Friday, February 14, 2014

Winter Weather Advisory Issued For Schuylkill County


...WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM 11 PM THIS EVENING TO 4 PM EST SATURDAY ...

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN STATE COLLEGE HAS ISSUED A WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY FOR SNOW ...WHICH IS IN EFFECT FROM 11 PM THIS EVENING TO 4 PM EST SATURDAY.

* HAZARD TYPES ...SNOW AND BLOWING SNOW.

* ACCUMULATIONS ...2 TO 4 INCHES OF SNOW.

* TIMING ...SNOW WILL MOVE INTO THE AREA AROUND OR SHORTLY AFTER MIDNIGHT ...AND WILL SPREAD EASTWARD THROUGH SATURDAY MORNING. MOST OF THE SNOW WILL FALL BETWEEN APPROXIMATELY 3 AM AND 9 AM ...BEFORE TAPERING TO SCATTERED SNOW SHOWERS BY EARLY SATURDAY AFTERNOON. A GUSTY NORTH WIND WILL CREATE SOME BLOWING AND DRIFTING OF THE SNOW.

* IMPACTS ...SNOW COVERED ROADS AND POOR VISIBILITIES WILL MAKE TRAVELING HAZARDOUS.

* WINDS ...NORTH 5 TO 15 MPH WITH GUSTS UP TO 25 MPH.

* TEMPERATURES ...IN THE MID 20S.

* VISIBILITIES ...UNDER A MILE AT TIMES.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS ...

HAZARDOUS WINTER WEATHER CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED OR OCCURRING. USE CAUTION IF TRAVELING. FOR THE LATEST WEATHER INFORMATION ...GO TO WEATHER.GOV/CTP OR STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO.

REPORT SNOW OR ICE ACCUMULATION TO THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE STATE COLLEGE BY SENDING AN EMAIL TO CTP.STORMREPORTS@NOAA.GOV ... POSTING TO THE NWS STATE COLLEGE FACEBOOK PAGE ...OR TWEET @NWSSTATECOLLEGE WITH THE HASHTAG #CTPWX.

Pottsville Church Opens Doors To Help Others Through Snowstorm

Trinity Episcopal Church, Pottsville had opened a shelter for the heatless, homeless, or anyone who needed a place to stay throughout the snowstorm.

WNEP and the Republican Herald posted stories about this incredible act of kindness.


Republican Herald
http://republicanherald.com/news/church-in-city-offers-shelter-to-snowbound-homeless-1.1634529


WNEP
http://wnep.com/2014/02/13/helping-storm-victims-in-pottsville/

Thursday, February 13, 2014

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



Schuylkill County School Closings for 2/14/14 


Alvernia universe/ Schuylkill, Closed
Blue Mountain - Closed
Child Development - Closed, Daycare opens at 8am
Gillingham Charter - Closed
Mahanoy Area - Closed
Marian Catholic - Closed
McCann School of Business/Pottsville - 2 Hour Delay
Minersville - Closed
Nativty BVM - Closed
North Schuylkill - Closed
Our Lady of Lourdes Regional - Closed
Penn State Schuylkill - Closed
Pine Grove - Closed
Pottsville - 2 Hour Delay, Act 80 Begins at 10am, No School for students
Schuylkill Haven - Closed
Schuylkill Maple Ave - Closed
Schuylkill Tech North and South - Closed
Shenandoah Valley - Closed
St. Ambrose/Schuylkill Haven - Closed
St. Clair - 2 Hour Delay, Act 80 begins at 10am, No school for students
St. Jerome/Tamaqua - Closed
St. Nicholas/Minersville - Closed
Tamaqua - Closed
Tri-Valley - Closed
Trinity Academy - Closed
Williams Valley - 2 Hour Delay

Pictures from Around Schuylkill County During the February Snowstorm

Pictures from around Schuylkill County today during the February 2014 snowstorm
Outside T102 (From T102 Fan Page)

Outside T102 (From T102 Fan Page)

Dutch Hill, Tamaqua (TamaquaArea.com)



Pine Grove

Mahanoy City

Port Carbon



More snow? Round 2 is on it's way!

