NEW RINGGOLD — The bond between a local girl and her horse led a team to victory Aug. 21 at the Federation Equestre Internationale North American Endurance Team Challenge in Ontario, Canada.

“It was an absolute honor to qualify. I wasn’t expecting it. The athletic power of my horse is just incredible,” Emily Stemmler, 21, of New Ringgold, said Tuesday.

The 75-mile race through the Ganaraska Canadian Forest involved riding four phases of color-coded trails through various terrain with gaits varying from walk, trot and cantor to gallop.

“It was a more technical trail, but I’m used to riding trails around here with hills,” Stemmler said. “Faveur is extremely good at cantering up and down these hills, so it was exciting to go past people. The sheer athletic ability of my horse is incredible.”

Stemmler rode Faveur, a 9-year-old Asgard Arabian gelding, through the finish line in seventh place, combined with the scores of her two teammates, Meg Sleeper, Virginia, who placed first, and Katherine Gardener, Rhode Island, who finished eighth. The race began at 6:30 a.m. and all had to complete the race before 7:30 p.m. to avoid team disqualification.

Seven riders represented the northeastern region of the country in the race, but participants came from as far as California, Ireland, Israel and Romania.

“It was really cool. You encounter people from California, Texas and Alberta, Canada, and you all have the same passion of horses and riding,” Stemmler said. “Endurance is a little different in the sense that everyone is out to finish first and then after that is the competition. Everybody is looking out for each other riding through.”

Each phase of the race was separated by mandatory holds, or rest periods.

“It’s just something that the horse has to do on their own. Faveur did amazing with it,” Stemmler said.

A crew was assigned to each rider to get the horses heart rate below 64 beats per minute as quickly as possible. Horses were checked by an official veterinarian before the horse and rider could continue.

Stemmler has completed a couple 50-mile rides and three 75-mile rides before, so she and Faveur were prepared.

Horses and riders needed to complete five rides through American Endurance Ride Conference, National Federation for Endurance, then complete a 50-mile FEI ride to be eligible to ride at the 75-mile FEI level at NAETC.

FEI is an elite branch of endurance that is internationally recognized and has its own specific regulations and registrations for both horse and rider.

The scariest part of the race was at the starting gate for Stemmler.

“The starting gate is where it’s most nerve wracking. Forty-two horses go out at a trot and sometimes a gallop,” Stemmler said.

Hills proved most difficult for the horses, but Faveur was used to them.

“The toughest part was hills for horses,” Stemmler said. “The trail was mostly all forested with flat ground and hills so there was a lot of up-and-down movement. Compared to terrain around here, I wouldn’t consider it as hard. The hills here are more rocky. This was more sandy.”

Stemmler has been riding Faveur for three years.

“I love this horse. I absolutely love him, he is incredible,” Stemmler said. “I’ve done all but two endurance rides on him. He’s a very independent horse.

“He takes care of me when I ride. If something is wrong with me he just knows and he’ll turn around. He trusts me because he knows I’m taking care of him, too. I never have to worry about him taking off on me.”

Faveur is not an affectionate horse when first confronted, Stemmler said.

“It definitely took time to build up, but after you go that many miles it kind of just develops,” she said.

Faveur, owned by Holly Corcoran, was bred for endurance races.

“He was already trained before I started riding him. From birth, he was bread for endurance and given the best possible advantage,” Stemmler said.

Police accuse man

of hitting cruiser

FRACKVILLE — A borough man was charged with traffic violations late Friday after he sped up to run a red light and hit a state police vehicle, state police at Frackville said Saturday.

Police said Bernard A. Zaremba, 23, was driving a 2008 GMC Sierra east on West Oak Street, which is Route 61, at 9:15 p.m., when he sped up and drove through the red light at routes 61 and 924. Zaremba had been following a vehicle that was also speeding, police said.

A passing state police trooper, Mario Pompei, 39, of Frackville, who was driving a 2014 Ford Taurus patrol car, noticed the lead vehicle travel at a high rate of speed through the intersection in an unsafe manner as the traffic signal turned yellow, police said.

“The traffic signal turned steady red as the trooper made a U-turn about 20 feet from the intersection in order to pursue the lead vehicle,” investigating Trooper Daniel Conville said.

At that moment, Zaremba traveled through the intersection, running the red light and hit the front right passenger side of the patrol car. The patrol car spun counterclockwise for 20 feet and came to rest in the middle of Route 61 facing north. Zaremba’s vehicle stopped nearby on Route 61, police said.

Both vehicles sustained moderate damage. The state police vehicle had to be towed, police said.

Woman charged

in vehicle theft

AUBURN — State police at Schuylkill Haven arrested a woman from Orwigsburg who stole an unregistered vehicle owned by an Auburn man Thursday, police said Saturday.

The incident occurred between 8:30 a.m. and 11:45 a.m. Thursday when Judith J. Creitz arrived at 2064 Market St., West Brunswick Township, a rental property owned by the victim, Doug Naftzinger, Auburn, and took the vehicle. Police said the vehicle was unlocked with the keys inside, and Creitz did not have permission to take it.

At 2:28 p.m. Thursday, police found Creitz with the vehicle in Auburn. She was taken into custody without incident and arraigned before on-call Magisterial District Judge David J. Rossi, Tremont. She was charged with theft, receiving stolen property and criminal mischief. Unable to post $5,000 straight cash bail, she was incarcerated at Schuylkill County Prison, police said.

McAdoo man

jailed in assault

SUGARLOAF — A McAdoo man was charged with assault after wrestling with two state constables who took him to a courtroom in Sugarloaf Township on outstanding warrants, police said.

Hesan Yassin, 21, flipped a desk in the courtroom of Magisterial District Judge Daniel O’Donnell and fought with constables John Jones and Donald Suckstorff after the constables asked Yassin to stop trying to remove his handcuffs, according to an affidavit of probable cause.

Suckstorff suffered cuts to his arms when Yassin raked him with his handcuffs, the affidavit said.

Yassin was charged with assault, simple assault and disorderly conduct after police from Sugarloaf and Butler townships went to the courtroom to help the constables, who were holding Yassin against the floor when the officers arrived, police said. He was sent to Luzerne County Correctional Facility, Wilkes-Barre, in lieu of $100,000 bail, police said.

Deeds

Ashland — Beneficial Consumer Discount Co. to Barbara Krise; 1808 Centre St.; $10,199.

Brian J. Ladick to Tawny Engelberger; 1006 Centre Ave.; $25,500.

Blythe Township — Helena M. Hughes, trustee under the Helena M. McGeehan Revocable Trust Agreement, to Frank DiMarco; property; $55,000.

Branch Township — Federal National Mortgage Association to Joseph Gulden; 107 Woodland Drive; $49,500.

Butler Township — Lafay J. and Debra A. Hope to Bonnie Ploxa; 1 Linden Court, Fountain Springs; $130,000.

Cass Township — Watermelon Realty LLC and Schuylkill 15 Trust to J&A Realty Inc.; 1338 Valley Road, Duncott; $62,000.

Coaldale — Ethel L. Filloy and Megan Cannon to Michael W. and Catherine M. Papesh; 142-146 Second St.; $37,500.

Cressona — Audra J. and Charles L. Krepps to Matthew G. Smith; 111 Pottsville St.; $45,580.

Foster Township — Jason Keller to Anisa Sobolesky; 23 Lower Beechwood Road, Buck Run; $9,823.

David M. and Heidi L. Zula to Heidi L. Zula; 3 Ball Park Road, Buck Run; $1.

Frackville — Marybeth Collier to Ernest W. Williams; 414 W. Washington St.; $4,500.

Anita Keim to Coleen A. McGuire and Caitlin R. DiGiovanni; 229 N. Broad Mountain Ave.; $25,000.

John J. Hilbert to Melissa A. Tenaglia; 328 W. Chestnut St.; $58,300.

