A temperature of 38 degrees didn’t stop participants from jumping into a cold Lake Wynonah for the fifth annual Make-A-Wish Foundation Leap in the Lake on Sunday afternoon at the lake’s B Dock.

“It was awesome,” Jerry Farra, 55, of Fountainville, said while clenching a towel wrapped around him.

“Exhilarating!” his daughter, Jennifer Farra, 17, of Fountainville, said while jumping to warm herself from the cold.

Jerry and Jennifer Farra leaped into the lake with Eric Farra, 17, and Hannah Duvall, 17, of Fountainville, in bathing suits because they were excited for spring.

The event was deemed a success. David Tyson, director and chairman of the host group, Lake Wynonah Athletic Association, said more than $5,000 was raised via 170 registrants/sponsors.

He said the Make-A-Wish recipient is Ashley Donlin, a junior at Blue Mountain High School.

In the crowd of participants, there were two “Where’s Waldo” characters in red-and-white striped shirts, Joe Chowanes, 45, of Lake Wynonah, and Jackie Miles, 32, of Pottsville.

“I wear a costume every year,” Chowanes said.

This was the first Leap in the Lake in which Miles participated, although she’s done the Deer Lake Polar Plunge in previous years.

Costumes are encouraged each year and bring people dressed as super heroes, sports fanatics and even some as the “South Park” television show crew.

For a $15 fee, participants braved what felt like 29-degree weather, according to weather.com.

“We actually raised enough this year that we can grant a full wish to this year’s child, so we stepped it up a level this year,” Tyson, Lake Wynonah, said.

Hosted by the Lake Wynonah Athletic Group, this is the second year in a row that the event has raised enough to grant a wish.

The past two recipients of the event fundraiser were also in attendance.

Leap in the Lake is held annually to help lift the spirts of children who may be suffering.

“These kids have life-threatening diseases and this gives them a mental and physical lift,” Tyson said.

The Schuylkill Haven Fire Department Rescue and Dive Team looks over the leapers every year.

“We check where they’re going to run to make sure there’s no debris or sticks. The main thing is keeping the accountability of everybody. Keeping a head count of how many go in the water and come out. We keep an eye on everybody,” Kyle Morgan, captain of the dive team, said.

Schuylkill Haven EMS was on the scene in case of an emergency, but the event went smoothly.

“We give organizations our guidelines when they contact us. Mainly we ask that they have an ambulance on the scene, we carry first aid with us but we’re tied up with most of our guys in the water,” Morgan said. “Making sure they are picking a spot with easy access. It’s nice here where they have a ramp that leads into the lake rather than a wall we’d have to climb over to get someone out.”

A Pottsville woman will spend more time behind state prison bars after admitting Wednesday in Schuylkill County Court that she committed a theft in February 2014 in the city.

Sonya M. Newman, 48, will serve 16 to 32 months in a state correctional institution under the terms of Judge Cyrus Palmer Dolbin’s sentence.

Dolbin, who also sentenced Newman to pay costs, $50 to the Criminal Justice Enhancement Account and $1,000 restitution, made Newman’s prison term consecutive to one she is serving from York County.

Newman pleaded guilty to theft and receiving stolen property. Pottsville police alleged she committed those crimes on Feb. 20, 2014, in the city.

She already is an inmate at SCI/Muncy in Lycoming County, and Dolbin conducted Wednesday’s hearing by videoconference.

Newman pleaded guilty on Jan. 25, 2006, in York County Court to burglary, theft and receiving stolen property. Senior Judge Penny L. Blackwell sentenced her on that date to serve five to 10 years in a state correctional institution, pay costs and submit a DNA sample to law enforcement authorities.

York police charged her with committing the burglary in that city on Sept. 4, 2005.

Also on Wednesday, Cory A. Clocker, 20, of Schuylkill Haven, must spend 24 months in the intermediate punishment program after being sentenced on two sets of drug charges.

In addition to being in the program, which combines punishment with substance abuse treatment, Clocker must pay costs, $200 to the Substance Abuse Education Fund and $226 restitution to the state police crime laboratory in Bethlehem, and submit a DNA sample to law enforcement authorities, under the terms of Judge James P. Goodman’s sentence.

“Do you have a problem with drugs?” Goodman asked Clocker.

“Yes, or I wouldn’t be in this mess,” Clocker answered.

“Whether you’re successful in beating this drug problem is up to you,” Goodman added.

Clocker pleaded guilty on Jan. 27 before Goodman to delivery of a controlled substance, possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance in one case and 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 in the second case.

Schuylkill County detectives charged Clocker with committing the crimes in the first case on Oct. 14, 2013, while Schuylkill Haven borough police charged him with committing the crimes in the second case on Aug. 21, 2014, in the borough.

“The defendant does have a drug problem and is in desperate need of treatment,” Deputy Assistant District Attorney John T. Fegley said.

In another Wednesday case, prosecutors withdrew a charge of indirect criminal contempt, which is contempt committed outside the courtroom, against Gregory Ney, 34, of Saint Clair.

Prosecutors withdrew the charge after Janelle M. Starr, the alleged victim, said she did not want to proceed with the case. Starr told Senior Judge D. Michael Stine, who would have presided over the hearing, that Ney has a drug problem but is otherwise a good person.

Pottsville police alleged that Ney had violated a protection from abuse order on Feb. 23 in the city. Judge Jacqueline L. Russell had entered the order on Dec. 18, 2014.

Also in the county court, Dolbin recently accepted guilty pleas from, and, pursuant to agreements between prosecutors and defendants, imposed the indicated sentences on, these people:

Ciera M. Zvorsky, 28, of Schuylkill Haven; conspiracy, criminal trespass, theft, criminal mischief and driving under suspension; three to 23 months in prison, $225 in fines, $100 in CJEA payments, $50 bench warrant fee and submission of a DNA sample to law enforcement authorities. Prosecutors withdrew two counts of receiving stolen property and one each of retail theft, burglary and improper display of plate or card.

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

In county court action Thursday, a Shenandoah man returned to prison Thursday after a Schuylkill County judge revoked both his probation and parole.

Tyler Mooney, 20, must stay in prison until at least May 1, and could remain behind bars until Sept. 29, 2016, Judge Cyrus Palmer Dolbin ordered.

Mooney also must remain on probation an additional 12 months after that, and undergo a drug and alcohol evaluation, Dolbin ruled.

Dolbin revoked Mooney’s parole and probation after the defendant admitted violating them by committing new crimes, traveling outside Schuylkill County without permission and using bath salts.

“I would suggest to you, Mr. Mooney, that you’re going to wind up dead if you don’t stop taking bath salts,” Dolbin told the defendant.

A Schuylkill County jury convicted Mooney on Oct. 20, 2014, of false alarms and disorderly conduct, while acquitting him of conspiracy and recklessly endangering another person.

Mahanoy City police had charged him with committing those crimes on Oct. 15, 2013, in the borough.

Dolbin, who presided over Mooney’s one-day trial, sentenced him on Dec. 9, 2014, to serve 84 days to 23 months in prison and an additional 12 months on probation and pay costs, $50 to the Criminal Justice Enhancement Account and $3,700 restitution.

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:

Charles E. Hollway, 48, of Shenandoah; defiant trespass; $300 fine. Prosecutors withdrew a charge of criminal trespass.

Travis G. Knopf, 21, of Lancaster; two counts of possession of drug paraphernalia; 12 months probation, $100 payment to the Substance Abuse Education Fund and $50 payment to the Criminal Justice Enhancement Account.

