Food pantry distribution Saturday

ATLAS - The Mount Carmel Township Food Pantry will hold its monthly distribution from 9 to 11 a.m. Saturday at the township complex. Residents in Atlas, Diamondtown, Strong, Locust Gap, Connorsville, Dooleyville and Beaverdale who signed up previously are eligible.

Lasagna dinner to benefit St. Jude

SHAMOKIN - A lasagna dinner to benefit St. Jude Children's Research Hospital will be held from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sunday at the Knights of Columbus Hall on East Independence Street.

Cost is $8 for adults and $5 for children.

St. Pauline auction postponed

KULPMONT - The St. Pauline Center, Kulpmont, announced its Children's Charities' auction, scheduled for Saturday, has been postponed due to concerns related to recovery from Hurricane Sandy.

The event will be rescheduled sometime in the spring. Organizers thank the public for their understanding.

Breast cancer support coffee break

PAXINOS - A breast cancer support coffee break will be held at 9 a.m. the second Saturday of each month starting in December at Masser's Restaurant, Route 61. For more information, call Maggie Derr at 809-3769, visit www.breastfriends.org or find the group's page on Facebook.

COAL TOWNSHIP - There are many success stories that can be told from the 40-year existence of the Northumberland County Career and Technology Center, which opened in 1972 with "vocational-technical school" in its name.

The planning process for the school, however, was not a smooth one, and hit its lowest point when directors from Line Mountain threatened to pull out of the project if the school was built anywhere other than along Trevorton Road.

Feuds between members of a 27-man board, consisting of nine school board directors each from Shamokin Area, Mount Carmel Area and Line Mountain school districts, delayed the project for several years.

Directors eventually came to terms with their differences and began the process of building the school, which would educate 900 students in its first school year.

Four sites

Initially, two sites along Trevorton Road were discussed frequently as possible locations. A site just south of Trevorton Road, west of what was then the Northumberland County Home and Hospital (today's Mountain View), called "Site B," was approved by the state Department of Education in the fall of 1969. However, the board did not take action to purchase land.

"Site A," on the north side of Trevorton Road near the Coal-Zerbe Township line, was favored by the board, but rejected by the state because of long-range highway improvements proposed for the area.

A motion was then made to have a site analysis done for "Site C," an area immediately west of Edgewood Gardens in Coal Township. Eventually, a site south of Kemp Memorial Stadium and west of State Street was recommended by a committee. The area, which became known as the "Edgewood Site," was located on the Faust Farm and the Beddo Christmas tree plantation, owned by Carl Beddo.

Approved by State

The area was approved by the Department of Education and several additional government agencies, including the Department of Mines and Mineral Industries, which determined the site had not been undermined from the coal industry.

On March 20, 1970, the board approved the Edgewood Site on a 17-8 vote. All but one member of the Line Mountain board voted against the site. Two board members, one each from Shamokin and Mount Carmel, were absent. After winning approval, the board passed nine resolutions, including title examinations and soliciting options to purchase property.

Six months later, the Shamokin Area School District, later acting as trustee for the vo-tech agency, acquired title to the land.

An authority was formed to oversee construction of the building, and it began purchasing surface and mineral rights. On Jan. 12, 1971, the authority awarded $2.9 million in contracts for construction. Crews began removing trees and grading the land in February.

On Sept. 6, 1972, students occupied the building for the first time.

SUNBURY - Although the brunt of Hurricane Sandy has passed through the area, there were still more than 600 homes and businesses that remain without power in Northumberland County as of Tuesday evening.

PPL Electric Utilities reported as of 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, 635 customers were still without power, the biggest concentration in the northern end of the county including Turbot Township, Milton and East Chillisquaque Township.

Locally, the biggest outage occurred when 2,023 customers in Coal Township lost power Monday morning. That was restored within an hour, but remains the largest concentration of outages in Northumberland County.

With power still out in some areas, Northumberland County Director of Emergency Management Stephen Jeffrey offers the following tips:

- Prevent carbon monoxide poisoning - If your power is out, you may try to power your home by using generators or camp stoves, which can release carbon monoxide. Carbon monoxide is an odorless, colorless gas that is released from many types of equipment. It builds up in closed spaces and is poisonous to breathe. Leave your home immediately and call 911 if your carbon monoxide detector sounds. Get medical help right away if you feel light-headed, dizzy or nauseous.

- Keep as warm as possible when your power is out - Hypothermia is a serious condition which occurs when body temperature is too low. This usually happens in very cold weather, but can also happen with exposure to temperatures of 40 degrees or higher. Those at risk include older folks and babies sleeping in cold rooms. If the power is out for a long time, stay with a relative or friend or go to an emergency shelter.

- Prevent electrical injuries - Hurricane Sandy caused live power lines to fall. Never touch a fallen power line or drive through standing water if power lines are in or near the water. Electrical wires on the ground may be "live" and could hurt or kill you. Avoid contact with overhead power lines while cleaning up after the storm and call the power company to report fallen lines.

