U.S. Marshals arrested a man Friday implicated in the firing of a gun in Taylor.

The officers found Alberto Torres-Luna, 20, in Allentown.

He is locked up in Lackawanna County Prison after failing to pay $20,000 bail.

Law enforcement is still searching for his brother, Luis Luna-Torres, 19, the suspected gunman in the incident, according to Taylor police.

Police sought the men for their role in a fight with the arrested man’s ex-girlfriend earlier this month. After he tried to force his way into her house, then fled, she and her family heard several gunshots.

Police have charged Alberto Luna-Torres with stalking, disorderly conduct and harassment.

— PETER CAMERON

HONESDALE — Jim Gremli paused under some streetlights as he walked along Bailey’s Avenue and stopped to survey the marketplace on either side.

“My wife said, ‘What do you want to do with it?’” Mr. Gremli said of the first time he walked along the “road.” “I said, ‘It wants to be a flea market.’”

One would be hard-pressed to find Bailey’s Avenue on a map of the Honesdale area. A GPS query would come up with nothing, but the avenue exists. It runs through the middle of the Honesdale Marketplace inside the former S.J. Bailey & Sons furniture plant. The marketplace, originally dubbed the Honesdale Flea Market, opened in August with just two vendors. Now, more than 20 vendors and artisans are set up along Bailey’s Avenue, with room for more, said Mr. Gremli, who organizes the market.

The road to that opening started about a year ago, when Mr. Gremli moved into a portion of the building to set up a work area for his business, Jim’s Sidewalk Signs, which makes wooden A-frame chalkboard signs. The owner of the building told him he could go through the old furniture plant to gather wood for his products. During one foray, Mr. Gremli noticed a series of wood stanchions about 12 feet apart. Suddenly, a revelation: he had stumbled across readymade market stalls.

The building needed work. Unwanted items — three-legged chairs, tables, papers — from previous occupants littered what is now Bailey’s Avenue. A sprinkler system and other safety features were lacking. Thick brush behind the building needed to be cleared to make way for a parking area for customers.

Shortly after the opening, more vendors came, ranging from people selling odds and ends to furniture to artisans who craft their own wares, Mr. Gremli said.

“You can go in there and buy a $1,000 table or a 25-cent can opener,” he said.

A flea market is a good, unique addition to the business community in Honesdale and the rest of Wayne County, said Debbie Gillette, executive director of the Chamber of the Northern Poconos. For one, Mr. Gremli allows for free advertising inside the marketplace for local businesses and nonprofits, which could help generate foot traffic to downtown Honesdale. Also, much like the building that houses it, the marketplace allows for new beginnings and items to be sold for reuse.

“It gives some young entrepreneurs and young people a chance at a business and retired folks a chance at another one,” she said, adding that it also gives people a place to sell their yard sale items.

In the meantime, Mr. Gremli is looking to the future while staying rooted in the past. He described the building as a “five-year plan.” He plans to spruce up the space along Bailey’s Avenue and add signs and more of the streetlights that will give it the appearance of an old-time village. Only about an eighth of it is primed for use. There is room for about 25 more vendors. Ultimately, Mr. Gremli hopes to have more of the building ready and enough space for 210 vendors.

He also hopes to keep as much of the interior of the building as original as possible and to add other links to the past, like old photographs of the building and the people who worked there.

The factory closed after operations moved to Carbondale Industrial Park in Fell Twp. in 1999. Company officials filed for bankruptcy in 2003 and laid off all employees later that year. Old employees are welcome to come visit and sign a door.

“It’s a cool old building with a lot of history,” Mr. Gremli said. “The reason I dig this building is a lot of people made their livelihoods, built their lives in this building.”

Contact the writer:

cover@timesshamrock.com,

@ClaytonOver on Twitter

If you go

The Honesdale Marketplace is open year-round Saturdays and Sundays, with vendors on scene from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Mr. Gremli is also at the building during the week, and visitors can stop by Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. to check out what’s available and make purchases.

To become a vendor, call 570-253-8000. Space is $200 per month.

Company wins national award

Northampton Fuel Supply Co. Inc. received the “Excellence in Surface Coal Mining and Reclamation,” national award. The Department of the Interior’s Office of Surface Coal Mining Reclamation and Enforcement presented the company, a mining subsidiary of Northampton Generating Co. LP, with the award in Las Vegas. The award was presented to NFS for the land reclamation at the Loomis Bank Operation off Middle Road in Hanover Twp., Luzerne County.

Foundation receives funding: The Northeastern Pennsylvania Nonprofit & Community Assistance Center presented a $32,000 check to the Greater Pike Community Foundation. Funds will help the expansion and hiring of a professional staff for the foundation.

Grant helps program: ESSA Bank & Trust Foundation gave a $7,000 grant for Valley Youth House Independent Living Programs for homeless youth in Luzerne County. The grant helped underwrite the cost of a new seven passenger van to provide transportation for participants of the program. The van makes it possible to transport clients to group activities, training and college visits.

Leadership program receives grant: Leadership Lackawanna received a $1,000 sustaining grant from the PPL Foundation. Funds will be used in support of various programming efforts, and to help offset operational expenses.

University makes national rankings: The University of Scranton has been listed among the best in the country for value by several national rankings of colleges, including the “Top U.S. Colleges” by The Wall Street Journal. Colleges were ranked based on performance indicators meant to measure student engagement and outcomes, as well as the resources provided in support of education. The university ranked 210th overall and 170th for student outcomes and 189th in student engagement. A national ranking by Educate to Career designated Scranton among the “2017 Top 100 Best Value Colleges.” Scranton ranked at 97th. This ranking was based on measurement of the percentage of graduates employed in occupations that utilize their field of study, the average salary earned by recent graduates, by school for each major category, the percentage of alumni employed within one year of graduation, among other factors. Additionally, Student Loan Report ranked Scranton 119th in the nation in its listing of institutions that provide on-campus jobs that are not affiliated with the Federal Work Study Program.

Health foundation awards grants: The Mini-Grant Committee of Wayne Memorial Health Foundation aided eight nonprofit groups with funds collectively totaling over $17,000. Grants are offered to organizations focused on promoting positive health and wellbeing for residents of the Wayne Memorial Health System service area. The 2016-17 recipients are: Honesdale Communities that Care; Wayne Highlands Middle School’s Nutrition Program; Greater Carbondale YMCA’s Wellness Program; the Cooperage Project’s Romping Radishes Program; Fair Hill Farm Riding Academy’s Strive to Thrive Program; Project Linus; GAIT Therapeutic Riding Center; and the Wayne County Public Library’s “Better information Leads to Better Health.”

Assisted living facility receives award: Clarks Summit Senior Living, 950 Morgan Highway, received the Bronze National Quality Award-Commitment to Quality. Kolia Perez, ED, accepted the award at a conference in Nashville, Tennessee.

SUBMIT BUSINESS BUZZ items to business@times

shamrock.com or The Times- Tribune, 149 Penn Ave., Scranton, PA 18503.

The crank churns from inside. “Pop Goes the Weasel” rings in skeleton trees, their few stubborn leaves raining flames. The jack-in-the-box is big enough to hold any number of horrors, but its contents can’t be known until the lid bursts open.

Even in daylight, icy fingers of dread grab your attention. You think you know what’s coming, but the final reveal guarantees a shock to the system. The jack-in-the-box works as a fun scare, but also as a creepily apt metaphor for the presidential campaign haunting this mean season.

“People freak out just waiting for it,” said John Nasko, 35, of Scranton. “Anticipation is everything.”

