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Pottsville man convicted of kidnapping Shenandoah man

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POTTSVILLE — A smirking Juan J. Perez left Schuylkill County Court in handcuffs on Thursday after a jury convicted him of kidnapping a man in December 2016 in Shenandoah and taking him to Reading.

Perez, 32, of Pottsville, never stopped smiling as the jury of eight men and four women found him guilty of kidnapping, prohibited possession of firearm, carrying a firearm without a license, unlawful restraint, simple assault and false imprisonment. The jurors, who deliberated almost three hours, also found him not guilty of conspiracy and corruption of minors.

President Judge William E. Baldwin, who presided over Perez’s one-day trial, revoked his $250,000 straight cash bail, returned him to prison, ordered preparation of a presentence investigation and said he would schedule sentencing at a later date.

Shenandoah police alleged Perez and two other men kidnapped William Murphy, 26, of Shenandoah, from a borough street about 8 a.m. forced him to return to his residence, kept him there for several hours and then drove him to Reading.

“I kept trying to talk them out of this situation,” Murphy testified. “He told me to sit there and shut up.”

However, the horror did not end there, as Perez used his handgun to force him up the steps, he said.

“How did you feel at that time?” Assistant District Attorney David J. Rice asked Murphy.

“I was terrified,” Murphy answered.

Then, Perez and the other men — Ramon Delvalle and Alnaldo Perez-Rodriguez — herded him into the bathroom, he said.

“Were you forced in there?” Rice asked.

“Yes,” Murphy replied.

“Who forced you in there?”

“Juan Perez.”

Murphy said he then had to stay in a closet for 30 to 45 minutes, with Perez telling him to be quiet because the police were outside.

“How did you feel?” Rice asked.

“I honestly thought I was going to die,” Murphy said. “Mr. Juan Perez would not let me out of the closet.”

In his closing argument, Jeffrey J. Markosky, Mahanoy City, Perez’s lawyer, said jurors should not believe Murphy’s testimony because of differences between it and his previous statements.

“When you have major inconsistencies, that’s a sign that somebody’s not telling the truth,” he said.

Markosky said Murphy changed his story on whether his children were at home and whether they stopped at a store on the way to Reading.

“That is something you would remember,” he said. “We aren’t being told the whole story. The testimony of Mr. Murphy just has too many inconsistencies to be believed.”

However, jurors accepted Rice’s closing argument, in which he reminded them what the victim endured.

“Mr. Murphy was kidnapped,” he said. “At least for 12 hours, they terrorized this man. He was fearful for his life.”

Rice said it is unreasonable to expect Murphy to remember details that are not particularly relevant.

“This man was kidnapped. His life was threatened,” he said. “What would you remember if you were placed in this position?”

Contact the writer: pbortner@republicanherald.com; 570-628-6014

Defendant: Juan J. Perez

Age: 32

Residence: Pottsville

Verdict: Guilty of kidnapping, prohibited possession of firearm, carrying a firearm without a license, unlawful restraint, simple assault and false imprisonment, not guilty of conspiracy and corruption of minors


Successes, setbacks mark drug treatment court session

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POTTSVILLE — Schuylkill County Drug Treatment Court’s weekly session on Thursday featured successes, with two people moving into the third phase of their programs, and setbacks, with five people suffering sanctions for violating court rules.

Brett and Randy became the first two program participants to advance to phase 3, which will allow them to attend the court sessions every other week instead of every week.

“I think you and Brett are both ready to move on,” Judge James P. Goodman told Randy.

Schuylkill County officials started the drug treatment court program this year to try to combat the widespread drug-addiction problem, using a carrot-and-stick approach. Other counties in Pennsylvania also have instituted drug treatment courts.

People in that 14-month program must undergo substance abuse treatment, make regular court appearances, submit to random drug testing and home visits, meet with probation officers, and comply with directives from the court and those officers. Participants must complete all five phases in order to graduate from the program; graduation is the carrot, resulting in dismissal of the charges against them.

However, since the defendants enter guilty pleas to the charges against them, failure to complete the program is the stick, resulting in them being sentenced, quite possibly to time in a state correctional institution.

In their weekly essays, each of the week’s success stories focused on his goals: Randy wrote about two long-term ones, finish college and get a new car, and one short-term goal, to get through the week.

Brett said he wanted a better apartment and to get in better shape.

“You’ve done well and you’ve turned your life around,” Goodman told Brett.

Five others, however, received sterner treatment after being caught violating program rules, with three winding up in prison.

Two, Jordan and Kelcie, must perform community service and write letters of apology after missing appointments.

“If you don’t disclose something, that’s the same as lying,” Goodman warned those in the “penalty box,” the area of the courtroom set aside for those who violated rules.

Brian, Bruce and Curtis, meanwhile, each sat through the hearing while wearing a prison jumpsuit and must remain behind bars for their violations.

“We don’t know what to do with you,” Goodman told Brian, who failed a drug test, missed an appointment and lied to probation officers. “You’re about at the end of the line.”

Bruce is headed to inpatient treatment today after a relapse.

In his essay, Bruce wrote that his fellow participants in the program mean a lot to him.

“I care about everybody in this court,” he said. “You’re all good people with bad habits.”

Many of the other participants focused their essays on short-term goals that will help them complete the program. They included:

Amy: “Maintain my sobriety day by day.”

John: “My primary goal is to stay clean.”

Joshua: “Participate in my children’s lives a little more than I have been.”

Contact the writer: pbortner@republicanherald.com; 570-628-6014

Around the region, Aug. 25, 2017

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Brandonville

The Park Crest Fish and Game Protective Association will have its membership meeting at 2 p.m. Sunday at the clubhouse, 395 Rattlin’ Run Road. For more information, call 570-691-4845.

Elizabethville

The Elizabethville Area Bicentennial Committee is still collecting items to be put in a time capsule to be opened during the community’s 250th birthday in 2067. Items accepted must be flat and placed inside an envelope up to 11-by-14 inches. Individuals, businesses and community groups in Elizabethville and the surrounding communities are encouraged to place envelopes in the time capsule, according to a committee release. Suggested items include letters written to family members or community groups, periodicals from current events during this year, advertisements from local businesses and similar fare. Items will be accepted between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. Mondays through Fridays until Sept. 15 at Deibler, Straub & Troutman Insurance, 2 W. Main St.

Frackville

Elks Lodge 1533, 307 S. Third St., will sponsor Labor Day Grillin’ beginning at noon Sept. 4 serving up fare including hamburgers, hot dogs and sides for $8 plus steak with sides for $12 at the lodge. A cash bar will be available. All are welcome. Also at the lodge, an event called Stosh Stock, a fundraiser for Stosh McCloskey, will be held Sept. 1 with doors opening at 6 p.m. and music from 8 p.m. to midnight by Another Side featuring Joe Jordan of The Jordan Brothers and Mike Macker, formerly of The Mudflaps. The cost is $10. Food and a cash bar will be available. For tickets or more information, call Mary Ellen at 570-875-8049. The lodge will sponsor an all-you-can-eat mackerel breakfast from 8 to 11 a.m. Sept. 3. The cost is $8 per person and there will be a full breakfast menu. For more information, call 570-874-2500. Other functions on the agenda are a breaded pork chop supper beginning at 4 p.m. Sept. 20 at $9 per person and the annual bean soup sale beginning at noon Sept. 30. Cups, bowls and quart containers of soup will be available, as will a cash bar.

Mahanoy City

A retirement dinner honoring The Rev. Dr. John H. Reid will be held in the fellowship hall at St. Paul’s United Church of Christ, Main and Pine streets, at 6:30 p.m. Sept. 20. Tickets are $17 for adults, $8 for children 6-12 and free for children under 5. Reid, who is retiring from the church, has 50 years of service to the ministry. The deadline for tickets is Sept. 13. For tickets or more information, call 570-497-4984, 570-773-0467 or 570-467-2612.

New Philadelphia

The Schuylkill Valley Joint Veterans group will have its annual picnic at noon Sept. 9 at the New Philadelphia Little League Field, Valley Street. It’s free for paid-up members and $5 for guests. For all nonmembers, the cost is $10. Anyone wishing to donate to the picnic should makes checks out to Schuylkill Valley Joint Veterans c/o Thomas Hill, 41 Silver Creek Road, New Philadelphia, PA 17959. All donations will go toward next year’s picnic, according to a release. For more information, call 570-277-6031.