- Make sure food and water are safe - For food, when in doubt, throw it out. If the electricity in your home has been off for long periods of time, throw away foods that can spoil, like meat, poultry, fish, eggs, leftovers and others. For water, if your tap water is unsafe to drink, local authorities may issue "boil water advisories." Follow boil water advisories exactly to make sure tap water is safe before you drink or use it. If you cannot boil the water, use bottled water instead.

Costs to build Northumberland County Career and Technical School - 1972

TOTAL COST: $4,415,000.00

(Site, Building and Equipment)

Source of Funds

Appalachia Commission

$405,222.00 reimbursement.

Federal Vocational

$423,180.32 reimbursement

$828,402.32

Commonwealth of Pa

$2,366,863.78 reimbursement

Local District Share

$1,219,733.90

Shamokin Area School District

Mount Carmel Area School District

Line Mountain School District

The cost of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the local districts was financed by a bond issued in the name of the Northumberland County Area Vocational-Technical Authority in the amount of $3,100,000. The issue runs for 10 years for Shamokin Area School District, 10 years for the Line Mountain School District and 20 for the Mount Carmel School District.

SUNBURY - A 17-year-old Mount Carmel girl charged with making three bomb threats to Mount Carmel Area School District on Oct. 9 was ordered by a county judge Wednesday afternoon to be released from Lycoming County Shelter Program, attend the Pennsylvania Adolescent Treatment and Healing (PATH) program and perform 50 hours of community service.

Northumberland County Judge Charles Saylor imposed disposition or sentenced Crystal Nicole Clark, of 106 N. Beech St., who was adjudicated delinquent Oct. 12 on two felonies and two misdemeanors. Adjudicated in the juvenile court system is the equivalent of being found guilty in adult court.

Clark, who has undergone a full psychological evaluation and full social services assessment, also was placed on juvenile probation supervision and ordered to attend alternative education classes and comply with other juvenile probation requirements.

Clark was adjudicated delinquent by Saylor on charges of terroristic threats, threats to use weapons of mass destruction, false alarms to public safety agencies and recklessly endangering another person. An additional count of threats to use weapons of mass destruction and charges of causing or risking a catastrophe and disorderly conduct were withdrawn.

Clark was represented by county conflicts counselor John Broda, while Northumberland County District Attorney Tony Rosini prosecuted the case.

The charges were filed by Mount Carmel Township Patrolman David Stamets Jr., who was assisted in the investigation by Mount Carmel Police Chief Todd Owens.

Clark, who has been housed in Lycoming County Shelter Care Program in Montoursville since her arrest, told police she made the threats because she wanted a day off school and didn't believe police would catch her.

The bomb scare forced the evacuation of approximately 1,800 students, teachers and staff.

Clark, who was taken into custody Oct. 10, allegedly made three phone calls within a four-minute period, stating, "There is a bomb in the school. Don't let nobody in the school."

According to police, Clark, who moved to Mount Carmel with her family about five months ago from Baltimore, Md., admitted to making the bomb threats during a 90-minute interview with police.

SUNBURY - A criminal motion hearing scheduled for Wednesday afternoon to address issues in the case of a former substitute teacher at Shamokin Area School District charged with sending sexually graphic text messages to four females was continued.

The continuance was granted by Northumberland County President Judge Robert B. Sacavage at the request of Attorney Marc Lieberman of Elysburg, who is representing Michael S. Zack, 24, of 201 Warsaw St., Marion Heights.

Lieberman submitted the continuance Oct. 24, pending plea negotiations with his client. The county district attorney's office did not oppose the continuance. No new court date has been set for the case.

Zack was charged by Coal Township Detective Jeff Brennan with felonies of sending obscene and other sexual materials and having unlawful contact with a minor, and a misdemeanor of corruption of minors.

The felony offenses each carry a maximum penalty of seven years imprisonment and/or $15,000 fine. The corruption of minors charge carries a maximum penalty of five years incarceration and/or $10,000 fine.

Zack was charged March 15 in connection with incidents that occurred between March 15, 2011, and Oct. 30, 2011, in the east end of the township and Shamokin Area Middle/High School.

Zack is accused of sending approximately 4,300 text messages to two 17-year-old females and two 16-year-old girls, all of whom attended Shamokin Area at the time. Many of the messages depicted sexually graphic material, police said.

Zack, who voluntarily turned himself over to authorities, is free on $20,000 unsecured bail.

At his preliminary hearing, Zack was ordered by Magisterial District Judge John Gembic III to avoid all contact with the victims and witnesses in the case and abide by other supervised bail conditions.

Zack was hired as a 180-day substitute teacher in the district in August 2011 and terminated by the school board at its December meeting, retroactive to Nov. 16, 2011.

In August, Zack was expected to enter a guilty plea in the case, but decided against it after First Assistant District Attorney Ann Targonski amended a subsection of one of the charges on the original criminal complaint filed against him that would require him to register as a Megan's Law violator for a minimum of 10 years if he plead guilty to the charge or was convicted of the offense. Targonski said the amendment would not alter sentencing guidelines.

