While Jared Dunn appears to be a typical 11th-grade student at Shamokin Area High School, he’s already received the highest award Coal Township can bestow for spending each Christmas season transforming the park in Tharptown into a winter wonderland.

Jared said he began working on the Christmas display since before he could remember.

Scott Dunn said his son’s involvement began “as soon as he could walk.”

Building elaborate Christmas displays run in the Dunn family.

“My grandfather used to do something similar at his house,” said Scott, who grew up on the 400 block of Center Street in Tharptown.

Scott still provides his help with the Christmas display by building the wooden figures.

“I hope he never stops so I have to do it,” Jared said.

The set-up process begins about two months prior to Christmas. Jared’s mother selects and designs the new wooden figures for Scott to build. Each one is displayed in front of the family’s house for one Christmas before moving across the street to the park for the big-time show.

“We have something new here every year,” Scott said.

With this help of his siblings, Jared then unpacks the statues from their storage space in two sheds in the park. Once the official light-up arrives, Jared takes care of manually powering up the display daily as well as turning it off between 11 p.m. and midnight.

The park now displays 110 wooden figures, alongside three inflatable and 325 made of plastic.

Jared likes the plastic figures best. His favorite is a group of carolers that sit atop the park’s bleachers.

The collection is impressive and includes Christmas classics, like a Nativity scene, as well as rarities, like the Three Stooges.

But Jared said he’s having difficulty continuing to add new plastic figures each year as fewer companies are producing them in favor of inflatable yard decorations. He and his family search yard sales and auctions year-round for them.

“They’re getting really hard to find,” he said.

While donations help offset the cost of the growing display, much of it is paid for by the Dunn family.

“We take donations and sometimes we put our own money into it,” Jared said. “All the plastic stuff we buy.”

Coal Township helps out by providing electricity to light the displays and arranges and pays for deer to be kept on site.

Coal Township commissioners have long been supportive of the Dunn’s display. Two years ago Jared received an official proclamation by Coal Township commissioners for the work he voluntarily performs building the display each year.

“That kid’s just wonderful,” said Commissioner Craig Fetterman. “If we could put him on a podium we would.”

He noted that families like the Dunns and the Pearsons, who plant and maintain flower gardens alongside Route 61 each year, help make Coal Township a brighter, more vibrant place to live.

“People like that are good people,” Fetterman said. “It’s just something that’s great for the community.”

The annual Tharptown Christmas Display Lighting takes place at 7 p.m. Saturday. Visitors can enjoy free hot cocoa and cookies while listening to Christmas music. Santa may make an appearance if his schedule at the North Pole permits a brief vacation.

SAINT CLAIR — Justin Wrona, 13, did not have to wait long for his first target Monday morning.

Wrona hid with his father, Mike Kelly, Palo Alto, in the woods just off Burma Road, Blythe Township, for about a half hour before taking one shot from his .243 Winchester rifle. The four-point buck was his first deer.

“It’s exciting,” Wrona said.

Junior license holders statewide are only permitted to shoot deer with at least two points on their antlers. Wrona, who has been hunting for about two years, said he used doe urine to attract the buck.

“It smelled it and followed it right in,” he said. “We saw it on TV a few times. Thought we might try.”

His father was proud and they were calling to tell everyone the news.

“It was a good day,” Kelly said.

Monday opened the statewide firearms hunting season. It runs until Dec. 13, excluding Sunday.

In many parts of the state, properly licensed hunters may take either antlered or antlerless deer at any time during the season. In other areas, hunters may take only antlered deer during the season’s first five days with the antlerless and antlered seasons then running concurrently from Saturday to the season’s close.

Wildlife Management Units 4A and 4C were among those changing from a two-week concurrent antlered and antlerless deer season this year. WMU 4A includes parts of Bedford, Fulton, Franklin, Huntingdon and Blair counties. WMU 4C includes parts of Columbia, Luzerne, Carbon, Lehigh, Berks, Schuylkill, Lebanon and Dauphin counties.

Other hunters will be trying their luck again this morning.

Jake Keefer, Mechanicsville, said he spotted about eight deer while hunting near Tumbling Run Road, North Manheim Township, but could not see if the deer had at least three points on each antler, as required.

“We’ll be back at it tomorrow,” Keefer said Monday.

Even though he went home empty-handed Monday, Keefer said he always enjoys the time spent hunting with his family.

“There’s nothing like getting away from all the stress and sitting in the woods for a while,” he said.

It was a slow start to the day at Mar Lin Markets, Norwegian Township.

Steve Petchulis, a manager at the family-owned butcher shop, said the first deer was brought to the store about 10 a.m.

“It might be a little slower this year,” he said. “I only expect 15 to 20 deer tops today.”

Petchulis said usually the store has about 35 deer on the first day of the season. During archery this year, he said about 40 deer were butchered there. He said expected less this year because of the new rules for the season.

“They’re making it tough on the guys,” he said.

The store saw 12 deer by 3 p.m.

Mark Harleman, Ashland, dropped off the eight-pointer he shot and a friend’s six-pointer.

“We love the venison,” Harleman said. “Sometimes I butcher it myself, but because of the warmer weather I don’t have a place to hang it.”

HARRISBURG — The state’s newest privatization venture involves pairing compressed natural gas fueling stations with local mass transit agencies.

The Public-Private Transportation Board wants to hear from private firms interested in designing, building and maintaining up to 37 stations across Pennsylvania by Dec. 23.

The County of Lackawanna Transit System, Luzerne County Transportation Authority, Hazleton Public Transit and Endless Mountains Transportation Authority are potential locations for these privately run stations, officials said.

The state Department of Transportation has already held forums and meetings with a number of companies about the venture.

UGI Performance Solutions, an affiliate firm of UGI Utilities Inc., is among the firms that have attended events, according to the department.

Efforts to reach UGI Performance officials for comment Monday were unsuccessful.

Officials hope these fueling stations will provide reliable access to compressed natural gas to the public, help transit agencies convert fleets of vehicles from diesel and create new markets for natural gas produced in Pennsylvania.

“Natural gas is a valuable resource that provides affordable, cleaner options for vehicles in Pennsylvania,” Transportation Secretary Barry Schoch said.

Currently, more than 500 buses or 16 percent of the public transit fleet runs on alternative fuels, including CNG. The partnership board plans to select a firm to build the stations by next summer. As an incentive, the transportation department plans to sign a CNG supply contract with that firm.

The partnership board is already involved in projects to have private firms replace hundreds of bridges under guidance of a 2012 law.

Concert date incorrect

A Viennese Christmas concert, which is part of the Greater Hazleton Concert Series, will be held at 7:30 p.m. today at Hazleton Area High School Auditorium. The date was incorrect in Sunday’s edition.

Volunteer misidentified

Mason Freeman, Schuyl-kill Haven, volunteered to help box meals for those in need Thursday at the Knights of Columbus Schuylkill Council 431, Pottsville. The information was incorrect in a caption that appeared in Friday’s edition.

SCRANTON — Al Boscov gave Scranton Mayor Bill Courtright a check Monday for $715,173, to make good on a loan the city had given years ago to The Mall at Steamtown that went unpaid.

Calling the check a donation from Boscov’s Department Stores to the city, Boscov said he felt obligated to pay the loan back even though neither he nor his company is legally on the hook to do so.

The donation is intended to replace a $612,480 missed loan payment that had been owed by former mall owner Steamtown Mall Partners, with which Boscov was and is affiliated, but that was guaranteed by the city and covered out of its federal block grant funds, as well as $102,693 in interest, Boscov said.

