Voters overwhelmingly support Gov. Tom Wolf's plan to swap higher state sales, income and natural gas extraction taxes for lower school property taxes and more education funding, according to a new poll released Tuesday.

They are far less pleased with the way he is going about his job, the Franklin & Marshall College poll found.

Almost three in five voters (59 percent) said they strongly or somewhat support the governor's tax plan compared to only about a third (35 percent) who strongly or somewhat oppose it.

Despite having a largely favorable view of Wolf, only about two in five voters (38 percent) think he is doing a good or excellent job compared to more than two in five (43 percent) who think he is doing a fair or poor job. The rest said they do not know.

G. Terry Madonna, Ph.D., the poll director, said the popularity of Wolf's tax swap and his mediocre job approval rating are not really contradictory. Only two months in office, voters do not know much about the governor's overall agenda.

"I think a lot of voters don't have a clear sense about where he wants to go yet," Madonna said, explaining the job approval rating. "He's not been in office long enough. ... We'll see what happens in the fall."

The poll surveyed 597 voters between March 17 and Monday and has a margin of error of plus or minus 4.2 percentage points.

The job approval rating could have something to do with the economy, Madonna said. At the same point in time in their first terms, Wolf stands slightly ahead of former Gov. Tom Corbett, but behind former governors Ed Rendell and Tom Ridge, who both led the state in rosier times, Madonna said.

Just as in October, two in five voters (40 percent) said they have favorable view of Wolf with a slightly higher percentage (27 percent) saying they have an unfavorable view than in October (25 percent).

Wolf's focus on taxes has certainly affected voters' views on issues. They still most often named education and schools (19 percent) as the most important problem facing the state (down from 25 percent in October), but taxes shot up the list of concerns, rising to second (17 percent) from fourth (9 percent) in October.

Madonna attributed the change directly to Wolf's property tax proposal earlier this month.

"I don't think there's any doubt about it. What's been the message for eight weeks: what we defined as the governor's plan in there (the poll)," he said. "He's got their (voters') attention and they're generally supportive. Now the acid test is leadership."

Wolf is proposing raising the sales tax to 6.6 percent from 6 percent and the income tax to 3.7 percent from 3.07 percent and imposing a 5 percent gas extraction tax to close an estimated $2 billion budget gap , raise more money for education and lower school property taxes.

More than a quarter of voters (27 percent) said increasing state funding for education should be state lawmakers' top priority while another quarter (25 percent) said reforming the state's tax system to cut property taxes should be.

By a huge margin (77 percent to 13 percent), voters think the state's tax system, including property taxes, needs reforming. Almost half (48 percent) think it needs complete rebuilding while about two in five voters (41 percent) think it only needs minor changes.

More than two in five (44 percent) think the way to solve the state's large budget deficit is to cut spending and raise taxes, with almost a third (31 percent) saying the way to do it is just cutting state programs and services.

Of the people who favor the governor's tax-swap plan, about a third (33 percent) said they favor it because more education funding is necessary or because education should be a top priority. About one in five (21 percent) said they back the plan because property taxes must come down. Almost as many (18 percent) said they support it because Marcellus Shale gas extraction should be taxed.

Voters impression of the state's future also sharply improved with about four in 10 (39 percent) saying they think things are headed in the right direction, up from about three in 10 (28 percent) in an October poll. Still, almost half (47 percent) think the state is off on the wrong track, though that is down from more than three in five (61 percent) in October.

"That could be the better economy, it could be a better sense of optimism that voters have that things will get better with the state," Madonna said.

In other findings, the poll:

- Showed state Attorney General Kathleen Kane's legal troubles have voters taking a dim view of her. Only one in five voters (19 percent) said they have a favorable view of her with almost three in 10 (29 percent) with an unfavorable view. More than half (52 percent) said they were undecided or did not know.

- Republican U.S. Sen. Pat Toomey led Democratic former Congressman Joe Sestak, 34 percent to 29 percent, in a head-to-head matchup that assumed they would be their parties' nominees for the 2016 Senate race. Almost four in 10 voters (37 percent) said they do not know who they would support.

COAL TOWNSHIP - Eat healthy, stay active, be positive - all messages to be delivered Wednesday during the Shamokin Area School District's health fair.

The fair will be held from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. and is open to the public. Twenty-plus vendors and community organizations will serve healthy snacks and drinks, and provide tips on healthy living and public safety.

Contests will award prizes designed to keep people active: bicycles and helmets, footballs and basketballs and the like. More than $2,000 was donated by local businesses and individuals. Students from a high school health class solicited the donations.

The fair is held as part of SASD Gets Fit, created with last year's receipt of a $1.1 million federal fitness grant. The funding was used to purchase state-of-the art strength-training and cardio equipment, and will bring outdoor adventure equipment - rope climbs and swings - over the next two school years. Health education, though, is also stressed.

"From a very young age through adulthood, daily people are making choices," said Ruby Michetti, the district's curriculum coordinator. "The more information people have with regards to wellness, nutrition and physical activity, it will help to determine the quality of life they may enjoy."

All district students will participate, and attendance at the fair is built into their schedules. Kindergarten students will be bused from the elementary Annex.

Representatives of NFL Play 60 will be on hand. There also will be lessons on the effects of tobacco use by Geisinger Health Plan, with puppets to give proper tooth brushing demonstrations to elementary students. Seven Mountains EMS Council will provide hands-only CPR demonstrations and advice on EMS careers.

The school district's food service vendor, Nutrition Inc., will prepare snacks with fruits, vegetables, dairy, grains and protein. Students of the Northumberland County Career and Technology Center's culinary arts program will give a healthy food demonstration.

Other vendors include Evangelical Community Hospital, state and local police, Shamokin Emergency and Rescue Squad and school district clubs.

RIVERSIDE - Merck Cherokee announced Wednesday its Neighbor of Choice grant program will be open for applications beginning April 1.

An extension of the company's committment to the communities in which Merck does business and where employees live and work, the Neighbor of Choice grant makes funding available for eligible nonprofit organizations and nongovermental organizations who align with Merck's philanthropic focus areas.

Those areas include: improving access to and building capacity for quality health care, particularly among underserved populations; strengthening science education and science educational opportunities for underserved populations; addressing the needs of Merck communities through support for local environmental, cultural, social, medical and civic issues.

Grant proposals will be accepted from April 1 to 30, and evaluated on the basis of relevance to the mission and strategic philanthropic interests of Merck Cherokee and the surrounding community. Organizations in Riverside, Danville and surrounding communities will be considered for funding requests up to $10,000.

The level of funding provided varies depending on the resources available and the volume of proposals received. Multi-year grant requests are not eligible for support.

Organizations that are requesting funding should contact Chris Moyer at christine.moyer@merck.com or by telephone at 570-271-4171 or request application instructions.

Shepherd's Table closed Thursday

COAL TOWNSHIP - The Shepherd's Table fellowship kitchen will be closed Thursday in observance of Holy Thursday. It will reopen April 9. For more information, call 570-648-4432.

SCA alumnus award nominations

CATAWISSA R.R. - The Southern Columbia Area School District will be accepting nominations for the 2015 Distinguished Alumnus Award until Thursday.

The Distinguished Alumnus should be someone who has gone on to achieve success in their field of endeavor and/or has had a positive influence on the students and community of the Southern Columbia Area. Graduates of Southern Columbia Area High School or any high school that formed the Southern Columbia Area School District are eligible to be nominated.

Nominations explaining why a particular person should be the Distinguished Alumnus recipient can be e-mailed to Tresa Britch, Board Secretary at tbritch@scasd.us. or sent to Britch at Southern Columbia Area School District, 800 Southern Drive, Catawissa, PA 17820.

Committee plans annual egg hunt

MOUNT CARMEL - The Mount Carmel Celebration of Special Athletes Committee will hold the 11th annual Easter egg hunt at 1 p.m. Saturday, April 4, at the town park. Individuals of all ages with intellectual and developmental disabilities are encouraged to participate.

The event is again co-sponsored by the motorcycle club, The Unknown Riders. Additional support this year is provided by The Texas Roadhosue.

The event is open to individuals with developmental disabilities and their families. Registration is not required.

Call Tara Avellino at 570-274-4894 or Anne Bartol at 570-274-2689 with any questions.

