President-elect Donald Trump offered U.S. Rep. Lou Barletta a job as secretary of labor Tuesday, and the congressman said he’s seriously considering the offer.

In a telephone interview after the meeting, Barletta said he plans to decide in “a day or so.” He wants to weigh whether he could do more good as labor secretary or by remaining a congressman, he said.

Just re-elected to a fourth two-year term, Barletta, a Republican, said he would return to Congress with more influence because of his close relationship with the president-elect, whose successful Pennsylvania campaign he co-chaired with Rep. Tom Marino. Trump became the first Republican presidential candidate to win the state since 1988.

Trump told him he thinks his ability to work in a bipartisan way with other members of Congress makes him a good choice as labor secretary, Barletta said. The president-elect thinks he could be valuable as a congressman, too, he said.

Trump’s transition team issued no statements to The Times-Tribune about the meeting between the two men and efforts to obtain comment were unsuccessful.

Barletta, Hazleton’s mayor from 2000 to 2011, said he has a good relationship with unions going back to his days as mayor dealing with city public safety and other unions and working on union-related issues in Congress.

A compilation of union ratings of his congressional voting record by the good-government group Project Vote Smart tells a different story. With most major unions, Barletta scores well below 50 percent. He routinely scores 100 percent or almost that high with most pro-business groups. Many labor union members voted for Trump.

The afternoon meeting, which began almost an hour late, took place at Trump Tower in Manhattan and lasted between 30 and 45 minutes, Barletta said. Barletta said he knew Trump wanted to discuss a role in the administration but did not know what the president-elect had in mind.

Speculation centered on Trump offering Barletta the job of secretary of transportation because of the congressmen’s role in helping put together a five-year, $305 million transportation bill last fall and his membership on the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee.

Trump took that possibility off the table even before they met by offering former labor secretary Elaine Chao the transportation post. Chao’s husband is U.S. Sen. Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, the Senate majority leader who will play a key role as Trump tries to push his agenda through Congress.

Barletta said he and Trump talked about the Pennsylvania campaign and his plans for rebuilding the nation’s roads, bridges and other infrastructure, but Trump’s reasons for choosing Chao never came up. The president-elect brought up the labor post about 15 minutes into the meeting, he said.

Though fighting illegal immigration stands as a signature issue for both men, Barletta said Trump never offered him a chance to run the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency and he had no interest in that job anyway.

“I could do more on that as a congressman,” Barletta said.

Barletta, R-11, Hazleton, is a member of the Trump transition team’s executive committee and was an early endorser of the president-elect with Marino before they began chairing his campaign in Pennsylvania.

Marino is also a member of the transition executive committee. It is unknown whether Trump is considering Marino for a job in his administration.

Ainsley Holyfield, a spokeswoman for Marino, said she knew of no plans for Marino to meet with Trump about a job.

“Tom is actively participating in executive committee activities and is very pleased with how the transition is progressing,” Holyfield said.

Marino, R-10, Lycoming Township, is widely believed to be considering a run for governor in 2018.

If Barletta steps down as a congressman, Gov. Tom Wolf would have 10 days after the resignation becomes effective to announce the date for a special election to choose a replacement. The special election could take place no earlier than 60 days after Wolf announces the election date.

Jeffrey Sheridan, Wolf’s spokesman, said the governor has not determined what he might do if Barletta resigns.

SPRING GLEN — Not unlike their draft horses, Les and Karen Montford embarked on “second careers.”

As operators of Running Springs Farm Ltd., the Spring Glen couple provide horse-drawn wagon and carriage service for special occasions, while giving some auction-destined equines a new shot at life. December is one of their busiest times of year.

After working their day jobs as Facilities Manager at Hexcel Corp. and in Human Resources at Big Lots, respectively, Les and Karen spent a recent Wednesday afternoon working with their team, Belle and Whitie, two 15-year-old Percheron mares.

Belle they acquired in 2012, while Whitie came into the mix in April. The grey mares were practicing teamwork, backing up into a wagon hitch and going on a ride with Les at the reins.

“We will buy horses from auctions and try to make a second career for them,” Karen said.

Teams

The Montfords own 11 horses on their Spring Glen farm, including three teams of draft horses. In addition to Belle and Whitie, they have two black Percherons, Sue and Melody, about 17- and 18-years-old; and a team of 15-year-old strawberry roan Belgians, Wendy and Abbey.

All of the horses have their own personalities, but Wendy seems to be a favorite among the public, her owners said. Wendy was born on their farm and has been battling two bouts of carcinoma. Her left eye was removed about five years ago. The cancer has come back, but Wendy has been able to undergo some chemotherapy treatment and is able to continue to serve.

Other horses who are no longer used as part of the draft team are retired and live out their lives on the Montfords’ farm.

On the farm’s website, www.runningspringsfarm.net, Wendy is described as “full of personality.” She’s the main sleigh and single-carriage horse.

“She trains weekly and is very accustomed to loud noises ... She stands quietly and loves attention,” the website states.

The Percherons and the Belgians are the two primary breeds that the Amish use, Les said.

Whitie, Sue and Melody all came off an Amish farm. Belle came from a man who formerly operated a carriage business. Most of the horses are between 16- and 18-hands tall and weigh between 1,700 and 1,900 pounds each. As a group, the horses eat nearly a ton of grain and two tons of hay a month.

Qualities

“We look for an easygoing horse that’s not going to get worked up,” Les said.

Part of the training process includes acclimating the horses to being around all kinds of noises, including sleigh bells and fire sirens, and getting them used to various celebratory scenarios. He said during one wedding in Bethel, a drone flew over the horses.

“They just stopped and looked around,” he said of his team, which displayed its laid-back personality.

Fans may also want to pet the horses, which is permitted. It’s important for people to understand that the horses wear “blinkers” at their eye level, which blocks their peripheral vision and helps them focus while working, the couple said. Anyone wishing to pet the animal should approach the horse directly from the front, not from the side, so that the horse can see whoever is greeting them.

Appearances

Some of the special events where their horse-drawn carriages or wagons have appeared include the Schuylkill County Wine Festival in Hegins; Schuylkill Haven’s Island Festival; Benigna’s Creek Lighting of the Vineyards, Klingerstown; Halloween “Headless Horseman” wagon rides at the Klingerstown Hotel; New Year’s Eve in Pottsville; Relay for Life events in Millersburg, Hegins and Halifax; and at TLC Tree Farm in Hegins. Four of their Percherons pulled the Amoskeag Steam Fire Engine belonging to the Mountaineer Fire Department in Minersville.

Running Springs Farm Ltd. serves Schuylkill County, from Pottsville to Pine Grove; Lewisburg and Selinsgrove; and surrounding areas in central Pennsylvania.

The company is fully insured. All of their carriages are equipped with wheels and hydraulic brakes, turn signals, hazard flashers and slow-moving vehicle signs, so their carriages can be used day or night on public roads. Their teams have worked at parades, birthday parties, weddings, company picnics, Christmas events and other community festivities.

