MINERSVILLE — Minersville police arrested a borough man Friday and charged him with one felony count of aggravated cruelty to animals and a misdemeanor count of cruelty to animals, despite his claims his cat shot himself in the eye.

Barry Lee Hollenbach, 26, of 2 Sunbury St., was arraigned by Magisterial District Judge David A. Plachko, Port Carbon, and committed to Schuylkill County Prison unable to post 10 percent of $25,000 bail.

Patrolman Jeffrey Bowers charged Hollenbach after an incident at 2 Sunbury St., Apt. 4, around 6:15 a.m. Thursday.

On Friday, Bowers said he received a report from Justyn Fair, who said he had taken custody of a cat he believed was shot in the eye with a BB gun.

Fair went on to report that on Thursday he learned through his friends that Hollenbach had a cat with an eye injury that was not being cared for.

Fair, who works for Wanna Be Pet Rescue, said he went to the apartment and spoke to Hollenbach, who showed him the cat named “Smokey,” who was severely injured and said he did not seek treatment, Bowers said.

Hollenbach surrendered the animal to Fair and said that the cat was climbing on things and that he fell.

Bowers said Fair reported he did not believe Hollenbach’s story and that the man then told another story, saying the cat knew he kept a BB gun under the couch and that the cat knows how to disable the safety on the weapon.

Hollenbach then told Fair that the cat removed the gun, deactivated the safety and shot himself in the eye, Bowers said.

The cat was taken to the Hillside SPCA for treatment and Bowers said he interviewed Hollenbach on Friday.

At that time, the officer said, Hollenbach stood by his story saying the cat shot himself in the eye despite being told how ridiculous it was.

When asked to take a lie detector test, Bowers said, Hollenbach adamantly declined and also said he did not seek treatment for the animal because he couldn’t afford it.

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

James R. Ferrier

ORWIGSBURG — A Mahanoy City woman is wanted by Schuylkill County authorities after not appearing Tuesday for her preliminary hearing on charges resulting from her alleged failure to return items she rented from a North Manheim Township store.

Shelby Ann McCollough, 28, of 421 E. Pine St., faces charges of receiving stolen property and theft of leased property.

Magisterial District Judge James R. Ferrier ordered the charges against McCollough held for court after the hearing. He also asked the court to issue a bench warrant for McCollough, who had been free on $5,000 unsecured bail.

State police at Schuylkill Haven alleged that McCollough neither made payments on nor returned $5,172.33 worth of property that she had leased on May 14, 2018, from Rent-A-Center, 1544 Route 61, Cressona Mall. Police said McCollough promised to pay for the items when they were delivered but did not.

Items that McCollough did not return included a 50-inch television, a full-size mattress and bed frame, a queen-size mattress and bed frame, an 8-piece living room set and an 8-piece bedroom set, according to police.

Other defendants whose cases Ferrier considered on Tuesday, the charges against each one and the judge’s dispositions of the matters included the following:

John E. Bodnari, 35, of 79 Centre St., Port Clinton; theft of services; charge held for court after preliminary hearing that Bodnari did not attend. Ferrier asked the court to issue a bench warrant for Bodnari.

Clarence W. Donton, 40, of 132 Albert Blvd., Pottsville; possession of a controlled substance and possession of drug paraphernalia; right to preliminary hearing waived, charges bound over for court.

Leonardo Francisco, 26, of 316 North St., Minersville; burglary, criminal trespass, theft and receiving stolen property; right to preliminary hearing waived, charges bound over for court. Schuylkill Haven police allege that Francisco broke into a residence at 221 Dock St. in the borough on Dec. 30, 2018, and stole six bottles of liquor with a total value of $840, jewelry with a total value of $2,050, and $1,800 cash.

Desiray S. Gelinas, 28, of 1564 Stag Drive, Lake Wynonah, Auburn; possession of a small amount of marijuana, possession of drug paraphernalia, speeding, seat belt violation and operating vehicle without valid inspection; right to preliminary hearing waived, charges bound over for court.

Diane L. Morgan, 74, of 206 High St., Schuylkill Haven; theft of lost property; right to preliminary hearing waived, charge bound over for court.

Stanley J. Petrovich, 78, of 1000 Fountain St., Fountain Springs; theft by deception; right to preliminary hearing waived, charge bound over for court.

David C. Rickard, 19, of 474 W. Columbia St., Schuylkill Haven; corruption of minors; right to preliminary hearing waived, charge bound over for court.

Alfredo R. Rivera, 56, of 920 N. Fourth St. Apt. 204, Reading; driving under the influence, disregarding traffic lane, careless driving and reckless driving; right to preliminary hearing waived, charges bound over for court.

Tina M. Withelder, 51, of 325 Cherry St., Saint Clair; DUI and careless driving; right to preliminary hearing waived, charges bound over for court.

(Staff writer Peter E. Bortner compiled this report.)

March is the last full month to enjoy the full complement of winter constellations.

Orion the Hunter is still the main attraction in the night sky. As darkness sets in later in the evening, the constellation is about halfway up in the southwestern sky, looking very much like a giant hourglass. Orion is one of the few constellations that doesn’t make you stretch your imagination too far out of shape. It sort of looks like a hunter, or at least a bulked-up man. Everybody and their brother has seen the three bright stars in a row that make up Orion’s belt, but the biggest shiners are the stars Rigel and Betelgeuse, at Orion’s knee and armpit, respectively.

Orion has lots of celestial friends with him in the southern Pottsville heavens, a cast that includes Taurus the Bull, located to the upper right of Orion. It looks like a little arrow, with the moderately bright star Aldebaran as the angry eye of the bull. A great telescope or binocular target in Taurus is the Pleiades star cluster that looks like a mini Big Dipper, made up of hundreds of stars about 100 million years old and about 410 light years away. It’s one of the best things you can see in the winter sky.

Orion also travels through the heavens with the constellations Auriga the Goat Farmer, Gemini the Twins and Canis Major and Minor, Orion’s big and little hunting dogs. After this month, Orion and his gang will start their gradual slide toward the western horizon. I really think you owe it to yourself to get out into the dark countryside to see the best of the winter sky. It will take your breath away!

In the east, look for a distinctive backward question mark that outlines the chest and head of Leo the Lion, one of the springtime constellations. Regulus is the moderately bright star at the bottom of the question mark that sits at Leo’s heart. As March continues, Leo will get higher and higher in the sky in the early evening as the stars of Orion and his gang sink lower and lower in the west. This is because Earth, in its orbit around the sun, is starting to turn toward spring constellations like Leo and away from the wonderful stars of winter. Enjoy them now while they’re still at the celestial center stage.

In the north sky, the Big Dipper is standing up on its handle. The fainter Little Dipper is off to the left, hanging by its handle. The brightest star, Polaris, otherwise known as the North Star, shines at the end of the Little Dipper’s handle. Polaris is the “Lynch Pin” of the sky. All of the stars in our sky appear to circle around the North Star every 24 hours since it shines directly above the Earth’s North Pole.

Over in the northwest sky, look for the bright sideways “W” that is supposed to be the outline of Queen Cassiopeia tied up in her throne. The story goes that Hera, queen of the Greek gods, was angry with Cassiopeia for boasting that she was more beautiful than the queen herself. Hera tied Cassiopeia up in a throne and cast her up into the heavens, where to this day she continues her endless circle around Polaris.

The only evening planet in the sky throughout the course of March is Mars, but it’s not much of an attraction. It’s the brightest star-like object in the southwestern sky, but through a telescope about all you’ll see is an orange-red dot. Mars is only about 4,000 miles in diameter, and at the start of this month is more than 160 million miles away. The best planet watching is in the early morning sky with the planets Venus, Jupiter and Saturn shining away in the predawn southeast sky.