Correction

Family members of Dustin Gearhart, who has been in the news this week regarding his sentencing on rape charges, said he is not related to Edgar Gearhart, the Selinsgrove man charged last week with a stabbing death in Sunbury. The News-Item reported them as brothers, based on information from multiple law enforcement personnel, who have since reiterated they believe the two to be related.

SHAMOKIN - Legislation reintroduced in the state House proposes elimination of pension plans for all new hires of municipal police officers and firefighters across Pennsylvania.

Incoming employees would instead be offered a cash balanced benefit plan that works like a 401(k). Existing pension plans would remain intact, but contributions would be frozen at current levels.

As part of the proposal, police officers could roll their cash balanced plan from one municipal employer to the next. The plan would fully vest at 12 years. They would be eligible for retirement at age 55, or 25 years of service. Employers would contribute 4.5 percent, with employees eligible to contribute between 6 and 9 percent. The bill would be retroactive to Jan. 1.

Members would not be eligible for post-retirement health care benefits from the municipality.

"That's the beauty of it," Rep. Keith Greiner, the bill's primary co-sponsor, said when reached Thursday. "Everybody who's in it, where they're at now, they stay in. New hires

go to cash balance. People in the (pension) plan still get a good retirement, and yet we have an opportunity to peck away at the unfunded liability."

Alternative investment plans are already suggested for Shamokin as part of the city's Act 47 plan. The city is among the municipalities with distressed plans. Should the legislation be enacted, it would be a mandate for Shamokin and its neighbors, including Coal Township and Mount Carmel. According to a memorandum for the bill, only Philadelphia would be exempt.

Pennsylvania accounts for 25 percent of public employee pension plans across the country, and nearly all have less than 100 members. The state Auditor General's Office says 562 of the state's municipalities have distressed pension plans, including nine in Northumberland County. The combined unfunded liability grew by $1 billion over the past two years and now tops $7.7 billion. Insolvency threatens public and emergency services to taxpayers, and could mean reductions or elimination of pension payments to current and future recipients in a municipality if its plan were to go bankrupt.

Auditor General Eugene DePasquale spoke Monday during a press conference about a pension crisis in York and similar situations in Pittsburgh and Jeanette. Scranton is four years from pension bankruptcy.

"We need a wake-up call before Scranton goes under. Scranton won't be alone if state leaders don't come up with a comprehensive statewide solution soon," DePasquale said.

The bill's future is uncertain. It was introduced Thursday by Greiner and Rep. Seth Grove, and referred to the State Government Committee. The original version of the legislation was brought forward in June 2013 but never made it out of committee.

Greiner said he hopes his bill will receive bipartisan support in the House. It should, he said, since municipal pension struggles are felt statewide, including in metropolitan areas that are largely Democrat. DePasquale himself is a Democrat.

"The fact that Auditor General DePasquale is out there and discussing this, when you start realizing that the City of Scranton pension plan is only 16 percent funded and looking at a timetable of three to five years before it will go broke, it proves there's a sense of urgency to fix this and get it resolved," Greiner said.

The burden to fund pensions puts municipal employees' jobs at risk, and layoffs become reality. Greiner, a certified public accountant, believes his plan saves jobs, including that of police officers and paid firefighters.

Shamokin Mayor William D. Milbrand said pensions are the city's largest burden. Deciding to end pensions for new hires would be a tough call for many local officials, and a mandate from the state would make it much easier, Milbrand said.

"I feel bad for people who have pensions because it's not their fault. They took the job expecting to get what they get, but I guess they weren't expecting all these communities to go broke," Milbrand said. "I don't think we're going to have any choice as to what we're going to do."

Milbrand is hoping to arrange a meeting with representatives of the Auditor General's Office, the city's pension manager and Shamokin's police union to address issues flagged in the last six state audits of the uniformed pension plan, including alleged overpayments.

Rep. Kurt Masser spoke to dangers faced by the state's municipalities, specifically saying Scranton and Pittsburgh are "in really bad shape."

"They're in danger of what happened in Detroit and losing the whole thing," he said.

He's anticipating reviewing the proposed legislation and discussing the bill in detail with fellow legislators.

"We have to look at doing something," Masser said.

Note: "On the Job" examines occupations both common and unique once a month in 2015.

SHAMOKIN - It's a typical Tuesday at the office of Magisterial District Judge John Gembic III. It's his busiest day of the week, with a number of preliminary hearings on the docket.

Even with a busy schedule, Gembic takes a few minutes to converse with a defendant who has just waived his charges to county court. The prisoner tells him how he likes being held at SCI-Coal Township instead of the county jail, which was destroyed by fire in January.

Another inmate compliments the judge on his approach.

"I'm trying not to get in trouble, but I'm glad I'm in front of you," he said. "You are always decent and fair."

Gembic said that approach comes from putting himself in the defendants' shoes.

"I'm no different than any of the people I deal with in court," he said. "Some people may look at a criminal as a bad person; I see it differently. I've made mistakes in my life, too."

There are many people who come before him who were dealing with something like the loss of a family member or other tragedy that sent them in the wrong direction.

"Dealing with that makes them make bad decisions," Gembic said. "You have to see it all."

50,000 career cases

Gembic, in the midst of his third six-year term on the bench, estimates he's heard some 50,000 cases. They range from preliminary hearings for homicide defendants to civil disputes between neighbors.

His courtroom and adjacent offices are on the third floor of the Northumberland County Career and Arts Center, inside a former classroom.

Outside in the hallway, defendants, family members, potential witnesses, lawyers, police, constables and others gather and come and go. For some, there's enough room to sit on one of the benches - former church pews - that line the hallway. Some Tuesdays, it's standing room only in the hallway.

In a room off of the hallway, two officers guard one secluded room. It's a holding cell for prisoners transported to Gembic's courtroom for their hearings.

On this Tuesday, Gembic arrives about 9:30 a.m. and spends a short time in his office before putting on his robe and addressing the first case of the day.

While the judge enters the courtroom, a buzz continues in the office area where three secretaries, Cheryl Anonia, Rosanne McDowall and Alice Port, deal with the overload of paperwork that accompanies the judicial system.

Each has a specific section of expertise. Anonia works with criminal complaints, McDowall handles civil cases and Port deals with constables and the police on warrants.

"We've become a great team," Anonia said. "There are some days, like a Tuesday when we have criminal hearings, that it's a bit chaotic, but it's always good."

On this day, among those in the office is Michael Toomey, one of the county's assistant district attorneys. He speaks to the efficiency of the office on this busy Tuesday.

"We work fast here," he joked. "High speed, low drag."

Before any of the criminal hearings come before Gembic, he meets with attorneys for the prosecution and the defense. They discuss the varying options of how to best handle each case.

On this day, every defendant who comes before the judge waives his or her right to a preliminary hearing. With that, they answer a few questions, sign a paper or two and head on their way - be that back to their everyday world, or back to prison.

"There are times I can feel the emotion," Gembic said of defendants who know what they've done is wrong and that they've disappointed their families and friends. "There are no true winners."

In between hearings, Gembic may take a minute to head back into his office, or he'll check with secretaries on paperwork or converse with a police officer or attorney.

Gembic and the county's other three district judges rotate being on-call for nights, weekends and holidays. At those times, they are on call 24 hours a day to do arraignments or consider search warrants or handle other emergencies of the law.

In the past few years, each district judge has been equipped with a web camera and Internet hookup that allow arraignments by videoconference.

In 2014, Gembic's offices handled 4,490 cases, 600 of them criminal cases and the rest citations, both traffic - for driving violations - and non-traffic - those offenses that cause a public nuisance - and civil trials.

The afternoons are usually reserved for summary trials, for defendants that appeal their citations, and civil hearings, cases that he'll rule on immediately.

"It all comes together," Gembic said.

Making a difference

Rather than simply dispense justice, Gembic hopes to thin out the criminal ranks by overseeing a community service program for young offenders. Guided by volunteers, the youngsters will do projects such as litter cleanups or landscaping.

The program exemplifies Gembic's understanding approach, and he cites his lack of a law background for giving him that attitude. He ran for office on the slogan, "Justice for the Common Man."

In fact, the inspiration for his foray into the judicial system came from his days as a landlord and having to deal with landlord-tenant issues.

"I would sit in court and listen to these disputes and watch the decision-making process with the judge," he said. "I'd formulate my own ideas about how I thought the cases would go."