From the Northumberland County Vocational-Technical School Dedication booklet in 1972:

Dedication

Although the concept of vocational education has been germinating in the minds of educators for years, it is only now that action is replacing words. Concepts are now becoming reality because educators are supporting every segment of the educational, industrial, business and labor communities. We must provide leadership and services in an organizational structure for the promotion and implementation of a comprehensive vocational educational program through which all individuals in all communities are brought to a level of performance in the world of work commensurate with their human potential and the needs of society. Many dedicated public servants are necessary to develop a program of vocational education. The development of this Vocational-Technical Education School for Northumberland County is made possible by the dedicated school directors, to help their fellow man...especially the youth.

Today we dedicate this facility, which, in the words of the board members of the Northumberland County Board of Education, best expresses the satisfaction shared by all dedicated public servants who have participated in the building of the Northumberland County Area Vocational-Technical School - business, industry, taxpayers, professions, students and citizens all "a giant step for courses by progress has been accomplished."

We ask you to accept the gratitude for your generous help in all phases of this project. It is the very sincere desire of all of us in the vocational-technical department to merit the complete support and confidence of every segment of our attendance area.

We wish to express appreciation to all school directors for wisdom and judgement expressed; the outstanding hours and unselfish cooperative effort expended for years in formulating and developing the framework for the Northumberland County Area Vocational-Technical School project that we dedicate to the school directors who have served the area school districts with the greatest distinction over many years.

SUNBURY - The attorney for a Shamokin woman argued Wednesday morning that his client's alleged swearing and gestures may have annoyed, insulted and alarmed people, but don't constitute an obscenity and are constitutionally protected by freedom of speech.

David Marateck, legal counsel for Beth Alice Barker, 43, of 713 Bear Valley Ave., made that argument during a pre-trial motion hearing before Northumberland County President Judge Robert B. Sacavage that included testimony from two alleged victims, but no ruling.

Barker was held for court Jan. 10 by Magisterial District Judge Hugh Jones of Mount Carmel on two counts of harassment and one count of disorderly conduct during a preliminary hearing.

The charges were filed by Coal Township Patrolman Matthew Hashuga in connection with an Aug. 15, 2011, disturbance on Route 61, just north of the Cameron Bridge.

At the time of the hearing, Barker was represented by Attorney Timothy Bowers. Since then, Barker has secured Marateck as her lawyer and appealed Jones' ruling to the Court of Common Pleas, hoping Sacavage dismisses the charges.

Marateck claims there was insufficient evidence presented at the preliminary hearing for Jones to bound the charges over to the Court of Common Pleas.

Young boys saw gestures

At Wednesday's legal proceeding, Assistant District Attorney Michael Toomey called witnesses Michael Garcia, of Shamokin, and Brent Reed, of Coal Township, to testify.

Garcia, the owner of a trucking and towing business who also operates a chicken farm, testified that he was summoned to respond to tow a vehicle involved in an accident at the Cameron Bridge. When he arrived near the scene, Garcia said Barker, who was alone in a vehicle, moved from the passenger side to the driver's side and started yelling profanities at him and his family.

Garcia said his three sons, ages, 10, 9 and 7, along with Reed and his 10-year-old son, were in his vehicle when Barker started cursing them, making obscene gestures and calling him a "loser" and "idiot."

Garcia claimed Barker has constantly harassed him and his family in public places since Sept. 12, 2009. When asked by Toomey how many times he's been harassed, Garcia said, "Over 100 times."

Under cross examination by Marateck, Garcia said he did not call police in every instance, but noted Barker has been cited for similar disturbances.

Barker is a girlfriend to Alfons Keefer, of the same address, who operates a towing business and has been embroiled in an ongoing dispute with Garcia over competition involving towing services.

Reed testified that he was with Garcia when Barker started yelling obscenities and making obscene gestures with both hands. He described Barker as acting like a "lunatic."

Freedom of speech?

In his closing argument, Marateck said his client's swearing and gestures may have been insulting, annoying and alarming, but didn't constitute an obscenity. While citing case law that supported his argument, Marateck said Barker's actions are constitutionally protected under freedom of speech.

Toomey said Barker's behavior definitely warranted the charges filed against her and said enough evidence was presented to find her guilty of the offenses.

No decision yet

Sacavage deferred making a ruling in the case and granted Marateck 20 days to file legal briefs, after which Toomey will have 20 days to file a response to Marateck's briefs.

Marateck said if Sacavage rules against his client, he plans to take the case to trial. Toomey reserved comment until Sacavage issues a ruling.

MOUNT CARMEL - For the second time in less than 24 hours, local police officers were involved in a foot pursuit that ended in a suspect's capture.

Brandon Chapman, 18, of South Walnut Street, Mount Carmel, led officers on a 25-minute chase through several properties in the northeast section of the borough after Mount Carmel Patrolman David Donkochik attempted to arrest him on a warrant issued earlier that day for violating parole.

After encountering Chapman at Fourth and Chestnut streets at 4:20 p.m., Donkochik explained to Chapman there is a warrant for his arrest.

"When I went to put handcuffs on him he ran," Donkochik said.

Chapman was caught on a culm bank north of Midway Field about 4:45 p.m. after constable Larry Rompallo and officers from Mount Carmel, Mount Carmel Township, Ralpho Township and Kulpmont surrounded the area.

