The Journal-Herald, Thursday, April 20, 2023

Smoke on the water: Forest fire affects air quality

by Ruth Isenberg

Over 4,300 acres burned last week when brush fires spread rapidly in the area, a result of higher than normal temperatures, windy conditions, and a lack of moisture in ground materials.

Emergency management coordinator Chris Zwiebel provided the photos at left that show smoke hovering over Penn Lake. He said that in his discussions with forestry, the pictures show a thermal inversion condition that ‘captured’ the smoke generated at Crystal Lake and followed Wrights Creek under the thermal layer onto the cool water of Penn Lake. Photos taken 30 minutes

See FOREST FIRE, page 5

Liz Berger is back on East Side council

by Ruth Isenberg

East Side Borough Council accepted the resignation of Helen Stockinger at the April 13 council meeting, held in the John Murphy

of the White Haven Area Community Library. Stockinger had submitted See EAST SIDE, page 5

EAST SIDE MAYOR ERIC SIGLIN swears in Elizabeth Berger to a seat on borough council, with council member Sharon Mrozinski seated in foreground.

JH: Ruth Isenberg

THE JOURNAL-HERALD

(USPS

Archives

From The Journal-Herald

Issue of April 22, 1993

Editors & Publishers

Jay and Clara Holder

211

Editorial

Be fire savvy and support fire fighters

by Seth Isenberg

A bit of rain has given our area a needed reprieve from the threat of fires in the woods that surround the White Haven and Weatherly areas. It’s not enough, so no one should be having an open flame on their property until we get a long series of rainy days.

In the 1940s, and earlier, our area had severe forest fires, including some that came right to the edge of White Haven borough.

We are fortunate to have excellent new firefighting equipment, and well-trained fire fighting volunteers to stand between us and fires. Many of these volunteers were out this past week working to put out the fires to our north.

So, please pay attention to these dry spring days. And also, please support our local fire companies.

Letters to the Editor Policy

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 Topics of local interest are preferred, and form letters will not be published.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 libelous will not be published, nor will personal attacks.

April 19 to 29 is National Volunteer Week…At the White Haven Center, volunteer help is especially valued and treasured. Many area residents are members of United to Serve, Inc. Betty Bump of Penn Lake Park is president, Anne Boroski of White Haven Poconos is treasurer, Bette Dodson of White Haven is secretary. UTS is always looking for members a luncheon meeting is…today.

The White Haven Area Senior Citizens have provided bingo parties for people at the Center…[Locals] are enrolled in the Foster Grandparent Program.

The front page photo this week shows White Haven’s new water tower with its new paint job.

John and Jane Richards will celebrate their golden anniversary on April 24. Life-long residents of White Haven, the couple were married on Easter Saturday in 1943.

The new water system could reduce fire insurance rates. White Haven Fire Chief John Klem reported the water flow to the hydrants is so good that fire fighters will soon be receiving training on how to avoid problems…

Weatherly Area School District business manager Thema Kew will retire soon. Several applications have been received for the position.

Kidder Township Police

will be offering Troll Patrol toys to children involved in auto accidents or other incidents. The Trolls come in several varieties, including Police, Firemen and Nurses.

Foster Township supervisors scheduled a planning commission public meeting to discuss the Cabot Corporation application for conditional use and plans for the lagoon area.

The Rev. William Hosking wrote this week’s Pastor’s Corner about an interfaith Holocaust remembrance program held in Hazleton last week.

Louise Fino of Dennison Township has stepped up to run for the Crestwood School Board.

Senator James Rhoades will be the featured speaker at the Carbon County Republicans’ gathering on May 1. Tickets can be obtained from county chairman attorney Cynthia Ray…

Luzerne County’s proposed new arena will cost $42 million to build.

Steve Stallone provided a fishing picture, and John Makaravitz wrote about casting a fly line.

Phil Engman’s Ramblin’ On column wrapped up his basketball coverage and now moves on to baseball.

Pete Chapla reviewed the movie – The Crying Game.

Ruth and I wrote a review of The Wooden Nickel dinette in Freeland. It was

beautifully clean, with an oldies vibe, and good simple food a turkey hoagie, a Philly cheesesteak and some blueberry pie.

This issue featured a nearly full page of ads from Alter Street, Hazleton, businesses: Tarone’s Super Market, Hazleton Sweater Mills, Beccone’s Italian Specialties, Lenny’s Café, Coal Crackers Family Eatery, R.J. Mason Jeweler, and Angelo’s Italian House.

From The Journal

Issue of April 22, 1943

Publisher W. C. Taylor Students of the White Haven Public School have established an enviable record in the current war bond campaign. They entered the was stamp “Jeep” campaign and in one week they promoted the purchase of over $4,000 in war bonds and stamps, enough to purchase four Jeeps… Passover was observed by Jewish patients at the Sanitorium Monday courtesy of Aaron Weiss and Mrs. Louis Greenberg of Wilkes-Barre.

Debating between the affirmative and negative teams of the sophomore, junior and senior classes was successfully staged last week at the local high school.

(and an obituary:)

Christian Clayton Moyer

C. C. Moyer, 65, a Spanish-American War veteran, familiarly known as “Ikie,” died early Wednesday. (He had been) ill for some time. … Interment will be in Arlington National Cemetery in Washington, D.C.

Public Notices

LEGAL NOTICE

NOTICE IS HEREBY

GIVEN that Letters of Administration have been granted by the Register of Wills of Luzerne County, PA, on March 30, 2023, in the Estate of Lucille A. Gaffney, late of Freeland Borough, who died March 17, 2023, to Christian Jay Gaffney and John S. Gaffney, Jr., Administrators.

All persons indebted to said Estate are requested to make payment and those having claims to present them immediately to:

SENAPE & ASSOCIATES

James V. Senape, Jr., Esquire

Catherine A. McGovern, Esquire

Michael B. Senape, Esquire

612-614 Main Street, P. O. Box 179

Freeland, PA 18224-0179

570-636-3133

LEGAL NOTICE

Estate of HELEN ANN JONES

Late of East Side Borough, Carbon County, Pennsylvania

Letters Testamentary in the above estate have been granted to the undersigned, who requests all persons having claims or demands against the estate of the decedent to make known the same, and all persons indebted to the decedent to make payment, without delay to:

Lisa A. Jones, Executor

c/o Nanovic Law Offices

Attention: James R. Nanovic 57 Broadway P.O. Box 359

Jim Thorpe, PA 18229 4/20

PUBLIC NOTICE

ADVERTISEMENT FOR BIDS-WEATHERLY BOROUGH

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that sealed bids for the Multi-Use Trail Phase 1 Tree Clearing Project and Base Trail Construction, will be received by the Borough of Weatherly, until 4:00 P.M. on Monday, April 24th. Bids will be opened and read aloud Monday, April 24th at 5:15 P.M. The bid award date will be Monday, April 24th intended to immediately follow bid opening.

