KULPMONT - A family in Marion Heights who found an injured dog in Kulpmont is asking for help finding the person who may have hurt him - and a forever home for him.

Samantha Mazius said she found "Winston," a puppy pug, walking alongside Ash Street in Kulpmont at around 10 a.m. Friday, May 15.

Winston had orange paint on his head and an injured, infected eye. Mazius believes his injuries occurred when he was shot by a paintball gun.

Mazius took the puppy home to her house in Marion Heights and then to St. Francis Animal Clinic, where veterinarians prescribed him three antibiotics in an attempt to clear up the infection.

Unfortunately, the infection remained, and Winston had his left eye removed.

"He would have died if we didn't get it out," said Mazius, who has already spent more than $2,000 from her college account on veterinarian bills for Winston.

"We're not looking to get (the money) back," said Mazius' mother, Christine.

Though Winston has been through several traumatic days, he remains an active, cheerful puppy, she said. When she found him, Winston was house trained and knew commands like "sit," prompting her to believe he once had an owner.

Lost and found ads in the newspaper and online turned up no claims on Winston and the Mazius family already has six pugs, including puppies they are trying to re-home, and several cats. For this reason, they are hoping to find Winston a family to adopt him.

"We don't want to send him to a rescue or to the SPCA because he's been through so much," said Christine Mazius. "We want him to go to his forever home."

Anyone with information on Winston's injuries should call the Kulpmont Police Department at 570-373-1522. Inquiries on adopting Winston can be made by calling Samantha Mazius at 570-259-9233.

SUNBURY - Northumberland County is expected to save $3.12 million over 13 years by purchasing the Human Services complex along North Second Street from MLC Properties LLC and Penn Homes July 1.

Earlier this month, Commissioners Stephen Bridy and Vinny Clausi agreed to send a letter of intent to purchase the complex to MLC Properties, and they reported the price and other details Tuesday.

Commissioner Richard Shoch voted against the motion, made May 5, because he said he wasn't provided enough information about the proposed purchase.

The property, which includes three buildings and a 153-stall parking lot, is currently being leased by the county for $773,494 a year.

The three-acre complex constructed in 2003 houses many offices, including Area Agency on Aging, Behavioral Health/Intellectual Disabilities Services, Children and Youth Services, election office, domestic relations, juvenile and adult probation and public defender's office.

Bridy said the savings make the purchase a wise investment. He said by leasing the complex, the county has been basically paying owners Stan and Penn Seiple to pay $100,000 in real estate taxes. The property would be tax exempt under county ownership.

Bridy said, "I'm thankful to MLC Properties for allowing us to save our taxpayers more than $3 million over 13 years."

In 2008, the county renegotiated the lease, which saved approximately $1.8 million. On May 20, 2014, the commissioners passed a motion to execute an option to purchase the parking lot at the complex with Penn Homes.

Under an installment sales contract, the county will pay $63,410 per month over 13 years through a loan. The deal will be owner-financed by MLC Properties with no interest being charged.

On July 1, the county will begin making monthly payments that will total $9.8 million by 2028.

The county will save $135,000 per year in taxes, maintenance fees and rent and will generate approximately $105,000 in rental income from a bakery and two apartment companies at the site.

Assistant county solicitor John Muncer said no further action by the commissioners would be needed unless there are discrepancies with the contract.

SUNBURY - The county district attorney's office reported Tuesday it continues to receive complaints from county residents who have received calls from scammers claiming to be agents of, or employed by, the IRS.

The DA's office encourages all residents with Internet capability to report known IRS scams in an email to phishing@irs.gov, including the name of the caller, the date and time of the call, the number from which the call originated and details concerning the caller's specific request.

According to www.irs.gov, the IRS will never:

1. Call to demand immediate payment or call about taxes owed without first having mailed a bill.

2. Demand anyone pay taxes without giving the person the opportunity to question or appeal the amount.

3. Require a person to use a specific payment method, such as a prepaid debit card.

4. Ask for credit or debit card numbers over the phone.

5. Threaten to bring in local police or other law-enforcement groups to have a person arrested for not paying.

Also, the IRS also does not use unsolicited email, text messages or any social media to discuss personal tax issues.

Anyone who owes back taxes and receives a phone call from someone claiming to be from the IRS and asking for money is urged to call the IRS at 1-800-829-1040. The IRS workers can help with a payment issue.

Anyone who receives a phone call but doesn't owe taxes and has no reason to believe taxes are owed is urged to report the incident to the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA) at 1-800-366-4484 or at www.tigta.gov.

Anyone who receives a scam call is urged to file a complaint using the FTC Complaint Assistant. Choose "Other" and then "Imposter Scams." If the complaint involves someone impersonating the IRS, include the words "IRS Telephone Scam" in the notes.

Susquehanna Valley gas prices increased four cents to $2.778 a gallon, according to AAA East Central's Fuel Gauge report, still above the national average of $2.738.

On the national front

The national average price for regular unleaded gasoline reached its highest price of the year on Memorial Day ($2.74) after rising for 39 of 41 days. Despite the overall trend of rising averages, consumers paid the lowest prices at the pump for the holiday since 2010. Significant yearly discounts remain, due to relatively low prices for crude oil, with today's national average representing a savings of 92 cents per gallon compared to this same date last year.

Pump prices have recently trended higher due to an increase in the price of global crude and localized refinery issues, particularly in the Midwest and on the west coast. Although West Coast states continue to post the nation's highest state averages, the most dramatic weekly increases have been in the Midwest, largely attributed to production issues in that market.

