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| Inside this edition: More questions than answers on missing public money, state budget surplus could run dry without changes, and flooding impacts. |
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A stack of credit cards. (Courtesy frankieleon / Flickr Creative Commons) |
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Real quick: More than a half million dollars in taxpayer money is missing from a Centre County township, and local officials say it might have been misappropriated. They won't discuss whether they had recommended financial policies in place.
A little more: When residents learned that a Centre County township is investigating the potential misuse of more than $532,000 by a suspended employee, many asked: How could such a large sum of public money disappear without scrutiny?
Officials in Gregg Township have provided few details but did say an employee might have used a credit card for the transactions in question. They’ve promised a full public report once an investigation by Pennsylvania State Police is complete.
The employee, who Spotlight PA is not naming because they haven’t been charged with a crime, has been suspended without pay.
The rural township, which has about 2,200 residents and last reported an annual budget of about $714,000, is overseen by a three-member Board of Supervisors. It’s their job to authorize spending and make sure public funds are disbursed accordingly.
Supervisor Ben Haupt declined to answer on the record when Spotlight PA asked if the township had any policies about financial responsibilities in place during the employee’s tenure. He would say only that officials started working on such policies after they suspended the employee.
The full story: Read more here. |
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» Without cuts or new revenue, Pa.'s budget surplus is on track to run dry
» How Pennsylvanians are helping their older neighbors age comfortably
» New Pennsylvania law will return some unclaimed money without a claim
» Robert F. Kennedy Jr., third-party candidates face ballot challenges in Pennsylvania
» New video shows Pa. officer’s tense encounter with Trump shooter before assassination attempt
» PEOPLE POWER: Join us Aug. 22 from 6-7 p.m. on Zoom for a live panel on the challenges local governments face in attracting and retaining people to serve. Register for the event here and submit your questions to events@spotlightpa.org. |
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The view from U.S. Route 219 in McKean County, via Isaac S.
Have a north-central Pennsylvania photo to share? Send it to us by email, use #PAGems on Instagram, or tag us @spotlightpennsylvania. |
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Want us to list your event? Send it to us.
» Aug. 15-17: Unspoken Tradition headlines the Stony Fork Music Fest in Wellsboro, Tioga County.
» Aug. 16-24: Experience “the best days of summer” at Centre County Grange Fair.
» Aug. 17: Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Centre County hosts its annual yard sale, with items like furniture, kitchen supplies, jewelry, books, and more.
» Aug. 17: Downtown DuBois, in Clearfield County, hosts the Mac N Cheese Festival.
» Aug. 17: Learn “old-fashioned skills” at Greenwood Furnace State Park in Huntingdon County. |
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An anagram is a word, phrase, or name formed by rearranging the letters of another. For example, “spotlight” also forms “stoplight.”
Decode the anagram and send your answer to talkofthetown@spotlightpa.org. We’ll shout out winners here, and one each week will get some Spotlight PA State College swag.
S A P P E R
Good luck!
Last week’s answer: Thinker
There were no new winners this week. Send this newsletter to your friends so they get a shot at receiving Spotlight PA State College swag! Those who answered correctly: Carol S., Leann T., Kevin M, and Rick W.
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Do you have events, community shoutouts, questions about our region, or tips on stories that we should pursue? Email our team.
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