Police: Man stole

cigarette cartons

ASHLAND — Ashland police charged a borough man in connection with an Oct. 22 incident at the Turkey Hill store, 1638 W. Centre St.

Police said Daniel A. Kramer, 1001 Centre St., was charged with retail theft and receiving stolen property and will have to answer to those offenses before Magisterial District Judge Christina E. Hale, Frackville.

Police charged Kramer with entering the store about 1:50 a.m., going behind the cashier counter while the clerk was busy and stealing three cartons of cigarettes valued at $202.20.

Later that day, police said, officers contacted Kramer and questioned him about the theft. After being asked, police said, Kramer freely admitted to committing the crime.

Police investigate

Pottsville crash

Pottsville police investigated a crash that occurred about 11:50 a.m. Wednesday in the 500 block of Mauch Chunk Street involving a truck hitting a pole.

Police said their investigation revealed that Thomas O’Reilly, Pottsville, was driving a 2017 Toyota Tacoma west on Mauch Chunk Street when he veered from the travel lane and struck a utility pole on the northeast side of the intersection with Jackson Street. O’Reilly was able to remove himself from his vehicle immediately following the accident and proceeded into the medical facility to be treated for injuries sustained, police said.

When interviewed, police said, O’Reilly reported he had “nodded off” right before the accident.

In addition, police said, an independent witness told officers he had seen the vehicle traveling west on Mauch Chunk as the driver’s head was looking down, not looking at the roadway.

Police said O’Reilly’s vehicle received severe disabling damage and was towed from the scene by Womers Garage, and that the investigation is continuing and appropriate charges will be filed when the results of laboratory tests are received.

Man faces charges

following fight

McADOO — A 53-year-old borough man is facing charges of simple assault and other offenses by McAdoo police after an incident about 12:15 a.m. Thursday at 230 E. Washington St.

Police said John Zabrosky assaulted Robert Miller, causing injuries to his nose and eye. Miller reported being struck with a homemade-type of weapon by Zabrosky while he was waiting at the house of a woman who said Zabrosky owed her $50.

Miller said he was sitting in the kitchen when Zabrosky entered and immediately struck him with the weapon, police said.

After the initial assault, police said, Miller reported Zabrosky standing in the living room and laughing until he fled the area.

Man arrested

on warrant

Pottsville police charged a 35-year-old Pine Grove man after an incident about 3 a.m. Wednesday in the unit block of Line Street.

Police said officers saw William Frederick Nichols III, made contact with him and subsequently learned from the Schuylkill County Communications Center that there was an existing warrant for his arrest.

When Nichols was told he was going to be detained on the warrant, he fled on foot east across Route 61 and into property adjacent to One Norwegian Plaza, where he was captured and physically secured, police said.

During a subsequent search, it was determined that Nichols was in possession of methamphetamine and drug paraphernalia. He was then taken to Schuylkill County Prison on the active warrant for failing to appear at a scheduled sentencing hearing.

In connection with the Pottsville incident, police said, a criminal complaint was prepared charging Nichols with possession of a controlled substance, possession of drug paraphernalia, flight to avoid apprehension, trial or punishment and criminal mischief.

He will now have to appear for a preliminary hearing before Magisterial District Judge James K. Reiley in his Pottsville courtroom.

None injured

in 2-vehicle crash

No injuries were reported by Pottsville police in an accident that was reported about 1:25 p.m. Wednesday at the intersection of Route 61 and Arch Street.

Police said their investigation determined that Robert Rains, 80, of Baltimore, Maryland, was driving a Chevrolet 1500 truck south on Route 61 when he tried to turn left onto Arch Street, drove into the path of and was struck by a northbound Ford Taurus driven by a 32-year-old Pottsville woman.

No injuries were reported and police said Rains will be cited by the investigating officer, Patrolman Grant Yoder, for a traffic violation of vehicles turning left.

Lykens man faces

assault charge

WICONISCO — A 42-year-old Lykens man was charged by state police at Lykens after an incident about 9:40 p.m. Wednesday on Market Street in Wiconisco Township, Dauphin County.

Police said Robert E. Allison will have to appear before Magisterial District Judge Rebecca Margerum, Elizabethville, on charges of simple assault, harassment and disorderly conduct.

Police said the incident involved a 41-year-old Lykens woman, a 25-year-old Lykens man, a 22-year-old Lykens man and a 1-year-old Lykens girl.

No other information was available.

Police investigate

2 vehicle crashes

SCHUYLKILL HAVEN — State police at Schuylkill Haven investigated two crashes that occurred Wednesday afternoon on Route 443, near 1st Avenue in Wayne Township.

Police said the first crash occurred 2:10 p.m. as Susan M. Rochford, 33, of Port Carbon, was driving a 1998 Dodge RAM west in the area of 1497 Long Run Road when she became distracted by her cellphone, lost control and went off of the road hitting a utility pole head-on.

Police said Rochford, who suffered minor injuries, was taken into custody for suspicion of DUI. Charges are pending the results of DUI tests administered to the woman.

The second crash occurred in the same area about 2:50 p.m. as Hayden M. Boston, 18, of Schuylkill Haven, was driving a 2008 Volkswagen Jetta west on Route 443 when he failed to see traffic stopped for the first crash and ran into the back of a 2001 Chevrolet Equinox driven by John C. Wychunas Jr., 85, also of Schuylkill Haven.

As a result of that crash, police said Boston will be cited for not driving on roadways laned for traffic.

James K. Reiley

A 28-year-old woman charged with a theft at the Giant Market on Progress Avenue in Pottsville on Oct. 25 waived her right to a preliminary hearing before Magisterial District Judge James K. Reiley, Pottsville.

Lindsey Ann Draine, LKA 105 Market Square Apartments, Pottsville, was arrested by Pottsville police Patrolman Jonathan Randolph and charged with two counts each of theft and receiving stolen property and one count of defiant trespass.

By waiving her right to a hearing Draine will have to answer to all five charges in Schuylkill County Court.

Randolph charged Draine with stealing the wallets of two store employees from the break room at the business. The wallets contained amounts of cash, insurance information, gift cards and prescription medications.

Other court cases included:

Catherine R. Chattin, 46, of 212 W. Arch St., Pottsville — waived for court: simple assault and harassment.

Stephen J. Latimore, 36, of 215 N. Broad Mountain Ave., Frackville — waived for court: resisting arrest, defiant trespass, disorderly conduct and possession of drug paraphernalia.

Vanessa M. Zapotosky, 26, of 19 Zellner Road, Tamaqua — held for court: furnishing drug free urine.

Alexander D. Wiederhold, 23, of Schuylkill County Prison, Pottsville — waived for court: possession of drug paraphernalia.

George T. Rohrbach Jr., 18, of Box 813, Pottsville — held for court: possession of drug paraphernalia.

Rebecca A. Grandy, 32, of Box 284, Saint Clair — held for court: disorderly conduct.

Tykeem S. Brown, 25, of 12 N. 11th St., Pottsville — waived for court: persons not to possess firearms, possession with intent to manufacture or deliver a controlled substance, possession of a controlled substance, altered or misbranded controlled substances and possession of drug paraphernalia.

Jazlyn E. Conner, 18, of 1321 Market St., Ashland — waived for court: possession of a controlled substance.

Todd A. Generella, 45, of 554 E. Arch St., Pottsville — waived for court: furnishing drug free urine.

Kevin L. Schuler, 58, of 621 Harrison St., Pottsville — held for court: possession, sale or use of display documents, driving without insurance, driving an unregistered vehicle and fraudulent, altered, forged or counterfeit title, registration or insurance.

Jeffrey C. Swiger, 49, of 614 Fairview St., Pottsville — held for court: possession of a controlled substance, driving with a suspended or revoked license and driving without insurance.

Heather Lee Heckman, 25, of 1493 Schuylkill Mountain Road, Schuylkill Haven — waived for court: retail theft.

Ronald J. Weiss, 51, of 365 Route 61 South, Schuylkill Haven — waived for court: possession of a controlled substance.

Nicholas J. Whalen, 28, of 146 W. Bacon St., Palo Alto — waived for court: possession of a small amount of marijuana, driving without a license and vehicles turning left.

Anthony J. Kilker

SHENANDOAH — A 38-year-old Mahanoy City man charged with an assault in that community on July 1 appeared for a preliminary hearing before Magisterial District Judge Anthony J. Kilker.

