Hunt at the AOAA

Since there are no events planned this weekend at the AOAA, hunters are encouraged to hike the land this weekend only for spring gobbler season. All hunters must "walk in." They are not permitted to drive in the woods. The daily limit is one. A special license can raise the limit to two. The legal hunting hours are one-half hour before sunrise until noon, according to the Pennsylvania Game Commission.

2014 Parade Registration Form

Theme: Salute Our Veterans

Name of group, business or individual _____________________________________

Address _______________________________________________________________

Contact person(s) name _________________________________________________

Phone Number _________________________________________________________

E-mail _________________________________________________________________

Title of Entry or Theme __________________________________________________

Please Check One that applies the most:

Individual ______ Group ______ Pet________

- And -

Walkers _______ Small Float ______ Large Float ________

Cars/vehicles ________ Band ________

Other (please indicate) __________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________

Return form to: Anthracite Heritage Festival Parade, attn: Pam Burns, 10 S. Market St., Shamokin, PA 17872, by e-mail at burnsp@fnb-corp.com, or fax to 570-644-0897.

Anthracite Heritage Festival of the Arts

Luminary Application Form

Luminary in honor of ___________________________

_____________________________________________

Luminary in memory of _________________________

_____________________________________________

Total number purchased at $5 each ______________

Total enclosed ________________________________

Name: _______________________________________

Address:_____________________________________

Phone: _______________________________________

HARRISBURG - The state Superior Court has upheld the 4 1/2 to 24-month county prison sentence imposed last year by Northumberland County Judge Charles Saylor against 50-year-old Alfons Keefer of Shamokin on a theft charge.

In a ruling issued Monday, the court denied Keefer's appeal after finding evidence presented at his trial and the subsequent sentence to be credible. The ruling also supports Saylor's order for restitution in the case.

Keefer has 30 days to appeal the ruling to the state Supreme Court. If he fails to meet the appeal deadline or his sentence is not overturned, he will be ordered by Saylor to begin his sentence immediately.

Keefer, who doesn't have a prior criminal record, would most likely only serve the minimum 4 1/2-month prison sentence.

The salvage yard owner has remained free on $5,000 appeal bail since his sentencing May 14, 2013, on a felony of theft of movable property and misdemeanor of obstruction of administration of the law. He was convicted of the charges Feb. 13, 2013, by a jury and was found not guilty of a misdemeanor of deceptive business practices. A felony of receiving stolen property and a misdemeanor of tampering with or fabricating evidence were dismissed due to insufficient evidence.

In addition to the jail time on the theft charge, Keefer must serve two years of supervised probation upon his release from prison on the obstruction offense.

The sentence also requires Keefer to pay $1,100 in fines plus costs and complete two years of supervised probation upon his release from prison. Keefer must make restitution of $32,500 to Ford Motor Credit Co.; $2,100 restitution to Joy Kulenguskey, of Coal Township, and $818.49 restitution to the county district attorney's office for expenses incurred to have Ken Cade, of Phoenix, Ariz., a customer service representative for Ford Motor Credit Co., testify at Keefer's trial.

His post-sentence motion requesting a new trial was denied in January 2013 by then-county prothonotary and clerk of courts Kathleen Strausser because a hearing involving the motion had not been held within 120 days of its filing in accordance with Rule 720 of the Pennsylvania Rules of Criminal Procedure.

Ernie Preate, who took over as Keefer's attorney May 23, 2012, did not request a 30-day extension on the 120-day rule, but even if he did, the time period to hear the post-sentence motion still would have expired in late October 2012.

Preate later filed an appeal to the Superior Court.

Keefer was charged by Trooper Kevin L. Bletz of the Pennsylvania State Police Auto Theft Task Force with failing to return a silver 2001 Ford F-350 truck owned by Kulenguskey that he towed in 2008. Police said the turbo diesel, quad cab truck was towed and stored by Keefer at his business, A&G Towing on Bear Valley Avenue, before it disappeared.

The charges, filed in August 2010, involved a two-year investigation conducted by Bletz, who was asked by Northumberland County District Attorney Tony Rosini and Shamokin police to conduct the probe in February 2008 because of a prior conflict between city police and Keefer. That conflict involved a dispute with the city over towing and storage charges when Keefer removed 18 vehicles from Robert Gilligbauer's Shamokin property in 2007.

AFSCME retirees to meet

MOUNT CARMEL - The monthly meeting of the Pennsylvania Retirees Subchapter 8601 of AFSCME (American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employtees) Council 13 will be held at 1 p.m. today at Zion Primitive Methodist Church, 33 N. Market St.