Joseph M. Krasinsky Jr., 28, of Cressona; possession of drug paraphernalia; 12 months probation, $100 SAEF payment and $50 CJEA payment.

David C. Kriner, 57, of Schuylkill Haven; corruption of minors; sentencing deferred pending preparation of evaluation by the state Sexual Offenders Assessment Board. Prosecutors withdrew a charge of indecent assault.

Russell A. Lloyd, 48, of Lansford; two counts of terroristic threats and one of possession of drug paraphernalia; 23 months probation and $50 CJEA payment. Prosecutors withdrew a charge of disorderly conduct.

Luis Lopez, 55, of Pine Grove; theft; 12 months probation, $50 CJEA payment and $320 restitution. Prosecutors withdrew a charge of receiving stolen property.

Shawn D. Schlauch, 21, of Ashland; three counts of indecent assault; sentencing deferred pending preparation of evaluation by the state Sexual Offenders Assessment Board. Prosecutors withdrew two additional counts of indecent assault and three counts of harassment.

Michael J. Stokes, 50, of Pottsville; corruption of minors; 14 to 48 months in a state correctional institution, $50 CJEA payment and submission of a DNA sample to law enforcement authorities. Prosecutors withdrew two counts of aggravated indecent assault and one of indecent assault.

Clayton L. Stoner, 20, of Pottsville; three counts of corruption of minors; three to 23 months in prison, two years consecutive probation, $50 CJEA payment, sexual offenders evaluation and submission of a DNA sample to law enforcement authorities. Prosecutors withdrew three counts of indecent assault.

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

Notice our changes

The Republican-Herald is tweaking its design and content and you may notice some changes to make the newspaper more enjoyable to read.

You’ll notice redesigned Editorial and Commentary pages — pages 10 and 11 — in today’s edition. The political cartoons are bigger and easier to read. Also, the main editorial, “Our View,” has been moved to the top of the page and its print is slightly larger. The reader favorite “Thunder/Enlightening” feature is longer. The syndicated opinion columns are also slightly longer.

Throughout the newspaper, we are using more and larger local photos. Starting tomorrow, for example, we’re adding an occasional feature called “Schuylkill: A panoramic view” — a wide-angle local photo on the Lifestyle page.

We hope you enjoy the changes.

HARRISBURG — A proposed sales tax increase is creating sparks early on in Pennsylvania’s state budget debate.

Gov. Tom Wolf’s proposal to expand the rate and base of the state sales tax is just one part of an intertwined tax overhaul plan. Yet, the sales tax increase drew the lion’s share of attention and criticism last week as legislative hearings on Wolf’s proposed state budget for fiscal 2015-16 got underway.

The Wolf administration provided more details last week on how revenue from a sales tax increase would mesh with the tax overhaul and related proposals to boost state spending on education spending and school pension costs.

The governor wants to increase the sales tax rate to 6.6 percent from 6 percent effective Jan. 1 and expand the base of taxable items to include such goods and services as legal services, textbooks, candy and gum for an anticipated $1.5 billion in new revenue next year.

The new sales tax revenue would go to a dedicated account to pay state government’s share of school pension costs, a driver forcing higher school property taxes, said the governor’s chief of staff Katie McGinty.

The new revenue would help school districts avoid the need to raise property taxes above an inflation-based index, she said. Districts can only hike taxes above this index if they receive voter approval or get an exemption from a referendum because of mandated pension payments, mandated special education services or school construction bond payments in certain cases.

The governor proposes borrowing $3 billion to also reduce school pension debt as well as a boost in special education spending to avert the need for two triggers of Act 1 property tax increases under a 2006 state law.

Furthermore, he would prohibit districts with an unreserved fund balance of more than 4 percent of their budget from raising property taxes, a threshold that applies to about 80 percent of school districts.

In addition, Wolf proposes a major tax shift by dedicating revenue from a hike in the state income tax to reduce school property taxes for homeowners by a substantial amount on a dollar-for-dollar basis. Renters earning under $50,000 would receive an annual $500 rebate.

The governor also proposes a 5 percent severance tax on natural gas production to restore earlier cuts to public education.

This budget contains big proposals needed to tackle serious challenges facing Pennsylvania, including a $2 billion budget deficit, a middle class in jeopardy, lagging economy and rising public pension costs, McGinty said.

“We really don’t have the luxury of half measures,” she said.

The sales tax changes in particular have set off an intense debate about potential winners and losers if they are adopted by lawmakers.

Critics zeroed in on the proposed expansion of the sales tax base.

“Taxing services really affects the middle class and the poor more than any other population,” said House Appropriations Chairman Bill Adolph, R-65, Springfield.

The Legislature has shown more interest in exempting items such as aircraft parts from the sales tax than in adding services and items to the tax base, said Michael Wood, researcher for the Pennsylvania Budget and Policy Center, a Harrisburg think tank that has advocates a severance tax and more education spending.

The sales tax base expansion is based on the much-publicized property tax elimination bills with only a few changes, said Daniel Hassel, a Revenue Department deputy secretary.

The governor deserves credit for trying to do something about property taxes, said Sen. Mario Scavello, R-40, Mount Pocono, a supporter of using state sales tax and income tax revenue to eliminate school property taxes.

But Scavello said the only way to really prevent school property taxes from increasing again in the future is to get rid of them. He thinks the governor’s proposal will have the effect of building new momentum this session to pass the property tax elimination legislation.

MAHANOY CITY — It hasn’t been easy for Raymond Cavenas since December when a medical condition about which he learned some 20 years ago returned without warning.

Cavenas has his good and bad days dealing with primary sclerosing cholangitis — PSC — a rare disease that causes the blocking of the bile ducts, which in turn damages the liver. The condition has no cure other than a liver transplant.

His need for a transplant has also prompted Cavenas and his wife, Keri, to encourage people to become organ donors. That promotion may not help him, but hopefully will help others who need transplants of all types.

Presently, Cavenas, 48, continues to work as a patching foreman at the Fabcon plant near Mahanoy City, and also serves as vice president on Mahanoy City Borough Council. The couple have three children — Nicholas, Joei and Emma.

“PSC happened to me about 1990. That’s how long ago,” said Cavenas in his home last week. “I got sick and all of the ailments with it. At first they weren’t sure what it was. They thought it might be hepatitis because I had just come back from a trip. From then on, I would get sick every couple of months. It went on for about a year before they sent me to Thomas Jefferson University Hospital in Philadelphia for a liver biopsy.”

The biopsy showed no hepatitis. He traveled to the hospital for further tests and nothing was determined.

“About five years later I got really sick,” he said. “So in 1995 they did an ERCP down in Pottsville with the scope.”

ERCP is endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography, which is a procedure that looks at the bile ducts through an endoscope.

“They found that my bile ducts were narrowed and scarred. I was sent back to Thomas Jefferson and the doctor cleared them all out,” Cavenas said. “I honestly thought I was done and had no issues and went 20-plus years to now. I had occasional pain but nothing like now where I’m sick and jaundiced.”

According to the Genetics Home Reference at the National Institutes of Health website, primary sclerosing cholangitis is a condition that affects the bile ducts. These ducts carry bile — a fluid that helps to digest fats — from the liver, where bile is produced, to the gallbladder, where it is stored, and to the small intestine, where it aids in digestion. Primary sclerosing cholangitis occurs because of inflammation in the bile ducts (cholangitis) that leads to scarring (sclerosis) and narrowing of the ducts. As a result, bile cannot be released to the gallbladder and small intestine and it builds up in the liver and damages it.

