69News:Regional: Poconos & Coal

Fire devours home in East Penn Township, Carbon County

Sun, 19 May 2013 04:10:01 GMT

A fast-moving fire devoured a Carbon County home early Saturday morning.

The fire in East Penn Township fire left a family homeless, according to crews at the scene.

Firefighters were called to 140 Tiffany Lane in the North Side Heights development just after 8 a.m.

When fire crews arrived on scene, they found the dwelling fully involved in flames. Fire companies from throughout Carbon county responded to the scene.

The couple, a male, 47, and a female, 37, managed to escape the flames, according to crews at the scene.

Fire officials have requested a state police fire marshal to the scene, as well as the American Red Cross, to care for the victims.

Mahoning Police: 92-year-old scammed by phone

Sat, 18 May 2013 15:14:01 GMT

Police in Carbon County say an elderly woman was the target of a phone scam involving a phony sweepstakes.

Mahoning Township provided the following account of the May 17 incident:

Police were dispatched to Walmart for a reported fraud. Walmart employees advised police that a 92-year-old female from Lehighton had come into the store requesting a money pac card for $100.

Suspecting she was the victim of a scam, Walmart employees contacted police.

The investigation showed the female had received a phone call at her residence advising her she had won a sweepstakes. The caller told her she had to pay a fee to collect the winnings. This prompted her to go to Walmart for the money card.

Police determined the call was part of a scam that originated in Jamaica.

Diane Connors killed in crash that closed Route 61 for several hours

Fri, 17 May 2013 09:54:04 GMT

One person was killed and three others were injured in a two-car accident that closed a stretch of Route 61 between Pottsville and Reading for several hours Thursday.

The crash happened shortly after 8:30 a.m. on Route 61 at Manheim Road in North Manheim Twp., Schuylkill Co.

The driver of a southbound car, 57-year-old Vistilla Bayton, was turning left behind a tractor trailer, but she failed to see that the traffic light had turned red before entering the intersection, police said.

Bayton's car was struck by another vehicle, police said.

The front seat passenger in Bayton's car, Diane Connors, 59, of East Stroudsburg, was killed, police said.

Bayton, backseat passenger Elaine Evans, 35, of East Stroudsburg, and the driver of the other car -- 50-year-old Katherine Roth of Auburn -- were hurt, but police had no information about the extent of their injuries.

Route 61 was closed for more than six hours while state police reconstructed the accident.

Police: Joseph Shuman cuts power to home in Tobyhanna, sets fire to it

Thu, 16 May 2013 19:44:04 GMT

A Monroe County man is behind bars on attempted homicide and arson charges.

Joseph Shuman set fire to a home in the 1300 of Winding Way in Coolbaugh Township early Thursday morning, police said.

Investigators subsequently learned that Shuman was involved in a domestic dispute with one of the home's residents earlier in the evening.

Before setting the fire, police said Shuman removed the electric meter on the side of the home, shutting off power, and poured gasoline around the front and back doors.

Loss of power to the home put the four residents in greater danger because all of them are deaf and rely on special flash alarms to alert them to a fire, police said.

Everyone inside did manage to make it out unharmed.

Shuman, 24, of Tobyhanna, was later arrested and charged with four counts each of attempted homicide and recklessly endangering another person and two counts of arson.

Monroe Co. barber Shawn Develvet will stand trial in death of Quentin Thomas

Thu, 16 May 2013 15:48:08 GMT

A Monroe County barber accused of killing another barber last week is heading to trial.

A preliminary hearing was held Wednesday for Shawn Develvet.

Police say he got into a fight with 34-year old Quentin Thomas at Stylez Barber Shop on Route 196 in Coolbaugh Township on May 9. Both worked at the shop.

Thomas was taken to the hospital where he died a short time later.

Develvet cried during Wednesday's hearing and his lawyer says he shouldn't be charged with homicide because there was no premeditation or intent.

Develvet is also charged with aggravated assault, tampering with evidence and false reports to law enforcement.

