Bangor Area School

District students were

recently selected to
recieve awards from
their educators for their
outstanding contributions to the district and
their own education.
The awards were The
STAR Award and the
Horvath
Science
Award.
The Star Awards are
given annually to a
Bangor student who
has exhibited either
classroom achievement
and/or contributions to
the school district or
society that go above
and beyond the classroom.
Students are
nominated for this
award by their teachers,
administrators, or other
interested parties, and
are chosen by a committee of alumni for
this honor.
STAR
Award Recipients for
2015 are Samantha
Hartmann,
Austin
Ortega
and
Julia
Pinter.
Samantha is a senior
who has gained recognition for her work in
the schools co-op
program where she is
doing an excellent job

in a challenging placement.
She attends
BAHS in the morning
and then goes to work
as an intern in a pharmaceutical
lab
at
BioSpectra. There she
works in the quality
control department as a
chemist. She is also
active in sports, having
played softball and field
hockey. Samantha has
been an honor student
throughout high school
and is currently Vice

President
of
the
National Art Honor
Society, a member of
the National Honor
Society and a member
of the class cabinet.
Through these organizations she has done
volunteer work for
PUMP and the Slater
Family Network. She
will attend East Stroudsburg University next
fall, with a full tuition
scholarship from the
Board of Governors.

She intends to major in

biochemistry.
Mr.
Brewer presented the
STAR Award to Samantha.
Austin is a senior and a
member of the Boy
Scouts of America. He
has achieved the rank of
Eagle Scout after completing a project designing and building a grand
entry to the East Bangor
Cemetery. Austin also
worked as a student

Family and friends of

the late Dennis Strouse
are holding a bake sale
on May 23rd at 9am, at
Capitol Ace Hardware,
located in Capitol
Plaza on Blue Valley
Drive, and Main Street
Market, located on
North Main Street in
Bangor. Proceeds will
benefit the 912 Scholarship fund in memory
of Dennis Strouse.
The West Bangor
Memorial Association
will be holding its
Annual Memorial Day
program on May 25th
at 11am at the Memorial site on Second
Street in West Bangor.
In the case of rain,
services will be held at

St. Josephs Episcopal

Church Social Hall,
located
on
Verona
Avenue in West Bangor.
Mt. Bethel/Portland
American Legion Post
216 is holding their
Memorial Day service
on May 25th at 11am at
the Riverview Cemetery. In the case of rain,
services will be held at
the
Portland
Fire
Companys Social Hall
on State Street. Joe
Emrick will be this
years guest speaker.
Weona Park Pool
Project will hold a
meeting on June 1st at
7pm at St. Johns
Lutheran
Church,
located at 12 N. Westbrook Avenue in Pen

Argyl. If you want to

keep the community
pool in Pen Argyl and
want to do so without
raising
taxes,
visit
www.facebook.com/we
onaparkpool project.
Roseto
Helping
Hands will be holding
a hoagie sale now until
June 12th. options are
Italian, turkey or ham.
Orders must be place no
later than June 12th to
Dorothy Ruffiero at
610-588-1363. Pick up
will be June 17th at
11am at the Roseto
Municipal Building on
Garibaldi Avenue.
Portland Community
Yard Sale Daze will be
held on June 27th from
8am to 2pm, rain or
shine. Vendors are still
needed. You can also
purchase a yard spot on
the Portland map. Deadline to be on map is June
20th. For more information call or text Stephanie Steele at 610-2166716, Cindy Fish at
973-600-7120, or e-mail
portlandboroughpa@gm
ail.com
Grace Bible Fellowship Church of Nazareth is pleased to
announce
Everest
Vacation Bible School
will be held June 22nd
through
26th
for
children ages four up to
those who have completed sixth grade. Children will meet at the
church from 6pm and
8:30pm each day. Registration is now open, for
more information call
610-759-7036, visit gbfc
naz.org, or email grace
bfcvbs@gmail.com.
Bangor High School
Class of 1966 is seeking
the addresses of the
following classmates:
Sondra Buskirk Baier,
Patty Pysher Bennett,
Debbie Hughes Bush,
Patricia Crowley, Richard Danner, Glenda

Dunk, Diana Galatiota,

Susan Rising DeBord,
Tom
Kittle,
Jim
LaBarre, Bob Mack,
Charlene
Pasqualino,
Rita Danner Riley,
Linda Repsher Silvius,
Linda Meixsell Yeakel
and Mikael Turner.
Anyone with information can contact Karen
Brewer at 610-5888615.
The BAHS Alumni
Association is collecting
used
musical
instruments to be
donated to Bangors
elementary
band
program. The instruments will be used as
loaners for students who
cannot afford them. For
more information, call
610-588-5198.
The Slate Belt Heritage Center "Oral
History Project" is
seeking Slate Belt
senior citizens who
would like to be interviewed. If you know of
anyone who has a story,
contact Marc Blau at
570-897-5459.
Clara Schweitzer Will
Be Turnining 104 On
June 3rd. Help Her
Celebrate By Sending
Cards To:
Clara
Schweitzer, Gracedale
Nursing Home,
2
Gracedale Ave, Nazareth, PA 18064. Nw2.
Happy
Birthday
wishes are sent to
Sebastian Loren, May
20th; Bob Stivala, Dan
Testa
and
Nona
Lefsyk, May 21st; and
Emily Yeagle, May
24th
We love hearing from
you! Send your
birthdays,
anniversaries and
tidbits of info to:
The PRESS,
1 Broadway,
Bangor, PA 18013
thepressmail@gmail.com

