According to Pennsylvania’s Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, Pennsylvania has a longer and more varied fall foliage season than any other state in the nation. Or anywhere in the world for that matter.

Wow! Who knew? Did you know this? I mean, since I have lived in Schuylkill County my entire life, I know that our autumn is beautiful. And since I’ve been with the Schuylkill County Visitors Bureau for nine years, (Nine years next month, but who’s counting, right?) I’ve learned a great deal more about fall foliage as it relates to tourism and outdoor recreation. But I did not know that since most of the world’s forests are either tropical or dominated by conifers, Eastern North America is one of only three regions in the world consisting of deciduous forests.

Consequently, Penn’s Woods is the meeting ground for northern mountain-top loving tree species, southern tree species and many more shrubs and vines that contribute to our lengthy and diverse display of autumn color, which, according to PA Parks & Recreation Association, is supposed to peak Oct. 21-31 in Schuylkill County. You really do learn something new each day, folks!

Hopefully, the wet weather we’ve been having for what seems like eternity will let up and allow us to get outside and enjoy October. Hawk Mountain Sanctuary, Drehersville, is the perfect place to get outdoors and enjoy the changing colors of autumn.

The North Lookout is the location of the “official” hawk migration count in spring and autumn. The visitor center is comprised of exhibits, the Wings of Wonder Gallery, gift shop and bookstore. Just outside the door, you’ll find the Native Plant Garden.

The South Lookout trail is handicap accessible, too. They host a variety of events, workshops and programs that help educate the public and support global conservation efforts and are open year-round. The Hawk Mountain Conservation Science Internship Program has trained more than 300 young people from 62 countries on six continents. Imagine all that right in our back yard! Make time to visit Hawk Mountain this month!

We’ve got plenty of hiking around the county in October. You can head to the state game lands at 10:30 a.m. Saturday for the Lebanon Reservoir and Swatara Furnace hike, and head to Tuscarora State Park at 1 p.m. Sunday for “Walk in Penn’s Woods,” which is a statewide event that aims to get people out to enjoy the woods and to learn about how these woods work for us, from recreation and wildlife habitat to seeing the outcomes of timber harvests.

Another fun option is the County View Hike on Oct. 14. This hike meets on Route 901 behind Mount Pleasant Hose Company in Buck Run and delivers exactly what its name suggests: splendid views of Schuylkill County. The always-popular Peddler’s Grave Hike meets in the parking lot of the Pennsylvania Anthracite Miners Memorial in Shenandoah at 1 p.m. Oct. 21 and takes in the site of one of the first murders in our region.

Sweet Arrow Lake County Park, Pine Grove, is home to a Wee Ones Walk on Wednesday. While you’re down in the southern Schuylkill region, plan on spending some outdoor time at Pioneer Evergreen Farms’ Fall Festival between now and the end of the month. Pioneer Farms, Orwigsburg, offers autumn family fun at its finest. Not only do they have one of the best scenic mountain hayrides to be found anywhere, they’ve also got a water balloon launcher, 60-foot tube slide, corn crib, Pioneer Express train rides, horse/pony rides, petting zoo, 200-foot mountain slide and lots more. You can complete the experience with apple cider and dumplings! It’s economical, lots of fun and right here in your own back yard.

Speaking of which, you all know that I encourage supporting the businesses and organizations that comprise our rich, diverse and bountiful community, and that’s a big part of why I write this column. You might think I write it so that you all know what’s happening around the county. That’s nice, and it’s very important, but it’s not my goal. My goal is much bigger than that. My goal is that you patronize these fine folks, so that they can continue to do the great job they do for us. My goal is to motivate you into action! You know, like Nike, just do it!

Before anyone gets worked up over the little pun, let’s stay focused here. Just take a look at the fun and frightful festivities in all corners of our community in October: Frackville Pumpkin Festival, Saturday; Avenue’s Fall Festival on Sunday; Walk In Art Center’s Safe Trick-or-Treat on Wednesday; Ashland’s AppleFest in Eureka Park on Oct. 13; Tamaqua Heritage Festival on Oct. 14; Schuylkill Haven’s Island Park Pumpkin Patch & Fall Festival with a fall pie-baking contest on Oct. 14; Pine Grove Autumn Stroll & Halloween Parade on Oct. 20; Schuylkill YMCA’s Scary Amounts of Fun on the 20th; Pioneer Tunnel Coal Mine & Steam Train Fall Festival on Oct. 20; Halloween Hustle 5K Zombie Run and Anthracite Philharmonic Spooky Strings Concert at The Majestic Theater on Oct. 27; Schuylkill County Council for the Arts’ Haunted Mansion Tours on Oct. 30 and 31 and Schuylkill County Historical Society’s Haunted History Walking tours each weekend in October.

(Gargano is executive director of Schuylkill County Visitors Bureau)

POTTSVILLE — Edwin Cruet should lose at least three years of freedom for assaulting his ex-girlfriend in December 2017 in Schuylkill Haven, a Schuylkill County judge decided Thursday.

Cruet, 30, of Reading, must serve three to 10 years in a state correctional institution for his physical and verbal attack on Jessica Bass, Judge James P. Goodman ruled.

“The reasons for this sentence are the nature of the crime, the impact on the victim and the protection of society,” Goodman said.

Goodman, who had presided over Cruet’s one-day trial, was especially concerned with the impact on Bass, who sat in the courtroom for the hearing.

“This was a senseless and very violent crime,” he said. “She’s going to live with this the rest of her life.”

Cruet had apologized to Bass, as well as the court.

“I’m really, truly sorry,” he said to Bass.

A jury of eight women and four men deliberated less than an hour on Aug. 21 before finding Cruet guilty of aggravated assault, terroristic threats, simple assault and recklessly endangering another person. Prosecutors had withdrawn a charge of conspiracy.

Schuylkill Haven borough police charged Cruet with using a pellet gun and a knife to assault Bass, a former girlfriend, in the late evening and early morning hours of Dec. 23-24, 2017, at her Fritz Reed Avenue residence. Bass had taken in Cruet and his fiancee, Shirley Soto-Otero, because they had no place to stay in the December cold, prosecutors said.

“This incident greatly affected and changed her life,” Assistant District Attorney A.J. Serina said in requesting the prison sentence for Cruet that Goodman ended up handing down. Bass has trouble taking care of her children, Serina said.

Bass, who had testified she still has a scar on her neck from the incident, said nothing during the hearing.

Assistant Public Defender Christopher M. Riedlinger, Cruet’s lawyer, who had asked Goodman to sentence his client to 1 1/2 to three years in state prison plus additional probation, declined to comment on the case after the hearing.

Serina said he was pleased with how the matter ended.

“I’m happy that the judge accepted the commonwealth’s recommendation as to the sentence,” he said.

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

The defendant

· Name: Edwin Cruet

· Age: 30

· Residence: Reading

· Crimes committed: Aggravated assault, terroristic threats, simple assault and recklessly endangering another person

· Prison sentence: Three to 10 years in a state correctional institution

Berrysburg

Swab Wagon Co., Elizabethville, will have its 150th anniversary picnic from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday at the Berrysburg Fire Company carnival grounds. Swab-built vehicles, including fire and rescue vehicles, animal transport, EMS, ambulance, commercial/utility and wagons and horse-drawn vehicles will be on display. For more information, call 800-834-7922

Frackville

The South End Field & Stream Club will have a bean soup sale beginning at 11 a.m. Oct. 13 at the Whippoorwill Dam, Morea Road. The last day to order in advance by calling 570-874-1108 is Sunday.

Pottsville

The Anthracite Philharmonic, directed by Mark P. Thomas, will present “Spooky Strings 4” at 7 p.m. Oct. 27 in the Majestic Theater, North Centre Street. Tickets are $20 each and all are welcome. For more information, visit www.antphil.org.

