Woman injured

at ATV park

TREMONT — A woman was flown to a hospital following an ATV accident at an off-road park Sunday afternoon, according to a supervisor at Schuylkill County Communications Center.

It occurred at 3:43 p.m. at Rausch Creek Off-Road Park. LifeFlight 5 carried the patient to a regional hospital, the supervisor said.

Responders also included Schuylkill EMS, Hegins EMS, Hegins Valley Fire Rescue and Sacramento Community Fire Company, the supervisor said.

HARRISBURG — A new legislative audit has spurred some debate about the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission’s efforts to reverse a long-term decline in the number of anglers by tinkering with its license fees.

The audit by the Legislative Budget and Finance Committee was released shortly before the Senate recently approved legislation that would let the commission set its own license fees instead of having to get legislation enacted. The Senate bill is now before the House. The commission draws about 70 percent of its fish fund revenue from license sales.

The commission is celebrating its 150th anniversary this year. The Board of Fishery Commissioners was created in 1866, following a convention in Harrisburg to investigate water pollution in lakes and streams and the stopping of spring shad runs by dams. The name eventually was changed to the Pennsylvania Fish Commission and then to the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission.

A state law enacted in 2012 gave the commission authority to sell multi-year licenses to cover a three-year or five-year period in addition to traditional annual licenses. This was done to boost sales and limit the revenue drop-off because of anglers not renewing their license each year. The commission sold its first multi-year licenses in 2013.

The commission reduced the cost of resident and non-resident annual fishing licenses by $1 for 2015 licenses in another effort to boost the number of anglers.

Offering multi-year licenses increased the number of anglers with valid licenses, according to the legislative audit. Southwick Associates, a firm hired separately by the fish and boat commission, estimates an increase of 59,000 anglers.

However, the legislative audit said the $1 license discount resulted in a net $700,000 revenue loss for the agency.

The license sales did not increase to a level necessary to offset the fee discounts, the audit said.

However, John Arway, the commission executive director, called the $1 license reduction experiment a success despite the revenue loss.

“In addition to the positive effect on license sales, impetus to have people fish more often and generation of additional economic activity, it demonstrated a more intangible benefit for our agency,” Arway said. “It showed that we were willing to think ‘outside the box’ and try a novel approach in attempting to reverse the national trend of declining participation in fishing.”

He referred to Southwick’s estimate of 8,617 additional licenses sold in 2015, in part because of the discount.

The discount resulted in a net $467,000 revenue loss when other factors are weighed according to Southwick’s analysis, Arway said.

The Senate-passed bill, if enacted, would give the commission more flexibility to set license fees to respond to market conditions and revenue needs, supporters said. Arway said the bill would enable the commission to adjust fees on an incremental basis rather than having to seek larger increases every eight years or so because of the difficulty in getting a law passed.

The current fees date to 2005.

A 41-year-old Ringtown man arrested earlier this year on child pornography and drug charges is among those scheduled to plead not guilty Thursday during arraignment in Schuylkill County Court.

Kristin Delorge, 131 Breisch Road, was arrested by state police Trooper John Powis of the Harrisburg headquarters and charged with 10 counts each of dissemination of photographs or films of child sex acts and child pornography, two counts of possession of a controlled substance and one count each of possession of drug paraphernalia and criminal use of a communications facility.

Powis charged Delorge in connection with incidents beginning Dec. 20 and continuing through May 3 after an undercover investigation into the internet sharing of child pornography and was able to locate a computer at his home that was sharing pornographic images on two websites.

Among the images was a photo titled “Vietnamese Child Brothel” as well as others that included prepubescent girls about 4 or 5 years old.

The computer was found at the Delorge home, where a subsequent search yielded a laptop computer, desktop computers and cellphones, as well as suspected drugs and drug paraphernalia along with $1,334 in cash.

During an interview, Powis said, Delorge admitted owning the drugs, drug paraphernalia and cash. When asked about the pornographic images, Delorge acknowledged any such images found on the laptop computer were his, Powis said.

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

Kevin W. Black, 18, of 48 Centre St., McAdoo — possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance and possession of drug paraphernalia.

Daniel C. Schwartz, 28, of 621 S. Kennedy Drive, McAdoo — retail theft and receiving stolen property.

Nicholas J. Toth, 21, of 41 Municipal Road, New Ringgold — driving under the influence of drugs.

Jonathan M. Hand, 32, of 136 Low Road, Pottsville — DUI-high rate, following too closely and careless driving.

Keith S. Grabowski, 37, of 100 Allen Lane, Port Carbon — DUI, DUI-highest rate, driving at an unsafe speed and failure to carry or exhibit a driver’s license on demand.

Mark T. Keeth, 57, of 801 E. Market St., Mahanoy City — driving under the influence of drugs, accidents involving damage to unattended vehicles and failure to drive on roadways laned for traffic.

Kelsey J. Weiss-Reed, 20, of 802 W. Race St., Pottsville — driving under the influence of drugs, general lighting requirements violation and turning movements and required signals violation.

Angelo L. Seritti, 31, of 1233 E. Mahanoy Ave., Mahanoy City — driving under the influence of drugs.

Samuel Sanabria-Sanabria, 41, of 107 N. Jardin St., Shenandoah — DUI, DUI-highest rate and disorderly conduct.

Leonard J. Blashock, 44, of 11 Nolania Road, Barnesville — DUI, recklessly endangering another person, driving while operating privileges are suspended or revoked, driving at an unsafe speed, no passing zones violation, following too closely and careless driving.

Joseph M. Hartz, 27, of 777 Main St., Zion Grove — driving under the influence of drugs, general lighting requirements violation and failure to notify of change of address.

April N. Heckman, 31, of 66 Back Road, Barnesville — DUI, driving under combined influence, careless driving and accidents involving damage to unattended property.

John R. Blashock IV, 44, of 93 N. Kennedy Drive, McAdoo — DUI, driving while operating privileges are suspended or revoked and general lighting requirements violation.

Justin M. Lawlor, 34, of 848 Lizard Creek Road, Andreas — driving under the influence of drugs, general lighting requirements violation, possession of a controlled substance and possession of drug paraphernalia.

Kerry L. Freedman, 41, of 258 E. Phillips St., Coaldale — DUI, driving under combined influence and failure to drive on roadways laned for traffic.

Victor B. Craig, 39, of 107 S. Sheridan St., McAdoo — DUI, driving while operating privileges are suspended or revoked, no passing zones violation, required position and method of turning violation and driving without insurance.

Anthony Powell, 46, of 147 E. Adams St., Box 84, McAdoo — fleeing or attempting to elude police, driving under the influence of drugs, turning movements and required signals violation, failure to obey traffic control signals, driving on the wrong side of the road, reckless driving and careless driving.

Roxanne L. Counterman, 42, of 38 W. Miner St., Coaldale — DUI, failure to drive on roadways laned for traffic, general lighting requirements violation, careless driving and reckless driving.

Albert Troutman, 54, of 3 Beech St., Cressona — driving under the influence of drugs.

Michael Demalis, 43, of 511 W. Arlington St., Shenandoah — driving under the influence of drugs and general lighting requirements violation.

Eric R. Briel, 50, of 1023 Beaver Dam Road, Ashland — driving under the influence of drugs, possession of a controlled substance and possession of drug paraphernalia.

Jacob S. Moyer, 20, of 58 Jefferson St., Schuylkill Haven — DUI, DUI-minor, minors prohibited from operating a motor vehicle with alcohol in their system, underage drinking, failure to drive on roadways laned for traffic and careless driving.

Austin Soto-Arvelo, 47, of 220 Fairview St., Floor 2, Box 161, Pottsville — DUI, failure to notify of change of address.

Jamie N. Bates, 52, of 18 Shaft St., Gilberton — DUI-highest rate and failure to be licensed.

Xavier A. Ramos, 28, of 1232 E. Centre St., Mahanoy City — DUI-high rate, resisting arrest, driving while operating privileges are suspended or revoked, violation of period requiring lighted lamps and failure to be licensed.

Georgeann E. Lally, 53, of 308 W. Coal St., Apt. B, Shenandoah — DUI-high rate, use of multiple beam road lighting equipment and restrictions on alcoholic beverages.

Shane S. Morin, 46, of 635 W. Centre St., Mahanoy City — driving under the influence of drugs, careless driving and driving while operating privileges are suspended or revoked.

Audriana C. McShaw, 26, of 1645 W. Norwegian St., Pottsville — DUI, DUI-highest rate, failure to drive on roadways laned for traffic, driving at an unsafe speed, failure to give immediate notice of accident to police and failure to use seat belts.

