Local News-Thursday, Feb. 1st

A cargo airport project at a site covering part of Schuylkill County was announced yesterday. The $1.6-billion-dollar project, a partnership between Gladstone Partners, Luzerne County and the state, would be constructed on former mining lands in Hazle Township and a portion of the county. If every thing goes according to plan, the project would be completed in three years. The first part of the plan would require approval for airspace from the Federal Aviation Administration. Planners say that if all goes well, the airport could possibly provide over $17-billion-dollars in economic impact to the region.

State police are investigating two instances of debit card fraud. Schuylkill Haven troopers report that someone fraudulently used the debit card numbers of 32-year-old Robert Citrullo of Pine Grove, and Matther Dove of Schuylkill Haven. The unknown persons took $312-dollars from Citrullo’s account and sent the money to another person via Western Union. Dove was tapped for $150-dollars to buy merchandise from a company in England. State police did not say if the incidents are related.

Two Pottsville men were injured in a crash in West Brunswick Township Wednesday morning. 40-year-old Michelle Sonnon of Pottsville was traveling south in the passing lane of Route 61, near the Route 895 intersection when her car struck the rear of Scott White’s car, which was stopped at the red light. White’s car went through the intersection, struck the concrete median and spun around, and was hit by Sonnon’s car again. White and his passenger, Terry White, had to be removed from their vehicle by emergency personnel and flown from the scene for treatment. Sonnon was not hurt. Route 61 was closed for about 1 and a half hours.

Police are investigating the theft of a significant amount of cash from a home in Foster Township. Cass-Foster police say that they received a call from the owner of a Lower Beechwood Avenue home earlier this week. She reported that about $15-thousand-dollars was missing. The woman was hospitalized and away from the home for an extended period of time, and the money was missing when she returned. Police continue to work on the case.

State and local officials are investigating the death of a large number of fish at a trout hatchery in northern Schuylkill County. About 20-thousand-fish were found dead at the Cooperative Nursery at the Shenandoah Pumping Station Dam Sunday. Authorities from the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission were called in to study what caused the kill. The Pottsville Republican reports that volunteers run the program at the pumping station, and are given fish to raise at their own cost. The kill practically wiped out the population they were raising for the upcoming trout season, which begins March 31st in Schuylkill County.

Congressman Tim Holden will be presenting checks to two area fire companies today. Grants will be presented to members of the Tremont Fire Company and the Rescue Hook and Ladder of Shenandoah, from the federal Assistance to Firefighters Grant Program, administered by the US Department of Homeland Security. Tremont Fire Company will receive over $65-thousand-dollars, and the Hookies will get nearly $27-thousand-dollars, to enhance their ability to protect the public.