Marriage licenses

John R. Wagner, Pottsville, and Carolyn R. Spiess, Pottsville.

Gerald A. Wyroski, Pottsville, and Sammanthia J. Spotts, Pottsville.

Brian R. Heffner, Orwigsburg, and Marie L. Stempinski, Orwigsburg.

David Reynolds, McAdoo, and Elizabeth A. Reynolds, McAdoo.

Dustin D. Gilbert, Schuylkill Haven, and Tessa R. Sickinger, Schuylkill Haven.

Michael J. Davis, Mahanoy City, and Helen M. Cherry, Gilberton.

John P. Tobin, Cumbola, and Amy A. Mozloom, Cumbola.

Jarrod M. Ruscavage, Donaldson, and Amy K. Thomas, Donaldson.

Robert E. Greene, Schuylkill Haven, and Ashley M. Rock, Schuylkill Haven.

Catching a glimpse of an eagle in the wild used to be next to impossible. Thanks to conservation efforts though, the local eagle population has rebounded, and enthusiasts will have a chance to spot and learn more about the birds this month.

Several groups have planned eagle-related activities around the region, including Eagle Day at the PPL Wallenpaupack Environmental Learning Center, Hawley on Jan. 25.

Free activities at the center run from 1 to 4 p.m. and begin with a presentation by Bill Streeter of Delaware Valley Raptor Center.

"He brings eagles and raptors and lots of birds with him," said Bethany Keene, outreach and events coordinator for Delaware Highlands Conservancy, which planned the event with the learning center.

That program will last an hour, and for the rest of the day visitors can participate in family-geared activities like bird banding and nest building. And since the learning center sits right on the lake, Keene said guests might spot some eagles during their trip in addition to those Streeter brings.

"It's going to be a fun day," she said. "It's going to be a great way to learn. It's a fun opportunity, and you get to see birds that you would very rarely get to see in the wild right up close."

Enthusiasts also can participate in several eagle watches scheduled for next week, too. Monroe County Conservation District Environmental Education Center, Stroudsburg, will hold a watch from 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Jan. 24, and Pocono Environmental Education Center, 538 Emery Road, Lehman Township, will follow with a watch from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Jan. 25. Endless Mountains Nature Center, 1309 Vosburg Road, Tunkhannock, will wrap up the local activities with Eagle Day from 2 to 5 p.m. Feb. 2. All three events require paid admission.

Also on Jan. 25, Lackawanna Audubon Society will hold a free eagle watch. Anyone interested in participating can meet at the rest stop on Interstate 84 east by mile marker 25 at 8:30 a.m. or at the Milford Beach boat launch, Route 6, Milford, at 9 a.m. Participants then will carpool to the Delaware and Lackawaxen rivers and Rio Reservoir as they search the skies for eagles.

"The Delaware River and the Lackawaxen are always good spots," said Derry Bird, a member of the society's board of directors. "Since the eagles have come back, they've become even better."

The society's trip will mainly look for bald eagles, of which many now nest in the area thanks to the strengthening of their numbers in recent years. A watcher recently counted 55 bald eagles, Bird said. Participants might spot a golden eagle, he added, although that is more rare.

Lots of people participate in eagle watches, Bird said, calling the bald eagle a "magnificent bird."

"It's the symbol of America," he said.

Information incorrect

Romeo P. Cruz, owner of Marikina Construction Corp., West Haven, Conn., was sentenced to prison Wednesday for his role in the Schuylkill Products Inc. fraud case. This information was incorrect in Thursday's edition.

TAMAQUA - The first batch of Yuengling's Ice Cream came off the production line Thursday morning and will hit grocery store shelves in February.

First made in 1920, the ice cream is back after a 28-year hiatus.

"It's a very exciting time for us," David Yuengling, company president, said. "We originally expected production to begin in March, but when we announced in September that we were bringing back Yuengling's Ice Cream, the response was so enthusiastic that we pushed up production."

Leiby's Dairy in Tamaqua is producing the ice cream. Initial production consists of 100,000 quarts in 10 flavors.

Yuengling's Ice Cream is a premium line with 10 all-natural flavors, including vanilla, chocolate chip, black and tan (chocolate and caramel ice cream), vanilla fudge chunk with pretzels, espresso chocolate chip, chocolate fudge brownie, chocolate marshmallow, root beer float and mint chocolate chip.

Quarts will cost between $5.49 and $5.99.

"Acme, Weis and other independent grocers asked to have Yuengling's Ice Cream before the original launch date," Rob Bohorad, chief operating officer, said. "We bumped up production to accommodate them, but we fully anticipate being in more grocery stores later this year."

David Yuengling relaunched Yuengling's Ice Cream on Sept. 24, 2013, as a private company. It is not associated with the Pottsville brewery. David Yuengling is a second-cousin to Richard L. "Dick" Yuengling, president and owner of the brewery, and grew up in Pottsville.

David Yuengling is the great-grandson of Frank D. Yuengling, who started the original ice cream company in 1920.

Frank D. Yuengling started Yuengling's Ice Cream to supplement the brewery's revenue during Prohibition. In 1929, the company expanded with branches in Allentown and York and changed its name the following year to Yuengling Dairy Products and started producing its own milk and cream. Ownership was transferred to Frederick Yuengling Sr. in 1935.

David Yuengling's father, Frederick G. "Fritz" Yuengling Jr., became company president in 1963. Yuengling's Dairy ceased production in 1985.

Vanilla and chocolate marshmallow were the first to hit the production line Thursday.

The original recipe was only slightly changed to include all-natural ingredients. The milk and cream is being locally sourced as part of the PA Preferred brand.

"I love it," David Yuengling said. "I've been having it for breakfast for about the last month."

He said his personal favorites include chocolate marshmallow and black and tan.

"I really like the espresso chocolate chip because I'm a coffee person," he said.

Bill Parks, owner of Leiby's Dairy, said the facility is now a contract packer for 16 different ice cream companies, as well as other products.

"The facility was built to expand and grow," Parks said.

Parks said the fully-automated plant produces about 40 quarts a minute.

Bohorad said he spent a portion of the day just watching the ice cream cartons with Yuengling's Ice Cream logo go by on the production line.

"We couldn't wait to see actual production," he said. "It's that exciting to see your product go by on production. It's really something special. My whole goal was to be part of something special and bring his family business back."

