Author to discuss recent book

SUNBURY - Local author Robert Miller will present a program on his recent book, "The Cogan Legend," at the Thursday's meeting of the Northumberland County Historical Society beginning at 7 p.m. at the Hunter House, 1150 N. Front St.

Miller's presentation will follow a brief business meeting which begins at 7 p.m. A reception will follow. The program is free and open to the public. For more information, call 570-286-4083.

Miller will discuss how ideas for his first book evolved and the characters developed. Even though the book is fictional, history played a big role and provides a strong foundation for the novel that combines things real and imagined.

"Many of my thoughts for the novel revolved around an area close to Dalmatia called the Cogan. As I walked through this wooded area, ideas led to various scenes in my mind. Sunbury and Fort Augusta are also important places in the novel. As the characters developed, I placed them into these various local settings," said Miller.

The author was born and raised in central Pennsylvania and is retired from grants administration. He enjoys the outdoors and spending time with family and friends and is most at home waking up and breathing the air of the peaceful surrounding mountains.

The book was produced by Sunbury Press, headquartered in Mechanicsburg.

Bloomsburg University

BLOOMSBURG - Mark Rocco Anonia, of Paxinos, a junior secondary education-citizenship major, was recently inducted into Phi Alpha Theta National History Honor Society in recognition of conspicuous attainments and scholarship in the field of history during Bloomsburg University's history department banquet.

Undergraduate students must have at least a 3.25 GPA in their history courses, and a 3.0 GPA or better overall.

Anonia is a 2011 graduate of Shamokin Area High School, and is a son of Mark and Christine Anonia, of Paxinos, and a grandson of Dr. Francis and Barbara (Quinn) Anonia, and the late Albert and Virginia (Moore) Scicchitano.

DANVILLE - Danville will play host this year to the 111th annual Six-County Firemen's Association convention. The two-day affair will be held Friday, June 27, and Saturday, June 28, and is hosted by the Danville Six-County Firemen's Association.

The convention will open at 9 a.m. Friday at the Washington Fire and Hose Company No. 2, 400 1/2 Railroad St., with registration beginning at 8 a.m. The business session will adjourn at 11 a.m. for a memorial service.

Located at 500 Bloom Road, the memorial service will be held at the Shiloh United Church of Christ at 11:15 a.m.

The convention will resume at 1:30 p.m. and highlighted with the election and swearing in of the new officers for the 2014-15 year.

The ladies auxiliary will hold their meeting Friday afternoon at the East End Fire Company, 1344 Bloom Road.

The delegates' banquet will be held at the Washington Fire Company starting at 6:30 p.m. Valor and Courage awards and the Walter Sawchak Fire Prevention Award will be presented. This year the Association will begin awarding the Mark Coons Memorial Scholarships in honor and memory of a past president who was a member of the Crystal Fire Company, Jermyn, Lackawanna County. Doors open at 6 p.m.

The convention parade will begin at 2 p.m. Saturday. Registration and judging will be held at the Danville Area Middle School, Northumberland Road, from 9 a.m. to noon. Following the parade, food and refreshment and the presentation of trophies will be held at the F.Q. Hartman Field on Front Street. Music will be provided by DJ JZ Sounds.

The first convention took place at the Diamond Fire Company in Hazleton June 2, 3 and 4, 1904. Then known as the Four-County Firemen's Association, it was comprised of fire companies from Columbia, Lackawanna, Luzerne and Schuylkill Counties. In 1906 it was decided to add Mountour and Northumberland counties and the name was changed to the Six-County Firemen's Association. John Spohr, of Hazleton, served as its first president.

This is the ninth year Danville has played host to a convention. Other conventions were held in 1909, 1930, 1945, 1955, 1972, 1988 and 2011. The 2015 convention will be held in Nanticoke and will be hosted by the Honey Pot Active Fire Company No. 6.

Current Association officers are Gary Perna Jr., Kelayres, president; John R. Nilles, Hazleton, secretary; Joseph Simonovich, Warrior Run, treasurer; Michele Fry, Bloomsburg, first vice-president; Gerald Guscott, Hazleton, second vice-president; William Tarby, Throop, third vice-president; Deanna Force, Danville, fourth vice-president; Robert Leshko, McAdoo, fifth vice-president; David Berezovski, Mount Carmel, sixth vice-president, and Robert Mandak Sr., Hazleton, chaplain.