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

POTTSVILLE — The challenge of words and their spellings and language roots took to the stage as students from area schools went head-to-head on Saturday, with seventh-grader Heidi Bauer of Schuylkill Haven Area Middle School taking first place in The Republican-Herald’s 64th annual Regional Spelling Bee.

In addition to her personal accomplishment, Bauer, 13, of Schuylkill Haven, also became the first student from Schuylkill Haven Area to win since the spelling competition began in 1956.

The joy of winning on the face of Bauer was evident after she spelled “imperturbable” in the 26th round of the competition.

“I’m overjoyed. I’m ecstatic that I won,” Bauer said after the win.

The spelling bee venue was the D.H.H. Lengel Middle School of the Pottsville Area School District. This year’s bee had 43 participating students from 24 schools ranging in age from 8 to 14 in grades 4 to 8. Each student was already a winner when they walked into the spelling bee after earning the opportunity in separate competitions at their own schools.

The bee ran more than three hours, making it one of the longest in recent years. As the students registered before the 10 a.m. start time, each received a tote bag from Penn State Schuylkill, which was the co-sponsor with The Republican-Herald, and a commemorative medal recognizing their participation from the newspaper.

The legacy of the spelling bee extends back to its origin year in 1956 when Peter Fatula of the Frackville School District won the first competition. In 2018, the regional spelling champion was Williams Valley Elementary School sixth-grader Madison Fickinger, of Williamstown, who competed in the 91st Scripps National Spelling Bee in Washington, D.C. last year. Fickinger, now 13 in seventh grade, competed this year and finished in third place.

Before the spelling bee began, Schuylkill County commissioners Chairman George F. Halcovage Jr. spoke to the students, praising them for their hard preparatory work and wishing them well. Spelling bee director Tricia Taylor, who is the newspaper’s community outreach coordinator, welcomed everyone and read the instructions. Each student received a placard to wear with their name, number and school. They were called alphabetically by their last names to come to the front of the stage and were given a word to spell. If spelled correctly, the student went back to his or her seat. If the word was spelled incorrectly, a buzzer sounded to indicate an error and the student left the stage.

The words were presented by Michelle Guers, who said the word, gave the definition, used the word in a sentence and repeated the word. The student could ask for the word to be repeated, the definition repeated and/or the word origin to be told.

The first round had eight eliminations, followed by the second, third and fourth rounds with five, eight and seven eliminations, respectively. Four rounds in a row had no eliminations.

Starting with the 18th round, there were only two contestants left in the bee: Bauer and Mia Ward, 12, a sixth-grader at Hegin-Hubley Elementary School. Both intelligent young women traded places during those later rounds, with each having opportunities to take the championship.

The competition went back and forth in each round toward the end.

Round 18 had both students missing on the spellings of varicose (Bauer) and lupus (Ward). In Round 19, both repeated in misspellings. In Round 20, both got their words correct.

Round 21 began with Bauer misspelling a word, and Ward spelling her word correctly. According to the rules, Ward could not win on one word, but needed a second correctly-spelled word. In Round 22 as the only contestant, she was given the word “histoplasmosis,” which she missed, leading to Round 23 with both students. They both spelled their words correctly, leading to Round 24, which had both incorrectly spelling their words.

Round 25 had Bauer spell correctly her word, while Ward did not. Again, the rule required Bauer to correctly spell another word, which she did in Round 26.

After the spelling bee, Bauer, with a big smile, held onto the large trophy presented to her.

“I really didn’t think I was going to do it,” Bauer said. “I kept saying the last word that I got. It was a hard word. I had to keep asking about the word. I was thinking that if I spelled the word correctly, I would be going to Scripps (National Spelling Bee). It was insane. I honestly had no idea I was going to be here right now.”

This was not Bauer’s first spelling rodeo. She competed in 2017, though did not last year.

Bauer was asked how she prepares for competition.

“Over the course of a couple of months you study a lot,” she said. “Everywhere you go and every word you see, if it looked like a good word, I would just study it, practice it and spell it over and over again. Even when the other contestants were going up, I was spelling their words. It was a lot of studying.”

“She does a lot of studying of the roots of words and the spelling rules,” said her mother, Kimberly Bauer, of Schuylkill Haven. “She’s also in the gifted program at school. She studies a lot, but she also spends time with her friends. I am so proud.”

Taylor presented the main trophy and prizes to Bauer for first place; a trophy and other gifts to Ward for finishing second; and third- and fourth-place trophies were presented to Fickinger and Evan Karenda, 12, a seventh-grader at Pine Grove Area Middle School.

Rosanne Chesakis was the coach for Bauer and other students in the Schuylkill Haven Area School District. Currently employed at Penn State Schuylkill as the library supervisor, she volunteered her time as a spelling coach. She was assisted this year by her son, Ryan Chesakis, who is a teacher at Schuylkill Haven Area School District.

“This is officially my 13th year as a coach,” Rosanne Chesakis said. “Ryan was in the bee in 2004 and 2006. After he aged out of it, I asked the school if they would mind if I could work with the students, to which they agreed. I began in 2007.”

Speaking of Bauer, Rosanne Chesakis said, “She’s great. We have a lot of good spellers this year. She is very confident. We meet once a week after the school and use the Spell It! material that Scripps provides. We work on rules for languages and origin.”

“She (Bauer) studied a lot of specific rules rather than specific words,” Ryan Chesakis said.

The general chairman of the event was Michael A. Joyce, publisher of The Republican-Herald, and the spelling bee director was Taylor, who took over the position with the retirement of Janet Joyce.

Other officials were Guers, who is Blue Mountain Middle School counselor and former spelling bee coach, and judges Janet Joyce; Art Zilleruelo, Ph.D., assistant teaching professor of English at Penn State Schuylkill; and Jane F. Dries, who was also the appeals judge and is retired lead teacher for Blue Mountain Middle School.

The official scorekeeper was Michael Joyce. The official records keeper was newspaper advertising sales consultant Leslie Wagner, the round results were monitored by Breanne Ferdoucha, the seventh- and eighth-grade English language arts/lead teacher at D.H.H. Lengel Middle School. Sound and recording technician was Rich Charney, IT systems support employee at The Republican-Herald.

As the regional spelling bee winner, Baurer will receive a week’s all-expense paid trip to the 2019 Scripps National Spelling Bee for her and a parent from The Republican-Herald; a trophy from the newspaper; a free one-year subscription to Britannica Online Premium; a free one-year subscription to Merriam-Webster Unabridged Online; $100 from J. Bertolet Volkswagen; a 2019 U.S. Mint Proof Set from The Samuel Louis Sugarman Award; and a $50 Barnes & Noble gift card from XI Chapter of Delta Kappa Gamma Society International.

As the second-place finalist, Ward receives a trophy from The Republican-Herald; $25 gift cards each from Dunham’s Sports, Schuylkill Valley Sports and Walmart; and a 2018-19 Hexco Academic Word Book.

Contact the writer: jusalis@republicanherald.com; 570-628-6023

MAR LIN — When you’re a mentor, it’s about having better questions, not better answers, an Orwigsburg consultant told women attending a Schuylkill Women in Business luncheon Wednesday.

Amy Lafko of Cairn Consulting Solutions served as keynote speaker for the Schuylkill Chamber of Commerce event, presenting “Buddy System: Uplift and Empower Yourself as a Mentor and/or Mentee.”

“You need to help someone find their own path to where they want to go,” Lafko said.

About 45 women attended the program sponsored by the Northeastern Pennsylvania Alliance and held at Schuylkill Technology Center-South Campus, Mar Lin. Many were from the financial, health care, real estate, and education sectors or were private entrepreneurs.

Lafko explained that a “cairn” is a stack of rocks, often seen along hiking trails. They guide walkers to the best route and can also alert them to any hidden obstacles.

“Mentorship is the same process as following cairns along a path,” Lafko said. Mentoring can help someone walk through the challenges that come at them as they navigate their career path. It’s different than coaching.

