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TODAY’S
The Times Leader timesleader.com
WILKES-BARRE, PA
SATURDAY, APRIL 30, 2011
A FAIRYTALE WEDDING IN ENGLAND
BUDGET CRISIS
Area GOP against raising debt limit
H A N O V E R T W P.
Treatment plant plan is shelved
Barletta, Marino ready to debate debt ceiling when Congress is back in session.
N.H.-based Cate Street Capital said citizens opposing wastewater facility spur decision. By MATT HUGHES mhughes@timesleader.com
By JONATHAN RISKIND Times Leader Washington Bureau
WASHINGTON – The national debt limit should not be raised until Congress and the White House agree to cut federal spending by trillions, not just billions, of dollars, say GOP Reps. Lou Barletta of Hazleton and Tom Marino of Lycoming Township. The freshman House Republicans said in separate phone interviews that they aren’t in favor of the federal government defaulting on its obligations to debtors any more than they favored a federal shutdown. “When is the “I am not government in favor of going to understand that any tax enough is hikes at enough?” Marino said. all. It is “We argued not that over cutting bilpeople do lions,” Barletta said. “We need not pay to cut trillions.” enough in A federal shutdown was taxes, it is avoided earlier that Wash- this month – just before a ington midnight deadspends too line – when Democratic much.” and Republican Rep. Tom leaders agreed Marino on $38.5 billion R-Lycoming in cuts for the Township final months of the fiscal year ending Sept. 30. When Congress reconvenes next week after its spring recess, the debt ceiling debate will be front and center and there won’t be much time to forge a deal: Treasury Department officials have placed the date at which the $14.3 trillion debt ceiling will be breached at May 16, and said that technical maneuvers to keep the federal government from going into default can only work until, at the latest, July 8. See DEBT, Page 6A INSIDE: Barletta blased at rally, 3A
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AP PHOTO
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ritain’s Prince William and his bride Kate, Duchess of Cambridge, leave Westminster Abbey, London, following their wedding, Friday. The couple appeared with the queen and their wedding party on the balcony of Buckingham Palace, where the highly anticipated first — and second — kisses brought screams of delight from the crowd. An estimated 2 billion people tuned into the live broadcast in what might have been the most-viewed event in history. For more details on the big day and more wedding photos, see Page 7A.
Lehman storm not a tornado INSIDE
NWS meteorologist says damage was caused by strong winds.
LEHMAN TWP. – Dave Nicosia, a National Weather Service warning coordination meteorologist, walked along Old Route 115 Friday with just a compass, a map and a notepad. “It smells like a lumber yard,” he said as he passed the splintered tree trunks. He and members of the Back Mountain and Luzerne County emergency management agencies were trying to find out whether snapped trees in a straight path from Jackson Road to Old Route 115 were the result of a tornado Thursday. Nicosia thought they were not. He said the damage was most likely caused by strong winds up to 90 miles per hour occurring in a straight path. Using pinpoints on a map to track the wind vectors, he said the span of the forceful winds was about 2
See PLANT , Page 6A
Three tornadoes confirmed in other parts of the state, Page 12A President tours storm damage in Alabama, Page 12A
By SARAH HITE shite@timesleader.com
SARAH HITE/THE TIMES LEADER
Dave Nicosia, warning coordination meteorologist for the National Weather Service in Binghamton, N.Y., estimates a 90-mph straight-line wind snapped trees in Lehman Township early Thursday morning.
miles long and 250 yards wide. He said his main goal was to determine the wind’s direction and force by examining the path of split trees and debris, as well as the terrain of the area. Nicosia, of the Binghamton, N.Y. office, said tornadoes usually pull wind inward and cause trees’ canopies to become entangled, and he didn’t spy any of those patterns in Lehman Township.
Despite his conclusion, he and others at the Weaver property on Old Route 115 said the hundreds of snapped soft pine trees were an “impressive” sight. While there was a tornado watch issued for counties west of Luzerne on Wednesday night, the broken and uprooted trees were caused by a storm system passing through the area between 5 and 6 a.m. Thursday – an unusual occurrence, said Nico-
sia. “The winds probably accelerated into a cove and … funneled down into this area,” said Nicosia. He said the damage was caused by the same system that devastated the South this week, and the Back Mountain isn’t the only place to receive aftershocks of the twisters that claimed about 300 victims across seven states. “We sent a crew yesterday and we have about two or three crews out today,” he said. “We may go into early next week.” Harry Vivian of the Back Mountain Regional Emergency Management Agency said he hasn’t seen damage to this extent in the Back Mountain, where he’s lived all his life. “This is on a much larger scale,” he said of the destruction.
Shale tax is up for debate at legislative breakfast Legislators feel the industry will bring economic benefit. By BILL O’BOYLE boboyle@timesleader.com
CLARK VAN ORDEN/THE TIMES LEADER
State legislators, from left, are: Sen. John Yudichak, Sen. John P. Blake, Sen. Lisa Baker, Rep. Mike Carroll, Rep. Eddie Day Pashinski, Rep. Gerald J. Mullery.
However, state Rep. Phyllis Mundy said Senate President Pro Tempore Joseph Scarnati’s proposal is “weak.” Yudichak, D-Plymouth Township, and Mundy, DKingston, joined seven other state legislators at Friday’s annual legislative breakfast sponsored by the Greater WilkesBarre Chamber of Commerce, held at Genetti Hotel & Conference Center in Wilkes-Barre. More
WILKES-BARRE – State Sen. John Yudichak on Friday said a proposal calling for an impact fee on the Marcellus Shale industry marks a significant move toward improving the debate on ways to extract revenue from the industry. See BREAKFAST, Page 9A
HANOVER TWP. – Trucks hauling water for Marcellus Shale gas drillers will not rumble up and down the Sans Souci Parkway any time soon. The only company considering building a plant at the Wyoming Valley Sanitary Authority to treat wastewater produced by natural gas drilling withdrew its proposal Friday. The company, New Hampshirebased Cate Street Capital, said citizen opposition to the plant was the main factor in its decision. “Our engineering study has determined that our proprietary technology is capable of cleaning the water to appropriate standards at a price which is in line with current costs,” Vice President Richard Cyr said in a statement. “We exist to bring environmentally sensitive and sustainable businesses to life, and this project would do that. “However, we have listened to the community and heard its concerns. We respect our neighbors in Hanover Township, and have decided to pass on this opportunity at this time.” Cyr could not be reached for additional comment Friday.
Online students better connected Public cyber charter school opens NEPA site, giving kids more access to teachers.
By JERRY LYNOTT jlynott@timesleader.com
DICKSON CITY – At a cubicle in an office between a nail salon and winemaking supply store, Andy Kalahanis teaches ninth-grade English. He works out of the sixth and newest teaching center of the Commonwealth Connections Academy, a public cyber charter school that opened in 2003 for students from kindergarten to12th grade. “I have 151 students right now,” said Kalahanis, 48. “They’re all working from home and I’m here.” His students come from across the state and he can speak to them individually or in a group about their daily lessons and assignments. “I think the curriculum in our school is more challenging than a bricks-and-mortar school,” he said. Another distinction is the attention given by the See ONLINE , Page 9A
WEATHER
INSIDE
Hailey Russ Sunny, breezy. High 67. Low 40. Details, Page 12B
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