Hegins Township — Ronald L. Geist, individually and as attorney in fact for Ann L. Geist, to Philip A. and Kelly A. Hamilton; 827-829 W. Main St., Valley View; $30,000.

Richard F. Deeter Jr. and Kelly A. Ray to Richard F. Deeter Jr.; 138 Hill Road; $1.

James D. and Doris J. Harman to William C. Dietrich and Bryan K. Dietrich; property on Centre Street, Valley View; $21,000.

Preston Kender and Chloe Dudeck-Kender to Seth W. and Megan E. Maurer; 10 Apple Road, Hegins; $185,000.

Hubley Township — Wayne C. Mattern to Denise L. Wolfgang, Karl W. Mattern and Kevin B. Mattern; two properties; $1.

Mahanoy City — AK Real Estate Management Inc. to Remond Remodeling Co. Inc.; 318 E. Mahanoy Ave.; $500.

John Hindermyer to Remond Remodeling Co. Inc.; 1033 E. Centre St.; $1,500.

John Ross Hruniuk and Mary Ann Hruniuk to Monica M. Capone; 1320 E. Centre St.; $26,000.

Mahanoy Township — Glenn and Joan Sewinsky to Daniel R. Nester; 97 Park Place Road, Bowmans; $60,000.

Edward L. and Nancy Kardisco and Norman Jr. and Marion Rang to Ettore DiCasimirro; property in Morea; $16,000

Edward L. and Nancy Kardisco and Norman Jr. and Marion Rang to Richard L. Trexler; property in Morea; $5,000.

McAdoo — Joseph A. Zoba and Frank Zoba to Daniel J. and Sybill Zola; property on Lincoln Street; $29,000.

Middleport — Sheila D. Worhach to Michael S. McCarty and Mary M. Winnick; 47 Walnut St.; $78,500.

New Castle Township — Trevor T. and Amie L. Prokop to Shaun Jordan; 100 Broad St., Arnot’s Addition; $54,900.

Minersville — Borough of Minersville to New Minersville Hose Company; .166-acre property on Locust Street; $1.

New Minersville Hose Company to New Minersville Hose Company; 0.4-acre property at Line and Locust streets; $1.

North Manheim Township — Ralph T. III and Tricia L. Young to Ralph T. Young III; 71 Brokhoff Road; $1.

North Union Township — David S. and Ellenjane Appleton to End Poverty Now Inc.; Lot 237, Eagle Rock; $1.

Orwigsburg — Nancy C. Elser to MBC Development LP; 2.0494-acre property at Seton Manor Drive and West Market Street; $250,000.

Nancy C. Elser to MBC Development LP; 2.2491-acre property on West Market Street; $50,000.

Palo Alto — Anthony J. Chillemi to Bluebird Investments LLC; property on Bacon Street; $17,500.

Paul G. and Denise L. Kennedy to Jamie King; 129 E. Savory St.; $1,500.

Pine Grove Township — Theresa M. Kinka and Andrew J. Kinka to Andrew J. Kinka; 451 Oak Grove Road; $1.

Pine Grove Township — Vera V. Coleman to Justin Brown; 88 Pleasant Valley Road, Pleasant Valley; $93,000.

Kirk A. and Crystal L. Wirth to Kirk A. Wirth; 216 Tremont Road, Ravine; $1.

Vera V. Coleman to Justin Brown; 88 Pleasant Valley Road, Pleasant Valley; $93,000.

Kirk A. and Crystal L. Wirth to Kirk A. Wirth; 216 Tremont Road, Ravine; $1.

Porter Township — Fern M. Heberling to John E. Heberling and John R.J. Heberling; 401 W. Grand Ave., Sheridan; $1.

Connie Shuey Yourshaw to Perry T. Shuey; 21 Greenland Road; $1.

Pottsville — Joseph M. Visalli to David Stevanosky; 42 York Farm Road; $116,000.

Donna M. Pugh, executrix of the Estate of Dorothy M. Ryan, to Christine Waugh; 851 N. Centre St.; $32,900.

Reilly Township — Swatara Coal Co. to Richard J. and Patricia A. Withelder; 17.18985-acre property; $25,000.

Richard J. and Patricia A. Withelder to Richard J. and Patricia A. Withelder; 19.36109-acre property on Wood Street, Newtown; $1.

Rush Township — Leonard N. and Kathryn N. Oriel to Carmen J. Forke III and Ronald Kazakavage; 0.367-acre property on Great Oaks Drive, Lake Hauto; $10,000.

Guy Jeffrey Benedict, executor of the Estate of Alfonso John Benedict, to Guy Jeffrey Benedict; property on Ryan Avenue, Hometown; $1.

Guy Jeffrey Benedict to Seitz Brothers Property Holdings Inc.; property on Ryan Avenue, Hometown; $34,000.

Kenneth L. and Shirley H. Herring to Gregory Sinn and K.L. Herring & Son LLC; two properties on Lincoln Avenue, Hometown; $40,000.

Eugene Morrison to Arthur F. Jr. and Christine L. Wink; property; $35,000.

Ryan Township — Kenneth J. Sanders, administrator of the Estate of Luellen T. Sanders, to Kenneth J. Sanders; 9 School St., Barnesville; $1.

Saint Clair — Jason P. Fessler to Donna M. Dodds; 50 percent interest in 514 E. Lawton St.; $1.

Schuylkill Haven — Francis J. and Gertrude A. Skibiel to Holly S. Lewis; 46 St. Peter St.; $1.

Frank and Pamela S. Schlaner to Emily R. Husack; 216 E. Main St.; $96,000.

DLJ Mortgage Capital Inc. to Secretary of Housing and Urban Development; 501 S. Garfield Ave.; $1.

Federal National Mortgage Association to MP5 LLC; 322 St. John St.; $29,500.

Deborah Meck, executrix of the Estate of William B. Reichert, to Barbara S. Brown; 0.069-acre property on East Market Street; $47,000.

Par Investments LLC to Joel D. Shollenberger; 17 Center Ave.; $54,900.

Watermelon Realty LLC and Commonwealth Commerce LLC to Matthew Fenstermacher; 308 Parkway; $62,000.

Schuylkill Township — Agatha Schock, by attorney in fact James D. Schock, to Gregg and Jessica Tirpak; 609 Wyoming St., Tuscarora; $13,000.

Shenandoah — Gene M. Breines to Rose Hallett; 106 S. Lehigh St.; $20,000.

Georgeann Bondura and Christine Sadusky to Kenny Graciano; property at Chestnut and West Arlington streets; $7,000.

South Manheim Township — Ralph and Kathleen Ruggiero to Daniel J. and Charyl L. Calabrese; Lot 829, Cayuga Cove, Lake Wynonah; $172,000.

Tamaqua — Shawn G. and Amy M. Zehner to Amy M. Zehner; 226 Gay St.; $1.

Shirley French to John Myers; 191 Owl Creek Road; $30,000.

Wayne Township — JPMorgan Chase Bank NA to Imobiliaria LLC; 357 Freemans Road; $30,000.

Wayne Township — JP Homes Inc. to John M. Hlubik and Cynthia A. Sorrentino; Lots 1132 and 1133, Lake Wynonah; $59,000.

David A. and Sarah J. Dries to David A. and Sarah J. Dries; 113 Hogan Drive, lake Wynonah; $1.

Timothy L. Sayler to Timothy L. Sayler; 1.036-acre property on Blue Mountain Road; $1.

Timothy L. Sayler to Timothy L. Sayler; 204 Blue Mountain Road; $1.

Timothy L. Sayler to Timothy L. Sayler; 9.134-acre property on Blue Mountain Road; $1.

Timothy L. Sayler to Timothy L. Sayler; 1.032-acre property on Blue Mountain Road; $1.

