Sears will close its store in the Schuylkill Mall in January.

The closing is another blow to the mall that is trying to keep tenants and bring in new ones.

Schuylkill Mall manager Elaine Maneval said Friday that she was notified Wednesday by the manager of Sears that the store will close.

“We have not received a formal notification from Sears Corporate,” she said Friday.

She said store employees were told Wednesday by store management about the closure. Mall tenants were told Thursday after Maneval informed them via memo about the departure of the store.

“It’s heartbreaking for (the) Schuylkill Mall. We and our customers will greatly miss this major retailer in our mall, in our county. Not only the store, but the employees will be greatly missed. The landlord and leasing (agents) have made replacing this anchor tenant their top priority,” Maneval said.

The manager of Sears was not available for comment Friday.

“The Sears store and Sears Auto Center in Frackville will close to the public in mid-January. Until then, the store will remain open for customers. The store will begin its liquidation sale on October 31. Store closures are part of a series of actions we’re taking to reduce on-going expenses, adjust our asset base and accelerate the transformation of our business model. These actions will better enable us to focus our investments on serving our customers and members through integrated retail — at the store, online and in the home. Our investments in Shop Your Way and Integrated Retail enable us to migrate the shopping activity of highly engaged members who previously shopped these closed stores to alternative channels. As a result, we hope to retain a portion of the sales previously associated with these stores by nurturing and maintaining our relationships with the members that shopped these locations,” Howard Riefs, director of corporate communications for Sears Holding Corp., said Friday in an email.

“The store has 84 employees. The associates that are eligible will receive severance and have the opportunity to apply for open positions at area Sears or Kmart stores,” he said.

The store is one of the mall’s original anchors, opening in 1980, and is 112,800 square feet, Maneval said.

Additional information on when the decision was made to close the store or an exact date of the closure was not available. A breakdown of how many part-time versus full-time employees work at the store was not available.

When asked in July about the future of the store, Riefs said, “There are no plans to close the store.”

SHENANDOAH — Six local food pantries benefited from a food donation project performed by students at Trinity Academy for the school’s Make A Difference Day project.

More than 700 nonperishable food items were collected by the students, faculty and others in the Shenandoah Catholic school’s Trunk or Treat initiative, with the distribution of the donated food held Friday. This was the second year for the project.

The day began in the morning with a Holy Hour held in Divine Mercy Roman Catholic Church, located across the street from Trinity Academy. The final prayer in front of the Blessed Sacrament set the tone for the day of caring for others:

“Sharing yourself in the bread and wine, you called all to your table, O Lord. Give us the hunger to be part of the feeding and healing of this work. Nourish us with your grace, so we may work with joy to serve all. Open our eyes and our hearts to recognize those in poverty and to help when possible. We ask this in your name, who loves and reigns with the Father in the Holy Spirit. Amen.”

In the afternoon, the children had a great time as they gathered in the cafeteria with tables filled with bags and bags of food.

“I counted everything this morning, and we have everything from cereals to vegetables to soups, you name it,” Advancement Director Christine Fannick said. “We have lots of baby food. We have tons of food.”

The students from kindergarten to eighth grade were called by grade and escorted across the street to the church parking lot, where six vehicles were parked, each representing food banks in Ashland, Frackville, Girardville, Mahanoy City, Ringtown and Shenandoah.

Each student carried a bag with six similar food items, going vehicle to vehicle to place an item into the trunk, explained Sister Mary Ann Spaetti, IHM, principal. She explained that there are “Trunk or Treat” events for Halloween in different areas, but Trinity’s is a reverse one.

“When I was in New Jersey, the home and school association like to do something like this,” Spaetti said. “Some of the children couldn’t trick or treat in their neighborhoods, so they would park cars in the parking lot and the families gave out candy from the trunks as the kids went car to car. In this case, instead of taking out of the trunk, the students put into the trunk. I like this one better.”

Schuylkill Community Action Program Operations Specialist Jason Schally was on hand to help with the Girardville Food Pantry, which is one of 18 that SCA coordinates in Schuylkill County.

“It is really heartwarming to see all the children today being encouraged with the help of their families to be active in their community by gathering up some food for folks served by the food pantries in northern Schuylkill County,” Schally said. “This is some infusion of product into the pantries — some products that we may not see. A large part is the encouragement for the food pantry volunteers who see the communities involved in what they’re doing as they help families year-round.”

BUCK RUN — The forlorn shell of the James B. Neale mansion sits in this Foster Township village, and the man who seeks to fix it has made little progress since the devastating January fire that ravaged it.

“We have not touched anything,” Joseph J. Roperto said last week as he examined the gutted building that once was the township’s most glorious home. “We have not done any cleanup at all.”

Roperto, 83, of Gainesville, Virginia, grew up in Buck Run, and wants nothing more than to restore the 78 Hill Road mansion to its former glory.

“I want to live here,” he said.

That dream has been put on hold by the Jan. 10 blaze, which state police at Frackville said started on the first floor and caused an estimated $400,000 in damage.

Roperto had acquired the property in May 2012 from the township, which had fought a prolonged legal battle with the former owner in order to try to save the mansion. The mansion was built in the early 1900s and bears the name of one of Schuylkill County’s best-known and best-liked coal barons.

However, Roperto said the work on the mansion since the fire has not gone as well as he would have liked, attributing it to problems in determining exactly how the fire started. Police said a problem with an extension cord started the blaze, a conclusion Roperto disputes.

“It was not an extension cord. It’s pretty certain that it was electrical,” Roperto, who declined to be more specific, said.

He said he has hired a private fire investigator and a heating, ventilation and air conditioning engineer to try to determine the exact cause of the blaze. He said he thinks he will have some answers in November about the cause.

Whatever the cause, the fire damaged the mansion so severely that Roperto knows the repair work will be immense.

“The stone on the front and the west side appears to be intact. It looks like, for the most part, everything else is going to have to come down,” he said.

Charred beams, collapsed roofs, a burned microwave oven, a destroyed radiator and other remnants litter what is left of the mansion. Roperto said rebuilding will be a challenge, a cruel reminder that before the fire, he was only about five weeks from being able to move into the mansion.

“Money is the big factor in this,” he said. “With the right people and approaching it in the correct manner, we could probably have it done in a year.”

The township will not pressure Roperto unnecessarily, solicitor Edward M. Brennan, Pottsville, said.

“We’re giving him some time to sort through his affairs,” Brennan said. “We want to work with him.”

Roperto said that when he rebuilds the mansion, it will look different than it was.

“The second floor is totaled” and the subflooring probably will have to go, he said.

David Salazar, Falls Church, Virginia, Roperto’s foreman, said he wants to continue working with him to try to rebuild the mansion, although it has been the most difficult job he’s ever had.

“If I have money, I will continue to work on it,” Salazar said.

Some progress has been made on the outside, most notably with the reinstallation of brickwork on walks and patios, Salazar said.

Roperto said he has kept the grounds clean and the grass cut on the property.

Deeds

Barry Township — Tax Claim Bureau of Schuylkill County to David H. Searles; property on Creek Street; $100.

Ernest L. Jr. and Pennie L. Klinger to Kenneth K. and Vicki E. Witmer; 16.225-acre property on Township Road T-881; $50,000.

Blythe Township — Donald H. and Marie A. Nye to Donald H. and Marie A. Nye and Donna M. Nye; 23 Main St., Kaska; $1.

