MAHANOY CITY — The Lofty Reservoir Dam upgrade project continues to progress with the plan to have it substantially completed by December.

The reservoir is owned by the Mahanoy Township Authority and is required to be upgraded by raising the dam breast 4 feet to improve safety during heavy rain events. The state Department of Environmental Protection ordered the authority raise the dam breast and make other improvements. The Ashland Area Municipal Authority has substantially completed a similar upgrade project that raised its reservoir in Butler Township by 5 feet.

Raising the dam breast will prevent water from flowing over the wall and force the water to use the spillway for better control and safety.

The authority board received an update on the project during its workshop and meeting on Wednesday from Alfred Benesch & Co. project managers James J. Rhoades Jr. and Jennifer M. Kowalonek.

According to Kowalonek, the project work began June 14 and is 75 percent complete and, barring the unexpected, may be done by Christmas so the dam is operational and can hold water. Landscaping will wait until the spring when temperatures moderate enough for seeding,

The project includes improvements to raise the dam breast, control seepage, rehabilitate upstream embankment, upgrade the spillway and repair the outlet. The overall project also includes installation of modern water meters for customers throughout the authority’s distribution system.

Performance Construction Services Inc., Harrisburg, is the general contractor. Overall construction cost is $3.7 million and, after adding other costs, such as engineering, permitting, legal and others, the total cost is $5.4 million.

Project funding comes from a Commonwealth Financing Authority grant of $1,666,667, with the rest paid through a 20-year Pennsylvania Infrastructure Investment Authority loan at 1 percent interest.

The Lofty Dam, located in Kline Township, serves as a DEP-permitted public water supply source. It is an earthen embankment 1,100 feet long and 28 feet high. The impoundment covers 31 acres and contains 118 million gallons of water. MTA public water serves a population of about 7,000 through 2,800 connections in the boroughs of Mahanoy City and Gilberton and the villages of Bowmans, Boston Run, Maple Hill and other areas of Mahanoy Township, including undeveloped residential and commercial properties with potential for growth.

Typically, the authority pumps in excess of 60 million gallons annually from this source to meet customer demands. The Lofty Dam area will continue to be part of the state Game Commission’s Forest-Game Cooperative Program, where the area is open to the public for hunting and trapping.

In 1989, MTA sold the dam and 1,068 acres to the state game commission with the intent to have the PGC rehabilitate the dam. In 1998, DEP’s Bureau of Dam Safety performed an inspection on the embankment and expressed concern with the seepage, and deteriorated conditions of the embankment and the spillway. Subsequently, the spillway was repaired in accordance with the state agency’s recommendations. In 1999, inspections determined that seepage and embankment conditions continued to deteriorate. Based on this, the Bureau of Dam Safety requested the seepage and embankment conditions be corrected and stabilized. An alternative was to draw down and breach the reservoir. Since the dam is used as a public water supply source, breaching was not a viable option.

After years of legal dealings, in 2005 the MTA was forced to take back ownership as the PGC refused to rehabilitate the dam.

The extensive work led to the draining of the reservoir. Kowalonek said that when the dam was built about 100 years ago, the foundation was not properly placed, prompting additional work.

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

POTTSVILLE — A Tamaqua man will not have to spend time in prison as the result of being sentenced Wednesday in Schuylkill County Court for engaging in sexual activity with a teenage girl.

Adam Burne, 40, instead will spend three years on probation under the terms of Judge James P. Goodman’s sentence. Goodman also required him to pay costs and have no contact with his victim.

“Do you understand that, Mr. Burne? No contact whatsoever,” Goodman told the defendant.

Goodman said he imposed the sentence because of Burne’s low mental capacity and the testimony of the defendant and his mother, Carol Schattner. He also noted that prosecutors, the police and the victim did not object to a lengthy probation for Burne.

Burne pleaded guilty on Sept. 13 to corruption of minors, with prosecutors withdrawing a charge of indecent assault.

Tamaqua police charged Burne with corrupting the morals of the victim by having sexual activity with her on Sept. 13, 2016, in the borough. Deputy Assistant District Attorney Jennifer N. Foose said the victim was 15 at the time of the incident.

Schattner said Burne was slapped in the face when he was 6 months old, and that it affected him greatly.

“He started having problems,” Schattner said.

Burne could not walk until he was about 4, had seizures and has always lived with her, according to Schattner.

“Do you believe that Adam would be able to survive in a prison setting?” Assistant Public Defender Michael A. O’Pake, Burne’s lawyer, asked Schattner.

“No,” she answered.

Foose said Burne is not subject to Megan’s Law sanctions because of the nature of his crime.

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

POTTSVILLE — City residents will likely not see a tax hike for the 2018 Pottsville budget.

“We are not preparing a budget that would require a tax hike at this time. This budget should be able to be balanced without a tax increase,” City Administrator Thomas A. Palamar said at the budget workshop meeting Tuesday at City Hall.

During a brief 45-minute budget session attended by Palamar, Mayor James T. Muldowney, city Councilwoman Dorothy “Dottie” Botto, council members Mark Atkinson and Joe Devine, city Code Officer David Petravich, superintendent of streets Tom Whitaker, city clerk Lisa Kral, city Treasurer Ellen Micka and others.

Highlights of the budget were discussed. The city must have a balanced budget by the end of December.

Palamar said the budget is realistic. Some of the figures have yet to be calculated due to information that has not arrived yet such as earned income tax and local services tax.

“There are some expenses that we have not defined yet,” Palamar said.

The budget has yet to balance but steps are underway to make it so. Muldowney said he believes the gap of $102,730 can be reduced to zero. As of the Tuesday reading, the budget shows revenues are $8,418,994 and expenses at $8,521,724.

“This is really our first crack at working through our budget,” Palamar said.

A second budget workshop meeting is being held 10 a.m. Monday at City Hall.

The first reading of the budget is 3 p.m. Nov. 30. A final adoption date was not provided.

“It isn’t increasing services or cutting services,” Palamar said.

“Just the fact that we can maintain it is huge,” Devine said of city services.

The millage rate is 19.47, or $19.47 for every $1,000 of assessed property value. The average property value in Pottsville is $28,674, which amounts to an average tax bill for homeowners of $558.28.

The following is a breakdown of budget numbers for 2018: public affairs, $377,393; police, $3,509,855; code/health, $205,949; community development/city administrator, $228,958; city clerk, $1,454,616; tax office, $220,572; fire department, $443,151; street department, $1,427,652; City Hall, $69,100; recreation, $27,450; parks, $290,628; pools, $266,400.

“This has some wants in it but not many,” Palamar said.

Real-estate taxes are budgeted at $3,268,121, which accounts for 90 percent collection rate, however, Kral said the city has been collecting about 92 percent of real estate taxes. At least $50,000 more in revenue can be added to the budget if those figures are adjusted, she said.

The business privilege tax is budgeted at $990,000 up from a $985,000 in 2017.

