MINERSVILLE — The Minersville Area school board appointed a new member to fill the vacancy on the board at its Feb. 23 meeting.

Sarah R. Newton took an oath of office to “solemnly swear that (she) will support, obey and defend the Constitution of the United States and the Constitution of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and that (she) will discharge the duties of (her) office with fidelity.”

Newton is filling the vacancy on the school board left by Michael Maley, principal at Pottsville Area’s D.H.H Lengel Middle School.

In other business, the board appointed James Diechert as volunteer assistant track coach for the 2014-15 season on recommendation of the athletic director.

A leave of absence was approved for Lindsey Kuperavage, a full-time professional employee, for maternity/child rearing effective on or about April 17 and returning at the start of the 2015-16 school year. The board approved Meagan Melenchick to be a professional long-term substitute for Kuperavage beginning on or about April 20 through the remainder of the 2014-15 school year.

Krisi Adams, a full-time nonprofessional employee, was also approved for a leave of absence for maternity/child rearing, which began Monday and will end about Saturday.

In other employee business, the board ratified the hiring of Janet Rada-Mitchell as an office aide, subject to assignment, for 25 hours per week at a salary of $10.87 per hour beginning this Monday.

Susan Kennedy was approved to be added to the 2014-15 substitute list for middle and high school art.

The board also approved the use of the football parking lot for off-street parking to patrons of the Railway Restoration Project 113 Easter Bunny train rides on March 28.

n Lansford: The Panther Valley Golden Agers group meets at 1 p.m. the second and fourth Mondays of the month in the social hall of St. John Sloval Lutheran Church, 1 E. Abbott St. New members are always welcome.

n Lebanon: In recently released national survey results, the Lebanon VA Medical Center was ranked among the top 10 educational sites within the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, according to a medical center press release. The annual survey, titled “Learner Perception Survey,” is conducted with medical residents each year by the VA to identify high performing educational facilities. For more information about the center, call 717-228-6000.

n Pine Grove: Sweet Arrow Lake County Park will host breakfast from 7:30 to 11 a.m. March 14 at the clubhouse. It will feature Pennsylvania maple syrup served to top flapjacks and complimented with fresh and smoked Pennsylvania Dutch sausage. Weather permitting, local maple syrup expert Jonathan Flynn will demonstrate the art of maple sugaring and will have maple syrup and possibly maple sugar candy for sale. The cost is $7 for adults and $3 for children ages 6 to 12. Registration is not required. The event is being sponsored by the county park board and Friends of Schuylkill Parks and Recreation with proceeds benefiting the park. In the event of inclement weather, the event will be held March 21. All are welcome.

n Pine Grove: The Pine Grove Senior Citizens group is sponsor a bus trip to Savannah, Georgia, and Charleston, South Carolina, for six days and five nights starting April 20. The cost is $675 double occupancy and includes five breakfasts, two full-course dinners and one lunch at Paula Deen’s Lady & Sons. To make reservations or for more information, call 570-345-3106.

n Pottsville: The Pottsville Rotary Club recently welcomed students of the month Collin McGovern and Dominic Piccioni of Nativity BVM High School and Conner Hinchliffe and Rachel Coyle of Pottsville Area High School. The students spoke about their school and community activities and plans for the future. Rotarians Frank Peron and Pete Yasenchak later made a presentation to the students about Rotary, according to the Rotary Bulletin.

n Saint Clair: The Hillside SPCA will sponsor a gift card bingo and Chinese auction from 1 to 5:30 p.m. May 3 at the Saint Clair Lions Club, McCord Avenue. Tickets are $20 and are available now by calling Desiree at 570-640-3496.

n Schuylkill Haven: The Island Park Cruise-In & Car Show is set for 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. June 28 at Island Park, Dock Street. Gates will open at 8 a.m. The cost is $5. Breakfast will be available. The event will also include vendors, awards, door prizes, live radio and disc jockey entertainment. All are welcome. For more information, call 570-622-9510 or 570-385-1775.

n Shenandoah: Readers of all ages will be able to explore all things underground this summer as the Shenandoah Area Free Public Library, Washington and Main streets, presents “Every Hero Has a Story” in its summer library program. According to an SAFPL press release, activities will include costume creation, group games, physical challenges, art projects, science and engineering experiments and other endeavors. The 2015 program is open to preschoolers through young adults and also includes programs, prize drawings, storytimes, a reading club and other activities. Families are invited to join the Read-to-Me portion of the program. Registration for the program will begin on June 5. For more information, call the library at 570-462-9829 or email the library at safpl@shenhgts.net. All programs are free. In addition to Shenandoah borough, the library serves the West Mahanoy Township villages of Shenandoah Heights, Weston Place, Raven Run, Brownsville, William Penn, Lost Creek and Lost Creek No. 2 as well as the Mahanoy Township village of Yatesville, a total population in excess of 7,000.

Alicia Mercuri and Cameron Gettel took a sip of wine. A sweet white from the Finger Lakes, New York.

Behind them, Stephanie Premich, co-owner of Mud & Maker, Pottsville, prepared for the upcoming pottery class. She was gathering molds and designs the class could use to decorate their projects.

This was the first pottery class for Mercuri and Gettel but they had a plan. The couple, who are preparing to get married in the spring, wanted to make a chip and dip bowl. An early start to their newlywed dish collection.

"It's fun to branch out and do new things we have never done before. That's why I like it," Gettel, Hershey, said.

The couple were two of 16 people at Wheel and Wine on Feb. 13 at the city art studio, 6 S. Centre St. According to the Mud & Maker website, www.mudandmaker.com, "participants are welcome to BYOB (bring your own beer) while you learn how to make your very own pottery."

"I'm all about supporting our local businesses, so this is really exciting for us," Mercuri said.

Premich said the studio hosts two public Wheel and Wine classes a month and private sessions upon request. She said they average three or four private classes a month, ranging from bachelorette parties to office team building exercises.

Classes cost $25, which includes materials, instruction and two sessions - the night of the event where participants make their projects and a follow-up to glaze the pottery after it is cooked. Registration is available on the studio's website.

Premich said the public classes, which seat between 14 and 16 people, usually sell out. Two classes in February sold out and the first class this month, scheduled for March 14, only has four seats remaining, according to the website.

The Wheel and Wine classes are part of an increasingly popular trend of events that mix drinking and art.

Premich said she brought such classes to Schuylkill County about four years ago. She held the classes at Oak Hill Inn, Orwigsburg, before she opened Mud & Maker.

"I started doing the Wheel and Wines just to do something that was a little bit more of an adult feel to it. Something that was a little bit more exclusive for adults to come do that they could come to a class and unwind and have a nice date night," she said.

The classes are open to people age 21 and older, and they are only allowed to bring wine or beer.

"Most people understand that it is supposed to be casual," Premich said.

However, she added that alcohol is not required as people have opted to bring bottled water or coffee instead.

Over the four years of holding these classes, Premich said she has never had an issue with people drinking too much or acting uncontrollably.

"Most people behave. It's never an issue of that natural," she said.

On Feb. 13, Wayne Lutsey and his wife, Carol, were making bowls for their grandchildren. It was also their first time at a Wheel and Wine event.

"We are being patriotic so we brought some Yuengling, and some wine," Wayne said.

The Lutskys were attending the class with two other couples. Wayne said they were celebrating Valentine's Day, joking the men were "taking one for the team."

Premich said the classes usually have a good gender mix, also joking that it's "a lot of women and lots of good husbands."

But she said men not only have a good time, they make great art.

"There definitely are guys who are very, very creative that come. They have awesome projects because they come and they are ready to go," Premich said.

Premich said people from out of the region, such as Scranton, Philadelphia and New Jersey, have participated in Wheel and Wine classes. She said some participants have built a weekend trip to the county around the class, staying with family or friends.

"People love to be creative and I think the popularity of Pinterest is a pretty big part of that," Premich said, referring to the collection and storage website. "Everyone wants to be crafty but they need someone to show them how to do it. When you go to one, you are hiring a professional that knows what they are doing to teach you how to do a project."

She believes the classes also draw a crowd because the projects can be used in everyday life, such as bowls, plates and mugs.

"That's why I think the Wheel and Wines are really popular because there is a functuality to it, too," Premich said, adding projects have the potential to be food, microwave and dishwasher safe.

As for whether she thinks there is a connection between art and alcohol, Premich said it might help people come out their shells.

"As far as the general public kind of tipping their toes into a project, it certainly loosens them up a little bit," she said.

Schuylkill County District Attorney Christine Holman and the Schuylkill County detectives are asking the public’s help in locating a man wanted on outstanding drug warrants.

Detectives said they are looking for Brian L. Dietrick, 44, whose last known address was at 7 S. 19th St., Ashland.

Dietrick has outstanding warrants for charges of possession of a controlled substance and possession of drug paraphernalia and has been declared an absconder by parole and probation agents on bench warrants for charges of felony retail theft and misdemeanor resisting arrest.

Dietrick is described as being white, about 5 feet 10 inches tall and weighing about 185 pounds.

Anyone with information on the whereabouts of this man or on any other fugitive in Schuylkill County is asked to call the district attorney’s office at 570-628-1350 or a local police department.

Anyone who may see or come in contact with Dietrick is asked to call the Schuylkill County Communications Center. All information received will remain confidential.

A complete list of Schuylkill County bench warrants is available on the Schuylkill County website at www.co.schuylkill.pa.us.

The state Department of Revenue is accepting applications for the Property Tax/Rent Rebate Program.

Rebates are available for property taxes or rent paid in 2014 for eligible state residents age 65 and older, people 18 and older with disabilities, and widows and widowers 50 and older, according to a press release from the state Department of Revenue. The deadline to apply is June 30.

The income limit is $35,000 a year for homeowners and $15,000 for renters. Half of Social Security income is excluded.

Due to program changes last year, homeowners and renters may qualify for rebates if their income is above the threshold. Homeowners who collected a Social Security property tax rebate in 2013 for claim year 2012 and had annual income up to $36,129, and renters who collected Social Security and received a rent rebate in 2013 for claim year 2012 and had annual income up to $15,484 are encouraged to apply. The amounts are after Social Security income is discounted 50 percent. The changes were to insure eligible recipients are not disqualified from the program due to Social Security cost-of-living adjustments, according to the press release.

The maximum standard rebate is $650, but supplemental rebates for qualifying homeowners can push rebates up to $975, according to the release.

The program is funded by the Pennsylvania Lottery and slots gaming revenue.

In 2013, the average rebate for 10,336 qualified Schuylkill County residents was $425.59, according to data from the state. Of those, 7,643 claimants were homeowners who received about $385.56 and 2,693 renters who received an average of $539.21.

Forms are available at the Department of Revenue district offices, Area Agency on Aging offices, senior centers and state legislators’ offices. Applications are also available online at www.revenue.pa.gov or by calling 888-222-9190.

OAK GROVE — Though there were not enough members present for a quorum, the Pine Grove Township Authority chairman provided an update on several items Feb. 18.

John Stahl reviewed what he called “major breaks” in the water lines, one in mid-December and another at the end of January. He said both breaks were repaired by an authority employee Ken Zearfuss and himself.

Since the December break only involved one household on Swatara Drive, a boil advisory was only issued to that property. Stahl said he tried to get a local contractor for the job but no one was available. He said rented equipment and, with the help of Zearfuss, fixed the break at a cost of $1,500.

The break in January was isolated to Juniper Court. Residents were informed of the problem and were without water for two days.

Stahl said he and Zearfuss dug in with the help of Stahl’s grandsons, who did most of the digging. He said the work cost about $1,000. Since Stahl had to travel to Pottsville for some of the materials, he bought extras to keep on hand. Actually, he said 90 percent of what he spent on the equipment was for spares, adding one valve cost $275.

Stahl said fixing the leaks was a learning experience and decided leaks no more than four feet down can probably be repaired by the authority’s staff.

When asked how residents could find out about a boil water advisory, Stahl said they should check the bulletin boards recently installed at the mail boxes. The authority donated $500 toward the purchase of the boards.

In other business, after giving more thought to the board’s agreement in January to send letters to motels and other businesses who could connect to the water system, Stahl decided to put the project on hold until the board met again. He said that it probably would not be fair to give those customers a connection at half price when homeowners paid the entire connection fee of $1,200. Instead, he said, those customers who require multiple Equivalent Dwelling Units should pay the same for the first EDU. The remaining EDUs could be offered at 50 percent off.

Last month, the board agreed to offer a business the opportunity to connect at the discounted rate, if the agreement to do so was made within 90 days after the receipt of the offer.

SCHUYLKILL HAVEN — An artist from Kempton whose work is on display at the Walk In Art Center wants people to realize how enriching art can be.

Jonathan Bond, 59, who was invited to display his art at the center, 110 W. Columbia St., said sometimes people do not grasp the essence of life around them.

“I want them to get a sense of place where they live. We need to take a few extra moments in our lives and gather the beauty in our lives. There’s beauty in everything,” Bond said Tuesday.

Bond was invited by the center to display his works for the first individual invitational event. He has had his works exhibited at the art center before.

Nena Mazzei-Schmidt, executive director of the Walk In Art Center, said the event is to give people a chance to “see what art can do for your life.”

The invitational, set for 5 to 8 p.m. Friday, is meant to give artists who do not have a studio at the center a venue for their creativity, Mazzei-Schmidt said, adding that she wants people to come out and have a good time. Refreshments will be provided.

Forty-four pieces of Bond’s art will be on display until April 19. The art will also on sale. Bond will give a talk about his work at 6:30 p.m. March 6 during an open house slated for 5 to 8 p.m. at the center.

“About 80 to 90 percent of the work here for the show is done on a wood panel,” and are sketches, Bond said.

Bond has no formal training, but has been drawing and painting professionally since 1974.

Mazzei-Schmidt said she knew of Bond’s work and decided to invite him.

“We are actually honored to have Jonathan here,” she said.

Bond grew up in Berks County. Some of his inspiration, he said, comes from nature. For example, he pointed to an actual part of a tree he found in Berks County that was the inspiration for a pastel, charcoal and ink drawing on paper, which is on display.

“It was totally frozen when I brought that home,” he said of the tree piece.

He said he was moved to draw the piece of nature for all to see. The effort took him about two hours to finish, he said.

“People can see things that I don’t see initially,” he said.

Mazzei-Schmidt said she that looking at the drawing, she thought of a bird.

In describing a piece titled “Carousel,” which took Bond about 24 hours to do, he said the scenery is taken from Hawk Mountain Sanctuary near Drehersville. The oil-on-wood panel painting has meaning for him, Bond said. The wheel is symbolic of his mother, who was the anchor in the family, he said, adding the post represents his father, who shows “solidarity and strength” and is “tied to the land.” Six gourds represent his siblings.

Not all of his artwork comes effortlessly, Bond said. One piece, titled “Brown Hare,” is an oil-on-wood panel that took him years to do.

“This painting was reworked at least five times to the point where I was happier with the outcome. I think it finally reached the point where the eye of the hare became the intended focal point, helped by the halo of white fur surrounding the eye socket. I brought home some sprigs of milkweed from a winter’s hike and used them as a prop in the painting to add some more fluffy whites to the surface,” Bond said in the painting’s description.

VULCAN — Two people escaped injury when the sport utility vehicle they were in slid on the snow and ice and struck a gasoline pump at a Mahanoy Township business Sunday afternoon, police said.

The crash occurred about 5:15 p.m. at Interstate Sunoco at the junction of Interstate 81 and Route 54 on the Vulcan Hill.

Mahanoy Township police said Donna Ann Bennett, Endicott City, New York, was driving a Chrysler Pacifica when she exited Interstate 81 to enter the service station.

Police said the woman struck a snow embankment while entering the lot, causing her to lost control. The SUV continued and struck a pipe protecting the gasoline pump and continued into the pump, police said.

Emergency features on the pump activated when the unit was struck and there was no fire and no fuel leakage, police said.

Bennett and her two passengers, Michelle Washington, Endicott, New York, and Christal Hill, Johnson City, New York, all escaped injury.

Mahanoy City EMS re-sponded to the scene, but no one was injured, police said.

While the vehicle was removed, the station re-mained open with at least one other vehicle pulling in for fuel. Traffic along Route 54 was not affected by the crash.

Police said their investigation into the crash is continuing.

n Frackville: The Frackville Museum, located in the Frackville Municipal & Community Center, 42 S. Centre St., has received more than 700 visitors since it opened in 2011, according to museum volunteer Kathy Kraft. People from many states — and even from as far away as Switzerland — have visited the site. Several graduates of the former Frackville High School donated money to memorialize members of their families and others have donated items from their personal collections for display at the museum, Kraft said in a release, adding that a wheelchair has been donated to help make the site more accessible to the handicapped. “We have added to Heritage Hall, the Research Room, the Scout Room and the Sentimental Journey Room, which has additional curio cabinets and vintage settings. Therefore, we would like to thank the generosity of our visitors and residents that have allowed us to progress,” Kraft said. The museum will reopen with an open house from 1 to 4 p.m. March 8 and will show off its newest collection of spring hats from days gone by. Speaker Cindy Heine Turner will focus on the old minstrels that were held at St. Joseph Roman Catholic Church.

n McAdoo: The McAdoo Prime Timers recently installed officers fro 2015 as follows: Mary Sabulski, president; Ann Berlitz, vice president; Stephanie Kay, secretary, and Frances Scatton, treasurer. Soundworks and Joe Lapchak provided entertainment during the meeting. The group also collected dues for 2015. Any member who has not paid dues should make arrangements with Scatton by calling 570-929-2048. The group’s next meeting is set for March 18 following hiatus in January and February.

n Pine Grove: Care Net and Servants to All will sponsor a “Giving Back 2015” craft and vendor show from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. April 11 in the clubhouse at Sweet Arrow Lake County Park, 108 Clubhouse Road. Admission is free. Proceeds from the show, a Chinese auction and 50/50 raffle will benefit the two local charities. Food and beverages will be available as will face painting for children. All are welcome. For more information, call 570-516-0718.

n Pottsville: Theresa Santai Gaffney, Schuylkill County register of wills and clerk of the orphans’ court, submitted the following report for January: Estates processed, 67; marriage licenses issued, 31; adoptions completed, 6; inheritance tax remitted to the commonwealth, $468,142.61; county fees collected, $18,236.

n Shenandoah: A blood drive is set for 1 to 6 p.m. today at St. Michael Ukrainian Catholic Church, 300 W. Oak St., sponsored by the church. All presenting donors will receive an American Red Cross St. Patrick’s Day T-shirt and will be entered for a chance to win a $500 VISA gift card. Walk-ins are welcome.

n Tamaqua: The Tamaqua Area School District will have kindergarten registration for the 2015-16 school year from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. March 23-25 at the Rush Elementary School and March 26 at the West Penn Elementary School. According to a district press release, people should call the Tamaqua Elementary School at 570-668-3306 beginning Monday from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. and 1 to 3 p.m. daily to make an appointment for registration. Registration packets are available now at all three elementary schools. Paperwork for parents/guardians to fill out also is available at the district’s website at www.tamaqua.K12.pa.us. For registration, parents/guardians should bring their child, proof of residency, the child’s health and immunization records and the child’s birth certificate. During registration, children will be evaluated by a classroom teacher, nurse and speech therapist.

n Tamaqua: The Tamaqua Public Library will be closed April 3 and April 6, Good Friday and Easter Monday, with shortened hours, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., on April 4, Holy Saturday. The library’s seasonal hours are in effect through July as follows: 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Mondays and Thursdays, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesdays and Wednesdays, noon to 5 p.m. Fridays and 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Saturdays. Two book discussion groups meet monthly at the library, including the teen and young adult group and the adult group. New members are always welcome for both groups. For more information, call 570-668-4660.

TAMAQUA — A teenager was killed in a three-vehicle crash Sunday on Route 309 in the borough.

Schuylkill County Deputy Coroner Melissa Sommers pronounced the girl dead at 8:59 a.m. Her identity has not been released, but Tamaqua fire Chief Tom Hartz said she was 17 years old and from Nesquehoning.

Schuylkill County Corner Dr. David J. Moylan III said he received a call shortly after 8 a.m. about the fatality.

“She was ejected. There is uncertainty as to whether or not she was belted,” Moylan said.

Moylan said he did not go to the scene, but he examined the body at 10 a.m. Sunday at the Simon Kramer Cancer Institute, New Philadelphia. He said there was evidence of “blunt force trauma to the head and lower extremities.” A post-mortem CT scan will be conducted today at the Simon Kramer Cancer Institute to better pinpoint injuries and determine the cause of death, Moylan said.

A supervisor at the Schuylkill County Communications Center said the three-vehicle crash occurred at 8:06 a.m. on Route 309 near 546 Center St.

A sedan and two sport utility vehicles were involved in the crash, Hartz said.

Hartz said firefighters responded to the scene and extricated another driver from one of the vehicles, adding a door had to be removed to do so. The man was taken to a hospital for treatment.

Route 309 was closed for about two hours between Leiby’s in South Tamaqua and Owl Creek Road in Tamaqua.

Citizens and South Ward fire companies in Tamaqua responded to the crash as well as local ambulance crews, Tamaqua Rescue, West Penn Township fire police and Tamaqua police.

Tamaqua police Chief Rick Weaver declined to comment, referring questions to a corporal who could not be reached.

Stephen J. Bayer

TAMAQUA — A Tamaqua man charged by borough police with a forgery and theft incident on July 28, 2014, had charges against him held for court during a preliminary hearing before Magisterial District Judge Stephen J. Bayer.

Michael V. Crowell, 56, of 238 N. Lehigh St., was arrested by Patrolman Karl Harig and charged with two counts of forgery, three counts of receiving stolen property and one count each of theft by deception, tampering with records or identification and possession, sale or use of display documents.

After hearing testimony, Bayer determined the commonwealth proved a prima facie case and ordered all charges held for Schuylkill County Court.

Harig charged Crowell with stealing the title of a 1988 Mercury Cougar owned by Anna Price and then taking the vehicle to a Tamaqua business where he sold it for $300 for scrap.

The company reported that Crowell had the title for the car at the time he sold it for scrap but the title was never given to him by Price, Harig said.

When confronted about the incident, Harig said Crowell said that he did work for Price and that she gave him the title because the engine was no good. He also said he would return the $300 to the business and get the car back for Price, Harig said.

Other court cases included:

Robert M. Pastucha, 30, of 119 E. Pine St., Mahanoy City — withdrawn: aggravated assault. Waived for court: disorderly conduct, possession of drug paraphernalia, resisting arrest and making repairs to or selling offensive weapons.

Shannon L. Wilkinson, 26, of 12 S. Greenwood St., Tamaqua — withdrawn: simple assault and harassment.

Nathaniel A. Hafer, 28, of 132 Cumberland Ave., Tamaqua — withdrawn: simple assault and harassment.

Jacob J. Kamant, 24, of 158 Orwigsburg St., Tamaqua — withdrawn: theft and receiving stolen property.

Shane Evans, 28, of 243 W. Broad St., Tamaqua — withdrawn: possession of drug paraphernalia.

Ricky C. Nelson, 37, of 129 E. Phillips St., Coaldale — dismissed: resisting arrest.

David S. Zeller, 44, of 222 Gay St., Tamaqua — withdrawn: simple assault and harassment.

Kelly Ann Murphy, 31, of 616 E. Norwegian St., Pottsville — withdrawn: DUI and careless driving.

Skylar R. Spence, 31, of 314 N. Railroad St., Tamaqua — waived for court: theft of leased property and receiving stolen property.

Christopher S. Palmer, 29, of 616 E. Norwegian St., Pottsville — waived for court: DUI, careless driving and driving the wrong way.

Dennis Parrish, 52, of 249 Clay St., Tamaqua — waived for court: criminal trespass, defiant trespass and disorderly conduct.

Amy L. Kozie, 44, of 119 S. Broad Mountain Ave., Frackville — waived for court: theft of services.