He was placed into a Ralpho Township cruiser and driven to the borough police station. Chapman was later transported to Northmberland County Prison in Sunbury.

On Oct. 27, in front of Magisterial District Judge Hugh A. Jones, Chapman waived to court charges of theft and receiving stolen property filed by Mount Carmel Officer Jason Drumheller. He is accused of stealing several types of coins from his mother, Angela Chapman, at their home on Sept. 19.

Police said charges are pending for the latest incident, including resisting arrest and hindering apprehension or prosecution.

The Mount Carmel Police Department thanked residents for reporting several sightings of Chapman, which police said led to his eventual arrest.

All centers will be closed on Tuesday, Nov. 6, for Election Day.

Shamokin-Coal Township

Monday - Morning cards and puzzles, 8:30 a.m.; Shopping at Boscov's, arriving at 9:45 a.m., cost $2; yoga, 9:30 a.m.; Walk a Mile 10:30 a.m.; Nickel bingo, noon to 1 p.m.; Executive board meeting, noon; members meeting, 1:30 p.m.

Wednesday - Morning cards and puzzles, 8:30 a.m.; flu shots, 9 to 11 a.m.; Wii bowling, 10 a.m.; pinochle and pokeno, 12:30 p.m.

Thursday - Morning cards and puzzles, 8:30 a.m.; Wii bowling; bingo, 12:30 p.m.; aquacize, 1:30 p.m.

Friday - Morning cards and puzzles, 8:30 a.m.; Wii bowling; nickel bingo, noon.

Saturday - Cards, 7 p.m. Doors open at 6 p.m.

Mount Carmel

Monday - VNA flu shots, 9 to 11 a.m.; word games, 10 a.m.; Fun and Fitness, 11 a.m.; lunch, 11:45 a.m.; bean bag, 12:30 p.m.; pokeno, 1 p.m.

Tuesday - Center closed.

Wednesday - Sing a long, 10:30 a.m.; exercise chair dancing, 11 a.m.; lunch, 11:30 a.m.; members meeting following by bingo, 1 p.m.

Thursday - Puzzle time, 10 a.m.; lunch, 11:45 a.m.; Favorite TV shows, 1 p.m.

Friday - Chit Chat, 10 a.m.; Thanksgiving Jingo, 10:30 a.m.; HSIM Exercise, 11 a.m.; pokeno, 1 p.m.

Kulpmont

Monday - Wii in the morning; bean bag, 10:30 a.m.; pokeno, 12:30 p.m.

Tuesday - Center closed.

Wednesday - Wii and noodle balloon in the morning; bunco, 12:30 p.m.

Thursday - Wii competition at Northumberland SAC, 9 a.m.; bingo, 12:30 p.m.

Friday - Wii and noodle balloon in the morning; spaghetti dinner for those that signed up, with nickel bingo to follow, noon.

Elysburg

The center will be holding a rummage sale all week. Hours of operation are 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Monday - Pokeno, 11:30 a.m..

Tuesday - Center closed.

Wednesday - Bingo, noon. Golden Living at the center to speak on "Home Safety."

Thursday - Healthy Steps, 9:30 a.m.

Friday - Crafts, 9:30 a.m.; pinochle, noon.

Trevorton

Monday - Exercise, 10 a.m.; shopping at Weis Market, 12:30 to 2 p.m.

Tuesday - Center closed during the day; evening bingo, 6 p.m.

Wednesday - Flu clinic, 9 to 10 a.m.; Wii bowling Teams 1 and 2 against Sunbury SAC at Trevorton, 9 a.m; movie and snack, 12:30 p.m.

Thursday - Scrabble, 9:30 a.m.; bean bag toss, 10:30 p.m.; evening bingo, 6 p.m.

Friday - Exercise with Amy, 10:30 a.m.; presentation from Golden Living Mansion, 11 a.m.; bingo, 12:30 p.m.; evening card party, 7 p.m.

USA, Parade in today's edition

SHAMOKIN - USA Today and Parade magazines, normally part of the Sunday edition, are in today's edition instead.

Because of Hurricane Sandy, they did not arrive in time to be incorporated with the normal pre-packaging for the Sunday edition, which is done on Thursdays.

Deadlines extended

HARRISBURG - PennDOT has authorized an extension of the expiration dates for Pennsylvania driver licenses, identification cards and vehicle inspections/registrations.

Vehicle registrations and safety and emissions inspections that expired Oct. 31, have been extended until Nov. 15.

Driver licenses and identification cards scheduled to expire between Oct. 26 and Nov. 14, have been extended until Nov. 15.

These extensions apply for customers statewide.

For more information, go to www.dmv.state.pa.us.

Church to host trunk or treat

ELYSBURG - Elysburg Alliance Church, 113 Alpha Ave., will host its trunk or treat from 6 to 8 p.m. Sunday.

Trunk or treat is a free event for children up to age 12 and their families.

Public invited to vet's court graduation

SUNBURY - The public is invited to Northumberland County's first Veterans Treatment Court graduation ceremony.