Elizabethtown College

ELIZABETHTOWN - Christine Mrozek, a senior at Elizabethtown College, was named to the dean's list for the spring semester with a 4.0 GPA. She is majoring in biology and pre-med and minoring in both Spanish and studio art. Mrozek, a 2011 graduate of Mount Carmel Area Junior-Senior High School, is a daughter of Raymond and Maribeth Mrozek, of Kulpmont. She is a granddaughter of Mr. and Mrs. Joseph D. Wanzie, Clara Mrozek and the late Alex Mrozek, of Kulpmont.

Allegheny College

MEADVILLE - Michael Purcell, a son of Kenneth and Tara Purcell, of Kulpmont, graduated from Allegheny College May 10.

A 2010 graduate of Mount Carmel Area Junior-Senior High School, Purcell received a Bachelor of Arts from Allegheny with a major in political science and a minor in religious studies. While at Allegheny, Purcell played varsity football for the Allegheny Gators and help to create the Allegheny Mock Trial Team.

To fulfill the requirements for a degree, Allegheny students must complete comprehensive senior projects in their majors. The senior project is a significant piece of independent study, research or creative work requiring an oral defense. Allegheny is one of a few select institutions in the country that require an independent senior project prior to graduation.

Purcell's senior project was entitled "Effectively Using Structural Mapping to Reduce the Lethality of Terror Organizations."

One of the oldest colleges in the country, Allegheny College will celebrate its bicentennial in 2015.

SHAMOKIN - Four queens will be crowned Sunday for the city's 150th anniversary celebration.

The queens will be crowned at 4:30 p.m. at the Independence Fire Co., Arch and Market streets. All 17 contestants will ride on a float in the July 5 parade.

The contestants are divided among four categories. They raised $6,133 total through bake sales, raffles and other fundraising events to be used for celebration activities.

Contestants are, little queen (ages 3 to 7), Maggie Villari, Kara Smith, Kendra Jones, Brea Whitmer, Emily Goodrich, Katie Cox, Emily Brokenshire, Kelsey Olszewski, Baylee Latshaw and Caylee Latshaw; junior miss (ages 8 to 12), Shannon Jilinski, Nina Wilk and Elyse Whitmer; teen queen (ages 13 to 17), Daizy Barrett and Morgan Schminkey; queen (age 18 and over), Lydia Sandri and Maria Silcox.

The queen contest was organized by Margaret Heim.

Ball planned

The Shamokin 150th Anniversary Committee announced Monday an anniversary ball will be held Thursday, July 3, at the Loyal Order of Moose, Lodge 1149, Rock Street.

The dress is semi-formal. No jeans or shorts allowed.

Tickets can be purchased at the door for $10, which includes a buffet and entertainment by DJ Chad Evans. There will be a cash bar.

SUNBURY - Northumberland County Commissioner Rick Shoch has a plan to fill the vacant chief clerk's position that he said could save $105,000 annually.

Commissioners Stephen Bridy and Vinny Clausi don't see it that way. They dispute his figures, and Clausi questions his motivation.

Jerome Alex, the county's administrating officer of Behavioral Health and Intellectual Services (BHIS), should be appointed chief clerk, Shoch said, instead of spliting the duties among two current employees as proposed by Clausi, board chairman.

Appointing Alex as chief clerk would save $75,000, Shoch said. A second personnel move - reverting the assistant solicitor position to part time - would save an additional $30,000. Both moves would leave enough money to fund a new assistant district attorney position and still retain an estimated $40,000 savings each year.

Shoch said his plan "dwarfs the savings that Mr. Clausi alleges would result from his proposal."

The reinstatement of a fifth assistant district attorney position was approved on a split vote by the salary board in May. Added mid-year, the position wasn't included in the 2014 budget, which Clausi and Bridy cited in their opposition to the move. District Attorney Tony Rosini pushed for the addition, saying his staff has struggled to handle its case load.

Plan opposed

Shoch's proposal was shared by email with Bridy and Clausi one day before today's meeting of the county salary board to vote on a different plan to replace former chief clerk Gary Steffen, who retired June 6.

Clausi slammed Shoch for the timing of the email. He questioned Shoch's figures and said the plan had no merit. Since Alex's department is largely funded with state and federal resources, Bridy said Shoch's estimates of savings to county taxpayers doesn't add up.

