McAdoo borough council heard a complaint about a borough police officer at its meeting Sept. 1.

Joseph Luchatta, Kelayres, who attended the meeting with his wife, Pattie, said he wants the council to have a talk with Officer William Curilla about incidents involving his 26-year-old daughter.

Luchatta said Curilla has followed his daughter home from work on three occasions and that he is concerned for her safety. Luchatta said he was in the vehicle at least once when Curilla followed behind.

This is the third time Curilla’s actions have been called to the attention of council.

His actions involving a mother and daughter during a medical emergency in 2013 were called into question. And in April of this year, two people who were passing through McAdoo when their car broke down also questioned his actions.

Borough police Chief Jeff Wainwright backed up his officer in all three cases.

As for the most recent one, Wainwright said, “My officer has done nothing wrong, he was just doing his job.”

The chief said he believes the family is upset because their daughter was cited for having illegal tinted windows. Wainwright said Curilla cited the woman for the violation and has never followed her.

According to Luchatta, a judge dismissed the citation and said as long as the tinted windows are down it was OK to drive with them.

Luchatta wants the officer’s actions to end and said he is considering taking legal action against Curilla in the form of a restraining order (a protection from abuse order), which would mean a judge could ask Curilla to turn in his weapon.

“I’m not going to put up with it,” Luchatta told council. “Following her home at night, at 11:30, midnight, I’m not going to put up with it.”

Council Vice President John Shigo told Luchatta that the council would look into the allegations and told him to fill out a complaint form and turn it over to Wainwright.

Council also reminded residents that:

• Bulk garbage pickup will begin Sept. 14 and run for four weeks.

• The Schuylkill County fall cleanup will be operated from the Tamaqua Transfer Station, Sewage Plant Road, Sept. 21 to 25 from 7 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and Sept. 26 from 7 a.m. to noon. It is a scrap tire, appliance, bulky item and electronics drop-off program for all county residents.

A Drums man whose disappearance was the focus of a police investigation near Hazleton Elementary/Middle School last week was found dead, the victim of a homicide, on Sunday in Penn Forest Township, Carbon County, state police at Hazleton announced Tuesday morning.

Samuel J. Vacante, 52, of 20 Coventry Road, was reported missing to Butler Township police by his estranged wife Aug. 31, according to state police, who are investigating the homicide.

When Butler Township police began investigating Vacante as a missing person, they said he could possibly be injured and learned that his white 2014 Kia Cadenza sedan was also missing. Then, on Sept. 2, his vehicle was found abandoned on West Eighth Street, between Laurel and Wyoming streets, near the school. Officers from Hazleton and Butler Township, along with state police, conducted an investigation in that area that night into Thursday, resulting in the school being closed for the day.

Authorities searched a home at 33 W. 10th St., located across Manhattan Court from the school, and arrested resident Eleazar Yisrael, 29, on one count each possession of drug paraphernalia and possession of a prohibitive offensive weapon.

Vacante’s body was found at 4:52 p.m. Sunday in woods off Petrarch Trail in the Towamensing Trails development, Penn Forest Township, according to state police. The private housing development is located off Route 903, is surrounded by woods and features recreational facilities.

An autopsy performed by Dr. Gary Ross, forensic pathologist, confirmed the deceased was Vacante and the manner of death was homicide. The cause of Vacante’s death has not been released.

After searching Yisrael’s home for more than 10 hours on Thursday, police said they found a grinder with marijuana residue and a knife with metal knuckles.

During a preliminary arraignment before Magisterial District Judge James Dixon, Hazle Township, on Thursday night, Yisrael declined to answer the judge’s questions. Yisrael read a statement saying he refused to accept the charges, which he considered racially motivated.

The preliminary arraignment was held at the state police barracks, rather than in the judge’s courtroom, for security reasons.

Yisrael is in Luzerne County prison in lieu of $100,000 bail and is scheduled for a preliminary hearing before Dixon at 10:30 a.m. Sept. 16.

In 2009, Yisrael was sentenced to two to four years in prison after he was charged in a convenience store robbery and an ensuing car chase.

He pleaded guilty to robbery with threat of bodily harm for holding up Justin’s Mini Mart in Nesquehoning at gunpoint on Nov. 2, 2006, and he pleaded guilty to aggravated assault after his vehicle nearly hit an officer at a roadblock during the chase, which ended when Yisrael crashed his vehicle.

In 2004, after being charged in Hazleton with possession with intent to deliver narcotics, resisting arrest and driving under the influence, Yisrael was sentenced to one to two years in prison.

He served the balance of his sentence for possession through home confinement, received probation for resisting arrest and paid a $1,000 fine for driving under the influence.

However, Bryan Morgan, 44, Hazleton, who calls Yisrael a friend, painted a different picture of the man. He said though many people in the community infer that Yisrael was involved in the Vacante case, he can’t picture him hurting someone.

“He’s not that guy,” Morgan said.

He also feels $100,000 bail is excessive for the charges he is facing.

Morgan called Yisrael a “passive, beautiful soul who would rather hurt himself than others.”

Morgan said he met him in 2006 through their mutual interests in music — Yisrael is a rapper and Morgan plays guitar. He said Yisrael is a “truthful man” who has an “encyclopedic knowledge of words” and enjoys learning.

As for his criminal past, Morgan said the only time Yisrael ever mentioned it, he spoke of his regret for being involved.

“Somehow Vacante’s car ends up in front of his house,” Morgan said, then Yisrael gets arrested for a pill grinder and a knife. “The whole thing sounds fishy.”

State police, Butler Township police and the Luzerne County District Attorney’s Office continue investigating the case.

Anyone who may have had contact with Vacante on Aug. 31 and hasn’t been interviewed by police or may have seen his vehicle in the vicinity of his Butler Township home or in Towamensing Trails between 5 and 8 p.m. Aug. 31, can call Lt. Robert Bartal at the state police barracks in West Hazleton at 570-459-3890. Additionally, anyone who may have seen his vehicle in Hazleton, specifically the northeast section of the city, or in Berwick, Columbia County, between Aug. 31 and Wednesday, should call police.

While one of the tallest buildings in the city is slated for tax sale later this month — the Schuylkill Trust Co. building at 101 N. Centre St. — one of its tenants has taken precautions to protect pedestrians in case debris falls off the building’s facade.

“I don’t think it’s necessary, but it’s being done by the bank,” James J. Curran Jr., an attorney and the president of Schuylkill Land & Realty Inc., Pottsville, which owns the eight-story building, said Tuesday.

Wells Fargo Bank — the only tenant in the building aside from Curran — has hired Beth-Allen Scaffold & Equipment, Allentown, to erect the covered walkway on the North Centre Street and West Market Street sides of the building. The construction began Tuesday night, according to David J. Petravich, city building code officer.

The bank has a reason to be concerned. This year, more than six softball-sized chunks of rock have fallen from the facade, Petravich said Tuesday. The collection has been gathered up and put on a stone shelf on the building’s south side.

