HAPPY JIM THOMAS DAY

Emporium Mayor Carnovale proclaims March 31, 2009 as "Jim Thomas Day"! Thank you Jim for all of years of service to our community...enjoy your retirement!

In poll, Pennsylvania voters back driver cell-phone ban

Voters want lawmakers to take heed on safety.
By John L. Micek and Josh Drobnyk Of The Morning Call
March 27, 2009
Pennsylvania voters overwhelmingly support a ban on using hand-held cell phones while driving, a new poll shows. It's a move the state Legislature has resisted for years.By 85 percent to 13 percent, voters in the Quinnipiac University survey back a proposal that would make the practice illegal.Support was widespread among all voters, regardless of their political affiliation. Cell-phone users -- four out of five of the respondents -- were equally supportive.The survey comes as advocates for a ban say chances are improving that the Legislature will soon act, arguing that attitudes in Harrisburg have finally caught up to public opinion. Still, proposals to ban hand-held cell-phone use by drivers have been floating around the Capitol for a decade.

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Contractors required to register with state

Starting July 1, homeowners will be able to do a little more research on home improvement contractors before signing a contract.
The state Attorney General's office on Monday began a new registration process for contractors as part of a new law aimed at protecting consumers.
Greg Miller of Henry's Floor Covering in Greencastle said from what he has heard, the new registration system seems like a good idea.
"I think it's going to keep those that are good, quality contractors with work and it'll be done correctly. It will weed out the ones that don't want to play by the rules, and traditionally that's where consumers end up on the short end of the stick," Miller said.

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96 State Workers Paid More than Rendell

By Rob Hopkins on March 29, 2009 8:33 AM
If you want power and fame, run for governor. But if you want wealth, be a professor, a bean counter or a turnpike czar.
At least 96 state employees are paid more than Gov. Ed Rendell, whose salary is $174,435. All together, at least 656 have salaries in excess of $150,000. At least 3,836 are paid more than $100,000 a year.
That's a big bill footed by taxpayers, and government watchdog groups say high salaries should be scrutinized carefully. The state employees' bosses, of course, say they earn every penny.

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Think windpower is the answer?

Listen to this fascinating radio interview of a NY windfarmer that regrets his decision to have windmills erected on his property.
Canisteo Valley NewsAudio From WLEA Radio Interview -regrets allowing turbines on his property

We enjoy displaying the artwork of Mr. Nelson Haus, and appreciate that he is willing to share it with us. The blog format does not allow us to display the art in its original glory , and the results are poor. I will continue to post them here, but have decided to also add them to their own dedicated page at www.cameroncountypa.net . Look under the "site features" tab for "Artwork of Nelson Haus". Each week we will feature a couple of different submissions in full format, so that the readers can appreciate them in their original fine format.

Is sex education working?

"About my high school sex education - there was none," said Anthony Distler, 21, a student at Mt. Aloysius College in Cresson. "The old "If you have sex you will die" teachings taught me nothing. If high schools want to drop the number of teenage pregnancies and STDs, they need to start getting real about it."Distler, who is originally from Kersey and graduated from Elk County Catholic High School in St. Marys, is not alone in his disapproval for the amount of information he was given about sex. "I honestly don't even remember having sex ed. in high school," said Betsy Cheatle, 21, who is originally from St. Marys. "Sex is something that many teenagers take too lightly. When you're a teenager, or any age for that matter, contracting a STD is the least of your worries when you're in the heat of the moment, but the fact is that STDs are serious and people need to be properly informed."

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The Department of Health said the pregnancy rate among adolescents aged 15 to 17 per 1,000 females yield the following results in 2001 to 2005 in the area: 29.7 in Cameron County; 16.3 in Clearfield County; 10.6 in Elk County; 13.8 in Jefferson County; 14.1 in Clarion County; and 19.3 in Armstrong County.