Pottsville

The 13th annual Hops, Vine & Dine and Auction sponsored by the Pottsville Rotary Club will be held from 5 to 8 p.m. Sept. 21 at the Barefield Recreational Complex, 823 Terry Reiley Way. Food will be from 5:30 to 7 p.m. Participants will sample the best of Schuylkill County. Chinese auction winners will be posted at 7 p.m. Tickets are $25 each and will be available at the door or by calling 570-628-9619 or 570-628-2969. Proceeds will benefit Child Development Inc. and the Gabriel Chamber Ensemble/Gabriel Youth Orchestra. For more information, go online to www.pottsvillerotary.com.

Shenandoah

A hike to the Peddler’s Grave on the mountain northeast of Shenandoah is scheduled for Wednesday. The grave is the site of the first recorded murder in Schuylkill County. Hikers should bring a lunch and gather at 10:30 a.m. at the Pennsylvania Anthracite Miners Memorial, Main and Washington streets, Shenandoah, to carpool to the site. The five-mile hike is rated moderate. Pets are welcome but must be leashed and get along with other pets and people. The hike will be held shine only. For more information, call 570-467-2506.

Mahanoy Area uses barriers, signs to improve traffic flow

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MAHANOY CITY — The hustle and bustle at the start and end of a school day used to fill the parking lot south of the Mahanoy Area School District complex with buses, cars, students and, sometimes, confusion.

But over the summer, the district spent more than $4,000 to buy some barriers and signs to ease the traffic flow there, according to district Business Administrator John J. “Jack” Hurst.

“We had a close call last year. A vehicle almost hit a student. That’s why we decided we needed to look at this again,” district Superintendent Joie L. Green said Thursday.

Jason Burke, the district’s director of transportation, reported it to the district.

“It happened at the end of the school year last year. Jason came in and told the administration what had happened. And that’s when we said, ‘We’ve got to do something,’ ” Green said.

“I remember a bus driver telling me how upset they were that a kid almost got pegged by a car. It was at the end of the day. An elementary school student was leaving the school and walking to the parking lot. They have the right-of-way when they’re in the crosswalk. If I remember correctly, that day there were two solid lines of cars here,” Burke said.

“The cars used to be parked two or three deep here. They’d line up and sit there waiting to pick students up, in the mornings and the afternoons. In the afternoons at 3 o’clock when we were dismissing, it was next to impossible to get a bus through here,” Burke said.

“The kid started crossing in front of one car that was parked. Then a second car came through and almost whacked the kid,” Burke said.

There haven’t been any major changes to the parking lot since the complex was built in 1979, Hurst said.

This is one of the changes students and staff will experience when school begins on Monday.

There were a few reasons why the administration decided to improve safety in the parking lot.

One involved the reconfiguration of the school district in the 2017-18 school year, which eliminated Mahanoy Area’s middle school designation.

The elementary school will be from kindergarten to sixth grade (previously kindergarten to fourth grade) and high school will be from seventh to 12th grade (previously ninth through 12th).

There will be more activity near the Mahanoy Area Elementary School entrance doors facing the south parking lot, Green said.

“And that’s the new entrance for everybody,” Green said.

The district bought 28 12-foot-long barriers from Mark T. Boyle Welding, Tamaqua. Boyle also installed them.

“They’re used. They used to be on the Pennsylvania Turnpike,” Edward Blazis, facilities director, said Thursday.

“The total cost for the barriers was $1,620. The trucking was $1,350 and the set up was $400, for a total cost of was $3,370,” Hurst said.

The signs cost $383 and the posts cost $638. The district bought them from Valley Grafix, Barnesville. They were installed by district workers.

One row was set up to border E Street and protect the parking lot.

A larger one was assembled to divide the entrance road into two lanes.

The one-way traffic now flows east to west.

With barriers, the school district made two lanes.

One is closer to the curb where buses and parents can drop off students. There are signs directing vehicles to it: “Student drop off and pick-up area. Keep right.”

The other lane borders the parking lot.

The lanes are 16 feet wide, and they’re big enough for emergency vehicles like fire trucks, Green said.

“That was a concern of our firemen in town,” Green said.

Shane Finneran, a support staff member at Mahanoy Area, is a volunteer with the borough fire department and helped to measure the size of the lanes.

Local firefighters tested the lanes with local fire trucks, she said.

The barriers should also prevent vehicles from rocketing into the school zone, she said.

Previously, vehicles made U-turns in the parking lot.

“They weren’t supposed to,” Green said.

Now there are no U-turn signs there to prevent that.

The barriers should also prevent congestion, Green said.

New signs in the parking lot include a stop sign near a crosswalk.

“We wanted people to stop in case there were kids walking and they didn’t just zoom through,” Green said.

Contact the writer: spytak@republicanherald.com; 570-628-6011

Police log, Aug. 25, 2017

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Man dies in Rt. 61

motorcycle crash

HAMBURG — A Leesport man died when the motorcycle he was driving crashed about 8:20 p.m. Wednesday on Route 61, at Exit 29 to Interstate 78 West in Tilden Township, Berks County.

State police at Hamburg said the 24-year-old man, who was not yet identified, was traveling south on Route 61 on a 2001 Suzuki SV650 approaching the exit as Ronald Zimmerman, 65, of Narvon, was driving a 2005 Ford F350 north on Route 61 and turned to enter Interstate 78.

Police said the trailer that Zimmerman was towing was still crossing Route 61 south and the Leesport man tried to slow down but was unable to avoid the trailer and struck it.

The man suffered fatal injuries as a result of the collision, state police said, adding that their investigation is continuing.

Man injured in

I-81 accident

HEGINS — A Kulpmont man was seriously injured in a crash about 5:40 p.m. Thursday in the southbound lanes of Interstate 81, near mile marker 110 in Frailey Township.

State police at Frackville said Peter M. Kulik III, 33, was driving a 2006 Dodge Charger south in the right lane at a high rate of speed when he ran into the back of a 2016 Freightliner tractor-trailer being driven south in the right lane by David A. Tucker, 31, of Edwardsville.

After the impact, state police said, Tucker pulled over onto the shoulder of the road dragging the car with him.

Despite the severity of the crash, police said, Kulik was able to climb out of his car and was taken to a Pottsville hospital by Tremont EMS.

Police said Tucker was not hurt and that Kulik will be cited for driving at an unsafe speed as a result of the crash.

Police: Man slapped

teen after gesture

LYKENS — A Wiconisco man was charged with harassment and disorderly conduct by state police at Lykens after an incident about 11:30 a.m. Aug. 19 in the 300 block of Market Street in this Dauphin County community.

Police said the incident began when a 16-year-old Lykens boy made an obscene gesture toward Glenn E. Barder, 41, who then circled the block, stopped near the boy and exited his vehicle.

Barder then approached the teen, began verbally scolding him and slapped him in the face, police said, adding that Barder then yelled at the boy again before returning to his vehicle and leaving.

Barder will now have to answer to the charges before Magisterial District Judge Rebecca Margerum, Elizabethville, police said.

2 new countries to be represented at annual Heritage Day on Saturday in Shenandoah

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A summer tradition in Shenandoah of celebrating the borough’s people and ethnic backgrounds will continue with some new additions.

The 19th Heritage Day and the 18th Parade of Nations will be held Saturday, hosted by Downtown Shenandoah Inc., the borough’s revitalization group. Heritage Day will be held from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on North Main Street. The Parade of Nations will step off at 10 a.m. with 15 nations represented. Mary Luscavage, DSI executive director and Main Street Program manager, said there are two new countries to be represented this year — Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico.

The honorary grand marshal will be local journalist John E. Usalis. Usalis is a former staff writer for The Republican-Herald.

“He’s always been willing to help us with anything. I think he deserves it,” Luscavage said.

Luscavage said in choosing a grand marshal, DSI makes a list of suggestions and Usalis was at the top of the list. When his name was mentioned, it was the only one that needed to be heard. Usalis was announced as the unanimous selection for grand marshal at DSI’s July meeting.