The ice cream is expected to be in grocery stores by mid-February. It will be sold first at Acme, Weis and select independent grocery stores, such as Boyer's Food Markets and Redner's Markets, in Pennsylvania, Maryland, Delaware, New Jersey, New York and West Virginia.

Retail includes about 450 to 500 stores, David Yuengling said. A searchable store locator will be available on the website later this month.

For more information, visit the company's website at www.yuenglingsicecream.com.

There aren't any markers to indicate a cultural icon was born within Ashley Borough's one square mile.

But that might change with the death of Russell Johnson, a versatile actor best known for his role as the Professor on "Gilligan's Island."

"It would be something to be considered, definitely," Ashley council President Donald Sipple said Thursday.

Johnson was born Nov. 10, 1924, in Ashley, one of seven children. He attended the borough's public schools until he was 8, when his father, a detective for the Reading Railroad, died of pneumonia. Then he and his brothers went to Girard College in Philadelphia.

"Russell Johnson, Ashley native who resided with an aunt, Mrs. Elsie Davis on Ashley street … will be seen in 'For Men Only,' opening at the Roxy Theatre in Lee Park today," the Sunday Independent reported on March 9, 1952.

Johnson got his big break with the role of Professor Roy Hinkley Jr. in "Gilligan's Island."

In 2001, two local DJs, Rocky and Sue from 98.5 KRZ, called Ashley's then-mayor - and Johnson himself - to see about a tribute to the native son.

Former Citizens' Voice reporter Sue Henry interviewed KRZ's Sue for her "Radio Days" column in the Jan. 20, 2001, edition of the Voice. The DJ told Henry, "He is so flattered that anybody is paying attention to him this way."

"Ashley officials have already decided they will put up a sign in town proclaiming it 'the birthplace of Russell Johnson.' Rocky and Sue are trying to get Johnson to come to Ashley for the sign's dedication. For older fans, there will be a 'three-hour tour' of Ashley's finest pubs," Henry wrote.

But nothing ever happened, according to Ashley's new borough Manager Greg Gulick, who was on council in 2001.

At the next meeting, the council will discuss how to honor Johnson, Sipple said.

"We'll toss it around. I don't see why we wouldn't do something," he said.

Perhaps, Sipple said, the borough will get a sign made noting that Ashley was Johnson's birthplace - or maybe naming an island in Solomon Creek for him.

SHENANDOAH - A Mahanoy City man arrested for severely beating a woman and then setting her house on fire in December will have to wait another week to have his day in court.

Joseph C. Yeich, 28, of 1229 E. Mahanoy Ave., was scheduled to appear for a preliminary hearing before Magisterial District Judge Anthony J. Kilker, but the proceeding was continued at the request of his attorney.

Yeich's next court appearance will be for that hearing at 1 p.m. Jan. 23, in Kilker's Shenandoah courtroom.

Mahanoy City police Patrolman Christopher Zubris charged Yeich with two felony counts each of aggravated assault and criminal mischief, one felony count each of arson and related offenses and causing or risking a catastrophe, two misdemeanor counts of simple assault and five misdemeanor counts to recklessly endangering another person as a result of the assault and fire about 9 p.m. Dec. 11.

Zubris said Yeich assaulted Elrena L. Gibson inside a home at 1031 E. Pine St. and then set a fire in the basement that damaged that building and others attached to it.

Gibson suffered serious head and facial injuries and was flown to a trauma center. She also had chemical bleach thrown on her by Yeich, Zubris said

Zubris said the incident unfolded when officers were called to the Gibson home for a report of an automatic fire alarm and, while on the way, were told there was a fire in the basement and a domestic dispute at the same address.

At the scene, Zubris said smoke was coming from the basement of the home and that during a brief talk with Gibson, she told him "Joe Yeich did this."

Zubris said three witnesses pulled him to the side and said that Yeich told them Gibson tried to kill him so he beat her up and set the house on fire because the devil made him do it.

Yeich was found not long thereafter in a home at 1038 E. Market St. and taken into custody without incident, Zubris said, adding that the man said to him "the devil made me do it."

Fire crews worked quickly to locate the fire and put it out but not before it spread to the basement of a home at 1033 E. Pine St.

In addition, homes at 1027 and 1029 E. Pine St. sustained moderate to heavy smoke damage temporarily displacing residents while a home at 1035 E. Pine St. sustained minor smoke damage.

Pennsylvania State Police fire marshal Trooper John F. Burns was at the scene and determined the fire was intentionally set and ruled the cause as arson.

Yeich remains in Schuylkill County Prison where he is being held on $50,000 straight cash bail set by Magisterial District Judge Stephen J. Bayer, Tamaqua, at the time of his arraignment hours after the fire.

The green flag is ready to drop on Cub Scout Pack 604's annual Pinewood Derby.

The races start at 1 p.m. Sunday at the Fairlane Village mall, Pottsville, with registration at 12:15 p.m. to allow racers to make adjustments before hitting the track.

The unique event features homemade cars racing down a sloped track with gravity serving as the only source of power. The Scouts design and decorate the cars themselves, as long as they comply with the derby rules issued by the Boy Scouts of America. The Scouts build their speed machines with official kits, which include a block of wood, nails and wheels.

A few of the guidelines are: width of the car must not exceed 2 1/2 inches, length shall not exceed 7 inches and weight shall not exceed 5 ounces.

"We tell parents the more a child can do, the more you have to let them do," said Joel Budwash, den leader for the Lions and Bear scouts in Pack 604, Port Carbon.

The event begins with the Scouts competing for first place in their den. The pack is divided into six dens - Lions, Tigers, Wolf, Bear and Webelos I and II. The racers who finish first in the six dens will compete against each other for the pack championship. Trophies will be awarded to the top six racers.

Although the dens are grouped by age, Budwash said the older kids do not have an advantage in the final championship races.

"You have some who know how to build a car and you have some that just get lucky," he said.

In addition to the race winners, trophies will be awarded in three special categories - most original, crowd favorite and Boy Scout favorite.

"The more trophies we can give out the better," Budwash said.

First-year participants will receive a pin, while ribbons will be given to all repeat participants.

Budwash said having the event at Fairlane Village mall adds another fun element for the Scouts. He said many people stop to watch the races, especially older Scouts who remember participating in the derby when they were a kid.

"It's really cool having this at the mall because it does make it even more exciting," he said.

