Susquehanna County Court notes are published Fridays in The Times-Tribune.

MARRIAGE LICENSES

n Michael Walter and Lisa Fidler, both of Springville.

n Michael Heatherman Jr. and Tina Beth Cundey, both of Montrose.

PROPERTY TRANSACTIONS

n Lois Kaiser to John Mann, a property in Lanesboro for $65,000.

n Ruth McLuad (estate) to Kev­in and Julie Cresswell, a prop­erty in Rush Twp. for $93,000.

n Gary and Connie Darrow to Salvatore Armetta, a property in New Milford twp. for $192,000.

n Eddie Gorel to Wendy Sey­mour, a property in Brooklyn Twp. for $145,000.

n Michael Carpino to Thomas Carpino, a property in Great Bend Twp. for $22,000.

n Laura Mroz, Gail and Frank Adams to Michael Matis, a property in Oakland Twp. for $10,000.

n Allen Bloomfield to Diaz Family Limited Partnership, a property in Bridgewater Twp. for $750,000.

n Jerome Ellis, Mandisa Powell-Ellis to Christen Bea­mer, a property in Susque­hanna for $17,000.

n Theodore and Sharyl Schwartz to Matthew and Tiffanie Wolf, a property in Lanesboro for $85,000.

n Honesdale National Bank to Michael and Katherine Nunes, a property in Forest City for $31,500,

n Steven Fitzgerald to John Fitzgerald, a property in Susquehanna for $51,000.

n Cyrstal lake Estates LLC to Edward and Suella Kamenitzer, a property in Clifford Twp. for $170,000.

ESTATES FILED

n Jerald Ely, 7828 Route 29, Montrose; letters testamentary to LeJune Ely, 7828 Route 29, Montrose.

n Joseph T. Dropp, 494 SR 1008, Susquehanna; letters testamentary to Joseph M. Dropp, 6660 Laine Road, Hornell, N.Y., and Michael J. Dropp, 29 Arthur Ave., Cortland, N.Y.

DIVORCE GRANTED

n Donna Fortuner, Union Dale, v. Michael Fortuner III, Union Dale; Christine Chapla, attorney.

SOUTH CANAAN TWP. - A state police fire marshal is investigating a two-alarm fire that destroyed a Wayne County home.

The first and second floors at the rear of the two-story, single-family house at 208 Tuthill Road were already in flames when firefighters from the Waymart Volunteer Fire Company arrived Wednesday around 5:30 p.m., Deputy Chief Shawn Vinton said.

Eventually, more than 60 firefighters from companies in Wayne and Lackawanna counties helped battle the blaze, he said. The structure was a total loss.

No one was at the house when fire started, and there were no injuries, Deputy Chief Vinton said.

AVOCA - Avoca police arrested a Jenkins Twp. man on charges he stole $1,400 worth of scrap metal from a Main Street home March 8.

Eric Burgerhoff, 22, stole 600 pounds of copper pipes and brass from his former employer's building on the 600 block of Main Street, then sold it during multiple trips to a scrap yard, police said.

Mr. Burgerhoff was charged with burglary, criminal trespass and theft by unlawful taking and taken to Luzerne County Correctional Facility in lieu of bail. He's slated for a preliminary hearing March 20.

CTC property auction delayed

SCRANTON - An auction for 62 acres of property at the Career Technology Center of Lackawanna County has been postponed.

Officials had said the auction would take place today, but the auction was never advertised, which is required to sell public property.

Administrative Director Vincent Nallo said the school needs to get more information out to the public about the acreage behind the North Scranton school.

The minimum bid for the property, which is zoned residential and off Rockwell Avenue, will be $725,000. A new auction date has not been scheduled.

Scranton police arrest DPW employee

SCRANTON - City police have arrested a city Department of Public Works employee, whom detectives say made a bomb threat last week.

Mark Jakes, 47, is facing recklessly endangering another person and disorderly conduct charges after he called in a threat to DPW dispatch on March 8, according to police.