Bids will be received for Contract No. 5 –

Multi-Use Trail Phase 1 Tree Clearing, Trail Station 37+00 to 42+00 And

Bids will be received for Contract No. 6 –

Multi-Use trail Phase 1 Base Trail Construction, Trail Station 37+00 to 42+00

Bids will only be received in person and all documents and solicitation details are available at no cost at the Borough of Weatherly, 61 West Main Street, Weatherly, PA 18255 during office hours Monday-Friday

7:30 A.M.-4:00 P.M. Bidders can bid on one or both Contracts.

The Borough hereby reserves the right, which is understood and agreed to by all bidders, to refuse any or all bids submitted; and also reserves the right to waive any informality in bids received, but any contract awarded will be to the lowest responsive, responsible bidder.

There are no Davis-Bacon requirements associated with the AMLER Program. Prevailing wage rates are also not required for grants.

To schedule a time to visit the Project Area, contact Harold Pudliner at (570) 427-8640. No visits will be scheduled within two (2) days of the date to receive the bids. Each Contract is to be substantially completed in 3 weeks and final completion in 4 weeks.

Harold Pudliner

Borough Manager

Z057000411 DV/1

Foster to pave three streets

by James Hunter

Portions of three streets will be paved, and the sewer line will be extended further up Route 940 this summer in Foster Township. At their April 12 monthly meeting, supervisors voted to advertise a bid packet to pave Washington Street from the Freeland Borough line to Hazle Street, and then to Center Street; Ridge Street from the borough line to Hazle Street, and Fern Street from Wyoming Street to Hazle Street.

Sikora Excavating, Avonmore, Westmoreland County, was awarded a $264,320 contract to build the second phase of the Route 940 sewer extension from approximately Balas Distributing to Gera’s.

“We will pick up six or seven major commercial accounts,” said supervisors’ chairman Wilson Malloy. “The entire project is being done with grant money.”

Sikora Excavating was the lowest of six bidders for the project, the highest bid being $555,000, but

the other four closer to the Sikora’s. The first phase of the project, completed about two years ago, extended the sewer from Carbon Street to Balas Distributing.

Other business

The supervisors voted to purchase a vacant double home at 321-323 Fern Street, from Luzerne County repository sale, for $500.

“We are going to tear it down, and offer the land for a new home,” Malloy said, “The home had been vacant

for about 15 years,” Street sweeping in the township will be done during the last week of April. The street sweeping schedule will be on Foster Township’s website, and posted on the door of the municipal building. Malloy also warned township residents to take extra caution with outdoor burning, because of extremely dry conditions this spring. The county has issued a Red Flag alert.

Dead Serious…About Life coming to Weatherly

• Every 4 seconds, a teenager will attempt suicide

• approximately 11 young people between the ages of 15-24 die every day by suicide

• one out of three 13 to 15 year olds have had sex

• Each day, 2,989 kids find out that their parents are getting divorced

• in 24 hours, 15,006 teens will use drugs for the first time

• 1 in 5 teens say they have purposely injured themselves

These statistics are alarming. If you have teenagers, you know the daily pressures and issues that they face are enormous. Where do you begin? How do you help them? Well, there is a group in the Cincinnati, Ohio area who have something that can reach out to hundreds of

junior high and high school students. And it is coming to Weatherly, and will impact hundreds of students.

The production will be performed by a non-profit group called Mishpachah, Inc., which is based out of Mason, Ohio.

Performances are Saturday, April 29, 6 p.m. and Sunday, April 30, 3 p.m. at Weatherly Area Middle School Auditorium

Mishpachah, Inc. is an auditioned group of high school students from Cincinnati and the surrounding, area who participate in this community non-profit organization. Since June of 1989, the group has been performing the production

“Dead Serious...About Life” which deals with many issues that teens have to face every day. The underlying subject matter is teenage suicide. The organization and various students got together and wrote the script. The music and lyrics were written especially for Mishpachah by Jay Banks.

“Dead Serious...About Life” is a production written to appeal to teenagers. It is upfront...it is blunt...it is life. The story begins at Spencer and Stephanie’s house. Mom and Dad have left for the weekend, so let the

party begin. Throughout the course of the evening, you will meet the characters with their different personalities, their numerous problems and their view about their lives. “Dead Serious” will expose us all to the issues of abortion, alcohol, bullying, drugs, religion, self-esteem, sex and suicide...issues that all too often we don’t want to talk about or face. Well, hang onto your seat, ‘ cause this production cuts it wide open. It will make you laugh, cry, hurt, fear and feel...but most of all “Dead Serious” will make you take a second

look at life.

In the past, the group has toured to Florida, Arkansas, Colorado, Texas, North & South Carolina, Indiana, Missouri, Illinois, Michigan, Kentucky, Tennessee, New York, Virginia, Georgia, Wisconsin, Nebraska, West Virginia, Pennsylvania, Louisiana, Alabama and Ohio.

The group has performed this production for more than 150,000 people and has counseled over 10,000

young people following their performances. Not only has this ministry changed the lives of those teens who participate, but thousands of others who have had the opportunity to see the production.

For ticket information visit www.mish-inc.com or call 513/459-7268. Tickets are $7 in advance and $8 at the door. Tickets are sold in advance until Thursday, April 27 at 5 p.m.

East Side

Continued from page 1

the letter prior to the scheduled February meeting, but that did not take place due to lack of a quorum.

Stockinger’s letter cited health reasons for her resignation. She asked council to appoint Liz Berger in her place, because of her previous experience on council and her concern for the community.

The resignation was accepted unanimously. Council president Louis Esa asked if council wanted to make an appointment at this meeting, or wait until May. Council member Rudy Schoch suggsted the appointment be made immediately, and nominated Berger. Also voting in her favor were council members Sharon Mrozinski and John Cepiel. Council members Michael Best and Joseph Lachette voted no, saying they would prefer to wait until the next meeting, and Esa also voted no. This left it up to may Eric Siglin, who voted for Berger and then administered the oath of office.

There were other tensions at the meeting, which opened with a moment of silence for former council member Helen Jones. The White Haven Volunteer Fire Company requested support for the funding of a new rescue unit. Originally the unit was to be fully funded with an ARPA grant through Luzerne County. The county later capped all grants at $500,000, leaving a deficit of $350,000. Dave Raudenbush told council the fire company has $100,000 already set aside toward the replacement for the 20 year

old vehicle, and they plan to finance $150,000, but they are seeking help for the remaining $50,000. They plan to sell the old vehicle, but can’t do that until the new vehicle arrives, with delivery expected in about 2 years.

At this stage, they are asking for any help possible from the communities they serve, including the possibility of a commitment letter for $18,334 (one third of the remaining balance). Esa said council would discuss the matter, but warned them that the borough does not have enough of a tax base for large commitments.

