Lions to deliver Easter meals

MOUNT CARMEL - Members of the Mount Carmel Lions Club will deliver meals on Easter from Divine Redeemer Church's Divine Mercy Hall.

Volunteers and Lions members should report to the hall by way of the Cherry Street entrance.

Tax office closed today, Monday

MOUNT CARMEL - The Mount Carmel Township-Marion Heights Borough tax office will be closed Saturday and Monday. It reopens Tuesday.

Third Degree exemplification planned

KULPMONT - Knights of Columbus Council 4281 in Kulpmont will sponsor a Third Degree Exemplification Sunday, May 18, at Holy Angels Activity Center, Fir Street.

Registration begins at noon. The ceremony starts at 1 p.m. A social and meal will be furnished after the degree at a charge.

Candidates are asked to notify their council's grand knight. He will report the number of candidates and guests attending the degree ceremony.

GORDON - For the 36th year in a row, the traditional "Trek of the Cross" on Good Friday was held in Gordon, moving along the borough streets reenacting the walk of Jesus Christ to Calvary.

One of the participants was Rose Yost, of Gordon, whose late husband, Elmer Yost, began the trek 35 years ago. She was dressed in the traditional garb of the time of Jesus, as were others who participated in the trek.

"It (the trek) honors what Jesus Christ did for each and every one of us," said Yost. "It started in 1979, so Elmer did it from 1979 to 1988, and in 1989, the year he died, Ed Labie took it over in portraying Jesus. He (Labie) had been one of the soldiers all along, so he just stepped into the role."

The tradition began when Elmer Yost picked up a large cross and walked through the streets portraying Jesus Christ to bring the salvation message of Good Friday to Gordon's homebound.

The first year, Yost did the trek by himself. The second year he had a friend come from Allentown as a soldier. On the third year, he rented two soldier costumes.

When he started the trek, Yost was an Allentown resident, but made regular visits to the borough and was a member of Simpson United Methodist Church in Gordon, as well as with a church in Allentown. The pastor at the time was interested in re-enactments and supported Yost in his idea.

Yost had planned to do the trek for 12 years - a year for each Apostle - with the hope that it would continue beyond that time. Shortly after the 10th trek, Yost passed away. In order to complete the intended 12 years of treks, Labie, Yost's nephew, picked up the cross in 1989 for the two remaining years. Those two treks became 21 treks, his last in 2009. In 2010, Frackville resident Jeffrey Nemeth, who is Labie's nephew, picked up the cross to continue the community tradition and the family tradition.

"He (Elmer Yost) wanted to bring the message of Good Friday to the homebound people," said Rose Yost. "Back in the 1970s and 1980s, if you didn't get to church, you really felt bad and felt like you were missing the whole holiday. That's why it started. It's a nice tradition and something to look forward to. "

Friday was the fifth time Nemeth put on the crown of thorns, purple sash and white robe for the trek, carrying the large cross through the streets. As with Yost and Labie, Nemeth walked as Jesus in bare feet.

"This is the first year I didn't grow the beard," said Nemeth, who was sporting a fake beard.

Near Nemeth was his five-year-old son, Jeffrey Jr., who Nemeth hopes will take over for him when he is old enough.

The trek began at 12:15 p.m. from Simpson United Methodist Church, the traditional starting place. The parsonage next to the church was used as the dressing room for Nemeth and the two centurions - Keegan Hubler, of Lavelle, and Brandon Herling, of Hazleton - who provided the Roman guard during the walk. Others who walked behind Jesus dressed in period costume or wore modern clothing.

The trek started from the church on Biddle Street and proceeded east to Hobart Street, where it turned left. The participants walked the entire length of the street, moved west to McKnight Street, walking the length of the street back to Biddle Street, where the trek turned left to end at Simpson UMC. Participants and onlookers entered the church for the 1 p.m. Good Friday service by Pastor John Wallace.

Gordon Fire Police provided traffic control.

COAL TOWNSHIP - The township street department has announced its street sweeper schedule. All vehicles must be removed from the designated streets by the designated times. Any vehicles not removed will be ticketed. More streets will be designated for cleaning throughout the month.

West side

Monday, April 21:

Morning: North side of Spruce Street from First to Ash Street.

Afternoon: South side of Spruce Street from First to Ash Street.

Tuesday, April 22:

Morning: North side of Pine Street from First to Locust Street.

Afternoon: South side of Pine Street from First to Locust Street.

Wednesday, April 23:

Morning: North side of Pine Street from Locust to Jackson Street.

Afternoon: South side of Pine Street from Locust to Jackson Street.

Thursday, April 24:

Morning: North side of Mulberry Street from First to Locust Street.

Afternoon: South side of Mulberry Street from First to Locust Street.

Friday, April 25:

Morning: North side of Mulberry Street from Locust to Jackson Street.

Afternoon: South side of Mulberry Street from Locust to Jackson Street.

East side

Monday, April 21:

Morning: Both sides of Chemung Street from Hunter Street to Pulaski Avenue; both sides of Hunter Street from Pulaski Avenue to Race Street.

Afternoon: Both sides of Sheridan Street from Pulaski Avenue to Tioga Street.

Tuesday, April 22:

Morning: Both sides of Webster Street from Hunter to Tioga Street.

Afternoon: Both sides of Clay Street from Emory to Howard Street.

Wednesday, April 23:

Morning: Both sides of Main Street in Brady.

Afternoon: Both sides of Seventh and Maple streets in Brady.

Uniontown

Thursday, April 24:

Morning: East side of Center Street from Rt. 61 to 16th Street.

Afternoon: West side of Center Street from Rt. 61 to 16th Street.

Friday, April 25:

Morning: East side of Center Street from 16th Street to Rt. 61.

Afternoon: West side of Center Street from 16th Street to Rt. 61.

PAXINOS - Under sunny skies, more than 300 people made the trek up the Paxinos Mountain for the annual Easter Service at the Cross sponsored by Boy Scout Troop 250.

The cross, which is visible from Route 61 heading toward Paxinos, has been a poignant and powerful fixture atop the mountain during the Easter season for the past 53 years. This year's service was the 27th edition; it wasn't held in 1994 because the grounds were inaccessible due to heavy snow cover.

"It's another beautiful day here, an answer

to our prayers," organizer Harvey Buriak said. "We've been praying since last year's service for good weather, and now we have it. We will start praying tomorrow for good weather for next year's service."

Saturday's service at the cross featured several speakers, including John Miller, the former Explorer Scout adviser who led the Scouts in placing the cross for the first time in 1961. Miller hasn't missed a service there since the tradition began.

"We all carried the pieces of unfinished wood up the trail and put the cross up, I think the rigging is the original rigging from back then," said Marty Reigle, who was one of the original Scouts.

"To shine the light, we carried two headlights and a car battery up the face of the mountain," George Nye, another original Scout, said. "This is always a special place for all of us, a place we can look up to and enjoy God's great work."

Alan Tucker, pastor of Cornerstone Christian Fellowship Church, of Lewisburg, guest speaker, offered his own perspective on resurrection by speaking about his own near-death experiences following a head-on collision.

"I laid there with nine broken bones and felt myself going away," Tucker said. "The sound of them cutting me out of the car woke me up. When I got to the emergency room, I could hear my own flatliner before I left, but they hit me with the paddles and got me back," Tucker said.