Ann M. Heffler, individually and as executrix of the Last Will & Testament of Joan H. Marmas, to Teresa A. Kepley; 228 New Philadelphia Road; $1.

Branch Township — Azcan RPG LLC to Colonial Fund 17 LP; 619 Pine Hill St.; $18,000.

Coaldale — Michael Kulick and John Kulick to Ingusta Industries LLC; 251 Fifth St.; $1.

Delano Township — Charles J. Cunningham and Colette M. Cunningham to Charles J. Cunningham; 2.367-acre property on Legislative Route 53045, Delano; $1.

Charles J. Cunningham and Colette M. Cunningham to Charles J. Cunningham; property at Pine Street and Walnut Lane, Delano; $1.

Frackville — William G. Schwab, trustee for David L. Kehler, to Angela A. Litchko and Thomas G. Weaver; 451 W. Pine St.; $9,000.

Hubley Township — Rachel A. Frederick and Beverly E. Klinger to Rachel A. Frederick and Beverly E. Klinger; 53.067-acre property at Route 25 and Spud Lane; $1.

Middleport — Michael Hodon and Agnes Kane, co-executors of the Estate of Mary E. Hodon, to Michael F. Hodon, Agnes Kane and Mary Ann Rossohocy; 1 Second St.; $1.

Mount Carbon — Barry J. Booterbaugh to William F. and Darlene M. Bowler; property on South Centre Street; $5,200.

North Manheim Township — Claude E. Jr. and Carol J. Readinger to Robert D. Drey and Ryan H. Readinger; 40 E. Adamsdale Road; $1.

Orwigsburg — Darlene M. Henry to Ivan L. and Loretta Leymeister; 512 N. Warren St.; $62,500.

Alessandro R. DiStefano, individually and as attorney in fact for Francesco H. DiStefano and Giulia S. DiStefano, to Friendship Hose Company No. 1 of Orwigsburg; 5.137-acre property on South Liberty Street; $112,000.

Pottsville — Richard A. Laub to Jeffrey Rodgers; 583 E. Market St.; $1.

Federal National Mortgage Association to Karl Bicher; 443 Nichols St.; $11,500.

Schuylkill Haven — Natural Realty LLC to Imobiliaria LLC; 209 St. John St.; $5,500.

Tamaqua — Cyrus and Carol E. Haldeman to Pamela J. and Clement J. McCarroll; property at Van Gelder and Oak streets; $21,000.

Dorothy L. Revak to Sonja Pastucha, Barbara Lech and Dorothy L. Revak; 449 Willing St.; $1.

Michael T. Brode, executor of the Estate of Irvin E. Sassaman, to Michael T. Brode; 161 Orwigsburg St.; $1.

Joseph G. Groody, sheriff of Schuylkill County, to Federal National Mortgage Association; 123 Mahanoy St.; $1,606.38.

Washington Township — William and Jenifer Griffiths to John T. and Karlene K. Herber; 503 Birds Hill Road; $64,000.

Wayne Township — Eldora H. Seaman to Jason A. Boger; 4-acre property; $140,000.

West Brunswick Township — Michael Sninsky, administrator of the Estate of Annette J. Scheffler, to Michael Sninsky; 202 Village Road, Pinebrook; $1.

n Hometown: Marian High School will hold an informal question-and-answer session from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. Monday in the school library. All parents and students interested in visiting the school campus and learning more about the programs offered are welcome. Faculty, staff and administration will be available to talk about registration, academics, financial aid, athletics and extracurricular activities. Registration is open. For those unable to attend Monday’s session, another will be held from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. Feb. 9, 2015. For more information, call the development office at 570-467-0641.

n Pottsville: The Knights of Columbus will sponsor an event called “Men Who Cook” from 4:30 to 7 p.m. Oct. 26 at The Greystone restaurant, 315 N. Centre St. Tickets are $25 each. The event is described in a release as a “gourmet dining experience” featuring 20 chefs and an introduction to Yuengling pumpkin roll ice cream. For more information, call 570-624-1796.

n Saint Clair: The Saint Clair Community and Historical Society has several events and activities planned for the fall, officers said in a release. On Tuesday, Boscov’s Friends Helping Friends will gather from 9 a.m. to 11 p.m. at the store. For $5, a 25 percent shopping pass can be obtained and used for purchases all day. The society will have a table at the store or a pass can be bought in advance from any member or at the society building on Nicholas Street. On Wednesday, members will help with the annual Saint Clair Halloween parade and should report to the staging area on South Second Street. At 7 p.m. Thursday, the society will sponsor a free program at 24 N. Nicholas St. with historian Ruthann Frankenfield presenting a program focusing on “The Civil War Era ... A Woman’s Point of View,” featuring a display of clothing and household goods used during the war between the states. At 7 p.m. Oct. 28, the society will have its regular monthly meeting and members are asked to bring their donations of candy and to help fill trick-or-treat bags. On Nov. 2, the annual roast beef dinner will be held from 4 to 6 p.m. at Holy Apostles Church, Nicholas and Hancock streets, catered by TNT Deli. The cost is $10, which includes beef, mashed potatoes, vegetable, roll, beverage and homemade dessert. Tickets are available from any member, at the society building or at Saint Clair Borough Hall. Patrons may eat in or take meals out. Delivery for shut-ins will be available in the Saint Clair area. For more information, call Darlene at 570-429-2129, Carol at 570-429-0789 or Dot at 570-429-0553.

n Schuylkill Haven: The Friends of Schuylkill Parks and Recreation, a nonprofit that has provided funding toward the redevelopment of Sweet Arrow Lake County Park, Pine Grove, recently acknowledged the following memorials: For Doris E. Schultz from Mr. and Mrs. Robert L. Allen, Tredegar Maintenance Department, Mr. and Mrs. Philip Kanish, Mrs. Anne Marie Studlack, Earl Matz, Karen Schollenberger and Mr. and Mrs. Melvin Schafer. The group was organized in 2005, according to a release from Kay Russell, 1722 Long Run Road. Anyone interested in joining the group’s board of directors or volunteering to help with fundraising activities should call Russell at 570-739-2808.

n Shenandoah: The 30th annual Father Walter Ciszek Day Mass will be celebrated at 2 p.m. Sunday at Divine Mercy Roman Catholic Parish’s St. Casimir worship site, 229 N. Jardin St. The St. Casimir site is the home parish of Father Walter J. Ciszek, S.J., whose cause for canonization is being investigated in the Roman Catholic Church. The main celebrant will be Monsignor Ronald C. Bocian, pastor, and the guest homilist will be the Rev. Jeffrey Walsh, a priest of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Scranton and the host of the radio broadcast about Father Ciszek called “A Priest of God’s Providence.” Ciszek was born Nov. 4, 1904, in Shenandoah. He was ordained in 1937 as the first American Jesuit in the Byzantine Catholic Rite. He secretly entered the former Soviet Union in 1939 as a missionary priest and was arrested in 1941 as a Vatican spy. After 23 years as a prisoner in the Soviet Union, he was released and returned to the United States. He died Dec. 8, 1984. His cause for canonization began in the Ruthenian Byzantine Catholic Eparchy of Passaic and was later transferred to the Roman Catholic Diocese of Allentown.

OAK GROVE — The Pine Grove Township board of supervisors agreed to a new loan agreement with their water authority Oct. 8. Two loans totaling $450,000 are involved.

