NEW PHILADELPHIA — Over the years, the former Blythe Township High School complex has become many things since Dr. David J. Moylan III took it over in 1998.

Today, it’s a radiation oncology clinic, and it’s home to The Sweet Barista and the Actors Guild of Schuylkill County. On Sept. 7, it will also be home to the Marty R. Davis Art Gallery.

“This project goes back to the very genesis of the cancer center here. When I first laid eyes on this building back in 1997, I said ‘this has potential to be the cultural, artistic, medical and athletic center of the county.’ We still have a long way to go, but we’re inching closer and closer,” Moylan said Aug. 16.

Moylan decided to turn two hallways on the building’s first floor — the hallways bordering the facility’s auditorium and The Sabrina Fessler, R.N. Memorial Chapel — into an art gallery honoring Davis, who died in 2013.

“Marty was a dear friend,” Moylan said.

The dedication will be held at 6 p.m. Sept. 7 at the facility at 15 Alliance St., New Philadelphia. Admission is adults, $2; students, $1; and children are free. Moylan said members of the Davis family will be in attendance.

Martin R. “Marty” Davis was born in Pottsville, Nov. 15, 1961, to Donald E. and Elizabeth Nolan Davis. He was a 1981 graduate of Pottsville Area High School and a 1986 graduate of Penn State University. He was the owner of Donald E. Davis Real Estate and Insurance, Pottsville. He died at Schuylkill Medical Center-East Norwegian Street on July 23, 2013, according to the newspaper’s archives.

Davis suffered with cancer.

“He had a couple different types,” Moylan said. They included non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, “a very aggressive one,” Moylan said.

Davis was not an artist, but he had an appreciation for art, Moylan said.

“He was a patron of the arts. He enjoyed the arts,” Moylan said.

“The Davis family is honored to have this art gallery dedicated to Marty. May all the visitors who pass through these halls find strength, hope, courage and prayer to move forward each and every day,” Teresa Hauck, director of strategic planning, marketing and business development at Simon Kramer, said in an invitation to the event.

Moylan and his staff have started hanging framed paintings in the gallery, but would like to have more entries to consider.

“All artists of all levels are invited to exhibit. Be prepared to sell,” Moylan said.

“Art can be brought in and hung beginning now until September 7 at 5 p.m.,” Hauck said in a press release.

For more information, call Hauck at 570-617-2700.

Proceeds benefit the Educational and Scientific Trust at the Simon Kramer Cancer Institute, Hauck said in a press release.

People who attend the opening of the art gallery can catch a glimpse of another project Moylan is working on. He is planning to install a doorway and a path leading out to a garden at the back of the building, which he calls a “Peace Garden.”

“This is a work in progress. We want to replace this glass window with glass doors. We’re installing a ramp. I believe they’re going to be pouring concrete this weekend,” Moylan said.

FRACKVILLE — Representatives of Lowe’s Regional Distribution Center 961 made some noise Saturday at the Frackville Free Public Library with nail guns and electric screwdrivers.

In the process, they started turning a room used for storage into a research room with a closet.

Rachel Kulengosky, director at the Frackville Free Public Library, said it’s a volunteer effort, part of the Lowe’s Heroes program.

“It’s a meeting room. The walls were covered with paneling which was old and outdated. We used it for children’s programs. But it was cluttered,” Kulengosky said.

“It was like a big closet. But they’re going to change that,” John Malinchok, vice president of the library’s board of directors, said.

“They’re putting dry wall up. They’re putting up a wall to create a storage space. They’re going to do some painting, with some really nice bright colors. They started this morning,” Kulengosky said.

A description of the Lowe’s Heroes program is on the company’s website at www.lowes.com.

“Lowe’s embraces teamwork as a core value and a key ingredient in maintaining an engaged work force. We believe that by working together we can build something better for our company, our customers and our communities. Transforming lives one community at a time, that’s been the mission of Lowe’s Heroes since the volunteer program began in our stores more than 10 years ago. The program encourages employees in a location to team together, adopt a volunteer project with a local nonprofit organization or K–12 public school and make a difference,” according to the site.

“Whether it was helping to rebuild a tornado-battered school or rebuilding a low-income homeowner’s pride alongside one of our national partners, Lowe’s Heroes assisted our neighbors across North America. Lowe’s Heroes participated in more than 1,300 projects, and Lowe’s contributed more than $1.3 million in materials,” according to the site.

Nicole Wescoe, an aide at the library who works at the distribution center, put in the application on the library’s behalf.

“Nicole approached me about this at the end of last year, I believe. I think she wrote the letter in spring,” Kulengosky said.

There were 12 volunteers in the team from Lowe’s RDC 961 who arrived at the library at 8 a.m. Saturday.

They included Jen Frie, an assistant transportation manager at the distribution center, and Mark Chowka, an operations coach at the distribution center.

The budget for the project is $2,500, and Lowe’s RDC 961 is supplying the workers, Frie said.

“All of our time here is volunteer. Everybody that’s here, it’s their day off,” Frie said.

If the library had to do the project on its own by hiring a contractor, Chowka estimated it would cost between $8,000 and $10,000.

“I believe this room is 28-by-26-by-10 1/2-feet tall,” Chowka said as he gave it a once over.

As soon as they set up ladders and scaffolding, the team put dry wall over the vintage wood paneling.

“The walls will be painted teal,” Frie said.

“We’re also going to put a new floor in, a laminate flooring and paint the ceiling,” Chowka said.

The library remained open as the crew worked behind a closed door Saturday.

The volunteers will return on Wednesday, Chowka said.

“I think this will take us four or five days. I believe by the end of October the project will be completed,” Frie said.

Q: I am interested in helping my school get solar panels on the roof to show students how we can be part of the solution to the climate crisis. Are there any resources or grants out there to help?

— CHARLES HAMILTON,

WARREN, OHIO

A: Putting solar panels on your school is a great idea, not only to provide a free source of electricity, but also as a real-world way to teach students about the need for more renewable energy options and to make the school community part of the solution to our climate woes. School buildings are typically built with large, flat rooftops that are ideal candidates for solar installations.

According to the Foundation for Environmental Education’s Solar School Initiative, some 4,000 public and private school systems around the country have already installed solar panels at their own expense, or with funds raised through parent-teacher associations, student groups, individual donors and foundations. Analysts estimate that an additional 125,000 schools nationwide are good candidates for going solar and reaping the financial benefits of free energy. Developing renewable alternatives is essential to our transition away from dirty fossil fuel sources.

Grant programs vary from state to state, though some can be very supportive of municipal solar projects. In Massachusetts, for example, cities qualified as “Green Communities” can apply for clean energy grants through a state-run program. California also has a number of solar-friendly programs that schools can capitalize on, including the School Facility Modernization Grants and Self-Generation Incentive program. Several other states offer similar programs.

There are also many federal grant opportunities, primarily from the U.S. Department of Energy, which works with municipal and commercial applicants to help realize their energy goals. The Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy shares this mission, and recently made an investment of $19 million to improve our nation’s buildings, specifically naming hospitals and schools as top priorities.

There are also nongovernment options that can be used to bring solar to your local school district. The American Solar Energy Society offers a wide array of resources for achieving successful solar school programs and for navigating issues around choosing a system. The organization’s partnership with the Solar Foundation’s BDR Fund has set a goal of 20,000 solar systems installed at K-12 schools by 2020.

Another grant opportunity comes from the American Electric Power Foundation’s Learning from Light program, which has sponsored more than 100 schools’ transitions to solar, starting with Bluffsview Elementary in Worthington, Ohio, in 1998.

