2008
Home

 

 

   Note: Newest reports are listed first and continue chronologically in the order they were submitted. Any ideas can be submitted to Public Information Officer Jeff Greenburg at jgreenburg@mcc.co.mercer.pa.us. 

 

  • ELECTION SURVIVAL GUIDE ’09 ...

    … OR (ALMOST) EVERYTHING AN INFORMED VOTER NEEDS TO KNOW!

     ELECTIONS

    1. Election Dates:
      1. Primary – May 19, 2009.
      2. General – November 2, 2009
    2. Voting Hours: 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.
    3. Key word: PATIENCE.
    4. Educate yourself as to what offices are on the ballot. This year you will see the following:
      1. State races: Justice of the Supreme Court (one vacancy, no retentions), Judge of the Superior Court (two vacancies, two retentions) and Judge of the Commonwealth Court (one vacancy, one retention).
      2. County races: Controller, Treasurer, Jury Commissioners (one Democrat, one Republican) and Magisterial District Judge (three vacancies following resignations in late 2008 in the Sharon and Sharpsville areas, Greenville and Jamestown areas and Grove City and Sandy Lake areas).
      3. Municipal and School District : Mayors, Council, Supervisors, Tax Collectors, Treasurers and School Directors.
      4. Precincts: Judge of Elections, Majority Inspector and Minority Inspector (one each in all of the county’s 100 precincts).
    5. Haven’t used the county’s touch screen voting system before? No problem. A tutorial is linked at the county’s Web site at www.mcc.co.mercer.pa.us. Click on Voter Registration/Elections and then link to View ESS iVotronic. Or visit the election office at the courthouse for an opportunity to get your hand’s on a machine.
    6. Expect long lines at certain times of the day, especially first thing in the morning, around lunch time and then after dinner. The shortest waits usually occur mid-morning or mid-afternoon.
    7. Pennsylvania law allows candidates and campaigners to electioneer, pass out campaign materials and talk to you as long as they are 10 feet from the polling room. There is nothing, however, that requires you to answer them or take their materials. But if you do take any campaign literature, please DO NOT bring it into the polling place unless it fits in your pocket or purse and DO NOT leave it in the polling place. You MUST have a clear path to the polling room and if you believe campaigners are impeding or blocking that path, please inform a poll worker.
    8. Mercer County voters are permitted to wear political attire into the polling place. Voters cannot, however, do or say anything beyond simply wearing the item or they will be asked to leave. Poll workers and poll watchers are not permitted to wear political attire.
    9. ALL voters in line at 8 p.m. – even if that line stretches outside the building and down the street – are permitted by law to vote. If you are NOT in line at 8 p.m. when the Judge of Elections announces the polls are closed, you are NOT allowed to vote. The Judge should assign a poll worker to mark the last person who was IN LINE at 8 p.m.
    10. Election returns will be posted as they arrive at the courthouse on the county’s Web site at www.mcc.co.mercer.pa.us.

     PETITION INFORMATION FOR CANDIDATES

    1. The first day to circulate and file a petition is Feb. 17, 2009. Packets for candidates will be available in the county’s election office beginning Feb. 13, 2009.
    2. The last day to circulate and file a petition is March 10, 2009.

     VOTER REGISTRATION

    1. Voter Registration Deadlines:
      1. Primary – April 20, 2009.
      2. General – October 5, 2009.
    2. If you have moved since you last voted, you need to register at your current address. If your name has changed as a result of marital status or some other reason, you need to register under your new name.
    3. If you haven’t voted in more than five years, there is a good chance your voting status has been made inactive or canceled. If you are inactive, you can vote but you are required to show a proper form of identification and sign an affirmation.
    4. If you have been canceled, you must register again.
    5. If you have any question about your voting status, it’s probably worth the time needed to check on it. Stop in the election office at the courthouse or call us at 724-662-7542. Our hours are 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday-Friday.

     ABSENTEE BALLOTS

    1. If you are going to be out of the precinct on Election Day or you have an illness or disability that prevents you from going to the polls, you can vote by absentee ballot. Absentee ballot applications are available at some post offices, municipal buildings and libraries in the county, as well as online at the county’s Web site or by calling the election office.
    2. The deadline to apply for a regular absentee ballot for the primary is May 12, 2009 and the ballot must be returned to the election office by 5 p.m. May 15, 2009.
    3. The deadline to apply for a regular absentee ballot for the general election is October 27, 2009 and the ballot must be returned to the election office by 5 p.m. October 30, 2009.