All of the cars racing Sunday are new creations. Budwash said cars from previous years are not permitted. He said the pack distributes its kits about a month before the derby, but the Scouts can begin working on their cars at any time during the year.

Budwash said he believes the most important thing about the event is the opportunity for children and parents to work together on achieving a goal. He said while parents may feel more disappointment if their car loses, the Scouts will enjoy the event regardless of their personal outcome.

"It's all about the kids having fun. This is one of the most fun things they do as a Scout," he said.

For more information on the Pinewood Derby, visit the pack's website at www.portcarbonscouts.com.

NEW PHILADELPHIA - Soon after Christine A. Holman was elected Schuylkill County district attorney in November, the county coroner told her he'd like to investigate a few deaths with a method the county hasn't employed for more than a decade - a coroner's inquest.

"Doc called me and asked if I would look into how to get it done, so I did a little research," Holman said Thursday night at the Simon Kramer Institute, where Schuylkill County Coroner Dr. David J. Moylan III has his offices.

"These are cases that require clarification. We'd hold an inquest in the hopes of determining the exact cause and manner of death," Moylan said.

Moylan said he's planning to do at least one this year. The first will focus on the death of Matthew Koncsler, 21, of 24 N. Market St., Shenandoah. Koncsler died March 31 at Schuylkill County Prison, Pottsville, where he was an inmate, Moylan said.

"Inquests are meant to be informative. They're advisory only, an aide to investigators," Holman said.

Moylan said another questionable death he may examine in a future inquest is the death of Edward J. Gilliam, 46, of 404 W. Penn St., Shenandoah, who died Sept. 30, 2012.

Holman believed the last time there was a coroner's inquest in Schuylkill County was when Dr. John J. Mika was coroner in the 1980s and early '90s.

Asked why there hasn't been one in the county in so long, Moylan said, "It's a lot of work."

At the end of a coroner's inquest, a jury can voice an opinion as to whether it believes a death was a homicide, a suicide, natural causes, accidental or undetermined, Holman said.

"You cannot use the inquest for any civil or criminal liability," Holman said.

"But it could be a helpful tool to law enforcement," Moylan said.

At the January meeting of the Schuylkill County Association of Medical Legal Death Investigators on Thursday night, Moylan introduced Holman, who was sworn in as district attorney Dec. 31.

Holman offered those present, including Schuylkill County Deputy Coroner Joseph Pothering, Minersville, and Foster Township police Chief James A. Nettles, insights into her future plans:

"I'm looking forward to a term where I'm dealing with Doc and you folks on some matters. The focus of my administration is combating drugs and blight and I do believe they go hand in hand. I'm working with my chief detective, Dolly Malec. One of these times I bring her with me to one of your meetings. She's a real spitfire. She's going through right now and inventorying everything that's in the office that was being used, or should have been used, by the drug task force. You would not believe the equipment that we found that was just laying dormant. And I didn't know this, but there was actually a separate building, a garage if you will, which had been turned into an office above the courthouse on Laurel Boulevard and it's amazing the stuff that's in there. We're going through that. We're working to reach out to local police departments to corral them back in to work with the drug task force. We have some new ideas and we're looking for support."

Businesses are worried they could lose money when motorists will not be able to turn left going northbound or southbound on Route 61 at Mauch Chunk Street as part of the replacement of the two bridges in Pottsville and Palo Alto.

The state Department of Transportation is replacing the two "Mady's bridges" after they were deemed structurally deficient in 2001 due to abutment issues.

The $10,568,416 project awarded to Glenn O. Hawbaker Inc., State College, is slated for completion in August 2017.

Jason Bower, co-owner of Dunkin' Donuts at Mauch Chunk Street and Route 61, said customer traffic to his store could decline. He said perhaps 30 to 40 percent of his business could be lost due to the project and traffic implications.

Bower said traffic will be prohibited from turning left onto Mauch Chunk Street from Route 61, which Sean Brown, spokesman for PennDOT District 5, Allentown, confirmed to be accurate.

"They will be restricting left hand turns on 209 in both directions" for traffic control, Brown said.

He did not have a date when that would occur or how long the restrictions would be in effect.

"It's going to cause people to stay away from that area," Bower said.

Motorists might decide to not stop at his store because of the traffic change.

"It's really concerning," Bower said, adding he does not like the fact that the work is scheduled for so long.

"I think they should be working three shifts actually and working around the clock," he said.

Located in Palo Alto, "Mady's Big Bridge" is a 314-foot-long and 64-foot-wide four-span concrete encased steel I-beam bridge over the Reading, Blue Mountain & Northern Railroad.

It will be replaced with a two-span concrete bulb-tee beam bridge that measures 63 feet 10 inches wide.

"Mady's Small Bridge" in Pottsville over the Schuylkill River is 79 feet long and 62 feet wide. It is a single span steel I-beam bridge. The replacement will be 100 feet long and 62 feet 6 inches wide.

The length of the bridge will increase due to the abutments being moved 10 feet from their current location to provide for a wider channel.

Lane restrictions and a temporary traffic light are part of the project. A temporary light is scheduled to be installed on Bacon Street at Route 61.

According to a press release from PennDOT, there will be a long-term lane restriction on Route 61 south during the demolition and construction of both bridges, while both northbound lanes will remain open for the majority of the time.

Brown said the length of the project is to have as minimal an impact on traffic in the area as possible.

Kelly Gradwell, manager of KFC on Claude A. Lord Boulevard, said the traffic change could result in a decline in revenue.

"If business slows down, we'll have to reduce the hours our employees work," Gradwell said Thursday. She said about 31 employees work there and most are part time.

She didn't know how much revenue would have to be lost before that happens.

Bower agreed that he might have to cut hours or shift employees to other locations.

On Thursday, workers from the contractor were cutting down trees to allow PPL to relocate some power lines. A section of the right southbound lane was restricted.

Joe Liegey, superintendent from the Glenn O. Hawbaker Inc., said depending on weather, workers could be out in three to four weeks to remove the center concrete barrier and other necessary work. Lane restrictions will be in effect for three to four days while that is done.

Motorists' thoughts

The work on the bridges is needed, motorists said, but the implications will likely not cause traffic to move smoothly. For the most part, traffic moved without much delay in the area Thursday except when encountering the orange cones and in the right hand southbound lane of Route 61 before the Route 61 Car Wash and McNulty's Auto Sales. A flashing arrow near the larger bridge also alerted motorists.

