CATAWISSA RR - By this time next week, the Southern Columbia Area School Board members could know who they want to hire to replace Superintendent Charles Reh when he retires next month.

A special meeting was held Monday night to interview the final two candidates: Paul Caputo, the current superintendent at Upper Dauphin Area School District, and Evan Williams, the former assistant superintendent at Waynesboro Area School District.

Members of the public were allowed to ask the two men questions at the 90-minute meeting, and the school board conducted its final interview in an executive session that followed. Each candidate was allowed 15 minutes to present themselves to the board and public, according to board President Mike Yeager.

Yeager said he wouldn't comment on the candidates, but said the interview process has been "very positive."

Eleven people applied for the position, and the board interviewed four candidates.

Caputo was hired at Upper Dauphin in June 2010. He was supervisor of curriculum, technology and federal programs in the North Schuylkill School District. Prior to that, he was a high school principal at Southern Columbia Area and Carbon County Area Vocational-Technical School.

Williams was a principal at Upper Dauphin High School.

Yeager said a vote could be made at the Dec. 10 meeting.

Reh's official retirement date is Feb. 4, 2013, but his last day on campus will be Jan. 18.

He was hired July 1, 2007.

HARRISBURG - The state's top United Way official is calling for an independent evaluation of how a state law to produce an estimated $400 million in savings under the Department of Public Welfare was carried out.

The 2011 law gave DPW Secretary Gary Alexander special authority for one year to expedite regulations to put the anticipated savings in effect through such steps as changing eligibility rules and revising payment rate for service providers.

"We believe that an independent evaluation of Act 22 is in order to provide policy makers with the best information regarding the impact of cost containment measures," said Tony Ross, president of the United Way of Pennsylvania.

He said such an evaluation could be carried out by the state auditor general, state Independent Fiscal Office or the Legislative Budget and Finance Committee.

The Corbett administration and Republican lawmakers pushed the law to crack down on what they described as "waste, fraud and abuse" in welfare programs. With

the grant of special authority, Mr. Alexander was able to implement changes to programs without seeking approval from the Legislature and the Independent Regulatory Review Commission, which includes appointees from the legislative and executive branches.

Mr. Ross said the law has meant cuts for vital services.

He said Home and Community Based Services to provide long-term care to senior citizens at home though Area Agencies on Aging so they can stay out of more expensive nursing homes is a case in point.

Act 22 led to a cut in the amount paid service providers from $900 per successful enrollee to $65, said Mr. Ross.

The result is that a number of agencies plan to drop the program, he said.

DPW changed from providing one lump sum payment to a per-service payment in order to comply with federal regulations to provide more accountability in the program, said agency spokeswoman Donna Morgan. She said the program has benefited from long-term spending growth.

The $400 million in cost savings includes actions taken outside the purview of Act 22, she added.

State Auditor General-elect Eugene DePasquale of York said a review of Act 22 is on his radar screen. Mr. DePasquale is now setting office priorities for after his term starts Jan. 15.

He pointed out that any Act 22 review will be a time-consuming and complicated process. Mr. DePasquale voted against Act 22 as a Democratic House lawmaker.

"I do think it needs an independent set of eyes," added Mr. DePasquale.

"Having seen some of the Department decisions to go after quality programs backfire and hurt working Pennsylvanians, I fully support an evaluation of the changes made in Act 22 to see if they are truly working to cut waste and fraud or simply a means to cut worthwhile programs," said Sen. John Yudichak, D-14, Nanticoke, a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee.

Mr. Yudichak voted for Act 22, but he questioned Mr. Alexander about the impact of cuts at last year's state budget hearings.

"Cost containment through Act 22 is part of a larger effort to make sure welfare programs remain sustainable," said Ms. Morgan.

Contact the writer: rswift@timesshamrock.com

The spring-like weather the region enjoyed Monday and Tuesday is now long gone.

High temperatures that reached into the mid-60s Tuesday will be replaced with 40s today, which are forecast to be the norm through the end of the week.

A cold front that brought showers through the commonwealth overnight is to blame for the drop in temperatures. However, the cool down will be shortlived, according to meteorologist Barry Lambert, of the National Weather Service in State College.

After highs in the lower 40s today through Friday, a ridge will allow temperatures to slowly rebound to the mid-50s by Monday.

"It will be more of a sloppy warm-up, with clouds and periods of rain in the later part of the weekend," Lambert said. "Friday will be the coolest, with 41 degrees for the high."

The warm weather was due to a high pressure area that moved off the Atlantic, allowing warmer weather to move in from the south. Lambert said although temperatures were more than 20 degrees above normal Tuesday, only one record high was broken in the vicinity of Shamokin.

Williamsport recorded a high of 68 degrees, which broke the old record of 64 degrees set in 1998. Harrisburg recorded a high of 67 degrees, missing the record by 7 degrees.

Snow lovers will have to wait a littler longer. Lambert said the only chance through the short term forecast period for frozen precipitation will come Friday when sleet may fall over the mountains north of Williamsport.

Mount Carmel Area Public Library

MOUNT CARMEL - The Mount Carmel Area Public Library is grateful for the following donations, which are its most basic and important source of income.

In honor of

Vince Volanoski from Wells Fargo Community Support Campaign.

Birthday memorial

Alice Concini from husband Victor.

Mark Elgin from Gilly Elgin; Uncle Carl and Aunt Rainy.

Joseph Guzevich from daughter Irene Casari.

Wedding anniversary memorial

Dorothy and Joseph Guzevich from daughter, Irene Casari.

Christmas memorials

Mary Ellen Adams from Jim Darrup.

Jennie Balon from Betty Menapace; Ellen and Joe Pasterski.

John and Julia Angela Baranco from daughter Eileen Andes, grandchildren Lisa and Greg and great-grandchildren Breden and Brianna Pancher.

Helen Christiano from Frank and Mary Sawicki.

Alice Concini from Gilly Elgin; Clara Keretsky; Gene Yavorsky.

Mary (Switliski) Dennis from KHS Class of 1954.

Emily Donahue from Gloria Catino.

Sonya Hamulla from Frances Frederick; John and Cassie Hentz; Pete and Valerie Pachuski; Frank and Mary Sawicki; John and Cynthia Matulewicz Wascavage; Melanie Wengrenovich; Association of MCA Retired Educators.

Robert Herb from Joan Owens.

Richard Jeffery from Christine Zarko; Mount Carmel Area cafeteria; Mount Carmel VFW Post 2110 Ladies Auxiliary.