However, the savings would be able to be applied to other programs to benefit BHIDS clients throughout the county, Shoch said in an email Monday night.

Alex had once been the county's public safety director. He was appointed to the position in February 2012 and resigned in September that year, citing health concerns related to the job.

Clausi said the clerk's position oversees 60 departments, not just one. Both he and Bridy said if Alex couldn't handle a single department, they doubt he could manage all of county government.

"I think Jerome's a decent fellow. However, he had to resign from public safety because it was too taxing," Bridy said. "I don't understand how he could take on the role of chief clerk where every problem of the county rests on your shoulders."

Sharing duties

Clausi said he'd like to hire someone to replace Steffen. Problem is, he said, no one wants the job. Six different candidates turned him down. Some were retired and didn't want to return to a county job, while others expressed concern about job security with the 2015 elections looming.

In turn, Clausi recommends the chief clerk's duties be split between administrative assistant Janet Povish and assistant solicitor John Muncer, both of whom are already full time. That would result in a raise for each - $15,000 for Povish and $20,000 for Muncer - but an overall savings of $40,000 for the county, Clausi said. Steffen was earning $51,002 plus benefits valued at more than $24,000.

Povish and Muncer have already begun taking on the chief clerk role. Their hours were raised from 33 to 43, Bridy said, and over the past two weeks, they've proven they can handle the work.

Povish currently earns an annual salary of $35,833, while Muncer's salary is $65,180. As head of BHIS, Alex earns $51,692, comparable to Steffen's.

Avoid politics

Hiring Alex would avoid the concerns shared by other candidates who opted against taking the job, Shoch said.

Shoch said the proposal to appoint Alex "de-politicizes" the situation because he is a civil service employee and could return to BHIS within one year. The makeup of the board of commissioners could change in the 2015 election. This would allow Alex to retain a job in the event the next board would hire its own candidate for chief clerk. It would also allow Alex to act outside the influence of the county commissioners and department heads, Shoch said.

"This status would remove one of the stumbling blocks that Mr. Clausi has experienced in trying to persuade others to take the position," Shoch writes in his proposal. "I believe he will serve the citizens of the county rather than any particular commissioner, which is what we all should want from a chief clerk."

Another cut?

Under Shoch's proposal, Alex's duties at BHIS would be divided among other department employees at no additional cost. The same measure was taken when Alex was chosen to become the county's public safety director.

In response, Clausi said Shoch's plan makes clear that Alex's position isn't needed. Bridy agrees since those duties can be split among other employees, Clausi said he'll look into eliminating Alex's job at BHIS.

"If they don't need him, get rid of the position," Clausi said.

Labor law

Shoch voted in December 2012 against changing the assistant solicitor position from part time to full time. He said the move has failed to meet the rationale put forth by the board majority when the switch was made. Muncer was to handle labor law matters, but he said outside counsel continues to handle labor-related negotiations and litigation. Also, Muncer recently resigned from representing the county prison board, further reducing his duties.

"As we all know, that scenario has not materialized, nor should it since Mr. Muncer is not practiced in the area of labor law. The fact of the matter is that we have not only continued to use outside labor counsel to handle labor-related negotiations and litigation, we recently acknowledged need for such expertise by approving an increase in that counsel's hourly rate," Shoch states in his proposal.

"The savings related to returning the assistant solicitor position to its former part time status would accrue directly to the general fund and could be used to significantly offset the costs associated with funding the assistant district attorney position," he said Monday.

Clausi said the outside labor attorney, qualified to handle issues with labor unions, is a necessity and has saved the county "millions" the past 2 1/2 years.

"That's the way it's going to be," Clausi said of having a full-time assistant solicitor.

SUNBURY - The death of an inmate at Northumberland County Prison on Sunday night was ruled a suicide by the county coroner Monday.

Cyrus Lewis, 34, of Shamokin, was found unresponsive inside his cell by a prison officer during a routine check about 9:25 p.m., according to Warden Roy Johnson. He was alone, and was last seen alive about 15 minutes prior. A prison nurse responded and checked his vitals before using a defibrillator and also continuing CPR until ambulance personnel arrived, Johnson said.

Lewis was taken to Sunbury Community Hospital, where he was pronounced dead shortly before 10 p.m.

He was jailed Tuesday night, June 10, following a string of alleged crimes that culminated with a failed attempt to steal a pickup truck from the parking lot of a Shamokin convenience store.

