Area educators held a press conference on Oct. 5 to draw public attention to potential federal funding cuts that would affect local schools. Members of the Abington Heights education community, along with Pennsylvania State Education Association (PSEA) Vice President Jeff Ney and PSEA Northeast Region Vice President Mike Soskil, participated in the forum.

Monday afternoon’s briefing was the latest in a series of news conferences throughout Northeast Pa. that the PSEA called to discuss Project 2025, an initiative launched in 2023 by The Heritage Foundation. Project 2025 is responsible for the publication “Mandate for Leadership”, a more-than-900-page conservative “blueprint” that provides guidance for presidential control over independent federal agencies.

Public educators said they are particularly concerned about the document’s recommendations to slash federal funding over a 10-year period until funding is totally eliminated. Project 2025’s section regarding the Department of Education states that “federal education policy should be limited and, ultimately, the federal Department of Education should be eliminated.” This policy includes distributing IDEA funding to local education agencies via a block grant that gives those agencies near-total discretion over how the grants are spent, thus bypassing state education agencies like PSEA.

Project 2025 also calls for the elimination of the Community Eligibility Provision for free and reduced school lunch programs, which permits schools with high poverty rates to provide free breakfasts and lunches to all students in that school regardless of household income, as well as phasing out federal Title I revenue responsibility entirely by shifting that responsibility to individual states.

Ney directed his message at Rep. Rob Bresnahan, R-8, whose congressional district includes Abington Heights School District.

“We are here today to hold Rob Bresnahan and other supporters of Project 2025 accountable for their actions,” he said. “We need you, Congressman, and every elected official to support Pennsylvania students, not Project 2025.”

Soskil, who also serves as president of Wallenpaupack School District’s Education Association, recalled the impact on state education budgets caused by cuts in 2011 during the Corbett Administration, which reduced public school funding by $1 billion overall.

“The cuts proposed in Project 2025 are more than three times worse,” Soskil said. “We can’t do the job without the necessary resources.”

“Rob Bresnahan needs to know that Project 2025 is a no-go,” Abington Heights Education Association President Jason Burke said during his remarks. “I’m here to stand up for public education and to support my kids.”

All told, schools that fall in Pa. Congressional District 8, which comprises 40 districts, intermediate units and career technology centers in Northeast Pa., could lose $197 million in federal funding annually. Abington Heights School Board member Emily Karam said that amount includes a loss of $570,000 for IDEA programs in her district alone.

“Eliminating federal involvement in education funding sets us even further back,” Karam said. “What we need is for our government representatives to provide the necessary resources promised to everyday Americans and help propel us forward.”

An email to Bresnahan’s office went unanswered as of press time, but he has stated on record in the past that he does not endorse Project 2025.

Nye said, however, that Bresnahan’s record shows otherwise, particularly with his vote in favor of President Donald Trump’s first reconciliation bill, dubbed by Trump as the One Big Beautiful Act. “He is showing by his actions that he is in support of policies that are right there inside Project 2025.”

In recent months, PSEA has also held news conferences in York and Monroe counties, as well as the Lehigh and Cumberland Valley regions, to speak out against Project 2025.

Bresnahan is currently running for re-election against Democratic candidate and current Scranton Mayor Paige Cognetti.

Dalton Community Library (DCL) participated in the Dalton Farm to Family Festival last month. It was a great success, with a large turnout.

On Sept. 21, the 2026 Young Adult Mini Masterpiece reception was held at Everhart Museum. This event recognized young teens and their artistic gifts.

DCL kicked off six weeks of Fall Kids’ Time and Young Adult programming at the end of September. Events will be held every Thursday in October beginning at 4 p.m. Sign language and Chinese activities will be offered throughout the month.

The Lakawanna County Library System (LCLS) will host a teen art program on Oct. 22 called Noodles and Doodles, and The Countryside Nature Conservancy will give a talk during the month about their environmental work.

Call the library at 570-563-2014 for exact dates and times during the month for these activities.

The Fall Book and Bake Sale will be held on Oct. 17 in the library’s basement from noon to 2 p.m. People are welcome to stop by and browse books for sale or treat themselves to a baked item.

No donations will be accepted during the month of October. Beginning Nov. 1, DCL will begin accepting donations for the book sale in April 2027.

LCLS libraries are participating in a coat drive in conjunction with UNICO Scranton Chapter and Friends of the Poor. Those looking to donate gently used coats for all ages can drop them off at DCL this fall.

Saturday Spotlight will meet on Oct. 31 from 10:30 a.m. to noon. This month we will shine our light on “Isola” by Allegra Goodman. People looking to join the group discussion are welcome.

A bridge group meets every Tuesday from 10 a.m. to noon, weather permitting. New members are encouraged to join, whether you are an experienced player or new to the game.

Dalton Community Library’s weekly operating schedule is from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday, and from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday. DCL is closed on Wednesdays and Sundays.

“October is crisp days and cool nights, a time to curl up around dancing flames and sink into a good book.” — John Sinor

Brandon Farmer ran for two first-half touchdowns, and Scranton Prep converted one of its three interceptions into a touchdown as the Cavaliers turned their game against rival Abington Heights into a one-sided contest, posting a 35-0 shutout in the Oct. 2 Lackawanna Football Conference Division 1 game at Dunmore High School.

