Attempt made to

burglarize home

NEW RINGGOLD — State police at Frackville are investigating an attempted burglary that occurred overnight Saturday and Sunday at 540 Church St. in East Brunswick Township.

Police said someone forcefully slammed his shoulder into the basement door of the home of Bruce and Jean Bachert, causing the wooden door jamb to crack and split. Police said that nothing appeared to have been taken.

Anyone with information about the incident is asked to call police at 570-874-5300. Any information forwarded could remain confidential.

Incident at home

results in charges

MAHANOY CITY — A borough man was arrested by Mahanoy City police in connection with a burglary that occurred Sept. 22 at 404 E. Centre St.

Police said John M. Cavenas, 48, of 709 W. Spruce St., was charged with felony burglary and criminal trespass and misdemeanor offenses of theft, receiving stolen property and criminal mischief.

Police said Cavenas entered the home of the widow of his late brother through a garage and basement door and took a table saw, miter saw, a Cal Ripkin collectible baseball, two Notre Dame collectible footballs, an Oakland Raiders collectible football and a grinder.

When confronted about the theft, police said John Cavenas told officers he went to the house to get items that belonged to his brother and admitted taking the items.

Police said in the process of the burglary, John Cavenas caused damage in excess of $500 to a garage door.

Barnesville man

cited in burglary

MAHANOY CITY — An Aug. 29 burglary in the borough led to Mahanoy City police filing charges against a Barnesville man.

Police said Christopher M. Reed, 27, of 2 Grier Ave., Box 253, was charged with felony burglary and criminal trespass and misdemeanor offenses of receiving stolen property, theft, defiant trespass and criminal mischief.

Police said Reed unlawfully entered into the home of Dolores Miller, 826 E. Pine St., while she and her husband were asleep and removed a safe that contained $100 and Vicodin medication.

Miller’s grandson subsequently found Reed, who admitted entering the home and taking the safe, police said. Police said that Reed then got the safe from a nearby yard and returned it, saying nothing was missing.

Police also said Reed damaged the safe while trying to open it.

Frackville man

charged with DUI

MAHANOY CITY — Borough police filed charges against a Frackville man who almost struck a man with his vehicle on First Street in the borough about 3:50 a.m. Sept. 13.

Police said Raul A. Rodriguez, 23, of 27 N. Nice St., was charged with DUI and careless driving and will have to answer to the charges before Magisterial District Judge Anthony J. Kilker, Shenandoah.

Police said Rodriguez was driving a Ford pickup truck north on First Street at a high rate of speed when he almost struck a man who was staggering in the street.

When officers stopped the Rodriguez vehicle after seeing the incident, they found the man to be under the influence of alcohol. After failing field sobriety tests, Rodriguez was taken to Schuylkill Medical Center-South Jackson Street, where he refused to submit to a blood alcohol test, police said.

Results released

for 3 checkpoints

The North Central PA Regional DUI Enforcement Program announced the results of three enforcement details conducted on area roadways.

A Sobriety Checkpoint was held Sept. 18 in Cass Township conducted by 15 officers from six police departments.

There were 237 vehicles contacted, 25 detained and one driver tested for DUI. The officers made one DUI arrest, five traffic arrests, three criminal arrests and issued 18 warning notices.

On Sept. 19, a Roving DUI Patrol was conducted by two officers from two departments resulting in 25 vehicles stopped and detained. There were no DUI arrests but the officers made six traffic arrests, one criminal arrest and issued 20 warning notices.

A Joint Sobriety Checkpoint held with state police in Minersville had 15 officers from six departments contacting 188 vehicles, detaining 11 and testing six drivers for DUI. There was one DUI arrest along with one traffic arrest and nine warning notices issued.

Roving patrols

continue in county

The North Central Regional Sobriety Checkpoint DUI Taskforce announced that Sobriety Checkpoints and Roving DUI Patrols will be conducted 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 911 or to report underage drinking to call, toll-free, 888-UNDER21.

PHILADELPHIA — Pope Francis is not the only reason Chris Ives returned to the Catholic church, but his election made her feel the time was right.

“It felt like a time of renewal,” the Moscow resident said as she and other members of St. Catherine of Siena parish walked through downtown Philadelphia on Sunday. “I was excited to return to the church.”

Ives was among the 2,800 people from Diocese of Scranton parishes who entered the city Sunday as the sea of pilgrims swelled to more than a million strong.

Francis spent the morning at a federal prison before delivering a homily on the steps of the Philadelphia Museum of Art.

“For him to come to see us — why can’t we go to see him?” St. Catherine of Siena parishioner Sandy DeMattteo said.

Unfortunately, for many locals, the massive security perimeter around Ben Franklin Parkway forced them to watch the pope’s message on large television screens near City Hall. Some waited for hours in lines multiple blocks long only to hear from police that the parkway was at full capacity.

Yet, even far from the stage, Northeast Pennsylvanians still felt the warmth of the pope’s message.

“We’re still here; we feel the atmosphere,” youth leader Kelley McConnell of St. Eulalia Parish, Roaring Brook Township, said. “It’s the same experience whether we got through the gates or not.”

Rose Babetski of St. Faustina Parish, Nanticoke, waited in line for three and a half hours before giving up, she said. Her group watched the Mass on-screen from the far end of the Ben Franklin Parkway.

“It was kind of a bummer, but it was a wonderful experience to see everybody here,” she said.

She loves how Francis provides a living example of having a relationship with Jesus — the true meaning of being Christian.

“That’s why I was trying not to get mad today,” she said.

Francis’s final homily in the U.S. acknowledged that all people are capable of spreading God’s love, which he compared to the tenderness among family members.

“Anyone who wants to bring into this world a family which teaches children to be excited by every gesture aimed at overcoming evil ... will encounter our gratitude and our appreciation,” the pope said. “Whatever the family, people, region, or religion to which they belong.”

As night fell on Philadelphia, Francis boarded a plane to Rome. His brief but historic visit caused a resurgence in the faith, Philadelphia resident Judy Kolcharno Krohn, a Blakely native, said Saturday.

“I hope it lasts,” she said.

Bank updates

brand look

MOUNT CARMEL —- UNB Bank, one of the oldest financial institutions in the Mount Carmel area, has an updated look for its brand, according to a bank press release.

The re-branding “gives a cohesive image across all advertising channels, including print, online and mobile presence,” officials said in the release.

“The new logo represents the strength and stability of UNB Bank as well as giving the bank a contemporary ‘forward thinking’ energy. The end goal is to attract a new generation of customers while still staying true to the bank’s hometown friendly feel …” according to the release.

William J. Kuzo, bank president and chief executive officer, said officials believe the new branding will “carry us far into the future.”

The re-branding includes an updated, shorter web address — www.unbmountcarmel.com will become wwww.unb.bank, according to the release.

Shenandoah native Dwain J. Barlow is the bank’s chief credit officer.

UNB Bank, previously known as Union National Bank of Mount Carmel prior to converting to a state bank charter in 2012, has been locally owned and operated since 1906, officials said in the release, adding, “The significance of this number is incorporated into our shield and serves to remind us that the bank will always hold true to its core values of customer-oriented banking.”

The bank is at 1 N. Oak St., Mount Carmel, and can be reached by calling 570-339-1040.

New feature

at Galen Glen

ANDREAS — On weekends during the harvest season, Galen Glen Winery is offering a unique tasting experience for visitors, according to a winery press release.

On Saturdays and Sundays in late September and early October, the winery is “sharing the fruits of its harvest as just that — fruit — with winery visitors,” officials said in the release.

It’s called “Taste the Grape, Taste the Wine.”

Tasting room Manager Kathy Matson said, “Often when drinking wine one does not think about the actual grape ‘varietal’ that makes the wine. Not only are we giving our visitors the opportunity to think about the grapes, but we are (also) offering the grape as part of the tasting.”

Each weekend during harvest, the winery is offering a sample grape of the varietals being harvested that week along with a complimentary taste of the wine that is produced from that varietal.

“We’ve been doing this for two weekends and everyone is intrigued by tasting the grapes,” Matson said.

In addition to offering grape tastings, the winery is offering vineyard tours, which provide “an excellent opportunity to learn how the wine gets to your glass from its roots at the vine.”

Tours are about an hour and are about a mile long, weather permitting, at 3 p.m. Saturday, Sunday and Oct. 11. The tours are complimentary and no reservations are required.

Fall Festival

at Eagle Rock

SHEPPTON — The public is invited to the 2015 Fall Festival at Eagle Rock Resort Oct. 9-12. Admission, according to an event flier, is free.

Events will include a variety of vendors, food, a car show, open ski lift, pumpkin patch and decorating, horseback riding, hayrides, a beer tent, wine tasting, children’s activities and a variety of live entertainment acts.

