CRESSONA — The cause of a natural gas leak Tuesday near Hydro Extrusion USA remains unknown, but it was not located on the plant property, Michael Hammer, operation manager, said.

“It was on the UGI side of the system,” Hammer said Wednesday.

Hammer said an employee discovered the leak during a routine patrol of the area.

John Matz, Schuylkill Emergency Management Agency director, who was at the scene Tuesday, said the leak was where the UGI natural gas feed comes into the plant on the far end, which is on Columbia Street. Firefighters from Schuylkill Haven, Cressona, Pottsville, and Pine Grove were dispatched to the scene after a call came in as a gas leak odor outside. The leak led to the evacuation of about 300 employees from the plant and residents on Columbia Street. Cressona Fire Chief Mike Mansell said he ordered the evacuation of the people in the nearby area as a precaution.

“We weren’t sure where the leak was,” Mansell said.

Mansell didn’t know the number of people who were evacuated.

UGI employees responded to the area, located the leak and fixed it, Matz said. Firefighters and Matz used air monitoring equipment calibrated to detect flammable materials, in this case methane, which they didn’t detect. Methane is lighter than air.

Workers were permitted inside the plant after no detectable readings were found. Firefighters left the scene by 11:15 p.m. Tuesday.

Hammer said he appreciated the quick response from the fire companies and UGI.

A representative from UGI didn’t respond to an email for comment.

Contact the writer: ; 570-628-6028

A New Philadelphia man is headed to a federal prison after a judge sentenced him Tuesday in Scranton for arranging the unlawful purchases of several firearms.

Mark Tullock, 37, must spend 70 months behind bars, plus an additional two years on supervised release after leaving prison, U.S. District Judge Malachy E. Mannion decided.

U.S. Attorney David J. Freed said Wednesday that on various dates in 2016 and 2017, Tullock directed other people to buy the firearms for him, thereby acting as “straw purchasers.” A straw purchaser is a person who buys a firearm, with no intention of using it himself or herself, for a person who is not allowed to purchase or own one.

In Tullock’s case, the defendant was not allowed to buy or possess a firearm due to his prior criminal record, according to Freed.

The federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated the case, which was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey St. John.

Prosecutors brought the case as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods, which brings together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve in an effort to reduce violent crime and make neighborhoods safer for everyone. Federal authorities reinvigorated the program in 2017 in order to try to target violent criminals by having federal, state, local and tribal law enforcement officials work together.

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

MOLINO — Problems with the traffic light at the intersection of routes 61 and 895 in West Brunswick Township on Wednesday brought area fire police out to assist with traffic control.

State police at Schuylkill Haven said power to the light went out around 3:30 p.m.

It was restored around 4:10 p.m., a public communications officer said. She said no accidents were reported.

Attempts to reach Ronald Young, district press officer for PennDOT’s Engineering District 5, Allentown, could not be reached for comment Wednesday.

A supervisor at the Schuylkill County Communications Center said Auburn fire police responded to the scene to assist with traffic control. However, when fire police arrived workers were already on scene repairing the light and had traffic moving at a normal flow.

It was not the first problem with the lights at that intersection this year.

On April 15, a signal failure may have contributed to a crash that claimed the life of a Carbon County man.

The crash occurred at 7 p.m. and claimed the life of Franklin L. Ruch, 64, of Lehighton, chairman of the Mahoning Township board of supervisors.

At the time of the crash, state police Trooper John Sanchez of the Schuylkill Haven station said, all traffic signals at the intersection were not functioning due to weather conditions and power outages in the area and other parts of Schuylkill County.

Ruch was driving a 2007 GMC Envoy west on Route 895 as Gary R. Reinoehl, 46, of Pine Grove, was driving a 2015 Ford F-650 rollback tow truck north on Route 61. Both vehicles entered the intersection at the same time, causing Reinoehl’s truck to hit the driver’s side of Ruch’s SUV.

The force caused Ruch’s vehicle to travel northwest through the intersection while Reinoehl’s truck continued north, striking a concrete barrier, causing it to become airborne and come to a stop on top of the barrier facing northwest. Ruch’s vehicle came to a stop on the south side of the road facing northwest. Ruch was killed on impact and pronounced dead at the scene of the crash.

At the time, Reinoehl, an employee of Red, White and Blue Autos, said he couldn’t do anything to avoid the accident and never even had a chance to apply his brakes.

He said the lights at the intersection were not working at the time of the accident.

An employee from Telco Inc., Reading, who did not wish to be identified, said he had responded to the scene to check the lights after being dispatched about the outage. He arrived after the accident and said he couldn’t provide any further information about how he was notified.

Alana Roberts, a PPL spokeswoman, said that on that night, at 6:58 p.m., power was disrupted in the area to 1,417 customers at 6:58 p.m. At 7:02 p.m., power was restored to 934 customers. The traffic lights were still out as of 8:14 p.m. that night.

Although plans are in place to have fire police or other emergency personnel assist at roadway intersections where a traffic signal is not operational, officials said drivers are also responsible for safety in such situations. According to the state vehicle code, when traffic signals are inoperable for whatever reason, drivers at the respective intersections have a duty to drive responsibly to ensure not only their safety but the safety of other motorists. According to Title 75, Section 3112 of the state Vehicle Code governing traffic control signals, when a traffic signal is red or completely unlighted all vehicular traffic must stop in the same manner as at a stop sign. At that point, drivers have the right to proceed but are subject to the rules applicable after making a stop at a stop sign.

The one at the intersection of routes 61 and 895 is owned by Schuylkill County, which is responsible for the maintenance.

Emergency personnel often assist in these situations but only when requested.

Scott D. Krater, director of the Schuylkill County Communications Center, said in April that dispatchers routinely call on the assistance of fire police or fire departments to assist with traffic in cases such as malfunctioning traffic signals or other emergencies but do so only at the request of outside agencies. He said that if the communications center receives a call about a power outage or a malfunctioning signal, PPL or a police agency, respectively, will be notified. At that point, a call may be requested for assistance with traffic control.

Referring to the April 15 crash as an example, Krater said should a call have been received about the malfunctioning light prior to the fatal crash, state police at Schuylkill Haven would have been notified because it was in their coverage area. However, the power was reportedly only out for ten minutes and the communications center had not received a call about the light being out.

A lot of times, Krater said, the state police or local police agencies will ask for fire police to be dispatched to assist until they are able to get to the scene and determine the best course of action to take.

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

POTTSVILLE — The Pottsville Area school board voted to enter into an agreement to buy Dell desktop computers districtwide for office staff.

The lease agreement is subject to the approval of the administration and the solicitor and does not have to come before the board again.

“It is budgeted funds. This is a process that has been two years in the making,” Business Manager Brian Manning said.

An exact number of Dell Optiplex 7060 computers has not been finalized but is estimated at 200 and could cost $200,000, Manning said. The following departments will use the desktop computers: main offices in each of the district schools, academic center, computer labs in the high school, transportation and athletic departments, custodial services and cafeteria. Manning said the computers are eight years old and past their useful life span. The district will sell the older computer towers to an outside company to offset some of the first year of what is expected to be a five-year lease.

The computers are slated to be used for the 2019-20 school year. No members of the public objected to the vote.