“They’re concerned that something like this can fall,” Petravich said, referring to one of the bigger chunks, which he said weighed between five and six pounds. James A. Baum, a Wells Fargo regional communications representative for Pennsylvania, provided a statement on the matter Tuesday.

“At Wells Fargo, the safety of our customers, team members and the general public is our number 1 priority. We have concerns about some aspects of the building that houses our store at 101 North Centre Street in Pottsville and have engaged a contractor at our expense to put protective scaffolding around part of the structure. This scaffolding addresses our immediate concerns about the building’s safety. We are in discussions with the owner of the building to ensure that permanent measures are taken to address the safety of the building,” Baum, Plymouth Meeting, said in an email to the newspaper Tuesday.

City Administrator Thomas A. Palamar said Tuesday he’s concerned about the building’s future.

“Our hope is that the owner of the building would make the repairs that are needed to keep the building in use, and perhaps even invest in the building to make it more vibrant and an active part of our downtown,” Palamar said.

On Tuesday, Curran said he’s considering a number of troubles with the property and weighing its future.

“It’s one of the cornerstone buildings in the town. But with a building of this age, you’re going to have some problems,” Curran said.

The Schuylkill Trust Building was built in 1924, according to “Pottsville in the Twentieth Century,” a 2003 book in the Images of America series by Leo L. Ward and Mark T. Major.

It was owned by the Schuylkill Trust Co. from Sept. 18, 1929, to Aug. 17, 1964, when it was acquired by Colonial Berks Real Estate Co. Then Schuylkill Land & Realty bought the building Jan. 31, 1991 for $336,000, according to the online Schuylkill Parcel Locator.

On Tuesday, its only tenants were Wells Fargo and Curran, according to Petravich.

The building’s public elevator doesn’t work, Petravich said.

Neither does the service elevator.

“One is manual and one is automatic. Both are shut down, and they have been for a couple of months. We’re talking to the Otis Elevator, and we expect they’re going to come out in a reasonable period of time and make repairs,” Curran said.

Tax sale

The upset sale is slated for 8:30 a.m. Sept. 28 at Schuylkill County Courthouse, Courtroom 1. The total in back taxes due is $97,253, according to the website for the Schuylkill County Tax Claim Bureau.

That figure includes city, county and school district taxes owed for the years 2013, 2014 and 2015, Deb Dasch, the bureau’s clerical supervisor, said Tuesday.

Curran said Tuesday he’s hoping to be able to pay the taxes and retain ownership of the building.

“That’s my intention as of today,” Curran said Tuesday.

Curran said he hasn’t considered selling the building.

“I don’t think anyone’s interested in the property at the present time. Having a scaffold out there doesn’t help. But everything’s for sale at a price,” he said.

Debris

“Back in April or maybe March we had some concrete fall from the building, and somebody called the city hall and complained about it. Then later, we got another complaint,” Curran said Tuesday.

On May 29, the city’s office of code enforcement received a complaint that a section of the building’s exterior facade had fallen from the building.

Petravich said he conducted an inspection and noticed a section of the roof had broken off — part of the east side of the building where a plant was growing out of the side — and he noticed damage to numerous window sills.

“The building is in violation of 2009 International Property Maintenance Code Section 304 Exterior Structure subsection 304.6 exterior walls,” Petravich said.

On Aug. 25, Petravich issued the property owner a notice of violation. If an effort to make the repairs isn’t made within 30 days from that date of issue, the owner will be cited, Petravich said Tuesday.

Curran said he’s working on a response to Petravich.

“He’s been very professional,” Curran said of Petravich.

On Tuesday morning, representatives of Beth-Allen Scaffold & Equipment arrived and mobilized in the bank’s parking lot behind the ATM. Work to erect the archway began after 8 p.m. Tuesday.

The contractor decided to do the work after-hours so the day-to-day operations at the bank would not be interrupted, Petravich said.

In a related matter, Curran said the bank hasn’t paid its rent for August and he plans to address that and other concerns with bank representatives.

“If I have no income, there’s nothing I can do, so I’d like to talk to some of the officials at the bank. The fact of the matter is I’m not going to have money to continue operations if the bank isn’t going to honor its commitment and pay for its rent,” Curran said.

When contacted Tuesday, representatives of the Wells Fargo Bank branch at 101 N. Centre St., Pottsville, referred all comments to corporate officials.

When asked about Curran’s concern, Baum said, “Our statement speaks for itself. I do not have anything to add.”

PORT CARBON — A landowner in the borough has asked the council to vacate an unnamed alley on the far northeast end of Valley Street, according to William L. J. “Bill” Burke, borough solicitor.

“I informed this person that normal protocol is it’s referred to the property committee for a site visit and a recommendation at the next meeting. So I’m asking the property committee to investigate that request,” Burke said Wednesday at the council’s September meeting.

The alley is between two parcels owned by Anna M. Giannella, Lakewood, New Jersey, which have tax numbers 59-02-0332 and 59-02-0333, according to Burke and the online Schuylkill Parcel Locator. The Giannella family made the request.

“Are they going to put something in writing to the borough?” Sandra Palokas, borough secretary/treasurer, said.

“It’s just a request for a recommendation. Then after that we’ll take it from there if you have any interest in abandoning it. I don’t know if you do or you don’t. I don’t think it’s been used, but I don’t live up there,” Burke said.

Council President Harold “Bucky” Herndon asked for a motion to refer the matter to the council’s property committee for a recommendation.

Councilman Michael Quercia made the motion. It was seconded by Councilman Andy Palokas, and it was carried in a voice vote by all other council members present: Herndon and Warren Thomas.

Absent was council Vice President John Franko, who heads the property committee, and council members A. Bernice Shirey and Ray Steranko.

In other matters, Mayor Charles R. “Chuck” Joy reminded the council that Schuylkill County will host a Prescription Drug Take-Back Day on Saturday. One of the borough’s properties will be one of the 13 drop-off sites in the county.

Unwanted prescription drugs can be dropped off from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday at the Port Carbon Senior Citizens Center, 90 Washington St., the mayor said.

“We’ll have an officer on duty for that working with the sheriff’s office,” the mayor said.

The mayor also reminded residents that the borough’s second Fire Safety Day has been scheduled from 6 to 9 p.m. Oct. 20 at the Port Carbon Borough Fire Company, 88 Washington St.

“We’re working with the fire department and the county to put it together, and we’re hoping that day Mother Nature treats us well,” the mayor said.

MAHANOY CITY — A borough resident spoke at length Tuesday to the borough council about a blighted property that is causing damage to her neighboring home.

Janice Maziekas spoke about the vacant property at 706 E. Mahanoy St. The Schuylkill County Parcel Locator identified the property as being owned by Quarter Place Enterprises Inc., Carlsbad, California.

“I’d like to start at the top of the house. The roof is leaking, which causes my attic wall to be constantly damp, and now I have black mold on it,” Maziekas said. “The chimney, which I share, is half removed because the bricks are sitting in my attic because no contractor will stand on the roof to repair it. The roof ledge on the front of the attic is sinking, the drain that is in the roof is higher than the roof itself. It’s filled with at least eight inches of water and cannot drain. As a result, I constantly have a wet wall in my front bedroom, which stained, spotted and is turning black.”