Chorus rehearsal scheduled

SHAMOKIN - A chorus rehearsal will be held at 7 p.m. today at First United Methodist Church, Sunbury and Ninth streets, in preparation for the Vietnam Memorial Moving Wall ceremony to be held Saturday, May 31, at the Tharptown playground. All interested singers are invited to attend.

Seats still available for D.C. bus trip

MOUNT CARMEL - Mount Carmel Elks Lodge 356 still has seats available for its bus trip to Washington D.C. on Saturday, May 17. The trip is open to all military service men and women, veterans and active duty, at no cost to them. The bus will leave Mount Carmel at 6 a.m. from the Elks Lodge. Those interested in taking the trip can contact David Berezovske at 570-205-4818.

SHAMOKIN - Welch Art Studios of Shamokin is now presenting its spring student show "Art in Bloom" in the lobby of Susquehanna Bank on Independence Street in Shamokin. The show features the work of 17 artists,including students and instructor Lisa Welch, all with a floral theme.

Artists were encouraged to create pieces that were unique and dynamic with a fresh twist on the typical floral painting. A variety of media are represented including watercolor, pastel, pen and ink, marker, colored pencil, acrylic, block print and mixed material collage.

The work can be seen through May 29.

Susquehanna Bank is excited to bring to the community the work of a new artist or group of artists each month in conjunction with the Northumberland County Council for the Arts and Humanities.

SHAMOKIN - Plans are in motion for the eighth annual Anthracite Heritage Festival of the Arts parade, set for Friday, May 23, in downtown Shamokin.

Fittingly, a parade that delights the hearts of many will welcome this year's grand marshals, Knoebels Amusement Resort's president and co-general managers, brothers Dick and Ron "Buddy" Knoebel, who have been part of a family that has delighted for more than 85 years.

Officials from the Northumberland County Council for the Arts and Humanities (NCCAH) said in an announcement, "Knoebels contributes so much to the area we live in, and has been a real champion in promoting this area through tourism and employing many area people. It is long overdue that we honor them by being our grand marshals," said Jeanne Shaffer, NCCAH executive director.

Since 1988, Dick and Buddy Knoebel have led their family in owning the Elysburg amusement park, nurturing it into a world-class attraction with the additions of one-of-a-kind wooden roller coasters like the Phoenix, Twister and the recently-added Flying Turns. In this year's off season, the fourth generation of the Knoebel family announced they would add a steel coaster, the "Impulse" - which will feature a 98-foot, 90-degree drop - in 2015.

Past grand marshals include WISL disc jockey and talk show host and retired Northumberland County tourism director, Tom Kutza; former Shamokin Mayor Ron "Lum" Bradley and Coal Township Commissioner Albert Santor; television meteorologist Noreen Clark; William Shaw, a helicopter pilot who flew for four presidents; war veterans Jarrod Scandle and Julie Nicolov; entertainers Vic Boris and Irvin Liachowicz, and Frank Schmidt, and William and Dr. Mary Schmidt, grandchildren of Max Schmidt, co-founder of the F&S Brewery, of Shamokin.

"When picking the grand marshal, we have always tried to select people who have working to make this area great, and we could not come up with two more fitting people this year," Shaffer said.

Parade organizer Pamela Brennan Burns extended an invitation to help kick off the 2014 parade season with the Anthracite Heritage Festival Parade, which will start on Water Street, then travel from Water to Rock Street, then from Rock to Independence Street, then turn onto Market Street. The parade, sponsored by First National Bank of PA and the Northumberland County Council of the Arts, will form on Water Street at 5 p.m. and start at 6 p.m., to kickoff the two-day Anthracite Heritage Festival of the Arts.

"We are hoping to pull together the largest parade to date," Burns said in a release. "We want to include several entries representing the community pride that exists in the Coal Region."

The theme of this year's parade is "Salute our Veterans," but Burns says that any aspect of pride in the Coal Region - coal mining, school alumni, sports, history - everyone is welcome. Participants can walk, create a float or ride in vehicles.

"Entries can include floats, antique cars, Jeeps and 4x4s, organizations/associations, bands, fitness groups, musicians, business advertising, costumed walkers and even pets can join in on the fun," Burns said.

Cash prizes will be awarded in the following categories: Most decorative/creative, best dressed/costumes and best of show.

Those interested in participating in the parade can pick up a registration form, or use the one provided in today's edition of The News-Item, and either drop it off to First National Bank, 10 S. Market St., Shamokin, mail it to Anthracite Heritage Festival Parade, attn: Pam Burns, 10 S. Market St., Shamokin 17872, fax it to 570-644-0897 or e-mail it to burnsp@fnb-corp.com.

