Hospice volunteer training

LEWISBURG - Hospice of Evangelical will hold its annual volunteer training from 9 to 3 p.m. Sept. 14, 15 and 16 at the Evangelical Hospice Building, 235 Hospital Drive, Lewisburg. The class is free for anyone interested in becoming a hospice volunteer.

Hospice volunteers do not need to have experience in healthcare, just a caring heart and a desire to make a difference for people with life-limiting illnesses and their families. During the three-day training, various speakers will present all aspects of hospice care and allow interested individuals the time they need to ask questions and get answers related to hospice care.

Hospice volunteers provide both direct patient support and behind-the-scenes assistance. Volunteers can lend support to patients and their families by providing respite, visiting, listening, running errands and assisting with meals. They provide bereavement services to caregivers such as regular calls to those who have experienced a loss, administrative assistance in the hospice office and support at special events that raise funds for the program.

For more information on what it means to be a hospice volunteer or to sign up for the training sessions call 570-522-2955 to speak to the volunteer liaison at Hospice of Evangelical.

Schuylkill Make A Difference Day

SCHUYLKILL COUNTY -Schuylkill County will hold its annual Make A Difference Day from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Oct. 24.

Everyone is invited to join in on the National Day of Giving to help improve the quality of life in Schuylkill County. Some part of the project must occur within one week of the Oct. 24 national event to qualify as part of Make A Difference Day.

No effort is too small and every project helps someone. For more information on participating or to register, contact Community Volunteers in Action at 570-628-1426.

SUNBURY - Three defendants were sentenced Monday after pleading guilty to various charges on the same day juries were scheduled to be selected for their respective trials.

- Miguel Rodriquez, 29, of Philadelphia, an inmate at SCI-Coal Township, was sentenced by Northumberland County President Judge William H. Wiest to 25 1/2 to 51 months in state prison and ordered to pay a $100 fine plus costs on a charge of possessing a prohibited offensive weapon (shank) at the state prison Sept. 23. The charge was filed by state police at Stonington.

The sentence will run concurrent to another sentence Rodriquez is currently serving.

- Joseph Hornberger, 45, of Shamokin, was sentenced by Wiest to 23 months intermediate punishment with the first 90 days on house arrest and ordered to pay a $150 fine plus costs on a charge of terroristic threats.

Hornberger was charged by Coal Township police in connection with an incident July 28, 2014.

- Dane Hanford, 29, of Coal Township, was sentenced by Wiest to 38 days to 23 months in county prison on a charge of terroristic threats filed by Coal Township police in connection with an April 30 disturbance.

Hanford also was ordered to pay $300 in fines plus costs.

The defendant, who was given credit for 38 days previously served in prison, was granted immediate parole.

He also received a concurrent county prison sentence of 21 days to 12 months for resisting arrest relating to a Feb. 21 incident in Watsontown.

- Theft, receiving stolen property and criminal mischief charges filed by Mount Carmel Township police against Edward Halcovich, 59, of Mount Carmel, were dismissed after the defendant paid $1,000 restitution in the case, which satisfied both the commonwealth and defense attorneys.

Halcovich was charged with causing damage to a trailer May 9, 2014.

Wiest presided at Halcovich's legal proceeding.

SUNBURY - A jury comprised of six men and six women will decide the fate of a former Sunbury man accused of aggressively coming toward a city policeman with a knife, prompting the officer to shoot him in the abdomen.

It took 90 minutes for the jury to be selected Monday afternoon for the Aug. 28 trial of Erick R. Trometter, 24, of Elizabethville, who is charged by state police at Stonington with two counts of aggravated assault and one count each of simple assault, possessing an instrument of crime and recklessly endangering another person. The charges relate to a July 8, 2014, incident on Mile Post Road near Shikellamy Avenue in Upper Augusta Township, just outside Sunbury.

The jury pool started with 74 county residents and was reduced to 30 before being trimmed to 12 plus two male alternates.

Northumberland County Judge Charles Saylor, who presided at jury selection, also will preside at the one-day trial.

Attorney James Best is representing Trometter, while Northumberland County District Attorney Ann Targonski will prosecute the case.

Targonski, who recited the facts of the case, and Best took turns asking potential jurors a series of questions involving their knowledge of the incident and whether they could serve as fair and impartial jurors. They asked jurors if they had any relationship with Trometter, Sunbury Police Chief Brad Hare, the alleged victim, other police officers involved in the investigation or the attorneys themselves.

There was speculation that Trometter may enter a plea in the case prior to jury selection, but that didn't happen Monday, although he could still reach a plea agreement before trial.

Trometter, who appeared in court in a suit coat, tie and dress pants and shoes, conferred with Best several times during jury selection, but declined comment afterward before being transported back to SCI-Coal Township.

Targonski and Best also declined comment.

Jurors include three women from Milton, two men each from Turbotville and Watsontown, one man each from Little Mahanoy Township and Lewis Township, a Coal Township woman, a woman from Sunbury and a woman from Mount Carmel. The alternates are from Marion Heights and Milton.

On July 10, Trometter pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor of simple assault for assaulting his grandmother. He was sentenced by Northumberland County Judge Tony Rosini to serve one to two years in state prison with credit for time served. A felony of aggravated assault and a summary of harassment were not prosecuted as part of a plea agreement.

Police said Trometter repeatedly punched and kicked his then 67-year-old grandmother inside their Sunbury home July 8, 2014. Hours later, Hare confronted Trometter, who was armed with a knife and refused the chief's commands to drop it, police said.

