Age incorrect

Melissa A. Raffensberger is 31 years old. Her age was incorrect in an article in Wednesday’s edition.

HARRISBURG — State lawmakers gave final approval Wednesday to a milestone bill legalizing the use of marijuana for medical purposes, a move that gave families who lobbied for the measure a profound sense of relief.

Gov. Tom Wolf said he will sign the legislation at a ceremony Sunday at the state Capitol.

“I am proud and excited to sign this bill that will provide long overdue medical relief to patients and families who could benefit from this treatment,” Wolf said.

The measure will allow medical marijuana use for patients certified by a doctor for a range of serious medical conditions, including cancer, multiple sclerosis, epilepsy, Parkinson’s disease, autism, Huntingdon’s disease, post-traumatic stress disorder and spinal cord damage. Patients can take the drug as pills, oils, gels and liquids but not smoke it.

The final legislative action came when House lawmakers voted 149-46 to agree with Senate changes to the bill.

Pennsylvania will now become the 24th state with a legal cannabis program as a result of that vote, which caps a prolonged legislative battle.

“As soon as we saw the bill on the (House) calendar, I think everyone breathed a collective sigh of relief,” Latrisha Bentch, a member of Pennsylvania Campaign for Compassion, an advocacy group, said.

Christine Brann, another group member, said the law will improve the life of her son and enable her to remain living in Pennsylvania.

The push to legalize medical marijuana started with just a handful of lawmakers in 2010 and picked up considerable bipartisan support as families of children with serious medical conditions such as epilepsy kept up a vigil at times at the Capitol seeking action on the bill.

“This was an easy vote to make because at its very basic core, it’s about helping people,” Rep. Marty Flynn, D-113, Scranton, said.

House Majority Leader Dave Reed, R-62, Indiana, said he came to support the bill after researching the issue and reading about the struggles of families.

“We listened to the parents of the children who suffer from the various seizures,” Rep. Eddie Day Pashinski, D-121, Wilkes-Barre, said.

Rep. Matt Baker, R-68, Wellsboro, urged defeat of the bill, saying it will lead to serious consequences with litigation and problems with marijuana dispensaries that will be set up in Pennsylvania. Marijuana’s classification as a federal controlled substance is another problem, he added.

The final stretch of debate focused on ways to control the production and distribution of marijuana to make sure it’s used to help patients and not diverted elsewhere.

The state Department of Health under the helm of Secretary Karen Murphy, R.N., Ph.D., a Scranton native, takes the lead role in establishing the regulatory set up governing the growing, dispensing and use of marijuana for patients and academic research under this legislation.

The department will issue permits to marijuana growers and processors and dispensaries, register physicians authorized to issue certifications to patients to use medical marijuana and issue ID cards to patients and designated caregivers who are 21 and older. As part of the controls, employees of firms that grow and process medical marijuana and of dispensaries, as well as caregivers, will undergo criminal background checks.

The department will maintain an electronic database to track the distribution of medical marijuana from growers to patients.

The department will need an estimated $2.7 million in fiscal 2016-17 to carry out its oversight role, according to a fiscal note by the House Appropriations Committee. That sum will cover the costs of creating 31 positions within the agency and creating the database.

While Pennsylvania establishes the cannabis program, patients will have legal protection under the bill to obtain medical marijuana in other states where it is legal.

The legislation envisions a research role for hospitals, universities and academic medical centers into the use of medical marijuana to treat diseases. The Commonwealth Medical College in Scranton would have the option of exploring that role.

A new 5 percent tax on the sale of medical marijuana by growers and processors to dispensaries would generate revenue to help support those research programs and help patients who can’t afford to purchase medical marijuana.

On Wednesday, the state legislature sent an amended version of House Bill 1589 — the fiscal code, which distributes subsidy to public school districts — back to the governor.

It was signed by both the House and Senate late Wednesday afternoon, according to the website for the Pennsylvania General Assembly.

Soon afterward, state Rep. Neal P. Goodman, D-123, said he’s one of its supporters.

“I voted for The Fiscal Code bill to get the maximum amount of funding for Schuylkill County schools, including the six districts in my legislative district. And, as promised, I voted for the fiscal code to ensure funding to reimburse schools for construction projects through PlanCon is included in the 2016-17 budget,” Goodman said in an email to the newspaper.

“However, I take issue with the characterization made by some that the governor wanted to cut funding to Schuylkill County schools. Under Gov. Wolf’s plan, Schuylkill County schools would have received $2.8 million more than they had last year under the final Corbett budget. This is what my colleagues and the governor fought for — to begin restoring education funding — including the $10 million cut from Schuylkill County schools by Republicans under Corbett,” Goodman said.

Gov. Tom Wolf hadn’t reviewed the amended version of the bill Wednesday night, according to Jeffrey Sheridan, the governor’s press secretary.

“It has not come to his desk. He will review in its entirety once it does and make a final decision at that time,” Sheridan said.

SHENANDOAH — The Gold Star Bridge along state Route 924 at the southern side of Shenandoah reopened to traffic on Wednesday after repairs were made to the bridge deck.

Construction workers reopened the east side of the busy highway after installing a steel plate to cover a hole on the bridge deck.

Crews discovered the hole early Monday morning and closed the bridge, with a temporary detour posted for traffic, sending traffic along Herald Road and East Laurel Street. Structural engineers were called in to determine the extent of the damage and whether it could safely be reopened to traffic.

Since additional work needs to be done, the bridge will close again during overnight hours. According to Dan Galvin, the media contact for Plenary Walsh Keystone Partners, crews will have to close the bridge again from 9 p.m. to 5 a.m. on Thursday and Friday evening to perform additional repair work from underneath the bridge.

“During investigations of the bridge’s condition, structural engineers determined that it would not be safe for construction workers to work from underneath the bridge while traffic was overhead,” Galvin said in a media release.

Signs will be posted to alert drivers to the detour during the nighttime repair work, with traffic rerouted to state Route 54 and Gilberton Road (state Route 4030).

