Spring is just around the

corner and whether you are

considering improving your
homes curb appeal, upgrading your outdoor living
spaces, preparing your list of
springtime gardening chores
or just like to look you
would be wise to consider a
visit to this years Springfest
Garden Show, March 17th
through 20th, from 10am to
5pm at the Sussex County
Fairgrounds, located at 37

Plains Road in Augusta, NJ.

Both veteran Springfesters
and newbies alike will find
sun-filled spaces blooming
with garden exhibits featuring excitng new trends in
landscaping. Expert speakers
pack the Lecture Hall with
educational how-to and the
greatest garden shopping can
be found all under one roof.
Springfest is fun for kids
too, with the KidsZone and
treasure hunt. Have a lunch
for a snack in the Garden
Cafe.
A taste of springs warmth
and color can help you
through those last gray,
slushy, muddy days of
winter. Its all there at
Springfest, just wai;ng for
you.
For more informaton, visit
springfestgardenshow.org

The Knowlton Township

Fire and Rescue Company
No. 1 (KTFR) held its annual
Company Banquet on January 16th. Members of the
company and many members
from the surrounding mutual
aid fire and rescue squads,
township officials, as well as
individuals
who
have
supported the company in
2015 were invited as guests
to enjoy an evening of relaxation and food with the
KTFR.
Chief Michael Bates and
President Bob Peterson
thanked the outgoing officers
and welcomed in the new
officers for 2016. The company line officers are Fire

Chief Michael Bates, Deputy

Chief Dean Hill, Captain
Mike Mulligan, First Lieutenant Mike Rose, Second
Lieutenant Dan Jasinski,
EMS Captain Dave Neal,
and EMS Lieutenant Kasey
Bizzaro. Company Executive officers are, President
Bob Peterson, Vice-President
Mike Rose, Treasurer Eric
Weber, Secretary Dave Neal,
and trustees Tom Moritz, Pat
Clayton, and Bob Cooper.
Awards for continued years
of service and other notable
recognitions were given to
members.
A special Unit Citation
Award was given to members who responded to a

multiple victim motor vehicle

accident on Interstate 80
during a severe thunder
storm. The accident involved
outstanding team work, coordination
with
multiple
outside agencies, and gained
praise for their efforts from
the Pocono Medical Center
and Warren County emergency officials.
Special thanks to the
surrounding mutual aid companies for providing fire and
rescue coverage for the
KTFR during their banquet.
For more information,
please visit and like the
companys Facebook page
(KTFR41),
or
www.
knowltonfirerescue.com.

The Slate Belt Chamber of

Commerce will be closed
now through February 28th.
They will re-open February
29th at 9am. They will
respond to your emails and
messages as quickly as
possible.
East Bangor Methodist
Church will be holding its
monthly pastie sale on
March 1st. Pickup will be at
the church, located at 136 W.
Central Ave., at 3:30pm.
Choices are beef with or without onion, and broccoli cheese
with or without onion. Call
610-588-1745 to place your
order.
The Bangor Womens Club
will be accepting applications from senior students at
Bangor and Faith Christian
High Schools for consideration for their 2016 scholarship. The scholarship amount
is $1000. Applications can be
obtained from the school
guidance office and the deadline to submit the completed
application is April 15th.
Slater Family Network is
sponsoring a $2,000 scholarship for a 2016 Bangor High
School graduate. Applications are now available on the
school district website under
the Slater Family Network
tab, in the HS guidance office
or the SFN office behind
DeFranco Elementary School.
Completed applications are
due at SFN on April 28th.
The family of Denny
Strouse is sponsoring a
$1,000 scholarship through
Slater Family Network for a
2016 Bangor High School
graduate. The applications
are available on the school

district website under the

Slater Family Network tab, in
the HS Guidance Office, or
the SFN office behind
DeFranco Elementary School.
Completed applications are
due at SFN on April 28th. Call
the SFN office at 610-5997019 with any questions.
Upper Mt. Bethel Twp. is
looking to form a community park committee and is
seeking three residents of
Upper Mt. Bethel Twp. to
join. The committee is strictly
volunteer to oversee phases of
the park and scheduling of
events at the park. Please
submit your letter of interest to
Upper Mount Bethel Township Municipal Building,
Attn: Board of Supervisors,
387 Ye Olde Highway, Mount
Bethel, PA 18343, or email
officesecretary@uppermtbeth
el.org.
Crime Victims Council of
the Lehigh Valley, your local
victim service and rape
crisis center, is accepting
applications for volunteer
positions. This is an excellent
opportunity for students and
adults to gain experience in
working directly with crime
victims and their families,
while helping those in their
time of need. Tasks include:
providing support to callers on
our the 24-hour hotline in the
comfort of your home; accompanying victims of violence to
hospitals, police stations, and
court; and assisting with office
tasks, projects, and fundraisers. Most training sessions
will be held in the evenings at
the CVC office in Allentown,
located at 801 Hamilton
Street, on the third floor. One
session will be held at the
Penn State Ag Extension, near
Dorney Park. For more infor-

mation, visit the volunteer

page at www.cvclv.org, or
contact Sara Ullmer at 610437-6610, ext. 26, or
sullmer@cvclv.org, to arrange
an interview.
A local family in Roseto
recently suffered from a
house fire and is need of
donations. They will need
home cooked meals in the
coming weeks and furniture in
the coming months. Right
now they need gift cards to
Weis, Subway, Turkey Hill
and WAWA, which can be
dropped off at the home of
Jennifer Newland, located at
427 Front Avenue, in Roseto.
Donations can be made at
gofundme.com/bcuczz5w.

The Chester Lioness Club

is offering two scholarships
to senior students residing in
Chester,
Mendham
or
Washington Township in
Morris County. Each scholarship may be up to $1,000.
Criteria for selection of candidates for these scholarships
include academic record,
classroom and extracurricular
activities, community activities, individual interests and
hobbies, and outstanding
accomplishments in activities
that demonstrate leadership
and service. Financial need is
also a consideration. These
scholarships are available to
public high school students,
those
attending
private
schools and those who have
home tutoring, as well. Applications may be obtained in the
College Resource Center at
both West Morris Mendham
and West Morris Central High
Schools. The completed form
must be returned to the
College Resource Center at
the high school by March
21st. A letter requesting an
application may be sent to the
Chester Lioness Club in care
of Anne MacMillan, 15 Cora
Lane, Chester, NJ 07930, She
may be contacted at 908-8797621. Completed applications
must be forwarded to the
Lioness Club by April 4th.
North
Warren
Little
League will have sign ups
for the 2016 baseball and
t-ball season for ages four
through 14 with a birth date
after May 1st, 2001. Sign ups
will be held at Givens Belet on
February 27th from 9am to