Gembic ran for the post and won in 1999. At 54, he said right now he is 100 percent sure he will be running for a fourth term in 2018.

"I hope that during my time on the bench I've been fair to everyone that has come before me," he said.

MOUNT CARMEL - Margaret "Peg" Bilder, currently chair of the English department and classroom teacher at Our Lady of Lourdes Regional School, has been named director of the new Mother Maria Kaupas Center that will open this spring.

The new ministry center, to be opened during the Church's Year of Consecrated Life, celebrates the life and work of Venerable Mother Maria Kaupas, foundress of the Sisters of St. Casimir and of Holy Cross School in Mount Carmel. Holy Cross School was the first school in the United States dedicated to the education of the children of Lithuanian immigrants.

The Mother Maria Kaupas Center, a new ministry within Divine Redeemer Parish, is a joint venture of the Diocese of Harrisburg, the Sisters of St. Casimir, Divine Redeemer Parish, St. Vincent de Paul Society and local colleges to offer planned community service projects for high school, college and young adults within the surrounding communities. Bilder, who will retire from teaching at the end of the school year, begins her new role at the Mother Maria Kaupas Center in July.

"I am happy to appoint Peg to the position of founding director of the Mother Maria Kaupas Center," said the Very Rev. Martin O. Moran, pastor of Divine Redeemer Church and dean of the Northumberland Deanery. "Her ministry in our parish and her exemplary service and experience as teacher at Lourdes have prepared her well for her new and important tasks. She will be responsible for overseeing the administration, calendar, programs and strategic plan of the organization. Other key duties include fundraising, marketing and community outreach.

"We hope that those who participate in the Mother Maria Kaupas Center become more actively engaged in our local community, giving them a solid foundation in Catholic social teaching and teaching our young folk the importance of community service and the impact their work has in helping improve local communities," Moran added.

Bilder said she is honored to be selected as the center's first director. "I hope the work I do contributes to its success and allows our parish and the local community to see Mother Maria Kaupas' work find new expression in our service to others," she remarked. "I am excited to see the idea of the center become a reality."

"The establishment of the Mother Maria Kaupas Center will be a blessing to so many people," said Sister Regina Marie Dubickas, general superior of the Sisters of St. Casimir in Chicago. "Mother Maria's inspiring story, the journey of fulfilling her call from God that led her from one continent to another, the tremendous faith and courage that sustained her in all the circumstances of her life will encourage others to discover God's presence in their own lives.

"We are especially pleased that the center will be so welcoming to young people who are searching for something deeper and more lasting upon which to build their lives. We are grateful to Father Moran, not only for his enthusiasm in making the Mother Maria Kaupas Center a reality, but for his passion and commitment to creating new ways of deepening faith and openness to a life of service for God's glory and the good of our sisters and brothers," Dubickas added.

Bilder, a Mount Carmel native, is a Lourdes graduate. She earned a Bachelor of Arts in theology and a Bachelor of Arts in English from Immaculata University and a Master of Arts in education from Gratz College in Melrose Park.

Bilder worked 19 years as an elementary school teacher in parochial and private schools in Philadelphia and its suburbs. She returned to the area and joined the Lourdes faculty in 1993.

At Lourdes, she also serves as senior class moderator. In that role, she oversees four end-of-year ceremonies, including graduation.

SELINSGROVE - Multiple local area students participated in Susquehanna University's 23rd annual honors band festival. The festival, which was held mid-February, hosts high school musicians from Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New York, Delaware, Maryland and Connecticut.

The festival included the honors wind ensemble, honors band and festival band. A performance by Susquehanna's Symphonic Band which closed the festival was conducted by Eric Hinton, director of bands. Guest conductor Rick Fleming is the director of bands at Buffalo State University.

Participants were:

Aleah Anderson, of Locust Gap, is a member of the Class of 2017 at Mount Carmel Area High School, and a daughter of Krista Neitz, of Locust Gap, and Brian Alderson, of Coal Township.

Britney Bidding of Shamokin, is a member of the Class of 2016 at Line Mountain High School, and a daughter of Dina Bidding, of Shamokin.

Aryanna Boyer, of Leck Kill, is a member of the Class of 2017 at Conestoga Valley High School, and a daughter of Harry and Kirsty Boyer, of Leck Kill.

Carl Darrup, of Mount Carmel, is a member of the Class of 2017 at Mount Carmel Area High School, and a son of Jim and Anne Darrup.

Luke Darrup, of Kulpmont, is a member of the Class of 2016 at Mount Carmel Area High School, and a son of Joseph and Julie Darrup.

Amanda Deeben, of Shamokin, is a member of the Class of 2016 at Line Mountain High School, and a daughter of James and Joyce Deeben, of Dornsife.

Ashley Doyle, of Mount Carmel, is a member of the Class of 2016 at Mount Carmel Area High School, and a daughter of Elizabeth Wondoloski, of Mount Carmel.

Heather Elliot, of Coal Township, is a member of the Class of 2015 at Shamokin Area High School, and a daughter of Bruce Elliot, of Coal Township, and Billie Jo Elliot, of Sunbury.

Lillie Fidelman, of Sunbury, is a member of the Class of 2016 at Shamokin Area High School, and a daughter of Patricia Fidelman, of Sunbury.

Cameron Getty, of Mount Carmel, is a member of the Class of 2016 at Mount Carmel Area High School, and a daughter of Bret Getty, of Mount Carmel.

Destiny Latsha, of Trevorton, is a member of the Class of 2017 at Line Mountain High School, and a daughter of David and Melody Latsha, of Trevorton.

Dylan Latstia, of Sunbury, is a member of the Class of 2016 at Line Mountain High School, and a son of Melody Latstia, of Sunbury.

Makayla Lorenz, of Trevorton, is a member of the Class of 2016 at Line Mountain High School, and a daughter of Gary and Lori Lorenz, of Trevorton.

Rebecca Masser, of Leck Kill, is a member of the Class of 2016 at Line Mountain High School, and a daughter of Lamont and Valissa Masser, of Leck Kill.

Ronald Rhoads, of Sunbury, is a member of the Class of 2015 at Shamokin Area High School, and a son of Stuart and Patricia Rhoads.

Joanna Rompallo, of Kulpmont, is a member of the Class of 2015 at Mount Carmel Area High School, and a daughter of Diane Rompello, of Kulpmont.

Joseph Rossi, of Mt. Carmel, is a member of the Class of 2016 at Mount Carmel Area High School, and a son of Tom and Caroline Rossi, of Mt. Carmel.

Christopher Stellar, of Kulpmont, is a member of the Class of 2015 at Mount Carmel Area High School, and a son of Bernard and Michele Stellar, of Den-Mar Gardens.

Kaitlyn Troutman, of Dornsife, is a member of the Class of 2017 at Line Mountain High School, and a daughter of Rahn and Traci Troutman, of Dornsife.

Rebecca Wargo, of Coal Township, is a member of the Class of 2016 at Shamokin Area High School, and a daughter of Elizabeth Wargo, of Coal Township.

Mount Carmel Area High School and Shamokin Area Middle School maintained their leads in week five of the annual EconomicsPennsylvania Stock Market Game Challenge for area high school and middle school students. Participating schools are Shamokin Area, Mount Carmel Area, Line Mountain, North Schuylkill and Our Lady of Lourdes.

The Stock Market Challenge is sponsored by Sunbury Motor Co. and The News-Item.

EconomicsPennsylvania is a not-for-profit organization specializing in K-12 economic and financial literacy programs.

In each Sunday edition, The News-Item is announcing the top three teams from high school and middle school competition. Listed are restlts from the past two weeks, which include total equity, the school's name, adviser and team number.

Week four

High school

- $105,190, Mount Carmel Area, Robert Scicchitano - 3223.

- $104,726, Shamokin Area, David Kopitsky - 2268.

- $102,285, Line Mountain, Karrie Bowman - 2482.

Middle school

- $101,767, Shamokin Area, Ty Crossley - 2247.

- $100,354, Line Mountain, Karrie Bowman - 2486.

- $99,890, Mount Carmel Area, Aaron Domanski - 2864.

Week five

High school

- $104,954, Mount Carmel Area, Robert Scicchitano - 3223.

