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Cause of Ashland fire elusive

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ASHLAND — Investigators spent most of the day Friday sifting through the charred remains of homes in the 1100 block of Brock Street trying to find out what sparked a massive fire that erupted Thursday.

State police fire marshals Trooper Joseph Hall and Trooper John Burns, both of the Frackville station, spent hours looking for the cause of the fire, concentrating their efforts in what is left of the front room and basement of 1114 Brock St., the building where the fire is believed to have started.

Ashland assistant fire Chief Charles Orth was at the scene, his left arm in a sling.

Orth said he injured his shoulder when he fell Thursday on an icy sidewalk.

He said that, considering the intensity and amount of fire, it was lucky that no one, occupants of the homes or firefighters, were hurt.

The blaze destroyed homes at 1108, 1110, 1112, 1114, 1116 and 1118 Brock St. and also damaged homes at 1102 and 1122 Brock St., leaving 11 people homeless.

Orth said he was at his fire station only blocks away from the fire scene and knew immediately how bad the fire was.

“I immediately called for a second alarm and then a third alarm,” he said. “It was more for manpower than anything because in the daytime, everyone is shorthanded.”

Orth also said that in addition to Ashland, he had three aerial trucks at the scene, one at each corner of the fire, to make sure additional homes did not catch fire.

He said a tanker task force was activated to shuttle water to the scene to supplement water being used from fire hydrants.

He thanked volunteers from throughout Schuylkill and surrounding counties that assisted at the scene.

“Everybody did a tremendous job considering what we had,” Orth said about the fire’s magnitude.

Ashland police Chief Gerard Daley said investigators believe the fire started in the 1114 home occupied by Jessica Hettler and Clarence Wetzel, but nothing as been confirmed.

The chief said that the damage caused by the fire will make finding its origin difficult.

He said that several explosions during the fire could have been caused by propane tanks but that also remains under investigation.

Contact the writer: fandruscavage@republicanherald.com; 570-628-6013


BIRTHS

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Lehigh Valley Hospital-Schuylkill E. Norwegian Street

To Charles Bobinis and Jamie Bowers, Minersville, a son, Feb. 5.

German shepherd gives birth to big puppy litter

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SCHUYLKILL HAVEN — Mary Heffelfinger’s work as a registered nurse in a former maternity ward nursery prepared her to care for babies of first-time moms.

When her German shepherd, Roxy, also a first-time mom, went into labor Monday, the Schuylkill Haven woman thought she was ready to greet the new litter. The delivery, however, came with a few little surprises — 12 to be exact — over an 11-hour period.

“I stayed by her side the whole time. I was exhausted. She was exhausted, but she’s been a wonderful mother,” Heffelfinger said.

She worked from 1989 to 2002 at the former Good Samaritan Regional Medical Center, now Lehigh Valley Hospital-Schuylkill E. Norwegian Street, and eventually moved from maternity care into home health care and hospice work.

Roxy, her 10-month-old black and tan dam, mated with Heffelfinger’s 8-year-old, white German shepherd, Rebel. Normally, Heffelfinger said every female dog she’s ever owned has been spayed, and she’s not a breeder. Rebel has never sired any other litters, she said, and the union was unplanned.

Roxy delivered her first puppy, a black one, in Heffelfinger’s bathroom at 5:41 a.m. Then Heffelfinger moved the dog into a birthing box area she had created. More puppies arrived at 6:14 a.m., 6:51 a.m., 6:57 a.m., 7:23 a.m. and 7:38 a.m. Then there was a lull.

The excitement over the puppies created a chain of phone calls.

“The first person I called was my mom (Theresa Haas) in Cressona. Then my mom would call her friend, and I’d call my friends, giving them an update after I thought it was the last one,” Heffelfinger said.

More puppies were delivered at 8:55 a.m., 9:18 a.m., 10:45 a.m., 1:22 p.m., 2:17 p.m. and finally, the last one at 4:57 p.m.

“I could tell she was tired. I saw these little legs starting to come out. I grabbed the legs and ... helped get him out,” she said.

Unfortunately, the 11th of the dozen puppies to arrive, a silvery-grey female was stillborn, she said. Remaining are six white, three black and two silvery-grey puppies. Heffelfinger plans to keep one of the silver males, but will sell the rest, probably for $400 each.

There’s already a waiting list for the puppies. Heffelfinger has updates on their progress on her Facebook page, under the heading of “Roxy and Rebel + 11.”

“This was her first litter, and will probably be her last. She’s been wonderful with them and didn’t want to leave them. I think she knows one’s missing,” Heffelfinger said.

Initially, Roxy came into the household as a four-and-a-half month-old puppy, after Heffelfinger had lost her 13-year-old husky/laborador mix, Nela. Heffelfinger thought she’d be good company for Rebel.

Contact the writer: ; 570-628-6007

Around the region

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Ashland

Robert Krick will talk about Woodland Park during a meeting of the Ashland Area Historic Preservation Society at 7 p.m. Wednesday at the society quarters. All are welcome; refreshments will be served.

Frackville

Elks Lodge 1533, 307 S. Third St., is having Veterans Supply Drive 2019. In a flier, the lodge called attention to Schuylkill County residents that it is collecting comfort and recreation items to donate to veterans who are residing in the Veterans Administration Hospital. People may drop items off at the lodge during business hours Friday through April 1. Items needed most include body wash and “Forever” postage stamps. Other needed items include body lotion, hand lotion, deodorant, shampoo, toothbrushes, toothpaste, creamy baby oil, disposable razors, shaving cream, alcohol-free mouthwash, denture brushes, denture adhesive, dental floss, lip balm, model kits, wood craft kits, men’s underwear, flip-flops, phone cards, gum, puzzle books, crosswords, word search and Sudoku. More information is available online at www.elks.org/vets.

Landingville

A cash bingo will be held March 11 at Community Fire Company. Doors will open at 5 p.m. and bingo will begin at 6:15 p.m. Food and refreshments will be available. Cash bingo games will then be held every other Monday through November at the firehouse. Packages are $20, $25 or $30. For more information, call 570-691-7160.

Pottsville

In an event sponsored by the Frackville Recreation Board, people will be able to create four tiny pottery tumblers at 7 p.m. Wednesday at the Mud & Maker, Centre Street, Pottsville. The cost is $35 for material and instruction. People can register in advance online at www.MudandMaker.com. For more information, call 484-650-2745.

