MOUNT CARMEL - The Mount Carmel Area Public Library is grateful for the following donations received in July, the most important and basic source of income for the library.

In honor of

Helen Daniels birthday July 16 from Dolores and Hank.

Birthday memorial

Karl L. Schu 85th birthday from Nancy.

Harold Smith July 10 from wife, Dolly.

In memory of

John Bolich from Jeff and Chris Kanezo; Tom and Gayle Pivarnik and family.

Dianne (Witt) Broskey from John and Mary Mazurkevich.

Marie Butkiewicz, Ann Butkiewicz Keeler and June Shutt from Lamar and Marie Dimm.

Anna Shukitt Coffey from The Purin Girls - Loretta, Marylou, Carol and Jeannie.

Katherine B. Danisevich from Jim and Gingie Britton; Bill McAndrew and Lisa D'Amico; John and Mary Mazurkevich; Fritz and Eleanor O'Hearn; Stella Rossi; Shawn and Rita (Rossi) Swartz.

Catherine C. DePaulis from Marilyn W. Kanezo; Tom and Gayle Pivarnik and family.

Joseph "Jazz" Diminick from Carolann Baskera and Thomas Bator; Miriam Berezovske; Nancy Berezovske and Ann Watkins and family; Jim and Gingie Britton; Stella Chesney; Phil and Elaine Gergen; the Kanezo family; Joseph and Marie Kobi and family; Betty Menapace; Fritz and Eleanor O'Hearn; Scott and Cookie Oskoskie; Helen Pavis and family; Tom and Gayle Pivarnik and family; David and Anne Pizzoli; Gloria Radzai; Catherine Reed; Nancy L. Schu; Reynold and Patty Scicchitano; Melanie Wengrenovich; Mount Carmel Area Educators Association.

Robert B. Fanella from Deb Matulewicz; Melanie Williams.

Margaret Franks from Jim and Helene Boylan.

Mary Jane G. Gallagher and Joe Gallagher from Goldberg, Miller and Rubin P.C. Attorneys at Law; Staff of the Office of General Counsel at Einstein Healthcare Network.

Marguerite Ginck from Louise and Dale Albright and family; Donna Honicker and family; Cindy and Nick Goretski and family; Stella Rossi; Stella and John Shuda.

Joan and Louie Girolami from Joe and Barb Hajcak; Mary Anne Leskusky.

Raymond Hodrick from Jack and Elaine Kuzo; Joe Kuzo and family; Helen Pavis and family.

Holly Kirchoff from Kathleen Honicker.

Robert Knock from the Altomare family; Bob and Debbie Martin.

Cecelia Kowaleski from Louis and Ruth Swatski.

Eleanor Kowaleski (Miss Ellie) from Frances Frederick; Louis and Ruth Swatski.

Rosalie "Dolly" Kuzo from the Altomare family; Robert E. Kowaleski; Ellen and Joe Pasterski.

Helen McAndrew from Jeff Kanezo; Joe Kuzo and family; John and Mary Mazurkevich; Dolly Smith.

Clem J. Macavage from Mount Carmel Area Class of 1959.

Mary Ellen Murray from Jim and Gingie Britton; Jim Darrup; Ray and Carol Dettrey; Gilly Elgin; the Kanezo family; Martha J. Klaus; Fritz and Eleanor O'Hearn; Tom and Gayle Pivarnik and family; John Sullivan; Dorothy Taylor; Mount Carmel Catholic High School Class of 1957.

Richard Poskay from Tom and Gayle Pivarnik and family.

Reynolds Rhoades from Jim Darrup.

Margaret M. Sgro from Jeff Kanezo.

Alexander Shedlinski from Mr. and Mrs. Stephen Katch; John and Mary Mazurkevich.

Matthew Shingara Sr. from Jim Darrup.

Joan M. Simmons from Carl and Lorraine Horsfield.

Clifford "Kiki" Snyder from Bill and Helen Danisevich.

Susan Snyder from Jim Darrup.

Mary Tana from Dolores and Hank.

The Mount Carmel Area Public Library would like to recognize the Alexander Youth Fund through the First Community Foundation Partnership of PA for their donation of monies for two new computers. We are truly grateful. Thank you.

TREVORTON - Six hours and 56 hands later, and parishioners at St. Patrick Church in Trevorton had made enough pierogies to feed two to every person in town.

And that was just day one.

Volunteers with St. Patrick annual block party, which will be held today and Saturday beginning at 5 p.m. and ending after 10 p.m., spent the week chopping onions, peeling potatoes and slicing cabbage to prepare for what has become one of the biggest events in Trevorton.

Anna Troutman, who has been the coordinator since the block party's inception 17 years ago, said she takes a one week vacation every year to help with the preparations but the end result was worth the hard work.

"We like it because lot of people come home this weekend and they have reunions with their friends," said Troutman.

The food stand, which features Coal Region traditions like pierogies, potato cakes and halushki, is just one reason to come out, said Troutman.

This year, Troutman is especially proud of the baskets that are raffled off at 10 p.m. on Saturday night.

"Our baskets value at $50 on up and average $75," said Troutman, noting that several donors had spent over $100 filling their baskets with themed items like a collection of tools.

Troutman also has her eye on the nine kiddie games at this year's festival; her 5-month-old grandson, Caleb Erdman, was on hand to help with preparations and smiled when he was asked if he is looking forward to the celebration.