- $102,529, Shamokin Area, David Kopitsky - 2288.

- $102,002, Line Mountain, Karrie Bowman - 2482.

Middle school

- $101,530, Shamokin Area, Ty Crossley - 2247.

- $100,208, Line Mountain, Karrie Bowman - 2486.

- $99,905, Mount Carmel Area, Aaron Domanski - 2864.

BURNSIDE - The small one-seat all-terrain vehicle went through the trails at the Anthracite Outdoor Adventure Area (AOAA), zipping around turns, splashing through puddles and even getting a bit of air on some hills.

That's not an unusual sight for the AOAA, but considering that just a few months ago, this particular ATV was just an idea on paper for a group of Bucknell University engineering students, the ride was especially satisfying.

The ATV, tentatively called "Landshark," is Bucknell MotoWorks' entry in the Society of Automotive Engineers' Mini Baja design competition April 9 to 12 at Auburn University. The Bucknell group will compete against 99 other colleges in one of three competitions held around the country.

"The challenge is to design and build an ATV weighing less than 500 pounds and costing about $4,500," said student Tony DiFilippo, of Jacksonville, Fla. "This was part of our senior design project, and we've been working on it all year."

Kyle Montgomery, of Truckee, Calif., said that with today's testing, the students were in their 5,000th hour working on the machine.

"That's a lot of hours, and after we order a spare tire, we will have about $100 left over," DiFilippo said. "That might be for T-shirts and pizza when it's all done."

Eight students braved the cold weather Saturday morning to come to the AOAA to see how their creation would fare. With driver Odinmma Ofili behind the wheel, the ATV went through its paces quite swiftly.

"It's moving along quite swiftly," DiFilippo said. "Going very well, so far."

But the crew may have spoken too soon because a few minutes later, Otili was out of the ATV and walking toward them.

"Kill switch," Ofili said as the team tracked through the mud to the vehicle.

"That might be a part of the design we need to work on," faculty adviser Craig Beal said. "The kill switch is a little too easy to trip."

Beal explained "Landshark" will be put through its paces during the four-day competition, including drag racing and suspension testing. It will travel over simulated rocks and boulders.

"Basically, they are going to come up with anything they can to try to break the car," DiFilippo said.

Beal said the students were happy they could come to the AOAA to test the vehicle.

"This resource here at the AOAA is something we could never re-create on campus. We are hoping testing out here will give us a huge advantage in the competition at Auburn," Beal said.

Do people still have button tins filled with hundreds of buttons, each one different, a world unto itself? Do mothers still take them out of a cupboard or down from a high shelf for their children to sift through on rainy afternoons?

I spent hours of my childhood with the family button tin, trolling the bottom, always coming up with a button I'd never seen before. That button tin was a treasure trove and one of my favorite toys.

Later in life, I forgot about buttons or, let's say, they became functional objects, a part of everyday life. Buttoning up, unbuttoning, smooth yet by no means simple movements I undertook without giving them a thought.

Since I recently visited the biggest button tin in the world, all that has changed and I've returned to my earlier fascination with buttons. In fact, I'll never look at a button in the same way again.

The "button tin" in question is on view in Paris at the Musée des arts décoratifs, the Museum of Decorative Arts, located in a wing of the Louvre. Continuing until July 19, "Déboutonner la mode," "Unbuttoning Fashion," is all about buttons, 3,000 of them, each one unique, a work of art in miniature, all part of a collection of 37,000 buttons acquired by the museum in 2012.

That's a lot of buttons; it's also a lot of history.

Buttons are as old as clothing and as far back as the Bronze Age, more than 3,000 years ago, our ancestors were using buttons to accessorize, but not to button up - they had not yet invented the buttonhole.

In 1250 in France, the first buttonmakers guild was created at a time when buttons were a luxury item and a token in the game of love. Aristocratic ladies wore tight-fitting gowns that buttoned up the back and had button-on sleeves, practical because they could be changed when dirty, romantic because they could be offered as keepsakes to their beloved knight.

Treated as family heirlooms, fashioned from gold or precious stones, they were passed down in wills and used to pay off debts. Monarchs passed laws against them. Aristocrats were stepping out of line, spending a fortune on buttons, and when they wore them at court, they out-dazzled the king.

The church also understood the danger of buttons. The deadly sin of lust was associated not only with an intense desire for sex but also for luxury. All that money spent on buttons could lead to eternal damnation, as could their vain display on bodices, breeches or gowns.

In the 17th century, the Amish and the Quakers shared this view, which explains why they preferred clothing with hooks and eyes. Well into the 19th century, buttons were considered inappropriate on funeral garb.

But neither the church nor the king could stop the rise or the spread of the button, and the French and American revolutions did the rest, transforming the precious buttons of the past into democratic commodities, with the help of the English, the first to mass-produce buttons in the mid-18th century.

In 1789, on both sides of the Atlantic, buttons participated in revolution and democracy. In America, men sported an American eagle or George Washington's portrait on special buttons created for his inauguration. In France, revolutionaries proudly displayed their political convictions with buttons that were "bleu, blanc, rouge" (blue, white and red).

In those budding democracies, "campaign buttons" remained functional. Men used them to button coats or breeches. Women hardly wore them at all. When they did, however, a button could serve the same role as a brooch. Porcelain buttons were often hand-painted with the portrait of a child. Men's buttons, on the other hand, took up the issues of the day: a call for an end to slavery, the celebration of the hot-air balloon, or souvenirs of famous monuments or events.

Sometimes a row of buttons could contain a riddle, a message of love or an in-joke for friends. Popular at the time of the French Revolution, this practice of using buttons to communicate continued well into the 20th century, as a woman's dress from the 1940s demonstrates: down its front, a row of buttons announces "my sweetheart is a prisoner of war."

In the 19th century, men's fashion became more sober and women's fashion began imitating men's. The braiding and triple rows of buttons found on military uniforms began appearing on women's coats.

In general, as the button lost its prominence in men's fashion, it began showing up everywhere in women's, on camisoles, bloomers and petticoats, on skirts, dresses, gloves and boots. And once again, it became a marker of social class because only a woman with a lady's maid could make sure she was properly buttoned up the back.

If the button had a heyday, it was the 20th century. Fashion, art, craftsmanship and mass production all united to turn it into a work of art accessible to everyone, and the number of materials used to produce buttons boggles the mind: glass, plastic, mother-of-pearl, straw, stone, fur, cut steel, papier-mâché, wood, nut and sea shells, copper, leather, even coal and elephant skin, to name just a few.

Also, once women got rid of their corsets, rejecting the hour-glass figure and smelling salts for freedom of movement and form, the button came into its own as a full-fledged fashion accessory. For the French designer Paul Poiret, whose 1920 dresses favored vertical lines, a button's sole purpose was to bring harmony to the new feminine silhouette.

In the 1930s, artists such as Salvador Dali made buttons and surrealism inspired fashion, as buttonmakers reached new heights of creativity. The most stunning example is a 1937 woman's jacket by Elsa Schiaparelli. In the place of buttons, four painted plastic butterflies alight down its front.

For fashion designer Yves Saint Laurent, buttons were the jewels of his creations. The credo of Coco Chanel was "never a button without a buttonhole." For both, buttons were as essential to fashion as any of the other materials used.

The 1950s was the golden age of costume jewelry and the same techniques were often applied to buttons. If any readers have a button tin at home, I'd recommend they take a look inside. They may come across treasures, even objects of value, relics of that time.

All in all, the button may be small but it is not humble. And from now on, each time I touch or see one, I'll give it the credit it's due.

Readers can find more buttons at http://pottsville-paris-express.blogspot.fr

(Honicker can be reached at honicker.republican herald@gmail.com)

A state police officer injured on Interstate 81 Friday remained in critical condition Saturday at Geisinger Medical Center, Danville, according to a nursing supervisor.

Trooper Sgt. Robert E. Bemis, 47, a 22-year veteran of the state police and assigned to the Bureau of Training and Education at the state police academy in Hershey, sustained "rather severe injuries," police said Friday. Police said Victor K. Nolan, 36, of Arjay, Ky., was driving a 1993 Cadillac towing a trailer hauling a Volvo Cross Country when a rear tire blew, causing the rim to catch fire, spreading to the trunk and fuel tank area.