ExxonMobil's Joliet, Ill., refinery is continuing to operate at reduced production levels, and CITGO's refinery in Lemont, Ill., is reportedly scheduled to conduct maintenance work in the coming days, which could also add additional volatility to the regional market.

Volatility is expected to continue to characterize global oil prices, with a number of variables potentially impacting the sensitive balance between supply and demand. Geopolitical tensions in the Middle East are persisting, largely due to violence by the so-called Islamic State in Iraq and Syria, which adds a level of risk to regional oil production.

At the same time, the strength of the U.S. dollar is improving on the heels of improved inflation data. A stronger dollar makes crude oil relatively more expensive for those overseas, which puts downward pressure on prices. At the close of Friday's formal trading on the NYMEX, West Texas Intermediate crude oil settled $1 lower at $59.72 per barrel.

(AAA East Central is a not-for-profit association with 83 local offices in Kentucky, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania and West Virginia serving 2.7 million members.)

MANDATA - Nearly 100 parents, students and members of the community attended the Line Mountain school board meeting Tuesday to voice concerns over the possibility of cutting a music teacher.

Around a dozen citizens spoke to board members during a public comment period that lasted for more than two hours.

Ultimately, board members voted 6-2 to table a decision to post exiting music instructor Christine Sanders' position.

Board member Daniel Zablosky was absent from the meeting. He tendered his resignation prior to the meeting, which was unanimously accepted from the eight remaining board members.

The public comment period brought forth questions from parents on the availability of music education for their children, statements from students on the impact music has had on their lives and declarations from faculty members that two teachers cannot handle the existing programming.

Board president Troy Laudenslager explained to the public that the board not yet made a decision on eliminating the position. He said the board always requests information on the need to rehire when a teacher retires or leaves the district. This information includes data like the program's curriculum and the teacher's schedule and is used to determine if the position is necessary.

The district's three music teachers made this information available to the administration Thursday, Sanders said. The Memorial Day holiday prevented the information sheet from reaching board members prior to Tuesday's meeting.

Director Lauren Hackenburg moved to table a decision to advertise the open position after she and multiple other board members voiced concern over their preparedness to vote until everyone had time to review the information.

"I like music, but I also like to not raise taxes," she said. "I don't feel I have all the information I need to have to make a decision."

Dissenting from the decision to table were board members Dennis Erdman and Lamont Masser. Their votes against tabling the motion supported voting on the item at the meeting. Though neither stated which direction they intended to vote, Masser indicated support of the music program while Erdman expressed concern over the district's financial future.

"We've got some real tough decisions to make down the road," he said.

The decision to advertise Sanders' position will be on the June 9 meeting agenda, said Laudenslager.

Shops on Corner debuts Saturday

MOUNT CARMEL - Mount Carmel Downtown Inc.'s Shops on the Corner will have its grand opening from 8 a.m. until 1 p.m. Saturday.

There are still a few spaces available. If interested, contact Cathy Besser at 570-556-9851 or Ed Fegley at 570-339-5383.

Shops on the Corner includes 12 spaces, each 12-foot square, inside the former Dollar General building at Oak and Fourth streets. Food, jewelry, craft and other merchants are sought, as are professionals such as hair stylists, accountants and computer repairmen.

The building is owned by Joe and Sharon Gushen, of JAG Housing. After a few potential ventures fell through, the Gushens agreed to lease the 7,000-square-foot space to the nonprofit Mount Carmel Downtown.

HARRISBURG - An update of a two-year audit of the Coal Township Volunteer Fireman's Relief Association (CTVFRA) showed it has corrected some issues found by the state Auditor General, but not others.

In a report issued last week, Auditor General Eugene A. DePasquale said the audit, covering 2012 and 2013, initially found five actions that needed correcting. The association made changes to be compliant with two of the findings, but three still remain, DePasquale said: insufficient officer's bond coverage, failure to obtain a Pennsylvania Sales Tax Exemption Number, and failure to secure ownership interest in a jointly purchased vehicle with the Coal Township Rescue Squad.

According to the report, the bond coverage issue is because the association has a $200,000 bond for its treasurer, but as of the end of 2013, the association had cash assets of $328,449.

"As a result of the authorized disbursing officer of the relief association being insufficiently bonded, the relief association's cash assets were not adequately safeguarded," the report reads.

The Auditor General's office recommended the association raise the amount of the bond to cover the expected maximum balance of assets or decrease the cash assets to remain below the coverage amount.

The audit showed that during the audited year, CTVFRA paid $791 in sales tax by not having a state sales tax exemption number. By doing so, the audit reads, paying sales tax ultimately reduces the funds otherwise available for general operating expenditures or investments.

The state agency recommended that CTVFRA get the exemption and then file to the Pa. Department of Revenue's Board of Appeals to seek a refund of the tax previously paid.

The final noncompliance finding showed that in December 2006 that association spent $20,000 to jointly purchase a vehicle with the Coal Township Rescue Squad, but the vehicle was solely titled in the rescue squad's name. DePasquale's report said a formal written agreement should be drawn up by both parties that secures the association's proportional ownership, and that the association will receive a prorated share of the proceeds if the vehicle is ever sold.

"If such action is not taken, we recommend the relief association be reimbursed $20,000," the report reads.