James T. Nalesnik, 413 E. Mahanoy Ave., was arrested by Mahanoy City police Patrolman Thomas Rentschler and charged with aggravated assault, simple assault, resisting arrest, flight to avoid apprehension or prosecution and obstructing the administration of law.

Prosecutors withdrew the aggravated assault charge and Nalesnik waived the remaining four offenses to Schuylkill County Court.

Rentschler charged Nalesnik with an incident in the 400 block of East Pine Street, where officers saw him knowing he had an active warrant for his arrest and tried to take him into custody.

The man ran on foot and into a house, pulling a screen door shut, injuring Rentschler’s finger.

Other court cases included:

Robert Besparis, 53, of Schuylkill County Prison, Pottsville — waived for court: possession with intent to manufacture or deliver a controlled substance, possession of a controlled substance and possession of drug paraphernalia.

Dawn M. Herring, 36, of 1459 W. Main St., Valley View — held for court: DUI-controlled substance, possession of drug paraphernalia, driving with an alcohol level of 0.02-percent or greater with a suspended license, driving while operating privileges are suspended or revoked, driving without a license, driving without insurance and improper tires.

Kyle T. Burfield, 23, of 322 N. Delaware Ave., Minersville — waived for court: DUI, DUI-controlled substance, possession of a small amount of marijuana, possession of drug paraphernalia and improper tires.

A Pottsville man will not have to spend more time in prison after admitting Wednesday in Schuylkill County Court that he broke into a city residence.

Johnathan T. Cholko, 21, pleaded guilty to theft and possession of a controlled substance, with prosecutors withdrawing charges of burglary, receiving stolen property, possession of a small amount of marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia and a second count of theft.

Judge John E. Domalakes sentenced Cholko to serve six to 12 months in prison and granted him immediate parole. Cholko also must pay costs, $100 to the Substance Abuse Education Fund, $50 to the Criminal Justice Enhancement Account and $239 restitution to the state police crime laboratory in Harrisburg under the terms of Domalakes’ sentence.

Pottsville police filed both sets of charges against Cholko, alleging he possessed heroin on May 4 and broke into 507 Mahantongo St. and stole a key on May 12.

Other defendants whose pleas Domalakes accepted on Wednesday, the charges against each one and the judge’s dispositions of the matters included:

Brandon S. Beatty, 22, of Lebanon; two counts of false identification to law enforcement and one each of unauthorized use of a motor vehicle, obstructing administration of law, driving under suspension and driving without a license; four to 12 months in prison, six months consecutive probation, $225 in fines and $50 CJEA payment. Prosecutors withdrew a charge of stop sign violation.

Tanner A. Brake, 24, of Shenandoah; possession of a controlled substance and possession of drug paraphernalia; time served to 12 months in prison with immediate parole, $100 SAEF payment, $50 CJEA payment and $113 restitution to the state police crime laboratory in Bethlehem.

Tonya N. Braun, 25, of Tamaqua; two counts of delivery of a controlled substance; one to two years in a state correctional institution, $200 in SAEF payments and $289 restitution to the state police crime laboratory in Bethlehem. Prosecutors withdrew an additional count of delivery of a controlled substance, three counts each of possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance and possession of a controlled substance and two of criminal use of a communication facility.

Taquan V. Corporan, 33, of Allentown; false identification to law enforcement; six months probation and $113 restitution to the state police crime laboratory in Bethlehem.

Christopher Furlani, 44, of Hazleton; possession of drug paraphernalia; 12 months probation and $100 SAEF payment. Prosecutors withdrew charges of public drunkenness and alcoholic beverages prohibited on public property.

All defendants who were sentenced must pay costs as a part of their sentences.

n Ashland: The members of St. Anne’s Guild of St. Charles Borromeo Roman Catholic Church have begun making their homemade Christmas candy in the parish hall, 1115 Walnut St., across from the church. Varieties include peanut butter, butter cream and butter cream rolled in peanuts. Candy is sold in a one-pound boxes only. There will be no mixing of different kinds in one box. The cost is $10 per box. Orders may be placed on sheets in the back of the church or by calling the parish office at 570-875-1521.

n Ashland: St. Anne Chapel, located in the lower level of St. Charles Borromeo Roman Catholic Church, is open for visitation and prayer from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. Mondays and Tuesdays; 6 a.m. to after the 5 p.m. Mass Wednesdays; 6 a.m. to 2 p.m. Thursdays and Fridays and 8 a.m. until after the 4 p.m. vigil Mass Saturdays. The chapel is not open on Sundays.

n Frackville: There will be free parking at all meters in the borough for the holiday season beginning Monday. The announcement was made by Mayor Kim Phillips, who said it was approved by the borough council. Free parking will end Jan. 2.

n Heckscherville: Clover Hose Company will have an all-you-can-eat breakfast from 7 a.m. to noon Nov. 27 at the firehouse, 8 Clover Road. The cost is $8 for adults and $3 for children.

n Landingville: Community Fire Company will have a cash bingo from 6:15 to 9:15 p.m. Monday at the firehouse, 1 Firehouse Road. The cost will vary by card packages at $20, $25 and $30. There will be 20 regular games plus specials. Food and refreshments will be available and all are welcome. For more information, call 570-691-7160.

n Llewellyn: Good Intent Hose Company, 12 Silverton Road, will feature Hooligan from 10 p.m. to 1 a.m. Wednesday for entertainment and dancing. Tickets are $5 each. The company will feature karaoke from 9 p.m. to midnight Friday. Admission is $2 per person. The company will present Sapphire from 10 p.m. to 1 a.m. Nov. 26 for dancing and entertainment. Tickets are $5 each. The company will also present Irish entertainer Seamus Kennedy from 3 to 7 p.m. Nov. 27. Doors will open at 2 p.m. and tickets are $10 each. All are welcome to attend each event.

n Pottsville: An interdenominational Thanksgiving Eve service sponsored by the downtown churches of Pottsville will be held at 6 p.m. Wednesday at Trinity Episcopal Church, 200 S. Centre St. All are welcome. For more information, call 570-640-1738.

n Shenandoah: People, businesses, civic or fraternal groups can honor a veteran with a Shenandoah Area Hometown Hero banner in an effort sponsored by the Anthony P. Damato American Legion “Medal of Honor” Post 792. Applications are available at the office of the revitalization group Downtown Shenandoah Inc., 116 N. Main St. The banners, which will bear a veteran’s picture, are 24 inches wide and 48 inches high. The banner will also bear the vet’s branch of service, length of service and/or war or conflict and the sponsor’s name.

n Shenandoah: Divine Mercy Roman Catholic Parish will hold a parish mission modified to a 40 Hours celebration at 4 p.m. Sunday. The spiritual program will begin with exposition of the Blessed Sacrament and the opportunity for the Sacrament of Penance. Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament will be at 7 p.m. Immediately after benediction, the first part of the parish mission will begin, led by Frank Runyeon, who has been in more than 1,000 television shows in the last 20 years, including opposite Meg Ryan on “As The World Turns,” on “Santa Barbara,” “Falcon Crest,” “General Hospital,” “LA Law” and “Melrose Place,” according to a press release. He is also an honors graduate of General Theological Seminary and Princeton University. The first part of the mission is “Luke: Stories of Mercy.” The mission will continue on Nov. 21 with exposition of the Blessed Sacrament at 4 p.m. with the opportunity for the Sacrament of Penance. Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament will be at 7 p.m., with Part 2 immediately afterward with Runyeon titled “John: Signs of Mercy.” All are welcome.

Two people died of unintentional carbon monoxide poisoning this year in Schuylkill County.

Since Schuylkill County Coroner Dr. David G. Moylan III took office in January 2012, five county residents have died from the effects of the colorless, odorless, tasteless gas. Carbon monoxide is produced as a result of the inefficient burning of fossil fuels.

One of those was Eleanor S. Murphy, 91, of Cumbola, who died in February. Deputy Coroner Joseph Pothering said previously a switch had been tripped on the oil burner. Pothering said he did not see smoke or carbon monoxide detectors in the home.

Moylan said Murphy had a carbon monoxide level of 61 percent detected in her blood. He said a coma can occur at 40 percent.

“At 40 percent, unless you intervene, that person is likely going to die,” Moylan said.

