McAdoo

McAdoo Fire Company Inc. will again host a fire prevention event at Boyer’s Food Market from noon to 2 p.m. Saturday. Everyone is invited to talk with first responders, tour the fire safety house courtesy of the Burn Foundation, meet Smokey Bear, and check out trucks and a police car.

New Ringgold

Friedens Lutheran Church, 525 Church St., will sponsor an Apple Fest from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Oct. 21 featuring a variety of baked goods including apple dumplings and pies, homemade soups, pork barbecue, turkey barbecue, halupkis, hot dogs, hot apple sundaes and other fare. People may eat at the church or take items out. There will also be an apple dessert baking contest, raffle of homemade items, a theme basket raffle, hourly prize drawings and attic treasures. All are welcome. For more information, call 570-640-5726.

Schuylkill Haven

For members of American Legion Post 38, based at 229 Parkway Rear, payment of 2018 dues is expected now, according to a release. For more information, call 570-385-5013.

Schuylkill Haven

Penn State alumni representing four northeast regional campuses will offer “A Night of Penn State Jazz” on Oct. 26 at the F.M. Kirby Center, Wilkes-Barre. A pre-event mixer is planned for 6:30 p.m. when the doors open; the concert, featuring Penn State’s Centre Dimensions jazz ensemble, will begin at 7:30 p.m. The 20-piece jazz ensemble tours throughout Pennsylvania and the East, conducted by Marko Marcinko, the renowned Penn State School of Music director of jazz studies. The event will also feature a local musician, Jacob Shoener, a 2015 graduate of Pottsville Area High School, currently a junior music education major at Penn State, University Park, on trumpet. Reserved seating tickets are available for $15 per person and $10 for students. Tickets can be purchased online at www.kirbycenter.org, at the F.M Kirby Box Office or by phone at 570-826-1100. The event is being sponsored by the alumni groups at Penn State Hazleton, Schuylkill, Wilkes-Barre and Worthington Scranton campuses as well as by the Penn State Alumni Association and Arts at Hayfield.

Shenandoah

The October meeting of the Greater Shenandoah Area Chamber of Commerce is scheduled for 8 a.m. Oct. 18 at the Shenandoah Senior Living Community, East Washington Street. According to Secretary Betty Ann Bugden, the session will include election of officers. Members are asked to RSVP to Bugden at hairlady@ptd.net if they will attend or call her at 570-462-0811.

Shenandoah

The annual Father Walter J. Ciszek Day will be marked Sunday with a 2 p.m. Divine Liturgy in St. Casimir Church, 229 N. Jardin St., 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 Dec. 8, 1984, the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception, and is buried at the Jesuit Novitiate, Wernersville, Berks County. The main celebrant for the Sunday 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. Sunday. 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@ciszek.org; www.ciszek.org; or www.Facebook.com/FatherWalterCiszek.

Deeds

Coaldale — Federal National Mortgage Association to Gray J. Cisco; 33 W. Lehigh St.; $13,500.

Robert M. Rausch, executor of the Estate of Sylvia E. Lucas, to Theodore and Barbara Ann Devitto; 124 First St.; $40,000.

POTTSVILLE — After changing his mind twice, a combative Ernest A. Rosemond is headed to state prison after a Schuylkill County judge sentenced him on Wednesday for assaulting three women in Pottsville in less than a year.

Rosemond, 39, of Pottsville, must spend 2 1/2 to five years in a state correctional institution, plus an additional six years on probation, Judge John E. Domalakes ruled.

In addition, Domalakes decided Rosemond is a sexually violent predator and, therefore, subject to Megan’s Law sanctions for the rest of his life. He made that decision in accordance with the recommendation of Joseph B. Sheris, a Pottsville psychologist and member of the state Sexual Offenders Assessment Board.

“He used domineering behavior to install fear” in his victims, Sheris said of Rosemond. “The victims were forced to comply.”

Rosemond pleaded no contest on June 1 to three counts each of indecent assault and simple assault. Prosecutors withdrew three counts each of rape, involuntary deviate sexual intercourse and sexual assault.

Pottsville police charged Rosemond with committing the assaults on July 4, 2015, Oct. 5, 2015, and Feb. 29, 2016, in the city. The women Rosemond assaulted were 49, 50 and 32 years old, respectively, according to police.

By pleading no contest, Rosemond did not admit committing any of the crimes, but offered no defense to them, acknowledged prosecutors had sufficient evidence to prove him guilty beyond a reasonable doubt and agreed to be sentenced as if he had pleaded or been found guilty.

Assistant Public Defender Andrea L. Thompson, Rosemond’s lawyer, initially told Domalakes that her client wanted to withdraw his plea. Rosemond concurred, saying he did not like Thompson’s representation of him.

Domalakes allowed him to do so, although he did not like it, and Deputy Assistant District Attorney Jennifer N. Foose objected.

“It suggests to me that he’s gaming the system,” the judge said.

However, when Domalakes said prosecutors would have the ability to postpone his case for several months, Rosemond changed his mind again and agreed to go forward with both his plea and the predator hearing.

Sheris said his interview with Rosemond made him certain he is a predator.

“He essentially was denying the offenses,” Sheris testified. “He denied any violence.”

“Did he downplay his criminal history to you?” Foose asked Sheris.

“Oh, yes,” Sheris replied, noting that Rosemond’s criminal record dates back to 1996 and includes eight imprisonments. “His prior criminal record is quite extensive.”

The Megan’s Law sanctions to which Rosemond will be subject require him to provide his name, address, employment, any schools he might attend, registration of any vehicles he owns and other information to the Pennsylvania State Police for the rest of his life after he leaves prison. Any violation of the sanctions would be an additional crime and subject Rosemond to further prosecution.

Megan’s Law was enacted in Pennsylvania, numerous other states and at the federal level after the July 29, 1994, murder of Megan Nicole Kanka, 7, in Hamilton Township, New Jersey. Jesse Timmendequas, Kanka’s killer, was one of her neighbors and a twice-convicted sex offender; his death sentence was commuted to life imprisonment after New Jersey enacted legislation to abolish the death penalty in that state.

Foose and Thompson each declined to comment on the case after Wednesday’s hearing.

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

The defendant

· Name: Ernest A. Rosemond

· Age: 39

· Residence: Pottsville

· Plea: No contest plea to three counts each of indecent assault and simple assault

· Prison sentence: 2 1/2 to five years in a state correctional institution and an additional six years on probation, plus lifetime Megan’s Law sanctions

ORWIGSBURG — The Schuylkill County commissioners took questions from local business leaders Wednesday at the State of the County luncheon hosted by the Schuylkill Chamber of Commerce at the Schuylkill Country Club.