A struggle ensued. Hare shot Trometter three times with a Taser. The chief said Trometter fell to one knee, swatted away the Taser's prongs and continued to advance toward him with the knife. Hare then drew his gun and shot Trometter once in the stomach after a final command to submit was ignored, police said.

Trometter was hospitalized and was later homebound while recovering from injuries before being sent to Northumberland County Prison. He and other county inmates were transferred to SCI-Coal Township when fire ravaged the county prison Jan. 14.

Kulpmont food surplus distribution

KULPMONT - Borough residents signed up and enrolled in the food surplus program are reminded of the next distribution, which will be from 8 a.m. to noon Thursday in the borough garage, Residents are reminded to bring their bags. Tax office closed Friday

SHAMOKIN - The city tax office will be closed Friday and reopen Monday.

Health care professionals seminar

CATAWISSA RR - Geisinger-Shamokin Area Community Hospital (G-SACH) will host a free patient experience seminar titled "Back to the BASICS" at 9 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. Friday, Aug. 28 in the Southern Columbia Area High School auditorium.

Motivational speaker and author Tim Richardson will deliver the high-energy presentation using real-world examples and proven strategies to focus on his "BASICS," which include: better teamwork, attitude, spectacular service, innovation, consistency and self-service

Richardson has been speaking for hospitals and healthcare organizations since 1988, working with clients such as Mayo Clinic, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center and Henry Ford Hospital and Health System. He is the author of "Jump Starts: Wit and Wisdom to Super Charge Your Day," the co-author of "Transformation Thinking: Tools and Techniques That Open the Door to Powerful New Thinking" and a contributing author of "Meditations for the Road Warrior."

All area healthcare professionals are invited to attend. Registration is required. For more information or to register, visit Geisinger.org/events or call 570-644-4229.

Overcoming fears to be discussed

SHAMOKIN - How to stop being held back by fear will be explored at 7 p.m. Thursday at Lifetree Cafe at Antioch Place, 531 N. Market St.

The program, titled "Facing Your Fears: Lessons Learned in the Dark Times," included an interview with Nate Trela, who is living sightless in a sighted world. Participants will discuss what fear can do to us, and how to push past fear to live full, joy-filled lives.

Admission to the 60-minute event is free. Snacks and beverages are available. For more information, contact Kathy Vetovich at 570-672-9346 or kvetovich@gmail.com.

Susquehanna Gears Up for GIVE

SELINSGROVE - As Susquehanna University prepares to welcome its largest-ever incoming class Aug. 27, plans are underway for first-year students to be introduced to the university's service tradition through SU GIVE (Susquehanna University: Get Into Volunteer Experiences).

Scheduled for Saturday, Aug. 29, this event brings together first-year students, faculty, staff and orientation team members to perform volunteer service at locations throughout the central Susquehanna Valley.

"GIVE serves a threefold mission: to introduce new students to the Selinsgrove community, to provide a bonding experience for those students and to introduce them to the university's core ethic of service," says Jay Helmer, assistant director of residence life for civic engagement.

With more than 700 estimated volunteers, it is expected that there will be at least 45 to 50 volunteer sites for this year's event. Past GIVE sites have included the Campus Garden, Far Point Animal Rescue, Grayson View Assisted Living, Haven Ministry, Kidsgrove, Mostly Mutts Dog Shelter, Sunbury YMCA, SUNCOM Industries, Susquehanna Children's Center and more.

WILLIAMSPORT - The county may be forced to keep the weatherization department open for another year and a half because a federal judge set a trial date for January 2017.

Federal Judge Matthew W. Brann submitted a hearing schedule Monday outlining a timeline to hear a lawsuit filed by the seven weatherization department employees against the county and Commissioners Vinny Clausi and Stephen Bridy.

On June 26, Brann issued a preliminary injunction ordering the county to keep the weatherization department open beyond a scheduled June 30 closure date so the lawsuit filed by department employees Dwayne Scicchitano, Pam Bollinger, Robert McAndrew, David Yakoboski, Barry Schweitzer, Jim Bressi and Albert Benedict Jr. could proceed.

The new timeline means if the case is not settled until it reaches trial, the county could be forced to continue employing the seven department members instead of transitioning the department's duties to SEDA-COG.

Clausi and Bridy voted to close the department and allow SEDA-COG to take over its programs at an April 7 county meeting. On May 1, the employees filed their lawsuit, claiming the vote was made in retaliation for attempts to report Clausi for demanding they provide services for a relative and friend who did not meet program requirements.

Recently, the county and the department have butted heads over funding contracts with the state. The current contract with the state Department of Community and Economic Development (DCED) funds the program through June 2016. But DCED is undergoing changes in the funding process and has asked the county to sign a contract for funding running Oct. 1, 2015, to Sept. 30, 2020 - well beyond the date of the trial and the terms of Bridy and Clausi, who aren't seeking reelection and will be out of office at the end of this year.

A telephone conference was held Aug. 7 with attorneys from the weatherization department and the county presenting their arguments before Brann as to whether the commissioners are in violation of the preliminary injunction's order to continue funding the program if they refuse to sign the new contract. Brann has yet to issue an order on the contracts.

Pennsylvania's 3,950 vegetable growers plant 49,400 acres of vegetables that produce more than 280,000 tons of vegetables. All but the early spring and late fall vegetable crops are available in August.

According to the program:

- Sweet corn is the state's largest vegetable crop. Growers plant about 12,700 acres per year, ranking the state as the seventh largest producer of fresh market sweet corn.

- Snap beans are the second largest vegetable crop, with about 10,700 acres being grown. Most snap beans are grown for processing, ranking the state fifth in the nation in that category.