11am. Birth certificates are

required for new players
joining the league. Registration information is also available at the Blairstown Municipal Building recreation office.
Stop by the Catherine
Dickson Hofman Library in
Blairstown this month for
Love
Your
Library
Month, and pick up a
blind date with a book.
The library will have an
assortment of wrapped books
for you to borrow and take
home. It's a great opportunity
to try something new! If you
enjoy the book, you're
welcome to write a review on
the slip included or, if you
don't like it, simply return it.
Attention class of 66, Belvidere High School will be
holding their 50th reunion
on August 12th and 13th in
Phillipsburg. If you would
like to attend, please contact
B.J. Kovacs Wooldridge at
bjwooldridge@bellsouth.net,
or call/text 678-571-1459 no
later than March 1st.
North Warren Midget
Football will be holding its
eigth annual beefsteak
dinner with DJ on Saturday,
March 5th at 6pm at The
Lion's Den, 505 Rt. 94 in
Knowlton. The event is
BYOB and attendees must be
at least 21 to attend. Tickets
are available from any
NWMFL board member, or
by sending a check payable to
North Warren Midget Football to P.O. Box 206, Blairstown, NJ 07825. For more
information, email NWMFL
@yahoo.com. All proceeds
are used to purchase and
maintain football equipment.
Kindergarten registration
at Oxford Central School
will be held Thursday,
March 10th and Thursday,
March 17th at the school. To
register, your child must be
five years old on or before
October 1st. The following
must be brought to registration: updated official immunization record from the doctor
this must show evidence of
immunizations for diphtheria,
pertussis, tetanus, polio,
measles, mumps, rubella,
hepatitis B and varicella;
original birth certificate; Proof
of residency (two documents);
and a recent picture of your
child. Call Barbara Svercauski
(OCS school nurse) at 908453-4101 ext. 2106, to schedule your appointment or with

any questions. Registration

packets are available for pick
up at the school or may be
downloaded at
www.
oxfordcentral.org/kindergarte
n-registration.php. Bring these
forms to your scheduled registration appointment. Your
child does not need to be
present during registration.
Knowlton Twp. Elementary School is planning for
the 2016-2017 school year.
At this time they would like
to identify as many children
as possible who will be
eligible for kindergarten in
September. To be eligible for
kindergarten, a child must be
five years old by October 1st.
If you have not already done
so, and you have a child who
will be eligible for next years
kindergarten class, call the
school at 908-475-5118, ext.
200. Dates for screening of
next years kindergarten
students will be released at a
later date. Parents will receive
details in the mail. Please pass
this information along to
anyone in Knowlton Twp.
who may have a child eligible
for kindergarten in September.
Knowlton Twp. Elementary is now accepting registrations for their preschool
program for fall. Children
must be four years old by
October 1st, and must be toilet
trained. The program runs
Monday through Friday from
9am to 11:30am when school
is in session. Transportation is
not provided for this program.
If interested, please contact
the school office at 908-4755118, ext. 200.
Knowlton Township has
entered into a cooperative
gypsy
moth
control
program with the NJ
Department of Agriculture.
A contract will be awarded to
apply Bacillus thuringiensis
var. kurstaki (FORAY 76B,
EPA Reg# 73049-49) using
aircraft to areas infested with
gypsy moth larvae. Aerial
application will begin on or
after May 16th through June
15th or until completion from
5:30am to 2pm, and possibly
in the evenings from 5pm to
8pm in the affected areas. A
map indicating the exact areas
to be treated along Mt. Pleasant Road is available for
inspection at the municipal
building.
Residents may

contact the municipal clerks

office at 908-496-4816, ext. 6,
or stopping by the office,
located at 628 Route 94 in
Columbia for information
regarding the exact date,
application times and any
other information concerning
the
treatment
program.
Individuals wishing additional
information about pesticides
may contact the National
Pesticide Information Center
at 1-800-858-7378. For emergencies, call the NJ Poison
Information and Education
System at 1-800-222-1222.
For pesticide regulation information, pesticide complaints,
and health referrals, call the
NJ Pesticide Control Program
at
609-984-6507.
Upon
request, the pesticide applicator, or applicator business
shall provide a resident with
notification 12 hours prior to
the application except for
Quarantine and Disease
Vector Control only, when
conditions necessitate pesticide applications sooner than
that time. Additional information about the program is also
available on the NJ Department of Agriculture's website
a
t
www.nj.gov/agriculture/divisi
ons/pi/prog/gypsymoth.html.
Blairstown Recreation is
offering winter workout
sessions of Zumba, PiYo,
and Pilates for adults and
teens. Zumba is on Tuesday
and Thursday evenings from
6pm to 7pm, now through
March 24th at Blair Academy
Dance Studio. Pilates is on
Tuesdays and Thursdays from
9:15am to 10:15am at the
Evangelical Free Church, now
through March 24th. PiYo is
on Tuesdays through March
8th at Blairstown Elementary
School from 4pm to 5pm. For
more information, please visit
www.blairstown-nj.org and
click on Recreation or contact
the recreation office.
Free exercise classes will be
held for adults at town hall
in Johnsonburg. Classes are
an hour long on Monday and
Wednesday at 10am, and
Saturday at 9am; or Tuesday,
Thursday and Friday at
4:45pm. For more information, visit www.frelinghuysen
nj.us/aerobics.htm, or contact
Cathy at 908-852-7426 or
cathy@cathybaobean.com.

Adult Fiction: Andersen,

H.C.: Best Loved Fairy
Tales; Kelly, Elizabeth: The
Last Summer Of The Camperdowns;
Macomber,
Debbie: Blossom Street
Brides; Sparks, Nicholas:
The Last Song; The Wedding.
Adult
Non
Fiction:
Barton, David: The Jefferson Lies, Exposing The
Myths Youve Always
Believed About Thomas
Jefferson;
Tapolitano,
Andrew: The Constitution
In Exile, How The Federal
Government Has Seized
Power By Rewriting The
Supreme Law Of The Land.
Young Adult Fiction:
Donnelly, Jennifer: Deep
Blue; Fraction, Matt: The

Five Fists Of Science.

Junior Fiction: Wallace,
Karen: Aargh, Its An
Alien!
Audio Books Fiction:
Kidd, Sue Monk: The Invention Of Wings; Sparks,
Nicholas: See Me.
DVDs:Camp Rock 2 The
Final Jam; Disney Channel
Holiday; Dora The Explorer
Saves The Snow Princess;
Fast Five; Fraggle Rock
Dance Your Cares Away;
Hello Kitty Tells Fairy
Tales; Inside Job; Merry
Madagascar;
Moneyball;
Mysteryquest The Complete
First Season; The Nutty
Professor; The Smurfs;
Teenage
Mutant
Ninja
Turtles; The Wiggles Top
Of The Tots.

