Oct 19, 2013 5 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:

Book it: Senior trip back on

MAPLETOWN – Members of Mapletown High School’s senior class came to the Southeastern Greene School Board meeting Thursday hoping for the best, but prepared for the worst.

They left the meeting embracing the former.

The class called on its president, Kaitlyn Novak, to persuade the board to rescind a June 21, 2007, resolution abolishing the senior class trip. She succeeded, but with conditions.

Last year, the board voted that “beginning in the 2007-2008 school year, the senior class trip would not occur during the school year.” The action apparently was precipitated by an incident during the 2006 trip to Florida, although no details of what occurred were made public Thursday.

It was learned, however, that four students were punished but the punishment was never served because the students graduated.

“The district didn’t enforce the punishment, so now they (the board) are taking out the punishment on us,” Novak said during an executive session while the board was ostensibly mulling over whether to reinstate the trip.

Novak described the board’s decision as a “reactionary policy,” saying there are liability issues with athletics and other extracurricular activities. “It’s unlikely you will take away any sports,” she said.

So, when the meeting reconvened, the board voted 8-0 to rescind the 2007 motion and give the seniors their trip before graduation.

W. Greene hires former J-M business manager

NEW FREEPORT – After being without a permanent business manager since March, West Greene School Board filled the position Thursday with a former administrator from Jefferson-Morgan School District.

Valerie Caprini of Deemston will take over the post Nov. 10. She will be paid $50,000 a year. Caprini worked as Jefferson-Morgan’s business manager for nearly four years before that board decided not to renew her contract in 2001.

West Greene has relied on William Kruck, a private contractor, to manage its financial affairs while the district searched for a permanent business manager. Kruck has filled those responsibilities since former business manager Chuck Lanna resigned seven months ago.

“Thank you, Mr. Kruck, we appreciate your help in the interim,” commented Director Debbie Crouse after the measure to hire Caprini passed 8-0. Director Rosemary Fletcher was absent.

This is not the first time West Greene and Jefferson-Morgan have swapped administrators. Charles Rembold used to hold the top administrative post at West Greene before he became Jefferson-Morgan’s superintendent in August 2002.

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Students participate in murder exercise

WAYNESBURG – Festus R. Slugem lies motionless on a couch, surrounded by beer bottles while country music blares on a nearby radio, and the television plays Scooby Doo reruns.

His face is pale. The flowered couch cushions and pillows under Mr. Slugem are stained with blood that flows from three gunshot wounds – two to the chest and one to the head.

His wife, Iden A. Slugem, a bruised and battered woman, sits in a nearby chair clutching a gun, obviously in shock over the event that just occurred. When authorities arrive, they immediately take the weapon from Slugem and document it as evidence while quickly taking her into police custody.

The long process to find out what really happened now begins, and officials have their work cut out for them.

This scene is a dramatization of a domestic violence situation turned deadly. It served as part of the Mock Crime Scene competition held at Waynesburg College Saturday.

Festus, Iden, and the others who played out this scene were volunteers. Most of them are criminal justice and forensic science majors from the college, who took time out of their weekend to role-play for high school students interested in these fields.

County halts all spending

WAYNESBURG – Because of an unfavorable third-quarter financial report, the Greene County commissioners have imposed a freeze on all purchases except those of an emergency nature.

County Manager Stephen Love announced the cost-saving measures data the Oct. 13 commissioners’ meeting. He said the decision came in light of a forecast by Controller John Stets that the county will record another year of deficit operations in 1988, adding to the $500,000 deficit with which it began the year.

“This is a full-blown spending freeze,” Love said. “The only purchases that will be permitted for the balance of the year are those needed for an emergency situation.”

Donna Huffman, a member of the controller’s office staff, said third-quarter figures are still being analyzed and that details on the status of each department should be available by next week.

I-79 section opening set November 1st

The Greater Waynesburg Area Chamber of Commerce is planning a ribbon-cutting ceremony for 11 a.m. Friday, Nov. 1, to mark the opening of Interstate 79 into Waynesburg.

The ceremony will be conducted as the Washington-Greene County line, which is crossed by the final section to be built and which is to be completed and ready for use on that date.

Opening on the section between Ruff Creek and Washington will complete the road form Waynesburg to a point at Heidelberg, just south of the Pittsburgh Parkway.

It is expected to be several years before I-79 is built from Waynesburg south to the state line at Mt. Morris, where it will tie into sections now under construction in West Virginia.