Timothy L. Sayler to Timothy L. Sayler; 1.04-acre property on Blue Mountain Road; $1.

Daniel McCracken to Daniel McCracken; 511 Coyote Drive, Lake Wynonah; $1.

West Brunswick Township — Colby Powell to David Hannum; 3301 Village Road, Pinebrook; $176,000.

Jeremy J. and Alyson C. Warke to Alyson C. Warke; 170 Little Ash Lane; $1.

West Mahanoy Township — Terry L. Deitz to Sabrina Schumm; 205 Indiana Ave., Shenandoah Heights; $7,500.

n Brandonville: Schuylkill On the Move will sponsor a walk in the forest from 2 to 5 p.m. Sept. 26 along the north slope of the Locust Mountain, titled “Lofty Dam and Pumping Station.” Tom Pesock will lead the seven-mile excursion that is rated moderate. Participants will meet Pesock on Route 924 above Brandonville, near the windmills, about two miles northeast of Shenandonah. The rain date is Sept. 27. The hike is free and open to the public. Hikers should wear comfortable shoes, bring snacks and dress for the outdoors, according to a release. SOM promotes positive steps toward good health through walking. It is a project of Schuylkill County’s VISION in partnership with the Schuylkill County Visitors Bureau, the Schuylkill County Conservancy and the Schuylkill Conservation District. For more information, call Patrick M. “Porcupine Pat” McKinney, environmental education coordinator with the conservation district, at 570-622-4124, ext. 113 or email him at porcupinepat@yahoo.com.

n Middleport: A benefit motorcycle ride for Tommy Edmonds Jr. will be held Sept. 19 from Fast Frank’s, 22 Coal St. The cost is $20 per motorcycle and $25 with passenger plus $5 for each additional passenger. Registration will be from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. with kickstands up at noon, organizers said in a release. The fee also includes entertainment by disc jockey Romig, dinner and door prizes. With each paid adult there will be allowed one child 12 or younger for free. Edmonds, 43, is a father of six who has been diagnosed with grade 4 sarcoma of the thigh involving the hip and pelvis, requiring extensive amputation, according to the release. Proceeds from the benefit will help with medical expenses and the purchase of necessary medical equipment. For more information, call 570-668-5727 or 570-640-2510.

n Minersville: The Minersville Public Library recently acknowledged the following memorials: For Josephine Graf from Betsy Callaghan, Ellen Valent; for Angelina Miele from Regina Kleeman; for Frances Dimmerling Wixted from Helen Socko. The library also acknowledge the following honor donation: For Fred Wiest on his 100th birthday from Allen and Jane Kiefer.

n Orwigsburg: The Schuylkill County Council for the Arts will sponsor La Dolce Vita Di Amore from 6 to 9 p.m. Oct. 9 at the Schuylkill Country Club, 877 W. Market St. The cost is $40 per person. The event is to celebrate the discovery of America 523 years ago. It will feature and Italian buffet, music and dancing. People 21 and older are welcome. For more information, call 570-622-2788. The council will also sponsor “The Autumn Songbook” from 7 to 9 p. m. Oct. 10 at its headquarters, 1440 Mahantongo St., Pottsville. It will include songs from the American songbook as well as American jazz. The cost is $20 per person. Call the aforementioned number for more information.

n Orwigsburg: The Orwigsburg Historical Society will stage a program called “Cigars: Past, Present & Future” at 7 p.m. Sept. 30 at the society quarters and museum, 109 E. Mifflin St. According to a society release, Bryan Ott and Jeffrey Kocher of Cigars International will be the presenters. “Many people don’t know this,” organizers said in the release, “but Orwigsburg … was once famous for the many brands of cigars made in the town. In fact, it was the cigar-making capital of Schuylkill County, producing thousands of cigars per month. What we find fascinating is that a tiny town of 3,000 people was able to produce many of the cigars consumed in Schuylkill County.” The event is free and refreshments and fellowship will follow. For more information, call 570-617-7809.

n Schuylkill Haven: The Schuylkill County Quilters Guild will present “A Quilt Spectacular 2015” from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and noon to 5 p.m. Sunday at the Walk In Art Center, 110 W. Columbia St. Admission is $5 and the event will feature more than 200 quilts, other handmade items, a merchants’ mall, quilting demonstrations, a Chinese auction and other activities. Lunch will be available at the Quilt Café. There will be free parking and the site is accessible to the handicapped and air conditioned. For more information, call 570-544-3993.

Millie Boyer, 75, of New Ringgold, thinks it is a good idea for those at military installations and recruitment centers to be able to defend themselves.

“I think they should have guns. There are plenty of wackos out there,” she said Tuesday while at the Cressona Mall, which has a recruitment center. “They go and they shoot people for no reason at all.”

Theresa Warren, 39, also of New Ringgold, said those in the military “should be able to defend themselves.”

A Marine at the recruiting station at the Cressona Mall and Staff Sgt. Brandon Hilsheimer, a recruiter with the Air Force, both declined comment. No one was at the Army recruiting center to comment.

A resolution calling for the arming of the military at installation and recruitment centers will be considered Sept. 21 by the state House.

The House Veterans Affairs and Emergency Preparedness Committee approved the resolution Aug. 25 by a vote of 21-0. Six members of the committee did not vote. Rep. Mike Tobash, R-125, a member of the committee, voted for the resolution. Rep. Jerry Knowles, R-124, is in support of the resolution but is not a member of the committee. The prime sponsor is Rep. Martina A. White, R-170, Philadelphia County.

The resolution calls for the “urging of the Congress of the United States and the Department of Defense to expeditiously address the safety and protection of United States Armed Forces personnel within the borders of the United States.”

All too often, members of the military find themselves the victims at the hands of violence by other Americans, the resolution states. The resolution specifically mentions the killing of four Marines and a Navy petty officer at two military installations July 16 in Chattanooga, Tennessee. In part it calls for the “United States Department of Defense to thoroughly review and examine the current domestic force protection policies and that the Congress of the United States review Federal laws and regulations for revisions to assist in providing adequate protection for United States military personnel, including the authority to carry a firearm on military installations and recruiting centers for defense of self and others.”

Tobash issued the following statement about the issue: “To me, it’s a no-brainer. The men and women who so valiantly serve our country in the armed forces should be armed themselves. Unfortunately, this is not the reality.

“As a nation, we were horrified when four Marines and one sailor were murdered in two separate shootings on July 16 in Chattanooga, Tennessee. Sadly, we cannot bring those individuals who lost their lives working at those military recruiting centers on that day back to us. But in a time like this — where our military men and women have become targets — we can, and should, be doing all we can to prevent similar future attacks.

My colleagues and I on the House Veterans Affairs and Emergency Preparedness Committee recently discussed this issue. As a committee, we voted in favor of a resolution that would protect the safety of military recruiters by urging Congress and the U.S. Department of Defense to allow recruiters to carry firearms while performing their duties. Since 1992, the DOD has limited the presence of weapons in public settings.

“House Resolution 437, which has bipartisan support, asks the DOD to review current domestic force protection policies, including giving military personnel the authority to carry the weapons they have been trained to use and to protect one another if threatened with violence.

Even though the federal government has to be the one to take action in order for a change to occur, I think it’s important that we, at the state level, have our voice heard on this common sense issue. President Barack Obama, please allow our armed forces to be armed!”

The DOD does not support arming all personnel for numerous reasons, according to DOD (spokeswoman?) Christina Douglas. Those reasons include safety concerns, costs of weapons training, qualification costs and various weapons screening laws.

“However, DOD guidance does provide flexibility to component and installation commanders to arm additional personnel based on necessity as long as they meet the requirements of Department of Defense Directive 5210.56,” a directive that limits and controls the use of firearms, Douglas said. There are stipulations in the directive that allow qualified personnel to be armed when “there is reasonable expectation that DOD installations, property, or personnel lives or DOD assets will be jeopardized if personnel are not armed.”