“If you’re coaching, you’re teaching,” she said. Lafko suggested that mentors are there to ask questions of their mentees, such as what they think the best approach is to a certain situation, and to gain their mentee’s input.

The mentee should be the driver of the relationship, she said, and mentors should never be in a direct supervisory role. Both can learn from each other.

Cynthia M. Mensch, SWIB committee chairwoman, welcomed guests and thanked the committee for its work in developing the monthly luncheons, and STC staff and students. Mensch is Schuylkill Center director of Alvernia University, Pottsville.

Meanwhile, Jennifer Stehman, human resource director of St. Luke’s Hospital-Miners Campus, Coaldale, and Deborah Twigg, representing the Schuylkill County Courthouse, introduced the event sponsor and speaker, respectively. Paula Terpak, government procurement specialist, and Debbie Langan, senior international business manager, spoke on behalf of NEPA.

Stehman said she’s been both a mentor and mentee. “I learned how to handle situations with grace and dignity. Being in HR, you know everyone has a story. You want to keep that human perspective in mind and ask those probing questions to try to make a positive impact,” Stehman said in an interview following the session. “It’s a two-way street. I’ve grown in my role and this has made me a better person.”

Linda Ebert, a branch coordinator in Frackville for the Hidden River Credit Union; and Vicky Schach, a lending supervisor in the Pottsville office of HRCU, were first-time attendees.

“Our marketing director said we had been invited, and I thought it was a good outreach to the community,” Ebert said.

Schach also used the networking time to announce HRCU would be opening a new branch in Hometown this May. “I wanted to get some ideas from other women and see how they conduct different business practices and to see what’s new going on in the community,” Schach said.

Helen M. Miernicki, a realtor with Realty World, Ashland, also joined the first-timers table. She shared that a house in Ashland would soon be available through the Schuylkill County Land Bank program.

At the session’s conclusion, Lafko said she wasn’t surprised that more people weren’t involved with mentoring programs. Only a handful said they were.

“A lot of people are afraid to ask someone to mentor them, or they don’t think they’ll have the time. Some don’t know how valuable they can be,” she said.

It was Lafko’s first time presenting in the county; most of her clients are out-of-state, she said. Her parents are Harry and Barbara Lafko, of Orwigsburg. Her father had previously worked as a vice principal for the Blue Mountain Middle School and her mother was a teacher.

For more information on Lafko’s business, visit www.cairncs.com.

Contact the writer: ; 570-628-6007

FOUNTAIN SPRINGS — As of today, the North Schuylkill Class of 2019 will hold commencement exercises as scheduled on June 4, but more snow days off will affect the date.

After Wednesday’s school board meeting, Superintendent Robert Ackell said he is hoping for weather that does not interfere with the school schedule as it is.

“Right now we’re set for graduation on June 4, but now we’ll take it day to day,” Ackell said. “It has been unbelievable this year.”

Because of the 11 snow days used during the 2017-18 school year, the district had to reschedule commencement from May 30 to June 5. The school calendar had only three make-up days built into the calendar.

In order to better accommodate the chance of a similar situation, the school board approved the current school year calendar by adding six make-up days to bring the total to nine. The nine snow days this school year were on Nov. 15, Jan. 21, Jan. 29, Jan. 30, Jan. 31, Feb. 1, Feb. 12, Feb. 13 and Feb. 20.

If there are more school cancellations, the last day of school, which will be a half day, and graduation will be changed as follows:

• 10th day: June 5.

• 11th day: June 6.

• 12th day: June 7.

• 13th day: June 10.

• 14th day: June 11.

• 15th day: June 12.

An Act 80 day for teachers is changed from Feb. 15 to June 5. Teacher in-service will be June 6 and 7, which was moved from Jan. 21.

Ackell said the schedule for the 2019-20 school year has 10 snow make-up days.

During the meeting, the school board approved revisions to the school calendar for weather cancellations on Jan. 21, 29, 30 and 31 and Feb. 1, 12, 13 and 20.

The school board acted on the following agenda items:

• Declined the county repository sale of 1502 Walnut St., Ashland, to Acorn Estates LLC with a bid of $1,174.

• Declined the county repository sale of 236 Walnut St., Ashland, to Acorn Estates LLC with a bid of $1,049.

Both votes were 0-6 against the sales. Board member Thomas Fletcher, who serves on the finance committee, said the denial was due to the bids being low and because of outdated information.

• Approved Eckert, Seamans, Cherin & Mellott, LLC as the public finance counsel for the district.

• Authorized Business Manager Robert Amos to open a certificate of deposit with Mid Penn Bank for $300,000 at 1.95 percent interest retroactive to Feb. 8.

• Approved a sports medicine services agreement with Saint Luke’s Hospital-Bethlehem.

• Approved the general obligation note resolution for the replacement of the athletic turf field and pay related cots.

• Approved the purchase of a Toro Workman GTX grounds and turf crossover vehicle from Turf Equipment, West Chester, for $8,991.14. The price is for a demonstration model.

• Approved a $400,000 commercial term loan for 12 years to fund the installation of synthetic turf on the high school football field from Mid Penn Bank with an interest rate of 4.86 percent per annum for the term of the loan.

• Approved Lynn Minalda as a mentor teacher at a rate of $500 for the 2018-19 and 2019-20 school years for inductee Sara Nestor.

• Approved the resignation of maintenance worker Corey Miller, effective Jan. 25.

• Approved, upon receipt of all appropriate documentation, the employment of Tina Hartz as a full-time custodial/maintenance employee, with her assignment to include weekend hours, at a rate of $12.20 per hour, pending a written satisfactory evaluation after a 60-day probationary period, effective on or about March 7.

• Approved a request for leave without pay for part-time custodian Tammy Evans from Feb. 7 through Monday.

• Approved a field trip request from Spanish teacher Lindsey Furman for advanced placement Spanish class members and chaperones to Tia Juan’s Margaritas Restaurant, Lansdale, on Jan. 25.

• Approved a memorandum of understanding with Child Development Inc. to establish a transition partnership.

• Approved a Ski Club cooperative with the Saint Clair Area School District for the purpose of receiving a group rate for trips. All club members participating in each trip will make payments to the Saint Clair district, which will submit the lump sum payment to the ski resort.

• Approved the following as assistant softball coaches for the 2019 season at the following salaries: Luke Lapotsky, $2,450; Jamie Palmerio, $1,850; Jack Marlow, $1,400; Brooke Ennis, $700; and Johnna Cappel, $775.

• Approved Bob Holmes, Dana Achenbach and Janette Lukashunas as volunteer softball coaches for the 2019 season.

• Approved the following as assistant track coaches and salaries for the 2019 season: Bob Moyer, $6,438; Tony Chatkiewicz, $3,950; Michael Russell, $1,850; and Frank Briggs, $2,450.

• Approved the following junior high assistant track coaches at the following salaries: Jeff Dunkel, $2,000; and Tyler Mutchler, $1,400.

• Approved Michael Tomko as a volunteer assistant track coach.

• Approved the following assistant baseball coaches and salaries for the 2019 season: Chris Glessner, $2,600; Steve Ennis, $2,600; and Kieran Connors, $3,200.

• Approved the following volunteer baseball coaches for the 2019 season: John Chuma, Robert Yesalusky, John Williams, Austin Hornberger and Scott Frew.

• Approved changing the junior high girls’ basketball season from a fall sport to a winter sport beginning with the 2020-21 school year.

• Approved Steve Ennis as head girls’ junior high basketball (seventh) coach for the fall 2019 season at a salary of $2,600.

• Approved Rich Wetzel as head girls’ junior high basketball (eighth) coach for the fall 2019 season at a salary of $2,150.

• Approved Joseph Himes as a volunteer assistant girls’ junior high basketball coach for the fall 2019 season.

• Approved the Schuylkill Technology Center budget. North Schuylkill’s share of the secondary budget for 2019-20 is $650,784. The school district’s share for the 2018-19 school year is $632,630. The vote was 5-0, with Mary Ann Woodward abstaining.