Chairwoman Diane Tobin initiated the discussion which was the result of a request from the Pine Grove Township Authority several months ago. The authority, Tobin said, has asked twice for a modification of the current agreements since the authority can not obtain funding from a local bank without a mandatory connection ordinance in place.

Tobin offered a suggestion of terms which allowed for a fixed 1.25 percent interest rate over a 20-year period with payments to be made quarterly. The agreement would be reviewed after the first three years.

“We want to start repayment,” Tobin said.

After a brief review for Bruce Kosack, the board’s newest member, Kosack said the township had not anticipated an expansion.

“(I) heard another pumping station permit had been issued,” he said.

Clarifying that he had not approved either loan, supervisor Jeff Zimmerman said that whatever is decided must be “run by” the solicitor. Tobin agreed and motioned her previously made recommendation. Zimmerman, however, suggested the interest rate be set at 1.25 percent below whatever the prime rate might be. That way, he added, the board would not have to revisit the terms and pay the solicitor to make a new agreement.

“Just food for thought,” Zimmerman said.

When Tobin said the authority would need to agree to those terms, Zimmerman said they would have no other choice.

“1.25 percent is below any financial institution,” Zimmerman said. “If the prime rate jumps, we’d be doing a disservice to the rest of the residents.”

He agreed, however, that the authority does need help, but he said the township is not a bank and tying in a rate of 1.25 percent for 20 years is absurd.

Tobin’s motion died for the lack of a second. Her motion that the rate be set at 2 points under prime rate, however, was seconded by Zimmerman, and received unanimous approval.

Fire company

The board approved an equal split of Firemen’s Relief funds, with the Ravine Fire Company and the Suedburg Fire Company each receiving $13,250.

The annual donation of $12,500 to the Ravine Fire Company was also approved, but Suedburg’s financial report was inadequate.

“It’s not really a financial statement,” Zimmerman said, “and until we have a substantial financial report, we can not give a $12,500 donation.”

Tobin agreed, saying the report only lists expenses.

Pipeline

Several residents which may be affected by the Atlantic Sunrise (pipeline) Project were in attendance. Gary Gross, Summit Drive, had visited all the properties on Summit Drive and had obtained signatures from 13 of the residents. Only one, who would not be affected by the line, didn’t care, Gross said.

Gross also said that he had received an email from Kosack with information about a resolution passed by a township in Lancaster County opposing the project, and as the residents had requested last month, they requested again that the supervisors do likewise. Last month Tobin said she was aware that other municipalities were passing resolutions and maybe the board could look into doing the same at the October meeting.

Although both Zimmerman and Kosack had agreed, Tobin said this month that a resolution must be tailored to the township’s own specific situation. And so far, Kosack said, even state Rep. Mike Tobash, R-125, has not gotten anything back from Williams, the company constructing the pipeline.

“We just can’t ban gas lines,” Tobin said. “We already have gas lines.”

The board suggested the residents take advantage of the opportunity to speak with the Zoning Officer the night of the meeting since he was in his office. One of the residents’ concerns was the fact that their properties were in the rural preservation zone, which only allows the removal of 20 percent of the trees. Already 15 percent have been removed and the construction of the gas line would mean the elimination of more than 20 percent.

The board also recommended a complaint be made to the state police and the township if anyone employed by Williams enters their property without their permission.

Wages

Hourly increases for employees were again discussed.

Zimmerman said, “Just because we have the funds, doesn’t mean we have to spend it.”

Last month, the two office personnel were given an hourly increase, $2 for the secretary and $1.25 for her assistant. Tobin, this month, suggested an increase be given to the road crew and the zoning officer since they also had not had a raise in three years and funds were in the budget.

Tobin said the zoning officer will have extra duties because of the new Flood Plain Ordinance which he will administer along with Light-Heigel. According to Tobin, the township is also fortunate to have dedicated people working for them.

A motion by Tobin to approve a $2 per hour increase for the two members of the road crew, and $1 for the roadmaster and zoning officer failed with Kosack and Zimmerman voting “no.”

A motion by Kosack to increase the rate by $1.25 for the road crew and roadmaster, and $3 for the zoning officer was approved with Tobin voting “no.”

Zimmerman said he recommended a $3 increase for the zoning officer, Dan Bode, because he brings a lot of education and knowledge to the township.

“Outsourcing would cost us a lot more,” he said.

Tobin said she is still working on a plan for the township’s two emergency generators. She had spoken with the emergency management coordinator about locations, and her request for approval of a $200 fee for Light-Heigel to review electrical parts of a plan before the township can advertise for bids was approved.

Training

The board approved the attendance of roadmaster Rod Fidler at a “train the trainer” course for flaggers. Although Tobin had suggested crew member Brian Huber be sent, the two other supervisors disagreed. According to Tobin, it is more likely that Huber would be employed for a longer period of time than Fidler. Flagger certifications are valid for three years.

Bids for the repairs to the county owned bridge on Spittler Road were due at the Schuylkill County Courthouse on Oct. 15 with the awarding of the bid expected Wednesday. It is unknown whether any work on the bridge will be done this year until after the bids are opened. According to Zimmerman, the required detour will add several minutes to the Ravine Fire Company’s response time.

“There’s no alternative,” Zimmerman said. “The bridge needs repairs.”

The board approved attendance of both office personnel at PSATS Training on Oct. 30. Because of that, the office will be closed for the day. According to Ferguson, the $80 course will cover reviewing subdivision plans and has been offered to planning commission members also.

Other business

• Trick-or-Treat night in the township will be from 6 to 8 p.m. Oct. 31.

• A follow-up town hall meeting to the county’s Youth Summit will be held from 6 to 8 p.m. Thursday at the Sweet Arrow Lake Clubhouse.

• Zimmerman’s request to increase the Recreation Budget for 2015 by $3,000 was approved, bringing the total to $50,500. He said that a work detail is scheduled to begin at 4 p.m. Monday.

• Upon reviewing the zoning officer’s report, Zimmerman said that permits for new housing has increased more than 300 percent from last year.

• A reduction of $36,981 in the letter of credit for the Pine Grove Animal Clinic as recommended by Alfred Benesch & Co. was approved.

• Kosack said the county-wide Tax Collection Committee continues to discuss organizing its own tax collection agency.

• The new flood plain ordinance will be advertised, open for the required 30 days public inspection, and adopted at the board’s November meeting.

• According to Tobin, the Insurance Services Office report covering the assessment of the township’s fire companies had been received. The company analyzes all facets of a fire company including training, maintenance and fire prevention programs and puts a rating to them from 1 to 10. The township, she said, was rated “5,” as was Pine Grove borough. North End Fire Company’s fire Chief Mike Stalnecker explained that the lower the rating, the cheaper the fire insurance.

Penn State Milton S. Hershey Medical Center, Hershey

To Robert and Betty-Jo Bowers Legutko, Hazle Township, a daughter, Sept. 25. Grandparents are Robert and Georgine Legutko, New Boston, Anthony Bowers, Mahanoy City, and Betty Alsvan, Mahanoy City, and great-grandmother, Dorothy Legutko, Port Carbon.

POCONO SUMMIT — While out for a walk near Pocono Mountain East High School on Friday, a woman came within 20 feet of a man carrying a rifle, his face covered with mud.

“The individual’s description” was consistent with accused cop killer Eric Matthew Frein, Lt. Col. George Bivens said at a Saturday news conference about the first reported sighting of the 31-year-old from Canadensis in a week.