"Any restriction of lanes around here is going to be a nightmare. I think there's definitely going to be problems with people becoming irate. Fuses will be shortened," Greg Calkins, 50, of Pottsville, said as he sat at Original Italian Pizza at 300 Mauch Chunk St.

Pansy Strickland, Pottsville, agreed that traffic through the area will become more of a test of patience.

"You've got to learn to live with this. It's called progress," she said as she left Brok-Sel Market on Route 61.

Joanne Woznicki, an employee at the store, said that a lot of customers come into the store and there might be a slight dip in business because of the project. Customers have not come in and talked about the project yet.

"It's not affecting anybody yet," she said.

As part of the work for the smaller bridge, PennDOT purchased 20 feet of the Brok-Sel building. The owners of the market received more than $200,000.

"We have to muster through it all," she said.

Jim Manzick, 63, of Pottsville, said the work is warranted.

"It's going to have to get done. It is going to be a problem for a while," he said about the traffic.

Ed McLaughlin, 65, of Schuylkill Haven, was at Dunkin' Donuts on Thursday.

He didn't like the delays but said they would be for a good cause.

"I'd rather have a couple of delays then fall in the river. The bridges and the roads have to be repaired," he said.

n Ashland: The Ashland Area Historic Preservation Society will hold a show-and-tell at its meeting set for 7 p.m. Wednesday at its headquarters, 316-318 Centre St. Those planning to attend are asked to take an item of historical interest if possible. The meeting will also include election of officers. Light refreshments will be served. The public is welcome.

n Barnesville: A cancer benefit fundraiser for Debbie Dawson Hartman, to help defray expenses for her and her family, will be held from noon to 8 p.m. Saturday at the Ryan Township Fire Company, 945 Barnesville Drive. Food and refreshments will be available. There will also be a Chinese auction and live music by Friar's Point Band, 3AM, Roger Ressler and Mick Uranko. For more information, call 570-952-4890 or 570-778-3719. Everyone is welcome.

n Harrisburg: The state Department of Transportation driver's license and photo centers will be closed Saturday through Monday in observance of the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday, according to a PennDOT press release. Customers may still obtain a variety of driver and vehicle products and services online through PennDOT's Driver and Vehicle Services website - www.dmv.state.pa.us. Driver and vehicle online services are available 24/7 and include driver's license and photo ID renewals, vehicle registration renewal, driver-history services, changes of address, driver's license and vehicle registration restoration letters and exam scheduling. There are no additional fees for using online services. A complete listing of PennDOT driver and photo license center closings is available on the website under "News, Stats and Facts." In the release, PennDOT also reminded motorists they can log on to 511pa.com or call 511 from any phone to check traffic conditions before heading out.

n Pottsville: During a recent meeting, the Pottsville Rotary Club welcomed students of the month Emily Field and Brady Morgan from Nativity BVM High School and Rachel Naradko and Alex Koinski from Pottsville Area High School. The students told Rotarians about their school and community activities and plans for the future. Rotarian Frank Peron gave the students an overview of Rotary and invited them to investigate Rotary's high school branch, Roteract.

n Shenandoah: The Shenandoah Valley High School faculty will play a benefit basketball game with "Showboat Robinson's Fabulous Harlem Clowns" at 7 p.m. Feb. 8 in the high school gymnasium, West Centre Street. Doors will open at 6 p.m. Tickets, at $10 for adults and $8 for students, will be sold at the door. Proceeds will benefit the Shenandoah Valley High School Class of 2016. Food and refreshments will be served in the high school lobby. Everyone is welcome.

n Shenandoah: People from any parish may request to have a candle lit in the Father Walter J. Ciszek Chapel, 231 N. Jardin St., adjacent to St. Casimir Roman Catholic Church. Each candle burns for two weeks and the cost is $13 per candle. Prayer of the Divine Mercy Chaplet and recitation of the rosary at 3 p.m. Fridays is an ongoing devotion in the chapel by the Bernardine Franciscan Sisters and Associates. Everyone is welcome to participate. Ciszek, a native of Shenandoah and a son of St. Casimir parish, is a candidate for sainthood in the Roman Catholic Church. He was imprisoned and detained in the former Soviet Union for nearly 24 years but continued to minister to people there despite possible harmful consequences to himself. The local research and paperwork for sainthood, done by the Father Ciszek Prayer League, have been completed and forwarded to the Vatican in Rome. The baptismal font used for Ciszek's baptism as an infant is still in use at his native church. When Ciszek was released from the former Soviet Union in 1963 in a "prisoner exchange," he returned home to celebrate a solemn Mass of Thanksgiving in St. Casimir church. He died Dec. 8, 1984 - the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception - and is buried at the Jesuit Novitiate in Wernersville.

ORWIGSBURG - Taxes could increase in the Blue Mountain School District.

The hike could amount to 0.979 mills or an extra $51.49 for the average house assessed at $52,600 in the district, according to the most recent information available.

Business Administrator Michelle Diekow told the school board during its Committee of the Whole meeting Thursday that the increase to the Act 1 index would net the district $450,000, which would leave the district with a deficit of $892,010.

The finance committee recommended the issue be put on the agenda for the school board meeting at 7:15 p.m. Jan. 23 at the middle school. A draft copy of the agenda shows the preliminary general fund budget for the 2014-15 school year and the proposed tax increase listed as an item.

The tax increase would raise the millage to 37.254 mills, up from 36.275. Last year, residents had a tax hike of about $25, or 0.395 mills, for the average assessed house of $52,600.

The district could also seek exceptions permitting it to collect additional money from the pockets of taxpayers.

Three exceptions are available - grandfathered debt, special education expenses and retirement contributions.

"Your budget cannot be balanced to apply for exceptions," Diekow said.

"We're just preparing for every contingency," Superintendent Robert Urzillo said after the meeting.

Among other things, the district does not know how much money it will receive in state funds.

The district must have a budget approved by June 30.

Diekow said presently, the expenses are outpacing the revenues. She didn't have the exact figures Thursday but said the revenues were about $37 million and expenses were roughly $38 million.

HARRISBURG - House lawmakers can't be reimbursed anymore for meal and lodging expenses on holidays or for attending committee meetings at which they don't have specific business under a policy approved this week by a leadership committee.

The action by the House Bipartisan Management Committee applies to both per diems and reimbursement for actual expenses. It comes after a Sunday Times analysis last month found that House lawmakers and senators received more than $2 million for their lodging and meals during fiscal 2012-13.

