POTTSVILLE — Ashley D. Adams left Schuylkill County Courthouse a free man on Wednesday afternoon, as a jury acquitted him of all charges resulting from what prosecutors had alleged was his rape of a preteen girl.

After deliberating a little over an hour, the jury found Adams, 31, of Pottsville, not guilty of two counts each of rape, rape of a child and involuntary deviate sexual intercourse, three each of indecent exposure and indecent assault and one each of corruption of minors and endangering the welfare of children.

The verdict ended a one-day trial over which President Judge William E. Baldwin presided.

Pottsville police had charged Adams with raping a 12-year-old girl twice, and indecently assaulting her in a third incident, in August and September 2016 in the city. Adams was the girl’s mother’s boyfriend at the time, prosecutors said.

Adams denied doing anything wrong.

“Did you do any of the things she said you did?” Assistant Public Defender Andrea L. Thompson, Adams’ lawyer, asked him.

“No,” he answered.

In her closing argument, Assistant District Attorney Debra A. Smith said the jury should concentrate on the big picture, not minor inconsistencies in what the girl said.

“Life doesn’t come in one straight line,” said Smith, who prosecuted the case with Deputy Assistant District Attorney Jennifer N. Foose. “It went the way she remembered it.”

Smith acknowledged the victim, who is now 13, got upset during Thompson’s cross-examination, but said that should not surprise anyone.

“She knows this happened. She told you this happened,” Smith said. “That’s going to make a teenager mad.”

However, jurors accepted the closing argument of Thompson, who said the girl’s testimony varied greatly concerning the dates of the alleged incidents, and exactly what occurred on each occasion.

“The testimony ... is all over the place,” Thompson said. “You would think at least the first time would be clear.”

That meant jurors should not base their verdict on her testimony, according to Thompson.

“She can’t keep her story straight,” Thompson said. “She couldn’t keep the facts straight.”

Contact the writer: pbortner@republicanherald.com; 570-628-6014

Defendant: Ashley D. Adams

Age: 31

Residence: Pottsville

Verdict: Not guilty of two counts each of rape, rape of a child and involuntary deviate sexual intercourse, three each of indecent exposure and indecent assault and one each of corruption of minors and endangering the welfare of children

TAMAQUA — There were no set topics for discussion at U.S. Rep. Matt Cartwright’s town hall meeting Tuesday evening at Scheller Center of Lehigh Carbon Community College.

Instead, the two dozen attendees were invited to talk to the 17th District representative about whatever was on their minds.

For many, it was the lack of good paying jobs in the area, as well as the opioid crisis plaguing the nation.

“We have a serious problem. We’re losing our kids day by day,” John Sienkiewicz, of the anti-drug organization Safer Streets for Tamaqua’s Little Feet, said. “What are we going to do about it?”

Cartwright, a Democrat, said he and other elected officials are doing what they can to combat the problem.

“It affects all walks of life. It can affect anybody in any of our families,” he said.

Cartwright said a bipartisan Legislature is working to pen guidelines for doctors to follow when they’re prescribing prescription painkillers.

“We don’t think the doctors are trying to hook people on narcotics,” he said.

Lawmakers are also looking to set guidelines for pharmaceutical companies, which sometimes promote the drugs to physicians.

Sienkiewicz told the lawmaker he believed education is key. Important anti-drug programs are being cut from schools, he said.

He also asked Cartwright if he had ever called a state-sponsored drug hotline meant for those with drug or alcohol problems.

“There’s nothing. There’s no help,” Sienkiewicz said, noting that the service is offline. Cartwright said he would check into the matter.

Another attendee said it’s difficult for addicts or recovering addicts to find help because Schuylkill County lacks a decent transportation network. Public bus service makes one trip from Tamaqua to Pottsville each day, making it difficult to arrange appointments.

And many who are recovering may have lost everything to their addictions, including their driver’s licenses or vehicles. Thus, Sienkiewicz explained, it’s impossible for them to find work. Without transportation, they can’t find work.

As for jobs, one woman asked Cartwright whether he would campaign for online retailer Amazon to locate its East Coast headquarters in the district. She noted that U.S. Sen. Bob Casey had lent his support.

“I love Sen. Casey and I’m one of his biggest fans but I wrote the letter to Amazon before he did,” Cartwright said with a laugh.

While Amazon is eyeing places like Boston and Baltimore for its headquarters, Cartwright said he believes Pennsylvania is a better fit.

“The district has so much to offer,” he said. “There is no crime like Boston and Baltimore.”

A member of the House Appropriations Committee, Cartwright hopes to steer economic development funds into the district. At the moment, however, he said that “projects that make sense aren’t getting funded in our area.”

One of his goals, he said, is to make improvements to the Schuylkill County Airport near Pottsville. The airport’s runway is too short to support the landings of corporate jets, he said.

Prior to fielding questions and comments, Cartwright explained the many services that can be accessed through his offices. Help with veterans’ benefits, Social Security, Medicare and the Internal Revenue Service are among them, he said.

Contact the writer: jwhalen@standardspeaker.com; 570-501-3592

Fewer state voters view President Donald Trump unfavorably than earlier this year, but more disapprove of the way he’s doing his job, too, according to a new Franklin & Marshall College released today.

Voters also see U.S. Sen. Bob Casey more favorably, but more of them continue to disapprove of his job performance than approve, though the disapproval isn’t as bad as before, according to the poll.

As Casey’s standing improved somewhat, the poll showed a potential Republican challenger for his Senate seat next year, U.S. Rep. Lou Barletta, remains largely unknown among state voters, despite years in the spotlight as an opponent of illegal immigration.

Gov. Tom Wolf’s job approval rating stayed the same, but far more voters viewed him strongly unfavorably. The poll showed almost half of voters think things in the state remain on the wrong track. One possible Republican alternative to Wolf in the election next year, state Sen. Scott Wagner, also remains largely unknown.

The poll surveyed 398 registered voters between Sept. 13 and Monday, and has a margin of error of plus or minus 6.2 percentage points.