John would know. For 15 years, he’s been a fixture at Dracula’s Forest Haunted Attractions. Jennifer Falzone, 43, a lifelong neighbor of the Clarks Summit farm turned fear factory, has worked there since she was 15. She believes in ghosts, and two of her kids now work “In the Back” — shorthand for the scariest parts of the property.

“We’re all one big family here,” Jennifer said. “We’re all in this together.”

John said he’s been bringing his kids to Dracula’s Forest “since they were two years old.” In The Back, he plays Michael Myers, who became the quintessential American bogeyman in 1978’s “Halloween” before John was born. John bought his main mask — one of a few used in the original film and signed by “Halloween” creators John Carpenter and Debra Hill — for $400 in a charity auction.

When he pulls it on and tilts his head to the left or right, John becomes the character to the legal limit. So much so that his daughter once told her elementary school teacher, “My daddy is Michael Myers.” John felt compelled to visit her class and explain that he isn’t a relentless, remorseless murderer, but gleefully plays one each October.

A welcome escape

Dracula’s Forest is my go-to Halloween hayride. The Rock Road attraction is owned by two of my favorite local characters —Tom “Bergie” and Darlene Bergamino. For 33 years, the attraction has provided survivable horrors at affordable prices and employed untold numbers of guys and ghouls. This year, nearly 150 employees stalk its shadows and crouch in its darkest corners.

John and Jennifer are the chief architects of Dracula’s Forest. They design and build all of the operation’s scenes and scares. On Friday morning, they treated me to a behind-the-scenes look at the tricks of the trade. Their enthusiasm is infectious. For John and Jennifer, Dracula’s Forest is a year-round obsession. They never stop scheming new ways to scare the paying public, and they are rightly proud of their product.

“We’re always trying to make it scarier, more real,” John said.

So are the two parties that dominate our national politics, with at least one key distinction: John and Jennifer work to shock us in the short term for a few bucks on a fall night. Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton want us to stayed scared for at least the next four years.

From the start, Trump’s campaign has been all about spreading fear: Mexicans are rapists, Muslims are terrorists, President Obama was born in Kenya (until he wasn’t), ISIS is coming to behead us all and Hillary is coming to take our guns, Bibles and unborn babies.

In its themes and memes, Hillary’s campaign has been at least superficially positive — “I’m With Her,” “Stronger Together,” etc. But she, too, is making political hay from fear, painting Trump as a Strangelovian madman who could blow up the planet if given access to the nuclear codes. Trump’s erratic behavior and rhetoric have made this fear seem rational to many, but it remains an appeal to our worst instincts.

A nation that walks in fear is bound to stumble. This is not to say we should ignore clear and present dangers, but that we should face them with sober thought and pragmatic action. Hand-wringing and finger-pointing solve nothing.

America has been the light of the world for more than two centuries. We harnessed the atom, put men on the moon, cracked the genetic code and created smartphones and personal computers. How then can we be so afraid of an ant farm like ISIS — a ragged gaggle of barbarians from the 7th Century whose most powerful tool is the internet, which we made a reality?

Fear is a fact of life, and central to the survival of every sentient species on the planet. What matters is our response to fear. The most basic response — anger — is also the most destructive. Anger easily flares into rage. Next comes the fire and the ashes of recrimination and regret.

It is deliciously ironic that Republican elites — who have stoked fear of damn near everything for decades — are now horrified by the nominee they created. Trump is their Frankenstein monster, lurching across the countryside tossing wilted wallflowers like Sen. Pat Toomey, R-FraidyPat, into political dead pools. A little over a week before the election, Mr. Toomey still won’t say whether he’ll vote for Trump. Talk about a profile in cowardice.

I didn’t ask who John and Jennifer plan to vote for, and I frankly don’t care. My visit with them was a welcome escape to a place where fear is a momentary sensation engaged voluntarily. That’s not to say the election didn’t intrude here and there.

The jack-in-the-box is a key feature of the new “Walk of Doom,” where you stumble upon creepy clowns, howling werewolves and a pair of demented twins that reminded me of Trump trolls Rudy Ghouliani and Eye of Newt Gingrich. For Hillary haters, there are several witch mannequins to hiss at, too.

Tonight is the last of the season for Dracula’s Forest. Our electoral haunted hayride ostensibly ends on Nov. 8. Whichever weasel pops out as the winner, America must remain a family business. Like it or not, we are all in this together, even when the sun sets and wolves howl under a forlorn moon.

CHRIS KELLY, the Times-Tribune columnist, is a crank that churns from inside. Contact the writer: kellysworld@timesshamrock.com; @cjkink on Twitter. Read his award-winning blog at blogs.thetimes-tribune.com/kelly.

Wayne County President Judge Raymond L. Hamill sentenced the following:

• Josh Evan Drake, 32, Honesdale, 12 months of probation, $300 fine and 40 hours of community service for false swearing in an official proceeding on July 9, 2015, in Texas Twp.

• Dustin Regina, 30, Beach Lake, nine months of probation and $200 fine for endangering the welfare of children on March 9 in Berlin Twp.

• Jesse John Swingle, 31, Lake Ariel, 30 days to six months in the Wayne County Correctional Facility, $300 fine, drug and alcohol addiction treatment, 50 hours of community service and the Alcohol Highway Safety Program for DUI on March 20 in Lake Twp.

• Seth Andrew Shane, 22, Hawley, 14 to 36 months in a state correctional institution for possession of a controlled substance on July 28 in Texas Twp.

• Edward Eugene Wuestman, 52, Hawley, six months of probation and $500 fine for false swearing in official proceedings on Dec. 3 in Palmyra Twp.

• Colin Louis Sears, 45, Cresco, three days to six months in the Wayne County Correctional Facility, $300 fine, $323 in restitution and 50 hours of community service for theft by unlawful taking on Oct. 6, 2014, in Salem Twp.

• David Guy Gifford, 59, Deposit, New York, 18 to 36 months in the state correctional institution and $352 in restitution for theft by unlawful taking on Oct. 1-2, 2010, in Preston Twp. • Stephanie Ash, 30, Avoca, six months of probation, $300 fine, $3,013.97 in restitution, drug and alcohol treatment and the alcohol highway safety program for DUI on July 27, 2015 in Salem Twp.

• Jeffrey Alexander Dubrenas, 33, Old Forge, 12 months of probation, $500 fine and 100 hours of community service for theft by unlawful taking on March 25 in Texas Twp.

• Shane Owen Horne, 32, Honesdale, six months of probation, $120 in restitution and drug and alcohol treatment for theft by unlawful taking on Jan. 9 in Texas Twp.

• Rasheme Fisher, 24, Greentown, six months on the Accelerated Rehabilitative Disposition Program and 40 hours of community service for retail theft on June 28, 2015, in Texas Twp.

Archbald, Eynon section

The Diocese of Scranton’s Bishop Joseph C. Bambera will offer a Mass of Thanksgiving this afternoon in celebration of the 100th anniversary of the dedication of St. Mary of Czestochowa Church, where he once served as pastor. The church dates back to 1901, when a group of Lithuanians and Polish started a church together on Third Street, according to a release provided by Elvira Partyka.

After a fire in 1914, Bishop Michael Hoban, D.D., granted permission for the establishment of a new parish church, which was built on Main Street. The Rev. John Suchos was first pastor of St. Mary of Czestochowa.

The church’s main altar, built as a model of Jasna Gora — the “bright Hill Chapel” as it is called in Czestochowa, Poland — remains “and over it hangs a picture of Our Lady of Czestochowa donated by the early parishioners in memory of loved ones and future generations.