A ceremony for four veterans who successfully completed the program will be held at 11 a.m. Nov. 9 in a second floor courtroom and timed to kick off Veterans Day weekend.

Ted Andrewlevich, local soloist and veteran, will sing the National Anthem, and John Deppen, local military historian, will be keynote speaker.

Graduating veterans will offer comments with their mentors at their side.

Judge Charles Saylor, who has presided over Veterans Treatment Court since its inception last year, will offer closing remarks.

Northumberland County's Veterans Treatment Court is one of 12 similar programs across the state.

Ted Yeager, Democratic candidate for the state House of Representatives in the 107th Legislative District, raised $33,822 for his campaign between May 24 and Oct. 22, when he filed a pre-election report with the Pennsylvania Bureau of Elections. These included some modest union and political committee donations, but no help from the state Democratic Party or state Democratic campaign organizations.

A campaign expense report for Kurt Masser, Republican incumbent, for the period Sept. 18 to Oct. 22, reported monetary contributions totaling $27,210 plus substantial in-kind contributions from the Republican Party of Pennsylvania, an ending cash balance, as of Oct. 22, of $18,743 and expenditures of $32,083 for the reporting period.

The News-Item requested that both candidates provide copies of their financial information, although they are required only to file these reports with the state bureau of elections. Yeager dropped off a handwritten copy of the report. Masser's expense report was obtained from the state elections bureau website.

Another financial statement was due at the state office Sept. 25 for a reporting period ending Sept. 17, but this report could not be found on the bureau's site.

Because the reports reflect different time periods, it's impossible to make a direct comparison of what the two campaigns took in and spent. Yeager's data reflected a five-month period ending Oct. 22, and the Masser report was for only a one-month period from Sept. 18 to Oct. 22.

The reports were filed by the candidates' official campaign organizations, the Committee to Elect Ted Yeager and Friends of Kurt Masser.

Yeager finances

As of Oct. 22, the Yeager committee reported expenses amounting to $30,696, in-kind contributions valued at $12,051 and an ending cash balance as of that date amounting to $5,445.

Contributions to the committee included a $10,000 cashier's check from the candidate on July 16, and donations from these organizations: International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) PAC Voluntary Fund, Washington, D.C., $5,000; Bricklayers and Allied Craftsmen, Harrisburg, $1,000 (two contributions of $500 each); Shamokin Area Democratic Women, $825; Pennsylvania AFL-CIO, $500; and Local 13000, Communication Workers of America PAC Fund, Philadelphia, $500.

The Committee to Elect Ted Yeager received a total of $5,517 in contributions of $50 or less, and $6,780 in contributions ranging from $50.01 to $250.

Individual donations of $250 or more were given to the Yeager committee by 3B Consultant Services Inc., Catawissa, $400; Richard Schmidt Jr., Dallas, Pa., $500; James Kelley, Coal Township, $500; Charles A. Yoder, Paxinos, $300; Hynoski Brothers Excavating, Centralia, $500; Anthony M. Cardinale, Boston, Mass., $500, and Charline Yeager, Elysburg, $1,000.

The largest expense was $11,788 on Oct. 4 to Viamedia for television advertising. The Yeager committee reported $12,051 in in-kind contributions from Common Cents Consulting, Robert P. Gittler Sr., Elysburg.

Masser finances

The Masser committee reported in-kind contributions totaling $30,439 from Sept. 18 to Oct. 22 from the Republican Party of Pennsylvania for postage and literature.

Contributions of $250 each were received during that period from: Range Resources PAC, Harrisburg; Tavern PAC, Harrisburg; PA Cable PAC, Harrisburg; PMA PAC, Harrisburg; PA Realtors PAC, Lemoyne; First PAC, Harrisburg; Chamber PAC, Harrisburg; PAA PAC, Harrisburg; CU PAC, Harrisburg; Aqua America PAC, Bryn Mawr; PA Emergency Physicians PAC, Harrisburg; PA Association of Deer Farmers, Harrisburg; Verizon Comm. Good Government, Harrisburg; PA Psychological PAC, Harrisburg; Pugliese PAC, Harrisburg; Geisinger Health PAC, Harrisburg; NRA Political Vic Fund, Fairfax, Va., and PA Optometric PAC, Harrisburg.

Committee contributions of more than $250 were given to the Masser committee by: Friends of Frank Farry, Langhorne, $1,000; Friends of John Gordner, Berwick, $1,000; PA Medical PAC, Harrisburg, $500; Comcast Corp., Philadelphia, $500; PPL People for Good Government, Allentown, $500; PA Bankers PAC, Harrisburg, $500; U PAC, King of Prussia, $1,000; UGI Corp. PAC, Reading, $500; PAD PAC, Harrisburg, $500; PA Realtors PAC, Lemoyne, $500; PA Orth PAC, Harrisburg, $500, and Citizens for Lynda Schlegel Culver, Sunbury, $300.

Also giving more than $250 to Masser were BME Satellite, Paxinos, $500; Joseph Picarelli, Coal Township, $300, and Joseph Stemm, $300.