Voters’ views of Trump improved with about 43 percent saying they have a strongly or somewhat favorable opinion of him, up from about 37 percent in a February F&M poll. The numbers of people who view him unfavorably dropped from about 57 percent to about 45 percent.

However, they like the way he’s doing his job less. About 29 percent think he’s doing an excellent or good job, down from about 32 percent in February. The numbers who think he’s doing a fair or poor job rose to about 71 percent from about 67 percent.

G. Terry Madonna, the poll director, said he’s unsure why one measure improved and the other worsened.

“It could indicate more acceptance of his rhetoric and style, even though he’s very controversial in what he wants to do,” Madonna said. “I was going to say that he has become more likeable, but I don’t know.”

More significantly, Madonna said, Trump voters largely continue to stick with him. About 93 percent who voted for him say they’re comfortable with the choice. About 84 percent say they remain Trump supporters and about 14 percent say their feelings have changed.

“His support continues to hang in with him,” Madonna said. “In my humble judgment, that’s the key to understanding Trump ... That’s pretty telling in this state.”

Casey’s favorability went up slightly (45 percent now, 41 percent in February), and his unfavorability stayed about the same (24 percent now, 25 percent in February). Eleven years after the Scranton Democrat’s first Senate victory over Sen. Rick Santorum, Casey remains an enigma to about 11 percent who are undecided and 20 percent who don’t know their opinion.

That’s still far better than a January 2012 F&M poll, 10 months before voters re-elected him. In that poll, only about 29 percent viewed him favorably, about 17 percent viewed him unfavorably and 53 percent had no opinion or were undecided.

His job approval rating remains mixed at best with about 37 percent believing he’s doing a good or excellent job, same as the February poll, and about 42 percent believing he’s only doing a good or fair job, down 45 percent from February.

“I think Barletta’s going to have a tough time beating him,” Madonna said.

That presumes Barletta wins the Republican nomination, which multiple other candidates in his own party hope to prevent. The poll did not ask about the other Republican candidates, who include real estate developer Jeff Bartos; former energy executive Paul Addis; cyber security consultant Cynthia E. Ayers; state Rep. Jim Christiana, R-15, Beaver County, and state Rep. Rick Saccone, R-39, Allegheny County.

None of them is well-known, but the poll showed neither is Barletta, who is viewed favorably by about 15 percent, unfavorably by about 9 percent and unknown or uncertain in the minds of about 76 percent.

In the governor’s race, Wolf starts off in worse shape than before his 2014 election, which he began as an unknown.

Back in June 2014, after he won the Democratic primary, about 35 percent viewed Wolf favorably and only about 12 percent viewed him unfavorably.

About 36 percent still view Wolf strongly or somewhat favorably, but that’s down from slightly from about 41 percent in a February poll. Conversely, the percentages of people who view him strongly or somewhat unfavorably rose from about 34 percent to about 42 percent. The number who view him strongly unfavorably rose even more sharply from about 19 percent to 34 percent.

“I think that has to do with the budget,” Madonna said. “Governors tend to get the blame when there’s a budget problem because they’re the statewide figure.”

As for Wolf’s job approval, it improved slightly since February with 38 percent saying he is doing an excellent or good now, compared to about 34 percent then and about 55 percent saying he is doing a fair or poor job now compared to 54 percent then.

Wolf and the state General Assembly approved a budget in July, but have yet to complete its funding. On Wednesday, Standard & Poor’s downgraded the state’s credit rating as the state began missing payments for Medicaid, to school districts and others.

State Sen. Scott Wagner, R-28, York, perhaps the most active potential Republican challenger to Wolf, remains even more unknown than Barletta.

About 8 percent view him favorably while about 9 percent view him unfavorably, but about 85 percent don’t know their opinion of him or remain undecided.

“Big state, big state, big state. Who in the hell knows Lou Barletta and Scott Wagner statewide?” Madonna asked.

Contact the writer: bkrawczeniuk@timesshamrock.com; 570-348-9147

FRACKVILLE — A man jailed for trying to illegally sell prescription drugs to a teenager in Girardville in July had charges against him dismissed Wednesday after the victim failed to appear in district court.

Michael Grady, 65, of 14 N. Second St., Girardville, was scheduled to appear before Magisterial District Judge Christina E. Hale for a preliminary hearing on charges of felony possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance, misdemeanor corruption of minors and summary public drunkenness.

Instead of having a hearing, Hale dismissed the charges against Grady because the alleged teenage victim failed to appear to testify against him.

Girardville police Patrolman Jennifer Dempsey originally charged Grady with an incident about 9:30 p.m. Aug. 13.

Dempsey said she was called to the 100 block of West Ogden Street for a report of a man trying to sell prescription pills to a teenager.

After speaking with the teenager, Dempsey said, she learned Grady tried to sell the boy prescription pills to which he refused. Grady again tried to sell pills to the teenager but he refused a second time, the officer added.

Grady was found at 127 W. Ogden St., where he was intoxicated and in possession of prescription Valium and Tramadol, Dempsey said.

Contact the writer: fandruscavage@republicanherald.com; 570-628-6013

SHEPPTON — An ongoing drug investigation by East Union Township police led to a search warrant being served at a home in this village early Wednesday morning.

The warrant was executed at the 955 Centre St. home of Brian M. Furedi, 28, by township police and members of the Pennsylvania State Police Special Emergency Response Team, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms and the Schuylkill County Drug Task Force.

Township Police Chief Thomas Rentschler said the search warrant was the result of three active felony arrest warrants against Furedi stemming from three controlled purchases of illegal narcotics.

For each of the controlled purchases, Rentschler charged Furedi with one felony count of unlawful delivery or manufacture of a controlled substance and misdemeanor possession of a controlled substance.

The three purchases occurred at the Furedi home on Sept. 7, 10 and 18, Rentschler said.

Furedi was arraigned by Magisterial District Judge Anthony J. Kilker, Shenandoah, who set bail at 10 percent of $15,000 on each complaint for a total of $45,000 and committed the man to Schuylkill County Prison.

