Marijuana use is legal in Colorado and Washington, but Pennsylvanians whose workplaces have random drug testing should stick to more conventional activities if visiting those states.

The legalization of marijuana in other states is unlikely to change workplace policies in Pennsylvania.

Just as an employer could dismiss someone for showing up to work with alcohol in his or her system, they could do so for marijuana, whether it was used out-of-state legally or not.

"Every employer is entitled to expect 100 percent of their employees' concentration, memory and service," said Scranton attorney Paul Jennings, an employment law specialist. "The decriminalization of marijuana is no different than the decriminalization of alcohol. It will have no impact on workplace policies."

Alcohol leaves no trace in the bloodstream after 24 hours. But marijuana can be detected in the blood one month after use. An employer can make the case that so long as a substance is in one's system, then the person is under its effects. More commonly, however, Mr. Jennings said an employer who wants to sack an employee for a legally questionable reason - such as age - will use a drug test as a cause for dismissal.

"Then the drug test is a subterfuge, a tool to dismiss people," he said. For that reason, Mr. Jennings said employees visiting Colorado or Washington should stick to skiing and coffee houses and "take no action that jeopardizes your duty to your employer."

The legalization prompted large employers and colleges and universities in those states to release statements saying they had no intention of changing their drug and alcohol policies. Costco said drug testing will remain a requirement for employment.

Boeing said any marijuana use by employees is prohibited.

If the law won't change the environment for workers in the those state, it's unlikely to change it for workers anywhere else.

John Bishop, Ph.D., a professor of human resources at Cornell University said random drug testing is rare because it is expensive.

More common is drug testing upon hiring. It becomes more important for high security jobs, truck drivers and others where the safety of others is an issue he said.

"I don't expect a quick change in labor policies," he said. "Anytime there is a change in society norms, workplace policies evolve."

Contact the writer: dfalchek@timesshamrock.com

SCRANTON HIGH SCHOOL

GRADE 12

Hari Adhikari, Luiza Ahmetbeg, Angela Altier, Kanishk Amin, Elizabeth Babinski, Brandyn Bembenek, Samantha Brunson, Jade Caisey, Glenis Canela, Maryrobi Canela, Tess Capobianco, Courtney Capwell, Michael Castaldi, Nestor Casteleiro, Michael Caswell, Matthew Charles, Fabiana Coleman, Kayla Condel, Michael Condrad, Meghan Conway, Carrisa Coppolino, Courtney Correll, Lyndsey Czyzyk, Shrijana Dahal, Linh Dang, Sean Defazia, Noel DeJesus, Michael Delgado, Danielle Desouza, Donna Doherty, John Domenick, Cassandra Doria, Caroline Drob, Alexander Eiden, Sean Elman, Shauna Fahad, Bridget Festa, Madelyn Fisch, DShaan Frazier, Albena Gesheva, Joseph Gnall, Joseph Gorgol, Matthew Gorton, Scott Grassi, Tiara Harris, Abrar Hassan, Victoria Henning, Lindsey Hessmiller, Abby Hines, Paige Hines, Michael Hummel, Chelsea Jablonski, Deborah Kaminski, Stephanie Kaszuba, Kaylana Kendricks, Kennedy Kern, Rupa Khadka, Loren Killian, Elizabeth Kmiec, Ryan Knott, Rachel Kovach, Martha Laytos, Ian Loftus, Thomas Maier, Phillip Marcinowski, Casey Marcks, Amy Markowski, Rachel May, James McAndrew, Eric McCabe, Arthur McCarthy, Ashley McCaley, Gavin McGowan, William McGowan, William McGuire, Kylie McHugh, Michael McLaughlin, James McNally, Nicole Meshko, Abigail Mikolon, Andrea Molitoris, Babita Mongar, Sovita Mongar, Michael Munley, Alyssa Mursch, John Myers, Megahn Nealon, Casey Nestrick, Gary NG, Dalena Nguyen, Lara Notarianni, Haley O'Brien, Luis Otero, Jonathan Palochko, Michelle Paramo, Akash Patel, Dhruv Patel, Harsh Patel, Himanshi Patel, Hinal Patel, Hiren Patel, Janki Patel, Jigar Patel, Krupa Patel, Payal Patel, Priya Patel, Jamie Patterson, Zachary Pearson, Madina Qahar, Rishad Qahar, Karlon Quiller, Matthew Quirk, Nicole Rafalko, Amrit Rai, Ali Razvi, Kelly Reap, Matthew Redetzky, Elora Romanowski, Mikaela Rowe, Kate Savage, Allie Sawicki, Jennifer Sawicki, Kevin Schubert, Alyssa Schuler, Anastasia Scott, Carolyn Serowinski, Todd Setzer, Justin Severe, Nazifa Shadiyeva, Dipam Shah, Samarth Shah, Alexis Shotwell, Som Maya Singer, Carolyne Skellen, Shawn Smith, Matthew Somers, Emily Spory, David Stevens, Matthew Stornable, Marina Strelecki, Daniel Stuckart, Scott Syryla, Gabriel Torres, Nicole Trapper, Amber Tuffy, Sabrina Vancosky, Michael Voris, Alex Wasalinko, Denzell White, Joshua White and Gina Williams.

GRADE 11

Zalasht Abubakir, Keshara Adhikari, Henry Akhondi, Marilyn Anderson, Frzana Azizi, Jessica Bobersky, Megan Bresser, Monserrath Camacho, Maura Cerra, Miranda Chemchick, Robert Chickeletti, Michelle Chu, Mollie Comstock, Erin Cosgrove, Brittany Crowell, Kathleen Cunningham, Tyler Davey, Sheyenne DeLawrence, Corrin Devereaux, Rewati Dhungel, Noe Dominguez, Gabrielle Drummond, Shonna Emick, Ricky Ettinger, Danielle Evarts, Destiny Feduchak, Abigail Fisch, Zachary Fiscus, Kurt Fisher, Sita Gajmer, Zachary Garden, Rebecca Gill, Emma Gilroy, Emily Glogowski, Kyle Grabowski, Grace Granahan, Aaron Grier, Gabrielle Grudzinski, Allen Harris, Ian Hart, Margaret Hemphill, Christina Hernandez, Robert Hoffman, Joshua Holden, Katelyn Jones, Connor Jordan, Gillian Kelly, Jacob Klein, Allison Krupski, Moira Kupinski, Kalinda Leggieri, Randy Lesh, Christopher Lewis, James Lewis, Nadia Lipperini, Justine Lishman, Maura Lunney, Shaemus Lunney, Brian Maguire, Anthony Mandile, Corey Manley, Emily Massari, Desiree McCabe, Brigid McNally, McKenzie Moore, Brandon Musso, Ray Nearhood, Tyler Newhart, Peter Nguyen, Mary OHara, Monica OMalley, Ryan O'Malley, Morgan Osborne, Ashley Ozack, Sean Padden, Devon Palmer, Ajel Patel, Payal Patel, Romitkumar Patel, Danielle Patrizi, Robert Perez, Brandon Petrski, Amy Pocius, Donald Pregmon, Anju Rai, Bimal Rai, Hemantsinh Raj, Kraigen Rasalla, Samantha Reinhardt, Sophie Rogers, Melanie Rosato, John Rudy, Jordan Ruby,Bhola Sankhar, Patrick Sawyer, Amrita Sewah, Shaiva Shah, Ashley Shepulski, Zachary Shotz, Daniel Smith, Mia Snyder, Samuel Soares, Alexis Sparks, Joshua Stankowski, Taylor Stetzar, Daniel Stevens, Anisa Tarigan, Alex Tomlinson, Kaitlyn Tonsil, Hazel Torres, Jose Torres, Brandi Towend, Alexis Walker, Kathleen Walsh, Melissa Walsh, Emily Witts, Madlyn Yuschovitz, Christopher Zawadzki and Devin Zombek.

GRADE 10

Eilyas Abdul, Salma Ahmed, Jonathan Altamirano, Ryan Ancherani, Hector Andujar, Farah Azizi, Himran Aziz, Matthew Babinski, Sabrina Banniste, Alison Barrett, Gissel Buret, Peter Brier, Nicholas Castagnaro, Alexis Caviston, Zahra Cepeda, Kari Condel, David Costa, Brittany Creegan, Joshua DAnnunzio, Sadaf Delawar, Sahar Delawar, Matthew Destfano, Christopher Doherty, Hugh Doherty, Calah Dougherty, James Dunbar, Kellie Durkee, Brody Edsell, Atalyia Eisenhauer, Brett Engleman, Melissa Evans, Stephen Frantz, Jayleen Galeno, Ashlynn Gallagher, Brianna Galvin, Meaghan Gavin, Connor Gilbride, Ashley Gnall, Nathan Goberson, Sabrina Gray, Paul Gronski, Maria Guido, Narges Gulmohammad, Regita Handijaya, Andrea Hiller, Kayla Hineline, Emily Holden, Kimberly Holleran, Josh James, Erin Kazmierczak, Catherine Kelly, Jolie Kerekes, Robert Kirchner, Nicole Kmiec, Megan Kolata, Kaitlin Korgeski, Caitlin Kurey, Michelle Lavender, Carray Leepier, Keyser Leepier, Daniela Leon, Kristopher Lepka, Emily Loftus, Kalei Loposky, Tam Ly, Cory Lynch, Jayne Maconeghy, Paul Maglioli, Caleb Mandile, Beth Mangan, Rachel Marichak, Gretchen Mattern, Kelly McAfee, James McCabe, Jacob McCarthy, Marcus McCarthy, Catherine McDonnell, Emily McDonnell, Robert McGowan, Brianna McGuire, Jennifer Mehall, Kasey Murphym Alexa Nallin, Corey Naughton, Kamila Ochakli, Ashley Otero, Charles Pabst, Christopher Pakutka, Amanda Patchoski, Jinal Patel, Krina Patel, Kuntal Patel, Sheel Patel, Vaikal Patel, Victoria Polkowsk, Lorenzo Pugliese, Qadir Quddus, Manjula Rai, Dharti Ray, Shawn Reed, Brooke Reinhardt, Alexander Rink, Mario Roani, Jordan Rowe, Emily Rudolph, Annie Russo, Michael Santorsa, Margi Shah, Crystal Shields, Smriti Sitaula, Brigitte Stuckart, Sean Tomlinson, Justin Wagar, Benjamin Waldeck, Julius Warnero, Jemma Weibrect, Austin Woyshnar, Kevin Zaleski and Maggie Zaleski.

