Judge Vito Geroulo sentenced the following defendants recently in Lackawanna County Court:

• Luis Ralph Nieves, 40, 389 Washington Ave., Jermyn, to 11 to 23½ months in county jail, four years of probation and $545 in restitution for criminal trespass.

• Haley M. Knight, 22, 882 N. Jasper St., Allentown, to six months of court supervision including 30 days of house arrest and a $1,000 fine for DUI – tier three, first offense.

• Coury J. Minet, 36, 910 N. Valley Road Rear, Olyphant, to six months of probation and a $300 fine for DUI – tier one, first offense.

• John P. Kaschak II, 26, 231 S. Main St., Taylor, to 90 days of probation and a $25 fine for failing to signal a turn and disorderly conduct.

• Vanessa M. O’Hara, 25, 1419 Pittston Ave., Apt. 2, Scranton, to time served (129 days) to 18 months in county jail and one year of probation for possession of drug paraphernalia.

• John Evans, 56, 1034 Plane St., Avoca, to a $100 fine for disorderly conduct.

• Sebastian Knickerbocker, 24, Scranton, to time served (169 days) to one year in county jail for disorderly conduct.

• Dashawn E. Hinton, 33, Newark, New Jersey, to 15 to 30 days in county jail for possession of a small amount of marijuana.

• Shaun Ray Wettlaufer Jr., 39, 440 Railroad Ave. Apt. 2, Scranton, to 16 months to three years in state prison for possession with intent to deliver.

• Louis Joseph Loney, 58, Dunmore, to 12 to 30 years in state prison and five years of probation for involuntary deviate sexual intercourse with a child and corruption of minors.

• David Devost, 24, Scranton, to 18 months to three years in state prison and one year of probation for conspiracy to commit robbery.

• Valerie Jean Molnar, 50, 119 Delaware Ave., Olyphant, to six months of probation for possession of drug paraphernalia.

• Jeremy Reeder, 38, 306½ N. Cameron Ave., Scranton, to 11 to 23½ months in county jail, two years of probation and $8,350 in restitution for criminal trespass.

• Francis Brazill, 50, 619 Cedar Ave., Scranton, to five years of court supervision including 90 days of house arrest and a $2,500 fine for DUI – tier three, third offense.

• Albert Vosberge, 58, 1708 Luzerne St. Apt. 15, Scranton, to six months of probation for disorderly conduct.

• Johnnie Mickell, 60, 535 Delaware Ave., Olyphant, to time served (25 days) to six months in county jail, three months of probation and a $750 fine for reckless endangerment and DUI – tier two, second offense.

• Michael D. Tomcho, 43, 140 Grzybowski Road, Scott Twp., to 30 days to six months in county jail for DUI – tier two, second offense.

Judge Michael Barrasse sentenced:

• Heather Nicole Lake, 26, 36 Benbar Drive, Harveys Lake, to three years of court supervision including 90 days of house arrest and two years of probation for theft by unlawful taking and receiving stolen property.

• Korin Mendez, 24, 3195 Cherry Ridge Road, Bushkill, to three years of court supervision including 90 days of house arrest for delivery of a controlled substance.

• Clinton J. Kendall, 51, 622 Greeley St., Avoca, to 11-23 months in state prison and five years of probation for criminal attempt – indecent assault and criminal use of a communication facility.

• Amanda L. Reesey, 35, 242 Rocky Mountain Drive, Greentown, to time served (144 days) to two years of county jail for unauthorized use of a motor vehicle.

• Brittany Williams, 24, Childs, to three years of court supervision including time served (175 days) to one year and 90 days in county jail, seven years of probation and $118.60 in restitution for retail theft and possession with intent to deliver.

• Jason Hodgins, 39, 417 Harrison Ave., Scranton, to eight years of court supervision for retail theft and possession with intent to deliver.

• Amy Lynn Sanders, 37, 17059 Church Hill Road, Falls, to six months of court supervision including 60 days of house arrest for DUI – tier two, second offense.

• Gregory Cooper, 30, 1820 Division St., Scranton, to three months of probation for harassment.

• Chad Johnson, 20, 1401 Prospect Ave., Scranton, to time served (34 days) to one year in county jail and one year of probation for harassment and disorderly conduct.

• Linda Jacobino, 43, 96 Birkett St., Carbondale, to two years of court supervision including two months of house arrest for theft by unlawful taking.

• Amanda Marie Springer, 24, 1009 Main St., Dickson City, to one year of court supervision including two months of house arrest for false reports to law enforcement.

• Paige M. Walker, 21, 37 S. Morningside Drive, Chenango, New York, to one year of court supervision including time served (14 days) in county jail and two months of house arrest for conspiracy to promote prostitution.

• Molly Stone, 22, 211 First St., Olyphant, to time served (91 days) to 23 months in county jail and five years of probation for defiant trespass, simple assault and conspiracy to commit possession with intent to deliver.

• Eric R. McCarty, 31, Wilkes-Barre, to seven years of probation and $5,041.87 in restitution for conspiracy to commit retail theft, retail theft and theft by deception.

• Michael Klapatch, 59, 684 Justus Blvd., Scott Twp., to one year of court supervision including two months of house arrest and a $1,500 fine for two DUI convictions.

• Steven Michael Distefano, 24, 39 Farischon Road, Spring Brook Twp., to 10 to 23 months in county jail and four years of probation for criminal trespass and retail theft.

• Georgeann C. Zotynia, 40, 323 Park St., Honesdale, to time served (46 days) to one year in county jail for possession of drug paraphernalia.

Judge Margaret Bisignani Moyle sentenced:

• Richard O’Brien Jr., 23, 68 Wyoming St., Carbondale, to time served (116 days) to 15 months in county jail and $600 in restitution for criminal trespass.

• John D. Ryan, 41, 46 Valley View Estates, Jermyn, to one year of court supervision including three months of house arrest and time served in county jail for disorderly conduct and harassment.

• Eddie Omar Gonzalez-Lebron, 27, 208 Crane St., Scranton, to 90 days of probation for driving with a suspended license.

• Ronald Keiper, 33, Scranton, to nine to 23 months in state prison for receiving stolen property.

• Stephen Thomas Stec, 26, Rear 500 W. Main St., Dalton, to six months of court supervision including 30 days of house arrest for DUI – tier two, second offense.

MARRIAGE LICENSES

■ Jason John Orenich and Tracy M. Ledward, both of Duryea.

■ Anthony D. Bellenzeni and Jennifer M. Cerminaro, both of Old Forge.

■ Kevin Michael Fitzgerald Jr. and Lisa Basile, both of Scranton.

■ Anthony R. Bonaddio Jr. and Tanya M. McLane, both of South Abington Twp.

