Skook News - Your #1 Source for Schuylkill County News

Tuesday, February 18, 2014

Charges Filed Against Man in Car Chase in Shenandoah

Photo from Shenandoah Police Department FB Page

Charges have been filed against man, Timothy Kelly, after he led Shenandoah Police in a vehicle pursuit during the morning hours of Thursday, January 13, 2014.

According to the Shenandoah Police Department Facebook page, Kelly led officers in a vehicle pursuit that began in the Turkey Run area of the borough then ended up going off road ending near Yatesville Road.

The chases ended when Kelly rammed a Shenandoah Police cruiser then fled.

Possible ice preceding warmer temps

By: Ryan Fannock

Rain showers are expected to move towards the county between 6am and 9am Wednesday morning. Along with the rain, temps will be stuck below freezing. Temps aren't projected to rise above 32 degrees until after the 9am hour. So with light rain moving in during the morning commute, ice is possible. Main roads are normally ok during events like this. It's the untreated surfaces and side roads which cause the most problems. I'll have more information this evening during my 7pm update. I just wanted to give you a heads up in case you haven't heard the news yet.

Highs on Wednesday will approach the 40 degree mark during the afternoon. Thursday will most likely reach the low 40's and Friday has a shot at hitting 50. Don't worry, winter will filter back in by next Monday with highs in the upper 30's.

Police Need Help Identifying 4 People In Relation to Arson Fire at the Hometown Wal-Mart

Posted from tamaquaarea.wordpress.com

Rush Township Police are asking the public’s help in identifying four individuals involved in an arson fire this morning (Tuesday, Feb. 18, 2014) inside the Hometown Wal-Mart.

(PAGE DOWN TO VIEW PHOTOS OF THE SUSPECTS)

“These four individuals are responsible for starting the fire near the lawn and garden section of the store,” said Sgt. Duane Frederick, Rush Township Police Department. “The males ran out of the store and got into a black vehicle and fled the parking lot headed north on SR309.” Emergency personnel responded to the Wal-Mart Supercenter in Hometown at 2:26 AM for a report of flames and thick white smoke inside the lawn and garden section of the store.

Posted from TamaquaArea.wordpress.com

No one was injured after a driver flipped his full-size truck on its side around 8 AM today (Feb. 18, 2014) along Ye Old Hauto Road in Hometown, Rush Township. The incident occurred near the SR54 (Lafayette Avenue) intersection. Responding were Rush Township Police, Hometown Fire Company, Quakake Fire Police and Hometown Fire Police. Hope’s Towing removed the vehicle.

Overnight Fire At Hometown Wal-Mart

Posted from: TamaquaArea.Wordpress.com

Shortly after 2:30 this morning (Tuesday, February 18, 2014), emergency personnel responded to the Wal-Mart Supercenter in Hometown for a report of flames and thick white smoke inside the lawn and garden section of the store.

Winter Views of Tuscarora State Park

Photos by: Ryan Fannock

Photos taken on 2/17/14

Schuylkill County School Delays/Closings for 2/18/14

Updated: 6:38am

Assumption BVM - 2 Hour Delay

Blue Mountain - 2 Hour Delay

Child Development - HEad start and pre K closed, day care open

Gillingham Charter - 2 Hour Delay

Mahanoy Area - CLOSED

Minersville - 2 Hour Delay

Nativity BVM - 2 Hour Delay

North Schuylkill - 2 Hour Delay

Our Lady of Lourdea Regional - 2 Hour Delay

Penn State&/Schuylkill - open at 10

Pine Grove - 2 Hour Delay

Pottsville - 2 Hour Delay

Schuylkill Haven - 2 Hour Delay

Schuylkill Health School of Nursing - 2 Hour Delay

Schuylkill Maple Ave. - 2 Hour Delay

Schuylkill Special Ed. Center - 2 Hour Delay

Schuylkill Tech North & South - 2 Hour Delay

Shenandoah Valley - 2 Hour Delay

St. Ambrose/Schuylkill Haven - 2 Hour Delay

St. Clair - 2 Hour Delay

St. Jerome/Tamaqua - 2 Hour Delay

St. Nicholas/Minersville - 2 Hour Delay

Tamaqua - 2 Hour Delay

Tri-Valley - 2 Hour Delay

Trinity Academy - 2 Hour Delay

Williams Valley - 2 Hour Delay

BEST OF SKOOK: And the winner of the "Best Cheesesteak in Schuylkill County" is . . .

And the winner of the "Best Cheesesteak in Schuylkill County" is . . . .

...WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM 9 PM THIS EVENING TO NOON EST TUESDAY ...

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN STATE COLLEGE HAS ISSUED A WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY FOR SNOW ...WHICH IS IN EFFECT FROM 9 PM THIS EVENING TO NOON EST TUESDAY.

* LOCATIONS ...CENTRAL PENNSYLVANIA.

* HAZARD TYPES ...SNOW OVERNIGHT. PATCHY FREEZING DRIZZLE POSSIBLE IN THE MORNING.

* ACCUMULATIONS ...2 TO 5 INCHES OF SNOW.

