THURSDAY, JANUARY 12, 2023 • Volume 42 – No. 20 (USPS 277440) ©2023, THE JOURNAL-HERALD. All Rights Reserved
CONTINUING: THE WHITE HAVEN JOURNAL ESTABLISHED 1879–144th YEAR, NO. 7
CONTINUING: THE WEATHERLY HERALD ESTABLISHED 1880–143rd YEAR, NO. 33
White Haven Borough council adopted a budget that included a 2.5 mill tax increase but eliminated residental garbage fees at its December 19 meeting.
an individual basis with those who want sign on. If more are interested than the current contract will allow, adjustments can be considered when a new contract goes out to bid.
of $23,618.28
by Mark Peterson
For people who wanted to own a historic piece of skiing memorabilia, the sale of ski lift chairs at Jack Frost and Big Boulder (JFBB) was an opportunity not to be missed.
In December of 2021
an announcement was made, that between the two ski areas, there would be an upgrade of five new chairlifts. At Big Boulder, Merry Widow double chair lifts I and II, and Edelweiss triple chair lift were replaced with four-person quads. At Jack Frost, three new fixed grip quads replaced East 1 & 2 doubles, B & C lifts, and E & F lifts.
The new chairlifts are expected to improve safety and reduce wait time in the lift lines. In addition to the benefits of new chair lifts, there are the addition of four new trails at Big Boulder this season. According to General Manager Trent Poole: “Two of the trails will be skiways to the left and right of the new lift, one will be a new
groomed intermediate trail and then another that will run under the old Merry Widow lift line.”
But what to do with all the lift chairs from the now defunct systems? JFBB decided to sell them at the reduced price of $150 per chair to employees before making them available to the public through online auction on September 9.Once the JFBB team members staked their claims, chairs were sold for prices that ranged from $200 to $425, with all proceeds going to benefit the Epic Promise Foundation, Lake Harmony Volunteer Fire Company, and the Lake Harmony Rescue Squad in equal measure.
The $973,877 general fund budget and $8,132 liquid fuels budget were approved on a 5-1 vote, with council member Charlie Best, John Klem, Bob Lamson, Zane Writer, and John Zugarek in favor; Harvey Morrison opposed; and Mike D’Agostino absent. Morrison also voted against the tax ordinance and the resolution setting wages and pay rates.
Linda Miller, president of the Greater White Haven Chamber of Commerce, asked how commercial properties would transition to the new system.
Manager Linda Sozke said that after January 1, no residents will get a garbage bill. Commercial establishments that are not on White Haven garbage pickup may contact her. The borough will have to see how much is allotted for in their contract with the hauler. If room in the contract is available, she will discuss the process on
Engineer Don Totino reported the sign for Route 940 has been designed, and will be provided to the borough and the Chamber. Construction will take place in the spring. Costs of approximately $5,000 will be split between the Chamber, borough and Lions Club. The borough has to make the application to PennDOT for a permit, so will cover those costs. The Lions will donate funds, and the Chamber will provide materials and labor. Individual businesses will pay a fee to be listed on the sign directing people to the business district when they exit the new D&L Trail parking lot off Route 940.
Council voted to hire Moore & Associates to provide the 2022 audit for $7,500.
Council will continue to meet on the fourth Monday of each month at 7 p.m..
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(JAY E. HOLDER, Co-Publisher 1954-1997; CLARA HOLDER, Co-Publisher 1954-2014) Seth Isenberg, Advertising Sales Ruth Isenberg, Editor Steve Stallone, Sports Editor
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From The Journal-Herald January 14, 1993 Editors & Publishers Jay and Clara Holder
The Weatherly Winter Carnival in Eurana Park is Saturday staring at 2. There will be food and crafts stands, a raffle, a soup contest and then a bonfire of discarded Christmas trees at dusk on the ballfield. Hayrides are planned. The Winter Carnival is sponsored by the Weatherly Area Merchants Association, to raise money toward the June 1993 Carbon County Sesquicentennial Parade.
It’s a new year, with a new governor in Josh Shapiro, and a new state representative in Mike Cabell for us to get familiar with. We’re now served by a different senator, David Argall. Governor Shapiro, representative Cabell and senator Argall can help with the White Haven Center, which survived the previous administration and should now get a new, clearheaded look at what role the Center can play in offering care to the severely handicapped.
Old biases can be swept away, and fresh eyes can be assembled to find new answers. Ideally, the White Haven Center can remain and add people to care for. Ideally, instead of starving the Center of resources, funding would flow to show what modern care can offer to ALL the individuals who need it. The welcome mat can again be put out and the White Haven caring team can be rebuilt.
Letters to the Editor are welcome on any subject. They may be mailed to 211 Main Street, White Haven PA 18661 or e-mailed to journalnews@pa.metrocast.net. Letters must include a signature, which will be published, and a phone number for verification purposes, which will not. Topics of local interest are preferred, and form letters will not be published. Perference will be given to letters sent exclusively to this publication. Letters should be no longer than 300 words. The Editor reserves the right to edit for clarity. Letters which could be considered libel will not be published, nor will personal attacks.
EditorialLast Saturday, the White Haven Municipal Authority started to switch on the new standpipe, and off of the Linesville Reservoir and major water line breaks occurred. The system was switched back to Linesville on Sunday. It’s been back and forth since then. Reports were that “quite a few residential customers were also affected by the pressure increase.”
East Side council member Todd Wood submitted a letter of resignation as he is moving to Harrisburg.
The Crestwood School Board will meet in White Haven on Thursday, January 28 (1993) at the Community Building on Main Street for a “board/community informational meeting.”
Navy Seaman recruit Brian Ladner, son of Harold and Lorraine Ladner of RR1, White Haven, recently completed basic training at Great Lakes, Ill. Studies
include seamanship, close order drill, naval history, and first aid.
Lynn Carter, a registered nurse for 11 years at WilkesBarre General Hospital, has been honored with the Award for Excellence in nursing practice by the Zeta Tsi chapter of the International Honor Society of Nurses. Her husband, Larry, is the son of Mildred and Tom Carter of Penn Lake.
The Weatherly Lions Club presented Tweedle Park with $500 towards their furnace replacement fund.
Weatherly borough hired Christopher Bayzick as a full time officer on Monday. At their council meeting, Knepper Sanitation was voted to be the trash hauler on a three-year contract, replacing Motto Disposal who had served the borough for 12 years.
Sunday was an exciting day for White Haven Youth Basketball, wrote Ed Gower, “as both games went down to the wire, each ending in two point margins. It was Hanna’s Ugly Mug over Suitch Insurance 22-20, and Lehman’s Funeral Home over the Lions 20-18. In the Lehman game, Mike Demars had 7 points and Danielle Chmielinski 6, John Holquin and Gene Horn 4 points each. Jeff Hartley led the Lions scoring with 15, while Larry DeCandia added 3.
The Lehman team leads the standings with a record of 6-0.
The Marian Colts’ boys basketball improved to 7-1 under their new coach. Marian beat the Wreckers
last Tuesday 71-63. The Weatherly boys went on later in the week to beat Jim Thorpe 61-58, “thrilling the home crowd.”
The Lady Wreckers hosted Jim Thorpe on Thursday, and defeated them 64 to 39
The annual semi-formal for Weatherly Area High School will be held February 13 at the L&L Fire House.
Lazzari Pizza (at the Turnpike) celebrated its first anniversary.
Hanna’s Ugly Mug offered a free half-time buffet during the Super Bowl.
Ruth wrote a review of the Sunday brunch at the Ivanhoe Restaurant in Drums a buffet for just $5.95 each.
From The Journal January 14, 1943
Publisher W. C. Taylor (Ice) skating on the upper pool is said to be fair.