Rentschler also said additional charges, including felony drug and firearms offenses, against are pending against Furedi stemming from illegal items uncovered at his home during Wednesday morning’s warrant service.

Also as the result of Wednesday’s search warrant, Rentschler said, Courtney Moran, 27, whose address was not available, is facing charges of possession of a controlled substance and possession of drug paraphernalia.

The chief added that numerous other arrests are forthcoming as a result of the investigation.

Rentschler said that during Wednesday’s search, numerous illegal items were discovered including several bags of marijuana, methamphetamine and prescription medication.

In addition, numerous items of drug paraphernalia were found including several plastic baggies for packaging of controlled substances, glass and tinfoil smoking pipes, scales, several cellphones and a cabinet used for indoor purposes of growing controlled substances with fluorescent lighting and exhaust fans.

Rentschler said that several boxes of ammunition were also recovered along with a .22-caliber rifle and AR-15, both of which Furedi is unable to possess due to being a convicted felon.

Furedi will now have to appear for a preliminary hearing before Kilker in his Shenandoah courtroom.

Contact the writer: fandruscavage@republicanherald.com; 570-628-6013

Man flown after

motorcycle crash

BARNESVILLE — A Tamaqua man was flown to a trauma center after the motorcycle he was driving crashed about 1:15 p.m. Saturday on Route 1013, just south of Chee Street in Ryan Township.

State police at Frackville said Jordan Flexer was driving a 2015 Indian motorcycle south when he lost control on a sharp curve, went off the road and overturned into a drainage ditch.

Flexer suffered numerous injuries, treated at the scene by Ryan Township EMS and then flown to Lehigh Valley Hospital-Cedar Crest, for additional treatment.

Firefighters from Ryan Township assisted at the scene along with Hometown Fire Police, police said.

Fall in Schuylkill County means festivals, borough days, guided walks, scenic trips, special events and programs, pre-holiday classes and workshops, and other family–fun activities.

The Arts Barn Fall Festival will take place from noon to 5 p.m. Sunday. There will be live music, fine art and craft vendors, artists and chain saw carving demos, tap dancing, raffles, cowboy poetry by a campfire, caricatures, stained glass mosaic activities, food and wine. There will also be a petting zoo, hoof and handprints with painting horse Foxy Lady, face painting, book signing and a frozen T-shirt contest for the kiddies. Admission and parking are free. The event will be held rain or shine. No pets please.

The Tamaqua Public Library is currently featuring two programs for children and young adults. Children’s Fall Storytime is held every Tuesday and Wednesday through Nov. 8. Children up to age 5 can learn about different occupations. The Young Adult Fall/Winter Program meets on the third Monday of each month. Call the library at 570-668-4660 for information on these or other programs.

The 29th annual Schuylkill Haven Borough Day is slated for Sept. 30, featuring more than 200 vendors, including food and crafts, music, walking entertainment and an interactive play for the whole family. The Reading Blue Mountain & Northern Railroad Co.’s Steam Engine 425 will run three scenic train excursions. Children can enjoy free games, activities, crafts, a mini train ride, jugglers and dancers.

The Schuylkill County Historical Society invites you to join them for Haunted History: A Walking Tour of Pottsville’s Historic District at 6 p.m. Sept. 30. During the one-mile walk, learn the history of county executions and the acts which led to them. Limited spots available. Meet at the gift shop. Purchase tickets by calling 570-622-7540.

Magician Lenny McHugh will perform at 10:30 a.m. Sept. 30 at the Pottsville Free Public Library. All ages welcome. Call 570-622-8880 to register. Suggested donation of $5 per family is greatly appreciated.

An Eastern Schuylkill Excursion Bus Bash will be held Oct. 28. Visit the beginning of the Schuylkill River. See where the first U.S. fish hatchery was located. Learn how Tamaqua came to have the nation’s third incandescent municipal lighting system. Learn about a survivor from Custer’s Last Stand and his burial in Tamaqua and other historic points of interest.

Meet at the Schuylkill County Ag Center and travel in a comfortable motorcoach with your tour guide “Porcupine Pat.” Lunch is on your own with a stop at Leiby’s Restaurant. Trip fee is $19 per person. Register early for this popular trip by calling 570-391-3316 or email Lorie Reichert at lreichert@co.schuylkill.pa.us.

For those who would like to participate in the upcoming Make A Difference Day next month, but don’t yet have any project ideas in mind, there are two ready-made projects available for “adoption,” that is, they were submitted to us by a non or not-for-profit that need help completing.

The grounds of the Avenues Mahanoy City Adult Training Facility are in need of some gentle updating. A picnic table could use some repairing, sanding and staining. A swing board also needs sanding. The air conditioning unit could also benefit from a safety fence around it. Additional yard fencing would also be appreciated. This work could be done at the volunteer’s convenience on a weekday or weekend. Materials are not provided.

Nurse-Family Partnership could use your help by organizing a Diaper Drive for their young first-time moms and babies. Your donation of diapers and wipes would be greatly welcomed and go a long way toward helping these young families in their goals of reaching their maximum potential.

If you or your group would like to help either of these agencies by “adopting” their project, call this office at 570-628-1426. We’ll provide you with the information you need and register your project for the week of Oct. 28.

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

POTTSVILLE — The Schuylkill County Prison exceeded its approved capacity for most of August.

The average inmate population at the prison was 278 for the month, according to Warden Gene Berdanier’s report Wednesday. The approved capacity for the facility is 277. It is the first time the facility has exceeded the 277 average since the state Department of Corrections issued a three-month ban on the prison accepting newly sentenced inmates in 2016.

The monthly census peaked at 302 in August. An average of 48 inmates were being housed at other facilities that month.

There were 271 inmates in the prison Wednesday with 37 being housed elsewhere, Berdanier said. There were nine at Berks County Prison, Leesport; four at Centre County Prison, Bellefonte; one at Columbia County Prison, Bloomsburg; eight at Lackawanna County Prison, Scranton; and 15 at Snyder County Prison, Selinsgrove.

It cost the county $53,087.04 for temporary housing in August.