GRADE 9

Prakash Adhikari, Danny Aguirre, Sofiya Bakradze, Michelle Balmes, Aileen Barrett, Blaise Beebe, Natalie Bennignton, Rain Best, Abigail Bloom, Joshua Bozym, Najlene Burrus, Brenden Calpin, Erin Carlin, Gina Carro, Trevor Checho, Jayden Chopka, Jarrod Clark, Madeline Condon, Destiny Crowell, Krystian Cruz, Madison Decker, Sajad Delawar, Robert Do, Abigail Dominick, Brandi Doyle, Monica Eckenrode, Michael Farino, Haileigh Finnerty, Brendan Flynn, Alexa Garcia, Greta Georgieve, Jamary Gil, Maeve Gleason, Olivia Glogowski, Ephraim Green, Masih Gul, Dennis Haines, Caitlin Hamlin, Deena Haroun, Nicole Hartman, Jordan Hayes, Abigail Hein, Quinn Hemphill, Kyle Henneforth, Jordan Hernandez, Mileeya Hines, Hoang Ho, Taylor Hobbs, Christine Holland, Amanda Howells, Jamil Islam, Kalia Jefferson, Shelby Jimcosky, Yelixa Jiminian, Christopher Johnston, Mary Joyce, Kelsey Kileen, Sara Kirchner, Cyrus Kizer, Austin Kleha, Madasyn Knight, Shakwon Knights, Zachary Kolander, Olivia Lee, Alicia Lipperini, Ryan Loftus, Sureyya Madadova, Jack Malia, John Marichak, Justin Marrero, Maria McAndrew, Rontrell McCollough, Kevin McConlogue, Mairin McHale, Aidan McNally, Denisa Mergl, Kyra Miles, Caitlin Moran, Lauren Morgan, Arngeleia Mullen, Jeffrey Nallin, Sarah Namiotka, Truong Nguyen, EmilyNicastro, Michael Nieves, Rachel Nolan, Maura OHara, Meghan Padden, Dhara Patel, Drashiben Patel, Khusbu Patel, Nikhil Patel, Purvilkumar Patel, Rutu Patel, Beth Patterson, Margaret Pearson, Brittney Persaud, Charles Peterson, Maximillian Phillips, Claudia Pregmon, Rosemarie Reed, Francis Reid, Purnima Sachdeva, Minahil Sami, Emily Sandly, Rebecca Scherbenco, Emily Schick, Matthew Schreck, Genevieve Scott, Ryan Serowinski, Glenn Shafer, Sarah Sherpinskas, Brianna Shulde, Dominic Smith, Robert Staples, Benjamin Strickland, Bertin Stuckart, Valerie Tassey, Akash Thapa, Alexandra Timins, Drew Togher, Paul Trombetta, Matthew Turley, David Vanbuskirk, Derica Walker, Brianna Walsh, Ethan Wasalinko, Shanice Washington and QiWei Zhou.

CARBONDALE AREA JUNIOR-SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL

GRADE 12

First honors: Thomas Allen, Leea Berrios, Karissa Caffrey, Brianna-Rae Caprio, Peter Carter, Chelsea Castle, Bianca Cerminaro, Michael Ciprian, Alexandra Clowes, Thomas Cosklo, Sam Demianovich, Lukas Durkin, Lindsey Edgar, Joseph Falbo, Michael Farrell, Joseph Gigliotti, Rebekah Gigliotti, Catlyn Giron, Lyndsay Grace, Kassandra Holley, Bailey Hughes, Ashley Kizer, Kristine Lewis, Rosanna Misura, Marcello Oliveri, Ashley Opalka, Kayla Roberts, Emily Scotchlas, Gladys Sheerer Anthony Tolerico, Eugene Vadella and Dylan Wright.

Second honors: Dana Bellas, Katelyn Bognatz, Brooke Caviston, Alicia Cintron, Jordan Congdon, Dakota Elders, Richard Fallon, Remington Hedden, Emily Hilker, Madelena Hunter, Cody Kilhullen, John Lynady, Joseph Marion, Thomas Owens, Krista Savage, Tyler Skasko, Brandi Slater and John Thomas.

GRADE 11

First honors: Rachel Barchack, Cory Boyko, Bryan Boyle, Kelly Burke, Anthony Calabro III, Brittany Canfield, Molly Carachilo, Dominick Cost, Nichole Dragwa, Rachael Durkin, Brianna Gillott, Summer Giron, Brittany Griffiths, Hunter Hempstead, Judith Houdershieldt, Autumn Huff, Angela Ingrassia, Arianne Kasheta, Emily Kielar, Moriah Mauro, Jesse Mower, Gregory Nepa, Amanda Ogozaly, Khrystal Potter, Frank Regal, John Scirone, Hayley Skorupa, Rebekah Thomas, Eliza Totsky, Mekenzie Voglino, Morgan Walsh and Charles White.

Second honors: Karmin Andidora, Bri-anna Biglin, Gabriella Cassaro, Mia Esgro, Aliesha Freno, Brittanyann Hardy, Patricia Houdershieldt, Michael Howells, Jennifer Jablonowski, Kattie Sue James, James Kelly, Brian Lavolpe, Cody Lloyd, Austin Mazza, Benjamin McCarty, Luke Mushensky, Jennifer Pfleger, Alexis Starkweather, Isabelle Thomas and Vincent Trayes.

GRADE 10

First honors: Madison Algayer, Jarrod Arendt, Katherine Bischak, Robert Brady, Kyle Burrell, Nicholas Clift, Jared Daniels, Bryanna Emmett, Veronica Evans, Tiffany Frisbie, Natasha Gillott, Andrew Gorel, Emily Jablonowski, Jonathan Jablonowski, Brooke Juice, Alyssa Korman, Christopher Larson, Mackenzie Mauro, Melissa Morgan, Lauren Pizzichemi, Mark Roche, Alexa Sanderson and Sarah Totsky.

Second honors: Tatyanna Alicea, Marissa Cosmetis, Aricka Giglia, Olivia Heenan, Ashley Hightower, Gregory Hill, Mia Karev, Stacy Kohut, Jennifer Kunkelman, Danielle Lloyd, Andres Malabe, Jordan Martin, Morgan Mauro, Alexandra Megiven, Angelina Munifo, William Nevins, Kaila Puza, Brianna Spizzirri, Sarah Sweet, Kaitlyn Thomas, Richard Williamson, Stephen Whittenbreder and Karsyn Wright.

GRADE 9

First honors: Matthew Allison, Frederick Buddie, Cody Calabro, Sarah Connolly, Coral Delosantos, Tyler Deuel, Dale Dippre, Conor Durkin, Corey Evarts, Desirae Fay, Emily Fedak, Nathan Houman, Christina James, Madeline McCaffery, Shaina Murphy, Christopher Pisarcik, Nicholas Pugliese, Karlee Recipko, Emily Rodriguez, Peter Saad, Mollie Salitsky, Shaina Scott, Cherly Seman, Devin Surace, Joanna Tierney, Aislinn Toolan, Holly Tornvall, Sydney Toy, Sarah Vadella, Brandon Wisniewski and Zoe Zazzera.

Second honors: Naja Alicea, Conner Dearie, Nathalie Dragwa, John Michael Gigliotti, Anthony Gigliotti, Jazmine Gonsauls, Skyler Hempstead, Amanda Ingrassia, Joseph Kilhullen, Sydney Kovaleski, Lovette Laroche, Joseph Lombardo, Maryah Mccord, Nicholas Novobiliski, Karlee Parry, Justin Potis and Phayth Wormuth.

GRADE 8

First honors: Ericia Allen, Alexandra Artone, Maresa Artone, Brittany Caporali, Baylee Carey, Brianna Casey, Tyler Colachino, Tyler Fotiathis, Dominic Gigliotti, Brett Gillott, Jason Jablonowski, Chelsie Jones, Madison Jordan, Rebekah Kline, Alisha Larochelle, Alicia Libby, Robert Morgan, Zachary McDonough, Maura Nevins, Shannon Pendergrast, Paul Pisarcik, Destiny Santanna, Tyler Scott, Christopher Smith, Devin Smith, Patrick Smith, Hannah Tolerico, Anna Totsky, Joseph Vadella, Emily Wallis and Mikenna Walsh.

Second honors: Kevin Bebla, Camryn Becker, Morgan Bevacqua, Haley Boshman, Bradley Brennan, Kylah Brennan, Leah Burke, Devin Conner, Kati Cotton, Evan Dearie, Jennifer Hessling, Kodie Huston, Shayne Jordan, Allyson Lynady, Zoe Nagle, Iyanna Oliver, Marcos Ortiz-Querol, Aliccia Parry, Gabrielle Price, Savannah Prokarym, Selena Rosar, Brandon Rusin and Samantha Zenker.