Community Building

Council voted to approve having Alfred Benesch and Co. prepare documents to apply for grants for a community building. Several suggestions were made about items to include for equipment, emergency shelter, and room for growth. A preliminary meeting was held with several members of council and Benesch; the mayor indicated it should have been advertised and open to the public. All members voted in favor of having Benesch proceed with the plans.

The mayor also ruffled feathers when he opened his monthly report saying he had received complaints about council members exceeding their authority. This developed into a dicussion about a recent situation with Lehigh Gorge Campground. Esa said he asked to visit the campground to see what was going on after he saw pipes stacked up, and was told by John Marotta to come up, but was told when he did that he could not go beyond

the gate or be charged with trespassing.

Marotta, who was present at the meeting, disagreed with his interpretation, but said since he no longer owned the campground he could not give permission.

Berger, who is an owner, noted that she had not been aware of the situation at the time, but that when she was made aware of it, invited the mayor to come and see the work in proress, the replacement of 50-year-old sewer pipes.

Following this discussion, Esa said he felt council should vote not to continue having Marotta as an advisor to council. Marotta responded that he had told Esa what they were doing when he came to the campground, and that Labor & Industry inspects all work at the campground. At that point, he resigned as an advisor.

Council voted to resubmit its application for improvements to the Centre Street playground for the 2023 Community Development Block Grant program.

Council meets next on Thursday, May 4, at 6:30 p.m.

Forest Fire

Continued from page 1

later show the lifting of the thermal layer due to warming from overhead sun and the smoke dissipates.

“Moral of the story is there is way too much fuel in our forests on both public and private lands,” he said. “The Emerald Ash Borer’s legacy is showing its face with all the dead ash. We certainly

aren’t out of the woods yet. Not until the ferns are out at least. The lack of snow covered prevented last Fall’s leaves from decaying so we have a nice layer of tissue paper sitting there.

“Any day with low humidity can be trouble. Please be considerate of the forest fighters, their families and the forest critters next time you [decide whether to] chuck a butt out your window.”

Faith Church plans

Mother’s Day Brunch

It is time to sign up for Faith Church’s Mother’s Day Brunch. It will be held at the Poppy Press in Hazle Twp. on Saturday, May 13, 10:30 a.m. Cost is $10/person for a delicious breakfast fellowship and some extra fun things. Ages 10+ are welcome, please text Lori at 570.578.8005 to reserve your spot. Transportation can be provided; please notify Lori when registering.

Services are at 10 Sunday mornings and 6 Sunday evenings. Join us for live worship music in a welcoming atmosphere. The Kids Clubhouse is open at

Golden Oaks slates yard sale

Golden Oaks Village will hold its semi-annual yard sale in the parking lot of the Golden Oaks Village

clubhouse on Saturday, May 27, from 9 a.m. until 1 p.m. In case if rain, the sale will held be inside the clubhouse.

Graduates from Wilkes U

Wilkes University awarded 305 bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degrees to winter graduates.

Included among them was Peter Collins of White Haven, with a BBA degree in Management.

the same time for all kids ages Pre-K - 5th grade. The Youth Group meets Sunday at 6 p.m. for ages 6th-12th. Mom’s group is every first Monday from 12:301:30; small children are welcome. Young Adults meet the last Monday of the month at 7 p.m.

On Tuesdays at 10 a.m., there is a study on Prayer.

Life Groups meet Wednesday evenings at 7. Men, women, children and youth all meet separately for fun, fellowship and learning.

Thursdays: Women’s Refit, an exercise group meets Thursday at 10 a.m., and Celebrate Recovery is at 6 p.m. (doors open 5:30) for anyone with hurts, habits and hang-ups.

Men meet for Breakfast every third Saturday.

Lots of new small groups are popping up all the time, check in and see where you can get connected.

Faith Church is located at 202 Carbon St, right next to Enzo’s Pizza in the shopping plaza. For more information on anything going on at Faith, contact Lori at 570-578-8005.

Seth’s Sightings

The summer days we experienced last week are in stark contrast to the snow flurries that were falling earlier today. Ah, Spring in the Poconos. I’m pleased that the brief hot spe3ll has gotten lots of the flowering trees underway. The magnolia at our office has a beautiful display of white and purple flowers. Our cherry trees at the house have their bloom ready to show with the next warm spell.

Sightings include a very quick and very light colored fox that crossed Lehigh Gorge road just a little north of town near Cloverdale Farm. A deer was standing roadside at the time I saw the critter flash across the road. It was a neat picture. There looked to be new lambs at the Eroh farm in Packer Township.

On our drive in to the office, one family has its chickens out, which led me to wonder whether the chickens are trainable to stay away from the road. We did turn out to support the WBS Penguins at their

by Seth Isenberg

final game of the season. They battled a better team to a 4-4 tie, and then lost with the opponent’s first shot on goal in overtime. We’ll pack away the Penguins gear and have it ready for October, and plan to keep tabs on the Calder Cup playoffs to see who becomes champion.

Sunday afternoon we went to the Slatington Marketplace to enjoy their food court and catch Eagle Shows’ gun show. After a surprisingly good lunch (poke bowl and a smoothie for me, a hummus crepe and a glass of wine for Ruth) we took a beautiful ride in northern Lehigh County and enjoyed the greening of the area—lots of green, lots of flowers.

With the gas prices being up, inflation will pinch again. I plan to offset those costs with extra cash from lower heating bills and no more hockey trips.

I sent my tax payments out this week, which blows up my month’s budget anyway.

The big forest fire north of White Haven burned

around Crystal Lake and out toward the turnpike. At one point the turnpike was closed, as the fire had come to the highway and there was very heavy smoke. The rains helped tamp the fire, and crews put it out early this week.

On our way back from Saturday’s hockey game, we passed through some of the smoke from the simmering

fire. We were lucky in White Haven to not suffer too much from the smoke, though Penn Lake had a smoky time I was told.

There was also a fire off Route 940 in Kidder Township which local crews made short work of.

Donner Pass in CA is getting another snowfall, near six inches, as I finish this column.

Coming Events

FRIDAY, APRIL 21— The 9 Worst Breakups of All Time, 7 p.m., Weatherly Area High School Gym

SATURDAY, APRIL

22—Weatherly Area Museum Benefit Dinner, 6 p.m., L&L Fire Company Banquet Hall, 570-427-8173

SATURDAY, APRIL

29—College Planning

101, 10 a.m., Weatherly Area Community Library, 570-427-5085

SATURDAY, APRIL

29—Dead Serious…About Life performance, 6 p.m.,

Weatherly Area Middle School, 513-459-7268

SUNDAY, APRIL 30— Dead Serious…About Life performance, 3 p.m., Weatherly Area Middle School, 513-459-7268

FRIDAY, MAY

12—Storytime, 4:30 p.m., Weatherly Area Community Library, 570-427-5085

SATURDAY, MAY

13—Main Street Market, 9 a.m.-3 p.m., 243 Main Street, White Haven

SATURDAY, MAY 13—Yoga with Amanda

Weatherly Country Inn

Restaurant & Catering 570-427-8550

Dine-In or Take-Out

Tuesday through Saturday, 4 - 8 p.m.

