On Friday, June 13, at 9:30 p.m. in the Troy auditorium, a community concert featuring Wendy Owens and Renegade, and featuring local artist and Troy graduate Devon Franks will celebrate a $25,000 grant recently awarded from State Farm

This community concert is being held as a "Thank You" to the community and all those who helped the Troy Junior/Senior High win the $25,000 State Farm Celebrate My Drive grant.

The organizers stated, "Thanks to everyone who voted for our school every day during the competition. Without the community support we could never have done this."

Wendy Owens and Renegade features local artist and Troy graduate Devon Franks. The concert will run from approximately 9:30 p.m., following graduation ceremonies, until midnight and is part of the senior all-night graduation party.

The public will leave at midnight, and the students will be locked in for the rest of the events of their party.

With these funds, the school has also sponsored a mock accident to highlight the dangers of texting and driving. They will also be using Celebrate My Drive money to add to the prizes offered to the students who stay for the all-night party. The district is also researching the purchase of driver simulation software to be used in conjunction with the classroom portion of driver's education.

ORWELL TOWNSHIP -

Small ... but special. Little ... but loving.

An especially small class of 46 graduated from Northeast Bradford on Tuesday night. But the young men and women proved themselves to be a group with more than enough energy, brains - and kindness.

"It's been that way since they were kindergarten, first grade," class advisor Angie Bellinger noted before the ceremony, after pinning a calla lily on a grad's red robe as students gathered in the cafeteria. The largest the class ever grew was 50-something, she noted.

But she said being small made the students "care about one another." They've forged close friendships.

Co-advisor Sue Middaugh agreed. In a class that size, "you get to know everybody."

"We've always been small," graduate Julie Cooper said. And closer.

Adam Myers admitted he'll be sad to not see classmates again ... kind of made the big guy choke up.

"It's just the demographics," Superintendent Heather McPherson said of the group's size. On the other hand, some Northeast classes have more than 80.

But the grads are also thinkers, she said. "They've challenged us in good ways." They're a "wonderful group to work with," she noted.

"Small and fun ... and very, very caring."

Take Daniel Spencer, for instance. Daniel, a life skills student, has been with the class through the grades and was graduating Tuesday, even though he will attend Northeast a few more years. Later as the seniors crossed the stage to get diplomas, each took time to drop a matchbox car in a blue box - gifts for their friend.

And this spring, the seniors held a game of musical chairs at a pep rally. And ... what do you know?

Daniel just happened to win.

"They've just really included him," life skills teacher Terri Allen said. Minutes before the processional, she and aide Sheri Jampo stood with a pumped-up Daniel in the cafeteria. "They help him whenever they can help," Terri remarked.

"He's kind of a rock star!"

"And they think the world of him!" Sheri added.

Terri and Sheri were right. Just a minute later, classmate Tina LaBarre helped Daniel with his tassel. "You look so nice!" she declared. She often helped life skills students in their class. Another girl touched his back kindly.

"He's just always happy, always likes to look forward to things," Tina added.

"He has a really kind heart," Terry noted.

The students' abilities showed in the ceremony, held in the high school gym. Three graduated with Distinction, having grade point averages of 96.5 percent or above: Angelia Laudermilch, daughter of Donn and Tina Laudermilch, who will attend Malone University in Canton, Ohio, to study science; Chelsie Souto, daughter of Tom and Mary Souto, who will attend Binghamton University for a degree in pre-dental studies, planning to become an orthodontist; and Monica Brown, daughter of Kevin and Becky Brown, who will study zoology at Delaware Valley College.

Students graduating with High Honors, averages between 94.5 percent and 96.49 percent, were Julie Cooper and Tina LaBarre, and those graduating with Honors, 92 percent to 94.49 percent, were Keri Brown, Drew Edsell, Luke Flood and Katrina Race.

Angelia and Chelsie gave the graduate addresses.

In the speech she prepared, Angelia praised her classmates' loving attitude. "The love and passion that runs through this place every day is amazing." She noted she's grateful for memories and friends.

She then encouraged her classmates to "embrace every opportunity as a chance to try."

Once, when she was about 10, she cried after striking out in baseball. Her father comforted her. "He had me write down the words 'I can't.' He then erased the apostrophe and added an 'RY' to the end, making it say 'I CAN TRY.' He taught me a valuable lesson that day. If you are willing to try, that is all you can do.

Never say 'I can't' simply out of fear."

Angelia reminded her friends to devote themselves to greater purposes. She told of the late Jim Elliot, who was well-educated and could have traveled and been very successful. "Instead he pursued a desire to help others, the Auca Indians, to find the same hope he had found in Christ. He voluntarily laid down his weapons and gave his life for this cause, ultimately succeeding. In his words, 'He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose.'"

Chelsie spoke of the past, present and future. As she and her class started school long ago, "our stomachs were full of butterflies ... we were so small." But they learned reading, writing and to count to 100. Later, they formed friendships.

Now, "this has definitely been a crazy year full of ups and downs," she said. The grads' parents have taught them lessons, and without those lessons "most of us wouldn't be sitting here." One of the most important lessons is to stand up for what you believe in, even if others look the other way, she said.

Sometimes the classmates didn't agree, she admitted. But she hopes they will be thought of as honest and helpful to others.

"The future has endless possibilities," Chelsie said. The grads will never lose their special memories or lessons.

As students received diplomas from James Schmieg, dean of students, and school board President Joe Mihalek, guidance counselor Jonathan Bishop read their names, parents' names and future plans. The grads plan careers as varied as education, nursing, computer science, astrophysics, psychology, auto mechanics, photography, auctioneering, equestrian work ... and more.

The superintendent greeted "her kids" with handshakes and hugs. After getting his diploma, one boy did a little dance. Another opened his robe to show his "Subway" shirt. "Woo! I'm done!" a girl yelled.

And Daniel? He raised his arms. He looked at his diploma, smiled and waved.

"Good job, Daniel!" someone whispered.

"Graduates, please rise," high school Principal Gary Martell announced. "You may turn your tassels from right to left."