Visit Us 24/7 online at

thepressnewsonline.com

Adult
Fiction:
Buruma, Ian: The China
lover; Copeland, Lori: A
mans heart; Culliford,
Penny: The art of standing still; James, E.L.:
Fifty shades of grey;
March, Lucy: A little
night magic; Perrotta,
Tom: The leftovers;
Rice, Anne: Christ the
Lord, out of Egypt;
Shields, Carol: Larrys
party; Todd, Charles:
The confession.
Adult Non Fiction:
Alderton, David: The
ultimate guide to dogs;
Berry, Joy: A childrens
book about teasing;
Fanning, Robbie: The
complete
book
of
machine quilting; Goodenough, Simon: War
maps;
Kerrigan,
Michael:
Americans
presidents, a dark

history; Lynn, Barry:

Cornered; Preston, Ken:
Bugs, beetles, spiders,
and snakes; Prothero,
Stephen: God is not one;
Soltow, Willow Ann:
Designing your own
quilts.
Large Print Fiction:
DeMille, Nelson: The
Generals daughter.
Young Adult Fiction:
Paver, Michelle: Wolf
brother.
Easy Non Fiction:
Berry, Joy: A book
about lying.
Adult Fiction Audio
Books: Burke, Alafair:
Never
tell;
Crile,
George:
Charlie
Wilsons war; Estleman,
Loren: A smile on the
face of the tiger;
Gregory, Phillippa: The
kings curse; Patterson,
James: Swimsuit.

Adult Fiction: A
Spool of Blue Thread,
Anne
Tyler;
Cold
Betrayal, J.A. Jance;
Trust No One, Jayne
Ann
Krentz;
The
Stranger, Harlan Coben;
NYPD Red 3, James
Patterson; A Touch of
Stardust, Kate Alcott;
Finding Jake, Bryan
Reardon;
At
The
Water's Edge,
Sara
Gruen; Hot Pursuit,

Stuart Woods; The Life

I Left Behind, Colette
McBeth
Adult Large Print:
Mrs. Grant and Madame
Jule, Jennifer Chiaverini; The Reluctant
Midwife,
Patricia
Harman; Someone Is
Watching, Joy Fielding
Adult
Non-fiction:
The Lady in Gold, Anne
Marie O'Connor; Dead
Wake, Erik Larson

Eugene Edinger, Commander of MartocciCapobianco American

Legion Post #750 in
Roseto has announced
the schedule of Memorial Day events for
Monday, May 25th.
The legionnaires, lead
by the Bangor Area
High School Band
under the direction of
Mr. Eric Hahn, will
depart from the Post
home located on Garibaldi Avenue at 8:30am
and proceed to the New
Catholic
Cemetery
where services will be
held at 9am.
The
contingent will then
move to the Roseto
Presbyterian Cemetery
on Liberty Street for
services at 9:30am.
The final graveside
services will be held at
the Catholic cemetery
adjacent to Our Lady of
Mt. Carmel Church at
10am.
From this cemetery
the legionnaires will
proceed to the Municipal Plaza on Garibaldi
Avenue for the Community Services at the
War Monuments beginning at 10:45am. These
services
will
also
include the clergy from

the area churches:

Reverends James and
Thomas Prior of Our
Lady of Mt. Carmel
Church and the Rev.
Barry Eng, pastor of
Roseto
Independent
Presbyterian Church,
and Rev. J. Harry
McElroy, pastor of
Bangor-Roseto Presbyterian Church. Fortieth
District PA Senator
Mario Scavello will be
the main speaker.
In addition, students
from
DeFranco
Elementary, Our Lady
of Mt. Carmel and
Faith Christian schools
will read their winning
essays on the topic
What Memorial Day
Means to Me. Runners
up from the three
schools will also read
their essays. Oratorical
presentations will be
given by students from
Pius X Junior, Bangor
Middle
and
Faith
Christian Schools.
Wreaths will be placed
on the War Monuments
by the Post. In the
event of inclement
weather, the community services will be
held indoors at the Post
Home at 143 Garibaldi
Avenue.

Legislation that would

address the misuse of a
teacher evaluation test in
the process of measuring
college students performance has been unanimously passed by the
state House, according to
the bills author, state
Rep. Joe Emrick (RNazareth). House Bill
499 may now be considered by the state Senate.

Certain schools in the

PA State System of High
Education are taking a
licensing exam designed
for teaching candidates
and prematurely using it
to evaluate students in
their pursuit of a degree,
Emrick said. Doing so
can be a major disruption
in a young persons life
and education path and
my bill would correct the

a new policy that everyone who checks items

out of the library must
have a current lending
card.
For the fiscal year
ending
June
30th,
43,660 people visited
the library and checked
out 40,076 items. One
thousand new items
have been added to the
library inventory, which

now has 33,097 books,

DVDs, and other items.
Ms. Lovelace brought a
new item to show the
club, PlayAWay audio
books. The club was
given the opportunity to
try them; five members
were selected to listen
and then fill out a survey
to return with the Play
AWay.
The Bangor Club had

three student winners at

the GFWC Arts Festival
District Level, Emyrson
Smith, Brynn Holland
and Kayla Shurott. Each
was presented with a
ribbon,
certificate,
flower and cash award.
Their entries will now be
entered in the state level
competetion.
Joyce
Barilla, Marie Balson,
Fran Attinella and Karen
Bodine organized the
Arts Festival project.
June Jones, Education
Chair, presented $500
scholarships to Erin
Snyder and Zoey Calle.
The next fundraiser for
the club will be a bake
sale at Capitol Ace
Hardware on June 19th
and 20th.

Rosanne
Roberts
Archuletta, a 1974
Bangor Area High
School graduate and a
1978
Pennsylvania
State University graduate with a BA in Communications,
along
with her husband Phil
received the 2015
Individual
Achievement Award at the 43rd
Annual
Preservation
Award event on May
8th.
Phil and Rosanne
were honored along

with a group of other

leaders from throughout

New Mexico at the 43rd

annual Heritage Preservation Awards. The
awards are given by the
Historic Preservation
Division of the Department
of
Cultural
Affairs. They received
the award for Individual
Achievement because
of their publications,
Women Marked for
History (www.women
markedforhistory.com)
and Traveling New
Mexico, as well as their
willingness and enthusi-

asm to reach out

through their personal
appearances.
New
Mexico
Governor
Susana Martinez did the
foreword to Women
Marked for History.
They travel throughout
the
southwest
and
beyond telling the
stories of the women
honored by the New
Mexico Historic markers.
The
couple
now
resides in Santa Fe,
New Mexico.

shortcoming.
The schools to which
Emrick refers are misusing the knowledge and
skills assessment test
known as the Praxis
exam. Intended as a
measuring stick for
teaching candidates who
have already earned their
diploma, the test is
instead being inserted
into the degree process,

where it is considered
part of a students grade.
A good analogy would
be a law school refusing
to award a degree
because the student
failed to pass the bar
exam prior to graduation added Emrick.
Using the Praxis exam
in this manner penalizes
the student and may
sidetrack him or her in

pursuit of a degree.
The Praxis exam
should be used simply to
evaluate future teachers,
not future college graduates.
Questions about this or
any legislative issue
should be directed to
Emricks Mt. Bethel
office at 570-897-0401
or his Nazareth office at
610-746-5090.

Bangor Public Librarian, Diane Lovelace

accepted a $1,500 donation from GFWC Club
members Yvonne Humphreys and Doris Bergen
at the Bangor Women's
Club meeting at Prince
of Peace Church on May
12th. In addition to
being club members,
both are also members
of Friends of Bangor
Public Library. They are
accepting recipies until
June 1st to put in a cookbook to raise funds. Ms.
Lovelace informed the
club that they have used
some of the funds from
last year to obtain new
computer equipment and
security software. The
library has implemented

Lehigh Valley Horse

Council Meeting: May
21st, 7pm. 5289 Rt.
309,
Schnecksville.
FMI, call 610-837-7294
or 610-704-4130.
Memorial Weekend
Concert & Dinner:
May 22nd, 6:30pm.
Mount Eaton Church,
Saylorsburg. FMI, call
570-992-7050 or email
office@mounteatonchu
rch.org.
Craft Fair & Flea
Market: May 23rd,
9am-3pm. Rain or
shine. Rt. 940 & Commerce St., Pocono
Summit. FMI, call 570619-6924.

Legion Charles Nelson

Lobb Post 502. Fairview
Cemetery. In case of
rain, services will be
held at Grace UMC, 404
E. Mountain Ave., Pen
Argyl.
Bangor VFW, American Legion & Elks
Memorial Day Service:
May 25th, 10am. St.
Johns Cemetery.
Rain Location: Bangor
VFW. FMI, call 484894-0767
West Bangor Memorial
Association
Memorial Day Service:
May
25th,
11am.
Memorial Site, Second
St.,
Bangor.
Rain
location St. Josephs
Episcopal Church Social
Hall, Verona Ave., W.
Bangor.

Girl Scout Troop 81

Yard Sale Fundraiser:
May 23rd, 7am-3pm.
Comm.
Presbyterian
Church, Rt. 611, Mt.
Bethel. FMI, call Lori at
610-567-8463.

Mt. Bethel/Portland
American Legion Post
216 Memorial Day
Service: May 25th,
11am. Riverview Cemetery. Rain location:
Portlan Fire Co. Social
Hall, State St., Portland.

Pen Argyl Memorial

Day Services: May
25th, 9am. Conducted
by Pen Argyl American

Memorial Day Service:

May 25th, 1pm. East
Bangor Cemetery, Park
Rd. E. Bangor. Rain

location: East Bangor

UMCC, 136 W. Central
Ave. (Rt. 512), East
Bangor. FMI, call 610588-4453.
Safe Haven Pet Rescue
Adoption Day: May
31st. 11am-3pm. Rt.
940, Mt. Pocono. FMI,
visit SafeHavenPa.org,
email
SafeHaven
@epix.net or like Safe
Haven on Facebook.
Bangor Block Watch
3rd
Annual
Free
Bicycle
Engraving:
May 30th, 12pm-3pm.
Bee Hive, 197 Pennsylvania Ave., Bangor.
FMI, visit facebook
.com/BangorBlockWatc
h. The Bangor Block
Watch holds meetings
the first Tuesday of each
month at 7pm at the
Heritage Center.
Boomer's Angels Meet
& Greet Adoption
Day: May 31st, 11am2pm. Rt. 209, Brodheadsville. FMI, email
boomersangels@gmail.
com or visit www.
boomersangels.com, on
Facebook, or call 570350-4977.
Weona Park Pool
Project Meeting: June
1st, 7pm. St. Johns
Lutheran Church, 12 N.
Westbrook Ave., Pen
Argyl. FMI, visit www.
Facebook/weonaparkpo
olproject.

LWH
Foundation
Truck & Car Show:
June 6th, 10am-3pm.
Weona Park, Pen Argyl.
FMI, visit lukehahn
foundation.org.
East Bangor Community Day: June 6th,
10am-5pm. Rain date
June 7th. E. Bangor
Park. FMI, call Maureen
Cramer at 570-242-9628
or
email
ebcomun
ityday@yahoo.com.
Boomer's Angels Meet
& Greet/Dog Adoption
Day: June 14th, 11am2pm. 101 Pocono Commons,
Route
611,
Stroudsburg.
Visit,
boomersangels.com for
an adoption application.
FMI, email boomers
angels@gmail.com, visit
boomersangels. com, or
Facebook.com/Boomers
Angels, or call 570350-4977.
Join Safe Haven Dog
Rescue Meeting: June
16th, 6:30pm. Rt. 209,
Kresgeville. FMI, visit
SafeHavenPa.org
or
email
SafeHaven
@epix.net.
Blood Drive: June
20th, 10am-3pm. One
Way Church, 50 Broadway, Bangor.

(NAPSI)As
you
age, regular physical
activity is one of the
most important things
you can do for your
physical and emotional
well-being. Older adults
are recognizing the
incredible impact of
physical activity and
fitness, and are becoming more active than
any previous generation. For millions of
active older adults, the
path to improved wellbeing
starts
with
SilverSneakers
Fitness. In fact, 66
percent of participants
said they would exercise less or not at all if it
werent for SilverSneakers.
The
innovative
program guides members
through
their
fitness journey, helping
them to improve their
physical, mental and
emotional well-being,
and reach their fitness
goals. According to the
SilverSneakers Fitness
annual
participant
survey,
measuring
fitness activities and
attitudes, 83 percent of
older adults enjoy aerobic activity three or
more times per week.
Additionally, 65 percent
do
musclestrengthening exercises
three or more times per
week, and 49 percent do
flexibility
exercises
three or more times per
week.
Exercise is a preventative measure that can

Sneakers
FLEX,
which offers convenient
neighborhood classes
and activities at parks,
recreation centers and
other local venues.
Those who are interested in starting a
fitness routine are
encouraged to take the
following steps before
they get started:
Seek out an exercise
that you enjoy.
Consider any limitations and share those

improve well-being and

health as we age. From
tennis and yoga to
hiking
and
dance,
fitness offers many
benefits for older adults
including
reducing
health
issues
and
increasing energy and
emotional well-being.
Additionally, exercising through a program
allows people to meet
new friends, socialize
with others and have
fun.
SilverSneakers
classes are a great way
to stay healthy and
foster friendships, as
more than 37 percent of
participants say they

attend class to socialize.

In fact, 68 percent
participate in classes
with a friend and 34
percent participate with
a spouse or significant
other.
SilverSneakers members understand that
achieving their health
goals is best found at
the intersection of
fitness and fun. That is
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SilverSneakers
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with access to fitness
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amenities,
specialized group exercise classes, and Silver-

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Start slow so that you
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Increase your water
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Make healthy nutrition choices to see
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For more information,
to see if you are eligible
for
the
numerous
SilverSneakers
benefits, and to find a
class in your area, visit
SilverSneakers.com.

Ciao Amici,
Memorial Day is a

holiday in the United

States that remembers
the people who died
while serving in the
country's armed forces.
The holiday, which is
observed every year on
the last Monday of May,
was formerly known as
Decoration Day and
originated after the
American Civil War to
commemorate
the
Union and Confederate
soldiers who died in the
war. By the 20th
century, Memorial Day
had been extended to
honor all Americans
who died while in the
military service. It

typically marks the start

of the summer vacation
season, while Labor
Day marks its end.
In the rural South on a
Sunday in late spring,
relatives would travel to
the family graveyard
where ancestors, as well
as those who were
deceased more recently
are buried; this may take
on the character of an
extended
family
reunion. There was
often a religious service
and a picnic-like "dinner
on the ground," the
traditional term for a
potluck meal, in which
people used to spread

the dishes out on sheets

or tablecloths on the
grass; thus where the
food idea comes into
play.
In Roseto, 300 men
and women served in
the armed services
during
the
world
conflicts. And of these,
ten made the ultimate
sacrifice and gave their
lives so we could have
our freedom.
The American Legion
in Roseto, Martocci
Capobianco Post 750,
was organized in 1945.
It honors John Martocci
who died in World War I
and the Capobianco

brothers,
Carl
and
George, who died in
World War II. Imagine
the mourning parents
losing two sons. Here is
the list of soldiers from
Roseto who died during
World Wars I and II
World War I: Dante
Lucchetti and John Martocci.
World War II: S/Sgt.
Carl Capobianco, Pvt.
George
Capobianco,
Pvt. Domenico Falcone,
Cpl Mathew Menecola,
Sgt. John Racciato,
T/5Albert Trigiani, Sgt.
Philip L. Sabatine and
Pvt. Frank Tilli.
Con cordiali saluti,

Joe
My book, Growing up
in the Butcher Shop, is
available at the shop or
on our web page. To
receive menu specials
and our newsletter, join
our mailing list at www.
JDeFrancoandDaughter
s.com, click on mailing
list and enter your
e-mail. Send us your
Roseto stories, recipes
and
comments
to
portipasto@epix.net or
call
610-588-6991.
Store hours are from
7am to 7pm, seven days
a week, with catering
available anytime or by
appointment.

Senator Mario Scavello

(R-40) supported Senate
passage of legislation
recently
to
reform
Pennsylvanias public
pension systems, which
are draining money from
classrooms and driving
up property taxes.
Senate Bill 1, which
Scavello co-sponsored,
would reduce long-term
costs to taxpayers by
creating a 401k-style
pension system for
newly hired employees
who are eligible to
participate in one of the
states
two
public
employee
pension
systems the State
Employees Retirement
System and the Public
School
Employees

Retirement System.
Pension costs are
skyrocketing and its a
crisis that requires action
now. We cant go another
year kicking the can
down the road. Its killing
our schools and forcing
up school property taxes,
and is the driving force
behind the Governors
call for unprecedented
state tax increases, said
Scavello.
Senator Scavello noted
the East Stroudsburg
School District has faced
the following increases in
actual and projected
pension costs since
2008-2009:
08-09; $2.7 million;
13-14: $10.1 million;
14-15: $13.1 million;

15-16: $16.2 million.

The bill would not
affect benefits already
earned
by
current
employees or retirees.
However,
current
employees would be
given the option to either
increase their contribution rate or accept a
reduced benefit going
forward. Retirees would
not be affected by
Senate Bill 1.
In past years while
this problem was growing, solutions were
introduced
in
the
General Assembly but
were
voted
down,
turning a serious problem into an all-out crisis.
Lets not make that
mistake again. The time

to act is now, he said.

A non-partisan analysis
by the Public Employee
Retirement Commission
determined the measure
would save $18.3 billion
over the next 30 years.
The bill would require
lawmakers to participate
in the same pension
system as newly hired
employees.
It
also
creates a new commission to study investment
options and fees associated with managing
pension system assets.
Senate Bill 1 was sent
to the House of Representatives for consideration.
You can follow Senator Scavello on Twitter
and Facebook.

House Majority Leader

Dave Reed (R-Indiana),
along
with
Reps.
Stephen Bloom (RCumberland) and Tom
Murt
(RMontgomery/Philadelph
ia), recently released a
statement following the
introduction of House
Bill 1164, which would
reform
the
Commonwealths child
care benefits structure in
order to help families
retain temporary assistance, while allowing
them to earn their way
out of poverty.
Under current law,
families who earn more
money eventually reach
a so-called benefits
cliff at which even a
slight increase in their
income makes them
completely ineligible for
services worth substantially more than the
potential
income
increase,
thereby
discouraging them from

accepting raises or
working
additional
hours.
The proposed legislation would address this
issue by increasing
copayments as parents
earn additional income.
In
addition,
when
parents
reach
the
current benefits cliff,
they would not be cut
off from services. As
they earn more money,
their responsibility for
the cost of services
would increase until
their
income
can

support it entirely.
In the statement, the
lawmakers said:
Guidelines for child
care assistance, while
well intended, often
keep
individuals
entrapped in poverty.
People actually lose
needed assistance when
they accept a promotion
or when additional work
hours increase their
wages.
This
important
reform is essential to
help people fulfill their
own American Dream

and not become more

dependent upon additional
government
assistance programs. It
represents the beginning of a process to
remove
government
barriers
that
keep
people from working
additional hours and
accepting hard-earned
promotions.
The bill will soon be
referred to committee
for further discussion,
review and ultimate
vote prior to heading to
the House Floor.

(NAPSI)Just
because your aging
home heating and airconditioning system is
still functioning doesnt
mean your home is as
comfortable as it could
be. And what about your
energy bills? Could they
be lower?
It might be time to
think about replacing an
obsolete heating, ventilation
and
airconditioning (HVAC)
system with new, more
energy-efficient equipment. You may be able
to avoid a system failure
with a little homework
and
an
informed
decision regarding new
equipment.
Inspect. Begin by
having
a
certified
technician inspect and
service your homes
current HVAC system.
North American Technician
Excellence
( N AT E ) c e r t i f i e d
technicians can identify

existing or potential
problems, take steps to
repair or avoid them
and, if appropriate,
recommend a new
system
that
better
matches your heating
and cooling needs.
Learn. Become knowledgeable
about
efficiency ratings, cooling and heating capacities and other factors
that affect equipment
performance. Its also a

good idea to research the

types and brands of
systems available.
Locate. Think about
where a new system will
be installed. Do you
require an outdoor unit
or will you need to
install the unit in a basement, attic or closet?
Think green. Taking an
environmentally
friendly approach to
equipment
purchases
and installations can
improve the indoor air
quality in your home
and reduce your carbon

footprint. Fortunately,
this approach usually
results in increased
energy savings, too.
Shop around. Look for
a unit sized for the
heating and cooling
demands of your house,
and be sure your home
has sufficient insulation
and the ductwork is
properly sealed. Otherwise, you may lose
some of the efficiency
your new system offers.
When looking for a
new system, many
people
consider
purchasing the York LX
Series Packaged Heating and Cooling Units to
get both heating and
cooling in one spacesaving cabinet with
quality-engineered
reliability. Available in
electric or gas heat in
air-conditioning or heat
pump models, these 14
SEER units meet the
latest federal energy
standards.
For further information
and to find a contractor
nearby, go to york.com.

Hello, fellow readers!

I visited Kathleen and
Andrew in Summit, NJ
and witnessed first-hand
the strength of their
dilemma literally devastating their deck. It
wasnt in bloom as yet
and
they
admitted
blooms have been few
and far between. The
wrist-thick woody vine
climbing
from
the
ground to their second
story deck was strong
and impressive. Indeed
wisteria better have
something beefy to climb
onto as it can be destructive.
Wisteria is a genus of
about ten species. Eight
are Asian and include
Japanese
wisteria
(Wisteria floribunda) and
Chinese
wisteria
(Wisteria senensis). The
barely fragrant American
wisteria (Wisteria frutescens), is recommended
as an alternative to the
Asian species which are
on the USDA list of invasive plants.
You've likely seen
wisteria climbing in trees
and when in bloom in
May its a spectacular

show. But it also can

strangle even a large
tree. Rather, its best to
stand alone. A Wisteria
tree is typically made by
grafting a wisteria vine
on top of a standard tree
trunk.
Wisterias flower best
where they receive at
least six hours of full
sun per day. They thrive
in most types of soil as
long as its well-drained
in zones five to nine.
The first year after
planting, they need at
least one inch of water
per week to speed establishment. Once established, water sparingly.
They require little if any
fertilizing. In fact, a
reason for failure to
bloom can be excessive
fertilizer
particularly
nitrogen. Wisteria can
also be reluctant to
bloom because it has not
reached maturity. It can
take six or more years
for a newly established
plant to start flowering.
Pruning is the other
secret to good flowering. In late winter
remove at least half of
the prior year's growth,
leaving just a few buds
per stem. If you want a
more formal appearance, prune again during
summer after flowering.
They say for even more
blooms, cut back the
rampant shoots every
two weeks during the
summer.
Not to worry if you
give your wisteria a bad
haircut as they are very
forgiving. And next
seasons
rambling
growth will give you a
second chance.
Garden
Dilemmas?
askmarystone.com

Bloom
Creative
Studio, a social enterprise started by the
non-profit organization
Connections
for
Women, will open its
doors in downtown
Bangor next month. A
ribbon
cutting
ceremony will take
place at the studio on
Saturday, May 30th at
noon.
Bloom Creative Studio
is a 2,400 square foot
space where people of
all ages can discover
new
experiences
through art. Walk in
guests pay a studio fee

to work in the space and

use supplies such as
paints, brushes, stamps,
stencils and a wide
variety of tools. Group
workshops led by local
artists, teachers and

designers will take

place each month and
private parties can be
scheduled for birthdays
or celebrations. Youth
art camps and adult
workshop series will be
offered, as well.
Bloom Creative Studio
will be a supportive
work environment for
women moving beyond
a life of addiction,
violence and trauma.
Carol
Andersen,
Executive Director said,
When you support or
visit Bloom Creative
Studio, you have fun
and make a significant
impact in the lives of
others. The vision for
this program has grown
out of our own experi-

ence using art as a

healing tool over the
past several years.
Terry Wilson agrees.
She is a counselor and
life coach who will
work
with
Bloom
employees, as well as
lead groups at the
studio.
Best practices and
current research reveals
that art can have a
remarkable impact on
healing when included
with therapy in a holistic trauma healing
program, Terry said.
Bloom creates a winwin situation as it will
have both.
Carol said, This is
phase one of a broader
and bigger vision.

Our ultimate goal is to

open a two-year therapeutic
residential
program for women
leaving a life of addiction,
violence
and
trauma. Once Bloom
Creative Studio is functioning well, we can
begin the greater transforming work and
launch the residential
component.
This is
where survivors will
find the necessary
resources to maintain
recovery, heal from
wounds of trauma and
discover hope to begin a
new and healthier chapter in life.
For the past six years,
Connections for Women
has
offered
free
programs to women
living in the Slate Belt,
empowering
them
through educational and
awareness
events,
supportive workshops
and discussion groups
led by representatives
from area non-profits,
counselors, artists and
other
professionals.
Connections for Women
will maintain weekly
Monday
evening
programs.

Future plans for Bloom

Creative Studio include
free weekly after-school
programs for youth and
monthly programs for
adults. The goal is to
work with other nonprofits to combine their
unique and professional
prevention and educational content with art
and
present
these
programs in an inviting
and whimsical space to
children and adults.
We believe art heals
and develops resiliency
and that collaboration
will be a key to our
success. We are stronger when we join forces
to empower individuals
and ultimately create
communities
where
everyone can thrive and
live with hope for a
bright and promising
future, said Carol.
For more information,
go to bloomcreative
studio.org or facebook
.com/bloombangor. To
learn more about sponsorship, how to donate
to or volunteer, please
contact Carol Andersen
at 570-977-0600 or
carol@bloomcreativest
udio.org.

artist on the Heritage

Murals produced by the
Totts Gap Arts Institute,
and was involved in the
making of the accompanying film documentaries about the murals.
When not helping with
the artwork and films,
Austin
has
made
himself indispensible as
a volunteer for the art
institutes many events.
Austin has recently been
awarded membership in
the National Technical
Honor Society at CIT.
Upon graduation, he
wants to major in Architectural Drafting and
Interior Design.
He
wants to make something artistic, special
and unique by designing
All of a building. He
also hopes to become
involved in the music
programs while in
college. Austin was
presented the STAR
Award
by
Mrs.
Christma.
Julia Pinter is a third
grader at Five Points

Elementary
School.
Last year, for her birthday, Julia requested, in
lieu of presents, that
donations be made to
the Fight-For-Sam event
to support the Pediatric
Cancer Foundation of
the Lehigh Valley. Her
request brought in
$1,500 to support this
charity. This year she
raised over $500 during
the American Heart
Associations
Jump
Rope for Heart at Five
Points
Elementary
School. That amount
included several dips
into her own piggy bank
to start off the fund
raising and eclipse the
$500 mark. Julias
generosity and compassionate heart are rare in
one so young.
Julia, a very active
young lady, is a member
of the U-10 travel soccer
team, which reached the
semifinals of the Blue
Mountain Youth Soccer
League Garcia Cup in
the fall of 2014. She
plays softball in the
Upper Mount Bethel
Softball League where
she was named 2nd/3rd
Grade Girl-Pitch All-

Star for 2014. She also

plays in the UMBT
Basketball U9 Community Basketball League,
and she just joined Girls
on the Run at Washington Elementary. She is
an active member of the
Mount Bethel Church
Club 119:11 and takes
piano lessons. Mrs. Rutt
presented the STAR
Award to Julia.
The Horvath Science
Award, introduced in
2011, is given annually
in honor of Dr. Bert
Horvath and his wife,
Betty Gregor Horvath,
both Bangor graduates
who have distinguished
themselves in the field
of science research.
This award recognizes
an outstanding science
student in the hopes of
inspiring the recipient to
continue to pursue a
career in that field.
The 2015 Horvath
Science Award Recipient was Rachel Bush.
Rachel is a junior who
has taken all honors
science
courses
in
biology, chemistry and
physics.
She is
currently taking AP
biology.
She has

impressed her teachers

with her work ethic and
her analytical skills.
Although she has taken
difficult courses, she has
never backed down
from challenges and
consistently earns top
grades on assessments.
She participates regularly in class, asking
thought-provoking
questions that lead to
discussions that go way
beyond the scope of the
course.
Rachel has consistently
earned high honors
throughout her high
school career. In addition, she plans to further
her studies by taking a
course in anatomy and
physiology, as well as
other
independent
studies to pursue her
interest in biotechnology. Mr. Hachtman
presented the Horvath
Science
Award
to
Rachel.
For more information
on these awards visit
www.slateralums.com.

By Jennifer Lively

Did you know in a

study by Loyola University Chicago, over the
period of a year, more
than a half million
people
will
suffer
injuries in alcoholrelated crashes? Forty
thousand of these people
suffer serious injuries.
The study goes on to
state these crashes are
approximately
four
times more likely to
occur at night than
during the day.
The National Highway
Traffic Safety Administration
(NHTSA)
reported 16, 694 people
killed during 2004 in
alcohol related traffic
crashes. This is an astonishing average of 39
percent of the total
traffic fatalities every
day.
The available facts on

drunk driving are many,

and quite alarming.
Pennsylvania is rated the
fourth highest alcohol
related driving fatality
state, with 1,324 total
driving fatalities, 502 of
these were alcohol
related fatalities at 38
percent.
Is drinking and driving
an option? Your choice.
For more information
regarding alcohol misuse
or abuse, see the staff at
a Clean Slate in Bangor.

The Bangor Lions Club

takes great pleasure in
welcoming
Zachary
Miller as their newest
member. Zachary is the
youngest person to ever
join the Bangor Lions
Club at the age of 18.
Zachary is currently a
senior at Bangor Area
High School and is a
member of the Bangor
High School Leo Club.
Zachary has been active
with the Bangor Lions
Club in many of their
activities over the years,
volunteering side by
side with the members
of the club, including his
mother Deanne Miller
who is a past president
of the Bangor Lions.
Zachary is active in

many clubs at Bangor

Area High School,
including the Leo Club
serving as the treasurer.
He is a member of the
Chamber Choir, Concert
Choir, Symphonic Choir
and District Choir.
Zachary is a member of

the Concert Band, Jazz

Band, Pep Band and
Marching Band, as well.
Zachary
has
been
involved with musical
theater, New Approach
and the Elks Chorus. He
is a member of his
church choir, Church

On May 31st, the

second annual cancer
benefit featuring six
wine tastings will be
held at 130 Lower
Cherry Valley Road in
Saylorsburg. The event
is scheduled from 2pm
to 5pm and will benefit
the Multiple Myeloma
Research Foundation

and the Leukemia and

Lymphoma
Society.
The Straw Hat Society,
who annually raises
several thousands of
dollars for these two
charities, is organizing
this years program.
Multiple
Myeloma
and leukemia are both
cancers of the blood.

The Straw Hat Society

focuses on these two
cancers because group
members are directly
affected. Russ and Jean
Roper lost their son Tim
to Multiple Myeloma
three years ago. Priscilla Kuster, wife of
Dick Kuster, is battling
leukemia, and a friend,

Pasty Bakers. Zachary

has been a vacation
bible school leader and
has been involved with
his church council.
Zachary will be attending college at Penn State
University for the next
two years at their local
campus before transferring to the main campus.
The Bangor Lions Club
takes great pleasure in
welcoming Zachary as a
member of their club
and they look forward to
and thank him in
advance for his continued service to the
Bangor Lions Club and
his community.
As
always the motto of the
Lions Club is We
Serve.

Shawn Detweiler, died

from adult leukemia
earlier this year.
In addition to the wine
tasting, there will be
musical entertainment
and there will be free
snacks provided. Hot
dogs and non-alcoholic
beverages
can
be
purchased. For more
information and tickets,
call Russ Roper at 610863-5371, Bill Craig at
610-759-5795, or Dick
Kuster at 610-8634772.

Boating safety experts

want to get something
off their chest and onto
yours a life jacket.
The importance of flotation devices and other
watercraft safety tips
are the focus of the
2015 National Safe
Boating Week, May
16th through 22nd.
During National Safe
Boating Week, and
throughout the entire
boating season, we are
reminding boaters to
practice
safe
and
responsible
boating,
always wear your life
jacket, and be alert
while on the water,
said Laurel Anders,
director of the PA Fish
and Boat Commissions
(PFBC) Bureau of Boating and Outreach. By
practicing these simple
steps you can save your
life as well as the lives
of the people boating
with you.
Each year, on average,
700 people die in boat-

ing related accidents

nationwide. Nearly 80
percent of the victims
were not wearing life
jackets. In PA, 17 boaters died in 2014 as a
result of recreational
boating accidents and
only three of them were
wearing life jackets at
the time of the accident.
People tend to think
of boating accidents in
terms of collisions
however capsizing and
falls overboard are the
most common type of
reportable
boating
accident in PA, adds
Ryan Walt, PFBC boating and watercraft
safety manager. Accidents where fatalities
occur usually are the

ones where somebody

falls overboard, or is
swamped in a small
boat and drowns. Those
are
precisely
the
accidents where a life
jacket can make all the
difference.
Walt emphasizes that
life jackets are more
comfortable,
convenient and lightweight
than ever before. They
come in a variety of
sizes and styles to fit
every person and recreational
opportunity.
Inflatable life jackets
are gaining in popularity because they fit
easily over clothing, can
be worn as a vest or
belt-pack, and can be
another option in addi-

tion to more traditional

buoyant life jackets.
National Safe Boating
Week is scheduled each
year as the first full
week before Memorial
Day weekend, which is
often thought of as the
unofficial start of warm
weather and the boating
season in PA. Boaters
should note that:
Boats must have a U.S.
Coast Guard approved
wearable (Type I, II, III,
or V) life jacket on
board for each person.
Children 12 years of
age and younger must
wear their life jackets
while underway on any
boat 20 feet or less in
length and on all canoes
and kayaks.

Boaters can demonstrate their personal

commitment to wearing
a life jacket by visiting
the PFBC website and
submitting the online
Wear It Pennsylvannia! pledge form. The
pledge form and a
special video by PFBC
Executive Director John
Arway touting the
importance of life jackets can be found at
fishandboat.com/wearit-message.htm. In addition to taking the life
jacket pledge, boaters
can send in their lifesaving stories on how
they were Saved By
the Jacket at fishand
boat.com/savelives.
As part of its safe boat-

ing
campaign,
the
PFBC has created a
special media resources
web page containing
web banners and high
resolution photos for
graphic artists and
reporters to use in
stories or as additional
images on websites.
The page also provides
15 and 30 second public
service announcements
for radio stations to use.
The page is located at
fishandboat.com/media
- r e s o u r c e s / w e a r- i t - media/wear-it-media.htm.
For more information
about the National Safe
Boating campaign, visit
safeboatingcampaign.c
om/welcome.htm.

Whats your 40 time?

How about your vertical? Do you really know
how to tackle? Are you
training
like
you
should?
St.
Lukes
Sports
Performance and the
Lehigh Valley Steelhawks will hold the first
annual Gridiron High
School Football Combine on Saturday, May
30th from 9am to
3:30pm at St. Lukes
Fitness and Sports
Performance
Center,
501 Cetronia Road,
Allentown.
If you desire to play
varsity, start in college
or make a career of the
game you love, these
questions matter. Get
your answers here. This
is not a showcase. Its
not a camp. It is a prostyle combine that will
measure your athletic
skills and abilities and
put your fundamentals
to the test. Its real numbers to send to recruiters
and coaches.
This combine is appropriate for football players in grades nine
though 12 (students
entering ninth grade in
fall 2015 are eligible).
The cost of the combine
is $60 per player and
registration is limited to
80
participants.

Individual performance
testing results will be
made available to all
participants in a detailed
report suitable to send to
interested coaches.
To accurately judge
athletes performances,
they will be separated
into grade-level groups
and judged against their
peers. First place awards
will be given for each
individual event in each
grade-level group as
well as an overall combine first place award in
each grade-level group.
In total, athletes will be
recognized with 20 total
awards for the day!
The Gridiron High
School Football Combine is sponsored and
staffed by St. Lukes
Sports
Performance
experts and the Lehigh
Valley
Steelhawks
coaches and players!
Registration is available until midnight on
May 25th at: www.
sluhn.org/gridiro, www.
sluhn.org/getfit
and
www.lvsteelhawks.com

Senator Mario Scavello (R-40) recently

announced the approval
of $442,528 in state
assistance
for
an
affordable
housing
project in Hamilton
Township.
The aid comes in the
form of Preservation
Tax Credits for a rehabilitation project at
Hamilton Manor Apartments, the senator said.
Its
crucial
that
affordable housing be
available for our area

residents, particularly
seniors and families,
said Scavello. These
tax credits will help
attract
the
private
investment necessary to
move the Hamilton
Manor
project
forward.
The funding will help
leverage
additional
funds to update and
modernize
Hamilton
Manor Apartments, a
40-unit
affordable
housing complex for
the elderly in Hamilton

Township, according to
the Hamilton Manor
Board of Directors.
The board issued a
statement of appreciation:
The Hamilton Manor
Board of Directors and
residents of Hamilton
Manor would like to
extend their sincere
appreciation and gratitude to Mr. Michael
Kearney from M &L
Consulting,
Senator
Mario Scavello, Representative David Parker,

the Monroe County

Board of Commissioners, and all of the community leaders who
came
together
to
support and advocate
for the funding of this
project.
The tax credits are
administered by the
Pennsylvania Housing
Finance Agency and
were approved by its
board.
You can follow Senator Scavello on Twitter
and Facebook.

St. Lukes Hospice is

hosting its 5th Annual
Charity Bike Ride as a
way to raise funds and
awareness of hospice
care and to encourage
exercise as part of the
Get Your Tail on the
Trail program. The ride
will be held on Saturday, June 6th beginning
at 10am.
Bike enthusiasts at all
levels of ability will be
able to participate in
either the 15-mile or
30-mile
trail
ride,
which begins on the
D&L National Heritage
Trail, Lehighton Trailhead, 200 North Main
Lane, in
Lehighton,
just south of Jim
Thorpe.
The 15-mile option is
a one-way ride that
begins in Lehighton,
heads south and ends
with a shuttle ride,
provided by Pocono
Biking, back to your
starting point. The 30-

mile ride is a round trip

beginning and ending at
the Lehighton Trailhead. Both rides begin
south of Jim Thorpe and
traverse by riverbeds,
the canal towpath and
some paved sections.
Museums, the Appalachian Trail crossing,
environmental center
and beautiful views of
the Blue Mountains,
Appalachian Trail and
Lehigh Gap will be
seen.
The cost of the ride is
$40, which includes a
participation kit, shirt,
bike loan from Pocono
Biking (if needed) and
shuttle service (for the
15-mile riders and
bikes). All proceeds
benefit the St. Lukes
Hospice program.
Registration for the
ride is required at www.
active.com search:
St. Lukes Hospice.
Online
registration
closes at 10pm on June

Delaware and Lehigh

National
Corridor
encourage you to get
active with the Get
Your Tail on the Trail
program sign up at
www.tailonthetrail.org.
The Get Your Tail on
the Trail program is free
and when you log the
miles you walk, run or
bike, youll earn prizes!

3rd. Event registration

is also available the
morning of the event
from 8:30am to 9:45am

at the Lehighton Trail

head.
St. Lukes University
Health Network and

The 5th Annual Charity

Bike Ride miles count
toward your miles for
the Get Your Tail on the
Trail program. Join
today and help us build
a healthy community
one mile at a time!
For more information
about Pocono biking,
please
see
www.
poconobiking.com.