Robert S. Carl Jr., president and CEO of the Schuylkill Chamber of Commerce, opened the forum with the commissioners by asking them about the impact the $5 fee added to vehicle registration will have on the infrastructure in the county. In September, the commissioners adopted an ordinance that imposes a $5 fee on vehicle registrations starting Jan. 1.

Gov. Tom Corbett gave counties in Pennsylvania the option of adopting the $5 fee in his 2013 transportation plan, also known as Act 89. The fee will be collected through the state Department of Transportation when someone registers their vehicle and then remitted in full back to the county to spend on construction, replacement, maintenance, and repair of public roads and bridges.

The additional $5 on each vehicle registered in the county will more than double the amount of money spent annually by the county to maintain bridges and roads. The county currently receives about $600,000 from the state’s annual liquid fuels fund allocation, which comes from taxes collected at gas pumps. The new fee will generate another $750,000 annually for the liquid fuels fund.

“This was a decision we did not take lightly,” commissioners Chairman George F. Halcovage Jr. said.

The county owns 62 bridges and the average cost to replace each one is just under $1 million, he said. Halcovage said the additional fee for drivers is “a more equitable” way of sharing costs rather than putting it solely on the backs of property owners.

“They don’t all need to be replaced right now, but they need care,” Commissioner Frank J. Staudenmeier said. “We all use them everyday and safety is a priority.”

The commissioners also addressed another possible fee to pay for more demolition of blighted properties in the county. Last year, the state passed legislation allowing counties to charge up to $15 for recording deeds and mortgages and use that funding for demolition projects targeting blight in the county.

Although the Schuylkill County commissioners have yet to implement the fee, all three said it is something they have to consider.

Commissioner Gary J. Hess said it will provide another revenue source for the county to invest in the county and increase property value.

“I feel that the $15 fee is an investment in the future,” Hess said.

“Do I think we need to enact this fee? Without question,” Staudenmeier said.

Earlier this year, the county received a $1.4 million grant from the state Department of Community and Economic Development for demolition projects. The three commissioners agreed there is more than $1.4 million worth of demolition that needs to be completed in the county.

“Prior to that, the only money we had for demolition was through the Community Development Block Grant program and that was a minimal amount of fed money,” Staudenmeier said. “That $1.4 million won’t last forever and this new fee will bring in about $200,000 annually for demolition to tear down old properties that are fire hazards. To me, it is a no-brainer.”

Asked about the possibility of another countywide reassessment, the board said it would not be worth the cost. The last countywide property tax assessment was done in 1996.

“It is a difficult situation,” Hess said. “It does cost a lot of money. Some people are going to be paying more, some are going to be paying less, but it levels out for the county.”

Staudenmeier said it would cost about $7 million for a countywide assessment.

“The assumption is the county will increase their revenue streams and that is not the case,” Staudenmeier said. “Revenue for us will stay the same. I’m against it because of the cost. I think we need to look at other alternatives and continue to talk to our legislative delegation. We have been talking about doing away with property taxes for a long time and I think now is the time we look at some alternatives.”

Halcovage also said that the county assessment appeal board can review individual situations of residents not satisfied with the current assessment of their property.

“That opportunity is there,” he said.

The commissioners also addressed the overcrowding at the county prison and the ongoing process of establishing an intermediate punishment center.

Earlier this month, the board approved a $38,400 contract with Crabtree, Rohrbaugh & Associates, Mechanicsburg, to update their needs assessment and feasibility study that was done when the county previously considered the option in 2008. 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.”

Plans for such a facility were scrapped in 2011 when the bids averaged $4.2 million, about $1 million more than budgeted.

Meanwhile, the inmate population at the prison exceeded its approved capacity for most of August.

There was an average of 278 inmates at the prison that month while the approved capacity for the facility is 277. It was 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 population peaked at the prison at 302 in August and an average of 48 inmates were being housed at other facilities that month. It cost the county $53,087.04 to house inmates at other facilities in August.

“We just don’t want a quick fix,” Hess said. “This facility, I believe, will take care of overcrowding and hopefully provide assistance to people. I think in the long run, it is our best bet. We have now studied it twice and we await what Crabtree, Rohrbaugh & Associates says on this. We are looking for the best bang for our dollar.”

Halcovage also said that the county has implemented several programs over the past year designed to cut down on recidivism.

Staudenmeier said he has always taken the position that the county needed to exhaust all other options before spending millions on a new facility.

“Now is the time to do something and get into bricks and mortar to address the problem,” he said.

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

SCRANTON — Federal funding for the Children’s Health Insurance Program in Pennsylvania could dry up as soon as January if Congress does not reauthorize spending for it.

Lawmakers missed the Sept. 30 deadline to fund the program, better known as CHIP, for children in families who earn too much to qualify for Medicaid, but not enough to afford insurance.

CHIP has widespread bipartisan support, and this funding step is routine enough that lawmakers could handle it in an afternoon, U.S. Sen. Bob Casey, D-Pa., said at a roundtable talk Wednesday at Moses Taylor Hospital, Scranton.

Failing to approve funding could cut insurance coverage for more than 1,900 children in Schuylkill County and nearly 177,000 statewide, officials said.

Casey discussed the implications with Teresa Miller, acting secretary of the state Department of Health and Human Services, hospital officials and two CHIP customers.

An insurance access advocate, state CHIP officials and state Rep. Eddie Day Pashinski, D-Wilkes-Barre, also joined the discussion.

“If we have to ultimately wind down this program — which I can’t even wrap my head around how devastating that would be for families — but if we had to do that, we have to start taking action now,” Miller said.

Her department would need to begin dismantling the program and notify families long before it actually ends, she said.

“We need Congress to act on this now,” she said. “We don’t want families to continue to wonder whether this program is going to continue.”

Kris Morgan, a single mother from Blakely, Lackawanna County, once ended her own doctor visits to save money for her two sons’ health care.

Now that they have their own insurance through CHIP, she takes better care of herself, she said, but the missed funding deadline has her concerned.

“We make the sacrifices for our kids,” she said. “If they go back on my insurance, then I start making the cuts.”

Before the Affordable Care Act, Scott Cannon and his wife, both independent business owners from Plymouth, Luzerene County, spent more on health insurance premiums than on their mortgage each month.

Now, he said, he buys health insurance for him and his wife through the online insurance marketplace, and their 10-year-old daughter has a CHIP plan with a small premium.

“The whole system is making insurance more manageable and affordable,” he said, adding that it’s still not perfect. “The deductibles are going up every year, and some of the benefits are going down, but it’s something that we can afford.”