In all three cases, officers agreed with the auditor general's office findings and indicated they will be taking action to comply with the recommendations, according to DePasquale.

The other audit findings that the association complied with were failure to maintain a cumulative inventory roster of all association-owned equipment and untimely deposit of state aid.

The association is a charitable organization that was formed primarily to afford financial protection to volunteer firefighters and to encourage individuals to participate in volunteer fire service.

It is affiliated with the Brady Fire Company, Coal Township Rescue, East End Fire Company, Fairview Fire Company, Forest Hill Fire Company, Maine Fire Company and the Union Fire Company.

SHAMOKIN - The daughter of a Shamokin woman who died in her home from hypothermia in February has been charged in connection with her mother's death.

Mary Ellen Collins, 45, of 224 N. Shamokin St., Apt. 3, faces a felony count of neglect of care of a dependent person and a misdemeanor count of involuntary manslaughter after police said she failed to help her mother, Ellen Jackson, 66.

Collins, who was jailed on $100,000 bail following her arraignment Tuesday, reportedly told police she didn't "put (Jackson) away," but got to a point where she was unable to care for both her mother and her 7-year-old daughter. She didn't call for assistance because she was afraid she'd lose custody of her child because of the condition of the triple-home the family shared in the 600 block of Spurzheim Street, police said.

Police said oil tanks connected to the furnace were empty, there were several broken pipes and the furnace was inoperable and had not been running for some time. Feb. 16 was one of the area's coldest days of the winter season: temperatures were between a high of 9 and a low of -9.

'Fine' the night before

Kenneth Jackson, a son of the victim and Collins' brother, told police his mother had fallen out of her recliner the day before her Feb. 16 death while trying to get to a toilet chair in the home. She was left on the floor for at least seven hours before he was contacted and went to the home, he said.

Kenneth Jackson said his mother had soiled herself and her recliner, and said, "I'm freezing."

He told police he told Collins to call 911, but that she became angry and told him to leave or he wouldn't be allowed to see his mother again.

"I called my brother and asked for help. I couldn't pick my mother up after she fell," Collins was quoted in the criminal complaint.

Collins told police she asked her mother if she was OK, and Jackson said she was fine, but cold. Collins said she put blankets on her mother and gave her her medication before going to bed.

"When I last talked to her, she was in the chair and said she was fine," she told police.

Ambulance called

Collins said when she woke up and checked on her mother the next morning, the older woman did not seem right. Collins said Jackson told her she was cold, and Collins described her mother's hands as looking pink and cold.

When Shamokin Police Chief Darwin Tobias asked Collins why she didn't call for an ambulance sooner or the night before, she told police she was "nervous and panicked and did not know what to do." She then began to blame others and told police it was hard to care for two people.

Donald Geise, Collins' ex-fiance, told police he received a call that morning from Collins who said her mother didn't look good. Geise said he told Collins to call 911, but said she was afraid to do so because of the custody concerns with her daughter.

A call was placed to the 911 center at 9:38 a.m. that morning, which the court affidavit was made by a person named "Mary" which Tobias later confirmed to be Collins, and Jackson was found by emergency responders in an "altered mental state." According to a report by Northumberland County Coroner James F. Kelley, Jackson arrived at Geisinger-Shamokin Area Community Hospital by ambulance between 10 and 11 a.m. that morning. Her body temperature at the time was 81 degrees. Hypothermia sets in when a body temperature falls to 95.

Medical care elevated her temperature to 90.9 degrees, according to Tobias, but Jackson was pronounced dead at 1:50 p.m.

Kelley ruled the cause of death hypothermia.

Home 'deplorable'

Kelley was contacted following Jackson's death by a family member, who was not identified in court documents, in reference to the condition of the home and the alleged lack of care being provided for the victim.

Police, along with city code officer Rick Bozza, went to the home and found "deplorable conditions."

"There were boxes, paper products, clothing and general items consistent with garbage strewn about the floor and piled up," Tobias wrote in the complaint. "There was dog feces found to be all over the kitchen floor. The refrigerator contained old, moldy food."

The second floor was found in the same condition.

There were space heaters on each floor that were working, but Tobias couldn't recall during a phone call with The News-Item Tuesday night how many there were. The home has since been condemned by city officials.

Authorities spoke with Geise, whose several statements during the visit included, "Mary should have known better" and "Mary couldn't care for her."

Several people questioned by police said Collins was Jackson's main caretaker and provided shelter, food and medication and bathed her.

Collins said she and Geise had co-signed for an "installment sales contract" with the intent of buying the home in December 2007. In a later interview, Geise told police he had been separated from Collins and hadn't lived with her for a couple months.

The seller of the home previously provided a copy of the contract, which included language saying the buyers were responsible for maintenance and upkeep, including of the heating system.

Ex can't help

Collins addressed Magisterial District Judge John Gembic III during her arraignment, saying it was tough to care for her mother and her 7-year-old daughter at the same time.

She also told the judge she couldn't understand why she was being charged with neglect.

"I had two fireplaces in the place, both running," she said.

"Space heaters, your honor," Tobias corrected. "They look like fireplaces."

Gembic allowed Collins to call Geise to see if he could help with a bail bondsman. Tobias explained the situation to Geise, who sai he didn't have the $7,000 fee for the bail bondsman. With that, Collins was transported to Snyder County Prison. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for Tuesday before Gembic.

