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THURSDAY, MAY 21, 2020 • Volume 40 – No. 43 ©2020, THE JOURNAL-HERALD. All Rights Reserved
CONTINUING: THE WHITE HAVEN JOURNAL ESTABLISHED 1879–141st YEAR, NO. 25
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Weatherly Area to hold drive-in graduation by Seth Isenberg
At the Weatherly Area School Board meeting on On Friday, June 5 at 6 p.m., May 13, high school principal Anthony Despirito told the senior class of Weatherly the board that they were able Area High School will have its to get Funfest’s main stage graduation ceremony outside, loaned for the event. “We will in the Middle School parking be parking near the baseball lot, like a drive-in movie. Due field… with cars 12 feet apart. to the restrictions for Carbon We can fit 51 cars… We can County imposed by the Pennsylvania government to combat have the valedictorian, saluthe COVID-19 virus, graduates tatorian and class president can attend within their family’s give their speeches” from car, and listen to the ceremony the stage. When it’s time for via the car’s FM radio. Pastor Rodney Murphy of HOMETOWN HERO FLAGS went up in White Haven Faith Assembly of God Church in time for Memorial Day. The number of flags has will loan the District the FM transmitter that the church almost doubled from 2019, but the job for the Public uses for their drive-in Sunday Works Department was made easier, thanks to the by Seth Isenberg new-to-the-borough bucket truck purchased from the services. That transmitter will Widmer Sign Company in March for $12,500. Pictures broadcast the ceremony on The Weatherly Area School 98.1 FM to receivers within a of the new flags appear in this issue on pages 3 and 6, Board, at their regular meetand can be viewed on borough streets. JH: Ruth Isenberg couple of hundred feet. ing on May 13, approved the plan for this year’s graduation on June 5. High School principal Anthony Despirito by Seth Isenberg was recognized for his hard moved to June 17, to begin individual opponents, with work in assembling an on-site at 6 p.m. It’s not clear if the dates to be announced at the The long-running hearings graduation for this year’s semeeting in June will be in June 17 hearing. before the Packer Township niors. Details are in this issue person, or via the internet. If A session with individuZoning Hearing Board on the in person, the site will be pub- al property owner and conin a separate article. The list of proposal to put a windmill 2020 graduates was approved lished in this newspaper. cerned citizens comments farm atop Broad Mountain unanimously. On the stand will be a rebut- – those not represented by in Packer Township near Key to this meeting was a tal witness to the combined attorney Bruce Anders who Nesquehoning were to resume testimony of the opponent’s has already presented for that discussion over the proposed on May 20. At the request of final budget, which now has witnesses. group, is coming up in the a reduced tax increase of 1.66 Broad Mountain Power, the Hearings to follow this can near future. mills (from 1.91), making the applicant, the hearing was include testimony of some
the diploma presentation, each student can exit from the cars they are in, and walk up to the stage to get their diploma. In case of rain, the event will be held the next day, or if it rains again, the following day… until it’s held. Despirito estimates that the ceremony will take a bit more than a half-hour. He added it will be live-streamed for any people who cannot be there.
WASB shaves tax increase
Windmills hearing continued to June 17
tax millage 50.50. Discussion featured board member Gerard Grega questioning what savings have been found, particularly during a time the school buildings are empty. Board member Matt vonFrisch notes that it’s a proposed final budget, and declared that “we’re working our tails off to lower the deficit.” The disagreement with Grega included nearly every other board member, on various points including timing of e-mails, what information was See WASB, page 5