Coroner James Kelley deferred further comment Monday, saying more details would be released upon the completion of an investigation.

Johnson cited federal privacy regulations when asked if Lewis was on suicide watch. County Commissioner Rick Shoch, a prison board member, also refrained from comment. However, Shoch said, "whatever measures that were appropriate for (Lewis) were being followed."

A joint investigation between prison staff, the coroner and Sunbury police continues.

Surveillance footage from inside the prison confirmed Lewis was alone in his cell at the time of his death, Kelley said in a press release Monday.

Officers' written reports are being used to create a timeline of events.

Foul play is not suspected, Johnson said.

The cell in which Lewis was found - right wing, first floor - has been secured. Johnson said a wooden door was hung over the cell door to prevent anyone from reaching inside the cell or tossing something inside. There are no other restrictions in place related to the investigation on the other inmates, he said.

Second in 10 months

Lewis' suicide is the second at Northumberland County Prison in 10 months. Andrew W. Beers, 27, of Paxinos, was found dead inside his two-man cell from an apparent hanging in August.

His suicide prompted the prison board to establish protocols for unnatural inmate deaths, including having Sunbury police respond and secure the facility as a crime scene.

COAL TOWNSHIP - A township girl who was reported missing by her parents Sunday, June 8, has returned home safely Saturday.

Coal Township police said Annette Price, 15, of 849 W. Spruce St., was located over the weekend at the home of a relative near Mechanicsburg. She has since been reunited with her parents.

Price had been reported missing after she failed to return home from a trip to Weis Markets.

By Eric Scicchitano

HARRISBURG - State investigators said there are no records to show if any dental tools had been sterilized after June 2013 at the office of a Shamokin dentist whose license was temporarily suspended Friday.

A petition to the state Board of Dentistry alleges Dr. Vincent J. Paczkoskie, who practiced at 315 N. Shamokin St., failed to have biological spore testing performed on his autoclave, a device used to sterilize equipment.

Without test records, state investigators can't say if he had been sterilizing dental instruments used on patients.

The state Department of Health recommends all current or former patients be tested for hepatitis B, hepatitis C and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). There were no reports as of Friday of disease transmission or illness.

Spore tests are required by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and standards require tests be performed weekly.

There were no records of when the autoclave had last been used, nor any specifics on time and temperature settings or which instruments had been sterilized.

Paczkoskie also allegedly failed to properly disinfect "critical instruments" before reuse and failed to properly scrub instruments. He had no record of a contract for the disposal of medical waste.

Also, investigators said they found just one dental handpiece, or drill, among the tools when they inspected the office.

Paczkoskie was first licensed in June 1965.

His last renewal was April 2013, which is set to expire in March 2015. He is a longtime dental examiner for the Shamokin Area School District. His appointment was last renewed in August.

Ron McElwee, school board director, said disposable mirrors are provided to dentists who examine students in district buildings. Paczkoskie did not bring his own tools for examinations, he said.

McElwee said Paczkoskie saw approxmately 100 students in third grade and pre-kindergarten in the past year and has been working at the school for at least 30 years.

Hearing expected

A preliminary hearing has not yet been scheduled. It's expected by July 13 at a location chosen by the dentistry board, and Paczkoskie is entitled to be present. If the case is found to lack merit, Paczkoskie's license will immediately be restored. If it is found to have merit, the suspension will remain in effect for up to 180 days.

A separate action to suspend, revoke or restrict his license will also be filed. An answer from Paczkoskie must follow within 20 days and then another formal hearing will be held.

Testing information

Patients of Dr. Vincent J. Paczkoskie who have health insurance are urged to contact their primary care physician or their insurance provider to arrange for testing. Those with ACCESS/Medicaid should call the Department of Public Welfare at 800-440-3989. Call 1-877-PA-HEALTH and select 9 for information and assistance in finding testing options, between 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays.

MCA free lunch program under way

MOUNT CARMEL - Mount Carmel Area School District will provide free lunch through July 25 to all children through its Summer Food Program. Lunch is held 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. weekdays at the junior-senior high school. No lunch will be served July 3 and July 4.

Crime Watch meeting set

Shamokin Crime Watch meeting,Wednesday, June 18, at 6 p.m. at Shamokin Emergency Squad meeting room behind the police station. Everyone welcome.