Albert Shaw, 31, of 33 Mauch Chunk St. Rear, Tamaqua — waived for court: possession of marijuana.

Jason R. Stephens, 21, of 44 Mauch Chunk St., Apt. 3, Tamaqua — waived for court: possession of a controlled substance and resisting arrest.

Edward L. Rivera Jr., 29, of 16 Mauch Chunk St., Tamaqua — held for court: theft by deception, receiving stolen property and conspiracy.

Rondel Fucci, 34, of 122 Gay St., Tamaqua — held for court: retail theft.

Jonathan Evanco, 21, of 27 E. Monroe St., McAdoo — held for court: possession of drug paraphernalia.

Hillside SPCA, Pottsville, could win a $25,000 cat shelter makeover if Desiree Muench, a cat volunteer, is chosen as Purina Cat Shelter Volunteer of the Year.

Muench, Pottsville, is in the running for the honor after the Purina Cat Chow Co. sent a letter to the shelter about the contest. The shelter is the only one in Pennsylvania in the running for the award. One shelter in each state has been nominated for a chance to win the makeover, according to a Purina press release.

The contest is a way to thank the volunteers at shelters for their dedication to cats, the company said in the release.

Even if the local shelter does not win, it will receive a $1,000 donation, food and cat care supplies. Four runners-up volunteers will win a $5,000 donation for their shelters. The contest ends March 15.

Muench, 48, volunteers at the Hillside shelter weekly because she loves animals, she said. She has been volunteering for five years, having started shortly before getting one of her cats — May — from the shelter in 2010.

Muench has several cats and started fundraising for the shelter in 2013 after Sheba, her nearly 20-year-old cat, died from kidney failure.

Sheba, Muench said, helped her grow as a person. She gave Sheba daily fluid therapy with needles, something she didn’t like to do. While volunteering at the shelter, Meunch said, she noticed the cats there needed better accommodations and started fundraising.

“We had laboratory cages in here,” she said.

She and others spearheaded a bingo event in 2013 that netted $6,000 to buy two new cage banks — a set of six cages each — for the cats.

Her love of animals, she said, started when she was young, when she would help sick or injured birds get better.

Muench said she was surprised when Becky Moyer, feline shelter manager at Hillside, wanted to nominate her for the purina award. Moyer, however, said Muench is an ideal volunteer.

“She’s a good person. She cares about the cats and she does a lot ... for them,” Moyer said.

Megan McGovern, public relations consultant for Purina, said Muench is “very passionate about the work she does.”

“I’m not above any job. I’m happy to do a job so long as its beneficial to the well being of the animal,” Muench said.

According to Moyer, there are 200 to 250 cats at the shelter.

On Sunday, some cats sat on a table while others walked around and still others relaxed on top of the cage banks and sat in enclosures.

Shelters across the nation are thankful for whatever assistance they can get from the public, organizations or businesses, Moyer said.

To vote for the Purina Cat Shelter Volunteer of the Year, people can go online to www.catchow.com and click on building better lives, volunteers and then click on Pennsylvania to vote for Muench. People may also visit the Facebook page Help Hillside Cats if they wish to help the shelter win $25,000.

“It’s pretty easy. You can vote every day,” Muench, who currently is in the top 10 for votes cast, said.

HARRISBURG — Expectations are building in advance of Gov. Tom Wolf’s first budget speech Tuesday.

Advocacy groups are looking for a restoration of state education cuts and a minimum wage hike while Republican legislative leaders warn of big tax and spending hikes.

Like the previous two governors, Wolf is faced with serious fiscal problems, in this case a projected $2 billion deficit. The current $29 billion budget is built on one-time revenues that aren’t available again and the costs of pensions, corrections and health care keeps growing.

A prominent Harrisburg analyst predicted Wolf won’t just limit his proposals to the annual budget.

“I expect this to be ambitious — expansive, including the campaign promises plus a lot more programs,” said Terry Madonna, Ph.D, pollster at Franklin and Marshall College. “This could be a first-term agenda.”

The Democratic governor has already announced several budget proposals:

•A 5-percent severance tax on natural gas production to help restore state education cuts.

• Cutting the state corporate net income tax rate in half while closing residency loopholes that allow many businesses to avoid paying that tax.

• A full-scale expansion of Medicaid health care for the uninsured.

• Funds to enable more than 5,000 senior citizens to obtain care in their own homes.

Wolf received support for his severance tax proposal and Medicaid expansion plan from a coalition of advocacy groups rallying under the banner “Good Jobs and Healthy Communities” at the Capitol last week.

“We are asking for fair wages and a balanced budget to educate our children,” said Lee Dolph, a Wayne County resident employed at a Scranton nursing care home. “We know that Gov. Wolf is on board. But it’s the rest of the Legislature we need to convince.”

State education cuts in previous years have led to cuts in the music program and property tax hikes in Western Wayne School District, Dolph added.

Chris Sloat, a Wilkes-Barre resident, supports a severance tax as a way to restore cuts made to education. She said those cuts have resulted in students sharing textbooks and a curtailing of services for students with disabilities in Wilkes-Barre Area School District.

Meanwhile, speculation also exists about whether Wolf will propose a tax on smokeless tobacco or another tobacco tax to generate revenue. The American Cancer Society is calling for a $1.60 increase in the state tobacco tax in order to discourage smoking.

“Our lawmakers have this tool at their fingertips to help prevent cancer related to tobacco and there is no reason for them not to use it,” society government relations director Diane Phillips said.

Wolf’s speech will set the stage for several weeks of budget hearings this month by the Republican-controlled Legislature. The House advanced a top priority last week by approving a bill to privatize the state-owned liquor stores. Wolf, instead, favors steps to make the state-owned stores more competitive.

House Speaker Mike Turzai, R-28, Pittsburgh, said liquor privatization needs to be considered as part of any bipartisan accord.

“By that vote, we re-emphasize for the House that moving into the 21st century for the sale of wine and spirits is a priority,” Turzai added.

Wolf’s proposal to halve the CNI tax rate and close the so-called Delaware loophole on business taxes drew support from Sen. John Blake, D-22, Archbald, a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee. He has sponsored similar legislation in previous sessions.

