Local News-Thursday, March 1st

An Auburn man is dead following a crash in South Manheim Township Wednesday morning. Schuylkill Haven State Police report that 79-year-old Joseph Rynkewitz was driving south on Berne Drive when he went up a snow embankment. His vehicle went along the guiderail and went airborne, then struck the base of a tree and tumbled about 100 feet. Rynkewitz was thrown from the vehicle. He was pronounced dead at 10:15am by a Schuylkill County Deputy Coroner.

The Schuylkill County Commissioners hired a Tremont man to fill a combined position of budget analyst/purchasing manager during their meeting Wednesday. Mark Catranis who has a Master's Degree in Accounting, was hired to fill what were previously two separate positions. County Administrator Bill Reppy said that Catranis brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to the position, having worked in an accounting practice in Reading. Catranis begins his new position on March 19th at a salary of $46,885-dollars.

It's going to cost Schuylkill County an extra $251,829-dollars for payments to the 2007 State Workers Compensation Fund. County administrator William Reppy received approval during Wednesday's Commissioners meeting for a supplemental budget resolution, upping the county's obligation to nearly $552-thousand-dollars for 2007. Reppy said the county is self-insured and pays the money to the state which determines each county's liability. He said Schuylkill County’s total liability is estimated at $1.6-Million Dollars. He said he had budgeted $300-thousand-dollars for the fund but was notified only recently of their full liability. He said he was unable to get a more accurate figure when the county drew up its budget. Reppy said the state set the 2008 county payment to the fund at $751-thousand-dollars.

A Landingville man is in county prison for assault. Ryan Celani, and another, unidentified man, attacked Mark Derenzo with a hammer in the parking lot of a Minersville grocery store January 31st. Celani was being sought by police for aggravated and simple assault, terroristic threats, possessing instruments of crime and other offenses. Officers found Celani at an apartment in Minersville on Sunday, where he fought police while attempting to take him into custody. Celani hit a police officer during the scuffle, but was successfully captured. He was arraigned yesterday. Additional charges for assaulting a police officer are expected to be filed against Celani.

Work on water lines in two communities begins today, causing water boil advisories to be issued. Customers of the Pine Grove Water Authority, who live on South Tulpehocken Street, the east end of High Street and Peach Street will need to boil their water due to repairs being done on a water main. The work will affect approximately 50 homes. In Mahanoy Plane, work is commencing today on a water main. Interruption of service and cloudy water may occur. Customers on Water Street and South will be affected. If the water is cloudy, it should be boiled.

Minersville police are investigating two assault incidents over the past week. On February 21st, a 16-year-old was hit in the face with a steel snow shovel. The youth had to be taken to Geisinger Medical Center for treatment. On Tuesday of this week, a Valley View man was also assaulted. Christopher Troutman was treated at Pottsville Hospital for his injuries. Both incidents happened at the Cass-Minersville housing project. The investigation is continuing.

The Tamaqua School District continues to hear flack about enrollment identification requirements for its students. The district has been questioned by the Puerto Rican Legal Defense and Education Fund about them requiring a Social Security card to be enrolled in school. The fund’s officials say that by asking for that particular form of identification, Tamaqua School District violates constitutional guarantees of equal protection. The Puerto Rican Legal Defense Fund indicates that they may take the issue to court. Tamaqua district officials say that they don’t require a Social Security Card, but simply one form of identification, along with proof of residence and immunization. Superintendent Carol Makuta said that while the Social Security Card is not mandatory, some parents provide that as a form of I.D.