* TIMING ...SNOW WILL MOVE INTO THE WESTERN MOUNTAINS BEFORE MIDNIGHT AND SPREAD QUICKLY TO THE EAST ...REACHING STATE COLLEGE AROUND MIDNIGHT AND HARRISBURG AND WILLIAMSPORT BY 2 AM EST. THE SNOW WILL BE BRIEFLY HEAVY. THE SNOW WILL TAPER OFF IN THE CENTRAL MOUNTAINS AND SOUTHEAST BEFORE SUNRISE. HOWEVER ...LIGHT SNOW SHOWERS OR PATCHES OF FREEZING DRIZZLE ARE POSSIBLE THROUGH LATE MORNING.

* IMPACTS ...TRAVEL WILL BE SLOWED SIGNIFICANTLY OVERNIGHT DUE TO THE INTENSITY OF THE SNOW AND BLOWING SNOW. A THIN GLAZE OF ICE MAY OCCUR TUESDAY MORNING AS THE SNOW ENDS.

* WINDS ...SOUTH 10 TO 20 MPH WITH GUSTS UP TO 35 MPH.

* TEMPERATURES ...NEARLY STEADY IN THE MID 20S.

* VISIBILITIES ...LESS THAN A QUARTER OF A MILE AT TIMES OVERNIGHT.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS ...

HAZARDOUS WINTER WEATHER CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED OR OCCURRING. USE CAUTION IF TRAVELING. FOR THE LATEST WEATHER INFORMATION ...GO TO WEATHER.GOV/CTP OR STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO.

REPORT SNOW OR ICE ACCUMULATION TO THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE STATE COLLEGE BY SENDING AN EMAIL TO CTP.STORMREPORTS@NOAA.GOV ... POSTING TO THE NWS STATE COLLEGE FACEBOOK PAGE ...OR TWEET @NWSSTATECOLLEGE WITH THE HASHTAG #CTPWX.

Sunday, February 16, 2014

Mostly Sunny Monday; More Snow Tuesday!

By: Ryan Fannock

7:15PM UPDATE: Tonight will feature some very cold air once again. Lows will bottom out in the single digits for most of us across the county. A scattered snow shower is possible. Presidents Day is looking mostly sunny! Clouds will begin to increase during the afternoon ahead of our next clipper system. Highs will top out in the upper 20's.

All eyes turn to our next snow event: It will be another nuisance snowfall. If you've made it this far, you can surely handle what lies ahead. Snow showers will break out anytime after midnight on Tuesday. Light to moderate snow will continue through the morning commute. Totals won't be too impressive. Overall, I'm going with a general 1-3" across Schuylkill County. Even though it's not much, it's one of those events that will occur at just the right time to effect your ride to work/school.

Saturday, February 15, 2014

More snow by Tuesday?

By: Ryan Fannock

8:00PM UPDATE: Good evening! So it looks like everyone saw a general 3 to 7 inches of fresh snow today. I don't know bout you, but I'm sick of shoveling. Tonight will be COLD and WINDY. Gusts could reach 35mph at times. Watch out for blowing and drifting snow if traveling tonight. Sunday will bring us a mix of sun and clouds. It will be cold with highs in the lower 20's. Winds will be be with us once again with gusts to 20-25mph at times. A snow shower is possible.

Yes, more accumulating snow is headed our way. Our next system will get here during the early morning hours Tuesday. As of now, it looks like sometime between 12am and 2am. Snow will wrap up before the noon hour. Totals look to range from 3-6" across the area.

Summit Hill Couple Turns Snow Piles in Snow Art

Posted from TamaquaArea.Wordpress.com

A sizable creation in the front yard of a Summit Hill home is drawing lots of attention. Summit Hill residents Fred Evans Jr., Shannon O’Donnell and Kevin Gieniec have spent numerous man-hours creating a 45-foot long Valentine’s Day display made of snow, ice and a few other materials. It’s features include a red heart-colored igloo, a 10-foot red arch and about a dozen colored ice hearts.

Schuylkill League Championship Finals

Final scores from tonight's Schuylkill League Championships

Girls

Minersville - 61

Marian - 46

Boys

Mahanoy Area - 45

Pottsville - 44

Photo courtesy of: Megan Powers

Winter Weather Advisory Issued For Schuylkill County

...WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM 11 PM THIS EVENING TO 4 PM EST SATURDAY ...

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN STATE COLLEGE HAS ISSUED A WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY FOR SNOW ...WHICH IS IN EFFECT FROM 11 PM THIS EVENING TO 4 PM EST SATURDAY.

* HAZARD TYPES ...SNOW AND BLOWING SNOW.

* ACCUMULATIONS ...2 TO 4 INCHES OF SNOW.

* TIMING ...SNOW WILL MOVE INTO THE AREA AROUND OR SHORTLY AFTER MIDNIGHT ...AND WILL SPREAD EASTWARD THROUGH SATURDAY MORNING. MOST OF THE SNOW WILL FALL BETWEEN APPROXIMATELY 3 AM AND 9 AM ...BEFORE TAPERING TO SCATTERED SNOW SHOWERS BY EARLY SATURDAY AFTERNOON. A GUSTY NORTH WIND WILL CREATE SOME BLOWING AND DRIFTING OF THE SNOW.

* IMPACTS ...SNOW COVERED ROADS AND POOR VISIBILITIES WILL MAKE TRAVELING HAZARDOUS.

* WINDS ...NORTH 5 TO 15 MPH WITH GUSTS UP TO 25 MPH.

* TEMPERATURES ...IN THE MID 20S.

* VISIBILITIES ...UNDER A MILE AT TIMES.