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The wall came tumbling down
vol. 36 no. 29
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CASD extends property tax deadline, hosts resource center By Eric Morris
emorris@heraldstandard.com
In response to severe flooding in Connellsville Area School District, the district is extending the deadline for the first installment of property tax payments. In a release issued Thursday by the district, school directors have decided to extend the Act 1 first installment payment deadline, previously Aug. 31, an additional 10 days to allow flood victims extra time to make the required payment. “The natural disaster has caused problems for all of our community,” said board President Jay Fox III in the release. “We felt it was in the best interest to work with our families who may have more pressing needs at this time and give them a few extra days.” Act 1 allows for school districts to collect real estate taxes in installments for certain
Tax, Page A7
Roberto M. Esquivel|Herald-Standard
Sunday’s heavy storms caused the drains at the Connellsville Church of God to back up, forcing mud and water to collapse an outside wall in to the fellowship hall. Volunteers spent several days cleaning up the mud and debris so that repair work could begin.
Flooding both curse, blessing to church More treatment centers coming Governor scheduled to visit area today to Fayette County
damage to multiple homes and structures in the area. One such structure that was affected was the Connellsville Church of God along Breakneck By Mark Hofmann Avenue in Connellsville. mhofmann@heraldstandard.com Nancy Stouffer, a parishioner, was at the church for the Sunday hat was considered an Prayer Service at 7 p.m. with act of God has been six others when they noticed it both a curse and a started to rain outside. blessing for a local The group decided to stay in church that sustained significant the church until the heavy rain damage during Sunday’s flood, let up, but because the church which has attracted the attention sits on a hillside where rainwater of the state’s governor. flowed from the hill into the At 1:30 p.m. Friday, Pennchurch as well as the next-door sylvania Gov. Tom Wolf is high school, they started noticing scheduled to tour Connellsvillelittle leaks and decided to check Bullskin area and survey flood the church basement. damage from Sunday’s massive “There was about seven to downpour that has caused severe eight inches of water past our
W
ankles,” Stouffer said. When she and the group started to work on pushing the water out of the basement with push brooms, Stouffer said she heard a bubbling and a crackling sound and even joked that the wall was going to cave in. Turns out, that’s exactly what happened. The retaining wall in the basement fell down, destroying a piano, a freezer, refrigerator and cupboards, all of which has been thrown into a Dumpster sitting outside of church along with the six inches of mud in the basement. Pastor Nelson Confer, who had just returned from his vacation
By J.D. Prose
jprose@calkins.com
There will be 25 additional centers of excellence in Pennsylvania by Jan. 1 to provide more access to opioid addiction treatment, including sites in Fayette County and the Mon Valley, Gov. Tom Wolf announced this week. Wolf “As we all know, the opioid epidemic does not discriminate — it affects Pennsylvanians
church, Page A7
Centers, Page A7
Report suggests teen driver curfews move to 9 p.m. By Olivia Goudy
ogoudy@heraldstandard.com
A recent national study from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention suggests teenage drivers should be off the road by 9 p.m. The CDC report gathered information from 2009 through 2014 that showed 31 percent of U.S. drivers aged 16 or 17 years involved in fatal accidents crashed between 9 p.m. and 6 a.m., with 57 percent of them occurring before midnight. In Pennsylvania, young drivers are not allowed behind the wheel between 11 p.m. and 5 a.m., with the only exception being those who need to travel for employment or for a volunteer or charitable service. Teens who fit those criteria can do so with proper documentation. State Rep. Pam Snyder,
Damian Dovarganes
In this Dec. 14, 2011, file photo, a driver uses an iPhone while driving in Los Angeles. A recent national study from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention suggests teenage drivers should be off the road by 9 p.m.
D-Jefferson, said she would be a strong proponent to scaling back Pennsylvania’s curfew for teen drivers.
Index
Community ���� C1 Classified �� D1-6 Comics ���������� B5 Law & Order ���A6
Obituaries ������ C2 Opinion �������A4-5 Puzzles ���������� C7 Sports ���������B1-6
“I don’t think kids realize the weapon they’re sitting in, especially when they’re new drivers,” Snyder said. “I
“I don’t think kids realize the weapon they’re sitting in, especially when they’re new drivers. I know any young driver runs a higher risk simply because of inexperience.” — state Rep. Pam Snyder, D-Jefferson know any young driver runs a higher risk simply because of inexperience.” Snyder, however, also places the emphasis and
responsibility on parents. “It’s a double-edged sword,” she said. While parents may be excited for their child to have their license and be able to drive themselves to practices or to work, there’s also an amount of worry and anxiety that goes with it, she said. “I spent a lot of time at the kitchen window, waiting for the car to come down the driveway,” Snyder said. “Most parents recognize that feeling, and want to get as much time behind the wheel with their teen as possible — practicing with them, reviewing driver safety or going different places.” “The more experience, the better off you are,” she said. Local police officers also agreed on needing experience and placed the emphasis on
curfew, Page A7
Obituaries Bailey, Betty, North Carolina Brown, Marva, Brownsville Castor, JoAnn, Uniontown Haky, Stephen R., Jr., Uniontown Horne, James, Uniontown Kalis, Margaret, Greensboro Kezmarsky, Adele, Uniontown
Kubala, Elmer, Dunbar Leasure, Russell, Mill Run Lehman, Candace, Uledi Lehrman, Margaret, New Eagle Livingston, Nettie Jean, Uniontown Magario, Ernest, Hiller
Nielsen, James, Hibbs Pearson, Lisa Marie, Smock Sweeney, James, Carmichaels Tomasko, Diane, Connellsville Wilson, Betty, Bethelboro See details on C2
Today High: 77 Low: 55 See C8.