The typical person has up to 4 percent in their bloodstream. A smoker can have up to 8 percent. The Consumer Product Safety Commission said about 170 people die each year from carbon monoxide poisoning.

Symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning include headache, fatigue, shortness of breath, nausea, dizziness and vomiting.

With the heating season in full swing, fire chiefs are urging caution when using heating equipment. Sometimes people ignore the beeping carbon monoxide detector, chiefs said.

“It’s just like fires. They don’t think it is ever going to happen to them,” Pottsville Fire Chief Todd March said Tuesday.

Rental units in the city are required by city codes to have carbon monoxide detectors. About 15 years ago, March said, there was a very bad incident where three or four people were unconscious and could have died. That was in the 1000 block of West Market Street where a pipe came off a coal furnace in the basement.

“It was very high levels” of carbon monoxide, he said.

That incident sparked the requirement to have carbon monoxide detectors in rental units, he said.

When the fire department goes out on a call for a carbon monoxide investigation, they take meters with them to do readings. The department has responded to 12 calls in the city as of Tuesday. Most of those were from bad detectors or batteries. Despite that, March said it’s important people call and leave the premises when the carbon monoxide detector goes off.

“There’s a lot of times we find something,” he said.

He urged people not to ventilate the house because they can’t get proper readings then.

Pottsville Assistant Fire Chief Jason Witmier and president of the Good Intent Fire Company No. 1 showed a MultiRAE monitor and a carboxyhemoglobin detector they use. The carboxyhemoglobin detector identifies the level of carbon monoxide in a person. The MultiRAE monitor detects five different types of gasses: oxygen, carbon monoxide, hydrogen sulfide, explosives and volatile organic compounds such as gasoline, propane or diesel fuel. Good Intent and Yorkville Hose have the meters.

“It’s drawing air into it at all times,” Witmier said, adding that once activated, the devices detects the gases immediately.

Witmier used the MultiRAE meter to measure the oxygen in the air of the fire company, which was at 20.9 percent — where it should be. The $2,800 meter requires testing every month.

Traditional carbon monoxide meters take about 15 minutes to measure carbon monoxide levels below a certain level. If it is above, it will beep faster. Levels inside should be zero, he said.

Every call is important, Witmier said.

“We have had several times where a neighbor has saved someone’s life,” he said.

One neighbor would have a carbon monoxide detector while the other one didn’t and it would start beeping. If there is a carbon monoxide problem, it is most likely a heat source, Witmier said. People should call 911 and leave the residence leaving all windows and doors closed. The carbon monoxide detectors can save a life, he said.

“Don’t ignore it if it goes off,” he said.

Schuylkill Haven Assistant Fire Chief Jim Reed said last year there were nine carbon monoxide calls and six odor investigations. Numbers were not provided for 2016. The fire department uses a four-gas meter that detects all the gases that the MultiRAE monitor does except the volatile organic compounds.

Sunday the Schuylkill Haven Fire Department responded to a call that was dispatched as a chimney fire to 437 Hess St. in the borough.

“When it was called in, there was a lot of heavy black smoke from the chimney,” Reed said.

After the investigation, it was determined an oil burner malfunctioned. The department went in and measured the carbon monoxide levels at 25 parts per million. No one was home at the time except the dog, who was OK.

Reed said the gas is very light and can linger in the air. He stressed the importance of proper maintenance for heating units.

“It’s very important,” he said.

Some safety tips to keep in mind this winter:

• Check your heating equipment.

• Do not use a generator in the home, garage or other areas.

• Do not leave a car running in a garage.

For more information about carbon monoxide, visit www.cpsc.gov.

Barefield Development Corp. is planning to spend in the neighborhood of $500,000 to put seven apartments above Farlow’s Sub Shop at 200 S. Centre St., Pottsville, according to Craig S.L. Shields, Barefield’s CEO.

On Thursday, the Pottsville Zoning Hearing Board approved of the project and gave Barefield a variance to forge ahead even though the three-story building is zoned for commercial use.

Before the work can begin, Barefield has to meet with the Pottsville Architectural Review Board to get approval on its plans for the building’s exterior, Shields said.

Those present at Thursday night’s zoning hearing at City Hall included Barefield’s solicitor, William C. Reiley; John E. Levkulic, Pottsville, the architect who designed the improvements to the building; and Gerald Achenbach, the housing director for Service Access Management Inc., Pottsville.

Achenbach said people served by SAM will be leasing apartments from Barefield.

Shields said anyone interested in the apartments can inquire by contacting Barefield Development.

“Basically, if they don’t provide us with tenants they’re market-rate apartments. So if we have an empty apartment and they don’t have anybody available, we can rent it. We can rent it to anybody,” Shields said.

The members of the zoning board present at Thursday’s meeting approved Barefield’s variance request.

They included Chairman Charles Taronis, and members John Albertini, Mary Ann Conway and David Eckert.

Absent was Greg Wagner, a member of the board.

Deeds

Ashland — William G. Schwab, trustee in bankruptcy, to George Atiyeh; 9 S. 19th St.; $1,500.

William G. Schwab, trustee in bankruptcy, to George Atiyeh; 1407 Walnut St.; $2,000.

William G. Schwab, trustee in bankruptcy, to George Atiyeh; 401 Walnut St.; $3,000.

Carolyn Bracey Green, Elwood Bracey and Betty J. Weader to John A. and Elizabeth A. McGee; 608-610 Centre St.; $1.

Kenneth L. and Wendy E. Knorr to Tammy Cummings; property at Race and 13th streets; $5,000.

Auburn — Randall C. Mataka and Megan C. Noll to Randall C. Mataka; 229 N. Second St.; $1.

Butler Township — Margaret M. O’Donnell, Thomas J. O’Donnell, Margaret A. Kieres and Mary E. Greshock to Anthony Michael Maurer; 435 W. Main St.; $25,000.

Deer Lake — JMAC Realty LLC to Heather J. Fritz; 326 Laurel Road; $176,500.

Frackville — John M. Hughes and Nadine M. Purcell to John M. Hughes; 216 S. Balliet St.; $1.

Gilberton — Leonard J. Blashock Sr. to Leonard J. Blashock Sr. and Leonard J. Blashock Jr.; 2124 Main St., Mahanoy Plane; $1.

Girardville — Justine Alexander and Edward Alexander to Justine Alexander; 523 E. Mahanoy Ave.; $1.

Gratz — Clarence F. Bingaman to Linford R. Snyder; 1 Valley Drive Road; $70,000.

Jefferson Township — Richard E. Schmeltz, executor of the Estate of C. Dennis Calnon, to Dennis J. Jr. and Taryn D. Morgan; 50 Carsonville Road; $65,000.

Melanie J. Hoffman to Andrew D. Osman and Carrie I. Bush; 11 Carsonville Road; $97,000.

Cindy Hosgood, Pamela A. Hosgood, Suzanne E. Godwin, John J. Hosgood, Loretta Hosgood, Michelle Hosgood, Lorrie Hosgood, Paul Hosgood Jr.. and Lester Hosgood to John J. Hosgood; one-third interest in 15.49-acre property on Back Road; $1.

Lykens — Jennifer Daniels to Jeffary A. and Stephanie J. Koons; 321 N. Second St.; $91,000.

Lykens Township — Elizabeth S. Stoltzfus to Elizabeth S. Stoltzfus; 1740 Luxemburg Road; $1.

Jacob S. Beiler and Aaron J. and Rachel A. Beiler to Andrew L. and Rachel F. Stoltzfus; 291 N. Crossroads Road; $228,000.

Mahanoy City — Jacqueline Humanick to Marisela Martinez; 535 W. Pine St.; $9,500.

Robert T. and Donna Opie to Julie Middaugh; 123 W. South St.; $3,500.

Mahanoy Township — Tax Claim Bureau of Schuylkill County to Theodore J. Styka Jr.; 127 Lower St.; $250.

Minersville — The Bank of New York Mellon to Independent Asset LLC; 306 Pine St.; $4,500.

Maryann Andregic, executrix for the Estate of John A. Hummel, and John G. Hummel to Alan E. and Lori Ann Celmer; 446 New Castle St.; $16,500.

Norman J. Reppe to EMH Contracting LLC; 515 Lytle St.; $4,500.

New Philadelphia — Corrine A. Joy to Luis G. and Mildred Velez; 68 Valley St.; $40,000.