Paul P. Zuk, 55, of 122 Old Mill Road, Pottsville — DUI and failure to obey traffic control signals.

Kyle C. Kaminsky, 39, of 333 Main St., Gilberton — fleeing or attempting to elude police, flight to avoid apprehension, trial or punishment, DUI, driving while operating privileges are suspended or revoked, stop and yield sign violations, abandonment of vehicles, unlawful activities, driving a vehicle without an inspection certificate, restrictions on alcoholic beverages, DUI and possession of a controlled substance.

Francis L. Kehler, 43, of 24 N. Union St., Shenandoah — possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance, tampering with or fabricating physical evidence, driving under the influence of drugs, failure to be licensed, general lighting requirements violation, failure to sign registration card, possession of a controlled substance and possession of drug paraphernalia.

James E. Colahan, 41, of 105 Gordon St., Ashland — DUI, DUI-high rate, driving while operating privileges are suspended or revoked, depositing waste on a highway and careless driving.

Joshua Jimenez, 22, of 1 W. Laurel St., Tremont — DUI-controlled substance and possession of drug paraphernalia.

Kimberly L. Hons, 36, of 739 E. Mahanoy Ave., Mahanoy City — DUI, DUI-highest rate, driving at an unsafe speed, careless driving and DUI-controlled substance.

Sheldon J. Buscavage, 52, of 244 S. Wylam St., Frackville — DUI, DUI-highest rate, DUI-controlled substance, disregard for single traffic lane and driving with a blood alcohol level of 0.02-percent or greater while under license suspension.

Thomas V. Yashinsky, 63, of 116 Deer Trail, Schuylkill Haven — DUI and DUI-highest rate.

Justin D. Startzel, 27, of 120 Hunter St., Tamaqua. — DUI and not using low beams

Robert D. Schappell Jr., 44, of State Correctional Institution/Camp Hill, — theft of services.

Jack D. Wilver, 26, of 559 N. Second St., Lykens — delivery of a controlled substance, possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance, criminal use of a communications facility, possession of a controlled substance and possession of drug paraphernalia.

Joseph A. Glowacki, 50, of 220 W. Poplar St., Shenandoah — possession of a small amount of marijuana, tampering with or fabricating physical evidence, restrictions on alcoholic beverages, permitting violation of title and permitting an unauthorized person to drive.

Wayne T. Lenosky, 35, of 139 Main St., Seltzer — corrupt organizations, conspiracy, dealing in proceeds of illegal activities, possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance, criminal use of a communications facility and possession of a controlled substance.

Trent Schaeffer, 23, of 64 Cherry St., Cressona — possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance, prohibited offensive weapons, resisting arrest, receiving stolen property, carrying firearms without a license, possession of a controlled substance, conspiracy and possession of drug paraphernalia.

Kerri A. Miller, 25, of 826 E. Pine St., Mahanoy City — possession of drug paraphernalia.

Warren D. Easley, 29, of State Correctional Institution/Frackville — aggravated harassment by prisoner and criminal mischief.

Brian E. Hawke, 33, of Schuylkill County Prison, Pottsville — delivery of a controlled substance, possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance, conspiracy, possession of a controlled substance and possession of drug paraphernalia.

Michael J. Donlin Jr., 41, of 24 Beecher St., Pine Grove — possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance and possession of a controlled substance.

David L. Weiser, 33, of 484 W. Columbia St., Schuylkill Haven — terroristic threats, simple assault, resisting arrest, harassment and public drunkenness.

Jeremy Lutz, 32, of 401 Spring St., Minersville — conspiracy, possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance, corrupt organizations, dealing in proceeds of unlawful activities, criminal use of a communications facility and possession of a controlled substance.

David J. Bainbridge Jr., 35, of 320 Fishbach Road, Box 4110, Seltzer — conspiracy, possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance, corrupt organizations, dealing in proceeds of unlawful activities, criminal use of a communications facility and possession of a controlled substance.

Brian M. Maberry, 26, of 318 W. Adamsdale Road, Schuylkill Haven — prohibited offensive weapons.

Eric A. McCabe, 21, of 607 W. Main St., Ringtown — retail theft.

Amanda D. Snyder, 38, of 7 Wiggan St., New Philadelphia — possession of a controlled substance and misbranding of a controlled substance.

Raymond W. Brown III, 54, of Schuylkill County Prison, Pottsville — delivery of a controlled substance, possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance, criminal use of a communications facility and possession of a controlled substance.

Kelly A. Foran, 43, of 312 N. Second St., Saint Clair — retail theft.

Eugene P. Mattera, 59, of 236 Valley St., Box 475, New Philadelphia — simple assault, resisting arrest, possession of a small amount of marijuana, possession of a controlled substance and possession of drug paraphernalia.

Kristen M. Petrozino, 30, of 30 Caroline Ave., Pottsville — retail theft.

William H. Geist, 62, of 825 Valley Road, Pottsville — unsworn falsification to authorities.

Jennifer L. Ferraro, 20, of 310 W. Arch St., Frackville — possession of drug paraphernalia.

Ralph J. Caruano Jr., 62, of 248 N. 10th St., Pottsville — possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance, delivery of a controlled substance, criminal use of a communications facility, possession of a controlled substance and possession of drug paraphernalia.

Jennifer R. Fenstemacher, 24, of 712 Mahantongo St., Apt. 4, Pottsville — theft by deception, burglary, theft and receiving stolen property.

Jason T. Kerstetter, 26, of 153 S. Third St., Frackville — furnishing drug-free urine.

Morgan N. Natale, 30, of 176 Fort Lebanon Road, Auburn — possession of drug paraphernalia.

Evan P. Marceau, 24, of 2617 Wynonah Drive, Auburn — possession of a controlled substance and possession of drug paraphernalia.

Ashley D. Adams, 30, of 305 W. Norwegian St., Box 605, Pottsville — possession of a small amount of marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia.

Christopher A. Schill, 24, of 706 Mount Hope Ave., Pottsville — possession of drug paraphernalia.

Zackery D. Yuro, 24, of 2334 Spear Cove, Auburn — possession of drug paraphernalia.

Lyle McCulley, 36, of 393 Hotel St., Pottsville — possession of drug paraphernalia.

Robert D. Steffie Jr., 45, of Schuylkill County Prison, Pottsville — retail theft and harassment.

Mark A. Butler, 38, of 144 Red Church Road, Auburn — failure to verify address or be photographed.

Tiara R. Pleva, 32, of 10 W. Centre St., Apt. 1205, Mahanoy City — retail theft.

Johnathan B. Paroby, 38, of 502 W. Market St., Pottsville — simple assault and harassment.

Bryan T. Evans, 29, of Schuylkill County Prison, Pottsville — resisting arrest, tampering with or fabricating physical evidence and furnishing drug-free urine.

Justin T. Kanezo, 23, of 514 Pine St., Pottsville — general lighting requirements violation, possession of a controlled substance and possession of drug paraphernalia.

Matthew S. Dietz, 25, of 493 Mount Olive Blvd., Box 152, Lost Creek — possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance, conspiracy, driving while operating privileges are suspended or revoked, stop and yield sign violations, possession of a controlled substance and possession of drug paraphernalia.

Joseph R. Holland, 34, of Schuylkill County Prison, Pottsville — possession of drug paraphernalia.

Heather M. Bowden, 28, of Schuylkill County Prison, Pottsville — furnishing drug-free urine.

Johnathan T. Cholko, 21, of Schuylkill County Prison, Pottsville — possession of a small amount of marijuana, possession of a controlled substance, burglary, criminal trespass, theft, receiving stolen property and possession of drug paraphernalia.

Buddy C. Noel, 36, of 609 E. Market St., Pottsville — possession of drug paraphernalia.

Nathan W. Oldt, 29, of 231 Market St., Tamaqua — criminal mischief.

Krystin R. Wessner, 27, of 402 Deturksville Road, Pine Grove — forger.

Tina M. Hosier, 30, of Schuylkill County Prison, Pottsville — possession of a small amount of marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia.

Bobby L. Taylor, 22, of 400 E. Norwegian St., Basement Apt., Pottsville — possession of drug paraphernalia.

Ashley G. Janowski, 34, of Schuylkill County Prison, Pottsville — endangering the welfare of a child.

Michelle L. Fort, 33, of 1014 W. Race St., Pottsville — possession of drug paraphernalia.

Ronald E. Grubb, 27, of 400 W. Market St., Apt. 2, Orwigsburg — simple assault and harassment.

Shawn E. Flaim Jr., 25, of 130 Locust Lake Road, Barnesville — possession of a controlled substance and possession of drug paraphernalia.

