By Maria CascarioThe Bangor Slater Youth

Football Association is proud to announce that they are entering their 55th season as an organization. The asso-ciation began in 1961 as the Bangor Bombers, changing to the Blue Valley Patriots in 1972. In order to better represent the community, the Association agreed to make another name change to Bangor Slater Youth Football Association in 2012. Although the name has changed over the years, the proud history of Bangor Youth Football remains constant.Sandlot football was a

popular pastime in the 1960s. In Bangor, PA, Charlie Wooley, assisted by Robert Owens and Angelo Polo, formed the Bangor Bombers in early fall of 1961. This was the beginning of Youth Football in the area. Local Businesses generously donated funds for uniforms and equipment. The Bangor Bombers joined a CY0 league, and after several years, more public schools entered forming separate public and parochial leagues. Even Our Lady of Mt. Carmel had a team, called The Little Royals.

In 1972, a group of men from both teams collaborated and made the decision to merge both teams and join the Pop Warner League, where ages and weight limits made an even playing field for all. The Bombers colors were red and white, the Royals, blue and white. The colors were combined to red, white and blue and the name Blue Valley Patriots was adopted. In fall of 1972, just two teams were entered, a midget and peewee squad with nine cheerleaders per team. Girls uniforms were not available, since team monies went for new football uniforms. The cheerleading coach, along with some garment factory owners, sewed the uniforms them-selves.Founding board members

for the Patriots were Sal Lopiano, Mike Goffredo, Gerald Dally, Glenwood Heard, John Punturo, Donald Ascani and Karen Brewer. A womens auxiliary was formed to help with fund raising, with Veronica Goffredo serving as the first president.Youth football in the Bangor

area operated as The Blue Valley Patriots for 40 years.

Due to the high volume of Plainfield Township residents potentially affected by the tree defolia-tion damage caused by gypsy moth larvae, the Plainfield Township Board of Supervisors would like to give additional notice of the recently announced 2016 Northampton County suppression program. Northampton County officials are working with both the PA Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR) Bureau of Forestry and the USDA Forest Service in order to identify at-risk areas that will be eligible for treatment in 2016. The intent of the program is to preserve the forested areas of the county. Applications from residents who want to be included in the 2016 suppression program are being accepted until August 31st. No appli-cations will be accepted after

that date. County residents are urged to call the Northampton County Penn State Extension office at 610-746-1970. For more information or to download a copy of the application visit dcnr.state.pa.us/forestry/insectsdisease/index.htm or www.twp.plainfield.pa.us. All completed applications should be hand-delivered, faxed or emailed to the extension office, 14 Grace-dale Avenue, Nazareth, PA 18064. Please note that this is not a Plainfield Township program, but that the govern-ing body of the township would like to ensure that township residents are informed of both the program and the deadline .Monroe County Bible

Clubs are being held weekly on Thursdays at 1:30pm at Dansbury Park in East Stroudsburg. The program is free to attend and is open to all ages. For more information, contact Jim at 570-421-9968 or jimecker-bcm @verizon.net.

St. Johns Cemetery is seeking donations to help with the upkeep of the cem-etery, roadways and monu-ments. They are also explor-ing the idea of adding a Com-munity Columbarium near the mosoleum. Donations can be sent to Carol Hummel c/o St. Johns Cemetery, 136 Messinger Street, Bangor, PA 18013.The Ladies Auxiliary of

the Mt. Bethel Volunteer Fire Company in Mt. Bethel is seeking new mem-bers and volunteers. If you are interested and would like further information, contact Gail at 570-897-6293 or Kris at 610-392-7975.The BAHS Alumni Asso-

ciation is collecting used musical instruments to be donated to Bangors elementary band program. The instruments will be used as loaners for students who cannot afford them. For more information, call 610-588-5198. The Slate Belt Heritage

Center Oral History Proj-ect is seeking Slate Belt senior citizens who would like to be interviewed. If you know of anyone who has a story, call Marc Blau at 570-897-5459.The Neucrue fundraiser

golf tournament, to be held on September 25th, is seek-ing donations. If you would like to be a sponsor, donate promotional items or door prizes (golf balls, golf clubs, etc.), contact Ryan Mackay at 484-695-5104 or neucrue fundraiser@gmail.com.Bangor Area High School

class of 1952 is searching for the correct addresses of

classmates Gerald Ronco, Alvin Englert, Elenor Shaheen, Betty Laub, and Marie Jordan (Temins). If you have any information please contact Marge DeNardo at 610-863-4593.Happy birthday wishes

are sent to Lorraine Parry of East Bangor, who will be 90 on August 28th.

