Local News-Monday, Oct. 2nd

Hundreds gathered Saturday for the funeral of Schuylkill County soldier Jennifer Marie Hartman, who was killed in a car bombing in Baghdad last month. Hartman's father, mother, brother and sister and other mourners were joined by about 100 bikers from the Patriot Guard Riders, the Soldiers' Angels, Wheels of Valor and the Leathernecks. The 21-year-old Army sergeant was killed September 14th when an explosive device was detonated near the barracks at a west Baghdad electrical substation that her unit was guarding . The Tamaqua High School graduate entered the Army in July 2003, and was sent to Iraq in December 2005.

A Shamokin man was arrested and charged in connection with the death of a man in March. Thirty-six year old Michael Smith is charged with voluntary and involuntary manslaughter and related offenses in the death of Kenneth Ebright. Ebright was found on a Shamokin street after attending a bachelor party. He suffered multiple skull fractures and was a patient at Geisinger Medical Center for 10 days until his family members decided to remove life support. Smith and Ebright reportedly argued earlier in the day on March 11th. The men were involved in an altercation after the party. Smith pushed Ebright, who fell and hit his head. Smith will face a preliminary hearing Tuesday, He is free on $15-thousand-dollars bail.

The Pennsylvania Attorney General will present a program today at Panther Valley High School in Lansford today. Tom Corbett will present a 30-minute program entitled Operation Safe Surf, an internet safety program to students and faculty at the school this afternoon. The program was created to help educate children, parents and schools about the importance of Internet safety and to provide resources and information to help keep kids safe. Corbett and agents from the Attorney General's Child Predator Unit will discuss online dangers with students, using actual cases to demonstrate how Internet predators identify and stalk potential victims. Since January, 2005, undercover investigations by the Child Predator Unit have resulted in the arrest of 59 suspected Internet predators.

An undercover surveillance operation resulted in the arrest of a Girardville man Friday morning. Crime unit officers from the Frackville barracks received information that 25-year-old William Yawornicky was in the area of the Econo Lodge in Frackville. Yawornicky was wanted in relation to an incident earlier in the week in which a State Trooper from the Schuylkill Haven barracks was injured during a chase on foot. Troopers saw Yawornicky leaving the motel and they arrested him. He was taken into custody. They uncovered marijuana and cocaine during a search of Yawornicky. He was turned over to Schuylkill Haven State Police and later arraigned.

State police are investigating a vehicle fire in Luzerne County. Hazleton troopers report that an Econoline van owned by Wilbur White of Pottsville was parked on property owned by Rossi Excavating in Banks Township, and being used as an office. Sometime between September 18th and 28th, the van was ignited, completely destroying the vehicle. The investigation is ongoing.

It was a busy night Friday for officers conducting a sobriety checkpoint in St. Clair. A total of 1,483 vehicles were contacted during the operation. Three adult DUI arrests wee made. Seventeen other traffic arrests took place. Nine police departments participated in the enforcement program. The checkpoint is part of the North Central PA Regional Sobriety Checkpoint and Expanded DUI/Underage Drinking Enforcement Program. It is funded through PennDOT and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

A chain reaction crash involving 6 vehicles happened Friday afternoon in North Manheim Township. State police now say that a lineup of cars was stopped at the entrance to Penn State, Schuylkill Campus after 3pm. Three cars were stopped in the passing lane at the light, when a car driven by Matthew Harrison of Pottsville had to stop quickly and hit the rear of a car operated by a Summit Station teen. Harrison continued on and hit a car driven by Scott Locher of Mahanoy City. The impact forced Locher's car into a vehicle driven by Brad Kellman of St. Clair, which hit the rear of a car operated by Judi Hancock of Pottsville. No one was injured in the crash.

A group of nearly one hundred people took a historical walk to help others in Pottsville Sunday. The 9th annual Miles for Meals walk raised over $2-thousand-dollars to provide extra meals to clients of the Diakon Meals on Wheels program. Several different walks were available to fit a person's ability. The Miles for Meals walk returned to Pottsville as part of the Bicentennial celebration after visiting other Schuylkill County communities over the past 8 years.