Maziekas continued that water pipes freeze in the winter due to drafts coming from the vacant home, costing her money to thaw them. The roof over the kitchen at 706 has collapsed and has pulled away from her home, leaving a large gap and allowing water to come into her kitchen, dining room and laundry room. She added that her own roof needs to be repaired and to do so, she must partially cover the neighboring roof to keep out water at a cost estimated at more than $5,000.

Maziekas said the properties have been visited by council President Thom Maziekas, who is the brother of her late husband; borough Manager Daniel L. Lynch; and Code Enforcement Officer William F. Killian III.

“I just wanted all of the council members who weren’t aware of this problem to hear about it,” Janice Maziekas said.

“We’re very much aware of the problem, Janice, and you are not the only one in Mahanoy City that has the problem,” Thom Maziekas said. “We didn’t create the problem.”

“No, it is your responsibility to take care of the town and make sure it is safe for everybody that lives here,” Janis Maziekas said. “In September of 2009, I attended the council meeting and I informed the council of all these problems.”

Lynch said the borough would address the problem at some point, and he agreed the property is in very bad condition.

“I think everybody in the room would agree that blight is inherently unfair,” Lynch said. “You would say to me, ‘I shouldn’t have to buy it. I shouldn’t have to rip it down.’ But the borough is not an entity. The borough is everyone. The borough is all 4,000 residents.”

Lynch said that if the borough would demolish it at an estimate $25,000, every borough resident will be paying for it.

“The entire community is ripping down that house that’s your problem next to you,” Lynch said. “And we have this problem all over town. We probably have 40 to 50 properties that are severely blighted. We have this property (at 706) on our Top 10 of very bad properties, but at the same, $25,000 to us is a huge amount of money.”

“It’s a huge amount to me,” Janis Maziekas said.

“We raised taxes two mills specifically for blight, and two mills brings in approximately $38,000 to $42,000, depending on whether it’s a good year or not,” Lynch said. “That allows us to maybe get one, maybe two, down, but we also have to hang on to a considerable amount for emergencies. Let’s face it, that in the past five years, we’ve had a huge fire and four collapses. This is something that’s killing a lot of boroughs around here. We’re doing what we can.”

“We really sympathize with what you’re going through,” Councilwoman Patti A. Schnitzius said. “None of us would want this to happen to ourselves either. You are on the list. No one wants to see you go through this. It is unfortunate that when things fall down and it’s an emergency, we have to act on that right away because it is an emergency situation.”

Borough solicitor Michael A. O’Pake explained the borough’s primary goal is to get to the property owner to correct the problems.

“The first thing the borough tries to do in this situation is go after the property owner,” O’Pake said. “It’s ultimately the property owner’s responsibility. Bill (Killian) has indicated to me that right now there are arrest warrants out for the owner of that property. It’s a corporation based out of California. Under those circumstances, our first obligation is to try to make the property owner responsible. We tried that and it didn’t work. Next is to spend money. It all comes down to money. We raised taxes two mills specifically designated for blight and situations like these. We have money to do that, but it’s going to take time. It’s not going to happen overnight. We appreciate your comments keeping us informed about it, and there is nothing wrong voicing your opinion to do that.”

Janis Maziekas proposed that she withhold paying her taxes and place the funds in an escrow account to be released when the problems are solved.

“You could do that but then you would lose your house to taxes,” O’Pake said.

“We’ve basically taken this as far as we can short of ripping it down,” Lynch said.

Schuylkill County is gearing up for the Fall Cleanup next week.

The county commissioners finalized the agreement Wednesday with Vintage Tech Recyclers, Philadelphia, to collect electronics at the 13 sites participating in the countywide event. The company will provide the service for free, while the county will only have to purchase the pallets and boxes necessary from Kuusakoski Recycling, Philadelphia. Vintage Tech operates under the state original equipment manufacturer program and is unable to charge for the service. County residents will not be charged to dispose their electronics.

The annual recycling event provides an opportunity for county residents to drop off tires, electronics, appliances, scrap metal and bulky items at various times and sites throughout the county over the course of two weeks. It is scheduled for Sept. 16 to 26 this year at 13 sites: Pottsville, Hegins Township, Minersville, CES Landfill, Girardville, North Manheim Township, Pine Grove, Schuylkill Haven, Wayne Township, Porter Township, Tamaqua Transfer Station, Ringtown and Tremont Township.

It is funded through the county commissioners and the state Department of Environmental Protection, which reimburses the county up to 50 percent of the costs.

Some items like tires, Freon-bearing appliances and bulky items will be accepted at a cost. However, electronics such as television sets, microwaves and computer systems will be accepted at no charge. A computer system includes a monitor, a hard drive and one printer or scanner and peripherals.

The recycling event last year collected:

• 45.33 tons of scrap tires

• 202.29 tons of scrap electronics

• 48.85 tons of scrap metals

• 84.34 tons of bulky items

Earlier this month, the county opened bids for the event. Mahantango Enterprises Inc., Liverpool, was the only company that submitted a bid for waste tire collection. The bid was $70 per ton and different pull costs for each site ranging from $440 to $800. No bids were submitted at that time to collect the electronic materials.

For more information on the annual Fall Cleanup, visit the county office of solid waste and resource management website at www.co.schuylkill.pa.us/Offices/Recycles.

SAINT CLAIR — The Saint Clair Area School Board is still seeking public feedback on high school programming options.

“At this point, we have visited all three of the school districts who have submitted requests for proposals for high school programming,” board President Michael Holobetz said Wednesday. “All three districts have shown that they have the capability and capacity to accommodate Saint Clair Area high school students. All three districts have shown a commitment to the high quality of programming they provide to high school students, have shown a wide range of extra-curricular opportunity for all students and all three are rich in tradition. This county should be proud of the quality of its high schools. At this point, no decision has been made, and we are hopeful this decision can be made by next month. We continue to encourage community input.”

Since the board’s last meeting in August, they have received 20 comments online that portrayed mixed feelings and for each school district — Pottsville Area, Schuylkill Haven and North Schuylkill, school principal and district Superintendent Jason Bendle said.

The board clarified some public worries at their meeting Wednesday, including options separating Saint Clair Area from the proposed districts, such as a separate diploma.

“That was interpretation of the audience. That was in the proposal, but we’ve met with both districts and both districts said that that’s not a mandatory part of any agreement,” Holobetz said.

Holobetz added that they are only looking at high school programming right now and are not looking to merge completely.

Districts may change the proposed prices, but the public will be informed of final prices before a vote is made. Discussion will be allowed before a vote when it is placed on the agenda.

“When a decision will be made, there will be a discussion period prior to the vote as long as it is on the agenda,” Bendle said.

Saint Clair Area School District is ideally looking for a 10-year high school programming agreement, Holobetz said. The decision is based on what is best for their students.

“This whole decision is based on the best education we can provide Saint Clair kids (kindergarten) through 12th (grade), which accounted for cyber school,” Bendle said.