Mr. Jakes, who minutes early discussed a threat that had been made at West Scranton High School with coworkers, called dispatch at 1:06 p.m. and said a bomb located in the building was set to go off at 1:15 p.m.

DPW Director Mark Dougher was notified, and within two minutes, Mr. Jakes identified himself to Mr. Dougher and other coworkers as the one who made the threat. Mr. Jakes said he made the call as a "joke," according to police.

Efforts to determine Mr. Jakes' employment status were not immediately successful Friday morning.

Police arrest alleged shooter

SCRANTON - A man wanted in a West Poplar Street shooting has been caught by police.

Ryan Clark, 22, was arrested by police Thursday night, after a tip was received that he was located in a home in the 100 block of South Fillmore Avenue.

Mr. Clark, of Scranton, pulled a handgun and fired two shots at Dupree Waldron, 22, after an altercation with Mr. Waldron, shooting him in the thigh on Monday, police said. Mr. Clark then fled the scene and Mr. Waldron was treated and released, police said.

Mr. Clark was wanted on warrants for criminal attempt to commit homicide, aggravated assault, firearms not to be carried without a license, recklessly endangering another person and simple assault.

Police found Mr. Clark outside the South Fillmore Avenue home, and he was taken into custody without incident.

STATE COLLEGE, Pa. (AP) — Penn State's civil defense lawyer is defending comments made by former president Graham Spanier shortly after two of his top deputies were arrested more than a year ago.

University attorney Nancy Conrad on Friday again sought dismissal of Mike McQueary's defamation and whistleblower lawsuit. She says Spanier's remarks in support of Tim Curley and Gary Schultz were taken out of context.

Conrad says Spanier in November 2011 said more than "the charges are groundless."

She says the expanded quote was that "I am confident the record will show that these charges are groundless and that they conducted themselves professionally and appropriately."

As a witness in the Jerry Sandusky case, McQueary is arguing Spanier's comments made him look untruthful.

A hearing on the school's objections to the lawsuit is Monday.

Scranton student charged with bomb threat

SCRANTON - A 13-year-old student has been charged with making terroristic threats after police say he made a bomb threat at South Scranton Intermediate School on Wednesday.

A note was found that the school would be "blowing up," and the school was evacuated. On Friday, the school resource officer received a tip implicating a 13-year-old boy. The boy's handwriting was compared with the note, and after additional investigation, he has been charged in juvenile court.

The boy is not identified because he is charged as a juvenile.

After many bomb threats in the region this month, Scranton police will use "all available resources" to pursue individuals involved, police said.

A 12-year-old student is also facing charges for leaving a bomb threat in a Riverside East Elementary School restroom earlier this week.

Federal prosecutors are appealing a federal judge's decision to award $3.7 million to an Iraq War veteran from Carbondale who sued the Department of Veterans Affairs over poor treatment of his war-induced post-traumatic stress disorder.

Attorneys for Stanley Laskowski III, 35, will now argue the case a second time before the 3rd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals after convincing Senior U.S. District Judge James M. Munley the VA prescribed Mr. Laskowski the wrong medications and should not have treated him over the telephone.

Judge Munley granted the award in favor of Mr. Laskowski, a decorated Marine sergeant and veteran of Operation Iraqi Freedom, after a bench trial in September.

The government's notice of appeal, submitted by U.S. Attorney Peter J. Smith and Assistant U.S. Attorney G. Michael Thiel, was filed Friday.

The notice does not state the basis for the appeal but merely serves to inform the district court in Scranton, where the case was prosecuted by Mr. Thiel, that the government intends to challenge the judge's decision before the Philadelphia-based appellate court.

Efforts to reach a spokeswoman for Mr. Smith on Friday were unsuccessful.

Mr. Laskowski was honorably discharged in February 2007.

His attorneys - Daniel Brier, Patrick Casey and John Dempsey of Scranton - filed a federal lawsuit against the VA in 2010.

The suit claimed clinicians at the VA Medical Center in Plains Twp. did not adequately treat Mr. Laskowski's PTSD and did not immediately offer him the best therapeutic methods to alleviate his declining condition.

