There will be a few new faces this year in the Lewisburg Area School District as the school board recently approved the hiring of two new teachers and four new support staff members.

Susan Ames will serve as the long-term substitute family and consumer science teacher at the high school, filling in for Nanette Jarrett. Ames is a recent graduate of Penn State University, so she may have a inside track for football tickets.

Steven Tuckerman will be serve as the long-term substitute math teacher a the high school, filling in for Joseph Faust. Tuckerman recently earned his master's degree at Bloomsburg University. He, of course, could possibly help land tickets for the Huskies for those who can't make it to Happy Valley.

Other new hires included: Timothy Roberts as an instructional aide at Linntown Elementary School, Linda Shaffer as an instructional aide at Kelly Elementary School, Lee Getz as a custodian at the high school, and Lizzie Solomon as a custodian at the high school.

There is no word of their connections for college football tickets but surely they have information about the Dragons for Friday night home games, which feature match ups with South Williamsport, Hughesville, Central Columbia and Warrior Run this year.

o

It appears some Mifflinburg residents who were concerned about the safety of pedestrians crossing at the intersection of 5th and Chestnut streets, particularly children, will have to wait a little longer for a remedy.

Margaret Metzger, borough manager, said this week a traffic study needs to be done in order for the state Department of Transportation to install pedestrian crossing signs similar to what is placed along Market Street in Lewisburg. Metzger said a study can't be done until next summer.

Mifflinburg police recently conducted a series of speed enforcement patrols to gauge the activity of the intersection, according to Chief Doug Bickhart, who said no motorists were caught speeding in the 25 mile-per-hour zone. Bickhart said officers didn't find any motorists traveling more than five miles per hour over the limit.

Nettie Schlegel, a resident, initiated the borough's response by expressing her concern about the intersection.

"It's the not the speed I'm worried about, it's all the vehicles," Schlegel said. "I see a lot of children cross over from the park."

o

As local schools get ready for the start of school next week, the Eye Center of PA is offering free comprehensive vision screenings for kindergarten-age children at its offices in Danville, Lewisburg, Muncy and Selinsgrove.

Visual impairment is one of the leading causes of developmental disabilities among children, according to Eye Center officials. Children who are lagging behind in school or are misdiagnosed as ADHD may only need to have their vision checked and subsequently corrected to help them get back on track, officials said.

Although the state of Pennsylvania requires an eye test for all students in the second grade, by that time many students may have lost two critical years of education. Additionally, it could affect their natural joy of learning if they have had a vision problem. The Eye Center of Central PA wants all students to start their school years with the advantage of good eyesight.