Powerball Fever!!!!!

With everything going on in the world around us, the jackpot of the Powerball Lottery has risen to around 600 million dollars!!!  That astronomical amount in the jackpot would probably yield a cash payout of over 400 million dollars.  What does one really do with that kind of money?  Save it, spend it or just give it away? 

The human race doesn't have a very good track record when it comes into receiving a large amount of money in a short period of time.  If you look at some of things in central PA, the Hershey Trust and the Weis family philanthropy with Geisinger come to mind.  These contributions will last and have last long after the donors have gone. 

If you look at a somewhat smaller, local scale, you have the Deppen Scholarship at Bucknell which celebrates 50 years this year and Curvery Scholarship at Villanova University, founded by a former Mahanoy Area High School graduate.

Former New York Yankee and Baltimore Oriole, Mike Mussina earned in the neighborhood of 250 million dollars from his playing day and still makes his home in Lycoming County.  His foundation provides 12 scholarships a years to a graduating senior in all 12 high schools of Lycoming County.  In addition, his foundation contributes to many other local and some national youth programs.

In all these cases, the people mentioned above have put a lifetime of work into these endeavors.  Somewhere along the way, they were blessed work ethic, common sense, talent, and in some cases a little bit of luck along the way.

In our own area of Shangri-La (Shamokin), we had coal barons and other industrialists that made fortunes in our area only to read about them is dusty history books at our local library.

We don't know how our lives can change in an instant.  At 11:05 tonight, someones life can be changed forever.  We all have had hope and dreams of over the last few days. We imagine what life can be like.  Odds are that there will be less than 5 winning tickets across the country.  That means for most of us, we will be back to the grind by Monday morning if not sooner.  One thing to hold on to is our hope and dreams.  They are good things to have and no good thing ever dies.

Is Carney Gearing Up for Another Run?

This letter to the editor was printed in today's Daily-Item, with questions for current 10th Congressional Representative Tom Marino:

There is no question that we live in a violent world. There is no question that we try to control such violence by incarcerating its perpetrators. There is also no question most people fail to fully appreciate the danger facing those who guard the violent. We were reminded of that danger and that violence last Monday with the killing of Canaan Penitentiary guard Eric Williams.

I read Sunday’s Sunbury Daily Item feature on the prison guard situation at Lewisburg Federal Penitentiary in the context of the Williams murder and was amazed at the duplicity rendered by Rep. Marino. Admittedly, I disagree with Marino on most issues, but for him to claim that he’s “listening” to the guards is sadly laughable. Listening is not the same as acting.

Mr. Marino’s actions are what matter and his actions indicate that he doesn’t care. In 2011 and 2012 Marino voted to cut funds for the Bureau of Prisons, including guard staffing, and he voted in favor of the current sequester that requires $338 million in Bureau of Prison cuts.

In real terms that means 2,200 fewer prison guards, and according to the Department of Justice more inmate violence and guards in peril. Tom Marino can pay all the lip service he wants to the issue of adequate staffing of prisons, but his actions speak far more loudly. It’s fair to ask Mr. Marino if he apologized to the guards for voting to cut prison funding when he was listening. And if Mr. Marino is truly concerned about reducing violence in our society why did he just vote against the Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act? Please let me quote directly from Marino’s own congressional website from May of 2012:

“In my experience as a county and federal prosecutor, I have seen first-hand the progress we have made in combating domestic and sexual violence since VAWA was enacted in 1994. We still face challenges that point out the continuing need for VAWA programs. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported in a 2010 survey that more than 12 million Americans were victims of rape, physical violence, or stalking by an intimate partner over the course of a year.  I strongly support the reauthorization of VAWA so that federal law enforcement and public health agencies can continue to support state and local efforts to bring the perpetrators of domestic violence, intimate partner homicide, and sexual assault to justice.”

Mr. Marino, are you trying to have it both ways? Why vote against legislation that you correctly support? Why vote to abolish enhanced legal protections for the nation’s most vulnerable? I am sure women of every age (and those that love them) wonder why as well? Protecting all Americans from violence is a duty of our legislators, and their actions resonate louder than their words — and some actions echo from the depths of hypocrisy.
Christopher Carney, Dimock
The writer is a former U.S. representative for the 10th District.

March is Colon Cancer Awareness Month

A few years ago, I got together with some crazy friends and promoted Colon Cancer Awareness.  Once again March is upon us and so is Colon Cancer Awareness Month. Despite being highly curable, colon cancer still ranks #2 in all deaths due to cancer.

