SHAMOKIN - Mayor William D. Milbrand was back at City Hall on Monday after suffering a heart attack Saturday.

Milbrand was released from Geisinger Medical Center, Danville, and was later observed at the city office on Lincoln Street. He had been listed in serious condition Monday morning.

Milbrand said he had a stent installed, and that he was feeling better. The mayor said he would be in attendance at Wednesday's workshop session of city council. He thanked everyone who wished him well.

David Kinder, finance director, had been acting mayor while Milbrand was hospitalized.

Aside from serving as Shamokin's mayor, in which he has taken an active role in working with state officials on erasing the city's debt, Milbrand owns and operates Catawese Coach Lines.

MEADOWVIEW - A Meadowview man considers himself lucky to be alive after at least three unknown assailants threw rocks - one the size of a grapefruit - at his Kenworth tractor, with one rock making its way through the front windshield and into the cab, while he was traveling to work between Ringtown and Shenandoah Heights at approximately 1:30 a.m. Monday.

The incident comes nearly four weeks after an Ohio woman was left fighting for her life after teenagers dropped a rock from an Interstate 80 overpass near Danville, striking her in the head.

Ray Ebersole said he was driving north on Route 924, approximately .5 miles north of state Route 4033 in West Mahaony Township, on his way to pick up a haul at Freedom Corrugated, near Hazleton, when a young man in a light blue T-shirt ran onto the road and waved his arms wildly.

Ebersole slowed, thinking there was an emergency, but the man dashed back into the trees.

Moments later, he heard a loud crash as a rock came through the passenger side of his windshield. Weighing approximately 3 pounds, it landed between Ebersole's feet.

"It scared the hell out of me," he said from his Shamokin Township home Monday afternoon.

Two other rocks smashed a side window of the truck cab and dented the air cleaner. The impacts are at least eight feet in the air and Ebersole estimates he was driving at approximately the 55 mph speed limit on the road.

At least three assailants, of unknown age, disappeared into the woods on two ATVs, said Ebersole, who wasn't injured.

Ebersole said state police from the Frackville barracks were called to the scene but were unable to locate the perpetrators.

'Going to kill somebody'

Ebersole said when he stopped to survey the damage, he saw stones littering the road as if the assailants had attempted to strike other vehicles before him.

"They're going to kill somebody," he said.

He's unsure at this point what it will cost to repair the damage to his truck, but he knows he's out at least $700 in lost wages.

His entire windshield will likely need replaced, which could cost several hundred dollars.

"It's a specialty item," he said.

Ebersole hopes someone with information will notify police so the rock-throwers can be caught and he can receive restitution.

"It's wrong, and I want these people to pay for it," he said.

Staying away

Ebersole's wife, Kelly, said she feels lucky that she wasn't riding in the passenger seat, as she sometimes does, because she likely would have been hit in the head.

"It's terrible that you can't even go to work without dodging rocks," she said. "I'm just thankful that he wasn't hurt."

Ebersole said he's equally as wary after the incident. After five years of driving that road to work, he'll be going another way in the future.

"I'm going to stay away from that area," he said.

Anyone with information is asked to call state police at Frackville at 570-874-5300.

Bishop to undergo hip surgery

HARRISBURG - Bishop Ronald W. Gainer, 66, will have hip replacement surgery this morning at Holy Spirit Hospital, Camp Hill, the Diocese of Harrisburg announced Monday.

Gainer expects to be discharged from the hospital within a few days. He hopes to resume his normal schedule in approximately one month, following physical rehabilitation, the diocese reported.

The Rev. Robert M. Gillelan Jr. will handle the normal administration of the diocese in the interim. Gillelan is vicar general of the diocese and has served as administrator during the time between the death of Bishop Joseph P. McFadden and the installation of Gainer.

The diocese said prayers for a successful operation and a speedy recovery are welcome.

National Night Out in Shamokin

SHAMOKIN - The city's police department will once again host a National Night Out event for 2014, taking place from 6 to 9 p.m. tonight at the Claude Kehler Park, located at Third and Arch Streets. All are welcome to attend.

If anyone is interested in making a donation, they can do so by calling 570-648-5708, stopping by the station or by sending it to Shamokin Police Department National Night Out Committee, 511 N. Franklin St., Shamokin. Please mark all envelopes Attention: NNO Committee.

Kulpmont code office closed

KULPMONT - The code enforcement office will be closed from Aug. 7 to 13 for vacation and reopen Thursday, Aug. 14.

COAL TOWNSHIP - John Burd, of Coal Township, announced his candidacy Monday for state representative in the 107th District as a Libertarian.

"Pennsylvanians do not care about liberal or conservative," Burd said in a statement. "What they do care about is being represented by someone focused on passing laws which protect and advance their interests instead of laws which are written by special interests to advance their agenda."

He said his campaign will focus on "promoting efficient, sustainable government with a drive to restore governance to comply with our founding documents."

"It is past time for the people to demonstrate to our elected officials at all levels that we know that the agenda of the lobbyists is bankrupting us, and it is time for the lobbyists' control over public policy to come to an end," he said.

Petitions in order

Friday was the deadline for third-party candidates to file nominating petitions. Burd was among a list of 14 candidates who the Department of State identified as having filed the required number of petition signatures and other paperwork, according to Matthew Keeler, department spokesman. Twelve of those candidates are seeking state House seats and two are seeking state Senate seats.

In almost all general assembly districts statewide, 300 signatures are required, Peeler said.

The 14 candidates have satisfied the requirements to be listed on the November ballot provided there are no challenges to their candidacies, Keeler said. The deadline to challenge is Friday.

Independence important

Burd says corruption in politics has allowed established parties been unable to deliver for the people.

"This is why my independent campaign is so important. I am owned by no one," he said. "My purpose will be to take the people's cause, and only the people's cause, to Harrisburg."

Burd said he makes his living as an investor. He's a lifelong resident of Coal Township.

