Staffing cuts that would help balance the district's $17 million 2012-13 budget include two music teachers.

Music "is my pride and joy," Rachel Gleeson, a junior from Cleveland Township, told the board. "Without it, I wouldn't have anything."

She was one of 24 people from a crowd of 80 in the high school auditorium who addressed the board for more than 90 minutes.

Brandy Drucker, of Locust Township, said, "It's easy to cut something you have no true knowledge of." If the board cuts two music teachers, there's no guarantee the quality of music programs won't suffer, she said.

She challenged board members to go one day without music.

"How many of you learned your ABCs without singing it? How many of you turn on the radio as soon as you get in the car?" she asked.

Many students held back tears while sharing why the programs and teachers are important to them.

"It breaks my heart," said Katie Dunkleberger, a junior.

Rising costs

When the budget process began earlier this year, Southern had a $1.2 million budget deficit. That has been trimmed to $900,000.

Cost-cutting measures were spawned by funding changes in Gov. Tom Corbett's proposed state budget. Plus, Southern needs to compensate for an increase of $250,000 in pension payouts, $200,000 more in health care costs, $275,000 in salary increases and $125,000 in building project debt. Also, fuel, maintenance and other operating costs have increased by at least $100,000.

If the furloughs and cuts remain when a final budget is OK'd by June 30, 16 employees will be out of a job and four will be demoted.

Furloughs planned layoff six professional employees, including the two music teacher positions, one full-time physical education teacher position, one part-time driver education/physical education position, one elementary teacher position and one art teacher position; four part-time instructional aide positions; a full-time instructional aide position; and the assistant athletic director position. Those cuts would save the district $576,000.

Elimination of four athletic programs - bowling with two coaches, golf with one coach, junior varsity football cheerleading with one coach and freshman football - are expected to save the district $47,000. The board tabled a resolution to save approximately $15,000 by furloughing nine assistant coaches various sports.

Also, the elementary guidance counselor, a Spanish teacher, a technology education teacher and a family and consumer science teacher were changed from full to part time.

Additional efforts to reduce the deficit include $337,000 in departmental supply cuts, tech and athletic budget reductions and using Act 80 days to have four-day student weeks in January and February. Additionally, several retiring employees would not be replaced.

Pay and benefit impact

Superintendent Charlie Reh said the current $17,139,351 budget, which was approved Monday night, doesn't account for pay freezes or health care plan changes. It also doesn't allow for exceptions in special education and retirement contributions, for which the state has granted the district the ability to tax $313,000 above the maximum rate of 2.2 percent.

The furloughs won't be needed if those items are implemented, Reh said.

However, the board cannot force employees to take a pay freeze, plus the teachers union voted to remain in the CS Trust for their health insurance and benefits instead of allowing the district to pursue alternative health care coverage that would reportedly save at least $200,000.

"I don't care if the union voted against it. We should change it," Director Eric Stahley said Monday night.

Solicitor Rich Roberts noted if board members go against the wishes of the union, a grievance or an unfair labor practice claim could be filed against them.

A new three-year contract approved in 2010 gave Southern teachers an average salary increase of 3.3 percent the first year, about $1,700 for the average teacher, 3.19 percent in 2011-12 and 3.09 percent in the coming school year. The teachers union voted not to take a pay freeze for 2011-12 or 2012-13. Southern's administrators agreed to freeze their salaries last year, but not for 2012-13.

Find options

It was suggested more than once by speakers Monday night that raising taxes or paying to participate in programs are better alternatives.

"I implore you to find more creative solutions," said Jayme Toczylowsky, of Numidia.

She suggested raising taxes to the maximum allowed by the state and abandoning the middle school concept.

She also challenged teachers to reconsider the health care coverage change.

Raising taxes is "a necessary evil," said Chris Brown, a shop teacher.

Not 'overnight'

After public comment, board members took a 5-minute recess. When they returned, board president Mike Yeager thanked everyone for voicing their concerns.

"All of us here have a vested interest. This hasn't happened overnight," he said.

He assured decisions being made were tentative and could change if better solutions are found by June 30.

Vice President Charlie Porter said he would be voting in favor of the cuts and furloughs for now.

"We can reverse this later on," he said.

The motion to approve the furloughs and cuts was made and seconded by Directors Timothy Vought and John Yocum. It was approved 5-1, with Director Eric Stahley voting no. Directors Richard Steele and Gail Zambor Schuerch were absent.

