The 2021 year in Review
In January, CNX Resources Corporation - working in partnership with the Community Foundation of Greene County - provided West Greene School District a $15,000 technology grant that was used to purchase 50 Chromebooks, helping ensure students would be able to complete their assignments without interruption whether or not schools remain open due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Pictured, from left to right, are Brian Jackson, superintendent, West Greene School District; Bettie Stammerjohn, executive director, Community Foundation of Greene County; Bob Ward, director of technology, West Greene School District; Blake Lightholder, CNX; Tim Rinehart, CNX; Erica Whetstone, CNX; Travis Rastoka, CNX; Craig Bland, CNX; Eric Gaydos, academic director, West Greene School District; and Jeff McCracken, board chairman, Community Foundation of Greene County.
Renovations began at Greene County Airport鈥檚 administration building in April, a month after a fire ripped through the control tower鈥檚 radio room March 24. (Photo by Mike Jones)
In an interview with the Messenger in April, Ryerson Station State Park Manager Alan Johnson said the county鈥檚 state park near Wind Ridge in western Greene County was continuing its ongoing and massive 鈥淩evision Ryerson鈥� plan, which includes the modernization of its campgrounds and the construction of a new aquatics center. This is a photo of the new aquatics center being built at Ryerson Station State Park. The spray park construction is seen on the right of the photo, and ongoing construction of the new pool is seen on the left.
State and local officials joined the Greene County Chamber of Commerce and representatives from Kinetic by Windstream for a ribbon-cutting ceremony held on April 23 to mark a partnership with Kinetic and the county geared to bringing new projects designed to provide gigabit speeds through broadband expansion in Greene County.
Jeffry Christopher died May 25 after a nearly 12-hour standoff with police at his Cumberland Township residence in Route 88 Mobile Home Park. (Photo by Mike Jones)
Officials announced in June that the Commonwealth Financing Authority has approved a $100,000 grant to be used to demolish the old bank building in Rices Landing that they say is posing a health and safety risk.
As another year winds down, the Greene County Messenger is taking a journey back in time to review the biggest local news stories that occurred in 2021.
The 2021 Year in Review will be published in two installments. This week, we present eight important news stories that occurred in the first six months of the year.
The following articles are presented in chronological order. They are not listed by order of importance or precedence.
Area school districts update COVID-19 plans for instruction
The year started where the previous year left off, with the COVID-19 pandemic impacting every aspect of life for area residents. This included the county鈥檚 school districts, which announced updates in early January about plans for continuing hybrid, remote or in-person learning models of instruction.
Carmichaels Area School district announced Jan. 7 its decision to continue virtual learning through the remainder of January, because of rising COVID-19 numbers in the area, while Central Greene School District administration announced that students would continue remote learning through and including Jan. 19, which had been necessitated by the recommendations of the state鈥檚 education and health departments.
Jefferson-Morgan School District announced that students would be returning Jan. 11 in the hybrid mode and would be divided in two groups; and West Greene School District announced on Jan. 6 that its remote learning model would be extended through Jan. 15, with the hope that students in grades kindergarten through 12 would be able to return to in-person classes on Tuesday, Jan. 19.
Commissioners designate county as Second Amendment Sanctuary
Greene County commissioners announced in February that they had voted to designate the county as a Second Amendment Sanctuary. The Second Amendment Sanctuary Resolution states the county would not recognize the enforcement of any new laws that alter Second Amendment rights.
The three-member board unanimously approved the measure and publicly released the announcement Feb. 4, joining their Fayette County counterparts, who passed a similar resolution in January.
The resolution affirms Greene County鈥檚 support of the rights currently given under the state and U.S. constitutions regarding the rights of citizens to keep and bear arms.
鈥淭his resolution gives no new rights or privileges,鈥� said Commissioner Mike Belding in the announcement. 鈥淏ut whether you are a casual hunter, an advocate of youth activities like the Hunting Hills Hawkeyes and school rifle teams or an individual that exercises the right to own firearms for home/self-defense, this resolution safeguards your current gun ownership rights against future infringement in Greene County, Pa.鈥�
Greene County Sheriff Marcus Simms and District Attorney David Russo also supported the resolution.
Renovations begin after fire at county airport鈥檚 administration building
Renovations began at Greene County Airport鈥檚 administration building in April, a month after a March 24 fire ripped through the control tower鈥檚 radio room.
The fire was contained to the circular room with a panoramic view of the airport runway, although smoke and water used to fight the blaze damaged other areas of the building and displaced the Airport Diner restaurant and the office of District Judge Glenn Bates.
The county commissioners approved an emergency declaration for the building during their April 8 meeting. Officials said renovations would take some time as the county reviews what local codes and disability laws have changed since the building opened in 1992, along with whether the building鈥檚 electrical work needs to be upgraded.
Bates and his staff continue to work out of an office in the county courthouse.
Trooper Eric Graham, the state police fire marshal who investigated the blaze, ruled the fire an accident. He said the fire was caused by 鈥渟pontaneous heating鈥� of cleaning rags covered in chemicals left in the radio room, which he said was being used for storage at the time.
