YORK – Long hours and hundreds of volunteers later, the new Kingdom Hall of Jehovah’s Witnesses in York is finished and already in use.

The quick build lasted from April 11 when the dirt work for the structure began until the last week of May when the final, finishing touches on the building were done.

The first meeting was held in the building on May 26, Elder Steve Florer said.

Before the new building, the York congregation was meeting in a house for 11 months. Before that, they met for a little while in a place on North Grant Avenue. The Regional Building Committee out of Omaha oversaw the building of the new York Kingdom Hall.

RBC does this on a regular basis, Florer said. The Omaha office oversees the South Dakota and Nebraska region. World wide, nearly 3,000 Kingdom Halls are built every year, Florer said. Of those, 300 are built yearly in the U.S. The Witnesses, as they call themselves, do all of the labor themselves.

“All Jehovah’s Witnesses can come even if they’re unskilled and learn a skill,” Florer said. The volunteer efforts, along with voluntary contributions build and pay for each new building.

Because of the huge volunteer effort, the Witnesses are able to finish a Kingdom Hall in a little more than 30 days.

When RBC moves out and says the project is finished, that means there is furniture in the rooms, everything is painted and carpeted and decorations are even hung on the walls.

Florer estimated that at the peak of the York build, there were 450 to 500 volunteers working together at the same time.

While it may have seemed chaotic at times, there was a definite organization and way of doing things established. When each volunteer arrives at the build site, they sign in at the first tent. They’re then assigned a job to do from putting up siding, painting, spackling, landscaping or roofing.

All of the meals for the volunteers are cooked on the property in a semi-trailer with a kitchen inside that is brought in by RBC. Volunteers slice vegetables, put together sandwiches, roll silverware and make drinks.

“It seems like chaos but in order to get accomplished what we need to, we have to be unified and organized,” Florer said.

Florer did his first quick build in 1983 at a Kingdom Hall in Bellevue. The quick builds first started in 1981, putting up the main building in two days.

The huge amount of stress that put on the building crews was changed when RBC switched to building the main structure in five days. The Kingdom Hall in York will be used for Bible education for the York congregation.

There will be an open house at the Kingdom Hall on south Lincoln Avenue this Saturday, June 8, from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m.

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ALFRED, Maine (AP) - A veteran York County sheriff's deputy has been named the nation's top school resources officer.

Deputy Jason Solomon has been selected as the National Association of School Resource Officers officer of the year for 2013.

Solomon, a 12-year veteran of the York County department, has been the school resource officer at Massabesic High School in Waterboro since 2010.

The award goes to an officer who has made a specific and significant contribution to the community and school.

Solomon was nominated for the honor by Chief Deputy Bill King, who received numerous reports of his exemplary performance from students, faculty, administrators and parents.

Solomon will be honored during a July 14 ceremony in Orlando, Fla.

Copyright 2013 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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Economists expect another month of job gains roughly in line with April's increase of 165,000. The unemployment rate is expected to remain at 7.5 percent, a four-year low but still historically high.

Some economists have cautioned in recent days that job growth for May could fall short of expectations. Some noted that surveys this week showed that hiring at factories and service companies barely rose in May.

The Labor Department will release the employment report at 8:30 a.m. EDT.

Job growth has been steady this year, despite higher taxes and federal spending cuts. Through April, the economy has added an average of 196,000 jobs a month, ahead of last year's pace.

Gains in jobs, home prices and some other areas of the economy have led Fed policymakers to consider scaling back the central bank's bond purchases later this year. The bond purchases have been intended to drive down long-term interest rates and encourage borrowing and spending.

Speculation that the Fed could taper its stimulus has led investors to sell stocks and push up bond yields. But slower job growth in May might make the Fed less inclined to reduce its bond purchases this year.

The economy grew at a solid annual rate of 2.4 percent in the first three months of the year. Consumer spending rose

Consumers appeared earlier this year to shrug off the tax increase. But in April, their income failed to grow, and they cut back on spending for the first time in nearly a year. A Social Security tax increase is costing a typical household that earns $50,000 about $1,000 this year. For a household with two high-earners, it's costing up to $4,500.

Cuts in defense spending might have slowed factory output in some areas, according to a Fed report released this week. Factory activity shrank in May for the first time since November, and manufacturers barely added jobs, according to a survey by the Institute for Supply Management.

A separate ISM survey found that service companies grew at a faster pace last month but added few jobs. Service firms have been the main source of job growth in recent months.

Some positive signs of the economy's resilience have emerged. Service companies reported an increase in new orders, the ISM found. That suggests that businesses could expand further in coming months.

And steady gains in home sales and construction are providing support for the economy even as manufacturing weakens.

Home prices jumped by the most in seven years in April, according a report by CoreLogic released Tuesday. Higher home values can make households feel wealthier, spurring more spending.

