Thursday, February 27, 2014
Schuylkill Haven Police Investigating Hit and Run
Anyone with information on the identity of the driver can contact the Schuylkill Haven Police Department at 570-385-9111
Attorney General Concerned About Spikes in Electric Bills
They've received hundreds of complaints regarding unexpected spikes. They reported that they've received almost 300% more complaints in recent months.
In order to help them investigate or file a complaint, they've provided instructions on what to do and submit your information.
http://www.attorneygeneral.gov/press.aspx?id=7535
Did you see an unusual spike in your bill?
Wednesday, February 26, 2014
PIAA District 11 Schuylkill County Basketball Scores - 2/25/14
PIAA District 11 Schuylkill County High School Basketball Scores
Quick Update: Snow tomorrow?
7:00PM Update: Good evening! Temps will continue to drop overnight. By early Thursday morning lows will end up between 0 and 5 degrees across the county. As we head through the day on Thursday, snow showers and/or squalls will be possible. A quick coating to one inch of snow cannot be ruled out. During the afternoon winds will increase. Gusts could reach 30mph at times. Brief whiteout conditions are possible during bursts of snow or squalls.
Tractor Trailer Driver Causes 2 Accidents in Tamaqua
Shenandoah Police File Charges for Possession of Drug Paraphernalia
Minersville Police Seeking Identity of Individual in Picture
Tuesday, February 25, 2014
Mahanoy City Native Loses Round in Appeal of Murder Conviction
Felony Warrant Issued By Rush Township Police
Anyone with information on her whereabouts are asked to contact the Rush Township Police at 570-668-4242 or the Schuylkill County Communications Center at 570-668-6100. She is possibly in the Tamaqua Area. All tips will remain confidential.
This information is from the Rush Township Facebook page
Monday's Motor Home Fire in Mall Parking Lot
When crews arrived the found the motor home engulfed in flames.
No injuries were reported and fire crews were clear of the scene within a half hour.
New Castle Twp Police are investigating.
Altamont and Englewood Fire responded.
3 Day Outlook
3 Day Outlook:
Tuesday: Mostly Cloudy. A scattered snow shower or snow squall is possible. Highs will reach the mid 20's. Winds will occasionally gust to 20-25mph at times.
Tuesday Night: A snow shower or snow squall is possible. Lows will bottom out in the middle teens.
Wednesday: Mostly Cloudy. Chance of a morning snow shower. Highs in the lower 20's.
Wednesday Night: Clouds begin to clear out. This will help our temps dip down even further. Lows will bottom out between 4 and 9 degrees.
Thursday: Sunny skies with highs in the mid 20's.
Thursday Night: Clear. Lows between 3 and 8 degrees.
Monday, February 24, 2014
BEST OF SKOOK: And the winner of the "Best Photographer" in Schuylkill County is . . . . . .
Two Charged with Theft of Electricity in Shenandoah
Police have filed charges against Santos Torres and Christina Ponce for theft of services with respect to an investigation conducted by Shenandoah Police and PP&L.
Sunday's Fire at the Majestic House Apartments in Tamaqua
Image from TamaquaArea.com |
Tenants living in the Majestic House Apartments in Tamaqua evacuated while firefighters responded twice Sunday (Sunday, Feb. 23, 2014) to an apartment fire on the third story.
Sunday, February 23, 2014
Schuylkill County District 11 High School Basketball Scores for 2/22/14
Saturday, February 22, 2014
One Arrested for Methamphetamine Lab in Coaldale
From TamaquaArea.Wordpress.com
A methamphetamine laboratory was seized and man arrested during a police raid Friday evening (Feb. 21, 2014) at a Coaldale home. Pennsylvania State Police, Coaldale Police and Lansford Police took part in the raid at the home of 11 East Ruddle Street. Coaldale resident Jason Shiffert, 33, was arrested in connection with the meth lab and is being lodged in the Schuylkill County Prison in lieu of bail.
A sign on the front door of the property reads: “A clandestine laboratory for the manufacture of illegal drugs and/or hazardous chemicals was seized at this location on 02/21/14 by Pennsylvania State Police. Known hazardous chemicals have been disposed of pursuant to law. However, there still may be hazardous substances or waste products on this property either in buildings or in the ground itself. Please exercise caution while on these premises.”