Called a “Section 108” loan, it was given in 2001 by the city to Steamtown Mall Partners and secured with the city’s block-grant funding from the federal Housing and Urban Development agency.

In mid-2013, Steamtown Mall Partners missed the $600,000-plus payment on the loan and HUD deducted the amount from the city’s block grant funds, city officials had said. The city later had to cut various block grants to account for the reduction in the federal funds.

Earlier this year, the mall’s first mortgage holder took possession of the mall through a foreclosure and the city’s loan became “subordinated,” meaning it “would likely never be repaid,” Boscov said. The donation was given to make good on the loan because Boscov said he is “grateful for the support of the city of Scranton and didn’t want the city to suffer any loss of funds.”

Boscov and his nephew, Jim Boscov, who are chairman/CEO and vice-chairman, respectively, of Boscov’s Department Stores, delivered the check in person to Courtright in his office at City Hall.

“In the foreclosure sale, the city lost its main position” for loan repayment, Gene Hickey, solicitor for the city’s Office of Economic and Community Development that administers federal block grant funds, said. “Mr. Boscov and Jim Boscov, through the department store, have actually had Boscov’s Department Store pay what should have been paid by the mall.”

Al Boscov said, “Boscov’s Department Stores paid back what they (the city) paid to HUD and interest, so we made them whole.”

The donation does not involve a separate $3 million loan the city gave a decade ago to Steamtown Mall Partners and also guaranteed, and that had a $1.8 million balance due in July that also went unpaid, they said. The city last month approved refinancing the $1.8 million balance with HUD to pay it back over 10 years instead of all at once.

Scranton City Council President Bob McGoff last month criticized Al Boscov because he had promised to make good on this $1.8 million loan balance. Efforts to reach McGoff on Monday were unsuccessful.

Al Boscov said he still intends to make good on this other loan, too.

“Hopefully as we go forward, we’ll be able to take care of that” other loan, he said. “We’re going to try to make sure that Boscov’s is doing well, and that we continue to pay off whatever the city has due every year” over the 10 years.

Noting that business at his store was brisk over the Thanksgiving holiday, Boscov also said he hopes his firm can regain ownership of the mall.

“Our hope is that we can not only keep Boscov’s open, but that we can keep the mall and (have it) doing well also,” he said.

Asked if McGoff’s remarks led to the check, Boscov said no, and he always intended to make the city whole. He jokingly praised the mayor for “keeping his mouth shut with this news” of donation until it could be presented.

It’s not clear into which city coffer the $715,173 will go, whether it would go back into OECD block grants or into the city’s general operating budget.

The Schuylkill Intermediate Unit 29 Lifelong Learning Center is moving to Pottsville.

The learning center, which has been at the Schuylkill Mall since 1992, will move to 2221 W. Market St. in the Yorkville Center. The site was home to Dollar Surplus, which moved out earlier this year.

The move is “more convenient for the customers we serve,” Barb Naradko, director of post-secondary programs and community based education for IU 29, said Nov. 21.

The center offers services for adult basic education, such as GED preparation, English as a second language, family literacy and testing. It also offers a volunteer tutor program, basic computer classes and fingerprinting for background checks. There are costs for testing and fingerprinting, but other services are free.

Naradko said Monday that the center will leave by Dec. 19, at the latest.

“We started the construction phase the end of October,” John Nabholz, IU 29 facilities director, said Nov. 21.

On Nov. 21, workers were installing carpet, among other improvements to the 4,000-square-foot site. The center will now be more centrally located near IU 29, the county assistance office and CareerLink. A bus stop is also located nearby.

Naradko said the lease is for a five-year period contingent on grant funding, which funds the programs.

Elaine Maneval, Schuylkill Mall manager, said the loss of IU 29 is unfortunate for the mall.

“Of course, we are sad to see them go after a tenancy of over 20 years. We understand from their executives that they want to be in Pottsville, closer to their main campus and closer to the majority of their client base. Unfortunately, if they want to be in Pottsville, we cannot accommodate their corporate needs. We are in Frackville,” Maneval said.

For more information about the center, visit www.iu29.org or call 570-874-0137. The phone number will remain the same after the move.

2 suffer injuries

in Gratz collision

GRATZ — Two people suffered minor injuries when two vehicles collided at Centre and Market streets in this Dauphin County community at 6:35 a.m. Friday, police said.

State police at Lykens said Wayne I. Artz, 84, of Spring Glen, was driving a 2014 Chevrolet Cruz south on Market Street, Route 25, when he tried to make a left turn onto Centre Street and drove into the path of a 2005 Dodge Ram driven by Michael D. Lesher, 28, of Gratz.

Police said the Lesher truck hit the passenger side of the Artz car.

Artz suffered minor injuries and his passenger, Ruth Artz, 83, also of Spring Glen, suffered minor injuries while Lesher was not hurt, police said.

Police said Ruth Artz was taken to Geisinger Medical Center, Danville, for treatment and that Wayne Artz will be cited for vehicles turning left.

Pushing child

results in charge

GRATZ — A Lykens woman was arrested by state police at Lykens and charged with harassment for allegedly pushing a child at the Capital Area Head Start Day Care Program, 125 N. Centre St., about 1 p.m. Nov. 12.

Police said Elizabeth A. Pabon, 39, will have to answer to the charge before Magisterial District Judge Rebecca Margerum, Elizabethville.

Police said Pabon was working at the daycare when she pushed a 3-year-old Millersburg child to the ground as punishment for pushing another child.

4 escape injuries

in 1-vehicle crash

WICONISCO — Four people escaped injuries in a one-vehicle crash that occurred on Route 209 in Wiconisco Township, Dauphin County, just west of the Williams Township line, at 5:25 p.m. Saturday, police said.

State police at Lykens said Mary L. Merritt, 59, of Tower City, was driving a 2004 Honda CRV north when a deer entered the highway. The woman was unable to avoid a collision and struck the animal, police said.

Merritt and her passengers, Amy J. Stattler, 37, and Brittany M. Stattler, 19, both of Tower City, and Brandon L. Hess, 20, of Elizabethville, were not injured, police said, adding that Lykens firefighters assisted at the scene.

Car strikes deer;

driver, others OK

LYKENS — State police at Lykens investigated a one-vehicle crash that occurred on Route 209, just east of Main Street in Wiconisco Township, a half-mile east of Lykens Borough in Dauphin County, at 6:20 p.m. Saturday.

Police said Dustin J. Recchione, 18, of Tower City, was driving a 2000 Volkswagen Golf south when he was unable to avoid and struck a deer that entered the highway.

Recchione and his passengers, Luke T. Wynn, 19, of Williamstown, Tristan M. Merwine, 18, of Tower City, and a 17-year-old Tower City boy, all escaped injury.

Police said the vehicle sustained disabling damage and was towed from the scene.

2 face charges

in theft at store

ELIZABETHVILLE — Two people were arrested by state police at Lykens and charged with retail theft and conspiracy after an incident at Wal-Mart, 200 Kocher Lane, in Washington Township, Dauphin County, at 6:40 p.m. Nov. 22.

Police said Alyssa Jones, 20, of Elizabethville, and Ashley English, 29, of Tower City, will have to answer to the charges before Magisterial District Judge Rebecca Margerum, Elizabethville.

Police said the two women conspired to steal five DVDs valued at $25 from the store.