- Potatoes are the state's third largest vegetable crop at about 8,700 acres. Pennsylvania ranks fourth in the nation in the production of pumpkins, the state's fourth largest vegetable with 6,200 acres being grown. Tomatoes are the state's fifth largest vegetable crop. Growers plant 1,700 acres of fresh market tomatoes, ranking the state 13th in the nation, plus about 1,000 acres of processing tomatoes.

- The other top 10 vegetable crops are peppers at about 1,200 acres; cantaloupes, 1,100 acres (eighth in the nation); cabbage, 1,100 acres (13th in the nation); squash, 900 acres; and watermelons, 800 acres. - There are more than 1,000 farm markets and community farmers markets in the state, and many are participating in Pennsylvania Produce Month by holding special events or offers. Some roadside farm markets will be hosting special festivals with various forms of entertainment. Pruduce from Pa. will often be identified with the "PA Preferred" logo.

Other valuable resources are the "PA Preferred" website at www.papreferred.com, Penn State University's AgMap at http://agmap.psu.edu; the Pennsylvania Buy Fresh, Buy Local website at www.buylocalpa.org; and the Pennsylvania MarketMaker website at www.pamarketmaker.com.

The vegetable marketing and research program, established in 1988 by a grower referendum under the Agricultural Commodities Marketing Act, serves vegetable growers by promoting Pa.-grown vegetables. It is governed by a board of 12 growers appointed by the Secretary of Agriculture from nominations submitted by growers.

HARRISBURG - More than a quarter of the social services agencies responding to a survey expect to cut services this month due to the state budget stalemate, United Way of Pennsylvania reported Monday.

Sixty percent of those agencies plan to borrow money this month so they can continue providing services, and about half have started experiencing cash flow problems.

United Way received more than several hundred responses to its impact survey, the first since the new fiscal year began July 1 without a state budget. It was done after the flow of state payments, which are often a key part of nonprofit budgets, stopped last month.

Laun Dunn, executive director of the Lower Anthracite Regional United Way, said Monday the impasse hasn't hurt the agency locally.

"We are so small that we don't receive any state funding directly," she said. "The only money coming from Pennsylvania is from state employees, who are still being paid, who have made contributions from their paychecks."

As far as the local agencies under the local United Way umbrella, Dunn said they are in a holding pattern to see how the budget fight turns out.

Call for 'stopgap' funding

As for the statewide United Way impact survey, 110 agencies say they are definitely planning to take out lines of credit. The survey projects the total cost of interest on that borrowing will reach at least $1.4 million by the end of October.

Agencies weren't reimbursed for interest costs during the last major budget stalemate in 2009.

As a result, United Way and seven other organizations called on Democratic Gov. Tom Wolf and lawmakers to pass "stopgap" funding at last year's levels to help sustain the nonprofits during the stalemate, or expand the list of essential services receiving state aid from existing state tax revenues.

The other agencies are ARC of Pennsylvania, Hunger Free PA, PA Advocacy and Resources for Autism and Intellectual Disability, PA Association of Nonprofit Organizations, PA Coalition Against Domestic Violence, PA Council of Churches and Rehabilitation and Community Providers Association.

The survey was released as the stalemate reached its 49th day with no major signs of a breakthrough.

Wolf has proposed a combination of tax increases and tax shifts to address a $1.5 billion budget deficit, education funding and property tax relief. The Republican-controlled passed a budget with no tax hikes and focused instead of selling the state liquor stores and reducing pension benefits for new state government and school district employees.

Wolf vetoed the budget and related liquor and pension bills.

Negotiation Wednesday

Another top-level negotiating session is scheduled between Wolf and GOP legislative leaders for Wednesday.

GOP lawmakers are considering either a stopgap bill or effort to override Wolf's veto, said Stephen Miskin, spokesman for House Majority Leader Dave Reed, R-62, Indiana.

"We are weighing our options absent good-faith negotiations by the governor," he added.

"The governor is focused on reaching an agreement on a final comprehensive budget," said Wolf spokesman Jeff Sheridan.

He said the governor wants a budget that restores cuts made during the Corbett administration to human service agencies.

(Staff Writer Rob Wheary contributed to this story.)

Susquehanna Valley gas prices have fallen by nearly four cents again this week, according to AAA East Central's Fuel Gauge Report. The national average is $2.670, compared to the valley's average price of $2.551.

Last week ended a 27-day streak of lower gas prices, as prices instead rose consecutively for the past six days.

Nationally, the average price per gallon increased by about eight cents, week-to-week, with consumers in the Midwest seeing some of the largest increases across the country. Despite these increases, motorists are still paying nine cents less than last month and about 79 cents less than this time last year.

Due to unscheduled repair work at BP's Whiting, Ind. crude distillation unit, the Midwest has experienced noticeable supply shortages, which in part have caused significant price increases in the region. The state of Ohio saw, on average, a 44-cent increase per gallon since last week. Although there is no time frame for the completion of the repair work, reports indicate the unit, which has been closed since Aug. 8, may be shut down for a month or more.

Market fundamentals, however, continue to indicate future price decreases because of global oversupply.

With reports confirming the likelihood of sustained production from OPEC and higher cost production countries, like the United States, the market is also now responding to reports that the Japanese economy is shrinking. Each factor signals that supply will outpace demand in the near future.

(AAA East Central, a not-for-profit association with 83 local offices in Kentucky, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania and West Virginia serving 2.7 million members, provides Fuel Gauge every week.)

This week's Susquehanna Valley average price - $2.551

Average price during the week of August 10, 2015 - $2.589

Average price during the week of August 19, 2014 - $3.410

Susquehanna Valley Area Prices

Here is the price per gallon of unleaded self-serve gasoline in various areas:

Elysburg - $2.586.