George F. Haynes, 52, of 451 S. Middle St., Frackville — retail theft, receiving stolen property and failure to be licensed.

Tony Mundo, 46, of 115 Catawissa St., Tamaqua — receiving stolen property.

John E. Bartenope, 39, of Schuylkill County Prison, Pottsville — theft from a motor vehicle, receiving stolen property and loitering and prowling at night.

Matthew Komishock, 31, of 60 Fifth St., Coaldale — possession of a controlled substance and possession of drug paraphernalia.

Albert M. Shaw, 32, of 33 Mauch Chunk St. Rear, Tamaqua — burglary, criminal trespass, receiving stolen property, possession of a small amount of marijuana, possession of a controlled substance and possession of drug paraphernalia.

Robert R. Miller, 56, of 102 W. Sherman St., McAdoo — railroad vandalism, disorderly conduct, defiant trespass, trespass by motor vehicle, careless driving and disrupting, delaying or prevention operation or a train or facility.

David J. Brode Jr., 22, of 534 Pine St., Tamaqua — burglary, criminal trespass, criminal mischief, theft and receiving stolen property.

Eric D. Pennington, 43, of 4 E. Upper Railroad St., Girardville — possession of drug paraphernalia and public drunkenness.

Robert J. Barlow Sr., 53, of 146 W. Main St., Girardville — disorderly conduct.

Amber L. Blickley, 33, of 146 W. Main St., Girardville — disorderly conduct.

Toni L. Long, 46, of 105 Park Place Road, Mahanoy City — simple assault and harassment.

Timothy G. Burke, 44, of 1518 W. Centre St., Ashland — simple assault and harassment.

Jenna M. Caso, 21, of 2224 Walnut St., Ashland — disorderly conduct, criminal mischief and prohibited firing of firearms in the borough.

Jason E. Greiner, 41, of 575 Seltzer Road, Pottsville — terroristic threats and possession of drug paraphernalia.

James A. Johnson, 47, of 410 W. Centre St., Apt. 3, Ashland — possession of a controlled substance, disorderly conduct, public drunkenness and obstructing highways or other public passages.

Michael S. Catherman, 56, of Schuylkill County Prison, Pottsville — rape, statutory sexual assault, involuntary deviate sexual intercourse, sexual assault, aggravated indecent assault, corruption of minors, indecent assault and another sexual offense.

Brandon A. Segarra, 21, of 22 S. 10th St., Mahanoy City — disorderly conduct.

Carl McDonald, 18, of 404 W. Centre St., Mahanoy City — disorderly conduct.

Stephen A. Mackeravage, 45, of 317 E. Lloyd St., Shenandoah — defiant trespass and disorderly conduct.

Vanessa Foresman, 20, of 104 W. Laurel St., Shenandoah — possession of drug paraphernalia.

Robert S. Wentworth, 34, of Schuylkill County Prison, Pottsville — delivery of a controlled substance, possession of a controlled substance and possession of drug paraphernalia.

Jason N. Bredbenner, 32, of 23 S. Chestnut St., Shenandoah — possession of drug paraphernalia.

Gina M. Lombardo, 37, of 345 Brandonville Road, Ringtown — possession of a controlled substance and possession of drug paraphernalia.

Faith E. Morgan, 42, of 22 Coles St., Mahanoy City — possession of a controlled substance and possession of drug paraphernalia.

CRESSONA — Two structurally deficient bridges in North Manheim Township will be replaced.

Bridges over routes 901 and 3005, both over the West Branch of the Schuylkill River, near Trail Gardens, are slated to be replaced.

“They are both going to be in the same project,” Sean Brown, safety press officer for the state Department of Transportation, District 5, Allentown, said Wednesday.

The let date on the project is late 2018. Awarding of the contracts will be shortly afterwards. Construction could start in “early 2019,” Brown said. Completion is anticipated to take one construction season for both bridges, he said.

NTM Engineering, with headquarters in Dillsburg, State College and Philadelphia, is the design consultant. The 901 bridge will likely be done first. The steel-girder bridge, which was built in 1938 and is 33 1/2 feet wide and 102 feet long, has average daily traffic of 10,726 vehicles.

“The deck and the superstructure are rated as poor,” Brown said, adding the bridge never had major rehabilitation work done to it, although bridges are inspected on a periodic basis.

The new single-span adjacent box beam bridge will be 41 feet wide and 99 feet long. Construction cost for the bridge is estimated between 3 and 3.5 million, Brown said. Data from a draft copy of the 2017-20 Transportation Improvement Program from the Northeastern Pennsylvania Alliance, which is the metropolitan planning organization for Schuylkill, Carbon, Monroe and Pike counties, show the cost for the 901 bridge as $4,328,000. Brown said funding for the 901 bridge is 100 percent state funds.

The Route 3005 bridge replacement will be from a combination of state and federal funds. Brown said construction costs are estimated between 2 and 2.5 million. Data from the draft of the TIP show a cost of $3,256,000 for the Route 3005 bridge.

The concrete T-beam bridge was built in 1927. An average of 1,915 vehicles a day drive across the 82 foot long, 35 foot wide bridge. The superstructure of the bridge is poor and has had no major reconstruction work on it, Brown said. The new bridge will be a spreadbox beam bridge.

This week, the city council will finalize its plan to borrow $4,560,000 for municipal projects, according to City Administrator Thomas A. Palamar.

The council will hold a special meeting on the 2016 General Obligation Bond at council chambers at 6 p.m. Thursday. The council will enact an ordinance to acquire the funds, according to a legal notice published in the June 24 edition of the newspaper.

Immediately following that meeting at 6:30 p.m., the Pottsville Parking Authority — which is made up of the members of the city council — will hold a special meeting regarding its intention to use a chunk of those funds, according to city Clerk Lisa M. Kral.

In all, there are four parties that will be taking loans through this bond issue. Those parties and the amounts they committed to are as follows: the city, $1,727,438.75; the Pottsville Housing Authority, $1,956,790; the Pottsville Parking Authority, $500,000; and the Pottsville Fire Department, $375,771.25.

Interest rates on those loans will be discussed at the city council meeting Thursday, Kral said.

City projects

In late 2015, the city council appointed RBC Capital Markets LLC as the underwriter for its projected 2016 General Obligation Bond. The city council hired Paul J. Datte, an attorney from Pottsville, as its bond counsel.

Last week, Palamar released a list of projects that will be financed by the bond:

• Fire Department: radios, $170,664.35.

• City Hall: wall repair, $175,000; parking area, $10,000; roof, $100,000; cell and police area upgrade, $150,000; elevator, $175,000; security, $8,500; and ADA upgrades, $25,000.

• Streets Department: pole building, $110,000; street sweeper, $180,000; compressor/tamper, $22,275; loader, $153,000; two 4200 International trucks, $240,000; three 2500 GMC trucks, $148,000; tire balancer, $30,000; four-point lift, $19,000; and a Kubota mower, $11,000.

Fire department

The Pottsville Volunteer Firefighters’ Relief Association will borrow $210,000 to buy SCBA air packs and $165,771.25 to buy additional radios, according to Palamar and Fire Chief Todd March.

“All of our air packs are going to be out of date next year,” Kurt Shelhamer, a captain with Yorkville Hose Company, said Wednesday.

“There are a lot of them,” March said.

Using funding from a few sources, Shelhamer said the fire department will be able to buy 104.

“They will go into service next week. They will have 15 years useful life,” he said.

“And we need a lot more radios than the county gave us on the system when they switched everything over. So the city agreed to pay some of the bill for radios. And they’re allowing us to borrow some and pay it back at a low interest rate,” March said.

Between the $170,664.35 the city will put toward radios and the $165,771.25 the fire department is planning to borrow, a total of 85 portable radios can be bought, Shelhamer said.

Housing

The Housing Authority of the City of Pottsville is looking to upgrade elevators in many of its buildings, Craig S.L. Shields, the authority’s executive director, said Wednesday.

In May, the housing authority agreed to borrow the funding, he said.

“We need to upgrade 14 elevators in four of our buildings. It’s all related to software, circuit boards and the electronics that run the elevators. It will cost about $200,000 per elevator,” Shields said.

These improvements could be made in the following properties the authority owns and manages:

• Laurel Court High Rise, a 71-unit facility at 400 Laurel Blvd. There are two elevators there, Shields said.

• Michael Close High Rise, a 50-unit facility at 510 W. Norwegian St. There are two elevators there, Shields said.

• Patterson High Rise, a 50-unit facility at 12th and West Market streets. There are two elevators there, Shields said.

• Laurel Terrace Apartments, which includes 116 units. There are eight elevators there, Shields said.

