Local News-Thursday, Dec. 7th

Two vehicles were involved in a crash in North Manheim Township yesterday. A van driven by Dwayne Pepper of Northumberland and a car operated by Bernard Pytko Jr. were westbound on Route 901 around 3pm when Pepper attempted to turn right onto Mengle Street. Pepper suddenly traveled back onto Route 901 and struck Pytko's car. During the post-crash investigation, Pepper told state police that he was attempting to make a U-turn and did not see Pytko's car coming towards him. Pepper was hurt and taken to Pottsville Hospital. Five passengers in the van, who were from the Northwestern Juvenile Academy in Coal Township, were not hurt. Pytko was not hurt. Traffic was backed up for about an hour for cleanup.

A drug dealer from Philadelphia is expected to spend a lot of time in prison after being found guilty in Schuylkill County Court. The Pottsville Republican reports that Godfrey Walls was convicted of six counts of conspiracy to deliver a controlled substance, but was found not guilty on charges of using a communication facility in the commission of a crime. Walls was charged for drug transactions that took place in 2004. He will be sentenced later. In another case decided during this criminal term, 22-year-old Roberto Gonzalez was found guilty of selling cocaine in Minersville last year. Gonzalez, who was originally scheduled to stand trial in September, had his case heard before a jury this week. He will be sentenced at a later date.
Gonzalez also faces federal drug charges in January.

Their training is complete, and the suspension of the Greenwood Hill Fire Company has been lifted. Fire Trustees in the city of Pottsville voted to lift the suspension of the company that began in May. The Pottsville Republican reports that the company has completed the required training and certifications to allow the members to return to full service along with the other seven city fire companies. Company officials say that the suspension turned out to be a good thing for the company, and that there is a renewed dedication to the volunteer fire service by its members.

Retired Schuylkill County employees will soon see a cost of living adjustment in their retirement checks. The County Retirement Board voted to grant the adjustment during their meeting Wednesday. County Administrator Bill Reppy said retirees increases will range between two and three percent, depending on each individuals terms of retirement. In his report to the board, County Controller Gary Hornberger said the County's retirement fund stands at over $87.4-Million Dollars, the highest amount ever recorded.

A man who created a "winning" Pennsylvania Lottery ticket and planted it at work as a practical joke is now serving a sentence of a year of probation for forgery and tampering with public records. James Koons Jr. of Hegins also was ordered yesterday to pay a 25-hundred dollar fine and may have to pay the legal fees of the co-worker who was arrested after trying to redeem the ticket at Lottery headquarters. Koons' lawyer said his client meant it as a joke when he left the bogus 853-thousand dollar ticket underneath a newspaper in the break room at a Roadway Express terminal in Carlisle last year. Koons pleaded guilty. Brian Miller was charged with unsworn falsification after telling investigators he purchased the ticket, which had in fact been created on Koons' home computer. A jury acquitted him in May.

The Schuylkill County Commissioners tabled for further study a request for a contract addendum to extend the current food service providers contract at the County Prison. Warden Eugene Berdanier attended Wednesday's Commissioners work session asking that the current contract between the County and Compass Group USA, INC. be extended from March 1, 2009 to March 1, 2012. Compass would fund prison kitchen equipment facilities not exceed $60,000 to be billed back to the county at a monthly fixed rate over a five-year period, effective January 1, 2007. Controller Gary Hornberger said it may not be possible to extend the service without seeking new bids. In other business, the board was asked for approval to apply for several grants with no county matching funds required. An $8,000 grant will be sought by Rest Haven for security cameras, monitors and digital video equipment for inside the facility. A $20,000 grant will be sought for upgrades to the courthouse internal speaker system. A $7,500 grant will be sought to support the elder abuse task force's programs for public awareness and education program. A $138,000 grant will be sought from the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency's Drug Control and system improvement program. A $400,000 grant will be sought for a "Click it or Ticket" program.