North Manheim Township — Richard J. Jr. and Lindsay Dronick to Charles Premich; property at Cresswell Boulevard and Ronald Avenue, Haven Fair Lawn; $147,000.

Orwigsburg — Donald E. and Jayne L. Moyer to Sami and June Karaborni; property on Sheridan Street; $82,000.

Pine Grove — Laurie A. Lambert to Suzanne M. Berrier; 68 N. Tulpehocken St.; $65,000.

Dawn L. Koehler to Metropolitan Life Insurance Co.; 66 N. Tulpehocken St.; $1.

Pine Grove Township — Thomas W. Schneck Coal Co. to David and Lisa Clark; 990 Suedberg Road; $1.

Gregory A. Sites and Joann M. Sites to Joann M. Sites; 2 Woodland Vista Drive; $1.

Pottsville — Josephine A. Karkanica and Linda J. Karkanica to Josephine A. Karkanica, Linda J. Karkanica and Cheryl Karkanica; 148 W. Railroad St.; $1.

Charles I. Jr. and Krista A. Jones to Schuylkill Properties and Restoration LLC; 800 W. Market St.; $15,000.

Christopher D. Weier to Edward Hahner and Stephen Hinchliffe; 427 Peacock St.; $20,000.

Rush Township — Alice A. Tate to Devon Schadler and Julie M. Pursell; 163 Lake Drive, Lake Hauto; $216,000.

Donna Reid, Karen Runk and Joseph Carpency to Michael Runk; property on Dennison Street; $1.

Diane M. Brown and Linda Zerbe, individually and as co-executrices of the Estate of Floyd A. Reinoehl, to 212 N. Lloyds LLC; 212 N. Lloyds Lane; $35,000.

Albert A. Audakimow and Jeffrey Audamikow to Francis and Joelle Harmonosky; 0.385-acre property on Lake Drive, Lake Hauto; $8,000.

Schuylkill Haven — Charles E. and Janet S. Griffiths to Charles E. Griffiths Jr.; 505 Columbia St.; $1.

Charles E. and Janet S. Griffiths to Charles E. Griffiths Jr.; 507 Columbia St.; $1.

Shenandoah — CLA Properties Inc. to Edith Elizabeth Hernandez Zomoza; 235 E. Lloyd St.; $7,000.

HSBC Bank USA NA to Griselda Maritza DeLeon and Walter A. Langston Jr.; 218 W. Oak St.; $18,210.

Roseanne M. Malinoski to Roseanne M. Malinoski, John Malinoski, Lynn Malinoski Conlin, Gary Malinoski and Michael Malinoski; 308 W. Cherry St.; $1.

Union Township — Abraham and Gertrude J. Moses to Tera L. Tucker; 12 Jerry’s Road; $50,000.

Washington Township — Michael W. Henninger and Elaine Henninger to Michael W. Henninger; 198 Creek Hill Road; $1.

Dennis L. Cooper and Bonnie L. Hammaker , co-executors of the Estate of Gladys M. Cooper, to Hope and Eugene W. Lakin; 3348 State Route 209; $90,000.

Daniel K. Stoltzfus to Christian B. and Lillian R. Stoltzfus; 5.7465-acre property; $1.

Christian B. and Lillian R. Stoltzfus to Christian B. and Lillian R. Stoltzfus; 334 S. Crossroads Road; $1.

Jerry L. Stoneroad and Heidi N. Dill to Jerry L. Stoneroad; 297 Green Acres Ave.; $1.

Christian B. and Lillian R. Stoltzfus to Elizabeth S. Stoltzfus; 332 S. Crossroads Road; $1.

Wayne Township — David Hannum to James P. and Esther A. Rowan; 390 Summer Hill Road; $219,000.

LSF9 Master Participation Trust to Nathan R. Klinger and Alicia M. White; 234 Mohave Drive, Lake Wynonah; $115,000.

Charles E. and Linda R. Green to Harold J. III and Jessica A. Saulnier; 7-acre property on Route 183, Summit Station; $67,000.

Gregory F. and Cathy L. Woznicki, Melissa M. Woznicki, Elizabeth A. Krisa and Theresa Y. Wahl to Melissa M. Woznicki-Marshall; 17 Looznicki Lane; $1.

West Brunswick Township — Denise A. Yaag and Lori K. Record, trustees of the John W. Yaag Revocable Trust, to Pamela A. and David G. Stump; 47 Fort Lebanon Road; $215,000.

West Mahanoy Township — Marla M. Palonis, executrix of the Estate of Albert P. Palonis, to William J. Maher; 319 Indiana Ave., Shenandoah Heights; $1.

West Penn Township — Daryl Nothstein Sr. to Daryl Sr. and Terri L. Nothstein; 0.99-acre property on Route 895; $1.

Wiconisco Township — Eleanor M. Gilbert to Richard D. and Dora M. Harner; 504 Walnut St., Wiconisco; $1.

Williams Township — Ricky R. Archer to Patrick and Molly Rodichok; 618 W. Broad St.; $135,000.

Williamstown — Gregory H. Underkoffler, executor of the Estate of Anna E. Underkoffler, to Gregory Underkoffler; 50 percent interest in 419 Julian St.; $1.

Gregory H. and Rosemary J. Underkoffler to Dennis E. Wiebner; 419 Julian St.; $74,900.

Samuel E. Webb to Lee Anne Krupka; 111 E. Market; $1.

SCHUYLKILL HAVEN — Although it fell short of its fundraising goal, Schuylkill United Way is still happy it raised more than $1 million for its 15 member agencies, its leaders said Friday at the campaign appreciation breakfast at Penn State Schuylkill.

“Every dollar you see up there is a success,” Executive Director Kelly K. Malone said after announcing to approximately 100 people at the breakfast that Schuylkill United Way had raised $1,052,000 in its 2017 general campaign, 97 percent of its goal of $1,080,000.

Malone and campaign Chairwoman Karen Kenderdine each attributed the $28,000 shortfall to the loss of businesses that had been generous contributors in the past. Kenderdine said the campaign lost $140,000 in corporate pledges from the 2016 campaign.

“We set a huge goal,” well above the $1,016,000 target from the 2016 campaign, Kenderdine said. “It was a tough year. I’m very proud of the community and very grateful for it.”

The Tamaqua Area phase of the campaign reached its $128,000 goal, raising $131,330.

“People are starting to recognize the value United Way brings to the community,” Tamaqua Area Chairman Bill Moyer said.

Malone also thanked county citizens who were able to make up $112,000 of the $140,000 corporate loss.

“We had a lot of companies move out of Schuylkill County,” Malone said.

She said the amount of money available to the member agencies will be substantially similar to the total of $1,057,000 raised during the 2016 campaign.

Founded in January 1936 as the Community Chest, Schuylkill United Way conducts its annual fundraising campaigns from September through November. In its history, it has raised and distributed more than $28 million to its member agencies, which help thousands of people across Schuylkill County.

“The pot of (money) gets dumped back into the community,” board Chairwoman Kris Verba said.

Board and executive committee member Jack Bertolet Jr. said the campaign exemplifies what Schuylkill County is all about.

“We believe in helping the people that need to be helped,” he said.

Helping the campaign raise more than $1 million was the Pacesetters Club, comprised of donors of more than $500. The 536 Pacesetters, including 109 new ones, raised $427,507 for the campaign, according to Bob Weaver, the club’s co-chairman.

Andrew D. Smarkanic, the retired North Schuylkill School District superintendent who will chair the 2018 general campaign, said his involvement since 1993 with United Way has taught him how important it is for the member agencies who help people throughout the county. He urged everyone to help the campaign.

“There are many faces of United Way,” he said. “The United Way would not be possible without you. Each and every one of you are responsible (for helping your neighbors).”

Chris Cohoon will chair the 2018 Tamaqua Area part of the campaign.

Maj. Sharon Whispell of the Salvation Army Tamaqua Corps, one of Schuylkill United Way’s 15 member agencies, said that even though the campaign did not reach its goal, the money always makes a difference.

“It means a lot,” she said.”For Christmas, we’re servicing almost 400 children who will be getting clothing. Almost 300 families will be getting food baskets for Thanksgiving and Christmas.”