Pottsville

The Pottsville Free Public Library has received a grant from First Federal Charitable Foundation enabling the library to buy a Nintendo Switch, Xbox One X and PlayStation 4 Pro, as well as a variety of games and A/V equipment, according to the library’s Darren DeArment. Video game titles from all three consoles will be available for loan with a library card. In addition, various gaming programs will be offered by the library’s children’s department. DeArment said in the release that studies have found that playing video games promotes literacy, critical thinking, problem solving and communication skills as well as socialization. Upcoming video gaming programs for children and teenagers area on the Library’s Facebook page. The first of these programs will be held at 10 a.m. Nov. 3 for ages 8-12 and will feature tournaments as well as free play. For more information, call the library at 570-622-8880, Ext. 12, or email dbd@pottsvillelibrary.org.

Schuylkill Haven

Al-Anon meetings are held at 7 p.m. Wednesdays at First United Church of Christ, 110 Route 61 South. For more information, call Sarah at 570-449-1830. Al-Anon meetings are also held at 8 p.m. Fridays at Grace Evangelical Congregational Church, 15 Earl Stoyer Road near Stoyer’s Dam. Newcomers are always welcome to both. For more information on the sessions, call Karla 570-294-2685.

Shenandoah

Schuylkill County’s oldest continuously running seasonal downtown farm market will continue from 8 a.m. to noon Tuesdays and Fridays at the southeast corner of Main and Centre streets through November. The market features fruits, vegetables, plants and fall items by local growers and sellers. It was started in the 1970s as the brainchild of the late Greater Shenandoah Area Chamber of Commerce Director Samuel Schutawie as a way to increase pedestrian traffic downtown. Since then, the market has become a staple for local residents and visitors. Anyone wanting more information about the market may call Mark Bernardyn, the chamber’s market committee chairman, at 570-462-2734.

Snyders

The West Penn Lions Club meets at 6:30 p.m. the first and third Wednesdays of each month at the West Penn Community Park, located just off Route 309. For more information, call 570-386-2272.

Summit Hill

The Prayer Shawl Ministry of St. Joseph Parish of Panther Valley will offer classes for people wishing to learn how to knit. Classes will be held from 6 to 7:30 p.m. Wednesdays on Oct. 10, 17 and 24 and Nov. 7 and 14 in the parish social hall, 462 W. Ludlow St. People 12 and older are welcome. The classes are free. Advance registration is not necessary; however, participants must have a size 10 knitting needle, measuring tape or gauge scissors and yarn needle. For more information, call Mary Ellen Ogozalek at 570-645-3719 or Dorothy Kuhn at 570-645-2580. The Prayer Shawl Ministry is a group dedicated to bringing comfort to people in need through a blessed prayer shawl.

MAR LIN — A Norwegian Township resident recently asked about recording a video of the supervisors meeting and was advised against doing so, despite the Pennsylvania Sunshine Act allowing it.

Joe Kowalchick attended Monday’s meeting and told the supervisors he wanted to know the guidelines for recording video. He said he wanted to provide a way for senior citizens and the disabled to view supervisors meetings. He wanted to put the video on a Facebook page, Norwegian Township News and Concerns, of which he is an administrator.

He said supervisors voted twice and decided to not allow him to do so even though the Sunshine Act permits video and audio recordings of public meetings.

“There is no expectation of privacy at public meetings,” Melissa Melewsky, media law counsel for the Pennsylvania NewsMedia Association, said Thursday.

Kowalchick said township solicitor B.J. Evans advised against recording video but said supervisors would have allowed an audio recording. Evans said Thursday that “there was no formal action taken.”

Evans said it was his recommendation that regulations be put in place for recording video. Those regulations would be discussed at the next meeting on Nov. 5.

“This is the first request to videotape,” Evans said.

“The fact that they don’t have regulations does not in any way negate the public’s right to record public meetings. The Sunshine Act has already put everyone on notice,” Melewsky said.

She said regulations can be put in place concerning power supplies for recording equipment or where the person should stand but “what they can’t do is require pre-regisration.”

Kowalchick said he wasn’t “doing this to cause trouble.”

Supervisors Stanley Petchulis and Tom Dallago declined to comment. Supervisor David George did not return a call for comment.

Contact the writer: ; 570-628-6028

The 2018 WVIA Congressional Debates will be broadcast live from the Sordoni High-Definition Theater at the public television station’s studios in Pittston later this month.

WVIA’s Larry Vojtko is moderator for the two debates, which both begin at 7 p.m. and will be simulcast on WVIA-FM and www.wvia.org.

The debate between 8th Congressional District candidates, Democratic Rep. Matt Cartwright and Republican John Chrin, will air Oct. 29. Panelists are Borys Krawczeniuk, staff writer, The Times-Tribune of Scranton; Dr. Tom Baldino, professor of political science, Wilkes University; and Andy Mehalshick, Eyewitness News reporter.

The 9th Congressional District debate between Republican Dan Meuser and Democrat Denny Wolff is Oct. 30. Panelists are Dr. Chris Hallenbrook, Bloomsburg University; Peter E. Bortner, staff writer, The Republican-Herald; and Dave Bohman, WNEP.

Seating in the live audience for each debate is free but very limited. To make reservations, visit www.wvia.org/about/sordoni-theater-reservations.

James K. Reiley

POTTSVILLE — A Minersville man charged with a theft incident in Pottsville earlier this year waived his right to a preliminary hearing before Magisterial District Judge James K. Reiley.

Alvin C. Jones II, 27, of 445 Carbon St., was arrested by Pottsville police Patrolman Grant Yoder and charged with one count of theft by deception. By waiving his right to a hearing, Jones will now have to answer to the charge against him in Schuylkill County Court.

Yoder charged Jones with writing a check in the amount of $49.80 to Penn Train and Hobby LLC, 12 N. Centre St., Pottsville, on April 24 but business was notified by CACL Credit Union that the account was closed.

Attempts to contact Jones to honor the check were unsuccessful, Yoder said.

Other court cases included:

Richard J. Meyer, 26, of 208 Dock St., Apt. 13, Schuylkill Haven; waived for court: public drunkenness, possession of a small amount of marijuana, possession of a controlled substance and possession of drug paraphernalia.

Kirstin M. Bassininsky, 24, of 208 Dock St., Schuylkill Haven; waived for court: possession of a small amount of marijuana, possession of a controlled substance and possession of drug paraphernalia.

Edward J. Hunt III, 39, of 349 Main St., Box 234, Lavelle; withdrawn: possession of a controlled substance. Hunt pleaded guilty to a summary violation and was ordered to pay fines and costs.

John M. Strausser, 27, of 107 Middle St., Minersville; waived for court: DUI-controlled substance, DUI, DUI-highest rate, possession of drug paraphernalia and disorderly conduct.

Vincent Meyer, 30, of 320 Valley St., Port Carbon; waived for court: retail theft and possession of drug paraphernalia.

Rachel N. Cintron, 34, of 1119A W. Market St., Pottsville; held for court: DUI-controlled substance and possession of a controlled substance.

David R. Collins, 26, of 208 Oak St., Saint Clair; waived for court: endangering the welfare of children.

John M. Stutzman, 38, of 1721 W. Maple St., Box 162, Valley View; waived for court: contraband-controlled substance, possession of a controlled substance and possession of drug paraphernalia.

William Faust Jr., 68, of 396 Front St., Pottsville; waived for court: DUI-controlled substance and disregard for single traffic lane.

Christopher Circelli, 59, of 307 Highland Drive, Pottsville; waived for court: corruption of minors and selling or furnishing alcohol to a minor.

Natural gas could begin flowing Saturday in Schuylkill County as Williams puts its Atlantic Sunrise pipeline project into full service.

The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission approved the company’s request to put the system into full service, effective Saturday, according to Christopher L. Stockton, Williams spokesman.

Construction on the Pennsylvania section of the Transco pipeline, which has the largest-volume design capacity for a natural gas pipeline system in the U.S., began in September 2017. The 186-mile Greenfield portion of the pipeline runs through the county and connects the Marcellus gas supplies with markets as far south as Alabama.