The Annual Blairstown Town Wide Yard Sale, sponsored by the Blair Woman's Club is being held on September 19th and 20th. Applications can be found in the lobby of Blairstown Post Office, Catharine Dickson Hofman Library, First Hope Bank, on Route 94, and Blairstown Town Hall. Applications may also be emailed to pwoelfle@embarqmail.com. For more information, call 908-459-4129. All proceeds go toward community chari-table giving, scholarships, and military support.The Warren County Com-

munity Singers are looking for new members. The singers are a non-audition group. Rehearsals are Tues-days, 7:30pm to 9:30pm at the First Presbyterian Church of Washington, located at 40 Church Street in Washington. Singers present two concerts a year: holiday concert in December and Spring Fest of Song in early May. All voice parts are welcome. Mens voices are especially needed. For more information, call Jane at 908-399-4771.Knights of Columbus

Assembly #3125 of Blair-stown is holding their annual flag sale for three feet by five feet nylon USA flags with deluxe embroi-dered stars and sewn stripes. Donation per flag is $20. Call 908-362-9121 for pickup.Warren County Commu-

nity Senior Centers will be featuring exercise classes, including Tai Chi and Zumba Gold, guest speak-ers and activities. Lunch will be served Monday through Friday and transpor-tation is available upon request. For more informa-tion and locations, call 908-475-6591. Deer Valley Sportsmens

Association of Blairstown is looking for land to lease in the Blairstown, Hardwick, Knowlton, Hope, Freling-huysen, Stillwater or White Twp. areas. All members belong to the National Rifle Association and hunt-alongs are done before new mem-bers are voted into this asso-ciation. Several of the associations properties are semi-wild and licensed by the State of NJ Division of Fish and Wildlife. They stock phesants, partridge and sometimes quail. All leased property is posted and trespassers are vigorously prosecuted. If you own prop-erty, either wooded or fileds with brushy cover, and would like to speak with someone about leasing the property, call Robert at 973-948-4001; James at 973-875-9266; Timothy at 908-637-4408; Brian at 908-362-6598; or James Craig at 908-278-5149. The association is a rounded group including doctors, lawyers, police, contractors, farmers, a former director of Fish and Game, and they are well-known and respected in the Blairstown area.Public Notice: In accor-

dance with the Adequate Notice provision of the

Open Public Meetings Act, please be advised that the 2015 meeting schedule for the Warren County Transpor-tation Advisory Council is as follows: September 10th and November 12th at 1:30pm. Meetings will be held in the Rutgers Cooperative Exten-sion Meeting Room at the Wayne Dumont Jr. Adminis-ration Building, located at 165 Rt. 519 S. in Belvidere.Public Notice: In accor-

dance with the Adequate Notice provision of the Open Public Meetings Act, please be advised that the 2015 meeting schedule for the Warren County Mental Health Board is as follows: September 15th, October 20th, November 17th and December 15th at 5pm. Meetings will be held in rooms 123A and B at Warren County Community College, located at 475 Rt. 57 in Washington.Public Notice: In accor-

dance with the Adequate Notice provision of the Open Public Meetings Act, please be advised that the 2015 meeting schedule for the Warren County Human Services Advisory Council is as follows: September 22nd and November 24th (location TBD) at 1:30pm. Meetings will be held in the Freeholder Meeting Room at the Wayne Dumont Jr. Adminisration Building, located at 165 Rt. 519 S. in Belvidere. Public Notice: In accor-

dance with the Adequate Notice provision of the Open Public Meetings Act, please be advised that the 2015 meeting schedule for the Warren County LACA/DA is as follows: October 13th and December 8th at 5pm. Meetings will be held in Meeting Room A--located on the first floor--at Warren County Department of Human Services, located at 1 Shotwell Drive in Belvi-dere.

On Wednesday evening, August 13th, artist Jeffrey M. Green gave a colored pencil workshop at Bloom Creative Studio in Bangor, PA. Jeffrey has been using this unique medium in his fine art for over 20 years. To inaugurate these monthly classes, students were taught how to draw a rose, aptly keeping the theme of Bloom for the subject lesson. Bloom Creative Studio,

situated on Broadway in the downtown area of Bangor, is a studio with a purpose. Here the community can enjoy creativity of every kind from paper craft, ceramics, and fiber art, to painting and drawing. The guiding purpose of the studio is to employ women moving beyond addiction and trauma and provide them with a supportive and productive work environ-ment. By working in an active creative business, women will heal from their past while they learn basic job readiness skills such as communication, reliability, accountability, problem solving, and goal setting. The Studio also serves as an outlet of fun and enrichment, a great place for birthday parties or events. Bloom is non-profit, every purchase and donation goes toward women in need. The colored pencil work-

shops are currently monthly, the second Thursday of the month. Having been received very well, having them more often has also

been considered.Bloom Creative Studio is

sure to be a positive and welcome presence in the community of Bangor.

