Pa 121813

By Maria CascarioLucy Flinn, State

Farm Agent in Wind Gap, held her Fifth Annual Holiday Open House recently at the Gap Theater. She and her staff had their Santa hats on as they greeted guests and socialized with them. Catering By Lora provided the food and entertainment was by the Straw Hat Singers and the Recorder Club of Our Lady of Mount Carmel School in

Roseto. Santa andMrs. Clause werethere to have photostaken with the chil-dren. Suzanne Tran-sue took the photos.Roseto MayorDesiree DeNicolaread stories to thechildren and theywere treated to a freemovie A CharlieBrown Christmas. Itwas a festive time andLucys guestsremarked Lucyknows how to throw aparty!

Left to Right: Debbie Pettinari, Sue Andrews, Lucy Flinn, Christin Pettinari, and Alexis Haag.

By Maria CascarioDotta Chrysler Jeep,

Rt. 512, held their Annual Toys For Tots Open House Sunday. Anita and her brothers invite children to bring in a new, unwrapped toy and they, in turn, receive a special gift from Santa. Santa delighted the children by coming in on the Washington Township Fire Truck

The Dottas offered snacks, face painting for the kids and a chance to build a gingerbread house. The kids had photos taken with Santa and every-one enjoyed the festivi-ties. Representatives from the Marines were there to collect the toys and everyone was impressed by their pres-ence.

June Jones, Educa-tion Chair for Bangor GFWC is proud to announce that Alexis

Culp has been selected to represent Bangor at the 2014 HOBY Leadership Training Program this Spring in Philadel-phia.Alexis the daughter

of Donald and Melissa Culp of Mount Bethel is a sophomore at Bangor Area High School. She participates in her high school choir, musical department, student government,

SADD Club, Do Something Club, field hockey team, track and field team, and powderpuff football team. Along with in school activities, she is an active member of her church, Com-munity Presbyterian of Portland Mt. Bethel. This past summer she attended the Presbyterian Youth Triennium, a nationwide program, and put her leadership

skills into action.Alexis attended thePennsylvania Asso-ciation of StudentCouncils state meet-ing this year and metmany young peoplewho share the sametype of initiative shehas. She has learnedmuch from her teach-ers at Bangor AreaHigh School and looksforward to learningmany more leadershipskills through theHOBY program.

who experience heating emergencies, such as a broken furnace, fuel shortage or utility termination. Local residents can apply for LIHEAP grants online at the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Access to Social Services (COMPASS) website, compass.state.pa.us. More information on the program is also available by calling the LIHEAP hotline at 1-866-857-7095.

Pennsylvanias Low Income Home Energy Assistance (LIHEAP) grant program is now accepting applications, according to Senate Majority Whip Pat Browne. LIHEAP, which opened on November 4th, provides grants of up to $1,000 to help low-income families pay heating bills during the winter months. LIHEAP also offers crisis grants of up to $500 for families

The Slate Belt Young at Heart Club will be holding our annual Christmas luncheon on Decem-ber 19th at noon. We will be meeting at the St. Elizabeth's church hall. This club is open to all 55 years and older. We recently had a Salute to the Veterans and Servicemen and Women which was very successful. This club has a variety of programs each month. We also sponsor various trips, most recently to the Ameri-can Music Theatre. Please plan to attend. For more information, please call Mary Lou DeRea-Lohman at 610-863-4846 or 610-844-4630.Community Presby-

terian Church of Mt. Bethel and Portland will host its monthly Family Night Out on December 27th, beginning at 6pm until 8pm.This months event is being held at Apple Blossom Village, 690 Allegheny Rd., Mt. Bethel, (610) 897-5900 (www.appleblossomvillage.com). Events include activities in the Giant Play Place and a dinner of pancakes and sausages.This event is free to

the community, and all are welcome! For more information, please contact the church office at (570) 897-

6766. The East Bangor

United Methodist Community Church is sponsoring a bus trip to the Sight & Sound Theater in Strasburg, PA, to see MOSES on Thurs., May 1, 2014. The cost is $92 and includes the bus, show, and smorgasbord dinner at Shady Maple Restau-rant. For more info., call Jackie Williams Bartosh at 570-992-6820 or Chris Ott at 610-588-1429. St. Elizabeth of Hun-

gary Parish will be sponsoring a trip to the Mohegan Sun in Wilkesbarre on thurs-day, January 9th. Please note: this trip will take place of the monthly Atlantic City trip for the months of January and February. There will be 2 pick up locations: the first will be at the st. Elizabeth's parking lot in Pen Argyl and the second will be at the old St. Joseph Church in Wind Gap. For more information, please call Mary Lou Derea-Lohman at 610-863-4846 or 610-844-4630.