By: Ryan Fannock

1:10PM UPDATE: For those of us in a lull right now, there is more snow to come. A heavy batch of snow will move through this evening. This is referred to as "Round 2" so get ready! The snow is very wet out there right now so you might want to get shoveling done before the next round. We'll have a decent lull for the majority of the afternoon. I'm not sure on the "exact" timing that it arrives. However, I have it outlined on the attached radar image. It's currently down in North Carolina so sometime this evening it will move through our neck of the woods. So if you were wondering if it's over, here's your answer. Final totals will range from 10-16" across the county.

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.

Wednesday, February 12, 2014

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

Everything you need to know about the SNOW

By: Ryan Fannock

2:30PM UPDATE: Good afternoon! If you have travel plans this evening, don't cancel them. The storm will hold off until after midnight. Snow should begin to break out between 1am and 2am in the county. Once the snow gets going, it will become heavy at times. It could snow at 1-2 inches an hour in the heaviest bands. Snow will continue throughout the morning on Thursday. During the afternoon, the snow may actually slow down. This will give us time to shovel everything that fell earlier in the day. By evening, another round of heavier snow will move through with rates of 1-2 inches per hour. Snow will end during the early morning hours Friday. As of now, I like a general 8-14" across the county. It will be a heavy/wet snow since temps will be in the low 30's throughout the day tomorrow. This is the kind of snow where you don't want to wait till the end to shovel. If you wait too long, it will be back breaking for you. Another factor will be the wind. During the afternoon and evening winds will increase. Gusts could reach 25-30mph at times. This will create whiteout conditions during the higher gusts. If at all possible, stay home tomorrow. Road crews will have a tough time keeping up with the heavy snow. I'll be updating throughout the storm on my Facebook Page: Tamaqua Area Weatherman.

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.

Winter Storm Warning Issued For Schuylkill County

WINTER STORM WARNING IN EFFECT FROM 1 AM TO 10 PM EST THURSDAY...

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN STATE COLLEGE HAS ISSUED A WINTER STORM WARNING FOR HEAVY SNOW...WHICH IS IN EFFECT FROM 1 AM TO 10 PM EST THURSDAY. THE WINTER STORM WATCH IS NO LONGER IN EFFECT.

Tuesday, February 11, 2014

Winter Storm Watch Issued For Schuylkill County

WINTER STORM WATCH IN EFFECT FROM LATE WEDNESDAY NIGHT THROUGH THURSDAY EVENING... THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN STATE COLLEGE HAS ISSUED A WINTER STORM WATCH...WHICH IS IN EFFECT FROM LATE WEDNESDAY NIGHT THROUGH THURSDAY EVENING.

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.

Monday, February 10, 2014

Two Sunny Days followed by SNOW

By: Ryan Fannock

7:30PM UPDATE: Good evening! Tonight will be cold and clear. Most areas will dip into the single digits across the county. On your Tuesday, you'll see lots of sunshine! It will still be cold with highs only reaching the lower 20's. Tuesday Night will also be clear with lows possibly going below zero. The sun will be also be the main feature on Wednesday. All eyes are focused on a potential snowstorm moving into our area. At this time, it looks like it will affect us Wednesday Night into Thursday. For my "First Call" click here: SNOW MAP.

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

Sunday, February 9, 2014

Sunday Snow Update

By: Ryan Fannock

10:45AM UPDATE: Good morning! Just a quick update for you guys regarding the snow you'll see today. There's some scattered light snow showers lingering around the area this morning. They will not amount to much more than a light dusting. The main batch of snow will arrive AFTER 1pm this afternoon. It will be a light snow event lasting until the evening hours. Most of us will pick up 1-3 inches out of this one. Even though it won't be a lot of snow, be careful on the roads this afternoon. Any snow that falls will stick instantaneously because it's only in the 20's outside. Have a great day!