Other class members who spoke included: Bridget Haverly, offering the invocation; Abigayle Cole, greeting the guests; Christina LaBarre, reading a class synopsis; Calla Johnson, reading the class poem; Drew Edsell, bidding the guests farewell; and Courtney Coleman, offering a benediction. Junior class co-presidents Ceirra Pipher and Kara Hallett accepted the class key from Amber, before the graduates passed the traditional class rope to the Class of 2015.

Julie Cooper, Levi Upham and Katie Boardman sang the national anthem. Music teacher Dorothy Weir played the processional and recessional on the organ.

The ceremony included the Northeast alma mater and the traditional slide show of baby and modern photos, candid shots and class polls, to music like "I Will See You Again" and "My Wish."

Yes, they must be a unique group. After all, this is the class that voted on things like "Most Identifiable Laugh," "Most Likely to Shock Everyone at Reunion" (no explanation given) and, yes, "Biggest Michael Jackson Fan."

Special, smart and loving. They showed it all Tuesday night as they graduated from Northeast. Perhaps Chelsie said it all as she ended her speech:

"We will always be the Class of 2014!"

Good Grief Day Camp will be held at the Vesper Church Spiritual Life Center in Standing Stone June 24, 25 and 26, 2014. The setting is a perfect location for the camp including indoor and outdoor activities.

Good Grief Day Camp is a bereavement support camp for children ages 6 through 18 who have experienced the death of a loved one. The focus of the camp is to help children with grief and bereavement through play, art, music and activities.

Good Grief Day Camp provides an atmosphere to help kids understand that their feelings are normal and lets them celebrate the life of the person who has died and also to learn coping skills. "There is nothing easy about losing a loved one," said Trudy Ventello, LSW, one of the camp leaders.

"Every year's camp experience has been a great success and very rewarding," echoes Pat Kirkowski, camp leader. "We knew we wanted to keep offering it to the community."

There is no fee for the Good Grief Day Camp. The camp is supported by the efforts of Memorial Hospital Hospice volunteers' fund raising efforts and Bradford County's Human Service Development Fund.

Pre-registration is necessary, or to obtain more information, please call Pat Kirkowski at (570) 265-2525 or Trudy Ventello at (570) 268-2233.

Submitted by Memorial Hospital.

HARRISBURG - State Senator Gene Yaw (R-23) recently announced that the Senate Agriculture and Rural Affairs Committee unanimously reported the nomination of Bradford County dairy farmer James A. Van Blarcom, candidate to the Pennsylvania Milk Marketing Board (MMB), out of committee. Van Blarcom's nomination now awaits a vote before the full state Senate.

"I have known Jim for many years and I have been very impressed by his involvement and commitment to improving our region," Yaw said before the committee. "Jim has been involved in the dairy industry since a young age. His experience and knowledge are great assets to Pennsylvania's dairy industry and I am happy to lend my support to him for this position."

"Jim will be a great asset on the Milk Marketing Board," added state Senator Elder Vogel, chairman of the committee. "As a dairy farmer, who is transitioning his operation to the next generation, Jim has the experience necessary to make policy decisions for the future of dairy in Pennsylvania."

Van Blarcom, a resident of Columbia Cross Roads, was nominated for the position by Governor Tom Corbett in April. He currently owns and operates a 500 head dairy herd.

The Pennsylvania Milk Marketing Board is an independent agency that establishes minimum milk prices, minimum wholesale prices and minimum retail prices. The three-member Board is overseen by two farmer members and one consumer member. If approved by the state Senate, Van Blarcom will replace Richard Kriebel, a Columbia County dairy farmer and former board chairman.

Submitted by the Office of State Senator Gene Yaw.

HARRISBURG - Legislation designed to help families better access health insurance for their children was unanimously reported out of the House Insurance Committee recently, said Rep. Tina Pickett (R-Bradford/Sullivan/Susquehanna), who authored the proposal as chairman of the committee.

House Bill 2299 would streamline the eligibility, enrollment and renewal process for the Children's Health Insurance Program, which currently provides health care coverage to nearly 190,000 children up to age 19 statewide.

"By streamlining the eligibility, enrollment and renewal process for CHIP, more children in Pennsylvania would have greater access to the quality health care that they need and deserve," said Pickett. "Pennsylvania has been the national leader for CHIP since its inception nearly 22 years ago, and by making continuous improvements to the program, we ensure its viability for years to come."

Specifically, the legislation would implement continuous eligibility so that all children eligible would be assured uninterrupted coverage for 12 months; express lane eligibility so that information from another federal or state-related program would be used to determine eligibility to speed up the process; and administrative renewal procedures so that the Commonwealth could use existing data to re-determine eligibility. The latter would result in a preprinted form populated with eligibility information to be sent to the child's parent or other representative. The parent would then return a signed copy to confirm the information and continued desire to continue coverage of the child.

Pickett also pointed out that with these changes, the state would then be eligible for potential additional federal matching funds to help further sustain the program.

CHIP provides health insurance to all uninsured children from birth to age 19, who are not eligible for Medicaid or not otherwise insured through private or employer-based insurance. Locally, 876 children in Bradford County are covered by CHIP, with 74 in Sullivan County and 784 in Susquehanna County.

The legislation now moves to the full House for the chamber's consideration.

Submitted article.

In response to Monday's remarks by the Traditions organization and Walsh family (http://www.wbng.com/news/local/Traditions-at-the-Glen-looking-to-partner-with-Tioga-Downs-262442241.html), Tioga Downs owner Jeff Gural today issued the below statement:

"As I've told the Walsh family - more than once - Tioga Downs is gladly pursuing its own application for a full casino license. The Traditions project should be sharing more details about their application, not running down the clock with stunts designed to confuse the issue and leverage the growing support Tioga Downs has earned, and market we've created and maintained in the Southern Tier.

Our application, and expert research and analysis to be shared in upcoming public hearings, will clearly show that the true Southern Tier market cannot sustain more than one full casino, and simply saying otherwise - though we wish it were possible - doesn't make it so. Tioga Downs has unmatched local and regional support for its full license application, and jobs to be protected and expanded - real jobs that exist now, and realistic opportunities based on promises made and promises kept."

