Local News-Tuesday, June 12th

An area native has been elevated to archbishop in the Catholic church. Louisville, Kentucky's new archbishop is a native of Mahanoy City, Pennsylvania. The Vatican announced today on its Web site that 60-year-old Joseph Kurtz has been serving as bishop of Knoxville, Tennessee.
Kurtz holds a bachelors degree in philosophy; a masters in divinity from Saint Charles Borromeo Seminary in Philadelphia; and a masters in social work from Marywood School of Social Work in Scranton, Pennsylvania. He was ordained a priest in the Diocese of Allentown,
Pennsylvania in 1972. He worked as an assistant pastor, teacher in high school and college, and as an assistant director of vocations. Kurtz directed several services, including the Social Action
Bureau, the Catholic Social Agency and Family Life Bureau, and Catholic Charities. Kurtz succeeds Archbishop Thomas Kelly, who submitted his resignation when he turned 75 in July. Kelly had remained on the job until his successor was appointed. He was named monsignor in 1986 and served as pastor of churches in Catasauqua and Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. Kurtz was named bishop of the Diocese of Knoxville on October 26th, 1999. He is also chairman of the U-S Conference of Catholic Bishops Committee on Marriage and Family.

The body of an unidentified person found at 9:20 am Friday in or near Mahanoy Creek in Northumberland County is that of a 30 to 40-year-old white woman, Northumberland County Coroner James Kelley told the Daily Item on Monday. The area had been searched at least twice before the body was found Friday. It became an area of interest to police after the disappearance of 42-year-old Sherry Wolfgang, of Mount Carmel, who was last seen in January. Police became interested in the area after Mrs. Wolfgang's husband, Steven, told them he killed her and dumped her body in the creek. Forty-Seven-year-old Steven Wolfgang remains locked up in the Schuylkill County prison on arson charges for torching her vehicle on January eighth. The body of the deceased white woman was removed from the scene Friday. At the scene were state police, Mr. Kelley and forensic anthropologists from Applied Forensic Sciences at Mercyhurst College. Kelley says authorities are having difficulty finding any medical or dental records to aid in the investigation. He is asking that any local dentists, doctors, or hospitals who may have records of Sherry Wolfgang, who also went by the names Sherry Darlene Peters and Sherry Darlene Sheriff, to contact the coroner's office at 988-4323 or state police at Stonington at 286-5601. Kelly says the identification process could take anywhere from weeks to months. Samples from the body were sent to the Pennsylvania State Police lab for DNA processing on Monday.

One northern Schuylkill County community is under a water boil advisory this morning. Bob Legutko from the Mahanoy Township Water Authority tells WPPA/T102 News that Mahanoy City is under a boil advisory until further notice due to ongoing construction of their water system. Residents in Mahanoy City should take their water to a rolling boil for at least one minute, then let it cool before consumption.

The damage estimates from Sunday's fire in Shenandoah now stands at more than $200-thousand-dollars and may go higher. The early morning fire on Main Street destroyed a camper and several buildings, leaving nearly a dozen people homeless. State police fire marshal John Burns and Shenandoah officials are continuing their investigation into an exact cause, and arson is suspected. The blaze began in a camper that was parked near a garage on Main Street, and spread quickly to adjoining buildings.

Mahanoy City police are continuing their investigation into a home invasion over the weekend.
Chief Mark Wiekrykas reports that two armed males, one white and one black, entered a home in the 600 block of East Pine Street around 10:30pm. They assaulted a man, took clothing and a backpack and fled in a red Dodge Neon. The car was found several hours later in Hazleton, with its tags removed. The incident may be drug-related. Mahanoy City and Hazleton police are continuing the investigation. The suspects are described as a white male, about 20 years old, 5-foot-seven and 140-pounds. The other is a black male, 6-foot-three and 220 pounds. If you have information about either of the two men, call Mahanoy City police at 773-2310.

A Pottsville man was picked up by city police in connection with a string of vehicle break-ins.
Officers now say that Robert Britting was arrested several weeks ago for breaking into cars near Hotel Street on May 26th, and between the 600 and 700 block of West Arch Street on May 24th. Various items, including some cash, were taken in the break-ins. Officers say that Britting was spotted in the city, apparently drunk, on May 26th, and a search of the area uncovered a backpack. All tolled, Britting is suspected in 9 vehicle break-ins. He was charged with multiple counts of theft from a vehicle, theft and receiving stolen property, public drunkenness and related offenses. Those charges were filed with local district courts.

Mahanoy City police are investigating an attempted arson of a parked car Sunday evening. William Murphy of 526 East Center Street reported that he noticed a partially burned rag hanging from the gas tank of his car yesterday morning. Police believe that overnight Sunday, someone unscrewed his gas cap, placed the rag into the tank and lit it. But, it burned itself out before igniting the gas. The side of the car was scorched. Witnesses in the area recalled seeing a white male running in the area of Herman’s Park, away from the scene of the crime, and jumped into a waiting car. Police aren’t sure that this person is tied to attempted arson. The investigation is continuing.

State police are continuing their investigation of a burglary at a pizza shop in the Schuylkill Mall.
Sometime between Sunday and Monday, unknown thieves broke into Suglia’s Pizza in the mall, and took an undetermined amount of cash. Anyone with information should call Frackville State Police at 874-5300.

The investigation into criminal mischief at a motor sports park in Frailey Township continues.
According to Schuylkill Haven state police, someone entered the Rausch Creek Motor Sports property yesterday and opened a trailer owned by Velocity Cycles. Three dirt bikes were removed from the trailer and placed on the ground. There was nothing damaged. The would-be thief then fled the scene. State police continue to work the case.

Liquor control agents arrested a West Hazleton man in Shenandoah on Friday evening with an open container of beer. Trooper Michael Rutkowski of the Bureau of Liquor Control Enforcement in Allentown reports that Jose’ Sanchez Garcia was walking in the area of Vine Street in Shenandoah after 6pm Friday with an open can of Budweiser. He was cited for underage drinking, then released. He will have 10 days to answer the charge with the District Court.