Funeral Luncheons | Parties by Reservation Leave the prep and serving to us

Located 6 Miles from White Haven, 1 Mile from County Home in Weatherly on Lehigh Gorge Drive (Weatherly-White Haven Highway) www.weatherlycountryinn.com

Looking ahead, I’ve some springtime yardwork to complete. Ruth is still on crutches, so options on activity are still limited. Perhaps we’ll just relax in our back yard with the dogs. It looks like a nice, easy weekend.

As always, good health to you all.

Neidlinger of River Run Healing Arts, 9 a.m., Weatherly Area Community Library, 570-427-5085

SATURDAY, MAY 20—White Table Program by American Legion Auxiliary, 10 a.m., Weatherly Area Community Library, 570-427-5085

SATURDAY, MAY 27— Semi-annual Yard Sale, 9 a.m.-1 p.m., Gold Oaks Village clubhouse parking lot, Kidder Township

SUNDAY, MAY 28— Memorial Day Parade & Gathering in the Park, 1 p.m., White Haven

FRIDAY, JUNE 2— Graduation, 6 p.m., Weatherly Area High School

SATURDAY, JUNE 3— Trout Festival, 12-5 p.m., Railyard Park, White Haven Area Community Library

SATURDAY, JUNE 10—Main Street Market, 9 a.m.-3 p.m., 243 Main Street, White Haven

SATURDAY & SUNDAY, JUNE 10 & 11— Weatherly HillClimb

The Weatherly Area High School Drama Club will be performing “The 9 Worst Breakups of All Time,” a one-act comedy by Ian McWethy, this Friday, April 21, at 7 p.m. in the high school gym. Tickets are $8 for adults and $5 for students, at the door. Student actors are (group photo, l to r): Ivan Venne, Trinity McCutcheon, Hayden DiGennaro, Mellanie Marshman, Leeta Prater, Roxanna Gonzalez, Isobel Hoffman (single photo), and Taylor Jones (missing from photos). Come and laugh with us!

AARP Smart Drive Initial

Course at Heritage Hill

Thanks to Heritage Hill Senior Community and AARP, refresh your driving skills with a two-day safe driver initial course on Wednesday, May 3, and Thursday, May 4. Both class are held at 800 Sixth St., in Weatherly, and will run from 9 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Successful completion can result in discounts on car insurance (contact your insurance agent for details). The course is available to drivers aged 50 years and older who have yet to

complete the initial course or have let three years pass since taking it. The cost for AARP members is $20 per person with proof of membership; nonmembers are $25 per person. Participants must bring a valid driver’s license. Lunch will be provided, courtesy of Heritage Hill. Seating is limited; registration is required. Please call Rachael or Brittany at 570-4274500 or email rtimm@ heritagehillsenior.com

Frank Migneco elected to leadership post in national association

The Northeastern Pennsylvania (NEPA) Alliance is pleased to announce that Frank Migneco of East Side, White Haven, Government Procurement Senior Program Manager of the NEPA Alliance APEX Accelerator (formerly PTAC), has been elected Region 3 Director of the

Association of Procurement Technical Assistance Centers (APTAC). He had been appointed to this position since April 2021. APTAC’s Region 3 encompasses the states of Maryland, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia. He was elected to the post at APTAC’s recent annual membership meeting on April 8.

“This is an honor to not only support my peers in the Government Contracting Arena, but also provide the NEPA Alliance Team with visibility and access to government entities and prime businesses, and as important, substantiate the program mission of the DoD Office of Small Business Programs in Northeastern

Pennsylvania,” Migneco stated.

In addition to his duties as Government Procurement Senior Program Manager at the NEPA Alliance, Migneco will serve on the board of APTAC and represent Region 3 for a two-year term. APTAC’s Board and Committees are comprised entirely of volunteers who represent member APEX Accelerators. Frank brings 20+ years of government contracting experience to the table and has served on several non-profit Board of Directors holding officer positions.

NEPA Alliance, a regional community and economic development agency, serves the seven counties of Northeastern Pennsylvania including Carbon, Lackawanna, Luzerne, Monroe, Pike, Schuylkill and Wayne. NEPA Alliance services include Federal and State grant assistance, Business Financing, Government Contracting Assistance, International Trade

Assistance, Nonprofit Assistance, Transportation Planning and Research and Information. For more information about NEPA Alliance visit www. nepa-alliance.org call 866-758-1929. For more information on the NEPA Alliance APEX Accelerator, visit ptac.nepa-alliance or call 866-758-1929.

FRANK MIGNECO

STUDENTS OF THE MONTH, from left, Levi Aneskevich, Kyle Reiner, and Kassandra Hibbler, with assistant principal Chris Kimmel.

WAMS names March Students of the Month

Weatherly Area Middle School principal Anthony DeSpirito has announced the names of the students who were selected as Weatherly Area Middle School Students of the Month for March. The award is based on academic achievement, attendance, extra-curricular involvement, and service to school and community.

Levi Aneskevich, son of Mr. and Mrs. Jeffrey Aneskevich, Weatherly, was chosen as the 6th grade Student of the Month. Levi plays baseball for Weatherly Little League, and basketball for the Weatherly Biddy Basketball Association. He is also a member of the Weatherly Student Government Club.

Kyle Reiner, son of Mr. and Mrs. Mark Reiner,

From The Geek Desk Password possibilities

by Jeremy dePrisco

Weatherly, was chosen as the 7th grade Student of the Month. Kyle is a member of the Weatherly Area Middle School Basketball Team, Weatherly Biddy Basketball League and Weatherly Little League Baseball. Kyle also plays on a travel baseball team and volunteers at the Beaver Meadows Food Pantry.

Kassandra Hibbler, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Ronald Hibbler, Weatherly, was chosen as the 8th Grade Student of the Month. Kassandra plays Soccer and is a member of the Weatherly Area Middle School Reading Olympics Team. She also participates in competitive archery at West Penn, volunteers at Christmas in the Park and child sits for her cousin.

I thought I’d start this column with everyone’s favorite topic: passwords. Let’s review a few best practices for selecting a password. With a little forethought, you can save yourself some time and make the process less difficult for yourself. Gone are the days of our old standby “abc123”. In addition to numbers and capital letters, most gadgets and applications require a password with a “special character,” that is, some sort of symbol that is not a letter or a number. These are typically found by using the SHIFT key on your keyboard in combination with a number or other key. But “Abc123!” is still not good enough. In fact, please don’t use any form of “abc123” for anything, as it is one of the first passwords hackers will try.