Tioga Downs is located along the north side of NY Route 17/ I-86, two miles west of exit 62 in Nichols, N.Y. You must be 18 years old to play video gaming machines. Please play responsibly.

Submitted by Tioga Downs Casino.

CANTON - A Canton Borough councilman this week gave a tip of the hat to the Hometown Heroes banners that were recently put up in the borough.

During this week's council meeting, council member Darryl Jannone said the Hometown Heroes banners, which honor military veterans, "truly add a touch of class to the Canton streets."

Currently, the banners are up in the main square of Canton, and more are planned to be installed in other areas of town, said Mary Saunders, who is heading up the Hometown Heroes project.

In addition, Jannone commended Doug McNett, owner of Doug's Landscaping, for helping the SADD group at Canton Area Junior-Senior High School plant a flowering tree at the War Memorial Park in Canton.

"His efforts are really appreciated," Jannone commented.

Under the recreation report, council member Dianna Thompson said that Barb Brown, representing the Cub Scouts, called and said that the Scouts, depending on the borough's schedule, would like to pick a Saturday or Sunday afternoon and have the entire pack break up into groups and pick up trash in the community. Smaller groups of older boys would do the painting of the picnic tables, she said. The borough will supply the paint.

Thompson said she was told the younger group, the Tiger Scouts, could plant a tree at the park and the older ones could build a bird house and clean up at the park. Thompson said Brown said that she would like to do it in one or two days and then maybe have a swim party afterwards, either on the weekend of June 21 or June 28.

Thompson said Amy Seeley, borough administrator, told her that the borough could probably accommodate the pool party, but it would have to be when the pool is open. She said Seeley also advised Brown that she would keep her posted on the pool and check with Doug McNett on the tree. The borough will work with their schedule.

"She was very positive about helping up out," Seeley said.

Also, Thompson reported that Norm Pierce asked if the borough would consider removing the shrubs/trees between the rental property and the basketball courts on Montague Street. They have been damaged by people hiding in them and walking through them, and it would open up the area for visibility, she said. This was approved.

Eric Hrin can be reached at (570) 297-5251; email: reviewtroy@thedailyreview.com.

TOWANDA - At its most recent meeting, the Towanda Borough Council voted to spend $36,000 to resurface the borough's tennis courts and repair the courts' fencing, and heard a report on the borough's S.C.I. swimming pool, which, according to the borough manager, needs to be completely rebuilt.

Parking was also a big focus at the meeting, as several people who own or work at businesses in the borough's downtown asked the council to take measures to free up parking spaces downtown. Ben Franklin Crafts manager Jay Cory and two others, for example, called on the council to beef up enforcement of the borough's three-hour parking limit, and a businesswoman asked the council to convert the borough's free, three-hour spaces to two-hour parking spaces.

Recreation

The council voted to hire Lancaster Asphalt Systems Inc. to fix cracks in the borough's four tennis courts and resurface the courts.

"There are cracks in the courts that you can stick your hand down in," Towanda Borough Manager Kyle V. Lane said. "That's how thick they are."

As part of the project, the fencing for the courts, which are located off Lombard Street, will also be addressed, he said.

Much of the fencing is bent, he said. Moreover, due to the installation of a wind screen at the courts, "when the wind blows, it kind of bows in" the fencing, he said.

The project involves re-setting the fence's posts, which are now 10 feet apart, so that they are only eight feet apart, he said. Re-setting the posts will help address the wind problem, he said.

The company that will reset the posts was recommended by Lancaster Asphalt, he said.

The money that will be used to pay for the rehabilitation of the courts will come from a special tennis court fund that both the borough and the Towanda School District contribute to, he said.

While located near Towanda High School, the courts are owned by the borough and are on land that is owned by the borough, Lane said.

Lane said the S.C.I. swimming pool is in "rough shape" and the borough will have to make a decision in the next year or two on whether to fix it or close it.

The pool, which was constructed in 1950, "needs to be completely rebuilt," Lane said.

This year, the borough had to make more patches than ever before on the pool's walls, in order to fix cracks, he said.

"I think we made a dozen patches," he said.

A broken pipe was also found and repaired this year in the pool's filtration system, he said.

Council members said that YMCA officials need to be told at this time about the need to rebuild the pool, so that they can see if they can come up with money for the project.

The pool, which is owned by the borough, is operated by the Bradford County Branch YMCA.

Parking

Cory said that, according to the borough's website, the borough had only spent 15 hours in December enforcing the borough's parking ordinance.

"Fifteen hours per month is not adequate time" to enforce the ordinance, he said, adding that the low number of hours spent on enforcement had continued into the spring of 2014.

But Lane said that the borough's previous parking enforcement officer retired on May 2 and has been replaced by a new employee who is spending, at a minimum, 15 hours per week enforcing the parking ordinance.

"I think (the more aggressive enforcement) will continue," borough council President Mark Christini said.

As far as decreasing the parking limit in the downtown to two hours, the borough would need to solicit opinions from other business owners, before making a decision on the matter, Christini said.

"We can take that (proposal) under consideration," he said.

However, the borough might wait until after the borough's 230-space municipal parking garage is built, in order to see how the garage affects the demand for parking, before considering whether to institute two-hour parking downtown, he said.

Christini warned that the next two years will be "an exercise in patience for everybody," because construction is scheduled to start this summer on the Towanda Terrace commercial and residential development in the 400 block of Main Street, which will mean the borough will permanently lose the mid-town municipal parking lot.

And the construction of the parking garage, which is expected to be under way at this time next year, will mean that the borough will lose dozens of parking spaces during the construction of the garage, Christini said. The parking garage will be constructed on portions of two municipal parking lots on State Street.

Despite the loss of parking spaces, the parking garage will give the borough a net gain of 165 parking spaces, Lane said.

The parking garage will have a significant impact on the parking situation downtown, said borough councilman William Kovalcin Jr.

Kovalcin said after the meeting that he thought that after the parking facility is built, parking "will be adequate for most situations" in the downtown.

At the request of several residents, the council voted to install a port-o-john at the southern end of the Merrill Parkway's pedestrian trail and have the borough look into installing mile marker signs for the trail. The signs need to be "tasteful," Christini said.

