Some 985 pounds of expired or unused drugs were collected in Schuylkill County during the National Take Back Initiative on April 27.

Schuylkill County Sheriff Joseph G. Groody lauded county police departments for their participation in the collection.

“I would like to thank all departments that were involved,” Groody said at Wednesday’s county commissioner work session.

“Each year, I try to include a new department,” Groody continued. “Even deputies on their day off participated.”

Afterward, Groody noted some of the drugs collected were not expired, but have to be disposed of because they were dispensed.

“For instance, one person got $10,000 worth of a medication, took one dose, got sick from it and couldn’t take anymore,” the sheriff said.

Twenty county police departments participated. The most drugs collected was at the security entrance at the rear of the county courthouse, 343 of the 985 pounds.

The second-most amount was collected by the Tamaqua Police Department, 106 pounds. The Rush Township and West Penn Township police departments each collected 42 pounds.

Election reaction

Commissioner Barron “Boots” Hetherington said 21,700 people voted in the April 23 Primary Election.

“There were 16,300 people who voted at 125 polls,” Hetherington said, “That means there were 125 election judges, 250 inspectors, 250 clerks, and 125 constables. That’s a lot of people. This was the first time the STS Building was used. People were able to drive their cars right in and unload their election materials.”

Commissioner Gary Hess added, “I thought it went well. There were just minor glitches.”

Commissioner Chairman Larry Padora said, “I was my first election as a commissioner, and I thought it went smoothly.”

Padora also noted the federal Community Development Block Grant program is marking its 50th anniversary.

“The program has brought in $17 million into the county, to fight blight and pay for demolition programs,” Padora said.