POTTSVILLE — Already serving a life sentence for murder, William A. Cramer added to his rap sheet Tuesday when a Schuylkill County jury convicted him of slicing a prison guard’s throat in November 2015.

Handcuffed and leg-shackled during his one-day trial, Cramer, 26, of the Uniontown area, did not react when the jury of seven men and five women found him guilty of attempted first-degree murder, inmate procuring weapon, possessing instrument of crime, introducing weapon that may be used in escape and two counts each of aggravated assault and assault by prisoner.

“Some of the prison guards say he’s one of the most dangerous guys in the system,” District Attorney Michael A. O’Pake said of Cramer, who was confined to a cage during breaks in the trial.

President Judge William E. Baldwin, who presided over the trial, ordered preparation of a presentence investigation and said he would schedule Cramer’s sentencing at a later date. Baldwin said sentencing probably would be done by videoconference, since authorities took Cramer to State Correctional Institution/Forest after the verdict.

State police at Frackville charged Cramer, whose face contains Nazi and white power tattoos, with slicing the throat of Corrections Officer Jared Mausteller, and then stabbing him in the left forearm with a homemade shank at 8:40 a.m. Nov. 21, 2015, in the restricted housing unit at State Correctional Institution/Mahanoy.

“He struck me on the throat and forearm,” Mausteller testified. “I put my hands over my left forearm to stop the bleeding.”

Mausteller said Cramer cut him from his earlobe to the center of his throat.

“I went through two surgeries” and received 18 stitches, he said.

Mausteller said he still has scars on his neck and forearm, and has not been able to return to work.

“I have limited strength in my left hand,” he said.

State police Cpl. Alan J. Zulick, the prosecuting officer, showed the jury the shank.

“You can see at the top here a piece of metal” resembling a razor blade, Zulick said. “It’s reasonably rigid.”

Zulick also testified that Cramer admitted he intended to kill Mausteller because he was friendly with black inmates. He also said Cramer had a definite, although somewhat morbid, goal.

“He wanted to be a death row inmate,” Zulick said. “There was no remorse.”

Cramer, who, due to security concerns, testified from his seat with a cloth hiding his handcuffs and leg shackles from jurors, said he acted in self-defense due to mistreatment he had received. He said his cell had been flooded, black prisoners were allowed to abuse him and he was kept naked for 60 days.

“My water was shut off. I was not allowed food,” he said. “I snapped.”

Cramer said he never intended to kill Mausteller.

“I’m just trying to protect myself,” he said. “I was on the verge of killing myself.”

Cramer’s mother, Dorothy M. Richard, wept while testifying that she last saw her son 2 1/2 years ago and that her attempts to visit him often are rejected.

In his closing argument, James G. Conville, Schuylkill Haven, Cramer’s lawyer, said the guards were at fault for mishandling the situation. He said they should not have mistreated Cramer and the prison should not have ignored his grievances.

However, jurors accepted the closing argument of O’Pake, who said Cramer was the only one at fault because he made a vicious and unprovoked attack.

“He premeditated all of this. He was proud of the fact that he sliced him up,” O’Pake said. “It certainly could have been avoided if the defendant hadn’t hidden a shank. It could have been avoided if the defendant hadn’t had that evil intention.”

Sheriff Joseph J. Groody said Cramer was the most dangerous prisoner he ever has had to deal with.

“That’s why we have all the added security here,” including the state prison system’s hostage rescue team, Groody said. “He shows no remorse whatsoever. He’s just an evil person.”

After the verdict, Conville declined to comment on the case, while O’Pake said jurors reached the right result.

“It’s obvious to me that this guy has a death (wish),” he said. “You’ve got to give the jury credit.”

Cramer received his life sentence after a Cambria County jury found him guilty on Oct. 14, 2013, of first-degree murder, aggravated assault and assault by prisoner. Judge Patrick T. Kiniry imposed the life sentence on Nov. 4, 2013.

State police at Ebensburg charged Cramer with stabbing his cellmate, William Sherry, 28, of Northern Cambria, on Aug. 4, 2012.

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

Defendant: William A. Cramer

Age: 26

Residence: Uniontown area

Verdict: Guilty of attempted first-degree murder, inmate procuring weapon, possessing instrument of crime, introducing weapon that may be used in escape and two counts each of aggravated assault and assault by prisoner

Frackville

The Frackville Free Public Library recently acknowledged the following memorials: For Anthony J. Perneta, Jr., Irene Zilaitis, Cecelia Malinowski, Blanche Saldukas, George T. Chesko II, Michael Onuskanich, Mary Medinsky, Ann M. Mishlanie, Andrew Kovach and John J. Platko from the Frackville Ministerium; for Helen Kiefer from Dorothy and Frank Susan, David and Maria Dudish; for Michael Cuttic from Elaine Mykolayko, Helen Dunn, Tom, Mary Ellen, and Seth Lowe and the Frackville Ministerium.

Pottsville

The ASSE International Student Exchange Program is seeking local host families for boys and girls from a variety of countries around the world. The students are ages 15 to 18 and are coming to this area for the upcoming high school year or semester, according to an ASSE press release, which adds, “The students are personable, academically selected, conversant in English, bright, curious and excited to learn about the America by living as part of your family, attending high school and sharing their own culture and language with you.” The students will arrive from their home countries shortly before school begins and return at the end of the school year or semester. Each ASSE student is fully insured, brings his or her own personal spending money and expects to contribute to household responsibilities, as well as being included in normal family activities and lifestyles, according to the release. To become a host family or to find out how to become involved with ASSE, call Sue at 732-515-8203 or the ASSE Eastern Regional Office at 800-677-2773.

Ringtown

The third annual Wine & Food Gala to benefit the Ringtown Area Library will be held from 6 to 8 p.m. June 2 on the library lawn, West Main Street. Food will be prepared and provided by local restaurants and culinary artists, according to a library press release. Guests will taste a variety of local, national and international wines. The cost is $40 per person and a limited number of tickets are on sale now at the library. “We invite all interested businesses and individuals to become an event sponsor,” organizers said in the release. Sponsorships, they added, help to defray costs associated with this fundraiser and ultimately benefit the library’s annual operating costs. The library is a 501(c)3 nonprofit. For more information, tickets, or sponsorship opportunities, visit the library at 132 W. Main St., email ringtownlibrary@epix.net or call 570-889-5503.

Shenandoah

The Shenandoah Rotary Club will sponsor rabies and distemper inoculations for cats and dogs from 9 to 11:30 a.m. Saturday at the Rescue Hook & Ladder Fire Company, Main and Coal streets. The cost is $10 per inoculation, administered by Jessica Weiderhold, Brookside Animal Hospital. All pets must be kept under control by their owners.

Shenandoah

The Shenandoah Valley High School Drama Club will present the musical comedy “Hello Dolly” at 7 p.m. April 27 and 28 and 2 p.m. April 29 in the high school auditorium and the public is encouraged to attend. Box office hours are 6 to 8 p.m. April 16-19 and 7 to 8 p.m. April 23-25. For more information, call 570-462-1957. Wendy Nicodemus and Sarah Yorke are the drama club co-directors, Bridget Rooney is assistant director/prop master, Marissa Yorke is the choreographer, Lindsey Zackaravage is lighting designer and Russ Schumack is adviser, according to the SV website. Tickets are $10 each and $25 for a weekend pass good for all three performances.

