SHAMOKIN - The police union and City Hall are awaiting word from an arbitrator on the makeup of a new collective bargaining agreement.

The two sides, each with legal representation, met in March with arbitrator John Skonier. Both presented contract proposals, but, eight months later, a new contract remains in limbo.

The previous pact expired Jan. 1, but its terms remain in effect until a new deal is ratified.

Patrolman Shane Mowery, a union representative, said it had been estimated in March that a decision would come from the arbitrator within four to 12 months.

"We're eight months into it and we haven't heard a peep," Mowery said Monday.

$132,459 more in '14

Police department expenses account for 43 percent of the city's proposed $2.9 million general fund budget in 2015. Salaries and insurance costs are expected to dip since the department has 10 full-time officers, one less than at the start of 2014. But the overall police budget totals $1,234,651, an increase of $132,459 over 2014. Much of that is reflected in an increased pension payment - from $205,769 in 2014 to $319,714 in 2015.

Shamokin's total 2015 budget is estimated at $3.7 million. Proposed increases in real estate and earned income taxes are sought to erase a deficit of $621,000. The city is enrolled in the state's Act 47 program for financially distressed municipalities.

Richardson Todd Eagan of Lightman Welby & Stoltenberg, Harrisburg, represents the union. The city had been represented by Barley Snyder, Reading. Susan Friedman of Stevens & Lee, Lancaster, has since taken on the role. A division of her firm, Financial Solutions, is an Act 47 consultant for Shamokin.

Street pact ends Dec. 31

Negotiations for a second union contract are expected to begin soon. The pact between Shamokin and its AFSCME employees - the street department and the city technician - expires at year's end. Public works account for $657,299, 23 percent, of the city's proposed general fund budget.

Mayor William D. Milbrand said city council will negotiate that contract itself.

He was among those who voted in 2013 to hire Barley Snyder for the police contract negotiations, and said he was pleased with the firm's work. At the time, he felt uncomfortable negotiating, and noted the city's poor fiscal condition.

Looking back, though, he believes it was a mistake.

"I think it probably was" a mistake, Milbrand said Monday. "Did we really need to spend money on that?"

CATAWISSA R.R. - The Southern Columbia Area Middle School has announced its honor roll for the first marking period of the 2014-15 school year.

Distinguished honor students have those with grade averages of 95 percent or better. Honor students are those with grade averages between 88 and 94 percent.

Distinguished honors

Grade 5 - Colby Bernhard, Chase Billig, Kole Biscoe, Natalie Bodnar, Morgan Brill, Jacob Cambria, Savich Chapman, Justin Chen, Chase Conway, Brock Dunkelberger, Brady Feese, Jaron Ferrara, Clarissa Fox, Gavin Garcia, Kelly Irons, Hanna Keller, Abigail Knouse, Avery Konyar, Matthew Masala, Elizabeth Miller, Mackenzie Palacz, Joseph Quinton, Kylee Reeder, Madison Reidinger, Kianna Rizzo, Wyatt Roadarmel, Giana Rovito, Carson Savitski, Cassidy Savitski, Tammy Schultz, Lauren Smith, Ella Trathen, Kathryn Waltman, Christian Woodruff, Michael Yancoskie, Patrick Yost and Michael Zsido.

Grade 6 - Joshua Bainbridge, Faith Callahan, Megan Champoux, Hannah Knoebel, Garrett Krebs, Meadow Morris, Katherine O'Donnell, Bryson Pita, Logan Potter, Campbell Reck, Karly Renn, Emma Schultz, Colin Sharrow, Sienna Sosnoski, Jayden Toczylousky and Paige Urban.

Grade 7 - Jared Broscious, Mikaela Brouse, Hailey Ciocco, Madison Colella, Jessica Delbo, Kayla Gallagher, Gaige Garcia, Gina Gratti, Cal Haladay, Cameron Haladay, Kayla Hauer, Braden Heim, Jacob Herr, Sophia Koschoff-Rapkin, Allyson Kranzel, Taylor LeVan, Kathryn Pollard, Lear Quinton, Emilia Raup, Brady Reese, Lauren Rose, Emma Rosko, Erick Shufeldt, Max Tillett, Aden Trathen, Chloe Wegrzynowicz, Rilyn Wisloski, Leslie Wolfe, Preston Zachman and Ronald Zsido.

Grade 8 - Zachary Bainbridge, Allison Beaver, Colt Bernhard, Hannah Bradley, Jadyn Brezinski, Carly Britch, Kari Cambria, Haleigh Carter, Autumn Chassie, Morgan Cole, Nathaniel Crowl, Hanna Davis, Benjamin Dodson, Troy Donlan, Jilian Dunkelberger, Jared Ebersole, Kortney Fasold, Susan Gembic, DeeDee George, Tiffany Horton, Gabriella Kaminski, Lindsey Kerstetter, Ethan Knoebel, Brooklynn Kuijpers, Allyson Leiby, Caitlyn Lichtel, Joseph Lobos, Meghan Longenhagen, Maria Maresca, Jillian Marks, Connor McGinley, Shane Miller, Michael Miner, Gabriel O'Donnell, Samantha Palacz, Jacob Petro, Sarah Rodriguez, Viktoria Romania, Haley Scopelliti, Marley Seger, Alec Sharrow, Cassandra Sharrow, Kevin Sincavage, Jacob Stahley, Michael Steele, Emma Steely, William Wegrzynowicz and Alexandra Willhouse.

Honor roll

Grade 5 - Emily Allen, Sarah Allen, Wesley Barnes, Landon Beagle, Clayton Bennage, Mallory Betts, Owen Bosworth, Gabrielle Bradigan, Ryan Brown, Stephanie Campbell, Ethan Carpenter, Nicholas Chesney, Evelyn Cook, Toren Cooper, Cailee Davis, Nataliah DeMarco, Emily Dodson, Michael Evert, Connor Gallagher Stanley Hodder, Rachel Hollenbach, Gatlin Hovenstine, Nathan Hoy, Matthew Hricenak, Reese Humphrey, Ryan Kerstetter, Liam Klebon, Abigail Knoebel, Olivia Long, Wyatt Mack, Rhiannon Marion, Hailee Mayernick, Mallory McBride, Rayne McCoog, Jillian Morgan, Alexander Morrison, Tyler Novak, Grace Persinger, Rylee Petro, Riley Reed, Austin Reeder, Janet Rodgers, Griffin Romania, Jake Rose, Faith Seedor, Dakota Simpson, Paige St. Andre, Marlee Swank, Olivia Thompson, Summer Tillett, Kailey Wagner, Ashley Whyne, Gauge Wommer, Lexi Yeager and Alexis Zanini.