Eggs reportedly

thrown at home

MAR LIN — State police at Schuylkill Haven are investigating a disorderly conduct incident that occurred at 504 Beechwood Ave. in Norwegian Township between 11 p.m. Sunday and 6:30 a.m. Monday.

Police said Beta Senawaitis reported someone threw eggs at her home, hitting the porch as well as her vehicle, that was parked in the driveway.

Anyone with information is asked to call police at 570-739-1330.

Cressona woman

hurt in accident

SUMMIT STATION — A woman was taken to Schuylkill Medical Center-South Jackson Street after crashing her vehicle off an embankment at 1:59 p.m. Monday, police said.

State police at Schuylkill Haven said Danielle E. Snyder, 22, of Cressona, was traveling north on Route 183 and lost control of a 1994 Ford Ranger while driving on a right curve. The vehicle entered the southbound lane of traffic and then struck a guide rail off the southbound lane of travel, police said.

The vehicle continued north along the southbound shoulder and overturned over the embankment, police said, noting that it came to final rest facing south, approximately 30 feet down the embankment.

Summit Station Fire Company and Pottsville/Schuylkill Haven EMS assisted at the scene, police said.

Snyder was charged for driving too fast for conditions, and her vehicle was towed from the scene, police said.

Threats result in

charges for man

WILLIAMSTOWN — A man is being charged with simple assault and terroristic threats against a 30-year-old borough woman.

State police at Lykens said at 7:30 a.m. Thursday, William Henry Poorman III, 46, of Williamstown, engaged in a verbal argument with the victim, whom police did not identify, and choked and slapped her while making threats to end her life. Poorman also refused to let the victim leave the residence, police said.

Poorman was charged with simple assault, terroristic threats, unlawful restraint, false imprisonment and harassment in the court of Magisterial District Judge Rebecca J. Margerum, Elizabethville. He was remanded to Dauphin County Prison after being unable to post bail, police said.

Hit-and-run probe

in Elizabethville

ELIZABETHVILLE — State police at Lykens are investigating a hit-and-run that occurred between 11 p.m. Saturday and 8 a.m. Sunday at Maple Avenue, 131 feet east of Birch Avenue.

Police said someone driving a 2015 vehicle west on Maple Avenue left the left side of the roadway for about 10 yards and then struck a corner of a garage, causing significant damage. The vehicle continued off the roadway for about 10 more yards and struck a 2012 Nissan Versa in the driver’s side rear quarter panel, causing minor damage, police said.

The person came back onto the roadway and continued traveling west on Maple Avenue, police said.

The suspected vehicle left an orange paint transfer behind on the garage and vehicle and will have minor to severe front end damage on the driver’s side, police said. Anyone with information or body shops who suspect that they recognize the vehicle is asked to call police at 717- 362-8700.

2 vehicles collide

in E. Union Twp.

RINGTOWN — Three people escaped major injury when two vehicles collided at 3:50 p.m. Friday on Route 924, about 2,000 feet west of Mountain Drive in East Union Township, police said.

State police at Frackville said Michael E. Clarke, 36, of Ringtown, was driving a 2012 Honda Pilot south on Route 924 and crossed into the northbound lane where it collided with the side of a 2010 Kia Forte driven by Katelyn M. Adukaitis, 23, of Frackville.

Clarke and a passenger in the Adukaitis vehicle, Cody R. Perez, 23, of Shenandoah, were not hurt, police said, and Adukaitis suffered a cut on her hand.

Ashland woman

injured in crash

FRACKVILLE — An Ashland woman suffered injuries when two vehicles collided at 3:15 p.m. Nov. 21 at Route 61 and Altamont Boulevard in West Mahanoy Township, police said.

Township police said Bernard Bowman, Minersville, was driving a Chevrolet van south on Route 61 when he turned left into the path of a northbound Dodge truck driven by James Houser, Ashland.

There were two passengers in the truck, Tara and Alison Houser, both of Ashland, police said, noting that Alison Houser was transported to the hospital by Frackville EMS.

Police cited Bowman in the crash.

CDs, DVDs, photos

taken from car

PALO ALTO — State police at Schuylkill Haven are investigating a theft from a vehicle that occurred between 9:30 p.m. Saturday and 8:30 a.m. Sunday in the area of the 300-400 block of West Bacon Street.

Police said someone stole various CDs, DVDs and several pictures of the victim’s son from the parked vehicle, which was unlocked. The victim’s name was withheld by request, police said.

Residents are urged to lock their vehicles at all times, especially during the holiday season, police said.

Anyone with information about the incident is asked to call police at Schuylkill Haven at 570-739-1330.

Snowy conditions

play role in crash

HALIFAX — A man is being charged for crashing his car due to snowy weather conditions at 7:30 a.m. Saturday on Route 147 in Dauphin County, police said.

State police at Lykens said Christopher E. Miller, 50, of Elizabethville, was traveling south on Route 147, South River Road, in a 2007 Chevrolet Cobalt while trying to travel on a curve in the road. Miller lost control of the vehicle on the snow-covered road, sliding into the northbound lane of travel and off the northbound berm, striking an embankment, police said.

After striking the embankment, Miller continued down Route 147 before coming to a final rest on the southbound berm facing south, police said.

Miller was wearing a seat belt at the time of the accident, police said, noting that Halifax Fire Department assisted and that the vehicle was towed from the scene.

Miller was cited in the court of Magisterial District Judge Gregory D. Johnson, Dauphin, for failing to travel on roadways laned for traffic.

MAR LIN — Norwegian Township residents should not expect an increase in their taxes, again.

Norwegian Township supervisors voted to advertise the proposed budget Monday that does not include a tax increase.

“All taxes will be the same. They have been the same for the last many, many years,” Supervisor Leo Grace said. It will be the 24th year in a row that taxes hold the line in the township.

In the proposed budget, taxes will remain at 2.73 mills. Real estate taxes are levied against half a property’s assessed value. Each mill equals $1 for every $1,000 of assessed property value. Revenues and expenses are balanced at $735,373. The largest amount of projected revenue comes from taxes at $564,323, and the largest expense is allocated toward general government at $443,323.

If adopted, the earned income tax will remain at 0.5 percent, the local services tax at $52 and the realty transfer tax at 0.5 percent.

The public can review at the budget at the township office, 506 Maple Ave., Mar Lin.

The budget is scheduled for adoption at noon Dec. 29.

In other business, a reorganization meeting was set for 6:30 p.m. Jan. 5.

Also on Monday, township Chairman Robert Kirwan read a letter addressed to Rep. Mike Tobash, R-125, from Michael W. Rebert, district executive with the state Department of Transportation, in response to a letter from Tobash about the intersection at routes 209 and 901.

In the letter dated Nov. 24, Rebert said that PennDOT intends to address the issues at the intersection.

“PennDOT is aware of the safety issues and the concerns of the traveling public as they relate to this problematic intersection. A project is currently under design by engineering district 5-0 for this area that will include the installation of new traffic signals and a dedicated left turn lane for northbound state Route 209. This project is planned to occur within the first two years of the newly adopted transportation improvement program for 2015,” Rebert said in the letter.

The letter continued, “I can assure you that the district is doing our due diligence to ensure that this project will be delivered as expeditiously as possible.”

According to PennDOT’s updated 12-year Transportation Program, safety improvements are slated for the intersection during the first four-year time frame at a cost of $2.32 million.

Ron Young, spokesman for PennDOT District 5, Allentown, said in October that design work has started. He said it could be two to three years before construction starts at the intersection. A time line for completion could be dependent on weather and other factors, he said.