SHAMOKIN - Applications are now being accepted for the Anthracite Heritage Festival of the Arts Luminaries, scheduled for Friday, May 23 at the Market Street park plot.

A luminary, which costs $5, can be placed in memory of, or in honor of a loved one whose name will be placed on the luminary. This year, luminaries will hang in the trees along the Market Street Park plot, where they will be illuminated throughout the night.

Applications are available in today's edition of The News-Item or at Beverly's Flowers, Shuey Jewelers and Olvany Insurance Agency, all in downtown Shamokin. There is no limit to purchase.

All luminary forms must be returned with payment by May 16. Forms can be sent to the Northumberland County Council of the Arts and Humanities, PO Box 472, Shamokin 17872, or to Ann Marie Slodysko, 990 Mountain Road, Paxinos 17860.

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

John Gembic III, Shamokin

Joan Colquitt, of Berwyn, awarded $620.10 on May 1 from Michelle Slavinsky and Mark Hines, of Shamokin, for unpaid rent and fees.

David J. Bango, of Kulpmont, awarded $2,541.60 on May 1 from Derek Coaker, of Coal Townshipk, for unpaid rent and fees.

Terry and Hilda Valenskie, of Coal Township, against Susan Texter, of Shamokin, for $1,140, filed May 2. Hearing scheduled for May 15.

Sheridan Associates, of Coal Township, against Pear Wilson, of Coal Township, no amount listed, filed April 28. Hearing scheduled for May 15.

Hugh A. Jones, Mount Carmel

Kerry Blum, of Martins Creek, awarded $1,554.08 on April 30 from Dennis Lupotsky, of Mount Carmel, for unpaid rent and fees.

Michael R. Kaleta Jr., of Mount Carmel, awarded $250 on April 30 from Bobby Lee Peters, of Atlas, for unpaid rent.

SHAMOKIN - Two felony theft-related offenses filed by Sunbury police against the former treasurer of Rescue Hose Company in Sunbury were dismissed Tuesday in magisterial district court while the defendant was held for court on two additional charges during a two-hour preliminary hearing.

Richard Sinko, 47, of 255 14th St., Northumberland, who is accused of stealing plumbing, electrical and building products and cash totaling $2,308.37 belonging to the fire company between June 6, 2011, and Aug. 29, 2012, was ordered by Magisterial District Judge John Gembic III to appear for a pre-trial conference July 11 at Northumberland County Courthouse.

Gembic dismissed felonies of theft by unlawful taking and receiving stolen property due to insufficient evidence, while he found enough evidence had been established for a felony of access device fraud and misdemeanor of misapplication of entrusted property.

Three witnesses were presented by assistant district attorney Michael Toomey, including arresting officer Stephen Bennick of Sunbury police and two current or former fire company officials.

The husband and wife defense attorney team of Kymberley Best and Tim Bowers didn't call any witnesses.

Best said she was pleased with the judge's ruling and remains confident the two remaining charges will be dismissed.

"There was no proof or testimony that our client stole anything," Best said after the hearing. "More than half the stack of invoices presented in court were either accounted for or showed no proof that Mr. Sinko was guilty of the crimes he was charged with."

Toomey declined comment.

The case was referred to Gembic when Magisterial District Judge Benjamin Apfelbaum of Sunbury recused himself. At Sinko's arraignment on the charges, Apfelbaum had described the defendant as a "pillar of the community."

Sinko, who remains free on recognizance bail set by Apfelbaum, has served as a volunteer firefighter in Sunbury for more than three decades and was honored for helping save the lives of residents during the 2011 flood while serving as a member of the Sunbury Water Rescue Team.

Sinko's brother, Michael Wayne Hummel, 42, of 139 N. River Ave., Sunbury, also was charged by Bennick in the case with misdemeanors of theft, receiving stolen property and misapplication of entrusted funds for allegedly stealing the similar products and $1,106.15 in cash during the same time period while he was a fire company member.

Hummel waived his right to a preliminary hearing April 8 before Gembic and is awaiting a pre-trial conference June 6.

SHAMOKIN - A former teacher's aide at Shamokin Area Middle-High School charged with three felony counts of institutional sexual assault waived her right to a preliminary hearing and an attorney Tuesday and was ordered to appear for plea court June 23 in the Court of Common Pleas, Sunbury.

Amanda Dreher, 28, formerly of 1761 Tioga St., Coal Township, will have the opportunity to plead guilty or no contest, or take her case to trial by pleading not guilty.