Though continuing to send students to Pottsville Area High School will not be sustainable for a long period of time, Saint Clair Area School District believes they can afford to transition the children already there until they graduate, Bendle said.

The next regular monthly meeting will be at 6 p.m. Oct. 14 in the Saint Clair Area Elementary/Middle School cafeteria.

In other business, Dean of Students and IT Coordinator Matthew Buletza resigned after 10 years with the school district at a salary of $43,250.

Administration was authorized to advertise for an assistant principal/dean of students position as well as a full-time hearing impaired aide or aides and a speech and language pathologist.

FRACKVILLE — A former North Schuylkill School District teacher, charged earlier this year with sexually assaulting a 13-year-old student, waived her right to a preliminary hearing Wednesday morning.

Melinda A. Trezise, 39, of 55 Front St., Cressona, was arrested by Butler Township police Patrolman Shawn Butler and faced two felony counts of statutory sexual assault; one felony count each of involuntary deviate sexual intercourse with a person under the age of 16, institutional sexual asssault-schools, corruption of minors, contact or communication with a minor-sexual offenses and interference with the custody of children; and two misdemeanor counts of indecent assault on a person under the age of 16.

Prior to waiving her hearing, and after about 1 1/2 hours of discussion between the district attorney’s office and the woman’s attorney, Joseph Nahas, Frackville, prosecutors withdrew the charge of involuntary deviate sexual intercourse and unlawful contact or communications with a minor.

Assistant district attorney Debra Smith said although the two charges were withdrawn Wednesday, prosecutors have the option of re-filing them at a later date.

After the proceeding at the court of Magisterial District Judge Christina E. Hale, Nahas said by working with prosecutors and having the two charges dropped it was not necessary for the victim to have to testify at the district court level.

“We took the path of least resistance. We didn’t want to put the child on the stand,” he said.

Nahas said that plea negotiations began Wednesday with prosecutors and that even though Trezise waived the hearing she maintains the right to all pre-trial motions and other actions.

In paperwork filed with the court, Butler said incidents came to light in April when Trezise was involved in an automobile accident with another teacher and a 13-year-old boy ran from the scene after exiting the Trezise vehicle.

The other teacher involved in the crash, also a school social worker, spoke to the boy, who subsequently admitted being in an inappropriate relationship with Trezise.

Days later, Butler said, a sixth-grade teacher searching for graduation materials found a note in Trezise’s classroom that read, “If anything should ever happen to me, there are several things I need the world to know. No matter what, I love my daughters more than life itself. I love my husband and I love my family. I’ve loved my teaching career and I’ve always tried to be a good person.”

The note continued, saying “My mistakes have been many since December. I need help — a lot of help. I’m seeing how broken I am and I need help. I can’t trust — that is my problem. HELP,” Butler said.

About two weeks later the 13-year-old was interviewed at Children’s Resource Center, Harrisburg, and disclosed the relationship he was having with Trezise.

He said Trezise, his former sixth-grade teacher, kissed him multiple times on the lips and cheek between January and the time of the accident on April 15 and that she would touch his body and genitalia over his clothing, Butler said.

In July, the boy was interviewed again and said he and Trezise were in a relationship since December that included kissing and touching over clothing and that in early February the relationship became sexual.

Butler said the boy said he and Trezise would converse daily via text messaging and that she would pick him up near his home and the two would drive to another location to have sexual relations.

The boy said sexual intercourse occurred one time at a location in Pottsville and the remaining times at the Trezise home, Butler said.

Butler said the boy reported Trezise would tell him to conceal their relationship from family members and friends because he would be in as much trouble as she.

Butler said the child reported that Trezise said there was also no problem with contraception since she was unable to have any more children and recalled having at least 14 sexual encounters with the woman at her home.

After having sexual relations at the home, Butler said the teenager reported he would hang out at that location, eat and watch movies.

Following the hearing, Trezise left the courtroom free after posting 10 percent of $50,000 set by Hale at the time of her arraignment in July.

n Mahanoy City: The West End Fire and Rescue Company will hold a Coach purse and Uggs bingo from 2 to 5 p.m. Sept. 27 at the firehouse, 700 W. Mahanoy Ave. Doors will open at 12:30 p.m. and bingo games will begin at 2 p.m. The cost is $25 and includes meal, coffee and a dessert table. For advance tickets or more information, call 570-778-6118.

n Minersville: The annual Minersville Spirit Day will be 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. Organizers have added to the recognition ceremony the 1973, 1974 and 1983 boys’ Little League All-Star teams. These teams are the only boys’ teams from Minersville to have played in the state tournament. The players should arrive by 1:30 p.m. 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 Mahal Basketball Court revitalization project in member of Steve Angelo. According to Jerry Sitkus, one of the event organizers, the group is also trying to have classic cars provide an additional attraction. 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 Pine Grove: The second annual Poker Paddle will begin at 1 p.m. Sept. 27 at Sweet Arrow Lake County Park. “You will be given a set of poker cards as you float and the best hands win,” organizers said in a press release, adding that prizes will include a kayak, Cabela’s gift certificate and other items. Admission is $20 for advance registration and $25 on the day of the event and includes the paddle, hunt and a picnic. To register in advance, call Bob Evanchalk at 570-527-2505. Participants will meet at the park’s large pavilion near the clubhouse. Sponsorships are available for the paddle.

n Pottsville: The Schuylkill County Council for the Arts will stage Edgar Allen Poe readings from 7 to 8:30 p.m. Oct. 17 at council quarters, 1440 Mahantongo St. Admission is $8 for adults and $5 for students. For more information, email to sccarts@verizon.net or call 570-622-2788.

n Schuylkill Haven: Grace Evangelical Congregational Church, 15 Earl Stoyer Drive, will have a free clothing giveaway from 8 to 11 a.m. Saturday at the church. For more information, call 570-739-2252.

n Shenandoah Heights: A community yard sale for Shenandoah Heights and Weston Place is scheduled for Saturday. A $5 registration fee is due today. Registration fee benefits Shenandoah Heights Fire Company. For more information, call Renee Buchanan at 570-590-9470 or Desiree Dunleavy at 570-985-3562.

n Tower City: A Chinese auction will be held Oct. 11 at Williams Valley High School, 10330 Route 209. Doors will open at noon and the auction will begin at 2 p.m. Proceeds from the auction will fund scholarships for seniors who excel in volunteering in the community. Organizers said prizes include household, decorative and holiday items. There will also be several signed photos from MLB, NFL, NBA, NHL, NASCAR, WWE and Olympic wrestling as well as donations from former Phillies, Flyers and Eagles. Celebrities including Taylor Swift, Tim Allen, John Travolta and Donald Trump also donated items, as did stars of Disney movies and “Star Wars.” Admission is $2, which includes a block of tickets. Additional tickets and lunch items will be on sale.

NEW PHILADELPHIA — Schuylkill County officials said Wednesday that they are considering holding a coroner’s inquest concerning the death earlier this year of an elderly woman.