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Here is a list of the new items added to the collection of the Bangor Public Library during the week of December 5th to December 11th, 2013. Adult Fiction:

DeBerry, Virginia Far From the Tree; Eva-novich, Janet Hot Six; Mosley, Walter All I Did Was Shoot My Man; Mosley, Walter Little Green.Adult Non-Fiction:

Bryson, Bill Neither Here nor There : Travels in Europe.Adult Large Print

Fiction: Brown, Sandra Not Even For Love; Coben, Harlan Play Dead; Johansen,

Iris Chasing theNight; Steel, DanielleFamily Ties; Steel,Danielle The Sins ofthe Mother; Steel,Danielle Sunset in St.Tropez.Young Adult

Fiction: Huxley,Aldous Brave NewWorld; Wells, H.G.The War of theWorlds.Easy Fiction: The

Amazing Spider-Man; McCue, DickKitty's Colors; Storiesof Santa. DVDs: Chinatown;

I, Robot; Ladder 49;Michael Jackson'sThis Is It; MonstersUniversity; The Shin-ing; Wiener DogNationals.

Recently students stood in front of a large group of local business leaders. They spoke about their future aspirations as scientists and engineers. They explained that bullying simply was not tolerated at their school. They told stories about how they became leaders or even helped their peers become leaders. Finally, they also demonstrated how one program, imple-mented by school administrators, teachers and all of the students, changed their lives forever. The students werent from a local high school or college, but from Bangor Area School Districts DeFranco Elementary

School located in Bangor, Pennsylvania. These students were

talking about and power-fully demonstrating the results of the Leader in Me program, which is based on Stephen Coveys 7 Habits of Highly Effective People. The program, which is being implemented in schools across the coun-try, teaches young students leadership principles that become part of the environment and culture of their schools. According to t h e l e a d e r i n m e . o r g , [The program] is designed to be integrated into a schools core curriculum and every-day language, so that it isnt just one more

thing teachers and administrators have to do Key benefits include the needed self-confidence and skills to be leaders in the coming future, improved academics, decreased disciplinary issues and increased levels of accountability and engagement for both parents and staff.The dinner event that

the impressive student-leaders spoke at was hosted by Merchants Bank. The Banks Chief Executive Officer, Anthony Biondi, said he was so blown away when he saw the DeFranco students dem-onstrate their leadership skills at a previous event, that he knew he

had to help raise funds to continue the program. Biondi and Chief Operating Officer, Tracey Smith, have also been spread-ing the word about the program through business lunches and tours of DeFranco Elementary. All it takes is for someone to see these students in action. When a fifth-grader walks up to you, looks you in the eye, shakes your hand and says hello, you really think you just met a seasoned business professional. These are the types of leaders that we need for tomorrow, says BiondiThe program at

DeFranco Elementary was started three years ago by Principal Braden Hendershot and a few key teachers by scraping together some seed money through grants and other avail-able funding. Unlike other educational

i m p r o v e m e n t approaches, the Leader in Me affects the core academic program, the school culture, and a childs ability to develop key 21st century skills. The mutual benefits of this three-lense approach make it both sustain-able and transferable to any age child, says Hendershot. The Leader in Me has been so successful that students transitioning to the middle school were disappointed when the programming was no longer available to them. St. Lukes University Health Network fulfilled this need and recently pledged a significant donation to help continue the program at the middle school level. However, funding is still needed to sustain the program at DeFranco and to imple-ment at the Bangor Area Middle School.

To learn how to make a donation to the Leader in Me Program at Bangor Area School District either through the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) program or through the United Way, contact Beth Tomlinson at [email protected]. To learn more about the Leader in Me Program, visit www. the l eade r inme .o rg . Located in the "Slate Belt of northeastern Northampton County Pennsylvania, the Bangor Area School District encompasses 87 square miles serving the boroughs of Bangor, East Bangor, Portland, and Roseto and the townships of Lower Mount Bethel, Upper Mount Bethel, and Washington. The School District offers a challenging curriculum based on academic standards set by the PA Department of Educa-tion.