Authorities said Frein killed Cpl. Bryon K. Dickson II, 38, of Dunmore, and seriously injured Trooper Alex T. Douglass, 31, of Olyphant, in a Sept. 12 ambush at the Blooming Grove barracks. For the past month days, authorities have scoured a heavily wooded 5-square-mile area straddling Price and Barrett townships looking for him.

Based on Friday’s potential sighting, though, “our search area is now focused slightly south and in the Swiftwater area, and Paradise and Pocono townships,” Bivens told reporters at Barrett Township Elementary Center. The new area of focus of the search is approximately 10 miles from Frein’s home, and the high school campus is about 1,000 feet from the state police Swiftwater barracks.

Troopers and FBI agents swarmed the Swiftwater area for most of Saturday afternoon, closing off parts of Lower Swiftwater Road and patrolling the area, guns drawn. Two helicopters flew overhead. A Times-Tribune photographer could hear bullhorns being used in the woods, although what was being shouted through them couldn’t be made out.

Bivens said Frein was familiar with that area, having attended Pocono Mountain East High School and graduating in 2002. He also briefly worked at Sanofi Pasteur in Swiftwater and some summers at Camp Minsi in Coolbaugh Township. to the west, Bivens said.

Meanwhile, homeowners at two places in the Cresco area reported finding blood on their enclosed back porches Thursday, and Bivens expected to get test results back this morning.

Police were not sure if Frein is injured.

“We’re really just going on the assumption he is still mobile and capable of making his way through the woods,” Bivens said.

Saturday’s press conference is the latest since Oct. 8, when Bivens quoted excerpts from a narrative of the shooting they believe Frein penned. Police discovered the pages at a campsite 17 days after the ambush.

Also Saturday, Bivens again declined to speculate on a potential motive for the Sept. 12 ambush, besides to say ”we know that (Frein) has had a dislike of law enforcement for an extended period of time.”

“Beyond that, we are not theorizing at this point on any other motive,” the deputy commissioner of operations for the state police said.

Gov. Tom Corbett also attended the press conference, at one point listing numerous law enforcement agencies from Pennsylvania, neighboring states and the federal government that are involved with the manhunt.

“Nobody is going to stop until we find this individual, and he is apprehended,” the governor said.

Standing against the backdrop of letters and posters elementary students made for police, Corbett also spoke of the outpouring of support for the searchers.

“It is a community, it is a commonwealth and it is a nation coming together over somebody who would assassinate a police officer... and who is out there in those woods — woods he knows very, very well — trying to avoid capture. That is not going to happen,” Corbett said.

State police Commissioner Frank Noonan said the search has been wearing on both the community and the searchers.

“What makes it much more tolerable though and actually inspiring is the support we get from this community and from across the state,” Noonan said. ”It just gives us all a sense that we’re all in this together, it’s all of our problems and we’re all going to solve it. And it means a great deal to all of the men and women in the Pennsylvania state police. It also means a great deal to the families of the trooper that was killed and also the trooper that was seriously injured.”

Bivens asked the public to remain vigilant and if people spot Frein or “anything suspicious” to call either 911 or the state police tip line at 866-326-7256. Frein is considered armed and dangerous.

Do you feel like giving back to your community but don't know where to start? If you're looking for an easy way to help your neighbors that requires little effort but is so vital to someone in need, becoming a community contact may be the perfect fit for you.

Community Contacts is a two-time award winning program of this office. It's a group of about 60 Schuylkill County residents, trained in the basic services provided by some of the biggest human service agencies in the county, who then act as a referral source to guide those in need to the agency that can best offer them assistance. Contacts combine their life experiences with the information learned during training to become a dynamic, compassionate resource for those experiencing hardship.

After a few hours of training, the volunteer can choose to either have their name go on a contact brochure for distribution or they can simply help the people they come across in person without being listed in the brochure. Contacts do not provide case management, fill out forms or provide transportation. They're strictly a referral source, but a vital one.

Recruitment is going on now for the Class of 2015. Three hours of training, in one afternoon, will take place in the winter. It's that simple. Contacts are given all the reference materials they'll need. If you'd like to join the Community Contact program to provide your neighbors with the resource tools they need, contact this office.

Thanks for the coffee

I was recently the recipient of a kind act that I want to pass on. If you're a regular reader of this column, you're aware that I'm a proponent of the Pay it Forward campaign that occurs annually in April. Around 8 a.m. Oct. 9, I swung by the Dunkin Donuts in St. Clair on my way to an out-of-office event after having been on the road the entire previous day. The line was unusually long and a bit slow, matching my lingering fatigue, so I crept along to the pay window, lost in thoughts of the event I was heading to. When I got to the window, I was told there was no charge, that the woman in front of me prepaid for my Dunkaccino for Pay it Forward. Wow! Instant smile and lifted spirits. I am so grateful to the woman with dark hair in the red SUV, and send her a heartfelt thank you. I hope she reads this column and knows that her act of kindness hit a bull's eye.

I promote the annual event every spring but you don't have to wait until April to brighten someone's spirits. I do various event activities myself, like giving lottery tickets to strangers or taking doughnuts to the ladies at the library, but I never expected to be the recipient of someone else's thoughtfulness and kindness. Share it with others; you just may make someone's day.

This is the last week to register for Make A Difference Day. Your project can take place within one week of the national Oct. 25 event. Registration is easy. Call this office for easy project ideas. No project is too small and every effort helps someone. We look forward to working with you to make Schuylkill County a kinder place for all our residents.

Other events

Speaking of training, mark your calendars. Care Net Pregnancy Center in Pottsville has been offering a safe place for women and their families to explore their options related to pregnancy and their future for more than a decade. They'll be holding training for new volunteers at 6:30 p.m. Nov. 11, 12 and 13. If you'd like to join their team to help young women, call Cheryl at 570-624-7244.

Diakon's Living and Learning After 50 will hold its fifth annual senior expo from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Tuesday at the Fairlane Village Mall. Included will be live music, exhibitions, LL50 class demos, antique appraisals, wine-testing, chair messages, health screenings, master gardeners, interactive activities and educational seminars.

A Wee Ones Walk will be held at Sweet Arrow Lake from 1 to 4 p.m. Saturday. The engaging walk focuses on the senses for the young child while they explore the colors and beauty of the season. Participants are asked to meet at Waterfall Road parking lot. Call 570-622-4124 for details.

Mahanoy City's fall festival will be held from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday and will be fun for the whole family.

Owl Creek Fall Foliage Hayrides in Tamaqua will be available from 2 p.m. until after dark Saturday for a haunted ride, and from noon until five p.m. Sunday. Also featured will be pumpkin painting, face painting, marshmallow roasting and campfire. Food and refreshments will also be available. Call 570-668-5066 for details.

Use the above contact info for those specific volunteer opportunities and find other opportunities at www.schuylkill.us/cvia. Community Volunteers in Action can be reached at 570-628-1426 or jjohnston@co,.schuylkill.pa.us. Check us out on Facebook at www.facebook.com/communityvolunteersinaction.

ASHLAND — Schuylkill County Crime Stoppers and Ashland police are asking for the public’s help in identifying a man who robbed a borough business at knifepoint Monday night.

Police said the robbery occurred about 8:10 p.m. at May’s Drive-In Restaurant, 2015 Centre St.

The suspect allegedly entered the building, went to the restaurant area and slashed a knife at an employee who was behind the counter. The man then made aggressive moves toward another employee, forcing that worker to back up into another part of the restaurant, police said.

After grabbing an undisclosed amount of cash, police said, the man fled the restaurant through the back door and onto 21st Street.

