HARRISBURG — Nothing focuses attention during the legislative process like a deadline. But the solution that lawmakers often come up with is to simply extend a deadline to a later date.

This is what has happened with a deadline tied to a state court ruling last fall declaring a key casino tax unconstitutional.

When the Supreme Court ruled that the way casinos are taxed for local impact assessments is unconstitutional it gave the Legislature until last Jan. 26 to pass a casino tax that meets constitutional muster. The court ruled in favor of Mount Airy Casino Resort’s complaint that casinos generating less revenue than others pay a heavier tax burden under that assessment. Municipalities in the vicinity of casinos have come to depend on the stream of assessment revenue that became available after the first casinos opened a decade ago.

The court’s Jan. 26 deadline was problematic because of the change in legislative sessions after the November election and need to reorganize committees. So lawmakers got the court’s permission to extend the deadline to May 26.

That enabled the Revenue Department to continue collecting the local share assessment under the existing formula from the casinos. The Commonwealth Financing Authority recently approved the distribution of millions of dollars of local impact revenue from Mount Airy and Mohegan Sun Pocono.

Now the second deadline looms with no consensus plan in sight to pass a new local impact assessment.

The House and Senate are scheduled in session May 8, 9,10 and May 22, 23, and 24. May 26 by the way is the Friday of Memorial Day weekend.

While the need to replace the local share assessment is imperative, lawmakers are also face some pressure to redistribute how the local share gambling money is currently allocated.

There are different distribution methods in place for each casino and some of them are controversial. There are tensions between lawmakers representing districts receiving local share money and those from “have not” districts that want a share of the action. The distribution of Mount Airy revenue among counties neighboring host Monroe County is a sore point with Monroe County lawmakers. Rep. Russ Diamond, R-102, Lebanon, has produced a video outlining why Lebanon County should get a one-third share of the local share revenue from Hollywood Casino straddling the border of Dauphin and Lebanon counties.

Much work remains to be done on the local share assessment, said Rep. Scott Petri, R-178, Richboro, chairman of the House Gaming Oversight Committee.

Contact the writer:

rswift@timesshamrock.com

SCRANTON — Former Times-Tribune publisher George Lynett Sr. was one of four University of Scranton alumni honored Saturday at the school’s second Business Leader Hall of Fame Dinner.

Lynett Sr., who earned his MBA from the University of Scranton in 1971, is a former university trustee. Along with his brothers, he served as CEO of Times-Shamrock Communications, the parent company of the Times-Tribune.

Also honored Saturday were Susan Swain, co-chief executive officer and president of C-SPAN, educator Katherine Reilly and Theodore “Ted” Jadick, vice chairman of the executive search firm Heidrick and Struggles.

— STAFF REPORT

Serving Seniors

serves up picnic

Grilled foods won’t be the only thing on the menu when Serving Seniors Inc. hosts its annual summer picnic at Waldorf Park on Sunday, June 4. The rain-or-shine event at the East Mountain Venue will also feature a hot and cold buffet, desserts from local bakeries, beer, wine and soda.

Planning Committee Chairwomen Barbara O’Hara and Dr. Virginia Dikeman — along with Waldorf Park Federation President/Executive Chef Paul Brady, Event Coordinator Linda Aebli and Serving Seniors Inc. Executive Director Mary Anne Maloney-Evans — have also planned a volleyball tournament, entertainment by EJ the DJ and a basket raffle.

Stars in stripes

Air Force Senior Airman Jonathan Checefsky of Jessup was recently promoted to his current rank. Checefsky serves as a data processor at McConnell Air Force Base in Wichita, Kansas. The son of Jean Checefsky and David Serena, he is grandson of John and Barbara Checefsky, Mary Serena and the late Edwin Serena. ... Lucas Karnick of Waymart will commission into the Navy from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in Troy, New York, on Friday, May 19, with a degree in mechanical engineering. Upon commissioning into the Navy, Midshipman Karnick will report to Charleston, South Carolina, for Nuclear Power School. ... Air Force Airman First Class Alexander J. Spott graduated from basic military training at Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland, Texas. Spott is the son of Theresa R. Milke of Scranton and Jerome P. Spott of Pocono Summit, and husband of Rebecca D. Spott . A 2008 Scranton High School graduate, Spott earned a bachelor’s degree in 2013 from Marywood University. ... Air Force Airman Kayla J. Thompson graduated from basic military training at Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland, Texas. Thompson is the daughter of Christopher and Kathleen Thompson of Bayonne, New Jersey, niece of Laurene Harder of Bayonne, N.J., and sister of Jaime Zotter of Carbondale as well as Jessie Thompson and Kathleen Thompson.

High notes

The Little Sisters of the Poor honored their dedicated volunteers at an appreciation luncheon on Wednesday, April 26, in the café of Holy Family Residence. In recognition of National Volunteer Week, the Sisters and Activities Director and Volunteer Coordinator Lisa Blaker presented each volunteer with a thank-you gift. Among those joining in were Madeline Anu-szewski, Betty Czar, Cathi Crossin, Toni Notartomas, Barb Politowski, Edmund Scacchitti, Barbara Scacchitti, Mary Spoher, Amanda Valvano and Mother Theresa Louisa, L.S.P., superior of the Little Sisters of the Poor’s Scranton community; Sister Mary Augustine, L.S.P., administrator; Sister Joan Marie, I.H.M.; and Sister Marie Therese, L.S.P .

1. Which of the following took place in Scranton’s Nay Aug Park last Sunday?

A. The 26th annual Rock for Rocks festival.

B. The third annual Cannabis Festival.

C. The annual Electric City Tattoo Convention.

D. A Bikers for Trump rally.

2. What did a Scranton woman charged with endangering the welfare of a child tell police she fed her 21-month-old, according to a criminal complaint?

