Sunday, August 25, 2013

Twas The Night Before School Started

Twas' the night before school started
when all through every town
the parents were cheering
it was a riotous sound

By eight the kids were washed
and tucked into bed
when memories of homework
filled them with dread

New pencils, new folders, new notebooks too
new teachers, new friends,  the anxiety grew
The parents just giggled when they heard of this fright
and shouted upstairs - GO TO BED!!! IT'S A SCHOOL NIGHT!!!!

Schuylkill County Homeowner Shoots and Kills Intruder

At approximately 5:30PM, Curt Stein returned to his home in New Ringold Saturday to find Zachary Foster in his home.  The two got into a fight in the home and Stein retrieved a gun from his vehicle in the garage and returned and shot Foster.

Foster was pronounced dead at the scene.

An investigation is underway whether Stein was justified in shooting and killer Foster.  Stein's girlfriend, Melissa Booth, was also in the home at the time.  Both Stein and Booth are cooperating with police in their investigation.

As of Sunday afternoon, no charges have been filed and no other suspects are involved.

Winners from the 2013 Schuylkill County Fireman's Convention


59th ANNUAL SCHUYLKILL COUNTY VOLUNTEER FREFIGHTERS' CONVENTION - AWARD WINNERS
IN COUNTY AWARDS 
1. Best Overall Fire Dept. 
1st Schuylkill Haven Fire Dept.

2. Best Overall Fire Company 
1st Minersville Fire & Rescue

3. Best Overall Apparatus 
1st Goodwill Fire Co., Frackville

4. Best Appearing Fire Co. Marching Unit w/ Music
1st Pine Grove HH&L
2nd n/a

5. Best Appearing Dept. Marching Unit w/ Music (w/ 2 or more comp. from same municipality marching as one unit)
1st Sch. Haven Fire Dept.
2nd n/a

6. Best Appearing Fire Co. Marching Unit w/o Music
1st Minersville Fire & Rescue
2nd Polish-American Fire Co.

7. Most Functional and Fire Ready Engine 1750 GPM & over, 2005 & Newer
1st Friendship Fire Co., Englewood, Butler Twp.
2nd Sch. Hose Co., Sch. Haven
3rd Tuscarora Fire Co.

8. Most Functional and Fire Ready Engine 1750 GPM & over, 2004 & Older
1st Good Intent Hose Co., Pottsville
2nd Humane Fire Co., Pottsville
3rd Good Will Fire Co., Pt. Carbon

9. Most Functional and Fire Ready Engine 1500 GPM, 2005 & Newer
1st American Hose Co., Pottsville
2nd Defender Fire Co., Shenandoah
3rd Minersville Fire & Rescue

10. Most Functional and Fire Ready Engine 1500 GPM, 2004 & Older
1st East End Fire Co., Tamaqua
2nd William Penn Fire Co.
3rd West End Fire Co. #3, Sheridan

11. Most Functional and Fire Ready Engine 1250 & Under GPM, 2005 & Newer
1st Phoenix Fire Co., Shenandoah
2nd n/a
3rd n/a

12. Most Functional and Fire Ready Engine 1250 GPM & Under, 2004 & Older
1st South Ward Fire Co., Tamaqua
2nd Livety Hose Co., Sch. Haven

13. Most Functional and Fire Ready Mini Pumper
1st Deer Lake/West Brunswick Fire Co.
2nd New Minersville Fire Co.

14. Most Functional and Fire Ready Engine/Rescue
1st Sch. Hose Co., Sch. Haven
2nd Pine Grove HH&L
3rd Sheppton-Oneida Fire Co.

15. Most Functional and Fire Ready Heavy Rescue
1st Rainbow Hose Co., Sch. Haven
2nd Minersville Fire & Rescue

16. Most Functional and Fire Ready Light Rescue (26,000 GVW Max.)
1st Rainbow Hose Co., Sch. Haven
2nd Tamaqua Rescue

17. Most Functional and Fire Ready Aerial Apparatus w/ Pump
1st Goodwill Fire Co., Frackville
2nd McAdoo Fire Co. #1
3rd Rescue H&L, Shenandoah

18. Most Functional and Fire Ready Aerial Apparatus w/o Pump
1st Rescue H&L, Shenandoah
2nd Volunteer Fire Co., Coaldale

19. Most Functional and Fire Ready Pumper/Tanker (Min. 1500 Gal. Tank / 750 GPM Pump)
1st Polish-American Fire Co., Shenandoah
2nd New England Fire Co., Walker Twp.