In other business, the board voted to replace the high school football stadium scoreboard, which is at least 20 years old, but is not paying anything for the new one. St. Luke’s University Health Network is paying for the $42,036.60 cost as part of a sports sponsorship agreement with the district. The board should be installed in August at the high school stadium. The agreement also includes the $6,400 cost for KC Sign & Awnings, Aston, to install the new scoreboard and remove or dispose of the existing one and the approximate $10,000 cost for two scoreboards in the high school boys gym, which were installed about two weeks ago by high school staff. Other financial contributions are also included. The first year of the five-year agreement includes about $58,000 to pay for the aforementioned costs, Manning said. Additional information was not provided. The football scoreboard is experiencing electrical problems, Manning said.

Also, the HVAC unit on the middle school roof is getting replaced. The board authorized the administration to enter into an agreement with Heim Co. not to exceed $22,000. The district solicitor will review the terms of the agreement.

School lunch prices are increasing 10 cents for elementary and secondary students and adults to $2.60, $2.65 and $3.90, respectively. The hike in prices is required by the U.S. Department of Agriculture equity in school-meal pricing guidelines. Breakfast prices are going up a nickel for elementary and secondary students to $1.60 and $1.65. Adults will pay a dime more, or $2.75, for breakfast. Reduced breakfast and lunch prices will remain the same, 30 cents for breakfast and 40 cents for lunch.

Several personnel actions were also taken during the meeting.

Contact the writer: ; 570-628-6028

“Feed me, Seymour!”

Monster, man-eating — and singing — plants are coming to the Tamaqua Community Arts Center, 125 Pine St., this weekend. The show, presented through special arrangement with Musical Theater International, will be held in Center Stage Theater at the center at 7 p.m. today and 2 and 7 p.m. Saturday.

Tickets are $15 and can be purchased at the door and online at https://tamaquaarts.thundertix.com.

According to Matthew Poirier, director of the show, “ ‘Little Shop of Horrors’ is a trip down B Movie Horror lane. The people of Skid Row live a boring, sad existence, until everything is thrown into chaos by the introduction of a seemingly interesting plant —with a taste for human flesh.”

It might be a good idea to leave the kids at home for this one, according to Poirier.

“The show has strong language, adult themes and violence, and is not recommended for children. Teens and adults will love it,” he said.

Working since late May, “and between music, blocking, choreorgraphy, set construction, costuming,” the cast has been putting in a lot of work, Porier said. “We’ve been rehearsing Tuesday, Thursday, Sunday, with a Saturday thrown in here and there since May.”

The production features 10 actors, most of whom are local, including a voice actor and puppeteer for the murderous plant, Audrey II, “but we do have some guests from Bloomsburg helping us make the show as good as it can be” Porrier said.

It’s not the first time the Tamaqua Community Arts Center has done the show, but it is the first time for this crew, Porrier said.

“We are learning from our predecessors to put on an amazing show,” he said.

Porrier hopes the community has fun with an unforgettable show created through hard work.

“We hope people come out and have fun seeing our show. Like professional theater, community theater works hard to put on the best possible show we can. Unlike professional theater, we don’t always have the resources they have, so we have to improvise and put a lot of thought and work into making the show feel like an experience you won’t forget — and I feel our hard work will help create that experience, ” he said.

For more information, visit the TCAC website, www.tamaquaarts.org.

Contact the writer: cwertz@republicanherald.com; 570-628-6004

A malfunction apparently caused by repairs made to an advance warning system alerting drivers traveling south on Route 61 of the approaching traffic light at the intersection of Route 895 caused some headaches for drivers Wednesday afternoon.

The traffic signal at the Molino intersection stopped working properly around 3:30 p.m., but was back in full operation about 40 minutes later.

Lisa Mahall, director of the Schuylkill County engineering and real estate departments, on Thursday clarified the situation, which state police on Wednesday had reported as a power outage to the traffic signal itself.

Mahall said the traffic signal was not off, but the side regulating Route 895 heading toward Drehersville was stuck on red.

She said over the past several months people reported issues with the advance warning system, a lighted sign visible to southbound traffic. People would occasionally call to report the signal was not working. Mahall said contractors corrected the issue Wednesday. But after that is when reports were received that traffic on Route 895 had a steady red light while north and southbound traffic on Route 61 had a constant green.

Mahall said contractors immediately came back to the scene and corrected the problem.

“What was reported to me is that the advance warning system caused the traffic signal to remain red for 895,” she said.

Mahall stressed that the signal never stopped working completely.

She also said Schuylkill County takes issues with traffic lights seriously and immediately investigates any complaints or problems.

“We react immediately and call the contractor if necessary; safety is our number one priority,” Mahall said.

Minor traffic problems were experienced during the outage but no accidents were reported, state police at Schuylkill Haven said.

Ronald Young, district press officer for the state Department of Transportation’s Engineering District 5, Allentown, said Thursday that the traffic light is owned and maintained by Schuylkill County.

By taking ownership of the light, he said the county agreed to be responsible for its maintenance and continued operation, something it is currently doing.

Young said PennDOT does not get involved in situations such as Wednesday’s malfunction. PennDOT will get involved only if modifications to the light are required, he said.

Modifications such as changing the timing or updating the software needed for the light’s operation have to be submitted to PennDOT for review and approval.

A supervisor at the Schuylkill County Communications Center said Wednesday that Auburn fire police responded to the scene to assist with traffic control, but when they arrived repair crews were on scene and had traffic moving normally.

A malfunction with the light earlier this year, possibly brought on by severe weather, attributed to a crash that claimed the life of a Carbon County man.

Franklin R. Ruch, 54, of Lehighton, was killed when the SUV he was driving collided with a flatbed truck driven by Gary R. Reinoehl, 46, of Pine Grove.

State police at Schuylkill Haven said the April 15 crash happened as Ruch was driving west on Route 895 when he entered the intersection and collided with the Reinoehl truck.

The traffic light governing the intersection was not operational at the time of the crash.

State law, however, states drivers approaching an intersection with a non functioning light must treat the intersection as if it were governed by four stop signs.

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

3 charged with shooting at vehicles

POTTSVILLE — Pottsville police on Thursday filed charges against three people after a BB gun incident around 6 a.m. June 25.

Police said officers were called to the area of Dunkin Donuts East and discovered that four passenger vehicles and eight tractor-trailers were shot at.

The shootings happened while all the vehicles were occupied and some were stationary and some in motion, police said, adding that all the damage was consistent with what could have been done by a BB or pellet gun.

As a result of the subsequent investigation, police said, officers seized a total of six BB or pellet guns and identified those responsible for causing the damage.

Charged as a result were Martin Madara, 19, and Craig Fisher, 19, both of Pottsville, and Austin Fairchild, 20, of Saint Clair.

Patrolman Michael Messner filed misdemeanor charges of propulsion of missiles into an occupied vehicle and criminal mischief as well as summary disorderly conduct against all three.

The charges were filed with Magisterial District Judge James K. Reiley, Pottsville.

Coroner’s office seeks next of kin

POTTSVILLE — The Schuylkill County Coroner’s Office is seeking help from the public in finding the next of kin of a deceased man.