The Blue Mountain Community Library Board of

Directors would like to thank
everyone who donated food
items to the St. Josephs
Ministry of Wind Gap, PA
during the recent food drive.
Your response was very
generous. The library will be
collecting again in August
for the Salvation Army Food
Bank. We would also like to
express our sincere thanks to
all who so generously and
faithfully support the various
fundraisers for the library
throughout the year. We are
able to function only because
of monetary donations from
the community, the local
businesses and the generous
support of our municipali-

ties. If the library is important to you, please consider

making a donation and/or
becoming a volunteer. The
Blue Mountain Community
Library,
your
library,
depends on volunteers to
operate. Just four hours a
month would cover two of
the approximately 42 shifts
we are open. We are in need
of volunteers to work Saturday
mornings
and
evenings.
Beginning March 1st at
10am, and continuing every
Tuesday during the morning
library hours, the library will
hold Coloring for Adults on
the second floor of the
library. Materials will be
provided, but you are
welcome to bring your own.
You do not have to be a
member of the library, and no
registration is required to

attend. Also in March, any

purchase of a book in the
Book Nook by an author
whose name begins with the
letter S for spring, will
allow you to choose any
other book free. Membership
to the library is free to all
residents of the Pen Argyl
Area School District and
non-residents may become a
member for a small yearly
fee.
The library is located at 216
S. Robinson Ave. in Pen
Argyl. For information about
any programs offered or to
become a volunteer, call Lisa
at 610-863-3029. Library
hours are Monday through
Saturday, 10am to noon, and
Monday through Thursday,
6pm to 8pm. For a list of
upcoming events, or general
information,
visit
www.bmcl.org.

Q: What is heart failure?

A: Heart failure is a serious,
lifelong condition that tends
to gradually get worse over
time. Despite its name, heart
failure doesnt mean that the
heart has stopped beating. It
means your heart is not
pumping as well as it should.
Today, more than five
million Americans live with
the disease.
Heart failure occurs when
your heart muscle or valves
have been damaged. The
impact of a heart attack, for
instance, can cause heart
muscle to lose its pumping
power over time. When your
heart doesnt contract properly, not all the blood in the
ventricles is pumped out,
meaning less blood passes
through your heart and to
your lungs and body. This
pumping problem causes a

Michael A. Walker, Esq,

President and CEO of Community Services for Children
(CSC), was recently elected
to serve on the board of the
African-American Business
Leaders Council of the
Lehigh Valley Chamber. The
Councils mission is to
establish
an
economic
presence and enhance the
intellectual capital of the
African-American community through education,
support, cultural awareness
and advocacy within the
Lehigh Valley.
Walker, an attorney, previously worked as Chief
Counsel serving the 2nd

backup of blood in the lungs

and body. This fluid buildup
can lead to congestion. Thats
why the disease is also called
congestive heart failure.
Besides heart attack, other
forms of heart disease such as
high blood pressure and coronary artery disease are
common causes of heart
failure. Some people may not
even be aware of a heart
problem until they develop
symptoms of heart failure--extreme fatigue with exertion and shortness of breath,
especially when lying down.
Diabetes and lung disease
also increase the risk of heart
failure.
While theres no cure for
heart failure, treatment can
slow the disease and help you
live a longer, fuller life.
Fortunately, many people
with heart failure are able to
manage the condition and
stay healthy for years. But
they need a support system to
learn how to do that. Its
essential that patients diagnosed with heart failure have
regular visits with their cardiologist.
Treatment
may
include taking several medications designed to do three
things: lessen symptoms,
treat the underlying cause
and help keep the disease
from getting worse.
The condition can also be
improved when underlying
issues are addressed. When
heart failure is caused by a
poorly functioning heart
valve, surgical repair and
valve replacement can help.

In some cases, losing

weight can improve symptoms. Lifestyle changes like
quitting smoking, taking a
walk every day and reducing
sodium in the diet can make
a big difference in symptoms
and well being.
Can you prevent heart
failure? Yes and no. You
must avoid the various forms
of heart disease that lead to
it. That means eating a
healthy diet, controlling
your blood pressure and
cholesterol level, maintaining a normal body weight,
exercising regularly and
quitting smoking. And if you
have a heart attack, you must
work closely with your
cardiologist on a long term
follow up plan. Still, some
types of heart failure cannot
be prevented and get worse
over time.
If you are diagnosed with
heart failure, you can
continue to live well by
learning to stay as healthy as
possible and getting regular
checkups.
Hakki Bolukoglu, M.D., is
Board certified by the
American Board of Internal
Medicine/Cardiology. Dr.
Bolukoglu is the Medical
Director of the Heart Failure
program at the ESSA Heart
and Vascular Institute at
Pocono Medical Center. He
also practices at PMC Physician Associates Cardiology,
East Stroudsburg.
Sources:
www.cdc.gov/
dhdsp/data_statistics/fact_sh
eets/fs_heart_failure.htm

United States Congressional

District at the United States
House of Representatives.

Walker has also served as

President of the Urban
League of the Pikes Peak
Regions
in
Colorado
Springs, CO; Vice President
of the Urban League of
Philadelphia; and Director of
Operations for Ken Crest
Services,
a
multi-state
human services organization.
Walker became CEO and
president of CSC in October
2015.
CSC is the regions leader
in early childhood education, affecting the lives of
serves 40,000 children and
their families in 18 counties
in Northeastern PA.

Comunale's Italian Market

One Year Anniversary
Celebration:
February
27th, 10am-5pm. Mt. Bethel
Plaza. Food & giveaways.
FMI, visit www.comunales
italianmarket.com.
Polar Plunge Benefiting
Camp Papillon: February
27th, noon. Camp Papillon
Animal Shelter, 126 Brainerd
Lane, Stroudsburg. All jumpers will need a sponsorship of
$100 or more to jump.
Followed by a catered lunch.
Donation checks may be
mailed to Camp Papillon, 128
Brainerd Lane, Stroudsburg,
PA 18360, or via Paypal at
CampPapillon.org. FMI, visit
facebook.com/camppapillon.
Boomer's Angels Meet &
Greet Dog Adoption Day:
February 28th, 11am-2pm.
Rt. 209, Brodheadsville.
FMI, email boomersangels@
gmail.com,
visit
www.
boomersangels.com,
on
Facebook, or call 570-3504977.
Northampton Co. Detachment 298 Marine Corps
League Meeting: March
2nd, 1900 hours. 1621