     POLLING PLACES

    1. You can check your polling place location online at the county’s Web site: www.mcc.co.mercer.pa.us. Click on Voter Registration/Elections at left and look for a link to polling locations. There are also precinct maps.

     

  • pema provides tips for calling 911

    More than 9 million 911 calls are answered each year in Pennsylvania's 67 counties. The Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency (PEMA) has provided some helpful tips to remember when dialing 911:

    1. Is someone hurt or in danger? Do you need police, fire or ambulance? An emergency is any serious situation where a law enforcement officer, firefighter or emergency medical help is needed immediately.

    2. If you do call 911, even by mistake, do NOT hang up. Allow the call taker to ask you questions in order to get help there before you hang up or leave the phone. If you call accidentally, stay on the line to explain it's a mistake.

    3. Stay calm and answer all the questions.

    4. Help the 911 call taker help you. Help the call taker fully understand your situation in order to assist you until help arrives.

    5. Know the location of the emergency. A wireless 911 caller must be aware that the center that answers the call may not be the one that services the area where the emergency is.

     

  • penndot recommends winter safety tips for motorists 

    OIL CITY – PennDOT encourages motorists to use caution while driving over the next few days.  Weather forecasts are predicting further  accumulation of snow in addition to the several inches that have fallen in Northwestern Pennsylvania , including snow squalls. Motorists are reminded that if they are planning to travel, they should check the PennDOT Web site for the latest conditions on the interstates.  It is recommended that motorists limit unnecessary travel and use caution if they must travel.

     PennDOT offers online resources for motorists that include links to department traffic cameras and current weather-related travel conditions and closures, which are updated every 15 minutes for all Pennsylvania interstates. The interstate road conditions hotline — 1-888-783-6783 for in-state callers; out-of-state callers should call 717-783-5186 — provides weather-related road condition information for all Pennsylvania interstates. 

    The travel page at www.dot.state.pa.us also includes a winter driving guide, the “Ice and Snow, Take it Slow” brochure. The guide provides winter driving tips and includes a list of what should be included in a simple emergency travel kit. Some of the basic items for every vehicle include first aid supplies, non-perishable food, water, warm clothes, a blanket, a battery-powered radio, and a small snow shovel. 

    PennDOT offers this advice to motorists who encounter snow squalls:  Gradually slow down and drive at a speed that suits conditions;  Turn on your headlights; Stay in your lane; Increase your following distance;   Stay alert; keep looking as far ahead as possible and be patient;   Reduce in-car distractions since full attention is required;  Use defroster and wipers; Keep windows and mirrors free of snow and ice; During whiteouts, come to a complete stop only when you can safely get as far off the road as possible; Do not stop in the flow of traffic since this could create a chain-reaction collision; Do not pass a vehicle moving slowly or speed up to get away from a vehicle that is following too closely; Always buckle up, and never drink and drive.

    If motorists become stranded, they should stay in their vehicles and only run their engines and heaters every half hour, or so. Make sure tailpipes are clear and keep downwind windows open for fresh air. They should also tie a brightly colored flag onto the highest point of your vehicle to help rescuers locate them. 

    Drivers are reminded to allow plenty of space around an operating snowplow and never attempt to get between several snowplows plowing side-by-side in a “plow train.” Plow trains are used on interstates and other limited access roads to clear as much of the road as possible in one pass. 

     

  • passport law to change in june 2009 

               Beginning in June 2009, U.S. citizens will be required to present a valid U.S. passport book, U.S. passport card or other travel document approved by the Department of Homeland Security when entering the United States from Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean and Bermuda at land border crossings or sea ports-of-entry. In order to avoid delays that could be caused by the rush of last-minute applications, Mercer County Prothonotary Liz Fair is reminding people those passport documents can be applied for now at her office in the Mercer County Courthouse, Mercer. Call 724-662-3800 or visit Travel.State.Gov for more information.

     

  • Election Survival Guide...

    … OR (ALMOST) EVERYTHING AN INFORMED VOTER NEEDS TO KNOW!