Deputy Coroner Al Barnes said Kenneth Adams, who was born June 20, 1943, died at Orwigsburg Manor where he had been a resident for about eight years.

The coroner’s office asks that anyone with information on Adam’s next of kin to call Barnes at 570-691-6698.

POTTSVILLE — The Humane Fire Company No. 1 and Phoenix Fire Company No. 2 are having a co-dedication of fire apparatus Saturday — the first such combined service in city history.

Humane Fire Company, 200 Humane Ave., will host the events with activities starting at 10 a.m., with judging of equipment participating in a parade that starts at 1 p.m. The parade will last between 10 to 20 minutes with a start and finish at the fire company after a trip through the city. Fire companies from surrounding counties are invited.

A ceremony that includes a christening of the apparatus and blessing will occur shortly thereafter. Mike Glore, trustee for the Phoenix, said Pottsville Mayor James T. Muldowney, state Sen. David G. Argall, R-29, Rush Township, and state Rep. Neal P. Goodman, D-123, Mahanoy City, are among the dignitaries who will attend. Afterward, visitors are encouraged to see the new equipment. Food and refreshments are available with a purchase of a $5 commemorative mug.

Members of the Goodwill Fire Company in the city are volunteering their help.

“In recorded history, it’s never happened,” Glore said about the joint effort.

“It’s a very proud and exciting moment,” said Mike Kitsock, past president of the Schuylkill Historical Fire Society.

Glore and Joe Spotts, president of the Humane, said the companies decided on the combined event so it would save time and manpower and builds on cooperation among fire companies. Plus, the weather — with the flooding and the winter weather approaching in 2018 — wasn’t conducive to such an event at that time.

Former Pottsville Fire Chief Todd March, who retired in 2017 and was chief since Dec. 15, 1975, agreed the celebration is a first in the city, as he’s unaware of a joint housing.

“I think it’s a good idea they are doing it together,” March said.

Apparatus

The Humane has a 2017 Pierce Enforcer 1,750-gallon pumper it bought for $478,000 from Glick Fire Equipment Co. Inc., Bird In Hand, Lancaster County. The Humane received the pumper, which seats six, in July 2018 and it was put into service in October. The company has a loan on the vehicle for 15 years but did save about $200,000 through the used purchase.

“We were in the market for a new truck, and we started looking around,” Spotts said. Glick eventually contacted Humane.

The new pumper has a 1,000-gallon tank capacity, double that of its 1999 Seagrave Pumper.

“The little things were starting to nickel and dime us,” Spotts said of problems with the Seagrave.

For example, there was a computer glitch that doesn’t show the mileage on the vehicle any longer, and the air compressor and other items malfunctioned. The vehicle is still in service as a backup engine.

“The reliability is there,” Spotts said of the 2017 model, which weighs 46,500 pounds.

The Phoenix purchased its 2014 Pierce Arrow XT 100-foot tractor-drawn aerial ladder truck in March 2018 for $500,000 at an auction. The vehicle, which had 22,000 miles on it in April 2018, was owned by the Brevard County Fire and Rescue Station, Brevard County, Florida. If bought today, a new one would cost at least $1.2 million. The fire company took out a 15-year loan on the 76,000-pound truck.

It was put into service in September after upgrades that included additional seating and lighting.

The truck, which seats nine people, has a 70-gallon foam system, which can be used for vehicle fires, a capacity they didn’t have before. Although the ladder is 10 feet shorter, for a total of 100 feet, than the older ladder truck, it has a heavier weighted ladder, meaning it can distribute weight more evenly. The new truck also has a pulley system, enabling firefighters to repel from the ladder to rescue someone if needed.

It replaces a ladder truck the company had since 2004 and sold to the city of Reno, Nevada, for $200,000.

Contact the writer: ; 570-628-6028

Moon rocks are showing up around Schuylkill County, and while they aren’t from the lunar surface, their appearance is related to the 1969 Apollo 11 landing on the earth’s closest neighbor.

Nancy L. Yob, Summit Station, is one of many local rock painters in the county — hobbyists who place their creations in inconspicuous spots in public spaces with the intent of them being found. To commemorate the historic mission, the 50th anniversary of which is Saturday, she painted 35 small stones, as well as some golf balls, with an astronaut holding the American flag.

“You can keep the rock. You can move it. You can do with it whatever you want,” Yob said Thursday.

As with all painted rocks, the only thing asked in return is written on the back of the stone, a request to photograph the rock and post the picture on the Schuylkill County Rocks Facebook page. Yob also places rocks for Berks County Rocks and Skooks Rocks.

Yob, who enjoyed painting by numbers as a child and was a member of the art club in Blue Mountain High School, derives satisfaction from the heartwarming effect of finding a bit of stone and paint in a clever design.

“They put a smile on people’s faces,” she said. “They brighten people’s days. I have had people tell me that. They were depressed or they were having a tough day and ... it’s amazing what a little rock will do for people.”

However, her latest batch will likely bring back memories for some and prompt thoughts in others.

Yob well remembers that summer night when 600 million earthlings were glued to the television as Neil Armstrong climbed down a ladder on a leg of the LEM and set foot on the dusty Sea of Tranquility. She was expecting her third child, Michael Jr., who was born Dec. 22, and would be the baby of the family following his sisters, Michele Yob and Donna, now Garland.

“As I was watching, I would say to my son, ‘What’s it going to be like 50 years from now?,” she remembers.

While science and medicine have advanced since that day and society has seen its ups and downs, all of which answered the question she asked Michael Jr., a recent event gives her a chance to put the question to a new generation.

On July 16, with the birth of Koen Krause, to her grandson, Nicholas, son of Donna Garland, Yob became a great-grandmother and, if she asks him what will life be like in 50 years, she will also be asking what will it be like 100 years after man first set foot on the moon.

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

SAINT CLAIR — When Neil A. Armstrong took his giant leap for mankind and became the first man to walk on the moon 50 years ago Saturday, Hexcel Corp. was there to greet him, company spokeswoman Kaye Veazey said.

“Our aluminum honeycomb was part of the lunar lander,” Veazey said. “We like to say that before Neil Armstrong’s foot touched the moon, our honeycomb did.”

While the material is similar to that made at the Hexcel Pottsville plant in Saint Clair Industrial Park, the honeycomb in the Apollo 11 lunar lander, specifically the primary strut connected to the footpad, did not come from there for a simple reason: The plant was not yet in business, according to plant manager Stan Bolinsky.

“We opened in July 1980,” Bolinsky said.

Although the Pottsville plant was not in business when this country reached the moon, Bolinsky is still proud of Hexcel’s part in one of the greatest events in history.

“It was the footpads of the Apollo 11 lunar landing module,” he said.

In fact, Veazey said, all lunar and Mars landing craft have contained Hexcel aluminum honeycomb parts. Coast Guard and Department of Defense aircraft also use Hexcel parts, she said.

As the United States celebrates the 50th anniversary of the Apollo 11 mission to the moon, Hexcel, based in Stamford, Connecticut, also is reminding everyone that it helped Armstrong and Edwin “Buzz” Aldrin to arrive successfully on the surface and then leave to rejoin Michael Collins for the flight home.

“It actually is rocket science,” Veazey said. “We were a part of that.”

