Sarah Shoemaker, Public

Health Planner with the

Warren
County
Health
Department, has been named
the Chair of Warren Countys
Coalition for Healthy and
Safe
Communities,
a
program
of
Prevention
Connections through the
Family Guidance Center of
Warren County, NJ.
Prevention
Connections,
through the efforts of the staff
and volunteer members of the
Coalition for Healthy and
Safe Communities,
work
diligently with the assistance
of community agencies, law
enforcement and school
personnel to address youthrelated concerns, increase
community
awareness,
provide drug and alcohol
education and create a safer
school and community environment for youth in the
region.
The coalition does an enormous job of connecting with
the community, Shoemaker
said. There are a lot of
concerns about drugs and
alcohol use among our youth
and this group is front and
center trying to make a difference. I may be the Chair, but
in reality its a group effort.
Born and raised in Warren

County, and a graduate of

North Warren Regional High
School, Shoemaker completed her MPH in Epidemiology at George Mason
University and began working for the Health Department in December of 2013.
She joined the Coalition in
January 2014 and has been
an active member from the
start.
Currently, Shoemaker has
spearheaded a Coalition
project to push for better data
collection among youth
county-wide.
We are currently pursuing
a project to distribute the
PRIDE
survey,
which
assesses
drug,
alcohol,

tobacco use and perception,

as well as violence and community involved among high
school students, Shoemaker
said.
With the Health Department, she recently completed
the Warren County Community Health Assessment and
Improvement Plan.
Sarahs scope of knowledge, particularly in the area
of data collection, makes her
a perfect leader for us, said
Coalition
Coordinator
MaryJo Harris. "We know
there are problems, and big
ones, so its essential that we
have a Chair who knows the
lay of the land. In Sarah, we
have that person."
The Coalition is a program
of the Family Guidance
Center under the direction of
Prevention Connections. For
more information on prevention
programs
offered
through Prevention Connections or to learn more about
the Coalition and how you
can help, contact MaryJo
Harris or Diane Bonelli at
908-223-1985. Funding for
the program is made available through the Division of
Mental Health and Addiction
Services and the Drug Free
Communities Support grant.

The 140th Anniversary

Committee of Bangors
incorporation will be holding their next tour on October 17th. The tour will begin
at Dukes Sporting Goods on
Broadway at 11am, and will
continue to the Bank of
America, Millers Paint Store
and Miller House. There will
be a discussion on how the
buildings link to the railroad,
as well as a brief talk on the
murals painted by Bob
Doney that decorate the
walls. Light refreshments
will be served at the Bank of
America.
Richmond United Methodist Church, located at
8538 Delaware Drive in
Bangor, will be installing a
new pastor to their church
on October 18th during the
9:30am worship service.
Rev. Dr. Irving Cotto, District
Superintendent of the Northeast District, Eastern Pennsylvania Conference of the
UMC will install pastor Ed

Van Arsdale as pastor of the

church.
The Salvation Army,
located at 301 West Main
Street in Pen Argyl, will be
accepting Christmas applications
October
20th
through 23rd from 9am to
3pm, and November 9th
and 10th from 9am to 3pm,
and 5pm to 8pm. All applicants will need to have their
current driver's license/state
ID, proof of address, and
proof of age for children 12
and under.
The Chandler Estates are
looking for vendors for
their fall celebration on
October 24th from 9am to
4pm. For more information,
call Tina at 610-863-3503 or
email
Tina@chandler
estate.com.
The Pen Argyl Alumni
Association is sponsoring a
trip to Deck the Halls at
the
American
Music
Theater on November 28th.
The trip includes dinner,
show and all tax and gratuities. For more information or
tickets, call Bill Ruggiero at

610-863-6297.
Hope UCC is in need of
neck tie donations for My
Brothers Keepers to tie
together sleeping bags
made for the homeless.
Donations can be dropped off
at Hope UCC in Wind Gap.
Slate Belt Health and
Rehabilitation is looking
for volunteers. If you enjoy
talking, singing, dancing,
exercising, reading, and
more, and would like to share
your gifts with the residents,
stop by 701 Slate Belt Boulevard in Bangor for an application or call 610-588-6161.
Volunteers must be at least 16
years old.
St. Johns Cemetery is
seeking donations to help
with the upkeep of the cemetery, roadways and monuments. They are also exploring the idea of adding a Community Columbarium near
the mosoleum. Donations can
be sent to Carol Hummel c/o
St. Johns Cemetery, 136
Messinger Street, Bangor, PA
18013.

Project
Self-Sufficiency
will be sponsoring a free
seminar about legal issues
related to the elderly on
October 14th, from 2pm to
4pm at the agencys
campus, located at 127 Mill
Street in Newton. Registration is required. To register,
call Project Self-Sufficiency
at 973-940-3500.
Religious
Education
classes at the Unitarian
Universalist Fellowship of
Sussex County have begun.
Children
ages
three
through 12 will participate
in a program called Sing
to the Power, which
includes lessons and activities that help children
explore ways they can use
their different forms of
personal power to effect
positive change in the
world. The classes are held
every Sunday from 10:30am
to noon in the fellowship hall,
located at One West Nelson
Street in Newton. For further
information, call 570-8282732
or
visit
www.
UUNewtonNJ.org.
Free exercise classes will
be held for adults at town
hall
in
Johnsonburg.

Classes are an hour long on

Monday and Wednesday at
10am, and Saturday at 9am;
or Tuesday, Thursday and
Friday at 4:45pm. For more
information, visit www.
frelinghuysennj.us/aerobics.h
tm, call Cathy at 908-8527426, or email cathy@cathy
baobean.com.
Blairstown Recreation is
offering
fall
workout
sessions of Zumba, PiYo,
Pilates and Yoga for adults
and teens. Zumba will be
held Tuesdays and Thursdays
from 6pm to 7pm now
through December 10th at
Blair
Academy
Dance
Studio. PiYo is offered on
Fridays,
now
through
November 20th from 8:30am
to 9:15am at the Evangelical
Free Church of Blairstown.
Pilates will be held Tuesday
and Thursday mornings from
9:15am to 10:15am at the
Evangelical Free Church now
through November 19th, and
Yoga will be held Mondays
and Wednesdays from 6pm to
6:50pm at Catherine Dickson
Hofman Library. For more
information,
visit
www.blairstown-nj.org.
The Warren County Community Singers are looking
for new members. The
singers are a non-audition
group. Rehearsals are Tuesdays, 7:30pm to 9:30pm at
the First Presbyterian Church
of Washington, located at 40
Church Street in Washington.
Singers present two concerts
a year: a holiday concert in
December and Spring Fest of
Song in early May. All voice
parts are welcome. Mens
voices are especially needed.
For more information, call
Jane at 908-399-4771.
Public Notice: In accordance with the Adequate
Notice provision of the
Open Public Meetings Act,
please be advised that the
2015 meeting schedule for
the Warren County Mental
Health Board is as follows:
October 20th, November
17th and December 15th at
5pm. Meetings will be held in
rooms 123A and B at Warren
County Community College,
located at 475 Rt. 57 in
Washington.
Public Notice: In accordance with the Adequate
Notice provision of the
Open Public Meetings Act,

and friends.