The council also voted to write a letter of support for a bill in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives that would increase the use of radar by municipal police departments to enforce speed limits.

Lane reported that Hunt Engineers has begun work for the borough on a hydrology study of the Mix Run stream, which is a central component of the borough's continuing appeal of FEMA's preliminary flood insurance rate maps for the borough.

The borough is contesting the location of Special Flood Hazard Areas on the maps, which are areas where individuals would need to purchase flood insurance in order to be eligible for a mortgage from a bank.

The study will soon generate preliminary data that will indicate whether it is worth completing the study, Lane said.

The council, which oversees the financing of the construction of the Bradford County Veterans Memorial Park in the borough, approved a $8,553 expenditure on granite pavers for the park.

The Bradford County Veterans Memorial Park Association has enough funds in place to pay the $8,553 bill for the pavers and for a large granite monument in the park that will have a poem on it, borough officials said.

The association is in the process of raising funds for additional monuments for the park.

Council member Pat Taylor said a lot of houses in the borough lack house numbers, which assist emergency responders - such as police, firefighters, and ambulance personnel - in finding the home.

A borough ordinance requires that a house number appear on every home, and that the numbers be at least 4 inches high and at least a half-inch thick, borough Code Enforcement Officer Jim Haight said.

James Loewenstein can be reached at (570) 265-1633; or email: jloewenstein@thedailyreview.com.

HARRISBURG - Rep. Tina Pickett (R-Bradford/Sullivan/Susquehanna) would like to let residents know that the deadline to apply for the state's 2013 Property Tax/Rent Rebate program is being extended from June 30 to Dec. 31.

"This will allow senior citizens and other eligible residents a bit more time in collecting necessary documentation to file for the rebates," Pickett said. "It's also important to note that applicants do not have to pay any company or individual a fee for filling out the forms. My office staff is highly skilled and has been helping thousands of residents fill out the applications over the years at no charge."

Eligible participants can receive a rebate of up to $650 based on their rent or property taxes paid in 2013. The program benefits eligible Pennsylvanians who are 65 years or older, widows and widowers 50 years or older, and those 18 years or older with permanent disabilities.

Income eligibility limits are set at the following levels, excluding 50 percent of Social Security, Supplemental Security Income, and Railroad Retirement Tier 1 benefits:

- $0 to $8,000, maximum $650 rebate (homeowners and renters)

- $8,001 to $15,000, maximum $500 rebate (homeowners and renters)

- $15,001 to $18,000, maximum $300 rebate (homeowners only)

- $18,001 to $35,000, maximum $250 rebate (homeowners only)

The Property Tax/Rent Rebate program is one of many initiatives supported by the Pennsylvania Lottery, which dedicates its proceeds to support programs for older Pennsylvanians. Since the program began in 1971, more than $5.4 billion has been paid to qualified applicants. Residents are reminded to provide all the necessary income, property tax or rental information required to process claims quickly and accurately.

As of May 30, the Revenue Department had received 463,672 rebate applications. As specified by law, rebate distribution will begin on July 1. After June 30, rebates will be distributed as claims are received and processed.

Property Tax/Rent Rebate claim forms are available by contacting Pickett's office at (570) 265-3124 or (570) 888-9011, or by visiting her website at www.RepPickett.com. Assistance is available at no cost to residents at her offices at 106 West Packer Ave., Sayre, and 321 Main St., Towanda.

Submitted article.

CANTON - LaVonna Clark of Canton had a printer that was just sitting in the basement collecting dust.

So, she brought it to Canton Borough's Computer and Electronics Drop-off Day Wednesday at the borough street shed.

This event was hosted by Canton Borough to dispose of obsolete electronic equipment free of charge in an environmentally-safe way, according to a news release from the borough.

Clark thought the event was "awesome." She also dropped off an old laptop computer at the street shed.

As people brought in their old computer and electronics items, the pile of discarded electronics grew: printers, telephones, fax machines, computers, keyboards and more.

With all the junk piled up, it looked a little like the interior of the Sandcrawler from "Star Wars."

Canton Police Chief Doug Seeley disposed of an old fax machine that wasn't working anymore, as well as an old electronic typewriter that had seen better days.

"It's a good idea," he said. "It's a good way to help people get rid of their old computers."

He said the amount of items brought in was down this year, compared to previous years.

He thought it was possibly because people fix things more than they used to.

Eric Hrin can be reached at (570) 297-5251; email: reviewtroy@thedailyreview.com.

Price check please

I'm just commenting: I just attended the All Over Rome yard sales. Table after table in different locations were full of merchandise and not one thing on the tables was priced. This happens a lot at yard sales. Just a thought, if you can't take the time to mark it, usually people won't take the time to buy it, and I'm one of them.

A great sale

I just wanted to say if you missed the West Burlington Church Rummage Sale on Saturday, you missed a good sale. Everything the ladies set up was clean, and it was nicely set up. And the bake sale was wonderful. The ladies were so friendly - one of them even babysat for children so you could shop without carrying them around. They did a good job and I'll be sure to attend if they ever have another one.

Wrong birds

You have had three pictures in the paper on Page 2 - photographs of supposedly purple martins. These pictures of the birds are not purple martins, they are tree swallows. To see a lot of purple martins, go to Little Sodus Bay off of Lake Ontario. Purple martins are a much blacker bird.

Keeping score

Why does Towanda Area School District have a new score board for the baseball field in storage but does not have a faithful score board that works on the field? I'd like to know the answer to that question.

It's high time

I was wondering when they were going to fix those potholes over in the Mall in Wysox. They are really bad. Somebody is going to end up blowing their tires out! I think they should get them fixed over there.

All in favor?

They should move into the 20th Century and let the Dandy Mini Marts sell beer!

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Care to share?

The Daily Review's new Sound Off column will include items, both positive and negative, called in to a Sound Off hotline. That number is 570-265-1603. Calls will be anonymous; names will not be published. Profanity, as well as libelous content will be edited out. Give us a call. Let us know what's on your mind. We look forward to hearing from you!