Parking

The Pottsville Parking Authority decided it will borrow $500,000 for structural repair and maintenance to the Mahantongo Parking Center, built in 1969, and the Capitol Parking Garage, built in 1995, Palamar said.

Marriage licenses

John H. Rohrer, Orwigwsburg, and Janine M. Hinnershitz, Orwigsburg.

Tomothy W. Collins, Frackville, and Jenna L. Sponseller, Frackville.

Tyler A. Reves, Zion Grove, and Kira M. Weikel, Zion Grove.

Russell S. Pleva, Schuylkill Haven, and Mary C. Roman, Schuylkill Haven.

Adam P. Whitmore, Tower City, and Venus M. Carl, Tower City.

Justin M. Albert, Minersville, and Natalie A. Ciciono, Minersville.

Gregory L. Yost, Robesonia, and Susan A. Fick, Robesonia.

Brian K. Heffelfinger, Barnesville, and Tami L. Maurer, Barnesville.

Andrew A. Gerber, Tamaqua, and Alycia K. Nixon, Big Rapids, Michigan.

Jeremy C. Felton, Orwigsburg, and Candice J. Schuld, Orwigsburg.

Ryan P. Savka, Zion Grove, and Anne L. Tomtishen, Zion Grove.

Craig A. Travaglini, Schuylkill Haven, and Rebecca A. Padasak, Kutztown.

Scoyy J. Burcik, Schuylkill Haven, and Lindsey M. Calcasacco, Schuylkill Haven.

David M. Goos, Orwigsburg, and Dominique A. Goodman, Schuylkill Haven.

Anthony J. Riccio, Llewellyn, and Annmarie Swanson, Llewellyn.

GOOD SPRING — Construction should be completed this fall on a new propane rail terminal in Porter Township operated by Koppy’s Propane Inc.

Koppy’s president, David Koppenhaver, and general manager, Randy Witmer, were on site Wednesday as contractors who began their work in May were busy readying the property.

Crews were expected to install six 60,000-gallon, 90-foot long, steel tanks Thursday. Two of the tanks came from Louisiana, while the other four tanks came from Coatesville, Witmer said. Work is being completed by local contractors, he said.

With the new terminal, up to eight rail cars can be unloaded at one time, according to Witmer.

Propane would be brought in by the rail cars from throughout the U.S. and Canada, with the bulk of the propane being domestic, Witmer said, including product from the Marcellus Shale region of Pennsylvania.

Each rail car can hold about 30,000 gallons. When the propane comes in, it can be stored in the terminal’s steel tanks and can be loaded onto tractor-trailer transport vehicles, which can haul 10,000 gallons each. The tractor-trailers can then be used to fill smaller, transport delivery trucks.

“This is going to help us with our supply,” Koppenhaver said of the more than 18,000 customers the company serves.

According to Koppenhaver, the firm had previously received product from a refinery in the Philadelphia area, or from pipelines in Schaefferstown, DuBois, Watkins Glen or at other rail yards.

“Some local facilities have closed and made us run farther and farther for our product, and had us waiting in long lines,” Witmer said.

With the warmer winter in 2015, the supply wasn’t as much of an issue as in other years.

“This past winter wasn’t so bad, but the two previous winters when it was really cold, it put a strain on the supply,” Koppenhaver said. Plans for the terminal had been in the works for about three years.

“We looked in different counties from Elizabethtown to Harrisburg, but this seemed to be the best fit,” Koppenhaver said.

The tracks leading to the terminal belong to Reading, Blue Mountain & Northern Railroad Co. Koppy’s will construct two branches from the rail line leading to either side of a set of towers on Koppy’s property for the unloading of the propane, Koppenhaver said.

The company’s been working with Andy Muller Jr., the rail line owner/CEO.

“They have been extremely helpful and cooperative to move this along,” Koppenhaver said.

RBM&N had repaired a portion of their track, Koppenhaver said. Witmer said it’s been a long time since that track had been used regularly, probably since the 1980s.

Koppenhaver said his company bought 35 acres from Rausch Creek Land, Valley View, to develop the terminal.

“Rausch Creek has been very nice to work with and more than helpful,” Witmer said.

The land, located at the south side of Route 4011, west of Good Spring in Porter Township, was vacant and was zoned CM, Conservation Mining District, according to the variance permit application. The Schuylkill County Zoning and Hearing Board approved the variance permit last September. Koppy’s also obtained a permit from the state Department of Transportation for the driveway entrance and egress onto Route 4011, Koppenhaver said.

The pair did not share how much the company was investing in the terminal project.

Most truck loading would take place between the hours of 6 a.m. and 4 p.m., Witmer said, although the rail terminal site would be a 24/7 operation.

“This is for us to take care of our customers,” Witmer said, noting no other distributors would be using the terminal. Koppy’s may hire one or two additional employees once the terminal is running, Koppenhaver said.

A new 50-by-100-foot office and warehouse has also been erected on the property. The terminal’s address will be 2073 W. Center St., Tremont, PA 17981.

Koppy’s Propane Inc.’s headquarters is in Williamstown, Dauphin County, just a short drive from the rail site on Schuylkill County’s west end. Other satellite storage facilities are in Pine Grove, Schuylkill Haven, Paxinos, Selinsgrove and Port Royal.

Koppenhaver’s two daughters, Kara Tucker and Kristen Snyder, also help run the family-owned business. More information can be found on the company’s website, www.koppyspropane.com.

LAKE WYNONAH — The heart transplant Ron Boris Jr. received in 2009 gave him more than a longer life.

It also gave him the opportunity to play basketball, doubles badminton and darts in a national competition earlier this month. He brought home gold medals in all three categories.

“I just did my best and the cards fell the right way. I also brought home a silver medal in badminton singles,” Boris, 55, of Lake Wynonah, said June 28.

It occurred at the Transplant Games of America, held in Cleveland, Ohio, from June 10 to 15, according to Allison McDaniel, a spokeswoman for the Gift of Life Donor Program, Philadelphia.

“Members of Gift of Life Donor Program’s Team Philadelphia went head-to-head with more than 6,000 athletes from across the country, medaling in track and field, swimming, basketball, bowling and more at the 2016 Donate Life Transplant Games of America. Team Philly, made up of 78 organ transplant recipients, 15 living donors and 26 donor families, traveled to Cleveland, Ohio, to participate in the games from June 10-15, showcasing their athletic abilities and determination. Along with Team Philly’s athletes, donor family members, whose loved ones gave the gift of life, traveled as part of the team to cheer on the competitors,” McDaniel said in a press release June 23.

Boris competed as part of Team Philadelphia.

“Team Philly athletes, ranging in ages from 6 to 73, dominated at the games, bringing home more than 100 medals: 25 bronze, 35 silver and 40 gold,” McDaniel said.

Born in Pottsville in 1961, Boris graduated from Pottsville Area High School in 1980. He ran in track and field and played football.

He worked as a skilled laborer in the warehouse at the former Alcoa Inc., Cressona, from the early 1980s until 2003, when he was diagnosed with heart problems. He said he suffered a massive heart attack that damaged the left side of his heart.

In 2005, doctors told him he needed a transplant. His name was put on a list and he waited 4 1/2 years for a cadaveric donor.

“His name was Eddie Bates, and he was from Marydel, Delaware,” Boris said June 28.

Boris received the transplant at Penn State Milton S. Hershey Medical Center, Hershey, on April 25, 2009.

Today, Boris is on disability and is a volunteer for Gift of Life Donor Program, Philadelphia. His family includes his wife, Danielle, daughter, Nicki Davis, and three grandchildren.

Boris has competed in the Transplant Games of America twice before.

In 2012, he traveled to Grand Rapids, Michigan, to compete, and he brought home two silver medals and a bronze.

In 2014, he traveled to Houston, Texas, to compete, and he brought home two silvers and a gold.

But winning isn’t everything, he said.

“I do it in honor of my donor. I do it to honor him. And as long as my body can handle it, I’m going to continue doing these to honor him and to promote organ and tissue donation,” Boris said.

“When you go to the games, you get to meet people from all over. And when you go back, you see them again and they remember you and it’s like a big family reunion. We met people at our first games in Michigan who saw us this time,” Danielle Boris said June 28.

PORT CARBON — With sunny skies Monday morning, hundreds of people came to the borough to run, march and enjoy the annual festivities borough volunteers organize to celebrate the Fourth of July.

“With the race, everybody I spoke to said it was a nice course. And they’re looking forward to it next year. As far as spectators for the parade, this is probably one of the biggest turnouts we had for a parade in a few years,” Charles R. “Chuck” Joy, borough mayor and president of the Port Carbon Citizens Committee, said.