The photograph of North

Warren Regional High
Schools homecoming king
and queen was taken by
Bob Halberstadt of The
PRESS, not Dale Young of
The PRESS. We apologize
for the error.

Adult Fiction:
Barry,
Brunonia: The Map Of True
Places; Ellis, Leanna: Plain
Fear Forsaken; Eugenides,
Jeffrey: The Marriage Plot;
Garwood, Haley: Ashes Of
Britannia; The Forgotten
Queen; Swords Across The
Thames; Leigh, Melinda:
Minutes To Kill; Truong,
Monique: Bitter In The
Mouth.
Adult
Non
Fiction:
Crumpton, Henry: The Art
Of Intelligence; Hughes,
Kara: Myths And Mysteries
Of Pennsylvania.
Young Adult Fiction:
Meyer, Stephenie: New
Moon; Tolkien, J.R.R: The
Fellowship Of The Ring,
Being The First Part Of The
Lord Of The Rings.
Junior
Non
Fiction:
Schuetz, Kari: Dr. Seuss.
Easy Reader Non Fiction:
Dils, Tracey: Around The

Moon 1,2,3: A Space Counting Book; Falling Leaves

1,2,3: An Autumn Counting
Book; Under The Sea 1,2,3
An Ocean Counting Book;
Meister, Cari: Brown Bears;
Peacocks; Schuh, Mari:
Anteaters; Camels.
Easy Non Fiction: Heos,
Bridget: Do You Really
Want A Guinea Pig?; So You
Want To Grow A Pizza?; So
You Want To Grow A
Salad?
Dvds: David Copperfield
And Oliver Twist; Psycho;
Santa Fe Trail/the Outlaw;
The Time Travelers Wife.
Fiction
Audio
Books:
Coben, Harlan: Stay Close;
Higgins, Jack: The Thousand
Faces Of Night; Hunter,
Stephen: Havana; Silva,
Daniel: Prince Of Fire.
Non Fiction Audio Books:
Tyson, Ann: American Spartan The Promise

Beginning this fall, members of the Blair Academy

and Blairstown communities
will have a new forum in
which to exchange ideas and
explore shared interests: the
Town/Gown
Academy.
Sessions devoted to a wide
variety of thought-provoking
topics will be held on
Wednesdays at 7pm, at the
Outreach Center of the First
Presbyterian Church of
Blairstown, located at 35
Main Street in Blairstown,
NJ. Adults and teens from
Blair Academy and the
surrounding
area
are
welcome to attend, free of
charge, to participate in
conversation and community.
Longtime Blair theatre

director and English teacher

Craig Evans is the creator
and facilitator of the
Town/Gown
Academy,
which he described as presentation with participation.
Each session will provide
the opportunity to learn
about something youre
interested in and talk about it
or try it out with others who
share your interest, Craig
said. Its going to be a great
way for folks from the
School and the surrounding
community to really get to
know one another and create
terrific connections.
A three-session acting
workshop was launched for
Town/Gown programming
earlier this year. Mr. Evans, a
community theatre veteran

and producer of more than

60 plays during his Blair
career, will facilitate the
workshop, which will give
both rookie and polished
actors the opportunity to
explore the craft of acting.
Town/Gowns
second
program, scheduled for
October 14th, 21st and 28th,
will focus on public speaking, offering three easy-tolearn techniques to help
participants become more
relaxed and confident speakers. Former Blair faculty
member Steven Kampmann,
who has earned extensive
theatre, movie and television
credits during his career as
an actor, writer and director,
promises an enjoyable experience designed to help you

become the public speaker

you were always meant to
be.
Town/Gown Academy is
jointly sponsored by Blair
Academy and the Outreach
Center of the First Presbyterian Church of Blairstown.
Future sessions may include
explorations of subjects such
as art and religion, but Mr.
Evans noted that participants, both teens and adults,
are welcome to contribute
their ideas and expertise.
We extend an open invitation to everyone in the community to join us, he said.
To register for Town/Gown
Academy programs or for
additional
information,
please email Mr. Evans at
evansc@blair.edu.

Bangor Elks Halloween

Parade: October 15th, 7pm.
Theme: Wild Wild West.
Late registration will be held
at the Bee Hive Comm.
Center on October 15th, 5pm.
FMI, call 610-588-1195 or
610-588-3183.
Outdoor Craft & Flea
Market: October 17th,
8am-2pm.
St.
Johns
Lutheran Church, 12 N.
Westbrook Ave., Pen Argyl.
FMI, call Janet at 610-8635997.
Bangor VFW Flea Market:
October 17th, 8am. Rt. 191.
Food & beverages avail. FMI
or to reserve a space, call
908-319-3731.
Portland Family Fun Day
& Yard Sale: October 17th.
Yard
Sale:
8am-2pm;
Family Fun: 11am-4pm.

Delaware Ave., Rt. 611.

FMI, call 570-897-0559 or
email
portland
boroughpa@gmail.com.
Free GED Classes: Begin
October 19th & 20th,
6pm-8:30pm. Pen Argyl
High School Library, 501 W.
Laurel Ave., Pen Argyl;
DeFranco
Elementary
Library, Rt. 512 & Five Pts.
Richmond Rd., Bangor; &
Nazareth
High
School
Library, 501 E. Center St.,
Nazareth. FMI, call 610861-5421.
American Legion Aux.
Coach Bingo: October
24th, 11am. Bangor VFW,
202 Veterans Rd., Bangor.
FMI, call Laura at 570-8976442.
Comunales
Italian
Market Grand Opening &
Ribbon Cutting: October
24th, 11am-5pm. 1 Mt.
Bethel Plaza, 2165 Mt.
Bethel Hwy, Mt Bethel.

