Swan Lake man killed in dump truck accident

SWAN LAKE, NY — Ignazio Constantino, age 72, of Swan Lake, was killed when a truck rolled over him on Monday April 13. Deputies from the Sullivan County Sheriff’s Office found that a construction crew was in the process of building a driveway at Constantino’s home at 4587 State Route 55, and a dump truck had backed over him.

Constantino was taken by Bethel Ambulance to Catskill Regional Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead. Deputies were assisted by Bethel constables, the Swan Lake Fire Department and Liberty paramedics. The cause of the accident is still under investigation by Sheriff’s detectives.

Fallsburg adopts budget

FALLSBURG, NY — The Fallsburg board of education (BOE) has proposed a budget that will represent an increase of 1.29 percent over the 2008-2009 budget. The corresponding tax levy increase is estimated to be 3.91 percent.

Natural attrition has resulted in a cut of 8.4 positions, and no current employees will be laid off. Superintendent Ivan Katz said, “I am exceptionally pleased that we came up with a budget that supports the academic and financial integrity of the district while at the same time protects the capacity of our taxpayers.”

The budget will go before the Fallsburg voters on Tuesday, May 19 from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. in the high school library. Monday, April 20 is the deadline for submission of petitions due for open BOE seats, and on Wednesday, May 6, there will be a budget hearing at 7:30 p.m. in the high school auditorium, including meeting the candidates for board seats, followed by the regular BOE meeting.

Local collaboration could facilitate careers in nursing

HONESDALE, PA — Wayne Memorial Hospital (WMH), local high schools and Luzerne County Community College (LCCC) are collaborating to develop a program to facilitate nursing education in the area.

The project could offer students reduced college tuition costs, early graduation from college and the assurance of a job with benefits.

LCCC would offer additional classes in Wayne County that would put high school students on a path to earning an Associates of Applied Science Degree in Nursing (AAS) and licensure as an RN in Pennsylvania. WMH would contribute by supplying clinical instruction.

There will be informational meetings on the idea at three area schools in coming weeks: the first at Wallenpaupack Area High School at 7:00 p.m. on April 21, the second at Western Wayne High School at 6:00 p.m. on May 6 and the third at Wayne Highlands Honesdale High School, tenatively scheduled for May 11.

For more information call 570/253-8268 or 253-8995.

FERC tries to overthrow court decision on power lines

WASHINGTON, DC — The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) has submitted a petition to reverse the recent decision by the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals that FERC had overextended its jurisdiction regarding siting power lines in areas designated as National Interest Electric Transmission Corridors. The Court ruled that FERC could not override decisions in cases where state regulatory authorities denied power line applications within a one-year time period, a ruling that has an impact on projects such as the recently withdrawn proposal by New York Regional Interconnect, Inc. (NYRI) to erect a power line that would have run through Sullivan County.

A change in the court’s ruling would facilitate applications by other companies that might wish to construct power lines through our area to connect northern power sources to the metropolitan areas to the south.

Pike students launch PAC

PIKE COUNTY, PA — Local students seeking to make an impact in upcoming elections have organized to establish a political action committee called the “Future of Pike County.” The committee will mobilize citizens, especially young people, to help get candidates it endorses elected to public office. The multi-partisan, youth-led PAC will support candidates who offer “strong leadership and support for policies that are in the long-term interest of Pike County.” It recently mailed a survey to each Delaware Valley school board candidate in this year’s primary election and will endorse up to five in the near future.

The PAC’s chairman is 2006 Delaware Valley (DV) alumnus Marc R. Coda, a rising senior at Johnson and Wales University in Rhode Island, where he recently ran for the state senate. The PAC will be primarily funded through online donations. The PAC will soon launch a campaign called “$5 for our Future” for this purpose.

For more information visit www.futureofpikecounty.org.

ECS students and staff chilled

ELDRED, NY — Students and staff suffered “uncomfortable, but not unsafe” classroom temperatures this week as the removal of boilers due to the current asbestos abatement project at Eldred Central School coincided with unusually cold temperatures, according to school principal Scott Krebs. Students and staff were asked to dress appropriately for the temporary colder indoor climate. At press time, Krebs said he was expecting the arrival of a propane forced-air heating unit being brought in from New Jersey to help alleviate the problem.

A senior at the school, who declined to give her name, called The River Reporter to complain about the lack of heat in the building.

She said one room in the school was measured with a temperature as low as 53 degrees, while another registered 59 degrees. She said she wanted the people in the town to know about the conditions at the school.