     

     

    ELECTION DAY

    1. Election Date: Nov. 4, 2008
    2. Voting Hours: 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.
    3. Key word: PATIENCE, which is important in every piece of the election puzzle listed here.
    4. Educate yourself as to what offices are on the ballot. This election, you will see federal races for President and Congress, state races for Attorney General, Auditor General and Treasurer and local races for State Representatives. A local ballot question on combining Shenango Township and West Middlesex will appear only on ballots in those municipalities.
    5. Haven’t used the county’s touch screen voting system before? No problem. A tutorial is linked at the county’s Web site at www.mcc.co.mercer.pa.us. Click on Voter Registration/Elections and then link to View ESS iVotronic. Or visit the election office at the courthouse for an opportunity to get your hand’s on a machine.
    6. Expect long lines at certain times of the day, especially first thing in the morning, around lunch time and then after dinner. The shortest waits usually occur mid-morning or mid-afternoon. Mercer County has almost 30 more voting machines in its precincts than it did in 2004 so hopefully most of your waits will be reasonable.
    7. Pennsylvania law allows candidates and campaigners to electioneer, pass out campaign materials and talk to you as long as they are 10 feet from the polling room. There is nothing, however, that requires you to answer them or take their materials. But if you do take any campaign literature, please DO NOT bring it into the polling place unless it fits in your pocket or purse and DO NOT leave it in the polling place. You MUST have a clear path to the polling room and if you believe campaigners are impeding or blocking that path, please inform a poll worker.
    8. Pennsylvania law DOES NOT allow voters to wear anything, including buttons, shirts and/or hats, into the polling place that have a candidate’s name on them. You will be asked to remove them before being allowed to vote. There are no exceptions. If you have a shirt and can’t cover it up, you will be asked to go to the restroom and turn it inside out.
    9. ALL voters in line at 8 p.m. – even if that line stretches outside the building and down the street – are permitted by law to vote. If you are NOT in line at 8 p.m. when the Judge of Elections announces the polls are closed, you are NOT allowed to vote. The Judge should assign a poll worker to mark the last person who was IN LINE at 8 p.m.
    10. Election returns will be posted as they arrive at the courthouse on the county’s Web site at www.mcc.co.mercer.pa.us.

    VOTER REGISTRATION

    1. Voter Registration Deadline: Oct. 6, 2008
    2. If you have moved since you last voted, you need to register at your current address. If your name has changed as a result of marital status or some other reason, you need to register under your new name. Any changes must be done by Oct. 6.
    3. If you haven’t voted in more than five years, there is a good chance your voting status has been made inactive or canceled. If you are inactive, you can vote but you are required to show a proper form of identification.
    4. If you have been canceled, you must register again by Oct. 6.
    5. If you have any question about your voting status, it’s probably worth the time needed to check on it. Stop in the election office at the courthouse or call us at 724-662-7542. Our hours are 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday-Friday.

     ABSENTEE BALLOTS

    1. If you are going to be out of the precinct on Election Day or you have an illness or disability that prevents you from going to the polls, you can vote by absentee ballot. Absentee ballot applications are available at some post offices, municipal buildings and libraries in the county, as well as online at the county’s Web site or by calling the election office.
    2. The deadline to apply for a regular absentee ballot is Oct. 28, 2008, and the ballot must be returned to the election office by 5 p.m. Oct. 31, 2008.

     POLLING PLACES

    1. You can check your polling place location online at the county’s Web site: www.mcc.co.mercer.pa.us. Click on Voter Registration/Elections at left and look for a link to polling locations. There are also precinct maps. Almost all of the county’s 100 polling locations remain unchanged over the last few years, but please check the Web site or call our office if you’re uncertain. Three that have changed in the last two years are: Grove City 3, which is now at Trinity Living Center , 400 Hillcrest Ave. ; Hermitage NW-4, which is at the Diagnostic & Imaging Center , 2435 Garden Way ; and Pymatuning 2, which is in the band room at Reynolds High School .

               

  • va SECRETARY: als NOW PRESUMPTIVE COMPENSABLE ILLNESS 

               WASHINGTON – Veterans with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) may receive badly-needed support for themselves and their families after the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) announced today that ALS will become a presumptively compensable illness for all veterans with 90 days or more of continuously active service in the military.

    “Veterans are developing ALS in rates higher than the general population, and it was appropriate to take action,” Secretary of Veterans Affairs Dr. James B. Peake said.

    Secretary Peake based his decision primarily on a November 2006 report by the National Academy of Sciences’ Institute of Medicine (IOM) on the association between active-duty service and ALS. 