The contingency fund the city has for emergencies has $100,000 budgeted in it, something Palamar said is a realistic number. About $20,000 was spent from the 2017 budget for emergency demolition of two properties in the city.

Expenses have increased $238,889 over 2017, according to a summary provided at the meeting. For example, health care costs are projected to increase 6.7 percent as recommended that the city should budget for, Palamar said.

“We are basically self-insured,” he said.

The city is expecting some money back from health care payments that will be included as revenue. On a good note, Palamar said liability insurance premiums have not increased. Workers’ compensation costs are budgeted to increase $27,967, however, that does not include a 5 percent discount because the city has a safety committee.

The 2017 numbers are the following: public affairs, $361,912; police, $3,426,732; code/health, $191,230; community development/city administrator, $192,850; city clerk, $1,397,411; tax office, $223,131; fire department, $438,372; street department, $1,425,244; city hall, $71,900; recreation, $36,700; parks, $249,953; pools, $265,400.

Some of the increases in the 2018 budget are due to contractual obligations. Some of the others are for projects or vehicle purchases. A new vehicle is in the budget for the police department.

“What kind of police vehicle is it?” Atkinson asked Palamar.

Palamar said it is a Ford Interceptor.

“This is the fiscally responsible thing to do,” Palamar said about the police vehicle.

He said the police vehicles are used often. Kral said the vehicle should cost about $36,000. About $15,000 is budgeted for a used vehicle for animal control/health officer.

Whitaker said part of the increase in the parks department is going toward repainting of the JFK pool.

“Every three years we repaint it,” he said of the approximate $20,000 cost for all that is involved.

The increase in the parks budget is also attributable to new mulch on city playgrounds, new playground equipment at various parks and fence repairs, Whitaker said.

The tax discussion was not until the end of the meeting.

If the city was to hike taxes 1 mill, it would generate $188,000 for city coffers. That would amount to an average increased tax bill of $28.68 more for 2018.

“It isn’t out of line to think about it,” Devine said about a tax hike in the future.

Still, he cautioned that it is the taxpayers’ money at issue.

Contact the writer: ; 570-628-6028

ZION GROVE — A woman was critically injured when she was shot inside a private club Tuesday night in North Union Township.

The shooting occurred at Shenandoah Fish & Game Protective Association club, 395 Ferndale Road, Zion Grove.

Although the exact time of the incident was not available, as of 9:45 p.m. Tuesday, state police at Frackville were on scene and the club was locked down with no one allowed to enter.

Reports indicated that a man entered the building while it was open for business and shot the woman. Their identities have not been disclosed nor has a reason for the shooting.

Police at the scene would only confirm that a woman had been shot and the investigation into the incident is ongoing. Police said a man was taken into custody and is being interviewed in connection to the shooting.

The woman was treated at the scene by emergency personnel and flown to Geisinger Medical Center, Danville, in the Life Flight helicopter.

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

TAMAQUA — A Coaldale woman charged with setting fire to the garage and home of her ex-husband while he and his current wife were inside last month waived her right to a preliminary hearing Tuesday.

The blaze also left two volunteer firefighters hospitalized.

Michelle Obrial Weaver, 44, of 42 W. Ridge St., was charged by Coaldale police Patrolman Dino Dermargosian with three felony counts of arson and related offenses; one felony count each of criminal mischief and criminal trespass; and two misdemeanor charges of recklessly endangering another person.

By choosing to waive her right to a hearing, Weaver will now have to answer all seven charges against her in Schuylkill County Court.

Dermargosian charged Weaver with going to the 401 E. Ridge St. home of David and Amy Weaver about 8:10 p.m. Oct. 14 and using an accelerant to set fire to a garage and attached storage shed to the rear of the property.

After setting fire to the garage, Dermargosian said, Michelle Weaver drove away, went to the front of the home and then set a fire to the side porch steps of the residence.

Dermargosian said that Weaver was captured on video cameras in the area approaching the garage and then as she was leaving the heavy smoke could be seen emitting from the garage.

Cameras to the front of the home captured Weaver opening a gate to the property and while walking toward the side porch a bright light that appeared to be fire was seen, the officer said.

He added that cameras also showed Weaver walking back toward the street with her left hand and arm on fire.

Dermargosian said Amy Weaver was able to extinguish the fire to the side porch while firefighters put out the fire to the garage and shed but not before they were destroyed and two firefighters — Timothy Harkins and Kyle Zwiesdak — injured and hospitalized.

Dermargosian said Patrolman Anthony Houser interviewed Michelle Weaver shortly after the fire and found her intoxicated with a burn mark on her left wrist and singed hair on both her wrists.

It was also discovered that Michelle Weaver washed her clothing, along with her sneakers, separately of other clothing after the fire.

State police fire marshal Trooper Joseph Hall of the Frackville station determined the fire was intentionally set and ruled the cause as arson.

Dermargosian said that in addition to the garage and shed, a Toyota pickup truck, four motorcycles and other items were destroyed by the fire.

After waiving her hearing, Weaver was taken back to Schuylkill County Prison where she is being held on $20,000 straight cash bail, an amount that was recently reduced by a Schuylkill County judge from the original $100,000 straight cash.

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

MAHANOY CITY — How one cultivates a heart of true thankfulness was the focus at the 24th annual Thanksgiving ecumenical breakfast Tuesday.

“It’s all about perspective,” said the Rev. Susan Daniels, pastor of First United Methodist Church in Mahanoy City, the main speaker.

The annual breakfast sponsored by the Mahanoy Area Ministerial Association was held at St. Mary’s Center, Mahanoy City, and drew about 60 people who enjoyed a breakfast of ham and eggs, prayer, Bible reading, songs and an inspirational message from the guest speaker.

Daniels started with a story of a young girl who was given the honor to say grace and thank God for everything at the family meal on Thanksgiving Day. After thanking God for her relatives, one by one, she then gave a list of each food item on the table. After the long list, she stopped and asked her mother, “If I thank God for the broccoli, won’t he know that I’m lying?”

“Have your ever felt that way?” Daniels asked. “We’re supposed to cultivate a heart of thankfulness, but let’s be honest, sometimes there is a bunch of broccoli in our lives or something else going on and sometimes we feel that it’s really hard to give thanks for anything. Amazingly enough, by learning to cultivate thankfulness for God’s work in our lives in all situations, even in my losses, I have come to appreciate that in the trials that I have gone through in my life, I know that through them God has made me into the person that I am today — a new, hopefully improved, person with more grace, more love, more peace and understanding that I have ever had before. Being thankful for everything and intentionally nurturing a heart of gratitude is a way to bolster your faith on a daily basis, and broccoli notwithstanding, I guarantee will keep you in a better mood.”

Daniels spoke of the importance of Thanksgiving Day in the United States.