Due to the sophistication of hacking technologies, short passwords are giving way to pass phrases or even sentences. More characters means more combinations that a computer hacking program has to try. A passphrase might be something like “IloveMyDogFido95#” or “WhenInRomeEat$100Pizza”. While these may seem hard to remember because they are longer, they actually become easier to remember because they are more conversational.

Sometimes folks try to overthink this process, and end up locking themselves out of things they need to access. If you really like

Fido and pizza, then you are more likely to remember the above examples over something more cryptic like “$h$h#nn#@”. Keep it simple, and don’t overthink it.

One 2017 study found that “the average American Internet user has 150 online accounts.”* How does one manage that many passwords? One strategy is to use the same password for all of your sites. That may seem like a good idea at first, but it leaves you open to security breaches if that one password is discovered. Sites often require you to change passwords after a certain amount of time, so it’s not likely you’ll be able to keep them all in sync for long. Another solution is to have only a few that you use, and have the passwords themselves contain something that reminds you of the site for which they are used. For example, you might use “Welikebanking99#” as the password for your bank site, but “Welikeshopping99#” for your online shopping sites.

What about password saver apps? To be honest, in 30 years of computing in many different environments, I’ve never used them and never trusted them. Recent breaches at some of those companies seem to support my position, but that’s beyond the scope of this article. Using the method above, tying the site type to the password I use, I am able to easily recall most of the passwords I use on a regular basis. As I get older, that may not always be the

case, so I do keep a log elsewhere (not online).

I also highly recommend never saving passwords in your browser. For people who do not share their computer, and who don’t travel much, saving passwords in the browser might not be too risky. However, for those working on shared devices, or those that travel, this habit can get you into trouble. Even if the browser saves your password in an encrypted form, there have been cases where browser flaws have been exploited to recover that information. While efforts are underway to eliminate the need for passwords to access our various devices and applications, we’re not likely to see passwords go away any time soon. If Ben Franklin were to visit us from the past, he’d probably amend his saying to, “Nothing is certain except death, taxes, and passwords.”

*SOURCE: https:// blog.dashlane.com/ world-password-day/

Questions or ideas for future topics can be sent to info@mindspeak.com.

Jeremy dePrisco is a technologist with over 30 years of experience in home computing, healthcare IT, and music technology. In the early 90s Jeremy worked in sales and wrote the Arts in Society column for Journal Newspapers.

Carolina should draft Richardson

by Brandon King

There’s only one week to go before the NFL draft. Teams are becoming desperate, trying to play catchup in a quarterbackheavy league. The Carolina Panthers traded their star wide receiver D.J. Moore along with multiple picks including the ninth overall selection for the first overall selection in this year’s draft. Last season Carolina (7-10) started four different quarterbacks - Baker Mayfield, Sam Darnold, rookie Matt Corral, and even XFL standout P.J. Walker. The 2023 draft class features a lot of talent. Five QBs are projected to go just in round one. Which of these quarterbacks will thrive in the big stage and which will be forgotten names of a headlined class? Alabama’s Bryce Young headlines the class and is the favorite

to be taken with the first, but would this be the best move for the Panthers? The obvious choice, yes. The best choice, no.

Young stands at only 6 feet tall and is known for his ability to run outside the pocket. But, quarterbacks with this frame do not often find long term success in this league. Young won the Heisman in 2021 while having an incredible supporting cast around him. He threw for over 4,300 yards with 47 touchdowns to just 4 interceptions with a completion percentage of 68.0%.

One quarterback that you can almost match his height, ability, and even flashiness to is former Heisman winner and NFL journeyman Baker Mayfield. Mayfield, 6’1” tall, won his Heisman in 2017 after passing for just over 4,300 yards with 41 touchdowns and only 5 interceptions. If

the Panthers take Young at number 1 with their current roster and supporting cast on offense, they will set not only themselves up for failure but also Young’s career.

On the other hand, the Panthers could pull a shocking move and decide to go with Anthony Richardson out of the University of Florida. The strong-armed quarterback has shown signs of looking like the next Josh Allen. Both have had similar college stats, showing their true worth at the combine, and what other analysts

are saying highest ceiling but lowest floor potential. Neither player boasted an amazing statline in college, Richardson last season threw for just over 2,500 yards with 17 touchdowns to 9 interceptions in 12 games. Whereas Allen in his final season threw for just over 1,800 yards with 16 touchdowns and just 6 interceptions in 11 games. The numbers are not pretty but when you look at recent and long term success of quarterbacks with this frame like Ben Roethlisberger, Josh Allen, along with many

Library Corner

The White Haven Garden Club returns on Thursday, April 20 at 1 p.m. All are welcome to join us as we discuss tips, topics and road trips planned for the spring and summer growing seasons.

Don’t forget to mark your calendar for the first ever White Haven Trout Festival, hosted by Western Pocono Trout Unlimited. This great event

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others. The Buffalo Bills quarterback stands at 6’5” and weighs 237 pounds. Richardson weighs 232 while standing at 6’4”. There is one main thing a coach cannot teach a QB and that is arm strength. The good thing with Anthony Richardson is he already has that. If the Panthers want the best shot at success, or any team in the position to draft Richardson that needs a QB, they should not think twice about selecting this young talent.

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October

Comet track teams win opener in dominating fashion

The Crestwood High School track and field teams opened Wyoming Valley Conference play last week by sweeping Wyoming Valley West. The boys won 103-47, and the girls rolled 128-22.

Boys

Crestwood 103, WVW 47 - Anson Jumper won the 110 hurdles and 300 hurdles and George Jennings captured the high jump and the 200 to lead the

Comets past visiting Valley West.

It was a balanced effort by the Comets, who also received individual wins from Jaden Shedlock (100), Mason Staude (1600), Collin Bogdon (400), Weston Medvetz (800), Nate Higgins (3200), John Jones (shot put), George Albright (discus), Tejeda (long jump) and Isaac Mertz (pole vault). The Comets also won two of three relay events.

Crestwood Girls’ Lacrosse Lady Comets notch eighth straight lacrosse win

Isabella Caporuscio had 11 goals and three assists, and the Crestwood girls’ lacrosse team soared past Abington Heights 17-5 on Saturday, marking the Lady Comets’ eighth straight victory.

Julia Glowacki and Hannah Ziegler each added two goals, and Glowacki assisted on seven goals for Crestwood (8-1). Kennedie Huber and Brooke Lapinski rounded out the scoring with one goal apiece. Morgan Koons was in goal, making seven saves in the win.

Bella DeRiggi and Caly Yankow each scored two goals for Abington Heights.

Crestwood 21, Pittston

Area 3 - Hannah Ziegler scored five goals while Caporuscio and Glowacki added four apiece as the Lady Comets secured the WVC win last week.