The county also has an agreement to house inmates at George W. Hill Correctional Facility, Glen Mills.

“I know that it is the furthest away, but we have to be respectful of the limit in the jail and get people out accordingly,” commissioners and prison board Chairman George F. Halcovage Jr. said.

Berdanier said the Lackawanna County Prison and Snyder County Prison are the only two facilities contracted with the county with space for women inmates. Meanwhile, he said the Berks County Prison also has less space available due to staffing.

“Everyone is limited,” Berdanier said. “The more contracts we have available the better.”

Halcovage said the recent population increase is due to there being more court cases. He said the state DOC has not contacted the county regarding repercussions for exceeding the approved capacity at the prison in August.

The county approved an agreement with the state DOC on July 28, 2015, to bring its inmate population below its approved capacity of 277. The prison was given until Nov. 24, 2015, or risk not being allowed to house additional prisoners.

The facility had 302 inmates that day and the state DOC on May 4, 2016, ordered that the facility was no longer allowed to take any additional prisoners sentenced between six months to five years until further notice.

Following a three-month ban on accepting new inmates, the county entered into another agreement with the state DOC that allowed the prison to open its cells to newly sentenced criminals on the condition that they continue to submit biweekly reports on the inmate census and ensure that it did not house more than 277 inmates through June 30, 2017.

In July, the county received a letter from the state Department of Corrections relinquishing the prison’s obligation to submit biweekly population reports.

Meanwhile, the county has yet to come to an agreement with Crabtree, Rohrbaugh & Associates, Mechanicsburg, to update a study to determine sizing requirements for an intermediate punishment center. The board requested a proposal from the engineering firm in June.

Crabtree, Rohrbaugh & Associates performed a study in 2008 to address the growing prison population and outlined several options, which included the construction of an intermediate punishment facility they referred to as a “standalone sentenced inmate facility.”

In related matters, seven inmates were identified as candidates for the Vivitrol pilot program at the prison.

The state DOC awarded the county a $108,512 grant to start a program aimed at reducing relapse, recidivism and overdoses through counseling and providing Vivitrol, an injectable medication that reduces drug and alcohol cravings for about 30 days. Three inmates were given the injection in August, Frank Komykoski, vice president of operations for PrimeCare, said.

Courtney Fasnacht, executive director of the Northeast Pennsylvania Manufacturers and Employers Council, also provided the prison board with an overview of the recent pilot workshop program that was started in June at the prison. Based on the curriculum for the Your Employability Skills program the organization has been offering high school students since 2006, inmates were invited to attend two-hour workshops covering more than a dozen topics, such as communication, interview skills, financial literacy and generational diversity. Individual coaching opportunities and counseling sessions were also available to participants.

“We feel the feedback has been very positive,” Fasnacht said. “We have had great participation and overall it was a really positive experience.”

The pilot program will be wrapping up next week, she said. There were 27 participants in the program.

“I received nothing but positive feedback,” Berdanier said. “It’s obviously another piece of the puzzle we need to continue and enhance and hopefully branch out to the female population.”

Contact the writer: mgilgerjr@republicanherald.com; 570-628-6023

POTTSVILLE — Most Pottsville Area school board members had little to say at its monthly meeting Wednesday about the recent decision by the Pennsylvania Charter School Appeal Board to renew Gillingham’s charter.

Board members Scott Thomas and William Davidson spoke on the topic. Thomas said the meeting in Harrisburg was about five minutes long, something he would have missed had he been late.

“We presented a great case,” Davidson said.

During the meeting, Davidson asked school district solicitor Jeffrey Tucker about any stipulations the written decision may have.

“By and large, the decision should be what they voted on,” Tucker said.

He said he was not shocked with the decision by the CAB.

“They approved the program right from the beginning when we objected to it. They are very favorable to charter schools,” Tucker said.

Davidson admitted “there are some great charter schools and some are not.”

He said the academic scores were concerning at Gillingham Charter School. He added there are some parents who like what the school, the first and only charter school in Schuylkill County, provides.

Superintendent Jeffrey Zwiebel said he was “disappointed” in the outcome. The district will wait to see what action it will take, if any, after reviewing the written decision, he said.

In other matters, Desiree Ulicki, a parent of two children in the district, talked about what she sees as problems with the dress code. She has a 6-year-old student in first grade and a 15-year-old in 11th grade. She was informed the first-grade student wore inappropriate clothing to school. However, she claimed the clothing the child wore was the same as last year and it was met with no problems. She displayed four pairs of pants to the school board as examples. Her older child wore a hoodie to school and a teacher reported it. Her 15-year-old was then told he had detention. Ulicki said she understands the need for order during the school day, but she had six phone calls, one conference call and a letter about the matter with her younger child.

“The dress code has to be a little more lenient,” she said.

She said her children are well-behaved and there for an education.

“Can you please re-examine the dress code? Clothing is just an expression,” she said.

School board President John Boran thanked her and said the administration will follow up with her concerns.

Zwiebel said he did meet with Ulicki last week about her concerns and said the dress code has not been updated in years. He suggested to the board that it be re-examined after the holidays. A copy of the dress code is posted on the district website, www.pottsville.k12.pa.us. It was revised Aug. 19, 2015. Among other rules, the first line of the policy prohibits hooded sweatshirts or sweaters. The policy lists acceptable and unacceptable clothing and accessories. Disciplinary actions are also listed.

The board approved a shared business manager services agreement with the Schuylkill Intermediate Unit 29. Board member Karen Rismiller said no money is changing hands as a result of the cooperation between the districts, something Brian Manning, business manager, confirmed. The school board hired Manning, 31, of Pottsville, earlier this month for a five-year contract from Nov. 13, 2017, to Nov. 12, 2022. Currently, IU 29 has Manning filling the role of business manager for four days and PASD has his services for one day. Starting Nov. 13, the roles will flip for 60 days or less during the transition period when Manning is no longer working at IU 29.

Contact the writer: ; 570-628-6028

MINERSVILLE — The second of two men charged with a robbery and assault in Minersville on Sept. 14 was taken into custody Wednesday.