    “We are extremely grateful to Secretary Peake, Congressman Henry Brown and Senator Lindsey Graham for standing on the side of veterans with ALS across the country,” said Gary Leo , president and CEO of The ALS Association. “Thanks to their leadership, veterans with ALS will receive the benefits and care they need, when they need them.  Thanks to their efforts, no veteran with ALS will ever be left behind.” 

    The report, titled Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis in Veterans: Review of the Scientific Literature, analyzed numerous previous studies on the issue and concluded that “there is limited and suggestive evidence of an association between military service and later development of ALS.” 

    “ALS is a disease that progresses rapidly, once it is diagnosed,” the Secretary explained.  “There simply isn’t time to develop the evidence needed to support compensation claims before many veterans become seriously ill.  My decision will make those claims much easier to process, and for them and their families to receive the compensation they have earned through their service to our nation.”

    ALS, also called Lou Gehrig’s disease, is a neuromuscular disease that affects about 20,000 to 30,000 people of all races and ethnicities in the United States , is often relentlessly progressive, and is almost always fatal.  ALS causes degeneration of nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord that leads to muscle weakness, muscle atrophy, and spontaneous muscle activity.  Currently, the cause of ALS is unknown, and there is no effective treatment.

    The new interim final regulation applies to all applications for benefits received by VA on or after September 23, 2008, or that are pending before VA, the United States Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims, or the United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit on that date. VA will work to identify and contact veterans with ALS, including those whose claims for ALS were previously denied, through direct mailings and other outreach programs. 

    To view the entire regulation published in the Federal Register today, go to: www.federalregister.gov/OFRUpload/OFRData/2008-21998_PI.pdf.  For more information on VA’s disability compensation program, go to www.va.gov or contact 1-800-827-1000.

     

  • ceremony set to dedicate new Judge Silvis court 

               A brief public ceremony to officially dedicate the new office of District Judge Lawrence T. Silvis has been scheduled for 12 p.m. Aug. 15 at the court located at 574 Barkeyville Road (state Route 208) in Pine Township, about a half-mile east of the intersection of Routes 208 and 173 just outside Grove City. The court opened for business on July 21.            

                Telephone numbers for the facility are: 724-458-4931, 724-458-5409 and 800-890-7069. The fax number is 724-458-5415. Mercer County municipalities served by this court are: Deer Creek Township , French Creek Township , Grove City Borough, Jackson Township , Jackson Center Borough, Lake Township , Liberty Township , Sandy Lake Borough, Sandy Lake Township , Stoneboro Borough, Wolf Creek Township and Worth Township .

 

  • Judge Silvis court moving, will be closed on july 18 

               The office of Magisterial District Judge Lawrence T. Silvis will be closed on July 18 in order to accommodate a move to a new court location on state Route 208 in Pine Township . The new building, which is scheduled to open on July 21, is about a half-mile east of the intersection of 208 and state Route 173 just outside Grove City . The mailing address is 574 Barkeyville Road , Grove City , Pa. , 16127 .

                New telephone numbers for the facility are: 724-458-4931, 724-458-5409 and 800-890-7069. The fax number is 724-458-5415. Please note the new numbers are in the 724 area code while the soon-to-be-closed Jackson Center office numbers were in the 814 area code. The toll-free number hasn’t changed.

                Mercer County municipalities served by this court are: Deer Creek Township , French Creek Township , Grove City Borough, Jackson Township , Jackson Center Borough, Lake Township , Liberty Township , Sandy Lake Borough, Sandy Lake Township , Stoneboro Borough, Wolf Creek Township and Worth Township .

     

  • two county bridges to be closed for work 

            Mercer County bridges 1502 on McCartney Road in Fairview Township and 1915 on Clay Furnace Road in Jefferson Township will be closed to all vehicular and pedestrian traffic beginning Monday, July 14, 2008, for structure and superstructure replacements, respectively. The projected completion dates are Oct. 13, 2008, for the McCartney Road bridge and Oct. 27, 2008, for the Clay Furnace Road span. Shingledecker’s Welding of Franklin was awarded a $235,013.20 contract for the McCartney Road work while Quality Engineering Solutions of Conneaut Lake garnered a $279,175.16 contract for the Clay Furnace project. For more information, please call the Bridge Department at 724-662-4977.