“Businesses see the 9.99 percent (CNI tax rate) and it’s like sticker shock,” Blake said.

Blake hopes to see a strong state investment in downtown urban districts. He said the state needs to increase its share for supporting public education from 34 percent to closer to 50 percent.

The speech should set off a full-scale discussion of state school funding and tax policies, said Rep. Mike Carroll, D-118, Avoca, a member of the House Appropriations Committee. He also said he anticipates a proposal to provide school property tax relief.

House Majority Leader Dave Reed, R-62, Indiana, said the best approach is to link state aid to a dollar-for-dollar reduction in property taxes.

Freshman Rep. Aaron Kaufer, R-120, Kingston, said he’s looking forward to hearing the governor offer some new ideas.

State Auditor General Eugene DePasquale said he would like to see proposals addressing the rising costs of unfunded municipal pension obligations. He warned that Scranton’s pension funds will go broke in a few years if funding levels remain the same.

“If the city of Scranton goes bankrupt, the state is going to have to deal with it anyway,” he said.

Man arrested in

theft of tablets

ELIZABETHVILLE — A Tremont man wanted for stealing two Samsung Galaxy tablets from a Dauphin County store in December has been arrested, police said.

State police at Lykens said Christopher Lee Madenford, 253 Tremont St., Tremont, was arrested during a traffic stop on active arrest warrants. Police said they were looking for him after he allegedly removed security features and stole two Samsung Galaxy tablets valued at $315.80 from Wal-Mart, Washington Township, Dauphin County between 7 and 7:30 a.m. Dec. 3, 2014.

Upon his arrest on Feb. 24, police said Madenford was taken to the Dauphin County Judicial Center for arraignment on the theft incident and two other retail theft incidents. As a result of the three theft incidents, his bail was set at $7,500. Unable to post bail, he was sent to the Dauphin County Prison, police said.

A preliminary hearing will be scheduled in the office of Magisterial District Judge Rebecca Margerum, police said.

Learning that one’s parents have passed away is difficult, but learning they’ve passed away and you must time travel to save their family requires a whole different kind of coping.

Luckily for the human race, this hasn’t actually occurred — at least not that history reports. It is a tale told by Melissa Strouse, 32, of Mahanoy City, in her book “The Cellar.”

“When people think of history, they think of just the facts. This (book) adds a magical twist to it, or I guess if you avoid the word ‘magic,’ a unique twist to it,” Strouse said.

“The Cellar,” rightfully named as this is the location where the adventure begins, was self-published by Strouse with the assistance of CreateSpace in January.

“I was actually clueless. I sent a couple of my copies to editors and, of course, they were all denied, so I decided to go with self publishing. I knew the story had potential and a lot of people have read a little bit of the preview and they liked it. They said, ‘You need to run with this,’ so I did,” she said.

“The Cellar” takes readers through the jumping time line of Helen Chambers, a 24-year-old prosecutor whose family is a little different than she was told.

“She has no idea that her family line is part of an enchanted line. The word ‘magic’ is not in the book whatsoever. It’s all enchanted,” Strouse said. “There really is no difference. To me, I just didn’t want that stereotype. I wanted it to seem very unique and to pull away from the whole magical classification.”

Strouse continued to explain the plot of her book.

“She learns that her parents have died and she gets contacted through a letter that her grandparents are missing and that she needs to come back to their house and she’s the only one able to save them. When she returns to the house, they tell her that, ‘You were born into this gifted line and you have the ability to time travel in the past.’ But she’s clueless — she has no idea. This is unusual for her, so she has to go through and learn history, time traveling in order to save them and she learns that these gifts aren’t as easy as they were explained to her,” she said.

Strouse’s book is classified as a fiction novel, but it required extensive research on the historical details that she included.

“One of the biggest events in the book is The Boston Tea Party. Otherwise, historical people are brought into the story to assist Helen as her specialty is law, not history. Two of the greatest influences are Albert Einstein and Benjamin Franklin, however, other historical people also help her. Although the book is considered fiction, I actually spent a great deal of time researching the people and events.”

Inspiration for “The Cellar” stemmed from Strouse’s life of home-schooling her children and going to college for early education.

“(It came from) my own love of history, and I home-school my children and I was trying to find a way to make history fun. There’s a lot of history and mystery in the book. It was because of home-schooling them that I thought of the story line,” Strouse said.

Strouse said her eight children are supportive of her book and even assisted in her writing process.

“My oldest children have very thoroughly read every chapter once it was finished, so their input went a lot into the story,” Strouse said. “There was one chapter where my oldest said, ‘This has just got to go.’ I’m like, ‘Well, thank you for the constructive criticism.’ ”

Words flowed from Strouse’s brain into her writing with no problem — it was the thought process that troubled her.

“I spent months thinking of the book, I spent two and a half weeks typing it, so all together I spent over 300 hours over 21 days writing this and it just came. Most of my writing was at night, so I got very little sleep because at night is when I noticed I was most creative. It didn’t take long to write and type and proofread ... The thought process took longer than the actual writing,” she said.

“The Cellar” wasn’t intended to be a full-fledged book at first.

“The story just kept coming out. It was too long to be considered a short story, too much to be considered even a mini chapter book. I actually had the intention of starting with a mini chapter book and the story just kept coming, so I went with it,” she said.

Though Strouse has enjoyed writing, she never wrote seriously until she attended college.

“I always loved writing; however, writing was not my strong suite. It wasn’t until I went to college and my professor said that he noticed potential. However, I needed to change some things about my style and it was that professor that inspired me to start writing,” Strouse said.

“It actually (started as) short stories. I would ask my children for ideas because their imagination is just so much better than mine and I just started writing little skits for them to read, just something entertaining,” Strouse continued.

Strouse believes writing this book was “meant to be” because of her choice in college careers.

“I’m in school right now. I’m an elementary education teacher, which is not what I wanted, but it was kind of that and home-schooling that tied into the book, so I think if I would have went — I was registered for a physician’s assistant — I think if I really would have went that route, this really wouldn’t have happened, so perhaps it all is meant to be,” Strouse said.