Contact the writer: jusalis@republicanherald.com; 570-628-6023

POTTSVILLE — A 31-year-old Pitman charged with a theft at an Ashland business earlier this year is among those scheduled to enter not guilty pleas during arraignments Thursday in Schuylkill County Court.

Jason E. Conner, of 137 Ridge Road, was arrested by state police Cpl. Leo Luciani of the Frackville station and charged with one count each of robbery, retail theft and harassment.

Luciani charged Conner with entering Boyer’s Food Market on Jan. 5 and concealing merchandise on his person.

When confronted by store employees, Luciani said, Conner shoved a clerk in order to get away.

The investigation led to Conner being identified as the man responsible for the theft and the recovery of the stolen merchandise in an Ashland apartment the following day, Luciani said.

In a separate unrelated complaint, Conner appeared on an additional count of retail theft.

Others scheduled to appear for arraignment Thursday are:

William D. Cole Jr., 38, of 800-16 N. Second St., Pottsville; false reports.

Colin L. Johnson, 26, of 509 Oak Lane, Tamaqua; possession of a controlled substance and possession of drug paraphernalia.

Joshua P. Lex, 25, of 921 Back Weston Road, Box 8, Weston; stalking, harassment and disorderly conduct.

Mark J. Mensinger Jr., 36, of Schuylkill County Prison, Pottsville; terroristic threats, criminal mischief and disorderly conduct.

Ashley M. Sist, 33, of 60 E. Market St., Box 457, Tresckow; access device fraud, theft and receiving stolen property.

Jeffrey Frable, 52, of 18 Bull Run St., Coaldale; aggravated assault, simple assault and harassment.

Ariel S. Stevens, 21, of Schuylkill County Prison, Pottsville; delivery of a controlled substance, possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance, criminal use of a communications facility and possession of a controlled substance.

James J. Englert, 42, of 83 Fairview St., Barnesville; possession of a controlled substance.

Tammy M. Stevens, 59, of 146 N. Railroad St., Frackville; possession of a controlled substance and defiant trespass.

Neil R. Hatfield, 35, of 333 W. Laurel St., Tremont; strangulation, false imprisonment, simple assault and harassment.

Peter K. Nicholas, 32, of 22 Rapp Road, Girardville; possession of a controlled substance and possession of drug paraphernalia.

Danielle R. Arbushites, 33, of 521 W. Chestnut St., Frackville; tampering with or fabricating physical evidence and possession of drug paraphernalia.

Rodney C. Hogue, 30, of State Correctional Institution/Frackville, Frackville; theft and receiving stolen property.

Christine M. Covach, 132 W. Ogden St., Girardville; retail theft.

Jason T. Kerstetter, 29, of Schuylkill County Prison, Pottsville; possession of a controlled substance and possession of drug paraphernalia.

Paul T. Pepe, 28, of 86 Pottsville St., Cressona; burglary, criminal trespass and criminal mischief.

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

Deeds

Butler Township — CR 2018 LLC to Mason White; property on Main Street, Lavelle; $12,500.

Coaldale — John T. Gyuricsek to Richard A. and Cinthia Louise Huber; 19 W. Ridge St.; $27,000.

Cressona — Robert Koperna and Francis Koperna to Manyan Cheung; 25 Grove St.; $30,000.

Deer Lake — Gregory A. and Tracy M. Minnich to Kelly M. Baran; 204 Chestnut Ridge Drive; $305,000.

East Brunswick Township — Miller Group Holdings LP to New Ringgold DG LP; 3.566-acre property on Summer Valley Road; $1,400,000.

East Union Township — Charles and Beverly O’Donnell to Judi Olsen and Sarah Foster; property at Lorah and Pine streets, Sheppton; $10,000.

Gilberton — Marilyn Reed, individually and as executrix for the Estate of Kathryn Achenbach, and Larry Reed to Travis Snell; 19 Draper St.; $3,500.

Girardville — AE1 Properties LLC to Angel Martinez; 141 Preston Ave.; $21,000.

New Ringgold — Daniel S. Osborne to Susan Troxell; 403 N. Keim St.; $74,000.

North Union Township — Cove Village Association to Vincent Michael Laspina; Lot B-05-506, Cove Vacation Village; $7,000.

Orwigsburg — Ruth A. Shadle, guardian of the Estate of Sophia Gambill, to Gehringer Realty Inc.; 227 Independence St.; $46,000.

Porter Township — Robert W. and Suzanne E. Tallman to Ben Tallman; property on Township Road 609; $1.

Pottsville — James and Patricia A. Hartnett to Jennifer Lee Pardini; 1010 Laurel St.; $1.

Sharon L. Tranosky and Michael A. Tranosky to Romeo Eaddy; 262 Wallace St.; $72,900.

Richard P. Hallman to Joao Carvalho; 545 N. Centre St.; $43,000.

Nicholas G. Kriton to Michael Kyriannis; 805 W. Norwegian St.; $1,000.

Rush Township — Denise Eisley to Leslie Eisley; 211 Grier Ave., Barnesville; $1.

Schuylkill Haven — Bright Future Enterprises LLC to Anthony and Lauren Gomez; 503 W. Columbia St.; $1.

Shenandoah — Jose D. Pena to Jelissa Dela Cruz; 238 S. Jardin St.; $1.

Audra L. Kanute to Donna E. Ford; 331 E. Lloyd St.; $1.

South Manheim Township — Timothy Killian to Timothy Killian and Rose Marie Meesko; 1318 Running Deer Drive, Lake Wynonah; $1.

Tamaqua — Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corp. to NE Holdings LC; 605 Arlington St.; $20,000.

Washington Township — Carl A. and Debra A. Stump to Carl A. Stump; 16 Ferebees Road; $1.

Ryan and Rachel Rhody to Shawn Barnetsky; 1.07-acre property on Koty Lane; $1.

Wayne Township — Michael Apsokardu to Thomas L. Jr. and Samantha R. Rayburn; 206 Luckenbill Road; $210,000.

West Brunswick Township — Fanelli Group Properties LLC to Fanelli Group Properties LLC; 1165 Centre Turnpike; $1.

Susan Jane Riehl to Ephraim D. and Rebecca S. Riehl; property on the Schuylkill River; $1.

West Mahanoy Township — Sugar Loaf VII LLC to Legacy One Investors Group LLC; 268 Indiana Ave., Shenandoah Heights; $409.

Cumbola

The Good Will Hose Company will have a food and bake sale beginning at noon March 16 to raise money for the Shannon Martin funeral fund. All are welcome to participate. For more information, call 570-277-6822.

Minersville

St. Matthew the Evangelist Parish will have Lenten food sales at the parish center, 120 Oak St., from noon to 3 p.m. Friday, March 22 and April 5. Patrons may eat at the center or take food out. To order ahead on the day of the sales, call 570-544-5485.

Minersville

The Minersville Fish and Game Club will host a dinner at 5 p.m. Thursday. Offerings will include crab cakes, cheesesteaks, burgers, wings, nachos, pulled pork and mac and cheese. The dinner is open to the public. For more information, call 570-544-3155.

Pottsville

The Pottsville Free Public Library will host the 2019 Schuylkill Women in Crisis “Art as Healing” exhibit Monday through March 11. The display’s main goal, according to a press release, is “to encourage women to express themselves artistically as well as inspire thought.” For more information, call SWIC at 570-622-3991 or the library at 570-622-8880.

Pottsville

Nativity BVM High School will host the 2019 Schuylkill County Scholastic Chess Tournament on March 30. The tournament is open to all students, regardless of ability, according to an event release. There will be three divisions: Grades K-4, 5-8 and 9-12. Schuylkill County schools that have a minimum of four students entered in a division will be eligible to win the 2019 chess champion trophy for their division. The top school in each division will receive a trophy. Medals will be awarded to the top three individuals in each division. For more information, call Al Bobinas at 570-728-1389.