The supervisors have been trying to get a red light at the intersection for years. In May 2013, township officials met at the intersection with state representatives, Minersville borough officials and PennDOT employees to discuss the issue.

Usually, the township receives about two to three calls a month inquiring about the light at the intersection, Kirwan said previously.

The Freemasons will bring the holiday season into full swing starting Saturday with the Christmas Gala at Pulaski Masonic Lodge 216 in Pottsville.

The seventh annual event is sponsored by the builders club of the lodge. The gala will take place on the fourth and fifth floors of the Masonic building from 3 to 8 p.m. Saturday and Sunday as well as Dec. 13 and 14 at 4 S. Second St., Pottsville.

“Santa will be there for the gala,” Bob Thomas, organizer of the event for the lodge, said Tuesday.

Children can meet Santa, have their picture taken and get a candy cane upon meeting the man from the north pole. Pets are also welcome to have their picture taken.

The gala is a way “to spread some cheer around the area for the Christmas season,” Zane Rist, a member the Christmas Gala committee and member of the builders club, said.

Twenty trees were donated to the gala by local growers for a Christmas tree contest. Gala attendees will be able to vote for their favorites. Two trophies will be awarded to the winning trees, one for people’s choice and the other for the most likes on Facebook, at 7 p.m. Dec. 14.

All tree entries will then be given to people in need who might not be able to purchase a Christmas tree.

J.C. Hill, owner of J.C. Hill Tree Farms Inc., Orwigsburg, one of the donors, said he has been donating for years because its a good cause. He donated four blue spruce each that are about six to eight feet tall.

A stuffed Olaf, a character from Disney movie “Frozen,” adorned the top of a tree from the Pottsville Area Band Front, which was decorated on Sunday. Light blue Christmas balls, red and blue felt ribbons and little snowmen made of foam adorned the tree along with the traditional tinsel.

The youth group from Trinity Lutheran Church, Pottsville, decorated a tree Monday with candy. Some of the decorations included candy canes with brown pipe cleaners to look like reindeer antlers, two Hershey kisses with small, pink pieces of felt for ears to resemble a mouse and a star made out of candy canes.

Rist was looking at the trains Tuesday that will be part of the gala. There are two rooms with train layouts on the fourth floor. The trains are controlled by direct cab control, or radio control, Rist said.

Entertainment will include gymnasts and the Pottsville Area Tide Tones.

Thomas said event is well-attended with about 1,300 people visiting last year. In 2012, the number was closer to 1,500 people.

“Both weekends, we had snow last year. Weather plays a large part in the success or failure of the event” because people might not venture outside, Rist said.

Body cameras on police officers are a costly safety mechanism to invest in, but if money wasn’t an issue, would local police departments enforce the use of body cameras?

Schuylkill Haven police Chief Jeffrey Walcott and Minersville police Chief Michael Combs said they are in favor of body cameras.

“Ironically, I have four test units on my desk right now,” Walcott said. “Even before the events of Ferguson, I was already looking at alternatives than just the dash cam.”

On Monday, President Barack Obama announced his request to Congress for the money to buy 50,000 body cameras to record police work, The Associated Press reported. The announcement comes in the wake of last August’s shooting death of Michael Brown, 18, by Ferguson, Missouri, police officer Darren Wilson — an event which touched off a prolonged period of riots and violence.

Witness statements from the incident conflicted. Some witnesses said Brown had his hands up when Wilson shot him. Wilson said Brown had hit him and reached for his gun. A grand jury ultimately did not indict Wilson, which led to more protests across the country.

Obama’s proposal is a three-year, $263 million spending package aimed at increasing the use of body-mounted cameras while also increasing training and resources for police reform, the AP reported. Specifically, the proposal includes $75 million to defray half of the cost for local and state departments hoping to buy a portion of the 50,000 cameras.

Walcott supports the cameras though they come at a hefty price.

“I’m in support of it, but of course money is always an issue,” he said. “The units that I’m looking at range from $400 to $800 per unit. Some will have evidence subscription based software and storage for the video footage.”

The decision for Schuylkill Haven police to look into body cameras was initiated by a need for court evidence.

“I’ve been hearing this more and more continually at preliminary hearings. Every defense attorney wants to know ‘Where’s the video footage?’ Well, we have dash cams in the car but we are off camera sometimes,” Walcott said.

Combs, Minersville said he is in favor of body cameras on officers to avoid false accusations.

“It would vindicate the officers and prevent false accusations. There wouldn’t be any he said-she said. It’s on the video,” Combs said. “If money wasn’t an issue, I’d equip all of my officers with them today.”

Combs said that the main issue with funding wouldn’t be to buy the cameras, but the storage.

“The problem wouldn’t be the money for the cameras, it would be for the storage of all the film and information,” he said. “Then you have the battery life if cops are going to keep filming, and if they don’t, then the cops have to turn on the cameras and there are a lot of split second instances.”

While Combs is pro-body cameras, he said he doesn’t believe there are an abundance of corrupt officers that are making them necessary.

“In any profession, you’re going to have some that go astray and you deal with it,” Combs said. “What people don’t realize is that officers have to make a decision in a split second. They can’t look at the situation a day later and think what they could have done. It’s a shame we have to come to this, but, yes, I think it’s a useful tool.”

Many believe police brutality is the reason the president is pushing for body cameras, Combs said many officers are hurt on duty because they haven’t used enough force.

“When officers go through the police academy, they have it embedded in their head repeatedly to not use excessive force, so when they are making an arrest or in an instance that they need to protect themselves, they don’t use enough force and often get hurt,” he said.

Like Combs, Walcott also said he believes that a majority of cops are honorable.

“There’s bad cops just like there’s bad teachers or bad doctors, but the majority of us are not purposely violating people’s rights,” Walcott said.

Schuylkill County District Attorney Christine A. Holman said Tuesday that such cameras could be helpful to police.

“If it protects an officer, if it helps fight crime, I can’t see a negative to it,” she said.

Body cameras could help prevent crime and apprehend suspects, thereby helping police officers, Holman said.

Holman said because of the possible expense, cameras should not be introduced without testing.

“We would have a test department before investing,” she said.

Regionally, the Scranton Police Department is in favor of using body-mounted cameras to record police interactions with the public because it adds a level of “transparency” to the department, Chief Carl Graziano said Tuesday.

However, finding the money to actually purchase the cameras is a roadblock for the cash-strapped city, but part of the funding could come in part from the federal government.

“That’s a matter of funding,” Graziano said. “We certainly want them.”

State police do not use body cameras, but do use dashboard cameras with great success, state police spokesman Trooper Adam Reed said. He too said implementation of body cameras would be expensive, explaining there are approximately 4,400 state troopers in Pennsylvania. Beyond that, he said “it’s a little too far in advance to tell right now” if body cameras would be considered.

West Hazleton police Chief Brian Buglio had mixed feelings. He said he thinks body cameras are a good investment overall, but questions who will pay for upkeep if the government makes money available to purchase cameras. He also questioned how long departments will be required to keep data recorded by the cameras and how much it will cost to store that data.

Buglio wondered if body cameras have the capability to show the “whole picture,” noting the camera lens may inadvertently cut off vital information from being recorded.

The use of body-mounted cameras in Pennsylvania is a relatively new idea. A bill allowing municipal and state officer to wear them was signed into law this year.