GRADE 7

First honors: Ashlynn Allison, Samantha Artone, Jennifer Bach, Nina Bowen, Tyler Boyton, Colin Burke, Frank Burke, Christina Carachilo, Alexis Clift, Shawn Connolly, Katelyn Dovin, Alexander Dudley, Christopher Dudley, Collin Heenan, Paige Jones, Jaime Kane, Madeline Kelly, Andrew Larson, Zachary Laub, Kamryn Liuzzo, Joseph Maddage, Cody Malaker, Andrew Manarchuck, Matthew McCaffery, Megan McDonald, Kayla McDonough, Chance Olsewski, Camrym Perri, Ariana Pigeon, Alyssa Postlethwaite, Tressa Potis, Olivia Regal, Joseph Rinaldi, Wilson Rodriguez, Dajah Romero, Abagayle Rumford, Bailey Rumford, Robert Salitsky, Kaitlyn Savage, Sarah Sawyer, Robert Scarpa, Salina Shock, Derek Smith, Haley Snyder, Dakotah Sopko, Mark Tolerico, Melissa Torch, Isobel Turonis, Anthony Voglino, Hailey VanLeuven, Marc Waller, Stephanie Wayman and Amelia Zazzera.

Second honors: Tatyanna Brooker, Ashley Broskoskie, Angel Browder, Brianna Curtis, Arianna Donnelly, Zachariah Freiman, Reece Fuchs, Emily Gerek, Vincent Gigliotti, Nicholas Huzzard, George Marak, Christian Ortiz, Madison Puza, Marvin Rice, Aubree Sopko, Brianna Stottlemire, Vanessa Urda and Summer Wormuth.

WEST SCRANTON INTERMEDIATE SCHOOL

GRADE 8

Hameenah Abduallah, Abigail Anderson, Michael Badyrka, Anthony Baglivo, John Beckwith, Christopher Bender, Michael Bruno, Blake Carlton, Kyle Carozzi, Theresa Chesek, Christian Cocozello, Ben Covey, Jamie Cramer, Joseph Cruciani, Marissa Davies, Kerla DeAssis, Jacob Dolinish, Matthew Drumsta, BriAnna Evans, Shaun Fanning, Antonio Feliciano, Johnny Feliz, Nicole Finney, Earl Franklin, Evan Frazier, Donte Fritz, Serena Fuller, Lauren Gaughan, Bianca Gifford, Lauren Gilbert, Dominic Giuliani, Diana Gonzalez, Oralee Grant, Giovanni Gunawan, Prakash Gurung, Nikole Hallock, Jeffrey Heim, Uniquee Hurtado, Keerthik Jangala, Steven Jarbola, Christine Jiang, Krystine Jimenez, Rachel Johnson, Erin Kane, Emily Karavitch, Colin Kelly, Kaitlin Kennedy, Caroline Kudrich, Kaitlyn Lesh, Gage Lewis, Austin Lipowitch, Griffin Loureiro, Kristian Lynn, Jasmine Mailler, Anthony Maroni, Kaile Martinelli, Isaiah McCloe, Tiffany McGee, Alexander Mitchell, Noah Molina, Nicholas Montoro, Nicholas Mulderig, Daniel Murphy, Hallie Murphy, Ayanna Myers, Kiara Negron, Jenny Nguyen, Zachary Niemiec, Callie O'Brien, Cristian Ocasio, Natalie Olivo Padilla, Kalia O'Neill, Grace Perechinsky, Nicholas Pfohl, Marissa Popis, Tahjae Powell, Justice Ramirez, Maria Ramos, Pavel Rodriguez, Pacheco Rodriguez, Gulnara Sadowski, Ian Schmidt, Jared Slack, Alexis Smith, Bernard Smith, Melanie Souriyavong, Tyler Souriyavong, Samantha Sowka, Christain Spathelf, Cole Stetzar, Julia Stevens, Zachary Syrylo, Elias Thomas, Tyler Tolan, Raeann Topa, Elias Torres, Juan Torres, Jose Torres, Olivia Viscomi, Shauna Walsh, Jacob Wegielewski, Jude Wheeler, Ciera White, Katelyn Winters, Francis Worsnick, Hannah Yarros and Nori Zaccheo.

GRADE 7

Ryan Alverio, Noah Anderson, Hakim Barr, Emillie Baum, Julianna Beidler, Kyrsten Belles, Maria Benedict, Jackson Brown, Destyni Christiano, Stephanie Cooney, Ryan Cullen, Joseph Bruno, Alissa GurkeAkash Darjee, Hannah Decker, Larry Diaz, Ryley Dommes, Morgan Dougherty, Patrick Dougherty, Allison Duffy, Alyssa Espinoza, Jack Fendrick, Vasquez Frometa, Johh Gariepy, Angela Gentilezza, Nicholas Gravine, James Greenfield, Christian Guerra, Brianna Hall, Emily Hamm, Joshua Hart, David Hawk, Samuel Hiller, Jessica Hoban, Emelie Irwin, Thoms Ivanoff, Keanna Johnson, Rebecca Johnson, Larry Kendricks, Naim Kendricks, Molly Killian, Michael Laabs, Carly Labrosky, Lainey Lavelle, Nissy Lebron, George Lehman Lindsey Leppo, Zimena Maldonado, Aaron Mancus, Hope Mangan, Gillian Williams Mayers, Skylar Marcen, William Margarido, Alina Maroni, Andres Martinez, Gregory Matyjevich, Connor McColligan, Keelin McNally, Justin Medici, Shayne Merrifield, Kaitlyn Minutes, Crystal Morales, Thomas Morgan, Sarah Myers, Brendan Nee, Maria Nicastro, Adam Nitch, Ariana Pacheco, Gabrielle Pagnotti, Champa Pradhan, Tyler Profka, Roy Propes, Nicola Pugliese, Seth Reese, Dylan Rogers, Mariah Rollison, Gabrielle Rought, Lisa Schultheis, Mariah Sherman, Tali Sherman, Alex Sophabmixay, Jaynna Soulinhavong, Morghan Straub, Josua Thomas , Madison Trotta Michael Tucker, Madison Vinskofski, Jenny Vongmany, Ashley Walls, Dylan Walton and Emily White.

GRADE 6

Collin Amaya, Ben Anderson, Corey Anderson, Heather Anderson, Hailey Argenta, Abigale Barr, Miabella Basile, Jordan Bennett, Kelly Bouton, Jake Butka, Kylee Camacho, Nicholas Camp, Cloe Capalongo, M'Lyce Carter, Sonya Castillo, Milagros Cervantes, Alexandria Chippa, Enzo Cicco, Julia Cicco, Jake Ciullo, Tyler Connor, Peyton Cook, Abigail Cosgrove, Robert DiBileo, Sophia DiBileo, McCae Dougher, Aidan Drouse, Emma Egan, Gavin Elliott, Madolyn Emick, Mark Falvo, John Fedorchak, Alesa Filipski, Katie Fontini, Brittney Fox, Sydney Frazier, Michael Giehll, Nickolas Gioia, Gina Giuliani, Isabella Goldstein, Guillermo Gomez, Christopher Gowarty, Lindsay Griffiths, Tania Grissom, Quinn Guse, Caleb Hamm, Nolan Harrington, Sydney Hazelton, Mia Helring, Alexander Hiller, Isaiah Jolly, Ava Jones, Albert Kerekes, Joseph Kologe, Evan Krysko, Haley Leonard, Georjean Long, Madison Loscombe, Rebecca Loscombe, Bailey Loureiro, Kaliyah Lynady, Karissa Mackie, Jordan Mailler, Trinity McAndrew, Avery McAuliffe, Richard McCabe, Miranda McNally Adam Mehall, Rachael Mehl, Joshua Metzger, Katarina Montoro, Willie Moore, Keneth Morales, Christopher Mullarkey, Michael Nee, Meghan Olfano, Olivia Opshinsky, Desirae Orzell, Jessica Palauskas, Joshua Palauskas, Gianna Parker, Frank Perry, Elizabeth Pfohl, Peyton Reese, Shelby Reese, Everlyn Rex, Eduard Rivera, Caitlyn Robinson, Jacob Rogers, Emily Rose, Chloe Rowlands, Joseph Rutkowski, Eugene Salmond, Jaden Sanders, Joseph Sandrowicz, Jeremy Seymour, Noah Sherman, Mitchell Simon, Brenda Sodani, Austin Sowka, Nicholas Spathelf, Brianna Strein, Jessica Tassey, Kendra Testerman, Madyson Trama, Nathan Trotta, Molly Tucker, Susan Tuffy, Maura Turi, Talila Boyd Turner, Joseph Valencia, Stephanie Vasquez, Matthew Vaughn, Lydia Walsh, Zachary Watkins, Angelina Wheeler, Cheyenne White, Hope Williams, Zaynah Williams, Allyson Wilson, William Winters, Drew Yanni, Jalen Young, Olivia Zehel and Sierra Zilla.

The housing market is recovering from its collapse to such an extent that it will be one of the key drivers of the economy next year, and could add as much as 1 percentage point to growth, says Liz Ann Sonders, chief investment strategist at Charles Schwab & Co. Inc.

A recovery in U.S. manufacturing, supported by better demand from emerging markets and improved consumer spending, will also contribute to growth. Those factors will be enough to counter the headwind of declining government spending.

There are several positives heading toward 2013. Confidence among U.S. homebuilders last month rose to its highest level in six and a half years. That's important because the housing sentiment index typically leads changes in the unemployment rate by about 15 months, Schwab estimates.