Founded in 1948, Hexcel employs more than 6,600 people in 24 plants around the world. It develops and manufactures structural materials, including the honeycomb that was in the lunar lander.

“Hexcel has three major markets we operate in,” including commercial aerospace, space and defense, and industrial, Veazey said. “It’s a mix of military and civil.”

She said Hexcel products still can be found in satellites and launch vehicles, along with helicopters and military aircraft.

“Satellites are part of our business” and reflect the company’s commitment to the space program, although she cannot go into details of what the products are, Veazey said.

Bolinsky said the Pottsville plant contributes to the current space and defense programs with its work.

“We convert metallic and nonmetallic honeycomb materials into engineered core structures for the aerospace industry,” he said. “Ours (are) in mostly aircraft.”

Helicopters such as Apache, Blackhawk and Chinook also use the parts from the Pottsville plant, Bolinsky said.

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

DELANO — Community revitalization can mean large rehabilitation projects in some cases, but sometimes it can mean bringing back a town one house at a time as was done in Delano Township and Ashland.

The Schuylkill County Land Bank held open houses Thursday to highlight two properties that have been brought back from blighted houses to livable homes. The two properties were extremely blighted and purchased by the land bank at a delinquent tax sale in 2017. They have been rehabilitated for modest-income buyers.

Both open houses were moderated by county land bank administrator Christopher Gulotta, principal of The Gulotta Group LLC, Easton. According to its website, the consulting firm was formed in 2010 to provide high quality, affordable training and technical assistance to community development and housing professionals.

The first open house was held in the morning at 68 Lakeside Ave., Delano. Information provided by Gulotta explained the three-bedroom house has a large yard, off-street parking and a new kitchen and bath. Additional rehab work includes a new roof, heating system and electrical wiring upgrade. The electric heating system includes zoned areas for improved energy efficiency.

The rehabilitation of the Delano property was approximately $110,000, and is listed for sale through Helen M. Miernicki, a licensed realtor with Realty World. The Ashland property is also listed with Miernicki.

Before the open house presentations began, Miernicki noted some of the work that had been done, and that the adjoining vacant property had also been acquired, to provide the off-street parking and a very large yard. A neighboring house had maintenance and repair work done, which Miernicki explained happens when a neighborhood property gets a facelift.

“Now people want to fix,” she said. “When you’re next to something that’s falling apart, why would I want to invest money? Why do I want to do this?”

There were land bank board members in attendance at both open houses, as well as representatives from the county, including Commissioners George F. Halcovage Jr., Frank Staudenmeier and Gary Hess, county Administrator Gary Bender, state Sen. David G. Argall, R-29, Rush Township; and land bank members Kenneth Karlavage, who is the board chairman and also chairman of the Delano Township supervisors; Clyde “Champ” Holman, Ryan Township supervisor and vice chairman; and Mahanoy City Borough Councilwoman Patricia Mullins. Also attending were Pennsylvania Housing Finance Agency Business Policy Officer Clay Lambert and state Department of Community and Economic Development Local Government Policy Specialist Michael Carpenter.

Gulotta began the presentation with the county land bank’s involvement in the rehabilitation project in both locations. He said Pennsylvania currently has about 25 land banks.

“The purpose of a land bank anywhere in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is to stop the cycle of abandoned, vacant and tax-delinquent properties,” Gulotta said. “So, we’re accomplishing that here in Schuylkill County. This was a tax-delinquent property that was purchased by the land bank in 2017 for $100.”

“This is a big thing for Delano,” Karlavage said. “Over the last couple of years, we’ve demolished at least four to five properties. This is a small community. In the last couple of years, nobody has built a home here, so by rehabbing this home, we’re bringing people in, which is a big plus for us. We’re hoping that some of the lots become available. Where the homes were ripped down, the township is about ready to sell some of the lots for someone to build a home on. We hope homes are built instead of just becoming side yards.”

The second open house was held at 1409-1411 Centre St., Ashland. The three-bedroom, 1 1/2 bath house also includes a fully updated kitchen and bathrooms, as well as new heating, electrical and plumbing systems. According to Gulotta, the rehabilitation cost of this property was $132,000. The yard is extra-wide and includes off-street parking. An agreement of sale is pending for this property, according to Miernicki. The house was listed for $60,000.

“This was originally a duplex and was converted into one unit,” Gulotta said. “This was in pretty rough shape, as well, like the Delano property. As mentioned, we did have our doubts early on if we were making the right decision to rehab rather than demo. Obviously, we made the right decision to rehab, so we’re pleased with that.”

Funding for this effort was provided by the Pennsylvania Housing Finance Agency, the County of Schuylkill Act 137 Program, DCED, and construction financing from Mid Penn Bank.

The Ashland open house was attended by Argall, the commissioners and the state officials. Representing the borough were borough council President Ann Marie Groody, Councilman Adam J. Bernodin Jr., Councilwoman Patti Wesner and Borough Manager Raymond Jones Jr.

“I think this is beautiful,” Wesner said. “It’s hard to believe a blighted property that I thought should have been torn down could be this beautiful. It’s gorgeous. I couldn’t even imagine that this could be rehabbed. I hope we continue.”

The Schuylkill County Land Bank has been in existence since 2016. Since that time, the land bank has initiated a number of projects that involve acquiring, rehabilitating or demolishing blighted properties in the county. The land bank has partnered with Minersville, Mahanoy City and Shenandoah to provide DCED funding assistance to them for the demolition of blighted properties.

In addition, the land bank has acquired tax delinquent and blighted properties in Girardville and Frackville for resale to adjoining property owners. The goal of the land bank includes re-purposed blighted properties for productive uses consistent with community needs and expanding the tax base of county communities.

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

The Health Resources and Services Administration announced Thursday that it has awarded Lehigh Valley Hospital-Schuylkill a $749,859 Rural Residency Planning and Development Program grant. The award is part of a larger $20 million distribution across 21 states. Each RRPD recipient receives up to $750,000 over a three-year period to develop new rural residency programs while achieving accreditation through the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education.

The announcement was made during a press conference at the state capitol in Harrisburg.

“Promoting the health of rural America is one of the Trump Administration’s health care priorities,” HHS Secretary Alex Azar said in a statement issued afterward. “Supporting the training of health care providers in rural areas through grants like these is a key way to help expand rural access to care, and is part of an overall effort to support rural health care in sustainable, innovative, and flexible ways.”

The Health Resources and Services Administration, an agency of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, is the main federal agency that seeks to improve health care to geographically isolated, economically or medically vulnerable people.

The RRPD program, administered by HRSA’s Federal Office of Rural Health Policy and Bureau of Health Workforce, is part of a multi-year initiative by HRSA to expand the physician workforce in rural areas by developing new, sustainable residency programs in family medicine, internal medicine and psychiatry. The recipients of the awards include rural hospitals, community health centers, health centers operated by the Indian Health Service, Indian tribes or tribal organizations, and schools of medicine.

“The health challenges in rural America are clear: rural communities face a greater risk of poor health outcomes than their urban counterparts,” HRSA administrator Dr. George Sigounas said Thursday. “Programs like the Rural Residency Planning and Development grants take aim at one of the most persistent disparities: access to high quality health care providers. HRSA is committed to increasing the number of providers serving rural communities and improving health in rural America.”