MOUNT CARMEL - A 20-year-old borough man charged Tuesday afternoon with multiple offenses for using a .22-caliber pellet rifle to cause more than $4,000 damage to a garage and residence asked a judge if the misdemeanor offenses will prevent him from purchasing a gun so he could go hunting.

The awkward question posed by Daniel Albe Buttcher Jr., of 433 W. Third St., at his arraignment surprised Magisterial District Judge Hugh Jones, who told the defendant he didn't think the charges would prevent him from purchasing a gun because they weren't felonies.

Buttcher is charged by Lt. Christopher Buhay with corruption of minors, criminal conspiracy to commit criminal mischief, recklessly endangering another person, criminal mischief and disorderly conduct relating to a disturbance shortly after 10 p.m. April 19 at his neighbor's property.

The defendant, who was grateful to Jones for not sending him to prison, was released on $10,000 unsecured bail and ordered to appear for a preliminary hearing June 3.

Buttcher is accused of firing several shots from his Ruger rifle from a second-story window at his home that smashed the glass on a rear sliding door at the residence of Jessica Shipe and Matthew Ventilli, of 434 W. Third St. The pellets also put holes in garage doors and siding on the home that caused an estimated $4,200 in damage.

Buttcher, a 13-year-old Mount Carmel male and a 15-year-old borough male, who were all confronted by police in Buttcher's yard shortly after the shooting incident, told police they were firing at multiple targets in Buttcher's yard including a board and plastic soda bottles when the damage occurred. The two juveniles, who were charged with similar offenses, claimed they were only shooting at the targets.

Police said the rifle is capable of injuring a person and causing death, and can be used for hunting and target competitions.

MOUNT CARMEL - A 69-year-old Mount Carmel man is in Snyder County Prison today after being charged by the state Attorney General's Office with having approximately 40,000 images and 15 videos of child pornography on his home computer.

John J. Rochford, of 250 Poplar St., Apt. 2, was taken into custody at his apartment Tuesday morning by Attorney General agents Gordon Goodrow and Nicole L. Laudeman after it was determined through a two-month investigation that he was using a peer-to-peer file-sharing program to download and disseminate child pornography.

Rochford consented to a search of his apartment, where a computer forensics expert found 39,094 images and at least 15 videos of child pornography.

The defendant, who waived his Miranda rights, told the agents that he has the eMule and aMule file sharing programs and uses a Linux operating system on his desktop computer. Rochford said he has used eMule for about three years. He said he has viewed child porn on other computers in his home; agents saw five other computers at the residence.

Rochford said child pornography is a "beauty thing for him" and admitted using search terms specific search terms to find child pornography. He told the agents he only searches for girls, not boys.

Five other computers inside Rochford's apartment also contained child pornography, according to the agents.

Rochford is charged by Laudeman with 18 felony counts of sexual abuse of children including 15 counts of possession of child pornography and three counts of dissemination of child pornography. He also is charged with a felony of criminal use of a communication facility.

The offenses occurred between March 29 and Tuesday.

He was arraigned about 2:15 p.m. Tuesday by Magisterial District Judge Hugh Jones and committed to jail in lieu of $150,000 cash bail. Rochford was cooperative at his arraignment and told the judge he understood the seriousness of the alleged offenses.

He was escorted by state Constable Larry Rompallo to prison and is scheduled to face a preliminary hearing at 9:30 a.m. June 3.

HARRISBURG - The remains of a convicted murderer must be removed from Indiantown Gap National Cemetery so it can remain hallowed ground, U.S. Rep. Lou Barletta said Tuesday.

Barletta, R-11, Hazleton, has introduced legislation in Congress to disinter George Emery Siple from the federal cemetery in Lebanon County. Siple was buried there in 1999, after dying in federal prison 30 years after he was convicted of shooting and killing Bertha Smith, of Harrisburg.

Smith's family has been unsuccessful in petitioning the Department of Veterans Administration to disinter Siple in line with a 1997 federal law that bars veterans convicted of a capital crime from being buried in a national cemetery.

The 1997 law was not actively enforced until 2006, when the VA instituted an honor system which relies on families to voluntarily report their relative's criminal records, Barletta said.

A 2013 federal law gave the VA specific authority to disinter veterans convicted of a capital crime from national cemeteries.

However, this law does not cover burials during the period from 1997 to 2013.

Barletta said his bill also would require the VA and Arlington National Cemetery to take every "reasonable action," including searches of public criminal records, to ensure a veteran is eligible to be buried in a national cemetery.

"Murderers should not be buried next to true military heroes," said Barletta during a press conference on the state Capitol grounds.

If this legislation is passed and Siple is exhumed, his remains would be returned to his family or, if no family can be found, to the VA for burial, said Barletta.

COAL TOWNSHIP - Our Lady of Hope Council of Catholic Women met for the May meeting at the church rectory. Margaret Forbes, president, opened the meeting with the prayer to our Lady of Good Counsel and the Pledge of Allegiance.

The minutes of April's meeting was read by secretary Dolly Yocum. They were approved and filed.

Phylisdilene Kline made the favors for the Harrisburg Convention.She donated $110 to the Lenten Appeal from a bazaar which the craft club sold many crafts. This was held at Lincoln Towers High Rise.

Forbes ordered prayer cards to give to the fathers on Father's Day. They will be handed out at all Masses on Father's Day.

The carnation flowers for Mother's Day was a huge success; all carnations were sold.

Lorraine Schenewerk will alphabetize the envelopes from the dues. Dues can still be paid in June.