■ Amanda E. Weitz and Sean M. Casey, both of Old Forge.

■ Alissa Marie Bernstein and Dylan Thomas Boutieller, both of Scranton.

■ James Russell Hatton Jr. and Jessica Ann Geis, both of South Abington Twp.

PROPERTY TRANSACTIONS

■ City of Carbondale, to Neighborworks of Northeastern PA Inc., Scranton; a property at 144 S. Church St., Carbondale, for $35,001.

■ Leonard E. Janeski, to Andrea Krivak; a property at 921 Hollenback St., Moosic, for $138,000.

■ Gladys Mac Donald, Scranton, to Najeh Jaradat, Brooklyn, N.Y.; a property at 129 N. Lincoln Ave., Scranton, for $31,000.

■ Joseph G. and Iris H. Zawilski, both of Ocala, Fla., to Jason M. and Diana P. Dietz, both of Thornhurst; a property in Thornhurst Twp., for $182,500.

■ Lynne Fortuner, executrix of the estate of Anne Fortuner, to JRBP LLC, Scott Twp.; a property at 20-22 Pike St., Carbondale, for $45,000.

DIVORCES SOUGHT

■ Christopher K. Murley, Scranton, v. Jennifer M. Murley, Factoryville; married April 30, 2008; Marjorie DeSanto Barlow, attorney.

■ Janet Gibbons, Scranton, v. Shawn Wood, Hancock, Mass.; married July 21, 2012; pro se.

■ Michael Speranzo, South Abington Twp., v. Laurie J. Speranzo, Scranton; married Sept. 21, 1996; Danielle Travagline, attorney.

■ Tammy Thomas, Scranton, v. Robert Thomas, Old Forge; married Feb. 11, 1994, in Mehoopany; pro se.

■ Renata De Lima, Dickson City, v. Luiz Oliveira, Dickson City; married Dec. 6, 2012, in Scranton; John J. Lawler, attorney.

■ Monique Quintero, Allentown, v. Jose Quintero, Scranton; married Oct. 1, 2013, in Cumberland, Md.; pro se.

ESTATES FILED

■ Robert M. Wall, 801 Lackawanna Ave., Apt. B., Mayfield, letters testamentary to Derrick M. and Tara M. Wall, both of 155 Westgate Drive, Apt. L-2, Carbondale.

■ Mary S. Nichols, 1129 Diamond Ave., Scranton, letters testamentary to Donald D. Walk Jr., 7 Carolina Lane, Westford, Mass.

■ Antoinette Bianco, 10 Hart Place, Carbondale, letters testamentary to Sean Quinn, 43 Park Place, Easton.

■ Mary R. Czachor, 918-920 Rock St., Archbald, letters testamentary to Mary Jo Pahoski, 1137 Bank St., Dickson City.

■ John R. Kugler, 81 Sturges Road, Peckville, letters of administration to Richard A. Kugler, 48 Robinwood Ave., #1, Jamaica Plain, Mass.

■ Marion Piccotti, 516 Clark St., Old Forge, letters of administration to Linda Piccotti Giglio, 519 Lawrence St., Old Forge; Mary Ellen Piccotti, 7 Seneca Drive, Old Forge; and Maureen Sangiorgio, 5246 Fox Meadow Drive, Macungie.

■ Maria Piccotti, 331 Orchard St., Old Forge, letters of administration to Linda Piccotti Giglio, 519 Lawrence St., Old Forge; Mary Ellen Piccotti, 7 Seneca Drive, Old Forge; and Maureen Sangiorgio, 5246 Fox Meadow Drive, Macungie.

■ John Piccotti, 516 Clark St., Old Forge, letters of administration to Linda Piccotti Giglio, 519 Lawrence St., Old Forge; Mary Ellen Piccotti, 7 Seneca Drive, Old Forge; and Maureen Sangiorgio, 5246 Fox Meadow Drive, Macungie.

■ Anthony T. LaRusso, 302 Minooka Ave., Moosic, letters testamentary to Lisa A. Wilkins, 471 Point Road, Factoryville.

■ Ann M. Jones, 308 Wayne St., Archbald, letters testamentary to Karen A. Kovaleski, 904 Justus Blvd., Scott Twp.; and Margaret A. Sweeney, 4 Gilroy St., Peckville.

LAWSUIT

■ Mave K. McCarey, 18915 State Route 706, Apt. B., Montrose, v. Christopher W. Beeler, 43 Foxcroft Way, Mount Laurel, N.J., seeking in excess of $50,000 plus interest and costs, for injuries suffered Oct. 30, 2014, in an automobile accident on Interstate 81 at Exit 194 at the end of the ramp in Clarks Summit; John M. Mulcahey, attorney.

ONLINE: thetimes-tribune.com/courts

CARBONDALE — City officials declared a two-story rental home unfit for human habitation this week after finding filthy and dangerous conditions there.

Fire crews were called to 23 Darte Ave. around 11:15 p.m. Thursday for a reported washing machine fire. Instead of fire, they discovered a “suspect and dangerous” electrical system, the odor of animal urine and other signs of neglect that made the home unsafe, city Code Enforcement Officer Chris Pezak said.

Seven people, including three children, living in the home were displaced. They are staying with a friend, Mr. Pezak said.

— JEFF HORVATH

Lackawanna County detectives found crack, pills and a 2-year-old child when they searched a Scranton apartment Thursday and arrested a man and woman for selling drugs, authorities said.

One of the two, Melvin Walker, 47, sold drugs while out on bail for charges relating to selling drugs in the city back in June, detectives said. He and Jessica Lopez, 44, both of 748 River St., 2nd Floor, face felony and misdemeanor drug charges and additional charges of endangering the welfare of children.

Detectives investigated claims of drug sales out of the River Street apartment and, after a controlled purchase there, went to search it Thursday afternoon, according to criminal complaints.

Inside, Mr. Walker and Ms. Lopez denied knowledge of drugs in the apartment. Ms. Lopez’s 2-year-old grandchild slept on the living room floor.

Detectives searched and found 11 bags of crack and 37 pills of clonazepam, a benzodiazepine more commonly known as Klonopin.

Ms. Lopez also has an 11-year-old who was not in the house when police were there. The county’s Office of Youth and Family Services arrived later to take the children.

Police took Mr. Walker and Ms. Lopez into custody.

On June 23, police arrested Mr. Walker for allegedly selling drugs out of a Harrison Avenue home. He faces 10 felony and seven misdemeanor drug counts in a joint investigation with the city’s Special Investigation Division, Dunmore police and the county’s Drug Task Force.

Detectives said they found 17½ grams of crack and 13 grams of heroin in the home, along with $526 and copies of R.A.W. Magazine, which stands for “Rappers at War,” the front cover of which identified him as the publication’s editor and CEO.