PSC is usually diagnosed about age 40, with Cavenas being diagnosed much earlier. Twice as many men than women are affected by the condition.

“It happened over Christmas,” Cavenas said of the return of the symptoms.

“We all had the flu around Christmas and that’s what we thought he had,” said Keri Cavenas.

“I went to Pottsville and the doctor asked me if I had liver trouble before, and I told him that I used to have PSC,” Raymond Cavenas said. “He looked right at me and said, ‛What you mean you used to have? You don’t get over that.’ But I was young and in my 20s. I was fine. I kept working. We had the family business, Hanrahan’s Market, and worked there all the time. The doctor called a specialist and they did an MRCP — magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography — this time and they found that I never got over the PSC and it developed into Stage 3 fibrosis. It’s starting to develop into cirrhosis.”

Keri Cavenas added that after blood work done at Lehigh Valley Hospital-Cedar Crest, Dr. Ronald Bross said her husband was in Stage 4. Bross is a board certified gastroenterologist who is a former elementary and high school classmate of Raymond Cavenas.

“It was a unique situation since he (Bross) knew about it since he has known me all my life,” Raymond Cavenas said. “He told me it was unique that I had gone so long without a major episode. I don’t drink, smoke,and never did drugs. He (Bross) said that I lived a clean and healthy life and that makes a difference.”

He said football great Walter Payton died in 1999 as a result of the disease. Keri Cavenas said, “He had PSC that developed into bile duct cancer, which meant he was no longer a candidate for a transplant.”

“Dr. Bross checked me for all the markers for cancer and they were all good,” Raymond Cavenas said.

“He’s unique in that way because it’s a very small percentage that people with PSC don’t have anything else and he’s one of them,” said Keri Cavenas.

“I don’t (have) ulcerative colitis or Crohn’s disease and only 30 percent don’t,” Raymond Cavenas said. “Right now, Bross has referred me to a hepatologist. The only cure for this disease is a transplant. It’s a chronic auto-immune disease. One medication I take is to help control itchiness, which disrupts your sleep. Another pill I take is to help clean out the bile that helps slow the process of cirrhosis.”

His next step is going to Penn State Milton Hershey Medical Center, where the hepatologist and the transplant doctor will do blood work.

“I’ll get a MELD (Model For End-Stage Liver Disease) score to learn where I’m at in terms of a transplant,” Raymond Cavenas said.

A liver transplant can be from a deceased person or from a “living donor.” In this case, a healthy person compatible with the recipient can donate up to 70 percent of the liver’s right lobe to replace the damaged liver. The remaining portion of the donor’s liver will regenerate 100 percent of its function within four to six weeks and almost reach its normal size not long afterward. The recipient of the transplanted liver will experience the same regeneration, though it will take longer.

“Keri has put her name in as a living donor, as have my two brothers, my uncle and a really good friend,” said Raymond Cavenas. “It all depends if they are matches. It’s a needle in a haystack. It’s an extensive process for the potential donors.”

“For a living donor, it means a week in the hospital and three to four months of no work,” said Keri Cavenas. “It’s a lot to ask of somebody. He needs to be deemed a candidate for living donation.”

The couple have been overwhelmed with the support they’ve received.

“It’s amazing how people stepped up when they found out,” Raymond Cavenas said.

In order to keep people up to date on her husband’s condition, Keri Cavenas has set up a Facebook page called “Go Green 4 Cavein.”

At this point, the cost for a transplant has not been determined. He said that if it would be a live donor, then any fundraising has to be for two people. The Cavenas’ have been watching bills going up since many procedures are not covered by health insurance.

“And if he spikes a fever, we have to get him right to the hospital in Hershey,” said Keri Cavenas.

A fundraiser has begun selling T-shirts with “Recycle Life” on the front and “Go Green 4 Cavein” on the back. Orders can be placed on the Facebook page. Also being sold are discount cards for Rita’s Italian Ice. Purchase a card for $5 and the card is good for 10 percent off at any Rita’s shop.

The Cavenas’ are also promoting the idea of organ donations, such as registering with the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation. The donation option can be selected when getting a driver’s license renewal or at any time. Go to www.dmv.state.pa.us/organ_donor/index.shtml to learn more and register.

To stay informed about Cavenas’ condition and efforts to promote organ donation, go to the “Go Green 4 Cavein” Facebook page. For more information about PSC, go to http://ghr.nlm.nih.gov and enter “primary sclerosing cholangitis” in the “Search” box at the top of the page.

Oreders are being taken for GO GREEN 4 CAVEIN T-shirts until the end of this week. Shirts are available in sizes youth L to adult XXL in black or charcoal gray. The cost is $15 — add $2 for XXL. Money is due by the end of this week and checks can be made payable to GO GREEN 4 CAVEIN.

PALO ALTO — Eighty percent of borough homes received a phone message alert Thursday by CodeRED, a system recently adopted by the borough council to notify residents.

“CodeRED will allow borough officials to send out, to every member of the community, an emergency message or a general message about a borough event, change in garbage schedule, etcetera, via telephone call, text message or email,” Palo Alto Mayor Tom Beveridge said in an email March 3.

The council was seeking a way to notify residents quickly and efficiently after struggling with the issue for years.

“Getting information out to the residents in the borough has always been an issue ... We have a mix, but we have a lot of elderly people, as well. So how do you get important information out to them? We do things like when we send out our tax bills, we try to put a little circular in there, but that’s a once and done in the spring and fall. What about when things come up?” Beveridge said Thursday.

The borough previously used signs at the end of town to notify residents of various occasions, but they were not useful in emergencies.

“When people would drive by, they would read the sign, and that’s great if you’re announcing that the borough yard sale is on May 5, but what happens if there is an emergency and you need to let them know right now?” Beveridge said.

The alert sent on Thursday afternoon notified residents that there was a salt shortage and roads would be closed for safety.

“Our main streets are long and flat, but all the other ones are a hill. So, what we ended up having to do — our fall back plan — was half we’d clean and half we’d close. So now, we needed to close the streets and we needed to let the people know,” Beveridge said.

Luckily, CodeRED was just implemented and web training was completed by Beveridge and Sharon Uscilowicz, borough secretary treasurer. Beveridge attempted to send out calls to the borough.

“Sure enough it worked, it sent out 415 phone calls,” he said. “All at the same time. In fact, we were supposed to let (the company) know that we were going to send something and we didn’t, we just did it,” Beveridge said. “(Emergency Communications Network, the company that owns CodeRED) called us the next day because literally in seconds, 415 calls came into the borough and the Verizon system couldn’t handle it. It was like 9/11 when everyone tried to use their phones and you kept getting busy signals.”

If the line is busy, the system will call two more times to notify the resident.

Eighty percent of phone numbers in Palo Alto were already in ECN’s database due to long existing land lines. Those who did not receive a call and wish to register a phone number or email can visit www.paloaltopa.com and click the CodeRED icon near the bottom of the web page.

Even those who have family or friends in Palo Alto but do not live in the borough themselves can register for alerts if they wish.

Two categories are available while signing up — one is to receive emergency notifications, which is mandatory upon registration. The second is optional: general text messages, such as notices of local events.

Beveridge said borough officials were anxious to get the word out about CodeRED.

“With the elderly ... when they get this kind of stuff over the phone, they’re a little leery. Like, is this legit? Is this real? You know, should I believe this or is someone playing a prank on me? So it’s important to get this information out and we put our logo on the bottom of the papers,” he said.