A Rosary will be recited at the Blessed Virgin Mary statue at 4 p.m. Thursday at the old school building.

Plans were made to have a bakeless cake sale.

The meeting was closed with a roundtable of prayers for all.

Paving project underway

MONTOURSVILLE - A resurfacing project has begun on Route 61 between Route 487 in Paxinos and Route 2020 (Mountain Road) in Shamokin.

Glenn O. Hawbaker Inc. is the prime contractor on this $1.7 million project, which includes adding a left turn lane, base repairs, drainage improvements, paving, shoulder work, pavement markings, signs and rumble strips.

Traffic will be restricted to one lane in each direction with flaggers providing traffic control.

Work is expected to be completed in late August.

Motorists can check conditions on more than 40,000 roadway miles by visiting www.511PA.com. 511PA, which is free and available 24 hours a day, provides traffic delay warnings, weather forecasts, traffic speed information and access to more than 770 traffic cameras.

511PA is also available through a smartphone application for iPhone and Android devices, by calling 5-1-1, or by following regional Twitter alerts accessible on the 511PA website.

Legion encourages meeting attendance

KULPMONT - Members of Kulpmont American Legion Post 231 are encouraged to attend Thursday's important meeting, which will include nomination of officers for 2015-16.

A board of directors meeting is at 6:30 p.m. followed by "A" members at 7 p.m. and "B" members after the regular meeting.

HARRISBURG - Residents are asked to cut back on non-essential water use because a drought watch was declared for Northumberland County and 26 other counties.

Despite recent precipitation, the 27 counties have below-average groundwater levels and, in some areas, surface water levels. The lack of groundwater recharge can cause well-fed water supplies, both private and public, to go dry.

A drought watch is the first and least-severe level of Pennsylvania's three drought classifications. It calls for a voluntary 5 percent reduction.

"We are still recovering from a very dry fall and below-normal precipitation this winter," said John Quigley, acting secretary of the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP). "These factors have contributed to low groundwater and surface water levels mostly in the northeast and central portions of the state."

The drought watch includes counties immediately surrounding Northumberland County - Montour, Union, Snyder, Columbia and Schuylkill. Also included in the declaration are Berks, Bradford, Cambria, Carbon, Clinton, Indiana, Lackawanna, Lawrence, Luzerne, Lycoming, McKean, Mercer, Monroe, Pike, Potter, Sullivan, Susquehanna, Tioga, Wayne, Westmoreland and Wyoming.

How to help

Residents are asked to:

- Run water only when absolutely necessary by avoiding running water while brushing teeth or turning on the shower many minutes before use.

- Check for household leaks; a leaking toilet can waste up to 200 gallons of water a day.

- Run dishwashers and washing machines only with full loads.

- Use a broom, not a hose, to clean driveways, steps and sidewalks.

- Wash the car with water from a bucket; if a hose is used, control the flow with an automatic shut off nozzle.

- Set sprinklers to water the lawn or garden only, do not water the street or sidewalk.

- Use soaker hoses and trickle irrigation systems to reduce the amount of water used by 20 to 50 percent.

- Mulch around shrubs and garden plants to reduce evaporation from the soil and inhibit weeds.

- Plant native plants that require less care and water than ornamental varieties.

- Cover swimming pools to prevent evaporation.

- Adjust the lawn mower to a higher setting to provide natural ground shade and to promote water retention by the soil.

DEP has notified all water suppliers in the affected areas of the need to monitor their supplies, particularly those that rely upon groundwater, and update their drought contingency plans as necessary.

ELYSBURG - The public is invited to help Geisinger Medical Center celebrate miracles while enjoying time at Knoebels Amusement Park.

For every visitor wearing the Children's Miracle Network's Geisinger Caring for Kids shirt Friday, $1 from each pay one price plan will help local sick and injured children.

On Saturday, the park will be full of classic cars from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. during the Muscles, Motors and Miracles Car Show. Visitors can vote for their favorite vehicles while listening to tunes from the Randall Ginley Band. Also, join Miracle Network personnel at Pavilion O for a special craft fair featuring more than 50 vendors of handcrafted items. The craft fair will take place both Saturday and Sunday.

On Sunday, the 30th anniversary of the Motorcycle Miracle Tour will end at Knoebels and park-goers can enjoy a free concert by Covert Action.

Breakfast

Enjoy an all-you-can eat breakfast buffet from 7 to 11 a.m. Sunday at the Geisinger Medical Center parking lot.

This breakfast is held as a part of Celebration Weekend benefitting Children's Miracle Network at Geisinger. The cost is $8 for adults and $4 for children. Children 2 and under eat free.

The funds raised by this event will help to provide pediatric equipment, programs and services at Janet Weis Children's Hospital and throughout Geisinger Health.

Schedule of events

All events at Geisinger Medical Center, unless otherwise noted.

Saturday

8 to 11 a.m. - Miles of Miracles biking scavenger hunt.

10 a.m. to 6 p.m. at Knoebels - Craft fair, and Muscles, Motors and Miracles Car show: Purchase handmade items in Pavilion Q, vote on classic cars and enjoy live music from the Randall Ginley band.

Noon to 4 p.m. - Touch-A-Truck: Touch and learn about all kinds of vehicles.

9 p.m. - WYOU live broadcast begins: Meet our Miracle Kids and sponsors as the broadcast airs live from Geisinger Janet Weis Children's Hospital.