Raymond Clymer was chosen as the new Fire Chief.
Auto driving at night is so rare that it now attracts attention.
Miss Betty Schafer, a teacher in our public school, has been granted a leave to join the WAVES.
GARDENS FOR VICTORY “Folks who have open sunny spaces and fertile soil… will be asked to grow all the vegetables the can… Our armed forces and allies have already spoken for half of our 1943 output of canned vegetables.”
NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN THAT on Wednesday, February 1, 2023 at the Packer Township Municipal Building, 2234 Hudson Drive, Weatherly, PA 18255 the Packer Township Zoning Hearing Board will hold their re-organizational meeting for 2023 at 5:45 P.M. .
Stephanie Stolpe SecretaryZoning
Hearing BoardPacker Township
NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that Letters Testamentary have been granted to Melissa Gottstein, of Rock Glen, Pennsylvania in the Estate NANCY E. GIBBONS late of Sugar Notch, Pennsylvania, who died on November 9, 2022. All persons indebted to said Estate are requested to make payment and those having claims or demands to present the same without delay to the Executrix named or to:
Conrad A. Falvello, Esquire
THE FALVELLO LAW FIRM, P.C.
641 State Route 93 Sugarloaf, PA 18249 1/26
NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that on November 17, 2022, the Board of Supervisors of Penn Forest Township, Carbon County, Pennsylvania adopted Ordinance No. 1 of 2022 entitled “An Amendment to the Penn Forest Township Zoning Ordinance Text and Map to Establish a New C-1A Zoning District and to Locate the District South of Pa. Route 903 in the Vicinity of the Northeast Extension of the Pennsylvania Turnpike, and to Establish New Regulations for Warehousing, Storage, Distribution Center and Trucking Company Terminal Uses.” A brief statement of the general content of this Ordinance is as follows:
The Amendment would revise definitions and regulations for warehouses, storage uses, distribution centers and trucking company terminals. The Amendment would also create a new C-1A zoning district that would include lands southwest of the Route 903/Turnpike interchange and the Turnpike commercial rest stop.
Warehousing, Storage, Distribution Center or Trucking Company Terminal (“Warehouse or Storage”) as a principal use having 100,000 or more square feet of total floor area per lot shall only be allowed as a conditional use in the I-Industrial district; and, Warehouse or Storage having 25,000 – 99,999 square feet of total floor area per lot shall only be allowed as a conditional use in the C-1A and I-Industrial district; and, Warehouse or Storage having 24,999 square feet or less of total floor area per lot shall be allowed in the C-1A and I-Industrial districts as a use permitted by right.
The Amendment also includes specific requirements addressing, amongst other things, traffic studies, noise, lighting, landscaped berming, and wider buffer yard requirements.
The full text of this Ordinance
may be reviewed by members of the public at the Penn Forest Township Municipal Building, Monday through Friday, between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. The address of the Penn Forest Township Municipal Building is 2010 State Route 903, Jim Thorpe, PA 18229.
This publication is intended to provide notification of an ordinance and that any person claiming a right to challenge the validity of the ordinance must bring a legal action within thirty (30) days of the publication of the second notice.
DANA VITALE TOWNSHIP SECRETARY PENN FOREST TOWNSHIP 2010 STATE ROUTE 903 JIM THORPE, PA 18229
THOMAS S. NANOVIC, ESQUIRE TOWNSHIP SOLICITOR 57 BROADWAY JIM THORPE, PA 18229 1/12
NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN THAT there will be a Meeting of the Packer Township Hearing Board on Wednesday, February 1, 2023 at 6:00 P.M. at the Packer Township Municipal Building, 2234 Hudson Drive, Weatherly, PA 18255 to hear the following new application:
Sampler Property Management, LLC, 1458 Hudson Drive, Weatherly, PA 18255, seeks to expand the use of the property pursuant to Section 906 of the Ordinance for property Parcel Number is 112-45-A40.
The property is in a R-1 Single-Family Residential District. BY ORDER OF:
Gregory L. Mousseau, Esquire Solicitor for Penn Forest Township 331 Center Street
Jim Thorpe, PA 18229 1/19
ESTATE of LEWIS M. GULLONE, deceased, late of San Diego, California.
LETTERS OF ADMINISTRATION have been granted to the undersigned who request all persons having claims or demands against the estate of said decedent to make know the same and all persons indebted to the decedent to make payments, without delay, to the Administrator: Lewis M. Gullone, Jr. 618 Centre Avenue Jim Thorpe, Pennsylvania, 18229
or to his Attorney: Robert T. Yurchak, Esquire 1 East Catawissa Street Nesquehoning, PA 18240 1/19
The January Food Distribution at the Weatherly Shepherd House will be on Saturday, January 28 at Zion’s Lutheran Church, 335 Third Street, from 10 a.m. to noon. Food distribution will be from the side door of the church on Fell Street.
If you have an emergency and need food before this date, contact Charlie Hettler at 570-427-8981. If there is no answer, leave your name and phone number and he will get back to you.
Upcoming food distribution dates are February 25 and March 25.
207th Legislative Session of the General Assembly of Pennsylvania.
Rep. Doyle Heffley (R-Carbon) took the oath of office Tuesday to begin his latest term in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives.
“The coming legislative session is sure to present challenges and opportunities, as we navigate through divided control between Democrats and Republicans in the House. My priority is to always do my best to represent the shared values of the residents of Carbon County, and I humbly thank the voters for their support and confidence in me,” Heffley said.
The Journal-Herald is for sale at: White Haven Market, Fuel-On, and White Haven Exxon in White Haven, Wawa at the Turnpike in Kidder, Weasel’s in Dennison, and TJ’s One Stop in Weatherly.
Martha P. Richmond, 93, of Mountaintop, passed away peacefully on January 2, 2023. Martha was born in WilkesBarre Township on February 15, 1929 and was the daughter of the late Frank and Sophia Zabowski. She was a graduate of Wilkes-Barre Township High School.
Martha married Daniel L. Richmond on January 12, 1952. Together, they raised three daughters. Martha was a devoted housewife and enjoyed playing cards, tennis, and bowling, as well as traveling, reading, shopping, and speed-walking. She also loved taking trips to the
casino, playing the lottery, and watching the Golden Girls and game shows on television. However, her greatest joy in life was being a loving grandmother to Christian Chwiej, Neil Martinchek (Alexis), Daniel Marotta, and Gabrielle Marotta, as well as a great-grandmother to Liam, Alayna, and Hayden Martinchek.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Daniel; her infant son, Daniel; granddaughter, Leigh Martinchek, brother, Frank Zabowski; and sisters, Anna DeMuro, Irene Sorber, Julie Davies, Mary Lumbis, and Celia McGroarty.
Martha is survived by her daughters, Denise Chwiej (Jan), Larksville; June Martinchek (James), Mountaintop; and Jill Marotta (Jay), White Haven.
Monsignor Arthur J. Kaschenbach, Pastor Emeritus of St. Mary of the Mount, Mt. Pocono, died on the 3rd day of January, 2023.
his first pastorate at St. Ann, Tobyhanna where he served until 1977.
A Branch of Holmes – Griffiths F.H., Inc.
211 First Street, Weatherly, PA 18255 570-427-4231
E Franklin Griffiths III F D
Philip J Jeffries F D /Supervisor www griffithsfuneralhomes com
A new approach to funeral and cremation care Looking forward to serving White Haven, Dennison, Lehigh, and Foster Townships All arrangements and consultations from the comfort of your home Guiding families through difficult times.
Martha’s family will be planning a private ceremony in accordance with her wishes. They would like to send a heartfelt thank you to the staff at Smith Healthcare in Mountaintop and Allied Services Hospice in Wilkes-Barre.