Deuce at Knoebels today

ELYSBURG - Local rock band Deuce will perform three free shows at Knoebels Amusement Resort today. The band takes the stage at 1, 6:30 and 8:30 p.m. at the Hawaiian Bandshell.

Rebate program deadline is Dec. 31

HARRISBURG - Rep. Kurt Masser (R-107) reminds residents that the deadline to apply for the state's 2013 Property Tax/Rent Rebate program is extended from June 30 to Dec. 31.

Eligible participants can receive a rebate of up to $650 based on their rent or property taxes paid in 2013. The program benefits eligible Pennsylvanians who are 65 years or older, widows and widowers 50 years or older, and those 18 years or older with permanent disabilities.

Income eligibility limits are set at the following levels, excluding 50 percent of Social Security, Supplemental Security Income, and Railroad Retirement Tier 1 benefits: $0 to $8,000, maximum $650 rebate (homeowners and renters); $8,001 to $15,000, maximum $500 rebate (homeowners and renters); $15,001 to $18,000, maximum $300 rebate (homeowners only); $18,001 to $35,000, maximum $250 rebate (homeowners only).

Property Tax/Rent Rebate claim forms are available by contacting Masser's office at 570-648-8017 or www.RepMasser.com. Applying for the program is free. Contact the office for information on the income requirements. Assistance during the application process is available at no cost to residents at Masser's district office, 467 Industrial Park Road, Elysburg.

BURNSIDE - A total of 1,125 passes have been sold so far for access to Anthracite Outdoor Adventure Area, according to authority members at their meeting Monday night.

The value of passes sold is $46,775.

With five weekends on the books and 11 to go before Labor Day, the AOAA is set to greatly exceed the $100,000 sales goal authority members had set before the site opened in May.

"We're really happy about that," said Jim Backes, authority chairman.

Backes said approximately 74 percent of users were one and two-day pass riders, and 90 percent of riders were from outside of Northumberland County. He said this number is remarkable because the AOAA has not yet advertised.

Authority members also announced at the meeting the park would be open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Independence Day, and three-day passes will be available.

In other business

Improvements have been made to the map provided to all riders.Riders found the maps difficult to use, partly due to a need of increased trail markers. An effort to thoroughly mark all trails is underway, and a motion was unanimously passed to spend $250 on paint and materials for additional trail signs.

The authority unanimously ratified hiring two part-time employees with hours ranging from 10 to 30 per week depending on seasonal need. Mary Ellen Dilliplane will serve as a customer service representative and Robert Mowery as a maintenance worker. Backes said both had been volunteers with the AOAA prior to the creation of the positions, and the hiring committee had been able to view their work ethic firsthand, which factored into the decision.

A unanimous decision was made to renew the vendor rental fee for $30 per day for a Northumberland County business and $40 per day for an out-of-county business for July and August.

Authority members said they had not noticed any negative impact of the fee on the vendors.

"They want to re-book," said member Barry Yorwarth. Backes said the authority was making a conscious decision to keep a low number of vendors each weekend until attendance at the park grows, but more vendors may be added for the upcoming Independence Day weekend.

U.S. Rep. Lou Barletta said Tuesday he doesn't favor impeaching President Barack Obama and isn't proposing or advocating the idea, even though he thinks the president has violated the Constitution repeatedly.

Barletta, R-11, Hazleton, said he was actually trying to defuse statements by people who suggest that the Republican-led House should do something about the president violating the Constitution while he spoke to a conservative talk-radio host in York Monday.

"He's just absolutely ignoring the Constitution, and ignoring the laws, and ignoring the checks and balances," Barletta said on "The Gary Sutton Show." "The problem is, you know, what do you do? For those that say, 'Impeach him for breaking the laws or bypassing the laws,' you know, could that pass in the House? It probably, it probably could. Is the majority of the American people in favor of impeaching the president? I'm not sure about that."

Barletta said he wouldn't vote for impeachment unless a majority of Americans supported the idea. He doesn't think they do, but also wouldn't vote for impeachment because the majority-Democratic Senate wouldn't convict the president.

"I was actually dismissing the idea for those who (say) ... 'Why don't we do something, why don't impeach the president?' And I ran through the litany of the process, could it pass the House?" Barletta said. "Maybe, probably. Would it be accepted by the American people? Probably not. I wasn't proposing it and I'm not advocating it. Nowhere in our (House Republican) caucus have I even heard anyone talk about it."