The Gold Star Bridge is part of the state Department of Transportation’s Rapid Bridge Replacement Project. Staged construction started in mid-March on the bridge over Kehley Run Creek. The bridge was built in 1949 and averages about 5,500 vehicles a day. The bridge is scheduled to be complete early fall.

The construction project began with the closing of the southbound lanes and the removal of that side of the bridge. All traffic in both directions has been funneled into one lane on the northbound side, with signals controlling the traffic flow. The project plan involved constructing a new two-lane southbound half of the bridge to be opened in early summer, then close the northbound side for similar construction.

Five bridges were completed in Schuylkill County in 2015. Two bridges will be replaced this year.

The bridge projects are part of a Public-Private Partnership between PennDOT and Plenary Walsh Keystone Partners under which PWKP will finance, design, replace and maintain the bridges for 25 years. As part of PWKP, Walsh/Granite JV will oversee construction. The P3 approach will allow PennDOT to replace the bridges more quickly while achieving significant savings and minimizing impact on motorists.

Two people were displaced after an early morning fire in Pottsville.

Firefighters from Pottsville and the Schuylkill Haven Rapid Intervention Team were dispatched at 4:02 a.m. to 319 N. Ninth St. for a house fire.

Crews arrived within minutes and found heavy smoke at the home and 321 N. Ninth St., Pottsville First Assistant Chief Jim Misstishin said.

“The origin of the fire was in the kitchen area,” he said, declining to elaborate. “Right now, it’s under investigation.”

Along with the kitchen area in the first floor rear, it spread to the living quarters and spread up the stairs to part of the second floor. The damage was estimated about $47,000, he said.

The house at 321 sustained smoke and water damage. Firefighters had to make a hole in the roof to vent the heat and the smoke. Misstishin said the damage there is between $20,000 and $25,000.

Fire was also visible on the side of 319 near the street. Misstishin said it was contained to 319 with 321 sustaining smoke damage.

Misstishin, and two fire investigators, Mike Stank and Joe Murton VI also investigated the fire.

No one was injured in the fire, he said.

According to the Schuylkill County Parcel Locator, Christopher Yoder and Bonnie J. Roeder own the house at 319, and Robert Bedford owns 321.

Yoder said he was not home at the time of the fire. Misstishin said Yoder lives in Saint Clair.

“A friend called me,” Yoder said, adding he was worried about his cats in the house. Misstishin said three of the four cats were found. The other one could be hiding, he said.

The Pottsville Police Department removed both Robert and Randy Bedford from the home at 321.

“They did a heck of a job, as usual,” Misstishin said of the police department.

As of 6 a.m., Misstishin said both homes were not habitable. He said, the house at 319 was insured but he does not know if the house at 321 was. Firefighters did not hear working smoke detectors upon arrival.

“Neither building had smoke detectors. We could have lost two lives in 321 without the Pottsville Police Department kicking the door in,” Misstishin said.

Free smoke detectors are available at City Hall.

Robert and Randy Bedford are staying with relatives. A newspaper delivery person called 911 about the fire, Misstishin said.

Darrin Rapali, 52, of 900 Mine St., who lives nearby, said a young woman rang his doorbell and screamed “Help Me. Help Me,” at 4 a.m.

He came outside moments later and noticed the firefighters had arrived. He looked outside and saw flames on the side of 319. An employee of PPL shut off the power to 319 at 5:30 a.m.

Firefighters remained on scene until 6:46 a.m.

REEDSVILLE — State police and county drug task force agents broke up what authorities called a major drug ring over the weekend.

Authorities confiscated more than nine pounds of methamphetamine, as well as guns, large amounts of cash, a grenade launcher attachment and pipe bombs.

During a press conference Wednesday at the state police barracks at Schuylkill Haven, authorities identified the seven people jailed for their role in the “large methamphetamine trafficking organization” that encompassed primarily Schuylkill County.

Capt. Kristal Turner-Childs, head of the state police Troop L, Reading, said the investigation revealed that those charged arranged for the delivery of methamphetamine from people operating in San Diego, California.

Turner-Childs said the arrests were the result of an ongoing investigation begun in March with undercover law enforcement agents buying various amounts of methamphetamine and conducting many hours of surveillance.

Troopers and Schuylkill County Drug Task Force detectives also obtained court-authorized search and seizure warrants that they used during the roundup Saturday and Sunday.

Turner-Childs said that on Saturday, 14 of those warrants were executed resulting in the seizure of 9 1/4 pounds of methamphetamine with a street value of about $177,600, or $1,200 an ounce, one half-pound of marijuana, 72 guns, nine pipe bombs, a grenade launcher attachment and cash totaling about $103,120.

“This was definitely a collaborative effort,” Turner-Childs said, referring to state and county law enforcement working together.

Charged during a warrant sweep Saturday into Sunday were:

Chad Bainbridge, 39, of 184 Thomaston Road, Pottsville; Angel Romeu, 32, of 121 S. Nicholas St., Saint Clair; David Bainbridge Jr., 35, of 320 Fishbach St., Seltzer; Brett Heinbach, 33, of 237 Mexico Road, Pine Grove; Jonathan Spiess, 36, of 902 Summer Hill Road, Auburn; Michael Donlin, 41, of 24 Beecher St., Pine Grove; and Anthoney Haughton, 55, of 565 Chestnut St., Orange, New Jersey.

Each was charged by Trooper Troy Greenawald of the Reading station with corrupt organizations, possession of a controlled substance, possession with intent to distribute controlled substances, dealing in proceeds of unlawful activities and criminal use of a communications facility.

Magisterial District Judge James R. Ferrier, Orwigsburg, arraigned each man and committed them to Schuylkill County Prison.

Ferrier set bail at $1 million cash for Romeu, David Bainbridge, Heinbach and Haughton, $250,000 for Spiess and $100,000 straight cash each for Donlin and Chad Bainbridge.