At the time of the robbery, the man was wearing a dark ski mask, a white hoodie with gray sleeves, blue jeans and black shoes, police said.

Schuylkill County Crime Stoppers will pay up to $1,000 for information on the whereabouts of this man or on any other unsolved crime in Schuylkill County.

Callers are asked to refer to incident 10-19-14 when calling with information about the armed robbery in Ashland.

Anyone with information is asked to call Crime Stoppers, toll-free, at 877-TIPS4SC (877-847-7472).

Individuals with information can also call Ashland police directly at 570-875-2600 or through the Schuylkill County Communications Center at 570-462-1991.

All information received will remain confidential.

WILLIAM PENN — West Mahanoy Township police charged a Shenandoah man with attempted murder for allegedly shooting another man and hitting him with a board about 10:30 p.m. Thursday.

Marc A. Galan, 25, of 147 Mount Olive Blvd., was charged with attempted murder, robbery, aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, possessing a firearm or other weapons and aggravated assault, all felony offenses.

Patrolman Lance Monaghan also charged Galan with misdemeanor offenses of simple assault, simple assault with a deadly weapon, recklessly endangering another person, theft and receiving stolen property.

Galan was arraigned Saturday by on-call Magisterial District Judge James Ferrier, Orwigsburg, and committed to Schuylkill County Prison unable to post $500,000 straight cash bail.

Monaghan said he was called to the area of 243 Mount Olive Blvd. when a woman reported that a man had been shot and was in the woods across from her home.

The officer said he found Jeremiah Ney, 18, of William Penn, lying on an ATV path about 50 feet from the road without a shirt and shoes, and blood on the left side of his face near his eye.

Monaghan said Ney’s father was kneeling beside him and holding him upright. Ney was able to say that a “tall, white man” shot him in the back.

Ney said he was unable to move his legs, and Monaghan said he saw a small, circular entrance on the man’s back but no exit wound.

Monaghan said Ney told him he was shot about 25 minutes prior and he was subsequently rushed to Geisinger Medical Center, Danville, by Shenandoah EMS for treatment of the bullet wound.

About 9:10 a.m. Friday, Monaghan said he and Patrolman Raymond Tonkinson checked the area and recovered a 9 mm shell casing and a 3-foot-long piece of 2-by-4 wood.

A canvass of the area was initiated and, while speaking with Joshua Lindenmuth at 147 Mount Olive Blvd., Monaghan said Lindenmuth told him Galan shot Ney and that Galan has a 9 mm Glock handgun that he carries with him.

About 11:30 a.m., Monaghan said Lindenmuth called the Schuylkill County Communications Center to report Galan had returned home and was in the attic.

Monaghan said he returned to the home and yelled to Galan from the bottom of the steps, warning him that police were present and that he should surrender, but the order was not acknowledged.

Monaghan said he eventually entered the attic and found Galan curled up in a fetal position under a blanket near plastic storage boxes.

After being taken into custody without incident, Monaghan said Galan immediately asked Tonkinson, “How’s Jeremiah?”

Galan then led officers to a second-floor bedroom where he had a 9 mm pistol broken down into pieces and placed under a baby’s crib covered with a baby’s blanket, Monaghan said.

Galan was taken to the Shenandoah police station where, after being read his Miranda Rights, agreed to speak with West Mahanoy Township police Chief Shawn Tray.

Galan said that on Thursday, he was at his home, contacted Ney on Facebook and the two agreed to meet at the wooded path along Route 54, Mount Olive Boulevard, for a drug exchange, Monaghan said.

Galan said when Ney walked into the woods, he hit him with the piece of lumber and the two became involved in a physical confrontation. Galan said during the confrontation, his 9 mm weapon fell from his waistband to the ground, Monaghan said. Shortly after, he and Ney stopped fighting and agreed to part ways.

As Ney turned to walk away, Monaghan said, Galan said he shot him one time in the back while trying to shoot at the ground.

“He related that he aimed too high and the bullet struck Ney in the back causing him to fall to the ground,” Monaghan said in his affidavit of probable cause.

Galan said he removed Ney’s sweatshirt and tank top and tied it around his back in an attempt to stop the bleeding before fleeing the area.

I don't think we'll ever need traffic reports for satellites, but since 1957, the dawn of the space age, more than 23,000 satellites have been launched into orbit around Earth, and about a third of them are still in orbit.

In fact, Vanguard One, launched St. Patrick's Day in 1958, is still in orbit 52 years later. It's made well over 200,000 orbits around our world and has traveled well over six billion miles. Move over Energizer Bunny. Vanguard really keeps going and going and going. Some satellites, like the U.S. Space Shuttle and the International Space Station, even have people in them.

Along with useful functioning satellites, there's also a lot of junk up there; useless out-of-commission and out-of-control satellites, spent rocket stages and other random space garbage. It's like a floating junkyard up above the atmosphere, in what some refer to as the "junkosphere." Don't get me wrong though. If you were ever lucky enough to grab an extra seat in the Space Shuttle or whatever takes its place and orbit the Earth once every 90 minutes, chances are you wouldn't see any garbage. There's a lot of space in space.

Just about any time you stargaze, you'll see star-like objects march across the heavens at a steady but sane pace. They're either seen in the early evening a little after evening twilight or just before morning twilight. You're just about guaranteed to see at least one satellite zipping among the stars as you study the constellations.

Satellites are seen mostly at those times because they're better able to reflect sunlight. That's the only light they've got. You could have the biggest floodlight ever created mounted on a satellite and have it shine back to the Earth and we'd still never see it. These satellites are at least 110 miles high but most of the healthy ones are a lot higher than that. In fact, just by observing and comparing satellites speeds across the sky you can estimate how high they are.

Most military reconnaissance and communications satellites are high flyers, at altitudes of 250 to 600 miles high. They traverse the sky in two to three minutes, looking like brighter stars moving against the backdrop of actual distant stars. Faster paced satellites are in much lower orbits, and in a lot of cases, are not long for the orbital world. Lower trajectory satellites skim through the upper drag of the upper atmosphere which slowly pulls them down, leaving them more and more vulnerable to being totally sucked in by the atmosphere and incinerated because of air friction. That was the fate of Sputnik One, the first U.S.S.R. Satellite, and Explorer One, the first U.S. orbiter. Sputnik, to everyone's dismay, was launched in October 1957 and burnt up in the atmosphere just four months later. Explorer One launched in February 1958 and stayed in orbit until March 1970. We built them to last back then.

Old-fashioned physics

What powers these satellites as they circle our world? They're certainly not propelling themselves. The answer is good old fashion Newtonian physics. Satellites are always falling toward the Earth in a curving path, much like a thrown baseball curves down toward the ground. However, satellites are traveling at a fast enough speed after their launch that the curve of their fall matches the curvature of the Earth. They never hit the ground, provided they're high enough above the dragging atmosphere.

Most satellites travel from west to east across the sky, taking advantage of Earth's east to west rotation, which is faster toward the equator. That's why just about all U.S. space launches are at Cape Canaveral, Fla., as opposed to Fairbanks, Alaska.

Some satellites travel in polar orbits south to north or vice versa. A lot of those are spy satellites, so wave when you see 'em. There are also satellites that are geostationary and sit in one place above the Earth with their orbits in perfect sync with Earth's rotation.