Clear sailing at first hearing for water park project NID

Thu, 16 May 2013 11:27:05 GMT

A plan to create a special district to help a proposed multi-million dollar water park project in a Monroe County had clear sailing Wednesday night.

Only one person, Eugene Samolewicz of Pocono Pines, asked a question at the first of two public hearings on Tobyhanna Township's Neighborhood Improvement District (NID) for the $350 million Kalahari Resorts project at Pocono Manor.

Township solicitor Patrick Armstrong explained that the NID would cover a 154-acre parcel near Routes 380 and 940, and make it eligible for revenues from a bond issue that would help pay for roadways, water and sewer lines, and "other improvements" to the first of three phases of the project.

Samolewicz then asked Armstrong if he could be more specific. Armstrong said that a new road, which will likely be called Kalahari Boulevard, and sidewalks will also be part of the improvements.

A second and final hearing on creating the NID will be held sometime next month, the supervisors decided.

On June 3, the supervisors will vote on creating a municipal authority that will administer the NID. That body will be called the Neighborhood Improvement District Municipal Association.

Also on June 3, the supervisors may vote on a Tax Increment Financing ordinance that would allow the Monroe County Industrial Development Authority to issue a 20-year, $26 million bond for off-site improvements for the Kalahari project. Property taxes generated by Phase 1 will be used to pay debt service on the bonds.

Armstrong said the TIF ordinance vote would happen if paperwork is finished by early next week. The Pocono Mountain School Board and the Monroe County commissioners have already signed off on the ordinance.

Developers have said Kalahari Resorts could open as early as 2015.

The first phase of the development would include a 450-room hotel, a 100,0000-square-foot indoor water park, a two-acre outdoor water park, a convention center, an indoor theme park/arcade and retail space with room for two restaurants.

Huge flames destroy Carbon County home

Wed, 15 May 2013 16:42:17 GMT

Firefighters battled massive flames as they tried to save a home, but in the end the fire won.

Crews from multiple departments tanked water to the scene of the fire in the 2600 block of Cherry Orchard Road in Lower Towamensing Twp., Carbon Co.

It broke out around 6:30 p.m. Tuesday.

Fire officials said one person was home at the time the fire started but was able to get out safely.

The Red Cross is assisting the resident.

The mobile home was a complete loss. It took firefighters about an hour to control the blaze.

Officials said it appears the fire started in a bedroom, but damage is so significant that it could be some time before a cause can be determined.

Investigators have not determined what sparked the fire.

6 killed in massive Pottsville fire

Tue, 14 May 2013 09:33:51 GMT

Fire tore through a family's home in Schuylkill County on Mother's Day, killing four young children, their father and another relative while their mother was across the street doing laundry at a friend's house, authorities said.

The fire was reported at 11:55 p.m. Sunday at the single-family home in Pottsville. Firefighters later found all of the bodies on the third floor of the building, which sits on a steep hillside not far from the Yuengling brewery.

The fire was declared under control in about an hour. State police fire marshals were sifting through the debris later Monday morning as they searched for the cause of the fire, which investigators said began in the kitchen.

Fire Chief Todd March said it was the deadliest fire in Pottsville during his 37-year career in the city.

"It's hard to take, and there was nothing we could do," he said.

The Schuylkill County coroner's office identified the victims as the father, Eric Brown, 30; and his children, Elijah Brown, 2; Emily Brown, 3; Jeremiah Brown, 7; and Joy Brown, 8. Another adult, Kristina Thomas, 26, also died in the fire. She's the sister of 28-year-old Kelly Brown, the mother who survived.

Kelly Brown was doing laundry at a neighbor's house nearby at the time of the fire because her washing machine was broken, according to the neighbor, Jennifer Purcell. Purcell said they smelled smoke, and Purcell went outside and saw the flames, telling Brown, "Oh my God, your house is on fire!"

They both ran up the street to the house but weren't able to get inside, Purcell said.