In addition to those in custody, Greenawald obtained arrest warrants on identical charges for David Botek, 36, of Pine Grove, and Wayne Lenosky, 35, of Pottsville, and for Todd Hoke, 36, of Branchdale, who is charged with possession of a controlled substance and possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance. All three remain at large, Turner-Childs said.

Active summons have been filed on charges of possession of controlled substances against Terry Dewitt, 53, of Schuylkill Haven; Scott Haberstroh, 46, of Tremont; and, Samantha Digilio, 24, of Branchdale.

State police Lt. Christopher Blugis, head of the criminal division for Troop L, said authorities began following up on leads after learning of the availability of methamphetamine and eventually were able to identify those responsible resulting in the warrants for their arrests.

Both Blugis and Turner-Childs said the investigation is still ongoing and many details associated with the cases cannot be released.

Sgt. Fred Krute, station commander for the Reedsville barracks, said that, although the arrests took seven major drug dealers off the street, much more work is needed.

“We are happy today that we have these people and these weapons off of the street,” Krute said. He commended state police and county officials for working together for the common goal of cracking down on illegal drugs.

Turner-Childs said investigators were surprised when the nine pipe bombs were discovered resulting in the state police Hazardous Device Team being activated to assist.

“Criminals want cash, guns and drugs,” she said, adding that the pipe bombs were “surprising but not out of the realm.”

Krute stressed that illegal drug activity is a major problem, not only in Schuylkill County but throughout the United States.

“This is only a tiny portion of what is out there,” he said.

Holman said the announcement of the arrests is a “great day and proud day for Schuylkill County.”

“After months of hard work by law enforcement in the county we have managed to put a dent in the unwanted distribution of illegal drugs,” she said.

Holman stressed that her office will now continue the process and prosecute those arrested to the fullest extent of the law and turn the tainted goods seized into useful dollars that will hopefully result in additional drug busts and arrests.

“There should be no doubt in anyone’s minds the message sent today, ‘Don’t bring drugs to Schuylkill County; you will not prosper,” the district attorney said.

All those arrested will have to appear for preliminary hearings before Ferrier in his Orwigsburg courtroom on May 5.

The Pottsville Area school board has managed to hold the line on taxes for a decade.

On Wednesday, school board President John F. Boran wasn’t sure the tradition would continue in school year 2016-17.

“We don’t know,” Boran said while he and members of the board reviewed the proposed 2016-17 school year budgets for the districts departments during a four-hour public Finance Committee Meeting at the Howard S. Fernsler Academic Center.

“It depends on the state,” board Member William R. Davidson, said referring to the struggle legislatures are engaged in regarding the distribution of state subsidy with House Bill 1589, the fiscal code.

On Dec. 2, the school board voted not to pursue a weighty tax increase for 2016-17 school year.

“It is recommended that the board adopt a resolution pursuant to Section 311(d)(1) of the Special Session Act 1 of 2006 indicating that the Pottsville Area School District will not increase any school district tax for the 2016-17 school year at a rate that exceeds the index as calculated by the Pennsylvania Department of Education,” Boran said at the Dec. 2 meeting.

That index is 3.4 percent of the district’s current millage rate, according to Stephen C. Curran, the district’s business manager.

The district’s current millage is 34 mills. So the school board could increase its millage to 35.15 in the 2016-17 budget if necessary, Curran said.

In January, the certified public accountant who conducted the 2014-15 audit for the school district, Richard W. Pitcavage of Jones & Co., Pottsville, recommended that its school board consider a tax increase.

The school board will discuss its 2016-17 budget at its next work session, scheduled for 5:30 p.m. April 20, which is followed by the board’s regular public meeting at 7 p.m.

The school board will adopt its tentative 2016-17 budget on May 11, Curran said, but a time for that special board meeting was not determined Wednesday night.

The school board will then adopt its 2016-17 budget on June 15, either at its 5:30 p.m. work session or its 7 p.m. board meeting.

If the school board decides to impose a millage rate higher than 35.15, it will make that decision at its June 15 meeting.

“Then we’ll have to file for an exception with the state Department of Education,” Curran said.

During a four-hour work session Wednesday night, the school board reviewed the budgets for Pottsville Area’s numerous departments.

Those departments, their budgets for 2015-16 and their tentative 2016-17 budgets are: elementary, $178,010.42, $177,561.24; middle school, $194,331.07, $171,126.77; high school, $244,052.81, $236,712.96; special education department, $162,461.01, $227,354.37; technology, $761,938, $815,603; and buildings, grounds and transportation, $592,472; $469,265.52.

In June 2015, the school board approved its 2014-15 budget, a $43,972,595 spending plan that did not include a tax increase.

School board member Scott R. Thomas asked if Curran had a rough idea of what the tentative budget would be for 2015-16.

“We’ll get that next week, Scott,” Curran said.

In other matters, the school board is gearing up for a series of public hearings regarding Gillingham Charter School’s application for a second five-year charter.

On Dec. 2, the Pottsville Area school board rejected that application.

In accordance with the Public School Code of 1949, Article XVII-A, Charter Schools, Section 1729-A, subsection (c), the school district must hold a public hearing “concerning the revocation or non-renewal.”

On March 29, Pottsville Area Superintendent Jeffrey S. Zwiebel announced the dates of the eight hearings regarding Gillingham’s charter renewal application. They will be held April 18, 19, 20, 21, 25, 26, 27 and May 3 in the auditorium of D.H.H. Lengel Middle School at 1541 Laurel Blvd., Pottsville.

All hearings will begin at 9:30 a.m. except the one scheduled for Tuesday which will begin at noon, according to a legal notice published April 3 in The Republican-Herald.

Following the hearings, according to the school code, the public will be given 30 days to provide written comments on the charter school to the school board.

“We have witness prep the next two days. So we’ll finalize who’s going when,” Pottsville Area Superintendent Jeffrey S. Zwiebel said at the end of Wednesday night’s work session.

“Who do we have as witnesses?” Davidson asked.

“We’ll review all that tomorrow. I can’t say at this point. And everything will come out in the testimony,” Zwiebel said.

