State Sen.

Mary Jo White, R-21st, has joined the effort to prevent splitting the 814 area code in northwestern Pennsylvania.The Pennsylvania Utility Commission in December approved a plan to split the 814 area code, allowing residents in State College, Johnstown, Altoona and surrounding areas to keep 814.The proposal would create a new area code for Erie and its surrounding counties, due to a dwindling supply of telephone numbers.Numerous groups and citizens have filed petitions urging the PUC to adopt an overlay plan as an alternative to splitting 814.An overlay would allow existing numbers in the region to keep the 814 area code while new telephone lines would be assigned a new area code.“Splitting the 814 area code will impose significant costs on businesses and consumers, while restricting the ability to deliver an array of telecommunications-related services to the region,” White said.“For small businesses, the cost of printing new business cards, letterhead and advertising has a real impact, and in the current economy the last thing we should be doing is imposing new costs on employers.”———Former Democratic Congressman

Joe Sestak will visit Butler County Jan. 17 as a part of his tour across the state thanking his supporters of his failed bid for the U.S. Senate last fall.Sestak, who was defeated by Republican candidate Pat Toomey in the Nov. 2 election, will appear at 10 a.m. at the Butler Army National Guard, 250 Kriess Road in Connoquenessing Township.For more information, call Larry Kriess, chairman of the Butler County Democratic Committee, at 724-283-9461, or send e-mail to lpk@zoominternet.net.