Body Found In Shenandoah Sunday Morning


A body was found Sunday morning in Shenandoah in the area of South Bower St.  At this time, the Shenandoah Police, Schuylkill County Coroner's office, and State Police are investigating.

UPDATE (1:50PM):  From the Pottsville-Republican, the name of the victim was Nicholas McCabe, 23.

His body was found after officers were called around 5am to an old railroad bed between Lehigh and Bowers Street, Shenandoah.

No other details were given other than hypothermia might have been a factor in the death.

An autopsy is schedule for Monday morning to determine the exact cause of death.

Saturday, February 8, 2014

Friday, February 7, 2014

Police Believe Store Video Shows Suspect Purchasing Items Involved in Tamaqua Woman's Death Investigation

Posted from TamaquaArea.Wordpress.com

Extradition proceedings are underway for a man who was in possession of a car belonging to a murdered Tamaqua woman. According to a story in the Times News newspaper, Anthony Darrell Heath, 24, of Allentown, is currently charged with theft of a motor vehicle. Jean Engler, an assistant district attorney in Carbon County, said it is believed Heath used the vehicle in Carbon and Lehigh counties.

Schuylkill County Weekend Forecast

By: Ryan Fannock

7:20PM Update: Tonight will be mainly clear. With a snow pack on the ground, our temps will dip fairly low tonight. In the higher terrain expect some single digits. The rest of us will bottom out in the lower teens. On your Saturday you'll see some morning sunshine. Clouds will increase and the daytime hours will finish off mostly cloudy. By evening, a chance for snow showers materializes. It's not a widespread snow event. It's just a "chance" from Saturday Night through Sunday Evening. Since the snow showers will be scattered, some locations may only see a coating while others see 1-2 inches. It's all about where areas of light snow decide to set up. As snow showers form, I'll be updating throughout the weekend on my Facebook Page. Check out Tamaqua Area Weatherman periodically to see if any are headed towards Schuylkill County. Also, highs on both Saturday and Sunday will top out in the mid 20's. Have a great weekend!

Spruce Up That Pothole



With more and more potholes opening up everyday along Schuylkill County roads, here are some alternatives to making this pot holes useful.

Thursday, February 6, 2014

7:20PM Thursday Weather Update

By: Ryan Fannock

7:20PM Update: Hope you were able to enjoy that sunshine today! Tonight will dip down into the teens once again. Watch out for areas of black ice this evening and overnight. Everything that melted today has now quickly glazed over if left untreated. During the day Friday we'll have a mix of sun and clouds across the county. Highs will top out in the mid to upper 20's. We'll see some more snow this weekend. This will occur Saturday Night into Sunday morning. It will be a light snowfall totaling 1 to 3 inches. Hoping for a coastal storm dropping 1-2 feet of snow? It's definitely NOT gonna happen this weekend. Any hype you may have heard is finally starting to dwindle down now. Have a great night!

Schuylkill County Delays/Closings for 2/6/14


Schuylkill County Delays/Closings for 2/6/14

Two From Tamaqua Killed in Lehigh County Crash

Posted from:  tamaquaarea.wordpress.com

A man and woman from Tamaqua were killed Wednesday after their pickup truck collided with a work van on SR309 in Lynn Township (Lehigh County). State Police of Fogelsville identified the victims as Roger Jones, 52, and Geraldine Jones, 58, of Tamaqua. The two-vehicle crash occurred about a half-mile south of Gun Club Road on the Blue Mountain around 2:30 PM. In addition to recent precipitation on the roadway, officials added that the area was also shrouded in a light fog.