The win, Scranton Prep’s fifth straight, put the Cavaliers into a three-way tie for first place in the division with North Pocono and Wallenpaupack.

The shutout loss was the second straight for the Comets.

Farmer ran 19 yards for a touchdown in the first quarter and 3 more for another score in the second, putting Scranton Prep up 14-0 at the half.

Quarterback Owen Jeffers ran it in from the 5-yard line late in the third quarter to increase the lead to 21-0.

Roman Lowe returned an interception 25 yards for a score, then Braedon McPartland added a 2-yard touchdown run for the Cavaliers.

Scranton Prep set up a first-place battle with North Pocono with the victory.

Jayden Anglin carried 13 times for 73 yards, but that accounted for more than half of the Abington Heights yardage.

Abington Heights has struggled at times during this girls soccer season, but the Lady Comets have thrived in the games that mattered most.

Morgan Davis scored a pair of second-half goals Sept. 30 to pull out a 3-2 victory in a first-place showdown with Mid Valley.

The Lady Comets are 6-5-2 overall, but 6-0-1 in Lackawanna League Division 1, including a tie and a win against Mid Valley, the team they shared the division lead with for much of the season.

Abington Heights and Mid Valley played to a scoreless tie Sept. 14.

Allison Stanton leads the Lady Comets in both goals, with 18, and assists, with five.

Davis is second in goals with eight.

The Lady Comets rolled into their second meeting with Mid Valley, fresh off a 6-0 win over Scranton Prep. Stanton had four goals and an assist in the win.

Abington Heights recovered from a season-opening loss to Crestwood in August to go 10-0 in girls volleyball during September.

The Lady Comets rose to the top of the Lackawanna League Division 1 standings at 9-0 and improved to 10-1 overall going into an Oct. 5 home match against Blue Ridge.

Abington Heights posted eight of the wins by three-set sweeps. The only times they were taken to a fourth set were in road matches at Montrose and Blue Ridge, the division’s third- and fourth-place teams.

The highlight came Sept. 24 in a road match at North Pocono for first place in the division. The Lady Trojans entered unbeaten through eight matches but were swept by the Lady Comets, 27-25, 25-16, 25-14.

Bella Carr and Hilde Temblador were both strong at the net and at the service line.

Carr had a team-high 12 kills and four aces. Temblador had 10 kills and six aces.

Alaina Krempasky added seven kills and 11 digs. Saloni Kashore led the team in digs with 16, while Brielle Wentz led in assists with 20.

Krempasky, Temblador and Carr ranked 1-2-3 on the team in kills for the season.

Temblador leads the team in aces while ranking second in digs, third in assists and third in blocks.

Wentz leads the team in assists and ranks second in aces. Kishore leads in digs and ranks third in assists. Carr is third in both aces and digs.

Freshmen Siena Sparacino and Lauren Stanton lead the team in blocks.

SOUTH ABINGTON TWP. — The golden-hour sun was diffused by a thick layer of fog over Eston Wilson Lake when I arrived at Hillside Park at 7:45 a.m. Wednesday, Sept. 30. The sharp whistle of a northern cardinal, the chortles and screams of blue jays, and the melody of a song sparrow blended together to create a morning symphony. Fishermen cast their lines on the water, couples walked their dogs, and construction workers were busy under the park’s pavilion giving the concrete floor an upgrade.

As I inhaled deep breaths of fresh air and slung my camera around my neck, I tried to remember how long It’d been since I last visited my favorite spot in the Abingtons.

Too long.

This 100-acre park is overseen by the Abington Area Joint Recreation Board, supported by five municipal governments — Clarks Green and Clarks Summit boroughs and Glenburn, South Abington, and Waverly townships — and managed and maintained entirely by volunteers.

Its sports fields host local school and recreation teams. The pavilion shelters countless community events, including an annual summer concert series. The lake is utilized for fishing and boating in the summer and ice skating and pickup hockey games in the winter. A spacious dog park serves our local canine pals. And the nature trails are perfect for hiking and nature observation.

I always leave my birding expeditions at Hillside Park with a long eBird checklist, and last Wednesday was no exception.

In the three hours I was there, I identified 30 species including various woodpeckers and sparrows, Canada geese, mallards, belted kingfisher, American crows, black-capped chickadees, tufted titmouse, lots of American robins and gray catbirds, eastern Phoebe, Carolina wrens, European starlings, eastern bluebird, cedar waxwings, house finches, American goldfinches, common yellowthroats, eastern towhees, red-winged blackbirds, yellow-rumped warbler, northern cardinal, blue jays, and my favorite find of the day, blue-headed vireos.

One blue-headed vireo caught a caterpillar for breakfast and made a show of slinging it around in the air and slamming it against a tree branch before picking it apart and eating it. Gross, I know, but it was fascinating to watch and photograph.

My second-favorite sighting of the day was also probably the most common species on my list, a small flock of American robins taking a bath in the stream that runs through the park. I sat on the wooden bridge that crosses the stream and watched them splash around for about a half hour. As I sat there still and silent, other birds entered the scene, including a blue jay that came for a drink from the stream, a gray catbird that perched right in front of me on a low tree branch above the water, an eastern towhee foraging for food on the ground, and a couple more blue-headed vireos.