Haunted Hayride: October

24th, 7-9pm. Blooming
Grove Vol. Firehouse, 484
Rt. 739, Lords Valley
(Hawley), FMI, call 570775-7355.
St. Peters UCC Vera Bradley Purse Bingo: October
24th, 11:30am. FMI, call
Sheila at 610-837-1533.
Brunch w/ the Author
Karen
Shoemaker
Katchur: October 24th,
10am.
Bangor
Public
Library. Registration req'd.
FMI, call 610-588-4136.
Community Presbyterian
Church Fall Festival: October 24th, 11am-3pm. Rain
date: October 25th. 1755 S.
Delaware Ave., Mt. Bethel.
FMI, email community
presby@gmail.com or call
570-897-6766.
Pius X High School Athlete
Recognition Dinner: October 24th, noon. Location
TBA. Honoring Phil Stambaugh, Jeff, Joe & John
Detzi, Anthony & Mike
Casciano, Charley Angelini,
Brad Decker, Alex Christoff,
Steve Zegalia, Mike Corvino,
Ralph
LoPardo,
Nick
Martucci, Eric Rath, Don
D'Iorio, Anthony Gruppo,
Richard Dick Smith & Rob
Goffredo. FMI, call Joe at
484-597-9007.
Boomer's Angels Boo at the
Zoo: October 25th, 10am4pm. 5150 Game Preserve
Rd., Schnecksville. FMI,
email
boomersangels
@gmail.com, visit boomers
angels.com, find them on

Facebook, or call 570-3504977.

Pastie Sale: October 27th,
11am-1pm. Christ Lutheran
Church, 703 S. Delaware Dr.,
Mt. Bethel. Call Chrissy at
610-588-0809 to order.
Bangor Women's Club Fall
Card Party: October 29th,
11:30am. FMI, call Ellen
Prudenti at 570-897-5787.
Rummage & Bake Sale:
October 30th, 8am-4pm &
October 31st, 8am-2pm. St.
Johns Lutheran Church, 12
N. Westbrook Ave., Pen
Argyl. FMI, call Dawn at
610-863-7498
East Allen Twp. Vol. Fire
Dept. Bingo: November 1st,
11:30am. 5354 Nor-Bath
Blvd., Northampton. FMI,
call 610-767-7140.
Oldies Dance: November
7th, 6pm-10pm. Bangor
Elks, 120 Broadway, Bangor.
FMI, contact Sharon at 610390-6692 or email sharond
@tottsgap.org.
Inaugural Harold Klump
Sr. Memorial Tournament:
November 14th, 1pm. Door
prizes, raffle & bake sale.
Register by November 11th.
FMI or to register, call 610258-0221.
East
Bangor
UMCC
Gertrude Hawk Fundraiser: Order by November
15th. FMI, call Diane at
610-588-2397.
Pen Argyl Alumni Assoc.
Bus Trip: November 28th.
American Music Theater

Christmas
Show
in
Lancaster. FMI, call Bill at
610-863-6297.

November 20th. Sign up by

October 22nd at Town Hall at
1pm. FMI, Call Mickey at
908-362-8919.

Youth Center Little Tykes

Soccer: Now-October 31st.
The Youth Center, 16 Hampton Rd., Glen Gardner. FMI,
call 908-537-4594 or visit
www.the youthcenter.net.

Rummage Sale: October

23rd, 9am-4pm & October
24th, 9am-noon. Franklin
Twp. Vol. Fire Dept. Aux.,
37 Second St., New Village.
FMI or to donate, call 908689-3677.

Free Employment Readiness Training: October

22nd, 10am. NORWESCAP
Career & Life Transitions
Center for Women. Regitsration reqd. FMI, call 908835-2624.

Rummage Sale: October

23rd, 9am-4pm. Yellow
Frame Church, Rt. 94 & One
Yellow Frame Rd., Fredon.
FMI, call 973-383-5364 or
973-383-9840.

Casino Night to Benefit

Father John's Animal
House:
October
16th,
6pm-10pm. 88 Lawrence
Rd., Lafayette Twp. FMI or
tickets, call the shelter at
973-300-5909 or visit www.
fatherjohnsanimalhouse.org.
3rd Annual Swayze Mill
Park Car Show: October
18th,
11am-3pm.
100
Swayze Mill Rd., Hope.
11th Hour Rescue Fest:
October 18th, 4pm-9:30pm.
45 Main St., Stanhope. FMI,
call
973-347-7777.
To
purchase tickets now, visit:
goo.gl/b3duhn.
France at a Glance: Mondays,
October
19thNovember 23rd, 3:15pm4:30pm. Blairstown Elementary School Library. Classes
are for boys & girls, grades
1st-3rd. FMI, visit www.
blairstown-nj.org.
Blairstown Seniors Trip:

Warren Co. Community

Singers Cabaret Caf:
October 24th, 7:30pm.
Grace Lutheran Church,
Roseberry St., Phillipsburg.
Tickets avail. at the door.
Horror, Hounds & Halloween Dog Walk of the Dead
III: October 25th, 11am3pm. Waterloo Village,
Byram. FMI, email Anthony
at deaddogwalk@gmx.com.
North Warren Democratic
Club Meeting: October
28th, 7pm. Catherine Dickson Hofman Library, Lambert Rd., Blairstown. FMI,
contact Fred Cook at 908362-6808 or email to
fpchistory@yahoo.com.
Free Holiday Bazaar for
Caregivers: November 8th,
2pm-3pm. The Manor/
Belvidere Firehouse, 689
Water St., Belvidere. FMI,
call Robin at 973-993-1160
ext. 305, or email Robin.
Ennis@UnitedWay NNJ.org.