In response to public outcry over a July 2011 announcement that 3,700 rural post offices may close, the new plan will keep offices open, but reduce retail hours of operation at more than 13,000 locations.

The new hours will not affect access to the lobby and post office boxes, and zip codes and community identities will remain unchanged.

USPS regional spokesman Ray Daiutolo said the process will begin in September and will be "fully implemented in two years."

Eight hours to two

The new strategy was adopted after postal officials held community meetings and conducted surveys. The results show customers want to keep local post offices open and are willing to sacrifice time to do it.

"That was the overwhelming theme of the meetings," Daiutolo said. "The public appreciated the position that we were in and the financial hardship the service faces, but they could live with the office being open a few hours a day to keep it operational."

Three of the four offices originally slated for closure - Rebuck, Locustdale and Locust Gap - faces the biggest cuts in hours, dropping from six in Rebuck and eight hours in the others, to just two window hours a day.

The fourth office originally slated to close, Aristes, will be cut from eight to four hours a day.

Other local offices on the list for reduced hours are Trevorton, Wilburton, Lavelle, Dornsife, Herndon, Marion Heights, Kreamer, Kulpmont, Paxinos, Dalmatia and Pillow.

'Loud and clear'

The plan is something customers agree with, the USPS said in a press release. A survey conducted in February showed 54 percent of rural customers prefer the new solution in order to maintain a local post office.

"We've listened to our customers in rural America and we've heard them loud and clear," said Postmaster General and USPS CEO Patrick R. Donahoe. "They want to keep their post office open. We believe (the) announcement will serve our customers' needs and allow us to achieve real savings to help the postal service return to long-term financial stability."

Once the strategy is fully implemented, USPS estimates it will save a $500 million annually.

"The post offices in rural America will remain open unless a community has a strong preference for one of the other options. We will not close any of these rural post offices without having provided a viable solution," said USPS chief operating officer Megan Brennan.

Next step

The next step for local post offices is to figure out how to maximize the window hours in conjunction with lobby hours for post office box access.

"There are a number of post offices that have window service for eight hours, but the lobby might be open for 10 hours," Daiutolo said. "There might be an extended lunch period there in order to keep the hours balanced."

The USPS also announced a voluntary early retirement incentive for the nation's more than 21,000 non-executive postmasters.

"We hope that the moves the USPS is taking will help rightsize our retail infrastructure," Daiutolo said. "We know that activity is down, but the new strategy will enable us to have a presence in the community and get us back to financial viability." Area post offices marked for reduced daily window hours

Municipality Current hours Proposed

Rebuck 6 2

Trevorton 8 6

Wilburton 8 4

Aristes 8 4

Lavelle 8 4

Locustdale 8 2

Dornsife 8 6

Herndon 8 6

Marion Heights 8 4

Kreamer 8 6

Kulpmont 8 6

Locust Gap 8 2

Paxinos 8 6

Dalmatia 8 4

Pillow 8 4

Offices in italics were originally marked for closure.

The township targets people who violate codes such as abandoned vehicles, barking dogs and high grass and weeds, punishing violators with an initial $25 fine.

The goal is to resolve the issue quickly - get the grass cut, have vehicles removed - rather than take the matter to court.

Councilman R. Craig Rhoades said after Monday's meeting that the city had communicated on the issue with Coal Township's code officer, city police and

Magisterial District Judge John Gembic III, who he said is accepting of the idea.

Mayor George Rozinskie Jr. said he thinks the idea is a great one.

"There's no playing now," he said. "The playing is over."

Coal Township Commissioners voted in March to adopt ordinance allowing code and police officers and other designated officials to issue tickets for certain code violations.

A similar program had already been successfully implemented in Allentown and was discussed by that city's mayor during a local conference on blight last fall.

The township fines are $25 per violation for a first offense. The severity increases on subsequent offenses - $50, $100, $300 - and all fines collected stays within the municipality.

Violators have 10 days to pay before a citation is issued and the matter lands in court.

The previous system saw nuisance violators issued a citation immediately - a occurrence potentially both lengthy and costly for the violator and the municipality since a court appearance is needed.

Rick Bozza, code enforcement officer, suggested last month that the city look into starting up such a program.

Rhoades said Monday that the city would use Coal Township's program as a template for their own.

According to a document on the matter, 500 tickets can be purchased by the city for $239 and 1,000 for $299. Those costs would be covered with revenue generated by 10 and 12 paid tickets, respectively.