While Chamber’s tale only lasts for 160 pages on 6-by-9-inch paper, it doesn’t end on the last page.

“I have actually already started on the second book and it is a continuation of the first. There is more to tell but it takes a whole new swing, so I didn’t want to add it to the first or the book would have been extremely long,” Strouse said.

Strouse said she has sold 12 books so far and is planning to donate some of her first proceeds.

“I made a public vow with this book to donate some of the proceeds. There aren’t a lot of proceeds. I have expanded into merchandise and apparel to try to draw some more sales so we are donating a portion of the proceeds to Child Development. I love their program and I wrote (them) an email and I said the book isn’t really geared towards children so I didn’t wanna come there and read it, but I wanted to make a difference ... and I thought this is where I can start,” Strouse said.

“The Cellar” can be purchased on www.amazon.com or by contacting Strouse on the Facebook fanpage, www.facebook.com/thecellarfanpage

An eBook of “The Cellar” is available on the Kindle.

FOUNTAIN SPRINGS — The North Schuylkill school board held its regular monthly meeting Wednesday and acted on a variety of routine agenda items.

The board accepted the resignation of board member Suzanne O’Neill as the North Schuylkill representative on the Schuylkill Intermediate Unit 29 Board of Directors effective immediately. The vote was followed by the appointment of North Schuylkill board President Charles “Chaz” Hepler to fill the remainder of O’Neill’s term on the IU board, which ends on June 30.

The school board then approved the appointment of Hepler as the school district’s representative to the IU board for the following term from July 1, 2015, to June 30, 2018.

After the votes, O’Neill had a few comments about the changeover.

“I’d like to thank our board for allowing me to be the representative at the IU. It was a wonderful year,” O’Neill said. “I want to thank Dr. (Diane) Niederriter (IU executive director), Alda Howells (executive secretary), attorney (James) Caravan, and board members and administrative team who I served with.”

O’Neill continued, “My decision to resign was not because I didn’t want to be there, but Mr. Hepler expressed an interest, and I think there are a lot of things that need to be addressed down there and I think he’ll do a wonderful job. We’re both very outspoken, and I think North Schuylkill will have a wonderful representative. I wish the IU luck and success and it was a pleasure to serve.”

The board approved the following agenda items:

• A request from high school band director Matt Tenaglia to use Spartan Stadium, Ghosh Orthodontics Field and other district facilities for the 2015 North Schuylkill High School Tournament of Bands competition from 2 to 11 p.m. Sept. 26.

• The appointment of Dr. David Paul, Frackville, as the district dentist at the rate of $3 per child examined in the current school year. The rate remains the same as in previous years.

• Issued a permanent contract in accordance with the Pennsylvania Public School Code to temporary professional employee Betty Terry, who has completed three years of satisfactory service.

• The resignation of special education teacher Kimberly Beckett, effective as soon as released from the district.

• Matthew Wislosky and Karla Herring as homebound teachers for the current school year at $35 per hour.

• The notice of intent to retire for special education teacher Darlene Kergick, effective at the end of this school year.

• A childbearing/childrearing leave request for special education teacher Michelle Miller, to be effective on or about April 10 until on or about the beginning of the 2015-16 school year.

• An adjustment to the childbearing/childrearing request by math teacher Jennifer Rex, which had been approved on Oct. 22, to commence on or about March 23.

• A leave without pay for part-time special education aide Carol Mallick from June 1 to June 5.

• A request to approve an agreement with Bloomsburg University as a site for teacher education programs that include field experiences and student teaching.

• The appointment of Greg Fisher as head girls’ soccer coach for the 2015 fall season at a salary of $2,500.

• A salary adjustment for assistant junior varsity softball coach Marc Wislosky to a salary of $1,850. Wislosky was approved on Jan. 21 at a salary of $1,400.

• The acknowledgment of the formation of a 4-H club at the high school.

• The appointment of Dave Miller as adviser for the Trap Shooting Club.

• The acceptance of the resignation of Kelly Stone as senior project coordinator effective Nov. 1, 2014.

• The appointment of Harry Lucas as senior project coordinator in the current school year at a salary of $400.

• The acceptance of the resignation of assistant baseball coach Richard Leibig, effective immediately.

• The appointment of Steve Ennis as assistant baseball coach for the 2015 spring season at a salary of $2,000.

Prior to the regular meeting, a meeting of the Committee of the Whole was held. The following students of the month were recognized: Saige Sematavage, kindergarten; Melissa Malarkey, third grade; Zachary Chowansky, Chanse Felty and Quinn Fisher, seventh grade; Schuyler Ossman, eighth grade; Colin Ahrensfield, 10th grade; Carly Gregas and Justin Heaton, 12th grade.

The school board also recognized the following employees of the quarter: Cafeteria manager Kim Shatalsky and elementary librarian Douglas Demsko.

TAMAQUA — Despite snowy conditions, about 25 people attended the Tamaqua-Panter Valley Welsh Songfest at First United Methodist Church.

“Those that love Welsh songs love Welsh songs,” Marilyn Price Felsoci, event organizer, said.

Felsoci said this is at least the 10th year the songfest event has been held at the church at 124 W. Broad St. The songfest is held as close to St. David’s Day as possible, she said. St. David, known as the patron saint of Wales, died March 1, 589 AD.

The event featured songs including the Welsh National Anthem, “Land of My Fathers,” and a Welsh tea called “The Bach.”

The songfest choir is made up of members from Schuylkill and Carbon counties. Felsoci said not all of the 26 choir members could attend the event due to the weather, but those who did were accompanied by a four-member brass ensemble.

Felsoci said she enjoys the event because she gets to celebrate her heritage.

“I’m totally Welsh. Every ounce of me is Welsh,” she said.

On St. David’s Day, people wear Leeks to celebrate the victory of the British over the Saxons. St. David is said to have advised using the leeks to identify friends from enemies in the battle, according to www.wales.com.

A deputy sheriff and former county detective announced Monday that he will run for prothonotary of Schuylkill County.

Leo A. Securda, 29, a Cass Township Democrat, said he will challenge incumbent GOP Prothonotary David J. Dutcavich in the Nov. 3 General Election.