Schuylkill Haven

The Gabriel Chamber Ensemble will have its third annual concert at 3 p.m. Sunday at Jerusalem Evangelical Lutheran Church, 252 Dock St., featuring Anthony Cecere on French horn. Tickets are $20 for adults and $15 for senior citizens. Admission is free for all students. There will be a complimentary post-concert reception in the atrium. For more about GCE, go to its website at www.gabrielensemble.org or call Agnes Maurer, executive director, at 570-943-2558 or email to gce@gabrielensemble.org.

Shenandoah

The Shenandoah Valley Elementary PTO’s third annual Chinese auction will have shop-and-drops from 4 to 8 p.m. March 1 and 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. March 2 in the elementary auditorium. Tickets will be pulled at 3 p.m. March 2; supporters need not be present to win. Refreshments will be available. The grand prize will include $1,000 cash, a 50-inch flat-screen TV, a KitchenAid Mixer and other big prizes. Small-prize tickets are $5 per sheet or five sheets for $20; medium-prize tickets are $1 each and large-prize tickets are three for $5. Grand-prize tickets are $5 each. All are welcome. For more information, call 570-462-2796.

Shenandoah

Registrations for 4K and kindergarten in the Shenandoah Valley School District will be held from 1 to 4 p.m. March 18 and May 13 — by appointment only. Residents must call 570-462-2796 to schedule appointments. A completed packet, three proofs of residency, child’s birth certificate and child’s updated immunizations are required for registration, according to a district release.

Tamaqua

Advance tickets will be on sale March 9, 12 and 13 at the Tamaqua Area Auditorium for the Tamaqua Area High School Drama Club’s presentation of “Big Fish.” The musical is based on the novel by Daniel Wallace and film directed by Tim Burton. It tells the story of Edward Bloom, a traveling salesman who lives life to its fullest … and his larger-than-life stories, according to a school district press release. Advance tickets will be on sale in the auditorium from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. March 9 and 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. March 12 and 13. The cost is $10 for adults, $8 for students and $2 for preschool children. Ticket sales are cash only, according to the release. For more information, email to Amy Delpais, adelpais@tamaqua.k12.pa.us.

Dan Meuser visits Silberline plant

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HOMETOWN — U.S. Rep. Dan Meuser began his look inside local industry with a visit to the Silberline plant Friday afternoon.

Meuser, R-9, Dallas, visited the plant where paint pigments are developed and designed for a variety of products, like automobiles.

The past president of Pride Mobility Corp., a manufacturer of motorized wheelchairs in the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton area, Meuser said he values the skilled jobs Silberline offers to its employees.

“This is a great, high-tech company that sells its products around the world, and is hiring our young people,” Meuser said.

“The more good job creators we have, the more family-sustaining wages we have, it extrapolates and brings in suppliers and other sub-contractors. Government has to play a crucial role in enabling these businesses to develop. It is important for us to see what is happening here and figure out what we can do to enable, from the government standpoint, their continued prosperity. We have to make sure we do everything we can to help them grow. They’re real nice people, too.”

Lisa Scheller, Silberline’s chairwoman and president, took Meuser on a tour of the plant and showed him some of the products made with pigments developed by Silberline.

“It is used in Gatorade bottles, shampoo bottles, Heineken labels, crayons, and candy, but what we really like them to end up in are automobiles, because it takes a lot more pigment to cover an automobile than to, maybe, cover a York Peppermint Pattie,” Scheller joked.

Silberline sells its products to paint companies, who, in turn, sell their product for many applications, Scheller said.

“You’d really be surprised how much of everyday things that you don’t think about — from cellphones to appliances — in which our products are used,” she said, “You don’t notice it until you look for it and then you see it everywhere.”

Silberline CEO Gary Karnish added, “We’d like to think the end user of our products helps them sell more products.”

Scheller said the company will formally announce an expansion in about four months.

“We’re very pleased to be able to host Congressman Meuser today and show him what we manufacture here in Pennsylvania,” Scheller said. “We’re proud of our 70-year-plus history … and growing jobs for 155 hard-working employees.

“In June, we will be opening the first water-borne pigment facility in America, making products for our customers around the world.”

Contact the writer: jdino@standardspeaker.com 570-501-3585

Criminal court, Feb. 23, 2019

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POTTSVILLE — A Bucks County man is headed to state prison after a Schuylkill County judge recently sentenced him for possessing drugs three times.

Jeff Seiders, 51, of Quakertown, must serve nine to 24 years in a state correctional institution and undergo a drug and alcohol evaluation, Judge James P. Goodman ruled.

Goodman imposed the sentence after revoking Seiders’ parole in one case and his probation in two others.

Seiders originally pleaded guilty on July 12, 2017, to three counts of possession of a controlled substance, one in each case. At the time, Goodman placed him on probation for 12 months, and also sentenced him to pay costs, $300 to the Substance Abuse Education Fund, $150 to the Criminal Justice Enhancement Account and $339 restitution to the state police crime laboratory in Bethlehem, all of which he still must pay under the terms of his most recent sentence.

Palo Alto police filed all three cases against Seiders, alleging he possessed drugs twice on Jan. 10, 2016, and again on Jan. 14, 2016. All of the cases occurred in the borough, police said.

Goodman revoked Seiders’ probation in each case on May 3, 2018, and sentenced him to serve two to 12 months in prison in one and 18 months probation in each of the other two.

Also in the county court, Goodman revoked the probation of Heath Livergood and sentenced him to serve four to 12 months in prison and undergo a drug and alcohol evaluation.

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

Detweiler announces run for coroner

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POTTSVILLE — Schuylkill County Deputy Coroner Deb Detweiler said she is running for coroner to make the office the best it can be.

In a room full of more than 200 people Saturday at The Pottsville Zone, Detweiler said she wants to “restore integrity” back to the office. She is running against current county Coroner Dr. David J. Moylan III.

“I’ve seen too much to stay silent, and I’m too passionate to give up easily. In the years I’ve spent as deputy coroner, I’ve been witness to the inefficiency and lack of humanity that currently exists in the coroner’s office. This is why I have chosen to stand up and be the voice for you and your loved ones.”