The brightest satellites are the International Space Station and the U.S. Space Shuttle. They are almost as bright as highflying aircraft, sometimes more so, especially when they're docked together. They can even be brighter then very dazzling planet Jupiter now in the southeastern evening sky. In fact, if conditions are right, it's even possible to spot the International Space Station during the day. It's gotten that big over the years.

Can you hear me now?

Another really fun group of satellites to watch are the 60-plus Iridium satellites that provide worldwide cell phone service. About the size of old Volkswagen Beetles, they track across our heavens and rotate. As they do, they dramatically flair up in brightness for a few seconds at a time when the angle of one of the solar panel is just right between you on the ground and the distant sun. Sometimes Iridium flares are more than 100 times brighter than the brightest stars. This temporary flash in brightness is caused by the highly reflective solar panels on the satellites kicking all kinds of reflected sunlight our way.

Presently, there are nearly four dozen satellites you can easily see with the naked eye, even in areas of city and suburban light pollution, and there's some an absolutely wonderful websites for keeping track of them and many more fainter ones. Of course, they'll also help you track space shuttles and the space station.

One of them is Heaven's Above, www.heavens-above.com. After you set it up for your location, you can keep track of every major spacecraft and satellites. The brightest ones are listed at 3.5 visual magnitude and bright. If something is coming over this area, the website will tell you where and when to look for it. It also lists and tracks the times of Iridium flares as they flare up in brightness.

There's another arguably even better website called Real Time Satellite Tracking, http://www.n2yo.com/?s=25544. I love that site because it automatically reads your location from the IP address on your computer. It'll give five-day predictions for the visibility of the space station and many other satellites, help you make a viewing log and even show you map and of the satellite orbit and where it's at in that orbit. You can literally "watch" it orbit different parts of the world. I think it's so cool. You can even track Vanguard One but actually spotting in the sky requires a large telescope and a lot of skill.

We're running out of time for this, but there's one thing you always want to look for when the U.S. Space Shuttle heads over this area. If the sun's angle is just right, sometimes you see a faint patchy cloud ahead of the shuttle. Do you know what that is? It's toilet and other waste that was dumped by the shuttle. It precedes the shuttle in the sky because of the law of conservation of angular momentum. When they dump waste from the shuttle, they shoot it out and below the Shuttle so it can't get sucked back in - that's not considered astronaut friendly. The "potty cloud" then winds up in a lower orbit, and because of angular momentum, the shuttle waste zips ahead of the shuttle, truly becoming number one (and two) on the runway of space.

(Lynch is an amateur astronomer and author of the book, "Stars, a Month by Month Tour of the Constellations." Contact him at mikewlynch@comcast.net.)

A Saint Clair couple was honored Saturday by the Saint Clair Lions Club for their dedication to the community.

Robert and Dorothy Pomian received the Lion of the Year award, a bronze lion, at the banquet. The Lions award recognizes commitment to the community.

Robert, 75, said it was “a great honor” to get the Lion of the Year award.

“I really don’t feel like we deserve this because we are volunteers. I love doing volunteer work,” he said, adding the couple thought they were coming for a banquet to honor Gary Gorman, master of ceremonies, past president and member of the Lions.

Robert said he cried more today then he ever did. To those who think they might not have enough time to volunteer, he said, “try it, you’ll like it.”

“We do it (volunteer work) because we want to,” Dorothy said.

Robert and Dorothy, 65, have volunteered in various capacities for the community and are both active members of the Lions, a community service organization with nearly 60 members.

The award was last given to Dorothy’s father, Harry Reed, Saint Clair, in 1987.

“We really hold that dear to our heart,” Gary Gorman, master of ceremonies, past president and member of the Lions, said of the Lion of the Year award.

About 85 people were at the East Norwegian Township Fire Company on Saturday for the banquet. Members, friends and family talked about how much of an impact the couple had on their lives, often sharing funny stories along the way.

The Pomians also received a cruise to Alaska worth $7,500 from the Lions, other gifts, proclamations, plaques and praise and appreciation from family, friends and members of the community and officials.

The couple said they plan to take the cruise in the spring and drive to Washington state. They have been wanting to go for about eight years but have not done so yet.

Community service

Some of those at the event shared their experiences with the Pomians and what they mean to them.

“They do what they do because they genuinely care about people,” Greg Pomian, Robert’s son, Exeter, said.

He said his father gives back to the community because he loves it.

“They don’t do it for recognition. They don’t do it for congratulations,” he said.

Kevin Pomian, another son of Robert, said he has seen his father act to save the lives of people without thinking twice. He told of how his father witnessed a car crash on Interstate 81 and that Robert rushed to comfort an injured man who was involved in the accident. The man, a soldier from Fort Indiantown Gap, later died in Robert’s arms.

“It’s all out of the goodness of his heart,” he said about his father.

Saint Clair Mayor Richard Tomko was one of the many people who thanked the couple for their contributions. He proclaimed November as Robert F. and Dorothy Pomian month in Saint Clair.

Schuylkill County Commissioner George Halcovage Jr. also said the couple care about their community and the county as a whole.

Barbara Bobella, on behalf of the American Red Cross, said the couple’s blood donations saved lives. Dorothy donated at least 42 units of blood and Robert donated 20.

“It’s because of volunteers, a lot of lives have been saved,” she said.

Contributions

The following are the contributions of Robert and Dorothy:

Robert Pomian

• Served in the Army from 1959-63.

• Past president of the Saint Clair Lions Club (total of 29 years of service)

• Past zone chairman, region III, District 14-U (Lions)

• Past athletic trainer for Pottsville Area High School (basketball, wrestling, football, track and field, soccer)

• 51 years of service in volunteer fire departments

• Served on Saint Clair borough council

• Past involvement with Saint Clair Midget Football

• Father of two boys, Kevin and Greg

• Current member of the Saint Clair Lions Club board of directors and serving as treasurer

Dorothy Pomian

• Employed 30 years at Weis Markets Inc.

• Past Worthy Matron of Kalmia Chapter 261, Order of Eastern Star, Saint Clair

• Past worthy advisor of Pottsville Assembly 75, Pottsville

• Past president of Saint Clair Lioness Club and of Saint Clair Lions Club (Nine years of service in the Lioness Club and additional 25 years upon merger with Saint Clair Lions Club in 1989, for a total of 34 years of service.)

• Avid collector of thimbles, spoons and teddy bears

• Mother of three boys, Ben, Harry and Scott

• Current member of the Saint Clair Lions Club board of directors and advisor

Combined efforts

• Served on the board of directors of Saint Clair Veterans Memorial Ambulance

• Former EMTs and certified first aid/CPR instructors

• American Red Cross of NEPA volunteer blood donors

• Served on the Consistory at St. John’s United Church of Christ, Saint Clair

• Served as officers in the Rescue Hook & Ladder Fire Company, Saint Clair

• Served on the council for the District 14-U Health Van

• Both received Melvin Jones Fellowship Awards from Lions Club International

• Married for 25 years

TAMAQUA — A Schuylkill Township woman was killed when she was struck by a car Wednesday in front of the Tamaqua Hi-Rise.

According to the Times News of Lehighton, Laura Ziolko, Brockton, was crossing Broad Street about 6:38 p.m. when she was struck by a car driven by Scott Yasson, Lansford.

The newspaper reported that heavy rain was falling at the time of the accident, and that Ziolko did not cross in a pedestrian crosswalk.

The accident is under investigation.

ORWIGSBURG — More than 200 people attended the third annual MDA Black and Blue Ball on Saturday at the Schuylkill Country Club.

