SUNBURY — A streak of mild weather means savings on heating bills, and for one Valley school district, this fall has been so warm that it has saved the system nearly 20 percent in spending over 2011.
But it actually has been colder, AccuWeather meteorologist Brian Edwards said.
“That is surprising to hear,” he said. “It has actually been three degrees below average this fall.”
In 2011, Edwards said fall weather was much warmer, and during November alone, it was four degrees warmer.
This year, things have been much different.
“I know this little warm spell is good news, but it will cool down again and go back to average temperatures to below average by the end of the week,” Edwards said. “So to hear that big buildings are actually saving money is very surprising.”
Heating bills for the Shikellamy School District up until December in 2011 totaled $27,043, compared to $22,129 so far this year, business manager Dave Sinopoli said.
“It tells us it is warmer this year, but I guess not,” he said.
Edwards said temperatures reached 63 degrees Monday and will even be warmer today, which is rare for early December.
“It is really unseasonably warm,” he said. “This will help somewhat with cutting some costs to people paying heating bills, but it won’t last.”
Costs for home heating oil are slightly up from 2011, said Arden Steiner, general manager of Affordable Fuels, Middleburg.
The average price this fall is $3.57 a gallon depending on where people buy their oil, but the 2011 figure was $3.45, he said.
“We had a cold spell early, so I have seen a slight increase in people using more oil this year, but nothing drastic,” Steiner said. “The warmer weather will slow that down, but I have not seen anything out of the ordinary.”
Until the real cold weather hits the Valley, Edwards said people should enjoy the warmer air.
“It will come soon enough,” he said. “We don’t see any major snow in the long-range forecast, but we do see a cold January and February, and that will bring the heat bill back up.”
News
Shikellamy saves 20% on heating bills
- News
-
-
USTA seeks 8 percent rate hike
LEWISBURG — Seniors and people with disabilities will soon have to dig deeper into their pockets as the Union-Snyder Transportation Alliance seeks approval to raise rates up to 50 cents per trip.
-
Sunbury man jailed on kidnapping charge
MILTON — A Sunbury man was charged by police with kidnapping after he allegedly took a 3-year-old girl at gunpoint Monday night from her home in Union County.
- U.S. war games send signal to Assad
-
PennDOT withholds funding plan from public
The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation has built a website that compares competing plans to spend billions of dollars in new transportation money, but it’s refusing to release similar information to the public, which will pay for chosen projects.
-
Reputed Mafioso tip triggers new Hoffa body search
The FBI saw enough merit in a reputed Mafia captain’s tip to once again break out the digging equipment to search for the remains of former Teamsters union leader Jimmy Hoffa, last seen alive before a lunch meeting with two mobsters nearly 40 years ago.
-
GSVUW won't use discretionary funds for Scouts
The Greater Susquehanna Valley United Way Board voted Tuesday not to release discretionary funding to the Susquehanna Council of Boy Scouts of America.
-
10 Things to Know for Today
Your daily look at late-breaking Your daily look at late-breaking news, upcoming events and the stories that will be talked about today:
-
Troopers become teachers at Camp Cadet
SELINSGROVE - More than 50 cadets marched onto the Susquehanna University football practice field and stood at attention while Milton state trooper Matt Burrows explained the importance of self-discipline.
-
Family fears cat killer
Members of a Point Township family don’t feel safe after their pet cat was found dead Friday in the middle of their backyard, shot in the heart.
-
Road stretch reopens
The first phase of the $3.9 million “big dig” in Mifflinburg is over as a reconstructed section of Route 45, or Chestnut Street, will reopen today, PennDOT announced.
-
State Supreme Court upholds the judicial retirement age
HARRISBURG — The Pennsylvania Supreme Court is unanimously rejected a challenge to a portion of the state constitution that requires judges to retire by the end of the year in which they turn 70.
-
Sen. Casey calls on Congress to stop student loan rate increase
PHILADELPHIA — U.S. Sen. Bob Casey is calling for legislation to prevent an interest rate increase on federally subsidized student loans.
-
U.S. Military plans would put women in most combat jobs
WASHINGTON — Women may be able to start training as Army Rangers by mid-2015 and as Navy SEALs a year later under plans set to be announced by the Pentagon that would slowly bring women into thousands of combat jobs, including those in elite special operations forces.
-
Governor signs anti-abortion insurance coverage bill
HARRISBURG — Pennsylvania is joining about 20 other states in limiting coverage of abortions under health care insurance policies offered in a federally-run insurance marketplace starting next year under a sweeping federal law.
-
Ohio police chief takes criminals to task online
KENT, Ohio — If you’re up to no good in this pocket of northeast Ohio, especially in a witless way, you’re risking not only jail time or a fine but a swifter repercussion with a much larger audience: You’re in for a social media scolding from police Chief David Oliver and some of his small department’s 51,000 Facebook fans.
-
Court Dockets
A roundup of news from local district and county courts.
-
Today in 'Our Valley'
Photo exhibit opens at library's new art gallery
Swimmers unite in record-breaking effort
Captive readers warm to book club at Snyder County prison
Family and fans remember Davy Jones in his beloved Beavertown
-
U.S. Supreme Court: Arizona citizenship proof law is illegal
WASHINGTON — The Supreme Court ruled today that states cannot on their own require would-be voters to prove they are U.S. citizens before using a federal registration system designed to make signing up easier.
- More News Headlines
-
USTA seeks 8 percent rate hike