Luscavage said parade participants should line up between 9 and 9:30 a.m. on Jardin Street. The route is: Jardin Street to Cherry Street, then to Main Street and Washington Street, ending at the Shenandoah Community Living Center.

Parade participants include the Shenandoah Valley marching band, Nativity BVM marching band, Hawk Mountain Highlanders, Perseverance Jazz Band and Shenandoah All-Star Polka Band.

Following the parade, festivities will continue on Main Street. The national anthem will be performed by Shaina Graff and invocation by the Rev. Neal Smith of Bethel Primitive Methodist Church. Proclamations will be presented to Usalis from Mayor Andrew Szczyglak and state Sen. David G. Argall, R-29, Rush Township.

A popular feature of the event is the food. There will be a variety of ethnic fare as well as a selection of American favorites. Other vendors include artists, crafters and games.

“There will be some different things people have not seen before,” Luscavage said.

Entertainment is scheduled throughout the day at the veterans garden. The lineup is: Perseverance Jazz Band, 11:15 a.m. to 12:15 p.m.; Leilani Chesonis, 12:15 to 1:15 p.m.; Lester Hirsh, 1:15 to 2:15 p.m.; and Toolshed Jack Acoustics, 2:15 p.m.

For nature lovers, the wooded northern part of Girard Park, which borders Shenandoah borough and West Mahanoy Township, will be available for nature walks.

Anyone wishing to carry their flag and represent their ethnicity should call the 116 N. Main St. office of the revitalization group Downtown Shenandoah Inc. at 570-462-2060.

For more information, visit the DSI website, www.downtownshenandoah.com, or its Facebook page.

Contact the writer: ; 570-628-6003

Arts at Hayfield Summer Craft Festival takes over Penn State Wilkes-Barre on Sunday

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When describing the Arts at Hayfield Summer Craft Festival, chairwoman Janis Winter used one adjective in particular: “It’s eclectic,” she said with a laugh, noting the wide variety of vendors and performances.

The 33rd annual Arts at Hayfield Summer Craft Festival returns to Penn State Wilkes-Barre this Sunday, with more than 100 artisan vendors on display.

Craft vendors ranging from fabric weaving and wood carving to potters, jewelers and metalworkers will sprawl across the campus grounds from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. to sell their goods.

“The original idea (of this event) was to use the campus and have it as a part of the community,” Winter said. “It’s meant to put an emphasis on the creative community. It’s really important to us that the people who are making what they’re making are invested in it.”

Throughout the day, a steady stream of performances will keep attendees entertained including musical theater, folk rock, bluegrass and comedy, juggling, magic shows and bagpipes, among others.

Helen Grebsky will demonstrate varying needle crafts such as embroidery, doll making and weaving, while offering children and adults the option to try their hand at each.

Another favorite for the children is the Princess and Heroes storytelling. A group of students from Lake-Lehman High School joined together to dress as various princesses and heroes and read, play games, draw and sing with kids at the event.

“They are incredibly engaging,” Winter said. “They use it as fundraising to help the theater program at Lake-Lehman, and it went incredibly well last year. The students were very connected to every group of kids.”

In addition to the performers and vendors, the Observatory at Penn State Wilkes-Barre will be open for an hour, with Violet Major, Ph.D., available to answer questions from the public. The new solar telescope will be available to view, weather permitting.

And of course, tours of the historical Hayfield House will take place at three times throughout the day — 11 a.m., 1 and 2:30 p.m. — for those who want to learn some local history about the house and the life of John Conyngham.

This event generally attracts more than 2,000 people from around the area — a number that Winter said she would like to increase to 3,000.

“My favorite part is when you realize you’ve gotten together a lot of real people doing things that matter to them,” Winter said. “They just want to share it with the public. (Vendors tell me) ‘It’s really nice to see that somebody else enjoys what you’ve made; it’s very satisfying.’ It’s always nice to realize that you’re working with people who are like that because it’s always a pleasure, they’re really positive people.”

Contact the writer: cjacobson@citizensvoice.com; 570-821-2061

ABA parade canceled again

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ASHLAND — For the second year in a row, the Ashland Boys Association Parade has been canceled because there aren’t enough fire police available to direct traffic, Ray Jones Jr., the borough manager, said Thursday.

Scheduled for the evening of Sept. 2, it would have been the 114th ABA Parade.

“There was a discussion at the last borough council meeting. We said if we didn’t have enough people for traffic control for the safety of the citizens that we weren’t going to have a parade,” Jones said.

That meeting was held Aug. 9.

On Wednesday, Jones and Ashland Mummers Club President Stephanie Llewellyn-Abalo talked about how many fire police were available for Sept. 2.

Only two signed up to work at the event, Jones said.

“In the past when we had the parade, we needed, like, 15 to 20. And only two were able to make it. We don’t have that many anymore. It’s like the volunteer fire service. It’s dwindling. I don’t know how many we have all together. But I know some were going away that weekend and only two committed to be at the event,” Jones said Thursday.

“And it’s not only that. You need police officers,” Jones said.

The borough has two full-time officers, Police Chief Mark O’Hearn and Patrolman Daniel E. Weikel.

“And the part-time number varies. We have a list of, like, 15. But there’s maybe four or five that work regularly,” Jones said.

After speaking with the police chief, Jones said he learned not all of the borough’s cops would be available to work the day of the parade.

“I believe he’d be available and Officer Weikel. But he only had one other one who would commit to giving him any time that day. He tried to get the part-timers to work, but they work other jobs too,” Jones said.

The first ABA parade was held in 1900.

The parade began as a remembrance of the days when former residents of Ashland who had left for employment outside the mines returned to their families on Labor Day weekend, according to the newspaper’s archives.

In May 2009, the Ashland Mummers canceled the 2009 parade for numerous reasons, including a lack of donations and volunteers. In 2010, the Ashland Elks Lodge’s youth group, the Ashland Antlers, honored the spirit of the ABA parade by carrying a “Welcome ABA” banner and dressing up as coal miners. In 2011, the parade officially returned in a revised format with no marching units.

In 2015, the 113th ABA Parade was held, according to the newspaper’s archives.

In 2016, Llewellyn-Abalo said there weren’t enough Ashland Fire Police members for traffic control. So, there was no parade in 2016.

On July 26, Llewellyn-Abalo and her cousin, Lisa Llewellyn, Ashland, the secretary/treasurer of the Ashland Mummers Club, said they were determined to bring the event back this year.

“We just don’t want to let it go. It’s a very long tradition we’ve had in our town. We grew up with it and it’s something we would like to continue,” Llewellyn-Abalo, Ashland, said July 26.

And Llewellyn-Abalo was confident there would be enough fire police available to work at the event.

“Council, when the idea was put on the table, said as long as we have enough fire police and police coverage that we would authorize it. There was a discussion and a few phone calls to find out where we were at with this. And I called Stephanie Abalo. And I told her we’re not having a parade because don’t have enough,” Jones said.

On Thursday afternoon, Llewellyn-Abalo said she wasn’t sure if she’ll try to hold the parade next year.

“We’re going to have a meeting and decide what we’re going to do with it. Then we’ll make a formal statement about everything,” Llewellyn-Abalo said.

Contact the writer: spytak@republicanherald.com; 570-628-6011


Veterans seek answers at town hall meeting

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POTTSVILLE — Veterans received answers to their questions at a sponsored town hall meeting Thursday at D.H.H. Lengel Middle School.

The event was sponsored by the U. S. Department of Veterans Affairs, the Veterans Health Administration, Veterans Benefits Administration, National Cemetery Administration and the Lebanon VA Medical Center. State representatives Mike Tobash, R-125, Pottsville; Jerry Knowles, R-124, Rush Township; Neal P. Goodman, D-123, Mahanoy City; and Christine Verdier, chief of staff for Sen. David G. Argall, R-29, Rush Township, attended. Schuylkill County commissioners Chairman George F. Halcovage Jr., Commissioner Gary Hess, Schuylkill County District Attorney Christine Holman and Mike O’Pake, who is running for district attorney, attended.

“We want to help you cut through the red tape to get the benefits you deserve,” Goodman said.