Sunday

7 to 11 a.m. - Breakfast buffet.

8 a.m. - 30th Motorcycle Miracle Tour: Sign in between 8 a.m. and noon for the 30th annual ride, which ends at Knoebel's Amusement Resort, with live music by Covert Action.

10 a.m. to 6 p.m. at Knoebels - Craft fair under Pavilion Q.

10 a.m. to 2 p.m. - Miracle Fest: Visit Knapper Clinic's parking lot for fun, free activities for kids, including a scavenger hunt and games.

12:30 p.m. - Bids for Kids Celebration Auction: Bid on sports and entertainment memorabilia, autographed items, gift certificates and more.

6 p.m. - WYOU broadcast ends.

Contact information

For more information about any of the events during Celebration Weekend, call 1-800-322-5437 or send an email to cmnevents@geisinger.edu.

SHAMOKIN - A contract is expected to be awarded in August for the construction of a colossal bridge as part of the Central Susquehanna Valley Thruway Project, according to PennDOT officials.

The project is split in sections: northern and southern. Construction of the main bridge over the Susquehanna River is planned to begin next year. Excavation and work on smaller spans on the northern end are expected to begin later in summer 2016 under a second contract, as final design plans are pending, followed by paving in 2017.

The southern section remains in the design phase, including a connector off the Veterans Memorial Bridge. Plans will be debuted at a public meeting sometime this summer.

To construct the bridge spanning the river and linking Route 15 south of Winfield with Route 147 near Montandon will take enormous effort and resources, let alone completing the entire four-lane 13.5-mile thruway. Total project completion is estimated in 2024, but officials hope to beat the projection.

"The bridge itself will take four years to construct. It's a massive, massive bridge, and it's not going to happen overnight," said District 3-0 design executive T.J. Cunningham. "We know we can get the entire (thruway) open by 2024, but it's a matter of much we can accelerate things to get it open even sooner."

Cost is often the estimate used to stress the enormity of the Central Susquehanna Valley Thruway Project, and at $669 million it's a clear indicator. But there are other ways to put the actual construction into perspective, creative ways courtesy of Cunningham.

Enough dirt will be removed from the bridge area to bury all 512 acres of the city of Shamokin in nearly 10 feet of dirt.

The amount of concrete needed for the bridge, all 50,000 cubic yards of it, would cover a football field leaving just the tips of the goal posts showing. And the accompanying 20,000 tons of steel is equal to the weight of 133 blue whales.

In all, the entire bridge will weigh about the same as the 7 billion pennies minted at the U.S. Mint in 2013 - 17.5 billion pounds. It's 4,500 feet long and, at its highest point, 180 feet - twice as long and three times as high as the next largest existing bridges in the area. Estimated price tag is $180 million.

Sandra Tosca, executive of District 3-0, underscored how much time passed since the thruway project began in the 1960s. She was a college student in the 1970s and roadway alignment for the thruway was a class project. It had gone dormant at some point until 1994.

"When I was environmental manager, I unboxed the project. It was in storage. We actually unboxed it, reactivated it and went down to the Federal Highway Administration and talked about project need," Tosca said.

Pennsylvania's gas tax and increased motor vehicle fees, brought about by Act 89 in 2013, ensures funding will be available to complete the thruway and keep it from being boxed away again.

"I'm pretty sure it will be a significant ground-breaking," Tosca said, adding it would happen this year.

MANDATA - Students criticized a change from an eight-period to a seven-period day at Tuesday's nearly three-hour meeting of the Line Mountain School Board.

Superintendent David M. Campbell initially addressed the board and several members of the public at the April 28 meeting on the change, which he said was made to better accommodate teacher planning periods and increase time in core subject classes.

Though Campbell said the change would not constrict the ability to schedule electives, students voiced concerns during the public comment session.

"I believe this will only hurt the student body," said Sam Ferster, a sophomore whose father spoke out against the change at the April 28 meeting. "It is not the best decision to lower the classes to seven periods."

Ferster said he believed the change would disproportionately harm students choosing to not attend college. These students will miss out on an opportunity to learn these specialty skills when a class is eliminated, he said.

Teresa Stutzman, a student, said electives teach skills all types of students use in their core classes and in the outside world.

"I need an education that sets the bar above the bare minimum," she said, calling the change from eight periods to seven a "detriment" to the education offered at Line Mountain.

Wade Houseman, also a student, presented the board a petition signed by 258 district students in grades seven through 12 opposing the move to a seven-period day. He said it had taken just two weeks to garner the signatures.

At least one other student had a different question about scheduling. Nicole Adams, a 10th grade student, asked Campbell why the 2015-16 school year's first day is Sept. 8.

That start date seemed a little late, she said, and it would push the final day into summer.

"I don't want to go to school until June 10," she said.

Campbell said he moved the calendar later for the coming year due to the ongoing teacher contract negotiations. The Sept. 8 start date would give nine strike days, he said, and would therefore minimize the effects of a strike on students and parents.

"It's not to force the board's hand. It's not to force the teachers' hand," he said. "It will have the least impact."

Campbell said he has also prepared an alternate calendar with a start date in August. If the contract is settled over the summer, he will implement this calendar, which will conclude the school year around May 30.

The union and the board are awaiting a report from an arbitrator, due any day, before the next step in the contract negotiation process can occur. After the arbitrator has issued his report, the two parties will vote to accept or reject his proposal. If both accept, the contract will be finalized. If the report is rejected by one or both parties, negotiations will continue.

