WILKES-BARRE TWP. — Mission BBQ co-founder Bill Kraus came to Wilkes-Barre Twp. on Monday to open his 12th restaurant in Pennsylvania and 87th in the country and pay tribute to two World War II veterans.

Kraus and Kevin Cross, regional director of operations for Mission BBQ, honored World War II veterans Robert Megatulski, 94, the former mayor of Forty Fort who was a Navy Seabee and earned four Bronze Battle Stars and Reading resident Russ Miller, 95, who served in the Navy from 1943-46.

Megatulski, who was thanked for his service, enjoyed the pork barbecue at the new Mundy Street restaurant and said he doesn’t consider himself a hero.

“It’s a pleasure being here but I don’t want to be a hero,” he said. “I’m not a hero. I did my job.”

Miller, who was joined by Jenny Winchester, regional community ambassador for Mission BBQ, said what he likes best about the restaurant are the employees. He also likes the fresh cut fries and macaroni and cheese, he said.

Kraus said whenever he meets American heroes like World War II veterans, he asks, “Is it any surprise we won that war?”

“You still see the gleam in their eye and the fighting spirit they’ve got,” he said. “It’s hard not to be amazed by them, yet they’ll just tell you they were just doing their job.”

Kraus and his best friend, Steve Newton, opened the first Mission BBQ in Glen Burnie, Maryland, on Sept. 11, 2011, as a way to support military, police, firefighters and first responders 10 years after the terrorist attacks.

“Damn right, we did that intentionally,” Kraus told a crowd gathered in front of the new restaurant for the grand opening. “Ten years after this world changed as we all knew it, in some way, we were going to try to change it back. We’re trying to remind folks how fortunate we are to live in this amazing country because what makes this country so great are our heroes.”

Kraus said Mission BBQ defines a hero as anybody willing to “raise their right hand and swear to protect, serve and save, whether you do it in your community or you put on the cloth of our nation to fight to keep us free and to keep us safe.”

Catasauqua Borough Police Chief Douglas Kish came to the grand opening to sing the national anthem. The national anthem is sung at noon every day at Mission BBQ.

Following the grand opening ceremony, a crowd of people lined up at the new restaurant. Some wearing military uniforms were told by employees, “Your meal is on us today. Thank you for your service.”

Monday‘s grand opening followed private events held for police officers, firefighters and the military and to support their charities. Kraus said holding events like this is “how we introduce ourselves to a community.”

“The mission of Mission BBQ is to serve, honor and thank,” Kraus said. “Any time we spend time in communities like this, it feels like this would be a wonderful place to serve and give back.”

In their first eight years in business, Kraus said Mission BBQ has contributed almost $12 million to charities.

Mission BBQ’s newest location formerly was the site of the Latona Law building that was demolished following the June 13, 2018, tornado.

The restaurant employs 55 full-time and part-time workers, Cross said. It’s open 11 to 9 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 11 to 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday and 11:30 to 8 Sunday p.m.

Mission BBQ offers a variety of meats and sauces. Cross said Kraus and Newton traveled around the country to find some of the best brisket, pulled pork and pulled chicken.

“We have something from every part of the country,” Cross said.

Contact the writer:

dallabaugh@citizensvoice.com

570-821-2115

Landingville

Welcome United Methodist Church, 107 Main St., is having a homemade chicken pot pie and ham pot pie sale beginning at noon Dec. 13. The cost is $7 per quart and $4 per pint. For more information, call 570-366-7764 or go online to www.welcomeumc.com.

Mahanoy City

The Mahanoy City Public Library recently acknowledged the following memorials: For Rose Marie Fazio Hricisak by Betsy Day; for Blanche Sabol by Bob and Leslie Richardson, Jean Eichman; for Anne O’Pake by Don and Enes Zimmerman; for Margaret Mellon by Judy and Bill Brayford, Mary Edith Rhoades, Stephanie Kaye, Joan and James Goodman; for William J. Malarky by Judy and Bill Brayford, Betsy Day; for Beverly Mae Kadelock Yarrish by Class of ’65; for Carol Ann Kline Morrison by Class of ’65, Joann Koback; for Barbara Tuggle by Diane M. Hall.

New Philadelphia

AMVETS Post 256, 96 McComb St., will meet at 7 p.m. Dec. 19. Discussion will involve regular post-operating functions, according to a release from Thomas Hill. For more information, call 570-277-6031.

Orwigsburg

The American Red Cross has said there is an “urgent need” for people to donate blood, especially during the holiday season. A Red Cross blood drive is set for 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Dec. 31 at Masonic Lodge No. 138, 1000 E. Market St. People 17 and older (16 with parental consent), weighing at least 110 pounds and in general good health are urged to donate blood. Walk-ins are welcome; to make an appointment, call 800-733-2767.

Pine Grove

The Pinegrove Historical Society is seeking donations for its ongoing Stanhope School restoration project. The effort to restore the one-room schoolhouse was begun in 2014. People wishing to donate should make checks payable to “Pinegrove Historical Society” and note “Stanhope School Project” in the memo section. Donations should be mailed to Stanhope School Project, c/o Pinegrove Historical Society, P.O. Box 65, Pine Grove, PA 17963. For more information, call 610-207-9600.

Pottsville

The American Red Cross has said there is an “urgent need” for people to donate blood, especially during the holiday season. A Red Cross blood drive is set for 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Dec. 27 at the mall office in Fairlane Village, 7211 route 61 North. People 17 and older (16 with parental consent), weighing at least 110 pounds and in general good health are urged to donate blood. Walk-ins are welcome; to make an appointment, call 800-733-2767.

Schuylkill Haven

The Schuylkill Haven Senior Travelers group is sponsoring a trip to Orlando, Florida, April 20-25, featuring the Cirque De Soleil show and other attractions. For more information, call Kathy at 570-385-4730.

Schuylkill Haven

Grace Free Church will host two special candlelight Christmas Eve services, at 4:30 and 6:30 p.m. Dec. 24 at Schuylkill Haven Area High School’s Zwerline Auditorium. Both services are open to all, according to a release. For more information, email Scott Zimmerman, church worship and content director, at scott@gracefreechurch.net.

Schuylkill Haven

An organ concert featuring six area organists is scheduled for 3 p.m. Dec. 15 at Jerusalem Lutheran Church, 252 Dock St. They will perform Advent and Christmas music on the church’s 32 rank Schantz pipe organ. Free-will offerings will be accepted.

Shenandoah

The Greater Shenandoah Area Chamber of Commerce is again sponsoring its annual residential holiday decorating contest. Mark Bernardyn, co-chairman of the chamber’s holiday committee, said in a release. Residents should keep their lights on from 6 to 10 p.m. for the remainder of the Christmas seasons so committee members can make their selections.

POTTSVILLE — A Pottsville man will spend time behind state prison bars after a Schuylkill County judge sentenced him last week on three separate sets of charges.

Joshua D. Kopinetz, 32, must serve 24 months in the state intermediate punishment program, which combines prison time and substance abuse rehabilitation, pay costs and $150 to the Criminal Justice Enhancement Account, and submit a DNA sample to law enforcement authorities, President Judge William E. Baldwin decided.

