TRUCKSVILLE — A firefighter facing sexual assault charges alleging he had a sexual relationship with a junior firefighter had the charges against him forwarded to county court Thursday, according to court records.

Joshua James Ralston, 20, of 47 Main St., Dallas, will stand trial on 10 counts, including statutory sexual assault, aggravated indecent assault, unlawful contact with a minor, corruption of minors and criminal use of a communication facility.

Magisterial District Judge James Tupper forwarded all charges to county court, setting a formal arraignment date of Nov. 2.

Ralston is identified in court documents as a firefighter with Trucksville Volunteer Fire and Rescue. The victim is a junior firefighter, according to police.

The charges say the girl told police she had sex with Ralston in December and February at her home, while her mother was gone. During both encounters, Ralston was 19 and the girl was 13, according to police.

During questioning, Ralston admitted having sexual relations with the girl despite knowing it was wrong. He explained that the girl “wanted it as much as (he) did” and that he twice broke off the relationship because he knew he could get into trouble, police said.

Ralston remains free on $25,000 unsecured bail pending trial.

570-821-2058, @cvjimhalpin

Janet Rains - known by her stage name Jane Train - is being remembered by fans and friends across NEPA following here death Wednesday after being removed from life support.

The 48-year-old Pittston resident, was severely injured in July after a tractor-trailer accident in Florida.

She became known in the local music scene as the lead singer for the band M80 as well as singing on the Lilith Fair tour and supporting national acts.

Here is a collection of some of her performances:

Jane Train - I'm Coming Home (Skylar Grey Cover)

Not By Sight - STAND

Jane Train -  Beautiful Star

M80 at Musikfest 2010 - Love Is A Battlefield

M80 at Musikfest 2010 - Don't Stop Believing

M80 at Musikfest 2010 - Beat It

WILKES-BARRE — A city man was arraigned Thursday on charges alleging he molested a 14-year-old girl more than five years ago.

Eduardo Cruz, 36, of 123 O’Neill St., is facing two felony counts of aggravated indecent assault and two misdemeanor counts of indecent assault.

According to court documents, police got a report about the abuse in August 2012 and interviewed the victim. The girl reported she had known Cruz since she was little and that the relationship had always been good, police said.

But then one night in November 2011, Cruz came into her bedroom and laid down next to her, police said. Cruz called the girl’s name and told her to turn around, then unhooked her bra and began fondling her, according to police.

Frightened, the girl got out of bed and went to tell her mother, police said. Her mother confronted Cruz, who apologized, police said.

During questioning, Cruz admitted most of the conduct the girl alleged, according to police.

Police got a warrant for Cruz’s arrest in September 2012. It was not immediately clear where he was between then and his arraignment Thursday.

Magisterial District Judge Daniel O’Donnell held the arraignment and ordered Cruz held at the Luzerne County Correctional Facility with bail set at $50,000.
A preliminary hearing was set for Aug. 31.

570-821-2058, @cvjimhalpin

WILKES-BARRE — A city woman who showed up drunk with her young child to buy booze began hurling curses and bit a police officer after being refused service, according to police.

Rasheedah Burnett, 34, of 478 S. Franklin St., was charged with aggravated assault, resisting arrest, disorderly conduct, and public drunkenness after causing a ruckus at the Fine Wine and Good Spirits store at 379 S. Main St. about 4:40 p.m. Wednesday.

Police say Burnett entered the store along with a child who was about 8 and tried to buy alcohol but was refused because she appeared drunk. Burnett, who later told police she drank a pint of vodka, grew irate and began cursing, saying it was her “day off,” according to a police affidavit.

When police arrived, she ran back into the store and began to re-engage an employee, cursing at police and calling them “racist pigs” as she insulted their anatomy, the affidavit says.

During the confrontation, Burnett bit officer Shane Smith on the right forearm and tried to kick officers after being taken to the ground, police said. Officer Sara Chmielewski sustained injuries to the left arm, wrist and shoulder after being kicked, police said.

As officers struggled with Burnett, her child began repeating the curses she was yelling and then ran up and shoved the employee, police said.

Burnett was strapped to a restraint chair and then brought to Wilkes-Barre General Hospital because of her high level of intoxication and a small cut on her hand.

Magisterial District Judge Daniel O’Donnell arraigned Burnett on the charges Thursday morning and ordered her held at the Luzerne County Correctional Facility with bail set at $25,000.