Knowles said Wednesday that members of the military should be able to protect themselves.

“To me, it’s just a common sense resolution, I don’t really understand how anybody would be against that,” he said.

Three months into the Pennsylvania budget impasse, Schuylkill County officials may soon have to develop a contingency plan to continue funding agency services if a state budget is not in place by the end of September.

Through the first two months of the impasse, Schuylkill County had $4,367,957.55 in outstanding payments to service providers. According to County Finance Director Paul E. Buber, Children & Youth, Mental Health and Developmental Services, Senior Services, Drug and Alcohol and Human Services combined for $2,191,984.11 in outstanding payments in June and $2,175,973.44 in July.

While the figures for August are still being compiled, Buber said they fall in line with the previous two months. That means the county may have as much as $6 million in outstanding payments over the last three months.

“Although all county agencies are managing their cash flow well, cash flow is being squeezed because no revenue is coming in the door and important expenses have to be paid,” Buber said Thursday. “If there is no break in the state budget impasse by the end of the this month, the county may have to consider contingency plans to supplement the cash flow of the agencies. Despite the tight cash flow, agency directors and staff are maintaining normal operations and are performing remarkably well in maintaining program services for county residents.”

Buber said many of the county’s service providers were also impacted by the last state budget impasse in 2009. The impasse was resolved Oct. 9, 2009, and was 101 days overdue.

“Since 2009, most of the service providers have established a line of credit to assist with weathering this storm,” Buber said.

The Office of Senior Services is fully funded through the state. Deanna Orlowsky, deputy administrator for the department, said there has been enough funding left over from the last fiscal year to cover employee salaries during the budget impasse. However, there has not been enough to pay providers.

“Hopefully, something will happen this month because we will soon have to look at what our next move will be,” she said Friday. “We have enough until October to cover our employee salaries and benefits without paying any of our providers.”

Although, the current situation may be similar to the 2009 budget impasse, Dan McGrory, Mental Health and Developmental Services and Drug & Alcohol administrator, said both sides are further apart this time around and it may drag into October.

“The lines are pretty dramatically drawn,” McGrory said. “This is really the most conservative house we have had in Pennsylvania and they are opposed to any tax increases. They believe they offered a viable budget and once the governor vetoed the budget it caused a pretty deep riff with the Republicans. There is a lot of work to do just to get on the same page.”

Even then, McGrory said there will still be disagreements on tax increases along with pension reform and the privatization of the liquor stores.

“That’s a big mountain to climb,” he said.

Until then, service providers will each experience the squeeze on different levels. McGrory said that while larger companies may be able to rely on credit, that too can have a long-term impact.

“Obviously the downside of that is that there will be considerable interest payments that will then eat into program costs,” McGrory said.

Meanwhile, smaller service providers are being forced into utilizing more part-time workers or having part-time layoffs, he said,

“Some are going to suspend services because they don’t have capacity to a line of credit and don’t have contingency funds to pay staff,” McGrory said. “We have talked about trying to keep services in place understanding that at some point there will be a budget signed and we will reimburse them, but some of them just don’t have the contingency funds to be able to do that.”

That was the case for some in 2009.

“We lost a couple of small providers during that period of time,” McGrory said. “That left holes we are still trying to fill in some cases.”

McGrory said the county has had enough funding for a variety of sources to continue paying the agencies through August, but those funds have now been exhausted.

“Any costs that are incurred by the providers or any payments due for services rendered from September is squarely on the providers’ backs,” he said. “It is going to have increasing negative effects as this goes forward.”

Even when a budget is approved, McGrory said it will take another three or four weeks for that money to flow into the county service system.

“We are just trying as much as possible to keep as many essential services going,” McGrory said. “That can have a dramatic effect if those services stop.”

McGrory said that some type of tax increase is “absolutely necessary” to begin restoring cuts to the behavioral health programs under Gov. Tom Corbett. He said one solution may be implementing a gas extraction tax.

No matter the solution, McGrory said more funding is needed as the country is in the midst of an opioid epidemic.

“It’s not a pretty picture right now,” McGrory said. “We are just hoping the legislators can get serious with one another and recognize the significant damage that can be done and do what they need to do.”

HAZLETON — Heather Miller recalled how upset she was last June when United Rehabilitation Services shut its doors in the borough.

Miller, Hazleton, knew she’d miss her job, but even more, the friends she had made over her 15 years of employment at the facility for adults with disabilities.

“My main concern was that I wouldn’t see my friends,” she said.

So when Avenues, a Pottsville-based nonprofit, announced that it would set up shop to fill the void left by URS’s departure, Miller applied.

She’s back at work — and back with many of her URS friends. Only now, they’re working from Avenues’ new facility at 600 S. Poplar St.

“I’m just glad that all my friends came back,” Miller, who packaged trays of watercolor paints, said. “I love being with my former friends.”

Colleen Curtin, Hazleton’s vocational program manager, estimated that 95 percent of Avenues’ program participants are former URS clients. She said Avenues began offering the vocational employment program to adults with disabilities in September 2014 from the URS building on West Broad Street.

In late May, it moved to its current location at the former Printmark building, where a “PossAbilities” Adult Training program is also in the works.

The public is invited to learn more about Avenues at a Sept. 29 open house marking its first year in Hazleton. A ribbon cutting and performance by the URS’s Our Proud Voices Choir will begin at 1 p.m., followed by guided tours of the facilities. Light refreshments will be served and a mixer will run from 5 to 7 p.m.

On a recent morning, the program’s 44 participants put together trays of paints from Sargent Art in Hazleton.

“Sargent Art and its general manager, Gary Capece, are very supportive of Avenues,” Curtin said. “They loaned us the equipment here and provide the work to us.”

Another line assembled industrial washing machines caps on a contract from Viking of Nesquehoning.

As participants join the program, Curtin said they’ll be assessed to determine what jobs are best for them.

Rudy Hoda, Drums, proudly announced that he was using a new hand truck.

“I passed my test,” he said. “I watched a film and I have a book about it.”

Hoda, who worked at URS for 26 years, also delights in being a member of the Hazleton Kiwanis Aktion Club. The club, made up of Avenues participants, holds fundraisers, recreational activities and other events. A recent Bowl-A-Thon raised more than $300 for the Wounded Warriors Project, Hoda said.

“They meet monthly during lunch because they don’t want to miss any work,” Curtin said of the Aktion Club.

Grayson Schaub, Drums, didn’t miss a beat as he talked to a reporter while adding paintbrushes and labels to paint trays.

At 22, he is the youngest participant. But he, too, worked at URS.

“I like to come here to help all the people,” Schaub said.

As the program grows, Avenues officials plan to add community-based work assessment, job search services, recreational opportunities and transitional work services.

In the near future, it will start filling openings in its PossAbilities program, which Cathy Smink said will provide support for adults with moderate to profound intellectual or developmental disabilities.

Smink, program manager for PossAbilities, said the Hazleton program will be modeled after existing programs in Pottsville and Mahanoy City.

With PossAbilities, staffers measure individuals’ functions and daily living skills and develop a plan based on the results. The goal is to help participants achieve their highest level of independence, Smink said.

While new to Hazleton, Avenues has been serving those in need since it was founded in 1952 as United Cerebral Palsy of Schuylkill County.

It changed its name to Avenues in 2004 when it began to serve more individuals than only individuals with cerebral palsy, Corey Buletza, an Avenues spokesman, said. Its more than 30 programs serve more than 1,200 people in five counties, he said.

“The main goal is to meet the needs of the individuals we serve,” Buletza said.

For more information about Avenues, visit www.avenuesofpa.org or call Curtin at 570-501-1005 or email ccurtin@avenuesofpa.org.

The Government Accountability Office has agreed to review the rating system used to rate nursing homes.

