n Lehighton: An identity theft seminar will be held from 6 to 7 p.m. Wednesday at Ss. Peter and Paul School hall, 30 Coal St. The program will be presented by the Pennsylvania Office of the Attorney General. It will include information about the latest tricks used by criminals. Participants will learn how to protect their good credit and what to do if their identity is stolen. No registration required. For more information, go online to www.attorneygeneral.gov.

n Locust Gap: An indoor yard sale is set for 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Aug. 17 and 18 at 110 Church St. to benefit the God's Chuckwagon soup kitchen. The yard sale is held every Friday and Saturday.

n Pottsville: The Pottsville Rotary Club recently presented the 2011-12 Service Above Self Award to Joseph H. Jones. Rotarian Al Kiefer made the presentation and listed the reasons Jones was selected. The award is given annually by the club non-Rotarian from the area who has demonstrated exemplary public service while helping others, according to the Rotary Bulletin. After graduating from the Shamokin public schools, Jones served three years in the Navy during World War II in the Pacific Theater. He later continued his education at Ursinus College, Dickinson School of Law and New York University. While at Dickinson, he served as editor-in-chief of the Dickinson Law Review and ultimately graduated first in his class. In 1950, Jones moved to Pottsville, began practicing with the firm of Hicks, Williamson & Friedberg - now Williamson, Friedberg & Jones LLC. An active member of the state and county bar associations. He served as president of the state bar in 1987-88. He is a past president and currently a director of the Pennsylvania Bar Foundation, the charitable arm of the Pennsylvania Bar. Jones also is active in civic affairs, the bulletin continued. He is past president and secretary of the Schuylkill Economic Development Corp., past president of Pottsville Lions Club, past commander-in-chief of Coldwell Consistory, Bloomsburg, 33rd Degree Masons and past president of the Salvation Army and a lifetime board member. He was also president of the Pottsville Area Development Corp. in 1986 and currently serves on the Penn State University Advisory Board for Schuylkill campus. He has chaired successful capital fundraising campaigns for the Schuylkill United Way, Greater Pottsville Industrial Development Corp., Salvation Army, Boy Scouts of America, the Pottsville Free Public Library, Good Samaritan Hospital, Pennsylvania State University Schuylkill campus, Ursinus College, Hawk Mountain Council Boy Scouts of America, Hospital, Pottsville Area Development Corp. and Schuylkill Economic Development Corp. For his work with SEDCO, a street in the Highridge Industrial Park was named Joe Jones Way. He was chairman of Schuylkill County's VISION from its inception until 2001 and also chaired the Lasting Legacy for Pottsville. After receiving his award, Jones remarked about the things he thinks are important for the county, economic development and education.

n Saint Clair: Plans have been finalized for the annual Old-Fashioned Day sponsored by the Saint Clair Community and Historical Society, to be held from 4 to 8 p.m. Saturday at the society building, 42 N. Nicholas St. According to a release, the Shenandoah All-Star Polka Band will entertain from 5 to 6:30 p.m. People should bring folding chairs to enjoy the entertainment. The rain date is Sunday. Help is needed for setup at 11 a.m. Friday and to work the stands during the event. Anyone interested should contact Val Davis at 570-428-1850. Concerning other society news, only a few seats remain available for the bus trip to Atlantic City on Sept. 21. The cost is $33 with a $30 rebate. Anyone interested in going should call Dorothea at 670-628-4837. The society will sponsor a Family Fun Night at Friendly's Restaurant near Fairlane Village mall from 5 to 8 p.m. Sept. 26. Society members are asked to bring a lottery ticket to the next meeting so the society can make a lottery board to be chanced off during fun night. Call Dot at 570-429-0553 for more information. The next society meeting is set for 7 p.m. Aug. 28 at the society building. New members are always welcome. Dues are $5 a year.

LAKE WYNONAH - Ron Boris Jr., who received a heart transplant in 2009, brought home three medals that he won in the Transplant Games of America in Grand Rapids, Mich.

Boris, 51, said Thursday he competed on July 29, 30 and 31 and won a silver in mixed-doubles bowling, a silver in team basketball and a bronze in badminton.

"I'm dedicating them to my donor's family, who are from Delaware," Boris said Thursday.

Born in Pottsville in 1961, Boris graduated from Pottsville Area High School in 1980. He ran in track and field and played football.

He worked as a skilled laborer in the warehouse at the former Alcoa Inc., Cressona, from the early 1980s until 2003, when he was diagnosed with heart problems. He said he suffered a massive heart attack that damaged the left side of his heart.

In 2005, he said doctors told him he needed a transplant. His name was put on a list and he waited 4 1/2 years for a cadaveric donor.

He received the transplant at Penn State Milton S. Hershey Medical Center, Hershey, on April 25, 2009.

Today, Boris is on disability and is a volunteer for Gift of Life Donor Program, Philadelphia. His family includes his wife, Danielle, and daughter, Nicki Davis.

Donald J. Chescavage doesn't suffer from arachnophobia, but said a spider bite can jangle your senses.

"I've had tick bites and all before, but I never had anything like this," Chescavage, Pottsville, said Wednesday.

While walking in the woods in West Brunswick Township on July 19, he was bitten by what he believes was a spider of some sort.

"It was 4 inches above my ankle. It swelled up pretty good," said Chescavage, who was given medication from his doctor to treat the infected area July 20.

While out in the woods on July 19, Chescavage said he noticed collections of cobwebs in the tree stands he uses for bow hunting, more than usual.

Susan C. Hyland, Master Gardener coordinator with Penn State Cooperative Extension, Pottsville, said there's a simple explanation.

While the warmer weather has spurred the insect population, it's also kept other creepy crawlers crawling, namely spiders.

"We have more spiders for the same reason we have more insects. We had a relatively mild winter which didn't destroy their eggs. We also had moisture which created a lot of food for insects and spiders, so, yes, folks are seeing more spiders," Hyland said.

"When a population of prey goes up then predators, like spiders, would also do so. It's a basic ecological concept, and it makes sense," said Patrick M. "Porcupine Pat" McKinney, the district's environmental education coordinator.

While there are no statistics, there's no cause for alarm in the rise in population, said Steven Jacobs, an urban entemologist with Penn State's Department of Entemology at University Park.