Becky Clark, Bradford County Treasurer reports that she recently attended the annual County Treasurers' Association of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania conference held in Lancaster. Ms. Clark states that she is excited to report she was elected to be the 2nd Vice President of this state association. "I'm honored and humbled to serve in this capacity," Clark states. "I've looked back as far as 1967, and no other Treasurer from Bradford County has served on the state level in the Treasurers' Association." Ms. Clark said she will do everything in her power to not only serve the association to the best of her ability, but she will also do everything she can to showcase Bradford County and make the county proud as well." Clark is looking forward to the challenges this position holds not only this year, but as she moves up eventually to President within the next couple of years.

The Treasurers' office also received a commendation from the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture/Dog Law Enforcement office. It reads "In recognition of commendable performance for your dedication to increasing dog license sales in Bradford County to 109 percent in the year 2013." Clark, thanks her staff as well as State Dog Warden, Jim Johnson for all their hard work in achieving this award.

Submitted article.

TROY - The Troy Area Junior-Senior High School driver's education teacher spoke to the school board this week about the proposed elimination of the in-car driver's education program at the high school.

It's a voting item on the agenda at next week's school board meeting, along with other proposed eliminations and three furloughs.

Saying he wanted to discuss the proposed removal of the "Behind-the-Wheel" program, teacher Tim McAninch spoke about the impact of the elimination of the program on students and parents. He read from a long list of impacts, should the program be axed.

"There will be no formal instruction, unless they find a private company, and currently there aren't any local ones," he said, in opening his remarks.

"Even if they do find a private company, they're looking at about 300 bucks minimum."

He noted that during his time at the high school, he's been able to instruct more than 1,100 students.

He said permit holders would need to go to a DMV center for the road test, and would need to miss school to schedule a test.

"And to try to get scheduled in any timely fashion is virtually impossible," he said.

McAninch, who said he is certified as a third party tester, said that as of this week, 837 Troy students have earned their license with him.

Also, he noted that there will be 108 students remaining on the driving list to start next year that will miss out on the opportunity if the program is eliminated.

Noting the impact of the program's elimination on parents, he said they will be responsible for instructing the entire 65 hours of supervised driving and there would be no insurance discounts. He said they would need to take off work to go to a DMV center.

McAninch said that "I think we know that the leading cause of death for our 16 to 20-year-olds is motor vehicle accidents, as has been statistically accurate for years" and he thought it would be detrimental to lose the program.

McAninch also thought a computer instruction program, which was brought up, wouldn't "give them the realism that you get when you're behind the wheel." He thought it was akin to a video game.

Another speaker, Nancy Kinner of Alba, was also opposed to a "video model" of instruction.

"We can't use video games in place of actual behind-the-wheel driving."

She added, "I don't think that we want to risk our children's lives when we have a very valuable teacher here, a very valuable program here for our community. You're going to meet those 16-year-olds on the road yourselves."

Board vice president Dan Martin, who is in the transportation business, said he has a "mixed bag feeling" on the driver's education program, which isn't required. He said he has two teenage daughters and "we taught them how to drive, and it was fun for a minute."

"I would like to see a way to keep this program going with the driver's ed car myself; of course, I'm only one of nine," he said.

"I'd like to look at it, that's just my opinion."

School board member Rebecca Nauta said she concurred. She said she appreciated McAninch's instruction.

District superintendent W. Charles Young said he wanted to say on behalf of himself, the whole board, and the district business administrator, that "there's nothing that we currently offer kids that we feel is expendable. But as I tried to point out a month or so ago, you cannot continually get flat funding, have your expenses go up, and have it all work. Your budgets at home don't work that way, this one doesn't either. At some point, something has to go. Unless something changes politically in the arenas above the school board, meaning Harrisburg and Washington, we're going to see this year after year after year."

"And what is going to have to go first is going to be an analysis of the curriculum for the Chapter 4 curriculum guidelines. What does it say that we must give kids, what does it say we must offer kids, and what is it silent about?

He said, "we don't come to these meetings, or we don't come to work every day, saying, 'gee, what can we get rid of this time?' But we're going to see successive years of cuts. They're not going to be happy cuts. They're going to be sad cuts - sad for me, sad for the board, sad for the community. Because we're going to lose things we like, unless something changes. And unfortunately, it's beyond these nine people to change it."

Eric Hrin can be reached at (570) 297-5251; email: reviewtroy@thedailyreview.com.

HARRISBURG - Residents who may be in need of a certified, duplicate copy of their birth certificates are reminded that the fee for requesting the document is increasing as of July 1 to help fund services for abused children in Pennsylvania, said Rep. Tina Pickett (R-Bradford/Sullivan/Susquehanna).

The charge for a duplicate copy of their birth certificate is currently $10 and will rise to $20 on July 1. Parents will still receive the original certified birth certificate for their newborn free of charge.

"Earlier this spring, the governor signed into law legislation that provides dedicated funding for Child Advocacy Centers (CACs), which bring together child welfare advocates, law enforcement and others to help children overcome the horrors of physical or sexual abuse," Pickett said. "Many of the CACs that operate within our state are funded through a variety of ways, and some centers are located quite a distance away from children who may be in need. This dedicated funding is one way to properly fund these centers, with the hope of adding others in underserved areas."

CACs offer a multi-faceted treatment program for abused children which brings together doctors, nurses, prosecutors, social workers and law enforcement. This approach gives abused children the best chance to recover and also provides the most effective way to gather evidence to bring perpetrators to justice. Currently, 21 centers operate across the state's 67 counties. The Children's House in Towanda serves as the CAC along the Northern Tier.

The fee increase will also help support the development of new CACs, train individuals mandated to report suspected child abuse and for other child abuse-related costs. It is estimated the duplicate birth certificate fee increase will raise approximately $2.86 million per year.

Birth certificates can be used for a variety of reasons, including personal identification, employment, passports and Social Security.

"My staff is well versed in completing applications for duplicate birth certificates, and can help anyone in need of obtaining one," Pickett said. "Residents can also request an application by visiting my website at RepPickett.com."

