The stations of the cross were brought to life on Palm Sunday at St. John the Baptist Roman Catholic Church, Pottsville.

It was the 32nd year that members of the church, and friends from other parishes, performed the Dramatic Stations of the Cross at the church.

“It’s very important to put the path that Jesus took and what he did for us in real context,” Robert DeColli, co-director of the performance with Rick Smith, said. “When people get to see what he did, it means a lot more and we bring that to life.”

DeColli said they try to add something new to each year’s performance. This year, a strobe light and fog machine were used to add effects when Jesus was being beaten and crucified.

More than 50 people, plus the choir, were involved in this year’s production, including those from other parishes.

“We are all Christians and all share in the story of Christ and we welcome everyone,” DeColli said. “As Christ invited everyone to his table, we invite everyone to our table.”

Jim Blackwell has been involved with the Dramatic Stations at the church for 29 years and has played the devil for the last nine.

“It’s part of my Easter service and I portray whoever they want me to,” Blackwell said. “I played every part but Mary and Jesus and now they can’t get anyone else to play the devil.”

“It’s really a beautiful program each year and it’s fun to do,” Blackwell said.

John F. Vuksta has been part of the program for 17 years and played Jesus for the last 12.

“I started as Barabbas and moved my way up the corporate ladder,” he said.

Before joining the cast, Vuksta said he came to watch the performance every year.

“This is very moving to me. Obviously, it means a lot to play the big guy,” Vuksta said.

Mike Ambrose played Caiaphas, a Jewish high priest. Ambrose has been a part of the cast for about 25 years.

“It’s a nice way to reach out to the people who want to learn more about the passion of our Lord,” he said.

Joining the cast this year was the Rev. Larry Jefferson of In Line with Christ Ministries, Frackville, his wife, Denise, and two daughters. Jefferson said he was invited by members of the congregation to join them.

“We want a fellowship with them and they with us,” he said. “That’s very important. As a pastor of a church, I think we must be together with all churches.”

Jefferson, who played the apostle Andrew, said the live stations gives people a better understanding of Jesus’s death and resurrection.

“I think people will have a better understanding of the meaning of this week — Passion week,” he said.

The parish will also present the Dramatic Stations of the Cross at 7:30 p.m. Friday. The choir begins at 7:15 p.m.

The state Department of Transportation maintenance personnel will be out in force this week doing pothole patching, drainage work, crack sealing and brush cutting.

The work will be done in the Borough of Saint Clair and Union, Frailey, Foster, Mahanoy and Blythe townships and the City of Pottsville. Work will start today and be completed by Friday. There may be lane restrictions and flagging depending on the municipalities motorists travel through from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. Inclement weather such as rain will not delay the projects.

The following work will occur:

• Pothole patching in Union Township on Everts Flats between Ringtown and Nuremberg and on Interstate 81 in Mahanoy Township between Exit 124 (Frackville) and Exit 131 (Mahanoy City.)

• Drainage work in Frailey and Foster townships on Interstate 81 between Exit 107 (Route 209) and Exit 119 (Highridge Park.)

• Crack sealing in Blythe Township on Mountain Road between New Philadelphia and Orwigsburg.

• Brush cutting in Saint Clair on Route 61 between Saint Clair and Pottsville.

Sunday was the beginning of Holy Week in preparation for Easter Sunday one week later, and the tradition in many churches involved the blessing and distribution of palm leaves and pussy willow branches.

Palms are traditionally blessed in Western Christian churches such as Roman Catholic, Anglican/Episcopal and Lutheran on Palm Sunday. The tradition in Eastern Christian churches, such as St. Michael Ukrainian Catholic Church, Shenandoah, is the branches of the willow tree are blessed on Flowery Sunday.

Monsignor Myron Grabowsky, pastor, blessed the pussy willow branches and palms at the Sunday morning Divine Liturgy. Willow branches standing about 6 feet tall were in two large vases on both sides of the Royal Doors, which are located in the center of the icon wall called the “iconostasis” and that lead into the sanctuary where the altar is located.

A table filled with pussy willows and palms was placed in front of the iconostasis. If possible, the pussy willow branches are collected by parishioners where they live, either from their properties or in the wild.

“We always forget that we should place ourselves in the time of Jesus and also place ourselves in the time and events that took place in the Gospel reading,” Grabowsky said in his homily, referring to the Gospel reading that included Jesus having a dinner in the home of his friend Lazarus, whom Jesus raised from the dead, along with Lazarus’ sisters, Martha and Mary, and others.

“We’re a lot like Lazarus. Many of us are entombed by many things that have accumulated in our lives,” Grabowsky said. “Jesus wants to show us that just like Lazarus, who was four days in a tomb, we been entombed for many years.”

Near the conclusion of the Divine Liturgy, Grabowsky, assisted by altar servers Joel Caputo, Luke Caputo and Noah Swaldi, incensed the pussy willows and palm, followed by sprinkling them with holy water. After the blessing, people came to the front for the anointing with holy oil and then selected their blessed willow branches and palms to bring home as sacramentals.

The Divine Liturgy was offered for the late Stanley G. Rakowsky, who had served for more than two decades as superintendent of the Shenandoah Valley School District and had recently passed away. Members of his family attended the Divine Liturgy in a group. After the Divine Liturgy, a reception with coffee and doughnuts was held in church hall sponsored by the Greater Shenandoah Area Chamber of Commerce and Shenandoah Rotary Club.

Grabowsky reminded the congregation that the sacrament of Holy Anointing will be administered on Great and Holy Wednesday at 6 p.m. in the church.

“The traditional custom in the Eastern Catholic and all Eastern Christian churches is that on Wednesday there is a healing service, which is a very special service because it prepares us for Holy Thursday, Good Friday and, ultimately, for the Resurrection of our Lord,” Grabowsky said.

The Wednesday service will begin with the Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts, during which time the healing service will be held after the reading of the Gospel.

In Pottsville, the Right Rev. Sean Rowe, bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Bethlehem, celebrated Palm Sunday service with members of Trinity Episcopal Church, 200 S. Second St.

“It’s the beginning of our Holy Week and it takes us from Jesus’s entry into Jerusalem and into his crucifixion and resurrection on Sunday,” Rowe said.

Rowe blessed the palms held by the parishioners and told them that it too was the start of their journey.

“I reminded them about the journey that we are on as Christians,” Rowe said after the service. “On Palm Sunday, the apostles were beginning to find their voice and we as Christians need to find our voice to spread peace and love to a world that desperately needs to hear that message. The death of Jesus was not the final word. God always has the final word and that final word is one of resurrection and peace.”

