Skook News - Your #1 Source for Schuylkill County News

Friday, February 19, 2016

Break the Ice Oldies Dance

Warm it up at the Sweet Arrow Lake County Park clubhouse by dancing to the music of "TBA" on Friday, March 4, 2016, 7:00-10:00 p.m. Admission is $10 advance ticket purchase and $12 at the door. For tickets call Susan at 570-624-3018.

S.W.A.T Softball Presents the 1st Annual Kissling Showdown

Softball with an Attitude Softball Presents the 1st Annual Kissling Showdown.

PennDOT, State Police Highlight Highway Safety Laws to Increase Awareness, Safety

Harrisburg, PA (February 18, 2016) Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) Secretary Leslie S.Richards and State Police Commissioner Tyree Blocker today urged drivers to
review and obey driver safety laws that can often be overlooked.

“We look to create awareness surrounding laws that drivers may not pay attention to, but also to provide reminders as to what each law entails,” Secretary Richards said. “PennDOT and the Pennsylvania State Police feel it is important to raise awareness through education and outreach, but to also spark conversation via social media.”

Ahead of the state’s Highway Safety Law Awareness week, which runs from February 21-27, the agencies provide the following reminders:

• The “4 Foot Bicycle Law” requires drivers to pass a bicycle at a distance of “not less than four feet” at a careful and prudent speed. The law also permits drivers to cross the center line during this process if safely able to do so. No turn by a driver should interfere with a bicycle proceeding straight.
• “Obey Traffic Signals” focuses on driver safety due to hazardous conditions. Drivers who drive around or through traffic control devices closing a road or highway could receive a $250 fine and two points on their driving record.
• “Teen Seat Belt Law” requires that the driver and all passengers under the age of 18 must wear a seat belt anywhere in the vehicle. Also, drivers under 18 may not operate a vehicle where the number of passengers exceeds the number of available seat belts.
• “Increased fines in work zones” urges motorists to be aware when passing through an active work zone. Anyone violating the posted speed limit by more than five miles per hour will face doubled fines. The fine is determined based on the amount the driver is traveling over the speed limit. A recent amendment of the law also states that any driver who causes serious bodily injury
within a work zone could face up to $5,000 in fines and a six-month license suspension. A driver causing a death within a work zone would face up to a $10,000 fine and one-year license suspension.

"It is important that every driver on Pennsylvania’s roadways is familiar with the laws as they relate to operating a vehicle,” Colonel Blocker said. “This familiarity can go a long way towards keeping yourself and others safe while behind the wheel.”

Weekend Fire Ruled Arson

A weekend fire has been ruled arson,

Thursday's Schuylkill County Weather Forecast - 2/18/16

The Access Services Life Programs in the Schuylkill Region will be hosting a Paint and Enjoy Party Fundraiser on Saturday, March 12 at 7:00 pm at the Hometown Fire Company. Artist and Graphic designer, Connie Higgins, will be guiding you step by step through the process of creating a masterpiece. The best part is, you don’t need to have any painting skills to participate!

Tickets must be purchased in advance by calling 570-640-5774 or emailing kwhite@accessservices.org. Come out and have a blast, all while supporting the Life Programs! Thank you for your support!

Toyota Recalling Over 1 Million SUV's

TORRANCE, Calif., Feb. 17, 2016 – Toyota Motor Sales, USA, Inc. announced Wednesday that it is conducting a safety recall of approximately 1,124,000 Model Year 2006-2012 RAV4 and Model Year 2012-2014 RAV4 EV vehicles.

The involved vehicles are equipped with lap-shoulder seatbelts in both second-row outboard seats. There is a possibility that, in the event of a very severe frontal crash, the lap belt webbing could contact a portion of the metal seat cushion frame, become cut, and separate. If this occurs, the seat belt may not properly restrain the occupant, which could increase the risk of injury.

Owners of the involved vehicles will receive notification by first class mail. Toyota dealers will add resin covers to the metal seat cushion frame at no cost.

Information about automotive recalls, including but not limited to the list of involved vehicles, is subject to change over time. For the most up-to-date Safety Recall information on Lexus, Toyota and Scion customers should check their vehicle’s status by visiting http://www.toyota.com/recalland entering the Vehicle Identification Number (VIN). Safety Recall inquiry by individual VIN is also available at the NHTSA site: safercar.gov/vin. For any additional questions, customer support is also available by calling Toyota Customer Service at 1-800-331-4331 or Lexus Customer Service at 1-800-255-3987.

Wednesday, February 17, 2016

Upcoming Hidden Valley Golf Course Events

Upcoming Events for Hidden Valley Golf Course, Pine Grove.