In general, the concept was good because it provided accountability and transparency to everyone involved in a police interaction, but the details of the legislation were flawed because it included no state mandate on exactly how the cameras should be used, Mary Catherine Roper, a senior staff attorney with the American Civil Liberties Union of Pennsylvania, said.

Police cannot use the cameras in someone’s home and officers need to notify individuals they are recording the exchange, but the law offers no guidance otherwise on when the cameras can be turned on and when they can be turned off, Roper said. There is also no mandate on how long data can be retained. The law allows the burden of deciding those issues to the individual departments.

Andy Hoover, legislative director for the state ACLU, wrote to the state Senate last year to oppose the bill and cited two cases in recent years when officers in Seattle, Washington, and Oakland, California, turned cameras off during moments they could have been useful.

In Seattle, critical parts of a dashboard camera video were missing from an arrest that led to two men filing claims of excessive force and wrongful arrest, he wrote. In Oakland, an officer turned a colleague’s body-mounted camera off during an encounter with protestors.

Department policies governing the use of cameras should be brought to the public before the cameras are purchased, and even before the money to purchase the cameras is obtained, Roper said.

Human service agencies in Schuylkill County want the homeless to come to them this year.

The various agencies and organizations that team up each year for the statewide “point-in-time” count will set up sites throughout the county for the event on Jan. 29.

The one-day count of sheltered and unsheltered people is used to estimate the number of people homeless in the county and identify any similar characteristics among the demographic, according to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.

The survey serves as a benchmark for developing local and county-wide strategies to fight homelessness. HUD provides various funding for homeless assistance services to counties who participate in the counts.

“There are really two purposes of the count,” Gerald Achenbach, Service Access and Management Inc. housing director and chairman of the Schuylkill County Local Housing Options Team, said. “The first is to help those that are homeless or at risk of becoming homeless. And if we can successfully record what we did that evening, we are eligible to apply for grants and far more likely to secure those funds.”

The county conducted its first “point-in-time” count in January 2013. That survey found 13 individuals. The last survey conducted identified 39 individuals.

“We do expect to have more,” Achenbach said about the upcoming count.

During the last two years, Achenbach said the count relied on volunteer teams going out in the streets to look for the homeless.

“Two years ago, we only had street teams,” Achenbach said. “Last year, we primarily used street teams with a few base sites.”

The Pottsville Soup Kitchen and Allied Services, Pottsville, served as a base sites at different times during last year’s count.

“What we learned was if we did enough outreach before the county and contact the homeless and let them know where the base sites are, we would have a lot of success in the homeless coming to us,” he said. “We determined it was in our best interest to mainly use base sites.”

Twelve sites are being finalized to be used for the count this year. Achenbach said people do not have to be interviewed that night and some of the sites will be used within the week after the count.

“The goal is to determine where people slept on the night of Jan. 29,” Achenbach said.

However, people have still volunteered to search the streets that night as well.

Schuylkill County does not have a homeless shelter that is designated for everyone. Schuylkill Women in Crisis has a shelter for victims of domestic violence. SWiC and various other agencies in the county also have transitional housing programs that provide temporary residency while helping an individual secure permanent housing.

Individuals interviewed for the survey will again be offered motel vouchers, grocery cards, and other supplies.

“Ultimately, what we want to do is to solve their problems,” Achenbach said. “Although it is a only a one night event, we want to bring them into human service agencies and begin to work with them.”

SHENANDOAH — Downtown Shenandoah Inc. will hold a public town hall meeting on Monday as part of its application to be designated as a Main Street community for the second time.

The public meeting, which is mandated by the state Department of Community and Economic Development as part of the application process for a new five-year program, will begin at 6 p.m. in the American Legion Anthony P. Damato “Medal of Honor” Post 792, 116-118 N. Main St.

“DCED requires a town hall meeting,” DSI executive director and Main Street manager Mary Luscavage said. “The meeting will provide information to the public on what we have done and our focus is going to be on blight, as well as the other things we do, such as facades. We want the public to be aware of everything that DSI does and has plans on doing.”

Luscavage said the meeting will be open for questions from the public.

“If they have questions, they can ask about what we do,” Luscavage said. “Even though we’ve been in this for seven years, we need to get our focus and our mission out there.”

In order for Shenandoah to become a Main Street community, DSI was at first required to hold two town hall meetings to measure the interest in downtown revitalization.

“We were designated in 2006 as a Main Street community and started in 2007,” Luscavage said. “We had five years of designation. We are now out of funding and will not receive any funding for this. We must be totally self-sustaining.”

When DSI received designation in 2006, the organization had raised $90,000 in a capital campaign, to which DCED provided $180,000 for basic operations, including for a Main Street manager. Even though there are no funds to be received with the second designation, there is an advantage in seeking grants for revitalization projects.

“It (designation) will give us the opportunity and the edge to get other grants, such as a planning grant or reinvestment grant or other grant this is offered. It also includes the facade grant, which we were recently approved,” Luscavage said.

DSI was recently awarded through the Borough of Shenandoah a facade grant of $50,000 over a three-year period. DSI can apply for grants even if it did not seek or receive the new designation, but the designation puts its grant applications in a more favorable position on the list of all application throughout the state to provide a better chance for getting a grant award.

“We have the money in place and we’ll be able to apply again in three years, unless there is an excess of facade grant money that has not been used, then we can possibly apply for it,” Luscavage said.

Main Street is now part of DCED’s Keystone Communities, which is a program that assists Pennsylvania’s core communities in achieving revitalization, according to the DCED website. This program supports physical improvements to both designated and other communities that are undertaking revitalization to restore deteriorated downtowns, residential neighborhoods, and industrial/manufacturing sites. Keystone Communities also provides funding for accessible modifications for the homes of persons with physical disabilities.

The program designates and funds communities that are implementing Keystone Main Street, Keystone Elm Street, Keystone Enterprise Zone efforts or other community development efforts.

Luscavage said that the application process to seek the new designation is more detailed than the original one.

“The application is a bit more in-depth because they ask for more since we have already been designated.” Luscavage said. “They want a whole year of meeting minutes, they want to see our financial reports, and want to know the people who attend our meetings. We have a nice amount a people who attend our meetings.”

She added, “I think we have done a lot these past years, and we’ve done 26 facade projects that involved $180,000 in state money, but there was also more than $300,000 in private money spent. The people who have done facades see the need for the program.”

The focus on blight will first deal with those properties in the Main Street district, which includes the length of Main Street and several blocks on Centre Street. Since the blight program will use private funding, that is where the focus will be, but when funds become available, the focus could be extended into the neighborhoods.

“We just acquired the lot across the street from here (DSI office), and hoping to acquire some more,” she said. “We have a project on the table, but we are still working with other entities to finalize it.”

The town hall meeting will also include the attendance of borough officials, representatives from the offices of state Sen. David Argall and Rep. Neal P. Goodman, the county commissioners, and invitations have been sent to U.S. Rep. Matthew Cartwright’s office, county District Attorney Christine Holman, and others.

“The public is encouraged to attend this meeting,” Luscavage said.

Deeds

Saint Clair — William J. and Deborah M. Pasker to Thomas and Phyllis Szeliga; 215 Cherry St.; $1.

Schuylkill Haven — Oliver N. Laubenstine to Michael A. Dissinger; 626 Leonard St.; $66,000.

Tamaqua — Christopher M. Melcher to Daniel A. Dolby; property on Race Street; $2,000.