Kelly Brown started screaming to emergency personnel keeping her back, "What do you mean I can't go in? My kids are in there. My husband is in there. My sister is in there. I've got to get them," according to Purcell. Brown got weak after that and had to be walked down the street because she couldn't stand, Purcell said.

Kelly Brown is now staying at her husband's relatives' house elsewhere in Pottsville, said Purcell, adding that they later spoke on the phone and her friend was devastated.

"She's a wreck," Purcell said. "Not only did she lose, as she said, her best friend, her husband, her kids, but it also happened on Mother's Day."

Neighbors said they heard screams for help, but the flames were too intense by the time they got to the house to try to rescue the family.

Jeff Kuhlwind, 50, who lives across the street, said he was on his computer in the front of his house when he heard screaming, "Help! Help me!"

He said he called 911, ran outside and saw "massive flames" shooting from a second-floor window, along with a woman screaming for help.

Kuhlwind and several other neighbors ran up to the front of the house, and he was about to go inside when he saw flames shooting out the front window and was forced away.

"Nobody was getting in. There wasn't no way," he said. "It went quick, really, really quick."

Investigators were looking at a wood-burning stove in the home's kitchen as a potential cause, though Chief March said it was only one among several possibilities.

A family friend, Keith Wykle – who had lit the stove shortly before the fire broke out – said he'd lit it many times previously and never had a problem with it. He said he had been hanging out with his friend Eric Brown earlier in the evening.

March also said there was no immediate evidence of smoke detectors in the home.

The upper two floors of the three-story home were charred and the rear of the building appeared to have sustained heavy damage, with several of the walls knocked out. Furniture and other debris sat on the front sidewalk.

Crews from all the city's fire companies responded to the blaze and March said investigators had to proceed carefully through the building because of the extensive amount of damage.

Neighbors were taking it hard, choking back tears as they recounted the fire and recalled the family who lived there.

"My heart's breaking for my little girl because I really don't think she understands," said Christina Groves, who lives behind the house. "They were her best friends ... and I don't think she understands the true meaning that her friends aren't coming back."

Linda Serrano of East Stroudsburg dies after falling off bridge over I-80

Mon, 13 May 2013 20:26:36 GMT

A 46-year-old East Stroudsburg woman died from injuries sustained Saturday night when she fell off a bridge over Interstate 80 in Monroe County.

Linda Serrano died at 3:09 a.m. Sunday in the emergency room of Pocono Medical Center in East Stroudsburg, said Monroe County Coroner Bob Allen.

Serrano and her husband got into an argument when they went out to dinner Saturday night at Big Daddy's restaurant in Bartonsville, reported the coroner. She got out of her husband's car on the on-ramp to I-80 from Route 33. Serrano's unidentified husband drove away and went home.

The coroner reported Serrano fell 25 foot onto the berm of the westbound lanes of I-80 west in Hamilton Township.

Allen said Serrano was found by a motorist and was still alive when taken to the medical center. She told emergency responders she started walking home and didn't know how she ended up where she was.

She died from multiple blunt force injuries. The coroner ruled the manner of death accidental, since no one else was involved.

Route 209 in Coaldale, Schuylkill County closed after car snaps utility pole

Sat, 11 May 2013 22:59:10 GMT

An overnight crash that snapped a utility pole has left part of Route 209 closed in Coaldale.

The single-vehicle accident happened just before 2 a.m. Saturday between 2nd and 5th streets.

As of 5:30 a.m. Saturday, the road was still closed while power company crews worked to replace the utility pole.

The crash left part of the borough without power.

Officials say the driver was transported to the hospital.

There is no word yet on the severity of the driver's injuries or if any police charges have been filed.

Monroe Co. barber Shawn Develvet charged with Quentin Thomas's death

Fri, 10 May 2013 22:31:32 GMT

A barber is behind bars on charges he fatally beat a fellow barber inside a shop in Monroe County.