By State Rep. Marcia Hahn 138th Legislative District

On Wednesday, October
7th, I joined a bipartisan
majority of my House
colleagues in defeating Gov.
Tom Wolfs attempt to raise
taxes by $3.8 billion over
two years. In pursuing what
would have been the largest
tax increase in Pennsylvania
history,
the
governor
proposed increasing the
Personal Income Tax (PIT)
from 3.07 percent to 3.57
percent and imposing an
estimated 14 per cent total
severance tax when factoring in the existing impact
fee.
Gov. Tom Wolf ran on a
platform
that
included
significant property tax

By Jennifer Lively

When you are pregnant, it is

important that you watch
what you put into your body.
Consumption of illegal drugs
is not safe for the unborn
baby or for the mother. Studies
have
shown
that
consumption of illegal drugs
during pregnancy can result
in miscarriage, low birth
weight, premature labor,
placental abruption, fetal
death, and even maternal
death. Any substance that
crosses the placenta to your
baby can affect how your

baby grows and develops.

The use of marijuana,
cocaine and alcohol in the
first trimester can increase
the chance of miscarriage or
slowed mental development,
as well as low birth weight.
Drugs like heroin, PCP and
LSD can become addictive to
the fetus and require medical
de-toxing upon birth.
If you would like more
information, see the friendly
staff at a Clean Slate, located
at 100 S. Main Street in
Bangor, PA, or call 610-4529348.

relief. While I do not agree

with all of his proposals, this
was one I could support.
Unfortunately, what I was
asked to consider today did
not include the dollar-fordollar relief for which my
constituents have asked. Id
prefer passage of House Bill
504, legislation I support
which received votes from
both sides of the aisle and all
corners of the state.
Im also opposed to this
amendments reliance on the
Pennsylvania taxpayer to
foot the bill. A Personal
Income Tax hike of this
magnitude is a significant
blow to the same middleclass families the governor
said he would support.
Finally, I could not vote for

a severance tax that was

once billed to produce $1
billion but in fact will generate significantly less. Going
from an impact fee that
benefits the entire state, even
Northampton County, to the

largest energy tax in the

country is a step I was not
willing to take.
Questions about this or any
legislative issue should be
directed to my district office
at 610-746-2100.

Lisa Masi, a resident of

Green Township, NJ and a
longtime teacher and Leadership Team member at Ridge
and Valley Charter School in
Blairstown, NJ, has been
accepted into the first ever
Education for Sustainability
Leadership Academy at Shelburne Farms. Shelburne is an
internationally-known
nonprofit
organization
educating for a sustainable
future. The home campus is a
1,400-acre working farm,
forest, and National Historic
Landmark in Shelburne,
Vermont.
Masi was just one of 14
educational leaders from
around the country to be
chosen. Participants include
classroom teachers, sustainability coordinators, education program directors, and
principals. The EFS Leadership Academy meets five
times throughout the course
of the year and brings

together Shelburne Farms

staff with experts in the field
of education, systemsthinking and leadership, to

Ciao Amici,
Every year the U.S. President signs an executive
order
designating
the
month of October as
National Italian American
Heritage Month. Coinciding with the festivities
surrounding
Columbus
Day, the proclamation is in
recognition of the many

achievements,
contributions, and success of Americans of Italian descent as
well as Italians in America.
I would like to pass along
this poem by Angelo Bianchi which captures many
things you may not know
about Italian Americans.
I am an Italian-American.
My roots are deep in an
ancient soil, drenched by
the Mediterranean sun, and
watered by pure streams
from snow capped mountains.
I am enriched by thousands of years of culture.
My hands are those of the
mason, the artist, the man of
the soil.
My thoughts have been
recounted in the annals of
Rome, the poetry of Virgil,
the creations of Dante, and
the philosophy of Benedetto
Croce.
I am an Italian-American,
and from my ancient world,

support the participants in

developing a peer network
committed to ecological
integrity, economic vitality,

and social justice. Over the

first two days of convening,
the group shared their experiences in education for
sustainability and began
shaping their vision for how
to make a difference in the
lives of children, families and
communities,
centered
around the schools and organizations in which they
work.
Masi, who has been with
Ridge and Valley Charter
School since its inception and
is a founding member of the
school, has dedicated her life
to educating students about
sustainability by connecting
them to the natural world. On
a typical school day she can
be found tapping maple trees
with kindergarteners while
weaving in science and math
lessons, taking educational
class trips to the local Community Supported Garden, as
well as integrating the study
of monarch butterflies with

language
arts
lessons,
biology exploration and art
projects. She is beloved by
students and parents alike.
Masi reflects, Being a part
of the EFS Leadership Academy has given me the opportunity to work with leaders in
the field of Educating for
Sustainability. The wealth of
information and experience
in the group is supporting my
own efforts, at Ridge and
Valley Charter School and
beyond, to inspire and
support sustainability work.
To learn more about this
program or other professional learning programs at
Shelburne
Farms,
visit
www.shelburnefarms.org.
To learn more about Ridge
and Valley Charter School
visit
www.ridgeand
valley.org or attend a school
open house and tour by
calling 908-362-1114.
Ridge and Valley Charter
School is a tuition-free public

school of choice open to any

New Jersey child from
kindergarten to 8th grade,
with a mission of ecological
literacy and sustainability.
Class groups average 15 to
17 students. Students pursue
integrated learning activities,
frequently outdoors on the
16-acre campus that includes
a sports field, meadows,
wetlands,
greenhouse,
outdoor vegetable gardens
and solar panels, or on field
experiences to local and
regional sites.
Ridge and Valley Charter
School is guided by the Core
Content Standards and operates under the authority and
supervision of the New
Jersey Department of Education.
The
educational
program integrates traditional academic subjects into
a range of project-based
learning experiencesoften
geared to a students specific
interest.