( N A P S I ) T h e holiday season was a special time for Eliza-beth Taylor, as it is for many. Her casual, warm and welcoming Califor-nia home was a beauti-ful holiday haven for an extended family of regulars that included her children, grandchil-dren and great grand-children. Her loved ones were her greatest joy, but she also knew a thing or two about the art of gift giving. Her go-to choices featured soft cashmere sweaters and blankets or anything with a touch of

sparkle. Diamonds were her favorite, including her signature scent White Diamonds Eliza-beth Taylor. The White Diamonds fragrance collection reflects the deep feminine warmth and classic enduring beauty of the woman who created it. White Diamonds is a rich sensual floral fragrance with notes including narcisse, jasmine, amber and sandalwood and is available for the holidays in a beautiful gift set at Macys and other fine department stores. It includes a

3.3-fl. oz. Eau de Toilette Spray Naturel, 3.3-oz. Perfumed Body Cream, 3.3-oz. Gentle Moisturizing Body Wash, and .5-oz. Eau de Parfum Spray Naturel. As part of Elizabeth Taylors passionate commit-ment and fearless lead-ership in the fight against HIV/AIDS, she directed that 25 percent of her royalties from White Diamonds and her other House of Taylor fragrances go to The Elizabeth Taylor AIDS Founda-tion.

(Bangor, PA) - To mark the holiday season, Merchants Bank is donating $2,000 to ten area food banks which are strug-gling to meet the demand of the hungry during a time of sustained unemploy-ment and an economic recession. To follow its larger market footprint, which now includes Bethlehem, Merchants added a new recipient organization to their donation list, New Bethany Ministries. As a community bank

fulfilling its mission, the Board of Directors and employees of Merchants take pride in their ongoing commit-ment to support the communities they serve. When an organi-zation like the Commu-nity Action Committee of the Lehigh Valley is looking to expand the reach of its Second Harvest Food Bank program, you know there is a real local need, said Anthony

Biondi, Chief Executive Officer of Merchants Bank. There are an estimated 1.8 million food insecure people in Pennsylvania, according to Feeding Americas Map the Meal Gap study.Financial donations

will also be made to The Salvation Army, Families First, Saint Elizabeths/ Saint Josephs Ministry, Trin-ity Evangelical Lutheran Church, Pentecostal Christian Church, Benders Men-nonite Church, Safe Harbor, Family Life Community Church and Portland Upper Mt. Bethel Pantry (PUMP). The ten food banks provide food for Northampton Countys needy families. In addi-tion, the Bank, hosted a free Holiday Mixer at their Nazareth Branch on December 3rd, where attendees were asked to bring canned goods to benefit the Nazareth Area Food Bank.

Established in 1890,Merchants Bank is alocally owned and oper-ated community bank.Headquartered inBangor, PA, Merchantshas two branch officesin Bangor and addi-tional offices through-out the Lehigh Valley,including MountBethel, Wind Gap,Nazareth, Forks Town-ship, Martins Creek,Easton and Bethlehem,PA. In 2013 the Bankwas recognized for itscommunity involve-ment and volunteerismthrough two awards:Greater Lehigh Valleyof Chamber ofCommerces The Spiritof Forks Award as wellas The Volunteer Centerof the Lehigh ValleysSpirit of VolunteerismAward. MNB Invest-ment Services is adivision of the bank andoffers investment andwealth managementfinancial services. Formore information,please visitwww.merchantsbangor.com.

(NAPSI)As Ameri-cans strive to eat healthier and add more fruits and vegetables to their diets, a recently concluded market basket study has a simple message for consumers: think frozen.In partnership with the

Frozen Food Founda-tion, a not-for-profit organization dedicated to fostering scientific research, public aware-ness and education regarding the nutritional value of frozen foods, the University of Geor-gia recently conducted a unique study comparing the nutrient content of eight commonly purchased frozen and fresh fruits and vegetables.The study mimicked

consumer purchasing and storage habits of blueberries, strawber-ries, corn, broccoli, cauliflower, green beans, green peas and spinach. To account for variables such as grow-ing conditions, country of origin and time in the supply chain, composite samples were prepared from fresh and frozen fruits and vegetables purchased from six independent grocery stores.Each fruit and

vegetable was analyzed under three conditions: frozen; fresh (on the day of purchase); and fresh-stored (after five days of storage in a kitchen refrigerator). Americans may, on average, store perish-able fruits and vegetables for up to five days or more, based on biweekly grocery shopping habits, according to the Food Marketing Institutes U.S. Grocery Shopper

Trends.The study results

reveal that the nutri-tional value of many frozen fruits and vegetables are gener-ally equal to that of their fresh counter-parts. In fact, the study found that the nutri-tional valuenamely the amounts of vitamin A, vitamin C and folatesof some frozen fruits and vegetables is greater than that of fresh-stored produce. This determination likely owes itself to the nutri-ent degradation that occurs in fresh produce during storage.Our research shows

that frozen fruits and vegetables are nutri-tionally equal to, and in some cases better than their fresh coun-terparts, said Univer-sity of Georgia Associ-ate Professor Dr. Ronald Pegg, who led the study. In particu-lar, vitamin A was greater in frozen fruits and vegetables than select fresh-stored fruits and vegetables.Frozen fruits and

vegetables are picked and frozen at their peak ripeness, locking in the nutrient value at the point of freezing.Frozen fruits and

vegetables can play an important role in help-ing Americans easily

add more fruits and vegetables to their diets to meet daily r ecommenda t ions , said Produce for Better Health Foundation President and CEO Dr. Elizabeth Pivonka. Freezing is natures pause button. It is a natural and effective way to preserve food nutrition and quality.