20. Most Functional and Fire Ready Tanker
1st Newtown Fire Co.
2nd Good Intent Fire Co., Branch Twp.
3rd Liberty Fire Co., Sch. Haven

21. Most Functional and Fire Ready Brush Truck
1st Nuremberg-Weston Fire Co.
2nd Good Intent Hose Co., Llewellyn
3rd McAdoo Fire Co. #1

22. Most Functional and Fire Ready Heavy Duty Squad
1st Tremont Fire Co.
2nd South Ward Fire Co., Tamaqua

23. Most Functional and Fire Ready Light Duty Squad
1st Tuscarora Fire Co.
2nd Pine Grove HH&L

24. Most Functional and Fire Ready Chief Officer/Command Unit
1st Sch. Haven Fire Dept.
2nd Minersville Fire & Rescue

25. Most Functional and Fire Ready Fire Police Unit
1st Tamaqua Fire Police
2nd Hometown Fire Police

OUT OF COUNTY AWARDS
26. Best Overall Fire Dept.
1st Bloomsburg Fire Dept.

27. Best Overall Fire Company
1st Lehigh & Lausanne Fire Co.

28. Best Appearing Fire Co. Marching Unity w/ Music
1st Lehigh & Lausanne Fire Co.

29. Best Appearing Fire Co. Marching Unit w/o Music
1st Rangers Fire Co., Berwick

30. Most Functional and Fire Ready Engine 1750 GPM & up
1st Freeland Fire Dept.
2nd White Haven Fire Co.

31. Most Functional and Fire Ready 1500 GPM & up
1st Paxtang Fire Co.
2nd Rangers Fire Co., Berwick

32. Most Functional and Fire Ready 1250 GPM & up
1st Lehigh & Lausanne Fire Co.

33.Most Functional and Fire Ready Brush Truck / Mini Pumper
1st Shartlesville Fire Co.
2nd Reliance Fire Co., Rutherford

34. Most Functional and Fire Ready Aerial Apparatus w/ Pump (2)
1st Nesquehoning Fire Co.
2nd Lake Harmony Fire Co.

35. Most Functional and Fire Ready Aerial Apparatus w/o Pump
1st Hazle Twp. Fire & Rescue
2nd Rescue Fire Co., Shamokin

36. Most Functional and Fire Ready Pumper/Tanker
*** No entries ***

37. Most Functional and Fire Ready Tanker
1st Union Fire Co, Bethel
2nd Franklin Twp. Fire Co.

38. Most Functional and Fire Ready Heavy Rescue (26,000 GVW or Greater)
1st Bloomsburg Fire Dept.
2nd Hazle Twp. Fire & Rescue

39. Most Functional and Fire Ready Light Rescue (Less than 26,000 GVW)
*** No entries ***

40. Most Functional and Fire Ready Engine/Rescue
1st Duncannon Fire Co.
2nd White Haven Fire Co.

41. Most Functional and Fire Ready Chief Officer/Command Unit
1st Shartlesville Fire Co.

42. Most Functional and Fire Ready Heavy Duty Squad
*** No entries ***

43. Most Functional and Fire Ready Light Duty Squad
1st New Cumberland Fire Co.
2nd Bloomsburg Fire Co.

IN OR OUT OF COUNTY AWARDS
44. Most Functional & Fire Ready BLS Unit
1st McAdoo Fire Co. #1
2nd Lost Creek Ambulance

45. Best Appearing Hand Drawn (Must be pulled in the line of march)
1st Defender Fire Co., Shenandoah
2nd Good Intent Hose Co., Llewellyn

46. Best Appearing Horse Drawn Unit
1st Sch. Historical Fire Society

47. Best Appearing Motorized Fire Apparatus (Privately Owned)
1st James H Yiengst - 1963 Mack Rescue
2nd Bill Kline - 1924 Fire Truck
3rd Mike Ganse - 1974 Mack - HazMat 2

48. Best Appearing Motorized Fire Apparatus (Fire Co. Owned)
1st Wilburton Fire Co.
2nd Citizens Fire Co., Gordon

49. Best Appearing Best Appearing Dalmatian
1st "Lincoln", Sch. Hose Co.
2nd "Morgan", Rangers Hose Co., Girardville

50. Best Appearing Fire Prevention Entry
1st Polish-American Fire Co., Shenandoah
2nd Humane Fire Co.

51. Most Functional and Ready Dive Unit
1st Sch. Hose Co., Sch. Haven
2nd n/a

52. Company Traveling Furthest Distance (in miles using Mapquest
1st Duncannon Fire Co.

53. Special Judges Award
1 Rangers Hose Co., Girardville
2 Tremont Fire Co.
3 Schuylkill Historical Fire Society
4 East End Fire Co., Tamaqua
5 Altamont Fire Co.