Union Township — Mary Ann Luckenbill, executrix of the Estate of Dorothy M. Horn, to Robert Horn, David Horn, Harold Horn and Mary Ann Luckenbill; two properties on Reservoir Road; $1.

Wayne Township — Robert M. and Christie Sheipe to Dennis S. and Cynthia L. Himmelberger; 247 Lutz Valley Road; $141,000.

West Brunswick Township — William R. Ebling to William R. and Lauren B. Ebling; 42 Wynn View Drive; $1.

West Penn Township — Ruth A. Bonass to Troy A. and Melissa A. Hartman; 115 Millhead Road, Andreas; $90,000.

The City of Pottsville is planning to develop an amendment to require limited liability companies, LLCs, to identify their members before they buy or rent property in the city limits, City Administrator Thomas A. Palamar said Tuesday.

“I think there has to be a requirement that if you’re a landlord and you’re an LLC that you have to list all of your members,” Schuylkill County First Assistant District Attorney Maria T. Casey told the city’s Blight and Nuisance Property Task Force at its December meeting Tuesday.

“Would we have to put that in our ordinance?” Palamar asked.

“Yes. I think you’ll have to revise your ordinance,” Casey said.

“I think this would be a really good idea to do,” Palamar said.

“You have to be super aggressive,” Casey said.

The matter may be discussed at the city council’s next meeting, slated for 6 p.m. Monday at City Hall.

“Like a corporation, a limited liability company, or LLC, is a separate and distinct legal entity. This means that an LLC can obtain a tax identification number, open a bank account and do business, all under its own name. The primary advantage of an LLC is that its owners, known as members, have limited liability, meaning that, under most circumstances, they are not personally liable for the debts and liabilities of the LLC,” according to www.legalzoom.com.

This can cause problems for municipalities, like the City of Pottsville, who have trouble contacting the members of LLCs who own blighted properties, Palamar said.

David J. Petravich, city building code officer, said when dealing with blighted properties, the city has trouble dealing with the situation, or issuing citations, when officials aren’t able to determine the names of the people who are behind an LLC.

“I wrote a quality of life ticket recently that became a citation. It was against an LLC. And when I wrote the citation, the letter went out under the company name, the LLC,” Petravich told the task force Tuesday.

When Magisterial District Judge James K. Reiley, Pottsville, saw the citation, he asked a series of questions, Petravich said.

“Judge Reiley asked certain questions of that owner before he allowed it to go forward. I might have almost lost that case because of not naming the person behind that LLC,” Petravich said.

“Every LLC in Pennsylvania has to have members. And sometimes there’s a managing members. And they’re contained in some kind of agreement. Every LLC has to have an operating agreement. I think what you’re going to have to do on the city level is you need to find a way to get the member lists from them. That way you’ll have actual people with home addresses. Same for partnerships,” Casey said.

“We have to go to the next level and start putting some teeth in our bite,” city Councilman Joseph J. Devine Jr. said.

“We have to stop them from doing LLCs. One day they’re ABC. The next day, they’re DEF,” Craig S.L. Shields, CEO of Barefield Development Corp., Pottsville, said.

“So we may make a change in our rental ordinance, to make a requirement that if any LLCs buy properties that all of their members are listed and that they’re operating plan is listed. If we pursued this, council would have to have two readings because it would be a change to an ordinance,” Palamar said.

In other matters, Devine suggested the city talk with county officials about the possibility of working together on demolition projects.

Palamar said he’s going to make an effort to discuss the matter with Gary Bender, county director of community development.

The city’s blight task force was started in 2012. Currently, there are 406 properties recorded on its assessment list. Of those, 225 are problems, according to the agenda at Tuesday’s meeting.

Two weeks ago, the city mailed out 50 letters to owners of properties at the top of the list, Palamar said.

A Schuylkill Haven man went to prison Monday after being sentenced in Schuylkill County Court on five drug-related charges.

Christopher T. Czarick, 31, must serve six to 23 months in prison under the terms of Judge Charles M. Miller’s sentence.

Miller also sentenced Czarick to pay costs, $100 to the Substance Abuse Education Fund and $50 to the Criminal Justice Enhancement Account and submit a DNA sample to law enforcement authorities.

Czarick pleaded guilty Oct. 14 to two counts of possession of a controlled substance and one each of possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance, conspiracy and possession of drug paraphernalia.

State police at Reading charged Czarick with possessing heroin, Suboxone and drug paraphernalia on March 7 in Schuylkill Haven.

Also on Monday, a Minersville woman faces possible prison time after being convicted of driving under the influence and a summary offense.

Carmen D. Vergara, 47, is guilty of DUI and disregarding traffic lanes, Judge Cyrus Palmer Dolbin ruled at the end of a one-day nonjury trial. Dolbin ordered preparation of a presentence investigation and said he would sentence Vergara at a later date.

State police at Schuylkill Haven alleged Vergara was DUI on Nov. 27, 2013, in Norwegian Township.

In her testimony, Vergara admitted she had been driving and refused to take a blood alcohol test.

In other recent county court action, Dolbin accepted guilty pleas from, and, pursuant to agreements between prosecutors and defendants, imposed the indicated sentences on, these people:

Ciprian Martinez-Rodriguez, 37, of Hazleton; DUI; six months in the intermediate punishment program, $1,000 fine, $300 SAEF payment, $60 restitution to Schuylkill Medical Center-South Jackson Street and 10 hours community service. Prosecutors withdrew charges of disregarding traffic lanes, seat belt violation and careless driving.

Justin E. McArdle, 27, of Tamaqua; conspiracy; one to two years in a state correctional institution, $50 CJEA payment and submission of a DNA sample to law enforcement authorities.

Bradley C. McKeone, 23, of Pottsville; criminal mischief and possession of drug paraphernalia; 23 months probation, $100 SAEF payment, $50 CJEA payment, $6,145.16 restitution and submission of a DNA sample to law enforcement authorities. Prosecutors withdrew a charge of public drunkenness.

Jason J. Pryce, 29, of Ashland; receiving stolen property; 12 months probation and $50 CJEA payment. Prosecutors withdrew a charge of access device fraud.

Wayne G. Reed, 55, of Pottsville; defiant trespass; $25 fine.

Tyler J. Roeder, 24, of Pottsville; two counts each of possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance and possession of a controlled substance and one each of delivery of a controlled substance, criminal use of a communication facility and conspiracy; four to 23 months in prison, $200 in SAEF payments, $100 in CJEA payments, $226 restitution to the state police crime laboratory in Bethlehem and submission of a DNA sample to law enforcement authorities.

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

PINE GROVE — The borough will kick off the holiday season Saturday with its Christmas tree lighting.

This is the 16th year for the event, and festivities will start at 2:30 p.m.

The lights on the Christmas tree, a spruce that is about 20 feet tall, will be lit close to 5 p.m., Dick Becker, chairman of the Pine Grove Area Christmas Light Committee, said. The tree is in the Werner Lumber Lot, 29 S. Tulpehocken St.

“Last year, there were more than 4,000” lights on the tree, Becker said.

The tree was decorated Tuesday and decorations were placed on borough light poles.

At the lighting event, Santa Claus will arrive on the Ravine Fire Company float and will meet with the children.

“We have gifts that are already wrapped for kids of all ages,” Becker said.

The Pine Grove Area Christmas Light Committee paid for the gifts.

Before Santa arrives, the Pine Grove Area High School JROTC will present the colors, the Rev. Jack Provard will give the invocation and a prayer, borough Mayor Will Shiffer will make a speech and the Teen Challenge Choir from Rehrersburg and the Pine Grove Community Band will perform.