Last month, U.S. Sen. Bob Casey, D-Pa., and Senate Finance Committee Ranking Member Ron Wyden, D-Ore., wrote to the GAO calling for a review of the rating system. Rep. Elijah E. Cummings, D-Md., ranking member of the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, later joined in the request.

On Aug. 26, 2014, Cummings sent a letter to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services requesting a briefing to address concerns about the Five-Star rating system after a New York Times article revealed deficiencies in it. In February, the CMS announced revisions to the scoring methodology for its rating system.

“The GAO’s decision to conduct a review is a first step towards ensuring the accuracy of this system that millions of families rely on,” Casey and Wyden said in the letter. “The Five-Star rating system has the potential to make a substantial difference in the lives of vulnerable seniors but the Administration has to make sure the rating system is working. We have to get this right.”

The Nursing Home Compare tool is a public website consumers can use to search for and compare nursing homes. The site features the Five-Star Quality Rating System that rates nursing homes on a scale of one to five in three major performance areas — health inspections, staffing and quality measures — as well as one overall rating.

“The quality of our nursing homes is critical to our nation’s seniors and their families,” Cummings said. “That is why I sent a letter last year to CMS expressing serious concerns that some nursing home facilities were gaming the current ‘five-star’ rating system to mislead consumers about the quality of care they provide. I commend GAO for agreeing to review this system to ensure that it provides accurate and reliable information while encouraging all nursing homes to achieve a higher quality of care for our nation’s seniors.”

The ratings of the nursing facilities in Schuylkill County are available online at Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services website at www.cms.gov.

FRACKVILLE — When the Frackville Elks Lodge 1533 ran an outdoor grill event Monday, they did more than sell the sizzle.

“You can’t beat this for the price,” Al Stankinas, Pine Grove, who plunked down $12 for a 14-ounce New York strip steak, sides and dessert, said.

“This is our second year. Last year we did it as sort of a whim for some of the members. It was really popular. People from the community were stopping in, so we opened it to the public. We also did it for Memorial Day (and) for the Fourth of July,” William J. Mack, the lodge’s exalted ruler, said.

Labor Day is one of the most popular grilling holidays. A 2013 study conducted by the Health, Patio & Barbecue Association at www.hpba.org shows that 80 percent of all U.S. households own a grill or smoker. And 97 percent of grill owners actually used their grill that year.

The history of grilling begins shortly after the domestication of fire, some 500,000 years ago, according to www.foodnetwork.com.

“The backyard ritual of grilling as we know it, though, is much more recent. Until well into the 1940s, grilling mostly happened at campsites and picnics. After World War II, as the middle class began to move to the suburbs, backyard grilling caught on, becoming all the rage by the 1950s,” according to www.foodnetwork.com.

One of the reasons grilling remains a tradition for many in the 21st century is it brings people together.

Just after 1 p.m. Monday, Mack was grilling the steaks outside the lodge at 307 S. Third St. on a gas grill.

“I think we marinated about 70 or 75 steaks since Friday,” he said as he used a food thermometer with a temperature gauge to cook them just right.

Among those who ordered steaks from the grill included Trudi Stankinas, wife of Al, and Al’s sister, Anneliese Yeselski, Drums, and her husband, David.

“We were here last year. You can’t beat it,” Anneliese said.

Elks volunteers, like Gerry Cuccurullo and Judy Williams, both of Frackville, took their orders and carried the steaks from the refrigerator inside the kitchen to Mack at the outside grill with instructions on how to cook them.

“I think 180 degrees or 190 degrees is going to be well, well done. Anything less than that’s more of a medium,” Mack said.

Joan Fucci, Gordon, walked over to the Elks to buy platters for herself and a friend, Alice Sapp, Frackville.

“My friend was looking for hot dogs. And as I was pulling away, I saw them grilling over here,” Fucci said.

Hamburgers and hot dog platters with sides were $8, Mack said.

“They look very good,” Fucci said as she picked up their orders.

Schuylkill County will host a Prescription Drug Take-Back Day this weekend.

The federal Drug Enforcement Agency started the national effort in September 2010 because there was no federal law regarding the disposal of unwanted prescription drugs. This is the 10th time the event will be held as part of that initiative.

The nationwide events have collected more than 4.8 million pounds of drugs, according to the DEA.

The last Drug Take-Back Day, hosted by the county sheriff’s office, was Sept. 27, 2014. Sheriff Joseph Groody said that event collected 235.5 pounds of prescription drugs.

Last year, the DEA announced that it no longer planned to sponsor nationwide Take-Back Day events in order to give authorized collectors the opportunity to provide the service. However, the DEA decided to host another event this year in Pennsylvania and Delaware.

There will be 13 drop-off locations throughout the county operating from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday at the following locations:

· Ashland Police Dept., 401 S. 18th St., Ashland

· Butler Township Police Dept., 211 Broad St., Ashland

· Frackville Police Dept., 42 S. Center St., Frackville

· Girardville Police Dept., Fourth and B St., Girardville

· Mahanoy City Police Dept., 239 E. Pine St., Mahanoy City

· Orwigsburg Police Dept., 209 N. Warren St., Orwigsburg

· Pine Grove Police Dept., 1 Snyder Ave., Pine Grove

· Port Carbon Senior Citizens Center, 90 Washington St., Port Carbon

· Saint Clair Police Dept., 24 N. Second St., Saint Clair

· Schuylkill County Court House Entrance, 401 N. Second St., Pottsville

· Schuylkill Haven Police Dept., 220 Parkway, Schuylkill Haven

· Shenandoah Police Dept., 15 W. Washington St., Shenandoah

· Tamaqua Police Dept., 320 Broad St., Tamaqua

The free and anonymous program collects expired, unneeded and unwanted prescription medication and other solids, like patches. Participants are encouraged to remove personal information from the prescription labels and may dispose of medication in its original container or by removing the medication from its container and disposing of it directly into the disposal box.

All expired or unwanted controlled, non-controlled and over-the-counter medicines are accepted. Liquid products, such as cough syrup, should remain sealed in their original plastic container.

Glass containers, intravenous solutions, injectables, syringes and illegal substances such as marijuana or methamphetamines will not be accepted

The county sheriff’s department secures the prescription drugs until they are collected by DEA officials and burned at an undisclosed location. Properly disposing the drugs prevents them from being stolen or being thrown into the sewage system through the toilet or trash.

During the rest of the year, residents can drop of unwanted, expired and unused prescription drugs at county sheriff’s office in the courthouse from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday.

For more information about National Drug Take-Back Day or to find a local drop-off site, visit www.justice.gov/dea.

Three people — a man, a woman and a young boy — were trapped in an elevator that stopped between floors at Laurel Court High Rise in Pottsville on Monday afternoon.

Elevator 1 — one of two elevators in the 14-story building at 400 Laurel Boulevard — stopped unexpectedly between the ground floor and the second floor, said Craig S.L. Shields, executive director of the Pottsville Housing Authority, which manages the building.

City firefighters worked for nearly 45 minutes to free them, according to Pottsville Assistant Fire Chief William DeWald, who was in charge of the scene.

Shields said the building was constructed in 1968, and he believed that’s when the elevator was installed, and could not recall if there had been similar incidents there.

The incident occurred at 1:43 p.m. Monday, DeWald said.

The three people involved refused to give their names.

“They were visiting somebody in the building. I don’t know who they are,” Shields said.

When the elevator stopped between floors, they used an emergency call button inside the car to contact authorities, DeWald said.

One firefighter, Lt. Chuck Bowers, of Yorkville Hose & Fire Company No. 1, used a crow bar to wedge open the elevator door at 2:30 p.m..

Firefighters helped the three people get out of the car and onto the ground floor via a ladder.

Shields contacted a repair representative for Otis Elevator on Monday. “They said they’d be here first thing in the morning,” Shields said.