54. 150th Anniversary - Best Appearing Comic Unit
1st Filthy McNasty

55. Best Appearing High School Band
1st Pottsville Area HS
2nd North Schuylkill HS
3rd Mahanoy Area HS

56. Best Appearing Non-High School Band
1st Upper Schuylkill Marching Band
2nd Hegeman String Band
3rd Chester County Emerald Society Pipe Band

57. Best Appearing Chartered Fraternal Organization
1st American Legion, Mahanoy City
2nd AOH, Girardville

58. Best Overall 150th Anniversary Themed Float
1st Coal Crawlers

59. Best overall 150th Anniversary Business Participation
1st Louis D. Truskowsky Funeral Home
2nd Village Inn Restaurant & Bar

60. 150th Anniversary Special Judges Award
1 71st PA Volunteer Infantry Civil War Re-enactment Group
2 St. Paul's Church Sunday School
3 St. Canicus Church
4 Mahanoy Twp. 150th Club
5 Christ Lutheran Church

MCFD AWARDS
Humane Fire Co. - Oldest Organized Fire Co. in the Parade
Humane Fire Co., Pottsville

Citizens Fire Co.
Best Pierce - Paxtang Fire Co.
Best Mack - Rangers Hose Co., Girardville

Washington Hook & Ladder Co.
Best LTI Aerial - Rescue H&L, Shenandoah

Good American Hose Co.
Best Hahn - Goodwill Hose Co., Frackville

West End Fire & Rescue Co.
Best KME - Goodwill Hose Co., Pottsville

Police Chase Ends In Crash Overnight

A police chase that started in Ashland ended in a crash in Mt. Carmel early Sunday morning.

At approximately 11:50PM, police attempted to pull over a SUV in Ashland, but a chase ensued and reportedly ended up on Dutchtown Road, Ashland.

The chase made it's way back to Ashland, then headed towards Centralia where the SUV took the Snake Road to Mt. Carmel.

Many reports have said they chased the suspect through Mt. Carmel, then back over the Snake Road to Ashland again.

A road block was set up at the intersection of 61 and 54 near May's Drive In and the cops attempted to side-swipe the vehicle.

The suspect was able to escape and headed back towards Mt. Carmel on 61.

The chase reportedly ended at 5th and Locust in Mt. Carmel with the cops pinning in the vehicle.

Multiple cruisers had minor damage.

No word who the suspect was, or why they were chasing them.

This story was put together by reports of many people from around the county including residents of Mt. Carmel.  Thank you to everyone who contributed.

Results from Big Diamond - 08/23/13

Results from Big Diamond on Friday Evening

Modifieds (30 Laps)

1) Tim Buckwalter ($4,000) 
2) Duane Howard 
3) Doug Manmiller 
4) Rick Laubach 
5) Billy Pauch Sr. 
6) Meme Desantis 
7) Craig Von Dohren 
8) Richie Pratt Jr. 
9) Kevin Smith 
10) Frank Cozze 
11) Kyle Borror 
12) Kevin Albert Jr. 
13) Ricky Yetter 
14) Jared Umbenhauer
15) Kyle Weiss 
16) Andy Burkhart
17) Dale Hartz 
18) Nick Desantis 
19) Justin Grim 
20) Jeff Strunk 
21) John Willman
22) Terry Meitzler 
23) Mike Nicholas 
24) Dan Hineline 
25) Danny Nicholas 
26) Billy Pauch Jr. 
DNQ) Kyle Follweiler, Bobby Gunther Walsh, Shawn Fitzpatrick, Craig Whitmoyer, Eric Biehn, Brad Arnold, Tim Fitzpatrick, Nathan Klinger, Ray Swinehart, Mike Diehl, Kevin Beach Jr., Tommy Sheetz Jr., Brian Gagliardo, Jason Neidlinger, Tim Fitzpatrick Jr., Heath Metzger, Ron Haring Jr., Donny Hartz, Mike Mamanna

Roadrunners (20 Laps)

1) Marc Berzowski 

2) Kyle Killian 
3) Terry Kramer Jr. 
4) Devin Trexler 
5) Jim Kost 
6) Chip Kennedy
7) Neil Bressler 
8) TJ Fitzpatrick 
9) Joe Kavanaugh
10) Ricky Bender 
11) Andrew Fayash III 
12) Bill Wingle Jr. 
13) Tim Spesak 
14) Bruce Ditzler
 15) Tom Hablett 
16) Shon Elk 
17) Jeremy Becker 
18) Chris Holland
19) Kris Ney 
20) Jesse Krasnitsky 
21) Jon Schlauch 
DNS) Dave Long Jr.

Saturday, August 24, 2013

Mahanoy City Fire Company Fights It's Own Fire Hours Before Convention

Through the fun and celebration of the 2013 Schuylkill County Fireman's Convention, there was a bit of remorse as well.  Hours before the start of the convention, The Washington Hook and Ladder of Mahanoy City was fighting a fire in it's own firehouse.

Images from the 2013 Schuylkill County Fireman's Convention