Speed Limits Reduced on 209, 309, and Interstate 81

Due to extreme winter road conditions, PennDOT is temporarily reducing the speed limit on several roadways in the region. PennDOT is urging motorists to avoid unnecessary travel but those who must head out will see speeds reduced to 45 mph on the following highways:

• Interstates 78, 80, 81, 176 and 380;
• U.S. Routes 22, 222 and 422; and
• State Routes 33, 209 and 309.

2 Injured in Walker Township Crash

Posted from TamaquaArea.Wordpress.com

Two people were taken to the hospital for unknown injuries around 5:30 PM, Wednesday after the pickup truck they were in crashed into a tree along Wildcat Road in Walker Township. The crash occurred westbound in the area of 200 Wildcat Road. Responding were Tamaqua Rescue Squad, New Ringgold Ambulance, Walker/New England Fire Company, Tamaqua’s South Ward Fire Company and State Police.

Schuylkill County Basketball Semi Final Results

Schuylkill League Basketball Playoffs - Semi-Final Results

Girls

Minersville - 46

Pottsville - 42

Marian - 31

North Schuylkill - 28

Boys

Mahanoy Area - 49

Blue Mountain - 35

Pottsville - 56

Williams Valley - 30

Schuylkill County School Closings and Delays for 2/13/14

Schuylkill County School Closings and Delays for 2/13/14

Alvernia College Schuylkill - Closed

Assumption BVM - Closed

Blue Mountain - Closed

Gillingham Charter - Closed

Mahanoy Area - Closed

Marian Catholic - Closed

McCann School of Business/Pottsville - Closed

Minersville - Closed

Nativity BVM - Closed

North Schuylkill - Closed

Our Lady of Lourdes Regional - Closed

Penn State/Schuylkill - Closed

Pine Grove - Closed

Pottsville - Closed

Schuylkill Haven - Closed

Schuylkill Maple Ave - Closed

Schuylkill Special Ed. - Closed

Schuylkill Tech North and South - Closed

St. Ambrose/Schuylkill Haven - Closed

St. Jerome Regional/Tamaqua - Closed

St. Nicholas/Minersville - Closed

Tamaqua - Closed

Tri-Valley - Closed

Trinity Academy - Closed

Williams Valley - Closed

Recalls on Prius and Graco Car Seats

The first recall announced this morning was for the Toyota Prius.  The massive global recall is to fix a software glitch that could cause the car to stall.

The recall includes 1.9 million vehicles that were sold from 2010 to 2014.

The second recall is for almost 3.8 million Graco car sets for a faulty belt buckles that could make it hard to free a child during an emergency.  The seats recalled are the 2009 to 2013 model years of the Cozy Cline, Comfort Sport, Classic Ride 50k, My Ride 65, My Ride with Safety Surround, My Ride 70, Size 4 Me 70, Smartseat, Nautilus, Nautilus Elite and Argos 70.

Schuylkill County Parking Bans - 2/12/14 through 2/14/14

Schuykill County Parking Bans for 2/12/14 through 2/14/14

Keep an eye on this page for more parking bans before, during, and after the storm.

** If you know of any that are not listed, please let us know via our Facebook page
https://www.facebook.com/SkookNews

Ashland

Snow Emergency - A snow emergency has been declared for Thursday and Friday, all vehicles must be moved from the posted route between the hours of 2:00 AM and 6:00 AM to allow the PADOT trucks to plow to the curb.

 http://www.ashlandborough.com/snow-emergency/

Frackville

Snow ban in effect until Friday at 4pm

Mahanoy City Borough

2/13/14

Snow Parking Ban again Tonight Mayor has issued a snow parking ban once again tonight There will be NO PARKING between Midnight & 7AM on the following streets: Centre St. , Main St. , South St from 2nd Street west to Borough line.

 Although the ban is only midnight to 7am, I recommend not parking on those streets starting now.

Middleport

Update to Middleport Snow Ban as of 6 P.M. tonight till 6 P.M. on Friday. There will be no parking both sides on Washington St., Coal Street (South side of the street), Walnut Street and Kaska St. (East Side of the street) More Streets may be added Times may change also any updates please check Citizen's fire company #1 of Middleport Facebook page.

Minersville

All vehicles must be moved off of Sunbury St. By 5am, 2/13/14. Vehicles not moved will be removed by police.