A preliminary hearing was set for Sept. 5.

570-821-2058, @cvjimhalpin

Police arrested two men Wednesday after a drug raid in Taylor found nearly 40 grams of crystal methamphetamine.

Andrew A. Kauffman, 28, 716 Linden St., Bethlehem, and Laron M. Richardson, 29, of Apt. 27 on Little League Boulevard, Taylor, each face several counts of drug-related felonies and misdemeanors after the search of Richardson’s apartment, police said. Drug detectives from the Lackawanna County district attorney’s office and Dunmore police investigated with assistance from Taylor police and Scranton police’s Street Crimes Unit.

Both men also face a count each of evidence tampering because detectives said they tried to destroy crystal methamphetamine in a sink and shower.

Police entered the apartment at about 4:30 p.m. and found Richardson face down on the bathroom floor and Kauffman in a fetal position in the shower. Police found two bags of methamphetamine on the floor near Kauffman and Richardson told officers there were more drugs throughout the apartment.

Riggs, a county drug dog, swept the apartment and found a total of 38 grams of methamphetamine, most of it from the bedroom. Detectives also seized six cell phones, $241 in cash, a digital scale found floating in the bathroom sink, a small amount of marijuana and a knife concealed in Richardson’s belt buckle. Detectives identified one of the cell phones as one used during their investigation.

The drugs seized field tested positive for methamphetamine and will be sent to a state police crime laboratory for further analysis, police said.

Magisterial District Judge John P. Pesota arraigned and jailed both men at Lackawanna County Prison in lieu of $75,000 bail. Preliminary hearings are scheduled for Aug. 31 at 9 a.m.

Contact the writer: jkohut@timesshamrock.com, 570-348-9144; @jkohutTT on Twitter.

WILKES-BARRE — A Shickshinny man who stole a bike from the Wilkes-Barre Police Department garage moments after being released from custody was hit with trespassing and theft charges, according to police.

Police say Denis Julian Wenn, 58, was released from custody Wednesday night after being processed and cited on a summary shoplifting charge. Minutes later, officer Mark Hilpp saw Wenn standing on the sidewalk next to the department’s rear parking lot, dragging a street sign that had fallen down.

Ordered to return the sign, Wenn dragged it back to the parking lot and then began walking along State Street toward Market Street, police said.

As Hilpp began to pull into the rear parking lot, he saw Wenn walk down a ramp leading into the department’s basement garage, an area not open to the public — the door was still open because Hilpp had just exited. The officer stopped and backed up, then saw Wenn pushing a purple Pacific Evolution bicycle up the ramp, according to a police affidavit.

Wenn jumped on the bike and rode off toward Market Street, police said.

Hilpp pursued Wenn and stopped him along South Washington Street, where the defendant reported he took the bike so he could retrieve his own bicycle from a nearby drug store, police said. Wenn informed the officer he intended to return the bike at a later date.

Police charged Wenn with a felony count of criminal trespassing and a misdemeanor count of theft for taking the bike, worth $110.

Magisterial District Judge Daniel O’Donnell arraigned Webb on Thursday morning and ordered him jailed at the Luzerne County Correctional Facility with bail set at $5,000

A preliminary hearing was set for Aug. 31.

570-821-2058, @cvjimhalpin

Honesdale Borough Council is accepting résumés to fill a recently vacated council seat.

Council accepted the resignation of Councilman William Canfield at its meeting Monday. Residents wishing to be considered for the council seat must submit a résumé by noon on Sept. 11. All applicants should attend the regular council meeting at 6 p.m. on Sept. 18 to state why they want to serve on council and also field questions from other council members.

Applicants must be a resident of Honesdale for at least a year and be registered to vote. Résumés can be dropped off at borough hall, 958 Main St. , faxed to 570-253-4624 or emailed to hdleboro@ptd.net.

— CLAYTON OVER

A Roman Catholic priest from New Jersey caught up in a Wayne County child pornography probe went before a judge Thursday to learn his fate.

The Rev. Kevin A. Gugliotta, 55, of Mahwah, was sentenced by President Judge Raymond L. Hamill to 11½ to 23½ months in the Wayne County Correctional Facility, District Attorney Janine Edwards said.