Grace Pasternick and Olivia Jardine each

scored two goals apiece for Crestwood. Jordan Andrews, Katlyn Bozinko, Kate Gallagher, Brooke Lapinski, Aubrey Macri and Ally George chipped in one apiece. Glowacki and Pasternick each had three assists.

Winning goalie Morgan Koons made 11 saves.

Jess Ostrowski scored two goals for the Patriots.

3200 Relay: Crestwood (Buckley, Kozich, Modrovsky, Medvetz) 9:17. 110 Hurdles: Anson Jumper (C 18.9), Torres (WVW), Minet (C). 100: Jaden Shedlock (C) 11.0, Jennings (C), Williams (C). 1600: Mason Staude (C) 4:43, Higgins (C), Lettieri (C). 400 Relay: Crestwood (Shedlock, Tejeda, Williams, Jennings) 44.8.. 400: Collin Bogdon (C) 55.5, Smith (WVW), Cardona (WVW). 300 Hurdles: Anson Jumper (C) 47.7, Torres (WVW), Campbell (C). 800: Weston Medvetz (C) 2:05, Glaude (WBW), Modrovsky (C). 200: George Jennings (C) 23.1, Williams (C), Hivish (WVW). 3200: Nate Higgins (C) 11:28, Kozich (C), Staude (C). 1600 Relay: Wyoming Valley West (Mahis, Hivish, Glaude, Cardona) 3:50. Shot put: John Jones (C) 42-10.5, Sheloski (C), Giza (WVW). Discus: George Albright (C) 102-8, Dwyer (WVW), Rodgers (C). Javelin: Nicholas Giza (WVW) 141-9, Dwyer (WVW), Meyers (WVW). Long: Tejeda (C) 19-8, Turner (WVW), Stair (WVW). Triple: Turner (WVW) 38-6, Stair (WVW) Kline (C). High jump: George Jennings (C) 5-6, Riggs (WVW), Mertz (C). Pole vault: Isaac Mertz (C) 12-6, Jumper (C), Simpson (C).

Girls

Crestwood 128, WVW 22 - Grayce Grazio won the 100, the 200 and the high jump to lead Crestwood past Valley West. There were plenty of firsts to go around for the Lady Comets, who got individual wins from Madi Geiger (400, javelin), Kayla Kresge (100 hurdles), Ellie Kozich (800), Maggie Kozich (1600), Maddie Jolie (300 hurdles), Katie Kozich (3200), Mia Pollack (shot put), Hope Kline (discus), and Sarah Shipton (pole vault).

3200 Relay: Crestwood (K. Kozich, E. Kozich, Guydish, Leicht) 11:47. 100 Hurdles: Kayla Kresge (C) 16.7, Long (C), Eppley (C). 100: Grayce Grazio (C) 13.0, Richie (WVW), Sheloski (C). 1600: Maggie Kozich (C) 5:48, Barker (C), Danko (C). 400 Relay: Crestwood (Sheloski, Kresge, Shipton, Grazio) 52.9. 400: Madi Geiger (C) 1:05.5, Leicht (C), Tomek (C). 300 Hurdles: Maddie Jolie (C) 54.5, Long (C), Sanders (C). 800: Ellie Kozich (C) 2:42, Kurovsky (WVW), Danko (C). 200: Grayce Grazio (C) 27.1), Shipton (C), Danzbanicziz (WVW). 3200: Katie Kozich (C) 13:01, Barker (C), Riccio (C) .1600 Relay: Crestwood (Geiger, Tomek, Shipton, Jolie) 4:37. Shot put: Mia Pollack (C) 29-6.5, Geiger (C), Gaffney (WVW). Discus: Hope Kline (C) 84-3.5, M. Geiger (C), Pollack (C). Javelin: Madi Geiger (C) 98-7, Pollack (C), Kline (C). Long: Lauren Richie (WVW) 14-8, Geiger (C), Jolie (C). Triple: Lauren Richie (WVW) 33-5, Zdancewicz (WVW, Geiger (C). High jump: Grayce Grazio (C) 4-10, Jolie (C), Kloger (WVW). Pole vault: Sarah Shipton (C) 9-6,

Crestwood Tennis Roundup Comets net win over Holy Redeemer

Crestwood won twice in singles play and swept the doubles portion of the match last week to defeat Holy Redeemer 4-1 in a WVC tennis match last Friday. At first singles, Crestwood’s Tommy Biscotti rallied past Frank Klimovitz 2-6, 7-6 (8-6 tiebreaker), 6-2. The Comets’ Scott Lenio also came from behind to beat Lukas Runde (3-6, 6-3, 6-3) at third singles.

The Comets’ first doubles team of Braiden Fallbright and Sean Rossi edged Jacob Ohrim and John Tondora

7-6 (7-3), 6-4. At No. 2 doubles, Crestwood’s Aaron Kogoy and Will Savner teamed up to defeat Jadon White and Alex Martin 6-4, 6-2.

The Royals lone win came at #2 singles, with Mateo Runde downing Noah Ceklosky (6-0, 6-4).

Crestwood gets baseball split

Joseph Moratori allowed one hit over five shutout innings, powering Crestwood to a 7-2 nonconference baseball win over Valley View last week.

Trevor Dean collected three hits, scored two runs, and drove in a pair for the Comets. Chaz Wright doubled and singled, and Nick Miscavage singled

twice and scored two runs, part of Crestwood’s 14-hit offensive.

Dante Ruby doubled, scored a run and drove in one for Valley View.

Paduck pitched all five innings, allowing one hit and striking out six as the Tigers shut out the Comets.

Tunkhannock 3, Crestwood 2 - The host Tigers (6-1) swept all three singles matches in their win over Crestwood. Zak Keiser and Mark Holovacs were straight-sets winners over Tommy Biscotti and Noah Ceklosky, respectively. Aidan Edwards rallied past Scott Lenio 2-6, 7-5, 6-0. The Comets (4-2) won both doubles contests, with the Sean Rossi-Braiden Fallbright and Tyler FurediAnthony Lettieri teams posting wins.

Tunkhannock 10, Crestwood 0 - Last week in Tunkhannock, Aiden

Paduck also had three hits, two RBIs and scored twice. Charlie Welles had two doubles and drove in three, and Andy Roxby had a single and two RBIs.

Nathan Stortz had the lone hit for the Comets.

Dallas 4, Crestwood 1 - Lucas Carver, Luca DeRome and Jon Florencio recorded straight-set singles wins for the Mountaineers in their WVC win over Crestwood last week.

The Comets’ lone win came from their #2 doubles team of Aaron Kogoy and Will Savner.

Kruczek (C), Ceklosky (C).

Wrecker track teams have busy week

The Weatherly Area track and field teams faced Mahanoy Area in a Schuylkill League Division II meet last week, then participated in the 12th annual Tamaqua Invitational on Friday. Boys

Mahanoy Area 74, Weatherly Area 53William Mayberry won the 800, 1600, and competed in two winning relay teams as Mahanoy Area held off the visiting Wreckers.