Dreher told Magisterial District Judge John Gembic III she is in the process of getting a divorce and currently resides with her grandmother at 1655 Webster St., Coal Township, after previously living on Tioga Street, which is the address she provided police at her arraignment Thursday.

Dreher, who remains free on $5,000 recognizance bail, is charged by Coal Township Detective Jeff Brennan with having sex with an 18-year-old male student in the school three times between the beginning of January and the end of February.

The maximum penalty for each offense is seven years and/or $15,000 fine.

Dreher resigned from her teacher's aide position in April. She had held the position for approximately one year.

According to a criminal complaint, Dreher is accused of engaging in sexual intercourse with the student, who was not identified by police. The victim, who is a senior, told police two of the sexual encounters occurred in the boys' locker room at the swimming pool.

Brennan said the investigation began March 19 when he was contacted by Shamokin Area Middle-High School Principal Chris Venna about allegations of inappropriate contact between Dreher and the student.

SUNBURY - Miranda Barbour confessed to murder without an attorney present, and a Northumberland County judge will decide if that confession was illegally obtained.

Video evidence from Dec. 3 shows Barbour explaining in detail how she lured and stabbed to death Troy LaFerrara before dumping his body in a Sunbury alley. The recording was made after 5 a.m., just hours after she initially denied even knowing LaFerrara during a police interview the night before.

Barbour, 19, and her husband, Elytte, 22, are charged with the Nov. 11 stabbing death of LaFerrara, 42, of Port Trevorton. They have become known as the "Craigslist killers" because the victim answered an ad on the Internet site from Miranda Barbour offering companionship for money prior to being killed.

Throughout the police interviews, Barbour did not implicate her husband in the crime. He had subsequently confessed his role, saying he hid in the back of his wife's Honda CRV and strangled LaFerrara from behind with a cord while Barbour stabbed him repeatedly.

Barbour asked for an attorney several times during both interviews and was read her Miranda rights in the initial interview. However, she wasn't placed under arrest, not until long after those rights were read, after police officers explained several times they wouldn't meet her request for a lawyer and after she had already come and gone from one police interview.

Prosecution witnesses maintained during a suppression hearing Tuesday before Judge Charles H. Saylor at Northumberland County Courthouse that it was the right call.

The hearing lasted six hours with several breaks before adjournment. Saylor said he would rule on whether or not to toss the confession sometime after a suppression hearing set for June 3, this one on the validity of a search warrant.

'I can't without a lawyer'

Although the murder was committed in Sunbury, Barbour, who lived in Selinsgrove, made the confession at the Selinsgrove station of the Pennsylvania State Police. Trooper Brent Bobb and Michael Piecuch, Snyder County's district attorney, were present for the admission. They testified Tuesday that since she wasn't charged with a crime, wasn't held in police custody or hadn't yet confessed to murder, they had no recourse to appoint an attorney for Barbour.

It was Barbour's third visit to the station in eight hours. The first was an initial interview that started at 8:35 p.m. Dec. 2, when she denied any involvement. She returned on her own to the station lobby after police officers had brought in her husband, Elytte, for questioning. She left and returned at 4:15 a.m. Dec. 3 and was initially cautious with her words.

"I want to tell you guys so badly what happened, but I can't without a lawyer," Barbour said Dec. 3 in the video footage from inside the station's interview room.

She wanted something else: to avoid the spectacle of police officers coming to her home unannounced to make an arrest.

Several times Barbour asked for an attorney and police officers each time said she was on her own to secure legal counsel since she wasn't charged with a crime. She couldn't afford legal counsel, she said, but she wanted it to keep from being rail-roaded. Piecuch described it as a "circular impasse."

"Until she started telling us of her involvement in the killing, I didn't know what she would say," Piecuch testified during cross-examination by Chief Public Defender Ed Greco.

Piecuch said he reviewed the 5th and 6th Amendments of the U.S. Constitution regarding right to legal counsel before going to the Stonington station to speak with Barbour.

Free to go

"You got something on your mind," Bobb said to Barbour in a clip from the Dec. 3 video played Tuesday in court.

"Yeah," Barbour replied.

"You want an attorney present. You can't talk right now," he said.

"Yes," she replied.

It was after 4 a.m. and Bobb said finding an attorney would be complicated at that hour. She had no preference, she said, she just wanted representation. If she had one on her side, he'd be "forced" to help her.

Bobb told Barbour he had two assumptions: that she was involved and that LaFerrara's murder was in self-defense.

"Otherwise you wouldn't be here," Bobb told her in the video.