Casey’s father, the late Gov. Robert P. Casey, in 1992 signed into law what would become a model for the national children’s health insurance program, State Children’s Health Insurance Program, SCHIP.

He is urging Pennsylvanians to implore their representatives to fund CHIP by next week.

Contact the writer: joconnell@timesshamrock.com; 570-348-9131

SCHUYLKILL HAVEN — Four individuals were honored Wednesday at the Penn State Schuylkill Alumni Awards Dinner.

The Penn State Schuylkill Alumni Awards Committee selected Robert S. Carl Jr., Joshua S. Moyer, Jonathan A. Kukta and Richard L. Spontak as winners.

The event was held at the Health and Wellness Building at Penn State Schuylkill. About 80 people attended, Those attending included all of the alumni board of Penn State Schuylkill, the advisory board at the campus, those being honored and their invited guests. This is the 20th year for the event.

“Where else would you want to be other than in a room full of Penn Staters?” Paul Clifford, CEO of Penn State Alumni Association, asked the crowd.

Darcy Medica, interim chancellor at Penn State Schuylkill, was the first of several speakers and talked about the quality education that Penn State Schuylkill provides. Throughout the evening, the winners of the awards spoke about what the award means to them and how they are trying to make the county better or the valuable lessons learned while at Penn State Schuylkill.

Each of the award recipients had to be nominated for the honor. Carl received the Pride and Spirit Award. Medica talked about the award, which is open to graduates and friends of the university, excluding current members of the alumni society board. The award is “intended to honor an individual for their significant contributions in the area of public service, and who share or volunteer their talent, time and resources on behalf of the university. This award is only given when the Alumni Society wishes to honor an exceptional person,” Medica said.

The award was first given out at Penn State Schuylkill in 2015 to Patty Shoener, director of alumni relations at Penn State Schuylkill. Carl said that he was “humbled” to receive the honor. Among his many roles and affiliations, Carl, 62, is perhaps best known as the president and CEO of the Schuylkill Chamber of Commerce. He said he could not be where he is without his parents, and also credited those at the chamber, Penn State Schuylkill and others.

“I love Schuylkill County,” Carl said.

Joshua Moyer, Pottsville, received the Outstanding Young Alumni Award. The award was created to honor those alumni who are 35 and younger and are achieving success in their respective occupations or who are making “meaningful” contributions to their communities, Jeffrey J. Vrabel, awards chairman, alumni society, said.

Moyer is an IT support specialist for the Pottsville Area School District.

The Outstanding Alumni Award for Penn State Schuylkill went to Kukta and Spontak. The award, the highest honor the Penn State Alumni Society bestows, “recognizes and salutes the achievements of outstanding alumni whose personal lives, professional achievements and community service, exemplify the objectives of their alma mater,” Medica said.

Kukta, 39, of Orwigsburg, who attended Penn State Schuylkill but graduated at University Park, is the director of housing food services for Penn State campuses in Schuylkill, Berks and Lehigh Valley.

“Not many can say they work for their alma mater,” he said.

Spontak, 56, of Raleigh, North Carolina, is a professor of chemical engineering and material science at North Carolina State University. He is originally from Saint Clair. He attended the Schuylkill campus but received his degree at University Park.

“I hope I can do for them (his students) a small portion of what was done for me here,” Spontak said.

Contact the writer: ; 570-628-6028

SCHUYLKILL HAVEN — Volunteers raised $16,000 during the second annual Vraj Walkathon on Sunday at Bubeck Park, according to Darshan Bhalodia, Vraj Youth Outreach chairman.

Approximately 250 people participated in the event.

All proceeds go to local charities. A portion of the funds benefit a scholarship for a Schuylkill Haven High Area School student, Bhalodia said.

MAHANOY CITY — Mahanoy Area School District announced Wednesday that it will defend itself against a federal lawsuit alleging it violated a student’s First Amendment rights in connection with a Snapchat posting of a photograph containing obscenities made off campus.

“Mahanoy will continue, as is its right, to defend its coaches’ decision in the federal litigation,” the one-page statement reads in part.

Parents of the student identified as B.L. sued the district on Sept. 25 in U.S. District Court, alleging the suspension of their daughter from the cheerleading squad for the post unconstitutionally infringed on her rights.

Senior U.S. District Judge A. Richard Caputo issued a temporary restraining order on Sept. 26 restoring B.L. to the squad. He then issued an injunction on Oct. 5 barring the school from dismissing the girl from the squad because of her post.

While Mahanoy Area said it will obey the orders, it believes that it will eventually prevail in the lawsuit.

“Mahanoy is confident that under the circumstances, its coaches’ decision will be upheld,” according to the statement, which the district said will be its only comment on the matter.

The coaches suspended the girl, allowing her to try out again for the squad once she had completed the suspension. The school board upheld the suspension, leading to the lawsuit.

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

PSP at Lykens: 2

face drug charges

LYKENS — State police at Lykens said drug-related charges were filed against two people stemming from separate incidents in their coverage area.

Police said Gary S. Shomper, 25, of Elizabethville, was charged with possession of a controlled substance and possession of drug paraphernalia after he was found with methamphetamine and hypodermic needles in the 300 block of East Market Street, Williamstown.

Then, on Wednesday, police said, they charged a juvenile with possession of drug paraphernalia after the Upper Dauphin Middle School student was found in possession of drug paraphernalia.

The discovery was made about 8:15 a.m. at the school and troopers said the drug paraphernalia seized.

Ashland

The Ashland Public Library, 1229 Centre St., is having a mum sale Monday through Saturday throughout October. Costs are from $10 to $18, with tickets available at the library. Mums may be picked up at Lynch’s Landscaping along the Ashland-Gordon road. For more information, call 570-875-3175.

Deer Lake

A sportsmen bingo is set to begin at 3 p.m. Sunday at the Deer Lake & West Brunswick Fire Company Hall, 1 Ash Road. Doors will open at 2 p.m. The cost is $25 for all cards and prizes are hunting, camping- and fishing-related. For more information, call 570-366-0152. The company will also have bingo games beginning at 6 p.m. Oct. 17.

Elizabethville

The Elizabethville Area Historical Society, 100 E. Main St., will meet at 7 p.m. Monday. Jim Leaman will do a Halloween presentation titled “Ghosts of Gettysburg.” All are invited to attend. For more information about the society, go to its website at www.elizabethvillehistory.org or to its Facebook page at Elizabethville Area Historical Society.

Frackville

A Public Square Rosary will begin at noon Saturday at Lehigh Avenue and Frack Street, part of the America Needs Fatima Public Square Rosary effort to pray for peace and celebration the 100th anniversary of the apparitions of Our Lady of Fatima by three children in Fatima, Portugal. For more information, call 570-874-0425.