“It’s the nostalgia of it and being able to hear the bells and that ‘clip clop,’ ” Karen said.

Upcoming events

The Montfords and their horse teams will be featured at the following upcoming events: Friday, Bucknell University; Saturday, Harrisburg; Saturday, Martin’s Farm Market, Schuylkill Haven; Tuesday, Selinsgrove; Dec. 7, Mechanicsburg; Dec. 9, Lebanon; Dec. 10, Ashland Old Fashioned Christmas; Dec. 16-17, Danville; Dec. 17, Valley View Park; Dec. 18, Havertown; and Dec. 23, Bryn Mawr.

Few young horses

There are approximately a half dozen carriage operations in the region, including Leiby’s Carriage Service in Tamaqua; Bee Tree Trail in Shartlesville; and some near New Cumberland and Harrisburg, the couple said. The Montfords are also friends with Frank and Joanna Pierce, Herndon, who run Ridgewood Percherons. The Pierces frequently provide horse-drawn wagon rides at the Lykens Fall Festival, Dauphin County.

After the economic downturn, there have been fewer young draft horses available to purchase, Les Montford believes, as well as fewer young thoroughbreds on the racing circuit. The Montfords also own two thoroughbreds, along with two other couples as part of PIA Stables. Their thoroughbreds race at Hollywood Casino at Penn National Race Course with trainer Stephen Mick.

According to the USDA 2012 Census, there were 110 farms in Schuylkill County that had 813 equine animals; and statewide there were 16,426 farms with equine, and 119,900 equine animals listed.

The Montfords, who have operated their carriage service since 2004, are members of the Percheron Association and the Pennsylvania Draft Horse & Mule Association.

Pottsville Free Public Library’s long-serving director, Nancy J. Smink, is stepping down at the end of the year.

Those who worked with her on the library board praised Smink’s leadership during a time when libraries statewide faced financial adversity due to lagging funding.

The following announcement was posted on the library’s Facebook page just after 4:30 p.m. Tuesday:

“Dear Library Supporters and Residents of Pottsville and Schuylkill County,

“After 40 years of working at the Pottsville Free Public Library, Library Director Nancy J. Smink has announced she will be retiring at the end of this year. ‘I had planned to retire earlier, but there was always so much left to be done.’

“Ms. Smink returned to the Pottsville Free Public Library in October 1976 as the district consultant, having worked as reference librarian at the Phillipsburg, N.J., public library before that. On May 22, 1980, she became the library director of the Pottsville Library. Her last day at the library will be December 30, 2016.

“During her tenure here, Ms. Smink oversaw the expansion and renovation of the original library building, introduced public computers and technology for the public and established the ‘Friends of the Library’ group. Through it all she guided her staff to provide the best services possible to the community served by the library.

“Ms. Smink said, ‘Library services have changed dramatically over the years since I first became a librarian but their mission of encouraging the importance of reading and providing our citizens with the information they need in their daily lives remains the same. It has been an exciting journey,’ ” the post stated.

Smink was in a meeting at 4:20 p.m. Tuesday and did not speak directly with the media prior to departing at 4:30 p.m.

Thomas Beausang, president of the library board, said in a phone interview Tuesday evening, “Nancy has seen the library through tough times, through the building addition and has worked with budget cuts to provide as many services as we’ve been able to. We hope to try to find the best person to go on for many years to come. We’ll be looking at staff at the library and advertising and seeing what candidates are interested in the job.”

Smink’s upcoming retirement was just announced to the staff, and the board found out after Thanksgiving, according to Beausang.

“We need to organize a search committee. Obviously, there’s going to be more to come. Her last day will be at the end of December, and we’ll be scrambling to staff the library and not give up any of our services,” Beausang, who has served the board for the past 10 years, said.

“She’s continuously provided long-term and dedicated care to the library. Hopefully, we’ll find someone just as reliable,” he said.

Jim Cooksey, library treasurer, said the board met with Smink on Tuesday to get her job description and to “get a handle on all the things that she does.” There are many, he said.

“She’s been here a long, long time, and I’m sure she’s going to be missed. She’s brought a wealth of knowledge and her management style over the last four decades. It placed a hardship on her and the entire staff with the reduced funding. Her leadership got us where we are. She’s had a difficult job,” Cooksey said.

The Pottsville Area school board did not include a contribution of $55,000 to the library as part of its 2016-17 budget, according to The Republican-Herald archives. This is the first time the PASD has not provided some of the funds, library board members said. The state and county contribute funding to the library. The library provides a portion of its funding to the other libraries in the Schuylkill County Library System.

David J. Brode Jr., whose legal troubles are far from over, admitted Wednesday in Schuylkill County Court that he stole numerous items in two separate thefts in March in Tamaqua.

Brode, 22, of Tamaqua, pleaded guilty to criminal trespass, theft and criminal mischief in one case and theft in the second. Prosecutors withdrew charges of burglary and receiving stolen property in the first case and receiving stolen property in the second.

Judge James P. Goodman accepted Brode’s plea and, pursuant to an agreement between prosecutors and Brode, sentenced him to time served to 23 months in prison, plus an additional 12 months on probation, pay costs, $100 to the Criminal Justice Enhancement Account and $9,275 restitution, and submit a DNA sample to law enforcement authorities.

Goodman was particularly insistent that the victim in each case be made whole.

“You have to pay this restitution,” he told Brode, who said little during the hearing except that he understood the terms of his plea and was entering it knowingly and voluntarily.

Tamaqua police filed both sets of charges against Brode.

In the one case, they alleged Brode broke into a residence on Hunter Street on March 7. Once inside, Brode stole approximately $5,000 worth of items, including jewelry, money, a laptop computer, a cellphone and firecrackers, police said.

In the other case, they alleged Brode broke into a residence on Union Street on March 9 and stole jewelry.

Brode faces yet another case involving a break-in at a Tamaqua church.

Borough police have charged Brode with burglary, criminal trespass, theft and defiant trespass, alleging he broke into the Salvation Army, 105 W. Broad St., about 8 p.m. Oct. 8. Once inside, Brode stole $32 from the church, police said.

His preliminary hearing in that case is scheduled for noon Dec. 13 in front of Magisterial District Judge Stephen J. Bayer, Tamaqua.

DOUGLASSVILLE — The face staring back at Cindy Sue Betz is one she hasn’t seen in the mirror for decades, she admitted.

Betz, a 60-year-old grandmother from Pine Grove, offered a fledgling smile Wednesday to her husband, Rodney, and her doctors, as the first recipient of the Second Chance Program.

“I haven’t seen myself with teeth in years, so I’m looking at me, like you’re looking at me and saying, ‘Who’s that person in the mirror?’ I know I’m going to scare myself tonight when I go to the bathroom,” she said.