The video shows Barbour had called her husband from a station telephone inside the interview room. She spoke about her desire for an attorney and was indirect when attempting to reference why, exactly, she needed it.

After returning from the rest room which was just steps from the front exit - steps she could have freely taken on her own, Northumberland County District Attorney Anthony Rosini attempted to point out during witness examination - the confession was made. She had not yet secured legal counsel.

Up until that point, "she was free to go at any time," Piecuch testified, and video footage shows her saying she understood her rights. Bobb said once that confession was made, "in my mind" she was no longer free to leave.

Under cross-examination, Bobb confirmed to Greco he never expressly told Barbour that she was free to go.

Greco asked that a near six minute interval in which Barbour was left alone in the interview room was evidence that his client may have been overly tired prior to making the confession.

A courtesy

Greco attempted to show conflictions in the language of the Miranda warning - "You have a right to an attorney. If you cannot afford an attorney, one will provided to you." - and what officers were telling his client during the police interviews - that she wasn't charged with a crime and therefore couldn't be appointed a public defender.

Bobb said the recitation of the Miranda warning - read by Sunbury police officer Travis Bremigen, who also testified Tuesday, and a waiver for which was signed by Barbour herself - was more a courtesy, or educational, he said.

Language used by Bobb in explaining to Barbour who Piecuch was and what his role was as district attorney was also questioned by Greco.

Police officers had interviewed Greco's client twice, her husband once. They interviewed three roommates, too, and seized Barbour's cell phone and her vehicle. Though police maintain there wasn't enough evidence to arrest Barbour up until she confessed, Greco sought to show officers were working to link his client to the murder.

"All that together doesn't give sufficient evidence for custodial interrogation?" Greco asked Trooper Brent Bobb, who was present for Barbour's disputed confession, in seeking to point out that his client had a right to appointed counsel.

Rosini had his objection to the question sustained. He told the court that if Greco wanted to use the evidence in such a way, he should be specific in detail and context.

Phone seizure

Bobb and Barbour were cordial during the second interview. The first interview ended with a much different tone.

Toward the end of the 90-minute interview Dec. 2, Barbour was irritated and upset. She was standing in the interview room and arguing that police officers had no right to seize her phone.

Bobb told her they did. They were seizing it, not searching it, at least not until a search warrant was secured. She protested and raised her voice before walking out of the room and off camera. Bobb and Bremigen followed her into the hallway. There is no camera footage of the exchange but their voices were audible.

"Don't touch me. I demand a lawyer. Stop. I didn't do anything," Barbour shouted when Bobb grabbed her arm and took the cell phone from her hand.

She left under her own will and would return later to confess to the crime, a confession her attorney is seeking to have dismissed.

MOUNT CARMEL - Mount Carmel Lions will fill downtown Mount Carmel with crafts, music, games and food Saturday for the 17th annual Oak Street Festival.

This year's festival will feature more than 50 vendors along a two block stretch.

Warran Altomare, treasurer of the Mount Carmel Lions and chairman of the festival committee, said that while most vendors are returning from previous years, between five and eight newcomers increase the variety of items for sale.

"There's just a really good mix of vendors," he said.

The eclectic mix of booths extends to the food, which includes ice cream, cold drinks, pizza and pancakes.

Much of the entertainment will be the same as last year. The duo "Pet Rock" as well as oldies group "Billy Dee and Rosie" will both be returning. The Susquehanna Appalachian Trail Club will be back with another demonstration, as will area youth dance group "Motivation Station."

The antique car show, a crowd favorite, will also return this year. The all-day event features a wide range of cars of varying ages.

This year's festival will be ending at 3 p.m., an hour earlier than past years. Altomare said the decision to cut back an hour reflected the habits of the crowd and vendors.

"Most of the time they were getting ready to go by that time anyway," said Altomare.

Last year's festival was dampened by rain. Though the forecast for Saturday predicts another stormy afternoon, Altomare is confident festival-goers should not be dissuaded from attending.

"We've certainly had some tough weather over the year but most of the vendors are covered," said Altomare.

In addition to fun-filled day for the community, Altomare says the festival contributes to Mount Carmel by donating proceeds to fund the Lions community projects. Funds will go toward many needs in the community, including Meals for Wheels and programs at the Wightman's Dam Nature Preserve.

The Oak Street Festival runs from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday in downtown Mount Carmel.

SHAMOKIN - The Shamokin Rotary Club will hold its fourth annual "Prettiest Baby Contest" at the upcoming Anthracite Heritage Festival Saturday, May 24.

