Feb21

FRIDAY, FEB. 21, 2014

For a review of “3 Days to Kill,� see Page 3

We saw you at...

Community snowball battle, Tamaqua

Worldrenowed pianist featured See Page 2

Kathy, left, and Logan Kromer, New Ringgold

Carmen Tubens, left, and Nicholas Cammareri, both of Coaldale For more photos from the fundraiser, see Page 4

Classical pieces

Israeli-born pianist to perform with Gabriel Chamber Ensemble

BY ERIC PEDDIGREE COPY EDITOR

T

epeddigree@republicanherald.com

he Gabriel Chamber Ensemble will continue its concert series Sunday with some help from worldrenowned pianist Itay Goren.

The concert is scheduled for 3 p.m. at Jerusalem Evangelical Lutheran Church, 252 Dock St., Schuylkill Haven. Tickets are $15 for adults and $12 for seniors.

Admission is free for students.

Agnes Maurer, executive director of the Gabriel Chamber Ensemble, said it will be the first time Goren will perform with the group based in Schuylkill County. She said the relationship formed after the chamber ensemble’s cellist, Gerall Hieser, played with Goren at an event.

According to a press release, Goren was born in Israel and found music at an early age. He has performed in many places around the world, such as Guam and the Czech Republic. Currently, he is a staff member in the music

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If you go

What: Gabriel Chamber Ensemble concert When: 3 p.m. Sunday Where: Jerusalem Evangelical Lutheran Church, 252 Dock St., Schuylkill Haven Cost: Adults $15, seniors $12, students free

department at Ramapo College in New Jersey.

The program will feature pieces from Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Claude Debussy and Cesar Franck, whose music Maurer called “incredible.”

“It is quite a piece,” Maurer said.

A complimentary post-concert reception will be held in the church’s lobby/atrium.

The concert is the third in the ensemble’s 2013-14 season.

The nonprofit organization is celebrating its 24th anniversary this year. Over the years it has built a broad fan base in the coal region, according to Maurer.

“We are very, very happy. The audience is growing. Their enthusiasm has been wonderful,” Maurer said.

She said the concerts in Schuylkill Haven attract people from all over the region, including Lehigh and Berks counties. She was told one couple will be traveling from Harrisburg for Sunday’s performance.

“We do attract quite a few people from outside the county,” Maurer said. “We show that Schuylkill County is good.”

The Gabriel Chamber Ensemble is made up of Maurer, New Ringgold, viola; Simon Maurer, New Ringgold, violin; and Hieser, Bernardsville, N.J., cello.

On Sunday, the group will also be

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 21, 2014

SUBMITTED PHOTOS

The Gabriel Chamber Ensemble, from left, Gerall Hieser, Simon Maurer and Agnes Maurer, will be joined by Israeli pianist Itay Goren for a concert at 3 p.m. Sunday at Jerusalem Evangelical Lutheran Church, Schuylkill Haven. LEFT: Barbara Jaffe, Ardmore, will join the group as a guest violinist. joined by guest violinist Barbara Jaffe, Ardmore. Maurer said Jaffe has been performing with the ensemble for “quite a few years.”

The group will conclude its con-

POTTSVILLE (PA.) REPUBLICAN HERALD

cert season on April 27.

Maurer said she hopes the success of this season is an indicator for next year’s 25th anniversary season.

“Next year will be wonderful,” she said.

For more information on the ensemble or the concert series, visit www.gabrielensemble.org.

‘3 Days to Kill’ sloppy but entertaining Kevin Costner and the director McG are plunged into the madcap mayhem of Monsieur Luc Besson in “3 Days to Kill,” a serio-comic thriller about mortality, murder for hire and fatherhood.

This being a Besson script and production, it’s also about car chases and epic shoot-outs, torture played for sadistic laughs, Paris locations and Peugeot product placement.

Besson, who morphed into a producer after “The Professional” and before “The Transporter,” gives Costner the full Liam Neeson in “Taken” treatment, cashing in on a career of cool in a movie that moves almost fast enough to keep us from noticing how scruffy, discomfiting and absurdly over-the-top the whole thing is.

Costner is Ethan, a veteran CIA agent diagnosed with cancer. But his new control agent, a vamp named ViVi and played to the stilettoheeled hilt by Amber Heard, wants him to finish one last massacre — taking out a nuclear arms dealer and his associates in the City of Light.

The carrot? She has an experimental drug that might give Ethan longer to live. And that could mean more time with his estranged wife (Connie Nielsen) and the daughter he barely knows, played by “True Grit” teen Hailee Steinfeld.

They live in Paris. The girl doesn’t know what Dad does for a living, or that he’s dying.

She’s a teen. She probably wouldn’t care.

“You might want to take something for that cough. It’s REALLY annoying.”

Ethan’s clueless about how to deal with a teen, so he’s always stopping the torture to ask one underworld guy (Marc Andreoni, funny) how to cope, what to do, how “to

MOVIE REVIEWS balance work and family.”

Heard, all lipstick and lingerie, long eyelashes and leatherwear — has little to do here, something of a waste.

Steinfeld’s Zoey is a bit of a drama queen, but not a caricature of one. She is one transgression after another, which Ethan seems loathe to punish and unable to reign in.

Besson co-wrote the script, and he works in shots at absentee parents, lazy French cops and a legal system that allows cute African squatters more rights to Ethan’s apartment than he has.