CRESSONA — State Secretary of the Budget Randy Albright said Wednesday that Pennsylvanians must decide what kind of future they want, and that the best choice means they will have to pay more for it.

“We are at a crossroads,” Albright told about 40 local business leaders at the Schuylkill Chamber of Commerce luncheon at Alvernia University-Schuylkill Center. “We can’t continue to go down this same path. Find either new revenue or spending cuts.”

Albright said Pennsylvanians can choose a brighter future over the status quo but must be willing to spend more money on, and pay higher taxes for, education, workforce training, human services and other important government functions.

“We think that some form of broad-based tax increase is appropriate,” suggesting an increase in the state income tax to 3.4 percent, along with a 6.5 percent extraction tax on natural gas from the Marcellus Shale deposits, he said.

Republicans who control both houses of the General Assembly have rejected both of those proposals.

Albright, 59, of East Pennsboro Township, Cumberland County, has served as budget secretary since January 2015, when Gov. Tom Wolf took office.

He spoke in the wake of the 2015-16 budget standoff in Harrisburg, when Wolf allowed a $30.031 billion spending plan to become law without his signature, and the unveiling of the governor’s proposed $32.7 billion budget for 2016-17.

The new plan is a realistic and progressive option for Pennsylvania, according to Albright.

Schuylkill County schools should receive $2.9 million more under Wolf’s 2016-17 plan, including $2.2 million more for basic education and $700,000 more for special education, he said. That is part of an increase in school funding, along with a change in the distribution of that money, that is a cornerstone of Wolf’s proposal and one of his top priorities, he said.

“Zip code does define the quality of education you’re going to receive,” Albright said. “Taking the right steps for the way we fund school districts ... is part of the answer.”

He said mergers of school districts, of which Pennsylvania has 500, are controversial and difficult to achieve even if the result would save taxpayers money.

“That’s not going to happen overnight,” Albright said of reduction of the number of school districts. However, there could be more savings achieved by changing school health care and transportation, he said.

Other positive aspects to the new proposal include $2 million more for vocational rehabilitation, $12 million more for investments, $11.6 million more for industry partnerships, $34 million to combat the epidemic of heroin and opioid use, $3.5 million to protect farmers and food suppliers, and savings of more than $10 million from the merger of the Department of Corrections and the Board of Probation and Parole, according to Albright.

The results should include more home- and community-based health care, restoration of cuts to human services programs, targeting of long-term investment savings and more alternatives to incarceration, he said.

According to Albright, the Wolf administration is addressing pension cost concerns by proposing a hybrid pension plan for new state employees. He said state courts have ruled that it is unconstitutional to change existing pension plans, so Pennsylvania must at some time address the multibillion-dollar unfunded pension debt before it can put its financial house in order.

“We can’t change the contractual obligation we make,” Albright said.

TAMAQUA — A motorist playing in left field carved ruts into the softball field at Tamaqua Area High School.

Michael Hromyak Jr., the athletic director, is disappointed by the vandalism.

“It angers me that people have nothing better to do,” Hromyak said Wednesday.

The vandalism occurred between 7:45 p.m. Tuesday, when the Blue Raiders lost 3-2 in extra innings to Lehighton, and 8 a.m. Wednesday, when workers noticed the damage.

To make repairs, workers filled ruts with a couple tons of topsoil and planted grass.

Hromyak doesn’t think the damage will change the schedule.

Tamaqua’s next varsity home game is against Lourdes Regional on April 18.

“Not only do we fight Mother Nature but damage to our facilities,” Hromyak said, noting the field was soggy from rain Monday and Tuesday morning before the vehicle spun tires in the outfield. “It’s the nonsense that drives athletic directors crazy.”

He said school officials are investigating the vandalism, and he expects police will become involved.

ORWIGSBURG — The borough council approved an extension for the Blue Mountain Retirement Community at its monthly meeting Wednesday.

The council granted an extension up to Dec. 30, 2016, to act on the plan. The council had to make a decision by May 8 as required by the state Municipalities Planning Code.

Neither Attorney Gretchen Coles Sterns, the attorney for J. Jerome Skrincosky, president of Hawk Valley Associates PC, Mohnton, or Skrincosky attended the meeting.

Greg Stewart, borough engineer, said the borough received a letter Tuesday granting the borough an extension and an appeal to the borough zoning hearing board to make a recommendation on written comments provided by Stewart and Tom Yashinsky, the borough code officer. The application fee to the zoning hearing board was also sent to the borough.

A date has yet to be scheduled for the hearing before the zoning hearing board, Stewart said.

Borough solicitor Paul Datte said “the courts would look disfavorably on us if we didn’t at least grant the extension for now.”

The borough Planning and Zoning Commission voted March 16 to recommend denial of a retirement community plan. The Blue Mountain Retirement Community plan proposed by The Rhodes Organization, Boyertown, seeks to develop a 27.725-acre site that it owns along East Market Street between Breezy Acres and Kimmels roads. It planned for 400 rental units open to different age groups. A decision was needed March 16 because the council needs to take action on the plan no later than May 8, according to the state Municipalities Planning Code. Extensions of 90 days were previously provided to the borough for it to act on the plan.

Before this project was submitted, The Rhodes Organization had The Pine Creek Adult Community plan approved in 2009 by the borough council. That plan was similar but included underground parking and other changes.

Sterns had submitted the Blue Mountain Retirement Community Plan in August 2015 after the borough council denied requests for zoning ordinance amendments by The Rhodes Organization for the Pine Creek Retirement Community.

Stewart said previously the Blue Mountain plan “does not meet enough of the criteria” to comply with regulations.

“They (The Rhodes Organization) still have a lot of stuff on the plan that needs to be adjusted and fixed,” Stewart said.

Councilwoman Susan Murphy talked about how long The Rhodes Organization has been trying to develop the property in question.

“This is going on forever, and ever and ever,” she said.

“In the eyes of our review process, it’s a new plan,” Stewart said.

