Local News-Monday, Dec. 18th

Two were injured in a one vehicle mishap in West Penn Township Saturday morning. A car driven by 57-year-old Alan Rish of Kelayres was southbound on Route 309, just south of the Lehigh County line when it crossed two lanes of traffic onto the northbound side. The car hit the guiderail, up an embankment and struck a tree. Rish and his passenger, Cheryl Rish, were both taken to St. Luke’s Hospital for treatment. The investigation continues.

Schuylkill Haven State Troopers are investigating a theft at a local grocery store Saturday. Two males and a female were at Aldi’s on Route 61 around 1:30pm, and took 20 frozen lobster tails from the store. The seafood is valued at almost $280 dollars. State police are still looking for the thieves. If you have information, call the barracks at 593-2000.

The problem of elder abuse is growing across the nation in general, and in Schuylkill County in particular. From theft, to other forms of exploitation, the elderly are vulnerable to people who may befriend or take care of them. A community event to bring attention to the issue has been scheduled for next month. The Elder Abuse Task Force of Schuylkill County will hold a free event at 8am Friday, January 5th at the Wall Auditorium at Good Samaritan Regional Medical Center. The program “An Introduction to Elder Abuse and Financial Exploitation” is co-sponsored by the Task Force and the Temple University Institute on Protective Services.

A Pine Grove man has been identified in a hit and run crash from last week. State police at Schuylkill Haven now say that Jeffrey Hoppes pulled out of the Paradise Pub parking lot Wednesday night, and lost control of his pickup truck on the wet roadway, striking a parked SUV. Hoppes left the scene after the crash, and did not report it to authorities. However, witnesses at the scene were able to identify him. He was charged with the hit and run on Thursday.

Someone passed a counterfeit bill at a bar in New Philadelphia, and state police are looking for them. Sometime late Thursday or early Friday morning, a patron at Moe’s Pub used a $20 dollar bill to make a purchase. That bill turned out to be bogus. Information is limited at this time about the identity of the person who passed the bill. Frackville State Troopers are investigating.

Senate Democrats have outlined reform measures to be introduced whenthe new Senate session begins on January 2nd. Senator Jay Costa says his idea is to adopt needed reforms as operating rules that Senators must follow immediately when the Legislature reconvenes January 2nd. Some of the rules would force Senators to wait 24 hours to consider a bill after amending it, and wait 72 hours before final passage, making senators more accountable.