Baby photos of an 8x10-inch size of all babies two years and younger by May 24 can be dropped off at Bader's Fine Furniture, 704 N. Liberty St., Shamokin, before Friday, May 23. There will be a registration fee of $5 each photo.

The photos will be displayed at the Shamokin Rotary booth during the Heritage Festival Saturday, May 24. Votes can be cast for $1. The photo that receives the most votes will award $100.

Proceeds from the contest will be used for community service projects by the Shamokin Rotary. The club's projects include providing dictionaries to every third-grade student, the Santa Sleigh, supporting the Salvation Army Food baskets, Manna for the Many and the Relay for Life.

The Rotary also supports flower beautification projects and have obtained a matching grant for clean-up and renovation at the picnic shed area at the Bunker Hill baseball field complex.

The club also recognizes student of the month from Northumberland County Career and Technology Center (NCCTC) and awards two scholarships to two deserving students to attend RYLA (Rotary Youth Leadership Award), a leadership skills training program at Juniata College.

The Shamokin Rotary will also be sponsoring an exchange student from Germany for the 2014-15 school year.

SUNBURY - It was a conversation any two strangers forced together in any close quarters could have had.

Miranda Barbour and Trooper Brent Bobb made small talk about raising children. The words "I love you" told to him by his daughters are the only thing that kept Bobb from shipping them off to Siberia.

"Teenage girls are tough," Bobb told Barbour, the mother of a 2-year-old. "Be prepared."

They chatted about traveling the U.S. and abroad. Barbour wanted to get out of the country and experience other cultures. She laughed when Bobb suggested she'd been out of country when leaving her home state of Alaska and passing through Canada.

"Have you ever been to Alaska?" she asked the trooper.

It went on like that in the early morning hours of Dec. 3, with talk about the weather, about their lives, about how television shows like "CSI" are nothing like a real police investigation.

Soon after, the conversation turned. Small talk gave way to an interrogation and, ultimately, a confession.

"It's important that you be straight with everything, the good, the bad and the ugly. What you say will most likely be verified by other means," Bobb told her.

Barbour killed Troy LaFerrara. She told Bobb that; she said she stabbed him over and over, blacking out during the attack. Her Honda CRV was covered in blood. She drove around the unfamiliar streets of Sunbury for a short while before finding a semi-secluded place between two garages just off Center Street.

"I just opened my car door and he fell out," Barbour said of dumping LaFerrara's body.

The details brought LaFerrara's wife to tears in court Tuesday while a video recording was played in which Barbour tells police about stabbing the woman's husband to death.

Colleen LaFerrara was visibly upset, bowing her head and dabbing her eyes with tissues while she watched the proceeding from a bench behind the prosecution's table inside the Northumberland County Courthouse.

Barbour barely looked at the television in court. She used both hands to gently twist strands of her hair, staring at the table in front of her.

Barbour's confession to police Dec. 3 has been referred to countless times since the homicide case went global, largely on the strength of reporting by The Daily Item's Frances Scarcella who secured a separate confession of his own in a jailhouse interview.

Barbour's story and that of her husband and codefendant, Elytte Barbour, have been retold many times since then. More details followed as the investigation gave way to judicial proceedings.

On Tuesday, Barbour told the story in her own words recorded from Dec. 3.

Judge Charles H. Saylor requested her confession be played toward the end of a six-hour hearing when it seemed the defense and prosecution were satisfied without viewing it in court.

On the video, Barbour told police she didn't know LaFerrara at all before meeting him on Craigslist. She said they met in a parking lot at Susquehanna Valley Mall and that "everything was fine" while they drove around.

"As soon as I put the car in park everything flipped upside down. ... He just attacked me," she alleged in the confession, saying he began to choke her.

"You grabbed the knife with your left hand ... ," Bobb began to say, with Barbour finishing his sentence. "I just started stabbing him."

She had three knives in the car and reached for a long sharp one. It had a curve. Court records show she stabbed him 20 times.

Barbour had told Scarcella she agreed to have sex for $100 with LaFerrara, whom she met through a Craigslist ad. A self-alleged serial killer, allegations that have yet to be proven, she also had told the reporter she only kills "bad people," and that she and her husband wanted to kill someone together.

She didn't tell the police that on Dec. 3. Barbour never mentions her husband, Elytte, who would later confess to police that he hid in the back and strangled LaFerrara from behind with a cord. She told Bobb she wasn't sure where the cord came from that was found on his body.

The video confession ended abruptly. Before another video file was loaded to resume the confession, Saylor said he had enough for his purposes. He'll decide whether or not the confession Barbour gave Dec. 3 will be admissible as evidence as her homicide case heads toward trial.