“There will be a zealous and thorough criminal investigation,” District Attorney Christine A. Holman said after a two-hour meeting with Coroner Dr. David J. Moylan III and other law enforcement officials at the coroner’s office at the Simon Kramer Institute.

However, she said any decision on an inquest would be complicated and “several months” away from being made.

Moylan said he certainly will consider holding such an inquest.

“We’re preparing to finalize the investigation,” he said after the meeting. “We’ve used the inquest instrument to good effect.”

The northern Schuylkill County woman’s death is still under investigation by police, so authorities are not releasing her name or hometown.

Holman declined to say whether there will be an inquest but left no doubt she finds the case disturbing.

“A possible case of elder neglect/abuse,” is what she calls the situation. “I would describe the condition as horrendous neglect.”

Moylan said the situation clearly was a case of elder abuse and that the problem must be publicized.

“We can’t let something like this happen again,” he said. “Stuff like this isn’t going to be tolerated in our county.”

Holman said that type of incident has become all too common and must be dealt with as swiftly and appropriately as possible.

“I want people to be aware that this is happening in their communities,” she said. “I want people to be more aware that this type of neglect and abuse could be happening right in their backyard.”

Volunteers recently donated money has helped spruce up an area of Kline Township.

The effort, which began last year, was the idea of board of supervisors Chairman Dale Wesner to make the township beautiful and for residents to be proud of their surroundings.

Wesner has been joined by his wife, Cheryl, and former longtime supervisors chairman Carmen Cara to complete nine roadside beautification projects.

“The great thing is the taxpayers of Kline Township haven’t had to spend any tax dollars for the projects,” Wesner said, “thanks to the many donations from local residents and businesspeople in the township.”

Wesner first approached Cara about making some improvements in front of the township building. Cara liked the idea, and they set a goal of $500 for the project that included planting 10 trees and installing a sign, a bench, two flagpoles and flowers.

Residents and businesses supported the project with donations, and it was completed in about 10 days, according to Wesner.

While he was waiting for clearances to do other projects, he and his wife, along with Cara, used paint donated by Sherwin Williams to spruce up the Kelayres Playground.

“We put two coats of paint on everything in the playground,” Wesner said.

The volunteers planted another tree across the street from the township building and added rocks, flowers and shrubbery. They also completed a beautification area at the entrance to Silverbrook.

Wesner said he was able to obtain trees, bushes and flowers last fall at reduced prices. They were used in two areas of Lofty, on Kelayres Road and on Market Street, making it seven projects completed in 2014.

“Kline Township residents are very happy with the improvements,” Wesner said. “One resident told me the improvements lifted her spirits.”

Some residents asked Wesner if they could do one of the projects by their house this year.

Once again, the group set its goals for 2015 to include improving some of last year’s projects with even more flowers, trees and shrubbery while replacing perennials that did not grow last year. They also added some finishing touches, such as a solar light on the flagpole in front of the municipal building and a lighted flag on a large rock in Kelayres.

Wesner said he had to get clearances from landowners and state agencies before completing a beautification area on Tresckow Road and a larger site in Haddock.

The volunteers always had a plan in the works, he said.

“I would do a rough design of how it should look, and then we would go over it to agree how we wanted it to look and finally agree on the layout,” he said. “We would go to Lowe’s and Home Depot to buy the material we need and they would always give us good deals.”

At one point Wesner said he collected over $5,000 in donations from residents and businesses, including contributions of dirt and fill.

“The mulch we had to buy,” he said, adding that enough money always was donated to finish the job.

Each site has a U.S. flag and some have other flags. In all, Wesner said he has 75 flags that will be used now or in the future.

MINERSVILLE — Public safety will increase at the borough sports complex and compost site with new surveillance cameras.

The borough council voted to install 22 cameras between both locations for approximately $15,500 at their regular monthly meeting Tuesday night.

Nineteen cameras will be installed at the sports complex by NerdyiT LLC, Pottsville, to cover the basketball court, pool, lifeguard/concession building, pump house perimeter and playground. It will cost $10,910.

The old surveillance system and cameras will be disconnected and dismounted.

Three cameras will be placed at the borough compost site, Delaware Avenue, for $4,500.

NerdyiT LLC will also install a wireless bridge from the borough police station to the compost site.

The day/night, indoor/outdoor surveillance cameras have a 3.6 millimeter lens, maximum 20 frames per second and 3-mega-pixel resolution, or 30 frames per second at 1080-pixel resolution.

NerdyiT provides a three-year warranty on parts and six months on labor. The warranty does not include damage or loss due to theft, vandalism, misuse or events outside of human control, such as lightning or natural disasters.

In other business, the council appointed councilman Ian Mahal to the Schuylkill County Land Bank Board of Directors.

The council had their first reading of the ordinance establishing a Schuylkill County Land Bank with other municipalities. They voted to join the land bank at their regular monthly meeting Aug. 11.

A land bank can acquire blighted and dilapidated properties easier than a municipality, according to The Republican-Herald archives. For the first five years, 50 percent of taxes would go to the borough. After that, the borough would receive all taxes, borough manager Bob Mahalchick said previously.

Divorces granted

Todd W. Rogers Sr., Coaldale, from Debra W. Rogers, Tamaqua.

Joseph A. Brennan, Oneida, from Helen A. Brennan, Girardville.

Norman L. Maurer, Pottsville, from Rita R. Maurer, Herndon.

Michele D. Schwartz, Pottsville, from Mark H. Schwartz, Pottsville.

Police investigate burglary attempt

WILLIAMSTOWN — State police at Lykens are investigating an attempted burglary and criminal trespass incident that occurred about 12:05 a.m. Friday at 422 Julian St. in this Dauphin County community.

Police said someone entered a garage owned by Jessica and Nathan Ward but then fled the scene in an unknown direction.

No property was taken, and police are asking that anyone with information to contact them at 717-362-8700 and refer to incident H04-2418682.

Woman arrested for retail theft

HOMETOWN — A Freeland woman is facing charges by Rush Township police after an incident at Wal-Mart on Sept. 2.

Police said Jayne Baran, 35, will be charged with retail theft and receiving stolen property and will have to answer before Magisterial District Judge Stephen J. Bayer, Tamaqua.

Police said Baran was charged after she stole items valued at $510.12 from the store.

Police probe skateboard theft

GIRARDVILLE — Girardville police are investigating a theft reported Aug. 4 in the borough.

Police said a resident said a skateboard was left outside of Balky’s store for a short time while its owner was inside shopping.

Upon exiting the store, the owner found that the board was stolen.

Police said the board is green with yellow plastic wheels and writing in the center that says “Retro Board.”

The board is valued at $25, and anyone with information can call police through the Schuylkill County Communications Center at 570-462-1991.

A Frackville woman went to prison Tuesday after being sentenced in Schuylkill County Court on a charge of driving under the influence.

Tanya L. Zinavage, 35, frowned as President Judge William E. Baldwin sentenced her to serve 90 days to five years behind bars.

Baldwin imposed the sentence after removing Zinavage from the intermediate punishment program as the result of her being arrested again for DUI.

