Seek disenterment

It is almost impossible to sell a property if your front lawn is a cemetery.So the Roman Catholic Diocese of Allentown has filed a petition in the county court seeking to disinterment the remains of six Roman Catholic priests buried in front of the former Saint Kieran Church in the village of Heckscherville, Cass Township. They will be re-buried in the Saint Kieran's Cemetery. The petition states there are no known next of kin.The petition reports the priests, who were burried in front of the church, were as follows:The Rev James McHugh, laid to rest in 1875; the Rev. Patrick O'Connor, in 1878; the Rev. Martin Walsh, in 1882; the Rev. Patrick McSwiggan, in 1885; the Rev. William M. Daly, in 1890; and The Rev. Charles D. Walsh, in 1969.The petition states the church building is no longer used as a church as Saint Kieran's Church was merged with Saint Vincent's Church and are now known as Saint Michael's the Archangel Church in Minersville.Land use suitAn action was filed against Gary W. and Susan M. Bettis, of 37 Forest Avenue, Barnesville, by the Mahanoy Township supervisors to enjoin them from operating a commercial garage used as a truck repair facility located along State Route 1008 (Morea Road) in Mahanoy Township.The suit alleges they have not complied with their plans as submitted to the township planning commission by exceeding the limits at the excavation site by 0.91 of an acre of limits of disturbance by 2.1 acres.Also, it is alleged the couple improperly graded the property and installed structure, swales and piping on the additional areas of disturbance which were not listerd on their plan creating erosion conditions which is a violating of the township's land development ordinance. It is also claimed to date they have not obtained an occupancy permit, revised and submitted their land devleopment plan and not presented a National Pollutant Discharge Elimination Systems (NPDES) permit.The township charges they have failed and refused to participate in the lawful process of land development and continue to operate the premises as a commercial garage and truck repair facility.Dismiss chargesCharges of theft and receiving stolen property were dismissed against Willlam T. Sipler, 51, of 1909 Claremont Avenue, Rush Township, by President Judge William E. Baldwin on motion made by District Attorney Karen Byrnes Noon, who asked the charges be nolle prosequi because Sipler paid restitutions in full in amount of $350 to Tirpack Oil Company, and the company agrees to have the charges dropped.The charges were lodged against Sipler by Sgt. Duane Frederick, when the company complained Sipler failed to pay for 100 gallons of heating oil.