Local News-Tuesday, May 29th

Firefighters are working a mult-house fire in Shenandoah this morning. The alarm was called in around 3:45am at 220 North West Street in the borough. Several homes are reportedly involved in the fire. Fire crews from Shenandoah, Shenandoah Heights, Ashland and Frackville are on scene at this hour. More details as they become available.

A Ringtown woman is dead following a crash that she and her husband were involved in while delivering newspapers on Memorial Day. According to Frackville State Police, Roy Lindenmuth and his wife Esther were headed west on Breisch Road in Union Township, when their vehicle left the road in thick fog and hit a utility pole. Roy Lindenmuth was life-flighted to Geisinger Medical Center for treatment of moderate injuries, but Esther Lindenmuth was pronounced dead at the scene by Schuylkill County Deputy Coroner Albert Breznik Jr. The crash, which happened around 5:30am, is under investigation.

Sunny skies welcomed the summer season on Memorial Day, and gave pause to remember those that have served and are still serving in our nation’s military. In many towns and villages across the county, parades and services were held to honor veterans. In Pottsville’s Garfield Square, Palo-Alto native and Petty Officer Mark Atkinson was the featured speaker of the 36th annual Joint Veterans Memorial Day celebration. He called for people to support the troops stationed abroad, fight ignorance, honor veterans, and be vigilant. Also in attendance were members of city and county government as well as representatives from the local veterans’ organizations. The program was concluded by honoring the deceased service men and women, with a wreath laying ceremony, firing squad salute, and the playing of Taps.
(Correspondent Samantha Wertz)

A Shenandoah man is under faces drunk driving and other traffic-related charges following a stop in West Mahanoy Township early Sunday. Frackville State Police report that 31-year-old William Dunleavy was weaving in both lanes of Route 54 near Brownsville around 1:40am. When he was stopped, troopers smelled alcohol and conducted a field sobriety test. He failed that test, and was taken to the Frackville barracks, where it was determined that he was three times over the legal limit. Dunleavy was released to the custody of a family friend, and faces charges in District Court.

A Cressona man and woman were arrested Sunday morning following a domestic dispute.
Schuylkill Haven State Police were called to a home on Railroad Street in Cressona, where Jade Stamm and his wife, Mary Beth live. He said his wife woke him to discuss a family matter when she became angry at him and threw hot candle wax on him, and scratched him. Mary Beth Stamm said that her husband woke her and, during an argument, he allegedly punched her in the neck. Both were charged with simple assault. They were arraigned and released on unsecured bail.

Dick Yuengling called his brewery employees together a few weeks before their labor contract was set to expire. He talked about the future of the business and, according to government documents, at one point told them to "read between the lines." Some see Yuengling's speech as a pep talk to urge employees to work harder. Others see it as an ultimatum to dump the Teamsters union, which is what they did. The union has urged a boycott of the 178-year-old brewery's product, but the company says that has fallen flat. Now, the teamsters say they are going to try to get state lawmakers to intervene. Union leaders say Yuengling told workers that he would sell the business or shut it down unless they shed their decades-long affiliation with the Teamsters. The brewery says employees started a decertification drive on their own.
The National Labor Relations Board says it found no evidence that management pressured employees to leave the union.
(AP)

A donation of $150-dollars can help Pottsville city firefighters. The donations are being sought as part of the Adopt-A-Hydrant program. City council and the department are working to purchase quick-connect adapters for the more than 300 fire hydrants. The devices will make it easier for fire crews to hook up to hydrants during a fire. The donations will be supplemented by grant monies. For more information, or to Adopt-A-Hydrant, call City Hall at 622-1234. For a $150-dollar donation, the hydrant will be painted and a small plague with the donor’s name will be attached to it.