The new policy applies to House members only and covers incidental expenses, too. The Senate sets its own expense rules.

The committee agreed to:

- Bar expense reimbursements during an official holiday unless the House is in session that day. Sometimes the House is in session on a Fourth of July if state budgets are late or to formally start a two-year session as occurred on New Year's Day 2013.

- Bar reimbursement for attending a House committee meeting or hearing while away from home unless the lawmaker is a committee member, prime sponsor of a bill being considered at that meeting or hearing, testifying at a meeting or hearing, attending a budget hearing conducted by the House Appropriations Committee or serving on a committee with oversight of the agency whose budget is subject of the hearing.

"We are continuing to look for ways to make this process less costly to taxpayers," said Stephen Miskin, spokesman for House Majority Leader Mike Turzai, R-28, Pittsburgh. The committee was aware of examples in which lawmakers were reimbursed under those circumstances, he said.

The policy reflects an ongoing effort to bring more accountability to House expenses, said Bill Patton, spokesman for House Minority Leader Frank Dermody, D-33, Allegheny County.

The Sunday Times analysis of the more than $2 million spent in fiscal 2012-13 showed that about $1.8 million was per diems - daily allowances for lodging and meals that are tax-free and require no receipts for how the money is spent. Nearly $200,000 was reimbursement of actual expenses for lodging and meals, which require receipts.

The House breakdown was more than $1.6 million in per diems, $130,000 in expenses.

The Senate breakdown was $224,000 in per diems; $61,000 in expenses.

Legislative spending totaled $307 million in the 2012-13 fiscal year.

A political activist said that despite the new policy, lawmakers still don't provide solid accounting for expense reimbursements.

The state constitution says lawmakers shall receive salary and mileage for sessions and no other compensation, Gene Stilp of Taxpayers and Ratepayers United said.

Per diems are to cover a lawmaker's expenses for lodging and meals while away from home. The federal government sets per diem rates for lodging and meals in various cities.

Over the years, per diems have become controversial and have sometimes fodder in political campaigns because they are paid automatically without much accounting.

House leaders are not considering abolishing per diems, said the caucus spokesmen.

Per diems help lawmakers do their job, Patton said.

FRACKVILLE - The last day for shopping at Littman Jewelers at the Schuylkill Mall will be Monday, when the store will cease operations.

Letters were recently sent to customers informing them of the store closing, recommending that, in the future, they go to Littman Jewelers at the Fairlane Village mall near Pottsville.

Mall General Manager Elaine Maneval was surprised the store is closing.

"I got a (customer) letter, too," Maneval said on Thursday.

She was informed by the store manager, but she did not have details about the reason for the closing other than the date of the last day.

"I was told by the store manager that they would be closing on the 20th and that's all I know," Maneval said. "I wasn't given any reasons. I'm usually not privy to that kind of information."

Calls and emails to the corporate office in Portland, Ore., were not returned.

According to the company website, Littman and Barclay Jewelers are subsidiaries of Fred Meyer Jewelers Inc., the third largest jewelry chain in the United States. Littman and Barclay Jewelers were acquired in 1998 by Fred Meyer Jewelers.

Maneval said she is sad that such a long-time retailer in the mall is leaving after being there for 21 years. The store opened in November 1992.

"Obviously, we hate to see them leave," Maneval said. "They provide a high quality jewelry product that our customers are used to coming here and purchasing. It's going to be a huge void."

With Littman leaving, Maneval said there will not be a jewelry store, but the three anchor stores do sell fine jewelry.

Maneval was aware of the announcement that J.C. Penney at the Laurel Mall would close by the end of May, and she said that the loss of any mall store is tough.

"You don't like to lose anybody in a mall, no matter how small or big they are," Maneval said. "We want everybody to stay and do well. If the local community doesn't support the local stores, unfortunately, it's going to continue to happen with closings."

Joseph J. Roperto wants Schuylkill County to know he intends to rebuild the James B. Neale mansion in Buck Run.

"We are certainly going to try," Roperto, 82, of Gainesville, Va., said Friday of restoring the glories of what was Foster Township's grandest home. "I am going to make every effort to rebuild."

Roperto owns the 78 Hill Road mansion, which burned in a Jan. 10 fire that even he said left it a wreck.

"There's very little left," he said. "(The fire) just went right through the roof."

Furthermore, what is left of the mansion might have to be razed because of smoke and water damage, he said.

State police at Frackville said the fire began on the first floor as the result of an accident with an extension cord. Police said the fire caused about $400,000 in damage.

Roperto bought the mansion in May 2012 from the township, which had fought for many years to save the building that Neale, one of the county's best-known and best-liked coal barons, had built in the early 1900s.

The township had been seeking to force the renovation or demolition of the mansion since Dec. 18, 2006, when it sued Dennis Hewes, Cressona, who owned the property. It had alleged the property had been allowed to deteriorate and posed a health and safety hazard.

Judge John E. Domalakes allowed the township to take possession of the property in 2010, and the township sold it to Roperto, who had grand plans for it.

During court hearings, Roperto testified he would make the main mansion livable, knock down the ruined left side, replace it with a garage and then extend the rear section of the building. Roperto also said he would eventually convert the old log cabin, which he said is beyond repair, into a gazebo.

The fire will not stop Roperto from trying to fulfill his plan of restoring the mansion.

"I grew up there (in Foster Township)," Roperto, a 1949 graduate of Cass Township High School, said. "I played at the mansion."

He arrived at the property about 12:45 p.m. Jan. 10 to see the result of the blaze.

"I couldn't believe it," Roperto said.

He said a fund has been established at First National Bank of Minersville to aid in the repair project. Donations can be sent to the Neale Mansion Rebuilding Fund, First National Bank of Minersville, 260 Sunbury St., Minersville, PA 17954.

"The response I've had from people in Schuylkill County has been amazing," Roperto said. "I want this to get out."

The weather is helping potholes win the war, but road crews are determined to keep fighting.

"It's a never-ending battle," Rick Davis, a worker from the Pottsville Streets Department, said Monday.

Davis and fellow street department worker Bob Benedict were applying cold patch to holes, some several inches deep, near Laurel Boulevard and Progress Avenue. The material, a mixture of oil and stone, is poured into the holes and smoothed over with a shovel.