Owen Broskowskie earned three firsts to pace the Wreckers, taking the high jump, long jump and javelin. Ian McLaurin won the 200meter dash for Weatherly.

100 — 1. McGroarty (M) 11.2, 2. McLaurin (W), 3. Styka (M); 200 — 1. McLaurin (W)

25.0, 2. Rhoades (M), 3. Styka (M); 400 — 1. Quick (M) 1:00.2, 2.Rhoades (M), 3. Saldukas (W); 800 1. Mayberry (M) 2:13.7, 2. Parker

Puzzle Answers

(W), 3. Zawada (M); 1,600 — 1. Mayberry

(M) 5:26.8, 2. Sebastian (W), 3. N. Manley

(M); 3,200 — 1. N. Manley (M) 13:42.6, 2. Montz (W); 110 HH — No event; 300 IH — 1. Sebastian (W) 53.1; 400 relay — 1. Mahanoy Area (Mayberry, Zawada, N. Manley, Quick)

3:59.3; 1,600 relay — 1. Mahanoy Area (N. Manley, Quick, Zawada, Mayberry) 9:28.5; 3,200 relay — No event; High jump — 1. Broskowskie (W) 5-4, 2. Alansky (M), 3. Wagner (W); Long jump — 1. Broskowskie (W) 18-1, 2. Alansky (M), 3. Paisley (W); Triple jump — 1. Alansky (M) 35-09, 2. Wagner (W), 3. Ryan (M); Shot put — 1. Kaufman (M) 41-4.75, 2. Bachman (M), 3. Nemschick (W); Discus — 1. Kaufman (M) 119-01, 2. Eubanks (W), 3. Bachman (M); Javelin — 1. Broskowskie (W) 128-11, 2. Frye (M), 3. Higgins (W); Pole vault — No event

Girls

Mahanoy Area 94, Weatherly Area 26Mahanoy Area freshman

Felicia Bro won three events (400, long jump, high jump) and Kaylee Senglar added two individual wins (800, 1600, 400 relay) in beating Weatherly Area.

Freshman Kelly Reiner (shot put, discus, javelin) won three events for the Lady Wreckers, and Kendall Gerhart claimed the 200meter dash.

100 — 1.

3.

3,200

Mahanoy Area (Blashock, Mroczka, Ward, Senglar) 4:58.9; 1,600 relay — 1. Mahanoy Area (Blashock, Mroczka, Honus, O’Brien) 11:51.5; High jump — 1. Chilinskas (M) 3-10; Long jump — 1. Bro (M) 13-10, 2. Honus (M), 3. Gerhart (W); Triple jump — 1. Bro (M) 19-3½, 2. Honus (M); Shot put — 1. Reiner (W) 22-7¾, 2. Loughlin (M), 3. Nieves (M); Discus — 1. Reiner (W) 74-8¼, 2. Getz (M), 3. Loughlin (M); Javelin — 1. Reiner (W) 93-8, 2. Ward (M), 3. Denchy (M); Pole vault — No event

Tamaqua Blue Raider Invitational

The Lady Wreckers were led by Kelly Reiner’s sixthplace finish in the javelin, throwing a 92-7.

The Weatherly boys were paced by Michael Berger,

Weatherly Area Baseball

who was eighth in the 800meter run (2:11.82). He was also ninth in the 1600 (4:56.74). The 4x400 relay team of Berger, Sebastian Williams, Niko Saldukas and Jacob Parker was ninth in 3:56.24.

Wreckers double up on Lincoln Leadership

Jack James struck out 11 batters and pitched a complete game four-hitter, guiding the Weatherly Area baseball team to an 8-4 nonleague victory last Friday in Weatherly.

James improved to 2-1 on the season, and the Wreckers (3-7) backed him with a nine-hit attack. Ian McLaurin, Tanner Hinkle, Klaus Eroh and Raymond Montz all had two hits, and Dylan Buck added a single. Nunez had two hits for Lincoln

(3-3).

Weatherly Area Softball Roundup

MMI Prep 16, Weatherly Area 1-On Saturday, Josh Witner hit a bases-clearing triple and Caleb Skuba and Andrew Burns also laced triples as the host Preppers rolled to the three-inning non-league win.

Mikey Kranyak contributed a double, single, two runs scored and two RBI for MMI (4-4), which blew the game open with a 10-run second inning. Tommy Horvat singled twice and drove in a pair of runs. Winning pitcher Zack Yenchko had eight strikeouts and one walk in three innings.

Lady Wreckers shut out Hanover Area

Weatherly Area pitcher Maddie vonFrisch twirled a two-hit gem with 10 strikeouts, and backed her cause with a double, single and two RBI as the visiting Lady Wreckers (6-3) zipped past Hanover Area 12-0 in a non-league softball game last week.

Kelly Michaels led the 12-hit Weatherly attack with a triple and two singles, scoring three runs. Rachel

Rosenlund singled twice, and teammates Raynessa Paulino-Diaz and Aisha Zuberi eached doubled.

Weatherly Area.......203 52 - 12 12 0 Hanover Area.........000 00 - 0 2 4 vonFrisch and Paulino-Diaz; Vigorito and Shreve. W - vonFrisch. L - Vigorito.

Schuylkill Haven 8, Weatherly Area 1 - Kate Donne and Kyleigh Book combined on a three-hitter, and Schuylkill Haven broke the game open with a seven-

run second inning to down Weatherly in a Schuylkill League Division II-III crossover game last week. Donne struck out four in four innings, and Book fanned seven in three innings.

Skylar Bayliff belted a three-run triple in the second inning and an RBI single in the fourth for the Hurricanes (6-4), who won their sixth straight game.

Klaus Eroh and Jack James both had a hit for the Wreckers.

Weatherly Area.........100 - 1 2 5

MMI.....................4(10)2 - 16 9 0

Eroh, Higgins and Montz; Yenchko and Witner. W - Yenchko. L - Eroh.

Schuylkill Haven 15, Weatherly Area 0Mitch Zimmerman and Aiden Clauser each poked a double and single and drove home four runners, leading the Hurricanes (7-1, 4-1 league) to the Schuylkill League Division II-III crossover win last week. Conlan Buletza fired a three-inning no-hitter to earn the victory. Weatherly Area.....000 - 0 0 5 Sch. Haven.............258 - 15 11 0 Buck and Eroh; Buletza and Clauser. WBuletza. L - Buck.

Chloey Homan added an RBI triple in the second. Maddie vonFrisch struck out 15 and allowed just six hits for Weatherly, but was victimized by four errors. She also had two of her team’s three hits, including an RBI single and a double.

Ally Bloom also singled. Weatherly Area.....000 001 0 - 1 3 4 Sch. Haven............070 100 x - 8 6 1 vonFrisch and Paulino-Diaz; Donne, Book (5) and Domermuth. W - Donne. L - vonFrisch.

