In brief
February 16, 2003 Plans displayed
PENNDOT District 12 will display preliminary plans for the interchange improvement project at the intersection of routes 119 and 819 Tuesday, Feb. 25, from 6 to 8:30 p.m. at Ramsay Elementary, located at 300 Eagle St., Mount Pleasant.
PENNDOT employees and other project team members will be on hand to share information, including preliminary interchange designs and environmental and traffic data. PennDOT encourages the public to attend and offer suggestions.
The project involves the reconstruction and upgrading of the routes 119/819 interchange in East Huntingdon Township.
KCI Technologies Inc. of Pittsburgh leads PennDOT’s consultant project team, which also includes American Geotechnical and Environmental Services of Bridgeville, and Monaloh Basin Engineers of Pittsburgh.
The meeting location is accessible to disabled people.
Inquiries regarding special needs or accommodations should be directed to Ron Deems at 724-439-7322.
Meeting rescheduled
California Borough council rescheduled its continued regular meeting for Thursday at 3 p.m. due to weather conditions.
The board will meet with the borough’s engineer to adopt a resolution for a state Department of Environmental Protection application and to conduct other general business.
County earns grant
Fayette County will receive $82,835 in state funding to combat the spread of mosquito-borne West Nile virus, according to state Rep. Jim Shaner (D-Dunbar).
The county will use the money for mosquito monitoring and West Nile Virus surveillance program activities.
“West Nile swept across Pennsylvania in 2000 and has probably peaked as a public health threat,” said Shaner. “However, this funding by the state Department of Environmental Protection provides the resources locally to ensure that this disease is controlled and eventually eliminated,” he said.
The West Nile virus was first discovered in the United States in 1999 from birds, horses and other animals bitten by mosquitoes. When transmitted to people, the virus can cause encephalitis, a brain infection.
Experts say anybody can contract the virus, but most vulnerable are older people and those with weakened immune systems.
In 2002, 59 Pennsylvanians tested positive for the virus, and eight people died, according to DEP statistics.
“Our local campaign also emphasizes education about the preventive steps people can take to eliminate the presence of standing water, which forms the breeding ground for mosquitoes,” Shaner said.
More information about the local mosquito control activities can be obtained by calling the program coordinator at the Fayette County commissioners’ office at 724-430-1200.
Shaner also noted that the state provides an informational Web site on the program: www.westnile.state.pa.us.