He is secretary-treasurer of the Susquehanna Valley Libertarian Party, which covers Northumberland, Montour, Snyder, Union and Columbia counties, and has been a guest speaker at "liberty events" on the subjects of government finance and surveillance.

Kurt Masser was unopposed in the primary for the Republican nomination in seeking his third term representing the 107th. There were no Democratic candidates on the ballot.

KULPMONT - A public meeting to discuss the borough's proposed municipal complex project is scheduled for 6 p.m. today at West End Fire Company, 1254 Maple St. A regular council meeting will follow at 7.

Here are some facts and figures about the project:

Q. What does the new project involve?

A. The plan is to construct a 4,000-square-foot borough building and 5,000-square-foot maintenance garage along Fir Street, between Seventh and Eighth, on land donated by Susquehanna Coal Co. (The current building is 7,000 square feet on each of two floors, although the borough doesn't use nearly all of the space, and there is a separate maintenance shed.) The new buildings would house administration offices, maintenance, street and police departments, the code office, mayor's office, a boardroom, community room and food pantry. There will be separate administrative and police entrances, each with covered porches. The maintenance building will have four bays, two offices, a break room, utility room and restroom. There would be a 30-space parking area.

Q. What is the status of the project?

A. Earlier this year, council was hoping to be moved in by September. Instead, only site preparation work has been done and the project has yet to be bid.

Q. Is the borough spending $1.47 million on the complex?

A. That's how much the U.S. Department of Agriculture has said it would loan the borough over 39 years, but council members say they hope to get the cost under $1 million. Council President Bruno Varano said he might have the latest plans and estimates at Tuesday night's public meeting. He noted the borough rejected two bids in June 2012, the lowest of which was $1.36 million, because they were too high.

Q. What is the projected monthly payment?

A. The only estimate provided to this point by USDA is based on the $1.47 million loan. At an estimated 3.125 interest rate, monthly payments would be $5,439 and total payback would be approximately $2.5 million.

Q. Why can't they just repair the current building?

A. Council has had two separate analyses done through which they determined it would be more economical to build new. One analysis put renovations of the 75-year-old building at $750,000 for new electrical wire, a new heating system and a new roof, while a second estimated renovation of $2.5 million for both floors.

Q. My taxes were already raised for the new complex. Since it hasn't been built, where is that money going?

A. Council in January approved a 4.5-mill property tax increase, with 3 mills earmarked for payments on the building. With construction having yet to take place, treasurer Paul Niglio said the money is being put in the general fund, but it's still earmarked for loan repayment.

Q. Kulpmont Senior Citizens use the current building. What happens to that group if the borough moves and the building is shut down?

A. It is unknown at this point where the seniors might move. There had been consideration for housing the center in the basement of the new complex, but efforts to reduce costs and address drainage issues at the new site eliminated a basement from the plan. Also, there are state requirements for a senior center that would have to be met. Northumberland County pays $8,100 annually in rent to Kulpmont to house the senior center at the current building.

Q. What will happen to the current building if a new complex is constructed?

A. The former Wilson Grade School is still owned by Mount Carmel Area School District, which has allowed the borough to use it free for the past 30 years. An agreement states that ownership reverts to the district should the building no longer be used for municipal purposes, but district officials have indicated they would consider other options.

HARRISBURG - Thomas Williams, Pennsylvania director for the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Development Office, responded to the following questions emailed by The News-Item regarding the federal agency's approval of a loan for Kulpmont to build a new municipal building and garage.

Q. Who actually OK'd the loan?

A. The loan was approved by the Pennsylvania USDA Rural Development Office in accordance with underwriting criteria established by our regulation 1942-A (Community Facilities Project Guide.)

Q. Is the USDA providing the money or merely backing a loan from a lending institution?

A. It is a direct loan from the federal government.

Q. The loan was approved based on what criteria?

A. The loan was approved based on information provided to the agency from the applicant.

Q. Did the USDA study the borough's current costs of heating, maintenance and utilities versus what would be saved in the new building to determine how this small borough, with a 30 percent elderly population, could afford such an amount?

A. There are many things taken into consideration during the underwriting process. At the time of approval, it was understood that a tax raise was needed to fund the building and the current building was at the end of its useful life. The agency was advised that, in general, the residents were in agreement and in favor of the project.

Q. Is 40 years a standard loan repayment term?

A. Many of our loan terms are 40 years to allow the smallest monthly payment to our borrowers. There is no prepayment clause and borrowers can pay the loan off at any time.

Q. Can the borough take as much money as it needs of the $1.47 million, or does it need to take the full amount?

A. The loan has been approved for $1.47 million. They can take any amount up to that figure, or nothing at all. They can modify their application and the scope of the project so that the residents are in agreement. The loan has not yet been closed and the borough is not obligated to the USDA in any way. We are here to help and will do so when they are all in agreement.

Q. What is the status of the project with the USDA?

A. We do not have a lot of specifics right now. We are under the impression the site and the plans are in development.

Q. The USDA has told the borough to plan on a 3.125 percent interest rate. Is that locked in?

A. The final interest rate will be determined at the actual loan closing.

Q. Will the problems the East End Fire Company in Kulpmont is having with meeting its USDA loan payment for its new social hall affect the borough's standing with the USDA?

A. I cannot comment on the fire company's loan status except to say that they are separate transactions and have no bearing on the borough's loan status.

Susquehanna Valley gas prices fell about seven cents to $3.47 a gallon this week, according to AAA East Central's Fuel Gauge report.

On the national front

For the first time since March 12, the national average price for unleaded gasoline dropped below $3.50 per gallon to $3.49. Tuesday's national average is at the lowest level for early August since 2010. Tuesday's price is two cents less than one week ago and 12 cents less than last year.

Oil market watchers continue to monitor the Middle East and northern Africa, paying special attention to growing tensions in Eastern Europe, United States and European powers last week announced coordinated sanctions targeting Russia's long-term ability to develop new oil resources, in response to the country's involvement in the insurgency in eastern Ukraine.