Property owners and motorists traveling near the pipeline won’t see anything unusual happening Saturday. Gas will be flowing through the pipeline but it will be out of sight, according to Stockton.

In addition to the piping, the project included two new compressor stations and compressor station modifications in five states. It boosts the design capacity of the Transco pipeline by 1.7 billion cubic feet per day (approximately 12 percent) to 15.8 billion cubic feet per day.

“This project makes the largest-volume pipeline system in the country even larger, further executing on our strategy to connect premier natural gas supply areas with the best markets in the country,” Alan Armstrong, Williams president and chief executive officer, said in a prepared release. “The project is significant for Pennsylvania and natural gas-consuming markets all along the East Coast, alleviating infrastructure bottlenecks and providing millions of consumers direct access to one of the most abundant, cost-effective natural gas supply sources in the country.”

Williams construction manager Lee Bone, of Mobile, Alabama, gave The Republican-Herald a tour of the “Rausch Creek Yard Spread 5” in Tremont last November, where more than 370 people were employed.

“I’m proud of our project team for their focus and carefully executing this complex project in a safe and environmentally responsible manner. Their efforts have truly distinguished this project, positively collaborating with regulators, key stakeholders and communities to overcome challenges and install this critical infrastructure thoughtfully without experiencing any significant injuries or environmental issues. Even in the final months of construction, as some segments of the project area sustained more than 20 inches of rainfall, our teams acted quickly to restore the right-of-way and ensure environmental compliance requirements were met,” Williams Chief Operating Officer Micheal Dunn added.

The company will be returning to the county in the spring.

“We are going to do follow-up work next spring to make sure revegetation is happening properly across the project. We will also be removing some of the erosion control devices next spring and addressing any soil settling issues that may come to light after the winter,” Stockton said Thursday.

Contact the writer: ; 570-628-6007

POTTSVILLE — Today’s Schuylkill County Drug Treatment Court graduation will have seven people instead of eight after Judge James P. Goodman announced Thursday that one of those scheduled to graduate had failed a drug test.

Ryan, who had not had any sanctions imposed on him before this incident, will have to continue the program, Goodman said at the court’s weekly session.

Goodman did not hide his displeasure with Ryan.

“It’s really disappointing,” the judge said. “Ryan is an example of what not to do.”

While Goodman did not allow Ryan to graduate today, he did not expel him from the program, and the judge urged him to continue his fight against drugs.

“It’s time for you to beat your addiction,” Goodman said. “You’re a young guy. We’ve seen what you can do. You need to get back on track.”

The seven others will attend a graduation ceremony at 1 p.m. today.

Schuylkill County officials started the drug treatment court in 2017 to try to combat the widespread local drug addiction problem, using a carrot-and-stick approach to help participants beat their addictions. Other counties in Pennsylvania also have instituted drug treatment courts.

Program 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, and completion of an aftercare program can lead to expungement of that part of their record.

The program lasts for a minimum of 14 months.

However, since the participants tender guilty pleas to the charges against them, failure to complete the drug treatment court program is the stick, resulting in the pleas being accepted and the defendants being sentenced, quite possibly to time in a state correctional institution.

While Goodman did not remove Ryan from the program, he did expel two others in it.

Camille M. Lemmon, 21, of Pine Grove, had returned to her old ways, or worse, according to Goodman.

“There’s evidence (from her cellphone) that you wanted to deal,” Goodman told Lemmon, who was brought from prison to the hearing. “We can’t have drug dealers in the program.”

Goodman said Lemmon will be sentenced on Oct. 11 in her two cases. He sent her back to prison with a warning that her future will be bleak unless she changes.

“You’re going to spend a lot of time (behind bars),” he told her.

The charges against Lemmon include two counts each of delivery of a controlled substance, possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance, possession of a controlled substance and possession of drug paraphernalia and one of criminal use of a communication facility in one case and one count each of delivery of a controlled substance, possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance and possession of a controlled substance in the other.

In the first case, Hegins Township police charged Lemmon with delivering drugs on Dec. 30, 2015. In the second, Schuylkill County detectives alleged she delivered drugs on Jan. 4, 2016.

However, there was no delay for John M. Stutzman, 38, of Valley View, whom Goodman expelled from the program and promptly sentenced to serve 18 to 36 months in a state correctional institution, along with payment of costs, $200 to the Substance Abuse Education Fund and $176 restitution to the state police crime laboratory in Bethlehem.

“I imposed the sentence requested by the commonwealth,” said Goodman, who expelled Stutzman from the program as the result of his being arrested for allegedly smuggling drugs into the county prison.

Stutzman had tendered his guilty plea on June 21 to three counts of possession of a controlled substance in one case and one count each of possession of a controlled substance and possession of drug paraphernalia in the other.

Pottsville police in the first case charged Stutzman with possessing three types of drugs on Aug. 4, 2017, in the city, while in the second case, Ashland police alleged he possessed drugs and paraphernalia on the same date in the borough.

Although Lemmon and Stutzman are out of the program, two other people replaced them: Jolena A. Deeter, 31, of Tremont, and Kerri Ann Miller, 27, of Ringtown. As a result, there still are 28 people in the program.

“You have to want to stay clean,” Goodman told Deeter and Miller. Otherwise, he said, they will not succeed in the program.

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

Joliett man faces

DUI, drug charges

HEGINS — Hegins Township police reported Tuesday filing charges against a Joliett man stemming from an incident on July 20.

Police said Robert Allen Madenford, 47, of 253 Main St., was charged with DUI, possession of a controlled substance, possession of drug paraphernalia and summary traffic violations.

The charges were filed with Magisterial District Judge David Rossi, Tremont, police said.

On July 20, police said, officers saw Madenford driving north in the southbound lane of North Goodspring Road and conducted a traffic stop.

The investigation subsequently revealed that Madenford was in possession of methamphetamine, police said.

Lykens woman

charged with assault

LYKENS — A Lykens woman was arrested by state police at Lykens and charged with assault with a weapon after an incident on North Street in this Dauphin County community around 1 a.m. Saturday.

Police said Olivia Klinger, 28, was arraigned at the Dauphin County Judicial Center and committed to Dauphin County Prison unable to post $5,000 straight cash bail.

Police said Klinger and a 57-year-old Lykens man became involved in a verbal argument during which Klinger grabbed a butcher knife. The man tried to take the knife away from Klinger, resulting in his left hand being cut, police said, adding that Klinger also bit the man on his left forearm.

Police investigate

Lykens Twp. crash

GRATZ — A Gratz man escaped injury when the 2004 Chevrolet Tahoe he was driving crashed on Erdman Road, just south of East Middle Road in Lykens Township, Dauphin County, around 12:35 a.m. Friday.

State police at Lykens said Andrew W. Mattern, 48, was driving south when he went off the right side of the road and struck a utility pole.

The impact shattered the pole and, police said, the man’s vehicle came to a stop against the pole.

Police said that Mattern was arrested for DUI and that Gratz firefighters assisted at the scene.

Police probe

DUI-related crash

WILLIAMSTOWN — State police at Lykens investigated a DUI-related crash that occurred at 1119 E. Market St. in Williams Township, Dauphin County, around 11:15 p.m. Aug. 30.

Police said a 54-year-old Williamstown man, Bruce Deiter, struck three utility poles with his vehicle and was found walking away from the crash after urinating himself.

Deiter was charged with DUI and other traffic violations at the office of Magisterial District Judge Rebecca Margerum, Elizabethville, police said.

Police investigate

Williams Twp. crash

WILLIAMSTOWN — A crash that occurred on East Market Street, just west of Porter Road in Williams Township, Dauphin County, around 6:10 p.m. Sept. 26 is being investigated by state police at Lykens.