Lehigh St., Easton. All active

duty & honorably discharged
Marines welcome. FMI,
email
jimmineousmc
@rcn.com.
Chapter #14 Society of PA
Archaeology
Meeting:
March 3rd, 7pm. Palmer
Twp. Memorial Library, 1
Weller Place, Easton. In
memory of Doris Freyermuth,
co-founder
Chap.
#14.
Speaker Erich Zek's, topic
"Revisiting the Vanderbilt
Site" where Doris collected
many artifacts. FMI, contat
Leonard Ziegler at 908-7504110.
BAHS Production of Ragtime
(School
Edition):
March 4th, 7:30pm; March
5th, 2pm & 7:30pm; &
March 6th, 2pm. M.Craig
Paine
Performing
Arts
Theater, 187 Five Points
Richmond Rd., Bangor.
Rated PG. Tickets are $12.
Visit www.bangor.k12.pa.us
for a printable order form &
the full box office schedule.
FMI, contact bangortheater
boxoffice@gmail.com or call
during box office hours at
610-599-7011 (prompt 7 &
1001#).
Animal Health & Welfare
Bowl-A-Thon: March 5th,

10am-1pm. Teams of 4. Min.

pledge of $25 earns 2 games.
FMI or to register, call Lisa at
610-704-2587. Donations can
also be pledged to Bobby
Gunther Walsh weekdays,
5am-10am, February 24thMarch 4th, at 610-841-4999.
Pocono Garden Club Meeting: March 8th, 1pm. Kettle
Creek Environmental Education Center, Running Valley
Rd., Bartonsville. FMI, email
nonnie0506@yahoo.com.
Delaware-Lehigh Amateur
Radio Club Free Classes:
March 8th, 7pm-9pm. Series
of 9 Tuesday evening classes.
Northampton Co. Gracedale
Complex, Nazareth. FMI or to
register, call 610-432-8286 or
email ke3aw@ARRL.NET.
Salem UCC of Moorestown
Basket Raffle & Bingo:
March 11th & 12th. 2218
Community Dr., Bath. FMI or
advance tickets, call Ed at
610-657-4247.
Eunikue Prom Fashion
Show: March 12th, 2pm. 31
Broadway, Bangor. FMI, call
610-588-4297.
11th Annual
Outdoor
Sportsmens
Harvest
Celebration Dinner: March
12th.
Trinity
Lutheran
Church, 404 Broadway,
Bangor. Traditional menu
plus specially prepared wild
game dishes to sample. Door
prizes & raffles of hunting &
fishing equipment. Proceeds
to benefit local hunger appeal
& food bank. Seating is
limited. FMI or tickets, call
610-504-7886
or
email
tmarino@leeantenna.com.
Origins of St. David's Welsh
Society
Presentation:
March 13th, 2pm. Presented
by former BAHS Superintendent John Reinhart. Slate Belt
Heritage Center, 30 N. 1st St.,
Bangor. FMI, call 610-5994993.
Blue Ridge Cherry Valley
Rod & Gun Club Women
on Target Instructional
Shooting
Clinic
A

Program from the Women

of the NRA: April 16th. Rain
or shine. Ladies only, age
12+. Four clinic sessions &
one-on-one
instruction.
Register by April 1st. FMI,
contact
Event
Director
Margaret Kraft at 570-4208795 or secretary@brcv-rod
gun.org.
Blue Ridge Cherry Valley
Rod & Gun Club Refuse To
Be A Victim Seminar: April
30th,
8:30am-12:30pm.
Register by April 1st. FMI,
contact
Event
Director
Margaret Kraft at 570-4208795 or secretary@brcv-rod
gun.org.
Slate Belt Heritage Center
Re-Opening Ceremonies:
April 14th, 7pm. Slate Belt
Heritage Center, 30 N. 1st St.,
Bangor. FMI, call 610-5994993.
The
Crystal
Laundry
Presented
by
Harvey
Drury: May 12th, 7pm.
Slate Belt Heritage Center, 30
N. 1st St., Bangor. FMI, call
610-599-4993.

Tranquility UMC Fish &

Chips Dinner: February
25th, 5pm-7pm. Tranquility Community House, 4
Kennedy Rd. (Rt. 611), Rt.
517. Advance ticket reservations strongly recommended.
FMI, call 908-850-1092 or
973-786-5318.
North Warren Relay for
Life Kickoff Fundraiser:
February 25th, 7pm. 594
NJ-96, Columbia. FMI,
contact Kris at 973-2858015 or Kris.Dumschat
@cancer.org
Chili Cook-Off: February
27th, noon-3pm. Blairstown
Masonic Lodge #165, 11
Stillwater Rd., Blairstown.
$10 to eat, $25 to compete.

FMI or to register, call 908303-6648

or
email
scott@oakmtn.net.
Glenwood Baptist Church
Tricky Tray: February
27th, 5pm. Snow date:
March 5th. Vernon High
School, 1832 Rt. 565,
Vernon. Free sheet of tickets
w/ a basket donation. FMI,
email
CJKingInsurance
@gmail.com, or call 973332-0009 or 973-875-2090.
North Warren Democratic
Club Meeting: February
27th, 1pm. Catherine Dickson Hofman Library, Lambert
Rd.,
Blairstown.
Anyone wishing to become a
delegate must file an application by March 16th. FMI,
call 908-362-6808 or email
fpchistory@yahoo.com.
Hand-Painted Gourd Birdhouse Making: February
27th, 1pm-3pm. Scherman
Hoffman Wildlife Sanctuary, 11 Hardscrabble Rd.,
Bernardsville. FMI, visit
www.njaudubon.org, email
shws@njaudubon.org,
or
call 908-766-5787.
Mountain Lake Fire Co.
Venison Dinner: February
27th, 5:30pm. 99 Tamarack
Rd., Belvidere. FMI or
tickets, call 908-475-4400.
Hackettstown Historical
Society Meeting & Presentation: March 1st, 7:30pm.
106 Church St., Hackettstown. FMI, call 908-8528797 or email info@hacketts
townhistory.com
North Warren Boys Soccer
Tricky Tray Fundraiser:
March 4th, 6pm. NW
Regional High School, 10
Noe Rd., Blairstown. Cash
donations or gifts can be
made to North Warren Boys
Soccer Booster Club. Send
to Lisa Siebens, 98 Bear
Creek Rd., Andover. FMI,