Mr. Walker and Ms. Lopez are both in Lackawanna County Prison in lieu of bail — $100,000 for Mr. Walker and $50,000 for Ms. Lopez. Preliminary hearings are scheduled for Sept. 8.

Contact the writer:

jkohut@timesshamrock.com,

@jkohutTT on Twitter

Tuesday to Oct. 4: “Lean Specialist Certificate Program,” Northeastern Pennsylvania Industrial Resource Center, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., 75 Young St., Hanover Twp. Six sessions, covering concepts and tools manufacturing professionals need to support continuous improve­ment efforts. Cost is $2,195. For information or to register, visit http://bit.ly/29M7P5x.

■ “School Bus Safety” webinar, PA Training for Health and Safety, 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. Understand the hazards to school students while awaiting the bus, boarding, riding and leaving the bus. To register, http://conta.cc/2bjidEe.

■ “Job Safety/Hazard Analysis” webinar, PA Training for Health and Safety, 1:30 to 2:30 p.m. Provides guidance, information and understanding on how to conduct job safety/hazard analyses. To register, http://conta.cc/2bMF7F1.

Wednesday: “Health Hazards in Construction” webinar, PA Training for Health and Safety, 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. Understand the health hazards which may be found on construction sites. To register, http://conta.cc/2bxsxaN.

■ “Groundskeeping Safety” webinar, PA Training for Health and Safety, 1:30 to 2:30 p.m. Provides safe practices and procedures for employees who are responsible for any type of grounds maintenance. To register, http://conta.cc/2bMHwza.

Sept. 7: “Total Cost of Owner­ship Supply Chain Strategy,” Northeastern Pennsylvania Industrial Resource Center, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., 75 Young St., Hanover Industrial Estates, Wilkes-Barre. Cost is $195. Breakfast and lunch will be provided. For information or to register, visit http://bit.ly/29SJuM7.

Sept. 8: “Latest Trends in Social Media” free seminar, the Greater Honesdale Partnership, in conjunction with the University of Scranton Small Business Development Center, 6 to 8 p.m., Community Room at the Visitors Center, 32 Commercial St., Honesdale. Presented by Keith Yurgosky, business consultant for the University of Scranton Small Business Development Center. Sponsored by Dunkin’ Donuts/Baskin Robbins. Advance registration is required. To register, call Gail Tucker at 570-253-5492 or email ghp@visithones

dalepa.com (put “Seminar” in the subject line of all emails).

Sept. 13: Financial Peace University, Clarks Green Assembly of God, 6:30 to 8:30 p.m., 204 S. Abington Road, Clarks Green. Nine-week class taught by Dave Ramsey, to empower attendees to get on a budget, get out of debt, save for the future and take control of their money. For information or to register, call 570-586-8286.

SUBMIT BUSINESS BRIEFCASE items to business@timesshamrock.com or The Times-Tribune, 149 Penn Ave., Scranton, PA 18503.

Target shares steady as shopping drops

As traffic and sales stagnate, shares of Target Corp. largely held ground last week, nudging up a few cents to a Friday close of $70.35 per share.

Shopper traffic is down for the first time in years. Some observers say the drop is due to the controversy over Target’s bathroom policy enunciated in April, allowing transgender customers to use the bathroom or fitting room that matched their gender identity. While some lauded the move, the company faced a boycott effort.

Target’s same-store sales fell 2.2 percent in the second quarter.

As a result, the company is installing single-occupancy bathrooms to assuage critics and afford privacy for consumers. Although the majority of Target stores already have single-use bathrooms, the renovations will cost about $20 million.

Also, Target on Friday said it would cut ties with textile firm Welspun after the Indian company passed off non-Egyptian cotton as more expensive Egyptian cotton in bedding.

Target has stores in Dickson City and Wilkes-Barre Twp.

— DAVID FALCHEK

Scranton Plan hosts festival

Visitors took to the links when the Greater Scranton Chamber of Commerce affiliate, the Scranton Plan, conducted its annual Summer Festival at Glenmaura National Golf Club in Moosic.

The festival, “an economic development marketing initiative” targets “site selection consultants, real estate professionals and corporate expansion and relocation executives,” chamber Director of Marketing and Communications Stephanie Longo says in a release. This year, more than 70 joined for the event.

The festival allows the Scranton Plan “to showcase the real estate and quality of life of Lackawanna County,” its Assistant Vice President Amy S. Luyster says in the release.

Among those taking the honors in a golf tournament featured in this year’s festival were Art Wegfahrt of Savills Studley; and Jeff St. Thomas and Greg Hoffman of McBride Corporate Real Estate.

Chamber President Bob Durkin joined Amy in congratulating them.

Stars in stripes

Navy Petty Officer 2nd Class Jordan R. Usher returned from an eight-month deployment to the Persian Gulf. Petty Officer Usher joined others aboard the USS Harry S. Truman CVN-75. in support of Operation Inherent Resolve, the bombing campaign against Islamic State militants. The son of Mr. and Mrs. Gerard R. Usher of Forest City, he is stationed in Norfolk, Virginia. Petty Officer Usher isa 2008 graduate of Forest City Regional High School and a 2012 graduate of Marywood University. ... Cadet Brigit A. Duffy, completed cadet basic training at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point. Cadet Duffy is the daughter of Joseph (formerly of Carbondale) and Jennifer Duffy of Glen Rock, and granddaughter of the late Francis and Romayne Duffy of Carbondale. She entered West Point on June 27 and started classes Aug. 15. She plans to graduate in 2020 and be commissioned as a second lieutenant in the Army.

High notes

The Lockheed Martin Armed Forces Bowl trophy landed in Archbald earlier this month during its multi-state road show ahead of the Friday, Dec. 23, Lockheed Martin collegiate bowl game. The football-shaped trophy made of steel from the battle-tested equipment of all five U.S. military service branches, “represents the courage and fortitude of our soldiers, sailors, Marines, airmen and Coast Guardsmen,” according to a release from Lockheed Martin. Among those on hand to view the trophy during an open house celebrating the Archbald facility’s 65th anniversary were Diane Golden, Jackie Golden, James Golden, James Golden Sr., Jason Golden, Jeff Golden, Jessica Golden, Justin Golden, Lisa Kelly, Kyle Kelly, Ben Powers, Chase Powers, Kristen Powers, Reese Powers, Skylar Powers, Zoe Powers, Henry Rishkofski, Debra Rosecrans and Peter Rosecran s.

HAWLEY — With an armada of boats surrounding it, cover band the May Babies floated on Lake

Wallenpaupack while rocking out songs from the Rolling Stones, Mumford & Sons and Weezer.