Detweiler, 47, of West Brunswick Township, said she wants to take politics out of the office and will do her best to serve county residents.

Detweiler, a Democrat, touted her professional experience, including being a deputy coroner in Berks County, investigating more than 500 deaths, is a state certified death investigator, more than 20 years’ experience in emergency services and applicable knowledge for the job. She made a point to say being a doctor is not a requirement of the office.

“Out of 67 counties in Pennsylvania, only 6 percent of coroners are doctors.”

Detweiler said Moylan is an “absent administrator and has allowed this office to deteriorate.”

She takes issue with the virtual autopsies, saying they can’t replace traditional ones, questions the cost, and says Moylan has been over his budget for years.

“Schuylkill County is falling behind. We have statistical data not being reported to the appropriate agencies, which in turn affects the funding that is received for various agencies throughout the county. The state grants are being underutilized,” she said.

Detweiler saved her harshest criticism for death certificates and other responsibilities not being done promptly.

“Death certificates and cremation authorizations are not being issued in a timely manner. ... In fact, at the end of 2018, there were 130 pending death certificates in this county ranging from the year 2012 to present day.”

She said more needs to be done to bring the office back up to an acceptable level of professional service to the public.

“We have loved ones not being properly cared for and they are not being treated with the dignity and respect they deserve,” Detweiler said.

If elected, Detweiler said she will be a “hands on coroner” being involved daily.

“My top priority is to restore integrity back into the coroner’s office and to be there for the families when they are at their most vulnerable time, providing the compassion, sympathy and support that they need and so deserve.”

Detweiler will better develop an educated work force in the office to better serve the public, foster more cooperation between law enforcement and funeral homes, and push for a “centralized permanent location” for the coroner’s office thereby permitting the proper space for the services that are needed and providing the most efficient services possible.

At one point when Detweiler spoke, she mentioned the names of loved ones who passed way and asked their family members to stand.

“These are all people and they matter,” she said.

Contact the writer: amarchiano@republicanherald.com; 570-628-6028

The world’s largest bee is not extinct

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It has been 38 years since scientists last spotted the insect known as Wallace’s giant bee, a rare species found only in a group of Indonesian islands called the North Moluccas. With a wingspan of 2.5 inches and a body the size of a human thumb, it’s considered the world’s largest bee, and was feared extinct.

Those fears can now be somewhat laid to rest. In January, an international team of conservationists found a Megachile pluto, as the species is called, in the wild. The team captured the first-ever photos and videos of a live specimen, renewing hope for survival of the species, which is threatened by deforestation.

“It’s just ridiculously large and so exciting,” said Simon Robson, a biologist at the University of Sydney in Australia and a member of the expedition.

The discovery did not come easily. Despite the bee’s size, its rarity, remote location and nesting habits make it difficult to find.

“I personally know of at least five attempts to find the bee,” said Clay Bolt, a photographer who was part of the latest expedition.

The bees make their homes by digging holes in the nests of tree-dwelling termites, where they spend much of their time hiding.

“It was a lot of walking around the forest in 90-degree heat and the highest possible humidity looking at termite nests and chasing after bees,” Robson said. In all, it took five days of hunting for the team to find their “holy grail.”

Wallace’s giant bee is named after Alfred Russel Wallace, an English entomologist who worked with Charles Darwin to formulate the theory of evolution through natural selection. Wallace first discovered the bee on an expedition in 1859, describing the female as “a large black wasp-like insect with immense jaws like a stag beetle.” (The males are less than an inch long.)

Though Wallace didn’t seem particularly interested in the bee — he devoted only a single line to it in his journal — it became something of an obsession among biologists. The next sighting didn’t come until 1981, when Adam Messer, an entomologist, observed several in the wild and returned home with a handful of specimens that are now held in the American Museum of Natural History in New York, the Natural History Museum in London and other institutions.

Messer observed that the bees use their unusually large mandibles to scrape together balls of tree resin and wood to fortify their nests, and that they are relatively solitary.

Robson believes they are capable of stinging, though he wasn’t in a position to provide evidence. “We were all keen to get stung to see how bad it was,” he said, “but because we only found the one, we treated it very carefully.”

The expedition was partly funded by Global Wildlife Conservation, a Texas nonprofit that in 2017 started a global search for 25 “lost” species — animals that are not necessarily extinct but haven’t been spotted in at least a decade. In addition to Wallace’s giant bee, the list includes the pink-headed duck, the Fernandina Galapagos tortoise and the Namdapha flying squirrel.

Conservationists are concerned that deforestation threatens the survival of the bee giants. The region of Indonesia where the bees are found lost 7 percent of its tree cover between 2001 and 2017, according to Global Forest Watch.

Excited as they were to find the bee, Robson and his team worry that the sighting may be a mixed blessing. Last year, an anonymous seller sold a previously unaccounted-for specimen to an unknown bidder on eBay for $9,100. “If you can get that much money for an insect, that encourages people to go and find them,” Robson said. To help protect the bees, the team has agreed not to disclose the exact island where they made their discovery.

The plan now is for the team to return to the island and conduct more extensive research.


Springtime preview in Normandy

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Mésange, rouge-gorge, merle et moineau — chickadee, robin, starling and sparrow. They are all outside the kitchen window as I write, sitting at the kitchen table so I can watch them flitting in and out of the cedar hedge, roosting in the highest branches of a tall pine tree, basking in the morning sun on the still bare branches of my neighbor’s cherry tree.

Still bare, but not for long, shouts this last weekend in February, as fields, gardens, vegetable patches and flower beds entice us into believing that spring is just around the corner. The sun is shining — has been for three entire days after months of gray and rain. The morning frost is heavy, but by noon temperatures are in the 50s and rising. It feels like spring to me.

I’ve been avoiding my garden. It looks dismal in morning mist and rain, with trees black and bare. The earth, undermined by some very ambitious moles, has been turned into a bumpy terrain of muddy hills and swampy green valleys: this is my lawn, its uneven sweep interrupted here and there by what looks to be Celtic burial mounds.

They are my attempts at organic farming. As I build new vegetables plots with layers of branches, cut grass, dead leaves, scraps from the kitchen and horse manure, I worry that local authorities, who have a view of my land, will soon be accusing me of turning it into a private cemetery.