Tucker, who died once again on the operating table following that accident, spoke about seeing the white light and feeling himself floating on air, before coming back.

"I asked the doctor how long I was out because I thought it was something like 30 seconds. The doctor told me they worked on me for two hours before I came back," the pastor said.

Tucker said he wondered why God had brought him back from death. That answer came, he said, when he was asked to be the pastor for the Lewisburg church.

"God has a plan for all of us, and the Book of Revelation tells us that we will rise again when the trumpet will sound," he said. "The question is, are you ready for it?"

The crowd also heard from Scout Dexter Haight, who spoke about about being saved and letting Jesus into his heart.

"When Jesus Christ went onto the cross, He did it to absorb our sins and die, so that we all may live," Haight said. "He has said to us, 'I will forgive you, and I will change you, if you come to the cross.'"

The service featured musical selections from Ted Heitzman and Ed Begis, who led the crowd in the familiar hymn that has been the theme of the service for many years - "The Old Rugged Cross."

Following the service, the Scouts provided hot dogs and baked goods to those in attendance.

Boy Scout Troop 250 gave special thanks to the following for their help in preparing for this year's service: Knoebels Amusement Resort, Don Purcell, Ed Heitzman, Ed Begis, Bob Hile, Eleanor Shervinskie, Chuck Hopta, Jeff Probst and John Kurtz, Ryan Shevitski, Joe Long, Ted Heitzman, John Miller and Adam Richardson.

Trail ride set for Saturday

COAL TOWNSHIP - Anthracite Trail Riders (ATR) will hold a trail ride Saturday at the Anthracite Outdoor Adventure Area (AOAA) to benefit first responders in Shamokin, Coal Township and Zerbe Township.

Registration at the AOAA trailhead will stat at 8 a.m. and close at 1 p.m.

Donation is $20 per driver, $20 per passenger and $10 for anyone 12 years and younger. Helmets are required.

For information, contact Dennis Felty at 570-640-5735.

Dark, noisy and full of life are a few of the terms used to describe an anthracite coal breaker. Often built near the mouth of the main gangway of a mine, they processed different sizes of coal retrieved by miners deep inside the Earth. These structural kings of anthracite coal were considered just as important as the mines themselves.

As mines started to shut down in the latter part of the 1920s and early '30s, so did the once much-needed breakers. They became the victims of an arsonist's match, a wrecking ball or, in some cases, a stick of dynamite lit by a demolition team. One by one, breakers disappeared from the landscape, leaving behind little more than concrete foundations.

Prior to 1960, larger companies built several large-scale breakers to process the coal of various mining operations to compensate for the loss of smaller breakers. Newer technology and the continuing decline in demand for anthracite coal, however, eventually led to a series of closures of even these massive breakers.

They stood dormant for decades, photographed, vandalized and marveled over, dotting the black landscape. But now, just one remains.

Glen Burn

Perhaps the most recognizable of all anthracite breakers was the Glen Burn Breaker located along Route 61 at the Cameron Bridge just north of Shamokin in Coal Township. A few outbuildings and random pieces of I-beams are all that remain since the breaker was razed in 1986.

The mammoth man-made mountain of waste culm that sits behind the ruins of the Glen Burn Colliery (previously known as the Cameron Colliery) is a reminder of the amount of material that came through the breaker and its predecessors, the first of which was built in 1857, the last in 1939.

The Stevens Coal Co. built the all-steal breaker on the opposite side of Shamokin Creek from where the main gangway of the mine was located. The breaker was capable of processing 500 tons of coal an hour, including pea and nut coal, although it was unable to process smaller sizes, including buckwheat, barley and rice, which by the 1980s was growing in demand. It was a contract dispute, though, that eventually led to the breaker's demise.

Operations ceased at midnight May 31, 1984, when 120 members of the United Mine Workers went on strike against Kerris and Helfrick Inc., owners of the colliery since June 17, 1966. The strike ended March 13, 1986, when Edward Helfrick, co-owner of K&H, announced the company would be liquidated.

Demolition of the breaker began in July 1986 after Helfrick said the Department of Environmental Protection wanted it dismantled.

A boy's memories

As a boy in the 1960s, Tim Farrell grew up living in the shadow of the breaker at 65 E. Dewart St., known as the "superintendent's home," while his father, Michael III, was the superintendent of the operation.

The Farrells have a long history of working in the mines. Among them was Michael I, Tim's great-grandfather, who was fatally injured in the Henry Clay around 1876; and Michael II, Tim's grandfather, who was a mine foreman at the Hickory Swamp and Hickory Ridge collieries, both located near Lower Sagon in eastern Coal Township.

Farrell said his father did not like to "bring his work home," although at times it did follow him. Farrell recalled occasions when miners who needed to get mine plans approved by his father would show up while the family was having breakfast.

"With me it was more of a father-son thing. He would always be there to take me places," Farrell said. "The only times I really didn't see him for a few days was when there was an accident."

Decline of anthracite

In 1967, Michael moved his family to Pottsville to take a position as general manager of Reading Anthracite. Farrell believes a declining market for anthracite may have been a reason for his father taking a new job.

"He saw the decline of the whole thing. I remember him pointing at the coal bank and saying, 'That's where the future of this industry is,' " Tim said.

A foreshadowing, perhaps, was when his father put electric heat in their new home in Pottsville.

Huber Breaker

The Huber Breaker in Ashley, Luzerne County, recently met the same fate as the Glen Burn. Demolition of the 134-foot-tall building and outbuildings started earlier this year and is almost complete. More than 7,000 tons of coal per day was crushed, washed and sized for delivery to residential and commercial customers between 1939 and 1976.

Paselo Logistics, Philadelphia, bought the breaker and surrounding 26 acres of land for $1.3 million at a bankruptcy of Al Roman, owner of No. 1 Contacting Co., last year. Paselo took possession Oct. 11, and soon after began razing the buildings and selling the metal for scrap.

The sight of demolition was heart-breaking to members of the Huber Breaker Preservation Society, which for more than two decades fought unsuccessfully to save the breaker. Their goal was to convert it into an auditorium, restaurants and an artifact-laden museum, upon other things.

The society did salvage several artifacts, including two mine cars once used deep underground at the colliery. They will be displayed at Miners' Memorial Park, located on 3.1 acres of land near where the breaker stood.

Locust Summit

Another iconic breaker razed was the Locust Summit Central Breaker in Mount Carmel Township, just west of the small village of Merriam.

In the late 1920s, the Philadelphia and Reading Coal and Iron Company began a series of improvements that included the centralization of its breakers. All of these operations were combined into two large processing plants, the Locust Summit and the St. Nicholas Breaker, off Route 54 west of Mahanoy City.

The Locust Summit was built in 1929 at a cost of $4 million. A unique feature included a rotary dump in which a train car would be locked in placed, then turned upside down to off-load unprocessed coal. In its prime, the breaker was capable of producing 12,000 tons of coal per day.

A declining coal market and eventual bankruptcy of the railroad that served the breaker were two factors that played in to the breaker closing on Jan. 7, 1955. The closure affected several hundred men. In the fall of 2002, after decades of deterioration, the breaker was demolished. Lost was a vintage Reading Railroad hopper car still locked in the structure.

Last breaker standing

The last large-scale breaker built prior to 1960 that is still standing in the anthracite coal region is the St. Nicholas Breaker. The "St. Nick" took its name from its predecessor, which shipped its first coal on Christmas Day. The breaker opened March 11, 1931, and closed in 1963.