Hanrahan (M) 16.6, 2. Peralta (M); 200 — 1. Gerhart (W) 29.4, 2. Ward (M); 400 — 1. Bro (M) 1:08.8, 2. Gordon (W),

Gerhart (W); 800 1. Senglar (M), 2. Blashock (M), 3. Gordon (W); 1,600 — 1. Senglar (M) 5:57.8, 2. Blashock (M), 3. Hanrahan (M);

— 1. Honus (M) 14:39.8; 110 HH —

1. Chilinskas (M) 19.8; 300 IH — 1. Ward (M) 59.8, 2. Chilinskas (M); 400 relay — 1.

Mike Tokach is shown with the prize fish he caught in the Lehigh River, as part of the Greater White Haven Chamber of Commerce annual contest. His fish was sponsored by Jama Properties. A total of 17 sponsored fish have been caught so far, sponsored by: Maranuk Equipment, Murphy Lumber, Anora Kelly Strohl, Apple Springs, Carols Bait Shop, Ken Foster DMD, TJ Fritz, Harmony Beverage, PRW Bev, LLC, Jama Properties, John Healy, Lehigh Gorge RV & Notary, LK HairShop, Pencor Services, Blue Ridge Cable, Pocono Biking, Scoops Ice Cream Shop, Standard Farms, and Tavern on the Trail. Congratulations to the winning fisher-persons and keep fishing there are 53 total sponsors, so 36 are still out there to be caught. Follow on WhiteHaven Chamber.com and Facebook: Greater White Haven Chamber.

NBA First-Round Playoff Predictions

by Michael Gutierrez

There is no clear-cut contender this year, but conventional wisdom says the Bucks and the Celtics have the best shot. The league is wide open, though; anyone can win this year’s NBA title.

Eastern Conference

Milwaukee Bucks (58-24) vs. Miami Heat (44-38): Not much to say here. Bucks in 4 Cleveland Cavaliers (5131) vs. New York Knicks (4735): New blood is in the air. The Cavs and Knicks are new bloods dominating the NBA. Both teams are scrappy and versatile, with young stars leading the way. The Cavs traded for Donovan Mitchell this past summer. He averaged 28.3 ppg and dished out 4.4 APG in his first season with the Cavs. He was paired with a young upstart point guard in Darius Garland, a stud in his own right. I could go on and on about this backcourt. The frontcourt consists of Jarrett Allen and Evan Mobley; those two can do many things on defense and offense. These four young rising stars are the key to the Cavs’ success, and if they can play up to their potential, this team could move past this round and to the Eastern Conference Finals.

As for the Knicks, they also went out in the summer and signed a young rising star in Jalen Brunson. And to no surprise, Brunson is the engine of this new spunky Knicks team. He is paired with Julius Randle and R.J. Barrett, and they have clicked for the most part. Overall, the Knicks are a very solid, hard-nosed team that can potentially upset the Cavs. Will they? Cavs

in 7 “Slobberknocker of a series”

Philadelphia 76ers (5428) vs. Brooklyn Nets (4537): This series is ironic because these franchises made a blockbuster trade in the summer centering around James Harden and Ben Simmons. And unfortunately, Ben Simmons has been shut down due to a back injury.

Let’s discuss Joel Embiid and James Harden and how this duo is primed to make a deep run. Their pick-in roll game is one of the best the NBA has seen because of how versatile both players are. Both are creative off the bounce and can beat you in multiple ways. If the Sixers want to sniff the conference finals, Embiid and Harden must lead against a competitive Brooklyn Nets team.

As we move on to Brooklyn, let’s say this franchise has been on a roller coaster for the past couple of years, from having Kevin Durant nearly take them to the Eastern Conference Finals to having KD, James Harden, and Kyrie Irving all on one team and not do a damn thing. But with all that turmoil, they shipped out Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving and got some solid players in return. The haul of players included Mikal Bridges, Cam Johnson, Dorian Finney-Smith, and Spencer Dinwiddie. With them coming over in a trade, the Nets are an all-around solid team that could pull off an upset. And I think that’s going to happen. Nets in 7 “Sixers meltdown”

Boston Celtics (57-25) vs. Atlanta Hawks (4241): This could be a very interesting matchup, or the Celtics will sweep them. It

depends on the first-time head coach, Joe Mazzulla. Quin Snyder is a savvy veteran coach with the chops to out-coach young Mazzulla. I can see that happening throughout the series, but it won’t matter because the Celtics have Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown leading the way. Celtics in 5 Western Conference

Denver Nuggets (53-29) vs. Minnesota Timberwolves (42-40): Can the Nuggets get over the hump and finally make the Finals?

I say no. Nuggets in 5 Phoenix Suns (4537) vs. Los Angeles Clippers (44-38): Here we go, KD vs. Kawhi, and this is what the NBA is all about. But better yet, we get to see KD go up against Russ. This would be the former teammates’ first head-to-head match in the playoffs. This series will be the best out of Round 1, no doubt. And not to mention, we get to see CP3 go up against the Clippers again, just like they did back in the 2021 conference finals. It will come down to depth, and I think the Clippers have more of that. Having Norman Powell, who leads the Clippers in scoring off the bench, will be the X-factor and ultimately tilt the series in the Clipper’s favor. Clippers in 7 “Russ vs. KD, the bloodbath”

Sacramento Kings (4834) vs. Golden State Warriors (44-38): For the first time since 2006, the Sacramento Kings are in the playoffs, and the team even has home-court advantage. And their reward is to play the defending NBA Champs, the Golden State Warriors, in the first round. Although

the Warriors have had a sub-par year, they still have that championship pedigree and can never count them out. They will also be getting back Andrew Wiggins, who has been out for most of the second half of the season due to a personal matter. The Kings proved they are a legit threat to make some noise in this year’s playoffs. They historically had the greatest offensive year the NBA has ever seen, statistically speaking. The Kings are no slouch. Head coach Mike Brown has whipped this franchise into shape and is a shoo-in to win coach of the year. So, who wins? Having the Kings in the playoffs is great for the NBA, but their run will end against a fully healthy Warriors team. Warriors in 6 “Winners of North Cal” Memphis Grizzlies (51-31) vs. Los Angeles Lakers (4439): Behold, the mighty Los Angeles Lakers made it into the playoffs by the skin of their teeth by defeating the Timberwolves in OT. But somehow, are they still going to the NBA Finals? This series will come down to the stars leading the pack. If Ja Morant can play like the superstar that we all know he can play like, well, they should win the series. But if LeBron and AD start to control the games, then the Lakers have a good shot at winning this series. In the end, I give the edge to the Grizzlies because they have more depth. Grizz in 6

Texas-based Michael Gutierrez loves analyzing the NBA, especially at playoff time. He shares his predictions at The Sports Column.