“And you couldn’t ask for a better day,” John Hoffman, Minersville, who was there to race, said.

Race

The day started out with the third annual Port Carbon Firecracker 5K Run/Walk through the community.

“The citizens committee runs this. And it helps to finance our fireworks. As far as runners, we have over 130 registered right now. Our goal this year is 200,” Joy said Thursday.

The event attracted 183 people, Joy said Monday before sounding an air horn to start the race.

Runners included a Pottsville family: Dana Sabaday, her husband, Russ, and their son, Caleb, 5 months. They pushed Caleb in a stroller as they participated in the race.

“It’s very hilly,” Dana said.

“This is my first time running in this race, and I’m excited to see how it is. I like hills. They’re challenging,” Miranda Klinger, Saint Clair, said.

The first runner to cross the finish line at John L. Miller Memorial Playground was Damon Brossman, 43, of Pottsville.

He said it was the first time he participated in the race.

“My girlfriend got me back into running. I use to do it a lot, but I just got back into it this year. I used to be a runner, and I had lost my ambition to do it. But she got me to do a half marathon, and I got back into it. We had good weather today,” Brossman said as he wiped the sweat from his brow.

The first woman to cross the finish line was Gina Manbeck, 28, of Frackville.

“I did this race last year. And last year, I was third girl overall. It was a good race. It was nice. I’m glad they have it early. It’s cooler. There were a couple of hills, but it’s nothing like the Coal Cracker in Shenandoah,” Manbeck said.

She was also the overall female winner June 11 at the 36th annual Shenandoah Coal Cracker 10K Run in Shenandoah.

“It was tough,” Klinger said of the Firecracker 5K. She thought she was the second woman to cross the finish line. “It was hill after hill after hill. They weren’t little slopes.”

Pretzel City Sports, Reading, recorded the race results. They will be available today at www.pretzelcitysports.com.

“All proceeds benefit the Port Carbon 4th of July Parade and Fireworks,” according to the PCS website.

Parade

After the race, families and local dignitaries attended the borough’s annual Fourth of July Baby Parade.

Some families assembled floats. Mark Baddick, New Philadelphia, and his wife, Pam, built one that resembled an oasis colored red, white and blue.

Their two children, Nora, 2, and Olivia, 3, rode on the float as the parents pulled it along.

“This is the second year we’ve come out for this event. Last year, we got rained out. And our float fell apart. All the decorations were made out of cardboard,” Mark said.

George F. Halcovage Jr., Schuylkill County commissioners chairman, was there with Commissioner Gary Hess and Schuylkill County District Attorney Christine A. Holman.

The 2016 Greater Pottsville Winter Carnival Queen, Meghan Devlin, the 2016 Winter Carnival Snowflake Princess, Rachael Cataldo, and the 2016 Winter Carnival Snowdrop Princess, Elena Holden, also were there. They were riding in a red vintage Dodge convertible owned by Gerald L. “Jerry” Enders. Robert W. Wachter was behind the wheel. Riding along was the first person crowned carnival queen, his wife, Louise Wachter, Pottsville.

Karen Everdale-Weldon, 44, of Doylestown, was there with her family, including her daughter, Delaney Weldon, 8, and her nephew, Nathan Bear, 9, of Montoursville.

“We try to come back for this every year,” Karen said.

She grew up in Port Carbon and recalled being in the parade when she was a child. She remembered riding her bike in some past baby parades and being part of a float in another.

“At one time, a friend of ours dressed up as the Ayatollah Khomeini and we dressed up as gas tanks,” Karen said.

Karen’s mother, Joanne Everdale, Port Carbon, also attended Monday’s parade.

“I remember for one parade I got a venetian blind and painted it yellow. We made it look like bricks. And we made a float with the theme of ‘Follow The Yellow Brick Road,’ ” Joanne said.

Joy said the Baby Parade started sometime after World War II and evolved out of a welcome home parade for veterans. He wasn’t sure exactly how many years the Baby Parade has been a tradition, but he said this is the 30th year he’s been in charge of it.

His granddaughter, Kaci, 6, was among the participants Monday.

Following the parade, representatives of borough council recognized representatives of Lowe’s Home Improvement, Pottsville, who made improvements to John L. Miller Memorial Playground in June through its Lowe’s Heroes program.

Despite predictions of rain, the borough proceeded with its annual fireworks show Monday night. Pyrotecnico, Vineland, New Jersey, set up the pyrotechnics for a half-hour show at a cost of $10,000, Joy said. He said the committee fell short of the fundraising goal for the fireworks by about $2,000.

n Frackville: Elks Lodge 1533, 307 S. Third St., will stage its ninth annual poker run — “A Ride for our Veterans” — on July 16. Registration will be from 9 to 10:30 a.m. and “Kickstands Up” will be 11 a.m. at the lodge. The entry fee is $20. Bikes must be street legal and riders must obey rules of the road, according to an event flier. There will be a breakfast buffet before the poker run, an optional dice roll and prizes, raffles and a food buffet afterward. For more information, call 570-956-0006 or email Frackville_bpoe_1533@hotmail.com.

n Mahanoy City: The Washington Hook and Ladder Fire Company will have a car wash from 9 a.m. to noon Saturday at the firehouse, 35 E. Mahanoy Ave., weather permitting. The cost is $5 for exterior only and $15 for exterior and interior.

n Minersville: The annual Minersville Fire-Rescue block party will be held from 6 to 11 p.m. Thursday to Saturday at 300 North St. Entertainment on Thursday will be by Another Side, on Friday by Tool Shed Jack and on Saturday by Hooligan. The event will also include rides, homemade food, refreshments and games of chance. All are welcome. For more information, call 570-544-6029.

n Orwigsburg: The Fortress Cancer Care Support Group meets at 6 p.m. Tuesdays at Faith Church, Route 61 South. The effort aims to give support and care for people with cancer, their families, friends and caregivers. For more information, call 570-593-8007.

n Shenandoah: The sixth annual Cooper Cup golf tournament to benefit the ongoing effort to renovate the former J.W. Cooper High School building at White and Lloyd streets into a multi-purpose community center will be held Aug. 12 at the Schuylkill Country Club, Orwigsburg. The entry fee is $90 per golfer in the four-man scramble event, which will have a 7:30 a.m. practice and 9 a.m. tee-off. The event will include a continental breakfast, on-course contests, hole-in-one prizes, awards, giveaways and door prizes as well as free water and beer throughout the tourney plus a live classic rock performance by Dark Horse. Corporate, business, individual and patron sponsorships are available. More information on this and other Cooper project fundraiser and activities is available at the project’s website, jwcoopercenter.org. The community center effort is a 501(c)3 nonprofit meaning donations are tax-deductible. Jeweler Kent Steinmetz, Schuylkill Haven, bought the Cooper building and launched the renovation effort in 2009.

n Shenandoah: Restoration Fellowship, Oak and West streets, will welcome guest speaker the Rev. Jonathan Reyes at 10:30 a.m. Sunday. Reyes, who has a healing and deliverance ministry, is a youth leader who runs a program called “Friday Night Lights,” which services youth and parents of all denominations, according to a release. All are welcome to attend.

n Summit Station: As a change of pace during the 2016 Schuylkill County Fair, set to run Aug. 1 to 6 at the county fairgrounds here, people will be able to stroll through shade trees to the James S. Shadle Nature Center, where there will be new exhibits featuring plants, animals, geology and natural history of the area. The center’s operating hours are 5 to 7:30 p.m. Monday/Wednesday/Friday, 1 to 2:30 p.m. Tuesday and 4 to 7:30 p.m. Saturday. Visitors will be able to speak with Patrick M. “Porcupine Pat” McKinney, environmental education coordinator with the Schuylkill Conservation District, about the latest environmental issues and their impact on the area, according to a fair press release. Admission to the center is part of the fair admission. For more information, call McKinney at 570-622-4124, ext. 113 or email porcupinepat@yahoo.com. The fair’s website is www.schuylkillfair.com. People may also follow the fair on Facebook.

n Tamaqua: An American Red Cross blood drive is scheduled for 1 to 6 p.m. July 12 at the Tamaqua YMCA, 1201 E. Broad St. at the former Jamesway Plaza. People 17 and older (16 with parental consent), weighing at least 110 pounds and in general good health are encouraged to donate blood. For more information or to arrange for an appointment, call 800-733-2767.

HECKSCHERVILLE — A tractor-trailer carrying a load of watermelons crashed early Monday in Cass Township, according to state police at Frackville.

The driver, Alvin B. May, 50, of Charlotte, North Carolina, suffered injuries and was taken by Minersville EMS to Hershey Medical Center, according to police.