A. Raw, organic vegetables.

B. Peanut butter sandwiches.

C. Fast food.

D. Anything from pancakes to pizza.

3. As part of the sentencing hearing for cop killer Eric Matthew Frein, which of the following people testified?

A. His mother, Deborah Frein.

B. His father, Eugene Frein.

C. His sister, Tiffany Frein.

D. All of the above.

4. After finding him guilty of first-degree murder and 11 other counts, jurors sentenced Frein to ...

A. life in prison.

B. the death penalty.

C. nothing. The judge sentenced him.

D. 25-50 years in prison.

5. True or false? A Dunmore man pleaded no contest to child endangerment, simple assault and reckless endangerment for abusing his child and his girlfriend’s children.

A. True.

B. False.

6. Roll Call, a new business opening off Keyser Avenue in Scranton, will offer ...

A. hands-on training for veterans.

B. continuing educational credits for teachers.

C. a 25-yard indoor shooting range and indoor training for civilians and law enforcement.

D. a “boot camp” for candidates running for political office.

7. A New York City man filed a federal lawsuit against Dickson City, alleging a borough police officer arrested him ...

A. to pressure him to testify against another man accused of a drug offense.

B. for no reason.

C. to hurt his chances of running for mayor.

D. to damage his child custody case against his ex-wife.

8. Which show will Ballet Theatre of Scranton present for one night only this week?

A. “Lackawanna County: The Musical.”

B. “Swan Lake.”

C. “A Midsummer Night’s Dream.”

D. “Dracula.”

9. True or false? As part of an $80 million construction project, Regional Hospital of Scranton and Moses Taylor Hospital will be connected by a bridge.

A. True.

B. False.

10. How much did the Host for a Day campaign raise for St. Francis of Assisi Kitchen, according to organizers?

A. $1.75 million.

B. $175,000, about half of the kitchen’s budget.

C. $1,750.

D. $17,500.

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

Matthew Drogan

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

Fugitive since: April 3.

Wanted for: Theft by deception (two counts), receiving stolen property, bad checks, possession of drug paraphernalia. Sentenced to two years, three months to 10 years of incarceration. Paroled March 13, 2016.

Description: White man, 30 years old, 5 feet 7 inches tall, 175 pounds, red/auburn hair, blue eyes.

Contact: Agent Sean Graham, 570-614-7283 or 1-800-932-4857.

Lisa Setzer

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

Fugitive since: Feb. 9.

Wanted for: Theft of movable property. Sentenced to six months, 22 days to two years of incarceration. Paroled Feb. 25, 2016.

Description: White woman, 35 years old, 5 feet, 2 inches tall, 145 pounds, brown hair, brown eyes.

Contact: Agent Bill Brennan, 570-614-7237 or 1-800-932-4857

Brandell Simon

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

Fugitive since: July 29, 2015.

Wanted for: Possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance (cocaine). Sentenced to nine months to three years of incarceration. Paroled July 27, 2015.

Description: Black man, 29 years old, 5 feet 7 inches tall, 150 pounds, black hair, brown eyes.

Contact: Agent Joe Harte, 570-614-7247 or 800-932-4857.

Edwin Torres

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

Fugitive since: March 3.

Wanted for: Burglary. Sentenced to four years to 10 years, four months of incarceration. Paroled Aug. 27.

Description: Hispanic man, 39 years old, 5 feet 6 inches tall, 185 pounds, bald, brown eyes.

Contact: Agent Joe Harte, 570-614-7247 or 800-932-4857.

Jabree Cummings

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

Fugitive since: Feb. 27.

Wanted for: Reckless endangerment, escape from detention. Sentenced to one year, six months to three years of incarceration. Paroled Feb. 22.

Description: Black man, 26 years old, 5 feet 10 inches tall, 185 pounds, black hair, brown eyes.

Contact: Agent Brian Rikli, 570-614-7287 or 800-932-4857.

For the first time in its history, Wayne County will almost certainly elect a female judge.

The most prominent race in the county involves two women — longtime attorney Pamela Wilson and Wayne County District Attorney Janine Edwards — vying for the open judgeship.

The seat is open because Wayne County President Judge Raymond Hamill is retiring.

Each candidate is cross-filed as a Democrat and a Republican, and the race may not be decided until the November general election if each candidate wins one of the two party nominations.

The county’s top prosecutor since 2012 and the first woman to hold that title, the 45-year-old Edwards, of Honesdale, emphasized her 20 years practicing law, trying cases, volunteering in the community and raising her children. She touted endorsements from the Pennsylvania State Troopers Association, Pennsylvania State Corrections Officers Association and the local Federal Prison Corrections Officers Union.

Wilson, 47, of Beach Lake, highlighted her breadth of legal knowledge, noting she has spent five years on the bench deciding divorce and custody cases as a court-appointed master, as well as prosecution experience as an assistant district attorney. She also said she helped protect children and teens as a solicitor for Children and Youth Services.

In other races around the county, the crowded field for Region 1 of the Western Wayne School District Board features four candidates — Joe Gombita, Ethan C. Wood, Donald H. McDonough and Andrew J. Gaudenzi — vying for two seats. Only Gaudenzi, a Republican, is not running for both party nominations.

No one is running for Wayne County’s seat on the Forest City Regional School District Board, so a write-in could get on the ballot in November.

The primary race for four 4-year spots on Honesdale’s borough council is not contested in either party, though three Democratic candidates — James Leo Brennan Jr., Tim Lauffenburger and Travis Rivera— are challenging each other for one council spot with a 2-year term.