“This is a serious violation,” Baldwin told Zinavage, who admitted prosecutors could prove it was more likely than not that she was DUI.

Zinavage originally pleaded guilty Feb. 22, 2012, to DUI, with prosecutors withdrawing a charge of unsafe U-turn. At that time, Baldwin placed Zinavage in the intermediate punishment program for five years, and also ordered her to pay costs, a $1,500 fine, $300 to the Substance Abuse Education Fund and $90.19 restitution to Schuylkill Medical Center-South Jackson Street.

Butler Township police alleged Zinavage was DUI on Aug. 1, 2010, in the township.

Also on Tuesday, prosecutors withdrew four drug-related charges against Maurice A. Porter, 49, of Schuylkill Haven.

Porter had been charged with delivery of a controlled substance, possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance, criminal use of a communication facility and possession of a controlled substance.

Pottsville police had charged Porter with selling methamphetamine to a confidential informant on Dec. 5, 2014, in the parking lot of the Giant supermarket in the city.

Baldwin had declared a mistrial in the case June 2 after prosecutors discovered they had not given cell phone records to the defense, as they were required to do under state court rules.

In another case, Baldwin sentenced Porter on July 23 to serve nine to 23 months in prison.

Another jury had found Porter guilty June 1 of possession of a controlled substance but not guilty of possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance.

Pottsville police in that case charged Porter with possessing 5 grams of methamphetamine on Nov. 19, 2014, in the city.

Anthony J. Kilker

SHENANDOAH — An inmate at SCI/Mahanoy charged with assaulting two guards April 3 waived his right to a preliminary hearing before Magisterial District Judge Anthony J. Kilker.

Jonathan O. Jenkins, 58, was arrested by state police Trooper Edward Lizewski of the Frackville station and charged with two counts each of aggravated assault and harassment and four counts of simple assault.

By waiving his right to a hearing, Jenkins will now have to answer to all eight charges in Schuylkill County Court.

Lizewski charged Jenkins with intentionally spitting on Sgt. Katie Trometter, with his saliva going into her mouth, and then being expelled onto the arm of corrections officer Ryan Sendarski. At the time of the assault and spitting on the officers, Lizewski said, Jenkins was fully aware that he was infected with Hepatitis.

Other court cases included:

Ozzy Apgar, 19, of 114 S. Fairfield Drive, Dover, Delaware ­— dismissed: aggravated assault. Held for court: conspiracy, simple assault, theft, receiving stolen property, possession of a weapon, terroristic threats, recklessly endangering another person, harassment, disorderly conduct and criminal mischief.

Carlos Cruz, 25, of 436 W. Centre St., Shenandoah — withdrawn by police: public nuisances.

Kevin W. Kessock, 30, of 28 S. Nice St., Frackville — held for court: possession of drug paraphernalia. Kessock failed to appear in court and a warrant will be requested for his arrest.

Timothy D. McKerns, 35, of 103 E. Pine St., Box 53, Mahanoy City — withdrawn by police: possession with intent to manufacture or deliver a controlled substance, possession of a controlled substance and possession of drug paraphernalia.

Stephen L. Usalis, 22, of 10 Jerry’s Road, Pattersonville — waived for court: criminal trespass and defiant trespass.

Julio B. Perez, 51, of Box 1032, Pottsville — held for court: public nuisances. Perez failed to appear in court and a warrant will be requested for his arrest.

Nicole Jadus, 27, of 205 N. Main St., Apt. 1, Shenandoah — withdrawn by police: possession with intent to manufacture or deliver a controlled substance, possession of a controlled substance and possession of drug paraphernalia.

Eric Pennington, 42, of 4 E. Upper Railroad St., Girardville — dismissed: flight to avoid apprehension. Held for court: soliciting a ride, false identification to law enforcement, public drunkenness, intoxicated pedestrian, recklessly endangering another, possession of a controlled substance and possession of drug paraphernalia.

Jason N. Bredbenner, 31, of 223 N. Highland St., Shenandoah — waived for court: possession of a controlled substance and possession of drug paraphernalia.

Alan Pfeiffer, no age available, of 61 Main St., Ringtown — withdrawn and moved to citations: possession of a controlled substance and public drunkenness.

Christopher L. Buck, 29, of 203 Furnace St., Shenandoah — waived for court: escape.

Brandon S. Beatty, 21, of 158 State Road, Box 35, Branchdale — held for court: obstructing the administration of law, false identification to law enforcement and driving while operating privileges are suspended or revoked.

Saundra L. Hollenbach, 48, of 435 E. Norwegian St., Apt. 1, Pottsville — withdrawn: possession with intent to manufacture or deliver a controlled substance. Waived for court: possession of a controlled substance and possession of drug paraphernalia.

Benjamin F. Victor, 48, of 30 E. Oak St., Shenandoah — held for court: theft and receiving stolen property.

NEW PHILADELPHIA — A lot of questions still remain unanswered about the area where bones were found in August along Route 61 in North Manheim Township.

Human remains were found near the road while workers were doing the Route 61 widening project through Schuylkill Haven. On Friday, ground-penetrating radar was used at the 2 1/4 acre site to see what else is there. The results will not be available for a few more weeks. A team of three people from the Indiana University of Pennsylvania used the radar to essentially map underground. The data will then be collected and analyzed and will show if there is something unusual underground. The only way to determine with certainty what that is would be to dig, William Chadwick, archeological geophysicist with IUP, said Friday.

On Wednesday evening, Schuylkill County Coroner Dr. David J. Moylan III provided an update at the Simon Kramer Cancer Institute, New Philadelphia, to the public and state and federal representatives about what is known thus far about the human remains found near the Army Reserve Center.

“This is an issue that could affect all of us,” Moylan said, because of its historical significance.

Moylan, three county deputy coroners, Deborah Suciu-Smith, environmental protection specialist with the Federal Highway Administration, Pennsylvania Division office, which is based out of Harrisburg, and Mark Shaffer, from the Bureau of Historic Preservation with the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission, were among those who spoke. Peter Yasenchak, Ph.D., and former director of research for the Schuylkill County Historical Society, also attempted to shed some light on the mystery.

“I never knew it was a graveyard for the epidemic flu,” Joseph Pothering, a Schuylkill County Deputy Coroner, said.

Local historians have expressed doubt on earlier reports that the victims of the Spanish flu are at the site. However, Debra Detweiler, a county deputy coroner, along with a friend from the county, did research on the website www.Ancestry.com and found 80 death certificates from North Manheim Township about the time of the 1918 Spanish flu. They found 18 people out of the 80 were buried at what is known as the alms house. Of those, she said, “Only three actually died from influenza.” She said it appears some were buried at the current site in question.

One death certificate from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Department of Health Bureau of Vital Statistics said a male born in 1868 died of the flu Oct. 30, 1918. He was a miner and was buried on hospital grounds. A 26-year-old woman born in 1892, a housewife originally from Austria, died of the flu Oct. 28, 1918. She also was buried on hospital grounds. A 42-year-old woman born in 1876 died Oct. 22, 1918, also of the flu, but the certificate does not say where she is buried.