Elevator No. 1 at Laurel Court will remain shut down until it’s repaired, Shields said.

GREENBURY — In the Heckscherville Valley on Monday morning, sunbeams greeted the wail of a bagpiper, a collection of marchers and a green banner featuring images of the Irish and American flags.

It was a perfect morning for a community tradition, the march to the Labor Day Mass at the Castle Green Grotto on the site of the former Greenbury Chapel, which was torn down in 2003.

“You’re in between Greenbury and Coal Castle. That’s where Castle Green came from,” Thomas Symons, Primrose, president of the Schuylkill County Ancient order of Hibernians, said.

Kristen Egan, Reading, Berks County, led representatives of the AOH from numerous divisions in Schuylkill County, in a procession up Valley Road in New Castle Township into Cass Township. The grotto is just over the border.

Egan, a member of the Hawk Mountain Highlanders, a pipe-and-drum band from Schuylkill County, performed “The Green Hills of Tyrol” and “When The Battle’s Over.”

The sights and sounds inspired some in the crowd to remember what life was like in the community in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, when anthracite miners struggled to survive harsh working conditions to make a living.

“It’s a Mass to commemorate the chapel that used to be here. So we say the Mass for all who preserve the heritage, who are part of this congregation.” the Rev. Paul Rothermel, pastor of The Most Blessed Trinity Chruch in Tremont, who led the service, said.

His homily focused on toil and sacrifice “and the working class backgrounds so many of us have in this area.”

“This is indeed the day the Lord has made. Two years ago in August we had a memorial celebration for the miners who died in the East Brookside mine disaster,” Rothermel told the crowd, which had swelled to more than 100 by the middle of the service.

He was referring to the largest mine accident in the history of Schuylkill County, which killed 20 men on Aug. 2, 1913. The mine, located on the mountain directly north of the old Porter-Tower High School on Route 209, was owned by the Philadelphia and Reading Coal and Iron Co.

“Out of the 20 victims that died, 11 lived in our parish, and they were buried from my chapel at Ss. Peter and Paul in Tower City. And that got me thinking about how hard they worked,” Rothermel said.

“People can work hard, but they are not mules. They are made in the image of God. As a mule can do its job, we can reflect upon our labor. And that’s what Labor Day is about. Of course, some of our minds work in a way that goes against our gospel reading today,” Rothermel said, referring to Matthew 6:31-34.

“We worry. Jesus says don’t do that. Trust God in your work environment. Some people who reflect upon work sometimes come up with a pretty interesting saying or two. I came across this one yesterday,” Rothermel said.

He quoted Robert Paul: “I only go to work on days that don’t end in a y.”

“We wish, right? Think about it. I’m saying don’t use your mind to worry. Use your mind to reflect upon your work. Some people end every work day with a ‘why, why do I do it? So many people are on welfare. Why can’t I just get food stamps?’ I think there are 93 million people out of the workforce that seem to be able bodied. And there are some people who work all their lives, not as hard as the mules, but they work all their lives and never ask why. They never reflect. And even on Labor Day they don’t reflect upon their labor, even though it’s a beautiful time that’s set aside to do that in our country,” Rothermel said.

“But Saint Paul in our first reading today says work with your own hands and answers the question ‘why, why do we do it?’ He says it is because of mutual charity, because we care for our family, we not only love our neighbor as ourselves, we serve our neighbor in the work that we do,” Rothermel said.

He was referring a reading from the First Letter of Saint Paul to the Thessalonians recited earlier in the service.

Among those in the crowd were the Schuylkill County commissioners.

Egan said this was the second year she’s performed at the event.

Her parents, Gerard, a native of Saint Clair, and Donna, a native of Pottsville, now both of Robesonia, Berks County, were in the crowd.

“It’s nice to see everyone come out, and that this is well maintained,” Egan said.

The grotto’s caretaker, Robert Mulhall, 74, is in a nursing home, according to his wife, Mary Ann.

“Bob, for so many years, has been helping to make this what it is. Recently he’s had some illnesses and we’re also praying for him today,” Rothermel said.

Deeds

Auburn — William R. Bear and Susan V. Morgan to Althea Meade; 470 E. Deer View Drive; $260,000.

Blythe Township — Jarrod and Lisa McClure to Justin M. McClure; 24 Main St., Kaska; $1.

Butler Township — Dennis T. Jr. and Shawna L. Radtke to Christian Barrett and Sarah Yeager; two properties; $3,000.

Coaldale — John J. Unitis III and Robert D. Unitis to John J. Unitis III; five lots on West Early Avenue; $1.

East Norwegian Township — Susan Supreme to Joseph N. Corson; property at Sixth and Maurer streets; $1,400.

East Union Township — Charles and Roberta Kucmyda to Felix C. and Elenita Ona Pen; Lot 433ER, Eagle Rock; $15,000.

Frackville — William G. Schwab, trustee for David Kehler, to William and Michele Hall; 43-45-47 N. Nice St.; $42,000.

Gilberton — Stephen Mazur Jr. to Evelyn Mazur; property on Caulfield Street; $1.

McAdoo — Sandra DeSpirito, Jo Anne Guzze, John Billett Jr. and Anthony Billett to Sandra DeSpirito, Jo Anne Guzze, John Billett Jr. and Anthony Billett; 511 S. Hancock St.; $1.

Minersville — Joseph E. Szelgia and Heather L. Price to William J. and Deborah M. Pasker; property on Carbon Street; $1.

New Castle Township, Norwegian Township and Saint Clair — Robert G. and Virginia Delenick to Megan M. Schwartz; four properties; $1.

North Union Township — Wayde D. and Janet R. Moyer to Janet R. Moyer; 9 Schreffler Lane, Zion Grove; $1.

Norwegian Township — Aloys and Mary Christine Pellish to Mark A. Pellish and Marianne C. Goodman; property on Pine Street; $1.

Pottsville — Stephen R. and Ann Marie C. Buzalko to Jeremy and Deniece Smith; 1350 Seneca St.; $107,500.

Jesse W. Weiss to Renee M. Amos; 2170 W. Norwegian St.; $102,000.

Shenandoah — B&L Land to Genevieve Spital; 408 W. Cherry St.; $100.

Tamaqua — Arthur W. Connely III, Charles R. Connely and James R. Connely to Wesley T. Johnson; 210 Pine St.; $38,750.

Tower City — Karen Spittle to Lee Leuschner; property on Grand Avenue; $1.

Karen Spittle to Lee Leuschner; property; $1.

Tremont — Melvin D. Fultz to Veronica M. Wojcik; 26 Spring St.; $35,000.

Walker Township — Philip J. Zacko, executor of the Estate of William E. Zacko, to Philip J. Zacko; 16.873-acre property on Valley Road; $1.

n Ashland: Author Vincent Genovese will be the guest speaker at 7 p.m. Sept. 23 for the meeting of the Ashland Area Historical Preservation Society at the society quarters, 316-318 Centre St. He will discuss information from his book, “Angel of Ashland,” a biography of Dr. Robert Spencer. A book signing will follow. Admission is free, and the public is welcome to attend. For more information, call 570-590-9044.

n Frackville: The Frackville Ministerium Food Bank will be open from 9 to 10 a.m. Sept. 17 to serve eligible residents of the borough. New applicants will need proof of eligibility and a borough address. The food bank is located at Zion Lutheran Church. People should use the downstairs entrance by the parking lot on South Beech Street. For more information, call 570-874-0255.

n Frackville: The annual barbecue chicken dinner and bean soup sale that the South End Field and Stream Association had slated for Sept. 19 has been canceled.

n Frackville: The local Elks lodge, 307 S. Third St., will stage its monthly pork chop supper from 4 to 7 p.m. Sept. 16 at the lodge. The cost is $9 per meal, which includes two breaded pork chops, potato, vegetable and dessert. Patrons may eat at the lodge or take meals out. For more information, call 570-590-3330.

