n Ashland: The American Red Cross, in a press release, issued a call for people to donate blood to replenish its supply. Officials said there is an "urgent need for platelet donors (and) blood donors with types O, A negative and B negative." A blood drive is scheduled for 1 to 6 p.m. Monday at Christ United Lutheran Church, 437 Airport Road.
n Ashland: The next meeting of the Ashland Community Watch will be at 7 p.m. Tuesday at Good Shepherd Lutheran Church, 35 N. Ninth St. A martial arts instructor will speak. All are welcome. For more information, call 570-875-4190. The community watch board will meet at 7 p.m. Feb. 18 at the church.
n Frackville: The American Red Cross, in a press release, issued a call for people to donate blood to replenish its supply. Officials said there is an "urgent need for platelet donors (and) blood donors with types O, A negative and B negative." A blood drive is scheduled for 1 to 6 p.m. Monday at Zion Lutheran Church, 48 S. Nice St.
n Minersville: The Minersville Area School District will hold student registration for the 2014-15 school year as follows: 4K and kindergarten, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Feb. 10-14; grades one through 12, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Feb. 18-21. Registration will be in the administration office. For 4K, students must be 4 years old by Sept. 1 and for kindergarten, they must be 5 years old by Sept. 1. For registration, parents/guardians will need the child's birth certificate or hospital record, immunization records and proof of school district residency. For more information, call the school office at 570-544-1400.
n Pottsville: A Civil War roundtable titled "Gettysburg: Off the Beaten Path," is set for 7 p.m. Feb. 19 at the Schuylkill County Historical Society headquarters, North Centre Street. This will be the second part of Tom Shay's series. At 7 p.m. Feb. 27, the society will feature a presentation on the East Brookside Mine Disaster with Dave Williams, a mining engineer with the state Department of Environmental Protection mining operations, speaking about some newly discovered information about the disaster that occurred more than 100 years ago in August 1913 north of Tower City in Porter Township, claiming the lives of 18 miners. The society is featuring an Irish Ethnic Heritage Exhibit now through April 12.
n Saint Clair: Saint Clair Community and Historical Society President Dawn Morris Bicht said the society will put together a quarterly newsletter. Article suggestions can be submitted to Ted Thorn, the society's curator. To get on the mailing list, go to stclairhistory@yahoo.com. Membership dues for 2014 are due. Society officers said in a release that new members are needed. The society's hours will remain the same for the winter: 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Tuesdays, 4 to 8 p.m. Thursdays and 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturdays.
n Shenandoah: The Shenandoah Valley Faculty v. Harlem Clowns basketball game, originally scheduled for today, has been postponed until March 15. Tickets will be sold at the door at $10 for adults and $8 for students and senior citizens.
n Shenandoah: Members of the Greater Shenandoah Senior Citizens play bingo games on Wednesdays at their 225 N. Market St. center. Their regular meetings are held on the first Wednesday of the month. New members are welcome.
n Tamaqua: The Black Diamond Writers' Network will meet from 10 a.m. to noon Feb. 15 at the Tamaqua Public Library, 30 S. Railroad St. Aspiring writers will have the opportunity to receive "open and honest" feedback on their work. Writers who want to have their work critiqued should bring one page of a work in progress, double spaced. They should not bring previously published pieces. They are asked to bring 15 copies of their piece for other attendees. Network meetings are free and open to the public. For more information about the network, call Kathy Ruff at 570-645-3059 or visit the Tamaqua Public Library website at www.tamaquapubliclibrary.com. The network is a 501(c)(a) nonprofit organization that focuses on offering educational programs and networking for all writers, Ruff said in a press release.