Francis "Fritz" Joraskie from Tom and Mary Jane Joraskie; Clara Shuda and family.

Thelma Kane from Joyce Yodis.

Lucille Kashnoski from Timberwood Associates.

Alma Katchick from Joan Owens and sons.

George W. Kirchhoff from Walter (Skip) Kirchhoff; Nicci and Susan Paczkoski; sister Betty Lou Shull.

Ellen Kovach from Virginia Woznicki.

Margaret Lindenmuth from Pete and Valerie Pachuski.

Ronald Simon Miranowicz from Rick and Gloria Catino; Missy Derr; Joann Kogut; Joe and Millie McDonnell; Bob and Sandra Matukaitis; Frank and Mary Sawicki; Linda Wonsock.

John E. Owens from Joan Owens and sons.

Helen Ozlanski from John and Cynthia Wascavage.

Polites, Spurr and Washko families from Judy Polites and family.

Larry Pollard from Tom and Gayle Pivarnik and family.

Barbara Ritsert from Joe and Barb Hajcak; Cathy Lacroce.

Alfred Sebastian from John D. Owens.

Rebecca Bowman Shauwecker from Mary M. Rudisill; Frank and Mary Sawicki.

Mildred Sienkiewicz from Mick, Claire, Mike and Brad; Joe and Barb Hajcak; Carl and Lorraine Horsfield; Mary Anne Leskusky; Kathy and Mike Palewicz; Marie Parkansky and family; Dan, Ruth, Dan and Emily Skonecki; the Varanos, Butch, Gig, Joe and Carol; Linda Wonsock; Terri and George Zarick; Rich Zinda.

Helen Sikorski from Joe and Tammie Matulewicz Sr.

Adele H. Szido from Ellen and Joe Pasterski; Melanie Wengrenovich.

Lorraine Waclowski from Stella Rossi.

Margaret Wasileski from Kate Albertini; Gail and Charles F. Belangar Jr.; Gilly Elgin; Joe and Millie McDonnell; Mike Molesevich; Pete and Valerie Pachuski.

Joseph F. West from Joe and Barb Hajcak; John and Cassie Hentz.

Geraldine "Geri" Whipple from Jennifer and Sheila Angeli; Loretta and Ken Angeli; Frances and Raymond Frederick; Phyllis and Jim Harris; Joan M. Kramer; Sue McMahan; Joan Martin; Ted and Jackie Matlow; Susan and Joe Obara; Helen Pavis; Gayle and Tom Pivarnik and family; Gloria and Bob Unger; Paul and Arlene Wagner; Holly and Brandon Whichard; Emma Whipple.

Bruna Zanella from Leo and Joan Ferrari.

Harry Zanella from Frank and Mary Sawicki.

Fund Drive Gold memorial donations

Sonya Hamulla from Dolly and Jim Dodson.

Robert "Tag" Welker from Academy Sports Center.

Rts. 61-487 crash

PAXINOS - State police say a merge attempt was the cause of a two-vehicle crash Sunday afternoon at Routes 61 and 487.

Marjorie A. Fiorenza, 71, of Sunbury, was stopped at a red light in a 2008 Toyota Avalon about 3:45 p.m. and when the light turned to green, attempted to merge from the right lane to the left lane of Route 61.

She drove into the front end of a 2001 Ford Expedition driven by Quentin J. Faison, 43, of Lewisburg, which had been approaching the intersection as the light turned green, according to Trooper Daniel Wilk of the Stonington station.

Neither driver was injured and both were wearing seat belts, Wilk said, but both vehicles were damaged.

Fiorenza was cited for a traffic violation, Wilk said.

Deer blamed

PITMAN - No injuries were reported Sunday after a motorist hit a tree along Taylorsville Road near this Schuylkill County village, according to police.

Trooper Robert Oakley, state police at Schuylkill Haven, said Ashley M. Matter, 23, of Pitman, was driving a 1997 Pontiac Sunfire west near Fire Lane Road when she swerved to avoid striking a deer and crashed at about 5:30 p.m.

Matter was wearing a seat belt, the trooper said.

Facebook crime

MOUNT CARMEL - Borough police officer Justin Stelma, cited Eric Nye, 32, of Shamokin, for harassment after he allegedly sent Stephanie Rodriguez, 28, of Mount Carmel, lewd text and rude Facebook comments during the early morning hours of Nov. 9. The citation was filed with Magisterial District Judge Hugh Jones, of Mount Carmel, police reported Tuesday.

Underwear stolen

SHAMOKIN - A 12-year-old Shamokin girl was cited for retail theft after allegedly removing the price tag from four pairs of underwear at Dollar General, Independence Street, at 4:06 p.m. Monday and leaving the store without paying.

Police: Woman struck

MOUNT CARMEL - Frederick T. Holmes, 44, of 433 W. Third St., was cited for harassment and disorderly conduct by Mount Carmel Borough Police Officer Shane Reamer following an incident at 3:33 a.m. Oct. 20 at his residence, police announced Tuesday.

Holmes was cited for allegedly striking Brittany O'Brien, of the same address, in the face. Police also charge that he could be heard yelling from inside the residence by officers outside.

Girl charged with lies

SHAMOKIN - A 14-year-old Shamokin girl was cited for disorderly conduct by city police Patrolman Scott Weaver following an incident at 4:45 p.m. Friday near Rock and Spruce streets.

Police say the girl allegedly lied about the identity of another individual who was wanted on an out-of-state warrant, and also refused to provide any information to police.

SUNBURY - "What goes around, comes around."

That was the message expressed Tuesday by Point Township Supervisors Montie Peters and Randall Yoxheimer to Northumberland County Commissioner Stephen Bridy.

The supervisors chastised Bridy, who is the commissioner in charge of the county planning department and Adult Social Services, for failing to notify taxpayers for months that the county will be responsible for paying back up to $250,000 of a $365,000 Homeless

Prevention Rapid Placement (HPRP) grant from the state Department of Community and Economic Development (DCED) for low-income families that reportedly was distributed by the two county agencies to unqualified individuals.

Bridy and Clausi were critical of Point Township officials earlier this year over a $381,000 grant discrepancy with the federal Housing and Urban Development HOME Program that the township addressed and eventually rectified in August with DCED without having to pay back any of the grant money.