MOUNT CARMEL - Saturday will be a true memorial day for the family of the late Joe Zanella.

It's the date of a fundraising dinner for an all-generations Veterans Memorial at Beaverdale Fire Company that he began building eight years ago but never finished before passing from cancer in March.

Ironically, Joe never served in the military, but his father, uncle and other family members did.

"He was involved in a great many local activities, including serving as a fire chief and as adviser to local Boy Scouts. He had been an Eagle Scout and was proud when our youngest son, Sean, attained that rank. Joe was also a Mason, contributing to their community work," said Sheila Zanella, his widow.

The unique brick memorial, a five-foot by nine-foot wall with matching wings, was constructed years ago, but when Joe came down with cancer four years ago, he wasn't able to complete it. Now, his family is working to finish the job, adding a large bronze plaque that tributes all generations of area veterans, both living and deceased.

The plaque will include a quote from Isaiah 6:8: "And I heard the voice of the Lord saying, 'Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?' Then I said, 'Here am I! Send me.'"

"I can't think of a more appropriate expression of love of country," Zanella said.

The dinner will be held from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Saturday at Divine Redeemer Church Hall at 438 W. Avenue. The homemade chicken and waffle dinner is $10. The event will feature a decorated veteran as guest speaker, a 50/50 drawing and a silent auction. Call 570-339-1519 for reservations.

"The dedication will take place at 10 a.m. July 4, and we are looking forward to seeing it dedicated and finishing Joe's work," Zanella said.

Approximately $4,500 is needed to pay off the plaque and complete some electrical lighting and make minor repairs to the original brickwork.

Contributions can be made to Veterans Memorial, 844 W. Fifth St., Mount Carmel 17851.

Editor's note: Noelle Zechman is one of the "Miracle Kids" involved in this weekend's Children's Miracle Network celebration.

DANVILLE - Todd Zechman gets very emotional when he shares the story of his daughter Noelle's battle with cancer. The subject brings a rush of emotion as he recalls watching his 18-month-old daughter fight for her life. The times, dates and details play through his head like a bad TV rerun.

Being a childhood cancer survivor himself and having watched his six uncles all die of cancer, Todd knew the news was not good when Noelle's doctor called him at work at 11:45 a.m. Aug. 20, 2006.

"The doctor said I needed to get up there right away," he said. "On the way up, I just knew it. At that point, I knew my worst fears were coming true."

Noelle had a protruding belly but Todd hoped that she was just getting a little chunkier before hitting a growth spurt. That hope washed away when the doctor showed Todd and his wife Tiffany an x-ray of Noelle's abdomen revealing a large tumor in her tiny belly. The pediatrician told the Zechmans, of Winfield, that they needed to go to Geisinger.

The Zechmans' first contact at Geisinger Janet Weis Children's Hospital was Dr. Michal Miller, pediatric hematologist/oncologist. He examined Noelle and ordered a CAT scan of her abdomen. The CAT scan revealed an enormous mass, nearly 6 inches in circumference, about the size of a soccer ball.

"Her belly was growing about 2 centimeters a day, because the tissue inside the tumor was bleeding into it," Dr. Miller said. "All her blood was going into that tumor and blowing it up like a balloon. It wasn't exactly tumor growth but the tumor was growing in size."

"Her biggest belly size was around 86 centimeters," Todd said. "It was so difficult looking at my 18-month-old child with her looking like she was pregnant with triplets."

Chemo, then surgery

The location of the tumor made it impossible for surgical removal. It had wrapped itself around one of the large blood vessels that pumps blood to the lower half of the body. Miller ordered a biopsy and Noelle began chemotherapy in an effort to shrink the tumor and stop the bleeding. Her condition was so serious Noelle was placed in the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit.

Noelle received nearly a dozen blood transfusions to counter the volume of blood that was flowing into the tumor.

"The tumor was so large that I worried she would not have enough room in her chest to take a breath," Miller said.

Getting the results from the biopsy took a considerable amount of time. The cancer growing inside Noelle was so rare that the specimen was sent to pathologists across the country. Finally after several weeks, it was determined that Noelle had undifferentiated sarcoma, a rare tumor with only 200 diagnoses a year.

"We did pretty intensive chemotherapy with Noelle and it lasted a little more than a year," Miller said.

Noelle stayed in the hospital for one and half months, because Miller wanted to see some improvements before allowing her to go home. The chemotherapy Noelle received could not be given as an outpatient, so every three weeks, Noelle and her parents would come to the hospital for the treatment, staying three to five days.

"It's hard for people to understand what we went through," Todd said. "Watching our child battle this sickness - the throwing up, losing weight and losing her hair. To watch her go from healthy, robust, full-faced to bald-headed, skinny, eyes sunken in her head, ribs showing and not being able to do anything.

"I held her at times when I swore she was taking her last breath. I thought for sure at some moments I had felt her last heart beat or heard her last breath," he said.

While at home, Todd and Tiffany gave Noelle Neupogen shots to help her production of white blood cells. They needed to feed her through a feeding tube and they were trained in CPR in case her heart stopped or she stopped breathing.

After three cycles of chemotherapy treatment, the tumor had shrunk enough for surgical removal.

"When the tumor came out, it was still rather large. It was 2 1/2 pounds in weight," said Miller.

After the tumor was removed, Noelle continued her chemotherapy and had daily radiation treatments from January to April 2007.

