Nov 17, 2012 3 min read

A look at some of the headlines gracing the pages of the Observer-Reporter and Waynesburg Republican this week in Greene County history:

New dam at Duke Lake

in design phase

The state Department of Conservation and Natural Resources announced Tuesday that it will begin to design a new dam to restore the 62-acre lake at Ryerson Station State Park.

Duke Lake, formed by the dam, was drained in July 2005 for safety reasons after inspections by DCNR and the Department of Environmental Protection uncovered cracks in the dam and water seepage.

A month later a portion of the dam spillway was removed to prevent the reservoir from refilling after heavy rains.

nSkate park to be discussed

WAYNESBURG – The borough parks commission will discuss the possibility of building a skateboarding park at a meeting in the borough building on High Street.

Borough officials planned to talk about the idea last month, but that meeting had to be canceled. The parks commission is encouraging residents, particularly young skaters, to get involved and provide ideas of which features should be included and how to raise money for the project.

If plans materialize, the park could be built near the Central Park playground between Greene and High streets.

21-year-old named

Carmichaels mayor

CARMICHAELS – A 21-year-old Duquesne University student was appointed by Carmichaels Borough Council on Tuesday to be the borough’s next mayor.

Michael Peccon will replace Norma Kelley, who resigned last month after she and her husband, borough councilman the Rev. Harold Kelley, moved to Cumberland Township.

Peccon, who was the only person to apply for the mayor’s position, said following the meeting that he wanted to be mayor to give something back to the community that has been his lifelong home.

The mayor in Carmichaels Borough has little authority.

Columbia ordered

to continue furnishing gas

WAYNESBURG – The free natural gas service, which has been provided to several Greene County households over the course of several decades, was about to be eliminated by next week. But, thanks to a Greene County Court decision issued Friday, the heating fuel will continue to flow, at least for a while.

Columbia Natural Resources and its affiliated companies, including the utility provider, Columbia Gas of Pennsylvania, wanted to eliminate the source of free gas for 20 to 30 homes located in various areas of the county Nov. 29.

Columbia previously signed contracts with the owners of these properties, in which the natural gas company agreed to supply the house with free residential gas service. In return, Columbia took control of any gas wells on the residents’ property and sold that gas for profit.

Commissioners ask Stout

to intervene in water problem

State Sen. J. Barry Stout has been asked to intervene with the state Department of Community Affairs in an effort to resolve the impasse hat has developed over completion of the Center Township water line project.

Greene County Commissioner L.R. Santore said he has asked Stout to attempt to work out the problem. The first section of the water line laid with $114,000 in DCA community development block grant funding fell short of reaching 10 of 12 houses targeted to receive water.

The shortfall was created when a a rock condition and the need to relocate underground telephone lines reduced the amount of line that could be laid with the available money.

1,200 miners to be idled

for walkout

Robena miners returned to work with the midnight shift Sunday, but today they will start an enforced two-day vacation.

U.S. Steel Corp. announced that Robena miners would be disciplined for two days for participating in what the firm described as “unauthorized walkout” Thursday and Friday of last week.