On February 16th, 2016, Frackville Borough Police arraigned Janice Huth, 54, of Frackville on charges related to domestic violence.

LCCC to Host Transfer Fairs

Schnecksville, Pa., Feb. 17, 2016 – Lehigh Carbon Community College (LCCC) will host transfer fairs for students, alumni and the public at several of its sites in March. Representatives from various colleges and universities will be on hand to answer questions about transferring from LCCC to a four-year school. The following transfer fairs are scheduled:

Tuesday, March 8, 2016 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. - main campus in Schnecksville in the Lisa Scheller and Wayne Woodman Community Services Center (CSC)
Wednesday, March 9, 2016 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. - LCCC Tamaqua at the Morgan Center
Monday, March 14, 2016 from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. – LCCC Allentown at the Donley Center

LCCC also offers a college visitation program where students interested in transferring can meet with college representatives on a “drop in” basis or by appointment. The calendar of events can be found at http://www.lccc.edu/transferfair.

Sponsored by the Advising and Transfer Center and LCCC’s Phi Theta Kappa chapter, the transfer fairs are free and open to the public. For more information, please contact the Advising and Counseling Office at 610-799-1137 or transfer@lccc.edu. For a complete list of colleges and universities that will be present, visit www.lccc.edu/transferfair.

Fire Crews Called to Fire Early Wednesday

Around 5:30am Wednesday, Fire crews were called to working structure fire, located at 75 North Lake Drive, North Manheim Township, .

The National Weather Service issued an alert Wednesday morning for the possibility of black ice on roadways.

Man Facing Charges for Alleged Assault During Repossession

A Schuylkill County man is facing assault charges after threatening two men while they attempted a repossession.

The National Weather Service has issued a weather alert for water than is ponding on roadways.

Around 2:15am, Tuesday morning, Interstate 81 Southbound was closed at Milemarker 104 (Ravine) due to an overturned Tractor Trailer.

Schuylkill County Weather Related Announcements - 02/16/16

Winter Storm Warning Issued for Schuylkill County

The National Weather Service has issued a Winter Storm Warning for Schuylkill County.

The Skook Recovers: Community Outreach Event at North Schuylkill

PHOTO: Sunset Over Lake Wynonah

Sunset Over Lake Wynonah Sunday Evening. Photo Courtesy of Neil Sibulsky

Schuylkill County School Delays & Closings - 02/16/16

Schuylkill County School Delays - 02/16/16

Monday's Schuylkill County Weather Forecast - 02/15/16

After being closed for almost 10 years, a well-known restaurant is getting new life.

Schuylkill County Early Dismissals - 02/15/16

Schuylkill County Snow Emergencies and Parking Bans - 02/15/16

Schuylkill County Snow Emergencies and Parking Bans - 02/15/16

On February 11, 2016, tires and rims were stolen from a vehicle on the lot of All American Jeep, Tamaqua.

The incident occurred around 8:30PM.

Below is video of the

theft.

Anyone with information should call Tamaqua Police at (570) 668-5000.

Winter Weather Advisory Issued

A Winter Weather Advisory has been issued for Schuylkill County and the surround counties

WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM 2 PM MONDAY TO 1 AM EST TUESDAY...

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN STATE COLLEGE HAS ISSUED A WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY... WHICH IS IN EFFECT FROM 2 PM MONDAY TO 1 AM EST TUESDAY.

* SNOW ACCUMULATIONS... 1 TO 3 INCHES.

* ICE ACCUMULATIONS... AROUND A TENTH OF AN INCH... WITH SLIGHTLY HIGHER AMOUNTS IN THE SOUTHERN ALLEGHENIES.

* TIMING... SNOW WILL DEVELOP ON MONDAY AND TRANSITION TO A WINTRY MIX OF SLEET AND FREEZING RAIN MONDAY EVENING BEFORE CHANGING OVER TO PLAIN RAIN MONDAY NIGHT INTO TUESDAY.

* IMPACTS... HAZARDOUS TRAVEL CONDITIONS.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

HAZARDOUS WINTER WEATHER CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED OR OCCURRING. USE CAUTION IF TRAVELING. FOR THE LATEST WEATHER INFORMATION...

Crews On Scene of Early Morning 3-Alarm Fire in Shenandoah

Around 4:15am, Sunday, fire crews and emergency personnel were dispatched to 5 North Main Street, Shenandoah for a house fire.

As units arrived on scene, the fire was upgraded to a 2nd alarm, then a 3rd alarm later for manpower.

Crews from the surrounding communities have been called. The crews are battling 5 degree weather as they battled the blazed

As of 8:00am, crews are still on scene.

More details when they are available.