The bishop, then Monsignor Bambera, served as pastor from 2007-2010, when the Rev. Christopher S. Sahd, became pastor of both St. Thomas Aquinas in Archbald and St. Mary’s, which merged into Christ the King Parish in 2010. Auxiliary Bishop Emeritus John M. Doherty, in residence in Eynon, has been assisting with the renovations inside and outside of St. Mary’s for the 100th jubilee. An informal gathering under a large tent on the church grounds is scheduled after the 12:30 Mass and dedication.

— STAFF REPORT

yesdesk@timesshamrock.com

Clarks Summit

and Clarks Green

The shade tree commissions of both boroughs will celebrate Arbor Day on Saturday at 10 a.m. at Hillside Park’s Community Garden on Winola Road in South Abington Twp.

Donna Zagrapan and Gene Gallagher will receive special recognition at the event this year. Ms. Zagrapan, an original member of the Clarks Summit Shade Tree Commission and a past chairwoman, will be stepping down because she is relocating to the Philadelphia area. Mr. Gallagher spearheaded the move to introduce recycling efforts in Clarks Summit and Clarks Green.

“Both Donna and Gene have proven to be exemplary citizens and residents of Clarks Summit,” borough manager Virginia Kehoe said in an email.

— CLAYTON OVER

cover@timesshamrock.com

@ClaytonOver on Twitter

Honesdale

More than 200, many of them first responders, turned out for a ribbon-cutting ceremony at Wayne Memorial Hospital’s first helipad. A Geisinger Life Flight chopper on site at 1839 Fair Ave. was open to all to climb aboard and investigate, Lisa Champeau, PR manager, said in a release. Other hospital systems expected to use the helipad include Commonwealth Health and Lehigh Valley Health Network.

Wayne Memorial CEO David Hoff thanked the hospital’s auxiliary for funding most of the $124,000 cost of the site, and the Geisinger flight crew for giving tours of the chopper. Auxiliary President Carol Sturm and Past President Martha Wilson spoke about the Auxiliary’s long-standing support of the

hospital.

The ceremony concluded with Jim Pettinato, director of patient care services, discussing how the helipad is part of a much bigger picture, according to the release, adding it “was built to support an application for Level IV Trauma status, which should be completed next year.”

The helipad, which has been approved by the Federal Aviation Administration and the Pennsylvania Aviation Bureau, is awaiting clearance from the state Department of Health and the completion of training for several local ambulance companies, according to the release.

— STAFF REPORT

yesdesk@timesshamrock.com

Lackawanna

County

The countywide tire collection event collected more than 26 tons of tires from Oct. 12 to 15 at nine spots that now will be recycled, county recycling coordinator Barbara Giovagnoli said.

County officials have been holding the event for at least a dozen years and the tonnage collected is about average, Ms. Giovagnoli said. Tire collection is beneficial for public health and safety, as standing water in them can create a breeding ground for mosquitoes, and tire fires burn especially hot, she said.

“The focus is to get these tires properly disposed of and made into other products, not orphaned along the road,” Ms. Giovagnoli said.

The collection was enough to jam-pack two tractor trailers, Ms. Giovagnoli said. The tires were taken to Mahantango Enterprises Inc. in Liverpool, where they will be recycled into items like athletic turf, rubber mulch and rubber mats.

— CLAYTON OVER

cover@timesshamrock.com

@ClaytonOver on Twitter

Mayfield

Mayfield American Legion Post 610 donated two laptop computers to the Mayfield Police Department.

Mayor Al Chelik, Chief Joe Perechinsky and Officer Ed Perechinsky accepted the laptops from Legion Commander Tom Arthur during a presentation also attended by Dave Bowan, Dave Malson, Ron Mroczka, John Ogozaly and Dom Surace.

— STAFF REPORT

yesdesk@timesshamrock.com

Moscow

The borough received four applications for council’s short-term appointment to replace Mayor Daniel Edwards, who resigned earlier this month because of health problems.

Councilman Marc Gaughan said other members indicated they will take their time and interview all of the candidates, meaning the timeline for an appointment would depend on the pace of the interviews.

Mr. Gaughan hoped to end up with someone with good foresight on development of the borough, who knows how council works and can analyze situations well to give council useful input — all qualities he saw in Mr. Edwards.

“He left very big shoes to fill,” Mr. Gaughan said. “For tiny feet, he had very big shoes.”

— KYLE WIND

kwind@timesshamrock.com

Scranton

A sign marks the site of Scranton Veterans Memorial Park, adjacent to the Scranton Veterans Memorial Stadium.

Members of the Scranton Veterans Memorial Park committee, Local Union 645, KML Carpenters union and Scranton School District staff, including Pat Ahern, Vince Carden, Rob DeLuca, Wally Evans, Rich Foley, Gary Ford, Jim Kuchwara, Justin MacGregor, Dave Roman and Drew Simpson unveiled the sign in front of the future park.

A group of 11 volunteers, all veterans, formed Scranton Veterans Memorial Park Committee to partner with the Scranton School District to construct the park, according to information provided by Mr. Ahern. The committee then partnered with VFW Post 25 to serve as the fiscal sponsor. Members of the Marine Corps League and American Legion posts also are assisting as are other community, school district board and administration members.

A monument to all the Scranton veterans who died in defense of freedom from WWI, WWII, Korea, Vietnam, and the Iraq/Afghanistan Wars, is planned, as is a flag area for the American Flag, POW-MIA Flag, as well as flags representing the five armed forces of the United States: Army, Marines, Navy, Air Force, and Coast Guard.

— STAFF REPORT

yesdesk@timesshamrock.com

It will soon be time to start stirring the gravy for St. John Neumann’s Parish annual roast beef dinner. The popular event at Holy Name of Jesus Church Hall on East Mountain is scheduled Nov. 6 from noon to 4 p.m. with takeouts available at 11, according to Father Michael Bryant, pastor.

“This year our chef is James Reese who in November will be opening the Fireside Martini Grill (formerly Gubbio’s and the Brooklyn Pub) in Dunmore,” Father Bryant said in an email. “Chef Reese and his staff will provide the roast beef, potatoes, gravy, green beans and coleslaw and the remainder of the meal including great homemade desserts and all the festivities will be provided by the hard-working parishioners of St. John Neumann Parish led by Robert Haas.”

Adult tickets are $12 until Friday, $14 at the door. A child’s portion is $6. Tickets can be reserved by contacting the parish office at 570-344-6159 or emailing secre

tary@stjnparish.org.

“We also invite you on that day to take a chance on either a handmade patriotic patchwork quilt or an ‘autumn centerpiece’ with a ‘dinner certificate’ for an evening out,” Father Bryant noted.

— STAFF REPORT

yesdesk@timesshamrock.com

Lorayne Tallo, a longtime resident of West Scranton, received a salute and proclamation from Mayor Bill Courtright and the Scranton Tomorrow Mayor’s Committee. A tree was planted in Allen Park at North Main Avenue and Price Street in Lorayne’s honor as part of the 150 Year 150 Tree salute.

Mark and Karen Buzzari suggested the award for Ms. Tallo for her community contributions.

— STAFF REPORT

yesdesk@timesshamrock.com

South Abington Twp.

Republican Party of Lackawanna County Chairman Lance J. Stange Jr. presented the party Volunteer of the Year award to township resident Tom Kenney at the Mutli-County Fall Dinner. Mr. Kenney was recognized for his service to the party during the event at St. Mary’s Center in Scranton.

— STAFF REPORT

yesdesk@timesshamrock.com

Starrucca

An interpretive sign for the “Bridge of Stone” will be unveiled Nov. 6 at 1 p.m. The Starrucca Viaduct Sign will be located in Luciana Park, Lanesboro, under the viaduct.