Police said Steven E. Sims, 42, of Williamstown, was driving a 2005 Chevrolet Silverado north on East Market Street when he failed to follow a left turn, went off the road and struck a guide rail, causing disabling damage to his vehicle.

Police said Sims was not hurt but that he was cited for driving at an unsafe speed as a result of the crash.

Lawn mower thief

sought by police

CUMBOLA — State police at Frackville are investigating a theft that occurred at 107 Water St. in this Blythe Township community between Sept. 26 and Monday.

Police said Lisa Ferhat reported someone stole a red and black Troy Bilt self-propelled lawn mower with a Briggs and Stratton engine from a side porch and fled the area.

Anyone with information is asked to call police at 570-874-5300.

Schuylkill County residents and visitors will not be disappointed this year in the beauty of the fall leaves, according to forestry experts.

“It’s a new experience every time you go out. Every year is beautiful,” said Frank Snyder, a volunteer with the Schuylkill County Conservancy and a retired forester with the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources Bureau of Forestry.

The DCNR Fall Foliage Report issued Thursday said that in Schuylkill County, the leaves are now starting to change color. In last week’s report, there was no change noted. Peak time to view the changing colors is about three weeks away, the report said.

Steve Ziegler, state DCNR service forester with the Weiser Forest District 18, said Thursday that the peak time for viewing will be Oct. 24, based on previous data. He added that it will last at least a week.

“I think it’s going to be a pretty good year,” Ziegler said.

The Weiser district covers Dauphin, Carbon, Columbia, Lebanon, Montour, Northumberland and Schuylkill counties.

Some trees are already showing their colors, including black birch that are displaying a bright yellow.

“It’s pretty showy,” Ziegler said.

In the fall, because of changes in the length of daylight and temperature, chlorophyll breaks down in the leaves and the green color disappears.

By November, the majority of leaves should be off the trees, Ziegler said.

Locust Lake, Tuscarora State Park and Sweet Arrow Lake County Park are prime examples where visitors may look at the changing scenery, Ziegler said.

The wet summer caused more anthracnose — a fungus that causes the tips of leaves to turn brown — to be seen on many trees, Ziegler said.

Snyder agreed that the moisture contributed to fungus growth but said the trees will be OK: “Overall, the trees grew quite well because of the moisture.”

In Schuylkill County, trees make up about 70 percent of the landscape, Snyder said. It is about 60 percent statewide.

Along Second Mountain Road in North Manheim Township, four red maple trees show brilliant red colors.

“It’s the most common tree you find in Pennsylvania,” Snyder said.

Standing in the parking lot of the Cressona Mall looking toward Seven Stars Road, the yellow color of black walnut trees and reddish brown of the flowering dogwood are visible. Gray birch trees are turning yellow on the bank near Home Depot in Saint Clair, Snyder said.

“All tree species have their own signature color,” Snyder said.

Driving along Route 61, motorists can see bright red shrubs, which are sumac trees, and yellow-hued birch and aspen trees. Oaks are predominant on the mountains, which mostly appear rusty in color. White oaks can appear brownish or purple, while scarlet oak are red.

“It’s beautiful,” Snyder said.

There is a event called “Walk in Penn’s Woods” at 1 p.m. Sunday at Tuscarora State Park, Barnesville. Those attending should meet at the parking lot above the beach. The event is sponsored by The Center for Private Forests at Penn State, University Park. For more information, call Jerry Bowman at 570-294-1262.

Contact the writer: ; 570-628-6028

A time capsule will be buried Saturday in Valley View Park to celebrate anthracite coal’s 250th anniversary, in conjunction with the Hawk Mountain Council Scout jamboree.

David Williams, president of the Valley View Park Association, invited anyone who wishes to contribute mine-related material or memorabilia for the time capsule to call him at 570-573-9467.

The vault-like capsule will be buried at 1:30 p.m. near the park stage and is scheduled to be unearthed 50 years later.

Williams said he worked with Scott Herring, 250th anniversary committee chairman and an anthracite photographer, to coordinate the time capsule project and the park’s recognition of anthracite mine heritage. A Ringtown vault company is donating the time capsule container, according to Williams.

Scouts will be conducting service projects throughout the park and will be working toward their Mining in Society badges. Williams said the Scouts and their leaders will be painting picnic tables and the soda stand, cleaning gutters from park buildings, and constructing a small foot bridge near the trout hatchery.

Jeff Love, a former mining engineer and coal mine operator, will offer a lesson with mining maps. Scott Wolfgang, with the state Department of Environmental Protection Bureau of Mine Safety, will present a program, “Stay Out, Stay Alive,” that discourages trespassing on mining operations and abandoned mine lands.

Williams said the Valley View Park has a strong connection to mining. The land where the park sits was originally owned by Western Anthracite Coal Co. in the 1940s, he said.

For the past few years, the Auger Anthracite Underground Rescue Team, Tremont, has conducted its mock mine disaster training at the park.

A coal mine-themed movie is shown at the stage each year as part of the park’s entertainment series, Williams said.

Contact the writer: ; 570-628-6007

Alan Patton and his wife, Alycia Barr, received a gift from a corporate neighbor that lightened their burden from this summer’s flooding in Pine Grove and helped replace a damaged bridge to their property.

Despite the goodwill, they won’t be neighbors anymore.

“It was a pleasant surprise. It was great to see that they did this for us, and we appreciate it,” Patton said Tuesday.

Solar Innovations Architectural Glazing Systems raised more than $3,700 during its 2018 second quarter Solar Cares campaign to assist the couple, who live just around the corner at 132 Geary Wolfe Road.

Alycia Barr’s daughter, Lydia, began a GoFundMe page in order to raise money for the costs of replacing the bridge on July 4. Prior to Solar’s contribution, the page had raised $1,855; with Solar’s donation of $3,721, the bridge repair fund was able to reach $5,576, according to Erin Collins, a company spokeswoman.

Floodwaters from June 27 and 28 destroyed a former steel and concrete bridge at the couple’s residence, removing access to Route 645. Fortunately, their home did not receive any water damage, Patton said.

Unfortunately, the costs involved with the bridge replacement forced the couple to relocate, he said, and they began moving out this week. They had wanted to expand at their current location, but funds needed for the bridge depleted their finances. Instead, they are moving into a mobile home.

“We found a larger, less expensive place at the other end of Pine Grove,” Patton said.

While a temporary pulley system was installed to deliver groceries across the Swope Valley Run tributary of Swatara Creek, the couple and their neighbors were stranded until a rail bridge was installed a few weeks after the flooding had subsided.

It was estimated a new span could cost between $25,000 to $100,000. Instead, Andy Aungst, company vice president of Arthur “Pat” Aungst Inc., Pine Grove, found a flatbed railcar that was available for the couple. Made of riveted steel with an oak deck, the span is 53.6 feet and cost much less at $9,500.

Patton is pleased with the sturdiness of the replacement.

“We’ve had a half dozen flash floods since then, and there’s no worrying about that bridge,” he said.

The Solar Cares campaign was created to dedicate a time and effort into giving back to the surrounding communities, Collins said in a release. After seeing the struggle of a neighbor, the Solar team decided to help as much as possible. This quarter, money was raised by 78.5 percent of the office team members.

The Solar Cares campaign launched in October 2015. In less than three years, Solar Cares has raised more than $30,000 in monetary donations plus a variety of supplies such as toys, coats, non-perishable food items, pet supplies, and cleaning supplies, and holds companywide fundraisers.

Contact the writer: ; 570-628-6007

POTTSVILLE — Stella Reber succumbed to the Spanish flu on Oct. 3, 1918. The 18-year-old Cressona woman became the first documented person in Schuylkill County to die during the pandemic.

One hundred years later, the Schuylkill County Historical Society has opened a special exhibit reliving the county’s resilience in the face of calamity, according to Thomas Drogalis, society executive director.