For more information,visit www.frozenfoodfacts.org.

Hello fellow readers, Most of you have decked the halls but I am late this year and wrestle whether to dig out the artificial standby or go for a much preferred real tree. I bought my standby many years ago to use the times I visited the folks in Florida over Christmas. Some travel years I decorated a real tree then felt sad for the poor thing left alone on the day it was grown for; hence Mr. Artificial. If you are going for a real Christmas tree please support our local farmers. Though grown for the purpose, I'd still rather someone else harvest the tree rather than cut my own as it reminds me of picking a live lobster for dinner. Another option is a live Christmas tree. There are 3 gallon potted trees that are great for the tabletop and only weigh 15 pounds. But for those more ambitious you can go for a 5 to 6 or even 7 foot balled & burlap tree (B&B) if you can move 170 to 250 pounds. Yup,

root balls are heavy! As a child our B&B's were transported by wheel barrow which also served as the tree stand while in the house. Before and after your

tree is inside best to store it a few days in an unheated garage or shed to help it adjust. Place in a watertight tub away from the heat and add ice on top of the root ball to keep roots damp and cool. You can spray natural pine oil such as Wilt-Pruf to reduce moisture loss and prevent needle drop from your live or cut Christmas tree.

One of the downsides of a live tree is it should be inside only 7 to 10 days. But the joy of watching your tree grow outweighs the short time inside and the muscle it takes to get it there. Ideally plant your tree on a warmer winter day in a hole you pre-dug before the ground froze. Otherwise place your tree outside in a protected area and mulch heavily around the root ball and plant come spring.

Decision made. This year Ill have a live Christmas tree in honor of my brave beloved brother who I am visiting in Florida as we speak; a last Christ-mas in a life cut short but his gracious spirit will live forevermore. Merry Christmas to all!

Garden dilemmas? askmarystone.com

Page 6 The PRESS December 18, 2013

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On Sunday Nov. 24, 2013 the Bangor and East Bangor Fire Departments were dispatched at 6:00 AM to a working dwelling fire at 214 Market Street in Bangor. In addition, Blue Valley Rescue Squad, Columbia Fire Company, Roseto, and Lookout Fire Company, Pen Argyl were also dispatched.The temperature was

well below freezing and a strong wind was blow-ing causing water to immediately freeze making it extremely hazardous to walk (several firefighters did fall but were not injured). Fire Compa-

LETTER TO THE EDITOR:nies were on scenefrom 6:00 AM to earlyafternoon. T h eBangor Fire Depart-ment wishes to thankthe following for theirassistance: EastBangor, Columbia, andLookout Fire Compa-nies. Blue ValleyRescue Squad forproviding hot coffeeand cookies. Neighborswho immediatelyprovided rock salt andopened their home forfirefighters use. KathyKreider for so thought-fully providing a pan ofdelicious Tandy Cakes ,and Bonos Pizza onBroadway forgraciously providingdelicious, warm pizzas.

The family of Anna Spag Rosato would like to thank everyone for

their expressions of sympathy. Anna was a special woman who has

touched the lives of so many people in so many different ways. We are overwhelmed and truly greatful for all the cards, letters, phone calls, memorial masses, and charitable donations that we have received.

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Today is the perfect day to download WFMZs free new weather app sponsored by St. Lukes Univer-sity Health Network. The app provides hourly weather details, 10-day extended forecasts, weather maps and alerts. At the tip of their

fingers, Lehigh Valley residents now have access to accurate, up-to-date weather infor-mation anywhere at any time, said WFMZ General Manager Barry Fisher. We are grateful to St. Lukes for partnering with us to make this happen.The hourly forecast

details the weather conditions for a 24-hour period. It includes precipitation, wind speeds and tempera-tures. The 10-day forecast lists high and low temperatures and uses attractive icons so one can see at glance whether to expect sun, clouds, rain or snow. By touching a day, a detailed daily forecast pops up complete with the UV index and sunrise and sunset times. The free interactive

map features include selectable Future Cast Radar, Radar, Storm Track Direction, Wind Speed, Snow Cover

and many other tools. iPhone and Andriod

App users will also receive National Weather Service severe weather alert notifica-tions. We are pleased to

support this service and encourage St. Lukes University Health Network employees and mem-bers of the community to install the WFMZ weather app on their IPHONE and DROID devices, said Kenneth Szydlow, St. Lukes University Health Network Vice Presi-dent of Marketing. This mobile app provides the same

information as the national services but does not drain the phones battery like some other weather apps I have used.In addition, the map

function enables the user to change the forecast to any city in the United States. The map scrolls in any direction by touching the screen. The app also has the potential to link to local weather-related video, a feature WFMZ intends to add soon.To find the app, search

69News WX in your app store. The down-load is free and takes only seconds, said Szydlow.