Other potential violations include that for unsafe buildings, animals, trash and outdoor burning.

Code office

The code enforcement generated revenue in the following areas last month, according to Bozza's monthly report: $849, building permits; $375, Dumpster permits; $3,250, excavating; $200, health inspections; $625, landlord registration; $400, market stall permits; $51, paid parking; $600, reserved parking; $110, restricted parking.

The report said Bozza received 59 calls and 22 walk-in complaints; made 67 property visits with communication or visual checks; issued seven citations and 47 written warnings; conducted three health inspections; responded to one police incident and two fire incidents.

Total revenue for landlord registration for the year is $12,037.50, the report said.

Fire bureau

Bruce E. Rogers, chief of Shamokin Fire Bureau, stated in his monthly report that the bureau responded to 26 incidents last month: four structure fires, one vehicle fire, two rubbish fires, one inside investigation, four outside investigations, one alarm for carbon monoxide, six motor vehicle accidents, two hazardous materials incidents, one standby assignment, one automatic alarm, one public service detail and two calls for traffic control.

The bureau responded to 101 calls for the year, according to the report.

Rhoades commended emergency volunteers for their response to an early morning fire Thursday on East Sunbury Street.

He said firefighters averted what could have been an extraordinary disaster.

Police department

According to a monthly report submitted by Police Chief Ed Griffiths, officers responded to 1,814 calls last month and patrolled 5,629 miles. They issued 267 parking tickets, 356 street sweeper tickets, four juvenile petitions, 14 criminal complaints, 34 traffic citations, nine non-traffic citations, 28 parking citations and 23 written warnings.

Board members also voted unanimously to adopt a tentative budget of $30.3 million for next school year.

The moves are estimated to trim $760,000 from the remaining budget deficit, according to statements by board

members and administrators - a deficit estimated at $2.7 million during a budget review prior to Tuesday's voting session.

The district will take over special education at Northwestern Academy, a juvenile detention facility in Coal Township, next school year.

Superintendent James Zack said during the meeting that the choice was a tough one. If the district didn't take over the program, programs like family consumer science and mathematics tutoring would be in jeopardy.

"They're all tough choices and none of them are good," he said.

Staff transferred to the facility will remain district employees, Zack said after the meeting.

In protest

School districts are required by law to pay for the education of students who live within their boundaries. When it comes to juvenile detention facilities, those districts remain responsible for students remanded by court to a place like Northwestern.

By taking over the special education program at the academy, Zack said the district would realize savings since the majority of district staff working there would have their salaries covered by the payments made by the home school districts.

A half-dozen teachers aides who attended the meeting to protest the move.

"Seriously guys, I make $8.75 an hour and you're going to make up the budget with that? Come on," Brenda Guzik, a teacher aide, said in disgust during the meeting.

They said of 15 aides who recently underwent two weeks of training at the facility, no more than three would want to work at Northwestern Academy, citing safety concerns as their biggest fear.

Apart from being called derogatory names and feeling fearful in the detention facility environment, Beth Sheriff said one juvenile offender was caught "pleasuring himself" while staring at another aide.

"My experience was ... horrible. I was very scared while in that classroom," said Sharon Dudanowicz.

Jen Ressler asked but did not receive an answer as to whether or not teachers aides would have a choice of either transferring to Northwestern Academy or remaining in the traditional classroom atmosphere at Shamokin Area.

After the meeting, Zack said that issue remained to be determined.

"You can have my raise. I don't care. Take it. Just let me have my job," Ressler said of hoping to remain at a district school building.

The aides, a facility teacher and several board members all agreed that people should not be forced to work at the academy, saying it takes a certain mind set and desire to work in such an atmosphere.

"It's a great place to work at if you can take it, but it's not fair to force someone to go there," said Melissa Amato, who identified herself as a teacher at Northwestern Academy.

"You have to have the will to want to be there," said Tracey Witmer, school board president.

Bob Getchey, board member, asked the aides if they'd rather collect unemployment or work at the academy. That drew raucous boos from the audience, but he said he had to ask, saying that more staff furloughs are a possibility while the board works to trim the remaining budget deficit.

The vote

It was unclear how many staff members would transfer to Northwestern Academy, or exactly whom. Zack said after the meeting that it remained to be determined.

Board member Brian Persing estimated in January that the move would involved between 35 and 40 jobs - a principal, a special education coordinator, a guidance counselor, a jobs coach, teachers, aides and secretaries.