call 908-310-3503.
St. Patrick's Day Dinner
Dance:
March
12th,
6:15pm-11pm. St. Jude
McNulty Hall, Blairstown.
Snow date, March 13th.
Sponsored by St. Jude
Ladies Guild & Knights of
Columbus Council #12430,
Blairstown. $28 Donation.
FMI or tickets, call Robert
Ho at 908-382-1525 or
Lorraine at 908-459-5114.
8th Annual Hackettstown
St. Patricks Day Parade:
March 13th, kickoff 3:30.
Panther Valley Ecumenical
Church Spaghetti Dinner:
April 1st, 5pm-8pm. 1490
Rt. 517, Hackettstown. Tickets $10, children $5, under 3
free. Tickets at door are $2
more. Takeout available.
St. Joseph Regional School
Honoring Alumni Night:
April 9th, 6pm. Celebrating
60 years of loving & faithful
educational
community.
Country-Western
Casino
Night theme. All proceeds
will support Catholic education at St. Josephs School in
Newton, Sussex County.
FMI, call 973-383-2909.
18th Annual Stateliner
Spring
Classic
5K
Run/Walk & Childrens
Fun Run: April 17th.
Phillipsburg High School,
Maloney
Stadium,
489
Hillcrest Blvd., Phillipsburg.
FMI, contact James Bronico
at 908-213-2404 or spring
classic@hotmail.com.
Panther Valley Ecumenical
Church Rummage Sale:
April 29th, 9am-3pm &
April 30th, 9am-1pm.
Panther Valley Ecumenical
Church, 1490 Rt. 517, Hackettstown. Donations may be
brought to the church April
25th-27th, 9am-2pm, &
Monday
&
Tuesday
evenings,
6pm-8pm.
Accepting all clothing for
men, women & children. HH
items, glassware, baskets,
small appliances, sporting
goods, jewelry, & seasonal
items.

Cough and cold season is

officially in full swing, and
children regularly catch
seasonal illnesses, toooften several times per year.
With all the medications
promising relief, whats a
concerned parent to do?
Instead of turning to overthe-counter cough and cold
treatments, parents should
consider
following
the
American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommendations and try home remedies
first. Doctors at St. Lukes
University Health Network
agree.
Like all medications, even
cold and cough medicines
sold over the counter may
cause serious side effects in
kids, according to the AAP.
Due to potential risks, the
US Food and Drug Administration recommends that
children younger than four
years old should never be
given over-the-counter treatments.

Multiple studies have

shown that cough and cold
products are ineffective in
alleviating symptoms or
shortening the duration of
symptoms, says Jennifer
Janco, MD, Chair of Pediatrics, St. Lukes University
Health Network. If it
doesnt work and it may
cause harm, you are better
off using some of the tried
and true grandma home
remedies such as salt water
or honey. Of course, simply
using a single ingredient
fever/pain reducer at the
correct dose is certainly a
valid option if your little one
has fever or pain as part of
his or her symptoms.
There are safer, more
convenient and less costly
ways to give sick kids some
relief from symptoms such
as coughing and a stuffy
nose, Dr. Janco advises.
Here are some pediatricianrecommended suggestions:
Runny nose: Just suction

or blow it. Although antihistamines can be useful in

treating nasal allergies, they
wont help relieve cold
symptoms. Remember that
the nose is designed to make
mucousbut you can keep
clearing it!
Stuffy nose: No medication can remove dried mucus
from the nose, but nasal
washes can help. You can
make saline solution at home
by adding 1/8 -1/4 teaspoon
of table salt to eight ounces
of warm tap water. A few
drops of warm water will
work, too. Using a humidifier or running a warm
shower can help keep mucus
from drying up.
Coughing: Children under
the age of three months
should be seen by their
doctor. Babies between
threemonths and one year
can be given one to three
teaspoons of warm, clear
fluids, such as Pedialyte or
apple juice, four times a day.

Kids older than one year can

take up to one teaspoon of
honey as needed to thin
mucus and loosen their
cough. (Research shows that
honey helps reduce the
frequency and severity of
nighttime coughing as well,
but children must be over the
age of 12 months to use it
safely.)
Children with coughs or
colds may not always need
treatment, adds Dr. Janco.
If your kids arent bothered
by their symptoms, and
continue to play and sleep
normally, theres no reason
to use either over-thecounter or home remedies.
These treatments are really
only helpful if cough and
cold is making your child
uncomfortable and prevents
your son or daughter from
sleeping.
Dr. Janco also recommends
you call your pediatrician if
your
childs
symptoms
worsen, or if theres a fever

that lasts longer than a few

days. Its always better to
be safe than sorry, she
emphasizes. If your child
has an underlying medical
condition that may make it
harder to handle the common
cold or if youre worried for
any reason, call your
doctor.

Spring break is prime time

for prowlers. Arm yourself
with the know-how to beat
the bad guys and return to
your home just the way you
left it.
The facts on burglary:
2,000,000 home burglaries
are reported each year in the
United States.
30 percent of burglars find

entry through an open

window or unlocked door.
65 percent of home
burglaries happen between
the hours of 6am and 6pm.
Tips to beat burglars:
Install heavy duty deadbolts on exterior doors.
Keep your car locked.
Any open windows should
be locked in position where

they cannot be raised beyond

four inches.
Keep a light on with a
timer, even when youre not
home.
Exterior lighting is very
important
around
your
home.
If someone breaks into
your home, do not engage!
Call 911.
Keep a look out for informative monthly articles in
The PRESS from Bangor
Borough!
*Information
referenced
from homeadvisor.com.

(NAPSI)It may be that

the best thing for your face is
to hide itbehind a beauty
masque, that isbecause
once its revealed, your skin
can be more lovely and
radiant.
If youre like most U.S.
women, dullness and the
damage that can be done by
pollution are top skin care
concerns. Knowing this, the
skilled chemists at Kiehls
Since 1851 came up with two
new masques.
The Turmeric and Cranberry
Seed Energizing Radiance

Masque works as an instant

facial, brightening and energizing the look of dull,
fatigued skin to restore a
healthy, rosy appearance.
Crushed cranberry seeds
gently exfoliate for a
smoother,
brighter
and
illuminated complexion and
turmeric extract offers strong
antioxidant, antiseptic and
sebum-balancing properties.
In one study, 92.3 percent of
women who used this masque
said that immediately afterward their skin felt refined
and smoother.
The companys Cilantro and
Orange Extract Pollutant
Defending Masque protects

against oxidation, while naturally derived oils, including

vitamin E and cilantro seed
oil, strengthen skin, replenish
vital nutrients and accelerate
the regeneration of the skin
barrier after the damaging
effects of pollution.
In a clinical study, skin
treated with this masque
allowed for the removal of 84
percent of micro-particles
compared to only 49 percent
from untreated skin.
Both masques and more are
available
at
Kiehls
freestanding
stores,
www.kiehls.com/face-masks,
1-800-KIEHLS-2
and
specialty retailers

Blue
Ridge
Lumber
recently hosted their annual
holiday
party
and
celebrated the retirement of
three long-time employees
with over 100 employees
and guests in attendance.
Dave McConachy will be
officially retiring in August
of this year after 50 years of
employment with Blue
Ridge
Lumber.
Dave
started with Blue Ridge
while in high school in
1966 and worked part time
through college. After
graduating college, he
joined the company full
time and the rest is history.
Dave eventually became
the general manager and
directed
the
company
through five acquisitions.
Dave was able to see the
company grow from one
store to five and from four
employees to over 80.
Lee Cornwell followed a
similar path to Dave McConachy, starting in 1966 and
joining the company after
graduating college. He was
the general manager for
several years, but left the
company in the 1990s for

four years. He later

returned. Lee retires having
worked a total of 46 years
at
Blue
Ridge.
Lee
officially retired in August
of 2015.
David Grunfelder will
retire this February after 18
years of employment at
Blue Ridge. Dave worked
in the yard and drove truck
and was a valuable member
of the team.
We are extremely blessed
to have had three valuable

employees work for us for

the amount of years that
they did, said Greg Ackerson, President and Owner
of Blue Ridge Lumber. It
may never happen again at
Blue Ridge and it is
extremely rare for any company to experience.