Ryerson鈥檚 鈥楻evisioning鈥� project moving forward
In an interview with the Messenger in April, Ryerson Station State Park Manager Alan Johnson said the county鈥檚 state park near Wind Ridge in western Greene County was continuing its ongoing and massive 鈥淩evision Ryerson鈥� plan, which includes the modernization of its campgrounds and the construction of a new aquatics center.
The 鈥淩evision Ryerson鈥� plan was announced in June 2015 after it was determined the dam at Duke Lake, which was allegedly damaged by nearby longwall mining a decade earlier, could not be rebuilt due to continued ground movement.
A $36 million settlement payment in 2013 from Consol Energy, which denied responsibility for the damage to the dam, is being used for a multitude of upgrades at the park for its campgrounds, pool area, trails and streams for fishing.
Johnson said construction of the new aquatics center 鈥� which will consist of an upgraded pool and a spray park 鈥� was expected to conclude in the near future, and he anticipates 鈥渉eavy usage鈥� of that facility when it officially opens to the public.
Johnson said a new parking area with solar panels was also being installed, where the old pool was previously located.
Company announces major broadband expansion projects
Kinetic by Windstream announced in April two projects to bring gigabit speeds through broadband expansion in Greene County, with one of those projects been completed.
Kinetic has completed its project of building fiber to 7,300 homes of customers in Bobtown, Carmichaels, Greensboro, Jefferson, Mt. Morris and Waynesburg through a partnership with the county. Most of these customers previously had access to less than 25 mMbps speeds.
Gigabit speed will mean no slowdowns or buffering when accessing the internet for work from home, virtual school or streaming entertainment options.
The project is made possible by use of CARES Act funding awarded through the Greene County commissioners coupled with capital from Kinetic.
Officials also announced in April that additional upgrades were underway for a project to bring increased speeds to more than 1,000 customers in Brave, Graysville, Rogersville and Waynesburg, the release said.
These two projects announced by Kinetic by Windstream are in addition to a project that was completed in Summer 2020, where more than 5,000 homes and businesses experienced broadband upgrades and expansion.
Officials announce $100K in funding for Rices Landing project
Commonwealth Financing Authority approved in May a $100,000 grant to be used to demolish a Rices Landing building that officials said recently is posing a health and safety risk.
State Rep. Pam Snyder, D-Jefferson, and state Sen. Camera Bartolotta, R-Carroll Township, said the old bank building in Rices Landing has been vacant for many years, resulting in several deficiencies and causing unsafe conditions for pedestrians and traffic along Main Street.
Snyder said the CFA Blight Remediation program will be 鈥渁 huge help鈥� in Rices Landing and will allow for the expedited removal of an unsafe building and provides 鈥渁 great opportunity for redevelopment to spur future economic growth.鈥�
The Commonwealth Financing Authority provides funding for a multitude of projects that help businesses and communities succeed and thrive, including those focused on development, water quality, energy infrastructure and more.
Man dies in Cumberland Township standoff
Broken windows and busted-down doors at a mobile home in Cumberland Township were already boarded up on May 26, a day after its resident held police at bay during a nearly 12-hour standoff before he died shortly after being removed from the house.
The standoff ended with Jeffry Christopher鈥檚 death in the back of an ambulance after troopers pulled him from his residence at 76 Route 88 Mobile Home Park about 9:15 a.m. May 25. Christopher, 59, was pronounced dead at WHS-Greene hospital around noon that same day.
According to court documents, Christopher fired two gunshots at officers early on May 25 after Cumberland Township police were called to his house when a family member phoned 911 for a mental welfare check about 10 p.m. May 24.
Witnesses said they watched as the state police鈥檚 specialized response team geared up with body armor and weapons, and deployed an armored vehicle that approached Christopher鈥檚 mobile home and punched holes into the walls, windows and doors when he refused to surrender.
$800K in state funding earmarked for housing initiatives
Officials announced in June that Greene County had been approved to receive $700,000 in state grant funding for the purchase and clearing of six blighted homes throughout the county and $100,000 in grant money for the non-profits Blueprints agency.
The grants were awarded through the Pennsylvania Housing Affordability and Rehabilitation Enhancement (PHARE) Fund, which was created in 2010 to assist with the creation, rehabilitation and support of affordable housing throughout Pennsylvania.
Funding for the grants is provided by the impact fee charged on natural gas drilling in the Marcellus Shale region and the state鈥檚 existing Realty Transfer Tax.
Officials said the projects that were awarded the grant funding involve the Redevelopment Authority of the County of Greene, which is separate from the county as its own authority, board and bylaws but works closely with county organizations.
The $700,000 is earmarked for the county鈥檚 鈥淏light to Bright: New Houses Where Blight Once Existed鈥� initiative; RACG received the funding to put in new homes where blight once existed.
Officials also said the $100,000 in PHARE funding allotted to Blueprints, in partnership with RACG and the county, will help increase the number of lower and moderate-income families able to purchase quality affordable homes in the community of their choice in the county.