Rowe said it was the first time he celebrated service at the parish and that he was invited by the congregation.

“This is a parish also in a transition and I wanted to be with them through that,” Rowe said.

Trinity Episcopal has not yet named a new rector.

“It’s a unique place of worship and the people here are clearly engaged in ministry in their community,” Rowe said.

SHENANDOAH HEIGHTS — The Greater Shenandoah Area Chamber of Commerce will focus more this year on raising funds for its Christmas lighting program to promote more donations to the community project.

Chamber officers and members discussed the topic during Wednesday’s meeting at Ridgeview Healthcare and Rehabilitation Center, which hosts the chamber meeting every other month. Chamber secretary Betty Ann Bugden, who co-chairs the lighting committee, spoke about the program.

“This is the first year we didn’t purchase anything (decorations),” Bugden said. “Our financial support from the citizens of the borough wasn’t as great as we had expected. There were some businesses that didn’t contribute who normally did, although some gave more than they did before. But there were so few individuals. And I always say that if each working individual in Shenandoah would just drop of one dollar for our Christmas lights, we could do a lot more for our town.”

Electrical repairs will be needed, Bugden said, so it was necessary to conserve funds.

“We still looking for donations and I hope next season will be better than the last one,” Bugden said.

Chamber President Marie Poppoff said the chamber focused more this past year on finding a new person to install the lights, and now that has been solved, efforts can concentrate the chamber’s energy on fundraising.

In his report to the chamber, Shenandoah Borough Council President Donald E. Segal said borough employees will be working on the streets soon.

“We’ve been waiting for the weather to break so can get at those giant potholes,” Segal said. “We got 20 tons of blacktop in.”

Segal also spoke of the Gold Star Bridge replacement project that began last week.

“The bridge project is coming along,” Segal said. “There’s a lot of controversy, but what are you going to do? It has to be done. Those steel beams are very rotted so it’s a good thing they’re doing it. By June or July, they’ll be in pretty good shape.”

The state Department of Transportation project will replace the bridge, beginning with the southbound lanes. Traffic has been delayed since traffic in both lanes can only use one northbound lane. When the side being worked on now is completed, work will begin on the remaining side and there will be two lanes open then until the work is completed by December.

“And a lot of people are finding detours,” Poppoff said.

Deeds

Hegins Township — James T. Anoia and Susan D. Ludwig to Susan Diana Ludwig; 106 Wood Lane, Hegins; $1.

Minersville — Christiana Trust to ARNS Inc.; 530 Sunbury St.; $10.

ARNS Inc. to RESI REO Sub LLC; 530 Sunbury St.; $10.

RESI REO Sub LLC to Kaja Holdings 2; 530 Sunbury St.; $6,825.

Pine Grove — Terry L. Etzweiler Jr. to Travis J. Levan; 56 N. Tulpehocken St.; $25,000.

NEW PHILADELPHIA — More than 30 people attended the March meeting of the New Philadelphia Crime Watch Association that featured a program on the dangers of identity theft.

Janene M. Holter, senior supervisory special agent with the state Office of the Attorney General, spoke about current “scams” circulating to steal money from unsuspecting residents of the commonwealth as well as ways to protect one’s self from becoming a victim.

Holter, an agent for 17 years, stressed the importance of people never carrying their Social Security card on them on a regular basis and only taking it when it will be needed.

She also warned that medical cards, such as Medicare, may also contain the person’s Social Security number and should be guarded by the owner.

Another part of the program Holter called “Invasion of the Identity Snatchers” explained how criminals are using computer scams, telling users that they can apply for credit cards, win trips at ridiculously low prices or even have their credit repaired.

These websites will ask for personal information such as a name, address, telephone number, bank information and Social Security numbers.

“Never, ever give this information out to someone you do not know or someone you did not contact personally for a particular reason,” she said.

“Criminals troll the Internet on a daily basis,” Holter said.

Crimes involving scams dealing with cellphones are also on the rise and increasing with the accessibility of the mobile devices.

“Out of the world’s estimated seven billion people, six billion have access to mobile phones but only 4.5 billion have access to working toilets,” Holter said.

She stressed that cellphone users often use Facebook to post things like “going on vacation tomorrow” or photos showing them on vacation. Such postings let the criminal element know the person is away, leaving their property vulnerable to thefts.

In addition, criminals often make “friend” requests on Facebook and subsequently trick the victim into providing information that is then used to withdraw money through various methods.

Among the most recent scams are requests for donations to charitable organizations, lottery or sweepstakes winners and family emergencies or requests for financial assistance.

Should a person receive requests such as those, or requests that do not seem on the “up and up” they should simply ignore them, delete the emails or throw written requests in the trash can.

Holter also told the group easy ways not to become a victim of identity theft by never giving out personal information, never provide banking or credit card information and never complete unsolicited surveys or pop ups.

In addition, she said residents should never donate before they verify a charity, never trust the caller ID display, never withdraw cash or “wire” cash to a stranger and never pay for taxes or fees from an advanced check in hopes of a larger payout later.

Regarding the Internet, Holter urged residents to use unusual passwords, have firewalls and security software updated, don’t open emails from unknown people, do not complete online surveys or forms and don’t provide personal information to anyone.

If a person becomes a victim of identity theft, they should contact police immediately and file a report, immediately close all accounts, open new accounts with a new PIN number, start a secure file for all correspondence and place a Fraud Alert with all three major credit bureaus.

“Staying alert and keeping an eye on credit card or bank accounts is the best way to avoid becoming a victim of identity theft,” Holter said.

Prior to the presentation, association President John Bondura said the group recently implemented “incident reports” that members can fill out regarding suspicious activity. The reports are then given to the police department for follow-up investigation if needed.

“We are the eyes and ears of the community. Be observant, identify situations and report if it something is out of the ordinary,” he said.