I first spanned the seas to

the New World.
I am Cristoforo Colombo.
I am Giovanne Caboto
known in American History
as John Cabot, discoverer of
the mainland of North
America.
I am Amerigo Vespucci,
who gave my name to the
New World, America.
First to sail on the Great
Lakes in 1679, founder of
the territory that became the
State of Illinois, colonizer
of Louisiana and Arkansas,
I am Enrico Tonti.
I am Filippo Mazzei
friend of Thomas Jefferson,
and my thesis on the equality of man was written into
the Bill of Rights.
I am William Paca, signer
of the Declaration of Independence.
I am an Italian-American;
I financed the Northwest
Expedition
of
George
Rogers Clark and accompa-

nied him through the lands

that would become Ohio,
Indiana, Wisconsin and
Michigan.
I am Colonel Francesco
Vigo.
I mapped the Pacific from
Mexico to Alaska and to the
Philippines, I am Alessandro Malaspina.
I am Giacomo Belinimi,
discoverer of the source of
the Mississippi River in
1823.
I created the Dome of the
United States Capitol. They
call me the Michelangelo of
America. I am Constantino
Brumidi.
In 1904, I founded in San
Francisco, the Bank of Italy
now known as the Bank of
America, the largest financial institution in the world,
I am A.P. Giannini.
I am Enrico Fermi, father
of nuclear science in
America.
I am Steve Geppi,

founder
of
Diamond
Comics, the largest distributorship of comics on the
planet.
I am the first enlisted man
to earn the Medal of Honor
in World War II; I am John
Basilone of New Jersey. I
am an Italian-American.
I am the million strong
who served in Americas
armies and the tens of thousands whose names are
enshrined in military cemeteries from Guadalcanal to
the Rhine.
I am the steel maker in
Pittsburgh, the grower in the
Imperial Valley of California, the textile designer in
Manhattan,
the
movie
maker in Hollywood, the
homemaker and the breadwinner in over 10,000 communities.
I am an American without
stint or reservation, loving
this land as only one who
understands history, its

agonies and its triumphs can

love and serve it.
Will not be told that my
contribution is any less nor
my role not as worthy as
that of any other American.
I will stand in support of
this nations freedom and
protect against all foes.
My heritage has dedicated
me to this nation. I am proud
of my heritage, and I shall
remain worthy of it.
I am an Italian-American.
Con cordiali saluti,
Joe
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
JDeFrancoAndDaughters.co
m, click on mailing list and
enter your email. Send your
Roseto stories, recipes and
comments to portipasto
@epix. net or call 610-5886991.
J. DeFranco and Daughters
is located at 2173 W.
Bangor Rd. in Bangor, PA.
Store hours are 7am to 7pm,
seven days a week, with
catering available anytime
or by appointment.

The Red Thread Cafe,

located at 301 Market Street
in Bangor, PA, an art, music
and
coffee
venue,
announces the start of its
2015-2016 season.
Kicking off the season is
the hip-hop, indie pop
sensation from Nashville,
Tennessee, Spoken Nerd.
The show will take place on
October 17th; doors open at
7pm. The show is family
friendly and affordable for
all. Suggested donations are
$3 for students, $5 for
individuals and $10 for
families. Refreshments will
be available for purchase at
the show.
Never heard of Spoken

Nerd? Spoken Nerd presents a delicious blend of

hip-hop, indie pop, rap and
lyrical rhymes. His fantastical blend was born in the
hills of TN and have been

tested over the span of five

studio albums and cross
country tours. His works
display a mixture of satire,
comedy, rhymes and social
commentary, wrapped up in
iconic beats. He has toured
throughout the country with
artists such as Listener,
John Reuben and many
others. Every show is a
candid family affair not to
be missed as he leads his
audience on a journey
through his unique imagination. Each show is special
as he takes suggestions
from the audience for his
free-style rap songs.
Opening for Spoken Nerd
is the local band sensation,

Without A Mike. You've

heard them at Musikfest in
Bethlehem and at the annual
Halloween
parade
in
Bangor. They offer a fresh
and often amusing take on
the pop hits of the 80s, 90s
and today.
Future events for The Red
Thread Cafe include
Emily
Barnes,
singer
/songwriter
(November
21st); Christmas craft/gift
bazaar
and
karaoke
(December 19th); and Mystery
Dinner
Theater
(February 13th). For more
information on upcoming
events at The Red Thread
Cafe, visit their page on
Facebook.

By Tresa Erickson

When the wedding invitations start going out, one of

the first things that comes to
mind for guests are gifts.
What should they get the
bride and groom? What does
the couple need? To solve
the problem, many couples
set up a registry at various
businesses, which lists gifts
on their wish list. Traditionally, these gifts are for the
couples home, such as
dishes, linens and small
appliances. For the couple
that wants to give back, these
gifts can be charitable donations of some sort.
While some couples do set
up a registry and ask for
tangible gifts for the home,
others choose to go a different route and ask guests to
make a charitable donation
in lieu of a tangible gift.
When Prince William and
Kate Middleton got married

in April 2011, for example,

the couple selected some of
their favorite charities and
requested guests to make a
donation to one of them
instead of purchasing them a
tangible gift.
Couples today are getting
married later in life, often in
their late 20s and early 30s,
and many live together
beforehand. As a result, they
already have the dishes,
linens, small appliances and
other items needed to set up
a home. In some cases, they
may even be combining
households and have more
than enough. Rather than end
up with a houseful of items
they dont need, it just makes
more sense to give to those
who are truly in need.
There are many ways
couples can go about charitable gifting. They can select
some of their favorite charities and request donations to

them in lieu of gifts, either

through word of mouth, a
formal announcement or a
website. They can set up a
charity registry, which will
allow guests to make a
secure online donation to the
organizations of the couples
choice. The couple can even
specify a dollar amount.
They can set up a charitable
gift registry, which will
allow guests to purchase an
actual gift for them with a
portion of the proceeds
donated to charities of the
couples choice. This option
works really well for couples
vying for a more traditional
wedding. Depending upon
the size of the wedding and
their preferences, couples
may even be able to set up
both a charity registry and a
charitable gift registry.
For couples that cannot
bear the thought of asking
guests to make a monetary
donation of any kind, there
are other ways to give back.
They can donate any unused
food from their reception to
food banks. They can make a
charitable
donation
in
guests names in lieu of wedding favors. This option is
growing in popularity and
there are many websites that
now offer charitable wedding favors.
Whether a big wedding or
small, exchanging vows in
front of loved ones can be
magical. You can add to the
magic by giving back.
Explore the possibilities!