Pickett noted that the fee may be waived for individuals who served or are currently serving in the Armed Forces or their dependents.

Submitted article.

Western Bradford News Digest

Quilt raffle being held in Troy

The Home Arts Department at the Troy Fair is having a quilt raffle to benefit Home Arts.

According to a news release, the proceeds will help offset the cost of the new quilt racks that are used to display the quilts during the fair.

The quilt has been sewn and graciously donated by Jacque Paltrineri of Jacque's Quilted Dreams, located in Gillett. Jacque has been an exhibitor and volunteer of Home Arts for many years. Her business offers long arm quilting services, and she may be contacted at (570) 596-7654.

The quilt is on display at the Ameriprise office at 815 Canton St., Troy. You may purchase raffle tickets at the Ameriprise office or by contacting Sally Hulslander, the Home Arts Chairman, at 673-3547. The tickets are $1 each or six for $5. The quilt will be on display during fair week in the Home Arts display in Exhibit Building 2. The drawing will be at 7 p.m. on Saturday, July 26. You will not need to be present to win.

The Home Arts guides are now available and may be found online at info@troyfair.com, at the Troy Fair office, throughout the community at banks, libraries, Cooperative Extension Office in Towanda, post offices, etc. As a reminder, you must pre-register your items, and your entry form must be received by July 14. For more information, contact Sally Hulslander at 673-3547.

Canton OKs line painting

Canton Borough Council this week accepted a $3,765 line painting proposal from Lines by Lou of Monroeton.

Amy Seeley, borough administrator, said the street department will assist with traffic control.

She said Lines by Lou was $1,000 less, and she asked council for a motion to accept his proposal and it was made and passed. Seeley said she would send an email to the owner of Lines by Lou, notifying him that he received the job. In another matter, Seeley issued a reminder to council. "We'll be working hopefully with Canton Township to mow alongside the streets that need some mowing along Upper Mountain Road," she said.

Summer reading scheduled in Canton

The Canton Green Free Library's Summer Reading Program is "Fizz, Boom, Read!"

It will be kicked off at 10 a.m. on Wednesday, June 25 with Sciencetellers: Dragons and Dreams!," as the library invites children to "learn about the science of Fire and Ice by telling a tale of Dragons and Dreams using experiments of flash paper, exploding bottles, 'cool' dry ice, and much more."

Other events are:

- "Ben Franklin: An Electrifying Visit!," at 10 a.m. on July 2;

- "DinoRhymes," at 10 a.m. on July 10;

- Alex Mitnik: Singer/Musician!" at 10 a.m. on July 16;

- "Chippy Chipmunk: What did you observe in nature today?" at 10 a.m. on July 23;

- "Start a Reaction with Dr. Elaine Farkas from Mansfield University!" at 10 a.m. on July 30;

- and "The Science of Baking at Sweet Tooth!" beginning at 9 a.m. on Aug. 6 and running at 45-minute intervals.

TOWANDA -

The Bradford County Courthouse might once again become a site where the public could apply for U.S. passports.

The Bradford County commissioners announced on Wednesday that they are trying to arrange for the passport service to resume at the courthouse.

"It (resuming the passport application service) needs to be done," said Doug McLinko, chairman of the Bradford County commissioners. "It's incredibly important."

The Bradford County Prothonotary's Office, which is located in the courthouse, shut down its passport application service in September 2013.

"We're the first county in the state that has stopped (processing) passports," Bradford County Prothonotary Sally Vaughn said. The only location in Bradford County where citizens can currently apply for a passport is the Troy post office, she said.

The passport service would resume in the Bradford County Commissioners' Office, which is located in the courthouse, rather than in the Prothonotary's Office, McLinko said.

Vaughn has blamed the Bradford County commissioners for the shutdown of the service. She said the commissioners have refused to replace a full-time employee in the Prothonotary's Office who resigned last year for medical reasons. Without the full-time position filled, the Prothonotary's Office does not have enough staff to handle the passport service, Vaughn has said.

The commissioners say they won't fill the position until a study is completed, which will look at the staffing needs of the Prothonotary's Office.

The study will compare the workloads and staff levels in the prothonotary's office to other prothonotaries' offices, the commissioners say. The study will also look at whether Vaughn has taken measures to make her office run as efficiently as possible, so that the commissioners will know if she really needs additional staff, McLinko said.

He said the study is justified because the budget for the Bradford County Prothonotary's Office is "already a lot more than at other prothonotaries' offices" in other Sixth-Class counties, McLinko said. And, at the same time, a lot of prothonotaries' offices don't have as many staff as the Bradford County Prothonotary's Office does, he said.

The commissioners say they have hired former Bradford County Prothonotary Wanda Fulkrod, who currently serves as a consultant to prothonotaries' offices and clerks of courts, to conduct the study.

However, since Fulkrod was hired in February, she has not been able to do much work on the study, because Vaughn has not allowed Fulkrod to go into the Bradford County Prothonotary's Office to conduct the study, McLinko said.

Fulkrod was to be paid $50 per hour to conduct the study, Vaughn said.

With the study unable to move forward, the commissioners are now trying to see if the Bradford County Commissioners Office, which is also located in the courthouse, could provide the passport application service, McLinko said.

"We decided we'll just do it ourselves, because it is that important," McLinko said.

The commissioners believe their office can offer the service without adding any additional staff, McLinko said.

McLinko said he has been in contact with Linda Schaidt of the U.S. passport agency to try to arrange for the commissioners' office to provide the service.

Schaidt is not aware of other county commissioners' offices offering a passport service, but said she would find out if it was allowable to have the passport service resume at the Bradford County Commissioners' Office, McLinko said.

The Bradford County commissioners are now waiting to hear back from Schaidt, he said.

Vaughn said her solicitor, Frank Niemiec, advised her to not allow Fulkrod to conduct the study in her office, because it would be "very discriminatory."

The commissioners are not undertaking similar studies in other offices in the courthouse, she explained.

She also said it is unfair for the commissioners to not replace the staff person she lost.

"I don't think any of the other prothonotaries' offices have lost staff," Vaughn said. "And I don't think any other office in the courthouse has lost staff."