Games of chance, including poker and instant bingo, will be available for adults.

Entertainment will be provided by Big County Radio and the New Individuals on Friday and Elvis impersonator Mr. Brad Crum on Saturday.

Another notable attendee this year is the Rev. Steven Frenier, who will be attending his first block party as St. Patrick's presiding clergy.

"He's excited about it," said Troutman.

A high-voltage transmission line that serves thousands of PPL Electric Utilities customers who live in the Shamokin area is being rebuilt.

The 9-mile, 69-kilovolt line runs from a substation in Eldred Township, Schuylkill County, to the Fairview section of Coal Township. It enters Shamokin at the western end of Bear Valley Avenue. It also passes through East Cameron and Mount Carmel townships.

The project includes building foundations for new single-pole towers, which will replace lattice-style towers, and stringing new wires that are installed with the help of a specialized helicopter team. Several temporary access roads and job sites were created because of the near vertical terrain the route traverses, including over Mahanoy and Line mountains. Some of those job sites include the former Kmart and Ames department stores.

Teri J. MacBride, regional affairs director for PPL Susquehanna Valley, said the majority of the work follows the existing route of the line; however, there is a "small" amount of new construction.

Preliminary engineering and design work started years ago, including contacting affected landowners and removing or trimming trees, MacBride said.

"It's going to improve the reliability of the line," MacBride said. "It will strengthen service for our customers."

Residents in Shamokin will soon notice equipment enter Shamokin. Work is already complete between Eldred Township and a substation in Dooleyville, and is well underway between Bates Road in East Cameron Township and on the western reserve of the Anthracite Outdoor Adventure Area in Coal Township. PPL plans to release traffic advisories to inform the public of impacted roadways.

The project is expected to be completed by the end of the year.

Richfield-Dalmatia Project

Work on another major PPL project in lower Northumberland County has been delayed due to litigation.

PPL's plans to build a substation and an 11-mile power transmission line near Dalmatia, but the project was sidetracked when nine land owners refused a financial settlement with PPL for right-of-way and easement. The case is now in Commonwealth Court following a ruling by the Public Utility Commission (PUC) that granted PPL's applications for eminent domain.

The line would connect to existing lines near Richfield in Snyder and Juniata counties and a line east of Dalmatia. The project is designed to strengthen the local electric system by decreasing the number and duration of power outages experienced by residents in that area.

Owners refusing a settlement are Michael and Logan Wendt, of Duncannon; Marvin and Leona Hess, of Liverpool; and Randall Clark, John and Evelyn Zeiders, Roy and Cindy Maurer, Ronald and Dianna Mace, Gary and Dorene Lahr, Elija and Fay Lahr, and the Shoop Family Trust, all of Dalmatia.

On Dec. 19, 2012, PUC administrative law judges David A. Salapa and Joel H. Cheskis recommended that PPL's applications for eminent domain against the owners be denied because PPL "failed to satisfy its burden to demonstrate that the transmission line and the Meiserville substation are necessary for the service, accommodation, convenience or safety of the public."

PPL filed exceptions to the ruling Jan. 14, 2013. In a 45-page document containing PPL's exceptions, attorneys for the utility state said, "PPL Electric Utilities Corporation respectfully requests that the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission finds that the service to be provided through the exercise of the power of eminent domain is necessary or proper for the service, accommodation, convenience or safety of the public and approve PPL Electric Utility Corporation's condemnation applications."

PUC's final decision July 16, 2013, found the line "is necessary or proper for the service, accommodation, convenience or safety of the public" and granted eminent domain. PUC also stated that PPL showed "that the selection of the proposed route for the Richfield-Dalmatia transmission tie line was reasonable and not selected wantonly, capriciously, or arbitrarily."

The land owners filed an appeal to PUC's decision to the Commonwealth Court Aug. 14, 2013. They have obtained Scott Wyland and Edward Stinnett, both from Harrisburg, as their attorneys.

Both sides have filed briefs in the case, and an argument was scheduled to have been held June 18 in Harrisburg before all judges of the court.

MARION HEIGHTS - Vietnam Veteran Marine Staff Sgt. Paul Choclis recently completed a road trip to Ennis, Mont., to attend a reunion of the Third Battalion, 26th regiment of the Marine Corps 5th Division.

The reunion was hosted by Lt. Col. Andy DeBona, former captain of Mike Co. 3/26 in 1966 and 1967 and the recipient of the Navy Cross for actions against a human wave attack of NVA soldiers near Con Tien, South Vietnam. Staff Sgt. Choclis served as DeBona's scout/forward observer for C Battery, 1st Batallion, 13th Marines for actions in and around the the combat base at Khesanh.

The entire town of Ennis welcomed some 200 Marines and families of 3/26 from June 11 to 14 where a brick memorial is located in the center of town. Also attending the reunion were surviving marines from Lima Company 3/26 and the battle at Camp Evans, Christmas 1966. They were William "Doc" Miller, from the coal region, Tom Willey, from Missouri, Tom Elliot, from California, Lt. Harry Dolan, from Alabama, second platoon officer; and Lt. Frank McCarthy, Third Platoon Officer. Both officers are now majors.