(NewsUSA) - Tying the knot

isn't what it used to be. The
wedding industry is as profitable as primetime football,
celebrities compete for the
shortest, most gimmicky
marriages (72 days or less?)
and the exotic appeal of a
romantic getaway has led to
the widespread popularity of
destination weddings.
One in every 10 weddings
features an exotic locale, or at
least a location neither the
bride nor groom calls home.
While there's no absolute
explanation as to why destination weddings have started a
bridal takeover, the hefty price
of typical weddings is reason
enough for many -- especially
if Daddy isn't footing the bill.
"If done correctly, destination weddings can be a
cheaper alternative for everyone. Guests don't have to buy
expensive gifts, just a ticket.
All the money spent on the
wedding
party,
venues,
refreshments, cake, reception
and decor is significantly
reduced
if
not
cut
altogether,"explains
Nini
Pardo, wedding planner at
Stay in Costa Rica, an accommodations and rental manage-

Have you ever heard the

song, Chapel of Love?
The Dixie Cups recorded the
chart-topper written by Jeff
Barry, Ellie Greenwich and
Phil Spector in 1964. There
have been numerous covers
of the song, and it has been
included
in
many
soundtracks. The song tells
of a couple about to get
married in a wedding
chapel. There are hundreds
of wedding chapels around
the United States, some that
even go by the name of the
Chapel of Love.
Probably the best-known
Chapel of Love is located in
the Mall of America in
Bloomington, MN. Over
5,000 people have gotten
married in the chapel since it
opened in 1994. The chapel
offers onsite wedding packages as well as weddings to
go. For further information,
check
out
www.chapeloflove.com.
There is also a Chapel of
Love in Las Vegas, along
with hundreds of other wedding chapels. For brides and
grooms looking to get
married in a wedding
chapel, Las Vegas is THE

ment company.
The author of "Destination
Weddings for Dummies,"
Susan Breslow Sardone, says
the traditional American
wedding costs an average of
$28,082, whereas destination
weddings average around
$20,600.

place to be. One of the most

famous wedding chapels in
Las Vegas is the Little White
Chapel.
Over
800,000
people have gotten married
in the chapel since it opened
in 1951, including Paul
Newman and Joanne Woodward, Bruce Willis and
Demi Moore, and Natalie
Maines and Adrian Pasdar.
The chapel also features a
unique
drive-through
marriage option. For further
information, check out
www.alittlewhitechapel.co
m.
The Graceland Wedding
Chapel and the Chapel of the
Bells are two other wellknown wedding chapels in
Las Vegas. The Graceland
Wedding Chapel offers
traditional wedding packages as well as Elvis-themed
wedding packages and has
hosted the weddings of
hundreds of couples over the
years, including Billy Ray
Cyrus and his wife, Trish,
and Jon Bon Jovi and his
wife, Dorothea. For further
information, check out
www.gracelandchapel.com.
The Chapel of the Bells also
offers a number of wedding

packages and has hosted the

weddings of hundreds of
couples over the years,
including Mark Consuelos
and Kelly Ripa. For further
information, check out
chapelofthebellslasvegas.co
m.
Couples looking for something a little homier and
farther east will appreciate
the wedding chapels of
Tennessee. There are several
in and around the Smokey
Mountains, including the
Smokey Ridge Wedding
Chapel, the Wedding Bell
Chapel in Pigeon Forge and
the Chalet Mountain Wedding Chapel in Gatlinburg.
Dollywood also has a wedding chapel. All offer a
number of affordable wedding packages.
Wedding chapels offer
great weddings at great
prices. The services and
amenities are many and
range from dressing rooms
and photography to flowers
and food. For couples interested in a wedding without
all of the hassle, a chapel
wedding might be ideal.
Take a look if youre interested.

"Some of the cost difference

is definitely a result of resorts
and hotels capitalizing on the
trend. Many now offer the
full wedding package with
wedding planners, musicians, photographers, etc. We
employ full-time wedding
coordinators, like myself, to

craft intimate weddings at our

Los Suenos Resort," Pardo
adds. "We've found it really
appealing
to
budgetconscious brides."
Budget-conscious
brides
have become a trend as well,
according to Patricia MacArthur, executive director of
WeddingStar.com -- a go-to
authority on all things
wedding-related. MacArthur
says more brides are trimming
expenses by taking the DIY
route for guest favors and
some decorative elements.
For tropical weddings especially, many of the cheaper,
DIY options are more easily
packed into suitcases. For
instance, colorful fabric is
being used to replace flowers
and native delicacies are
replacing towering cakes.
An extra tip from the
experts, when considering the
perfect setting to make your
vows and possibly trash the
dress: look at locations that
are one flight away from you
and most of your guests.
Direct flights tend to be
cheaper and less hassle. To
learn more about saying "I
do" in Costa Rica, visit
stayincostarica.com.

By Ann Bare

She said YES! The next

question is, Whens the Big
Day?
When it comes to picking
the date for a wedding, many
factors could be considered.
Some choices might include:
The anniversary date of
when the couple met
The parents or grandparents wedding date (a great
way
to
honor
their
marriage!)
Date when the desired
reception site is available
The least expensive night
(anything but Saturday)
The least expensive month
(January, March and December are usually open.)
On or near a favorite
holiday (A Fourth of July
early afternoon celebration
allows for a full day of
festivities.)
In a preferred season
(Chance of snow? Will the
cake melt?)
When the families will be
available to come
A date pulled from a hat
(for the very indecisive)
Sometimes a date is just
obvious. July 7, 2007 was the
pick of a record number of
coupleswho can forget that
anniversary? Those couples
who considered seven to be a
lucky number found themselves in Las Vegas, hoping
to increase their chances of a
long-lasting marriage. Others
who regarded seven significant due to religious or
cultural beliefs (seven days
of creation, Seven Wonders

of the ancient world, seven

deadly sins, seven last words
of Christ, Seven Seas, seven
levels of heaven, 007, etc.)
found the date to be a good
choice for their wedding
alsoand even more so
since it fell on a Saturday.
In selecting a date, couples
should consider avoiding
Memorial Day or Labor Day
weekend since many families
use those particular three-day
weekends
for
family
holidays. A Super Bowl
Sunday date would probably
find many men feeling a
headache come on, preventing their attendance at a nonfamily members nuptials.
September 11, April Fools
Day and Halloween, as well
as cultural or religious
holidays celebrated by family
members, could also be risky
dates to attempt a gathering.
Of course, if the marriage
date is limited to only a few
attendees, any date goes.
However, if a date is selected
for a memorable reason, it
might be interesting to
include that information in
the program to give the
guests a glimpse into a bit
more personal side of the
couple.
A wedding day is obviously
more than a dateits a
whole day of celebration.
However, anything to make
that day even more memorable will make the anniversary
date
easy
to
rememberand
both
husband and wife will win
with that!