James Haluska Jr., a former history professor who worked in Chicago area museums and is a Pottsville native, conducted research on the epidemic and volunteered to share his work for the exhibit.

“Every facet of everyday life was impacted,” Haluska said.

The Spanish flu claimed an estimated 2,000 people in the county and killed millions worldwide.

The center hall, first floor exhibit opened Sept. 15 and will conclude at the end of the year at the society headquarters, 305 N. Centre St.

Among the items are photos of Pottsville hospital wards; telegrams seeking Catholic Diocesan medical teams who could render aid; newspaper archives from the Pottsville Journal in October 1918; and influenza notice warnings that were posted on doorways.

A display featuring Pottsville author John O’Hara, including his book, “The Doctor’s Son,” is part of the exhibit. O’Hara’s father, Dr. Patrick Henry O’Hara, contracted the disease, Haluska said. The doctor was weakened but survived.

Haluska used county hospital annals for some of his research.

“History repeatedly shows that the prejudices of society come out in times of calamity,” Haluska said. “It was theorized the Germans sent their U-boats across the Atlantic and engaged in biological warfare that affected port cities along the East Coast. Which obviously wasn’t the case, but because we were involved in World War I, some thought the Germans may resort to desperation tactics. We know the German army and the German homeland was struck just as hard as anyone (with the flu). Disease does not discriminate.”

One of the photos shows the Millikin mansion in Pottsville, which was on the site of the current Lehigh Valley Hospital-Schuylkill E. Norwegian Street, the former Good Samaritan facility. The Millikin mansion became a makeshift emergency hospital during the flu epidemic.

“It was later fumigated and turned into a makeshift orphanage to deal with the influx of new orphans,” Haluska said.

Advice at the time included keeping the patient as comfortable as possible, hoping that the patient’s immune system would be strong enough to fight the influenza. There were no antibiotics; people wore face masks.

Residents were told to avoid public gathering spots like restaurants, bars and dance halls. People were discouraged from making phone calls or using too much energy because the flu caused staffing shortages for telephone operators and workers who could stoke coal. Newspaper advertisements on display show the alarm.

An Oct. 4, 1918, edition of The Pottsville Journal reported there were 800 cases of the influenza in the city alone. Other research revealed about 25 percent of those who died from the flu in the county were from Minersville.

“It was taking people in the prime of their lives within 48 hours,” Drogalis said.

The influenza became known as the “Spanish flu” due to censorship that the allied nations had imposed during World War I. Spain, who was not a participating nation, had shared information about the influenza outbreak, although other nations had tried to keep details of it squashed. No one is certain of the deadly influenza’s actual origin.

Joe Whelski, a Pottsville native and actor, and a fellow actor will offer a dramatic presentation Dec. 2 and 3 at the historical society, Drogalis said. They’ll perform vignettes of the tragedy and will move around the society’s first floor in period costumes during the presentation. For more information on the exhibit and upcoming events, visit the website schuylkillhistory.org or call 570-622-7540.

Contact the writer: ; 570-628-6007

BARNESVILLE — Local legislators said Friday that they will work to make sure employers have the skilled workers they need to fill manufacturing jobs.

“We have a lot of kids in our area who are very skilled,” state Rep. Neal P. Goodman, D-123, Mahanoy City, said at the Northeast PA Manufacturers and Employers Association Legislative Roundtable at Mountain Valley Golf Clubhouse. “We need to do a better job of putting those people together.”

State Rep. Mike Tobash, R-125, Pottsville, agreed, adding that many of those workers will not require a four-year college degree to succeed. Schools need to do a better job of training those youths for work in the manufacturing sector, he said.

“Better connect our educational system with what our businesses are looking for,” Tobash said.

State Sen. David G. Argall, R-29, Rush Township, agreed.

“People are looking for workers,” he said, a sentiment echoed by a number of business leaders at the session. “You need employees, they need employers.”

The association held the roundtable to commemorate National Manufacturing Day. Approximately 100 people attended the session, which also touched on subjects important to businesses, including pension, regulatory and tax reforms.

Tobash said the Legislature has made a start on changing the pension system for future state workers to at least partly a defined contribution, one similar to the 401(k) accounts held by most private-sector employees.

“Beginning in 2019, almost every new state employee will have a defined benefit for one-half their pension,” with the other half being a defined contribution, he said.

Another problem for which the state is seeking a solution is the amount of fees being paid to the investment firms handling the pensions, according to Tobash.

“We will be looking at performance,” along with improving the transparency of such fees, he said.

Goodman said the returns the state has received on its investments have been poor, a situation where blame can fall on a number of people, including the Legislature.

“The commonwealth is not meeting its payments,” while the employees always have paid their share, he said.

Concerning regulatory reform, state Rep. Jerry Knowles, R-124, Rush Township, said government agencies put too much of a burden on businesses and must change their attitudes.

“There needs to be some reason here,” he said. “We’ve got to do something meaningful.”

State Rep. Doyle Heffley, R-122, Lower Towamensing Township, said he has drafted a bill to deal with abuses by building inspectors by requiring municipalities to contract with at least two such people to prevent concentrating too much power in one person or firm.

“We’ve had complaints from across the state” about abuses of power, Heffley said.

He also said agencies need to do more with the money and people they have.

“We need more productivity out of these departments,” he said.

Goodman noted that such overreaching inspections delayed the opening of the courses at Mountain Valley, which is in his district. Excessive fees also hamper rebuilding in renovations, he said.

“We need to be more responsive,” Goodman said.

Tobash said there are 167,000 regulations in the state, a load that hurts businesses.

“It is crushing our ability to grow our economy,” he said. “We do have regulatory overburden.”

Goodman said the Legislature has a good record on taxes.

“We have done some really good things,” like eliminating the capital stock and franchise tax and inheritance taxes on small businesses and family farms, he said. “The more friendly our tax structure is, the easier it is to attract businesses.”

To Argall, tax reform means eliminating school property taxes, the number one complaint he hears at most of his meetings in his district.

“It means finding a better way to fund our public schools,” he said. “Everyone agrees this is an unfair tax.”

Unfortunately, not everyone agrees on a replacement, he said.

“We’re still working at it,” Argall said.

Knowles said a severance tax on Marcellus Shale natural gas is not a good answer to revenue problems, noting that the state already collects an impact fee that goes toward solving any problems the industry creates. He also said such a levy is not imposed on other businesses.

“It’s a matter of fairness,” Knowles said.

Heffley agreed, saying that a severance tax would be paid by consumers. Additionally, he said tax hikes are not productive.

“I don’t think higher taxes are the way to grow revenue,” he said, adding that the federal tax cuts have helped the economy.

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

“Gray’s Anatomy” sits beside “Great Artists: A Treasury of Paintings by the Masters” on a shelf in retired surgeon Dr. Abdul Wahhab’s Forest Hills studio.

While he laid aside the scalpel in 2015, after a rewarding 42-year medical career in Schuylkill County, he has yet to put down the brush. From January through July this year, the 79-year-old doctor/artist created 100 unique floral paintings to be sold at silent auction Oct. 13-15. The proceeds will go into the Zarina Wahhab Nursing Scholarship, administered by the Schuylkill Area Community Foundation, which he established in honor of his wife of 50 years.

The fund will benefit a student each year at the Joseph F. McCloskey School of Nursing at Lehigh Valley Hospital-Schuylkill S. Jackson Street.

“We need the nurses and there are so many who want to become one, but can’t because they can’t buy the books, or can’t pay the tuition,” Wahhab said Thursday.

Wahhab, who has been painting since his youth, has done landscapes, portraits, even a building, on request. Above all, he prefers flowers.

He studied agriculture in high school in India, and did undergraduate work in botany, while he was considering a future in engineering, agriculture or other fields. Ultimately, inspired by his cousin, Karimullah, a doctor in Calcutta, he entered medicine, to the benefit of Schuylkill County where he settled in 1973.