They can also help sustain the recovery by encouraging would-be buyers to purchase homes before prices rise further. Rising prices also give developers an incentive to build. Homebuilders applied for the most permits in nearly five years in April.

Also of interest

Read more York County business news at ydr.com/business and yorkblog.com/biz.

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Pedestrians pass a Verizon Wireless store on Canal Street, Thursday, June 6, 2013, in New York. The Obama administration on Thursday, June 6, 2013, defended the government's need to collect telephone records of American citizens, calling such information "a critical tool in protecting the nation from terrorist threats." Britain's Guardian newspaper reported that the NSA has been collecting the telephone records of millions of Verizon customers under a top secret court order. (AP Photo/John Minchillo)

* * *

Dear Valued Verizon Customer,

We here at Verizon are pleased to announce an exciting new service available to all of our customers, a service that will help you in ways you don't even know.

This new service will help you connect to a greater community and will help make your Verizon experience even more vital than ever.

We call it the U.S. Sharing and Caring Program.

Many of you may already be aware of the service, which was launched a few years ago, under the exciting changes to our telecommunications laws that permit us and our government to do whatever it takes to protect you. These changes have allowed us to provide even greater levels of service to you, our valued customers, and to expand greatly the kinds of services and conveniences you have come to expect from Verizon.

Under the U.S. Sharing and Caring Program, records of all of your calls will automatically be shared with skilled analysts at the National Security Agency to better provide you with the level of service you have grown accustomed to as a valued Verizon customer.

We know that you may have a lot of questions about this exciting new service, so we'd like to address them now so you'll never have to bother us again.

First and foremost, we imagine, you are probably asking, "You're doing WHAT?!"

It's OK. It may sound bad, us handing your phone records over to the government for analysis. But it's not as bad as it seems. OK, maybe it is. But it could be worse. We could be listening to your calls. Which we are totally not doing. Nor are we examining the content of your calls and texts - although we must say that the content of some of your text messages is kind of disturbing and not exactly the kind of thing we'd be inclined to share with anyone. (Anthony Weiner, we're looking at you. Or trying really hard not to.)

And then, you're probably wondering, "Is this even legal?"

Of course it is. We're one of the largest telecommunications companies in the world. We would never do anything illegal. In this case, a secret court issued a secret order. It's perfectly legal. Trust us, OK?

Many of you are probably wondering, "Just how will the NSA use this information?"

You can rest assured that it will only be used for good things. For instance, if you're calling a known terrorist or a person with ties to known terrorists or a person who kind of has a funny name, that may be the sort of thing that analysts flag, resulting in you getting a free, all-expenses-paid trip to lovely Guantanamo Bay in exotic Cuba, famous for its all-you-can-eat-forced-feeding-tube bar.

Also, collecting that information could save your life. Let's say analysts find out that you've been calling out for Chinese food three times a week. Do you know the amount of sodium in that stuff? You could have a stroke. If the NSA collects that kind of information, it could prevent you from having a debilitating stroke.

And what if the analysts find that, say, 13-year-old Billy Pilgrim from Springfield, is calling 1-900 phone sex lines and each call lasts 4½ minutes. That is exactly the kind of information that we'd never share with his classmates at Springfield Middle School, especially that cute redhead girl in his fourth period Social Studies class that he has a crush on.

We know that many of you are worried that this is a gross violation of your privacy. We are concerned about your privacy, and we've taken steps to make sure that your wife never finds out that you've been drunk-dialing old girlfriends at 2 a.m. That is not the kind of thing that we would even think about sharing.

You will be pleased to know that this service is automatic. You don't have to do a thing. We take care of everything.

Of course, the service comes with a small surcharge. The amount is classified, so we can't tell you what it is.

If you have any questions about the U.S. Sharing and Caring Program, please feel free to call our automated customer-service line and spend several hours trying to find an actual person to speak to before losing the will to live and throwing yourself off a bridge.

We hope that answers your questions and if it doesn't, please keep it to yourself and stop calling the attorney general's office. (Yeah, you. We know who you are.)

At Verizon, we believe in the power of technology to solve just about anything.

Regards,

Customer Service

Mike Argento's column appears Mondays and Fridays in Living and Sundays in Viewpoints. Reach him at mike@ydr.com or 771-2046. Read more Argento columns at www.ydr.com/mike. Or follow him on Twitter at FnMikeArgento.

ALFRED, Maine (AP) - A veteran York County sheriff's deputy has been named the nation's top school resources officer.

Deputy Jason Solomon has been selected as the National Association of School Resource Officers officer of the year for 2013.

Solomon, a 12-year veteran of the York County department, has been the school resource officer at Massabesic High School in Waterboro since 2010.

The award goes to an officer who has made a specific and significant contribution to the community and school.

Solomon was nominated for the honor by Chief Deputy Bill King, who received numerous reports of his exemplary performance from students, faculty, administrators and parents.