“One little piece of information can break a case, pay attention to what’s going on around you,” Bondura told the group.

n Gilberton: The Gilberton Methodist Church, Main Street, will sponsor a fish dinner from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Friday. The cost is $10 for adults and $6 for children. Meals will include baked or breaded haddock, mac and cheese, stewed tomatoes, pepper cabbage and dessert. For more information, call 570-874-2455.

n Hometown: More than $20,000 worth of prizes will be awarded to lucky supporters of the Men of Marian’s 26th annual Chinese auction, to be held April 1 and 3 at the high school. There will be no preview night. The auction will be available to the public at 11 a.m. April 3. Bidding will take place until 2:30 p.m. that day. Radio disc jockey Polka Joe Manjack will broadcast live from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the high school gymnasium. According to a Marian press release, the event will offer a large and valuable selection of items including a refrigerator, recliner, lawn-and-garden package, gas grill, propane gas fire pit, washer/dryer, electric fireplace, patio set, kitchen assortment, flat screen television, restaurant dine-a-round and other prizes. In a special drawing, a “Faculty Fortune Tree” filled with gift cards and valued at $1,000 will be awarded to a lucky person. Homemade food items will be available throughout the day. The auction has a goal of raising $20,000, all of which will be used to benefit high school students. For more information about the Men of Marian, its Chinese auction or other programs the group sponsors, call the high school development office at 570- 467-0641 from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. or at 570-582-0021 after hours.

n Minersville: The Minersville Area Skatepark Association will have a spaghetti dinner and bake sale from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. April 10 at the New Minersville Fire Company, 500 Line St. The cost is $7 for adults and $4 for children. The takeout dinners will include spaghetti with meat sauce and salad, and a bake sale with homemade items. To make reservations, call Bobbie at 570-294-6235.

n Pottsville: The Schuylkill Historical Society, 305 N. Centre St., will present “Women of the Civil War: Clara Barton Founder of the American Red Cross” at 6 p.m. March 30 at the society headquarters. Maureen Costello, librarian at Marian High School, will do a re-enactment of Barton, a nurse in the Civil War. She will portray Barton in full costume and with props and provide Barton’s experiences and views regarding medicine and nursing and the prejudices she faced on the battlefield. To RSVP by March 28, call 570-622-7540.

n Pottsville: The Pottsville Lions Club recently presented a check for $250 to Opportunity House of Reading, the local nonprofit agency that is responsible for identifying and finding appropriate housing for veterans, especially those who have been identified and are homeless, according to a club release. Rachael Arndt, director of the Schuylkill County Homeless Veterans Program, attended a recent club meeting and spoke to club members about the issue and the group’s concern for homeless veterans. Arndt said Opportunity House has been advocating for a wide variety of local support services for veterans including locating homeless veterans and finding them housing and link them with community services to help keep them from again becoming homeless. She said OH works closely with the housing authority and the various support and service organizations that can help veterans adjust to life in the community and overcome issues that led to them becoming homeless. She also said OH works with Servants To All and other agencies in the quest to help veterans, their spouses and families. According to the Lions Bulletin, the local club seeks to help homeless veterans and the club’s charity arm sponsors free Thanksgiving Day meals for all veterans at the All-American Café in downtown Pottsville. The club also presented a county veteran in need of viable transportation with a modified car as part of its annual car cruise and show. The club boasts more than two dozen veterans who are veterans.

n Tamaqua: Zion Lutheran Church, Mauch Chunk and Greenwood streets, is having a pie sale. The cost is $7 per pie and flavors include coconut custard, apple crumb and lemon sponge. Pickups will be 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday at the church. For more information, call 570-668-0623.

GORDON — The borough is marking its 125th anniversary this year, and plans are being considered to mark the milestone.

Borough Manager Paul Snyder has contacted the Pennsylvania Association of Boroughs with the borough council’s plan to hold a 125th anniversary celebration this summer. The borough’s quasquicentennial celebrates Gordon being incorporated as a borough in 1891, becoming a separate municipality from Butler Township. Snyder said the PSAB has offered to commemorate the event with a plaque to present at a celebration event when the date is announced or at a future council meeting.

“We’ll probably talk about that at the next meeting,” council President Michael Rader said.

The borough council had a discussion with no action taken on participating in a PPL Electric Utilities Inc. program to replace existing street lighting with energy-efficient LED lighting. PPL will replace any bulbs more than 10 years old for free. Ringtown has completed the paperwork to have its lighting changed within the next two months, and the Girardville Borough Council voted at its March meeting to participate.

Quotes are being accepted to replace the municipal building HVAC system. Ductless units were proposed, which allows separate and more efficient thermostat control. An on-demand hot water heater is recommended rather than letting the boiler run continuously. Also noted was when and if a new heating system is installed, it should be placed on the roof for easier service access. Resident Leo Rauber commented that an energy-efficiency check could be conducted for operations on saving costs.

In his reports, Snyder said a $2,402 trash lien fee was collected and deposited into the general account. The money will be forwarded to the garbage vendor at the time, Wolfgang Hauling.

Work has begun on Hobart Street water line hookups from Elm to Royer Street by PGHD Engineering Company, Huntingdon, who will also replace the laterals to those homes. Traffic congestion is expected during the two-month project, with the company doing its best to work with the residents. Traffic cones will mark the no-parking areas and school buses are being accommodated.

Snyder told the construction supervisor that the borough expects street restoration to as-new condition after the water line work is complete. This was specified due to damage still in existence from road work done on Biddle Street and Gordon Road.

Recreation Committee chairwoman Valerie Stitzer presented a park reservation schedule for April and May that will be posted on the borough website, www.gordonborough.com.

The Simpson United Methodist Church will hold its annual Trek of the Cross on Good Friday, starting at noon from the church on Biddle Street, going down Hobart to McKnight streets, and back to the church where a Good Friday service is held.

Other upcoming events were announced at the meeting. Friends of Gordon will host its annual Good Friday Egg Drop at 3 p.m. The Gordon Fish and Game Fish Rodeo will be held May 7 at the borough park. Gordon Park Ballfield Cleanup Day is April 9, and will be coordinated by volunteers from area Scouts and ball teams. Snyder added that three-fourths of the infield mix purchased last year is still available for use. Team sports ballfield reservation dates have been scheduled on a first-come, first-served basis.

The Streets Committee will plan for parking sign installation and pothole repair when asphalt is available April 1, according to Snyder. Rader offered to contact the state Department of Transportation about the maintenance of state roads running through the borough. Committee Chairman Jason Quick plans to look into the state’s COSTARS program for a new borough riding lawn tractor, salt shed pricing estimates and a front-end loader before next season.

Quick will speak with officials at Universal Forest Products about possibly placing the borough salt shed at the edge of their property and also asking for help loading road salt using UFP’s front-end loader. Cleanout of the borough garage and recycling scrap metal was discussed.

The borough council approved advertising for a part-time borough worker.

During the public portion of the meeting, resident Jess Slotcavage thanked the council for its support and action on the petition to ban commercial truck traffic from Gordon Mountain. Rader added the ban will be implemented by PennDOT this spring, along with more signage along Interstate 81 and state Route 901.

“I don’t have a firm date at this point,” Rader said.

Resident Ramon Soto mentioned he helped a truck driver looking for Wal-Mart this month, and said a sign at the bottom of the mountain directing truck traffic up would help.

The council reviewed the clearing of snow from the streets during recent winter weather events and complimented the work done.

