6:08 p.m. Update: PennDOT gets tough with gas drilling companies

State Department of Transportation officials met Wednesday in Montoursville with representatives from gas drilling companies operating in the area and told them they will need to deploy whatever resources it takes to keep the state routes in Bradford and other counties safe and passable, or they will have their permits to use the roads revoked, PennDOT Maintenance Services Manager Brian J. Toseki said at a meeting in Towanda of the Bradford County Gas Advisory Committee.

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Gorman wins big in Waverly Village election

Mary Gorman was the big winner Tuesday night in the local election for a spot on the Village of Waverly Board of Trustees.

Gorman, an incumbent, received 60 votes Tuesday, and ran unopposed for re-election. Newcomers Joseph Chandler and William Kraus also ran unopposed, and received 43 votes and 56 votes, respectively. Kraus and Chandler are replacing Waverly trustees Tom Bellinger and Dave McIsaac, who opted not to run for re-election.

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Chesapeake to hold lease-signing event for Towanda-area landholders

Chesapeake Energy Corp. has mailed out letters to certain residents in the greater Towanda area inviting them to a private lease-signing event on March 20 at the Wysox Fire Hall in Wysox.

A copy of one of the letters of invitation shows that Chesapeake is offering 10-year oil and gas leases that would pay $5,000 per acre with a 20 percent royalty on gas that is extracted.

The letter indicates that Chesapeake has invited landowners from Towanda, North Towanda, Wysox, Standing Stone, Monroeton, Asylum, Wyalusing and Herrick to the event.

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Pickett discusses roads

State Rep. Tina Pickett said better communication is needed to alert the public about the repair of area secondary roads battered by freeze-thaw cycles and heavy-truck traffic.

Earlier, PennDOT said those factors were causing the roads to deteriorate.

Pickett said she contacted the director of the Marcellus Shale Coalition, a group whose members are gas companies, on Monday about an idea she had to inform the public. The director of the group is Kate Klaber.

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PennDOT posting weight restriction on bridge in New Albany

PennDOT posting weight restriction on bridge in New Albany

The bridge carrying New Albany-Wyalusing Road (state Route 2010) over the South Branch of Towanda Creek in New Albany Borough is being posted with a weight restriction of 16 tons and "bridge limited to one truck at a time" effective immediately, according to a press release from PennDOT.

The release continues:

The bridge has been experiencing significant damage to its deck due to a high volume of heavy-truck traffic.

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NTCC approves gas lease

The Northern Tier Career Center joint operating committee has approved a gas lease with Chesapeake Energy for $6,500 an acre for its 72.57 acres, according to acting NTCC director Marty Kane.

The school's joint operating committee unanimously approved the agreement at its Jan. 28 meeting.

The royalty rate on the lease is 20 percent, he said.

Also, the lease is for five years, and is renewable for three years, he noted.

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New children's librarian on board

WEST BURLINGTON TWP. - Sarah Stoody of Waverly, N.Y. has a job where she gets to relive her childhood.

As the new children's librarian at the Bradford County Library in West Burlington Township, the 27-year-old, originally from the Columbus, Ohio area, said she likes sharing books she read as a kid to a new generation of readers.

Stoody said she will enjoy reading the kids books from her childhood, including such titles as "Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day" and picture books by author Mercer Mayer. She also enjoys "The Berenstain Bears," the "Harry Potter" books and "Charlotte's Web."

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