In other news, the borough approved to spend up to $11,945 for items police Chief Stan Brozana said he needs for the department. The council unanimously approved money up to a certain amount for the following items: $4,000 for bullet proof vests for part-time officers, $3,000 for the visual alert program, which involves its yearly maintenance contract for the police program they use to input data, $1,000 for Internet service, $3,000 for a compute service firewall, and $945 for Taser instruction and criminal investigator school.

“I’m glad they are working with us and I appreciate it,” Bronzana said after the meeting.

Orwigsburg borough manager Robert Williams said the money for the items will come from funds set aside for a new police officer for the borough, which did not happen yet.

The council also voted to designate and give Kathi Mengle, the borough bookkeeper, the authorization to do what is needed in terms of paperwork and other requirements and attend meets to receive funds for reimbursement the borough sustained during the snowstorm in January.

In the event the mayor declares a snow emergency, those parked on designated streets in the borough will not be permitted to park there. The council adopted the resolution Wednesday. Parking is prohibited on the following streets during a snow emergency: the entire length of Market Street within the borough limits including both sides of Centre Square; South Liberty Street from Market Street to the borough limit; North Warren Street from Market Street to the borough limit; and North Washington Street from Market Street to the borough limit.

Man to be cited

for 2-car crash

SUMMIT STATION — State police at Schuylkill Haven are investigating a crash that occurred about 6 p.m. Monday on Route 183 and Plum Creek Road in Wayne Township.

Police said Todd E. Kline, 42, of Douglasville, was driving a 2016 Chevrolet Equinox south on Route 183 when he drove into the back of a 2016 Jeep Cherokee being driven by Carol L. Hummel, 63, of Pine Grove, who was slowing down with her right turn signal on.

After impact, police said, the Hummel SUV traveled about 72 feet through the northbound and southbound lanes and exited the east berm before continuing an additional 120 feet along the east berm. It then came to a stop in the parking lot of Santander Bank, facing south.

The Kline vehicle continued southwest for about 32 feet before coming to a stop along the west berm, police said.

Police said Kline, Hummel and two passengers in the Hummel vehicle — Lamar G. Hummel, 85, and Scott D. Hummel, 38, both of Pine Grove — suffered injuries in the crash.

Kline will be cited for careless driving as a result of the crash, police said.

Schuylkill EMS, Auburn EMS and firefighters from Friedensburg and Summit Station assisted at the scene.

Police: Girl had

loaded gun, pot

Pottsville police reported details of an incident that began about 10:10 p.m. April 6 when they were attempting to serve a Schuylkill County bench warrant at the Pottsville Motor Inn, 480 N. Claude A. Lord Blvd.

While trying to serve the warrant, police said, they came in contact with a 17-year-old Pottsville girl who was seen trying to hide a firearm inside a closet in Room 145. Officers recovered the weapon, a black Taurus .38-caliber revolver, and found it had an obliterated serial number and was loaded with five rounds, police said.

The teenager was also found to be in possession of a small amount of marijuana, police said.

Police said that based on the subsequent investigation, a Juvenile Allegation was prepared charging the girl with possession of a firearm with an altered manufacturer’s number, possession of a firearm by a minor and possession of a small amount of marijuana. She was turned over to Schuylkill County juvenile authorities and then taken to the Lancaster County Juvenile Detention Center.

On Friday, police said a hearing was held at the Schuylkill County Courthouse for the teenager after which Judge John E. Domalakes ruled she be detained and remanded to the Lancaster County Juvenile Detention Center pending an adjudication hearing in Schuylkill County Court.

Police added that the investigation is continuing and will include a fingerprint analysis of the firearm to identify other individuals who may have possessed the firearm and a ballistics analysis to determine if it had been used in any previous incidents reported to law enforcement.

Schuylkill prison

inmate charged

An inmate at the Schuylkill County Prison was charged by Pottsville police after an incident March 30.

Police said officers were contacted by prison officials regarding an assault and learned that a 59-year-old corrections officer had been struck by inmate Luis Haddock, 24, while he was escorting Haddock’s cellmate out of his cell.

While the officer was allowing the cellmate out, police said, Haddock exited the cell without permission and was told to get back inside.

Police said Haddock refused to go back inside and when the officer began to escort the man back inside, Haddock struck him above the right eye, causing a laceration.

Additional staff escorted Haddock inside his cell.

Police said the inmate was charged before Magisterial District Judge James K. Reiley, Pottsville, with simple assault and harassment.

Marriage licenses

Prince S. Vereen, Pottsville, and Kelly M. Dalessio, Tamaqua.

Fidel Cosby, Huntingdon, and Deina L. Riley, Pittsburgh.

Michael K. Golden, Tower City, and Cory L. Golden, Tower City.

Scott D. Smith, Lavelle, and Melody A. Troup, Ashland.

Chad E. Karlavage, Shenandoah, and Janelle L. Mankiewicz, Shenandoah.

Scott W. Moyer, Schuylkill Haven, and Lisa J. Muth, Schuylkill Haven.

Richard O. Green, Pottsville, and Nicole L. Nelson, Pottsville.

Luke J.P. Kowalonek, Nesquehoning, and Kristy L. Nork, Nesquehoning.

Four people returned to prison Wednesday after a Schuylkill County judge revoked each one’s parole.

Amanda L. Strimboulis, 27, of Hegins, will stay in prison until her sentence expires on Nov. 22, Judge Cyrus Palmer Dolbin ruled after rejecting her request to be sent to a rehabilitation center.

“You’ve got to start taking steps on your own,” Dolbin told her. “It’s poison you’re putting in your body.”

Strimboulis originally pleaded guilty on April 18, 2012, to robbery, conspiracy, theft and simple assault, with prosecutors withdrawing a second count of robbery. At that time, Dolbin sentenced her to serve nine to 23 months in prison, pay costs, $50 to the Criminal Justice Enhancement Account and $10 restitution, and submit a DNA sample to law enforcement authorities.

Port Carbon police charged Strimboulis with robbing a man on Dec. 8, 2011, in Mechanicsville.

Strimboulis, whose parole had been revoked on two previous occasions, admitted violating her parole again by failing to report to her supervising officer, moving without permission, leaving her job, using marijuana, not providing a urine sample when requested and not making payments on her costs and fees.

Also on Wednesday, Dolbin revoked the parole of Monica M. Brown, 26, of Shenandoah, and returned her to prison to finish her sentence. She could remain in prison until March 30, 2017.

Brown originally pleaded guilty on June 18, 2014, to attempted theft in one case and possession of drug paraphernalia in the other. At that time, Dolbin sentenced her to serve two to 23 months in prison and pay costs, $100 to the Substance Abuse Education Fund and $100 in CJEA payments.

Tamaqua police charged Brown with trying to commit a theft on Nov. 22, 2013, in the borough, while Pottsville police alleged she possessed paraphernalia on Jan. 25, 2014, in the city.

Brown admitted violating her parole by failing to report to her supervising officer, moving without permission and using drugs.

Dolbin also revoked the parole of Kody A. Kirkland, 23, of Pottsville, who admitted violating it by failing drug tests and faking the submission of urine samples and returned him to prison, with no chance of reparole until July 3.

Kirkland originally pleaded guilty on Dec. 9, 2015, to theft of leased property.

Finally, Dolbin revoked the parole of Daniel W. Nye, 24, of Pottsville, and recommitted him to prison.

Dolbin acted after Nye admitted violating his parole by failing to report to his supervising officer and failing a drug test.

Nye originally pleaded guilty on July 24, 2013, to theft. At that time, Dolbin sentenced him to serve 12 months probation consecutive to his existing sentence and pay costs, a $50 CJEA payment, a $50 bench warrant fee and $80 restitution.

Tower City police charge Nye with committing the theft on Oct. 25, 2010, in the borough.

SHENANDOAH — Fire destroyed a double home Wednesday night in the borough.

Firefighters were called to the home of Mark and Katherine Zilker at 508-510 W. Mount Vernon St. just before 7 p.m. and found the structure completely engulfed in flames.

Crews brought the fire under control in about 30 minutes but remained on the scene to ensure the flames were completely extinguished.

Mark Zilker was home when the fire broke out and managed to escape the home safely, his family said at the scene. His wife, Katherine, was not home at the time.

The cause of the fire is under investigation, fire officials said.

Responding to the scene on the first alarm were firefighters from Shenandoah, Mahanoy City and Frackville along with Shenandoah EMS.

A second alarm was called about 7:05 p.m., bringing firefighters from Shenandoah Heights, Englewood, Mahanoy City, Ringtown and Nuremberg along with an EMS unit from Frackville.

Shenandoah fire police directed traffic and kept curious onlookers away from the fire and Shenandoah police assisted at the scene.

FRACKVILLE — The final days of existence for the former St. Joseph Roman Catholic Church building and its rectory began this week with the start of demolition.

The Building Recyclers LLC, Kutztown, was on site to begin the work on the former rectory, located on about 1.3 acres of land that includes the church. The property is along Frack Street between Center and Nice streets.

The rectory demolition began on Tuesday. Building Recyclers Project Manager and estimator Frank A. Martin, who was on site Wednesday, said the demolition work on the church should begin today when the heavy equipment arrives. The work will begin at the rear of the church.

The last Mass was celebrated in St. Joseph’s on Nov. 1, 2015, after which the church was permanently closed. The church at Frack and Center streets was one of three church buildings that made up St. Joseph Parish, which was created with the July 2013 consolidation of St. Joseph, St. Ann and Annunciation parishes in Frackville.

Worship services continued to be held in all three church buildings, but the parish finance and pastoral advisory councils, under the direction of the pastor, the Rev. Robert T. Finlan, continued to study the situation, knowing that the parish’s financial condition would not long permit the use of all three buildings.

The church building has deteriorated over decades, and the need to replace the boiler at a cost of almost $46,000 in order to get a state operating certificate contributed to the decision to close and demolish.

After reviewing the engineering study of the building, the diocesan Parish Capital Improvement Committee recommended that the church be closed and its status changed under church law so that it could be demolished.

“I drove by today (Tuesday) and they have started to work on the rectory,” Finlan said. “Looking at the engineering studies, the rectory needed an awful lot of work. It looks good from the outside, but it’s not really in great shape. It wasn’t an easy building to do a lot with immediately. We looked at different things and thought that in the long-term it was better to have a cleared parcel to work with.”

Finlan added, “The pastoral advisory committee and the finance committee felt that it was better to take it all down and then work on some use for the land that would be good for the parish and also good for the borough. There are no firm plans for the land, which is central to the town of Frackville. We did talk about trying to parcel it out ourselves. If we do that, we have to make sure that we didn’t cut off access to the land.”

With the possibility of selling the property, it will be necessary to exhume the body of the Rev. George P. Boyle, a former pastor who died in 1960 and was buried near the rectory.

“Father Boyle is buried in the front yard,” Finlan said. “When he passed away, he requested to be buried in the yard. They honored the request, and we’ve been working on moving him to a nice place at the cemetery.”

Arrangements will also be made to remove from the yard a pro-life memorial and marble altar that were placed there in 1993.

“Those were donated by the Knights of Columbus of Frackville,” Finlan said. “We’ve been working with them. At the cemetery, we’re making an area for the altar and the memorial stone. It could be a place where we could celebrate Mass, whether it would be Memorial Day or All Souls Day.

The parish was formed in 1909 after being a mission church of Holy Rosary Church in Mahanoy Plane for many years, the decision prompted by the continue growth of the mission. The Rev. Thomas Hurton became the first pastor of St. Joseph Church in April 1909. A special meeting of the parish was held on June 10, 1912 to decide if a new, larger church and parochial school should be built. The decision was made to build on the site of the present church building. Hurton was elected as chairman of the building committee, with the Rev. Philip J. Mullen as secretary. Breslin Contracting of Summit Hill was given the construction contract. In order to save money, the foundation was dug and set by parishioners.

The cornerstone was laid in September 1912, and at 11:45 a.m. on May 18, 1913, dedication services were held by the Most Rev. Edmond Francis Prendergast, archbishop of Philadelphia, assisted by the Rev. F.J. McGovern, Pottsville, and the Rev. T.J. Larkin, Mauch Chunk.

The dedication Mass, which was held outdoors to accommodate the crowd, was celebrated by the Right Rev. Dennis J. Dougherty, bishop of Jaro, Philippine Islands, assisted by the Rev. Vincent W. Corcoran of Lost Creek and the Rev. P.J. Fleming. The choir of Holy Rosary Church provided the music for the Mass. Several Masses were celebrated that day, including a Children’s Mass by the Rev. Richard Phelan, Minersville, with a homily by the Rev. C.J. O’Neill, pastor of St. Kieran Church, Heckscherville.

It’s Lehigh Valley.

Brian Symons, chapter president of Service Employees International Union Healthcare Pennsylvania, and others said Wednesday they had received a letter announcing that Schuylkill Health had signed a definitive agreement with Lehigh Valley Health Network.

The letter, signed by Marc Lory, interim president/chief executive officer for Schuylkill Health, was addressed to employees, physicians, auxiliary and volunteers of Schuylkill Health and distributed Wednesday.

“We are excited. We are happy to welcome our new partner. We think it is very good for the community,” Symons said.

A press release from SEIU Healthcare Pennsylvania, said workers at Schuylkill Medical Center were excited about the news. SEIU is having a public meeting at 6:30 p.m. May 4 for the public at the Ramada Inn, first floor ballroom, 101 S. Progress Ave. in Pottsville about the hospital’s future.

Officials at neither hospital would say anything Wednesday about the internal announcement.

Brian Downs, director of media relations for Lehigh Valley Health Network, said he couldn’t confirm the information in the letter but said there will be an announcement today.

Mike Peckman, director of marketing and public relations for Schuylkill Health, said in an email there will be a press conference for media only at 11:30 a.m. today at Schuylkill Medical Center-East Norwegian Street in the Wall Auditorium, 700 E. Norwegian St.

He did not offer further comment.

Lory was appointed by the board of directors of Schuylkill Health in September 2014 and started Oct. 6 after former CEO John E. Simodejka resigned in August 2014. In November 2014, Lory announced Schuylkill Health was looking to form a partnership with another entity.

The letter reads as follows:

“I am very pleased to share with you on behalf of our board of directors that we have just signed a definitive agreement with Lehigh Valley Health Network. When completed, the partnership will lead to expanded health care services, more advanced technology and more medical specialists available to the residents of Schuylkill County.

“Lehigh Valley Health Network has a tremendous reputation as a health care leader and innovator. Being part of that health system will elevate what we do here in our community and ultimately benefit the health and health care delivery for an entire community.

“The transaction is subject to the typical regulatory review associated with this type of transaction, and is expected to be complete by the end of 2016. That is a process that is now underway and it will take six to nine months to complete. In the meantime, our efforts to integrate our campuses continues.

“I am hopeful that this good news brings a sense of pride and a renewed spirit and commitment throughout our organization as we enter into a different phase of this partnership.

“You can take pride in knowing that numerous organizations were interested in partnering with Schuylkill Health. The decision on which organization to partner with was not taken lightly by our board. A special physician advisory group was formed and consideration of a partner was thoroughly explored. Not only were organizations interested in Schuylkill, be we were able to identify and select the organization we felt will best help us going forward.

“There is little that can be discussed during the regulatory review process, but be assured that once we learn of a decision, we will share that with you. We have also scheduled our next series of employee team forum meetings to discuss the partnership, campus integration and other key issues impacting what we do every day. Let’s take a moment to celebrate this great accomplishment, what it means for Schuylkill Health and the delivery of local healthcare going forward.

“On behalf of our boards, I want to thank you for your continued commitment to our patients and for what you do each day for Schuylkill Health.”

n Harrisburg: Hospice of Central PA is accepting applications for Camp Dragonfly, a free weekend youth camp for children and teens. The camp is open to anyone between the ages of 6 and 15 who has experienced the death of a loved one. Camp Dragonfly, now in its 22nd year, will be held June 3 to 5 at Camp Hebron in Halifax, Dauphin County, (for ages 6 to 15) and Camp Swatara in Bethel, Berks County (for ages 6 to 12). Campers meeting age requirements may select either location. Participant space is limited and campers are encouraged to register early, according to a press release. For additional information, or to request a camper application, visit www.hospiceofcentralpa.org or call Hospice of Central PA at 866-779-7374.

n Hegins: The Friends of the Tri-Valley Library support group will sponsor a free Children’s Fun Day for children under 12 from 9 a.m. to noon Saturday at the library, 633 E. Main St. The event will include bingo for books, crafts, games, face painting and light refreshments. For more information, call 570-682- 9225.

n Orwigsburg: “Swing into Spring at the Blue Note Café,” a celebration of National Jazz Appreciation Month sponsored by the Schuylkill County Council for the Arts, will be held from 7 to 10 p.m. Friday at the Schuylkill Country Club, 877 W. Market St. The cost is $20 in advance and $25 at the door. Music will be by the Same Time Next Year Band. All are welcome.

n Orwigsburg: Registration for the Blue Mountain Tri-County Football program is set for 6:30 to 8 p.m. Tuesday at the Orwigsburg Ambulance Building, Market Street. Football is for kindergarten through sixth grade and cheerleading for kindergarten through eighth grade. The cost is $40 per child with a discount for siblings. For more information, call 570-449-8532.

n Pottsville: A comedy night with city native Rubi Wahhab Nicholas will be held at 7 p.m. April 30 in the Pottsville Area High School Auditorium to benefit the high school’s girls’ softball team. Admission is $20, which will include complimentary hors d’oeuvres. People use the auditorium entrance on Elk Avenue. For tickets or more information, call 570-617-6462, 570-449-6208 or 570-294-2587.