Lewisburg - $2.489.

Mifflinburg - $2.599.

Milton - $2.519.

Mount Carmel - $2.539.

Selinsgrove - $2.551.

Shamokin - $2.560.

Sunbury - $2.565.

BURNSIDE - With just a year under his belt, the operations director at the Anthracite Outdoor Adventure Area (AOAA) has impressed his bosses enough to give him a raise.

The AOAA Authority voted unanimously at Monday's meeting to boost Operations Director David Porzi's cut of the gross sales from 2 percent to 3 percent, retroactive to July 1.

Authority Chairman Jim Backes said the 1 percent increase is expected to amount to approximately $2,500 more this year.

Porzi came onboard as the park's inaugural operations director July 21, 2014. In this unique position, he's overseen the business growth of the off-road aspect of the AOAA while managing 6,500 acres of county land.

In other news:

The lone bid for the technology grant from the federal Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) made by MoJo Active Inc., of Watsontown, was opened at the meeting by the authority, who opted to table approval pending further inspection and solicitor review.

Authority member Pat Mack expressed eagerness to approve the bid and move the project forward because of the deadlines on the grant.

"I'd like to get this started ASAP because of the time frame," said Mack.

But after skimming through MoJo Active's bid packet, authority members realized the bid came in at approximately $20,000 more than the $100,000 grant. Several authority members proposed foregoing various parts of the bid to bring the cost down.

"I think we're going to have to pare it down a little," said Mack.

Solicitor Frank Garrigan recommended the motion to table and said the project could go forward with the authority ratifying the contract at the next meeting. Garrigan said the county did not mandate bidding on technology projects, so if the scope was changed the project would not need to be re-bid.

The technology grant project includes a new website and interactive map and advertising displays for the trailhead.

- The authority ratified the purchase of a 1985 M925 6x6 military truck from federal surplus at a cost of $4,500.

The truck, nicknamed "Tootsie" by authority members, will be used for heavy-duty tasks such as tamping down snowfall and watering the main access road.

A payment of $375 to C.J. Stiely Towing and Transport LLC, of Dornsife, to haul the truck to the trailhead was also ratified.

- Klacik & Associates P.C. was hired on a unanimous vote to aid the AOAA in transitioning its bookkeeping from Excel to Quickbooks at a pay rate of $75 per hour.

- Mack announced the AOAA would keep copies of the room tax ordinance in the trailhead and asked authority members to ensure all advertisers remained in compliance of laws. He said he had been contacted with concerns that residents near the AOAA were renting out rooms and garages online without paying the 3 percent tax.

"We're happy to promote economic development wherever we can get it," he said, adding that he was thrilled to see Trails End Bed and Breakfast opening and that it was not the location of concern. "We'll be happy to help them get in compliance with tax code."

Garrigan noted the AOAA did not have to pay the room tax because it did not lease out any property.

- The authority thanked Warren Remig for his recent donation of six folding tables and a cooler in memory of his brother, David Remig, who passed away recently.

- The authority renewed its lease with Brian Pedrick, William Pedrick and Seth Gedman for several parcels totaling approximately 200 acres for the current rate of $5 per acre.

Authority members said they were interested in purchasing the property, if possible, or signing a significantly longer lease in the future.

- The authority paid $4,000 to Blue Ridge Mining and Excavation, of Shamokin, for work and stone at the tot lot, $3,725 to Dan Shingara Enterprises, of Paxinos, for work on the Polaris Connector Trail and $3,771 to Carolina Carports, of Paxinos, for two metal buildings located at the tot lot and training area.

"You can see the investments we're putting back in this facility," said Authority member Jim Crowl. He recognized that all three companies were local. "We've come a long way in two years."

GORDON - Two more former Roman Catholic churches will soon be memories, with the demolition of a church in Gordon in process, and another in Ashland to occur in the near future.

A work crew with heavy equipment began tearing down Our Lady of Good Counsel Church in Gordon last week. On Monday, the front half was all that was left of the 109-year-old church.

In Ashland, plans are in the works to take down St. Mauritius Church, which was constructed in 1900, replacing the original church built in 1856, one year before Ashland was incorporated as a borough.

As work began for the day to the back of Our Lady of Good Counsel Church, Mary and Michael Cuthie, of Fountain Springs, walked in front and took photos. The couple were not OLGC parishioners, but did attend Masses from time to time in the small church. Both had been members of St. Mauritius, which was consolidated on July 1 with St. Joseph parish in Ashland, Our Lady of Good Counsel parish, and St. Vincent de Paul and St. Joseph parishes in Girardville into St. Charles Borromeo Parish in Ashland.

St. Charles business manager Patrick Reilly and the Rev. John Bambrick, pastor, spoke about plans for the churches, and in the case of St. Mauritius, the neighboring buildings.

"It should be clear that any of this cannot be done without the bishop's permission," Reilly said.

St. Mauritius has been closed for about four years, Reilly said.

"The insurance people recommended that we don't use it anymore," he said. "The floor was bad, the heating system was shot, and the electrical system was questionable."

"The insurance company called that shot," Bambrick said.

"The floor was so weak that you could go through it," Bambrick said. "You could put a hole in the floor by just walking on it."

"It's just the cycle of life, unfortunately, and it comes around and you have no choice," Reilly said. "If you have X amount of parishioners, you don't need all the buildings. Of course, each of the churches had a rectory and a school, in some cases. That's an awful lot of real estate to try to maintain and insure."

St. Mauritius has been cleaned of all religious items, including the stained glass windows. Reilly said the pews were moved and are being used at St. Nicholas Church in Walnutport.

Reilly said the stained glass window of St. Mauritius will eventually be at St. Charles. The tabernacle and statues are in St. Charles from St. Mauritius, and the main altar from Our Lady of Good Counsel is in St. Charles.

Asbestos was found in the church, but all of it has been removed according to environmental regulations.

Reilly explained that there are similar factors in many parishes around the county and the country that have led to church and school closings, and St. Charles is no different.

"The population, of course, did shrink not just in the town, but in the county," Reilly said. "Many parishioners of any given church pass away and there is no one to replace them, so your financial structure gets weakened. It's a matter of self-preservation and operating within your budget like we do at home."

The church hall to the east of St. Mauritius, which was originally the parochial school, will also be demolished. Reilly said the building deterioriated over time. The St. Mauritius rectory, which is immediately to the church's west, will be sold.

The rectory at St. Vincent's will also be put on the market in the near future.

As for the Gordon church, the years have taken their toll.

"Our Lady's church had the same problems as St. Mauritius," Reilly said. "The structure was one thing, it's full of mold, and the heating system has been completely shot for a couple of years.

The convent across the street from St. Charles Church and next to the parish office is also being torn down due to structural problems.

The first German Catholics came to Ashland and settled around 1840. According to the 50 th anniverary history book of the Diocese of Allentown, the first Mass was celebrated by Father Weggerman at the home of Ferdinand Loeper. Priests came once a month to Ashland from Saint Clair, Patterson and Minersville. On Sept. 19, 1856, three lots on Brock Street were purchased from John Brock. The church foundation was laid in 1856, and the first resident pastor, Father John Baptist Frisch, was appointed in 1858. The St. Mauritius Parochial School was built in 1881.

It was determined in 1898 that the stone church had deteriorated. The current church was constructed and opened in 1900.

Editor's note: First in a weekly series examining the status of agriculture in Northumberland County.

BEAR GAP - Standing in the middle of his orchard, Lynn Hoagland peers at a tree barren of leaves and fruit.

"This one didn't survive the winter," he subduedly notes.

The dead tree is an example of the many obstacles that are overcome on a regular basis at Hoagland's 135-acre farm off Route 54 in Ralpho Township. The 60-year-old farmer is accustomed to dealing with setbacks, but each new one makes it more challenging to compete with commercialized farms that Hoagland said have been squeezing out the small guys.

"The trend of the country is go bigger or get out," he said.

As farmers with hundreds of acres of fields harvest their crops with equipment worth hundreds of thousands of dollars, Hoagland drives an outdated Super-C tractor and operates sprayers that can hold just a few gallons. He is an example of those farmers feeling the pressure of a market that he says has chosen cheap costs and year-round availability over freshness. With that, he's been forced to search for niches of the market interested in buying unique, local produce.

Market freshness

In addition to a roadside stand open daily in front of his farm, Hoagland's produce is sold at farmers markets on Thursdays in Wilkes-Barre and Saturdays in Antietam Valley in Berks County and Phoenixville in Chester County. Traveling at least three times a week equates to long days and often means relying on his children and grandchildren to help.

"People are not used to eating the best fruit," he said. "Fruit is shipped in a hard state to prevent bruising. Soft fruit is a good thing; that means it's ripe."

Hoagland knows a thing or two about quality. He inherited the farm from his father, Garwood, who purchased it in 1955, and has been living there since he was 6 months old. He and his wife, Carol, farm 75 acres and lease the other 60. A variety of fruits and vegetables are grown, including peaches, nectarines, cherries, cabbage and pumpkins, along with more unique fruit, such as Asian pears. Hay, straw and grain are also harvested in the summer. Long days, long year

The operation requires year-long attention. Between December and mid-March, Hoagland arranges markets for straw products all while juggling a second job as a tax preparer. During the growing and harvesting season, days often start at the crack of dawn and end after 9 p.m., especially the night before he takes his produce to market.

"I wait as long as possible to pick sweet corn to ensure freshness," Hoagland said. "I have been to a lot of farmers markets. Some only last one year because of lack of interest. Some likely failed because of the poor location where the market was located."

Hoagland hires a few farmhands, but said it is challenging to find help because most people either want a non-physical job, a full-time job, which he doesn't offer, or no job at all.

The lack of help sometimes forces farmers to put themselves at risk, and growing up on a farm as it is can be dangerous because of the use of heavy equipment with moving parts. Hoagland's four adult children were raised on the farm but have all chosen different career paths. While they still help around the farm when needed, their decisions to distance themselves from the farm was on the advice of their father.

"Farming has no vacation, no unemployment benefits and no retirement," he said. "What I do is antiquated. I am not out to modernize. I have no one to take over."

Tough to be 'family'

Still, Hoagland strives to offer the best and ripest fruit while dealing with the constant unknown of when the next dead tree or broken machine part will come along. He has seen it all: drought, blight, hail damage and even an accidental fire in 1996 that destroyed his barn.

"People are spoiled today. They expect produce to be available, no matter what time of the year it is," he said. "Family grocery stores are almost all gone. As family grocery stores go out of business, small farms are going out of business."

NORTHUMBERLAND — A contractor will begin paving at the intersection of Route 11 (Water Street) and Route 147 (King Street) in the borough Wednesday, with delays expected for one of the area’s notorious high-traffic spots.

Weather permitting, work will be from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesday and Thursday, PennDOT reports.

Traffic will be restricted to one lane at the intersection with flaggers providing traffic control. Motorists should seek alternate routes if possible.

Up on Interstate 80 in Columbia County, the contractor for the Mifflinville River Project will be working from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. today through Thursday. No work will be performed Friday.

A daylight signing pattern will be used to close the westbound right lane of I-80 from mile 242 to mile 241 so the contactor can perform a punch list  of repair operations.

Delays are expected during work hours.

This phase of the project will continue next week and should wrap up the week after that, PennDOT reports.

COAL TOWNSHIP - Students in Shamokin Area School District were granted an extra week of summer vacation Tuesday when school board members unanimously agreed to push back the first day of school to Sept. 8 due to delays in a major heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) project at the middle/high school.

Superintendent James Zack said the delay in starting the school year has nothing to do with the teachers' intention to strike the same day.

Dave Petrovich, supervisor of facilities and maintenance for the district, said the chiller for the new HVAC system has not arrived on site yet. "We are behind schedule at the high school because of equipment delays," he said.

"We aren't close to where we need to be to complete the project in time for the opening of school."

Petrovich said the chiller is the most important part of the system.

The first day of classes for students in pre-kindergarten through 12th grade was scheduled for Monday, Aug. 31.

Zack said parents and students have been notified about the new starting date through ALERTNOW and the district's website.

Voting to move the starting date back a week were board President Ronald McElwee, Robert Getchey, Jeff Kashner, Richard Kashnoski, Bernie Sosnoskie, Rosalie Smoogen, Matt Losiewicz and Charles Shuey. Edward Griffiths was absent.

Public comment

At the beginning of the meeting, parent Debbie Burke questioned the board about the new dress code for elementary students and why it doesn't apply to high school students this year. She also asked if the pending strike will have an adverse effect on sports.

Shuey said the board wanted to give high school students an extra year to adapt to the dress code. He said a similar plan was followed by other districts and has proven successful.

Zack, who told Burke students must wear solid colors to school, said the pending teachers' strike will only have an effect on the fall sports season if the teams are predominantly coached by district teachers.

In other business

The board approved the following hirings and salaries:

- Secondary teachers Kathy Dugan, Melodee Lesher and Bridget Smink at $30,000 each with benefits.

- Science teacher Gerard Kuna at $31,000 with benefits.

- Elementary math teacher Tiffani Bogart at $30,000 with benefits.

- Elementary teacher Maria Getchey at $30,000 with benefits.

- Elementary teacher Kyrie Snarski at $30,000 with benefits.

- Special education teachers Cady Faust and Marisa Yoder at $30,000 and $31,000, respectively, with benefits.

- Fund accounting technician Heather Fernandez at $23,400 plus benefits.

- Personal care assistant for the special education program Deidra Libby at $8.25 per hour.

- Assistant volleyball coach Brian Gummel at $1,275.

The board accepted the resignations of elementary teachers Tiffany Baskin and Taryn (Gilger) Zayas, special education teachers Dana Sweeney, Heather Snyder and Tad Kalcich, secondary teachers Angela Confair and Angela Golfieri, school psychologist Valerie Malukas, fund accounting technician Doreen Annis, teacher aide Holly Pensyl, custodian Gerald R. Sherman and assistant volleyball coach Emily Witt.

Directors also accepted the retirements of elementary teachers Jan Koch and Francine Menko, and custodian Donna Wisloski.

The board ratified a five-year agreement between the district and members of AFSCME Local 2434, who are non-professional employees including secretaries, teacher aides, custodial and maintenance workers. The agreement is effective from July 1, 2013, to June 30, 2018.

A motion failed to pass to approve 13 fundraisers for Shamokin Area Elementary School PTA for the 2015-16 school year. Voting against the motion were Shuey, Getchey, McElwee and Kashnoski, who all believe the PTA should have the same amount of fundraisers (eight) as the middle/high school PTA and band and orchestra boosters, which were approved at the meeting.

Directors agreed to waive the $600 rental fee for use of Kemp Memorial Stadium by the American Diabetes Association for its annual diabetes awareness walk.

Getchey, who said the board must carefully watch its spending in the future due to the loss of tax revenue from people moving out of the district, made a motion that was later tabled until next month's meeting to implement a spending freeze on all non-budgeted items except in emergencies from Oct. 15 to June 15, 2016.

COAL TOWNSHIP - A slew of activities will be held Saturday during Our Lady of Lourdes Regional School's Raiderfest, an event that is open to the community.

The fun actually starts the evening before with a 5K Run/Walk that will take participants on a moderately hilly course. It starts at Lourdes, heads down Jackson Street, then toward Kemp Memorial Stadium. It travels around the Shamokin Area campus and up and down Stetler Drive, before ending back at Lourdes.

Registration is 6 p.m. The race starts at 7 p.m. Refreshments will be provided at the finish line. Medals will be awarded to winners. Registration is $20 for adults, $15 for students 18 and under.

The race is typically held the morning of Raiderfest, but organizers decided to move it up a day as to not conflict with Saturday's event, which starts at 9 a.m.

Fun activities consist of pony rides, a petting zoo, face painting, a photo fun booth and a foul shooting contest at 1 p.m. Food available includes homemade haluski, hamburgers, hot dogs, cotton candy, snow cones and fresh fruit.

Athletes will get their first taste of the upcoming fall sports season as they compete in scrimmages. The boys soccer team will scrimmage at 10 a.m., followed by girls volleyball at 11 a.m., girls soccer at noon and junior high girls basketball at 1:15 p.m.

"Something So Divine," a new historical mystery by Coal Township writer J. R. Lindermuth, has just been released by Sunbury Press.

When a young girl is found murdered in a Pennsylvania rye field in 1897, Ned Gebhardt, a feeble-minded youth known to have stalked the victim, is a prime suspect. Incidents involving another girl and gossip stir emotions to a frenzy, nearly leading to a lynching.

Evidence against Ned is circumstantial and there are other suspects. Influenced by Ned's stepsister and Ellen, a woman who has perked his interest, Simon Roth, the investigator, is inclined to give Ned the benefit of doubt. Then he discovers damaging new evidence.

Still unwilling to view Ned as a cold-blooded killer, Roth puts his job and reputation in jeopardy as he seeks to assure a fair trial for the accused.

This is Lindermuth's 15th novel. He is also the author of "Digging Dusky Diamonds," a coal region history published by Sunbury Press.

Lindermuth retired from The News-Item in 2000 and continues to write a weekly history column for the newspaper. He currently serves as librarian for the Northumberland County Historical Society.

He is a member of International Thriller Writers and is vice president of the Short Mystery Fiction Society.

Sunbury Press Inc., headquartered in Mechanicsburg, is a publisher of trade paperback and digital books featuring established and emerging authors in many fiction and non-fiction categories. Sunbury's books are sold through leading booksellers worldwide.

"Something So Divine" is available now from the publisher and can be ordered soon from Amazon, Barnes & Noble and other booksellers. http://www.sunburypressstore.com/Something-So-Divine-9781620066126.htm

Paving in Northumberland today

MONTOURSVILLE - A contractor is scheduled to begin paving at the intersection of Route 11 (Water Street) and Route 147 (King Street) in Northumberland today. Weather permitting, work will be from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. today and Thursday.

Traffic will be restricted to one lane at the intersection with flaggers providing traffic control. Delays are expected. Motorists should seek alternate routes, if possible. They also should be alert and drive with caution through the work zone.

Overcoming fears to be discussed

SHAMOKIN - How to stop being held back by fear will be explored at 7 p.m. Thursday at Lifetree Cafe at Antioch Place, 531 N. Market St.

The program, titled "Facing Your Fears: Lessons Learned in the Dark Times," included an interview with Nate Trela, who is living sightless in a sighted world. Participants will discuss what fear can do to us, and how to push past fear to live full, joy-filled lives.

Admission to the 60-minute event is free. Snacks and beverages are available. For more information, contact Kathy Vetovich at 570-672-9346 or kvetovich@gmail.com.

MOUNT CARMEL - Borough officials are asking tenants for help in identifying landlords who have violated an ordinance mandating all rental units be inspected before leased and up to code.

Mount Carmel Borough Council established a landlord ordinance requiring all rental units to have a decal in their windows identifying when inspection took place and referencing a permit.

The ordinance was designed to prevent renters from unwittingly moving into an apartment that has not been inspected or has failed inspection. Each time a tenant moves into an apartment, the landlord is required to renew the permit and have the apartment inspected so the borough knows the building is up to code.

A landlord discovered to be leasing an apartment that has not been inspected faces a fine of $1,000 per day. If the apartment is also unregistered, an additional $500 per day fine is levied.

"We've been talking to some of the tenants, and they don't know what their rights are," said Mount Carmel Mayor Philip "Bing" Cimino.

Mount Carmel Code Officer Robin Williams said he's recently heard from tenants moving out of squalid apartments that they felt afraid to notify someone of their landlord's violation of the Landlord Registration Ordinance. Instead, they'll wait out their lease and call his office when they're moving out.

"The tenants don't get hurt if they turn them in," said Councilmember David Fantini.

'You can call us'

Fantini, who owns several inspected and registered rental units in the borough, said rental laws make eviction extremely difficult when done legally, so tenants should not fear eviction as retaliation.

Tenants have told him their landlord has threatened to keep their possessions if anyone is notified about the illegal nature of the apartment. This also cannot legally occur, he said.

"You can call us without any consequences from the landlord," said Williams.

Williams said his primary concern is negligent landlords snapping up properties at tax sale that have been vacant for 10 or 20 years. The landlords will then immediately rent them without making any repairs.

He recently found an apartment with no heat, raw sewage in the basement and faulty wiring to be housing a family with five kids.

"We needed a roof over our head and this was the only place I could afford," he said the mother told him.

"It's kind of heartbreaking when we go into some of these houses," said Fantini.

Williams said new tenants should look for the decal sticker on their apartment. The date will typically be within a month of move-in, and if the sticker is old or missing, tenants should contact his office because it could mean the apartment has not been registered or inspected.

Additionally, if tenants have been living in an apartment and issues arise that make it no longer up to code, they should first contact their landlord. If repairs are not made in a timely fashion, the tenants should call Williams' office.

Fantini emphasized that the majority of the borough's more than 170 landlords are in compliance with the ordinance.

Williams estimated fewer than 3 percent of rentals are not registered or inspected. He hoped by making the public aware of the ordinance, his office could help eliminate deplorable rental units.

"The bottom line is we want tenants to know they have rights and protections," said Williams.

SUNBURY - A Barnesville woman who struck the front door of the Northumberland County Courthouse Aug. 5 and broke a glass window pane has been cited with disorderly conduct and criminal mischief by the Northumberland County Sheriff's Department.

Jordan Stravinsky, 19, of 22 S. Ann St., Barnesville, was arrested by Sgt. Dwayne Pidcoe for allegedly slammed both hands on the door after receiving an unfavorable outcome in a judicial matter.

According to the citations, filed Tuesday, Stravinsky also used screamed obscenities and made obscene gestures repeatedly on the first floor of the courthouse. When she was asked to stop, she yelled louder.

The citation also requests Stravinsky pay $75 to fix the broken glass.

SHAMOKIN - A new cell phone tower is coming to the city, and an 11th-hour discovery could give the city a windfall in revenue.

The city's zoning hearing board gave permission Tuesday for Try-Mac Construction Corporation, of North Carolina, to build the 195-foot tower in a wooded area near Adams and Grant streets. The 48-minute hearing was originally planned for a change-of-use zoning approval for the Shamokin Housing Authority to build a communications facility on East Adams Street.

However, no representatives of the SHA were present. Fred Papa, vice-president of Try-Mac Construction, explained why.

"At 1 p.m., I got a call from our engineers that there was a glitch with the information from the Northumberland County GIS that the property we are looking to build on is actually owned by the city, not the housing authority," Papa said.

Papa's company has been contracted by Limitless Mobile, who has been working with the U.S. Department of Agriculture for better communication options in rural areas.

At first, Limitless wanted to use the existing tower at Raspberry Hill, but found the existing tower to be insufficient for their needs.

"There are some structure problems and it is filled up," Papa told the board.

With Limitless pushing Papa to build the tower, Try-Mac approached the city and housing authority for some locations.

"Ron Miller was the first one that called us and we saw the site and negoitated the lease," Papa said.

Papa said he would be willing to sit down with the city to negotiate a lease agreement, possibly a five-year lease with a five-renewal option, working to make the lease last at least 30 years.

"We don't care who we deal with, but they are anxious to get this tower up," Papa said.

Neighbors concerned

Zoning board Chairman Eugene Garancheski said he is worried about those living in the area, since the site would be close to a residential neighborhood.

"There would not be a generator buzzing, it runs on battery power. Since the tower is under 200 feet, we do not need any lights on it," Papa said.

After all the permitting is completed, Papa said that it would take about two weeks for construction.

One resident of the neighboring area, Rob Tloczynski, of Eighth Street, showed a petition with 59 signatures of nearby residences in opposition to the tower.

When Papa said that the tower could be built back in the woods, Tloczynski said the trees in the area are not 200 feet high so the tower will be visible.

"This is the neighborhood where we all live, its three blocks from my house," Tloczynski said. "What about the radiation that comes from the tower in the signal?"

According to the American Cancer Society, radio frequency waves coming from the cell phone towers are transported intermittently, not continuously, and studies have shown RF waves at ground level are thousands of times below recommended limits.

"The radiation coming from the cell phone tower is no more than what comes from a microwave or a baby monitor," Papa said.

Permission granted

Shamokin Mayor William Milbrand spoke for the city, asking the board to approve the variance and said the city will work with Try-Mac.

"In these times of Act 47, when we are trying to become solvent with our funds this could be a big help," Milbrand told the board. "It will be to our advantage."

In the end, Garancheski and board members Dave Slodysko and Joe Rudy voted to give permission for the tower to be built.

"Once again, the taxpayers are shafted," Tloczynski said. "Don't get me wrong. I'm happy to see the city earning some revenue, but we are the ones that have to deal with the eyesore."

CATAWISSA R.R. - Most of the 24 bus drivers furloughed by the Southern Columbia School District will receive a modest severance package, and it appears none of them will be out of work for long.

At a meeting Monday, the school board unanimously approved an impact bargaining agreement with AFSCME Local 1864 and Council 86 that provides for a cash bonus and limited health care coverage. The agreement follows board votes earlier this summer to sell the district's fleet of buses and hire Fullington School Bus LLC, of Clearfield, to provide transportation services.

The former employees were given three options: bump into another position within the district if they were able or capable of doing the work; accept the furlough if they were offered employment from Fullington, or file and collect unemployment.

"We looked at our staffing and found 30 positions that were either vacant or had people with the least seniority, which they would be eligible to bump out of," Superintendent Paul Caputo said Tuesday.

Two bus drivers, JoAnn F. Stine and Alfonso Smokowicz, bumped back into the district. Stine was reassigned as a full-time paraprofessional while Smokowicz is now a full-time second-shift custodian.

The employees they bumped, Wanda Colon-Kaminski and Aaron Berg, remain in their positions but are now part time.

"We did not lose a single employee, because it appears that Fullington may be hiring the other 22 drivers furloughed," Caputo said.

According to the furlough agreement, those 22 drivers will be paid $25 per day for each unused sick day, along with being paid their normal pay rate for unused personal and vacation days.

In addition, they can opt to take one of two severance payments: a $500 pre-tax cash bonus and two months of health care at the normal premium if they are already receiving district-offered benefits, or four months of health care but no bonus.

The agreement also provides that anyone who takes a voluntary layoff to save the job of another bargaining unit member is entitled to receive one of the severance options and be permitted to file for unemployment compensation.

The agreement and the bumping plan were approved on a 7-0 vote with directors Michael Yeager, Charlie Porter, John Yocum, Charlene Cove, Thomas Reich, Gail Zambor Schuerch and Joe Klebon voting yes. Timothy Vought was absent and Kaye Keller left the meeting early due to illness.

In its initial presentation to the board, Fullington officials stated that employees with their company, in addition to driving school buses, have the option to learn to drive motorcoaches for extra income.

In other business:

- Caputo and Timothy George, building and grounds director, spoke with the board on an update on improvements to the school undertaken over the summer. Both said the school will be ready for the Aug. 31 opening date.

- Wellness committee chairman Gail Zambor Schuerch reported the district will hold a wellness festival this school year, with a tentative date being of Sunday, Oct. 11. Vendors, including exercise instructors and farmers, will be invited.

- The board approved its 2015-16 substitute list. Board President Michael Yeager said the list reads like a "who's who" of retired teachers, and he thanked them for coming back to help.