Funding for the sign was provided by the Endless Mountains Heritage Region and by many donors, whose names are inscribed in a bluestone patio in front of the sign, according to a release from Lynn M. Conrad of the Rail-Trail Council of NEPA, which also thanked Endless Mountain Stone Co. “for providing pavers at a much reduced rate.”

The sign is dedicated to the late William Young, a railroad historian and author of the “Bridge of Stone.” Key individuals involved in the project will offer remarks. Refreshments will be served.

“The D&H Rail-Trail runs under this magnificent ‘Bridge of Stone’ (which) is recognized as one of the most daring feats of stone vault engineering ever attempted in this country,” the release said.

For details, contact the office at 570-679-9300 or trails@nep.net.

— STAFF REPORT

yesdesk@timesshamrock.com

AROUND THE TOWNS appears each Sunday, spotlighting the people and events in your neighborhoods. If you have an idea for an Around the Towns note, contact the writer for your town, or the Yes!Desk at 570-348-9121 or yesdesk@timesshamrock.com.

A political newcomer promising to help to small businesses faces an incumbent state representative who argues he’s done a good job for constituents and deserves re-election in the 114th state House district race.

Republican Cheryl Scandale-Murnin, a trained interior architect and Marywood University professor, is making her first bid for public office against Democratic Rep. Sid Michaels Kavulich, who started out as a local broadcaster and moved into electoral politics six years ago.

Democrats have held the 114th seat since 2000.

As she campaigns, Ms. Scandale-Murnin said voters tell her Mr. Kavulich is a “nice man,” but complain he’s unavailable and his offices sometimes fail to return calls. She promised regular town hall meetings if elected.

“I’m really interested in meeting with people and understanding what their needs are and then getting something accomplished,” she said.

Ms. Scandale-Murnin said she would concentrate on reducing taxes and regulations that harm small businesses. She suggested small business tax breaks would help, but said she would use community meetings to find the best idea.

She also would pursue policies that emphasize environmental sustainability in developing businesses.

“There’s this kind of misnomer that Republicans hate the planet,” she said. “That really saddens me.”

Ms. Scandale-Murnin said she would consider the concept of raising income and sales taxes and using the money to reduce school property taxes, but wasn’t ready to commit to the idea.

Ms. Scandale-Murnin said she must further study closing the “Delaware loophole” that allows companies to shift profits to states with a lower income tax and using the money to slash the 9.99 percent corporate net income tax. She favors cutting the corporate tax.

She’s willing to consider a natural gas extraction tax, but wants one that won’t chase gas drillers out of state. Some of that money could go toward improving the environment, she said.

On dealing with the $60 billion deficit in the state employee and teacher pension systems, Ms. Scandale-Murnin said borrowing might be necessary to close the gap, but she’s unsure how to fix the problem.

She thinks she would favor selling off the state’s liquor stores, but admits she hasn’t studied the issue in great detail.

Mr. Kavulich dismisses the claim that he ignores constituents and challenged Ms. Scandale-Murnin to name the people he allegedly ignored so he could help them. In 2014, Mr. Kavulich said, his office helped organize opposition to Scranton’s proposed commuter tax that was eventually struck down in court.

Mr. Kavulich said he also helped Glenburn Twp. obtain a Route 6 turning lane to improve school bus safety; convinced Gov. Tom Wolf to keep the local Penn State Extension Office open to benefit farmers; and successfully pushed for the $1 million state grant to upgrade and create new jobs at a Taylor railroad yard.

Mr. Kavulich said he plans to continue pursuing a statewide health insurance plan for teachers to save money and eliminate a contentious issue in school teacher contract talks. He also wants to get the Senate to pass his House-passed bill requiring school districts to conduct two emergency lockdown drills a year.

Mr. Kavulich said he favors raising the state sales and income taxes to reduce school property taxes and a 4 percent natural gas extraction tax comparable to neighboring states so drilling companies don’t leave for other states.

He also favors closing the “Delaware loophole” and using the money to shore up the pension funds or cut the corporate tax. He pointed to his vote earlier this year in favor of a bill that became law that started addressing the huge pension deficit.

He favors addressing the pension deficit further by modernizing the state liquor store system and using the new profits to pay down borrowing that covers the deficit. The state could also increase the beer tax from a penny to 6 cents a gallon.

He opposes selling off the liquor stores because it would cost 5,000 employees their jobs, force them into lower-paying jobs that require government assistance and the state would lose significant revenue.

The district consists of Carbondale city, Waverly, Carbondale, Fell, Glenburn, Greenfield, Newton, North Abington, Ransom and Scott townships and Clarks Summit, Dickson City, Jermyn, Mayfield, Moosic, Old Forge, Taylor and Vandling boroughs.

Representatives serve two-year terms. The salary this year is $85,338.65with inflation-adjusted raises yearly.

The election is Nov. 8.

Sid Michaels Kavulich (Michael George Kavulich)

Party: Democrat

Age: 60

Residence: Taylor

Family: Wife, Linda; daughters, Loni and Ariel, son Zachary

Education: Riverside Jr.-Sr. High School, 1974; associate degree, broadcasting, Williamsport Community College, 1976

Employment: State representative

Experience: Newscaster/sportscaster, WCDL Radio, Carbondale, 1976-1977; disc jockey/sportscaster, WICK Radio, Scranton, 1977-1979; newscaster/sportscaster, WEJL & WEZX (Rock 107), Scranton, 1979-1981; sports reporter/anchor, WBRE-TV, 1981-1999; general manager, 1999-2003, St. Ann’s Media, St. Ann’s Basilica, Scranton; sports director, WYOU-TV, 2003-2006; communication specialist, Pa. Senate Democratic Caucus, 2006-2010; state representative, 2010-present

Cheryl Lynn Scandale-Murnin

Party: Republican

Age: 52

Residence: Waverly Twp.

Family: Husband, Patrick J. Murnin, M.D.; sons, Patrick and Christopher

Employment: Adjunct professor, business, Marywood

University

Education: Plymouth-Whitemarsh High School, 1982; associate degree, Art Institute of Philadelphia, 1984; bachelor’s degree, business administration, Marywood College, 1996; master’s degree, interior architecture, Marywood University, 2008; graduate certificate, sustainable community planning, Boston Architecture College, 2012; master’s degree candidate, business administration, economic and community development, Southern New Hampshire University

Experience: Interior designer, Civitas Architects, Philadelphia, 1984-1988; senior project designer, QuadThreeGroup, Wilkes-Barre, 1988-1990; director of design, Palumbo & Horlacher, Scranton, 1990-1993; owner, MOS Design, 1995-2007; adjunct teacher, business, Marywood University, 2008-present

Spirit of Hope honors courage

Dr. Harmar D. Brereton will receive the Tribute to Courage award at the fifth annual Spirit of Hope Celebration on Friday. The gala in the Keystone Grand Ballroom at Mohegan Sun Pocono is honoring the Northeast Regional Cancer Institute’s 25th anniversary.

The event, “A Quarter Century of Caring ... A Lifetime of Hope,” is presented by the Spirit of Hope board of ambassadors. Traci Fosnot is chairing the celebration.

It benefits the Northeast Regional Cancer Institute’s Patient Navigation Program, which helps low- income, uninsured and underinsured individuals obtain screenings for various cancers. Since the celebration began in 2012, proceeds from the event have helped provide over 2,400 life-saving screenings.

“I am so happy and grateful for this honor from an organization that is dedicated to the better health of our whole community,” Dr. Brereton told NRCI’s Amanda E. Marchegiani .

The Northeast Regional Cancer Institute was founded in part by Dr. Brereton’s “vision to coordinate oncology resources to benefit cancer patients and their families, address cancer as a public health issue and eliminate costly duplication of services” in Northeast Pennsylvania, according to information provided for the celebration. He established Northeast Radiation Oncology Center and has developed a network of oncology centers caring for more than 2,000 patients each year, serving over 22 hospitals in Pennsylvania, New York and New Jersey. He is a founding partner of the radiation oncology physician group, Radiation Medicine Associates of Scranton. Through the years, Dr. Brereton’s research has resulted in over 60 publications and a Public Health Commendation Medal presented by President Gerald Ford for the establishment of a clinical cancer training program at the National Cancer Institute. He serves on the boards of Greater Scranton Chamber of Commerce, Scranton Area Foundation, Northeast Regional Cancer Institute, Countryside Conservancy, WVIA, Keystone College and the Schemel Forum of the University of Scranton and is a professor of medicine and assistant dean for development at the Commonwealth Medical College.

The ambassadors

Members of the board of ambassadors include Leo P. Vergnetti, chairman; Thomas Blaskiewicz; Jim and Susan Brady; Nicholas Colangelo, Ph.D.; Richard P. Conaboy Jr.; attorney Mark Conway; attorney Thomas P. Cummings Jr.; Cliff and Marsha Fay; attorney Joseph G. Ferguson; Greg Gagorik; Kristie Hynoski; James T. Gorman; John and Jennifer Heil; Scott Henry; Charles C. Jefferson; Jennifer Lynett; Sharon Lynett; Brian McQuestion; Paul McGloin; Evie Rafalko McNulty; Philip Medico; Dan Meuser; John Moran; Chuck Morgan; David J. Nape; Dr. Christopher Peters; Billy Rinaldi; attorney John P. Rodgers; Vince Scarpetta; P. Richard Scheller; Roxanne Schulman; Patrick Sicilio; attorney Eugene D. Sperazza; Steven J. Szydlowski, Ph.D.;Joe Van Wie and Andrew M. Wallace.

High notes

Barbour’s Bakery of Carbondale won the Chocolate Challenge at United Neighborhood Centers of Northeastern Pennsylvania’s 12th Annual Chocoholic Frolic. The bakery was represented at the event, which raised funds for UNC’s free adult literacy and English as a Second Language education programs, by Janet Cook, Maureen Cook, Janet Price and Susan Price . Barbour’s Bakery won the contest based on a variety of treats that included chocolate peanut butter delights, chocolate cake, brownies, cookies, and more. Harvest Catering, represented by Michael Bodner , was runner-up. It offered s’mores with homemade marshmallows and graham crackers, as well as cocoa-flavored pulled pork sandwiches.

Stepping onto a football field is entering an arena of risk. Collisions occasionally spill from the field.

One month ago today at John Henzes/Veterans Memorial Stadium in Blakely, a Valley View player running with the ball was driven out of bounds and collided with Anthony “Taps” Cantafio, a longtime Scranton Prep statistician, former coach and teacher.

Mr. Cantafio, 67, hit the ground with tremendous force, striking the back of his head off an asphalt surface that borders the field.

He lost consciousness and was taken by ambulance to a hospital where he died 10 days later.

Mr. Cantafio’s death prompts concerns and questions about sideline safety, especially locally at the scholastic level.

COLLINS: Best defenseon sidelines? Be careful

Are there too many people on the sidelines? Does every person on the sideline serve a purpose for being there? Do they have enough protection with a such a physical game being played right in front of them? Are there ways to minimize the risk?

Numerous collisions have occurred on sidelines over the years — some more well-known than others.

• On Oct. 8 at Abington Heights’ Stadium, the momentum of a tackle near the sidelines crashed two players into a Wyoming Valley West cheerleader, whose back was turned from the field. At the time, she and the rest of the cheer team were performing a routine facing the crowd, which is common among cheerleaders. There is no surrounding track and sideline space is extremely limited at the stadium. The cheerleader avoided serious injury and has since returned to performing, according to coach Kristen Down.

• In 2015, Mark Bachtel, a 64-year-old assistant coach at Scurry-Rosser High School in Texas, struck the back of his head off a concrete curb near the sideline when two players collided with him. He was in a coma for five weeks and hospitalized 56 days. He survived.

• In 2006, Wisconsin linebacker DeAndre Levy collided with Penn State coach Joe Paterno, who suffered a broken left leg and damaged knee ligament.

• In 1996, Green Bay Packers receivers coach Gil Haskell, 52, spent 11 days in a Dallas hospital after suffering a skull fracture and brain contusion when he was struck by a player in a sideline collision during the NFC Championship Game. He recovered and continued his coaching career.

“Whether you’re paying attention or not, kids today are bigger, stronger and faster,” Scranton athletic director Ted Anderson said. “They come at you and you can get your legs taken out from underneath you. You think you’re 5 yards back but 5 yards back isn’t enough if somebody gives them a good shove.”

Football has changed dramatically through the years and that makes being on the sidelines more dangerous, Scranton Prep athletic director Scott Gower said.

“With the spread offenses and four wide receivers, you have a lot more plays that are going to come toward the sidelines and I think that’s probably increased the rate of sideline collisions,” he said. “We’ve always stressed that everyone on the sidelines has to be careful and to pay attention. When incidents like these happen, you heighten your awareness. It’s always been preached to pay attention and to stay alert. When unfortunate things like this happen, you preach it even more.”

What can be done?

The Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association is the governing body for scholastic sports in the state. However, it does not regulate who or how many people are allowed on the sidelines, according to executive director Dr. Robert Lombardi.

That, he said, is the purview of individual schools.

The PIAA follows standards and rules set forth by the National Federation of State High School Associations, which doesn’t address sideline issues. (Efforts to reach NFHS officials to inquire if it records statistics on sideline injuries were unsuccessful).

What the PIAA and its officials do enforce, Mr. Lombardi said, is that players, coaches and game officials stay inside the sideline’s restricted area, which is a 2-yard buffer zone behind the sideline between the 25-yard lines.

In front of that restricted area — but not on the field of play — is known as the coaches’ box, where no more than three coaches can stand when the ball is dead. When the ball is about to be snapped, however, nobody can be in that area.

PIAA officials do not control what goes on beyond those boundaries, said Paul Sheehan, who is the PIAA statewide football rules interpreter and a District 2 official.

“Anybody else that’s on the sidelines (outside the box), we, as officials, are not concerned with that,” Mr. Sheehan said. “That really is a game management (or) a home (team) management type of decision (whether or not) they have to have the people on the field. They have to allow the people on the field. If they’re there and they’re behind the 2-yard restraining line and they’re just doing their job and they’re not interrupting and they’re not giving the officials a hard time and are not in the way, we’re really not concerned with who’s there.”

The edge of the playing field can often be lined with nonplayers and coaches, from statisticians to administrators to boosters to former players to media to young children and cheerleaders.

“I think people need to be realistic to the fact where if you’re at a football game and you’re on the sidelines, you need to know that there’s risk there, first of all, and follow rules that are established there,” Carbondale Area athletic director Erik Larson said. “Make sure you’re back behind those lines that are established. Even getting behind those lines doesn’t mean you’re not going to get hit.”

It raises the question of who should and shouldn’t be allowed on the sidelines. Does an administrator or a statistician need to be on the sideline? Should coaches from other sports be there?

“I’ve never as a principal or a superintendent been on the sideline because I don’t want to be there for a ceremonial thing,” Old Forge superintendent John Rushefski said. “I think everybody there has a job to do. I show my support with the fans in the stands. That’s how I’ve always been. I’m not saying it’s a bad thing, but I don’t see where I bring a purpose to the sideline if I’m there. I think it should really be coaches and people connected to the program directly.”