By Tresa Erickson
One of the first decisions
newly engaged couples may
need to make regarding their
wedding is where to have it.
For some, the answer is clear:
anyplace but their home. For
others, the wrestling begins.
Should they have their wedding at home or someplace
else? If you are among them,
here are some factors to
consider.
Budget: Depending upon
the number of guests invited,
having your wedding at
home may be less or more
costly. The longer your guest
list, the more items you may
have to rent from tables and
chairs to a catering kitchen
and tents to lights and porta-potties. You may also need
a cleanup crew for before and
after the event as well as a
landscaping crew if you are
having
your
wedding
outdoors. You may have to
hire a valet parking service
and purchase a generator to
provide the extra power
needed for the event. All of
this can really add up.
Space: The more wedding
guests you invite, the larger
space you will need for your

By Tresa Erickson

Of all the elements involved

in the planning of a wedding,
the selection of the bridal
gown can be one of the most
time consuming. The search
for the perfect dress usually
gets underway soon after the
engagement
has
been
announced and continues for
weeks and sometimes months
afterward. If you have
recently gotten engaged, here
are some tips to help you with
the search.
Start early: The sooner you
start looking for a wedding
dress, the better chance you
will have of finding just the
right one and the accessories
to go with it. You will also
have plenty of time for alterations. And should you choose
not to buy a gown off the rack

wedding. If you are having

your wedding outdoors, this
may not be an issue, unless
you have a very small yard.
If you are having your wedding indoors, on the other
hand, you will need to
ensure you have enough
space for your guests to
move around and mingle.
Squeezing 50 people into
your 10x10 foot living room
could result in some leaving.
Location: Not every home
is located in an idyllic
setting. Some are near noisy
highways or airports. Some
are situated in really busy
urban environments, and
others, in remote regions.
Make sure the home where
you intend to get married is
located in an area your
guests can find and will feel
comfortable mingling in.
Theres nothing like the
shrill of an ambulance or a

round of gunfire to scare off

guests.
Safety:
Accidents
are
always a possibility no
matter where you may have
your wedding. Depending
upon the setup of your home,
you may have to take extra
care to avoid them. If you
have invited several seniors,
you may need to remove or
tack down area rugs, install
handrails in your bathroom
and so forth. If you have
invited
several
young
children, you may need to
drain or gate off water
features, install safety covers
on your outlets and so forth.
You should check with your
vendors to make sure they
have adequate coverage as
well as with your own insurance agent. You may need to
purchase
an
additional
policy for your wedding.
Other Considerations: Even

and customer order one

instead, you wont have to
worry about it not arriving in
time.
Be open: Dont pick the
dress. Let it pick you. Go
ahead and page through all of
those bridal magazines. The
more you know about whats
out there, the better idea
youll have of what you want.
But dont limit your shopping
to any one style, color or
designer. Just because a
particular style of dress looks
good on the page does not
mean it will look good on you
at the store. You want a gown
that not only appeals to your
tastes but flatters your figure.
Bring a guide: Find a trusted
friend or family member
willing to go shopping with
you and help you decide. You

need someone who can give

you an honest opinion of each
dress you try on, good or bad.
Choose someone who will
tell you what they think, not
what you want to hear.
Shop around: Take several
days to check out the selection at various bridal shops
and try on as many styles as
possible. Ask if you can take
photos of the gowns that
really interest you. If not,
bring a notebook so that you
can jot down the name of the
gowns you like best and
where to find them. Dont
trust your memory to keep
track of what you like and
where to find it.
Keep at it: Continue your
search until you find the
perfect gown, and when you
do, stop! Purchase the dress

if your home meets the space,

location and safety requirements, you may still encounter some hurdles. Some
officiants will not preside
over weddings that do not
take place on their churchs
grounds. Will yours? Some
cities require permits for
large events like weddings.
Does yours? Some neighbors
are very particular about
what goes on near their
homes and will put up a great
fuss. Will yours? The potential for damage and bad
weather can also be factors.
The more people traipsing in
and around your home, the
more likely things will get
broke. Are you prepared for
this? If you are having your
wedding outside and the
weather turns sour, can you
move everything inside?
Determining whether to
have a wedding at home is
not a decision to take lightly.
While home weddings are
becoming popular, not every
home is equipped for such an
event. Make sure yours is. If
not, consider having your
wedding at another home that
is, perhaps that of a friend or
relative.

right then and there and turn

your attention to the other
tasks on your to-do list. Dont
continue to shop on the off
chance you will find something better. Chances are you
wont, and when you return
to the store to purchase the
dress of your dreams, someone else may have already
beat you to it.
Shopping for a gown can
take a lot of time. While some
brides come upon the dress of
their dreams within the first
few hours of shopping, most
dont. Prepare for the task to
take a while and enjoy!

(NAPSI)For
outdoor
power equipment to work
better for less cost and effort
later in the year, you need to
properly maintain and store it
now. Here are 13 tips that can
help.
Storage Suggestions:
1. Set up a safe work zone.
Identify a safe location with
plenty of work space thats
out of the way of children
and pets. Work only in a
well-ventilated area away
from heat sources, sparks or
flames.
2. Collect your outdoor
power equipment. This
might include a lawn mower,
generator, string trimmer,
chain saw, edger, power
washer, blower, chipper,
splitter or any other tool that
uses a small engine to do
outdoor work.
3. Make sure the equipment
is turned off. Before servicing or repairing any outdoor
power equipment, disconnect the spark plug and
battery cables.
4. Protect yourself. Wear
safety glasses and gloves to
protect against harmful
chemicals and debris.
5. Inspect the equipment.
Make sure safety guards are
not disabled or missing.