Bemis, who was driving south in an unmarked Ford Crown Victoria cruiser, saw the vehicle fire and pulled over to assist, pulling behind the trailer.

As Bemis and Nolan were standing outside of their vehicles, Jamie Edmonds, 50, of Norfolk, Va., was driving a 2005 Chevrolet Trailblazer south, applied her brakes to avoid hitting a truck in front of her and lost control.

The SUV began to spin clockwise, went off onto the north berm of the road and struck a guide rail. After hitting the guide rail, the SUV continued south and struck the Bemis vehicle, pushing it into Bemis and Nolan.

Witnesses said the impact threw Bemis into the air, with him hitting the ground near the passenger's side of his cruiser.

The crash occurred at 2:52 p.m. near mile marker 121 in Butler Township and brought southbound traffic to a halt for more than five hours while the incident was investigated by troopers from the Frackville station along with Trooper John Minalda, an accident reconstruction specialist. The interstate reopened at 8:21 p.m., according to a supervisor with the Schuylkill County Communications Center.

The nursing supervisor with Geisinger said Nolan was in fair condition Saturday.

Edmonds and her passengers, Keikilani Bennett, 24, and a 3-year-old boy, both of Norfolk, were taken to Schuylkill Medical Center-South Jackson Street by ambulance for precautionary reasons, police said. A nursing supervisor at Schuylkill Medical Center-South Jackson Street said Saturday that Edmonds and Bennett were released. Edmonds and Bennett were wearing seat belts, and the child was in a car seat, police said.

State police public information officer Trooper David C. Beohm, Reading, said Saturday no charges have been filed. Beohm said he did not know exactly what charges would be filed, but at a "bare minimum," he said a summary offense would be likely.

Hometown heroes banner deadline

SHAMOKIN - The deadline is fast approaching for those who want to participate in the Citizens for a Better Community (CBC) "Shamokin/Coal Township Hometown Heroes" project in 2015.

The program allows family members to honor loved ones with a 2-by-4-foot banner that includes the name and photo of the person being honored, their rank and branch of service, any foreign wars they fought in, and the name of the person or business who purchased the banner.

The cost to create a new banner and have it hung on Independence Street is $200 with a deadline for new banners ordered being Friday. Those that purchased banners in previous years can have them rehung for $50.

The banners will be up from Memorial Day to Veterans Day. Proceeds benefit CBC and its events, such as the annual Fourth of July fireworks display.

For more information, contact Arnold at 570-648-6294 or by email at no1nurse@ptd.net.

Mount Carmel sweeper schedules

MOUNT CARMEL - Borough residents are reminded the street sweeper schedule is in effect from April 1 to Oct. 31.

All vehicles must be moved from 4 to 8 a.m. Failure to move your vehicle by 4 a.m. will result in a fine of $15.

Sweeper schedules can be picked up outside the borough office.

Southern Relay to host reception

NUMIDIA - The Southern Columbia Relay for Life is sponsoring a Survivor/Caregiver reception at 1 p.m. Sunday, April 26 at the RCV Grange.

Light refreshments will be served. Please come out to an afternoon dedicated to honoring our survivors and caregivers. For additional information, contact Becky at 570-933-1451.

Marriage licenses

Andrew M. Splitt and Amber Anne Weaver, both of 1105 N. Scott St., Kulpmont. Issued March 27.

Kenneth Clair Witmer II and Traci Leigh Hoffman, both of 300 River Road, Dalmatia. Issued March 27.

Gary James Makowski and Patricia Marie Bradley, both of 13 Orchard St., Shamokin. Issued March 28.

Brandon Lamar Kimmel and Heather A. Slovinski, both of 1127 W. Montgomery St., Coal Township. Issued March 28.

Timothy Samuel Inns and Amy Roelina Thayer, both of 331 Treva Road, Paxinos. To be issued March 30.

Michael Joseph Feese and Randi Rochelle Wywadis, both of 203 Berry St., Coal Township. To be issued March 30.

Christopher Frank Fausnaught and Michelle Lorraine Duttry, 235 Roadarmel Lane, Paxinos. To be issued March 30.

Jonathan Joseph Lucas, of 143 Barry Road, Ashland, and Kelly Marie Tarlecki, of 306 S. Locust St., Mount Carmel. To be issued March 30.

Divorces

Jeffrey S. Lagerman, 869 Pottsville St., Herndon, from Mindy J. Lagerman, 133 E. Coal St., Trevorton. Married Sept. 25, 2010.

Brenda K. Bradley, 487 Hillside Ave., Elysburg, from Stephen J. Bradley, 1681 Trevorton Road, Coal Township. Married Dec. 24, 1989.

Donald J. Burkhardt, 348 Main St., Ranshaw, from Dorothy A. Kessler, 50 Highview Drive, Coal Township. Married May 29, 2011.

Paul B. Whary from Sandra M. Whary, both of 415 Creek Road, Shamokin. Married Aug. 19, 2007.

Arthur P. Rodriguez, 214 E. Sunbury St., Shamokin, from Holly (Pedro) Rodriguez, 1250 W. Pine St., Coal Township. Married Feb. 15, 2007.

Property transfers

Joseph D. Dudeck and Brooke B. Dudeck to Brooke B. Dudeck, property in Mount Carmel Township, $1.

Milligan Group LLC to CLDCV LLC, five properties in Shamokin, $800 each.

Alisha A. Elliott, Alisha Herb and Brian Elliott to Miranda Koharskie and Brian L. Koharskie, property in Coal Township, $1.

Todd R. Michael, Rachel G. Radel and Rachel G. Michael to Todd R. Michael, property in Lower Augusta Township, $1.

Rissinger Apartments Inc. to J.H. Rissinger and Sons, Inc., property in Lower Mahanoy Township, $1.

Linda Sue Sarfine and Daniel Fetter to Carolyn K. Bressler, property in Upper Augusta Township, $120,000.

George M. aka George Bodak and Colleen Conches (agent) to Sylvain E. Grippon, property in Mount Carmel, $7,050.

Usbank National Association (by agent) and Wells Fargo Bank (agent) to First United Methodist Church of Shamokin, property in Shamokin, $1.

Arthur E. Weikel and Marian L. Weikel to Arthur E. Weikel, Marian L. Weikel and Sharon L. Hoffman, property in West Cameron Township, $1.

Steven R. Barnett to Jason Ross and Holly Ann Ross, properties in Marion Heights, Mount Carmel Township and Kulpmont, $15,000.

Henry A. Yanick estate, Henry A. Yanik estate, Charles Koveleski (individually and executor), Gerard Koveleski, Anna Marie Daya, John Yanick, Helen Zanella, Joseph G. Yanick and Christine Yanick to Charles Koveleski and Gerard Koveleski, property in Mount Carmel, $1.

Anita Mattucci and Nicholas E. Mattucci to Nicholas E. Mattucci (TA) and Willow Cafe, property in Mount Carmel, $1.

Nicholas E. Mattucci (TA) and Willow Cafe to Nicholas E. Mattucci (TA) and Willow Cafe, property in Mount Carmel, $1.

Brian Lee Rogers and Kelly A. McCormick to Kelly A. McCormick, property in Mount Carmel, $1.

Loretta L. Hager estate and Therese M. Jellen (executrix) to Therese M. Jellen, property in Shamokin, $1.

Robert W. Mertz Jr., Roy A. Adams, Anthony W. Adams, Roy Adams Partnership and Roy Adams Limited Partnership, to Roger V. Wiest, property in Rockefeller Township, $15,000.

Nealla F. Phillips estate and Joyce Kissinger (executrix) to Joyce Kissinger, property in Jackson Township, $1.

Northumberland County Tax Claim Bureau, Earl F. Parker and Dorothy E. Parker to Quisqueya Parker, property in Shamokin, $500.

Northumberland County Tax Claim Bureau and Ida Mae Burns to Quisqueya Parker, property in Shamokin, $500.

Northumberland County Tax Claim Bureau and Wayne Canavan to Quisqueya Parker, property in Shamokin, $500.

Northumberland County Tax Claim Bureau, Christopher A. Mako and Eva C. Mako to Quisqueya Parker, property in Shamokin, $500.

Northumberland County Tax Claim Bureau and ACM Northfield CR#2 LLC to Quisqueya Parker, property in Shamokin, $900.

Northumberland County Tax Claim Bureau and Mary Ann Miller to Quisqueya Parker, property in Coal Township, $500.

Northumberland County Tax Claim Bureau, James Broscious and Barbara A. Miller to Quisqueya Parker, property in Coal Township, $500.

Northumberland County Tax Claim Bureau, Andrew M. Reed and Glenna Reed to Quisqueya Parker, property in Coal Township, $1,000.

Northumberland County Tax Claim Bureau, Raymond Persing and Patsy Persing to Quisqueya Parker, property in Coal Township, $900.

Northumberland County Tax Claim Bureau, James C. Smith Jr. and Diane Smith to Quisqueya Parker, property in Mount Carmel, $900.

Northumberland County Tax Claim Bureau and Darren John Hudick to Quisqueya Parker, property in Mount Carmel, $500.

Northumberland County Tax Claim Bureau and Walter Hyde to Quisqueya Parker, property in Mount Carmel, $800.

Robert Dallazia and Maria Dallazia to Daniel A. Hess, property in Riverside, $7,500.

Regina Elaine Gessner Dohr, Robert Philip Dohr, Anita Renee Gessner Halpern, Richard David Halpern, Marc Stefan Gessner and Lynette Gessner to Regina Elaine Gessner Dohr, Anita Renee Gessner Halpern and Marc Stefan Gessner, property in Upper Mahanoy Township, $1.

Sophie's World LLC to Brenda Keller, property in Shamokin, $1,500.

Mary V. Vezo and Michael J. Vezo to Michael J. Vezo, property in Kulpmont, $12,500.

Forrest O. Potter and Laura E. Potter to Christopher A. Jennings and Antoinette M. Jennings, property in Mount Carmel, $38,500.

Norman C. Runkle and Joanne Runkle to Norman C. Runkle, Joanne Runkle, Scott Runkle and Jill Runkle, property in Mount Carmel Township, $1.

SHAMOKIN - The Northumberland County Council for the Arts and Humanities (NCCAH) Fine Arts Gallery's second show of the year is "Shamokin and Beyond: Photography by Larry Deklinski."

The show features the personal work of Deklinski, 33, of Ranshaw. Deklinski is a self-taught photographer who has been employed as a photographer/staff writer at The News-Item since 2008.

The show kicks off with an opening reception at 6:30 p.m. Thursday.

The show feature a variety of subject matters of photos taken outside Deklinski's duties at The News-Item. Several vintage photos of Shamokin taken by the late Paul and Myron Thomas, of Thomas Studio, will also be displayed.

Deklinski's interest in photography began midway through his senior year at Shamokin Area High School when he joined the yearbook club. He attended Millersville University where he was a four-year member of Touchstone, the university's yearbook. He did not have access to a professional camera until he became a junior. Deklinski was not able to take any photography courses, but gained experience by taking photos at campus sporting and community events. He graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in earth science.

Deklinski did not have access to a camera again until 2006 when he purchased his first SLR camera. Over time, he purchased another camera, several lenses and accessories.

Thousands of his photos can be viewed, along with photos from Thomas Studio, at www.daladophotography.com

The NCCAH Gallery is located on the first floor of the Northumberland County Arts Center, 2 E. Arch St. Visitors should use the lower handicapped entrance at the rear of the building. Receptions are free and the public is invited. Light refreshments will be provided by the Arts Council.

For more information, contact gallery director Claude Harrington by phone at 973-632-2513 or email claudeharrington977@gmail.com

BURNSIDE - Springtime at the Anthracite Outdoor Adventure Area (AOAA) means snow melting to reveal flowers, saplings... and garbage.

But Operations Director Dave Porzi hopes to put a dent in the illegal dump sites on Northumberland County land April 11 and 12 during the second annual AOAA Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful clean up.

Volunteers who help haul out trash in the morning of these two days will receive a free lunch - Porzi is hoping to grill at the trailhead - and enjoy an afternoon of free riding.

Ken Deitrick and Disposal Management Services (DMS) will supply two dumpsters, which Porzi expects to fill. Bridgestone, through its Tires4ward program, will dispose of many of the thousands of tires that are strewn about the mountainside.

When Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful surveyed Northumberland County in 2006 as part of a multi-year, statewide project to determine the extent of illegal dumping in the state, researchers uncovered 125 dump sites holding an estimated 1,634 tons of garbage. Only Luzerne County was estimated to have more illegally dumped trash, and the total is more than Philadelphia, Allegheny, Montgomery, Bucks, Delaware and Lancaster counties - the six most populous in the state - combined.

Across the Susquehanna River, Snyder and Union counties have only an estimated total of 101 tons of illegally dumped garbage.

Why Northumberland County developed a dumping culture has not been determined, but the evidence of generations of tossing garbage into the woods instead of recycling or having it hauled to a proper landfill is apparent on most of the trails.

Porzi said visitors to the park take note of the trash. Sometimes, they pick up garbage and bring it back to the trailhead to throw away.

"It's becoming self-policing," he said.

A drive through the property Thursday morning revealed every imaginable type of garbage - bottles, cans, chairs, mattresses, carpets, children's toys, clothing, diapers and, of course, tires. Porzi has become adept at identifying the remains of objects.

"That's what's left of a mattress," he said, pointing to a damaged foam block hanging from a tree.

At another tree, adorned with painted letters and surrounded by cans, bottles and other trash, he said, "This must have been some party spot for somebody that turned it into a dumping area." Two feet down the road he points out another trash pile.

He warned visitors to avoid digging into the garbage for fear of what will be uncovered. At a dump site near the Third Patch he and an authority member recently discovered a freshly-mutilated cat.

Many of the piles are not typical homeowner kitchen garbage but the contents of a contractor job. Windows smashed into thousands of bits of sharp glass, pieces of broken lumber and piles of roofing dot roadways.

"This is all stuff from someone remodeling," he said, pointing to what looks like a former kitchen.

Though most of the consumer-based trash like cans and bottle can be picked up by volunteers, Coal Township is chipping in a loader and a dump truck to help with this haul out the construction materials and other large items.

"We're at the stage now where I have to bring in pieces of equipment," said Porzi.

He noted a section of trail referred to as "Dump Road" had been targeted for clean up at last year's event. Although plenty of trash still lines the road and pile after pile can be discovered by walking back into the woods, he said he hasn't seen any additional accumulation.

He gives partial credit to blocking vehicle roads with gates and other obstacles with preventing dumpers from sneaking onto the property to unload their trash but said he believes the real contributor to the drastic decrease in dumping is the eyes on the property. Now that word is out that the property is being managed, patrolled and visited regularly, he said, fewer people are willing to risk tossing their trash.

"It really has curbed the nonsense," he said.

Porzi did not have an estimate of how many would attend the event, but said he'd been contacted by several off-roading clubs, including some from out of state. All types of off-road vehicles - ATVs, motorcycles, Jeeps - are welcome to participate in the event, including the free afternoon riding. Memberships and day passes to the park are not required.

For more information on the event, visit the AOAA's website, www.anthraciteadventure.com, or the AOAA's Facebook page, www.facebook.com/AnthraciteAdventure, or call the trailhead at 570-648-2626.

Mount Carmel Area School District

MOUNT CARMEL - The Mount Carmel Area School District has released its honor roll for the second marking period of the 2014-15 school year.

Distinguished honor roll

Grade 4 - Erin Hartopp, Morgan Kaleta, Alexis Kane, Garrett McGee, Gabrielle McGinley, Xandra Moser, Alexys O'Donnell, Alyssa Reisinger, Lea Rusinko, Ashlee Sadusky, Leah Shedleski, Cole Spears, Ashley Wills, Jacob Zarski, Zackary Zerbe, Gabriel Fletcher, Julianne Fletcher, Rachel Witkoski, Kathryn Witkoski, Olivia Bellve, Hannah Towey, Angela Weng, Kelli Lawton, Garrett Varano, Giavonna Laurie, Blake Wise and Nadalee Hein.

Grade 5 - Courtney Troutman, Amelia Chapman, Regan Duceman, Brynn Evert, Judy Kanafani, Mohamed Ammar Kanafani, Elise Makowski, Devin O'Hearn, Molly Petrucci, Kenneth Wetzel III, Livia Zlockie, Maura Higgins, Mason Fretz, Avery Dowkus, Christina Kurtz, Jasleen Dhillon, Thomas Davitt, Ayana Aguirre and Azure Bosland.

Grade 6 - Kaylee Kane, Lauren Ayres, Giavanna Yancoskie, Mackenzie Zerbe, Caroline Fletcher, Reed Witkoski, Andrew Wasilewski, Rebekah Troup, EmmaRae Shimko, Lauren Shedleski, Tori Sanko, Michael Reed, Isabel Parker, Claudia Morris, Derek Lawler, Cameron Mannion, Damon Dowkus, Margaret McCracken, Molly McCracken, Brynn Marlow, Talia Mazzatesta, Austin Garancosky, Gabriella Trocki, Etta Seitzinger and Rileigh Nowroski.

Grade 7 - Zane Zlockie, Michael Balichik, Tyler Barnhardt, Brooke Bernini, Kyra Stickler, Bruce Carl, Lindsey Klusman, Grace Menko, Jason Patrick, Michael Scicchitano, Shawn Sheptock, Ryan Green, Peyton Galitski, Eliza Nevis, Hailey Derk, Emily Szatny and Cierra Clayton.

Grade 8 - Ava McGee, Haley Paul, Miranda Fiamoncini, Tanner Karycki, Gabrielle Taylor, Colin Herb, Nicholas Troutman, Logan Wills, Darren Rosenstein, Nichalous Diminick and Michael Hood.

Grade 9 - Raykal Adiansjah, Emilee Barnhardt, Camlin Bogutskie, Brendan Boris, Matthew Cimino, Sarah Cooper, Kourtney Honicker, Zachary Hunter, Mia Kaminsky, Tyler Krah, Rosolino Mangiapane, Manus McCracken, Benjamin McFadden, Ethan McLeod, Myia Miriello, Dawson Shoffler, Nicole Varano, Emilee Wasilewski, Adam Weissinger and Mackenzie Witt.

Grade 10 - Aleah Alderson, Amanda Arellano, Rachel Brown, Carl Darrup, Maura Fiamoncini, Selena Guererro, Marissa Kleman, Paige Lankford, Olivia Lubinski, Madeleine Lyash, Alyssa Menko, Sara Nicola, Hayley Palek, Sara Parker, Austin Reed, Kasey Rompallo, Erin Smink, Sydney Spears, Lauren Startzel and Anna Zeluskey.

Grade 11 - Elizabeth Cooper, Luke Darrup, JoAnna Davidson, Mason Duran, Dominic Farronato, Dylan Fiamoncini, David Fletcher, Cameron Getty, Kalia Her, Logan Hixson, Kirsten Jarvis, Vanessa Klemas, Logan Kuzo, Jacqualin Lyden, Brianna Malkoski, Miranda Moser, Natasha Nevis, Leah Nicola, Allison Parker, Joseph Rossi, Karissa Schoonover, Madison Shurock, Chantelle Skavery, Karley Spangler, Tyler Thompson, Ryan Walter, Bret Williams, Peyton Worhach and Allen Yancoskie III.

Grade 12 - Lee Amarose, Nathaniel Bartos, Glenn Barwicki, Jennifer Bolick, Caitlyn Curran, Tina Delbo, Paige Domboski, Maliyah Edwards, Jessica Feldman, Hannah Fetterolf, Ciaran Fisher, Brianne Graff, Zachary Guthrie, Michael Kaminsky, Christian Kelley, Amber Kogut, Haley Lahr, Thomas Moser, Kevin Nolter, Brendin Pancher, Charles Parkansky-Guise, Joanna Rompallo, Nicholas Rossi, Joseph Schmoyer, Josiah Skavery, Christopher Stellar, Isabella Stellar, Ashley Stief, Michael Vincenzes, Dylan Williams, Jordan Winhofer, Kayla Witt and Kayla Wondoloski.

First honors

Grade 4 - Alannah Chapman, Austin Day, Michael Langton, Megan Matukaitis, Nadine Clayberger, Maryann Reed, Mohamad Kanafani, Sage Bishop, Michael Boylan Jr., Emily Britt, Sabrina Clark, Mason Fantini, Tanner Hampton, Gavin Lasko, Colin Lokitis, Karli Madison, Cole Parfitt, Jenna Pizzoli, John Robert, Delaney Slodysko, Avery Shurock, James Ortiz, Brenna Davis, Dylan Haggerty, Mariah Harner, Ian Higgins, Tristan Swatsky, Auden Smith and Alexis Demeere.

Grade 5 - Caleb Broscious, Logan Olbrish, Dustin Blessing, Cedar-Anthony Bolam, Evan Bronkoski, Jerry Bryant, Koryn Ennis, Krysta Kimsal, Matthew Kelley, Zoie Moore, Dalton Moser, Lindsay Schuck, Matthew Scicchitano, Faythe Timmins, Devin Desrosiers, Michael Farronato, Devin Palek, Kiara Blocker, Jaiden Alvarez, Desirae Mattis, Lilian Becker and Audrey Hoven.

Grade 6 - Aaron Elliott, Maryemma Paul, Alyssa Swetra, Hailee Dombroski, Valeria Mangiapane, Payton Carl, Eric Bubrowski, Noah Wolfgang, Isabella Ryan, Marley Rusinko, Allyn Reigle, Amara Pellowski, Michael Sykes Jr., James Rusk IV, Savannah Castellano, Bryce Adams, William Mullins, Montana Spangler, MaKenna Lengle, Destiny Keyser, Julia Burns, Bria Shoffler, Tessa Fegley-Kublic and MacKynsea Phelps.

Grade 7 - Joshua Vellner, Tyler Winhofer, Austin Reed, Dylan Latshaw, Matthew Stellar, Anthony Stutzcavage, Victoria Belfanti, Erin Bossler, Michael Bucher, Makenzie Pyle, Josilyn Adams, Dylan Duceman, Vanessa Walter, Emily Olszewskie, Sydney Marquardt and Kimberly Schmidt.

Grade 8 - Maura Olley, Quentin Nahodil, Casandra Latshaw, Michael Makowski III, Brady Campbell, Ainsley Fegley, Danielle Hooper, Emily Krulak, Daniela Mangiapane, Bradley Shurock, Dante Sabolchick, Allison Shurock, Kaitlyn Bulliner, William Anderson, John Chapman III, Katie Flynn, Rebecca Morgan, Iyana Crew and Zachary Artman.

Grade 9 - MaKayla Green, Walter Kalinoski, Bailey Little, Maci Mazzatesta, Anthony Moser, Daniel Snarski, Braedon Stickler, Aidan Wesloskie, Symphony Yoder and Morgan Zarko

Grade 10 - Julia Ballard, Johnny Bossler, Bryce Dauber, Alexa Ericson, Aurora Froutz, Nicole Hooper, Christina Kleman, Jordan Reed, Kevin Stancavage, Stephen Sundman, Lane Tanney, Kelsi Wayne, Haley Weidner, Jacob Weissinger, Madelyn Witkoski, Lauren Zanni and Samantha Zigarski.

Grade 11 - Ethan Bartos, Michael Bergamo Jr., Mitchell Fletcher, Kyle Karycki, Brett Katalinas, Evan Mikulski, Jean Peters, Jonathan Rosetta, Jessy Stankavage, Chealsea Troutman and Megan Troutman.

Grade 12 - Macie Anderson, Taylor Conches, Celina Frieswyk, Austin Joraskie, David Seltner II, Shannon Tanney, Zachary Tocyloski and Madison Watkins.

Second honors

Grade 4 - Michael Conches, Michael Wasilewski, Dylan Weaver, Sabrina White, Brian Dugan, Piper Frasch, Ava Hollenbush, Alivia Miller, Judd Slovinsky, Connor Desrosiers, Raven Fern, Althaea Emma Schauer, Joshua Futrell, Zachariah Steckley, Logan Husted and Shantael Smalls.

Grade 5 - Noah Wise, Jason Hollenbach Jr., Vincent Kehler, Mackenzie Swetra, Julien Stellar, Brittany Neumeister, Alyvia Williams, Devin Peters, Xander Jones, Cole Marquardt, Damen Milewski, Austin Minnig, Rylie Krovitskie, Cortney Hurry, Anthony Carlson, Braylin Kemfort-Huth, Grace Almonti, Kristen Deitz, Emilee Wands, Kelly Schmidt, Kaylei Flaim, Pedro Feliciano Jr., Xander Kenenitz and Jeremy Miller.

Grade 6 - Chase Fishburn, Jacob Gilotti, Tyler Owens, Robert Harris Jr., Jeremy Harman, Jacob Evans, Breayna Dietz, Emily Yuskoski, Alana Oakley, Trevor McDonald, Austyn Odorizzi, Jasmine Latshaw, Sarah Bulliner, Caiden Williams, Jazmine McClelland, Ryan Steigerwalt, Michael Deitz III, Justin Bizzarro, Colin Zigner, Emily Husted and Jim Smith.

Grade 7 - Elijah Watkins, Trevor Shultz, Brock Evert, Madison Sosky, Kassandra Troutman, Thomas Reisinger III, Angel Barwicki, Lillian Britt, Connor Brown, Tiffany Koreisl, Trent Moser, Bryson Zvoncheck, Mya Okronglis, Makayla Purcell, William Savadge Jr., Brandon Moore, Elizabeth Yeager, Andrew Rooney and Michael Wonsik II.

Grade 8 - Lorena Barrientos, Noah Berkoski, Alexis Leso, Megan Green, Kaitlyn Wylie, Brianna Ryan and Samantha Darrup

Grade 9 - Daniel Barker, Christopher Evans, Tyler Golazeski, Collin Krakowski, Hannah Nolter, Evan Salamone, Chloe Smith, Jeffrey Weidner and Matthew Ziv.

Grade 10 - Kiana Adams, Thomas Cichon, Jessica Eckley, Tyra Ericson, Ryan Moser, Karleigh Poeth, Lindsay Rasley, Amanda Rimokaitis, Alexa Schmidt, Trevor Shuder and Kaitlyn Trent.

Grade 11 - Marcus English, Russell Ensor, Kaeli Fletcher, Robert Mensch, Zena Miller, Zachary Raker, Tyler Schmidt, Shawn Steigerwalt, Nicholas Sundman and Paige Wichurowski

Grade 12 - Andrew Campbell, Jonathan Engelke, Sean Fisher, Jordan Klingler, Maura Mengel, Blake Panko, Gerard Reichwein, Michael Snauffer, Jocelyn Trocki and Treyvon White.

Church to provide Passover meal

The Christian and Missionary Alliance Church, Second Street, Shamokin, will present a "Messiah in the Passover" celebration Wednesday.

Messiah in the Passover begins with the traditional Passover Seder table (includes a meal) complete with all the articles of this important Jewish celebration. The speaker, David Sedaca of Chosen People Ministries, will explain the symbolic meanings of the various items of the Passover feast and highlight their relationship to the Last Supper that Messiah celebrated with the disciples, giving special emphasis in the redemptive significance of the crucifixion.

For reservations, call 570-644-1718. A love offering will be received.

SHAMOKIN - Parents of children enrolled at Jesus' Lil Helpers Daycare voiced support for the woman whose son is charged with using and selling heroin inside the building during off-hours.

Kelly L. Ebersole said her son, Ryan Varano, did not have keys or permission to access the building.

She said she plans to press charges against her son and Christian Kehler, who faces the same charges after he overdosed and nearly died Saturday night in the day care.

A third man, Frederick Russo, was not at the day care at the time of the overdose, but is being charged in connection with the trio's plan to buy heroin in Philadelphia and resell it in Shamokin.

"(Varano) had no right to be in here," Ebersole said. "He had no right to bring anybody in there."

A neighbor, who asked to remain anonymous due to the nature of the incident, said she had noticed traffic in and out of the building a couple years ago, but thought it had stopped.

On Monday the day care was open. Ebersole said she was trying to notify parents of the incident as she saw them. She typically cares for 13 children, ages 1 to 12.

"There's no reason for me not to be open. There's no damage here. There's no hazards here," she said. "If I were to find anything like that I would have never opened."

Chris Burn's daughter has been in Ebersole's care for several years and he enrolled his younger child a few months ago. He said he was not considering removing his children from the day care.

"I don't have a concern of keeping them here," Burn said after picking up his children Monday afternoon. "She did everything necessary."

Another parent who asked to remain anonymous said she and the other parents planned to support Ebersole.

"I feel bad for her. She can lose her business with what (Varano) did," she said. "How can she control what happened?"

The woman said her child had been in Ebersole's care for three years and that she was "devastated" when she heard the news.

"She nurtures those children," she said.

She noted Ebersole's promise to press charges against Varano and Kehler, indicating that while she believes Ebersole is "a good woman," she is still concerned for her own child. She said her child had been feeling ill lately, and the news made her question if drugs caused his malaise.

"We have to make sure our kids are safe," she said.

Ebersole's day care is licensed through the state Department of Human Services (DPW). She said she's been in business for 17 years and checked with the proper authorities before opening Monday morning.

Cpl. Bryan Primerano said in the criminal complaint that he contacted DPW and Children and Youth to notify them of the incident. Calls to DPW were not returned Monday.

NORTHUMBERLAND - Police say Victor W. Hare III gave Korbin Rager, 9, more than 12 times the maximum therapeutic level of oxycodone for an adult, causing the boy to overdose and die in October.

Point Township Police Chief Joshua VanKirk and Sgt. Robert Recla charged Hare, 58, of 196 Springhouse Road, with felony counts of drug delivery resulting in death, involuntary manslaughter, aggravated assault and two counts of endangering welfare of a child and misdemeanor charges of indecent assault and two counts of recklessly endangering another person.

According to a criminal complaint, Hare is accused of providing oxycodone and alcohol to Rager during an overnight visit between Oct. 12 and 13 at Hare's residence, causing the boy's fatal overdose.

In the latest court documents, the autopsy report from Montour County Coroner Scott Lynn said Rager's death was caused by oxycodone toxicity; his manner of death is listed as homicide.

Toxicity testing performed on the boy showed an oxycodone level of 1,200 nanograms per mililiter (ng/ml), 12 times the maximum therapeutic range of 10 to 100 ng/ml for an adult, according to court documents. Lynn's report indicates toxic effects occur when oxycodone levels exceed 200 ng/ml.

Officials also said a cut straw, used to snort drugs, containing Hare's and Rager's DNA was found at Hare's home. Police also said Hare's DNA was found on Rager's body, prompting the indecent assault charge.

Didn't want to be there

Rager's half-brother, Christian Fegley, told police he and his brother didn't want to go to Hare's home Oct. 12, but their mother urged them to do so by claiming Hare was "doing better" despite knowing that Hare had been "high and drunk all the time."

Hare told police in October Rager ingested prescription pain medication and was addicted to drugs and alcohol - an allegation met by scorn from the public. More than 40 bottles of various prescription medication, including Oxycontin, and alcohol were found unsecured in Hare's house.

During the preliminary hearing for Rager's mother, Angela Clark, in January, VanKirk testified about an interview Fegley gave at the Child Advocacy Center in Northumberland. VanKirk said Fegley informed police Hare often snorted oxycodone in the presence of the boys, and Rager had suffered a previous drug overdose while being supervised by Hare.

VanKirk said Fegley claimed Hare was incoherent a lot and incapable of caring for the boys. He said Fegley recalled an incident when Hare gave him a spoonful of powder, believed to be Oxycotin, to relieve a headache.

The chief testified in January that Fegley told police he made his mother aware Hare had snorted dope in front of the boys and also made a videotape of tying Fegley to a chair and touching him inappropriately.

Fegley told police Hare, who was later told to stay away from the boys, destroyed the videotape when confronted by family members.

Faces 93 years

The defendant, already incarcerated on charges of endangering the welfare of a child and a felony gun possession charge, was videoarraigned Monday before Magisterial District Judge Michael Diehl, of Milton, and recommitted to SCI Coal Township on $750,000 cash bail, raising his total bail to $1,040,000 on all charges. A preliminary hearing on the new charges is set for April 21.

If convicted on all counts, Hare faces a sentence of 93 years in prison. The drug delivery resulting in death carries the stiffest sentence, 40 years jailtime.

Clark. 30, of Sunbury, who faces two felony counts of endangering the welfare of a child, is currently free on $25,000 bail. She is scheduled for a pre-trial conference April 10 in Northumberland County Court. Hare is also scheduled for a pre-trial conference on the previous charges on that day also.