Concerns may be unfounded, yet it’s what taxpayers should want
Shamokin Area School Board member Tracy Witmer has had to endure a good bit of backlash since she raised questions at the board’s Nov. 12 meeting regarding food being provided for media, administrators and others in the press box at Kemp Memorial Stadium during home games this past football season.

Public transportation: The economic stimulus vehicle
RICHARD FARR, CHAIRMAN
PENNSYLVANIA PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION ASSOCIATION

Rare good news for winter heating costs
Finally, a silver lining has surfaced in that grim, gray cloud that has enveloped the economy. Consumers can take some consolation in the news that it’s not going to be as costly as once projected for families to heat their homes this winter, according to the Department of Energy.

Capital Matters  (top)

Election opens key spots in Harrisburg
Behind closed doors in the majority caucus room, House Democrats will gather in a couple weeks to elect a new leadership slate. Posts ranging from majority leader to caucus administrator are at stake. The lawmaker occupying the latter post, Rep. Dan Surra, D-75, went down in defeat election night.

Dispelling the many election day myths
As Pennsylvania voters contemplate standing in long lines at the polls Tuesday, they may want to consider an official statement about election day myths.

Budget shortfall remains a hot topic
Five months ahead of Gov. Ed Rendell’s next state budget address, Pennsylvania’s fiscal health is increasingly a subject of public debate.

Health care biggest unresolved issue
Health care is the biggest issue left unresolved from the fall legislative session.

No easy fix for transportation trouble
Federal highway officials rejected Interstate 80 tolls.

Shale-drilling water use flap on tap
The House Environmental Resources and Energy Committee plans a hearing Tuesday on the natural gas boom in the Marcellus Shale formation covering a large part of Northeastern Pennsylvania. Testifying will be state environmental officials and oil and gas industry representatives.

Add toll gantries to scrap heap, for now
Get ready to add “Open-Road Tolling Facilities” along Interstate 80 to a list of state-sponsored projects that haven’t been built in Pennsylvania.

Winter energy costs heat up public policy
A bit of a chill in the late summer air has policymakers focusing on the cost of heating homes this winter.

Dont Get Me Started  (top)

Some things ‘just don’t make no sense’
What’s in a name? Apparently, a lot of racism and resentment for one Florida high school.

Abortion: It’s not a choice, it’s a child
I was behind a tractor-trailer truck on Monday and saw the most thought-provoking bumper sticker. It said, “It’s not a choice, it’s a child.”

Actions speak louder than genetics
We’re down to the election wire, thank goodness. I’m so tired of slander ads and nitpickers scrutinizing every minute detail, from Gov. Sarah Palin’s wardrobe to Sen. Barack Obama’s religion in elementary school.

Let’s celebrate the timeline for withdrawal
Guess what? We have a timeline to withdraw the troops from Iraq.

Palin photo more intriguing than sexist
A Reuters photo of Alaska Governor Sarah Palin has some voters wrapped around the axle this week. A photographer stood behind the stage during a Republican rally in Bethlehem and took a photo of a male McCain supporter looking up at Palin as she spoke. The drama? The photographer focused on the man between Palin’s calves.

Financial advice I’m not buying
I never thought I’d get financial advice from junk mail.

We all don’t scream for human milk in ice cream
Some folks watch funny movies or go to comedy clubs for a laugh. I read the news.

Mud-slinging season in full swing
Ah, finally, the last candidate. For the past month, I’ve been exploring the voting records and promises of the presidential candidates and their running mates. I’m ready to take a break from politics. But first, U.S. Sen. Barack Hussein Obama Jr. As always, I got most of my information from senate.gov, ontheissues.org, factcheck.org and votesmart.org.

Well slap the dog and spit in the fire, I’ve been bamboozled!
I started researching each presidential candidate and running mate as a way to give my readers some basic information before election day. I knew I’d learn something, too, but I never thought I’d learn something that might cause me to change my vote.

When it comes to Iraq, Biden ‘just doesn’t get it’
A fascinating presidential election is just around the corner, so I’m writing a bit about each candidate and his running mate for the next few weeks. It’s important for Americans to vote, but it’s even more important to look beyond the commercials and speeches. Last week, I wrote about Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, Republican vice presidential candidate. This week it’s Democratic vice-presidential candidate Sen. Joe Biden’s turn. I found most of my information at ontheissues.org, factcheck.org, votesmart.org and biden.senate.gov.

VP candidate should be judged on voting record
I was going to write about Sen. Barack Obama and his closing speech at the Democratic National Convention, but the Republican party is stealing the media show this week, and it’s all about that gal from Alaska.

Alabama pushes its weight around
I’m so glad I don’t live in Alabama.