St. Lukes And WFMZ CH 69 Develop And Offer Free Weather App

Winter came down to our home one night, Quietly pirouetting in on silvery-toed slippers of snow,

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( N A P S I ) M a n y seniors will be glad to learn that there are steps they can take to protect against vision problemsstarting with an eye exam. A regular exam is key for seniors because some eye condi-tions and diseases do not show warning signs.While it is commonly

known that eye troubles increase rapidly with age particularly after age 65 a lesser-known fact is that vision loss is also associ-ated with a higher incidence of falls, injuries, depression and social isolation.A Regular Examinationas part of an overall

hea l th-main tenance strategy, the American Academy of Ophthal-mology urges seniors to have a comprehensive eye exam, especially if they have not had one in the past two years, whether or not there are symptoms.

The Academy also encourages seniors, their loved ones and caregiv-ers to be aware of signs that indicate vision prob-lems that require an eye exam.These problems can

include: Bumping into or

knocking over objects Stepping hesitantly Squinting or tilting the

head when trying to focus Missing objects when

reaching Discontinuing every-

day activities such as reading and writing.Simple, painless eye

exams are crucial in detecting an eye disease or condition in its early stages, to help preserve your sight. During the exam, an ophthalmolo-gist, a medical doctor who specializes in eye care, will provide a diagnosis and treatment of all eye diseases and conditions.Making Eye Care Avail-

able: Despite medical evidence that healthy vision plays a critical role in overall health and happiness, many older adults in the United States do not seek regular eye care or face difficulty accessing and paying for health care services.To ensure that all

seniors throughout the country have access to eye care services, nearly 7,000 volunteer ophthal-mologists are available to provide eye care at no out-of-pocket cost to qualifying seniors 65 and older through Euchre America, a public service program of the Founda-tion of the American Academy of Ophthal-mology, which matches patients to volunteer ophthalmologists.Sight problems should

not be ignored at any age, but particularly in seniors, as problems are more common in this group of patients, said

Richard P.. Mills, M.D., M.P.H., chairman for Euchre America. The earlier a patient seeks medical diagnosis and treatment, the greater the chances for saving and recovering ones vision, which contributes to

Overall health and happi-ness. The program is sponsored by the Knights Temblor Eye Foundation with additional support from Alden. To learn more and to see if you qualify, visit www.Eye creameries.Org.

Patrick J. Howarth, Jr., of Bangor, has been elected as Worshipful Master of Portland Lodge #311, F&AM,

during the Lodges annual election meet-ing held on December 12. As the elected head of the lodge, he will

preside during all of 2014, the lodges 158th year of organization. This will be his second term as Worshipful Master, having previ-ously served in 2012. He succeeds Kale W. Baker, of Pen Argyl, who was elected as the Lodges Representative to Pennsylvanias Masonic Grand Lodge. Howarth is a graduate of Bangor Area High School and the Career Institute of Technology, specializing in machine tool technology. He has also studied motorcycle and ATV technology. He is employed by Smith Wilbert Vault Company of Bangor as a grave digger. He and his wife Julie are the parents of three

children: Gaven, Kate-lynn, and Cameron. Masonically, Howarth has been a member of Portland Lodge since 2007, and is a 32nd degree Mason in Lehigh Consistory, Valley of Allentown, where he takes an active role in the ritual presentations during its semi-annual reunions. He also provides active support for the Valley of Allentowns Scottish Rite Learning Center, which provides reading remediation.Elected as Senior Warden was Gilbert F. Walter of Stroudsburg, with William C. Keiper, II, of Saylorsburg, being elected as Junior Warden. Carl J. Palm-eri, II, of Martins Creek,

and Walter C. Emery, of Portland, were re-elected as Secretary and Treasurer, respectively. Re-elected as Trustees were John M. Bach of Mt. Bethel, and Jody C. Pysher and Douglas W. Walters of Bangor. Sean C. Dertinger, of Richmond, was elected as Substitute Represen-tative to the Grand Lodge of Pennsylva-nia.Freemasonry is the worlds oldest and largest mens fraternity, a fraternity built on the cardinal virtues of brotherly love, charity and truth. It has some-times been called the worlds greatest philan-thropy for contributing over two million dollars a day to charitable

causes. Portland Lodge,with over 265 members,is one of over 475lodges in Pennsylvania,and the oldest of eightlodges in the 50thMasonic District, com-prising Monroe Countyand northern Northamp-ton County. Followingthe meeting the mem-bers and guests attendeda dinner at the Rich-mond Hotel.Portland Lodges firststated meeting of 2014will be held on Thurs-day, January 9, at 7:30pm, when Howarth willannounce his appointedofficers and monthlyprograms for the year.Following the lodgemeeting, the annualmeeting of the MasonicHall Association will beheld.

