Town may soon seize cars of parking violators
BLOOMSBURG, Pa. “”mdash; Officials in this northeastern Pennsylvania
town have a message for scofflaws: Pay your parking tickets, or the
next car you buy may be your own. Police Chief Leo Sokoloski asked
a court Thursday to give the town title to five vehicles that were
seized for repeated, unpaid parking violations. Sokoloski said none
of the cars were ever reclaimed by their owners, even during
“˜”˜amnesty” programs that allow forgiveness
of parking fines. It costs the town $5 per day to store each
vehicle. The owner of one of the vehicles, Michael Hess, signed his
1988 Isuzu Trooper over to the town instead of paying more than
$3,000 in parking fines, explaining he had been out of work and
only recently regained employment. The other four owners, at least
three of whom allegedly owe more than $2,000 in fines, did not show
up in court.
Monks meditate over what to do with huge cash
gift ST. MEINRAD, Ind. “”mdash; Monks in a local monastery
may have a harder time with their vows of poverty now that they
have $26 million in spending money. Two women rewarded the
hospitality of the Benedictine monks at the St. Meinrad Archabbey
by each leaving them $13 million in their wills, according to
Archabbot Lambert Reilly. “˜”˜We would consider it an
extreme blessing from God,” Reilly said.
“˜”˜We would also see it as somehow proof that we do
exercise what’s supposed to typify us, and that is
hospitality.” Both women ““ Bernice Davey, 90,
and Virginia Basso, 91 ““ had spoken of contributing to the
monastery northeast of Evansville. “˜”˜For them, it was
home,” Reilly said. The monastery, which houses about
120 monks, was founded 150 years ago and operates a theology school
for men studying for the Roman Catholic priesthood and lay ministry
studies. It also has a guest house where people can go for
religious retreats. Some of the cash will go toward building a new
guest house. “˜”˜One of the things we are interested in
providing is a more adequate guest house,” Reilly
said. “˜”˜We are almost overrun with requests for people
just to be with us.”
Reports from Bruin wire services.