Vaughn has said that her office is not required to offer the passport service.

Vaughn said that if the Bradford County Commissioners' Office is not allowed by the federal government to provide a passport service, the service might be established at the post office in Towanda. The Towanda post office is interested in starting a passport application service, Vaughn said.

WYALUSING -

We'll get 'em next year!"

The saying from the world of sports was the motto of the Wyalusing Class of 2014. It's a saying you can take different ways, but in the end it will mean one thing for this group of ambitious young men and women: They will dream. They will have enthusiasm. They will work hard ... and they will triumph.

That future was easy to see at the 2014 graduation at Wyalusing Valley High School on Thursday, when more than 90 seniors put on green and gold caps and gowns and received diplomas.

Before the ceremony, they gathered in the high school cafeteria and auditorium. Some talked about their "next years."

"I think that was their way of sort of trying to rationalize their struggle," English teacher Dave Holdredge said of the motto. For example, some took difficult college prep classes. In the end, "they did very well," but the studies seemed tough at the time.

One student had surgery, valedictorian Anna-Sophie Poost noted. And class Vice-President Damien Wickizer thought some had worried they wouldn't make it to graduation.

But Anna-Sophie, or "Sophie," as they call her, believes the motto is also about resilience. "I think it's just that we've got a lot ahead of us," salutatorian Sarah LaFrance said.

"It's time to spread our wings and go on to a new journey in life," Class Vice President Damien Walker explained.

For Connor Dietz, that means going to Lock Haven University to study secondary education (social studies and special education). For Ben Shoemaker, it's learning about gaming design at the Art Institute of York. For Mitch Epler, the Air Force, and for Kayla Fassett, the work force. For Gwen Kettenburg?

Penn State to major in biology. "She's worked hard for it!" her mom, Erin, said in the gym just before the program.

And then - there they were, marching in, straight toward their futures.

The Layman Gymnasium was crammed full of friends and family, excited about their grads and the "next years" they plan. Its walls bloomed with green and gold sports banners, won by teams through the years - teams that believed in "next year."

And a table up front held stacks of green diplomas tied in gold ribbon - their key to those "next years."

During the program Dr. Chester Mummau, district superintendent, shared statistics about the Class of 2014 and what its members are doing next: of the 96 graduates, 63 plan to attend college, five are going into the military, 17 will join the work force and 11 are undecided. Of those going to college, 46 are attending four-year schools; six, two-year; and 11, career and technology centers.

The most popular schools are: Mansfield University, with eight attending; Penn State, seven; Bloomsburg, six; Penn Tech, five; and Lock Haven, four.

Five plan to join the military - two the Air Force, two the Army and one the Marines. Mummau invited the audience to honor these five students, who stood. The audience applauded - and gave them a standing ovation.

Students with the top 10 grade-point averages were: Sophie Poost, Sarah LaFrance, Christina Jackson, Alicia Tewksbury, Damien Wickizer, Cody Sprague, Brittany Smith, Ciera Holland, Megan Raymond and Monica Black. Top students in various concentrations were: academic, Sophie Poost; general, Monica Black; career and technology, Jake Minturn; and business, Alicia Tewksbury.

In their addresses, the three student speakers discussed those "next years."

Damien welcomed the guests, speaking of dreams and how family and friends have supported the grads and helped those dreams come true.

"Now it's like kindergarten all over again and the start of something new. ... Whatever the future holds for us, we must go at it dreamin' big and hoping for the best. Hey, make your life like Disneyland, 'The Place Where Dreams Come True.'

Damien concluded: "I would like to quote the great John Lennon, 'You may say I'm a dreamer, but I'm not the only one.' And as you all can see, there are many up here, and wish them all the best."

He wished everyone a "good, good, good night" and added "I hope you will remember to dream big or go home!"

Damien's parents are Jason and Kim Wickizer of Laceyville. He plans to attend Mansfield and major in music education.

Sophie's parents are Elaine and Christopher Poost of Herrickville. She will attend Elmira College to study biochemistry.

In her speech, Sophie said high school had been a lot like a TV series.

"In seventh grade, on the first day of school, when you walk into your homeroom, it's kind of scary.

You don't know what to expect. ..." But it turned out OK. "You watched the pilot episode and it left you wanting more. ...

"Some days, like some seasons, were fantastic - they made you laugh, they made you cry, and you felt like you were connected. In 'The Office,' this would be the episodes where Jim and Pam got married or when Michael leaves. ... These are the days you always remember, like that time someone accidentally mispronounced chicken fa-HE-ta on the announcements. ...

"Unfortunately there are bad episodes too, times when you want to give up, throw the towel in, because it just isn't fun anymore." Those, she explained, are the days when someone helps you and you grow.

"Senior year was the farewell season, and tonight, graduation, is the final episode." Now, she said, they will go out to live their lives. "But, unlike television, you can't go back and watch old reruns, and you will miss it."

Anna-Sophie encouraged her classmates to thank those around them for their support. "You will be surprised at how wonderful it feels to tell people just how much they mean to you and you will realize who it is you have become through this journey. You have become you."

In her salutatorian speech, Sarah said "'enthusiasm' is one of my favorite words. Enthusiasm is what I feel really drives me in my life."

She admitted not feeling old enough to graduate - "Wasn't it only yesterday that we were junior high students?" But those around the grads have been preparing them for it. "My parents have equipped me with humility, confidence and a passion and enthusiasm for life that I know will be great assets for me in the struggles I face throughout my life. ... I learned from my parents that I can do anything I put my mind to."

Friends, too, "are also a part of this armor," Sarah said. They stand by and teach one another.

"Our teachers have contributed to this armor as well," she noted. Sarah told of her advanced calculus teacher, Mr. Phillips. "Calculus is a process," he told his class. Sarah started writing that phrase in her notes. Eventually she realized: "There are many little processes that make up the journey of our lives. I learned from calculus that when you get into a jam sometimes all you can do is try. ...

"Just give it your best shot," she encouraged. And someone may help you.

"We will continue to acquire armor all our lives," Sarah concluded. Today, she does not feel so unprepared. She hoped her classmates will use the tools they've been given - and add a little enthusiasm.