EARTHTALK is a trademark of the nonprofit Earth Action Network. To donate, visit www.earthtalk.org. Send questions to question@

earthtalk.org.

Luzerne

Manuel Rohas, McAdoo, and Jenny Bright, Gilberton, were among students at Luzerne County Community College who were inducted into the Alpha Sigma Lambda Adult Learners Honor Society. The induction ceremony was held in the Educational Conference Center on the Nanticoke campus.

Membership recognizes special achievements of adults who accomplish academic excellence while balancing competing interests of home and work.

Misericordia

Graduate students in Misericordia University’s doctor of physical therapy program presented their capstone research projects at the second annual Student Research Symposium: Current Research in Physical Therapy in Sandy and Marlene Insalaco Hall on the campus in Dallas, Luzerne County.

The 56 students had their doctorate degrees awarded to them at the fifth annual Misericordia winter commencement ceremony. The student researchers presented their work before an audience of clinical instructors on subjects that focused on musculoskeletal to neuromuscular disorders.

Local residents who presented their projects include: Katlynn Fickinger, Ashland, and James Schreffler and Jamison Perkins, both of Pottsville.Allison McIntyre, Ashland, as vice president of Misericordia’s medical imaging club, participated in the donation of $500 to the Geisinger Foundation and the Janet Weiss Children’s Hospital. The presentation was held at Geisinger Wyoming Valley Medical Center.

Allison was also part of a team of senior medical imaging majors who defended their title and took first place for the second consecutive year in the annual Pennsylvania Society of Radiologic Technologists Technibowl competition that was held during the spring conference and business meeting in Caraopolis.

Allison is a daughter of Cathy Canfield and Michael McIntyre, Ashland.

Annette Ritzko, Coaldale, was a cast member in The Misericordia Players’ presentation of the Pulitzer Prize-winning comedy, “You Can’t Take It with You.” The production was done during the spring semester in Lemmond Theater in Walsh Hall.

Misericordia’s American Medical Student Association Club presented its third annual Pre-Medical Conference for students considering a career in health care with the theme, “Global Service through Medicine,” with keynote speaker Francis J. Collini, M.D.

The club’s president, Alexandra Wagner, Tamaqua, was among the participants in the annual event.

Misericordia students enrolled in the weekend occupational therapy master’s degree program recently received their pins and presented their capstone group research projects at the annual Graduate Research Presentation Conference in Sandy and Marlene Insalaco Hall on campus.

Local residents who participated include Jessica Jansson, Cumbola, and Kyle Kurtek, Pottsville.

Brittany Lohr, Hegins, was one of three occupational therapy students at Misericordia, who presented their poster, “Experience from the Field: Implementation & Evaluation of Multi-Sensory Stimulation in Geriatric Practice,’’ at the 2016 American Occupational Therapy Association Annual Conference in Chicago, Illinois.

The annual AOTA conference is the largest gathering of OT practitioners and students in the world. The event attracted about 10,000 OT practitioners and students from the across the country.

The group was under the direction of Lauren Zack, OTD, OTR/L, an adjunct faculty member, and Ellen McLaughlin, Ed.D., OTR/L, associate professor.

Lebanon Valley

More than 125 students at Lebanon Valley College, Annville, will march with The Pride of The Valley Marching Band this year.

The marching band performs at all home football games as well as appearances at various exhibitions throughout the fall semester.

Local students participating include: Michael Wirtz, Mahanoy City, a graduate of Mahanoy Area High School, who is pursuing a bachelor’s degree in health science; Justin Mengel, Hamburg, a graduate of Hamburg Area High School, pursuing bachelor’s degrees in music education and music; Emma Fisher, New Boston, a graduate of Mahanoy Area High School, pursuing a bachelor’s degree in religion; Michael Halcovage, Pottsville, a graduate of Pottsville Area High School, pursuing bachelor’s degrees in music education and music; Morgan Riegel, Tower City, a graduate of Williams Valley High School, pursuing a bachelor’s degree in actuarial science; Amanda Meyers, Pottsville, a graduate of Pottsville Area High School, pursuing a bachelor’s degree in psychology; Ryan Zimmerman, Pine Grove, a graduate of Pine Grove Area High School, pursuing a bachelor’s degree in audio and music production.

ASHTON HAYES, England — This small village of about 1,000 people looks like any other nestled in the countryside.

But Ashton Hayes is different in an important way when it comes to one of the world’s most pressing issues: climate change. Hundreds of residents have banded together to cut greenhouse gas emissions — they use clotheslines instead of dryers, take fewer flights, install solar panels and glaze windows to better insulate their homes.

The effort, reaching its 10th anniversary this year, has led to a 24 percent cut in emissions, according to surveys by a professor of environmental sustainability who lives here.

But what makes Ashton Hayes unusual is its approach — the residents have done it themselves, without prodding from government. About 200 towns, cities and counties around the world — including Notteroy, Norway; Upper Saddle River, New Jersey; and Changhua County, Taiwan — have reached out to learn how the villagers here did it.

As climate science has become more accepted, and the effects of a warming planet are becoming increasingly clear, Ashton Hayes is a case study for the next phase of battling climate change: getting people to change their habits.

“We just think everyone should try to clean up their patch,” said Rosemary Dossett, a resident of the village. “And rather than going out and shouting about it, we just do it.”

Key: Self-sufficiency

One of their secrets, it seems, is that the people of Ashton Hayes feel in charge, rather than following government policies. When the member of Parliament who represents the village showed up at their first public meeting in January 2006, he was told he could not make any speeches.

“We said, ‘This is not about you tonight, this is about us, and you can listen to what we’ve got to say for a change,’” said Kate Harrison, a resident and early member of the group.

No politician has been allowed to address the group since. The village has kept the effort separate from party politics, which residents thought would only divide them along ideological lines.

The project was started by Garry Charnock, a former journalist who trained as a hydrologist and has lived in the village for about 30 years. He got the idea a little more than a decade ago after attending a lecture about climate change at the Hay Festival, an annual literary gathering in Wales. He decided to try to get Ashton Hayes to become, as he put it, “Britain’s first carbon-neutral village.”

“But even if we don’t,” he recalls thinking at the time, “let’s try to have a little fun.”

Not always so serious

Sometimes, efforts to reduce greenhouse gases involve guilt-tripping or doomsday scenarios that make people feel as if the problem is too overwhelming to tackle.

In Ashton Hayes — about 25 miles southeast of Liverpool, with a 19th century Anglican church and a community-owned shop that doubles as a post office — the villagers have lightened the mood.

They hold public wine-and-cheese meetings in the biggest houses in town, “so everyone can have a look around,” and see how the wealthier people live, said Charnock, executive director of RSK, an environmental consulting company. “We don’t ever finger-wag in Ashton Hayes.”

About 650 people — more than half of the village’s residents — showed up to the first meeting, Charnock said. Some in the village were less keen, but little by little, they began to participate.

Some have gone further. When they were looking to build their energy-efficient home and heard about Ashton Hayes’ carbon-neutral project, Dossett and her husband, Ian, thought it might be the perfect village for them.

They moved from nearby South Warrington and found two old farm cottages, which they converted into a two-story brick house, and installed huge triple-glazed windows, photovoltaic cells on the roof, a geothermal heat pump that heats the home and its water, and an underground cistern to hold rainwater for toilets and the garden.

“I wouldn’t want anyone to think we live in a mud hut,” Dossett said, sitting on a couch in her warm, well-lit living room.

The Dossetts also have a vegetable garden, grow grapes for wine, brew beer and keep two cows, which mow the lawn and may also eventually become food in a few years. They pay about 500 pounds (about $650) a year for electricity and heating.