n Hazleton: The Texas Tenors will perform at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday in the Hazleton Area High School Auditorium, 1621 W. 23rd St. It will open the 80th season of the Greater Hazleton Concert Series. The Texas Tenors are Emmy award winners and “America’s Got Talent” finalists. Tickets for the six-concert series season, as well as individual tickets for The Texas Tenors, are now on sale. For reservations or concert information, call Amelia at 570-788-4864 or Joan at 570-455-0990. Subscriptions can be purchased online at www.hazletonconcertseries.org.

n Minersville: The annual Minersville Spirit Day will go from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday on North Street, featuring dozens of food, business, church, fire company and craft vendors, according to a press release. The entertainment schedule is as follows: 10 a.m., Marybeth’s Gymnastics; 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., Country Line Dancers; 2 to 3 p.m., Artists in Motion and Keystone Kids StarMakers. Other attractions will include: 11 a.m. to noon, the Minersville Area High School Band; noon to 1:30 p.m., the Cressona Band; 1:30 to 2 p.m., a recognition ceremony and 2 to 3:30 p.m., The Shoreliners orchestra. The recognition ceremony will salute the Minersville Skate Park, Minersville Legion, Rotary and Shandri for Little League sponsorship since 1952 and the Mark Marshall Basketball Court revitalization project in memory of Steve Angelo. Recognition will be extended by Schuylkill County Commissioner George F. Halcovage Jr., state Rep. Neal Goodman, D-123, and state Sen. David Argall, R-29. There will also be a chili cookoff from 11 a.m. to noon. More information is available at the Minersville Spirit Day Facebook page or by calling 570-544-9595.

n Pottsville: Diakon Living & Learning will host a program called “Stamping and Greeting Cards – Everyday Expressions” from 6 to 7:30 p.m. Sept. 16 at 118 S. Centre St. The cost is $15 for one session. For more information, call 570-624-3018. Diakon will also sponsor loom knitting from 6 to 8 p.m. Tuesdays in September and October beginning Sept. 22. The cost is $50 for four sessions at the Pottsville site. For more information, call the aforementioned phone number.

n Schuylkill Haven: The Arts Barn Fall Festival is set for noon to 5 p.m. Sept. 27 at The Arts Barn, 3 Berry Road. Admission is free, and there will be activities for everyone, including artist demonstrations, children’s crafts, a petting zoo, live music, live food vendors and works by more than 120 artisans. No outside food or pets are allowed. The event will be held rain or shine. For more information, email to artsbarngallery@gmail.com.

ORWIGSBURG — The Pine Grove man charged in connection with a fatal March crash no longer faces the two most serious offenses but still is headed to court after waiving his right to a preliminary hearing Tuesday.

David A. Fehr, 23, of 1125 Moyers Station Road, waived his right to the hearing before Magisterial District Judge James R. Ferrier, who bound over for Schuylkill County Court charges of driving under the influence, recklessly endangering another person, disregarding traffic lanes, failure to drive at a safe speed and careless driving.

However, prosecutors withdrew the two most serious charges against Fehr: homicide by vehicle while DUI and involuntary manslaughter.

Fehr, who said nothing in Ferrier’s courtroom except that he was knowingly and voluntarily waiving his right to the hearing, remains free on $20,000 unsecured bail pending further court action.

State police at Schuylkill Haven alleged Fehr was DUI eastbound at 9:34 p.m. March 6 when his silver 2005 Subaru Outback went off Stone Mountain Road in Friedensburg, Wayne Township,

Police said Fehr’s vehicle hit a tree, rotated 20 degrees clockwise and came to rest.

A passenger in the vehicle, Daniel Todd Mack, 22, of Tremont, was pronounced dead at the scene by Deputy Coroner Joseph Pothering.

Fehr and another passenger, Brandon Michael Warner, 22, of Pine Grove, suffered injuries and were flown for treatment to Reading Hospital and Medical Center, West Reading, and Geisinger Medical Center, Danville, respectively. Fehr was wearing a seat belt while Mack and Warner were not, according to police.

Police said Fehr had glassy, bloodshot eyes, slurred speech and an odor of an alcoholic beverage at the scene. Fehr also had a blood alcohol level of 0.097 percent, police said; the legal limit for driving in Pennsylvania is 0.08 percent.

Friedensburg and Summit Station firefighters and Schuylkill EMS assisted at the scene.

Defendant: David A. Fehr

Age: 23

Residence: Pine Grove

Charges: Driving under the influence, recklessly endangering another person, disregarding traffic lane, failure to drive at a safe speed and careless driving

Home Instead Senior Care, Pottsville, has launched a new campaign to make the community more Alzheimer’s friendly.

Through the Alzheimer’s Friendly Business program, the Home Instead Senior Care office is providing free training to local businesses to help equip employees with information and resources needed to welcome families caring for a loved one with Alzheimer’s disease.

“For many caregivers, the unpredictable nature of the disease can make going out in public with their loved one intimidating,” Scott Bohner, owner of the Home Instead Senior Care office serving Schuylkill County, said in a prepared statement. “Our research shows that family caregivers might be reluctant to frequent public places because of the behaviors that could be associated with the disease.”

Home Instead Inc. surveyed 692 Alzheimer’s family caregivers, including 102 from Canada and 590 from the U.S., who completed an online survey between April 13-23. In that survey, 74 percent reported that they and their loved ones have become more isolated from the community as a result of the disease. Furthermore, 85 percent reported that they feel a reduced quality of life due to isolation.

According to Alzheimer’s Disease International, the number of people with dementia worldwide is expected to grow to a staggering 75.6 million by 2030 and 135.5 million in 2050.

“Given the statistics, most businesses that deal with the public will be serving people with Alzheimer’s and their families,” Bohner said. “It’s critical that local businesses start working now to build Alzheimer’s friendly communities to better serve their customers with Alzheimer’s and other dementias.”

Employees can complete the training through an interactive, online module available at www.AlzheimersFriendlyBusiness.com. Once the training is finished, businesses will receive a window cling with the Alzheimer’s Friendly Business designation. The designation will be valid for two years.

For more information about the Home Instead Senior Care network’s Alzheimer’s Friendly Business program and to access additional resources, visit www.AlzheimersFriendlyBusiness.com or call 570-581-8692.

Founded in 1994 in Omaha, Nebraska, by Lori and Paul Hogan, the Home Instead Senior Care network provides personalized care, support and education to help enhance the lives of aging adults and their families, according to the firm’s website at www.homeinstead.com. This network is the world’s leading provider of in-home care services for seniors with more than 1,000 independently owned and operated franchises that are estimated to provide more than 50 million hours of care annually throughout the United States and 14 other countries.

Hamburg resident

reports threats

HAMBURG — A 31-year-old man will be charged by state police at Hamburg after an incident about 1 a.m. Sunday at 310 Brown Road in Bethel Township, Berks County.

Police said Brandon P. Mattson, whose address was not known, will be charged with terroristic threats, simple assault, simple trespassing, loitering and prowling at night and possibly theft from a motor vehicle.

The property owner and another person caught Mattson prowling, at which time Mattson pointed a pistol at both men, threatened them and then fled the scene in a vehicle.

Mattson was identified by both victims and is believed to have been stealing tools from a vehicle that was parked on the property, police said.

Sex offender

violates parole

GIRARDVILLE — A man was taken into custody recently in the borough for a parole violation.

Girardville police said they received information that John J. Mooney Jr. was living at a home in the borough and that he is a registered sex offender forbidden from being around children younger than 13 years old.

State parole agents and state police from the Frackville station responded to the 322 W. Main St. home and took Mooney into custody on a parole violation. Several guns were also found inside the home.