Schuylkill United Way Awards

Schuylkill United Way distributed the following awards Friday at its Campaign Appreciation Breakfast at Penn State Schuylkill

Billie Payne Lifetime Achievement Award: Patrick Kane

Tiered Company Awards, for top amounts raised, by company size

Small (1 to 200 employees): Bob Weaver GM Chrysler, Pottsville

Medium (201-400): Mrs. T’s Pierogies, Shenandoah

Large (400+): Sapa Extrusion North America, Cressona

Houser Award, for top amount raised through corporate and employee giving: Wegmans Retail Service Center, Highridge

Event Achievement Award, for highest amount raised through special event: Versum Materials, Hometown

Special Acknowledgement Award, for largest campaign increase: Sapa Extrusion North America, Cressona

How many of you remember the 1969 sci-fi thriller, The Andromeda Strain? I’m sure if you’re under 40 you’ve never heard of it. The plot of the movie centered around an extraterrestrial organism accidently brought back to Earth by a re-entering satellite. The organism got loose and threatened to wipe out all life on our home planet. Not a pleasant thought!

Tonight in the high Pottsville eastern sky, there’s an Andromeda strain waiting for you that’s completely harmless, and hopefully will delight you. It’s truly well out of this world, and is said by many to be the farthest thing you can see with the naked eye — the Andromeda Galaxy.

You will have to really strain your eyes to see it, although in the countryside with a pitch-black sky on a moonless night it’s certainly possible. Look for a faint misty patch of light just above the constellation Andromeda. Binoculars or a small telescope will really bring it in.

The best way to find the Andromeda Galaxy is to locate the four moderately bright stars of the “Square of Pegasus,” in the eastern sky, the main part of the constellation Pegasus the Winged Horse. The square outlines the torso of the celestial horse. This time of year the square is actually orientated diagonally like a big diamond. Then look for two curved lines of stars that are attached to the Square of Pegasus from the left corner star of the diamond. By the way, that star is called Alpheratz. Those lines make up the constellation Andromeda the Princess. The lower arc of stars is much brighter than the upper arc.

The best way to find the Andromeda Galaxy is to follow the lower arc of the constellation Andromeda, two stars to the left of Alpheratz, to a moderately bright star called Mirach. Then look above Mirach for two much fainter stars. Just above the upper star there will be a very small, faint, patchy cloud. That’s it, the Andromeda Galaxy. Again, you may need binoculars or a small telescope to find it.

Our nearest next-door galaxy is about 2.5 million light-years away. Now if you’re new to this column, a light-year is defined as the distance that light travels in one year. The speed of light is about 186,300 miles a second, so one light-year would equal about 5,800,000,000,000 miles.

If you do the math, that would put the Andromeda Galaxy 2.5 times 5.8 trillion miles away! Remember the Apollo spacecraft that would take about three days to get to the moon and back in the late ’60s and early ’70s? Going at the same speed it would take the Apollo capsule more than 500 billion years to reach the Andromeda Galaxy. By the way, astronomers have detected galaxies around 14 billion light-years away. It’s no small universe!

Galaxies are vast islands of billions of stars. They come in all shapes and sizes. Our home galaxy, the Milky Way, is thought to have at least 200 billion stars arranged in a giant spiral more than 100,000 light-years in diameter. All of the stars we see in our sky are members of the Milky Way galaxy. In really dark skies, you can see a faint band of milky white light that stretches roughly from the northeast to the southwest sky. That’s the main plane and the thickest part of our galaxy.

The Andromeda Galaxy is a larger spiral galaxy than the Milky Way, with well more than 200 billion stars in a diameter of possibly more than 200,000 light-years. In fact, Andromeda is the largest spiral galaxy within 50 million light-years.

Just as it is with our Milky Way, all of the stars in the Andromeda Galaxy are orbiting around a super massive black hole at Andromeda’s center. This mother of all black holes is believed to weigh as much as a million times more than our sun and 300,000 times more than our Earth. It’s the glue that gravitationally holds Andromeda together. In our own galaxy, our sun obediently orbits around the black hole in the Milky Way’s center every 225 million years.

When I gaze upon the stars in our own Milky Way Galaxy, and when I look through the telescope at other distant galaxies, I can’t help but think about other planets, like our own, going around other stars. We know they’re out there. Just in our part of the Milky Way alone, there are more than 70 stars that are known to have a planet or planets circling them. Where there are planets, could there be life? Intelligent life? Are they watching their own version of “American Idol” somewhere in the Andromeda Galaxy?

There are no final answers for now, but it’s been said that even if there’s only one star in a billion with a solar system capable of life somewhere within it, there would still be thousands and thousands of worlds hidden inside Andromeda.

Here’s one more thing to think about when you gaze upon Andromeda. With every second that passes, we get 50 miles closer to the Andromeda Galaxy. The Milky Way and the Andromeda galaxies are on a collision course. Mark 4 to 6 billion years from now on your calendar. That’s when the Milky Way and Andromeda will merge together. Because of the vast distances between stars, the two galaxies may just slip through each other. There is a chance, though, that the two star families could merge together permanently in a stellar marriage of galactic proportions!

Celestial huggings

this week

On Thursday, Friday and Saturday, just before morning twilight, look for the waning crescent moon to be closely passing by the bright planet Jupiter and the bright star Spica. The show will be going on in the low eastern sky. Don’t miss it!

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

n Mahanoy City: The Mahanoy Township Water Authority has notified customers that due to drought conditions, the authority has activated the first stage of its drought contingency plan for all customers. The first stage prohibits all non-essential uses of water in the authority’s service areas, which include Mahanoy Township and Mahanoy City and Gilberton boroughs. The following water uses, according to an authority release, are declared non-essential and are prohibited: watering of lawns, outdoor gardens, landscaped areas, trees, shrubs and other outdoor plants; washing of automobiles and trucks; washing of streets, driveways and sidewalks; serving water in restaurants, clubs or eating places unless specifically requested by the customer; and ornamental water use. Additionally, all means of conservation methods should be utilized by customers to reduce overall usage by a minimum of 15 percent in accordance with state Department of Environmental Protection drought watch requirements. For more details on the non-essential water uses and suggested conservation methods, go online to the authority website at www.mahanoywater.org or pick up information at the authority’s main office at 46 N. Main St. during normal business hours. The declaration, according to the release, is due to combined water levels in the authority’s reservoirs being less than 50 percent capacity systemwide. If conditions do not improve over the next several days, a water rationing plan may be implemented. Questions regarding the drought contingency plan should be directed to the authority office by calling 570-773-0650.

n Pottsville: The Pottsville Free Public Library recently acknowledged the following memorial and honors donations: For Charles Johnson from Carl and Beth Meckley, Mr. and Mrs. Daniel Keating, Philanthropic Club, Ralph and Peggy Jaeger; for Daniel Guers from David and Christine Ambrose; for Denise Brosky from Local 2324 United Auto Workers, Sandi Murton; for Edith Yuengling from Buddy Blailock; for Francis Portland from Cathy and Kate Zimmerman and Kenny Singley; for George Krastsas from Cathy and Kate Zimmerman and Kenny Singley; for Gerald Yonchak from Marion Kaiser; for Howard S. “Bud” Fernsler from Dr. and Mrs. William R. Davidson; for James A. Tallarico from Dr. and Mrs. William R. Davidson; for Jesse J. Stine from Judy and Jim Bohorad, Ken and Jeanne Porter, Mr. and Mrs. Frederich Bausch, Jim and Elaine Barbetta, Jim and Peggy Cook; for John F. Evans from Peggy Jane Evans; for June M. McShaw from Sandi Murton; for Patricia Knobloch Jones from Stephen M. Lilienthal. The following memorials/honors were placed for the 2016 fund drive: For Jacob Gerace from Joe and Pat Stoffey.

n Ringtown: The annual community Thanksgiving Eve service will be held at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday at St. Paul’s United Church of Christ, 100 E. Main St. The service will be conducted by local clergy, with the Rev. Sue Wollyung presenting the message. People are asked to bring nonperishable food items to donate to the local food pantry. The church will also have a handbell and choir concert at 7:30 p.m. Nov. 27 featuring the St. Paul’s United Church of Christ “Ringers and Singers” from Mahanoy City. Freewill donations will be accepted and refreshments will be served following the program. All are welcome to both services.

n Shenandoah: An information session will be held at Trinity Academy in the Father Walter J. Ciszek Education Center, 233 W. Cherry St., at 1:30 p.m. Sunday for students and families to learn about the school’s mission and curriculum, meet the faculty and administration and tour the school. Trinity Academy is the regional parochial school that serves all of northern Schuylkill County. Kindergarten and first-grade classes will have a fall-themed craft and storytime. For more information, call Christine Zuber Fannick, development director, at 570-462-3927.