A computerized voice or a recording of a real voice can be used to make the calls. The program is also web based, so it can be accessed from anywhere with computer access.

“Even if someone called me and I was down at the shore for a week in the summer, they could tell me what was going on and I could send out a message as long as I had a computer or my iPad,” Beveridge said.

There is also a CodeRED mobile application that will send notifications to the user not only for Palo Alto but from an area through which they are passing.

The borough is under a $4,500 three-year contract at $1,500 per year.

The idea of CodeRED came about more than a year ago but issues with the contract delayed the passing of an ordinance.

“We got into a little bit of an issue with the contract with our solicitor. Part of the contract said if there was any discrepancies or disagreements, it would be handled by the American Arbitration Board ... the solicitor wanted it to basically read that any disagreements would be litigated in Schuylkill County Court, period. That’s what took so long. The lawyers were going back and forth ... I think we came to the understanding that this is a three-year contract with a total of $4,500 in $1,500 increments. If we have that kind of a problem that we have to sue you, it’s going to cost us more than $4,500 to sue you. It’s not going to happen ... He (agreed) and said, ‘We’ll just send you a letter that we’re cutting you loose,’ ” Beveridge said.

CodeRED contacted the borough to join with them. However, the borough was also contacted by a similar company, Nixle.

“The bottom line was I was able to find a lot of communities that had CodeRED but wasn’t able to find a lot of communities that had Nixle. I also saw that Nixle was in the process of being sold and I was worried would everything still be working,” Beveridge said.

Police: Man fails

in requirements

A Pottsville man is free on bail after being charged with failing to meet the requirements placed on him for being designated a sexually violent predator.

Police said officers arrested James M. Lutz, 28, on Wednesday for failing to comply with his registration requirements after they were contacted by the Pennsylvania State Sexual Offender Assessment Board that learned Lutz failed to attend court ordered counseling.

Police said that as part of his classification as a sexually violent predator, Lutz is required to register his address, place of employment and attend monthly counseling.

When any of the requirements are not met, the police with jurisdiction are notified to take immediate action.

Lutz was arraigned by Magisterial District Judge James K. Reiley, Pottsville, on a misdemeanor charge of failure to comply with registration requirements and released on $20,000 unsecured bail pending a preliminary hearing.

Prescriptions

taken from car

WILLIAMSTOWN — State police at Lykens are investigating a theft from a motor vehicle that occurred at 419 W. Market St. in this Dauphin County community between Feb. 11 and March 11.

Police said Amie Delgado reported that someone entered her unlocked vehicle and stole two pieces of doctor’s prescription paper that were made out to her before fleeing the area.

Anyone with information is asked to call police at 717-362-8700.

City man jailed

following chase

BRANCHDALE — A Pottsville man was jailed after leading police on a chase along Route 209 in Branch Township at 9:45 a.m. Wednesday.

State police at Lykens said Brandon S. Moyer, 27, was arraigned by Magisterial District Judge David J. Rossi, Tremont, on charges of fleeing or attempting to elude police, recklessly endangering another person, possession of drug paraphernalia, DUI, reckless driving and driving with a suspended habitual offender license. He was committed to Schuylkill County Prison unable to post $50,000 bail, police said.

Police said they tried to conduct a traffic stop but Moyer fled at a high rate of speed. A short time later, Moyer lost control of his 1999 Dodge Avenger and slid off of the road before fleeing into the woods on foot. He was quickly taken into custody and found to be under the influence and also have a hypodermic needle in his possession.

In addition, police said Moyer has an active warrant from the state parole board.

Identity theft

case investigated

LYKENS — State police at Lykens are investigated a case of access device fraud, theft and identity theft that occurred to a Lykens woman between 5 a.m. March 6 and 6 p.m. March 10.

Police said the woman reported someone stole her bank debit card and used it to make an unauthorized purchase. Anyone with information is asked to call police at 717-362-8700.

Items reported

stolen in Lykens

LYKENS — A burglary that occurred in the 400 block of West Main Street in this Dauphin County community between 4 a.m. and 4 p.m. March 1 is being investigated by state police at Lykens.

Police said a resident, whom they did not identify, reported that someone stole about 25 cans of beer from a 30-pack case, Blu-Ray movies and loose change before fleeing the home undetected. The victim was not home at the time of the theft, police said.

Anyone with information is asked to call state police at Lykens at 717-362-8700.

n Ashland: The Ashland Area Rotary Club recently welcomed Scott Wagner, a senior at North Schuylkill High School, as the February Student of the Month. Wagner told Rotarians about his school and community activities and plans for the future. Rotarians and guests will mark St. Patrick’s Day on Thursday. Connie Wydra, who has Irish ancestry, will chair the event.

n Mahanoy City: West End Fire & Rescue Company will sponsor a Coach purse and Uggs bingo from 12:30 to 5 p.m. Sunday at the firehall, 700 W. Mahanoy Ave. Bingo games will begin at 2 p.m. Admission is $25 and includes a meal, sweets table and coffee. Winners of Uggs games will receive a gift certificate from Peace Frog, Pottsville. For more information, call 570-778-6118.

n Minersville: Minersville Fish & Game will host a block shoot from noon to 5 p.m. Saturday. A portion of the proceeds will benefit the Minersville Area Fifth Quarter Club. There will be adult and child shoots and all are welcome. For more information, call 570-622-2300.

n Pottsville: Diakon Living and Learning will sponsor a Windows 8 information session from 6 to 7:30 p.m. March 24 at 118 S. Centre St. The cost is $20. To register or for more information, call 570-624-3018. Diakon will also offer “Everyday Aromatherapy” from 6 to 8 p.m. March 30 at the Pottsville Center, 201 N. Centre St. The cost is $20. Call the aforementioned number for information on all Diakon offerings.

n Pottsville: A book signing titled “The Cellar” will be held from 2 to 4:45 p.m. Saturday at the Pottsville Free Public Library, 215 W. Market St. Autographed novels will be available for $10 each and there will be a free raffle for a door prize. For more information, call 570-773-2468.

n Pottsville: The Schuylkill County Conservancy and Schuylkill County Historical Society will sponsor the Southern Schuylkill Bus Bash from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. March 28 to visit various sites in southern Schuylkill. Tickets are $26 each. The tour will include significant historical and natural sites around Orwigsburg, Port Clinton, Auburn and Landingville, led by Patrick M. “Porcupine Pat” McKinney, environmental education coordinator for the Schuylkill Conservation District. The trek will feature the oldest tunnel in America, the grave site of George Washington’s drummer boy and a covered bridge among other sites. For tickets or more information, call 570-622-4124, ext. 113.

n Pottsville: The Schuylkill County Historical Society and the Pottsville Area Development Corp. will host the dramatic reading of “The Miner’s Tale,” written by Robert Thomas Hughes, who will also do the reading, at 2 p.m. March 29 at Majestic Theater, 209 N. Centre St. It is the story of the anthracite coal miner in Northeastern Pennsylvania through monologue, a 45-minute, one-man play. Hughes is a veteran actor from Clarks Summit, according to a society press release. Seven characters played by Hughes are “colorful and human,” according to the release. The play is Hughes’ tribute to the miners of Northeastern Pennsylvania and their families. “Their commitment to family and hard work paved the way for the industrialization of our nation in coal and iron,” organizers said in the release. The cost is $5 per person and includes admission to the exhibitions of the Schuylkill County Historical Society. More information is available online at http://schuylkillhistory.org.

n Tower City: The Les Brown Big Band Festival is set from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. April 18 at Williams Valley High School, Route 209. Admission is $9 and free for students and military. A Bob Hope impersonator will be master of ceremonies, introducing and interacting with the Moonlighters Big Band — www.moonlightersbigband.org. Letters From Home, an Andrews Sisters tribute, will also be included. Special festival guests will include Les Brown Jr., Denise “Denny” Marsh, (Les Sr.’s daughter) and Jeff “Swampy” Marsh (Les Sr.’s grandson and the co-creator of Disney Channel’s popular cartoon “Phineas & Ferb”). All are welcome to attend. For more information, call 717-228-8513.