The sentence includes the more than 300 days Gugliotta has already spent in jail, meaning he could be eligible for parole in about 1½ months, his attorney, James Swetz, said.

Gugliotta had pleaded guilty in March to one count of dissemination of child pornography. In October, Wayne County detectives filed more than 40 felony counts of possessing and disseminating child pornography against him for uploading files from a Lehigh Twp. apartment he referred to as his “day off place,” investigators said.

The Archdiocese of Newark removed Gugliotta from ministry and ordered he vacate his assignment at the Holy Spirit Church in Union, New Jersey, upon learning of the allegations. He remains out of ministry and Rome has been notified of the court developments to date, Jim Goodness, a spokesman for the archdiocese said. Gugliotta had been a priest in that archdiocese since his ordination in 1996.

Between July 9 and Aug. 29, 2016, Gugliotta uploaded 20 files depicting children engaged in sexual activity to internet chat rooms. Detectives tracked the activity back to Gugliotta.

Swetz said he was pleased with the sentence fashioned by Hamill, which includes five years of probation following Gugliotta’s time in jail.

Edwards noted Gugliotta must register as a sex offender for the next 25 years.

“This priest’s actions support the victimization of children and must be severely punished,” Edwards said in a statement. “With no one to watch child porn, our children would not be subject to the horrors of exploitation. I am very pleased he was caught.”

Contact the writer: jkohut@timesshamrock.com, 570-348-9144; @jkohutTT on Twitter

SCRANTON — A block of Linden Street in downtown Scranton long closed due to construction is slated to reopen to traffic Friday, Scranton police Lt. Glenn Thomas said.

The 400 block of Linden Street closed to traffic in May to allow for work on the William J. Nealon Federal Building and U.S. Courthouse.

The closure was expected to last eight to 12 weeks. However, the block would open from time to time as allowed by weather or work schedule.

— JOSEPH KOHUT

HONESDALE — Borough police are investigating a hit and run that occurred early this morning.

About 3:44 a.m., a dark-colored pickup truck drove onto a sidewalk on Main Street, hitting several objects and uprooting a small tree before leaving the scene, police said.

The truck, which police believe may be a 2007-2014 GMC Sierra with a toolbox in its bed, is missing its drivers side headlight, fog light and a piece of chrome.

Anyone with information is asked to call Honesdale police at 570-253-1900.

— FRANK WILKES LESNEFSKY

WILKES-BARRE — Lynn Muchler-Stash, a local volunteer with the American Red Cross, left for Texas on Friday to help as Hurricane Harvey intensified and was expected to cause catastrophic flooding and significant damage.

Muchler-Stash, 65, an Edwardsville resident and a retired teacher, plans to set up and manage a shelter during the hurricane, which could dump up to 3 feet of rain in some areas and carry winds as strong as 86 mph.

Other volunteers from Northeast Pennsylvania could join Muchler-Stash in Texas next week, Red Cross spokesman Dave Skutnik said.

Several counties in Texas issued voluntary evacuation orders for low-lying areas as Harvey, the first hurricane to strike Texas in almost nine years, approached.

Despite the threat to people in its path, Muchler-Stash said she is prepared because the Red Cross has taught her safety.

“I lived through Agnes here in 1972 and I lost my home, and I did sandbagging and everything, so I kind of have that in the back of my mind,” she said. “I anticipate the rain and the wind and the noise.”

Muchler-Stash teaches students how to be prepared for a hurricane and how to get through it. She agreed to help in Texas during the hurricane because she likes helping people.

“Usually this time of year is hurricane season, so I kind of cleared my schedule and waited for this,” she said.

Muchler-Stash left from the Red Cross office in Wilkes-Barre on Friday, flying to Texas from Wilkes-Barre/Scranton International Airport.

Red Cross volunteers from all over the country are being deployed to Texas in a large response to help people as the hurricane arrives, said Bill Goldsworthy, executive director for the Northeastern Pennsylvania Chapter of the Red Cross.

“As the Red Cross always is, we’re prepared in advance, getting people there, getting ready to assist any way we can all the residents there,” Goldsworthy said.

The Red Cross set up 17 locations for sheltering in Texas, with the possibility of more, he said.

Thirty Red Cross emergency response vehicles also are now stationed in Texas and 20 more are on standby. Additionally, tractor-trailers loaded with supplies are there for shelters, he said.