Wednesday, February 5, 2014

Black ice possible tonight; sun returns tomorrow

By: Ryan Fannock

6:00PM Update: Good evening! We made it through an other winter storm! Some of us could see a passing snow shower this evening, otherwise it will be dry. Watch out for black ice when traveling tonight. Main roads are wet and secondary roads remain slushy across the area. With that said, temps will be dipping down below freezing very shortly. In fact, by tomorrow morning we will see lows bottom out in the teens! So anything that is wet has the potential to refreeze if left untreated. During the day on Thursday, we will see a mix of sun and clouds. Highs will only top out in the low 20's so bundle up! I know a lot of you have heard about a possible snowstorm for the weekend. At this time, it's only looking like a light snow event is possible. A potential coastal storm looks to remain far enough off shore to spare us of any impacts. Have a great night and an even better Thursday! 

Schuylkill County Delays/Closings for 2/6/14


Schuylkill County Delays/Closings for 2/6/14


Assumption BVM - 2 Hour Delay
Blue Mountain - 2 Hour Delay
Gillingham Charter - 2 Hour Delay
Mahanoy Area - 2 Hour Delay
McCann School of Business - 2 Hour Delay
Minersville - 2 Hour Delay
Nativity BVM - 2 Hour Delay
North Schuylkill - 2 Hour Delay
Our Lady of Lourdes Regional - 2 Hour Delay
Pine Grove Area - 2 Hour Delay
Pottsville - 2 Hour Delay
Schuylkill Haven - 2 Hour Delay
Schuylkill Health School of Nursing - 2 Hour Delay
Schuylkill Maple Ave. - 2 Hour Delay
Schuylkill Soecial Ed.  - 2 Hour Delay
Schuylkill Tech North & South - 2 Hour Delay
Shenandoah Valley - 2 Hour Delay
St. Ambrose/Schuylkill Haven - 2 Hour Delay
St. Jerome Regional/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


Speed Restrictions Lifted On All Highways



The speed restrictions put in place earlier today by PennDOT have been lifted.  All roads speed limits go back to their normal speeds.

Interstate Reopens After Crash


Posted from TamaquaArea.Wordpress.com

Interstate 81 is reopened after being closed for a short time.

State Police shut down Interstate 81 north around 9:55 AM today at the Mahanoy City exit for a motor vehicle accident involving a tractor trailer. In addition, scanner traffic said State Police were requesting fire police to help shut down the Interstate and northbound on-ramp at exit 131 (Hometown/Mahanoy City exit).

There were reports of one or two vehicle accidents, one involving a tractor trailer, between mile marker 131 and 133.

Plow Truck Catches Fire in Pottsville Overnight

A Pottsville plow truck caught fire overnight on North Third Street and Morgan Alley in Pottsville between the hours of 2am and 3am.

The driver escaped without injuries.

PennDOT Reduces Speed Limits on Major Roadways

Allentown – Due to extreme winter road conditions, PennDOT is temporarily reducing the speed limit on several major roadways in east central Pennsylvania, effective immediately.

Tuesday, February 4, 2014

Schuylkill County High School Basketball Scores - 2/4/14


High School Basketball Scores for 2/4/14

Schuylkill County School Closings - 2/5/14


Schuylkill County School Closings for 2/5/14

Assumption BVM - Closed
Blue Mountain - Closed
Child Development - Closed
Cookie Corner - Nursery School Closed/Daycare Open
Gillingham Charter- Closed
Line Mountain - 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
Panther Valley - Closed
Pine Grove - Closed
Pottsville - Closed
Schuylkill Haven - Closed
Schuylkill Maple Ave. - Closed
Schuylkill Special Ed. - Closed
Schuylkill Tech North and South - Closed
Shenandoah Valley - Closed
St. Ambrose/Schuylkill Haven - Closed
St. Clair - Closed
St. Jerome/Tamaqua - Closed
St. Nicholas/Minersville-Closed
Tamaqua - Closed
Tri-Valley - Closed
Trinity Academy - Closed
Williams Valley - Closed