“Thanksgiving is upon us, and it’s one day in which we, like those early Pilgrims, are supposed to set aside time in our busy schedules to give thanks to God,” Daniels said. “It’s great that our country has set aside a day of thanksgiving, and there are only two other countries in the world that celebrate Thanksgiving Day, Canada and the Philippines. It’s easy for us to overlook how blessed we really are or how thankful we should be until what we have is either threatened or taken away.”

The Rev. James Carroll, pastor of St. Mary Byzantine Catholic Church, Mahanoy City, welcomed everyone to the event held two days before Thanksgiving Day.

“We’re all here today and that is something to be grateful for, in and of itself,” Carroll said. “On behalf of St. Mary’s, I’d like to welcome everyone. I thank everyone in the kitchen and helping to serve, those who set up and get everything ready.”

He asked for prayer for association secretary Mary Ann Campbell and her family due to the death of her son.

“It’s seems for the last few weeks it has been one thing after another,” Carroll said. “It is good for us to just slow down for a few minutes and come together and to realize the good and the grace that is also touching our lives every day.”

Carroll called Kathy Wufsus, Park Place, to the microphone with her guitar to lead the crowd in singing the opening hymn “Come, Ye Thankful People, Come.”

Lay Pastor Regina Lash of First Presbyterian Church, Mahanoy City, offered a prayer during the invocation, followed with her reading from the Old Testament, 1 Chronicles. The Epistle lesson from the New Testament, 1 Timothy, was read by the Rev. Craig Zimmerman, pastor of St. Paul United Church of Christ, and the Gospel reading from St. Luke was provided by the Rev. Fred Crawford, retired pastor of Christ Lutheran Church, both of Mahanoy City.

The Doxology, Psalm of Thanksgiving, The Lord’s Prayer and the Communal Table Prayer was led by Bob Adams, pastor of First Congregational Church, Mahanoy City. The singing of “Edelweiss” by everyone was led by Adams and Wufsus, which was followed by the meal and Daniels’ talk.

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

Two Schuylkill County communities received state grants from the Commonwealth Finance Authority’s Greenways, Trails and Recreation Program.

Delano Township was awarded $56,000 to assist in the rehabilitation of the 2.8-acre Trenton Park playground and basketball courts.

Frackville will receive $200,000 for the rehabilitation of the Frackville Community Pool at Memorial Park.

Sen. David Argall, R-29, Tamaqua, and Reps. Neal Goodman, D-123, Mahanoy City, and Mike Tobash, R-125, Pottsville, announced the grants in a news release.

FOUNTAIN SPRINGS — The North Schuylkill school board renewed the contract with the district superintendent for five years at its Nov. 15 meeting.

Robert Ackell, 36, had his contract renewed with the same terms as the original four-year contract when he was hired in 2014 . He took over the position when Andrew D. Smarkanic retired that year. The renewed contract is in effect from July 1, 2018, through June 30, 2023, and includes a 3 percent annual salary increase. Ackell was hired at $110,000 per year in 2014, which would bring his salary this school year to about $120,000.

School board President Charles “Chaz” Hepler said all terms remain the same.

“The salary will continue on. Nothing changed from his original contract,” Hepler said. “As far as the terms, it’s a continuation of his salary from what he gets now. His raises stay at 3 percent annually.”

The roll call vote was 7-0, with Chaz Hepler, MaryAnne Hepler, Edward Balkiewicz, Thomas Fletcher, Douglas Gressens, Janine Simms and Glenn Weist. Absent were Roy Green and Raymond Reichwein. Chaz Hepler said the board has been pleased with Ackell’s performance.

“He’s been a great educational leader and motivator, talks with staff and is very fair,” Hepler said. “He has done the job we asked him to do. He has a lot of ideas.”

A Frackville native, Ackell is a North Schuylkill Class of 1999 alumnus. After graduating from North Schuylkill, Ackell attended Penn State University and earned his bachelor’s degree in kinesiology. He attended Drexel University and earned a master’s degree in educational leadership, which was followed by his doctorate in educational management, also from Drexel.

Ackell was a teacher for six years in the Line Mountain School District. He was athletic director at Red Land High School (West Shore School District), then became assistant principal at Cedar Cliff High School (West Shore SD), then was named principal at Allen Middle School (West Shore SD).

The school board acted on the following agenda items:

• Approved adjusting the rate for the previously approved Lead Teachers, Beverly Ney and Ann Subick, for the ACHIEVE After School Program to $23.60 per hour, effective Oct. 1.

• Approved Mary Lang and Kristen Weinreich as teachers for the ACHIEVE After School Program. The rate will be $22.00 per hour.

• Accepted the resignation from the ACHIEVE After School Program for Sue Prushinski, effective Nov. 28.

• Approved an administrative internship for Special Education teacher Christine Greblick with Supervisor of Special Education Knute Brayford for the 2017-18 school year and part of the 2018-19 school year.

• Approved a childbearing/childrearing leave request from Assistant Secondary Principal Liza Ulceski, effective on or about Dec. 22, until on or about Aug. 13, 2018. She will be using all available absence days. When such days are not available, she will be taking days without pay in conjunction with the Family Medical Leave Act.

• Assigned Ty Wartman as assistant to the principal at North Schuylkill High School as a temporary assignment due to Ulceski’s leave. Wartman will receive an additional stipend of $25 per day, effective on or about Dec. 22, until May 31, 2018, or the last teacher day for the 2017-18 school year.

• Approved 90-hour work-based learning experience for Amanda Coyle with the custodial staff at the elementary school. A job coach from Avenues will be present during the experience and wages paid by the school district will be reimbursed by the Office of Vocational Rehabilitation. The hourly rate will be determined by Avenues.

The following items are in accordance with the NSSD/NSEA collective bargaining agreement and district policies and procedures:

• Accepted resignation of elementary teacher Rachael Darrah, effective as soon as released from the district.

• Acknowledged change of assignment for Jacqueline O’Prey from elementary special education learning support teacher, Grades 3 and 4, to reading specialist.

• Approved Jeff Jacavage as a homebound teacher for the 2017-18 school year at $35 per hour.

• Approved upon receipt of appropriate documentation the employment of Sophia Capone as elementary teacher at starting salary of $55,475, Step 13, master’s, effective as soon as released from her current district.

The following agenda items are in accordance with the NSSD/NSESPA collective bargaining agreement and district policies and procedures:

• Approved upon receipt of all appropriate documentation adding Deborah Shearn to substitute cafeteria roster.

• Approved upon receipt of appropriate documentation employment of the following individuals as part-time cafeteria workers at a rate of $9.75 per hour, pending a written satisfactory evaluation after a 60-day probationary period: Janet Moyer and Kimberly Huben (both retroactive to Nov. 13).

• Approved upon receipt of appropriate documentation employment of following individuals as part-time custodians at a rate of $9.50 per hour, pending a written satisfactory evaluation after 60-day probationary period: Esther Rockwell (retroactive to Oct. 26) and Jessica Harris (retroactive to Nov. 6).