When it came time to leave, I felt like a child being dragged away from the playground.

I can’t wait to return soon.

On Screen at the Dietrich

If you know anything about me, I love cuddling up to a good book. I think I’ve reached well over 60 books this year with plenty more to come before I close out the year. I set myself a goal to read at least 6 every single month and outside of one very busy month … I have reached that goal or exceeded it every month. One of the reasons why I’ve been able to get that many in is that I’m quite a voracious reader when I find something that really interests or entices me. One such book that I could not put down was “Verity” by Colleen Hoover. It was soapy, it was sexy, and it was thrilling. I know many people are detractors of her work, but they are big sellers nonetheless and many of her books have been or are being developed for film and television projects: “It Ends with Us,” “Reminders of Him,” and “Regretting You,” specifically. Enter “Verity.” Starring Dakota Johnson, Josh Hartnett, and Anne Hathaway, “Verity” is a romantic thriller which is outside the typical sad romance that Colleen writes. If you were a fan of “The Housemaid,” you are going to love “Verity.” They are cut from a very similar cloth.

Fall Festival is still going strong and I have to admit that I’ve still only seen one film thus far. This is my worst showing in quite some time and I do feel shame. There just aren’t enough hours in the day for me to keep up with the pace of some of our patrons. They make time in their schedule. I scramble for it. The one film that I have had the chance to see was not one at the top of my list but it intrigued me enough, and the timing worked out. The “Python Hunt” is not for the faint of heart visually, but the people that find themselves out on the hunt are such intriguing characters that it’s hard to not fall in love with them, Toby, specifically. He’s got such a kind soul and he writes beautifully. Do check it out.

“Forgotten Island” is still here for the kiddos and “Resident Evil” is with us for another week so do check them out if you get the chance. “Resident Evil” is loads of fun and I’m going to try and see “Forgotten Island” this week because it looks visually arresting and a delight.

Finally, our Film Favorite Series returns for one more go around this year before we bring you Spooky Fest and the 12 Movies of Christmas. We will be showing the ultimate big screen classic “Gone with the Wind” for two extra special showtimes at 2 p.m. on Oct. 11, and 7 p.m on Oct. 14. My mom introduced me to the world of “Gone with the Wind” when I was very young, and it is very much a comfort watch for me. I have to remember what time period it was made in, and keep that in mind when it comes to sensitivities, but it is a rich, lush story about power, family, war and love. If you have never seen it on the big screen, now is your chance.

Now Mary, I know you have your feelings about Colleen Hoover. Could you recommend something similar for our readers? You are quite the voracious reader yourself, and then don’t forget to give us all the details about what is coming up on the cultural side of things. I’ll put down my book and listen. I promise.

— Ronnie Harvey

Live at the Dietrich

Ronnie, I do love a good book! I recently read “The Divorce” by Freida McFadden (same author as “The Housemaid”) and I can’t recommend it enough. And if you’re more into romcoms with a smart, capable woman at the center, anything by Ali Hazelwood is a must. I can’t put her books down.

As for cultural happenings, our makeup River Day is coming up, but this time we’re bringing the whole celebration indoors at the Dietrich so we don’t have to worry about the weather. Mark your calendars for 1 to 5 p.m. on Oct. 11 for River Day: Take Two! We’ll be welcoming a variety of environmental organizations, along with a full lineup of presentations and music throughout the afternoon.

We’ll kick things off with Bret Alexander of Badlees fame, who will be rocking the stage from 1 to 2 p.m. with his signature blend of rock, folk, and acoustic original music. After Bret, we’ll roll right into three wonderful presentations you won’t want to miss. From 2 to 2:30 p.m., Cain Chamberlin of the Endless Mountains Heritage Region (EMHR) will present on upcoming events for the North Branch Water Trail and the pursuit of a National Heritage Region designation. Following Cain, from 2:30 to 3 p.m., Naturalist Rebecca Lesko will guide us through the flora and fauna that depend on the Susquehanna River, a look at the ever‑changing riparian zone and the plants and animals that call it home. After Rebecca, from 3 to 3:30 p.m., Melissa Wright from the Penn State Master Gardeners will present on the spotted lanternfly.

To round out the day, David Cavage and Josh Sudigala, the guitar/banjo bluegrass duo will take the stage at 3:30 p.m. and carry us straight through to 5 p.m. Their music blends traditional bluegrass with touches of jazz, swing, and new grass. After years performing together in the acclaimed band Hickory Project, they branched out to create a duo project filled with classic tunes, original pieces, and blazing instrumentals.

And if you need a sweet treat or a little caffeine to keep you going, be sure to stop across the street at Sweets on Six. Also open and ready to serve you on Sunday are Samario’s Pizza, Pesos, and El Mercadito, perfect if you find yourself getting hungry between presentations.

Anyway, I hope you enjoyed my little corner of the column, and I hope to see you at the Dietrich.

— Mary Turner

The Abington Heights boys withstood their toughest Lackawanna League test so far on the most important date of the cross country season.