It was built with 3,800 tons of steel and 10,000 cubic yards of concrete. It processed an average of 12,500 tons of anthracite per day, according to "Mahanoy Area Revisited," a 2013 book in the Images of America series by Mahanoy Area Historical Society.

Last fall, Reading Anthracite Co., owner, completed a partial demolition of the breaker in order to retrieve a vein of coal underneath a potion of the property. Where the front loading area and the railroad loading area was now sits an open pit.

"It's been an eyesore for years. At one time, they were talking about turning it into a museum, but nothing happened with that," James Stevens, chairman of the Mahanoy Township supervisors, recently told The Republican-Herald.

For the time being, it appears the rest of the breaker will remain standing. Once known as the largest in the world, it now holds a much different title: the last breaker standing.

(Staff writers Paul Golias and Stephen J. Pytak contributed to this story.)

SELINSGROVE - Abriel Newton, of Elysburg, had work published in RiverCraft, an on-campus literary magazine at Susquehanna University.

RiverCraft includes fiction, poetry and photography and is printed annually in the spring. The name RiverCraft came into use in 2003, but the magazine's history dates back to 1964, when an on-campus literary journal with the title Focus was launched.

Newton had "Antoinette" published in the fiction section. She also had "Mouthpiece of the Gods" and "Silhouettes" published in the poetry section.

She is a sophomore creative writing major at Susquehanna. Newton, a 2012 graduate of Southern Columbia Area High School, is a daughter of Mike and Lisa Newton.

HERNDON - Danielle Botkin, 16, of Herndon, has been selected to participate in the 2014 Miss Teen Harrisburg/Allentown pageant May 11, in Harrisburg.

A Line Mountain High School junior, she is a daughter of Roger and Ann Botkin. Danielle was selected after submitting an application and taking part in an interview session.

She will be compete in the Miss Teen division for her share of thousands of dollars in prizes and specialty gifts. It is one of four divisions for ages 7 to 19. The girls compete in modeling routines, which include casual wear and formal wear, but personality is the number one aspect that each contestant is judged on during all phases of competition.

The winner will represent Harrisburg/Allentown and the surrounding communities at the national competition in Orlando, Fla. More than $30,000 in prizes and awards will be presented there.

An aspiring model and actress, Botkin has done mannequin modeling at Old Navy and Body Central at the Capital City Mall in Harrisburg and at Debs at Colonial Park Mall, and participated in the spring fashion show in 2013 at Bon Ton at the York Galleria Mall.

She has performed in plays at regional theaters and won a scholarship with the New York Conservatory of Dramatic Arts in New York Cityfor the summer of 2013.

Community business, organizations and private individuals are assisting Botkin in participating by becoming a sponsor. Anyone willing to help can call the pageant coordinator at 1-877-403-6678 or email drat@tds.net.

Divorces

Amanda Elizabeth Bixler, 521 S. Seventh St., Shamokin, from Joshua M. Bixler, 630 W. Pine St., Shamokin. No marriage date provided.

Tammy S. Olbrish, 907 Pine St., Kulpmont, from David J. Olbrish, 702 Scott St., Kulpmont. Married July 29, 2000.

Megan B. Brown, 29 N. Chestnut St., Mount Carmel, from David M. Brown, 236 S. Vine St., Mount Carmel. Married Sept. 25, 2010.

Ronnie G. Herb, 602 N. Orange St., Shamokin, from Lisa Herb, 34996 South Drive, Lewes, Del. Married Feb. 19, 1984.

Jaymi F. Sejuit, 1014 N. Franklin St., Shamokin, from Michael J. Sejuit, 335 N. Maple St., Mount Carmel. Married Oct. 30, 1999.

Natalie Ann Adams, 433 Main St., Wilburton, from William G. Adams, 5 N. Chestnut St., Mount Carmel. Married Aug. 3, 1996.

Tina M. Eisenhart, 325 N. Main St., Herndon, from Marlin L. Eisenhart, 292 Jews Hollow Road, Sunbury. Married June 5, 1993.

Christine L. Levan, 91 Chestnut St., Kulpmont, from Brian S. Nicola, 213 E. Saylor St., Atlas. Married July 21, 2011.

Michael A. Reigle Jr., 650 W. Market St., Trevorton, from Jessica L. Reigle, 237 Reader Lane, Herndon. Married May 14, 2010.

Elizabeth A. Shimock from John F. Shimock III, both of 7 Sycamore St., Elysburg. Married Oct. 22, 1998.

Angela M. Long, 425 W. Pine St., Shamokin, from Brian L. Long, 701 E. Sunbury St., Shamokin. Married Aug. 2, 2003.

Jennifer A. Bixler, 1036 W. Market St., Trevorton, from Reginald B. Bixler, 301 E. Shamokin St., Trevorton. Married June 16, 1995.

Donna Herrold-Hine, 116 S. Carbon St., Shamokin, from Christopher Herrold, 210 Main St., Ranshaw. Married June 20, 2001.

Thomas J. Karlovich, 182 Picketts Drive, Sunbury, from Sandra M. Karlovich, 466 Lindy Acres Road, Elysburg. Married July 6, 2013.

Property transfers

Bank of America NA, BAC Home Loans Servicing LP and Countrywide Home Loans Servicing LP to Tarry Hall Properties LLC, property in Zerbe Township, $54,075.

William R. Fry and Joann M. Fry to Terry E. Jeffries, property in Jordan Township, $6,000.

Chester J. Rakus (trustee) and the trust of Chester J. Rakus to CRT Enterprises LLC, property in Mount Carmel, $12,500.

Lisa M. Laskoskie and Mitchel Laskoskie to Donald H. Tinley and Stephanie M. Tinley, property in Shamokin, $4,000.

Northumberland County Tax Claim Bureau, William G. Shaffer and Shirley E. Shaffer to City of Shamokin, property in Shamokin, $1.

Northumberland County Tax Claim Bureau, Kevin L. Lilley and Patricia A. Lilley to City of Shamokin, two properties in Shamokin, $1 each.

Northumberland County Tax Claim Bureau and Daryl E. Hartman Jr. to City of Shamokin, property in Shamokin, $1.

Northumberland County Tax Claim Bureau and Robert M. Fisher to City of Shamokin, property in Shamokin, $1.

BAC Distressed Mortgage Partners IV (by agent) and Wingspan Portfolio Advisors LP (Agent) to Krystle Mottershead, property in Mount Carmel, $8,000.

Michael J. Zublick and Lisa A. Zublick to Dana Klokis, property in Mount Carmel, $63,500.

Roy A. Miller and Kathleen M. Miller to Jeremy D. Deitrick and Lisa M. Deitrick, property in Rockefeller Township, $1.

Herbert Brian Stout to Basic Real Estate Co. LLC, property in Shamokin, $1,000.

John Shoffler and Redelia A. Shoffler to James W. Madara, property in Shamokin, $18,000.

Joseph J. aka Joseph J. Stutz III to Michael J. Barrett II, property in Ralpho Township, $136,500.

Francis DeVizia to Andy Anh Hong Khuu, property in Shamokin, $8,300.

John Dillow II and Melissa Dillow to Jason A. Dillow, property in Mount Carmel, $1.