• Accepted resignation of part-time special education aide Kathy Bulka, effective Nov. 30.

• Approved the termination of part-time cleaning/custodial worker Amy McClintock, effective Nov. 6.

• Accepted the resignation of part-time custodian Krista Soult, effective Nov. 10.

The following agenda items were also acted on:

• Approved student discipline agreements for two junior-senior high school students dated Oct. 20.

• Approved field trip request from Danielle Moyer for Spanish Club members, students and chaperones on Dec. 8 at no cost to district.

• Approved a field trip request from Samantha White and Kelly Stone for the What’s So Cool About Manufacturing Club students and chaperones on Dec. 6.

• Approved the Schuylkill County A.V.T.S. contracts for the transportation of students for the 2017-2018 school year as follows: North Vo-Tech at $45 per diem and South Vo-Tech at $103.90 per diem.

The school board will hold a reorganization meeting on Dec. 6 at 7 p.m. immediately followed by regular meeting.

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

Police charge man

in Kline Twp. robbery

MCADOO — State police at Frackville charged a Hazle Township man Tuesday with robbing the Dollar General Store, 410 S. Hancock St. in Kline Township earlier this month.

Police said an arrest warrant was obtained for Raymond E. Bolling, 41, through the office of Magisterial District Judge Stephen J. Bayer, Tamaqua, charging him with robbery, criminal attempt to commit theft and terroristic threats.

Police said Bolling is currently jailed in Luzerne County Prison and will be arraigned at a later date.

The robbery occurred about 8:20 p.m. Nov. 6, when police were called to the store for an armed robbery.

It was learned a man, later identified as Bolling, walked into the store and handed the employee a note that read “Don’t say a word, I have a gun, Open the register,” police said.

After reading the note, police said, the employee reported Bolling nodded his head to look down.

Police said that when the woman told Bolling she could not open the register without a key or purchase, he said “just open the register.”

The man then appeared to get frustrated, grabbed the note and left the store, police said.

They added that the investigation determined that Bolling committed the robbery along with several other robberies in the Hazleton area.

Woman not injured

in parking lot crash

ELIZABETHVILLE — A Halifax woman escaped injury in a crash in the parking lot of Walmart in Washington Township, Dauphin County, about 11 a.m. Nov. 10.

State police at Lykens said Margaret Welker, 90, was driving a 2006 Toyota Highlander south on the lot when she made an abrupt turn and accelerated, causing her to hit a parked 2014 Toyota Camry.

The woman’s car then drove over the grass and hit another legally parked vehicle before coming to a stop, police said.

6 juveniles charged

in Lykens incident

LYKENS — Six juveniles were charged by state police at Lykens after an incident at a home on Main Street in this Dauphin County community about 6:15 p.m. Saturday.

Police said troopers were called to the home of Robert S. Hammel and found several juveniles inside.

Five of the juveniles had been consuming alcohol and will be charged with underage drinking while the sixth juvenile will be cited for criminal trespass, police said.

Police issue

holiday warning

Troopers from Troop L that includes Schuylkill Haven, Frackville and Jonestown, will be doing their part in making the roads safer this holiday season.

Troopers are encouraging everyone to drive safe and celebrate this Thanksgiving holiday safely.

Statistics show that the holidays can yield some of the highest impaired driving-related crash totals Pennsylvania has.

“We encourage all drivers to do the right thing to protect themselves and their families,” said Trooper David Beohm, public information officer for Troop L.

He added that police and other state police members certified as Child Passenger Safety Technicians will conduct no-cost car seat fittings at various locations in the troop’s coverage area between Nov. 20 and Dec. 3 and that no appoints are necessary.

Car seats will be checked for suitability, and participants will receive instruction on proper installation and child restraint.

Beohm said that during enforcement operations law enforcement will conduct seat belt and impaired driving enforcement simultaneously because unbelted and impaired driving crashes are shown to be significant contributors to traffic injuries and deaths, especially during nighttime hours.

Brandonville

The Park Crest Fish and Game Protective Association will have its monthly meeting at 2 p.m. Sunday at the clubhouse, 395 Rattlin’ Run Road. For more information call 570-889-3914.

Heckscherville

Clover Fire Company, 8 Clover Road, will sponsor all-you-can-eat breakfast from 7 a.m. to noon Sunday. The cost is $8 for adults and $3 for children. All are welcome. For more information call 570-294-0612.

Mahanoy City

A blood drive is set for noon to 4 p.m. Sunday at West End Fire and Rescue. To schedule an appointment, go online to lifesourcepa.org or call Kathleen at 570-778-5500. All participating donors will receive a holiday tacky T-shirt while supplies last.

Mahanoy City

Washington Hook & Ladder Company will have a pancake breakfast with Santa from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Dec. 10 at the firehouse, 90 S. D St. The cost is $5 for children and $8 for adults. All children who attend will receive a gift. For more information, call 570-573-1260.

McKeansburg

Christ Church McKeansburg is having a soup and cookie sale from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Dec. 2 at the church, 1751 Chestnut St. The sale is by the pound and quart. There will also be homemade beef barbecue and homemade turkey barbecue as well as hot dogs. For more information, call 570-449-3698.

Port Carbon

The Port Carbon Public Library recently acknowledged the following memorials: For Doris A. Mallo from Deborah A. Mallo-Bound; for Michael A. Mallo from Deborah A. Mallo-Bound; for Pastor Rodney Stoner from Deborah A. Mallo-Bound; for Michael and Patricia Kondrack from Donna Spiess; for Patricia Piccioni from Maria Carestia; for Mary Louise D’Happart from H. Clifford D’Happart; for George E. Bondura from The Bondura Family; for Peg and Bob Forbes from Kathy, Mark and Brice Brazinsky; for Peter Yonchuck from Judy and Warren Thomas; for Leah Renninger from Judy and Warren Thomas; for Charles Zimmerman from Ann Zimmerman; for Billy Siegfried from Bill and Mim Siegfried; for Shawn Rumbel from Suzy (Addie) Franko; for David E. Tomex from his son; for Harold “Sam” Rupert from Teenie Rupert; for Mary and Charles Everdale from Charles Everdale Jr.; for the Buber and Tarris families from Edward and Leona Buber. The library also acknowledged the following honor donations: For George Bondura from the Bondura family; for the Everdale children from Jeanne and Charles Everdale. The library acknowledged the following donations: From Deborah A. Mallo-Bound, Barbara Ridge, Judy and Warren Thomas, the Thomas family, Myrna and Bill Everly, George B. Thomas, Mike Karamazin.

Schuylkill Haven

The Schuylkill Haven Senior Citizens group will meet at 6 p.m. Dec. 11 for its annual Christmas dinner to be held at First United Church of Christ (White Church), Route 61. Members must buy tickets in advance to attend. The final ticket sale will be held at the Monday meeting. The dinner will be the group’s final gathering for 2017. The next meeting will be held Feb. 12. For more information call 570-385-5323.

