Local News-Friday, Dec. 8th

The area received its first snow of the season last night. The dusting, up to an inch in some locations across the region, forced road crews out to salt roadways, and motorists to slow down. As night fell, the quick moving squalls whitened area roadways, causing minor accidents and some headaches for travelers. Winter officially starts on December 21st.

A Tower City man has been acquitted on charges of sexual assault in Schuylkill County Court. A jury decided that 27-year-old Jonathan Leitzel was not guilty of assaulting a 13-year-old girl in 2004, according to the Pottsville Republican. According to reports, the girl said that Leitzel assaulted her at her home while her mother was asleep. She testified that Leitzel told her not to tell anyone about the incident, and did not tell her parents until April of 2005. His attorney focused on inconsistencies in the girl's story about the alleged assault during testimony. The jury took only 30 minutes to reach the not-guilty verdict.

A New Ringgold man is charged with theft and fraud after he broke into a Schuylkill Haven man's car in October. 19-year-old Rosman Ballard the Fourth broke into a vehicle owned by Joseph Krammes at the Frieden Mobile Home Park on October 15th. During the theft, Ballard took Krammes' wallet, which included several credit cards. Subsequently, Ballard used the cards at several stores and a gas station, charging more than $11-hundred-dollars on the credit cards. He is charged with theft, fraud and receiving stolen property. Ballard was arraigned yesterday and was released on bail. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for December 19th at the office of District Judge James Ferrier.

A Pitman man is under arrest for assaulting a woman early yesterday. State Police at Schuylkill Haven say that 47-year-old David Hoffman Jr. allegedly pointed a shotgun at Melinda Lesher during an argument and fired a shot over her head, narrowly missing her. Hoffman was arrested and charged with simple assault, making terroristic threats, reckless endangerment and other offenses. He was arraigned and taken to Schuylkill County Prison.

A Mahanoy City man's car was destroyed by fire Wednesday morning. 36-year-old Todd Dunlap was driving on Interstate 81 in Butler Township when he noticed flames coming from under the dashboard. He was able to escape from the car before flames consumed the vehicle. The car was destroyed.

A local legislator has been elected vice chairman of the Northeast Democratic Delegation. State Representative Neal Goodman of the 123rd District was elected vice chairman of the 22 member group during reorganization meetings held in the state house Tuesday. The delegation includes Schuylkill and 16 other counties in northeastern Pennsylvania, and works on issues that affect the constituents of the region. He will serve with Joseph Yudichak of Luzerne County, the chairman, and the rest of the 22 member delegation.

A reward fund is growing for information leading to the arrest of the person who stole the tabernacle from a Shenandoah chapel. Someone removed the 2-foot-tall tabernacle from the Shenandoah Area Chapel of Perpetual Adoration last weekend. Donations in the week since the theft have risen to $16-hundred-dollars so far. The investigation is being conducted by Shenandoah police. If you have information, please contact Shenandoah police at 462-1008.