The eighth annual Wally Lake Fest takes over the lake this weekend and features a variety of activities including a wild mushroom walk, a lakeside luau and a play called “The Amorous Ambassador.”

On Saturday afternoon, bands took to a floating stage on the northern tip of the lake to play songs for audience members bobbing in the water and also for those listening from the land, sitting high up on nearby Tafton Dike.

New Jersey residents Tom and Jan Crosby were among those enjoying the music and the sunset across the lake. They have a vacation home in Shohola Twp. and decided to leave their boat anchored Saturday in favor of watching from firm ground. Earlier in the day, they had taken a look at the Car Cruise of Hawley, coming away impressed with a cool Hudson and an old turquoise-and-white Ford.

Harjot Singh, a 39-year-old attorney from Queens, New York, was sitting on a nearby bench overlooking the floating concert. He stumbled upon the festival while driving around the lake with his wife, his 3-year-old daughter and his parents, visiting from India.

“If you live in the city and you come to a place like this, with this backdrop, with this music and all these people coming together, it’s a great experience,” he said. “I can’t even explain it.”

Contact the writer:

pcameron@timesshamrock.com,

@pcameronTT on Twitter

If you go

Wally Lake Festival continues today with more events, including a blueberry pancake breakfast, fudge sampling, a sailboat regatta and scenic boat tours. Consult the website at wallylakefest.com for a full schedule.

Children’s boutique to open

The Enchanted Elephant Boutique, a specialty children’s store, opened Saturday. The store, located at 2019 Boulevard Ave., Scranton, carries boys’ and girls’ clothing and accessories ranging in sizes from newborn to 8. Additionally, the store offers baby registries, gift wrapping, monogramming and baptismal outfits. Hours are Tuesday through Friday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. For information, email enchantedelephantboutique16@gmail.com, or call 570-209-7481.

Health agency seeking nominations: Maternal and Family Health Services is seeking nominations for the Rose Allan Tucker Award. The award will be presented at the agency’s 45th annual meeting of the board of directors Oct. 19, at the Westmoreland Club in Wilkes-Barre. Nomination forms are available at www.mfhs.org/annual-meeting, or by calling 800-367-6347. Deadline for submissions is Aug. 31.

Restaurant hosts fundraiser: Chipotle Mexican Grill will host a Pennsylvania SPCA fundraiser across some Mid-Atlantic locations, including in Wilkes-Barre and Dickson City. When customers mention the fundraiser at the register, Chipotle will donate 50 percent of the proceeds to the Pennsylvania SPCA.

Trade event: The Northeastern Pennsylvania Alliance will host its international trade event, the 17th annual “Bringing the World to Northeastern Pennsylvania,” on Sept. 23. The event will be held at the Woodlands Inn, Wilkes-Barre. Businesses from Carbon, Lackawanna, Luzerne, Monroe, Pike, Schuylkill and Wayne counties are invited to attend and meet with Pennsylvania’s authorized trade representatives from Australia, Canada, Czech Republic, Germany, India, Indonesia, Israel, Mexico, Netherlands, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan, United Arab Emirates and the United Kingdom. Businesses will discuss and review information on their products and services, existing domestic and international markets, trade opportunities, problems in specific markets and the level of assistance needed to be successful. For information, visit www.nepa-

alliance.org.

Office hours: Two surgeons affiliated with Commonwealth Health Berwick Medical Professionals will hold office hours in Sugarloaf Twp. Anton Georgiev, D.O., a general surgeon, and John Guerriero, D.O., a vascular surgeon, will see patients at 1 Brookhill Square South.

Food stores make donation: Customers and associates at Giant Food Stores and Martin’s Food Markets donated $599,688 to Children’s Miracle Network through their annual balloon campaign.

Articulation agreement: Marywood University and SUNY Broome signed an articulation agreement for nursing programs. Under the agreement, SUNY Broome students earning their associate of applied science degrees in nursing may enroll at Marywood University and earn their Bachelor of Science in nursing degrees within two years. The agreement marks the fourth agreement with SUNY Broome this year.

SUBMIT BUSINESS BUZZ items to business@times-shamrock.com or The Times- Tribune, 149 Penn Ave., Scranton, PA 18503.

Justin Singer

Wanted by: Scranton office, state Board of Probation and Parole.

Fugitive since: June 20.

Wanted for: Burglary, receiving stolen property, theft of movable property, escape, criminal conspiracy to access device fraud, criminal conspiracy to theft of a motor vehicle. Sentenced to two years, five months to eight years of incarceration. Paroled April 12.

Description: White man, 29 years old, 6 feet tall, 170 pounds, brown hair, blue eyes.

Contact: Agent Joseph Harte, 570-614-7247.

Edward Stanko

Wanted by: Scranton office, state Board of Probation and Parole.

Fugitive since: July 28.

Wanted for: Violation of the drug court program, receiving stolen property, unauthorized use of a motor vehicle. Sentenced to two years, six months to five years of incarceration. Paroled Aug. 24, 2015.

Description: White man, 25 years old, 5 feet 7 inches tall, 160 pounds, blond hair, brown eyes.

Contact: Agent Gary Demuth, 570-614-7244.

Bruce Thompson

Wanted by: Scranton office, state Board of Probation and Parole.

Fugitive since: July 28.

Wanted for: Possession of heroin with intent to deliver. Sentenced to one year, three months, 23 days to five years of incarceration. Paroled Nov. 2.

Description: Black man, 40 years old, 5 feet 10 inches tall, 235 pounds, bald, brown eyes.

Contact: Agent Gary Demuth, 570-614-7244.

John Dyson

Wanted by: Scranton office, state Board of Probation and Parole.

Fugitive since: Monday.

Wanted for: Retail theft, possession of drug paraphernalia, escape from detention. Sentenced to three years, four months to eight years of incarceration. Paroled Oct. 14, 2014.

Description: White man, 31 years old, 5 feet 11 inches tall, 200 pounds, blond hair, blue eyes.

Contact: Agent Gary Demuth, 570-614-7244.

Darrell Frazier

Wanted by: Scranton office, state Board of Probation and Parole.

Fugitive since: Monday.

Wanted for: Retail theft, possession of a controlled substance. Sentenced to nine months to four years of incarceration. Paroled June 18.

Description: Black man, 40 years old, 5 feet 9 inches tall, 210 pounds, black hair, brown eyes.

Contact: Agent Gary Demuth, 570-614-7244.

Mohegan Sun Pocono and Mount Airy Casino Resort hit the jackpot for the first six months of this year, increasing total revenue compared to the same period last year.