n Saint Clair: The Saint Clair Lions Club will sponsor a gift card bingo for the Gilberton Methodist Church from 1 to 4 p.m. Sunday at the club’s hall, 259 McCord Ave. The cost is $25 per packet, which includes 20 games and four book specials. Food, door prizes and chance prizes will be available. For more information, call 570-874-3168 or 570-449-7570.

n Schuylkill Haven: The Schuylkill Ballet Theater will present a classical ballet adaptation of “Cinderella” at 7 p.m. Saturday and 3 p.m. Sunday at Zwerling Auditorium in Schuylkill Haven Area High School. Advance tickets are $10 for adults and $8 for senior citizens and students ages 11 to 18 and $4 for children 3 to 10. At the door, admission for adults will be $12 and $10 for seniors and students 11 to 18 and $5 for children 3 to 10. For tickets or more information, go online to www.schuylkillballet.com or call 570-617-5616.

n Shenandoah: Bricks and tiles for the more than $300,000 Pennsylvania Anthracite Miners Memorial at the entrance to Girard Park, Main and Washington streets, are available in a fundraiser aimed at refurbishing the site, Mary Luscavage, executive director of the revitalization group Downtown Shenandoah Inc., 116 N. Main St., said. The effort to maintain the memorial is ongoing. The memorial, according to Luscavage, is “a tribute to all who risked their lives and worked in the mines. It is a tourist attraction that brings many to the area. Anyone can get a brick or tile, you don’t have to be a miner.” The late Theodore Souchuck Sr. of Souchuck’s Lumber Co. and Pete Vernalis of the Vernalis Restaurant, both of Shenandoah, played primary rolls in developing the memorial. For more information, call the DSI office at 570-462-2060.

SHENANDOAH — The cause of a fire that destroyed a home in the borough Wednesday night was determined to be accidental.

The fire that tore through the home of Mark and Katherine Zucker at 508-510 W. Mount Vernon St. was called in about 6:55 p.m., state police fire marshal Trooper John F. Burns, of the Frackville station, said.

Burns said his investigation determined that fire started in the basement of the home and was caused by an electrical shortage.

Mark Zucker was home when the fire started but managed to escape uninjured while his wife was out, fire officials said.

Firefighters from Shenandoah and surrounding communities managed to get the fire under control in about 30 minutes but not before the double home was destroyed.

Date incorrect

A comedy night with Rubi Wahhab Nicholas will be held April 23 in the Pottsville Area High School Auditorium. The date was incorrect in Thursday’s Around the Region.

Being involved in the Schuylkill County Envirothon from fourth grade through high school, Jenna Fehr said she always wanted to do environmental work in Schuylkill County.

“I knew that it was probably the most local environmental work that is going on and in a roundabout way I ended up back here,” Fehr said Wednesday.

Fehr, 29, of Pine Grove, started her first day as the Schuylkill Conservation District’s manager April 7. She has been at the district as conservation program coordinator since October 2013.

Fehr graduated from Penn State University in 2009 with a degree in environmental resource management and worked for three years as volunteer coordinator for AmeriCorps VISTA regional program in West Virginia, where she was involved in rural volunteer management for the Appalachian watershed. She also worked for about a year and a half as a volunteer coordinator at the Gino J. Merli Veterans’ Center in Scranton.

“Just being raised here and being familiar with the different environmental issues going on, they are interesting on many levels historically and environmentally,” Fehr said Wednesday. “My work in West Virginia was interesting because it made me look at Schuylkill County differently. I would see places in similar situations, but would come back and see things I was kind of blind to before. To me, it was especially exciting to come back and do that work here.”

On March 23, the Schuylkill Conservation District’s board of directors recommended Fehr for district manager after Elizabeth “Liz” Hinkle announced her resignation. Hinkle is working part-time as a mentor.

“Liz cares so much for the work that we do here. It was difficult for her to even give it up, so she is very invested in making sure everything stays on track. But I think she also knows it is in good hands with the people that are here and that she can still play a role in it, but move on to the next step.”

Fehr said the conservation district has expanded in recent years due to more regulations increasing the workload and opportunities for new projects. The conservation district is involved with everything from abandoned mine issues and its impact on water resources to flood recovery and making sure farmers have the resources they need while still supporting the environment. As conservation program coordinator, Fehr also reviewed non-agricultural land disturbance activities, like construction and land development.

“We are kind of at an interesting spot in our progression,” Fehr said. “We have gone from a very small office and keep growing with more projects. We are at the point where we have to take time to look at our process and where we want to go.”

Fehr said the district has to consider whether it can take on additional projects while maintaining the ones already here. For example, the Chesapeake Bay program at the conservation district is federal and state funded to take care of waterways in the Chesapeake Bay watershed, which makes up about half the county.

“More and more we are thinking what are we going to do about the Schuylkill Watershed side of our county because they have the same nutrient management issues and things like that,” Fehr said. “There are still pollution issues and we can be offering them a lot more technical assistance and connect them with the resources they need to do more projects.”

Outreach will still continue to be a priority for the conservation district, Fehr said.

Fehr, along with Andrea Geist, agricultural program coordinator, co-chaired the Bear Creek Festival last year. This year’s event will be held from noon to 4 p.m. Sunday at the Schuylkill County Fairgrounds.

“That’s one of those things where we can invite the public to a free event and all our departments do different activities,” Fehr said. “It’s just another chance for us to show the work we have been doing and show all the great partners we have been working with and give them that opportunity too.”

The conservation district is also coming off of a controversy. In 2014, there was a criminal investigation regarding a former employee at the conservation district who stole more than $449,000 from the organization over the course of nearly seven years.

State police officially charged Virginia G. Kunigonis, who was employed as a fiscal technician, in January 2015 with five counts of forgery and one each of theft, theft by deception and access device fraud. Kunigonis was sentenced in February to spend one year in prison, followed by one year on supervised release, and ordered to pay restitution.

“We have come through a pretty difficult time here with the recent scandal, but I think we are stronger because of it,” Fehr said. “It was something where we came out of it with stronger policies in place with stronger controls to avoid that in the future.”