The Sept. 29 meet at Wallenpaupack featured the one meet each season in which teams are scored against all five of their other teams in the race. They got past the host Buckhorns, 25-32, and beat the four other teams, including their running partners each week from North Pocono and Valley View.

Abington Heights dominated the other four teams. It beat North Pocono 15-49 and topped Valley View, Delaware Valley and Honesdale by the maximum 15-50 scores.

The Comets remain one of the league’s last two unbeaten teams, along with Riverside.

The closest previous meet had been a 20-31 victory over Scranton Prep. The batch of five wins to wrap up September left the Comets at 13-0 with an average margin of more than 24 points.

At Wallenpaupack, Abington Heights had the top two finishers, three of the top five and all seven of its runners that impacted scoring place in the top 12 out of 72 finishers.

Joseph Grad picked up his first cluster win of the season in 17:56.8, and freshman Dylan Spatz was next, a little more than two seconds behind. Grad has led the team throughout the league season and beaten the top runner from multiple opponents, but this was his first overall top finish in a six-team meet.

Owen Scharle was fifth, Paul Rowlands was eighth, Nick Sutton was ninth, Tristan Whitbeck was 10th and Mario Marsala was 12th.

Margaret Vinsko and Terez Hashem from Scranton Prep captured the Abington Heights Junior Varsity Doubles title by defeating Jennifer Azzarelli and Monica Villano from Holy Cross 8-1 in the final. In semifinal action Vinsko and Hashem defeated Jessica Azzarelli and Chanel Zhang, also from Holy Cross, 8-3, while Azzarelli and Villano knocked out Angelina Mastroianni and Maria Donnelly from Abington Heights 8-4.

In the consolation final Urvee Roy from Abington Heights paired up with Talia Lameo from Scranton Prep to capture the title with an 8-3 win over Ellie Parker and Alanna Angerson from Holy Cross 8-3.

A total of 11 doubles teams from Abington Heights, Scranton Prep, Scranton, and Holy Cross participated in the event. John Weiss and Kelly Arp were directors of the tournament.

Liz George led the way Sept. 29, shooting a 73 as Abington Heights claimed the Class 3A title in the District 2 Team Girls Golf Championships at Tall Pines Players Club in Friendsville, Susquehanna County.

The Lady Comets posted a three-player team score of 248 to capture the first District 2 championship of the 2026-27 school year.

North Pocono finished second out of four teams, 13 strokes back, with the only other sub-80 score coming from Julia Biko’s 78.

Valley View shot 304 and Scranton 328.

Brianna Moffatt from Abington Heights had the third-best score in the field with an 82.

The team score was completed with a 93, which was posted by both Margot Grad and Katie Arp.

Molly Nietz, who joined George, Moffatt and Grad in qualifying for the district’s individual tournament, was the other Abington Heights player. She shot 104 in the team tournament.

The district title, the third straight for the team coached by Ed Bath, followed up a perfect regular season.

Abington Heights finished 15-0 after defeating Scranton Prep 125-176 behind a 38 by George Sept. 25.

Moffatt’s 42 the day before led to a 135-144 victory in a match against eventual District 2 Class 2A champion Tunkhannock at Shadowbrook.

The team defeated Valley View 132-139 in its home finale.

The team had some individual highlights during a busy month.

George had three birdies at Elmhurst Country Club while shooting a 38 in a 125-137 win over North Pocono Sept. 11.

Moffatt chipped in for an eagle and added a birdie while shooting a career-best 36 on Sept. 9 in a 121-162 victory over Honesdale at Glen Oak Country Club.

The team’s closest call came in a one-stroke victory over Elk Lake, the district’s Class 2A runner-up.

Abington Heights will face the District 4 champion, provided it shoots a score of 300 or better in its district event, Oct. 13 at Fox Hill Country Club, for the right to represent the subregion in the Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association Championships Oct. 21 on the White Course at Penn State.

The Lady Comets finished seventh in the state last year.

First, they will try to qualify individually for the state championships, which are Oct. 19-20 at Penn State.

George led the way during the Lackawanna League Qualifier at Tall Pines Sept. 15, shooting a 77. Moffatt shot a 79, Grad an 88 and Nietz a 91.

Three different clutch victories, spread out throughout September, have the Abington Heights girls cross country team in its usual spot – unbeaten and alone at the top of the Lackawanna League standings.

The significance of the meet may not have been clear at the time, but the most important of those wins may have been in the opening cluster meet Sept. 8.

In a meet hosted by Holy Cross, Abington Heights defeated Scranton Prep 22-33. That result is now the only loss for the Classics and the closest Abington Heights has been tested in 13 results over four cluster meets heading into October.

Abington Heights responded again in a showdown between unbeaten teams Sept. 22 at North Pocono when it handed second-place Elk Lake its only loss, 22-37.

Then, in a Sept. 29 meet at Wallenpaupack, when the Lady Comets were also scored against North Pocono and Valley View for the only time all season, they came away with wins over all five of the day’s opponents.

Abington Heights swept the six-team meet, including handing Wallenpaupack just its second loss of the season, 20-41. The other wins were 20-43 over Valley View and Delaware Valley, 19-40 over North Pocono and 19-44 over Honesdale.