Pottsville

Humane Fire Company No. 1 has dinners at 5 p.m. Fridays during Lent, beginning Friday. A wide variety of dinners are available to eat in or take out. Go to the company’s Facebook page to see the menu. Prices vary. For more information, call 570-622-5891.

Pottsville

A pick-a-ticket auction for the Pottsville Area Soap Box Derby will be held March 10 at American Hose Company, 323 W. Norwegian St. Doors will open at 11 a.m. and the pick will begin at 1 p.m. Food and refreshments will be available. Shops and drops are set for 6 to 7 p.m. Thursday, 6 to 8 p.m. Friday and 4 to 7 p.m. Saturday. All proceeds will benefit the derby. For more information, email eeyore1796@yahoo.com.

Shenandoah

The Shenandoah Valley Arts Department has released its schedule of events for spring 2019. The Shenandoah Valley Drama Club will perform “Into the Woods” at 7 p.m. April 26 and 27 and 2 p.m. April 28 in the high school auditorium. Tickets will be sold two weeks prior to the play date at a cost of $10 each or a weekend pass for $25. The Shenandoah Valley band will perform its “Spring Around the World” concert at 7 p.m. May 9 featuring its concert musicians, “The Symphonic Winds.” At 7 p.m. May 14, the elementary school band will perform its spring program followed by the high school jazz band, “Smooth Blue Jazz.” Both bands are under the direction of music teacher and band director John Shoener and the performances will be in the high school auditorium. Admission is free and the public is welcome.

Shenandoah

Deanery Lenten Services in the South Anthracite Deanery of the Ukrainian Catholic Archeparchy of Philadelphia are held weekly beginning at 3 p.m., with collections taken each week for seminary funds. There will be socials after the services. Services include: Forgiveness Vespers, today, Protection BVM, McAdoo. Stations of the Cross will be as follows: March 10, Ss. Peter and Paul, Mount Carmel; March 17, St. Michael, Shenandoah; March 24, St. Michael, Frackville; March 31, Transfiguration, Shamokin; April 7, St. Michael, Hazleton, and April 14, St. Nicholas, Minersville. Shenandoah is home to the first Ukrainian Catholic Church in America. The church had been located along West Centre Street. The new church is at Chestnut and Oak streets.

POTTSVILLE — Schuylkill County District Attorney Michael O’Pake and the Schuylkill County detectives are asking for the public’s help in locating a woman wanted for failing to show up for a required court appearance last year.

Detectives said Kim Marie Long failed to report to the Schuylkill County Courthouse on Oct. 16 for jury selection on three cases.

The original charges against Long in the first case were two felony counts of possession with intent to manufacture or deliver a controlled substance, one felony charge of criminal use of a communications facility and a misdemeanor charge of possession of a controlled substance.

In the second case, Long is charged with two felony counts of possession with intent to manufacture or deliver a controlled substance, four misdemeanor counts of possession of a controlled substance and one misdemeanor count of possession of drug paraphernalia.

In the final case, Long is charged with a misdemeanor count of receiving stolen property.

Long is described as being white, 56 years old, about 5 feet 5 inches tall and weighing about 118 pounds. She has a last known address of 501 N. Centre St. in Pottsville, detectives said.

Anyone with information on the whereabouts of Long or any other fugitive in Schuylkill County is asked to call the district attorney’s office at 570-628-1350 or Schuylkill County Tip Line at 570-624-3988. Information can also be sent by email to dadd@co.schuylkill.pa.us, detectives said.

In addition, anyone who may see or come in contact with Long is asked to call the Schuylkill County Communications Center or their local police department immediately.

All information received will remain confidential.

Detectives said a list of Schuylkill County bench warrants is available on the Schuylkill County website at www.co.schuylkill.pa.us.

Fugitive warrants served for Feb. 1 through 28 totaled 113 bringing the total so far in 2019 to 266.

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

POTTSVILLE — In recent Schuylkill County Court action, President Judge William E. Baldwin accepted guilty pleas from, and, pursuant to agreements between prosecutors and defendants, imposed the indicated sentences on, the following people:

Luis G. Morales, 26, of Bethlehem; possession of a controlled substance, possession of drug paraphernalia and false identification to law enforcement; three to 18 months in prison, $100 payment to the Substance Abuse Education Fund and $50 payment to the Criminal Justice Enhancement Account.

Jason M. Oshman, 31, of Shenandoah; possession of drug paraphernalia; 12 months probation consecutive to current sentence, $100 SAEF payment and $50 CJEA payment.

Dominic J.M. Staboleski, 26, of Pottsville; two counts of possession of drug paraphernalia and one each of possession of a controlled substance and possession of a small amount of marijuana; six to 24 months in a state correctional institution, $200 in SAEF payments, $100 in CJEA payments and $1,091 restitution to the state police crime laboratory in Harrisburg. Prosecutors withdrew a charge of possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance.

John F. Topper, 36, of Hunlock Creek; possession of a controlled substance; one to two years in a state correctional institution, $100 SAEF payment and $50 CJEA payment. Prosecutors withdrew charges of possession of contraband/controlled substance and possession of drug paraphernalia.

Jeffrey D. Vernitsky, 46, of Shenandoah; two counts of possession of drug paraphernalia and one each of possession of prohibited offensive weapon; three to 12 months in prison consecutive to current sentence, $200 in SAEF payments and $150 in CJEA payments. Prosecutors withdrew two counts of possession of a small amount of marijuana and one of violation of restrictions on alcoholic beverages.

Nicole M. Vuocola, 26, of Berwick; possession of drug paraphernalia; 12 months probation consecutive to Luzerne County sentence, $100 SAEF payment and $50 CJEA payment.

In recent Schuylkill County Court action, Judge Cyrus Palmer Dolbin accepted guilty pleas from, and, pursuant to agreements between prosecutors and defendants, imposed the indicated sentences on, the following people.

Jumal L. Bowman, 41, of Mount Carmel; defiant trespass; $300 fine.

James A. Cieniawa, 59, of McAdoo; driving under the influence and obscured plates; 10 days in prison, 40 days house arrest with electronic monitoring, 40 days strict supervision, three months probation, $775 in fines, $100 payment to SAEF, $120 restitution to Lehigh Valley Health Network and 20 hours community service, with sentence effective at 10 a.m. March 6.

Brandon L. Deesing, 22, of Shenandoah; receiving stolen property; three months house arrest with electronic monitoring, nine months probation, $50 payment to CJEA, $1,000 fine and submission of a DNA sample to law enforcement authorities. Prosecutors withdrew charges of theft and criminal mischief.

William L. Devaney, 53, of Girardville; possession of drug paraphernalia; 12 months probation, $100 SAEF payment, $50 CJEA payment and $100 bench warrant fee. Prosecutors withdrew a charge of possession of a controlled substance.

Justin R. Donton, 33, of Pine Grove; possession of a controlled substance and possession of drug paraphernalia; 12 months probation, $100 SAEF payment and $50 CJEA payment. Prosecutors withdrew one additional count each of possession of a controlled substance and possession of drug paraphernalia.

Albert C. Dumboski III, 38, of Ashland; possession of drug paraphernalia; 12 months probation, $100 SAEF payment and $50 CJEA payment. Prosecutors withdrew charges of simple assault, recklessly endangering another person, disorderly conduct and possession of a small amount of marijuana.

William J. Glover, 38, of Minersville; delivery of a controlled substance; eight to 23 months in prison, $100 SAEF payment, $50 CJEA payment, $113 restitution to the state police crime laboratory in Harrisburg and submission of a DNA sample to law enforcement authorities. Prosecutors withdrew charges of possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance and possession of a controlled substance.