The Masser committee made a contribution of $25,000 to the House Republican Campaign Committee, Harrisburg.

The report lists $15,060 in unpaid debt owed to State Street Strategies, Harrisburg.

Candidates are required to file another report with the Bureau of Elections by Dec. 6, reflecting financial information for 30 days following the general election.

SUNBURY - On Wednesday, Nov. 14, Northumberland County will celebrate its third annual "Adoption Day," sponsored by Northumberland County Children and Youth Services.

That morning, starting at 10 a.m., the children will enjoy arts and crafts, snacks and entertainment at the courthouse. In the afternoon, some of the young children will have their adoptions finalized by Judge William H. Wiest.

The event is designed to help celebrate National Adoption Awareness Month, which is November. Since 1990, National Adoption Awareness Month helps to increase the number of families willing to consider foster care adoption and celebrates the unique joys of creating families through such adoptions.

According to the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption, there are currently more than 123,000 children in the United States foster care system available for adoption who are growing up without a permanent family of their own. They entered foster through no fault of their own, as victims of child abuse, neglect or abandonment. Each year, more children enter the system than are adopted.

According to NationalAdoptionDay,org, just on National Adoption Day alone, more than 35,000 children have had their adoptions finalized since 2000.

There will be guest speakers from adoptive parents and adopted youth at this year's event. In addition to the families and friends of children, there will be caseworkers, therapists and other individuals who have touched the lives of these young children present to witness the occasion.

ELYSBURG - The Berwick man who allegedly fled from police late Thursday afternoon had seven outstanding warrants from Columbia County issued against him.

Justin W. Cressinger, 24, of the rear of 1120 W. Front St., Apt. 3, has three warrants for failure to pay three 2010 traffic violations totaling $660 from the office of District Justice Doug Brewer, Millville, which were issued in February.

He also has a non-traffic warrant in relation to disorderly conduct, issued in February for failure to pay $417 in fines, and three warrants for three 2011 traffic violations issued in August totaling $485.50 out of the office of District Justice Richard Kenecht, Berwick.

Cressinger and his girlfriend Brittney Anecki, 19, of 438 N. Market St., Elysburg, were video arraigned late Thursday night at Ralpho Township Police Station by Magisterial District Judge Hugh A. Jones from his office in Mount Carmel.

Cressinger faces two felony counts of aggravated assault and three misdemeanor counts of simple assault, resisting arrest and providing false identification to law enforcement. He remains in Northumberland County Prison in lieu of $100,000 bail.

Anecki is facing charges of one felony count of aggravated assault, and two misdemeanors of resisting arrest and harboring and concealing Cressinger from police. She remains in Northumberland County Prison in lieu of $75,000 bail.

According to additional details in the affidavit of probable cause, township Patrolman Christopher Grow reported that he observed Cressinger on a blue motorcycle on the upper lot of Farnsworth Camping near the intersection of Route 54 and Southview Drive at 4:02 p.m. Thursday.

Cressinger told Grow he was turning around in the parking lot, and Grow informed him he was on private property. When Grow requested identification, Cressinger allegedly told him he was Chris Foust with a birthdate of Feb. 14, 1992, which Grow learned through a record check was not accurate.

Anecki, who lives next door, arrived and stated another name for Cressinger, Grow reported.

When Grow attempted to place Cressinger into custody, he allegedly pushed the officer and fled the scene on foot. Although Grow yelled multiple times to for him to stop, Cressinger continued to run, and Grow pursued the man, he said.

Approximately 2 1/2 hours later, Cressinger was found hiding in the attic of Anecki's house and taken into custody, police charge.

Dozens of law enforcement agents from Northumberland, Columbia and Montour counties assisted in the search, which included a state police helicopter out of Reading.

Police questioned two women at 438 N. Market St. at approximately 5 p.m., but went back to the house at 6:30 p.m. While Grow approached the house, Anecki allegedly ran out the front door yelling and swinging her fists at the officer. Anecki, who, according to the affidavit was thrashing and throwing her arms around, was taken to the ground by Grow, restrained with handcuffs and placed in the back of the cruiser.

Grow reported that Anecki later slipped out of her restraints and had to be handcuffed again.

She was also allegedly aware that Cressinger was in the residence, and concealed him there, police reported.

During the incident, Grow said he experienced bruising to his right knee and scrapes on both hands.

Cressinger had no weapons or any other suspicious items on him when police found him later in the attic, and there was no reason to believe he was armed or dangerous while he was on the run, police reported.Brittney Anecki, 19, of 438 N. Market St., Elysburg, was taken into custody of the Ralpho Township Police Department Thursday night. She's seen here at the station being escorted by Mount Carmel Township Patrolman David Stamets Jr.

KULPMONT - The Kulpmont playground at the Terry-Miriello Field is now completed, with a four-foot high fence and gates having been installed, said Joseph Cesari, chairman of the Kulpmont Cruise Committee, who has led fundraising efforts for the project.

He said hundreds of area youngsters have been using the new facilities for a few weeks. He noted that not only Kulpmont children, but those who visit the nearby football and baseball fields throughout the year will get to enjoy the playground.