Doctors at Balaci Oral and Facial Surgery, of Lebanon and Wyomissing, started the Second Chance Program in 2015 as a way to give back to their community, giving recipients, like Betz, a second chance at an improved lifestyle. Betz found out on Sept. 11, 2015, that she was chosen from among nearly 40 applicants to receive the $40,000 to $50,000 surgery for free, which would complete her full-arch oral restoration.

Her yearlong journey to receive 20 new, permanent teeth through free, dental implant surgery, concluded with a reunion Wednesday with Dr. Alexandre Balaci, her board-certified oral and maxillofacial surgeon, and Shawn R. Habakus, DMD, her restorative dentist.

Habakus conducted the final installation of her acrylic teeth Wednesday at his 1008 Ben Franklin Highway office in Douglassville.

“She did great, every step along the way. She did everything that was expected,” Balaci said.

“She’s more than motivated, and I know she’ll do well,” Habakus added as the trio posed for photos with Betz’s smile front and center.

Betz has been without a full set of teeth for decades. She was just 23 when a truck’s head-on collision with her motorcycle left her in a coma and broke off most of her teeth. The crowns placed on some of her teeth started breaking off and her mouth became infected and sore. Embarrassed by her smile, she avoided most social situations, her husband said.

On Nov. 2, 2015, Cindy underwent the first part of her dental procedure. She said Balaci pulled all of her remaining teeth and completed a bone graft, using bone from the back of her mouth for her jawbone area, then ground down her jawbone, making it more even. Habakus took impressions of her gums so that her new teeth could be created.

She underwent additional surgery in May 2016 at Balaci’s 860 Tuck St. office for implant placement, where screws were surgically inserted into her jawbone.

Balaci said a CAT scan was taken of Cindy’s mouth, which helped him plan the surgery and make a drill guide where the screws, and eventually where her new teeth would be placed.

It took about six months for her gums to heal so that her permanent, implanted teeth could be put in place. The new teeth are made of a variety of materials, from processed acrylic to porcelain. Cindy chose acrylic and the shade A-1 for the color of her new smile.

Habakus said he’d like to see Betz back in about a month, just to make sure her bite’s good and to see if any additional adjustments are needed, if she’s been biting her lip or tongue. Betz will need to wear a night guard, which will protect her new teeth from cracking or grinding down if she clenches her teeth at night. She can brush her teeth as anyone normally would, but must only use soft, creamy toothpaste. Toothpaste with abrasive whiteners should be avoided, Habakus said.

Betz then will return for a six-month checkup, at which time Habakus will check to see if any teeth are loose and the hygienist will do a cleaning.

Her husband said the first thing his wife wanted to eat when she had her teeth was a “steak sandwich.”

“That — I do want to eat, but I’m going to start out real, real slow, and stick to my mashed potatoes and just introduce foods slowly,” she said. “I was nervous over nothing,” Betz said, noting the staff made her feel so relaxed and comfortable. “They were very helpful. I knew everything that was going on. After he’d tell me, he’d tell my husband,” she said of Habakus. “Right now I feel like I have a mouth full of stuff, and I keep biting myself.”

She recognized adjusting to her dental work and learning how to speak with her new teeth may take time, but was prepared for the process.

She has advice for the next “Second Chance Program” applicant: “Fill out that application, because you never know. I keep telling him (Dr. Balaci), ‘I bet you wish you wouldn’t have picked me, because I can be a pain now and then.’ We’ve been through a lot together,” she said, hugging her doctors.

“Last year, in November, I got my teeth out for my birthday and this year, I got my teeth in,” she said. Her birthday is Nov. 6.

Rodney said, “They’re awesome. Look at her. She’s smiling. It doesn’t get any better than that.”

Jeffrey P. Libengood must remain behind state prison bars for raping a preteen girl in 2014 in Washington Township, a three-judge state Superior Court panel ruled Tuesday.

In an eight-page opinion, the panel decided Libengood, 51, of Strausstown, presented no reason to overturn his Jan. 25 sentence of 10 to 20 years in a state correctional institution, plus five additional years on probation.

“His sentence is legal and he is not entitled to relief,” Judge Judith Ference Olson wrote in the panel’s opinion.

After a two-day trial over which county Judge Jacqueline L. Russell presided, a Schuylkill County jury convicted Libengood on Oct. 29, 2015, of one count each of rape of a child, corruption of minors, endangering the welfare of children and indecent assault, and two each of statutory sexual assault and aggravated indecent assault. Russell had dismissed two additional counts of aggravated indecent assault and one of rape of a child, while prosecutors had withdrawn a charge of involuntary deviate sexual intercourse.

State police at Schuylkill Haven had charged Libengood with having sexual contact with the girl, who was 7 or 8 at the time of the crimes, on more than one occasion in 2014. Prosecutors said Libengood confessed to the crimes during an interview on March 26, 2015, at the Jonestown state police station in Lebanon County.

In her opinion, Olson wrote that Libengood had filed a request for a bill of particulars — a document outlining the exact nature of the charges against a defendant, with specific information about dates and times — on July 2, 2015, and prosecutors had done so on July 23, 2015. Libengood had asked the court on Oct. 28, 2015, the day the trial started, to bar the victim’s testimony because he was dissatisfied with the bill, a request Russell denied.

Olson wrote that court rules required an objection to the bill to be made within five days of the bill’s filing, and Libengood’s failure to do so meant he could not do so after that deadline.

“We ascertain no abuse of discretion by the trial court in denying (Libengood’s request),” Olson wrote.

Libengood also had claimed his sentence was illegal because Russell had imposed it pursuant to a section of the law later declared unconstitutional.

Olson wrote that Russell explicitly stated she was not relying on that section of the law in imposing the sentence, which she believed was appropriate.

Judge Jack A. Panella and Senior Judge William H. Platt, the other panel members, joined in Olson’s opinion.

Craig V. Brennan, who admitted Wednesday that he led Frackville police on a chase in August 2015, must go to state prison for his crimes, a Schuylkill County judge ordered.

Brennan, 39, of Girardville, will go to State Correctional Institution/Camp Hill in Cumberland County for evaluation for the state intermediate punishment program, which combines incarceration with substance abuse treatment, Judge Charles M. Miller ruled.

“It gives you the opportunity to try to rid yourself of the addictions,” Miller told Brennan. “The Department of Corrections closely monitors you for the entire 24 months.”

Miller ordered Brennan to be taken to SCI/Camp Hill at 3 p.m. Jan. 2, 2017.

Brennan pleaded guilty in one case of flight to avoid apprehension, fleeing or eluding police, recklessly endangering another person, resisting arrest, possession of drug paraphernalia, failure to yield to emergency vehicle, abandoning vehicle on public or private property, driving without a license and careless driving in one case, and four counts of harassment and one of possession of drug paraphernalia in another.

