State Sens. John Yudichak (D-Luzerne/Carbon/Monroe) and David Argall (R-Schuylkill/Carbon) and state Rep. Doyle Heffley (R-Carbon) announced Wednesday that Weatherly and Lehighton will receive nearly $500,000 combined from the Pennsylvania Commonwealth Financing Authority's Local Share grants.

Weatherly Police Department will receive $194,147 and Lehighton will receive $223,650."During a time when money is tight in Pennsylvania, I'm pleased to have worked with Sen. Yudichak and Sen. Argall in a bipartisan manner to ensure that more than $1 million ($907,453 additional funding earmarked for Carbon County's communications project) of LSA funding was directed toward worthwhile projects in Carbon County," Heffley said. "The grant money will ease the burden of taxpayers and provide much needed funding for projects during a time of financial difficulty for all levels of government."Weatherly Police Department will use the grant to assist in the construction of a new borough building that will house the borough offices and police department."On behalf of borough council, the police department and our residents, we sincerely appreciate all the help that was provide to us in obtaining these funds," Weatherly Mayor Thomas Connors said.The current police station is located in the former Weatherly Train Station. It has two rooms totaling 258 square feet. One is the department's main office and criminal holding area and the second serves as the evidence locker, lunch room, locker room, and storage facility.When officers make an arrest and bring the person to their department, the defendant is seated on a bench, located only about three feet away from the officers' working quarters.In August 2011, Heffley, Yudichak and U.S. Congressman Lou Barletta visited the station after borough officials invited them to tour the current location and listen to two potential plans they have to alleviate the cramped quarters.The Lehighton Fire Station will use the grant to help with the construction of an efficient and updated fire station. The project will entail rehabilitating and connecting two older fire stations located within the same block. It also calls for additional bays through an infill project.To make space for the project, three residential homes will be demolished, which are located between the two older fire stations.Earlier this month, Lehighton was also named a recipient of a $1.75 million in Redevelopment Assistance Capital Program funding for the addition.