 

  • CASEY, CCAP and county SEEK YOUTH ADVOCATE NOMINEES    

            There is, perhaps, no one more important in a society than a citizen who advocates for its youth. Because of that, U.S. Sen. Robert P. Casey Jr., D-Pa., and the County Commissioners Association of Pennsylvania are combining forces to recognize such an individual. Anyone who provides civic education, workforce development or social services to youth is eligible for the Youth Development Advocate of the Year Award, which is scheduled to be announced in August at CCAP's annual conference in Valley Forge. The hope is the award will serve to raise awareness of community efforts to improve local standards of living for youth while preparing them for citizenship as they become adults in Pennsylvania communities.

            Mercer County commissioners are seeking nominations from county agencies and residents to forward to Casey's staff for consideration. Counties all over the state are being asked to submit nominees. Casey's staff will then narrow that list to 15 nominees to be submitted to a CCAP review committee for selection of the award winner, who will be invited to join Casey for breakfast in Washington, D.C. 

            "Most people who advocate for youth often do so without any thought of recognition," said Jeff Greenburg, Mercer County's public information officer. "We believe this is a wonderful opportunity for one of the many selfless local individuals who stand up for, mold and guide the children of our county to hopefully earn that moment in the spotlight should they be fortunate enough to be selected."

            Local nominations must be submitted to the Mercer County Courthouse, Mercer, Pa., 16137, in care of Chief Clerk Tim Hofius by June 23. The following information about the nominee should be included with the submission: nominee's name, organization, contact information if other than the nominee, mailing address, phone number and e-mail address; nominee's main activities and whether they're done on behalf of a public, private non-profit or private for-profit agency; qualifications such as youth mobilization and impact, strength of civic message and community needs being met; and any additional comments related to the nominee's achievements. Info: 724-662-3800, ext. 2512.

 

  • student poll worker program  participation soars    

                Eric Reno thought he understood what elections were all about. But the Mercer High School senior really had his eyes opened after serving as a volunteer student poll worker in Mercer County last November. Being involved in one of the most important pieces of the democratic puzzle in this country allowed Reno of Jefferson Township “to realize that there is a lot more that goes into electing someone than what I originally thought.”

    Reno clearly recognized that puzzle’s significance, expressing his appreciation for being allowed to participate in a process that showed him a “part of what our soldiers have been fighting for generations.” While Reno ’s wisdom won’t be in a county polling place on April 22, the equally energetic and enthusiastic commitment of dozens of other Mercer County students will. Participation in the program has soared from three schools and 15 students in November to eight schools and 64 students for the primary. Students from Grove City , Hermitage, Mercer, Reynolds, Sharon , Sharpsville and West Middlesex school districts, as well as Sharon Christian Academy , are slated to assist in 48 of the county’s 100 precincts.

    “I am thrilled to have had such a great response from the county’s schools this year,” said Director of Elections Jeff Greenburg. “This is a great opportunity for students. Our hope is that introducing young people to the process now will motivate them to stay involved as they grow older.”

    Students are simply supplementing the fully staffed complement of poll workers in their precincts, Greenburg explained. They are not being asked to replace or fill in for any of the permanent positions.

    “This is primarily an educational opportunity for them,” Greenburg said.

    Students are required to attend a regular training session alongside the county’s adult poll workers and are sworn in at their precincts on Election Day. Because of their busy schedules, however, students have been given some flexibility in the amount of hours they have to work.

    “If they’re able to work the entire day, we certainly encourage that,” Greenburg said. “But we also recognize many students are involved in multiple extra-curricular activities and can’t commit to a 15-hour day. In the end, I would rather have more students working fewer hours than the opposite. This will hopefully be an experience the students will remember for the rest of their lives.”

    Which appears to have been the case for Reno .

    “Not only has this opportunity allowed me to complete my senior project, but it has added to my life’s experiences,” Reno wrote in a February letter to Greenburg. “Thank you so much and I will never forget my experience.”

     

  • Persian Gulf vets benefits applications available April 4   

            Applications for the Persian Gulf Conflict Veterans’ Benefit Program will be available beginning April 4, the Pennsylvania Department of Military and Veterans Affairs said today.

            “Pennsylvania’s Persian Gulf veterans now will be properly compensated for their service and sacrifice, just as service members who fought in WW I, WW II, the Korean War and the Vietnam War were compensated,” said Major General Jessica L. Wright, the state’s adjutant general. “We have worked long and hard to implement a process that will potentially handle 30,000-plus applications for the Persian Gulf Veterans Bonus and we are eager to put the first of many checks in the mail.”