Solomon will be honored during a July 14 ceremony in Orlando, Fla.

Copyright 2013 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

The investigation into the Memorial Day 2012 murder of Felipe Bernabe-Martinez in York got a break from an informant, York City Police Detective 1st Class Jeffrey Spence said Wednesday.

Spence was testifying at the murder/robbery trial of Eric Camacho-Rodriguez, 20, and Emanuel Rivera-Diaz, 20.

That informant, he said, had contacted Pennsylvania State Police Trooper Christopher Keppel and said that the two men involved in Bernabe's shooting death were armed and planning a home invasion and robbery in the 900 block of West Poplar Street on June 1.

A key piece of information was that those men and at least one other would be leaving a South George Street home in the city on foot, Spence said.

Spence said he quickly put together a surveillance team that tracked the group through the city to Bantz Park on the southwestern edge of the city.

Police moved in as the trio stopped at park bench, he said. Rivera-Diaz and the informant, Jaycott Rivera, 23, were taken into custody. Camacho fled into the neighboring woods, Spence said, and was captured by a K-9 unit.

Lead investigator Detective Andy Baez testified he and Spence questioned Rivera-Diaz. In a transcript of that interview, which was read in court on Wednesday, Rivera-Diaz told the detectives he shot Bernabe, claiming he confronted the 43-year-old about a stolen radio and that Bernabe then attacked him.

In earlier reports, police said they believed the two defendants shot Bernabe, who had his own landscaping business, in the 600 block of East South Street after he refused to give them the keys to his pickup during an attempted carjacking.

The murder trial continues today in the York County Judicial Center.

York Daily Record/Sunday News

Charles Pike joined the Dover YMCA three months ago and signed up for a yoga class that starts at 9:15 a.m. every Monday and Friday.

On Friday, yoga saved his life.

Moments after the 82-year-old Pike left his home in the 5000 block of Carlisle Road for his Friday morning class, his house exploded.

"It's God's providence," Pike said as he sat in the rain while firefighters worked to put out the fire that had destroyed his Dover Township home of 15 years. "I left two minutes before the explosion. Two minutes!"

Usually, his daughter Nicola Pike picks

Crews are working a house fire in the 5000 block of Carlisle Road just north of Dover. (YORK DAILY RECORD/SUNDAY NEWS -- MIKE ARGENTO)

"I left three or four minutes before I usually leave," he said. "Boy, was I lucky."

The explosion - which is still under investigation - blew out the side wall of the brick house. Its force also blew the roof off of the front porch. Glass from the windows was strewn across Carlisle Avenue, and debris was found 50 to 100 feet away.

Betty Sunday, who lives more than a quarter-mile from the house, said she and her husband were drinking coffee in their living room when they heard "a big boom." The blast shook her house.

"We had no idea what it was," she said. "It scared me."

Rick Greenwalt, a veterinarian at the Dover Area Animal Hospital - about 25 to 30 feet away next door - said he was examining a dog in a room facing the house when it exploded.

"I looked out the window, and the whole side of the house was gone," he said. "I'm just surprised none of our windows were blown in."

He went next door and checked to see whether Pike was home and then called 911.

"The dog handled it well," he said, "but my heart jumped a bit."

No one was injured in the blast. West Manchester Township Fire Chief Dave Nichols said

Charles Pike, 82, had just left for yoga class when his house exploded and then erupted in flames. (YORK DAILY RECORD/SUNDAY NEWS -- MIKE ARGENTO)

"Had he been inside the home at the time, we would have had a different outcome," Nichols said.

The Pike family is well-known in this part of Dover Township, and many friends and neighbors flocked to the scene, in a steady rain, to offer support and help in any way.

"They are very nice people," Sunday said. "This is so terrible."

Pike and his late wife, Ursula, had lived in Germany for 27 years. He was a school teacher, and in 1960, moved to Germany, where he met Ursula. After they wed, they remained in Germany. When the family moved stateside, Ursula brought her collection of antiques and collectibles, Nicola Pike said, all feared lost in the explosion.

"It's a big loss," Nicola said. "But they are just things."

One of those things was a painting of a castle in Francona that had belonged to her grandfather. Dan Pike, Charles' son and a veterinarian at the family-owned animal hospital, said the painting had particular sentimental value. His grandfather was an orthopedic surgeon in Germany, and after World War II, when the country was essentially on the barter system, he had accepted the painting as payment from a patient. The painting hung in his office for years, and when Charles and Ursula moved to the United States, they brought it with them.

A firefighter stands among the debris left from an explosion that demolished a Dover Township home on Friday. (YORK DAILY RECORD/SUNDAY NEWS--JASON PLOTKIN)

Dan Pike tried to salvage the painting, finding its singed remains among the rubble.

"It is very meaningful to my family," he said.