“There’s going to be a lot of damage and a lot of flooded homes, and that doesn’t even include the high winds they are expecting,” Goldsworthy said. “There will be a lot of need for our services down there, and we got great volunteers like Lynn, who volunteer their services and go do their jobs. Our volunteers love helping people. That’s what they’re here for and that’s what they do.”

To help those affected by Hurricane Harvey, donations may be made online at www.redcross.org or by texting REDCROSS to 90999 to give $10.

Contact the writer:

dallabaugh@citizensvoice.com;

570-821-2115;

@CVAllabaugh on Twitter

Emily Gavigan can pinpoint the moment she thought she lost her mind.

It came one day in January 2009, as the Laflin native, then a 19-year-old sophomore at the University of Scranton, drove home after coffee with friends.

“It was almost like somebody pressed a button. I was all of a sudden very manic and paranoid, and I thought trucks were following me,” she said.

It would get worse, much worse.

There were the stays in the psychiatric wards, the powerful medications and the ever-worsening symptoms that would leave her, a little over a year later, teetering between life and death from a mysterious ailment none of her doctors had ever seen before.

On Sunday at 9 p.m., HLN will revisit Gavigan’s story as part of its medical mystery series, “Something’s Killing Me.” The episode, titled “Into Madness,” features Gavigan and Dr. Mitchell Gross, the neurologist who treated her at Geisinger Wyoming Valley Medical Center.

Gavigan, now 28 and living in Mount Pocono, sees the show as an opportunity to further raise the profile of anti-NMDA receptor encephalitis, the autoimmune disorder with which she was finally correctly diagnosed in 2010. The disease, which causes the immune system to attack the brain, strikes mainly young women.

“I think there are a lot of people who are sick and undiagnosed with this, so there is real value in the awareness we are creating,” she said.

Most of all, she said, it’s about saving others from what she went through.

The day Gavigan experienced her first manic episode in January 2009, her mother, Grace, called a psychiatrist who treated her for anxiety in high school and set up an appointment.

“I went to see her the next day, and I thought her office was bugged completely,” Gavigan said. “I shut down and wouldn’t talk to her and ended up in the emergency room.”

Over the months that followed, Gavigan was in and out of a number of psychiatric facilities and programs as doctors tried to find the right combination of medications to treat her, eventually settling what she described as “all these heavy mood-stabilizers and anti-psychotics.”

“I was very weighed-down and zombie-like, but my brain had kind of stabilized, and I was no longer having those paranoid thoughts,” said Gavigan, who was well enough to re-enroll full-time at the University of Scranton in the fall of 2009.

In January 2010, a New York Post reporter, Susannah Cahalan, wrote about her experience with anti-NMDA receptor encephalitis and went on the “Today” show to talk about her illness. A relative saw the interview and, recognizing Cahalan’s and Gavigan’s symptoms were similar, contacted Gavigan’s father, William.

The family showed the information to the psychiatrist who was treating Gavigan at the time.

“He said, ‘Absolutely not. She has not had any seizures. This is not your daughter.’ He refused to test me for it,” she said.

Three months later, in March 2010, Gavigan was home for spring break when she suddenly lost use of her hands and started slurring her speech.

The following day, after the right side of her face started to droop, her family physician admitted her to Community Medical Center. Gavigan said she was examined by a neurologist who, after reviewing her symptoms, diagnosed her with multiple sclerosis. She was hospitalized for three days and then sent home, where she was treated with intravenous steroids.

Gavigan said she was told she would be able to return to school when spring break ended, but that never happened.

After she lost use of her arms and could not walk, her mother took her to the emergency room at Geisinger Wyoming Valley. Her father met them there.

Gross examined her and her medical records and quickly reached a conclusion that Gavigan said most likely saved her life.

“He says, ‘I don’t know what this is, but it’s not MS and it’s been going on for a year,’” she said. “He knew it was autoimmune and they started treatment for autoimmune disorder.”

Within 12 hours of her arrival at Geisinger Wyoming Valley, Gavigan developed a blood clot on her brain and suffered a grand mal seizure that lasted more than an hour.

At that point, Gavigan’s father remembered the article Cahalan wrote and showed to it to Gross, who agreed Gavigan might be suffering from the same disorder and arranged to transfer her to the University of Pennsylvania Hospital in Philadelphia.

Geisinger spokeswoman Wendy Wilson said there is a lesson there for physicians.