But Barletta said he believes the president violated the Constitution by repeatedly extending deadlines for individuals and businesses to comply with the Affordable Care Act, known commonly as Obamacare.

"Once it was passed by Congress, it was a law and only Congress can change the law," he said.

He also criticized the president for failing to give Congress 30-days notice of the exchange of Taliban-held prisoner of war Bowe Bergdahl for five Taliban members held as enemy combatants at Guantanamo Bay and issuing a directive to block enforcement of immigration laws when an illegal immigrant is under 16 years old. Democrats and Republicans have questioned the prisoner exchange notice failure, but Republicans have led the drive on the immigration issue.

"He doesn't have the constitutional authority to do that (waive the law on illegal immigration for children under 16)," Barletta said.

The Democratic National Committee chimed in with an emailed statement, suggesting people who learned Barletta said Obama could face impeachment would react incredulously.

"Yep, you read that right, impeachment," DNC spokesman Ian Sams said in the email.

DANVILLE - Firefighters form four communities responded to a report of a lightning strike during the height of Monday night's thunderstorms that rumbled across Northumberland and Montour counties.

The bolt hit a farmhouse at 3 Billings Road in Mayberry Township, Montour County, about two miles north of Elysburg. Fire officials said it disabled a refrigerator, but caused no other damage.

The home is occupied by the Earl Fetterman family, members of whom were in the residence at the time. They were not hurt.

Firefighters from Elysburg, Overlook, South Side of Riverside and Mahoning Township responded and removed the refrigerator.

The storms produced heavy rain, thunder and lightning from about 9 to 10 p.m.

Get Fresh Market debuts Thursday

DANVILLE - Geisinger-Shamokin Area Community Hospital will debut the Get Fresh Market, monthly, beginning Thursday, in the hospital cafeteria. The public is invited to visit the market from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. with a cooking demonstration at 11:30 a.m. Additional market dates include July 24, Aug. 21 and Sept. 18.

The Get Fresh Market will offer locally grown produce, cooking demonstrations, recipes and dietitians who can answer questions about eating healthy foods.

The Get Fresh Market debuted at Geisinger Medical Center last summer and is part of Geisinger Health System's Healthy Selections program. The program provides guests and employees with healthier dining options at Geisinger locations and promotes better eating habits as an important component of a culture of wellness.

SASB meets Thursday

COAL TOWNSHIP - The regular monthly meeting of the Shamokin Area School District Board of Directors for June has been rescheduled and will be held 7:30 p.m. Thursday in the board conference room.

HARTLEY TOWNSHIP - A Lamar motorcyclist was killed in a one-vehicle crash Monday evening on Route 192 near the RB Winter State Park.

State police at Milton say Terry L. Stover, 67, was flown to Hershey Medical Center following the 7:12 p.m. accident, and died later at the hospital.

Police said Stover was traveling west on Route 192 on a 1992 Harley Davidson Heritage bike when he traveled off the roadway onto the gravel shoulder, striking an embankment.

Stover was thrown from the bike in the accident. Police reported that he was wearing eye protection, but no helmet.

Assisting police at the scene were Mifflinburg Fire and EMS units, Milton EMS and the Life Lion helicopter.

SHAMOKIN - A city dentist's failure to follow procedures to sterilize dental tools used at his office has elicited 183 calls Monday and Tuesday to the Pennsylvania Department of Health, according to the department deputy press secretary.

Current and former patients of Dr. Vincent J. Paczkoskie, whose dental license was suspended Friday, were asked by the Department of Health to call 1-877-PA-HEALTH for information and assistance in finding testing locations for hepatitis B, hepatitis C and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV).

Wes Culp, health department deputy press secretary, said more patients may call, but the number who have already contacted the Department of Health shows the level of worry surrounding Paczkowskie's license suspension.

"We understand the public may have concerns," said Culp. "All testing at this point is a precautionary measure, because there are no known cases of transmission at this time."

Attempts to contact Paczkoskie for comment have been unsuccessful. A listed telephone number for Paczkoskie has been disconnected and a visit to Paczkoskie's last known address elicited no response.

CATAWISSA R.R. - Southern Columbia Area School Board member Charlie Porter called the last negotiation session between the board and district teachers "disappointing."