“We try to make people eligible,” Joseph L. Hepner, chief of health administration at the Lebanon VA Medical Center, said in an answer to a question from one of the more than 60 people attending the event.

The first hour of the event discussed the various options available to veterans and the organization. The second hour was a give and take answer session in which people could write their questions on blue cards that would then be answered. After that, audience members could ask questions to those in attendance.

Audience members were asked not to reveal personal health information in the public setting.

Topics ranged from how to get documents veterans needed, if a veterans court was something that might be established in the county, how there doesn’t seem to be enough veterans in veterans organizations countywide and how to obtain services.

“The more veterans that come, the more people we can help,” Douglas A. Etter, chief communications officer for the Lebanon VA Medical Center, said.

Nationwide, 6 percent of Americans are veterans. Less than 1 percent are serving, Etter said.

He admitted that sometimes mistakes are made at the center.

“We don’t always get it right. We really genuinely try to do our very best,” he said.

One Schuylkill County resident said his father, who was a veteran, said that by not going to the VA unless you were in pain, you were helping someone else who needed the services more than you did.

Veterans should not be afraid to ask for help, Marc Burlile, 13th district commander of the American Legion, Schuylkill County chapter, said.

“It’s about you and your family,” he said.

One audience member said when he went to the VA, he was told by someone that he didn’t have the time to address the problems the person had and had other people to see.

Hepner said that should not happen.

John Fegley, 85, of Mahanoy Township, an Air Force veteran, said he had a medical condition and filed a claim for it. Etter said perhaps he had filed the claim with the wrong federal agency. He would later talk to a VA representative about his condition.

A veteran asked why there is not a caregiver bill for Vietnam veterans.

Margaret Wilson, associate director for patient care services and nurse executive at the Lebanon VA Medical Center, said that such a program is for catastrophic illness for those coming back from Iraq and Afghanistan.

“Why can’t the federal government come up with a blanket caregiver bill. There isn’t enough given out for them,” Burlile asked.

The state representatives in attendance said they would have to see such a bill before they sign onto it. Ideally, it sounds like a good idea, they said.

Someone asked about a veterans court in Schuylkill County. The county has a drug court in which those who qualify are given a chance to have dismissal of charges filed against them if they comply with all court ordered requirements. Twenty counties in the state have such a program aimed at veterans who offend, someone said.

Halcovage said the issue is “on the radar” of the county judges but no decisions have been made. He said later that there have been no discussions on the matter though. Brenda Zechman, director of veterans affairs of Schuylkill County, said judges have to consider the military service of someone when they are facing charges.

There were also good news stories people shared who attended the event.

Jeffrey White, membership chair of the Vietnam Veterans of America, Pennsylvania State Council, said helped console a World War II veteran from Arizona previously by talking to him and providing information. He said the man was thinking about committing suicide.

“I’ve had veterans say ‘I don’t need the suicide prevention number,’ ” he said.

He called the man back the next day and the veteran was alive. The phone number — 1-800-273-8255 — can help save lives.

“Any suicide is one too many,” Wilson said.

Contact the writer: ; 570-628-6028

Parking restrictions in place for Shenandoah events

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SHENANDOAH — Shenandoah Police Chief George F. Carado announced parking restrictions will be in place Saturday due to the annual Heritage Day and Parade of Nations.

No parking will be allowed on the following streets:

• North Main Street, from Centre to Washington streets, from 5 a.m. to 6 p.m.

• North Jardin Street, from Center to Coal streets, from 6 a.m. to noon

• The 200 block of North Jardin Street from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m.

• West Cherry Street, from Main to Jardin streets, from 6 a.m. to noon

• The unit block of North White Street from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Carado said a detour will be in place since North Main Street will be closed from Centre to Washington streets from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m.

The chief said that all vehicles not removed will be ticketed and towed at the owner’s expense.

Crestwood graduate in NASA program

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A former Mountain Top man has the right stuff, according to NASA.

Bob Hines, a 1993 Crestwood High School graduate, is among more than dozen men and women in NASA’s latest class of astronaut candidates who began a two-year training period at the Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas, to prepare them for space this week.

Hines never thought he’d be in this position, he said Tuesday in a brief phone interview.

“It’s still unbelievable,” he said. “It was something I was always interested in. I have a passion for math and sciences and space.”

His goal was to become a pilot, but he and others helped set him up for the future, Hines said. He pointed to his teachers and coaches that propped him up and encouraged him to pursue his goals.

“When you live in a place called Mountain Top, some dreams seem too big,” he said. “It’s a testament to the support I received.”

During his training, Hines said, he’ll be learning about the operations of the International Space Station, space walking, robotics, medical training and geology training. He described the training as the core courses in college, which provide a basic foundation. He’ll also be learning Russian.

Candidates also master skills, such as leadership, followership, team care and communication, through activities like survival training and geology treks. They also learn about NASA’s work in other areas, including aeronautics and research.

Hines and the other candidates, 11 Americans and two Canadians, are excited at the prospect of going to space, he said.

“We’re all pretty giddy right now,” he said.

The candidate class was still getting to know each other, Hines said, but some neat personalities were emerging. Everyone has different skill sets and they hope to work together as team, leaning on each other, he said.

That’s exactly what astronauts on the International Space Station told the candidate class as they enter training. The class got to ask question of three members of the Expedition 52 crew, Peggy Whitson, Randy Bresnik and Jack Fisher, during a session Monday morning.

The classes can be challenging, but everyone in the class has different areas of expertise and they should take advantage of that expertise, said Whitson, who came from a biology background.

“You have to use everyone’s gifts,” Fisher said, agreeing with Whitson. “Everyone is going to learn something new. No one has the full skill set.”

Even though everyone had different skill sets, everyone in the class ended up at the same place at the end of training, Bresnik said.

“It’s neat how different skills sets allow you to contribute,” he said.

Class members also asked about experiencing the solar eclipse from the space station, things they should pay more attention to during training, their favorite part of training and challenges they faced on the space station.

Hines considers Harrisburg his hometown, and his mother and step-father, Lynne and Tom Swider, still reside there. His father and step-mom, Robert Sr. and Melody Hines, live in Ocean View, Delaware. His wife, Kelli, is from Caledonia, Mississippi, and the couple have three children.

Hines earned a bachelor’s degree in aerospace engineering from Boston University and is a graduate of the U.S. Air Force Test Pilot School, where he earned a master’s degree in flight test engineering. He also earned a master’s degree in aerospace engineering from the Universtity of Alabama.

Hines served in the Air Force and Air Force Reserves for 18 years. He has accumulated more than 3,500 hours of flight time in 41 different types of aircraft, including the F15E Strike Force, and has flown 76 combat missions in support of contingency operations around the world.

Contact the writer: kmonitz@standardspeaker.com; 570-501-3589.

Lavelle couple who want to raise animals to appeal ruling

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LAVELLE — Adam J. Gamble and his wife, Melanie S., want to raise chickens, rabbits and goats on their property for additional food.

But the Butler Township Zoning Hearing Board said no, since the board doesn’t think the 2.3-acre parcel is “agricultural in character,” according to the decision.

So the couple is planning to appeal the case to Schuylkill County Court.

“We have a sincere interest in this and we’d like it to become part of our lifestyle. And we’re not being given the opportunity to try,” Melanie Gamble, 29, said Thursday.

The Gambles reside at 60 South St., Lavelle, which is in an R-2 zone. So they had to ask for a variance in order to house a maximum of six goats, 10 chickens, four ducks and 20 rabbits on their property.

There was a public hearing on the matter before the Butler Township Zoning Hearing Board on July 13.

After a brief executive session, the board decided to review the matter for 30 days.

On Aug. 18, the board handed down its decision.

The members of the zoning board are Barb Cheddar, the board’s chairwoman, and board members Roy Green, John Tarson, Tom Cuff and T.J. McAndrew.

“The Pennsylvania Municipalities Planning Code and Butler Township Zoning Ordinance control the applicants’ request for a variance. This board has jurisdiction over this application,” according to the Conclusions of Law.