Prosecutors withdrew driving under the influence, disorderly conduct, possession of a controlled substance, adulterated or misbranded controlled substance, driving under suspension-DUI related, failure to drive at a safe speed, reckless driving and disregarding traffic lane, two counts each of driving the wrong way and improper entering to intersection, four counts of stop sign violation and nine counts of improper turning movements.

Frackville borough police charged Brennan with leading them on the chase on Aug. 13, 2015. Assistant District Attorney Debra A. Smith said the chase, during which borough police Patrolman Tyler M. Dissinger was endangered, extended into West Mahanoy Township before ending.

In the other case, Butler Township police said Brennan possessed drug paraphernalia and harassed people on Oct. 16, 2015, in the township.

During Wednesday’s hearing, Brennan said little except that he understood the terms of his plea and was entering it knowingly and voluntarily.

Charles R. Anderson is headed to prison after admitting Wednesday in Schuylkill County Court that prosecutors could prove he posted child and other pornography on his computer.

Anderson, 32, of Pottsville, pleaded no contest to six counts of photographing, filming or depicting a sex act on a computer and one count each of corruption of minors and invasion of privacy. Prosecutors withdrew four additional counts of invasion of privacy and two additional counts of corruption of minors.

Judge James P. Goodman accepted the plea and, pursuant to an agreement between prosecutors and the defendant, sentenced Anderson to serve nine to 23 months in prison and three years on probation, pay costs, submit a DNA sample to law enforcement authorities and have no contact with the minor victims.

“You’re not to have any contact with any of the minors,” Goodman warned Anderson.

Goodman, who made the sentence effective at 9:30 a.m. Jan. 4, 2017, also ordered Anderson to undergo an evaluation by the state Sexual Offenders Assessment Board to help determine whether he is a sexually violent predator, a decision the judge himself must make. Anderson consented to be sentenced before the board performed its evaluation.

That determination will affect the length and nature of the Megan’s Law sanctions Goodman will impose on Anderson. Goodman warned Anderson that he will be subject to some sanctions.

“It will be a minimum of 15 years,” he said.

Pottsville police had charged Anderson with posting the pornography on July 25, 2014.

First Assistant District Attorney John T. Fegley said the pornography included 14 files, including 11 videos, of five females. The females included three underage girls, two age 16 and one age 17, and two adults, and was on a computer taken from Anderson’s room, Fegley said.

Police investigate

theft of purse

ELIZABETHVILLE — State police at Lykens are investigating a theft that occurred between 8:40 p.m. Oct. 29 and 2:20 a.m. Oct. 30 at 257 W. Main St. in this Dauphin County community.

Police said someone stole a purse owned by a 13-year-old girl and fled. The purse is described as being black and white polka dots with a bright pink “H” on it.

Anyone with information is asked to call police at 717-362-8700.

Mass. man faces

DUI charge

NUREMBERG — A Massachusetts man faces a DUI charge after state police in Frackville made a traffic stop on the vehicle he was driving Friday.

August J. Futyma, 31, of Taunton, was stopped on state Route 4033, near Raricks Road in North Union Township at 10:25 p.m., police said. The accused was found to be under the influence of alcohol.

A DUI charge was filed against Futyma with District Magisterial Judge Christina E. Hale, Frackville.

Ashland woman

injured in crash

SAINT CLAIR — An Ashland woman suffered minor injuries when the 1997 Jeep Grand Cherokee she was driving crashed on Route 61 in Blythe Township on Wednesday morning.

State police at Frackville said Jenna L. Tucker, 28, was driving north in the left lane when she lost control on the wet highway while negotiating a left curve. The SUV went off onto the west berm and struck an embankment, causing it to overturn and come to a stop on its wheels facing west along the west berm.

Police said Tucker was taken to a Pottsville hospital for treatment of non life-threatening injuries.

Tucker will be cited for not driving on roadways laned for traffic as a result of the crash, police said, adding that Saint Clair firefighters and Schuylkill EMS assisted at the scene.

n Eckley: Events to mark the Christmas holidays will be held at Eckley Miners Village on Saturday and Sunday. There will be a wide variety of events including musical performances, Santa, WWII Christmas, food and goodies and an array of activities. Admission is $7 per person, but those who bring a donation of a clean, unopened, unexpired, undented, nonperishable food item for the Valley Food Pantry will receive $1 off the admission fee. For more information, call 570-636-2070 or visit www.eckleyminersvillage.com.

n Frackville: An American Red Cross blood drive is set for 1 to 6 p.m. Dec. 12 at the Frackville Elks Lodge, 307 S. Third St. People 17 and older (16 with parental consent), weighing at least 110 pounds and in general good health are urged to donate blood. Walk-ins are welcome. For more information or to arrange for an appointment, call 800-733-2767.

n Frackville: Holy Ascension Orthodox Church, 209 S. Lehigh Ave., will have a sale of homemade holiday cookies from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Dec. 10. Gift-wrapped, decorated trays are $13.

n Heckscherville: Clover Fire Company will host an all-you-can-eat breakfast from 7 a.m. to noon Dec. 11 at the firehouse, 8 Clover Road. The cost is $8 for adults and $3 for children. For more information, call 570-294-0612.

n Hegins: An American Red Cross blood drive will be held from 2 to 7 p.m. Dec. 12 at Hegins Valley Fire and Rescue, 720 E. Chestnut St. People 17 and older (16 with parental consent), weighing at least 110 pounds and in general good health are urged to donate blood. Walk-ins are welcome. For more information or to arrange for an appointment, call 800-733-2767.

n Landingville: Community Fire Company, 1 Firehouse Road, will sponsor a cash bingo from 6:15 to 9:15 p.m. Monday. Doors will open at 5 p.m.; food and refreshments will be available. The cost varies by card package. For more information, call 570-622-1999.

n Minersville: Ss. Peter and Paul Orthodox Church, 558 Sunbury St., will have a bake sale Dec. 12 and is taking orders for nut and poppy seed rolls and nut horn cookies. To order and for pickup dates, call 570-544-2690. The deadline to order is Monday.

n Orwigsburg: The Orwigsburg Free Public Library will stage a holiday project involving a Williamsburg-inspired centerpiece from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. Dec. 10 at the library, 214 E. Independence St. The cost is $20 and participants will create a centerpiece with a Master Gardener and take it home that day. People will need to bring their own garden clippers. All other material is included with the fee. For more information, call 570-366-1638.

n Pottsville: The Pottsville Area school board will meet at 7 p.m. Wednesday in the directors’ room at the Howard S. Fernsler Academic Center, 1501 W. Laurel Blvd., to elect a president and vice president for the ensuing year. The board will also elect a solicitor for Jan. 1, 2017, to Dec. 31, 2017, and meet for general purposes.

n Schuylkill Haven: Liberty Fire Company No. 4 will sponsor an all-you-can-eat chicken pot pie dinner beginning at 4 p.m. Saturday. The cost is $8 for adults and $4 for children. Quarts will be available for $7. Patrons may eat at the firehouse or take meals out. Dinners will also include salad with hot bacon dressing, bread/butter, desserts and beverages. Free delivery will be available in Schuylkill Haven. For delivery or more information, call the firehouse at 570-385-3341.

n Shenandoah: The Shenandoah Valley High School Drama Club will present “Peter and the Star Catcher,” a grownup’s prequel to “Peter Pan,” at 7 p.m. Friday and 3 p.m. Sunday in the high school auditorium. Doors will open 30 minutes prior to each performance. Tickets are $8 in advance and $10 at the door.

n Tremont: The Tremont Area Ambulance Association will host a free Santa visit from 6 to 8 p.m. Dec. 10 at the ambulance building, 49 North St. Children up to age 10 are welcome. People must RSVP by Saturday by calling 570-695-3020.