"The deeper ones usually hold better," Davis said.

They found a pothole on Westwood Road that was 2 feet by 3 feet wide and 8 inches deep in the right hand lane near the Hess gas station.

"The frost heaves the ground beneath (the roads) and creates some buckles in the pavement, followed by cracks," Alex Sosnowski, AccuWeather.com senior meteorologist, said. "Water gets in the cracks and freezes, expands, making the cracks bigger. Then traffic breaks off more pieces of pavement. A rainstorm can then get more water in there, loosening up more pavement.

"Freeze and thaw cycles are the key. The more you have, the more potholes," he said.

Dan Kelly, city superintendent of streets, said this year is "one of the worst" in at least six years for the nuisance.

The change in temperature and the freezing and thawing have made combatting potholes more of an issue this year.

"It's an above average winter for potholes," Kelly said Friday.

Workers were patching potholes every day this week except Wednesday, he said.

There are 48 miles of road in the city. The last order for 24 tons of cold patch was about two or three weeks ago, he said. Before that, the last order was in the spring.

He estimated there was 8 to 10 tons remaining.

Those with complaints about potholes can call the city garage at 570-622-7690 or city hall at 570-622-1234.

"If we have complaints, we go to those first," Kelly said.

Brian Murray, foreman for the street department in Schuylkill Haven, said workers were also out this week fixing potholes with cold patch, adding they went to 15 streets in the borough. There are 27 miles of road in Schuylkill Haven.

"We try to get them right away that they don't create a problem," he said Wednesday at the borough garage on Haven Street.

In the spring, the street department had 8 tons of cold patch. He said there are about 3 1/2 tons remaining, which can be used for repairing streets if there is a water leak.

Weather conditions and heavy traffic can contribute to how long the cold patch stays in place, he said.

"You can drive on it immediately," Murray said.

The potholes filled this week in the borough were ones that workers noticed, Murray said.

For pothole complaints, call borough hall at 570-385-2841.

He said he is not aware of any calls from borough residents about potholes.

Still, he said, "I think potholes are a problem everywhere right now. It's that time of year."

Debbie Guers, Pottsville, agreed.

"I noticed that they're really opening up and they are quite large and drivers need to be aware," she said Monday while pumping gas at the Hess gas station on Westwood Road in Pottsville.

Orwigsburg borough Manager Mike Lonergan said Thursday that potholes that appear in the 14 miles of borough-owned streets are repaired.

About 10 1/2 tons of cold patch was ordered Aug. 6 and now 6 or 7 tons remain.

"We filled some (potholes) before the extreme cold weather," Lonergan said.

Orwigsburg residents with pothole complaints can call borough hall at 570-366-3103.

The state Department of Transportation said it is having to fix potholes earlier this year.

"PennDOT is experiencing an early pothole season in the east central Pennsylvania region due to the extreme freeze/thaw cycles we've been experiencing, along with numerous storm events with precipitation," Ron Young, press officer for District 5, Allentown, said.

Usually, potholes are not this prevalent until late February or early March, Young said.

According to PennDOT figures, the average size of a pothole is 3 feet by 3 feet and 3 inches deep. The average cost to fix a pothole in District 5 is $93.

In Schuylkill County, PennDOT spent about $405,335 for pothole repairs during the fiscal year from July 1, 2013, through Jan. 14, 2014. During the previous fiscal year from July 1, 2012, to June 30, 2013, PennDOT spent approximately $524,774 in the county for pothole repairs.

To fill the potholes this fiscal year, the department used 795 tons of cold patch, compared to 1,296 tons last fiscal year, according to data from the state.

To report a pothole on a state road, call 800-FIX-ROAD. Callers are asked to be as specific as possible when describing the location of the pothole.

Vehicular damage

Hitting a pothole can be costly to motorists.

"You never know till you hit the pothole," Doug Hinnershitz, manager of Ken's Tire in Cressona, said Thursday.

For example, the driver of a BMW had to pay $275 for a used rim on the passenger's side rear after they hit a pothole. Labor and any additional parts are an extra cost. He did not know where the driver hit the pothole and the owner was not at the garage in Cressona.

Hinnershitz said motorists can crack or bend a wheel, damage suspension parts or need a front end alignment when they hit the depression in the roadway. Costs to repair damage from hitting a pothole can range from $50 to $500 or possibly more, Hinnershitz said.

"It all depends on how big the pothole is," he said.

Tracy Hartman, a licensed sales associate with State Farm Insurance at 477 N. Claude A. Lord Boulevard, said, "When in doubt, contact your insurance company" about damage costs.

AAA offers tips on potholes and trying to avoid them:

· Inspect your tires and suspension.

· Be aware of your surroundings and look at the road

· Slowdown

· Be familiar with your vehicles noises and check the alignment.

PennDOT offers advise for motorists if they see or hit a pothole.

· Keep an eye for stopped or slowing traffic. Cars that slow down or move quickly to other lanes may be a sign of potholes or road damage ahead.

· Don't tailgate. If the driver in front of you hits a pothole, you'll have a better chance to take evasive action if you're not riding their rear bumper.

· Report major potholes or road damage to the state or the local government's transportation department.

· Avoid swerving. Swerving can cause a loss of vehicle control.

· Slow down gradually and carefully try to avoid sharp impact with potholes.

City man faces

traffic charges

A city man is facing charges by Pottsville police after an incident that began about 5 p.m. Thursday near Laurel Boulevard and Progress Avenue.

Police said officers tried to stop a vehicle driven by Steven J. Brilla, 20, for having an expired inspection but the man failed to stop and tried to elude officers by going over the posted speed limit and driving on the wrong side of the road.

Police said officers were able to safely pursue the vehicle and stop it near East Railroad Street and Terry Reiley Way.

Police said that at the conclusion of the investigation, Brilla will be charged with fleeing or attempting to elude police, driving on the wrong side of the road, careless driving, altered or forged registration plates, driving with a DUI suspended license, driving without insurance, registration requirements and the expired inspection violation.

Police on lookout

for stolen vehicle

Pottsville police are investigating a burglary that occurred about 7:35 p.m. Sunday at Ed's USA Auto Rentals, 12th and Laurel streets.

Police said David Andrews, an employee who resides on the property, reported he received an audible alarm from the "wash garage" and saw a dark sedan with no lights speed off the property from that area.

When officers entered the garage, they found two vehicles with the engines running and also found that the door to the building had been forced open.