Cesari and others involved thank the businesses that donated the fence and materials to complete the project and the many volunteers who donated equipment and expertise. An appreciation party for volunteers is set for 5 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 11, at the new East End Fire Company facility. Any business or volunteer who helped with the project is invited.

Cesari asks on behalf of the Kulpmont Cruise Committee for any Kulpmont resident who appreciates their efforts to make a small donation to cover the cost of the appreciation party. Any donation is appreciated, he said.

Donations can be sent to Cesari at 530 Chestnut St., Kulpmont 17834. Or, call him at 373-3561 to arrange pickup of donations.

SHAMOKIN - Owners of Shamokin Filler are working to finalize specs for the construction of a new coal processing plant at their Coal Township location.

A permit for the company to build the plant along Venn Access Road was approved in September by state Department of Environmental Protection.

Don Rosini, co-owner, said Thursday that the project would be put to bid and that construction could begin by year's end.

"We're finalizing everything with the engineers," he said of Lehigh Valley Technical Associates. "The permit is on the desk and we're going over all the equipment, the electrical requirements, the natural gas requirements; just making sure we have everything in line."

The initial permit allows Shamokin Filler 18 months to construct the plant, though he said there likely are provisions to extend the timeline.

Rosini said Thursday that the plant would be about the same size as the existing one. However, technology would be state-of-the art compared to the "1950s technology" now in use.

He did caution that the plant wouldn't be any "cleaner" as perceived by neighbors, and that it wouldn't look much different than the existing plant.

The plant is expected to be built on a spot closer to the rear of homes on Bear Valley Avenue.

Neighbors' concerns

Residents along that span of road in Coal Township have raised concerns with DEP

and township commissioners regarding emissions from the plants stacks and black dirt and film collecting on their homes' siding and windows that they say is coming directly from Shamokin Filler.

Of utmost concern, the neighbors have said at two recent public meetings, is their health.

Rosini has contended that the accusations are baseless and that the Shamokin-Coal Township area in general is covered in coal dirt and dust, and not all of it can come from his plant alone.

However, Shamokin Filler has taken steps to "be good neighbors," as Rosini has said in the past.

The company invested $80,000 to pave a large portion of their property to the rear of their neighbors' homes in order to keep dirt from kicking up when trucks travel through.

Also, on suggestion by DEP inspectors during a compliance visit last month, according to Marcus Kohl, northcentral regional director, the company placed 5 mph speed limit signs on the property and its operators heeded advice to more quickly re-purpose culm piles near the plant and prevent them from accumulating on the property.

Township and state officials have acknowledged that the company also has been more vigilant in running a street sweeper on Venn Access Road to keep debris from the facility from building up on the roadway.

No link

In the past, DEP has tested but found no link between the dirt at the homes and that at the plant, with Kohl saying the ability for testing to make such a link is very difficult.

However, Kohl said nearby residents "have a fair point" about the accumulation of the black dirt on their properties. While there are no visible dust clouds floating off-site and no specific link that it originates from the Filler plant, he said the fine material could potentially move off-site gradually.

"These things are so fine sometimes you wouldn't necessarily see them," he said. "I can't say any or all of it is attributed to that facility because we're not seeing it."

Kohl said the department will work with Shamokin Filler to identify opportunities where culm material could be lost during processing.

There are three pending violations regarding air quality filed by a DEP inspector against Shamokin Filler during a pair of inspections less than one month apart in July and August.

Kohl said those violations are under final review with the department's legal staff. He wouldn't comment on any potential penalties.

There is an appeal process for DEP violations.

Kohl had said before that the department would consider additional "housekeeping" requirements to the company's operating permit which expires in May. He's expecting a renewal application shortly as they usually arrive at the department six months before expiration.

by justin strawser

The unemployment rate for Northumberland County decreased from August to September after a month of a small increase, according to the latest figures from the Department of Labor and Industry (DLI).

DLI reported Wednesday that the September unemployment rate was 8.7 percent compared to August's 9 percent and July 8.9 percent.

The county unemployment rate is above both the seasonably adjusted rates of 8.2 percent nationally and statewide.

The most recent Northumberland County rate is also lower than it was a year ago when it was 9 percent, and significantly lower than it was two years ago at 9.7 percent, and three years ago at 10.4 percent.

Jobless rates in neighboring counties are Montour, 5.8 percent; Juniata, 7.3 percent; Dauphin, 7.8 percent; Union, 7.7 percent; Snyder, 7.7 percent; Perry, 7 percent; Columbia, 8.1 percent; Lycoming, 8.3 percent, and Schuylkill, 9.5 percent.

Montour County has the lowest jobless rate in Pennsylvania. Cameron County, at 11.5 percent, has the highest.

There are only five counties in the state at or above a rate of 10 percent.

The general election ballot is relatively concise, with just eight highly important races demanding the attention of the electorate. This is in contrast to odd-numbered years when judicial, county, municipal and school board races tend to crowd the ballot and threaten to baffle the unwary or casual voter.