But that turns out to be a warm and fuzzy cul de sac, one of many in this movie, which veers from shocking shoot-outs to rank sentiment.

Ethan’s illness is forgotten for long stretches, but Costner, a hacking, weathered study in wrinkles and violence, never lets on that the whole affair is more of a lark than “Taken” ever was. A canny touch is the old-fashioned split-screen opening credits, scored to the old R & B tune “Old Man Trouble.” It fits.

Daft and sloppy as it is, “3 Days” rarely fails to entertain. From the bike-riding lessons on Montmartre to dopey interrogation of the Italian “Accountant,” interrupted for a marinara sauce recipe, it’s all part and parcel of the madness of Besson, “From Paris, With Love” — filtered through McG and slapping a new stamp of “cool” on aging Oscar winner Costner.

“3 Days To Kill,” a Relativity release, is rated PG-13 for intense sequences of violence and action, some sensuality and language. Running time: 113 minutes. ★★½

“Pompeii” “Pompeii” is half swordand-sandal epic, half disaster movie and all guilty pleasure.

Director Paul W.S. Anderson, taking a break from cranking out “Resident Evil” movies, has a strong command of CGI technology and 3-D effects, and the movie is so grand in scale that you can’t help surrender to the spectacle, even if the stuff that’s going on with the people in the film is often close to risible.

In his first starring role since becoming famous as Jon Snow on “Game of Thrones,” Kit Harington proves he’s much better as an ensemble player than as a leading man.

As Milo, a slave-turnedgladiator who saw his family

butchered before his eyes when he was young, Harington is supposed to brood and smolder and emanate inner turmoil, but he comes across as a really quiet dude who’s good with a sword.

The first half of the movie is strongly reminiscent of Russell Crowe’s “Gladiator,” as Milo and fellow slave-fighter Atticus (Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje) grow from mortal enemies into unlikely allies, plotting to take down the sneering Roman senator Corvus (Kiefer Sutherland, in a so-bad-it’s-good performance).

Milo also makes cow eyes from the arena floor at the beautiful Cassia (Emily Browning), who shares his attraction but has already been promised by her par-

ents to marry Corvus.

“Pompeii” delves just enough into history to give you a sense of how politics worked in the era (Jared Harris plays a Pompeii entrepreneur who has great plans for the city), and the battle scenes are well-staged and exciting, if noticeably bloodless (the PG-13 rating must be observed). Then that pesky Mount Vesuvius starts belching, a tsunami plows into the region and an earthquake splits the ground, all at the same time (talk about worst day ever).

From here, “Pompeii” becomes a Roland Emmerich picture, perhaps a little more refined in sensibility and ambition but still silly enough to have characters running toward flowing lava.

The dialogue is often pleasantly leaden (“I’ve never seen you look at any man the way you looked at that slave!” one of Cassia’s friends says), but the sound effects are way cool, and the 3-D is spectacular, with glowing ashes that seem to float off the screen and onto your lap.

“Pompeii” is nowhere near good, but it’s quick and to the point and, although obviously aimed at teens, just fun enough to keep grown-ups entertained, if not always in the ways the filmmakers intended.

“Pompeii, a TriStar Pictures release, is rated PG-13 for vulgar language, violence, depictions of mass destruction. Running time: 105 minutes. ★★

West Coast Video New Releases First Featuring

Elmer’s Hobby Shop

And Chris’s AndElectronic Chris’s Cigarettes

Schuylkill Mall

Stop Electronic In Tom Levonas for Your Cigarettes Free Video Rental.

For Showtimes: 570-874-2505 • www.schuylkillmalltheatres.com www.facebook.com/schuylkillmalltheatres Playing 2/21 - 2/27

3 DAYS TO KILL (PG13) 12:00P, 4:00P, 6:45P, 9:30P ABOUT LAST NIGHT (R) 3:45P, 10:00P ENDLESS LOVE (PG13) 12:15P, 4:00P, 6:30P, 9:15P LEGO MOVIE 3D (PG) 6:00P, 8:30P POMPEII (PG13) 12:45P POMPEII 3D (PG13) 3:30P ABOUT LAST NIGHT 21+ (R) 12:30P, 6:45P MONUMENTS MEN 21+ (PG13) 1:00P, 4:15P, 7:00P, 9:45P

ROBOCOP (PG-13) 12:30P, 6:15P WINTER’S TALE (PG-13) 1:00P, 4:30P, 7:15P, 9:24P LEGO MOVIE 2D PXC (PG) 12:00P LEGO MOVIE 3D PXC (PG) 3:00P POMPEII PXC 3D (PG13) 6:15P, 9:00P

DON’T JUST SEE A MOVIE, EXPERIENCE IT AT

Reading Movies 11 & IMAX 30 N. 2nd Street 610-374-2828 ∙ www.rctheatres.com FREE GARAGE PARKING Digital Projection & Sound • Stadium Seating

Showtimes for Friday, February 21 through Wednesday, February 26

Tickets are now on sale for: Envisioned - Filmed Locally! - Sunday 2/23 at 4pm National Theatre LIVE Presentation of War Horse Thursday, 2/27 at 7pm BARGAIN TUESDAYS ALL SHOWS ALL DAY $5.25 (Excluding IMAX, Additional fee for 3D)