The numbers show Mohegan Sun Pocono in Plains Twp. generated more than $134 million from January until the end of June from both slots and table games, a 1.62 percent increase over the same time frame in 2015, according to numbers released by the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board.

More than $111 million of that total came from slots play, a 5 percent increase from last year, while table games revenue decreased 12 percent to more than $22.8 million.

Mohegan Sun Pocono is home to 82,000 square feet of gaming space, including more than 90 table games and 2,300 slot machines and electronic table games.

The casino can attribute their success to “our great team who provides a wonderful guest experience as well as to our new slot and table products,” said Anthony McGowan, chief financial officer at Mohegan Sun Pocono.

For example, Mr. McGowan said Mohegan Sun Pocono offers a table game blackjack progressive called Blazing 7s, which has a record high jackpot of more than $770,000.

The hotel and convention center, which opened at Mohegan Sun Pocono in 2013, draws many customers who travel from farther distances and continues to show very strong occupancy, Mr. McGowan said.

Tony Carlucci, who recently began his job as the new president and general manager of Mohegan Sun Pocono, said one of his goals will be to continue to grow revenue. He said he couldn’t get into specifics, but he hopes to draw more people through amenities, special events and promotions.

Mount Airy in Monroe County brought in nearly $92.6 million in total revenue in the first six months this year, a 2.87 percent increase from the first six months of last year.

More than $71.5 million of that was from slots play, a 5.65 percent increase from last year, while table games play at the casino saw a decrease of nearly 5.6 percent to about $21 million.

Mount Airy has more than 1,800 slot machines and 80 table games.

A spokeswoman for Mount Airy would not comment on the numbers.

The 12 casinos statewide brought in more than $1.6 billion from both slots and table games from January until the end of June this year, a 3.42 percent increase from the first six months last year.

Overall statewide, slots revenue was up 1.95 percent at the 12 casinos while table games revenue increased 7.8 percent.

Joe Weinert, a casino analyst with Spectrum Gaming Group in New Jersey, said what Pennsylvania casinos are seeing is in line with most regions across the country: modest but healthy increases in revenue.

Pennsylvania remains the second-busiest gambling state in the country after Nevada.

“Pennsylvania casino operators continue to expand and improve their properties, giving patrons reasons to come more often and spend more,” Mr. Weinert said.

The two primary factors that affect the casino industry, he said, are the competitive landscape and the economy. If gas prices suddenly shoot up or there is another recession, that could impact casino revenue numbers, he said.

Pennsylvania casinos also are now offering more slot machines for patrons.

The average number of slot machines operating throughout Pennsylvania was 26,634 in July compared to 26,324 in July 2015, according to the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board. About 1,210 tables are in operation statewide on a daily basis.

The 12 casinos statewide consist of 10 standalone and racetrack casinos in operation along with the two resort casinos.

These facilities collectively employ 18,000 people and annually generate more than $1.4 billion in tax revenue from slot machine and table games play.

The largest portion of that money is used for property tax reduction to Pennsylvania homeowners with additional tax revenue going to the horse racing industry, economic development projects, fire companies, county fairs, water and sewer projects, the states’s general fund and to local governments that host casinos, according to the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board.

Contact the writer: dallabaugh@citizensvoice.com

After polluting the Lackawanna River for more than a century with a mix of raw sewage and stormwater, the Environmental Protection Agency sued the Scranton Sewer Authority in 2009 to finally fix the ancient system responsible for causing the problem.

Multimillion-dollar upgrades to Scranton’s antiquated sewer lines will help improve the Lackawanna River in Northeast Pennsylvania, and in turn the Susquehanna River and Chesapeake Bay.

The proposed sale of the sewer system to Pennsylvania American Water does not change plans for these upgrades. Instead, the crux of the proposed sale pending before the state Public Utility Commission is who will pay for the upgrades — authority sewer customers in Scranton and Dunmore alone, or part of the water company’s broader base of customers statewide.

Lackawanna River Conservation Association Executive Director Bernie McGurl supports the proposed transaction.

The city needs the upgrades and the sale proceeds, and the water company is well-suited to take over, he said. His organization has a subcontract with the authority to develop a series of fact sheets about the federally mandated upgrades.

The related issue of managing and upgrading stormwater will become more pressing as “combined” stormwater lines get separated from sewer lines, Mr. McGurl said.

A 2013 settlement between the EPA and sewer authority calls for the authority to undertake $146 million in upgrades over the next two decades.

The authority plans 40 to 50 projects involving separating stormwater lines from sewage lines or constructing huge storage tanks or larger pipes to hold overflows for release to the treatment plant after storms end, rather than sending it directly to waterways.

Work on the first 10 of these projects has begun all along the river, at spots in South Scranton, downtown, Green Ridge and the Plot. The largest storage tank, a $10.8 million, 1.1-million-gallon chamber under construction off the Linden Street bridge at Mifflin Avenue, resembles the foundation of a large building.

At Von Storch Avenue and Glenn Street near the former Scranton Lace Co., a large excavated pit contains tanks under construction.

The water company does not propose buying a separate category of solely stormwater pipes that the authority also owns, called Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System lines, or “MS4,” but for which the city is responsible. How these sole stormwater lines would be maintained by the city after a sewer sale goes through remains in question. One possibility involves the city forming a stormwater authority empowered to impose a stormwater fee, often called a “rain tax.”

Stormwater management goes beyond municipal boundaries, Mr. McGurl said.

Maps from the late 1800s show streams and brooks later diverted and channeled into underground conduits. Street flooding often occurs in spots where those former streams diverted long ago.

“There’s areas like that all over the city and up and down the valley, where we’ve very badly manipulated drainage areas, and we’re paying for it now,” he said.

Contact the writer:

jlockwood@timesshamrock.com,

@jlockwoodTT on Twitter

If a sale of the Scranton Sewer Authority isn’t finalized on schedule, city taxpayers could pay for the delay with a 32 percent tax increase in 2017.

Mayor Bill Courtright’s recovery plan relies on selling the sewer system, which serves Scranton and Dunmore, primarily to shore up the city’s severely underfunded pension plans — the most anemic in the state. If the sale is not completed by Oct. 31, the city won’t get a windfall in time to offset soaring pension contributions in the 2017 budget, which must be enacted by mid-November.

Any delay of the sale would punch a $10 million hole in the 2017 budget, requiring a 32 percent tax hike or worse, the state possibly installing a receiver, according to the arguments made by the water company, authority and city to the state Public Utility Commission.

“If the transaction is not finalized by Oct. 31, 2016, the city will face an untenable 2017 budget which may result in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania recommending installation of a receiver in the city,” according to a July 19 joint brief by the water company and sewer authority. “Without meeting this time frame, the city’s approximately $90 million budget will, at minimum, have to address a $10 million budget shortfall.”

