Local News-Thursday, Dec. 14th

Three people were hurt in a high-speed crash in Mahanoy Township Tuesday night. 19-year-old Conan Luther of Shenandoah was driving west on State Route 4035 too fast and lost control rounding a curve. The car hit a wall, rolled over and hit a pole. Luther, and his passengers, a teenage girl and Joseph Sartori of Shenandoah were hurt, and taken to area hospitals for treatment. State police say they were not wearing their seatbelts. The road was closed for several hours for cleanup.

Thirteen organizations were honored for their Make a Difference Day projects at the Schuylkill County Commissioners meeting Wednesday. The groups range from school children and veterans organizations to businesses. They sponsored a host of different projects that made a difference in the county. In other business, the Commissioners authorized the creation of a Schuylkill County Safe Schools Coalition. It will be comprised of county Emergency Management officials and responders, all area school districts, the Chamber of Commerce and STS. The county is applying for a grant of $196-thousand-dollars to the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development to update the county zoning ordinance as part of the Comprehensive Plan.

Schuylkill County families and business owners who were victims of the storms and floods that struck in mid-November can now receive low-interest loans from the Small Business Administration to help pay for repairs of their damaged property. Low-interest loans are available to eligible homeowners, renters and business owners whose property was damaged in the flood. There are limits to the amount you can borrow. For information and applications, call SBA toll-free at 800-659-2955. Schuylkill is one of 7 counties qualifying for SBA assistance from flooding.

A small earthquake hit Berks County yesterday afternoon. We first told you about the event around 3:30pm, with the epicenter located near Sinking Spring. The tremors registered 2.5 on the Richter scale. No damage or injuries were reported. Officials from the US Geological Survey said that the last minor quake happened in April in that region of western Berks County.

Five men were honored for their bravery during the Orpheum Theatre fire last month. The honors were given during a meeting in Orwigsburg by Mayor Austin Scandiber. According to the Pottsville Republican, Orwigsburg police officer Warren Firing Jr., Robert Phillips and Greg Meisner of the Schuylkill Haven Police, and Orwigsburg firefighters Thomas Bonner and Frank McDonough were commended for their heroism during the fatal fire at the former movie house on November 11th. The men went above and beyond the call of duty during the massive blaze that killed Carol LaTorre. In addition, the Friendship Fire Company Number 1 was given the borough’s Recognition Award.

It’s a matter of balance and focus. For Pottsville Crimson Tide Football players, the road to a state championship game begins with two-a-day practices in the August heat, with the hopes that they will still be playing in mid-December. For offensive lineman Gary Bardzak, the notoriety of playing in a second consecutive state championship, plus being a high school senior, is all a matter of focus. Bardzak said that when he is in school, he focuses on the books, but when he's on the field, its all business. His Mother and Dad make sure he does his homework as soon as he gets home, and his coaches make sure he's prepared on the field. The senior has committed to continue his education and playing career at the University of Connecticut.