 

  • munnell run farm to host earth day celebration   

            Families, scouts, youth groups, and other area organizations are invited to join the staff of the Mercer Conservation District and community volunteers at Munnell Run Farm on Saturday, April 19 from 10 am to 1 pm to discover small things everyone can do to help make every day “Earth Day.” Tree planting will be the major activity of the day—followed by lunch.  There is no charge for this program.  All participants will be eligible to win door prizes furnished by area businesses. 

            Pre-registration is requested by April 11. The program fills quickly and is limited to 200 participants, so please register early.  The event will be held rain or shine. Weather-appropriate clothing and waterproof footwear are essential. Volunteers from the Neshannock Chapter of Trout Unlimited will be on hand to give tours of our Cooperative Trout Nursery. 

            For more information, please contact Jill Shankel at 724-662-2242 from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday or e-mail: jshankelmccd@verizon.net  Register on-line at www.munnellrunfarm.org

            Munnell Run Farm is a 163-acre working farm owned by the County of Mercer and managed by the Munnell Run Farm Foundation, Inc. with the support of the Mercer County Conservation District.   Located one mile north of Mercer on Route 58 W, the site demonstrates a number of best management practices that enhance and preserve soil, water, and other natural resources. 

     

     

  • VOTERS TO GET CHANCE TO GET HANDS ON VOTING MACHINE   

                 Mercer County Director of Elections Jeff Greenburg plans to take an iVotronic touch screen voting machine on the road across the county over the next 10 days in order to provide voters an opportunity to practice casting either a visual or audio ballot.

                The April 22 primary will be the fifth election dating to May of 2006 the county has used the touch screen, but Greenburg expects several thousand new voters to cast ballots this year.

                “As is expected in any presidential election year, interest and participation among voters increases significantly so we believe it’s important to make an extra effort to help educate those voters who will be using the machines for the first time,” he said. “We also hope to use the tour to provide veteran voters a chance to get reacquainted with the system.”

                The tour includes the following stops: 10 a.m. to noon March 20 at the Greenville Senior Community Center, 339 E. Jamestown Road ( Keifer Building directly across from the sports complex), West Salem Township ; 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. March 24 in the lobby of the Sharon Municipal Building, 155 West Connelly Blvd., Sharon; 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. March 25 at the Grove City Senior Community Center, 301 South Broad St., Grove City; 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. March 27 at the Shenango Valley Center for Aging and Geriatric Health, 220 North Buhl Farm Drive, Hermitage; and 10 a.m. to noon March 31 at the McQuiston Center by the Park, 29 Railroad St., Sandy Lake.

                For additional information, please call 724-662-7542.  

     

     

  • 87 file for republican precinct committee positions   

                Eighty-seven candidates for Mercer County Republican precinct committee men and women seats successfully submitted petitions to the Mercer County Board of Elections before Tuesday’s deadline. Another four were rejected because they had less than the 10 good signatures that were required. Two positions – one male and one female – will be on the ballot in the April 22 primary in each of the county’s 100 precincts, meaning 200 positions were available.

                Because of the inclement weather, Gov. Edward G. Rendell Tuesday extended the deadline for candidates to file petitions from 5 p.m. Tuesday until noon Thursday. The extension, however, only covers the filing of petitions. It does not extend the deadline for the collection of signatures, which was Tuesday. The extension also moves the last day for filing objections to the petitions to Feb. 21. Until the objection deadline is reached, the ballot is unofficial.

                To view the current state and federal candidates’ list, visit www.dos.state.pa.us. Local Republican committee candidates who will appear on the ballot will be posted on the Mercer County Web site at www.mcc.co.mercer.pa.us (election/voter registration link) as soon as all of the petitions are processed.

                One note for the list currently on line at the Department of State's site related to the Republican State Committee race. One candidate – George Pokrant of Grove City – was incorrectly listed in the wrong county. He should be listed along with other Mercer County candidates Helen E. Forsythe Kirk, Sandy Lake Township ; Walter M. Richardson Jr., Pine Township , and Cindy Robbins, Salem Township . Only three positions are open – one male, one female and one of either gender – in that race, meaning one of the four candidates won’t win.

      n     

  • citizens can apply for new U.S. passport card

      n    U.S. Citizens could begin applying in advance for the new U.S. Passport Card on February 1, 2008, in anticipation of land border travel document requirements.  Cards will be available and mailed to applicants in spring 2008.  The passport card will facilitate entry and expedite document processing at U.S. land and sea port-of-entry when arriving from Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean and Bermuda.  