Wayne M. Brokenshire and Deborah A. Brokenshire to William J. Chesney and William J. Chesney II, property in Mount Carmel, $44,000.

Gerard R. Miscavage and Karen A. Miscavage to John P. Ferrari, property in Mount Carmel, $117,000.

Donna M. Miller to Jesus Rios, property in Coal Township, $16,740.

Joseph J. Zebrowski and Judith Ann J. Zebrowski to Robert Anascavage, property in Coal Township, $140,000.

David J. Bango to Eugene J. Eister, property in Kulpmont, $30,000.

COAL TOWNSHIP - A 5-4 vote of the Shamokin Area School Board Tuesday renewed for next school year a contract with The Nutrition Group to manage district cafeterias.

Voting in favor were directors Robert Getchey, Edward Griffiths, board Vice President Jeffrey Kashner, Matthew Losiewicz and board President Ron McElwee. Opposed were Directors Richard Kashnoski, Charles Shuey, Rosalie Smoogen and Bernard M. Sosnoskie.

Kashner made the deciding vote. He said after the meeting that he believes with the next school year nearly two months away, it is too late to potentially change how food service is managed for 2014-15. However, he said the matter should be explored in September ahead of the 2015-16 school year.

The company will be paid approximately $57,000, and guarantees a return of more than $87,000 to the district. Those figures didn't compute for Shuey and Kashnoski as both were critical of The Nutrition Group's budget.

"The numbers presented by Nutrition Inc. from a common sense standpoint don't add up," Shuey said of the differential between the management fee and guaranteed return.

He said he believed the district could operate the cafeterias on its own at a lesser cost.

Kashnoski agreed with Shuey's statement on the budget figures, saying it failed to include expenses the district incurs such as electricity for refrigeration. They affect the bottom line, he said.

"When you leave those items out, that makes me think, 'What else is being left out?'" he said.

Nancy Kohl, regional vice president for The Nutrition Group, said Kashnoski makes a good point. If a more detailed budget is preferred, though, it's up to the district to request it when the request for proposals is completed, she said.

A similar 5-4 split vote privatized the district's food service beginning in 2012-13. Griffiths said when Shamokin Area operated it on its own, it consistently ran a deficit.

"We were taking out a lot more than we were putting into the cafeteria," Griffiths said. "To me, this is the way to go because we haven't taken any money from the general fund to support the cafeteria in the two years (The Nutrition Group) has been here."

Losiewicz sided with Griffiths, saying he was elected to work to restore funding to arts and music programs that were cut. Should the district resume directing food service on its own and end up in another deficit, it would be of no help to the aforementioned programs.

In expressing his support for The Nutrition Group, Getchey noted that related labor costs were eliminated when the school district contracted with the management company.

Other business

The school board also voted to:

- Reschedule next month's meeting from June 17 to June 19.

- Approve the monthly lease agreement with Northwestern Academy for May at a cost of $109,202.91. The two parties continue on a month-to-month basis.

- Renew employee dental insurance with Delta Dental through June 30, 2016.

- Acknowledge receipt of the district's audit for 2012-13.

- Accept the retirement of Judy Marose, middle/high school secretary, and the resignations of Danielle Minnig, Amanda Dreher and Kayla Jilinski.

- Appoint Amanda Houck and Jenessa Zack as elementary tutors for one hour each week per grade level at an $18.50 hourly rate.

- Appoint Diana Cheunes, Patrick McDevitt, Darren Dusick, Sandra Rossnock, Robert Hartman, Michael Keefer, Shawn Zalinski and Robert Eby II (a substitute) as instructors for summer school at a $18.50 hourly rate.

- Advertise for a clerk/secretary for the middle/high school office and a personal care assistant.

Getchey added during the public comment period that he did not leave a policy committee meeting on April 4 because he was upset with the discussion; rather, he had to attend a basketball practice for the Shamokin Youth Girls Basketball League which he manages.

As previously reported, he had become upset and shouted at other directors that he would not be part of a "hanging party" of the Bucket Club led by former school board director Brian Persing, which he said was unfairly targeted by proposed policy revisions. He left the meeting early despite the pleas of several directors to sit and discuss the issue, and made no mention of having another obligation to attend.

SHAMOKIN - The head nurse of the Midd-West School District says a federal physical education grant - the same as recently awarded to Shamokin Area - boosted student participation in fitness activities.

The $250,000 awarded to Midd-West in 2010 allowed for the high school's health and physical education curriculum to be completely revamped.

A fitness center equipped with state-of-the-art cardiovascular and strength training machines and free weights was constructed. Mountain bikes were purchased for use on Midd-West's cross-country course. Nutrition initiatives were implemented and outside health-centered organizations were invited to the high school to work with students.

"We have students who use the fitness center every day after school," said school nurse Ann Murray, who co-wrote the successful grant application with physical education teacher Jason Gemberling.

As interest continues to grow, Murray said summer hours at the facility are expected to expand this year. It's also open to the public each night at no cost.

Shamokin Area will follow suit, including with free public access, although on a much larger scale. It was

awarded $1,105,095, including $186,746 of its own funding. The first of three installments will be paid next month.

Initial funding will be used to establish student wellness centers with age-appropriate exercise equipment and programs at all three district buildings.

All funding is dedicated to equipment and program purchases, professional development and training courses, and nutritional initiatives, along with the salary of a program manager. Murray said Shamokin Area will be thankful that it received funds to hire a program manager as the task proved challenging on top of daily administrative duties.

The grant also provides for four teachers to oversee the after-school wellness centers 800 hours each year, including evenings and summertime. The cost for substitutes when teachers are undergoing professional development is also covered.

The district's matching total is to offset wages and benefits over three years for administrators involved in the project.

None of the funding can be used for construction or renovations.

There's a need

Starting next school year, Shamokin Area will implement the SASD Gets FIT program targeting improved student performance in physical education, developing and sustaining fitness goals and the adoption of healthy eating habits, according to the plan shared Tuesday by district administration.

Less than 15 percent of Shamokin Area students get the recommended 60 minutes of daily physical activity. Nearly 40 percent are either overweight or obese.

Midd-West used its own figures on activity and body mass in its application, which weren't available for this article.

The high school's obesity rate remained stagnant since the phys ed overhaul, according to Murray. However, she said the measure is hard to determine due to annual student turnover and because a single set of students wasn't tracked.

"What we do know is the amount of students participating in cardiovascular activities has increased," Murray said.

"It helps that there's a need, and that's the key."

Shopping order

Shamokin Area's first-year grant disbursement will total $537,166. Of that, $431,767 will be spent on equipment and supplies.

Like at Midd-West, fitness equipment will be brand new: four treadmills and three elliptical machines, three open-stride machines, three upright bikes, four youth bikes and an inline skating pack; 14 Freemotion and other brand-name strength machines; 12 Precor and Power Lift apparatus and weights; 20 Diamondback mountain bikes with helmets, and a whole lot more.

There will be video technology incorporated for an "exergaming" dance program. Also, there will 21 specialized exercise bikes for indoor cycling and spinning. Four "virtual reality" bikes will allow students to compete against schools across the country that have the same equipment. A recumbent bike is planned for disabled students.

Individualized workouts can be saved to a dedicated server at the high school, and pedometers are to be purchased for every Shamokin Area student.

Balls, ropes, buckets, cones and more will be bought for middle school exercise programs, along with an Exerplay Jr. playground apparatus for elementary students.

