Carbon County Commissioners are continuing to help county agencies during the state budget impasse.

Last week, the board approved loans of $250,000 to the Carbon County Area on Aging and $125,000 to the Carbon-Monroe-Pike Drug and Alcohol Commission to help it sustain operations until a state budget is passed and funds begin to flow."Rumor has it we'll have a budget by Thanksgiving, but I'll believe it when I see it," Commissioners' Chairman Wayne Nothstein said. "We're all very hopeful."In other matters, county Recorder of Deeds Emmett McCall gave $10,000 from his office's improvement fund to the county's general fund."He examined the needs of his office over the next few years and felt there would not be any major requests so he offered the funds to us," Commissioner Thomas J. Gerhard said."It's not every day something like this happens. Directors can have large wish lists and we have to decide what they need and don't need. I think every taxpayer should thank Emmett for this gesture."The county also approved a special activities agreement for use of Josiah White Park for the Jim Thorpe Area Chamber of Commerce's Olde Time Christmas on Dec. 4, 5, 6, 12 and 13.