“Everything went pretty well considering the storm we had,” Rader said. “The streets committee will take a look at how we handled snow removal and do things more efficiently for the next winter season.”

Rader said working on the roads were Snyder, a volunteer and a local contractor.

“PennDOT brought some of their trucks around for snow removal,” Rader said. “We were able to load up all of the piles into PennDOT trucks. We got some huge help from the state. You have to give credit for their drivers who were very willing to spend their time helping out the community.”

A major snow event cleanup policy will be developed and implemented with better resources and quicker response time.

The next borough council meeting has been moved to 7 p.m. April 19 in the municipal building.

Schuylkill County’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate for January is the lowest it has been since July 2007 despite a loss of about 1,200 jobs over the month.

The seasonally adjusted figure for the county fell 0.1 of percentage point to 5 percent in January, according to the latest figures released Tuesday from the state Department of Labor & Industry. Last January, the rate was 6.1 percent.

Total nonfarm jobs in the county fell 1,200 from December to 49,800. Over the year, there was a loss of about 400 jobs. Changes of 100 may be due to rounding.

“The job loss is seasonal in nature,” Jeff Newman, industry and business analyst, said Wednesday. “Every January there is job loss. Retail trade declines because the holiday shopping season is over. Mining, logging and construction goes down because of cold weather and little construction going on. Leisure and hospitality decreases due to cold and stormy weather. Professional and business services drops as temporary help is shed after the holidays. Education and health services and government decline if you have private schools or colleges or state universities on winter break.

“That is why we have seasonally adjusted unemployment rates,” Newman said. “That takes into account those expected seasonal deceases and allows the rate to be compared month-to-month. A not seasonally adjusted decrease of 1.2 percent wouldn’t tell you much. Same with the decease last April from 6.5 in March to 5.7, not seasonally adjusted, because the weather was getting warmer and many businesses were re-opening or picking up.”

Seasonally adjusted, the labor force has fallen to 67,800 for the county. It dropped from 69,500 in December and from 68,400 in January 2015.

There were 3,400 unemployed in January, according to the seasonally adjusted figures. That is down 200 from December and down 800 from January 2015. Meanwhile, 64,400 were employed. That’s a drop from 65,900 in December and a slight gain from 64,300 in January 2015.

The seasonally adjusted unemployment figure for Pennsylvania dropped 0.2 of a percentage point to 4.6 in January while the national rate fell 0.1 of a point to 4.9 percent.

The surrounding areas had the following seasonally adjusted rates in December: Allentown, Bethlehem and Easton, 4.4; Harrisburg and Carlisle, 3.6; Reading, 4; Scranton, Wilkes-Barre and Hazleton, 5.1, and Bloomsburg, Berwick and Sunbury, 4.2 percent.

BARNESVILLE — The warmer temperatures have the Ryan Township supervisors considering what streets to address in this year’s road program that will fit into the township budget.

The supervisors discussed at the March 14 meeting a proposed a program with William N. McMullen, project manager with ARRO Consulting Inc., who provided a list of possible road work.

“We had a long discussion on the road project, with Bill McMullen coming in with a project of over $400,000,” township Vice Chairman Clyde “Champ” Holman said.

Holman said the proposed list has the following streets:

• State Road, 3.91 miles

• Chee Street, 1.2 miles

• Hillside Drive, 1.38 miles

“The total cost was $483,901.55,” Holman said. “We’re saying we can probably do between $200,000 to $225,000.”

In order to narrow down the list to fit into the budget, Holman, McMullen and township road foreman John “Jack” Blew planned to go to the streets to see which street sections are the high priorities.

“Obviously, we can’t afford to do it all, but we will see what we can do,” Holman said.

In a related matter, the township will solicit bids for the use of road equipment and purchase road material.

“We asked our engineer to get the bid information ready so we can get the road project done earlier than last year,” Holman said.

In another matter, Holman said the township has received its notice for the state liquid fuels allocation for 2016, which has increased over the past few years.

“Under Act 89, which was the transportation bill that was passed two years ago, we’ve actually seen an increase,” Holman said. “In 2014, we received a little over $80,000 in liquid fuels. We got a 14 percent increase last year that took us over $90,000, and this year we received a 16 percent increase, bringing us to a little over $105,000. So local governments got a 30 percent increase over two years, and that is a big help. Act 89 has definitely been a very big help as far as liquid fuels tax for local governments. And we expect another 20 percent increase in upcoming years.”

In other business, the supervisors discussed the low usage of road salt this winter.

“We discussed the salt situation because of the winter not being so bad,” Holman said. “We’re under the COSTARS program with the state. Whether you use it or not (township allotment for road salt), you have to pay 60 percent. We may make our 60 percent, which is a savings, but it’s a double-edged sword. If you don’t use the 60 percent, you still have to pay for it but you still save some money. Last year we used over 100 percent.”

The state’s COSTARS program allows municipalities to purchase vehicles, materials and other items directly at competitive prices from companies approved by the state without the need for bidding.

Holman explained that if the township has a COSTAR allocation of 175 tons, its 60 percent minimum is 105 tons. If a municipality orders and uses only 50 percent, it will still have to pay for 60 percent. If usage is over 60 percent, then the municipality will only pay for what it purchases.

“It is still cheaper because the state buys in bulk, so therefore the municipalities who participate in this program save money,” he said.

ORWIGSBURG — The Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board had a record year in 2015, but Chairman Tim Holden is quick to deflect praise from himself to the agency’s employees.

“We work well together,” Holden, Saint Clair, said last week while attending the Friendly Sons of St. Patrick luncheon at the Schuylkill Country Club. “We have a great team in place. It’s a combined team effort.”

Holden, who served 20 years in the U.S. House of Representatives in districts that always included all of Schuylkill County, has chaired the PLCB since Feb. 17, 2015, the date Gov. Tom Wolf appointed him to the post. That appointment represented a promotion: Holden had served on the board since Nov. 13, 2013, when the state Senate unanimously approved his nomination.

“I’m just honored Governor Wolf made me chairman,” Holden said.

He said his greatest challenge as chairman is the PLCB’s split role.

“The challenge is that we have a dual mission,” Holden said. “We need to generate sales. We need to promote responsible alcohol consumption.”

That dual mission stems from Pennsylvania’s status as one of only two states — Utah is the other — that is in the business of selling as well as regulating liquor.

“I think we do both very well,” Holden said. “We invest millions of dollars in alcohol education. We take our mission of alcohol education very seriously. We have numerous initiatives.”