Schuylkill Health is offering a free 16-week course to help people prevent or deal with Type 2 diabetes.

The courses will focus on health-related choices, the importance of physical exercise, managing stress and overcoming obstacles in the pursuit of healthy living. Two registered nurses and certified diabetic educators, Ruby Paris and Diane Ehlinger, will conduct the training.

The courses will begin Tuesday in Shenandoah and Thursday in Pottsville. In Shenandoah, meetings will be held at 1 p.m. Tuesdays at Shenandoah Senior Community Center, 116 N. Main St. In Pottsville, meetings will be held at 6 p.m. Thursdays at Joseph F. McCloskey Learning Center, second floor of the School of Nursing Building on the campus at the Schuylkill Medical Center-South Jackson Street.

This is the first time the course is being offered, according to M. Michael Peckman, marketing/public relations director for Schuylkill Health. As of Thursday, Peckman said 16 people — eight for each location — have expressed interest in attending.

Funding for the program came from a block grant from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention funneled through the state Department of Health.

According to a press release for the course, people with prediabetes, meaning blood sugar levels are higher than normal, are more likely to develop Type 2 diabetes. People are at higher risk of developing prediabetes or Type 2 diabetes if they are age 45 or older, overweight, have a family history of Type 2 diabetes, limited physical activity, or have been diagnosed with gestational diabetes or gave birth to a child more than 9 pounds.

According to the CDC, more than 33 percent — or about 86 million — adults in the U.S. have prediabetes. Type 2 diabetes can start at any age and occurs when the body cannot use insulin correctly.

According to the CDC, diabetes is the seventh leading cause of death in the U.S.

For more information or to register, call 570-621-5020.

ORWIGSBURG — The borough council could have to spend hundreds of thousands of dollars to fix the ailing borough hall.

Borough Manager Robert Williams told the council about preliminary efforts to get quotes to repair the aging building.

The cost “could be between $300,000, just to try to get by, and up to half a million to a million to do the entire building,” Williams said.

The council is aware the building needs repairs, council President Buddy Touchinsky said.

“The building is over 100 years old. It is still very solid,” Williams said.

So far, three contractors have looked at the issues, he said, including bricks that are coming loose on the exterior of the building, cracked side steps and water entering through the front wall of the building and lower windows, which is causing water to build up on the basement floor and possible erosion of the foundation.

“The water was coming in pretty good (Wednesday) because of the snow melt,” he said.

Williams said an issue with the chimney should be addressed soon.

“The chimney is dangerous,” he said, adding the chimney lining is good, having been replaced a couple of years ago.

Williams said the building’s windows need caulked and an outside wall from which bricks can be removed needs to be addressed as soon as possible.

Additional work such as removing the carpeting downstairs and polishing floors could also be done to spruce up the building, Williams said.

“We don’t have written proposals yet,” he said of the repair costs.

Touchinsky said no major restoration projects have been done to the building, only “temporary fixes.”

“The problem has been on (the council’s) radar for the last 10 years, but it was a matter of addressing other priorities. It’s getting to the point where we can no longer ignore it,” he said.

He said the council could possibly pay for the work through a bond issue that could also be used to fix an issue with a sewer pipe that is too small. An 18-inch sewer pipe was installed in the 1990s from Market Street to Ridge Road. A 12-inch pipe runs from Ridge Road to the sewer plant, which sometimes gets backed up. That project will cost an estimated $1 million. The pipe will run down the west side of South Liberty Street. Work could begin later this year.

The low interest rates could make it an attractive time for the borough do these projects, Touchinsky said. The council will also seek state or federal grants for the building project.

“We;’re just in the preliminary stages. We’re just doing an update here,” Williams said.

MINERSVILLE — Steam engine 113, based in the borough, was in the process of being tuned up Saturday for its first Easter excursion.

“We’ve been working on the coupler. The holes were worn and it was too loose,” Mike Fenstermaker, steam mechanic, said. “A bolt broke on the Christmas trip because there was too much slack.”

The coupler hooks two trains together, Robert E. Kimmel Jr., president of Railway Restoration Project 113, said.

“Valves were put on in the last couple weeks,” he said. “Some parts were sent out for the coupler and some were in house.”

John Oross, steam mechanic, manufactured a new crank for the original brass bell. The bell is 17 inches in diameter.

The locomotive is typically worked on despite weather conditions, such as the cold rain on Saturday.

“I have a love for it. I’ve been doing it for 40 years,” Fenstermaker, said. “I feel like I was born at the wrong time and missed out on seeing these beautiful engines.”

“I don’t mind doing it,” Oross continued. “Not a whole lot of us are willing to do it.”

In 2003, Project 113 was denied a shop building across the street where it could be worked on under a roof, Kimmel said.

The 10 men of the Project 113 crew have been working on the engine for the past month in preparation for its first Easter excursion on March 28, Kimmel said.

There will be three, 70-minute, 16-mile train rides to Schuylkill Haven at 11 a.m., 1 and 3 p.m. Tickets are $13 for adults, $9 for children and children 3 and under are free. Those who wish to purchase tickets may call the train station at 570-544-8300.

The Easter Bunny will also make a special appearance on the train and give children a treat.

Project 113 is becoming a tradition for many families.

“It’s a good opportunity for the children, not only to go on a train ride but it’s a developing family tradition,” Kimmel said. “Grandparents remember steam engines and explain it to the kids.”

There are only three places in the state that still offer steam rides. The other two are York and Stroudsburg, Kimmel said.

The partnership between the Reading Blue Mountain & Northern Railroad Company Inc. and Project 113 lets the engine excursion occur, Kimmel said.

“They let us use their tracks, so none of this is possible without them,” he said.

An Orwigsburg man will not have to serve time in prison after being sentenced Monday in Schuylkill County Court on five charges resulting from an accident in June 2014 in West Brunswick Township.

Thomas J. Ritter Jr., 67, will spend three months on probation, and pay costs and $2,850 in fines, under the terms of Judge Charles M. Miller’s sentence.

“I find all the judgments confusing,” Ritter, who represented himself, said.

Those judgments included one for accident involving damage to attended vehicle or property, of which a jury convicted Ritter on Feb. 3. The others included interference with investigation by officer, operating vehicle without required financial responsibility failure to drive at a safe speed and failure to stop and give information, of which Miller, who presided over Ritter’s one-day trial, found him guilty.

State police at Schuylkill Haven charged Ritter with running into the back of a Toyota Tacoma pickup truck driven by David A. Kilmer, Auburn, on June 7, 2014, at routes 61 and 895 in Molino.

Kilmer testified during the trial that when he got out of his truck, Ritter drove away without providing information or offering any help. State police Trooper Jordan R. Tuttle testified that Ritter’s car, a Saturn, had damage and Ritter refused to provide any information to him.

Ritter maintained his innocence Monday.

