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www.indianagazette.com Vol. 111 — No. 309
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July 2015
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Who’s in the news There is good news today in The Indiana Gazette about these area people: Jessica Bell, Sara Stoudt, Courtney Kuzemchak, Brandon M. Prentice, Peggy Anthony, Ruby Firestone.
Inside
TOLL CLIMBS: The death count from the crash of an air force transport plane in Indonesia jumped to more than 140 today./Page 3 PAPAL VISIT: Vatican officials have spelled out the itinerary for Pope Francis’ nine-day visit to the U.S. and Cuba in September./Page 5 ON THE BRINK: Greece’s government has made new concessions in talks with its creditors, though some officials said a deal is still impossible before a referendum on Sunday./Page 7 ESCAPE FALLOUT: The superintendent at the prison where two killers escaped has been placed on leave along with 11 other staff members amid an investigation into how the inmates pulled it off, a state official said Tuesday./Page 8 U.S. WINS AGAIN: The U.S. soccer team beat topranked Germany, 2-0, Tuesday to move on to the World Cup finals./Page 13 SUPERCENTENARIANS: Two women believed to be the last living people born in the 1800s share their secrets to longevity./Page 20
Weather Tonight
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Patchy clouds tonight. Partly sunny tomorrow. See Page 2.
Deaths Obituaries on Page 4 BURTYK, Richard J., 62, South Williamsport JOHNSON, Robert G., 78, Kittanning VARGO, Ronald S., 73, Homer City
Index Classifieds ...............22-24 Comics/TV....................19 Dear Abby .....................21 Entertainment ..............18 Family ...........................20 Lottery.............................2 NASCAR ........................14 Sports.......................13-17 Today in History...........21 Viewpoint .......................6
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Halliburton to close plant Move to Ohio will affect 430 employees By SEAN YODER
syoder@indianagazette.net
Halliburton announced Tuesday it would close its Homer City plant, which employs 430 people, by the end of the year. Just months ago state legislators said they were told the Homer City plant would not close, but that there could be layoffs. “I’m very upset with the people from Halliburton,� state Sen. Don White, R-Indiana, said Tuesday. He said he couldn’t recall a closure as devastating in recent history. Rep. Dave Reed, R-Indiana, said Tuesday he talked to Halliburton representatives in Washington, D.C., about two months ago and was told then the Homer City plant along Lucerne Road was not in danger of closing. “Today is a dark day for Indiana County,� White and Reed said in a joint statement released Tuesday. “Now we’re told the decision to close is permanent and nothing can be Continued on Page 12
TOM PEEL/Gazette
HALLIBURTON announced Tuesday it would close its plant on Lucerne Road in Homer City by the end of the year.
Wolf vetoes GOP budget
TO THE RESCUE A RESCUE SQUAD from the Indiana Fire Association responded to a call about nine ducklings that fell into a storm drain Tuesday on Stutzman Road in White Township near the Jewelry Shoppe. Firefighter Philip Burns, in the storm drain, handed up ducks to Paul Koons. In the background, from left, are firefighters Marcus Sheehan, Nick Harkleroad and Jon Krohe. Jim Woodle, of the Jewelry Shoppe, took the ducklings to be reunited with their mother.
By MARK SCOLFORO and MARC LEVY
and votes in the Legislature. Wolf said signing the GOP budget bill would further Associated Press damage Pennsylvania’s repHARRISBURG — Demo- utation with credit rating cratic Gov. Tom Wolf made agencies, three of which good on his threat and slapped the state with swiftly vetoed a Republi- downgrades last year becan-crafted budget Tues- cause of a growing deficit. day night just hours after He suggested the GOP’s budget would the GOP’s huge manever pass muster jorities in the Legisin the business lature sent it to him world where he on the last day of the once operated. state government’s “If I took a budget fiscal year. that looked anyThe veto was thing like this to my Wolf’s first in his bank, they would more than five have thrown me months in office and out of the office,� the first of a full Wolf said. “The GOV. TOM budget bill in Pennmath doesn’t work.� sylvania in more WOLF Wolf also chalthan four decades. In a news conference in lenged it as shortchanging his Capitol offices Tuesday, public schools and letting Wolf panned the bill as the Marcellus shale natural being packed with gim- gas industry off the hook micks — Republicans de- without a severance tax. fended them as an alterna- Another Wolf priority, legistive to a tax increase — that lation to cut local school would worsen the state’s property taxes statewide, long-term budget imbal- has been stalled in the Senance to more than $3 bil- ate after passing the House. Republicans sent the lion in a year. “There are gimmicks in $30.2 billion, no-new-taxes here, smoke and mirrors bill to Wolf after negotiaand a lot of kicking the can tions between the two sides down the road,� Wolf said stalled in recent weeks. The after a day full of debates Continued on Page 4
UNITED SCHOOL DISTRICT
JAMIE EMPFIELD/Gazette
Stepfather to face trial in beating By CHAUNCEY ROSS
ranging from simple assault to attempted homicide following a preliminary hearing before District Judge George Thachik. Prosecutors charged that Green kicked his wife’s 6year-old son while the boy stayed at home from school on a snow day March 4, causing what two doctors called life-threatening injuries.
chauncey@indianagazette.net
CLYMER — A White Township man accused of injuring his stepson in a rage over the boy’s refusal to take his medicine has been ordered to face trial in Indiana County Court on the charges. Brandon Green, 26, was held for court on charges
Hearing delayed in ballot recount
CLOSE ENCOUNTER
Board approves tax increase
By RANDY WELLS
rwells@indianagazette.net
By HEATHER BLAKE
hblake@indianagazette.net
EAST WHEATFIELD TOWNSHIP — United School District board directors on Tuesday adopted the final 2015-16 budget that calls for a $20 tax increase for the average residential homeowner in the district. In a 7-2 vote, board members authorized a budget with revenues of $19,903,480 and expenses of $20,834,571, and raised the millage to 102.15, an increase of 1.7 mills. The district will pull $931,091 from reserves. Board President Trudy DeRubis and directors Sandra Mack, Donald Davis, Robert Dill, Kenneth Heming, Tommey Heming and Beth Ann Marcus approved the budget. Board Vice President Ronald Moyer and director Eric Matava dissented. Continued on Page 12
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It was the second attempt by state police and the Indiana County district attorney’s office to hold Green liable for sending the boy to the hospital. DA Patrick Dougherty withdrew the original charges on June 10 after having the injured boy and his younger sister testify on Continued on Page 12
Submitted photo
A BLACK BEAR was spotted earlier this month in the yard of Michele Carnahan Kerchensky, of Kenwood, who submitted this photo. Reports of a bear being spotted on the grounds of the Penns Manor Area school complex were also reported on Monday. See a video of the bear on The Indiana Gazette’s Facebook page, Facebook.com/TheIndianaGazette.
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The answer to who won the second Republican nomination for county auditor in the spring primary has been pushed back further into the summer. A court hearing was to be held Tuesday to consider arguments on whether some ballots from the May 19 election should be recounted to determine if Helen Clark or Donna Cupp — both incumbent auditors — won the second available GOP nomination. That hearing was canceled and the next court date for oral arguments in the undecided election race is now scheduled for July 16. And a recount of some votes — if it happens — has been moved from July 7 to Aug. 4. When the unofficial vote tally ended on election night, Clark appeared to be the winner of a nomination by three votes. But Continued on Page 12
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