Greenleaf’s Bill Aims to Reduce the Number of Inmates

Willow Grove based State Senator Stuart Greenleaf, R-12, recently proposed a bill which has gained approval in the Pennsylvania House and Senate that will try to keep parolees who violate their parole with minor infractions out of state jails.

The bill aimed to lower state prison cost in the tight economy is aiming to reduce prison time given for parolees who report past their set curfew or failing to report to a parolee agent.

These technical violations lead to an average sentence of 14 months in Pennsylvania prisons. In 2008 alone 3,000 parolees were sent to state prisons for technical violations.

"It is senseless and wasteful to incarcerate otherwise law-abiding parolees for such minor infractions," Greenleaf told a Scranton newspaper.

The bill would also give the state prison system the right to release an inmate if they have reached their minimum time they were sentenced too and the state can agree on safe parolee requirements.

In its first year the measure proposed by Greenleaf would reduce the state prison population by 950 inmates and by 1,600 every year following.

More than 50,000 inmates are held in Pennsylvania a prison which is 7,000 inmates more than the state’s prisons are designed to hold. Pennsylvania is in the process of building several new facilities to hold these inmates.

Tom Sofield (tsofield@buxmontnews.com)
Online Editor

Willow Grove Woman Fakes Cancer

Alicia Tolton, 26, claimed to be suffering from breast and ovarian cancer, the Willow Grove woman planned to cash in on other peoples charity by faking her illness and collecting donations, the problem is she wasn’t sick.

Alicia Tolton (MySpace.com)

Upper Moreland police said that Tolton solicited donations from people on Facebook and even had an October 17 Beef & Beer Fund Raiser planned to help raise money for her “treatment.”

Tolton’s manipulative attempt to get cashed raked in close to $1,000 and two Eagles tickets before police stopped her.

The October 17 fund raising event titled “Wishes for Alicia”, which was set up by two unsuspecting good hearted local woman has been canceled.

Tolton used the money she had already received to pay her bill and drug debts.

The woman even convinced her father, a 35 year member of the Willow Grove Fire Company, that she was stricken with cancer.

She manipulated people by presenting them with fake bills and documents from the Fox Chase Cancer Center.

On her Myspace page Tolton list her occupation as a 911 dispatcher.

Tolton has been charged with theft, forgery, tampering with records and is being held in Montgomery County jail on $25,000 bail.

 Tom Sofield (tsofield@buxmontnews.com)

Online Editor

Pictures from the Storm

DRENCHED

Police closed Byberry Road near Pioneer Road in Upper Moreland early Friday morning due to road flooding. (Tom Sofield)

We are live blogging the storm...click here to read...

A tree limb that fell along Second Street Pike in Upper Southampton Thursday afternoon as the storm began to intensify. (Tom Sofield)

More photos added at 10:45 a.m.

Local Fire Department wins FEMA grant

As the number of new volunteer firefighters drops nationwide, the Willow Grove Fire Department has received a grant worth over $102,000 that will help recruit new members.

File Photo

The Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response Grant (SAFER) comes from FEMA and is meant to help local fire departments to recruit and retain firefighters.

The grant money will go toward buying advertisements and making recruiting videos.

Last year the department responded to 773 calls and this year alone has already responded to 599 calls.

The Willow Grove Fire Department has 54 volunteers and six paid full time firefighters which are based out of two stations that cover Upper Moreland Township. The main fire station is located near Davisville Road and 611, the smaller support station is located near Davisville Road and County Line Road.

Tom Sofield (tsofield@buxmontnews.com)
Staff Writer