Three 4-year seats on Hawley’s borough council are uncontested, and only three candidates are running for four seats on Waymart’s council.

The mayor seat in Bethany has no candidate, while those races in Hawley, Honesdale and Waymart are all uncontested in the primary.

In Dyberry Twp., two candidates — Matthew C. Fritsch and Gregory S. Reed — are running as Republicans for one 2-year spot as a supervisor.

In Scott Twp., two candidates, Russell G. Mosher and Richard Budrick, are also running for the Republican nomination for supervisor, which comes with a 2-year term.

Pike County

In Pike County, the race for Milford mayor will be quiet in the primary election, as only Sean Strub is running on the Democratic side and only Nicholas May on the Republican side, meaning the two will likely face each other in the general election this fall.

Three Democratic candidates — Frank Tarquinio, Kim Reno and Winston Clark — are seeking three nominations for the Milford borough council, and will likely face off in the fall against two Republicans — Aaron May and Robert Ciervo, who are also running for three nominations in the primary.

In a two-man race for one Lackawaxen Twp. supervisor spot and its 6-year term, Albert Beisel is challenging his nephew John W. Beisel. Both are Republicans.

And in the party race for one Lehman Twp. supervisor nomination, Republicans Nelson Roig and Kathleen Simoncic are vying for one spot and the right to run in the general against Democrat Theresa R. Laino, running unopposed in the Democratic primary.

Contact the writer:

pcameron@timesshamrock.com; 570-348-9100 x5365;

@pcameronTT on Twitter

The Times-Tribune is hosting a debate among candidates running for Scranton School Board.

Teri Ooms, executive director of the Wilkes-Barre-based Institute of Public Policy & Economic Development, will moderate. The debate, which is open to the public, will be held from 6 to 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, May 9, in the fifth-floor auditorium of The Scranton Times Building, 149 Penn Ave.

As of Friday, nine of the 10 candidates committed to debate: incumbent Robert Casey, Barbara Dixon, Katie Gilmartin, Joseph Matyjevich, incumbent Mark McAndrew, Christopher Phillips, Chantal Rich, Robert Waldeck and Mike Williams. All of the candidates are cross-filed except Matyjevich, Rich and Waldeck, who will appear on the Democratic ballot only in the May 16 primary election.

As of Friday, school board President Robert Sheridan, who also is cross-filed, did not respond to the newspaper’s invitation to participate in the debate.

There are four open seats in the school board race.

“This is a critical election for city residents,” said Larry Holeva, executive editor of The Times-Tribune. “We’re excited to bring together a forum so voters can best understand the issues and where the candidates stand.”

After one-minute opening statements, the candidates will be asked three questions prepared by the newspaper. Each candidate will have one minute to respond to each question followed by 30 seconds for rebuttals. Members of the public attending the debate also will be asked to submit written questions for the candidates.

Ooms has been executive director of the regional research center since 2004. The center provides research and consultation to government, nonprofits, business and industry. From 1997 to 2004, Ooms was president and CEO of the Inland Empire Economic Partnership in Riverside, California. She earned a bachelor’s degree in public administration and a Master of Business Administration in finance from the University of Scranton.

If you go

What: Debate among Scranton School Board candidates

Where: Fifth-floor auditorium of The Scranton Times Building, 149 Penn Ave., Scranton

When: 6 to 7:30 p.m., Tuesday,

Competitive races for magisterial district judge and county coroner highlight the primary election in Wyoming County.

In the race for magisterial district judge, incumbent David Plummer will square off against attorneys Barbara Grimaud, of Tunkhannock Twp., and John Tidball, of Lemon Twp., on the Republican ballot. Grimaud and Plummer will also appear on the Democratic ticket, as both have cross-filed.

The district covers roughly half of Wyoming County and includes Clinton, Exeter, Falls, Lemon, Nicholson, Overfield, Tunkhannock and Washington townships and the boroughs of Factoryville and Nicholson. It represents an area about twice the size of the one to which Plummer was elected to in 2011. The new district is a result of a consolidation of three offices into two in Wyoming County in 2015.

In the county coroner’s race on the GOP ballot, long-time incumbent Tom Kukuchka, owner of Sheldon-Kukuchka Funeral Home in Tunkhannock, is facing a challenge from Collin Lunger, funeral supervisor at Harding-Litwin Funeral Home of Tunkhannock for the past six years.

For Tunkhannock Area School Board, there is a lone race in Region 2 that shows up on both the Republican and Democratic ballots. Incumbent Randy Greenip Jr. is squaring off against Shana Gregory.

Other competitive races on the Republican ballot include:

• Clinton Twp.: A supervisor’s race has James Davis, who was appointed after Harry Colvin’s death, opposed by Robert Shupp.

• Nicholson: In the mayor’s race, Albert Olive and Charles Litwin Jr. are squaring off, after Ann Marie Aylesworth decided to step down.

• North Branch Twp.: The supervisor’s race has incumbent Darrel Andras opposed by Joseph Solanick.

• Northmoreland Twp.: The supervisor’s race has incumbent Paul Gates opposed by John Sands.

• Washington Twp.: The supervisor’s race has incumbent Bill Ball opposed by Robert Franko Jr.

The only other competitive race on the Democratic ballot includes Forkston Twp. supervisor, where Kevin Ray and Marge Partusch are squaring off for the seat being vacated by Frank Miner.

In Tunkhannock Twp., there is no competitive race in either May primary ballot, but for the supervisor’s spot, Republican Randy White is running for a 6-year term for the seat being vacated by Veto Barziloski. Hoyt Keiser is running for the 4-year seat to which White was appointed after Steve Franko decided not to take the position. Both will likely face Tami Balewski, who appears on the Democratic ballot in the fall.

Also, there are no borough council candidates in Laceyville and Meshoppen on either the Democratic or Republican ballots. Potential candidates could get on the November general election ballot with at least 10 write-in votes.

Incumbent district attorney Jeff Mitchell and county treasurer Patricia Mead have no opposition heading toward November, although that could change based on write-ins filed for the May 16 primary.

Contact the writer:

bbaker@wcexaminer.com;

570-836-2123

MOOSIC — Pretzels dangled from the makeshift necklace Mimi Miller wore at Montage Mountain on Saturday, the perfect complements to the ales and lagers she was sampling.

One of more than 1,000 beer aficionados who poured onto the mountain Saturday evening for the second day of the Electric City Craft Brew Fest, the University of Scranton graduate student and several of her friends, all donning matching pretzel neckwear, sipped some of the craft beers available. Times-Shamrock Communications, the parent company of The Times-Tribune, presents the festival.

“This is my first beer fest, but I like beer, so here we are,” said Miller, who nursed a beer from Wilkes-Barre-based Breaker Brewing Company as she waited to sample the wares of Carbondale’s Iron Hart Brewery. “It’s kind of a new thing for me. ... I used to hate beer, so I’ve come a very long way to developing a taste for it.”

Miller had many opportunities to further refine her beer palate Saturday, as dozens of different breweries offered more than a hundred hand-selected samples to attendees — many of whom were college-aged.

“I have finals coming up so it’s nice to relax before them,” said Marywood University student Missy Bready, who along with Quakertown-native John Hovanec seized the opportunity to try a host of different IPAs and sours, their favorites.

“I try to go to as many (beer festivals) as I can,” said Hovanec, touting the lemon ginger sour he just sampled from the New Belgium Brewery. Hovanec also praised the Nimble Hill Brewing Company, a local brewery based in Tunkhannock.

Beyond the beer, the festival also featured food trucks, live music and a host of vendors selling things like cigars and artisan cheeses. Those who attended a special VIP session of the festival earlier Saturday also enjoyed exclusive beer offerings and unique food pairings.

“We like how it’s set up with music, food and beer,” said Marjorie Toron, who attended the festival with her boyfriend and fellow University of Scranton graduate student John Lindgren. “It’s definitely good when there is something off campus to go to, and just seeing everyone from the (campus) community around here is pretty awesome.”

Two of the many festivalgoers who weren’t college students, Jack and Diane Smiles of Wyoming, remembered when there used to be just five or six domestic beers available.

“Who would have guessed there would be beer with jalapeño peppers or maple syrup in it,” Diane Smiles asked rhetorically, adding that she and her husband like hunting for brews they’ve never tried before. “It’s kind of exciting, because then the challenge is finding it in a six pack.”

Contact the writer:

jhorvath@timesshamrock.com; 570-348-9141;

@jhorvathTT on Twitter

Post 869 Auxiliary beef dinner today

Hricak-McAndrew Legion Post 869 Auxiliary roast beef dinner and basket raffle, today, noon to 4 p.m., post home, 161 S. Main St., Archbald, takeouts available, $10, at post.

Armed Forces Parade May 20

Armed Forces Parade, May 20; those who were in the parade last year and did not receive a letter to participate this year or for information about the parade, call Joe Sylvester at 570-961-2696.

Meetings

LCCV

Lackawanna County Council of Veterans, Monday, 10 a.m., conference room, Gino J. Merli Veterans Center, Penn Avenue and Mulberry Street, Scranton, agenda: finalize plans for Armed Forces Day (May 20) and Flag Day (June 14) programs, and initial discussions for flag and grave markers for Memorial Day activities.

POST 4909

VFW Post 4909, Monday, 7:30 p.m., home association meeting follows.

POST 920

American Legion Post 920, Monday, 7 p.m., St. Patrick’s Church, 1403 Jackson St., Scranton, parking and entrance in rear basement; 570-903-2939.

POST 327 AUXILIARY

Olyphant American Legion Post 327 Auxiliary, Monday, 7 p.m.

AMERICAN LEGION DISTRICT 11

American Legion District 11, Wednesday, 7:30 p.m., Post 579, Church Street, Moscow, agenda: parade and Memorial Day ceremonies.

109TH INFANTRY

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

POST 207

American Legion Post 207, Thursday, 7 p.m., SS. Peter & Paul Church Hall, 1309 W. Locust St., Scranton.

POST 665 AUXILIARY

American Legion Post 665 Auxiliary, Saturday, 1 p.m., 901 Main St., Dickson City, nomination of officers.

POST 5207

John J. Michaels VFW Post 5207, May 7, 10 a.m., post home, routes 502 and 307, Covington Twp.

VFW DISTRICT 10

VFW District 10, May 7, 2 p.m., Post 5207, Covington Twp., election of officers.

POST 25

Gen. Thedore J. Wint VFW Post 25, May 7, 2291 Rockwell Ave., Scranton, canteen meeting, noon, and post, 12:30 p.m.

POST 6082 AUXILIARY

Shopa-Davey VFW Post 6082 Auxiliary, May 9, 6 p.m., installation of officers.

DAV CHAPTER 114

Disabled American Veterans Chapter 114, May 14, 7 p.m., Cordaro’s Restaurant, 186 Grandview Ave., Honesdale.

CAMP 8

Ezra S. Griffin, Camp 8 Sons of Union Veterans and Auxiliary, May 20, 10:30 a.m., Scranton City Hall side ADA entrance, Mulberry Street; 570-606-1014.

Merli Center

Today: Keurig coffee, 8:30 a.m.; Eucharistic ministry visits, 9:15; Rolling Thunder bingo, 2 p.m.

Monday: Silver Star Service Banner Day. Morning visits, 8:45 a.m.; Bible study visits, 9:30; Octaband with music, 10:15; bingo by Rocco Valvano, 2 p.m.; senior fitness, 3; music videos, 7.

Tuesday: Morning visits, 8:45 a.m.; resident council, 10; trivia, 10:15; food committee meeting, 10:30; voluntary ministry on units, 1:15 p.m.; choir practice, 1:45; Catholic service, 3.

Wednesday: Morning visits, 8:45 a.m.; the Macarena, 10:15; PEER group meeting, 10:30; bingo in memory of Jack B. Stephens, 2 p.m.; trivia night, 7; cupcake social with music, 7.

Thursday: Morning visits, 8:45 a.m.; chapel, 10; arts and crafts, 10:15; Hotel Ponderosa dine-in, 12:15 p.m.; bingo by Ladies Auxiliary to the VFW Dept. of Pa., 2; senior fitness, 3; music video, 7; the Lemon Drop Kid move, 7.

Friday: Morning visits, 8:45 a.m.; adult coloring, 10:15; Cinco de Mayo party with EJ the DJ, Mexican food and surprises, 2 p.m.; senior fitness, 3.

Saturday: Morning visits, 8:45 a.m.; coffee and doughnuts by the Ladies Auxiliary to the VFW Dept. of Pa., 10:15; Villa Capri “Corvettes for Vets” Car Show outside, noon-4 p.m.

VETERANS NEWS should be submitted no later than Monday before publication to

veterans@timesshamrock.com; or YES!desk, The Times-Tribune, 149 Penn Ave., Scranton, PA 18503.

Convicted cop killer Eric Matthew Frein was sentenced to death row, but if history is any indication, prosecutors will face a challenge keeping him there.

Pennsylvania is among numerous states nationwide that have seen dozens of defendants removed from death row after successfully appealing their convictions and/or sentences, according to a 2013 report by the Bureau of Justice Statistics, the latest data available.

From 1973 to 2013, there were 8,466 people sentenced to death in state and federal courts nationwide. Of those, 3,194 defendants, or 37.7 percent, are no longer on death row because their convictions and/or death sentences were overturned on appeal. In Pennsylvania, 417 defendants were sentenced to death, with 188, or 45 percent, of the convictions/death sentences being overturned, according to the report.

As of the date of the report, 190 people were on Pennsylvania’s death row. That number dropped

drastically within the past two years.

In February 2015, when Gov. Tom Wolf imposed a moratorium on executions, there were 186 people on Pennsylvania’s death row. As of April 3, the state’s death row population is 171. Of the 15 inmates removed from the list, 14 got off because their convictions or sentences were overturned, including Michael Bardo, who was convicted in 1993 in Luzerne County of murdering his niece, according to the DOC. Pennsylvania has not executed anyone since 1999,when Gary Heidnik, who gave up his appeals, was put to death for torturing and murdering several women in Philadelphia.

The fact the sentences or convictions were overturned does not mean all those defendants were innocent or wrongly convicted, several legal experts said in recent interviews. Rather, it is an indication of the enormous complexity of capital cases and the exhaustive review they undergo on appeal.

“Death penalty cases are the brain surgery of criminal law,” said Jules Epstein, a law professor at Temple University in Philadelphia. “Not every lawyer on the prosecution, as well as the defense side, is up on all the nuances and requirements of the law.”

The slightest misstep by either the defense or prosecution can lead to the case being overturned, attorneys said.

“In death penalty cases, we don’t just have due process. We have super due process,” said Joshua Marquis,district attorney in Clatsop County, Oregon, and member of the National District Attorneys Association. “Death penalty cases are subjected to a level of scrutiny like no other case.”

A Chester County jury convicted Frein, 33, of Canadensis, on April 19 of two counts of first-degree murder and 10 other charges in Pike County Court for the Sept. 12, 2014, sniper attack at the Blooming Grove state police barracks that killed Cpl. Bryon K. Dickson II, 38, of Dunmore, and severely wounded Trooper Alex T. Douglass, 34, of Olyphant. The jury sentenced Frein to death Wednesday.

Epstein and other death penalty experts said many factors lead to reversals. Among the most common reasons are faulty jury instructions and the failure of defense counsel to investigate fully the background of a defendant in developing mitigating circumstances, which lessen a defendant’s culpability.

In Pennsylvania, jurors weigh mitigators against aggravating circumstances, which make a crime more heinous, in deciding whether to sentence a defendant to death or life in prison.

“Time and time again, cases get reversed because the jury was never given the full background and therefore the full picture of the defendant,” Epstein said.

Robert Dunhan, executive director of the Death Penalty Information Center, said part of the issue is counties are reluctant to pay for the experts and investigators the defense seeks.

“The failure to provide meaningful resources to the defense led to more than 100 capital cases being overturned (nationwide),” Dunhan said.

In Frein’s case, Pike County Judge Gregory Chelak appointed a taxpayer-funded mitigation expert, Louise Luck,to his defense team early in the case and also authorized payment for a neuropsychologist, Carol Armstrong, to examine him. The defense ended up not presenting Armstrong’s findings. Jurors did not find a single mitigating circumstance.

Frein remained incarcerated in the Pike County Correctional Facility as of Friday. He will be transferred to the State Correctional Institution at Rockview for processing, then to either SCI Graterford or SCI Greene, the two state prisons that house death row inmates.

Like all death penalty cases, the state Supreme Court automatically will review his conviction and death sentence. If the court upholds the verdicts, Frein has several appeals he can file in state and federal court systems. It could be up to a decade or longer before the case is resolved.

While the lengthy legal process can be frustrating, it is necessary to ensure the state gets it right, Marquis said.

“The deck has always been stacked in favor of the defendant,” Marquis said. “There is supposed to be an imbalance. The state is trying to kill someone, so the burden should be on the state.”

Contact the writer:

tbesecker@timesshamrock.com;

570-348-9137;

@tmbeseckerTT on Twitter

The humble log cabin had no steeple reaching skyward, no carillon bells calling the faithful to worship, no pews for the congregation to gather.

In fact, what’s been called Lackawanna County’s first church doubled as the pastor’s home. The appropriately named William Bishop first arrived in what is now known as the Hyde Park section in the late 1700s after living briefly in Wilkes-Barre and Pittston.

Bishop used his home, located in what is now the 200 block of North Main Avenue, as the county’s first Baptist church. “Worshippers came from all over the valley,” according to a 1944 report in The Scranton Times. “In the summertime, they journeyed to the meeting place barefooted, carrying shoes or moccasins in their hands and putting them on before the service began.”

Left for New Jersey

Fire destroyed the log cabin in 1803 and Bishop left to establish a church in New Jersey. Some members of Bishop’s church joined the Abington Baptists, according to The Scranton Times. The majority stopped attending any organized service at all.

“In the interval, the Rev. William K. Mott of the Pittston Church frequently visited and preached in Hyde Park,” according to the article. “As a result of his labors, he baptized a number of converts in the fellowship of the Pittston Church.”

By the 1840s, Scranton’s population began to swell as the coal mines and iron works grew. Baptists in Hyde Park decided to establish a new church.

A meeting held Sept. 12, 1849, included “ministers and delegates from the Abington, Benton, Clifford, Greenfield, Blakely, Carbondale and Pittston churches.” There, Hyde Park Baptist Church, later called First Baptist Church, was organized with Mott as the pastor.

Built for $2,800

The congregation’s first home, a 38-by-55-foot brick structure on Chestnut Street near Price Street, was built in the early 1850s at a cost of $2,800, according to a history of the church prepared by parishioner Emma A. Neal.

Before Mott’s resignation in 1870, members of First Baptist broke off and established Penn Avenue Baptist Church, later renamed Immanuel Baptist, and Jackson Street Baptist Church.

According to Neal’s history, the decision to move the church from Chestnut Street was made in the 1880s, soon after the Rev. Owen James became pastor of First Baptist. The congregation worshipped in the “Co-operative Hall on Main Avenue ... until sufficient money could be raised to build a new church,” she wrote. “A lot was purchased on Scranton Street, costing $3,500, and a church edifice erected upon it. This was dedicated May 6, 1886,” by Mott, who established the original church.

Insufficient insurance

Disaster struck in 1899, when fire destroyed the church edifice. Insufficient insurance on the structure did not deter the congregation, however. As Neal tells it, members of First Baptist gathered while the church was still smoldering to discuss how to move forward.

The congregation pledged “a little over $1,600 ... to start a rebuilding fund,” according to Neal’s history. “A lot was purchased on South Main Avenue from Harriet C. Mott for the sum of $5,000 and a building erected at a cost of approximately $20,000. The choir pledged itself to purchase ... a new organ valued at $1,700.”

After a fast-moving fire destroyed the church again in 1962, the congregation rebuilt.

In 1984, First Baptist combined with First Welsh Baptist Church, founded in 1849 by the Rev. David E. Bowen, William Richards and Hugh Hughes.

“It’s official,” a June 20, 1984, Scranton Times article reported. “Two of the oldest Protestant churches in the city have united to form

the newest.”

The two congregations continued to worship at the former Welsh Baptist building, 213 S. Main Ave.

ERIN L. NISSLEY Is an assistant metro editor at The Times-Tribune. She has

lived in the area for 11

years.

Contact the writer:

localhistory@timesshamrock.com

Meet

Jacob Lockwood

School: Delaware Valley High School.

Parents: Jim and Lauren Lockwood.

Plans: Attend either Brown University or the University of Pennsylvania to study a scientific field

In just eight years, Jacob Lockwood helped take his Odyssey of the Mind

team from last place in regionals to fourth place in the world finals.

Odyssey of the Mind is a problem-solving competition in which teams of students devise creative solutions to unique problems. Teams spend anywhere from several weeks to several months preparing a solution to the problem presented to them, and they have eight minutes to present their solution to a panel of judges.

Jacob’s recent success with his Odyssey of the Mind team is his proudest accomplishment and it is also his most rewarding school experience, he said.

“I’ve participated in OM for eight years and, after years of trial and error, my team and I have begun to truly excel,” he said.

He and his team earned the Ranatra Fusca Award for outstanding creativity at state finals two years in a row, placed fourth out of 60 teams at the world finals last year, and will be competing in the world finals once again at the end of May.

“Odyssey of the Mind has allowed me to grow as a leader, express myself creatively and have a great time bonding with my team,” Jacob said.

This year, Jacob and his teammates are tasked with creating and presenting a humorous story about an “Odd-a-Bot” robot that learns from watching others.

According to Odyssey of the Mind’s instructions for the robot, “teams will design, build and operate an original robot that demonstrates human characteristics when performing tasks.”

Jacob’s most rewarding community activity has been working with Peer Buddies, a club at Delaware Valley in which student volunteers spend time with special-needs students.

“I began to work as a student volunteer with the Peer Buddies this year and I’ve really enjoyed spending time with special-needs students,” he said.

Jacob is also proud of his -academic success.

“Early in high school, I began pushing myself to improve academically as much as I possibly could, and I feel that my hard work has paid off,” he said.

Some of Jacob’s many academic achievements and awards include the Brown University Book Award, the Rensselaer Medal Award and the National Merit Commended Scholar award, ranking first in his graduating class.

