Towanda, PA: Big white pickup involved in hit and run accident

I am only asking the question:  Who was the driver in the large white pickup truck?  And who owned that truck?  Why would the driver not stop for a simple accident?  No one was hurt.  Just an ordinary fender bender.  Why would a driver flee the scene?  I am very suspicious for some reason.  Who drives big white pickup trucks?  Well, most of the pickup trucks I have seen in Bradford County, and they are all over the place, are gas drilling-related vehicles.  Not to jump to conclusions................

Police Briefs 9/8/2010 (from the Rocket-Courier, Wyalusing, PA)

Published: September 8, 2010

Hit-and-run crash occurs in Towanda

Towanda police said they are trying to determine the identity of the hit-and-run driver who was involved in an accident Tuesday afternoon on Main Street in Towanda. The accident occurred at approximately 2:55 p.m., when a 1995 Subaru wagon, which was traveling south on Main Street, was stopped in the right-hand lane at the red light at the intersection with Franklin Street, police said. At the time, a white full-size pickup truck, which was also traveling south on Main Street, was stopped at the same light, but in the turning lane, police said. When the light turned green, both vehicles began moving forward, but the pickup truck apparently made a wide turn, traveled into the Subaru's lane and struck the rear of the Subaru, police said. The driver of the pickup truck did not stop and exchange information with the other driver, and instead drove across the Veterans Memorial Bridge into Wysox Township, police said. At the time of the crash, the pickup truck was towing a white, enclosed trailer, police said. The Subaru sustained minor damage in the crash, police said. No one in the Subaru was injured, police said. Anyone with information about the accident is asked to contact the Towanda police at (570) 265-2522.

DEMAND ACCOUNTABILITY!

In memory of Karen Korell

Artist, Activist, and Friend

1944-2010

Pathstone Program Seeks Young People For Gas Related Jobs in PA: Read On For the Requirements

Photo credit: Carol Manuel

There is an organization called Pathstone, a community development and human services group that coordinates and supervises a program which helps people to get their lives back.  Right now the Scranton, PA, branch of Pathstone is looking for 20 people to train in September as welders and 12 people who want to learn to become diesel mechanics.  Funding, a $2.3 million grant, for the program came from the federal stimulus program.   I can't think of a better way to spend tax dollars than to help young people get jobs.  However, to qualify for the program, a person must live in Scranton, Dunmore, Taylor, Old Forge, or Dickson City, and be unemployed, a high school dropout, OR HAVE A CRIMINAL RECORD. Perhaps these candidates have paid their debt to society and just need a break to return as contributing citizens.  However, I have to seriously question the advisability of employing them in jobs which require long hours, high stress, easy access to drugs and alcohol, and minimal supervision.  And regrettably, home owners are fearful enough about having strangers on their properties at all hours of the day and night without having to wonder if these people also have criminal records.  I hope the omission of "non-violent" was an oversight.  What crimes are acceptable?  I would like to know.

A typical interview might go something like this:

Interviewer:  All right, then, Jimmy, you live in Scranton, and you dropped out of school, right?
Applicant:  Yeah.
I:  And when did you drop out of school?
A:  In seventh grade.
I:  I see.  Okay, so are you currently employed?
A:  No.
I:  Fabulous!  You do meet the requirements.  Oh, and one more thing.  Have you ever been convicted of a crime?
A:  Yeah, several.
I:  Okay.  You do qualify for this program.

It seems to me that this is the wrong industry to go to in looking for training and employment for such individuals.  It's dangerous work and not nearly enough oversight is possible.  These are compromised kids.  Let's find something more suitable for them.  In a way, we are taking advantage of these young people because we are offering them an opportunity while at the same time placing them in harm's way in jobs that can and do lead to accidents and deaths. It is similar to the "economic draft" in the military where recruiters prey on kids from the projects and convince them that the military is a great opportunity for them.  A pay check, health care, etc.  But what really happens is that these kids are sent overseas to Iraq or Afghanistan and often end up dead or severely injured for life.  We use them as cannon fodder.

Read the whole story here.