SHAMOKIN - Austin George, of 34 N. Oak St., Mount Carmel, was the first place winner in week five of The News-Item Football Contest, which included games from the week of Sept. 23 and 24. He wins a $50 gift certificate, good at participating sponsors.

Mike Anderson, of 23 S. Third St., Shamokin, won second place and a $25 gift certificate. Taking third place and a $15 gift certificate was Jake Dermonedi, of 1245 Chestnut St., Kulpmont.

Scores from last week's games were Notre Dame 15, Pittsburgh 12; Mifflinburg 24, Danville 0; LSU 47, West Virginia 21; Montoursville 16, Jersey Shore 0; Mount Carmel Area 43, Loyalsock 0; Williams Valley 34, Millersburg 7; Alabama 38, Arkansas 14; Oklahoma State 30, Texas A&M 29; Shikellamy 26, Warrion Run 0; Selinsgrove 14, Shamokin 7; and Line Mountain 48, Newport 6.

Cross lit in Stefanovige's honor

PAXINOS - The cross on top of Paxinos mountain will be lighted this evening to honor the late David E. Stefanovige, who died Wednesday in a traffic accident in Lycoming County. The cross will be lighted at 7 p.m. to coincide with the start of a candlelight vigil in the student parking lot of Shamokin Area High School that is being held in celebration of Stefanovige's life.

Stefanovige, a member of Clark's Grove United Methodist Church, played an active role in the annual Easter service held at the cross.

A second candlelight service, sponsored by Boy Scout Troop 250, will be held from 8 to 10 p.m. in the parking lot of Koppy's Propane on Route 61.

Shamokin Area picture day Oct. 7

COAL TOWNSHIP - Shamokin Area Middle/High School will have picture day Friday. All students in grades seven to 12 will have their picture taken during the regular school day.

Students will be receiving a flier during homeroom with order and payment information. Payments must be made at the time of the picture.

Call the principal's office at 648-5731 with any questions.

Hawaiian sculptor's work on display

BLOOMSBURG - Bloomsburg University's Haas Gallery is featuring the work of contemporary artist Wendy Kawabata through Friday, Oct. 14.

The gallery is open free of charge from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday and noon to 2 p.m. Saturday. A reception for the artist is planned for 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 11.

Kawabata is associate professor of art at the University of Hawaii at Manoa, where she teaches drawing and painting. Born in Lansing, Mich., she earned a bachelor's degree from Massachusetts College of Art and a master's of fine art degree from the University of New Mexico. Her artwork has been exhibited at venues nationally and internationally, including recent shows in Auckland, New Zealand, and a group exhibit at New York's Pool Art Fair.

For more information, contact Vince Hron, acting chair of art and art history, at vhron@bloomu.edu or 389-4186.

DANVILLE - Northumberland County Judge William H. Wiest, who suffered an infection Monday morning at Northumberland County Courthouse in Sunbury and had to be transported by ambulance to Geisinger Medical Center, was discharged from the facility Wednesday and is recuperating at home.

Wiest was previously listed in serious condition at Geisinger.

SUNBURY - The director of public relations at Weis Markets assures customers that melons purchased at the local grocery chain are not from Colorado and not affected by the recent recall.

"Over the past month, we have been buying our cantaloupes from local farms in Pennsylvania and Maryland and now that the local season is finished, we are currently buying and selling high-quality cantaloupes from California," said Dennis Curtin, director of public relations at Weis Markets.

by justin strawser

Northumberland County's unemployment rate jumped .5 percent from July to August, taking it to the highest it's been all year.

According to information released Tuesday by the Department of Labor and Industry (DLI), the August rate was 9.3 percent compared to July's rate of 8.8 percent.

This most recent rate is lower than it was a year ago at 10.1 percent and two years ago, also at 10.1 percent. The county unemployment rate crested during the recession at 10.6 percent in October 2009.

The county unemployment rate remains between the seasonably adjusted national and state levels, which are 9.1 percent and 8.2 percent, respectively.

Jobless rates in neighboring counties are Montour, 7 percent; Juniata, 7.7 percent; Dauphin, 8.2 percent; Perry, 8.3 percent; Columbia, 8.4 percent; Snyder, 8.5 percent; Lycoming, 8.6 percent; Union, 8.8 percent; and Schuylkill, 10 percent.