Outdoors, too

Murray described Midd-West as landlocked. It didn't have room to incorporate desired outdoor equipment, she said.

That's not an issue at Shamokin Area. It's west-end campuses are surrounded by woodlands, and those area will be incorporated into the district's grant program.

In 2015-16 and 2016-17, adventure equipment will be installed, including portable low ropes course for younger students and a second permanent low ropes course; a Hex EdVenture Course, which is a hub-and-spoke style course; an EdVenture Tower with six climbing surfaces; a rappelling surface; a low-angle slab climb and an overhang; a Team EdVenture Course with four roofed towers and transfer stations; cargo net and zip lines capable of allowing up to 32 people participating in the air at once; Tree Top Tour with a bridge and platforms and zip line; and climbing supplies.

It's expected that fencing will be among the security elements used to enclose the adventure equipment after hours, although that's not included in the program grant plan.

District administrators were scheduled to meet earlier this week with an equipment supplier and discuss layout options for the wellness centers at the three district buildings.

AAA employees honored

SUNBURY - Three Northumberland County Area Agency on Aging employees were presented honorary certificates by the county commissioners Tuesday.

Mary Barrett, who serves as APPRISE coordinator, received the BRAVO Award from the state Department of Aging. Carolyn Mull, a fiscal technician, received the Department of Aging's Outstanding Senior Community Service Employment Program Participant Award.

Teresa McCabe, senior center services supervisor, was chosen by the Department of Aging as having the 2014 best practice in nutrition for older Pennsylvanians.

New website for Barletta

WASHINGTON - U.S. Rep. Lou Barletta, PA-11, unveiled Thursday a redesigned official website, www.barletta.house.gov, featuring a new appearance and streamlined features that make access easier for users.

Barletta's official website includes his voting record, updated issue pages and an interactive district map. The re-launched website also provides information about the 11th District. It includes links to various state, county, and local Web resources. It features a section that helps explain the federal government to children in all grade levels. It includes information for senior citizens, veterans, active-duty military personnel and those seeking flags flown over the Capitol or tours in Washington, D.C.

HARRISBURG - Former Mount Carmel Borough Police Lieutenant Blaine Handerhan has once again asked a federal court to set aside his prison sentence on a child pornography charge.

Handerhan, incarcerated in a federal prison at Fort Dix, N.J., filed the appeal back in February, but filed documents on April 14 to proceed with the appeal without prepaying any fees or costs.

The former officer was sentenced in August 2012 to 96 months in prison after pleading guilty to a charge of possession of child pornography in federal court.

In August 2013, Handerhan made a motion to either vacate, set aside or correct the sentence, claiming he was ineffectively represented by counsel in preparation for trial.

In the 22-page petition for appeal, Handerhan cited several instances where he thought a jury would find him innocent and discussed a falling out with his first attorney, Matthew Gover.

Handerhan later said Gover withdrew from the case when he was diagnosed with Stage 4 brain cancer.

"It is unknown to me how many months prior to Attorney Gover's withdrawing from my case was I not represented," Handerhan wrote.

He claimed Gover had no intention of taking the case to trial. The former officer claimed Gover became extremely agitated with him when Handerhan refused to take a plea deal.

The U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania affirmed Handerhan's sentence on Jan. 9, prompting him to refile the appeal on Feb. 12.

In the new filing, Handerhan again raises the question that counsel was ineffective.

The financial filing to proceed with the action without prepaying shows Handerhan receives a monthly pension payment of $3,582.49. An investigation by Mount Carmel Borough Council president Tony Matulewicz in June showed that Handerhan's gross pay had been "spiked" three years before his retirement, increasing his gross pay by over $36,000.

The money was subtracted as a deduction on each paycheck and he never received it, but it helped to increase his pension benefits, which were based on the gross pay received over the last three years.

Such practices left Mount Carmel Borough's pension funds for the police department and non-uniformed employees underfunded by about $1 million in 2013.

Other assets that Handerhan listed on the financial disclosure form was co-ownership of a home on South Oak Street, Mount Carmel, life insurance stock and a 1984 Chevrolet Citation automobile, the assets totaling $14,000.

After paying $150 a month for utilities and insurance on the Mount Carmel home and a $150 a month life insurance payment, the balance of the pension payment goes to support his wife, Joan, and their two 12-year-old children.

The only debt listed in the disclosure form is $74,700 in restitution owed to the United States in fines and court costs.

On April 9, the court ordered the U.S. Government to file an answer to Handerhan's motion for appeal, after which he will have 14 days to file a reply.

COAL TOWNSHIP - The honor roll for the third marking period at Shamokin Area Middle/High School has been announced by Chris Venna, principal.

The two levels of achievement include an honors level and a distinguished honors level. A student must achieve an average of 90 to 94.9 for honor recognition. Distinguished honors require an average of 95 or better. All subjects except driver training are included in the calculations of a student's average. Also, all subjects must be passed and a minimum of 90 percent in deportment is also required.

Seventh-grade distinguished honors -- Melania Amato, Spencer Balonis, Sarah Baumeister, Ashley Beach, Jared Berkheimer, Aidan Blackwell, Karrie Bower, Thomas Brown, Marshall Buggy, Sierre Burd, Alyssa Charriez, Chloe Dales, Juliana Degreen, Lydia Deptula, Alyvia Erb, Jeffrey Fuernisen, Mara Hasuga, Collin Kern, Jayla Klase, Chloe Kramer, Jameson Kramer, Xavier Lehman, Samantha Magee, Joseph Masser, Morgan McGinn, Abigail Nye, Jessa Paczkoski, Robert Rebuck, Lake Rodarmel, Quinn Rollman, Matthew Schiccatano, Andrea Segura, Mason Smink, Brooke Strausser, Matthew Swartz, Skylar Truchon, John Wagner, Lauren Wagner, Payton Whary, Valerie Yost, Clif Zheng and Zoe Zimmerman.

Seventh-grade regular honors - Emily Backes, Nicole Bainbridge, Alexis Barnes, Krista Baumeister, Mariah Benedict, Erin Biddiscombe, Colby Bixler, Jolene Boscolovich, Jasaiah Capps, Steven Carpenter, Gavin Clattenburg, James Coleman, John Delorso, Lauren Drumheiser, Sabian Ebersole, Jacob Eschbach, Rebekah Faust, Nicholas Feudale, Mackenzie Glosek, Stephen Gundy, Teagan Heath, Zoey Hockenbroch, Barbara Jemmott, Taylor Kashner, Chryssa Kehler, Timothy Kile, Deven Klock, Matthew Knowles, Cordell Lucas, Ferdinand Madara, Tyler Marcinick, Cameron Orner, Robert Pancher, Autumn Purcell, Seth Rupp, Anthony Salcedo, Destiny Sassani, Joan Schaeffer, Peyton Shurock, Jose Tejada, Ethan Tharp, Abigail Thew, Jacob Thompson, Savanna Vercruyssen, Dylan Walters and Blake Zalar.