"There's probably a higher survivorship this year because we had a mild winter. I think there is a slight increase in the number of spiders, just sort of a bump in the total numbers that are out there," Jacobs said Wednesday.

In Schuylkill County, there are a variety of spiders; some helpful, some dangerous.

"Poisonous ones like the black widow and brown recluse are very uncommon in most of our county. However, Pine Grove is noted for black widows due to them being transported in via rail from the Midwest," McKinney said.

Hyland said spiders are welcome in the garden.

"In horticulture, spiders are not a concern. They're a good thing," Hyland said.

"Keep in mind that spiders eat lots and lots of bugs including flies who are pests to us," McKinney said.

"Like mosquitoes," Hyland said.

But spiders can be a nuisance in the home.

"The Master Gardeners generally recommend that homeowners follow integrated pest management if they are troubled by spiders in the home - use the least toxic method first, removal. Since spiders trap and eat a host of insects that are more of a problem, we suggest spiders be swept out of the house to the garden where they will do their work," Hyland said.

In autumn, spiders will make an effort to enter the home to escape heat or search for water and will be found in damp areas frequently, Hyland said.

"Homeowners can make every effort to keep their indoors dry during the autumn so not to provide a sanctuary for spiders. Spiders are shy and hide from humans so are often seen individually and can be taken care of simply by removing them from the home. Spray infrequently has desired effect and can release toxins into the home," Hyland said.

At the end of summer, people in Schuylkill County will spot the yellow garden spider or Orb spider which is large, about an inch long and yellow in color.

"This is the time when the female will spin a large web about 10 inches to 20 inches wide, oriented vertically, to trap food for her production of eggs which she lays at the end of summer," Hyland said.

For the most part, all spiders have jaws and fangs to deliver venom, Hyland said.

"However, most spider bites have little or no effect on humans. The exceptions include people with compromised immune systems or other medi­cal conditions that leave them vulnerable to spider venoms. Most spiders are too small to be of concern to humans. The fangs of these tiny creatures cannot pen­etrate the human epidermis unless the spider is held in place and allowed to bite the very thin skin between the fingers or toes. Larger spiders can bite, but they are shy and will attempt to escape unless trapped between the skin and some other object, like clothing, sheets, and shoes," Hyland said.

Venoms from any spider are poisonous or toxic to their prey, but most are not poisonous or toxic to humans. Very few spiders produce venoms that are potentially harmful to humans, Hyland said.

The New York man who purchased the former YWCA of Pottsville building in late 2011 has put a "for sale" sign on the historic structure.

On Sept. 9, 2011, Latif Sean Ougzin, Jackson Heights, N.Y., bought the building from the Schuylkill YMCA for $145,000, according to the online Schuylkill Parcel Locator.

The building at 325 S. Centre St. is for sale for $219,900, according to schuylkillrealestate.com, the website for Ramus Realty Group, Pottsville. The agent in charge is Cherie Gottshall, according to the "for sale" sign on the building.

Ougzin could not be reached for comment.

Mayor John D.W. Reiley noticed the "for sale" sign last Tuesday. Since the impressive two-story building with an off-street parking lot is a local landmark, he said he hopes potential buyers will work to preserve it.

"It's been there as long as I can remember, and I'm not the youngest guy in town. It's part of historic Downtown Pottsville, and it's in a commercial area, a great location, near AAA, the Partridge House and Union Station," Reiley said Thursday.

Erected in 1893, the building was previously known as the Sheafer Building and had served as the offices of the executors of the estate of Peter W. Sheafer, a mining engineer and geologist, according to "Pottsville in the Twentieth Century," a 2003 book in the Images of America series by Leo L. Ward and Mark T. Major.

The building's features include a gothic stone fountain. Spring water runs off of the hillside and flows by gravity through it and out a spout that protrudes from the mouth of a stone gargoyle. Standing nine feet high, it was restored by the Schuylkill County Municipal Authority in memory of local educator Howard S. Fernsler, according to a plaque at the base of the fountain.

The YWCA of Pottsville, established in 1926, donated its headquarters to the Schuylkill YMCA on Jan. 7, 2011, before it dissolved in June 2011. But the Schuylkill YMCA is unable to afford the estimated "$10,000 to $15,000" a year to heat and power the building, Wayne R. Stump, Schuylkill YMCA chief executive officer, said previously.

Stump had no comment about the matter when contacted Wednesday.

LONG POND - One fan was killed and nine others injured Sunday after being struck by lightning in the midst of a violent thunderstorm that overwhelmed Pocono Raceway just after the conclusion of NASCAR's Pennsylvania 400, track officials confirmed.

The victim, whose name was not released pending the notification of family, was pronounced dead at Pocono Medical Center by emergency room director Dr. Peter Favini, raceway president and CEO Brandon Igdalsky said. Nine others remained hospitalized at various area hospitals, one critically.

"Unfortunately, a member of our raceway family here, a fan, has passed away," Igdalsky said. "On behalf of myself and my entire family and everybody here, really heartfelt thoughts."

Track spokesman Bob Pleban said one of the injured fans remained in critical condition at Lehigh Valley Hospital-Cedar Crest. Two others were taken to Geisinger Wyoming Valley Medical Center in Wilkes-Barre, one with a moderate injury and the other with a minor one. Another fan with a minor injury was taken to Pocono Medical Center, and five others were treated and released at the raceway.

The strikes occurred at two different locations: One near Gate 3, an entrance that permits fans to enter the track between turns two and three, and another in a parking lot just behind the grandstands near the third turn.

The incidents put a damper on a wild weather day at Pocono, where a thunderstorm brought an end to the race after just 98 of 160 laps. The race started more than 90 minutes late after a series of storms blew through early on Sunday afternoon, and by the time the race became official after passing its halfway point following the 80th lap, it was clear the race had little chance to be run in full.

The National Weather Service issued a severe thunderstorm warning at 3:50 p.m., less than an hour after the race began. By 4:12, the National Weather Service changed the watch to a warning, cautioning against dangerous winds and large hail, along with cloud-to-ground lightning.

The raceway didn't make a formal warning about the incoming weather to the announced crowd of 85,000 until shortly after the race officially ended at 4:55 p.m., Pleban said. The track's Twitter feed encouraged fans to seek shelter at 4:21 p.m.