The prothonotary is the chief civil record keeper in the county court system and is responsible for maintaining and recording all such litigation documents. The prothonotary also signs and seals all writs, processes and other court documents relating to civil cases.

“The importance of this post in county government cannot be underestimated,” Securda said. “The prothonotary’s office is square one for litigation involving debt complaints, malpractice actions, mortgage foreclosures, personal injury cases, equity actions, district justice civil judgment appeals, license suspension appeals, condemnation proceedings (and) family court matters such as divorce, child custody and protection from abuse.”

He said the prothonotary operates a crucial office that affects numerous county residents.

“I believe the prothonotary’s office plays an important role in the lives of countless Schuylkill Countians, and I want voters to know I will be there to help them when they call,” Securda said. “I will make my office available on selected advertised Saturdays for families needing a passport book, passport card and other services.”

A Minersville Area High School graduate, Securda serves as a deputy sheriff, the latest of several law enforcement positions in which he has worked.

In 2006, he joined the staff of then-District Attorney James P. Goodman as a detective with the Schuylkill County Drug Task Force. Securda said that while a detective, he helped to remove many thousands of dollars in illegal drugs from the community, making the streets better and safer for children.

He also has worked as a police officer in local municipalities.

Securda said his law enforcement experience has made him quite familiar with the legal process. Additionally, he has completed civil law training through the Sheriff’s Academy at Penn State University.

“This post demands a professional, and with your vote of confidence, I will bring that level of professionalism” to the office, he said.

Securda is the son of Leo M. and Florence “Babe” Securda and the husband of attorney Ashley M. Securda, with whom he has a daughter, Raegen. They are expecting another daughter in June.

Additionally, he is a member of New Minersville Fire Company, Minersville; Clover Fire Company, Heckscherville; Citizens Fire Company, Mahanoy City; Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 80, Minersville; Muddy Creek Sportsman’s Club, Branchdale; Newtown Fish and Game and the National Rifle Association.

Pottsville police investigated a suspicious death Monday in the city.

Pottsville police Chief Richard F. Wojciechowsky said police arrived about 12:40 p.m. at the house at 2272 W. Norwegian St. to investigate a report of a injured man at the house.

Wojciechowsky said the deceased is Dat Cong Huynh, 32, of Philadelphia, who died after being shot multiple times inside the house.

“Investigators believe the incident was isolated to the occupants of the residence and their acquaintances and was not a random act posing a continuing threat to the general public at this time,” Wojciechowsky said.

The scene was secured and the safety of the residents was assured, Wojciechowsky said. The investigation continues and search warrants are in the process of being prepared and issued, he said.

As of 10:15 p.m. Monday, forensic evidence was still being collected at the scene being supported by the PA State police Forensic Services.

Schuylkill County Coroner Dr. David J. Moylan III, who was not at the scene, said Deputy Coroner Deb Detweiler pronounced the man dead at 4:57 p.m..

A board certified forensic pathologist will perform the autopsy at 8 a.m. today at Lehigh Valley Hospital-Cedar Crest.

Other than pronouncing the man dead, Moylan said the body was left undisturbed during the investigation.

“They are going through the whole building methodically looking for every clue,” he said.

Yellow caution tape blocked off an area of West Norwegian Street near the scene. Pottsville police, representatives from the Schuylkill County District Attorney’s Office, who were providing legal consultation, the Schuylkill County Coroner’s Office and the crime scene processing unit from the State Police at Reading were on scene.

Police were looking at the back and the front of the house and taking pictures. Police were also seen standing in the garage of the home.

The owner of the property is listed as Trang X. Nguyen, an employee of the Schuylkill County Tax Assessment Office said.

A young man stopped by earlier and asked police about the whereabouts of his mother, who lived in the house. Police said she was at city hall shortly after 3 p.m.

A woman later stopped by and told police the dead man is her son. She left the area minutes later and was seen wiping her eyes.

“My son died,” she said.

First Assistant District Attorney Maria T. Casey also was at the scene for about 20 minutes but declined to comment.

Neighbors were curious but seemed to know nothing about what occurred.

Doug Bendetti, who owns a home at 6 N. 23rd St. with his wife, Kingsly Bendetti, near the scene, said he arrived home about 3 p.m. and police were asking who he was. After he told them he lived there, they asked additional questions.

“They asked if we had any cameras in the back of the house,” he said.

He does not, he told officers. He rarely sees anyone at the house, he said.

Janice Chaney lives on Howard Avenue and stopped by to see Doug, her son-in-law. She said a woman she calls Tina owns the house. The last time she spoke with Tina was Saturday. She showed a picture of Tina on her cellphone.

“I thought we were in a good neighborhood. This is a completely crazy story that just blows my mind,” Bendetti said.

SHENANDOAH — Ateeco Inc. has issued a voluntary recall of a variety of Mrs. T’s Pierogies due to plastic contamination in the filling.

The Shenandoah-based company issued the recall Feb. 27 for specific lots of its mozzarella, tomato and basil variety due to the safety concerns.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced the recall in a media release.

“The affected product was distributed to a limited number of retail customers and is being recalled due to plastic contamination in the product which may be a choke hazard,” according to the media release.

The specific product in question is the 16-ounce box identified with the UPC number 4116400042 and sold in retail grocery outlets in New England, New York, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland, Washington, D.C., Virginia and Illinois.

The boxes have the following “Best By” information:

• “Best By 05/20/16”

• “Best By 07/15/16”

To date, Ateeco has not received reports of any adverse events associated with this issue for this lot. No other varieties or lots of Mrs. T’s Pierogies are impacted by this voluntary recall, according to the FDA.

The recall was initiated after plastic was found in the filling during production by a quality assurance check.

The company notified the FDA and is cooperating fully with the agency. FDA officials said Ateeco took immediate action to voluntarily recall this product in order to ensure the safety of its consumers, adding that the company is dedicated to providing the highest quality products and the safety of its customers is the No. 1 priority.

Attempts to reach the company for comment were unsuccessful.

Consumers who purchased this product can return it to the place of purchase for a full refund or call Mrs. T’s Pierogies at 800-743-7649 from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday.