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ournal-herald THURSDAY, AUGUST 29, 2024 • Volume 44 – No. 1
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CONTINUING: THE WHITE HAVEN JOURNAL ESTABLISHED 1879–145th YEAR, NO. 40
(USPS 277440)
CONTINUING: THE WEATHERLY HERALD ESTABLISHED 1880–145th YEAR, NO. 14
Weatherly wall to be repaired and replaced by Ruth Isenberg
NEW WHITE HAVEN POLICE CHIEF
Richard Mocafin, left, is congratulated by White Haven Borough council president John Klem, center, and Mayor Fred Meier, after his appointment at the borough council meeting on Monday, August 26. The appointment was unanimous. After the departure of interim chief Joanna Jinks in March, Sgt. Mocafin was named Officer In Charge. Council member Bob Lamson, who serves on the police committee, praised his hard work during that period and JH: Ruth Isenberg expressed council’s appreciation.
Weatherly Borough Council heard a presentation by Pickering, Corts & Summerson Engineers and the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation regarding the Creek Wall Project at their August 27 meeting. Laura Montgomery from PennDOT District 5, and Jenna Herbst from PCS presented drawings of a plan to replace the crumbling wall along Hudsondale Street. Funding is available, and PennDOT expects to put it out for bids as a design-build project this fall. The contractor who is selected will finish the design work, and do any property acquisitions. The job will involve moving utility poles, tearing down part of the wall and then replacing it, and closure of a section of Hudsondale Street while construction is going on. Construction is not expected
to begin until the spring of 2026, with completion that fall. Weatherly Mayor Paul Hadzick asked what would happen if the wall collapses before then. Montgomery replied that it would then be an emergency situation, and a different funding source would be tapped. Neighbors had concerns about the effect of removing the wall on their properties, as well as access for emergency vehicles. A suggestion to approach the project from the stream side, rather than from the road, was acknowledged but Montgomery said could prove difficult, because Norfolk Southern owns the property and would need to grant right-of-way, and because historic buildings could be affected. Council member Mike Bellizia sympathized with the concerns of neighbors, but added, “That wall is literally falling down.” The project will inconvenience everyone, he noted, but it needs to be done.
Parking change gets OK to ease garbage collection by Ruth Isenberg White Haven Borough Council Meeting voted to approve changes to parking on Northumberland Street following a hearing at the August 26 council meeting, though not everyone was happy with the decision.
The change prohibits parking on the even side of Northumberland Street between the hours of 6 a.m. and 1 p.m. on Mondays. This change will allow residents to put their garbage out at the curb in front of their homes, rather than in
See WHITE HAVEN, page 11
READY FOR MUSIC: Kartune was setting up, and the audience was enjoying food and fun at the Weatherly Festival on Friday. More pics on page 10. JH: Seth Isenberg