Task force starts

roving DUI patrol

The North Central Regional Sobriety Checkpoint DUI Taskforce announced that Sobriety Checkpoints and Roving DUI Patrols will be conducted now through Sept. 16 on routes 61, 183, 901, 209, 1006, 309, 1008, 443, 895, 125, 25, 924 and 54.

Travelers are reminded to call 911 if they suspect a drunk driver or to call, toll-free, 888-UNDER21, to report underage drinking.

Coaldale check

yields 2 DUI tests

The North Central PA Regional DUI Enforcement Program announced details of two enforcement details conducted recently.

On Aug. 29, 14 officers from eight departments conducted a Sobriety Checkpoint in Coaldale that resulted in 365 vehicles contacted, 28 detained and two drivers tested for DUI.

There were no DUI arrests, but the officers made 120 traffic arrests and issued three seat belt citations and 15 warning notices.

A Roving DUI Patrol conducted Saturday by six officers from six departments resulted in 59 vehicles contacted and detained and seven drivers tested for DUI.

There was one DUI arrest, and the officers also made 16 traffic arrests, one criminal arrest and issued 42 warning notices.

Sept. 11

HAMBURG — State police at Hamburg will be conducting sobriety checkpoints from Friday through Sept. 28 on roadways in Berks County. A sobriety checkpoint is a traffic safety checkpoint where Pennsylvania State Police troopers systematically stop vehicles at selected location to briefly observe drivers for articulately facts and/or behaviors normally associated with alcohol or drug impaired drivers. The goal of a sobriety checkpoint is to reduce the number of alcohol and drug related fatal and serious crashes and to reduce the number of DUI drivers on Pennsylvania’s highways. The Pennsylvania State Police is committed to maintaining a safe environment for the motoring public.

SCHUYLKILL HAVEN — Twenty-five students from Schuylkill Haven Area High School got to meet U.S. Rep. Matt Cartwright Monday and ask him some questions at an event.

The Democratic congressman from the 17th District was at the neighborhood senior center in the borough for about 90 minutes as part of his “coffee with a congressman” event. The juniors and seniors from the Advanced Placement United States government and politics class attended, as did people from the borough and someone from Pottsville.

“We thought it would be a perfect opportunity for the kids to see their national government at work,” Chuck Grabusky, A.P. U.S. government and politics teacher at Schuylkill Haven, said.

He received an email inviting him to the event and decided it would be a good idea for the students to take the trip and get first-hand knowledge about government in action. Jane Ulsh, a teacher with the district, also attended with the students.

Cartwright talked about what he does in Congress after arriving about 10:48 a.m.

“Bills automatically don’t get paid in Washington,” he said, but they have to be voted on.

For about 15 minutes, he talked about Iran and the effort to prohibit the country from developing a nuclear weapon. The issue is a complex one, he said.

“It’s an absolute imperative that we prevent Iran from getting a nuclear weapon,” he said.

If the country has one, then other countries such as Syria, Yemen and even Saudia Arabia might feel compelled to get one. There is concern that if the country has one, it might try to use it to bomb Israel, he said

“They (Iran) are about two or three months away from the capability of make a bomb right now. That’s a scary thing,” Cartwright said.

He realizes the deal is “not the greatest.”

“Some people say, don’t deal with Iran at all. They are the devil,” he said. “Not doing anything is not an option.”

He said that while he is “not thrilled with the agreement,” he would support it. He said preventing Iran from developing nuclear weapons is the most important thing right now.

“They’ve been pretty bad,” he said about the country.

But he does not believe the country can’t change for the better.

“To say that they can never change, I don’t agree with that. That is not the way I look at the world,” he said. “We’ve got to try to bring Iran out of the shadows and into the civilized world.”

He asked for people to give diplomacy a chance but said any military option is not out of the question.

“If it doesn’t work, there is going to be another war in the Middle East,” he said.

Mike Yaworksky, Pottsville, didn’t like the deal reached July 14.

“This Iran deal is not good,” he said.

Yaworksy said negotiations should not have started. He found its incredible that Iran can have a nuclear weapon in two to three months. Cartwright said that is why the deal is so important.

“All they do is lie,” Yaworksy said.

“I expect them to try to cheat,” Cartwright said, adding it could happen little by little.

Additional action could then be taken, he said.

“The deal does not depend on trust. It depends on verification,” Cartwright said.

For example, inspectors can detect any material for a nuclear bomb.

“It’s impossible to cover it up,” he said.

James Magdeburg, 16, a junior in the AP government class, asked Cartwright what he has done other than “this ridiculous deal.”

Other topics Cartwright discussed included global warming, Planned Parenthood and Kentucky Clerk Kim Davis, who refused to issue same-sex marriage licenses.

He said climate change is a national security issue. If sea levels rise, then it will encroach on property and possibly impact the growing season overseas.

One man asked about the funding of Planned Parenthood and asked if Cartwright would support a bill to eliminate federal funding for Planned Parenthood.

“I was sick to my stomach when I saw those videos,” Cartwright said, referring to the anti-abortion videos released by the Center for Medical Progress.

Cartwright said he is pro-life but would make exceptions for rape, incest and the life and health of the mother.

The Hyde Amendment prohibits federal funding for abortions. Cartwright said he has not decided which way he would vote if a bill prohibiting federal funding for Planned Parenthood was introduced.

“I have to do some soul searching,” he said.

Still, Cartwright said funding for family planning is important, saying that the federal money Planned Parenthood receives goes toward family planning, which amounts to about 97 percent of the organization’s budget.

“None of the 3 percent is paid for with federal money,” he said of money that goes to abortion services.

He said people have a “legitimate criticism” when they say the federal money frees up money to be used for abortion services.

When asked about Kim Davis, the Kentucky county clerk who refused to issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples and was jailed because of it, Cartwright, who has been a courtroom attorney, said “I respect her freedom of religion. I respect her courage to publicize her viewpoint. I disagree with her viewpoint. When push comes to shove, you have to obey court orders. If you don’t, you’re in contempt of court,” he said.

Davis was released from prison Tuesday but was told not to interfere in the issuing of marriage licenses to same-sex couples.

SCHUYLKILL HAVEN — Schuylkill Haven will have a Halloween parade after all.

The borough council approved a Halloween parade set for 7 p.m. Oct. 27. A route has yet to be determined.

The parade was not held last year because no one stepped up to do it. In 2013, Lori Michael, a local business owner, had the parade on a Saturday in October during the day because she could not do it on a Thursday as was tradition. She said previously she decided not to do the parade again because some people didn’t like that it was done on Saturday. But she said the public generally responded well to the parade.

The Schuylkill Haven Jaycees ran the parade for years but lost their charter because of declining membership. The organization then decided to see who else was interested in having the parade, Jerry Bowman, Schuylkill Haven borough council member, said.

Borough resident Ashley Farr started the effort this year to bring the parade back to the borough because she thought it was a good idea. She was not at the meeting Sept. 2, but a friend told her about the approval. She is appreciative of all who are supporting the effort.

“I think it is going to be bigger and better than I thought,” she said Monday.

The Schuylkill Haven Recreation Board voted last month to be a co-sponsor of the Halloween parade. They also voted to recommend that the council approve the parade.

B.J. Folk said the parade will be a positive thing for the community.

“I think it is good for the community. It’s something a lot of people want to see come back,” he said.

Borough Mayor Mike Devlin agreed.

“I’m very excited. I think the borough deserves it,” he said.

Farr held a meeting Aug. 31 at the neighborhood center at 340 Haven Street in the borough. In all, 27 people came to the meeting to show their interest in the parade. Those interested in volunteering or who want to learn more can call the borough recreation office at 570-385-1313 or email Farr at havenhalloween@gmail.com.

Holy Spirit Hospital

To Christian and Holly Carnes Schlitzer, Mechanicsburg, a son, Aug. 5. Grandparents are Bill and Sally Schlitzer, Pottsville, and Dean and Linda Carnes, Bangor.