Staff Sgt. Choclis was Lima Company's original scout/observer and said Lima Company had outstanding officers such as Capt. Ralph Hines, who was killed in action, and Capt. Jaak Aulis, along with Marines who graduated from honor platoons and Parris Island and San Diego boot camps. For extraordinary actions against the enemy forces in the Republic of South Vietnam in the years 1966 to 1968, the 3rd Battalion, 26th Regiment, along with its main artillery support unit of C Battery, 1st Battalion, 13th Marines, received our nation's highest military unit award for combat valor, The Presidential Unit Citation.

Forty-eight years since this elite special landing force known as "The Professionals" mustered for staging at Camp Pendleton, Calif., leaving their homeland and answering our nation's call in the Vietnam War, and for courage, commitment and sacrifice to the United States, a permanent memorial was installed at the Marine Corps National Museum near Quantico, Va.

Choclis concluded this once in a lifetime 3/26 reunion in Big Sky Country with a trip through Yellowstone Park, which he said was an awesome spectacle of nature close up.

Proceeds and donations collected from this 3/26 Marine reunion will benefit the Wounded Warrior Projects and support our new generation of brave men and women defending our country.

Chief William Butkey assumed the duties as officer in charge of Coast Guard Station Oswego, N.Y., May 29.

Butkey is a native of Shamokin and a son of William and Franciene Butkey, of Shamokin.

Butkey's Coast Guard enlistment began in October 1998. Following basic training he reported ashore to Station Wrightville Beach, N.C. He departed in 2002 and transferred to Station Ocean City, Md.

In 2007 he was assigned as the operations petty officer aboard the Coast Guard cutter Key Biscayne in Key West, Fla.

In 2009, he was assigned as the operations petty officer and first lieutenant aboard the Coast Guard Cutter Gannet in Dania, Fla.

In July 2011, he accepted orders as the executive petty officer ashore Station Milwaukee, Wis.

Chief's Butkey's awards include the Coast Guard Commendation Medal, DOT 9-11 Medal, Four Coast Guard Achievement medals, Coast Guard Commandant Letter of Commendation, four Good Conduct Medals, National Defence Service Medal, three Coast Guard special ops service awards and several unit and team awards. He has also received the Advanced Boat Force Operations insignia and coxswain insignia.

Butkey is married to the former Jan Vinson, of Adamsville, Tenn. The couple has two children; Grace Ann, 5, and Will, 2.

TREVORTON - The Zerbe Township recreation committee is looking for vendors for a new Thursday evening farmers market.

Ciara Voneida, organizer of the weekly market, said only three participants are registered right now, but she hopes to gather more by the market's opening day Thursday at the Foundry.

"We're hoping that if the three of us get together, more people will come along," said Voneida.

Voneida wants to attract a variety of vendors, ranging from produce and baked goods to flea market items and crafts.

"Basically anything that anyone wants to set up is fine," said Voneida.

The market will be held every Thursday from 3 p.m. to dusk.

"We're trying to do the evening for people who can't go to other farmers markets because they're away during the day," said Voneida.

The recreation committee will charge $10 for a vendor space, and the money will go back into the committee's account to be used on Zerbe Township recreation projects. Recently, the committee has completed several projects at the foundry including improving the bathrooms and building a new sand volleyball court.

"Booth rental space (fees) are going directly to a great cause," said Voneida. "It's a good way to pay back the community for letting us use the space."

Anyone interested in operating a booth at the farmers market is asked to contact Voneida at 570-975-1633.

SHAMOKIN - A city man has been charged with sexual abuse of a child after police received a tip that he emailed five pornographic images involving a 2-year-old boy.

Abraham D. Gordon, 31, of 903 N. Shamokin St., was arraigned Thursday on six felony counts. The investigation started one week earlier when Google alerted the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children that someone using an email address registered to Gordon had uploaded five images of child pornography.

The information was forwarded to state police, and the charges were filed by Trooper Christopher Hill and Det. Charles J. Balogh of the Luzerne County District Attorney's Office.

Both are members of the Pennsylvania State Police Computer Crime Task Force and the state Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force.

Police said the images were uploaded using a computer tablet and cell phone both registered with email addresses belonging to Gordon.

When police checked Gordon's Facebook account, with which the email address in question is also associated, they saw a picture of a person police said is a friend of Gordon's with the same boy who is in the pornographic images. Further investigation showed the friend once resided at Gordon's home.

Police brought Gordon in for questioning Friday, and he was in possession of a cell phone matching the model number of the one used to upload the images, according to police. Gordon allegedly admitted to making the images using the camera on his cell phone and emailing them.

Gordon said he met an individual online who requested such pictures and sent the images to the other person "in hopes of gaining their trust." Police did not elaborate on that statement.

All five images depict a young male in front of an adult male with the adult's genitals exposed. In one image, the boy is touching the man's penis, police said.

Gordon was arraigned Thursday before Magisterial District Judge John Gembic III, Shamokin, and charged with two third-degree and one second-degree felony of sexual abuse of children, and third-degree felonies of criminal use of a communication facility, indecent assault of a person less than 13 years of age and unlawful conduct with a minor.

Gordon was committed to Northumberland County Prison on $30,000 cash bail. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for Tuesday before Gembic.

KULPMONT - Part of Maple Street will continue to be blocked off for possibly two more months.

During his code enforcement report at Tuesday's borough council meeting, code enforcement officer Russ Moroz reported the owners of the former mill property, in the 1300 and 1400 blocks of Chestnut Street (Route 61), have hired a contractor to do asbestos abatement inside the boiler room.

The temporary road block will exist for the removal of asbestos and other hazardous waste before the condemnation of the boiler room.

