Schuylkill court news
Divorces granted
Markus A.Boyer was granted a divorce from Catherine A. Boyer, both of 211 W. Broad St., Tamaqua. They were married Sept. 16, 1989.
Paul Stravinsky, Ringtown, was granted a divorce from Rose Marie Stravinsky, Pottsville. They were married Aug. 12, 2007.
Michael Yob Jr., Summit Station, was granted a divorce from Judie R. Yob, Pottsville. They were married Dec. 20, 1996.
Teresa Menne, Danville, was granted a divorce from Jared Menne, Ashland. They were married Oct. 28, 2006.
Pamela Luisa Walker, Port Carbon, was granted a divorce from Jose Javier Nils Fornari-Mey, Lima, Peru. They were married Oct. 8, 1997.
File for divorce
Vanessa M. Goepfert, 38 W. Water St., Coaldale, filed suit for divorce from Ronald W. Goepfert, 36 Zehner's Crossing Road, Tamaqua R.D. They were married Dec. 23, 2005.
Justina D. Walb, 135 Angel Drive, New Ringgold, started a divorce action against Randall L. Walb, 811 W. Race St., Pottsville. They were married Feb. 25, 1989.
Guilty plea
Nathan C. Cooper, 19, Maple Shade, N.J., pleaded guilty to three counts of defiant trespass on the Schuylkill Campus Grounds of Penn State University in North Manheim Township and was sentenced by Judge Cyrus Palmer Dolbin to serve seven days in the Schuylkill County prison followed by two years on probation. He was also ordered to pay $150 to the Criminal Justice Enhancement Account, $50 to the district attorney's office for a bench warrant and a $50 monthly supervision fee. He also was ordered to stay away from the campus.
Wood burners
The Pottsville Zoning Hearing Board held a hearing on a complaint about a wood fire boiler operated in the backyard of a premises on Mahantongo Street.
David A. and Christie M. Zerbe, 2155 Mahantongo St., appealed a decision by the city's zoning ordinance officer for granting a permit to their neighbors, Charles and Alicia Smith, to allow them to install in their back yard a wood fired burner. They pointed out the city has an ordinance adopted in October 2008 prohibiting such heating eliments. The Zerbes claimed the boiler is six feet long and seven feet high and emitted volumes of smoke which prevented them from enjoying their backyard and that the smell of the wood burning lasted a long time and permeated their home.
The zoning board ruled the permit was issued before the ordinance was adopted and dismissed the appeal.
Security report
Sheriff Joseph P. Groody reported 128,293 people went through the public checkpoint to gain entrance into the courthouse building during 2009. Employees, judges, elected and court officials have identification cards to open various entrances.
During the year security personnel collected 65 guns and 2,676 knives of variouis descriptions which were identified by the x-ray machine located in brief cases, purses and other type carrier bags brought in by people seeking to enter the courthouse. They had to surrender the guns to the security officers who gave them a checkout ticket which they presented when leaving the courthouse to regain the articles held. Most were the type of pocket knives and what appeared to be sharp objects were taken out and held. The majority of security officers are former law enforcement people.