Of those nine counties, Montour and Perry had the largest jumps in August at .7 percent.

Centre County, at 6.5 percent, has the lowest jobless rate in Pennsylvania. Cameron County, at 12 percent, has the highest.

PAXINOS - During the Flood of 2011 three weeks ago, Joe Reidinger was taken to the hospital for a possible heart attack. The Paxinos business owner, who was suffering from angina, was told by doctors to slow down, but he wonders - especially after heavy rainfall this week caused more damage to his property - how that's even possible.

"How do you slow down in a situation like this? So many people depend on you; you got to keep going," the 83-year-old said Friday afternoon in the wake of the most recent flooding.

Although the Flood of 2011 broke records across the county and neighboring areas, the heavy rainstorms and flash flooding Wednesday night posed a bigger threat to his 45-year-old business, Reidinger Trucking. In Reidinger's workshop, the water was 51 inches deep Wednesday night, compared to 46 inches three weeks ago.

Employees of K&S Music, located next door, agreed, estimating the damage to their business was just as bad and the waters even higher than before.

High water from Lick Creek that flows through Meadowview was too much for a culvert at the end of Paxinos to handle. The culvert, which normally carries water underneath state Route 61 and a portion of Masser's Restaurant before entering Shamokin Creek, was full, sending excess water down the southbound lanes, flooding the intersection of routes 61 and 487.

The water crossed the northbound lanes, then drained into a depression where the two business are located.

Once water reached several feet deep at that location, it crossed Route 487 at the train tracks and flowed into the Paxinos Flea Market parking lot. The high flow damaged the parking lot, forming a hook-like pattern.

Thousands in damage

Reidinger and his four employees were busy Friday sorting through the damaged and muddy possessions and property. During the first flood, they attempted to move the expensive tools, but the rain fell so quickly they were forced to leave. They were still in the process of cleaning up and fixing damages when the most recent storm hit. This time, they weren't able to move anything out.

Reidinger said it's the mud, not the water, that hurts them. Thick sludge destroyed a 12-foot-long steel cutting tool that weights nearly two tons. To replace it might cost $60,000. It will cost an additional $35,000 to replace the rest of his tools. Those estimates don't include the cost of cleaning and repairing the building itself.

On top of that, he has two houses that also experienced flood damage.

At the music store next door, employee Mike Krebs said the water damaged everything in their basement and a significant amount of supplies and equipment were lost, including amps costing nearly $1,000.

Although the water was higher than it had been three weeks ago, it wasn't high enough to reach the first floor where the actual store is located and the majority of their stock was spared.

In the parking lot, Wednesday's flash flood moved two full-sized Dumpsters and several railroad ties. On Friday, a pile of mud-covered music equipment and debris sat beside the Dumpster.

On one side of the store, facing the highway on Route 61, Krebs said the water was ankle-deep. However, on the other side facing Reidinger's property, it was waist deep or higher.

"The first time we were prepared. The second time it caught us off guard," manager Dale Fahringer said.

K&S is a 30-year-old business owned by Dave Berkheiser and has been in Paxinos for 20 years.

Starting again

Fahringer said Friday they didn't have a full estimate of the cost of damage because they were still taking inventory and checking damage when the second wave hit Wednesday.

Reidinger said he was attempting to stay away from state or federal assistance at first, but might not have a choice now.

Despite the hardships, he was in good spirits Friday.

"I can rebuild. People who lost everything, they have nothing to start with. I'm fortunate that I can start again," he said.

(Staff Writer Larry Deklinski contributed to this report.)

HARRISBURG - A federal judge is scheduled to hear motions Wednesday to determine if a retired Mount Carmel police officer charged with child pornography offenses violated his bail conditions and if he will be granted a non-jury trial.

A hearing will be held at 10 a.m. Wednesday before U.S. Middle District Senior Judge William W. Caldwell at the Federal Building in the case of Blaine R. Handerhan, 55, of Jonestown, Lebanon County, whose trial, which has been delayed five times, is scheduled for Oct. 11.