Moroz also reported that no plan has been received from property owner Thomas Valeiko on the cleanup of the former Eagle Sign Co. property, which takes up half a block along 13th Street between Oak Alley and Chestnut Street.

A summary trial was scheduled for July 22 on 20 citations against Valeiko for failing to clean up the property, but after negotiations between code officials and Valeiko's attorney, Richard Feudale, the hearing was continued for 20 days and the two sides were scheduled to meet about a plan and the debris is to be cleaned up by Sept. 30.

If a plan is not put in place, Moroz said he plans to be back in court Aug. 14 for a hearing on the previous charges and additional charges will be filed.

In other business

- The board approved, on a 5-2 vote, to accept a $12,050 quote from Smith Burial Vault and Excavation, of Kulpmont, to replace a pipe and pave 14th Street at two deteriorated inlets. Councilmembers Nick Bozza, Clarence Deitrick, Phil Scicchitano, Bruno Varano and Joseph Winhofer voted yes, while Stephen Motyka and Stephanie Niglio voted no. Motyka said he felt he couldn't make a decision because there was not enough information to compare the three quotes.

- Council approved closing Fir Street in the area of the Holy Angels Picnic Grounds for the Knights of Columbus Winefest and to allow the use of the Veterans Memorial Field for parking on a 6-1 vote, with Niglio casting the lone dissenting vote.

- Council unanimously voted to purchase cartridges for the police department's Tasers at a cost not to exceed $400, and for council to sponsor a hole at this year's Kulpmont Fire Department golf tournament.

SUNBURY - Weis Markets announced Thursday the launch of its annual "Your Neighbor's, Our Farmer" local produce program.

The campaign highlights the contributions and commitment of 13 local farmers that provide produce to some of Weis Markets' 163 stores.

"When we talk about our selection of local produce, we want to do more than just talk the talk." said Kurt Schertle, Weis Markets COO. "When customers visit the produce section in one of our stores, we want them to know that the produce comes from the state in which they live, and to introduce them to the hardworking men and women that provide our fresh produce, many of whom have been suppliers of ours for two generations."

In 2014, Weis Markets will purchase more than 25 million pounds of locally grown fruits and vegetables.

Each Weis Markets' store will display "Your Neighbor's, Our Farmer" banners with photographs of the farmers supplying Weis Markets. These photos will be featured in circulars and at www.weismarkets.com.

Farmers participating in the campaign include Titus Hoover, of Port Trevorton; John Tebbs, of Williamsport; Dave Rodgers, of Great Meadows, N.J.; Allen Conrad, of Newport; Paul Lebo, of Mechanicsburg, and Page Houser, of Sharpsburg, Md.

WOLF'S CROSSROADS - Northumberland County Conservation District (NCCD) praised environmentally-friendly individuals and organizations for their excellence in conservation work in Northumberland County at an awards picnic Thursday evening at the Kenneth L. Bingaman Memorial Picnic Pavilion.

NCCD staff and board of directors also celebrated the 65th anniversary of the District, which received their certificate of organization from the Commonwealth March 9, 1943.

Conservation Farmer of the Year

The farmer of the year award honors farmers who implement conservation practices on their farm.

The award was presented to Will Haupt and his father, James, who run Haupt's Produce, a 160-acre operation in Irish Valley.

According to NCCD staff, the Haupts demonstrate eco-friendly practices, including erosion control, non-use of manure and allowing riparian buffers, or interfaces between land and a body of water, to grow.

Don Cotner Sr. Memorial Scholarship

This scholarship is given to a recent high school senior who will be pursuing a degree in agriculture or an environmentally related field in the fall semester. Don Cotner Jr. sponsors the scholarship in memory of his father, who was a director for NCCD from 1960-79.

Adam Leister, a 2014 graduate of Shikellamy High School, was the recipient of the award. Leister, a son of Steve and Melanie Leister, of Northumberland, will be pursuing a degree in the environmental sciences, including geosciences, at Mansfield University.

Swank Award

The Swank Outstanding Conservation Organization Award is sponsored annually by David and Judy Swank in honor of their granddaughter, Shelby Palmer. It is presented to an outstanding conservation organization that has done exceptional conservation work in the Northumberland County.

The award was given to Northcentral Pa. Conservancy (NPC), based in Williamsport. NPC is a land trust devoted to conserving land and water in northcentral part of the start for future generations. The conservancy holds properties in 12 counties, including Northumberland County.

According to NCCD, the organization holds 43 conservation easements and one facade easement on 4,735 acres with another 6,300 acres granted through ownership.

Shaffer Scholarship

The Raymond D. and Mable E. Shaffer Scholarship is provided by Sandra Shaffer-Mattern, Dornsife, to a recent Line Mountain High School senior who will be attending college in the fall. The scholarship was started in 1996 in memory of Raymond and Mable Shaffer, who were among the founders of the NCCD.

This year's award went to Courtlyn Trautman, a daughter of Jim and Lisa Trautman, of Herndon. She will be attending Lock Haven University as a health science major and plans to apply for a physician's assistant program after graduation.

Conservation Patch

Also praised was Boy Scout Joshua Marzak, a member of Troop 331, Sunbury, who earned a conservation district patch.

To earn the patch, Marzak earned the weather, environmental science and geology badges and also participated in several litter cleanups with his troop.