Tamaqua

Recurring programs on Mondays at the Tamaqua Community Art Center, 125 Pine St., include yoga at 6:15 p.m. in the gallery. Walk-ins are welcome and those interested are advised to ask about “the discount card.” Free sessions regarding a capella singing, barbershop-style, are held at 7:30 p.m. in the gallery. Teens through adults are welcome. Discover Mosaics, open classes with an instructor, are held at 6 p.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays. Participants use a variety of material including cut tiles, pottery, glass, plastic and resin, cover garden stones, jewelry boxes, vases and other items. Call 570-668-1192 for more information or go online to www.TamaquaArts.org.

Altamont

An all-you-can-eat breakfast is slated for 8 to 11 a.m. April 22 at the Altamont Fire Company, 215 S. Green St. near Frackville. The menu will feature a wide variety of omelets as well as traditional breakfast fare. All are welcome. For more information, email Jay Woodford at jabroniw@gmail.com.

Pottsville

Schuylkill United Way will host the Capt. Jason B. Jones Memorial Day of Caring from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. May 11 at public parks and health/human service nonprofits throughout Schuylkill County. The day of caring event was created to match volunteers to service projects at partner agency groups that facilitate health and human services for free or little cost to county residents. Projects can vary from gardening to painting, depending on volunteers’ interests and skill sets. All volunteers and projects must be registered through Schuylkill United Way. The contact is Christine Johnson, director of community relations, at dircomrel@schuylkillunitedway.org. United Way also is reaching out to elementary schools in the county to join in a letter-writing campaign for U.S. military personnel in honor of Capt. Jones. All letters will be sent to Operation Gratitude to be matched with a care package. Schools wishing to participate should call United Way at 570-622-6421 or via the aforementioned email. Capt. Jones, a Blue Mountain High School graduate, died at age 29 on June 2, 2014, during an assignment with special forces in Afghanistan.

Schuylkill Haven

Liberty Fire Company No. 4, Columbia and St. James streets, will have an all-you-can-eat chicken pot pie dinner from 4 to 7 p.m. Saturday. The cost is $8 for adult platters, $7 for quarts and $4 for children under 12. Platters also include salad with hot bacon dressing, bread and butter, desserts, coffee and beverages. Take-outs are available as is free delivery in the Schuylkill Haven area. To order or for more information, call the firehouse at 570-385-3341.

Shenandoah

Divine Mercy Roman Catholic Church, Cherry and Chestnut streets, will hold its fourth annual Divine Mercy Sunday devotions at 3 p.m. Sunday. Devotions will consist of exposition of the Blessed Sacrament, mid-afternoon prayers from the Divine Office, various prayers and readings, a homily, periods of reflection, hymns, procession of the Blessed Sacrament and benediction. The Sacrament of Reconciliation and Mass will not be celebrated. All are welcome.

Shenandoah

A Community Health Fair with free health screenings will be held from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday at the Shenandoah Senior Living Community, 101 E. Washington St. Participants, according to an event flier, will learn about health resources in the community. The fair will feature health care vendors, information on healthful food choices and the benefits of walking. There will also be exercise demonstrations. All are welcome. For more information, call 570-462-1908.

Tamaqua

A take-out platter fundraiser to benefit the Tamaqua Area Adult Day Care Center will be held from 3:30 to 6 p.m. April 19 at 300 W. Broad St. Platters, catered by A&C Catering, will include a choice of roast beef or stuffed chicken, mashed potatoes, green beans, coleslaw and a roll. Baked goods will also be on sale. Tickets are $10 each and only advance tickets will be accepted. To order or for more information, call 570-668-6556. The last day to order is April 13.

Tamaqua

The Schuylkill County Agricultural Museum and Schuylkill County Fair will have Plow Day 2018 on April 21 at Heisler’s Cloverleaf Dairy, 743 Catawissa Road. The rain date is May 5. It will focus on a demonstration about how soil is tilled. Registration will begin at 9 a.m. and plowing will start at 10 a.m. The event is free and the public is welcome. For more information, call Craig at 570-739-2446 or Darin at 570-366-1989. More information about the Schuylkill County Fair is available online at www.schuylkillfair.com.

PINE GROVE — Richard “Dick” Becker said in the nearly 20 years that have passed since he and thousands of others marched on Washington, D.C., to conquer cancer, not enough has been done to defeat the disease.

The Pine Grove man made the heartbreaking decision to leave his wife, Carol, “on her deathbed,” and rallied 48 others from Schuylkill County to join him in the demonstration at the Capitol called “The March ... Coming Together to Conquer Cancer” in September 1998.

In all, an estimated 80,000 to 150,000 people marched.

“It disgusts me. Here we are 20 years later, and we’re still losing a lot of people. I didn’t want anyone else to go through what my wife went through,” said Becker, who left his wife with his sister-in-law to make the trip.

Carol died Oct. 5, 1998, of non-Hodgkin lymphoma.

Dick Becker, who turns 83 this month, is a prostate cancer survivor who has lost friends and family members to the disease.

Among the march’s goals were to call on all Americans to make the cure and prevention of cancer the nation’s top research priority; to demand greater government investment in the public and private sectors for all cancer research, treatment and education; and to ensure access to clinical trials and quality care for all.

The rally on the National Mall featured speakers such as Vice President Al Gore and his wife, Tipper, the Rev. Jesse Jackson, Sam Donaldson, Diane Sawyer, Cindy Crawford and Gen. H. Norman Schwarzkopf.

Prior to the march, Becker sent a letter to Schwarzkopf.

“He called me, thanking me for what I was doing,” he said. “We had to park the bus and take a train to get in. It was impressive to see that many people there to push for the cure.”

Becker said he appreciated the support of his friends, Dr. Richard Russell and the late William Nagg, in helping with the march.

In memory of his wife, Becker launched the Pine Grove Area Christmas Light Committee and serves as chairman. He asked Chase Morgan, a 9-year-old Pine Grove boy diagnosed with brain cancer, to light the annual Christmas tree last year. Chase died in February.

“That’s what hurts the most,” Becker said of what he calls the slow progress for a cure.

According to the American Cancer Society, more than 1.7 million new cancer cases and 609,640 cancer deaths are projected to occur in the U.S. in 2018.

“Over the past decade of data, the cancer incidence rate (2004-14) was stable in women and declined by approximately 2 percent annually in men, while the cancer death rate (2006-15) declined by about 1.5 percent annually in both men and women,” according to the ACS.

The ACS projects 28,620 Pennsylvanians will die from the disease in 2018. Among the highest numbers of fatalities in the state are those with lung and bronchial cancer at 7,280; colon and rectum cancer, 2,380; pancreatic cancer, 2,160; breast cancer, 1,880; and prostate cancer, 1,300.

The American Cancer Society’s Schuylkill and Carbon-Tamaqua units collected $183,935 in 1998 — the same year as the march. It was reported to be the 10th highest amount of funds in the Relay for Life events across the country.