“The board finds that the applicants’ parcel is not located in an area that is rural and agricultural in character because the true nature of the community must include and not disregard the close proximity to the Main Street high-density residential dwellings, the rears of which abuts the parcel, separated by a mere alleyway. Moreover, the Village of Lavelle with its residential properties and close-by businesses are also part of the community in which the parcel is located,” according to the Conclusions of Law.

“A lot of people don’t even know this house is back here,” Adam Gamble, 44, said referring to his property, a green hillside surrounded by pine trees.

“Most of what we do will not affect any of our immediate neighbors at all,” Melaine Gamble said.

In reading the Findings of Fact, Melanie criticized a few sections, especially one in particular.

“Applicants did not explain why they are unable to purchase organic foods or foods which are not genetically altered or grown without pesticides, nor as to why they cannot carry out their intended self-sustaining practices outside their parcel such as on property (whether purchased or leased) which has been zoned for rural/agriculture uses,” according to the Findings of Fact.

“If you’re telling us that we have to either lease or purchase agricultural land, you’re assuming that we actually have the money to do this, without taking into account that we want to do this because we can’t afford healthier food at the prices that they are,” Melanie said Thursday.

“It’s much more economical and safe to be able to do it ourselves than trust someone else to take care of our food source. We just want to be responsible. And this is an economically depressed area,” she said.

Adam Gamble said he and his wife are “middle class.” He works as a forklift operator for Bermis Packaging Solutions, Lebanon.

“The record is devoid of evidence of any hardship to applicants,” according to the Findings of Fact.

“They were very forceful on the fact that we did not declare a hardship. The hardship is we just want healthy food and we want the opportunity to try,” Melanie said.

The Gambles have been married for eight years. They moved to their current home two and a half years ago. For the past five years, they’ve been looking for ways to grow additional food for themselves.

“We bought the house of our dreams to be able to do this. We’ve been gardening for about four years,” Melanie said.

They have gardens in their backyard which include potatoes and tomatoes.

“Here we have cayenne and basil,” Melanie said.

“That’s holy basil,” Adam interjected.

“Beans and peppers,” she said.

“Hot peppers,” Adam said.

“Snapdragons,” she said.

“And what you see in this barrel here, that’s amaranth. They were about 10 feet tall. It’s an ancient grain, and we cut off the tops. When they droop over, the seeds are ready,” he said.

“You can blend them in a blender and make amaranth flour or you can boil it with milk and you can eat it like a porridge,” she said.

Contact the writer: spytak@republicanherald.com; 570-628-6011

Woman who allegedly phoned bomb threats returned to prison

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POTTSVILLE — Jaclyn M. Hollywood, whom prosecutors allege telephoned two bomb threats to authorities in December 2016 in order to avoid a court hearing, sits in prison today after a Schuylkill County judge revoked her bail on Friday.

After a hearing, Judge Charles M. Miller ruled Hollywood violated the terms of her bail by failing to report to her supervising officer and using drugs, neither of which the defendant denied.

“I don’t have a good excuse why I didn’t report,” she said. “I’m not going to say I’ve been completely clean.”

Hollywood, 35, of Saint Clair, formerly of Mechanicsville, faces two counts each of bomb threats without knowledge of bomb, terroristic threats, criminal use of a communication facility and disorderly conduct.

Pottsville police charged Hollywood with calling in the threats to the Children & Youth and district attorney’s offices on Dec. 12, 2016.

Police said Hollywood called the Children & Youth office at 8:15 a.m. and told the answering service employee that a bomb would explode at 9:30 a.m. in the courthouse. The threat caused the evacuation of the courthouse, all county offices and the seven magisterial district judge offices, according to police.

Police said Hollywood admitted making the bomb threat from her cellphone and that there never was any bomb or similar device placed in the courthouse.

Hollywood, who had been free on $30,000 percentage bail, testified on Friday that she used methamphetamines, but gets counseling for mental health and drug and alcohol issues.

“I’m an addict,” she said.

She also said she has a criminal record and does not have a job.

Chief Public Defender Michael J. Stine, Hollywood’s lawyer, said his client is trying to get help for her problems and should be allowed to remain free. However, Miller accepted the argument of Assistant District Attorney Debra A. Smith that the defendant needs to be in prison.

“Leaving her out ... is a danger to society,” Smith said.

Contact the writer: pbortner@republcianherald.com; 570-628-6014

The defendant

· Name: Jaclyn M. Hollywood

· Age: 35

· Residence: Saint Clair, formerly of Mechanicsville

· Charges: Two counts each of bomb threats without knowledge of bomb, terroristic threats, criminal use of a communication facility and disorderly conduct

Hazleton Area drivers take course on routes

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HAZLETON — Bus drivers in the Hazleton Area School District went to summer school.

“We called all the drivers in and went over their whole route with them,” Business Manager Robert Krizansky said.

By studying routes, the drivers and administrators hope to avoid the delays and confusion that followed the buses through weeks of school last year.

Last year while trying to save money, the district asked its consultant, Transfinder, to redraw routes.

Transfinder hoped to have each bus carry more students so fewer buses would be needed to handle the routes.

Some new routes, however, followed roads too steep or narrow for buses to travel, which caused drivers to take time-consuming detours.

Errors cropped up when words like “street” or “avenue” were abbreviated and didn’t flow into computer programs or when computers confused Broad Street in Hazleton, for example, with Broad Street in Beaver Meadows.

If students’ addresses were listed as a post office box instead of a street, directions sent bus drivers to post offices instead of homes.

Calls from parents about late buses overwhelmed district transportation workers so Superintendent Craig Butler invited parents to call him.

After two weeks, routes still were being refined. Some problems persisted after that.

Because the district stopped requiring students to show bus cards to drivers, students who were supposed to walk to school boarded buses instead, adding to crowding and requiring a back-up bus to handle the overflow.

This year, Krizansky arranged to provide a bus card to each student — before school starts.

Because he expected many students have moved and won’t get their cards in the mail, he said each student will receive a duplicate bus card in school on Monday, the first day of classes.

“We’ve been told we’re in a much better place than last year,” school board member Vincent Zola said.

A switch to full-day kindergarten should make for smoother bus service.

Buses no longer have to take kindergartners to and from school at midday as they did last year when kindergarten classes met for half-days.

Later in the year, Krizansky said, parents and students with smartphones might be able to track the location of buses.

Meanwhile, students living along Poplar, Beech and Chapel streets who take the bus to the Heights-Terrace Elementary/Middle School now, might walk later in the year.

After sidewalk repairs and other work were done in their neighborhood, the district asked the state Department of Transportation if their routes to school are safe to walk.

PennDOT hasn’t decided yet, Assistant Superintendent Anthony Ryba said.

Ryba plans to calculate whether Transfinder’s changes saved money during the last school year.

Through February the changes had saved $87,000, even with half-day kindergarten classes and an influx of new students.

Contact the writer: kjackson@standardspeaker.com; 570-501-3587

Shenandoah Valley charter school students to have new option

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SHENANDOAH — The Shenandoah Valley School District is hoping to attract some of its students who attend Gillingham Charter School, Pottsville, and numerous cyber charter schools back with a new option.

Called the Shenandoah Valley Virtual Academy, it’s an online learning program for full-time virtual students, home-schooled students, traditional students seeking advancement and home-bound students, according to a pamphlet Superintendent Brian Waite provided Wednesday.

The district is running the program with help from VLN Partners, Pittsburgh, Waite said during the school board’s August meeting at the high school’s Virtual Academy, which is the former school library at the high school.

“I’d like to announce a new program we’re offering here. It’s an online provider, VLN. We’re working collaboratively with them to offer options for our students who are enrolled in cyber schools and schools like Gillingham, and to encourage those students to come back to Shenandoah Valley,” Waite said.

“We will pay a membership fee of $18,750 per year to use their network in comparison to the $8,141 we paid last year to Blended Schools/GPA for using their network. VLN is giving us a return on investment guarantee, that if our total new cyber school expenses do not decrease by at least $18,750 in the first year of network membership, VLN will waive this annual fee for the second year of network membership. Blended Schools/GPA did not provide this,” Shenandoah Valley Business Manager Anthony P. Demalis Jr. said Thursday.