West Texas Intermediate (WTI) oil prices, a benchmark for prices in the U.S., settled on Monday at $98.29 per barrel.

(AAA East Central - a not-for-profit association with 82 local offices in Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Ohio, New York and Kentucky servicing 2.7 million members - provides Fuel Gauge each week.)

This week's Susquehanna Valley average price - $3.474.

Average price during the week of July 29, 2014 - $3.543.

Average price during the week of Aug. 6, 2013 - $3.592.

Average price for unleaded regular gasoline in Pennsylvania - $3.601.

The following is a list of the average price of unleaded self-serve gasoline in various areas:

Lewisburg - $3.341

Mifflinburg - $3.557

Milton - $3.386

Selinsgrove - $3.494

Shamokin - $3.570

Sunbury - $3.498

Bishop's surgery successful

CAMP HILL - Hip replacement surgery performed on Bishop Ronald W. Gainer Tuesday morning at Holy Spirit Hospital was successful, the Diocese of Harrisburg reported.

The surgery was performed by Dr. Richard Boal of the Orthopedic Institute of PA.

Boal said Gainer did great and he has been moved to the recovery room.

The bishop expects to be discharged from the hospital within a few days. He hopes to resume a part-time schedule in approximately one month, following physical rehabilitation.

Prayers of thanksgiving for the successful operation and a speedy recovery are welcome, the diocese said. All correspondence should be directed to Office of The Bishop, Diocese of Harrisburg, 4800 Union Deposit Road, Harrisburg 17111-3710.

Building, grounds meeting Thursday

COAL TOWNSHIP - Shamokin Area School Board's buildings and grounds committee will meet at 3 p.m. Thursday in the board conference room.

Community service group to meet

COAL TOWNSHIP - Magisterial District Judge John Gembic's community service group will meet at the Coal Bowl at 9 a.m. Saturday for a work detail. Everyone is encouraged to attend.

Food pantry distributions set

Two area food pantries will hold their monthly distributions Saturday.

- The Mount Carmel Township food pantry will have its monthly distribution from 9 to 11 a.m. Saturday at the township complex in Atlas. Residents in Atlas, Diamondtown, Strong, Locust Gap, Connorsville, Dooleyville and Beaverdale who signed up previously are eligible.

- The Mount Carmel Borough Food Pantry will hold its monthly distribution from 9 to 11 a.m. Saturday at the Notary Shop, 215 S. Oak St., for borough residents who had previously signed up; bring a bag. Residents of the Mount Carmel Mid Rise are asked to meet in the lobby at 8:45 a.m.

SHAMOKIN - The corner of Water and Market streets has grown more colorful, and it might make some hungry for ice cream.

The Northumberland County Council for the Arts and Humanities' (NCCAH) fourth mural in the city is complete, decorating a building owned by Kathy and Sam Vetovich.

Local artists Matt Leavens, who designed the mural, Jeff Tweed and Claude Harrington put some 250 man hours into the painting over 15 days in the past few weeks. Measuring about 30-by-30 feet at its highest and longest points, it features Martz's Dairy, Reed's Dairy, Maurer's Dairy and Tharp's Dairy, and shows ice cream parlors, a horse-drawn wagon, an ice cream truck, balloons, banners and children enjoying the cool summer treat.

Several people involved with those historic dairies or related to those who were gathered at the scene Tuesday morning to see the mural firsthand. They included Earl Maurer and Ken Bethge, former and current owners, respectively, of Maurer's Dairy; Betty Milbrand, a secretary at Martz's Dairy for 38 years, and Debra Losiewicz, a daughter of the late Frederick "Fritz" Reed from Reed's Dairy.

"I think it is absolutely gorgeous," Bethge said. "I probably have about 200 likes on Facebook for the mural."

Written on the side of the horse-drawn wagon are the words, "Shamokin is the home of bittersweet ice cream," a reference to the popular flavor that originated with Martz's. That business was later purchased by Maurer's.

Bethge, who purchased Maurer's from Earl Maurer in 1993, still makes the famous bittersweet, among many others treats, at his shop on Market Street. His is the only one of the four dairies still in business.

'Tremendous memories'

For Betty Milbrand, working at Martz's was a family affair. Her father, Harry Grow, worked there as a route foreman; her husband, Dick Milbrand, was a mechanic in charge of the Martz fleet of trucks, and her brother, Bill Grow, and her brother-in-law, Francis Webber, were both milk men. Even her son, Bobby Milbrand, worked there in the summer.

"Oh, it does," Milbrand said when asked if the mural brought back memories. "I had a good time."

She called the mural "beautiful."

"I think it is an absolutely wonderful tribute to the families and their heritage, and also the community for supporting the businesses," Losiewicz said. "They are the ones that made it successful."

She said the mural evoked "tremendous memories." She said she "admires these young artists for giving their time," and that her late father would be honored and humbled.

Tom Chesney, a great-grandson of Casper and Katherine (Clark) Tharp from Tharp's Dairy, was unable to visit Tuesday, but relayed a memory via Jeanie Shaffer, executive director of the arts council, of a time when his grandmother gave him a ticket to take one friend to get an ice cream and see a movie. Chesney also provided photos to the arts council of his relatives and one of their ice cream trucks parked in front of the Capitol Theatre in Shamokin, which his family also owned.

Leavens said the murals have brought together two subjects he loves - history and art. To have people involved who are connected to the mural subjects adds to the accomplishment.

"To have people be able to reminisce based on what you do is really neat," Leavens said. "I feel honored to meet some of these people and learn more about the heritage of Shamokin. I feel very lucky to be able to do it."

More to come

A smaller mural by Tweed will be hung in the fall at the corner of Eighth and Independence streets on the Varano Insurance building, next to the "Market" mural by Clause Harrington.

The murals are funded in part by a small grant from PA Partners in the Arts. Future murals will depend on donations and funding from individuals and organizations. Donations can be sent to NCCAH POB 472, Shamokin 17872. Any amount is appreciated and can be tax deductible.

KULPMONT - For the last two years, borough residents have been asking for a public meeting concerning the construction of a new municipal complex.

Tuesday evening, the residents got their meeting and took advantage of it in spades.

For two hours, more than 100 residents and the members of borough council went back and forth in a lively - and sometimes contentious - debate over plans to construct a new municipal building and garage on Fir Street.

In that time, both sides, for and against, stood in the West End Fire Company bingo hall to present their plans and alternatives sites to the current plan to build new.

Council president Bruno Varano read a statement at the start of the meeting in an attempt to ease the taxpayer's minds.

"There are a lot of rumors going around that there needs to be a future tax increase for the building," Varano said. "The three-mill tax increase we voted on in January will help to pay for the building's construction costs."

'Put it to a vote'

It was that tax increase that ired the Rev. Raymond Orloski, who called out the borough council members during the public comment section of the meeting.

"In January 2013, we were informed that there may be a tax increase in 2014. Today, we see that you had to raise taxes to satisfy the government for the loan. You have deceived the taxpayers. We are your constituents, you work for us!"

Orloski then said, based on the opposition, it is time for the people to be heard and for council to put the proposal to a referendum vote in November. Wild applause and a chant of "Put it to a vote!" filled the firehouse.

Borough solicitor William Cole quashed the vote talk, saying the state appellate court has ruled that only certain items can be placed on the ballot, and construction of a new building is not one of them.

Current estimates

Following Varano's statement, council member Stephen Motyka, the head of council's building committee, and borough engineer Mike Begis presented a history of the project and showed the different site plans that were considered.

They then revealed the new site plan, talking about several alternatives that were looked at.

"Before, we had the parking lot separating the building and the garage. By moving the building next to the garage, it eliminates the need for two separate utilities hookups, saving us money.

Motyka said current cost estimates indicate the borough may be able to build the complex for around $1 million.

"With the new complex, we could be eligible for energy grants and recreation opportunities," Motyka said.

According to the current anticipated project schedule, all drawings and specification books will be completed by Sept. 12 and sent to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), the federal agency that is guarantee a loan up to $1.47 million, for approval.

After approval, bidding on the project will be open through October. The bids will be reviewed in November by the architect, borough and USDA. Bids can be awarded thereafter and construction can begin in either December or in the spring.

Motyka also presented an analysis of energy savings with the geothermal heat pumps in the municipal buildings and natural gas heating for the garage.

"Currently, we are paying $89,089.35 for utilities," the councilman said. "By moving the complex, we could drop those costs to $60,775.22, a savings of $28,314.14."

Options

Taxpayers asked why council decided to build new and what other options were discussed.

"We looked at the former Kuzo and Dallazia car lots and the Bressi building in town, along with razing the current building and building there," Varano said. "As far as the other properties goes, the costs to either buy or rent, renovate and maintain the properties were just to great."

Resident Joe Pancerella presented borough council with three other options using existing buildings, including the former Clouser building on Chestnut Street; a former car lot, for which he did not provide the name of the owner or location to the public, and the former Sons of Italy building at Tenth and Poplar streets.

To illustrate his point, Pancerella presented drawings to council, showing how the borough's offices will fit in the building and the building and garage in the lots.

"In all three properties, the owners are ready to sell or lease to the borough," said Pancerella. "They are options that I think should be explored."

The Sons of Italy, with its kitchen, could be renovated to provide a new home for the senior action center and the Police Athletic League - two groups that do not have homes in the new complex.

The caveat: All three buildings came with a price tag of at least $300,000 and the borough would have to pay all renovation costs, or leases of $1,500 to $2,500 a month.

Council then wondered about the cost to analyze all three buildings with engineers, but Steve Bielski, the borough's building inspector said a commercial contractor could be called to look over the buildings and give an estimate on renovation costs.

The final word

The organizers of the residents, Bob Chesney and Walter Lutz, made their points heard, and each directed his comments not to council, but the audience.

"This audience and the residents of this town have had very little transparency on the matter," Chesney said. "Before the citizens made their voice heard, there was no report from the building committee in three years."

Chesney said council should consider its tax base.

"Look at the properties on you street," he said. "I bet it would be: rental, rental, retired, not working, rental, retired. A $1 million debt cannot be absorbed by these people."

"We are going to spend possibly $65,000 a year in loan payments to save $23,000 in energy costs," Lutz said. "That is about the worst deal ever. The money we have spent to date on the project is a sunk cost. Throwing good future money after wasted past money is nonsense on all levels."

Borough council has been working since 2009 on plans to move from its current building, the Wilson Grade School, because the 75-year-old structure has fallen into disrepair. The building was leased to the borough in 1977 at no cost, as long as it was used for municipal purposes.

Previously, the borough put the project out for bid for a design and build package. When the lowest bid came in at $1.36 million, before the loan was approved, Kulpmont went into cost-cutting mode on the plan.

The new buildings would house administration offices, maintenance, street and police departments, the code office, mayor's office, a boardroom, community room and food pantry. There will be separate administrative and police entrances, each with covered porches. The maintenance building would have four bays, two offices, a break room, utility room and restroom. There would be a 30-space parking area.

SUNBURY - The knife allegedly used by Miranda Barbour in the murder of Troy LaFerrara is admissible as evidence, a Northumberland County judge ruled Monday.

Barbour, 19, and her husband, Elytte Barbour, 22, are charged with the Nov. 11 stabbing death of LeFerrara, 42, of Port Trevorton.

Judge Charles H. Saylor denied Barbour's motion to suppress evidence, including the knife found hidden in insulation in the attic that was obtained in a search of her residence Dec. 9.

Barbour's legal team, led by Public Defender Edward C. Greco, attempted to have the evidence suppressed because Barbour's address - 101 N. Water St., Selinsgrove - was incorrectly written on the search warrant as "101 N. Market St., Selinsgrove."

