Saturday, June 26, 2004
Representatives of the Pennsylvania Treasury will be at the Mercer County Grange Fair July 4-10 looking to give money away. They work for the Unclaimed Property Bureau, which is holding $952 million in unclaimed property, such as cash, jewelry or other assets that people have failed to claim over the years from old bank accounts, safe deposit boxes or other sources. Treasurer Barbara Hafer said the outreach program, sending personnel out to events such as the fair, have been helpful in returning some of that property. Treasury representatives will be equipped with laptop computers able to determine, on the spot, if someone has unclaimed property being held by the department. The representatives will be at the fair, on Pa. Route 58 one mile east of Mercer Borough, from 4 to 9 p.m. July 4 through July 9 and from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. July 10.
Help for fire departments
Pennsylvania Rep. Rod Wilt of Greenville, R-17th, says there's a lot of money available to help rural volunteer fire departments fill equipment and training needs. The Department of Conservation and Natural Resources' Bureau of Forestry is accepting grants for such projects to be funded from a pool of $495,000. The maximum possible grant is $7,500. Program information is available by calling the department at (717) 787-2925.
Conservation grants
State Rep. Chris Sainato of New Castle announced that communities in his legislative district will get state Community Conservation Partnership Program grants. The Department of Conservation and Natural Resources administers the Community Conservation Partnerships Program in an effort to preserve natural resources across Pennsylvania. Bessemer in Lawrence County will get a $20,000 grant to renovate and further develop the Bessemer playground. New Castle will get a $38,000 grant to further develop Cascade Park.
Union Township is also getting a $13,599 recycling grant from the state Department of Environmental Protection, Sainato said. The funding is based on the total tons recycled and the municipality's overall recycling rate.
XCONTRIBUTORS: Harold Gwin, Vindicator Sharon Bureau; Laure Cioffi, New Castle Bureau