The city council Wednesday held the first reading of its 2017 budget, an $8,280,835 spending plan with no tax increase.

At a public budget workshop on Nov. 22 at City Hall, the council was faced with a draft of a 2017 spending plan with $8,371,683 in expenses and $8,244,141 in revenues, a difference of $127,542.

At Wednesday’s meeting, held at council chambers at City Hall, Mark Atkinson, a city councilman and the council’s director of accounts and finance, explained how the city brought expenditures in line with revenues.

“After a careful review of the budget, several expenses were exacted, increasing the deficit by $25,152 — funds needed more street department overtime — to a total of $152,694 expenses over revenue. A variety of adjustments and reductions have been made,” Atkinson said.

A truck was removed from the street department budget, reducing $81,000 from the budget. And $20,000 was removed from the street department’s vehicle maintenance budget and $5,000 was taken out of the code vehicle maintenance fund, Atkinson said.

On Nov. 22, the council intended to include a $20,000 loan for the Redevelopment Authority of the City of Pottsville for expenses related to Lipkin Technology Building, 1 S. Second St. But $5,000 in funds to the redevelopment authority had to be removed from the budget, Atkinson said.

There was also a $5,000 reduction in supplies for parks and playgrounds, Atkinson said.

The total reductions came to $116,000, Atkinson said.

Since Nov. 22, city officials noted a few increases to revenue. They include:

• $10,000 increase to Realty Transfer Tax.

• $7,000 increase to reimbursements from county.

• $6,500 increase in district justice fines.

• $6,000 increase in “reimbursements memo/bills.”

• $5,194 increase in meter and parking fines.

• $2,000 increase in donations.

“The 2017 City of Pottsville Budget of $8,280,835 is balanced with no tax increase,” Atkinson said.

The spending plan includes the budgets for each of the city’s departments: public affairs, $4,172,724; accounts and finance, $1,620,542; public safety, $438,372; streets and public improvements, $1,425,244; and parks and public property, $623,953, according to the draft of the budget unveiled at Wednesday’s meeting.

To balance its 2016-17 budget in June, the Pottsville Area school board decided to break tradition and not give funding to the Pottsville Free Public Library. The school district had been contributing $55,000 to the library annually, according to the newspaper’s archives.

But the city decided not to cut funding to the library this year. Instead, they gave the library a bit more than it had in 2016.

In 2015, the city gave the library $54,874.00. In 2016, the city gave the library $54,696.00. And in 2017, the city will give the library $54,762.00, according to Lisa M. Kral, the city clerk.

The city council plans to hold the second and final reading of its 2017 budget at 4 p.m. Dec. 28.

The last time the city council raised taxes was in December 2013 for the 2014 budget.

In December 2013, the city council approved a $7,912,814 spending plan for 2014 with a 1 mill tax increase, raising the real estate tax millage from 18.47 to 19.47.

In December 2014, the council approved a $8,118,676 budget for 2015.

In December 2015, the city council approved a $8,159,548 budget for 2016.

In other matters, the city council was planning to hold the first reading of an ordinance updating its laws regarding rental properties. But City Administrator Thomas A. Palamar said Wednesday it’s still in development, and the first reading may be held at the council’s next public meeting, scheduled for 6 p.m. Dec. 12.

It’s a revised version of Chapter 176, Rental Property, of the city’s codified ordinances, which includes new landlord responsibilities, tenant responsibilities, rules regarding Limited Liability Corporations and disruptive conduct violations.

According to a draft provided by Palamar, highlights will include the following:

• “Every owner shall be responsible for payment of property taxes, garbage fees, water fees or sewer fees. No owner or agent will be allowed to rent a building out if property taxes, garbage fees, water fees and sewer fees are delinquent. Proof that said taxes and fees are current is required at the time of inspection or upon request of the code enforcement officer. Failure to comply shall be deemed owner omission and cause for closure of the rental unit.”

• “It shall be the responsibility of the owner and agent to discourage and prevent, as may be possible, disruptive conduct, which may result in damage to the premises, breach of the peace and any disturbance to the community.”

• “If a rental unit is closed due to three disruptive conduct reports, it shall be the responsibility of the occupant to find housing at his/her own expense.”

• “If a rental unit is condemned or otherwise closed due to the act or omission of the owner or agent, it shall be the responsibility of the owner to find housing for the occupants at the owner’s expense.”

• LLCs, corporations, incorporations, companies, partnerships and all forms of businesses which own and control rental properties will supply the city with information, including the names of all officers, property managers and contact information, before certificates of compliance are issued.

The rainfall Tuesday and into Wednesday was welcome for those who are in the water business.

“Anything we get right now is a plus,” Joe Fegley, general manager of the Mahanoy Township Water Authority, said Wednesday.

The authority has 1,900 customers in Mahanoy Township, Gilberton and Mahanoy City.

From early Tuesday to 7 a.m. Wednesday, the authority received 1.1 inches of rainfall.

“We were 7 inches below normal,” as of Nov. 18, when the authority activated the first stage of its drought contingency plan, Fegley said.

The plan specifies what the authority will do if water needs to be conserved. Nonessential uses are prohibited, such as lawn watering, irrigation of gardens, landscape areas, trees and shrubs, watering golf courses and paved surfaces, operation of water fountains, artificial waterfalls and pools and washing vehicles. Some exceptions are permitted. Call 570-773-0650 with questions. Fegley said use restrictions are still in effect “until further notice.”

The situation is not the same for customers of the Minersville Municipal Water Authority.

“We have plenty of water,” Melanie Spittler, municipal authority manager, said.

The authority has about 3,500 connections. The authority gets its water from Dyer Run.

“Our main water source is at the top of the Gordon (mountain),” she said.

Since 7 a.m. Monday until 7 a.m. Wednesday, 1.25 inches of rain were recorded, she said.

Kevin Butz, chief operator of the Schuylkill Haven Water Treatment Plant, said Wednesday 1.43 inches of rain fell between 7 a.m. Tuesday to 7 a.m. Wednesday. The borough has the Tumbling Run Reservoir as its source of water, which is at 220.038 million gallons or at 55.4 percent capacity as of Monday morning. It takes time for the water to reach where it needs to go.