Topping the ballot, of course, is the election of presidential electors. The winning electors serve as Pennsylvania's members of the Electoral College that actually casts votes for president and vice president. In addition to the major party tickets of Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan (Republican) and Barack Obama and Joe Biden (Democrat), Pennsylvanians have the option of voting for the presidential and vice presidential combinations of Jill Stein and Cheri Honkala (Green Party) and Gary Johnson and James P. Gray (Libertarian Party).

U.S. Sen. Bob Casey Jr., Democrat, a one-term incumbent, is battling to overcome a late-campaign surge by his Republican opponent, Tom Smith. National pundits have long considered Casey a "shoo-in" for re-election, but polls have tightened in recent weeks. Also on the ballot is the Libertarian candidate, Raymond Douglas Smith.

Also on the ballot this year are races for three state "row offices" - attorney general, auditor general and state treasurer.

The race for attorney general pits Democrat Kathleen Kane, a former Lackawanna County prosecutor, against Republican David J. Freed, Cumberland County district attorney. Marakay J. Rogers is the Libertarian Party candidate.

Running to succeed incumbent Auditor General Jack Wagner, who is not eligible for re-election, are Democrat Eugene A. DePasquale, a state representative from York County; Republican John A. Maher, a state representative from western Pennsylvania, and Libertarian Party candidate Betsy (Elizabeth) Summers.

For state treasurer, incumbent Democrat Robert McCord is running against Republican Diana Irey Vaughan, a member of the Washington County Board of Commissioners. The Libertarian candidate is Patricia M. Fryman. McCord has been widely mentioned as a possible candidate for the Democratic nomination for governor in 2014.

The portion of Northumberland County that will now be in the 11th Congressional District will choose between incumbent U.S. Rep. Lou Barletta, Republican, and Gene Stilp, Democrat. Included in the 11th District are the cities of Shamokin and Sunbury, the boroughs of Herndon, Kulpmont, Marion Heights, Mount Carmel and Snydertown and part of Riverside, and Coal, East Cameron, Jackson, Jordan, Little Mahanoy, Mount Carmel, Ralpho, Rockefeller, Rush, Shamokin, Upper Augusta, Upper Mahanoy, Washington, West Cameron and Zerbe townships.

The rest of Northumberland County remains in the 10th Congressional District. Candidates are incumbent Republican Tom Marino and Democrat Phil Scollo.

State Sen. John Gordner, a Republican, is seeking re-election in the 27th Senatorial District, which includes all of Northumberland County. No Democrats sought election to the office this year, so Gordner is running unopposed.

Candidates for the state House of Representatives in the 107th Legislative District, which includes the Shamokin-Mount Carmel area, are incumbent Republican Kurt A. Masser and Democrat Ted Yeager.

In the 108th Legislative District, Republican Lynda Schlegel Culver is unopposed.

Jordan Township voters will weigh in on a referendum to determine whether two additional supervisors will be added to the board of supervisors, increasing the board's complement from three to five members.

Aviation education soars through art

HARRISBURG - Students are invited to learn about aviation and express their creativity through the PennDOT Bureau of Aviation's annual art contest.

This year's contest theme, "50 Years of American Space Flight," encourages students to learn more about aviation, from airplane development to flights into space. Entries will be judged in two divisions: first through third grades, and fourth and fifth grades. Entries must be postmarked by Nov. 29.

There will be 22 statewide winners, with one winner from each division selected from each of PennDOT's 11 district offices. Winners will receive a certificate signed by PennDOT Secretary Barry J. Schoch and an enlarged copy of their entry. The students' schools will also receive an enlarged copy of the artwork for display.

Artwork should be submitted on 8.5-by-11-inch or 9-by-12-inch paper, unframed, unmatted and unlaminated. All work must be done by hand (there is an exception for children with physical challenges).

Permitted formats are acrylic, oil paint, felt-tip pens, indelible ink, soft ballpoint pens, watercolor or crayons. Pencil, charcoal, computer-generated artwork and collage work using photocopies are not permitted.

The student's name, teacher's name, grade level, county and school address and phone number should be written on the back of the entry. Entries will not be returned. Winners' schools will be notified by telephone.

Send entries to: Bureau of Aviation, c/o William Sieg, 400 North St., Harrisburg 17120, or P.O. Box 3457, Harrisburg 17120-0064.

Last year's winning submissions can be seen at "Education and Career Center" section of www.dot.state.pa.us. For more information, call (717)783-8800.

Name: Lisa Newton

Age: 48

Hometown: Originally from Fountain Springs, lived in Shamokin until moving to Elysburg in 2008.

Family: husband Michael, and two children, Abriel, a graduate of Southern Columbia Area High School and currently a freshman at Susquehanna University, and Michael, a sophomore at Southern Columbia Area High School.

Education: 1982 graduate of North Schuylkill High School, and a 1987 graduate of Bloomsburg University with a bachelors of science degree in nursing.

Employment: Health education nurse manager for wellness with Geisinger Health Plan.

Community: Voices of Hope volunteer for the American Cancer Society, member of St. John's United Church of Christ, Shamokin, where she serves as Sunday school teacher and youth group advisor.

Hobbies: reading love stories and murder mysteries, taking walks in the Weiser State Forest.