Anniversary

Judy Becker, NCCD district manager; and Dave Crowl, chairman, applauded the organization's efforts during it's 71 years of existence. Crowl said the NCCD, originally called the Northumberland Soil Conservation District, was formed to make services available to farmers in county.

The focal point of the District during its inception was the Stone Valley Watershed, a 2,000-acre tract of land near Dalmatia. The watershed eventually became nationally famous as an example of a successful conservation farming, he said.

"Our District is preserving water sources with good farming practices," Crowl said. "We're still doing it after 65 years and that's a lot to celebrate."

MCA schedules are ready

MOUNT CARMEL - Mount Carmel Area Junior/Senior High School student schedules for grades seven through 12 are ready for pickup between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. Monday through Friday in the high school principal's office.

Any schedule changes for students in Grade 11 and 12 will be done Monday and for students in grades nine and 10 Tuesday.

NCCD twilight meeting set

SUNBURY - The Northumberland County Conservation District (NCCD) will hold its annual twilight meeting Tuesday, Sept. 9, at St. Joe's Picnic Pavilion in Milton. The event will be held from 5 to 9 p.m. Registration is $5 to attend, which includes dinner and meeting materials.

This year's event will begin with a meal from Montgomery Station House, including roast beef with filling, tossed salad, mashed potatoes, gravy, green beans with almonds, chocolate cake, rolls and beverages.

Immediately following the meal, the group will tour a project site showcasing recommended land use along a stream and fish habitat structures installed along St. Joe's streambanks.

Topics for the meeting will include "Managing Herbicide Resistant Weeds" covered by John Bray of Penn State Extension; "BMP (Best Management Practice) Examples in Northumberland County" which will include experiences shared by fellow operators about their experiences with the installation of BMPs on their properties, and "How to Improve Your Grazing Systems" by Theresa Heebner, NRCS grazing specialist. NCCD has applied to the PA Department of Agriculture for two core credits.

Registration forms may be found online at www.nccdpa.org, or call the district office at 570-495-4665. Deadline to register is Aug. 29.

For more information, go to www.nccdpa.org or www.facebook.com/nccdpa.

COAL TOWNSHIP - Township commissioners are looking to build an indoor basketball facility at Arch Street playground.

A grant application for $250,000 is pending with the Department of Community and Economic Development (DCED) for the first of a two-phase project to construct two indoor courts. Commissioners envision the courts inside a pole building complete with locker rooms, bathrooms and a concession area. It would be built where the tennis and basketball hard courts are currently located, parking likely to the rear.

Craig Fetterman, commissioner chairman, said after Thursday's meeting of the board of commissioners he understands the township would be stepping on the toes of its neighbor, Shamokin, since it would seek out area youth teams to play at the proposed gymnasium, noting that it would have ground level access.

The Shamokin Youth Basketball League (SYBL) is a longtime tenant of the American Legion Building in downtown Shamokin. The gymnasium is located on the third floor and is not handicapped accessible. The league also uses the Ralpho Township and Line Mountain Elementary gyms.

The Shamokin Youth Girls Basketball League (SYGBL) plays at the Shamokin Area Elementary Annex on East Arch Street, and also practices at the main elementary school.

Ideally, Fetterman said, the township street department would prepare the site and construct the building. That could be enough to meet the requirement to match 15 percent of the grant total. Volunteer help would be sought from local trade unions and contractors. The Lower Anthracite Regional Recreation Committee (LARRC) is also involved in the project, he said.

While basketball would be the main focus of the gym, it's planned to be multi-purpose. Fetterman noted volleyball could be accommodated as could indoor soccer practice. He also said batting cages are a possibility; anything that would support the facility.

All of it hinges on the state's acceptance of the township's grant application.

The township received a grant last year totaling $100,500 from the state Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR) for improvements to the Arch Street playground. It is required to match that total with township funding or in-kind services.

In other business

The commissioners announced Route 125 in Coal Township and Shamokin would be milled and resurfaced in 2016, according to a letter from PennDOT.

A rail crossing in Lower Excelsior is planned to be upgraded, much like what was installed at Eighth and Water streets in Shamokin, township manager Rob Slaby said.

Properties at 12 S. Poplar St. and 1600-1602 Pulaski Ave. are to be purchased from the county repository list for $500 each and be demolished with Keystone Grant funding.

An annual allocation of $10,000 was approved for the Shamokin-Coal Township Public Library.

HARRISBURG - The U.S. Government is asking a judge to allow its argument be entered into record that former Mount Carmel police officer Blaine Handerhan's sentence and conviction on child pornography charges should not be overturned.

The U.S. Attorney's office filed a motion and brief Wednesday to answer Handerhan's complaint that he had ineffective counsel in 2012, when he pleaded guilty to a charge of possession of child pornography and was sentenced to eight years in prison.

Handerhan, acting as his own counsel, filed two briefs supporting that claim in July; the second one makes new claims of ineffective counsel. The U.S. Attorney's office answered the first filing, but the court ruled the second claim would be heard with Handerhan's first one.

The motion filed Wednesday by the prosecution stated the court did not say in the order granting Handerhan's brief the United States could answer the charges, so they prepared a brief and asked that it be entered into the record.

Written by assistant U.S. attorney James T. Clancy, the 11-page brief addresses Handerhan's claims that council failed to conduct pre-trial and pre-sentencing investigations, that the restitution amount came as a surprise to him and that he was denied his right to a speedy trial.