SHAMOKIN - Susquehanna Bank announced Tuesday that Brian J. Sosnoski has joined the company as a residential mortgage banker. He will be originating residential mortgage loans and is based at Susquehanna's office at 521 N. Second St.

Sosnoski previously worked as residential mortgage banker at Swineford National Bank and has 14 years of experience in the banking and financial services industry.

A resident of Paxinos, Sosnoski is a member of The Greater Susquehanna Chamber of Commerce, United Way and American Red Cross. He serves on the board for the Shamokin/Mount Carmel Little League baseball and coaches baseball for Rookie and Major Division teams during the spring and fall seasons. He also helps coach basketball for the Shamokin Youth Basketball League.

Susquehanna Bank provides banking and financial services to consumers and businesses through more than 240 branch offices in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Maryland and West Virginia. It is a subsidiary of Susquehanna Bancshares, Inc., a financial services holding company with assets of approximately $18 billion. Through Susquehanna Wealth Management, the company offers investment, fiduciary, brokerage, insurance, retirement planning and private banking services. Susquehanna also operates an insurance and employee benefits company, a commercial finance company, a vehicle leasing company, a mortgage division and a settlement services company.

CATAWISSA - Southern Columbia Area High School was awarded a bronze medal on the 2014 U.S. News & World Report's Best High Schools list.

Of the 19,411 schools eligible for ranking by the magazine, only 2,688 high schools, or 13.8 percent, are awarded a bronze medal. Additionally, 1,519 high schools, or 7.8 percent, are awarded silver medals and 500 high schools, or 2.6 percent, are awarded gold medals.

District Superintendent Paul Caputo said the achievement was made possible through the school's "challenging curriculum," which focuses on math and reading.

He attributed the district's success to the students and staff.

"The staff and the principal and of course, the students are working very hard to take their studies seriously," said Caputo. "They take the subject matter seriously, and we have a good program in place."

To be awarded bronze, Southern Columbia Area High School had to achieve higher than average on state tests, have least-advantaged students perform better than average in comparison to similar students in the state, and have a high percentage of students pass Advanced Placement or International Baccalaureate exams.

Caputo said he felt as though the Advanced Placement and International Baccalaureate components of the rankings held the school back from a higher award, but not because the students aren't prepared for higher education. Students at Southern Columbia High School are opting to take courses at local colleges instead of Advanced Placement classes, which is not factored into the rankings.

For the 2013-14 school year, 121 students enrolled in college courses. Total enrollment at Southern Columbia High School is 417.

Even so, Caputo is pleased to see Southern Columbia High School on the list.

"We are very proud of the educational program at Southern and we are confident that we are preparing our students for their workplace and careers," said Caputo. "This ranking is evidence of that."

Many historians place the end of the Dark Ages at the beginning of the 12th century. The age of dark beer, however, lasted for several more centuries - until man, technology and place coalesced to produce the world's first light beer.

In 1295, King Wenceslas of Bohemia, in what's now the Czech Republic, granted permission for the town of Plze (Pilsen) to brew beer. Unfortunately, their beer industry deteriorated over time. By 1836, the town's dark ales were so vile, probably due to bacterial contamination, that 36 casks had to be dumped into the sewer. Pilsen was forced to import lagers from Bavaria and Austria.

A group of concerned citizens built a state-of-the art brewery and ordered a search for a new brewmaster. They found a young Bavarian named Josef Groll. Little did the townsfolk know that Groll would change the world's definition of beer.

Courtesy of the Industrial Revolution, Groll had access to a modern brewery where the processes could be controlled and repeated. He also brought a new malting technique from England that used indirect heat, which produced the legendary ultra-pale Pilsner Malt. The new beer recipe included generous doses of the indigenous floral Žatec (Saaz) hops. Rather than using the local ale yeast, Groll smuggled lager yeast from Bavaria. (The Bavarian government had banned yeast shipments to protect its growing beer exports.) Finally, there was the water. Pilsen was blessed with incredibly soft water that muted the beer's hop profile for incomparable smoothness and drinkability.

The new beer - the world's first golden lager - was served Nov. 11, 1842. It was a smash hit. The town named beer the Pilsner Urquell - "ur" is German for original and "quell" for source.

The Pilsner style has set the standard for appearance, flavor, ingredients and brewing techniques for at least 90 percent of the world's beer. It has spawned many variations, including the American, which is often spelled Pilsener.