State police responded around 3 p.m. Thursday to a reported fight at the Stylez Barber Shop, 205 Route 196, in Coolbaugh Township. Troopers arrived to find Quentin Dequan Thomas badly beaten but still conscious in a chair outside the shop, officials said.

Thomas, 37, died about 40 minutes later at Pocono Medical Center.

"The fight caused his death," said and Chief Harry Lewis, Pocono Mountain Regional Police Dept.

Shawn Develvet was inside the barber shop, cleaning blood from the barber chairs and the floor when troopers entered the shop, according to court documents.

Develvet, 48, of Tobyhanna, told police he was a witness to the assault and said an unknown black man entered the shop and assaulted Thomas, and that Develvet was assaulted when he jumped in to help Thomas.

Develvet had bruising on his head, arms and hands, police said.

Thomas' girlfriend, Mikasa Williams, told police she was in the barber shop when a fight broke out between Develvet and Thomas.

Develvet, she said, repeatedly punched Thomas on the side of the head and choked him with Thomas' shirt, police said.

Develvet faces charges of criminal homicide, aggravated assault, tampering with physical evidence and making false reports to law enforcement authorities.

Accident snarls traffic near Port Clinton

Fri, 10 May 2013 20:01:15 GMT

An accident turned the Friday morning commute into chaos for drivers traveling from Schuylkill County to Berks County.

Two people were hurt when two cars collided on Route 61 at Broad Street in West Brunswick Twp., Schuylkill Co., around 7:30 a.m.

Emergency crews from both Schuylkill and Berks counties responded to the scene.

The southbound lanes of Route 61 were closed for about an hour, causing a backlog of traffic that stretched for several miles.

We're told the injured drivers should be OK.

Council will challenge legal decision that could affect Jim Thorpe remains

Fri, 10 May 2013 13:53:52 GMT

A legal decision involving the remains of Jim Thorpe will be challenged by the Carbon County borough that is home to the famed athlete's grave and is named in his honor.

Jim Thorpe Borough Council voted 6-0 Thursday night to spend what will likely be tens of thousands of dollars to appeal a judge's ruling last month that could set in motion a process that would permit Thorpe's sons to return their father's remains to Oklahoma.

U.S. District Court Judge A. Richard Caputo decided the borough, which has held Thorpe's remains since 1954, is covered by a 1990 federal law aimed at safeguarding Native American graves and remains.

Mayor Michael Sofranko said filing the appeal is substantially cheaper than spending hundreds of thousands of dollars complying with the judge's ruling and the Native American Grave Protection and Repatriation Act.

Atty. William Schwab, of Lehighton, whose firm has already done more than $110,000 of pro bono work for the borough on the case, will file the legal action with the U.S. 3rd Circuit Court of Appeals next week. Vince Garvey, a lawyer with Schwab's firm, said after the vote that the appeal process could easily take years.

Mayor Sofranko said he is encouraged that council and residents and businesses in the area "continue to step up to the plate" to keep Thorpe's remains in the spot where the borough and Thorpe's widow (and third wife) Patricia agreed, even though Judge Caputo decided federal law trumped that contract.

Sofranko added that borough officials are pleased with promises of private fundraising to fight this legal battle, because council does not want to raise taxes or be committed to spending an "unlimited" amount of money. He added that the borough's liability insurance jumped $90,000 last year because of the lawsuit.

Sofranko said Congressmen Matt Cartwright and Lou Barletta, whose districts each include parts of Carbon County, and U.S. Sens. Bob Casey and Pat Toomey also have offered help.

The mayor stressed that the borough appeal should not be seen as disrespectful to Native Americans. "It's not us-against-them," he said. "The [borough] residents had a good, healthy debate. There were no nasty signs on the wall … They wanted to educate themselves."

Jim Thorpe's grandson, John Thorpe, of Lake Tahoe, California, will attend the Jim Thorpe Birthday Celebration set for Saturday and Sunday, Sofranko noted.