Handerhan's attorney, Matthew R. Gover, of Harrisburg, filed a motion Sept. 21 with the court, requesting a non-jury trial. The next day, U.S. Attorney James Clancy filed a motion to revoke Handerhan's bail because he violated terms of his bail conditions by allegedly removing a tape installed to detect tampering with his computer and installing an external hard drive.

Handerhan was indicted Oct. 13, 2010, on charges of possession and distribution of child pornography. He pleaded innocent Nov. 2 before Magistrate Judge J. Andrew Smyser and was released on personal recognizance with conditions that included home confinement with electronic monitoring. Other bail conditions included a curfew, supervision by pre-trial services and computer restrictions.

Caldwell later modified those conditions to allow Handerhan to be away from home between 10 a.m. and 5 p.m. Gover made that request April 12, saying Handerhan had voluntarily been evaluated by TRIAD treatment specialists and undergone extensive testing that concluded he would not be at increased risk of sexual recidivism if he were allowed to have more flexibility from his supervision. Gover argued the restrictions were creating a serious hardship for Handerhan's ability to raise his children.

Handerhan, who served as a Mount Carmel policeman for 30 years before retiring on Oct. 30, 2005, at the rank of lieutenant, was ordered to avoid all contact with victims or witnesses in the case and any child under the age of 18, except his own children. He was restricted to travel only in counties in the Middle District Court of Pennsylvania and ordered to surrender any passport, which Handerhan told the judge he did not possess.

Handerhan also had to surrender any firearms or other dangerous weapons.

The trial was initially scheduled for Jan. 10, but it has been continued five times at the request of the defense.

SUNBURY - Northumberland County's only water rescue team was put to the test in September when record-setting rainfall inundated much of the county.

Established in 2009, Sunbury Water Rescue averages between five and 10 rescues annually, usually on the Susquehanna River. Between Sept. 8 and Sept. 10, the 14-member team made 32 rescues in Hamilton, Tharptown and elsewhere in Coal Township, Upper Augusta Township, near Knoebels Amusement Resort in Elysburg and other municipalities.

"For 24 hours, it was non-stop," Brian Rudy, team coordinator, said about the unprecedented activity during an interview Thursday evening at Rescue Hose, where the unit is based. He noted the team was in operation for three straight days, and, like most emergency personnel countywide, members had little time to rest.

Team members operate mostly on foot, walking through flood waters to a home, giving residents a life jacket and walking them back to safety. They also use ropes, if the situation calls for it.

14 people, 20 animals

The hairiest rescue was in Hamilton. The operation began with one call for help. Then two. Then nine. In all, the team walked 14 people, some with pets, to safety. They also moved about 20 animals to safety from Sunbury Animal Hospital.

Vickie Lehman, one of two women on the team, recalled rescuing the mother of an 11-month-old baby. She walked with the mother as team member Dustin Weirick carried the child. She said patches of swift water made walking through the flooding difficult.

"It was really creepy - the water receded and all of a sudden it came back in full force," she recalled.

Lehman and her husband, Danny, are both on the team. Weirick is her nephew. Her brother, Dean Weirick, is Sunbury's fire chief.

Sunbury Water Rescue is separate from the city's dive team and is funded by the fire department relief association and through fundraising. Its members belong to East Sunbury Hose, Americus Hose and Rescue Hose, an the organization currently has one boat and a hovercraft, which is being refurbished, along with two squad trucks.

'Extraordinary people'

Team members are certified in either open water rescue, emergency boat operation rescue and ice rescue, with most certified in all three. Their gear includes extreme dry suits, helmets, rubberized boots and gloves, ropes, slingshots and Stokes stretcher baskets.

They cover Susquehanna River's north and main branches, from the Montour County line south to Upper Paxton Township in Dauphin County.

"I can't even describe how valuable it's been," Dean Weirick said of Sunbury Water Rescue, noting he believes some of the water rescues couldn't have been conducted without the team. "The group of people we have in it now are just extraordinary. I can't say enough about them."

During Tropical Storm Lee, Weirick was operating a command center at East Sunbury Hose, where they receive dispatches from the county. For much of the first 24 hours, they were sent to one emergency call and returned safely, only to be dispatched almost immediately.

Only one person refused to leave his home. But others were hesitant at first, too.

"By the time we pulled some more people out and they saw how far the water came up, they were more than willing to go," Dustin Weirick said.