No mandatory evacuation was issued Sunday. Pleban said the track does have an emergency evacuation plan in place.

After receiving the track's warning via its Twitter feed, NASCAR fan Kyle Manger left his seats with his friend just before the chaos ensued about 5:15 p.m.

With thunderstorms bearing down for most of the afternoon and the race red-flagged, fans were warned that their seats in the grandstand might not be the safest place to be. So, they decided to heed the warning and leave when the drizzle started.

"Me and my buddy were just getting into the car, and it was getting really nasty," Manger, New Jersey, said. "I looked straight up into the windshield, and the vision was very poor. Then I noticed this big bolt of lightning 20 feet in front of us. Once it cleared up, I saw this tent that just got destroyed and two male bodies on the ground. The ambulances came and took them away quickly."

Manger said one of the injured men near the 8-by-8-foot blue tent was breathing when rescue crews helped him into the ambulance, but the other did not appear to be. The rain and a massive rescue effort, led by crews from at least five ambulances, snarled traffic trying to leave the raceway.

"At first, I was like, 'Oh my God, did you see how close that lightning got?' " Manger said. "But then when the visibility cleared up, you just saw people scrambling all over. It was absolute chaos."

NASCAR star Jeff Gordon, who won his sixth career race at Pocono with the help of a daring pass on the final green-flag lap, received word that there were injuries as a result of lightning strikes during his post race press conference and expressed concern for the victims.

"I'm pretty sure I know which (strike) did it," Gordon said. "We were walking down pit road, the wind was swirling, the water was pooling up under us and this huge, huge crash of lightning came. You could tell it was pretty close. That's the thing that's going to take away from this victory a little bit, that someone was affected by it."

As a Pulitzer Prize-winning photographer was on his way to the coal region to scout ideas for a film about working-class America, all hell was breaking loose in Shenandoah.

David Turnley remembered the call he received en route from New York City to Schuylkill County.

"As I was heading to the coal region, a friend of mine called and said, 'You should go to Shenandoah, Pa., where four of the town's star sons, all straight-A students and football players, have been charged with killing an undocumented Mexican immigrant," Turnley recalled. "I thought, 'Well, I guess I should go to Shenandoah.' "

He stayed two years, filming, shooting photographs and documenting the events surrounding the beating death of Luis Eduardo Ramirez Zavala.

Turnley is planning to release "Shenandoah: The Story of a Working Class Town and the American Dream on Trial" sometime this fall. He called the documentary a "humanly dramatic, compelling and tragic story."

The 97-minute film isn't meant to sway people's thinking about the July 12, 2008, fight, Ramirez's death two days later or the events that followed, Turnley said.

"The truth is I didn't have an axe to grind with anyone on either side of this," he said.

Even a balanced report, however, may be too much for some in Shenandoah, according to borough officials contacted for this story, including those in elected, volunteer, business and clergy positions. They aren't so sure the borough has had time to recover from publicity received from news outlets around the world.

"The media destroyed the town and I'm not interested in reliving all of that," said one official, who declined to be named.

Another community official said the borough was beginning to heal from years of strife. The documentary will set the process back, she predicted, by pouring "a whole lot of salt" on the wounds.

The two officials were among the majority of those contacted by the Standard-Speaker who declined to comment on the documentary, or did so and then requested anonymity. Some knew families of the accused, others audibly sighed when the case was mentioned and others didn't return messages left for them.

Shenandoah Main Street Manager Mary Luscavage apologized, saying she had "no idea" what to expect from the film and declined further comment. And Phil Andras, principal of the Shenandoah Valley School District's middle and high schools, said he didn't feel comfortable commenting on a documentary he hadn't watched.

Change of course

Turnley originally planned to visit the area for a glimpse of a contemporary American working-class community during the 2008 presidential election. After almost three decades of covering major news stories in more than 75 countries, his goal was to find a patriotic community whose residents still clung to their ethnic roots.

And having heard from his father and grandfather about the tough men who came from the coal region and played an equally tough game of football, Turnley also wanted to find a place that loved its hometown team.

"I decided one Saturday that I'd drive over to the coal region, drive around and find a town to spend a year of my life in," said Turnley, whose previous assignments included covering the fall of communism and wars in Bosnia and the Persian Gulf.

During the three-hour trip, word came that Shenandoah teenagers Derrick Donchak, Brandon Piekarsky, Brian Scully and Colin Walsh were suspects in Ramirez's death.

Turnley steered to Shenandoah, knowing the scope of his documentary would change.

"I found myself in the midst of a town that was going through something very challenging," he said.

After talking to customers inside a local doughnut shop, Turnley flicked on the news and caught an interview with Walsh's father.

"When he spoke to the reporter about his son and when you listened to him talk, he was obviously heartbroken by what happened. He was shattered. Nothing made sense to him because his son never made problems for him," he said.

Turnley wanted to understand what happened, why it happened. He wanted to understand why good people can hate - and whether they have the potential to change, he said.

For footage, he spent a season with the Shenandoah Valley High School football team. He attended community events. He followed the teen suspects' trials and the trials of police officers accused of lying or filing false police reports during the investigation.

It has been just under two years since Donchak and Piekarsky were sentenced to nine years in federal prison for violating Ramirez's rights under the federal Fair Housing Act. The two were acquitted in 2009 of third-degree murder charges in Schuylkill County Court but convicted of the federal charges in 2010.

Scully was prosecuted by Schuylkill County juvenile authorities for his role in the assault. Walsh pleaded guilty to violating Ramirez's rights under the Fair Housing Act and was sentenced to 55 months in prison.

Former Shenandoah police Chief Matthew R. Nestor was convicted of filing a false police report and former Lt. William Moyer was charged with lying to the FBI in regard to the Ramirez investigation.

Film's approach

Turnley declined to name who he interviewed for the documentary, but a promotional trailer for the documentary shows an interview with Scully. It also includes shots of Ramirez's children at home with their mother in Shenandoah and at his grave in Mexico.

The two-minute, 35-second trailer, found here, also includes an anti-illegal immigration rally held at a borough park, a unity march held on the borough's main streets and workers eating at a Main Street Mexican restaurant.

Turnley hopes viewers will find the film presents an opportunity to think about the country, the working class and immigration.