NOW SHOWING IMAX: ROBOCOP IN IMAX (PG13) 1:10, 4:10, 7:05, 9:45

FEATURING IN REALD DIGITAL 3D POMPEII IN DIGITAL 3D (PG13) 10:00

THE LEGO MOVIE IN DIGITAL 3D (PG) (4:15*), 9:30

KIDS FOR CASH (PG13) (1:20, 4:20), 7:10, 9:35 POMPEII (PG13) (1:10, 4:10), 7:20 3 DAYS TO KILL (PG13) (1:20, 4:20), 7:10, 10:05

Experience Good Food/ Drinks and a movie in the VIP Auditorium at

ABOUT LAST NIGHT (R) (1:20, 4:20), 7:20, 10:00 ENDLESS LOVE (PG13) (1:30, 4:30), 7:30, 10:10 WINTER’S TALE (PG13) (1:00, 4:00), 7:00, 9:50

ROBOCOP 21+ (PG13) 3:45P, 9:30P

BAR & GRILL HAPPY HOUR SPECIALS DAILY

POTTSVILLE (PA.) REPUBLICAN HERALD

ROBOCOP (PG13) (1:40, 4:40), 7:25, 10:05 THE LEGO MOVIE (PG) (1:15, 1:45, 4:45), 7:05 THE MONUMENTS MEN (PG13) (1:20, 4:20), 7:10, 9:55 RIDE ALONG (PG13) 7:05, 9:40

*Time not showing SUN. CHILDREN UNDER 3 NOT ADMITTEDTO PG13 or R RATED MOVIES AFTER 6PM

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 21, 2014

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We saw you at ... the battle on Sunday

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From left, Josh Ambrose, Kendall Napolitano, Breanna Card and Leah Napolitano, all of Tamaqua

From left, Gavin Welker, John Shucavage and Rieley Card, all of Tamaqua

Photos by Jacqueline Dormer

Kathleen Quinn-Farber, left, and Nicholas Farber, both of Tamaqua

Joseph Shamonsky, Hometown, with Tobby

Richard George, left, and Jake Hartzell, both of Tamaqua

Summit View Restaurant & Pub

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 21ST KRISTIN KARAOKE @ 9 PM

Now Serving Breakfast Saturday and Sundays 7am - 12pm

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 22ND JUKEBOX KARAOKE @ 9 PM

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SATURDAY, MARCH 1ST SAPPHIRE @ 10 PM SUNDAY, MARCH 2ND CHUCK CAHOE @ 4 PM-7 PM ID A MUST 19 FRONT ST., CRESSONA

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FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 21, 2014

570-754-7535 General Stir Fry. KEEPTsoUSChicken IN MIND Strips of Chicken Sautéed with THIS HOLIDAY SEASON FOR ALL Red Onions, Green YOUR FAMILY Peppers, Broccoli, Carrots and GATHERINGS AND Water Chestnuts in a General BUSINESS Tso Sauce overPARTIES Rice Pilaf.

Route 183, Summit Station Wed. & Thurs. 4-8pm • Fri. & Sat. 4-9pm Sun. Noon-7pm • Closed Mon. & Tues.

POTTSVILLE (PA.) REPUBLICAN HERALD

Tuesdays Tapas 5/$5

Wine Down Wednesdays

Thursdays Ribs & Beer

Coal Creek Plaza, Saint Clair

570-429-1888

Andrew Leibenguth, Tamaqua

2501 West End Avenue Pottsville - 570-622-8741 Tonite 10 pm - 2 am

“CIRCUS FREAKS” Saturday 10 pm - 2 am

“DJ RAZZ”

Mon-Happy Hour 5 - 6 pm Tues.-Tacos 2 /$1.50 Happy Hour 5-6 p.m.

Wed.-60¢ Wings-Happy Hour 4 - 6 pm Thurs.-Happy Hour 8- 10 pm Fri.-60¢ Wings & Happy Hour 4 - 8 pm Sun $1.80 Natural Light Drafts

Coming 3/15 - “Adrenalyn”

The Pottsville Zone Sports Bar & Grill Stop in or take out Lunch and Dinner.

Choose from our Full Menu.

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337 Peacock Street Pottsville • 570-628-9793

I cleared a spot just for you

There are certain things I have been lucky enough to have instilled in me: Holding doors for people, thanking people, helping strangers if at all possible and just being kind in general rather than poisoning the world with negativity. Manners, I think they call them.

We all have our days, sure, but for the most part, I try to keep a level head and contribute positively to the world and keep myself in check. It was how I was raised; it’s the way I view the world. If we had a little more polite and a little less mean and vindictiveness, it surely couldn’t hurt.

Now, all that said, I truly believe, when it comes to residential parking after multiple snowstorms, people become ruthless savages blatantly swallowing spots they know darn well someone else shoveled out.

In a world where not everything is rainbows and politeness, I wish things upon them like, oh I don’t know, stepping on a snow shovel and having the handle kindly crash into their faces a la old Tom and Jerry cartoons when Tom would step on a rake. I want to flatten

Jenna Wasakoski

their tires. Put sand in their gas tank. Soap their cars.

Egg their cars. Toilet paper their cars. So many bad thoughts run through my mind, but, like any law-abiding citizen, I just count to 10 and leave it up to karma.

I have reached my snow peak. I’m done. I’m over it. I know this is winter in Pennsylvania. I know this is what happens when we live in a seasonal climate; I wrote a whole column about those who whine about the winter weather, but let me just tell you, I have had it up to here (points to 8-foot snow pile).

Let the games begin!

Parking has turned into some kind of sick snow hunger games. It’s every person for themselves in this cutthroat, snow-covered landscape of giant mountains

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We can help get your event on everyone’s calendar with our online calendar.