Under the proposed deal, Scranton and Dunmore would get large windfalls from net proceeds — $96 million for the city and $24 million for the borough. While the city has not determined how to allocate cash not yet in hand, the mayor testified before the PUC a few months ago in Harrisburg that the city needs the $96 million to shore up pensions and reduce high-interest debt.

Scranton’s required contribution to its pension plans will be $18.8 million next year — a $4.4 million increase over this year’s payment. Last week, city Business Administrator David Bulzoni said the city would need to receive sewer-sale proceeds by the end of 2017 to meet the deadline to pay the 2017 pension contribution. He said he is exploring alternatives for interim funding, something akin to a tax anticipation note.

After PUC judges on Wednesday released their recommendation against the sale, Mr. Bulzoni said interim funding is a stopgap, not a solution.

“There are alternatives you can create on an interim basis that can help with the (pension contribution) increase,” Mr. Bulzoni said. “The issue with interim funding is it’s interim funding, but you still have to have a longer-term solution.”

Contact the writer:

jlockwood@timesshamrock.com,

@jlockwoodTT on Twitter

NEW YORK — It’s perhaps the most contrarian move in investing today: Trust a stock picker.

Investors have been dumping funds run by managers who try to beat the market, and they’re pouring money instead into those that track the Standard & Poor’s 500 or other indexes. Last month alone, $44 billion left actively managed stock funds, and nearly $41 billion went into comparable index funds.

To understand why, have a look at the mutual fund scorecard. Index funds have generally done better than actively managed ones over the last one, five and 10 years. Among mutual funds that invest in a mix of large-cap stocks, just 15 percent of actively managed funds managed to beat index funds over the decade through June 2016, according to Morningstar.

It’s not just stock pickers catering to mom-and-pop investors who are struggling. Hedge funds, which invest for the uber-wealthy and big institutions, have also been lagging behind index funds. Through July, they were on pace for a third straight year of lower returns than either an S&P 500 index fund or an investment that tracks a Barclays bond index, according to industry researcher HFR Inc.

But what if you can’t stand the idea of being just average? Some investors are confident they can pick the active manager who will beat the market. Other, more skittish investors would like the comfort of having a manager who can limit losses when market indexes are tumbling.

That’s why some actively managed funds are still pulling in money. American Funds, which is the second-largest fund family by assets, is unabashedly in favor of active management. It attracted a net $5 billion in investment in the first seven months of this year, though the pace has cooled recently.

Even the biggest index-fund provider, Vanguard, has actively managed funds of its own, and they’ve been drawing dollars too.

Two important factors can help determine whether an actively managed fund will beat the market.

No. 1 is fees.

Lower-cost actively managed funds have a better track record of success than expensive ones. It’s for the simple reason that a high-fee fund needs to perform that much better to match the returns of a low-cost fund. Index funds have some of the lowest fees available.

After splitting large-cap blend funds into four categories based on their fees, Morningstar found that 19 percent of the cheapest funds beat index funds over the last decade. That may not sound like much, but it’s way better than the 8 percent success rate for the highest-cost funds.

The trend carries through across different categories of mutual funds and is most pronounced at funds that invest in stocks from China, India and other developing economies. Stock pickers say these markets are particularly suited for them because they can avoid the large, state-owned companies that make up big chunks of those indexes.

Another consideration is to look for active funds where managers invest alongside their own shareholders. It’s a concept called “eating your own cooking,” and managers have to disclose in filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission data about how much they’ve invested in their own funds, if they do so at all.

American Funds says that stock funds with both low expenses and high manager ownership have much better track records than other actively managed funds. After looking at rolling one-year returns over the two decades through 2015, it said this select group within large-cap U.S. stock funds had average returns of 10.1 percent, a shade higher than the S&P 500’s 9.8 percent. They also beat the index 55 percent of the time.

For their part, stock pickers acknowledge they’ve had a rough few years in comparison to index funds. But they say they’re anticipating better conditions ahead.

In recent years, stocks have often moved up and down in unison, making it harder to pick winners and losers. That herding effect reduces the rewards for a stock picker looking to pick which, say, individual oil company looks best in the industry.

Stock pickers lay the blame for this, in part, on the massive amounts of stimulus coming from the Federal Reserve and other central banks. The Fed’s next move now, though, is likely to raise rates, not lower them. If that helps break the market’s recent herd mentality, active managers say conditions may finally tilt more in their favor.

Pike County Judge Gregory Chelak sentenced:

• Michael Anthony Scully, 27, Hawley, to 16 months and 72 hours to 54 months in a state correctional facility, and a $3,000 fine for burglary, forgery, DUI and possession of drug paraphernalia on April 22, 2015, in Blooming Grove Twp., and Oct. 14 in Lackawaxen Twp.

• Clarence Theodore Snyder, 31, Dingmans Ferry, to 72 hours to six months in the Pike County Jail, followed by six months of probation, a $1,300 fine and 12-month driver’s license suspension for DUI and possession of drug paraphernalia on Sept. 29 in Matamoras.

• Dennis George Carpentier, 41, East Stroudsburg, to six to 23½ months in the Pike County Jail and a $800 fine for retail theft and possession of drug paraphernalia on April 7 in Westfall Twp.

• Christopher Alan Wynne, 34, Hamburg, New Jersey, to six to 12 months in the Pike County Jail, a $300 fine and six-month driver’s license suspension for possession of a controlled substance on May 7, 2014, in Matamoras.

• Antonio E. Farrar, 35, Matamoras, to nine to 23½ months in the Pike County Jail and a $1,200 fine for three counts of theft by deception between March 11 and 12, 2014, in Westfall Twp.

• Pattijo Morrow, 35, Hawley, to 72 hours to six months in the Pike County Jail, followed by six months of probation, a $1,500 fine and 18-month driver’s license suspension for DUI and possession of a controlled substance on April 2, 2014.

• Brian Curtis Gunther, 33, Eldred, New York, to three to six years in a state correctional facility and a $500 fine for burglary on Dec. 5, 2012, in Dingman Twp.

• Rene Conde, 42, Brooklyn, New York, to 15 days to six months in the Pike County Jail, a $1,500 fine and 12-month driver’s license suspension for DUI on Sept. 6 in Blooming Grove Twp.

• Joann Rivera, 52, Allentown, to 12 months of probation and a $500 fine for theft on May 24, 2007, in Lehman Twp.

• Shawn H. Culleny, 35, Milford, to 18 months to five years in a state correctional facility and a $500 fine for theft in Westfall Twp.

• Hannah Marie Kliokis, 20, Tafton, to a $300 fine for possession of drug paraphernalia on Aug. 25, 2014.