"The chemo and radiation always took a toll on her physically. It was a good while until we saw a turnaround, but little by little she started getting better and becoming more active," Todd said.

"I think the chemotherapy was harder on Noelle's parents than on Noelle. Mom and Dad never left her bedside," Miller added. "Once the tumor had shrank enough to allow her to take deep breaths more easily, she never stayed in bed and always wanted to be in the playroom."

More issues

Noelle's hair soon grew back and she began gaining weight. She only needed to see Miller for follow-ups, but during one of those appointments in 2012, it was discovered that Noelle had a lump on her thyroid. It turned out to be cancer.

"Fortunately the cancer had stayed in her thyroid. We were able to remove it and put her on thyroid replacement medication. She did not need any radiation or chemotherapy treatments," Miller said. "Her parents were devastated, but Noelle did not complain. She did what she had to do and went back to being a happy and active kid."

Since then Noelle is a normal, smiling, bouncy 9-year-old. She currently is an A /B student in fourth grade, she likes horses and says her favorite subject is eating.

"She definitely likes to eat," Tiffany said.

She recently began having discomfort in her back and traveled to Geisinger to have it examined. An X-ray showed a 30 to 35 degree curvature in her spine, the beginnings of scoliosis. Miller says the condition is a side effect of Noelle's radiation treatment, explaining that it weakened some of the muscles in her back. One side is stronger than the radiated side.

"Scoliosis is a common long-term side effect of radiation and develops as the child grows," Miller said. "She may need bracing and surgery to straighten her spine. We will continue to monitor her for late effects from her therapy, but she should do very well. It has been more than 7 years from her last chemotherapy, and it is quite unlikely that her cancer will come back."

Like family

The Zechmans were very appreciative of the way the doctors, nurses and staff cared for not only Noelle but them as well during their hospital stays.

"They were really great and treated us like one of their family," Tiffany said. "There were so many parents who had loved ones up there."

"When she was sick, they were always there. They never made us feel unwelcome," Todd said of the staff.

They also were very grateful for Tiffany's parents and grandparents who took care of Noelle's older brother, Noah, during their time at the hospital.

"He was starting preschool and they would pick him up, get him dinner and get him off to school the next day," Tiffany said.

Noelle has a huge collection of Beenie Babies at her home, provided by the Child Life Department and pediatric sedation. The stuffed animals are one of the items funded by Children's Miracle Network donations.

"Every time she would have a procedure, she would get a Beenie Baby. She has a huge box full of them," Todd said. "To look at her now, you can't believe how many treatments and procedures that girl went through."

"She loves those Beenie Babies," Tiffany said.

Todd shared the story of Christmas Eve 2006 while Noelle was in the hospital. Woody Wolfe, an entertainer who regularly visits the hospital to entertain the children, was going from room to room singing Christmas carols with the kids. When he came to Noelle's room, he sang "The First Noel."

"There wasn't a dry eye in the whole place," he said. "It was beautiful."

It isn't just the relationships with the Geisinger employees that the Zechmans cherish but their relationships with the other families with children in the hospital.

"We not only saw what our daughter went through but you are with those people day in and day out. You see the other mothers and fathers with their children, too," Todd said. "We are very fortunate that Noelle has made to this point in her life. Four of the families buried their children while we were going through this. We keep in contact with each other. It's a hell of way to be friends with somebody."

On top of the worry is the added financial stress that comes from having a child in the hospital for an extended period time, according to Miller.

"The money spent on gas to physically get here; money for breakfasts, lunches and dinners," Miller said. "Vacation time gets eaten away very quickly. Then people get docked in pay because they need to be at the hospital to take care of their child."

The Zechmans agreed with Miller.

"We lived at the hospital. It's hard for people to understand the financial drain an illness like cancer puts on a family," Todd said. "We never recovered financially, but that is secondary to her health."

Miracle kid

Miller said Noelle's strength and internal drive are the two things that make her a miracle child.

"Today with all of this behind her, you can see she has not been left with bad or traumatic memories," said Miller. "She has transformed those memories into a love of life and an attitude that she can do anything and everything."

The Zechman's cant's say enough about the care they received at Geisinger Janet Weis Children's Hospital and were humbled for Noelle to be selected as a Miracle Kid.

"Being a miracle kid is a nice honor but something no one should ever have to get," Todd said. "I hope people see what these children go through and something good comes out of it."

Donations to Children's Miracle Network at Geisinger help fund many of the Child Life activities offered for patients at the children's hospital. Donations also were used for monitors that were used in the daily care of Noelle.

COAL TOWNSHIP - Our Lady of Lourdes Regional School competed in the Junior Achievement (JA) Titan National Competition.

In this virtual competition, the Lourdes students competed with students from Quebec, Indiana, Cleveland, Michigan, Illinois and Ohio. The JA Titan Competition is a computerized business simulation.

This competition takes student teams to the year 2035 where they take on the role of the CEO of a Halo-Generator company. The students must manage their virtual business to gain market dominance over the other student-led teams. The success or failure of this business is based upon how well participants manage key issues such as price, production, marketing, research and development, capital investment, and charitable giving. This fast-paced competition allows students to apply their business savvy and experience the highs and lows of leading a business.

In the end, the student teams with the highest performance index won their qualifying round and went to the national finals to determine the JA Titan Champion. This year the national champion team was from Greensburg Salem in western Pennsylvania.