Schuylkill County Visitors Bureau MONDAY - FRIDAY: 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM 570-622-7700 • www.schuylkill.org One Progress Circle, Suite 100, Pottsville

and thick, frozen tundra.

It’s not pretty, people. It’s not pretty.

Listen, I’ll admit it, I couldn’t pencil in the time to shovel myself out after the first significantly heavy snow fell. I paid someone $15 to do it for me. That’s right. I called out to anyone who was willing to help a damsel in distress on Facebook and a few nice gentleman offered their help, and it got done.

No, I’m not ashamed. Yes, I’m independent, but sometimes a gal just needs to be that helpless female who needs a male to do the heavy lifting. Sorry, feminism, I like to cash in on being a lady once in a while.

Anyway, it was sweet relief knowing I wouldn’t have to walk to work the next day, then, wouldn’t you know it, as soon as I pulled out of the spot the very next morning, someone pulled right in behind me and left their vehicle there for two days straight.

Mad? Mad doesn’t even touch it. I wanted to circle the block and

berate them until my eyes bled. I wanted to leave a passive-aggressive note on their car requesting a check in the amount of $7.50, so we could split the cost of shoveling the spot. I wanted to do all the aforementioned things that are completely against the law to their vehicle — soap, eggs, the works. However, like the lady I am, I just put a lid on it, went to work, took deep breaths and told myself it’s just a parking space.

Then came another storm, and another one, and another one and another. I took it upon myself to shovel myself out following the subsequent storms because I was feeling more liberated in

life I guess, and something special started to happen. I started to develop a bond with this parking spot. After all, it was four or five times I shoveled it out. I also assisted my neighbor/best friend in shoveling her spot out as well while she heals from a broken wrist.

These were our spots. We tended to them while cursing the snow and the reward should have been a life free from the chains of parking woes.

Yet again, we would both go to our respective work places and come home to find the spots we toiled over invaded by random foreign cars — foreign as in, I hadn’t

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Public Welcome – Weekly Specials

Kitchen Hours

Friday 4-8 p.m.

Saturday & Sunday 7-11 a.m. & 4-8 p.m.

Thursday 5-8 p.m. Seafood & Steaks Breakfast Thursday & Friday 7 a.m.-10 a.m.

Saturday & Sunday 7 a.m.-11 a.m.

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POTTSVILLE (PA.) REPUBLICAN HERALD

seen them in the neighborhood before, not foreign like a Fiat or a Mistubishi. How maddening.

It’s insane to think of yourself wasting anger on something as insignificant as a parking spot, but little by little, our blood started to boil while car after minivan after Jeep just pulled right in and parked right in these spots — our spots, the ones we carved from the icy earth with our own grit like it was nobody’s business. How dare they?

Well, I’d have to ask this: Do we own the streets?

No. Do they have the right to park there?

Sure they do.

Does it make them a bunch of jerks for doing so?

I believe it does.

It’s a matter of common courtesy and being a decent human being. No, parking spaces aren’t the end of the world, nor can you reserve a public space without paying for a permit, but knowing someone else broke their back in the bitter cold in order to clear a spot that would be there when they Please see JENNA, Page 7

Fri. Feb. 21st - “THE BOY’S UPSTAIRS” Sat. Feb. 22nd - “NICK CHIKOTAS” 570-366-1914

1240 Centre Turnpike Route 61 Orwigsburg, PA • 570-366-1914

Blu Tavern Restaurant & Motel

Rt. 209, Llewellyn • 570-544-9919

Featured Entrees • Prime Rib of Beef Aujus • Linguine w/ Red or White Clam Sauce Sunday Brunch 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

All menu items available for takeout.

Fitzpatrick Race Party Sat. Feb. 22nd 7 pm Lower Bar For more info www.blutavern.com

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 21, 2014

5

THIS WEEKEND’S EVENTS TODAY

CHINESE AUCTION — Shop and drop, 4 to 9 p.m. today and 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, Grace United Methodist Church, 233 Coal St., Port Carbon. Drawings 4 p.m., winner notified by phone. Benefits St. Paul’s Lutheran Church Cemetery Fund.

COFFEE HOUSE — 7 to 9 p.m., God’s Mountain Activity Center, 20 Union St., Palo Alto. Music by Mike McClintock. Free.

FOOD PANTRY — Hosted

by New Life in Christ Ministries, 3:30 to 5 p.m., 217219 Market St., Cumbola.

To qualify for food pantry you must have a PA state-issued ID card and fall at or below the income guidelines. Emergency food pantry available by appointment only, call 570-277-6041.

FRIDAY SUPPER — Steak, grilled ham or pork chops, or deep fried haddock, 4 to 7 p.m., Pine Grove Masonic Lodge, 23 Oak Grove Road, Pine Grove. Cost $11. Children’s platters and takeouts available. Call 570-3450165.

POTTERY CLASS FOR ADULTS — Wheel and Wine, 7 to 9 p.m. today and March 7, Mud & Maker, 6 S. Centre St., Pottsville. BYOB. Cost $25 for two sessions. Call 570-624-3018. Sponsored

by Diakon Living & Learning.

