Local

   » Mercer County commissioners may have to spend $200,000 more on the new county jail than they originally planned, according to Commissioner Cloyd E. "Gene" Brenneman.

At Monday's prison board meeting, Brenneman said the additional cost centers on the jail sewage system.

   » Water rates are going up 15 percent in Greenville. Greenville Municipal Authority Board voted 4-1 Tuesday to raise the rates, citing the need to finance improvements to the water system.

   » Drunken driving convictions set a record last year in Mercer County.

According to a report by the Pennsylvania DUI Association, the county had 597 convictions in 2002, up from 514 in 2001.

   » Greenville's water plant was built wrong, said Municipal Authority Board Chairman Dick Miller. At Tuesday's board meeting, a representative of the authority's new engineering firm fielded questions from board members concerning one of the plant's design flaws -- a lack of roof hatches to allow the removal of water pumps for maintenance or replacement.

   » A hearing that had been scheduled for Monday to make the first court arguments related to a group of Wheatland residents' attempt to leave Farrell Area School District has been postponed.

Joann Jofery, the attorney for Wheatland's Educational Alternatives Taskforce, instead asked for more time to prepare the case. The story ran Friday.

   » Motorists in Pennsylvania might want to think twice before getting behind the wheel if they've been drinking or taking illegal drugs. New, higher fines for drug and alcohol driving-related crimes take effect Feb. 7.

   » National Fuel Gas said Friday it is raising natural gas rates by 8.2 percent. For the typical residential customer, that means monthly bills will rise to $95.40 from $88.19.

   » Mark Hearn, 19, Masury, is accused of 4 counts of rape involving two female relatives, police said. The story ran Friday.

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Sports

   » Reynolds High wrestling team became the first three-time winners of the District 10 Class AA Dual Meet Championships, whipping Hickory in the finals, 45-12, at Edinboro University's McComb Field House. Reynolds defeated Maplewood, 47-19, while the Hornets topped Union City, 39-21, in the semifinals.

   » Sharon High basketball standout Nicole Valentino reached the 1,000 career points milestone Thursday during a 40-37 setback to Mercer County Athletic Conference Class AAA foe Hickory High. Valentino finished the contest with 13 points for a career total of 1,005.

With the victory, the Hornettes clinched at least a tie for the MCAC-AAA championship.

   » Sharon High boys basketball team guaranteed themselves at least a share of the MCAC-AAA boys crown by ripping league foe Hickory, 56-42. The Tigers (4-0, 14-5) were led by Ibrahim Konaté's 14-point, 15-rebound, 10-blocked shots triple-double.

   » The sudden death of David Sandberg, 23, a graduate assistant with the University of Pittsburgh wrestling team, affected a number of local student-athletes and their families. Pitt's head coach is Rande Stottlemyer, a former Hickory High standout, while Reynolds High alum Justin Nestor and Kennedy Catholic grad Travis Shirley are members of the team. Sandberg died Thursday of meningococcal septicemia.

   » Farrell High boys basketball team secured the WPIAL Section 2-AA title with a rout over Laurel High Friday night at E.J. McCluskey Gymnasium. Brian Dungee led the Steelers to a 67-47 triumph with a game-high 19 markers.