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

Johnathan L. Maldonado, 21, of Hazleton; arson, criminal mischief, failing to prevent a catastrophe and recklessly endangering another person; six to 23 months in prison, five years consecutive probation, $50 payment to the Criminal Justice Enhancement Account, $894.06 restitution and submission of a DNA sample to law enforcement authorities. Prosecutors withdrew two additional counts of arson and one count each of causing a catastrophe, reckless burning and dangerous burning.

Rush Township police charged Maldonado with using a lighter and Silly String to start a fire about 2:25 a.m. Feb. 18, 2014, at the Wal-Mart in Hometown. The fire resulted in the store being shut down for more than 12 hours and causing more than $25,000 in damage, police said.

Brian C. Martin, 24, of Frackville; possession of drug paraphernalia; 12 months probation, $100 payment to the Substance Abuse Education Fund and $50 CJEA payment.

Justin M. Olano, 33, of Valley View; harassment; $100 fine. Prosecutors withdrew an additional count of harassment and one of terroristic threats.

GIRARDVILLE — The borough council took a lot of heat from a former council member on Thursday because of a delay in signing a contract leading to a new housing development.

The planned development is part of a cooperative plan between the borough and Schuylkill Community Action, which plans to construct six new homes in an area on the 100 block of West Main Street that was destroyed by fire on Feb. 23, 2011, that displaced 21 people.

In 2013, the borough council approved the purchase of properties at 106, 110, 116, 116 1/2 and 118 W. Main St. from the Schuylkill County Tax Claim bureau for $25 each.

In March 2014, SCA said it would construct four townhouse-style buildings on Main Street and two single-floor handicap-accessible apartments behind the townhouses on West Oak Street.

Most of the funding would come from a Keystone Communities Program grant of $500,000 and another $500,000 grant through the HOME program, which is part of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.

The controversy began with borough solicitor Christopher Riedlinger speaking about the project after communication from SCA Director of Housing Jeffrey A. Feeser.

“At the request of Jeff Feeser of Schuylkill Community Action, who’ll be administering the Keystone Communities Program grant that the borough is receiving for the West Main Street project, you’re requested to draft a resolution authorizing the execution of the contract and appointing one or two council members to be able to sign related documents involving the grant,” Riedlinger said.

Riedlinger said that when the resolution and contract are signed by council President Charles Marquardt and Vice President Joseph Kessler, the documents would be forward to the state Department of Community and Economic Development.

Riedlinger also requested that Councilwoman Michelle O’Connell abstain from voting due to her position as assistant coordinator and compliance officer in the county’s Department of Economic Development’s community development office because the county will become administrator of the HOME grant. Riedlinger expressed caution until he could verify through the state’s ethics commission that it would or would not be a conflict of interest.

Former Councilwoman Mary Beth Dougherty attended as part of the public. After stating that the HOME grant has not been finalized, but it is expected, Dougherty questioned why the borough waited almost three months to sign the KCP contract.

“I’d like to address council on why we sat on this from January. The contract came in January to the borough and it hasn’t been addressed until now,” Dougherty said. “I sit on the Community Action board, and Community Action was not happy to get a call from DCED asking why the borough did not execute this grant sooner than this.”

Dougherty continued, “It sat here and Jeff Feeser had to make a call to this borough and ask for this grant to be acted on. I don’t know why it sat unopened for weeks, but thankfully we have friends at DCED that contacted Community Action to follow up on it. I feel terrible that we put Community Action and the borough in a bad situation. Quite honestly, we had a good working relationship with Community Action, and it just pisses me off. Senator (James J.) Rhoades started this whole thing in 2007 in this town and you’re going to screw up a good working relationship because whoever opens the mail did a piss-poor job.”

O’Connell said, “I agree with Mary Beth. Losing that project would have made us look bad. It would have made me look bad. I was sick last week when I heard that contract was lost.”

“We have our fingers crossed that this thing happens once you send that contract back,” Dougherty said. “We’ve heard some grants that were funded previously are being pulled already by the new administration. Keep your fingers crossed.”

Marquardt addressed the situation and accepted much of the blame.

“In response to all of this, yes, the letters did come in. Yes, they went unopened. Yes, I will take responsibility because I never saw them,” Marquardt said.

“Charlie, let me defend you a little bit,” Dougherty said. “It worked for years with mail and process and procedures. We never had this problem. Never.”

“We are going to change that procedure, effective immediately,” Marquardt said. “Since the mail is being delivered here to this municipality, there will be a mailbox put outside and the only people with keys to the mailbox will be Candace (Squires, secretary/treasurer) and myself. Joe Kessler will also receive keys in case of the absence of either one of us. The only time we (Marquardt and Kessler) will go into the box is when Candace is absent. Candace is going to take full responsibility for the distribution of mail.”

Marquardt said the mail procedure had been for former borough Secretary Mary Ambrose to pick up the mail at the post office every morning, but with changes at the post office in delivery to the borough office and the training of Squires when she replaced Ambrose, the problems occurred.

“I’m the president of council here. I’m going to take the hit for it all,” Marquardt said.

He added that his decisions might anger people, but he has to do his job and make those decisions.

“I talked to Jeff Feeser when he called me and I was very upset myself because I did not see. I called everybody to see if they saw it. I had Candace tearing the office apart. We found it. ... Hopefully, it will go through, but if it doesn’t, I will step down from this council seat. The mail was addressed to me. This envelope was in the bottom box, and I get the important stuff in the top box. I will apologize. It’s nobody’s fault but my own. I missed it,” he said.

Marquardt said the mailing of the approved contract and resolution to DCED would be expedited.

In a related matter, Riedlinger said Feeser advised that the council approve advertising for the procurement of an administrator for the HOME Program grant in the event the county will not administer the grant for some reason.

“That way if the county isn’t able to do it, then we can get an RFP (request for proposal) out there ASAP,” Riedlinger said.

The council approved the advertising if needed.

HARRISBURG — A proposed $8 million agency budget increase will help support enhanced state monitoring of the impact of gas drilling on public forest lands, the head of the department overseeing state forests and parks said Monday.

Marcellus Shale drilling has slowed down recently in the state forests, but state officials are still interested in the long-term impact of drilling operations on air and water quality, wildlife and visitors to the forests, Cindy Dunn, secretary-designate of the state Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, said. The agency has already hired botanists and biologists to study drilling’s impact on plants, she said.

DCNR leased large tracts of state forest land in North Central Pennsylvania a half dozen years ago to Marcellus drillers to generate state revenue.

Gov. Tom Wolf issued an executive order reinstating a moratorium on leasing new state forest or state park land for drilling shortly after taking office in January. The governor’s order refers to the need for additional research and monitoring to fully understand the cumulative impacts of drilling.

Wolf has proposed a $342 million budget for DCNR in fiscal 2015-16, of which roughly a third would come from the separate Oil and Gas Fund based on payments for oil and gas drilling on public land.

The governor said he wants to use an additional $22 million from the taxpayer-supported general fund to support DCNR operations, thereby reversing a recent trend where the agency has been increasingly supported by the oil and gas fund.

Dunn told the House Appropriations Committee that she would eventually like to see oil and gas fund revenue used for park and forest infrastructure projects.

Meanwhile, Dunn said the agency is reviewing issues surrounding a controversial proposal for gas drilling in the Loyalsock State Forest in parts of Bradford, Lycoming and Sullivan counties.

“We are taking fresh eyes on that (gas drilling proposal,” she said.