The incident occurred at 6:07 a.m. on Highridge Park and Valley roads.

May was driving a 2006 Freightliner owned by Shipps Trucking, Charlotte, North Carolina, south on state Route 4007, which is Highridge Park Road, police said. He missed his turn into the Highridge Business Park and continued south on Highridge Park Road. He failed to observe traffic control signs regarding tractor-trailers on top of the mountain on state Route 4007, police said.

May was unable to safely come to a complete stop at the stop sign at Valley Road due to the weight of the cargo. He applied the brakes and skidded through the intersection. He steered to the left in an attempt to proceed east on Valley Road, but the tractor-trailer rolled over onto its passenger side, police said.

The tractor-trailer hit the guide rail and rolled onto its roof. It came to final rest on its roof facing east in a wooded area about 20 feet south from Valley Road, police said.

One of the first people on the scene was Walter Kilraine, 735 Valley Road, Heckscherville.

“I heard the brakes and all squealing real hard. Then there was a loud bang. I was in my computer room on one end of the house. My wife was on the other end in bed and she came running out,” Kilraine said.

Kilraine said he was the second person on the scene and talked to the driver.

“I was talking to him. He said his head was cut, and he had a little cut on his nose,” Kilraine said.

Responders included firefighters from Heckshersville and Minersville, Minersville EMS and Tremont EMS.

“The operator was extracted from the tractor and transported to Hershey Medical Center for unknown injuries to his head,” police said.

Kilraine said he’s seen many similar accidents at that intersection.

“It’s been, like, eight or 10 times I’ve seen this already. Luckily, there hasn’t been anybody going through the intersection. If there is, they’re done,” Kilraine said.

Kilraine suggested stop signs be placed on Valley Road bordering Highridge Park Road.

“If you put a stop sign here, at least they have half a chance if they see a runaway truck coming. You’d be stopping and be able to look up that road before you go,” Kilraine said.

May will be cited with several traffic violations for not obeying traffic control signs, police said.

With the opinions of an out-of-town hearing officer in hand, the Pottsville Area school board tonight will vote once again on the future of Gillingham Charter School.

The Pottsville Area school board will hold a special meeting at 7 p.m. in the board room of the Howard S. Fernsler Academic Center to report and act on the hearing officer’s recommendations, according to a legal notice published in Tuesday’s edition of The Republican-Herald.

In April and May, Marc S. Fisher, an attorney from Allentown, was paid by the district to serve as hearing officer at a series of 12 public hearings regarding Gillingham’s request for a second five-year charter. After a 30-day public comment period, which ended June 24, Fisher set to work on his recommendations.

Pottsville Area Superintendent Jeffrey S. Zwiebel would not release Fisher’s report to the public on Tuesday.

“The Hearing Officer’s Report and Recommendation has yet to be voted on by the Board of Directors and will not be released publicly until after the board’s vote,” Zwiebel said in an email Tuesday.

On Dec. 2, the Pottsville Area school board rejected Gillingham’s application for a second five-year charter.

In accordance with the Public School Code of 1949, Article XVII-A, Charter Schools, Section 1729-A, subsection (c), the school district must hold a public hearing “concerning the revocation or nonrenewal.”

Thousands of taxpayer dollars were used to finance the hearings.

On Jan. 20, the school board hired Fisher as a hearing officer and fact finder at a rate of $185 per hour.

At the hearings, the district was represented by Ellen C. Schurdak, a representative of King, Spry, Herman, Freund & Faul Attorneys & Counselors, Bethlehem. In May 2015, the board hired Schurdak on an as-needed basis at a rate of $185 per hour.

Among the expert witnesses Pottsville Area hired is Andrew M. Kline, an independent special education consultant from Lancaster who conducted a special education audit at Gillingham. Pottsville Area paid Kline $200 per hour, and that included his time as an expert witness during the hearings, Stephen C. Curran, Pottsville Area’s business manager, said April 19.

Gillingham also used public funds to hire expert witnesses and a legal team.

Gillingham employed attorneys from the firm, Latsha Davis & McKenna, Mechanicsburg, for help with the rechartering process. Attorney Christine Elizabeth Reilly received $200 per hour and attorney Mark G. Morford received $235 per hour, Rachel Bensinger, the school’s director of organizational development, said previously.

On June 16, Gillingham’s board of trustees paid Latsha Davis & McKenna $75,792 for their services in April and $50,025.36 for their services in May.

Gillingham also hired expert witnesses.

Among them was Frontier 21 Education Solutions, Bala Cynwyd, Montgomery County. On May 12, Alexander D. Schuh, the executive director of Frontier 21 Education Solutions, testified at one of the hearings. On June 2, Gillingham paid Frontier 21 $6,259.44 to review its standardized test scores.

NEW RINGGOLD — A 56-year-old New Ringgold man was jailed Monday charged by state police at Frackville with sexually assaulting a 16-year-old boy two days before.

Luis A. Melendez, 34 Schuylkill Road, was arrested by Trooper Michael Marinchak of the Frackville station and charged with one felony count of corruption of minors and two misdemeanor counts of indecent assault.

He was arraigned by on-call Magisterial District Judge Anthony J. Kilker, Shenandoah, and committed to Schuylkill County Prison in lieu of $25,000 straight cash bail.

Marinchak charged Melendez stemming from an incident at another home on Schuylkill Road in East Brunswick Township between midnight and 12:30 a.m. Saturday.

Marinchak said the teenager reported that Melendez had inappropriate contact with him, starting off with the man poking and touching his chest.

Melendez then started talking about sexually related topics and then tugged at the front of his shorts several times, police said. Marinchak said the teen reported Melendez continued to ask sexual questions but stopped when the teen said he was uncomfortable and asked him to stop.

When interviewed Monday, Marinchak said, Melendez told him that although he is married, he is bisexual and was having fun with the teenager but admitted he tugged the boy’s shorts because he wanted to see his private area.

Melendez also said he asked the teen sexually oriented questions and when asked why he did so, he said he was curious, Marinchak said.

Melendez will now have to answer to the charges against him before Magisterial District Judge James R. Ferrier, Orwigsburg, at a preliminary hearing set for July 14.

Pottsville police officers partnered with Pottsville Housing Authority members on Thursday to distribute free bicycle helmets.

Police Sgt. James Joos, along with patrolmen Cody Montz, Jonathan Randolph and Samson Wega, volunteered their off-duty time to work with PHA employees to give children of authority residents who were in need of safety equipment.

Craig Shields, executive director of the PHA, donated all of the helmets distributed and authority site supervisors Mary Alice Leskin, Joseph Piel and Andy Reiley, along with various site employees, assisted the police officers in coordinating distributions at five separate PHA properties.

A total of 80 helmets were distributed during the day and the police also assisted the recipients and their parents with proper fitting of the equipment as well as providing information on proper wear and additional bike safety tips.

The helmet distribution was part of a department-wide initiative that all of the patrol watches are participating in for Chief Richard F. Wojciechowsky.

As part of the initiative, each patrol shift sergeant and his officers were asked to collaborate in identifying a specific aspect or item for their squad to focus on during the summer months that will provide positive change to the community.

“These special projects are being done in addition to the multitude of beneficial services the patrol officers perform to help the City of Pottsville during the course of their duties on a daily basis,” Wojciechowsky said.

SAINT CLAIR — In a vote of 5 to 1 Tuesday evening, the borough council voted to spend $2,295 to update the municipal building’s security system.

“It just seems high to me,” board member Joann Brennan, who cast the lone dissenting vote, said.

Two weeks ago, representatives of DM2 Security, Frackville, visited the borough office at 16 S. Third St. for the annual inspection, according to Roland Price Jr., the borough secretary.

At the council’s workshop Thursday, Price would not say what type of security system the borough currently uses but said it was more than 10 years old.

On June 27, DM2 Security sent the borough a proposal to upgrade the building’s security system at a cost of $2,295 by installing the following alarm devices:

• A Honeywell Vista 20P burglar alarm panel with a backup battery pack

• Two Honeywell English Readout Keypads

• A Honeywell Standard Keypad

• A wireless receiver

• Eight wireless smoke detectors

“I have a question. Did we get any other estimates on that? Why would it cost more than $2,000 for a security alarm system upgrade?” Brennan asked.

DM2 Security had installed the system at the borough hall, Price said.

“Should we get another price quote? No, because we’d have to go to another firm and they’d have to put their own security system in and revamp the whole thing. They probably wouldn’t use the same keypads and what-have-you,” Price said.

“Is it a large ... I mean are all of the windows and the doors ...?,” Brennan started to say.

“We don’t give away specifics for security reasons, but the building is properly secured,” Price said. Then he again reminded her of the list of items to be updated.