For a complete rundown of activities or other information, call 570-384-1383.

Eagle Rock Resort is along Route 924 between Sheppton in Schuylkill County and Hazleton in Luzerne County.

Facebook focus

in Tamaqua

TAMAQUA — The Tamaqua Area Chamber of Commerce, in cooperation with the Tamaqua Community Arts Center, will help people or firms create their own Facebook page from 5:30 to 7 p.m. Tuesday at the center, 125 Pine St.

“You will design a page, customized for your business or organization, learn how to adjust the settings to make it work best, upload and edit your own pictures, and so much more during this hands-on seminar,” organizers said in a press release.

Participants should bring their own laptops or notebooks. Several instructors will provide the needed information to get online and “start using this powerful marketing tool by the end of the seminar,” according to the release.

Regarding Facebook and social media, chamber officials said thousands of people use it and share what they see. To register for the seminar, call the chamber at 570-668-1880.

AAMCO backs

fundraiser

As part of a fundraiser, according to a press release, auto repair facilities are giving away free quality brake pads or shoes, compliments of Auto Zone. The customer pays the labor and any other ancillary parts necessary to complete the brake job and the shops donate 10 percent of the brake job directly to Dr. Vincent Tuohy & the Cleveland Clinic Breast Cancer Vaccine Research Fund, according to a press release.

This is the fifth year for the Brakes for Breasts fundraiser. In 2014, 143 independent auto repair shops in 29 states raised $115,236.53 for the cause. AAMCO of Pottsville was a participant.

According to the release, Tuohy “has actually created a vaccine that has proved effective in laboratory animals in actually preventing breast cancer.”

In touting the development, organizers called for people to “think polio, eradicated because of a vaccine, a distant memory for most generations. This is the same principle.”

Tuohy and his research team are “just a year away from their first bedside trial.”

According to the release, 100 percent of the proceeds from Brakes for Breasts go directly to the Cleveland Clinic Breast Cancer Vaccine Fund for research. For more information about the breast cancer vaccine and a list of participating shops, go online to www.brakesforbreasts.org.

AAMCO of Pottsville Total Car Care & Repair is a local family-owned auto repair shop and 2015 is its golden anniversary for 50 years of providing automotive services.

Safe treating

for Halloween

The Pottsville Business Association will sponsor its annual downtown safe trick-or-treat from 4 to 6 p.m. Oct. 29.

Ghosts, ghouls and witches will roam the street in search of candy and treats, PBA organizers said in a release.

This is the 13th year the PBA has organized the event. For a list of participating businesses, go online to www.downtownpottsville.org.

A mallwide safe trick-or-treat night will be held at 6 p.m. Oct. 28 at the Schuylkill Mall near Frackville.

According to a mall release, costumed children will parade around to mall stores collecting goodies. For more information, call 570-874-2526.

Plan updates

open to viewing

PITTSTON — The Northeastern Pennsylvania Alliance, designated by the commonwealth as the Metropolitan Planning Organization for Carbon, Monroe, Pike and Schuylkill counties, is the organization that considers and approves the plans and programs and federal and state funding for highway and transit systems in the four-county MPO area.

Currently, the NEPA MPO is updating its Public Involvement Plan, Title VI Plan and Limited English Proficiency Plan, according to an alliance press release.

The draft Public Involvement Plan outlines the policies, procedures and processes for all public involvement activities within the NEPA MPO. It acts as a guide for the public involvement in the development of regional projects, plans and programs including the long-range transportation plan and the transportation improvement program.

The draft Title VI Plan and draft Limited English Proficiency Plan are part of the Public Involvement Plan and “outline the NEPA MPO’s efforts to comply with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 to ensure that the plans, programs and processes developed by the NEPA MPO consider the needs of environmental justice populations including minority and low-income persons and individuals traditionally underserved by the transportation system including those with limited English proficiency, seniors and persons with disabilities,” according to the release.

A copy of the draft plans is available for public viewing at the NEPA MPO website at www.nepa-alliance.org/transportation. To request paper copies of the draft plans, call 570-655-5581 or write to NEPA MPO at 1151 Oak St., Pittston, PA 18640.

The NEPA MPO is holding a 45-day public comment period on the draft plans that began Sept. 16 and will end Oct. 30. A public meeting on the draft plans will be held at noon Oct. 22 at the Monroe County Transportation Authority, 134 MCTA Drive, Swiftwater.

Remote access to the public meeting will be available at the following sites: Carbon County Emergency Management Agency, 1264 Emergency Lane, Nesquehoning; Pike County Administration Building, 506 Broad St., Milford, and the Schuylkill Economic Development Corp., Union Station, 1 Progress Circle, Pottsville.

Comments on the draft plans can be submitted to the NEPA MPO at the 1151 Oak St., Pittston, PA 18640 or by emailing Kate McMahon at kmcmahon@nepa-alliance.org.

Orientation

for members

The Schuylkill Chamber of Commerce will have a member orientation from 3:30 to 4:30 p.m. Wednesday at Schaeffer’s Harley-Davidson, 1123 Brick Hill Road, Orwigsburg.

There is no cost to attend but registration is requested. The session will be presented by the chamber staff.

A chamber 5th Wednesday Mix & Mingle will follow from 5 to 7 p.m. Wednesday at Schaeffer’s, sponsored by Schaeffer’s Harley-Davidson and Fulton Bank. Registration is requested.

The 15th annual Walk for Progress to mark Chamber of Commerce Month is set for 4:30 to 7 p.m. Oct. 6, according to a chamber flier.

The walk will begin at 4:30 p.m. at the chamber offices at the Union Station parking lot, head up the west side of Centre Street to The Greystone restaurant, cross the street at Laurel Boulevard, continue on the east side of Centre Street and end at The Ball Room at the Ramada. The cost is $10 per person and each participant will receive a reusable bag filled with goodies courtesy of Wegmans. There will be prizes for Most Spirited Team and Largest Team.

Also on the chamber’s agenda is “Building a Mentoring Relationship & Managing Expectations” with Ceil Michalik of Michalik Consulting LLC, from 9 to 11 a.m. Oct. 7 at Lehigh Carbon Community College, 234 High St., Tamaqua. The cost is $97 for chamber members and $194 for nonmembers. The reservation deadline is Oct. 5. Call the chamber office to make a reservation.

The chamber’s commissioner debate breakfast is set for Oct. 14 at the Schuylkill Country Club, Orwigsburg. The chamber is accepting questions for the candidates. Questions should be submitted to Bob Carl, chamber executive director.

Frackville ready

for annual fest

FRACKVILLE — The Frackville Business & Professional Association is set for its annual Pumpkin Festival to be held from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday at Frack Street and Lehigh Avenue.

The Art of the Pumpkin ticket auction, in which the public is encouraged to participate, is one of the event’s highlights.

All are welcome to attend. Questions regarding the festival may be directed to the Frackville Free Public Library, North Lehigh Avenue, by calling 570-874-3382.

Photo incorrect

Nicholas J. Garulle, Barnesville, who faces charges stemming from a vehicle chase Saturday, was misidentified in a photo that appeared in Sunday’s edition.

The Schuylkill County Republican Committee will hold its annual fall campaign dinner at 7 p.m. Thursday at the Schuylkill Country Club, Orwigsburg, in support of GOP candidates for state, county and local offices.

The keynote speaker for the evening will be state Sen. Scott Wagner, R-28, who serves part of York County. Wagner was first elected to the state Senate in a special election in March 2014.

He was born and raised on a farm. Following high school graduation, he started his first small business at age 20. He has since created other businesses.

Also attending will be Judge Judy Olson, candidate for the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania, as well as the GOP county commissioners Chairman Frank Staudenmeier and Commissioner George Halcovage, who are seeking re-election.

Attorney Eric Prock, Pottsville, will be the master of ceremonies for the banquet.

Banquet Committee members include Mary Labert, Brock Stein, Eric and Meghan Prock, Kyle Heffner and Bob Ames.

FRACKVILLE — North Schuylkill senior Kali Antalosky wants to make a difference in the lives of others as her dear grandmother had done in her life through a special senior project.

A resident of Frackville, Antalosky, the daughter of Ron and Kristie Antalosky, is raising funds to support an annual scholarship award started by her family two years ago in memory and honor of Geraldine K. “Deno” Miller Jordan, Frackville, who died of cancer at 67 in 2013.

After graduating from Bryland’s Beauty School, Reading, with a degree in cosmetology, Jordan owned and operated Deno’s Beauty Boutique, Frackville, where she served her clients for more than 45 years. She was wife of Lewis “Lou” Jordan, a member of the popular Jordan Brothers band.