As far as the investigations go, Clancy wrote that several trial continuances were given to allow defense counsel time to review the evidence, examine Handerhan for mental health issues and retain a forensic computer expert.

According to the brief, Handerhan's sentencing memorandum included a sexual offender evaluation by an expert psychologist that concluded he represented a low-risk to re-offend, detailed the defendant's treatment programs and included letters to his character.

The brief also states Handerhan was informed about the restitution clause in the plea agreement he signed. As far as the speedy trial clause goes, the prosecution states Handerhan is incorrect.

"He was not arrested Feb. 6, 2006. Rather, he was taken to a hospital to be evaluated for a mental health commitment due to suicidal statements made during the execution of the search warrant." He was later released after being evaluated without any mention of an arrest, until his indictment in October 2010.

The attorney's office also said Handerhan defeats his own purpose by asking how he could be mentally incompetent to stand trial yet files a claim to overturn the sentence if his counsel failed to heed his legal directive.

"Objectively reasonable counsel, bombarded by such numerous requests for legal motions, expert witnesses and investigations, would not doubt the mental competency of their client," Clancy wrote in the brief.

The former police lieutenant is in federal prison after pleading guilty to a charge of possession of child pornography, a plea he says he gave reluctantly due to the stress of defending himself against the allegations.

Police said more than 147,000 images and 1,200 video files were discovered on Handerhan's personal computer at his home in Swatara Township, Lebanon County. Handerhan said peer-to-peer file sharing software allowed remote access to his machine.

SHAMOKIN - City council will request that the state release the grant funding awarded for the second phase of renovations at Claude Kehler Community Park.

A request is expected to be submitted next week for the $150,000 awarded in December. The city is required to match another $150,000, and the plan is to do so with Community Development Block Grant funds that Shamokin is awarded annually.

According to a published public notice, the project includes paving a 32-vehicle lot on Third Street and install a weathering steel foot bridge over Shamokin Creek that connects to the park. Additional walking paths, lighting and landscaping are also planned, as are two timber-frame pavilions and six park benches.

Project scope was pared down earlier this year in consideration of the city's depressed financial outlook. Shamokin had originally been awarded $250,000, which it would have been required to match in full, but the state agreed to scale back the grant award.

Funding won't be received for at least 15 days after the state receives the city's request. Bid specifications haven't yet been prepared. Lynn Dixson, community development officer, said there's a chance work could begin in late fall but it's more likely to begin next spring.

In 2007, Shamokin received approximately $200,000 through the Community Conservation Partnership Program to revamp the park, an amount that was also matched. Last year, the city and the Degenstein Foundation funded the construction of a community garden at the park.

Public comments on the new project are due in writing at City Hall by Friday. No comments had yet been submitted.

On a related note, an Aug. 12 meeting on the $3.4 million flood control and restoration project for Shamokin Creek and Carbon Run has been postponed. It has not yet been rescheduled, Dixson said Friday. Final bid specifications were to be discussed and forwarded to the state and federal emergency management agencies for final approval.

The following landlord/tenant complaints were made in magisterial district court:

Judge John Gembic III, Shamokin

Brett N. Russel, of Sunbury, against Samantha Evans and Andres Ashburn, both of Shamokin, for $12,000, filed Aug. 7. Hearing scheduled for Aug. 21.

Lori A. Lenig against Joseph and Debra Case, all of Coal Township, for $1,650, filed Aug. 7. Hearing scheduled for Aug. 21.

Daniel and Sherri Kritzer, of Herndon, against Betty Minium, of Shamokin, for $1,215, filed Aug. 6. Hearing scheduled for Aug. 21.

David and Kathleen Witcoskie, of Paxinos, against Andrew McCann, of Shamokin, for $1,260, filed Aug. 6. Hearing scheduled for Aug. 21.

Rovena Bridi-Benjamin, of Manheim, against Steve Snyder, of Trevorton, for $12,000, filed Aug. 4. Hearing scheduled for Aug. 18.

T&V Partners, of Sunbury, awarded $1,750.10 on Aug. 5 from Shelby Kopp and David Miller, both of Shamokin.

T&V Partners, of Sunbury, awarded $1,034.60 on Aug. 5 from Samantha Costello, of Shamokin.

Kenneth P. Yoder Sr., of Shamokin, awarded $4,984.60 on Aug. 4 from Jim Boris, of Coal Township, for unpaid rent and court fees.

Shamokin Properties awarded $1,805.10 on Aug. 4 from Phyllis Reichenbach and Jon Koons, of Shamokin.

Wayne Derk, of Shamokin, awarded $1,659.60 on July 31 from John Fox, of Shamokin.

Michael Ramos, of Neptune, N.J., awarded $1,145.10 on July 31 from Skyler Maclean and Rebecca Taylor, of Coal Township.

Ildra Mielke, of Shamokin, awarded $130.20 on July 24 from Nathan Dale, of Shamokin.

House Flex, of Mount Carmel, awarded $1,950.60 on July 21 from Chris and Monique Moll, of Shamokin.

IKB Properties, of Glenside, awarded $3,191.60 on July 21 from Tom and Katrina Pavelko, of Shamokin.

SUNBURY - Richard C. Curran shot and killed the mother of his two children almost nine years ago. Now the self-described "excellent father" is suing for his daughters to visit him monthly at a state prison.

Curran writes in a petition for partial custody that he "treated both children equally," that he "loves them both," and that he "never abused his children" nor were there any allegations of abuse.