The latest battle over Thorpe's remains began in June 2010, when Thorpe's son Jack sued the borough. Jack's brothers Richard and William and the Sac and Fox Nation joined the lawsuit.

Jack Thorpe passed away in February 2011, but the lawsuit continued with the other plaintiffs.

Atty. Garvey said the borough's appeal will dispute Judge Caputo's determination that the borough functions as a museum that receives federal funds and is therefore covered by the Native American Grave Protection and Repatriation Act.

"Our position is, [the borough] never received direct federal funding, only trickle-down funding" from the county through community development block grants, Garvey said.

Mahoning Twp. police looking for a/c thief

Fri, 10 May 2013 12:47:28 GMT

Law officials in Carbon County are looking for a man who made off with an air conditioner, and came back for more at Walmart.

Mahoning Twp. police said a man stole an air conditioning unit valued at more than $400 from the store at 1731 Blakeslee Blvd. Drive East on Tuesday.

He came back into the store and loaded a second cart of merchandise, which included a chainsaw, weed whacker and other equipment, police said, but the man fled the store , and left the cart of goods behind.

He left in a red pickup truck, driven by an unidentified person, police said.

Anyone with information is asked to call Mahoning police at 570-386-2241 or by email at mahtwppd@ptd.net.

Lawrence Carl Liero of Saylorsburg charged with open lewdness

Thu, 09 May 2013 18:00:46 GMT

An 18-year-old Saylorsburg man has been charged with open lewdness for flashing his bare buttocks at a group of 8th grade girls touring Pleasant Valley High School in Chestnuthill Township, Monroe County.

Charged was Lawrence Carl Liero.

The incident occured about 9:25 a.m. Monday, according to state police at Fern Ridge. They list two unidentified 13-year-old girls as victims.

Berniece Geiling of Lehighton dies of injuries from car accident

Thu, 09 May 2013 17:41:05 GMT

A Carbon County woman has died of injuries suffered in a car crash three months ago.

The Lehigh County coroner's office said Berniece Geiling, 84, of 1218 Fairyland Road in Lehighton, succumbed to her injuries at Good Shepherd Specialty Hospital in Bethlehem Thursday morning.

Her death was caused by complications of multiple blunt force injuries suffered in a car accident on March 11, according to the coroner.

The accident happened around 4:30 p.m. at the intersection of Routes 2007 and 209 in Franklin Twp.

She was the driver of a car that collided with another car. Her death was ruled an accident.

PPL improves electric delivery in northeastern Pennsylvania

Thu, 09 May 2013 17:33:30 GMT

PPL Electric Utilities is upgrading power lines, modernizing substation equipment and making other improvements to enhance service reliability for thousands of customers throughout northeastern Pennsylvania.

More than 20 projects, totaling about $30 million in infrastructure improvements, are under way this year on its distribution system .

“You’ll likely see our trucks, crews and contractors working in the Poconos and other parts of our northeastern service area to improve the system that delivers power directly to homes and businesses,” said Sarah Fliszar, director of operations for PPL’s northeast region.

“Projects include rebuilding lines to meet higher demand, adding new equipment that allows us to remotely reroute power during damaging storms and upgrading substations with new technology that will help minimize outages.”

Much of the distribution work involves installing new power lines to improve the performance of local circuits. The new lines are like opening roads that provide more alternate routes for electricity, allowing more opportunities to deliver power and restore service faster when outages occur.

PPL also will install remote-controlled devices at substations that allow remote access to control the flow of power. Local substations outfitted with the new equipment include those serving Mount Pocono, Stroudsburg, north Stroudsburg, Tobyhanna Township, Arrowhead Lake and Polk Township in Monroe County; Lake Harmony, Kidder Township, Meckesville and Lansford in Carbon County, and Brookside in Lackawanna County.

Additionally, PPL Electric Utilities is installing automated grid technology in Monroe County, a $10 million project that will improve the reliability of electric service to 70,000 customers. More than 230 automated devices are being installed on 52 distribution circuits, as well as upgrades at 16 local substations. The construction work is expected to be completed in November with full benefits in place next year.