Antalosky said her grandmother was a great person who would help anyone wherever she could to make a difference.

“She was always about making a difference and taking a stand to make others happy,” Antalosky said Friday. “She did hair for a living in her own beauty boutique.

“A lot of times she would wake up at 4 a.m. to accommodate people who worked in factories. Over that time, she cut the hair of some people for over 40 years.”

The relationship that Jordan had with her clients went beyond her role as a cosmetologist.

“She was always a liaison between people and her customers in lots of ways for what they needed, anything they needed,” Antalosky said. “Whether they needed new furniture or were looking for a job, she knew everything and everybody so she could connect people. A lot of times she would do other things like help out at a fundraiser where she would cut hair for free. She would donate her time to help out anybody she knew.”

Even with the cancer progressing, Jordan continued to work.

“Near the end of her sickness, she was still working in the shop,” Antalosky said. “She had kidney failure and crushed vertebrae, but she still worked. She was such a hard worker.”

Jordan’s life left such an impression on Antalosky that she and her family wanted to keep her memory alive in a way that would be emblematic of who she was as a loving person who helped others. Antalosky said before her grandmother passed away, the idea of doing something to “pay it forward” was discussed with Jordan and her family, but after she died, Antalosky, her mother and aunt, Kelly Jordan-Sciutto, decided to start the scholarships to give back to the community.

“After my grandmother passed away two years ago, my family and I started a scholarship fund entitled the Deno Jordan Make a Difference Scholarship Fund,’ ” Antalosky said. “It has always been a cornerstone belief in our family that it is important to do what you can to make a difference in the lives of others.

“The main purpose of the fund is to award two $500 scholarships annually to two North Schuylkill seniors who submit an essay answering a few questions regarding how they are making a difference or plan to make a difference for others in their future. We have a team of people to read the essays and select two. The awards are announced at graduation.”

The funds can also be used to support other projects where people are making a difference.

“In all of our efforts, it is our hope that we are encouraging kindness and genuine caring,” Antalosky said.

Antalosky’s senior project is selling T-shirts with the words, “The meaning of life is to give life meaning” at the top of the shirt. Underneath reads “Deno Jordan Make A Difference Scholarship.”

“We had the shirts done through Personal Touch Advertising where we work with Amy Marnell, who has been so incredibly helpful,” Antalosky said. “The shirt color is maroon, which is the color of the cancer ribbon for multiple myeloma. We just wanted to make sure her name was on it and something that was inspirational that people could wear around the school.”

Antalosky said her mother, who is a teacher in the Blue Mountain School District, has her middle school students write essays on how they paid forward to win some small prizes.

The shirts are $10 each ($12 for XXL) and may be purchased by calling Antalosky at 570-874-2995 or 570-573-6790, or email to kaliantalosky@gmail.com. Flyers can also be found at local businesses.

Ken Roseberry, North Schuylkill secondary principal, said the senior projects initiative at North Schuylkill shows how impressive so many students are in coming up with projects. He said last year’s seniors were a very impressive group and was interested in seeing what the current group of seniors would do in following in their footsteps.

“Last year, we had a great group of seniors. They were fantastic. I knew some of the juniors who were coming up, and of course she is one of our top students,” Roseberry said. “Kali is the president of student council, and as such she will report to the school board. We rely heavily on her in starting a Presidents Club, which has the senior leaders.

“Our first meeting is Tuesday, and she will be part of that senior leadership group to propose ideas. She was on our newscast this morning as one of the two news anchors that we have. Right now, I would say she is one of the faces of North Schuylkill. We couldn’t be more proud to have someone like her to represent us and make our school better.”

CRESSONA — The refurbished organ at St. Mark’s United Church of Christ brought new life to the songs at the church’s Sunday worship service.

The 1912 Wirsching pipe organ recently underwent improvements as part of the church’s latest capital project.

“I’m really excited about all the improvements and how they will add to our worship life,” the Rev. Nathan Druckenmiller, pastor at St. Mark’s Church, said. “There’s been a lot of hard work put into this by a lot of people.”

Originally named St. Mark’s Reformed Church, the one-story building was completed in 1882. The second-story was completed in 1886, according to the church’s program for the service.

The church bought the pipe organ in 1912 from the Philipp Wirsching Organ Co., Salem, Ohio. The company was established in 1887 and closed in 1919.

The organ was first refurbished by the Mangam Organ Co., Philadelphia, in 2001 as part of the Capital Fund Campaign, the program said.

The improvements dedicated Sunday were completed by C.M. Walsh Pipe Organs, Collingdale. The improvements included replacing the existing control system with an electronic system, the different chests were combined into one and new stop-jambs were added. The organ is now valued at $500,000, the program said.

“Just over three years ago, we dreamed about what St. Mark’s can do and where we should go ...” Dennis Herring, church president, said during the dedication. “The ‘4 My Church’ campaign and Phase 1 came forth from that visioning and we give thanks today that some of those dreams have sprung forth and are now realities among us.”

Funds for the improvements came through donations and fundraisers. As of Sept. 20, $88,928.19 had been raised for the for “4 My Church” project. About $70,000 of that went toward the organ work.

Other improvements to the sanctuary include electrical and audio-visual renovations and plaster repair and painting. All the electrical fixtures can be managed by remote control, and the church now has new video projection equipment, loudspeaker system and microphones.

“May these offerings in this space help us in our outreach to the world through faithful service and ministry, bringing the gospel message to us in new and visible ways,” Herring said.

The next phases of the project involve restoring the stained glass windows and the fire escape at the church.

SHENANDOAH — An additional bus stop will be established today in Shenandoah Heights after Shenandoah Valley School District officials reviewed a local resident’s request.

At last Wednesday’s meeting, the school board approved a temporary bus stop at Wyoming and Texas avenues in the West Mahanoy Township village. The establishment of the bus stop follows the request by resident James Amato at the August meeting to add the stop for safety reasons. At that meeting, the school board approved the student transportation school bus schedule for the new school year. It did not include the Wyoming-Texas stop that Amato had suggested to district Superintendent Stanley G. Rakowsky and transportation coordinator Meg Bzura in writing earlier in August. He stated that there were about 10 children on Texas Avenue who had to walk to Virginia Avenue for the closest bus stop along a street with heavy traffic and no sidewalks.

Amato was told that his suggestion to change the route could cause difficulties for the school bus driver in making a right turn onto the narrow two-way street.

Even though the bus stop was not included on the approved schedule, board President William Grutza told Amato that his concerns and those of the other parents would be discussed at the work session prior to the September meeting.

The bus stop addition includes changing the route the bus travels to accommodate the new stop.

“The bus will take a different route from what he (Amato) suggested,” said district Business Manager Anthony P. Demalis Jr., who has visited the site on several occasions with Bzura and bus driver Sharon Salvadore.

“Amato’s suggestion had us going one way that would have had the bus taking an ‘S’ turn, and we were trying to keep the bus off of that turn, which is what he wanted to keep the kids off of, too,” Demalis explained after the meeting. “So now we’ll have Salvadore going in a big circle and come around to the stop. It may add an extra minute or so to the route, but we thought it would be the easiest thing to do. We still have the bus making the left turn onto Arizona Avenue, then make a right onto Seneca Avenue, and then make a right onto Texas Avenue and come down Texas. The bus stop will be at Texas and Wyoming avenues, then make the right onto Wyoming and then the right onto California Avenue, and go back out. We think that for traffic flow it will be better.”

Amato attended and did not speak during the meeting, but Demalis said Amato thanked the school board and administration for the decision.

In other business, the school board:

• Approved an English as a Second Language special services agreement with Schuylkill Intermediate Unit 29 for two students attending the vocational schools who are in need of those services. The intermediate unit will provide the services.

· Approved Kelsey Uholik as a cross country assistant coach at a salary of $2,000, and Allison Palubinsky as a cross country volunteer assistant coach. Palubinsky had been the paid coach and Uholik was the volunteer coach, but due to Palubinsky having other obligations that reduced her available time to spend with the team, the positions were switched.