Grade 6 - Kaleena Barcavage, Emily Bender, Zackariah Buono, Emily Callahan, Grace Callahan, Kaiden Carl, Taylor Christman, Kylee Danglovitch, Jacob Davis, Chase Derk, Tyler Derk, Lauren Duncan, Patrick Edmondson, Brionna Gallagher, Brandon Gedman, Maddelynn Griscavage, Tyler Hajdu, Chade Haladay, Cordell Helwig, Garrett Hummel, Tyler Jeffrey, Bradley Klaus, Jordan Letterman, Kayla Levan, Marissa Levan, Madison Longenhagen, Allie Lunger, Monica Maresca, Jennifer Maurer, Troy Meier, Ruth Miller, Nicholas Miner, Chase Petro, Jaymie Petro, Jaxson Purnell, Samantha Remaley, Addison Sharrow, Alexis Steenburg, Lucas Stewart, Tyler Waltman, Timothy Witcoskie, Ian Yoder and Thomas Ziemba.

Grade 7 - Evan Bebenek, Maura Blusius, Hannah Bridy, Victoria Brown, Camron Bugg, Grace Bzdak, Max Clark, Hunter Colosimo, Halle Cox, Elliott Dobson, Stephanie Dunkelberger, Tiffany Dunkelberger, Amelia Esposito, Ethan Haupt, Matthew Hess, Nathaniel Hicks, Nathan Hunsinger, Nathan Kearney, Makenna Keefer, Michelle Kerstetter, Wade Kerstetter, Brianna Kopp, Aaron Koschoff-Rapkin, Austin Leiby, Cade Linn, Sierra Long, Veronica Manuel, Morgan Marks, Gage Michael, Meghan Morrison, Ian Nevius, Ayzah Quinn, Ty Roadarmel, Elijah Rush, Keegan Shultz Alyssa Strocko, Joseph Szuler, Alicia Trathen, Brandon Walz, Bristol Welliver, Dorran Wetzel, Gage Whitenight, Thomas Williams and Mary Zakrzewski.

Grade 8 - Michael Adamski, Brett Brassington, Gavin Corrigan, Emily Davis, Meredith Fahringer, Alexus Fetterman, Jacob Gessner, Edward Gleeson, Chase Haught, Abigail Henrichs, Reese Houseknecht, Matthew Irons, Kaitlyn Karlovich, Nicole Kerstetter, Kaitlyn McHale, Calista Noll, Kevin Olvany, Rachyl Podpora, Bryce Reidinger, Michael Sabo, Cally Seidel, Parker Shadle, Johnathan Sherman, Oak Six, Cameryn Sock, John Stabinski, Madison Straub, Shayla Swartz, Riley Thomas and Ross Wertman.

'Magical Memories' event planned

MILTON - "Magical Memories" will hold its annual Christmas event for children from Union, Columbia, Montour, Snyder, Columbia, Lycoming and Northumberland counties who suffer from life threatening and terminal illnesses at 1 p.m. Dec. 6 at Christ Wesleyan Church, 363 Stamm Road.

More than 300 children and family members are expected to attend this day for the children to put their illness behind them for a moment.

The event will feature Woody Wolfe, Aaron Kelly, ventriloquists, magicians, crafts, professional photographers, Kozmo and Dexter from Knoebels Amusement Resort, Kingdom kid puppets, Troop 622 Boy scout troop, local sports teams, a candy buffet, balloon creations, Home Depot make and takes, chocolate fountains, games, photo booths, princess makeovers, Santa and Mrs. Claus and a petting zoo.

LARC service set for Sunday

SHAMOKIN - Annual service of "Sharing the Gift of Christ's Love," sponsored by Lutheran-Anglican-Roman Catholic (LARC) group, will be held at 2 p.m. Sunday at Grace Lutheran Church, Chestnut and Seventh streets.

BURNSIDE - The Anthracite Outdoor Adventure Area (AOAA) is throwing open its gate for hunters.

Drive-in hunters will be permitted to travel onto AOAA land on Monday, Dec. 1, Tuesday, Dec. 2, and Saturday, Dec. 6, through an opened gate on the upper access road, located just south of the trailhead driveway entrance on Route 125.

Operations Director Dave Porzi said hunters will be allowed to park anywhere along the upper access road between the gate on Route 125 and a predetermined point at least one mile onto the property.

Hunters can then walk from their selected parking space onto any part of AOAA land owned by Northumberland County.

Porzi, who will be voluntarily opening the gate around 4 a.m. and closing it at dusk, said he's had several people contact him for more information on the AOAA's hunting policy.

The policy permits walk-on hunting from dawn to dusk on days the park is not open for motorized use and from dawn to 9 a.m. on days when motorized users are allowed in the park. It also stipulates the park will close for motorized use for the first two weeks of rifle deer season, except on Sundays when hunting is not permitted by the state.

Hunters are "walk-on" only, except on the three days Porzi is opening the gate on the upper access road. He said hunters can also park along the paved cul-de-sac that leads into the park on any day hunting is permitted.

The volume of hunters that will use the AOAA's lands is unknown as the park is in its first year. Porzi and the AOAA authority have indicated during the policy-making process that the number of drive-in and motorized use closure days will be adjusted for next year based on the popularity of hunting AOAA lands this year.

COAL TOWNSHIP - Shamokin Area Elementary School announced its distinguished honor roll and honor roll for the first marking period of the 2014-15 school year.

The honor roll is based on the average of the major subjects. Distinguished honors is the range of 95 to 100 percent and honor roll is 90 to 94 percent, along with earning "satisfactory" in conduct and minor subjects.

Distinguished honors

Grade 6: Amanda Angstadt, Alexa Bainbridge, Joshua Bashore, Jonathan Bevan, Shane Billings, Emilee Bland, Tia Bressi, Devin Britton, Nathan Buranich, Alexis Carl, Olivia Coller, Emma Dailey, John Davalos, Joseph Daya III, Ryleigh Faust, Victoria Fellin, Adam Guzik, Blake Harris, Olivia Haupt, Austen Heffner, Tyler Kalman, Rosalind Kane, Jaden Kodack, Hayden Kramer, Emma Kramer, Kali Leiby, Destinee Leonard, Maximus Madden, Diana Martinez, Rylie McCarty, Jarret Miller, Grace Nazih, Nicolas Neidig, Ariana Nolter, Ian Paul, Nathanael Pennell, Alyssa Persing, Brent Reed, Sydney Rhoads, Mackenzie Roman, Megan Roman, Aleyna Russell, Casen Sandri, Kathryn Slotterback, Jadyn Slovick, Destiny Smith, Mackenzie Snyder, Gwen Sulouff, Elizabeth Swilp, Haelee Taylor, Tyler Whary, Kayla Yadlosky and Emma Zimmerman.

Grade 5: Exsomiah Alvarado, Kathleen Amato, Cameron Annis, Skye Balonis, Adam Bentinez, Makenzie Bixler, Sarah Blenkinsop, Kameron Bowers, Mackenzie Clattenburg, Benjamin Cohoon, Abigail Cryts, Dominic Delorso, Robert Depeal, Dominic Diehl, Brian Donner, Matthew Erb, Rachael Fortune, Tricity Frederick, Kayla Harvey, Mason Hogancamp, Emily Honicker, Sarah Hoover, Annie Hornberger, David Kaleta, Isabelle Kapushinski, Skye Keefer, Craig Kerstetter, Garrett Kitchen, John Kodack III, Cynthia Loftus, Colton Lynch, Riley Macaluso, Iris McKown, Marcus Moyer, Morgan Nolter, Carson Ososkie, Bryce Pancher, Airin Petrovich, Noah Phillips, Hunter Rodman, Brenden Rogers, Ethan Roughton, Mackenzie Rowe, Hannah Schaeffer, Dallas Scicchitano, Colin Seedor, Claudia Seidel, Jadyn Shipe, Airiana Smallwood, Carter Smink, Madisen Smith, Sarah Snavely, Owen Sosnoski, Henry Stevens, Taylor Swank, Kyle Todd and Madyson Waugh.

Grade 4: Madox Bailey, Hannah Bashore, Brandon Bellis, Mackenzie Bogetti, Dahlia Brabitz, Sebastian Clymer, Sarina Cramer, Blake Fryberger, Octavia Henninger, Rylee Herman, Chloe Kalman, Kennedy Kerstetter, Princess Kiracofe, Carter Kramer, Blake Lahr, Selena Lin, Madison Lippay, Nathan Long, Stephanie Martinez, Gracie Maschuck, Jayden McKeen IV, Ayden Mikulak, Evelyn Murphy, Brett Nye, Emma Nye, Rylee Pensyl, Kolin Redd, Madison Rodman, Molly Rossnock, Rylie Sanders, Macie Sassani, Mikayla Seedor, Scott Segedy Jr., Eliana Seidel, Sophia Sienkiewicz, Rachel Slotterback, Camden Smith, Emily Smith, Samantha Stancavage, Emily Stanton, Sydney Startzel, Camry Steinhart, Gabrielle Thomas, Madison Thomas, Lillian Yost, Shain Yost and Eric Zalar.

Honor roll

Grade 6: Charles Allen, Hunter Bates, Thomas Bramhall, Kaine Bressi, Madison Bridy, Brianna Bullock, Sean Calabro, Faith Carpenter, Grace Carpenter, Katye Clark, Gavin Degreen, Kyele Dehoutaint, William Delbaugh, Paige Ditzel, Diana Faust, Aaron Frasch, Madison Frey, Jackson Hancock, Seth Hart, Thomas Herrold, Carole Hinkle, Gabrielle Kurtz, Aaron Leiby, Brenton McCaffery, Kierstyn McDonald, Dennis Mcfee, Matthew Metzger, Bryanna Molzon, Edward Morales, Ashlea Oakum, Ariel Sauer, Akeya Schartiger, Corrina Schweinebraten, Aaron Shicora, Caleb Shingara, Jessica Simpson, Joseph Tarr Jr., Nicholas Velez, Brionna Wyland, Freyja Yeager and Michael Zimmerman II.

Grade 5: Skye Adams, Wade Alleman, Samantha Bainbridge, Kloey Baney, Jenna Barker, Maddisyn Barrett, Julissa Bednar, Dylan Briggs, Logan Brill, Jada Burd, Gina Carapellucci, Terelina Conbeer, Brent Costa, Jordan Cruse, Braelyn Duncheskie, Abigail Eschbach, Anthony Feudale, Zandra Finkelstein, Adam Furr, Savana Gordon, Robert Harvey, Destiny Hinkle, Layla Hunter, Caydin Kern, Frank Kinger, Mitchell Knowles, Kalli Lahr, Dominic Michaels, Savannah Monroe, Xavier Negron, Samantha Nicola, Gavin Nye, Brianna Pancher, Odin Rabka, Michael Roman, Joseph Sacco IV, Anastasia Schank, Rachael Schoch, Libby Shingara, Paige Shingara, Jesse Shultz, Kandi Slodysko, Scott Snyder Jr., John Swank, Clara Swinehart, Daimyan Thorpe, Sarah Vazquez, Isabella Wagner, Allison Walters, Emily Wheary, Elyse Whitmer, Jesse Worgen and Alexis Zawalick.

Grade 4: Corey Adams, Autumn Barnes, Mikala Bressi, Jenna Calabro, Maya Calabro, Dylan Chamberlain, Aidan Clark, Austin Dabrowski, Cole Dangler, Isaac Deivert, Christopher Dinoia, Grace Donahue, Jude Frye, Samantha Geiswite, Yediel Gonzalez-Ayla, Mackenzie Greager, Madilyn Herb, Zakary Herman, Devin Jurevicz, Ethan Kauffman, Peyton Korbich, Korbin Kramer, Jason Leiby, Carly Lubeskie, Victoria Maryott, Connor Mattern, Airis McCarty, Brayden Mensch, Desiree Michaels, Broc Nye, Agam Patel, Sean Poe Jr., Melody Powell, Payten Puttmann, Katherine Rapp, Destiny Rubio, Aydenn Sanders, Lawrence Sayles, Karlsen Schaffer, Luke Sejuit, Tucker Snyder, Henry Straub, Daren Sulouff, Jocelyn Surace, Mariah Vetovich, Nicholas Voelcker, Kaitlyn Wary, Emilee Williams, Brayden Wright, Elizabeth Zalar and Ryder Zulkowski.

Fourth in an occasional series

Two-thirds of what became the Line Mountain School District had already been a functioning jointure for 18 years when the new district was formed in 1966.

The Mahanoy Joint School District, comprising municipalities in southwestern Northumberland County, began operations in 1948. The jointure included Herndon Borough and Jackson, Jordan, Lower Augusta, Lower Mahanoy, Upper Mahanoy and Washington townships.

The Mahanoy Joint merger posed something of a quandary for Zerbe Township because, as The News-Dispatch reported, about one-third of the high school student population at Trevorton High School was from some of these rural townships. The newspaper talked about recent efforts by Zerbe school officials to try to effect mergers of its own with some of the districts that eventually made their way into Mahanoy Joint.

Zerbe Township obviously recognized that some kind of school merger was inevitable. The Zerbe district was placed, along with Little Mahanoy and West Cameron townships, two small districts that frequently utilized Trevorton schools, in a hypothetical new district, "Unit 8," in a 1953 reorganization plan prepared by the Northumberland County School Board. However, the state Department of Public Instruction rejected Unit 8 because of its small size.

Despite this setback, Little Mahanoy continued to demonstrate its preference for a Trevorton-led jointure. In the summer of 1956, the Little Mahanoy board voted to close its two remaining elementary schools and send all of its students to Zerbe on a tuition basis. Prior to that decision, only high school students from Little Mahanoy attended Zerbe.

Efforts continued to persuade the state to accept a "Trevorton Area Schools" consolidation, with a new version of the plan proposing an alignment of Zerbe, Little Mahanoy, West Cameron and Shamokin townships. Shamokin Township had been involved in joint school agreements with Shamokin City, so the Shamokin School Board was not happy about a potential Shamokin Township alignment elsewhere. According to accounts in the Shamokin News-Dispatch, Shamokin School Board was approached on March 11, 1956, about the possibility of joining the Zerbe jointure but declined, citing its involvement in a jointure with East Cameron Township.

In the May 1957 primary election, Shamokin Township residents, voting in a non-binding referendum, expressed their opposition to a Trevorton merger by a margin of 259-175. This expression of public opinion, as well as continuing state concerns that a proposed Trevorton Area configuration would be too small, combined to effectively kill the proposal. Total enrollment, using 1957 figures, would have been 1,176 students.

Another proposed reorganization plan involving Coal Township, Shamokin and East Cameron, West Cameron, Little Mahanoy, Zerbe and Shamokin townships was the subject of a January 1958 informal discussion sponsored by the Shamokin School Board.

A revised Northumberland County reorganization plan completed in 1960 placed Zerbe, West Cameron and Little Mahanoy townships in a proposed "Administrative Unit 6," along with Shamokin, Coal Township and East Cameron and Shamokin townships. There was sentiment for placing Zerbe, West Cameron and Little Mahanoy instead in "Unit 5," which comprised the municipalities then affiliated with Mahanoy Joint. The county school board favored that change as an obvious precursor to a Zerbe-Mahanoy Joint merger.

Zerbe, Little Mahanoy and West Cameron townships joined Coal Township in filing an appeal with the Department of Public Instruction against another incarnation of a school reorganization plan drafted by the Northumberland County School Board in 1962. That plan would have united 13 municipalities - from Little Mahanoy on the west end to Centralia on the east - into a mega-district.

The four townships claimed that this large alignment would threaten plans for a new technical school and argued at one point that the plan should be abandoned in favor of Coal, Zerbe, Little Mahanoy and West Cameron combining to form their own district.

Progress was reported in The News-Dispatch on June 1, 1965 on planning for the new school merger. Boards from the seven districts that comprise Mahanoy Joint, as well as boards from Zerbe, Little Mahanoy and West Cameron were all represented at a meeting. It was noted then that Little Mahanoy, an independently operating district, was sending all its students to Zerbe. West Cameron was still maintaining an elementary school but was paying tuition to send students to Trevorton High School.

On Dec. 3, 1965, the News-Dispatch reported some sentiment on the Zerbe Township School Board for a merger with Shamokin Area. However, later that month, an interim board was established to facilitate planning for the Line Mountain merger.

The Class of 1966 - 50 students in all, from Zerbe, Little Mahanoy and West Cameron townships - was the last to graduate from Trevorton High School. Ninety-eight seniors graduated from Mahanoy Joint the same year.

SHAMOKIN - While retailers nationwide faced thinning crowds on Black Friday, local shopkeepers were thrilled with the turnout for Small Business Saturday.

Small Business Saturday was started in 2010 by American Express as a way to incorporate small businesses into one of the biggest shopping weekends of the year.

Sherri Shebelsky, president and owner of Bader's Fine Furniture, 704 N. Liberty St., Shamokin, said that, so far, this holiday season has been the store's busiest since 2009.

"We had some lean years prior to this year," she said. "It's a much better year this year."

She noticed an uptick in customers about two weeks ago and said the store was busy all day during Small Business Saturday.

Shimock's Furniture, 900 Chestnut St., Kulpmont, also hosted a steady flow of customers. Salesclerks were showing several groups of customers couches, chairs and vanities in the early afternoon.

While a furniture store may not immediately jump to mind as a place to go for Christmas gifts, Shebelsky said small furniture pieces, such as recliners and lamps, have been popular during the holiday season.

Whole room sets also sell during the holiday season, she said. She recalled a customer who bought an entire bedroom suite to give as a Christmas gift.

"They asked us to wrap it - and we did!" she said, laughing.

Hardware - and toys

Reid Bergeron, manager at Scicchitano's Ace Hardware, 27 N. Oak St., Mount Carmel, said that he's noticed an increase in sales this year.

"It's been busy for the past couple days," he said, adding that Friday is still the more popular shopping day at the store.

Bergeron said the store carried some toys like Tonka trucks, but that many customers also came in to buy accessories and batteries for gifts purchased elsewhere.

William Bielski, assistant manager of Jones Hardware, 115 E. Independence St., Shamokin, said the most popular item at the store on Saturday was a large rolling toolbox that sold out early in the day.

He said the store has long been a common place to find gifts for fathers, but this year the store also opted to stock more toys.

"Cleaning products are popular, too, in terms of gifts," Bielski said.

Suits and candy

Jeff Whipple, a salesclerk at Matlow's, 141 S. Oak St., Mount Carmel, said suit jackets were a popular item at the men's clothier during Small Business Saturday. The store offered 50 percent off of all sport coats throughout the day.

"This morning was very busy," he said.

One block away at Catino Vino , 23 S. Oak St., Mount Carmel, Art Catino was busy answering questions on wine kits and corks.

"I'm very busy," he said.

His wife, Maria Catino, said her neighboring store, Catino's Candy and Gift Shop, had seen so many customers earlier in the day she called over to Art for help. He responded that he could not come because he also had his hands full.

"It was a great day," she said.

SHAMOKIN - Slower business than expected will not deter local independent salespeople from returning next year for a spot in a storefront organized by the Brush Valley Regional Chamber of Commerce for Small Business Saturday.

About 15 vendors were expected to sell various home party merchandise - Scentsy, Mary Kay, Primitive Crafts and others - in the storefront next to Susquehanna Bank downtown Saturday, but only five showed.

Lisa Wengrenovich, who operated a table selling Scentsy products, attributed the poor turnout to the weather.

"This morning didn't start out so great," said Wengrenovich. "We had snow and sleet."

Diana Rafter, proprietor of Diana Rafter's Handmade Country Primatives, said she had several customers interested in her collection of holiday décor throughout the morning. Her most popular items were "sitters," large flat snowmen and Santas.

The low foot traffic isn't deterring Rafter from returning for future Small Business Saturdays.

"I'm going to shoot for it next year," she said.

Wengrenovich also plans to return, and already has ideas of how to improve the storefront, including creating bigger, more eye-catching signage to alert passersby to the location.

"The first year's always tough," she said.

Autumn came late to Paris this year. After a summer of rain and cold, September and October were two months of warm, sunny days. On Nov. 1, All Saints Day, a holiday in France, families picnicked outside and sunbathers peeled off jackets to bask in the light of a generous mid-autumn sun. Leaves on the trees remained mostly green, with here and there a splash of pale yellow. Autumn, the season of crisp air, crisp Macintosh apples and hillsides aflame with color (my memories of the season in Schuylkill County), was nowhere in sight.

By mid-November things had changed. Temperatures dropped, gray skies returned and rain washed away the dusty remains of summer so that autumn could finally settle in. Keeping up a family tradition - in the fall, with my mother and aunt, I often took a Sunday afternoon walk along the western slope of Sharp Mountain or in the woods behind our home - I set out to search for autumn in what I consider my "backyard," the neighborhood where I live.

In Schuylkill County, autumn is easy to find. Most towns are nestled in valleys or gaps between the ridges of the Blue Mountain chain of the Appalachians. Lifting their eyes to the hills, residents can take in a riot of fall color. In the surrounding countryside, dry corn stalks rattle in the wind, and backyards are carpeted with fallen leaves that need to be raked.

In Paris, I lift my eyes to a gray sky and lower them (remember, I'm on the sixth floor) to macadam and gray facades, cars and buses. Craning my neck, further up the street, I can see a few chestnut trees whose leaves turn from green to brown and then fall. The next step is for municipal workers to blast them off sidewalks with leaf blowers while blasting the ears of anyone within a 100-foot radius.

The view from my living room window is not promising, but my "backyard" is full of surprises, proof that autumn in the city has splendors all its own. For example, in Belleville Park at La Maison de l'air, "the House of Air," a modern structure with a glass facade, where visitors can learn about atmospheric conditions in Paris, I meet Agnes Joly, an agricultural engineer. To explain her work to us, she takes time off from tending her aquaponic garden, a long row of above-ground edible plants fertilized by dozens of gold fish swimming in a pool at the garden's base.

Founder of Joly Mer (mer means sea), Agnes has been chosen by the city of Paris to develop aquaponic gardening as part of a plan to promote urban farming and innovative green spaces. In her above-ground garden, Agnes is tending three separate plant beds, each devoted to a different form of urban gardening, all thriving without soil. In a modular unit holding several small pots, kale, chives and basil take root among clay pebbles receiving a balanced flow of oxygen, nutrients and water. In one unit, plants receive mineral fertilizers (hydroponics), in another, organic (bioponics), and in the third (aquaponics), the fish provide the nourishment the plants need.

Using less water than traditional agriculture, with no need of soil, above-ground gardens of this type can be installed almost anywhere, even in a city apartment, and the ultimate goal, as in traditional truck gardens, is to give city dwellers access to fresh, locally grown produce. And that is Agnes Joly's plan: to sell her fresh greens and herbs to Parisian restaurants, proving that aquaponics is a viable economic and ecological model of urban farming.

On a crisp autumn day, against a changing Parisian sky, Agnes tends her garden, one moment awash in sunlight, the next, darkened by threatening black clouds. A few steps away, in the same hillside park, the leaves turn red and orange on the vines of one of the city's oldest vineyards, still producing Chardonnay grapes. Centuries ago, these vineyards belonged to one of the abbeys that farmed the hills above Paris, irrigating their crops with the water of nearby springs.

Wandering through my neighborhood, I come across vestiges of that long-ago time in street names: rue des Cascades (waterfalls), rue de la Mare (pond) or rue Savies, named after an underground spring first mentioned in a document dating back to the 11th century. It was one of many still surging from sources beneath the hill where I live. With fields and vineyards located far from the Seine, the monks understood the value of these springs and watched over them as carefully as they did their crops, building springhouses and stone trenches with descending steps to control the water's flow.

They called each springhouse a "regard" because it was the place where monks could not only observe the workings of the source but also care for it. In rue des Cascades, a fine specimen still remains, a small building made from cut stone, with a sloped stone roof. Built in the early 17th century, known as "le regard Saint Martin," it protects Savies spring, which flowed naturally from its source until 1986, when the construction of an apartment building got in the way.

On a recent walk I found the door open and got to step inside. A local historian, holding a gas lantern, showed us the steps along which the spring flows, thick with lime deposits. This is very hard water, neither good for boiling or working up a sudsy lather. For centuries, however, it served agriculture and industry in the section of Paris known as Belleville.

Leaving the "regard" behind, we climb stone steps, crossing a small wood. Somewhere among the trees another springhouse is hidden. In the woods, leaves are falling, some orange, some bright yellow. Not yet five o'clock on a Sunday afternoon and already dusk is closing in.

In Paris, too, autumn has finally arrived. This is the urban version, where we can come across a micro-farm or a springhouse hundreds of years old. With luck, we may see some bursts of fall color and, above our heads, the expanse of a magnificent autumn sky.

(Honicker can be reached at honicker.republicanherald@gmail.com)

Marriage licenses

Jeffrey Richard Ramer to Emily Ann Laskowski, both of 417 E. Spruce St., Shamokin. Issued Nov. 28.

Thomas Edward Spears to Kelly Ann Chapman, both of 366 Missouri Lane, Kulpmont. Issued Nov. 28.

Michael Anthony Zangari to Caroline M. Kinnaman, both of 42 S. Vine St., Mount Carmel. Issued Nov. 28.

Property transfers

Mabel V. Wilinski to Robert A. McAnnaney, property in Coal Township, $7,000.

Cail S. Billow and Dianne L. and Derl Knarr to Delroy W. and Sandra Lee Strohecker, property in Jordan Township, $1,500.

Dennis G. and Phyllis I. Matter to Phillip J. Matter and Jennifer Wynn, property in Lower Mahanoy Township, $1.

Robert E. Belfanti Jr. (executor) and Rosemarie Belfanti (estate) to Roger Scull and Pamela Mychak-Scull, property in Mount Carmel Borough, $1.

M. Roger and Phyllis M. Sweppenhiser to Mark and Nicole Sweppenhiser, property in Jackson Township, $1.

Bryan Primerano to Lisa M. Swartz, property in Shamokin, $12,000.

The Christian Science Society of Shamokin, Joan L. Eltringham (trustee), Susan J. Losiewicz (trustee) and Shirley Mae Kieffer (trustee) to Samuel N. and Kathy A. Vetovich, property in Coal Township, $28,500.

Northumberland County Tax Claim Bureau and Paul E. and Joan S. Sweda to Kim Young, property in Coal Township, $120.

Northumberland County Tax Claim Bureau and Paul E. and Joan S. Sweda to Kim Young, property in Coal Township, $120.

Northumberland County Tax Claim Bureau and Arthur C. and Alice Burrows to Rodderick Todd Metzger, property in Ralpho Township, $1,200.

Northumberland County Tax Claim Bureau and Spring Glen Development Co. to Timothy T. and Cynthia Shiffer, property in Jordan Township, $4,500.

Northumberland County Tax Claim Bureau and Joseph A. Wallen II to Anthony W. and Erica Renn Adams, property in Rockefeller Township, $3,542.39.

Northumberland County Tax Claim Bureau and Robert H. and Sue A. Smith to Rodderick Todd Metzger, property in Zerbe Township, $875.91

Northumberland County Tax Claim Bureau, Leon V. Kerstetter and Nelson E. Weikel to Rodderick Todd Metzger, property in East Cameron Township, $652.21

Northumberland County Tax Claim Bureau and Betty M. Stahl (estate) to Equity Trust Co. (custodian) and Roger P. Grattan, property in East Cameron Township, $2,069.67.

Northumberland County Tax Claim Bureau, Norman A. Krepshaw, Mary L. Krepshaw, Christina L. Sakalosky and Doris Ann Kodak to Robert Mikal and Cathy Mae Krepshaw, property in Ralpho Township, $5,500.

Northumberland County Tax Claim Bureau and Pearl McGinnes to George R. Zelnick, Carolyn Wolfe and Alan Zelnick, property in Shamokin Township, $588.58.

Donna F. Hovenstine to Karen R. Dealy and Roderick W. Vanamburgh, property in Upper Augusta Township, $110,700.

William J. Redd to William D. and Jodi L. Henry, property in Kulpmont, $23,000.

Michael Katch (estate) and Dolores A. Katch (individually and as executrix) to Mignon L. Gundrum, property in Mount Carmel Borough, $70,000.

Pennsylvania Housing Finance Agency (trustee) to Donald R. Diotte, property in Mount Carmel Borough, $8,500.

Frank and Nancy Supatina to Frank and Nancy Supatina, property in Mount Carmel Township, $1.

Patricia A. Laughlin to John T. Laughlin and Sonia Barrera, property in Mount Carmel Township, $13,612.50.

Hubert J. Witcoskie to Michael H. and Randall K. Witcoskie, property in Ralpho Township, $1.

Michael H. and Mary C. Witcoski to Michael H. Witcoski, Mary C. Witcoskie, Michael J. Wydra and Bradley D. Witcoskie, property in Ralpho Township, $1.

Gregory Scott and Kristi Shell Drumheller to Gregory Scott and Kristi Shell Drumheller, property in Lower Augusta Township, $1.

Beamz Properties LLC to Michael A. Habowski, property in Mount Carmel, $20,000.

Regina Anonia to Regina Anonia, property in Zerbe Township, $1.

Cookie sale to save the pool

MOUNT CARMEL - Monday, Dec. 8, is the deadline to order homemade Christmas cookies benefitting the Mount Carmel Area Save the Pool Fund.

Chocolate chip, peanut butter blossoms, ricotta, cut out, sugar and pizelles are available. Cookies $3.50 for a half-dozen, $6 for a dozen and $28 for a tray. Pizelles are $4 for a half-dozen and $7 for a dozen.

Pickup is Monday, Dec. 15.

Call Jessica 570-509-4444 or Tracy 570-259-6711 or email mcasharks@live.com for ordering infomation.

SHAMOKIN - More than 50 years after it first began, "Letters to Santa" lives yet again for Christmas 2014.

Retired radio personality Tom Kutza continues his "special arrangement" with Santa Claus to produce the lower anthracite region tradition, which was born on WISL Radio in 1961 and continues today at www.newsitem.com.

Letters to Santa went silent along with WISL in the late 1990s, but was revived by Kutza and The News-Item in 2003.

The first of 24 daily shows airs today. Santa reads letters submitted by children mixed with Christmas music and sentiments. Weekend shows feature music and other special programming.

A list of which children's letters are being read that day is published as part of a Christmas countdown graphic on the front page of The News-Item starting today.

Kutza's radio career has also been revived through the creation a few years ago of WISL1480.com, which airs music from the 1950s, '60s and early '70s. Kutza, of Elysburg, credits the efforts and expertise of brothers Frank, James and John Treese in creating the Internet radio website, for which he produces a weekly polka show that airs from noon to 2 p.m. Sundays. The Treeses also help produce Letters to Santa.

Meanwhile, Santa spends the off-season preparing for his show by studying the latest technologies and toys that several hundred kids ask for through their letters each year.

"Santa is ready, and he can't wait to hear from the children," Kutza said.

Daily shows continue through Dec. 24. Letters must be emailed by Dec. 14 to santa@newsitem.com.

Community Ambulance dinner

TREVORTON - Trevorton Community Ambulance will hosts its seventh annual Christmas dinner beginning at noon Saturday, Dec. 13, at the new ambulance building, 510 W. Market St.

The main course this year is roast beef with sides of mashed potatoes, filling and vegetables. Pumpkin pie will be served as dessert.

Dinner is free. Home delivery is available for elderly and disabled residents of Zerbe, East Cameron, West Cameron and Little Mahanoy townships. Please call 570-797-4951 before Dec. 11 to arrange home delivery.

The following landlord/tenant claims or judgments were filed in magisterial district court:

John Gembic III, Shamokin

Lamar and Sheila Kerstetter, of Montoursville, against Debbie Sweeney, of Shamokin, for $1,439.53, filed Nov. 25. A hearing is scheduled for Dec. 11.

Hugh A. Jones, Mount Carmel

Frank and Betty Ann Bergonia, of Marion Heights, with Home Aid Construction Co., of Marion Heights, as remitter, awarded $6,467.85 in rent, damages and court costs on Nov. 25 from Nicole Baker, of Kulpmont.

TREVORTON - What began as a small gathering to light up the town's Christmas tree has turned into a community holiday season staple.

More than 200 people turned up at the Foundry Sunday evening for the Third Annual Trevorton Community Christmas, hosted by the Trevorton Heritage Society.

The event kicked off at 5:30 p.m. Sunday with a "mingle and jingle" featuring cookies, coffee and cocoa inside the pool house at the Foundry.

A brief program with caroling by the St. Patrick Church choir gave way to the arrival of Santa, who took a brisk ride through town in a sleigh custom-made by township employees. He was accompanied by Trevorton emergency personnel, who lit his path through town with their flashing lights.

Volunteers with the Trevorton Heritage Society had been working as hard as Santa's elves, stringing up lights, decorating trees and assembling the 97 gift bags distributed to children who visited Santa.

The bags included candy and crafting supplies perfect for a girl or boy of any age, said society member Alyce Bostwick.

"Every year we give them a keepsake ornament that they can put a picture in," said Bostwick.

Jezline Maurer, 2, of West Cameron, jumped around the hallway of the former pool house as she awaited her turn to meet Santa.

When she finally had her chance, she became quiet, looking out at her mother while Santa asked her what she'd like for Christmas.

Then, quietly, she said, "A puppy."

Other children were more vocal about their hopes for presents under the tree. Her brother, Chandon Maurer, 9, eagerly piped up his wishes for a dirt bike.

The line for Santa snaked out through the halls of the former pool house, which the Trevorton Heritage Society hopes to eventually renovate into a community center and historical library.

To help fund the upcoming project, the society is selling 2015 calendars, Trevorton pennants and ornaments that will hang on trees in the Post Office storefront. The items can be purchased during store hours at Angie's Market.

"We're having a blast," said society member Rosanne Marquette while manning the fundraising table on Sunday evening.

The cement block pool house still became cool as the temperature dipped into the 30s. But unlike previous years, the bitter cold was mitigated with new plywood installed by Zerbe Township in the slotted windows of the former changing areas.

Township supervisor Mike Schwartz said he and his fellow supervisors were happy to support the celebration.

"It's wonderful that the Heritage Society does this event every year," said Schwartz. "It puts everyone in the Christmas spirit."

COAL TOWNSHIP - The Shamokin Area Senior High choral ensembles will present its annual winter concert at 7 p.m. Thursday in the high school auditorium. The public is invited to this free performance.

The concert will feature the high school chorale, chamber choir and chorus performing a variety of original music as well as traditional and popular holiday favorites. Highlights include creative arrangements of the popular carols "The Twelve Days of Christmas" and "Here We Come A-Wassailing;" a jazz a cappella arrangement of "Up on the Housetop;" and "Star of Bethlehem" and "Merry Christmas, Merry Christmas" from the Home Alone movies.

The pop favorite "Santa Baby" will be performed by the girls of the chorus, featuring soloist Jill Britton and Santa Claus (Nick McWilliams); the boys will perform "You're a Mean One, Mister Grinch," featuring Eli Kolovic, Graeme Shappell and the Grinch (Austin Britton).

Chorale members are Jackie Augustitus, Jill Britton, Austin Britton, Richard Brown, Zachary Druckenmiller, Thomas Eby, Heather Elliott, Amy Frasch, Tevin Gonzalez, RJ Gurba, Brady Haupt, Eli Kolovic, Katie Madara, Nick McWilliams, Leah Mirolli, Darian Paul, Anne Richardson, Ashley Ripa, Kevin Schank, Jessica Schleig, Kaitlyn Schrader, Graeme Shappell, John Sheipe, Elizabeth Stevens, Cole Supsic, Gabrielle Velez, David Wolfe and Jessica Wywadis.

Chorus members include TJ Alderson, Elizabeth Barak, Alex Black, Madison Blackwell, Samantha Carpenter, Jeannette Costa, Feather Duncan, Jarred Jones, Kyle Kauffman, Dariah Korbich, Kasandra Lisiewicz, Kayla Martins, Marcella Nahodil, Ashley Pennell, Nicholas Phillips, Sara Snyder, Samantha Startzel, Wanda Sulouff, Rebecca Wargo, Eric Weikel and Taylor Youells.

The ensembles are under the direction of Mary Anne Stump. Piano accompanists are Jill Britton and Bonny Klinger. Percussionist is Tyler Forbes.

HARRISBURG - The annual base salary for state lawmakers will automatically increase 1.6 percent to $85,356, but a number of lawmakers representing northeast Pennsylvania said they won't accept it.

This $1,344 cost-of-living increase is tied to an inflation index based on the federal consumer price index for the Mid-Atlantic states; it's adjusted annually under terms of a 1995 law.

The 2014 base salary was $84,012, but legislative leaders receive extra stipends.

Since the pay increase is automatic, lawmakers need to take a proactive step to avoid receiving the extra money, either by writing a refund check to the state Treasury, sometimes on a monthly or quarterly basis, or by giving it to charity.

As a result of their decisions, some lawmakers will collect the 2014 salary of $84,012 throughout 2015, while a few will continue to collect the salary in effect at the time they first took office.

The governor and cabinet secretaries, judges and elected state row officials also receive automatic COLAs. Gov. Tom Corbett has returned the COLA since he took office in 2011. Gov.-elect Tom Wolf has said he will not take the governor's new $191,000 annual salary.

However, the legislative COLA usually draws the most public scrutiny. That's because of lingering controversy over an abortive effort in 2005 to hike the base legislative salary while keeping the COLA.

The COLA will mean a pension bounce for individual lawmakers no matter what option they take, said Capitol activist Eric Epstein of RockTheCapital.com.

"This is a major impact for Pennsylvania taxpayers," he said.

Lawmakers gave various reasons for their decisions. At the height of the recession, many in this region cited concerns about the high jobless rate as a reason for not taking the COLA, but less was heard about that subject this year with an improving economy.

Where lawmakers stand

Sen. John Gordner, R-27, Berwick, said he plans to donate the COLA to several charities. Rep. Kurt Masser, R-107, Elysburg, said he'll do likewise, though he hasn't yet chosen which ones.

"I'd much rather have the money stay local," as opposed to being returned to the Treasury, he said.

"I do not agree with the automatic cost-of-living adjustments, and will continue my practice of donating them to local charities," said Sen. Lisa Baker, R-20, Lehman Township, Luzerne County.

Baker said she will again sponsor a bill next session to abolish the automatic raises.

Sen. John Blake, D-22, Archbald, said he will continue his practice of contributing the COLA to charities in his district. He said he has cosponsored bills to end COLAs and expressed hope they will be passed in the next session.

Rep. Marty Flynn, D-113, Scranton, said he plans to use the increase to underwrite the cost of a Christmas event next month where bikes and toys are distributed to children.

Rep. Sid Michaels Kavulich, D-114, Taylor, said he returns the COLA each year to the state Treasury, a policy noted on his legislative website.

"I believe it's taxpayers' money," he said.

Rep. Mike Tobash, R-125, Pottsville, said he plans to accept the salary increase. He said he intends to do a good job as a lawmaker in the new session advocating issues he's worked on, like public pension reform.

Sen.-elect Mario Scavello, R-40, Mount Pocono, plans to donate the COLA to charities. As a House lawmaker, Scavello said he has traditionally donated from $5,000 to $6,000 of his base salary to charities.

"I return it (COLA) to the Treasury," said Rep. Gerald Mullery, D-119, Newport Township, Luzerne County. He said his salary is the $78,315 in effect when he took office in 2011.

Rep. Eddie Day Pashinski, D-121, Wilkes-Barre, said he plans to donate his COLA to the United Way and other charities.

Rep. Tarah Toohil, R-116, Butler Twp., plans to give the majority of her COLA to area charities.

Likewise, Rep. Frank Farina, D-115, Jessup, plans to give his COLA to charities, said aide Dave Valvano.

Rep. Mike Carroll, D-118, Avoca, plans to refund the COLA to the state Treasury. He will receive the 2014 base salary.

"As I have done in the past, I will return the COLA to the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania," said Rep. Karen Boback, R-117, Harveys Lake, referring to the treasury option.

Sen. John Yudichak, D-14, Plymouth Twp., said he plans to continue donating COLA funds to local charities "as much as personal family obligations permit."

Yudichak said he voted against and did not take a legislative pension boost in 2001 and the 2005 pay raise.

Rep. Jerry Knowles, R-124, Tamaqua, said he will refund his COLA to the state Treasury as in previous years.

Sen. David Argall, R-29, Tamaqua, is reviewing several options, but has made no decision yet on the COLA, spokesman Jon Hopcraft said.

THARPTOWN - While Jared Dunn appears to be a typical eleventh-grade student at Shamokin Area High School, he's already had the highest award Coal Township can bestow given to him by spending each Christmas season transforming the park in Tharptown into a winter wonderland.

Jared said he began working on the Christmas display since before he could remember.

Scott Dunn, said his son's involvement began "as soon as he could walk."

Building elaborate Christmas displays run in the Dunn family.

"My grandfather used to do something similar at his house," said Scott, who grew up on the 400 block of Center Street in Tharptown.

Scott still provides his help with the Christmas display by building the wooden statues.

"I hope he never stops so I have to do it," said Jared.

The set-up process begins about two months prior to Christmas. Jared's mother selects and designs the new wooden statue for Scott to build. Each wooden figurine is displayed in front of the family's house for one Christmas before moving across the street to the park for the big-time show.

"We have something new here every year," said Scott.

With this help of his siblings, Jared then unpacks the statues from their storage space in two sheds in the park. Once the official light-up arrives, Jared takes care of manually powering up the display daily as well as turning it off between 11 p.m. and midnight.

The park now displays 110 wooden statues, alongside three inflatable and 325 made of plastic.

Jared likes the plastic statues best. His favorite is a group of carolers that sit atop the park's bleachers.

The collection is impressive, and includes Christmas classics, like a Nativity scene, as well as rarities, like the Three Stooges.

But Jared said he's having difficulty continuing to add new plastic statues each year as fewer companies are producing them in favor of inflatable yard decorations. He and his family search yard sales and auctions year-round in search of them.

"They're getting really hard to find," he said.

While donations help offset the cost of the growing display, much of it is paid for by the Dunn family.

"We take donations and sometimes we put our own money into it," said Jared. "All the plastic stuff we buy."

Coal Township helps out by providing electricity to light the displays and arranges and pays for deer to be kept on site.

Coal Township Commissioners have long been supportive of the Dunn's display. Two years ago Jared received an official proclamation by Coal Township commissioners for the work he voluntarily performs building the display each year.

"That kid's just wonderful," said Coal Township Commissioner Craig Fetterman. "If we could put him on a podium we would."

He noted that families like the Dunns and the Pearsons, who plant and maintain flower gardens alongside Route 61 each year, help make Coal Township a brighter, more vibrant place to live.

"People like that are good people," said Fetterman. "It's just something that's great for the community."

The Annual Tharptown Christmas Display Lighting takes place at 7 p.m. Saturday. Visitors can enjoy free hot cocoa and cookies while listening to Christmas music. Santa may make an appearance if his schedule at the North Pole permits a brief vacation.

MANDATA - The Line Mountain Advisory Council met in the Line Mountain High School cafeteria Oct. 30 to discuss the development of the K-12 School Counseling Program and how it is linked to Chapter 339.

Members from the five stakeholder groups included representatives from the community, parents, post-secondary, educators and students.

Information was provided on the Career Education and Work Standards and how they can be integrated into the curriculum.

School counselors Lon Balum, Jennifer Heitzman and Carol Kruskie spoke about their goals for the year and the school counseling mission statement at Line Mountain.

Participants worked in small groups, where they discussed traits that employers look for in hiring candidates.

State Rep. Lynda Schlegel Culver, R-108, was among the community members who took part.

HAZLETON - The Viennese Christmas concert presented by Hollywood Concert Orchestra is at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday at Hazleton Area High School. It was incorrectly listed in the December calendar on Page C1 of Sunday’s edition as taking place Dec. 12.

Call Amelia at 570-788-4864 or Joan at 570-455-0990 for reservations.