Jeremiah L. Brown, 22, whose last known address is 404 Laurel St., Minersville, was charged with felony offenses of aggravated assault, conspiracy to commit aggravated assault, robbery and conspiracy to commit robbery stemming from a 4 p.m. crime in the area of 90 Edgar Lewis St.

He is also charged with misdemeanor crimes of simple assault, conspiracy to commit simple assault, recklessly endangering another person and conspiracy to commit recklessly endangering another person, as well as a summary offense of harassment.

Brown was arraigned by Magisterial District Judge David A. Plachko, Port Carbon, and committed to Schuylkill County Prison unable to post $50,000 straight cash bail.

Already jailed for his role in the crime is Ryan P. Artz, 20, whose last known address was 544 Dowdentown Road, Pottsville.

Minersville police Patrolman Jeffrey Bowers charged Artz with offenses identical to Brown and said he was taken into custody on Sept. 15.

Artz was arraigned that day and committed to the county prison unable to post $50,000 straight cash bail.

Bowers said he was called to the area of the Minersville Recreation Complex for a report of an assault and spoke to a 20-year-old Schuylkill Haven man who identified himself as the victim.

The man said he was given a ride to Minersville by Ryan Fink and that there were three passengers in the car — Artz, Brown and a woman who was referred to as Brittany.

The victim said he was told the group had to drive to a wooded area near the recreation complex to meet a relative but, once in that secluded area, Brown dragged him from the vehicle and onto the ground where he began to assault him, Bowers said.

Bowers said the victim reported that Artz then began beating him in the head and torso and also kicked him in the face several times.

Both Artz and Brown then grabbed the victim’s bag containing clothing and a telephone charger and fled in the car the group arrived in, Bowers said.

He said the victim suffered injuries to his head, face, torso and leg and was taken to a Pottsville hospital for treatment by Minersville EMS.

Contact the writer: fandruscavage@republicanherald.com; 570-628-6013

HECKSCHERVILLE — Two people were flown to trauma centers for treatment of injuries they suffered in a head-on crash about 5:50 p.m. Wednesday in Cass Township.

Cass Township police Patrolman Gerard Daley said the crash occurred at Valley and Breaker roads.

Daley identified the drivers as Grace M. Karrer, 70, of 312 N. Second St., Saint Clair, and Mary C. Sokoloski, 74, of 604 McKnight St., Box 239, Gordon.

Daley said the crash occurred as Karrer was driving a 2005 Saturn van on Breaker Road at a high rate of speed and at the intersection went into the oncoming merge lane, eventually entering Valley Road where she struck the 2013 Honda Accord that was being driven north by Sokoloski.

After being hit, Daley said, the Sokoloski car became airborne, traveled across Valley Road and struck a high curb where it came to rest.

Both women were extricated from their vehicles and then transported by EMS units from Frackville and Minersville to air medical helicopters that landed in two separate locations.

Daley said that both Breaker and Valley roads near the crash were closed while the investigation was completed and that due to the amount of fluids on the highway, the state Department of Transportation was contacted to assist.

As a result of the crash, Daley said, Karrer will be cited for careless driving and not driving on roadways laned for traffic.

Contact the writer: fandruscavage@republicanherald.com; 570-628-6013

MINERSVILLE — A borough man was jailed after being arrested by Minersville police on Tuesday on drug charges.

Patrolman Jeffrey Bowers charged Isaiah A. Thompson, 19, of 51 Westwood St., stemming from a 2:15 p.m. incident at his home.

Thompson was arraigned on charges of one felony count of possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance and one misdemeanor count each of possession of a controlled substance and possession of drug paraphernalia.

He was arraigned by Magisterial District Judge David A. Plachko, Port Carbon, and committed to Schuylkill County Prison unable to post 10 percent of $25,000 bail.

Bowers said that as the result into an ongoing investigation into the sale of marijuana by Thompson, a search warrant was obtained and executed at his home by officers from Minersville and Port Carbon.

During the search of the home, Bowers said officers discovered a quantity of a green leafy substance that tested positive for marijuana in the man’s bedroom.

Also found was a gravity scale, a quantity of glassine baggies, $144 in cash, two glass bongs, a marijuana grinder, a glass smoking device, two large vacuum sealed bags containing marijuana residue and a handwritten ledger sheet showing customers names and amounts.

Bowers said Thompson was taken into custody and will now have to appear for a preliminary hearing before Plachko in his Port Carbon courtroom.

Contact the writer: fandruscavage@republicanherald.com; 570-628-6013

SCHUYLKILL HAVEN — Six people are homeless after flames tore through two houses in the borough early Thursday morning.

Firefighters were called to 15 E. Liberty St. about 4 a.m. and found the outside of the home engulfed in flames.

Schuylkill Haven Fire Chief Mike Donatti said the fire started on a side porch of the home and quickly spread to the inside.

Flames then began to spread to an attached home at 17 E. Liberty St., the chief said.

“We had a lot of fire on the side and to the rear of the (15 E. Liberty St.) home when he got here,” Donatti said.

Four people living in the 15 E. Liberty St. home, three adults and a child, along with two adults living in the 17 E. Liberty St. home were all able to escape safely, Donatti said.

Assistant Fire Chief James Reed identified the occupants as:

15 E. Liberty St., David Mullins, 32; John Mullins, 28; Teeanna Baer, 28; and Zoe Baer, a juvenile.

17 E. Liberty St., Pete and Linda Shellong.

The cause of the fire, according to Reed, was accidental.

He said the blaze originated on the back porch of the home at 15 E. Liberty St. and spread from there. Reed did not specifically say what sparked the fire, only that it was accidental.

Donatti said crews worked for about an hour to bring the fire under control but not before it caused extensive fire damage to the 15 E. Liberty St. side and water, smoke and some fire damage to the 17 E. Liberty St. home.

The chief said two firefighters were injured battling the fire, one with a knee injury and the other with a back injury. Neither injury was serious, he said.

All Schuylkill Haven fire companies responded to the initial call along with the Pottsville Fire Department Rapid Intervention Team.

