Businesses

• Dollar General Corporation

announced plans to dedicate the first hour of each shopping day to senior shoppers, as well as amend store operating hours beginning Tuesday. Stores open at 8 a.m.

Dollar General is strongly encouraging that the first hour of operations each day be dedicated solely for the shopping needs of senior customers, who are one of the groups most vulnerable to the COVID-19 coronavirus.

Other customers are encouraged to plan their shopping trips around this window of time to allow the most susceptible customers in our communities the ability to shop during the first hour that stores are open.

Additionally, all stores plan to close one hour earlier than current close times to allow employees to clean and restock store shelves, as well as for their health and well-being. Stores will continue to maintain current opening hours.

• Effective Tuesday, Weis Markets

has modified its hours. All stores will be open from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily to allow store teams more time to replenish products and sanitize stores so that customers can shop safely.

• Redner’s Warehouse Markets

has further modified its hours of operations at its grocery stores. Stores will now operate from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m., with the stores closing at 9 p.m. to allow for staff to maintain stock and clean the stores and allow associates to get rest since the demand on them has increased greatly.

Churches

• St. Joseph Parish of the Panther Valley

in Summit Hill has announced all Masses, both weekday and weekend, are suspended. All scheduled Mass intentions will be celebrated by the Rev. Allen Hoffa on their scheduled day during a private Mass. These private Masses will be live streamed at 8 a.m. on weekdays and Sunday via the parish Facebook page. All parish activities are suspended.

The church will be open daily from 8 a.m. until 5 p.m. The Blessed Sacrament will be exposed during this time, and all are welcome to visit for prayer and reflection. There will be no formal benediction at the end of the day.

In place of the regularly scheduled Mass times, confession will be available in the church from 8:30-9:30 a.m. on weekdays, 4-5 p.m. on Saturday, and 8:30-9:30 a.m. Sunday. Holy Communion, Confession, and the Anointing of the Sick will only be administered outside of church to those in danger of death. Funerals will continue to be held, but only family members are permitted to attend. The number of attendees is limited to 50 people or less.

The parish office will remain open for business during regular operating hours, Monday through Friday, 9 a.m.-3 p.m.

• St. John’s Lutheran Church

, 319 South Ave., Jim Thorpe, is suspending Saturday and Sunday and all Lenten services plus all other activities until further notice, currently through the weekends of March 22 and March 29. Please stay tuned to weekly broadcasts on Sundays at 10:30 a.m. on station WLSH, Lansford, 1410 on your AM radio dial for further updates on schedules. We will have live broadcasts with the Rev. Peter Muhr and the choir but no one in attendance. People can also refer to the website at sthohnsinjimthorpe.org for updates.

• Zion Lutheran, Tamaqua

, announced schedule changes. The Wednesday midweek Lenten services for March 18 and 25 have been canceled.

There will be no public worship service March 21 (5:30 p.m.) and March 22 (9 a.m.). Pastor Cindy White will be officiating an online worship service both days. Those services can be seen on the Zion Facebook page and website www.ziontamaqua.com, live and recorded.

There will be no confirmation classes, adult discussion or Sunday school until further notice. The Lenten pierogie sale will be held as scheduled. Pick up for pierogies is Sunday, from noon to 3 p.m. Zion Lutheran is located at the corner of Mauch Chunk and Greenwood streets in Tamaqua.

• Diaper Depot will distribute diapers Saturday, at Zion Lutheran Church, Tamaqua, according to appointment times. Clients arriving early will not be allowed in the church until their appointment time. Clients arriving later than their appointment time will be allowed in as an opportunity permits.

Clients needing to change their appointment time or diaper size must do so by Wednesday evening. Zion Lutheran is located at the corner of Mauch Chunk and Greenwood streets in Tamaqua.

Entertainment

• Due to the statewide closing of all schools, the Tamaqua Area Drama Club’s

upcoming production of “Newsies” will be postponed. Future performance dates have not been determined at this time, but the Tamaqua Drama Club will provide an update as soon as possible. Please hold on to your purchased tickets while they work out the details over the coming days.

• All concerts at the Mauch Chunk Opera House

have been postponed through the end of March. They ask that customers who already have reservations to any of these shows simply keep them until and new reschedule date is announced, or use it as a credit toward an upcoming show. The Opera House, located at 14 W. Broadway in Jim Thorpe, apologizes for the inconvenience caused by these postponements, and furthers states that these are unprecedented times. The Opera House will inform the public of changes, as information becomes available. Their website is www.mcohjt.com and phone number is 570-325-0249.

Public offices

• Lansford Borough Tax Collector Terrance P. McCall

has announced that the tax office will not be allowing taxpayers to stop in the office to make payments. Payments should be either be mailed (1 W. Ridge St., Lansford, PA 18232) or dropped in the mail slot which is located next to the Lansford Borough Office.

Payments can be made either by check or money order only. No cash payments will be accepted.

If you need to contact the tax office, please call either 570-645-0270 or 570-657-0015.

• State Rep. Jerry Knowles

, R-Berks/Carbon/Schuylkill, announced that his district office in Tamaqua will not be providing walk-in service to residents until further notice. Knowles’ staff will still be available to assist residents over the telephone or online with any state government-related matter. There is a mail slot in the lobby of Knowles office where paperwork can be dropped off. The phone number for Knowles’ Tamaqua office is 570-668-1240, which is open Monday through Friday. Leave a voicemail if needed.

In addition, Knowles district office at the Hamburg Borough Hall is also closed to walk-in service. He shares that office with Sen. Dave Argall, R-Berks/Schuylkill. Knowles and his staff can also be reached via email at jknowles@pahousegop.com or through his website at www.RepKnowles.com.

• Monroe County President Judge Margherita Patti-Worthington on Monday declared a judicial emergency in the 43rd Judicial District of Pennsylvania

for the period of March 16 to April 14. For more details, see http://www.monroepacourts.us/Pages/default.aspx.

• All Driver License Centers and Photo License Centers

in Pennsylvania will be closed for two weeks. Additionally, expiration dates for driver’s licenses, identification cards, vehicle registrations, and safety and emission inspections will be extended: Driver’s licenses, photo ID cards and learner’s permits scheduled to expire from March 16-31, 2020, the expiration date is now extended until April 30, 2020. Vehicle registrations, safety inspections and emissions inspections scheduled to expire from March 16 through March 31, 2020, the expiration date is now extended until April 30, 2020. People with Disabilities Parking Placards scheduled to expire from March 16 through March 31, 2020, the expiration date is now extended until April 30, 2020.

• The Office of Commonwealth Libraries has asked all libraries

in the state to close for “routine, public library services” beginning March 14 and lasting through March 29.

Other

• Carbon County Friends of Animals

in Jim Thorpe will be closed to the public for at least the next two weeks. The employees will still be coming in to feed, clean and do deep disinfecting of the shelter. The shelter will not be accepting any cats or doing any adoptions. CCFOA hopes to reopen as soon as possible.

• The Schuylkill County Historical Society

is closed to the public until further notice, due to concerns about the coronavirus. The society has also postponed artist Lori Quinn’s program on how the ornaments and other unique details of Pottsville buildings have inspired her work. The presentation had been set for 6:30 p.m. on March 25, with the new date to be determined.

• Pleasant Valley School District

will close all district buildings effective today until March 27. Meals for our families in need will be distributed as previously announced at the high school near the stadium from 9 a.m.-noon Monday-Friday. See the notice regarding meals at www.pvbears.org.