Local News-Tuesday, Nobember 22, 2011

Over Ten Percent of Schuylkill County Income From Social Security

According to a report published by Bill Bishop and Robert Gallardo in the Daily Yonder, if Schuylkill County residents didn’t receive their monthly payments from the Social Security Administration, ten point one percent of total income in the county would be lost. The people of Schuylkill County are more reliant on Social Security payments than any county in the rest of the nation. Nationally, 5.5 percent of total personal income comes from Social Security, in Pennsylvania the total is 6.7 percent, still well below Schuylkill County’s 10.1 percent. There are 36,700 people receiving benefits in the county. Old age pensions account for 67.8 percent of the total, while 13 percent collect survivor benefits, and 19.2 percent collect disability. That comes to about 25 percent of the population, with each collecting an average of almost three thousand two hundred dollars.

Schuylkill Haven Man Admits to Sexual Assault

Joseph Curry of Schuylkill Haven, went before Judge Cyrus Palmer Dolbin on Monday and admitted that he committed multiple sexual acts with a boy who was between the ages of four and eight. Curry pled guilty but mentally ill to counts of aggravated indecent assault, endangering the welfare of children, statutory sexual assault, indecent assault, corruption of minors, and indecent exposure. Other charges against Curry were dropped. Judge Dolbin ordered Curry to be examined by the Sexual Offenders Assessment Board prior to sentencing to determine if he is a sexually violent predator or a sexual offender. Regardless of the outcome of the examination, Curry will be subject to lifetime Megan’s Law sanctions.

Salvation Army In Full Swing

Jay Levan reports on the busy days underway at the Pottsville Salvation Army.

Salvation Army Thanksgiving

Haven Students To Perform In The Nation's Oldest Thanksgiving Day Parade. Jay Levan has the story.

Haven Parade

Pottsville Zoning Board Okays Plans for Elderly Apartments

Barefield Development Corporation received clearance from the Pottsville Zoning Hearing Board on Monday to proceed with their plans for a 3.2 million dollar project to renovate the former Alpha Mills building on Ninth Street. The plans include renovating the building to make eleven apartments that will be rented to elderly residents. The next step in the process is getting approval from the Pottsville Planning Commission, then funding for the project must be secured. When all hurdles are cleared, Barefield estimates that it will take six months to renovate the building to make it ready for occupancy.