· Approved the appointments to the following positions and stipends: Melissa Mikita as National Honor Society adviser, $2,000; Stacy Krupiewski as yearbook adviser, $2,000; Wendy Nicodemus as Drama Club director, $2,000; Sarah Yorke as Drama Club assistant director, $1,000; and Bridget Rooney as Drama Club crew director, $500.

n Cressona: An American Red Cross blood drive will be held from 1 to 6 p.m. Friday at the Cressona Mall, Route 61 South. People 17 and older, weighing at least 110 pounds and in general good health are urged to donate blood. To schedule an appointment, call 800-733-2767.

n Frackville: An open house will be held from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sunday at the Frackville Museum located in the Frackville Municipal & Community Center, Center and Oak streets. The event will welcome back Frackville alumni. For more information, call 570-874-3531.

n New Ringgold: Friedens Lutheran Church will host an Apple Fest from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Oct. 17 at the church site, 525 Church St. The event will feature apple pies, dumplings and other baked goods for sale. There will also be refreshments and food including pork and turkey barbecue, halupkis, homemade soup, hot dogs, hot apple sundaes and other fare. An apple dessert baking contest will be held at 2 p.m. Other attractions will include a raffle of handmade items, a theme basket raffle, children’s activities and hourly prize drawings. For more information, call 570-640-5726.

n Pine Grove: Guest speaker Sheldon A. Munn will focus on famous Pennsylvanian Milton S. Hershey during a meeting of the Pinegrove Historical Society at 7 p.m. Oct. 8 in the Pine Grove American Legion building, South Tulpehocken Street. The session is free and open to the public. People should enter at the building’s dining room door. The kitchen will be closed that evening, according to a society press release.

n Saint Clair: The annual Saint Clair Halloween Parade, sponsored by the Saint Clair Women’s Club, will be held at 7 p.m. Oct. 21. Registration will be held from 6 to 8 p.m. Oct. 14 and 15 at the ambulance building, Second Street. Registration will also be held those days for the house decorating contest, according to a club press release. Awards will be given for float and house decorating categories. Floats and groups from surrounding areas are welcome to enter the parade. The rain date is Oct. 22. For more information, call 570-429-0553 or 570-622-6056.

n Shenandoah: The annual blessing of animals will be held Sunday in the St. Casimir Playground of Divine Mercy Roman Catholic Parish, Main and Washington streets, following the 10 a.m. Mass in Divine Mercy’s St. Casimir sacred worship site. All pets should be leashed and kept under control.

n Shenandoah: The Greater Shenandoah Area Historical Society will hold a rummage sale from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Oct. 16 and 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Oct. 17 at the history center, 201 S. Main St. Donations will be accepted from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Oct. 15. No computers or televisions will be accepted.

n Shenandoah: A yard sale to benefit the borough’s 2016 sesquicentennial celebration will be held from 10:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Oct. 18 at the Shenandoah Senior Living Community, 101 E. Washington St., in conjunction with the community’s Fall Festival. The cost is $10 for a 10-by-10-foot space. To reserve a space or donate items, call 570-900-1514. No computers or televisions will be accepted.

n Summit Hill: Distribution dates for 2015 at the Summit Hill Food Pantry are 10 to 11:30 a.m. Oct. 27, Nov. 23 and Dec. 21. The food pantry is located in the Summit Hill Heritage Center, Hazard and Chestnut streets. No parking is allowed in the alley before 9:45 a.m. and no parking at all is allowed in the nearby vacant lot. Recipients should bring strong shopping or tote bags.

n William Penn: The William Penn Fire Company will host a pig roast from 2 to 6 p.m. Oct. 17. There will also be a horseshoe tournament, with registration at 10 a.m. followed by the tournament at 11 a.m. There will also be live music after 6 p.m. People must be 21 and older to attend. The fire company is located along Mount Olive Boulevard (Route 54).

SOUTH TAMAQUA — A man who died in a motorcycle accident Saturday evening on Route 309 in West Penn Township has been identified.

Schuylkill County Coroner Dr. David J. Moylan III said the man is Nathan Wentz, 26, of Palmerton, Carbon County.

Moylan said a CAT scan of the body Sunday morning revealed that Wentz died of blunt force trauma to the chest. He was wearing a helmet at the time of the accident, Moylan said.

Wentz was driving a 2000 Kawasaki south on Route 309 and was about half-mile south of Tamaqua shortly before 7 p.m. when he was tailing another vehicle in the left lane, Moylan said Saturday. Moylan said Wentz went into the right lane to pass the vehicle, but the rear tire spun out and he lost control of the motorcycle.

Although the man was in the southbound lane, Moylan said the motorcycle came to a rest in the northbound lane.

Wentz was pronounced dead at the scene by Deputy Coroner Debra Detweiler at 7:14 p.m., Moylan said.

Two men charged with killing another man in Pottsville on Aug. 6 are among those scheduled to plead not guilty Thursday during arraignments in Schuylkill County Court.

Shavinskin N. Thomas, 21, and Joshua M. Lukach, 18, both currently jailed in Schuylkill County Prison, were arrested by Pottsville police Detective Kirk Becker and charged in connection with the fatal attack on John R. Brock, 59, in his 14 S. 12th St. home.

Becker charged Thomas with murder in the first degree, conspiracy, murder in the second degree, aggravated assault, robbery, burglary, aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, criminal trespass, possessing instruments of crime, access device fraud, theft, receiving stolen property and recklessly endangering another person.

Lukach was charged by Becker with murder in the first degree, conspiracy, aggravated assault, robbery, burglary, aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, criminal trespass, access device fraud, theft, receiving stolen property and recklessly endangering another person.

Police said Thomas and Lukach attacked Brock in his home and that he died from massive hemorrhaging due to multiple stab wounds. They ruled the manner of death as homicide.

Both Thomas and Lukach remain in Schuylkill County Prison without bail pending further court action.

In separate complaints, Thomas is scheduled to plead not guilty to charges of theft from a motor vehicle, conspiracy, receiving stolen property, resisting arrest and defiant trespass, and Lukach is scheduled to plead not guilty to charges of possession of a controlled substance, possession of drug paraphernalia, defiant trespass, public drunkenness and conspiracy.

Others scheduled to plead not guilty, and the charges against them, include:

Johnathan R. Grove, 27, of 409 Carbon St., Shamokin — involuntary deviate sexual intercourse by force, involuntary deviate sexual intercourse with a child, rape of a child, indecent assault of a person under the age of 13 and indecent assault without consent.

Michael S. Tassone, 47, of 113 W. Main St., Floor 2, Girardville — driving under the influence of drugs, possession of a small amount of marijuana, possession of drug paraphernalia, driving while operating privileges are suspended or revoked, exceeding the speed limit, failure to drive on roadways laned for traffic, careless driving and failure to wear seat belts.

James W. Mabry, 66, of 20 Frog Hollow Lane, Pine Grove — DUI, careless driving and failure to drive on roadways laned for traffic.

Robert J. Rhoades, 66, of 100 S. Main St., Apt. 312, Shenandoah — DUI, DUI-highest rate, violation of general lighting requirements, driving at an unsafe speed, careless driving and driving a vehicle without an inspection certificate.

Matthew P. McTiernan, 28, of 487 W. Spring St., Frackville — DUI, DUI-high rate and exceeding the speed limit.

William J. Wasser, 59, of 221 E. Mahanoy Ave., Box 275, Mahanoy City — DUI and DUI-highest rate.

Albert R. Amberlavage, 23, of 221 E. Coal St., Shenandoah — DUI, DUI-high rate, obscured license plates, improper display of registration plate and failure to drive on roadways laned for traffic.

Michael J. Donlin, 40, of 24 Beecher St., Pine Grove — DUI, DUI-highest rate, failure to drive on roadways laned for traffic, careless driving and driving without insurance.

Zachary D. Wilson, 30, of 1114 Indian Drive, Auburn — DUI, driving at an unsafe speed and driving on the wrong side of the road.

Wade A. Wessner, 54, of 336 Sculps Hill Road, Auburn — DUI, DUI-highest rate, driving at an unsafe speed, failure to drive on roadways laned for traffic and careless driving.

William H. Waldick, 59, of Ridge Lane, Box 110, Gordon — driving under the influence of drugs, careless driving and failure to drive on roadways laned for traffic.

Lisa M. Gilbert, 43, of 29 River St., Cressona — DUI-highest rate.

John H. Fry, 44, of 3 Beech St., Cressona — DUI, driving while operating privileges are suspended or revoked, failure to drive on roadways laned for traffic, driving at an unsafe speed and failure to use seat belts.

Terry L. Mooney, 55, of 532 N. Delaware Ave., Minersville — DUI and failure to drive on roadways laned for traffic.

Edward J. Miller, 22, of 1603 Elk Ave., Pottsville — DUI, possession of drug paraphernalia, left-turn violation and restrictions on alcoholic beverages.

Roy T. Snowell, 60, of 655 John O’Hara St., Pottsville — DUI, DUI-highest rate, driving while operating privileges are suspended or revoked and stop and yield sign violations.

Randy A. Zimmerman, 56, of 522 Laurel Terrace, Pottsville — DUI, driving while operating privileges are suspended or revoked and stopping at an intersection or crossing to prevent obstruction.