Llewellyn

Good Intent Hose Company, 12 Silverton Road, will have a meat bingo from 1 to 4 p.m. Sunday. Tickets are $20; doors will open at noon and meat will be provided by Tony’s Meat Market, Minersville. All are welcome. For more information, call 570-544-9974.

Nuremberg

The Nuremberg Community Players will present “Halloween Screams” at 7 p.m. Friday and Saturday and 3 p.m. Sunday at the group’s theater, 283 Hazle St. Tickets are $10 each. The show is a “comedic thriller by L. Don Swartz,” according to a release. All are welcome. For tickets or more information, call 877-718-7894.

Pottsville

A free organ and choral concert to mark the 500th anniversary of the Reformation will begin at 3 p.m. Oct. 29 at Trinity Lutheran Church, 300 W. Arch St. The organist will be Michael Kiehner and a choir directed by Catherine Zimmerman will perform. All are welcome. For more information, call 570-622-9910.

Schuylkill Haven

Bishop Samuel Zeiser, leaders of the Northeastern Pennsylvania Lutheran Synod, will visit Jerusalem Evangelical Lutheran Church, 252 Dock St., for the 10:30 a.m. worship Sunday and for the dedication of a new Prayer Labyrinth, located in the central courtyard at the front of the church near the bell tower. A Prayer Labyrinth is a way of focusing the mind on prayer following the labyrinth path. The public is welcome to attend. For more information, call the church office at 570-385-2657.

Schuylkill Haven

A LulaRoe multi-consultant fundraiser will be held from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sunday at Schuylkill Hose Company No. 2, East Union and South St. Peter streets. All are welcome; proceeds will benefit the fire company. For more information, call 570-640-2442.

Tremont

The group Hunts for Healing will sponsor the second annual squirrel hunt to support wounded and disabled veterans beginning at 11 a.m. Saturday at the Little Run Sportsman Club, 266 Middle Creek Road. The cost is $10 per person and $20 per team of two. For more information, call 570-527-3304.

SHENANDOAH — Residents with Alzheimer’s disease at Shenandoah Senior Living Community have several opportunities to engage in the community this fall, according to the staff.

They’ll be taking a fall foliage tour Oct. 24 and will join in Halloween events Oct. 28 and Oct. 31.

Remaining active in the community is just one of the benefits of care provided at SSLC, officials said.

There’s a growing need to find services for people facing an Alzheimer’s diagnosis, according to Renee Del Valle-Buchanan, admissions and marketing director at SSLC.

SSLC offers independent living, personal care and skilled nursing care at its 124-bed facility at 101 E. Washington St. Trent Flick serves as nursing home administrator.

The majority of the residents at the continuing care retirement community have an Alzheimer’s or dementia diagnosis, according to Laura Pulaski, director of rehabilitation.

Alzheimer’s disease is the sixth leading cause of death in the U.S., and every 66 seconds someone in the U.S. develops the disease, according to www.alz.org. One in three seniors dies with Alzheimer’s or another dementia and it kills more people than breast cancer and prostate cancer combined, the website states. While deaths from heart disease have decreased by 14 percent since 2000, deaths from Alzheimer’s disease have increased by 89 percent, according to the website.

Committed to making strides in Alzheimer’s research, Del Valle-Buchanan; Desiree Dunleavy, LPN; and Janelle Cuff, admissions coordinator; are part of the Alzheimer’s team at SSLC.

This year, SSLC was the top fundraising team, bringing in more than $10,025 for the Alzheimer’s Association of Schuylkill County.

SSLC held a golf tournament Aug. 11, which was co-sponsored by Mountain Valley Golf Course and CACL Federal Credit Union; held a benefit luncheon; and participated in the Walk to End Alzheimer’s in September. Del Valle-Buchanan said she hopes to make the golf tournament an annual event.

“Alzheimer’s is something that everyone can relate to,” Del Valle-Buchanan said, adding that most people either have a loved one, friend or neighbor diagnosed with the disease.

“We want to do something for the future and hope to one day find a cure,” Dunleavy, who’s worked at SSLC for 17 years and has three family members residing there, said.

Several special programs are available for residents with Alzheimer’s at SSLC. Some activities, like bingo games, are offered in the dining room, while others are provided in the center therapy room and activities room.

“Real Life Styles” is a therapy offered that is geared toward each person’s interests and improving their quality of life, Pulaski said.

As an example, Pulaski said, if a resident enjoyed doing puzzles, the therapy would adapt their skills to their interests, enabling them to complete puzzles as part of their therapy. Other therapies for short-term residents help them use a stove or microwave, reach into cabinets or review their pet care skills.

“It’s very individualized,” Pulaski said. Sometimes, people with Alzheimer’s are not as mobile, and that lack of mobility can cause them pain, she said.

“We work with them with their mobility and with their medicines,” Pulaski said.

Each resident has an individual treatment plan. Physical, occupational and speech therapy are offered.

In the activities room, Sue Smith, activities director, and Debby McGinn, activities aide, reviewed some of the activities provided for the residents with Alzheimer’s.

Smith said the “Kitchen Creations” activity enables residents to help make homemade vegetable soup, for instance.

“They really enjoy having a taste of what it was like (years ago),” Smith said.

A sensory group activity may include listening to music by Frank Sinatra or Dean Martin.

McGinn said the daytime group enjoys doing crafts.

“The nighttime group, though, they like the gambling games like Black Jack, slots and bingo,” she said.

Smith said that on Oct. 24, they will take a fall foliage bus tour, traveling to Hazleton and Hometown. Other outdoor festivities have included trips to an amusement park, area restaurants and cookouts in the summer.

Del Valle-Buchanan said the activities schedule, located in two hallways at the facility, are visual reminders to help residents know what’s coming up and offer visual cues about the date, weather and holidays.

On Oct. 28, the Halloween parade through the borough will conclude at the SSLC parking lot.

On Oct. 31, SSLC will participate for the first time in the Healthy Shenandoah Trunk or Treat from 6 to 8 p.m. There will be 40 spaces in the SSLC front parking lot where children can safely receive treats from the trunks of decorated vehicles. Other locations for safe trick-or-treating are the BB&T parking lot, Shenandoah Community Watch, Rite Aid parking lot and the Shenandoah Valley Elementary School. SSLC residents will prepare Halloween goody bags for children and will be distributing candy in the dining room and front lounge area on Oct. 31.

“When they see the kids, their faces just light up,” Dunleavy said.

For more information, visit www.alz.org or call SSLC at 570-462-1908.

Contact the writer: ; 570-628-6007

A Schuylkill County man admitted Tuesday in U.S. District Court in Wilkes-Barre that he conspired to distribute heroin and methamphetamine in Schuylkill and Berks counties.

