A look back in history
A look at some of the headlines gracing the pages of the Observer-Reporter and Waynesburg Republican this week in Greene County history:
Council, Monon Center
call truce over building
WAYNESBURG – Greensboro council and Monon Center Inc., who have been fighting over ownership of a historical building, agreed Wednesday to back off and negotiate a purchase price.
The nonprofit corporation, Monon Center Inc., owns the 103-year-old building of the same name. But the building has lain dormant for several years, and council wants to take ownership and restore it.
In August, council tried to condemn the Monon Center, but in Greene County Court on Wednesday, they decided to abandon that attempt while a purchase price is negotiated. In turn, the corporation agreed to abandon its fight against the condemnation.
Any artifacts and other property inside the building will also not be included in the negotiations at this time.
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Dangerous gas levels
idle mine
WAYNESBURG – Foundation Coal Co’s Emerald Mine was idled Tuesday after a Mine Safety and Health Administration inspector detected dangerous levels of oxygen and methane in a sealed area of the mine.
The levels were detected behind only one of a number of seals that separate the formerly mined area from the areas now being mined, said Todd Allen, vice president of investor and media relations.
The combination of oxygen and methane at certain levels can be highly explosive.
Federal panel says
Greene economy improving
WAYNESBURG – Things are beginning to look up for the economy of Greene County, according to a federal agency that provides assistance to poor Appalachian counties.
Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) recently announced that as of fiscal year 2004, Greene and Fayette counties no longer will be categorized economically “distressed” counties.
Both counties will be considered “transitional” counties, an improvement, but still several steps away from the status of an “attainment” county, which is a county that meets the national averages regarding poverty, employment and income statistics.
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No one appears at hearing
on salvage yard cleanup
JEFFERSON – A public hearing Thursday on the state Department of Environmental Protection’s plan to remove contaminated soil from the Ruschel Auto Salvage yard in Jefferson Township was over as quickly as it began.
No one showed up for the hearing, held in the auditorium at Jefferson-Morgan High School. DEP’s proposal for cleaning up the site was read into the record by DEP project manager Annette Paluh, and the meeting was adjourned.
DEP had conducted soil tests at the property and found the surface soil contaminated by hazardous materials, which had leaked from batteries and automobile gas tanks stored there. Among the substances found at the site were arsenic, chromium, lead, iron, nickel and dichloromethane, Paluh said.
LTV awards pact
to seal mine
WAYNESBURG – LTV Steel Corp. announced it has awarded a contract to seal the Nemacolin Mine, a move that closes the door on any attempt by another company to purchase the facility.
The fate of LTV’s Clyde Mine in Washington County, however, is undecided, as LTV continues to negotiate with another party for the sale of the property.
According to LTV spokesman Jim Butler, the contract for sealing Nemacolin was let to a company that does not wish to be identified.
The awarding of the contract “literally puts the likelihood of another party reopening the facility out of the question,” Butler said.
Jacket gridders name
Hornak MVP for 1967
Joe Hornak, Waynesburg College’s 60-minute man, has been named as the most valuable player on the 1967 Yellow Jacket football team.
A 6-2, 213 pound junior from Donora, Hornak will receive the Lettermen’s Club Award, which is given annually to the football team member who has made the greatest contribution toward the success of the team during the season. The recipient is chosen by a vote of the squad.