Obituaries published from the Schuylkill County area.  Click here to sign up to receive a daily obituary notification from Skook News directly to your inbox. ------------------------------------------ Mostly cloudy with a few scattered showers lingering overnight 49-year-old Richard Weiss of Schuylkill Haven is charged with theft receiving stolen property and related offenses - A Schuylkill County man is under arrest and facing charges after authorities say he stole a police vehicle and drove it almost 100 miles before finally being taken into custody Weiss came to the Schuylkill Haven Borough Police Department (SHPD) at 2:18 a.m The officer on duty advised Weiss he did not have any active warrants for his arrest after calling Schuylkill County Dispatch to check Weiss was then told by police to walk home dispatch called the police station to ask if all department vehicles were currently in the parking lot It was at that time the officer on duty noticed one was missing Court documents state the officer parked the vehicle in the lot at 1:39 a.m leaving a spare key in the ignition after locking the door with his primary key After he was instructed to leave the station and opened the driver's side door of the officer's vehicle Court documents did not specify how the suspect was able to open the vehicle's door after it was allegedly locked by the officer the property owner to Weiss's current home says he had been looking for Weiss since the night before but I couldn't see him taking an officer's car." an alert for the stolen police vehicle was issued just before 4 a.m Investigators say after leaving the station Weiss drove to a Wawa located in the 900 block of W taking cigarettes and multiple candy items Weiss allegedly told them he was an off-duty police officer and pointed to SHPD vehicle parked outside The vehicle's registration was picked on a VIPR system camera at the intersection of routes 12 and 73 in Ruscombmanor Township but investigators were unable to tell which direction it was headed with a call advising them Weiss and the vehicle were in the custody of Amtrak Wilmington Police Department in the state of Delaware Authorities say a police shotgun inside the stolen vehicle did not appear to have been tampered with Weiss is still in custody in Delaware according to online records There is no word at this time when he will be brought back to Pennsylvania to face charges Email notifications are only sent once a day Your browser is out of date and potentially vulnerable to security risks.We recommend switching to one of the following browsers: Get up-to-the-minute news sent straight to your device students from across Schuylkill County were recognized for their efforts to foster understanding and acceptance in their schools and communities during the annual Arnold Delin Award ceremony held at Penn State Schuylkill named in honor of the late Arnold Delin—a passionate advocate for equity and justice—celebrates students who actively participate in Schuylkill County Youth Conference activities and demonstrate a commitment to inclusivity through their actions became a respected community leader in Schuylkill County As the Regional Chairman of the Anti-Defamation League he dedicated his life to fighting hate and discrimination and annual student visits to the Holocaust Museum in Washington He firmly believed that education was the most powerful weapon against hatred Delin’s wife Dolores and son Scott were present at the awards ceremony Dolores served as the guest speaker and emphasized the beauty and strength of diversity in her address “Diversity is what made America,” she said Our differences are what make us beautiful.” Each high school in Schuylkill County selects one junior or senior student to receive a $500 Arnold Delin Award intended for post-secondary education expenses Students who choose to attend Penn State Schuylkill are also eligible for a $500 matching scholarship The 2025 Arnold Delin Award recipients are: Brenda Holguin of Schuylkill Haven also accepted the Delin Trophy awarded to the school with the best presentation at this year’s Schuylkill County Youth Conference The trophy will be proudly displayed at Schuylkill Haven Area High School for the next year A fatal crash occurred Saturday afternoon on Route 61 near Seven Stars Road in North Manheim Township following a vehicle pursuit with the Pennsylvania State Police According to the Pennsylvania State Police at Schuylkill Haven when a trooper conducted a traffic stop on a 2017 red Kia Rio for a traffic violation identified as 43-year-old Matthew Williams from Frackville The trooper pursued Williams as he traveled south on Route 61 Approximately a quarter mile from the initial stop Williams approached the intersection near the Cressona Mall entrance Williams' car came to rest in the northbound lanes of Route 61 He sustained fatal injuries in the crash and was pronounced dead at the scene Several other individuals involved in the collision were transported to the hospital for treatment of injuries State Police were assisted at the scene bySchuylkill Haven Borough Police and the Schuylkill County Coroner's Office the Sheetz convenience store in Schuylkill Haven has closed its doors temporarily to undergo a remodel.  The renovation project is set to be completed with an anticipated reopening in July 2025 The remodel will enhance the store's features the newly expanded Sheetz will measure 6,130 square feet offering more space for customers and improved facilities the project will include the installation of additional fuel pumps to better serve motorists and an updated parking lot designed to improve traffic flow and accessibility The inaugural River Front Music Festival, hosted by Schuylkill Events, is set to bring two days of bluegrass, folk, Celtic, Americana, and more to Schuylkill Haven’s scenic Island Park This community-driven event promises a blend of live music it’s a celebration of music and culture that will delight all ages Explore acoustic instruments and dance with a focus on creative expression for adults and children with special needs led by certified special education teachers and musicians offers an inclusive introduction to a variety of instruments and Irish dance For more details and tickets, email schevents317@gmail.com Watch Attempted Murder Suspect Steal Fla. Deputy's Cruiser A man