Eighth-grade distinguished honors - Abagail Blass, Kiara Bonshock, Randall Brosius, Alexandra Campbell, Emma Clark, Anna Delbaugh, Matthew Dimmick, Kelsee Dunn, Katlyn Ehman, Maryssa Erdman, Abbi Fiorey, Mackenzie Hasuga, Jacob Jeremiah, Nicholas Kirkner, Jennifer Kozlowski, Mckenna Markowski, Sadie Miller, Kamilyah Nazih, Joseph Olah, Madison Pancher, Colton Pollock, Kali Rebuck, Cameron Scandle, Jadyn Snyder, Elizabeth Stevens, Ciara Tharp, Jasmine Wasilewsk and George Zalar.

Eighth-grade regular honors - Elizabeth Barak, Daizy Barrett, Kalei Bogetti, Michael Breslin, Jacob Carpenter, Madison Clauser, Trent Curcie, Madison Daya, Emily Demartino, Charles Diehl, Gloria Drayer, Colby Edmondson, Warren Eveland, Brittney Farner, Michael Faust, Summer Finkelstein, Kira Golden, Kiera Griffiths, Brooke Hovenstine, Olivia Kaleta, Patrick Latsha, Ethan Lawton, Dalton Madara, Emma Mangiaruga, Cameron Popiel, Noah Sessions, Keyona Shoff, Stephen Smith, Brianna Wary, Tessa Wheary, Mackenzie Young, Daniel Zaborny and Dakota Zimmerman.

Ninth-grade distinguished honors - Kayla Baney, Alex Black, Madison Blackwell, Patrick Bradigan, Cheyenne Burasz, Samuel Deptula, Cierra Eby, Thomas Eby, Amy Frasch, Brandi Hatzel, Jarred Rachau, Kaitlyn Schrader, Andrew Shalamanda, Ellen Spotts and Page Wormald.

Ninth-grade regular honors - Scarlett Brown, Robert Carapellucci, Brittany Dascani, Rebecca Delbaugh, Brett Derck, Aleea Faus, Tiffany Gordon, Cameron Jacoby, Jarred Jones, Mackenzie Koharski, Jenai McKeen, Lindsey Miller, Kiara Moore, Abigale Mummey, Sara Popewczak, Carson Quinn, Anne Richardson, Gregory Rishel, Madison Rodarmel, Anthony Roughton, Jaden Schlagle, Julianna Shuman, Brianna Stanke, Samantha Startzel, Marcos Velazquez, Gabrielle Velez, Matthew Vrona, Aleksandr Washuta, David Wolfe and Tobias Zerbe.

10th-grade distinguished honors - Jensen Bordell, Patricia Clark, Caleigh Corrigan, Jeannette Costa, Justin Deutsch, Jacob Dirienzo, Jared Dunn, Haley Erb, Brady Haupt, Russell Henz, Kyle Kauffman, Emily McDevitt, Brayson Pawelczyk, Christopher Petraskie, Isaiah Reiprich, Kelsey Rogers, Ivy Savidge, Kayla Schell, Sarah Thomson, Christina Troutman, Rebecca Wargo and Cameron Wayne.

10th-grade regular honors - Michael Britton, Preston Burns, Thomas Campbell, Cheyenne Collier, Claudia Collins, Dilin DeCample, Gabrielle Erb, Kathryn Faust, Lillie Fidelman, Chelsey Garancheski, Ryan Gass, Megan Grinaway, Ashley Gruszewski, Kaylan Haight, Jessica James, Andrew Jones, Amanda Lucas, Evelyn Madrak, Maxwell Morrison, Kobe Neidig, Travis Nelson, Adam Philhower, Kasey Puchalski, Donna Rania, Brett Rebuck, Paige Sherman, James Snyder, Christina Snyder, Tye Som, Cole Supsic, Dakota Sutsko, Nicole Thompson and Jakob Weaver.

11th-grade distinguished honors - Michelle Bressi, Brandon Brida, Jill Britton, John Brown, Tyler Candelora, Samantha Carpenter, Jasmine Coleman, Joseph Deptula, Megan Dimmick, Draven Faus, Bridgette Hine, Darian Jones, Elizabeth Kapushinski, Megan Kerstetter, Zachary Koharski, Brianna Martin, Brianna Moore, Graeme Shappell, Jacob Snyder, Taylor Steinhart, Taylor Tobias, Jarret Willis, Casey Wilson, Tucker Yost and Cierra Zimmerman.

11th-grade regular honors - Alek Bonshock, Richard Brown, Heather Elliott, Cole Fegley, Devvon Gallie, Tevin Gonzalez, Chyna Haley, Carson Houser, Ronald Laniewski, Stephen Latsha, Brett Long, Kathryn Madara, Brittany Madison, Kayla Marchetti, Christopher McCabe, Mitchell McGinn, Rhiannon McKinney, Josiah Miller, Leah Mirolli, Zachary Moyer, Carley Nash, Rachel Poplaski, Paul Quincy, Thomas Reed, Ronald Rhoads, Joshua Rosini, Sara Rozinski, Jessica Schleig, Teya Smeal, Sara Snyder, Jenna Wasarhelyi and Dylan Williams.

12th-grade distinguished honors - Batool Alvi, Steven Balonis, Alisha Black, Brianna Bonshock, Olivia Bonshock, Alyssa Britton, Logan Carpenter, Joseph Colangelo, Eryn Cook, Nicole Cullen, Daniel Delbaugh, Cody Derr, Justin Forbes, Kayla Gordon, Alyssa Green, Nathaniel Haggerty, Mitchell Haupt, Samantha Holdren, Austin Huntington, Mariah Mong, Laryah Moyle, Catelin Pancher, Matthew Renn, Melissa Rishel, Levi Rosini, Kevin Searls, Anthony Shalamanda, Alyssa Shuey, Kaitlyn Shultz, Melissa Smallets, Michael Som, Caleb Stahl, Austin Stine, Helana Supsic, Erik Taylor and Corrine Weikel.

12th-grade regular honors - James Adams, Jacob Arnold, Elizabeth Bednar, Cearra Chipolla, Kylie Christiana, Jordan Collins, Tabitha Demsko, Michael Donahue, Sara Drumheiser, Noelle Erickson, Caitlin Fellin, Megan Goodrich, Katelyn Green, Molly Haupt, Stafanie Hile, Jennifer Hornberger, Ashley Huxta, Richard Jones, Jeffrey Kashner, Zachary Lehman, Selah Lucas, Dana Madl, Sean McLaughlin, Draven Miller, William Moll, Joshua Pappas, Danielle Polidario, Morgan Purcell, Noah Rachau, Adam Richardson, Elizabeth Roberts, Trisha Rosini, Lydia Sandri, Ryan Shevitski, Jodi Smith, Victoria Snyder, Bailey Stank, Abigail Troutman, Jasmine Wagner, Brianna Wengrenovich, Ryan Wilk, Natalie Wolfe and Ronald Zimmerman.

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

Hugh A. Jones, Mount Carmel

William Maher, Barbara Maher and William Henry, all of Kulpmont, awarded $1,091.60 on April 6 from Frank Kruleski, of Kulpmont, for unpaid rent and court fees.

John Gembic III, Shamokin

John Simeone, of Sunbury, against Maria Hill and Ryan Kirchman, of Shamokin, for $1,279.50, filed April 14. A hearing is scheduled for April 24.

David J. Bango, of Kulpmont, against Derek Coaker, of Coal Township, for $2,400, filed April 17. A hearing is scheduled for May 1.

UPPER AUGUSTA TOWNSHIP - Four people were injured following a rollover crash Sunday morning on Route 61 near Black Mill Road.