Paul D. Hillibush Jr., 45, of Frackville; two counts of DUI; 50 days house arrest with electronic monitoring, 40 days strict supervision, three months probation, $800 in fines, $200 in SAEF payments, $460 restitution to Lehigh Valley Health Network and 30 hours community service.

Susan P. Jones, 53, of New Ringgold; DUI and disregarding traffic lane; 15 days house arrest with electronic monitoring, 45 days strict supervision, four months probation, $1,025 in fines, $300 SAEF payment, $520 restitution to Lehigh Valley Health Network and 10 hours community service. Prosecutors withdrew charges of careless driving and operating vehicle without valid inspection.

All defendants who were sentenced must pay costs as a part of their sentences.

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

POTTSVILLE — Pennsylvania Lt. Gov. John Fetterman made a stop in Pottsville on Saturday afternoon as part of his statewide tour to gain input on the possibility of legalizing recreational marijuana in the commonwealth.

Last month, Fetterman set out to visit all 67 counties in Pennsylvania to listen to people’s thoughts on whether or not they agree with legalizing recreational marijuana and to also listen to any recommendations that may come his way.

The tour brought Fetterman to the Majestic Theater in Pottsville’s downtown, despite the inclement weather.

After hearing about 90 minutes of comments from residents about the legalization of recreational marijuana, both for and against, Fetterman asked for a show of hands as to their opinions.

In the end, about 80 percent of the 200 plus people raised their arms to show they were in favor of the legalization with only about 20 percent against. A handful of those in attendance said they were undecided.

One of those opposed was Kelly Malone, executive director of the Schuylkill United Way.

Malone was one of several people who said additional research should be done to determine if marijuana does more harm than good to a person.

“We don’t know about the addictive properties it has,” she said.

Malone said legalizing recreational marijuana could be counterproductive and said much more needs to be considered other than the economic benefits.

Giving a complete opposite point of view was Alex Koinski, of Saint Clair, a programmer.

He asked why people against recreational marijuana do not offer their same arguments about cigarettes and alcohol, both things that can greatly addictive.

He called people’s decisions to use marijuana a civil rights issue.

“If you’re alone in your home, not bothering anybody what’s the issue,” Koinski said.

John Wronski said that marijuana is beneficial in relieving pain and, unlike opioid pain medicines, it is not addictive.

He also said he knows people who used marijuana to help them get off of pain medicines that they were completely dependent on.

Wronski told Fetterman that there is much more to the legislation than getting revenue.

“This movement is not about making money, it’s about the people,” he said.

He also told Fetterman that in Schuylkill County marijuana is not the problem, it is the more addictive illegal drugs such as methamphetamine, cocaine and heroin.

Attorney Paul Domalakes, a former Schuylkill County public defender, said at first he was neutral about whether or not to legalize recreational marijuana but has since become against the idea until more information about its effects is available.

Domalakes referred to several studies that concentrate on the dangers of marijuana usage and said these, as well as studies that support use of the marijuana, should be thoroughly reviewed.

Eric Williamson told the group that those opposed to the use of marijuana are denying the truth that is right in front of them.

He said although marijuana usage has its downfalls and benefits, it should be the choice of the individual whether or not to use it.

“No one is forcing you to use it,” he said. “Let the people have it, let them do what they want.”

In January, Gov. Tom Wolf joined Fetterman in announcing what he called the statewide listening tour to hear from the people about the possibility of legalizing recreational marijuana.

Fetterman said Schuylkill County was his 13th stop on the tour.

Both Wolf and Fetterman said in announcing the tour that it is time for Pennsylvania to take a serious and honest look at legalizing recreational marijuana.

Medical marijuana has been legal in Pennsylvania since 2016 and Wolf stressed that any proposal for legalizing recreational marijuana would need to be implemented after the medical marijuana program is fully implemented.

For those who are not able to attend a listening session or are simply interested in providing feedback about legalizing recreational marijuana, the lieutenant governor’s office established a webpage form to be available as the listening tours are underway.

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

Four years ago, artist Tom Hartz, 71, came up with an idea for an unusual, and appropriate, canvas for mining-themed art — mine waste. Hartz found some pieces of slate in a culm pile near his brother-in-law’s house in Hudson.

“I’ve seen people paint on tile or flat-faced rock and I thought, ‘maybe I’ll try it on slate.’ I liked the idea that breaker boys or miners touched them,” Hartz said.

Working with a hammer and chisel, he broke the slate down to pieces roughly 8-by-9 inches and cleaned them with a wire brush and mineral oil.

Then, working from photographs, he drew the images he wanted to create, transferred them onto the slate with carbon paper and painted them. He used airbrushing to create the effect of light coming off miners’ helmets.

After the paint dries, he sprays his paintings with a glossy varnish. The results are colorful, realistic images of breaker boys and miners at work.

He took the pieces to Eckley Miners Village, a restored anthracite mining village which is now a museum near Weatherly, and got a good reception.

“The gift shop at the Pioneer Tunnel in Ashland took a chance on nine pieces,” Hartz said. “They sold, and they ordered 12 more.”

He’s also had success at craft shows, including the Red Cross and LCCC shows and the Art Fest at Penn State.

“I always loved to paint and draw, even as a kid. I never had any formal training. I learned through trial and error,” Hartz said.

He was born in Edwardsville, Luzerne County, and graduated from Coughlin High School in 1965. He joined the Marine Reserves in 1966. He married his high school sweetheart, Marie Dorrance, in August 1967. They live in Hunlock Creek. They have two sons, Charles, an ice carver in Oregon, and Ryan, a dietician and teaching aid writer for exams in Clarks Summit.

He put painting on hold after he married.

“When we started a family, I had to make a living,” he said.

He went to work for the late John McAndrew, a commercial artist, in late ’60s.

“He persuaded me to go into the printing industry,” Hartz said.

He later worked for a printing company as a cameraman in pre-press.

He stayed in the art world by doing some illustrating for fashion brochures for Wilkes-Barre stores in the 1970s. When he retired five years ago, he started painting again.

“I started out in wildlife, greeting cards, matted prints. I donated paintings to the Wild Turkey Federation and Pheasants Forever. My business card was Nature’s Images,” he said.

Like many Valley natives over 50, Hartz has mining ancestry. His maternal grandfather, George Dudzika, worked at the Loree Colliery on Nesbitt Street in Larksville, before opening a shoemaker shop where many of his customers were miners. The Loree was built in 1919 and was named for Leonor F. Loree, then president of the D & H. Railroad.

Hartz said he decided to try painting mining scenes, “on a whim, as an experiment,” but now sees it as a calling to add to the efforts to preserve the mining heritage of the Valley.

NEW ORLEANS — A woman wanted in connection with last week’s death of prominent Pottsville jeweler Patrick Murphy surrendered to authorities on Sunday.

New Orleans police said Megan Hall, 25, accompanied by her attorney, turned herself in at New Orleans Central Lockup in the 2800 block of Perdido Street.

Hall was then committed to Orleans Parish Prison without bail pending a hearing before a magisterial judge within the next 48 hours, prison officials said Sunday.

Homicide detectives charged Hall with second-degree murder after the body of Murphy, 62, was discovered just before noon Thursday lying on a bed inside the Empress Hotel in the 1300 block of Ursulines Avenue.

Detectives said they were alerted to the death after hotel employees discovered the man’s body.

Hall fled the area but was identified through high-definition security images.

The video surveillance shows Murphy and Hall entering the hotel around 2 a.m., and Hall leaving alone around 4 a.m.

Although the initial death was listed as “unclassified,” detectives said the investigation led them to change the manner of death to homicide and obtain a warrant for Hall’s arrest.

The cause of death has been listed by the Orleans Parish Coroner’s Office as “homicide by cutting” caused by “sharp force injuries.”

Murphy was reportedly visiting New Orleans with his wife, Kim, but it was not known how he came to meet Hall or why the two ended up at the Empress Hotel.