"We had tried very hard to integrate health care into the negotiations, in order to get some savings, but that window is closed," Porter told the board Monday night.

What he meant is that the deadline has passed for the district to change its current health care plan with Highmark Blue Shield. The district was hoping to give teachers the option to pick plans with a higher deductible at a lower health care cost, allowing the board to give salary increases.

"Salary increases are still at about three percent a year, but what really put their proposal out of the park was that after the fourth year of the contract, the teachers would pay nothing for their health insurance, that it would be fully funded by the district," Porter reported. "That's not feasible."

Porter did not give a new date for negotiations in his report.

On Monday, the board unanimously approved its 2014-15 budget and related items. The budget stands at $18,787,210 for the coming school year. Property tax rates will be 39.68 mills for Columbia County residents and 53.02 mills for Northumberland County property owners. Voting for the budget were members Michael Yeager, Porter, Thomas Reich, Charlene Cove, John Yocum and Timothy Vought. Members Joe Klebon and Gail Zambor Schuerch were absent.

The SCA board also approved the homestead/farmstead exclusion real estate value reduction for 2014. According to calculations made by the district, those approved for the reduction in Columbia County will see their property value reduced by $2,223 while those in Northumberland County will see a $1,662 reduction.

The reduction means a property tax reduction of $87.30 in Columbia County and $84.83 in Northumberland County.

In other business:

- Crews from McClure Co. are currently working on the school buildings as part of a $4.6 million performance based energy agreement to help save on energy costs with more energy-efficient measures. The district began taking steps to help pay for the work by approving the first payment of $930,270 to McClure upon loan closing, and a $400,000 equity contribution toward the cost of the project, dropping the loan amount to $4.2 million.

- PSBA Insurance Trust was named the district's workers compensation insurance provider for the coming school year at a cost of $65,258, and Wright Specialty Insurance/Catlin Insurance as the district's liability, property, automobile and umbrella insurance provider at $96,790.

- School breakfast and lunch prices were approved for the 2014-15 school year with only breakfast getting an increase from $1.25 to $1.50. Prices for lunch will remain the same - $2.15 for students in grades kindergarten through fourth, $2.40 for grades 5 through 12 and $3.40 for adults.

- The board also approved two agreements, the first being an agreement with American Capital Leasing for technology equipment in the amount of $206,190.84, and a cooperative agreement with the Danville Area School District for competitive cheerleading. Southern will be the host district and all participants will be required to pay-the-participate fee.

- Southern Columbia opened bids for a wheelchair mini-school bus, awarding the bid to M.A. Brightbill Body Works, Inc. Lebanon, for a 2012 Blue Bird 18-passenger wheelchair bus with 23,412 miles on it for $49,825.

MOUNT CARMEL - Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church, 47 S. Market St., will hold its annual festival at Fourth and Market streets from 6 to 11 p.m. Friday, featuring the Shoreliners, and from 5 to 10:30 p.m. Saturday with DJ Mike Wonzik.

There will be more than 106 theme baskets to be raffled. A bicycle, large flat-screen TV, appliances, kitchenware, grills and more can be won.

New games for children are planned this year, and bingo will be played in the church hall.

Foods include pierogies, pigeons, funnel cakes, potato cakes, sausage hoagies, meatball hoagies, hamburgers, hot dogs, barbecue, wedding soup, beef-vegetable soup, haluski, snow cones, chicken fingers, french fries, pastries, sweets and beverages.

The pre-event pierogie, pigeon, beef vegetable and chicken corn soup sale is set for 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Friday in the hall.

In case of a rainout, food will be sold in the hall from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday June 22.

SUNBURY - A split vote of the Northumberland County Salary Board has split the job of the chief clerk, dividing the duties among two full-time employees in the commissioners' office until the end of 2015.

John Muncer, assistant solicitor, and Janet Povish, administrative assistant, will share the role on the approval of commissioners Stephen Bridy and Vinny Clausi and controller Christopher Grayson. Commissioner Rick Shoch voted in opposition Tuesday.

Together, Muncer and Povish have nearly 50 years experience working for the county. They replace Gary Steffen, who retired June 6.

Clausi said the move, back-dated to June 2, will save $40,000 annually for Northumberland County. Bridy and Grayson agreed.