Schuylkill County has nine state stores, with two in the Pottsville area and one each in Ashland, Mahanoy City, Orwigsburg, Pine Grove, Schuylkill Haven, Shenandoah and Tamaqua.

Pennsylvania’s continued sale of liquor is a source of controversy. Many legislators want to end the state’s role in selling liquor, while others want to maintain part or all of the system.

Holden declined to take a position on that issue, saying his role is administration rather than the making of policy.

“(It is) up to us to administer and execute” the law as the Legislature and governor want it, he said. “Our job is to execute whatever the governor and the General Assembly agree on and we will do that to the best of our ability.”

So far, he said, that is working well.

The PLCB generated record profits in 2015, with a 4.2 percent growth in sales, Holden said. That growth is comparable to any retail business, and has enabled it to transfer $75 million to the state’s general fund so far this year, with another $25 million to be shifted in June, he said.

Furthermore, according to Holden, the PLCB takes its service role seriously. He said the board already has rebranded 113 stores to be more consumer-friendly and has plans to do 30 more in the near future.

That has benefitted the state and its citizens in more ways than one, Holden said.

“Every time we do that, we get a bump in consumer sales,” he said.

Holden said he has enjoyed traveling around Pennsylvania as part of his job and also has been happy to talk with two former PLCB chairmen and Schuylkill County citizens, former state Rep. James A. Goodman and U.S. District Judge John E. Jones III, about the position, particularly when he was starting out in the post. However, neither of those is the highlight of the job, he said.

“Being around people” is the best part of being chairman, Holden said.

SCHUYLKILL HAVEN — The borough council expressed concerns at its Wednesday meeting about the latest steps by The Island Committee.

Mayor Mike Devlin, who is also on the Island Committee, told the council about the latest effort by the approximate 20-member group to do a study on the suitability of locations on The Island off Fritz Reed Avenue for an amphitheater.

“The study is quite extensive,” he said, adding the group has the funds to for the study but not enough to construct the amphitheater.

The committee wants the approval of the council on the locations and agreeing to an amphitheater before spending the $16,000 on a study, which will survey the area, conduct a hydrologic and hydraulic evaluation and other information.

Council member Kurt Montz, who is on the recreation board, had lots of questions.

“The rec board has a lot of concern. Is the amphitheater even the right choice?” Montz said.

He questioned who would do the maintenance on the property, if it would even be a big enough venue for a big-name act to attend and who would be responsible for the amphitheater.

“The rec board is by no means against building the amphitheater,” he said.

Devlin said the committee would continue to raise funds for the upkeep of the amphitheater once constructed.

Montz said if the recreation department were to have the responsibility it would be an added stress on them.

Council President Marlin Berger Jr. asked B.J. Folk, recreation manager, if adding the amphitheater would increase the workload for the recreation department.

“Any time you add an amenity, it is going to require more maintenance,” Folk said.

Montz said he was not comfortable making a decision on the suitability of the location for an amphitheater. He said the unknowns associated with the structure, not the cost, are the issue.

“It’s the future that costs the borough,” he said.

Berger agreed.

“It seems we have too many unanswered questions here,” Berger said.

A property committee meeting will be held 5 p.m. April 14 at the neighborhood center, 340 Haven St., before and Island Committee meeting to discuss the questions raised at the council meeting. People from the recreation board, and a couple from The Island Committee will attend the meeting.

B.J. Evans, chairman of the Island Committee, said Friday it is not the intention to abolish the Island Committee once the amphitheater is built. He said they will continue to raise money.

“The Island Committee has always contributed to the maintenance of everything on The Island,” Evans said.

FRACKVILLE — A new agreement between the Frackville Area Municipal Authority and the state Department of Corrections for sewage service continues to be under discussion.

The FAMA board received an update at the March 16 meeting from its solicitor, Paul G. Domalakes. He said negotiations are ongoing to reach an agreement for FAMA to continue providing sewage treatment service for the State Correctional Institution/Frackville.

FAMA office manager Rhonda C. Frantz said FAMA is patiently hoping an agreement can be reached.

“The process is trying to get a prison agreement,” Frantz said. “They haven’t paid anything on their sewage account since September, and they continue to say that we owe them money for being overbilled in 2014. We’re hoping to get the new agreement in place to make the calculation easier and with wording so it can’t be misinterpreted.”

The amount the prison pays for sewage treatment depends on a formula of its percentage of the whole amount of sewage processed by FAMA, which has been subject to different interpretations by both parties. The plan is for an agreement with a different way of billing for usage. Frantz said communications will continue,

“Paul Domalakes is drafting a letter to the (prison) business manager and to the Department of Corrections attorney, and also to (state Rep.) Neal Goodman and (state Sen.) Dave Argall,” Frantz said.

The next major upgrade at the treatment plant is the replacement of the bar screen, which is a mechanical filter to remove large objects before they can enter the treatment tanks. The unit operates continually. It is the first level of filtration and is of major importance to the proper operation of the treatment plant. The current bar screen is original equipment.

Entech Engineering project manager Donald M. Cuff said that manufacturer, Derstine Co. LLC, Souderton, is constructing the replacement bar screen. The estimate for completion is eight to 10 weeks. Derstine was the low bid for the project was $218,000, which includes the bar screen, the washer compactor and the credit for the salvage of the existing unit.

FAMA extended its discount period this year that had 24 more customers take advantage of the 10 percent discount. The authority had offered the discount for customers who paid their bills for the year in January. The board approved extending the discount period through February. In 2015, 473 customers took advantage of the discount, but this year 497 customers paid in full by Feb. 29.

“We did have a lot of people thank us for the additional month,” Frantz said. “It was a good move.”

In his liaison/office report, Paul Klevis said the delinquent list as of March 16 totaled $225,981.71, which is 178 accounts owing more than $300. Residential customers owe $97,147.75, with SCI/Mahanoy owing $128,833.96 for September through February.

Klevis said the 10 percent interest penalty would be applied on March 17. Lien letters were mailed to 84 customers on March 1 notifying them that liens would be filed in April. Klevis reported that many late customers have made payments.

Water shutoff letters were also mailed on March 1 to 89 customers notifying them the shutoffs would begin April 6, Klevis said, adding that payments have been received on several accounts.

“A lot of people are paying,” Frantz said. “The letters really help because some people need a reminder.”

Total sewer collections in February were $123,202.09.

A new printer was ordered for the office at a total price of $911.88, Klevis said.

Since the owner of the Schuylkill Trust Co. building in downtown Pottsville failed to make repairs to crumbling sections of the building’s facade, the city is taking him to court.

A hearing before Magisterial District Judge James K. Reiley is scheduled for 11:30 a.m. March 31, David J. Petravich, city building code officer, said Monday.