When a couple decides to end their marriage, they can face a daunting list of costs, paperwork and formalities before their divorce is final-ized. One thing most should be able to agree on is that theyd like the divorce process to move along as smoothly as possible. While everybodys circumstances are different, finding common ground can be important to making the divorce process less painful and potentially less costly as well.A newer development in the

legal process for divorce is known as collaborative law. It is designed to help couples find points of agreement, settle issues in a more coop-erative way and stay out of

divorce court. The process can be effective for couples of all ages, but finding a less antagonistic way to settle a divorce may be especially beneficial when children are part of the mix.A different approachDivorce is often a process

that is litigated between two parties, each represented by his or her own attorney. With a collaborative process, each spouse has his or her own attorney as well, but in this case, the attorneys are trying to find ways to settle issues with less contention. Legal professionals who pursue this approach are committed to finding solutions to points of dispute and both parties make a priority of keeping the issue out of the courts.An honest and forthright

approach by both parties is crucial to this process. Open disclosure of information is fully expected. For example, both a husband and wife must be candid about money they may have set aside in any account or documents that may have been drawn up prior to or during the marriage that could have an impact on the ultimate settle-ment.Financial advisors can be

involved in the process to help provide guidance through tricky issues related

to joint accounts, retirement savings plans and tax implica-tions of a divorce (although youll also want to work with a tax professional). The two parties should agree to the use of other various financial specialists to help, for example, conduct an appraisal on the value of the home or other property.Going beyond financial

issuesMany people would agree

that there is significant emo-tional stress to the entire family when a home is split apart. This is especially true if custody of children becomes part of the settlement process.Collaborative law puts

significant emphasis on the involvement of professionals who can help families through the process. This can include mental health coun-selors and coaches, parenting experts and child specialists. If the couple has children, the help of child specialists can be particularly important to help assure that the transition to a new relationship with their parents is as smooth as possible. It also is a way to give children a voice in the process and helps contribute to a more satisfactory resolu-tion to the divorce.Moving on with lifeFor most people going

through a divorce is extremely emotional and complex. If the divorce

process can be handled with less hostility and a spirit of cooperation, it can result in a faster resolution and one that is more suitable for both parties. This can be critical in helping divorced spouses move on with the next phase of their lives. Often seeking out help from professionals financial advisors, lawyers and CPAs can make the process go a little bit

smoother. James Fahey, AAMS,

LUTCF, CLTC is a Finan-cial Advisor and Vice Presi-dent with Ameriprise Finan-cial Services, Inc. in Bedminster,NJ. He special-izes in fee-based financial planning and asset manage-ment strategies and has been in practice for 26 years. To contact him, please visit ameripriseadvisors.com/jame

s.fahey.Ameriprise and its affiliates

do not offer tax or legal advice. Consumers should consult with their tax advisor or attorney regarding their specific situation.Ameriprise Financial

Services, Inc. Member FINRA and SIPC. 2015 Ameriprise Finan-

cial, Inc. All rights reserved.

For more information on upcoming events at Bloom Creative Studio, stop by 32 Broadway in Bangor, PA or call 570-977-0600.

Bow Wow Bike Jam & Poker Run: August 29th, 11am. Lappawinzo Fish & Game, 25 Lappawinzo Rd., Northampton. Benefits Safe Haven Dog Rescue in Blakeslee & Peaceable King-dom in Whitehall. Registra-tion 11am-1pm, ride at 1pm. FMI, tickets, or to volunteer, call 610-573-0161.

All You Can Eat Blueberry Pancake Breakfast: August 30th, 8am-noon. Blooming Grove Vol. Firehouse, 484 Rt. 739, Lords Valley (Hawley). FMI, call 570-775-7355.

Wind Gap Summer Sounds Concert Series: August 30th, 6pm. Live music by Steel Creek. Wind Gap Park.

Pastie Sale: Now-September 1st. Pick up September 1st, 3:30pm. East Bangor Methodist Church, 136 W. Central Ave. Choices: beef w/ or w/o onion & broccoli cheese w/ or w/o onion. To order, call 610-588-1745.

Marine Corps League Meeting: September 2nd, 1900 hours. Northampton County Detachment 298. 1621 Lehigh St., Easton. All active duty & honorably discharged Marines welcome. FMI, contact jimmineousmc @rcn.com.

Delaware-Lehigh Amateur Radio Club Meeting: September 3rd, 7:30pm. Bethlehem Twp. Comm. Center, 2900 Farmersville Rd., Bethlehem. FMI, visit www.dlarc.org or call 610-

432-8286.

Forks of the Delaware Chapter 14 Society for PA Archaeology Meeting: September 3rd, 7pm. Easton Area Public Library, 1 Weller Place, Easton. Visitors welcome. NJ residents encouraged to attend. All are encouraged to bring Native American artifacts for dating & classifying. Attendance & classifying free. FMI, call Len Ziegler at 908-750-4110 or email lziegler2019 @centurylink.net

Families First Wine Tast-ing: September 11th, 4:30pm-7pm. 239 Blue Ridge Rd., Saylorsburg. Tick-ets must be paid in advance. FMI or tickets, contact Spring Shank at Pen Argyl High School; Kate Marsteller at Wind Gap Middle School; Kelly Thomas at Plainfield Elementary School; or Frank Jones at 610-863-9095, ext. 1308.