Shenandoah

A Christmas concert featuring the Shenandoah Valley bands under the direction of John Shoener, titled “Sounds of Christmas,” is set for 7 p.m. Dec. 7 in the high school auditorium. The program will include classical and contemporary songs of the holiday season performed by the high school band and the elementary band. Admission is free and the public is invited to attend and support the arts.

Shenandoah

St. Michael Ukrainian Catholic Church, 114 S. Chestnut St., is having a halupki and halushki sale with pickups from noon to 3 p.m. Dec. 9. Halupki is $2 each and halushki is $6 per quart. To order or for more information, call 570-467-3894 or 570-462-0809.

Geisinger Bloomsburg Hospital

To William and Katherine Stroh Catizone, Shamokin, a son, Nov. 20. Maternal grandparents are Vincent and Carol Stroh, Shamokin. Paternal grandparents are Anthony and the late Pattiann Catizone, Pocono Lake.

A program at Williams Valley Elementary School to keep children from going hungry on the weekends is now in its third year.

Bananas and Slim Jims top the list of wanted items, according to Lucinda Bixler, who coordinates the free “Viking Back Pack Program.”

The first food distribution for the school year will be Dec. 1 and will run every Friday thereafter at the elementary school in Tower City.

Guidance counselor Beth Burkhardt said 126 children are eligible to receive the free food packs based on their family’s income level. This is the third year for the program, according to Bixler. It provides six meals over the course of the two-day weekend.

“A little boy came in and said, ‘Friday’s my favorite day.’ I said, ‘Because you have the weekend off?’ and he said, ‘I’m going to have enough food for the weekend.’ They all thank us, and that surprised me,” Bixler said in recalling previous deliveries.

To keep the distribution discreet, students are assigned a number. The younger pupils receive their food packs by numbers at one end of the building, while the older students receive theirs in the guidance office. The volunteers distributing the meals with Bixler only see the student’s number, and are not told the children’s names. The food is packed into a plastic bag that is placed within the student’s back pack, so that others cannot see the food until the children get home to unpack it.

“I know the names and how many we need, but everything’s kept confidential,” Burkhardt said.

There are 16 churches, including Immanuel Lutheran Church in Williamstown, involved with maintaining the program, according to Bixler, who’s in charge of purchasing the food items and coordinating the 17 volunteers needed for distribution and packing. Those same churches run the kids cafe in the summer months.

A breakfast, lunch and dinner are planned for the children’s packs. The meals include a protein, such as franks and beans, spaghetti and meatballs, soups, peanut butter, tuna or chicken salad, protein bars and sunflower seeds.

“Every week, we try to mix it up, so they’re not getting the same thing,” Bixler said.

There’s also cereal, crackers, macaroni and cheese, and occasionally, fruit gummies, Slim Jims or bananas, she said.

Upper Dauphin Area Elementary School has a similar, take-home food program. This school year, there are 151 UDAES students eligible to receive the food packs.

Contact the writer: ; 570-628-6007

PINE GROVE — The Pine Grove Area School District will upgrade its fleet of passenger vans.

The school board on Nov. 16 approved purchasing two 2018 Ford Transit 10-passenger vans from Manderbach Ford at a cost not to exceed $27,699 each, or $55,398 combined. Manderbach, Temple, is a COSTARS supplier, part of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania’s cooperative purchasing program. The cost of the vans will be paid out of the capital projects account.

Directors unanimously approving the purchase were Evelyn Wassel, Donald E. Brown Jr., David Frew, J.T. Herber, Tim Hoy, David Lukasewicz, Wes Ney, Richard Nickel and Alethea Wessner.

The board approved disposition and to advertise bids to sell the district-owned 2005 GMC 3500 passenger van and the 1997 GMC Safari van.

On a related note, the board approved purchasing three Pro-Vision Video Systems from Pro-Vision USA at a cost not to exceed $3,675, plus shipping, at COSTARS pricing. The video systems will be used in the new vans, and one retrofit into an existing van.

Under buildings and grounds improvements, the board approved the installation of a new vinyl floor in the high school STEM classroom. Mr. D’s Interiors, Minersville, will perform the work at a cost not to exceed $4,685, to be paid out of the capital projects account.

Also, for the STEM classroom, the board gave the nod for ancillary funds to be used for electrical supplies and equipment needed, which will be installed by in-house maintenance at a cost not to exceed $4,300.

Directors approved to have brick work done on the north side of the elementary school. Bob Miller will perform the work at a cost not to exceed $2,500. Miller will be using new brick that the district owns and is already stored on site. The cost will be paid out of the capital projects account.

In other business, the board approved to have the salvaged 70 kW generator, which was removed from the high school during the 2010 building project, load tested and evaluated for possible use in the middle/elementary schools. Mechanical Service Co. will perform the work at a cost not to exceed $1,800.

In personnel matters, the board approved:

• Accepting the letter of resignation from Jason Brown as head girls’ soccer coach and advertising for his replacement. Brown was thanked for his years of service.

•Kim West as a volunteer for cheerleading.

•Changing the stipend of Kalene Anderson, assistant girls’ basketball coach, from $2,700 to $1,350. She will be splitting the stipend.

• Hiring Lauren Thompson as assistant girls’ basketball coach at a salary of $1,350.

•Michael Hughes and Chris Rossi as volunteers for the boys’ basketball team.

•Several aides, volunteers and substitutes.

•Updating all AFSCME employee job descriptions to add some consistency under the physical demands and throughout the classifications.

Contact the writer: ; 570-628-6007

MINERSVILLE — Santa Claus train rides will be held again in Minersville, Schuylkill Haven and Tamaqua this year.

In Minersville, the train will run at 10:30 a.m., 1 and 3:30 p.m. Dec. 3.

Usually the train rides are the first and third Sunday of December. Bob Kimmel, president of Railway Restoration Project 113, a Minersville-based nonprofit organization, said that was a decision by the Reading, Blue Mountain & Northern Railroad to set aside only one day this year.

In Minersville, tickets are free for children under 3 years old; $9 for children ages 3 to 12; and $14 for everyone over 12 years old. More than 500 tickets have been sold so far, Kimmel said.

“Being that we are only running one day, we are limited,” he said.

About 1,600 tickets should be available for the eight cars. If not sold, tickets will be available on the day of the train ride, however, last year they were sold out prior to the event. Santa and Mrs. Claus will be on the train.

The Steam Locomotive CNJ 113 will pull the riders back to Minersville from outside Schuylkill Haven. A diesel engine from the Reading, Blue Mountain & Northern Railroad will start the approximate 80-minute round trip.

“It’s all ready. The coal’s loaded. The engine is ready to go,” Kimmel said of CNJ 113.