PPL is investing nearly $1 billion this year to strengthen the electric delivery system for its nearly 1.4 million customers. The company’s largest-scale investment in system improvements since the 1960s and 1970s, it includes 250 large-scale transmission projects and smaller, more local reliability improvements throughout the service territory.

Here’s a look at some of the distribution projects, listed by county.

Monroe County:

Building a new line to better serve the Lake Naomi area in Tobyhanna Township, a $1.3 million project that will benefit about 2,300 customers. The project is expected to be completed at the end of the year.Replacement of underground cable at Pocono Farms in Coolbaugh Township, a $740,000 project expected to be completed at the end of July.

Pike and Wayne counties:

Building a new distribution line from the Bohemia substation in Lackawaxen Township, including the addition of substation automation. The project also involves building a new line to link with the nearby Twin Lakes circuit in Shohola to better serve customers in the area. The $3.1 million project is expected to be finished this summer and benefit about 3,200 customers.Adding a new substation between Newfoundland and Tafton in Pike and Wayne counties, respectively, to minimize storm-related outages and improve service reliability. The $6.5 million project is expected to be completed by the end of summer and benefit about 1,000 customers.

Lackawanna County:

A new distribution line will improve service for customers in the Throop area. The $680,000 project is expected to be finished in June and benefit about 2,800 customers.A new line in Moscow, Springbrook and Covington townships will improve service for about 2,000 customers at a cost of $900,000.A new line under construction in Old Forge will improve service for about 2,500 customers at a cost of $900,000.

Susquehanna County:

A new line between Dundaff and Forest City will benefit about 1,400 customers. The $800,000 project is expected to be completed by the end of the year.

Unit One shuts down at Susquehanna

Thu, 09 May 2013 17:30:23 GMT

Operators at PPL's Susquehanna nuclear power plant disconnected Unit 1 from the regional power grid early Thursday for a scheduled outage to install turbine modifications.

The modifications are the first phase of a long-term plan that is expected to resolve turbine blade issues that have affected plant operations in recent years.

"Our conservative approach to resolve the issue by carefully monitoring blade performance and investing in the needed modifications reflects our commitment to the safe operation of the plant," said Timothy S. Rausch, PPL Susquehanna senior vice president and Chief Nuclear Officer.

Workers made the same modifications to Unit 2 during its regularly scheduled refueling outage, which began April 13 and is still ongoing.

They inspected Unit 2's turbines and replaced several pieces of its turbine assembly.

Rausch said turbine blade issues have affected both Susquehanna units.

Both units are expected back in service by the start of summer.

The Susquehanna plant, located in Luzerne County about seven miles north of Berwick, is owned jointly by PPL Susquehanna LLC and Allegheny Electric Cooperative Inc. and is operated by PPL Susquehanna.

Police: Suspect in girls' sexual assaults a 10-year-old boy

Wed, 08 May 2013 19:54:37 GMT

Two young girls were sexually assaulted over a number of years by a 10-year-old boy, state police said in announcing their investigation Wednesday.

The assaults occurred in East Brunswick Twp., Schuylkill Co., between Sept. 2005 and Dec. 2009, starting when the girls were 5- and 6-years-old, said police, who declined to release any further information about the case.

Homeowner comes home to see burglar leaving with box of loot

Wed, 08 May 2013 14:34:38 GMT

A wild police chase in Schuylkill County has ended with the arrest of a burglary suspect.

It happened around 2 p.m. Tuesday in the 1000 block of Spring Road in West Penn Township, police said.

The homeowner came home to find her front door broken into, police said. She then saw Matthew Desrochers leaving the residence with a box of her jewelry.

Desrochers then led police on a high-speed chase on Route 209 for about 10 miles, police said. He finally stopped after running over spike strips set by police.

They found several jewelry boxes believed to have been taken during the burglary, police said.

