Local News-Thursday, Oct. 12th

Fire destroyed three row homes Thursday morning in Mahanoy City. It happened in the 400 block of West Market Street in Mahanoy City. The blaze broke out after 6:30 a.m. and struck seven row homes. Three are destroyed, one is heavily damaged, and the others have some smoke and water damage. No one was injured but at least four families have been forced out of their homes. Officials are investigating.

Firefighters in the Minersville area were very busy Wednesday afternoon battling two fires. The first call came into Schuylkill County 9-1-1 mid-afternoon with the report of a fire on Forest Lane in Forrestville. The home of Howard and Catherine Beury had damage to their bathroom. An electric heater reportedly started the fire. A neighboring home had some smoke damage. The second call came in around 6 o'clock to a home at Spencer and South Fourth Streets. The blaze destroyed the Christopher Bugdanavage home in a quick spreading fire. Laurie Bugdanavage and her children were not home at the time. Her husband reportedly works out of the country. Fire officials say the fire swept through the structure from the first floor up to the second. The exact cause of the blaze is under investigation.

The Schuylkill County Election Bureau will conduct a voter outreach campaign for the upcoming General Election. County Commissioner Chairman Frank Staudenmeier made the announcement at Wednesday's board meeting. Demonstrations of the new voting machines will be held at various locations throughout the county and voters will have the opportunity to familiarize themselves with the machines before next month's general election. This will be the first general election using the new touch screen machines, although they were used in the primary election. Voter registration applications and absentee ballot applications will also be available at the demonstration sites. Voting and registration questions can be answered by visiting the Voter Registration / Election Bureau office located at 420 North Center Street Pottsville or by calling the office at 628-1467, Monday through Friday from 8:30am to 4:30pm. In other bureau matters, the Commissioners approved a request to appoint four new drivers to deliver voting machines, and to appoint 19 Rovers for the November election. Approval was also granted for a polling place change from the Reilly Township Building in Branchdale to Anne's Bakery in Branchdale. The Commissioners also approved a supplemental budget appropriation resolution in the amount of just over $1-Million-150-Thousand Dollars to adjust for grant money received through HAVA for the new voting machines.

Candidates for local legislator sparred over several issues during a debate yesterday at the Schuylkill Chamber of Commerce breakfast. Neal Goodman and Michael Cadau, candidates for the 123rd district seat, Dave Argall and Bill Mackey, who are vying for the 124th legislator spot and Gary Hornberger and Tim Seip, who look to win in the 125th took questions at the annual Legislative Breakfast at the Pottsville Club. Topics debated included property taxes, health care, immigration and legislature reform. Each of the candidates had a brief time to address questions presented by Chamber Governmental Affairs Chair John Yawornitsky. In the past several weeks, these candidates had the opportunity to express their views during live debates on WPPA's For Your Information Program.

Two men who were allegedly involved in a drug overdose death in July had a preliminary hearing Tuesday in Schuylkill County Court. Joseph Sharpe and Dennis Helfritch were both implicated in the fentanyl-overdose death of Eugene Moyer on July 1st. Testimony was heard by a number of witnesses in the case. Initially, Helfritch, Moyer's brother, told police that his brother ate the fentanyl patch, and claimed that he bought the patch from Sharpe for $20 dollars. Sharpe had a prescription for the patches. Both men were charged with murder in the third degree in the case prior to the hearing. But, after testimony, District Judge Stephen Bayer dropped the murder charge against Sharpe. Helfritch will stand trial on the murder charges. Sharpe will stand trial on a charge of possession and delivery of a controlled substance. That charge will also be decided against Helfritch. Sharpe and Helfritch remain in Schuylkill County Prison.

Two drivers were not hurt following an early morning crash in Tower City yesterday. A 16-year-old from Tower City was driving north on Route 209. A car operated by 57-year-old Kerry Richards was stopped at the stop sign at the intersection of Route 209 and 10th Street. Upon pulling out from the intersection, Richards' car pulled out into the path of the teenager’s vehicle and they collided. Both cars had to be towed from the scene.

The Schuylkill County Commissioners granted approval to several agencies seeking grant money during their Wednesday board meeting. The Schuylkill Conservation District will submit an Environmental Initiative grant application to the Governor's Office for $317-thousand-dollars for renovations at the Sweet Arrow Lake County Park. The Office of Emergency Management will apply for an automated flood warning system grant of up to $100-thousand-dollars. Approval was also granted to apply to the PA Department of Community and Economic Development for Home Funds in the amount of $400-thousand-dollars. The money will be used by Gaudenzia of Fountain Springs to rehabilitate the 2nd and 3rd floors of their existing building. Six units of housing with support services will be established for those recovering from substance abuse. The Office of Solid Waste will apply for a Recycling Grant of approximately $455-thousand-dollars to upgrade existing recycling sites, purchase addition collection bins, public education, advertising, and establish new recycling sites. The Solid Waste office was also granted approval to enter into a public education campaign with WPPA Radio and Comcast TV, Pottsville to promote the Solid Waste departments "Let's Do It Right" Campaign. The campaign will run from the beginning of November until the end of May, 2007.