Also, stock valuations are reasonable, says Ms. Sonders. That, combined with the improving economy, should support stock markets next year.

Here are some excerpts from an interview with Ms. Sonders:

Q: What are the main themes investors should keep an eye on in 2013?

A: The economy has a couple of very important pockets of strength heading into the New Year. Housing is probably dominant among them, which I think really starts to feed into job growth and continues to feed into consumer confidence. Domestic energy obviously is a big story. The renewed competitiveness of U.S. manufacturing is a big story. So, all of those, I think start to support the economy and serve as pretty decent offsets to whatever the hit is from the "fiscal cliff."

Housing will be a bigger driver of improvement in the labor market in 2013 than has been the case. It's really just starting to kick in from a jobs perspective. The biggest job gains during the last up-cycle came from the housing bubble, in everything from construction to related industries, and that's starting to kick in again.

Q: What about the "fiscal cliff," the elephant in the room?

A: Clearly, the market is at the mercy of the negotiations. No question.

So, until the fiscal cliff is resolved, you're probably going to see some decent swings related to that, but I think the path of least resistance for the market remains up. You could get another meaningful push higher as more investors move back in, once some of this uncertainty has passed.

Let's assume it's not a total "can-kick," because that would mean that we're going to be talking about this and figuring out time frames and deadlines well into 2013, which I think would be a big problem. So, let's assume we get some sort of a definitive deal so that we get some resolution, whether it's a grand bargain - which is admittedly unlikely - or a partial "can-kick," via some actual guidelines as to what's going to happen. Then we can get back to the business of analyzing fundamentals.

Q: What is your favorite sector for next year?

A: Technology. We believe that we are still at the fairly early stages of digital technology and the smartphone revolution. In a growth-starved world, the need to continue to invest in productivity isn't going away.

Q: In the past you've said that the Federal Reserve may have done too much to boost the economy. What are your thoughts currently?

A: You certainly can't argue about their transparency. It's a question of whether we'll look back five years from now, or whatever it is, and say it was the right strategy. That chapter is yet to be written. Clarity is not a problem, the Fed is being very open with what its intentions are. And at this point there is no reason to think it is going to have to backtrack. But, it's got risks down the road.

My concern is about their eventual exit strategy, if, and when, inflation expectations do start to rise.

Q: Do you have any financial resolutions for next year?

A: I hope that we're going to get fundamental tax reform as part of any deal, and I hope that our tax code becomes simpler, rather than more complicated. That said, I think too many people try to figure out tax strategies on the own, and there is no better area of your financial health that probably could use advice or assistance than the tax side of things. My personal resolution is to get more detailed tax advice than I currently have been getting.

School districts in Northeast Pennsylvania are involved in more special education litigation than any other area of the state, a Sunday Times analysis has found.

The due process claims arise when a district fails to provide a student with special needs or learning disability the education required by law - and it is costing taxpayers millions. In Scranton alone, more than $3.3 million has been spent on settlements and given to opposing legal teams in the past five years. Those cases are now the subject of an investigation by the state auditor general's office.

Related:

Special Education Due Process Requests Chart

PA Special Education Due Process Requests Database

Combined, the 20 districts that make up the Northeastern Educational Intermediate Unit have a ratio of more cases per special education student than any of the state's 29 intermediate units. Scranton, with 140 cases over the past five years, is second only to Philadelphia with the number of due process requests.

Area educators are calling for a reform of the legal process and say the cases have become an easy target for lawyers, some who have opened offices in Scranton. Lawyers say they are holding districts accountable for not following federal law, and are giving students and parents a voice that districts sometimes ignore.

Due process

Under federal special education law, if parents are not satisfied with the special education services a school is providing to their child, the parents can file a complaint with Pennsylvania's Office for Dispute Resolution.

Sometimes, an agreement can be reached through mediation, and other times, it goes to due process, where a hearing officer decides the dispute. Most often, the parties come to a settlement agreement.

Settlements usually include a plan for educational supports in the classroom, as well as money that is put into a trust. The money can only be used for educational purposes such as a computer or private tutoring, and purchases must be pre-approved through the organization that manages the trust. Districts are also responsible for the fees of opposing attorneys.

When the average number of special education students over the five-year period is factored in, more Scranton students have been involved in due process litigation than any other district in the state with more than 500 special education students. The Sunday Times analysis ranked districts with 500 or more special education students, which is 144 districts statewide. Districts with smaller special education populations were not included in the ranking because the small pool would have skewed the analysis.

All of the state's intermediate units were ranked in the analysis.

The Philadelphia School District is ranked 24th; Pocono Mountain, 27th; Stroudsburg Area, 32nd; Reading 56th; Harrisburg, 82nd; Wilkes-Barre Area, 84th; Pittsburgh, 113th; Allentown, 122nd; and Erie, 144th. A full, searchable database, with cases by year, is available at thetimes-tribune.com.

Scranton cases since 2008 are now the subject of a state auditor general investigation. Details, such as the total money awarded since 2008, and data on trust funds, have been provided to Auditor General's office. The office will not comment on the investigation. The audit was prompted after someone made a complaint to the office, according to the district.

Regional problems

The districts in the NEIU leading the state in litigation is due largely to cases in the Scranton School District. Districts in Lackawanna, Susquehanna and Wayne counties, and Lackawanna Trail, comprise the NEIU.

About 18 percent of Scranton students, or about the size of the student body of Scranton High School, qualify for special education services, whether it is extra help in math or full-time placement in a classroom for autistic students. The district has about 10,000 students, and 140 due process requests have been filed from the 2007-08 to 2011-12 school years.

Since 2008, the Scranton School District has settled 88 cases for a total of $2.5 million, plus $790,000 in fees for opposing attorneys, according to the district.

Area superintendents blame, in large part, those attorneys for the high number of cases in Northeast Pennsylvania.

Dennis McAndrews, founder and managing partner of McAndrews Law Offices, opened an office in Scranton three years ago and has handled cases in the region for more than a decade. He also has offices in suburban Philadelphia, Wilmington, Del., and Washington, D.C.

"If you look at general trends, some of the education reforms that districts in most other parts of the state made in the 1990s, lag behind in Northeast Pennsylvania," he said.

The process of using research-based instruction and truly comprehensive evaluations, has been slower in this region than in other parts of the state, he said.

"That's the two key things if you're going to comply with special education law," he said. "What is needed or has been needed is a truly comprehensive approach to modernizing special education."

Drew Christian started his Scranton practice in 2004, after working as a school district defense lawyer in Philadelphia. While doing work for districts statewide, he quickly learned there was no local practice dedicated solely to special education law.

After he opened his office, he filed 30 cases against area districts his first year.

"They can blame me for making the litigation, but I only shine a light on the problem," he said. "There are hardworking special education teachers, directors, but for some reason, there is a disconnect between what the statutes say and what is happening in the classroom more in Northeast Pennsylvania than in some other areas."

When dealing with Scranton cases, the most frustrating aspect is dealing with repeat clients, Mr. Christian said. A case can be settled, and three months later, the parent comes back and says the problem still is not fixed.

"It's easy to say the lawyers are causing litigation, but in doing so it's easy to forget there is a parent of a disabled child who has had some kind of grievance," he said.

Scranton issues

Scranton Superintendent William King said he cannot "pinpoint" why there have been so many cases in Scranton during the last five years. He also did not know Scranton led the state in cases per student. The $3.3 million spent on settlements and opposing attorneys does not include the amount paid to the district's solicitor.

The special education department was understaffed, but no one ever came to the superintendent or the school board to ask for more support, he said.

The district soon learned of the problems in the department when the district hired Gina Colarossi to oversee compliance issues last year. She replaced Lee Carr, as special education director, when Ms. Carr retired earlier this year.

Since then, several new supervisor positions have been created, and communication with parents, adhering to federal law and scheduling professional development programs have become priorities, the district's new solicitor, John Minora, said.

"We recognized the problem," he said. "We're on the right path."

Former longtime district solicitor Harry McGrath, who was fired by the board in November 2011, oversaw the legal defense of the due process cases.

When reached by The Sunday Times last week, he said he did not have the authority by the district to discuss the cases and could not speak about why there was a high number of cases.

Efforts to reach Ms. Carr were unsuccessful.

Change needed

To fix special education in Scranton, more needs to be done than hiring additional supervisors, said Rosemary Boland, president of the Scranton Federation of Teachers. Since contract negotiations eight years ago, the largest issue the union wanted to address was not salary or benefits - but special education, she said.

"We need support," she said.

Under the U.S. Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, students must be placed in the "least restrictive environment." Schools are required to provide all students with free appropriate public education, commonly known as "FAPE," in the least restrictive environment. To the greatest extent possible, students should be educated with non-disabled peers, according to federal law. Placing special education students, sometimes those with autism or other learning disabilities, in regular education classrooms is known as inclusion.

In classrooms across Scranton, students with autism, severe developmental disorders and those who require emotional support services, sit next to regular education students. Teachers are responsible for adapting curriculum to meet the needs of all students. Some critics of inclusion say the practice can hinder the learning process of regular education students.

In order to provide better education to all students in Scranton, more special education teachers and aides need to be hired to support regular education teachers, Ms. Boland said.

More professional development for teachers is needed, and the union has grieved the lack of programs, she said.

And full inclusion must be reconsidered, she said.

Mr. King said an additional eight full-time and one part-time special education teachers were hired at the start of this school year, and because of federal law, the district has no choice but to continue with inclusion.

"We have a responsibility to deliver the highest level of education to students regardless of their disability," he said.