When Judge Munley issued his 69-page ruling in January, Mr. Laskowski had waited just two months shy of three years for a resolution in his case.

The judge agreed with the plaintiff's contention that VA clinicians should never have decided to change or alter Mr. Laskowski's PTSD medications based on conversations with him over the telephone.

At the trial, he testified about the violence he experienced during the war, and how the traumas and darkness of his time in Iraq permeated his mind, contributing to a downward psychological spiral over time.

Judge Munley, however, cautioned that his decision should not be construed as an indictment of the VA.

"Our decision should not be interpreted as a sweeping criticism of the care that the (VA) provides to the nation's veterans," the judge wrote.

Contact the writer: smcconnell@timesshamrock.com, @smcconnellTT on Twitter

Councilman avoids home sale, for now

SCRANTON - A sheriff's sale of city Councilman Jack Loscombe's home scheduled for Tuesday has been delayed until June 11, according to a court order entered Friday.

Lackawanna County Judge Vito Geroulo granted Mr. Loscombe's motion for a continuance until the next sheriff's sale, because he is attempting to obtain a loan modification through a county residential mortgage foreclosure diversion program, according to the order.

The proceedings stem from a lawsuit filed last year by the mortgage holder, Bank of America, against Mr. Loscombe and his wife, Susan, owners of the home on Parallel Drive in the West Mountain section, according to a public notice.

Efforts to reach Mr. Los-combe were unsuccessful.

He inspired his family, friends and community while he was a student at Riverside High School.

His courage during his two-year battle with cancer gained national attention when friends started the #KeepFightingGary campaign on Twitter.

Though Gary Lukasiewicz died in May at 18, his influence is still felt, and a new scholarship established in his memory will ensure that it remains.

The #GaryInspiredMe Scholarship, established by his family and administered by the Scranton Area Foundation, will provide a $2,000 award to two students each year, one from Luzerne County and one from Lackawanna County.

Guidance counselors at every private and public high school in both counties can nominate one student who plans to attend a four-year college or university for consideration for the one-time award. Laura Ducceschi, the president and CEO of the Scranton Area Foundation, encouraged students to contact guidance counselors if they wished to be considered.

She explained that Gary's parents wanted to give back to the community that supported them and Gary throughout his fight, adding a hashtag symbol to the name of the scholarship as a nod to the social media campaign.

"That was important to them because I think that's how a lot of the momentum spread," Ms. Ducceschi said. "Based on the fact that it was spread on social media, the movement really gave a lot of hope and inspiration to Gary himself."

Applicants will be selected based on shared traits with Gary, including academic strength, athletic involvement, good citizenship and involvement in a faith-based or religious organization. Applications are due by April 1 and the winners will be announced at the end of April, Ms. Ducceschi said.

Efforts to reach Gary's mom, Cheryl Lukasiewicz were unsuccessful Friday, but her statements in a news release on the scholarship reflected her hopes for the opportunity.

"Gary loved learning and going to school. College was a dream for him; he was especially looking forward to attending Villanova," she said in the release. "We hope the scholarships can help the students get a start at fulfilling their dreams."

Contact the writer: rbrown@timesshamrock.com, @rbrownTT on Twitter

The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection issued violations to two natural gas companies with facilities in Susquehanna and Wyoming counties.

The DEP claims Williams Field Service and PVR Marcellus Gas Gathering failed to notify the agency of equipment malfunctions within 24 hours, according to the violations. Williams Field Service owns a production facility in Bridgewater and Brooklyn townships, and PVR Marcellus Gas Gathering owns the Chapin station production facility in Monroe Twp.

The DEP cited a Sept. 30 emergency shutdown at the Monroe Twp. facility that the company failed to properly report. The Susquehanna County facility was cited for failing to properly report a valve malfunction that resulted in a methane leak. DEP spokeswoman Colleen Connolly said subsequent tests did not find unsafe levels of gas or chemicals in the air.

