VALOR Clinic upand running

United States Army veterans Mark Baylis and Tony Cross co-founded Veterans Assisted Living Out Reach in 2008 as a nonprofit charitable organization to help Monroe County veterans navigate the process of recovering and rebuilding.Early in 2014, VALOR Clinic Foundation purchased the landmark Hotel Jonas as a transitional facility for homeless veterans.It will help them transition into society by developing resume writing, checkbook balancing, computer and interview skills with the use of counselors and seminars in a 90-120 day program.Over the next several months, the old hotel underwent a major cleaning and renovations, thanks to the countless hours and donations by local volunteers and area businesses of the community.On Oct. 12, a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the Major Paul Syverson Veterans Sanctuary VALOR Clinic was held.The first veteran arrived Oct. 25. Only male veterans are eligible for the program, which can house up to 13 overnight veterans.Veterans with a substance abuse problem must successfully complete rehabilitation programs elsewhere before they can be accepted into this program.To date, VALOR has helped 11 veterans and currently houses six.Tamaqua bridge opensShortly after 11 a.m. Oct. 1, construction crews removed steel barricades and opened sidewalks on the East Broad Street bridge that crosses the Little Schuylkill River to unite the east and west sides of Tamaqua for the first time in 16 months.The bridge is part of Tamaqua's main street and also serves as Route 209, a U.S. highway.The bridge was closed to vehicles and pedestrians on June 3, 2013, resulting in major rerouting.New state police barracksA brand-new state police barracks was dedicated in Carbon County in 2014.The new 8,235-square-foot state police at Lehighton barracks in Towamensing Township was dedicated in July.Double the size of its predecessor, the new facility features a state-of-the-art computer system.The facility at 9170 Interchange Road replaces the former barracks at 5730 Interchange Road, which had served as headquarters for state police at Lehighton since May 25, 1993.It comes complete with a communications room, patrol unit, criminal investigations unit, station commander's office, clerk and file room, storage room, conference room, mechanical room, server and telephone room and an impound lot.Route 248 intersection shut downA dangerous intersection in Lower Towamensing Township was shut down in 2014.The state Department of Transportation in October closed the intersection of Route 248 and Club Road.A center median barrier was constructed at the intersection to permanently prohibit vehicles from making a left-hand turn from Route 248 onto Club Road, as well as from Club Road onto Route 248.In June, township supervisors Chairman Brent Green said the township had averaged about three to four accidents at the intersection per year.A traffic and engineering study found about 40 percent of crashes at the intersection were rear-end collisions that were related to left turning vehicles from the passing lane.Rest Haven up for saleSchuylkill County commissioners on Aug. 20 threw the county nursing home the only lifeline they believe possible: A new owner.The home is drowning in $4.6 million of red ink.Commissioners unanimously agreed to enter into a professional services agreement with Eckert Seamans Cherin & Mellott of Harrisburg, to begin the process of finding a buyer for Rest Haven."This is a very difficult decision for the county to make. It's something we've been deliberating for quite some time," said commissioners Chairman Frank J. Staudenmeier.Commissioners expect the sale to happen early in 2015. They wrote three "policy directives" into any sales contract: The new owner will continue Rest Haven's tradition of providing a high quality of care and quality of life for residents; secure guaranteed access to long-term care for the indigent; and ensure the long-term care needs of county residents are met into the future.Jim Thorpe train station renovationsThe visitors center inside the Old Mauch Chunk Train Station, Jim Thorpe, received a facelift.Renovations inside the station, which serves as the Pocono Mountain Visitors Bureau visitors center and is owned by Carbon County, began in January.The project included repairing and refinishing the hardwood floors, reconfiguring the help desks, painting, installing video kiosks, updating brochure racks and updating the town's timeline display.The total cost for the work was just over $12,000 and was completed by Paul Phillips Hardwood Flooring of Hanover Township and Dan Bell of Dan's Painting of Jim Thorpe.The visitors center reopened to the public in April, with a grand reopening celebration held on April 17.Terry Ahner, Chris Parker, Linda Koehler, Amy Miller