Detweiler said people who died from the flu may be buried there, but “it may not be as many as people think” to be sure.

Moylan said there is “strong evidence that at least two people succumbed from influenza in 1918 and were interred at the alms house cemetery, which we believe at that time was located on Route 61.”

He also provided an update on the bones found at the site and examined by the Mercyhurst Forensic Anthropology Laboratory,Erie. The preliminary report does not provide names or much else in terms of identifiable data. It does say the remains did not have any tissue that could be tested. The report said that there was no indication of trauma on the remains that were found. The nature of the remains found and the “fragmented nature” did not result in a complete profile analysis.

“The lack of soft tissue, high degree of fragmentation and presence of nails suggest that these remains represent historic burials,” the report said.

The bones found were classified as concentrations. One involved part of a right leg and foot. Another involved part of a jawbone and part of skull. One involved a vertebra, left femur, a rib and other body parts. Lastly, one involved part of a jaw and lower part of an arm.

Yasenchak said an 1875 document shows the area in question to be a cemetery. He does not know how long before 1875 it was one.

“Right now, its just a matter of what we are going to do with the remains,” Shaffer said.

He said if a historic marker is wanted, “that is something that certainly can be pursued through the Historical Museum Commission.”

Bob Gadinski, a geologist from Schuylkill County, said carbon testing might be a possibility to find out the age of the sediment.

If someone wanted to do carbon dating on remains or the sediment, it could cost “thousands rather than hundreds” of dollars, Shaffer said.

Jennifer Bowen, president of the Orwigsburg Historical Society, attended the meeting. She said the society has records that might be of use for research in the area. Bowen said she thinks the remains should not be disturbed.

“I think they should stay there, and I do think it’s appropriate to have a marker. I think everyone reserves the right and the dignity to have that final resting place,” she said.

PennDOT and the Federal Highway Administration wants comments from the public about what to do with the remains. Comments should be submitted by Sept. 18 to Kevin Mock, archaeologist with PennDOT Engineering Districts 4 and 5, to kmock@pa.gov or 610-871-4460.

SCHUYLKILL HAVEN — A Pine Grove man already charged with a robbery at a Tremont Township truck stop has been charged with a robbery in the borough the same day.

Schuylkill Haven police Sgt. Glenn Firing said that Cody Sticker, 22, was charged with robbing the Turkey Hill on Aug. 29.

Firing said Sticker was charged with robbery, theft, receiving stolen property, terroristic threats, prohibited offensive weapons, possessing instruments of crime and recklessly endangering another person.

Firing said Sticker entered the store on West Columbia Street about 4 a.m. armed with a sawed-off shotgun and demanded money from the clerk.

After receiving the money, Firing said, Sticker fled and returned to his truck, which was parked in a stone lot on the opposite side of the West Columbia Street bridge.

The clerk was not injured in the robbery and no shots were fired, the sergeant said.

State police at Schuylkill Haven have already charged Sticker with an armed robbery at the Raceway Truck Stop about 2:35 a.m. that day.

Trooper Vincent Laselva said that Sticker approached the business at 10 Mollystown Road and shot one round from a shotgun through the front door, shattering the glass.

He then kicked in the remaining glass, entered the business and approached Harmush Singh, 62, of Pine Grove, who was behind a counter, and demanded money.

While demanding money, Laselva said, Sticker threatened to shoot Singh if he did not cooperate.

After being given money, Sticker fled the business through the same door he entered and left the area through the parking lot on foot toward Interstate 81, the trooper said.

Firing said police used various media outlets to broadcast security images of the robber, and on Aug. 30 persons very familiar with Sticker came forward to police and positively identified him as the actor in both armed robberies.

Sticker was then picked up by police from Schuylkill Haven, interviewed and confessed to both armed robberies, Firing said.

Firing said that Sticker, who is already in Schuylkill County Prison on the Tremont Township charges, will be arraigned on the latest crimes by Magisterial District Judge James R. Ferrier, Orwigsburg.

FRACKVILLE — Two Luzerne County men were arrested Tuesday night and charged with bringing heroin to Frackville for sale.

Pablo Esteban Padilla Troche, 26, of 120 W. Broad St., Hazleton, and Jairol Quezada Abreu, 20, of 215 N. Fourth St., West Hazleton, were taken into custody by Frackville police and members of the Schuylkill County District Attorney’s Drug Task Force.

Patrolman Philip Petrus charged Padilla Troche with four felony counts of possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance; one felony count of criminal use of a communications facility; two misdemeanor counts of possession of a controlled substance; and one summary offense each of driving while operating privileges are suspended or revoked, driving a vehicle without an official Certificate of Inspection and drivers required to be licensed.

The office charged Abreu with two felony counts of possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance and a misdemeanor offense of possession of a controlled substance.

Both were arraigned by on-call Magisterial District Judge Stephen J. Bayer, Tamaqua, and committed to Schuylkill County Prison, unable to post $50,000 straight cash bail each.

Petrus, in paperwork filed with Bayer, said the arrests are the result of an incident that began about 3:30 p.m. when a confidential informant agreed to make a controlled purchase of heroin from a person named “Pete.”

The informant made contact with the person, later identified as Padilla Troche, to buy a brick — or 50 bags — of heroin for $250.

About 5:15 p.m., drug detectives and police went to the area of South Third and West Arch streets, where a car pulled up, picked up the informant and, after a short ride, returned and left the informant. The informant reported giving the money to Abreu and that Abreu in turn handed over the heroin, Petrus said.

Shortly after, authorities stopped the vehicle at Arch and Nice streets and took Padilla Troche, the driver, and Abreu into custody.

A subsequent search of the men led to authorities finding the marked money used for the transaction on Abreu and in a wallet on the driver’s side floor belonging to Padilla Troche that contained thee baggies of suspected heroin that matched the majority of the bags in the brick that was purchased by the informant, Petrus said.

A field test was done on the baggies, which were marked “Scull Candy” and “Strike Dead”, from inside the brick and gave positive indications for heroin.

Both men will now have to appear for preliminary hearing before Magisterial District Judge Christina E. Hale in her Frackville courtroom.

HAZLETON — A Hazleton man is accused of murdering the estranged husband of a woman with whom he was romantically involved.

State police at Hazleton said Eleazar Yisrael, 29, is accused of fatally shooting Samuel Vacante in the back in his Drums home Aug. 31, then attempting to clean up the crime scene with bleach before placing Vacante’s body in Vacante’s own vehicle and then ditching the body in the woods in Penn Forest Township, Carbon County.

Police found Vacante’s body on Sunday, wrapped in a tent in the woods near a housing development in the Poconos.

Yisrael, 33 W. 10th St., who was already in police custody when troopers charged him with an open, nonbailable count of homicide Wednesday, appeared to limp into Magisterial District Judge Daniel O’Donnell’s Sugarloaf Township court room in prison clothes, surrounded by troopers, state constables, Butler Township and Sugarloaf Township police departments, with his hands and feet shackled.