Possible solutions

Most District 2 schools do not have formal policies regarding who or how many people are allowed on the sidelines but some are working toward limiting the number of people.

In light of Mr. Cantafio’s death, Dunmore has a list of people who are cleared to be on its sideline, including statisticians and managers. The list is approved by the school board.

Superintendent John Marichak, who played football at Villanova University and served as head coach at Scranton and Honesdale, said the list limits the school district’s liability and reduces the potential for accidents for anyone who doesn’t perform a function on the sideline.

“Kids are playing at 100 mph as they’re taught,” said Mr. Marichak, who recalled having his legs taken out from under him as a coach but luckily did not suffer injuries. “It just happens. So we just thought that the best thing we could do is eliminate as many potential situations that could cause problems and that’s what we’re going to try and do moving forward.”

Hazleton Area athletic director Fred Barletta said his school issues a credential to nonuniformed personnel, including media and student managers.

At Carbondale Area, Mr. Larson knows how dangerous the sidelines can be and has reiterated that to his children, who have served as waterboys and watergirls, by telling them to always stay behind the offense depending on what direction the play is going, something that seems logical.

“Does that mean they won’t get hit up there? No, some plays will go backward,” Mr. Larson said. “But 95 percent of the time, the play is going forward away from them. It’s little things like that where you’re just trying to remind people.”

At a field like Valley View’s, the risk is compounded because an asphalt track surrounds the field in relatively close proximity.

Since Mr. Cantafio’s death, Valley View superintendant Tom Quinn confirmed there have been discussions about the paved area, which he said was never an issue prior to last month.

One potential solution is installing a thick rubber covering at least behind both benches. Those conversations are preliminary, he said.

“There were no shortcuts taken with respect to suggested distances that the architects drew up (when designing the stadium,” Mr. Quinn said. “It was prevailing safety standard. But now we’re asking the question, ‘How do we deal with this just in case?’

“We’re still in the brainstorming stages knowing that winter is coming. Spring will be a time to implement something and have it more than ready by summer practices.”

Schools are trying to learn from the accident that claimed Mr. Cantafio’s life. Some are re-evaluating their systems.

“I guess the hope would be in such an unfortunate incident that people would use the incident to sort of just learn from it and do their own evaluation,” Mr. Gower said.

Staff writers JOBY FAWCETT and SETH LAKSO contributed to this story.

Contact the writer:

shennigan@timesshamrock.com

@RailRidersTT on Twitter

In the 113th state House district race, Republican David Burgerhoff hopes to win a seat in the Nov. 8 election that Democrats have held for at least four decades.

Democratic Rep. Marty Flynn, now in his second term, stands in the way.

Mr. Flynn said he believes he deserves re-election because he fights for taxpayers. He voted against former Gov. Tom Corbett’s plan to raise taxes on gasoline to fund a massive transportation bill. He co-sponsored a job-creating law legalizing industrial hemp production, fought for real-estate tax exemptions for veterans’ widows and provided top-notch constituent service to local citizens.

“There’s nobody who works as hard as I do,” he said.

If re-elected, Mr. Flynn said he will push to get Scranton a city revitalization and improvement zone. The maximum 130-acre zones allow cities to use state and local taxes collected with the zones to pay off loans used to stimulate economic development within them.

Mr. Flynn said he will push the House to pass a bill authorizing borrowing to fix the $60 billion deficit in the state’s employee and teacher pension systems. Otherwise, school districts will have to pay more into the pension each year, increasing the pressure to raise property taxes. He favors raising the state sales and income taxes to reduce school property taxes.

Mr. Flynn said he still favors a 5 percent natural gas extraction tax and closing the “Delaware loophole” that allows companies to shift profits to states with a lower income tax and using the money to slash the corporate net income tax.

He opposes selling the state’s liquor stores because the state faces a $1.8 billion deficit next year and the stores make money.

“You don’t sell assets when you’re having tough times,” he said.

He said he introduced and worked to get bills passed that would make prosecuting animal abusers easier, and get electronics device manufacturers to contribute to the cost of recycling old devices.

Mr. Burgerhoff said he will pay far more attention locally than Mr. Flynn does.

“I don’t see him getting heavily involved with any of the neighborhood associations or actually hands on as far as addressing the blight issue or crime,” he said.

Mr. Burgerhoff said he will donate 30 percent of his legislative salary after taxes to fight blight. His goal is to remove at least one blighted property from each neighborhood.

“I don’t need a ton of money to live on. That’s why I do the work I do,” he said.

He also plans to fight drug-induced crimes by fighting for money to educate parents and children about the dangers of drug addiction, especially teaching parents about the need to hide painkillers from children. He also wants to fight for more money for addiction treatment, but wants treatment centers based in rural areas so addicts are away from the influences that make them use drugs.

Electing a Republican will allow that to happen because Republicans have the majority in the House.

Mr. Burgerhoff said he favors reducing school property taxes by increasing sales or income taxes but is concerned a higher income tax could hurt lower-income citizens. He favors a natural gas extraction tax, but no higher than 2 percent to avoid chasing drillers out of state and with most of the money going to local projects. He also favors closing the “Delaware loophole.”

He favors selling off the state’s liquor stores and said that eventually could produce more tax revenue than the state-run stores’ profits.

He also favors shifting new state employees and teachers to 401(k)-style pension plans. If bond borrowing is required to fund the pension system deficit, he favors allowing everyday citizens to buy the bonds.

Contact the writer: bkrawczeniuk@timesshamrock.com

Martin Bradshaw Flynn

Party: Democrat

Age: 41

Residence: Scranton

Family: Single

Education: Scranton Preparatory School, 1994; bachelor’s degree, legal studies, Marywood University, 1999

Employment: State representative

Experience: Boxer, 1995-2000; owner, Legend’s Bar, 2002-2009; co-owner KO Paving, 2004-2012; county prison employee, 2002-2012, started as guard and worked his way up to inmate education/programs coordinator and chairman of prison’s misconduct board; state representative, 2012-present

David Andrew Burgerhoff

Party: Republican

Age: 43

Residence: Scranton

Family: Son, David

Education: Dallas Senior High School, 1991; bachelor’s degree, communications, University of Scranton, 1997

Employment: Self-employed handyman who does estate cleanouts, home repairs and maintenance and similar tasks. Also cleans out commercial ducts for Kleen Air in Luzerne

Experience: Insurance sales, Banker’s Life & Casualty, 1998-1999; intermittent claims interviewer, state Department of Labor & Industry, 2001-2003; carrier, United States Postal Service, 2006-2012; customer service representative, Social Security Administration, 2009-2010; crew member, Kleen Air, Luzerne, 2012-present

1. What delayed the opening of a peculiar park behind the 500 block of Lackawanna Avenue in Scranton for several years?

A. Developers failed to get funding.

B. A dispute between the state Department of Transportation and the contractor.

C. Residents of a condo on that block filed paperwork to make the park private property.

D. City officials refused to sign off on reports that the park was safe for public use.

2. True or false? The rate of Pennsylvania infants hospitalized with drug abuse issues grew by 250 percent from 2000 through 2015, a new study shows.

A. True.

B. False. It grew by 20 percent.

3. For perjury, false swearing and related counts, former state Attorney General Kathleen G. Kane was sentenced to serve ...

A. 10 to 23 years in prison.

B. 10 to 23 days in prison.

C. 10 to 23 months in prison.

D. 10 to 23 hours in prison.

4. What does a Scranton couple who run a popular bar in the city’s Hill Section plan for a property on Penn Avenue?

A. A boutique selling home goods, with an emphasis on kitchen and barware.

B. A clothing store featuring handsewn goods for children.

C. A bookstore specializing in rare and first-edition novels.

D. A bar/restaurant.

5. Why did state police halt a criminal investigation of a deal that allowed several Scranton employees to retire with double pension payments in the early 2000s?