The violations require the companies to submit plans on how they will prevent similar incidents from reoccurring, Ms. Connolly said. If the companies comply, the DEP will not issue a fine.

The Monroe Twp. facility experienced another malfunction on Nov. 23. Residents were awoken early in the morning by a thundering noise as more than 5 million cubic meters of gas spewed into the air. Ms. Connolly said the company properly notified the DEP and was not cited for that incident.

Contact the writer: chong@citizensvoice.com

Two men were arrested Friday morning when Lackawanna County detectives confiscated three bags of cocaine during a controlled drug purchase in Scranton.

Police arrested Levon Carr, 33, of the Bronx, N.Y., who they said sold the three bags of drugs near John Adams Elementary School while Ricardo Cintron, 36, 1406 Prospect Ave., drove him around, according to a criminal complaint.

Mr. Cintron admitted Mr. Carr gave him cocaine to drive him around during drug deals, police said.

He was charged with criminal conspiracy in delivery of a controlled substance, possession with intent to use drug paraphernalia and possession of a controlled substance.

Mr. Carr was charged with possession with intent to manufacture or deliver a controlled substance, criminal conspiracy to deliver a controlled substance, criminal use of a communication facility, possession of a controlled substance and possession with intent to use drug paraphernalia.

Arraignment and bail information were unavailable Friday night.

Contact the writer: ksullivan@timesshamrock.com, @ksullivanTT on Twitter

Two local students and one Scranton Department of Public Works employee were arrested this week on charges that each of them made separate bomb threats - charges that will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law, Lackawanna County District Attorney Andy Jarbola said Friday.

"We're going to look at it as a case-by-case basis to see how we're going to treat each defendant, and obviously if warranted, we're going to treat them harshly," he said. "We're not going to take this as a joke, as some students are doing."

A 13-year-old South Scranton Intermediate student was charged Friday with making terroristic threats after police say he made a bomb threat at the school Wednesday.

A note was found that the school would be "blowing up," and the school was evacuated. On Friday, the school resource officer received a tip implicating a 13-year-old boy. The boy's handwriting was compared with the note, and after additional investigation, he was charged in juvenile court.

The boy is not identified because he is charged as a juvenile.

After many bomb threats in the region this month, Scranton police will use "all available resources" to pursue individuals involved, police said.

A 12-year-old student is also facing charges for leaving a bomb threat in a Riverside East Elementary School bathroom earlier this week.

As of Friday, both students are being charged as juveniles, but Mr. Jarbola said if either case meets specific criteria, there is the potential for the children to be tried as adults - something that could end up on their record, affecting them for the foreseeable part of their futures.

In any case, he said those charged could pay for the cost of prosecution.

"We're going to aggressively prosecute them because we don't think it's a joke. It's not funny," Mr. Jarbola said.

He said school districts, law enforcement and city authorities were following the correct protocol in responding to such situations, and no threat can be ignored.

"The authorities and the school districts, they can't take that chance," Mr. Jarbola said.

In addition to the two students, Scranton DPW worker Mark Jakes, 47, is facing charges of recklessly endangering another person and disorderly conduct after he called in a threat to DPW dispatch on March 8, according to police.

Mr. Jakes, who minutes earlier discussed a threat that had been made at West Scranton High School with co-workers, called dispatch at 1:06 p.m. and said a bomb in the building was set to go off at 1:15 p.m.

DPW Director Mark Dougher was notified, and within two minutes, Mr. Jakes identified himself to Mr. Dougher and other co-workers as the one who made the threat. Mr. Jakes said he made the call as a "joke," according to police.

City officials, including Human Resources Director Gina McAndrew, refused to comment on Mr. Jakes' employment status.

Contact the writers: shofius@timesshamrock.com, ksullivan@timesshamrock.com

The Greater Scranton YMCA has always been a community-focused, wellness center.

This year, it will expand programming to offer cancer wellness programs to area residents adjusting to life after chemotherapy treatment.