Senator Brownes Carbon Monoxide detector measure goes to Governor.The Senate recently

concurred on House amendments to Senate Bill 607, Senator Pat Brownes bill that would establish the Carbon Monoxide Alarm Standards Act. SB 607 now goes to the Governor for his signa-ture and enactment into law.The Pennsylvania

Building Code requires all newly constructed homes and certain exist-

ing homes that have fossil fuel-burning heat-ers or appliances and/or an attached garage to install a carbon monox-ide detector. SB 607 adds the following standards:For residential build-

ings, seller must disclose information regarding the installa-tion of carbon monox-ide detectors on the property disclosure statement. For multi-family

dwellings, each apart-ment in a dwelling with a fossil fuel-burning heater/ appliance, fireplace or an attached garage must have an operational, centrally located and approved carbon monoxide alarm.For rental properties,

the owner of dwellings with a fossil fuel-

On Thursday, Nov. 21, the House voted and sent to Gov. Tom Corbetts desk a plan to fund Pennsylvanias infrastructure needs. House Bill 1060 will pay for improvements to our roads and bridges through tax increases on gasoline and diesel fuel that will inevitably be passed on to consumers, as well as numerous increases in fees such as driver licenses and vehicle registration.I had four opportuni-

ties that week to vote on the controversial transportation funding plan. I voted against the proposal on each occasion three times as an amendment to House Bill 106 and on final passage as House Bill 1060.I ran on the promise to

defend the taxpayers in the 137th Legislative District, and kept my promise by opposing this plan. While we need to address our infrastructure needs, the taxpayer should NOT be the first option when looking for addi-tional revenue.

A thorough audit of PennDOTs $6.8 billion budget and spending practices could have been performed first. Two-thirds of their budget is already allocated for our infrastructure needs. Bridges that are being weight-restricted with the threat of closure should have been prioritized and repaired well before their status reached the crisis level. In addition, alterna-

tive sources of revenue exist in proposed legis-lation. House Bill 220 would use money derived from the sale of the state-owned liquor stores for infrastructure needs. House bills 762 and 1630 would move

the sales tax revenuegenerated by the sale ofmotor vehicles fromthe General Fund intothe Motor LicenseFund, which could alsobe used to address ourroads and bridges. Our residents already

have difficulty fillingtheir gas tanks, buyinggroceries, purchasingprescriptions andpaying their propertytaxes. This legislationincreases the burden onthem, when other fund-ing sources could havebeen considered. Questions about this

event or any legislativeissue should bedirected to my Mt.Bethel office at (570)897-0401 or my Naza-reth office at (610)746-5090.

burning heater or appli-ance, fireplace or an attached garage must ensure that working carbon monoxide alarms are located in the vicinity of the bedrooms and the heater or fireplace.According to a report

by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Pennsylvania leads the nation in fatalities as a result of accidental carbon monoxide poisoning, Senator Browne said. Senate Bill 607 is intended to protect our citizens from the dangers of this odorless, colorless, tasteless and very deadly gas. The best way to address this danger is prevention through the installation of carbon monoxide detectors.

The Bangor High School Class of 1969 is planning their 45th class reuinion. Some graduates of our class cannot be located. If there is anyone who did not recieve a Save the Date Card, please contact Sandy Palma at [email protected].

Fun-Filled Senior Day hosted by PAHS SADD, Leo Club, and Student Government, Friday December 20th, 8:30am-12:30pm. Enjoy sounds of the chours and jazz band, continental breakfast and luncheon. RSVP as soon as possible, open to all Pen Argyl Area School District Senior Citizens. RSVP by December 11th, 610-863-1293, Ext.1.

Columbia Fire Co. #1, Roseto will be sponsoring a Break-fast with Santa on December 21st, 9-11am at the Fire-house. The event is open to all children from Roseto borough as children and grandchil-dren of current Fire Co. members. Cost is FREE for those under 10. Adults and children over 10, the cost is $5. Please call 610-588-0597 or email [email protected].