While the vote on the budget elicited virtually no response from a crowd of more than 100 in the high school auditorium, the votes on the administrative contract and the academy program drew the ire of many in the audience.

Getchey, Persing and board members LaRue Beck, Ed Griffiths and Jeff Kashner voted in favor of the move. Their votes defeated the four dissenters - Witmer, Ron McElwee, Charlie Shuey and Bernie Sosnoskie.

McElwee said too many questions remain as to whether state Department of Education would allow education subsidies academy students' home districts to pay aides' salaries if the district took over.

Shuey said the administration of Northwestern Academy itself opposes the move, citing complaints made by aides, saying academy administrators believe it could present a security risk.

He said there could also be litigation brought by unions regarding a "change of duties."

Act 93

The vote to approve a memorandum to a contract for district administration, Act 93, was less lopsided.

Beck, Getchey, Griffiths, Kashner, McElwee, Persing and Witmer voted in favor. Shuey and Sosnoskie opposed.

The memorandum would affect the district's 12 administrators. They agreed to forego a 5 percent raise in 2012-13 called for in the Act 93 contract.

They also agreed to pay 1-percent of their annual salary toward health benefits, for which they currently make no contributions, and reduce an annual medical stipend from $4,000 to $1,500.

Shuey remained critical of the move, saying the concessions weren't nearly enough and that more should be made, much to the pleasure of the far majority in attendance.

He said the majority of the savings come through a retirement and demotion.

That demotion involving Ruby Michetti, curriculum coordinator, is under litigation, he said, and could impact just how much savings are realized if the demotion is denied.

Griffiths called Shuey a "flip-flopper" and "grandstander." He said Shuey agreed to the concessions made by administrators when the terms were reached but changed face to please Tuesday's crowd.

Shuey said his prior approval was tentative on that all administrators agree to the terms. Since one is fighting it - Michetti had a hearing with the board Monday, at which her demotion was upheld - he changed his mind.

While Witmer voted in favor of the move, saying the concessions are "a start," she seemed hesitant.

"Right now, we don't know where else to go despite wiping our hands clean and letting the state come in," she said. "If I could do it, I'd cut a couple administrators, but I'm only one person. ... One person can't do that."

Getchey, too, said he voted in favor of the memorandum since the cuts were "a start."

One of the hardest hit businesses in the area was Zimmerman's Chrysler Dodge Jeep and Ram Truck along Route 61 in Upper Augusta Township, just outside Sunbury, where four feet of muddy water filled offices and a show room inside the main building of the 133-year-old business.

On Tuesday, owner Bob Zimmerman cut a green ribbon with a gold pair of scissors, which officially reopened the building after extensive renovations.

Zartman Construction, based out of Northumberland, stripped the walls and installed solid masonry to a height of four feet, and rewired the building so wires now run vertically, from top to bottom. The design was chosen to reduce future flood damage.

"We would have liked to get it done sooner, but we had to go through a lot of red tape with FEMA and PEMA," Zimmerman said. "Brad Benson (of Zartman) helped us get to this point, and what I wanted done."

Ed Markowski, Upper Augusta supervisor, gave his blessing to the Zimmerman family after describing the building as "beautiful."

"With the rain the past few days, I was wondering if Bob (Zimmerman) has many sleepless nights," Markowski said with a laugh. "With all the rules and regulations, it's quite extensive for a business owner to go through this."

Zimmerman thanked his management team and family for helping him get through the clean up.

When asked whether he ever thought about moving to another location in the days following the flood, he replied, "Sunbury has been very successful to us. I've been married for 35 years, I'm a man who sticks to my plan."

Speaking and in attendance at Tuesday's event included Dave Zartman, president of Zartman Construction; Charlie Ross, president and CEO of Greater Susquehanna Chamber of Commerce; Sunbury Mayor David Persing; Northumberland County Commissioners Stephen Bridy and Rick Shoch, state Rep. Lynda Schlegel-Culver (R-108).

While the court agreed to that stipulation against Alfons Keefer, the defendant - who plans to appeal his sentence in the case of a stolen pickup truck - had his own criticism of Gembic, who is a magisterial district judge in Shamokin.

"This is a big vendetta against me by Mr. Gembic," Keefer said when asked by Judge Charles Saylor if he wanted to comment prior to being sentenced. "That's all I have to say."