Rescues in Tharptown

Weirick, team member Richard Sinko, who is also Sunbury Fire Department battalion chief, and other team members all paid much credit to Mount Carmel Township's Beaverdale Fire Department, whose members assisted in Hamilton and on other rescues, using their brush truck to drive people to safety through waters that other apparatus couldn't drive through. Water rescue teams from Snyder and Mifflin counties also assisted.

In Tharptown in the early morning hours of Sept. 8, seven people were rescued. Dustin Weirick said the team was initially dispatched to a rescue near Split Vein Coal Co. along Route 61. They had to drive through Trevorton due to flooded roadways. When they arrived, they found they couldn't make it by truck to Split Vein. That's when they were asked by Coal Township personnel to lend a hand in Tharptown.

"'Can you stay here and help us? We have people who need to get out,'" Dustin Weirick recalled being told.

Rudy said an elderly couple was rescued from a trailer first. One couldn't walk, so a stretcher basket was used to bring her to safety. From there, they rescued another five residents.

"When we got to Tharptown, the water was moving fast and we knew it'd be trouble if we got into it," Rudy said of the danger presented by a raging Shamokin Creek.

"By the time the Tharptown call came around, some of us were up two days straight. Sleep was a big issue, but I think we have an excellent team here. We stuck together, did what we had to do and got the job done," Dustin Weirick said.

KULPMONT - Raymond L. "Rookie" Keefer, 84, of Serenity Gardens Assisted Living for the past two months and formerly of East Cameron Township, passed away Thursday, Sept. 29, 2011, at Mount Carmel Senior Living Community, where he was a guest the past two weeks.

Born in West Cameron Township, May 15, 1927, he was a son of the late William A. and Esther M. (Dreibelbis) Keefer.

He was married Feb. 14, 1947, to the former Beatrice M. Weikel, who preceded him in death in July 1991.

He served in the U.S. Army during World War II from July 1945 to January 1947.

He lived most of his life in East Cameron Township and was a retired coal miner.

Raymond was a member of Herndon Lodge 702 Free and Accepted Masons, Trevorton American Legion Post 92, Trevorton VFW Post 7813 and a life member of East Cameron Township Fire Company.

Survivors include four daughters, Christine Keefer, of Shamokin; Trudy Hauer, of Coal Township; Nancy Hornberger and her husband, Bob, of West Cameron Township, and Marie Richardson and her husband, David, of Virginia Beach, Va.; two sons, Terry Keefer and his wife, Debra, of Coal Township, and Ray Keefer and his wife, Sherri, of West Cameron Township; 11 grandchildren; three great-grandchildren; a companion, Rosemary Long, of Trevorton; one brother, Clinton R. Keefer and his companion, Shirley Snook, of Selinsgrove, and numerous nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by two sisters, Mildred E. Weikel and Ida C. Ross; two half-sisters, Goldie Black and Helen Lowe; five brothers, Thomas A. Keefer, Lawrence A. Keefer, Bruce C. Keefer, Clyde J. Keefer and Daniel W. Keefer; two half-brothers, Harry B. Keefer and John W. Keefer.

KEEFER - Raymond L. "Rookie" Keefer, 84, of Serenity Gardens Assisted Living, Kulpmont, and formerly of East Cameron Township. A funeral service will be held at 11 a.m. Tuesday at the Robert G. Foust Jr. Funeral Home, 841 W. Shamokin St., Trevorton, with Pastor Dave Butler officiating. A viewing will be held from 7 to 9 p.m. Monday, and from 10 a.m. until the time of the funeral service Tuesday at the funeral home. Burial will follow in St. Paul's Lutheran Cemetery, Gowen City. Contributions may be made in his memory to East Cameron Township Fire Company, 5239 Upper Road, Shamokin 17872.

(This article is being reprinted due to information from last year's reunion being printed. The News-Item apologizes for the error.)

SHAMOKIN - The annual Chiavaroli family reunion was held July 30 at the Original Italian Pizza restaurant banquet hall, which was appropriately decorated in red, white and green. The Italian flag displayed was donated by Michael Chiavaroli, of Philadelphia, who obtained it when he was serving in the military in Italy.