Naval promotion

Navy Lt. Cmdr. Chad Trubilla, a Hometown native stationed in San Diego, was selected for promotion to the rank of commander. He was also picked and slated as the prospective executive officer and subsequently, the prospective commanding officer for the guided missile destroyer USS Rafael Peralta (DDG 115), which is one of the Navy’s newest commissioned Arleigh Burke Class Destroyers.

Trubilla is 2015 honor graduate of the Navy’s new TOP GUN school for surface warfare officers, titled Naval Surface and Mine Warfighting Development Center. Officers selected for SMWDC’s elite program receive graduate-level education in strategy and tactics for 19-weeks; they are tactically the best of the best in the Navy for ballistic missile defense, air defense, anti-submarine warfare, surface warfare and amphibious warfare.

Trubilla graduated from SMWDC and now specializes in Integrated Air and Missile Defense. He is an IAMD Warfare Tactics Instructor.

Upon graduation, Trubilla was assigned to SMWDC’s headquarters in San Diego, where he is the WTI in charge of intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance.

Trubilla graduated from Tamaqua Area High School in 1997 and is a 2001 Naval Academy graduate.

He resides in Southern California and is a devoted husband and father to his two sons.

Local band The Kurious is preparing to kick it up a notch for a fun, hard-rocking performance Black Friday in Primrose.

“We are all geared up and ready to go,” said Mark J. Mahal, frontman and founder of the nine-member rock band.

More than 500 tickets have been sold for the show, set for 8 p.m. Nov. 25 at St. Nicholas Hall, which also serves as a partial benefit for the St. Nicholas School Fund.

It’s quite an achievement for a group formed only about 15 months ago. However, it’s the years of experience within the band that make it click.

Mahal formed The Kurious in August 2015, in what he called his “passion project.” Then six members, the group consisted of Mahal, guitarist Eddie Frank, bassist Greg Senich, keyboardist Justin Motuk, drummer Paul Konkus Jr. and percussionist Jimmy Calderone. They performed their first show on Black Friday 2015 at the Curran Hotel in Minersville.

“With the response that I had that night, I knew we had to go bigger,” Mahal said.

They followed up their debut with a show at Pine View Acres in March and then served as the opening act at the St. Nicholas parish picnic at St. Nicholas Hall in July.

Along the way they added trumpeter/guitarist Denny Hardock, saxophonist Chris Heslop and vocalist Asialena Bonitz.

The Kurious is a classic rock/dance band. Mahal said they play songs from rock ’n’ roll legends like David Bowie and The Rolling Stones, as well as a set of disco classics.

“The one thing with this band, we are a really solid band. Real tight. Sound great. But to make it work you need this,” Mahal said, interlocking his fingers. “All the guys, the camaraderie, everyone is on the same page. It’s a pleasure to come to rehearsal, which is not always the case in rock ’n’ roll. Believe me.”

Part of that cohesion is an understanding of music. Mahal, at 60, said he is in the middle of the pack. Frank, an original member of The Other Side, and Senich alone have a century of music experience combined.

“All of these guys are terrific musicians. Pros that have been in the business, like Eddie and Greg. My God, you are talking about guys who have been playing professionally since the ’60s,” Mahal said.

Heslop, a renowned saxophonist from Berks County, joined after the band’s first show. Mahal said the caliber of the musicians is the key. This was a specific necessity when Heslop had to take on Bruce Springsteen’s legendary saxophonist Clarence Clemons.

“He said, ‘Just to let you know, I suck at Clarence Clemons.’ I was like, ‘A, I doubt you suck at anything. And B, no you won’t.’ And he plays ‘Rosalita’ and ‘Born to Run’ note for note. I mean, you’d think Clarence Clemons is channeling through him when he is playing,” Mahal said.

The youngest member of The Kurious is Bonitz, who is simply billed as special guest Asialena for the upcoming Black Friday show.

Asialena is currently a civil engineering major at Penn State University, while being an active working musician. In 2015, she won Best New Artist and Female Vocalist of the Year at the Steamtown Music Awards in Scranton.

“This girl is unbelievable. If she wasn’t a civil engineering major, I’d say, ‘You need to do everything to make it happen for you,’ ” Mahal said.

Mahal and Bonitz met through a mutual music friend and played a few times together in Jim Thorpe. He asked her to come down to perform with the band at the show in Primrose in July, thus beginning her time with The Kurious.

“She came into our rehearsal (last Saturday), the first time she came down since the last show. I told her what songs we want. We ran through them twice. That was it. Boom, it’s in the book,” Mahal said.

Getting all nine members to rehearsal can be difficult, with Heslop and Asialena living out of the area. However, that hasn’t hampered the music.

“Our sound is so much fuller compared to the last show. The last show was great. This show will be the best show, hands down,” Mahal said.

As for the band’s name, its roots trace back to another local band, The Other Side.

Mahal said Vince Kalochie from The Other Side came up with The Kurious, and Frank suggested it start with a K. Then, Motuk suggested the K be backward from his experience with computers.

There will only be a select few times a year when people can see this band locally. And that’s part of the early success, according to Mahal.

“People are saying, ‘How is it you are getting 500 people at your show? Nobody does that anymore.’ The rock ’n’ roll scene is different than what it used to be around here. I said, ‘How am I doing it?’ I’ll tell you how. You only give it to them X amount of times. Because even the shiniest toy on Christmas morning eventually sits alone in the closet when the children get tired of playing with it. So you don’t let the kids play with your toys all that often. Next time you have them out, they will want to be there to play,” he said.

Mahal advises people buy tickets in advance by contacting him at 570-640-5111, email mmahal@comcast.net or on Facebook.

“Obviously it will be a party because we already sold over 500 tickets. I’d like to see a solid 600 there for the show that night,” Mahal said.

A tribal court in New Mexico has found one of its members solely responsible for the car accident that killed a 19-year-old bicyclist from Ringtown during a cross-country trip for charity in June 2010.

The tribal jury reached a verdict Oct. 28 that assigned 100 percent of the fault to Gilbert Waconda, 62, for the death of John R. Anczarski and awarded his family $72,310 for property damages, according to the court order. His father, John J. Anczarski, filed the civil suit in June 2014.

“He was still blaming Johnny, even at the criminal case,” Anczarski said Friday.

Waconda pleaded guilty to negligent homicide in 2012 as he veered out of his lane when he struck Anczarski with his vehicle on a stretch of Old Route 66 near Laguna Pueblo, which is located 45 miles west of Albuquerque. Waconda was sentenced the following year to 182 days in jail and has never apologized to the Anczarski family.

Laguna Pueblo prosecutors charged Waconda in 2012 with homicide by vehicle and reckless driving after then-U.S. Attorney Kenneth Gonzales announced in September 2011 that there was not enough evidence to pursue felony charges. Prosecutors settled on a plea agreement stating it would have been difficult to prove Waconda was driving recklessly, which is required for a conviction of involuntary manslaughter. If convicted, he could have faced up to a year in jail — the maximum penalty allowed in tribal courts.

The civil suit also named the Pueblo of Laguna as a co-defendant, but the tribe claimed sovereign immunity from litigation.

Anczarski said he was hoping to get answers from the tribal leaders during the trial. He said he turned down attempts to settle the matter outside of court because he would have had to sign a nondisclosure agreement.

“He is our son and we want to be able to tell people the truth,” Anczarski said.

Anczarski had to file the civil suit himself because he could not find an attorney to take the case at that time. Cynthia Aragon, an Albuquerque attorney specializing in tribal law, would later take his case.

Although Waconda has never apologized, Anczarski said other people from the pueblo have expressed their sympathy and they continue to maintain a “ghost bike” memorial for his son at the site of the accident.

Anczarski said any money awarded from Waconda will go toward the scholarship fund already established in memory of his son.

This week we celebrate one of the most beloved family holidays. Thanksgiving is the oldest special day to have originated in the U.S. We wish you and yours a festive and joyful day with your loved ones.