Becker said he would like to reconnect with fellow marchers, many of whom were cancer survivors. He can be reached at 570-345-3849.

Contact the writer: ; 570-628-6007

MINERSVILLE — Braddock Mayor John Fetterman graced Minersville with his presence as he continues the push for the position of the state’s next lieutenant governor.

“I was invited to come here and I love counties like Schuylkill. It’s an honor I’m very grateful for. It’s a place I feel most at home at. It’s a real pleasure to be here,” Fetterman said.

Fetterman stopped at the Minersville Hose Company on Wednesday night to meet and persuade voters in the May primary election. His path to politics was anything but direct. He was originally a General Equivalency Diploma teacher and two of his students were killed. That prompted him to make a difference and he became mayor of Braddock in 2005. Before going to Braddock, he was told it was a dangerous place and people would ask him why. Upon becoming mayor, he has turned Braddock around and has overseen a 5 1/2 year murder-free stretch.

In 2016, Fetterman decided to run for U.S. Senate. He was not successful, but he earned more than 20 percent of the vote in a four-way race and won Allegheny County, the second-largest county in the state. Now, he is running for lieutenant governor, which as Fetterman described it, is vice president of Pennsylvania.

Most of Fetterman’s campaigning will be done in small towns like Braddock because he believes “we can’t afford to leave any votes on the table” after seeing other recent races in Pennsylvania decided by close margins. Fetterman understands candidates can’t solely focus on Philadelphia and Pittsburgh and ignore towns like Braddock and Minersville, which is why he’s focusing so much on little towns across the commonwealth and he reiterated that he is not taking one voter for granted in this campaign because the people in towns like Minersville are “no more or less important” than the ones in larger cities.

“I believe these votes can be gotten. Half the battle is showing up,” Fetterman said.

His goal during the campaign is to visit all 67 counties by the primary and he has already visited well into the 40s by his estimate. He was in Potter, Tioga and Clinton counties on Tuesday and will visit nine others by Friday. He was in Berks County prior to his arrival in Minersville.

Sandy Hess, Schuylkill Haven, was among the approximately 40 people in the firehouse Wednesday night. This was the first time she was meeting Fetterman, but she had watched him on earlier debates and liked how direct and concise he was with his responses.

“He doesn’t sugarcoat anything,” Hess said. “We need to combat these issues head-on and that’s what he does.”

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

POTTSVILLE — Kristin M. Boyer, whose father is charged with trying to kill her boyfriend in the residence the three of them shared, testified Wednesday in Schuylkill County Court that she did not see her dad point a gun at him.

In fact, she said, she did not see any gun at all before hearing it fired in the argument between Kenneth A. Boyer and Alexander Rosario.

“You had no idea there was any gun involved until after you heard the shots?” Sudhir R. Patel, Pottsville, one of two lawyers representing Kenneth Boyer, asked.

“No,” Kristin Boyer answered.

Kristin Boyer’s testimony highlighted the second day of her father’s trial before a jury and Judge John E. Domalakes. That trial is scheduled to resume at 9:30 a.m. today with Patel and Eric M. Prock, Pottsville, presenting Kenneth Boyer to testify in his own defense.

State police at Schuylkill Haven have charged Kenneth Boyer with attempted homicide, possessing instruments of crime, simple assault, recklessly endangering another person and two counts of aggravated assault. After Assistant District Attorneys Julie A. Werdt and Jennifer N. Foose had concluded their case, Domalakes rejected a request by Patel to dismiss all charges against his client.

They alleged he shot Rosario in the chest and face on Aug. 11, 2017, at 125 Spruce St., Port Carbon, with a Taurus 9 mm handgun. Rosario received treatment for his injuries, including a fractured left jawbone, at Penn State Milton S. Hershey Medical Center, Hershey, and testified Tuesday.

In his testimony, Rosario said he had smoked marijuana that day and was angry at his girlfriend because she had plans to visit a friend. He said he threw the car keys out the back door because Kristin Boyer did not have a driver’s license.

In her testimony, Kristin Boyer said she and Rosario had been arguing on the second floor, and continued to do so on the first floor. The argument got more heated in the kitchen, she said, and her father came downstairs to see what was occurring.

“Very rude, but very loud?” Patel asked Kristin Boyer about the argument.

“Yes,” she answered.

She said her father told Rosario not to touch or disrespect her before shots were fired.

Also on Wednesday, state police Trooper Jordan Tuttle testified about his collection of evidence.

He identified the gun, which was found in a kitchen cabinet, that Kenneth Boyer used. He also reviewed many of the approximately 400 photographs he took at the scene.

Tuttle pointed out blood spatter on the walls, as well as other bloodstains all around the living room, dining room and even a neighbor’s porch.

“There’s blood on the threshold,” he said. “There’s blood on the stairwell.”

He said he took photos of each room and then ones that showed more details.

Trooper Thomas J. Robin, the prosecuting officer, testified that all evidence was kept securely at the Schuylkill Haven station until taken for testing or trial.

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

Police investigate

Pottsville accident

POTTSVILLE — Pottsville police investigated a crash that occurred around 10:20 a.m. Tuesday on the Gordon Nagle Rail, about 500 yards south of West Market Street.

At the scene, police said, officers found a Chevrolet Traverse over the west side embankment very close to the Schuylkill River.

The driver, Craig Dewitt, 26, of Pottsville, exited the vehicle with the assistance of a state police trooper and civilians prior to Pottsville police arriving on scene.

Police said witnesses reported Dewitt was traveling at a high rate of speed when he exited the road in the 900 block of the Gordon Nagle Trail and struck a stone wall.

Dewitt’s vehicle then continued south, striking a telephone pole, before leaving the roadway, traveling down an embankment and coming to rest against trees, police said.

Dewitt was treated at the scene by Schuylkill EMS before being transported to a local medical facility for additional treatment.

Pottsville firefighters assisted at the scene with downed wires and traffic control and the man’s vehicle was towed from the scene.

Police said Patrolman Joseph Murton is investigating the crash that is pending the results of a blood alcohol test.

Police: Woman

injured in accident

POTTSVILLE — A crash that occurred at the intersection of East Railroad and Pine streets in Pottsville around 9 p.m. Thursday was investigated by Pottsville police.

Police said their investigation revealed that Heather Tobias, 27, of Branchdale, was driving a 1999 Dodge Durango south on Pine Street when she failed to ensure that the Railroad Street intersection was clear before proceeding and struck a 2005 Mazda Tribute that was being driven west on Railroad Street by a 59-year-old Pottsville man.

Police said a 52-year-old female passenger in the Mazda reported minor injuries but refused medical treatment.

Police said both vehicles sustained minor damage and were driven from the scene and that Pottsville firefighters and Schuylkill EMS assisted at the scene.

Worn-out tire blows,

causing I-81 crash

LICKDALE — One person was injured in a crash in the southbound lanes of Interstate 81, in the area of mile marker 91.5 in Union Township, Lebanon County, around 3 p.m. Saturday.

State police at Jonestown said Eileen R. Hertzog, 43, of York, was driving a 1996 Ford Explorer south in the left lane when the driver’s side rear tire of the SUV blew out due to poor tread depth, causing the woman to lose control.