Due to the heavy amount of fire, Donatti said he called for a second alarm bringing volunteers from Orwigsburg, Landingville, Cressona and Deer Lake to the scene along with the Tamaqua Fire Department Rapid Intervention Team.

As daylight broke Thursday, borough fire officials began working with state police fire marshal Trooper John F. Burns from the Frackville station and Schuylkill Haven police to find out how the fire started.

In addition to the two properties damaged by fire, Donatti said a home at 13 E. Liberty St. had vinyl siding melted from the intense heat.

Contact the writer: fandruscavage@republicanherald.com; 570-628-6013

FRACKVILLE — A Herndon man was jailed Wednesday after being charged by Frackville police with sending sexually explicit messages to a borough woman over the internet.

Randy A. Ramer, 44, of 1252 Raupstal Road, was arrested by Frackville Police Chief Richard Bell and charged with two misdemeanor counts of harassment and one misdemeanor count each of obscene and sexual materials and disorderly conduct.

Ramer was arraigned by Magisterial District Judge Christina E. Hale, Frackville, and committed to Schuylkill County Prison in lieu of $5,000 bail.

Bell charged Ramer regarding an incident about 11:35 p.m. Sunday involving a 20-year-old Frackville woman.

The chief said he learned of the incident about 10 a.m. Monday when he was advised a message was sent to the woman.

Bell said the victim showed him a message she received from Ramer on Facebook Messenger late Sunday night but also said she did not see the message until she awoke Monday morning.

After the woman told him that she does not know Randy Ramer, Bell said he viewed the video that clearly shows a man performing a lewd act.

The chief said the woman was visibly upset and would not stand close enough to see or hear the video while he was making a copy of it.

On Tuesday, Bell said, he again spoke to the woman who reported receiving additional messages from Ramer via Facebook Messenger.

Among the messages sent were “Hi sweetheart,” “Hi sweetheart how are you,” “I love you,” and “Are you awake for me honey?”

The messages also included pictures of a teddy bear and an emoji with heart eyes and a tongue sticking out, Bell said.

Ramer was picked up Wednesday morning at his home by Bell and brought to court in handcuffs.

During his arraignment, Ramer told Hale that people should not believe the internet.

“Facebook is a toy, it’s baby stuff,” he said.

Ramer will now have to answer to a preliminary hearing to be scheduled at a later date.

Contact the writer: fandruscavage@republicanherald.com; 570-628-6013

The McCann School of Business & Technology stopped accepting new students in Hazle and Wilkes-Barre townships in preparation to close those campuses, a year after the federal government quit recognizing the school’s accreditor.

McCann has turned away new students from its campus in Dickson City in Lackawanna County since the end of last year.

A decision by the U.S. Department of Education in December 2016 to no longer recognize the Accrediting Council for Independent Colleges and Schools had financial implications for McCann and other schools that the council accredited.

The federal government won’t provide financial aid to students at unaccredited schools and colleges.

While the council had been the nation’s largest accrediting body, the Corinthian Colleges that it accredited went bankrupt in 2015, and the federal government had to write off loans to thousands of students. Another for-profit school that the council accredited, ITT Technical Institute, filed for bankruptcy last year.

In addition to withdrawing recognition from the council, the Department of Education had been tightening scrutiny of for-profit schools and colleges. The department examined whether schools provided the training and job placements that they advertised and looked at rates at which student defaulted on loans.

In fiscal 2013, the most recent year listed on the department’s official cohort default rate search, 14.5 percent of McCann’s students defaulted on loans. Out of McCann’s 9,493 students, there were 665 students in default and 4,560 students repaying loans.

The department’s website put McCann’s default rate at 19.4 percent in 2012 and 21.8 percent in 2011 and listed McCann’s location as Pottsville, one of the places where the school has a campus.

McCann continues to take new students at campuses in Pottsville, Allentown and Lewisburg, Union County, the school’s website said.

In Carlisle, Cumberland County, the website said students can earn commercial driver’s licenses. The school also has an online program.

While McCann stopped accepting new students in Hazle and Wilkes-Barre townships on Aug. 31, a statement from the school’s spokesman Chuck Vella said students already enrolled can finish their coursework at those campuses.

“We will also assist students in transferring to other schools if they choose to continue their education and training elsewhere,” Vella said in the statement.

McCann began in Mahanoy City in 1897.

Louis McCann, the founder, and his two sons ran the school until 1956.

Campuses opened in Pottsville in 1995 and in Sunbury in 1998. A Scranton campus opened in 2003 and moved to Dickson City in 2008.

In 2005, the Mahanoy City campus moved to the Hazleton area and is at 370 Maplewood Drive, Hazle Township within the Humboldt Industrial Park owned by CAN DO.

CAN DO Executive Director Kevin O’Donnell said McCann rents its Hazleton area campus from a private investor.

The Humboldt Industrial Park Association is scheduled to meet at McCann’s campus in two weeks, O’Donnell said.

McCann has not said when the campuses in Hazle and Wilkes-Barre townships will close.

Closing dates could depend on the length of programs and whether students opt to transfer.

Course catalogs on McCann’s website said the federal government is requiring McCann and all other schools accredited by the council to become accredited by another recognized agency by June 12, 2018.

“We are actively pursuing alternative accreditation,” the catalog said.

Contact the writer: kjackson@standardspeaker.com; 570-501-3587

Ashland

An MS fundraiser is set for 3 to 6 p.m. Oct. 21 at the Mineshaft Cafe, 1120 Centre St. It is “for persons with and without MS,” according to a release. The event will include appetizers, baked goods and candy and networking with peers, hosted by Deborah Downey, MS self-help group leader. Those planning to attend must RSVP by Oct. 3 to debdowney01@gmail.com. For more information, call 570-985-4431.

Hazleton

The Hazleton Concert Series will hold its first concert of the season at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday at Hazleton Area High School, 1601 W. 23rd St., featuring the River City Brass. The series has subscribers in Schuylkill County. For more information, call 570-788-4864 or 570-436-6615 or go online to www.hazletonconcertseries.org.