“VLN will be more actively recruiting these students to return to the SV Virtual Academy instead of attending cyber charter schools. We will also have to pay VLN $4,500 per student for full-year tuition. This compares to the $9,076 we pay per student who attend cyber charter schools. The contract is annual,” Demalis said.

“Last year we had 37 students who attended cyber charter schools and 36 students at Gillingham for a total of 73 at both. I have budgeted $987,600 for these expenses for 2017-18,” Demalis said.

At Wednesday’s meeting, Waite also mentioned a recent effort made by Robert L. Amos, the business manager at North Schuylkill School District, to find out how much Gillingham and regional cyber charter schools spend in marketing and advertising.

“I’m going to get on soap box just a little bit here. Charter schools and cyber charter schools purport that they are offering free education for our students in Shenandoah Valley, which is a misnomer. You, as taxpayers, pay the bill for those students attending charter and cyber charter schools,” Waite said.

“Some of the cyber charter schools use money to help with advertisement. One of them we have information on used over $4 million just last year of their funding that comes from public schools for advertisement,” Waite said.

He was referring to Commonwealth Charter Academy, Harrisburg.

In an Aug. 7 letter to Amos, Jennifer Clarke, senior director of administrative services and the RTK representative for CCA, provided information on how much CCA spent on advertising and marketing in the following school years: 2014-15, $3.3 million; 2015-16, $3.2 million; and 2016-17, $4.4 million.

In 2016-17, the revenue for CCA was $124,681,462. Of that, 3.56 percent was used for marketing and advertising, Amos said Aug. 16.

In other matters, the Shenandoah Valley school board is OK with the plan to put new roofs on the Schuylkill Technology Centers in Mar Lin and Frackville.

On July 10, the board of directors of Schuylkill County Area Vocational-Technical School approved a formula to determine how much each of the 12 school districts in Schuylkill County will put into the project that’s expected to cost more than $3.1 million.

The plan is based on 66.667 percent of a district’s market value and 33.333 percent of student enrollment budget at STC, Brian A. Manning, business manager at Schuylkill IU 29, said previously.

With the formula, Shenandoah Valley would contribute $120,135.28.

On Wednesday, in a unanimous roll call vote, the school board voted to provide that money from its general fund.

Board member Helene Creasy made the motion. It was seconded by board member John Petritsch. All members of the board were present at Wednesday’s meeting and, in a roll call vote, all voted to approve the resolution. The others were Daniel P. Salvadore, president; Thomas F. Twardzik, board vice president; and board members Joseph Buchanan, Karen Kayes, Margaret Shustack, Joseph Alshefski and Anita Monahan.

Other items the Shenandoah Valley school board approved at its meeting Wednesday included the following:

• Appointed the elementary school principal, Brook Wowak, as the federal program coordinator, and gave her a total salary for both positions at $72,500 for the 2017-18 school year.

• Appointed the elementary vice principal, Lesley Matus, as the school psychologist, and gave her a total salary for both positions at $67,500 for the 2017-18 school year.

• Hired Kassandra Blew as elementary emotional support at a salary of $37,311 for the 2017-18 school year.

• Hired Megan Mehalick as a secondary English teacher at a salary of $37,311 for the 2017-18 school year.

• Hired Robin Recek as a secondary English teacher at a salary of $48,701. She filled the position held previously by John Brennan, who the board promoted to secondary vice principal in July.

• Hired Nina Delluso, daughter of the board president, Daniel P. Salvadore, as the spelling bee coordinator at a salary of $23 an hour. Salvadore abstained from the roll call vote.

“Our spelling bee coordinator has worked on average over the past three years 23 hours in the school year,” Demalis said.

• Hired Angela Salvadore, the wife of the board president, as an elementary paraprofessional two days a week at a salary of $9 per hour. The board president abstained from the roll call vote.

• Rejected a bid of $1,097 from Lloyd R. Hampton to acquire a property on Township Road in West Mahanoy Township that is in the Schuylkill County Tax Claim Bureau repository.

“The opening bid was $1,500,” Demalis said.

During public comments, Cindy Huss, Shenandoah, encouraged the board to put up a banner in the school gymnasium to recognize her daughter, Ahna Huss, a 2013 Shenandoah Valley graduate, for her achievements while on the high school track team.

The board said it would take the matter under consideration.

Then, Renee Buchanan, Shenandoah Heights, encouraged the school board to review some aspects of the fundraising done by the district’s clubs and organizations. In particular, she said some require student members who don’t make enough sales to pay the difference.

“How is this mandated that these kids have to do this and what’s the punishment if they don’t?” she asked the board.

“There’s a fine line of it turning into a pay-for-play. And we’re not pay-for-play,” Twardzik said.

“We will have many discussions. Thank you for bringing it up,” Salvadore said.

After the meeting, Buchanan refused to be more specific about which clubs were insisting on what she called “buy-outs.”

On top of that, she said her two daughters, Alyssa, a sophomore, and Jacqueline, an eighth-grade student, are involved in numerous activities, including sports. With some, the student participants are required to buy equipment. Since they’re involved in a few activities, they find themselves buying duplicate items, like a few pairs of shoes, duffel bags and coats.

“It’s stuff that has to be addressed,” Salvadore said.

“We need more conversation,” Twardzik said.

Demalis said the school board may discuss the matter at its monthly public workshop, which is held the third Monday of the month at 6 p.m.

Contact the writer: spytak@republicanherald.com; 570-628-6011


5 children, 2 adults hit by car in Mountain Top

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MOUNTAIN TOP — Five children and two adults were critically wounded Friday afternoon when a car plowed into them as they walked through their residential development, Rice Township police said.

Three of the children — including an infant girl — and the two adults were airlifted to hospitals while two of the children were transported by ambulance, police said.

The incident occurred on a sunny, clear day along a straight portion of Aleksander Boulevard in the Polonia Estates, a housing development about two miles from Route 309.

Multiple people familiar with the victims identified them as Bryan and Nina Herbst, their four children and another family member. They live on General Pulaski Street, a short distance from the crash scene. The couple and three children remained hospitalized as of Friday night.

The driver of the car — identified only as a middle-aged woman — was taken into police custody, investigators said.

Investigators said the family was walking down the street and the car was traveling in the opposite lane before it crossed lanes and caused the collision with the family about 1 p.m.

Authorities did not give any indication the incident was intentional.

“We’re still trying to figure out what happened because none of it is making sense to us,” Rice Township police Sgt. Harry Ehret said at the scene. “We have the car. We have the tire marks. But we are still trying to put together why this happened.”

A state police forensic unit and a crash reconstruction team were called to the scene. They also examined the car, a white Nissan, which had a shattered windshield with a big hole in the middle.

Luzerne County District Attorney Stefanie Salavantis said her office is investigating. The driver “is cooperating with law enforcement,” she said.

Neighbors said they heard the crash about 1 p.m. and rushed outside.

“I came out and saw a bunch of kids laying in the street crying,” Patrick Colo, 17, who lives on the street, said. “I tried to help the best I could.”

Eric Wanchisen, 45, said the crash occurred in front of the residence of an emergency room doctor who was home.

“What’s the odds she was home? She had them all assessed before the ambulance came,” Wanchisen said.

Multiple neighbors said the doctor worked hard to save the life of the baby who was in a stroller that was hit. The baby was not breathing and unresponsive at the time emergency crews were dispatched. Neighbors identified the doctor as Annette Mann of the Lehigh Valley Health Network.

“I heard a tremendous boom. I ran from the den. Then, I heard screaming,” Mann told television reporters.

Mann said she performed a triage and determined the infant needed the most care.

As of Friday evening, one of the adults and three of the children were at Geisinger Medical Center in Danville, Geisinger spokeswoman Wendy Wilson said. The adult and two of the children were in critical condition, Wilson said, while the third child was upgraded to fair condition.

One of the adults remained in serious condition at Geisinger Wyoming Valley Medical Center in Plains Township, she said.

Two of the children were released after treatment, she said.

Wilson said an off-duty certified nurse anesthetist who lives in the neighborhood also worked to stabilize the victims before the ambulance got there. She called her husband, who works at Geisinger, to give them advance notice of the patients and their injuries, Wilson said.

People who live in the neighborhood said they always feared something like this would happen because of speeding motorists.