These are wonderful session beers, under 5 percent alcohol, perfect for the coming sweltering summer months. Pilsners are also versatile in their food pairings, able to complement delicate seafood dishes; fried finger foods, like chicken wings; and even spicy sausage. Serve in a traditional pilsner flute at 45 degrees Fahrenheit. Enjoy the selections. Prost!

Sunshine Pils: Tröegs Brewing; Hershey: This is a German style Pilsner, which is drier than the Bohemian and has a crisper hop bitterness due to a higher mineral content in the water. Sunshine Pils pours pale blonde with a foamy head. The aromas are a mix of malt and earth. The flavor is clean full-bodied malt, cleansed by Saaz hops that linger on the tongue.

Prima Pils: Victory Brewing; Downingtown: Prima is the German exclamation for joy. You'll understand why. The color is straw with hues of gold. Aromas are a mélange of malt, lemon and grass. The flavors are grainy malt with hints of bread and cracker, and a satisfying hop finish. This one was one my favorites of the sampling.

Good Chit Pilsner: Rogue Ales; Ashland, Ore. Brewmaster John Maier is a soft-spoken man. His beer does the talking. Rogue Ales is an industry leader in organic and sustainable brewing. This interpretation is made from barley grown and hand-malted on the premises. "Chit" refers to the barley rootlets that sprout during the malting process. The Liberty hops used in this Pilsner, the domestic equivalent of the German Hallertau, are also grown on Rogue Farms. Good Chit has flavors of malt and cracker, with hints of lemon. The Liberty hop finish has a lovely bite that seems more pronounced than the Saaz. It's an exquisite drinking experience.

Pilsner Urquel: Plzensky Prazdroj; Plze, Czechoslavakia: This is the progenitor of all pilsners. It pours pale with an active carbonated head. The flavors and aromas of malt and floral hops are more delicate than the Americanized versions. The finish is dry and refreshing - an excellent reward after mowing the lawn. Buy Pilsner Urquell in sealed packages only. The green bottles don't provide protection from light, which reacts with hop compounds to produce a distinct skunky aroma.

(The Brew Dude will be published every other week on the Food and Drink Page. For comments, suggestions, or questions, email Mark Pasquinelli at thebrewdude@newsitem.com.)

Act 80 dismissal for SASD

COAL TOWNSHIP - There will be an early dismissal for Shamokin Area School Districts Friday, which is an Act 80 Day.

The middle/high school will dismiss at 12:18 p.m., and the elementary school will dismiss at 12:45 p.m.

K-4 afternoon students will have class.

Pierogies available at SAC

COAL TOWNSHIP - The Shamokin-Coal Township Senior Action Center will be selling pierogies from Our Lady of Hope Church at the center today. Cost is $8 a dozen. For more information, call the center at 570-644-0772.

Culver announces May outreach dates

SUNBURY - Rep. Lynda Schlegel Culver (R-Northumberland/Snyder) has scheduled a series of constituent outreach events for the month of May.

Today: Veterans assistance hours from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. with Terry Gendron.

Wednesday, May 14: Veterans assistance hours from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. with Belinda Albright.

Call Culver's district office at 570-286-5885 to schedule an appointment.

Thursday, May 15: Shikellamy State Park Marina update, 6 p.m., Degenstein Community Library, 40 S. Fifth St., Sunbury.

Friday, May 23: Rush Township Satellite office hours, 2182 Snydertown Rd., Danville, from 9 to 11 a.m.

Friday, May 30: Little Mahonoy Township Satellite office hours, Dornsife, 9 to 11 a.m.

Susquehanna Valley gas prices increased nearly eight cents to $3.83 a gallon this week, according to AAA East Central.

On the national front

Tuesday's national average price at the pump is $3.67 per gallon. This was about three cents less expensive than one week ago, bu nine cents more than one month ago and about 15 cents more than the same date last year. Gasoline prices may have reached a springtime peak of $3.70 per gallon last week, though it is too early to know for certain.

Drivers in 32 states saw the price at the pump decline over the past 7 days, with the largest decreases in: Indiana (-13 cents), Michigan (-11 cents) and Ohio (-10 cents), and Illinois (-7 cents). Pump prices in the Midwest have often been the most volatile in the country as refinery issues, supply bottlenecks and logistical issues have caused sometimes dramatic fluctuations.

Internationally, tensions between Russia and Ukraine remain front of mind, and the latest round of sanctions is sustaining the geopolitical "risk premium" that is factored into the market. The global market continues to be influenced by disappointing economic data from China and the expectation that delays in oil supplies from Libyan ports will persist. At the close of formal trading on the NYMEX Monday, WTI was 28 cents lower at $99.89 per barrel.