Additionally, Jacob was the first junior at Delaware Valley to receive the National AP Scholar Award. To be eligible for the that award, students must receive a score of four or higher on at least eight AP exams, and their average score for every AP exam taken must be at least four.

In his very limited free time, Jacob enjoys reading, watching TV and spending time with friends and family. He also enjoys “all types of creative activities.” ranging from drawing to writing, he said.

Continuing with his proclivity to work hard, Jacob aspires to become a leader in his field.

“I hope to pursue a career that allows me to work on the biggest problems facing the world today,” Jacob said.

— FRANK WILKES LESNEFSKY

CLARKS SUMMIT — About 56 girls from Lackawanna and Pike counties competed in a science, math, engineering and technology competition Saturday at Abington Heights Middle School, said Rose Minniti, the district’s math and science director.

Students from grades five through eight competed in a number of categories, including events such as using catapults they build to knock over soldier toys and cupcake wars in the competition run by teacher Marisa Barilka and sponsored by the United Way of Lackawanna and Wayne Counties.

Minniti described the students being challenged and excited. The event is designed to foster love of STEM in girls who are under-represented in those fields in the workforce.

—KYLE WIND

MOOSIC — During her pregnancy, Lynn Mursch remembers walking into her 18-week anatomy scan excited to find out the gender of her baby, and walking out terrified because she also found out her son had a serious congenital heart defect.

“We knew we had to do whatever we could to bring this deserving baby into the world and give him the best that we possibly could,” the Scranton resident told an approximately 2,000-person crowd at PNC Field Saturday, stopping to collect herself before resuming. “He was born on Nov. 29, 2011. They brought him to my bedside after stabilizing him only to rush him back to the ICU.”

Mursch was unable to hold Matthew Jr. until he was 6 days old, then had to hand him over to a Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia surgeon for his first open-heart surgery at 7 days old, she told attendees of the Northeast PA Heart Walk.

His second open-heart surgery came when he was 3 months old. The third open-heart procedure came at 2½ years old. He’s already endured 12 cardiac catheterizations, three PICC line placements and many other invasive treatments and procedures.

Despite everything that went along with his hypoplastic left-heart syndrome, Matthew Jr. gobbled Swedish fish Saturday as his parents said in an interview their son is going into kindergarten in the fall and just started playing T-ball for North Scranton.

They still have the urge to wrap him in two layers of bubble-wrap, however, and don’t know what the future holds.

“All kids with congenital heart defects are different,” his mother said. “He could need more surgery. He could possibly need a transplant in the long run. We just take it a day at a time.”

Mursch also described her son, who led the annual heart walk and was the child chair for this year’s event, as the poster child for the American Heart Association’s goal of fundraising for research, education initiatives and advocacy efforts.

Larissa Bedrick, spokeswoman for the heart association, said the goal’s fundraising event was $160,000, and proceeds were on track to reach it.

Many of the event’s participating teams organized in the memory of loved ones, such as about 15 family members who commemorated Benton Twp. resident David Cobb, who died at age 54 from complications from heart valve replacement surgery.

His niece, 26-year-old Kingston Twp. resident Alexa Schlichter, said the loss has been hard, and the hope was that their efforts could help other families to not have to experience similar tragedies.

“He was very handy,” she recalled. “If you needed help with anything, he was always there for you. He would do anything to help his family, and he was a great dad. His girls love him.”

Contact the writer: kwind@timesshamrock.com; 570-348-9100 x5181; @kwindTT on Twitter

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

Ethel is an adult, female cat. She is front paw declawed and very friendly.
Contact the Griffin Pond Animal Shelter at 586-3700 if your pet is lost or goes astray. Staff Photo by Ted Baird

Zena is a young adult, female, Pitbull mix. She is a little shy at first, but warms up to be very friendly and playful.
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:

Meet

Tyler Mahone

School: Wallenpaupack Area High School.

Parent: Christina Mahone.

Plans: Attend Rochester Institute of Technology with a double major in mechanical engineering and applied physics.

Tyler Mahone never gives up.

The Wallenpaupack Area High School valedictorian said he “will always fight until the end” regardless of the challenge, and his academic achievements reflect his determination.

Tyler takes pride in his academic success. He is “very proud” to be valedictorian of his graduating class and to have represented Wallenpaupack at the first-ever Pennsylvania Governor’s JOBS 1st STEM

competition as a sophomore, he said.

He is also very proud that he and his scholastics team qualified for the National Academic Quiz Tournaments’ High School National Championship Tournament — a national quiz bowl competition with more than 300 teams competing. He and his team will compete in Atlanta at the end of the month.

This is the second year in a row that Tyler and his team qualified for the national competition. He has also qualified for states two years in a row for Science Olympiad.

He is the co-captain of the Scholastics and Science Olympiad teams, and he said his most rewarding activities have been his memberships in those clubs.

“I have learned so much from both and became a more knowledgeable person through my participation,” he said.

Tyler’s other academic achievements include receiving the NEIU’s Scholar of the Year award, winning multiple medals with his Science Olympiad team, receiving his school’s High Honors Gold Award for three years, membership in the National Honor Society for three years and maintaining a 4.93 GPA.

In his spare time, Tyler loves reading and swimming.

“I’ll read just about anything, from old classics like Shakespeare to modern stories like Harry Potter,” he said.

Someday, Tyler aspires to make children’s dreams a reality as a Disney Imagineer. Imagineers are engineers at Disney that design the company’s numerous theme parks, resorts and attractions.

He credits his mother, Christina, with making him the person he is today.

“The person I admire most is my mother,” Tyler said. “She is so brilliant and kind, and despite everything she has dealt with, has still managed to raise both me and my sister to be the best people we can be.”

— FRANK WILKES LESNEFSKY

Lackawanna County should have the brightest smiles in the northeast, if the dentist-to-population ratio is any indicator.

There are significantly more dentists to residents compared with surrounding counties — one dentist for every 1,380 people — according to the County Health Rankings, an annual county-by-county assessment of health statistics by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.

The analysis shows the statewide ratio is one dentist for every 1,530 residents.

By comparison, Wayne County’s ratio is 1:1,830; Wyoming County, 1:2,140; and Luzerne County, 1:1,570.

The analysis ranks counties in two main categories: health outcomes and health factors.

Room to improve

The county’s share of mental health providers, while still the best in the region, lagged the state with only one provider for every 760 people, a ratio county Human Services Director William Browning said should be improved.

Lackawanna ranked 57th of Pennsylvania’s 67 counties for health outcomes, which includes subcategories like length of life, quality of life and poor physical health days.

The county ranked 47th for health factors, including subcategories like DUI deaths and the percentage of women on Medicare receiving regular mammograms.

The most comparable nearby county, Luzerne, ranked 62nd for health outcomes and 58th for health factors.

In Northeast Pennsylvania, Lackawanna had the highest percentage of smokers — 19 percent of adults.

Despite mediocre ranks in most subcategories, Lackawanna far surpassed its neighbors for access to exercise — 92 percent of the population has access to adequate places for physical activity, the analysis says.

The state average is 85 percent.

“Overall, I think we’re doing OK,” Browning said. “I mean, obviously we could always do better, but I think we’re on the right course.”

As far as dentists go, Lackawanna County’s geography, surrounded by mostly rural counties, predisposes it to a higher concentration.

“One of the reasons there’s a large population of dentists in Lackawanna County, they draw from a very, very large catchment area,” said Dr. Ross Wezmar, a pediatric dentist with offices in Scranton, Wilkes-Barre, Hazleton and Bartonsville.

“There’s a lot of rural areas that don’t have sufficient dental coverage,” he said. “So a lot of rural areas gravitate particularly to Scranton and the surrounding areas

.”

More than half, 52 percent, of Lackawanna County’s 151 licensed dentists are age 57 or older, according to the Pennsylvania Dental Association.

The census of dentists might actually be a little skewed because older dentists may be retired or work only part time to stay connected to the profession, said PDA spokesman Rob Pugliese

.

The average age among the county’s dentists is 55

; only 10 are younger than 35.

“This is anecdotal, but we aren’t aware of a large number of recent graduates expressing an interest in migrating to Lackawanna County,” Pugliese said.

It’s costly and difficult for a young dentist to establish a practice anywhere, and as the county’s dentist population ages, saturation may shift to scarcity.

Earning dentist credentials has gotten harder from the days Wezmar, 72, got his license.

It takes eight years of schooling, plus another seven in residency, before dentists can step out on their own.

Residents earn a $30,000 to $40,000 annual stipend, while saddled with $400,000 to $600,000 in student debt, he said.

Beyond that, start-up costs for a private practice are now around $500,000, Wezmar said.

“By the time you’re 20 years out of dental school, you’ve probably got your head above the water and pretty comfortable ... but the payback is horrific,” he said.

Contact the writer:

joconnell@timesshamrock.com;

570-348-9131;

@jon_oc on Twitter

Bicyclists wheeled up to Scranton High School on Sunday morning to join Tour de Scranton 14, a bike ride and river walk along the Lackawanna River Heritage Trail to raise money for the Erin Jessica Moreken Drug and Alcohol Treatment Fund. Betty and Tom Moreken of Scranton started the fund in memory of their 28-year-old daughter, who they lost to a heroin overdose 15 years ago. The money raised helps others wrestling with recovery.

When the scallops talk to Jourdan Azevedo, he listens.

The chef de cuisine from Posh at the Scranton Club offered tips on cooking seafood like the pros at the Scranton Cultural Center at the Masonic Temple’s 17th annual Evening of Fine Food and Wine, the historic venue’s largest annual fundraiser.

After his audience tasted a saucer-sized sample of scallops with spring peas, roasted tomato and asiago risotto, he demonstrated his technique.

“They call me crazy, but I have a nice conversation with it,” he said.

The pan, sitting on a lone gas burner in front of him, replied with a gentle sizzle.

“Right now, it’s speaking good. … If it was less than that, it wouldn’t make any noise, and it wouldn’t sear very well.”

More than 210 guests sipped and nibbled their way through special rooms on four floors of the cultural center, where local media personalities shared historic trivia about each room and encouraged them to bid in the silent auction downstairs. Wine aficionados explained the evening’s selections and why they paired them with each dish.

The event, at $100 per person, garnered more than $21,000, minus expenses, to support the center’s ongoing multimillion-dollar restoration project and programs.

“There’s an emphasis on kids coming up in spring and summer,” Executive Director Deborah Moran Peterson said.

Kids will take the stage for the Musical Theatre Revue on Saturday, May 13, when they’ll perform numbers from “Matilda,” “Newsies” and “Beauty and the Beast,” among others.

Kids also will learn and perform two plays, “Hairspray Jr.” and “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat,” during the center’s summer camp, with weeklong sessions from July 10 to Aug. 18.

“We consider this to be not only a local architectural treasure. …We host everything from Broadway theater, to the kids’ summer camp, to Britney Spears, to Family-to-Family and Friends of the Poor dinners,” said fundraiser co-chairwoman Judy Price.

“It’s a place of art education and community involvement and events. It’s really a cornerstone, a gem, of our area,” she said.

Contact the writer:

joconnell@timesshamrock.com; 570-348-9131;

@jon_oc on Twitter