who had just visited the Schuylkill Haven Police Department early Monday morning stole a police vehicle parked next to the station and drove it to Delaware before he was arrested A borough police officer left the Ford F-150 pickup truck running in the lot beside the station along the 200 block of Parkway Avenue at about 1:30 a.m., Schuylkill Haven Police Chief Jeffrey Walcott said The officer incorrectly thought he had locked the vehicle and when he returned to the lot from the station Weiss is facing felony charges of theft by unlawful taking and receiving stolen property as well as a misdemeanor charge of unauthorized use of a motor vehicle Weiss was extradited back to Schuylkill County Weiss is familiar to the department because they have responded to several incidents he caused in the borough related to his mental health issues He went to the station to check if there was a warrant for his arrest he got into the running police vehicle and drove off with the events being caught on department security cameras After the officer saw that the vehicle had been taken he sent an alert to other departments to be on the lookout for it Weiss was stopped by security after driving the vehicle into the Amtrak station lot in Wilmington After Weiss will be processed in Schuylkill County once he is brought back Schuylkill Haven officers drove to Wilmington on Monday morning and brought back the vehicle There were department firearms locked inside the vehicle It is common for police to leave vehicles running for a variety of reasons including for cold weather and so officers don’t have to reboot the computer system inside the vehicle when restarting it The vehicle is to be locked at those times Walcott did not identify the officer who was assigned the vehicle at the time but said that the matter will be addressed with him internally Walcott was out of town Monday when the theft occurred and said he was still gathering information on what exactly Weiss will be charged with © 2025 the Republican & Herald (Pottsville Visit republicanherald.com Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) announced that the Schuylkill Haven Driver License Center will undergo extensive interior renovations and the addition of an extra photo system to improve services.  “We realize this may be a temporary inconvenience while we work to enhance our facility and services,” said PennDOT Driver and Vehicle Services Deputy Secretary Kara Templeton “To minimize service impacts to our Schuylkill Haven area customers we will offer expanded services at other nearby locations to ensure continued access to driver licensing services during the renovations.” PennDOT’s Schuylkill Haven employees will be temporarily reassigned to the Shamokin Driver License Center at 5 Anthra Plaza in Shamokin the Shamokin Driver License Center will increase its operations to four days a week – Tuesday and Saturday – from 8:30 AM to 4:15 PM Photo services will be available Tuesday through Saturday from 8:30 AM to 4:15 PM Schuylkill Haven is preparing to celebrate its 275th anniversary in 2025 with a series of events honoring its past and embracing its future moved to the area along the upper Schuylkill River Fincher's family endured hardship during the French and Indian War when their home and barn were destroyed in 1756 and two sons were killed by local tribes siding with the French Martin Dreibelbis arrived and became the first permanent settler His son Jacob later established the town's layout and gave it the name Schuylkill Haven The Dreibelbis family played a vital role in developing the town's economy becoming a significant economic driver for the community as coal barges traveled through the heart of the town Remnants of the canal are still visible today along Parkway Schuylkill Haven has organized a series of events beginning with an official kick-off on April 5 Mayor Mike Devlin will recognize the anniversary at the Fincher plaque in Bubeck Park at 10 a.m. where he will also unveil a special 275th-anniversary logo Additional festivities planned throughout the year include: Local businesses and organizations are encouraged to participate by organizing their own events to contribute to the celebration or getting involved can reach out via email at ceilmichalik@gmail.com Schuylkill Haven invites visitors and residents alike to join in celebrating this momentous occasion and experience the vibrant blend of past and present that defines the town's enduring legacy a daughter of the late Harold and Betty Heinley Lucas.She was a longtime member of the Joliett Fire Company She always looked forward to her trips to the casino Her family was everything to her.In addition to her parents she was preceded in death by her husband Rita Padilla and Rhonda Ibrahem.Surviving are her daughter uncles and cousins.Following Cherlyn's wishes she will be laid to rest privately alongside her husband and twins in the Methodist Cemetery Muir.Memorial donations in he memory can be made to the Joliett Fire Company PA 17981.The Dimon Funeral Home & Cremation Services Inc --------------------------------------  State Police believe a Schuylkill Haven woman died from natural causes last month but the county coroner is now calling her death a homicide - There's a growing debate over a death in Schuylkill County 6 lying in the stairwell of her home on Parkway Ave determined Mills had been dead for about two days Wayne Ross performed an autopsy and determined Mills had died as a result of her pre-existing diabetes He found evidence of Diabetic Ketoacidosis a condition the CDC says is when the body doesn't have enough insulin to allow blood sugar into the cells Ross' report also said no foul play was suspected But now, Dr. Moylan says he believes Mills was poisoned with fentanyl, and her cause of death was homicide. He said he recommended State Police pursue a charge of "Drug Delivery Resulting in Death" against whoever gave her the drug all I can say is that's it's still an active investigation and we are still looking into every single lead," said Tpr they are not officially considering Mills' death a homicide and they are not pursuing any charges right now We also spoke with the Schuylkill County Administrator Pennsylvania State Police have released new details about a death investigation in Schuylkill Haven -------------------------------------------