        The card may not be used to travel by air.  It will otherwise carry the rights and privileges of the U.S. passport book and will be adjudicated to the exact same standards.  The card will have the same validity period as a passport book: 10 years for an adult, 5 years for children 15 years and younger.  For adults who already have a passport book, they may apply for the card as a  passport renewal and pay only $20.  First-time applicants will pay $45 for adult cards and $35 for children.  Also effective  February 1, 2008 fees will change for passport books. Please call the Prothonotary’s Office at 724-662-3800, ext. 2264, or visit travel.state.gov.  

     

  • offices on 2008 primary ballot outlined

        The Mercer County Election Office, as required by law, recently advertised the notice of general primary election in both county daily newspapers. Following is the notice, which outlines the offices that will appear on the April 22, 2008 ballot:

    NOTICE OF GENERAL PRIMARY ELECTION

        In accordance with the provisions of the Pennsylvania Election Code, Act No. 320 of 1937, of the General Assembly, and its amendments, notice is hereby given that the General Primary will be held in the one hundred (100) voting districts of Mercer County on April 22, 2008, at which time the polls will be open from 7:00 AM until 8:00 PM, prevailing time, and the candidates will be nominated for Federal, Commonwealth, County and Party offices as follows by each party entitled to participate:

        President of the United States, State Attorney General, State Auditor General, State Treasurer, Representative in U.S. Congress (3rd and 4th Districts), Representative in the State General Assembly (7th, 8th and 17th Districts).

        Party offices and number to be elected in the primary include: five Democratic delegates to the national convention (3rd Congressional District - three males and two females; 4th Congressional District - two males and three females); one Democratic alternate delegate to the national convention (3rd Congressional District - one female; 4th Congressional District - one male); Republican delegates to the national convention (3rd Congressional District - three; 4th Congressional District  - four; Republican alternate delegates to the national convention (3rd Congressional District - three; 4th Congressional District - four); Republican State Committee members - 3 countywide (one male, one female and one of either gender); Republican Precinct Committee members - one male and one female in each of the county's 100 precincts.

        Petitions to have the name of a candidate printed upon the Official Primary ballots, which are to be filed in the office of the Secretary of the Commonwealth, Harrisburg, must be filed in that office before ordinary closing hour on February 12, 2008, and those to be filed in the office of the Mercer County Bureau of Elections, Mercer County Courthouse, Mercer, must be filed in that office before 4:30 p.m. February 12, 2008.

     

  • precinct maps posted at election office web site

     A new voter or new resident in the county uncertain of which precinct they would vote in now has the ability to access that information on line. The Mercer County election office has posted precinct maps for the 100 precincts in the county at www.mcc.co.mercer.pa.us. Link to Election/Voter Registration and then Precinct Maps. Links are provided for each of the 48 municipalities in the county. Those municipalities that encompass more than one precinct show the boundaries for those precincts. Voters can then go back and link to Polling Locations to get the address of their voting district.

    County elections chief Jeff Greenburg said he had a couple of requests recently for maps and while they were available in the office in books there was not an easy way to distribute them to the public. With the assistance of Chico Askin from the county's MIS department, every map was scanned and downloaded to the county Web site this week.

    “Although it might be just one small step, it’s always a positive for the public when we can make information easier for them to access,” Greenburg said.  

 

  • Pennsylvania primary set for april 22; only democrats and republicans can vote in 'closed' event

        The Mercer County election office has received numerous calls from voters in recent weeks apparently misinformed about the date of Pennsylvania’s primary election, as well as the laws the spell out who can vote in that primary. Interest in the date has been especially heavy in recent days as the Feb. 5 “Super Duper Tuesday” primaries and caucuses slated for 24 states are on tap. Some confused voters believe Pennsylvania ’s primary is also on Tuesday. It is scheduled for April 22.

         In addition, because laws vary from state-to-state, some voters believe they can vote in the primary regardless of their party registration. Pennsylvania conducts “closed” primaries, which means only registered Democrats can vote for Democrats and only registered Republicans can vote for Republicans. Independent, non-affiliated and minor party voters cannot vote in April. If someone wants to vote in either party’s primary, however, they still have until March 24 to change their registration. All voters regardless of affiliation obviously are eligible to vote in the November general election.