There are about 2,600 YMCAs around the country. Only 30 of those, including the Greater Scranton Y, were chosen to add cancer wellness programs through grants from Livestrong, CEO Dan Albert said. The $10,000 grant will create the programs and provide training for two staff members at the local Y.

Mr. Albert has worked with the YMCA for 14 years, spending the last two at the Greater Scranton location, and he is excited about the upcoming changes.

"We had made a decision to look at wellness in a different light," he said.

He and the staff were getting ready to launch a diabetes program when the grant became available.

Though the training has not yet begun, he expects the new cancer program to begin in the fall.

The 12-week Livestrong at the YMCA programs will support adult cancer survivors as they move from treatment back to what the Livestrong website calls "the new normal" when patients and survivors return home.

"Exercise and programs are modified with understanding of what the body is experiencing," Mr. Albert said of chemotherapy. "They didn't want to have this wellness part of it in the hospital.

"It's great for the community to have this service provided," he added. "It sets the tone for the new direction of the Y."

Though the Greater Scranton YMCA has already secured the $10,000 grant, it could be awarded more money through the Livestrong Foundation if they garner enough votes in an online competition. Voting for the Community Impact Project is ongoing, Mr. Albert said. To vote for Greater Scranton, visit http://vote.livestrong.org/regions/6/186-Greater-Scranton-YMCA.

Whether or not they receive additional funding, Mr. Albert said the campaign will benefit community members by getting the word out about the new programming. Every vote is another person aware of the cancer wellness program, he said.

He also hopes that the YMCA will be able to work with community organizations to expand offerings.

"We'd love to have as many partners as we can," he said. "All of us together can do a whole lot more than just us. We want this to be a community program."

Contact the writer: rbrown@timesshamrock.com, @rbrownTT on Twitter

Drug defendants' cases in court

SCRANTON - Five area residents charged last week in connection with a Midvalley cocaine trafficking operation are now making their way through the criminal justice system.

David Klem, 31, of Olyphant; Charles Yaskulski, 43, of Tunkhannock; Eric Gruzesky, 39, of Scranton; Joseph Topa Jr., 37, of Jessup; and Corey Carrera, 38, of Olyphant, appeared before Magisterial District Judge Laura Turlip on Friday.

Mr. Yaskulski, the owner of a now-shuttered used-car warranty company, waived his preliminary hearing, Deputy Attorney General Timothy Doherty said.

Mr. Klem - the owner of the Clocktower at LaRussa's restaurant in Olyphant - Mr. Topa and Mr. Gruzesky had their preliminary hearings continued to April 26. Mr. Carrera waived his hearing.

HARRISBURG - The filing of state criminal charges against former Senate Democratic Leader Robert J. Mellow and seven others this week puts a spotlight on an entrenched pay-to-play culture in Harrisburg in a way that few other recent events have.

State Attorney General Kathleen Kane and State Police Commissioner Frank Noonan expressed hope that the grand jury report leading to the charges will have a deterrent effect.

By holding state officials and businesses accountable for their actions in the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission case, other public officials will be less likely to conduct business as usual, said Mr. Noonan.

The grand jury report summarized the impact of the turnpike's pay-to-play culture this way: "Secret gifts of cash, travel and entertainment, and the payment of substantial political contributions to designated public officials and political organizations, by private vendors and their consultants who have sought and been rewarded with multimillion (dollar) Turnpike contracts, have tainted and thoroughly corrupted the system."

In one example cited by Mrs. Kane, Mr. Mellow intervened with turnpike officials to steer bond underwriting work to PNC Bank. PNC received a total of $2.4 million in underwriter fees from 2006 to 2012. Meanwhile, PNC spent several thousand dollars taking Mr. Mellow to New York Yankees games in various cities and spent $7,082 sponsoring a 2007 event at Sparks Steak House in New York City as Mr. Mellow weighed a run for governor.

PNC Bank has not been accused of illegal activity.

Government reformers think the best way to end pay to play is to enact state laws banning individuals who give political campaign contributions from obtaining state contracts and banning those getting contracts from making political campaign contributions.

"It's got to be the law of the land," said Barry Kauffman, executive director of Pennsylvania Common Cause. "Voters and taxpayers need protection."

But bills introduced in recent years with real teeth to attack pay to play went nowhere.

A group of senior House Republican lawmakers introduced bills in 2009 to prohibit sole-source contracts and emergency contracts going to campaign contributors at the state level and to give an existing board clear authority to approve all sole-source and emergency contracts in the legislative, executive and judicial branches.

Other proposals offered by the whole House GOP caucus called for banning contract awards for one year to an individual or corporation PAC that contributed to the campaign of the state official responsible for awarding the contract and a 10-day public review of contracts.

These bills surfaced at a time when House Republicans were in the minority and sharply critical of Democratic then-Gov. Ed Rendell's awarding of no-bid contracts.

Some of the most vocal proponents of the contract bans have since left the Legislature. A GOP-controlled statehouse enacted a law in 2011 to create the PennWATCH website where information is posted on state contracts and state employee salaries. The website became operational last December.

The lack of movement on the contract ban bills is deeply disappointing to activist Eric Epstein, cofounder of RocktheCapital.com. He had welcomed their introduction in 2009 as a real step to ending pay to play.

"The net result is Harrisburg still slithers around the way it always has," said Mr. Epstein.

House Majority Whip Stan Saylor, R-94, Red Lion, held hearings on state contracting practices during that earlier period when he chaired the caucus policy committee.

He said there is still interest among lawmakers in banning sole-source contracts to campaign contributors.

"I think it's something that's viable," added Mr. Saylor. "We need to take a look at it."

Contact the writer: rswift@timesshamrock.com

Voters in Lackawanna County's primary election will have a multitude of options for restructuring county government.

In a decision that effectively places the broadest range of choices possible before the electorate, a three-judge county court panel ruled Friday that not one, not two, but five referendum questions related to county government will appear on the May 21 ballot.

President Judge Thomas Munley and Judges Terrence Nealon and Vito Geroulo cleared the way for voters to decide whether they want to establish a government study commission to investigate and possibly recommend adoption of a new form of government to replace the Board of Commissioners.

Most surprisingly, the panel decided a referendum approved by the commissioners to amend the existing Home Rule Charter to eliminate four elected row offices should be presented as four distinct questions.

Voters should have the opportunity to decide individually the fates of the offices of register of wills, recorder of deeds, clerk of judicial records and sheriff, the judges said.

"Such an important question should be phrased in a manner that will enable the electorate to grant individual consideration to each proposed change which could result in voters surrendering their long-standing ability to select their own county officers," the judges wrote.

The exhaustive, 69-page opinion and order by the judges, who are also acting as the county Board of Elections, swept away practically every objection raised over the past month to both the government study commission initiative and the row-office elimination proposal.

It is also expected to produce appeals.

By dismissing all the objections to the ordinance approved by the majority commissioners to put the row-office issue on the ballot, the court recognized the independent nature of home rule governments, said attorney Joseph O'Brien, who represents the county.

The administration, however, disagrees with splitting the row-office referendum into four questions and will consider an appeal to Commonwealth Court, he said.

"We think that is a decision that should be made by a legislative body, but they disagreed and we'll see," Mr. O'Brien said.

Frank Ruggiero, attorney for insurance executive Chuck Volpe, who spearheaded the petition drive to get the government study commission question on the ballot, called the ruling a "resounding victory."

"We had known all along we had followed the correct law and the correct procedure," he said.

However, he would not rule out an appeal aimed at blocking the row-office questions from the ballot.

"We are still reviewing the issues raised and determining what our next step is, if any," he said.

The government study referendum will ask voters whether a seven-member commission should be elected to study the county's existing form of government and possibly recommend changes.

The court ruling means the 39 candidates who have filed nominating papers to run for seats on the study commission will also appear on the primary election ballot.

In deciding to move forward with separate questions about the row offices, the court granted in part a petition filed by Scranton resident Joseph Pilchesky, who had requested that the proposed changes appear as distinct inquiries rather than a single question.

As proposed by the commissioners, the referendum does not permit voters to consider the individual merits of each row office but is instead presented as an "all or noting" proposition, the court said.

It found the Board of Elections, which has latitude under state law to shape of the wording of referendums, could sever the referendum into four discrete questions "without materially altering the original proposed question."

In a related matter, Commonwealth Court on Friday dismissed an appeal by Dickson City resident Andrea Benford that sought to vacate part of a previous county court decision regarding the validity of the petitions filed to get the study commission question on the ballot.

Contact the writer: dsingleton@timesshamrock.com

When they booked their flights to Italy in December, the group just planned to visit friends.

Instead, for several hours Wednesday, they watched history unfold.

Mike Ruane, 21, of Moosic, along with Paul Byrne, 21, and Jake Rowland, 21, both of Dunmore, planned their trip to Rome to see friends studying abroad before news of Pope Benedict XVI's resignation had been announced.

"We were extremely lucky to be here during one of the craziest weeks Vatican City experiences during elections," Mr. Ruane, a student at Temple University said, when reached in Italy via email this week.

The crew waited for almost three hours for smoke to rise from the Sistine Chapel chimney on Wednesday evening, indicating whether a pope had been chosen.

"Although it was pouring rain and we didn't have umbrellas or rain jackets, none of us wanted to leave the square," said Max Conway, 20, of Scranton, who is studying abroad in Italy.

"People had their eyes glued to the Vatican just waiting for the smoke to be released," Mr. Ruane said.

It could have easily been black smoke, announcing no decision.

But it wasn't.

"We were standing in the center of the square when it was released and as soon as we saw it was white, everyone ran toward the Vatican steps," Mr. Conway said.

After white smoke billowed, a sign that a pope had been elected, another hour passed.

"Four hours of waiting may seem like a long time, however we all agree that we would have waited 20 hours if we were guaranteed the same experience that we had the other night," Mr. Ruane said. "We all wanted to be in the square for the announcement because it is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity."

Mr. Conway added: "Also, my family would have been really upset with me if I missed a historic event such as this."

As they waited along with their other friend studying abroad, Adam Schroth of Moosic, Mr. Ruane described a relaxed but anxious atmosphere.

"It took a couple of seconds before people even cheered or did anything of the sort, however once people realized that a new pope was chosen, the crowd was more excited than you can ever imagine," he said. "Many chants started in all different languages and people began waving the flags of their countries with the hopes that the new pope would be from their homeland."

None of the local visitors had a particular cardinal in mind, but they were rooting for an American selection.

Mr. Conway said one of the most powerful moment's came when Pope Francis asked the crowd to be silent.

"There were over 100,000 people in the square, but at that moment, all you could hear were the fountains that run in the square," he said.

The group agreed that it was well worth the rain and the wait.

"There is a good chance that our new pope may serve for a very long time and the chances of us being present for such an unreal experience ever again are very slim," Mr. Ruane said.

Contact the writer: rbrown@timesshamrock.com, @rbrownTT on Twitter

Abington Heights

Parent training: Abington Heights Special Education Department spring parent training series, sessions; March 27, Preventing Problem Behavior: Using Antecedent Strategies; April 24, Understanding the Process: Functional Behavior Assessments; May 29, Asking for What They Want: Mand Train­ing; and June 12, Decreasing Problem Behavior with Nonpun­ishment Procedures; all 6 p.m., Administration Building, 200 E. Grove St., second floor board room; 585-8278.

Clarks Summit

Bunny breakfast: Clarks Summit Fire Company 1 all-you-can-eat breakfast with the Easter Bunny, Sunday, 8 a.m.-noon, fire hall, 321 Bedford St., $8/adults, $5/children and free/under 10.

Clifford Twp.

Committee meeting: Clifford Twp. Advisory Committee meeting, March 27, 7 p.m., community center; topic: development of comprehensive plan.