New Orleans police Detective Patrick Guidry and the homicide unit are continuing their investigation into the death.

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

POTTSVILLE — Schuylkill County residents should see 4 to 7 inches of snow on the ground today as the prepare to begin the week.

John Banghoff, meteorologist with the National Weather Service, State College, said Sunday that main roads should in the decent shape this morning as the snow was expected to end in the early morning hours. However, he urged caution on side roads.

“It should be a really light, fluffy snow. A nice enjoyable snowstorm that we haven’t had yet this season,” he said.

A high temperature of 32 degrees is expected today. Temperatures will not climb too much throughout the week, with highs in the mid-20s Tuesday through Thursday and in the 30s Friday and Saturday.

This weekend could be “a gigantic mess,” Banghoff said. There is potential for snow, sleet and freezing rain Saturday into Sunday, according to the NWS. Banghoff said it “may be one last breadth of winter,” although it is too early to tell for sure.

Snow started falling in Pottsville around 2 p.m. Sunday. By 5 p.m., Mahantongo Street was covered with snow.

Sean Brown, safety press officer for the state Department of Transportation District 5, Allentown, said a full contingent of trucks — 200 — were out on the roads. Plows were staged at various locations before the snow even started to fall, he said.

Vehicle restrictions were placed on state roadways due to the storm. For example, the speed limit was reduced to 45 mph on Interstate 81.

“Although PennDOT crews have been treating roadways, the department’s primary goal is to keep roads passable, not completely free of ice and snow. PennDOT will continue to treat roadways throughout the storm until precipitation stops and roads are clear,” according to a statement from PennDOT.

Pottsville Superintendent of Streets Tom Whitaker said a full contingent of street department workers and vehicles were out during the storm using a mixture of salt and anti-skid on the roads.

“We will be out until probably the early morning hours,” Whitaker said.

As of 6:45 p.m., the roads were “mostly slushed covered.” A level one parking ban is in effect to 7 a.m. today. Vehicles should be removed from snow emergency routes and fire lanes. Drivers should use caution when traveling.

“Everybody be careful,” Whitaker said.

Schuylkill Haven Mayor Mike Devlin said he spoke to Brian Murray, highway foreman for the borough, on Sunday and he said the department had six workers on duty and vehicles were doing their best to keep the roads in good condition. Weather conditions or a shift change played a role in how long the workers were out.

“They are on alert right now. They know this is going to happen,” Devlin said.

Jolene Renninger, store manager of Hadesty’s Ace Hardware, Pottsville, said the store was busier than normal due to the winter storm.

“We are almost out of shovels. We have a few left,” Renninger said, adding 15 to 20 were sold.

When the eight or nine shovels are gone, that’s it, Renninger said.

Children’s sleds were also popular Sunday.

“We sold a lot of sleds for this storm,” Renninger said.

Renninger said the snow gives children a chance to have fun.

“It will be good for the kids to actually go out and play in,” she said.

Contact the writer: ; 570-628-6028

POTTSVILLE — Joshua M. Lukach goes on trial today in Schuylkill County Court for 10 crimes resulting from what prosecutors allege was his role in the robbery and murder of a Pottsville businessman in August 2015.

Jury selection is scheduled to start at 9 a.m. for Lukach, 22, of New Philadelphia, who is charged with first-degree murder, conspiracy, second-degree murder, robbery, burglary, criminal trespass, possessing instrument of crime, access device fraud, theft and receiving stolen property.

The trial, over which Judge Jacqueline L. Russell will preside, will begin as soon as jury selection is completed.

Pottsville police charge Lukach with robbing and killing John Brock, the owner of the now-closed Pottsville Bike and Board Shop, 125 W. Market St., in the early morning hours of Aug. 6, 2015, at the victim’s 14 S. 12th St. home. Police said Lukach and Shavinskin N. Thomas, 25, of Pottsville, stabbed Brock and stole money, keys and cards from him.

Police said Brock’s bedroom was in disarray when they entered it, with blood pooling on the bed and two blood-soaked pillows. Police also said they found a knife and a box cutter in Brock’s house.

On April 13, 2017, Thomas pleaded guilty to third-degree murder and other crimes. Russell sentenced him to serve 27 to 60 years in a state correctional institution; part of Thomas’ plea agreement requires that he testify against Lukach.

Thomas, who is serving his sentence at State Correctional Institution/Mahanoy, had starred in basketball at Pottsville Area High School and later played with the Schuylkill Firedogs in the Eastern Basketball Alliance.

State Deputy Attorney General Philip M. McCarthy, a Mahanoy Plane native, is prosecuting the case, while Jeffrey M. Markosky, Mahanoy City, is defending Lukach.

Prosecutors originally intended to seek the death penalty for Lukach, but withdrew that request on April 27, 2016. Now, Lukach faces a possible life sentence, which in Pennsylvania includes no possibility of parole, if convicted of first- or second-degree murder.

The start of the trial has been postponed several times due to evidentiary issues, which eventually were resolved by state appellate courts.

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

Defendant: Joshua M. Lukach

Age: 22

Residence: New Philadelphia

Charges: First-degree murder, conspiracy, second-degree murder, robbery, burglary, criminal trespass, possessing instrument of crime, access device fraud, theft and receiving stolen property

POTTSVILLE — In the modern age of electronics filled with battery-powered entertainment of all types, the game of chess is still popular in the world and at Nativity BVM High School.

Wherever its origins, the game was not created whole-cloth as it is played today, with the modern-day version going back to medieval times. The popularity of the game continues, and the school plans its third annual chess tournament for county schools.

Nativity is hosting the 2019 Schuylkill County Scholastic Chess Tournament on March 30. The tournament is open to all students, regardless of ability. There will be three divisions: kindergarten to grade 4, grades 5 to 8 and grades 9 to 12.

Schuylkill County schools that have a minimum of four students entered in a division will be eligible to win the 2019 Chess Champion Trophy. The top school in each division will receive a trophy. Medals will be awarded to the top three individuals in each division.

The Nativity chess club has 25 members. The co-advisers are teachers Al Bobinas and Dominic Chiplonia, both who enjoy the game and enjoy seeing younger people showing enthusiasm in playing it. The club meets at least once a week in the computer classroom.

“I started the club a couple of years ago when I started at Nativity,” Bobinas said. “And then ‘Mr. Chip’ came on board last year.”

Four Nativity students participated in the 2019 Pennsylvania State Scholastic Chess Championships held March 2 and 3 at Gettysburg. The tournament is sponsored by the Pennsylvania State Chess Federation, which is the official state affiliate to the United States Chess Federation.

“We’re going to be sending a team there,” Bobinas said.

Chiplonia said that the current club is a resurrection of a former one at the school.

“I went to high school here and I graduated in 2012. When I was here, there was a chess club,” Chiplonia said. “When I was hired last year, Dr. Bo was running it and I stopped in to see what it was all about and he asked if I wanted to help.”

Chiplonia also appreciates how some students love to participate.

“It’s something fun. They love the game,” he said. “We have some students who are going to the state tournament. They know all the different maneuvers and strategies, but a lot of them just play for fun. It’s like a mental exercise.”

Chiplonia explained that not everyone who expresses an interest to join knows how to play.

“There are some who come in as total novices. Dr. Bo and I will explain the basics of the game, how the pieces move, but one of the best parts of this school is that everyone knows everybody, so we get a novice to sit with two others and watch them play and teach each other. It’s pretty cool watching them interact like that. It’s not a sport, but it is a different kind of game. There’s a lot of teamwork there to learn the game.”

Three schools participating in the 2018 tournament and the co-advisers are looking forward to this year’s challenge.

“It was a successful tournament. We had a lot of K-8 here,” Chiplonia said. “We had three high school teams last year.”

When asked how many kindergarteners play chess, Bobinas said, “Right now we have four signed up in the K-4 category so far.