Free Community Picnic: September 12th, 2pm-5pm. Belfast Wesley UMC, 607 School Rd., Nazareth. FMI, call Paul at 908-565-2447.

Monroe Animal League

Mid-Year New Year's Ball: September 18th, 7pm-11pm. 1100 Trout Lake Rd., Stroudsburg. Benefits Monroe Animal League (MAL), Animal Welfare Society of Monroe (AWSOM), & Camp Papillon Pet Adoption & Rescue. Limited seating. FMI or tickets, call 570-421-7775, leave your name, number & number of people in your party.

Rummage Sale: September 19th, 7am-1pm. Arndts Lutheran Church, 1851 Arndt Rd., Easton.

St Joseph's Annual Tricky Tray: September 19th, 11:30am. Delaware Valley Elementary School, 236 Rt. 6 & 209, Milford. Calling starting at 2pm. Over 200 trays. FMI, call 570-491-9074.

San Gennaro Festival Bus Trip: September 20th, 9am. Proceeds benefit the Ameri-can Cancer Society. FMI, call Karen Campanaro at 610-588-2429.

Spaghetti Dinner: Septem-ber 25th, 4pm-7pm. Hope UCC, 2nd St., Wind Gap.

North Warren Democratic Club Meeting: August 26th, 7pm. Catherine Dickson Hofman Library, Lambert Rd., Blairstown. FMI, call Fred Cook at 908-362-6808 or email fpchistory@ yahoo.com.

Fish & Chips Dinner: August 27th, 4-7pm. Broad-way UMC, 2233 Rt. 57, Broadway. FMI, call 908-

689-6951.

Father Johns Animal House Wine Tasting Benefit: August 28th, 7pm. 1 Forest Dr., Allamuchy Twp. Tickets will not be sold at the door. Reservations req'd. FMI or reservations, contact Peggy at 973-670-5641 or peggyp@ptd.net.

69th Annual Lord's Auc-tion: August 29th, 10:30am. 4 Kennedy Rd., (corner of Rt. 611 & Rt. 517), Tranquility. All proceeds benefit the church. FMI, call Sue Hardin, evenings at 973-383-5428.

Free Movie Night: August 29th, dusk. Tunnel Field, Rt. 94. Featured movie: Big Hero 6. Raindate: August 30th. FMI, call Dennis Lembeck at 908-246-3737.

Blairstown Seniors Bus Trip: October 1st. Trip to Woodloch Pines, Hawley, PA for Oktoberfest. Sign Up September 1st, 1pm. Town Hall. FMI, call Mickey at 908-362-8919.

Chester Lioness Club Meet-ing: September, 3rd, 6:30pm. 180 W. Main St., Chester. The topic will be Frauds Perpetrated on The Elderly. FMI, call Holly Simmenroth at 908-879-5932.

Free Caregiver Seminar: September 12th, 8:30am-1pm. Warren Co. Comm. College, 475 Rt. 57 West, Washington. Registration deadline, September 3rd. FMI, contact Robin Ennis at Robin.Ennis@UnitedWayNNJ.org, or call 973-993-1160, ext. 305 or visit UnitedWayN NJ.org/CaregiversConferences.

11th Annual Puptoberfest: September 19th, 11am-5pm. Horseshoe Lake, 72 Eyland Ave., Succasunna. Dogs Welcome! Proceeds benefit Eleventh Hour Rescue. FMI, visit www. ehrdogs.org, email mainoffice @ehrdogs.org, or call 973-664-0865.

3rd Annual Swayze Mill Park Car Show: October 18th, 11am-3pm. 100 Swayze Mill Rd., Hope.

Children 5 & under eat free.District 10 Fall Trapping Convention & Sportsman Show: September 25th, 12-6pm & September 26th 8am-5pm. Dealers, tail-gaters, & demonstrations. West End Fairgrounds. 70 Fairgrounds Rd., Gilbert. FMI, contact Bob Counter-man at 610-759-9203.

Bangor Slater Marching Band's 38th Annual Festi-val of Marching Bands: September 30th, 7pm-9pm. Bangor Memorial Park. Featuring: Pen Argyl, Wilson, Southern Lehigh, East Stroudsburg South, Belvidere, NJ & Bangor High School bands. Rain date: October 1st.

By Jennifer LivelyEarly recovery is difficult

for all addicts and alcoholics. Early recovery is a time for readjusting to life without drugs or alcohol. Achieving and maintaining sobriety requires changes in your lifestyle, relationships, coping skills and every other area of your life. All of this change makes people in early recovery particularly vulner-able to relapse. Here are 10 of the most

common struggles addicts and alcoholics face in early recovery: 1. Being around others that

use drugs or alcohol.2. Anger, sadness and irrita-

bility.3. Boredom and loneliness.4. Extreme joy.5. Holidays and special

occasions. 6. Insomnia7. Guilt or shame. 8. Making mistakes.9. Dating and codependency. 10. Money and work.A Clean Slate can help with

most of these issues. If you or someone you know is looking for support or information, visit 100 S. First Street in Bangor, PA or call 610-452-9348.