Very haphazardly, I must admit, I am trying my hand at permaculture, as defined by Bill Mollison, an Australian professor of environmental psychology: (It) “is a philosophy of working with, rather than against nature; of protracted and thoughtful observation rather than protracted and thoughtless labor; and of looking at plants and animals in all their functions, rather than treating any area as a single product system.” That’s what he wrote in his 1991 book “An Introduction to Permaculture.”

Come true spring (I know this weekend is just a teaser), I plan to turn those “burial mounds” into living earth, to test associations of carrots, radishes and onions; lettuce and cabbage; pole beans and zucchini; tomatoes and basil. That is the plan. Will it become reality?

The sun warms the earth’s surface; underneath, it’s icy cold. I still have weeks to wait before I plant, but spring cleaning can already begin.

This weekend, I’ve filled sacks with what the French call “green refuse” — “déchets verts” — trimmings from the cedar hedge, branches from a hazelnut tree. As I cut, I remember how delighted I was to discover a few in my garden. Times have changed. Now I see hazelnut trees as “pesky weeds,” trees that grow too fast, whose leaves block rain gutters and wispy branches dip over vegetable plots, depriving young shoots of light.

Catkins are already hanging from their branches. I glance at them suspiciously. Pollination is underway. Hazelnut trees can be incorporated into permaculture, I’ve read, and I should not (as I do) treat them as adversaries.

I’ve also been taking care of my fruit trees, my “chouchous,” my little darlings. I already had an apple and a pear tree. Last Nov. 25, on St. Catherine’s Day, the ideal moment of the year for planting trees because “à la Sainte Catherine, tout bois prend racine”— all wood takes root, I planted another apple and pear tree. I also planted a “mirabellier de Nancy,” a tree producing tiny yellow plums with a reddish blush, mirabelles, native to the region around the city of Nancy and, somehow it seems appropriate, named after me.

I scratch the earth at the trees’ base, but not too deep. I don’t want to disturb earthworms or microorganisms already at work. I sprinkle some fertilizer, “compatible with organic farming,” as I read written on the box. I spray them with a spray, also “compatible with organic farming,” called “agriculture bio” in French. Last summer, blackflies coated the underside of the leaves on my cherry tree, and I’ve been forewarned: they are wintering in the bark and it is best to treat before true springtime sets in.

“Compatible with organic farming” — I’ve been wondering what that expression entails, so I’ve looked it up on the internet. I discover that in France certain products harmful to the earth, such as copper sulfate, are permitted. For organic wine producers, they are essential, for without the use of copper sulfate as a fungicide, the grapes could not survive.

On the site of Ecocert, a private French agency that has become a world leader in the field of the certification of organic products, I find long lists of crop-production products, insecticides, herbicides, fungicides and fertilizers, “compatible with organic farming.” Some can pollute the soil or nearby bodies of water; others must not be applied to plants meant for human consumption. Obviously, organic farming does not eliminate all risks or damage.

Yet, none is comparable to the dangers of the herbicide Roundup, considered a probable carcinogen. Roundup 360 pro was banned for sale in France in January. At my local Centre Leclerc, the French Walmart, I found it on the shelves in the gardening section. There’s no trace of it, however, on Leclerc’s site online. The local store may be trying to get rid of its last containers in stock.

As for the insecticide I’ve used on my fruit trees, it is composed of 85 percent canola oil, but what about the remaining 15 percent? The instructions warn against using the product near a body of water.

On Feb. 15, high school and university students throughout Europe skipped classes because they had more urgent things to do. They were protesting their elders’ betrayal of the planet, outside Parliament in London, in front of the Ministry of the Transition Ecologic in Paris. The movement #Youth4Climate, set in motion by Greta Thunberg, a 16-year-old Swedish climate activist, has spread to cities across Europe as, every Friday, young Europeans protest their parents’ neglect of planet Earth.

Permaculture, organic gardening, careful recycling, I’m trying to do my bit. I take the train, walk a lot, use my car sparingly, but in the country I’d have a hard time living without one. Sometimes I wonder if my actions even matter; it may simply be too late.

Meanwhile, the sun shines, the garden calls. Snowdrops have blossomed, crepe myrtle is in flower. Tulips and hyacinths are pushing up out of the earth.

Today and every day, Mother Earth reminds us, we can’t live without her.

(Honicker can be reached at honicker.republicanherald@ gmail.com)

Fetterman's legalizing rec marijuana tour date set for Schuylkill County

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Lt. Gov. John Fetterman has announced several dates, including in Schuylkill County, for his information gathering tour on legalizing recreational marijuana.

According to a press release issued Saturday, Fetterman will be visiting Pottsville from 1 to 2:30 p.m. March 2 at the Majestic Theater, 209 N. Centre St.

Other scheduled dates released Saturday are: Penn State Scranton, Lackawanna County, March 2; Lock Haven University, Clinton County, March 3; and AFSCME AFL-CIO Building, Blair County, March 3.

Last month, Fetterman announced the launch of his statewide listening tour to gather input from Pennsylvanians about the possibility of legalizing recreational marijuana.

Tour stops are open to the public. Those who are not able to attend or who are interested in remotely leaving a comment about legalizing recreational marijuana may submit comments via an online submission form available on the governor’s website and the lieutenant governor’s official Facebook page.

Polar plunge in Deer Lake raises funds for Make-A-Wish

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DEER LAKE — With a “Yabba Dabba Doo” battle cry, Brandi Schuetrum and her fellow Flintstone pals jumped into Deer Lake on Saturday at the ninth annual Polar Plunge.

Schuetrum, dressed as Barney Rubble, was among the 39 adventure seekers hitting the icy water for a good cause. Hundreds showed up at the Deer Lake & West Brunswick Fire Company to watch the plunge, which was hosted by the Mad Batters Softball Team and benefitted Make-A-Wish.

Last year’s event raised nearly $13,000, according to Becky Philyaw, Mad Batters’ co-captain.

“I’ve been here eight out of the nine years this has been running,” Schuetrum, of Frackville, said. She’s a member of the Wild Things softball team, and brought along family and friends to join her with the Flinstones theme. “We pick a theme every year. The Flintstones had been done before, so we wanted to put a twist on it. They’re really good sports,” Schuetrum said, noting the ladies dressed as the male cartoon characters, while the men took on the female roles.