The SUV went into the right lane, spun around counter-clockwise and overturned onto its roof, finally coming to a stop lodged under the guide rail,police said.

Eileen Hertzog was taken to Penn State Milton S. Hershey Medical Center, Hershey, by First Aid and Safety, Lebanon, for treatment of suspected minor injuries, while her passenger — Michael Hertzog, 52, also of York — was not hurt.

As a result of the crash, police said, Eileen Hertzog will be cited for a violation of tire equipment and traction surfaces.

POTTSVILLE — A familiar face will resume doing autopsies for Schuylkill County, the commissioners decided Wednesday.

At the request of Coroner Dr. David J. Moylan III, the commissioners voted to contract with Dr. Richard P. Bindie, 79, for autopsy and pathological services for the remainder of 2018. After that, the contract will automatically continue year to year.

“I think this will be a wonderful thing for the county,” Moylan said.

Under the terms of the contract, Bindie will charge $1,200 per autopsy and perform them at the licensed mobile morgue at Simon Kramer Cancer Institute, New Philadelphia, where Moylan has his office. Moylan said facilities in Allentown and Reading charge $2,000 plus transportation costs per autopsy.

“He has agreed to do any autopsy,” Moylan said of Bindie. “He has the forensic certification.”

A 1966 graduate of the Temple University School of Medicine, Philadelphia, Bindie has been in practice for 47 years. He works for the Lehigh Valley Health Network in Pottsville.

Moylan also said Bindie will be a presenter at the seventh annual forensic symposium on April 28 at Simon Kramer.

In other business, the commissioners voted to do the following:

• Terminate its fee-for-service contract with The ReDCo Group, Pottsville, for the Mahanoy City and Pine Grove adult day care centers. Georgene Fedoriska, executive director of the Schuylkill County Office of Senior Services, said those facilities will be closing, but everyone who had used their services has been accommodated.

The county had been paying $60.86 per day to ReDCo for the services, Fedoriska said.

• Approve an agreement with Aging Well PA LLC, Harrisburg, for payment of assessments performed by the county Office of Senior Services. Those assessments will include functional eligibility determinations and preadmission screenings. Each assessment will cost $237.12. The agreement will take effect on July 1 and run through June 30, 2021.

• Approve purchase of service agreements with Catholic Social Services, Hazleton, for regular foster care and respite care, and Avanco, Camp Hill, for research analysis

• Approve a $16,500 agreement with Collision Forensic Solutions for law enforcement training for the East Central Task Force

• Extend until May 4 a demolition project by Smart Recycling Inc. at 223 E. Ridge St., Coaldale. County Administrator Gary Bender said the extension is needed due to the presence of asbestos.

• Approve advertising for bids for interior demolition/vinyl asbestos tile removal at the county Human Services Building, 410-420 N. Centre St., Pottsville. Bids will be received until 3 p.m. April 30 and opened at 9 a.m. May 2. The tentative date to award the contract is May 9.

• Approve budget adjustments for 2018 in the amounts of $3,322 for magisterial district judges and $6,545 for public works/maintenance. County Finance Director Paul E. Buber said the adjustments consists of moving existing money from one line item to another.

• Appoint Kesh Blunt, Auburn, and Desiree Malho, Ashland, as county caseworkers for the Children & Youth agency, effective April 23. The county Salary Board approved their pay rate to be $17.4418 per hour.

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

CRESSONA — The 16 students that participated in the Math 24 Competition at Blue Mountain Elementary on Wednesday made what they were doing look easy.

The fourth- and fifth-grade students, eight in each grade, were given numbered cards and through the use of addition, subtraction, multiplication or division needed to reach the number 24. While this may sound simple, the students needed an element of speed. A finger had to remain on a blue mat until they touched the card in the center, signalling they were ready to answer, at which point they would explain how they arrived at the solution. If correct, the student received points based on the value of the card. However, if a student gave an incorrect answer or broke a rule, he or she would be given a pink slip, which, after collecting three, would be grounds for disqualification from the round.

There were three rounds of 10 minutes each and the top five students from the school will advance to the 24 Challenge Tournament at Schuylkill Intermediate Unit 29 on May 8.

“Got it,” Brigid Joyce, a fifth-grade student, said and explained how she arrived at that answer.

Four students were eliminated in the first and second rounds due to their scores. A judge was at each table placing the cards, acknowledging if the answer was correct and tabulating a score.

Students have been practicing for the competition since the beginning of the school year with weekly meetings, said Sarah Adams, a fourth-grade teacher and coach for the event.

Abby Bassininsky, a fourth-grade student, was the top scorer in the first round at the her table.

“I knew she would do this. She’s going to be one that goes to the IU competition,” Adams said.

Bassininsky, who was the only fourth-grade student to advance, said she practised constantly and had downloaded the Math 24 smartphone application.

“It’s fun,” she said.

She would like to be an engineer when she grows up.

The other winners were Delaney Burns, Joyce, Nick Wagner and Tyson Marshall, all fifth-grade students. The students said practice and having good math teachers are the answers for their success.

“You all did awesome,” Principal Kristin Fredericks said of all the students.

School district Superintendent David Helsel said the competition is a way for the students to practice their mental arithmetic, something that will help them in their daily lives.

Vince Hoover, supervisor of mathematics and district support consultant for Schuylkill IU 29, Mar Lin, said 100 students, 10 each from the following school districts have registered for the tournament, which runs from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. May 8: Blue Mountain, Minersville Area, North Schuylkill, Pottsville Area, Saint Clair Area, Schuylkill Haven Area, Shenandoah Valley, Tamaqua Area, Tri-Valley and Williams Valley. There are three divisions: fourth and fifth grade, sixth, and seventh and eighth grade. First, second and third place winners will be chosen in each division. Trophies and medals will be awarded.

Contact the writer: ; 570-628-6028

Even if a cure for cancer is not found, it may someday be able to be treated like a chronic disease, similar to diabetes or rheumatoid arthritis, Dr. David J. Moylan III predicts.

“We’re just starting to reap the rewards from Nixon’s war on cancer,” Moylan, radiation oncologist with the Simon Kramer Cancer Institute, New Philadelphia, said. “You’re not going to be cured of the rheumatoid arthritis, but if you can slow it down, it doesn’t destroy your joints and you can be as comfortable as possible. I think that’s going to be more realistic. We’re going to see cancer become a chronic disease like diabetes, where people are keeping it in check and maintain a quality of life.”

President Richard Nixon signed the National Cancer Act of 1971 and sought $100 million to find a cancer cure. Meanwhile, Sept. 26 marks the 20th anniversary of “The March ... Coming Together to Conquer Cancer,” where Schuylkill County residents joined others from across the nation in Washington, D.C., calling for more targeted resources.

Since then, Moylan said, progress has been made.

Moylan, also Schuylkill County’s coroner, opened the cancer institute in July 1998 and named it in honor of Simon Kramer, an internationally known innovator in radiation oncology. Kramer was Moylan’s professor when he did his residency in radiation oncology at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital, Philadelphia.

Moylan sees about 200 new patients yearly at the center.

“Cancers are diseases of aging,” Moylan said.

Reasons a cure has been elusive are complex, but factors include people living longer and other hereditary and environmental factors.