• John Vincent Zurlo, 25, Greentown, to 18 months to four years in a state correctional facility and a $3,000 fine for delivery of a controlled substance and criminal use of a communi-cation facility on July 1, 2015, in Greene Twp.

• Kaynie Louise Kingston, 22, Middletown, New York, to 72 hours to six months in the Pike County Jail, a $1,000 fine and 12-month driver’s license suspension for DUI on Dec. 2.

• Lura Lynn Prespare, 34, Matamoras, to a $300 fine for retail theft on Aug. 12, 2015, in Matamoras.

• James L. Vanorski, 43, Milford, to a $300 fine for defiant trespass on Nov. 2 in Dingman Twp.

• Joshua David Stitt, 29, Cresco, to a $300 fine for possession of drug paraphernalia on March 20 in Greene Twp.

• Lewis William Jones, 75, Ringtown, to 12 months of probation and a $300 fine for unsworn falsification to authorities on July 17 in Milford Twp.

• Elizabeth Gutierrez, 53, North Bergen, New Jersey, to 72 hours to six months in the Pike County Jail, a $1,200 fine and 18-month driver’s license suspension for DUI and driving on a suspended license in Milford Twp.

Wayne County President Judge Raymond L. Hamill sentenced:

• Michael John Gardner, 42, Lakeville, to 90 days in the Wayne County Correctional Facility followed by 60 months less 90 days in the Intermediate Punishment Program, including 90 days of electronic and alcohol monitoring, a $3,000 fine, the Alcohol Highway Safety Class and 100 hours of community service for two counts of DUI.

• Darryl M. Johnson, 34, Waymart, to 12 to 36 months in a state correc-tional institution for theft.

• Donald James Lamberton, 39, Carbondale, to six to 12 months in the Wayne County Correctional Facility and a drug and alcohol evaluation for simple assault and driving while operating privilege suspended/revoked.

• Raymond A. Perez, 47, Lake Ariel, to six months of probation, a $500 fine and 40 hours of community service for unsworn falsification to authorities.

• Anthony Robert Maurizio, 33, Milanville, to 15 days to 18 months in the Wayne County Correctional Facility, a $1,200 fine and 50 hours of community service for two counts of possession of a controlled substance and one count of criminal conspiracy.

• Joseph C. Meyers, 28, Moscow, to 10 days to six months in the Wayne County Correctional Facility, a $300 fine, drug and alcohol treatment, the Alcohol Highway Safety Program and 50 hours of community service for DUI.

SCRANTON — The Lackawanna County Young Democrats wants to make sure children in the Scranton School District have what they need to start class next month.

Donations of backpacks, pencils, crayons, markers, folders, notebooks and other supplies can be dropped off at Gerrity’s supermarkets in Scranton until Sept. 4. Monetary donations can be mailed to the group at P.O. Box 41, Scranton, Pa., 18501. Checks can be made payable to Lackawanna County Young Democrats.

Items will be given to children at Adams and Willard elementary schools.

— SARAH HOFIUS HALL

SCRANTON — In response to the recent surge in racial violence, the mostly black Shiloh Baptist Church and the mostly white Mary Mother of God Parish will host a Community Meeting on Race Relations on Tuesday at 7 p.m.

The meeting will be held at the Holy Rosary Church, 316 William St.

The churches have invited local clergy as well as political and police leaders to the meeting, at which they hope the group can set some small goals for racial progress.

The public is invited and encouraged to attend.

— PETER CAMERON

Seeking veterans

If you were or a member of your family was from Lackawanna County, in the military and based at Pearl Harbor on Dec. 7, 1941, contact the 9/11 Memorial Committee at charliespano8@gmail.com or 570-342-5390; on Wednesday, Dec. 7, the 75th anniversary of the attack, the committee will place a plaque honoring all Lackawanna County veterans who were there on that “day of infamy,” people submitted must meet all three conditions above.

Marine Corps League sets barbecue

Northeastern Detachment Marine Corps League and Museum annual chicken barbecue, Sept. 10, noon-5 p.m., detachment, 1340 Alder St., Scranton, $10, at door.

VFW Post 5207 plans events

VFW Post 5207 annual Patriots Day/9-11 Ceremony, Sept. 11, 2 p.m., Routes 502 and 307, Covington Twp., with members of the North Pocono area fire, rescue and police forces in attendance, reception follows in the post hall; POW/MIA Day event, Sept. 16, 6 p.m., post hall; information, 570-241-3274.

Post 7069 sets chicken barbecue

VFW Post 7069 and auxiliary chicken barbecue, Sept. 17, 2-6 p.m. or sold out, post grounds, 402 Winola Road, $10/adults and $4.50/children; tickets, 570-586-0669 or 570-586-9821.

Reunions

USS INDEPENDENCE SETS REUNION

USS Independence CVA-62 27th reunion, Sept. 5-9, Seattle, for all Navy, Marine and Air squadrons serving on the Independence and their families; USS Independence CVA-62, 65 Pioneer Ridge Road, Canton, NC 28716, 828-648-7379 or ussindyc (va-62@hotmail.com.

AIR FORCE RESERVE REUNION

The 92nd Aerial Port Squadron Air Force Reserve Unit, Wyoming, eighth annual reunion, Sept. 10, American Legion Post 644, 259 Shoemaker St., Swoyersville, casual dress, $25, includes open bar, full buffet, dessert and coffee, payable to Mike Tressa, 55 Shoemaker St., Forty Fort, PA 18704; or Mike, 570-287-4899, or Norman, 570-383-12450; provide member and guest names with reply; deadline, Aug. 31.

Meetings

109TH INFANTRY

The 109th Infantry Regiment Association, Wednesday, 6 p.m., Shopa-Davey VFW Post, Peckville.

POST 25

VFW Post 25, Sept. 11, meeting, 1 p.m., canteen meeting, noon, post home, Scranton.

POST 7069

Abington Memorial VFW Post 7069, Thursday, 7 p.m., 402 Winola Road, Clarks Summit.

POST 657

Dupont American Legion Post 657, Sept. 6, 6 p.m., VFW Post 4909, 401 Main St.

POST 5207

VFW Post 5207, Sept. 11, noon, post home, Routes 502 and 307, Covington Twp.

POST 610

Mayfield American Legion Post 610, Sept. 12, 7 p.m.

POST 327 AUXILIARY

Olyphant American Legion Raymond Henry Post 327 Auxiliary, Sept. 12, 7 p.m.

POST 4909

Dupont VFW Post 4909, Sept. 12, 7:30 p.m., home association follows.

POST 6082 AUXILIARY

Shopa-Davey VFW Post 6082 Auxiliary, Sept. 13, 6 p.m., note new time.