Working fire currently in Shenandoah
Posted by Schuylkill County Firewire on Sunday, February 14, 2016

Saturday, February 13, 2016

2016 District XI High School Basketball Playoff Schedule

Lane Restrictions Scheduled for This Week for Bridge Inspections

Schuylkill League Championship Basketball Results

Schuylkill League Championship Basketball Results

On Friday, Mahanoy City Police arrested Pietrina C Hoffman, 52, for the death of a 15 month old Navaeh Doyle on January 10th, 2016. Mahanoy City Police report she was the caretaker of the child.

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN STATE COLLEGE HAS ISSUED A WIND

CHILL ADVISORY...WHICH IS IN EFFECT FROM 5 PM SATURDAY TO 11 AM
EST SUNDAY FOR SCHUYLKILL COUNTY.

Friday's Schuylkill County Weather Forecast - 02/12/16

Scheduled Interstate 81 Road Work in Schuylkill County

Schuylkill League Boys Basketball Playoff Semi-Final Results

Submitted Photo

A driver fled a crash in Mahanoy Township late Thursday.

Frackville Man Facing Assault Charges

Frackville Borough Police arrested Addison Hummel, 22, of Frackville, after an incident in the borough on Monday February 8th, 2016.

By popular demand, the Funkin' Fastnachts t-shirts are now available in our Skook Apparel Store.

HARRISBURG — Pennsylvania Attorney General Kathleen G. Kane’s office today warned of a new variation of a pervasive telephone scam that aims to defraud taxpayers. The well-known “IRS scam” has reemerged recently, but this time fraudsters are posing as U.S. Treasury agents.

Thursday's Schuylkill County Weather Forecast - 2/11/16

Around 9:45AM, Thursday morning, fire crews were called to 33 Maple Street, Pine Grove, for a working structure fire.

Pottsville, PA – February 11 is 2-1-1 Day. What better time to recognize this new call service making a difference in Schuylkill County!

2-1-1 is the free, confidential, 24-hour information and referral service that connects Schuylkill County with all the health and human services available to help.

“People called to find information on basic needs, like heating or utility assistance, eldercare, or to find the closest food bank,” said Kelly K. Malone, Executive Director, Schuylkill United Way. “But they also called for everyday information like where to take their child for developmental screening, or how to locate job training or how to schedule free tax filing support through local services.”

“Without 2-1-1 assistance, the average person would make numerous phone calls to many different agencies before finding what they’re looking for,” said Toni Gainer, 2-1-1 Director. “And even then, it may not be the right answer. 2-1-1 information and referral specialists are specially trained to listen, assess the situation, ask the appropriate questions, and then refer the caller directly to the human services that will address their problems.”

Schuylkill United Way has been providing referral services since October 2015, and became part of the national 2-1-1 program launched by United Way over 20 years ago. The user-friendly, three-digit 2-1-1 number now serves more than 283 million Americans—more than 90% of our population—in all 50 states, Washington, DC, and Puerto Rico.

So what happens when someone calls 2-1-1? The call is routed to the regional 2-1-1 call center based in Lancaster County. There it is answered by a trained, bilingual information and referral specialist, who discerns the need, then searches a comprehensive database of relevant human service referrals. The 2-1-1 specialist then explains how to access those services, availing a translation service for over 170 different languages, if needed.

Here are just two examples of lives touched locally by 2-1-1:

A veteran recently reached out to 2-1-1 in need of housing assistance for his family. United Way’s 2-1-1 trained referral specialists were able to serve as the vet’s first point of contact so that he and his family maintained a roof over their heads.

Although housing was the vet’s most pressing need, the trained, information and referral specialist assessed the family situation and learned that he and his family also needed utility and food assistance. He was also connected with utility assistance programs, local food pantries, a place to apply for SNAP/Food Stamps, and how to file their taxes for free.

A mother, calling from a rural area, needed help for her son. Treatment for a workplace injury had escalated into an addiction to pain medication. Her 2-1-1 specialist connected her with the substance abuse professionals he needed. She was also referred to assistance programs such as support groups for herself and her son.

United Ways have been long-standing supporters and the national leader of the 2-1-1 movement in Partnership with AIRS (Alliance of Information and Referral Services). As the largest private funder of the 2-1-1 network, United Ways continue to strengthen and support 2-1-1 as another way to build stronger communities and create opportunities for all.

Schuylkill County School Delays - 02/11/16

Mahanoy Area - 2 Hour Delay, Elementary Only

Minersville - 2 Hour Delay

North Schuylkill - 2 Hour Delay

Tri-Valley - 2 Hour Delay

Trinity Academy - 2 Hour Delay

Wednesday, February 10, 2016

Schuylkill League Girls Basketball Playoff Semi-Final Scores

Schuylkill League Girls Basketball Playoff Semi-Final Scores

Around 10:00PM Monday evening, emergency crews were called to the area of the Bad Dog Fitness Center, along Route 924, near Shenandoah for a pedestrian struck by a vehicle.