Pottsville

As of 4 PM today (Wednesday)....City of Pottsville Snow Emergency is in effect. All vehicles must be off the route. Peacock St. however is exempt from this storm due to excessive ice that cannot be plowed. PLEASE SHARE

Shenandoah Borough

There will be NO PARKING along snow emergency routes on Wednesday, February 12, 2014 due to the Inclement weather we are suppose to receive. The snow emergency route is as follows, *Main street*- From Washington St to the Gold star bridge and *Centre* Street- Between White st and West streets.

***This ban will be in effect from 2AM Thursday Feb. 13 until 6AM Friday Feb. 14.***

Tamaqua

Tamaqua Mayor Chris Morrison declared a State of Emergency around 8 AM this morning for the borough. “The State of Emergency is to encourage drivers to stay off the roads and allow plow crews to do their jobs,” said Borough Manager Kevin Steigerwalt. He added that the State of Emergency was also issued in case of any possible state or federal assistance. “Tamaqua’s State of Emergency remains in effect until further notice,” added Steigerwalt. Lansford also issued a State of Emergency for it’s borough.

Charges Dismissed in Assisted Suicide Case

The Republican Herald is reporting that the charges against Barbara Mancini, of Philadelphia have been dismissed in the case against her that she allegedly helped her father try to kill himself in Pottsville in February 2013.

http://republicanherald.com/charges-dismissed-in-assisted-suicide-case-1.1632669

Ashland Elks Lodge #384, 2013 "Citizen of the Year", William "Mick" McFadden

Photo by:  John E. Usalis

By:  Adam J. Bernodin III

 William “Mick” McFadden a Washington Fire Company and Washington Fire Company Ambulance Association 50 year member was the Ashland Elks Lodge #384, 2013 "Citizen of the Year" Award back in November.

Yuengling Ice Cream Hits Store Shelves

Even though they haven't officially announced it yet, you can find Yuengling Ice Cream on store shelves.

We got confirmation from the company that it is indeed now in stores!

You can find out what stores are carrying the ice cream through their store locator
http://www.yuenglingsicecream.com/store-locator/

It's only sold in Weis and Acme Stores currently, but you can find it in Pottsville's Weis store.

If you try it, let us know what you think

Schuylkill County Area Concert Schedule

From this page, we will try to update you on all the latest concerts in the area

Schuylkill League Basketball Playoffs - Semi-Finals

Schuylkill League Basketball Playoffs - Semi-Finals

BEST OF SKOOK: Who was voted the "Best Florist in Schuylkill County"?

And the winner of the "Best Florist in Schuylkill County" is . . . .

Fire Destroys Barn Near Pine Grove

A fire destroyed a barn near Pine Grove Saturday afternoon.  WNEP covered the story.

No people or animals were hurt in the fire.

http://wnep.com/2014/02/08/fire-rips-through-barn-in-schuylkill-county/

Sunday House Fire Displaces Family in New Philadelphia

Posted from:  tamaquaarea.wordpress.com

Two families, consisting of 8 children and 3 adults, are were displaced following a fire in a home in New Philadelphia (Sunday, Feb. 9, 2014). Around 1:45 PM, emergency crews were called to 174 Kimber Street for a fire in a bedroom. Firefighters arrived to see flames rising from the second story of the duplex home. Reports over the scanner said the fire started in the closet of the bedroom of the home, although that information hasn’t been confirmed.

Schuylkill County School Delays/Closings for 2/10/14

Schuylkill County School Delays/Closings for 2/10/14

Assumption BVM - 2 Hour Delay
Blue Mountain - 2 Hour Delay
Gillingham Charter - 2 Hour Delay
Mahanoy Area - 2 Hour Delay

McCann School of Business/Pottsvile - 2 Hour Delay

Minersville - 2 Hour Delay
Nativity BVM - 2 Hour Delay

North Schuylkill - 2 Hour Delay

Panther Valley - 2 Hour Delay
Pine Grove - 2 Hour Delay
Pottsville - 2 Hour Delay
Saint Clair - 2 Hour Delay
Schuylkill Haven - 2 Hour Delay
Schuylkill Health School of Nursing - 2 Hour Delay
Schuylkill Maple Ave. - 2 Hour Delay
Schuylkill Special Ed. Center - 2 Hour Delay
Schuylkill Tech North and South - 2 Hour Delay

Shenandoah Valley - 2 Hour Delay
St. Ambrose/Schuylkill Haven - 2 Hour Delay
St. Jerome/Tamaqua - 2 Hour Delay

St. Nicholas/Minersville - 2 Hour Delay

Tamaqua Area - 2 Hour Delay
Tri-Valley - 2 Hour Delay

Trinity Academy - 2 Hour Delay

Williams Valley - 2 Hour Delay