"It is in the best interest of the children to maintain an ongoing relationship with the non-custodial parent on an unrestricted basis," he writes from SCI-Albion, Erie County, where he is serving a life sentence.

Citing a book on Pennsylvania family practice, he says "the child does not want to see a parent is not sufficient reason to deny the parent visitation."

Curran murdered his ex-wife Tina S. Curran Aug. 24, 2005, on a loading dock outside the formerly named Shamokin Area Community Hospital, where she worked as a nurse. At the time, he was employed part-time as the police chief of Bernville in Berks County.

Curran was declared incompetent to stand trial on four separate occasions prior to being convicted of first-degree murder on June 19, 2008. The next day, then-President Judge Robert B. Sacavage followed the wishes of the victim's family and sentenced him to life in prison. His appeals to the conviction have been rejected in state courts.

Bonnie K. Smith, of Mount Carmel, was awarded custody of her grandchildren on Sept. 16, 2005. The girls are now 16 and 12.

Curran was in police custody and could not attend the custody hearing. He claims the custody order has been circumvented.

Along with visitation rights, he seeks school pictures and report cards along with other photographs of his daughters over the past nine years. He also seeks the children's current mailing address.

The petition for partial custody is one of seven legal filings Curran made last month in Northumberland County Court. Included is a request for the return of $2,626.12 cash and other items seized by police after his apprehension at the Canadian border in Niagara Falls, N.Y.

Curran's hopes were dashed by a county court order denying his request for transportation to custody proceedings, which he proposed be paid from the seized cash. He proposes, too, that the cash be used for visitation costs.

The court says telephone or video conference will suffice for custody hearings instead. Curran's request for his daughters presence at a mediation conference scheduled for today was also denied. Their presence is being considered should a custody hearing be held.

Attorney Caran Cress Mattis was appointed as the hearing officer and will also preside over today's mediation conference.

Along with the money, Curran has petitioned that police return several other items and either send it to James Nicholson in North Carolina or sell it, including a Smith and Wesson Sigma 9mm, which was not the murder weapon, ammo, handcuffs, pepper spray, an expandable baton and other law enforcement equipment found in his vehicle at the Canadian border.

He's also sued four past employers along with Pennsylvania Unemployment Compensation and the Department of Revenue to turn over earnings statements from 2004 and 2005 and waive late filings.

MOUNT CARMEL - What began as a celebration of Mount Carmel Area football Sunday afternoon ended in tragedy when one of the players involved in an alumni tournament at the Silver Bowl suffered a heart attack and died.

Dan Malakoski went down on the sideline early in the first half of the opening game of the four-team flag football fundraiser. He received almost immediate medical attention from ambulance personnel on site.

Initially not breathing, Malakoski was revived on the sideline and taken by ambulance to Mount Carmel Area High School, where Geisinger's Life Flight helicopter later landed. However, he never made it aboard.

"He was conscious and communicating when he left the field," said Greg Sacavage, Mount Carmel Area athletic director. "From the stadium to the high school, he went into cardiac arrest. He was not taken by Life Flight."

Malakoski was a 1997 Mount Carmel Area graduate, Sacavage said.

The seven-on-seven tournament was coordinated to raise funds for Mount Carmel Area's 2014 ThinkBIG Dance Marathon, which helps the families of children who receive treatment at the Janet Weis Children's Hospital in Danville.

The event continued after Malakoski was taken from the stadium, but was halted after the semifinal games when word of Malakoski's death reached the stadium.

"They did not play the final," Sacavage said, "and that was absolutely the right thing to do.

"The teams got together at the end in the field house and had a moment of prayer. It was truly a family atmosphere. One of their own was lost."

WILLIAMSPORT - Attorneys for the Line Mountain School District say a second request for legal fees stemming from its lawsuit with a teenage female wrestler is excessive and should be denied.

A federal judge ruled last month that the district pay $70,948.89 towards $140,681.89 in legal fees billed to the family of Audriana Beattie. The Beattie family has since sought an additional $28,140, which district attorneys feel is unreasonable.

During a March 26 status conference, at which fees were discussed, the additional fees were never mentioned, the district attorneys say. Subsequent declarations didn't mention the fees, either.

The Beatties waited too long to seek these additional fees, district attorneys say. If they wanted the money, they should have sought to supplement their original request, according to the legal brief.

The Beatties, represented by Flaster Greenberg and the Women's Law Project, both of Philadelphia, sued the district in October 2013 to permit the seventh-grader to compete on the all-male wrestling team. Injunctions allowed her to do just that while the matter played out in court. The district acquiesced in a March 25 settlement.

The new fees sought are to compensate five different attorneys for 118.3 hours on top of the 337.3 hours previously billed, according to a legal brief filed Thursday. The hours are billed for work between Jan. 27 and March 31, which the district says is redundant.

Line Mountain is represented by attorneys Christopher Conrad and Nicole Ehrhart, from Marshall Dennehey Warner Coleman & Goggin in Camp Hill.

FRACKVILLE - It will be a Baltic blast this coming weekend at and near center court in the Schuylkill Mall as the 100th annual Lithuanian Days will be celebrated with music, dance and plenty of ethnic food.

The Knights of Lithuania Anthracite Council 144 is the sponsor of the celebration, which is the longest-running consecutive ethnic festival in the United States. The Knights have been planning the party for some time, keeping many traditional things that many people have enjoyed for many years, and also adding some new ones for the special occasion.