“I know the ins and the outs of the flowers. The petals, the stamens, all the parts of the flowers,” he said, surrounded by bright-colored paintings of roses, begonias, morning glories, lilies of the valley, daisies and many others, including a parrot tulip.

Wahhab, who gardens, said the scientific identification of a plant is done by its flower, which shows the difference between two species of the same genus.

It isn’t just botanical aptitude that draws him to flowers. There is a bit of artistic pride. Wahhab explained that, although unique in taxonomy, a flower is still nondescript enough that a painting of one can be judged on its own merits without being compared to a particular model. A portrait however, must be more exact.

Yet, it isn’t a matter of just slapping up another blossom. While a flower isn’t a face, it is as detailed, maybe even more. Wahhab said roses are particularly challenging, taking a bit longer due to the number of petals, and it is an effort to get the depth into the painting.

In the end though, he says practicing surgery was a superior experience. Not only does a person bleed when cut but “you see some result there. If you cut a flower, in two days it withers and you throw it away.”

The auction will be Wahhab’s fifth, each being a fundraiser for a cause he believes in. Last year, it was breast cancer. In previous years he painted to raise money for the Schuylkill County Emergency Center and the Pottsville Hospital.

The silent auction will be in the Wall Auditorium in the Lehigh Valley Hospital-Schuylkill, E. Norwegian Street, 700 E. Norwegian St. The doors will be open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Oct. 13 and 14, and 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Oct. 15. The paintings have a fair market value of $100.

For further information, call 570-624-7223 or visit www.sacfoundation.com.

Contact the writer: bsmith@republicanherald.com; 570-628-6005

In the war on opioid drug addiction, the companies that pay for the medicine at the pharmacy counter have immense power to prevent abuse, and insurance companies in Pennsylvania are interceding where they can to keep doctors and pharmacists accountable.

The strategy isn’t new, said Dr. Charles DeShazer, chief medical officer at Highmark, the state’s largest insurer.

“It’s really based on understanding the pathway from pain to addiction, and it’s a fairly predictable pathway,” he said.

The epidemic that now claims 115 lives every day, according to the National Institutes of Health, and shows no sign of slowing down, started with what DeShazer calls junk research in the 1980s. It said, in the context of pain, opioid painkillers are not addictive.

“It turns out that that was very bad science,” he said. “But drug manufacturers picked up on this and really began to market opioids for the treatment of pain.”

Following full-throated marketing campaigns, drug maker profits swelled.

“The most devastating and significant thing is that the death rates, the overdose rates, paralleled that increase,” DeShazer said. “It really was a correlation that we should have seen much earlier.”

Highmark has a three-tier abuse prevention system that starts with finding other alternatives to manage pain, demands measured prescribing when opioids are necessary and helps addicts with the long-term treatment they need.

Insurers also monitor their network doctors for unusual or potentially dangerous prescribing patterns among doctors.

When they find them, the insurer educates doctors on safer ways to prescribe. If they don’t listen, and the bad behavior persists, Highmark can eject them from its network.

“We’ve found this to be very rare that they’re not responsive,” DeShazer said, explaining Highmark has only had to remove doctors only a handful of times.

Geisinger Health Plan, the insurance affiliate of Danville-based Geisinger Health System, assembled its Special Investigations Unit to root out overprescribing and health care fraud.

The unit was created about four years ago, before the opioid epidemic reached its current roar, said Dr. Perry Meadows, a medical director with the health plan who works closely with the unit.

“It’s to look at a wide range of health care fraud, such as improper billing, providers billing for services that weren’t performed, a variety of issues,” he said, explaining that the existing infrastructure made it simpler to query prescribing patterns among network doctors’ and their patients.

The team of about 20 people, including specially trained nurses, pharmacy technicians and coders, use data and fraud detection computer programs to spot red flags, such as cash-only providers, and to stop payment for prescriptions that do not match the patient’s diagnosis, health plan spokesman Mark Gilger said.

“Through our Special Investigations Unit, we have worked to eliminate a number of providers that provide less than quality care or inappropriate care to our members with substance use disorder,” he said.

Geisinger Health Plan caps the number of opioid painkillers doctors can prescribe and uses alerts in its electronic health record software to tell doctors when they are prescribing dangerous combinations of painkillers and other drugs such as benzodiazepines, anti-anxiety medicine that can be deadly when mixed with opioids.

Addiction more often starts with a legal prescription for legitimate pain, but DeShazer said doctors can use other medicines or evidence-based therapies to mitigate pain. That’s the first tier of Highmark’s strategy.

Medical cannabis, now legal for a number of ailments in Pennsylvania, is widely thought of as a solution for pain, however, DeShazer said that the health community doesn’t have enough research to prove its efficacy. Until then, like other insurers, Highmark won’t pay for it.

For some patients whose pain is so severe that opioids are appropriate, Highmark encourages physicians to prescribe low doses and build up slowly, if needed.

Opioids should not be used to treat long-term or chronic pain, so when the initial treatment window closes, physicians must slowly wean patients off the drug.

Cutting them off too quickly pushes them to find the drugs elsewhere.

In the Geisinger system, community health workers help patients beyond the hospital with transportation and other basic needs.

Meadows said another set of eyes, someone looking out for the whole patient rather than just a disease or injury, can help prevent them from slipping into addiction.

“Sometimes it’s just that extra layer of having someone you can talk to, someone who can work with you with social determinants — that’s food, transportation and housing — to give somebody that extra boost that they need,” Meadows said.

Contact the writer: joconnell@timesshamrock.com; 570-348-9131

Police: Driver in crash faces charges

POTTSVILLE — Pottsville police investigated a crash that occurred in the 2000 block of West Market Street around 4:50 p.m. Wednesday.

Police said Reuben Perez, 53, of Pottsville, was driving a Dodge RAM 2500 east in the eastbound lane when he failed to stop and ran into the back of a 2007 GMC Yukon driven by a 35-year-old Pottsville man who was stopped in the eastbound lane.

Police said Perez was treated at the scene by Schuylkill EMS and then taken to a local medical facility for evaluation and treatment.

Police said the preliminary investigation by Patrolman Joel Methven indicated that Perez displayed signs of driving while intoxicated.

Perez refused to submit to the required blood alcohol content testing and, as a result, police said Methven charged him with DUI and following too closely.

In addition, police said, Perez will face an operator’s license suspension by the state Department of Transportation for refusing to submit to the blood alcohol test.

Pottsville firefighters assisted at the scene.

Man charged with assaulting physician

POTTSVILLE — A Pottsville man was jailed Wednesday, charged by Pottsville police with assaulting a physician at Lehigh Valley Hospital-Schuylkill S. Jackson Street.

Police said officers were called to the hospital around 9:30 a.m. for a report of an assault and learned that Edward Shamonsky, 39, assaulted a 53-year-old doctor by hitting him in the left eye with a closed fist.

Police said Shamonsky continued the assault until he was restrained by the staff.

Shamonsky was taken into custody by Patrolman Joseph Krammes who charged him with aggravated assault and criminal mischief.

Shamonsky was arraigned by Magisterial District Judge James K. Reiley, Pottsville, and committed to Schuylkill County Prison unable to post $15,000 bail.

Man in 2-vehicle crash to be cited

POTTSVILLE — Pottsville police investigated a crash that occurred at Mahantongo and South Centre streets around 5:25 p.m. Wednesday.

Sgt. Mark O’Toole determined that Chad Neifert, 34, of New Ringgold, was driving a 2008 Ford F-150 north on South Centre Street when he tried to turn left onto Mahantongo Street and drove into the path of a 2006 Toyota Prius being driven south on Centre Street by a 34-year-old Schuylkill Haven woman.

Police said one juvenile in the Schuylkill Haven woman’s car was injured and taken to a local medical facility by Schuylkill EMS for treatment.

A second juvenile passenger in the car was not hurt. Police said the woman driving the vehicle complained of pain but was not transported.