Charles E. Becker, 66, of 362 Front St., Pottsville — DUI and DUI-highest rate.

Christopher M. Hamlett, 26, of 612 Walnut St., Ashland — delivery of a controlled substance and conspiracy.

Walter J. Deetz, 45, of 234 E. High St., Coaldale — altered, forged or counterfeit documents and plates, driving without insurance, failure to be licensed and fraudulent use or removal of a registration plate.

Jason N. Bredbenner, 31, of 232 N. Highland St., Shenandoah — possession of drug paraphernalia.

Brian S. Craig, 51, of 14 N. Gilbert St., Shenandoah — possession of a controlled substance, possession of drug paraphernalia and public drunkenness.

Francis L. Kehler, 42, of 252 W. Main St., Girardville — possession of a controlled substance and possession of drug paraphernalia.

Derek R. Yashinsky, 25, of 138 S. White St., Shenandoah — possession of drug paraphernalia.

Brian W. Hoke, 30, of 374 Summer Hill Road, Schuylkill Haven — illegal possession of firearms, receiving stolen property, carrying firearms without a license, prohibited offensive weapons, possessing instruments of crime and possession of drug paraphernalia.

Kody A. Kirkland, 23, of 221 Fairview St., Pottsville — retail theft, possession of a controlled substance and public drunkenness.

Heather L. Heckman, 24, of 222 Jackson St., 2E, Port Carbon — retail theft, possession of a controlled substance and possession of drug paraphernalia.

Tina M. Hosier, 29, of 130 Schuylkill Ave., Tamaqua — possession of drug paraphernalia.

Kimberly A. Brogdon, 42, of 327 Spruce St., Tamaqua — retail theft, theft by deception and receiving stolen property.

Jonathan Evanco, 22, of 27 E. Monroe St., McAdoo — possession of drug paraphernalia.

Jeffrey J. Dunkel, 32, of 53 Main St., Pottsville — harassment.

David L. Wilson Jr., 29, of 71 Pleasant Valley Road, Pine Grove — possession of a controlled substance, possession of drug paraphernalia and possession of a small amount of marijuana.

Loretta L. Bennett, 43, of 28 Spruce St., Minersville — retail theft.

Danielle Haupt, 19, of 521 W. Coal St., Shenandoah — false identification to law enforcement, public drunkenness, disorderly conduct and underage drinking.

Thomas J. Paris, 51, of 7 W. Pine St., Sheppton — burglary, criminal trespass, theft, receiving stolen property and criminal mischief.

Angie J. Kasper, 33, of 2030 Wiconisco St., Tower City — possession of a controlled substance, possession of a small amount of marijuana, possession of drug paraphernalia and retail theft.

Jaclynn M. Kauffman, 28, of 530 Market St., Box 361, Auburn — theft and receiving stolen property.

Robert T. Koons, 26, of 530 Market St., Box 361, Auburn — theft and receiving stolen property.

Michael K. Jessman, 33, of 155 S. Nice St., Frackville — possession of drug paraphernalia.

Steven J. Brilla, 21, of 821 Water St., Pottsville — possession of drug paraphernalia and driving while operating privileges are suspended or revoked.

Michael N. Krause, 25, of 30 White Birch Road, Orwigsburg — false identification to law enforcement.

Scott B. Haluska, 42, of 566 Laurel Terrace, Pottsville — possession of drug paraphernalia.

Brandon R. Courtney, 41, of 34 Peacock St., Pottsville — possession of a controlled substance and possession of drug paraphernalia.

Alyssa A. Bensinger, 27, of 115 Catawissa St., Pottsville — possession of a controlled substance and possession of drug paraphernalia.

Justin M. Knoll, 28, of 905 Fairmont Ave., Pottsville — possession of drug paraphernalia and false identification to law enforcement.

Nicole M. Schrepple, 30, of 1823 Chestnut St., New Ringgold — possession of drug paraphernalia and prohibited offensive weapons.

Megan M. Murray, 39, of 20 Main St., Kaska — aggravated assault, simple assault, harassment and public drunkenness.

Holly A. Rhode, 46, of 509 S. Centre St., Apt. A4, Pottsville — disorderly conduct.

David P. Riegel Jr., 21, of 213 E. High St., Coaldale — theft of property lost, mislaid or delivered by mistake and receiving stolen property.

Nicholas S. Kleeman, 21, of 2167 W. Norwegian St., Pottsville — possession of a controlled substance.

Lonny L. Hosler, 21, of 900 Fairview St., Pottsville — general lighting requirements violation and fleeing or attempting to elude police.

Randall J. Sunday, 31, of 207 N. Fifth St., Minersville — turning movements and required signals violation, possession of a controlled substance and possession of drug paraphernalia.

Brandy W. Ford, 32, of 22 E. Main St., Ringtown — violation of Public Welfare Code.

Scott A. Parsons, 26, of 65 N. Berne St., Schuylkill Haven, and 549 Coal Mountain Road, Orwigsburg — theft, receiving stolen property, conspiracy, corruption of minors, selling or furnishing alcohol to minors and possession of a small amount of marijuana.

Dennis J. Wiederhold, 24, of 2355 Fair Road, Auburn — endangering the welfare of a child, recklessly endangering another person and possession of drug paraphernalia.

Elias Cortes, 24, of 34 Nescopec St., Apt. 1, Tamaqua — possession of a small amount of marijuana and disorderly conduct.

Kayla Leibowitz, 26, of 274 Third St., Coaldale — endangering the welfare of a child.

Colin L. Johnson, 22, of 509 Oak Lane, Tamaqua — possession of a controlled substance and possession of drug paraphernalia.

Branislav Brili, 57, of 126 Greenwood St., Coaldale — recklessly endangering another person, failure to obey authorized persons directing traffic, improper actions in emergency response areas, careless driving, reckless driving and driving at an unsafe speed.

Marilyn M. Harris, 21, of 323 W. Laurel St., Tremont — receiving stolen property, theft from a motor vehicle, conspiracy and corruption of minors.

Albert J. Besparis, 56, of 899 W. Coal St., Shenandoah — possession of drug paraphernalia.

John I. Via, 32, of 304 W. Poplar St., Shenandoah — possession of drug paraphernalia and false identification to law enforcement.

Megan J. Beury, 27, of 1704 Spruce St., Ashland — possession of a controlled substance and possession of drug paraphernalia.

Thomas Cooney, 28, of 314 S. Jardin St., Shenandoah — possession of drug paraphernalia.

Eugene J. Blackwell, 29, of 520 W. Chestnut St., Frackville — public nuisances.

Melinda M. Mahmod, 21, of 219 E. Mahanoy Ave., Girardville — flight to avoid apprehension, trial or punishment, false identification to law enforcement, driving on a sidewalk, careless driving, failure to be licensed and driving an unregistered vehicle.

Allen J. Zimmerman, 30, of 228 N. Nice St., Frackville — simple assault, resisting arrest, disorderly conduct, harassment and disorderly conduct and public drunkenness.

ORWIGSBURG — The fourth annual Arts Barn Fall Arts Festival featured music, animals, food and artists of all kinds Sunday. Even the horses got in on the fun.

Deborah Cooper, director of The Arts Barn Gallery and The Arts Barn Education Center, guided her horse, Foxy Lady, through a painting demonstration for a crowd gathered in the small barn. But first, Foxy Lady picked out which beret to wear before picking up the paint roller in her mouth.

“I didn’t know she would do it with such a big crowd. I’m so proud of her,” Cooper said.

Cooper said Avery Corondi, Auburn, has been training the horse to paint for about a month. She said Corondi trained her horse to paint and Foxy Lady has many of the same characteristics to be able to learn, like responding well to positive reinforcement.

“It’s a long process, but it is just positive reinforcement,” Cooper said. “It is up to her. If she wants to do it, she gets carrots and treats.”

Leanne Mengel, Lake Wynonah, was surprised by the demonstration as she thought “horse painting” on the program meant people painting horses.

“It’s kind of cool — a little different,” Mengel said.

Mengel said she recently took a watercolor class at The Arts Barn and comes to the festival every year.

“I just like all the art and to watch the kids run around. It seems like every year there is something different,” she said. “It’s a great place to come. I appreciate the art and the scenery and landscape.”

Foxy Lady was just one of many attractions for hundreds of people Saturday at The Arts Barn, 3 Berry Road, Schuylkill Haven. There was art for sale by more than 120 different artists, food, live music, children’s activities, a petting zoo and other attractions such as tap dancing lessons and chain saw carving demonstrations by Todd Gladfelter, New Ringgold.

“The festival is two fold,” Cooper said. “It is for the children to come and get comfortable with art and to be around good art and it is to expose the general public to what this area has to offer.”