Friday, February 21, 2014
PIAA District 11 Schuylkill County Boys Basketball Scores
Temperatures Dip Below Freezing Tonight
Dense Fog Advisory In Effect For Schuylkill County
* VISIBILITIES...ONE QUARTER TO ONE HALF MILE AT TIMES.
* IMPACTS...SIGNIFICANT REDUCTIONS IN THE VISIBILITY WILL MAKE TRAVELING DIFFICULT...
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
MOTORISTS ARE ADVISED TO SLOW DOWN...KEEP HEADLIGHTS ON TO ALLOW OTHERS TO BETTER SEE YOU. ALSO...LEAVE PLENTY OF DISTANCE AHEAD OF YOU IN CASE A SUDDEN STOP IS NEEDED AND ALLOW EXTRA TIME TO REACH YOUR DESTINATION.
FOR THE LATEST WEATHER INFORMATION...GO TO WEATHER.GOV/CTP OR STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO.
Overnight Motor Vehicle Accidents in West Penn and East Union Township
About an hour later, just after midnight, E. Union Twp Fire was called to Holmesville Road/Green Mountain Road for a vehicle into a tree with injuries. No other information or the severity of the injuries are available at this time.
Father, Mother, and Son Charged With Assault After Disturbance in Shenandoah
Around 7PM, Wednesday evening (February 19, 2014), Shenandoah Borough officers were called to the 100 Block of North Jardin St. for a fight in progress. While enroute, officers were advised that the fight involved weapons in the form of shovels and that the fight was escalating.
When officers arrived, they found several people in the street with shovels.
Thursday, February 20, 2014
Mark Kessler No Longer Police Chief of Gilberton, Signs deal for Reality Show?
WNEP's story
http://wnep.com/2014/02/20/mark-kessler-no-longer-police-chief/
The Pennlive.com out of Harrisburg reports that he has signed with a national production company for a reality show.
http://www.pennlive.com/midstate/index.ssf/2014/02/settlement_ends_dispute_with_c.html#incart_river_default
Win Tickets to See Cesar Millan at the Santander Performing Arts Center
Dozens Arrested in Heroin Sweep in Hazleton
Image from AttorneyGeneral.gov |
http://www.attorneygeneral.gov/press.aspx?id=7495
You can read the full list of people from the link above, but some of the people arrested were from Schuylkill County.
Schuylkill County Basketball District 11 Playoff Schedule
Wednesday, February 19, 2014
Schuylkill County High School Basketball Scores
Interstate 81 Open Again After Being Closed for Over 4 Hours
The Interstate has been closed to traffic at the 104 (Ravine), 107 (Tower City), and 112 (Hegins) exits.
Tuesday Morning Fire in Mahanoy City
A woman is displaced after a fire destroyed her Mahanoy City home Tuesday morning.
Schuylkill County School Closings/Delays for 2/19/14
Icy Road Conditions Wednesday Morning
Accidents have been reported from Route 61 in Orwigsburg, Route 61 near Port Clinton, Owl Creek Road in Tamaqua, and all over Interstate 81.
The Interstate is reported to be closed southbound from at the exits at 104 (Ravine), 107 (Tower City), and 112 (Hegins). Multiple accidents were reported within a 2 mile stretch of the Interstate near the Pine Grove exit. One of the accident was reportedly to involve a car and a tractor trailer.
There were also accidents reported Northbound on Interstate 81 near milemarker 131.
Current Closures (at 9:56am)
- Interstate 81 Southbound - Milemarker 112-100
- 209 between Tamaqua and Coaldale
- Hometown Hill near Hometown
- Owl Creek Road, Tamaqua
Tuesday's 3 Vehicle Accident in West Penn Township
Freezing Rain Morning Update
Freezing Rain Morning Update
5:50AM: Good morning! Our
precipitation is currently out in Western Pennsylvania. It will begin to
reach Eastern PA anytime after 8am. The main concern for freezing rain will be in the valleys.