Arrangements by Lehman Family Funeral Service, Inc.
Monsignor Kaschenbach, the only child of the late Arthur Henry Kaschenbach and Kathleen Marie (Phillips) Kaschenbach, was born in Wilkes Barre, on October 18, 1926. He received his early education at St. Mary’s Elementary and St. Mary’s High School in Wilkes Barre. Monsignor entered St. Charles College, Catonsville, Maryland and completed his studies for the priesthood at St. Mary’s Seminary, Baltimore, Maryland. He received a Licentiate of Sacred Theology in June of 1951. Monsignor Kaschenbach was ordained to the priesthood on May 19, 1951 by Most Reverend William Joseph Hafey, D.D., late Bishop of Scranton.
Monsignor Kaschenbach served as assistant pastor at St. Peter’s Cathedral, Scranton from 1951 to 1968 when he was appointed administrator of St. Patrick, White Haven. In 1973, Monsignor was assigned
White Haven, PA PATRICK M LEHMAN, PRESIDENT RUSSELL C TETER, JR , SUPERVISOR
Ser ving White Haven, Weatherly and surrounding communities www.LehmanFuneralHome.com
Branch of Lehman Family Funeral Ser vice, Inc (570) 443-9816
Monsignor was assigned his second pastorate at St. Mary of the Mount, Mount Pocono in 1977 where he remained until his retirement and appointment as Pastor Emeritus in 2006.
Monsignor Kaschenbach resided in the Hazleton area for most of his retirement and was of great ministerial assistance to the parishes in this area. He was also a gracious host and cook in the rectories where he lived.
Monsignor Kaschenbach was named a prelate of honor by Pope Saint John Paul II on November 2, 1978 and given the title Monsignor.
In addition to his parochial duties, Monsignor also served as director of the League of the Sacred
Heart from 1955 until 1991; Region V Chairman: “Follow Christ”; Office of Religious Education Regional Director; and Dean of Monroe County.
Father celebrated the 60th Anniversary of his Ordination in 2011 with a Pontifical Mass Celebrated by Most Reverend Joseph F. Martino, D.D., Hist. E.D., bishop Emeritus of Scranton.
A Pontifical Mass of Christian Burial was celebrated by the Most Reverend Joseph C. Bambera, D.D., J.C.L., Bishop of Scranton, on January 7, at Most Holy Trinity Parish, Cresco, with. interment in St. Mary’s Cemetery, Wilkes Barre.
All funeral arrangements are being handled by Bolock Funeral Home, Cresco.
(Never known to fail)
O most beautiful flower of Mount Carmel, Fruitful Vine Splendor of Heaven, Blessed Mother of the Son of God. Immaculate Virgin, assist me in this my necessity. O Star of the Sea, help me and show me herein you are my mother.
O Holy Mary, Mother of God, Queen of Heaven and Earth, I humbly beseech you from the bottom of my heart to succor me in this necessity; there are none that can withstand your power.
O, show me herein you are my Mother. O Mary, conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to thee. (say 3 times) Sweet Mother, I place this cause in your hands. (say 3 times) Holy Spirit, you who solve all problems, who lights all roads so that I can attain my goal. You who give me the divine gift to forgive and forget all evil against me and that in all instances of my life you are with me. I want this short prayer to thank you for all things as you confirm once again that I never want to be separated from you in eternal glory. Thank you for your mercy toward me and mine. The person must say this prayer for 3 consecutive days. After the 3rd day, the request will be granted, no matter how difficult it may be. This prayer must be published after the favor is granted. A.M.M.
Obituary Policy: The Journal-Herald does not charge for the publication of obituaries. They are treated as news articles, and edited to fit our requirements, as are all news items. Pictures may be included when available. Donations to help defray costs are welcome. Obituaries with special wording may be published as Tribute advertising, at regular rates.
Call 570-215-0204 xt2 for more information.
Joseph V. Yale, Sr., formerly of Mountain Top, passed away at Mountain View Care Center, Scranton, late Wednesday evening, January 4, 2023.
Born in Wilkes-Barre, he was the son of the late Worthy and Frances Krushinski Yale and was a graduate of Fairview High School, Class of 1951. He served his country in the United States Army during the Korean Conflict; was an avid Philadelphia Phillies and Eagles fan and admired antique cars. Joe was owner/CEO for Yale’s Bar and Restaurant, Yale’s Motel (Drums), Yale’s Beer Store and Yale’s Trucking Associates. He was a member of St. Jude’s Church.
In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his wife, Dolores J. Kellmer Yale.
Left to cherish his memory is his son, Joseph (Susan) Yale, Jr. of Danville; daughter, Joann (Charles) Gilmore of Lenhartsville;
grandchildren, Jennifer(J.P.), Eric (Carolina), Charles III, Amanda (Derek); and greatgrandchildren, Jayden, Siona Jo, Kya Lane.
Funeral service were conducted January 10, from the DesiderioLehman Funeral and Cremation, Mountain Top with a Mass of Christian Burial in St. Jude’s Church, Mountain Top. Entombment followed in Mary Mother of God Mausoleum, St. Mary’s Cemetery, Hanover Township with Military Honors.
Visit the funeral home website at www. MountainTopFH.com for additional information.
The family would like to thank LIFE Geisinger South Wilkes-Barre, Independent Life Home Care and Mountain View Care Center for the compassionate care provided to Joseph over the last several years.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions in Joseph’s name can be directed to American Legion Mountain Post 781’s Walk of Honor Project, 1550 Henry Drive, Mountain Top, PA 18707.
Robert W. Johnson, 72, of Penn Lake, passed away on Monday, January 2, 2023. Born in WilkesBarre, he was the son of the late Alfred and Marion Hangen Johnson.
Rob was a graduate of Penn State and worked as a surveyor for American Asphalt. Rob was dedicated to the Penn Lake community where he lived since childhood, serving 10 years on the council while leading multiple infrastructure improvement projects.
Rob is survived by his loving wife Rita; sons, Wyatt (Lyndsay) Johnson, John (Jennifer) Lynch, and Daniel Lynch; four grandchildren, Andrew and Emma Lynch, Harper and Hazel Johnson; two brothers, Randall and Richard Johnson; nieces and nephews.
Visit www. LehmanFuneralHome.com for additional information.
Robert Selert was elected chairman of the Packer Township Board of Supervisors at their reorganizational meeting on January 3. He was also named chairman of the township planning commission, senior citizen coordinator and pet cemetery officer, and 9-1-1 advisory representative.
Supervisor Sue Gerhard was re-elected vicechairman of the board, and an alternate member of the township planning commission. Supervisor Terry Davis was renamed township roadmaster.
Each working supervisor will be paid $15 per hour, plow truck drivers and laborers $14 per hour, the cleaning person $13 per hour, and the special police officer $9 per hour.
Stephanie Stolpe continues as township secretary-treasurer at $761.67 per month, and $35 per meeting for special supervisors’ meetings. She will also act as planning and zoning board secretary at $35 per meeting, and
open records officer at $13 per hour. She will also be paid $11 per hour for extra time.
Attorney Robert Yurchak was renamed township solicitor at $85 per hour, and attorney Gregory Mousseau as zoning board solicitor at the same rate. The engineering firm of Barry Isett and Associates was named township code enforcement officer, zoning officer and building code official, and floodplain manager. Each of the three positions will pay the firm $85 per hour.
The planning commission members will be paid $35 per meeting. Supervisors appointed Brad Bittner to a four-year term on the board. The rest of the board are Colleen Gerhard, Selert, and Sue Gerhard.
Zoning hearing board members will be paid $35 per hour as well. Tony Caso was reappointed to a new, four-year term, joining Barbara Genetti and Neil Craig. There is no alternate to the zoning board yet.