Kopinetz had pleaded guilty on Aug. 2 to fraudulent or altered title or registration, possession of a controlled substance, possession of drug paraphernalia and fraudulent use or removal of registration plate in one case, burglary, criminal trespass, theft, receiving stolen property and access device fraud in a second, and fleeing or eluding police and driving under the influence in the third.

Pottsville police filed two of the cases against Kopinetz, alleging he possessed drugs, paraphernalia and a fraudulent document on Dec. 13, 2018, and broke into a building and committed a theft on Dec. 8, 2018.

Orwigsburg police filed the third case, alleging Kopinetz was DUI and fled from them on Nov. 13, 2018.

Also in the county court, Baldwin revoked the probation in two cases of Tanya M. Viars, 43, of Pottsville, and sentenced her to serve three to 12 months in prison and undergo a drug and alcohol evaluation.

Viars originally pleaded guilty on Nov. 7, 2018, to two separate charges of possession of drug paraphernalia. At that time, Baldwin placed her on probation for 24 months, and also sentenced her to pay costs, $200 to the Substance Abuse Education Fund and $100 in CJEA payments.

Pottsville police charged Viars with possessing paraphernalia in the city on Aug. 13, 2017, and again on Dec. 1, 2017.

In another county case, Baldwin revoked the probation of Michael Hooper, 30, of Ashley, and sentenced him to serve three to 12 months in prison.

Hooper originally pleaded guilty on Aug. 1, 2018, to retail theft and receiving stolen property. At that time, Baldwin placed Hooper on probation for 24 months, and also sentenced him to pay costs, a $50 CJEA payment, $183.70 restitution and a $251.60 bench warrant fee.

Rush Township police charged Hooper with committing the theft on July 26, 2015, in the township.

Also in the county court, Steven P. Campbell, 50, of Tamaqua, pleaded guilty to possession of a controlled substance, with prosecutors withdrawing charges of possession of drug paraphernalia and driving under suspension.

Baldwin sentenced him to serve three to 12 months in prison and pay costs, a $100 SAEF payment and a $50 CJEA payment.

Tamaqua police charged Campbell with possessing drugs on Aug. 21 in the borough.

In another county case, Baldwin sentenced Cody L. Kale, 34, of Coaldale, to serve four to 12 months in prison concurrent with his Lehigh County sentence and pay costs and a $50 CJEA payment.

Kale pleaded guilty to resisting arrest, with prosecutors withdrawing charges of simple assault and harassment. Coaldale police charged Kale with resisting arrest on May 15 in the borough.

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

Orthopedic clinic slated by society

POTTSVILLE — The Schuylkill County Society for Crippled Children will conduct a pediatric orthopedic clinic for children up to age 18 at Lehigh Valley Hospital–Schuylkill S. Jackson Street on Friday, Jan. 10.

Dr. Peter V. Scoles of Shriners Hospital for Children, Philadelphia, will provide free orthopedic evaluations, according to an event release.

For more information or to schedule an appointment, call the society office at 570-622-7170. Office hours are 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Mondays through Fridays.

LVH-Schuylkill earns Gold Seal stroke care

POTTSVILLE — Lehigh Valley Hospital-Schuylkill has earned Gold Seal of Approval certification as an Advanced Primary Stroke Center from the Joint Commission, according to a hospital press release that regional patients now have better access to stroke care.

The certification, according to the release, reflects the hospital’s continuous compliance with performance standards.

A stroke is a sudden interruption in the blood supply to the brain, medical officials said in the release, adding that most strokes are caused by an “abrupt blockage of arteries leading to the brain (ischemic stroke). Other strokes are caused by bleeding into brain tissue when a blood vessel bursts (hemorrhagic stroke).”

A primary stroke center is a hospital-based center with the resources and processes to care for acute stroke: “At LVH–Schuylkill, that means members of the health care team can administer thrombolytic therapy — clot busting drugs — in the hospital setting and patients can likely spend their hospitalization at the local hospital,” according to the release.

LVH-Schuylkill underwent a rigorous, onsite review in September, during which a Joint Commission reviewer evaluated compliance with related certification standards. Joint Commission standards are developed in consultation with health care experts and providers, measurement experts and patients. The Joint Commission Primary Stroke Certification is offered in collaboration with the American Stroke Association.

Bill Reppy, LVH-Schuylkill president, said in the release the hospital is honored to receive the recognition and “even more thrilled for what it means for those in our community in need of primary stroke care.”

Paul Delpais, MSN, stroke coordinator at LVH–Schuylkill advised in the release the people should use the “BE FAST” test to check for the most common symptoms of a stroke:

• Balance: Is balance or coordination suddenly impaired?

• Eyes: Is vision suddenly blurred or double?

• Face: Smile and see if one side of the face droops.

• Arms: Raise both arms. Does one arm drop down?

• Speech: Say a short phrase and check for slurred or strange speech.

• Time: If the answer to any of these is yes, call 911 right away and write down the time when symptoms started.

For more information about the Lehigh Valley Health Network, go online to LVHN.org, or go to its Facebook and Twitter sites.

Giant volunteers make courage capes

DANVILLE — More than 30 volunteers from Giant Food Markets, including team members and district directors from regional stores, will be on hand from 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 11, to make 400 courage capes for patients at the Geisinger Janet Weis Children’s Hospital Pediatric Emergency Department.

According to a Geisinger press release, courage capes will be handmade from donated T-shirts adorned with fun images and words such as courage, strength and bravery.

“When children come to the emergency room, it is a scary situation. Pediatric patients can choose a cape and wear it around their neck to help give them courage during their stay,” according to the release.

In Schuylkill County, Giant markets are located in Pottsville and Cressona.

Giant has been a partner of Children’s Miracle Network hospitals since 1997. Locally, they have raised more than $6.7 million for the Geisinger Janet Weis Children’s Hospital, officials said in the release, adding that volunteers from Giant are making capes as a way to help the children’s hospital celebrate its 25th anniversary.

For more information, call Mike McMullen at 814-272-5018 or email mmmcmullen@geisinger.edu.

In a related development, Giant, in a company release, announced that a record-breaking total of $814,223 was donated to local Children’s Miracle Network hospitals by customers during the company’s Candles for Kids fundraising campaign, held in more than 180 Giant and Martin’s food markets Nov. 10-23.

Money from the Candles for Kids fundraising campaign benefit CMN hospitals including Penn State Children’s Hospital in Hershey and Geisinger Janet Weis Children’s Hospital in addition to other CMN hospitals in Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Washington, Virginia, West Virginia and Baltimore.

“For more than two decades, Giant has donated more than $45 million in support of programs and services at our local CMN hospitals, which has helped to fund cutting edge technology and construction of new facilities to better serve patients,” John Ponnett, Giant’s senior vice president of retail operations, said in the release.

For more information, call Ashley Flower at 717-254-2971 or email ashley.flower@giantmartins.com.

DSI again selling soups in fundraiser

SHENANDOAH — The revitalization group Downtown Shenandoah Inc., 116 N. Main St., will have a fundraiser soup-and-sausage hoagie sale beginning at 10 a.m. Thursday, Dec. 12, at its downtown center.

Soups are $6 per quart and $3 per pint and sausage hoagies are $3.50 each.

The soup variety includes New England clam chowder, chicken noodle, beef vegetable, split pea, pasta fagiole, kielbasa, chili, beef barley and potato cheese.

To order, call 570-462-2060. All are welcome.