The event, hosted by Schaeffer’s Harley-Davison, Orwigsburg, is meant to raise money to help fight muscular dystrophy. Muscular dystrophy is a group of genetic diseases in which muscle fibers are unusually susceptible to damage and become progressively weaker. Last year, about $43,000 was raised at the event. This year, the goal was about $45,000, Denise Calderone, co-chairman of the event, said. A total was not available by press time Saturday.

At the event, people affected by muscular dystrophy and their family members spoke to attendees about the condition.

Julie Harris, mother of Brandon Harris, 14, of Gordon, said her son lives each day with the disease.

“There is no cure at this time for a child that needs so much care,” she said.

She said she loves her son and wants a cure to be found for his condition, Duchenne muscular dystrophy, which is a condition characterized by progressive muscle degeneration and weakness.

“Every single person here represents hope,” she said.

Dolores Krause, 67, of Northampton, said her grandson, Tyler Schoup, 20, also has muscular dystrophy.

Tyler said he has Becker muscular dystrophy, where his muscles will get weaker as he ages. He still is able to walk but occasionally gets broken bones. He takes daily medication to moderate the symptoms of the disease.

“I actually had three fractures this year in the course of six months,” he said.

He said spreading the word about muscular dystrophy is important because not many people know what it is or just how many people are affected by it.

“I think it’s good for people to get educated on it,” he said.

He was thankful of those who showed up Saturday to support the efforts of the Black and Blue Ball.

“It’s all about hope,” he said.

Maria Rowlands, a certified public accountant in Cressona, was there to support the cause.

“There’s no cure for it (muscular dystrophy). Hopefully, someday there will be a cure,” she said.

Someone who has found a way to deal with his medical condition and brighten the days of others was also there.

Shane Burcaw, 22, of Bethlehem, shared his story and signed his new book, “Laughing At My Nightmare,” which was released Tuesday.

Burcaw was diagnosed when he was 14 months old with spinal muscular atrophy type 2, which causes weakness and wasting of muscles in the arms and legs, according to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke.

Burcaw wrote a book about his condition and how he uses humor to stay positive.

“Positivity and humor is an effective way to deal with adversity,” he said.

If something bothers him, he tries to “take a step back and look at the big picture,” he said.

More information on his book is available on his website, www.laughingatmynightmare.com.

In addition to five prizes consisting of things such as a wine tasting and a weekend motorcycle trip, there were also 50 silent auction items offered at the event.

VALLEY VIEW - Defenders of our country's freedom have created the fourth book in a series that ensures the contributions and sacrifices of local service members will not be lost.

"Defending Our Freedom, Tri-Valley Area Veterans, Past, Present and Future-Book 4" was printed in September and is now available to purchase.

The book features photos, biographical military sketches, first-hand accounts and stories of local veterans, all in alphabetical order. The Tri-Valley Area Veterans Committee Inc. published the work.

The committee is a nonprofit corporation dedicated to preserving the history of Tri-Valley area veterans, including those from Barry, Eldred, Hegins, Hubley and Upper Mahantongo townships. All profit from the book sale will be used toward publishing the next compilation, Leon Maurer, committee member, said.

"We are very thankful and grateful for the freedoms they have helped preserve for all Americans," said the committee in its dedication near the front of each book.

Book 1 was published in the spring of 2010, and Books 2 and 3 followed in 2011 and 2013, respectively.

"We feel this is a necessary thing to do, so this history is not stuck in an attic somewhere," said Eugene D. Seip, committee member and Navy veteran.

Maurer acquired an original scrapbook that his mother-in-law, Helen Harner, had made that contained newspaper clippings of World War II veterans. The clippings were brittle, so his daughter-in-law carefully copied the clippings and made them into a book. Committee member and WWII veteran Robert "Whitey" Klinger also had two scrapbooks.

The local group formed the committee to proceed with the series of books, using this information and other details provided by interviews, personal submissions and news clippings. The first publication took about five years to complete. There are many photos and details within the four-book series that may inspire readers.

To aid in sharing this historic, local information with the public, the committee has already donated copies of the first three books to the Tri-Valley Free Public Library, the Tri-Valley Historical Society, Tri-Valley High School and the Hegins-Hubley and Mahantongo elementary schools. Plans are to share Book 4, as well, Maurer said.

Book 4 features front-cover photos of the Hubley Township and the Barry Township veterans' memorials. Also included is an index that lists veterans profiled in the previous three publications.

Readers will find resource information and lists of past commanders for American Legion Post 575, Veterans of Foreign Wars West Schuylkill Memorial Post 8237 and the Disabled American Veterans Chapter 103, all in Valley View.

The latest publication, covering more than 76 pages, was printed by MET & Associates, Valley View.

Maurer offered the following "questions to ponder," using clues from the book series:

Who was the Tri-Valley area veteran, along with all the vets on the ship, who got orders to destroy all material listing where they had been so far? Somewhere between Bermuda and North Africa he tossed his diary overboard. What happened to his diary? Walter Cronkite was a cub reporter on this same ship with this veteran. Who is he, and is he in book No. 1, 2, 3 or 4?

All books cost $15 and can be obtained by contacting the following committee members: Leon Maurer, Eugene Seip, Herbert Borchert, Robert Klinger, Alfred Harner, Bobby Shadle and Walter Rebuck.

The books can also be purchased at the American Legion Post 575, Miller's Hardware, Bixler's Meats and Tri-County Insurance, all in Valley View.

Demand for Book 1 was so great, the committee ordered a second printing to have it available to patrons after the first run sold out.

Anyone wishing to contribute information for the next publication or to purchase a book should contact any committee member. Direct all correspondence to the committee in care of: American Legion Post 575, P.O. Box 754, Valley View, PA 17983.

Divorces granted

Kelly Balogach, Tamaqua, from Michael S. Balogach, Nesquehoning.

Zachary Wright, Muir, from Harley Rose Liss, Malvern.

Amy S. Mumbauer, Cressona, from Brian Mumbauer, Cressona.

David L. Kehler, Frackville, from Karen L. Kehler, Frackville.

Jason H. Strouphauer, Shillington, from Harriet M. Strouphauer, Pine Grove.

Sheena N. Witman, Orwigsburg, from Joshua Witman, Auburn.

Anthony S. Puddu, Port Carbon, from Berdene Puddu, Maysville, S.C.

Casey J. brown, Pine Grove, from Rebecca L. Brown, Pine Grove.

Arba L. Phillips, Shenandoah, from Joseph P. Cescon, Ashland.

Rebecca M. Leymeister, Auburn, from Ronald P. Leymeister, Auburn.

SCHUYLKILL HAVEN — The Island Committee’s sixth Island Carnival and Fall Festival continues today from noon to 5 p.m. with pumpkin painting, hayrides, live entertainment and more at the Island.

Aubrey Moyer, 6, of Schuylkill Haven, enjoyed a snow cone despite the brisk wind Saturday. Earlier in the day, she painted a pumpkin with the faces of a dog and a cat and their paws. Aubrey said she has one dog and three cats at home, so it was only natural for her to paint them.

“We come out every year usually,” her grandmother, Donna Moyer, 54, of Auburn, said of the event.

Levi Marks, 2, and his sister, Ryliegh Younger, 6, both of Schuylkill Haven, enjoyed a hayride Saturday.

“Levi, there’s a choo-choo train. Do you see it?” Ryliegh asked her brother near the end of the approximate 12-minute ride. The railroad cars were sitting on the tracks in the distance behind the homes on the Island.