William, “aka Wilma,” Chowanes, of Lake Wynonah, donned a large white pearl necklace, dress and red wig to pull off his Wilma Flinstone character. He’s been participating for seven years, he said.

“The less you wear, the better off you are,” Chowanes said about battling the cold once your clothes are wet and you exit the water. “I wore a Speedo other years.”

Brandi’s nephew, Landyn Hossler, 14, of Ashland, threw on a Pebbles outfit to take part in his first plunge.

“I thought it would be fun to do, and wanted to help someone else,” Hossler said.

Philyaw said there were several teams Saturday participating, including a biology class from Schuylkill Haven Area High School, a group of prison guards and a team dressed up like super heroes from Murphy Jewelers.

Philyaw said the Mad Batters welcome other Make-A-Wish teams throughout the county to be a part of their fundraising event. The Mad Batters team has won a league trophy for raising the most money, she said. Each wish costs approximately $2,400 to $4,400, depending on the wish, she said.

“We couldn’t do any of this without the community’s support. All of these prizes are donated, and we have a list of sponsors that grows each year,” Philyaw said. Cake Pros and Roman Delight are the Mad Batters main sponsors, she said.

As a league, the 18 Moms for Make-A-Wish softball teams in the county have garnered more than $1 million over the past 27 years, according to Deb Miller.

Miller, of Pottsville, is a member of the Silly Sluggers team, and was one the original founders of the Make-A-Wish teams. Miller attended Saturday.

“When it first started in Pottsville, there was just a Railway team and a Rotary team. We played the best of three. ... Today, we all do our own fundraisers, but we try to support each other. We want to raise as much money as we can for these kids,” she said.

One of the Make-A-Wish kids, Mina Horan, visited the plunge briefly on Saturday. She’s a toddler from Lake Wynonah who’s undergoing chemotherapy. More about Mina can be found at her family’s Facebook page at “TeamMina570.”

Saturday’s activities included musical entertainment from DJ Tom Troutman, a basket raffle, 50/50 games, an auction, and food and beverages for purchase. An after party followed at the Good Intent Fire Company in Llewellyn with music by Sapphire.

Billy Zahora watched the action on the banks of the lake. He said it was his second time attending. “One of these years, I might just decide to do it,” Zahora, of MaryD, said. “I came down for the plunge. I love their homemade chicken soup, and I think it’s nice to see people come out for this.”

Contact the writer: ; 570-628-6007

Tortoise feared extinct found on remote Galapagos island

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LIMA, Peru — A living member of species of tortoise not seen in more than 110 years and feared to be extinct has been found in a remote part of the Galapagos island of Fernandina.

An adult female Chelonoidis phantasticus, also known as the Fernandina giant tortoise, was spotted Sunday by a joint expedition of the Galapagos National Park and the U.S.-based Galapagos Conservancy, Ecuador’s Environment Ministry said in a statement.

Investigators think there may be more members of the species on the island because of tracks and scat they found. The team took the tortoise, likely more than 100 years old, to a breeding center for giant tortoises on Santa Cruz Island where it will stay in a specially designed pen.

The International Union for Conservation of Nature has the Fernandina giant tortoise listed as critically endangered and possibly extinct.

The only other living member of the species was found in 1906, the group said. Since then, expeditions have encountered tortoise scat and bite marks on cacti, and there was a possible unconfirmed sighting in 2009. But Sunday’s discovery was the first confirmed sighting and together with the possibility of finding more members of the species has raised the possibility of breeding.

“They will need more than one, but females may store sperm for a long time,” said Stuart Pimm, a professor of conservation ecology at Duke University. “There may be hope.”

Fernandina is the third largest Galapagos island and features the La Cumbre volcano, one of the most active in the world. The archipelago lies in the Pacific Ocean about 620 miles off Ecuador’s mainland.

In listing the Fernandina tortoise as possibly extinct, the conservation group said on its website that the species may have succumbed to “the frequent volcanic lava flows that nearly cover the island.”

The Galapagos archipelago hosts unique species and wildlife whose characteristics helped Charles Darwin develop his theory of evolution. It was declared a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1979.

Students of the month, Feb. 24, 2019

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Blue Mountain

Blue Mountain High School announced its February seniors of the month.

Leo Thompson, a senior enrolled in the college preparatory curriculum, is a son of John and Kelly Thompson, Orwigsburg. He has been involved with the school competition band, symphonic band, jazz band and drumline through all four years of his high school career and has also performed with the Schuylkill County Band for four years. His athletic participation includes track and field during his junior and senior years.

After graduation, Leo plans to enter the Pennsylvania Air National Guard.

Josie Carriglitto, a senior enrolled in the college preparatory curriculum, is a daughter of Robert and Kathleen Carriglitto, New Ringgold. She has been involved with the international club during both her junior and senior years, and has participated with chorus for all four years of high school.

Her athletic participation includes four years of rec basketball. She completed her hours for her graduation project by volunteering at her church during her freshman through junior years.

After graduation, Josie plans to attend Kutztown University for elementary education.

Gracemae Reis, a senior enrolled in the cosmetology program at the Schuylkill Technology Center, is a daughter of David and Lori Reis, New Ringgold. She is a Level 4 cosmetology student at STC-South, Mar Lin, working on earning her certification as a cosmetology teacher.

She is a STC ambassador and the treasurer for Skills-USA, currently running for vice president this year. She has also completed the process to become a licensed cosmetologist.

Outside of school, Gracemae has performed as a dancer at the Dance Pointe Studio for 15 years and has been an assistant dance teacher for four years. After graduation, she plans to continue working as a cosmetologist at Just Your Style and as a certified cosmetology teacher at a trade or tech school.

Frackville Rotary

Jacob “Jake” Hepler, a son of Mr. and Mrs. Charles Hepler, was honored as Frack-ville Rotary student of the month for January at a recent club meeting at the Cracker Barrel Restaurant, Frackville.

A junior at North Schuyl-kill High School, Jacob is a high honors student. He is a member of the North Schuyl-kill marching band, wind ensemble, symphonic band and Treble Maker Chorus.

He is also a member of the North Schuylkill varsity swim and dive teams and also the golf team. He participates in the Theatre Arts Program.