Wednesday's Schuylkill County Weather Forecast - 2/10/16

Did you know that registration stickers will be eliminated at the end of 2016? How will law enforcement verify your license plates going forward?

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At the invitation of PennDOT Secretary Leslie S. Richards, legislators and law enforcement officers received a demonstration of Automated License Plate Reader (ALPR) technology that provides law enforcement a better tool to verify expired vehicle registrations.

“License plate reader technology allows a single law enforcement officer to quickly, accurately and reliably check the status of thousands of license plates on a single shift using information from PennDOT’s registration database to determine if there are expired registrations or lack of
insurance for the vehicle,” said Richards. “It is a true force multiplier.”

Plate reader technology holds numerous advantages over the visual inspection of registration stickers, which can be counterfeited, sold, affixed to dead plates or applied to plates for which they were not intended. By querying the registration information using ALPR technology, a law enforcement officer
can identify expired vehicle registrations and insurance coverage. If there is something wrong, the officer would be immediately alerted by the ALPR of a problem with the vehicle’s registration.

To help law enforcement to prepare for the provision of Act 89 of 2013 that eliminates issuance of vehicle registration stickers by 2017, PennDOT is proposing a grant program utilizing the savings from the elimination of the registration stickers. The grant program could provide grants to law
enforcement officers for the purchase and maintenance of license plate readers.

With the elimination of registration stickers beginning January 1, 2017, customers will see a significant benefit in increased convenience when renewing vehicle registrations.

“Without the registration sticker, the future of Pennsylvania vehicle owners certainly looks brighter with respect to the registration renewal process,” said Richards. “By further leveraging technology, we can make renewing your vehicle’s registration and having an immediate, permanent registration
credential in hand as easy as spending a few minutes online from your home computer.”

Beginning January 1, 2017, customers who renew online will be able save a copy of and print a permanent registration card on demand. Future plans also include allowing customers to eventually upload their registration cards to their smart phones and eliminate the requirement to print a copy altogether.

Further savings will be realized in reduced mailing costs. Currently, 40 percent of customers already renew vehicle registrations online. Eliminating the need to mail these customers a registration sticker coupled with the ability to print their registration card on demand will eliminate more than $2 million per year in mailing costs. In addition, the elimination of the registration stickers will save $1 million a year in product costs, bringing the estimated first year savings to approximately $3.1 million.

The last registration sticker will be issued December 30, 2016. Customers will still need to have their vehicles registered and inspected, but will not be required to display a registration sticker on their license plate after December 31, 2016.

For more information on the plan to eliminate registration stickers, please visit www.dmv.pa.gov and look under the Registration Stickers tab under Vehicle Registration. The elimination of the registration sticker was evaluated as part of a Penn State University research study that concluded eliminating the registration sticker would have no impact on compliance with vehicle registration laws. A copy of the study is on the Driver and Vehicle Services webpage at www.dmv.pa.gov at the Registration Stickers tab under Vehicle Registration.

Tuesday, February 9, 2016

Two Pennsylvania Residents Test Positive for the Zika Virus

The Pennsylvania Department of Health announced Tuesday ,the first confirmed cases of Zika virus in two residents who recently traveled to countries affected by the ongoing outbreak of the disease.

Schuylkill County School Delays and Closings - 02/10/16

Assumption BVM - 2 Hour Delay

Blue Mountain - 2 Hour Delay

Gillingham Charter - 2 Hour Delay

Mahanoy Area - 2 Hour Delay

Minersville - 2 Hour Delay

Nativity BVM - 2 Hour Delay

North Schuylkill - 2 Hour Delay

Pine Grove - 2 Hour Delay

Pottsville - 2 Hour Delay

Schuylkill Haven - 2 Hour Delay

Schuylkill Maple Ave - 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. Clair - 2 Hour Delay

Tamaqua - 2 Hour Delay

Tri-Valley - 2 Hour Delay

Trinity Academy - 2 Hour Delay

Williams Valley - 2 Hour Delay

Wanted Man Turns Himself In

On February 8th, 2016 Frackville Borough Police were summoned to Magisterial District Judge Christina Hale’s office, Frackville, where a wanted person wished to turn himself in.

Friday, February 19, 2016

Thursday, February 18, 2016

Wednesday, February 17, 2016

Tuesday, February 16, 2016

Monday, February 15, 2016

Sunday, February 14, 2016

Saturday, February 13, 2016

Friday, February 12, 2016

Thursday, February 11, 2016

Wednesday, February 10, 2016

Tuesday, February 9, 2016