Police said Neifert was not hurt but that, as a result of the crash, O’Toole will be citing him under the state Vehicle Code for vehicles turning left and driving a vehicle without a valid inspection.

Man charged for string of burglaries

RINGTOWN — State police at Frackville reported charging an East Union Township man as the result of an investigation into a string of burglaries in Ringtown, East Union Township and Union Township that started on June 1.

Police said that on Sept. 26 they executed a search warrant at 21 Iron St., East Union Township, in reference to the burglaries and confiscated items including outdoor power equipment and hand tools.

One of the items recovered matched an item stolen in a Union Township burglary.

As a result, police said, they charged Michael F. Jevelle, 31, of East Union Township, with felony receiving stolen property and criminal use of a communications facility.

Police are asking that anyone with items stolen from their property in the Ringtown Valley area that has not been reported should contact Trooper Joseph Hall at the Frackville station and use reference PA2018-1104822.

Police probe hit, run in Pottsville

POTTSVILLE — Pottsville police are investigating a hit-and-run crash in the area of Front and Spruce streets that was reported around 6 p.m. Sunday.

Police said their investigation determined that Dylan Pogera, 19, of Pottsville, was driving a 1999 Chevrolet Tracker west on Front Street when he entered the intersection and collided with a 2004 Dodge Durango being driven north on Spruce Street by a 75-year-old Pottsville man.

Police said Pogera fled the area and abandoned his vehicle in the area of Water and East Railroad streets but was located a short time later in the area of Route 61 and taken into custody.

Police said that, based on the observations by Patrolman Paul Olson, the investigating officer, Pogera was taken to a local medical facility for DUI testing.

Suspicious fire under investigation

POTTSVILLE — Pottsville police are investigating a suspicious fire that was reported around 9 a.m. Tuesday to the rear of the 800 block of West Market Street.

Police said a citizen entering his garage with his vehicle found a lawn mower burning inside.

The fire was extinguished quickly inside the detached garage, and police said damage was limited only to the lawn mower.

The investigation is continuing. Police are asking that anyone with information call them at 570-622-1234.

Disabled car leads to DUI charges

POTTSVILLE — A Saint Clair man is facing charges by Pottsville police after an incident around 11:35 p.m. Sept. 29.

Police said Patrolman Braden Jones was on patrol when he saw a vehicle near Nichols and East Railroad streets that appeared to be disabled.

Further investigation by Jones determined that the Chevrolet Silverado truck struck a concrete barrier owned by B&K Fasteners.

Police said Jones then spoke with Todd Geiger, 52, who admitted driving the vehicle at the time of the accident.

Geiger showed signs of being under the influence of alcohol and, while speaking with Jones, made a statement that he drank about 10 beers prior to driving.

Police said Geiger refused to submit to a field sobriety test and blood testing at a local medical facility.

As a result, police said, Jones will be filing a complaint against Geiger charging him with DUI, careless driving and public drunkenness.

Geiger will also be sanctioned by the state Department of Transportation for his refusal to submit to the requested blood alcohol content testing, police said.

Debris causes I-81

exit ramp crash

RAVINE — State police at Jonestown investigated a one-vehicle crash that occurred around 11:10 a.m. Sept. 17 in the southbound lanes of Interstate 81 at the Exit 104 off-ramp in Tremont Township.

Police said Monday that Delcia M. Lapointe, 77, of Lincolnton, N.C., was driving a 2012 Chevrolet Equinox south when she struck an obstacle on the road around mile marker 105, causing her braking and steering systems to fail.

Police said the woman tried to get off the highway. However, when she entered the exit ramp, her braking and steering systems became completely disabled, causing her to lose control and hit a concrete median.

The vehicle then continued for about 200 feet before hitting a guide rail and coming to a stop facing west, police said.

Police said the SUV had disabling damage to the driver and passenger’s side rear bumper and fender and that the front driver’s side tire was broken off the axle.

Police said Lapointe suffered head and back injuries and was taken to a Pottsville hospital by Minersville EMS while her passenger — Ann M. Morin, 76, also of Lincolnton, N.C. — was not hurt.

Police: Man stole vehicles, backhoe

AUBURN — A Bethel man was arrested by state police at Schuylkill Haven and charged in connection with the theft of a vehicle that occurred in South Manheim Township around 8:20 a.m. Sept. 26.

Police said Brad Bordner, 33, was charged with theft, receiving stolen property and criminal mischief. He was arraigned by Magisterial District Judge James R. Ferrier, Orwigsburg, and committed to Schuylkill County Prison unable to post bail.

Police said they were called for a report of an unoccupied vehicle along Woodland Road with the engine running.

A subsequent investigation determined the vehicle was stolen out of Berks County.

Police said they were then called to 3216 Fair Road in South Manheim Township for a report of a man, later identified as Bordner, stealing a backhoe. Police took him into custody.

Further investigation determined Bordner was responsible for the theft of a 1999 Mazda 626 in Berks County, police said.

Sheppton man suspected of DUI

McADOO — McAdoo police reported Wednesday that they charged a Sheppton man in connection with an incident that occurred around 2:45 a.m. July 20.

Police said officers stopped a vehicle driven by Efrain Nieves, 19, for a violation and detected an odor of marijuana inside.

Nieves said he had smoked marijuana hours before the stop but officers noticed he had a light green color on his tongue indicating recent marijuana use.

During a field sobriety test, police said, Nieves showed signs of being impaired and was taken into custody. A subsequent blood test revealed he had the presence of marijuana in his blood.

A search of the vehicle found a small plastic tube containing small pieces of marijuana, a small loose piece of marijuana and several roach clips.

As a result, police said, Nieves was charged with two counts of DUI, possession of a small amount of marijuana, possession of drug paraphernalia and a summary traffic offense.

Police: McAdoo man had pot in car

McADOO — A McAdoo man was charged by borough police after an incident around 11:35 p.m. Sept. 18.

Police said officers pulled over a vehicle driven by Dominic Pete Jr., 20, for a suspended license plate and, during a subsequent consent search, found a small glass jar with small pieces of marijuana inside.

Pete was charged with possession of a small amount of marijuana, possession of drug paraphernalia and a summary offense and will now have to appear before Magisterial District Judge Stephen J. Bayer, Tamaqua.

Vehicle stop leads to 3 charged

McADOO — McAdoo police charged three people after a vehicle stop in the borough around 9:05 p.m. July 19.

Police said officers stopped a vehicle driven by Alexa Bonilla, 24, of Hazleton, for an equipment violation and detected a strong odor of marijuana inside.

When officers asked Bonilla if she and her passengers — David Bonilla, 22, of Hazleton, and Quashon Williams, 20, of West Hazleton — were smoking marijuana, she answered yes, police said.

Williams handed over the marijuana blunt the three had been smoking, and Alexa Bonilla agreed to submit to a field sobriety test during which she showed signs of impairment.

Rush Township police assisted McAdoo officers in a search of the vehicle that resulted in the discovery of loose marijuana in the center console along with a plastic pouch with loose marijuana pieces and a package with marijuana in the backseat where David Bonilla was seated.

Alexa Bonilla refused to submit to a blood test and was charged with DUI, possession of drug paraphernalia, driving without a license and general lighting requirements.

Both David Bonilla and Williams were charged with possession of a small amount of marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia, police said.

18-year-old charged in 1-vehicle crash

NEW PHILADELPHIA — A New Philadelphia woman will be charged by state police at Frackville after a crash on North Valley Street, Route 209, just north of James Street, around 11 p.m. Thursday.

Police said Kelsey V. Swenson, 18, was driving a 2000 Ford Focus east when she failed to negotiate a left curve, causing her vehicle to begin to yaw and travel through the westbound lane where it struck a bridge abutment.

After hitting the abutment, police said, the car spun counterclockwise and came to a stop facing west in the middle of Route 209.

Police said Swenson was able to push the car off the road into the parking lot of Chef’s wholesale beverage and failed to notify police about the crash.

