Down River – Oct. 15, 2015

Good Vibes:

There were nothing but positives as many turned out Tuesday night to find out more about the proposed Renovo Energy Center.

Project backers called the Tuesday event a continuation of its community-wide conversation, an opportunity for western Clinton County residents to learn more about the proposed natural gas to electricity facility and to ask questions about its particulars and benefits.

Project officialdom stopped short of saying the project is a done deal because it’s not. But they made it clear they are doing everything they can to bring the mammoth project to fruition, noting there are still more than a few hurdles, environmental and otherwise, to be surmounted. Once that due diligence is completed, best case scenario, construction would begin the second quarter of 2017.

You better believe more than a few of those in attendance had to pick up on the economic impact from a project with a cost of $700 million to $800 million. These include a 32 month construction cycle, peak times of which will see some 700 workers on site. And another 20 to 30 full time employees once the Renovo Energy Center is up and running for its expected 25 year-plus operating cycle.

There were a lot of local grins in the Rec Center gym Tuesday night. They and Down River believe 2017 and beyond good be very good years for Renovo, western Clinton County and all of the county.

Welcome to Renovo, Renovo Energy Center guys and gals; we all hope you all enjoy your stay.

Parade Overview:

That was some Flaming Foliage Festival parade the Renovo folks staged last week, optimum conditions: not too hot, not too cold, just right; blue skies, a refurbished wall to sit on along the rail yard boundary and tootsie rolls and lolly pops flying through the air from an estimated 694 political candidates participating in the parade. 

And what a bevy of candidates. I thought I spotted state House Minority Whip (minus his whip; left it in Harrisburg) Mike Hanna riding on the Clinton County Democratic Party float and I am not sure but I believe it was longtime party regular Ray Allen on the County GOP float.

Some of the candidates/elected officials even walked the route, at least the part where Down River was set up along Erie Avenue. Their appearance provided the opportunity for a quick sidebar with a couple walking by.

Down River suggested to 5th district congressman Glenn Thompson that Paul Ryan would really be the best choice as the next speaker of the house. Thompson replied it might not be Ryan but hopefully would be someone like him. At least he didn’t say he favored Louie Gohmert of Texas or Steve King of Iowa.

Down River advised our 25th district state senator Joe Scarnati to get the state budget impasse settled; he grinned, as I recall. (More on Scarnati later).

All in all, it was a great day in Renovo, the attitude buoyed, one might suspect, by the growing possibility of a major tenant locating in those very same rail yards across the track from town.

Better Know Your State Senator:

(This item title was stolen from Stephen Colbert and his “Better Know Your Congressman” but since he hasn’t yet brought that segment from Comedy Central to CBS, I am using a modified version thereof).

With political things all over the place at this time of year (local municipal races, presidential debates, the Donald Trump clown car still out there, although I didn’t see him/it in the FFF parade), how about a quick peak ahead to the 2016 election cycle?

Yes, it’s a presidential year and Pat Toomey, one of Pennsylvania’s two US senators, will be up for re-election. But I didn’t know it until I did the research, Joe Scarnati, our relatively new state senator, will be also be up for re-election next year.

As a way of background, Scarnati became Clinton County’s state senator as of January, 2014, this after a state court upheld the 2010 redistricting that moved John Wozniak of Cambria County out and Scarnati in. (Yes, we know, we should be part of Jake Corman’s central Pennsylvania district, but that would make too much sense).

Anyway, Scarnati is up for another term next year, so here’s a quick primer, courtesy of not the most reliable source, Wikipedia.

He was born and resides in Brockway, birthplace of local retired guidance counselor/currentpart-time Central Mountain athletic director/football referee Mike Rendos. According to Wikipedia, Scarnati started his political career on Brockway borough council in 1986 while running the family restaurant. He became the head of the Jefferson County Republican Party and in 1996 he ran for the 25th district senate seat, this after incumbent John Peterson moved up to 5th district congressman.

Scarnati lost out in the GOP primary to Bill Slocum. In 2000 Slocum was convicted of illegal dumping and resigned. According to Wikipedia, Scarnati became an independent and ran against the Republican Slocum in a special election; Scarnati ended up with 33 percent of the vote, Democratic nominee Joseph Calla with 33 percent and Slocum with 32 percent. Scarnati’s

margin of victory over Calla was listed at 197. Afterwards Scarnati again became a Republican.

In 2004 Scarnati was re-elected with no Democratic opposition and he easily took a third term in 2008 by a 67-33 percent margin over Democrat Donald Hilliard. A fourth term was won in 2012, this time without opposition. He’ll be going for term number five next year, the first time Clinton County voters will get to have a stay.

He presently serves as senate president pro tempore, the number two slot in the state senate, behind only majority leader Jake Corman.

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