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Wolf to allow Pa. budget, end 9-month budget battle

By TONY SONITA
After a nine-month im-
passe, Pennsylvania has a
2015-2016 state budget.
Gov. Tom Wolf announced
Wednesday what he would
allow the $6.6 billion budget
package on his desk to be-
come law.
In doing so, the standoff
ended between the Democrat-
ic governor and the Republi-
can-controlled Legislature.
In a statement, Wolf said
he will not sign the budget,
which will automatically be-
come law. He said his inaction
will allow “funding to go out
to schools and other services
in the short term.”
“Let’s be clear: The math
in this budget does not work,”
the statement stated. “Next fis-
cal year – that already has a $2
billion deficit – will now be-
gin with an extra $300 million
deficit. Ratings agencies and
the Independent Fiscal Office
have all agreed that we face a
massive structural deficit.”
Wolf said that, left unad-
dressed, the deficit will force
cuts to schools and human
services and result in “devas-
tating” credit downgrades that
will cost taxpayers millions
and increase property taxes
for senior citizens.
“We must face this reality
this year and balance our bud-
get with real, sustainable rev-
enues,” Wolf said.
Area Republicans celebrat-
ed the Wolf decision.
In a Facebook state-
ment, state Sen. Pat Stefano,
R-Bullskin Township, said,
“It is clear that the near-cer-
tain override vote that would
have followed his previously
threatened veto caused him to
reverse course on his reckless
announcement to veto yet an-
other balanced budget.
“I am relieved that our
schools will remain open, 4-H
clubs will be able operate and
the Constitution will be fol-
lowed with regard to who gets
appropriate funds.”
Stefano told the Daily Cou-
rier on Wednesday that the
complete release of subsi-
dies to the Connellsville Area
School District will help it to
deal with financial matters.
However, he said it will not
fix any problems.
“Connellsville only had
enough funds to keep open
until April. This solves that,”
he said. “But their budget is-
sues are still prevalent. They
are going to have to point the
finger back at themselves.”
“While the budget impasse
is good news, it does not solve
the problem of equitable fund-
ing in education,” Connells-
ville Area School District
Superintendent Phil Martell
said in an email to The Dai-
ly Courier. “In addition, the
Republican version that Gov.
Wolf allowed to pass should
include all of CASD’s PLAN-
CON reimbursement as he
told the school board. This ad-
ditional millions will help the
men,women and students of
the CASD.”
Martell said the district is
“looking forward to the sena-
tor’s pledge to get CASD their
well overdue reimbursement.”
“I am happy we have this
budget in place,” said state
Rep. Ryan Warner, R-Per-
ryopolis. “I think the gover-
nor finally realized he did not
See BudgET on Page A3

Water CAHS students in BotsIQ

authority
approves
rate
increase
By TONY SONITA
The North Fayette County
Municipal Authority agreed
to increase usage rates by 8
percent in July.
Customers now pay an $8
monthly minimum charge
plus $4.74 per 1,000 gallons
used up to one million gal-
lons per month. After the ini-
tial one million gallons, each
1,000 gallons used costs
$3.25.
Beginning in July, cus-
tomers will pay a $9 month-
ly charge plus $5.15 per
1,000 gallons used up to
See WATER on Page A3
Charges against
former swim
coach waived
to court
By MARK HOFMANN
A former Laurel High-
lands YMCA swim coach
accused of inappropriate
contact with a team member
has received a plea offer.
Laurel Lynn Highlands,
43, of 192 Forsythe Road,
Ruffsdale, waived her right
Tuesday to a preliminary
hearing in Fayette County
Central Court on a stalking
Kelly Vernon | For The Daily Courier and harassment charge.
Connellsville Area High School students, from left, Collin Mastowski, 17, Nycholas Under the tentative plea
Price, 16 and Ben Ream of Team The Boomers make final adjustments to their ro- deal, Highlands would be
bot during the preliminary round of the SWPA BotsIQ competition at Westmoreland admitted to the county’s Ac-
County Community College recently.
celerated Rehabilitative Dis-
position program for first-
time, nonviolent offenders,
District Attorney Richard
Bower confirmed.
If Highlands completes all
requirements of the program,
she will be able to petition
the county court to have her
criminal record wiped clean.
State police at Uniontown
allege Highlands, then coach
of the Laurel Highlands
YMCA Swim Team in East
Huntingdon Township, sent
more than 3,800 text mes-
See SWIM on Page A3

‘Journey of Paradise church

the Cross’ to
be presented
By MARILYN FORBES
The Central Fellowship
Church will present “Journey
to the Cross” noon to 6 p.m.
Friday.
“This is a self-paced jour-
ney,” coordinator Mike Stange
said of the Good Friday event.
“It is a time to slow down and
leave the business of your life
at the entrance. It’s a time to
focus on Jesus.”
The event will mark its third
year at the 316 N. Arch St.,
Connellsville parish.
“I saw something like this
at a church in Uniontown and
then I brought the idea to our
church,” Stange said.
He said the Central Fellow-
ship parishioners considered
the program for some time be-
fore it was launched.
Ten areas of the church
will be established as sites
for meditation and reflection,
each symbolizing a stage of
Christ’s journey to the cross.
A prop or object will be lo-
cated in each room to symbol-
ize part of the journey.
“The first room will con-
tain a TV set with only static,”
Stange said.” The idea there is
to shut off the TV to shut off
the noise of the world and give
people time to prepare.”
Stange said “The Journey
of the Cross” is not about an
agenda or an effort to meet
anyone’s expectations.
“It is simply a time and a bles some of the items that will be displayed for “Jour-
See CROSS on Page A3 ney to the Cross.”
plans special
Easter program
By MARILYN FORBES people who were there at the
crucifixion,” she said.
Parishioners from Paradise
United Methodist Church Church members will por-
tray the main figures: the
will present an Easter program
in which they will portray peo- Apostle John; Jesus’ mother,
Mary; Mary Magdalene; and a
ple who witnessed the crucifix-
Roman centurion.
ion of Jesus.
“Each of the characters will
The public presentation will
present a short monologue of
take place 7:30 p.m. Friday at
what they saw and how they
the church at 105 Hoke Road
felt that day,” Fisher said.
in Bullskin Township.
She said the monologues
“For years, they did an Eas-
were taken from the Pepper
ter cantata, but it went by the Choplin work, “We Were
wayside,” Musical Director
There.”
Kelly Fisher said.
“Instead of doing a regular
Fisher said she wanted to cantata, we wanted to change it
bring something visual back to
Marilyn Forbes | For The Daily Courier up, adding drama,” Fisher said.
the church.
Mike Stange of the Central Fellowship Church assem- The event will open with
“The drama that we are do-
ing is four separate stories of See PARAdISE on Page A3

DEATHS
Philip M. Brocco, Vanderbilt
Thomas J. Hodnik, Dunbar
Welcome to the NEW Daily Courier! WESTPENN
Mary R.McFadden, Scottdale
Anna Rose Walasky, South Connellsville
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