“A lot of things are wireless now. This does not include the surveillance system,” Price said.

“This does not include the surveillance system?” Brennan asked.

“No. The surveillance system is separate,” Price said.

“So it’s just the alarms?” Brennan asked.

“The alarms, the sensors, new keypads. You’ll see a list there,” Price said.

Price told Brennan he had faith in DM2 Security: “If something happens here, they call.”

Council member William M. Dempsey made the motion to accept the proposal. It was seconded by council member John R. Burke and carried with votes by council President James D. Larish, council Vice President Michael Petrozino and council member Tom Dempsey.

Brennan voted no.

Board member Rebecca “Becky” Kovich was absent from Tuesday’s meeting

In other matters, Robert Petrozino, the borough’s electric department superintendent, recommended the council consider buying 250 LED street light fixtures in order to complete a townwide conversion using “COSTAR pricing of $175.55 per fixture for a total price of $43,887.50.”

“Would you like to do anything with the LED street lights?” Larish asked the council.

“Not at this time,” William Dempsey said.

And no action was taken.

Other actions the council took at its July meeting included the following:

• Spent $937 to buy an overhead door for the rear garage from Shank Door, Myerstown.

• Accepted a change order regarding the demolition of The Ritz Theatre building at 31 N. Second St., resulting in a reduction of $1,260, bringing the contract price to $61,939.

Meanwhile, the borough is gearing up for its annual car cruise, which will be held Saturday.

Registration starts at 2 p.m. and the cruise is from 6 to 8, and there’s fireworks afterward, Robert Petrozino, cruise volunteer, said. He’s also the brother of the council vice president.

The Pottsville Third Brigade Band will hold a concert 7 p.m. July 26 at Boone Park. It’s free to the public, Larish said.

Local investors recently bought three buildings on Centre Street in downtown Pottsville, and all are making efforts to improve them.

“I’ve been owning buildings in Pottsville for 13 years now. And, in that 13 years, this is the first glimmer of hope that I see for the downtown, with these people buying these buildings,” one of those investors, Stephen R. Buzalko, Pottsville, said Friday.

Karen Kenderdine, the president and treasurer of the Pottsville Business Association, on Friday applauded the investors for their efforts and wished them the best with the properties.

The buildings are all three-story structures and they are all in close proximity. The buildings and their new owners are:

• Brian Setlock and his wife, Patricia, Pottsville, under the name PBS Properties LLC, bought 22 N. Centre St. from Diane M. and Wendell P. Jenkins for $15,000 on Jan. 7, according to the online Schuylkill Parcel Locator. Since then, the couple has been renovating the first floor, planning to open a bakery there later this summer.

• Buzalko and his wife, Ann Marie C., bought 20 N. Centre St. from Maria Matlock for $22,000 on Feb. 26, according to the parcel locator. Previously, the first floor housed The Grateful Thread.

• Matthew DiRenzo, Pottsville, under the name MHD Properties LLC, bought 100 N. Centre St. from Riverview Bank for $35,000 on April 18, according to the parcel locator. It’s a landmark right in the middle of the downtown business district and state Sen. David G. Argall, R-29, has had an office there since August 2009.

On Tuesday, Brian Setlock, his wife, Patricia, and their son, Vaughn, 3, were at 22 N. Centre St. with representatives of Walter Davis Contracting, Saint Clair. And renovation work was continuing.

“We exposed that brick like we wanted to. And it looks amazing! Today, they’re installing fire-rated drywall on the ceiling. And I’ve been cleaning the tin tiles that were on the ceiling. Eventually, they’re going to go back up,” Brian Setlock said.

While renovating the first floor, the crews also uncovered a fanlight above the front door.

“That was one of those exciting finds. We expected that area to be boarded up. It was covered with plywood,” Patricia said.

They hope to open Bake Shop VI, Pottsville’s Premier Artisan Breads and Bake Shop, in time for the 23rd annual Great Pottsville Cruise, slated for Aug. 13.

“That’s tentative,” Patricia said.

On Tuesday, the family visited Seigfried’s Restaurant Equipment in Myerstown to consider options for equipment for the business.

On Friday, Stephen Buzalko praised the work the Setlocks were doing at 22 N. Centre St.

“I wish them well. It’s a heck of an undertaking. I looked at that building at one time and I walked away from it. That was years ago. I said ‘No way. I don’t want it. I don’t need to work this hard.’ But I’m a one-string banjo,” Buzalko said.

DiRenzo owns The Park Hotel building at 315 N. Centre St., the home of the Greystone Restaurant.

“Matt is a stand-up guy. I was glad to see him get that corner property,” Buzalko said.

DiRenzo said he was interested in 100 N. Centre St. for a few reasons.

“It’s a rental investment property. The upper floors are in pretty good shape. As of now it’s all zoned commercial. And they’re already pretty much cleaned out,” DiRenzo said Tuesday.

Argall is the building’s only tenant.

Above Argall’s office are rooms with decorative windows with bird’s eye views of North Centre and West Market streets.

“The view from the from is probably one of the things that attracted me the most to this property. Whether this becomes an office or an apartment, to me, that had potential,” DiRenzo said.

Buzalko is owner of Buzalko Properties and Buzalko Woodworking, Pottsville. He is also a member of the Pottsville Historical Architectural Review Board. Properties he and his wife own in the city include 104 N. Centre St. and 108 N. Centre St.

Buzalko is considering options for the 20 N. Centre St.

“Someone might want to come in and put some retail in there. When Schuylkill Women in Crisis owned it, they did a lot of renovations. I’m just looking to clean it up, spruce it up a little bit and fix up the facade a little. That was the reason I bought it. A lot of the work was done. The last couple of buildings I bought I had to put a lot of time and money into. This one needs some cosmetic work, but that’s nothing compared to what we had to do to the other buildings,” Buzalko said.

“I think the people who are planning to open the bake shop and ... they’re people who have a lot of pride in the downtown. Sometimes you don’t have a grand plan but you still want to try to do something, to try to save another building. And you’re hoping when you’re done you can still make a go of the place,” DiRenzo said.

MINERSVILLE — A borough man was jailed Tuesday on charges he sexually assaulted a 3-year-old boy.

Jose Fernando Montalban-Rodriguez, 27, of 314 N. Front St., was charged with one felony count each of involuntary deviate sexual intercourse with a child, involuntary deviate sexual intercourse, indecent assault, corruption of minors, endangering the welfare of a child and another related sexual offense.

He was arraigned by Magisterial District Judge David A. Plachko, Port Carbon, and committed to Schuylkill County Prison in lieu of $100,000 straight cash bail.

Minersville police Patrolman Jeffrey Bowers charged Montalban-Rodriguez in connection with the incident that occurred in the borough in March.

Bowers said the allegations came to light in June when it was learned that Montalban-Rodriguez would have the child perform a lewd act on him and he would call it “fresh.”

Bowers said that he, along with Schuylkill County Children & Youth Services workers, asked Montalban-Rodriguez to submit to a polygraph test.

The man agreed and Bowers said the test was administered on June 24 by state police Trooper Wesley Levan at the Schuylkill Haven barracks.

Bowers said that Montalban-Rodriguez failed the test and during a subsequent interview with Levan admitted lying in bed with a child, while other children were in the room, and becoming sexually aroused and he admitted performing a lewd act on the child but stopped when he realized it was wrong and another child asked him what he was doing, Bowers said.

Bowers said the charges were filed based on the confession that Montalban-Rodriguez gave to Levan during the interview.

HARRISBURG — Pennsylvania returns to budget limbo, a familiar situation in recent years as fiscal and political pressures continue to collide.

The state budget for fiscal 2016-17 is not finished or on time because lawmakers have sent only a $31.5 billion spending bill to Gov. Tom Wolf for signing. The four legislative caucuses and Wolf have yet to reach agreement and find the votes to pass the equally important revenue bills to support all the spending.

Wolf has until midnight Monday to take action on the spending bill, but the governor can’t sign the bill as is because it’s not balanced between spending and revenues as required by state law, spokesman Jeff Sheridan said Tuesday.

The governor could veto spending items to bring it in balance if there’s no revenue agreement by then.

“We cannot spend money we don’t have,” Wolf said in a video statement Tuesday.

The Legislature remained in recess Tuesday following the Fourth of July holiday with no word when lawmakers will be called back to Harrisburg. Both political parties hold presidential nominating conventions later this month, including one in Philadelphia, and the General Election season gets underway in September.

Legislative leaders met Tuesday behind closed doors to discuss revenue options, but no agreement was reported.

