FirstEnergy Foundation presented a check to the Susquehanna County Historical Society and Free Library Association Friday, January 13, 2017.

The $5,000 contribution, presented by FirstEnergy Manager of External Affairs Jody Place, will go toward the New Library Building Fund.

Pictured (l-r) are: Library Director Susan Stone, Library Board President Thomas Kurosky, FirstEnergy Manager of External Affairs Jody Place.

Construction of the new library, which will be located next to the Montrose Area Jr./Sr. High School in Bridgewater Township, began in August and is expected to be completed by the end of May/early June, 2017. Significant progress has been made, including room partitions, exterior insulation and the majority of the roof.

Linda Hoover, health care technology instructor at the Susquehanna County Career & Technology Center, received a grant for science education at the SCCTC board meeting at Elk Lake School District on March 1.  She has integrated organ tissue donor awareness into the health care curriculum. Students participate in an on-line instruction program in an effort to educate them on the importance, process and requirements to be an organ tissue donor. The grant will be used to help purchase promotional supplies to enhance and promote the program.

Pictured (L-R) are: Ellen Holdredge, PASE Ed Support Chair; Linda Hoower, Grant Recipient; John Manchester, PASR Chapter President.

Ellen Holdredge, Education Support Chairperson of the Susquehanna Chapter of the Pennsylvania Association of School Retirees, presented the grant assisted by John Manchester, president of the chapter and Gary Parker, State President Elect.

Please consider becoming an organ donor the next time you renew your driver’s license.

After having to be cancelled a few times due to in climate weather, the Susquehanna Community Development Association held their first board meeting for the New Year on Tuesday, February 28th. Re-organization was the order of the evening. Board Members for the 2017-2018 year will be: Chairwoman Joni Deakin, Vice-Chairwoman Tammy Heller, Darlene Slocum Secretary/Treasurer, Board Members John Sholtiss, Alice Deutsch, Carol Newman and Margaret Biegert.

Picture (L-R) are: seated- Vice Chairwoman Tammy Heller and Alice Deutsch; standing- Secretary/Treasurer Darlene Slocum, John Sholtiss, Chairwoman Joni Deakin. Absent from photo: Carol Newman and Margaret Beigert.

The Board Members are anxious to bring new ideas to the S.C.D.A. as well as helping to continue the much-anticipated yearly events, such as the “Easter Egg Hunt” (Scheduled for April 8th), “Hometown Days” (Scheduled for July 13th, 14th and 15th, with the “5K Run/Walk” on Saturday, July 15th), co-sponsoring the Second Annual “North Branch River Festival” with the “Friends of Starrucca Creek”, as well as planning new Christmastime celebrations for Susquehanna Depot.

At present, they are compiling a brochure consisting of businesses, attractions, and events, with an added bit of local history which will be available to assist those visiting our Borough and surrounding areas. Who knows what the rest of the calendar year will hold for our area and beyond? If you are interested in joining the S.C.D.A. or volunteering your time and talents, please contact any of the Board Members

Harriet

This lovely girl is Harriet. She is 3 years old, spayed, UTD, microchipped, and ready for a fresh start.  Harriet just wants to be held and petted. She would surely make a devoted companion to someone that may need her as much as she needs them.  Although she really loves attention, she likes to play too; what more could you ask for?

True Friends is presently searching to place outdoor cats desperatley in need of a place to live.  Each are already altered and vaccinated.  If you are interested in helping at no cost to you, please contact the shelter at #570-278-1228.  Together we can make a difference in our community with the overwhelming population of suffering, homeless strays, one cat at a time!

Fun Fact:  A single pair of cats and their kittens can produce as many as 420,000 kittens in just 7 years.

Kitten season is just around the corner, please responsibly spay/ neuter your furry friends and for information on very low cost options, please contact Lucky Dog Pet Spa at #570-278-7078

Perhaps you have been running errands in downtown Susquehanna or surrounding areas. What do you figure on seeing? Friends who you haven’t seen for a while? Maybe an advertised special on chicken at a local store? How about a beautifully painted rock? Yes, I said rock. It could have a ladybug design, a painted soccer ball, be painted to look like individual strawberries, letters of the alphabet and so much more. These are all creatively painted by an increasing number of members of a “Susquehanna Rocks” Group, founded by Stevens Point Resident, Wanda Rockwell.

This is just a sample of the “Rock Art” being painted, hidden and discovered by others to enjoy.

This all started when folks in Wanda and Terry’s daughter’s area in Delaware County started a rock painting (and hiding) group, and she thought it was something her mother would enjoy. Wanda agreed and started painting and hiding her multi-hued rocks and encouraged others to join in. On February 21st a “Susquehanna Rocks” Facebook page was created and currently has 408 members and is growing. Check it out: https://www.facebook.com/groups/286414878444465/?ref=br_tf.