During testimony at Monday's proceeding, Keefer's lawyer, Timothy Bowers, claimed Gembic had motives for testifying against Keefer, who has a lawsuit pending against the judge. Saylor sustained an objection by Toomey and Gembic stepped down from the witness stand.

At that point, Toomey requested Saylor include the stipulation that prohibits Keefer from having any contact with witnesses in the case, particularly Gembic.

"My family and I have continuously been stalked and harassed by Mr. Keefer and his family members," Gembic said later Monday. "Hopefully, it will stop now."

Noting Keefer was convicted by a jury of his peers, Gembic said, "Blame yourself for the crime, not me."

The judge, who is a licensed mechanic and notary, said he was friends with Keefer and did business with him often prior to the case.

Keefer was convicted in February of failing to return a 2001 Ford F-350 owned by Joy Kulenguskey, of Coal Township, after he towed it in 2008. He plans to appeal his sentence and remains free on $5,000 bail

Judicial board complaint

Keefer filed a complaint in 2009 with the State Judicial Conduct Board, claiming Gembic was using his influence to steer business for a rival towing company that the defendant claimed was partly owned by Gembic.

According to a Jan. 21, 2011, letter signed by Joseph A. Massa Jr., chief counsel for the judicial board, the board required Gembic to divest himself of all connections to any towing enterprise. The letter says no formal charges have ever been brought against Gembic for judicial misconduct and that the complaint has been dismissed.

In March 2011, Keefer filed a civil lawsuit in federal court naming Gembic, Coal Township, Shamokin, their respective police chiefs and Anthracite Towing and Recovery LLC, and its owner, as defendants. The pending suit claims the defendants deprived Keefer of his rights and caused him to lose $150,000 in business.

No truck, or credit

Meanwhile Monday, Kulenguskey testified she never recovered a digital camera, laptop, clothes, camping equipment and jewelry that she left in her truck.

She estimated their value at $5,000.

But when Saylor pointed out that she had listed the value of the items as $2,100 on a victim impact statement, the witness agreed to go along with the lower estimate.

Kulenguskey said she owned the truck for almost four years and owed between $32,000 and $35,000 to Ford Motor Credit Co. on an approximate $40,000 loan.

Under cross examination by Bowers, Kulenguskey admitted to being behind on payments before Keefer towed the truck, and that Ford was looking to repossess the vehicle.

After sentencing, Kulenguskey said, "My truck is gone and I want it back. I've had to walk since I don't have a vehicle, and my credit has been destroyed because of this case."

The court has ordered Keefer to pay $32,500 in restitution to Ford and $2,100 to Kulenguskey.

State police at Bloomsburg charged Luella Jo Mengine, 47, of Sones Hollow Road, Benton, with involuntary deviate sexual intercourse, sexual assault, indecent assault, endangering the welfare of children, simple assault and recklessly endangering another person. She was arraigned Monday before Magisterial District Judge Douglas D. Brewer, of Millville and placed in Columbia County Prison on $100,000 bail.

The two victims, a five-year-old male and a seven-year-old female, were removed from Mengine's home in January after they, and three other children, were sexually assaulted multiple times by a 13-year-old foster brother at the home between June and September. After being taken into protective custody, the boy and girl reported to authorities about being physically and sexually abused by Mengine, as well.

According to a release, Mengine allegedly assaulted them with a tennis racket. One of the children told authorities that the foster mother held their head in a bucket of water, preventing them from breathing, and also sexually assaulted them.

A preliminary hearing is scheduled for May 23 before Brewer.

SUNBURY - Dr. Karol Weaver, associate professor of history at Susquehanna University, will speak at a 7 p.m. meeting Thursday at Northumberland County Historical Society, 1150 N. Front St., on "The History of Gambling in the Anthracite Region." During the program, Weaver, a native of eastern Northumberland County, will present her recent research findings of another facet of coal region culture.

A reception will follow the program, which is free and open to the public.

Volunteers sought to help at 5K race

COAL TOWNSHIP - Volunteers are needed for the third annual Anthracite Heritage Festival of the Arts 5K race/fun run, Saturday, May 26.

Organizers need volunteers from 7 to 11 a.m. Students are encouraged to sign up.

The 3.1-mile race starts at Shamokin Area High School's Kemp Memorial Stadium.

To volunteer or register for the race, call 648-4675 or e-mail swinhofer@censop.com.

Community Action Day slated

SHAMOKIN - Central Susquehanna Opportunities Inc. (CSO) will host its annual Community Action Day from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Tuesday, May 22, at the Northumberland County Career and Arts Center, 2 E. Arch St.