As a result of the crash, police said, Swenson will be cited for not driving on roadways laned for traffic.

Deeds

South Manheim Township — Christian R. and Tracey Fenstermacher to Dustin John Seifert; 29.4-acre property on Bear Creek Road; $259,000.

POTTSVILLE — Finishing a journey that started more than a year ago, seven people graduated on Friday from the Schuylkill County Drug Treatment Court, triumphantly proclaiming themselves free from addiction and having criminal charges against them dismissed.

“I did it all for her,” a smiling and tearful Kelcie L. Fitzpatrick, 23, of Saint Clair, said while holding her 7-month-old daughter, Salina, after Judge James P. Goodman congratulated her during the one-hour ceremony in Courtroom 1.

Fitzpatrick now wants to be the best mother she can be to Salina and her two other children, Chayleen and Mialee.

“This is the right way,” she said. “I have a beautiful, supportive and loving family. I can look forward to a bright, promising future.”

More than 100 people joined Fitzpatrick and the other six graduates, the first to complete the program that county officials believe will help stem the rising tide of drug and alcohol addiction.

“You’re beginning a new chapter in your life,” said Goodman, who presides over almost all of the court’s weekly sessions.

Goodman also emphasized that almost two years after the treatment court started in January 2017, he was not sure if it would work. He told the graduates they are evidence it does, but more proof is needed from them.

“It’s up to you to answer that question,” Goodman said. “Live the rest of your lives clean.”

Schuylkill County officials started the drug treatment court in 2017 to try to combat the widespread local drug addiction problem, using a carrot-and-stick approach to help participants beat their addictions. Other counties in Pennsylvania also have instituted drug treatment courts; with the help of U.S. Sen. Pat Toomey, R-Pa., Carbon County recently received a federal grant of almost $301,000 to start its own such tribunal.

Program 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, and completion of an aftercare program can lead to expungement of that part of their record.

The program lasts for a minimum of 14 months.

However, since the participants tender guilty pleas to the charges against them, failure to complete the drug treatment court program is the stick, resulting in the pleas being accepted and the defendants being sentenced, quite possibly to time in a state correctional institution.

Some of the graduates expressed thankfulness for the people with whom they have reconnected as a result of sobriety.

“I had plenty of help along the way,” Randy S. Reidler Jr., 38, of Tower City, said. “It made me realize ... I wasn’t alone.”

Now, Reidler looks forward to spending as much time as possible with his daughter,Vienna, 2.

“I have my freedom back,” he said.

Magisterial District Judge James K. Reiley, the main speaker, said his battles with alcohol have taught him to appreciate how difficult addiction can be. He said he recently has had three people not appear for hearings because they had died from substance abuse.

“This is what I refer to as Schuylkill County’s ‘Holy Experiment,’ ” Reiley said of the drug treatment court. “No one wants to see it work more than I do.”

He said the graduates cannot stop their battle because they have completed the program.

“Keep working on it every day. You have places to go and things to do,” Reiley said. “You have proven you worked hard to graduate today.”

John D. Mohl, 33, of Pottsville, said the sobriety that came with completing the program is the gateway to something much better.

“It means a new start in life,” he said.

John R. Renninger, 45, of Cressona, also is looking forward to “a new chapter” in his life.

He spoke to the audience from one of his essays comparing choices in life to choosing the elevator of addiction or the steps of sobriety. The steps will be harder but rewarding, while the elevator leads to a lonely ride in which you miss what really matters in life, he said.

Joshua L. Zimmerman, 37, of Andreas, said he missed much in his children’s lives because of his addiction.

“I was an absentee parent,” something he has now changed, he said. He said he looks forward to serving others in his new life as a Buddhist monk.

The other two graduates were Michael P. Brennan, 49, and Alexander D. Wiederhold, 25, both of Schuylkill Haven.

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

Mahanoy City

The Mahanoy City Free Public Library recently acknowledged the following memorials: For Thomas Whalen by Pat Dowd; for Elsie Tolan by the Krukas family; for Gordon Kelly by Helayne, Randy, Adason and Siara Titus; for Darlene Hinkel by Helayne, Randy, Adason and Siara Titus; for Louie Flaim by the Randy Titus family; for Joan Shober by the Timko family; for Patrick Quinn by Jim and Tina Davidson; for Robert Allen Seiberling by Bob and Leslie Richardson, Helayne Titus, Kathy Sippie, Joan Shimkus, the Ashland Library Staff: Margaret, Rene, Bev, and Dolores. The library also acknowledged the following book memorial: for Robert Allen Seiberling by Tom and Patricia Seiberling.

Nuremberg

The Nuremberg Community Players group will present “Murder Can Be Habit Forming,” a murder mystery comedy, at 7 p.m. Friday and Oct. 13 and 3 p.m. Oct. 14 at the group’s headquarters, 283 Hazle St. Tickets are $15 each and can be reserved by calling 570-359-3406. The show is being presented as the troupe celebrates its 35th year as a volunteer community theatre. Established in 1983, this nonprofit 501(c)3 organization has entertained with more than 90 performances. “Murder Can Be Habit Forming” was written by Billy St. John and is produced by special arrangement with Pioneer Drama Service Inc., Englewood, Colorado, according to a press release.

Orwigsburg

Upcoming events at the Orwigsburg Area Free Public Library include: An Evening of Mystery, Imagination & Weird Stuff at 6 p.m. Thursday for ages 13 and older; a dine-out at the Brick House Grill Oct. 15 to benefit the library; a live poetry session with Jackie called “Poetry for the Harried Housewife” at 6 p.m. Oct. 18. For more information, email orwigsburglibrary@comcast.net.

Port Carbon

Good Will Fire Company, 88 Washington St., will sponsor a Ducks on Fire race at 4 p.m. Oct. 13. The race will begin at the Pottsville Street Bridge and end at the Miller Playground walking bridge behind the old Miners Band. There will be prices for first, second and third place. The cost is $5 per “quacker.” Registration forms are available from 6 to 8 p.m. Thursdays at the firehouse or from any company members. Winners do not need to be present. For more information, call 570-628-3012.

Pottsville

Gillingham Charter School, 915 Howard Ave., will host a career night from 6 to 8 p.m. Thursday for “upper school students” at the school. For more information, contact Cassandra Shive, director of culture, at cshive@gillinghamcharterschool.org or call her at 570-955-3830, ext. 125.

Primrose

The Schuylkill County Lithuanian Women’s Club will sponsor a fashion show at 2 p.m. Sunday in St. Nicholas Hall, Route 901, featuring fashions from Catos and Lu La Roe. The cost is $20 per person and includes a lunch of sandwiches, pasta salad, fruit and beverage. Dessert will feature a selection of homemade cookies. Attendees will have a chance to win a door prize. The club, according to an event release, has for 75 years provided a scholarship annually to a woman of Lithuanian descent to pursue a degree from an accredited institution of higher learning. For tickets, call Marge Valinsky at 570-277-6163; for more information, call Joann Filiziani at 570-225-5560.

Tower City

The Tower City Rotary Club Halloween Parade will be held at 7 p.m. Oct. 23. Parade participants will receive a free hot dog and beverage. All entries in the parade will also receive a cash prize, according to a Rotary release. To register, stop at the Mid Penn Bank’s Tower City branch or call 717-647-2157. Trick-or-treat night for Tower City/Porter Township will be from 6 to 8 p.m. Oct. 31.

Shenandoah

Copies of the book “Lithuanians in America” are available at the Shenandoah Area Free Public Library, Washington and Main streets.

Tamaqua

The next Walk with a Doc event is scheduled for 5 p.m. Thursday starting at St. Luke’s Internal Medicine facility, between Pine and Railroad streets. Dr. Joanne Calabrese will lead the walk, which will be in line with Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Members of the Lehigh Valley Chapter of Pink Heals will have their pink ambulance and provide information on breast health. All are welcome.