What does "next year" mean to Sarah? Attending Mansfield to study environmental science.

Sophie did double duty - besides being valedictorian, she was also class president and gave the farewell.

In her second speech, she spoke of the community's support - and that motto. The class has had challenges along the way. "But every time we get the wind knocked out of us, we stand back up, we dust ourselves off, and we prepare for next year. We give it the old Class of 2014 try, because we know that when given the chance to do it again, we can do it better, we will get them next year."

As students received diplomas from school board members and Assistant Principal Larry Roberts, Principal Gary Otis read their names, parents' names and future plans - those "next years."

And the Class of 2014 plans all kinds. Nursing, marketing and dance, occupational therapy, health science/radiation therapy, sports administration. Equine instruction and training. Business, and fashion merchandising. Heavy machine operating and cosmetology. Flute performance. Pediatric nursing. Physics and anatomy. Surveying. Criminal justice. Psychology. Natural gas engineering. Screenwriting.

And more, much more.

The evening also included music by the Early Morning Jazz group, Senior Choral Ensemble and high school band; an invocation by Pastor Richard Card; a benediction by Pastor David Dewing; and flag salute led by Dustin Bahl and Kevin Gibbs.

And in the end, the young grads tossed their caps, grasped their diplomas and marched down the aisle, under a white arch and out to their futures.

To "get 'em next year."

Local Brief

Tax deadline is June 30

The Bradford County Tax Claim Bureau reminds delinquent taxpayers that June 30, 2014 is the cut-off date to have the 2012 taxes paid in full to avoid advertising, posting and personal service. All costs associated with such action will be applied to the amount already due. All payments must be made in the form of cash, certified check or money order. The Tax Claim Bureau hours are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. Payoffs may be obtained by calling the Bureau of 570-265-1700.

Submitted by Becky Clark, Bradford County Treasurer.

TOWANDA - A Towanda man recently purchased the 23-room Bradford Inn, located at 8 State St., Towanda.

Brad Fulmer of Towanda recently bought the Bradford Inn from Mike and Kelly Flynn of Wysox Township, according to records in the Bradford County Assessment Office.

Fulmer said he and his wife, Bambi, also purchased the State Street Salon, which is a full-service salon located in a room inside the inn.

Purchasing the inn and the salon "was a dream of ours," Fulmer said.

"We've always wanted to own our own business," he said.

And buying the inn was also made as "an investment," he added.

Fulmer has a bachelor's degree in business management from Mansfield University. He said he used to help run Fulmer Brothers Tire Service in Wysox Township, which is owned by his parents, Larry and Vickie Fulmer, and his aunt and uncle, Bob and Vicki Fulmer.

Owning a motel or inn almost runs in Brad Fulmer's family.

Brad Fulmer's parents and his uncle and aunt also own the Comfort Inn in Wysox Township and the RiverStone Inn in Wysox Township.

Brad Fulmer said that he and his wife are involved in managing the Bradford Inn.

Brad Fulmer said that he and his wife are expanding the services offered by the State Street Salon by adding spray tanning and pedicures. A second room is being added to the salon, where spray tanning and pedicures will take place, said Bambi Fulmer's sister, Fawn Vanderpool, who works at the inn.

The salon, which serves women, men and children, offers haircuts, hair coloring, hair extensions, perms, facial waxing, keratin treatments, shellac manicures, basic manicures, facials and more.

"Everything we do (at the salon) can be organic," such as hair coloring and perms, Vanderpool said.

The inn features a banquet room that seats up to 50 people, with overflow seating available for an additional 25 to 30 people in the adjacent breakfast room, the Fulmers said.

The banquet room is available for conferences, baby showers, bridal showers, wedding rehearsal dinners and other events.

An on-site catering service, which uses a kitchen in the main building, is available for events held at the inn, the Fulmers said.

A lot of people don't realize that the Bradford Inn consists of three buildings on the same property, including the 12-room main building, the 9-room Guest House, and the 2-room Carriage House, Fawn Vanderpool said.

All three buildings have washers and dryers, kitchens, and living room areas.

All rooms have free wireless Internet, and there is off-street parking for all guests.

James Loewenstein can be reached at (570) 265-1633; or email: jloewenstein@thedailyreview.com.

Two men accused of robbing an East Smithfield bank in May waived their preliminary hearings this week in district court.

Chaz Jordan Talada, 18, of Columbia Cross Roads, and Zachary Chance Etka, 23, of Midlothian, Va., remain in the Bradford County Correctional Facility in lieu of $400,000 bail apiece.

Etka and Talada both face several charges in relation to a May 19 armed robbery at the East Smithfield branch of Citizens and Northern Bank, where police said the two made off with $3,342 in cash.

Police charged Talada with one count each of robbery, theft by unlawful taking, receiving stolen property and disorderly conduct and two counts each of terroristic threats, unlawful restraint, simple assault and recklessly endangering another person, according to criminal complaints filed by state police with the court.

Police charged Etka with one count each of criminal conspiracy to commit robbery, criminal conspiracy to commit theft by unlawful taking and receiving stolen property and two counts each of criminal conspiracy to commit terroristic threats, criminal conspiracy to commit unlawful restraint, criminal conspiracy to commit simple assault and criminal conspiracy to commit recklessly endangering another person, according to the complaint.

Police said Talada walked into the bank at around 1 p.m. May 19, brandishing a handgun, and demanded money from tellers. According to police, Talada held a backpack in his left hand and a gun later found to be a pellet gun in his right hand.

Bank employees told police that they handed over $2,413 from one drawer and $935 from another, police said.

Talada then fled west on Springfield Road, driving a green Subaru with Etka as his passenger, police said. A New York state trooper located the vehicle at about 1:40 p.m. in the parking lot of the Dandy Mini Mart on Berwick Turnpike in Ridgebury Township, police said.

Police then placed Etka and Talada into custody without incident, and the two admitted their involvement in the robbery, police said. Officers searched the vehicle and recovered the money and handgun, according to police.

Amanda Renko can be reached at (570) 888-9652; or email: arenko@thedailyreview.com.