Firefighters' efforts to douse the fire that started after the explosion were thwarted by a couple of factors. They had to make sure the natural gas service to the building was off, and they had received reports that Pike was a veteran and had a stockpile of munitions. That turned out to be false, Nichols said.

Initially, workers at the animal hospital thought they'd have to evacuate the pets housed in the kennels and at the facility for treatment. But after consulting with firefighters, they decided against that.

Nichols praised the response of the workers at the veterinary clinic, saying they immediately accounted for all staff and animals, saving the firefighters from having to perform that task.

Workers from Columbia Gas of Pennsylvania were on the scene to check for gas leaks and found none after checking the service lines to Pike's house and surrounding structures, said company spokesman Russell Bedell. He added that no leaks had previously been reported in the area.

Hours after the explosion, Carlisle Road remained closed and firefighters sifted through the rubble looking for hot spots and lingering embers.

Nicola Pike pondered her father's luck.

"One thing about Dad," she said, "he's always on time."

Help from around the county

Friday morning, at the time of the explosion, Dover Township's firefighters were attending the funeral for 24-year-old firefighter Michael Eshbach, killed in an ATV crash last Saturday.

Firefighters from other county departments pitched in to cover, West Manchester Township Fire Chief Dave Nichols said.

Firefighters from the Wrightsville department - who were stationed at the township firehouse during the service - were first on the scene, Nichols said. Other departments responding included Wellsville, York City, West Manchester Township and York Area United Fire and Rescue, among others.

Other house explosions:

March 10, 2007: An explosion rocked the 900 block of West College Avenue in York. It damaged at least five homes and injured several people. No cause was determined.

Feb. 28, 2007: A York Township home at 2433 S. Queen St. exploded, leveling the home and later igniting the remaining debris. No one was injured.

Columbia Gas officials traced the explosion to problems with a pipeline near the home. It had to be completely replaced along Memory Lane from South Queen Street to School Street.

In the days after the blast, gas service was returned to all existing homes except the fire-damaged house next door to the one that exploded.

Aug. 4, 2003: Francis Thompson left his home in Hopewell Township for a golf game. As he sat in his car with the key in the ignition, he heard a gigantic explosion and watched the four sides of his home blow apart. It could have been a 200-pound propane tank, the fire chief said. AmeriGas hired a fire investigator to locate the cause.

Feb. 12, 2003: Gas from an underground leak drifted into houses through foundations on Circle Drive in Jacobus. About 4 p.m., Chris and Amy Krichten's house at 6 Circle Drive exploded. The couple and Amy's children, Josh and Megan Luckenbaugh, and a visiting friend, Ted Hake, escaped with their lives. The blast sparked a blaze that destroyed the house and vehicles.

Chris, Amy and Megan spent time in the Bayview Burn Center in Baltimore. Josh and Hake suffered no injuries.

Jan. 11, 1990: A home at 1117 S. Albemarle St. in Spring Garden Township blew up 30 minutes after a caller reported the smell of gas in the area. The explosion occurred minutes after the home had been evacuated. The blast and its ensuing fire razed the home of Brian and Tracy Smith. No one was injured.

Jan. 19, 1984: A natural gas explosion gutted a town house at 31 W. King St. in York, injuring eight people and forcing the evacuation of four downtown blocks.

1974: A gas explosion ripped through a house at 1325 Ogontz St. in Spring Garden Township. A woman jumped to safety from a second-floor window, but her 87-year-old father-in-law died in the basement.

Compiled by Daily Record/Sunday News staff

The Pennsylvania Board of Dentistry voted Friday to accept an agreement with York County dentist Dr. Jacqueline Marcin that could allow her to practice dentistry again.

The vote came a few days after state investigators revealed she wasn’t sterilizing tools properly. The Department of Health asked patients who had work done by Dr. Marcin beyond a routine cleaning to be tested for Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C and HIV. The recommendation applies to patients dating back to 1994.

Health officials say no patients have tested positive for any of those illnesses.

Under the agreement accepted Friday, Marcin’s license remains suspended.Her office in Springettsbury Townhip is closed.

She can complete a series of requirements and then ask to resume practicing on a probationary basis. Those requirements include: a 20-hour course on infection control; completing recommendations of an infection control consultant who’s already visited her office; additional hours of continuing education; cooperate with Department of State investigations; agree to random office inspections; agree to be overseen by a practice monitor who’s unaffiliated with her office.

The probationary period would be for five years.

During the hearing, which Marcin did not attend, her attorneys pointed out she’s had a good record until now. They also pointed out she graduated first in her class from dental school.

A former employee called investigators to complain about a pay issue. But, when an investigator went to Marcin’s office, the sterilization issue was discovered.

Her attorneys said she and her staff members already have taken an eight-hour course in infection control and passed with high marks.

“Practices that were called into question were immediately addressed and remediated by Dr. Marcin and her staff,” said Marcin’s attorney, Frank Marshall. He read from a statement and declined to answer questions on camera. He asked Fox43 to email him. When he responds, we’ll post his answers.