What do you do when you find one? You are encouraged to take a picture of it and post it online (any artist would be very pleased to see that their work was appreciated), you can re-locate it where someone else may find it, or, if you would like to keep it, the group wishes you would paint one to replace it. You may find enjoyment in it and become one of the “Susquehanna Rocks” Artists!

Children enjoy finding these painted natural jewels and, in finding, may discover other issues that need to be addressed in their local area, such as litter, the cleaning of the Veteran’s Memorial, etc. which leads to hometown pride. All you need are Mother Nature’s rocks of any shape and size, acrylic paints, brushes, a poly acrylic sealer (to protect the artwork brush-on is best and a can will last a long time) and your imagination. It is suggested that you write “Susquehanna Rocks” on the flip side of your rock, so others will learn about the group from which it came. This could easily be a whole family project from Painting, to hiding your rocks, and finding others. Thank you, Wanda and all of the talented Members of “Susquehanna Rocks” for making our world more beautiful and exciting.

The American Red Cross is recognizing the country’s everyday heroes during Red Cross Month.

“March is Red Cross Month, the perfect time to honor our Red Cross volunteers, blood donors and financial contributors who bring hope to people facing life’s emergencies,” said Bill Goldsworthy, Executive Director for the Red Cross of Northeast PA. “During Red Cross Month, we thank them for their tremendous support.”

March has been recognized as Red Cross Month for more than 70 years. All of our presidents have designated March as Red Cross Month to recognize how the American Red Cross helps people across the country and around the world.

The Red Cross depends on local heroes to fulfill its mission. Every eight minutes, Red Cross disaster workers respond to a community disaster, providing shelter, food, emotional support and other necessities to those affected. It provides 24-hour support to members of the military, veterans and their families at home and around the world It must collect nearly 14,000 donations of blood every day to meet patient needs. It trains millions of people in first aid, water safety and other lifesaving skills. And it supports the vaccination of children around the globe against measles and rubella.

In 2016, the Red Cross of Northeast PA responded to 130 local emergencies, helped 535 people recover from a disaster like a home fire and trained nearly 10,000 people in lifesaving skills like First Aid and CPR. And more recently, just in the last 10 days of February, the Red Cross responded to a dozen emergencies, including nine house fires and a tornado.

“It’s easy to become a Red Cross community hero,” said Goldsworthy. “Be ready for an emergency by creating a preparedness plan for your home. Test your smoke detectors and tell your neighbors to do the same. Or sign up to be a Red Cross volunteer or make a financial donation.”

More information about how people can support the organization is available on redcross.org. The Red Cross is not a government agency and relies on donations of time, money and blood to do its work. An average of 91 cents of every dollar the Red Cross spends is invested in humanitarian services and programs.

The Red Cross of Northeast PA has a number of activities planned for Red Cross Month, including its Centennial Celebration, marking 100 years of serving the communities of Northeastern Pennsylvania and celebrating the heroes of those communities. The celebration will be held on Thursday, March 23 from 5 to 8 p.m. at Mohegan Sun Pocono. Tickets are available by visiting redcross.org/nepa100.

Jamey Shoemaker, 31, of Montrose, PA to 6 months probation, pay $300 fine, pay cost of prosecution, pay $100 Ac5 198 fee, pay $10 Ems, enroll and successfully complete the alcohol highway safe driving school program and pay tuition thereto, not to possess transport or consume alcoholic beverages, perform 10 hours community service for Driving Under the Influence in New Milford Township on September 26, 2015.

Joshua Michael Vanderburg, 32, of Binghamton, NY to 2 months home confinement, subject to SCRAM bracelet program, followed by 3 years and 10 months probation, pay $300 fine, pay cost of prosecution, pay an additional fine in the amount of $10, pay $50 Criminal Justice Enhancement Act fee, obtain a drug and alcohol evaluation, perform 10 hours community service, not to utilize controlled substance while on supervision without valid prescription, be subject to random drug and alcohol screenings for Driving Under the Influence in Choconut Township on May 20, 2016.

Lesa Perrin, 25, of Binghamton, NY to3 months to 23 months in Susquehanna County Correctional Facility, pay $250 fine, pay cost of prosecution, pay $50 Criminal Justice Enhancement Act fee, pay restitution to the victim in this case, receive a drug and alcohol evaluation and perform 20 hours of community service for Criminal Trespass in Silver Lake Township on December 29, 2015.

Katherine Searles, 26, of Vestal, NY to 24 months probation, pay $200 fine, pay cost of prosecution, pay $50 Criminal Justice Enhancement Act fee, pay restitution to the victim in this case, refrain from the use of controlled substances, be subject to random drug and alcohol screenings, perform 10 hours of community service for Access Device Fraud in Susquehanna Borough on August 4, 2015.