Warmer air is moving in aloft. Basically the higher up you go, the
warmer it is. In fact, elevations are pretty warm this morning. In Frackville it's already 30 degrees. These temps will
continue to rise as we head through the morning hours. In the valleys,
such as Tamaqua and Pottsville, we are stuck between 16-18 degrees. With
that being said, freezing rain will hold on longer in valley locations.
However, if an elevation starts to see rain and it's 33 degrees, it
could still freeze. Ground temps are colder than the air temp. So until
the ground warms up, freezing rain will be a concern for just about all
of the area.
Best Chance for Freezing rain will be after 8am
and lasting until noon. Beyond that, temps will be warm enough to
support plain rain. Again, freezing rain will hold on longer in valley
locations today. Highs today will reach the lower 40's later this
afternoon. Just be careful out there if traveling between 8am and 12pm.
Most main roads should be ok. It's the side roads and untreated surfaces
that ya gotta worry about. Stay safe and have a great Wednesday!
Tuesday, February 18, 2014
One Arrested in Connection with Wal-Mart Arson
One man was arrested Tuesday evening for allegedly setting a fire in the lawn and garden section of the Hometown Wal-Mart.
WNEP is reporting that Police said Johnathan Maldanado, 20, from Hazleton admitted to starting the fire by lighting a can of Silly String and leaving it on a shelf in the store.
Schuylkill County High School Basketball Scores
Freezing Rain Advisory Issued For Schuylkill County
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN STATE COLLEGE HAS ISSUED A FREEZING RAIN ADVISORY...WHICH IS IN EFFECT FROM 4 AM TO NOON EST WEDNESDAY.
Charges Filed Against Man in Car Chase in Shenandoah
Photo from Shenandoah Police Department FB Page |
According to the Shenandoah Police Department Facebook page, Kelly led officers in a vehicle pursuit that began in the Turkey Run area of the borough then ended up going off road ending near Yatesville Road.
The chases ended when Kelly rammed a Shenandoah Police cruiser then fled.
Possible ice preceding warmer temps
Rain showers are expected to move towards the county between 6am and 9am Wednesday morning. Along with the rain, temps will be stuck below freezing. Temps aren't projected to rise above 32 degrees until after the 9am hour. So with light rain moving in during the morning commute, ice is possible. Main roads are normally ok during events like this. It's the untreated surfaces and side roads which cause the most problems. I'll have more information this evening during my 7pm update. I just wanted to give you a heads up in case you haven't heard the news yet.
Highs on Wednesday will approach the 40 degree mark during the afternoon. Thursday will most likely reach the low 40's and Friday has a shot at hitting 50. Don't worry, winter will filter back in by next Monday with highs in the upper 30's.
Police Need Help Identifying 4 People In Relation to Arson Fire at the Hometown Wal-Mart
Rush Township Police are asking the public’s help in identifying four individuals involved in an arson fire this morning (Tuesday, Feb. 18, 2014) inside the Hometown Wal-Mart.
(PAGE DOWN TO VIEW PHOTOS OF THE SUSPECTS)
“These four individuals are responsible for starting the fire near the lawn and garden section of the store,” said Sgt. Duane Frederick, Rush Township Police Department. “The males ran out of the store and got into a black vehicle and fled the parking lot headed north on SR309.” Emergency personnel responded to the Wal-Mart Supercenter in Hometown at 2:26 AM for a report of flames and thick white smoke inside the lawn and garden section of the store.
Truck Overturns in Rush Township Tuesday Morning
No one was injured after a driver flipped his full-size truck on its side around 8 AM today (Feb. 18, 2014) along Ye Old Hauto Road in Hometown, Rush Township. The incident occurred near the SR54 (Lafayette Avenue) intersection. Responding were Rush Township Police, Hometown Fire Company, Quakake Fire Police and Hometown Fire Police. Hope’s Towing removed the vehicle.
Overnight Fire At Hometown Wal-Mart
Shortly after 2:30 this morning (Tuesday, February 18, 2014), emergency personnel responded to the Wal-Mart Supercenter in Hometown for a report of flames and thick white smoke inside the lawn and garden section of the store.