Caso was also appointed to the Uniform Construction Code Board of Appeals.
Paul Bray will continue to serve as Emergency Management coordinator. Michelle Selert was named 9-1-1 advisory representative alternate.
Truist Bank was named depository for general and township park funds, and the Pennsylvania Local Government Investment Trust was named as depository for special, state and garbage funds.
The proud new owners of local history were allotted two weekends to collect the chairs. People picking up chairs had to be ready to haul an item that weighs anywhere from 150-200 pounds, around 8 feet tall and 4 to 5+ feet wide. Everyone who picked up a chair used either a pickup truck or a trailer and was required to bring someone to help them to help take it out of the ski area.
You will be able to find one of these historic lift chairs at Peterson’s Ski and Cycle in Blakeslee this ski season. Our chair is from one of the Merry Widow lifts at Big Boulder.
I remember when you had to take a T-Bar to get up to
the top of Merry Widow ski slope. I thought it was fun, almost like doubling your ski time, since you had to ride up on your skis, then ski down. You could also get off the T-Bar halfway if you didn’t want to go all the way to the top.
But progress is good, and the double chair lifts that replaced the T-Bar meant you didn’t have to wait as long to get in your next run. Now it will be even better.
As a result of the auction, both the Lake Harmony Rescue Squad and the Lake Harmony Volunteer Fire Company received checks of $23,681.28. The same amount went to the Epic Promise Foundation, which supports Vail Resorts employees and their dependents in times of need through emergency financial assistance and educational grants.
by Seth Isenberg
Kidder supervisors wrapped up their December 27 regular meeting in under 15 minutes.
The 2023 Kidder budget of $2,293,747 was approved, keeping the tax rate the same at 3.65 mills for general purposes, 2 mills for the fire companies (split between the two), and 1.3 mills for the ambulance squad. There is also a local services fee of $52, of which $5 goes to either the Jim Thorpe or Weatherly Area School Districts. The Earned Income Tax remains at 1% and so does the Real Estate Transfer Tax – both shared .5% with either school district.
Other fees are a $50 mechanical device tax per machine, and an amusement tax of 4% - with golf at 4% of 40%.
Supervisors approved a request from Golden Oaks Village to have PPL install a streetlight at the pole on Route 940 at Live Oak Drive. The request was then forwarded to PPL. The new light will add $15 per month to the township’s PPL bill.
Bills of $319,237 were approved. Of note are $127,604 to the Lake Harmony Rescue Squad towards operations; $67,241 for taxes, insurances, pension payments, tax collections and PPL; $34,130 to In-Synch Systems; $28,589 to County Waste
for trash collection; $23,285 for a payment on the newest police vehicle; $7,860 for supplies for roads from Interstate Safety Service; $6,891 for emergency services; and $3,890 for propane, gasoline and diesel fuel from Suburban Propane.
Kirk, Summa & Co. (CPAs) was approved to provide the audit of the township’s books from 2022.
The meeting wrapped up with a wish of Happy Holidays from township manager Suzanne Brooks. There was a short reorganization meeting for supervisors to be held on January 3. The next regular meeting will be January 24 starting at 7 p.m.
I spent most of last week making plans to attend the PA Farm Show on Saturday. A wrinkle was that Ruth had a cold, but she seemed to be mostly over it by the end of the week.
We were OK to attend the Penguins hockey match vs the Checkers on Wednesday night, a good solid game ending with a win for our increasingly younger hockey team. The Penguins have lost some veterans to call-ups, and we’re getting some of the Wheeling Nailers’ best. The goalie for this game was
Taylor Gauthier, 21, in net because one of the call-ups was our top goalie. It is fun to see rookies with talent.
But then Thursday I started to feel unwell. I was able to work so thought I’d be OK. And I was no better Friday, but I still had hopes. Those were dashed on Saturday morning, when I woke up full-blown sick. We managed to trundle off to a walk-in clinic to get checked for Covid and flu and get prescribed medicines.
Instead of displays and critters and contests
by Seth IsenbergI listened to music and watched YouTube videos, then turned in. Among the various YouTube discoveries was a sci-fi series Andromeda, from the early 2000s, and musically, a fantastic Swiss yodeler Melanie Oesch, and her family.
Sunday was a bit hard, but the medicines were beginning to battle. I spent another day inside, and so too on Monday. The cold was beginning to recede as the day went on.
Tuesday morning I had mainly a head cold, with stuffiness, along with the results from the Covid/flu test negative and negative.
There’s not many sightings to be done from inside the house, other than a few birds passing by the window. Ruth did get out and reported some deer that sped across her path.
On a Tuesday errand, Ruth and I sighted a puppy greeting its kids (and others) as the Crestwood school bus arrived.
On my ride into work on Tuesday I spotted evidence of a bear being awake in the newly shredded bark of a tree that had come down just recently. We speculated that the bear might still have been sleepy.
It was nice to have a little warm weather to balance out that severely cold stretch of December. I’m sure all of our pocketbooks were better for the higher temperatures.
I truly appreciated that it stayed warm enough to melt a very thick cover of ice that had taken over a part of our sidewalk. It was something that had never happened since we owned the house. It was
warm enough long enough for the ice to disappear.
I now have a goodly stash of ice melts and am ready for the next onslaught. No onslaught appears in the forecast as far as I can see.
I missed both Penguins game this weekend due to being sick. We watched via AHL-TV, but it’s not the same. Our players need to shoot more and more of those shots need to find the back of the net.
The Eagles are tops for the NFC playoffs, and now need to rest in order to play well when they get back on the field in two weeks. The Buccaneers are in a win-or go home game, and we’ll see which Tom Brady shows up. Congrats to Jacksonville’s Jags for their great comeback, and good luck during playoffs. More good luck sent to San Fran’s 49ers who are my dad’s cheering interest.
A big hoo-rah to the South Dakota State U’s Jackrabbits football team who put on a show in the FCS Championship game this weekend, beating North Dakota State handily 45-21 in front of a full house in Frisco Texas. That ‘other’ championship game of Georgia vs. TCU was a dud, though kudos to Georgia. (Penn State’s Rose Bowl win was far more exciting.)
With football done, attention turns to basketball (and hockey). The UConn Lady Huskies couldn’t field enough players for a game this weekend so it was postponed. They will play this Wednesday, with co-head coach Chris Dailey directing. She’s undefeated so far (17-0) when she coaches alone. The Huskies are getting healthier, and
developing new talent while waiting for those on the injured list to get healthy. I’m excited for the team as they have improved without star players so…lookout Big East, and maybe the rest of the top ladies’ teams. (And best wishes for Gino Auriemma to get well.)
There are no local Penguins games this week, with the next home game next Wednesday the 18th versus the Crunch.
This weekend, as long as I’m healthy, I’ll be attending a presentation on the Lanape at the Weatherly Area Community Library on Friday evening. On Saturday, I hope to see Craig Thatcher and his friends at the Mauch Chunk Opera House. That afternoon, I’m planning to attend the Eagle Arms Show at Split Rock’s conference center to do some browsing, and more. I love seeing the antique weapons and history items. Sunday, I hope the weather is nice, as I hope to go with Ruth on a ride and a dog walk to make up for being cooped up last weekend. Alas, it looks to be another missed PA Farm Show.
On Monday we honor the Rev. Martin Luther King…by having no mail, no governments open and no banking. I plan to read some of his writings, and about his accomplishments. He is a hero.
On a final note, my surgery is postponed. Details are fuzzy but it now looks like I’ll be in next month. I’ll keep on getting ready. Here’s to a good and healthy and warm week to all.