Jeremiah James Dewitt, 31, of Leraysville, PA to 6 months to 12 months in Susquehanna County Correctional Facility followed by 1 year probation, pay $500 fine, pay cost of prosecution, pay $50 Criminal Justice Enhancement Act fee, pay $300 PA Transportation Trust Fund fee, pay $100 Act 198, pay $10 EMS, complete an alcohol highway safe driving school program, receive a drug and alcohol evaluation, be subject to random drug and alcohol screenings, not to use any alcohol or controlled substances without valid prescription while on supervision, not to enter any establishment whose sole purpose is the sale of alcoholic beverages, perform 25 hours community service for Driving Under the Influence in Silver Lake Township on September 23, 2015.  Mr. Dewitt also received 5 ½ months to 11 months in Susquehanna County Correctional Facility followed by 1 year probation, this sentence is to run consecutive to the above sentence, pay $500 fine, pay cost of prosecution, pay $50 Criminal Justice Enhancement Act fee, pay $450 PA Transportation Trust Fund fee, pay $100 Act 198 fee, pay $10 EMS, successfully complete an alcohol highway safe driving school program, receive a drug and alcohol evaluation, be subject to random drug and alcohol screenings, not to use any alcohol or controlled substances without a valid prescription while on supervision, not to enter any establishment whose sole purpose is the sale of alcoholic beverages, perform 25 hours of community service for Driving Under the Influence in Montrose Borough on May 3, 2016.

Donald Kenneth Clark, 53, of Vandling, PA to11 ½ months to 24 months minus 1 day in Susquehanna County Correctional Facility, pay $100 fine, pay cost of prosecution, pay $50 Criminal Justice Enhancement Act fee, pay restitution to the victim in this case, not to have contact with the victim in this case, continue with mental health treatment for Theft by Unlawful Taking in Forest City Borough on January 28, 2016.

Johnathon Donald Casey, 26, of New Milford, PA to 2 years probation to run concurrent with any currently supervision, pay $100 fine, pay cost of prosecution, pay $50 Criminal Justice Enhancement Act fee, pay restitution to the victim in this case, perform 25 hours of community service in New Milford Township and New Milford Borough from January 2014 to May 2014.

Joshua Steven James Lee, 42, of Susquehanna, PA to 90 days to be followed by 5 ½ months home confinement under the Susquehanna County SCRAM bracelet program and/or electronic monitoring followed by 3 years probation, pay $2,500 fine, pay cost of prosecution, pay $10 EMS, pay $300 PA Transportation Trust Fund fee, pay $50 Criminal Justice Enhancement Act fee, complete an alcohol highway safe driving school program, not to consume alcoholic beverages or controlled substances without a valid prescription, be subject to random drug and alcohol screenings, perform 25 hours of community service for Driving Under the Influence in Susquehanna Borough on June 1, 2016.  Mr. Lee also received 30 days probation to run consecutive to the above sentence for Possession of a Small Amount of Marijuana in Susquehanna Borough on June 1, 2016.

Ryan Maginley, 31, of Montrose, PA to 42 months to 84 months in a state correctional facility, followed by 4 years probation, pay $100 fine, pay cost of prosecution, pay $50 Criminal Justice Enhancement Act fee, pay restitution to the victim in this case, obtain and drug and alcohol evaluation, not to have contact with the victims in this case, not to consume alcoholic beverages or controlled substances without a valid prescription, be subject to random drug and alcohol screenings, perform 25 hours of community service for Burglary in Bridgewater Township on December 30, 2015.  Mr. Maginley also received 42 months to 84 months in a state correctional facility followed by 4 years probation to run concurrent to the above sentence, pay $100 fine, pay cost of prosecution, pay $50 Criminal Justice Enhancement Act fee, pay restitution to the victim in this case, obtain a drug and alcohol evaluation, not to have contact with the victims in this case, not to consume alcoholic beverages or controlled substances without a valid prescription, be subject to random drug and alcohol screenings, perform 25 hours of community service for Burglary Bridgewater Township on December 27, 2015.

The following were accepted into the Accelerated Rehabilitative Disposition Program: Sylver Kent Brown, Nova R Sullivan, Kurtis Jenkins

Senator Lisa Baker, R-20th, announced that Field Representative Tom Yoniski will be available for consultation from 10 a.m.-12 p.m. on Tuesday, March 21 at the Forest City Borough Building, 535 Main St., Forest City and from 1-3 that same day at the Lenox Township Municipal Building, 2811 State Route 92, Kingsley.

While appointments are recommended, walk-ins are welcome.

Constituents are encouraged to visit with any questions or problems relating to state matters and no appointment is necessary though they can be scheduled. Concerns may also be addressed by visiting Senator Baker’s district office at 22 Dallas Shopping Center, Dallas, by visiting her website at www.senatorbaker.com or by calling (570) 675-3931.