He's hoping to debut it at a "major" film festival sometime over the next few months, he said. He also plans to schedule a local showing.

"I want to thank the town. The people were so gracious to open their lives to me," he said.

Had the Ramirez incident not occurred, Turnley said he is confident he still would have found Shenandoah and stayed.

"It's a really beautiful town," he said, recalling his first views from atop a hill. He saw the golden domes of Byzantine chapels stretching toward the sky and dwarfing neat blocks of row homes. "It was almost like no other place in America. It looked like a European hamlet from above."

And for the record, Turnley said the stories he heard growing up were true.

"The coal region does play tough football," he said.

Turnley made "Shenandoah" in association with Epic Match Media, Louverture Films, Netflix and executive producers Danny Glover, Billy Peterson, Joslyn Barnes and Ted Sarandos.

More information on the movie can be found on the website or by visiting the Facebook page.

Turnley is also an author of seven books, the most recent of which, "Mandela: In Times of Struggle and Triumph," is a 20-year anthology of photographs that depict the unraveling of apartheid and the life of Nelson Mandela. He also directed and produced the Emmy-nominated documentary "The Dalai Lama: At Home and in Exile" for CNN. Another full-length documentary, "La Tropical," was filmed in Cuba.

He won the Pulitzer Prize for his coverage the world's political upheaval in 1989, including the fall of the Berlin Wall and the Tiananmen Square protests in China.

When students at Pottsville Area High School return to school Aug. 27, some might feel a bit of deja vu.

Tiffany L. Reedy, who was principal at D.H.H. Lengel Middle School since 2010, is the new high school principal.

"A lot of the students know me as 'Mrs. Reedy,' " she said last Monday morning.

Jacob Shoener, Pottsville, who will be a sophomore this year, remembers the woman who guided the middle school.

"She was our principal when I was in sixth, seventh and eighth grade, and I think it will be kind of neat to have her as our principal in the high school because she knows us, and that's a good thing. She did a really nice job. She's a good leader who's very intelligent," he said Wednesday.

All three of the schools on the Pottsville Area campus will have new principals this year.

The former assistant principal at Lengel, Raymond R. Yost, is taking over Reedy's former office. With Jeffrey S. Zwiebel, the former principal at John S. Clarke Elementary Center, becoming district superintendent in April, Jared A. Gerace has been hired as elementary principal.

"I'm confident in the leaders that we hired," Zwiebel said. "I believe they all have the same philosophy as I do; that is, we want to lead this school district into the future."

In a meeting with Zwiebel last Monday, the three new principals discussed their goals for the new school year. In particular, Zwiebel encouraged them to work with teachers and students to meet the goals of the federal "No Child Left Behind" and strive to score well on state-standardized tests.

"Our biggest challenge is our state assessments and just improving the overall achievement level by our students, and responding to the changes the state is making regarding those tests as they come along," Reedy said.

The principals are also setting up their offices on their new turfs.

Pottsville Area High School includes grades 9 through 12 and serves an average of 1,100 students, Zwiebel said.

Reedy is no stranger to the high school. She previously worked there as a teacher and as assistant principal.

"For me it's almost like going home. I'm new to the job, but not new to the building," she said. "I've been there for the bulk of my career. As a result, I feel that I know the faculty pretty well. I dealt with every grade level in the high school as a teacher, and I was assistant principal at the high school for one year so I saw how the operation ran.

"Since I was principal at the middle school, I got to see how the middle school was run. And even thought we're in the same district, the high school and the middle school have little interaction with each other. So it was nice to be there for three years to see the building that feeds into the high school. It gave me a good perspective, to see how they fit together. And for the most part and a lot of students I'll have in the high school now have been our students at the middle school," Reedy said.

"I'm in a similar situation," Yost said. "I taught in the Lengle Middle School for nine years, then was assistant principal for three years. So I'm familiar with the building and the faculty and I'm excited.

"But now there's more responsibility, the pressures of making sure the building's ready to go for the start of the school year. As the assistant principal, you're dealing more with the children. As principal, you're dealing a lot more with faculty and the preparation of schedules," Yost said.

D.H.H. Lengel Middle School includes grades 5 to 8 and serves an average 850 students, according to Zwiebel.

John S. Clarke Elementary includes grades K through 4 and serves an average of 900 to 1,000 students, according to Zwiebel.

Gerace is new to Pottsville Area. He was previously the assistant elementary school principal at Blue Mountain Elementary East.

"I'm very excited to be working with the faculty at John S. Clarke Elementary and I'm excited to work in this district, which has such a good tradition," Gerace said.

Tiffany L. Reedy

Education: Schuylkill Haven Area High School, 1990; bachelor's degree in political science with a minor in business, Penn State University, 1994; bachelor's degree in secondary education, social studies, Bloomsburg University, 1999; master's degree in education, Wilkes University, 2005; principal certificate, Alvernia University, 2007

Employment: Full-time history and government teacher, Pottsville Area High School, 1999 to 2008; assistant principal, Pottsville Area High School, 2008-2009 school year; principal, Pottsville Area D.H.H. Lengel Middle School, 2009 to 2012.

Raymond R. Yost

Education: Pottsville Area High School, 1994; bachelor's degree in history, Susquehanna University, 1998; master's in special education, Bloomsburg University, 2001; administrator certification, Alvernia University, 2008

Employment: Teacher, North Schuylkill Ashland Area Elementary, 2001; learning support teacher, Pottsville Area D.H.H. Lengel Middle School, 2002 to 2009; assistant principal, D.H.H. Lengel, 2009 to 2012

Jared A. Gerace

Education: Nativity BVM High School, 1994; associate degree in building construction technology, Pennsylvania College of Technology, 1996; bachelor's degree in technology education/industrial arts, Millersville University, 1999; master's in teaching and curriculum, Penn State, Harrisburg, 2003; currently studying to earn an educational doctorate in education administration at Immaculata University

Employment: Technology/industrial arts teacher, Panther Valley Middle School, 1999; technology/industrial arts teacher, Blue Mountain Middle School, 2000 to 2008; assistant elementary school principal, Blue Mountain Elementary East, 2008 to May 2012

TOWER CITY - A Tower City teen vocalist will take the Carbon County Fair stage for a repeat performance.