Jacob is involved as a volunteer at the church he attends, St. Joseph the Worker, Frackville. He is a member of a drum and bugle corps, having marched in the 2018 season with the Cadets2 Drum and Bugle Corps and plans to march with the Reading Buccaneers Drum and Bugle Corps during the 2019 season.

His future plans are to study music education at West Chester University.

Pine Grove Area

Sydney Griffiths and David Krammes were named students of the month for February at Pine Grove Area High School.

Sydney is a daughter of William Griffiths Jr. and Jenifer Griffiths, Pine Grove. Her high school activities include SADD, student council, journalism club, travel club secretary, Big Impact, managing editor of the Cardinal Chronicle, diversity club, FBLA, peer mentor and history club.

She plans to attend college at Millersville University and major in psychology.

David is a son of Ray and Donna Krammes, Pine Grove. His high school activities are Quiz Bowl, recycling club, National Honor Society, National History Honor Society, history club and statistics club.

His future plans are to work hard and become a homeowner, marry and raise a family. He plans to be involved in local and state politics and be a proud and contributing member of the Pine Grove community.

Crime Stoppers, Feb. 24, 2019

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SUMMIT STATION — Schuylkill County Crime Stoppers and state police at Schuylkill Haven are asking for the public’s help in finding who is responsible for a commercial burglary earlier this month.

Police said the crime occurred 6 p.m. Feb. 5 at Ulsh Auto Sales, 985 Route 183 in Wayne Township.

Police said someone used a crowbar to break open a south side entrance, entered and rummaged through filing cabinets and desks.

After going through several areas inside, the thief or thieves left the building with multiple inspection stickers valued at $182.50 and about $10,000 in cash, police said.

Schuylkill County Crime Stoppers will pay up to $1,000 for information on the identity of those responsible for this crime or on any other unsolved crime in Schuylkill County.

Callers are asked to refer to case 02-24-19 when calling with information about the burglary and theft at this Wayne Township business.

Anyone with information is asked to call Crime Stoppers at 877-TIPS4SC (877-847-7472).

Callers can also relay their information directly to state police at Schuylkill Haven by calling 570-754-4600.

All information received will remain confidential.

Contact the writer: fandruscavage@republicanherald.com; 570-628-6013

The early morning parade accompanied the moon

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Currently, we have two planets visible in the early evening sky and three planets in the early morning sky.

In the very early Pottsville evening sky, you can spot Mars and Mercury. The reason I say early is that Mercury never gets all that far away from the sun in the sky because it has such a tight orbit around the sun. The rest of this month, Mercury will be at its farthest point east of the sun, something astronomers call greatest eastern elongation. It’s not all that great, though, because it sets a little more than an hour after the sun does in the southwestern sky. There’s not much to be seen with Mercury even with a telescope because of the blurring effects of Earth’s atmosphere close to the horizon. You should be able to spot that it’s crescent shaped, however. Only Mercury and Venus, planets that orbit the sun within the Earth’s orbit, go through phase changes just like our moon.

Mars is higher in the southwestern sky as darkness sets in. It’s easy to spot since it’s the brightest star-like object in that part of the sky. There’s not much to see on 4,000 mile-wide Mars either, even with a larger telescope, because it’s so far away from Earth right now, more than 158 million miles away.

The best planet show is in the morning sky. If you’re up and out the door from 5 a.m. to shortly after 6 a.m., you can easily spot the planets Jupiter, Saturn and Venus lined neatly in a row in the low south to southeastern sky.

Venus is by far the brightest of the three planets, and the lowest in the southeast sky. It’s brighter than the brightest star we ever see in the nighttime sky. Currently, it’s about 93 million miles from the Earth, but despite its proximity and brightness, there’s not much to see on Venus even with a large telescope. Venus is completely covered by a thick and poisonous atmosphere that’s very reflective of the sun’s light. That’s why it’s so bright. In fact, it’s so bright that it can cast a shadow if you’re viewing from an extremely dark place. The one thing you can see with Venus is that it’s crescent shaped right now, just as Mercury is now in the southwestern evening twilight.

The next brightest planet in the southeast pre-twilight sky is Jupiter, shining to the upper right of Venus. Jupiter is the largest planet in our solar system, 88,000 miles in diameter and about 511 million miles from Earth right now. With even with a small telescope or a good pair of binoculars you can resolve the disk of the great planet, and up to four of its larger moons — Io, Europa, Ganymede and Callisto — orbiting Jupiter in periods of two to 17 days.

Next, you’ll be seeing red in our planet parade. The planet Mars, the second brightest star-like object in the evening and the closest planet to Earth, is dominating the low southern sky at a distance of just 78 million miles away. With the naked eye you can easily detect its orange-red hue, the result of oxidation of the surface.

Between Venus and Jupiter in the early morning planet parade this month is the prettiest planet, Saturn, with its gorgeous ring system. Even though it’s more than a billion miles from Earth right now, you can still see Saturn’s rings with a small telescope. Saturn’s rings stretch out more than 150,000 miles in diameter, more than halfway between the Earth and our moon. As wide as the ring system is, the entire ring system is only about 50 miles thick at the most!

The waning crescent moon also joins the early morning planet parade. As it progresses eastward among the celestial dome in its 27.5-day orbit around the Earth, it will find itself right next to Jupiter early Wednesday morning. That should make for quite a sight. On Friday morning, there will be a delightful celestial hug with Saturn. Enjoy the pre-breakfast show!

(Lynch, an amateur astronomer and professional broadcast meteorologist, can be reached at mikewlynch@comcast.net)


Several join race for Hazleton Area school board

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At least nine candidates might campaign for the five spots on Hazleton Area school board in this year’s election, while two board members opted to leave when their terms expire.

Board members Robert Fiume, Jaculin “Jackie” Scarcella and Tony Bonomo will run for re-election.

They formed a slate with Sherri Homanko, a pharmacist, and Wister Yuhas Sr., a businessman who lives in Hazle Township.

Retired teacher John Busher said he is in the race and unaligned with other candidates.

Carmella Yenkevich also plans to run individually in a bid to return to the board, on which she served 12 years previously.

Fred Mariano, a former transportation director who worked 28 years in the school district, is considering whether to run.

“This is the third time I’m trying to test the waters,” said Mariano, who was on the ballot in 2013 and a write-in candidate two years ago.