Members of the Board of Dentistry questioned Marcin’s skills as a dentist, saying part of demonstrating those good skills is following appropriate infection control measures. Another board member noted dentists are expected to adhere to good practices when as soon as they’re licensed, not when they’re caught.

Board chairperson Dr. Lisa Poole Deem questioned how Marcin could have graduated at the top of her class but not known proper sterilization techniques.

The board went into executive session to discuss the case behind closed doors. Members voted to accept the agreement without any no votes.

Following the hearing, board members wouldn’t explain their decision-making process.

“The only comment that I can make is that the board is charged solely with protecting the interests of the public, and that all of our decision making is informed keeping that charge in mind,” said Dr. Deem.

Fox43 asked her, “If you guys are tasked with determining whether Dr. Marcin can practice again, is there any kind of reassurance you can give to the public if indeed she does?”

She responded, “From my understanding, the consent agreement will be made public, and then you can decide that on your own.”

Posted June 07, 2013, at 2:29 p.m.

Emanuel Rivera-Diaz was found guilty of first-degree murder for shooting the 43-year-old near Girard Park in York during what city police described as a botched carjacking.

His accomplice, Eric Camacho-Rodriguez, was found guilty of second-degree murder.

Both men, who remain in prison without bail, are 20 and face mandatory sentences of life in prison without parole when they are returned to the county Judicial Center on July 31 for sentencing.

Rivera also was convicted of robbery and conspiracy to commit robbery for the carjacking.

Camacho was acquitted of those charges.

Both men also stood trial before the same jury last week for allegedly planning a home invasion and robbery of a person identified in court as "The Movie Man."

In her closing argument Thursday, First Assistant District Attorney Jennifer Russell said the duo planned to rob and kill that person just days after Bernabe's murder for money to get out of York County.

In that case, the jury acquitted both men of conspiracy to commit murder and convicted them of conspiracy to commit robbery and conspiracy to commit burglary.

During closing arguments, the defense had attacked the credibility of prosecution witness Jaycott Rivera, an admitted police informant.

The defense said Jaycott Rivera lied to police about Rivera-Diaz and Camacho-Rodriguez admitting to killing Bernabe and that it was Jaycott Rivera who planned the home invasion.

Chief Deputy Prosecutor David Sunday said after the trial that Jaycott Rivera's testimony was corroborated by the evidence.

Defense attorneys Seamus Dubbs and Scott McCabe declined to comment.

Related

Two stand trial in 2012 murder case

The Minooka bench swarms Jordyn Larsen after her game-winning 3 run homer in the sixth inning against York for the Class 4A State Semifinals, Friday, June 7th, 2013 in East Peoria, IL. | Gary Middendorf~For Sun-Times Media

If erasing a nine-run deficit over Lockport in the sectional semis taught Minooka anything it was that no deficit is too big to overcome.

Facing a one-run deficit late in Friday’s 4A state semifinal against York was certainly not enough to make the Indians panic.

Jordyn Larsen hit the game-winning three-run homer and Sara Novak was dominant in relief as Minooka came back for a 6-3 win over York at Eastside Centre.

The Indians will play St. Charles East Saturday at 5:30 p.m. for the 4A state title.

“We can come back against anything,” Novak said. “We’re talking in the dugout that we scored 11 unanswered against Lockport. We were hitting, and they just weren’t falling, but we were confident that we’d get runners on base.”

Minooka (22-8) is gunning for the program’s first state title. Advancing as far as any York softball team has, the Dukes finished the season 23-15.

It was York holding a 3-2 lead in the top of the sixth when Larsen stepped to the plate with courtesy runner Ali Bagley at first and Kelli Holstine at second. Larsen teed off on an offering from York starter Brooke Bandy, going opposite field for a three-run dinger to put Minooka up 5-3.

“It was definitely nerve-wracking going into that at-bat, but I knew what I had to do,” Larsen said. “I definitely wasn’t trying for a home run, just a hit.”

Minooka tallied an insurance run in the sixth on Marissa Burn’s RBI single up the middle that plated Rachel May.

Novak (7-4) was dealing in the circle. In five innings, she allowed just two hits and a walk while striking out nine to get the win.

“I was sort of feeling it today,” Novak said. “I was just trying to make good pitches and work ahead.”

Kelsey Smith had a two-run homer for Minooka in the first inning, her first round-tripper of the season.

“I was shocked because it was my first one all year, and it just felt great,” Smith said. “We just really want it. We had a tough regular season, but we keep going and going and going.”

York scored two runs in the first off two Minooka errors on one play. An Abby Solem RBI single in the bottom of the second capped the scoring for the Dukes.

“We were a little off today,” York coach Drew McGuire said. “We left some runs out there, especially the first where we leave the bases loaded. I’m so proud of these girls, and they did a fantastic job.”