The program began with welcome remarks by Bob Koshinskie, of Cranford, N.J. He noted some family members present have attended every reunion since its inception and introduced those appearing for the first time. He thanked members who brought their homemade Italian cookies and desserts.

Congratulations were extended to all couples who are married 50 years or more. They included Mary and Thomas Chiavaroli, Frank and Cass Chiavaroli, of Philadelphia, Jim and Marylou Chiavaroli, Pay and Annella Chiavaroli, of Shamokin, Louise and Brient Wiest, of Trevorton, and Carol and Gerry O'Donnell, of Harrisburg.

He then acknowledged the oldest family member present, Arthur Chiavaroli, 89. The youngest member present was from New Jersey, Judea Robert, 10 months old. The parents are Damien and Sarah, and grandparents are Elayne and Robert Chiavaroli. The family that traveled the farthest distance were Bud Woll, his wife Cindy, and daughter Erin, who came from California. He then read messages and greetings from family members who could not attend.

The introduction to the Elite Eighty Club was presented by Dan Chiavaroli, of Nazareth. He announced the names of current members who are 80 years old and older.

This was followed by the reading of the honor roll by Gayle Chiavaroli, of Nazareth. This includes names of all members of the Chiavaroli family who have served in the military, from World War I to the present day, with Major Scott Sturdevant, who is serving in Morocco. He is married to Michelle Heiser, daughter of Ron and Dolores Heiser, of Lancaster.

A message of sympathy was extended to families who lost a member during the past year: Annie Chiavaroli, wife of Joe from New Jersey; Hogan (Anthony) Chiavaroli, of Shamokin, and Bob Fallon, husband of Carmella Chiavaroli, of Florida. A memorial Mass was held for Fallon Aug. 27 at Mother Cabrini Church, Shamokin.

Genealogy charts of all the Chiavaroli families were displayed by Mike and Ginny Koshinskie of Philadelphia, along with many photos.

Following a traditional Italian dinner, there was a sing-a-long of both Italian and American songs. Music was provided by Joe Koshinskie, of Mechanicsburg, and Bobby Chiavaroli, of Somerset, N.J.

All present were reminded that the next reunion date is the last Saturday in July 2012. The family history goes back many years ago when two Chiavaroli brothers and two sisters from Loreto, Aprutino in Abruzzi, Italy, came through Ellis Island and settled in Shamokin. Many of their descendants still live in Shamokin.

The reunion is coordinated by by Ann Chiavaroli Koshinskie, of Coal Township.

FOUNTAIN SPRINGS - Seventy-five descendants of the Adam Kripplebauer family held its fifth annual reunion Aug. 13 at The Barn catering hall near Fountain Springs. Relatives from throughout the United States attended the reunion, including Marga and Judith Kribelbauer from the Bexback area in Saarland, Germany.

Each family received a copy of the "Kripplebauer Family History," donated by Troy and Beverly Pierce. Beverly Pierce is the daughter of Dorothy Kripplebauer Seitzinger and the niece of William "Bill" Kripplebauer of Ashland. This book was the result of eight years of research by the Pierces. Troy and Beverly utilized all available sources pertaining to genealogy, particularly the Internet, and traveled to Salt Lake City, Utah, and all parts of Germany seeking information on the Kripplebauer family.

As a result of their research, the Kripplebauer family traces its roots back to Carlsburg, Germany, in the 1700s. Adam and Beatrix Kripplebauer and children, Elizabeth and Peter, arrived in America, settling in Saint Clair, Schuylkill County, in 1852. Elizabeth Kripplebauer Metzinger moved to Ashland in 1865. Upon returning from the Civil War, Peter married Margaret Holtzer and also settled in Ashland.

COAL TOWNSHIP - The Shamokin Area High School Marching Band will host the 45th annual Black Diamond Cavalcade of Bands at 6:30 p.m. Saturday at Kemp Memorial Stadium.

The cavalcade is a Tournament of Bands-sanctioned event. Competing in Group 1 (up to 30 playing members) will be Loyalsock Township High School and Donegal High School. Competing in Group 2 (31 to 50 playing members) will be Milton Area High School, Shikellamy High School and North Schuylkill High School. Competing in Group 3 (51 to 75 playing members) will be Berwick Area High School and Mifflin County High School.

