Another weekly meeting was held at the Naylor’s home for the Awesome Archers 4-H Club. The members and leaders talked about project books and posters that needed to be completed and turned in so club leaders and coaches could take them to the Harford Fair 4-H Building.

After a short meeting several members took turns demonstrating games they made for everyone to enjoy. Each member is required to do a demonstration as part of their 4-H project. Bridget Bendock set up and explained how to play a game of Archery Bowling. Kassie Wilber made a game of colored target circles which shooters earned points for scoring. Malayna Fowler presented a game of Target, played the same as horse in basketball. Each person earns a letter if they miss the shape they were aiming at. Maverick Naylor made targets out of plastic bottles with different score points on them. The bottles were floated in the creek while archers tried to shoot at them with arrows. The highest points earned won the game. More game demonstrations will be presented at the next meeting for members to enjoy.

While blessed with one of the most beautiful weekends on record, local bikers “The Bad Dogs” organized a benefit run for Suicide Prevention in Susquehanna County, Sat. August 24th.

Two bikes rallied together on a run, which ended up with a Pig Roast at P.J. O’Hare’s in Susquehanna in a carnival atmosphere. David Hughes from the V.F.W. in Great Bend, presented a $5,000 donation check to President of The Bad Dogs, Marty Aldrich.  A total of over $8,000 was raised for this heartfelt cause.

The Bag Dogs would like to thank all who helped make this happen and especially each and everyone who made a donation.

Pictured are 4H Dog Club Members Arthur Taylor and Pippin, Briana Welch, Haley Welch, Rachel Serfilippi and Gossip, Vicki Clark and Daisy, Lillian Taylor and Razzle, Alayna Cooley and Rosie and Claire Wood and Lucy.

The Cloverpups Dog 4-H Club had their 6th annual roundup and picnic at Liberty Park in Hallstead on Sunday, August 4th. The entire club was there, along with parents and friends.

The Pennsylvania State Association of Jury Commissioners authorized an appeal to the Pennsylvania Supreme Court challenging a law enacted earlier this year that allows county commissioners to vote to eliminate the elected office of Jury Commissioners.

The Jury Commissioners recently gave permission to attorneys Samuel Stretton and David Cleaver to file the appeal after a three-judge Commonwealth Court panel denied the Jury Commissioners’ request to declare the law unconstitutional.

“This decision was not unexpected,” said Larry Thompson, immediate past president of the Pennsylvania State Association of Jury Commissioners. “From the beginning, we knew that the Commonwealth Court was a mere weigh station on our way to the Supreme Court. The Supreme Court is the most prepared and experienced court in the Commonwealth and the justices will have the final say on the complex constitutional issues in this case.”

Newly elected Jury Commissioners President Clinton Bonetti of Butler County told association members last week after being elected that the association will continue to challenge all attempts to eliminate the highly respected elected position. “We believe the Legislature is trying to usurp the power of the Judiciary,” Bonetti said. “The just passed law has a number of issues and we are confident the courts will rule unconstitutional this latest attempt to eliminate an elected office of public trust.”

Earlier this year the Pennsylvania Supreme Court ruled that the first attempt by the Legislature in 2011 to eliminate Jury Commissioners was unconstitutional. The Legislature passed a second law just weeks after the Supreme Court’s ruling. Again the Jury Commissioners challenged the law’s legality.

Prior to handing down a majority opinion declaring the 2011 law unconstitutional, the Supreme Court instructed the Jury Commissioners to prepare arguments on the issues of Separation of Powers, Single Issue and Due Process. “By the Supreme Court requesting argument on the aforementioned points in March, the Court would be hard pressed not to grant the Jury Commissioners’ appeal,” said Thompson. “This entire odyssey deserves proper closure and only the Supreme Court can supply it.”

The integrity of jury trials will be compromised if the law allowing for the abolishment of the position of jury commissioner is upheld, according to the Jury Commissions. The protected right of a person to a fair and impartial jury will be compromised if the office of jury commissioner is abolished.

“The issue should not be a matter of dollars and cents,” Thompson said. “Some believe doing away with our office, an office created in 1868 to establish and uphold the integrity of prospective juror selection, might save them money. The true issue is a law that has constitutional flaws that if sustained and upheld by the Supreme Court, would remove the watchdogs elected by the people to oversee and ensure a non-partisan approach to prospective juror selection in the various counties. The concept and idea behind this law is shortsighted.”

Pictured (l-r) are: Kate Kurosky, club president; Melody Haley, club youth coordinator; Jaye Winemiller, essay contest winner from Mountain View; and RYLA graduates Keith Hubal, Olivia Rockwell from Susquehanna, and Jolie Winemiller from Mountain View.

The New Milford Area Rotary Club entertained graduates of this year’s Rotary Youth Leadership Awards (RYLA) and their families, as well as this year’s essay contest winner, at a dinner at the Green Gables.

RYLA is a week-long leadership training program held each summer at Keystone College.