York will play Barrington Saturday at 3 p.m. in the 4A third place game.

The concrete platform that once supported the district's wooden Mustang, which recently fell down because of natural causes, had been replaced by a miniature plastic horse.

Read more from The Evening Sun.

Take a look at the list of graduates.

Margaret Emily Abbott, Devon R. Ackerman, Josiah C. Aikins, Quinlan M. Albright, Elizabeth Ann Allgood, Summer Estela Almonte, Kaitlyn Michele Altland, Joshawyn Deanna Armagost, Kevin L. Arndt Jr., Catherine F. Avon, Kennedy Lynne Bahlow, Steven A. Baker, Nicholas T. Bankert, Mahwish Bari, Lauren A. Barlow, Kelsey M. Batchellor, Sean M. Bathgate, Alicia F. Bealing, Parker M. Bean, Jacob D. Becker, Jesse James Beers, Alexandra R. Berman, Jacob A. Biddle, Teryn J. Birgensmith, Shayn Alanna Blackwell, Nicolette A. Bonagura, Mackenzie S. Bortner, Sarah L. Bortner, Abigael R. Bower, Michael J. Brady, Nicholas L. Brady, Caitlyn T. Brennan, Austin R. Brown, Laken M. Bull, Braden C. Buller, Mark A. Carey, Austin D. Carroll, Kiera Marie Clements, Meghan Cecelia Clouspy, Gabrielle Michelle Coleman, Mitchell LeDane Coleman, Austin Russell Cook, Jeremy Thomas Cooper, Aleese Nicole Cummings, Brianna S. Curry, Courtney S. Curry, Aaron Brian

Article updated: 6/7/2013 9:43 PM

EAST PEORIA — Isabella Jaeger fielded the slow roller, then met Minooka's Marissa Burns in a fierce collision along the first-base line.

York's sophomore first baseman got up after several minutes but had to leave her position with a bloody nose.

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It was, yes, a bumpy day for the Dukes.

A surprising run to the state tournament hit a detour Friday, Minooka rallying for 4 runs in the sixth inning to beat York 6-3 in a Class 4A semifinal at Eastside Centre.

York (23-15) drops into the third-place game at 3 p.m. Saturday. There it will face No. 1-ranked Barrington, which lost in walk-off fashion to St. Charles East in Friday's first semifinal.

"We got beat up a little physically today," York coach Drew McGuire said, noting that Jaeger will be OK. "Something like that (collision), it kind of tells you what kind of day it's going to be. But these girls have battled hard. We'll regroup."

York, which had gone 9-1 its last 10 games before Friday, rode a comeback wave to East Peoria. The Dukes rallied to beat Whitney Young in a regional final, then stunned Trinity in the seventh inning of a sectional final.

Minooka knows all about rallies, though.

The Indians (22-8) staged a comeback for the ages down 13-4 to beat Lockport 15-14 in a sectional semifinal.

Trailing 3-2 going into the sixth, Minooka drew a one-out walk off York's Brooke Bandy, and a single brought No. 9 hitter Jordyn Larsen to the plate. The junior jumped on a 1-0 offering for a 3-run homer to right-center, her second of the year.

"We've been down more than one run before," Larsen said, but also confessed, "it was getting a little scary."

Minooka tacked on another run, and Sara Novak slammed the door on any thoughts of another York comeback. Novak threw four shutout innings of relief, striking out six.

"The Lockport game taught us that we could come back from any deficit. That one run, it was nothing," Novak said. "We had been hitting a lot of hard balls; they just weren't dropping."

True, Minooka hit several loud outs off of Bandy. York's center fielder Angela Scalzitti showed great range chasing down four of them, two near the fence.

"Ball goes up in the outfield, Angela's going to find it," McGuire said. "It was a tough day for Brooke in the circle, but she pitched her heart out."

Minooka struck right away, Kelsey Smith drilling a 2-run homer in the top of the first. York answered in the bottom half, scoring 2 runs and sending eight batters to the plate. Freshman Abby Solem singled in Scalzitti for a 3-2 lead in the second, but the Dukes' bats went quiet after Novak relieved Jackie Lilek to start the fourth.

"One hit, to break it open," said McGuire wistfully, referring back to a first inning when York left the bases loaded. "It would have been nice to scratch a couple more across but it is what it is."

Whatever the outcome this weekend, it's been a run to remember for a York team with just one senior starter.

"Just to get down here is phenomenal," McGuire said. "I'm so proud of these girls. They've been fantastic. The best thing about it is we get to come back tomorrow and play another game."

Follow Josh on Twitter @jwelge96

CINCINNATI -- Ex-Ben-Gal cheerleader and former Northern Kentucky educator Sarah Jones is engaged to the teen she was accused of having sex with while she was a teacher, her attorney Eric Deters confirmed to WCPO Digital.