Becker said the event should be fun for all. He said 600 people attended last year.

Operation Hugs and Kisses, a local organization formed in 2010 after several row home fires in Pine Grove, will also be at the event selling hot chocolate and food. Proceeds benefit the organization and support community events.

Parking is available at the Fulton Bank parking lot, 55 S. Tulpehocken St., and the Pine Grove Hose Hook and Ladder parking lot, 1 Orchard St., in the borough.

MINERSVILLE — The borough council announced the top 20 blighted properties in the borough at their regular meeting Tuesday night.

The council said it will either cite the property owners or work toward tearing down the properties. The properties are 2 Lewis St., 311 Sunbury St., 117 Sunbury St., 561 Sunbury St., 590 Sunbury St., 320 Carbon St., 461 North St., 467 North St., 425 Pleasant St., 506 N. Second St., 28 South St., 30 South St., 26 Spruce St., 529 Pine Hill St., 246 Laurel St., 236 Laurel St., 128 Westwood St., 130 Westwood St., 518 Little St. and 520 Little St.

“I went around with Bob (Mahalchick, borough manager) and we identified most of them by the outside condition and some on the interior,” Kyle Crouse, borough code enforcement officer, said.

In other business, several items were tabled until the council receives more information on the matters.

The council voted to wait on choosing a bidder for demolition of a property on Church Street, with Bill Davis Cement Contractor at $16,500 and SDL Construction LLC at $28,500, as well as to approve a request from the New Minersville Hose Company to deed adjoining borough property to their property.

Additionally, the council tabled voting on a portion of a request for improvements to the Minersville Little League field.

The borough approved that the field’s garage/board room building be shingled, the area behind the garage be enclosed where the cement foundation is located and work to be done by PPL to remove the light pole at the rear of the garage and relocate the light to the new enclosed area behind the garage.

The borough tabled the third item, erecting a pole building to enclose the area of the current batting cages, until they could obtain further information.

Borough police will also crack down on state law stating that people cannot park within 15 feet of a stop sign on a corner.

Borough police Chief Michael Combs said that snow plows were having trouble turning corners during snowfall because of vehicles parked too close to corners.

Combs said vehicle owners on these blocks will receive notice before enforcement begins.

In other announcements, the council said the Minersville Spirit Day Committee trolley ride will occur from 5 to 9 p.m. Friday in the borough.

n Auburn: The Rev. Dr. William Paul Worley, new conference minister of the Pennsylvania Southeast Conference of the United Church of Christ, will visit St. Paul’s United Church of Christ, 1235 Summer Hill Road, on Sunday during the 9:15 a.m. Sunday School. Worley will speak about his insights regarding the future of the PSEC and will answer questions. He will deliver the sermon at the 10:30 a.m. worship. Everyone is welcome to attend and St. Paul’s has extended an invitation for members of other local UCC churches to meet the conference minister.

n Frackville: The Frackville Free Public Library, 56 N. Lehigh Ave., will stage Christmas at the Library from 1 to 3 p.m. Dec. 13. According to a library release, the free event will be a celebration of the season for families with children of all ages. For more information, call 570-874-3382.

n Hamburg: The revitalization group Hamburg Area Foundation will sponsor a holiday event from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. Saturday at the municipal parking lot, Fourth and Pine streets. The program will include choral singers from The Bridge Church, Hamburg Area school bands plus free cookies and hot chocolate. The foundation will also collect canned goods for the Northern Berks Food Pantry. The event is free and everyone is welcome. For more information, call 610-562-3106.

n Mahanoy City: Elks Lodge 695 will sponsor a hoop shoot from noon to 2 p.m. Saturday at the Mahanoy Area High School Gymnasium for children ages 8 to 13. Trophies will be awarded in six categories. After the shoot, there will be a pizza party at the Elks lodge, East Centre Street. For more information, call 570-952-5068.

n Minersville: The Minersville Public Library acknowledged the following memorials: For Ed Herbert from Jack and Jean Kline; for Janet A. Purcell from the Minersville High School Class of 1957, the Sep and Killian families; for Margaret Pleva from Helen Socko; for Donna Clark Roberts from Jack Kline, Peg Shelhamer, Janice Sukeena; for Margaret “Peggy” Searles from Helen Clay, the Minersville High School Class of 1957; for Joe “Boomer” Wonchalk from Rick and Barb Pielacha; for Rose Kukta from John and Gloria Capik.

n Pine Grove: Christmas this year at the Sweet Arrow Lake County Park Clubhouse will have a different beat. The park will stage a Marimba Christmas at 2 p.m. Saturday featuring Sharon Daubert and Karen Bachert who represent a unit of the Pine Grove Marimba Players. The event last year had to be canceled due to inclement weather. The Pine Grove Marimba Players, founded by instructor Pearl Kreichbaum, have been entertaining with their unique sound for more than four decades, according to a park press release. The marimba is a type of xylophone consisting of a series of wooden bars with resonators that are struck with mallets. The instrument originated in Africa and was brought to the Caribbean and Central America in the 16th and 17th centuries, according to the release. Light refreshments will be served. The program is free and open to the public. For more information or directions, call 570-345-8952.

n Saint Clair: The veterans of Saint Clair will sponsor a Pearl Harbor Day Ceremony on the 73rd anniversary of the attack at 11 a.m. Dec. 7 in Admiral Boone Park, South Third Street. Participating groups will include AMVETS Post 142, American Legion Post 719, an honor guard with the Vietnam Veterans Firing Squad and Schuylkill County Vietnam Veterans Post 29. The ceremony will be held rain or shine. The bugler will be Bea Allen. For more information, call Bill Bowler at 570-429-2129.

n Schuylkill Haven: Schuylkill County will welcome part of the convoy of Wreaths Across America on Dec. 8. In a release, Kristina A. Miller of Schuylkill Haven Post 38 Auxiliary said the convoy is considered to be one of the largest veterans’ parades in the United States and “we are honored that they are stopping at the county (Vietnam Veterans) Memorial on Route 61.” According to Miller, the wreaths laid “represent a commitment as a united America to remember the fallen and also to symbolize our honor to those who have served and are still serving.” For more information, call Miller at 570-385-5278.

n Shenandoah: Restoration Fellowship Ministry, 201 W. Oak St., will hold a Christmas Extravaganza holiday concert and skits by the Teen Challenge Prison Team and Youth Dance Team at 10:30 a.m. Sunday at the church. There will also be a free Christmas turkey banquet. All are welcome.

Pottsville woman

jailed on warrant

A Pottsville woman was jailed on a felony arrest warrant after the Pottsville Police Drug Investigation Unit executed a search warrant about 4 p.m. Monday at 800-10 N. Second St., a Pottsville Housing Authority property.

Police said the occupant of the property, Robin Smith, 54, was arraigned on the warrant by on-call Magisterial District Judge Christina E. Hale, Frackville, and committed to Schuylkill County Prison unable to post $35,000 straight cash bail.

Police said the warrant was the result of an investigation concentrating on the sale of cocaine from the residence by Smith. The warrant Smith was jailed on was associated with a prior sale of cocaine from the home, police said.

During the search, police said they recovered 97 individually wrapped packets of crack cocaine with a street value of about $4,000, an additional ounce of bulk powder cocaine with a street value of approximately $1,200, $630.00 in cash, a cellphone used for the illegal drug operation as well as various items of drug paraphernalia.

