Memorial Day – It’s More Than Just a 3 Day Weekend:
While you are enjoying time with family and friends this Memorial Day weekend, please be sure to take a little bit of time to remember the men and women who served in the United States Armed Forces, especially those who lost their lives fighting for our country. If you are out at a local cemetery placing flowers on the graves of family members, look around and notice the flags on the graves of the veterans. While they may not be someone you personally knew, you can be sure that their service and sacrifice had an impact on our lives and allow us to have our rights and freedoms.
A Busy Saturday - Honoring Veterans at Armed Forces Awareness Day then a stop in Irvona for a parade - 5/19/2012.
I started out the afternoon with at the Clearfield Driving Park for Armed Forces Awareness Day. Steve Coval, Ed Hullihen and Larry Proud always put on a great ceremony to honor our local veterans. One of the highlights is always the musical performances by the Dubois American Legion Concert Band under the direction of Jack Averill.
A special highlight today was when Steve Coval presented Rep. Camille Bud George with a cake in recognition of his 38 years of service in the PA House. Rep. George is the last remaining WWII Veteran still serving in the PA House. Don Shaw of the Clearfield County Veteran's Advisory Committee and Betina Nicklas, Director of the Clearfield County Veteran's Affairs Office also spoke.
Later in the afternoon, Kelly, Amanda, Amanda's friend Christina and I headed down to Irvona to appear in the Irvona Festival Parade. Here we are during the parade line up with the Mustang all decked out and ready for the first parade of the season. It was great to see everyone in Irvona and it was a beautiful day for both events.
Sale of Ethanol Plant in Clearfield Finalized - 5/17/2012
Clearfield County received good news this week as Pennsylvania Grain Processing LLC, an affiliate of Zeeland Farm Services Inc. completed the purchase of the ethanol production facility formally operated by Bionol. After Lukoil / Getty reneged on a 5 year contract to purchase the ethanol produced by the Bionol Clearfield plant, Bionol was forced to file for bankruptcy protection last year. While the bankruptcy placed the future of the first ethanol production facility built in Pennsylvania in doubt, the purchase of the facility by PGP LLC restores a solid future for the plant. The parent company Zeeland Farm Services Inc. is a very strong company that is diversified in several farm related industries. Zeeland also owns another ethanol plant in Nebraska which they purchased in 2008 that is operating successfully. Reports are that PGP is currently interviewing workers who were employed by Bionol and they are also running advertisements in the local newspapers looking for applicants for positions at the plant. This is great news for Clearfield County and we welcome PGP to the area.
Congratulations to Emily Whitehead for the great progress she is making in her battle against Leukemia. Many people are following her story on Facebook and a lot of prayers are being sent to Emily and her family.
ABATE Holds Candidate Q&A in Clearfield
I was invited to particpate in a candidate Q&A at the May 5th ABATE meeting in Clearfield. The questions revolved around the issues important to ABATE, and specifically they were interested in hearing opinions on the helmet laws, traffic issues and programs for cycle safety and awareness.
On the helmet law, I assured them that as a State Representative, I support the law that gives the riders the... option if they want to wear a helmet or not. Cycle riders fought long and hard to win that right in PA and I see no reason Harrisburg needs to revisit that issue.
During my closing comments, I stressed that my experience will help me to be an effective State Representative and I also shared some of the work I have done during my time as Clearfield County Commissioner to help with motorcycle awareness like working with the CCRTA on the annual Bikes and the Lake event held every September at Curwensville Lake. I also spoke about my opposition of the plan to toll Interstate 80 and how it remains toll free today because of the efforts of county commissioners and local officials along the I-80 corridor counties.
Thanks to Toby Wingard and the ABATE Chapter for inviting me to speak with them and address the issues important to riders in Pennsylvania.Updated April 19, 2012
Reapportionment Proposal - What Does It Mean for Clearfield County, the 2012 Election and Beyond?
Several people have been asking what impact the proposal by the Reapportionment Commission to eliminate of 74th PA House District will have on Clearfield County and, more specifically, my candidacy. In the short term for 2012, if the proposed map of PA House Districts would become official, then the campaign I am involved in right now is essentially for a seat that will only exist for the upcoming term from January of 2013 until January of 2015.
When the 2014 election cycle rolls around, the 74 House District will no longer exist in Clearfield County and the person who wins the seat in November will have to decide if they want to run for election in the new district where they reside. In 2014, if I am the incumbent from the 74 District, I will have to run in the 72nd District in the Democratic primary against Rep. Frank Burns from the Johnstown area who is the person currently holding the 72nd District seat.
Regarding reapportionment, Article II Section 16 of the PA Constitution states:
The Commonwealth shall be divided into fifty senatorial and two hundred three representative districts, which shall be composed of compact and contiguous territory as nearly equal in population as practicable. Each senatorial district shall elect one Senator, and each representative district one Representative. Unless absolutely necessary no county, city, incorporated town, borough, township or ward shall be divided in forming either a senatorial or representative district.
I highlight parts of Article II, Section 16, because I believe the Reapportionment Commission’s most recent proposal violates the intent of certain parts of the PA Constitution. Upon review of the proposed new PA House Districts, the Commission typically used a population threshold of 60,000 to 62,000 citizens per house district in a number of urban / suburban districts while a much higher population threshold of over 64,000 citizens per district was applied for seats in rural areas and specifically for the districts that will represent Clearfield County. This action could be in violation of the provision that each district “shall be…. nearly equal in population as practicable”.
It is also troubling that the Commission’s proposal for the 2 house districts that will represent most of what is now the 74th District are designed to make it difficult, if not impossible for a candidate from Clearfield County to win the seat. Looking at the numbers, 59% of the population in the 72nd District resides in Cambria County and the 73rd District is even worse with 65% of the population based in Cambria County.
The new 72nd District clearly fits the definition of Gerrymandering as the district is a very long and narrow district that runs from the suburbs of Johnstown, up through the rural Cambria and Clearfield Counties finally connecting with Clearfield Borough and 3 of the 4 precincts in Lawrence Township. Any citizen from Clearfield Borough who would like to meet with their 72nd district state representative at his main district office located at 535 Fairfield Avenue, Johnstown PA will have to travel over 80 miles with an expected travel time of 1hr / 40min.
There are several people in Clearfield County working to file objections with the Reapportionment Commission to hopefully convince the commission members to reconsider the plan. If the Commission will not make changes, then objections can be filed with the court and they could again throw out the current proposed plan as was done with the first proposed plan back in January.
If you are concerned about the Commissions proposed reapportionment plan which eliminates the 74th House District in Clearfield County and will likely turn our representation over to 2 house members from Cambria County for the next decade, I would encourage you to send a letter stating your opposition to the Commission at the following address:
Charles E. O’Connor, Jr., Esquire
Executive Director
2011 Legislative Reapportionment Commission
104 North Office Building
Harrisburg, PA 17120
Amanda Displaying Our Campaign Signs, Buttons and Pens
Paid for by Friends of Mark B. McCracken