Had the state alerted the district of its high number of cases compared to other districts, change would have come sooner, Mr. King said.

State involvement

The state does not track how much money districts pay for settlement agreements or to attorneys. Nor does the state automatically alert districts if it has an abnormally high number of cases, compared to other districts.

Data is available to school and the public only through copies of annual reports of the Office for Dispute Resolution.

That office collects data annually on mediation, due process and other issues with special education. Field staff from the department's Bureau of Special Education audit special education programs at least once every six years.

When a due process claim is filed, the first concern is that the child is not receiving appropriate services, said Carolyn C. Dumaresq, Ed.D., the state's deputy secretary for elementary and secondary education.

"You first worry about the child," she said. "Then it becomes a fiscal issue."

Anytime a due process claim is filed, the state is concerned, Dr. Dumaresq said.

"Doing special education well does incur additional costs," she said. "If we do it right the first time, we don't have the attorneys' fees."

Reform needed

In the last five years, Abington Heights, with an average of 432 special education students, has been involved in the litigation of 27 cases.

In 2011, the Pennsylvania Department of Education launched an inquiry into why there were so many due process requests. After a thorough review, no findings were reported and the matter was considered closed, according to an August letter from the department.

Superintendent Michael Mahon, Ph.D., said there is a disconnect between the quality of services the district provides and process that brings about the due process claims.

"Sadly, when we do in-services for special education staff, we are as much focused on legal defense as we are on providing services to kids," he said. "The process is such that lawyers who file due process claims, I think, view school districts as a source of easy money."

Special education law is complicated, and when due process is requested, lawyers will file for many possible technical violations. If one small technical violation is found, the district can be liable for both a compensatory education judgement and the fees for the opposing attorneys, Dr. Mahon said.

Many districts often settle before it goes to a hearing to avoid additional legal costs. Going to a hearing could cost the district $10,000 for its own attorney fees, and plaintiffs' attorneys often charge $300 an hour, Dr. Mahon said.

"So very often, districts are in a position that in order to protect taxpayer money, they often end up settling cases they would like to go and fight."

Sometimes, a settlement could be $1,000 for the education trust, and then $10,000 in opposing attorney fees, he said. Since July 1, the district has paid $59,000 to opposing attorneys for this fiscal year, Dr. Mahon said.

"It's drawing money away from the students, from the special education and regular education students," he said. While "we respect the parents and the students for their advocacy on their own behalf," lawyers use the system like a "weapon."

With an average of 204 special education students, Dunmore has had 19 requests for due process in the last five years. But several of those cases were initiated by the district, after parents refused to attend meetings to create individualized education programs, Superintendent Richard McDonald said.

An IEP is mandated by the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act and outlines the objectives and plan for a special education student.

Effect of lawyers

Clarence Lamanna, Ed.D., executive director of the NEIU, and previous director of special education for the agency, said he did not realize that the districts within the intermediate unit had a greater percentage of special education students involved in litigation than any other part of the state.

The intermediate unit often provides special education services to districts, though the students' home school districts are ultimately responsible for evaluations and placements.

Dr. Lamanna took issue with statements by the area's special education lawyers about the region being behind the rest of the state in implementing reforms and new teaching methods.

The NEIU works with state models, including a system for professional development. The way each district implements the information may vary, but there is no systematic problem of the region being behind other areas of the state, Dr. Lamanna said.

He blamed the high number of cases on the presence of local lawyers, who seek out parents. One area lawyer recently held a seminar at a local hotel, inviting parents to learn more about their students' rights, Dr. Lamanna said.

Emily Leader, deputy chief counsel for the Pennsylvania School Boards Association, also said the presence of local lawyers can make a huge difference in the number of claims.

"The more informed the parents became, the more claims you have," she said.

Like Dr. Mahon, Dr. Lamanna also called for reform of the system.

"It's not the way it should be," Dr. Lamanna said. "It's not the way anyone wants to spend their time or money, except the lawyers."

Contact the writer: shofius@timesshamrock.com, @hofiushallTT on Twitter

NEW YORK - More than 1,000 miles from Washington, D.C., Marie DeNicola's small business is already experiencing the consequences of lawmakers' inability to compromise on the budget.

If Democrats and Republicans don't come to a consensus soon, a combination of billions of dollars in tax increases and budget cuts will go into effect Jan. 1. This "fiscal cliff," as it is commonly being called, is already hurting Ms. DeNicola's company Mainstream Boutique, a Minneapolis-based chain of 23 franchise stores that sell women's clothes. Ms. DeNicola recently got a painful email from a prospective franchisee who said that she changed her mind about opening a store because of uncertainty about the economic and political climate.

"It was like a punch in the stomach," says Ms. DeNicola, who also operates one of the stores. "It's a little scary - because of the unknown, small businesses aren't waiting until January or February to see what happens. People are reacting now."

Going over the cliff could have a range of negative ramifications. If people have to pay higher taxes, they will likely spend less. Businesses will hold off on hiring or making investments that could help them expand. Federal budget cuts will put billions in government contracts in jeopardy. Economists and lawmakers warn that without an agreement, the U.S. could slip back into a recession. And they say that small businesses have the most to lose.

Like her potential franchisee, Ms. DeNicola is also holding off on big moves because of the cliff.

"We're waiting to see what happens before we decide on hiring. I can't continue to invest in the business until I know what's going to happen," she says.

One of the biggest concerns for small merchants is the pending expiration of the 2 percentage point cut in payroll taxes that gave consumers more money to spend in 2010 and 2011. If the tax cut isn't extended, the government stands to get $95 billion - money that consumers won't be spending at Mainstream Boutique and other small businesses. Long-term jobless benefits will also expire, giving people who have been out of work for a long time $26 billion less to spend.

The prospect of consumers spending less troubles Greg Jones. The owner of three Five Guys Burgers and Fries franchises in Florida is concerned that customers who might normally stop in three times a week will cut that back to once. Restaurants like his lost business to cheaper options like McDonald's during the recession. He's worried that will happen again. Mr. Jones wants to open two more Five Guys locations, but says he might not be able to if the country goes over the cliff. If his existing restaurants aren't profitable enough, he won't get the money he needs to expand.

The consequences that Mr. Jones faces are a big part of why Georgia Institute of Technology professor Thomas Boston says he thinks the fiscal cliff could do enough damage to small businesses to halt the economic recovery.

"They're just now recovering, really growing in any kind of significant way since the recession," Mr. Boston says. "The job creation we've seen over the last five months, that creation has been located overwhelmingly in small businesses."

The stalemate in Washington has kept Arthur Cooper from making big decisions about his Randolph, N.J., Internet marketing company, Optimum7.

"I have to be more defensive in my posture - I have to hire only based on new business that's already coming in," he says. "I can't plan on news business that might happen."

Like many small-business owners, one of Mr. Cooper's concerns is the scheduled increase in personal tax rates. He reports his business income on his personal Form 1040 tax return. The scheduled tax increases could result in a much higher tax bill.

"Let's say I'm going to have to pay $30,000 more for next year in terms of taxes than I did this year," Mr. Cooper says. "What impacts me personally impacts my business."

Mr. Cooper expects Congress to do what it has done many times in the past - come up with a stopgap measure and defer significant decisions until six months or more into the future. That would keep him in limbo while he waits to see if lawmakers will eventually agree on taxes and a budget. He's angry about what's happening in Washington.

"It's an embarrassment to the country. It's an insult to my intelligence," he says.

The thousands of crows that used to congregate near the Lackawanna River in downtown Scranton at dusk haven't been around this year, missing the big bird census that began this weekend.

Bird lovers throughout the region fanned out to take part in massive Christmas Bird Census led locally by members of the Lackawanna County Audubon Society.

They took advantage of the crisp, partly sunny day to tally avian friends. Counters saw some hooded merganser, a type of duck. They also spotted a peregrine falcon perched on the SNB Building on Lackawanna Avenue.

"We've seen 10,000 crows at a time, but not this year," said Paul Mundy, count coordinator for the Lackawanna Audubon Society. "But we saw more types of birds."

The group will get together and combine numbers and report them to the national clearinghouse for the information. The count is overseen by the Audubon Society and includes North and South America, involving thousands of groups and tens of thousands of individuals who identify and tally birds they see in their region. The count continues through Jan. 5.

The count is as old as the Audubon organization, begun in 1900 by an Audubon founder Frank M. Chapman. Concerned that so many birds were being hunted, he proposed counting them instead. Such a widespread survey had scientific value. Today, the work of the citizen survey is used by biologists and ecologists looking for clues to changes in bird behavior.

Today, the Florence Shelly Wetlands Preserves stewardship committee will gather at 2 p.m. at the preserves to count birds wintering there.

Contact the writer: dfalchek@timesshamrock.com

PPL bills to jump 4 percent in 2013

Customers of PPL Electric Utilities will see monthly bills increase by about 4 percent starting Jan. 1. The approval will increase the average bill for residential customers using 1,000 kilowatts of electricity monthly by about $4.77 to $116.37.

Group gets new mission, name

Workforce Wayne has gained the state community education council designation to offer education opportunities to rural areas lacking access to higher education institutions. It will now be known as the Northeast Innovation Alliance.

Law affecting TV ads begins

The Commercial Advertisement Loudness Mitigation - or CALM - Act went into effect last week and local broadcasters, including WNEP-TV, WBRE-TV, WYOU-TV and WOLF-TV were ready with the equipment to comply.

Union protests

About 60 members of International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local Union 163 picketed outside Mohegan Sun at Pocono Downs last week protesting the hiring of out-of-area contractors for its $50 million hotel and convention center project.