For more information, call the Minersville Train Station at 570-544-8300, borough hall at 570-544-2149 or visit www.rrproject113.org.

Santa Claus train rides will also take place in Schuylkill Haven and Tamaqua.

The rides in Schuylkill Haven will be at 10:30 a.m., 1:00 and 3:30 p.m. Dec. 2. Advanced ticket purchases are recommended and can be purchased at the train station in Schuylkill Haven on Main Street.

Train rides in Tamaqua are at 10:30 a.m., 1 and 3:30 p.m. Dec. 9. Call 610-562-2102 for advance tickets for the Tamaqua train ride.

Contact the writer: ; 570-628-6028

ORWIGSBURG — A Bethlehem man must defend in Schuylkill County Court against two charges resulting from his alleged furnishing of beer in March to minors, including one who died the next morning in an accident in Lehigh County.

Ryan N. Snyder, 22, of 1655 Jonathan Lane, faces charges of corruption of minors and selling or furnishing liquor to minors. Magisterial District Judge James R. Ferrier bound over both charges for court on Tuesday after Snyder waived his right to the hearing.

State police at Fogelsville alleged Snyder bought 36 cans of beer on March 17 at Rutter’s convenience store, Hamburg, and then distributed it to minors at 10:07 p.m. that same day at a garage at 26 Molino Road, Molino, West Brunswick Township.

Police said one of the girls who drank the beer was Kaci M. Kunkel, 18, of Kempton.

However, police said, at 4:57 a.m. March 18, Kunkel died in a one-vehicle accident in light snow on Route 143 in New Tripoli, Lynn Township. Police said Kunkel lost control of her green 1999 Dodge Ram 1500 pickup truck, which spun, hit a snowbank, a mailbox and a utility pole, and came to rest on its roof.

Kunkel was pronounced dead at the scene, according to police. She had a blood alcohol level of 0.03 percent, police said; the legal limit for driving for minors in Pennsylvania is 0.02 percent.

According to police, Snyder admitted buying the beer for the get-together in Molino, an admission that is supported by surveillance video from Rutter’s.

Snyder is free on $2,500 unsecured bail pending further court action.

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

POTTSVILLE — The Christmas tree will stand 3 feet taller this year in Garfield Square.

“It’s hard to get a tree as big as everyone wants,” Tom Whitaker, Pottsville superintendent of streets, said Wednesday.

However, this year the tree is larger than it has been in the city in recent memory, he said.

Jason Brown, owner of Centre Street Hardware in Pottsville, donated the 17-foot concolor fir tree, which he personally picked Tuesday from a tree farm in Lehighton. Usually the city has a tree donated by a local tree farm, however, Brown said he wanted to give to the community that has been good to him. The trunk of the tree is 7 1/2 inches in diameter. It weighs about 250 pounds and Brown estimates it to be about 15 years old.

City street department workers built a tree pit earlier this year for larger trees. It measures 20 inches in diameter and 24 inches deep. There is 3 1/2 yards of concrete in the area. When not in use, the pit is covered by a large stainless steel plate. The tree is secured in place by anchor bolts in the tree anchor, which is made of metal.

A backhoe lifted the tree with a nylon strap while workers gently guided it into place. Cement blocks were used at the bottom of the tree anchor to act as a base to sit the tree on. The tree will remain in place until about the second week of January when it will be removed and mulched.

City workers had it in place by 10:30 a.m. Wednesday.

“It looks good,” Whitaker said.

About 300 multi-colored LED lights adorn the tree, which will be lit Saturday during the holiday events downtown after Santa arrives by fire truck at 5:30 p.m.

The event kicks off with a program at 4:30 p.m. at First United Methodist Church, 330 W. Market St., where there will be an invocation, holiday entertainment provided by Pastor Mark Hochgertel of Freedom in Christ Church, Pottsville, who will sing carols and The Crimson Academy who will sing “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas,” and “Holiday Dance Show.”

Santa and the tree lighting will be followed by the mayor’s Christmas party at Humane Fire Company, 200 Humane Ave., Pottsville. Children can visit with Santa and Mrs. Claus. There will be a free gift for children who attend the party. Tickets will be given to children who attend the church service and the tree lighting ceremony.

Mayor James T. Muldowney will not be able to attend the festivities because he has prior commitments, but he hopes everyone has a good time. City council member Joe Devine said the event should be a good one for all.

“I hope they come out,” he said.

Contact the writer: ; 570-628-6028

Although they play a role in one of the most recognizable Thanksgiving spectacles — the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade —you may not spot Pottsville’s David and Cindy Schlegel when the parade steps off at 9 a.m. today.

“It’s a thrill, like ‘Miracle on 34th Street’ in real life. I’ve been watching the parade since I was a kid and can remember smelling the turkey in the oven and seeing the parade on TV. Having the opportunity to live it, and actually walk it is unbelievable,” David said.

The couple has volunteered for 12 years at the New York City holiday tradition, and have made it a family affair. David has been a Macy’s operations float captain and Cindy served as a float escort for several years before becoming an escort captain in 2013. David is in charge of overseeing the talent on his particular float, which has included celebrities like Neil Diamond, Tommy Tune, Jeff Corwin, Kristin Chenoweth, the Jonas Brothers and stars from “Duck Dynasty.”

Celebrities

“I make sure they know where to sit on the float and get them anything they need. I have direct contact with the parade marshal in case of an emergency,” he said.

As a float captain, David is beside the float driver along the 2.5-mile parade route and helps pace the float. David also recruits other employee volunteers. Cindy’s in charge of the adults who serve as float escorts and this year has 23 people as part of her team.

This year, the couple has been assigned to the Kentucky Fried Chicken “The Colonel’s Road Trip to NYC” float, with country music star Dustin Lynch. They’re scheduled to be the 11th float to appear.

One year, Cindy escorted a float for actress/singer Ashley Tisdale. The Schlegels also caught glimpses of Kiss, the late Joan Rivers and Dolly Parton as they were being seated on other floats.

David admits there isn’t much time for celebrity small talk, since the stars are taxied onto their respective floats via 4-wheelers and are put in place a few minutes before leaving the start line at Central Park West. The parade travels down Sixth Avenue to Macy’s Herald Square and 34th Street.

Volunteers

The 4,000 volunteers assisting on parade day are Macy’s employees and their families and friends, who are pre-approved. The volunteers attend meetings in New York City about a month before the parade and again a few days before to finalize plans. On the morning of the parade, the Schlegels and fellow volunteers catch a bus that Macy’s sends for them in the Lehigh Valley and they arrive in the Big Apple by 5:30 a.m.

The Schlegels’ son, Matthew, daughter-in-law, Kelly, and grandchildren, Grant, Lexie and Aubrey, West Lawn, all now take part.