Moylan outlined nine areas where he’s seen progress in treatment:

• Intensity Modulated Radiation Therapy, a machine that uses steerable radiation to pinpoint a dose where the disease is situated.

• CyberKnife, an accelerator that uses hundreds of concentrated, precise beams of radiation, enabling a clinician to conform the dose to the tumor, while minimizing exposure to healthy tissue. Simon Kramer Cancer Institute is affiliated with Philadelphia CyberKnife and coordinates donated transportation services for patients to travel to the Havertown, Delaware County, treatment facility. It can deliver a six-week course of radiation in three to five treatments.

• Provenge, a process where a patient’s harvested white blood cells are sent to a lab and exposed to antigens, which revs up the immune system to attack the cancer.

• Xofigo, an injectable, radioactive radium drug that has been used for four years. It is FDA-approved for treatment of metastatic prostate cancer. Moylan said doctors await FDA approval of Xofigo for other cancers that have metastasized to the bone.

• Immunotherapy, which uses the patient’s immune system to treat cancer. Drugs like Keytruda and Opdivo are immunotherapy treatments given to patients, along with radiation, as a maintenance therapy. Sometimes the drugs, however, can cause autoimmune diseases, such as hepatitis or colitis. There are 11 tumor sites that have been FDA-approved for the immunotherapy. Dr. Satish Singla, medical oncologist at Pottsville Cancer Clinic, is a local practitioner who offers it, Moylan said. “I think immunotherapy will be the new way to deal with all types of cancer,” he said.

• CAR-T therapy. In Chimeric Antigen Receptor T-Cell Therapy, T-cells essential for immunity are taken from a patient’s blood and then become killer cells that go after the cancer. They are reinfused after suppressing a patient’s white blood cells. The therapy has worked well for juvenile leukemias and is starting to work for lymphomas. “It’s very exciting. We want to see if CAR-T will work for solid tumors, too,” Moylan said. Solid tumors are those in the lung, breast and colon, for example, versus liquid cancer which is a blood cancer, like leukemia.

• Grid therapy, in which radiation rays go through a filter, is used to treat larger tumors. This allows patients to receive 7 1/2 times a regular daily dose of radiation.

• Microwave hyperthermia, in which microwave heating is used to augment radiation of a tumor. It is mostly used in head, neck, breast and lymph nodes.

• Continuous Hyperfractionated Accelerated Radiation Therapy, in which patients are treated with radiation three times a day for 14 days. Moylan said classrooms at his center have been converted to hotel-style rooms where patients can stay during CHART treatment. Treatment is reduced from eight weeks to two.

Moylan sees many lung cancer patients and most aren’t diagnosed in the early stages, when it can be addressed by surgery. Stage 3 and 4 — inoperable lung cancer — usually require chemotherapy and radiation. Most with inoperable lung cancer have a 15- to 16-month life expectancy. There are about 175,000 new diagnosis of lung cancer every year nationally, he said.

“I think there should be more of an outrage over tobacco-related cancer deaths,” Moylan said.

Contact the writer: ; 570-628-6007

POTTSVILLE — Former Gilberton Police Chief Mark Kessler is now a convicted criminal, as a Schuylkill County jury found him guilty on Wednesday of two charges resulting from his making a false statement on an application to buy a gun.

As one of his family members cried, Kessler, 46, of Frackville, bowed his head as the jury of eight men and four women, after deliberating a little more than an hour, convicted him of making a false statement on a firearms application and unsworn falsification to authorities.

Judge Charles M. Miller, who presided over Kessler’s one-day trial, ordered preparation of a presentence investigation and scheduled the defendant’s sentencing for 1:30 p.m. May 17. Miller allowed Kessler to remain free on $10,000 unsecured bail pending sentencing.

State police at Frackville alleged Kessler falsely stated he was not charged with a crime carrying a possible prison sentence of more than one year in an application he filed to buy a gun on May 5, 2016, at Dunham’s Sports in Schuylkill Mall, neither of which exists anymore. At the time, Kessler was facing a charge of terroristic threats, which has a maximum sentence of five years behind bars, prosecutors alleged.

Testifying on his own behalf, Kessler, who also is a former member of the North Schuylkill school board, did not deny making the statement on the form, but said he had no intention to deceive anyone and had just “skimmed” the form.

“Everything was filled out correctly, to the best of my knowledge,” he said.

Kessler said he had no criminal record and had never been denied when seeking to buy a gun.

“Would it be fair to say you made an honest mistake here?” Robert J. Kirwan II, Reading, Kessler’s lawyer, asked his client.

“Absolutely,” Kessler answered.

Special Deputy Attorney General Nathan Boob, who prosecuted the case, challenged Kessler’s testimony.

“You knew you were charged with terroristic threats?” Boob asked Kessler.

“Yes,” the defendant answered.

Boob also asked Kessler on cross-examination how he did not know the law when enforcing it had been his job for 16 years.

“I was a one-man show in a very small town,” Kessler said, although he acknowledged he knew what it meant to be charged with a crime.

“You didn’t know what penalties people could face?”

“No. It wasn’t up to me.”

Kessler also said he had taken the time to make a correction in another place on the form.

In his closing argument, Kirwan said prosecutors had not shown Kessler intended to deceive anyone.

“It’s not a crime” to make an honest mistake, Kirwan said.

Kirwan said Kessler would not want to lie on a form he knew would be checked and would have gone well out of town to buy a gun if he desired to deceive anyone. Furthermore, Kessler did not give a false name, birth date or Social Security number, indicating he had no intention of lying, according to Kirwan.

However, jurors accepted Boob’s closing argument, in which he noted that motive is not an element of the crime and Kessler was not being honest.

“He did take the stand and try to deceive you,” Boob said, noting that Kessler had filled out the form carefully and was truthful about everything on it except the most important question.

“This isn’t a person who haphazardly makes a mistake,” he said.

Boob said that Kessler acknowledged filing such a form approximately 40 times, and had filled out the one in question after his preliminary hearing in the terroristic threats case.

“He knows what it means to be charged,” Boob said of Kessler.

After the verdict, Kirwan expressed his and his client’s view that the jury had erred.

“We’re quite disappointed in the verdict of the jury,” he said. “I still firmly believe it was an honest mistake. I will certainly appeal the verdict to a higher court.”

Boob declined to comment on the case after the verdict.

The conviction marks another step in a contentious career for Kessler.

In mid-July 2013, Kessler made national news and became enmeshed in controversy when he posted two homemade videos to YouTube of him firing automatic weapons and using profanity. Gilberton suspended Kessler, saying the weapons were borough property and the chief did not have the right to use them in the videos.

In February 2014, Kessler retired and the borough abolished its police department. Kessler did not run for re-election in 2015 to the school board.

Also, two separate juries in August 2016 found Kessler not guilty of charges arising from separate incidents in Frackville.

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

Defendant: Mark Kessler

Age: 46

Residence: Frackville

Verdict: Guilty of making a false statement on a firearms application and unsworn falsification to authorities

Have you attended the Block of Art? If not, you’re missing out.

