Pennsylvania Heroin Ring Bust Nets 10

Counties constituting the Happy Valley Region of Pennsylvania (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Police arrested 10 people for drug possession and distribution offenses, marking the second phase in the dismantling of a heroin ring operating in Centre and Lycoming counties, Pennsylvania Attorney General Kathleen Kane announced Thursday.

Evidence and testimony regarding the alleged drug network was presented to a statewide investigating grand jury, which recommended the criminal charges.

The grand jury found a New York heroin and cocaine source was living in Pleasant Gap and using residents to make drug deliveries in the State College and Williamsport areas, according to prosecutors. Investigators said agents used court-ordered wiretaps to determine area users and dealers were also getting heroin from contacts in Philadelphia and Williamsport.

Read more at http://www.philly.com/philly/news/breaking/Alleged_heroin_ring_bust_nets_10.html#oA5Wd1EHG1HqFzOj.99

In Its Biggest Contract, High Steel To Fabricate Half Of The Steel For Approaches Of The New NY Bridge

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

High Steel Structures has won its biggest contract ever, triggering new jobs at its Lancaster and Williamsport plants.

High Steel has been picked to fabricate half of the steel for the approaches of The New NY Bridge.

To be completed in 2018, The New NY Bridge will replace the deteriorated, congested Tappan Zee Bridge over the Hudson River north of New York City.

High Steel, founded in 1931, will fabricate 50,000 tons of steel for the approaches of the new bridge, to have eight passenger lanes and four emergency lanes.

Read more: http://lancasteronline.com/article/local/931218_In-its-biggest-contract–High-Steel-to-fabricate-half-of-the-steel-for-approaches-of-The-New-NY-Bridge.html#ixzz2nTWOUude

Area Code 570 Businesses Get Ready For 10-Digit Dialing

Pennsylvania in blue with Area Code 570 272 shown in red (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Area businesses are gearing up for a big change that will begin Saturday: 10-digit dialing instead of seven.

For Phil Rudy, owner of Circles on the Square in Wilkes-Barre, the change means 200 numbers need to be reprogrammed in his fax machine. He faxes menus from his deli on Public Square to 200 area businesses. Circles employee Bill Scholl has been reprogramming all the numbers.

Beginning Saturday, everyone in Northeastern Pennsylvania will have to dial 10 digits to make a local call.

“I hate it,” Rudy said. “I don’t understand why we had to go that way. Why do we have to dial 10 numbers for local numbers? I don’t know why you have to dial 10 numbers for your neighbor next door.”

Read more: http://citizensvoice.com/news/businesses-get-ready-for-10-digit-dialing-1.1554792

Gas Industry Gives Pennsylvania Stores Taste For The South

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

PENNSDALE, Pa. — The land of scrapple and chipped ham is starting to get a taste for jambalaya and boudin.

Thanks to an influx of Southerners filling jobs in north-central Pennsylvania’s booming natural gas industry, a region not often placed on many culinary maps is finding itself flush with the foodways found below the Mason-Dixon line, arguably the source of some of the nation’s richest culinary traditions.

Suddenly, convenience stores stock sweet tea, barbecue is a hot seller, and the almost Norman Rockwell-quaint Country Store in Pennsdale even makes its own boudin, a pork sausage popular in Louisiana.

Store owner and Pennsylvania native Tom Springman had never heard of boudin until a few months ago, when a customer — a relocated Southerner — came in looking for a local source.

Read more: http://www.timesherald.com/article/20130424/NEWS03/130429757/gas-industry-gives-pa-stores-taste-for-the-south#full_story

Williamsport Cuts 35 School Positions

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

WILLIAMSPORT, PA – Thirty-five positions are eliminated under a $75.5 million budget approved by the Williamsport Area School Board for the next fiscal year.

The board also is increasing its property tax by .339 of a mill to balance the budget, approved by a 5-2 vote this week.

Faced with a multi-million dollar deficit due to decreased or flat state subsidies against rising personnel, insurance and pension costs, the board voted 6-1 to eliminate 15 teaching jobs and 20 support staff. Eight of the 45 took voluntary layoff. The layoffs are effective July 1.

“Everyone is not happy … for the number that we furloughed, but it could have been worse,” said Superintendent Dr. Kathleen Kelley.

Read more: http://www.lockhaven.com/page/content.detail/id/539537/Williamsport-cuts-35-school-positions.html?nav=5009

Construction Begins On 70-Megawatt Wind Farm In Northern Lycoming County

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WILLIAMSPORT, PA — Seven years after the project was announced, a subsidiary of Duke Energy has started construction on a 70 megawatt wind farm on Laurel Hill Ridge off Route 14 in northern Lycoming County.
    
Half the pads for the 30 turbines have been poured, and Laurel Hill Wind Energy of Rutland, Vt., anticipates the more than $150 million project will be in production by late summer, spokesman Robert Charleboif said Tuesday.

Read more: http://www.pennlive.com/midstate/index.ssf/2012/01/construction_begins_on_70-mega.html

Susquehanna High At Williamsport And Lock Haven

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The West Branch of the Susquehanna River will be one foot above flood stage in Lock Haven if the predicted 22 foot crest comes to pass.  Williamsport is predicted to see the river crest above 25 feet.  Fortunately, both communities have a levee system in place that protects the majority of residences and businesses in the flood plain.

The good news is that the drought warning for Lycoming County (and many other counties in the state) has been lifted with all the rain from Irene and Lee.

Kohl’s New Downtown Williamsport Store Holding Job Fair Starting Tomorrow

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If you need a job and live in the Williamsport vicinity, Kohl’s new downtown store is hiring 130 people.  The store will hold its grand opening on September 28th.

To read the article from the Williamsport Sun and get information about the job fair, click here:  http://www.sungazette.com/page/content.detail/id/566968/Kohl-s-to-hire-130-employees–prior-to-opening-next-month.html?nav=5011

Williamsport Scores A New Kohl’s Store Downtown

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Kohl’s will be building a brand new store in downtown Williamsport.  The city will once again have a major department downtown.  The store will be built at Third and Williams Sts.  Construction will begin over the summer and the store is projected to open in October. 

The City of Williamsport owns the lot and was paid $1.6 million now and will receive another $1 million after the site pad is prepped on March 15^th.  That will certainly fill the city coffers.

Williamsport, like many cities, lost much of their downtown after the Lycoming Mall opened and as strip shopping centers and big box retailers sprung up around the city and suburban areas.  I remember shopping at L.L. Stearns & Sons downtown back in the 60’s and 70’s.  Stearns was Williamsport’s big downtown department store back in the day.

Congratulations to Williamsport city officials for their perseverance.  It paid off handsomely.