Video surveillance taken at the site is being analyzed in hopes of identifying those responsible.

The following morning, police said the vehicle that fled the area was a 2012 Volkswagen Jetta owned by Ed's USA Auto Rentals and has a Pennsylvania license plate of EZD5873 and an Ed's USA Auto Rentals sticker on the trunk.

Anyone with information is asked to call police at 570-622-1234.

Police investigate

car crash in city

A crash that occurred about 11:30 p.m. Tuesday in the 500 block of Progress Avenue was investigated by Pottsville police.

Police said Tony Barrone, 24, whose address was not available, was driving a 2009 Chevrolet Cobalt when he lost control and drove onto a sidewalk.

Police said Barrone and his passengers - Nick Shafer, 24, and Justin Pogash, 25, both of Saint Clair - all escaped injury. Police said charges are pending the conclusion of the investigation.

3-vehicle collision

leaves 1 injured

McADOO - One person was injured when three vehicles collided about 12:05 p.m. Wednesday in the southbound lanes of Interstate 81, at mile marker 138.4 in Kline Township.

State police at Frackville said Louise Bauer, 50, of Mahanoy City, was driving a 1998 Ford Taurus north when she swerved into the median due to a truck that allegedly cut in front of her. The car went through the median and entered the southbound lanes where it was struck head on by a 2013 Audi A6 driven by Robert Ragan, 69, of Jamesville, N.Y.

Another southbound vehicle, a 2012 Kenworth truck driven by Michael Wheelock, 56, of Clarksville, Tenn., scraped the Ford as it came to a stop in the middle of the southbound lanes.

A passenger in the Ford - Mark Keeth, 35, of Mahanoy City - suffered moderate injuries and was taken to Hazleton General Hospital by McAdoo EMS. Bauer and her other passenger - Kathleen Keeth, 33, of Mahanoy City - along with Ragan and Wheelock were not hurt, police said.

Police investigate

multiple thefts

TOWER CITY - State police at Schuylkill Haven are investigating thefts from vehicles that occurred between 3 and 6 p.m. Jan. 10 on multiple roadways, alleys, backyards, front porches and driveways between Bellas and Yoho streets in Porter Township.

Police said a white man, between the ages of 20 and 30, about 5 feet 9 inches tall and 175 pounds, wearing dark clothing, a beanie hat, gloves and carrying a camouflage backpack walked through the area checking parked vehicles for unlocked door handles.

If the doors were unlocked, police said, the man would enter and steal anything of value from inside.

A witness saw the man at 17th Street and East Colliery Avenue about 3:55 a.m., but he fled south on 17th Street, rounded the corner heading east toward Route 209 and fled through a private backyard.

He then resumed his criminal activities and stole loose change from a vehicle owned by Andrea Thompson, 41, of Tower City, police said.

Anyone with information is asked to call police at 570-739-1330.

Woman, teen

faces charges

DONALDSON - A woman and teenage girl will be charged by state police at Schuylkill Haven with harassment after an incident that occurred between 5 and 5:25 p.m. Wednesday at 113 E. Spring St., Frailey Township.

Police said Valerie Schaeffer, 33, became involved in a verbal argument with a 16-year-old girl.

The girl pushed Schaeffer and pulled her hair, resulting in Schaeffer pulling the teen's hair, police said.

Police investigate

equipment theft

Pottsville police are investigating the theft of a 1999 Case Model 1840 skid loader from where was parked behind the owner's property at 389 Peacock St.

Police said that Emmil Vass reported the theft on Jan. 3 after finding the machine missing as he was preparing for snow removal. The man told officers he last used the machine on or about Dec. 5 to remove garbage from the property.

Police said the machine has a 72-inch low profile bucket attachment.

Anyone with information is asked to call police at 560-622-1234.

State police probe

5 I-81 crashes

State police at Frackville investigated five crashes Wednesday morning that were attributed, in part, to icy road conditions.

At 7:33 a.m., police said, Dana Boyer, 29, of McAdoo, was driving a 2002 Chevrolet Malibu west on the on-ramp from Route 309 in Kline Township onto Interstate 81 when she lost control and struck a concrete barrier.

Boyer was not hurt, but police said he will be cited for driving at an unsafe speed.

Then, about 7:55 a.m., Samuel Anyanwu, 49, of Harrisburg, was driving north on Interstate 81 in New Castle Township when he lost control of his 2002 Toyota Camry on the ice while trying to slow the vehicle.

The car went off the road and struck an embankment, police said, adding that Anyanwu was not injured but will be cited for driving too fast for conditions.

About the same time, police said Amy Fabian, 49, of Coal Township, was driving north, also in New Castle Township, when she lost control of her 2002 Chevrolet Tracker, went off the road and hit an embankment. The woman was not hurt but will be charged with driving too fast for conditions, police said.

At 8:08 a.m., police said Joshua A. Naftzinger, 28, of Pottsville, was driving a 2009 Pontiac G6 south near mile marker 130 in Mahanoy Township when he lost control on the ice, went off the road and struck the guiderails.

Naftzinger and his passenger, Iona Lucan, 29, of Mahanoy City, were not hurt, but police said Naftzinger will be cited for driving on roadways laned for traffic.

The fifth crash occurred in the northbound lanes of Interstate 81, also in New Castle Township, where Christopher Finkernagel, 25, of Pocono Lake, lost control of his 2003 Buick Rendezvous, went off the road and struck a rock embankment.

Finkernagel suffered minor facial injuries and will be cited for driving too fast for conditions, police said.

SAINT CLAIR - The Saint Clair Area school board approved the resignation of acting Superintendent James A. Gilmartin on Wednesday night.

Principal Jason Bendle said that Gilmartin's resignation was due to medical reasons and no other decision for a replacement has been made at this time.

Gilmartin, a retired superintendent from the Hamburg Area School District who previously served as acting superintendent for the Pine Grove Area School District, took over as acting superintendent for Saint Clair Area on Nov. 1.

Gilmartin took over for Kendy K. Hinkel, who was superintendent from 2007 until Oct. 31, 2013. She is now the superintendent in the Pine Grove Area School District, which hired her with a four-year contract at $115,000 a year during a special meeting Oct. 3 to fill the position vacated by Brian Uplinger, who left June 28 to take a superintendent position with the Central Greene School District, Waynesburg.

In other business, the board approved a budget freeze for the remainder of the 2013-14 academic year.