An exhibition performance will be presented by the Millersburg Area High School Band. Closing the evening of fine music will be a performance by the Black Diamond host, the Shamokin Area High School Competition Band.

The gates to the stadium will open at 5:30 p.m. Adult admission is $6, and student admission is $4. The Shamokin Area Band and Orchestra Boosters concession stand will be available throughout the evening. The public is welcome to attend. Also, raffle tickets will be sold for a black diamond necklace that will be chanced off at the end of the competition.

For further information, contact Kevin Styer, Shamokin Area High School band director at 648-5731, extension 3107, or e-mail kstyer@indians.k12.pa.us.

BLOOMSBURG - Taryn L. Gilger earned a Bachelor of Science in exercise science from Bloomsburg University in August.

A 2007 graduate of Our Lady of Lourdes Regional School, Gilger is pursuing a Master of Science in health education at Bloomsburg University.

She is a daughter of Bill and JoAnne Gilger, of Shamokin, and a granddaughter of Elizabeth (Betty) Gilger.

SHAMOKIN - Fran Hand, of Shamokin, recently presented Gus Hatzas, past master and president of the Temple Association for Shamokin Lodge 255 with a portrait of her late father, Richard A. Shade II, when he served as the worshipful master of the Shamokin lodge in 1967.

Hand was one of the numerous guests, including family members and visiting brethren and/or related Masonic youth organizations, who visited the lodge at Independence and Eighth streets as part of the lodge's open house in late May.

According to Augustus 'Gus' Hatzas, a recent past master of the Shamokin lodge (2008) and now president of the lodge's Temple Association, "Participation in Community Days is but one of the many avenues the lodge and or its brethren use to support the great Shamokin area. Charity is a major prerequisite for serving as master of the lodge, and Shamokin is proud of its service, both as a lodge and the many countless volunteer efforts of the brethren as they, in their unselfish service, continue to build community and touch the lives of families who need help."

The portrait was hung in the main entrance to the lodge room on the third floor of the lodge building. "Ours is a brotherhood that is inclusive, not exclusive, building bridges as well as communities that care about their neighbor, and honoring a past master is but one way to show our pride in our fraternal organization," Hatzas concluded. He thanked the Hand and Shade families for their donating the portrait to the lodge for generations to witness and emulate.

Divorces

Julie A. Clark, 357 16th St., Northumberland, from Scott D. Clark, 680 Wallace Road, Northumberland. Married Nov. 18, 1995.

Chad M. Hurley, 802 Fifth St., Riverside, from Pamela N. Hurley, 1064 Hillside Lane, Nescopeck. Married June 7, 2008.

Laurie A. Knotts, 121 Memorial Acres, Sunbury, from Shawn A. Knotts, 2536 Snydertown Road, Danville. Married Sept. 28, 2002.

Kelly M. Burns, 609 W. Spruce St., Shamokin, from Robert S. Burns, 684 Bear Valley Ave., Shamokin. Married Sept. 10, 1994.

Christopher G. Lawless Sr., 320 Vine St., Milton, from Deneen Lawless, 272 Hepburn St., Milton. Married July 31, 1998.

Ronald E. Long from Olena Markovna Long, both of 135 Dansway, Coal Township. Married Sept. 23, 2005.

Korenn Weikel, 334 Mountain Pink Road, Bloomsburg, from Leroy Richard Weikel, 1236 Pulaski Ave., Coal Township. Married Oct. 15, 2005.

Patricia Ann Tyson, 47 Brown Ave., Milton, from Michael John Tyson, 600 Old Colony Road, Selinsgrove. Married Dec. 4, 2006.

William H. Swartz, Danville, from Anna M. Swartz, 833 Mount Zion Road, Milton. Married Oct. 16, 1993.

Property Transfers

Ryan C. Moore, Stefanie L. Moore, to Todd B. Trivelpiece, property in Upper Augusta Township, $114,000.

Fannie Mae, Federal National Mortgage Association, to Joanne Rodman Long, Robert Long, property in Shamokin, $27,512.

Gordon L. Hayes Jr., Dorothy R. Votopaul-Hayes, to Dennis J. Devine, property in Coal Township, $41,000.

Ronald G. Ferretti, Jill Ferretti, to Robert William Beard, property in Mount Carmel Township, $51,000.