 

  • new faces, information access lead county into 2008

    New faces and electronic embraces, perhaps, best describe the direction of Mercer County as it heads optimistically out of 2007 and into 2008. Incumbent Commissioner Brian Beader was joined on the board that oversees a nearly $70 million annual budget by newcomers John Lechner and Kenneth Ammann after all won seats in the November election. The service of commissioners Olivia M. Lazor and Ken Seamans came to an end as neither sought re-election. The new board immediately appointed Tim Hofius as the county’s new chief clerk.

    Veteran row officers – Sheriff Bill Romine, Prothonotary Liz Fair, Clerk of Courts and Register Kathy Kloos, Recorder Rhonda McClelland and Coroner J. Bradley McGonigle III – were all returned to office by voters. But a significant change in leadership occurred in the District Attorney’s office where Robert Kochems assumed the reins from long-time county top cop James Epstein. After 22 years in the post and more than three decades as a prosecutor overall, Epstein didn’t seek re-election.

    Making information more readily accessible to the public was an important focus of county officials and one that will continue to be addressed in the future. For the first time in county history, citizens can access on the county’s Web site – www.mcc.co.mercer.pa.us – commissioners’ agendas before public meetings, approved minutes after the meetings and even campaign finance reports of many local elected officials. A county news link was also added. Residents interested in finding a lost dog, monitoring the progress of a criminal case or searching for property information can also do so via the Internet.

    Pending upgrades at the county’s 911 Center in phone answering, computer aided dispatch and GIS/Mapping will improve safety for residents. The location of a cell phone user injured in an accident and unaware of their location, for example, will be able to be pinpointed within 100 yards.

 

  • County among state leaders in dog license sales

            Don’t think dogs are a big part of the lives of Mercer County residents? Well, think again. In 2006, only 14 counties in the entire state sold more licenses than Mercer County ’s total of 17,885. Among counties in the 9-member northwest region, Mercer County was number one in licenses sold.  

            The county treasurer’s office, under the direction of Ginny Steese Richardson, is responsible for the sale and issuance of different licenses and permits, including dog licenses. All dogs three months or older must be licensed. Since Ms. Richardson first took office, she established five dog licensing programs: outside agents; lost dog search; a phone number printed on the back of the dog license tag; dog license information at the county web site; and direct mailing to county residents.

            Outside agents, appointed by Ms. Richardson, have made it more convenient for residents to purchase licenses in more than a dozen communities. Agents for 2008: Bill’s Field and Stream, Transfer; Burnett’s Jamestown Hardware; Country Crossing Gift & Collectibles, Volant; Greenville Agway; Grove City Agway; Hermitage Agway; Hillcrest Flynn Pet Funeral Home and Crematory, Hermitage; Hurlbert’s Hardware, Greenville; McCartney’s Feed and Hardware, Fredonia; Sandy Lake Mills; Sereday’s True Value, West Middlesex; Shenango Valley Animal Shelter, Hermitage; South Pymatuning Township Muncipal Building; Tomeo Farms, Mercer; Twig’s Reloading Den, Mercer; Wagler’s Camp Perry, Clarks Mills; and Wilmington Township Municipal Building. 

            Another innovative program is the “lost dog search,” which allows finders of lost licensed dogs to log onto the county web site at www.mcc.co.mercer.pa.us to locate the pet’s owner. Even if the finder doesn’t have access to a computer, a phone number is on the back of all dog licenses that allows the owner’s information to be obtained.  A direct mailing featuring the license application, funded by the Bureau of Dog Law, has also been sent out the past six years to approximately 50,000 residents. 

     

  • Beader named chairman; work sessions on Wednesdays

             Mercer County Board of Commissioners held its reorganization meeting today, electing the following officers: Brian Beader, chairman; Kenneth Ammann, vice-chairman; and John Lechner, secretary.

                Actions, all which were unanimously approved, included:

    ·     Appointing Tim Hofius as chief clerk for the county;

    ·     Re-appointing William J. Madden as county solicitor and William J. McConnell Jr. as assistant county solitor;

    ·     Adopting meeting dates for 2008. Those dates can be found on the county's main page at www.mcc.co.mercer.pa.us.

    The board approved one significant change to its public meeting schedule, moving the chief clerk’s meeting – or commissioner work session – from Tuesdays to 9 a.m. Wednesdays, beginning this month, in the commissioner's conference room on the first floor of the courthouse. On the weeks agenda reviews are scheduled, including this week, the agenda review will immediately follow the work session.