The wonderful downtown Pottsville arts festival will celebrate another year of bringing the arts alive in downtown Pottsville. The three-day arts festival will run from April 27 through 29 and will showcase painters, musicians, poets, children’s activities, galleries, jewelry and other vendors and exhibitors.

Day 1 will highlight music, dancing and wine; Day 2, kid’s activities, art on display, authors, music and more; Day 3, brunch with artists. You can find details on their website at www.block-of-art.org.

Schuylkill On the Move invites you to join them for two adventure walks. For details on either walk, email to porcupinepat@yahoo.com.

Join “Hiker Jim” for West Creek Headwaters and Waterfall Hike. Meet outside 901 Pub on Old Airport Road at 8 a.m. Sunday for the moderate, eight-mile walk that follows the stream to the waterfalls. Downhill is rocky in spots.

Next, “Porcupine Pat” will lead you on Peak Experience, a walk along the top of Blue Mountain above Port Clinton at 1 p.m. April 15. Enjoy the overlook and learn charcoal history. Meet at the entrance to Conrad Weiser State Forest along Route 61 northbound just north of Port Clinton for the three- to four-mile, moderate hike.

April 8-14 is National Library Week. What a great time to get to know your library and volunteer your time and talents. They’ll appreciate it.

Gabriel Chamber Ensemble will perform at 3 p.m. April 22 at Jerusalem Evnagelical Lutheran Church in Schuylkill Haven. Guest artist will be Katie Pan on piano. Order tickets online at www.gabrielensemble.org or by calling 570-943-2558.

The Penn State Master Gardeners announce that Hortline, their horticulture hotline, is open now through October. From 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. every Monday and Wednesday, trained members will be available to answer garden topics by phone, email or walk-in. Topics include soil, landscaping, trees, lawn, wildlife, pruning, flowers, vegetables and plant disease/insect damage. Call 570-622-4225, ext. 23 or email schuylkillmg@psu.edu with questions.

Transportation escorts

Responsibility: Provide transportation to Office of Senior Services consumers over the age of 60 for a variety of errands. Volunteer drivers not only provide the wheels but also the smiles. Choose your assignment and use your own vehicle with the option for mileage reimbursement.

Times: Flexible, choose your availability.

Skills: For volunteers age 21 and older. Reliable vehicle with insurance coverage. Background checks required.

Location: In and out of county

Call: Darla Troutman, Office of Senior Services and RSVP of Schuylkill County, 570-622-3103.

Pregnancy center

volunteers

Responsibility: Help in a variety of ways, including office assistance, events, maintenance and housekeeping, clothing organizing, window display and more.

Times: Flexible.

Skills: Friendly and reliable. Able to perform assigned task.

Location: Pottsville

Call: Care Net of Schuylkill County, 570-624-7244.

Community Volunteers in Action is the volunteer center for Schuylkill County. Use the preceding contact information for those specific opportunities and search other listings on our website at www.schuylkill.us/cvia. Find us on Facebook. Call us at 570-628-1426 or email jjohnston@co.schuylkill.pa.us.

Woman to be cited

in Pottsville crash

POTTSVILLE — Pottsville police investigated a crash at Third and West Market streets that was reported around 9 a.m. Saturday.

Patrolman Joseph Murton investigated the crash and determined that a 63-year-old Pottsville man had been making a left turn off Third Street onto West Market Street with the green light when his BMW 328i was struck by a vehicle operated by Megan Henninger, 22, of Hegins, who was driving a Chevrolet Cruze east on Market Street and proceeded through a steady red light.

Police said both vehicles had to be towed and that as a result of the crash, Murton will be citing Henninger for a traffic control signal violation.

Police investigate

2-vehicle crash

POTTSVILLE — City police investigated a two-vehicle crash that occurred around noon Saturday at East Railroad and Pine Street.

At the scene, police said, officers spoke with a 45-year-old Minersville woman who said she was driving her Chevrolet Traverse west on Railroad Street when she was struck by a 1989 Ford Ranger that was traveling east and then turned left in front of her.

No injuries were reported and as a result of the crash. Cpl. Charles Webber will be citing the driver of the Ford Ranger, Anthony Casari, 18, of Cumbola , with a violation dealing with vehicles turning left.

Step aside, Dorsey brothers, for it’s time to pay tribute to another jazz band leader and Schuylkill County native.

The 12th annual Les Brown Big Band Weekend will be held next weekend in the area of Les’ hometown, Tower City, and will be saluting Dean Martin and Les’ Band of Renown, said Joel Guldin, Les Brown Big Band Festival Committee chairman.

The weekend will kick off with the Les Brown Dance from 7 to 10 p.m. April 13 at Tower City American Legion, 2 Clarks Valley Road. The following day The Les Brown Big Band Festival will start at noon, with doors opening at 11:30 a.m. at Williams Valley High School, 10330 Route 209, Tower City. Then, on April 15, the weekend will culminate with a Celebration of Music service at 3 p.m. at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church, 415 E. Grand Ave. Food will be available at both the dance and festival. Tickets for the dance and the festival are $10 and are available at the door; students, up to college, can enter the festival for free, Guldin said.

“We’ve done that all these years because we really want to keep it for a younger generation that may not be familiar with big band music,” Guldin said. A big reason they put on the festival is “not just for the older folks to remember who Les Brown is, but also to educate everybody in the valley to find out who he was, his uniqueness to the valley and also to expose them to that music.”

Exposing them to that music at the dance will be the M&J Big Band, Pottsville, playing standards from the ’40s and ’50s, as well as Les’ No. 1 hit, “Sentimental Journey,” which, like the Band of Renown, was popular among military members.

“He (Les) gained his fame with being Bob Hope’s band, and they went on all the USO tours that Bob did in Korea and Vietnam, so the servicemen knew who he was,” Guldin said.

Special guests include two instrumentalists from the time he toured for the troops, Hal Espinosa, former lead trumpeter, and Jack Redmond, former trombonist. Andy DiMino will be in full get-up in order to honor Rat Pack member and the “King of Cool,” Dean Martin. Jasmine Brooks, Channel 21 news anchor, will serve as mistress of ceremonies for the festival, which is set to be a day full of nonstop entertainment.

The festival, which includes entertainers at both the main stage and food court, leads in with a trivia session between students and former members of the band, and will continue with musicians ranging from area high school bands to America’s Sweethearts, a ladies’ trio based in New York City, playing more jazz standards.

“Between bands, we have times where our emcee will sit down and interview. It gives a little break while bands are setting up behind stage. People like to hear the little reminisces from back then,” Guldin said, adding they could add more insight about who Les was.

“He wasn’t out there as much as the Dorseys, Duke (Ellington), Count (Basie) or Glenn Miller. But he was around a lot longer than they were. All of their bands did fold eventually and reorganized, but Les’ kept going continuously for about 60, 65 years until Les died,” Guldin said. “He was a giant in the big band field, although, I think he was kind of underrated. All of the musicians from the band said Les was a very nice guy and treated his band members so well, which a lot of big band leaders didn’t. A lot of his guys played with him 30, 40, 50 years.”

Organizers will also set up a Les memorabilia exhibit in the hallway, showing albums, pictures, videos, records and more.

Then, on the day of rest, the non-denominational service will feature Heart & Soul, as well as organist David Minnich, Les’ cousin.