“One of the reasons that we wanted to do this is to remind our doctors that we all need to listen to our patients’ intuition and what they suspect and that was the case with this family,” she said.

At Penn, Gavigan was treated by Dr. Josep Dalmau, the neurologist who discovered anti-NMDA receptor encephalitis in 2007.

Before he could make a positive diagnosis, however, her condition had to be stabilized. She spent the first five days on a ventilator in critical condition. After five weeks, her condition improved to the point that doctors could perform the spinal fluid test that confirmed the diagnosis.

“A lot of it I don’t remember, so I’m fortunate in that,” Gavigan said. “I feel my parents suffered more than I did.”

The diagnosis cleared the way for three rounds of specialized immunotherapy.

In all, she spent 2½ months in Philadelphia, part of that in intensive physical and speech therapy that she continued when she returned home.

“I had to relearn how to feed myself, how to write,” Gavigan said. “At one point, my dad handed me a toothbrush and I had no idea what to do with it. It was basically everything from walking on up.”

Gavigan returned to the University of Scranton in the spring of 2011, and graduated in December 2012. She earned her master’s from Rosemont College in Bryn Mawr in 2015. She works as a technical writer at Sanofi Pasteur in Swiftwater.

She has been symptom-free for five years.

Gavigan said she would not be here now if Cahalan had not gone on the “Today” show in 2010, and told her story. In 2012, Cahalan came back to “Today” and appeared with Gavigan.

“When Susannah and I went on the ‘Today’ show, there was a little girl in Nebraska who was admitted to the hospital that day and she was diagnosed because we were on,” Gavigan said. “The doctors in Nebraska really had never heard of this disease. It just kind of shows the power of sharing your story.”

Contact the writer: dsingleton@timesshamrock.com, 570-348-9132

Emily Gavigan’s story will air Sunday at 9 p.m. on HLN as part of the real-life medical mystery series, “Something’s Killing Me.” The episode, titled “Into Madness,” is hosted by actor BD Wong.

RICE TWP. — Five children and two adults were injured Friday afternoon when a car plowed into them as they walked through their residential development, township police said.

Three of the children — including an infant girl — and the two adults were flown to hospitals while two of the children were transported by ambulance, police said.

The incident occurred on a sunny, clear day along a straight portion of Aleksander Boulevard in the Polonia Estates, a housing development about 2 miles from Route 309.

Multiple people familiar with the victims identified them as Bryan and Nina Herbst, their four children and another family member. They live on General Pulaski Street, a short distance from the crash scene. The couple and three children remained hospitalized as of Friday night.

The driver of the car — identified only as a middle-age woman — was taken into police custody, investigators said.

Investigators say the family was walking down the street and the car was traveling in the opposite lane before it crossed lanes and collided with the family around 1 p.m.

Authorities did not give any indication the incident was intentional.

“We’re still trying to figure out what happened because none of it is making sense to us,” Rice Twp. police Sgt. Harry Ehret said at the scene. “We have the car. We have the tire marks. But we are still trying to put together why this happened.”

A state police forensic unit and a crash reconstruction team were called to the scene. They examined the car, a white Nissan, which had a shattered windshield with a big hole in the middle.

Luzerne County District Attorney Stefanie Salavantis said her office is investigating. The driver “is cooperating with law enforcement,” she said.

Neighbors said they heard the crash around 1 p.m. and rushed outside.

“I came out and saw a bunch of kids laying in the street crying,” said Patrick Colo, 17, who lives on the street. “I tried to help the best I could.”

Eric Wanchisen, 45, said the crash occurred in front of the residence of an emergency room doctor who was home.

“What’s the odds she was home? She had them all assessed before the ambulance came,” Wanchisen said.

Multiple neighbors said the doctor worked hard to save the life of the baby who was in a stroller that was hit. The baby was not breathing and unresponsive at the time emergency crews were dispatched. Neighbors identified the doctor as Annette Mann of the Lehigh Valley Health Network.

As of Friday evening, one of the adults and three of the children were at Geisinger Medical Center in Danville, Geisinger spokeswoman Wendy Wilson said. The adult and two of the children were in critical condition, Wilson said, while the third child was upgraded to fair condition.

One of the adults remained in serious condition at Geisinger Wyoming Valley Medical Center in Plains Twp., she said.

Two of the children were released after treatment, she said.