“You put their names in to be selected,” David said. All children riding on the floats have to be between the ages of 7 and 11. This year will be Grant’s third time participating and Lexie and Aubrey’s second appearance. The Schlegel grandchildren will be on the “Heartwarming Holiday Countdown Hallmark Channel” float this year. Kelly will assist with the Macy’s Great American Marching Band, which is a 185-member band comprised of high school musicians.

David retired last year as Macy’s merchandise lead after 20 years of service with Macy’s Lehigh Valley, Whitehall. He worked for 23 years with Hess’s at the Schuylkill Mall in Frackville before his stint at Macy’s.

Dress and security

While float captains, like David, wear a suit and a ribbon sash designating their title, the escort captains and their escort crew don costumes and walk along the exterior of the floats, but do not ride on them.

“I love to be in costume,” Cindy said.

Volunteers get into their costumes upon arrival at the New Yorker Hotel. Security measures are already put into place, according to David, as volunteers enter the parade scene.

“Seeing all these people come into the New Yorker Hotel with their costumes, it looks like a circus,” David said. “You have to have your credentials and other ID. Your costume has your name on it. You’ve already sent them your measurements. As soon as you’re dressed, you head down to Central Park,” he said.

David said the Santa costume is striking. One year, he was able to serve as the float captain for the new Santa float, meaning he was at the end of the parade lineup. Santa arrived to his float in a black limo, David remembered, and immediately assumed his post on top.

“There’s a small staircase for him to get in. It’s a tall float,” he said.

Schlegel helped Santa get to his post and then absorbed the celebratory sights before him.

“It’s amazing going down the parade route, all the adults who are yelling for Santa Claus. I thought it would be the kids,” David said.

“You see them waving from up above and everywhere, and we wave back at them. They sometimes have signs saying where they’re from,” Cindy said of the crowds that are lined from the curb back to storefronts.

The couple said they know that security will be tight for the event.

“Over the last few years, you’d see NYPD officers every 20 feet or so on both sides of the street. Then it was every five feet, then with dogs too. Last year, they had garbage trucks filled with sand in the intersections,” Cindy said.

“There’s people behind the scenes in regular street clothes that we don’t know about and in the sky,” David said.

Logistically speaking, the parade is a large feat.

“The 91st march of Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade will feature 17 giant character balloons; 28 legacy balloons, balloonicles, balloonheads and trycaloons; 26 floats; 1,100 cheerleaders and dancers; more than 1,000 clowns; 12 marching bands and six performance groups,” according to www.macys.com/parade. More than 3.5 million gather in New York City for the event and another 50 million watch on television, according to the website. A complete list of stars scheduled to appear can be found at the website.

Time at the parade goes by fast, the Schlegels said. They’re back in the Lehigh Valley area by 3:30 or 4 p.m. on Thanksgiving Day and usually eat with Cindy’s mother, Erma Gruber, in Topton upon their return.

In addition to parade photos the family has saved, one memento of David’s service is the “Rollie” award that Macy’s presented to him in 2009, marking his fifth year of volunteering as a float captain. It features a carved, smiling clown bust. The Rollie award joins Christmas decor that’s already in place at the Schlegel’s home. David said they set a goal to have their decorations up prior to the parade every year.

The parade is broadcast on NBC from 9 a.m. to noon today.

Contact the writer: ; 570-628-6007

POTTSVILLE — Nothing marks a moment in time like a banner headline across a sheet of pulp paper.

So says Morris Brill, 75, of Norwegian Township, who has been collecting hundreds of newspapers for years.

“All of them are in archival polyurethane sleeves,” Brill said Nov. 15 as he picked through a stack dedicated to World War II.

He collected newspapers for a few reasons. Sometimes he was fascinated by how major events were communicated to the masses. Sometimes he’s tickled by the value of these antiques.

“I would think a paper like this today is worth about $300,” Brill said as he pulled out the May 8, 1945, edition of the Milwaukee Sentinel. A special “V-E DAY” edition, it featured the iconic photo depicting six Marines raising a U.S. flag atop Mount Suribachi during the Battle of Iwo Jima on Feb. 23, 1945.

On the newsstand back in the day, it sold for 5 cents.

“As a Jewish person, this is my favorite,” Brill said as he pulled out a copy of the May 3, 1945, edition of the St. Louis Globe-Democrat. It carried the headline: “HITLER AND GOEBBELS KILLED SELVES AS BERLIN FELL IN RUINS.”

The size of that and many papers in his collection are bigger than modern newspapers. The copy of the St. Louis Globe-Democrat was 23 inches by 16 inches.

“This is a great newspaper,” Brill said as he looked over the Aug. 6, 1945, edition of The Evening Bulletin of Providence, Rhode Island. Stretched across the front page were the words: “NEW ATOMIC BOMB HITS JAPAN.”

He also had the Aug. 8, 1945, edition of the San Francisco Examiner, which had the word “EXTRA” emblazoned across the top of the front page. It carried the headline: “60 PER CENT OF ATOM BOMBED CITY GONE!”

“Journalists write the first draft of history, which is kind of significant,” Brill said as he eyeballed the issue.

“It’s not like today, where someone would say that it’s all fake news. There was a time when we had respect for newspapers, and we still should,” Brill said.

He also had the Aug. 10, 1945, edition of The Evening Herald of Shenandoah. The 23-inch-long-by-17-inch-wide paper carried the headline: “JAPS OFFER TO QUIT.”

And the word “PEACE” was printed in huge letters across the Aug. 14, 1945, edition of The Evening Herald.

“The Evening Herald did a good job with this. They gave it the headline that it deserved. They don’t do headlines like that anymore,” Brill said.

“Someone gave these to me, an older man,” Brill said, referring to the copies of The Evening Herald.

“He knew he wouldn’t live much longer and probably had no one else to give these to. He wanted to give these to someone who would care for them. And you do have to care for them,” Brill said.

If a vintage newspaper is ripped, he makes efforts to fix it with archival tape.

“One thing you never want to do is put Scotch tape on a newspaper. In 10 years it will be all yellow and orange. It will be a mess. You should use archival tape. And it’s really clear,” Brill said as he held up a box of Lineco-brand document repair tape.

When interviewed in April 1990, Brill said he had 150 newspapers in his collection. And at the time he said the most valuable one he had was the Nov. 22, 1963, issue of The Pottsville Republican, which featured coverage of the assassination of President John F. Kennedy.

He was in the Army at the time the incident occurred.

He bought a copy of that edition in Schuylkill County in 1986.

Last week, Brill said he had more than 300 newspapers. One of the oldest is a Nov. 10, 1888, edition of The North American, which was published in Philadelphia. The front page includes a story about a murderer in London who would become known as “Jack the Ripper.”

The headline and subhead were: “WHITECHAPEL’S FIEND, He Murders and Mutilates a Low Woman in a Dorset Street House.”

“Surprisingly, the most precious one I have features a story about the explosion of the Challenger,” he said.