Dear patients past and present, After 30 years of practicing medicine

in Bangor, Dr. Romano has decided to hang up his stetho-scope and retire. There

will be a Farewell Open House on

December 30, 2013 from 3:30 p.m. to 6:30

p.m. at the office. Sincerely, The Staff,Patti, Liz, Debbie, Jill

and Vicki.

Trinity Lutheran Church, 404 Broad-way, Bangor, To Hold ONE Christmas Eve Service This Year. December 24th, 7:30pm.

2013 Girls Basketball Holiday Tournament, thanks to Merchants Bank, Girls holiday basketball is back at Bangor after a two-year hiatus. The inaugural Merchants Bank Holiday Classic will be held at Bill Pensyl gymnasium on Fri., Dec. 27th and Sat., Dec. 28th. Bangor will be the host school and participated in the Colonial League Playoffs and lost in the semi-finals of the Colonial League and District XI playoffs. Also competing will be LVC and District champion Nazareth, MVC opponent Stroudsburg, and Warren Hills, a member of the Skylands Confer-ence. Stroudsburg participated in the MVC League Playoffs and District XI playoffs and Warren Hills partici-pated in the New Jersey State Playoffs.

New Years Eve Bingo at Diamond Fire Company of Walnut-port, December 31st; platters served between 4pm and 6:30pm, games begin at 6:30pm. For more information, call 610-767-8476.

Belfast Wesley UMC, 607 School Rd., Nazareth, holding a Pork and Sauerkraut Dinner on New Year's Day, Wednesday, January 1st, 1:00PM - 4:00PM. $10.00 for Adults $5.00 ages 3-10, under 3 FREE. Please call Tom for more information 610-863-7772.

Safe Haven Pet Rescue will hold an adoption day from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Sunday, January 5, at Tractor Supply, 2970 Route 940, Pocono Summit.. Safe Haven will have many young dogs available for you to meet and get to know. Safe Haven requires a pre-adoption application with references and a home visit prior to adoption. For more information about Safe Haven, and to find a list of dogs available for adoption and adoption applica-tions, please visit ww.SafeHavenPa.org . Contact Safe Haven at [email protected]. Join Safe Haven Pa on Facebook

Boomer's angels dog adoption day, Janu-ary 5th come to washington pet shop, 1310 blue valley drive/rt 512, pen argyl from 11- 2, to meet some of the beautiful loving dogs that boomer's angels have for adoption! Boomer's angels rescue & care is a new group in north-east pennsylvania that rescues and rehomes dogs, bunnies and critters. To find more information, visit www.Boomersangels.Com and find us on facebook. Call (570) 350-4977.

Notre Dame High School is hosting a six week baseball camp starting January 5. Notre Dame head coach Michael Bedics will direct the program in conjunction with U.S. Baseball Acad-emy. Classes are available for players in grades 1-12 and are

limited to six players per coach. Sessions are offered in advanced hitting, pitching, catching, fielding and baserunning. Proceeds from the program benefit amateur base-ball in Easton. Space is limited. Registration is now under way. For more information, visit www.USBaseballAcademy.com, or call toll-free 866-622-4487.

The Nazareth, Pen Argyl, Bangor GED program, through Northampton Com-munity College, will conduct a graduation ceremony on Wednes-day, January 15, 2014 at Nazareth Senior High School. The ceremony begins at 7pm with main speaker, Dr Dennis Riker of the Nazareth School District. Graduates are from each of the participating districts. They and their families and friends, as well as the GED staff, will participate in the ceremony.

William Allen High School is hosting a six week baseball camp starting January 19. Top area coaches will direct the program in conjunction with U.S. Baseball Academy. Classes are available for players in grades 1-12 and are limited to six players per coach. Sessions are offered in advanced hitting, pitching, catching, fielding and baserun-ning. Proceeds from the program benefit amateur baseball in Allentown. Space is limited. Registration is now under way. For more information, visit www.USBaseballAcademy.com, or call toll-

free 866-622-4487.

Boomer's angels dog adoption day, January 26 come to Tractor Supply, Route 209, Brodheadsville from 11- 2, to meet some of the beautiful loving dogs that Boomer's Angels have for adop-tion! Boomer's Angels Rescue & Care is a new group in Northeast Pennsylvania that rescues and rehomes dogs, cats, bunnies and critters. To find more information, visit www.Boomers Angels.com and find us on Facebook. Call (570) 350-4977.