Derek Mountz, 33, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute more than 100 grams of heroin and more than 50 bags of meth.

Senior U.S. District Judge A. Richard Caputo accepted Mountz’s plea, but did not either immediately sentence the defendant or set a date for his sentencing.

A grand jury in Scranton indicted Mountz on Jan. 17, alleging that from April 2016 until Oct. 25, 2016, he and Marquese Whitted conspired to distribute the heroin and meth in Schuylkill and Berks counties.

Mountz faces a mandatory five-year minimum prison term, and could be sentenced to serve as many as 40 years behind bars plus a term of supervised release after his imprisonment.

Whitted has not yet been brought to trial or entered a guilty plea in his case.

The FBI, Pennsylvania State Police and local police in Schuylkill County investigated the case, which is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Francis P. Sempa.

Prosecutors brought Mountz’s case as part of the districtwide initiative to fight the nationwide heroin epidemic. The U.S. Attorney’s Office is leading the initiative, which targets heroin traffickers in the Middle District and involves federal, state and local law enforcement working together to prosecute those responsible for committing heroin-related crimes.

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

Among those scheduled to enter not guilty pleas during arraignments today in Schuylkill County Court are:

Harriet M. Strouphauer, 50, of 356 Suedberg Road, Pine Grove; DUI, DUI-highest rate, not driving on roadways laned for traffic and careless driving.

Andrea L. Wilson, 36, of 425 E. Mahanoy Ave., Mahanoy City; possession of drug paraphernalia and disorderly conduct.

Richard A. Bates, 32, of 23 N. Chestnut St., Shenandoah; retail theft.

Brandon J. Fees, 23, of 136 S. Morris St., Saint Clair; simple assault, criminal mischief, recklessly endangering another person and harassment.

Brandon R. Lafferty, 23, of Schuylkill County Prison, Pottsville; burglary, criminal trespass, possession of a controlled substance and theft.

Froilan Fabian, 32, of 21 W. Oak St., Shenandoah; simple assault and harassment.

Daniel L. Stoudt Jr., 41, of 18 Water St., New Philadelphia; possession of a controlled substance and possession of drug paraphernalia.

Christopher J. Vrabel, 26, of 86 Washington St., Middleport; possession of drug paraphernalia.

Angus J. Angst, 26, of Schuylkill County Prison, Pottsville; retail theft.

Carla J. Noecker, 52, of 1354 Mount Hope Ave., Pottsville; resisting arrest, harassment, disorderly conduct and retail theft.

Jarih O. Martinez-Fermin, 26, of 2873 Summer Valley Road, New Ringgold; DUI, DUI-high rate, recklessly endangering another person, driving without insurance, driving on divided highways and driving at an unsafe speed.

Barry Ohl, 23, of 34 Nescopec St., Tamaqua; receiving stolen property, theft of property lost, mislaid or delivered by mistake and theft.

Jonathan C. Hindermyer, 39, of 242 Mauch Chunk St., Tamaqua; possession of drug paraphernalia and endangering the welfare of a child.

Kathy Tonkin, 22, of 3047 Summer Valley Road, New Ringgold; possession of drug paraphernalia and disorderly conduct.

Samuel Tuckett, 24, of 24 Bolichs Road, Andreas; possession of drug paraphernalia.

Cody J. Deetz, 22, of 437 E. Elm St., Tamaqua; possession of drug paraphernalia.

Thomas F. Symons, 27, of 121 Cherry St., Saint Clair; possession of a small amount of marijuana.

Nathan Z. Zeigler, 28, of 317 Pine St., Tamaqua; possession of a controlled substance and possession of drug paraphernalia.

Jamie N. Karmonick, 41, of 91 S. Main St., Mahanoy City; acquiring or obtaining a controlled substance by misrepresentation, theft and possession of a controlled substance.

Jaxson R. Detweiler, 24, of 9 Stanton St., Schuylkill Haven; possession of a controlled substance.

James R. Brown, 23, of Schuylkill County Prison, Pottsville; possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance, possession of a controlled substance and distribution of a small amount of marijuana.

Angel M. Hahn, 22, of 309 W. Norwegian St., Apt. 3, Pottsville; possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance, assault by prisoner, possession of a small amount of marijuana, criminal mischief, harassment, driving without insurance, drivers required to be licensed, driving an unregistered vehicle, possession of a controlled substance and possession of drug paraphernalia.

Jerry L. Skeete Jr., 35, of 309 Cherry St., Saint Clair; false reports.

Mary Smith, 35, of 219 N. Centre St., Apt. 3A, Pottsville; possession of a small amount of marijuana.

Brittany Bainbridge, 25, of 143 S. Balliet St., Frackville; possession of drug paraphernalia.

Ryan C. Reyes, 18, of 204 1/2 Schuylkill Ave., Pottsville; resisting arrest and disorderly conduct.

Devin M. Holmes, 18, of 634 John O’Hara St., Pottsville; theft and receiving stolen property.

Starr A. Kline, 22, of 400 Carbon St., Apt. 1L, Minersville; possession of drug paraphernalia and public drunkenness.

James A. Nelson, 34, LKA 713 Harrison St., Pottsville; possession of a controlled substance.

Angel M. Hahn, 22, of 309 W. Norwegian St., Apt. 3, Pottsville; possession of a small amount of marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia.

Raymond A. Hoppes III, 28, of 23A Spencer St., Minersville; possession of drug paraphernalia.

Renee M. Austerberry, 31, of 15 W. Franklin St., Saint Clair; retail theft, possession of a controlled substance and possession of drug paraphernalia.

Glenn L. Bowman, 54, of 714 Mahantongo St., Apt. 5, Pottsville; possession of a small amount of marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia.

Pedro L. Cabrera, 30, of Schuylkill County Prison, Pottsville; possession of a small amount of marijuana.

Gerald Lawell, 33, of Schuylkill County Prison, Pottsville; possession of a controlled substance and possession of drug paraphernalia.

Heather L. Overdier, 40, of 399 Rock Road, Pine Grove; furnishing drug-free urine.

Michael C. Linkchorst, 36, of 4 Chunky Lane, Shenandoah; resisting arrest and harassment.

Greg R. Holman, 60, of 115 Second St., Box 76, Oneida; simple assault and recklessly endangering another person.

Alexandros Kluginiotis, 27, of 152 First St., Oneida; open lewdness.

Noah Garcia, 20, of 150 Rear Willow St., Delano; forgery and theft.

Christopher Metz, 19, of 2042 E. Main St., Mahanoy Plane; fleeing or attempting to elude police, driving while operating privileges are suspended or revoked, careless driving, drivers required to be licensed and driving at an unsafe speed.