Despite the amount of effort by both organizers and performers during the weekend, Guldin said none of it could be done without the help of local sponsors.

“Without the area businesses, this would not be possible. They’re very generous. The businesses are really the backbone of what keep this festival going.”

For more information about the weekend, visit www.lesbrownfest.org.

Contact the writer: dprosick@republicanherald.com; 570-628-6002

Don’t miss the opportunity to see the “world’s greatest musical impersonation show” when the Mahoney Brothers perform Saturday in Mount Carmel.

With 15 to 20 costume changes, they appear as Elvis, Willie Nelson, Neil Diamond, Roy Orbison, Billy Joel, The Beatles, The Beach Boys, Jerry Lee Lewis and more. The Mahoney Brothers have performed more than 5,000 shows all over the world, including many casinos and cruise ships.

The first set will honor all of our local school districts and Vietnam veterans will be honored during intermission.

“Our heroes, when returning from this dreadful war, were never honored with parades, were spat on and treated with ridicule. They had trouble finding jobs and getting medical treatment. Be there to pay tribute to these forgotten heroes,” Joe Cesari, event coordinator, said.

Attendees will receive a special treat when two students from Southern Columbia Area School District, fourth-grader Michaela Williams and ninth-grader Chase Petro, perform the national anthem on violins as the American flag is presented.

The show will take place at 7 p.m. at Mount Carmel Area High School auditorium, with doors opening at 6 p.m. Tickets can be purchased at Academy Sports, Mount Carmel, and the Subway at Walmart, Coal Township. Tickets will also be sold at the door before the show. Price is $20 per ticket. Vietnam veterans, with proper identification, can purchase a ticket at the door for $10.

Proceeds will be used for area youth and recreation programs. The show is sponsored by the Kulpmont Cruise Association.

For more information, call Cesari at 570-373-3561.

Did you know April is National Volunteer Month?

Well, neither did I, but one learns all sorts of things in the course of a day in the tourism industry. April became National Volunteer Month as part of President George H.W. Bush’s 1000 Points of Light campaign in 1991. Its premise is to celebrate and recognize the work that volunteers do year-round. And we’ve got a lot of volunteers in Schuylkill County that impact tourism.

The list of county and regional organizations and events that rely on volunteers as the heart and soul of their work is a mile long. Here’s a mere snippet: The Schuylkill County Historical Society, Block of Art, Yuengling Light Lager Jogger, DSI’s Kielbasi Festival, Pioneer Tunnel Coal Mine & Steam Train, Hawk Mountain Sanctuary, Walk In Art Center, Lithuanian Days festival, The Majestic Theater, Tamaqua Community Arts Center, Jerry’s Classic Cars & Collectibles Museum, No. 9 Mine & Museum, Tamaqua Historical Society, The Arts Barn Gallery & Education Center, The Schuylkill County Fair, Pottsville Lions Club and Cruisin’ Pottsville, Schuylkill Haven’s Island Park, Sweet Arrow Lake County Park and so very many more.

Their impact on tourism and our quality of life cannot be overstated, folks. The economic impact alone is incredible. Visitor spending in 2015 in Schuylkill County totaled $206.2 million, which included lodging, food and beverage, shopping and recreation and transportation sales. This accounted for 1,271 jobs in our county and labor income of $42.4 million. Our state and local tax coffers are then increased by $10.9 million and we contribute $9.8 million in federal taxes as well. Tourism’s economic impact is undeniable and heavily reliant on volunteerism.

To further my point, let’s take a look at April. The Yuengling Light Lager Jogger easily brings 5,000 people from all of Pennsylvania, 29 states, D.C. and Canada to Schuylkill County. Forty-eight of Pennsylvania’s 67 counties are represented.

These visitors fill up hotels, bed-and-breakfasts and campgrounds. They dine and drink in our restaurants and spend money on purchases during their stay. Our local economy benefits tremendously and I haven’t even included the funds raised for Operation Gratitude or the other local organizations involved that weekend. The race is heavily dependent on volunteers — heavily dependent. Volunteers are used for packet pickup on Thursday and Friday, race setup and teardown, pre-race signage, as well as the many duties throughout the race itself. If you are interested in volunteering for the race, go to www.lagerjogger.com and click on the volunteer button.

Another great April event that uses volunteers and brings visitors to our community is Block of Art. Block of Art is a three-day arts and cultural event April 27 through 29 throughout downtown Pottsville. Block of Art has expanded since its inception in 2007 as a gallery show to include participants from visual arts, performance arts, fashion design, music, pottery, the decorative and floral arts and more. The list goes on and on really. The event is brought to you through partnerships with Schuylkill County’s VISION and the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts. To learn more about volunteer opportunities, call Schuylkill County’s VISION at 570-622-6097.

Some other places you’ll find volunteers in April are: Walk In Art Center’s First Saturday Open House April 7, featuring the Ibiyinka Alao exhibition; Schuylkill Ballet Theatre’s production of “The Sleeping Beauty” at Blue Mountain High School, Saturday and Sunday; the Early Childhood Fair and Family Reading Festival with Pete the Cat at the Fairlane Village mall on April 14; Tamaqua Community Arts Center’s Big Benefit Concert on April 20; Spring Out at Bubeck Park on April 21; Sweet Arrow Lake’s Family Fun Fishing Event on April 22; Avenues Foundation Duck Race on April 29 and Gabriel Youth Orchestra’s Spring Concert at D.H.H. Lengel Middle School auditorium on April 29.

And that’s just one month folks. Multiply by 12 and you’re beginning to see just how much we owe our volunteers in Schuylkill County. These good people are the fabric of our community resources. Without them, there would be less culture, less color, less history, less recreation and less of what makes our county the culture heritage gem that it is.

For volunteer information and opportunities, call Community Volunteers in Action at 570-628-1426. For more information about Schuylkill County events, visit www.schuylkill.org and www.skoocal.com. And remember to thank a volunteer!

(Gargano is executive director of Schuylkill County Visitors Bureau)

Hazleton

A suicide prevention and support program called Help Stop the Silence Suicide Prevention & Support is based out of the Catholic Social Services Greater Hazleton office and currently is the only local program to provide in-school student assemblies, teacher in-services and community and workplace assemblies providing education on mental health awareness, how to identify at-risk behaviors to prevent suicide and where to seek local help free of charge. Annually on the first Sunday in May the program hosts the Help Stop the Silence Walk to prevent suicide at Hazleton Area High School aiming to reduce stigma, encouraging people at risk to seek help. All proceeds remain local to provide services to the community. Program officials said that support for people affected by suicide is also provided and the group has a trained volunteer to offer peer support to the newly bereaved. There also is a support group for those affected by suicide loss, a “no-fee open grief group facilitated by a professional and a peer that welcomes survivors of suicide loss at any stage of their grieving process.” For more information, contact Samantha A. Neaman, program and walk coordinator, at Catholic Social Services, 214 W. Walnut St., Hazleton, PA 18201. People may also call 570-455-1521 or email jsneaman@msn.com. More information is available at www.helpstopthesilence.org.