Ivelisse Eufracio, who is on the advisory board of Downtown Hazleton Alliance for Progress and plays a role in other community groups, said she and Yesenia Rodriguez, who works at American Eagle, are helping each other’s campaigns.

To appear on the ballot, candidates must collect 10 signatures on nominating petitions by March 12.

Generally, school board candidates file two petitions so their names will appear on the Democratic and Republic ballots in the primary election May 21.

Two board members, Marie Kay and Vincent Zola, decided not to seek re-election.

During her present term, Kay served as board president for four months ending in April 2017 but has been in a minority position since then. Previously she served a term on the board between 1999 and 2003.

Zola, a retired security director for the school district serving out his first term on the board, said sitting with the minority gave him an opportunity to ask tough questions. He hopes other board members will continue to scrutinize options, such as a proposed $30-million wing for ninth-graders at Hazleton Area High School, before the board takes action.

“When it’s just rubber stamped, it’s not good for the taxpayers or the students or anyone else,” he said.

Homanko, who has a doctorate in pharmacy, also directs the Miss Greater Hazleton Scholarship Organization.

Fiume, the current board president, is the executive director of County of Lackawanna Transit System, and seeking his second term.

Scarcella, who had a career in banking before working for Penn State Hazleton, also seeks her second term.

Busher taught for 30 years in the district and was also president of the teacher’s union.

He is running alone, but might be on the ballot in two races this year because he wants to seek re-election on the board of auditors in Hazle Township, which meets once a year.

The township’s solicitor will issue an opinion on whether Busher can hold both positions. If he cannot, he said he would give up the auditor’s slot to run for school board.

“I’m looking to do the right thing and give a little bit back to the community,” Busher said.

Asked why she will try to return to the board, Yenkevich said “I don’t like the direction things are going.”

The board has nine members, who serve four-year terms for no pay.

Four of them, Robert Mehalick, Edward Shemansky, Linda DeCosmo and Alexander van Hoekelen, have two years remaining in their terms.

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

Craft Brew Fest attracts more beer enthusiasts in Schuylkill Haven

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SCHUYLKILL HAVEN — Rick Nagle’s hearty beer endorsement came while donning a string of palate-cleansing pretzels around his neck.

“This vanilla porter is just as great or better than Leinenkugel’s Snowdrift,” Nagle, of Cressona, said Saturday while sampling brews offered by Revere Brewery.

The vanilla porter was one of the brews guests could sample during the fourth annual Craft Brew Fest, sponsored by Our Haven Foundation. The event at the Walk In Art Center, Schuylkill Haven, drew 270 people and raised money for OHF while allowing guests to speak to craft brewers about their trade.

Nagle said he had visited the Revere Brewery in Tamaqua and had tried its dark vanilla porter before.

“I only buy microbrews. I also like Pilger Ruh. They’ve got a blend with Guer’s iced tea in it, and that appeals to people here in Schuylkill County,” Nagle said. He’s supported the Craft Brewfest for three of the last four years. The pretzel “necklace,” he noted, was a gift from his son-in-law.

Another beer lover also made his way back to Revere’s booth for another sample.

“There’s a lot of good beers here, but I like the (Revere) Double IPA. It tastes good and is high potency,” Jim Seibel, of Leesport, said.

Revere Brewery is operated by retired veterans Don and Christine Jones. They just opened in November 2018, but plan a formal ribbon-cutting for their business later this year. In April, Revere will have a food pairing event with the Tamaqua Train Station.

“The vanilla porter is a good seller and people have been saying great things about it,” Don Jones said.

Another emerging craft brewery, Bonsai Brew Works, of Hegins, will celebrate its one-year anniversary this year. Bonsai provided samples of a Session IPA, which is a Simcoe, Centennial and Chinook hops variety with pine and grapefruit notes, and a Saison, a French farmhouse light-bodied ale with flavor from Saison yeast. Their brews are offered on tap in six restaurants in Schuylkill, Dauphin, Montour and Northumberland counties.

“I’ve learned that everybody has different tastes and there’s not one beer that fits everyone,” Brian Wagner, co-owner, said. Bonsai offers at least nine styles of beer, including some seasonal and specialty brews. Its fruited beers include locally-grown fruit from area orchards and hops raised on the Wagner family farm in Hegins.

Bonsai will mark its one-year anniversary Thursday with a special celebration at Kissinger’s Family Restaurant in Gratz. Bonsai will also participate in the inaugural Hegins Valley Shine, Wine and Brew event March 2 to benefit the Sacramento Community Fire Company.

Meanwhile, Pilger Ruh Brewing, of Pine Grove, is searching for a permanent location for its brewery in Pottsville, and hopes to make the move by 2020, according to Alex Sanders, co-owner.

Sanders, along with Conlan and Tyler Budwash, Tony Deppen and Matt Adams, started brewing in 2017.

“We try to do one new beer a month,” Sanders said.

Some of their beers have striking names. There’s “Skookin’ Around,” a radler-style citron pale ale with Guers iced tea in it; “Fluffy Fingers,” a 10-percent stout offering with marshmallow fluff and almonds; “Wacky Tacky Tie Day,” a strawberry and banana IPA; and “That’s Quacktastic,” a blueberry sour ale.

Pilger Ruh Brewing takes its name from a spring that flows along part of the Appalachian Trail, the founders stated.

Other breweries included: Fat Head, Downeast Cider, Floyd’s, Goose Island, Evolution, Sharp Mountain, McAllister Brewing, Troegs Brewing, Flying Fish, Yards, 1787 Brewing Co., Yuengling, Singlecut Beersmiths, Newport Storm, Connecticut Valley Brewing Co., New Trail Brewing and Funk Brewing.

Several business donated soup, chili and bread for the occasion. A few food vendors were also available.

“We’ve had a tremendous turnout,” Vicky Norris, OHF member in charge of fundraising, said. Attendance was up by about 100 people, she said.

OHF has been able to purchase benches and trash cans for the borough through its efforts. Last year’s Brew Fest raised nearly $8,000, she said. There’s also interest in locating additional mural sites in the community and supporting other revitalization projects.

“Our organization is dedicated to revitalization through strong partnerships and community activism,” David Norris, OHF president, said. The Norrises run Lewis’ General Store in the borough. He said there’s been six new businesses take root in Schuylkill Haven.