Dunmore

Board meets: Dunmore Board of Education meeting, Wednesday, 6 p.m., high school cafeteria; public work session, Monday, 5:30 p.m., boardroom.

Factoryville

Group meets: Factoryville Shade Tree Commission meeting, April 1, 7 p.m., borough building, 161 College Ave.; agenda includes Arbor Day celebration (planting trees at 4 Jackson St., 102 and 154 College Ave., tree removals at 139 College Ave.).

Hughestown

Nut rolls: St. Peter's Lutheran Church poppy seed and nut roll sale pickup, March 27, noon-4 p.m., Rock Street, $8; order by Sunday, 655-0043 or 313-2829.

Jessup

Sandwich sale: Nadine Cenci Marchegiani Foundation porketta sandwich sale, March 30, 11 a.m.-2 p.m., Jessup Hose Company 2, 333 Hill St., $3; advance tickets, 876-4496, walk-ins accepted.

Moosic

Seniors meet: Moosic After 50 Club meeting Thursday, 1 p.m., Greenwood Hose Company, Birney Avenue.

Noxen

Breakfast buffet: Noxen Volun­teer Fire Company breakfast buffet, Sunday, 8 a.m.-1 p.m., fire hall, Stull Road; $8/adults, $4/children under 12.

Old Forge

Sons events: Old Forge Sons of Italy meeting and social, Monday, 7 p.m., Arcaro & Genell Banquet Hall; scholarship applications for Gloria Lodge 815 due; returns also due for April 21, takeout only, with drive-through, pasta dinner, Felittese Grounds, Third Street.

Old Forge

Seniors meet: Old Forge Retired Citizens meeting, April 3, 2:30 p.m., Arcaro and Genell's; dues due.

Regional

Community dinner: Friends of the Poor St. Patrick's Day dinner, Sunday, St. Mary's Center, Mifflin Avenue, doors open, 5 p.m., dinner, 6 p.m.

Veterans outreach: Veterans support program, third Wednesdays beginning Wednesday, 1-4 p.m., State Rep. Frank Farina constituent service office, 423 Main St., Eynon; American Legion Service Office Outreach program rep; appointments, 876-1111.

4H/FFA collection: Founders' Museum collecting 4-H and Future Farmers of America memorabilia to enhance display at the 156th Harford Fair, including jackets, pins, scarves, banners, trophies, newspaper articles and photos; contact Harford Fair Director Ron Stiles at 465-3207.

Roaring Brook Twp.

Breakfast buffet: All-you-can-eat buffet breakfast, Sunday, 8:30 a.m.-1 p.m., St. Eulalia's parish hall, 214 Blue Shutters Road.

South Scranton

Reunion planning: South Scranton Catholic High School Class of 1963 planing 50th anniversary reunion, details and to provide contact information, contact: Matt Baas, 842-1480.

Seniors meet: South Scranton Friendly Seniors meeting, Tuesday, 12:30 p.m., St. Paul of the Cross Parish Center, Prospect Avenue.

Community dinner: St. Paul's United Methodist Church free community dinner, today, 4:30-6:30 p.m., church hall, Birch Street and Prospect Avenue.

Thompson

Pancake breakfast: Thompson Hose Company pancake and sausage breakfast, Sunday, 8-11 a.m.

Wayne/Pike counties

Historical meeting: Greene-Dreher Historical Society meeting, April 1, 1 p.m., Peggy Bancroft Hall, presentation by Jon Tandy on Wilsonville, which disappeared under the rising water of Lake Wallenpaupack. www.greenehs.org or on Facebook.

West Scranton

Seniors meet: Sloan Senior Citizens meet Tuesday, 1:30 p.m., SS. Peter and Paul Church hall, 1309 W. Locust St.; refreshments, bingo follow.

CLIPBOARD ITEMS may be emailed to yesdesk@times shamrock.com or mailed to clipboard, c/o the YES!Desk at 149 Penn Ave., Scranton, 18503. For details, call the YES!Desk at 348-9121.