Chamber lists grand openings

POTTSVILLE — A ribbon-cutting and grand opening ceremony will be held at 11:30 a.m. Wednesday, Dec. 18, in Fairlane Village mall for Athletics In Motion Inc.

Those planning to attend are asked to RSVP to the Schuylkill Chamber of Commerce by calling 570-622-1942 or emailing Samantha Schivinski at schivinski@schuylkillchamber.com.

Other grand openings for which the chamber is preparing include (with RSVPs to Schivinski):

• Jewel Women’s Center, noon Thursday, Jan. 9, 103 E. Main St., first floor, Schuylkill Haven.

• Barley Snyder, noon Wednesday, Feb. 5, 950 E. Main St. Suite 212, Schuylkill Haven.

Santa Trot ready for another go

The 2019 Shenandoah Santa Trot is a go for Saturday, Dec. 14.

Tickets are $25 and include a T-shirt and specials at each bar on the trot agenda, according to the event’s Twitter site (#santatrot2019).

Proceeds will benefit the Shenandoah Christmas Lighting Fund of the Greater Shenandoah Area Chamber of Commerce.

The trot features scores of participants, many in holiday attire, walking to visit local taverns. It has become a legendary Shenandoah event that attracts borough residents and returning natives as well as visitors.

Bill Cuff and Desiree Alsvan have been among the trot originators and organizers.

St. Luke’s signs Good Food pledge

BETHLEHEM — St. Luke’s University Health Network has signed the Good Food, Healthy Hospitals pledge after the initiative secured a five-year national grant to expand the program statewide, according to a network press release.

The president of each network campus signed the pledge, taking the next step to promote good health care through good food choices in all the hospital settings: patient meals, cafeteria meals, catering and vending machine operations, according to the release.

The guidelines are based “on existing evidence-based standards to ensure they follow the latest dietary guidance. These commitments include purchasing locally sourced and sustainably produced foods and increasing the overall nutritional value of the snacks, meals and beverages offered at the hospital campuses,” network officials said in the release.

“Ensuring access to fresh, unrefined, locally-sourced food in our hospitals demonstrates our health system’s commitment to preventive care,” Amy Previato, SLUHN network director and employee wellness Department of Community Health and Preventive Medicine, said in the release.

Other facilities that have signed the pledge work closely with the Good Food, Healthy Hospitals team, including the Pennsylvania Department of Public Health, Philadelphia Department of Public Health and The Common Market Mid-Atlantic for technical assistance.

Funding is provided by the state Department of Health through the State Physical Activity and Nutrition grant and Preventive Health and Health Services Block Grant from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

By partnering with local farmers, St. Luke’s offers weekly shares of locally grown produce to employees across the network for a 20- week growing season. This program has grown from one farmer delivering weekly to three locations to 10 farmers delivering weekly to 18 locations throughout the network, according to the release.

More information about the healthy foods initiative is available online at http://foodfitphilly.org/goodfoodhealthyhospitals.

Temple

Dr. Robert “BJ” Jones recently earned his Ph.D. degree from Temple University, Philadelphia, studying educational psychology in the College of Education.

Professor Jones currently teaches graphic design and studio art courses at Delaware County Community College in Media, and is the graphic design program coordinator.

A former resident of Pottsville, he is a son of the late Jenkin Jones Jr. and the late Kathryn M. (Heffelfinger) Jones and a graduate of Pottsville Area High School. He resides in Lansdowne with his wife, Michele, and has two daughters, Kelly Jones and Lindley Jones, both residing in New York City.

POTTSVILLE — New city fire police officers began their new roles with the city Monday.

Five members of American Hose Company No. 2 on West Norwegian Street were sworn in to their roles by Mayor James T. Muldowney before the start of the city council meeting.

With Fire Chief James Misstishin holding the Bible, Mark Ebling, Pottsville; Joe Moore, North Manheim Township; Tina Butz, North Manheim Township; MaryAnn Sadusky, North Manheim Township, and Lenny Radziewicz, Pottsville, took their oaths.

In their roles, they will be responsible for traffic and event crowd control, assist with traffic control on the scene of structure fires and helping out with events and parades.

Misstishin said, prior to the ceremony, fire police officers are “absolutely useful” and are “an integral part of the fire department.”

Sadusky said before being sworn in that she was happy to be an officer.

“It makes you feel important,” she said. “Definitely an honor.”

Butz said the role is a good way to “give back to the community.”

The new officers signed copies of their oath after the brief ceremony, which was also attended by Pottsville Fire Police Association President Gary Zalusky.

In addition to the five Hose Company members present Monday night, company members Jeff Butz and Steve Walters, both of Pottsville, were also named fire police officers but didn’t attend the meeting. They will be sworn on a later date.

Contact the writer: clee@republicanherald.com; 570-628-6028; @Cleespot on Twitter

POTTSVILLE — A new parking garage on Mahantongo Street is coming closer to reality.

City council members at Monday’s meeting approved a $6,896,000 bid from CPS Construction Inc., Cheswick, to construct the new building at Mahantongo and South Second streets.

The deadline to submit bids was last Monday. Others who met the bid deadline were Carl Walker Construction Inc., Pittsburgh, with $6,993,919, and Wickersham Construction & Engineering Inc., Lancaster, who put in $7,040,736. The Parking Authority approved CPS’s bid at its meeting Friday.

CPS was originally the lowest bidder on the project when bids were first accepted in September. However, last month, Parking Authority Engineer John Levkulic said the bid paperwork was completed incorrectly and CPS was disqualified and its bid wasn’t considered. The other three bids by Wickersham; Wilmer R. Schulz Inc., Emmaus; and LR Costanzo, Scranton, were deemed too expensive and rejected.

New bids were accepted Nov. 6 and the authority approved a new $7,160,140 bid from Wickersam Construction at their November meeting. It was rejected by the city council last month when a discrepancy was uncovered in the bid documents. City solicitor Thomas Pellish explained last month that a statement in the bid package allowing the city and the parking authority to save money was misinterpreted by the bidders.

The solicitor said last month that, in an effort to save the city money, Wickersham put administrative costs in its bid under value engineering — possible variations in materials or methods to cut a projects expense. Administrative costs can’t be included under value engineering, city officials said. The administrative costs Wickersham had listed were paying invoices less than 45 days after work begins and a discounted permit fee from the city for construction.

Mayor James T. Muldowney said that since the latest $6.9 million from CPS bid came in lower than Wickersam’s $7.1 million bid, the city saved a half a million dollars by re-bidding the project.

He said the amount of money saved “is a lot of money for the city.”

The new garage will have 221 parking spaces, of which 214 are regular size, four are designated handicapped spaces and three are van accessible. Hourly and monthly parking will be available. Motorists can pay for the hourly parking using the city’s ParkMobile app.

The garage will replace the one that city officials closed in October 2016 due to deteriorated structural reinforcing. SDL Construction, Orwigsburg, began demolishing the structure in August 2018, finishing in November. The USDA provided a $5 million loan for the garage. Other money, including $2.8 million pledged from Richard L. “Dick” Yuengling Jr. of D.G. Yuengling & Son Inc. will be used for the project.

The mayor said after the meeting, construction will start on the new parking garage after the project documents are approved by the USDA.