"As usual, we'll have a theme every year," said council President Larry Domalakes. "Bernice Mickatavage set these themes probably for the last 15 years or so, and had picked amber as the theme for the centennial."

A longstanding member of the Knights from Minersville, Mickatavage died in 2011. She had been instrumental in many of the Lithuanian Days traditions.

The theme for this year is "Amber: The Gold of the Baltics." The "Baltics" refer to the three European countries along the Baltic Sea - Lithuania, Estonia and Latvia.

"It's all about amber. It's all about Lithuanian Days. It's all about the culture and the heritage," said Domalakes. "It's 100 years. A lot of people didn't think we would get here. It's going to be an interesting time and a lot more people have shown a lot of interest about it from throughout the country. We've received interest from New York to Boston, which we normally do, but even more that we normally have, but we've done more advertising about it. Carol Luschas has gone out and pushed it on the Internet and social media sites."

A commemorative T-shirt is being designed by Karen Domalakes that will be produced by Dot Demmer of Demmergraphics in Mahanoy City.

"We actually expanding the heritage museums," said Larry Domalakes. "Jim and Dot Setcavage are doing one, Elaine Luschas is doing another setup. The Popalis family has asked to set up an area where they can show a DVD with past pictures of Lithuanian Day at Lakewood Park."

The Lithuanian Days celebration was started in 1914 by the Lithuanian Catholic Priests League at Lakewood and Lakeside parks to bring together Lithuanian immigrants and their families for a day of culture, fun and good fellowship.

Until the end of World War II, it was always held at the parks on Aug. 15, which is the Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, a holy day of obligation for Catholics. Many coal mines closed for the day so the people could go to Lithuanian Day. After World War II, it was held on the Sunday closest to Aug. 15 to accommodate the young people who left the area for better jobs. As many as 25,000 people attended the festivities. Many prominent people attended and there was always a morning Mass followed by a program in the afternoon. It was held at Lakewood Park until the park closed, and then moved to Rocky Glen Park until that closed. Since then, the Schuylkill Mall has allowed the event to be held there.

All proceeds have been used for Lithuanian causes since 1914. In early years, it aided the Lithuanian religious orders in the United States. After World War II, it aided Lithuanian displaced persons in the DP camps in Germany and helped many to immigrate to the United States. During the occupation of Lithuania by the Soviet Union, it helped the underground in Lithuania and since independence, has aided with medical supplies, books and educational supplies to the poorest schools. Aid also went for orphan care and hospice, and to the elderly poor, many of whom returned from Siberia and have no incomes.

A special guest scheduled is Monsignor Algimantas A. Bartkus, who will be part of the opening program.

"'Father Al,' as people here knew him, was pastor of Annunciation BVM Church in Frackville and was the catalyst in starting Council 144," said Knights treasurer Paul Domalakes. "Schuylkill County had a multiplicity of Knights of Lithuania councils in each town with low numbers like seven, 25, etc., but none were very active. So Father Al gathered all the various members and organized a countywide group and called it Council 144, the 'Anthracite Council,' which is now the largest council in the Amber District of the Knights of Lithuania."

Bartkus is also the rector emeritus of the Pontifical Lithuanian College in Rome and is listed as a priest in the Diocese of Allentown.

Other special guests on Saturday will be Krista Bard, honorary consul from Lithuania to the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, and Regina Juska Svoba, president of the National Knights of Lithuania. On Sunday, Mindaugas Zickus, Lithuanian Embassy representative to the U.S., will be on hand to speak in the afternoon, followed by something different.

"There will be a Lithuanian wedding song/dance on Sunday afternoon," said Paul Domalakes. "It is part of the sing-a-long at 1:45 p.m., which is following the Lithuanian Embassy representative. There will be a dance where the bride's friends say goodbye to their friend who is leaving the ranks of maidenhood and moving on to married life. Also there will be a another dance where the bride's parents welcome the couple back after they are married called "bread and salt." Also, some wedding drinking songs that will do double duty with the boilo contest."

The boilo contest, held for the first time last year, allows local people to submit a fifth of their homemade boilo for taste testing Saturday afternoon.

SHAMOKIN - The city's mayor says Shamokin won't run out of cash this month as had been predicted.

There's enough money in the city's general fund to make it through August and perhaps September, said Mayor William D. Milbrand. The general fund, the city's primary account, had approximately $76,000 Monday.

Shamokin is awaiting receipt of a $1,163,500 interest-free loan through the state's Act 47 program. The funds will be used to pay more than $811,000 in unpaid bills from 2013 and keep the city afloat through the end of 2014.

"Any day now," Milbrand said when asked when the loan money would be received. "We're waiting for the state to transfer the funds."

A new bank account had been established last month in anticipation of the loan, which is to be repaid over 10 years.

Shamokin was projected to be out of cash by mid-August, according to an Early Intervention Report prepared by the city's financial advising firm, Financial Solutions. It's predicted that the city will finish 2014 with a cash shortage of $350,000, or roughly 13 percent of 2014's projected revenue of $2,306,138. It threatens the city's ability to meet payroll, bills and debt payments.

Ryan Hottenstein, of Financial Solutions, has visited City Hall weekly since late July towards creating a long-term financial recovery plan.

Shamokin is the 21st active member of the state's Act 47 recovery program for financially distressed municipalities. Apart from the loan, Shamokin will receive preference for state grant programs and will consultations from financial, legal and operations experts.