Blue Valley Family Prac-tice, one of several physician practices comprising Easton Medical Group, celebrates the completion of its imaging services expansion on August 26th from 11am to 2pm with an open house. The imaging project began

in June, and cost about $300,000 dollars. The expanded location includes a quick registration site, X-ray equipment and waiting room. The expansion resulted in several new hires, bringing technical positions to the facility in both lab and imag-ing.We are pleased to offer

additional services to care for the community of Wind Gap and the surrounding areas, says Deb DeAlessi Lunburg, Vice President of Physician Services. The patients in the Slate Belt have been loyal to

Easton Hospital and Easton Medical Group for years, so we want to offer them the one-stop experience theyd expect and appreciate.The comprehensive prac-

tice location also includes a lab, family medicine physi-cians, nurse practitioners and a walk-in clinic. Blue Valley is now open seven days a week.The open house will

include a live radio remote

from 99.99 FM The Hawk, face painting, food, facility tours, health screenings, giveaways and an opportu-nity to meet the team. The screenings offered that day will include heel scans, glucose and cholesterol checks and blood pressure. The Easton Hospital Sleep Center will also be on hand to answer questions. For more information visit www. EastonPhysician.com.

I would like to send a BIG thank you to Lanes Towing in Ackermanville, PA.It was nice to know that

you can count on a home-town business.

Our son was on his way home on leave from the Marines when he experi-enced car troubles and was stuck on the turnpike at 2am! Dick and Ty Lane were there in no time.Thank You,The Salterns - Zach, John

and Beth.

The Blue Mountain Com-munity Library Board would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone from the community for their support of our many fundraisers this summer, including Detzis Tavern, the Half-Price Book

Nook sale, homemade pie/ice cream at the Inch and the Echoes Concert at Weona Park in Pen Argyl, PA, and other local busi-nesses. A special thank you also to

Detzis for their generosity. The library exists solely on donations from the munici-palities and the people it serves.

By Mike Baird: State of the Arc Welding & Fabricating LLCA typical day here at my

weld shop in Bangor, PA is not an easy thing to describe. As a job shopa business that does custom manufactur-ing work for its clientswe are always working on some-thing new and different. It changes weekly, daily or even hourly.Forward planning is a skill

Ive had to learn to navigate over the years, as I never know who is going to be coming in with a job to quote.

Many days my team is all working on different jobs, someone is TIG welding, someone running the CNC plasma table, my wife is in the office taking calls and answer-ing emails. Then if a big job needs finishing up to hit a deadline, everyone comes together and works as a crew.This can be satisfying, and

its reassuring to know your workers have your back as the inevitable deadlines loom. It also helps to have a highly motivated and skilled staff that can perform many roles. Keeping up with the fast pace,

and always expecting the unexpected, keeps each day interesting.Usually the day will start the

night before. Whenever possible, I prep the shop and the office, set up the machin-ery, and lay out the next days plans with my staff before they leave for the day. I can go home knowing we are ready for tomorrow. And as anyone who owns their own business knows, the lines between work and home are blurred. My favorite role is develop-

ing a new procedure when I receive a new blueprint from a

client. The knowledge, expe-rience, and creativity needed to work out the most time- and cost-effective way to fulfil the task is still a rush for me. Knowing my client is going to be surprised by a new approach to something, and knowing we produce only the finest welds gives me peace of mind and a great sense of pride in our achievements. Be sure to follow us on Face-

book, Instagram, Twitter, and LinkedIn, and see our website, www.sotaw. com, if you are interested in learning more about what we do here.

The library, located at 216 South Robinson Ave. in Pen Argyl, is currently collecting non-perishable food items for the Hope UCC Food Bank in Wind Gap until September 12th. Donations can be made at the library Monday through Saturday, 10am to Noon and Monday through Thursday, 6pm to 8pm.

Story Hour at the library will resume on September 15th. All pre-school children, accompanied by an adult, are welcome. Story Hour is held on the second floor of the library at 10:30am, and the children will enjoy stories and an age appropriate craft. Call 610-863-3029 for information or visit www.bmcl.org.