"While the search warrant made reference to an incorrect street address, it was nonetheless sufficient when read in a common sense fashion as a whole," Saylor said in the eight-page opinion.

Saylor supported this conclusion with a description of the two properties. The home 101 N. Water St. matches the property described on the warrant, "a two-story, single white residence with the numbers 101 on the front," while 101 N. Market St. is a "three-story, yellow brick residence."

The list of occupants on the warrant aids in pointing to the correct property, said Saylor.

Saylor also concluded that even if the search warrant had been found defective, the evidence found in the search would still be permissible in court because a third party, Valerie Spring, was the leaseholder of the property and she granted police permission and aided in the search for the knife.

Spring's testimony at a June 3 hearing supports Saylor's ruling that she voluntarily allowed police to search her home.

"I honestly didn't pay much attention to the search warrant, because, like I said, I had already given them permission to come in and search the house for anything they needed," Spring told the court June 3.

Miranda Barbour had initially told police she threw the knife, which authorities have said appears to be a hunting knife, in the Susquehanna River, but, according to police, her husband provided information about its location in the attic of the house.

SHAMOKIN - Two men accused of cooking methamphetamine in the basement of a Coal Township home were taken into custody late Monday night and arraigned Tuesday on 13 felonies.

Thomas Reddinger, 31, and Roger J. Shaw, 42, both tenants of 1012 W. Spruce St., were jailed at Northumberland County Prison, Sunbury, on $75,000 bail each.

Police said a confidential informant tipped them off after being asked by Reddinger to purchase materials used to cook meth, including cold packs and lighter fluid. The informant, who met Reddinger at 1012 W. Spruce St. Monday, later told police the drug had been manufactured in Reddinger's basement.

A search warrant was obtained and officers from Coal Township, Shamokin and Northumberland County Adult Probation entered Reddinger's home at about 8:40 p.m. An adult female, identified in the warrant as April Stahl, and children ages 8, 10, 11 and 13 were on the first floor while Reddinger and Shaw were in the basement.

In July, Reddinger was listed by the Northumberland County Domestic Relations Department during a child support amnesty period as owing $32,464.43. It is unknown if the children at the scene were his.

Northumberland County Children and Youth Services were brought on scene to help with the children. The home was evacuated and the 1000 block of West Spruce Street was closed to traffic.

Crowd watches de-con

By 10:30 p.m., a crowd had formed at the intersection of Spruce and Maple streets to watch while Reddinger and Shaw were stripped to their underwear and sent inside a mobile decontamination shower where they disrobed completely.

Two members of the Northumberland County Department of Public Safety, adorned in hazmat suits, scrubbed the men with a brush in the makeshift shower before they were re-clothed in white paper suits. Their clothing was bagged and removed from the scene by authorities.

The public safety workers were seen using Dawn dish detergent as part of the scrubdown.

While he was led to a police car, Reddinger puffed on a cigarette with his wrists handcuffed behind his back.

Michael Bogus watched from his porch at 1003 W. Spruce St. He said he had never met the occupants of 1012 W. Spruce St. and didn't want to.

"They are a bad influence," said Bogus. "It's surprising. We never had this before."

A chemical testing station was set up in front of the house, where a firefighter stood by prepared to extinguish an explosion.

A white plastic baggie containing a white powder tested positive for meth, police said. A state police clandestine lab response team also recovered pseudoephedrine, lithium and ammonium nitrate, as well as pills, an AT&T cell phone and empty blister packs from a package of nasal decongestant. Police also confiscated coffee filters, cool packs and a container of Ronsonol lighter fluid from the scene.

Why me?

Reddinger and Shaw are charged with possession of liquid ammonia gas, methamphetamine production, operating a methamphetamine laboratory, four counts of manufacturing with children under the age of 18 in the home, four counts of causing or risking a catastrophe, criminal conspiracy to produce methamphetamine and manufacture with intent to deliver a controlled substance.

They were arraigned separately via video conference by Magisterial District Judge John Gembic III.

"How am I getting charged with this when Tom admitted it was all his?" Shaw asked during his arraignment. The police affidavit alleges Reddinger confessed to cooking the meth, while Shaw allegedly admitted to buying pseudoephedrine and giving it to Reddinger to cook.

"All I know is that they charged you," Gembic told Shaw. "I can't tell you why or how. Probably because you were there."

"Yeah, it's my house; I'm gonna be there," Shaw said.

Reddinger offered no comment during his arraignment.

Charges against Reddinger were filed by Coal Township Cpl. Joshua Wynn and Shamokin Cpl. Bryan Primerano. Township detective Jeffrey Brennan and city Cpl. Jarrod Scandle are the arresting officers in Shaw's case.

Reddinger and Shaw are scheduled to appear Tuesday before Gembic for a preliminary hearing.

FRACKVILLE - A Schuylkill County woman is behind bars after an infant was found dead in a trash bag at a Schuylkill County home early Tuesday morning.

State police say Tara Lynne Paltanavage, 22, of Middleport, was taken into custody after the body of an unidentified female infant, age undetermined, was found in a trash bag at 189 Winfield Dr., Middleport.

An unidentified resident of the home discovered the body at approximately 12:30 a.m. and contacted state police.

An autopsy is to be performed on the infant, police said.

Paltanavage was arraigned before District Magisterial Judge David Plachko with charges of endangering the welfare of children, concealing the death of a child, reckless endangerment and abuse of a corpse. She was sent to Schuylkill County Prison under $250,000 bail.

SHAMOKIN - A spike strip wasn't enough to stop a Luzerne County man from continuing a wild 40-mile chase early Saturday, police said, racking up 19 criminal charges along the way.

Justin C. Mattson, 25, of Conyngham, had already driven more than 30 miles, at times topping 100 mph; had dropped off his pregnant girlfriend along the side of Route 225; changed directions several times, and forced another motorist off the road, according to a criminal complaint filed Monday.