Robert Joseph Conniff, Theresa Margaret Conniff, to Ryan P. Womer, Kortni M. Womer, property in Mount Carmel Township, $10,500.

Don Cotner Farms LP, to Kenneth A. Kremser, Abbey R. Kremser, property in Rush Township, $24,000.

Warren L. Faus, Crystal D. Faus, to William G. Faus, property in Upper Augusta Township, $165,000.

Northumberland County Sheriff, Jildo R. Mirarchi, to Susquehanna Bank, Susquehanna Bank PA, property in Kulpmont, $1,230.27.

Charles E. Cashner, John W. Shiffer, to Citi Property Holding Inc., property in Upper Augusta Township, $1.

SLTNTRST LLC (trustee), Fleetwood Liquidating Trust (by trustee), Fleetwood Enterprises Inc., to PFI LLC, property in Ralpho Township, $999,000.

June I. Noll, Judith A. Drumheller, to Justin J. Johnston, Belinda M. Johnston, property in Ralpho Township, $130,000.

Perry K. Snyder, Glenna C. Snyder, to Perry K. Snyder, Glenna C. Snyder, property in Jackson Township, $1.

Mark D. Betts, Ann L. Betts, Ann L. Ploppert, to Mark D. Betts, property in Rush Township, $1.

Mark D. Betts, Ann L. Betts, Ann L. Ploppert, to Mark D. Betts, property in Rush Township, $1.

Jeffrey D. Zartman, Amy L. Zartman, to Shane A. Keefer, Amy L. Keefer, property in Lower Mahanoy Township, $1.

Gregory A. Pulaski, Dianna L. Pulaski, Matthew J. Pulaski, Carol Pulaski, Mary L. Pulaski, Mary Lu Peppel and Peter Peppel, to Apartments and Acquisitions LP, property in Mount Carmel, $24,000.

William David Henry, Jodi Lynn Henry, Jodi Lynn Saldukas, to William Puketza III, Barbara Puketza, property in Mount Carmel, $6,000.

Jason P. Mills, to Jason P. Mills, property in Mount Carmel, $1.

Ronald Joraskie (executor), John F. Joraskie, (estate), to John R. Ficca, property in Mount Carmel, $43,000.

Maria A. Johnston, Lorraine A. Allen, to Stanley Oraczewski, property in Mount Carmel, $1.

William T. Yarnell, (executor), Henry J. Pakosky, (estate), to Mark A. Zosh, property in Mount Carmel, $46,100.

Virgie Troup (estate), Candy L. Snyder (executrix), to Leonard M. Seabold, Katherine D. Snyder-Seabold, property in Shamokin Township, $1.

Allen E. Bubb, to MATCORP Inc., property in Sunbury, $1.

Diann S. Lenig, Diann S. Lenig-Ferry, Robert L. Ferry, Peggy L. Cook, Carl W. Cook, to Wayne A. Zeigler, Tammy M. Zeigler, property in Zerbe Township, $1.

Mary E. Yoder, Bernadette M. Hoffman, Thomas G. Hoffman, Darlene Hoffman, Bernard T. Hoffman Jr., Denise A. Hoffman, Raymond A. Hoffman, Tara M. Quinn-Hoffman, to Raymond A. Hoffman, Tara M. Quinn-Hoffman, property in Coal Township, $40,000.

Francis Timco, Shirley Mae Timco, Todd C. Timco, Christie L. Timco, to Todd C. Timco, property in Coal Township, $1.

Andrew B. Vovakes, Kristy M. Vovakes, to Carl W. Cook, Peggy L. Cook, property in Northumberland, $55,000.

Noteworthy

Pie sale benefits veterans fund

SUNBURY - The Northumberland County Veterans Affairs is holding a pie sale through Oct. 31 to benefit the newly created veterans emergency fund. Pies are $7.50 each. Flavors are pumpkin, pumpkin custard, apple, cherry crumb and shoo-fly. To place order, call 492-0764, 988-4213, or 988-4214. Pies can be picked up from 2 to 4 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 22, at the county administration building, Sunbury, or the former CareerLink building, Shamokin. Pies baked by Heimbach's Bake Shop.