Power line foes seek stop

Environmental groups attempting to overturn federal approval of the Susquehanna-Roseland high-voltage power line project are seeking an order halting work on the project in U.S. District Court in Washington, D.C.

Downtown W-B eatery closing

Euro Bistro, an Eastern European restaurant on Public Square, will close at the end of the month, about two years after it opened its doors. Jermyn resident Ivan Raynov, the owner, said "the majority of people in Wilkes-Barre are not looking for something healthy and made from scratch. They're looking for something quick and fried."

Construction debt weighs on colleges

A decade-long spending binge to build sometimes inordinately lavish facilities has left colleges and universities saddled with large amounts of debt. Often, students are stuck picking up the bill.

Overall debt levels more than doubled from 2000 to 2011 at the more than 500 institutions rated by Moody's, according to inflation-adjusted data.

Manufacturing growth stunted?

A growing chorus of economists, engineers and business leaders are warning that the evisceration of the manufacturing work force over the last 30 years might have dimmed the country's capacity to innovate and stunted the prospects for long-term growth.

In an era when young people are more likely to tweet, post or text, a group of area students on Saturday put their skills of persuasion, rhetoric and polemics to the test.

Abington Heights High School hosted the second annual Comet Classic Speech Debate Tournament, drawing 16 schools and more than 200 students.

Students dressed in business attire, even carrying folders and briefcases, scurried from room to room through much of the day, facing off with peers from other schools.

Taillon Staudenmeier, a student at Meyers High School in Wilkes-Barre, was fresh from competing in the "Lincoln-Douglas" category, which required him to draw upon the work of philosophers and great thinkers to argue in favor of universal health care.

He liked the fact that the competition has several rounds, so if he lags in one area, he may be able to pick up in another. Later in the day, he would argue the opposite position - that universal health care is not a good idea.

Other debates Saturday were about U.S. foreign policy or issues of morality. The position argued and the topic are less important than the effectiveness of the speech.

Abington Heights forensics team adviser and competition organizer Sarah Scranta said the school wanted to host the event to give local students access to a quality competition close to home. Still, the event drew schools from as far away as suburban Philadelphia and State College.

The Abington Heights speech and debate team has about 40 members.

Ricky Guiton, now a freshman at West Chester University, served as a judge. As a student at Elk Lake High School, he finished fourth nationally in speech and debate and is something of a legend to budding debaters.

He said the experience gave him public speaking and analytical skills. The research required by speech and debate made it easier for him to plow through otherwise boring textbooks and journals.

The skills learned on the forensics team will help in real life, said Abington Heights sophomore Alex Fried.

"In any job, you have to be able to communicate effectively," Alex said. "You can't tweet or text a persuasive presentation to your colleagues."

Contact the writer: dfalchek@timesshamrock.com

After Earl Granville lost his leg to an improvised explosive device while serving in Afghanistan, there have been a few things he never thought that he would have the chance to do again. One of them was stepping off a CH-47 Chinook helicopter onto Afghan soil to be greeted by the men and women in uniform at Camp Nathan Smith in Kandahar.

While his recent experience with Operation Proper Exit allowed him to do just that, the moment when he first suited up again in Army fatigues was just as powerful.

"I thought it was amazing being able to wear the 28th Infantry Division patch on my shoulder," Mr. Granville, a retired Army staff sergeant, said after he returned home.

Operation Proper Exit brings veterans wounded in the field back to the location where they suffered their injuries for a firsthand update on the country's progress, according to information from Feherty's Troops First Foundation, the group responsible for the initiative. Earlier this month, Mr. Granville and seven others spent a week in Afghanistan.

Mr. Granville, who lost his leg in 2008, said he was amazed by the progress the country was making. Just two years ago, the Afghan government was still vying with the Taliban for dominance. On his return visit, he saw a different picture.

"I just feel like losing my leg wasn't in vain," he said, adding later, "It wasn't for nothing."

While there, he also took the opportunity to speak to the active service members about post-traumatic stress disorder.

It is a difficult subject for Mr. Granville. In December 2010, his twin brother, Staff Sgt. Joseph Granville, committed suicide four years after returning from service in Iraq. Since then, Mr. Granville has been reaching out to soldiers to tell them there is no shame in seeking help.

"That was my personal goal," Mr. Granville said, adding that the feedback he received has been highly positive.

As for the other seven veterans who joined him on the trip, the experience helped close emotional wounds caused by their physical ones.

"One soldier said he feels ... emotionally and spiritually stronger after going over there and being with them," Mr. Granville said.

Contact the writer: jkohut@timesshamrock.com, @jkohutTT on Twitter

FORTY FORT

More than 17 years ago, Sugar Plum Chocolates started with a small store on South Main Street in Wilkes-Barre.

The family-owned e-commerce company has since grown into a global gourmet chocolate giant which sells candy, confections and handcrafted chocolates all over the world.

Owners Frann Edley, 62, and her son, Neil Edley, 32, moved the business to the United Penn Plaza in Kingston in 1996 and to its current factory and showroom on Dilley Street in Forty Fort years later. They have expanded to include a vegan kitchen, chocolate room, wrap room, shipping room and offices in Forty Fort.

It was in 1996, when Mr. Edley was 16 years old, that he had an idea to launch an online business.

"I was just messing around with computers and we started it online then," he said. "It was a different way of shopping."

Since that time, the Internet has grown into a powerful platform that changed the way people shop and do business and has led to Sugar Plum increasing its customer base internationally.

"We have gotten orders from Belgium and the United Kingdom. We just shipped to Scotland the other day. We ship to Africa and China and all over," Mr. Edley said. "We service stores throughout all the provinces of Canada. We have a big presence in Toronto."

In recent years, Sugar Plum has continued to stay in tune with the way people use the Internet and has used tools such as Facebook and Twitter to communicate with customers and market products.

"We're always telling people what we're doing," Mr. Edley said. "Anybody can go and start something but we're building a legacy. We're always, seven days a week, working. I never stop. I live, sleep and breathe chocolate."

Sugar Plum is a good example of a small business that used the Internet to dramatically increase its reach, said Justin Matus, associate professor of business at Wilkes University. He said it was not solely the Internet that led to the success of this business and other small businesses, however.

"The Internet is a double-edged sword. On one hand, you can potentially reach a billion customers but on the other hand, so could everyone else so at the end of the day, you still have to find a way to differentiate yourself in the marketplace," Mr. Matus said. "On the other hand, in the pre-Internet world, a business might have had a great product and was able to hit a single or double and now has the potential to hit a grand slam or the World Series."

Sugar Plum Chocolates has differentiated itself by using local ingredients as well as top-grade international products and unique flavors, Mr. Edley said. Everything is handmade in Forty Fort and they don't use machines, he said.

"Our ingredients are just pretty amazing," he said. "We try to wow the customer."

Sugar Plum's products have received widespread recognition and were featured on the Rachael Ray Show and reviewed in Chocolatier Magazine, Bridal Guide, Women's Day, and Brentwood Magazine. Its customers have included several celebrities ranging from billionaire Warren Buffett to the late Michael Jackson, Mr. Edley said. They also make gummy candy, which is sold in stores such as FAO Schwartz in New York City.

This year, Sugar Plum introduced liquor nuts, which have been well-received by consumers. Mr. Edley said one of the company's most popular sellers are chocolate cupcakes called "chupcakes," which are popular in Asia and all over the world. Christmas is the busiest time of year for Sugar Plum Chocolates since handmade chocolates are popular gifts, Mr. Edley said.

Mr. Edley highlighted the benefits and convenience of online shopping, saying, "You can shop on an iPad. You can lay on a beach and order from a cell phone. All you do is click and pay and it's out the door the next day."

"We make every order. When you buy from Sugar Plum, you're getting it made just from you. You're not getting something from a warehouse," he said. "You get a hand-written card as well."

The Edleys would not say how big their factory is now or how many employees they have. They employ seasonal workers, they said. They said their workforce has grown, but they would not say by how much and would not provide a tour of the kitchen.

Mrs. Edley described the growth of Sugar Plum Chocolates as "just incredible." The business formerly sold products out of a big catalog. Now, everything is sold online, she said.

"I started at a little round table downtown. Now we have this factory," she said. "It has been an amazing experience."

Contact the writer: dallabaugh@citizensvoice.com

PITTSBURGH - Many people in New York and Pennsylvania have voiced concerns about the safety of hydraulic fracturing for natural gas, or fracking. But two new surveys found that many people who live in New York City and the suburbs approve of drilling in parts of that state, and that Pennsylvania residents who live in an area of heavy drilling feel the benefits outweigh the risks.

Siena College, which is just outside Albany, said that a poll of 822 registered New York voters taken in late November found 50 percent of respondents in suburban areas support drilling in upstate portions the state, while 32 percent are opposed. In New York City, 41 percent of those surveyed support upstate drilling, while 29 percent are opposed. The poll didn't break out particular suburbs or upstate areas.

New York has had a moratorium on fracking since 2008, but Gov. Andrew Cuomo has suggested that it be allowed in five upstate counties near the Pennsylvania line, far from New York City, its watershed, or major suburbs. Pennsylvania officials from both political parties have embraced fracking, and more than 3,000 wells have been drilled there since 2007.

"Right now what we see is that downstaters, who would be the least affected from both the environmental and jobs point of view, are much more supportive than upstaters," said Steven Greenberg of the Siena College Poll.

Sandra Steingraber, an anti-drilling activist who lives in Tompkins County, just north of the five-county region likely to see the first drilling, said upstate residents are more likely to be opposed because they've learned so much about the issue during four years of intense debate.