The owner of the building at 101 N. Centre St., James J. Curran Jr., an attorney and president of Schuylkill Land & Realty Inc., Pottsville, could not be reached for comment Monday.

On May 29, 2015, the city’s office of code enforcement received a complaint that a section of the building’s facade dropped to the sidewalk.

Petravich said it was a section of the roof, part of the east side of the building where a plant was growing out of the side.

“From the ground, you couldn’t see it too well. I got up on the roof and took photographs. This is the north east corner. There was a tree growing out of one of the concrete mortar joints. The problem is the joint’s not sealed between the brick work or the material there. And it’s leaving water and dirt and everything get in there. And you have plant growth. And right here it starts to break a section of the material. And it broke loose,” Petravich said Monday.

During his inspection in May 2015, Petravich also noticed wear on numerous window sills.

In August, Petravich met with Curran about the matter.

“He had a contractor with him. And we inspected it from the roof. And the contractor discussed how he was going to make the repairs, and how he would need a lift or a crane,” Petravich said Monday.

On Aug. 25, Petravich issued Curran a notice of violation.

“From that point, he had 30 days to repair the structure,” Petravich said Monday.

But the work was not done, Petravich said.

“The building is in violation of 2009 International Property Maintenance Code Section 304 Exterior Structure subsection 304.6 exterior walls,” Petravich said Sept. 8.

“The defendant failed to make repairs in a timely manner,” Petravich said in a nontraffic citation he issued Sept. 25.

In September, the building’s only tenant aside from Curran, Wells Fargo Bank, took precautions to protect pedestrians from potential falling debris. The bank hired Beth-Allen Ladder & Scaffold, Allentown, to build a covered walkway over the sidewalk. It runs along the North Centre Street and West Market Street sides of the building.

“We continue to pay for scaffolding you see at the building,” Kevin Friedlander, corporate communications manager at Wells Fargo & Co., said Monday.

The Schuylkill Trust Co. 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’s a 16,500 square foot property that sits on 0.38 acres, according to information provided by Angela D. Toomey, director of Schuylkill County Tax Claim Bureau.

The landmark has been experiencing troubled times in recent years.

Curran hasn’t paid taxes on the property in three years. As of Monday, $100,663.51 is owed in back taxes on the property, Toomey said Monday.

That includes $35,495.93 in back taxes for 2013, $33,964.94 in back taxes for 2014, and $31,202.64 in back taxes for 2015, Toomey said.

“This amount is good through the end of March and then there will be interest added,” Toomey said.

In September, the property was included in a Schuylkill County upset sale, but there were no bidders willing to pay $292,665 for the property.

“That amount included $97,253 in back taxes for the city, county and school district from 2013, 2014 and 2015, plus municipal liens and state and federal claims,” Toomey said at the time.

If the property is slated to be part of a judicial sale in the next few months, someone can get the building possibly for as little as $1,000, Toomey said Monday.

“The parcel is on our petition for the next judicial sale which will be filed with the court of common pleas within the next few weeks. It will take approximately two months from that point for the sale to take place. We are most likely looking at the end of June or sometime in July as a sale date,” Toomey said.

City police report

thefts from vehicles

Pottsville police reported recently receiving several reports about thefts from parked vehicles.

Police said that in every instance the victims’ vehicles were left unlocked and unattended.

Vehicle owners are urged to take the time to make sure vehicles are locked when not in use to deter these types of crimes of opportunity.

In addition, police ask that anyone who knows of any suspicious activity in Pottsville to report it as soon as possible by calling 570-628-3792.

5 charged in

Wal-Mart incidents

HOMETOWN — Five people are facing charges by Rush Township police after five recent incidents in their coverage area.

Police said Ronelle Mclead, 25, of Lansford, will be charged with retail theft after stealing items valued at $35,74 from Wal-Mart on March 14. That same day, police said Eric Garzio, 21, of Hazleton, stole items valued at $17.16 and is facing the same charge.

In addition, police said, Brandi Benjamin, 25, of Schuylkill Haven, will be charged with criminal trespass after an incident at Wal-Mart on March 16 and Derek Kotsko Jr., 23, of Sugarloaf, will be charged with retail theft for stealing items Wal-Mart valued at $468.97 on March 17.

Finally, police said Rozanne Counterman, 42, of Coaldale, will be charged with retail theft for stealing items valued at $54.28 around 6 p.m. Sunday. The woman will also face more charges for stealing items valued at $63.52 earlier that day.

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

TAMAQUA — The former co-owners of Madeline’s restaurant in Orwigsburg are looking forward to a new opportunity in a restaurant at the Tamaqua Railroad Station.

“We want to make a good first impression,” John Ross said Monday.

Ross and his wife, Melanie, have plans to open the Tamaqua Station Restaurant in late April.

“It’s obviously a beautiful building. It’s a great location,” he said about property at 18 N. Railroad St.

The couple from New Ringgold said they found out the building was for rent in January after Vonz Restaurant closed a couple months ago. They are familiar with the area and liked the historical feel of the building.

“We are excited to be a part of the neighborhood,” he said.

The couple signed a three-year lease with Tamaqua S.O.S. (Save Our Station) on March 5. The nonprofit owns the building.

“We plan to be here for a long time,” Melanie Ross said.

The dining atmosphere will be casual fine dining. Menu items will include everything from sandwiches to steak and lobster.

“Reservations will be strongly recommended,” John Ross said, adding walk-ins are still welcome.

A liquor license was applied for through the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board but has not yet been approved. Craft beers, traditional beer, wine and other alcoholic drinks are planned. The couple said they are looking to buy the license from Jones Grille LLC, West Penn Township. The license is listed as inactive, according to the PLCB website.

“This will be the bar to come to,” Melanie Ross said of the full service bar that will seat 12.

Appliances and tables and chairs have yet to arrive but the couple said they are not worried. There will be seating for 70 people inside plus the 12 at the bar. Seating will also be available outside for 28 customers.

The couple said they appreciate being known for being the co-owners of Madeline’s. A fire on June 24, 2012, destroyed the business. The fire was ruled accidental. They were no longer co-owners when the fire occurred. They decided to pursue other business opportunities in 2011.

Linda Heigele, treasurer of Tamaqua S.O.S., is happy the historic train station didn’t sit empty for long.

“We know they are going to do well because Madeline’s was fantastic,” she said.

She confirmed the couple signed a three-year lease for some of the available space. The previous restaurant, Vonz Restaurant, did not renew its lease, which expired in January, she said. The Restaurant At The Station was the previous establishment and was there for about seven years from 2005 to 2012 until it closed, Heigele said.