REUNION LUNCH — Pine Grove High School Class of 1959, noon, Buddy’s Log BLUE RIDGE BAR AND GRILL

SUMMER SCHEDULE

MONDAY: $1.50 SELECT DRAFTS TUESDAY: WING AND PIZZA NIGHT WEDNESDAY: COUNTRY LINE DANCING ON THE OUTSIDE PATIO BAR WITH DJ CHICKEN NUGGET THURSDAY: OPEN MIC NIGHT NEXT TO THE FIRE PIT FRIDAY: JAZZ AND BLUES NIGHT SATURDAY: BIKER SPECIALS: SMOKED RIBS, SMOKED HALF CHICKENS AND SMOKED CHICKEN WINGS. $1.50 SELECT DRAFTS SUNDAY: BIKER SPECIALS: SMOKED RIBS, SMOKED HALF CHICKENS AND SMOKED CHICKEN WINGS. $1.50 SELECT DRAFTS HAPPY HOUR: MONDAY THRU FRIDAY 5-7PM. $5.00 SELECT APPETIZERS AND $2.00 PBR DRAFTS SUMMER HOURS: OPEN 7 DAYS A WEEK. OPEN FOR LUNCH.

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570-754-7259 • Summit Station

Cabin, Pine Grove.

RELIGIOUS AND PHILOSOPHICAL FORUM LECTURE — “Philosophical Reflections on Religion and Science,” noon, R. Michael Fryer Conference Center, Room 101, Penn State Schuylkill, 200 University Drive, Schuylkill Haven.

Call 570-385-6065 or email DCL1@psu.edu.

TICKET DEADLINE FOR ELK OF THE YEAR DINNER — To be held 6 to 11 p.m.

March 1, Mahanoy City Elks, 135 E. Centre St., Mahanoy City. Tickets $20. Call 470467-2612, 570-773-1924 or 570-467-3123.

SMOKE-FREE BINGO — 6:45 p.m., doors open 5:30 p.m., Summit Station Fire Company, 88 Firehouse Road, Summit Station. Food available.

SummitFire34@comcast.net for more information.

BALLROOM DANCE CLASSES — 7 to 9 p.m., Trinity Episcopal Church, Centre Street and Howard Avenue, Pottsville (use Second Street entrance). Sponsored

by Pottsville Recreation Commission. Call 570-622-6619.

SATURDAY CANCELLATION — Wing Night, West End Hose Company, 1219 W. Market St., Pottsville. Call 570-6225770.

FILM SCREENING — “Standardized: Lies, Money and Civil Rights: How Testing is Ruining Public Education,”

12:30 p.m., Sovereign Majestic Theater, 2098 N. Centre St., Pottsville. Tickets $10.

Call 570-628-4647.

FUNDRAISER — Vendor and craft show, 2 to 6 p.m., Mechanicsville Fish and Game, 925 First St., Pottsville. Benefits American Heart Association.

HOMEMADE SOUP SALE — 10 a.m. to sellout, Holy Apostles Episcopal Church of North Parish, Nicholas and Hancock streets, Saint Clair.

Choice of chicken, vegetable beef and bean. Cost $5 per quart, $2 per bowl. Eat in or take out.

HOMEMADE SOUP SALE — 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., St. Clare of Assisi Roman Catholic Church hall, Mill and Hancock streets, Saint Clair. Cost $6 per quart, $3 per pint. Takeouts only. Benefits Nativity BVM High School.

LEUKEMIA CANCER BENEFIT FOR ROBERT MUMMEY — 4 p.m. to midnight, William Penn Fire Company, 166 Mount Olive Blvd., Shenandoah. Adults $25, children 12 and under $12.50, children under 5 free, includes dinner beverages and entertainment

by Another Side and One-Inch Gap. Call 570-985-7177 or 570-233-9639.

LONGABERGER CHINESE AUCTION RAFFLE — 4 to 7 p.m., Auburn Fire Company, 131 Front St., Auburn.

MEAT BINGO — Doors open 7 p.m., bingo starts 7:30 p.m., Mahanoy City

Headliners: Jenna McBreen & Christopher Brossman with Gabrielle Quandel, Kieffer Quandel, Mahanoy Area Special Choir and pianist Bruce Marianelli

570-628-4647

http://www.sovereignmajestic.com

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 21, 2014

Branchdale Call 570-544-5105 We Have Mackerel

POTTSVILLE (PA.) REPUBLICAN HERALD

ALL-YOU-CAN-EAT BREAKFAST BUFFET — 7:30 to 11:30 a.m., St. Nicholas Hall, Route 901, Primrose.

Adults $8, children 12 and under $4. Sponsored by St. Nicholas Church Holy Name Society.

ALL-YOU-CAN-EAT BREAKFAST — 8 a.m. to noon, American Legion post home, 108-110 E. Centre St., Mahanoy City. Adults $8, children $4. Sponsored by Post 74

Middleport Inn Coal St., Middleport

Friday Specials

Meatloaf • Lasagna Ham & String Beans

Thur.-Fri.-Sat.-Sun. 6 a.m.-12 noon

570-277-9015

Saturday

Meat Lovers Lasagna $8.95 Fried Haddock Fillets $10.95 Marsala Triplette- Pork Tenderloin, Chicken and Shrimp $13.50

570-889-2357 Join Us This Weekend!

SUNDAY

Kitchen Now Open Saturdays 3 PM - 8 PM

Cheese Omelet with Bacon & Homefries

Tuna Cakes $8.95 Grilled Garlic Chicken $10.95 Sole Florentine $12.50

116 Ringtown Blvd Ringtown

10 and under $4. Eat in or take out. Sponsored by Port Carbon Citizens Committee to benefit July 4 parade and Fireworks.

