Thorpe posts sensitive information

Sensitive Jim Thorpe Area School District employee information posted to BoardDocs, an online school board management website, was done in error, Superintendent Robert Presley said.

Presley didn’t give a number but said “multiple employees” were affected.

“We sincerely apologize for the release of the information to the public,” Presley said. “It was part of a report that was requested by the board, but when it was put on BoardDocs, it was mistakenly check-marked as something that would go on the public portion of the website. It was immediately taken down as soon as the error was realized.”

Social Security boost will be near 9%

Millions of Social Security recipients will get an 8.7% boost in their benefits in 2023.

That’s a historic increase and welcome news for American retirees and others - but it’s tempered by the fact that it’s fueled by record high inflation that’s raised the cost of everyday living.

The cost-of living adjustment means the average recipient will receive more than $140 extra a month beginning in January, according to estimates released by the Social Security Administration.

The boost in benefits will be coupled with a 3% drop in Medicare Part B premiums, meaning retirees will get the full impact of the jump in Social Security benefits.

Driver killed in Lynn Township

Philip J. Helman, 58, of Allentown, was killed when his vehicle crashed with an ambulance and another car in Lynn Township.

He was pronounced dead at the scene in the area of 8491 Route 309 in the township.

The road was closed for several hours from Mountain Road in Lehigh County to Route 895 in Schuylkill County.

Effort gas station robbed

A man with a sword and wearing a clown mask robbed an Effort gas station just before 5 a.m. last Thursday, according to state police at Fern Ridge.

The man entered the Uni Mart store on Route 115 through the back door, demanded the cashier open the register, took the money and fled into the woods near the business.

Along with the mask, police said the suspect was wearing gray sweatpants, a white T-shirt and black socks.

Crash claims Luzerne man

John J. Vanderhoff Jr., 74, of Glen Lyon, Luzerne County, was killed in a one-vehicle crash in Schuylkill County.

State police at Schuylkill Haven said he was driving a 2005 Mack truck northbound on Route 895 in West Brunswick Township, near the intersection with Millers Crossing Road, when the truck left the east side of the road and struck a guide rail and a tree.

Vanderhoff was pronounced dead at the scene.

Medical office plans approved

A new medical office proposed by St. Luke’s in Franklin Township has been given the stamp of approval by the township supervisors.

The board approved the land development plan of the St. Luke’s Medical Office Building.

Plans call for a three-story, 60,000-square-foot medical office building to be built on 30.5 acres between the St. Luke’s Carbon Campus and toward Reber Street.

The medical office building will be connected to the hospital by a walkway. The facility is expected to open in early 2023.

It will include cancer, cardiac, orthopedics care, pain management and physical therapy services and physicians’ offices, along with a fitness center.

Threat determined to be non-verified

Law enforcement officials determined a threat that forced the lockdown of Tamaqua area schools and a community college Wednesday morning was not credible.

After an investigation by Tamaqua police, all schools were able to return to normal activities by Wednesday afternoon.

Lockdowns for “an unverified threat” made to the Schuylkill County Communications Center were enforced around 11 a.m. at all Tamaqua Area School District schools, as well as St. Jerome Regional School and Marian Catholic High School, both in Hometown, and Lehigh Carbon Community College’s Tamaqua campus.

According to John Matz, coordinator of Schuylkill County Emergency Management Agency, a nonspecific threat may have indicated that Tamaqua was the intended location.

West Penn wants to hold line on taxes

Despite a request for a 10 to 15% increase for the road department next year, the chairman of the West Penn Township board of supervisors is adamant there will be no tax increase.

Supervisors worked on the 2023 budget Monday morning, and supervisor Tim Houser said he’d like to see the road department’s budget increase by that amount in 2023.

Township roadmaster Jeremy Frable said the money would go toward the rising costs of fuel and road materials.

After the board wrapped up its budget discussion, board chairman Tony Prudenti said, “no matter what happens here, we are not raising taxes.”

Filmmaker makes stop in Tamaqua

A Pennsylvania filmmaker who wants to build a $30 million film studio complex in Tamaqua brought a star-studded cast to the borough on Friday, Oct. 14.

In return, borough businesses and representatives rolled out the red carpet for Robert J. Morgalo, of OPF Film Studios; Federico Castelluccio, who is best known for portraying Furio Giunta in “The Sopranos,” and others.

The group met at Hope & Coffee, strolled along Broad Street and stopped at La Dolce Casa.

“I can tell you that things are moving along and looking good. We have selected a location and are currently in negotiations with the land owner,” Morgalo said. “We are now doing our due diligence as we proceed with our plans to open a major film production studio in Tamaqua.”

Micah Gursky, executive director of the Tamaqua Area Community Partnership, said the borough continues to work with Morgalo and his partners to support plans to establish a film studio.