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Big move proposed for county transport CLARION - Clarion County's human service transportation system may be moving in an entirely new direction soon.
On Monday, Clarion County Commissioners Dave Cyphert, Donna Hartle and Tim Reddinger released a Request for Proposals (RFP), seeking bids to contract out transportation services now handled by the county.
The services include, but are not limited to, general public Shared Ride, Shared Ride for Senior Citizens, Persons with Disabilities (PwD), and Medical Assistance Transportation services (MATP).
Clarion County was one of three counties in the commonwealth to be selected as a part of a Bureau of Public Transportation pilot program.
The effort is administered by the state Department of Transportation (PennDOT) and has offered the county a $40,000 grant to secure the first portion of the transition, said Reddinger yesterday (Tuesday).
The proposal for change, the 46-page RFP noted, is due, in part, to a shortage in staffing and increased operating costs combined with goals of increasing both effectiveness and efficiency in the program, Reddinger explained.
In addition, a recently-completed statewide human service transportation study recommended that PennDOT partner with local governments to move in the direction of regional coordination.
The local action is a result of the county's human service transportation analysis and service improvement plan and, depending on an appropriate bid, could combine services with neighboring Forest County. |
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Top videos from the Associated Press |
Slides recall destruction of 1980 Bradys Bend flood BRADYS BEND - In the muted pastel colors of aging slides, images of destruction lit up the small screen before a large crowd Friday at St. Stephen's Old Stone Church in Bradys Bend.
Those in the crowd, 30 years removed from the horrible flood of Aug. 14, 1980, stared, gasped and even chuckled at times as each slide briefly flashed by.
"That was our little creek," Bradys Bend Historical Society president Debbie McCanna said as a slide of a raging waterway spread across the screen. And, almost as an afterthought amid the nightmare through which most in the room lived three decades ago: "The hills were so green from all the rain that summer."
All that rain is what did it. The saturated hillsides spilled forth as more and more rain fell on Aug. 14. In little more than an hour, $47 million in damage was done, homes were destroyed, cars disappeared. And nine lives were lost. |
Crash claims Rmbg. driver PAINT TWP. - A 26-year-old Rimersburg man was killed in a motorcycle crash on Friday, Aug. 27, in Paint Township.
Brian J. Rozanski, formerly of President Township, Venango County, was traveling south along Route 66 near the intersection with Zacherl Lane at what police called a "high rate of speed," when the collision occurred at about 1:15 p.m.
Ruby Norton, 76, of Shippenville, was traveling north along Route 66 and allegedly turned her vehicle into the path of Rozanski as she was attempting to enter the parking area of Zacherl's Farm Market.
Upon impact, Rozanski was thrown about 180 feet from his motorcycle. Police said the man was wearing a helmet but that it came off during impact. |
'Evel' toys reel in real-life fans PORTER TWP. - Many little boys have been thrilled by cranking up a child's racing toy and watching the small object fly a foot or two into the air before crashing down.
Most are soon bored and move on to other pleasures.
But, a turn of events in 2001 brought back these childhood memories for one local man in a way that has increasingly become more tangible.
" I'd been a big Dale Earnhardt fan and had a pretty extensive collection of his things," said Vincent Ream. "He had been my driver for 21 years and when he died, something just hit me. All of a sudden, I started thinking about my childhood hero - Evel Knievel."
What began as random research soon developed into a fast-growing obsession with collecting Evel Knievel merchandise, especially toys.
In 2005, the Porter Township resident purchased a miniature stunt cycle through an online auction site.
" I started wanting one of every bike," he said, "and then I wanted one of every toy." |
Small turnout but big ideas for Power of 32 KITTANNING - Cooperation was the buzz word last week as a handful of Armstrong County leaders gathered for a pair of "community conversations" that are part of the Power of 32 regional visioning project.
Those who came out for the morning or evening meetings at the Belmont Complex near Kittanning learned that the Power of 32 organization is comprised of 32 counties in Pennsylvania, Ohio, West Virginia and Maryland, mainly those centered around the Pittsburgh region.
The goals of the group are to "create a shared vision and regional agenda" as well as to instill optimism and to connect people and communities in new ways across the region.
"It's critical we try to have a voice as Armstrong County," county commissioner and Power of 32 steering committee member Patty Kirkpatrick told the group at last Wednesday's morning meeting. "We are integral in what is going to happen."
The Power of 32 community conversations are being held across the region this summer to gather ideas and input from local leaders and residents. This fall, the organization will begin developing its "solutions" to address the top challenges identified in the conversations. That will be followed by regional town meetings in 2011. |
KC strike averted as arbitration is pursued KARNS CITY - While some were expecting to see picket lines today (Wednesday), students in the Karns City Area School District will instead see classrooms.
The district's teachers agreed last week to put off a scheduled Sept. 1 labor strike after school officials agreed to take part in voluntary non-binding arbitration in an attempt to solve the contract impasse.
The two sides met Aug. 26.
"In recent weeks, the board has continued to be entrenched in its positions," said Chris Bellis, chief negotiator and social studies teacher at Karns City High School. "During that time, the [Karns City Education Association] has offered numerous options in an effort to compromise and the board has rejected all possibilities."
That apparently changed, Bellis said, as the union requested voluntary non-binding arbitration and the school board accepted the offer.
"A work stoppage will not occur at this time and school will open as scheduled for Karns City students," Bellis said. "We believe this is the best course of action since a limited number of issues remain." |
Toomey makes stop in Clarion on campaign trail CLARION - Making his fourth stop on the "More Jobs, Less Government" summer bus tour, U.S. Senate Republican hopeful, Pat Toomey (R-Lehigh County), visited Clarion County last Thursday to share with voters his views on the economy, federal budget and personal freedom.
Toomey, who is running against Democrat Rep. Joe Sestak (R-Delaware County), is traveling with what he called his "portable podium" - his 10-year-old daughter Bridget.
"She's been a great campaign trooper," he said at a stop at the Clarion Holiday Inn.
The GOP candidate is a Harvard graduate who worked in the international capital markets before leaving that line of work, and he and his brothers established a chain of restaurants. After about 10 years as a small business owner/operator, he won a seat in Congress. |
Italian restaurant pairs loves of kitchen, family HAWTHORN - A little taste of Sicily isn't as far away as one would expect.
In a softly-lit dining room warmed with deeply-colored walls that are draped with grapevines and dotted with framed family photographs, even a world traveler might believe they have stepped out of Hawthorn and into another life for a moment.
George and Linda (Lipari) Boggs have recently relocated to Clarion County and have lost no time in getting themselves acclimated to their surroundings.
In fact, they've already become a part of them by opening a restaurant in Hawthorn.
"We're not opening a diner, even though we have an American menu and serve breakfast and lunch items," Linda quickly explained.
The focus of "Rosa's Italian Restaurant," she added, is fine dining. |
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Wednesday, September 08
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