During that time, Our Lady of Mt. Carmel reformed the Little Royals Football program. In 2012, the execu-tive board of the Blue Valley Patriots unanimously voted to change the name of the organization to Bangor Slater Youth Football Asso-ciation (BSYFA). Since that change, the organization experienced tremendous growth and success. Bangor Youth Football and cheering has a proud history in the community and continues to achieve excellence in encouraging, promoting, and supporting an interest in, and an understanding of athlet-ics, and instilling pride and good sportsmanship in the youth of the Bangor area.To commemorate this mile-

stone, the Association will be retiring the uniforms of Douglas Comunale, (32), David Hopstetter (33) and Todd Strohe (83). These former athletes will be recognized for their contri-butions to the youth and high school level athletic programs as well as to their community.David, the son of Beverly

and Walter Hopstetter, was a three-letter winner in football and team captain in his senior year at Bangor. He was also a track and field athlete, was team captain and MVP. He was awarded a football scholarship to Dela-ware Valley College, but opted to work at Hoffman LaRoche afer high school. He was a successful, well-

liked coach for the Blue Valley Patriots football team for seven years and a member of Bangor Elks. Through the Elks, he devel-oped and implemented a bowling league for children. In 1987, he passed away in a work-related accident. He was inducted into the Bangor Athletic Hall of Fame in 2013.Todd Strohe, son of Walter

and Carol Strohe, played two years of varsity football at Bangor High School; and baseball from 1980 to 1982. His football awards and honors are First Team Colo-nial League Defensive End, First Team All Northampton County Defensive End, and Honorable Mention All-State Defensive End. Todd was a LARC All Star Game participant. He was one of seven Lehigh Valley football players nominated for the Big 33 game. At Bangor High School, he was Foot-ball MVP, team captain, Richard Forester Outstand-ing defensive lineman; Bangor Policeman Associa-

tion MVP. He was inducted into the Bangor Athletic Hall of Fame in 2006. After high school he played football for one year at Mansfield University. He received his Bachelors degree in Crimi-nal Justice from Mansfield in 1986 and his Masters degree in Administration of Justice from Shippensburg Univer-sity in 1991. Todd was an assistant BHS football coach for nineteen years. Two daughters, Taylor, Tatum and a son Cam, survive him.Douglas Comunale, son of

David and Dawn (Brewer) Comunale, was a four letter winner in football and captain of the team his senior year. He was an honorable mention defensive end for the Colonial League in his sophomore year (1986). He contributed to a team four-year record of 39 wins and 7 losses. He didnt miss one quarter of play his entire career. He lettered in track and field in his freshman and sophomore years. Doug started wrestling in third grade and continued for nine

years. At age twelve, he was an AAU State Champ and placed in numerous tourna-ments as a youngster. In his junior year at Bangor, he won the Warren Hills Tour-nament in his weight class. In his senior year, he won the Christmas City tournament in his weight class. He went on to become a District XI and Regional Champion. He lettered four years in wrest-ing, was captain and voted most valuable player in his junior and senior years. Doug was a two time state qualifier, District 11 and regional champ in 1989, finishing fifth in the state. He compiled a career total of 93 wins and 25 losses. He passed away May 20, 1989. He was to attend Clarion University on a wrestling scholarship. The Association will hold a

ceremony Sunday, August 30 after the Jr. Peewee game versus Wilson is concluded (approx. ceremony start time is 2pm) at the Paul Farnan Field at Bangor Memorial Park.

Ever wonder what is amateur radio, and what do you do with it? Amateur radio is a fun hobby where you can talk with people across town or all over the world, even with astro-nauts in space, without telephone wires, cell phones or the Internet. It provides helpful communication service in emergencies, public service and community events.Amateur radio operators

come from all walks of life, from all ages, men and women, students and retirees, factory workers and doctors, and all in between. We all have one thing in common: ham radio. Delaware-Lehigh Amateur

Radio Club will offer a series of nine, free, Tuesday evening classes, form 7pm to 9pm beginning September 8th at the Northampton County Gracedale Complex, Naza-reth. They will help anyone interested in earning their entry-level FCC amateur radio license. They also will offer a separate series of classes to upgrade to the General License on the same dates.For answers to questions,

more information, or to regis-ter for the free classes, call 610-432-8286 or email ke3aw@arrl.net.The Delaware-Lehigh Ama-

teur Radio Club, Inc. is a 501 (C)(3) non-profit charitable organization.

Ciao Amici,As schools open for the year

I have a feeling of emptiness. The schools that I attended along with my brothers and daughters are no longer open. The school bells ringing, the students and their parents crying on their first day of school, the pencils sharpen-ing, the rustle of books in and out of the desks, the nuns and teachers commencing the Pledge of Allegiance, the Hail Mary and Our Father are silent after so many years.

The laughter and the tears of playing at recess in the play-ground will not be heard there any more only the silence and echos of days gone by. The early hours of migrating south on Garibaldi Avenue or Chestnut St. as other students came west from Roseto Ave. or east from the Ball Park, Front St., Dante and Dewey, or North from 6 th, 7th 8th or 9th streets have come to an end. There will still be students waiting for buses to take them to schools which seem so far away when you com-pare that many of us only had to walk to our school. When I first attended school I had an advantage of know-ing many of my classmates most of their parents were customers at the butcher shop. There were second cousins, neighbors and friends that were in my class, if someone was not known it just took minutes to know who they were. They were one of us if not we would make them one of us. That is how strong the town was.