A. Several people involved in the double-pension deal have passed away.

B. No one is cooperating with state police.

C. The statue of limitations to file charges has passed.

D. They handed it over to the FBI.

6. To whom did Clarks Summit University sell its seminary building?

A. The Priestly Fraternity of St. Peter.

B. Clarks Green borough.

C. Lackawanna College.

D. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

7. Why did two Lackawanna County commissioners take a tour of the former Globe store last week?

A. They were getting a sneak peek at the renovations done by a private developer to turn it into apartments.

B. They plan to convert it into a county office hub.

C. They were touring a haunted house set up to raise money for needy kids.

D. It was part of a tour of marketable empty retail space set up by the Greater Scranton Chamber of Commerce.

8. True or false? A nearly $4 million streetlight upgrade project calls for replacing more than 6,200 old bulbs throughout Scranton with colorful Christmas lights.

A. True.

B. False. They will be replaced with brighter, more energy-efficient LED bulbs.

9. Which new store is coming to Viewmont Mall in late 2017?

A. Bed, Bath and Beyond.

B. HomeGoods.

C. H & M

D. Buy Buy Baby.

10. A man who visited Steamtown National Historic Site Thursday is planning to ...

A. visit every train-related park in the United States.

B. visit every tourist spot in Pennsylvania this year.

C. visit all 413 national park units in one continuous trip.

D. ride a steam engine across the United States.

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

CLARKS SUMMIT — Kevin Frederick didn’t want to buy a haunted house.

But that’s just what he got when he purchased a home on Bedford Street in Clarks Summit two years ago, he said.

“Did I believe in ghosts? Iffy,” he said.

He does now.

A frightened tenant, stories of phantom smells, disembodied voices, creaking floorboards, objects moving on their own, and a series of paranormal investigators and mediums led him to a business venture unique in Northeast Pennsylvania: a haunting open to an inquiring public, for a price.

Mr. Frederick and Joe Shock, a local paranormal investigator by hobby with more than two decades of experience and $20,000 in equipment, will conduct seminars and overnight paranormal investigations while using a range of Mr. Shock’s electronic tools to hunt for ghosts.

Their website, www.bedfordhaunts.com, breaks down the options and prices, ranging from a $30 fee for a seminar to $250 for an equipment lesson and investigation using Mr. Shock’s gear.

The pair have not yet had anyone contact them for an appointment, but Mr. Frederick noted that they haven’t really promoted the website.

Recently, they allowed a Sunday Times reporter to experience the house and their services.

The basement’s aesthetic fit the part: Cobwebs covered the ceiling of a dark coal cellar. A chill hung in the air. A dusty plastic chair sat in the corner, thrown in relief by the harsh light of a single bulb.

“We’re going to do an experiment to see if we can get the temperature to drop by asking,” Mr. Shock said.

During repeated requests, the temperature fluctuated by a few degrees. In the attic, shadows allegedly darted along the floor. A woman reported that her hair had been rustled. In the living room, a crystal on a fine chain spun on its own.

Whether or not it’s all ghosts depends on who you ask. The claim of a haunting is bound to attract critics.

Larry Kirchner, a spokesman with Hauntworld Inc., which tracks haunted attractions across the country, doubts the existence of ghosts but not the power the incorporeal has in creating tangible cash.

Titles like “The Amityville Horror,” “The Conjuring” and “The Exorcist” tease imaginations and jangle the nerves of believers and non-believers alike. Ghosts sell, he said.

“It’s the business of fun and getting your blood pressure up,” Mr. Kirchner said. “There’s millions of dollars being spent on this type of thing.”

No equipment exists that can detect spirits and ghost hunting is a pseudoscience, said Joe Nickell, Ph.D.

, a senior research fellow at the international Committee for Skeptical Inquiry

. He said ghost hunters start with a conclusion and work backward, opposite of common scientific research.

“Most ghost hunting people are sincere but are doing science backwards,” Dr. Nickell said. “They’re untrained, they don’t know what they’re doing, they don’t have the usual safeguards to keep bias away.”

In more than 40 years investigating ghost stories, myths and hoaxes, Dr. Nickell has easily debunked phenomena he’s experienced.

Mr. Frederick is not deterred, though. He knows what he has, despite what critics say.

He’s seen pictures of ghostly “orbs” and heard spectral voices on recordings, known as “electronic voice phenomena,” or EVPs. He posted many to his website.

“Come into my house, I’ll show you what I got,” Mr. Frederick said. “Why would I make this up? I bought the house to live in it, rent it out. This wasn’t my goal.”

Contact the writer:

jkohut@timesshamrock.com,

@jkohutTT on Twitter

1941:

Penn Avenue was the heart of Scranton’s bustling theater district, filled with theaters, arcades and restaurants. This photo shows Harry Brown’s saloon (featuring Gibbon’s Ale), Jones’ arcade and bowling alley, the Family Theater and Capitol Theater across the street. The block also hosted Zenke’s restaurant, next door to the Capitol, as well as a secondhand furniture store, a confectioner and a corset shop.

2016:

The landscape of Penn Avenue changed after the theaters closed. The original buildings were replaced with single-story medical offices for Delta Medix or modern brick buildings for lawyers and insurance firms.

Stephen Karam became an award-winning author in 1991.

Four months after receiving a Tony award for his play, “The Humans,” and before the University of Scranton honored him Saturday night, the city native signed a copy of his first book.

Ellen Burkhouse, his fifth-grade teacher at Robert Morris Elementary School, had saved her copy of “The Amazing Discovery” for 25 years. She “had an inkling” its author may one day find a larger audience for his stories.

The story, in which a group of friends finds a hidden copy of the Declaration of Independence and decide to return it to the spot since a “secret is most valuable,” won the Scranton School District’s book competition in 1991.

Mr. Karam, 36, received another honor Saturday: the 2016 Royden B. Davis, S.J., Distinguished Author Award from the University of Scranton’s Friends of the Weinberg Memorial Library.

About 380 people filled the sold-out ballroom of the DeNaples Center for the dinner and presentation — the biggest crowd in the 14 times the university has presented the award. The university decided to present Mr. Karam with the honor before he won the Tony.

“The Humans,” centers around a Thanksgiving dinner in a New York City apartment, hosted by a former Scranton resident for her parents, sister and grandmother, who have traveled from Northeast Pennsylvania for the holiday. In addition to the Tony, “The Humans” was also awarded the Drama Desk Award, the New York Drama Critics Circle Award, the Outer Critics Circle Award, the Drama League Award and was a finalist for the 2016 Pulitzer Prize.

“He’s a native son who’s done extremely well,” said Charles Kratz, dean of the library. “It makes it very special for us.”

Before being honored Saturday, Mr. Karam signed copies of “The Humans” and two of his other plays. Old friends and neighbors, aspiring actors and strangers who admire his work stood in line for a chance to meet him or reconnect.

His former teachers said they looked forward to hearing from one of their favorite students.

“He was a star then,” said his third-grade teacher, Kate Hoban, whose name is mentioned in “The Humans.” “He was a really special student. He did well with everything.”

Contact the writer:

shofius@timesshamrock.com,

@hofiushallTT on Twitter

Thursday: Roadway Flagger Certification Training, the Greater Hazleton Chamber of Commerce, 8:30 to 11:30 a.m., Greater Hazleton Chamber of Commerce office, 20 W. Broad St., Hazleton. This training applies to anyone performing flagging duties on any public roadway in Pennsylvania. Registration is $50 for chamber members and $60 for nonmembers. RSVP online at www.hazletonchamber.org or by contacting the Chamber at 570-455-1509 or jferry@hazletonchamber.org.