Monday, February 17, 2014
Schuylkill County School Delays/Closings 2/18/14
BEST OF SKOOK: And the winner of the "Best Cheesesteak in Schuylkill County" is . . .
Winter Weather Advisory Issued for Schuylkill County
...WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM 9 PM THIS EVENING TO NOON EST TUESDAY ...
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN STATE COLLEGE HAS ISSUED A WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY FOR SNOW ...WHICH IS IN EFFECT FROM 9 PM THIS EVENING TO NOON EST TUESDAY.
* LOCATIONS ...CENTRAL PENNSYLVANIA.
* HAZARD TYPES ...SNOW OVERNIGHT. PATCHY FREEZING DRIZZLE POSSIBLE IN THE MORNING.
* ACCUMULATIONS ...2 TO 5 INCHES OF SNOW.
* TIMING ...SNOW WILL MOVE INTO THE WESTERN MOUNTAINS BEFORE MIDNIGHT AND SPREAD QUICKLY TO THE EAST ...REACHING STATE COLLEGE AROUND MIDNIGHT AND HARRISBURG AND WILLIAMSPORT BY 2 AM EST. THE SNOW WILL BE BRIEFLY HEAVY. THE SNOW WILL TAPER OFF IN THE CENTRAL MOUNTAINS AND SOUTHEAST BEFORE SUNRISE. HOWEVER ...LIGHT SNOW SHOWERS OR PATCHES OF FREEZING DRIZZLE ARE POSSIBLE THROUGH LATE MORNING.
* IMPACTS ...TRAVEL WILL BE SLOWED SIGNIFICANTLY OVERNIGHT DUE TO THE INTENSITY OF THE SNOW AND BLOWING SNOW. A THIN GLAZE OF ICE MAY OCCUR TUESDAY MORNING AS THE SNOW ENDS.
* WINDS ...SOUTH 10 TO 20 MPH WITH GUSTS UP TO 35 MPH.
* TEMPERATURES ...NEARLY STEADY IN THE MID 20S.
* VISIBILITIES ...LESS THAN A QUARTER OF A MILE AT TIMES OVERNIGHT.
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.
Sunday, February 16, 2014
Mostly Sunny Monday; More Snow Tuesday!
7:15PM UPDATE: Tonight will feature some very cold air once again. Lows will bottom out in the single digits for most of us across the county. A scattered snow shower is possible. Presidents Day is looking mostly sunny! Clouds will begin to increase during the afternoon ahead of our next clipper system. Highs will top out in the upper 20's.
All eyes turn to our next snow event: It will be another nuisance snowfall. If you've made it this far, you can surely handle what lies ahead. Snow showers will break out anytime after midnight on Tuesday. Light to moderate snow will continue through the morning commute. Totals won't be too impressive. Overall, I'm going with a general 1-3" across Schuylkill County. Even though it's not much, it's one of those events that will occur at just the right time to effect your ride to work/school.
Saturday, February 15, 2014
More snow by Tuesday?
8:00PM UPDATE: Good evening! So it looks like everyone saw a general 3 to 7 inches of fresh snow today. I don't know bout you, but I'm sick of shoveling. Tonight will be COLD and WINDY. Gusts could reach 35mph at times. Watch out for blowing and drifting snow if traveling tonight. Sunday will bring us a mix of sun and clouds. It will be cold with highs in the lower 20's. Winds will be be with us once again with gusts to 20-25mph at times. A snow shower is possible.
Yes, more accumulating snow is headed our way. Our next system will get here during the early morning hours Tuesday. As of now, it looks like sometime between 12am and 2am. Snow will wrap up before the noon hour. Totals look to range from 3-6" across the area.
Summit Hill Couple Turns Snow Piles in Snow Art
A sizable creation in the front yard of a Summit Hill home is drawing lots of attention. Summit Hill residents Fred Evans Jr., Shannon O’Donnell and Kevin Gieniec have spent numerous man-hours creating a 45-foot long Valentine’s Day display made of snow, ice and a few other materials. It’s features include a red heart-colored igloo, a 10-foot red arch and about a dozen colored ice hearts.