Peters, who resigned in July as chairman of the Northumberland County Planning Commission because of the Point Township grant controversy, and was removed from the board July 24 by Clausi and Bridy, told Bridy, "We straightened everything out with DCED without costing the taxpayers any money. It was mostly a paperwork issue that had to be resolved. I think your attack on Point Township was absolutely ridiculous and must stop."

Bridy, who acknowledged the county may have to pay back $250,000 to DCED, said the county has not received any official notification from the state about the repayment. Bridy said he wasn't made aware of the county grant discrepancy until July and was against administering the program once he was notified about the problem.

He said Clausi, who is accused by Shoch, Peters and Yoxheimer of knowing about the repayment to DCED in January, didn't notify him until July.

"I was kept in the dark even though I am in charge of planning and Adult Social Services," Bridy said. "As an elected official, we pay for the sins of prior elected officials."

He said the person responsible for administering the program is longer employed by the county.

He added, "Since I found out about the repayment, there have been three people working with DCED to resolve the problem."

Peters said, "This in an embarrassment all the way around. Everything I told you about our situation in Point Township came true. You called it a complete debacle. But that didn't come close to what you are facing now with DCED. I'm tired of Point Township being abused by this board."

Yoxheimer echoed Peters' sentiments.

"Point Township handled its problem well, but the same can't be said for the county," he said. "You were outraged when you heard about our problem. Where's the outage now? I think it was deplorable the way you and Mr. Clausi criticized us. You acted with blind vengeance. Mr. Clausi knew about this in January, but he ignored it."

Yoxheimer concluded, "What goes around, comes around."

Peters told Bridy, "Don't you think your time over the last several months would have been better spent trying to fix your departments' DCED grant issue rather than fixating so much on Point Township, and the fact that Commissioner Shoch is our solicitor?"

Peters accused Bridy of joining Clausi in his vendetta against Shoch.

Clausi, who wasn't in attendance at Tuesday's meeting, has said he'll respond to concerns about the county's DCED grant at a press conference today.

HEGINS - A Scranton man died Tuesday when the truck he was driving crashed on Route 25 at the entrance to Camp A While campground in Hegins Township.

Robert J. Taylor, 46, was pronounced dead at the scene of the 5:45 a.m. crash by Schuylkill County Deputy Corner Sandra Poletti.

The driver of a second vehicle involved, Clinton Otto, 51, of Hegins, was not injured.

State police Trooper Michael Keating of the Schuylkill Haven station said the crash occurred as Taylor was driving a 2006 International 4300 truck west on Route 25 and lost control of his vehicle around a curve.

The truck went off the road and Taylor counter-steered back into the westbound lane, traveled across the double yellow line and entered the eastbound lane, where he again counter-steered into the westbound lane, Keating said.

As Taylor was trying to gain control of his truck, Otto was driving a 1995 Honda Civic east and swerved to avoid a collision, causing him to drive off the road and into a drainage ditch.

Keating said Taylor's truck continued across the westbound lane and went off the road, continued northeast up an embankment and struck a tree.

The truck traveled back across Route 25 and struck a fence at the entrance to Camp A While, Keating said.

Taylor's truck came to a stop facing southwest while Otto's car came to a stop facing southeast, Keating said.

Assisting at the scene were firefighters from Hegins, Sacramento and Gratz, Pottsville-Schuylkill Haven Area EMS and Tremont EMS.

Keating said he was also assisted at the scene by other troopers from the Schuylkill Haven station.

SHAMOKIN - Brian Persing will remain president of Shamokin Area School Board.

He was appointed by unanimous vote Wednesday during the board's annual reorganization meeting at Northumberland County Career and Technology Center.

Ron McElwee will remain vice president.

Persing began 2012 as vice president himself and moved up in the ranks in August after Tracey Witmer vacated the appointment. He also will represent the board on the Career and Technology Center's operating board for the next three years.

With Persing's ascension at the time, McElwee replaced him as vice president.

There were no votes on the positions of secretary and treasurer, which had been held by Jeff Kashner and Ed Griffiths, respectively.

Attorney Jim Zurick was retained as board solicitor. He's paid $75 an hour with no benefits and an annual retainer of $3,500.

Kashner will replace Bernie Sosnoskie as the board's representative to the Central Susquehanna Intermediate Unit.

LaRue Beck will remain a liaison to Pennsylvania School Boards Association.

The school board will continue to meet at 7 p.m. on the third Tuesday of each month from January through November, with the exception of July when there is traditionally no monthly meeting.

In other business, Persing's son, Marc, was one of two people hired as math tutors.

Marc Persing and Mike Murphy were the lone applicants for the two positions, the elder Persing said.

They will be paid $18.50 an hour for, on average, 35 hours a week and receive no benefits. Their employment ends after the final round of Keystone Exam testing in May.

Funding for the positions was included in the current year's budget, said Brian Persing, who abstained from the vote.

The eight other board directors all voted in favor.

Kandy Miller, Wendi Lynch, Donna Talisesky, Inga Maciejewski and Dana Rutkowski were appointed as elementary tutors for one hour a week after school at a rate of $18.50 an hour.

Mary Anne Stump, who was laid off in April, will return to work after the winter break to resume teaching music at the high school. She will replace Nancy Shuey, who has submitted a letter of resignation, according to Ruby Michetti, curriculum coordinator.

Kayla Shiko, of Coal Township, and Kelani Walter, of Shamokin, were each added to the teaching substitute list.

The board negated a contract reached last month with Daniel Hinkle to serve as a contracted personal care aide for $25 a day. Instead, he and/or Carol Whiting will be approved to drive their child to and from school in their personal vehicle at the mileage reimbursement rate approved by the Internal Revenue Service.

An agreement was approved with Central Susquehanna Opportunities Inc. for the district to allow students over the age of 18 to engage in a hands-on work program over winter break.

SUNBURY - Northumberland County Prison Board members discussed a supplemental policy for hiring, disciplining and firing prison employees Wednesday, but ended up tabling the issue when several questions arose regarding its language.

The board agreed to have assistant county solicitor John Muncer amend the policy to change some minor wording in certain sections.

Last month, prison board members instructed Muncer to develop the policy and granted Warden Roy Johnson authority in the interim to suspend employees with pay or without pay, while maintaining the board's authority to hire and fire employees.

Northumberland County President Judge Robert B. Sacavage said the policy will give the board a written document to follow rather than using a defacto method of hiring, disciplining and firing employees. He said the current policy is a bit vague in identifying exactly who is responsible for taking formal action against employees who violate prison regulations or the law.

County District Attorney Tony Rosini said a more detailed procedure needs to be implemented involving disciplinary action taken against non-union employees. He said proper protocol needs to be established to prevent more lawsuits from being filed against the county by prison employees.

Johnson reported the prison population is currently 249, including 190 males and 59 females. He said last month's highest population was 274 on Nov. 5, while its lowest was 251 on Nov. 28.

"The population exploded in late October and early November, but has leveled off since then," Johnson said.

SHAMOKIN - The following hearings took place Tuesday before Magisterial District Judge John Gembic III. Defendants ordered to appear for plea court Monday, Jan. 14, at the Northumberland County Courthouse, Sunbury, can plead guilty or no contest, or seek a trial by pleading not guilty.

n Peter Perira, 19, of 212 S. Franklin St., Shamokin, was sentenced to six months probation and ordered to pay a $150 fine plus court costs after pleading guilty to a charge of disorderly conduct.

He was charged by Shamokin City Police Cpl. Bryan Primerano following a Aug. 8 incident at Pine and Franklin Streets.

A charge of simple assault was withdrawn in the case.

n Charges of harassment, simple assault, and disorderly conduct were waived to court by Joseph P. Miscavage, 40, of 1223 W. Mulberry St., Coal Township.

The charges were filed by Shamokin City Police Patrolman Scott Weaver following an Aug. 31 altercation at a Church Street residence.

n James Madison, 40, of 409 Oak St., Trevorton, waived charges of driving under the influence with a BAC of .16 percent or higher, careless driving, and driving with a suspended license during his hearing.

He was charged by Shamokin City Police Patrolman Jarrod Scandle following a Sept. 22 traffic stop in the area of Market and Independence streets, Shamokin,

n Charges of driving under the influence, driving with a blood alcohol level of .16 percent or higher, driving with a combination of drugs and alcohol in the system, driving with a suspended license, driving without registration, driving without financial responsibility and careless driving were waived to court by Kenneth C. Kline, 45, of 1750 W. Gowen St., Shamokin.

The charges were filed by Shamokin City Police Patrolman Jarrod Scandle in connection with an Oct. 5 traffic stop at Sixth and Spruce streets.

n A disorderly conduct charge against Joel A. Silbermann, 27, of 1328 W. Montgomery St., Coal Township, was ordered bound to court by Gembic following his preliminary hearing.

Silbermann was charged by Coal Township Police Patrolman Terry Ketchem following a May 23 incident at his residence.

n Devyn Goodwin, 33, of 145 S. Pearl St., Shamokin, pleaded guilty to a citation of disorderly conduct and was ordered to pay a $100 fine and court costs by Gembic.

She was charged by Shamokin City Police Patrolman Scott Weaver following incidents at Mulberry and Pearl streets on Sept. 13 and 17.

The original criminal complaint, which charged Goodwin with misdemeanor counts of unauthorized school bus entry, disorderly conduct and defiant criminal trespass, was withdrawn in the case.

n Matthew Chiu, 24, of 224 E. Dewart St., Apt. 5, Shamokin, waived charges of criminal attempt to deliver a controlled substance, and two counts of criminal use of a communication facility.

Shamokin City Police Cpl. Bryan Primerano filed the charges following the attempt of an undercover drug buy on Sept. 18 in Shamokin.

n Charges of simple assault, loitering and prowling at night, disorderly conduct, harassment and public drunkenness were waived to court by Kevin E. Eltringham, 29, of 32 N. Anthracite St., Shamokin.

Shamokin City Police Patrolman Jarrod Scandle filed the charges following an incident on Nov. 22 at his residence.

COAL TOWNSHIP - Shamokin Area School Board member Ron McElwee was named chairman of the Northumberland County Career and Technology Center Joint Operating Agency Board during its reorganization meeting Wednesday evening.

Each school affiliated with the NCCTC - Shamokin Area, Mount Carmel Area and Line Mountain - rotate the position. Candidates from Shamokin Area were McElwee, Brian Persing and Charles Shuey.

A motion to name McElwee as chairman was made by outgoing chair from Mount Carmel Area, Donna James, and seconded by Persing. McElwee was then unanimously voted in by himself, James, Persing, Shuey, Mount Carmel Area's Michael Rovito, Line Mountain's Dennis Erdman and Scott Bartholomew, the board's secretary.

James thanked the board members for all their help while she held the position and wished them continued success in the coming year.

The vice-chairperson's rotation fell on Line Mountain this year, and Dennis Erdman was named unanimously to the post with Rovito making the motion and Persing seconding it.

Meeting days will be the second Wednesday of each month in 2013, with the work session beginning at 6:15 p.m. and the public meeting at 7 p.m.

In an executive session held immediately afterwards, the board voted 7-0 to recommend Diane C. Jaworski and Joseph C. Garcia, both of Coal Township, as substitute custodians, pending clearances.

COAL TOWNSHIP - The Mount Carmel Area School Board welcomed a familiar face back to the president's chair and accepted, with regret, the resignation of the former president, Nicholas Goretski III, who had been a member since 2009.

During the board's reorganization meeting Wednesday night at the Northumberland County Career and Technology Center (NCCTC), Coal Township, board member Donna James, who held the position in 2009, was named president on a 4-3 vote.

James was nominated by Dr. Ray Kraynak while Michael Rovito put Robert Muldowney's name up for nomination.

When the votes were in, it was Dr. Kraynak, Raymond Kraynak, Thomas Ditchey and voting for James, as well as herself, and Charles Mannello, Michael Rovito for Muldowney with the addition of his own vote for himself. Members Michael Brinkash and Nicholas Goretski III were absent.

Muldowney was appointed vice president with a 5-2 vote with himself, James, Raymond Kraynak, Rovito and Mannello in support of his appointment. Thomas Ditchey was the other candidate for the position earning the support of Dr. Kraynak and a vote for himself.

James was also reappointed to the NCCTC Joint Operating Agency board with Rovito, and will serve as the district's representative on the Pennsylvania School Board Association. Mannello was appointed to the Central Susquehanna Intermediate Unit Board.

Goretski's resignation, which took place during an executive session, was accepted on a 6-1 vote with Rovito casting the lone dissenting vote. Mount Carmel Area now has 30 days to fill the board vacancy created by Goretski's resignation. With their next meeting scheduled for Jan. 17, well past the 30-day deadline, a special meeting will be scheduled to make the appointment. Anyone wishing to serve on the school board may send a letter of interest to district superintendent Bernard Stellar.

In other business, the position of Title I Coordinator/Teacher, currently held by Virginia DeFrancesco, was eliminated on a 7-0 vote. DeFrancesco was reclassified as a teacher as a salary to be determined.

Elementary School Principal Susan Nestico was appointed as the district's federal programs coordinator, retroactive to the beginning of the school year, with a stipend of $5,000.

The board also accepted the resignation of cafeteria worker Lori Pyle, effective Nov. 20. She will remain on the district's supportive services substitute list.

by justin strawser

COAL TOWNSHIP - The Line Mountain School Board reorganized Wednesday night at the Northumberland County Career and Technology Center, but they will be returning in 2013 one board member less.

The school board unanimously accepted the resignation of Director Denise Clouser, who represented Region III (Zerbe and West Cameron townships).

Superintendent Dave Campbell explained that Clouser was leaving the board because she is recovering from health issues and has conflicts in her work schedule.

Director Lawrence Neidig made the motion to accept her resignation "with thanks and regrets." Director Dennis Erdman seconded the motion, and it passed 8-0.

Campbell explained that the board can appoint someone who applies for the position, and that person will serve the remainder of her term until the end of 2013. If that person plans to remain on the board for the four-year term, he or she must run for re-election in the 2013 primary election.

During the reorganization meeting, the officers remained the same with Troy Laudenslager president and Erdman vice president.

Director David Scott Bartholomew nominated both Laudenslager and Erdman, and their appointments were passed unanimously.

In other business, the board accepted:

- A donation in the amount of $1,609.13 from the Walmart Foundation representing a safe driving program. Walmart employee Richard Witmer recommended the district as the recipient.

- An increase in the district mileage reimbursement rate from $.555 to $.565 per mile effective Jan. 1, 2013.

Barletta transitioning district offices

WASHINGTON - U.S. Rep. Lou Barletta, R-11, announced that his district offices in Plains Township and Taylor will close Thursday, Dec. 20. His office in Hazleton will remain open to handle constituent service requests until offices in the new 11th District are opened in early 2013.

Because of congressional redistricting, the offices along Route 315 near Wilkes-Barre and on Main Street in Taylor will no longer be in Barletta's territory.

The phone numbers for the Plains Township and Taylor offices will not be in service after Dec. 20.

Those two offices must close by the end of the year, and their contents will be moved to Barletta's new offices. The locations of the new offices are still being finalized and will be announced soon.

The Shamokin-Mount Carmel area and, roughly, all points in Northumberland County south, east of and including Sunbury, will be in the 11th District as of the new year. The rest of the county, including Northumberland, Milton and the county's "northern panhandle," remain in the 10th Congressional District.

Constituents who need help dealing with federal agencies during the transition can contact Rep. Barletta's Hazleton District Office at 751-0050. Those wishing to speak about policy issues can continue to contact Barletta's Washington, D.C., office at (202) 225-6511 or toll-free at (855) 241-5144.

Some local administrators agree that adding as many as 300 hours of classroom time to the school year, as planned in a national pilot project, would benefit students,

However, the larger concern, as is always the case today in public education, is how to pay for it.

Five states announced Monday that they will add at least 300 hours of learning time to the calendar in some schools starting in 2013. Colorado, Connecticut, Massachusetts, New York and Tennessee will take part in the initiative, which is intended to boost student achievement and make U.S. schools more competitive on a global level.

Bernard Stellar, Mount Carmel Area superintendent, said more time would help students in his district, many of whom come from lower-income families.

"Many that come from a low-income household have parents that may not be educated themselves, and that keeps the cycle going," he said. "The more time spent with the student, the better it is."

The biggest obstacle in implementation is finding the extra money to pay teachers and even utilities.

"We couldn't do it right now, especially if it was done as an unfunded mandate," Stellar said.

Pilot program

The three-year pilot program will affect almost 20,000 students in 40 schools, with long-term hopes of expanding the program to include additional schools - especially those that serve low-income communities. Schools, working in concert with districts, parents and teachers, will decide whether to make the school day longer, add more days to the school year or both.

"I'm convinced the kind of results we'll see over the next couple of years I think will compel the country to act in a very different way," Education Secretary Arne Duncan said in an Associated Press story.

A mix of federal, state and district funds will cover the costs, with the Ford Foundation and the National Center on Time & Learning chipping in resources.

Spending more time in the classroom, officials said, will give students access to a more well-rounded curriculum that includes arts and music, individualized help for students who fall behind and opportunities to reinforce critical math and science skills.

Help at home, too

Ruby Michetti, curriculum coordinator at Shamokin Area School District, favors more classroom time, and believes it would "absolutely" be beneficial.

"Time is crucial to success in education," she said.

Like MCA, she noted Shamokin Area students start out "so far below the bar," citing socio-economic disadvantages. She said approximately 60 percent of the student population are eligible for free or reduced lunch.

Apart from extending the school day, Michetti said a longer calendar year prevents lessons from eroding during summer vacation.

But she understands the potential drawbacks.

"Presently we don't have the money, and presently we don't have the tax base to afford that," Michetti said.

Perhaps the greatest impact on childhood education can come from home, she said.

Maybe too long?

Dave Campbell, Line Mountain superintendent, questioned whether keeping students in school for longer days is a good idea.

"I'd like to see the data on when you hit a breaking point," he said. "Is it a good thing putting them here for 8 1/2 hours?"

Elementary students start school at 9 a.m. and leave school at 3:30 p.m., while high school students start at 7:35 a.m. and leave at 2:25 p.m. This, however, does not take into account upwards of an hour each way too and from school in rural Line Mountain.

"How many American workers work more than 8 hours a day? We don't even ask our adults to do that," he said.

Campbell also questioned the notion that the United States doesn't already compete with the world in education.

"We are well-rounded," he said, noting the system includes every student and offers options like technical schools, sports programs, extracurricular activities and arts. "I think our best and brightest are better and brighter than they've ever been."

Searching for solutions

More classroom time has long been a priority for Duncan, who warned a congressional committee in May 2009 - just months after becoming education secretary - that American students were at a disadvantage compared to their peers in India and China. That same year, he suggested schools should be open six or seven days per week and should run 11 or 12 months out of the year.

But, like Campbell, not everyone agrees that shorter school days are to blame. A report last year from the National School Boards Association's Center for Public Education disputed the notion that American schools have fallen behind in classroom time, pointing out that students in high-performing countries like South Korea, Finland and Japan actually spend less time in school than most U.S. students.