VALENTINE’S DAY CELEBRATION — An Evening with Gene Morrison and spaghetti dinner, acoustic musical entertainment, 6 to 9 p.m., dinner, 4 to 9 p.m., Frackville Elks Lodge, 307 S. Third St., Frackville. Cost $12 per person.

WING NIGHT — 4 to 9 p.m. or sellout, Newtown Volunteer Fire Company, 36 Wood St., Zerbe. Call 570-695-3777.

Weekend Special

Friday

STANDARDIZED Saturday, February 22, 12:30 p.m.

Tickets: $10.00 M&T Movies at the Majestic Saturday, March 15, 7:00 p.m.

Free Admission and Popcorn.

Music at the Majestic Sunday, March 16, 3:00 p.m.

Anne's Bakery and More

Weekend Specials

Sovereign Majestic Lies, Money, & Civil Rights: How Testing is Ruining Public Education

Elks, 135 E. Centre St., Mahanoy City.

MEETING — Celebrate Recovery, 9 to 11 a.m., Fearnot Assembly of God Church, 1152 W. Mountain Road, Hegins. Christ-Centered and Bible based program focusing on dealing with life’s hurts, habits and hangups.

Free. For more information or directions, call Brian at 570205-2813.

PINOT PAINT CLASS — 7 p.m., Walk-In Art Center, 220 Parkway, Schuylkill Haven.

BYOB of wine. Cost $45, includes paint, canvas and instruction. Call Nena at 570732-3728, ext. 301 or email nena @walkinartcenter.com.

REGISTRATION DEADLINE FOR POTTERY CLASS — To be held 6 to 7:30 p.m. March 8, 15, 29, Mud & Maker, 6 S. Centre St., Pottsville.

Cost $40 for three sessions.

Sponsored by Diakon Living & Learning. Call 570-6243018.

SWEETHEART SPAGHETTI DINNER — 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., Grace United Methodist Church, 233 Coal St., Port Carbon. Adults $8, children

Sunday

Beef Stew Over Noodles $8.95 Smothered Pork Chops $10.95 Crab Cakes $11.95

Sunday Breakfast Cream Chipped Beef Country Benedict

Ladies Auxiliary.

ALL-YOU-CAN-EAT BREAKFAST — 8 to 11 a.m., Altamont Fire Company, Morea Road, Frackville. Adults $8, children 12 and under, $4.

Takeouts available. Call 570874-4384.

AMERICAN GIRL DOLL BINGO — 2 p.m., doors open 12:30 p.m., Tremont Fire Company. Proceeds benefit CPX 14U Softball. For more information, call 570449-7949.

ANNUAL CHINESE AUCTION RESCHEDULED — To be held at St. Vincent de Paul Roman Catholic Church, Girardville, has been rescheduled to March 30. Call 570276-6411.

BEEF STROGANOFF SALE — 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. or sellout, New Minersville Fire Company, 500 Line St., Minersville. Cost $7 per quart. Takeouts only.

Call 570-294-6235.

BINGO — 2 p.m., doors open at noon, St. Stephen Please see CALENDAR, Page 7

2501 West End Ave., Pottsville Come in outta the cold!

We've got FUN for EVERYONE! Saturdays & Sundays Friends and Family Rent-A-Lane Any 2-hour period 2-6pm $34.95/lane includes shoes Fridays and Saturdays Glow Bowl Rent-A-Lane Any 2-hour period 8pm-10pm $49.95/lane includes shoes & only $44.95 after 10pm.

Don't Forget, Birthdays with us are NO MESS, NO FUSS! Call & book your party today!

Strike Zone Alleys • 570-622-8740

Pine View Acres

Restaurant & Cocktail Lounge

Sonny’s Smoked & Tiki Bar Now Open

SUNDAYS SPECIALS FRIDAY SEAFOOD BUFFET BIG BREAKFAST BUFFET King Crab Legs-Steamed Clams Open Saturdays 4 - 8 pm Haddock-Shrimp (Fried & Cocktail) Open Tues Thru Fri 11:30 am - 8 pm Includes Dessert & Salad Bar & 12 other items $19.95 For lunches & dinners “DJ PARTY TYME” Thursdays 8-12 FEBRUARY SPECIALS Yuengling Breaded Scallops $10.95 Line Dancing Stuffed Haddock w/ Crabmeat $18.95 Every 2nd Friday of the Month Twin Lobster Tails $38.50 LUNCH SPECIALS Sat., Feb. 22nd Spaghetti, Italian Meatball & Salad $6.95 ‘”SHAKE, RATTLE Chicken Wings $6.95 doz. Everyday & SOUL” Now Accept 570-628-3207 • Chamberlaine Ave., Pottsville WeEBT Cards

CALENDAR Continued from Page 6

Roman Catholic Church Hall, Main and Oak Streets, Shenandoah. Hall accessible to handicapped. Food available. Sponsored by Francis Cardinal Brennan Knights of Columbus Council 618.

BUFFET STYLE MEATLOAF DINNER — 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., Trinity United Church of Christ, 22 Lafayette St., Tamaqua. Adults $8, children 12 and under $4. Takeouts available. Call 570-668-4630.

CONCERT — Presented by Gabriel Chamber Ensemble with guest pianist Itay Goren of Haifa, Israel, 3 p.m., Jerusalem Evangelical Lutheran Church, 252 Dock St., Schuylkill Haven. Adults $15, seniors $12, students free.