This year, however, country-Christian artist Brooke Ashley Unger, will be backed by a nationally known country band.

Unger, 15, will perform at the 2012 Carbon County Fair on Saturday with the multi-talented Cramer Brothers Band. She will be performing two shows during the day's country music spectacular at 6:45 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. The band agreed to back Unger for her entire set.

The opportunity for her latest fair appearance came about after one of her Christmas shows. A promoter was there and interviewed her on the spot.

Unger performed at the Carbon County Fair in Palmerton last year.

The teen vocalist entertained at more than 56 events in 2011 and is on track to surpass that this year. She sang at local minor league baseball parks, performing the national anthem and "God Bless America." She has performed at the Giant Center, Hershey, and for rodeo, racing and soccer events.

Unger recorded her first CD at 13 titled "Songs from the Heart," an assortment of past hits by various artists such as Leann Rimes, Whitney Houston, Lee Ann Womack, Carrie Underwood and The Righteous Brothers. Her musical interest began at a young age, when she started listening to Shania Twain and learning all of the Canadian-born singer's songs. Unger began taking piano lessons at age 8 and vocal lessons at 11.

"I love to sing and have my sights set on a career of singing and performing," she said.

Unger's heart is in country music, but her smooth vocal tones and broad vocal range allow her to perform songs from many genres of music. Her energetic style and ability to connect with the audience have been winning her fans year after year. She has been performing and entertaining at fairs, carnivals, festivals, fundraisers and private shows for the past five years.

Unger, who will be a sophomore at Williams Valley High School when school begins, is a daughter of Scott and Le Ann Unger, Tower City. You can view her schedule and keep up with all her progress or book a show on her website, www.reverbnation.com/brookeunger or at www.brookeungermusic.com.

A 40-year-old former Kelayres man charged with raping a 6-year-old girl in 2007 is among those scheduled to plead not guilty today during arraignment in Schuylkill County Court.

Ted M. Vanderkarr, currently incarcerated in Schuylkill County Prison, was arrested by Kline Township police Chief John Petrilla and charged with rape of a child, involuntary deviate sexual intercourse with a child, aggravated indecent assault of a child, aggravated indecent assault of a person under the age of 18, indecent assault, endangering the welfare of a child and corruption of minors.

The charges stem from incidents at an apartment in the township on three separate occasions between June 1 and Aug. 31, 2007.

The girl, now 11, said Vanderkarr had inappropriate contact with her at the apartment he and his spouse shared - twice on a couch in the living room and one time in a bed.

Petrilla, in his affidavit of probable cause, said the incidents came to light on March 1 when the girl reported the assaults.

Petrilla said it was learned during the investigation that Vanderkarr told his wife that the allegations made by the girl were true.

On March 13 Petrilla said Vanderkarr was again interviewed and said he told his wife that he molested the girl.

Others scheduled to plead not guilty, and the charges against them, include:

Corey A. Stine, 21, of 103 E. Oak St., Frackville - DUI, driving under the influence of drugs, accidents involving damage to unattended vehicles or property, failure to be licensed and careless driving.

James B. Roche, 48, of 436 Walnut St., Ashland - possession of a controlled substance and possession of drug paraphernalia.

Zachary M. Williams, 19, of 123 Griest Mill Road, Schuylkill Haven - DUI, DUI-minor, illegal purchase or consumption of alcohol, failure to drive on roadways laned for traffic, driving at an unsafe speed, careless driving and failure to use seat belts.

William Porras, 23, of 60 S. Tulpehocken St., Pine Grove - DUI, DUI-high rate, failure to drive on roadways laned for traffic and failure to use seat belts.

Derek J. Masser, 42, of 38 Kushwa Road, Box 34, Spring Glen - DUI, DUI-highest rate, failure to drive on roadways laned for traffic, driving at an unsafe speed, careless driving and failure to use seat belts.

Matthew R. Oshman, 23, of 136 S. Walnut St., Mount Carmel - criminal trespass, theft and receiving stolen property.

Bradley S. Donton, 29, of 550 Deturksville Road, Pine Grove - DUI, DUI-high rate, careless driving, simple assault and harassment.

Gregory M. Wilson, 22, of 226 B St., Girardville - terroristic threats and disorderly conduct.

Brian McDonald, 33, of 179 Pioneer Road, Shenandoah - theft and receiving stolen property.

Martin J. Lopez, 27, of 306 E. Centre St., Apt. 2, Mahanoy City - DUI, DUI-highest rate, accidents involving damage to attended vehicles or property, recklessly endangering another person, driving while operating privileges are suspended or revoked and improper display of a registration plate.

Monica M. Capone, 36, of 1315 E. Market St., Mahanoy City - DUI and DUI-high rate.

Fallon W. Kukuk, 23, of 207 Church St., Muir - driving under the influence of drugs, possession of a controlled substance, possession of drug paraphernalia and flashing signals violation.

Charles H. Lengle, 21, of 114 Shoreline Drive, Pine Grove - statutory sexual assault, aggravated indecent assault, indecent exposure, corruption of minors and indecent assault.

Pamela Ann Maley, 40, of 800-15 N. Second St., Pottsville - forgery, access device fraud, theft and receiving stolen property.

James J. Cress, 27, of 635 E. Mahanoy Ave., Girardville - DUI, DUI-highest rate, restrictions on alcoholic beverages, maximum speed limits, failure to use seat belts and driving a vehicle without an inspection certificate.

William G. Wildoner, 72, of 689 Barnesville Drive, Barnesville - theft, receiving stolen property and theft by failure to make required disposition of funds.

Tiffanie A. Hasara, 26, of 1907 State Route 940, Freeland - retail theft and receiving stolen property.

Steven J. Brilla, 18, of 821 Water St., Pottsville - DUI, DUI-minor and illegal purchase or consumption of alcohol.

Matthew Spotts, 28, of 261 Middle St., Minersville - simple assault, harassment and endangering the welfare of a child.

Janine M. Rizzardi, 44, of 539 School St., Minersville - delivery of a controlled substance, conspiracy and criminal use of a communications facility.

Dennis J. Wiederhold, 21, of 539 School St., Minersville - possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance and possession of a controlled substance.