Sandy Hess, a member of the Island Committee, said there are a lot of events planned today. People can enjoy the live music, activities and shop for gifts from vendors. Admission and most activities are free. Activities include a bounce house, face painting for children, a hay maze, and a tube slide. Pumpkin painting is $1. Hayrides are also available at $3 for an adult, $2 for a student and $1 for a toddler. About 12 to 13 vendors will also be there selling crafts.

Hot spiced apple cider, apples with hot caramel sauce, bean soup, french fries and other food is also being sold.

The event, which benefits continued development at the Island, was also held Friday and Saturday.

ASHLAND — The 11th annual Applefest received a lot of cooperation from Mother Nature on Saturday as the cool air and light to gusty breeze provided a wonderful day to enjoy everything apple.

The trees on the nearby Locust Mountain exhibited the colors of autumn as people walked through the downtown area from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. for food, musical entertainment, games and a chance to meet with friends and family members.

Applefest’s sponsor is Ashland Downtown Inc., the revitalization group that began the event to provide a chance for residents of the borough and surrounding communities to enjoy an old-fashioned community event that is family friendly.

The parking lots of the Ashland High Rise, Subway and Susquehanna Bank were used by vendors and organizations, while the Good Shepherd Lutheran Church parking lot was the entertainment site and the place for tents and tables for visitors to sit, enjoy their food and to listen to the live music.

The musical entertainment was organized by Henry “Hank” Ahrensfield, who emceed the music program and the apple pie eating contest.

Ahrensfield and John “J.P.” Gradwell were the first up to entertain, singing and playing guitars. They were followed by Hometown Crystals, comprised of Erin Margaret Linderman and Shane Flail, with Linderman singing many of her own songs. After the pie eating contest, acoustic soloist Nick Chikotas sang and played guitar until the close of Applefest.

The seventh annual apple pie eating contest drew a big crowd to cheer on their favorites. There were two categories: North Schuylkill varsity sports teams and the other including representatives from Ashland organizations and businesses. Representing the sports teams were Taylor Lindenmuth, cheerleaders; Cullen Dixon, boys’ soccer; Sammy Shinkus, volleyball; and Ethan Shewmaker, football. Shewmaker was the last year’s winner.

There were two trophies for the athletes this year for male and female winners, who were Shewmaker and Shinkus.

The second pie contest had four contestants: Philip Groody Jr. representing Groody Catering, and winner of the past two contests; Nathan Yerger, M&M Sandwich Shop and Catering; Ralph Chiplonia, Boyer’s Food Markets; and Ahrensfield.

When the pie crust crumbs settled, the winner again was Groody.

ADI President Joseph T. Cataldo was pleased with the weather and the turnout.

“This is a great day and, hopefully, it will stay that way,” Cataldo said. “It’s nice and sunny, not too windy and not too hot. This will be another great year.”

Cataldo appreciated the work that Ahrensfield does and the support from the vendors and volunteers.

“Hank does a great job every year. We have our local business people here. There are the regular vendors we have each year, and we have a couple of new ones,” Cataldo said. “We’ve have some things for the kids. Hopefully everybody enjoys the day.”

Additional sponsors were Susquehanna Bank, Tri-State Envelope, Remaley’s, Strouse and Strouse, Mineshaft Cafe, Wayne’s Plumbing and Heating and Ashland Insurance Alliance.

David A’s Coal Miner’s Black Kettle Soups was a new vendor and was kept busy serving up its homemade soup.

“I’ve been making soup for 40 years,” owner David Lucas said. “We attended Pioneer Day at Pioneer Tunnel. They have been after me for years to make soup for them. I finally went up there. People are very pleased with my soup. They claim it’s the best in the state of Pennsylvania. I was told about Applefest and called (ADI board member) Bill Farley and made the arrangements. I make beef noodle, chicken noodle corn, ham and bean, blind pigeon soup. Today, I’m selling vegetable oxtail.”

Applefest proceeds are used for ADI’s mission to improve the community.

n Cressona: A Red Cross blood drive will be held from 1 to 6 p.m. Saturday in the Cressona Mall, Suite 6160, sponsored by the U.S. Air Force. For more information, call 570-385-5657.

n Cressona: The Cressona Mall tenants will sponsor It’s Halloween at the Cressona Mall from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday featuring children’s trick-or-treat, followed by a Halloween costume contest for children 12 and younger. There will be free candy, crafts and prizes.

n Frackville: A children’s Halloween party is set for 1:30 to 2:30 p.m. for toddlers through children in fifth grade Oct. 26 at First United Methodist Church, 25 S. Balliet St. The church youth group will host the party that will include games, snacks, crafts and a Halloween parade with prizes. People are asked to RSVP to the church office with the number attending and their ages. Call 570-874-0792.

n Lansford: The Panther Valley Public Library, 117 E. Bertsch St., will have assistance for seniors during open enrollment for Medicare parts C and D every Wednesday through Dec. 7 during regular library hours. Counselors will assist consumers in finding as drug plan or Part C plan. Appointments are necessary. To set up an appointment, call the library at 570-645-3780. The library offers a free preschool story hours from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. every Tuesday, with stories, snacks and activities for children.

n McAdoo: The McAdoo Police Department, in cooperation with the Schuylkill County District Attorney’s Office, has established a drop-off to collect unwanted or expired prescription drugs at the borough building, 32 N. Hancock St., during regular business hours. The drop box is monitored by camera.

n Saint Clair: The Sunday school class of Holy Apostles Episcopal Church North Parish, 307 E. Hancock St., will host a haunted house from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Saturday. Admission is a nonperishable or personal care item to be donated to the soldiers of Operation We Care. For more information, call 570-429-7107.

n Shenandoah: The seventh annual Shenandoah Santa Trot is set for Dec. 13. It is anticipated registration will be at the American Crow Bar, Centre and Vine streets.

n Summit Hill: The Summit Hill Shade Tree Commission will conduct its fall tree plantings on Saturday and Sunday. Anyone interested in sponsoring a tree to be planted along the streets or in memory or in honor of someone may call John Kupec at 570-645-9644 or Lou Vermillion at 570-645-9772 for information. Volunteers to help plant, water and clean up are welcome as well as any contributions to the commission’s efforts.

n Tamaqua: The Tamaqua Elementary Parent Teacher Organization is conducting its annual membership drive through Oct. 31. Membership is open to adult family members of students in the Tamaqua and Rush elementary schools.

n Tamaqua: The Tamaqua Area Adult Day Care Center has a variety of activities planned for October including a Halloween party on Oct. 31 with students from the St. Jerome kindergarten class. Other activities include: Wednesday, Frankenstein craft; Thursday, making pumpkin ice cream; Oct. 27, cooking homemade soup; Oct. 31, visit from the podiatrist. In addition to weekly sing-alongs, exercise sessions, a variety of therapies and social games, the center provides breakfast, lunch and a snack as well as the opportunity for hairstyling and manicure services on Thursdays, according to a release. The center is open from 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Mondays through Fridays. For more information, call 570-668-6556.

n Tamaqua: To help teens deal with the subject of bullying, Bethany Evangelical Congregational Church is offering a free study group based on the movie “To Save a Life.” The group meets at 6:30 p.m. Thursdays at the Tamaqua Community Arts Center, 125 Pine St. For more information or to register, call 570-668-2520 or email GrowthGroups@BethanyEC.org.