Jones was accused of allegedly having sex with then 17-year-old Cody York while she worked as an English teacher at Dixie Heights High School in Northern Kentucky.

York, who is now 18, proposed to Jones this week and the former cheerleader posted photos of the proposal on her Instagram account.

Jones, 26, appeared in front of Kenton County Judge Patricia Summe in October and pleaded guilty to sex abuse.

In exchange for her guilty plea, the prosecution dropped the charge to sexual misconduct.

Jones is currently serving a sentence of five years probation. As part of the deal she made, text messages in the case were sealed. Jones also agreed to never apply for another teaching position.

"There's absolutely nothing prohibiting [the victim] and Sarah from being together," Deters told WCPO in October.

Jones and York made the engagement "Facebook official."

Posted: Saturday, June 8, 2013 12:00 am | Updated: 12:08 am, Sat Jun 8, 2013.

Overview

Posted in News on Saturday, June 8, 2013 12:00 am. Updated: 12:08 am.

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Loraine Diehl writes letters to her friends Regina Peters and Muriel Miller. Diehl sends letters to Peters in red marker with large letters to help Peters read them. (YORK DAILY RECORD/SUNDAY NEWS - PAUL KUEHNEL)

When Sarah Diehl struggled in college, she knew there was one woman who could help her regain her footing.

When Regina Peters -- at age 101 -- fell and broke her back, her family called in hospice care. But one woman thought Peters had more to live for.

When Becky Detwiler's business partner was ready to call it quits and it looked like her bed and breakfast was going under, the impact of one woman brought the business back to life.

Loraine Diehl is a matriarch for her family, compass for friends and cheerleader for anyone who's taken a fall in life.

Then Loraine had a nervous breakdown in 2011 -- at age 93 -- and lost her desire for life. She would need the same support she'd given to others to make it through.

---

As a child, Sarah and her younger brother, Lucas, spent a week every summer in York with their grandmother, Loraine, baking, creating art projects, singing and quizzing each other's spelling.

As Sarah grew older, the visits became less frequent but were replaced by her grandmother's letters.

Through college, the letters kept coming, always emphasizing the importance of a loving family.

"She sent me solid advice, and that was really special to have," Sarah said. "She exemplified working hard to reach your goals."

While Sarah was at Yale, she hit a wall as she struggled to find herself and her passions. Loraine encouraged her to concentrate on her interests rather than expectations of others, Sarah said.

"Everyone can forget to remember, but no one can remember to forget," Loraine wrote.

The constant exchange of letters helped Sarah to find her motivation and graduate in 2009.

And all of Loraine's advice came with an ounce of perspective to remind Sarah that even the careful words of a loved one might not be the best counsel.

Loraine would conclude: "I know it doesn't amount to a hill of beans."

---

Loraine,

Loraine Diehl, left, visits with Muriel Miller, who was her neighbor at Village at Sprenkle Drive in Manchester Township before Diehl moved. (YORK DAILY RECORD/SUNDAY NEWS - PAUL KUEHNEL)

The youngest of three children, Loraine grew up surrounded by cousins but spent most of her time with her father.

A jolly soul, Charles would let his kids sit in a corner of the cigar factory where he worked with his wife, rolling cigars. Rather than playing with her siblings, Loraine paid attention.

"I can tell you how to make a cigar," Loraine said.

It was her father's generosity more than manual tasks that rubbed off.

When Loraine's sister couldn't make mortgage payments, Charles kept the bank from taking the house. He cut his own expenses back to support them.

"Loraine was heavily influenced by her father,"

Loraine Diehl, right, talks with Regina Peters. Diehl helped Peters recover after she fell and broke a vertebrae. (YORK DAILY RECORD/SUNDAY NEWS - PAUL KUEHNEL)

---

Regina Peters, 102, doesn't move as quickly as she did a few years ago. But she lights up when her friend Loraine comes to visit.

The two women met in their 90s at the Village at Sprenkle Drive, a Lutheran Social Services senior residence in Manchester Township, when their bodies were slowing down but their minds were still active.

Along with their friend and fellow resident, Muriel Miller, they played cards, shared letters and studied the Bible.

"When they're together, they're like little schoolgirls," Detwiler said.

Almost every week, Detwiler drives Loraine to Sprenkle from her residence at the Village at Kelly Drive. And when Loraine can't visit, she writes letters to Peters and Miller.

Their friendship not only keeps Loraine and Peters happy, it helps keep them alive.

In 2011, Peters fell and fractured her vertebrae.

"She was in a lot of pain and said she wanted to die," said Barry Peters, one of Peters' three sons.

Hospice care was called in, and Peters' family prepared for the end.

But Loraine saw that something was left in Peters' life.

"Loraine was there for her," Barry said. "They have a very close, religious friendship."

Loraine visited every day and helped Peters see the value of holding on. Slowly, Peters improved.