Delaware Valley is the only team among the six without a winning record, but it did feature the race winner in Grace Holderith, who finished in 19:31.6.

Valley View’s Sadie Loftus was second.

Marley Gilboy led the way for Abington Heights, taking third in 20:03.4.

Depth was again the key for the Lady Comets.

Calli Gilboy, sophomore Julia Healey and freshman McKenna Williams were seventh, eighth and ninth out of 59 runners and Abington Heights had half of the first 16 to reach the finish line. Giada Lovecchio was 11th to complete the five-runner team score.

Abington Heights teams could be among the most affected by changes to Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association playoff formats in football and girls volleyball, and how those changes apply to District 2 competition this season.

Football has added new subregional combinations in this two-year enrollment cycle, and girls volleyball has moved from four enrollment classifications to six.

Golf and tennis championships are already well underway on the Lackawanna League and District 2 levels. Plans are moving forward for district and subregional events in other fall sports.

A look at those other sports, particularly on what plans mean to Abington Heights teams:

Football

Abington Heights is part of a new format in Class 3A.

The Comets, Pittston Area and Delaware Valley are part of a three-way race to be the two teams in the District 2 Championship Game Nov. 6. That game is also serving as a semifinal in the new District 2-6-9 Subregional for Class 5A, and the winner will host a team from either District 6 or District 9 the next week.

Scranton Prep is in Class 3A, which will again have a four-team tournament.

Class A, where Lackawanna Trail joins Holy Cross and Old Forge as the District 2 teams, has a similar setup to Class 5A. There are seven teams trying to get into a District 2-11 Class A Subregional.

In Class A, if two District 2 teams qualify, they will face each other in the first round, making it a district championship and subregional semifinal, regardless of where they would normally be seeded based on power ratings.

Girls volleyball

The increase in classifications by the PIAA opens up the playoffs to every District 2 team that wishes to participate.

Abington Heights will be part of a highly competitive four-team bracket in Class 5A.

Going into matches on Oct. 6, Abington Heights, Dallas, Berwick and North Pocono all had overall records of either 11-1 or 11-2.

The semifinals are set for Oct. 29, and the final is scheduled for Nov. 3.

Cross country

District 2 has not yet officially posted plans for its championship meet, but according to the Wyoming Valley Conference schedule, it is planned for Oct. 28. The meet has also been held at the Wyoming County Fairgrounds in recent seasons.

Abington Heights competes in Class 3A.

Field hockey

Abington Heights is part of a District 2-4 Class 2A Subregional.

The top seed in the seven-team field receives a quarterfinal bye.

The Lady Comets are currently second, and a top-four finish would mean a quarterfinal home game Oct. 27. The semifinals are set for Oct. 29 at the higher seeds.

The final will go to a neutral field Nov. 3.

Boys soccer

The top eight teams will qualify in Class 3A and 2A where playoffs are set for Oct. 30, Nov. 3 and Nov. 6. An extra round will be added Oct. 27 in the highly unlikely event that more than eight teams have records of .500 or better.

Through Oct. 5, Abington Heights led Dallas in an extremely tight race for the top seed in Class 3A. Scranton Prep was fourth of 10 teams in Class 2A and trying to hold on to position for a home game.

Girls soccer

Abington Heights is second in a seven-way race for seeding in the District 2 Class 3A tournament, which has playing dates of Oct. 31, Nov. 4 and Nov. 7.

Class 2A is using the same dates, and Scranton Prep is fifth out of 10 teams chasing eight spots and four home-field opportunities.

Lackawanna Trail struggled through a difficult first half of the season, but once the Lions moved into Lackawanna Football Conference Division 3 play, they returned to their winning ways.

The three-time defending division champion Lions were winless at 0-5 on the season when they entered the stretch where the second half of the schedule is entirely division games.

Lackawanna Trail extended its LFC Division 3 winning streak to 19 games Oct. 2 when it held visiting Old Forge to minus-31 yards rushing in a 21-14 victory.

The Lions lost their first two division games in 2022 to Old Forge and Riverside, then won their last three. They were 5-0 in the division in each of the previous three seasons.

Lackawanna Trail opened a 21-0 lead early in the fourth quarter before Old Forge rallied.

Carter Edwards opened the scoring with a 16-yard run in the second quarter, and Joey Thomas added the kick for a 7-0 halftime lead.

Lucas Filipek and Danny Jones, who had connected for 33 yards on the biggest play of the first scoring drive, produced a 12-yard touchdown in the third quarter when Filipek again found Jones for a 13-0 lead.

Colby Stanton’s 6-yard run and Riley Borusso’s two-point run made it 21-0 before Elio Castaldi returned the kickoff 85 yards to break the shutout.

Parker Harte hit Rylan Gutowski for 31 yards and the other Old Forge touchdown.

September recap

Lackawanna Trail fell victim to its challenging schedule, opening the season with five straight games against LFC Division 2 teams.

The first three games of an 0-4 September were all against teams that reached the midway point with 5-0 records. The Lions fell to Dunmore (62-7), Lakeland (49-28) and Riverside (27-3) before also losing to Mid Valley (42-16).

