Does prayer really work?

SHAMOKIN - The impact prayer on people's everyday lives will be explored at 7 p.m. Thursday at the Lifetree Cafe event at Antioch Place, 531 N. Market St.

The program, titled "How Does Prayer Work? Exploring the Mystery of Connecting With God," features filmed interviews with Nathan Matz and Tosha Williams, two people who pray daily, but in very different ways.

"I originally thought prayer was about pleading to God like he was a genie in a bottle," Matz said. "Prayer to me now is about trust. When I pray, sometimes I'm crying, sometimes I'm laughing, sometimes I'm screaming, and sometimes I'm angry. When I pray, I find God continuously pushing me into deeper waters."

Admission to the 60-minute event is free. Snacks and beverages are available. For more information, contact Kathy Vetovich at 570-672-9346 or kvetovich@gmail.com.

Food distribution this weekend

ATLAS - The Mount Carmel Township food pantry will have its monthly distribution from 9 to 11 a.m. Saturday at the township complex in Atlas, for those that signed up. Participants must re-register for the coming fiscal year and signups will be available Saturday. Proof of residency is required.

SHAMOKIN - The Shamokin Area Elementary PTA is currently looking for volunteers to be a room parent, grade representative and the chairperson for the following open positions for the 2015-16 school year: historian, field trip K4 through grade 4, field trip grade 5, field trip grade 6, school chair, student interest and activity.

Holders of each position must be a current member of the PTA, and per school policy have current Act 34 (criminal) and Act 151 (child abuse) clearances. The Act 34 and 151 clearances will be free to volunteers applying for them after July 25. You must check the box for being a volunteer when applying for clearances. You are also required to have FBI fingerprint clearances done under the "Education" option.

If you have questions or are interested in any of the open positions, email the PTA at saespta2015@yahoo.com with your name, phone number and position you are interested in.

SUNBURY - Inside the Sunbury skating rink, the skaters are rounding turns at a fast and furious pace.

As the pack jostles for position, pivots set the pace for blockers, while the jammers are using their four-wheeled speed to score points as best they can.

Welcome to a practice for the Susquehanna Valley Derby Vixens, a roller derby team that competes in the rough-and-tumble sport. The 12-member team, which includes colorful characters such as "Meecha Maker," team president; "Candee Heartless," team liaison, and "Punky," a player-coach, began their foray into roller derby in 2010 in Williamsport.

Heartless and Punky, real names Ashley Smith and Julie Stellfox, respectively, are two of the elder stateswomen on the squad. Smith has been on the team for five years, Stellfox for four.

"I remember seeing an ad in the paper looking for skaters, and I just thought it would be so much fun, a great way to take out aggression," Smith said.

"I had a friend who was on a team and I watched a bout, and I was just hooked," Stellfox said.

Despite the enthusiasm, the team's future is uncertain as it searches for a new home.

The rules

Roller Derby was once a popular television sport in the 1960s and '70s, but the ladies say the sport has changed in recent years.

"Roller derby in the past was more choreographed and rehearsed. Today, we still have the personalities, but it is very real. Every skater is an athlete," Smith said.

Competing on a flat, oval track with a 15-foot wide skating lane, roller derby bouts consist of two 30-minute periods. Each period consists of "jams" lasting two minutes.

During a typical jam, one skater from each team acts as the pivot, setting the pace for the pack of blockers. At the back of the pack are the jammers, one skater from each team whose role is to pass the members of the pack as many times as possible.

Teams score one point each for each opposing skater they pass during jams, and the jammers have the option of stopping play at any point in the two minutes by tapping their hips twice.

There are plenty of bumps, bruises and injuries that are suffered during bouts. The rule of thumb for the Vixens: It's not a matter of if you will get hurt - but when.

"Injuries are real in roller derby. It's why when we have bouts, we usually only have one or two a month to help us recuperate," Smith said.

"I've torn my ACL, strained my rotator cuff," Stellfox said. "We've also seen some nasty breaks of ankles."

It doesn't deter the skaters, however, who come from as far as Trevorton and Williamsport to practice in Sunbury.

"We are serious about this, and we want to compete and show what we can do," Stellfox said.

New rink needed

The team's next bout will be Saturday in Clearfield against the Rink Assassins. The Vixens would love to host a bout for hometown fans, but first need to find a new home.

Currently, the team is using the city's ice rink as its temporary base. Come September, Sunbury will begin filling the rink to make ice, so the Vixens will need to find another place to play.

"That is something I was working on all day the other day," said skater Heather Lahr, of Trevorton, who skates under the name "XXX-Rae."

"We need a space of 10,000 square feet to accommodate the track for skaters and a referee lane outside the track."

The total playing area is 108 feet long by 75 feet wide. The rest of the space is for fan seating and penalty boxes.

"There are a lot of people that worry that we are going to mess up their floor, but we have our own floor we can lay down," Smith said. "We just need the space."

On the Net: www.svderbyvixens.com.

HARRISBURG - Members of the State House of Representatives return in session today, 20 days into the state budget impasse with Gov. Tom Wolf.

State Rep. Kurt Masser is getting ready to return to Harrisburg, where it is expected to be business as usual. This time, only the House will return in session, no Senate.

Masser said though that work will continue on trying to establish a budget for Pennsylvania.

"The leadership in the House and Senate have been up here working. They are the ones meeting with the Governor, not the rank and file members," Masser said Sunday. If something comes up with the budget negotiations, the Senate will come back to Harrisburg.

Surprisingly, the local representative said he hasn't heard from local agencies and school districts about the budget impasse and the effect the lack of funding is having.

"That has surprised me, but I suspect it will be happening sooner than later," Masser said.

Recently, Gov. Wolf vetoed bills for that would bring pension reform, and privatize the state liquor system. Masser was in favor of both bills.

"Both bills are something desperately needed for significant savings to the commonwealth and to gain revenue, and it's disappointing that the governor would just veto it like that," Masser said.

With the liquor privatization bill, Masser said studies have shown that 77 percent of the public want it to happen.

"Pennsylvania residents travel to other areas and see how convenient it is to purchase these products, and want that convenience here," he said.

Masser said he has also seen the recent budget proposal by fellow Rep. Eugene DiGirolamo, of Bucks County, a "middle of the road" budget proposal that increases education funding by levying a tax on Shale gas productions and increases the personal income tax, but without pension reform or the state getting out of the liquor business. Masser says he does not agree with it.

"There are just too many tax increases, and the folks that I've talked to do not agree with it," Masser said. "His intentions are good, but it will not fly with my constituents."

BURNSIDE - Construction work has begun on Phase II at the Anthracite Outdoor Adventure Area (AOAA), despite an announcement that some aspects of the project will be reopen for bidding after the initial apparent winners failed to fill out required documents. Phase II work includes an event center, a concrete pad near the trailhead and a storage shed for equipment.

Authority members announced at Monday's meeting electrical work will be rebid because Kreco Electric Inc.'s bid of $35,500 was rejected by the state for not completing information on minority and women-owned businesses.

Because the project is funded using state grant money, after the authority awards a bid, it is then approved or rejected by the state. Authority member Pat Mack said proposals of four bidders were rejected by the state because the firms did not complete the line on minority and women-owned businesses, which was new to the form this year.

Although one other bid was received for electrical work, authority chairman Jim Backes said the authority opted to reject it and reopen bidding because it was nearly double the price.

The new bids are due Friday, and a special meeting will be held at 6:15 p.m. Aug. 3 at the trailhead to identify the low bidders. A regularly scheduled work session will commence at 6:30 p.m.

The initial awardee for plumbing work, Bognet Inc., of Hazleton, was also rejected by the state for not completing the information on minority and women-owned businesses. At a bid of $27,508, Bognet had been the second lowest the authority had received. The lowest bid, $26,292 by SSM Industries Inc., of Campbelltown, was disqualified after required paperwork was not included in the bid packet.

The third lowest bidder, W. C. Eshenaur & Son, Inc., will now complete plumbing work at an increased cost of about $5,000.

Backes said the re-bidding will not slow work on the project, which us expected to be completed in mid-October.

Agpoint Construction Services, of Quarryville, arrived early Monday morning to begin the general contracting work.

Authority members Michael Schwartz and Jim Crowl were absent from the meeting.

In other business:

- The authority approved a $27,528.35 payment to Michael Baker International, the engineer for Phase II. The money will be paid from the DCNR Phase II grant.

- The first AOAA non-motorized trail opened. Visitors are advised to use caution when in the area of the Phase II construction.

- Jeep Jamboree USA will be held July 31 to Aug. 1.

- The authority approved the purchase of cellular trail cameras at a cost not to exceed $1,700.

Operations Director David Porzi requested the purchase of the cameras, which he said would detect movement, snap a photo and instantly email it to members of the AOAA staff.

"If someone is crazy enough to steal it, it will also be traceable," he said.

SHAMOKIN - Eight of the 16 teens from Philadelphia cited by Coal Township police in May for underage drinking at a rented half-double home at 1631 E. Webster St. pleaded guilty Monday to violating a noise/disturbance ordinance in exchange for the withdrawal of underage drinking charges.

Magisterial District Judge John Gembic III ordered Alyson Benzenhafer, Marissa Maceira, Emelia Lee, Sean Murray, Amanda Fagan, Ronald Shousky III, Jessica Beideman and Jonathan Wojtiw, who are all 18, to pay a $300 fine plus costs.

By pleading guilty to the ordinance violation instead of underage drinking, the teens will not lose their license for 90 days and will not have the summary offense go on their driver's record. Gembic said the guilty pleas also will save time and money because multiple officers involved in the case will not have to testify at a summary trial.

Kathleen Knowles, 18; Bryan Pacan 18; Leah Mulholland, 18, and Tyler McVeigh, 18, previously pleaded guilty to underage drinking and were fined $300 plus costs. Warrants remain active for James Rosas, 18; Jennie Dayton, 18; Charles Gangloff, 19, and Adam Valentin, 20, who have not entered guilty pleas in the case or requested a summary trial.

The teens were charged in connection with a May 15 underage drinking party at the home owned by Brett Russell, of Upper Augusta Township, who rents the property under Russell Rentals. Russell was not cited in the incident.

Cpl. Terry Ketchem and Patrolman Edward Purcell filed the citations.

Ketchem previously said police seized more than 18 cases of beer, several coolers of beer, several bottles of liquor and bags containing alcohol.

The corporal said the home had deplorable conditions including a non-working toilet. A rusted jagged pipe sticking out of the ground caused a female teen who was not cited for underage drinking to suffer a laceration on her leg that required stitches.

The property is described on Russell Rentals' website as a "remodeled cozy cottage" that sleeps up to 10 people.

In May 2012, Russell rented out a home on Sheridan Street a couple blocks away in the Springfield section of the township to 22 teens from the Philadelphia area who were cited for underage drinking. That property also was marketed for vacation rental.

Russell, who was cited for a code violation regarding occupancy limits relating to the 2012 incident, said it was not his intention to rent a party house.

On July 9, Coal Township commissioners adopted a new ordinance banning short-term rentals.

The law doesn't impact owner-occupied rental properties like bed and breakfasts, according to township solicitor Vincent Rovito, and wouldn't apply to lodging like hotels, either. It does, however, bar anyone from renting a home, apartment or room to someone for 30 days or less. Violators face a maximum penalty of $1,000 fine and a year in jail.

Rovito and Commissioner Gene Welsh said the ordinance was established to prevent anyone from renting a property to a large group for a weekend and creating a nuisance.

WEIGH SCALES - A turning lane created on northbound Route 61 at the site of multiple motor-vehicle accidents over the past few years officially went into use Monday, PennDOT reported.

The two-way left-turn lane replaces the northbound passing zone between Mountain Road (Route 2020) near the Wayside Inn and Irish Valley Road (Route 4026), a stretch of about a half-mile in Ralpho Township.

The change was implemented following a traffic study conducted by PennDOT. It's part of a $1.7 million resurfacing project between Route 487 in Paxinos and Mountain Road, for which construction is expected to continue until the end of the month.

Since 2009, at least 11 crashes have occurred where Mountain Road, on the east side, and Bridge Street, on the west, connect to Route 61. One was a fatality and another last summer nearly killed Pennsylvania Army National Guardsman Cory Thompson.

Thompson's mother, Andrea Rollman, of Shamokin, started a petition to have a left-turn lane installed at the intersection after the crash. A 17-year-old Shamokin girl was cited for careless driving in connection with the crash, in which her car slammed into the back of Cory Thompson's motorcycle as he waited in the northbound passing lane of Route 61 to make a left turn onto Bridge Street.

The family had contacted state Rep. Kurt Masser, R-107, who contacted PennDOT about conducting the traffic study.

PennDOT's study found "the implementation of turn lanes through this area is justified."

Extending the turning lane north from the Wayside intersection allows it to tie into the existing left-turn lane for Irish Valley Road, near Masser's Farmers Market.

Masser, owner-operator of the Wayside Inn, had said he supported a turning lane at the intersection, noting the left-turn lane installed at Irish Valley Road a number of years back has helped reduce the amount of crashes in that area.

PennDOT asks motorists to drive with caution through the work zone and be alert for the changed traffic pattern.

Volunteers needed to clean town park

MOUNT CARMEL - Volunteers are needed at the Mount Carmel Town Park at the gazebo from 6 to 8 p.m. today for a clean-up in preparation for this weekend's Picnic in the Park. Volunteers are asked to bring their own gloves and tools. Garbage bags will be provided.

Community service set this week

COAL TOWNSHIP - Community service detail through the office of Magisterial District Judge John Gembic III is scheduled for 9 a.m. Wednesday and Saturday. Participants should meet at the Coal Bowl.

'Transportation Tuesday' set for August

SUNBURY - PA CareerLink Northumberland, Snyder and Union Counties will be offering "Transportation Tuesday" at 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. Tuesday, Aug. 4, 225 Market St. on the third floor of the Sunbury Municipal Building, next to the courthouse. This session will introduce the process required to attain a CDL license, review possible funding sources, and feature former students and representatives from over-the-road and short run trucking companies, training schools and local transportation companies hiring auxiliary positions such as yard jockey, dock workers or warehousing/logistics positions.

Call 570-988-7300 to register. Free parking for customers is offered directly behind the building.

SHAMOKIN - A magisterial district judge who has presided over numerous hearings involving rundown, vacant properties has become a victim of blight himself.

John Gembic III, who has owned the brick, three-story, former Albertini garage at the corner of Franklin and Commerce streets since 1989, is frustrated over damage done to his property over the years that has resulted from deteriorating conditions at an attached building at 703 N. Shamokin St. formerly owned by the late Larry Burda.

The City of Shamokin purchased the property from Burda's estate for $1 about two weeks ago and plans to demolish it. Gembic said demolition can't come too soon.

The judge, who owns several properties in the city and Coal Township, has experienced constant water leaks, cracks in the walls, roof damage and partial building and material collapses.

The most recent problem, which Gembic discovered Wednesday night, involves bricks from a crumbling third-floor wall at the rear of the Shamokin Street property falling onto his second-story rubber roof.

Gembic uses the large structure as a storage facility for approximately 30 vehicles and personal belongings, including four of his own classic cars that he had to move to another section of the building to avoid possible damage. He said other vehicles in the building are safe for now.

"I'm no different than others being affected by blight," Gembic said Monday. "The city has been aggressively addressing the issues since Burda's death in 2014, but it's just frustrating dealing with all these problems caused by someone else's property."

When contacted Monday afternoon, Shamokin Code Enforcement Officer Rick Bozza said he was quite aware of the problems Gembic has faced over the years and doesn't blame him for being frustrated considering the amount of money he has tied up with the cars and other personal belongings in the building. But he's confident the building will be razed in the near future.

"It took a long time for the city to acquire the building from the Burda estate," Bozza explained. "But since we purchased it, the property at 703 N. Shamokin St. has been scheduled for demolition." He said bids for the work will be opened at the Aug. 10 council meeting.

After demolition, Bozza said proper repairs will be made to Gembic's building including making it "water tight."

The code enforcement officer said the city, which will pay for the demolition, and contractor will be responsible for making sure the proper repairs are made to Gembic's storage facility.

"The city is doing its part to rectify the problems," Bozza said.

At their July 13 meeting, city council members announced 701-703 N. Shamokin St. and 717-719 N. Shamokin St. will be torn down with Keystone Communities grant funding.

CATAWISSA R.R. - Southern Columbia Area School District is looking to save $800,000 over the next five years by outsourcing its transportation services to a Clearfield bus firm.

The move, however, could cost 24 district-employed bus drivers their jobs.

At Monday night's board meeting, the board unanimously voted to approve a notice of intent to enter a five-year contract with Fullington School Bus LLC, to provide student transportation services to the district, starting with the 2015-2016 school year, and will purchase the district's buses at an estimated cost of $460,000.

The firm could be hired by the board at a special meeting Monday if the terms of an acceptable contract can be reached.

With transportation being outsourced, the board voted later in the meeting to give a notice of intent to eliminate 24 bus driver positions for economic reasons.

Fullington was one of three companies invited June 17 to speak with bus drivers and make a public proposal to the board.

The firm's representative, Jonathan Berzes, said Fullington offers drivers the opportunity to work during the summer, either through motorcoach tours or shuttle bus runs, and that the company employs "creative but legal" methods to get full reimbursement from the state.

Transparency

Public critics balked at the district's choice last month due to the fact at the June 17 meeting Fullington spoke about their company publicly, but then outlined their proposal to the board in an executive session.

Board member Timothy Vought said Monday he thought the motion was going to be a discussion item, but fellow member Charlie Porter said it was a necessity due to ongoing contract negotiations with non-instructional employees.

"We were told by their union there would not be a vote taken on the contract until we made a decision on transportation," Porter said.

District mechanic Derek Stine accused the board of pulling the wool over the eyes of the employees and the taxpayers.

"This has been the best kept secret in the area," Stine said. "There is a rumor there is $800,000 in savings. Where is it? We have been asking for documented proof and we get none."

"The district has lost money in the last five years on transportation," superintendent Paul Caputo. "This should have been done before."

"I have been asking for figures about our transportation costs on what we spent over what a private company would and get no response," Stine said. "You talked earlier about transparency, but there has been none here."

The motion to go with Fullington was made on a 9-0 vote with directors Gail Zambor Schuerch, Charlene Cove, Kaye Keller, Charles Porter, Michael Yeager, John Yocum, Thomas Reich, Timothy Vought and Joe Klebon voting yes.

In other business

At Monday's meeting:

- The school board appointed the firm of Wagner, Dreese, Elsasser and Associates P.C. to audit the district's financial records for the past fiscal year at a cost of $14,900.

- Rates were approved for the district's health insurance with Highmark Blue Shield. Business manager Denise Kreisher said monthly rates are increasing for employees.

- The board corrected several of the athletic salaries from last month's meeting. The corrections were as follows:

- Assistant baseball coach Matthew Diltz, $1.500 (from $1.300).

- Head varsity girls basketball coach Kimberly Chaundy changed to $3,000 at her request (from $4,500).

- Head junior high field hockey coach Ellen Sosnoski, $1,800 (from $2,294).

- Assistant softball coach Michael Johnston, $1,500 (from $2,015).

Another salary corrected was that of secondary social studies teacher Brandon Traugh, hired last month. He was originally given a salary on step 4 of the Master's degree salary scale, but should have been on step 5 of the bachelor's degree salary scale.

- Theodore Deljanovan was named assistant track and field coach at a salary of $1,500.

HARRISBURG - Attorney General Kathleen G. Kane today warned residents of a recent computer repair telephone scam that has been reported in Fayette County.

The scam starts with a call from a person with a heavy accent who claims the recipient of the call is in need of a computer update or repair. The caller instructs the person to wire money to pay for the work, but no update or repair work is actually needed. In one reported case, a senior citizen who did not even own a computer was a target of this scam.

The caller in some cases has stated he is calling from Los Angeles, according to information reported to the Office of Attorney General. Some of these scam calls also have reportedly originated from a phone with a 509 area code - which traces to the state of Washington - but it is possible the scammers are using the practice of "caller ID spoofing."

This allows callers to deliberately falsify the telephone number and/or name relayed on a person's caller ID, according to the Federal Communications Commission. In some cases, these calls may actually originate from out of the country.

Attorney General Kane offered the following tips to help prevent consumers from becoming victims of telephone scams:

- Never give out personal information over the telephone.

- Never give out billing information over the phone, especially if you receive an unsolicited telephone call from a stranger.

- Never wire money or purchase green dot-type prepaid cash cards in response to a telephone appeal, whether it is from a stranger or someone who claims to know you.

- Never let emotion or fear overcome your common sense. If you get a call for money from a friend or relative, slow down and verify everything. Don't let anyone rush you.

- Never give out sensitive information to anyone on the phone unless you initiated the call to a company you are certain is legitimate.

- Never forget that you are in control. You can always hang up, find a company's number and call it directly.

Consumers may file a complaint regarding the computer repair scam or other phone scams by calling the Office of Attorney General's Bureau of Consumer Protection's toll-free helpline number at 1-800-441-2555 or online at www.attorneygeneral.gov.

SHAMOKIN - A very grateful city couple described the recent recovery of their cute and cuddly "morky" as a miracle.

The brown-haired Maltese and Yorkshire mixed dog, which was missing for almost a month, was reunited with its owners, Dave and Judy Wolfe, of 100 S. Sixth St., late Saturday night in a wooded area between Raspberry Hill and Burnside after being captured in a coyote trap set by animal recovery specialist Bonnie Snyder, of Bellabons Pet Recovery Services, Muncy.

"We never thought we would see Emma again," Dave Wolfe said. His wife added, "It's a miracle. She looked like she just got back from a war when she was found. She had twigs all over her. Her skin was rubbed open in different areas and some of her hair was missing."

Dave Wolfe said the dog, which was missing since June 20, lost about four pounds in the past month. It now weighs 8 1/2 pounds.

Despite its wounds and frail condition, the 5 1/2-year-old canine is expected to make a full recovery, according to Dave Wolfe. "We took it to Sunbury Animal Hospital to get examined and everything seems to be OK at this point," he said.

Snyder, who was treated to dinner Monday night by the Wolfes at Brewser's Sports Bar and Grille, said the couple contacted her about a week after Emma went missing. She said the dog was initially sighted in a wooded area near the Fifth Street playground, where Snyder set up a food station and trail cameras in hopes of recovering the dog. The Wolfes later received information that Emma was spotted in the Ferndale section of Coal Township, where another food station and trail cameras were established with no results.

Snyder said a scent dog and its handler from Virginia hired by the Wolfes were able to track the dog to a wooded area between Raspberry Hill and Burnside after family friend Becky Broscious spotted the dog walking along Route 125 near Burnside.

Snyder said the dog, which could be heard barking at times, was captured at about 10:45 p.m. in a coyote trap she set. She said the trap didn't hurt the dog in any way.

Snyder said Emma was shaved at Sunbury Animal Hospital and given some antibiotics. She added, "Emma is doing really well."

The Wolfes, who have owned Emma for about 4 1/2 years, are forever grateful to Snyder, the scent dog and its handler, other animal lovers, friends, neighbors and relatives who helped search for Emma since she ran from their yard after firecrackers went off in the neighborhood.

They placed missing dog ads in The News-Item, put pictures of the canine on Facebook and spent significant time and money searching for their pet.

"We just want to thank everyone who was involved in looking for Emma," Dave Wolfe said. "We will never forget their kindness."

SUNBURY - A second malpractice suit was filed Friday against a former Shamokin dentist in the wake of his disaccreditation after he failed to keep records proving he sanitized his tools.

Charles Backes Jr., of 870 W. Mulberry St., Coal Township, is the second of Dr. Vince J. Paczkoskie's former patients to file a lawsuit claiming he tested positive for an infectious disease after Paczkoskie used improperly sanitized dental instruments on him.

Matthew A. Weikel, of Coal Township, filed a similar suit June 24. Both men are being represented by Donald J. Feinberg of The Feinberg Firm, Philadelphia, in their county lawsuits.

Like Weikel, Backes did not specify which disease he contracted but said it was discovered during routine bloodwork in July 2014. He had been a patient of Paczkowskie since 2006 or 2007, the lawsuit said.

Backes charges Paczkoskie with assault and battery and negligence and is seeking monetary award through financial compensation.

Paczkoskie, who practiced at 315 N. Shamokin St., surrendered his dentistry license in September after the Department of Health said the then 74-year-old failed to maintain common health standards.

He had no records to prove equipment was being sterilized since at least June 2013, failed to disinfect instruments before reuse, and had no contract for medical waste disposal, according to the Department of Health. A single dental handpiece, or drill, was found among the tools when they inspected the office.

The state urged all current or former patients be tested for hepatitis B, hepatitis C and HIV. An agreement with the state says he can never practice dentistry again in Pennsylvania.

Paczkoskie was first licensed in June 1965. His last renewal was April 2013. He was a longtime dental examiner for the Shamokin Area School District.

Slabtown church plans picnic

SLABTOWN - Our Lady of Mercy Church, "The Church in the Valley," will hold its annual picnic from 6 to 11 p.m. Friday and Saturday, July 31 and Aug. 1, off Route 42 in Slabtown, between Numidia and Catawissa.

The public is invited, rain or shine, to enjoy food, games, dancing and entertainment. There will be music by Kartune, a classic rock band, Friday. On Saturday, music by The 60s Boys, with some former Mudflap members, will be provided.

No coolers will be permitted on the church grounds.

MOUNT CARMEL - The 19th annual Picnic in the Park kicks off Thursday. The three-day event in Town Park will feature various vendors and live acts.

Mount Carmel Volunteer Emergency Services Association Inc. (MCVESA) sponsors the event to raise funds for the borough's fire companies and also for local charitable organizations.

Hours are 5 to 11 p.m. Thursday and Friday and noon to 11 p.m. Saturday. As of Tuesday evening, organizers said a parade would be held at 5 p.m. Saturday, but only if approval is granted by PennDOT to use or cross over any state roads.

Scheduled entertainment consists of The Shoreliners, from 7 to 11 p.m. Thursday; Radio Revival, from 7 to 11 p.m. Friday; Steve Smith, from 1 to 4 p.m. Saturday, and Marla & the Juniper Street Band, from 7 to 11 p.m. Saturday. Gymnasts from Gym Starz Gymnastics will demonstrate stunts at 2 p.m. Saturday. Smokey the Bear will make an appearance Saturday.

Organizers said about 20 vendors - many of those new to the event - will offer games and food. There will also be a basket raffle and charity organizations selling various items.

SUNBURY - Organizers of the Northumberland County Fair have expanded the event to four days for 2015 as they remain optimistic that the event can continue to grow.

The fair is a month away, Wednesday to Saturday, Aug. 19 to 22, but a kickoff event was held Tuesday at the site of the fair, the Tall Cedars Grove off of Seven Points road in Rockefeller Township, to help generate momentum for its 16th year.

This will be the second year at the Tall Cedars Grove, a move fair President Matthew Reader said proved worthy.

"The atmosphere we have here is something that is so great," he said. "We had a midway for the first time last year ... and you felt like you were at a county fair."

"We are grateful for the time that we spent at the Sunbury Armory, because they kept us in business," added Treasurer Dr. Jim Temple. "But it is just so much easier here to plan things without too many restrictions."

Opening day will kick off with the fair's first-ever garden tractor pull at 7 p.m.

"We have been told that we will have so many entries for that, it will go about three to four hours," Reeder said.

A popular display last year involved older farm machinery. Temple said that there will be even more pieces on display this year.

The fair will end with a fireworks display at 9 p.m. Saturday.

"We are spending a little bit more money so this year; our fireworks provider is bringing some of the bigger shells," Reeder said.

'Granny Pockets'

Tuesday's event featured a little old lady roaming the grounds, wearing a dress with large colorful pockets,

Roberta Molaro, who is doing public relations for the fair, created the character "Granny Pockets" at a church block party and brought her to the fair last year out of necessity.

"The clown that was supposed to be at the fair did not show, so I brought out the costume and it was a hit," Molaro said.

What are in the pockets? On one side, she has brain teasers to challenge kids, such as "What do you get when you cross a brook and a stream with bare feet?" The answer: "Wet feet."

The other pocket has trinkets and prizes.

"It's something fun to do, and I really love seeing all the smiles," Molaro said.

The fair will also feature performances by Jim the Singing Mailman, Van Wagner, Jay Smar, the Randall-Ginley Band, K.J. Reimensnyder-Wagner, the Mid-Life Cowboys Band, Tim Latshaw and The Frank Wicher Band.

Also new this year will be a high school band competition.

Once again, young and old will test their mettle with the farmers triathlon, a tradition at the Northumberland County Fair. Participants will compete in three events: hay bale throwing, hay bale stacking and the pedal tractor pull at 7 p.m. Friday.

"There is just so much do here that we want everyone to come out and enjoy it," Reeder said. "It's the best secret in the county that we don't want to be one anymore."

On the Net: www.northumberlandcountyfair.com.

MANDATA - The Line Mountain School Board remains with just eight members because nobody has applied for a vacant seat.

The district's 60-day window to approve a director to the seat formerly occupied by Daniel Zablosky, whose resignation was accepted May 26, will expire next week.

At the end of this time period, a resident of the district may file a petition to have a county judge appoint someone to the seat.

But district Solicitor Rich Roberts said it was unlikely anyone would do this because it would have been easier just to ask for consideration. Since no candidates currently exist, anyone qualified who volunteers for the position would be likely to get it.

"To do a petition, they have to have someone willing to serve," said board president Troy Laudenslager.

Though an announcement about the vacant seat has been posted on the district's website along with directions to send applications to the district office, nobody has indicated any interest, said Laudenslager.

Zablosky had two years remaining on his term at the time of his resignation. He represented a region covering West Cameron and Zerbe Township.

The board will shrink to seven members in November if no candidate is identified from Herndon Borough and Lower Augusta, Little Mahanoy, Washington and Upper Mahanoy townships. Lamont Masser, who currently holds the seat, has opted not to run again and no candidates ran in that region in the primary election.

Blaine Handerhan's attempt to vacate his child pornography conviction was denied Monday by a federal judge.

U.S. District Judge William W. Caldwell said Handerhan's motion to void the eight-year prison sentence he's currently serving lacked substance, and that it was based on civil procedure that has no bearing on criminal matters.

Handerhan retired from the Mount Carmel Police Department in 2005 and was indicted the following year. An investigation turned up more than 147,000 images and 1,200 video files on his personal computer at his home in Swatara Township, Lebanon County. He agreed to a plea agreement in October 2011 on a charge of possession of child pornography and was sentenced.

Handerhan filed a motion on his own behalf June 12, claiming the court, the prosecutor and his own attorney erred in permitting him to plead guilty without first completing a mental competency evaluation. He had previously been denied by the court a right to appeal the conviction.

In an answer to the convict's latest motion, James T. Clancy, assistant U.S. attorney, wrote that Handerhan was afforded thorough explanation and never raised the issue of mental competency.

"Handerhan was afforded due process. The court did not usurp any power," Clancy wrote.

Handerhan was hired for the Mount Carmel police force Jan. 30, 1975, and retired as a lieutenant Oct. 31, 2005. At one time he had served as the acting police chief.

CATAWISSA R.R. - Southern Columbia Area School Board has struck down a proposal to add a development office.

A plan to hire a person who would work on raising funds and fostering alumni relations was discussed at the board's meeting Monday night, but members ultimately decided against it by a 5-4 vote.

Superintendent Paul Caputo discussed the position prior to the meeting.

"We are hoping to find someone who is not afraid of a challenge," he said. "Getting this plan off the ground will be very labor-intensive and time-consuming."

Caputo said the job of the development office and its director would be to identify revenue streams that would help raise money for

projects for which the district cannot spare funding.

"It could be something as complex as purchasing a tool to help with our curriculum, to purchasing new musical instruments," Caputo said.

"There are probably many alumni students that, if they knew about projects that we were trying to raise money for, they would donate," Gail Zambor Schuerch said during the meeting. "No one wakes up and decides to give money to a school without knowing if there is a project going on."

President Michael Yeager, chairman of an ad hoc committee that has been looking into establishing the office, said he had hoped that the development director could be the bridge that brings the alumni organizations of Catawissa, Roaring Creek Valley and Ralpho Township together.

Caputo said the idea was to have the position funded by the district for the first two years, and possibly the third year. After that, it would be up to the director to make the office self-sustainable.

That made several directors take notice.

"This is money that we haven't budgeted for," Timothy Vought asked. "Tell me where is it going to come from."

Yeager said he hoped the money would come from the sale of the district's bus fleet, which the board voted on earlier in the meeting as it moved to privatize transportation.

"This all seems kind of vague to me," director Charles Porter said. "My personal feeling is that we are being led down the cattle chute. Since day one, we have asked to see alternatives. I still believe that the foundation route could be better with a group that would be separate from this board."

Zambor Schuerch, a member of the development committee with Yeager and Joe Klebon, had the last word before the vote.

"I understand all your questions, but it's hard to have all the answers when you are creating something new," Zambor Schuerch said.

Zambor Schuerch made the motion to create the office and Klebon seconded it. Yeager and John Yocum joined them in voting in favor, but Vought, Porter, Kaye Keller, Charlene Cove and Thomas Reich voted no.

The next motion was to establish a director of development position and authorize the administration to advertise for candidates. Zambor Schuerch made that motion, but it died for lack of a second.

Klebon asked one more question.

"Based on the vote, is it something that we still want to look into or is it dead in the water? I don't want to have my time wasted," he said.

One member suggested keeping the committee open with different members so those who voted no because they didn't have enough information could learn more about it. Yeager said it was something to consider.

MANDATA - Line Mountain School District will keep nearly half of the amount it withheld from a contractor after it said work at the high school was not completed satisfactorily.

The district will pay The Robert Feaster Corporation, Northumberland, just $100,000 of the $190,000 it has held since the company said it finished general contracting work at the junior/senior high school in fall 2013.

The two parties have been negotiating the retainer for the $1,335,300 contract since June 2014, after the district raised a claim to withhold payment over issues involving credits, change orders and unfinished work.

In response to the district's claim, The Robert Feaster Corporation had demanded $260,000.

Superintendent David M. Campbell said the district had initially offered $50,000 before ultimately settling on $100,000.

The settlement agreement, which was approved at Tuesday's board session on a 7-0 vote, shows the district and the contractor attended a mediation session March 31 before Robert A. Korn, a mediator and arbitrator from Blue Bell.

The district will also pay legal fees to the law firm it retained during the negotiations, McNees, Wallace & Nurick LLC, Harrisburg, but that cost has not yet been determined.

Two contacts signed Nov. 26, 2012, were in dispute: replacement of the HVAC system and the addition and renovations. Both projects took place at the junior/senior high school as part of a realignment of schools within the district.

In the settlement agreement for the payout, the district relinquishes the right for further action over the disputed work but retains construction warranties that would allow it to pursue action if faults are found.

Director David Scott Bartholomew was absent from the meeting.

In other news:

- The board accepted the resignation of middle/high school music teacher and band director Larry Fisher.

Campbell said Fisher is leaving for a position at a district near his family.

Two music teacher positions are now open at the district. Christine Sanders, who primarily instructed the middle grades, also resigned at the end of the school year.

Campbell said Fisher has been assisting in interviews for replacement instructors, and he expected to have finalists selected as early as next week.

"We had candidates today that I'd hire on the spot," Campbell said at Tuesday's meeting.

- The board approved a $.40 raise for classified staff members for the 2015-16 school year.

The classified staff, which includes most district employees who are not members of the teachers' union, had received an identical raise for the 2014-15 school year.

- Ashtin Klinger was hired as a health and physical education teacher at a salary of $32,838 effective Aug. 31.