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Letter to the Editor: Nuangola man’s efforts make the borough cleaner and the planet better

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Hazleton resident indicted on charges of drug trafficking, firearm possession

<p>RICE TWP. &#8212; Service Electric Cable TV &amp; Communications has a renewed franchise in the township as of Tuesday&#8217;s supervisors meeting, allowing the company to maintain a cable television system in the township.</p><p>Avi Sikenpore, a resident of the township, frustrated about his Internet speeds, questioned &#8220;why no national companies come in (to the township).&#8221;</p><p>In 2001, the township granted a 15-year franchise to Service Electric. According to the non-exlusive ordinance passed by the board of supervisors, the contract will now be renewed for 10 years, ending April 10, 2026.</p><p>According to township secretary Alicia Stier, the township also has service from DirecTv, Dish Network, Frontier, Metrocast and &#8220;some areas of Verizon.&#8221;</p><p>&#8220;We&#8217;re not stopping anyone,&#8221; said Marcia Thomas, chairwoman of the board of supervisors.</p><p>Sikenpore called his Internet speed &#8220;sluggish,&#8221; especially when streaming movies.</p><p>&#8220;I don&#8217;t use the wifi at my house,&#8221; he said, &#8220;(Using phone data) is faster.&#8221;</p><p>Thomas explained MetroCast services the south and west portion of the township while Service Electric services the north and east.</p><p>&#8220;It&#8217;s the way the state carved it (when cable first came out),&#8221; Thomas said at the meeting. &#8220;It&#8217;d be great to have competition.&#8221;</p><p>Larry Shewack, manager of Service Electric, said the company has a 50 homes per mile clause. It costs $40,000 a mile to run a cable and, without the directive, laying cable in an area would not be &#8220;feasible.&#8221;</p><p>&#8220;If the homes are there, we will run cable,&#8221; Shewack said, noting if the company doesn&#8217;t get the residents to subscribe, &#8220;that&#8217;s our problem.&#8221;</p><p>Joan Zelnick, assistant manager at Service Electric, said the company has 273 subscribers in Rice Township.</p><p>The 2010, U.S. Census showed the township had 3,335 residents. County property records show the township now has 1,232 residential properties.</p><p>&#8220;They (Rice Township) have some rural areas and, if they&#8217;re far out, we don&#8217;t have to service,&#8221; Shewack said.</p><p>Under the agreement, Service Electric pays a franchise fee of 3 percent of &#8220;gross revenues&#8221; &#8212; fees collected from the use of service, not including debts &#8212; from operation of the service to the township four times a year: May, August, November and February.</p><style>
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<div class="metaInfo"><bylineMeta><p>By Melanie Mizenko</p><p>mmizenko@www.timesleader.com</p></bylineMeta></div><div class="metaInfo"><shirttailMeta><p>Reach Melanie Mizenko at 570-991-6116 or on Twitter @TL_MMizenko</p></shirttailMeta></div>

Service Electric franchise contract extended for 10 years in Rice Township