Summary of Knowlton
Township Committee Meeting - February 8th, 2016
Revisiting
Old
Bond
Anticipation Notes: This
year the Township has
employed a new bond counsel who found that some of
our old bond anticipation
notes (BANS) approved
many years ago had deficiencies and had to be restated.
Bond anticipation notes are
how municipalities borrow
funds for capital improvement projects. The deficien-

cies included improper

wording of public notices,
not enough time having
elapsed between publication
of notices and approval of
the bond anticipation notes,
loss of the records in one
instance, and lack of the
required supermajority for
approving
the
BANs.
Approval of BANs requires
a 2/3 majority, which in a
five person Committee
means four affirmative votes.
In one case, only three votes
supported the measure.

Despite the fact that these

BANs are quite old and that
much of the debt has already
been paid off, our bond counsel requires that we readvertise them and vote again on
them so that the Townships
current ability to borrow is
not affected. The Committee
voted unanimously to pass
the BANS on first reading.
The cost for reconsidering
the BANs is minimal.
Knowltons Low-Income
Housing Obligations
The saga of municipal lowincome housing obligations
in New Jersey continues.
Last year the court took over
the process because the

PhD behind her name. She

was totaly honest and I
never remember her being
angry, bitter or to complain.
I read a poem the other day
and it reminded me of her. It
is by Edgar Guest.
Id rather see a lesson
than hear one any day
Id rather you walk with
me than to merely show the
way
The eye is a better teacher,
and more willing than the
ear
And counsel is confusing
but examples always clear
The best of all the teachers
are the ones who live the
creed
To see good put into action
is what everyone needs
I soon can learn to do it if

you let me see it done

I can see your hand in
action, but your tongue too
fast may run
And counsel you are
giving may be very fine and
true
But rather get my lessons
observing what you do.
My grandmother taught
me many things in life, but
most of all she taught me to
do the right thing.
Per acquisire la conoscenza, uno deve studiare;
ma per acquisire sapienza,
uno deve osservare.
To acquire knowledge, one
must study; but to acquire
wisdom, one must observe.
-Marilyn vos Savant.
Con cordiali saluti, Joe
Growing up in the
Butcher Shop, is available
at the shop or on our web
page. To receive menu
specials and our newsletter,
join our mailing list at
JDeFrancoAndDaughters.c
om, click on mailing list and
enter your email. Send your
Roseto stories, recipes and
comments to portipasto@
epix.net or call 610-5886991. 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.

Ciao Amici,
You learn a lot by observing and I was fortunate to
watch my grandmother in
the butcher shop.
Josie, Grandmom said,
run out and stop Mamie,
she left her change.
But Grandmom, it is only
35 cents, I answered... and
then the look would come
that meant run like hell to
get Mamie!
My grandmother had no

Council on Affordable Housing (COAH) declined to

approve a proposed statewide
methodology for providing
low-income housing. The
confusion that reigned under
COAH seems not likely to
decrease.
The courts must decide each
municipalitys low-income
housing
obligation
and
approve a plan for meeting
that obligation. The court has
heard from advocates for
increased low- income housing such as Fair Share Housing,
an
organization
supported by developers, and
from municipal experts who
argue for lower numbers of
affordable housing units.
Knowlton is in a unique
position in this process.
Unlike many other towns,
Knowlton received approval
for our plan calling for creating 60 units. This is a number
we can live with, and we have
a plan that could realistically,
although at a significant cost,
provide that number of units.
Interestingly, Fair Share
Housing, the advocate of
housing rights for the poor,
recommended a number close
to this, 68, for Knowlton.
Municipal advocates recommended a much lower
number, 14, for Knowlton.
For most other towns the gap
between Fair Share Housings
number and the number that
municipality put in their plans
is extremely large. For
Knowlton it is small. Attorney Cushing stated that
Knowlton is more favorable
than almost any municipality
in the State.
The question before the
Committee was should the
Township enter into negotiations with Fairshare Housing
and try to get them to lower
their recommendation for
Knowlton. If we could come
to an agreement with Fair
Share Housing, the court
would almost certainly accept
it. The advantage of such a
course of action would be that
we would avoid the very
expensive legal wrangling

that will occur if we contest

Fair Share Housings numbers. The disadvantage is that
we may end up with a larger
requirement than if we
prevailed in contesting Fair
Share Housings recommended number.
The Committee decided to
enter in negotiations with Fair
Share Housing to see if we
can get a lower number from
them but to leave our options
open to contest their recommendations in court if they are
not flexible.
Indemnification Agreement
with the Office Manager: Our
newly hired Office Manager
reported that soon after she
started work she received a
threatening call at her home
from a Blairstown resident
threatening she would be
embroiled in legal action if
she remained on the job. She
intended to quit but agreed to
stay on the job under a
number of conditions, one of
which was that she be
provided with a statement of
indemnification. A resolution
confirming the Townships
indemnification policy was
passed by a vote of 3 to 1 with
Committeeperson
Farber
voting no. The resolution
confirms that the Townships
existing
indemnification
policy applies to the office
manager and provides no new
guarantees or salary.
Unfit Building Ordinance: A
draft of an ordinance allowing
the Township to declare buildings unsafe and, if the owners
refuse to remedy the situation,
to tear them down and place a
lien on the property for the
cost of the demolition was
discussed by the Committee.
A number of abandoned
buildings in town have been
deemed unsafe by the
construction code official.
Committeeperson Mathez
asked that language in the
draft be modified to make it
clear that the Township could
act only if the building was a
hazard. Similarly, Committeeperson Farber stated he
wanted to be sure the
proposed ordinance could not
be used for one neighbor to
harass another. The Committee agreed that the ordinance
should put in final form and

be considered in the future.