When Mattson hit the spike strip deployed by state troopers near Mahanoy Street in Trevorton, police said he kept driving. He rode the rims of a 1997 Jeep Grand Cherokee another seven miles into Shamokin, stopping about 3 a.m. only when he drove over and got hung up on a concrete parking stop on Third Street behind Turkey Hill.

Mattson resisted arrest, police said, fighting back against officers and kicking Trooper Samuel Edwards in the leg. A Taser was deployed by Ralpho Township Patrolman Christopher Grow before Mattson was handcuffed and eventually taken to Northumberland County Prison, Sunbury.

He remained jailed Tuesday on $25,000 bail after being arraigned via video conference by Magisterial District Judge John Gembic III. Gembic denied Mattson's pleas to lower the bail. It wouldn't matter, the judge said, since there was an outstanding warrant from Bloomsburg for his arrest.

Mattson had a blackened left eye. He blamed it on police aggression, telling Gembic he held his hands in the air when he was struck twice. He told the judge he wanted any video footage from Turkey Hill cameras facing Third Street.

Officers said another man, James R. Plasters, signed a written statement that he had fought Mattson earlier and kicked him in the face three times, causing the black eye.

Dropped off in 'Long Bush'

The chase began at 2 a.m. after Mattson had been stopped by Coal Township Patrolman Dave Sage near the Cameron Bridge for allegedly driving erratically near Tharptown. Sage backed off when the vehicles reached Zerbe Township and state troopers took over. The chase continued mostly along Route 225 in Coal, Zerbe, Little Mahanoy and Jackson townships before ending in Shamokin. City police also assisted.

Police said Mattson changed directions on the highway at least four times and had once brake-checked a police cruiser. A state trooper drove into Mattson's vehicle in a failed attempt to stop him. Mattson also is accused of weaving in and out of traffic, causing Nicholas Percoskie to drive off the highway to avoid a collision.

Mattson's girlfriend, identified in the criminal complaint as Heather Otto, told officers Mattson nearly struck another cruiser head-on while she screamed for him to slow down. He eventually did, dropping her off in the "Long Bush" area west of Trevorton. Pursuing troopers stopped to assist Otto, who complained of stomach pains and was taken for treatment at Geisinger-Shamokin Area Community Hospital, while other troopers picked up the chase.

Among Mattson's charges are felony aggravated assault for allegedly kicking Edwards, two felony counts of fleeing police and misdemeanor offenses of resisting arrest, false reports for claiming police gave him the black eye, two counts of reckless endangerment and several summary traffic violations. Troopers Ronald Zanella and Brian Ronk of the Stonington station filed the charges.

Building, grounds meeting cancelled

COAL TOWNSHIP - Shamokin Area School Board's buildings and grounds committee meeting set for 3 p.m. today in the board conference room has been cancelled.

Senior expo Friday in Sunbury

SUNBURY - State Rep. Lynda Schlegel Culver (R-108) will host the 2014 Senior Expo from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Friday at the Shikellamy High School cafeteria. All residents age 55 and older and living in the 108th District are invited to the free event.

More than 60 vendors from county, state and federal agencies, as well as local businesses and services, are expected. A list of vendors can be found at www.LyndaCulver.com.

Free screenings for strength, carotid artery, heart rate, aorta artery, cholesterol, stroke and bone density, as well as fall and back assessments, will be offered.

Light refreshments and door prizes will be available.

Bike ride supports miracle network

DANVILLE - The inaugural Miles for Miracles Family Fun Bike Ride to benefit Children's Miracle Network at Geisinger is set for 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 7, beginning at the Iron Town Commerce Center.

The ride will consist of a flat, approximately 14-mile trip to Legion Road turnaround point near Catawissa and then returning to the center.

Cost is $10 for children under 16 and $20 for anyone 16 and older. Register online at www.geisinger.org/cmn/calendar or by calling 1.800.322.5437. Miles for Miracles is part of the River Towns Cycling Classic Weekend.

Funds raised will help to provide pediatric equipment, programs and services at Janet Weis Children's Hospital and throughout Geisinger Health System.

KULPMONT - Mayor Bernard Novakoski "threatened to shoot and kill" a Pottsville area contractor, police said Tuesday while reporting the mayor has been charged with two counts of harassment.

State police at Stonington said in a press release Novakoski was charged in relation to a June 2 incident at the home of his son, also Bernard, in the 500 block of Chestnut Street. The victim is Andrew Hoysock, 49, who operates Hoysock Landscaping and Property Services.

Novakoski, 68, of Scott Street, denies he threatened to kill Hoysock and said he looks forward to "telling the whole story" in court.

Hoysock, meanwhile, described Novakoski as "a nightmare" to work with, and that the mayor indeed threatened to kill him.

Mayor: Work not done

In the brief release from state police, the incident is reported to have happened between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. It says, "The victim (Hoysock), a contractor, reports the suspect (Novakoski) repeatedly threatened to shoot and kill him."

"When we first met he was human," Hoysock said in a phone interview Tuesday night. "But he turned into a vicious, mean, evil, obnoxious, vindictive person."

The mayor doesn't deny he got into an argument with Hoysock and his crew over installation of a retaining wall in his son's yard, part of a patio project. Because his son was working out of town, Novakoski, a retired carpenter, was checking on the work.

"He was hired for a job that was supposed to be completed last Thanksgiving, but this was June and it still wasn't completed," the mayor said.

He also said there was an issue over a $10,000 down payment, and he claims Hoysock never ordered block for the retaining wall.

Hoysock says he did order the block, but when the weather suddenly turned bitter in October, he was no longer able to start the project before winter.

Hoysock also cited "in fighting" between the Novakoskis that left his crew confused. Changes the elder Novakoski would make in his son's absence would be questioned upon the son's return.

"They kept adding to the job and expecting not to pay for it," said Hoysock, who said as far as he's concerned, he completed the job.

He said Novakoski's son apologized for his father's behavior and tried to keep his dad away from the job.

'No basis'

Novakoski said he never threatened to kill Hoysock.

"I might have said in passing that I would like to shoot him, but I never said that I wanted to kill him," the mayor said.

"When the investigation started, they were talking about terroristic threats and now we are down to harassment," Novakoski added. "There is no basis to these charges. He is merely trying to cover his tracks."

Hoysock said he was threatened "two or three times" by Novakoski on the phone, but blew it off. On June 2, Hoysock said he was not on site, but heard about the alleged threat from employees.

"When Mr. Novakoski told my employees that he would like to blow my brains out, they told me it's time to take this seriously," he said.

As for Novakoski's comments that the charge is now just harassment, Hoysock said, "Somehow he got the DA to lower the charges, but I agreed to it. I can win this case easily."

Hoysock said he's still owed about $6,500 for the work and expects he'll have to file a claim in civil court to try to get the money.

Civil suits in past

The mayor said he's since learned that Hoysock has been sued in the past by other customers.

A search of magisterial court records in Schuylkill County shows five civil suits involving Hoysock's company from 2005 to 2013. In each, rulings were made in favor of the plaintiffs.

But Hoysock said he's been in business for decades, and that he's had positive experiences with "99 percent" of his customers.

"When you work for someone different every week, you are going to have issues, and you have about one bad issue every year," Hoysock said.

SUNBURY - Now that the model of Fort Augusta has returned to the front lawn, the Northumberland County Historical Society will bring an interesting and colorful blend of art, craft, and history to the back and side yards of the historic property on Saturday, August 9 when it hosts Colonial Crafts Demonstration Day. The event, free and open to the public, will be held at 1150 N, Front St., rain or shine, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.

vent organizers have invited skilled artists and craftspeople from Central Pennsylvania and southern New York to display their work and demonstrate their crafts, which were part of 18th century daily life. Powder horn making, blacksmithing, tinsmithing, lace making, fraktur, spinning, weaving, and basket making are among the traditional crafts which will be represented. A gardener, seamstresses, a frontier trader, and several soldiers will discuss daily events and tasks. Cooking methods used during the 18th century will also be demonstrated. Some of the craftspeople will have items to sell and will also accept custom orders.

Volunteers will staff the Fort Augusta museum, the genealogical research library and bookstore, and will also sell "Get Fort-ified" caps, apparel, commemorative booklets, coloring books, and other merchandise to benefit the Fort Augusta model project. Visitors may view a temporary exhibit of documents of Fort Augusta's last commander Samuel Hunter, items owned by the Hunter family, and artifacts recovered on land once owned by William Wilson, a nephew of Samuel Hunter. In addition, visitors may also view the two remaining original Fort Augusta features on the property, the well and the powder magazine, and the nearby Hunter-Grant cemetery.

BURNSIDE - Anthracite Outdoor Adventure Area authority members said at Monday's work session that they will be happy to gate a vehicle access point in the third patch.

Authority members decided to draft a letter to Coal Township commissioners endorsing the gate. The letter will be presented and voted on at the Aug. 18 public meeting.

Authority member Patrick Mack said he was unaware of any issues at the Third Patch until he read that Bear Valley Road residents presented a petition at the June Coal Township meeting seeking a locked gate.

Jim Backes, authority chairman, supported installing a locked gate. He said the gate, which all authorized users would have keys to unlock, would cut down on dumping on AOAA property.

"There's a lot of illegal dumping there," said Backes. "Once we get over there we're going to have to clean that property up."

Authority member David Crowl presented information on the AOAA's work with Eastern Industries to secure the border. Crowl said in addition to physically blocking pathways between AOAA and Eastern Industries property, 11 cameras were installed to catch trespassers.

"They're working great with us," added authority member Barry Yorwarth.

Authority members also announced the park will open for four days during the last weekend of August for Labor Day. Backes said the park will be open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Friday, Aug. 29, and Monday, Sept. 1, in addition to the park's regular Saturday and Sunday hours.

Backes said the park would continue operating from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Fridays from Aug. 29 until winter hours are announced.

COAL TOWNSHIP - Some of the occupants of a Coal Township house where a methamphetamine lab was discovered Monday night have returned home.

Four children ages 8, 10, 11 and 13, and an adult female, identified in the warrant as April Stahl, were evacuated from 1012 W. Spruce St., Coal Township, after two other occupants of the house, Thomas Reddinger and Roger J. Shaw, were allegedly discovered manufacturing methamphetamine in the basement. Police said they removed numerous chemicals used to manufacture methamphetamine as well as a powder substance identified through testing as methamphetamine from the house. Shaw and Reddinger remain in Northumberland County Prison on $75,000 bail each.

New to code officer

Christopher Petrovich, Coal Township code officer, confirmed Wednesday that tenants had returned to the property.

The face of a young girl was seen through a first floor window of the house Wednesday afternoon.

Petrovich said he is in the process of working with the owner of the property, identified as Jason Cristan and Kathleen Glosek on public tax records, on some code violations.

During Monday night's bust, police identified a significant amount of garbage in the area behind the building that needed to be removed, said Petrovich. He said he would also be conducting an in-home code inspection with one of the property owners sometime next week.

Petrovich said he does not handle air or wall testing related to methamphetamine, and that this was his first such case within his jurisdiction. He said he is unsure what to expect inside the home. He isn't aware if the landlord has a legal right to prevent the family from moving back in.

A call to the Northumberland County Department of Public Safety, which handled the decontamination of Reddinger and Shaw, was not returned Wednesday.

'A lot to do'

Jon Meehan, co-owner of Athens Solutions, a Maryland-based biohazard cleanup company with experience decontaminating methamphetamine homes in Pennsylvania, said treating a methamphetamine lab usually cost between $5,000 and $30,000 and takes one to two days. If the contamination is severe, the cost could reach into the six figures and the process could take a week to complete, he said.

"You essentially go in with the suits on and treat the entire property with a chemical, scrub the entire property down, remove some drywall," said Meehan. "Any porous materials have to be treated, removed or sealed, and you have to seal the entire place and use an air scrubber to scrub down the air. You have to treat the HVAC system. There's a lot to do."

