Local News-Tuesday, November 15, 2011

POTTSVILLE POLICE DISCOVER VICTIM OF HOMICIDE

Acting on information received from Montgomery County State Police, Pottsville Police officers went to the home of John Tranquillo at 411 Laurel Boulevard, where they discovered his dead body. Skippack police made a traffic stop on a truck driven by Edward Miller, who resides at 237 Pierce Street, and they discovered that the truck belonged to Tranquillo. This aroused suspicion, and the State Police called Pottsville police to notify them. When officers went to Tranquillo's residence they found his body. An autopsy is scheduled for today, but police determined that Tranquillo was the victim of homicide. Edward Miller has not been charged in relation to the homicide, but he is in Schuylkill County prison on charges related to a robbery he allegedly committed on Sunday. On that day Miller robbed William Kline and stole his car. The investigation of both crimes is continuing.

ROBBERY IN POTTSVILLE LEADS TO ARREST OF READING MAN

A Pottsville woman was robbed of about fifty dollars in cash by a man wielding a handgun. The victim said she was walking on Sanderson Street when she was approached by a man who pointed a handgun at her and demanded money. She was able to determine where the man went after robbing her, and called police. When Pottsville police arrived they found 21 year-old Rasheem Shabazz Allah Smalls, who resides in Reading, at the apartment at 589 Laurel Terrace. Smalls was found to be in possession of a loaded 22 caliber handgun, ammunition, seventeen bags of crack cocaine, marijuana, and prescription medicine. After his arrest, Smalls was arraigned before Magisterial District Justice James Ferrier and committed to Schuylkill County Prison in lieu of one hundred thousand dollars straight cash bail on multiple charges.

BERKS COUNTY FIRM TO LEASE SPACE AT UNION STATION

At their meeting on Monday, Pottsville city council voted to lease the first floor of Union Station to QEI Construction of Wyomissing. Mike Hozella, who is the President of QEI, stated that the company will move its office from Wyomissing to occupy over thirteen hundred square feet of the first floor of Union Station, and hopes to be in business there by early 2012. He said that the space the company will occupy is unfinished at this time, and it will take several months to complete the necessary construction. Council also announced that they are very close to announcing a tenant for the second floor of Union Station, which is vacant at this time.

KNOWLES AND ARGALL ASK FOR PATIENCE IN TAMAQUA

Representative Jerry Knowles and Senator Dave Argall are asking drivers to be patient with PennDOT's plans to close Route 309 through Tamaqua while a railroad grade is replaced next weekend. Knowles said in a press release that he and Argall tried to prevent a total closure of the highway, but were told that there was no way to complete the project successfully without doing so. PennDOT was able to reduce the closure from two weekends to one. The railroad grade replacement is part of a three-phase project to replace the bridge over the Little Schuylkill River in Tamaqua. Senator Argall said that motorists should use extreme caution when travelling on Route 309 and plan for delays and detours. Both men are working closely with local officials to be sure that emergency services are not greatly affected by the road closure.

SCHUYLKILL COUNTY’S VISION ANNOUNCES COMMUNITY MEETINGS

Schuylkill County's VISION will host a series of community meetings to provide information and gain support for the development of a Community Health Center that will provide primary care to disadvantaged and low income individuals and families. These community meetings will provide an opportunity to present the progress of the Work Group for Community Health, to provide information on the possibilities and opportunities a Community Health Center might provide, and to seek support and direction from concerned citizens and health care consumers. Executive Director Kay Jones said "these public meetings are an important part of the development of the Health Center. We want the people who will be served by the center to have a say in the way it is designed to deliver healthcare." The public is invited to attend the public meetings, which will begin at seven p.m., and will be November 16 at the Terry Reiley Center in Pottsville, November 29 at the Shenandoah Senior Community Center, and November 30 at the Tamaqua Community Center.