Vinni Clausi Goes Rogue in 2011

Once again Northumberland County Commissioner Vinni Clausi has decided to run for reelection and also with out a running mate in the May Democratic primary.

Vinni's friend and Coal Township commissioner Gene Welsh is pondering a run but has yet to formally announce his candidacy.  It will be interesting to see who would be the two survivors in a Welsh, Clausi and Sawicki race. Also, the domain name is still available for www.vinnitellsthetruth.com according to godaddy.com. 

In other county business:

Non-union employees granted 3% raises.  Although there was a circus in voting on these raises,  The raises which total to 69,000 dollars amount to less than .1% of the counties 69.4 million dollar budget.  In other words, .1% is 1 dollar for every 1000.  The raise will affect 136 employees. However, the war on labor continues throughout the land.

Richard J. Schoch announces candidacy in the GOP primary for commissioner. 

Former Northumberland County Commissioner Allen J. Cwalina takes up new residence.

Former Northumberland County Commissioner in the news

State employee charged with DUI

Submitted from the Patriot-News

by MATTHEW KEMENY, Of The Patriot-News

A high-ranking state employee is accused of having a blood-alcohol level of more than twice the legal limit to drive in Pennsylvania when he slammed his state-owned Chevrolet Impala into a parked car last week in Lower Allen Twp., police said.

Allen J. Cwalina, 49, of the 1300 block of Sconsett Way, New Cumberland, was charged with driving under the influence of alcohol or a controlled substance, failure to provide information in an accident and hit and run of an unattended vehicle.

Cwalina, the deputy secretary for administration for the state Department of Labor and Industry, has been removed of his driving privileges -- pending the outcome of the case -- but an agency spokesman wouldn't say whether he's been suspended or not.

"This is a personnel matter we take very seriously," spokesman Troy Thompson said.

Lower Allen police accuse Cwalina of crashing his Impala into a parked car Nov. 26 about 5:45 a.m. in the 1600 block of Lowell Lane in the Height at Beacon Hills housing development. They arrested him at his home shortly thereafter.

Cwalina was taken to Cumberland County Processing Center, where a breath test showed his blood-alcohol level at .199 percent, police said. The legal limit to drive in Pennsylvania is .08 percent.