I smell an ugly rat in the sewer
It’s been a busy couple of weeks in the newsroom. We’re getting ready for fall sports and a new school year, and covering a variety of stories, from wine and cheese tastings to racially motivated violence. You can imagine my contentment when on Sunday morning, I found a quiet moment to curl up with a good cup of coffee and the paper.

Students l-a-z-y when it comes to spelling
I simply don’t understand why we send children to school anymore.

Don’t expect McDonald’s to count your calories
I love the Internet. Every question I can possibly ask can be answered with a few key strokes and a bit of patience. How does coal become diamonds? Who invented coffee filters? How many calories are in a Big Mac?

Back from vacation, spun out of control
Ah, vacation. Last week, my best friend, Nikki, a Shamokinite by birth, and I took a road trip throughout New England. We visited the Ben and Jerry’s Ice Cream Factory and a maple sugar farm in Vermont. We learned about the shipping industry and witch trials in Salem, Mass. We ate clam “chowdah” in Boston and saw a town in Connecticut on which our favorite show, “Gilmore Girls,” was based. We also drove about four hours a day from one destination to the next, so there was little time left to read papers, listen to the radio, or watch the news.

Finding Gen-X between ‘groovy’ and ‘OMG!’
Sometimes I feel like I was born in the wrong generation. I’m not a gamer. My cell phone doesn’t have a camera in it. I find little satisfaction in the music of the ’90s. I’m much more interested in discovering time travel so I can attend the original Woodstock instead of supporting the consumer-driven freak shows that have been the sequels.

Letters  (top)

Veterans, citizens made group’s first parade a success
To the Editor: Citizens for a Better Community would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone who participated in our first Veterans Day Parade and made it such a huge success in our eyes.

Sheriff responds to county vehicle-use criticism
To the editor: As sheriff and chief law enforcement officer of Northumberland County, utilization of a county patrol vehicle is a virtual necessity for the safe and efficient conduct of my office. Like my staff, I am empowered and authorized to make arrests anywhere within the confines of Northumberland County. I am literally subject to call 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 52 weeks a year.

No pretty picture in how Mount Carmel is operating
To the editor: Mount Carmel residents need to stop painting a pretty picture of how well the borough is being run.

Holiday season can bring good ending to tough year
To the editor: The year is now coming to a close, and I must say it went by pretty darn fast. The year had its emotional and economic lows, especially in my hometown of Shenandoah.

Commissioners should have been at Cherokee event
To the editor: I’m addressing Northumberland County commissioners, Kurt Masser, Frank Sawicki and Vinny Clausi:

Bass’ experience, enthusiasm tough to match, surpass
To the editor: If you were asked to draw up a list of the people who have made the biggest contribution to Mount Carmel in the past 30 years, the name of Joe Bass, borough manager, would be near the top.

Press box food appreciated by media representative
To the editor: As a resident of the Shamokin Area School District and member of the electronic media, I would like to thank the athletic department and school administration for providing food and refreshments for the press box this past football season.

Turnout for veterans parade unfortunately lacking
To the editor: Thank you to the people who came out Tuesday evening (Nov. 11) to support our local veterans. But shame on the people who did not take the time to do so!

‘Community member’ explains role in food flap
To the editor: As the “community member” at the center of the press-box catering issue at Shamokin Area, I feel it is necessary to respond to the article published in your paper on Wednesday, and a follow-up Letter to the Editor written by school director Tracey Witmer, published on Sunday.

Councilman explains position, city finances
Editor’s note: The following is a copy of the letter presented to Shamokin City Council by former Councilman Garth Hall on Nov. 10.

Conyngham sewer project outrageous, too costly
To the editor: I do not think the proposed sewer project within Conyngham Township, Columbia County, sits well with the people who built their homes in the last 30 years, including me.

Comments, invoices don’t add up on press box meals
To the editor: After reading “School board argues over press-box catering” in The News Item on Wednesday, I felt I needed to clarify a few issues, being it is “not a big deal,” and offer additional facts that must be given in order for the general public to get the full information on the subject. (After all, I was cut off at the meeting.)

Soundoff  (top)

Sound Off: New direction
New direction

Sound Off: Ticket this
Ticket this

Sound Off: Ballot help
Ballot help

Sound Off: Body builder
Body builder

Sound Off: God and money
God and money

Sound Off: 178 acres
178 acres

Talking Points  (top)

Sweeping of the House
Some of us do it every spring, but now all of us who are registered voters have the opportunity to do it on Tuesday, Nov. 4. It’s time to clean the house — the House of Representatives — as all 435 are up for reelection. During this extended election year, we’ve been continually serenaded with the tune of “change.” Change can be a catalyst for opportunity. and such an opportunity is now upon us to turn such political rhetoric into reality by doing our part in voting out the incumbents. We the people can transform our government by simply not reelecting politicians who fail to act as stewards for our interest.

