Vol. 135 - No. 184

Mostly sunny. Scattered showers and thunderstorms in the afternoon. Very warm with highs around 80. Chance of rain 40 percent.

Full report, A2

16 pages

Classi� ed ......................... B5

Comics ............................. A7

Lifestyles ......................... A4

Lottery ............................. A9

Opinion ........................... A8

Public Notices ............... B5

Sports ............................... B1

$1.00

•ShirleyJ.Anderson,83•NancyL.Heffner,79•DaleE.McAfoos,86•HelenElizabethShick,91

Curwensville Area El-ementary School students will soon have a new place to learn. A2

Two hurt inbuggy accident

State police say two people were taken to a hospital following an accident involving a motor vehicle and a horse-drawn buggy. A6

Vote set for short-term plan

The Pennsylvania Sen-ate’s Republican major-ity is poised to pass an $11 billion short-term spend-ing plan to break an en-trenched budget stalemate with Democratic Gov. Tom Wolf, who’s vowed to veto it. A9

Interest ratesat record lows

The Federal Reserve ended weeks of specula-tion Thursday by keep-ing U.S. interest rates at record lows in the face of threats from a weak global economy, persistently low infl ation and unstable fi -nancial markets. A10

Outdoor classadded at school

Tomorrow’s Forecast

Index

ObituariesA9

MORE INSIDE

Page B1

FRIDAY-SATURDAY, SEPT. 18-19, 2015

By Julie Benamati

Special to The Courier-Express

GRAMPIAN — Two for-mer high-ranking offi cials within the operation of Grampian-Penn-Bloom Vol-unteer Fire Co. have been charged by Clearfi eld-based state police in a missing funds case that has been one of several issues plaguing the fi re company for about two years.

Scott N. McCracken, 39, and his wife, Jennifer I. Mc-Cracken, 36, of 395 First St., Grampian, were each charged with 27 varied mis-demeanor counts of theft by unlawful taking and theft by failure to make required disposition of funds received.

The couple served as board members of the fi re

company in recent years, with Scott McCracken as president of the fi re compa-ny and treasurer of the fi re police, and his wife as secre-tary of both the fi re company and fi re police.

Earlier this year, GPB faced possible closure when neighboring Penn and Bloom townships issued 60-day notices, canceling fi re protection to obtain it from another fi re company. Both boards of township supervi-sors stated that a reorgani-zation of the fi re company, rumors of theft and other issues were the reasons be-hind their decisions.

While Penn Township lat-er rescinded its cancellation notice, Bloom Township did not, and now receives prima-ry fi re protection from Brady Township Volunteer Fire Co.

Shortly after the reor-ganization, it was noted at a public town hall meeting held by GPB at St. Bonaven-ture Catholic Church that an audit of the fi re company’s books had been performed internally. Those fi ndings were then forwarded to Cat-

alano, Case, Catalano and Fannin, a Clearfi eld-based certifi ed public accounting fi rm, for a professional au-dit.Those fi ndings were sent to the state police, fi re offi -cials said at the meeting.

According to the police report fi led at District Judge Richard Ireland’s offi ce, the alleged thefts were initially brought to the attention of the state police by Mickey Hoover, who at the time was a GPB trustee.

Hoover told police that while holding offi cer posi-tions at the fi re company, the couple were in charge of GPB’s checkbooks.

Police review of the profes-

sional audit revealed that 13 different checks with payees listed as Jennifer McCracken on eight of the checks, Scott McCracken on four of the checks, and Scott McCrack-en’s aunt, Theresa Vasbinder.

The checks were issued throughout a period of four years between July 3, 2008 and Aug. 14, 2012.

One check was cashed at Shole’s Grocery in Gram-pian, one was written to Vasbinder as payee for debt owed, and the remainder were cashed or deposited into the McCrackens’ per-sonal bank account(s) at CNB Bank and Clearfi eld Bank & Trust.

A search warrant was ob-tained by police for the bank accounts, with the results showing the couple appeared to be in fi nancial distress with many overdraft fees.

GPB Fire Chief Nick Sel-ner said the fi re company is not commenting at this time.