“The ground absorbs a lot of it,” he said.

When full, the reservoir holds 397.273 million gallons of water. Of that, the upper area of the reservoir has approximately 230 million gallon capacity while the lower area has about 166 million gallons.

There are 3,200 connections in Schuylkill Haven Borough, part of North Manheim Township and all of Cressona Borough.

Customers are still being asked to conserve 5 percent water usage because of the drought watch issued Aug. 2 by the state Department of Environmental Protection, Butz said.

As of Wednesday, Schuylkill County is still in a drought watch. Four nearby counties, Carbon, Lehigh, Northampton and Monroe are in a drought warning. The rest of the counties in the state are in a normal designation. A drought warning calls for conserving water by 10 to 15 percent. Mandatory water restrictions are in place during a drought emergency, which is declared by the governor. The goal during a drought emergency is to conserve at least 15 percent. Nonessential water usage would be prohibited.

The state Department of Environmental Protection said the drought declarations in the state have not changed because of the recent rainfall.

“While some stream flow has increased from the precipitation in the past 24 hours, long-term benefits to groundwater are uncertain, as groundwater levels often lag behind stream flow increases. We’ll continue monitoring daily for two more weeks before determining whether drought declaration changes are warranted.” DEP Acting Secretary Patrick McDonnell said in a statement.

Craig Evanego, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service State College, said Wednesday locally most places received between four-tenths and six-tenths of an inch of rain within the last 24 hours. About an inch was received during the rainfall Tuesday.

He said the rain “definitely put a dent in the dryness” the state is experiencing.

No significant rain is expected for the remainder of the week. Temperatures will be close to normal in the 40-degree range, Evanego said.

“Sunday night it looks like we could have some snow showers and a light wintry mix,” he said, adding there should be no significant accumulation.

A “decent size rainfall” is possible Tuesday of between one-fourth to one-half an inch.

Locally, most of the county has seen between 1 to 1.5 inches of rain in the last 30 days, according to the National Weather Service State College Advanced Hydrologic Prediction Service website, www.weather.gov. Some areas have seen 1.5 to 2 inches of rain in that time period. Normal precipitation is mostly 4 to 5 inches while some areas usually have between 3 and 4 inches, data show.

The Schuylkill River at Landingville measured 3.27 feet Wednesday and 3.96 feet 3 p.m. Tuesday. Flood stage is 8 feet. The Swatara Creek at Pine Grove was at 4.48 feet Tuesday and 3.89 feet at 3:30 p.m. Wednesday, NWS data show. A flood stage is not available.

Patrick M. Caulfield, executive director of the Schuylkill County Municipal Authority, is also thankful for the rain.

“This week’s rainfall is certainly well-welcomed, however, we need continued periods of significant rainfall to return to normal storage conditions,” he said.

The authority is still requesting customers conserve 5 percent water usage a day on nonessential water usage. The overall reservoir capacity is at 53 percent, Caulfield said. For more information, customers can visit the SCMA website at www.scmawater.com.

The authority has six reservoirs: Eisenhuth in Ryan Township; Wolf Creek in Blythe Township; Kauffman, Mount Laurel and Pine Run all in New Castle Township; and Indian Run in Branch Township.

“It’s too early to tell the effect on the reservoirs, as it takes time for incoming streams and tributaries to flow into the reservoirs. Our reservoirs are also spring-fed, which are directly related to groundwater recharge, which will also take time to react to any rainfall events,” Caulfied said Tuesday.

Nothing’s better than spending a warm homecoming with family and friends.

For fans of Irish music icon Tony Kenny, Saturday’s going to be your time to catch up, according to Joe “Hap” Anthony, Duncott.

Anthony has organized a special seasonal event called “Tony Kenny presents ‘Christmastime in Ireland.’ ” The music and variety show, offered through CMI Entertainment, will be held at 7 p.m. Saturday at Robert W. Wachter Auditorium at Pottsville Area High School, 1600 Elk Ave., Pottsville.

“Everybody loves his shows. They’re like old-time get-togethers. He has variety and even something for the kids,” Anthony said.

Kenny is Ireland’s “premier entertainer” and has received dozens of awards for his stage and television performances, according to the CMI website. He has entertained more than two million people performing across the U.S. on countless tours to packed houses. He was Ireland’s 1998 “Entertainer of the Year,” and starred in internationally acclaimed stage musicals, “Jesus Christ Superstar” and “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat.” Kenny stars in the world famous, award-winning Jury’s Irish Cabaret.

Kenny brings an all-star cast with him with a worldwide following, including Ireland’s “King of Blarney,” comedian George Casey; Kenny’s daughter, Victoria Kenny; the Dublin Trinity Band, led by musical director Ciaran Mitchell and featuring Emeral Rae on violin and Peter Browne on accordion; and the Dublin City Dancers, led by Sarah Costello and featuring Kendall Griffer and Joe Riley.

Anthony said CMI Entertainment will contribute a portion of the funds from the show to the St. Vincent de Paul Society’s soup kitchen. This will be the eighth time Kenny’s come to Schuylkill County in the past 30 years, Anthony said.

Anthony has been a Kenny fan for years. He said he first saw Kenny in the county in 1987 at North Schuylkill High School when the Clover Fire Company brought him in for a show to benefit their Irish weekend.

Anthony is happy that local audiences will get a chance to hear Kenny again and also hear Pottsville’s full grand piano at the high school.

Tickets cost $20 in advance; $25 at the door; and $30 for premium seating. For ticket information, call Anthony at 570-209-4867 or 570-544-4674.

A former East Union Township man will not have to spend time in prison after admitting Wednesday in Schuylkill County Court that he tried to prevent firefighters from battling a blaze in February at the building where he lived.

Henry C. Polk, 56, of Lebanon, formerly of Sheppton, pleaded guilty to obstructing emergency services, possession of drug paraphernalia and possession of marijuana, with prosecutors withdrawing a charge of possession of a controlled substance.

Judge Charles M. Miller accepted the plea and, pursuant to an agreement between prosecutors and Polk, sentenced the defendant to serve 12 months on probation and pay costs and $100 to the Substance Abuse Education Fund.

East Union Township police had charged Polk in connection with the Feb. 5 fire at 881 Center St., Sheppton.

Police said the fire started about 10:35 p.m. When firefighters arrived, Polk was standing at the front door and initially refused to get away from the burning building, although he eventually walked away, according to police.

Fourteen people, eight adults and six children, had to be evacuated as a result of the fire, while Polk himself had to be taken to Lehigh Valley Hospital-Hazleton for treatment of smoke inhalation, police said.

Polk did not deny that the marijuana and paraphernalia, which firefighters found in the residence, were his.

“It was in my house,” but not on his person, he said. However, Miller reminded him that objects do not need to be on a person’s body in order for him or her to possess them.

