community College Scores Home Run With York County Branch

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When Harrisburg Area Community College (HACC) opened their York County branch in 2003, I wonder if anyone could have predicted the rapid growth that followed.

Community Colleges are a great alternative to four-year institutions because of the price differential and flexibility they offer.  For a fraction of the cost associated with traditional four-year institutions, students can work full-time and attend classes around their busy schedules for a substantially lower cost per credit hour.

HACC’s York College branch has seen tremendous growth.  The York campus saw a 34% increase in enrollment between 2008 and 2009.  Enrollment stands and 2,900 students, which is up 5% since the Spring 2010 semester.  There is competition in the York market for college students.  York College, Penn State York and nearby Millersville University already compete for students.  To have the student body swell to nearly 3,000 students in only 8 years demonstrates a need in the York market for affordable education.

The York branch is the fastest growing campus in the HACC family.  HACC has campuses in Harrisburg, Gettysburg, Lebanon, Lancaster and York as well as a Virtual Campus.  There are more than 23,000 students are enrolled at HAAC’S five brick and mortar campuses and over 5,300 at the Virtual Campus (online courses).

For more information:  http://www.hacc.edu/

The Mercury Leaves Out Important Details On Lebanon Crash Involving Pottstown Woman

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I suppose this should not really be a great surprise for anyone but the Mercury’s condensed version of the Lebanon Daily News coverage of an accident on Route 322 in South Annville Township, that involved a Pottstown woman, has some key facts missing.

What the Mercury fails to point out is:

“Burton’s vehicle was pushed into the eastbound lane when it was struck from the rear by a Chevy Equinox driven by Amber Dumond, 32, of 117 E. Cherry St., Palmyra, he said.”  The quote is from South Annville Township Police Chief Ben Sutcliffe

The Mercury tells us Burton’s children were in the car at the time of the accident.  According to the Lebanon Daily News “Burton’s front-seat passenger was Elizabeth Hain, 36, also of Pottstown, Sutcliffe said. She was released after treatment at the hospital. In the back seat were Hain’s children, Dharia, 13, and Delanie, 7. Both were listed in fair condition at HMC, a hospital spokesman said.”

Here is the entire Lebanon Daily News article for you to read and get the correct information.  A friend of Faith Burton’s brought this to my attention so we here in Pottstown have the correct information regarding this tragic event.

 http://www.ldnews.com/ci_17038737

Health Alert! West Nile Virus Returns

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For my mid-state readers, this just in! 

The number of mosquitos carrying West Nile Virus is increasing in Dauphin, Lebanon, York and Cumberland Counties.  Carriers were trapped in Harrisburg City and Derry Township! 

Be careful out there! 

Lebanon Woman Shows Up Drunk For Her DUI Hearing

This is certainly NOT the way to influence the judge when you are before him/her at your DUI hearing.

31-year-old Jessie Gonzales of Lebanon was involved in not one, but two hit and run accidents on January 26th.  At the time of her arrest, Jessie’s blood level was FOUR times the legal limit.  Both of her children were in the car while she was driving drunk and crashing into other vehicles.  How special.  I see Mother of the Year in this gal’s future.

We are also told Jessie had a serious alcohol problem and worked as a CNA at two area nursing homes.  Can anyone say drug test???  WTH!  Stay away from my granny!

So Jessie bebops into court yesterday and ends up getting a very light sentence because it was her first DUI and she had a good work history yada, yada, yada.  Evidently nobody told poor Jessie that going on a bender the night before your DUI court date was a bad idea.

As Jessie is leaving court with her slap on the wrist sentence, an alert adult probation officer smelled alcohol on her breath.  Jessie blew a 0.12 on the old breathalyzer machine, which is above the legal limit of 0.08.  Keeping in mind this is the next day and our girl is still plastered.

Needless to say the judge was a tad peeved.  Her lenient sentence was vacated, her bail was revoked and set at $25,000 cash, she went to the county jail and did not pass go.  She had been out on bail.  The judge was even considering house arrest in her case.

Just boggles the mind!!!