Why aren’t more women supporting Sarah Palin?
American presidential lore is littered with stories of log cabins and reading by candlelight. But that mythical era of Americana is long gone, or is it? Enter Sarah Louise Palin. She may not have been weaned on the prairie or educated in a one-room schoolhouse, but she does hunt for moose and hails from our continent’s last frontier, Alaska.

Mother of all bailouts
It is tragic when you need a scorecard to keep track of all the financial institutions that have gone belly up on Wall Street.

What’s in a middle name?
Perhaps the most un-American phrase anyone can say is: You can’t say that.

Olympic free agency
The Olympic Games in China are over, but in reality the games never end. The quest for medals is a pastime within itself — a contest where now the participants can change countries as fast as they can change uniforms.

Of one-liners, pay grades and Winnie the Pooh
Just when you thought it was safe to read the op/ed page again, a politician who aspires one day to be president of the United States says something foolish. Surprised?

The evolving character of politics
This is certainly a historic time not only for political ideology, but American history. This Thursday, Aug. 28, some 45 years from the day of Martin Luther King Jr’s, “I Have a Dream” speech at the Lincoln Memorial, Barack Obama will be nominated as the Democratic Party’s candidate for president of the United States.

Sign of the times
School budgets and their ensuing property taxes can drive you crazy. In Chicago, they have taken it where no school director around these parts will ever be driven to. In June, the city’s public-school system awarded a 2008 Dodge Caliber to a 12-year-old girl. The car was her gift for perfect school attendance.

The Week In News  (top)

Sad news, even 25 years later
We see their names in the news on a regular basis. Their last names, in fact, rank with “household” status around here: Sacavage, Rosini, Gembic.

Making adjustments on election night
First thing Tuesday morning we had an e-mail about a potential problem with voting machines in Northumberland County. Shortly after that, we had a phone call from a different reader about the same problem.

Fun, tension with the Phillies
“Philadelphia Phillies fans in the Shamokin-Mount Carmel area more than likely woke up this morning and gave themselves a good pinch to see if they were really up and that they were not living in a dream world.

Newspaper offers election lessons
It’s the season, so why not focus on the election again, but this time as it pertains to our younger readers.

Three ‘e’s’ show in various stories
It was another week of headlines related to the economy, the election and energy prices.

Straddling the political fence
I fielded two calls in the past week in which readers presented quite divergent views.

Telling readers about breaking news
When did you find out the real details on the Rock Street fire?

Have we said enough about Ike?
The statement struck me.

Another option for ‘sounding off’
In the never-ending effort to build interactivity with our readers, and give them a voice in the community, The News-Item now has an easy process in place online to allow readers to post comments to specific stories.

Walts Way  (top)

You’re old when ads play your songs
I never minded the “big 0” birthdays: the big 3-0, the big 4-0 and the big 5-0. Other events have made me more conscious that the years are piling up, though. I may not be over the hill, but I am panting and gasping as I near the top.

Halloween’s suddenly a holiday for adults, but campaigning is still scarier
It’s more than a coincidence that Election Day traditionally falls soon after Halloween. Quite a few candidates have disguised themselves so well during the campaign that their trick will be anything but a treat for voters.

Boring guest no real surprise at parties
These days, I don’t have to worry about being a party-pooper. I’m usually so pooped that I fall asleep before I get a chance to poop a party.

An apple a day won’t keep this column away
Once in a while I come up with a good idea, but usually I either have no idea at all or I get the wrong idea. (This column is a good example of the latter two options.)

Breakfast still sweet deal
I’ve done quite a few different types of writing in my time — essays, news stories, letters, research papers and refrigerator notes. However, I’ve never been able to break into a lucrative opportunity by writing a government grant to do a study about something obvious.

Resemblances are relative
Generally, we don’t know and really don’t care to know much about lizards. Chameleons are the most famous of the group, as a result of their ability to change color.

Talking wall to wall, not man to man
Clich�s are like old, bad songs — once you get them in your head it’s hard to get them out.

Making adjustments for old age
King Midas of Greek myth paid the penalty for his greed when his wish to be able to turn whatever he touched into gold backfired on him. The same fate met my youthful wish to add years to my age as quickly as possible.

The leader/sidekick approach
Many of us have had to suffer through a two-hour speech by an after-dinner speaker whose talk included virtually every word in the dictionary except for “in conclusion.” You don’t need me to tell you that time often seems to stand still.

When it comes to junk, male is worth something
The conflict between good and evil is an age-old one. In the Eastern Hemisphere, they have the opposing forces of yin and yang. As you would probably expect from a column like this, neither one of those pairs of forces and counter forces will be the topic this week.

Student not sharpest No. 2 pencil in book bag
Jan. 1 gets widespread publicity as the graveyard of broken New Year’s resolutions. However, it is actually a distant second when it comes to seeing how quickly good intentions go bad.