If you are male or female aged 50 or over, talk to you health professional about screening.  If you have a family history of the disease discuss this with you health professional. Colon Cancer is the number one curable form of cancer and can be prevented with early screening.

The American Cancer Society is also a great resource on the disease.

7 in 5!!!!!!!

There are many things we take for granted in everyday life.  Most of the time we don't realize all the work that goes into something until we need that exact service.  Recently, our community has suffered through 7 fires in 5 days including blazes that were raging in bitter cold temperatures and also being investigated for arson.  Our local volunteer firefighters

Having some first responder and emergency training in my career, I will try to offer up how a day went for a volunteer firefighter on Monday morning when the temperature was struggling to hit 20 degrees.  Those who didn't have an immediate work obligation were out the door as soon as possible while those who did made the necessary arrangements in order to respond. While several fire companies assembled there was a on scene commander to oversee the operation and traffic control.  Other personnel were accounting for residents while others battled the blaze to prevent it from spreading and determining if a possible human rescue was needed.  All the time no volunteered questioned why they were there in harm's way.  They simply knew it was their duty as a trained volunteer.

While their equipment may have been just packed away, they would receive two more calls at 7 pm and 10 pm.  They didn't know what to expect, but answered each time.  I seen a firefighter and fire police at 6:30 am on my way to work.  One could only ask, was they engaged for 24 straight hours?

We actually have it pretty good in Pennsylvania.  We have a group of people who train long and hard in a variety of conditions, upkeep expensive equipment to gain another year of service, and are ready to answer the call when alarm sounds.  They don't ask for much just ask for a little support in return. 

With lack of volunteering for anything being down in today's society, our volunteer firemen have received a bad rap for a variety of reasons.  In the end, they still forge ahead and get the job done risking everything on every call.  There are some that pay the ultimate price. 

There are times like this when arson was involved and possible loss of life on the table, we get off too easy by just saying thank you.

Shamokin Names Yaacov Yisreal New Head Football Coach

Yisreal sits down with reporters

 Introduction by President Brian Persing

Shamokin Area welcomed former Penn State standout Yaacov Yisreal as their 11th head coach since 1965.  Yisreal comes over from Halifax after coaching the undermanned Wildcats to back-to-back 4-6 seasons.

After some questions and missteps about the hiring practice, the board approved Yisreal by a 9-0 vote. A candidate who was considered a finalist for the job had pulled his application from the process.  Yisreal comes to Shamokin by way of Chicago through Penn State meeting future wife Jill Martz at State College.

Shamokin Area has been a graveyard of coaches since enjoying some success on a state level under Dave Zielinskie the early 1990's.  Since then the Indians have gone through 4 head coaches including an unsuccessful second stint by Zielinskie.  To make matters worse, Shamokin has not beaten rival Mount Carmel since 1995. Shamokin's two main rivals, Southern Columbia and the Red Tornadoes have won 11 state titles since 1994.

What has happened to Shamokin over the last 20 years where nearby schools such as Selinsgrove, Mount Carmel and Southern have all mined PIAA gold? Every time the football coaching job has opened, the battle cry has been for more discipline on and off the field.  In addition to discipline, another new cry has been the youth programs need an overhaul.

Having played in high school football in the 1980's before extensive weight training and before the high fructose corn syrup and video game era, I think players were more self motivated to do well. Each coach that has come in the last 20 years have enjoyed some degree of success, but have been able to maintain or build upon it. For the most part, I believe have been held to different standards than other coaches in the district.

One thing I have seen in the last 32 years including 4 as a player is I have seen Shamokin decline in the number pure athletes that we once had competed.  I am not knocking our current group, but years ago you had many athletes excelling and dominating at three sports not just one. If you look at some of the success Shamokin enjoyed over the last 20 years, it has been tied to a strong running attack with a running back rushing for over 1000 yards. 

Changing Shamokin's fortunes on the field require a change in culture off the field.  One of the hardest things to do is to take a step backward to move forward.  Southern and Selinsgrove were growing areas so it was a little easier.  Mount Carmel has always been good and they have been able to maintain, but here have been chinks in their armour over the last several seasons. 

In speaking with Yisreal right after he had been hired, he had said that he wants to make his presence felt in the community.  He also stated that he had been part of top notch high school program, a top university program and was exposed to excellent NFL coaches.  As an undersized D-1 defensive back Yisreal beat the odds to make himself into a quality player and learned the game.  All he asking is he get the same effort from his players.

In measuring a coach, all you have to do ask one question.  Do you want your son to play for Yisreal. The answer is easy and resounding yet.