Ready: In a report from the Government Accounting Office, recent reviews and inspections have revealed our worst nightmare; and issued the following:
“DOD needs to rebuild the readiness of the U.S. military and modernize its systems and equipment to address future threats. Two years of military size and capability reductions, as well as 19 years of conflict, have degraded U.S. military readiness. To adapt to growing threats posed by major powers (such as China and Russia) and other adversaries, the Department of Defense (DOD) must make urgent changes.”
Of all five services, only the US Marine Corps was considered combat-ready, but also added the capability of the U.S. Navy Amphibious fleet would restrict their mission. In a non-combat role, the U.S. Coast Guard was rated “Operationally ready to handle missions” throughout 2023. The Army, Navy, and Air Force/Space Force did not score well.
The Army faces challenges with staffing, repairing and modernizing equipment, and preparing its forces for potential large-scale conflicts. For instance, the Army operates large industrial depots to maintain weapon systems and equipment that lack a skilled workforce to repair and maintain these units. The Army is also responsible for developing Next Generation Combat Vehicles to provide more firepower, protection, and mobility. Plans for these tanks and other armored vehicles to prioritize rapid development are on hold, awaiting future funding, which can limit insight into potential risks.
Additionally, the Army is preparing new cyber and electronic warfare units. It activated these units at an accelerated pace and experienced considerable staffing, equipping, and
training challenges. All will directly affect the combat forces in any upcoming engagements.
The Navy has had systemic maintenance issues with every type of ship it has built—which will cost billions more to repair than expected. The poor condition of Navy shipyards and aviation maintenance facilities has impeded efficient equipment maintenance resulting in less operation and training availability. Their aircraft, surface ships, aircraft carriers, and submarines have all experienced maintenance delays.
One measure of the health and readiness of a military aircraft fleet is the mission capable rate—the percentage of total time aircraft can fly and perform at least one assignment. Navy aircraft have generally not met their goals for this rate over the last decade. Finally, the Navy has had several issues with how it trains its forces—especially the training it provides to Navy officers that drive ships now experiencing server shortages.
The Air Force has experienced several issues, including staffing. It does not have enough pilots or aircraft maintainers for its human-crewed aircraft, or enough pilots and sensor operators for its uncrewed aircraft. It has also had problems ensuring it meets its pilot training requirements. Finally, the Air Force is developing the Advanced Battle Management System—a network to connect U.S. forces during military operations across land, sea, space, and cyberspace. However, the Air Force has not developed a complete plan for this system—like identifying which technologies would be included and what it will cost.
Bad news across the board.
Veterans and citizens must all be concerned. Russia, China, and Iran are all watching closely.
American Legion Auxiliary members Carol Eroh and Betty Henry of the ALA Unit 360 in Weatherly are working to prepare cards for the veterans at the VA Hospital in WilkesBarre. Unit 360 stuffed 100 cards that contained two canteen booklets each. The cards will be delivered to the VA hospital later in January.
Chief Little Wolf (Lynn Hoffman) of Lehigh Township, Weatherly, will present a program this Friday, January 13, at 7 p.m. at the Weatherly Area Community Library. He will discuss the history of the Lanape tribe who lived in this area long before any white man set foot in North America.
Hoffman will also talk about the Delaware Indian trail that crosses this area, and the efforts of the Wyoming Trail Council to retain as much of the ancient culture of native American ancestors as possible.
This informative program is geared toward adults. Interested students are welcome as well.
Artifacts will be on display, and a question and answer period will be included in the program. Anyone interested in learning more about the cultures and traditions, ceremonies and language of the Native American people who lived and still live in northeast Pennsylvania should plan to attend.
Please sign up at the library at 1518 Brenkman Drive, or call 570-4275085 and leave a message. Advance registration is not required, but will allow the library to notify you if the program in postponed because of bad weather.
Storytime at the Weatherly Area Community Library will be this Friday, January 13, at 4:30 p.m. with stories, crafts and snacks. Please call 570-427-5085 to register.
Donna Thomas, Betty Henry, and Judy Desrosiers are finishing packing gift bags for the veterans at both Weatherwood and Heritage Hill. Thirty-four veterans each received a fleece blanket, socks, a tablet with a pen and an assorted bag of goodies. The bags were delivered prior to Christmas. Missing from the photo were Carol Eroh and Georgia Farrow.
Angelina Fewins, daughter of Girard and Laurie Fewins, Weatherly, has been named Senior of the Month for December at Weatherly Area High School.
Angelina serves as president of the Yearbook Club, and is a member of the Volleyball team, the Student Government Association, Teens Against Tobacco Use, and the Weatherly Area High School chapter of the National Honor Society.
In the community, Angelina has volunteered her time with the Weatherly Hillclimb, the Tweedle Park cleanup, and various NHS and TATU-sponsored activities. Angelina is employed by Woods Ice Cream and Harmony Beverage.
Sponsor for the month of December is Mengle Hauling Company in Weatherly.
The Bibla brothers, and the Crestwood wrestlers as a whole, sure made their presence felt at the Wyoming Valley Conference championships Sunday at Wilkes-Barre Area High School.
Sophomore Lincoln Bibla won the 189-pound title in dramatic fashion, and senior Magnus Bibla followed suit with a championship at 215,
sparking the Comets to a fourth-place finish in the team standings with 158 points.
Wyoming Valley West captured the team title with 198, beating out runner-up Pittston Area (188) and third-place Berwick (162).
Lincoln Bibla’s stunning victory in the 189-pound final was epic. He trailed Wyoming Valley West newcomer Jake Griffin 16-5
after being thrown to his back three times, but never lost the will to win.
Bibla upper-bodied Griffin, drove him to the mat, and finished off a second-period pin in 3:00 to claim his first WVC championship. He reached the final with three consecutive pins in the earlier rounds.
Lincoln’s older brother
The College Football National Championship was held on Monday and it went how most of the population thought it would. The Georgia Bulldogs beat the Texas Christian Horned Frogs and came away with their second straight title.
The fashion in which they won left college football fans wondering if TCU should have even been there in the first place. Georgia was up 38-7 at halftime, that is the second largest halftime lead in championship history. Stetson Bennett had a lot to do with the teams’ early success running for a 21-yard touchdown on the teams opening drive and also throwing for one in the same quarter. Bennett ended up throwing four touchdowns on the night and ran for two more, being named the offensive MVP.
Not only was it a great night for Bennett but a great night for the defense, only allowing TCU to rack up 188 yards of offense to Georgia’s 589. The keys in doing this were shutting down TCU’s star QB Max Duggan,
who came into the game averaging about 245 yards passing with 1/1 touchdown to interception ratio.
Duggan’s electricity came usually with his legs - in his last two games he has totaled 167 rushing yards and 3 touchdowns. In the championship, Duggan did score a rushing touchdown but totaled -38 rushing yards on the night. Duggan also only passed for 152 yards and threw two interceptions.
The night finished with Georgia’s Bennett holding the trophy with the scoreboard reading 65-7 with no TCU player left in sight.
The two big differences between these two teams were where they were ranked to begin the season, and the age of their QBs.
TCU came into the season nationally unranked after suffering a losing season with first year head coach Sonny Dykes. They turned heads winning 5 games, then beating Michigan in the first round of the playoffs.
Georgia on the other hand started the season ranked #3, fresh off of a national
championship last year. TC QB Duggan came into the year having never played in a bowl game in his three seasons of college football. He came in second in Heisman voting to Caleb Williams of USC. Duggan is 21 years-old, Bennett is 25. Bennett came into the season with his eyes on one last championship. The kid who grew up in Georgia showed the whole world on championship night what he was made of – winning the MVP of the game. His age has called for scrutiny, as he is currently older than NFL players such as Justin Herbert, Tua Tagovailoa, Trevor Lawrence, and Jalen Hurts.