The work week of both Muncer and Povish is extended from 33 hours to 43 hours. Their salaries were boosted in kind - $20,000 for Muncer to $85,180 and $15,000 for Povish to $50,833. Steffen's salary and benefits totaled approximately $75,000. Clausi subtracted the salary increases from Steffen's total cost in determining the savings.

Another idea

Shoch announced an alternative Monday that he said would save the county an estimated $105,000, but his candidate, Jerome Alex, no longer wants to transfer from his current county position. Getting the salary board's approval to reduce Muncer's position to part time, a move both Bridy and Clausi opposed, would have been another hurdle.

Eliminating BHID job

After the salary board adjourned, Bridy and Clausi approved a motion during the monthly commissioners' meeting to look into eliminating Alex's position. They said that since he had been agreeable to a transfer, and since the department head was reportedly comfortable in splitting Alex's duties among existing staff, his position as the county's administrating officer of Behavioral Health and Intellectual/Developmental Services is expendable.

"They could do without him, so I'm going direct the chief clerk to do an investigation. If we don't need him, we're going to remove the position," Clausi said.

Shoch said that when Alex was appointed by Clausi in 2012 as director of public safety - a position he held for less than eight months before resigning - his duties were split among department staff before he returned to the job.

"This is, ladies and gentleman, another example of the oppressive regime that we're dealing with right now. Mr. Clausi, if it was his idea to do something like this, he would be praising the employees of the department for being willing to sacrifice and take on the additional work with no additional pay for a period of time for the benefit of Northumberland County," Shoch said.

Close to election

After the meeting, county solicitor Frank Garrigan said that despite state code that says commissioners must appoint a chief clerk, there is leeway to split the duties among active employees.

Kymberley Best, a former county clerk, asked commissioners before their vote to appoint a chief clerk. Or in this case, declare a chief clerk and a deputy clerk. Best announced in October she's seeking election in 2015 to the county board of commissioners.

Clausi said he had six candidates but none wanted the job for various reasons, the upcoming election among them.

If a new majority commissioner board is elected, the position could be turned over, creating a job security issue, Clausi said. That's why Clausi said he asked for an end date for the appointments of Muncer and Povish.

Shoch said Steffen, hired in 2011, accepted the job during an election year. The position of chief clerk had not been advertised internally or publicly. That an expiration date was put on the appointments, Shoch said, was evidence that it is not an ideal solution. He said Clausi only approached people he wanted for the job.

Bridy, who participated via teleconferencing, said the increased hours for Muncer and Povish will keep the commissioners' office open longer and increase access for county employees.

Grayson said it would take at least six months for a new clerk to get acclimated. Clausi said it would take a year. That no one was interested in Clausi's offer could also be a reflection of the atmosphere in Northumberland County and all the pressure associated with the job, Grayson said.

Other business

A motion failed to boost the salary of Elizabeth Onesi, legal secretary for the conflicts counsel department, from $24,119 to $25,974. Bridy and Shoch were opposed. Clausi chided the outcome, saying the 35-year employee deserved better.

Mandy Wagner was unanimously hired to become the children and youth director of social services at a salary of $42,405, effective July 28.

Frey's Commissary, Montoursville, was contracted to provide meal services for clients of the Area Agency on Aging at a cost of $896,000. This amount is approximately $100,000 more than the previous contract due to increased costs of food, Clausi said.

Attorney Robert K. Varano was contracted at a $50 hourly rate to provide consumer legal services to the Area Agency on Aging.

Bridy and Clausi voted not to provide additional funds this year for an assistant district attorney position created in May on a split vote of the salary board. Clausi said District Attorney Tony Rosini earns enough that he should "work a little harder," but that he would consider a part-time position. Shoch voted against the measure, and said such a vote was unnecessary.

Two 2014 Dodge Journeys were approved for purchase from Zimmerman Motors for $25,175 each, and a 2014 Ford Taurus for $22,997 from Sunbury Motors. The Dodges are for the Behavioral Health and Intellectual/Developmental Services Department, and the Ford for Area Agency on Aging.

Shoch abstained from two votes - a letter of support against new emissions regulations for coal-fired power plants and a new policy on the submission of employee status sheets - saying he was never presented any information on the topics. He abstained from two other votes regarding the exoneration of a property in Point Township, citing a conflict since he is that municipality's solicitor.

ServiceMaster Commercial Services was approved to provide cleaning services at the administration building. Clausi opposed the vote, saying it puts county employees out of work.