Desrochers faces charges of burglary, theft and reckless endangerment.

Carbon Co. nursing home death ruled a homicide

Tue, 07 May 2013 19:52:03 GMT

It's the last place you expect a homicide to happen.

Police say a Carbon County woman was killed at a nursing home, by another resident.

Police say it happened more than three weeks ago, nut the the Luzerne County Coroner just ruled it a homicide.

Nursing home officials say both residents involved in the incident suffer from dementia.

Weatherly Police say April 20th, 85-year-old Margaret Lechleitner is pushed by another resident of Weatherwood Nursing and Rehabilitation Center in Carbon County.

Weatherwood officials say Lechleitner hit her head during the fall.

According to a statement released by Weatherwood, "both residents suffer from dementia."

After the incident they were taken to Hazelton General Hospital a few miles away.
Lechleitner died the next day.

There is no word on the condition or identity of the other resident.

Weatherwood's official statement expressed its condolences to the family, saying quote:

"Behaviors associated with dementia can be unpredictable. While we strive to ensure resident care and safety on a daily basis, spontaneous, unpreventable incidents can occur due to the disease process."

Weatherwood says for that reason it has a staff of health care professionals and physicians that work to ensure the best quality of care and quality of life for residents.

Weatherly Borough Police say Lechleitner's death has been ruled a homicide by the Luzerne County Coroner and that her death is still under investigation.

The sergeant in charge of the investigation says the department is working closely with the Carbon County District Attorney's office on the case.

69 News spoke with Lechleitner's family, who says they are devastated but have no comment about what happened.

It's unknown if any charges will be filed in connection with this case.

Weatherly Police say they plan to release more information on the investigation in the coming days.

Dennis McWilliams stabbed during argument in Stroudsburg; Andrew Rondon charged, police say

Tue, 07 May 2013 19:22:01 GMT

An argument in Monroe County ended with one man being stabbed and another under arrest, police said.

Officers were called shortly after 1 p.m. Tuesday to South 8th Street in Stroudsburg.

Dennis McWilliams went to Andrew Rondon's home to confront him about an alleged assault involving another person earlier in the day, police said.

An argument erupted between the two men outside Rondon's home, with Rondon using a knife to stab McWilliams in the shoulder and breaking one of his legs by stomping on it, police said.

Rondon was taken into custody at the scene; McWilliams was transported to the Pocono Medical Center for treatment.

Fire destroys Carbon Co. home

Tue, 07 May 2013 18:18:21 GMT

A fire has displaced a Carbon County family from its home.

The fire broke out around 11 p.m. Monday at a home at 469 Forest St. in Franklin Township.

Crews were able to get the blaze contained by around 2 a.m. Tuesday.

No injuries were reported.

A state police fire marshal will be handling the investigation.

Accident closes part of Interstate 80

Tue, 07 May 2013 16:54:07 GMT

Part of Interstate 80 in Carbon County had to be shut down because of an accident involving at least three tractor trailers.

It happened around 2 a.m. Tuesday in I-80's eastbound lanes in Kidder Township.

It's not clear if anyone was hurt in the crash, but reports from the scene indicate that there may have been a fuel leak from at least one of the trucks.

The accident closed the interstate between the NE Extension of the PA Turnpike and Blakeslee for several hours.

Harvey Frable III charged with assaulting fellow school board member

Tue, 07 May 2013 13:31:31 GMT

A Monroe County school official has been charged with assaulting another school official.

Police say Pleasant Valley School Board member Harvey Frable III of 524 Poplar Creek Road in Effort, confronted fellow board member Jim Spinola in the parking lot of Pleasant Valley High School after a meeting in December.

Court documents say Frable berated Spinola, swore at him and then slammed his shoulder in his car door, forcing Spinola to seek treatment.

When Spinola left the parking lot at the Pleasant Valley High School in Chestnuthill Twp., police said Frable followed him, flashing his lights.

Frable is facing charges of aggravated assault, harassment, and disorderly conduct.