“Today is an important day for rural health care in Pennsylvania,” said Dr. Lawrence Riddles, regional chief medical officer at Lehigh Valley Hospital-Schuylkill and Lehigh Valley Hospital-Hazelton. “We have an aging physician population in Pennsylvania and especially in Schuylkill County. Statistics show that many medical residents choose to practice close to where they did their residency. So this is a great opportunity to introduce this area to Family Medicine residents and help create our next generation of care providers for our community.”

Rural residency programs often face challenges in securing sustainable financing and faculty support. The RRPD grant award funding will help recipients address these challenges.

“Training residents in rural areas is one strategy shown to successfully encourage graduates to practice in rural settings,” said HRSA Associate Administrator for FORHP Tom Morris. “The rural residency grants set up these 27 future residency programs for success.”

“We know that clinicians who train in rural settings are more likely to continue to practice there after they complete their residencies,” said HRSA associate administrator for BHW Dr. Luis Padilla. “Rural communities are more likely to have a shortage of health professionals. The rural residency grants are one more way HRSA is helping to expand the health workforce and increase access to quality health care for these communities.”

• To review a complete list of all grant recipients, visit www.hrsa.gov/rural-health/rural-residency-planning-development.

• For more information about rural health policy issues, visit www.hrsa.gov/rural-health/index.html.

• To learn more about HRSA’s health care workforce programs, visit www.hrsa.gov/about/organization/bureaus/bhw/index.html.

POTTSVILLE — A Mahanoy City man will spend time in prison after a Schuylkill County judge sentenced him Tuesday for his role in an October 2018 altercation with police and emergency personnel in his hometown.

William J. Mooney, 48, must serve six to 12 months in prison, and pay costs and $50 to the Criminal Justice Enhancement Account, President Judge William E. Baldwin decided.

“This whole thing started because you wouldn’t talk to a police officer and then it got physical,” Baldwin told Mooney.

In a one-day trial on June 10, a jury found Mooney guilty of resisting arrest and simple assault, but not guilty of three counts of aggravated assault and two additional counts of simple assault. Baldwin also found him guilty of direct contempt of court for being one hour late for the trial.

Mahanoy City police alleged Mooney assaulted an emergency medical technician, and then resisted police attempts to arrest him, on Oct. 9, 2018.

Also on Tuesday, Al-Lateef A.A. White, 38, of Pottsville, pleaded guilty to driving under the influence, driving under suspension and careless driving. Prosecutors withdrew charges of no rear lights and operating vehicle without valid inspection.

Baldwin sentenced White to time served to six months in prison with immediate parole, pay costs, $1,325 in fines and $100 to the Substance Abuse Education Fund, and perform 10 hours community service.

State police at Schuylkill Haven charged White was DUI on June 10, 2017, in Pottsville.

In another Tuesday case, Francis Guida, 54, of Ringtown, pleaded guilty to loitering and prowling at nighttime and disorderly conduct. Prosecutors withdrew charges of criminal trespass, public drunkenness and criminal mischief.

Baldwin placed Guida on probation for two years, and also sentenced him to pay costs, undergo a mental health evaluation and have no contact with his victim.

Shenandoah police had alleged Guida loitered and was disorderly on July 23, 2017, on East Lloyd Street in the borough.

Also on Tuesday, Sydiq D. Shenoster, 20, of Shenandoah, pleaded guilty to terroristic threats in one case and criminal mischief in another. Prosecutors withdrew three counts of disorderly conduct, two of harassment and one of simple assault.

Baldwin sentenced Shenoster to serve 15 days to 12 months in prison and an additional 12 months on probation, and pay costs, a $50 CJEA payment and $793.94 restitution.

“That doesn’t sound right,” Shenoster said.

“Are you telling me you don’t want to plead to this?” Baldwin asked him.

“No, I’m not,” he answered.

Shenandoah police filed both sets of charges against Shenoster, alleging he threatened a man on July 10, 2017, and damaged the front window of a dentist’s office on Sept. 18, 2017.

In another Tuesday case, Baldwin placed Troy M. Tafner, 23, of Mount Carmel, on probation for 12, making the term consecutive to his current Northumberland County sentence, and also sentenced him to pay costs and a $100 SAEF payment.

Tafner pleaded guilty on May 20 to possession of a controlled substance. Butler Township police charged him with possessing 10.5 grams of methamphetamine on July 7, 2018, in the township.

“I was at a bad, bad point in my life,” Tafner testified. “I’m trying my best. I would love to go back to work.”

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

With temperatures rising, the National Weather Service in State College has issued an excessive heat warning for areas including Schuylkill County. The warning is in effect from noon Friday to 8 p.m. Saturday. A Heat Advisory has also been issued for 8 p.m. Saturday to 8 p.m. Sunday.

According to the weather service, heat index values will be up to 110 degrees on Friday and Saturday, and up to 104 on Sunday. The highest values will be in the afternoons, but overnight low temperatures will also be very warm and the air oppressively muggy. Saturday will be the hottest day.

The service advises that the public limit or reschedule strenuous outdoor activities. Find shade and stay hydrated.

Meanwhile, the American Red Cross issued a heat advisory Thursday with the following warnings and tips to preserve the life of people and pets:

• Never leave children or pets in a vehicle. The inside temperature of the car can quickly reach 120 degrees.

• Stay hydrated, drink plenty of fluids. Avoid drinks with caffeine or alcohol.

• Avoid extreme temperature changes.

• Wear loose-fitting, lightweight, light-colored clothing. Avoid dark colors as they absorb the sun’s rays.

• Slow down; stay indoors. Avoid strenuous exercise during the hottest part of the day.

• Postpone outdoor games and activities.

• Use a buddy system when working in excessive heat. Take frequent breaks if working outdoors.

• Check on family, friends and neighbors who do not have air conditioning, who spend much of their time alone or who are more likely to be affected by the heat.

• If you don’t have air conditioning, go to public spaces for relief from the heat during the warmest part of the day.

Failure to take precautions can lead to sunburn, heat cramps, heat exhaustion and heat stroke. If someone is suffering heat cramps in the legs or abdomen, they should be taken to a cooler place to rest. Lightly stretch the affected muscle, and replenish the victim’s fluids with a half a glass — about 4 ounces — of cool water every 15 minutes.

If someone shows signs of heat exhaustion — cool, moist, pale or flushed skin, heavy sweating, headache, nausea, dizziness, weakness or exhaustion — move the victim to a cooler place, remove or loosen tight clothing and spray the person with water or apply cool, wet cloths or towels to the skin. Fan the person. If conscious, give small amounts of cool water to drink. Make sure the person drinks slowly. Watch for changes in condition. If the person refuses water, vomits or begins to lose consciousness, call 9-1-1.

Signs of heat stroke, which is life threatening, include hot, red skin which may be dry or moist; changes in consciousness; vomiting and high body temperature. Call 9-1-1 immediately if someone shows signs of heat stroke. Move the person to a cooler place. Quickly cool the person’s body by immersing them up to their neck in cold water if possible. Otherwise, douse or spray the person with cold water, or cover the person with cold, wet towels or bags of ice.