A historic game for Georgia leaves fans of these teams questioning next season, as both QBs are moving onto the draft. Who will lead these headliner teams next season?
Will both of the QBs succeed in the NFL? Will Bennett’s age sway teams away from him?
followed suit in the 215pound final, where Magnus took down Valley West’s John McLaughlin in the second period before pinning him in 2:32 for his second consecutive WVC title.
Crestwood’s Santino Casarella also reached the championship finals at 133 pounds, where Wyoming Area’s Johnny Stone got an 11-5 decision and Casarella settled for silver.
An additional four Crestwood wrestlers reached the consolation final, and all four ended with fourth-place finishes.
At 114, Tunkhannock’s Taylor Daniels edged Crestwood’s Nick Webb 4-0 in their third-place match.
Wilkes-Barre Area’s Lucas Macking nipped Comets’ 145-pounder Ethan Zabroski 5-3; Dallas’ Dan Sabulski pinned Dane DiLodovido (:33 seconds) in 189-pound consi final; and Wyoming Area’s Nate Obrzut decisioned Crestwood’s. Chris Smolenak7-4 at 285 pounds. Meanwhile, Crestwood’s Sam Jeckell placed fifth at 127.
Pittston Area’s 160-pounder Jimmy Spindler won the tournament’s Most Outstanding Wrestler after picking up his 100th career victory with a technical fall over Tunkhannock’s Patrick Munley in the final.
Brandon King, of White Haven, writes sports
45, Hazleton Area 18Last week at Crestwood, the Comets knocked off perennial power Hazleton Area 45-18 in WVC Division I dual meet action.
The Comets got forfeit wins at 114, 121 and 127 to get the early lead, then asserted themselves on the mat with four pins. Santino Casarella (133), Ethan Zabroski (145), Taylor Burton (160) and Magnus Bibla (215) all recorded falls for Crestwood.
107: Emmanuel Deschampes Reyes (HA) dec. Anson Jumper (C) (SV-1 10-8); 114: Nicholas Webb (C) won by forfeit; 121: Mateo Belanchik (C) won by forfeit; 127: Sam Jeckell (C) won by forfeit; 133: Santino Casarella (C) pin Darren Seiwell, 2:37; 139: Edonel Rodriguez (HA) pin Thomas Stavitzski, 1:45; 145: Ethan Zabroski (C) pin Alex Valovich, 2:22; 152: Mason Marolo (HA) dec Devin Shaw, 8-1; 160: Taylor Burton (C) pin Joel Melo, 2:37; 172: Jonas Aponick (HA) dec. Logan Rolles, 5-2; 189: Robert Anderson (HA) dec. Lincoln Bibla, 9-2; 215: Magnus Bibla (C) pin Christopher Albertson, 3:16; 285: Chris Smolenak (C) dec. Peter Youngcourt, 3-1.
The Weatherly Area boys’ basketball team played four games over an eight-day stretch, including a pair of Schuylkill League Division III games, and two nonleague contests.
Shenandoah Valley 80, Weatherly Area 41 - Brayden Maksimik scored 10 points and Kaleb Maksimik and Brian Rivera added five apiece in the Blue Devils’ 35-point second quarter explosion, powering host Shenandoah Valley to the Schuylkill League Division III win on Monday.
Kaleb Maksimik topped the Blue Devils with 19 points, Brayden Maksimik followed with 17, while Rivera (13) and Erick Hernandez (10) also reached double figures.
Freshman Corbin Wagner led the Wreckers (1-10 overall, 0-5 league) with a career-high 15 points, and Jacob Parker added 11.
Shenandoah Valley won
the junior varsity game, 49-28.
WEATHERLY AREA (41) — Higgins 0 0-0 0, Parker 5 0-0 11, Hoffman 0 0-0 0, Berger 1 0-0 2, McKeegan 3 0-0 7, Wagner 5 2-3 15, Eroh 0 0-0 0, Mitchell 2 0-0 4, Puzzetti 1 0-0 2. Totals 17 2-3 41.
SHENANDOAH VALLEY (80) — Boris 1 0-0 3, K. Maksimik 7 3-3 19, B. Maksimik 7 0-0 17, Taylor 1 0-0 3, Nickerson 3 1-2 7, Najda 3 0-1 6, Salguero 0 0-0 0, Silvestre 0 2-2 2, Hernandez 4 2-2 10, McCole 0 0-0 0, Rivera 6 0-0 13, Burke 0 0-0 0. Totals 32 8-10 80.
Weatherly Area.........9 12 6 14 — 41 Shenandoah Vy........16 35 22 7 — 80
3-pointers: Wagner 3, Parker, McKeegan, B. Maksimik 3, K. Maksimik 2, Boris, Taylor, Rivera.
- The Wreckers dropped the non-league game in Allentown.
Ian McLaurin scored eight points and Niko Saldukas added seven for Weatherly Area, which also dropped the junior varsity game 59-23.
WEATHERLY AREA (20) — Higgins 0 0-0 0, Parker 0 0-0 0, Hoffman 0 0-0 0, McLaurin 4 0-0 8, Berger 0 0-0 0, McKeegan 1 0-0 2, Saldukas 3 0-0 7, Wagner 0 1-2 1, Eroh 1 0-0 2, Ortiz 0 0-0 0. Totals 9 1-2 20.
LINCOLN LEADERSHIP (59) — Santana 4 0-0 9, Estrella 1 0-0 2, Panariello 3 3-4 9,
Sebro 1 0-0 3, Jackson 0 2-2 2, Rosario 0 0-0 0, Pruddhom 1 1-2 3, Pujols 1 0-0 3, Medina 5 1-2 12, Nunez-Guzman 4 0-0 8, Santiago 3 0-0 8, Forbes 0 0-0 0, Lopez 0 0-0 0. Totals 23 7-10 59.
Weatherly Area....... 5 8 5 2 — 20 Lincoln Leader.......18 16 21 4 — 59 3-pointers: Saldukas, Santana, Sebro, Pujols, Medina, Santiago 2.
Nativity 80, Weatherly Area 30
- Nativity’s Trey Keating buried seven 3-pointers en route to a game-high 24 points as the visiting Hilltoppers cruised to the Division III victory.
Ian McLaurin scored 16 for the Wreckers.
NATIVITY (80) — Messina 1 0-1 2, Grabowski 1 0-0 2, Ziolkowski 4 0-2 9, Walborn 1 0-0 2, Borden 5 0-0 14, Dolbin 5 2-2 13, Quirk 2 0-0 4, Smith 1 0-0 2, Keating 7 3-4 24, King 4 0-0 8. Totals 31 5-9 80.
WEATHERLY AREA (30) — Higgins 0 0-0 0, Parker 2 0-0 4, Hoffman 0 0-0 0, McLaurin 7 0-0 16, Berger 1 0-0 2, McKeegan 1 0-0 2, Saldukas 1 0-0 2, Wagner 1 0-0 2, Eroh 0 0-0 0, Ortiz 0 0-0 0, Mitchell 1 0-0 2, Puzzetti 0 0-2 0. Totals 14 0-2 30 30. Nativity........................33 16 17 14 — 80 Weatherly Area............10 10 4 6 — 30 3-pointers: Keating 7, Borden 4, Ziolkowski, Dolbin, McLaurin 2.
Northumberland Christian 58, Weatherly Area 18Visiting Northumberland Christian jumped out to a 29-0 lead on its way to the non-league win last week.
Conner Bennett and Luke Snyder sparked the winners’ balanced attack with 13 points apiece.
For Weatherly Area, which didn’t score until the 2:29 mark of the second quarter, Jordan Mitchell led the way with eight points.