FEBRUARY SINGSPIRA-

JENNA TION — 6 to 8:30 p.m., Bible Tabernacle Church, Margaretta Street, Schuylkill Haven.

FREE CLOTHING GIVEAWAY — 12:30 to 3 p.m., Faith Church, Route 61, Orwigsburg.

KID’S NITE — 6 to 7 p.m., Covenant United Methodist Church, 215 E. Main St., Schuylkill Haven. Open to children age 6-12.

MEETING — Park Crest Fish and Game Protective Association, 2 p.m., Brandonville clubhouse.

CELEBRATE RECOVERY — 5 to 6 p.m., Faith Church, 1168 Centre Turnpike, Route 61, Orwigsburg. Biblical and balanced program created to help people overcome life’s hurts, habits and hangups. Free. Mailing address is P.O. Box 323, Or-

wigsburg, PA 17961.

FREE BREAD, PASTRY AND ROLLS — 12:15 to 1:30 p.m., pick up at Living Waters Church of God, 155 S. Balliet St., Frackville. Accepting non-perishable food for redistribution. Call 570874-1585.

FREE FEEDING PROGRAM — Soup kitchen open 1:30 to 2:30 p.m. every Sunday, New Life in Christ Ministries, 217-219 Market St., Cumbola. Full meal for families in need. Call 570-277-6041.

WINGS — Noon until sellout every Sunday, Rainbow Hose Company, Dock Street, Schuylkill Haven. Cost $9 per dozen. Also burgers, cheesesteaks and chicken finger platters. Free delivery in town, including businesses. Call 570-385-1511.

Williams Valley Drama Club to present ‘Annie’ FROM STAFF REPORTS

TOWER CITY — Williams Valley’s High School Drama Club will present the popular musical, “Annie” based on the book, “Little Orphan Annie.”

The musical tells the well-known story of the little orphan girl who has never given up hope of finding her real parents. A stroke of luck puts Annie (Rachel Ulsh) under the guardianship of the billionaire Oliver Warbucks (Luke Wynn) who is making a philanthropic gesture of having an orphan in his

PINE GROVE LEGION POST 374 42 S.Tulpehocken St. Pine Grove 570-345-8050 FRIDAY

(No Platters) Music by “TOMMY ZITO” 7-10 PM

SAT., BREAKFAST 7-11 AM NASCAR SUNDAY Beer Specials Peanut Bar PIG WINGS 12 Noon – Sell Out (No Call Ins) COMING SOON

March 1st – From Middletown “CORN WALLACE BAND” 8-11 PM Reservations 570-345-8050

home for Christmas. An unexpected bond develops between the child and the billionaire and eventually they come to a “happily ever after” ending.

Performances are scheduled for 7:30 p.m.

Feb. 28 and March 1 and 2 p.m. March 2 in the high school auditorium. Advance tickets may be purchased from any cast member or in the district office. Tickets will also be available at the door for each performance. Cost of the tickets is $7 in advance and $8 at the door. All tickets are general admission.

315 N. Centre St., Pottsville 570-628-4220 www.thegstone.com FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 21ST

“Chuck Cahoe” Starting at 8pm

8th ANNUAL MARDI GRAS FUNDRAISER Fat Tuesday, March 4th Benefits Avenues Foundation and Hillside S.P.C.A. St. Pat’s Party Tickets On Sale Soon!

Continued from Page 5

returned from a hard day’s work and parking there in total disregard is about as bad as kicking a puppy on the scumbag scale.

Who am I? So, what have these parking wars reduce me to? What have they turned me into?

Who am I today after my spot has been violated over and over again? I’ll tell you who I am. I’m the lady who puts the chair out in her spot in order to save it. Never in my life did I think I would become this person, but this is what I have been reduced to. I always scoffed at the idea and said there should be an ordinance outlawing it, but here I am: a snow chair lady.

However, don’t even begin to think the old chair trick is a solution. No. As I found out when I came home Monday night, a chair serves as a target rather than a placeholder.

After working second shift, while most were on the sofa catching up on their favorite shows, I came home to find,

Lakeside Ballroom

not only was someone in “my spot,” but they also used their little Aveo, complete with hippie stickers all over the rear end of it, to trample my entire chair, smashing it to smithereens, later discarding it on the sidewalk, making it an obstacle for pedestrians.

Well, aren’t you something?

How lovely. I hope it was worth it. I hope you didn’t have to walk too far or carry anything too heavy. Heaven forbid you shovel your own spot out.

Thank goodness I know kind enough people who came to help me out the next day while I was stuck on a sheet of ice first thing in the morning when I attempted to go to the gym.

I should also note, I recognize my pettiness in this. I recognize my touting myself as a lady with manners who doesn’t write passive-aggressive notes and put them on vehicles is completely nullified by the writing of this article, but this is who I have become in this struggle.

To those who take those precious spots we all work so hard to clear every winter: Have at them. Honestly, I believe what comes around goes around and you attract the type of energy you put out there, so enjoy your days acting as a giant jerk magnet and I’ll continue to do my thing where I’m not a total jackass in life.

This winter has been brutal. Some of us are only a shell of the human beings we were in the fall, but, we have to get through it. We have to hang in there. Warmer days are coming. Flowers are going to bloom again.

Birds are going to sing again.

The sun is going to shine again and I’m going to park wherever I damn well please and revel in the freedom of it all.