Meanwhile, heat is just as deadly to cats, dogs and other pets. Check on animals frequently to ensure they are not suffering from the heat. Make sure they have plenty of shade and cool water. Animals can suffer heat stroke, some of the signs of which include heavy panting and unable to calm down, even when lying down, brick-red gum color, fast pulse rate, and being unable to get up.

If you suspect your pet has heat stroke, take its temperature rectally. If the temperature is above 105 degrees, cool the animal down. The easiest way to do this is by using the water hose. Stop cooling the animal when the temperature reaches 103 degrees.

Bring your pet to a veterinarian as soon as possible as heat stroke can lead to severe organ dysfunction and damage.

The Red Cross has several resources for people to learn how to treat heat emergencies, including online and in-person training courses (www.redcross.org/takeaclass), a free First Aid App and Pet First Aid App (www.redcrossorg/apps), and a First Aid Skill for Amazon Alexa-enabled devices.

POTTSVILLE — In an attempt to maintain full staffing, the Schuylkill County Prison Board on Wednesday hired four corrections officers, two full-timers and two part-timers.

Cody Bettinger and Patricia Pancerella, two part-time officers, received promotions to full-time positions, while the board hired Courtney Frye and Eric Macker as part-time ones.

“They’re all full,” Warden Eugene Berdanier said of the full-time staff positions. There are 45 full-time positions and 12 part-time ones, of which three are vacant, Berdanier said.

Three correctional officers are on restricted duty, he said.

“They are working,” according to Berdanier.

At the urging of Sheriff Joseph G. Groody, the board also voted to extend an offer to Joshua Fernandez to be a part-time corrections officer.

Berdanier also told the board that the prison’s population has dipped significantly since June, when the peak was 268 inmates and the average was 253. As of Wednesday, there were 230 inmates, 189 men and 41 women, at the prison, he said.

In addition, he said, there are 94 outsourced inmates at five other county prisons. Those totals include 57 in Centre, 13 in Snyder, 12 in Northumberland, 10 in Columbia and two in Lackawanna.

The primary consideration for shipping out the inmates is where there is space for them, Berdanier said. The program is working well, although it is expensive, according to Berdanier.

“They would have to be sentenced to at least two months” in order to be sent elsewhere, he said. “We bring them back as quickly as we can.”

Berdanier said the sheriff’s office has been very helpful in transporting inmates quickly.

One thing the outsourcing has done is reduce triple-celling, the placing of three inmates in one cell, a policy the state sharply restricts and wants eliminated wherever possible, Berdanier said. There are only six inmates being triple-celled, and that is due primarily to the classification of certain inmates, he said.

He also said the blacktop project in the new ramp area should be finished by the end of August. The prison awarded the contract for the project to Ron-Troy Paving, Frackville.

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

Ashland — Susan M. Brown to Carl L. Fertig and Candy L. Freed; 1929 Walnut St.; $18,000.

East Union Township — Josita A. Hannen to Samantha McGee; 894 Center St., Sheppton; $73,000.

Hubley Township — Fearnot Assembly of God Church to Tri-Valley Youth Activities Fund; 3.935-acre property on Township Road TR879; $150,000.

Kline Township — James J. and Bette Smith to Christopher E. Horhay; property on James Street, Kelayres; $25,000.

Mahanoy Township — Pirates Club Inc. to Schuylkill Historical Fire Society; 2.8-acre property on Route 54; $18,000.

McAdoo — MGN Realty Inc. to Braulio Plicio Lopez Reyes; 9 S. Kennedy Drive; $105,000.

New Castle Township — Federal National Mortgage Association to Charles Lorimer; 206 Arnot St., Arnot’s Addition; $24,900.

Orwigsburg — Anne Pierson, executrix of the Estate of Jane Mary Hannum, to Jason E. Daynorovicz; 66 Harmony Court, Ridgeview; $250,000.

Palo Alto — Thomas R. and Elaine McGeoy to Vincent J. Riotto; 227 E. Savory St.; $8,000.

Pine Grove Township — William J. Jr. and Sally Ann Toomey to William J. Toomey Jr.; property on Birds Hill Road; $1.

Lois J. and Larry L. Lehman to Lois J. and Larry L. Lehman; 13.49846-acre property on Mountain Road; $1.

Michael D. Miller, executor of the Estate of Nancy Larue Miller, to Michael D. Miller; 20 Gilbert Drive; $1.

Patricia A. Fike to Robert A. and Rhonda Marie Kunetz; 828 Canal Drive, Swatara Village; $113,000.

Porter Township — Bonnie Betz to Lisa R. and James C. Brasher; property on Main Street, Sheridan; $1.

Daryl L. Alger to the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation; right of way across property on Clarks Valley Road; $1.

Eric Pinkerton to the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation; right of way across property on Clarks Valley Road; $1.

Pottsville — Anna Wetzel to Brenda L. Moran; 1586 W. Market St.; $1.

Michael Downey and Tracy Cavanaugh to Amy Jenkins; 519 Ridge Ave,; $25,000.

Reilly Township — Federal National Mortgage Association to Drake Bachert; 82 Black Diamond Road; $24,000.

Ringtown — Borough of Ringtown to Omsai Com LLC; 89 N. Hancock St.; $109,000.

Rush Township — Henry Irving Woods, trustee under the Declaration of Revocable Living Trust, to Henry Irving Woods; 57 Ryan Ave., Hometown; $1.

Henry Irving Woods to Henry D. Woods, trustee of the Woods Family Trust; property; $1.

Leo E. and Kera M. Rodgers to Leo E. Rodgers; 153 Church Road, Hometown; $1.

Saint Clair — Joseph J. Rosenberger to Jennifer Stepen and James J. Close; 122 S. Morris St.; $44,000.

Estate of William T. Thorn to Pagoda Real Estate LLC; 134 S. Second St.; $10,000.

Brian Menchy to The Santino Pultrone Self-Funded Special Needs Trust; 229 S. Morris St.; $13,250.

Shenandoah — Acorn Estates LLC to Moksh Shenandoah Inc.; two properties on West Lloyd Street; $55,000.

Diane M. Paskey to Lindsay and Joseph D. Yisrael; 1100 W. Centre St.; $74,000.

Lois S. Lomas, individually, and Lois S. Lomas and Mary Sue L. Buckanavage, co-executrices under the Last Will & Testament of Esther L. Okarma, to Lois S. Lomas; 500 Furnace St., Turkey Run; $1.

I Heart Properties LLC to Duguet Estates LLC; 414 W. Atlantic St.; $21,800.

South Manheim Township — Paul L. and Edna C. Blankenhorn to Rodney A. Blankenhorn and Luke P. Blankenhorn; 544 Deiberts Valley Road; $1.

Patrick J. and Nanette E. McElhare to Patrick J. and Nanette E. McElhare; 2512-253 Wagon Wheel Drive, Lake Wynonah; $1.

Tamaqua — Cynthia L. Boyer to Jaime Paisley; 50-percent interest in 335 Schuylkill Ave.; $1.

Francis P. Sytnik and Dana D. Sytnik to Francis P. Sytnik and Francis P. Sytnik Jr.; 528 E. Union St.; $1.