The case was not Polk’s first encounter with the legal system.

On March 29, he pleaded guilty to two counts each of tampering with evidence, possession of a controlled substance and possession of drug paraphernalia. At that time, Judge Cyrus Palmer Dolbin placed him on probation for 23 months, and also sentenced him to pay costs, $300 in SAEF payments and $50 to the Criminal Justice Enhancement Account.

East Union Township police charged Polk with committing those crimes on April 26, 2015, in the township.

GIRARDVILLE — The proposed 2017 operating budget for the borough is a tighter financial plan than the current year’s budget and is available for review at borough hall.

The Girardville Borough Council has not acted on tentatively adopting next year’s budget, which it is expected to do at its regular Dec. 8 meeting. However, the council decided to release the budget plan at its Nov. 10 meeting to give residents the opportunity to inspect the document.

The real estate tax will remain at 19.7 mills for the second year in a row. One mill brings in about $6,000 in revenue.

Total revenues in the proposed budget are $353,500, with total expenditures slightly higher at $359,550. The budget for 2016 had balanced revenues and expenses at $447,000.

“Some line items went up and some went down,” council Vice President Joseph Kessler said.

“It’s like a dance around,” Councilman Rob Krick said. “Increased cost (for insurance) is about $6,000 to $8,000.”

“We figured $8,000, and then come June, we’re expecting another increase in medical insurance, which usually happens every June,” Kessler said.

“There are some reductions in other lines that are pretty minor,” Krick said.

During the Nov. 10 meeting, the borough council acted on the following agenda items:

•Approved the use of borough hall by resident Rosalie Rowan-Kuzma to hold her Christmas presentation for children at 2:30 p.m. Dec. 18. Rowan-Kuzma will decorate the meeting room with her own holiday decorations and will present an Old Fashioned Puppet Show featuring marionettes she made to tell the story of “Dominick the Italian Christmas Donkey,” which is based on a popular holiday song. There is no admission charge for the program, which is sponsored by the borough. For more information, call borough hall at 570-276-1635.

•Appointed Councilman Daniel Heiser as the new borough agent for the Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency to fill the vacancy left by the resignation of Councilman Rick Miller a few months ago.

The borough council continues to ask for volunteers to serve on the code enforcement appeals board. Council President Charles Marquardt said the borough has received a letter of interest from resident Tom Clarke to serve on the three-person board. Anyone interested should submit a letter of interest to the borough office.

The borough is also soliciting proposals for snow removal in the borough. Interested parties should send their proposals to the borough office.

“We received one proposal for a backhoe and a dump truck, and we’re waiting for another with larger equipment,” Marquardt said.

Marriage licenses

Kenneth P. Calladine, Auburn, and Laurel M. Bowers, Auburn.

Amir R. Griffin, Frackville, and Jare A. Taylor, Philadelphia.

Michael Hardy, Somerset, and Shanell M. Green, Coatesville.

Hudson R. Hughes II, Lebanon, and Danielle A. Welsh, Lebanon.

The Greater Pottsville Area Sewer Authority on Wednesday decided to reimburse the Pottsville Area School District more than $6,000 after receiving a complaint from the district’s director of facilities, Kerry Ansbach.

In a Nov. 19 letter to Timothy Yingling, GPASA executive director, Ansbach said a “major water leak” that occurred in August, September and October at Alumni Field tripped the meter, but the water did not enter the sewer system.

“The months we are respectfully seeking relief for are as follows: billing date 8/20/2016 in the amount of $656.35, 9/20/2016 in the amount of $2,669.29, and 10/20/2016 in the amount of $4,062.10,” Ansbach said in the letter.

“The majority of the water that passed through the water meter was used to water Alumni Field and did not enter the sewer system. In fact, the restroom facility was closed until August 22, the start of the girls’ and boys’ soccer season,” Ansbach said in the letter.

“We began watering the field in mid-July to get ready for our soccer season. In August, there was little to no rain so we were watering almost every other day. The lack of rain continued into September and we were still watering heavily. Around the 8th of September while mowing the Alumni Field, one of our grounds personnel noticed that the grass and ground in a section of the field was extremely wet. When he investigated he noticed that the water was bubbling out of the ground close to one of our water stop connectors. Apparently, it had been broken off below grade and was running for some time before it was discovered and repaired. There was a lot of water lost because of this broken line,” Ansbach said in the letter.

“If you would compare the June 20 invoiced amount of $195.68 and the July 20 invoiced amount of $195.68 you will see that the increased amount of water used is contributed to watering of the field and a major water leak all of which did not pass through the sewer system. For these reasons, the Pottsville Area School District is seeking a reduction in our sewer bills for the three highest months, August, September and October. We are respectfully asking that they be adjusted to a rate similar to the amount invoiced for June and July, $195.68,” Ansbach said.

“To help prevent this situation from reoccurring, I plan to separate the water used to water the field from the water used to operate our concession and restroom facilities. Adding a second water meter to capture the actual amount of water used by the restrooms and concessions facilities will give an accurate volume of water entering your system,” Ansbach said in the letter.

The GPASA discussed the matter before taking a vote.

“The bills there average about $195.68. They’ve already paid those bills. So after I added those three months up and subtracted the $195.68 for the three months that we billed them, we’re looking at a refund of $6,800.70. You said you might want to talk about this,” Yingling said.

“Yes. I think the problem, of course, is we have made some exceptions. But at some point we have to, probably, determine if we’re going to do this on a case-by-case basis, as we have. I see we have another one here as well,” Ian H. Lipton, the authority’s chairman, said.

He was referring to a request from Penn Equipment, Port Carbon, for a refund of $832.43.

“Penn Equipment Corp. had a devastating fire on 11/27/15 and we lost over half of our building. In the early part of this year, we started to demolish the damaged structure. During the demo of the building, we had numerous water hoses to wet down and reduce dust in the debris as we tore down and loaded the trucks. The large amount of water usage reflected in our sewer bill, which was used for demolition and did not go into the sewer. Our average bill is about $50 a month as you can see from our attached statement. Our January through May amounts are much higher. We respectfully request a credit of $832.43 which is our first four months billed minus the average $50 a month,” Jack Edwards, a representative of Penn Equipment, said in an Oct. 31 letter to GPASA.

“So, let me ask the board how they feel. I’m going to frame this as a question: If the water doesn’t go into our system, we don’t treat it. So, is this a slippery slope? Or is it reasonable to — on a case-by-case basis, if we can assume that we didn’t treat any of the water — give that entity an allowance on that amount?” Lipton asked the board.

“I think that’s reasonable,” authority member J. Donald Kerns said.

“If we’re not treating it, they should get a break,” authority member Robert J. Quinn Jr. said.

“Anyone have an opposing point of view?” Lipton asked.

“I think your approach to it on a case-by-case basis can never be criticized by anybody in court. What you’re doing is fair and reasonable. If they have a rational explanation why it didn’t go through your system, they you adjust it,” authority solicitor Edward Brennan said.