Update on Dilapidated
Buildings: Zoning officer Joe
Rossi reported to the Committee on the status of several
Knowlton buildings that have
been deemed unfit. The barn
on Delaware Road, which
was in a state of collapse, has
now been demolished at the
owners expense. Wells
Fargo and Selene Finance,
the two banks that share
responsibility for 23 Decatur
Street, have their third court
date in March for failure to
maintain this property by the
post office. Many residents
have seen that the recent
snow brought down the
porch on this house. The
zoning officer reported that
the banks most recent permit
for demolition was denied by
the State because it lacked
the necessary approvals.
Wells Fargo has already paid
$2,500 in fines to the Township and faces significantly
more if demolition does not
proceed. Mr. Rossi also
reported on 38 and 39 Hemlock, the two buildings
collapsing on what was once
the Girl Scout property. The
owner of this property, who
resides in Florida, has been
issued a court summons for
March. The owner successfully sealed the well on the
property but has not
proceeded with demolition or
maintained the structures as
required.
New Dump Truck: Specifications for a new dump truck
to replace the one that was in
an accident were discussed.
The cost from a buying co-op
that the town belongs to
would be about $71,300. A
member of the audience said
he knew of a good used truck
that could be purchased for
significantly less. The Committee agreed to investigate
this idea.
-- Rene Mathez, Adele
Starrs
Please note our summaries
are intended only to inform
residents of issues that might be
of interest to them. The
summaries are not the official
minutes and have not been
approved by the Township
Committee. They reflect the
views of the authors only.

By Mike Baird

State of the Arc Welding

purchased a CNC Plasma
table about a year ago. We
have seen a new stream of
business come through the
door from a variety of different customers. People who
wouldnt normally use our
services have become regular
clients. It also means that
jobs we would normally have
to ship out can now be completed in house, making our
turn-around time and overhead costs shrink significantly.
We found that many of our
customers were asking for
accurate shape cutting and
have found it a very useful
item to have in our tool kit.
The
machine
is
also
equipped with pneumatic
scribe. This feature allows us
to make nameplates, artwork,
and mark out hole locations,
bend lines, and locations of
items to be welded eliminated the need to layout by
hand.
Some of the new customers
who have been making use of
the machine are motorcycle
enthusiasts, display companies, machine shops, and
other fabricators who have
sotaw cut parts for them.

The CNC plasma table

works several different ways.
Customers can send us CAD
drawings or DXF files. We
then create custom drawings
and create a cut file before
sending the blueprint to the
table. There are also files for
art available online. These
files are loaded into the
machine, then go into a
nesting program that let us
put the finishing touches on
the way the parts will be cut.
The nesting software creates
a nest of parts. It decides
the best way to fit all of the
parts into the plate being cut
so we get maximum yield for
the customer, saving them
money and reducing scrap.
There are many different
computer programs for it and
we would definitely like to
branch out away from industrial applications to items
tailored to families for
converting your favorite
photo to a cut and engraved
piece of art, or sign making
for other small businesses.
This machine has become a
great asset to us. Call State of
the Arc Welding at 610-2166862 today to see if we can
service your needs. We can
also be found on Instagram,
Facebook and at sotaw.com

Pocono Medical Center has

been awarded a three-year
term of accreditation in
nuclear medicine with the
addition of Pocono Medical
Centers Bartonsville Healthcare Center awarded a threeyear term of accreditation in
breast magnetic resonance
imaging (MRI) and ultrasound as the result of a recent
review by the American
College of Radiology (ACR).
Pocono Medical Centers
comprehensive
facilities
located conveniently throughout the region offer complete
access to quality imaging
services. The Bartonsville
Healthcare Center is fully
equipped with access to full
MRI capabilities and CT scan
including recent recognition
from ACR as an ACR Designated Breast Center of Excellence. These quality recognitions from the American
College of Radiology are true
measurements of the high
standards our staff and
employees uphold. Achievements like these ensure that
excellent care is delivered
throughout all of Pocono
Medical Centers facilities
and imaging services, said
James Miller, BA, RTR(CV),
CRA, Director of Radiology
Services at Pocono Medical
Center.
The ACR gold seal of
accreditation represents the
highest level of image quality
and patient safety. It is
awarded only to facilities
meeting ACR Practice Guidelines and Technical Standards
after a peer-review evaluation
by board-certified physicians
and medical physicists who
are experts in the field. Image
quality, personnel qualifications, adequacy of facility
equipment, quality control
procedures, and quality assurance programs are assessed.
The findings are reported to
the ACR Committee on
Accreditation, which subsequently provides the practice
with a comprehensive report
they can use for continuous
practice improvement.
These distinct accreditations represent the commitment we have to our patients
and the community to ensure
we are providing the highest
level of quality care through

advanced medical technologies, said Elizabeth Wise,

RN, MSN, MBA, DrNP (c),
NEA-BC, CENP, Chief Operating Officer/Chief Nursing
Officer at Pocono Medical
Center.
The ACR is a national
professional
organization
serving more than 36,000
diagnostic/interventional
radiologists, radiation oncologists, nuclear medicine physicians, and medical physicists
with programs focusing on
the practice of medical imaging and radiation oncology
and the delivery of comprehensive health care services.
Pocono Medical Center has
served the Pocono Mountain
region for over 100 years,
marking it as one of Monroe
Countys largest employers
with more than 230 physicians and now over 2,000
staff employees. Pocono
Medical Center has three
comprehensive
healthcare
centers located in Bartonsville, Tobyhanna, and Brodheadsville each offering
imaging and lab services. In
addition, Pocono Medical

Center has 19 primary and

specialty care physician practices throughout the region.
Pocono Medical Center offers
a full continuum of care from
clinical and acute care
services
to
specialized
services ranging from endocrinology, neonatology and
perinatology to pulmonary,
neurology, bariatric, general,
orthopedic,
and
even
minimally-invasive surgery
with our da Vinci robotic
surgery.
Homecare
and
hospice services are also
available through the Pocono
Health System Visiting Nurse
and Hospice. U.S. News and
World Report recently named
Pocono Medical Center
among the top 10 percent of
hospitals in Pennsylvania and
as a Best Regional Hospital
including
two
HighPerforming Hospital recognitions in both heart failure and
heart bypass surgery. Pocono
Medical Centers ESSA Heart
and Vascular Institute offers a
full breadth and depth of
cardiovascular
services,
including diagnostic cardiac
catheterization,
cardiac

angioplasty,
open-heart
surgery, and minimally invasive heart procedures as well
as vascular surgery and
cardiac
rehabilitation
services. The Dale and Frances Hughes Cancer Center at
Pocono Medical Center offers
a variety of treatments and
alternatives, including stateof-the-art radiation therapy
equipment and medical and
radiation oncology. Pocono
Medical Center is a designated, accredited Primary
Stroke Center providing
stroke care via telemedicine.
In addition to Pocono Medical Center serving as one of
the busiest emergency departments in the state, it is also the
only fully-accredited Level
III Trauma Center in the
Commonwealth as well as the
sole Trauma Center program
for all of Monroe County and
its surrounding communities.
For more information or to
learn more, please visit our
website
at
poconohealthsystem.org, or
visit our Facebook page at
facebook.com/poconomedica
lcenter.