A northern part of the building is still available. Those who are interested in leasing opportunities can call 570-668-3030.

Hours for the Tamaqua Station Restaurant are 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Tuesday to Thursday, 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday and 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Sunday. It is closed Monday.

Heigele said she is answering a lot of calls about the new place to eat in town. The couple is excited for their new venture and what they can provide to the community.

“There is a lot of buzz,” John Ross said.

The Tamaqua Train Station was built by the Philadelphia & Reading Railroad in 1874. It included a restaurant. Tamaqua S.O. S. purchased the historic building in 1992 from a developer. Source www.tamaquastation.com

n Mahanoy City: The Mahanoy Area Food Pantry is open from 3 to 5 p.m. the third Sunday of each even month with an additional one on the third Sunday in November, at First United Methodist Church, 400 E. Mahanoy Ave., according to the site contact, Greg Reser, who can be reached at 570-462-2322.

n Pottsville: The Schuylkill County Visitors Bureau is planning its first tourism expo to be held from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. May 7 at Fairlane Village mall. With events such as the Schuylkill County Fair, Great Pottsville Cruise, Greater Pottsville Winter Carnival, Sweet Arrow Lake County Park excursions, Shenandoah Kielbasi Festival, Shenandoah Sesquicentennial celebration in August, Minersville Spirit Day and blowout traditional annual celebrations in Tamaqua plus a wide range of hunting and nature opportunities, tourism adds greatly to the county’s economy. During the expo, tourism members will hand out literature and speak with people about local tourism and events. The expo is free to the public and will feature about 100 exhibitors offering information on outdoor recreation and camping, wineries, lodging, historical attractions, museums and other attractions. For more information, call 570-622-7700 or visit www.schuylkill.org.

n Pottsville: American Cancer Society Relay for Life Team MargaRelaVille will sponsor a Chinese auction and vendor show from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. May 14 and 15 at Fairlane Village mall. Patrons also will be able to take chances on prizes. All proceeds will benefit the ACS Relay for Life. For more information, call 570-290-8362.

n Shenandoah: American Legion Anthony P. Damato “Medal of Honor” Post 792 is accepting lottery tickets, gift certificates and monetary donations for the post’s ongoing basket raffle. Donations are needed by April 8, according to a post release. The basket winner will be picked on Shenandoah Heritage Day, Aug. 27. Donations can be mailed to the post, 116 N. Main St., Shenandoah, PA 17976 or can be picked up by calling Gordon Slater at 570-527-9653 or Gino Monahan at 570-590-5441. All proceeds will be used to help with the post’s community projects.

n Tamaqua: A paint & sip with art ’n’ vino will be held at 6:30 p.m. April 12 in a “Silent Place” sponsored by Sherry Dental and April 13 “Blue Butterfly” at the Tamaqua Community Art Center, 125 Pine St. The cost is $40 per person, which includes all supplies. For more information, call 570-668-1192 or visit www.TamaquaArts.org.

n Tamaqua: Former Shenandoah resident Lester Hirsch will be featured in concert at 7 p.m. April 16 at the Tamaqua Community Art Center, 125 Pine St. Hirsch, according to a center press release, is an award-winning songwriter and Grammy nominee. He also is a guitarist, singer and poet. Tickets are $10 each. For tickets or more information, call 570-668-1192.

n Tamaqua: The locally based Victorian Highwheelers received one of the top honors during Scranton’s 55th St. Patrick’s Day Parade seen before and estimated crowd of 140,000 and a live television audience. The highwheelers received the Edmund J. Casey Historical Theme Memorial Award in the 10-division parade. The award was presented at the reviewing stand during the course of the parade by the St. Patrick’s Parade Association of Lackawanna County, according to a release. The Victorian Highwheelers is an educational nonprofit that had its start 15 years ago at a Tamaqua Heritage Festival. Group members operate 1880s riding machines, examples of the world’s first bicycles. Members are Dan Horengic and Darlene Straub, Coal Township; Don Shoup, Pen Argyl; John Poponiak, Shamokin; Don Serfass, Tamaqua; and Eric Frantz, Danville. The group has made appearances at historical events, museums and landmarks including the Philadelphia Liberty Bell, the Betsy Ross House, Victorian Days, Belvidere, New Jersey, the Thomas Edison Celebration in Sunbury, Eckley Miners Village and for Shenandoah Heritage Day as well as for other special events in Pennsylvania, New York and New Jersey.

FOUNTAIN SPRINGS — Owners of rental properties in Butler Township are now required to obtain occupancy permits before renting to tenants following action by the board of supervisors at Tuesday’s meeting.

The supervisors formally adopted the rental property ordinance (2016-1) and a related resolution setting fees in a 3-0 vote. The ordinance is similar to the one formally adopted by the Girardville Borough Council earlier this month.

“At our last meeting, we discussed a landlord ordinance that requires the owner of rental properties in the township to apply to the township secretary for a rental occupancy permit,” township Chairman David Kessler said. “That allows for an inspection of a rental property before getting the occupancy permit prior to renting the property.”

Kessler read the ordinance summary and said, “This not only protects the township, but also the people and gives us an opportunity to be proactive instead of reactive.”

According to the ordinance, within 30 days, the owner of each rental unit needs to apply to the township secretary for a rental occupancy permit.

On the application form, the owner has to list the names of all prospective tenants. The rental unit also will be inspected, and if the code enforcement officer determines that the rental unit are in compliance with all applicable codes, the officer/designee will issue a rental occupancy permit to the owner. The permit will be valid for a period of two years from the date of issuance.

If the rental unit is determined not to be in compliance with all applicable codes, the owner will be issued a certificate of noncompliance. The owner will have a set time to correct the problem. The code enforcement officer may declare any violations to constitute an emergency condition and require immediate action if the violations are serious enough to constitute a danger to the public health.

The application fee for the permit is $10 per unit. The inspection cost is $75 for the first rental unit in a building. Additional units in an apartment building will be $75 or less depending on the number of units.

All fees are to be paid prior to inspection and at the time of registering rental units.

Kessler called for a vote of the ordinance and an accompanying resolution that sets the fees.

In other business, four bids were received for engineering and design services on a proposed project to rehabilitate Wildcat Road near Girardville. The project includes paving and improving drainage.

Four bid packages were received and opened, with KPI Technology, Elysburg, offering the low bid of $7,200. All bids were tabled for review by township solicitor Christopher Riedlinger. Township secretary Kate Staudenmeier recommended that since there was an error in the advertisement soliciting bids and causing a delay of one month, a special meeting be held to approve the accepted bid in order not to delay the project. Kessler said a special meeting is a possibility, though no date was set.

