August 2011
Long Pond teen faces charge
A Long Pond teenager faces an aggravated assault charge stemming from a November 2009 shooting incident.
Christopher S. Lentz, 17, allegedly shot a another teen in the back as he rode his motorized scooter on Glade Drive in the Emerald Lakes development.
According to a news release from Pocono Mountain Regional Police, on Nov. 2, 2009, the 17-year-old victim was hospitalized and required surgery. Police conducted an extensive investigation that culminated in charging Lentz.
Teacher-student interaction highlights Palmerton session
There are many traits teachers and staff should exhibit as professional public employees.
Tips on how they should interact with students were shared recently with teachers and staff in the Palmerton Area School District.
The district presented an educational program to all staff as part of an in-service day recently in the high school auditorium.
School board president Barry Scherer and Superintendent Carol Boyce welcomed those in attendance.
The program was conducted by PSEA UniServe Representative Sheila Saidman and John Audi of Sweet, Stevens, Law Firm.
Don't leave these tasks off your fall checklist
The arrival of fall weather offers a good reminder for homeowners to prepare their homes for the winter months ahead.
Getting a furnace inspection, replacing filters, raking leaves and checking gutters are common tasks associated with autumn.
But there are other just-as-important tasks that could easily be overlooked.
Angie's List, a provider of consumer reviews (https://www.angieslist.com) on local service companies, offers 10 tips to add to your fall checklist.
Slatington man charged by police
A Slatington man has been charged with driving under the influence (DUI) a controlled substance.
Stephen Edward Sasdi, 24, of 409 W. South St., was charged at 8:08 p.m. Aug. 4.
Borough police were called to the area of Main Street for a report of an erratic driver. Witnesses identified the defendant and police stopped his vehicle.
In addition to DUI, Sasdi was charged with operating a vehicle while his license was suspended and careless driving.
Dealing with threatening dogs
Dear Editor:
There were three incidents of pit bull attacks in Pottsville at the end of June. After the second incident, the Pottsville paper published advice for dealing with dog attacks. The first two suggestions were, when approached stay still, and if attacked, roll up into a ball. A day or two later, an 80 year old man with a walker was attacked. He certainly stood still. Why was he bitten?
Don't take life for granted
By RON GOWER
Sometimes life deals us some very painful hands.
I was thinking this week when I read about Kimberly (Mateyak) Griffith, 45, and her two young daughters, Brenna, 12, and Mikaela, 8, drowning in their minivan during a flash flood last Friday in Pittsburgh.
How painful for Kimberly's husband and their two other children! Kimberly is a former resident of Tamaqua.
That incident made me think about a tragedy that happened 45 years ago this month, when I was growing up in Weissport.
The Readers Turn
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"During these trying economic times, what are you doing to save money?"
Location changed for Carbon fair picnic
Due to the anticipated inclement weather, the location for the Carbon County Fair volunteer picnic being held to honor volunteers and sponsors at 1 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 28 has been changed to the Blue Mountain Health System Conference Center, Sixth and Iron streets, Lehighton.
Reservations for volunteers, sponsors and their family members are required and can be made by calling Alicia at 570-325-8685.
There will be food, fun and games. The 2012 fair will be held August 8-12, 2012 on Little Gap Road in Palmerton.
State police urge motorists to use caution
The Pennsylvania State Police, in cooperation with municipal Police Departments urge motorists to obey temporary traffic control devices and detours, and to avoid driving through high, fast moving water during extreme weather conditions.
Members of the public can help to reduce flooding conditions by maintaining open storm drains.
Motorists are urged to notify police if they discover a flooded roadway so appropriate resources may be directed to the area promptly.
A reward in life 'truly worth it'
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Riley McCall is fulfilling a lifelong dream as Peace Corps volunteer
Intuition may have been the most influential factor in Riley McCall's lifetime aspiration regarding service learning.
"I've been day-dreaming about volunteering for the Peace Corps since high school," she said. "My family didn't believe me, but it's true. It (the decision to spend 27 months in Africa) feels so right for me; I am very excited about going there."
Indians, Raiders get wins
The Lehighton golf team and Tamaqua girls tennis team both posted victories on Friday.
GOLF
Lehighton-ES North
Lehighton picked up its first golf victory of the year, as the Indians knocked off East Stroudsburg North in Mountain Valley Conference action, 14 1/2-9 1/2.
North's Ken Dixon won the medalist honors with a 79. He was the only Timberwolf to shoot below 100.