The emergency fund was created to help Northumberland County veterans who are having trouble paying rent and utility bills or buy heating fuel. The American Legion Post 201, Sunbury, is custodian of the emergency fund, and sends payment to landlords or utility companies to be used for the veteran's account.

Donation cans will be placed in area VFWs and American Legions. To make a donation or request assistance, call Belinda Albright, director of county veterans affairs, at 988-4213 or 492-0764, or send a check to Northumberland County Veterans Affairs, 399 S. Fifth St., Sunbury 17801. Make checks out to "Veterans Emergency Fund."

Trick-or-treat night designated

MOUNT CARMEL - Trick-or-treat night in Mount Carmel Borough will be held from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. Borough residents are reminded to turn their porch lights on.

Sweeper running through October

MOUNT CARMEL - The Mount Carmel Street Department will operate the normal street sweeper schedule for October. All residents are asked to move their vehicles the week of Oct. 17 to 21. Oak Street from Avenue to Sixth Street will be swept every Wednesday and Friday.

Veterans to hold Changing of Colors

MOUNT CARMEL - The Mount Carmel Area Joint Veterans Committee will hold its Changing of the Colors flag ceremony at 1 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 16, at Second and Oak streets.

The flag will be raised in honor and memory of Charles M. Zlockie Sr., who served in the U.S. Navy during World War II. Area veterans and the public are invited to attend.

SHAMOKIN - Saturday's third annual Fall Fun Festival and Car Boot Sale was successful despite the rainy weather that forced organizers to close the event about 90 minutes early.

Jeanne Shaffer, executive director of the Northumberland County Council for the Arts and Humanities, which sponsored the event, said approximately 30 vendors participated in the festival and car boot sale.

"We did quite well despite the weather," Shaffer said. "The crowd was pretty steady until about 11:30 a.m. when the rain started coming down harder. We had to close early, but overall, I thought the event was successful again."

The festival and car boot sale was centered this year around the 100 block of West Independence Street (the area of the Fun Shop and the pharmacies) instead of the municipal parking lot at Rock and Independence streets. It was scheduled to be held from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

In addition to the boot sale (a yard sale from vehicles), there were food vendors, crafters, horse-drawn hayrides, a haystack hunt, face painting and pumpkin painting. Cash prizes were awarded.

SHAMOKIN TOWNSHIP - A 29-year-old Coal Township woman was injured late Friday night when her car exited Route 61, struck an embankment and overturned near the Sunoco gas station.

State police at Stonington reported Jonna M. Varano was transported by AREA Services Ambulance to Geisinger Medical Center in Danville after suffering injuries in the 10:30 p.m. accident. Varano underwent emergency room treatment before being released, according to a nursing supervisor at Geisinger.

Trooper Daniel Wilk said Varano was driving a 2007 Ford Taurus north in the right lane of Route 61 when her car exited its lane of travel off the right shoulder as Varano attempted to counter steer her auto. The vehicle then re-entered its lane of travel before crossing both northbound and southbound lanes of the highway and striking an embankment with its front end off the right shoulder of the southbound lane.

The car then overturned onto its driver's side in the right lane before coming to rest.

Police said Varano was wearing her seat belt.

Assisting state police at the scene were fire and emergency personnel from Elysburg and Overlook, and Paul's Auto Body, which towed the vehicle.

Bethany EC Church

Bethany EC Church 1238 Market St. Ashland.

Pastor - Mark Brownson

Sunday school - 9:15 a.m.

Worship service - 10:30 a.m.

Wednesday prayer meeting - 6:30 p.m.

Free clothing closet - Every first and third Saturday of each month.

Website - www.bethanyecchurch.org.

Phone 875-3000.

RED CROSS - St. Peter Lutheran Church, in Red Cross (located just east of Route 225), has voted to join Lutheran congregations in Mission for Christ (LCMC, website www.lcmc.net), a Lutheran church body that affirms the authority of scripture in matters of faith and life.

To mark this historic occasion, a celebration service will be held at St. Peter Lutheran Church at 3 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 9. The Rev. Mark Vander Tuig, service coordinator for LCMC, will be the guest preacher. There will be special music and light refreshments. The public is cordially invited to attend.

St. Peter Lutheran Church is no longer affiliated with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA).