Something on the Horizon in Northumberland County???

In Sunday's Daily-Item, an article talks about a raise for 100 non-union employees being delayed until a judges lawsuit is heard. The board of commissioners and the president judge are about $600,000 apart in their respective budget.

The last paragraph of the article was strange. To quote:

Refusing to cite a specific department, board Chairman Frank Sawicki said unexpected expenses “on the horizon” are keeping the board from voting on the pay raises.

Chris Matthews, I Forgot Obama Was Black

See what happens when your up past your bedtime!!!!!!

Erdman Makes it Official

Daily-Item Photo

With Merle Phillips retiring after 30 in the 108th Legislative District in PA, Northumberland County Controller Charles E. "Chuck" Erdman has announced his candidacy.

Trevorton attorney Antonio Michetti who twice came up short to Merle Phillips will decide in a few weeks. In past campaigns it was Michetti who has campaigned for the reduction in the size of the Legislature.

Although Erdman has been popular with voters as Northumberland County Controller, there has been trouble in his own party in the last commissioners race. Vinny Clausi was able to use public statements by Erdman for his own campaign advertising making a partial contribution to incumbent Samuel Deitrick's loss.

One of the big issues facing Pennsylvanian's in the next decade will be electricity. Here is a stirring letter by David Hughes of the advocacy group Citizen Power. It is very good insight to what the Pennsylvania legislature didn't do the last 10 years.

Also read about PPL's history in deregulation in Montana. Once again Goldman Sachs is at the forefront.

Salami Salmonella Outbreak and Homeland Security

With the recent outbreak in salmonella in peppered salami, could the Department of Homeland Security been on this one many years ago? Homeland Security spokesperson Craig Fenson has been on the trail of Haid D' Salaami for years.

View the Fenson Press Conference.

Blowing in the Wind Part 2

As reported in today's edition of the Daily-Item, two different administrations were advised against renewing the lease with Pennwind.

The big concern to taxpayers would be how long Pennwind or any affiliation with Pennwind could control county(public) land without developing it. Also, it was learned Pennwind is marketing it's interest in the lease to an outside company from California.

Commissioner Kurt Masser received $1200 in campaign contributions from three Pennwind representatives in the 2007 election.

Whatever the shortcomings of the current deal, this is still a worthwhile project to pursue. After an initial start up cost of environmental and site studies plus the cost of the farm itself, the wind will be a constant source of energy and power generation.

Beginning on January 1st, rate caps have been removed on electricity generation. Both parties stand to benefit from rising electricity rates in the future.

Northumberland County Blowin In The Wind

Northumberland County's effort to partner with a private firm for a proposed wind farm south of Shamokin may be blowin' in the wind very soon. Commissioner Vinny Clausi was not on the board when the original deal was signed back in 2007 by the previous board.

The sticking point seems to be the flat fee of 56,000 per year the county will see over a 20-year period. Pennwind want to sell it's lease to a California company. Pennwind have leased the land since 2007 for a grand total of $3.

Sawicki becomes annoyed. Why isn't there solid figures on the acreage???

If the meeting becomes public with Pennwind the question to ask is how much of the cost of electricity generation by a wind farm will be fixed over the life of the lease. You put up an wind farm and it's done?

Thanks to our Pennsylvania legislators having no balls, the rate caps for electricity have expired. While the $56,000 flat fee royalty seems promising in the first few years, would it be more prudent for the county to look for a percentage?

Why was the first lease given away so cheaply?

Out and About in These Uncertain Times

This past Sunday I was at a gathering to watch the NFL playoffs. Out of 8 people at my table, only two were working including me. Both were in the same industry....corrections.

Listening to them talking politics, they were leaning to give the Republicans a chance in November and did a lot of quoting of Fox News.

Everyone seems to have forgotten that we are spending 12 billion a month fight two wars with no sight of any short or long term investment reward.

Hopefully, people will really think before they reward the party who screwed us for 3o years. Have they offered anything toward the solutions???

Ted Kennedy Just Rolled Over

Scott Brown's stunning victory against Martha Coakley for the late Edward Kennedy's seat is the first shot heard in the 2010 election. In some polls, more people were concerned with with jobs than the health care reform.

It's been often said people don't win elections, candidates lose them. Touting a slam dunk victory, while unemployment continues to grow may have been the perception.

In general, the Democrats have 9 months to prepare for the November elections. From Eli on Firedoglake, the people want a healthcare reform bill that doesn't suck, financial reform with real teeth, and unemployment on the rise.

The clock starts ticking tonight.

106.5 FM Shows the Door To Bob Gale

In a New Years shake up at WFYY 106.5FM, management showed 35 year deejay Bob Gale the door.

General Manager Carol Pierson described the split with the 60-year-old Gale as a mutual one, adding the station is "kinda, sorta" altering its format.

Read the article here.

Gale was replaced by 94KX alum, Chad Evans in the 3-7 time slot. Lynn Hall of Eagle 107 and Gary Crisman of KISSFM remain some of central PA's longest tenured on-air personalities.

Gale was noted for his "Wednesday Special" while at WHLM in Bloomsburg and his "Five at Five" daily show while at WFYY. His live remotes from the Bloomsburg Fair were a must hear for any fair goer.

Bob Gale will be a legend that will be missed in the every changing world of radio.

Who Ya' Gonna Call??????

Since the story broke on December 29th, Northumberland County Sheriff Chad Reiner has been back peddling from who is responsible for viewing porn inside the sheriff's office. The sheriff has gone on record to say it is possibly a remote user.

In today's Daily-Item, Northumberland County Commissioner Vinny Clausi suggests bringing in ghostbusters.

For some reason this issue doesn't want to go away. Regardless of viewing porn or not, the sheriff's computers of serious computer breaches. It is basic law enforcement or basic computer security. You take your pick.

UFC Fighters Coming to Shamokin

Tap Out Drugs!

Josh Koscheck

Jon Fitch

Come Meet UFC Fighters Josh "Kos" Koscheck and Jon Fitch

Thursday January 14, 2010

9pm – Brewsers Sports Bar – Shamokin

Autographed Pictures and Shirt giveaways

As part of their day in Shamokin, the fighters will speak to students at Shamokin Area High School at 1 pm. The event is being sposored by District Magistrate John Gembic, the Coal Township Commissioners and Oak Grove Technologies.

Recharging!!!

I am recharging the blog batteries. Stay tuned should be opening the 2010 season shortly.

Rose Bowl MVP

The Buckeye fans were waiting for this! They final got it and some redemption for the Big Ten. PSU hung on in the slop for a victory over LSU. Northwestern went to OT with Auburn.

The play of the game in the Rose Bowl was the coin toss. When your a scoring machine, why would you defer????