Scranton Prep won all four September games to recover from its season-opening loss.

The Cavaliers held four straight opponents to seven points each, beating 2025 state semifinalist Trinity and Fairfield Prep (Conn.), before opening the LFC Division 1 schedule by beating Delaware Valley and West Scranton.

Playoff Race

Scranton Prep put itself in position to defend its District 2 Class 3A title.

After six games, the Cavaliers lead the race for the top seed.

Despite a 2-4 record, Abington Heights is also leading a three-way race for two spots in the District 2 Class 5A title game, which provides entry into the District 2-6-9 Subregional. With a stronger schedule, the Comets lead Pittston Area (3-3) and Delaware Valley (1-5).

Lackawanna Trail has ground to make up in a seven-way race for four spots in the District 2-11 Class A Subregional.

Division rival Holy Cross (2-4) is fourth, and the defending champion Lions are fifth in a race that also includes Old Forge (1-5).

GREENFIELD TWP. – Sebastian Meyer from Abington Heights was not happy with his first two shots in a playoff with Ryan Roman from Dallas.

The next two shots made Meyer into a district champion.

Meyer’s birdie on the first hole at Elkview Country Club, during the first playoff hole, allowed him to beat the defending champion and capture the District 2 Class 3A individual boys title after each player fought the gusting winds to shoot 75 in the Oct. 5 tournament.

Roman rallied from three down on the back nine and birdied 18 to force the playoff.

Meyer “didn’t hit the greatest drive” and followed it up by not hitting his best 4-iron during the playoff.

From there, however, Meyer got up-and-down from 50 yards, finishing with a winning 10-foot birdie putt.

“It was basically just an up-and-down contest from about 50 yards from there, and he got me on that,” said Roman, who got a more fortunate kick, but was also unhappy with his drive to the left off the tee.

With Abington Heights sophomore Cole Severs, who finished third, two strokes back, the only other player in the field to break 80, Meyer and Roman were practically in match play in the same group throughout the day.

“I saw what he did,” Meyer said. “It was fun playing with him. He really pushed me.”

That push was needed on a day when Meyer thought he might have gotten a little too comfortable with the lead.

Meyer “played pretty boring golf” for five holes after a recovery for par on 1 and a good birdie putt on 2 to begin the day. He made a 12-footer for par on 8 and followed it with a 30-footer for birdie on 9 to make the turn at even par.

“The back nine started out par-par,” Meyer said. “I got a little complacent with like a 3-4-stroke lead. I played almost not to lose, and Ryan’s a really good player. He came back.”

The top five players made it to the PIAA Championships, so the Comets will be sending two to Penn State for the individual tournament.

Severs birdied 18 and had five pars for a 38 on the back nine, second only to the 36 that Roman shot.

The last two state berths came down to a four-way playoff with the players who shot 81. Three holes were needed before Trevan Dahlgren from Honesdale and Landon Moser from Dallas eliminated Ryan Noone from Pittston Area. Emmett Scheirer was knocked out on the first hole of the playoff.

Abington Heights joined Pittston Area as the most-represented teams with seven players each in the 34-player field.

Connor O’Malley-Kalinoski’s 38 was the second-best score on the front nine, but he struggled on the back and finished with an 84.

William Yoo and Logan Gallagher each posted 86s. Ryan Boyd finished at 89, and Graham Kelly had a 94.

Meyer also tied for the best score in 3A during the Lackawanna League qualifier a week earlier on the same course. He finished birdie-birdie to match Dahlgren with a 76.

Boyd was third in 3A that day with a 77. Yoo was fifth with 79, Severs tied for sixth with 80, Gallagher tied for eighth with 81 and O’Malley-Kalinoski tied for 12th with 84. The top 16 advanced and Kelly got in by shooting 85 and parring during a four-way playoff for three spots.

Defending state champion Scranton Prep dominated in Class 2A.

Cole Powell, the defending individual state champ, beat teammate Brendan Bell in a playoff after each shot 72 in the district tournament.

Powell two-putted from about 75 feet from the back of the green to the front, making a 3-footer for birdie in the playoff on the par-5 first hole.

Bobby Stott tied Mikey Pisarcik from Lakeland for third with a 76. Jack Pavuk gave the Cavaliers four of the top five scores with a 77.

Lake-Lehman’s Jack Oliver finished with a 79 for the sixth and final available state berth in Class 2A.

Powell birdied three of the last five holes in the league qualifying event to lead the way with a 71, one shot better than Bell.

Marywood University will present Barbara Sowinski: Over the River and Through the Years, an exhibition featuring the work of artist and Marywood alumna Barbara Sowinski.

The exhibition will open with a reception from 4 to 6 p.m. Friday, Oct. 30, in the Mahady Gallery, located on the first floor of the Insalaco Center for Studio Arts. The exhibit will be on display in the gallery from Oct. 30 through Dec. 12.

Forty years ago, Sowinski retired to a 65-acre farm overlooking the Susquehanna River, beginning a new chapter that allowed her to pursue her passion for art. Prior to retirement, she had lived and worked in many U.S. cities and traveled extensively.

“I began to see the world differently. The river was always there, moving through the landscape as I moved through my art journey,” Sowinski said.