David J. Kupusnick, 39, of 539 School St., Minersville - delivery of a controlled substance and conspiracy.

David P. McClain, 51, of 11 Draper St., Gilberton - retail theft.

Ashley M. Cola, 23, of 612 Third St., Port Carbon - DUI, DUI-highest rate, failure to drive on roadways laned for traffic and careless driving.

Shawn E. Peck, 20, of 21 N. Fourth St., Hamburg - theft and defiant trespass.

Stephanie M. White, 31, of 115 North St., Minersville - delivery of a controlled substance and possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance.

Jeffrey G. Enders, 42, of 218 Middle St., Minersville - simple assault and harassment.

Jesse P. Dembinsky, 26, of 243 N. Second St., Apt. 2, Saint Clair - simple assault and criminal mischief.

Joshua A. Mullins, 20, of 402 E. Main St., Hegins - theft and defiant trespass.

Yesenia Miranda, 25, of 510 Harrison St., Pottsville - theft.

John M. Parry, 19, of 212 W. Arch St., Pottsville - simple assault and disorderly conduct.

Edward J. Hunt III, 33, of Box 234, Main Street, Lavelle - possession of a small amount of marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia.

Jeffrey K. Lord, 33, of 1709 Mahanotongo St., Pottsville - DUI, DUI-highest rate and careless driving.

Roy T. Snowell, 57, of 528 Laurel Terrace, Pottsville - simple assault and harassment.

Ekaterina E. Jones, 31, of 111 Forrest Road, Pottsville - DUI, DUI-highest rate, careless driving and limitations on driving on the left side of the road.

Brandon M. Block, 23, of 109 St. John St., Schuylkill Haven - DUI, DUI-highest rate, driving while operating privileges are suspended or revoked, failure to drive on roadways laned for traffic, careless driving and failure to give immediate notice of accident to police.

Todd R. Forker, 38, of 1201 E. Mahanoy Ave., Mahanoy City - aggravated assault on police, terroristic threats, simple assault, disorderly conduct and criminal mischief.

Jared T. Stessalavage, 24, of 636 W. Market St., Orwigsburg - possession of drug paraphernalia, theft and receiving stolen property.

John K. Smith, 28, of 200 E. Main St., Apt. 8, Schuylkill Haven - receiving stolen property, fleeing or attempting to elude police, driving while operating privileges are suspended or revoked, driving at an unsafe speed, failure to be licensed and limitations on driving on the left side of the road.

Leann I. Baddick, 32, of 320 Valley St., Brockton, and 43 Ridge Road, New Ringgold - retail theft, theft, receiving stolen property, DUI, DUI-high rate, driving while operating privileges are suspended or revoked, careless driving and failure to use seat belts.

Richard G. Wolfe, 23, of 232 Millhead Road, Tamaqua - access device fraud, theft and receiving stolen property.

Samuel P. Miller III, 23, of Box 79, 404 Tyson St., New Ringgold - criminal mischief and harassment.

Michael Wimer, 22, of 215 E. Elm St., Tamaqua - retail theft.

Franklin R. Sterner, 26, of 326 E. Centre St., Shenandoah - criminal trespass, criminal mischief, forgery, receiving stolen property, theft, fleeing or attempting to elude police, unauthorized use of a vehicle, reckless driving, driving without lights to avoid identification or arrest, accidents involving damage to unattended vehicles or property, careless driving, stop and yield sign violations, one-way roadway violations and driving while operating privileges are suspended or revoked.

Travis St. Pierre, 22, of 11 S. Mahanoy Ave., Apt. 2, Frackville, and 640 John O'Hara St., Pottsville - failure to appear to testify, possession of a small amount of marijuana, retail theft and disorderly conduct.

Tracy L. Butler, 33, of 515 School St., Minersville - simple assault, harassment and disorderly conduct.

Michael E. Sleva, 30, of 532 Third St., Port Carbon - retail theft.

Susan M. Rochford, 29, of 125 Coal St., Apt. D, Cumbola - possession of controlled substance and retail theft.

Matthew K. Hoy, 18, of 918 W. Race St., Pottsville - corruption of minors and indecent assault.

Lawrence D. Cooney, 49, of 613 W. Market St., Third Floor, Pottsville - theft, receiving stolen property, theft of property lost, mislaid or delivered by mistake and defiant trespass.

Jose O. Vasquez, 32, of Schuylkill County Prison, Pottsville - burglary, criminal trespass, theft, receiving stolen property and criminal mischief.

Felix M. Luna, 23, of 15 N. Gilbert St., Shenandoah - criminal mischief.

Gerardo Herrera-Figueroa, 50, of 614 Edwards Ave., Pottsville - resisting arrest, disorderly conduct and public drunkenness.

Tykeen S. Brown, 20, of 12 N. First St., Pottsville - possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance and possession of a controlled substance.

Timothy E. Hostetter, 26, of 514 E. Norwegian St., Pottsville - terroristic threats and criminal mischief.

Paula Shistel, 22, of 91 Orchard Road, Barnesville - possession of a controlled substance and possession of drug paraphernalia.

Daniel L. Rhodes, 24, of 1206 Old Route 22, Lenhartsville - theft from a motor vehicle.

Vadim S. Polyakov, 35, of Box 1004, Pottsville - resisting arrest, criminal mischief and disorderly conduct.

Warren L. J. Frey, 23, of Schuylkill County Prison, Pottsville - corruption of minors.

Darrin M. Schneck, 23, last known address of 173 Swopes Valley Road, Pine Grove - receiving stolen property.

Beth A. Troup, 25, last know address of 345 W. Mahanoy Ave., Girardville - theft by deception and receiving stolen property.

Jenna M. Gradwell, 27, of 320 Plane St., Gordon - theft and receiving stolen property.

Kelly G. Bredamus, 43, of 424 E. Broad St., Rear Apt., Tamaqua - retail theft and receiving stolen property.

Gilbert Rolon, 24, of 248 E. Patterson St., Lansford - criminal use of a communications facility, delivery of a controlled substance, possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance, possession of a controlled substance, resisting arrest, disorderly conduct and public drunkenness.

Robert A. Anguish, no age available, of 301 1/2 Penn St., Tamaqua - fleeing or attempting to elude police, careless driving, driving at an unsafe speed and driving while operating privileges are suspended or revoked.