Saturday: Graduate open house, Marywood University, 10 a.m. to noon, university campus. Registration begins at 9:30 a.m. in the Fireplace Lounge at Nazareth Student Center. For future graduate and doctoral students. Includes an overview of the university, financial aid and scholarship sessions and the opportunity to meet with academic departments. Optional tours of campus available.

Nov. 8: Annual Awareness Conference, KidsPeace, 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., Broadway Campus, Bethlehem. Designed for those serving youth in schools, hospitals, governmental agencies and non-profit organizations, as well as parents. Continuing Education and Act 48 credits are available. Free, but registration is required by Monday. Contact Katherine Matonis at Katherine.matonis@kidspeace.org.

Nov. 19: Assistance navigating the Health Insurance Marketplace, the Health Care Management Association at Misericordia University with the with the Advocacy Alliance of Scranton, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., McAuley Hall. Free community education for those who need to enroll, re-enroll or change their insurance plan through the Affordable Care Act. For more information, call Dr. Petrilla at 570-674-1764, or visit log www.misericordia.edu/business.

Dec. 2: Holiday Shopping Night Out event, Pike County Chamber of Commerce’s Women in Business Committee, 5:30 to 8:30 p.m., Best Western Inn at Hunt’s Landing, Westfall. A $5 entry fee includes a light meal. Cash bar is available. Products available include: homemade crafts, Thirty-One Gifts, homemade soaps and essential oils, quilted runners and handbags, Pampered Chef products, Magnolia and Vine, LuLaRoe and more.

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

Find a pet who needs a new home at the Griffin Pond Animal Shelter.

Raja is a 5-year-old, spayed female, orange tabby. She is a little shy and quiet around new people, but friendly once she gets to know someone.
Contact the Griffin Pond Animal Shelter at 586-3700 if your pet is lost or goes astray. Staff Photo by Ted Baird
 

Roxy and Nixie are two adult female, Beagle mixes. They are very sweet and ended up at the shelter because their owner died and had no place else to go. They must be adopted together because they are so bonded.
Contact the Griffin Pond Animal Shelter at 586-3700 if your pet is lost or goes astray. Staff Photo by Ted Baird


Watch the latest "Pets of the Week" video HERE:

SCRANTON — A district judge set bail at $130,000 Saturday for a man accused of injuring two Blakely police officers during a chase through the Midvalley, court paperwork made available Monday showed.

Magisterial District Judge Paul Keeler arraigned James Kaye, 55, homeless, and scheduled a hearing on Nov. 10 for a long list of charges, including aggravated assault.

Mr. Kaye fled from Patrolman Shawn P. Chorba at 3:40 a.m. and led officers on a vehicle chase that ended in Jessup with Patrolman Chorba knocked on his back and Police Chief Guy Salerno breaking a finger while getting Mr. Kaye to stop.

Mr. Kaye is in Lackawanna County Prison.

— JOSEPH KOHUT

With two broken legs

and difficulty breathing, Fred needed immediate attention.

Nurse Kathryn Bommer and trauma surgeon Brian Frank, M.D., began assessing their patient, who lay motionless on a stretcher in front of 60 students Monday morning.

For the students from throughout the region, Fred the mannequin and the mini medical school program at Geisinger Community Medical Center helped provide a look at careers and opportunities in health care.

In the first time offering the program, hospital staff taught students about trauma and emergency medicine, CPR, cardiac catheterization and more. Students also heard from Commonwealth Medical College students about what medical school is like.

The program helps show students the kinds of careers available locally and gives the students a forum to ask questions of people who work in those fields daily, said Kristy Jankowski, the hospital’s volunteer coordinator.

Many of the students in attendance are enrolled in the Skills in Scranton’s health care academy project at Scranton and West Scranton high schools.

“The hands-on stuff is tremendously important,” said Bill Schoen, consultant for Skills in Scranton, the workforce development affiliate of the Greater Scranton Chamber of Commerce. “It helps get them interested ... or not interested.”

In the front of the room, Maria Morgante, a senior from Crestwood, and Madisyn Peoples, a senior from Lackawanna Trail, helped assess the patient.

“As you can see, Fred’s pretty banged up,” Ms. Bommer said. “What we’re most concerned with him is what will kill him the fastest.”

Dr. Frank then discussed how he and the rest of the emergency room staff determines how to treat a patient.

“We’re the quickest puzzle solvers in the hospital,” Dr. Frank said.

Madisyn, who hopes to become an orthopedic surgeon, said her dad’s cancer diagnosis when she was 4 and his death the following year gave her an interest in health care. A volunteer at the hospital, Madisyn said she enjoyed hearing from the medical school students.

“I’ve always wanted to help people,” she said.

Contact the writer:

shofius@timesshamrock.com, @hofiushallTT on Twitter

A consultant will explore Scranton’s options to manage stormwater runoff after Pennsylvania American Water buys Scranton Sewer Authority, a process that could lead to residents paying a monthly stormwater fee.

City officials opened proposals Monday from three engineering firms to conduct a preliminary cost-benefit analysis of different approaches to creating a stormwater authority.

“We’re very anxious to see what the plan says because we are going to have to be responsible for stormwater management quite quickly if the sale goes through,” city council President Joe Wechsler said.

Pennsylvania American Water’s pending $195 million purchase of Scranton Sewer Authority — jointly owned by the city and Dunmore — would mean the private utility acquires sewer lines and lines that carry combined sewer and stormwater flows.

Lines that carry only stormwater aren’t part of the deal, leaving the responsibility to manage rain runoff not captured by the combined lines with the two municipalities.

Even if the sale wasn’t happening, Mr. Wechsler said getting a better handle on the issue is necessary.

“Stormwater has been an issue the last couple months with some of the recent flooding,” he said. “Right now our stormwater system needs a major upgrade to protect the residents and neighborhoods.”

He also expected the Environmental Protection Agency to continue pushing for the city to improve the system to prevent pollutants from running off into the Lackawanna River and eventually Chesapeake Bay. EPA already required the authority to undertake $140 million in upgrades to the combined sewer and stormwater system over 25 years, which was part of the impetus for the sale.

The city’s request for proposals seeks contractors to:

n Pinpoint the existing level of stormwater services and activities along with a summary of existing costs, and work with the city to identify short- and long-term priorities. Goals should include flood mitigation, infrastructure rehabilitation, regulatory compliance efforts, acquisition of key private stormwater facilities and addressing capital backlog.

n Assess costs and benefits of creating a new stormwater authority, including if Scranton makes the move alone, in concert with Dunmore or with other municipalities. The city also wants to examine a potential stormwater management partnership with Pennsylvania American Water.

n Evaluate various approaches to setting rates and billing options.

Three companies submitted proposals: $39,788 from Pennoni Associates, $124,000 from Arcadis Design and Consultancy, and hourly rates for staff ranging from $50 to $200 from KBA Engineering. Two other firms submitted proposals, but city officials didn’t open them because they came in after the deadline.

City Business Administrator David Bulzoni expected to form a committee of officials to review the proposals and decide on the next steps.

Contact the writer:

kwind@timesshamrock.com,

@kwindTT on Twitter

Bridge column incomplete

The Bridge column published on Page C3 Tuesday was incomplete. Here is the end of the column that was cut off:

“That left only 12 outstanding, but since West had opened the bidding, he had to have the diamond queen.

“South played a diamond to his king at trick four, then ran the diamond jack through West. When that won, declarer drew the last trump and claimed.”