Pottsville

The Pottsville Salvation Army, 400 Sanderson St., will accept holiday applications from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Oct. 10, 11 and 12 for Thanksgiving and Christmas. For more information, call 570-622-5252.

Pottsville

The lunch-and-learn series at Luther Ridge at Seiders Hill from noon to 1 p.m. Oct. 11 will focus on breast cancer for Cancer Awareness Month. Detection, risk factors and local services will be in the mix. Speakers will include Dr. Marylou Rainone, Geisinger Surgery; Maria Eisenhart, director of imaging at Lehigh Valley Health Network; and Laura Fulmer, mammography supervisor at LVHN.

Shenandoah

The annual Father Walter J. Ciszek Day will be marked on Oct. 15 with a 2 p.m. Divine Liturgy in the St. Casimir Church, 229 N. Jardin St., a sacred worship site of Divine Mercy Roman Catholic Parish. The late Ciszek, a native of Shenandoah and a son of St. Casimir Church, is a candidate for sainthood. In 1941, he was arrested for alleged espionage for the Vatican, imprisoned and then detained in the former Soviet Union for more than 20 years, during which he prayed, celebrated Divine Liturgy, heard confessions and otherwise administered to the faithful despite risk to his own safety. He was finally released in 1963 in exchange for two Russian spies. He returned home to a widely heralded Mass of Thanksgiving in St. Casimir Church and then worked at the John XXIII Center at Fordham University in New York. He died on Dec. 8, 1984, the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception, and is buried at the Jesuit Novitiate, Wernersville. The main celebrant for the Oct. 15 service will be Monsignor Ronald C. Bocian, Divine Mercy pastor, and the homilist will be Jesuit Father Brian Van Hove, according to The A.D. Times, the newspaper of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Allentown. Van Hove, as a young Jesuit at Fordham in the 1970s, knew Ciszek. A social in St. Casimir Hall will follow the liturgy. The new Father Walter J. Ciszek Prayer League Center at 218 W. Cherry St. will be open to visitors from noon to 1:30 p.m. Oct. 15. Ciszek’s cause for canonization began in the Ruthenian Byzantine Catholic Eparchy of Passiac and was later transferred to the Diocese of Allentown. For more on the prayer league, go online to fwccenter@chszek.org; www.ciszek.org; or www.Facebook.com/FatherWalterCiszek.

Tamaqua

The Black Diamond Writers Network will meet from 10 a.m. to noon Oct 21 at the Tamaqua Public Library, 30 S. Railroad St. The session is free and open to the public. The focus will be on the many ways there are to market books or stories, learning how to create an author bio and promotional tools. The speaker will be Stephen Goodale, author of Tom Kelt science advanture stories and other stories. For more information, call Anna Getz at 570-645-2717 or the library at 570-668-4660.

Tower City

A Chinese auction will be held at Williams Valley High School from noon to 6 p.m. Oct. 15 to fund scholarships for graduating seniors. Tickets are $2 each. Lunch will be available for purchase and parking will be available. The $2 admission includes one sheet of tickets. Additional tickets will be on sale. All are welcome. For more information, call 717-647-2167, Ext. 1210.

POTTSVILLE — A lot has changed since the Pottsville Free Public Library was named a federal depository library 50 years ago. However, the role of the library in the community remains the same, according to Kathleen Hale, regional government documents librarian for the State Library of Pennsylvania.

“Not everything is electronic,” Hale said Thursday. “The misconception of the public that everything is available through the internet is not a reality. Many thousands of volumes, including those here in Pottsville, the state library and libraries throughout the county, provide information to historians, researchers, students and the public.”

The Pottsville Free Public Library celebrated its 50th anniversary of its official designation as a federal depository library with a breakfast event Thursday.

“I would just like to thank everyone from the bottom of my heart, especially my staff at the library,” Jean Towle, director of the Pottsville Free Public Library, said. “How many times do you get to celebrate 50 years of something? I am very proud that we can do that.”

The library first opened its doors in the city on Nov. 9, 1911, in a three-story building at 208 W. Market St., Pottsville. By 1914, the book collection had tripled and the library moved to a larger space at its current location on Third and West Market streets, according to information provided by the library.

The Pottsville Free Public Library has served as the district center a cooperative network of 16 independent libraries in Schuylkill and Northumberland counties since 1962. It was designated a federal depository library on Sept. 28, 1967, under Jayne Hess, library director.

The Federal Depository Library Program is a government program created to make federal government publications available to the public at no cost. There are about 1,150 federal depository libraries in the United States and its territories, according to the Government Publishing Office at www.gpo.gov.

Pam Hobbs served as the first government documents assistant to process and work with the publications. Becki White has held the position since 1995.

“What is the future of the federal depository program in the United States?” Hale asked. “It is the dedicated libraries, like the Pottsville Free Public Library and librarians like Becki White and the other librarians who provide a great service here to patrons looking for government information. It is especially through the citizens of Pottsville supporting the library so another group of people can celebrate here at its 100th anniversary.”

Hale presented the library with a plaque commemorating the anniversary and a letter from the Government Publishing Office. Christine Verdier, chief of staff for state Sen. Dave Argall, Edward Kleha, legislative assistant for state Rep. Neal P. Goodman, D-123, Mahanoy City, Schuylkill County Commissioners George F. Halcovage Jr. and Gary J. Hess, and City Councilman Mark Atkinson also recognized the library for its role in the community over the past 50 years.

“I’m personally invested in the collection here, not just because the state provides funding for the Pottsville Free Public Library, but because in 1980, I walked through those side doors with my first full-time job,” Jonelle Darr, executive assistant to the commissioner for libraries, said.

Darr previously served as the reference librarian at the Pottsville Free Public Library. Before speaking, Darr said she found a government publication on the shelf that sums up the importance of the federal depository program. That book was the Civics and Citizenship Toolkit.

“There are documents like this and librarians that can help connect people to resources like this,” Darr said. “This is where people can come and use documents like this to figure out how to become a citizen. These documents are important, libraries are important and this library is important.”