Winter, the vast majority just doesn’t like you anymore. We had our fun. We had our fights. It’s just not working out. I think it’s time we went our separate ways.

(Wasakoski is an assistant editor at The News-Item.)

GABRIEL CHAMBER ENSEMBLE

Presents

presents our THIRD CONCERT OF THE 2013-2014 SEASON featuring very special guest pianist ITAY GOREN

Pennsylvania State Dart Tournament

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 23, 2014 at 3PM Jerusalem Lutheran Church 252 Dock Street, Schuylkill Haven, PA

The 46th 2014

The Longest Consecutively Running Dart Tournament in the World since 1969 Qualifying Dates Are Saturday January 25th Saturday February 8th Saturday February 15th

NEW Format this year!

3 Brackets of Starting Times for (Each Date) 10:30AM • 12:30PM • 2:00PM All Pairs Luck of the Drawl on arrival

Awards to ALL Teams that make the Finals Finals held Saturday February 22nd 10:30AM No Food or Alcohol permitted in Tournament (PA Law) For Information/Directions Please call 570-467-2630 or Visit www.lakesideballroom,net

Tickets: $12 seniors • $15 adults FREE for all students PROGRAM: • MOZART Piano Concerto #14 in E flat Major, K.449 • DEBUSSY STRING QUARTET in G minor, Op. 10 • Franck Piano Quintet in F minor • COMPLIMENTARY POST CONCERT RECEPTION IN LOBBY/ATRIUM

Directions to the concert venue on our website.

For more information, contact:

40 Crystal Lane • Barnesville • 570-467-2630 www.lakesideballroom.net

POTTSVILLE (PA.) REPUBLICAN HERALD

Agnes ` Maurer Executive Director

570-943-2558

http://www.gabrielensemble.org

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 21, 2014

7

Surreptitious jackpot shrouded in mystery

Dear Mark: I subscribe to the local paper and look forward to your column each week. I have learned a lot from it and was hoping to learn a little more, maybe.

A friend and I went on an all-nighter junket to the Reno Hilton about 15 years ago and what happened to my friend has stuck in our craw for all this time.

Not being young anymore (40s then!), we were not used to staying up all night, tired, and yes, accepted their generous offer of free drinks, again and again! My friend dropped three $5 coins into a slot machine. While I was laughing at him for even trying, he bet “max bet” and pulled the arm. Much to our surprise, up comes Cherry, Cherry, Cherry, and bells and whistles start going off with $50,000 flashing on the top.

After about a minute, I was wondering how he was going to collect. No one showed up, and the machine wasn’t going to pay out $50,000 in coins. Then a man in a suit came out of the darkness, yes, darkness and pulled out his keys, opened some door on the machine, stuck his hand in there, “clicked” something and the bells stopped. The $50,000 stopped flashing and he shut the door, announced “malfunction” and disappeared into the darkness from whence he came. Surreal, actually! The only thing missing was fog. I told my friend to wait and went after the guy for an explanation, but he had literally disappeared in that short moment.

To make matters worse, our tour guide was calling “last call” for the bus to the airport! We chose going home.

We did learn a lesson that 8

supervisor, even one coming from the mist with a face that resembles the knave of a playing card, to check for Deal Me In an internal malfunction and not just automatically hand over 50 large.

Possibly some additional dialog is missing between the two of you from 15 years ago. But, I’m going to side has kept us solvent since with your mystery man on then. Now, when we get this one for one very specific offered a free drink, we say, reason. I am hung up on “Yes, coffee, please. Thank your jackpot description: you.”

“Cherry, Cherry, Cherry.” I Was there anything we could have done differently? know of no slot machine where three cherries as symMore importantly, are these bols makes for a pre-eminent “malfunctions” common? I jackpot. It is customarily have never encountered a malfunction before, although something like three treasure chests, the casino’s logo I don’t play slots often and or some pictogram out of the certainly have never won a ordinary. Three cherries are jackpot. typically a small jackpot, one Nick L. Yes, Nick, machines do act definitely on the lower end.

Now if it were a legitimate up and malfunction. Always jackpot, like all three top-line have, and always will. symbols lining up perfectly, When you play a slot no way would I have boarded machine, you will note that that plane. Nevada has a the payout table not only Gaming Commission that spells out the coin return for would at least investigate various symbol combinayour claim, and they are on tions, but you will usually see call 24/7. I would have handthis clause on the machine, cuffed myself to the machine stating, “Malfunction voids and waited until the cavalry all pays and plays.” Reason arrived. However, Nick, with being, Nick, is that today’s your Cherry, Cherry, Cherry slot machines are nothing result, you didn’t strike it more than computers, and rich, so flying home was the computer errors do happen. correct call.

That is why after any Finally, I leave all readers decent-sized jackpot, a slot with this often-overlooked manager will open up the gambling advice that Nick machine to be sure it hasn’t now claims he follows: “Sip been tampered with and that for pleasure, don’t gulp for the slot’s computer program effect.” is working properly. It is the Gambling wisdom slot machine’s electronic of the week record that pays those gigantic jackpots, not necessarily “Nobody ever committed what you see displayed on the suicide who had a good 2screen or the sights and year-old in the barn.” sounds of winning — flashing — Racetrack Saying dollar signs and ringing bells.

(Pilarski can be reached at It is the duty of the slot pilarski@markpilarski.com)

Mark Pilarski

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 21, 2014

POTTSVILLE (PA.) REPUBLICAN HERALD

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