“Everybody hopes to come to an agreement before this week is out,” Stephen Miskin, spokesman for House Majority Leader Dave Reed, R-62, Indiana, said.

Meanwhile, state agencies and programs continue to operate and employees are being paid as a new fiscal year starts because revenue from existing state taxes continues to come in. Examples of services that continue include public health, safety and emergency response, services for senior citizens and veterans, services for individuals with disabilities, driver and vehicle services and public parks.

The revenue negotiations are focused on finding ways to generate anywhere from $1.2 billion to $1.4 billion to help erase a built-in revenue deficit and support the increased education spending.

House Republican leaders have suggested a $1.2 billion revenue package from higher tobacco taxes, the expansion of casino-run gambling, expanded wine sales in the private sector under a new law and delinquent taxpayers taking advantage of a short-term amnesty.

At least $1.4 billion in new revenue is needed, Sheridan said.

Some Democrats have suggested levying a gross receipts tax on natural gas customers to help bridge the gap. But Miskin said the House lacks the votes on both sides of the aisle for a tax on utility customers.

What’s needed instead is a severance tax on natural gas production, Rep. Mike Carroll, D-118, Avoca, said at the Capitol. Carroll thinks lawmakers could be in session this weekend in advance of Monday’s budget bill signing deadline.

Elected officials are having trouble agreeing on a modest budget that doesn’t include big-ticket items like pension reform, property tax reform or major tax hikes that fed a lengthy stalemate last year, Christopher Borick, a Throop native who is director of the Muhlenberg College Institute of Public Opinion, said.

“If they can’t do this, that’s really a sign that dysfunction is at a new level,” he said.

The situation leaves county officials hoping to avoid a repeat of the lengthy budget stalemate that consumed most of fiscal 2015-16. Counties borrowed money and incurred interest costs, used reserves and cut programs to get by during the stalemate.

SAINT CLAIR — Motorists traveling Schuylkill County’s Burma Road should be alert for crews repairing or replacing guide rails this summer.

The road upgrade is part of a six-mile, $763,049.20 cable guide rail improvement project spanning three counties — Schuylkill, Carbon and Monroe — according to Sean Brown, safety press officer for PennDOT Engineering District 5.

“There may be gaps in the guide rails, or some that need an upgrade,” Brown said Tuesday. “It’s pretty routine.”

Depending on where the work is being conducted, there may or may not need to be a lane restriction, he said.

PennDOT’s project report shows the bid for the cable upgrade was opened March 24 and contract awarded to Penn Line Service Inc., Scottsdale. Francis Pikitus is listed as assistant construction engineer and district contact, while Joseph Edmonson is listed as inspector in charge and the project contact.

Actual work on the guide rails was approved to begin May 16.

The contractor anticipates completing the project Aug. 29 in the three-county area.

3 charged after

gun confrontation

SHENANDOAH — Two men and a woman were arrested by Shenandoah police in connection with a disturbance on June 20.

Police said officers were called to the unit block of East Penn Street about 6 p.m. for a report of a disturbance of a man with a gun and learned that Tory Shuman, 22, his wife, Ashli Shuman, 19, and a roommate, Kimani Knott, 22, all of 103 N. White St., confronted several adults outside of 26 E. Penn St.

Police said Tory Shuman had a handgun and pointed it at another man and threatened him as the group of adults retreated into a home.

Tory Shuman stepped inside the home continuing to point the gun at the man while four children under the age of 12 were inside near the adults at the time, police said.

The gun was then given to Ashli Shuman who took it inside her house and police said officers apprehended Knott and Tory Shuman as they were leaving the scene.

Police said Tory Shuman was charged with one count each of aggravated assault, burglary, criminal trespass and conspiracy as well as seven counts of recklessly endangering another person. Knott was charged with one count of conspiracy to commit aggravated assault and Ashli Shuman with tampering with evidence.

Tory Shuman and Knott were arraigned and committed to Schuylkill County Prison while the charge against Ashli Shuman was filed in district court.

Man charged with

indecent assault

Pottsville police on Friday filed a criminal complaint charging Thomas Brough, 59, formerly of Pottsville, with one count of indecent assault.

Police said officers originally received a complaint that indicated Brough may have had inappropriate sexual contact in March with a male resident of ManorCare Health Services, 420 Pulaski Drive, Pottsville.

At that time, police said, Brough was also a resident at the facility.

Police said during their initial investigation, Brough was interviewed and denied having any inappropriate sexual contact with the victim, who is disabled and has extreme difficulty communicating.

However, the investigation continued and on Thursday, a polygraph examination was administered to Brough by a Pennsylvania State Police and during a subsequent interview at Pottsville City Hall, Brough admitted to committing acts that constituted criminal indecent contact with the victim during the early morning hours of March 16.

Brough will now have to answer to the charge against him before Magisterial District Judge James K. Reiley, Pottsville, police said.

Police: Group

assaulted witness

SHENANDOAH — A woman and three men were jailed after being arrested by Shenandoah police stemming from an 11:30 p.m. June 17 incident where they allegedly assaulted a witness to a crime.

Police said a man reported being jumped by the group who punched him in the face and then kicked him when he fell to the ground.

Charged in connection with the assault were Candice Malacusky, 22, of 210 N. Second St., Saint Clair; Charles Wishnefsky, 24, of 110 W. Penn St., Shenandoah; Dimetrius X. Crawley, 24, whose last known address was 236 N. Jardin St., Shenandoah; and Joseph R. Rush, 19, of 431 W. Oak St., Shenandoah.

Police said the four were charged with aggravated assault, intimidation of witnesses, retaliation against witnesses, simple assault, recklessly endangering another person and summary violations.

All four were arraigned and committed to Schuylkill County Prison unable to post $25,000 straight cash bail each.

2 New Yorkers

charged with scam

SHENANDOAH — Shenandoah police reported being called about 11:45 a.m. June 28 for a report of a contractor scam with the suspect still inside the elderly woman’s home.

Police said at the scene officers learned that James Lewkowicz, 43, of Suffolk, New York, had been in the house and asked for $6,500, telling the woman that he had serviced her furnace.

Lewkowicz stated that he was affiliated with Elite Solutions, a chimney cleaning company, and said that he had work orders and an appointment to clean the chimney, police said, adding that the victim reported she never made an appointment.

Police said a second male was stopped by state police as he passed by the scene in a van identified with Elite Solutions written on it.

He was later identified as Jonathon Romero, 30, of Brooklyn, New York, police said, adding that a subsequent search of the van found marijuana roaches inside near the driver’s seat.

It was also learned that both men had outstanding warrants from other states, police said.

As a result of the incident, police said, Lewkowicz was charged with burglary, criminal trespass and criminal attempt to commit theft by deception while Romero was charged with criminal attempt to commit theft by deception and possession of a small amount of marijuana.

Both were arraigned and committed to Schuylkill County Prison, Lewkowicz in lieu of $25,000 straight cash bail and Romero in lieu of $10,000 straight cash bail.

Police: Tamaqua

woman was DUI

TREMONT — Tremont police filed charges against a 50-year-old Tamaqua woman who failed to stop for officers, traveling several miles at 40 mph before pulling over on May 21.

Police said Melissa Ann Schartel, 410 E. Cottage Ave., was charged with DUI, endangering the welfare of children, driving while operating privileges are suspended or revoked and reckless driving.

Police said that about 8:55 p.m. officers tried to stop a vehicle driven by Schartel who was said to be “all over the road” but the woman continued to drive in an erratic manner for about nine miles before pulling over near Tower City.

During the pursuit, police said, Schartel had a small child in a car seat in the back of the vehicle, went off the road several times and almost became involved in an accident with a truck.

When stopped, police said, officers found Schartel smelling of alcohol and showing signs of being under the influence. Arrangements were made for a relative to come to the scene to take custody of the woman’s two-year-old granddaughter and a subsequent blood alcohol test revealed the woman had an alcohol level of 0.28 percent, more than three times the legal limit, police said.

Rush Twp. police

charge 4 with theft

HOMETOWN — Four people are facing charges by Rush Township police stemming from separate incidents at Wal-Mart.

Police said Stephanie McEntee, 38, of Shenandoah, is facing charges of retail theft and receiving stolen property for stealing items valued at $436 from the store on June 14, while Roxanne Sabia, 35, of Hazle Township, is facing identical charges for stealing items valued at $649 that same day.

Joel Vermillion, 26, of Tamaqua, will be charged with retail theft and receiving stolen property for taking items valued at $34.96 on June 17 and David Mussler, 31, of Coal Township, the same offenses for taking items valued at $851.62 on June 21.

All four will now have to answer to the charges against them before Magisterial District Judge Stephen J. Bayer, Tamaqua.