In another matter, council members agreed to award a Certificate of Appropriateness to Crimson House co-owners John Challenger and Pat Burns for facade renovations at the restaurant at 118 N. Centre St. The certificate was issued based on a recommendation by the city’s Historical Architectural Review Board.

Contact the writer: clee@republicanherald.com; 570-628-6028; @Cleespot on Twitter

POTTSVILLE — Parking fines in the city will go up next year.

The city parking authority agreed at Friday’s meeting to increase fines from $10 to $15.

Executive Director Ian Lipton said Monday he expects the change will go into effect on Feb. 1. At the meeting, he said the amount “is more than fair.”

Raising the price, he said, would bring $113,400 in additional revenue to the city and the authority, with each entity receiving $56,700 in an even split.

Lipton wants to increase fines for other violations, such as parking in front of a driveway, in a “no parking” zone or in front of a fire hydrant, from $25 to $35, and the fine for parking in a handicap spot from $50 to $75.

Authority solicitor Thomas Campion said the increases would not affect the authority’s budget.

Lipton said he and Pottsville Area Development Corp. Executive Director Savas G. Logothetides estimated that about 90% of the 8,400 tickets issued in a year are for parking.

Lipton said increasing the fine amount will deter people from parking without using the city’s ParkMobile app or putting money into meters.

“There’s people that abuse that,” he said Monday.

In another matter, the authority voted to allow the executive director to continue researching the adoption of digital enforcement software.

Lipton said over the last five and a half years, 22,000 tickets were printed for $2,600. He told authority members he received a quote for the same number of tickets at a cost of $2,800 and for 10,000 tickets for $2,083.

“It’s a significant amount of money to hand-write these,” he said.

He said the software could be hooked onto a parking enforcement officer’s belt. It would only require officers to enter a vehicle’s license plate number and print out a ticket. It would interface with AlertMobile, MetroAlert and PAAOC (the magistrate system).

In the current system, parking enforcement officers write down the vehicle information, license plate number and location, transcribe it at City Hall and write up a summons.

“It’s very labor intensive,” Lipton said.

Lipton, who saw a demonstration of the devices Thursday, told the authority he wants to do a cost-benefit analysis of the software.

Parking enforcement officers wouldn’t be the only ones using the technology. Lipton said the police department is looking to write its summonses.

“It’s certainly a direction that I think every major city has already taken,” Lipton said, adding that it is in use in Allentown and Lancaster.

Councilman Joseph Devine agreed with the idea, but said the device should adapt to technological changes.

Logothetides said the devices are updated yearly. The authority would pay an expense upfront and the company operating the devices would take $3 for every ticket paid online. The software automatically recognizes license plates and could integrate with ParkMobile. It also has forecasting and budgeting tools, he added.

“There’s a lot,” Logothetides told the authority.

He estimated it would cost less than $15,000 to purchase four devices.

Lipton said Monday that using the devices will ultimately be less expensive than the current system of writing up tickets.

He asked the authority to give him a decision on the devices within 60 days.

Contact the writer: clee@republicanherald.com; 570-628-6028; @Cleespot on Twitter

SHENANDOAH — The 2020 budget plan should have no tax increase as it was tentatively adopted Monday by the borough council at a special meeting.

Five council members — President Leo Pietkiewicz, John Thomas, Gordon Slater, John “J.P” Dombrosky and Katie Catizone — voted in favor of the proposed budget. Absent was Rosanne Mychak and Robert Mychak.

The budget also includes no increases in sewer and trash collection fees.

Pietkiewicz called for a motion for the tentative adoption, which was made by Slater and seconded by Thomas.

The tentative budget totaling $3,587,593 keeps the real estate tax at 27 mills, with each mill bringing in $32,100 in tax revenue. The proposed budget is $5,808 lower than the 2019 budget of $3,593,401.

The taxable real estate (assessed valuation) for 2020 is $33,259,570, but with county-held properties in the borough of $2,554,765 removed from the total, the adjusted total is $30,704,805.

A budget memorandum released to the media states, “Unfortunately, which continues to impact the borough is the amount of delinquent real estate taxes. The tax millage rate for 2020 will remain at the current rate of 27 mills. Unfortunately, what continues to impact the borough’s revenue capacity is the amount of delinquent taxes. In 2018, it was $220,842, which affects municipal services.”

The real estate tax delinquencies in 2017 were $188,777.87.

“The tentative budget has been prepared taking into account a salary increase of 1.5% for the police and health care benefit increases mandated by the collective bargaining agreements for the police. Negotiations are ongoing with the non-uniform employees represented by the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees. Annually the borough receives health care plans for potential savings while maintaining comparable coverage.”

The budget memorandum notes that the borough has secured in recent years $18.4 million in funding ($13 million in a low-interest loan and a $5.4 million grant) from the U.S. Department of Agriculture for the construction of a new sewage treatment plant to replace the more than 40-year-old plant.

“While the authority has managed to keep it operable, repairs and improvements are becoming cost prohibitive. While the borough’s engineering firm recommends a gradual increase in user fees annually to support future debt service of the new plant, the quarterly fees are projected to remain the same for 2020,” the memorandum said.

The Highway Aid Fund will receive state Liquid Fuels funding of $145,328 in 2020.

The memorandum concluded, “Like any budget, this tentative budget is a projection of what 2020 revenues and expenditures are anticipated to be. This budget was prepared in taking into account the borough’s recent three-year experience. In the event there are any special occurrences, adjustments must be made. Furthermore, as we enter 2020, the Borough of Shenandoah is involved in a number of projects, such as the Girard Park Recreational Project, the ongoing PEL (Pennsylvania Economy League) study of the water authority, the sewer plant construction project, and the aggressive demolition program the borough has initiated, among others. Therefore, caution should be exercised to insure these projects are continued and not jeopardized.”

The $3,587,593 budgeted revenues for 2020 ($3,593,401 in 2019) include the following:

• General Fund: $2,109,000 ($2,095,625 in 2019).

• Sewer Revenue Fund: $1,272,500 ($1,272,250 in 2019)

• Highway Aid Fund: $206,093 ($225,526 in 2019).

Total budgeted expenditures in 2020 are $3,571,366 ($3,498,927 in 2018):

• General Fund: $2,108,165 ($2,094,140 in 2019).

• Sewer Revenue Fund: $1,264,750 ($1,251,700 in 2019).

• Highway Aid Fund: $206,093 ($225,526 in 2019).

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

City woman jailed after stabbing

POTTSVILLE — A Pottsville woman was jailed after being arrested by Pottsville police for stabbing a man around 11:30 p.m. Thursday.

Police said officers were called to 235 Peacock St. for a report of an assault and learned that Tanesha White-Nichols, 44, stabbed a 50-year-old Pottsville man in the back with a steak knife during an argument.

The man was treated by Schuylkill EMS and then taken to a hospital for additional care, police said.

As a result, Patrolman Christopher Hamilton charged White-Nichols with aggravated assault, simple assault and recklessly endangering another person.

She was arraigned by on-call Magisterial District Judge David A. Plachko, Port Carbon, and committed to Schuylkill County Prison unable to post $25,000 bail, police said.

AUBURN — The Christmas tree in Ali Jenan’s home has an ornament on it that reads, “The greatest hero I never knew was the organ donor who saved my life.”