Cooper said The Arts Barn has more than 120 resident artists.

“We are constantly taking in new artists,” she said.

Gideon Brown, 5, of Pottsville, held his ears as he watched Gladfelter cut through the wood Saturday.

“It’s pretty cool,” he said. “I think he is making a swan.”

His parents, Jennie Kramer and Kent Brown, said it was their first time at the festival.

“It’s close to home and there are a lot of kids’ activities,” Kramer said. “They have a nice variety of crafts and other vendors.”

A 39-year-old man charged by Pottsville police with sexual abuse of children stemming from an incident in June 2014, waived his right to a preliminary hearing Monday morning.

Ronald Henry Tobias Jr., whose last known address was 306 W. Market St., Apt. 1, was scheduled to appear before Magisterial District Judge James K. Reiley, Pottsville, on charges of involuntary deviant sexual intercourse, corruption of minors, aggravated indecent assault and another sexual-related offense, all felony offenses, along with misdemeanor charge of indecent assault.

By waiving his right to a hearing, Tobias will now have to answer to all the charges against him in Schuylkill County Court.

Police Capt. Steven Guers charged Tobias with incidents at his apartment between June 1 and 30, 2014.

Guers, in his affidavit of probable cause, said the crimes came to light in August when a 10-year-old girl reported being sexually abused by Tobias.

As the investigation moved forward, Guers said, earlier this month the girl was interviewed, with the assistance of Schuylkill County Children & Youth Services, after she told a counselor that she was sexually abused.

The abuse occurred while the girl was visiting Tobias at his former address at 306 W. Market St., Apt. 1, court papers said.

Tobias, who is currently an inmate at the Schuylkill County Prison, was subsequently at City Hall and admitted he had indecent contact with the girl, consistent with the story the girl told investigators, Pottsville Police Chief Richard F. Wojciechowsky said.

He added that Tobias independently corroborated details associated with the incident that would only have been known by the child victim and the assailant.

Guers said that during the interview, Tobias admitted telling the girl not to tell anyone what happened and that he wanted the child to know that he was sorry and that “it will never happen again.”

HARRISBURG — Pennsylvania’s chief justice declined Monday to join calls by other elected state officials for embattled Attorney General Kathleen Kane’s resignation, saying that is a purely personal decision for her.

Kane remains a member of the Bar of the Supreme Court despite the court order a week ago temporarily suspending her law license effective Oct. 21, Supreme Court Justice Thomas Saylor told the Pennsylvania Press Club.

That means she can continue as attorney general under the state Constitution, but cannot act as an attorney to execute office documents or sign indictments, he said.

“You can’t function as an attorney during the period of intermediate suspension,” he said.

Saylor said the attorney general’s office has some fairly competent people in top jobs, including first deputy Bruce Beemer, to handle the legal duties.

Kane spokesman Chuck Ardo said there is an intensive review underway within the office to determine which of Kane’s duties are legal or administrative in nature.

The court suspended Kane’s license after criminal charges were filed against her for leaking secret grand jury information to a reporter. However, Saylor said the court followed a due process with the suspension order. The court considered a petition from the Disciplinary Board of the Supreme Court that focused more on issues of professional conduct than the criminal charges, he said.

Kane can appeal the suspension order, but there is no word yet whether she will.

Kane has felt singled out from the very inception of the leak case, which is not that uncommon and seldom if ever prosecuted, Ardo said.

Last week, Kane said she planned to respond to media Right-to-Know requests seeking release of pornographic emails found in the computer service of the attorney general’s office. These include emails of law enforcement officials and judges, she said.

The Administrative Office of Pennsylvania Courts has asked that any emails involving judges be sent to the state board that investigates judicial misconduct, Saylor said.

Some questionable emails have been referred to the Judicial Conduct Board, Ardo said.

The Pottsville Bureau of Police is in the process of field-testing body-worn cameras for officers of the department, a device that will benefit both the officers and the members of the public they deal with on a daily basis.

Police Chief Richard F. Wojciechowsky said that earlier this year independent research, in addition to discussions with the supervisory staff and patrol officers, led to his determination there were many positive results that could be realized by equipping city police officers with body-worn cameras.

The chief said he approached Mayor James T. Muldowney with information about obtaining and utilizing cameras and received a positive reaction.

“Mayor Muldowney was immediately receptive to the idea and consistent in his policy to ensure our police department remains a top level organization,” Wojciechowsky said of the mayor.

Muldowney spoke to city council members, and there was a unanimous decision to support the idea and proceed with the long-term steps necessary to achieve implementation and use of the body-worn cameras, the chief said.

“The continuing high level of cooperation between the current elected officials and the police department has enhanced the effectiveness of our policing in many ways,” Wojciechowsky said.

Wojciechowsky said the use of body-worn cameras will go one step further in showing the professionalism of his department.

“I have absolute confidence in our officers and their job performance on a daily basis,” the chief said. “Body-worn cameras would provide constant documentation of that professionalism and endless examples of protection and services provided by the Pottsville Bureau of Police in the City of Pottsville,” he said.

Wojciechowsky said use of body worn cameras would also serve to reinforce the existing public trust in Pottsville police officers and build on the very positive relationship that they currently have with the community they serve.

“This endeavor is not a reactionary movement to any type of negative situation but is actually a proactive step to increase established citizen confidence in our department,” Wojciechowsky said.

Use of body-worn cameras provides for an internal resource for continued improvement by way of regular reviews and evaluation of policing procedures and investigative methods.

Like any successful entity, the chief said members of the department hold themselves to the highest standards possible.

“And while we are extremely proud of our performance, we are never satisfied regardless of how good it is,” Wojciechowsky said. “Avoiding complacency and constantly working together to improve are characteristics of the Pottsville Bureau of Police and display our historical commitment to sustained success.”

Officers are in the process of field testing various models of body-worn cameras available, taking into account the size and durability of the equipment, ease of use and functional reliability, as well as the field of vision, audio capabilities, low lighting recording and more. “The device we choose needs to meet all our demands but yet not be so cumbersome as to be a hindrance to the officer in his daily operations.”

He noted that the use of body-worn cameras is a physical reminder for officers to continue to act just as they have prior — as true professionals.

Wojciechowsky said that through research by the department, its own field testing and on reports from other departments around the country, the use of the cameras encourage more positive behavior in certain citizens who are otherwise prone to possibly escalating a police encounter with negative behavior.

“The realization that someone’s actions are being recorded and documented has, in certain situations, served to assist in avoiding physical confrontations and/or arrests that may otherwise have occurred,” the chief said. “In so doing, it also serves to better protect the public and our officers.”

“With all the positive attributes use of the cameras bring, it’s important to note that the devices are not an end-all, be-all to evaluate a situation experienced in real time by officers processing multiple inputs of information in addition to the sight picture shown on the camera,” Wojciechowsky said. “More accurately, they are an additional tool to assess and help understand what took place.”

Wojciechowsky said all of the video footage being taken during the field testing is analyzed to determine the best camera for the department’s purposes and is then deleted. The footage is not currently being used or stored for evidentiary purposes.

In addition to field testing, avenues of funding are being explored to purchase not only the cameras but mounting hardware, warranties and accessories as well as the ongoing costs of data storage and data reproduction.

Wojciechowsky said numerous items have to be discussed prior to purchasing the cameras, which can cost as much as $800 and $900 each.

“The device needed to ensure reliable documentation for a continuous eight hour time period and withstand the rigors of police work is specially manufactured and marketed for law enforcement,” he said. “Coupled with a market experiencing high demand for the product, current pricing is not very competitive between the suppliers. It’s a sellers’ market right now.”

With 23 members in the Pottsville Bureau of Police, the chief said the number of cameras needed is being discussed along with what method of storage will be used.

Storage of the data can be done either in house on secured computers or on a government encrypted cloud server. This data will also require manpower for full time administration and dissemination as needed, the chief said.

Determining how the system and cameras will be paid for, along with the data storage issues, are only two thirds of the review currently underway.

Wojciechowsky said he is currently developing the Policy and Procedures program necessary prior to the cameras becoming operational.

“The factors that must be taken into account for this policy are extensive,” he said. “The document needs to utilize the best practices for all the stakeholders involved while protecting the citizens and officers, and also the City of Pottsville, as a potential liable party.”

After the policies are in place, funding is earmarked, and the cameras and storage options are purchased, every officer will receive training to ensure their proper use.

“It would be unfair and irresponsible to simply distribute the cameras and put them in use without providing our officers with proper training and education on the equipment, and I would never put them in a situation that was a disadvantage to them in any way,” the chief said.