"You

Diane Diehl, left, and Loraine Diehl share a special moment on Diane's wedding day. A hand-written letter from Loraine to the groom, her grandson, Kermit Diehl, helped the couple make the decision to get married. (Submitted)

"I'm thankful that I still have you," Loraine said to Peters.

"And I'm thankful that I still remember who you are," Peters said as they broke out in belly laughter.

---

As Loraine grew older, she planned for the days when she would need extra care. Loraine's husband, Pete, died in 1997, just a few years after they sold their home and moved into an independent residence with Lutheran Social Services.

Loraine then kept two bedrooms open for visitors.

"After watching her grandchildren for years every summer, they would bring her great-grandchildren to come and stay in the cottage with her," said Marion Hostetler, Loraine's daughter.

When Loraine decided she was too old to drive, she gave up her license and sold her car to her grandson, Kermit Diehl.

"She knew she had to stop driving, and it benefited someone she loved," Hostetler said.

When Loraine decided to move into a smaller space in 2008, she sold her furniture to her grandchildren and switched to an apartment at the Village at Kelly Drive.

Her children still visited regularly, but they needed somewhere to stay.

Hostetler found the number of the Friendship House Bed and Breakfast in York and called.

Detwiler answered. Her business partner had recently decided she wanted to take a step back from the bed and breakfast, and Friendship House was not taking any new clients. But this family sounded different, special, Detwiler said.

After their first visit, Detwiler and Hostetler bonded.

"I adopted Marion as a sister," Detwiler said.

And soon, the whole family accepted Detwiler as a Diehl.

Diehl siblings, kids and grandkids were staying at Friendship House every six to eight weeks, Detwiler said. Loraine was doing well and adjusting to her new accommodations.

---

Then came something Loraine hadn't planned on.

She fell and hit her head.

At the hospital, every ache and pain overwhelmed her. Simple decisions frustrated her to tears. Wrapped in the fetal position in her bed, Loraine stopped participating in life.

Physically she improved, but mentally she gave up, Detwiler said."I think she was really scared," Hostetler said. "She lost her desire to live and all of her confidence."

Loraine's family saw the unusual behavior and called upon Detwiler to help care for Loraine, Hostetler said.

Detwiler began visiting Loraine four days a week driving her on errands, bringing her supplies and raising her spirits.

"It was kind of awkward at first, but I made a point to be upbeat and positive every time I went in that room," she said.

Detwiler mirrored Loraine's signature love and energy back to her, which allowed Loraine to find the strength to rediscover herself.

"(My siblings and I) try to visit as often as we can, but Becky is the reason that Mom's still as healthy and happy as she is," Hostetler said.

---

After Loraine's breakdown and recovery, she lived for the present.

Death could be close, if she let it.

She knew that if her family and friends were happy, she could leave life peacefully.

"Mom was always a low-key person," Hostetler said. "She never really let her opinion known unless she was asked. But after (the accident) she started speaking her mind."

Loraine's grandson, Kermit, had been dating his then-girlfriend, Diane, for nearly a decade. They lived together and honored their commitment, but never married.

"It preyed on Mom that they were living together, but not married," Hostetler said. "'If they're in love enough, why not get married?' she said."

So one evening before bed, Loraine wrote a letter to Kermit and Diane.

"It's now my bedtime, but I must get this off my mind so I can go to sleep," Loraine wrote. "And I'm not going to beat around the bush. I'm too old to beat around the bush about anything. And I know Pete would want me to do this...I sure would be happy if you two would get married."

It was what Kermit needed to move forward, said Jackie, Kermit's mother.

"When grandmother thought it was a good idea, he realized he was ready," she said.

Kermit and Diane married at Loraine's nursing home, Kermit said, so she could witness the union she inspired.

About Loraine

Loraine's mother wanted to name her Gladys. To thank the doctor who had ridden over on his horse for the birth, she allowed him to pick her new daughter's name. On Loraine's baptism certificate, her name was misspelled, so the second "r" was dropped, officially.

The youngest of three children, Loraine showed academic aptitude and skipped two grades, although she was kept back in seventh grade when deemed "too young" to start high school.

After high school, Loraine attended Thompson Business School in York thanks to a loan from her aunt.

Run out of the Knights of Columbus building on North George Street, Loraine studied full time for about a year and finished up in night classes.

"After I graduated, I tried to pay her back, but she wouldn't take it," Loraine said. "So, I took (the money) and bought three dresses."

Loraine became a stenographer at Edison Light and Power.

On Oct. 12, 1940, Loraine married Howard "Pete" Diehl.

Per the societal customs of the day, Loraine was expected to quit her job when she married. But she fought the tradition and received a "special exception" to continue working, she said.

Just a few months later, Loraine found out she was pregnant.

Together, Loraine and Pete built a strong family. In six years, they had three children before taking an 11-year "vacation," Loraine said, before their fourth child.

"At that point we figured, that's enough," Loraine said.