Though deep cuts across the globe are still required to make broader progress, actions to reduce emissions, even by small towns, are a step in the right direction, say experts who study community action on climate change.

“The community-building element of all this has been as important as the environmental impact so far,” said Sarah Darby, a researcher at Oxford University’s Environmental Change Institute.

Favorable demographics

She added that Ashton Hayes was in a good position to take on these kinds of projects — it is a small village of well-off and well-educated people, so simply taking fewer flights each year can have a big effect.

Residents were able to cut emissions by about 20 percent in the first year alone, according to surveys used to calculate carbon footprints that were developed by Roy Alexander, a local professor, and his students.

Some have had even more significant reductions: Households that participated in surveys in both the first and 10th years shrank their energy use by about 40 percent.

Charnock said he thought the village could get the cuts in its 2006 carbon footprint to 80 percent in the next few years with the help of grant money to buy and install solar panels on the local school and other buildings.

The next thing they have to do, he said, is to get the county government to be as committed to cutting emissions as Ashton Hayes is.

“There’s so much apathy,” Charnock said. “We need to squeeze that layer of apathy jelly and get it out.”

It’s hard to believe but summer is racing to a close. Kids are going back to school and even though summer doesn’t officially end until Sept. 22, it’s just not the same once we get past Labor Day.

There’s still plenty of summer in the Pottsvile evening sky as far as the constellations go. One of my favorite ones is Hercules the Hero. It’s certainly not one of brightest constellations but I love the celestial hero’s classic story. Hercules is supposed to outline the figure of a mighty hero in Greek mythology but to me looks more like a giant fancy handwritten capital “H” (for Hercules) hanging diagonally in the high southwestern sky.

As soon as it’s dark enough, after 8:30 p.m., start looking for a very bright star nearly overhead. That’s the bright star Vega in the constellation Lyra the Lyre. About 15 to 20 degrees to the lower right of Vega in the high southwestern sky, (or about two of your fist-widths at arm’s length) look for four moderately bright stars that form a trapezoid. You should be able to see it unless there’s really a lot of light pollution from where you’re observing. That trapezoid is in the center of Hercules, right about where you’d join the two sides of the “H.”

The most significant part of Hercules is on the upper right hand side of the trapezoid. That’s where you’ll find one of the great celestial treasures of the sky anytime of the year.

It’s a must-see object with any size telescope, the amazing great Hercules cluster. You can even see it with the naked eye if your are stargazing in the dark countryside. Look for a faint smudge but with a good pair of binoculars or even better, a telescope, you’ll see a really gorgeous spherical cluster of very old stars, known as a globular cluster. This is the best one in our skies.

Astronomers figure it’s about 25,000 light years away, which equals about 145,000 trillion miles away. There may be up to a million stars crammed in an area a little more than 800 trillion miles wide. Through even a moderate telescope you can see some individual stars at the edge. As it is with all telescopic objects though, look at the cluster for extended periods of time through the eyepiece of your scope to let your eyes get use to the darkness of the field.

At my stargazing programs this time of year, it’s one of the best treasures I love showing off to the folks through my larger scopes. The Hercules cluster is one of many globular clusters that form a halo around our Milky Way Galaxy. Astronomers don’t know exactly how they form but globular clusters are definitely part of our galaxies evolution.

In Greek mythology, Hercules was a mighty muscle man. For most of his life, he also had a huge heart, except for a brief awful insane episode. Young Hercules, a teenager fell in love with the beautiful but conniving Princess Megara. They were foolishly married soon after they met and the honeymoon didn’t last very long. Arguments quickly broke out. Hercules felt that there was nothing he could do to please Megara. She picked and picked at Hercules until he blew his stack and temporarily lost his sanity. With his mighty hand he choked Princess Megara and all her attendants.

Immediately after the massacre, Hercules instantly came to his senses and realized the extent of the horrible deeds. He was beyond sick with guilt and shame and turned himself in, leaving his fate up to Eurystheus, the King of Mycenae and Megara’s father. The wise and extremely compassionate king was totally devastated with the loss of his daughter but accepted that his son-in-law was truly sorry for his crime and temporary loss of his sanity.

Nonetheless, Hercules had to be punished, so Eurystheus assigned Hercules to 12 incredibly difficult labors that he had to perform to atone for his crime. He would have been a lot happier breaking big rocks into little rocks!

One of his labors was to slay Leo the Lion, the king of kings of all beasts. Using all his strength and brains, he slew the monster lion and went on to complete all his other labors, like taking on a nine headed snake and stealing cattle from a monster.

Zeus, the king of the gods, and all his buddies on Mount Olympus rewarded him at the time of his death for all his great work by placing his body in the heaven as the constellation we see through the summer and early fall. They didn’t want Hercules to receive full honors though because of his murder conviction, so they hung his body upside down in the heavens.

Celestial hugging

this week

Early this week check the very close conjunction during evening twilight between Jupiter and Venus in the very low western sky just above the horizon.

(Lynch, an amateur astronomer and professional broadcast meteorologist, can be reached at mikewlynch@comcast.net)

SHENANDOAH — This year’s celebration of the 18th annual Heritage Day on Saturday had that something extra since it was planned to close the 150th anniversary celebration of the borough’s incorporation in 1866.

The eight-day sesquicentennial celebration will actually go into a ninth day today with an interfaith ecumenical service at 6 p.m. in Girard Park, postponed from last Sunday due to the threat of rain.

The Heritage Day event, part of the sesquicentennial’s “Heritage and Diversity Day,” began at 10 a.m. with the 17th annual Parade of Nations, both sponsored by Downtown Shenandoah Inc., the borough’s revitalization organization. The parade was added in 2000 for the second Heritage Day. The Greater Shenandoah Area Historical Society founded Heritage Day in 1999 to recognize the many ethnicities and cultures that have been part of the history of the borough. In 2009, DSI took the reins as the organizer of the parade and the celebration.

When the schedule of the sesquicentennial events was discussed, Heritage Day was determined to be the perfect finish with its parade that celebrated the borough’s cultural history, and begin with an additional parade one week before on Aug. 20.

This year’s parade participants had a different view as they made their way along Main Street. The spectators along the route also included the many vendors on the sidewalks that had normally been located in Girard Park, which had been the venue for Heritage Day. Organizers decided to move everything to the first two blocks of North Main Street as a convenience to the vendors and many people who found it difficult to walk around the uneven ground at the park.

The Combined Veterans of Shenandoah led the parade with its honor guard, followed by the Shenandoah Valley Marching Band, band front and cheerleaders. The car of the honored parade grand marshal, retired Shenandoah attorney Leonard G. Schumack, who has been active in the community through the Shenandoah Rotary Club, Greater Shenandoah Area Chamber of Commerce, DSI and other groups, was next in the parade.

Local, county, state and federal elected officials marched in the parade, followed by the sesquicentennial banner and members. Shenandoah native and famous author Darryl Ponicsan and his son, Dylan, were next in the parade, followed by the Nativity BVM High School Marching Band.

Other participants were the Hawk Mountain Highlanders, Perseverance Jazz Band, Kowalonek’s Kielbasy Shop, Healthy Shenandoah, the Shenandoah All-Star Polka Band, Mrs. T’s Pierogies with Pierogie Man, Ridgeview Healthcare and Rehabilitation Center, the Shenandoah Boy Scouts and Cub Scouts, the Shenandoah “Daughter to the Stars” float and fire trucks and ambulances from local stations.

Many nations were represented in the parade, showing the ethnic diversity of the borough’s residents: Bulgaria, Egypt, El Salvadore, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Lithuania, Mexico, Poland, Slovakia and Ukraine.

After the parade, a short program was held in the garden, emceed by DSI Promotions Committee chairwoman sesquicentennial committee member Anne Taylor.

“Happy birthday, Shenandoah!” Taylor began. “We are ending up our sesquicentennial activities. We couldn’t have had a more beautiful day and a more beautiful turnout for our parade. Let me welcome you on behalf of Downtown Shenandoah Inc. and the Shenandoah Sesquicentennial Committee.”

The national anthem was sung by Shaina Graff before presentations were made to Schumack. The first was Mayor Andrew J. Szczyglak declaring Aug. 27, 2016, as Leonard G. Schumack Day.

“I look out at the crowd and all I can say, ‛Wow,’ ” Szczyglak said. “Last Saturday we had the opening parade for the 150th anniversary of our town, and today we had the parade that is just as nice and beautiful and ran just as smoothly.”

Szczyglak thanked DSI Executive Director Mary Luscavage for her efforts in directing the organizing of the parade and event before reading the proclamation for Schumack.

After accepting the proclamation, Schumack said, “It’s been a pleasure to be a part of Shenandoah and I’m grateful for it. My parents settled here, my family settled here and we became part of this town. I’ll never forget it. Thanks, thanks ever so much.”

The next presentation was from state Sen. David G. Argall, R-29, who presented a “Certificate of Recognition” to Schumack in his serving as grand marshal for the Parade of Nations. State Rep. Neal P. Goodman, D-123, presented Schumack with a “Certificate of Recognition” for the honor of being grand marshal.

The next to speak was William Hanley, legislative aide to U.S. Rep. Matt Cartwright, D-17.

“On behalf of Congressman Matt Cartwright, who could not be here this morning, I would like to offer my congratulations to the borough,” Hanley said. “It’s one of my favorite places on the face of the Earth. Years ago, my in-laws owned the Columbia Brewery, so we go way back.”

Hanley presented a copy of Cartwright’s recognition of the borough’s 150th anniversary that has been entered into the Congressional Record. It partly reads,

“It is an honor to recognize Shenandoah on its sesquicentennial. I am proud to represent a community so rich in history. May the people of Shenandoah be proud of their past and look forward to a bright future as they celebrate the city’s 150th anniversary.”

When the presentations were completed, it was time for the entertainment, which was kicked off by the Perseverance Jazz Band, a perennial favorite at Heritage Day. Other favorites who returned to perform in the veterans garden were Leilani Chesonis, Lester Hirsh and the Shenandoah All-Star Polka Band. Music before and in between acts was provided by DJ Dan Helfer. Tommy Simons Jr. of The Breaker Boys walked around the downtown area to entertain during the afternoon.

The downtown area was filled with vendors, many selling ethnic foods of all types and many items. Luscavage said the entire day went smoothly with the combination of the annual event with the sesquicentennial activities.

“It all worked very smoothly,” Luscavage said. “There were no issues, though it was a very busy week for all of us because we were all intermingled. We had people on both committees and were working on different events.”

Luscavage said even the weather cooperated.

“It was awesome. The weather was perfect,” she said.

As for moving the vendors, entertainment and activities from Girard Park to the downtown, Luscavage said it was a popular change.

“I’m finding from what we’re hearing on the street from the people and the vendors is that they think that it was a very good move to come downtown,” Luscavage said. “We polled the vendors last year. We had been talking about this for about three years. The vendors said they would definitely come back if it was downtown. Up in the park it just got a little too difficult for the elderly to come up there and the crowd just wasn’t probably as big. The crowd today was fantastic.”

The move also increased the number of vendors from about 40 last year to about 65 vendors this year. Luscavage said many vendors who attend the Kielbasi Festival in May also came to Saturday’s event because of the venue change. The festival has always been held on Main Street.

“We’re learning, but I think it’s working out very well,” Luscavage said. “We were very concerned about the parade coming through the vendors, but it worked out fine. I think that it is definitely going to stay downtown.”

Throughout the afternoon, the Shenandoah Artists Exhibit was open at the former Woolworth Building for the last day. A spectacular fireworks display was held from Bicentenntial Field at dusk. The fireworks were provided by Bixler Pyrotechnics, Ashland, and donated by Ateeco Inc., Shenandoah, maker of Mrs. T’s Pierogies.

Schuylkill County District Attorney Christine Holman and Schuylkill County detectives are asking for the public’s help in locating a man wanted for failing to appear for required court proceedings.

Detectives said Joseph W. Skymba is wanted on an outstanding bench warrant from the county courts for failure to appear for a bail revocation hearing.

The original charges against Skymba are felony theft from a motor vehicle, felony conspiracy to commit theft from a motor vehicle, felony receiving stolen property and misdemeanor corruption of minors.

Skymba, 29, has a last known address of 42 Spring St., Tremont. He is described as being about 5 feet 5 inches tall and weighing 140 pounds, detectives said.

Anyone with information on the whereabouts of this man, or on any other fugitive in Schuylkill County, is asked to call the district attorney’s office at 570-628-1350, the Schuylkill County Tip Line at 570-624-3988 or a local police department.

Tips can also be sent by email to dadd@co.schuylkill.pa.us.

In addition, detectives said that anyone who may see or come in contact with Skymba should call the Schuylkill County Communications Center immediately.

All information received will remain confidential.

A complete list of Schuylkill County bench warrants is available on the Schuylkill County website at www.co.schuylkill.pa.us.

Pottsville police have obtained an arrest warrant for a man, charging him with starting a fire that damaged a city home Thursday night.

The criminal arrest warrant charges Peter Edmund Fulton, 21, with felony arson, recklessly endangering another person, risking a catastrophe and criminal mischief.

Police Chief Richard F. Wojciechowsky said Fulton intentionally started the fire about 11 p.m. at 315 Morgan Ave.

Wojciechowsky said that about 11:08 p.m., a 911 call was initiated in Luzerne County and transferred to the Schuylkill County Communications Center.

The man making the call reported a fire at 315 Morgan Ave., Pottsville.

Wojciechowsky said Pottsville police and firefighters were dispatched to the scene and found nothing from the street when they initially arrived.

Further investigation inside the home revealed a mattress on fire in a front bedroom, Wojciechowsky said.

In addition to the mattress on fire, the chief said, crews found a heavy odor of gasoline inside the home as well as a half-full can of gasoline in the front living room.

Wojciechowsky said no one was home at the time of the fire and no injuries were reported to first responders.

Immediately after starting the fire, the chief said, Fulton fled to New York City and was found to be receiving care at a facility there.

When Fulton is released from that facility, Wojciechowsky said, he will be transported back to Pottsville and arraigned on the criminal charges.

Pottsville Assistant Fire Chief William DeWald said the home sustained heat and smoke damage and that the fire was contained to the front bedroom where the burning mattress was discovered.

Also assisting at the scene were Schuylkill EMS and Pottsville Fire Police.

SHENANDOAH — John E. Usalis, a staff writer for The Republican-Herald, was busy Saturday morning reporting on the 17th annual Parade of Nations and 18th annual Heritage Day when he was given a surprise.

Just after 10 a.m., he opened a window on the second floor of the American Legion Anthony P. Damato “Medal of Honor” Post 792 building to take pictures of the hundreds of people marching in the parade.

Then at 11:22 a.m., while covering presentations next door at the American Legion Memorial Garden at 116 N. Main St., he heard someone from the stage call out his name.

It was Anne Chaikowsky La Voie, a volunteer for the Shenandoah Sesquicentennial Committee.

“On behalf of Shenandoah DSI and Shenandoah 150, there’s someone who’s going to be honored who does not know anything about this and is probably going to run away. So I’m going to ask you to catch him if he does. It’s our own John Usalis,” Chaikowsky La Voie said into a microphone before a crowd of 150.

The “Certificate of Recognition” was from the Shenandoah Sesquicentennial Committee and Downtown Shenandoah Inc. to Usalis “with grateful appreciation for your enduring commitment to Shenandoah. Thank you for your dedication and outstanding efforts to write of her history and her people.”

It was signed by Mary R. Luscavage, executive director of Downtown Shenandoah Inc., and Chaikowsky La Voie.

Chaikowsky La Voie also gave him a throw blanket from Lithuania.

“This is for all the stuff that you’ve been doing. When we were doing research we found everything you did 25 years ago. It was all you, John,” Chaikowsky La Voie said to him after they left the stage.

John wasn’t expecting the honor.

He also wasn’t expecting to see this reporter at the presentation.

“You’re not going to do a whole article. You’re just going to add this into my story, right?” he asked.

Then this reporter asked him for a comment.

“I thank the Shenandoah Sesquicentennial Committee and Downtown Shenandoah Inc. very much for their recognition of my work with a certificate and a beautiful Lithuanian throw. I was the main reporter 25 years ago for the borough’s 125th anniversary celebration, and the enthusiasm of the organizers of the 150th anniversary celebration is equal to, and possibly even greater than, it was in 1991. They came up with many great ideas for the celebration to recognize the past, celebrate the present and look toward the future of the borough, whose greatest asset is its people. As the slogan for the sesquicentennial says, ‘Shenandoah Strong — 150 Years Long,’ ” Usalis said.

The state Department of Transportation warns motorists of road work planned for this week in the county.

Crews will be patching potholes from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday to Friday on I-81, between the Route 61 and Mahanoy City exits; Route 443 in North Manheim Township, between Berne Street and Center Avenue. There will be lane restrictions with flagging at these sites and rain will cause delays.

Drainage work will be done 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Friday on Route 339 in East Union Township between Route 924 and the Columbia County line. There will be lane restrictions with flagging.

Workers will cut brush 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. all week in East Brunswick and Norwegian townships on Route 61 between Port Clinton and Pottsville. There will be lane restrictions with flagging in both directions.

Meanwhile, from 9 a.m. until 3 p.m. Monday bridge inspectors will be working in Mahanoy Township on Route 339 and Gilberton Road. There will be lane restriction with flagging.

From 9 a.m. until 3 p.m., Thursday in Butler and Barry townships, bridge inspectors will work on Route 901 between Deep Creek and Dutchtown roads. There will be restriction in the southbound lane during the inspection.

From 9 a.m. until noon Friday in Frailey Township, bridge inspectors will work on I-81 between the exits for routes 209 and 25.

There will be restrictions in the southbound lane during the inspection.

From 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Friday, there will also be base repair work on Dutchtown Road between Route 901 and Gordon Road in Butler Township, with flagging and lane restrictions.

Between 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., Tuesday and Wednesday, in McAdoo, on Route 309, between Haddock Road and Church Street, a contractor will be doing test boring work. There will be lane restrictions and flagging and motorists are asked to used caution when traveling through the area.

Motorists can check conditions on more than 40,000 roadway miles by visiting www.511PA.com. 511PA, which is free and available 24 hours a day, provides traffic delay warnings, weather forecasts, traffic speed information and access to more than 770 traffic cameras.

511PA is also available through a smartphone application for iPhone and Android devices, by calling 5-1-1, or by following regional Twitter alerts accessible on the 511PA website.

Follow local PennDOT information on Twitter at www.twitter.com/511PAAl- lentown.

PINE GROVE — Firefighters raced to Guilford Performance Textiles on Saturday afternoon when a machine in the production area caught fire.

“An oil separator on the side of a machine apparently broke a coupler and created a fire. For the most part, the sprinkler system did take over but, we had fire in the machine,” Pine Grove Fire Chief Dave A. Sattizahn said.

The firm makes and dyes fabric for products ranging from military helmet liners to graduation gowns.

The fire was reported to Schuylkill County Communications Center, Pottsville, at 3:11 p.m. Saturday. Area firefighters were dispatched to the factory at 1 Penn Dye St.

“It came in as an automatic fire alarm and it was upgraded to a working fire,” Sattizahn said.

The fire occurred on the east side of the building.

“It was in the last part of their processing area. The plant was on shut down. There was no production going on at the time. But there was a maintenance crew on,” Sattizahn said.

Responders included firefighters from Pine Grove, Ravine, Schuylkill Haven and Friedensburg.

“It was a machine that’s used for plant production. It’s a machine they run the material through. I think it dries the material. It has a big, hydraulic oil tank on it. And, apparently, one of the couplers broke,” Sattizahn said. “So when the coupler broke, it caught on fire right away. The fire got up above the machine and the sprinkler system kicked in. The sprinkler system did it’s job. But when we got there we got the rest of it out.”

Sattizahn said when he entered the building, he saw the machine was on fire.

The firefighters managed to keep the fire contained to the building on the far east end of the complex.

One of the issues firefighters faced was smoke.

“That big building filled up with smoke pretty quick,” Sattizahn said.

And the firefighters used draw fans and the operation’s exhaust system to deal with it.

The machine sustained fire damage and the building sustained smoke and water damage, the fire chief said.

He wasn’t sure exactly why the coupling broke, but said “that oil stays hot all the time in that unit.” And he believe the fire was accidental.

The fire was out by 4:30 p.m., he said.

n Frackville: The Frackville Recreation Board will sponsor a townwide yard sale on Sept. 10. Residents interested in participating may obtain sign-up forms at the Frackville Free Public Library or online at frackvillerecreationboard.org. The $7 fee includes a sale balloon and listing on the yard sale map. The deadline to register is Sept. 6. The start and finish times for sales are at the discretion of the participant. The sale will by held rain or shine.

n Minersville: The Minersville Skatepark Association is having a theme basket fundraiser with basket showings set for 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Spirit Day, Sept. 11, on North Street; 5 to 7 p.m. Sept. 16, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Sept. 17 and noon to 3 p.m. Sept. 18 at the Good Will Fire Company, 25 North St., with the drawing set for Sept. 18. Tickets are $2 each, three for $5, 10 for $10 and 25 for $20. Baskets range from $25 to more than $600 in value. For more information, call 570-294-6235.

n New Philadelphia: The 21st annual Schuylkill Valley Joint Veterans picnic will be held from noon to 6 p.m. Sept. 10 at the Little League site. Entertainment will be by Country Grass. Donations of any type will be accepted. Paid-up members will be permitted for free, with $5 admission for guests. The cost is $10 for others wanting to attend. People who donate are also permitted for free. To make a monetary donation, send checks to Schuylkill Valley Joint Veterans c/o Tom Hill, 41 Silver Creek Road, New Philadelphia, PA 17959. Proceeds will go toward next year’s picnic and other military functions throughout the year. The picnic will be held rain or shine.

n Schuylkill Haven: Naturalist Scott Weidensaul will speak on “Messing Around with the Birds (for Science and Fun)” at 7 p.m. Sept. 20 at Jerusalem Evangelical Lutheran Church, 253 Dock St. The program will be hosted by the South Schuylkill Garden Club and is open to the public. For more information, call 570-739-2627.

n Shenandoah: The Shenandoah Senior Community Center, 116 N. Main St., will hold a vaccination clinic from 10 to 11 a.m. Sept. 15, sponsored by Rite Aid. It will provide vaccinations for flu, shingles and pneumonia. Prevnar 13 and blood pressure screenings will be available. Advance registration is required by calling Carl Kramer at 570-462-1924. An APPRISE Program counselor will also be on hand to answer questions on “Medicare’s Preventative Benefits.” Lunch will be served. The center is operated by Diakon Community Services.

n Shenandoah: Schuylkill County Breaker Boys 11u will sponsor a Vera Bradley bingo from 12:30 to 5 p.m. Sept. 17 at the Columbia Hose Company, 742 W. Centre St. Tickets are $25 and bingo will include 20 regular games plus five specials. There will be a special drawing for tickets purchased in advance. A lunch buffet and dessert table will be included. For more information, call 570-590-6425 or 570-590-9888.

n Shenandoah: An American Red Cross blood drive is scheduled for 1 to 6 p.m. Sept. 7 in Divine Mercy Roman Catholic Parish’s St. Stephen Hall, Main and Oak streets. The site is accessible to the handicapped. People 17 and older (16 with parental consent), weighing at least 110 pounds and in general good health are urged to donate blood. For more information or to arrange for an appointment, call 800-733-2767.

n Strausstown: The 45th annual Auto Show and Flea Market hosted by the Strausstown Lions Club will be held Sept. 11 at the Strausstown Lions Community Park, Route 183. Show cars must be registered by Sept. 7. The show car gate will be open from 9 a.m. to noon. Trophies will be awarded in 40 classes of vehicles manufactured up to 2016. The flea market will open at 6:30 a.m. with more than 275 vendors expected. Entertainment by The New Individuals will begin at 11:30 a.m. Food and refreshment stands will be located throughout the show. Spectator admission is $5, with children ages 16 and under free. Proceeds will support the blind, hearing impaired and community betterment, organizers said in a release.

Police: Woman

assaulted officers

A woman was jailed after being arrested by Pottsville police and charged with assaulting officers and nurses at an area hospital Friday night.

Police charged Nicole Ervolino, 33, of Pottsville, with four counts of aggravated assault, two counts of recklessly endangering another person, and one each of resisting arrest, criminal mischief, persistent disorderly conduct, harassment and public drunkenness.

Ervolino was arraigned by on-call Magisterial District Judge Christina E. Hale, Frackville, and committed to Schuylkill County Prison, unable to post $25,000 straight cash bail.

Police said the incident began at 7:22 p.m., when officers were called to the 300 block of West Norwegian Street for a report of a disturbance involving an intoxicated woman.

At the scene officers found Ervolino, who tried to force her way into a police vehicle. The woman showed signs of being under the influence of a controlled substance and physically assaulted the officers, police said.

After being taken into custody, police said, Ervolino damaged the inside of the police vehicle while being taken to Schuylkill Medical Center-South Jackson Street.

At the hospital, police said, Ervolino spit on two nurses and had to be restrained by officers and hospital staff.

During the course of the investigation, police said, they learned that Ervolino had assaulted a 35-year-old Pottsville woman inside her home prior to her having contact with police.

Ervolino will now have to answer to the charges against her before Magisterial District Judge James K. Reiley, Pottsville.

HAMBURG — Ten people were cited for defiant trespass Saturday in the area of the Kernsville Dam, where “no trespassing” signs were posted last week on the Berks County side of the Schuylkill River.

Tilden Township Police Chief William McEllroy III said five people from New York were found at The Rock and the other five, three from Delaware and two from New Jersey, were found at the dam. He said all complied with the police and left as ordered. The citations will be filed Monday.

State police at Hamburg assisted at the scene.

McEllroy said the officers were driven to the area by off-duty Hamburg firefighter Matthew Lutz. He said the assistance was appreciated on the hot day.

While the Gillingham Charter School in Pottsville will open Monday for the first day of the 2016-17 school year, its fate is in the hands of the Pennsylvania Charter Appeal Board, Harrisburg.

Representatives of the state Department of Education recently shared information about the school’s appeal, and discussed the rules the appeal board must abide by. There are two in particular: 1949 Act 14 Section 1719-A, Contents of Application; and 1949 Act 14 Section 1702-A, the Charter School Law, according to Casey Smith, deputy communications director for the state Department of Education.

The causes for nonrenewal or termination are in section 1729-A. They include:

• “Failure to meet the requirements for student performance set forth in 22 Pa. Code Ch. 5 (relating to curriculum) or subsequent regulations promulgated to replace 22 Pa. Code Ch. 5 or failure to meet any performance standard set forth in the written charter signed pursuant to section 1716-A.”

• “Failure to meet generally accepted standards of fiscal management or audit requirements.”

“There is not much flexibility afforded to board members when considering an appeal, as their decisions are based on legal requirements. For example, charter applicants must satisfy the requirements set forth in section 1719-A and meet the legislative intent of section 1702-A. The causes for nonrenewal or termination are in section 1729-A so a district authorizer would have to establish one or more of these grounds,” Smith said Aug. 10.

The Pennsylvania Charter Appeal Board’s decision is highly anticipated by many in Schuylkill County. They include not only the families of Gillingham’s students and representatives of the Pottsville Area School District, who oppose the charter school, but local taxpayers.

In the past year, more than $401,000 in taxpayer money was spent by the school district and the charter school during the charter-renewal process. Both hired attorneys and expert witnesses for a series of public hearings in April and May.

Since the Gillingham Charter School Collaborative worked to establish the charter school in 2010 and 2011, Pottsville Area opposed the idea. And the school district rejected Gillingham’s proposal for a second five-year charter on Dec. 2 and on July 6.

So, the future of the charter school rests with the Pennsylvania Charter Appeal Board.

“At this stage in the process, we are petitioning the Charter Appeal Board at the Department of Education in Harrisburg to repeal the school district’s decision to deny the renewal of Gillingham’s charter. We will present our case to this board in the fall or winter,” Nicolle M. Hutchinson, the school’s CEO and director of education, said Thursday.

“We don’t know the exact timeline, but we expect that it could take us into the late winter. We strongly believe in our school and what our team has accomplished. We are confident that the Charter Appeal Board will uphold our charter. Right now, we are concentrating on the growth and learning that we all, students and adults, will experience this school year. As always, we march forward for the children’s sake,” Hutchinson said.

When Gillingham begins its sixth school year on Monday, it will have 230 students, 36 full-time employees and three-part time employees, according to Rachel Bensinger, Gillingham’s director of organizational development.

The CAB

The Pennsylvania Charter Appeal Board was established in 1997.

“Act 22 of 1997 authorized the creation of charter schools. The Act also provided for an administrative appeal mechanism by way of a body designated as the State Charter School Appeal Board. The Charter School Appeal Board was created by the Act and heard its first appeals on July 1, 1999,” Nicole Reigelman, press secretary for the state Department of Education, Harrisburg, said Tuesday.

In the 2015-16 school year, there were 173 charter schools in the state. Of those, there were 160 brick-and-mortar schools and 14 cyber charter schools, until Education Plus closed in December 2015, according to Smith.

In the 2016-17 school year, there will be 180 charter schools in the state. Of those, there will be 166 brick-and- mortar schools and 14 will be cyber charter schools, Smith said.

“The Charter School Appeal Board consists of the secretary of education and six members who are appointed by the governor and with the consent of a majority of all the Senate members. The members include a parent of a school-aged child, a school board member, a certified teacher actively employed in a public school, a faculty member or administrative employee of a higher education institution, a member of the business community and a member of the State Board of Education,” according to the department of education website.

The current members of the CAB include: chairman, Pedro A. Rivera, the acting secretary of education; Julie A. Cook, a member of the Pennsylvania State Education Association; Lee Ann Munger, a parent of a charter school student; Jonathan E. Peri, a member of the State Board of Education; Scott E. Miller; Mitchell J. Yanyanin; and two attorneys, Ernest N. Helling and Alaina C. Koltash, according to the department of education website.

“The members shall receive no payment for their services but are reimbursed for expenses incurred in the course of their official duties (generally mileage and parking) as provided for in section 1721-A (c) of the Charter School Law,” Reigelman said.

The state Department of Education provides assistance and staffing. The Governor’s General Counsel provides legal advice and assistance, she said.

Board hearings are held at the state Department of Education, 333 Market St., Harrisburg. The next is scheduled for 1 p.m. Sept. 13 at Heritage A, according to the department’s website.

“Meetings of the appeal board are required to be and are conducted under the “Sunshine Act.” All members in attendance at a meeting, either by phone or in person, vote or abstain from voting and those votes occur in an open meeting and are recorded in the meeting transcript,” Reigelman said.

“A hearing officer will be assigned to collect and prepare the certified record, to set a briefing schedule and to address any procedural issues raised by the parties,” Reigelman said.

Hearing officers do get paid. “If they are from the state Office of General Counsel, they get $84 per hour. If they are contracted outside hearing officers, they receive $100 per hour,” Reigelman said.

A hard copy of the certified record is kept in the office of CAB’s counsel.

“The CAB reviews the certified record. What the record includes in a CAB appeal may differ from case to case. It could include: the charter application; the transcript of testimony taken by the local board of school directors; exhibits offered in conjunction with testimony before the local board; any documents referred to or relied upon by the local board of school directors in reaching its decision; and the written decision of the local board of school directors,” Reigelman said.

“Additionally, the assigned hearing officer may allow supplemental evidence that was not previously available to be considered and also has the parties file briefs of legal argument and proposed findings of fact. These documents also are reviewed by the members. After CAB reviews this documentary record, it hears arguments from both parties and asks questions before making its decision,” Reigelman said.

Reigelman said Thursday she was not sure when Gillingham’s case would be scheduled: “No dates have been set for Gillingham’s hearing yet because a hearing officer has not yet been appointed. The first date to be set will be for a pre-hearing conference to deal with any procedural issues and set a briefing schedule.”

Members of the board could not be reached for comment.

Appeal

Gillingham filed its appeal on Aug. 4. The 29-page document was prepared by Mark Morford and Christine Elizabeth Reilly, attorneys with the firm Latsha Davis & McKenna, Mechanicsburg.

A copy was sent to Ernest N. Helling, chief counsel for the state Department of Education, Harrisburg. A copy was also sent to an attorney for Pottsville Area School District, Ellen C. Schurdak, a representative of King, Spry, Herman, Freund & Faul Attorneys & Counselors, Bethlehem.

The appeal includes a history of the appeal process peppered with comments. Below are excerpts from the document:

• “Gillingham provided voluminous records (over 6,000 pages) and responded to several requests for information from the PASD in connection with its charter renewal application.”

• “For several days from April 19, 2016, through May 23, 2016, a public hearing was held on PASD’s attempt to close Gillingham.”

• “The hearing was conducted by Marc Fisher. Mr. Fisher was hired and paid solely by the District. Gillingham had no input in the selection of Mr. Fisher.”

• Eight parents of Gillingham students and five Gillingham students gave testimony at the hearings. The public was also invited to send written comments to the hearing officer. The appeal alleged “none of the testimony of the students or their parents or any of the written comments submitted by the parents was given any weight by the hearing officer.”

• “Gillingham’s performance in Pennsylvania’s SPP (School Performance Profile) accountability system is not ‘declining each year,’ as alleged in the report from the hearing officer hired by the district, but rather varies because of several factors including the continuous and significant changes in the statewide standardized tests and accountability systems that were in place during each school year of the five-year charter.”

• “The SPP scores from Gillingham Charter School should not be compared from one year to the next for the period from the 2011-2012 school year until the 2015-2016 school year because of the significant and substantial changes in the methods used by PDE to calculate the SPP score each year.”

• “Based on the factors described above, the district has not met its burden to prove that Gillingham failed to meet the requirements set for student performance and failed to prove that Gillingham did not perform as well as the district. Any findings or conclusions adopted by the district to the contrary should be rejected by the CAB. The CAB should also reject the district’s attempt to use test score comparisons between a charter school and a school district to support the district’s non-renewal, as test score comparisons between a charter school and a school district are not grounds for non renewing a school’s charter under Section 1729-A.”

• “The facts and information presented by way of testimony and exhibits by Gillingham during the hearing which will be part of the certified record that will be transmitted to the CAB demonstrate that the findings and conclusions on which the district relies to sustain its non-renewal of Gillingham’s charter are in error and cannot support the closure of the school.”

Deeds

East Union Township — David J. and Connie M. Fisher to Eagle Rock Resort Co.; Lot 145WS, Eagle Rock; $8,800.

Eagle Rock Resort Co. to Peter J. Njoroge; Lot 145WS, Eagle Rock; $49,389.

Eagle Rock Resort Co. to Anthony U. Jugos; Lot 201HF4, Eagle Rock; $39,289.

Eagle Rock Resort Co. to Remedios Pablo and Geremy Jake Pablo; Lot 22WSS4, Eagle Rock; $40,299.

Frackville — Andrew D. and Michelle A. Smarkanic to Michelle A. Smarkanic; property on North Stevens Street; $1.

Andrew D. and Michelle A. Smarkanic to Andrew D. and Michelle A. Smarkanic; 47 N. Fourth St.; $1.

Kline Township — Celeste Colleen Samec, individually and as executrix of the Estate of Stephen A. Johnson, Linda Mary Johnson and Stephen A. Johnson Jr. to Celeste Colleen Samec, Linda Mary Johnson and Stephen A. Johnson Jr.; three properties; $1.

Mahanoy City — Linda Senglar, administratrix of the Estate of Paul Campbell, to Francisca R. Herrera; 139 W. Maple St.; $6,500.

Mechanicsville — Patricia Roda to John Adam Dando; 807 Pottsville St.; $1.

Orwigsburg — Joseph M. Constanty, administrator of the Estate of Joseph Constanty, to Henry A. Mervine Jr.; 225 Wilbert Ave.; $196,000.

Margaret M. Dooner to Margaret M. Dooner and Eugene J. Dooner; 280 S. Margaret Ave.; $1.

Charles E. and Louise A. Knoblauch to Megan Schafer; 940 Albert Drive; $127,000.

Pottsville — Tax Claim Bureau of Schuylkill County to Christian LaRoche; 612 Schuylkill Ave.; $4,486.01.

Mark Gerard Luppino to Sobia Khokhar; 202 Schuylkill Ave.; $8,000.

Rush Township — Lawrence C. Fichter to Thomas R. and Erin K. Wells; 0.407-acre property on Crescent Drive, Lake Hauto; $355,000.

Calvin D. and Deborah L. Hill to Calvin D. and Deborah L. Hill; property on Chestnut Street, Hometown; $1.

Joseph E. and Shirley A. Shamonsky to Heather Ann Shamonsky; property on Tamaqua Street, Hometown; $120,000.

Jean A. Ganly to Marian Shellhamer; 53 Meadow Ave., Hometown; $1.

Erik V. Byrd, Christine M. Byrd and Julienne L. Byrd to Vito Conigliaro and Giuseppina Mazzamuto; 17 Pine Ave., Hometown; $210,000.

Schuylkill Township — Harold W. Hosler and Bryan R. Hosler to Daniel J. Farber; 0.055-acre property on Newkirk; $1,500.

Tamaqua — Donald Serfass to Brian J. and Roberta J. McGeehan; 238 W. Broad St.; $42,000.

Tax Claim Bureau of Schuylkill County to Danielle C. McCulley and Gabriel V. Kries; 421 W. Broad St.; $2,161.

Washington Township — Darlene G. Levan, individually and as attorney in fact for Travis J. Levan, and Terry L. Levan to Roland W. Strauss and Deborah L. Keener; 43 Broad Drive; $170,000.

Wayne Township — Green Hills Land Development and Building LLC to Edward C. Jr. and Ruth Ann Daschler; 1 Green Hills Drive; $55,000.

Marion H. Hahn to James and Susan M. Greene; Lot 46, Lake Wynonah; $100.

Anthony R. Natale, individually and as administrator of the Estate of Dorothy A. Natale, to Hudson Advisors Schuylkill LP; 5.02648-acre property on Route 183; $250,000.

West Brunswick Township — Jason M. and Amanda E. Neifert to Aaron A. and Whitney K. Creech; 217 Red Church Road; $190,000.

Crystal L. and Timothy L. Snyder to Professional Investors Group LLC; 1003 Village Road, Pinebrook; $123,000.

West Penn Township — Robert E. Langley III to Walter Smith and Priscilla J. Klenke; 904 Penn Drive; $179,900.

Michael J. and Michelle A. Walker to Michelle A. Walker; 81 Medical Crossing Road; $1.

McCann

Three recent graduates and two enrolled students at the Pottsville campus of McCann School of Business & Technology passed EPA 608 Refrigerant Handling Certifications in the heating, ventilation, air conditioning and refrigeration program.

Robert Murphy, Mount Carmel, and Walter Czerepuszko, Mahanoy City, both earned Universal Certification; Chris Cinelle, Minersville, and Aric Foster, Saint Clair, earned Type I & III Certification, and Brian Waizzenegger, Frackville, earned the Type III Certification.

TREMONT — Tremont Fire Company No. 1 will host the 62nd annual Schuylkill County Firefighters Convention from Sept. 11 to 17.

The company, in its 138th year of existence, has activities planned throughout the week ending with the annual Schuylkill County Firefighters Convention parade on Sept. 17, according to parade Chairman John Kohr.

The events will begin with a memorial service on Sept. 11 at Holy Trinity Church on Cherry Street. A procession will begin at 4:45 p.m. from the Tremont Fire Company, 21 Middlecreek Road, proceed on Clay Street to Cherry Street, turn onto Cherry Street and end at the church.

A local bagpiper will lead the procession and this year’s service will remember the 15th anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks.

“We will remember the 343 firefighters lost in the attack,” fire company public relations officer Lewis Boyer said.

Sept. 12 will feature a special training session open to all firefighters throughout the county.

Moyer said this year’s event will feature three seminars to discuss various issues of the volunteer fire service.

The seminars include information on the state Gaming Oversight Committee, State and Federal Tax Issues Involving Volunteer Fire Companies and Small Games of Chance Licensing and Bingo Licenses for Volunteer Fire Companies.

Girardville Fire Chief Frank Zangari Jr., chairman of the county fire association’s training committee, stressed the importance of all companies having a representative attend the free seminars.

“If you’re a company president, vice president or secretary you want to make it a point to be there,” he said.

Zangari said anyone wishing to attend the seminars can register online at www.schuylkillcountytrainingacademy.com.

The seminars are sponsored by the Tremont Fire Company, the Schuylkill County Volunteer Firefighters Association, the Schuylkill County Fire Chiefs Association and the Schuylkill County Emergency Management Agency.

Sept. 14 will be the annual Delegates Night Meeting and Banquet at the fire company headquarters.

At this time the Tremont Fire Company’s six 50-year members will be recognized. They are Charles Bretzius, Marlin Hoff, Charles Huntzinger, Fred Klinger, Laine Mack and Ralph Hatter.

The keynote speaker for the evening will be Richard D. Flinn Jr., director of the Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency, who will talk about his agency and how it works with local emergency responders.

An additional guest speaker will be Jeff Jumper, chief meteorologist for the Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency, who will speak about working with local emergency services.

Sept. 15 will be Mug Night allowing firefighters from throughout the county to meet, socialize and talk about firefighting experiences.

The weeklong activities will end Sept. 17 with the annual parade through the streets of Tremont.

The parade will line up on Clay Street, Vaux Avenue and School Street and begin at 1 p.m.

The reviewing stand will be on West Main Street in the area of Hublers Car Wash and following the parade, awards and festivities will be held at the fire company building on Middlecreek Road.

Penn State

Diana M. Tacelosky, MD, Ph.D., had the honor of being selected as a speaker during commencement exercises for the graduating class of physicians at Penn State University College of Medicine, Hershey.

Dr. Tacelosky received both her doctor of medicine degree and a Ph.D. in pharmacology for her published research. Her undergraduate biochemistry degree was from St. Joseph’s University, Philadelphia, where she was a member of Alpha Sigma Nu, Phi Beta Kappa and the medical honors society and received a Barry M. Goldwater scholarship.

Dr. Tacelosky has successfully matched to a medical residency program at INOVA Health Systems in Fairfax, Virginia, where she will have the opportunity to continue doing research in collaboration with The Virginia Commonwealth University Internship.

She is a daughter of John and MaryAnn Tacelosky, Frackville, both PSU graduates (’72 and ’73, respectively), and a granddaughter of the late Ann and Professor Albin E. Tacelosky, who was a Penn State graduate (1930) and taught engineering at Penn State Schuylkill campus, proudly making Dr. Tacelosky a third-generation PSU graduate. She is also a granddaughter of the late John and Evelyn Bader Dorish, who resided in Frackville.

Brandon and Joshua Scheibley, Tremont, both earned bachelor’s degrees in mechanical engineering from Penn State. Commencement was held May 8 for the Capital College/Harrisburg campus.

They are 2012 Pine Grove Area High School graduates and sons of Jim and Pam Scheibley.

Gregory Ditzler, Saint Clair, graduated with a bachelor’s degree in communications from Penn State University, Altoona campus. He is pursuing a career in public relations and marketing.

Gregory was an active member of the D6 Gaming Club, broadcast club and the National Society for Leadership and Success.

He is a Pottsville Area High School graduate, and a son of Maryann Ditzler, Saint Clair.

Clarion

Michael S. Ferguson graduated summa cum laude from Clarion University of Pennsylvania with a bachelor’s degree in speech pathology and audiology.

Michael is a member of the Golden Key International Honour Society and Phi Eta Sigma National Honor Society, and he attained dean’s list every semester at Clarion.

He studied around the world during a semester long adventure aboard a ship, the MV Explorer, as a student with Semester at Sea. He will attend The George Washington University in the fall to pursue his master’s degree in speech-language pathology.

A 2012 graduate of Nativity BVM High School, he is a son of Stephen and Lisa Ferguson, Schuylkill Haven.

St. John’s

Mary Kate Kubick, Port Carbon, received a master of business administration degree with an international finance concentration from St. John’s University, Rome, Italy, on June 12.

She is a 2009 graduate of Pottsville Area High School, a 2013 graduate of Marywood University, Scranton, and a daughter of Christine Kubick, Port Carbon, and the late Joseph Kubick.

Penn College

Zachary M. Goodman and Angelica Winter, both of Pottsville, were among the summer graduates at Pennsylvania College of Technology, Williamsport,

Zachary received an associate degree in welding technology, and Angelica received an associate degree in business management.