During the proceedings, he continuously read from a manifesto where he claimed to be a sovereign citizen and that he was held against his will by law enforcement.

In addition to the count of homicide, Yisrael faces first-degree felonies for burglary and robbery and misdemeanors for tampering with evidence and abuse of a corpse.

Yisrael, according to court papers, once lived 3,100 feet away from where police found Vacante’s body and Vacante’s blood-stained vehicle, a white 2014 Kia Cadenza that was found near Yisrael’s Hazleton home.

Vacante, 52, of 20 Coventry Road, Drums, was initially reported missing by his estranged wife, Lisa, who was seeing Yisrael and staying at his home. The romantic relationship, that began two years ago, police said, led to Vacante filing for a divorce which was not yet final.

Court papers state this was the only connection between the accused murderer and Vacante.

Luzerne County District Attorney Stefanie Salavantis said that since the investigation is ongoing, investigators can’t provide a motive for the crime. When questioned if police believed Yisrael acted alone, state police Lt. Robert Bartal answered that police can’t rule out anything at this point as the investigation is ongoing.

Vacante was employed at a plant in the Humboldt Industrial Park, Bartal said, and lived in Drums for at least 10 years. He and Lisa are the parents of two grown sons.

Arrested

Yisrael was initially taken into custody Sept. 3 as police served a search warrant at his home in connection with the Vacante investigation and found a marijuana or pill grinder and a knife with brass knuckles in his residence, arrest papers state. He was charged with possession of drug paraphernalia and possession of a prohibited offensive weapon and sent to jail after being unable to post $100,000 bail set by Magisterial District Judge James Dixon, Hazle Township. During that arraignment he also continuously read from a similar statement containing legal language.

During his homicide arraignment, he refused to answer O’Donnell’s questions, stating that he isn’t “compelled to perform under any contract.” He also motioned to have all the charges against him dismissed. Arraignments are held to explain the charges against a defendant, not to establish if the charges are appropriate.

Butler Township police Chief Brian Sabatini said Yisrael read the same statement to police continuously since his arrest Sept. 3 and has refused to cooperate with law enforcement. Sabatini, citing his arraignment appearance in the homicide case and his arraignment in the Sept. 3 arrest where he read similar statements, said Yisrael also has not cooperated with the court.

Yisrael’s friends were still in disbelief at the news of his arrest Wednesday, though they didn’t attend the murder arraignment. Dan Lynch, 37, and Bryan Morgan, 44, both of Hazleton, said the Yisrael they knew was a gentle, educated person who wouldn’t cause harm to someone else. Yisrael does have a criminal past which includes a Carbon County burglary and a Hazleton narcotics case he was sentenced to prison time for.

Crime scene

Sunday, just before 5 p.m., police found decomposed human remains off Petrarch Trail in Penn Forest Township wrapped inside a camping tent. The remains were found about 120 feet off the road in a Towamensing Trail development and dental records had to be used to identify him as Vacante due to decomposition, according to investigators.

It was ruled he suffered a gunshot wound to his back, court papers state. The bullet traveled through his body before lodging itself in his torso, court papers state, causing significant damage to Vacante’s spine and aorta, which resulted in death shortly after. A pillow found wrapped with Vacante’s body in the woods, police said, revealed it was used to muffle the sound of the gun when it was discharged.

When Vacante was reported missing Aug. 31, prior to his body being found, so was his white 2014 Kia sedan, and though Butler Township police reported Vacante could be injured, no other details were provided. However, Yisrael’s arrest papers show more detail into the investigation.

Numerous items were also missing from Vacante’s house, including firearms, knives, watches and other personal belongings.

Butler Township police found someone attempted to clean up blood with bleach in Vacante’s garage, too. A pile of bleach-soaked rags and blue latex gloves, police said, along with a spent .22 cartridge casing were found in the garage. Police said bleach is commonly used for cleaning a crime scene as it destroys blood and DNA evidence.

Investigators later used Luminol to detect traces of blood. Luminol reacts to the presence of blood by glowing under low light and showed the blood originated on the garage floor, arrest papers state, and then proceeded in a dragging pattern from that location in a semi-circle pattern around the area where the victim’s vehicle would have been parked.

After looking at the garage, police found the victim’s cellphone location was active near East Side Borough in Carbon County, but when law enforcement checked the location they found neither the victim or his vehicle. At some point the victim’s phone stopped transmitting a signal and the last place it was located was a residential and wooded area in Penn Forest Township.

Police later found Vacante’s cellphone, which appeared to have been thrown from a vehicle onto the roadside of Interstate 80 between mile markers 274.2 and 274.3 about 4 p.m. Sept. 2.

Earlier that day, about 3:40 a.m., they found Vacante’s vehicle parked on West Eighth Street between Laurel and Wyoming streets near Manhattan Court. His vehicle’s license plate was removed and the vehicle identification number was blacked out by what appeared to be a marker, according to investigators. Blood was also found on the vehicle’s exterior, in the trunk of the car and passenger compartment, court papers state.

Yisrael’s fingerprints were found on the driver’s side area outside the car, police said, and one was on the back of the vehicle’s license plate, which was found locked inside the trunk.

The Vacante investigation closed Hazleton Elementary/Middle School the day the vehicle was discovered, not long into the new school year.

Police said they also found Yisrael continued to Berwick in Vacante’s vehicle the day after the murder and dropped off a comforter filled with the victim’s property at the garage of Jamal Reid and then physically removed the license plate from the vehicle, placed it in the trunk and blacked out the car’s VIN with a marker. During the search of Reid’s garage, court papers state, police found numerous items identified as Vacante’s, including guns, binoculars, watches and knives. They also found a .22 caliber shell casing.

Black markers consistent with those used to alter the VIN, the Vacantes’ mail and latex gloves consistent with those found at the victim’s residence were also found in Yisrael’s home. He also lived at 170 Lipo Way at one point, which is 3,168 feet from where Vacante was found.

The day Vacante was reported missing, court papers state, Yisrael, wearing digital-style camouflage clothing, was spotted by Butler Township police walking on South Old Turnpike Road, about two miles from the victim’s home at 1:13 a.m. Officers questioned him but found no crime committed at that point, so they let him continue on his way, which was in the direction of Coventry Lane, police wrote.

Vacante was the father of two grown sons, mothered by Lisa, according to Bartal. Lisa was not currently living at the Coventry Road home, Bartal said, but reported him missing to Butler Township police Aug. 31.

Butler Township police, state police at Hazleton and the Luzerne County District Attorney’s Office and county detectives were involved in the investigation and Salavantis praised their work during a press conference Wednesday afternoon. She called the police diligent in their work to arrest a suspect in a “planned” and “heinous” murder. A lot of work, Salavantis said, was involved and challenges surpassed as police investigated the circumstances that included crime scenes across several municipalities and two counties — Luzerne and Carbon. She thanked those involved.

State police investigated with help from Butler Township and Hazleton police along with the Luzerne County District Attorneys Office and the district attorney’s detectives.