Wanchisen said he and others have complained to police for years, but the problem persisted.

“This is worse than I ever could have pictured in my head,” Wanchisen said.

Contact the writer: bkalinowski@citizensvoice.com; 570-821-2055

Police log, Aug. 26, 2017

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Police arrest man

for alleged fight

POTTSVILLE — A city man was jailed after being arrested by Pottsville police after officers were called Monday to 1758 W. Market St. for a report of a fight in the street.

Police said several calls were received indicating a man and woman were physically fighting.

At the scene police said officers learned that David K. Landon, 41, was involved in a fight with his 33-year-old wife and that argument started over a verbal disagreement.

During the argument police said Landon threw his wife to the ground, kicked her and also threw several punches at her head and torso causing her to suffer minor injuries to her leg and elbow.

The woman refused medical treatment and police said Patrolman Joseph Murton took Landon into custody and charged him with domestic violence simple assault, possession of drug paraphernalia and disorderly conduct.

Landon was arraigned by Magisterial District Judge James K. Reiley, Pottsville, and released on $15,000 unsecured bail.

Teen, 15, charged

with sexual assault

LYKENS — An investigation into a July incident in this Dauphin County community led to a juvenile being taken into custody and remanded.

Police said an investigation into the incident revealed that a 15-year-old Lykens boy sexually assaulted a 9-year-old Lykens boy inside a home in the borough.

The 15-year-old further depicted acts of sexual intercourse and provided pornographic videos and photographs to the victim, police said.

As a result, police said, the Child Protection Unit of the Dauphin County District Attorney’s Office authorized charges of obscene and sexual materials/dissemination to a minor, indecent assault of a person less than the age of 13 and indecent assault against the 15-year-old.

The 15-year-old was arrested on Aug. 16 and remanded to a juvenile detention center with the assistance of Dauphin County Children & Youth Services and Dauphin County Juvenile Probation.

Police said the disposition of the case will occur in the Dauphin County juvenile court system.

Man cited for

damage in crash

GRATZ — A Lykens woman escaped injury when the 2006 Dodge Ram 1500 she was a passenger in was involved in a crash about 3:30 p.m. Aug. 4 on West Market Street, just east of Pine Street in this Dauphin County community.

State police at Lykens said a man driving the truck was in a parallel parking space when he put the vehicle in reverse and struck the front of a legally parked 2007 Ford Focus.

The man and his passenger — Katelynn Kintzer, 22 — exited the vehicle to access the damage and then left the scene without trying to notify the owned of the Ford Focus, police said.

Kintzer was not hurt and police said the driver of the Dodge Ram, whom they did not identify, was cited for limitations on backing.

Police: Man used

gun in threat

ELIZABETHVILLE — State police at Lykens investigated an incident of simple assault and resisting arrest that occurred at a home about 10:30 p.m. Saturday on Route 209 in Washington Township, Dauphin County.

Police said Anthony R. Troutman, 32, of Wormleysburg, arrived at the home of a 52-year-old woman and then got into an argument about staying there.

Troutman then went to an end table, grabbed a black pistol and wrapped it in a handkerchief after which he waived it in front of the woman’s face, prompting her to go into her daughter’s bedroom and call police.

At the scene, police said, they found Troutman outside the home and retreat into a garage when he saw police.

When ordered to show his hands, police said, they saw the black gun in his right hand and told him to drop the weapon, which he did.

Troutman was then told to exit the garage and get down on his knees but he refused, resulting in a physical fight with state police who were trying to take him into custody.

After being taken to the ground, police said, Troutman put his hands under him in his waist area and refused to show his hands. Police used their Taser weapon and were eventually able to place the man in handcuffs.

Troutman was charged with simple assault, resisting arrest and harassment and taken to the Dauphin County Judicial Center for processing.

Police: Woman

fainted at wheel

LYKENS — State police at Lykens investigated a crash that occurred about 1:55 p.m. Aug. 13 on Route 225, Armstrong Road, just east of Rutter Road in Jackson Township, Dauphin County.

Police said Michele E. Martz, 49, of Thompsontown, was driving a 2016 Dodge Ram 1500 east when she said she passed out. As a result, police said, the truck west off of the road and struck a utility pole causing about 25-feet of the pole to break off and get lodged in the front of the woman’s vehicle.

Police said Martz suffered minor injuries and was taken to a hospital by Medic 6.

As a result of the crash, police said, Martz will be cited for a violation of registration and Certificate of Title required.

Police investigate

Pottsville crash

POTTSVILLE — No injuries were reported by Pottsville police in a crash at Route 61, Claude A. Lord Boulevard, and Mauch Chunk Street on Thursday.

Police said Nikki Lindsay, 40, of Pottsville, was driving a Dodge Ram north on Route 61 and making a turn onto Mauch Chunk Street when she struck a Chevrolet Sonic that was being driven south on Route 61 by a 35-year-old Cressona woman.

Both vehicles were towed from the scene and police said that evidence collected at the scene indicated that Lindsay had been driving impaired. The woman was taken to a local hospital for a blood alcohol test and will be facing appropriate charges by Patrolman Jonathan Randolph after the test results are received, police said.

Schuylkill EMS assisted at the scene.

Scouts take on challenge to repair fence at Mahanoy City cemetery

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MAHANOY CITY — A fixture of the German Protestant Cemetery for more than 100 years is being preserved with help from Boy Scout Troop 725.

It’s the 380-foot stretch of metal fence that borders Morea Road and the intersection of Burma Road.

On Sunday morning, Boy Scout Kris Boxter, Barnesville, his father, Bill, and the troop’s scoutmaster, Roy Bradbury, Barnesville, and his son, Ford, were there to continue work on the effort.

It’s not one Scout’s project, Roy Bradbury said.

It’s a multi-phase Eagle Scout Service Project being made possible by a few of them.

“The whole entire thing is 380 feet. So far, we’ve done about 180 feet,” Roy Bradbury said Sunday.

In early 2016, the German Protestant Cemetery Association, the group that manages the property, recommended the project to the Scouts. Members of the association include Clyde C. “Champ” Holman, who is its president. He is also a member of the Ryan Township supervisors.

“I was told it was started in 1891, this fence. The cemetery was here longer. So, last year it was 125 years old. And it was in really bad shape. Champ said it was in bad shape for about 30 years. I remember it being in deplorable condition ever since I could drive,” Roy Bradbury, 51, said.

“Champ got a hold of me. I told him once that if he knew of any projects the Scouts could work on to let me know. We’re always looking for Eagle Scout projects and so on. He called and told me about the fence. He said they had talked about tearing it all down and getting rid of it. And when we started discussing it, I told him it was obviously too much for one Eagle Scout project,” Roy Bradbury said.

“It’s a monstrosity. Then we decided to break it up into sections. I had to get all sorts of approvals to do it this way. Scoutmasters only stick around for a typical three years. But I’ve been scoutmaster since 1995. So I thought I’d still be around for a while,” Roy Bradbury said.

The cemetery association has agreed to pay all costs associated with the project, Holman said Tuesday.

“We’re paying for the materials. I think it’s roughly $2,000 so far that we gave them. But it’s literally saving us thousands of dollars,” Holman said.

Roy Bradbury and Holman weren’t sure what kind of metal the fence was made of, but thought it might be iron.

Since February 2016, five Scouts have worked on the project, each taking a section one at a time.

For each, it’s an Eagle Scout Service Project, and with that comes paperwork.

“You have to see it as if you’re an engineer. You just can’t build a building. You have to know the traffic conditions and get a series of approvals. You have to do a proposal first. You also have to write a report which will include the donations you received and the equipment used,” Roy Bradbury said.

In February 2016, his son, Ford, worked on the first 30 feet.

John Henry Schroeder, Barnesville, worked on the next 50 feet.

Robert Murphy, Barnesville, worked on the next 50 feet.

Brian Boyle, Barnesville, worked on the next 50 feet.

“He’s not an Eagle Scout yet. He’s a Life Scout, which is the rank before Eagle. He has to finalize his paperwork and meet with the board of review,” Roy Bradbury said.

Recently, Kris Boxter started work on seven panels.

The stretch is near grave markers for T. Daniel Holt, 1868-1918, and Elizabeth Perry, wife of Daniel Holt, 1868-1916.

