Local News-Wednesday, Dec. 20th

An autopsy has been completed on the remains of a man found in Foster Township. According to County Coroner David Dutcavich, the autopsy was done at Lehigh Valley Hospital. Results indicate that no foul play was involved, and that the man died of natural causes. Additional tests will be completed to try and determine an exact cause. The unidentified man was found in the bottom of a stripping pit. Authorities will try to ID the man using fingerprints and dental records. The investigation continues.

A Tuesday morning fire destroyed a barn in Hegins Township. State police say that fire erupted in the structure on Orchard Road after 8am. The barn was owned by Mark Stover. Several farm animals and a litter of puppies perished in the blaze. The reported cause was a heating lamp, and has been deemed accidental. Damage is estimated to be $250-thousand-dollars.

The closing of a textile factory in Auburn may have a positive side for the displaced employees. We reported to you yesterday that Auburn Apparel is planning to close their plant at the end of this week. Now, a local garment manufacturer has offered jobs to the 38 employees. The Pottsville Republican reports that Walter Meck, Chief Executive of Fessler USA, a long time Schuylkill County manufacturer, is providing an opportunity to the displaced workers to come work for his company. Auburn Apparel is taking some of their manufacturing overseas, prompting the closing. Fessler USA has 5 plants, including Schuylkill Haven, Deer Lake and Orwigsburg.

An abrupt lane change forced a rush-hour accident on Route 61 Monday. The unknown driver was southbound on Route 61 in the passing lane and made an unsignaled lane change at the Palo Alto split. The pickup truck was hit by a car driven by Kimberly Yarrish of Schuylkill Haven. After the collision, Yarrish pulled off to the side of the road, but the other driver failed to stop. Yarrish's car was moderately damaged and had to be towed from the scene. The investigation continues. An early Tuesday traffic stop leads to the arrest of two illegal immigrants in Delano Township. Frackville troopers stopped a speeding car on Interstate 81. Inside, they found 24-year-old Jose Torres and 26- year-old Maria Zalazar, both of Hazleton. During the subsequent ID check, they found that both were in this country illegally. They were both taken to Schuylkill County Prison. They face deportation by federal authorities.

A Tremont man will spend time in state prison for manufacturing meth. Brian Hoke Jr. will spend at least four years in state prison for manufacturing drugs at a home in Pottsville. The Pottsville Republican reports that Hoke, who was found guilty on charges in May, was sentenced to serve 4 to 8 years for his crimes. Hoke was arrested by Pottsville police after a raid at a home on North Second Street in November, 2004. Hoke's counsel contended that there was insufficient evidence to convict him for manufacturing meth, among other issues. Judge Cyrus Palmer Dolbin ruled against those claims. Hoke can appeal the sentence in state Superior Court.

A local hospital's home health department is among the most elite providers in the country. The Pottsville Hospital and Warne Clinic's Home Health Department was named to the 2006 HomeCare Elite, putting them among the most successful home care providers in the country. The review names Medicare-certified agencies whose performance measures in quality, improvement and financial performance are among the top 25 percent in the country. The review also indicates those providers in the top 100 and 500 nationwide. The 2006 HomeCare Elite is the first performance recognition of its kind in the home health industry. The 2006 HomeCare Elite is brought to the industry by OCS, Inc., the leading provider of healthcare informatics and DecisionHealth, publisher of home care’s most respected independent newsletter Home Health Line. The data used for this analysis was complied from publicly available information.