Kevin E. Holmes, 41, of 108 W. Penn St., Shenandoah; aggravated assault, terroristic threats, simple assault, recklessly endangering another person and harassment.

Anthony M. Romano, 24, of 310 Swatara Road, Shenandoah; aggravated assault, robbery, aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, theft, receiving stolen property, terroristic threats, unlawful restraint, simple assault and recklessly endangering another person.

Salvador Flores, 18, of 218 W. Coal St., Shenandoah; theft and conspiracy.

Amanda M. Barnes, 29, of 36 E. Oak St., Shenandoah; aggravated assault, robbery, aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, theft, receiving stolen property, terroristic threats, unlawful restraint, simple assault and recklessly endangering another person.

Anthony M. Romano, 24, of 310 Swatara Road, Shenandoah; possession of drug paraphernalia, drivers required to be licensed and turning movements and required signals.

Christina Fletcher, 40, of 235 W. Ridge St., Coaldale; possession of drug paraphernalia.

Michael P. Belson, 39, of 23 S. Kennedy Drive, McAdoo; obstructing the administration of law, false reports and false identification to law enforcement.

Lisa Cope, 52, of 12 W. Broad St., Apt. 201, Tamaqua; theft, possession of drug paraphernalia and receiving stolen property.

Adam Cruz, 33, of 20 Clay St., Tamaqua; possession of drug paraphernalia, retail theft and false identification to law enforcement.

Jose Contes, 29, of 34 N. Kennedy Drive, McAdoo; possession of drug paraphernalia, delivery of a controlled substance, conspiracy, possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance, possession of a controlled substance and possession of a small amount of marijuana.

Killian Schelble, 21, of 21B S. Kennedy Drive, McAdoo; possession of a small amount of marijuana, possession of a controlled substance and possession of drug paraphernalia.

Ryan A. Petro, 33, of 192 Owl Creek Road, Tamaqua; forgery, burglary, criminal trespass, theft, access device fraud, theft by deception and receiving stolen property.

Brian K. Woods, 52, of 259 W. Rowe St., Tamaqua; disorderly conduct, public drunkenness, delivery of a controlled substance, possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance, criminal use of a communications facility and possession of a controlled substance.

Thomas J. Danishesfsky, 78, of 103 S. Cleveland St., McAdoo; involuntary deviate sexual intercourse with a mentally disabled person, sexual assault and indecent assault of a mentally disabled person.

Adam Cruz, 33, of 20 Clay St., Tamaqua; possession of drug paraphernalia.

Gerald Miller, 44, of 45 W. Broad St., Apt. 5, Tamaqua; resisting arrest.

Tyler J. Mooney, 23, of 45 W. Broad St., Tamaqua; hindering apprehension or prosecution.

Tammy J. McShaw, 49, of 301 Spring Garden St., Pottsville; retail theft.

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

POTTSVILLE — Schuylkill County will collect an additional $134,000 from hotel owners this year since taxes went up in July.

The county commissioners approved a budget resolution Wednesday to account for the additional revenue.

The board approved a 2 percent hike in hotel taxes in April to fund a new burn building for training firefighters and economic development. The ordinance, which went into effect July 1, increased taxes on hotel room rentals for the next 10 years from 3 percent to 5 percent. The Schuylkill County Visitors Bureau will continue to receive 3 percent while the rest will be distributed to the Schuylkill County Training Academy and the Schuylkill Economic Development Corp.

The county treasurer’s office anticipates collecting an additional $134,000 in hotel rental taxes from July though December, according to the budget resolution.

Last year, Schuylkill County collected $281,419 in hotel taxes. The county kept 2 percent, or $5,635, for administrative costs and distributed the rest to the visitors bureau. A 5 percent tax comes to about $469,000, Paul Buber, county finance director, said when the ordinance was approved.

Counties were given the ability to increase the tax to 5 percent under House Bill 794, which went into effect April 2016. The legislation also imposed a 1.5 percent monthly penalty on hotel operators failing to remit the tax.

In other matters, the commissioners renewed the lease with the borough of Tremont for the Nutritional and Senior Center at the former Tremont High School on Clay Street. The rent remains at $873.33 per month for 2,158 square feet. The term is for five years through Nov. 30, 2022.

The commissioners also issued proclamations recognizing Schuylkill Make a Difference Day and the Pottsville Business and Professional Women’s Club.

National Make a Difference Day is scheduled for Oct. 28, marking the 22nd campaign in Schuylkill County. The annual volunteer effort to create a positive and long-lasting effect in Schuylkill County has won national, state, regional, encore and special promotion awards over the past 21 years, according to the proclamation.

Founded and chartered in 1932, the Pottsville Business and Professional Women’s Club is celebrating 85 years of community service.

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

Can you believe we’re almost halfway through October already? Where is the year going? The warm weather may be fading, but not the opportunities for you and your family to make some happy memories.

A Wee Ones Walk will take place at 10 a.m. Oct. 18 at Sweet Arrow Lake, Pine Grove. Heighten your child’s natural curiosity during a sensory nature walk with “Porcupine Pat.” The walk will focus on colors, textures, shapes, sounds and smells found in nature. It is recommended for children ages 3 to 6. Take your little explorers to the Waterfall Road parking lot to begin their free expedition. Call 570-345-8952 for information.

Pine Grove Autumn Stroll Craft Show and Halloween Parade is slated for Oct. 21 along the historic Union Canal. The craft show, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., will feature quality homemade crafts for purchase. The parade, sponsored by the Lions Club, will begin at 7 p.m.

“Shrek Jr. The Musical” will be performed by the Pottsville Gymnastics and Theatrical Center Inc. at 2 and 7 p.m. Oct. 21 and 2 p.m. Oct. 22 at D.H.H. Lengel Middle School auditorium, Pottsville. Order tickets for $15 by calling 570-581-8617.

“BINGO Spells Murder” will be presented at the Walk in Art Center, Schuylkill Haven, at 7 p.m. Oct. 21. Join an entertaining cast of characters during the spookiest season of the year for murder mystery dinner theater. Tickets are $40 and include dinner, the show and wine. For more details or to buy tickets, call 570-732-3728.

The Arts Barn, Schuylkill Haven, announces its fall roster of classes. Kids and Youth Painting, Large Stained Class Panel, Silk Scarf, Wicker Melon Basket, Painted Wine Glasses/Wine Basket, Basics of Painting, Cold Press Soap Making, Fused Glass, Stained Glass Candle Holder and Wire Christmas Tree are just some of the fun and festive classes offered. Call 570-366-8736 for details or to register.