Minersville

St. Matthew the Evangelist Parish, 139 Spruce St., will have Divine Mercy Devotions at 3 p.m. this Sunday, Divine Mercy Sunday. Devotions will consist of eExposition of the Blessed Sacrament, a scripture service, the sung Chaplet of the Divine Mercy and Benediction of the Most Blessed Sacrament. Devotions will be preceded by Confession beginning at 2 p.m. by Monsignor William Handges, pastor emeritus of St. Peter Church, Coplay, who will be the guest confessor, homilist and presider, according to a church release. A first-class relic of St. Faustina Kowalska, the Apostle of Divine Mercy, will be offered for veneration at the conclusion of the services. For more information, call the St. Matthew rectory at 570-544-2211.

Nuremberg

Established in 1983, the Nuremberg Community Players Inc. will celebrate 35 years of providing arts and community theatre entertainment to the community. At 3 p.m. April 15, NCP will have a special celebration at its theater, 283 Hazle St., that will be free and open to everyone, according to a release. Festivities will begin presentation of excerpts from some past productions the group has done since it was established. Participants will be members of the original casts returning to reprise their roles. They include Keith Medash and Adam Randis in “Peter Pan,” Todd Statuto and Christine Lisbinski in “Fiddler on the Roof,” Christopher Pavlick in “Singing in the Rain,” Kris Fetterman in “Willie Wonka,” Austyn Redwinski and Rebecca Nenstiel in “Funny Girl,” Diane McAfee, Joanne Weaver, Kim Gatski, Lucille Fala-Brennan, Denise Steibing and Becky Nenstiel in “Nunsense” and Shawn Anderson, Desiree Anderson, Bobby Maso, Matt Maso, Kim Gatski, Todd Statuto, Audrey Glickert, Tisha Demshock, Yamilet Tineo, Theresa McKinney, Amanda Bisco and Brenda and Jacob Sachleben in “Murders in the Heir.” The closing number will be from “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dream Coat,” which was presented in 1983 as the theatre’s first production. The reprise will be sung by the entire chorus of the upcoming production of “Joseph” to be presented May 11, 12 and 13. George Croll will serve as master of ceremonies emcee for the event and The Rev. William H. Knott, senior pastor of Savior Lutheran Church, Fort Lauderdale, Florida, the NCP’s founder, will offer the invocation. President Emmerson Lindenmuth will close the program; refreshments will be served. NCP in the release thanked the community for its continued support in helping the players thrive and “grow through the years and into the future.”

Schuylkill Haven

An open house for the Penn State Schuylkill Lion Launch program will be held from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday as part of the Greater Schuylkill Haven Area Business Association’s First Saturday Around Town program. The Lion Launch Innovation Hub is at 15 E. Main St. More information on Lion Launch is available at Schuylkill.psu.edu/lionlaunch.

POTTSVILLE — Local businesses and individuals now have a way to offer financial support to the judicial effort to fight drug addiction in Schuylkill County, as officials announced on Thursday the start of a nonprofit corporation to accept charitable gifts toward that end.

Schuylkill County CLEAN — Clean Lives through Education on Addiction in our Neighborhoods — will be a significant source of financial support for the Schuylkill County Drug Treatment Court’s incentives to its participant to keep them on the straight and narrow, officials said.

“Drug-dependent individuals have an opportunity to have their charges wiped from their record,” District Attorney Michael A. O’Pake said of the court, which county officials started in January 2017. “It is working.”

First Federal Charitable Foundation had given CLEAN, a 501(c)3 nonprofit corporation under the Internal Revenue Code, $5,000 to start the incentive program, and CACL Federal Credit Union on Thursday donated $2,500 to continue the effort.

“It’s a great cause,” said Josh Burgess, CACL’s chief operations officer. “We love to give back to the community. It’s helping people in Schuylkill County to better their lives.”

Since CLEAN is a 501(c)3 corporation, gifts to it can be tax-deductible, O’Pake said.

“Every program needs money,” CLEAN Vice President Jerry Labooty said. “We’re off to a really good start. All of us are very proud to be a part of it.”

Judge James P. Goodman presides over the court’s weekly meetings, during which some or all of its 33 participants read from their required essays what they have learned about overcoming their problems.

Officials use a carrot-and-stick approach during the 14-month program to help participants beat their addictions. Participants 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 participants tender guilty pleas to the charges against them, failure to complete the program is the stick, resulting in the pleas being accepted and the defendants being sentenced, possibly to time in a state correctional institution.

Five people have been expelled from the program so far.

Officials have added small incentives during the program, countering sanctions that participants receive for violating rules. Incentives have included household items and gift cards to help them live their lives and celebrate their completion of one of the program’s five phases.

“If you do well, you progress,” O’Pake said. “If you don’t do well, you’re sanctioned.”

Labooty said donations can help keep participants focused on the goal of clean lives.

“We can offer better incentives,” he said. “Together, we can win, and we will.”

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

Board of Schuylkill County CLEAN Members

President: Lee Felsburg

Vice President: Jerry Labooty

Secretary: Karen Schwartz

Treasurer: Dennis Hardock

Member: Jack Wabby

POTTSVILLE — The Pottsville Area school board approved the 2018-19 school year calendar at its work session meeting Wednesday.

Four possible snow makeup days are allotted.

The first possible makeup day due to inclement weather is Jan. 21. The next days to be used, if needed, are April 18 and 24. Also, April 23 could be used if necessary. Any additional days needed will be added to the calendar in June, extending the school year.

“The first day of school for students will be Monday, Aug. 27, 2018, and tentatively ... the last day of school will be Friday, May 31, 2019,” Superintendent Jeffrey S. Zwiebel said.

Holidays, teacher in-service days, Act 80 days and early dismissals are also specified on the calendar.

“At the monthly chiefs meeting at the (Schuylkill) IU last week, we discussed all 12 district calendars in conjunction with the IU. Just about all the districts were on the same page right now for the 2018-19 school calendar,” he said.

He said districts wanted to be proactive in deciding the school calendars.

“Obviously, if we have a bad winter, we field a lot of questions. One is about graduation, so we are trying to make this as simple as we can. When we get it on the website, we will make sure that we highlight it,” Zwiebel said.

The board also voted to add an Act 80 day for staff for safety training on June 11 this school year.

“That will allow us to still hold graduation Friday night, June 8, weather permitting,” Zwiebel said.

To date, there have been nine snow days for the 2017-18 school year.

In other matters, board member Scott Thomas attended his last school board meeting. He is moving to Florida this week, where he has accepted a job. The board accepted his resignation last month. Thomas will participate by phone in the April 18 regular board meeting.

Contact the writer: ; 570-628-6028

Someone is $112,176.50 richer after winning on a progressive top prize ticket on a Break the Bank Fast Play on Wednesday in Schuylkill County.

The winning ticket was sold at Smokin’ Joe’s, 706 Centre St., Ashland.

Jennifer Zubris, a store employee, said her sister sold the $5 winning ticket. The person who bought it is said to be a regular customer.

Gary Miller, director of public relations for the Pennsylvania Lottery, said the ticket had not been validated as of 4:30 p.m. Thursday. The winner should sign the back of the ticket, call the Pennsylvania Lottery at 717-702-8146 and file a claim at the nearest lottery office. Prizes must be claimed within one year.