The couple is awaiting a preliminary hearing in front of District Judge Richard Ireland at Centralized Court on Oct. 28 at 11:15 a.m.

Two former fire company officials charged with theft

By Elaine Haskins

ehaskins@thecourierexpress.com

DuBOIS — The status of a feasibility study was dis-cussed at Thursday’s work session of the DuBois Area School Board.

Glenn Schuckers of Lu-thersburg, who wrote a let-ter to the board in June ask-ing a number of questions about the study, once again asked if those questions are ever going to be answered at a public meeting. Copies of the letter were sent to Su-perintendent J. Mark Heck-man and all board members, he said.

“Where are we with all that,” Board President Patty Fish asked Assistant to the Superintendent Roger Col-

lins. In July, Collins said he

mentioned that the earliest the board would be talking about the feasibility study was September.

“And it was all contin-gent upon Mr. Heckman’s return,” Collins said. Heck-man has been on sick leave since June.

“He (Heckman) has re-turned but not to full-duty status at this point in time,” Collins said.

An initial district-wide feasibility study was pre-sented to the board in May from Jerry Bankovich of KTH Architects Inc. The study provides a summary of four possible options for the board to consider - reno-

DuBois Area School Board discusses feasibility study

DuBois Area Middle School seventh-grader Carlos Howard poses by a piece of artwork, which Pete Morelli had created for him when he had him as a teacher in third grade at Wasson El-ementary School. Howard donated the picture to the Outdoor Club at the middle school after Morelli passed away last November. The club then had a fundraiser to generate the funds to have Morelli’s artwork restored, framed and displayed in the trophy case at the middle school in memory of Morelli. Howard is holding antler sheds from an antler-shedding con-test the club also held. (Photo by Elaine Haskins)

By Elaine Haskins

ehaskins@thecourierexpress.com

DuBOIS — The late Pete Morelli had a passion for wrestling and the wrestlers he coached. But, there was so much more to the man than just wrestling.He was a dedicated teacher in the DuBois Area School District for 32 years. In is his own special way, he touched the lives of any-one who knew him, including students.

One of those students is Carlos Howard, a seventh-grader at the DuBois Area Middle School.

In November 2014, Morelli, a retired ele-mentary teacher, passed away unexpectedly.

Shortly after, Howard, who was a sixth-grader at that time, stepped forward and shared a piece of artwork — a portrait of a beautiful buck — that Morelli had created for him when he had him as a teacher in third grade at Wasson Elementary School.

“After I heard that Mr. Morelli passed away, I asked my mom where it was so I could bring it in,” Howard said.

Howard said he saved it because it was special and Morelli was one of his favorite teachers.

Howard then donated it to the Outdoor Club at the middle school, club Advisor Cory Sholes said.

“The Outdoor Club had a fundraiser to generate the funds to have Mr. Morelli’s artwork framed,” Sholes said. “The artwork is now on display in the trophy case at the middle school in memory of Mr. Morelli.”

“We thought it was only appropriate to place the artwork in the trophy case because he (Morelli) had been such an asset to the district and has made such an impression on so many students and his colleagues as well,” middle school Principal Wendy Ben-ton said. “Everybody is familiar with Pete’s ac-complishments on the wrestling mats and coaching,” middle school Assistant Princi-pal Michael Maholtz said. “But really a lot of people don’t know what an outstanding educator he was. The reason he did these things was to build a connection with the students and the students loved attending

Student keeps DuBoisteacher’s memory alive

Sunflowers open up to the fall sun at the corner of South State Street and West Wash-ington Avenue in DuBois. The weekend forecast shows temperatures in the 70s-80s Sat-urday and then cooler weather will move into the area with highs in the 60s beginning Sunday. (Photo by Katie Weidenboerner)

Grampian

Earlier this year, GPB faced possible clo-sure when neighboring Penn and Bloom townships issued 60-day notices, canceling fi re protection to obtain it from another fi re company.

He was a dedicated teacher in the DuBois Area School Dis-trict for 32 years. In is his own special way, he touched the lives of anyone who knew him, in-cluding students.

See Teacher, Page A9

See Study, Page A9