The requests for help from nonprofits who have tasks that would make good Make A Difference Day projects continues to grow. The national event is Oct. 28, but local projects taking place within one week of the national day may be included in the Schuylkill County campaign.

Schuylkill County Historical Society needs help weeding and cleaning their parking lot. Tools and supplies are provided. The lot is not large, could be done in an hour or two and would make a good project for teens needing community service hours to graduate.

The preschool children who attend Head Start through Child Development Inc. would benefit from Supply Kits to take home to complete at-home activities designed to improve their skills.

Each zip lock bag kit would contain a pair of children’s safety scissors, small boxes of crayons and markers and a glue stick. They also have an outdoor area at the Mahanoy Area facility that needs top soil spread. Top soil is provided. This would also be a good project for teens.

The young mothers and babies of Nurse-Family Partnership could use diapers and wipes. A Diaper Drive would be greatly appreciated.

Finally, the Avenues Adult Training Facility in Mahanoy City has some equipment in need of gentle beautification including sanding and painting. Fencing would be a bonus. Materials not provided.

If you, or your group, are interested in “adopting” any of these projects, have questions or want to register your own project, contact this office at 570-628-1426 or jjohnston@co.schuylkill.pa.us for details or to make arrangements. You can also find printable copies of the registration and final report forms on The Republican-Herald homepage at www.republicanherald.com.

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.

TAMAQUA — Tamaqua police said Wednesday they have a suspect they believe is responsible for a Tuesday morning shooting in the borough.

The shooting occurred in the 200 block of West Rowe Street shortly after 2 a.m., police said.

Police identified the person shot as Joseph R. Becker, 35, but did not provide his address.

Becker was initially taken to St. Luke’s Hospital-Miner’s Campus, Coaldale, and then flown to St. Luke’s Hospital, Fountain Hill, in the PennStar helicopter, for treatment of a gunshot wound to the chest.

The man’s condition was not immediately available.

Police theorized what led to the shooting.

“The shooting is believed to be drug-related based on information discovered thus far from the investigation and evidence collected,” police said in a brief release sent Wednesday morning.

The investigation remains active.

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

POTTSVILLE — The Pottsville Area School District is now able to use Narcan, if needed, in all of its schools.

Nurses were trained Monday on the proper administration of the fast-acting medication that reverses the effects of an opioid overdose at the Robert W. Wachter Auditorium in the high school. Angela Holobetz, high school nurse; Danita Sippel, middle school nurse; Donna Romano, elementary nurse; and nurse Jennifer Kepner, who works in all three buildings, received training.

Pat Moran, education and outreach coordinator with Schuylkill EMS, volunteered to provide the training. Moran is also a school board member.

“It’s a crisis that we are all in” as a community, he said.

“My hope is we never have to use it,” Superintendent Jeffrey S. Zwiebel said.

Clinical Outcomes Group Inc., Pottsville, will provide the Narcan to the district for free. The district could have its supply later this month.

“The best part about the medication is there are zero side effects,” he said.

The nurses said they want to help save lives.

The district adopted the policy in June 2016 but realized it didn’t have any trainings set up for the nurses. Zwiebel said they wanted to get that done as soon as they could for the new school year.

The policy states “as a means of enhancing the health and safety of its students, staff and visitors, the district may obtain, maintain and administer doses of an opioid antagonist and other facilities, specifically naloxone, for emergency use to assist student, staff member or other individual believed or suspected to be experiencing an opioid overdose.” Narcan is another name for the drug naloxone.

An opioid is identified as illegal drugs such as heroin and prescription medications used to treat pain such as morphine, codeine, methadone, oxycodone, hydrocodone, fentanyl, hydromorphone and buprenorphine.

School district nurses are responsible for administering the medication if needed.

“Our first line of defense is to have the nurses do it,” Zwiebel said.

The nurses are in the building the entire school day, he said.

Zwiebel said he didn’t recall if a letter had been issued previously informing parents/guardians or students and staff about the policy, but said a letter will be sent out soon. The policy spells out requirements and procedure regarding the policy.

Moran said it is “one more way that we are trying to maintain a safe and controlled environment for our students and staff.”

If a drug overdose is suspected, district employees shall do the following: call for medical help immediately; check for signs of an opioid overdose; perform initial rescue breathing or CPR; administer naloxone; continue rescue breathing or CPR; give a second dose of naloxone if needed; have the person lay on their left side and have their airway protected; stay with the person until emergency help arrives; cooperate with EMS personnel when they arrive; and notify the building administrator or designee of the incident.

“Any student who experiences a drug overdose shall be referred to the district’s Student Assistance Program,” the policy states.

Zwiebel said students have been referred to the program but he declined to say why.

Parents or guardians will be notified of any student directly involved in an incident involving the use of controlled substances as soon as practicable, the policy states. Other guidelines also apply.

Contact the writer: ; 570-628-6028

Former state agriculture secretary Denny Wolff promises to think independently and listen to citizens’ ideas if elected next year to the congressional seat Republican U.S. Rep. Lou Barletta plans to give up.

Wolff, who formally announces his candidacy today, said Wednesday he listened to citizens as agriculture secretary for Gov. Ed Rendell between 2003 and 2009. His conversations with farmers across the state led his agriculture department to develop programs that help dairy farmers adapt best practices and pass on farms to their children; labeling that lets consumers know if a product was made locally; and loans that aid farm expansions.

“I really think that Congress is in desperate need of some independent thinkers and that’s exactly what that (his record) is,” said Wolff, 66, a Democrat from Greenwood Twp. in Columbia County.

Barletta, a Hazleton Republican who represents the 11th Congressional District, decided against seeking a fifth two-year term and is running for the U.S. Senate seat held by Sen. Bob Casey of Scranton. The 11th District includes all of Luzerne County outside the Wilkes-Barre Area, Pittston Area and Wyoming Area school districts; all of Wyoming, Columbia and Montour counties; and parts of Carbon, Cumberland, Dauphin, Northumberland and Perry counties.

The district is 53 percent rural with the rest almost entirely suburban, Wolff said.

Wolff said he plans to emphasize job creation and eliminating wasteful spending as a congressman. He pointed to the farm programs as evidence he created jobs. He would promote developing workforce training for existing jobs as a congressman, he said.

“You talk to industries like some of the industries I have here in central Pennsylvania where I live, and they say that the workforce is just not really trained to serve their needs,” Wolff said.

Wolff said he favors revamping the Affordable Care Act rather than repealing it. He wants immigration reform that addresses national security concerns but thinks it’s unrealistic to believe 11 million immigrants can be deported. He wants reform that simplifies the tax code, but said he isn’t sure what that will entail.