While no definitive time line is in place for the official start of the program, Wojciechowsky said once the department is able to purchase the right equipment and have the best data storage plan in place, it begins officially using the equipment in the field.

The chief said this will only be done “as soon as I’m confident we are ready to do so in a manner that is best for the citizens and our department.”

Deeds

Delano Township — James V. Flaim to James V. Flaim; 10-12 Walnut St., Delano; $1.

East Union Township — Wilfredo C. and Teresita C. Velasquez to Eagle Rock Resort Co.; Lot 6WSS5, Eagle Rock; $10,159.19.

Eagle Rock Resort Co. to Rowena C. and Rene Sanchez; Lot 49WSS4, Eagle Rock; $41,309.

Kyle R. Urban to Charles T. Urban; property on West Pine Street, Sheppton; $1.

Eagle Rock Resort Co. to Tommy O. and Glenda Opinaldo; Lot 83HF3, Eagle Rock; $46,359.

Vanessa Leslie Ilagan and Princesita Conte-Dillon to Eagle Rock Resort Co.; Lot 288HF3, Eagle Rock; $4,784.89.

Eagle Rock Resort Co. to Joselito M. and Teresa Casupanan; Lot 288HF3, Eagle Rock; $40,299.

Eagle Rock Resort Co. to Juanita L. Tibayan and Pedro Langit; Lot 344HF3, Eagle Rock; $39,289.

Eagle Rock Resort Co. to Reynaldo and Crispina Tenorlaas; Lot 214HF4, Eagle Rock; $39,289.

Eagle Rock Resort Co. to Jose A. and Rosalia M. Dasilva; Lot 76WS, Eagle Rock; $87,800.

Gordon — Danielle Ostrom and Kimberly A. Chikotas, executrices of the Estate of Ronald A. Chikotas, to Nicholas D. and Janelle Chikotas; 205 Hobart St.; $1.

Hegins Township — Jean M. Fetterolf to Zachery Huber; 527 E. Chestnut St., Hegins; $108,000.

Hubley Township — Christopher M. Updegrave to Christopher M. and Wendy L. Updegrave; 2224 E. Main St., Sacramento; $1.

Kline Township — Patrick J. and Sharon G. Gallagher to Edward Yachera; property on Route 309, South McAdoo; $40,000.

Joseph G. Groody, sheriff of Schuylkill County, to Wells Fargo Bank NA; 624 Mountain Top Terrace; $1,167.24.

Mahanoy City — Hope A. Jones to Dorothy M. Sladek; 413 W. Mahanoy Ave.; $9,000.

James S. and Madeline Drewes to Harrising Realty LLC; 112 E. Market St.; $8,000.

Mahanoy Township — Frank Filiziani to Timothy C. and Elizabeth R. Miller; 49 St. Ann St., Buck Mountain; $5,000.

Minersville — Brian and Karen A. Coyle to Genotpil LLC; property on Cherry Street; $36,500.

Kenneth S. Lipsett, individually and as executor of the Estate of Irene Scholato, to Kenneth S. Lipsett and Joseph E. Lipsett; 101 N. Front St.; $1.

The Gratz Bank to Gary Horst; 453 Sunbury St.; $7,800.

John T. Farrell, individually and as attorney in fact for Margaret M. Farrell, and Timothy Q. Farrell to Celmer Group Inc.; 103 Front St.; $17,500.

North Manheim Township — Secretary of Housing and Urban Development to Bank of America NA; 83 Builtwell Road, Renninger Haven; $1.

Kevin R. Richards and Carly A. Richards, co-executors of the Estate of Bonnie J. Richards, to Kevin R. Richards and Carly A. Richards; 139 Seven Stars Road; $1.

Norwegian Township — Jack and Ellen Aughenbaugh to Michael R. and Karen Muncy; 36 Tall Oaks Drive; $379,500.

Pine Grove Township — Joseph G. Groody, sheriff of Schuylkill County, to Federal National Mortgage Association; 16 Geary Wolfe Road; $1,225.63.

Charles E. and Clara May Dowlin to Helen A. Lengle; 515 Honeysuckle Court, Swatara Village; $144,900.

Port Carbon — Anna Mae Bondura to David R. Bondura, Beth A. Jenkins, Thomas J. Bondura and Michael S. Bondura; 135 Jackson St.; $1.

Port Clinton — Federal National Mortgage Association to Frederick A. Winkler; 942 South St.; $32,000.

Porter Township — Frank A. and Carol A. Kasper to Frank A. and Carol A. Kasper; property at Grand Avenue and Terry Street; $1.

Pottsville — Secretary of Housing and Urban Development to Imobiliaria LLC; 1027 Laurel St.; $5,150.

Ringtown — Joseph G. Groody, sheriff of Schuylkill County, to Federal National Mortgage Association; 112 W. Vine St.; $1,175.24.

Jason Keller to Blackstone Funding LLC and Watermelon Realty LLC; 1 15th St.; $30,000.

Blackstone Funding LLC and Watermelon Realty LLC to Enma Menjivar; 1 15th St.; $155,000.

Rush Township — Joseph T. and Bernadette M. Hafer to Gerard Christopher Poko; 123 Cumberland Ave., Hometown; $125,000.

A Shenandoah man and woman were charged Monday with running a credit card fraud operation that made more than $140,000 in illegal purchases.

State police at Wyoming and Bethlehem charged Carrie F. Aker, 43, and Mario M. Valentine, 32, both of 230 W. Oak St.

Aker and Valentine were charged with one felony count each of theft by deception, receiving stolen property, access device fraud, criminal use of a communications facility, conspiracy to commit theft by deception, conspiracy to commit receiving stolen property, conspiracy to commit access device fraud and conspiracy to commit criminal use of a communications facility.

They are also charged with misdemeanor offenses of conspiracy to commit possessing instruments of crime, conspiracy to commit unlawful device making equipment, possessing instruments of crime, unlawful device making equipment, access device fraud and conspiracy to commit access device fraud.

Aker and Valentine were arraigned by Magisterial District Judge James K. Reiley, Pottsville, and committed to Schuylkill County Prison in lieu of 10 percent of $25,000 bail each.

Troopers Edward Urban of Troop P, Wyoming, and Michael Everk of Troop M, Bethlehem, charged Valentine and Aker stemming from incidents that occurred between Oct. 1, 2013 and Sept. 3, 2014.

Police said that, in their West Oak Street home, the two had a credit card embosser and magnetic stripe card reader-writer and used the items to make counterfeit credit cards.

Valentine and Aker made credit cards using fraudulently obtained credit card information to create counterfeit credit cards under alias names for their own personal use.

During the 11 months the crimes were being committed, police said the two used the fake credit cards to make purchases totaling $145,866.59 at stores in Schuylkill, Luzerne, Dauphin and other counties throughout Pennsylvania.

Among the many stores the cards were used were Weis Market in Hazleton, Turkey Hill stores, Kmart, Home Depot stores, McDonald’s restaurants, Sears, Cracker Barrel restaurants and numerous others.

In addition to making the fraudulent purchases, police said the Aker and Valentine attempted make additional purchases totaling $40,250.54 but those sales were declined.

Both Valentine and Aker will now have to answer to the charges against them before Magisterial District Judge Anthony J. Kilker, Shenandoah.

ORWIGSBURG — Current and former students, parents and an instructor of the Schuylkill Technology Center made their voices heard to the Blue Mountain School District on Thursday.

Right now, 98 students attend the STC, but the district paid for 114 seats. One student said the district should “just reduce,” the amount of seats, but, as Superintendent Robert Urzillo said, they can’t do that.

“We cannot afford to spend that amount of money for unused seats,” Urzillo said about the $282,000 it costs the district to send students to the STC.

“I bleed blue and white,” Cole Rarick, 20, of Orwigsburg, a former student and 2014 graduate of the Schuylkill Technology Center, said.

He said STC is more than a school, it is like a family for those who attend.

“You’re always told if you have a dream, go after it. When you go to Vo-Tech, you learn a lot more than a trade. It’s a whole community of kids coming together,” he told the school board.

He said he did not blame the school board for the unfilled seats, which the district still has to pay for, but the counselors.

Urzillo said the guidance counselor’s role is to “help give kids advice. That is why they are there,” he said.

The approximately 45-minute discussion had both sides giving passionate responses. The issue of the STC has been ongoing for more than a year. No decisions have been made yet, but Urzillo said the district has to be responsible in how it spends its funds.

“We are concerned with the funding structure. That is our sole concern,” Urzillo told the crowd.

He said the district cannot deny students the right to attend the school, as it is state law. Students could still attend if they are not part of STC.

He then provided background information for the students and those attending who may not be familiar with the issue. The statement is also posted on the district website, www.bmsd.org. In essence it says the district has been paying for unused seats.