The supervisors approved a request from the Friendship Fire Company in Englewood to hold its annual block party from May 26 to 30 at the firehouse, Seventh and Pine streets near Frackville, and to close Seventh and Spring streets near the fire company.

A request for a $100 donation from the Frackville fireworks program committee was approved by the supervisors, as was another $100 donation to the Schuylkill County Veterans Trip Organization for the annual bus trip to Washington, D.C.

ORWIGSBURG — The borough Planning and Zoning Commission voted Wednesday to recommend denial of a retirement community plan.

The Blue Mountain Retirement Community plan proposed by The Rhodes Organization, Boyertown, sought to develop a 27.725-acre site that it owns along East Market Street between Breezy Acres and Kimmels roads. It planned for 400 rental units open to different age groups. J. Jerome Skrincosky, president of Hawk Valley Associates PC, Mohnton, attended meetings about the proposal on behalf of the organization. He did not attend Wednesday’s meeting.

“We need to make a decision tonight on the plan,” engineer Greg Stewart from Alfred Benesch & Co., Pottsville, told the board.

Stewart said he did not call Skrincosky about the meeting but said Skrincosky was aware of the time line.

A decision was needed Wednesday because the council needs to take action on the plan no later than May 8, according to the Pennsylvania Municipalities Planning Code. Extensions of 90 days were previously provided to the borough for it to act on the plan.

Stewart said the last correspondence he had with those involved with the plan was Jan. 21. He said the plan “does not meet enough of the criteria” to comply with regulations. He provided a time line to the commission about the actions taken thus far on the project.

Before this project was submitted, The Rhodes Organization had The Pine Creek Adult Community plan approved in 2009 by the borough council. That plan was similar but included underground parking and other changes.

Gretchen Coles Sterns, Skrincosky’s attorney, had submitted the Blue Mountain Retirement Community Plan in August 2015 after the borough council denied requests for zoning ordinance amendments by The Rhodes Organization for the Pine Creek Retirement Community. She did not attend the meeting Wednesday. In an email, she declined to comment on the planning and zoning commission’s recommendation.

Darin Brensinger, planning and zoning chairman, said he voted not to recommend the Pine Creek plan because there were “too many outstanding items to be addressed.”

A 10-page document by Stewart lists items that need rectifying. Stewart said the packet was sent out Wednesday.

Borough Manager Robert Williams also said a decision should be made at the meeting. After the vote, Williams said the borough council will take action on the plan at its 7:30 p.m. April 13 meeting.

Stewart said the plan can be resubmitted if The Rhodes Organization desires.

TRESCKOW — The consolidation of the former Keystone Fire Company and Tresckow Fire Company into McAdoo Fire Company Inc. was completed earlier this year.

On March 14, the Banks Township supervisors made it official — for the township — as they unanimously approved a resolution recognizing the new, consolidated fire company as the entity that will provide fire protection to the township.

McAdoo Fire Company will remain the parent organization for the consolidated company until its new name, KMT Emergency Services, is legally adopted.

Bob Leshko, chief of the McAdoo Fire Company, said 911 calls will now go to Schuylkill County to summon the company to fires in the township.

“All fire dispatches have been converted to Schuylkill County,” Leshko said. “Ambulance calls will still go through to Carbon County but will be dispatched through the Schuylkill County Communications Center.”

Township Supervisor Joe Clark also noted some “reconfiguration” of 911 calls from residents in the Skipper’s Island section of the township, adjacent to McAdoo, and for township residents of Spring Mountain, who have a Weatherly address.

The consolidation began last summer when McAdoo and Keystone merged in June. Inclusion of Banks Township took longer because the social club attached to the Tresckow Fire Company had to be split off into its own organization, which is now known as the Tresckow Hosey.

The fire trucks of the three companies will remain in the buildings they have been housed in by the old fire companies.

Plans to build a new, central fire station for the new, consolidated company will have to wait until the fire company can afford it, Leshko said.

“When looking at building one consolidated building, the cost is really astronomical, more than what we expected it to be,” he said. “There’s probably going to be other priorities of things to replace, like vehicles. We’re contemplating the possibility of adding onto the Keystone station, but as of right now, all of the buildings are going to be kept.”

Officers of the new company already have sold the engine that belonged to the Keystone Fire Company to a dealer in Canada who had a buyer for it. Leshko said having the engine was “triplication,” as the new company had three engines, one too many.

The main advantage the new company provides is manpower. Now volunteers from the three former companies can respond to fires in McAdoo and Banks and Kline townships.

“There are some guys from Tresckow who ran with (were members of) McAdoo,” Leshko said. “Instead of coming to McAdoo, we’re telling them to come to Tresckow to get this apparatus. It will be a totally consolidated response.”

The new fire company did driver training last weekend, so that all of the volunteers — regardless of what company they belonged to previously — can drive all of the fire trucks of the three former companies.

The new company is starting an inventory of equipment. Money made from the sale of surplus items will be used to help purchase needed equipment.

Members of the new company will be meeting soon to devise a five- and 10-year plan for the new company, the chief said.

Leshko also asked the Banks supervisors to write a letter appointing the new company to designate ambulance providers for township residents. The McAdoo Fire Company ambulance had been the primary ambulance service for the township, except in the Coxeville section of the township, which is served by American Patient Transport Systems.

“The way things are set up in Carbon County there’s probably a few (ambulance services) that are closer, secondary to McAdoo and to APTS,” Leshko said. “Speaking with Gary Williams (the Carbon County emergency management coordinator), he is in full agreement, but he needs (the supervisors’) permission to allow me to make that change.”

The supervisors recognized the chief of the former Tresckow Fire Company, Joe Geusic, for his years of service. Geusic will be an assistant chief with the new company and is continuing as emergency management coordinator for the township.

“These guys are unsung heroes,” Clark said. “They spend countless hours, and get called in the middle of the night and they are there. You never have to fear there won’t be coverage. I would never do it. They deserve a lot of credit for doing it. The people of Banks Township should be extremely grateful, Joe, for your years of service to the fire company.”

Geusic said he is looking forward to his new role.

“It’s something we had to do,” Geusic said of the consolidation. “Manpower is way down. With all of the training and fundraising, it’s hard to get new people.

“It’s nice because now we have more people and more apparatus. That’s extremely helpful. And I’ve known these guys for the entire 25 years I’ve been a firefighter. There are some logistical changes, but everything has been very smooth so far,” he said.

The new company has to keep the McAdoo Fire Company name for now, Leshko said, because it has a 501(c)3 nonprofit designation and a Medicare license.