“We’ve seen notable progress over the past year. If this turnout is a testament, we have ‘millennials,’ ‘oldsters’ and everyone in between interested and celebrating this wonderful event,” he said.

Contact the writer: ; 570-628-6007

Around the region, Feb. 24, 2019

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Frackville

Yoga will be held at Elks Lodge 1533, 307 S. Third St., at 6 p.m. with classes beginning Monday and ending April 8. There will be no class on March 18. The cost is $6 per class or people may sign up for six weeks for $30. Participants must bring their own mats and water. For more information, call Jackie at 570-590-6941.

Girardville

A soup and bake sale fundraiser to benefit Lou Ann Olson will be held beginning at 10 a.m. Saturday at the borough hall, Fifth and B streets. Soup is $7 per quart and $4 per pint and the variety will include vegetable, chicken noodle, bean, Maryland crab and chili. There will also be Coney Island burgers and homemade pierogies. The event is being sponsored by the Friends of Lou Ann. For more information, call 570-205-1941.

Hamburg

A forest etiquette program will be held at 2 p.m. March 3. Participants will meet at the Hamburg Watershed parking lot. Frank Snyder, retired forester and arborist, will provide information on how people should conduct themselves in the forest. For more information, call Leon Jaskuta at 610-842-1017.

Mahanoy City

A program called Understanding Addiction will be held at 6:30 p.m. Thursday at Zion Baptist Church. For more information, call 570-628-4942.

Nuremberg

The Nuremberg-Weston Volunteer Fire Company will hold a potato cake, homemade New England clam chowder and homemade macaroni and cheese sale from 2 to 6 p.m. March 22 at the firehall, 459 Hazle St., Weston. The company will also have its semi-annual Comedy Night April 27 at the firehall. Doors will open at 7 p.m.; the show, featuring three comedians, will start at 8 p.m. The cost is $20 in advance and $25 at the door and includes the show and refreshments. For more information or to reserve tickets, call Dave Demshock at 570-384-5487, Deb Enama at 570-384-3592 or email nwvfc@pa.metrocast.net.

Orwigsburg

A free clothing giveaway will be held from 12:30 to 2:30 p.m. today at Faith Church, 1168 Turnpike (Route 61). For more information, call Joanne Martino at 570-429-1782.

Pottsville

People may join the Schuylkill County Master Gardeners for a full day of six gardening topics from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. March 16 at the Ag Center, 1202 Ag Center Drive. Topics will include soils and fertilizers, unique vegetables, grow your own food, landscaping for the table flowers and form and an update on the spotted lanternfly. The $20 fee will include lunch. Online registration is available at extension.psu.edu/spring-gardening. Payment can also be made through free calls to 877-345-0691. For more information, call 570-622-4225, Ext. 20. The deadline is March 10.

Pottsville

People who enjoy working with the public, have an interest in gardening and value fact-based gardening education may be interested in volunteer work as a Penn State Master Gardener. More information will be available at a free information program from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. March 27 on the lower level of the Schuylkill County Ag Center, 1202 Ag Center Drive. People will be able to learn about the Penn State Master Gardener basic training classes, instructors, fees and material as well as the requirements of ongoing education and volunteer time. There is no obligation to join. To reserve a seat, call 570-622-4225, Ext. 17 or email schuylkillmg@psu.edu.

William Penn

The William Penn Fire Company, Mount Olive Boulevard (Route 54 just west of Shenandoah), is having another “Almost Armondo’s” advance-order-only unbaked pizza sale with pickups set for after 3 p.m. March 15. The order deadline is March 11. The cost is $10 for plain, $12 for pepperoni and 75 cents extra for hot sauce. There will be no walk-ins or deliveries for the sale. To order or for more information, call 570-462-0338 or 570-590-4397.

Press issue causes delay in paper delivery

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Due to a press issue today's Republican-Herald maybe delivered late. We apologize for the inconvenience. 

Opponents of pipeline project in Hegins Twp. start online forum

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Opponents of a proposed natural gas pipeline compression station in Hegins Township have created an online forum to further their cause.

The citizen effort comes on the heels of an open house Feb. 19 on the Leidy South project held by Williams, operator of the Transco Pipeline. Williams is proposing a compression station be constructed off Deep Creek Road and Bridge Road.

“We started a Facebook page for people to go to who are opposed to this compression station,” Bernard Spece said in an email to The Republican-Herald. The page is called “Hegins First” and is a “forum for people to share information and strategies to help protect the Hegins Valley from this project,” Spece said.

Spece has also launched a written petition. He and his wife, Paula, attended the open house to gather more information. As Bridge Road residents, they would become neighbors of the compression station if it’s erected there.

“We’re heartbroken,” his wife said.

The Speces said they’ve also visited a Williams’ compression station that’s already operating near Bloomsburg and noted its expanse.

Since the open house, Bernard Spece said he’s had an increase in the number of people who have contacted him and who are voicing their opposition to the Hegins Township project. The forum site lists where people who want to sign the petition can do so — either by sending emails to heginsfirst@gmail.com or by commenting directly on the Facebook page to get their names added.

The forum site encourages citizens to contact area legislators and gives email contact information for: U.S. Rep. Dan Meuser, at meuser.house.gov, then click contact and follow the prompts; Sen. David G. Argall, R-29, Rush Township, at dargall@pasen.gov; and state Rep. Mike Tobash, R-125, Pottsville, at mtobash@pahousegop.com.

A photo was posted Sunday of what was identified as a bald eagle flying over the proposed site of the compression station. “The eagles are seen hunting over these fields on almost a daily basis and have an active nest site within view of these fields. Yet another reason why this project should not proceed,” the Hegins First post states.

Christopher L. Stockton, Williams spokesman, said the company had purchased 90 acres in Hegins Township, which is currently an empty field. The station itself would encompass about 10 acres, with the remaining property serving as a buffer zone.

The station is one component of a $500 million infrastructure investment to expand the existing Transco pipeline, and Williams’ public meeting was part of a Federal Energy Regulatory Commission pre-filing process. The FERC regulates interstate natural gas pipelines and also conducts either an environmental assessment or impact statement that will identify wildlife within the area of impact.

Williams hopes to finalize the project proposal and file a formal application with the FERC this summer, according to Stockton.

For more information, visit www.williams.com/leidysouth.

Contact the writer: ; 570-628-6007

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