School board President Heather Gosch said the district is not voting in the near future. “We have no vote set on it,” she said.

School board member Scott Reichert said the best thing students can do is to talk to family and friends to fill the extra seats. A couple people in attendance said their children were discouraged from attending STC. Joanne Spehrley, New Ringgold, who has 2 children in the district, suggested the children form a club.

David Lakfo, a school board member, said the board is trying to do things to promote the STC. For example, a meeting was held previously and not a lot of people attended.

“Are there problems with kids being discouraged? It sure sounds like it,” Lafko said.

The board has said before they are not against the STC.

“Look in my eyes. We want Vo-Tech education. We don’t want to drop out of Vo-Tech,” Herman Fligge, school board member, said.

Andy Wollyung, plumbing and heating instructor at the South Schuylkill campus, said he sees the students put forth a lot of effort daily.

“Changing the funding formula is only fair,” Urzillo said.

ORWIGSBURG — Seven people attended a focus group discussion held Monday at the Blue Mountain High School while the school searches for a new leader for the district.

Superintendent Robert Urzillo is retiring when his contract expires Jan. 31. The board accepted his retirement in June. For about an hour, those attending talked about what they are looking for in a superintendent, what skills and strengths he or she should have and issues within the district.

Two former school board members were among those attending, former President Mary Jo Moss and Carl McAloose.

Tom Templeton, project manager for Templeton Advantage, conducted the meeting. Earlier in the day, Templeton said teachers and administrators met at the high school to offer their thoughts for the process. Templeton said he is helping the district with the transition and whatever else they might need pertaining to the change.

“I’m here for the next six months or so,” he said, adding that that means he will not be in the district daily but will help in guiding the process.

He will submit information to the board at a later date. Heather Gosch, school board president, said information will be shared with the public.

Urzillo and the school board did not attend the meeting.

Better communication and respect were mentioned as qualities needed. Several said they would like to see the school board and superintendent at more public events in the district.

Kent Steinmetz, who lives in the area, said he is looking for someone who is a “leader, not a boss.”

Alicia Keller, a mother with children in the district, said she would like to see the next superintendent be more of a people person.

“We need to have somebody empathetic and compassionate,” she said.

She said the leadership in the district is lacking, referring to the superintendent and the school board.

“All of our district problems come back to leadership. We have very poor leadership,” she said.

Despite the leadership problems, she said she likes the school.

Amy Lechleitner, a third-grade teacher in the district who was there as a member of the district, said the next superintendent should want to be involved in the community.

“I think we need somebody who has a vested interest,” she said.

Moss said the next superintendent should have “a real strong base in curriculum” and be savvy in social media. They should also work with the staff. She also would want to know how they address change in general for the district.

“What’s their personality, and how would they handle change?” she asked.

She would also like to have better rapport with area school districts.

“We don’t have a very good reputation of collaborating with other districts,” Moss said.

McAloose said the next superintendent should have a “vision” for what he wishes to accomplish for the district. He said the superintendent or perhaps an assistant superintendent should be out in the schools more but said the geographic layout of the district might make that hard.

“It’s almost like five different worlds out there,” he said in talking about the five school buildings.

Jodi Baldwin said professionalism on all levels within the district is important.

“I’d like to see more transparency. I feel that the district lacks transparency,” she said.

She was disappointed more people did not attend the meeting but understands they might have other obligations.

“I am disappointed ... We were given and opportunity here,” she said.

Templeton said he appreciated the dialogue from the public. He is not disappointed more people did not attend, saying it isn’t uncommon.

The next step will be the selecting and interviewing of candidates for the position, he said.

ORWIGSBURG — John R. “Jack” Bertolet Jr., president of J. Bertolet Volkswagen, said he was upset about hearing the news about the defeat device installed in Volkswagen diesel cars.

“You always feel upset and discouraged because we’ve been with Volkswagen for 51 years. This is a company that has always treated us with respect, has always taken care of us, has always taken care of our customers, so at first you just feel a little dirty. You don’t know why, but anytime you’re accused of something like that, it certainly isn’t comfortable,” he said Monday.

He said the Orwigsburg dealership didn’t have any advance warning about the news.

“We were notified the same time the public was. We had no idea what was going on,” he said.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency issued a notice of violation, or NOV, on Sept. 18 to Volkswagen alleging that four-cylinder Volkswagen and Audi diesel cars ranging from 2009-15 have software that evades EPA emissions standards for certain air pollutants, according to the EPA.

“As de-scribed in the NOV, a sophisticated software algorithm on certain Volkswagen vehicles detects when the car is undergoing official emissions testing, and turns full emissions controls on only during the test. The effectiveness of these vehicles’ pollution emissions control devices is greatly reduced during all normal driving situations. This results in cars that meet emissions standards in the laboratory or testing station, but during normal operation, emit nitrogen oxides, or NOx, at up to 40 times the standard. The software produced by Volkswagen is a “defeat device,” as defined by the Clean Air Act.

The Clean Air Act requires vehicle manufacturers to certify to EPA that their products will meet applicable federal emission standards to control air pollution, and every vehicle sold in the U.S. must be covered by an EPA-issued certificate of conformity. Motor vehicles equipped with defeat devices, which reduce the effectiveness of the emission control system during normal driving conditions, cannot be certified. By making and selling vehicles with defeat devices that allowed for higher levels of air emissions than were certified to EPA, Volkswagen violated two important provisions of the Clean Air Act,” the statement reads.

The company has since said that it involves 11 million vehicles worldwide. The CEO of the company resigned and a new one was appointed. Before he resigned, Martin Winterkorn apologized and said the company would cooperate with those involved and has ordered an investigation. The Volkswagen vehicles involved are Jetta TDI (model years 2009-15), Jetta SportWagen TDI (2009-14), Golf TDI (2010-15), Golf SportWagen TDI (2015), Beetle TDI and Beetle Convertible TDI (2012-15) and Passat TDI (2012-15).

J. Bertolet Volkswagen also apologized via Facebook post Friday.

“To our loyal customers, family, and friends: We at J. Bertolet Volkswagen would like to personally apologize to each and every customer that has been affected by the violation by Volkswagen of the EPA emissions standards. We are working diligently behind the scenes with both our team and Volkswagen to do everything we can to resolve this issue in a timely manner. We understand that you may have questions in regard to your Volkswagen and encourage you to email or call us to personally discuss any questions or concerns that you may have. We will share more information as soon as we have it. Thank you for your patience as we seek a resolution to this issue. Sincerely, The team at J. Bertolet Volkswagen.”

Bertolet said the message was posted to keep the customers informed.

“It was important to us to get that out and let them know we care and how much we rely on their support as well,” he said.

So far, the public has been “extremely supportive. Very kind. They love their cars. That is the first thing they will tell you. They’re just concerned that we’re going to be OK. We’ve had one negative response from a customer. Actually, we expected that. We expected more than we got. Everybody is entitled to support from us and support from our company. We understand that there is going to be people that feel uncomfortable but we’re here to make sure they get treated right,” he said.

He personally has received hugs from customers.

“It’s the most gratifying feeling you can get,” he said.

The lone upset customer, a Hazleton resident, had purchased a 2015 Jetta TDI within the last two months.

“He felt that we should take the car back from him,” Bertolet said.

However, the customer who called spoke with Bertolet’s brother, Blayne Bertolet, vice president of the dealership.

Bertolet said his brother told the customer that he would be “taken care of and that he should be comfortable knowing that his car was safe and it was not a safety recall,” he said.

Bertolet said the customer realized that the circumstances require additional time for a resolution.

Michael Horn, president and CEO of VW of America, said the company is working to resolve the issue and understands owners are upset.

“We understand that owners of the cars affected by the emissions compliance issues are upset. We ask our valued customers for their patience as we address this issue as quickly as we can. You may have noticed that we have stopped advertising our latest TDI models. We did this as an interim step while we seek the government approvals that will allow us to offer our 2.0L 4-cylinder TDI models for sale. We are committed to making this right and preventing it from ever happening again. We will bring these TDI vehicles into compliance with the federal and state emissions regulations. Along with our parent company, Volkswagen AG, we are committed to do what must be done and begin to restore your trust,” Horn said in a statement.

On the lot at the dealer in Orwigsburg, several TDIs had sold stickers on them, though the dealership will not be selling them.

“We stopped selling all new and used TDIs,” Bertolet said of the vehicles, which make up 35 percent of the dealership’s business.

Six Volkswagen Jettas TDIs and three Golf SportWagen TDIs remained on the lot. The sold stickers were placed on the cars when the dealership heard about the emissions issue, Bertolet said.