Local News

Tuscarora firefighters clear a fallen tree from old US209 in Schuylkill Township. Police and firefighters throughout the area have seen an increase in fallen trees over the past few weeks. Firefighters blame rainy weather and moist soil for the increase.

Children who live in the Panther Valley School District are invited to eat free lunches each weekday this summer in Summit Hill, Lansford and Coaldale.

The lunches are provided through donations, and through the state Department of Education's Summer Food Service Program and the school district. No registration or proof of income is required.

Volunteers with the Tamaqua Community Arts Center will be providing music, crafts and arts at the center as part of Tamaqua's Summerfest this Sunday. Activities in and outside the center will include demonstrations on the potty wheel by volunteer Craig Bulger, displays from a number of local artists, food, craft display, band music, as well as sacred, big band jazz and pop performances by St. Jerome Regional School students and director Paul Mulhern.

Volunteers added that the free full day (10 a.m. to 5 p.m.) event will include seating and tents for audiences.

Schuylkill County's spelling champion, Ruth Roman, 12, is taking part in the National Spelling Bee in Washington, D.C., and is wearing as a good luck omen the same green dress and white sweater which she wore at the bee in Pottsville. Words misspelled in yesterday's spelldown were conscious, occasionally, prairie, suppress, bullion, heretic, coolly, repetition, dependent, potassium, tattoo, competence, temperance and periwinkle.