Contact the writer: mgilgerjr@republicanherald.com; 570-628-6023

Deeds

Ashland — Joseph G. Groody, sheriff of Schuylkill County, to Federal National Mortgage Association; 933 Brock St.; $1,050.62.

Maryann Mertell and Jamie L. Tregea to A&W Home Rentals; 1437 Walnut St.; $2,000.

Branch Township — Joseph G. Groody, sheriff of Schuylkill County, to Wells Fargo Bank NA; 2146 Main St., Phoenix Park; $1,295.97.

Butler Township — William S. and Sherry D. Vickery to Jessica Bainbridge; 691 Fountain St., Fountain Springs; $106,000.

Cressona — Kenneth W. Krammes to Caitlin L. Herring; 78 Schuylkill St.; $118,500.

HEGINS — Josiah Viera officially became a teenager this year.

The bittersweet, milestone birthday marked many firsts for the Hegins young man, who’s celebrating his own clothing line, a new book and navigating his first year of high school at Tri-Valley on a new set of wheels.

“It says, ‘Never Give Up,’ ” Josiah said of the message emblazoned on his clothing. It seems to be the motto by which the teen baseball fan lives.

Being 13 and having Hutchinson-Gilford Progeria Syndrome, also known as early aging disease, Josiah is keenly aware of the passing of time. Complications from the rare, fatal, genetic disorder can include hardening of the arteries, strokes, heart attacks, joint abnormalities and early death.

Shirts

The idea for the clothing line came about through Jake Gronsky, a former Peoria Chiefs baseball player in the St. Louis Cardinals’ organization and family friend.

Gronsky and the Threading Love company in Lewisburg asked if Josiah would be interested in developing T-shirts. The shirts Josiah designed have a baseball diamond outline on the front, with the words, “Never Give Up” in the center, and have his signature. Never Give Up bracelets are also offered. Josiah attended a 5K walk in Lewisburg this year to launch the line, available at www.threadinglove.com. Money from clothing sales goes toward Josiah’s medical and baseball travel expenses.

‘A Short Season’

Meanwhile, the book, called “A Short Season,” is undergoing its final edit.

“It talks about our faith, our family and how Josiah’s love of baseball brought everyone together,” his mother, Jennifer Viera, said. Everyone in the family contributed a little bit to the book, which is being co-authored by Josiah’s grandfather, Dave Bohner, and Gronsky. Josiah’s family also includes his grandmother, Deb Bohner; sister, Daisha, 14; and his mother’s partner, Liz Pysher.

The book, published by Sunbury Press, include some photos, Jennifer Viera said. It’s hoped to be available in major bookstores for a December release.

Sports honors

ESPN is slated to air its second TV program on Josiah on Oct. 17, according to his grandfather. The first program, produced by Ben Houser, aired on the network’s show, E:60, in 2010.

Josiah has a new baseball trading card and is featured in the 2017 baseball card team pack with the State College Spikes. It’s the second card featuring him and shows Josiah at bat. Details include his stats — that he bats with both hands, throws left and joined the Spikes in 2013 as its honorary bench coach. The card highlights how Josiah has been a “constant inspiration” to the team, including its New York-Penn League Championship runs in 2014 and 2016. Initially, Josiah was introduced to the Spikes in 2013 during an outing organized by the Children’s Miracle Network. His loyalty to the team has remained. The Spikes are a Class A short-season affiliate of the St. Louis Cardinals.

Josiah received the Harry Mitauer Award for Good Guy of the Year from the St. Louis Baseball Writers’ Association of America. The award is presented to an “unsung hero of the baseball community.” Josiah shared the honors Jan. 18, 2015, with fellow recipient Oliver Marmol, who had served as former field manager of the State College Spikes.

Although the Cardinals and Spikes are his favorites, Josiah also enjoys watching football and rooting for Penn State. Josiah met Penn State Football coach James Franklin last year. He also hitched a ride into Penn State’s Beaver Stadium atop Franklin’s shoulders in the Nittany Lions’s game this year against Pitt.

A video of Josiah doing a victory dance in the locker room can be seen on the Lions’ football website. This year, he began taking hip hop and musical theater dance lessons from Karen Gronsky School of Dance in Danville, where his sister used to study. He may also become a bench coach for the high school baseball team this year, according to his mother.

New school

Moving from Hegins-Hubley Elementary to being a seventh-grader at Tri-Valley High School has been a transition Josiah welcomed.

“I like everything about it,” Josiah said while greeting visitors Friday at school on his Permobile scooter he received this year.

The high-tech scooter allows Josiah to maneuver the hallways, classrooms and cafeteria. The seat lowers to the floor level, allowing 3-foot tall Josiah to enter and exit the scooter on his own.

“You can make it go up and down, and can park it,” he said. The Permobile enables Josiah to reach an accessible level for working at lab tables and desks. He was able to choose the scooter color, adamantly noting it was “St. Louis Cardinals red,” not necessarily Tri-Valley Bulldog red.

Josiah said he likes moving from class to class and having different teachers in junior high. Robert McDonald, who teaches social studies, and Wayne Klinger, who teaches physical education, are among his favorites.

“He’s funny. He has two ways to teach. One way, is that he’s strict, but the other way is that he wants you to enjoy his class,” Josiah said of McDonald. He’s glad he has McDonald in the last period of the day.

“I like ending the day on a high note,” he said.

Contact the writer: ; 570-628-6007

ORWIGSBURG — State police at Schuylkill Haven are investigating a break-in at a borough business that occurred early Thursday morning.

Police said a man broke into Shakey’s Gun Shop, 202 E. Market St., shortly after 2 a.m.

It was not known if any items were stolen and an inventory is being taken of merchandise inside the gun shop that was closed Thursday due to the crime.

Orwigsburg police are assisting in the investigation.

Police are asking for the public’s help in identifying the man shown on the surveillance video.

Anyone who may know or recognize the man is asked to call state police at Schuylkill Haven at 570-754-4600 or Orwigsburg police at 570-366-3101.

All information will remain confidential.