Meehan said an industrial hygienist also comes to the property and performs tests before and after the cleanup to ensure all the dangerous chemicals have been removed.

Toxins released during the manufacturing process of methamphetamine can cause numerous health issues, including cancer, eczema, asthma and neurological damage.

"They use a lot of toxins when they make meth; there's a lot of carcinogens," said Meehan. "You're putting your health at risk essentially."

MOUNT CARMEL - The Lower Anthracite Transportation System (LATS) will lose $263,509 in state funding in 2014-15 - three-quarters of its operating budget - to reimburse for six years of "overstated" senior citizen ridership numbers and to pay a 25 percent penalty.

Mount Carmel Borough, which operates LATS, a public transit system that serves eastern Northumberland County, received a letter dated Tuesday from Toby L. Fauver, PennDOT deputy secretary of multi-modal transportation, that reveals the reduced state allocations for the new fiscal year.

It means the borough will have to tap into an emergency reserve LATS account to continue operation, council president Tony Matulewicz said Thursday.

"The state says you can't stop service or they'll take all your money," he said. "There are seniors who ride to go to the pharmacy, to go to the grocery store. You can't just stop the buses."

A PennDOT report from earlier this year said a LATS policy directed drivers to count senior passengers on the vehicle each time the bus crossed a municipal boundary.

Because of that, Fauver's letter said funding from Section 1513 grants will be decreased by $229,111 in reparation for the overbilling from fiscal years 2005-06 through 2010-11. PennDOT calculated the amount using revised ridership data to come up with the reimbursements, which totaled $183,289, and imposed the 25 percent penalty - another $45,822 - for the inaccurate statements. Section 1513 grants are for senior citizen ridership.

For Section 1517 funding - applying to total ridership but also including senior citizens - LATS overbilled the state $34,398, Fauver said. That was added to the $229,111 to create the $263,509 total.

The LATS budget for 2014-15 is $348,992, as approved by borough council in May.

Sparked by investigation

PennDOT's review of ridership numbers was sparked by the borough's investigation into LATS records that began in late 2012 and was detailed in a special report in April 2013 in The News-Item. Comparisons of what King Coal, which had the LATS contract for decades, billed the borough for operating LATS and what the borough was able to determine was actually spent produced alarming discrepancies, Matulewicz said at the time. King Coal officials and those within the borough who helped operate LATS during the years in which records were questioned (and have since left employment of the borough) have refused to comment on the billing questions.

The borough's attempt to clarify the discrepancies led to a falling out with King Coal, and the bus line ended the contract in January 2013. LATS currently has a three-year contract with Shamokin-based Catawese Coach Lines.

Borough police launched an investigation into the funding issue last year. It is ongoing.

PennDOT was made aware of the borough's investigation last year. This March, the department issued a report showing ridership numbers that suggested the borough's suspicions were correct, and now Fauver's letter indicates the state is asking the borough to pay up.

"We try to make changes for the better," said Matulewicz. "We get screwed at the end of the day no matter what we do."

Matulewicz disagrees that the state should penalize the borough considering the LATS budget was already decreased after the borough voluntarily reported the billing discrepancies and its expenses then fell with the switch to Catawese. But he is unsure if the borough will try to appeal the state's decision.

"We don't want to pay it back, but we have a duty of candor with them," said Matulewicz.

He suggested municipalities would hesitate to voluntarily report such issues if they know they'll be penalized.

Rich Kirkpatrick, acting press secretary for PennDOT, said Thursday the issues are unrelated. The reimbursement and penalty have to do with regulations; they have "nothing to do with a decrease in (the LATS) budget," he said.

Neither the PennDOT report nor Fauver's letter addresses other issues raised by the borough last year, including payments made by LATS to King Coal for dozens of tires and fuel filters that were later determined not to be compatible with the LATS buses, but do fit coach buses.

The investigation also found, for example, that LATS buses in February 2013, after Catawese took over, traveled hundreds of miles more yet used less than half the fuel (731 gallons) than King Coal charged for in February 2010 (1,545 gallons) and 2011 (1,572).

Ironically, Matulewicz said the borough will draw from a LATS reserve fund containing approximately $320,000 it amassed from surpluses during the King Coal era. The borough designated this fund for emergencies, as well as some day-to-day expenses. Matulewicz is concerned that depleting the fund will leave LATS unable to deal with an unexpected expense in the future.

Repeated rider counts

Counting senior riders every time a LATS bus crossed a municipal boundary resulted in fiscal year ridership numbers that in some cases were triple those of what PennDOT reports in its revisions. In 2005-2006, for example, reported ridership was 61,435, while the revision is 20,167. In 2010-11, it was 53,073 originally and 14,873 revised. PennDOT said it found no need for revisions in the ridership numbers for 2011-12, at 19,880, and 2012-13, at 23,055. (See chart.)

PennDOT said Megan Janolek "immediately corrected" the rider counting policy upon her appointment as LATS executive director in July 2012.

The report says senior passenger data showed average monthly ridership of 4,012 before the change and 1,007 since.

Matulewicz blames King Coal for the incorrect numbers.

"The King Coal drivers submitted the tally sheets that inflated the numbers," Matulewicz said.

A message left at King Coal about 4 p.m. Thursday was not returned.

Asked if the borough might take legal action against King Coal in an attempt to recuperate the lost funding, Matulewicz said he could not comment "on any pending legal action or lack thereof."

Luzerne trouble

The move by PennDOT to penalize LATS for nonexistent riders is not unprecedented; in January, a similar letter was issued to the Luzerne County Transportation Authority (LCTA) demanding $3.16 million in repayments after LCTA overstated senior ridership from 2005 to 2012. In the fiscal year 2010-2011 alone, LCTA reported nearly 600,000 more riders than were actually present.

LCTA acquired matching funds from Luzerne County to make up for the drastic loss.