She went on to study at the Art Students League of New York, the New York Studio School, and the Vermont Studio Center, and earned a Master of Arts in Art from Marywood University. Inspired by people, places, and landscapes, Sowinski’s work has been exhibited nationally.

The collection featured in her exhibit, Over the River and Through the Years, celebrates her artistic journey and the experiences and landscapes that have shaped her work throughout the years.

Anthracite Opera will present “Autumn, a Harvest of Music,” with vocalists singing opera, Broadway, popular music, and instrumentalists, which include Jason Smeltzer playing the theremin, Kyle Jenkins playing the classical guitar, and Phil Rossi as the singer/guitarist.

Helen Tinsely and Patrick Marcinko (vocalist) are the masters of ceremonies, Linda Houck is musical director and accompanist, and Gary Richards is coordinator and founder of Anthracite Opera.

The concert is scheduled for 3 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 25, in St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church, 1000 Taylor Ave., Scranton. General admission is $15 for adults and is free for ages 18 and under. Pay cash at the door.

For information, call 570-335-7702.

The 2026-27 Arts at First Presbyterian concert series opened with a concert by the Kerry Kenny Band on Sunday, Oct. 4, at the church, 300 School St., Clarks Summit. The group is a world‑touring ensemble led by Kerry Kenny, a singer, songwriter, and guitarist known for blending Celtic‑rooted folk storytelling with contemporary pop and rock influences.

Raised in her family’s Irish pub in Archbald and inspired by global travels, Kenny’s music often explores themes of love, loss, redemption, and resilience, delivered with a powerful, emotive voice described as “filled with honey and smoke.”

Other events in the series are:

• NEPA Chamber Music Society, 4 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 25

• Psalm Festival, 4 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 15

• Clarks Summit Festival of Ice activities, the weekend of Feb. 19-21

• Presbybop Quintet, 4 p.m. Sunday, March 14

• Folk singer Matthew Black, 4 p.m. Sunday, April 25

• Marywood University Chamber Choir, 4 p.m. Saturday, May 8

When Antoinette “April” Savage-Mushow first felt the lump in her breast in March 2024, she talked herself into ignoring it.

Just six months earlier, she had given birth to a daughter she and her husband, Joe Mushow, had waited more than a decade to welcome. When she mentioned the lump to him in passing, more than a week after she discovered it, Savage-Mushow said Joe begged her to call Dr. Linda Thomas-Hemak, her longtime family doctor and the president and CEO of The Wright Centers for Community Health and Graduate Medical Education.

“I told him it was probably just a cyst, nothing to worry about,” Savage-Mushow said.

At her husband’s insistence, Savage-Mushow, who has worked for The Wright Center since 2019, made an appointment to see Kayla Gatto, a certified registered nurse practitioner at The Wright Center. Gatto reassured her, saying the lump might be a blocked milk duct. But after examining her, Gatto and her colleagues at The Wright Center got Savage-Mushow an immediate appointment for a mammogram and ultrasound.

Less than a week later, the 37-year-old received a life-altering diagnosis: invasive ductal carcinoma, grade 1, estrogen receptor-positive, and progesterone receptor-positive — one of the most common types of breast cancer.

“Kayla called me with the diagnosis, and then Dr. Thomas-Hemak called me,” Savage-Mushow said. “I remember thinking, I have the baby and my two older sons. I’ve always been the rock in our family, and now I’m the vulnerable one.”

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, an annual international health campaign to educate people about breast cancer, promote early detection through screenings like mammograms, and raise funds for research. Two years after her diagnosis, Savage-Mushow’s advice is simple: Be vigilant.

“Don’t just listen to the guidelines,” the Carbondale woman said, noting that had she followed guidelines, her cancer might not have been caught for three years. “Know your body and start checking yourself regularly, because reports of people under 40 getting diagnosed with breast cancer have increased so much over the years.”

Two different oncologists recommended Savage-Mushow undergo a double mastectomy to make sure the cancer didn’t return. Less than two months after being diagnosed, she underwent the first of two surgeries. Recovery was a blur, she said.

“I couldn’t hold my daughter. I couldn’t pick her up, and I couldn’t feed her or change her. I couldn’t drive. My husband had to help me shower,” she said. “I felt like I lost my identity. Everything I did for my family, it fell on someone else. For that first year, nothing really registered.”

In August 2024, Savage-Mushow began injections to send her into medically induced menopause to lessen the chances that the cancer would return — a process she’ll undergo through 2029 and possibly longer. Two months later, she completed her final reconstructive surgery.

Throughout her breast cancer battle, she leaned on her family, her clinicians at The Wright Center, led by Dr. Thomas-Hemak, and her care teams at Geisinger and Hematology & Oncology Associates in Dunmore, led by Dr. Lisa Thomas, who is Dr. Thomas-Hemak’s sister.

“Everyone was just amazing,” Savage-Mushow said. “I remember Dr. Thomas-Hemak insisted that my husband call her the day of my surgery to let her know how I did, and then she called me a few days later once I was home and settled.”

