Local News-Friday, Dec. 22nd

A much-needed community center is in the works in Pottsville. A parcel of land that was formerly used by PPL will become a multi-use facility, operated by Barefield Development Corporation and the Pottsville Housing Authority. According to the Pottsville Republican, the lot on Coal Street will be transformed in to a building that will house a fitness center, classrooms and other services for the benefit of the entire community. The project is still in the planning phase, but officials say that it will be completed over the next three years. In the meantime, the lot will be turned into a skating rink as soon as the weather gets cold enough. Later next year, basketball courts will be available for public use. Funding for the project is expected to come from a variety of sources.

A tip from a concerned Minersville resident resulted in the arrest of a borough man earlier this week. Borough police now say that Raymond Brown the Third was walking in the area of Second and Sunbury Streets Tuesday with a rifle, acting suspiciously. A short time later, another resident came to the police station and said that Brown had knocked on his door, pointed the gun at him and demanded money. The man gave him money, and he took off. Brown was taken into custody without incident. He was arraigned on charges of burglary, robbery, aggravated assault, theft and other offenses.

Pennsylvania State and local police are conducting increased DUI enforcement during the holidays in an effort to keep drunk drivers off the roads. During the Christmas and New Year’s holiday periods last year, there were 510 alcohol-related crashes and 14 people were killed. In 2005, alcohol-related crashes on Pennsylvania roads claimed 579 lives. PennDOT and The North Central Highway Safety Network urge drivers to be safe to follow some simple guidelines. Use a designated driver, never give alcohol to minors and by all means, wear your seatbelt. Remember, Buzzed Driving is Drunk Driving. Even one drink can seriously impair judgment and could lead to a crash. So, whether attending a party or visiting with friends or family, the right decision this holiday season is not to drink and drive. PennDOT annually invests $2.8 million in DUI enforcement, which includes funding for approximately 540 sobriety checkpoints around the state.

A Frackville woman was injured after crashing into a telephone pole in Pottsville Wednesday night. City police say Tiffany Botzer was driving on Railroad Street when she lost control of her car and hit a pole. She suffered a head injury and was taken to the hospital. A child who was a passenger was not hurt. The car was severely damaged. The investigation continues.

After a lot of work, and numerous council votes, the borough of Tamaqua has a budget deal in place. Council passed the final spending plan Wednesday night. The body had hoped that no tax increase would be necessary, but it appears that a 1-mill property tax will be instituted to balance the 2007 spending project. Several votes and in-depth discussion highlighted this week’s meeting. The purchase of a fire truck and continued flooding cleanup of the Wabash Creek were major sticking points in the budget. After several votes, the Tamaqua council voted to pass a tentative budget. That final vote is expected on December 28th.