Another person in the residence at the time of the search, Edward Thierer, 47, of Allentown, was found with crack cocaine and a smoking pipe. Police said he will be charged with misdemeanor possession of cocaine and possession of drug paraphernalia.

Police added that Smith will be arraigned in the near future on additional charges of felony possession with intent to deliver cocaine, felony possession of instruments of crime and misdemeanor possession of a controlled substance related to the search warrant seizures.

Police said the investigation into the criminal acts at 800-10 N. Second St. and related addresses, as well as acts committed by associates of Smith, is continuing.

Police investigate

forced entry

HOMETOWN — Rush Township police are investigating a burglary that occurred between 5 p.m. Friday and 7 a.m. Monday at Eagle Transportation on Claremont Avenue.

Police said that someone forced their way into the business but did not provide any additional details on the crime.

Anyone with information is asked to call police at 570-668-4242.

Police charge 3

after incidents

HOMETOWN — Three people are facing charges by Rush Township police after separate incidents recently in their coverage area.

Police said Shane Chodur, 31, of Nesquehoning, is facing charges of DUI and other traffic offenses after being stopped by officers for a violation about 12:30 a.m. Oct. 26 on Hauto Highway.

Police said was learned that Chodur had an alcohol level of 0.13-percent.

Then, about 2:30 a.m. Nov. 22, police said they stopped a vehicle driven by Tony A. Mundo, 44, of Tamaqua, on Claremont Avenue and found the man to be under the influence.

Police said it was determined that Mundo had an alcohol level of 0.136-percent.

Finally, police said an incident at 30 Ben Titus Road about 5:20 p.m. Sunday led to charges being filed against a Nesquehoning man.

Police said Michael Depew, 25, will be charged with harassment and disorderly conduct.

Charges against all three will be filed with Magisterial District Judge Stephen J. Bayer, Tamaqua, police said.

2-vehicle collision

leaves 4 injured

HOMETOWN — Four people were injured when two vehicles collided about 4:40 p.m. Monday at Claremont Avenue and Lincoln Drive, Rush Township police said.

Police said Stacey Bosworth, 44, of Lansford, was driving a 2006 Chevrolet Equinox when she ran into the back of a 2002 Honda driven by Megan McClintock, 17, of Weatherly, who was stopped at the intersection.

Both drivers were injured along with a passenger in the Bosworth vehicle, Brenda Gigli, 38, of Tamaqua, and a passenger in the McClintock vehicle, Tina McClintock, police said.

Those injured were taken to St. Luke’s Hospital-Coaldale Campus by ambulance, police said, adding that Bosworth is facing charges for causing the crash.

Both vehicles were towed from the scene, police said.

Servants To All is setting up shop in downtown Pottsville.

The nonprofit organization formed to help the homeless in Schuylkill County finalized the purchase of the building at 4 S. Centre St. on Monday.

“It is where the homeless people are,” Albert Nastasi, executive director of the organization, said Tuesday. “They congregate in Pottsville because there are a lot of services here.”

Nastasi, a Pottsville resident and chief finance officer at the Simon Kramer Cancer Institute, New Philadelphia, started the faith-based charity a year ago with the goal of offering services to help the homeless find permanent housing and employment.

Servants to All was accepted as a 501(c)3 in September 2013 and consists of a 12-member board of directors and a 12-member advisory board. Board members work for various human service agencies, churches and nonprofit organizations in the county and have experience with the homeless population.

“We are here to hopefully create an organization that will benefit the city,” Nastasi said. “We want to turn the homeless into productive members of the community. We want to work with the business community. We want to produce trained individuals who can be productive with their God-given talents. We want to make Pottsville and Schuylkill County a better place.”

The building has three stories and a basement, each about 100-feet long by about 25-feet wide. It was built in 1880 and has an area of 0.05 acres, or 2,178 square feet, according to the online Schuylkill parcel locator.

Nastasi said the owners agreed to cut the initial asking price in half because of the cause associated with the organization. He said the original listing was about $68,000 or $69,000.

The building will not be used for housing and Servants To All only has immediate plans for the first floor.

The front half will contain a storefront where the homeless will work and learn job responsibilities. The back will consist of offices for the various services being offered to them. It will only operate during the day.

“The integral part of our job has always been to have a storefront,” Nastasi said. “That location is really perfect for the business we have in mind. It will bring a great service to downtown.”

Nastasi said the organization will announce within a few weeks the type of store being planned.

“We are going to put a business in there that is going to be unique to Pottsville that will employe some of the homeless and teach them a trade as well as something that will be of good use to residents,” he said. “It is going to be something that will compliment this town and bring some nostalgia back.”

The program will have strict requirements, Nastasi said. There will be screening interviews, background checks and drug and alcohol tests before being accepted. Clients must also be from Schuylkill County.

Extensive renovations are still needed for the building and it may be a few months until the program starts, Nastasi said. But with the cold weather, the organization wants to establish a distribution center there to make clothes, blankets and other items available as soon as possible.

Servants To All announced its first full-time employee last week. Jeff Buchanan, Pottsville, joined Servants To All on Nov. 1 as full-time director of shelter operations.

“We felt very blessed that Jeff came our way,” Nastasi said. “He had everything we were looking for in terms of experience. I don’t think there could have been a better choice.”

Buchanan recently retired as director of in-patient psychiatric units for Horizon Health, which is based in Dallas, Texas. Nastasi said Buchanan was recommended to him by administrators of Schuylkill County mental health and developmental services and drug and alcohol programs.

“If it’s done properly, this can be a very successful operation to help those that are homeless in Schuylkill County,” Buchanan said Tuesday. “This is a chance to do something good for the county.”

Buchanan said the idea of the day program was intriguing enough to draw him out of retirement. He said the day program will run from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. seven days a week and provide two meals, breakfast and lunch. He also said the store will give clients a place they can obtain life skills, employment training and other services. More employees will be hired as funds become available, Nastasi said.

“We are not going to duplicate any services already available in the county,” he said. “We are simply going to provide a place to coordinate all the services.”

Buchanan will establish a new set of strict policies and procedures by looking at those in other shelters in the surrounding counties. He also said he has been talking with downtown business owners about the plans for the store in the building.

“We want to make sure we are not infringing with any businesses already downtown,” he said. “What we are looking to do is to provide an addition to downtown Pottsville so that we will contribute to the betterment of the city.”

The building is already zoned for commercial use.

Nastasi and others involved in Servants To All were among the volunteers that contributed to starting the temporary shelter in February that rotated between three city churches until May. Nastasi said those plans were different than that of Servants To All.

“No one envisioned that operation,” Nastasi said. “It was an emergency operation quickly put together. It wasn’t an organized attempt like we always envisioned it to be.”

That was the first attempt at a homeless program in the city since 2009 when a group of city churches offered a temporary shelter on a rotating basis called the Ark House Crisis Housing program. It ended in January 2009 due to the loss of its tax-exempt status and lack of volunteers.

Nastasi had previously applied for a zoning variance with the city for the former Jalapa Elementary School to be used for housing. However, he withdrew the application in January. Nastasi said the current plan does not require that variance.

Nastasi said eventually there may be plans for an overnight program, but first he hopes to see the community adopt the cause of helping the homeless.

“We want the community to see that this effort belongs to all of us,” he said.

Donations to Servants to All can be sent to P.O. Box 1354, Pottsville, PA 17901. Donations can also be made online at the Servants To All page on Facebook.