How they instilled in us the mantra, One for all and all for one. Now when I remember fall and all that the classes I attended can recall, I will be only remembering the shadows of my school.Famiglia la prima scuola

per i bambini e i genitori sono modelli forti.Family is the first school

for young children, and parents are powerful models.Con cordiali saluti, JoeGrowing up in the Butcher

Shop, is available at the shop or on our web page. To receive menu specials and our newsletter, join our mail-ing list at JDeFrancoAnd Daughters.com, click on mailing list and enter your email. Send your Roseto stories, recipes and com-ments to portipasto@epix. net or call 610-588-6991. J. DeFranco and Daughters

is located at 2173 W. Bangor Rd. in Bangor, PA. Store hours are 7am to 7pm, seven days a week, with catering available anytime or by appointment.

(NAPSI)You can save money, feel better and maybe even look better if you take your water with a grain of salt. Well, lots of grains. Thats because the right sort of salt and system can soften hard waterand hard water is tough on your clothes, appli-ances, pipes and complexion.Hard water is water with a

lot of minerals in it. Its the kind found in most homes in America and it can lead to such problems as: Dry, itchy, irritated skin Razor burn

Fading hair color Spots on glassware Dingy, rough clothes,

which tear more easily A funny taste in your

water, coffee and other drinks made with water or ice The need for more soap

and detergent to get things really clean Crusty buildup on faucets

and showerheads. According to the Water Quality Association/Battelle Institute research study, showerheads on hard water lost 75 percent of the flow rate in less than 18 months.

Fortunately, you can prevent all those troubles with a qual-ity water softener system.A good water softener such

as ProMate EcoMax will also use less salt (saving you money and from having to carry so many heavy bags) and less water while reducing the amount of chloride it gives off, which is good for the environment. So is the fact that a new water softener is likely to be energy efficient.In addition, it can improve

the life span of your appli-ances, saving you from main-tenance and early replace-ment expenses. Hard water

can lead to as much as a 24 percent loss of operating efficiency in gas-storage water heaters and its a prob-lem for washing machines and dishwashers, too. By some estimates, softened water lets you use 60 percent less detergent and save energy by lowering the water temperature.Whats more, many house-

holds could benefit from a drinking water filtration system. All the water that ever existed on Earth still exists today; it is simply recycled over and over. Herbicides, pesticides and fertilizers are entering the environment, along with prescription drugs, and they all end up in our drinking water. Mother Nature is not designed to adequately address this. A properly designed filtration system, like the Millennium Reverse Osmosis System, can reduce the amount of many of these contaminants in your water.For further facts about

water softening and drinking water filtration, and to find a nearby Hellenbrand dealer who carries the ProMate EcoMax, go to www.hellenbrand.com/locate-your-water-expert.

Hello, fellow readers!While on a road walk with

Miss Ellie I came across a pinkish Queen Annes Lace flower with dark magenta edges on a plant where all the other flowers were the customary cream. What a gorgeous anomaly! It reminded me of grade school when wed cut Queen Annes Lace and put them in water with food coloring to change the color.Queen Anne's Lace, Daucus

carota, is also called Wild Carrot. In fact, todays edible carrots were once cultivated from this plant. Like carrots, the D. carota root is edible while young before becoming too woody to eat. Be careful when collecting Queen Anne's Lace, as it resembles Poison Hemlock and Fool's Parsley; both with similar flowers. But the Queen Anne's Lace flowers are much tighter and only her roots smells like carrots. Shes second to beets in level of sugar and is sometimes

used to sweeten puddings and other foods. They say both Queen Anne

of Great Britain, and her great grandmother Anne of Denmark are for whom the plant is named. Once intro-duced to North America she naturalized and thrives in dry fields, ditches, and other open spots. Each flower cluster is comprised of tiny white flow-ers that resembles lace. Some have a teeny dark red flower in the center and, as the story is told, represents a blood droplet where Queen Anne pricked herself while making the lace. She blooms from May to October and, as a biennial, lives for two years and only blooms her second year. So is it a weed or a wild-

flower? asked my better half, Curt. A weed is a misplaced plant, my standard response, as many plants in the wild (and in my garden) are keepers, though others may consider them weeds. Queen Annes Lace is used

as a companion plant to crops. It can boost tomato plant production when kept nearby and provide a microclimate of cooler, moister air for lettuce when intercropped with it. On the other hand, the USDA has listed it as a pest in pastures as their seeds persist for two to five years. Yet beneficial bugs such as caterpillars of the Eastern Black Swallowtail butterfly eat the leaves and pollinators drink the nectar. So a weed or a wildflower? Its in the eye of the beholder and shes a beauty!Garden Dilemmas?askmarystone.com