Walker Township — Lawrence E. Moyer and Judith A. Moyer, trustees of The Moyer Family Trust, to Lawrence E. and Judith A. Moyer; three properties; $1.

Lawrence E. and Judith A. Moyer to The Moyer Family Irrevocable Trust; two properties; $1.

Lawrence E. and Judith A. Moyer to The Moyer Family Irrevocable Trust; 951 Catawissa Road, Lewistown Valley; $1.

Wayne Township — Jamie E. and Koren M. Dixon to Jamie E. and Koren M. Dixon; 21 Phaons Lane; $1.

West Brunswick Township — Fanelli Group Properties to Fanelli Group Properties; 300 Hollywood Blvd.; $1.

Carmelo and Jennifer A. Valenti to Carmelo Valenti; 4.265-acre property on Route 61; $1.

West Mahanoy Township — John and Kathleen A. Brennan to Nicholas and Deborah Vernitsky; 200 Swatara Road, Shenandoah Heights; $105,000.

West Penn Township — Herlin A. Haberman to Cory L. Fritz; 79 Andreas Road, Andreas; $20,000.

Ashland

The Ashland Area Historic Preservation Society, 318 Centre St., will have its annual picnic in the back yard beginning at 6 p.m. Wednesday. All are welcome; participants are asked to bring a covered dish to share. For more information, call 570-590-9985.

Barnesville

The next meeting of the Rush-Ryan-Delano Senior Citizens group will be its annual summer picnic beginning at noon Tuesday at St. Peter’s Grove in Locust Valley. The group’s Christmas party will be held on Dec. 10 at Capriotti’s in McAdoo. The RRD seniors meet regularly on the second and fourth Tuesdays of every month at the Ryan Township Fire Company Hall, Route 54.

Frackville

The St. Joseph the Worker Roman Catholic Parish Festival will be held at St. Ann Picnic Grove, North Line Street, from 3 to 10 p.m. (kitchen open until 9 p.m.) Aug. 2, noon to 11 p.m. (kitchen open until 10 p.m.) Aug. 3 and noon to 5 p.m. (kitchen open until 4 p.m.) Aug. 4. Homemade ethnic food offerings will include pierogies, bleenies, haluski, bandukies, kielbasa with sauerkraut and kilbo nuggets as well as bean soup, hamburgers, hot dogs, beverages and baked goods, according to a bulletin announcement. There will also be live music each day featuring Broken Spell from 7 to 10 p.m. Aug. 2, Another Side from 7 to 11 p.m. Aug. 3 and Tom Davis from 1 to 4 p.m. Aug. 4. The fest will also feature a theme basket auction and other attractions. For more, call 570-874-0610.

Frackville

Registrations to attend Trinity Academy in the Father Walter J. Ciszek Education Center, Cherry and Chestnut streets, Shenandoah, are being accepted. Trinity provides “a safe, respectful, Christ-centered environment for students in preschool through eighth grade,” according Catholic parish bulletin announcements. Trinity Academy is the sole Catholic pre-K to eighth-grade school for all of northern Schuylkill County. Tuition assistance is available and the school offers $1,500 in transfer grants. Students who transfer into grades one through seven are eligible to receive $1,000 their first year of enrollment and $500 their second year, according to the announcement. To request a tour of the school, a registration packet or for more information, call 570-462-3927. More information is also available online at www.trinitymatters.com.

Schuylkill Haven

The Schuylkill Haven Area School District is conducting its annual kindergarten screening for students who will be age 5 by Sept. 1. Parents and guardians are asked to call the elementary center at 570-385-6731 between 9 a.m. and 2 p.m. to register a child for the screening process, which will be held July 29. All children must be registered before they can be screened.

Shenandoah

High school and elementary registrations for the Shenandoah Valley School District for the 2019-20 school year will be from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Mondays through Thursdays now through Aug. 23 by appointment only. For an appointment, call 570-462-1957. Prior to appointment, registration packets must be picked up at the high school office. Items required for a parent to register a student include birth certificate and up-to-date immunization record, Social Security card (optional)-report card; any three of the following for proof of residency: Occupancy permit (available at the borough hall), valid driver’s license or vehicle registration card, lease or deed for property of residence, current utility bills paycheck stub within 30 days with name and address.

Sheppton

Cars and other vehicles will be blessed about noon Sunday following the Divine Liturgy at St. Mary Byzantine Catholic Church, outside the church at East Oak Street. The blessing is in honor of St. Elias, the prophet about whom Scripture says was taken into heaven aboard a fiery chariot.

Tremont

Summer storytime at the Tremont Area Free Public Library, 19 N. Pine St., will feature a program by the Red Creek Wildlife Center at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday about owls in Pennsylvania. It will include some of the center’s resident owls. The program is made possible through a Schuylkill Area Community Foundation grant and the Charles Werner Endowment, according to a release. For more information, call 570-695-3325.

SCHUYLKILL HAVEN — A woman who has been legally blind her entire life has high hopes that she will soon be able to do some things she never could.

Charlette Golphin, 66, a native of Philadelphia who has lived in Schuylkill County since 1989, suffers from retinitis pigmentosa, an inherited disease that causes loss of peripheral vision and other problems, but seldom total blindness. Golphin must sit right next to the television set to see, holds her cellphone right at her face, and must ask people to help her read labels in the store. However, in the coming week, a set of electronic glasses, which the Lions Club has bought her, may make it easier for her to perform those tasks, and do a few others for the first time.

“The first thing I am going to do is get a sewing machine, because I want to learn to sew,” she said Friday while waiting for Dawn Prall, of Sage Vision, to arrive and fit her for a set of NuEyes electronic glasses.

“I’ve been legally blind all my life, and Paul Moyer called me and said the Lion’s Club wanted to bless me with these glasses,” she said, sitting with her family at the Schuylkill Haven Highrise — the site chosen for the meeting. Golphin lives on FitzReed Avenue. She is married for 35 years to Darnell Golphin, who is totally blind, losing his sight at age 13, and can often be seen playing his flute or saxophone in the community.

Golphin said she was born premature, at six months.

“So what they did back then, they used a lot of light and oxygen (in the incubator) and that’s what made it worse,” she said.

When Prall, owner of Sage Vision, arrived, she helped Golphin don a device resembling military night vision goggles, explaining the idea behind electronic glasses.

While research continues into the 600 diseases of the eye, the quest to cure the blindness they cause seems never ending. Spinoffs from military night vision technology can make the wait easier for those who, like Golphin, suffer low vision.

“What do people do in the mean time? People need to function in their lives,” Prall said.

NuEyes is one of several manufactures of electronic glasses.

The device Golphin was trying on is a combination of camera and computer. While it helped her to see her grandson, Darnell — named after his grandfather — sitting beside her, there remains much adjustment and practice to get it right.

Prall said there is about 20 hours of training involved.

Golphin tried on a smaller device — more closely resembling the Star Trek device. This one seemed less effective and bathed what she could see in a greenish hue.

Prall said that many people report that and then, with time, it goes away as the brain becomes used to the device.

You don’t see with your eyes. You see with your brain,” she had said earlier in her presentation.