The broader push to extend classroom time could also run up against concerns from teachers unions. Longer school days became a major sticking point in a seven-day teachers strike in September in Chicago.

Just over 1,000 U.S. schools already operate on expanded schedules, an increase of 53 percent over 2009, according to a report released Monday in connection with the announcement by the National Center on Time & Learning. The nonprofit group said more schools should follow suit, but stressed that expanded learning time isn't the right strategy for every school.

WILLIAMSPORT - More than eight years after a large safe was stolen from a West Cameron Township home, a resulting civil lawsuit continues to wind its way through federal court.

There's been a flurry of legal filings in the past week in U.S. Middle District Court here regarding the "safe case," but whether defendants, which include Shamokin police officers, will face trial remains up in the air.

Peter G. Loftus, of Waverly, the attorney for plaintiff Donna Deitrick, filed objections Sunday in response to motions for summary judgment - which ask that the case be tossed - filed by her ex-husband, Robert Yoncuski, and fellow defendants Jane Acri, Linda Long and Vanessa Long Yoncuski.

Loftus also asked for a continuance until Tuesday to file objections to the dismissal motions filed by the City of Shamokin and its police department, former police chief Richard Nichols (now deceased), and officers William Miner, William Zalinski, Mark Costa and special officer Robert Searls.

That objection was filed Tuesday, but the attorney handling the case for the city and police department, Amy Conyar Miller, of Harrisburg, filed a motion to strike the objection Wednesday,

saying it was not valid because it came after the court-imposed deadline.

U.S. District Court Chief Judge Yvette Kane has not made any decisions one way or another on the motions or on the extension, but she did this week on Tuesday refer the case to a U.S. magistrate judge to handle pre-trial conferences and procedures, and to make reports and recommendations back to her on how the case is proceeding.

It's not clear, however, if that suggests she won't be dismissing the case.

Also named in the suit are Jeff and Marianna Adams, of Dornsife, Kevin Balascik, of Sunbury, Thomas Yoncuski, of Trevorton, James Brown, of Shamokin, and Dennis Moore, of Shamokin.

Theft in August 2004

All the defendants are accused of conspiring to steal a safe from Deitrick's residence in August 2004 that contained approximately $300,000 in cash and $500,000 in jewelry and coins belonging to Deitrick and her brother, Kenneth Dietrick.

Robert Yoncuski, who was divorced from Deitrick in June 2007, pleaded guilty to a charge of theft in August 2010, and was sentenced to seven years probation, $1,000 in fines and $100,000 in restitution.

Deitrick filed her civil suit in 2006, claiming there was approximately $4 million in cash, jewelry and other items stolen from the safe, and that all involved were in a conspiracy to steal it from her.

She also claimed police violated her civil rights, injuring her by using force and falsely imprisoning her following an altercation with Vanessa Long and Robert Yoncuski at Shamokin City Police headquarters in 2004.

Time's up?

The latest filings were in response to a court order by Kane that said Deitrick had ample time to reply to the defendants' motions for summary judgement and motions for sanctions.

After asking for another extension on Nov. 23, Kane gave the plaintiff one week to file her objections, setting the deadline for last Friday.

The filings were ready on Nov. 30, according to Loftus, but a three-day maintenance outage of the court's PACER electronic case filing system forced the filings to be made Sunday.

In asking for the time extension, Loftus said there were 93 paragraphs in the motion to dismiss that he had to address, and the fact that his part-time secretary familiar with the PACER system was not available until Tuesday the brief against the Shamokin defendants' motion could not be completed by Nov. 30.

Loftus said Deitrick is acting in good faith by filing the other objections in a timely fashion.

Miller filed a response Monday objecting to the extension, noting it was the third time one was sought.

"(Loftus) has continuously and repeatedly delayed handling of this litigation through the entire process," Miller wrote. "Discovery responses were late or ignored. Counsel obviously plans poorly and apparently understands that this case is frivolous and not worth his time."

According to Miller, the plaintiff has had since Oct. 9 to prepare the response.

"The plaintiff has not demonstrated good faith whatsoever," Miller wrote.

SUNBURY - Bogus, bizarre and unacceptable.

Those were some of the adjectives used by ailing Northumberland County Commissioner Vinny Clausi during an emotional hour-long press conference Wednesday in which he defended himself against allegations made by Commissioner Richard Shoch.

The conference, which began at about 12:30 p.m. in the public meeting room at the county administration center, got off to a rocky start when Attorney Gregory Stuck of Northumberland, who is currently in litigation with Clausi, pressed the commissioner about whether he was able to read English.

After Clausi presented the media with prepared statements regarding his handling of a DCED grant, upgrades to the 911 system and a lawsuit filed against the county by fired deputy sheriffs Joseph Jones and Michael Boris, and various documents that he says support his claims, Stuck requested the commissioner read his statements.

Clausi told Stuck to be quiet or he would throw him out. But Stuck said Clausi couldn't remove him from a public meeting.

Clausi, who is recovering from recent surgery that has limited his mobility, then moved the session to a conference room down the hall, telling Stuck on the way out, "You can go to hell."

When the conference resumed without Stuck and Shoch, who also was in attendance when the session started but left after the change of locations, Clausi said he wasn't responsible for the county having to pay back up to $250,000 of a $365,000 state Department of Community and Economic Development (DCED) grant intended for low-income families that reportedly was distributed by county Adult Social Services and the planning department to unqualified individuals.

Clausi, who was wearing a sweatshirt, sweatpants and sandals, also refuted claims by Shoch that he cost the taxpayers approximately $57,000 in legal fees alone in an initial lawsuit filed by Jones, Boris and their former attorney, Stuck, and was partly responsible for the county not meeting a federal mandate to make upgrades to the 911 communications system by Jan. 1.

At the end of the press conference, Clausi became emotional and started to cry while stating, "Mr. Shoch is playing politics. This is not right. I can't take this mental abuse anymore. You can't trust the guy (Shoch)."

A call for harmony

Clausi said he wanted all the commissioners to stop their bickering and move on to serious issues facing the county. "I'm asking the press and the citizens of Northumberland County to help us," he said. "I tried to bury the hatchet with Mr. Shoch, but it didn't work. I don't mean to tie religion into this, but if Vinny Clausi was God, Shoch would still crucify me."