Kerry S. Fulmer, 41, of 513 Lombard St., Tamaqua - criminal trespass, harassment, disorderly conduct and public drunkenness.

Robert D. Steffie Jr., 41, of 114 Vaux Ave., Tremont - receiving stolen property, conspiracy and unauthorized use of a vehicle.

Deeds

Butler Township - Robert W. and Janet M. Moyer to Robert J. and Megan L. Yesalusky; 1 Line St.; $140,000.

Robert W. and Janet M. Moyer to Robert J. and Megan L. Yesalusky; property on South Oak Street; $1.

Cass Township - Josephine E. Roscoe to Noel W. and Lisa M. Hubler; 1.72-acre property on Blue Lane; $1.

Daniel J. Lipsett to Brian R. and Jennifer C. Laudeman; 2.035-acre property; $18,000.

Coaldale - Patricia M. Knepper to Katelynn Chrouch; 35 W. Phillips St.; $63,900.

Frackville - Natural Realty LLC to Robert J. and Christine S. Ackell; 12 N. Center St.; $85,000.

Girardville - Nancy T. Kennedy to Barbara Tacker; 315 A St.; $15,000.

North Union Township - Donald Evans and Ruth Ann Martin, co-executors of the Estate of Kenneth W. Evans, to Victoria Woodward and Edward W. Miller; Lot 322, Cove Vacation Village; $26,000.

Pottsville - John S. Sanna to Kenneth R. and Gloria Frehafer; 822 Ravine St.; $1.

Saint Clair - Eugene Woll to Susan L. Belsak; 119 N. Second St.; $25,000.

Schuylkill Haven - Joseph G. Groody, sheriff of Schuylkill County, to U.S. Bank NA; 6 E. Liberty St.; $1,135.52.

Jean E. Pacenta and Denise Schappe to Denise Schappe; 0.595-acre property; $1.

Shenandoah - Robert A. Soldivera to Luis Jaime Aguilar-Arriaga; 13 W. Poplar St.; $11,200.

Mary Kovalich to Robert A. Soldivera; property on West Lloyd Street; $15,000.

William J. Quirk, Michael and Lisa Quirk and Colleen and Robert Olexa to Michael Winters II; 421 W. Columbus St.; $1.

South Manheim Township - Dorothy M. Miller to Paul M. Jr. and Bonnie T. Mackewicz; 1906 Chuckwagon Drive, Lake Wynonah; $135,000.

Washington Township - Gerald R. Kutz to Arlene R. Ingram to Rachael L. Klinger; 1104 Mountain Road; $1.

Joseph G. Groody, sheriff of Schuylkill County, to Federal National Mortgage Association; 167 Fox Road; $1,217.38.

West Penn Township - Michael A. Hillegass and Kim R. Hillegass to Joseph J. and Jane Featro; 2002 Valley Road; $225,000.

The Monroe County Coroner's office this morning identified the 41-year-old Moosic man killed Sunday by one of two lightning strikes at Pocono Raceway.

Brian F. Zimmerman was pronounced dead at Pocono Medical Center at 6:11 p.m., about an hour after lightning struck his car, said Monroe County Coroner Bob Allen.

Mr. Allen said an autopsy will be conducted Tuesday to determine an exact cause of death, though authorities are already aware of the basic circumstances.

Mr. Allen said Mr. Zimmerman was standing beside his car near Gate 3 at the racetrack when lightning struck the vehicle at 4:56 p.m.

It was not clear whether Mr. Zimmerman was leaning on the vehicle or just standing beside it, but the strike knocked him to the ground and put him into cardiac arrest, Mr. Allen said.

An off-duty paramedic who happened to walk by Mr. Zimmerman just after he fell began to perform CPR on him, and medical personnel took over three minutes later when an ambulance arrived, Mr. Allen said.

Mr. Zimmerman was then treated for about 10 minutes at the race track's infield hospital before being transported to Pocono Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead at 6:11 p.m.

The deadly strike was one of two that touched down at the Raceway on Sunday, as a violent thunderstorm rolled through the area.

The other strike occurred in a parking lot just behind the grandstands near the third turn.

A total of nine other individuals were injured by the strikes.

Check back for updates.

Contact the writer: domalley@timesshamrock.com

A family dog and a cat suffered smoke inhalation in an apartment fire Wednesday morning in Pottsville.

No one else was home at the time.

Brenda James, who leases Subs N Such at 600 N. Third St., said she and another employee were inside the building and heard the smoke alarm.

They went outside to investigate and saw flames in the middle window of the third-floor apartment.

James called 911, then the apartment resident and the owner of the building.

"Thank God they weren't home," James said.

Duty officer Bill Dewald, a firefighter, said when they arrived on scene after the call at 11:41 a.m., there was "heavy smoke coming from the back door" area.

Firefighters extinguished the fire within 15 minutes. Two rooms in the rear of the apartment were damaged, he said.

The fire is not considered suspicious but Dewald did not know how it started and the investigation continued.

The apartment is not inhabitable, he said, adding it was not a total loss.

Windows were broken out and scorch marks could be seen near the door to the third floor.

Desiree Neifert, 25, and her fiance, Kintay Moore, and their 1-year-old daughter, Kyleaha, had just left for Hometown minutes before the fire started, Moore said.

He said they do not have renters insurance, and would find someone to stay with. The couple had lived at the apartment for about three years, he said.

On the sidewalk, firefighters were giving oxygen to a Labrador mix and a cat that had suffered smoke inhalation.

The dog, Jake, and Little Bit, a gray cat, could be seen breathing on their own. A third animal, a pit bull named Cloey, was not injured, Neifert said. Firefighters were giving oxygen to the animals for more than 10 minutes. They were later placed on a yellow stretcher and placed into a vehicle at 12:19 p.m.

Responding to the fire were all of the departments of the Pottsville Fire Department and a RIT team from Schuylkill Haven and the Pottsville City Police.

After six hours of deliberations Wednesday, a jury found a Molino man guilty of killing his father and shooting at three other people, including his brother, last year.

The jury found Franklin Stumhofer Jr. guilty of third-degree murder in the death of his father, Franklin Stumhofer Sr., who was shot to death on Sept. 7 at his West Penn Township home.