November is also National Family Stories Month. When considering everything that you’re grateful for this Thanksgiving, why not take the time to acknowledge your ancestors for their drive and dedication that triggered you to be here today? Pass on stories of your unique family history to your younger generations.

We at Community Volunteers in Action are grateful for the wonderful volunteers we get to work with every day. Being able to coordinate the county’s volunteer services has been one of my greatest experiences. It’s been an honor to work with you and I look forward to future years and the next generation of volunteers.

This week also officially starts the Christmas holiday season and this extended weekend is full of kick-off events.

Skydiving Santa and elves will arrive at noon Friday in Shenandoah, immediately followed by a holiday parade. Christmas in Whoville, tree lighting, horse-drawn trolley rides, cookies and hot chocolate will begin at 5:30 p.m. and will be sure to get you in the holiday mood.

An annual Christmas tree-lighting will be held in Ashland on Saturday, starting with a Santa parade at 6 p.m. Christmas music will be featured and the kiddies can visit Santa and get a treat.

Mahanoy City’s Christmas tree-lighting is slated for 6 p.m. Saturday. Santa will arrive in a horse-drawn carriage. There will also be choral performances, horsedrawn trolley rides and live reindeer. A live nativity will be presented at St. Cecelia’s Chapel.

The Schuylkill Ballet Theatre presents the 37th Anniversary of “The Nutcracker” at 7 p.m. Saturday and 3 p.m. Nov. 27 at Schuylkill Haven Area High School auditorium. Get advance-ticket discounts by calling 570-617-5616 or purchasing online at www.schuylkillballet.com.

Pottsville will feature a day of holiday festivities on Saturday as well. The United Methodist Church will host entertainment at 4:30 p.m. There will be a Santa parade at 5:30 p.m., followed by a tree-lighting at 6 p.m. at Garfield Square. Finally, the Humane Fire Company will offer a Santa party for children ages 10 and under at 6:30 p.m.

When doing your holiday shopping, don’t forget to support our local small businesses, too. Research suggests there are many reasons to shop local. For every $100 spent, $68 of that stays local and boosts our area economy if spent at a neighborhood business, whereas only $43 stays local when shopping at a chain store. Also, more money tends to find its way to nonprofits and our communities when keeping it local. Our local small businesses work hard to provide for their families and support our area, maybe you can also give them a boost with some of your holiday shopping.

Community Volunteers in Action is the volunteer center for Schuylkill County. Use the preceding contact information for those specific opportunities and search other listings on our website at www.schuylkill.us/cvia. Find us on Facebook. Call us at 570-628-1426 or email to jjohnston@co.schuylkill.pa.us.

Tax Preparer

volunteers

Times: January to April, flexibility with morning and/or evening hours.

Responsibility: Provide free basic computerized tax return preparation assistance to low-income taxpayers eligible to claim the earned income tax credit.

Skills: All volunteers will be trained, tested and certified on IRS TaxSlayer Pro Software. Training is free.

Location: Various local sites.

Call: Schuylkill Community Action, 570-622-1995.

Residence feted

Former Shenandoah resident Geraldine Bashus Sadusky, Orlando, Florida, had her apartment featured in seven pages of the Romantic Homes, November-Christmas issue. She has subscribed to the magazine for many years, and it was a dream come true to be in her favorite magazine.

Visitors locally and internationally have visited her home because of its uniqueness due to her flair for design and attention to detail. Several residents suggested she send pictures of her apartment to magazines for publication. Many residents enjoy visiting especially at Christmas because she decorates and many residents do not.

Geri, formerly known as Gerry, decorates for every holiday. She lives in a senior living complex in a 656-square-foot apartment, and has decorated her home on a limited budget. It features various collections, antiques, memorabilia of her grandmother, vintage items, shopping finds and romantic appointments in each room.

Geri’s son and daughter started her on her journey to Shabby Chic. They purchased items for gifts, and that started her love for the Shabby Chic style.

She was always drawn to the color of white. In Pennsylvania, she loved to dress in white to include coat, muff, hat, etc., and lived in central Pennsylvania for almost 30 years working in sales.

After relocating to Central Florida, antique stores were her favorite shopping destinations. “White” continuously called out to her — white flooring to furniture to paint colors. She is an innovative creator and designer by painting, refurbishing and repurposing someone else’s treasures and making them hers to love.

Geri’s “finds” and “gems” come from most any store. Her hunt over the years for treasures was exhilarating.

Geri also designs, constructs and paints her own fabrications, always on a budget and beautiful. Her home is her personal jewel box.

King’s

Elliot Phillips, Pottsville, a senior majoring in accounting and minoring in marketing at King’s College, Wilkes-Barre, began a 15-week internship experience at Jancik & Associates.

He is a son of John and Kathy Phillips.

Susquehanna

Damian Munoz, Tamaqua, and Grace Smith, Schuylkill Haven, both juniors at Susquehanna University, Selinsgrove, are studying abroad this fall.

Damian, an art history and self-designed major, is studying at Regent’s University, England. A 2014 graduate of Tamaqua Area High School, he is a son of Kyra Dale.

Grace is studying at the SWSB London program in England. She is a business administration and strategic communications-corporate communications major.

A graduate of Blue Mountain High School, she is a daughter of Jeff and Linda Smith.

Wilkes

Evan Steward, Frackville, and Matthew Stever, Ringtown, performed in the Tournament of Bands Atlantic Coast Championships on Nov. 5.

The exhibition took place at the West Shore Stadium, Harrisburg, where the Wilkes University Marching Band performed for 26 college bands.

Evan is a member of the drumline, and Matthew, a pre-pharmacy GS major, plays tuba with the marching band.

SAINT CLAIR — The borough council tentatively adopted its 2017 budget during a special meeting Thursday night without a tax increase.

The council also authorized the advertisement of the tax ordinance keeping the real estate taxes at 5 mills, or $5 for every $1,000 of assessed value. The total budget for 2017 is $2,433,879.

Borough Secretary Roland Price said the most significant increase in the budget was health insurance. He said health insurance costs jumped 19.2 percent from 2016. Council Vice President Michael Petrozino said the borough was able to absorb those costs in other areas. Total insurance costs for 2017 are $551,849.

The 2017 budget also has $30,000 set aside to continue the fight against the BRADS landfill.

As of March, the borough spent more than $1.2 million on legal and expert witness fees to stop the establishment of the demolition waste landfill called the Blythe Recycling And Demolition Site, or “BRADS,” in neighboring Blythe Township.

The township has been working with FKV LLC for the last decade to develop the landfill on a 252-acre site along Burma Road while the borough has fought the proposal. In June, the state Environmental Hearing Board dismissed the borough’s appeal and an entrance was built to the site earlier this month.

Blythe Township supervisors and the recently assembled township solid waste authority agreed in September to borrow $30 million to build the landfill.

Sometimes, if you abandon your comfort zone and go against the flow to discover sights and sounds unknown, nice things happen.

I had never cruised on the Rhone, classical music was not my cup of tea and what about those strange-sounding towns and villages, many of which I had never even heard of before?

Nonetheless, fully unprepared, here I am embarking on a Rhone land/cruise, specifically themed to classical music and, aside from the bookends of Lyon and Barcelona, would be visiting a number of places I couldn’t even pronounce.

But after 13 days, 12 concerts (half on land, half on water) and visits to at least 15 charming hamlets in Provence en route to Barcelona, nice things did happen.

Oh, I wasn’t quite ready to buy a harp and head for the Australian Outback, but my comfort zone just added some new and interesting layers. I was beginning to appreciate the classical music — ranging from the solo guitar to the string quartets to the full symphony orchestras — and looking forward to my next surprise village.

The bulk of the credit for my pleasant transformation, aside from the musicians themselves and those mystery stops along the Rhone, would go to our program director, Gery Valtiner, and our musical director, George Zukerman.

While their backgrounds and personalities have almost nothing in common, they make perfect harmony together.

Valtiner started work as a tourist guide in his native Austria, emigrated to Canada as a young man and founded Special Travel International (sticanada.com) some 25 years ago in Vancouver. He’s a no-nonsense, no-pretense guy who patiently tends to all his clients’ needs, seemingly able to be in three separate places at the same time.

It pays off. STI offers about 10 theme cruises a year and at least 25 percent of the people aboard are repeaters. The land/cruises are scheduled primarily in Europe and Asia with themes ranging from gardens to nature to safaris to bird watching and whatever else Valtiner sees as promising. The next classical music cruise will take place in April 2017 in Portugal and Spain.

