Local News-Wednesday, May 9th

HAPPY 61ST BIRTHDAY WPPA! On May 9th, 1946, A.V. Tidmore brought radio to Schuylkill County. While much has changed over the years, WPPA's commitment to the community is stronger than ever! Congratulations to Georgine and Argie Tidmore on this historic milestone.

Police say a 68-year-old Minersville man has been charged with the stabbing death of a St Clair woman yesterday. Police filed homicide and assault charges against Nevin Wetzel of Minersville. Wetzel was taken into custody late Tuesday night in the death of 57-year-old Gloria Pauzer of Saint Clair. Saint Clair police report that Wetzel was brought before District Judge Bernadette Nahas by video this morning, as he was incarcerated in the Schuylkill County prison in Pottsville. It was just after six last night Saint Clair Police were called concerning Pauzer's safety and officers went to her home in the 200 block of South Second Street and found her neck and face slashed. A neighbor told police that Pauzer had told him that she was afraid of a man named Nevin as he had made advances on her at the Pottsville Senior Center. Police followed a blood trail from the home and found Wetzel hiding in some bushes along Route 61 and took him into custody. Wetzel allegedly admitted to murdering Pauzer. A joint undercover drug operation results in the arrest of an Ashland man. Butler Township police and members of the DA’s drug task force served an arrest warrant on 28-year-old Gary Bolich last Friday. He is charged with possession and delivery of oxycontin. Bolich was arraigned on the charges, and taken to Schuylkill County Prison in lieu of $15-thousand-dollars, ten-percent bail. To report suspicious drug activity, contact the DA’s confidential drug tip line at 1-800-414-1406. Borough and State Police are investigating. We expect to learn more details today.

A Tamaqua man is suspected of robbing a South Tamaqua bank yesterday. Twenty-six year old Michael Marchalk was taken into custody by West Penn Township police after he allegedly robbed the Wachovia bank branch near the intersection of Route 309 and 443. The Republican and Herald reports that an officer on patrol spotted Marchalk’s car leaving the scene and gave chase. After the stop, the suspect fled on foot for a short distance, but was quickly apprehended. Details about the robbery are sketchy at this time, but Marchalk reportedly gave a bank teller a note, got an undisclosed amount of cash, and fled. He was arraigned and taken to Schuylkill County Prison, on $25-thousand-dollars cash bail.

The morning rush hour was anything but smooth in Cressona yesterday morning. Another truck became wedged under the Blue Mountain and Northern bridge on Route 183. Around 7:15am, Randy Ray Goodman of Statesville, North Carolina, drove his tractor-trailer under the 11 foot, 8 inch steel bridge and his rig got stuck. Traffic was re-routed for almost two hours until the truck could be freed. Railroad employees recently painted the underpass a fluorescent green color to warn trucks of the height, but Goodman’s rig became the 5th vehicle to get stuck in 2007.

The moving exhibit of the Vietnam Veterans wall arrives today in Schuylkill County. The replica of "The Wall" is returning to Schuylkill County for the first time in more than 20 years, as part of the 10th anniversary of the Schuylkill County Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Schuylkill Haven, near Penn State Schuylkill Campus. "The Wall" is making its way to the area from Chester, Pennsylvania. It is expected to be opened to the public on Thursday afternoon, and will be available 24 hours a day through the weekend. On Sunday at 2pm, the Vietnam Veterans Memorial will be re-dedicated. According to Carl "Boonie" Sterner, a member of the Schuylkill County Vietnam Veterans, Pottsville-native, General George Joulwan will be in attendance for the ceremony Sunday. Joulwan, retired Supreme Commander of NATO, was the keynote speaker at the dedication 10 years ago. For those who have never seen the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, the moving wall is a stirring tribute to the over 58-thousand-men and women who died or who are still missing from the Vietnam conflict. The event is being sponsored by Post 29, Veterans of the Vietnam War.

A statewide rally is scheduled for Thursday to ask for funding to help transit systems. In Pottsville, acting Mayor Michael Halcovage will join Governor Rendell and 21 other mayors and transit officials from across the state to ask the Pennsylvania General Assembly to support an annual, dedicated funding source for the state’s 73 public transit systems. Halcovage is representing Pottsville Mayor John Reiley, who will be out of town, to bring attention to the plight of public transportation to maintain aging bus and train systems. Rendell is proposing a tax on the profits of oil companies to raise $760-million-dollars more per year to keep public transportation operating safely, reliably and effectively. Halcovage will participate from Pottsville City Hall.

Volunteer firefighters in Schuylkill County are being provided with some new training opportunities. The county Fire Chiefs Association has developed a 4-hour program to improve the skills of new and existing fire officers at the Schuylkill Fire Training Center in the next week. Frank Zangari, President of the Association, said that the topics were identified as a result of meetings and requests for basic training. The topics covered in the three sessions include planning, communications, command issues and fire investigations. The program begins Saturday, May 12th and continues on May 15th and May 21st. For information and to register, contact John Matz at 621-9912.

Two state representatives have voted to renew the state’s grant program for volunteer fire and ambulance companies. 125th Representative Tim Seip and David Kessler made the announcement Tuesday to permanently authorize the program and provide another $25-million-dollars in funding. The measure passed the House with bi-partisan support. Seip explains that these volunteers put their lives on the line day after day in Schuylkill and Berks counties and across the state, and this crucial funding helps many of them to keep the fire trucks and ambulances rolling. Seip said our volunteer emergency responders already have a heavy burden to shoulder, and this grant program can help them to attract and keep members by reducing the amount of fundraising they have to do. As in previous years, the bill would provide $22 million in grants to fire companies and $3 million to ambulance services. The program is expected to be funded from slots gaming revenues after June 2008.