SHENANDOAH — The board chairwoman of the Municipal Authority of the Borough of Shenandoah spoke about the current situation with water lines during Monday’s borough council meeting.

Chairwoman Donna Gawrylik opened the public portion to update borough officials and the public on what has been done in dealing with frozen water mains and other issues due to the frigid temperatures in recent weeks. Borough officials declared a disaster emergency on March 5 due to homes without running water due to frozen mains or lines into homes.

“There is a saying that you can always take the boy and girl out of Shenandoah, but you can’t take the Shenandoah out of the boy and girl,” Gawrylik said. “With this crisis that we had, there were a lot of family members who called from out of town and out of state wondering how their family members were doing. And it was nice that they contact them because then we were able to get in touch with them and see what action we had to take.”

Gawrylik had a list of items she used to address many issues. She said work is continuing on frozen lines.

“People’s properties are coming along very well. Many are open and we’re still working on some,” Gawrylik said. “As for our workers, I can’t say enough about them. Our workers were practically out there 24/7, and they need to get home and rest. Everything they did had to be done, and it got to the point that we didn’t have certain resources to handle the situation.”

Gawrylik said the authority had two water companies offering their assistance. The help was accepted and work crews from the other companies arrived to assist the authority employees.

“Right now, we had close to 100 properties affected, and a good bit of them are opened,” she said. “I was out in the field watching what was being done. It was new to me. Mr. (Donald E.) Segal, who is also on the water authority, also saw what was being done. The Park Restaurant now has water. There were five big jobs and when our guys couldn’t do it, that’s when we knew we needed help. The companies were very good and we still have them working.”

Gawrylik thanked the borough street employees for assisting the water authority and spoke on the state of emergency declared by the borough.

“One thing you don’t want to see are children and the elderly without water and not having it reported,” she said. “The mains were frozen. The workers were able to get them open. On that Friday night (March 5), our workers were down in Lost Creek workers, as were the workers from the other companies. There was help all the way around.”

She said the authority engineer was involved, and the state elected officials were contacted, though she is still waiting for a reply.

“Our machinery and manpower were the main concerns,” Gawrylik said. “There still are residents waiting, but they’re on a list and we’re doing the best we can. As for the pre-maintenance situation, I think you can try your best and your best isn’t good enough, because once Mother Nature steps in, she has the final say.”

As for negative comments against the authority on the situation, Gawrylik said, “Then there is the negativity I hear, where you’re damned if you do and you’re damned if you don’t. So you just absorb it and do what you have to do.”

“How many people are without water as of now?” Councilman Ronald L. Michalowski asked.

“I couldn’t tell you exactly right now,” Gawrylik replied.

“How many people total were without water?” Michalowski asked.

“There was close to 100,” she said.

Segal, council president and MABS board member, and Gawrylik said only 12 were known to be without water on Saturday. The list was compiled as people contacted the authority about no water.

Michalowski said, “And you can’t answer how many people were without water and how many people are still without water. And why did it take so long for a state of emergency and why wasn’t the rest of council called about it. Our residents are our most valuable assets in this town. This should have been acted on instantly when we had a couple of hundred people without water.”

“Let me tell you that we didn’t know a couple of hundred people until yesterday,” Gawrylik said. “We didn’t know until these phone calls started coming in. If you have a problem, you call the water authority and not just talk to people on the street. You call and get on the list. Other than that, we don’t know.”

“And how about the people who brought their own plumbers in and tried to have their own lines thaws and it was the mains?” Michalowski asked. “Is the water company going to reimburse them for that?”

“That I cannot say,” she replied. “I can’t comment on that until we have our meeting.”

Segal entered the conversation, speaking to Michalowski.

“At the time you talked to me, there were 10,” Segal said. “On Monday morning, Donna and I went to the (MABS) office, and that when we got a list together and that’s when we found out and when we declared the state of emergency.”

Mayor Andrew Szczyglak explained that when Gawrylik called him that it was necessary to declare a state of emergency, he contacted Segal and both met at the borough hall to compose the disaster declaration letter.

“Let’s face it that we all learn from mistakes,” Gawrylik said. “There were mistakes that we made, but they won’t happen again under my watch. I will make sure that it won’t happen like that again. But under the circumstances, we did everything humanly possible under the protocol.”

Customers either currently or previously affected by the water issue should call the authority office at 570-462-1904 so the authority has a record of it.

ORWIGSBURG — Lt. Gov. Michael J. Stack III is spending some time in Schuylkill County this week.

Stack, 51, will attend the St. Patrick’s Day parade in Girardville on Saturday.

First, he is having lunch at noon today with county Democrats, serving as guest speaker for the political party’s annual St. Patrick’s Day luncheon.

“To get the lieutenant governor here is a feat,” former Pottsville Mayor John D.W. Reiley, event organizer, said Monday.

Reiley said he talked to Stack about attending the event while he was campaigning in the area.

“I was good friends with his father,” Reiley said. “We are both St. Joe’s (University) grads.”

It is not the first time Stack has been at the annual luncheon. Reiley said Stack attended the luncheon about six years ago when he was a state senator. He represented the 5th District from 2001 until he became the state’s 33rd lieutenant governor this year. As the Democratic nominee in the 2014 election, Stack and Gov. Tom Wolf defeated incumbent Republicans Tom Corbett and Jim Cawley.

According to his campaign website, www.stackforpa.com, Stack earned his bachelor’s degree from LaSalle University in 1987 and his juris doctorate from Villanova University School of Law in 1992. He worked in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Catastrophe Loss Fund as a claims representative from 1989 to 1992 before being promoted to executive director that year. Stack is a practicing attorney at the Stack and Stack Law Firm.

The luncheon is not a fundraiser. Tickets are available at the door for $25, which covers the meal.

Despite cool weather, free ice cream cones Monday at Dairy Queen in Pottsville were a big hit.

In honor of the 75th anniversary of the company, which is headquartered in Minnesota, Dairy Queen gave out free, small ice cream cones to customers, with donations to the Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals encouraged. Tickets were also sold for a chance to win a free ice cream cake to be given away today.

Dorothy Dry, 69, of Schuylkill Haven, said she was “almost embarrassed to ask” about the promotion. Usually when she stops by about once a month, she buys a small twist on a cone. On Monday, she didn’t have to pay. She was in the area for a doctor’s appointment and decided to go to Dairy Queen. She said she eats ice cream two or three times a week “just as long as its natural ice cream, the real stuff.”

As she sat inside the Dairy Queen, snow was still visible in the parking lot. Dry said that although she enjoys winter, she is looking forward to warmer weather.

“Spring is a beautiful season,” she said.

Jane, the manager at the store who declined to give her last name, said the phone rang off the hook with inquiries about the giveaway. She had about 25 to 30 calls about Free Cone Day. As of about 2:30 p.m., 119 small cones were given away, but Jane wasn’t sure how many they might give away by the day’s end. She said she believes people enjoy ice cream because it is a comfort food and people are looking forward to warmer weather.

“I think it’s been a long winter,” she said.

Tiffany Dougherty, 33, of Saint Clair, was at Dairy Queen with her children, Evan Dougherty, 3, and Aaliyah, 5, for the promotion.

“We eat ice cream all the time, even when it’s cold. I hate winter. I am so glad spring is almost here,” Tiffany Dougherty said.

Krista Freeman, 28, Auburn, and her son, Holden Freeman, 2, also were at Dairy Queen after seeing the sign the previous day for Free Cone Day on Monday. Her son loves ice cream.

