CLARK, PA. Aid arrives for cleanup

CLARK, Pa. -- Pennsylvania has provided $100,000 to help pay for cleanup done in the aftermath of the Nov. 10 tornado that tore through this small Mercer County borough.
Mayor Douglas Bradley said the check arrived Friday, about a month after the state said the grant had been approved. Bradley said Clark had asked for $140,000.
The money approved "will get us back on our feet," he said. "This is a real breath of life for us."
The money will be used to cover police, fire and street-department costs incurred by the borough and neighboring municipalities that sent crews to help, Bradley said. It will also pay for rebuilding berms and ditches and repairing roads damaged by rescue and construction vehicles.
Bradley said the borough has already had a couple of new homes built, and others are under construction or about to begin. A lot of damaged homes have already been repaired, he said.
Meanwhile, South Pymatuning Township, which was also hard hit by the twister, has yet to receive the $40,000 in state aid it was promised.
Michael Nashtock, township supervisor, said the township asked for $50,000 shortly after the tornado, but it has since spent nearly $130,000 on cleanup work. The township is covering the expense by cutting or delaying various township projects.
The twister destroyed more than a dozen homes, seriously damaged 12 more and did light to moderate damage to about 100 others as it moved across this area of the county. Other areas hit include Hermitage and Sharon.
It also killed one man, Charles E. Templeton, 81, of 22 Milton St., Clark, and injured 18 other people.