The board also adopted the 2014-15 preliminary general fund budget in the amount of $11,278,124.

The proposed 2014-15 preliminary budget is available for public inspection and will be adopted Feb. 12.

On Friday afternoon, the front door of 674 N. Second St. in Pottsville was open, but the interior wasn't a welcome sight.

With a crumbling facade and weather-beaten walls, the row home is at the top of the Pottsville Blight and Nuisance Task Force list.

"The contractor is working to have the power shut off there," City Administrator Thomas A. Palamar said Friday.

Joseph R. Umbriac, president of Penn Earthworks, Hazleton, was hired by the city in late 2013 to tear down several buildings, including this one.

Palamar said Umbriac plans to start tearing down 674 on Monday.

The row home is owned by Said Attalla, Mississauga, Canada. It sustains constant damage from exposure because its front door is broken off its hinges.

"He (Attalla) was in today to pay for his permit. He's going to be there Monday and he's going to start the work by hand, what he can do before he brings in the heavy equipment," Palamar said.

In late 2013, the city developed a program to demolish properties singled out by the task force, a team of city officials and community representatives formed in April 2012.

In October, the city council decided to knock down seven blighted buildings. So far, Northeast Industrial Service Corp., Shamokin, was hired to knock down 407 W. Laurel Blvd., owned by Apt. & Acquisitions, at a cost of $20,750, Palamar said.

Northeast Industrial was also hired to knock down 235 Pierce St., owned by Tina Brown, at a cost of $15,350. Palamar said Friday that he expects that one to come down soon.

The council awarded five demolition contracts to Penn Earthworks. Following are the names of the owners of those properties and the cost of the demolition projects: 674 N. Second St., Attalla, $19,850; 439 Fairview St., Joseph Yutz Jr., $16,300; 433 Fairview St., Andrew Chillemi, $18,800; 303 N. Ninth St., Garage Flex LLC, $19,850; and 657 N. Second St., Investment Property Cheap, $17,770.

A former Hamburg police patrolman has sued the borough, the chief and another officer in federal court for what he said were their actions that resulted in his unlawful firing.

Keven Chase, West Lawn, alleged in the 16-page complaint filed Wednesday that he lost his job because the borough failed to give him an adequate hearing, Chief Pedro A. Rivera made defamatory comments about him and Officer Angel Cabrera called the state police to investigate false claims that Chase had violated the law.

"There was a conspiracy between Chief Rivera and Officer Cabrera to violate (Chase's) constitutional rights in an effort to terminate his employment," according to the complaint.

Also named as defendants were 15 people, either borough employees or council members, whose identities Chase said he does not know.

Chase asked the court to bar any discrimination against him, award him actual and punitive damages, including back pay and benefits, attorney fees, costs and interest. He also demanded a jury trial of the case.

In the complaint, Chase alleged he suffered an on-the-job injury in August 2012 and received workers' compensation payments for about six months.

However, Rivera became upset and started a campaign against him, including libelous statements that he was "a dirty cop," the complaint reads in part.

In May 2013, Cabrera called state police officers to Borough Hall to talk with Chase about a car he had bought that was related to a case on which he had worked.

As a result, Rivera disciplined Chase and referred the matter to the borough, the complaint reads in part.

The borough council then voted on June 10 to fire Chase and refused to reinstate him due to defamatory comments about him by Rivera, according to the lawsuit.

Chase alleged that the borough council failed to grant him an adequate hearing, discharged him because of Rivera's abuse of his authority, discriminated against him under the terms of the federal Rehabilitation Act and wrongfully fired him because he had made a workers' compensation claim.

He also said Rivera and Cabrera conspired to violate his rights, and Rivera gave borough officials false information that Chase had been involved in illegal activity.

These actions destroyed Chase's reputation, cost him his job and caused him severe emotional distress, according to the complaint.

The case has been assigned to U.S. District Judge James K. Gardner.

Schuylkill County prosecutors have withdrawn criminal charges against two people.

Guy R. Diguilio, 54, of Saint Clair, had been charged with disorderly conduct and public drunkenness. Saint Clair police had alleged he was drunk and disorderly on Oct. 24, 2012, in the borough.

Barry Schwartz, Pine Grove, had been charged with bad checks. Schuylkill Haven borough police had alleged he passed a bad check on Dec. 27, 2012, in the borough.

In each case, President Judge William E. Baldwin signed an order allowing prosecutors to withdraw the charges.

Baldwin ordered the county to pay the costs of Diguilio's case but ordered Schwartz to pay the costs in his case.

In other county court news, a Pottsville man admitted Wednesday in Schuylkill County Court that he indecently assaulted a woman last May in the city.

Michael J. Liptok Jr., 26, pleaded guilty to indecent assault, with prosecutors withdrawing a charge of harassment.

President Judge William E. Baldwin accepted Liptok's plea but did not immediately sentence him, instead ordering the state Sexual Offenders Assessment Board to evaluate the defendant to determine whether he is a sexually violent predator.

Pottsville police charged Liptok with assaulting the woman on May 18, 2013. Assistant District Attorney Jennifer N. Lehman said the woman was 29 years old at the time of the assault.

Baldwin on Wednesday also accepted guilty pleas from, and, pursuant to agreements between prosecutors and defendants, imposed the indicated sentences on, these people:

Daniel J. Barker, 40, of Lebanon; driving under the influence and disregarding traffic lanes; 30 days to six months in prison, $775 in fines, $100 payment to the Substance Abuse Education Fund, $60 restitution to Schuylkill Medical Center-South Jackson Street and 20 hours community service, with sentence effective at 9 a.m. Monday.

Millard S. Beatty III, 27, of Williamsport; access device fraud and theft; one to two years in a state correctional institution, $50 payment to the Criminal Justice Enhancement Account, $1,290 restitution, $50 bench warrant fee and submission of a DNA sample to law enforcement authorities. Prosecutors withdrew a charge of receiving stolen property.

Brandi N. Benjamin, 23, of Ashland; forgery and access device fraud; 12 months probation and $50 CJEA payment. Prosecutors withdrew a charge of theft.

Matthew T. Dove, 26, of Schuylkill Haven; DUI; six months probation, $300 fine, $100 SAEF payment, $60 restitution to Schuylkill Medical Center-South Jackson Street and 10 hours community service. Prosecutors withdrew a charge of no headlights.

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