Fins Up!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Today, I will be in Camden, NJ attending the Jimmy Buffett concert. Hopefully we will stay dry.





Here is a little tune that I always sing when I'm driving in Jersey.

Through the rain, a busy weekend planned

For all the rain we have been having lately in the Keystone State, there is quite a bit to do this weekend.

Starting on Friday, I will be attending my sixth Relay for Life as a cancer survivor. Seven years ago, it wasn't on my radar screen. Here is brief history of how the Relay's got started.

On Saturday, hopefully summer gets underway a day early. I will be in Camden, NJ attending my annual Parrothead Jimmy Buffett concert......."Fins Up"!!!!

Sunday, hopefully if I am still standing, I will make an appearance the 14th annual Mother Cabrini picnic which is a direct decedent of the St. Stan's Father's Day Polish Picnic. Nothing could beat the picnic held in Springfield up in the "Polish Poconos."

Knights of Columbus win 2009 Title

Knights of Columbus win 2009 Shamokin-Coal Township Little League AA Title

The Knights of Columbus won three straight games in the double-elimination playoff format to take the title. On Friday, the Knights rallied from three runs down in the sixth to advance in into the championship round. On Saturday, the Knights beat Rob's Roofing 15-6 to force a deciding game.

The Knight's withstood a three-run Rob's last inning rally to hold off the Roofers, 9-7 in the final.

Pitcher Follows a Road Less Traveled

Brad Hassinger/For The Daily ItemBrad Hassinger, second from right, poses with his family at the induction ceremony for the Elizabethtown College Ira R. Herr Athletic Hall of Fame. An Upper Dauphin grad, Hassinger pitched in the minor leagues for the Phillies and Braves. With Hassinger, from left, are his mother, Nada, his father Dick, wife Heather and brother, Kerry.
Photo courtesy of www.dailyitem.com

It was the summer of 1978 and I was playing little league baseball for the St. Stan's Condors in Shamokin as part of the Twin County Little League. Although we weren't sactioned by Little League Inc., we were a very good league.

As the season winded down, I along with four other teammates were chosen to play in on league all-star team for a tournament based in Millersburg against other towns in the Lykens Valley.

One of the players on that all-star team was a 10 year-old from Berrysburg, PA named Brad Hassinger. Brad and I had not talked in 31 years but he had the great honor of being inducted into the Elizabethtown College Hall of Fame.

Here is a great article from William Bowman of the Daily-Item.

Not only does the article talk about the induction, but also a stellar minor league career that if not for a trade involving a Cy Young winner, "Haas" as we called him could have made the majors.

As a 10 year-old, Brad had blazing fastball and could play a great third base when not pitching. His brother Kerry was also a great player and was two years older than me.

In that tournament, our league took second place losing two in a row to Williamstown. Williamstown was led by George Ancheff who's son Ben was a big cog in Williams Valley's District Championship season.

Contradictions in Northumberland County?

In the June 2nd edition of the Daily-Item, questions were raised if the county could afford a full-time budget director.

In the June 3rd edition of the News-Item, non-union employees of the county were given a 2 percent raise.

All the while the county is staring down an 800K budget gap.

What is the prudent thing to do???

End of an Era

When the final bell rings today at Transfiguration Ukrainian Catholic Elementary School in Shamokin, it will mark the closing of the last single parish supported school in Shamokin City and lower Northumberland County.

Shamokin City once had St. Edward, St. Stan's and St. Mary's and Transfiguration. Coal Township had St. Joseph's and St. Stephen's and St. Anthony's located in Ranshaw. They are now all gone. Transfiguration will maintain a pre-K and kindergarten.

Remembering 1984

Since I am celebrating my 25-year high school reunion in a few weeks, I like to point out the way some things were in 1984. June 4th marks the 25th anniversary of the release of Bruce Springsteen's iconic album Born in the USA. Seven singles from album made the top 10. The album was also the first CD manufactured in the US for commercial sale. CD's were imported from Japan at the time.

Although never released as a single, my favorite song of the album is No Surrender.

Here is a clip from the title cut:

Sunset at Indian Hills Golf Club

Sometimes in life we have to take time out and enjoy the small things in life like a sunset. Indian Hills Golf Club in Paxinos, PA provides just the opportunity.

Dr. Vince Pitiglio seen in the foreground