Jenan still wonders about the 28-year-old who died of a gunshot wound and gave him the liver without which he would have died.

“We’re grateful,” said Ali’s wife, Nicole, 40. “Very thankful for the donor and their family.”

The tree, decorated with Disney princesses and family photos, was lit up in green, the color of organ donation. Ali, Nicole and their daughter, Aisley, a fourth-grader at Schuylkill Haven Area Elementary School, were in the kitchen with their rescue dachshund mix, Jax.

“He’s more bark than bite,” Ali, 48, said. “He likes to sniff your leg, then he goes about his business.”

After his eggs and ketchup, Ali swills a blood-red mouthwash to prevent an infection in his throat, one of the many medications he must take after his transplant. Some of the pills work to weaken his immune system, which fights the new liver because it is a foreign object.

“It tastes like bananas but it tastes like crap,” he said, “but the doctors say that if I get the infection this is trying to prevent, I will wish I could take this every day for the rest of my life.”

“This is my daily routine,” he chuckled as he pulled out his box of pills, as large and detailed as the family’s advent calendar. He takes 25 pills in the morning, two at lunch, six at dinner and one at night.

“You used to be on like 50,” Aisley said.

“I got a nice little war wound if you want to check it out,” Ali said, lifting up his shirt. The scar, with 48 staples, makes a purple arc across his chest. He still has a yellow bile drain attached to his stomach, kept in with thick black stitches.

“Looks like a big massive scar,” he said, “but in the grand scheme of things, they had to cut me open, start pulling stuff out.”

Problems date to 1994

On his right arm, Ali has a tattoo honoring his alma mater, Penn State (Nicole liked it better back when he had muscles). On his left, he has a tattoo of a lighthouse, representing him as the guiding light of his family, and a compass with the directions replaced with the initials of his wife and his children, Aisley and 13-year old Braeden. The tattoo is smudged from all the IVs.

“Both my kids are amazing,” Ali said. “They get that from their mommy.”

Ali was diagnosed with autoimmune hepatitis in 1994. In 2014, he got primary sclerosing cholangitis, a disease that blocks the bile duct tree of the liver and causes bile to spread throughout the body.

“Between those two diseases, over the last 20 years, my liver just started to fail,” he said. “It was pretty crazy; I was really sick.”

As time went on, his condition continued to deteriorate. He was on the transplant list for five years. When he said he wanted to do a living donor transplant, in which a section of the liver is removed from the donor and given to the patient allowing both organs to regenerate, 40 people came forward.

“Such a huge group of support, friends, family, relatives, everyone came forward,” Ali said. “Even the nurses at Hershey said, ‘We don’t know who this Ali is, but he must be pretty special.’ ”

People from Aisley’s school and in the community donated dinners and gas cards to pay for the trips to and from Hershey.

Near death

Photos from Ali’s birthday party, attended by the people who offered to donate their livers, show him with deep brown skin and yellow eyes. In the last year before his liver transplant, his Bilirubin scale, which measures the yellowness of his eyes, went from 1.8 to 38.9. Every week, his stomach filled up with fluid. He would go to the hospital, where doctors would stick him with a needle and suck out the fluid.

“My stomach would go from here to here,” Ali said, measuring how his stomach flattened. “They got six liters of fluid a week. I was living on white rice and grilled chicken.”

He lost 50 pounds and all of his energy and muscle tone. In the last week before his transplant, his Meld score, which measures the deterioration of a liver, went from 28 to 39. The highest possible number is 40, after which death is almost certain.

“So basically my liver was not working, and I was pretty much done,” he said, chuckling. “I really felt like I was strong enough that I could fight through it. I’d say the last couple days I was almost ready to give up, I was at my wit’s end, but my wife took care of me, my daughter, my son, lots of prayers and thoughts from everyone.”

Aisley was so used to hearing her dad cough that she heard his coughing even when he wasn’t there.

‘You are so strong!’

On Oct. 29, he finally got the news.

“They said we have a liver for you,” Ali remembered, “but go to sleep and come down in the morning.”

It wasn’t until 3:30 a.m. on Halloween that he found out the liver was usable. At 4 a.m., he went into surgery. He asked the doctors what his liver looked like. They told him, “You needed a new one.”

That day, Aisley wrote a note to her dad. Last week, she took her binder with a gold unicorn on it out from her pile of toys and pulled out the note, complete with a drawing of a teddy bear. It reads:

“You are the strongest person I know to be going through all of this. You started with partying having a great time. Then, figured out that you were sick but not that bad. Finally, you got to the stage where you had huge legs, huge stomach, eyes were glowing, not walking, and not leaving the house. And now we are here today with a new 28 year old liver. PS. I love you and you will be out soon because you are so strong!”

The dot of the exclamation point was a heart.

‘Amazing’ family

“I’m finally getting my strength back,” Ali said. “I feel somewhat normal again. I don’t think I feel completely normal until I can gain a little weight again. It feels amazing to eat and actually feel the liver doing what it’s supposed to do.”

“Some nights,” Aisley said, “it always made us wanna like ... ”

“We didn’t give up hope,” Nicole interjected, “but some nights made us worry that it wasn’t going to happen. He’s very strong, but to see him deteriorate was very hard.”

“I never saw him cry that much and be in that much pain,” Aisley said. “We always tried to make him laugh.”

“Amazing,” Ali said. “I wouldn’t be here today without them.”

He wiped away his tears and said that since the transplant he has been crying a lot more often.

“We have a good family,” Nicole said. “Good community.”

LINDSEY SHUEY / STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

State Sen. David G. Argall, R-29, Rush Township, recently sent a letter to Senate leadership regarding the state Department of Transportation’s “broken promises” on transportation projects in Berks and Schuylkill counties and pledged to vote against any upcoming nominees for PennDOT secretary until the projects move forward.

PennDOT officials recently announced that they were cutting $700 million from local transportation projects, which Argall said reneges on promises made to local officials.

Soon thereafter, PennDOT Secretary Leslie Richards announced she was leaving the post to take a job with SEPTA in Philadelphia.

“Each senator will have to make his or her own decisions regarding this upcoming appointment by Gov. Wolf,” Argall wrote, and he underlined the following: “My position is this: I will not vote to confirm any new PennDOT secretary who fails to give me a pledge in writing to complete the major highway projects in this region that have been promised repeatedly to me and to the people that I represent, in the past, along with a detailed plan as to how this will be accomplished.”

Argall discussed the letter in a news release issued Monday.

“I hear consistently from my constituents that our roads in Berks and Schuylkill counties are in an unacceptable condition,” he was quoted in the release. “Considering all the PennDOT promises that have been broken, I will not vote to confirm any PennDOT secretary who cannot provide the people of the 29th Senatorial District with the major highway improvements they have been promised on Routes 61, 222, and 422.”

Argall was part of a Nov. 21 workshop of the Senate Majority Policy Committee, which he chairs, at which it was revealed that funding for the planned $65 million Route 61 rehabilitation project from Saint Clair to Frackville had not been completely secured.

The goal of the meeting was to gather input on PennDOT’s plan to shift a larger portion of the overall highway funding available in future years toward the interstate highway system and less into non-interstate roads.

PennDOT District 5 Executive Michael W. Rebert responded to a question by Argall that day about the status of the Route 61 project by saying, “At this point with our new funding scenarios, it is not fully funded.” He added, “I’d say it’s not canceled, but it’s limping.”