Merli Center

Today: Coffee, 8:30 a.m.; morning visits, 8:45; Eucharistic ministers, 9:15; music video, 2 p.m.

Monday: Morning visits, 8:45 a.m.; Bible study, 9:30; spa day, 9:30; Long John Silver’s dine-in, noon; Tanya and Marge music program, 2 p.m.; hangman, 7.

Tuesday: Morning visits, 8:45 a.m.; bingo social, 10:15; volunteer ministry, 1:15 p.m.; PEER meeting, 1:15; choir practice, 1:45; Catholic service, 3; root beer floats, 7.

Wednesday: Morning visits, 8:45 a.m.; fishing trip, 9:30; Jeopardy trivia on large screen, 2 p.m.

VETERANS NEWS should be submitted no later than Monday before publication to veterans@timesshamrock.com; or YES!desk, The Times-Tribune, 149 Penn Ave., Scranton, PA 18503.

JERMYN — Borough Councilman Dan Markey sat on the edge of the dunk tank, waiting for a ball to hit the target.

Mr. Markey hit the water about 20 times on Saturday — a small sacrifice for seeing the community come out to celebrate the borough.

“I think Jermyn Day is a fantastic idea,” he said. “I’m so proud of the way this town can come together.”

Saturday’s event, organized by the Jermyn Recreation Committee, brought hundreds of people to Callahan Park for games, music and food.

This is the second year for the revived Jermyn Day, after the annual event ceased in the 1990s. Last year, a group of volunteers decided to reintroduce the day, and this year added a car show.

“There is such a sense of community in this small town,” said Matt Parry, chairman of the borough’s recreation committee. “There is still so much small-town pride.”

Children played free carnival games, and vendors sold their merchandise. Firefighters displayed their equipment and trucks, and a couple dozen antique car owners popped their hoods and showed off their engines.

Volunteers served hot dogs, meatball hoagies and porketta sandwiches. A DJ played music, and various groups performed, including students from Lynnette’s Twirlerettes.

Art Wilson, a borough resident for all of his 87 years, helped sell raffle tickets. He loved seeing everyone come together to support the community.

“I just love this town,” he said.

Members of the Lions Club sold first-aid kits — fitting in the borough known as the birthplace of first aid.

“You get to know your neighbors,” said Bambi Linn Wilson, Lions Club secretary.

Contact the writer:

shofius@timesshamrock.com, @hofiushallTT on Twitter

His name is all but lost to history, but he left his mark inside Catholic churches across Northeast Pennsylvania.

Augustino N. Russo, the self-titled “Scrantonian Sculptor,” was born in Solofra, Province of Avellino, Italy, on June 26, 1882. He studied under his father, a marble artist, and attended the Royal Academy of Fine Arts in Naples before moving to Rome to hone his sculpting skills.

In 1905, at age 23, Mr. Russo moved to the U.S. and found work at the New York Public Library. Soon after, he moved to Scranton, where he developed “a widespread reputation as an artist, both in sculpting and painting,” according to his obituary in The Scranton Times.

Last week, Local History highlighted Mr. Russo’s sculpture of poet Dante Alighieri, which is located on the University of Scranton’s campus. But Mr. Russo completed much larger projects elsewhere in Scranton, including ornate marble altars at St. Peter’s Cathedral, which were dedicated in March 1922 as part of a larger redecoration project overseen by architect John J. Howley. Mr. Russo’s work was commissioned by then-Bishop M.J. Hoban.

Back to Italy

To make the altars, Mr. Russo went back to Italy and established a studio in Pietrasanta, Northern Tuscany, “a town in the heart of Carrara marble district,” according to a story about the project published in 1921 by The Scranton Times. A photo of the studio and its staff of locals Mr. Russo sent to Mr. Howley included an etching above the door announcing who worked there: A. N. Russo, Scrantonian sculptor.

The same letter informed Mr. Howley that “the carving had practically been completed” and the pieces would be shipped, ready for assembling, within a month.

The sculptor traveled back to Scranton with the pieces, but he would keep the Italian studio, in part to maintain a direct connection to the beautiful Italian marble.

‘Unusually beautiful’

Mr. Russo’s altar and altar rail were described ina newsarticle as “unusually beautiful.” The cathedral’s redecoration project also included new marble floors and redone ceilings and walls, including painted design that took painstaking hours to complete.

More work was done at the cathedral in 1934; a complete remodel was done in 1967, according to a Dec. 10, 1967, news article. As part of that work, the altar Mr. Russo completed was replaced with a marble slab altar. Just what happened to Mr. Russo’s altar is not known.

Residents who were not inclined to go to St. Peter’s could see the Scrantonian sculptor’s work in other places.

In October 1921, residents were treated to a show featuring Mr. Russo’s marble statues as part of a larger industrial arts exhibit at

the Watres Armory.

The rows and rows of white marble figures, some made in his shop along West Lackawanna Avenue in Scranton, drew considerable praise from exhibit visitors. During the show, Mr.

Russo demonstrated his

carving techniques.

“He held a hammer, which he tapped upon the marble,” according to the Oct. 25, 1921, Scranton Republican article. “The ring was as clear as that of a bell.”

St. Lucy’s Church

St. Peter’s Cathedral was not Mr. Russo’s only church project, either. In the late 1920s, Mr. Russo was involved in a $250,000 — $3.3 million if undertaken today — project to build St. Lucy’s Church in West Scranton. Most of the materials, including several tons of the famous white Carrara marble, were imported from Italy. St. Lucy’s opened in 1927, with a solemn High Mass that attracted more than 20 priests from across the Scranton Diocese.

The church in the 900 block of Scranton Street, designed by architect Vincent Russoniello, boasts a marble front and a marble staircase carved in Mr. Russo’s Pietrasanta studio. Marble work inside the church, which was also done by Mr. Russo and his Italian crew, included pillars,

wainscotting, flooring, altars, the pulpit, baptismal font and stations of the cross,according to a Dec. 16, 1927, article in The Scranton Republican.

The sculptor also sketched out paintings in the church, which included many religious figures and scenes from the Bible. The paintings were completed by Italian artist Federico Bartori, according to the Republican article.

Mr. Russo enjoyed a long and illustrious career in the area. He helped design and build St. Patrick’s Church in Wilkes-Barre, as well as several sculptures for private and public use, ornate gravestones, columns, pedestals and the like.

Mr. Russo died Oct. 8, 1945, at his home, 338 Madison Ave. in Scranton. He was survived by his wife, Maria, two daughters and three sons. He is buried at Cathedral Cemetery.

ERIN L. NISSLEY is an assistant metro editor for The Times-Tribune. She has lived in the region for a decade.

Contact the writer:

enissley@timesshamrock.com