On Aug. 15 and 16, Kris Boxter removed the bolts holding the sections of fence in place.

“Most of them break,” Roy Bradbury said.

Those will be replaced, as will brackets that are missing, Kris said.

“Today, we’re tearing it down,” Kris said.

“One panel is 7 feet long and weighs about 50 to 60 pounds,” Roy Bradbury said.

Kris noticed part of the fence was bent.

“Maybe there was a vehicle accident here or something. We have to bend that back. And over here, there’s a section that’s cracked. We’re going to have to weld that back somehow,” he said.

They put the sections of fence into an 8-by-5-foot enclosed trailer connected to Roy Bradbury’s pickup truck.

On Monday, Roy Bradbury took them to Lehighton, where Mark T. Boyle will sandblast them.

“He’ll charge $400 for all seven panels,” Roy Bradbury said.

So far, Boyle sandblasted 14 panels for the project, charging $800 for that work.

“The rest we did ourselves. And we found hiring Mark was way more economical,” Roy Bradbury said.

When Boyle is finished, the panels are moved to a garage in Barnesville, where the Scouts apply primer then oil-based paint to color the fence black.

Parts of the fence are decorative.

“These are finials. I learned that through this process,” Roy Bradbury said.

Those accents are being painted silver.

Kris thought the seven panels he committed to finish for his Eagle Scout Service Project would be finished sometime in November.

Roy Bradbury estimated the entire fence may be done sometime in 2019.

Contact the writer: spytak@republicanherald.com; 570-628-6011

Around the region, Aug. 26, 2017

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Frackville

The Frackville Area Free Public Library recently acknowledged the following memorials: For Richard Zimmerman from Frank and Joan Zarutskie, Dawn Woratyla and Kerry Zukus, Patti and Paul Domalakes; for Shirley Meyers from Mr. and Mrs. Stephen Bobiak, Elaine Mykolayko, Carol and David Bowen, Paul and Patricia Domalakes, Mr. and Mrs. Charles Sherman, Roland Packard and Kathy Madfis, Dorothy Sparber, Mr. and Mrs. Mark Stanley, Edward and April Wytovich, Tina Liem and family, Betty and Jack Marino, Bonnie and Michael Yanuskiewicz, Alan and Sue Kaplen, Art and Kristine Kaplan, Theresa and William Zelonis, Margery and Ronald Harris; for Grant Klock from Elaine Mykolayko, Suzanne and the Hon. John Domalakes, Karen Moran; for Julia Semanchik from Tina Liem; for Henry Wayne from Eileen Wayne; for Mary Supernavage from Karen Domalakes; for Julia Semanchik from Karen Domalakes, Caroline Twardzik,Tom, Mary Ellen and Seth Lowe; for Gary Marchalk from the Frackville Business and Professional Association.

Lansford

Richie Molinaro and Mr. Lou, Hazleton, will perform at 6 p.m. Sunday in the final concert of the season at Kennedy Park adjacent to the Panther Valley School District stadium sponsored by the Lansford Alive committee. Admission is free and all are welcome.

Mahanoy City

Post Q Anthracite Region, Travelers Protective Association of America, held its annual Altruism Awards ceremony at the Good American Fire Company hall. Recipients included John Molina, Mahanoy Area High School; Daniel Simmons, Marian; Abby Schoffstall, Minersville Area; Tyler Zimerofsky, Nativity BVM; Rachael Cataldo, North Schuylkill; Parker Rose, Pottsville Area; Cierra Reichert, Schuylkill Haven Area; Marisol Velazquez, Shenandoah Valley; Kayla Holland, Tamaqua Area. Eva Blankenhorn, Blue Mountain, also was a recipient. Others participating in the ceremony included Dee Keller, state TPA president; Lee Hertzog Jr., state secretary; Dolores Miller, Post Q president; Edwin Miller, Post Q secretary-treasurer. Post Q awarded the recipients a plaque, citation from state Sen. David Argall, R-29, Rush Township, and a check for $200 from Post Q and the Edwin and Dolores Miller Charitable Foundation. For more information about TPA, email to Bill and Suzanne Kern at branchdale1@verizon.net.

Pottsville

Schuylkill County organizations that support emergency services, environmental preservation, youth and senior services are eligible for funding provided by the Atlantic Sunrise Community Grant Program, for which the sixth cycle application deadline is Friday. Established in 2015, the community grant program, according to a release, is intended to benefit community organizations in areas affected by the Williams’ Atlantic Sunrise pipeline project. Grants up to $10,000 per applicant are being awarded to eligible organizations to fund projects that provide benefit to local communities or the environment. Last spring, Williams distributed more than $326,000 to 44 organizations that reside in, and/or provide services to, communities where the proposed Atlantic Sunrise project would be constructed and operated. The total includes $29,800 that was distributed to organizations in Schuylkill County. Two cycles of grant awards are announced each year. The sixth cycle of grant awards will be announced this spring. Grant applications can be completed online. Applications must be received by Sept. 1 and March 1. For complete guidelines and to complete an online application, visit www.williams.com/atlanticsunrise. The Atlantic Sunrise project is a proposed expansion of the existing Transco natural gas pipeline system in eastern Pennsylvania designed to transport enough natural gas to serve about 7 million homes.

Saint Clair

The Saint Clair Lions Club stages Monday night bingo games at its McCord Avenue building. Doors open at 4 p.m. and games start at 6 p.m. A choice of packages is available. All are welcome. Games will next be held on Aug. 28. For more information, call 570-429-0549.

Judge dismisses assault charges

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POTTSVILLE — Thomas L. Williams III is a free man after a Schuylkill County judge on Friday dismissed charges that he assaulted one of his daughters in September 2016 in his home.

Williams, 37, of Tamaqua, is not guilty of two counts of simple assault, Judge Cyrus Palmer Dolbin decided in dismissing the charges after prosecutors had presented their case.

“The case is dismissed,” Dolbin said. “This matter should not have been in criminal court.”

Prosecutors failed to produce any evidence that would prove Williams had the required state of mind to be guilty of simple assault, Dolbin ruled to end the one-day trial. Prosecutors are legally forbidden from appealing his decision.

Tamaqua police had alleged Williams pushed his daughter, Mariah Williams, 16, to the floor, grabbed and twisted her leg, and dragged her upstairs about 10 a.m. Sept. 4.

“He came up to me and started screaming in my face,” Mariah testified. “He took my book bag and threw everything on the floor.”

Mariah said her father then pushed her to the floor, grabbed her leg and started twisting it.

“I tripped over a chair, fell and hit my head,” she said.

“Did that hurt?” Assistant District Attorney A.J. Serina asked her.

“Yes,” she answered.

Mariah said her father then smashed her iPad and continued screaming at her before resuming the attack.

“He comes over and he pushes me again,” she said.

Williams then dragged her up the stairs to her room, she said.

“I couldn’t breathe,” Mariah said.

“Were you scared?” Serina asked.

“I was scared,” she answered.

“Were you afraid you were going to get hurt more?”

“Yes.”

When cross-examined by her father, who represented himself, Mariah said she was afraid the entire time, and that she had hit him solely in self-defense.

“You pushed me to my limits and I realized who you were,” she said.

Beth Chickilly, Mariah’s mother, testified she knew something was wrong when Williams told her to come get her daughter.

“Mariah was leaning over a parked car crying hysterically. She was holding her right wrist,” Chickilly said. “She had scratches on her face. She had bruising. She had red marks on her arms. She was limping.”

Chickilly said she took her daughter to St. Luke’s Hospital-Miners Campus, Coaldale.

Dr. Rosalie Rehrig, the girl’s doctor, testified Mariah suffered a concussion, a sprained right wrist, a contusion of the right knee and neck pain.

“Light and loud noises hurt her head,” Rehrig said.

Tamaqua police Patrolman Corey Herring testified that when he went to the defendant’s house to tell him he was under arrest, Williams told him to leave the property.

Contact the writer: pbortner@republicanherald.com; 570-628-6014

Defendant: Thomas L. Williams III

Age: 37

Residence: Tamaqua

Charges: Two counts of simple assault

Decision: Not guilty

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