Today, Savage-Mushow and her family — which includes their 22-year-old son, Guy; their 16-year-old son, Dean; and their 3-year-old daughter, Harley — are slowly returning to their normal routine. Just before their daughter’s third birthday, they took a summer vacation to Wildwood, New Jersey — their first family trip since her breast cancer diagnosis. Upon their return, Savage-Mushow began training for a new job at The Wright Center: site coordinator and clinical administrative assistant at The Wright Center for Community Health Friendship House — Carbondale, which opened in August and offers a range of whole-person primary and preventive health services.

“I think this experience showed me a different side of my family, friends, and coworkers — a very supportive side,” she said. “I always felt like I had to take care of everything and everyone, but seeing everyone who jumped in to help, it was a relief.”

Twenty students from 13 Lackawanna County schools received a prestigious scholarship through the James F. Swift Scholarship Fund, administered by the Scranton Area Community Foundation. This competitive scholarship provides $6,000 per year to each recipient for up to four years to help cover continuing education expenses.

The James F. Swift Scholarship is among more than 90 scholarship funds administered by the Scranton Area Community Foundation. Thanks to the generosity of individuals, families, and organizations who established scholarship funds, the Foundation awarded more than $800,000 in scholarships in 2026, supporting over 200 students across Northeast Pennsylvania. Each scholarship fund is a testament to the power of community investing in the next generation.

First-time recipients of the James F. Swift Scholarship are Grace Bennett, Abington Heights High School; William Murphy, Carbondale Area High School; Matthew Kirchner, Dunmore High School; Mya Harrity, Dunmore High School; Lola Wilding, Holy Cross High School; Kathryn Apolinario, Holy Cross High School; Peyton Martin, Lakeland Junior/Senior High School; Robert Mattioli, Mid Valley High School; Molly Banik, Mid Valley High School; William Barker, North Pocono High School; Luis Arias, North Pocono High School; Juliette DeStefano, Old Forge High School; Sujata Ghimirey, Scranton Preparatory School; Thomas Collins, Riverside High School; William Byrne, Riverside High School; John Montoro, Scranton High School; Peter Kwee, Scranton High School; Nicolas Parise, Valley View High School; McKenzie Walsh, West Scranton High School; and Evan Walsh, West Scranton High School.

In addition to the 20 new recipients, there were 59 James F. Swift Scholarship renewals in 2026. The following students are recipients of a James F. Swift Scholarship Renewal in 2026: Emma Aversa, Eva Balderas, Grace Beckish, Noah M. Beckish, Jacquelyn Rose Bitter, Caden Matthew Brennan, Jocelyn Brown, Holly Elizabeth Burke, Kaeden Carr, Carolyn G. Chakiris, Rosemary Culkin, Elizabeth Ona Cummings, Jack Doughton, Celia Emiliani, Gabriella Estadt, Jayden Lynn Evans, Kate Evans, Nikauri Fernandez, Emma Field, Sarah Elizabeth Goetter, Ryan Grill, Sadid Hassan, Courtney Alexa Hazelton, Michael Hiller, Emma Illian, Kendal L. Johnson, Geanna Michaela Kirchner, Ryan Laboranti, Savannah Maria Lockwood, Lorna Alexis Lynch, Mandie Martin, Grace Miller, Connor Joseph Monahan, Ayman Fayaz Mounota, Julia Murphy, Zarina Mustafina, Gianna Natale, Paige Pezanowski, AJ Piestrak, Antonia Theresa Piraino, Ron Prislupski, Mila Racibor, Samuel Reedy, Lily Rozzi, Jhaven Sims, Loren Spudic, Allyson Beverly Stafursky, Makenna Rose Stugus, Ethan Reilly Symuleski, Rylie Toolan, Anna Trauger, Martin Joseph Turi, Jayde Waibel, Makayla Webb, Alexa Brielle Williams, Sarah Wolfe, Meghan Wong, Gavin Zellers, and Yingqi Zeng.

The James F. Swift Scholarship Fund has awarded over $6 million since 2008, benefiting 380 local students. Created in 2002 through a gift by Mr. James F. Swift to the Scranton Area Community Foundation, the James F. Swift Scholarship Fund supports higher education for students graduating from high schools in Lackawanna County. Following Mr. Swift’s death in 2006, the Scranton Area Community Foundation gratefully received a significant gift from his estate to the scholarship fund, allowing many students from Lackawanna County to pursue their academic and professional goals through higher education.

For information on the James F. Swift Scholarship Fund at the Scranton Area Community Foundation, contact Mary Joyce, communications manager, at mary@safdn.org.

The Scranton Chapter of UNICO National partner with the Lackawanna County Library System, which will host collection boxes for new or gently used coats for the needy this fall and winter. Coats may be placed in collection boxes in Carbondale, Dalton, Taylor, North Pocono and Valley libraries in addition to the Albright Library, Vine St. county. Donations may be made by check mailed to UNICO Scranton Coat Drive, PO Box 272, Dunmore, PA 18512. New or gently used coats may also be dropped off at the Friends of the Poor/Catherine McAuley warehouse at 624 Fellows Street, Scranton, Monday-Friday, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. from left: Jenny Shoener, left, Asst. To the CEO and Laura Hendricks, HR Mgr, right, receive a coat drive box from Charlie Spano, center, Scranton UNICO.