News
Volunteers Make a Visible Difference
Kassidy Ravina contributed to this article MAHANOY CITY—Coal Cracker Kids’ new headquarters received a fresh coat of exterior paint in early September thanks to the hard work of many volunteers and a Fresh Paint Days grant from Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful. The grant provided 20 gallons of... Read More
Quiz Time for Two New Principals
By Joei Shaller and Myla Wall COAL REGION–This year, Mahanoy Area and Shenandoah Valley high schools welcomed new principals into their school communities. We caught up with each principal to ask some questions about themselves and the year ahead. Coal Cracker: What was the biggest reason... Read More
Fresh Paint Days
Coal Cracker Kids is scheduled to receive a fresh coat of exterior paint on Saturday and Sunday, September 9 and 10, from 9 am to 5 pm, at its new headquarters, the former Mahanoy City Lumber and Supply Company at 435 West Centre Street in Mahanoy City. The event is... Read More
Young Entrepreneurs
By David Lindenmuth SCHUYLKILL HAVEN—Could the next Bill Gates, Oprah Winfrey or Mark Zuckerberg hail from the Coal Region? Possibly, and a program hosted by the Schuylkill Chamber of Commerce wants to maximize that chance by equipping students with the skills needed to achieve such a... Read More
Cleaning Up at the Lumber Company
UPDATE 7/31/17: Check Out our Fresh Paint Days News! Coal Cracker staff members have been cleaning up our new headquarters at the former Mahanoy City Lumber and Supply Company on West Centre Street in the borough. Pictured, above, from left to right, after removing a tarp from the front window... Read More
Music Education in Area Schools
By David Lindenmuth “I’m going to Disney World!” is a quote typically associated with a championship in NCAA Basketball or the NFL, but it’s also a popular phrase among several local marching bands. Tri-Valley (pictured above), Tamaqua Area, Mahanoy Area, and Hazleton Area marching bands have... Read More
Meet Virginia Laurusevage
By Emma Shaller Many people may know Virginia Laurusevage as a local seamstress with a shop at 439 East Mahanoy Street, but there are a lot of things you may not know she has done for our community. For example, she has made tons of beautiful... Read More
Orchestra Festival at Shenandoah Valley High School
By David Lindenmuth More than 100 of the best high school musicians from the Poconos, Lehigh Valley, and the Coal Region converged on Shenandoah in late January for the 2016-17 Pennsylvania Music Educators Association (PMEA) District 10 Orchestra Festival. Students from Schuylkill, Berks, Lehigh, Northampton, Carbon,... Read More
Making a Difference
By Meredith Rhoades “Empowered women empower women.” This quote embodies the exact reason why I attended the Women’s March on Washington. Not only did I feel the absolute need to stand up against discrimination, I also wanted to prove to people that even at 16 years... Read More
Women’s March: a Once-in-a-Lifetime Moment
By Serena Bennett The Women’s March on Washington on January 21 attracted an estimated 1 million people, and I was one of them. Standing together to support one another was one of the most surreal and exciting experiences of my life. I chose to attend the... Read More