Randi Buehner of Sunbury, one of about 20 people in attendance, said "the reconciliation needs to start now. You have to stop making these derogatory remarks against each other."

Paul Leshinskie of Coal Township agreed with Buehner. He told Clausi, "I think you missed the opportunity today to get the three commissioners together to talk out their differences and settle their arguments."

Also in attendance were Commissioner Stephen Bridy, planning director Pat Mack, 911 coordinator Bill Brown, chief clerk Gary Steffen and Adult Social Services Director Gregg Stavinski, who all said they supported Clausi's claims made during the conference.

Asked by the media if they would like to see harmony among the commissioners, most of the employees said "yes" or nodded their heads in agreement.

Steffen thanked all employees for working hard in their attempts to rectify the problems facing the county.

DCED timeline

Clausi said he wasn't in favor of the Homeless Prevention Rapid Placement (HPRP) grant program from the beginning. He presented a timeline surrounding the issue.

"The record shows that on Oct. 20, 2009, I refused to vote for this program. After that date, I had no association or oversight," he said.

Bridy is the commissioner who oversees the planning department and Adult Social Services.

Clausi added, "The next time I was made aware of anything about this issue was on Feb. 2, 2012, in a meeting with planning director Pat Mack. I was informed that the county might be required to repay some of the grant funds. I immediately took action and stopped the program."

He said he called DCED on Feb. 2 and informed them that the county would not pay back "one cent" because DCED failed to provide adequate guidance. He said then-Commissioner Chairman Shoch sent official notification to DCED on April 18 that the county ended this grant program.

His statement further said, "From April to July, staff worked to close out the program. In July, following a review, the severity of deficient files became known."

Clausi asked in his prepared statement, "What was Mr. Shoch doing from April to July to fix the county grant problem?"

911 upgrade questions

Clausi said Shoch claims the county lost $5 million because it did not follow former Commissioner Frank Sawicki's plan to meet the new requirements for the communications system.

"Commissioner Sawicki's plan was to contract with Raytheon for the narrow-banding communications system at a heavily discounted rate of $5.5 million. County 911 officials made many inquiries to Raytheon about their system and those questions remain unanswered to this day," Clausi said. He said 911 officials didn't have confidence in the company.

"They are the experts and I followed their advice," Clausi said.

Clausi, who admitted not knowing much about the operations of the 911 center, is the commissioner in charge of the system.

He said, "On Sept. 28, 2010, the commissioners agreed to seek bids on upgrading the communications system. Then-Commissioner Kurt Masser made that motion and I seconded the motion. Mr. Shoch's accusation that I ignored the 911 communications center upgrades is a lie."

Brown agreed with Clausi that Raytheon failed to answer many of the county's questions regarding upgrades. By not choosing Raytheon, Brown said the county might end up saving money on the 911 upgrade.

Prior to the press conference, Shoch informed The News-Item that the county received notification Monday that it's deadline to meet the federal mandate for the 911 upgrades was extended by the Federal Communications Commission to Dec. 31, 2013. He said the Pennsylvania State Police also received the same extension.

Shoch, who noted the county originally sought an extensive until March 1, 2014, entered into a contract last month with Mission Critical Partners, State College, for approximately $450,000 for the upgrades. Shoch, like Clausi at the press conference, said the extension was good news for the county, but was still apprehensive about meeting the Dec. 31, 2014, deadline.

Shoch said the consultant informed him that penalties could be imposed as high as $10,000 per day if the deadline is missed.

"We now find ourselves in a seller's market because this problem was ignored for more than a decade," Shoch said. "We could end up spending $11 million to $12 million if a digital-trunked system is needed due to the lack of analogue narrow-band frequencies."

Clausi commended county employees and Mission Critical Partners for their efforts.

Deputies' lawsuit

In his prepared statement, Clausi said Boris and Jones were fired because they watched pornography on their computers for many hours, which he considered a "breach of taxpayers' trust."

When reminded by a reporter that county officials never listed viewing pornography as the official reason for firing the deputy sheriffs, Clausi stuck to his statement.

He added, "For the record, these former employees lost their arbitration suit to get their jobs back and receive two years of back pay. I exposed this incident because other public officials were trying to cover up this disgraceful behavior.

"Mr. Shoch is familiar with public officials or employees attempting cover-ups through his experiences as Point Township solicitor."

Clausi said, "Shame on Mr. Shoch for bringing up pending litigation which could damage the county's position in this lawsuit. As a lawyer, he should know better."

Clausi said his rebuttal prove Shoch's accusations are "pure politics."

"I have done nothing wrong," he said. "I am no longer going to waste my time on this nonsense."

Shoch, meanwhile, said he stands behind his allegations.

"I back up everything with documentation provided to the media," he said. "All I ask is for county employees to be open and honest with me. And if they have a problem doing that, I will gladly accept their resignations."

The commissioner invited citizens to contact him via his personal e-mail address: rshoch@live.com.

BOSTON - Our Lady of Lourdes graduate Kathryn Burak released her first novel, "Emily's Dress and Other Missing Things" (Roaring Brook/Macmillan), on Oct. 2.

"Emily's Dress" is about a girl who steals Emily Dickinson's dress from the poet's museum in Amherst, Mass., and solves the mystery of her best friend's disappearance. The starred Booklist review described the novel as "a complete portrait of loss, longing, redemption and love," and the Independent Booksellers Association put it on its highly selective New Voices list for 2012.

"I wanted to tell the story of a girl who is grieving, who turns to the poetry of Emily Dickinson to help her understand her mother's death, but who also finds her own writing transformative," said Burak, a 1977 graduate of the Coal Township high school, and a Boston University writing professor who has published numerous short stories and poems in magazines and literary journals such as the Missouri Review, Western Humanities Review, Seventeen, and Fiction. She is also the co-author of "Writing in the Works," a composition textbook.

Passion in high school

Burak developed a passion for writing as a high school student.

"When I first started writing, as a high school student at Lourdes, the message I got was "you can be anything you want to be,'" Burak said. "It came at the right time for me, when I was trying to decide who I was and how to make sense of the world."

Burak pursued her interest in writing through college and she went on to earn an MFA in creative writing from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst.

'Close' to Dickinson

Burak found setting a novel in Amherst, at the poet's house, too tempting to pass up.

"After living in Amherst, you can really feel close to Dickinson," Burak says, "especially if you already love poetry."

She is currently teaming up with the Emily Dickinson Museum in Amherst, Mass., to restock the bookshelves in the Dickinson homestead, through a fundraising project.