The jury found the younger Stumhofer not guilty of attempted murder for shooting at his brother-in-law, Larry Miller, his brother, Samuel Stumhofer, and Blain Schneck who were inside Miller's pickup truck along Port Clinton Avenue near Hamburg about a half-hour after the killing.

Stumhofer Jr. was also found guilty of four counts each of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, simple assault and recklessly endangering another person in connection with his father's death and shooting at the three men in the pickup truck.

The jury found Stumhofer Jr. guilty of an additional count of recklessly endangering another person for putting the life of his mother, Yong Stumhofer, in danger.

Stumhofer Jr. faces a possibility of between 50 and 100 years in prison at the time of his sentencing that has not yet been scheduled.

President Judge William E. Baldwin set bail at $100,000 straight cash, pending appeal. The man's attorney, Robert Kirwan, Reading, said he and his client were hoping for a verdict of involuntary manslaughter but are glad the jury did not return a guilty verdict on the first-degree murder charge that carries a mandatory life sentence.

Kirwan said he will meet with Stumhofer Jr. in the next several days and decide whether to appeal the verdict.

"We have some very good issues for appeal," Kirwan said, referring to the Schuylkill County District Attorney's office not having the required written agreement with Berks County in order to try those charges as part of one case.

He also said matters came up during testimony from some of the commonwealth's 17 witnesses that could also have merit with an appeal.

Assistant District Attorney Thomas Campion Jr. said prosecutors will review the case and determine what punishment they will recommend to Baldwin at the formal sentencing for Stumhofer Jr.

Campion said prosecutors are satisfied with the verdict and commended the jury for their work on the case.

Closing arguments

During closing arguments, defense attorney Kirwan told the jury the commonwealth has not proved that his client had a specific intent to murder his father on the afternoon of Sept. 7.

He said his actions were not premeditated, not preplanned, not malicious or not intentional, all factors needed to substantiate a charge of first-degree murder.

"They proved nothing" about a specific intent to kill, Kirwan said, adding that the evidence presented does not come "remotely close" to proving the most serious charge against Stumhofer Jr.

Kirwan said his client took the stand and testified about his state of mind, the downhill spiral of his life and the medication he was taking at the time.

Prosecutors, he said, had ample opportunity to dispute his claims and prove their murder case but did not do so.

"Diminished capacity is the defense here," Kirwan said "Nothing shook Frank's testimony."

One witness, Kirwan recalled, told the court that Stumhofer Jr. was "on the edge" and suicidal, again claims the prosecution could not disprove.

"The evidence undermines their case," he said adding that prosecutors had proved where the crimes happened, when they happened and what happened, but never why the murder and subsequent shootings happened.

Since his client was not in his right state of mind, Kirwan said the first and third degree homicide charges and involuntary manslaughter charges should be rejected because prosecutors failed to prove malice and intent.

"This is not a murder case," he said. "If he's out of touch with reality, there is no intent."

Although Stumhofer Jr.'s actions could fit the charge of recklessly endangering another person, Kirwan said prosecutors have not shown the man intentionally acted reckless or with gross negligence.

"He was a troubled person at the end of his rope," Kirwan said. "Do him justice."

Campion painted a different picture of Stumhofer Jr. and his actions on that fatal day.

He said Stumhofer Jr. had the intent to kill his father that resulted in him putting his mother at risk as well, and then shoot at his brother-in-law, his brother and another man in Berks County.

He said the man was not only in his right state of mind but that his intentions are clear, disputing Kirwan's claim of diminished capacity.

"The defense wants you to believe none of this is his fault," Campion said of Kirwan's arguments. "He's trying to make an excuse and he wants you to buy it."

Referring to Stumhofer Jr.'s state of mind at the time of the incidents and his claim that he was in a "zombie like" state, Campion said his actions indicate otherwise.

He said the man had the capacity to flee the West Penn Township home, drive to the home of his brother-in-law that is in a secluded and hard to find area outside of Hamburg, follow that man and two others, shooting into their vehicle, and then surrender to police a short time later.

"That was willful," Campion said.

He also told the jury that Kirwan's diminished capacity defense only relates to the charge of first-degree murder and not the lesser offenses Stumhofer Jr. is charged with.

Although everyone involved in the case, from police and prosecutors to the Stumhofer family would like to know the reason Stumhofer Jr. went on his shooting spree, that reason is not needed to convict him.

"We don't have to prove a motive, we don't have to prove why," he said.

About a half-hour after beginning their deliberations, the jury returned to the courtroom and asked Baldwin to define the law dealing with the third-degree murder trial.

Ten minutes later, after answering the question, Baldwin ordered the panel to return to their deliberations.

State police Trooper John Powis of the Frackville station charged Stumhofer Jr. with shooting Stumhofer Sr. to death on Sept. 7 at the elder Stumhofer's home on Log Lane in West Penn Township.

Powis said Stumhofer Jr. then drove to the Hamburg area where he shot at his brother-in-law, his brother and another man who were inside a pickup truck. None of the three men were injured and Stumhofer surrendered a short time later at the Hamburg state police station.

A New York City man was arrested by the FBI on Tuesday after he allegedly faxed a letter to the Sovereign Bank in Pottsville on Monday threatening to kill bank employees.

Michael Chung, 52, allegedly faxed the letter after the bank did not file a form he submitted that he claimed would eliminate the need to repay a loan.

The affidavit from the U.S. Attorney's Office in the Eastern District of New York said Chung had a $179,000 home equity loan with Sovereign Bank that may have prevented him from selling his home in Bayside, N.Y. on May 31.

"The Second Amendment to the National Constitution authorizes the use of deadly force to protect my interests as a national citizen," the fax said, according to the report. "I believe I have a basis to act in that manner."

The affidavit said a subsequent investigation of Chung revealed he owns a licensed shotgun.

ABC News reported Chung told investigators he was a "sovereign citizen," referring to a anti-government group that the FBI considers a "potential domestic terror threat." This claim was unable to be confirmed by The Republican-Herald on Wednesday evening.

Chung was arraigned late Wednesday evening in federal court in Brooklyn.

Based in Boston, Sovereign Bank is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Grupo Santander. Bank representatives in Pottsville referred calls to the corporate office, but those messages were not returned Wednesday.