Safe Haven Pet Rescue will have a Volunteer Meeting on Tuesday, January 21 at 6:30 PM at Cherry's Family

Restaurant, Route 209 near Route 534, Kresgeville.If you are an animal lover, please come and meet the volunteers and have a bite to eat. Volunteers are needed for adoption days, dog transport to veterinary and groom-ing appointments, fundraising, clerical help, home visits and more. Foster homes are needed in order to save more dogs. If you are interested in volunteer-ing or fostering, come to the meeting or visit www.SafeHavenPA.org for volunteer and foster applications and to see the available dogs. For more information, email SafeHaven@ epix.net. Join Safe Haven PA on Face-book.

This past week, the Corbett Administration held a press conference on Healthy PA.Antoinette Kraus,

Director of the Penn-sylvania Health Access Network issued the following statement in response:Every state surround-

ing Pennsylvania has accepted Medicaid dollars to expand health coverage to working adults. Meanwhile, in the 11th hour, Pennsyl-vania has put forward a complicated waiver proposal that could take up to a year to imple-ment.Delaying another year

means forfeiting much

needed revenue to our state and forcing low-income Pennsylva-nians to gamble with their health.By expanding Medic-

aid on January 1st 2014, Pennsylvania would allow hundreds of thousands of work-ers to finally have access to quality, affordable health insur-ance. It would also save taxpayers $522 million in 2014 and keep us on track to create 35,000 new, good-paying jobs.The job-search

requirement aims to solve a problem that doesnt exist and creates an unnecessary

administrative burden and cost to the state. Census data tells us the overwhelming major-ity of those who would qualify for expanded coverage are already working. Hundreds of thou-

sands of low-income workers, parents, and veterans will be left without health cover-age on January 1st. Our economy needs the much-needed boost that creating new jobs and revenue would bring to our state. Pennsylvania needs these Medicaid dollars now more than ever. There is no more time for delay.

Pennsylvania Health Access Network Statement onGovernor Corbetts Conference on Medicaid Expansion

Pocono Health System welcomes Dr. Rose Guilbe as the Medical Director of the Palliative Care Program at Pocono Medical Center. Dr. Guilbe will be involved with teaching medical students at Pocono Medical Center and at The Commonwealth Medi-cal College. She joins us after serving as medical director of the Family Medicine and In-patient Palliative Care Unit at Monte-fiore Medical Center in New York since 1999. The arrival of Dr.

Guilbe brings to our community a leader in palliative and hospice

care, said Kathleen E. Kuck, President and CEO of Pocono Health System/Pocono Medi-cal Center. We are excited to have Dr. Guilbe here to provide inpatient, outpatient, Cancer Center, and hospice palliative care to assist patients coping with serious illness and those patients families. Palliative care, a

recognized medical specialty, emphasizes the management of symptoms associated with serious illness, helping patients and their families articulate their goals of care, and coordinating care in different settings. Dr. Guilbe is a clinical associate professor of medicine at The Com-monwealth Medical College and Albert Einstein School of Medicine in New York, and has been very involved with teaching as well as publishing articles and a book chapter pertaining to comfort and end of life care. She completed her undergraduate

education in biology and psychology at Adelphi University in Long Island, New York and received her medi-cal degree from Universidad Central del Caribe, US School of Medicine. Dr. Guilbe completed

her residency in Family and Social Medicine at the Department of Family Medicine in the Bronx, New York. Prior to her most recent service at Montefiore Medical Center, she also served as the Hospice Medical Director for Compas-sionate Care Hospice in Bronx, New York and as an attending Family Medicine physician at various health centers and hospitals. Dr. Guilbe is a member of the American Academy of Hospice and Palliative Medicine, Society of Hospital Medicine, Society of Teachers of Family Medicine and Palliative Care, Ameri-can Academy of Family Physicians, and the American Medical Association.

The state House yesterday unanimously passed House Bill 1439, legislation authored by state Rep. Marcia Hahn (R-Northampton) that would exempt certain agricultural structures from real estate tax assessment. The bill is now headed to Gov. Tom Corbetts desk for his signature into law. More than 62,000

farms cover a bit more than 7.7 million acres in Pennsylvania, making farming big business in the Com-monwealth said

Hahn, who is a member of the House Agriculture and Rural Affairs Committee. Farmers, however, are not immune to economic difficulty, and my bill will help them remain finan-cially viable and com-petitive.Hahns legislation

addresses the use of high tunnels, which are moveable structures used for a variety of agricultural purposes, most commonly to extend the growing season for food and horticultural crops.

Current assessment lawis silent on the taxationof high tunnels, butsome counties haveattempted to levy realestate taxes on them.My bill, along with

Senate Bill exemptshigh tunnels from realestate tax assessment inall Pennsylvania coun-ties, Hahn added.These structuresprovide farmers andeven growers in urbanareas with tremendousbusiness benefits, andthe agriculture industryshould be commendedfor using this technol-ogy.