Jeffry S. Parise and Jason C. Parise of the Carmine J. & Louis C. Parise Funeral Home & Cremation Services, Inc. of Carbondale and the Shifler-Parise Funeral Home and Cremation Services of Clifford and Carbondale, recently presented a $750.00 grant to the Boys and Girls Clubs of Northeastern Pennsylvania, Scranton.

Pictured (l-r) are: front - Isabella Parise and Elaine Tyson, club members; second row - Jeffry Parise, vice-president of Parise Funeral Homes, presents check to Julianne Kalasinski, director of development for the Boys & Girls Clubs of Northeastern Pennsylvania; third row - Jason Parise, president of Parise Funeral Homes and Debbie Parise, Boys & Girls Club’s business manager.

The Parise’s have been active in its collaboration with the York Children’s Foundation to secure the grant for the Boy’s and Girl’s Clubs which will help improve the lives of area youths through their after-school programs.

Established in 1992, The York Children’s Foundation is a non-profit organization that awards quarterly grants to non-profit organizations that work solely for the benefit of children. The Foundation is funded by the Matthews Casket Division through donations made on every sale of a Matthew’s casket.  To date, the foundation has given more than $2.5 million to community-based children’s charities throughout the United States.

On July 9, 2013 the Endless Mountains Chapter of the Pennsylvania Association of Retired Employees met at Green Gables, New Milford for their annual picnic. They were entertained by the “Old Timers Band” with old familiar songs.

Guests were PARSE State Secretary Tom Judge and Northeast Vice President Tom O’Neill. O’Neill reported that there would be no Cost of Living Adjustment (COLA) this year, but the medical benefits will not change. He requested that members be more active in their chapters. He also reported that the PARSE State Conference will be September 9 at the same place as last year.

State Secretary Judge brought greetings from State President David Munsch and other state officers. He reported that at present the state PARSE organization has 15,587 members, but the goal is 18,266 by the end of the year. He informed the chapter that due to the Privacy Act, PARSE is unable to obtain a list of new retirees. Also, they are planning to set up a committee of one member from each region and a legal representative.

Again PARSE members are reminded that the organization is only as good as those who volunteer their time and effort. Chapters are always looking for members to be involved as officers or simply by attending meetings, offering suggestions and comments. Please take time to be involved. PARSE needs you.

The next meeting will be held at the Towanda American Legion on October 8. New officers will be elected. To learn more about PARSE, and/or make reservations, contact Susquehanna County Vice President John Benio at 570-278-2380.

Sluice

This little guy is Sluice, so named as he spent 3 days in a sluice pipe until he was rescued by a very nice lady. He is just one of many kittens at the shelter.

We are getting overwhelmed with both cats and dogs needing medical attention. We keep trying to get them all help and make room to take more in but it is a daunting task. Please use every means possible to make pet companionship a pleasant experience.

Contact behaviorists, trainers and your veterinarians for advice in proper care, training techniques and equipment. We have a cat neuter clinic for male cats the 3rd Friday of every month. We offer vouchers to spay and neuter your pets at a reasonable cost. Keep your pets on a leash, in a fence or confined in the house to protect them and keep them from wandering.

We must be the guardians for the creatures sharing the planet with us. They will reward us with love and loyalty.

Sea Scouts of Ship 90, the "North Star" New Milford, Pa. ran the rapids of the Delaware River this June for the 32nd year. They ran the famous rapids of Cedar, Barryville, Shohola, Stairway, Mongaup, Hacks Nest and Eel Weir. All canoes were sunk at least once in the white water of the Delaware River, a very exciting river to canoe. The sea scouts had a base camp at Ascalona Camp Ground near the Lackawaxen River and canoed for two different days to Matamoras, PA, a distance of 27 miles each day for a total of 54 miles for two days.

Pictured canoeing from Ship 90, Sea Scouts were boatswain mate Anthony Miller, Steve Hinkley, Lizzy Hinkley, Mill Smith, La Anna Farnelli, Austin Anderline from Boy Scout Troop 265 in Greenfield Township, Skipper Chuck Jaget, First Mate Judy Dennis, Second Mate Helen Reed, Commodore Ron Hall, and Davis Reed who was in charge of transportation.

Due to the heavy rain the weeks before, the rapids were at their best in years.

Pictured Sailing with Ship 90: Boatswain Josh Warner, Tiffany Spencer, David Stude, Diana Stude, Mika Smith, La Anna Farnelli, Skipper Chuck Jaget, and First Mate Judy Dennis.

In July the Sea Scouts sailed for 8 days on the Delaware Bay and Atlantic Ocean and a two day voyage to Cape May, NJ and back to Lewes, DE. The Sea Scouts took charge of all sailing operations, docking, navigation and galley duties. Ship 90 used two 30 foot sailboats provided by Sea Scout 198, the "Eagle" from Lewes, DE. Due to light winds on some of the days, they were forced to motor sail part of the 8 days. They also enjoyed swimming in the Atlantic Ocean at Rehoboth Beach, DE, the boardwalk and amusement park and saw large sea turtles and dolphins while sailing. The sea scouts completed many of the requirements for Apprentice, Ordinary and Able seaman ranks.