Schuylkill Haven Lions Club President Gerald Reichert, his wife, Kathy, and Wayne Paul Moyer, of Wayne Township, board member of the Northeast Pennsylvania Lions Service Foundation, presented Sage Vision with a $6,000 check to cover the cost of the glasses.

“Sight First” is our motto, Reichert said, in reference to the service club’s well-known dedication to providing eyeglasses to those in need.

He explained the origin of the Schuylkill Haven Lion’s Community Charity.

“In 2001, for over 50 years, we ran the ambulance association in Schuylkill Haven. In 2001, as membership dwindled, we couldn’t keep members on the board, so we merged with Pottsville EMS, but all the money that we invested over the years did not go to Pottsville,” he said.

“In the beginning, we took $300,000 and put it with the Schuylkill Foundation,” he said. The interest from which is used for various grants — recently 12 $1,000 grants for medical students.

The Schuylkill Haven Lion’s and Moyer’s group went roughly halves on the glasses for Golphin.

Moyer explained how the Lions, the Golphins, and Sage got together. He had been attending a Lions convention in Columbus, Ohio, in September and saw a woman at a table with a seeing eye dog and wearing a device he compared to that worn by the Star Trek character Giordi La Forge. The woman turned out to be a doctor who suffers macular degeneration and expressed satisfaction with the electronic glasses.

Returning home, Moyer did some research on the internet and found Sage Vision and went looking for someone who could benefit from the technology. Brian Clauser, of Clauser Wind Instrument Repair, Orwigsburg, a fellow member of Moyer’s church, who had worked on Darnell’s saxophone, suggested the Golphins.

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

Deeds

Butler Township — Larry and Janine S. Lucas to Larry and Janine S. Lucas; property on Fountain Street, Fountain Springs; $1.

East Union Township — William R. and Alice A. Woolever to William H. and Michele L. Fisher; 27 Horseshoe Drive, Eagle Rock; $375,000.

Frackville — Tyler Manbeck to Walter and Jill Hall; 56 Bell Alley; $10,000.

Mahanoy City — Amber Devlin to Hilda E. Duverge; 1306 E. Centre St.; $9,500.

Catherine I. McCann, Carol and Edward Butler and Susan McCann to Caitlin Marie Robb; 1011 E. Centre St.; $14,400.

Shawn McGuire to Ronald J. Miller Jr.; 315 W. South St.; $2,500.

McAdoo — Nancy T. Bertolini, Susan M. Gurka and Mary Ann Besitka to Brandon Dickman; 431 S. Cleveland St.; $120,620.

North Manheim Township — Dale D. Walsh to Watermelon Realty LLC, 081517 Portfolio Trust and Natural Realty LLC; 185 Glenworth Road; $10.

Watermelon Realty LLC, 081517 Portfolio Trust and Natural Realty LLC to Jayson and Stacie L. Glauda; 185 Glenworth Road; $164,000.

Linda M. Badger, executrix of the Estate of Hilda Badger, to Joseph J. Post; 4 Sajer Road, Seiders Hill; $168,000.

Palo Alto — Richard L. and Lola M. Smith to Justin M. Seabolt; 239 W. Savory St.; $50,000.

Pine Grove — Derek P. and Wendy J. Schaeffer to Todd Hartlieb; 75 E. Pottsville St.; $115,900.

Pottsville — John E. and Karen E. Simodejka to Gary E. Caplan; 2 Cottage Hill West; $280,000.

Robert and Jannie Dutton to Lisa H. Dutton; 508 Peacock St.; $1.

Schuylkill Haven — Michael J. and Laura K. Vargo to Ryan D. and Ansun Vernall Daniels; 74 Avenue E; $194,900.

Shenandoah — Wesley Kacilowicz to Debra A. Weikel; 500-502 W. Poplar St.; $500.

Christine Puzak to Richard Wargo; 33 S. Grant St.; $1,500.

Tamaqua — 252VAN252 Trust to Meranda Lynn Hess and Jon Hessa; 252 Van Gelder St.; $22,215.97.

Washington Township — Theodore A. Kemmerling II and Michael A. Stelnecker, co-executors of the Last Will & Testament of Theodore A. Kemmerling, Dennis L. and Norman M. Musser; four properties; $125,000.

West Brunswick Township — Diane Bornstein to Professional Investors Group LLC; 1102 Village Road, Pinebrook; $133,000.

Joan F. Zmuida, by attorney in fact Jane E. Ostroski, to Professional Investors Group LLC; 0.007-acre property in Pinebrook; $10,000.

Joan F. Zmuida, by attorney in fact Jane E. Ostroski, to Professional Investors Group LLC; 2203 Village Road, Pinebrook; $135,000.

Marriages

Michael A. Puglia, Pine Grove, Courtney E. Cheatham, Pine Grove.

Richard S. Slotcavage Jr., Frackville, and Victoria M. Roseman, Frackville.

John R. Mushler, New Ringgold, and Nichole M. Bartik, New Ringgold.

Sean Jones, Frackville, and Vernique S. Cottom, Philadelphia.

Jason P. Stevens, Barnesville, and Jennifer M. Andescavage, Barnesville.

Timothy J. Jenkins, Schuylkill Haven, and Karen L. Kotrochos, Schuylkill Haven.

Joseph Sankus, Ashland, and Kimberly Stanell, Ashland.

James A. Kessock, Saint Clair, and Linda L. Sutton, Saint Clair.

Benjamin M. Whitmoyer, Joliett, and Davey Allison Naftzinger, Joliett.

Bo Allen Bolinsky, Oneida, and Tonya L. Mummey, Oneida.

William J. Baker, New Cumberland, and Charlene Ann Kechula, Shenandoah.

William Bivins, Frackville, and Martha Lee Bivins, Coventry Township, Ohio.

Chad J. Conrad, Washington, D.C., and Mercedes N. Shelcusky, Washington, D.C.

Richard J. Kellner, Coaldale, and Sharon Ann Johnson, Coaldale.

Dennis A. Levan, Pottsville, and Samantha Jo Castellano, Pottsville.

John A. Merkle, Tamaqua, and Jayme M. Holt, Tamaqua.

Glenn L. Donelson, Shenandoah, and Denise Ann Reed, Shenandoah.

Michael Allen J. Wargo, Mahanoy City, and Regina Tiboni, Mahanoy City.

Melanie R. Devers, Port Carbon, and Taylor J. Buffenmyer, Port Carbon.

Divorces granted

Tanya Dayson, Schuylkill Haven, from Gioacchion Randazzo, Pottsville.

Jodi McNulty, Schuylkill Haven, from Jeffrey Adams, MaryD.

Krystal Cromberger, Cressona, from Matthew Cromberger, Auburn.

Nicole Wronski, Mahanoy City, from James Wronski, New Boston.

Sarah Rosetti, New Ringgold, from Kurt Trumbauer, New Ringgold.

Christine Flores, Ashland, from Luis Pazmino, Haines City, Florida.

Danielle Halye, Pottsville, from Scott Halye, Hazleton.

Amanda Vannicolo, Pottsville, from Francis Vannicolo, Henrico, Virginia.

Charles Stablum, Pottsville, from Paulette Stablum, Pottsville.

Karen Yeneshosky, Cressona, from Edward Yeneshosky, New Philadelphia.