Check for loose belts or

missing or damaged guards.
Check and tighten all screws
and nuts.
6. Clean the equipment.
Remove any accumulated
grass, leaves and dirt. Use a
soft rag or cloth to clean
away grime and dirt.
7. Drain the fuel. Many
fuels today contain ethanol,
which absorbs water and
may phase separate, causing
operating problems later. If
there is fuel in the tank,
remove what remains. Run
the engine until it stops to
use up all the fuel. Get more
information on safe fueling
a
t
www.LookBeforeYouPump.
com.
8. Store leftover fuel properly. Gasoline should be
stored no more than 30 days
unless its treated with a fuel
stabilizer. Use a sealed
container approved for fuel
storage. Always keep fuel
out of the reach of children
and away from heat sources
or flames.
9. Lubricate, sharpen and
charge as needed. Check the
oil levels and blade conditions. Change the oil if
necessary. Sharpen lawn
mower blades. Inspect the

spark plug, replace it and add

clean engine oil. Check the
air filter and clean or replace
as needed. If equipment has a
removable battery, take it out
and store it in a warm spot. If
you have a battery charger,
charge the battery before
storing it.
10. Service equipment. If
you are not comfortable
performing some of these
tasks or think that your
equipment needs additional
servicing, take it to a dealer
or repair shop.
11. Identify and clear a safe
storage space. An indoor
storage area will protect
equipment
from
the
elements. Your storage area
should be cool and dry, and
equipment should be out of
the reach of children and

pets. Store equipment away

from pool chemicals, cleaners or fertilizersanything
that could cause corrosion
from spills.
12. Properly store supplies.
Using approved storage
containers for lawn care or
yard supplies will help avoid
spills. Leftover materials
should be stored in sealed
containers, so pests are not
drawn to them. Keep
containers out of the reach of
children and pets.
13. Locate your cold
weather power equipment.
Check your snow shovels,
snowblowers or throwers, ice
scrapers, ice melt or rock
salt. If you are low on
supplies, stock up. Keep this
equipment and supplies in an
accessible location so theyll
be handy when the first
snowflakes fall.
Equipment that is well
maintained will last longer
and save you money in the
long
run.
Maintaining,
winterizing and storing
outdoor power equipment
properly means that when
spring arrives, your equipment will be ready, said
Kris Kiser, president and
CEO of the Outdoor Power
Equipment Institute (OPEI),
an international trade association representing power
equipment, small engine, and
utility vehicle manufacturers
and suppliers.
For further facts and safety
tips, go to www.opei.org

Hello, fellow readers!

When I was a girl, my sister
dared me to rub a leaf all over
me. Even then I was a plant
person and always up to a
challenge of I dare you.
The leaf was in a grouping of
three and I picked one and
dutifully painted myself with
it. I bet you know where this
is going.
It turns out I'm allergic to
poison ivy, as are about 80
percent of us, some more than
others. My reaction was
awful (big surprise), causing
my eyes to swell shut. Its true
that most people will have a
greater reaction with repeated
or extreme exposure.
Whats the bright red vine I
have growing up my tree?
Poison ivy? asked Josephine
of Andover, NJ. It could be,
as poison ivy does turn a
glorious bright red in fall.
Virginia creeper, Parthenocissus quinquefolia, is often
mistaken for poison ivy
(Toxicodendron
radicans),
but has five leaflets; poison
ivy has three. Come fall,
Virginia creeper has dark
purple berries, while poison
ivys are greyish white.
Virginia creeper berries
contain oxalic acid, which is
moderately toxic to humans
and other mammals, but
provides a food source for
birds. The sap of the plant has
needle-shaped crystals of
calcium oxalate. If the leaves
are crushed they can prick
skin, causing irritation and

blisters to some, so wear

gloves when handling.
Its the urushiol oil contained
in all parts of the poison ivy
plant (leaves, stems, roots,
flowers and berries) that
causes the reaction when
touched by people. But poison
ivy is commonly munched by
many animals, such as deer
and bear, and the berries are
enjoyed by birds.
Both vines are frequently
seen covering trees or shrubs
and they can kill them by
shading their ability to photosynthesize. But before you
wrestle them down, best to ID
what you are tackling. You
may have heard rhymes to
help identify poison ivy:
Leaflets three; let it be,
Hairy vine, no friend of
mine and Berries white, run
in fright.
Urushiol oil can remain
active for years so handling
dead leaves or vines can still
cause a bad reaction. And the
oil can transfer to tools or pet
fur, then to you. Even if you
think you arent allergic, a
whopping exposure such as
cutting up a downed tree
wrapped in a dead poison ivy
vine may cause a bad reaction.
Isnt that right, Curt? If its
hairy you better ask Mary.
Garden Dilemmas?
askmarystone.com
Warning: If poison ivy is
burned and the smoke inhaled,
the rash can appear on the
lining of the lungs and cause
extreme pain and possibly a
fatal respiratory complication.
Tips: While Virginia creeper
grows rampant in the wild it is
also used as an ornamental
plant. It can quickly cover
walls keeping a building
cooler by shading the surface
and its fall color is a show
stopper.
Though it adheres to the
surface by disks rather than
penetrating roots, it does not
harm the masonry. But, as
with Boston ivy, ripping the
plant from the wall can
damage the surface. If you kill
the plant first by cutting the
vine at the root, the adhesive
pads will eventually deteriorate and release their grip.

Portland Borough, PA
invites you to attend the 40th
Portland Family Fun Day
which will be held on October 17th from 11am to 4pm,
featuring games, food, entertainment, and fun for the
entire family. The event will
be held downtown in the
Park and Walk along Delaware Avenue in Portland.

Rain date for the event will

be October 18th. Portland
Family Fun Day will be
filled with live music, the
pumpkin patch (pumpkin
painting), kids games, tie
dyeing, vendors, arts and
crafts, Horses 4 Hope pony
rides, funnel cakes, walking
tacos, and more.
In honor of October being

fire safety month, there will

be a fire safety house from
Pen Argyl Fire Co. with
Portland Hook and Ladder
on display, and Portlands
original borough hall and
jail, the pokey, will be
open for a walk back in
time. There will also be a
bake sale to benefit the Portland Hook and Ladder Co.
No. 1.
There will be a town-wide
yard sale from 8am to 2pm
the morning of the event.
Come see the mayor at the
park and walk to pick-up
your map.
They are still in need of
vendors for the event.
Vendor applications can be
found at www.portland

boroughpa.com under community events. The fee to set

up is $10. Participation is
encouraged as well as an
invitation to come and meet
and greet your neighbors or
meet some new friends! All
proceeds from town events go
to future events, supplies and
advertising for the community.
For more information on
upcoming events such as trick
or treating schedule and tree
lighting visit the Portland
Facebook page. If you would
like more information on
Portland Family Fun Day or
would like to become a
vendor, call 570-897-0559 or
email
portlandborough
pa@gmail.com.