(NAPSI)While
youre
going over the river and
through the woods to
grandmothers house (or
anywhere else), you dont
want to have to worry about
whats happening back at
your own home. These 12
hints can help you have
peace of mind when youre
out celebrating the season.
Smart Safety Moves:
1. Tell trusted neighbors
youll be away. Let them
have your contact information, too.
2. Dont share specific
details about your departure
on social media.
3. To give the impression
that someone is home, use
timers to have the lights and
the TV go on and off at
certain times.
4. Get motion-sensitive
lights for outside your house.
5. Consider having someone you know stay at your
house while youre gone. At

least have someone come by

every day youre away to
feed your pets, water your
plants, take in the mail
(unless you have the post
office hold it for you) and the
newspapers, and see that
garbage cans are brought out
and back and that snow or
leaves dont pile up about
your place.
6. Check the locks and
latches on all the windows
and doors before you go.
7. Keep trees and shrubs
trimmed for visibility. All
windows and doors should be

visible, with little room for a

person to duck down and
hide.
8. Keep computers, TVs,
collectibles and other valuables away from windows.
9. Watch your window
blinds. If you normally leave
some shades up, dont pull
them all down. That can be
seen as a sign that youre
away.
10. Keep those home fires
from burning. The United
States Fire Administration
points out that more house
fires happen in winter than
any other time of the year.
Before you go away, be sure
you have at least one working
smoke detector on each floor
of the house. Unplug your
television, computer, toaster

oven and similar appliances

to protect them from power
surges.
11. Stay in touch. You can
get a simple electrical
device that continuously
listens for your smoke and
carbon monoxide detectors.
If they sound, the Leeo
Smart Alert calls you and
sends push notifications
wherever you may be. Its
easy to set up using the free
Leeo smartphone app. You
just plug it in and it works
with an existing Wi-Fi
network.
You can even add contact
information for friends,
family members or neighbors so if your alarm goes
off and you dont answer
immediately, it calls your
preset emergency list until
someone does.
12. If youll be visiting
friends or family, bring a
great house gift, such as a
way for your hosts to keep
their home safer, too.
The Leeo Smart Alert is
available at Best Buy and
Lowes. For further facts,
visit leeo.com or e-mail
support@leeo.com.

Hello, fellow readers!

I had the privilege of visiting the in-process plants for
the upcoming 20th Anniversary of the Springfest Garden
Show. Meadowbrook Farms
of Jenkintown, PA is major
player in propagating plants
for the Philadelphia Flower
Show, as well. My colleague,
Marty Carson, is always one
to look forward to. Just as we
look forward to the grounding smell of good old dirt,
especially following frozen
nose hairs of our recent
single digits.
The 25-acre estate was
formerly the home of J.
Liddon Pennock, Jr., wellknown for floral and horticultural design. Meadowbrook Farm remains his
garden legacy and is a
nonprofit affiliate of the
Pennsylvania Horticultural
Society (PHS). The gift shop
to drool over and garden
center with many specimen
plants are open year-round.
Tours of the gardens and
estate house are offered
spring through fall.
Nate of Meadowbrook
Farm is a plant whisperer, a
master of figuring out when
to start plants and what to do
to force them to be showready. He knows the ins and
outs of the hot house versus

cold house; timing blooms to

make best of show. Not to
mention, his knowledge of
the ins and outs of fungus and
disease and how to circumvent them.
While clicking away photos,
my colleague and her management team were taking
inventory of their show plants
growth-in-progress.
Their
garden will be a riot of
bright colors, describes
Marty.
Theres Achillea millefolium Paprika, a paprika-red
Yarrow. Coreopsis Sienna
Sunset with burnt rust flowers. Geum Totally Tangerine with tangerine flowers
bursting above strawberrylike foliage. Plus, a hot
orange Echinacea, such as
Sombrero
Flamenco
Orange. Then theres Salvia
nemorosa
Eastfriesland
with deep violet flowering
spikes.
I couldnt help but drool
over one of the 2015 PHS
Gold Medal winners, a Fernleaf Full Moon Maple, Acer
japonicum Aconitifolium,
a dwarf selection growing
eight to 10-feet tall and wide
with fern-like foliage that
emerges green in spring and
turns brilliant crimson red
come fall.
What a thrill it was to grab a
color fix of magnificent
plants that are sleeping everywhere else. You can grab a
flower fix, too! See you at the
Springfest Garden Show.
Garden dilemmas?
askmarystone.com
Please say hello: Ill be
exhibiting at the upcoming
Springfest Garden Show
from March 17th through
20th at the Sussex County
Fairgrounds, located at 37
Plains Rd. in Augusta, NJ.
And on Friday, March 18th at
2pm, join me and my
colleague Marty Carson as
we present a garden party tale
to illustrate Ideal Plant Companions. I look forward to
seeing you there!

The First United Methodist

Church of Blairstown, NJ
welcomed John Peccarelli
as their new worship music
leader in January.
John grew up in Nutley, NJ
and began to study piano at
a young age. By the time he
completed high school, he
had added guitar, violin,
trumpet, tuba, mandolin and
voice to his musical
pursuits. He attended Montclair State University, where
he received Bachelors and
Masters degrees in Music
Education, and after graduation, began his career as a
music teacher for Abundant
Life Academy.
John has spent the past 22

years with the Edison Township school district, where

he has taught both vocal and
instrumental music, as well
as composition. He is a
member of the NJ Music
Educators Association and
serves as a judge for their
annual Young Composers
Competition.
At the age of 21, Peccarelli
came to the Lord and has
been involved with music
ministry for over 25 years.
He has written praise songs
that have been performed
and heard both locally and
abroad. John is excited to
be working with the
worship team at FUMC as
they develop and grow as a
ministry to our God and the
body of Christ.
Musicians and vocalists
are invited to come be a part
of the new music ministry.
Rehearsals are on Sunday
mornings at 8am, and
worship is at 10am.
The First United Methodist
Church of Blairstown is a
vibrant
and
multigenerational community of
faith located in beautiful
Blairstown, NJ that seeks to
engage people in a Christian
faith that is transformational
both in their personal lives
and in the communities that
they live in.
For more information, visit
firstumcblairstown.com or
follow them on Facebook at
facebook.com/firstumcblair
stown, or call 908-3626693.