“Everything takes longer than we want it to. I understand,” Argall responded. “But I see a major difference between that it’s going to take seven years instead of six, or that it’s canceled. That is the nightmare scenario.”

Rebert said the project has another two to three years in final design and that, after that, “hopefully this problem will be met halfway. My fingers are crossed. We can keep it moving along at this time.”

Home heating oil customers budgeting for the winter season can expect similar prices to last year.

According to local providers, prices for residential fuel oil appear steady this year and supplies are healthy.

“We’re seeing prices in the $2.29 to $2.65 (per gallon) range, and that’s where prices have been ... That’s how it’s been for the majority of the year so far,” said Kevin Steele, president of the Berks-Schuylkill Oil Heat Association and vice president of H.B. Steele & Son Inc., of Orwigsburg.

Two other fuel oil providers, Donald Fegley, of Fegley Oil Co. Inc., 551 West Penn Pike, in Tamaqua; and Lee Morgan, of Morgan Oil Inc., 1137 E. Main St., in Hegins, agreed.

“They (prices) have been more stable than I expected, maybe because of the mild weather so far this season,” Fegley said.

“I don’t think there’s going to be anything unforeseen,” Morgan added.

Nationally, the average residential heating oil cost for 2019-20 has been above $2.60 and below $3.20 per gallon, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration. The price has remained fairly steady from October to December. Last year, it hovered at or slightly above $3.20 nationally, according to an EIA report released Dec. 4.

Heating oil prices for Fegley’s is $2.399 per gallon at this time. Propane prices vary, but a standard delivery price now is $1.39 per gallon.

Fegley’s offers a pre-buy/fixed heating oil price for customers at $2.499 per gallon for this season, meaning the price does not change up or down.

“This is oil I pre-purchased at a fixed price last winter 2018-2019. I take delivery of this fuel during the winter months 2019-2020 at the pipeline terminal and deliver now. Similar deals are available with propane,” Fegley said in an email Monday.

A serious cold snap, like a polar vortex, which may affect energy company operations, for instance, could cause fuel oil prices to spike, according to Steele. However, barring anything like that or something catastrophic, prices should not be affected.

Morgan’s price was at $2.39 per gallon for 150 gallons or more delivered, and customers can also receive a discount if they pay within five days of delivery.

As for supply, Morgan noted there are large oil reserves in North and South Dakota. Fegley and Steele report they have not had any difficulty getting the supply of fuel oil needed this heating season. Fegley has long-term agreements with several pipeline suppliers, he said.

Making sure customers receive their fuel oil promptly is an important aspect of service, in addition to costs, they continued.

“Repeat business is what drives this industry,” Steele said.

Fuel oil delivery companies are in one of their peak seasons for service and one of their busiest times of the year. Steele said industry-wide, employees are needed, especially certified technicians and qualified drivers.

“We’re looking to add two, possibly three people,” Steele said.

Fegley uses additional staff, runs several extra trucks and his delivery drivers work a lot of overtime. They deliver within a 25-mile radius.

“We’re making deliveries six days a week. We go with the weather. It seems the worse the weather gets, the more requests we get for deliveries,” Morgan said. Morgan Oil Inc. delivers within about an 18-mile radius.

Meanwhile, the mission of the Berks-Schuylkill Oil Heat Association is to promote and educate current and prospective heating oil customers “as to the benefits of oil heat and to support local oil companies, providing a wide range of products and services to enhance their customers’ satisfaction,” according to its website, bsoha.org.

Contact the writer: ; 570-628-6007

HOMETOWN — A grant will provide Rush Townshup police with updated policies and a state accomplishment, both of which will enhance the way the department serves the community.

Departments around the region are cash strapped and because of that sometimes things like policy manuals can be a neglected because it costs money and time to research, update and tailor it to the department’s needs.

“It’s very labor intensive,” Rush Township Police Chief Ken Zipovsky said.

But those policies are also important, acting as the “backbone” of a department, according to the chief.

Standards for policing change over time across the country as new techniques are developed and new challenges arise, creating the need for policy change.

Rush Township policies predate 2017 and needed to be updated to reflect 21st century policing standards, so when the department was awarded a $10,000 Justice Assistance Grant grant this summer through the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency, they had an opportunity.

He said the department had to purchase a new, 911 compatible mobile radio for $7,300 with the grant, but is using the rest of the award to begin its application process for accreditation to the Pennsylvania Chiefs of Police Association, which will assist the department as it updates policies. The first policy slated to be drawn up is one for using naloxone, commonly known by the brand name Narcan.

The association introduced the Pennsylvania Law Enforcement Accreditation Program in July 2001, and currently, 117 agencies are accredited. According to its website, it assists departments in evaluating and improving their performance by allowing them to develop standards and objectives.

Accreditation is issued once those procedures are in place and an independent team of professionals verifies standards are met.

Among the benefits of accreditation are reducing exposure to lawsuits, decreasing the costs of some liability insurance and improving community relations.

It’s a label that also lets the public know the department is using the best practices and procedures and meets industry standards, which helps everyone in the community, said Zipovsky.

The accreditation and update allows officers to follow the best guidelines and means the community is protected better.

“It’s something to be proud of,” he said.

If successful in attaining accreditation, he said the department would be the first in Schuylkill County.

Contact the writer: achristman@standardspeaker.com; 570-501-3584

MAHANOY CITY — A new member of the Mahanoy Area school board was welcomed at the board’s Dec. 4 reorganization.

The meeting began with board member John Honus being selected as the temporary president, after which those who won in the General Election in November were sworn in for their four-year terms. Incumbents Gary Gnall, Nancy M. Boyle, Daniel Lynch and Michael Mistishen were joined by newcomer Susan C. Scheeler, who is a retired elementary principal. The five stood before notary public Nancy Mroczka, who administered the oath of office.

When all were seated, the next business item was the selection of a board president. The board retained Steve Gnall as president. In a similar move, the board unanimously retained Mistishen as vice president.

In other action, the board reappointed Jim Mitchell as the liaison to the Pennsylvania School Board Association. Scheeler was appointed as the school board’s representative to the Mahanoy City Public Library.

The ninth member of the board, Karen Yedsena, was absent.

Steve Gnall addressed the group at the end of the meeting.

“I want to welcome and congratulate everyone on the board. We can all work together and see some changes,” he said. “We have a lot to do as we go forward. We have some new ideas coming in and we’ll continue what we’re doing. It’s going to be interesting year.”

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

POTTSVILLE — Patty Daley, disaster captain with the American Red Cross Tri-County Chapter, has been visiting communities throughout Schuylkill County working with local fire departments to distribute and, in some cases, install smoke alarms.

Her effort to save lives took on stark new meaning last week when a Pottsville woman died in a fire at her Howard Avenue home, which officials said did not have smoke alarms.

Since then, the city fire department passed along a phone number to Daley from a resident — of Howard Avenue — about obtaining a smoke alarm, and Daley was hoping to install it Tuesday night or today.

“This is what I like to hear,” she said of the requests for fire alarms. “They do save lives.”

The fire reported at 12:01 a.m. Friday claimed the life of Lorrie Christine Cunningham Botella, 42, of 1971 Howard Ave. She was pulled from her burning home and rushed to a hospital, where she was pronounced dead at 12:39 a.m. by Gail Newton, a deputy coroner.

Investigation

continues

An autopsy was conducted Tuesday in Dauphin County by forensic pathologist Dr. Wayne K. Ross, but it may be weeks until it’s determined what caused her death, Schuylkill County Coroner Dr. David J. Moylan III said.

He said he will hold off on ruling on the cause and manner of death until receiving the results of the autopsy and those of the forensic and pathological tests that were performed.

It could be some time as well until it’s determined how the fire started, according to Pottsville Police Chief Richard F. Wojciechowsky. He said more work needs to be done with the investigation before he and Fire Chief James Misstishin determine a cause.

“We’re still in the early stages” of the investigation, Wojciechowsky said Tuesday.

Botella was a Pottsville native and graduate of Nativity BVM High School and Penn State University, where she double-majored in criminal justice and child psychology. She worked with children at different local school districts, including Pottsville Area, and was a member of St. John the Baptist R.C. Church, Pottsville. She was passionate about animal rescue.

First fatality in nearly 4 years

Botella’s death was the first from a fire in the city since Jan. 26, 2016. That 4:24 a.m. blaze claimed the life of Thomas M. Howard, 59, who was found in the bathroom of his apartment at 324 E. Norwegian St.

Misstishin credits having trained and dedicated firefighters, as well as an increased use of smoke alarms, with preventing deaths or serious injuries in fires that occurred in Pottsville in that nearly four-year span between fatal fires.

As for last week’s blaze, although firefighters pulled Botella from the home shortly after they arrived, Misstishin noted every minute counts.

“This is a case where smoke alarms could have made the difference,” he said.

Botella’s husband, Bryan, 44, managed to escape with one of their two dogs, Dexter. The other dog, Thor, perished.

Alarm distribution

Misstishin said the Pottsville Fire Department, in conjunction with Daley’s group, has provided about 3,000 free smoke alarms to residents of the city. Misstishin urged all residents to install smoke alarms, especially with cold temperatures and the winter heating season here.

Daley, who noted a distribution of fire alarms took place Saturday in Cressona, said more lives are lost every year to home fires than to all major natural disasters.

“You may just have two minutes to escape,” she said.

To obtain a smoke alarm, contact Matt Breidenstein with the Red Cross at 610-533-0496, or any local fire company.

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

Frackville

The Frackville Ministerium Food Bank will be open from 9 to 10 a.m. Thursday, Dec. 19, at Zion Lutheran Church. People should use the downstairs entrance on South Beech Street. New recipients will need proof of a Frackville Borough address. For more information, call Shannon Mozdy at 570-874-0255.

Mahanoy City

Elks Lodge 695, 135 E. Centre St., will have a meat bingo on Saturday, Dec. 14. Doors will open at 7 p.m. and games will begin at 7:30 p.m. Food will be on sale during the games; all are welcome. For more information, call 570-573-2649.

Minersville

Ss. Peter and Paul Orthodox Church, 558 Sunbury St., will have a butter nut cookie sale from 2:30 to 7 p.m. Friday, Dec. 13. The cost is $11 per dozen. For more information, call 570-644-2790.

Port Carbon

The Port Carbon Public Library recently acknowledged the following memorials: For Mr. and Mrs. Michael Host by Mr. and Mrs. Michael Galavage; for 1St Lt. William Cullen by Stanley J. Burke Esq.; for Tom Konitsky by Do Konitsky; for Margret C. Hallick by Michael B. Hallick Jr.; for Bob Berdanier by Jackie Berdanier; for Patrick Edward Dowling by Joseph Dowling. The library also acknowledged the following honor donations: For Sandra Lurwick by Annette Devers; for Larry Eich Sr. by wife, Janet; for Becky Staller by Katrina Staller. The library acknowledged donations from: Shirley McGuire, Sandra Mitchell, Gary L. Bair and Lois Bair, Mr. and Mrs. Patrick Killeen, Leona and Edward Buber, Myrna and Bill Everly, Barbara Ridge, Hugh and Kathy McGowan.

Pottsville

Humane Fire Company, 200 Humane Ave., will have an all-you-can-eat full-menu breakfast buffet in partnership with Special Olympics from 8 a.m. to noon Sunday, Dec. 15, at the firehouse. Santa will be on hand. The cost is $9 for adults and $4.50 for children under 12. All are welcome. For more information, call 570-622-5891.

Schuylkill Haven

American Legion Post 38, 220 Parkway (rear), will have an after-Christmas bash from 8 to 11 p.m. Friday, Dec. 27, featuring entertainment by Almost One. The cover is $5 and the event is for people 21 and older. For more information, call 570-385-5013.

Shenandoah

People have the opportunity to clean out their closets and at the same time support Trinity Academy in the Father Walter J. Ciszek Education Center, Cherry and Chestnut streets, the sole Catholic pre-K to eighth-grade school for northern Schuylkill County. People will be able to recycle items including shirts, pants, hats, towels, belts, outerwear, scarves, linens, bedding and shoes. Pillows cannot be recycled. An indoor cart is in the cafeteria to accept the items, which will be ultimately sent to areas in North, Central and South America. Trinity Academy will receive a check after the items are weighed and the cart emptied. “We are excited about this outreach project to make textile recycling convenient as well as providing an opportunity to help those less fortunate than ourselves,” school officials said in a bulletin announcement. For more information, call the school at 570-462-3927.

Shenandoah

The much heralded Shenandoah Valley High School Drama Club has announced that this year’s production will be the Broadway musical “Sweet Charity,” to be performed the weekend of April 24-26 in the high school auditorium. The musical, according to a club release, is famous for favorites such as “Hey, Big Spender,” “If My Friends Can See Me Now” and “Rhythm of Life.” Choreography will be crafted in remembrance of “the great Bob Foose,” according to the release. For more information, call Robert C. Yudinsky, the school’s public information coordinator, at 570-462-2609 or email bobyudin@hotmail.com.

Tremont

The Tremont Fire Company will have Firehouse Food Nights from 5 to 7 p.m. Mondays, Dec. 16 and Jan. 20. People may eat at the firehouse or take food out. Take-outs will begin at 4 p.m. both days. All are welcome. For more information or to order, call 570-695-3915.

Deeds

Branch Township — Christopher C. and Molly Keiser to Christopher C. and Molly Keiser; 1484 Bunting St.; $1.

Coaldale — Joanna M. Goodell to Aspire Rentals LLC; 219 E. High St.; $17,000.

Cressona — Johanne Martz to Michael F. and Debra L. Kokitus; 0.218-acre property on South Third Street; $73,000.

East Union Township — Hawk Mountain Land Management Inc. to Rory James Dewitt and Brianna Marie Lipko-Dewitt; 5.368-acre property on Spruce Street, Brandonville; $56,400.

Tax Claim Bureau of Schuylkill County to Gladys M. Corsino; 216 Fourth St.; $1,148.

Girardville — Tax Claim Bureau of Schuylkill County to Borough of Girardville; 19 W. Ogden St.; $1.

Tax Claim Bureau of Schuylkill County to Borough of Girardville; 17 W. Ogden St.; $1.

Tax Claim Bureau of Schuylkill County to Borough of Girardville; 15 Ogden St.; $1.

Tax Claim Bureau of Schuylkill County to Borough of Girardville; 13 W. Ogden St.; $1.

Mahanoy City — Schuylkill County Land Bank to Northeast Pennsylvania Real Estate Group LLC; 502 E. Railroad St.; $1.

S.L. Trusky to David and Analie Gallegos; 104-106 E. Market St.; $12,500.

McAdoo — Tax Claim Bureau of Schuylkill County to RO&K Properties Co.; property at West Eighth and South D. streets; $1,296.

The Most Rev. Alfred A. Schlert, bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Allentown, to Iglesia De Jesucristo La Gran Cosecha; 36-38 E. Washington St.; $110,000.

Minersville — Gianna Agnello to Joseph and Linda Beecroft; 233 S. Fourth St.; $39,000.

Chung and Bi Hua Yeung to Andrew M. Goldstein; 207 North St.; $22,000.

New Ringgold — Irene M. Koch to Barbara A. and John W. Schrader; 306 Tyson St.; $1.

Irene M. Koch to Barbara A. and John W. Schrader; property on Tyson Street; $1.

North Union Township — Edward Jardel to John F. Vergis; 436 Haystack Drive, Zion Grove; $20,000.

Orwigsburg — Curtis R. and Cara E. Bates to Jennifer L. and Adam J. Collins; 405 Ridge Road; $375,000.

Porter Township — Joseph G. Groody, sheriff of Schuylkill County, to Branch Banking & Trust Co. 171 Main St., Keffers; $1,989.96.

Pottsville — John R. Simpson to Michael Thomas Matukewicz and Alice R. Ricketson; 721 W. Arch St.; $40,000.

Reilly Township — D. Joseph Bingaman to Brad Lee Bingaman; 56 New Mines St., New Mines; $1.

Rush Township, Nesquehoning and Packer Township, Carbon County — Kovatch Enterprises Inc. to Kovatch Enterprises Inc.; 3,439.323-acre property; $1.

Saint Clair — Richard Cicero and Michael Cicero to Brian E. and Jessica L. Pearson; 209 E. Franklin St.; $80,000.

Joginder Singh to Harpinder Singh; 50% interest in property on North Third Street; $5,000.

Schuylkill Haven — Lawrence and Angela Bendetti to Eugene and Pamela Voydik; 126 Avenue E; $135,000.

Timothy D. Schimpf to Timothy D. Schimpf; 311 St. Peter St.; $1.

Shenandoah — Scott J. Ulbin to Fermin Bermejo; 2219 N. West St.; $14,000.

James and Beth Thomas to Maira Neri Granados; 237 S. West St.; $18,000.

William J. Jr. and Jacqueline A. Webb to William J. Jr. and Jacqueline A. Webb; 27 S. Ferguson St.; $1.

Shenandoah and West Mahanoy Township — Raymond Witcoski Jr. to Altagracia Tejada De Arias; 149 W. Washington St.; $2,500.

South Manheim Township — Stephen C. Mohan Jr. and Craig M. Mohan, trustees of the Josephine P. Mohan Irrevocable Trust, to Ismet and Naile Kurte; 717 Shawnee Drive, Lake Wynonah; $165,000.

Tamaqua — Milan Melicharek to Holly A. Bearns; 225 Cedar St.; $51,500.

Tremont — Terry L. Fetterman Jr. to Barry L. Noll; property on East Main Street; $1.

Washington Township — Harold and Mary Lou Smith to Ashley and Luke Hoak; 4 Pickerel Lane; $1.

Wayne Township — Jeremy Cloutier to Cootis Jeremy Disclerk; 130 Hogan Drive, Lake Wynonah; $1.

West Brunswick Township — Woodland Resources LLC to Brian R. Rich; 33.0628-acre property on Township Road T-721; $250,000.

West Mahanoy Township — Charlotte A. Vernalis to Lisa Vernalis; 211 Arizona Ave., Shenandoah Heights; $1.

Dorothy M. Letcavage, by attorney in fact Tammy Cooper, to Joseph Zukowski Jr.; 211 Indiana Ave., Shenandoah Heights; $24,000.

Luis Fuentes Barriga to Alejandro Salmeron-Olayo; property in Lost Creek; $3,000.

West Penn Township — Federal National Mortgage Association to 2019 Castle LLC; 862 West Penn Pike, South Tamaqua; $3,676.05.

For the last few years, Revello’s Pizza owner Pat Revello envisioned selling specialty beer in Old Forge that pairs well with pizza and that local restaurant owners could sell.

He told his neighbor restaurant and bar owner TJ Cusumano about his idea and he was on board. They wanted to come up with a specialty line of beers that pays homage to their businesses’ hometown, which is known as the “Pizza Capital of the World.”

The problem was they couldn’t find a brewery that would produce the quantity they wanted to sell until Tim Brice got his license to begin brewing beer earlier this year at Bearded Barrel Brewing Company in Plymouth.

Revello and Cusumano met with Brice and he partnered with the Old Forge business owners to create a specialty line of beers called Brew Devil.

The first beer was released Sunday and it’s called “Let It Snow Baby Joe, Baby Joe!”

The American ale is loaded with fresh cherries, honey and chocolate malt. Cinnamon and ginger were added. It’s sold on tap and was released for “Snow Forge,” a Christmastime event promoting holiday spirit in Old Forge.

Revello said the beer was named in honor of Joe Lettieri, co-owner of Salerno’s Cafe in Old Forge, who died in 2009.

“He was loved by so many people,” Revello said. “In this town, we are all very close and ‘Baby Joe’ stood out. You would always see him in everyone else’s restaurants.”

The beer was released after a few taste tests and Revello said he heard “nothing but great reviews.”

In addition to Revello’s Pizza and Cusumano Restaurant, the beer is sold on tap at Arcaro & Genell Restaurant, Cafe Rinaldi and Salerno’s Cafe.

Brice said he produced three barrels of the beer, which translates to about 93 gallons. Ninety pounds of cherries were used to create it, he said.

Throughout the year, Revello said there will be about six different beer offerings in the Brew Devil line available only in Old Forge. The beers will be promoted on social media prior to their release, he said.

They contacted people from Felitto, Italy about what ingredients they could use for beer for Old Forge’s popular Felittese Festival in September, Revello said.

Felitto is considered a “sister city” to Old Forge because many residents’ ancestors came from here and the beer would by symbolic of their heritage, he said.

Brice began brewing beer earlier this year at Bearded Barrel Brewing Company at 439 W. Main St. in Plymouth and he now supplies beer for 14 places throughout Luzerne and Lackawanna counties.

He said the number will increase to 16 by the end of the year and he has more customers lined up for next year. He expects to start can and growler sales in late January next year.

It was his dream to open his own craft brewery. He started with a three-barrel brewing system and he said he ordered additional equipment to grow. He expects to open a taproom in late spring or early summer next year.

Brice said he enjoyed meeting with Revello and Cusumano to create the new beer based on their input.

He said the partnership between Bearded Barrel Brewing Company and the Old Forge business owners is a “great opportunity for both of us.”

“They wanted to do it for quite some time,” he said. “They were lucky that we are small enough to produce it and also flexible with the volume. We could have produced that size or five times that size. We could produce enough to accommodate them. It’s a good partnership.”

Contact the writer: dallabaugh@citizensvoice.com, 570-821-2115