Zukerman is a world renowned musician and impresario who was often described as the “High Priest of the Bassoon.” While he retired in 2013 after a 60-year career on the international concert stage, music runs deep in his veins — and flows melodiously from his lips, as he is a gifted orator, regaling the audiences with brilliant anecdotes before each concert.

“Gery’s a good listener and George’s a good talker,” as one member of our group aptly summed up.

There were about 125 of us on our cruiser, the AmaDagio of AmaWaterways, which included two lounges, a sun deck and fitness area. Standard cabins were about average with other cruise lines. Food, however, was well above average, as AmaWaterways is the only river cruise line inducted into La Chaine des Rotisseurs, one of the world’s most prestigious culinary organizations.

So, with beautiful music, interesting stops,Valtiner, Zukerman and good food, what’s to complain about? Not much, so on a scale of one to 10, the 125 of us got along just fine at about an 8.5 (except for the woman who near-demanded the front seat on every bus tour and the gentleman who snored loudly at least once a concert).

We began our tour in Lyon, arguably the gastronomical center of the world. And it did not disappoint in that respect. We stayed three nights in the Marriott Hotel in a complex known as Cite International, which contained other hotels, shops, a casino, restaurants, novelty and gift shops ... just about anything you would need under one roof.

Cite International, while functional, is pretty drab-looking from the exterior (think Leavenworth). But we had dinner at a restaurant there simply called 33 (its address) and it turned out to be our most memorable meal on the entire trip, with all due respect to the AmaDagio. I had calf liver Lyonaisse and my wife had a beef tartare.

We took several tours from Cite International to Lyon’s historic old city with its cobblestone streets, quaint shops and “bouchons,” casual restaurants specializing in sausages, duck pates and pork. The bouchons are pretty formulized, but I dare you to walk along those cobblestone streets and not get hungry for meat!

We also visited some Roman ruins and attended the first three of 12 concerts — a string quartet, a sextet with wind and string instruments and a full-blown Brahms concert by the National Symphony Orchestra.

Now it was time to board the AmaDagio for our cruise down the Rhone. These were some of the highlights of the stops along the way:

■Annecy. This town of about 50,000 inhabitants is one of the most charming spots in the French Alps. It’s crisscrossed by Venice-style canals, flower-covered bridges, medieval houses and arcaded streets. Simply strolling is its biggest tourist attraction. One park near a lake seemed to me like a modern-day version of Georges Seurat’s famous painting “Sunday In The Park at La Grand Jatte” come to life.

■Oingt. Now we enter the Beaujolais wine region, also known as the Pays d’Or. We visited a medieval hilltop village and the home of a local vintner for a wine tasting and vineyard tour. Returning to the AmaDagio, our concert featured a harp and violin. There was a light drizzle as we cruised slowly down the Rhone, creating a magical moment with the string instruments.

■A vignon and Arles. Seven French popes reigned from Avignon instead of Rome during the 14th century. We visited the Papal Palace and walked around the preserved medieval walls surrounding the historic center of town. At Arles, we passed by the home (now a brasserie) of Vincent Van Gogh and where he cut off his ear, and later visited the St. Paul de Mausole Asylum, the madhouse where Van Gogh was confined by choice for a year. There was a reproduction of his room, precise in every detail.

And now, to our final destination, Barcelona. We stayed at a boutique hotel near the base of Las Ramblas, Barcelona’s world-famous pedestrian boulevard. The walking street, once a bustling area with no game plan but loaded with open-air markets, restaurants and shops, has now evolved into trendy boutiques and typical tourist traps. But it hasn’t lost its bustle.

The next day we visited Sagrada Familia, Antoni Gaudi’s still unfinished masterpiece for well over a century. It’s now scheduled for completion in 2026. Perhaps. Tourism officials are privately concerned that after they finish it, the crowds will start to drop off.

We also visited Gaudi’s other masterpiece that doesn’t get as much press, Parc Guell, a colorful and bizarre public park that was designed to be a housing development but never made it.

Our final three concerts also took place in Barcelona, highlighted by Giuseppe Verdi’s Macbeth, a three-act opera, at the Grand Teatre del Liceau.

On our way back to our hotel on Las Ramblas, a Marilyn Monroe look-alike, her white dress blowing upward like in that famous photo, was perched on a balcony, suggestively waving to the walkers. She was not an exhibitionist, but advertising for a sex boutique and museum on the first floor.

Like Jimmy Durante used to say, “Everybody wants to get in on the act!”

(Merle, a travel writer based in Montreal and co-founder of the International Food, Wine & Travel Writers Association, can be reached at dmerle@videotron.ca)

SHENANDOAH — The Schuylkill Historical Fire Society was the site of two special events Saturday.

Members of Cub Scout Pack 780, Gordon, toured the facility and then helped society members push the latest addition to the fire truck collection into its new home.

More than 10 Scouts, their brothers, sisters and parents, toured the society headquarters on Jardin Street.

As part of the tour, the children had a chance to pretend to use leather water buckets to shuttle water to a hand-powered fire engine pumper, the way firefighters used to battle blazes more than 100 years ago.

After touring the society building, the children helped get a 1919 Ford TT fire truck into the society’s garage.

The fire engine was given to the society on a long-term lease by the Maltby Fire Company, Swoyersville.

Joseph “Blackie” Kufrovich, society trustee, said the company wanted their vehicle in a place where others can see it and appreciate it. They also wanted it to be in a place where it will be kept preserved.

“They wanted to preserve their name and their heritage,” Kufrovich said. “We will give it a good home.”

President of the Schuylkill Historical Fire Society Michael Kitsock said having the young children visit the museum and see the past first hand is what the society is all about.

Both Kitsock and Kufrovich said the museum can be visited by groups or individuals interested not only in the fire service but also the rich history the volunteer fire service has in Schuylkill County and the entire commonwealth.

Old St. Nick will visit children throughout Schuylkill County next month during the annual Santa Claus Train Rides.

In Minersville, children can see Santa during the Dec. 4 and 18 train rides at 10:30 a.m., 1 p.m. and 3:30 p.m.

About 800 tickets have been sold so far, Bob Kimmel, president of Railway Restoration Project 113, a Minersville-based nonprofit, said Friday.

“We have 3,000 seats. They sell out” fast, he said.

Last year, some people who wanted tickets on the last day could not get them because they were sold out. This is the fourth year for the Minersville train rides sponsored by Railway Restoration Project 113, the Reading, Blue Mountain & Northern Railroad and in conjunction with the Lehigh Gorge Scenic Railway. To buy tickets for the Minersville train rides, call Railway Restoration Project 113 at 570-544-8300, or borough hall at 570-544-2149. Kimmel said the train rides will be about 80 minutes long.

“It depends on Santa Claus,” he said. The jolly old elf will walk the train to visit all the children and give them a small gift.

The steam locomotive, CNJ 113, must be loaded with coal before the trip, something workers were doing Saturday.

The train departs from the Minersville Railroad Station to Schuylkill Haven and back. The CNJ last made its appearance in downtown Schuylkill Haven during Borough Day earlier this year.

Santa also will make stops in Schuylkill Haven, Pottsville and Tamaqua in December.

Santa will arrive at the Schuylkill Haven Railroad Station for train rides at 10:30 a.m., 1 p.m. and 3:30 p.m. Dec. 10. The Santa Express will be in the borough regardless of the weather. Adults must be present when children ride the train. For more information or to buy tickets, call the borough office at 570-385-2841 or the Schuylkill Haven Recreation Department at 570-385-1313. The event is sponsored by the Reading, Blue Mountain & Northern Railroad in conjunction with the Schuylkill Haven Borough Day Committee and the Recreation Department.

Those who want to see Santa in Pottsville on the train rides can do so at 10:30 a.m., 1:00 p.m. and 3:30 p.m. Dec. 3 and 11. The train departs Union Station in the city. Tickets can be bought at 1 S. Second St., 2nd Floor, Pottsville, or by calling 570-628-4647.

In Tamaqua, the train departs at 10:30 a.m., 1 p.m. and 3:30 p.m. Dec. 17 from the Tamaqua Railroad Station. Tickets are available by visiting the Tamaqua Chamber of Commerce office, 37 W. Broad St., Tamaqua, or by calling 570-668-1880.