Lehighton (1-2) were led by Alden Everett's 93. Jake Hoats (94), Nick Mantz (95) and PJ Salerno (96) shot under 100 as well.
Lehighton 14 1/2,
East Stroudsburg North 9 1/2
My know-it-all friend
I have a buddy that's a total know-it-all.
Remember those black "magic globes" that could answer any question? They were fun, even if the answers were usually "maybe" or "it's doubtful."
Well, my buddy is way better than that because his answers are always long and informative. And, he's usually right.
My buddy answers to the name of Mac, as in iMac and he is next to useless without an Internet connection. But when I combine Mac and the Internet, I can find the answer to anything.
Bypassing Congress and ruling by regulation
When the Dream Act failed to pass the Congress, the President lost a key pillar in his "road to citizenship" plan to legalize "undocumented aliens".
Having failed in law, the Obama administration, through Janet Napolitano (a.k.a. Big Sis) has issued a directive that the administration will review all cases of illegal immigrants slated for deportation. According to the Federation for American Immigration Reform this new policy is "blanket amnesty".
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Kathryn's first trip to the park
What a week this has been. First on my way home from Allentown last Friday, I get caught in a powerful thunderstorm which I was fortunate to skirt around, but not before it started pelting my car with hail in a manner reminiscent of our May storm. Two days later we received another torrential downpour and on Tuesday of all things, the area rocked and rolled from an earthquake centered just northwest of Richmond, Virginia. Now at the time I am writing this column we may be faced with a major hurricane that was bearing down on the East Coast as of Wednesday.
Impact of impending storm concerns Lehigh Canal Commission officials
Projects at the Lehigh Canal Park are moving along, but the impending storm this weekend has members of the Lehigh Canal Recreation Commission concerned about the damage that could occur to the towpath.
The Commission has not yet finished making repairs from the last high water event that took place in March.
Scott Everett of the Delaware and Lehigh National Corridor Commission said that a blade (a trail marker) has been installed at the trail head at Weissport and that the aging sign at the entrance also needs replacing.
Preparing for a worse-case scenario Preparation, common sense are key when facing a threat the size of Hurricane Irene
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When facing the kind of threat posed by a storm the size of Hurricane Irene, two of the biggest problems we face are simply not preparing yourself and lacking common sense.
Hurricanes always carry with them the possibility of strong winds, heavy flooding, power outages, food shortages and evacuations, and Irene's size and strength has the potential to be a once-in-a-lifetime event.
Simple things like creating an emergency supply kit, a family emergency communications plan and knowing how to prepare and deal with multiple types of disasters can be potential life-savers.
Lehighton crash injures motorist
One person was injured Friday afternoon in a crash along South Third street in Lehighton.
The crash occurred about 3:30 p.m. as the female motorist was traveling east on Cedar Street and apparently failed to stop at the intersection with South Third Street. The motorist continued through the "T"intersection, ramming a pickup truck parked in front of a home on the east side of the 100 block of South Third.
Researching family roots spurs Civil War historian
Ten years ago, Joe Nihen of Lansford became curious about his family history, and so he drove to his ancestral home to visit his great great grandfather's grave site in Shamokin.
"I found by the epitaph that he served with the 208th Regiment," Nihen said. "I didn't know he was in the Civil War."
That's all he had to go on. "Finding his grave marker in Shamokin started me on a path," Nihen said. "I started looking for information on him, and as I did, I started to find information on the men who served with him."
Batten down the hatch! Pa. under state of emergency as storm nears
State officials, weather experts, and emergency rescue personnel are issuing stern warnings regarding Hurricane Irene, which is expected to begin impacting our weather this evening.
On Friday, Gov. Tom Corbett declared a statewide disaster emergency to enable state, county and municipal governments to respond effectively to the impact of the massive storm expected to affect the eastern half of the state especially.
More thoughts and puns
By BOB URBAN
I just had to pass on this quote from Peter Schmuck, a Baltimore sports writer, concerning the indictment of Roger Clemens:
"Isn't it great to live in a society where the penalty for lying to a congressman can be up to 30 years in jail, but the penalty for a congressman lying to you is another two years in office?"
– Atheism is a non-prophet organization
Most of us take those summonses for jury duty seriously, but enough people skip out on their civic duty that a new and ominous kind of fraud has surfaced.
Entitled
I spent some time recently at the Stanford, FL airport - waiting to pick up my sister who was flying in from PA. While I waited, I couldn't help overhearing a phone conversation.