Wolff is also announcing his candidacy in an online video set to debut today.

Contact the writer:

bkrawczeniuk@timesshamrock.com; 570-348-9147;

@BorysBlogTT on Twitter

Brenda Herb believes essential oils can improve the quality of life.

She used to provide hospice care as a certified nursing assistant and saw patients receive relief after using the oils, she said.

Today, the Klingerstown woman needs caregiving assistance herself, after being diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis in August 2016. ALS is a progressive, incurable neurodegenerative disease that affects nerve cells, causing muscle weakness and stiffness, and difficulty speaking, swallowing and breathing.

Essential oils — PanAway and frankincense — have eased Herb’s pain, she said.

Meanwhile, distributors of essential oils purposely do not make any medical claims about their products, but instead share the experiences of customers like Herb.

“I started to use them, hoping to help my disease. In the beginning, I had twitches and the PanAway oil helped with the twitches and with the pain in my neck and my shoulders,” Herb said Thursday. “My neck tends to get stiff and sore. Putting the PanAway on before bed helps. My one hand is contracted. When they rub frankincense on it, it loosens it up,” she said.

The popularity of essential oils is buzzing on social media.

The New Yorker’s Oct. 9 edition examined the phenomenon in Rachel Monroe’s article, called “How Essential Oils Became the Cure For Our Age of Anxiety.”

The Pottsville Free Public Library and Tri-Valley Free Public Library have offered free, instructional classes on how to use them.

Katelynn Stine, Pitman, and Cierra Snyder, Cressona, are distributors of the Young Living brand and have offered instruction at the libraries, called Young Living Essential Oils 101 class.

“People are intrigued, but don’t really know what they are,” Stine said, who just completed the classes at Pottsville and Tri-Valley on Thursday but will host additional classes at the Hegins site at 10:30 a.m. Nov. 8 and 6 p.m. Nov. 9.

A Make-and-Take class will be offered from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Tri-Valley Free Public Library. Stine said participants for the class bring their own oils but other supplies are provided. The class will focus on creating products with the oils, which can be given as gifts.

Essential oils are the aromatic liquids distilled from plants. The oils can be obtained from roots, seeds, shrubs, flowers, leaves and trees. There are three ways to use the oils: internally, topically or aromatically with a diffuser.

Internally, the oils can be added to a cup of tea, taken with a tablespoon of honey, or placed in a vegetable capsule and swallowed. While the Young Living brand of oils are able to be ingested, Stine said, many other brands are not.

Topically, the oils can be applied to the wrists, back of the neck, on the spine, or the bottom of the feet. Often, the oils are combined with a “carrier oil,” like olive, grapeseed, coconut or sunflower oil. A few drops of the essential oil is combined with the carrier oil, and then placed into small, roller ball vials, making it easier to dispense on target areas.

Aromatically, the essential oils can be placed in a diffuser. Water is placed in the diffuser, and a few drops of essential oil are placed in the water, and the diffuser is plugged in. The diffuser mist allows the oils to be inhaled.

A starter kit for the oils costs $160 and includes a diffuser and 11 bottles of some of the commonly used essential oils, and other support items, including recipes for creating products, such as home cleaners. Some of the more popular oils are lavender, peppermint and frankincense. A variety of essential oils are touted to support the immune system, upper respiratory function, healthy skin and digestion, and stress reduction.

Stine said a co-worker, Kyla Snyder, told her about the products. Stine, a mother to two children, Khloe, almost 3 years old, and Liam, 1, was searching for organic diapers and wanted to find a gentle diaper creme. Cierra, a mother to son, Kaleb, almost 3 years old, and daughter, Peyton, 10 months, also wanted to find products that suited her young family. Cierra said she used essential oils to help her daughter when she was just a few months old.

“The results were amazing,” Cierra Snyder said.

“We also have a welcome packet that gives you tips on how to use the oils and some recipes. You get added to our Facebook group, The Happy Oilers,” Stine said.

Contact the writer: ; 570-628-6007

MAHANOY CITY — The borough council approved a resolution aiming to acquire $83,408 in federal Community Development Block Grant funds in Fiscal Year 2017 at its September meeting Tuesday.

“In 2016, we received $84,260 from CDBG,” Borough Manager Daniel L. Lynch said after the meeting at the borough hall.

The borough receives its CDBG funds through Schuylkill County.

“The Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development requires, by means of Act 179, that the County of Schuylkill to submit an application on behalf of the borough and township entitled areas of the county for Federal Fiscal Year 2017,” according to Mahanoy City Borough Resolution 2017-8.

According to Lynch, the $83,408 budget the borough council approved Tuesday included the following expenditures:

• $36,000 for code enforcement.

• $32,395 to support a recreation facilities upgrade project at the East End Playground, 1400 Pine St. It’s called the CFA Greenway Trails Recreation project, according to Lynch.

In May, the borough’s contracted engineer, Alfred Benesch & Co., Pottsville, submitted a 150-page grant application for the project to the state Department of Community and Economic Development Office of Innovation and Investment-CFA Programs Division.

According to that application, the total project cost is anticipated to be $294,117. The project will involve demolition, excavation, construction work and new equipment. The borough requested a $250,000 grant from the state for the project. If the borough receives that grant, it promised to commit a $44,117 local match.

Lynch said if the borough receives $32,295 in CDBG FY2017, it will be used to support that local match.

• $15,013, which is 18 percent for administration, Lynch said.

In other matters at the council’s meeting, Mayor Patti A. Schnitzius honored two borough police officers for efforts they made to save lives during a fire Oct. 3.

Officers T.J. Rentschler and Jennifer Dempsey rescued a man and his infant son from their burning home at 925 W. Centre St. in the Foundry Row section of Mahanoy Township, just west of the Mahanoy City borough line.

Rescued were Lucas Cheveres, 49, and his son, Lucas Xavier Cheveres, 1.

The mayor planned to present each with a framed “Certificate of Courage.”

Rentschler was present at Tuesday’s meeting and received his. Dempsey was not at the meeting.

“Due to scheduling, she was not able to be with us tonight,” the mayor said.

The mayor read the citation aloud:

“On Oct. 3, 2017, Officer Rentschler arrived on scene of a working structure fire. Observing a man holding a child in a second floor window, Officer Rentschler entered the structure and proceeded to the second floor where he made contact with the individuals and led them to safety. Officer Rentschler’s actions demonstrate courage and bravery. Mahanoy City Borough expresses its gratitude for your unselfish service to the community.”

The citation for Dempsey was similar.

In other matters, the council decided Trick-Or-Treat night will be 6 to 8 p.m. Oct. 31.

Contact the writer: spytak@republicanherald.com; 570-628-6011