About 40 upstate communities in New York have passed bans on fracking, usually at the behest of opposition groups that have circulated petitions. There are movements under way in about 90 more communities to ban or enact moratoriums, but almost all are in towns outside the most likely drilling area near the border. Court challenges are pending against three of the bans with the industry arguing that only the state has authority to regulate gas drilling.

About 60 communities, most of them in the five-county region that Mr. Cuomo has suggested might be opened to drilling, have passed resolutions saying they won't ban fracking but will instead defer to the state's authority to regulate the industry.

Overall, more upstate New York residents opposed drilling in the poll- 45 percent- compared to 39 percent who favor it, Mr. Greenberg said, but they weren't able to specifically break out the opinions of people in the region where some local governments support fracking.

But a survey in Pennsylvania did just that.

The University of Pittsburgh Center for Social and Urban Research asked similar questions to 403 people in Washington County, which has about 600 gas wells and is about 25 miles south of Pittsburgh.

Forty-nine percent of the residents sampled strongly or somewhat supported the boom, and 22 percent didn't care much one way or another. Just 10 percent were strongly opposed to drilling, while another 19 percent were somewhat opposed. Those results run contrary to the claims of many anti-drilling activists, who say fracking does more damage to communities than good.

Just over 76 percent in Washington County said drilling offered significant or moderate economic opportunities, and almost 32 percent had a family member who had signed a lease with a gas drilling company. But almost 24 percent still thought drilling represents a significant threat to the environment, while 34 percent thought it was a moderate threat. Forty-two percent thought it was no threat, or a slight one.

The two states have taken different approaches to drilling in the huge Marcellus Shale gas resource that lies beneath large parts of both, as well as under West Virginia, Maryland and Ohio.

Federal energy experts say it became the most productive natural gas field in the country this fall. About 3,500 wells are producing gas in Pennsylvania and Ohio, and the wellhead value this year is estimated to be in the $7 billion or $8 billion range, even though there's still no drilling in many places.

While fracking has made it possible to tap into deep reserves of gas, it has also raised concerns about pollution. Large volumes of water, along with sand and hazardous chemicals, are injected underground to break rock apart and free the oil and gas. Regulators in Pennsylvania and other states with heavy drilling contend that overall, water and air pollution problems are rare. New York put a moratorium on fracking in 2008, and is trying to decide whether to proceed.

Many environmental groups and some scientists say there hasn't been enough research on potential water and air pollution, while the industry and federal officials say the practice is safe when done properly.

Paul Sabin, who teaches environmental history at Yale University, has studied how communities in Pennsylvania, California and the Amazon react to natural resource extraction. He said scholars don't agree on why some communities welcome an activity such as gas drilling, while others are passionately opposed.

"This is a more difficult question than it seems," Mr. Sabin wrote in an email, adding that economic, cultural and political factors have been suggested.

Many drillers who have already found highly productive wells near the New York border have been hoping that state will allow them to expand operations.

Kathryn Klaber, president of the Marcellus Shale Coalition, an industry group, noted that New York residents already use large quantities of gas that comes from fracked wells in other states. She noted that New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg has said that expanded natural gas use "makes good economic and environmental sense."

Patrick Henderson, Pennsylvania's energy executive in the governor's office, said the Siena poll shows that New Yorkers "see in Pennsylvania and other states the ability to develop this resource responsibly while protecting the environment."

But Mr. Greenberg said the poll also shows that any decision about fracking in New York will be controversial.

"What's clear is that this is a tough issue for the governor," Mr. Greenberg said, adding that "it's almost a lose-lose" since no matter what the decision is made "a large percentage of New Yorkers are going to be unhappy."

Washington is in the midst of cantankerous discussions about how to avoid the "fiscal cliff," a combination of major tax hikes for all taxpayers and modest across-the-board spending cuts - except for veterans' benefits, Social Security and Medicare and Medicaid - throughout the federal government that will automatically go into effect Jan. 1 if no action is taken by our nation's elected leaders.

The federal deficit would be reduced from $1.089 trillion in fiscal 2012 to $641 billion in fiscal 2013, according to the Congressional Budget Office, if these automatic tax hikes and budget cuts are realized. Crossing the fiscal cliff, though, could also send our nation's economy back into recession and could send the unemployment to 9 percent. Given the repercussions, it's no surprise that negotiations in Washington are focused on how to avoid this fiscal cliff.

Much of the discussions revolve around returning the rich - individuals earning more than $200,000 and married couples making above $250,000 - to the income tax rates of the late 1990s under President Bill Clinton. It's a good framework to consider: The economy was strong, the budget was in surplus, and job growth was robust. As such, there is a broad understanding that Mr. Clinton's recipe of tax cuts on capital gains in the 1997 Taxpayer Protection Act, sharp cuts in public spending, and sensible deregulation delivered that record economic boom. The income tax hikes of 1993 did deliver a slower economy and a Republican-led Congress by 1994, so even Mr. Clinton famously admitted he raised taxes too much in 1993. Still, the Clinton years are a worthwhile example of a time when bipartisan agreement reached a balanced approach to deliver a budget surplus and economic growth.

In fiscal cliff negotiations, President Barack Obama and House Speaker John Boehner have agreed to exempt 98 percent of taxpayers from the higher tax rates under Mr. Clinton. Rather than raising $275 billion and reducing the nation's deficit to $850 billion by re-instituting all Clinton-era tax rates, Mr. Obama's proposal would only generate an additional $84 billion in new revenue and barely put a dent in the $1.089 trillion deficit.

A hallmark of the Clinton years was a major reduction in federal spending. On his watch, spending as a share of the economy reached the lowest levels since the 1960s. Since that time, however, both President George W. Bush and Mr. Obama went on unprecedented spending sprees. Federal expenditures as a share of the economy are at levels not seen since World War II. Returning spending to Clinton-era levels would reduce expenditures by about $800 billion.

By studying the fiscal policies and the prosperous economic era of the late 1990s, we find that our economy can grow and flourish with higher tax rates and significant federal spending cuts. A first, rough estimate, implies that the U.S. would need nearly $3 of spending cuts for each $1 of revenue increases to bring the budget toward balance.

Given the weak state of the current economy, our fiscal policy should be adjusted slowly but surely in the direction of somewhat higher tax rates along with much less federal spending. We agreed with Mr. Obama in 2010 when he warned the economy was too weak to let the Bush-era tax rates expire. While the economy is somewhat weaker today, it is clear that we can use the fiscal policies of the Clinton years as a guide for bringing our economy back to more prosperous times.

TIMOTHY F. KEARNEY, Ph.D., is an assistant professor and chairman of the department of business at Misericordia University in Dallas Twp. Would you like to write for IN THIS CORNER? Contact us at business@ timesshamrock.com

The following defendants were sentenced in Wayne County Court by Presi­dent Judge Raymond L. Hamill:

n Jason Matthew Hosier, 30, Honesdale, one to three years in Wayne County Correctional Facility and 100 hours of community service for receiving stolen property between Oct. 14, 2011, and March 12 in Dreher Twp.

n Joseph Eugene Maroni, 47, Dickson City, 72 hours to six months in Wayne County Correctional Facility, $1,000 fine, undergo a drug and alcohol evaluation and compete an alcohol highway safety program for DUI on April 23, 2011, in Palmyra Twp.

n Steven Lee Galvin, 21, Honesdale, eight to 23½ months, $600 fine and undergo a drug and alcohol evaluation for three counts of possession of a controlled substance and one count of possession of drug paraphernalia on June 16 in Waymart.

n Kurt Thomas Szanto, 19, Great Neck, N.Y., one to four years in Wayne County Correctional Facility, 100 hours of community service, undergo a drug and alcohol evaluation together with a mental health evaluation and submit to the drawing of a DNA sample for receiving stolen property.

n Steven M. Davis, 44, White Mills, two to six months in Wayne County Correctional Facility, $750 fine, undergo a drug and alcohol evaluation and complete an alcohol highway safety program for DUI on July 14 in Waymart.

1. In what has become a Christmas tradition, Scranton police raised more than $2,000 for ...

A. repainting and deep cleaning of patrol cars.

B. toys and clothes for 83 needy kids.

C. Griffin Pond Animal Shelter.

D. decorations at the police department's headquarters.

2. What did Senior U.S. District Judge William J. Nealon celebrate Saturday?

A. Having the federal building in Scranton renamed in his honor.

B. His 89th birthday.

C. His 50th year as a federal judge.

D. His 20th grandchild.

3. Why will a Beach Lake woman spend 3½ to seven years in state prison?

A. She stabbed her husband in the back.

B. She stole packages from a neighbor's porch.

C. She was yelling curse words at her broken toilet.

D. She crashed her car and left the scene.

4. On Thursday, Scranton City Council opted to ...

A. erase the planned tax hike for 2013.

B. replace Mayor Chris Doherty with a sock puppet.

C. give back $1,000 to each Scranton taxpayer.

D. raise the tax hike from 12 percent to 22 percent.

5. According to the state Department of Health, how many confirmed cases of flu have there been in the state this season?