Dickinson family members were avid readers and amassed hundreds of volumes, but over the years the books were donated to universities, leaving the shelves bare. Now, museum officials have put together a list of the family's books and hope to garner donations to replenish the shelves.

Burak got involved after contacting Jane Wald, the museum's executive director, to tell her about her novel.

"The book has some breaking and entering as well as grand theft," she said, "I was afraid the people who run the museum would want to ban me from Amherst. Instead, they invited me to read there."

Wald also told Burak about the Replenishing the Shelves project, and Burak decided she wanted to help.

"I want my book to help bring some of her books back," Burak said.

SUNBURY - The City of Shamokin is permitted to raise its property taxes to 30 mills for the fifth year running, 5 mills higher than that allowed by law.

Robert B. Sacavage, Northumberland County president judge, again permitted the exception, issuing an order Thursday afternoon after presiding over an hour-long hearing that morning at the county courthouse.

The additional millage will allow the city to collect up to an estimated $175,000 in property tax above what's allowed under Third Class City Code.

There had been no objections filed to the city's petition, and no one attended the hearing to speak out against the plan, which city officials say is necessary to balance its $2.5 million budget and maintain its emergency and civic services.

Sacavage sided with the city, saying the tax exception was properly advertised and filed with the court, that the decision to seek the exception was made by elected officials at public meetings, and that Shamokin officials presented evidence that the extra millage is crucial to serve city residents.

"The court is not authorized to micromanage the city's budget. Rather, the court is charged only with determining whether the city has established by competent, credible evidence that the anticipated revenues of the city will be insufficient to meet the financial obligations of the approved budget," Sacavage wrote in his order on the case.

"The court finds that the testimony presented established not only that the additional millage is a necessity for the City of Shamokin to meet its monetary obligations under the approved 2013

budget, but that the very health, safety, and welfare of the residents of the city would be adversely affected should there not be an approved increase in millage," the president judge wrote.

Shamokin's collection rate on property taxes will all but prevent it from maxing out collection of the additional millage.

City Clerk Steve Bartos said during testimony at a hearing that the extra 5 mills would net Shamokin closer to $120,000.

Shamokin's collection rate for property taxes was 76 percent in 2011, down from 82 percent in 2010, according to last year's tax information.

What it means for a taxpayer is this: Instead of paying $25 on each $1,000 of assessed property, a property owner will pay $30.

For example, the owner of a home assessed at $30,000 would pay $750 in property tax if it were 25 mills. That bill rises to $900 under a 30-mill tax, and that's been the case the past four years.

The property tax is a substantial portion of the city's total tax levy, which in 2012 is 44.918 mills for property tax, debt service, recreation tax and library tax combined.

Longer meeting

When Sacavage approved the exception last December, it came at the end of a brief hearing. This time around, the hearing lasted much longer.

The president judge asked many questions of Bartos, city Solicitor H. Robert Mattis and Mayor George Rozinskie. He questioned the amount of outstanding debt owed by Shamokin, the cost of salaries for elected and administrative officials and the effect a 25-mill tax limit would have on public services.

The city pays an estimated $290,000 annually for debt service, and recently refinanced $1.8 million on three outstanding loans, Bartos said.

The workforce is decreasing, he said, which has cut into both the local services tax and earned income tax. The collection of the latter dropped an estimated $55,000 over the past year.

The downtown business district is mostly retail and service oriented, and there is little in the way of manufacturing within the city limits.

The police and street departments combined make up nearly $1.7 million of the city's total budget. Both departments have vacant positions that have not been filled, and Bartos said there have been no substantial capital purchases for the street department since his hiring 20 months ago.

Union employees - police and street department - are contracted to receive annual 3-percent bumps in salary.

There is a proposal for a raise for both Rick Bozza, code officer, and for Bartos himself, both of whom are non-union.

The latter - a $9,350 bump to $45,400 - has ruffled some feathers, and Sacavage asked Rozinskie if it is valid.

"Mr. Bartos has done a good job while he's been here," the mayor said. "I think he deserves a raise."

If approved by city council, Bartos' new salary would be slightly higher than that earned by the managers of both Coal Township and Sunbury.

Proposed code changes

Sacavage's line of questioning had seemingly convinced him that the additional millage requested exceeds the cost to maintain civic ventures, including the city swimming pool, and that public services would be in jeopardy if the city's request were denied.

Bartos said there is a state Senate bill pending that would revise the Third Class City Code. If adopted in its present form, the bill would increase the maximum property tax millage from 25 to 30 mills and would also allow up to 5 mills of that total to be dedicated to costs for street lights.

While boroughs and townships are permitted to tax for street light costs, third class cities cannot, and those costs significantly eat away at funding that could be used for road repairs, Bartos said.

City council is expected to vote Monday on a final budget for 2013.

MOUNT CARMEL - An 18-year-old borough man who led police on a 25-minute foot pursuit last month waived to court all charges filed in five separate cases Wednesday in front of Magisterial District Judge Hugh Jones, of Mount Carmel, including one involving his flight from police.

Brandon Chapman, 18, of South Walnut Street, Mount Carmel, led officers on a chase Nov. 2 for nearly 30 minutes through several properties in the northeast section of the borough after borough Patrolman David Donkochik attempted to arrest him on a warrant issued earlier that day for a parole violation. He was caught on a culm bank north of Midway Field.

The charges of resisting arrest, escape and flight to avoid apprehension in the case were waived to court.

Chapman also waived charges of receiving stolen property and giving false reports to law enforcement authorities following an Oct. 27 incident when he and another individual, Richard R. Workman, 19, of 317 E. Columbia Ave., allegedly sold a stolen iPod mp3 player to the GameStop store in Coal Township for $68.80.

He also waived charges of criminal conspiracy to commit theft, theft by unlawful taking, receiving stolen property and a related criminal conspiracy charge, and possession of a small amount of marijuana, following a vehicle theft on South Hickory Street on Oct. 22.

He also waived charges of possession of drug paraphernalia after he was allegedly found in the area of South Oak Street on Sept. 5 with a wooden smoking pipe containing burnt residue.

Lastly, Chapman also waived charges of theft from a motor vehicle and receiving stolen property after being searched near Jones' office Sept. 27.

On Monday, Chapman pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor of theft by unlawful taking and was sentenced to one year parole. The defendant was given credit for eight days previously served in county prison, where he was being held on these five cases.