Family-to-Family, a free, 12-session course provided by the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), will be offered in Morris, Sussex, and Warren counties in New Jersey this September. This nationally renowned, evidence-based course helps family members cope with the stressful issues of caring for a loved one who has a serious mental illness. The course is listed on the National Registry of Evidence-Based Programs and Practices. It is taught by trained volunteers who have loved ones with mental illness themselves.The Morris County course

will be held on Thursday evenings beginning Septem-ber 17th, in Rockaway Town-ship. The Sussex County class will be held on Tuesday evenings beginning on September 15th in Sparta. The Warren County class will be held on Wednesday evenings, starting September 17th. Beginning on Septem-ber 9th will be the courses offered in Washington. All three courses will be held from 7pm to 9:30pm. Partici-pation is open to residents of any county.The illnesses covered in the

course include major depres-sion, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, schizoaffec-

tive disorder, borderline personality disorder, and anxiety disorders such as panic disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and obsessive com-pulsive disorder. The "Family-to-Family"

course explains the biologi-cal brain chemistry involved in mental illness and the available treatment modali-ties, including psychotropic medications. In addition, the

course provides family mem-bers with strategies for prob-lem solving, limit setting, and communicating in a non-confrontational manner. Family members will come

to understand the stages of emotional reaction they themselves are likely to experience as caregivers. They will learn that they are not to blame for their loved one's illness. Perhaps most importantly, they will learn

that they are not alone. It is estimated that one in five families have a loved one with serious mental illness. Those interested can regis-

tering by calling Pamela for the Morris County course at 973-945-7386, Kathleen for Sussex County at 862-268-5846, or Elaine for Warren County at 908-619-9619. Courses are limited to 20 participants each, and pre-registration is required.

By Vanessa VargasI recall right before the

beginning of the new school year, seeing a commercial or advertisement on the TV showing a slide show of smil-ing lunch ladies holding out their most prized dishes (lunch trays). All the while, the song See You in September played on. Of course back then the sight of those hair nets and sloppy Joes froze me with fear, seizing away my summer fun. I could feel my tan shrinking. Then the excite-ment came on: getting new school supplies and shoes and, oh yeah, a Trapper Keeper. Well, I digress.Let me get to the heart of the

matter: a fresh start on an important journey through our educational system. The commencing of a new school year marks an end to the freedom of our long summer days and back to the grind of earlier bedtimes and shorter daylight, yet it has an air of excitement to it, as it repre-sents a fresh start again, a basketful of possibilities and different choices. So what do our children think about the

start of school approaching? Well, I went to the sauce. Below is an interview with my first grade son, Tazio.Me: So what comes to your

mind when you think about going back to school?Tazio: I wonder whos

going to be in my first grade class.Me: Can you elaborate on

that please.Tazio: I wonder what elabo-

rate means.Me: It means to go into

more detail, depth, to say more about something. Does that make sense?Tazio: I get to level up in

and I get one grade closer to being an adult and complet-ing school.Me: That sounds like a goal.Tazio: Thats because it is.Me: How about this year; do

you have a goal for this school year?Tazio: Completing first

grade.Me : Anything more

specific?Tazio: No.Me: How about friends?Tazio: I totally forgot about

that.Me: What was it you

forgot?Tazio: About making

friends.Me: Tell me about making

friends this year.Tazio: Well making friends

is about them liking you and you liking them and I want to get as many as I can.Me: What are you most

excited about with going back to schoolTazio: To see what first

grade has to offer.Me: What do you hope it

will offer?Tazio: After a certain time

we could have a cookie break or have centers.Me: What are centers?Tazio: It means first you get

in a group with other kids and you do something and they switch. That means you get to go to a place where some-one else was and you go around and around until you did all the centers or the teacher says theres no more time for centers today.Me: Okay, cool. Anything

else you hope to have happen this school year?Tazio: I actually don't

know.Me: Is there anything youre

not liking about going back to school this fall?Tazio: There might be too

much work.Me: (LOL) Well do you

think youre up for the challenge?Tazio: What does LOL

mean?Me: It means laughing out

loud.Tazio: Oh. Me: So are you up for the

challenge?Tazio: I guess.Me: So enthusiastic! What

is the most important thing to you about school?Tazio: The teacher doesnt

yell at me.Me: What is the most

important thing to tell incom-ing kindergarteners?Tazio: To be good to their

teacher.Me: Why?Tazio: So they dont get

yelled at.Me: Anything you'd like to

say about school or going back?Tazio: I dont want to say

anything right now. I just want this poem to end! Jeez!Me: Ok, honey; done!Okay, so there it is. Actu-

ally, I encourage all the read-ers out there to interview

their student(s). Get the wheels turning, spinning! Enthusiasm for education! Get in the mindset that this school years going to be absolutely fabulous; mix with love and away the year begins! And remember, always support education. The children are our future.