NORTHUMBERLAND CHRISTIAN (56) — C. Bennett 4 2-4 13, King 1 0-0 3, Hayner 0 0-0 0, Reitz 0 0-0 0, Garvin 0 0-1 0, Snyder 6 1-1 13, Knauss 3 1-2 9, McElroy 3 3-4 9, Phillips 2 0-0 4, Crane 0 0-0 0, E. Bennett 2 0-0 5, Connor 0 0-0 0. Totals: 21 7-11 56.
WEATHERLY AREA (18) — Higgins 0 0-0 0, Parker 1 0-2 3, Hoffman 0 0-0 0, McLaurin 0 2-2 2, Berger 1 0-0 2, McKeegan 1 0-0 2, Saldukas 0 0-0 0, Wagner 0 1-2 1, Mitchell 3 0-0 8, Puzzetti 0 0-0 0, Buck 0 0-0 0. Totals: 6 3-6 18. Northumberland.........16 24 6 10 — 56 Weatherly Area.............0 11 5 2 — 18 3-pointers: C. Bennett 3, Knauss 2, King, E. Bennett, Mitchell 2, Parker.
Honors continued to roll in last week for the Crestwood High School football, as several players were chosen for statewide recognition after the Comets’ record-setting 13-2 season.
Three Comets were chosen for the Pennsylvania Football News Coaches Select All-State Team in Class 4A. Defensive end Magnus Bibla was picked for the first team defense, and fellow seniors John Jones (offensive guard) and Noah Schultz (running back) were named to the second team offense.
Nearly 300 coaches statewide nominated players in the state’s six classifications. For a
complete list of players selected to this year’s teams, please go to PaFootballNews.com. Meanwhile, seven Crestwood players were named to the All-EasternPAFootball. com Teams in Class 4A. Schultz (Offensive Specialist), Jones (OL), Bibla (DL) and senior defensive back Nick Miscavage were all named to the first team. Crestwood sophomore Jaden Shedlock (QB), and seniors Aidan Jardine (OL) and Cole Kakalecik (LB) were honorable mention picks in 4A.
Find a complete list of players selected at www. easternpafootball.com
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Head coach Joe Gavio isn’t exactly sure how it happened or when, he’s just glad it did. His Hazleton Area girls overcame a sluggish start and an early 18-4 deficit at Crestwood on Monday night, surged ahead in the second half, and held on for a 52-46 WVC basketball victory.
Though it won’t get a lot of style points, the win was just what the doctor ordered after the Lady Cougars’ tough home loss to Pittston Area in their last game. “It was 18-4 and it didn’t look good,” Gavio confessed. “We had a flat look today, but they never stopped playing. Someone made a play or two, I don’t know. All of a sudden, we’re back in the game.
“It’s a good win. Last year they beat us here,” the veteran coach added. “We’re still trying to find ourselves without (injured point guard) Lacie Kringe. We’re hustling, and we’re making it ugly.”
The Lady Comets (2-6 overall, 1-3 WVC) scored the game’s first 10 points,
pounding it down inside to six-foot Kate Gallagher and 5-foot-10 Cadence Hiller for eight of those before freshman point guard Keira Dougherty’s corner jumper made it 10-0.
Hazleton Area freshman Alexis Reimold finally got the Lady Cougars (10-2, 3-1) on the board with a putback at the 4:23 mark, and classmate Kayla Lagowy stuck a shot from the wing a few minutes later. But two Hiller free throws, a Jordan Andrews press break layup and a Gallagher rebound basket closed out Crestwood’s big first quarter with the Lady Comets on top, 16-4.
When Dougherty drove the lane for a layup to start the second quarter, Crestwood’s lead was its largest of the game, and the Lady Comets appeared ready to run away with things.
“We had to keep our spirits up, and we just continued to work together,” Reimold said. “We really have to move the ball, work together, and not take selfish shots.” Picking up the defensive pressure and
the pace, Hazleton Area did an about face, outscoring Crestwood 20-8 in the second period to pull even by intermission. Haley Yost started the onslaught with a corner swish, Sophia Shults passed inside to Olivia Williams for a three-point play, then went baseline for her own basket.
With Crestwood in a five-minute scoreless drought, the Lady Cougars continued to rally. Lynzee Buglio followed with two free throws and the game’s only 3-pointer from deep. Reimold scored in transition, and Lagowy recycled a missed shot to pull their team within a basket (22-20).
Hiller ended the Lady Comets’ dry spell with two free throws, before Kennedy answered with a low post score of her own. And when Lagowy scored on a putback with three seconds left, Hazleton Area pulled even (24-24) for the first time since the opening tap.
“We talked in practice about their pressure, and how they try to speed the game up, and they try to
get us to speed up. That’s kind of what happened,” said Crestwood head coach Don Hopkins, whose team turned it over 29 times, including eight in the final five minutes of the first half. “We got the lead, they put that press on, and we started playing a little faster than we’re used to playing, and we made a couple mistakes.”
Reimold put Hazleton Area on top for the first time with her three-point play
to start the third, a lead the Lady Cougars would never relinquish. Kennedy and Lagowy each scored four points and Williams added three more during the 18-12 third-quarter push that kept the Lady Cougars in front by six (42-36) after three.
Dougherty scored eight of her game- and career-high 18 points in the period, keeping the Lady Comets in touch with two pretty
floaters in the lane, a press break, and a jumper.
But the fourth quarter belonged to Reimold, who refused to let the Lady Cougars lose the lead. After Buglio’s two free throws opened an eight-point lead (44-36) to start the fourth, Reimold scored her team’s final eight points to keep the hard-charging Lady Comets at arm’s length.
A steal and layup off the press, another layup after Buglio’s wraparound pass, and a back-door cut pass from Kennedy kept the Hazleton Area lead at 10 (50-40) midway through the period.
Crestwood didn’t go quietly, as consecutive baskets by Hiller, Gallagher and Dougherty made it a four-point game (50-46) again with 3:28 to play. It would be the Lady Comets’
final points.
Reimold scored in the low post with 2:18 remaining, and the Lady Cougars held Crestwood scoreless on its final seven possessions to hold on for victory. “It’s anybody’s game at that point, and bodies were flying all over the place.” Gavio said. “I’ll take a win here. It’s a good win for us.
“Crestwood’s doing a good job. They’re going to beat some teams. They lost to Pittston by 5. They lost to Valley West by 6,” Gavio noted. “The bottom line is anybody can beat anybody.”
Reimold paced the Lady Cougars with a career-best 15 points, along with eight rebounds and four steals. Lagowy came off the bench with a career-high 10 points and five rebounds, and Buglio scored seven points and grabbed four steals, also in a reserve role. Kennedy contributed seven rebounds.
Hiller had 10 points and eight rebounds, and
Dougherty posted four steals for Crestwood, which has lost six straight since a season-opening win over Valley View. “We’re just trying to stress to the girls that some positives are happening,” Hopkins said. “ As we grow, we’d like to win a few games too. As our younger players get more experience, I think we’re going to make some noise. But I’m proud of the girls, they played hard.”
Hazleton Area’s jayvees improved to 8-0 with a 43-28 preliminary win behind Evelyn Shults’ 12 points. Jordan Andrews and Lauren Falcheck both scored 12 for Crestwood.
Crestwood takes on Berwick in the next round of WVC Division I games on Thursday, followed by a non-league game with Downingtown East on Saturday, and a league game against Dallas next Monday.
“Those are two very important league games for us that we’re going to need to get if we ‘re going to have any chance to win the division,” Hopkins said. “Every game in the division is tough.”
HAZLETON AREA (52) - Buglio 1 4-4 7, Yost 2 0-0 4, Williams 2 2-3 6, Lagowy 5 0-2 10, Reimold 7 1-1 15, S. Shults 2 0-2 4, Kennedy 3 0-0 6. Totals: 22 7-12 52.