He was referring to the NASA space shuttle that exploded Jan. 28, 1986, 73 seconds after liftoff. The disaster claimed the lives of all seven astronauts aboard, including Christa McAuliffe, a teacher from New Hampshire who would have been the first civilian in space.

The front page of the Jan. 29, 1986, edition of The Reading Times carried a large photo of the plume of smoke and rubble in the sky, and an Associated Press story with the headline: “Fiery blast destroys Challenger; U.S. Mourns 7 fallen astronauts.” He said he was watching the launch on television with his two infant children, Brian and Doug. He said he’ll never forget the burst of excitement he felt when the ship took off and how the explosion left him with profound devastation.

“I don’t think they really grasped what had happened. There was something about the expression in their faces. I could tell it registered with them. They knew something was wrong. And they knew I was upset. I think about all the kids who were watching that across the country. And I still get sentimental when I think about it,” Brill said.

Brill also keeps that newspaper in a protective sleeve.

Born in Philadelphia, June 18, 1942, Brill graduated from Olney High School, Philadelphia, in 1959.

“I didn’t go to college until I was, like, 27, years old,” he said. He earned a bachelor’s degree in business from Philadelphia College of Textiles and Sciences. Now it’s called Philadelphia University.”

Brill worked as a buyer at Pomeroy’s in Wilmington, Delaware, Levittown and Neshaminy.

He moved to Schuylkill County in 1979, when he became general manager of the Pomeroy’s in downtown Pottsville. In June 1983, he was appointed general manager of the 60,000-square-foot Pomeroy’s store at Schuylkill Mall, Frackville.

“We moved there as Pomeroy’s, then got sold out. It only took about a year after we moved there and then they changed it to The Bon-Ton,” Brill said. He became general manager of The Bon-Ton at Schuylkill Mall.

He went on to be general manager then regional of U.S. Factory Outlets at the Schuylkill Mall.

“They moved into where the Hess’s store was,” Brill, who retired in 2005, said.

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

POTTSVILLE — The Mahanoy City woman charged with killing a toddler by falling on her did not commit murder, a Schuylkill County judge decided Tuesday.

Pietrina C. Hoffman Williams, 54, is not guilty of third-degree murder or aggravated assault, President Judge William E. Baldwin ruled.

However, Baldwin upheld Williams’ convictions of six other crimes, including involuntary manslaughter. He rescheduled Williams’ sentencing for 9 a.m. Nov. 29.

After a two-day trial over which Baldwin presided, a jury found Williams guilty on June 28 of third-degree murder, aggravated assault, involuntary manslaughter, prohibited possession of firearm, and two counts each of endangering the welfare of children and recklessly endangering another person. Jurors found her not guilty of possession of drug paraphernalia.

Baldwin sentenced her on Aug. 7 to serve 16 to 32 years in a state correctional institution, pay costs and $50 to the Criminal Justice Enhancement Account, and submit a DNA sample to law enforcement authorities..

Mahanoy City police charged Williams, formerly Pietrina Hoffman, with killing Navaeh Doyle on the morning of Jan. 10, 2016, at 519 W. Centre St.

Prosecutors said Williams, who was caring for Doyle at the time and had taken several medications, fell off her couch and onto the girl, smothering her to death. They also alleged the defendant endangered Annabella “Cece” Williams, Doyle’s stepsister, who also was in her care at the same time.

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

SHENANDOAH — With two part-time police officers leaving the force and a full-time officer unable to work due to an injury, the Shenandoah mayor needs to find a way to fill duty shifts.

Mayor Andrew Szczyglak spoke to borough council at Monday’s meeting about the situation in order to find a solution since the open positions will leave openings in police coverage in December.

“The situation I’m having right now is that I don’t have enough officers available to fill the schedule in December,” Szczyglak said. “Two of my part-time police officers have been offered full-time positions in other departments, so they will be leaving. One officer who is leaving was part-time on the police force, but he was working a significant amount of hours that you could consider him full-time.”

He added that a full-time police officer was injured recently, and his physician has taken him off duty until he can see a specialist.

“It’s the month of December. It’s hunting season and a lot of guys are looking to take vacation days to go hunting,” Szczyglak said. “It’s their time and we can’t really deny them.”

The borough advertised in the Nov. 17 edition of The Republican-Herald that the Shenandoah Civil Service Commission will establish an eligibility list for full- and part-time police officers. The civil service test will be at 4 p.m Dec. 14. at borough hall.

Szczyglak wants to meet with the borough council’s Law and Order Committee to discuss the situation.

“I’m asking the Law and Order Committee to see if it is feasible to hire another full-time police officer,” he said. “Look at the roundabout picture and see what the best possible solution would be. But for now, I have to see what we’re going to do to fill these shifts for December. There may be the possibility we might have to bring in state police to cover shifts because we don’t have enough officers.”

In other business, there were four properties that the borough had solicited bids for sale. Only one property at 332 W. Poplar St. received a bid, which was from Dennis and Bonnie Gawrylik for $800 to purchase a neighboring vacant property to their Poplar Street home. The council approved the bid.

The other properties — 309-311 S. Jardin St., 216-218 S. Gilbert St., and 213 Furnace St. — received no bids.

To the rear of borough hall is a small trailer used by the local Boy Scouts to collect cans for recycling, but in recent months the cans have not been collected and the trailer is overflowing.

“The location is a mess and it will have to be relocated away from borough hall,” council Vice President Robert D. Mychak said.

During the public portion, Councilman-elect Gordon Slater, who is involved with the Scout program, said he and the Scouts will collect all the cans at the site. Slater said other sites will be considered to relocate the trailer, and if no site is located, the collection will cease.

The Shenandoah Police Department will help with a visit by Santa Claus on Friday, as noted during the meeting, and officers are asking for donations to purchase treats for children when they visit with Santa after his skydiving drop and parade that same day. Donations can be made by check to “Shenandoah Police Department Christmas Fund.”

The borough council approved the Schuylkill County Tax Claim Bureau repository sale of 619 W. Penn St. to JLH Development LLC, Mount Pleasant, for $2,370.

The council received a request from Downtown Shenandoah Inc. for no parking signs be placed on the 100 and 200 block of North Main Street 4 to 8 p.m. Friday for the Coal Cracker Christmas event. The parking restriction is so that the horse-drawn trolley can travel safely to Girard Park and back.

The council received a request from Ateeco Inc. to use Veterans Memorial Stadium at the Shenandoah Valley School District campus for the company-sponsored sky diving Santa at noon Friday.

The Greater Shenandoah Area Chamber of Commerce made a request for a donation to its Holiday Lighting Fund.

A fourth request was made by the Shenandoah Valley Boys Basketball Booster Club to allow the team to sell Christmas trees as a fundraiser Dec. 2 and 3 at 1 N. Main St.

The borough council approved all four requests, and Szczyglak thanked Ateeco President Thomas Twardzik for sponsoring the sky-diving Santa event and how it brings back memories from his childhood.

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