A. 834.

B. More than 1,000.

C. 52.

D. Fewer than 10.

6. How many flu cases were found in Lackawanna County?

A. 52.

B. More than 100.

C. 11.

D. Four or fewer.

7. The Old Forge Education Association gave notice last week it will ...

A. forgo raises to help the district balance its budget.

B. strike beginning Dec. 20.

C. buy Christmas gifts for 100 needy children.

D. accept the district's latest contract proposal.

8. Why were Scranton officials in court this week?

A. They are being sued by taxpayers.

B. They are being sued by Scranton Parking Authority.

C. They were making their case for instituting 1 percent commuter tax.

D. The mayor had filed for a protection-from-abuse order against the council president.

9. Last week, students at George Bancroft Elementary School spent time with ...

A. Santa Claus.

B. McGruff the Crime Dog.

C. A poet from Lancaster, Pa.

D. President Barack Obama.

10. For the first time in more than 20 years, Taylor residents will ...

A. not have to pay for garbage services.

B. be allowed to park on the street overnight.

C. Both A and B.

D. pay property tax.

Answers: 1.B; 2.C; 3.A; 4.D; 5.A; 6.D; 7.B; 8.C; 9.C; 10.D

State police ask for 'blue lights'

HARRISBURG - A blue light in a home or office window this holiday season will show support for fallen police and their families.

State police are asking residents to put a blue light in the window to show their support for police, including the 94 troopers killed in the line of duty since the agency's inception in 1905.

Project Blue Light was developed by Concerns of Police Survivors Inc., a nonprofit group based in Camdenton, Mo., that represents the families of 15,000 officers killed in the line of duty.

The last state trooper killed in the line of duty was Blake T. Coble, 47, who was struck by a tractor-trailer in Beaver County on Oct. 4, 2012.

Frustrated with the increasing number of delinquencies, the Scott Twp. Sewer Authority board is considering hiring a collection agency to help recoup the more than $85,000 it is owed.

And it will not stop there, either, said authority members, who pointed to the municipal liens placed on the 12 township properties delinquent by more than $1,000.

The authority's solicitor, David Tomaine, is reviewing the contract proposed by NCSPlus Inc. of New York City and will provide a recommendation at the Jan. 8 meeting as to whether they should hire the agency, board Chairman Mike Grant said.

If hired, the agency would work in "tandem" with the authority's lien process to help recover the $86,542 the authority has yet to receive since the monthly billing started in December 2011. Sixty-three accounts now owe more than $500, and another 13 accounts are delinquent on their monthly payments by at least 90 days.

"Too much money is involved, and the number of delinquencies is increasing every month," Mr. Grant said. "I think we are going to have to go with an outside agency, and if you are not paying, we will have to report it on your credit report."

According to a document provided by township supervisor and authority member Michael Giannetta, NCSPlus follows a three-step collection process - all of which is at the authority's discretion.

The process includes sending five letters, ranging from a balance verification to an attorney demand, and making at least three phone calls to nonpayers over a 90-day period. Ultimately, the agency will either send a thank you letter if payment is received or report nonpayers to the three major credit bureaus: Equifax, TransUnion and Experian.

If reported, the credit "blemish" will remain on the nonpayer's credit file for seven years, the contract states.

"It is an incentive, obviously, because now when you go to apply for a car loan, or bank loan, or really any type of financing at all, they look at your credit score," Mr. Tomaine said. "You may be denied the loan, or you may have to pay higher interest rates to get a loan."

The cost for the work varies depending on how many "claims" the authority decides to purchase, but officials said 500 claims at the price of $7,000 is the likely option - should they choose that route.

One claim is required for every property owner, so it could require as many as 10 claims to go after a property, officials said.

"I think it is something we need to consider because we cannot get to the point where we have to increase the rates again," said Mr. Giannetta, referring to the $88 monthly rates that jumped from $78.4 in November. "It is not fair to the people who are paying."

Contact the writer: miorfino@timesshamrock.com, @miorfinoTT on Twitter

Big Lots stock hurt by probe of trades

Questionable stock sales by executives uncovered by the media forced shares of off-priced retailer Big Lots Inc. down nearly 4 percent last week to a Friday close of $27.22 per share.

An investigation by The Wall Street Journal showed high levels of executive stock sales just before some bad news.

In March, according to reports, Big Lots executives sold $23 million in stock before the release of information that hurt the stock price.

All these trades were made outside of prearranged trading plans.

This is believed to be the same issue that prompted the Manhattan district attorney to file a subpoena against the company.

Ryan & Maniskas LLP, a Wayne, Pa.-based firm, has started an investigation into potential securities law violations. Ryan & Maniskas is a national shareholder litigation firm.

In addition to having several stores in the region, Big Lots, which trades under the symbol BIG, operates a distribution center in Tremont.

BLAKELY - A teen from the Peckville section of Blakely was treated at a hospital and released early Saturday after a run-in with a car that police characterized as vandalism.

The 17-year-old boy was charged with public drunkenness, criminal mischief and other counts after Blakely police said he jumped onto a vehicle belonging to Frank Cole of Archbald at about 10 p.m. Friday as Mr. Cole drove down River Street. The windshield was shattered, police said.

Police said they found the teen on the ground on a cellphone, smelling of "malt or brewed beverages."

The teen was taken to Geisinger Community Medical Center, treated for injuries and released, police said.

Smoke but no fire at AH High School

SOUTH ABINGTON TWP. - A malfunctioning heater brought fire companies to Abington Heights High School on Saturday, but firefighters encountered only smoke.

Leonard Hazelton, a Clarks Summit firefighter and EMS lieutenant, said crews arrived on the scene about 4:30 p.m. and a second alarm was called about 30 minutes later, bringing in companies from Dickson City and Taylor.

Firefighters sprayed the heater with dry chemicals, Lt. Hazelton said. Afterward, the heater's fuse was removed.

There were several people at the high school for a basketball game when the heater began smoking, Lt. Hazelton said.

The building was temporarily evacuated, but there were no reported injuries and no damage to the school.

NEWTOWN, Conn. (AP) - He spoke for a nation in sorrow, but the slaughter of all those little boys and girls turned the commander in chief into another parent in grief, searching for answers. Alone on a spare stage after the worst day of his tenure, President Barack Obama declared Sunday he will use "whatever power" he has to prevent shootings like the Connecticut school massacre.

"What choice do we have?" Obama said at an evening vigil in the shattered community of Newtown, Conn. "Are we really prepared to say that we're powerless in the face of such carnage, that the politics are too hard? Are we prepared to say that such violence visited on our children year after year after year is somehow the price of our freedom?"

For Obama, that was an unmistakable sign that he would at least attempt to take on the explosive issue of gun control. He made clear that the deaths compelled the nation to act, and that he was the leader of a nation that was failing to keep its children safe. He spoke of a broader effort, never outlining exactly what he would push for, but outraged by another shooting rampage.

"Surely we can do better than this," he said. "We have an obligation to try."

The massacre of 26 children and adults at Sandy Hook Elementary on Friday elicited horror around the world, soul-searching in the United States, fresh political debate and questions about the incomprehensible - what drove the 20-year-old suspect to kill his mother and then unleash gunfire on children.

A total of 6 adults and 20 boys and girls ages 6 and 7 were slaughtered.

Obama read the names of the adults near the top his remarks. He finished by reading the first names of the kids, slowly, in the most wrenching moment of the night.

Cries and sobs filled the room.

"That's when it really hit home," said Jose Sabillon, who attended the interfaith memorial with his son, Nick, a fourth-grader who survived the shooting unharmed.

Said Obama of the girls and boys who died: "God has called them all home. For those of us who remain, let us find the strength to carry on and make our country worthy of their memory."

Inside the room, children held stuffed teddy bears and dogs. The smallest kids sat on their parents' laps.

There were tears and hugs, but also smiles and squeezed arms. Mixed with disbelief was a sense of a community reacquainting itself all at once.

One man said it was less mournful, more familial. Some kids chatted easily with their friends. The adults embraced each other in support.

"We're halfway between grief and hope," said Curt Brantl, whose daughter was in the library of the elementary school when the shootings occurred. She was not harmed.

The president first met privately with families of the victims and with the emergency personnel who responded to the shootings. The gathering happened at Newtown High School, the site of Sunday night's interfaith vigil, about a mile and a half from where the shootings took place.

Police and firefighters got hugs and standing ovations when they entered. So did Obama.

"We needed this," said the Rev. Matt Crebbin, senior minister of the Newtown Congregational Church. "We needed to be together to show that we are together and united."

Obama told Connecticut Gov. Dannel Malloy that Friday was the most difficult day of his presidency. The president has two daughters, Malia and Sasha, who are 14 and 11, respectively.

"Can we say that we're truly doing enough to give all the children of this country the chance they deserve to live out their lives in happiness and with purpose? I've been reflecting on this the last few days," the president said, somber and steady in his voice. "And if we're honest with ourselves, the answer is no. We're not doing enough and we will have to change."

He promised in the coming weeks to talk with law enforcement, mental health professionals, parents and educators on an effort to prevent mass shootings.

The shootings have restarted a debate in Washington about what politicians can to do help - gun control or otherwise. Obama has called for "meaningful action" to prevent killings.

Police say the gunman, Adam Lanza, was carrying an arsenal of ammunition big enough to kill just about every student in the school if given enough time. He shot himself in the head just as he heard police drawing near, authorities said.

A Connecticut official said the gunman's mother was found dead in her pajamas in bed, shot four times in the head with a.22-caliber rifle. The killer then went to the school with guns he took from his mother and began blasting his way through the building.

"There is no blame to be laid on us but there is a great burden and a great challenge that we emerge whole," First Select Woman Patricia Llodra said. "It is a defining moment for our town, but it does not define us."

Obama said his words of comfort would not be enough, but he brought them anyway, on behalf of parents everywhere now holding their children tighter.

"I can only hope that it helps for you to know," he said, "that you are not alone in your grief."

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Associated Press writers David Klepper in Newtown and Julie Pace and Kevin Freking in Washington contributed to this report.

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