Local News-Monday, Nov. 20th

To comment on today's local news or submit a story idea:

Shenandoah police arrested two individuals Friday night at a West Coal Street home. Officers executed a search warrant at the home, and found a large amount of cocaine at the apartment. 36-year-old Claudio Baptist and 23-year-old Denette Williams are charged with felony counts of possession with intent to deliver controlled substances and criminal conspiracy, and misdemeanor counts of possession of controlled substances and endangering the welfare of children. Police began investigating the pair in October, through controlled undercover purchases of coke from Baptist. Two children were in the apartment when the raid took place. Baptist and Williams were arraigned and taken to Schuylkill County Prison after they were unable to post bail. The investigation was conducted by members of the Shenandoah Police Department.

An early morning drug busts Saturday in Tamaqua results in several arrests. Officers from Tamaqua and surrounding communities executed Operation Our Town at an Elm Street home, seizing a large amount of cocaine and drug paraphernalia. According to the Pottsville Republican, 50-year-old Judith Allen, who lived in the apartment, Orlando Lebron and Ivan Ortiz of Reading, Tameka Dyer of Lehighton, Christie Cymes of Tamaqua and Adam Venerio, whose address is unknown, were all charged with possession with intent to manufacture or deliver controlled substances, criminal conspiracy and several misdemeanor drug charges. Allen had been previously arrested on similar charges last year. The apartment had reportedly been a hotbed of drug activity in Tamaqua and surrounding communities for some time. Police had been conducting undercover surveillance at the site before the raid. The accused were arraigned Saturday night.

Last Thursday's flooding in Tamaqua has prompted borough officials to schedule debris pickup today. Borough officials have made arrangements with Tamaqua Transfer and Recycling to pickup water-damaged debris from customers' homes. Only borough garbage customers may participate and only water damaged materials from residents basements will be collected. Tamaqua residents who have flood debris in small quantities, six containers or less, should include that debris in their regular garbage collections. If anyone has any questions, call the Tamaqua Municipal Building at 668-3444, or 668-0300.

A Schuylkill Haven woman who was involved in a crash last week is in more trouble. Elizabeth Kuc was injured in an accident on Route 183 in Berks County Thursday. She was taken to Reading Hospital for treatment. Hamburg State Police report that while running a background check on Kuc during the investigation, they found that she was wanted on a felony embezzlement charge in West Virginia. Upon her release from the hospital, she was taken into custody and arraigned on the felony charges. She will be extradited to West Virginia to face charges.