Ken Frie, 34, of Pottsville, and his daughters, Emmerson Frie, 5, and Callie Frie, 2, enjoyed the cool treat.

“Cold, hot, (it) doesn’t matter. Ice cream is good anytime,” he said.

Frie said he is looking forward to the warmer weather.

“I can’t wait,” he said.

Barry Westrum, executive vice president of marketing for American Dairy Queen Corp., said in a press release that the giveaway is a good thing for customers.

“This is all about connecting with our fans and not just about telling them but showing them how much we appreciate their loyalty. After all, our fans have been supporting us for 75 years, so we thought it would be fun to bring the celebration to them,” he said.

SHENANDOAH — The remains of a fire-damaged building in the process of being demolished collapsed early Sunday morning in Shenandoah.

The building at 32 W. Coal St. fell onto itself and a vacant lot next door before 1 a.m. Sunday. The original dispatch from the Schuylkill County Communications Center was for 33 W. Coal St. with possible entrapment. Shortly thereafter, borough police arrived and determined the collapse was across the street at an empty building. On Monday, Shenandoah police Lt. Gary Keppel read the report of the officer who responded and that the property was checked in case anyone had been inside, but no one was found.

The property was one of 11 buildings either destroyed or damaged in an early morning fire on Feb. 23, 2013, along the unit block of West Coal Street and the 100 block of North Jardin Street. The fire displaced 12 people. A resident, Lisa Ann Goida, leapt from the third floor to escape the flames, was critically injured in the fall and died of the injuries.

The site of the former Neil’s Shoe Store is in the process of being demolished by Mr. Z Contracting, Shenandoah Heights. The contractor, Mike Zulkowski, was at the site on Monday to begin removal of what remained of the structure.

“It didn’t really collapse. We had 80 percent of it done,” Zulkowski said. “We came here in the first week of January and tore it down to the first floor and we had the front of the store torn off. So it was just part of the first floor that fell down.”

Zulkowski explained that he has been trying to work with the owners of the neighboring property at 30 W. Coal St. about demolition.

“We’ve been working on some legal issues with the house next door,” he said. “We’re waiting on an answer for what is going to be done next door, so we put the demolition on hold for a couple of weeks.”

As for the cause, Zulkowski said, “It was probably poor weather conditions and ice laying on the second-floor landing. We had the landing and the walls holding the floor up. When we stripped the walls, we took out all of the lats and plaster. We stripped out everything we could out of the downstairs. The ice has been laying on the floor for four weeks.”

Zulkowski added that the building at 32 W. Coal had been physically separated from 30 W. Coal St., so what was left of it did not affect the neighboring property when it fell.

PINE GROVE — Operation Hugs and Kisses will hold its annual Chinese auction Saturday at Hose, Hook & Ladder No. 1 Fire Company.

Operation Hugs and Kisses was formed in 2010 by a group of residents to assist Pine Grove borough residents devastated by a fire. A year later, they were incorporated as a Pennsylvania nonprofit and obtained 501(c)3 status in April 2014. According to President Missy Witherow, the group has continued to grow with close to 60 members.

The event which includes both a Chinese auction and a bidding auction will be held at 9 a.m. Doors open at 8 a.m. Each auction is held in a different room in the facility. The bidding auction takes place in the banquet room with Dave Sattazahn, a licensed auctioneer and fire chief of HH&L No. 1 Fire Company, donating his services as he has done for the previous four years.

The Chinese auction is held in the engine room. A shop and drop is scheduled from 6 to 8 p.m. Friday to accommodate anyone who can not attend the following day or for those who don’t want to miss the bidding at the other auction.

The auctions offer items for the entire family. Refreshments will be available for purchase throughout the event.

This year, the group will donate an equal share of the profits to the six area fire companies, Donaldson, Tremont, Ravine, Suedberg, HH&L No. 1 and North End. In addition, four sidewalk trash cans for Pine Grove borough and two for Tremont borough will be purchased, plus four large flower pots will be placed in the area of the Pine Grove traffic light and at the three entrances to the borough.

The group had also decided to create a small park out of a vacant lot at the corner of Laurel and East Pottsville streets, Pine Grove, where some flooded homes had been demolished through a Federal Emergency Management Agency buy-out program.

Visit the organization’s website, www.operationxoxo.com, or email 2010xoxo@comcast.net for more information.

n Minersville: The annual ham bingo to benefit St. Matthew the Evangelist Roman Catholic Parish is set for Sunday in the Good Shepherd Building, 301 Heffner St. Doors will open at noon and bingo will begin at 2 p.m. Admission is $3. For more information, call the rectory at 570-544-2211.

n Orwigsburg: Representatives of The Eagle Foundation for the Blue Mountain School District have announced that 2015 scholarship applications are available in the Blue Mountain High School Guidance Office. The deadline to submit an application is April 15. The Eagle Foundation awards more than 20 scholarships annually in amounts ranging from $500 to $2,500 and includes 13 memorial scholarships as well as scholarships offered directly by the foundation. New memorial scholarships offered through the Eagle Foundation this year are: The Capt. Jason B. Jones Memorial Scholarship, $1,000, established to honor the legacy of Jones, BMHS Class of 2003, USMA Class of 2007, Green Beret, 3rd Group Special Forces. Jones was tragically killed in the line of duty during a special operation in Afghanistan on June 2, 2014. One annual award will be given to a male or female Blue Mountain graduate who aspires to serve our country through military service. Preference will be given to a graduate who has been accepted to a service academy or who will serve with the military in connection with a pursuit of higher education through an ROTC or similar program. Applicants must exhibit the strong moral character of a Green Beret. The selection will also be based on commitment to the military, grade point average, leadership qualities, adaptability and empathy towards others. The Donald E. Jones Memorial Scholarship was established by family, friend, and former students of Jones, a beloved English teacher, who taught at Blue Mountain High School for more than 40 years. It is a $500 award that will be presented to a student who intends to major in English, communications or performing arts in college. The Eagle Foundation is a nonprofit, charitable organization dedicated to promoting excellence and encouraging academic achievement for all students attending Blue Mountain schools in all grades. For more information on the Eagle Foundation, call Elizabeth A. Dal Santo, executive director, at 570-498-9138 or by emailing to dalsantomarketing@gmail.com.

n Pottsville: Schuylkill Headwaters Association Inc. has established two endowment funds with Schuylkill Area Community Foundation, according to an SACF release. The funds honor Dave Derbes and Paul Lohin, founding members of the Schuylkill Headwaters Association and who are deeply committed to the improvement of the water quality in the Schuylkill River Watershed. Derbes and Lohin have been involved in all functions of the organization, holding various offices and supplying hands-on assistance with the implementation of abandoned mine drainage remediation projects. They are lifelong conservationists and environmentalists with a genuine love of the outdoors, according to the release. The awards will be distributed to qualified students who demonstrate a commitment to the community by participating in environmental and conservation projects or programs outside the classroom and maintain a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or greater. Students can obtain the application form at www.sacfoundation.com and the deadline date is April 1. The Derbes Schuylkill River Watershed Conservation Award will be granted annually to a graduating senior at Pottsville Area School District. The Lohin Schuylkill River Watershed Conservation Award will be granted annually to a graduating senior at Minersville Area School District. SACF will accept donations for the funds at any time throughout the year and in any amount. For people who wish to make contributions anonymously, the SACF staff will honor their requests. Those wishing to make a donation can go online to www.sacfoundation.com and complete the donation form or call Eileen Kuperavage, SACF executive director, at 570-624-7223 for additional information about charitable endowment funds.