The two drivers and two juvenile passengers were transported to local hospitals for treatment following the 7:50 a.m. crash.

State police at Stonington report a 2011 Buick Regal, driven by Jeffrey W. Reed, 31, of Sunbury, was traveling south on Route 61 while a 2005 Audi A4, driven by Paul A. Kuhn III, 42, of Selinsgrove, was traveling north. For an unknown reason, police say Reed crossed into the north lane and struck Kuhn's vehicle.

Following the impact, the Buick rolled onto its roof while the Audi struck a guard rail.

Both drivers and Kuhn's passengers, a 12-year-old female and an 11-year-old female, were transported to local hospitals. Reed was taken to Geisinger Medical Center, Danville while Kuhn and the females went to Sunbury Community Hospital where all occupants were treated and released. The 12-year-old female suffered a minor injury in the crash.

Police reported that Reed will be cited for driving on roadways laned for traffic. Assisting police at the scene were emergency units from Upper Augusta and Lower Augusta Townships, and Sunbury, along with Americus Ambulance and AREA Services Ambulance.

PORTER TOWNSHIP - State police are searching for a township female who assaulted a male who later had to be flown for treatment.

State police at Schuylkill Haven said that Lacey Sitlinger, 30, of the 1500 block of East Colliery Avenue, assaulted a 37-year-old Tower City man while the two sat in a van parked at 1528 E. Colliery Ave. at approximately 7:26 p.m. Saturday. Police said Sitlinger allegedly struck the male several times then proceeded to cut him with a knife on the face and neck.

The victim was able to exit the van, and Sitlinger drove through a yard and left the area via Route 209. The male was later flown to Hershey Medical Center via helicopter for treatment.

Police have charged Sitlinger with two counts of aggravated assault, and one count each of simple assault, reckless endangerment, harassment, criminal mischief, careless driving and trespass by motor vehicle.

A warrant has been issued for her arrest but her current whereabouts are unknown. Anyone with information on Sitlinger is asked to contact state police at 570-739-1330.

SHAMOKIN - A new church service designed to accommodate those with disabilities will begin Thursday at a city church.

The first service presented by God's Choice Ministries will be held at 5 p.m. April 24 at the Shamokin Christian and Missionary Alliance Church, Second and Arch streets.

Administrator Shari Turner learned about the program four years ago, as she searched for a ministry like this to help with her son, Jacob, 11, who is autistic.

"When I learned about God's Choice, I just knew it was a perfect fit and the ministry that God has brought to me to be a part of," Turner said.

God's Choice Ministries is designed to help bring church services and Bible study to those with disabilities, whether it be physical or developmental.

"I've heard stories about families who have been asked to do something about their autistic daughter because she was disrupting the service," Turner said. "God's Choice will not do that."

To help keep participants calm, Turner showed several items that will be used at the special services, everything from Play-Doh to stress balls, weighted lap pads and exercise balls.

"We use them during the services and we've seen that once the people are engaged, they want to volunteer and help out during our time here," Turner said.

"At Christian and Missionary Alliance Church, we are always looking for ways to minister to all people," said church pastor Sam Bellavia. "We found there is a real need for this type of service in our area, and its great to find Shari and partner with her to make this happen."

God's Choice will start every session with a meal, following by music ministry, Bible study and activities, and everyone is welcome. Families that attended will be expected to participate.

"This is not a drop-off zone," Turner said. "We encourage caretakers and family members to worship together, and we welcome everyone, from those with physical disabilities, to those with autism, Down's Syndrome and Tourette's. Everyone is welcome."

Turner thanked Kidswork Therapy Center, in Lewisburg, The Sewing Room in Bloomsburg, Matthews Spring Water, Wise Potato Chips, Giant and Weis Markets, Wendy's Restaurants and Cook's Meats for their help in getting the program off the ground.

"We hope that we are starting something great here that can reach the whole world," Turner said.

For more information, call the church at 570-644-1718 or email Turner at godschoiceministry@gmail.com.

A look at the 118th running of the Boston Marathon.

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WAVING FLAGS: Carlos Arredondo and his wife, Melida, are standing in the viewing stands just past the finish line waving small American flags. Arredondo was wearing his trademark cowboy hat and a Boston Strong shirt.

The two were at last year's race, handing out flags, when the bombs went off.

Arredondo quickly ran to the aid of Jeff Bauman and helped rush him in a wheelchair to medical attention, a scene captured in an arresting AP photo. Bauman lost his legs.

— Michelle R. Smith — www.twitter.com/MRSmithAP

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PLAY BALL: The local baseball team has its traditional Patriots Day morning start time Monday. Instead of wearing "Red Sox" across the chests of their home uniforms, the players' jerseys read "Boston," just as they did for the tribute to bombing victims at Fenway Park last April 20.

The reigning world champs host the Baltimore Orioles with the first pitch at 11:05 a.m.

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US CHAMP: American Tatyana McFadden won the women's wheelchair race for the second straight year. McFadden celebrated her 25th birthday Monday.

McFadden was born in Russia and lived in an orphanage as a child.

— Pat Eaton-Robb — https://twitter.com/peatonrobb

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LIVE FROM THE COURSE: Bill Kole, AP's New England bureau chief, is running the race — and tweeting from every mile. He reports from the start: "The gun booms, the runners roar; we're off. I'm bobbing in a sea of fist pumps and high fives. Boston's back."

— Bill Kole — https://twitter.com/billkole___

PARTY ON: Once out of the starting town of Hopkinton, security appeared no stiffer than in past years. The traditional party atmosphere was in full force.

Loud music blared from a pair of tree-mounted speakers. Up the road, a string band played. Fans hauled coolers, beach chairs, strollers, even grills to the yards and driveways along the course.

The wall of sound that is Wellesley College was in full throat, with hundreds of students screaming loudly enough to be heard a quarter of a mile away.

— Rik Stevens — https://twitter.com/RikStevensAP

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FIRST CHAMP: Ernst van Dyk of South Africa won the men's wheelchair division for a record 10th time. The 41-year-old crossed the finish line in 1 hour, 20 minutes, 36 seconds.

Van Dyk holds the record for most all-categories Boston Marathon wins. This was his first win at this race since 2010.

— Pat Eaton-Robb — https://twitter.com/peatonrobb

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SIGNS OF TIMES: Fans in Ashland, 2 miles into the race, were showing their spirit with bright red T-shirts that read "Wicked Strong."

A woman wearing "survivor" on her bib and "4.15" — the date of the bombing last year — broke from a walk into a jog as she approached a crowd in Ashland, eliciting a cheer from the spectators.

More than one sign of support along the route read "Collier Strong," a tribute to the MIT police officer killed during the hunt for the Tsarnaev brothers after the bombings.

— Rik Stevens — https://twitter.com/RikStevensAP

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INSPIRATION: On Marathon Monday in 2013, Sabrina Dello Russo and four of her friends watched the Red Sox game, then walked over to the finish line as she did every year. Dello Russo and Roseann Sdoia talked about running the race the next time around.

Dello Russo is now following through by taking on her first marathon, and she's doing it for Sdoia, who lost her right leg in the bombing.

"She is my inspiration from Day 1 last year when I saw her in the ICU," said Dello Russo, 38, from South Boston. "Every run I do, she is in the back of my head, and she will be keeping me going today."

— Paige Sutherland — https://twitter.com/psutherland458

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GAME DAY FOR EMTS: The paramedics, EMTs and doctors responsible for the marathon's final 2 miles gathered for final instructions near the finish line in Copley Square shortly after 9:30 a.m.

There are roughly 140 emergency medical personnel assigned to the last 2 miles, a jump from around 110 last year, according to Boston EMS chief James Hooley.

He told the group to "concentrate on today."

"We almost don't have the luxury to think about the past," Hooley said. "This is game day."

In an average year, he said, 3 or 4 percent of the runners need medical treatment of some kind.

"We've got a good, long day ahead of us," Hooley said.

— Steve Peoples — https://twitter.com/sppeoples

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TAKING BACK RACE: The elite men and first wave of amateur runners have started.

Boston Marathon race director Dave McGillivray told them: "We're taking back our race. We're taking back the finish line."

The race's field is the second largest in its history. There are 35,755 confirmed entrants — 19,648 men and 16,107 women — far more than the typical 27,000. Organizers invited back more than 5,000 entrants who were still on the course last year when the bombs went off and made room for runners who submitted essays.

To accommodate everyone, the field is starting in four waves of about 9,000 people each. The biggest Boston Marathon was the 100th edition, in 1996, when there were 38,708 entrants. At the time it was the biggest marathon in history.

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KEEPING WATCH: More than 250 personnel from law enforcement agencies, emergency medical services, state and federal agencies and the National Guard were monitoring the race from a coordination center set up at the Framingham headquarters of the Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency.

Radios crackled throughout the sprawling underground facility as officials watched feeds from security cameras, television coverage and helicopters. A list of "significant events"— including start times, street shutdowns and reports of unauthorized vehicles — scrolled across large monitors.

— Amy Crawford — https://twitter.com/amymcrawf

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NOT NORMAL: As the crowd in Hopkinton waited for the elite men to start, the race announcer thanked the crowd for obeying the no-backpack policy: "Maybe some time in the future some normalcy will return."

After the national anthem was played, there was a flyover by Air National Guard helicopters.

— Bob Salsberg

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AMERICAN DROUGHT: A huge cheer went up when Shalane Flanagan, of Marblehead, Mass., was introduced before the elite women started their race.

It's been nearly 30 years since an American woman won. That came in 1985 when Michigan's Lisa Larsen Weidenbach ran uncontested to capture the title in 2:34:06.

For the men, it's been a longer drought: Massachusetts' own Greg Meyer broke the tape in 1983 in a time of 2:09.

Since 1991, a runner from Kenya has won the men's race 19 times. The women's side has been more diverse. Since 1991, 10 Kenyan runners have captured the title, followed by Ethiopia with five and Russia with four.

— Rik Stevens — https://twitter.com/RikStevensAP

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FATHER-SON FINALE: Dick and Rick Hoyt are among the most recognizable faces at the Boston Marathon. Rick has cerebral palsy and his father, Dick, pushes him along the course in a wheelchair every year. They've completed Boston 30 times.

They're so beloved that there's a statue in their honor in Hopkinton, where the race starts. They didn't get to finish last year because of the bombing. This will be their last time doing the marathon together — Dick is 74 — though Rick plans to continue with someone else pushing him.

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SAFE RETURNS: John Stuart, 57, has run Boston 19 times and lives about three blocks from the finish line. He had a 16-race streak going and planned to run this year until he got a bug and was told not to by his doctor Friday.

Instead, he's scratching something off his bucket list, watching the elite runners cross the finish line for the first time and cheering on friends.

Stuart was running the race last year for the BAA team and finished about half an hour before the explosions. His wife, daughter and son were still in the finish line area when the bombs went off. His wife, Kathy, was knocked down. But none were seriously hurt.

They're sitting just a few feet away from the place where they watched last year. Kathy says she figures they were lucky in that spot last year, so why not come back?

A bomb-sniffing police dog earlier checked his family's chairs and the bags of people sitting nearby.

"It's sad that it's come to this," Kathy said. "You can't just walk and go to a race. It costs the city a whole lot of money. I'd rather have it be this way: safe."

— Michelle R. Smith — www.twitter.com/MRSmithAP

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ALL THE WAY BACK: Among the returning runners is 58-year-old Carol Downing, of Monkton, Md. Daughters Erika Brannock and Nicole Gross were badly hurt last year as they waited for her to finish. Downing was stopped about a half-mile from the end of the race.

Both daughters will be in Boston this year to see their mom run, but they're still debating whether they will return to the finish line.

"I'm trying not to think about last year and just looking forward to getting to the finish line and seeing my family," Downing said. "This time having a better ending."

— Paige Sutherland — https://twitter.com/psutherland458

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AND WE'RE OFF: The 118th Boston Marathon has begun. Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick set off the first entrants in the mobility impaired division, who crossed the starting line at 8:50 a.m.

Minutes earlier, Hopkinton fell silent as a moment of remembrance was held. The only sounds on the streets of Hopkinton were the soft drone of helicopters circling overhead.

The wheelchair division starts at 9:17. Then the handcycles begin at 9:22, and the elite women at 9:32.

The elite men and the first wave of amateur runners go at 10. There are four waves in total, the last starting at 11:25.

— Bob Salsberg

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CHANNEL GUIDE: National television coverage of the Boston Marathon will have an expanded reach but still won't be available to many viewers.

The race is broadcast on the Universal Sports network outside New England. It is offering a free preview to all customers of cable and satellite services that offer the channel, which is generally carried only on sports tiers. But nearly half the country's homes with televisions won't be able to watch the marathon because Universal Sports doesn't have deals with big providers such as Comcast and Cablevision.

Dean Walker, the network's senior vice president for production, said this month that Universal Sports, as a sports channel, would focus its coverage on the competition but celebrate the resilience of the city.

"This race will go on forever, and we want to show the entire nation that, despite what anybody tried to do, it is now stronger and more determined," he said.

— Rachel Cohen — https://twitter.com/rachelcohenap

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READY TO RUN: Thousands of runners are gathering at the starting line of the Boston Marathon in Hopkinton, one year after a pair of homemade pressure-cooker bombs killed three people and wounded more than 260 others.

State and local police officers were everywhere Monday morning, even on the rooftops of some buildings. But rather than a tense situation, everyone appeared relaxed. Some runners even thanked the police officers for making them feel safe.

Near the finish line, spontaneous applause and whoops broke out in the crowd as a group of Boston police officers walked down the center of Boylston Street.

About 36,000 runners have registered for the race — the second-largest field in its history, many of them coming to show support for the event and the city that was shocked by the attack on its signature sporting event.

CATAWISSA RR - Volunteers are needed Saturday to help erect new playground equipment at Southern Columbia Area's G.C. Hartman Elementary School.

In the fall of 2012, a group of parents in HART, the elementary PTO association, began a campaign called "Pennies for Our Playground." The goal was to raise $30,000 to purchase new playground equipment for students. The campaign was a great success, and through penny collections, box top drives and fundraising, $38,000 was raised.

Weather permitting, the work will take place starting at 8 a.m. An eight-hour day is expected.

The goal of organizers is to have the playground equipment in place ready for erection. Concrete will be poured as well.

As many as 40 volunteers are needed; however, they must be age 18 or older for liability reasons.

Those interested should email Sherry Humphrey, committee chairwoman, at sherryhumphrey04@gmail.com.