CSO invites the public to visit a wide variety of service providers, including Community Action Agency, VNA Health System, Clinical Outcomes Group, Nurse-Family Partnership, CareerLink Services, Birthright, Pregnancy Care Center, PHEAA, Northumberland County Area Agency on Aging, Manna for the Many, GET2WORK Youth Program, Brush Valley Regional Chamber and Central Susquehanna Sight Services.

Various health screenings and agency information will be available to the public free of charge, including free tetnus shots provided by the Department of Health. Refreshments will be served. For more information, call 644-6575, ext. 171, toll free 1-866-944-9518, or go to www.censop.com.

Chief Judge Yvette Kane, U.S. Middle District Court, on Tuesday rescheduled the trial of Jaswinder Fatra, 41, Slimane Belabbas, 34, and the others from June 4 to July 9, when jury selection is to begin.

Pre-trial motions, which were due Monday, are now due June 11.

Also charged in the case are Kulwinder Singh Grewal, 38, of Myerstown; Amarjit Singh Grewal, 32, of Ephrata; Jesse Roldan, 40, of Jim Thorpe; Steven Accardi, 30, of Willow Street, Lancaster County; Baljeet Singh, 42, of Lancaster; and Inderjit Jassal, 31, of Richfield.

A federal grand jury indicted the eight in April. They're accused of trafficking synthetic drugs at multiple mini-marts in Dauphin, Cumberland, Lebanon, Mifflin and Lancaster counties.

Northumberland County was not listed in the indictment. However, a spokeswoman from the U.S. Attorney's Office of the Middle District of Pennsylvania said that a November 2011 raid at the Mount Royal Mini-Mart in Ranshaw, a Sunoco station, was associated with the indictment.

All eight defendants have pleaded "not guilty" to multiple drug-related charges.

Masser or a member of his staff will be available to assist residents living in the 107th District and to discuss any state-related issue at the following times and locations:

Danville - Liberty Township Municipal Building, located at 197 Mooresburg Road, from 9:30 to 11 a.m.

Kulpmont - Geisinger Life Facility, located at 1100 Spruce St., from 1 to 2:30 p.m.

Also this week, Masser is hosting a Mini Sportsmen's Expo Thursday at the Knights of Columbus building, 400 E. Independence St., Shamokin.

Doors will open at 5 p.m., and presentations from the Pennsylvania Game Commission, Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission, National Wild Turkey Federation and Pennsylvania game and fish wardens will run from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Admission is free and door prizes will be distributed.

Monthly updates, including the latest information on outreach events, can be found on RepMasser.com by clicking the "Upcoming District Events" link.

Masser operates a full-time district office at 487 Industrial Park Road, in Elysburg, from 9 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. His office can be reached at 648-8017, and Web users can visit him online at RepMasser.com or on Facebook at Facebook.com/RepMasser.

The AARP defensive driving course covers information on driving to be safe and considerate of others on the road, as well as new laws governing the highways of Pennsylvania. This course is one of the prerequisites for those interested in becoming Red Cross ERV (Emergency Response Vehicle) drivers during times of local or national emergency.

The course is also open to the general public. Individuals who wish to learn this information, but are not Red Cross volunteers, are also invited to take this class.

The cost for AARP members is $12 and for non-AARP members, $14, payable directly to the instructor on the day of the class. For additional information or to register for the class, please contact the Red Cross at 524-0400 or 850-4664.

ERV drivers are often the first Red Cross volunteers on the scene of a disaster; they may be called in to provide mobile feeding or to deliver supplies. Crews of two deploy as needed both locally and across the country. In addition to this course, volunteers are given substantial training including CPR/AED, first aid and courses specific to disaster relief. Training is at no cost to active Red Cross volunteers.

Those interested in becoming a Red Cross disaster volunteer should contact the SUN Area Red Cross chapter at 524-0400.

During commencement exercises, graduates will receive their commissions as ensigns in the U.S. Coast Guard from Department of Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano.

A 2008 graduate of Line Mountain High School, Spotts is a son of Theodore and Kathleen Spotts, of Trevorton.

Spotts' first tour of duty will be at Naval Flight Training in Pensacola, Fla.

The Coast Guard Academy offers an integrated life experience which emphasizes academics, physical fitness, character and leadership, in order to graduate officers of the highest caliber. Graduates go directly to positions of leadership and are obligated to eight years service, five of which must be active duty.