CRESTWOOD (46) - Bozinko 1 0-0 2, Glowacki 0 0-0 0, Andrews 2 0-2 4, Petrosky 1 2-2 4, Hiller 2 6-6 10, Gallagher 4 0-0 8, Dougherty 9 0-0 18. Totals: 19 8-10 46.
Hazleton Area.....4 20 18 10 - 52
Crestwood..........16 8 12 10 - 46
3-pointers: Buglio
- Senior Julia Glowacki deposited a game-high 17 points, including the 100th 3-pointer of her career, helping Crestwood snap a six-game slide and win its first WVC game last week. Glowacki finished the night with five triples, with at least one in each quarter. Keira Dougherty added 13 points
and Kate Gallagher chipped in 10 for Crestwood.
Anna Williams paced Tunkhannock (5-4, 0-3) with 12 points.
CRESTWOOD (58) — Bozinko 0 0-0 0, Glowacki 6 0-0 17, Andrews 3 1-3 7, Petrosky 1 0-0 2, Hiller 2 5-5 9, Gallagher 4 2-2 10, Dougherty 6 1-2 13. Totals 22 9-12 58.
TUNKHANNOCK (44) — Iddings 1 3-4 5, Corby 2 0-0 4, A. Williams 4 1-6 12, Stephens 4 3-4 11, Van Ness 3 0-0 9, Alguire 0 1-2 1, Alston 1 0-0 2. Totals 15 8-16 44. Crestwood............11 19 14 14 — 58 Tunkhannock........9 12 8 15 — 44 3-pointers: Glowacki 5, A. Williams 3, Van Ness 3
Nativity 44, Weatherly Area 33
- Caelan Quick scored 14 points as the Nativity girls defeated visiting Weatherly Area in a Schuylkill League Division III matchup atop Lawton’s Hill last week. Madison Kramer added 11 points for the Golden Girls, who led 26-13 at halftime.
For the Lady Wreckers (3-6, 0-4 league), freshman
Weatherly Area 35, Marian 18 - Chase Grier and Chance Stauffer each scored 10 points, and Kaiden Wesner had four as Wreckers rolled to the eighth grade win over Marian.
Kaden Krajcirik led the
Kelly Reiner tallied 14 points and Emma Kane followed with 13.
WEATHERLY AREA (33) — Kane 5 2-7 13, Binder 0 0-0 0, Gaydoscik 1 0-0 2, Houser 1 0-3 2, McGill 0 0-0 0, Davidovich 1 0-0 2, Reiner 5 2-6 14, Weston 0 0-0 0. Totals 13 4-16 33.
NATIVITY (44) — Quick 6 1-2 14, Kramer 5 0-2 11, Pinkey 0 0-0 0, Zimerofsky 3 0-0 6, Brennan 2 0-0 5, Bennett 2 0-0 5, Butz 0 0-0 0, Borden 1 0-0 3, Walborn 0 0-0 0, Rushannon 0 0-0 0. Totals 19 1-4 44.
Weatherly Area.............6 7 11 9 — 33 Nativity........................15 11 15 3 — 44
3-pointers: Kane, Reiner 2, Quick, Kramer, Brennan, Bennett, Borden
Colts with 11 points, and Jason Achfield chipped in six.
Girls
Marian 33, Weatherly Area 11 - Gabby Osenbach scored 14 points and Brooke Hannis Miskar had 10 as the Fillies rolled to victory.
Mya Binder has six for the Lady Wreckers, and Shawn Hollowell added five.
Going without a point for the first eight minutes of a basketball game isn’t a recipe for success, but it worked out fine for the Crestwood boys on Friday night. The host Comets went scoreless through the first quarter and finished just 3-of-12 from the foul line against Tunkhannock, but still managed a 41-40 WVC Division I victory.
Freshman Ayden Agapito came off the bench to score seven of his team-leading
nine points in the second half to help the Comets rally. Brandon Burbank had eight points and Derek Johnson and Chaz Wright both contributed seven.
Ben Chilson and Shane Macko scored 18 and 15, respectively, for Tunkhannock (6-5, 1-2 WVC).
Crestwood played its second straight game without leading scorer Drew Sechleer.
The Comets (7-4, 2-1) were to visit Division I rival Hazleton Area on Tuesday. Details will appear in next week’s edition.
TUNKHANNOCK (40) — Macko 4 7-8 15, DeMarco 0 0-0 0, Chilson 7 3-4 18, Brown 2 0-0 4, Yuhas 1 1-2 3, Ergott 0 0-0 0, Madan 0 0-0 0, Kandrovy 0 0-0 0. Totals 14 11-14 40.
CRESTWOOD (41) — R. Sechleer 1 0-0 2, Czapla 1 0-0 3, Johnson 2 2-4 7, Sklarosky 1 0-2 2, Wright 3 1-4 7, Feisel 1 0-0 3, Agapito 4 0-0 9, Burbank 3 0-2 8. Totals 16 3-12 41. Tunkhannock......6 8 13 13 — 40 Crestwood...........0 11 15 15 — 41
3-pointers: Chilson, Burbank 2, Czapla, Johnson, Feisel, Agapito.
Pittston Area 48, Crestwood 47 - Anthony Cencetti scored 23 of his 28 points in the second half last week as the Patriots held off the Comets in a WVC Division I clash at Crestwood.
Mason Czapla topped the Comets with a careerhigh 20 points, including
five 3-point field goals. Teammates Chaz Wright and Matt Sklarosky contributed 10 and eight points, respectively.
PITTSTON AREA (48) — Borneh 0 0-0 0, Giardina 1 0-0 2, Long 4 0-1 8, Walter 1 2-2 4, Cencetti 12 0-0 28, Clarke 0 0-0 0, Bilbow 3 0-0 6. Totals: 21 2-3 48.
CRESTWOOD (47) — R. Sechleer 1 0-0 2, Czapla 7 1-2 20, Johnson 0 1-2 1, Sklarosky 2 4-4 8, Wright 4 2-7 10, Hilpp 0 0-0 0, Agapito 0 0-0 0, Burbank 2 2-2 6. Totals 16 10-17 47.
Pittston Area........13 4 20 11 — 48
Crestwood.............8 9 16 14 — 47
3-pointers: Cencetti 4, Czapla 5.
Nobody predicted Jacksonville would be where they ended up standing at the end of NFL Week 18--winners of the AFC South. But that’s where they stand, and the muchmaligned Trevor Lawrence is a big reason why.
What a turnaround it has been! The Jaguars struggled in 2020-21 and 2021-22, and the team accumulated only four wins over those seasons. However, things are different this year. The Jags won nine games, and the team finished the season with a winning record for the first time since the 201718 season.
The turnaround has been spearheaded by Trevor Lawrence, now in his second NFL season, who has led the Jaguars to five consecutive wins to end the regular season, including last weekend’s big win against the Tennessee Titans. That finish is a far cry from how things went during Lawrence’s first season under center when Jacksonville went 3-14 and
finished last in the AFC South.
Athletes (including myself) know that disappointment fuels the motivation to succeed, and Lawrence is an example. The formerly much-criticized QB has become one of the league’s best signal-callers. The lesson is clear: if you want to succeed, you must persevere no matter the endeavor.
Trevor Lawrence’s story is testimony to what can happen if you believe in yourself, remain determined, and focus on succeeding.
Let’s see what the Jags can do in the Wild Card round on Saturday against the 10-7 Los Angeles Chargers. But, win or lose, it has been a great year for North Florida’s pro football fans!
Elijah Brino, high school athlete and columnist at The Sports Column, lives in the Jacksonville, FL, metro area.