“I entertain a motion to approve both of those,” Lipton said.

Kerns made the motion. It was seconded by authority member Henry J. Minnig. And in a voice vote, the motion was approved by all other members of the authority present: Lipton, Quinn, John D.W. Reiley and Kevin J. Hoke.

Authority member Beth Ann Shields was absent from Wednesday’s meeting.

Information incorrect

More than one county in the state is included in the drought watch. The information was incorrect in Thursday’s edition of The Republican-Herald.

Address incorrect

The address to send checks or money orders for the Women’s March on Washington is 244 Louisa Ave., Pottsville. The information was incorrect in Wednesday’s edition of The Republican-Herald.

MAHANOY CITY — The North Schuylkill Landfill Association held a short meeting Tuesday evening to review its proposed operating budget for 2017.

Board President Franklin R. Fetter said the budget will be formally adopted in December.

“We’re proposing the 2017 budget this evening, and according to our constitution, you take the budget back to your bodies, present it, and we’ll accept it next month at our meeting on Dec. 27 at 7 p.m.,” Fetter said.

Landfill manager Robert Kalkiewicz read the proposed budget to the municipal delegates. The estimated revenue is $65,000, with expenditures estimated at $49,874. Most expenses in the new year remain the same as in the current year, including $10,792 to Girard Estate for the lease on the property where the landfill is located.

The board delegates tentatively adopted the budget unanimously. Fetter said the December meeting will also include reorganization.

Kalkiewicz asked about the possibility of looking for another financial institution to get a better interest rate for the association’s certificate of deposit of $2.8 million. The current interest rate is 0.10 percent, which is expected to earn the association only $5,000 in interest next year.

The funds are being held to be used when the landfill is ordered closed by the state.

According to Fetter, the association is following rules from the state Department of Environmental Resources — now the state Department of Environmental Protection — on how the funds are to be handled.

After discussion among the delegates, the association will investigate any options it has available to find a better interest return on the funds.

The NSLA consists of 17 member municipalities in the northern Schuylkill County area had been operating a domestic waste landfill south of Shenandoah on Girard Estate property from 1971 to 1990, when the then-DER enacted new rules requiring a double liner for landfills and prohibited the landfill near Shenandoah from accepting garbage.

MAR LIN — Soon motorists who travel past the Coal Miner Statue at the intersection of routes 901 and 209 in Norwegian Township will see new landmarks nearby.

The state Department of Transportation is installing traffic lights and walk/don’t walk signals at the T-intersection at a cost of $914,126, Sean Brown, PennDOT District 5 safety press officer, said Thursday.

“This is an intersection improvement project. The purpose is to improve travel through the area. I know there has been interest from locals previously to have the intersection studied to see if a signal was warranted. And this is a new signal installation,” Brown said.

“I am thrilled! This will be great for the township,” Stanley D. Petchulis, chairman of the Norwegian Township Supervisors, said Thursday.

The township supervisors have been encouraging the state to install lights at the intersection for years.

This is the intersection of Route 901, the Pottsville Maroons Highway, and Route 209, which is Bunting Street, in Mar Lin, Norwegian Township.

Nearby is Joseph Fazzio Steel-Metals & Industrial Hardware at 1584 Bunting St., and Turkey Hill Minit Market at 1565 Bunting St. The Coal Miners Statue borders Turkey Hill’s parking lot.

Over the years, the intersection has been the scene of numerous crashes and some deaths, Petchulis said.

They include fatal crashes in 2010 and 2011, according to the newspaper’s archives.

On April 23, 2010, Darren R. Martin, Bernville, died after his motorcycle was struck by a Jeep sport-utility vehicle that turned into the path of Martin’s motorcycle. The driver of the SUV, Mary Aungst, 70, of Tremont, said she didn’t see the motorcycle. Both Martin and his passenger, Cheryl Martin, 47, were thrown from the bike. Aungst was not hurt but an 11-year-old passenger was taken to a hospital for injuries.

On June 5, 2011, Kristin Prokop, 25, died of injuries she suffered when her 1998 Ford Bronco went off the right side of Route 901 and struck a utility pole at the intersection with Route 209. State police at Schuylkill Haven said she was driving fast prior to the crash.

“Myself, Bob Kirwan and Leo met with PennDOT in Allentown several times to try to get this red light resolved,” Petchulis said, referring to township Supervisor Leo Grace and former township Supervisor Robert Kirwan.

On the PennDOT website, the intersection improvement project is listed as “Project ID 97267, the State Route 209-State Route 901 Intersection Safety Improvement Project.”

“This is an Act 89 funded project,” Brown said.

“On Nov. 25, 2013, House Bill 1060 was signed into law, creating Pennsylvania’s most comprehensive piece of state transportation legislation in decades,” according to www.penndot.gov.

“Once Act 89 was passed, we started design work on the project. That was in late 2013 or early 2014. When that funding was made available for the project, we were able to study the intersection to see if the lights were warranted and proceed with design work,” Brown said.

The prime contractor on the project is Kriger Construction Inc., Dickson City, Lackawanna County.

“There are three mast arms with signal heads on them,” Brown said.

Each mast arm has two traffic signals attached.

“The signal heads are LED. They are not electrified as of yet. We do not have a date yet for when they will be,” Brown said.

The walk-don’t walk signals will one day help people cross Bunting Street.

“The project is wrapping up but we cannot say if they will be completed this year,” Brown said.

On Thursday, workers for one of the subcontractors, Herr Signal & Lighting Co., Grantville, Dauphin County, were on scene using a bucket truck to work on the lights.

“When I got the word that the project was going to start, it was supposed to be completed by March 2017. Now, the way I see it, it might be before January 2017. They did a push and shove on it and they’re getting it done quicker than I anticipated,” Petchulis said.

Brown did not have a date when the lights would start functioning.

Two weeks ago, a collection of walk-don’t walk signs were installed, and so was a concrete island in the middle of the intersection for walkers, Brown said.

PennDOT does not own any lights in the state outside the Philadelphia area, so, once construction is completed, the municipality in which a light is located must pay for upkeep and repairs, Brown said in January 2012.

On that stretch of Route 901, 5,598 vehicles travel in the east bound lane per day and 6,495 vehicles travel in the west bound lane, according to Brown.

On the stretch of Route 209 which is Bunting Street, a total of 4,808 vehicles travel in both directions, according to Brown.

On the stretch of Route 209 in that area which is the Pottsville-Minersville Highway, 7,987 vehicles travel in the south bound lane per day, and 8,532 vehicles travel in the north bound lane per day, according to Brown.

Just down the road from there, PennDOT workers are preparing a bridge replacement project.

On the PennDOT website, it’s listed as Project ID 85842, the Route 209 over Reading N. RR Bridge Replacement and Rehab. It will cost $4,846,000, according to the site.