The registration fee for this year’s tournament is $10 per person. Registrations must be received by the close of school on March 20. Late registrations will not be accepted. There is no on-site registration the day of the tournament.

There will be some boards and pieces on site. However, participants should bring their own chess pieces, chess board and chess clock (or a mobile device with a chess clock app). Score sheets will be supplied.

Check-in time is 8-8:30 a.m. A participation list will be posted before the tournament at the site. A players meeting (all competitors must attend) will begin at 8:30 a.m. The first round will begin at 9 a.m. It will be a four-round Swiss-system tournament. The tournament will use the stChess app for determining both pairings and rankings. The tournament should finish by 3 p.m. with the following schedule:

• Round 1: 9 a.m.

• Round 2: 10:30 a.m. (or earlier if all competitors have completed Round 1)

• Round 3: Noon (or earlier if all competitors have completed Round 2)

• Round 4: 1:30 p.m. (or earlier if all competitors have completed Round 3)

Medals go to the top three finishers in each division and team trophies to the top school in each division. The top four scores from each school will be used to determine the team winner. A school must have at least four students participating in order to qualify for the team trophy.

All children must have adult supervision. Parents are responsible for their children’s actions and any damage they may cause to the tournament site. Seating space is limited so, if possible, limit the number of family members who attend.

For more information about the county chess tournament, contact Bobinas at 570-728-1389 or albobinas@gmail.com

Contact the writer: jusalis@republicanherald.com; 570-628-6023

LOYALTON — When Upper Dauphin Area School District wanted to find out what students may find engaging, they asked them.

This was the first year the district employed a student survey to determine elective course offerings, High School Principal Jared Shade told the school board Thursday.

Shade provided a presentation on the course selection book. He said the UDA teaching staff suggested several courses they could offer, and then those options were placed on a student survey. As a result, two new half-credit English courses and one new half-credit social studies course were added.

Shade said the district boosted credit requirement for graduation and made honor roll requirements more stringent. Another new course will be a ServSafe (food handling) certification class, which will be a Penn College credit. The course, however, will not have honors or dual enrollment weight, he said.

The district will not be offering any behind-the-wheel drivers education courses. Shade said the Capital Area Intermediate Unit no longer offers it, either.

The board approved the high school course selection book for the 2019-20 school year.

Directors Kathryn Talhelm and the Rev. Nathan Minnich were absent.

In other matters, the board approved an expulsion waiver for a student. The waiver meant the parents or guardians of the student did not request that an expulsion hearing be held on the child’s behalf. No details were provided on the identity of the student or the circumstance that led to the action.

In other business, the board approved:

• Purchasing 20 desktop computers and monitors for $17,965.40.

• The Dauphin County School Safety Task Force memorandum of understanding.

• Program volunteers for the 2018-19 school year: Terry Books, Victoria Yerges, Rachel Henry, Roy Henry, Heather Burkert and Janine Schaffner.

• Instructional substitutes for the 2018-19 school year: Christine Bailey and Terry Christenson.

• A request to retire from Tricia Britton at the end of the 2018-19 school year and from Martha Altland, as of March 29.

• The UDA girls’ softball team booster organization to place a sign on school property that displays the team’s 2018 girls’ softball District 3 AA state championship title.

• Transfer agreement rights between the district and Central PA Rehabilitation Services Inc. to Family Practice Center for athletic training.

• Trips by the Future Farmers of America, Future Business Leaders of America, girls’ basketball team and the choral department for one student to attend a regional chorus festival.

The board entered into two executive sessions to discuss legal and personnel issues, one near the beginning of the board meeting and one at the end. The next meeting will be 7 p.m. March 12 in the district office, Loyalton.

Contact the writer: ; 570-628-6007

The Williams Valley school board Thursday approved an extended school year program for special education students.

The sessions will be held daily, Monday through Thursday, from June 24 to July 25, with staff hours from 8 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. and students attending from 8:30 to 11:45 a.m. Staff will be provided with 10 preparation hours to be completed in June prior to the program’s start. No sessions are scheduled the week of July 1-4. The board also approved the public posting of the district’s special education plan for July 1, 2019, through June 30, 2022.

Board member John Mika was absent.

In other matters, students Allie Smith and Thomas Hahne addressed the board, asking to participate in track and field events as independent competitors. They’re looking to compete with other districts, they said.

The board revised a motion made at the Dec. 6, 2018, meeting to reflect the newest board director, James Monger, was available to serve on several committees that had been previously served by former director Tedd Johns. Monger will be an alternate liaison for the Pennsylvania School Boards Association and will serve on the standing committee for expulsion hearings, negotiating team and board policy committee. David Ferraro was appointed as PSBA liaison, and Christopher Stroup and Jennifer Kramer were chosen for the Employee Relations Committee as a contact and alternate, respectively.

A revision was also needed on the board’s 2019 public meeting dates in October, changing the second meeting date of the month from Oct. 24 to Oct. 31. The board will meet at 7:30 p.m. on the following dates: March 14, 28; April 11, 25; May 9, 23; June 13, 27; July 11, 25; Aug. 8, 22; Sept. 12, 26; Oct. 10, 31; Nov. 14; and Dec. 5 for reorganization.

In other action, the board approved:

• The afternoon literature club meetings and facilitators Wendy Hueston and Jennifer Matz. Anna Wolochuk and Rebecca Clayton will serve as substitutes.

• The program of studies for grades 9 to 12 for the 2019-20 school year.

• Using Good Friday, April 19, as a snow make-up day. Students will be dismissed early — high school at 10:30 a.m. and elementary at 11 a.m. Directors Joanna Stroup and Tracey Minnich were opposed.

• Dane Huntzinger, of Valley View, as a substitute teacher for the 2018-19 school year.

• The resignation of Dana Wolfe, part-time paraprofessional, effective Feb. 26.

The district’s high school musical “Oklahoma” will run March 15-17.

Contact the writer: ; 570-628-6007

POTTSVILLE — Schuylkill County Coroner Dr. David J. Moylan III wants four more years as coroner.

“I still got another four years left in me,” Moylan said Sunday.

Moylan announced Friday his intention to seek re-election for the post he’s had since 2012.

Moylan addressed his challenger, Schuylkill County Deputy Coroner Deb Detweiler, and her comments that the office holder does not have to be a medical doctor.

“But shouldn’t you be?” Moylan said.

As coroner, Moylan said his medical experience serves the public.

He is a graduate of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, receiving his bachelor’s degree in life sciences. He completed medical school at Georgetown University School of Medicine; served as an intern and resident in internal medicine at Bryn Mawr Hospital, Bryn Mawr; had residency training in radiation oncology at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital, Philadelphia; was an assistant professor at Therapeutic Radiology at Jefferson Medical College; and was the founding medical director at the Schuylkill Cancer Center.

Among his accomplishments while in office, Moylan cites, is the virtual autopsy or postmortem CT scan. Use of the procedure yields “significant information regarding cause and manner of death, particularly for drug overdoses, trauma victims and natural deaths, Moylan said in his announcement.

“Although the virtual autopsy will never replace traditional autopsies in capital cases, it usually provides a very useful road map to guide the pathologist in their exploratory work. Since the spring of 2012, over 1,300 virtual studies have been performed to provide a cost effective method in determining cause and manner of death,” Moylan said.

As coroner, Moylan has established an annual forensic science conference held at The Simon Kramer Cancer Institute, New Philadelphia. The conference is certified by the Pennsylvania State Attorney General’s Office and counts toward continuing education for coroners and chief deputy coroners. This year’s conference is scheduled for April 27. Taxpayer money does not pay for the conference, Moylan said.

Moylan lives in Lake Wynonah with his wife, Dr. Denise Moylan, daughter, Lauren, and dog, Gus,

Moylan is active in civic causes in the county. He is a member of the Knights of Columbus, Ancient Order of Hibernians and is involved with the Servants to All Homeless Shelter.

Contact the writer: ; 570-628-6028