Sitting next to me was a twenty-something young woman on a cell phone. She was well dressed and was apparently waiting for someone, too. She spent her waiting time talking on the phone. I was trying to read, but couldn't concentrate because she spoke loudly.
Lansford officials approve store owner's bench request
Vote weighs on a determination that one of the benches was not borough-owned
Lansford officials approved a business's request for benches outside its store, but asked that the company returns the one bench it took from the borough park without permission.
During Lansford's Borough Council meeting on Wednesday, council members discussed a request, sent by Edward Kanick, owner of Sharpes News Agency on Ridge Street, on Jan. 27, asking that council again address his request to have one or two park benches in front of the store.
Palmerton firemen limit damage from dwelling fire
A lit match is believed to have caused a dwelling fire late Friday morning in Palmerton.
The Palmerton Fire Company was dispatched to a half-double home at 867 Mauch Chunk Road at around 11:30 a.m.
When firefighters arrived, the fire was smoldering. The fire was extinguished within five to 10 minutes. No injuries were reported.
Fire Chief Dennis Behler said the incident occurred after a child went upstairs and lit a match, which caused a bed to burn.
Behler said the fire caused major damage to the bedroom and minor water damage downstairs.
The fight for healthy blood
Some local residents are developing a rare disorder in which their bone marrow makes too many red blood cells, sometimes referred to as thick blood. The condition is called polycythemia vera (PV) and those who acquire it may have few or no symptoms. But they're prone to develop blood clots and are at increased risk of a heart attack or stroke.
Part of the treatment involves going to the hospital for regular bloodletting sessions.
Lehigh Valley RR crash near Geneva had a high death toll
By JIM ZBICK
Shortly before noon on Aug. 25, 1911, two rail cars connected to a Lehigh Valley Railroad's train derailed near a bridge in Manchester, N.Y., about 16 miles from Geneva, causing what one reporter called "one of the worst wrecks in the history of the state."
Train No. 4 was running 40 minutes behind schedule when it sped past the Geneva station. Among the passengers was a large number of Civil War veterans and their families returning from the national GAR encampment held in Rochester.
Beth Ann Seymour assumes duties as Lansford's secretary-treasurer
Lansford has a new borough secretary-treasurer.
During the borough council meeting on Wednesday, council President Adam Webber introduced Beth Ann Seymour of Coaldale as the borough's new secretary. She began her new position on Aug. 1 and replaced former secretary Renee Slakoper, who resigned on May 25.
Councilwoman Rose Mary Cannon commented that Beth, as well as councilwoman Mary Kruczek, have gotten a "tremendous amount of work done in the office" and that it is "starting to look like a real office again."
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Marian opening a new school year Monday with freshman orientation
The new school year opens next week at Marian High School, Hometown, principal, Sister Bernard Agnes, IHM announced.
Orientation Day for ninth grade students is scheduled for Monday, Aug. 29. Students in grades 10-12 will begin classes on Tuesday, and all students grades 9-12 will report on Wednesday.
The orientation will familiarize the new students with each other, the school and in addition to their teachers, administration, counselor and school staff. Student Council members will be available to assist students throughout the day.
West End Fair adds an extra day
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Decision will be made Sunday on whether it opens on schedule
Vendors were pitching tents, putting together rides, and stocking inventory at stands Friday at the West End Fairgrounds in Gilbert
They know that getting ready for a fair is time consuming, so it has to get done well in advance of the fair's opening.
They also realize a potentially-dangerous hurricane is approaching which could create havoc.
The 90th annual West End Fair is scheduled to open Sunday at 10 a.m.
Correction
In a article that appeared on Thursday, Aug. 11, in the TIMES NEWS concerning various guilty pleas entered in Carbon County court by defendants in pending cases an error appeared.
In the plea of Robin C. Zurawa, 42, of Jim Thorpe, to a charge of driving under the influence (DUI), it stated the charge stemmed from an accident. There was no accident involved in the incident that occurred on June 9, 2009, along Center St., in Jim Thorpe. The TN regrets the error.
Officials hoping to save money on electric bills
Carbon County officials are hoping to again save money on the county's electric bills.
During the county commissioners' meeting on Thursday, the board voted to advertise a special meeting at 11 a.m., on Tuesday, Sept. 13, in the commissioners' meeting room in the courthouse annex. The purpose of the meeting will be to hold an online auction for electric rates.
Commissioner William O'Gurek, chairman, said this is the second time the county has held an auction for competitive prices on electric rates.