Wilson said an off-duty certified nurse anesthetist who lives in the neighborhood also worked to stabilize the victims before the ambulance got there.

Contact the writer:

bkalinowski@citizensvoice.com;

570-821-2055;

@cvbobkal on Twitter

East Scranton

Bus trip: East Scranton Seniors bus trip to Hollywood Casino, Sept. 13, leaves Monroe Avenue parking lot across from Dunmore Senior Center at 9:30 a.m. and returns at 5 p.m., $33, includes $30/slot play rebate and $5/food coupon, must have valid ID; Tom, 570-280-5096.

Keyser Valley

Seniors meet: Keyser Valley Senior Citizens meeting, Monday, 1 p.m., community center, Keyser Avenue, to finalize plans for the Sept. 11 picnic, games and refreshments follow.

Lackawanna County

Bus trip: Ladies Ancient Order of Hibernians bus trip to Sands Casino & Outlets in Bethlehem, Sept. 30, bus leaves 10 a.m. from St. Patrick’s Church on Jackson Street and returns for home at 5 p.m., $25, includes $20/slot rebate and $5/food voucher, outlet shops and city of Bethlehem to explore, all proceeds benefit St. Patrick’s Food Pantry, St. Francis of Assisi Kitchen and various local charities; Maureen, 570-558-5263 or Michele, 570-343-7009, payment due by Sept. 10, make checks payable to LAOH-DIV 5 and mail to Michele McDade, 102 Ridgeview Drive, Scranton, PA 18504.

South Abington Twp.

Chicken barbecue: Chinchilla Hose Company chicken barbecue, Sept. 2, noon-5 p.m., fire house, Shady Lane Road, $10, drive-thru or sit down; 570-586-5726.

West Scranton

Class reunion: 1957 class of West Scranton High School 60th year reunion, Oct. 21, Villa Maria II, 1610 Washburn St., Scranton, $25, dinner and a cash bar, casual dress; Frank Chuff, 570-586-0212 or Neil Fogliani, 610-265-2068, or email Neil at fogliani1@icloud.com, deadline: Oct. 1.

CLIPBOARD ITEMS may be emailed to yesdesk@times

shamrock.com or mailed to Clipboard, c/o YES!Desk, 149 Penn Ave., Scranton, PA 18503. YES!Desk, 570-348-9121.

Korean carmaker Kia has introduced two new gas-electric hybrid vehicles this model year — the Ioniq and Niro — nearly two decades since Toyota’s first-gen Prius set the automotive tongues wagging with its cutting-edge drivetrain and superior fuel economy.

Kia has been at the hybrid game for a few years itself, granted, but seemed to lack the technical finesse exhibited by longtime players like Toyota and Honda. Kia provided a sample of the latter — the Niro — to spend nine days transporting yours truly and my kids to and from sleepovers, tennis practice and the office. In my estimation, Kia has fully closed the hybrid gap with other carmakers.

Unlike the Ioniq — a low-riding five-door hatchback that bears more than a passing resemblance to the recent-generation Prius (check out that split-view rear hatch) — the Niro combines truly remarkable fuel economy in a nonhybrid-looking crossover/sport-ute package.

Don’t judge this book by its cover, though. Despite its relatively high ground clearance and styling nod to Kia’s fleet of gas-only crossovers, the Niro is front-wheel-drive-only, making it more a tallish hatchback than off-roading warrior. That said, front-wheel drive and a set of decent all-season tires are more than enough to tackle NEPA’s wintry roadways.

There are four trim levels — FE, LX, EX, Touring (a special-paint color Touring Launch is a limited edition model) — all of which are powered by a 1.6-liter inline-four gas engine teamed with an electric motor and lithium-ion battery pack. In a break with almost all other hybrid vehicles, the Niro eschews a continuously variable transmission and is equipped instead with a six-speed dual-clutch automatic.

Entry-level FE models are Spartan affairs. The short list of standard features (16-inch alloys, manual-adjustable front seats, rearview camera and few other items) cuts weight, though, to deliver a higher level of fuel efficiency than the higher-trim samples. The EPA estimates that an FE-appointed Niro FE will extract 50 mpg in combined driving, compared with 43 mpg when wearing heavier, fancier duds.

The list of standard goodies and attendant pricing grows with successive trim levels. FE models start at a budget-minded $22,890, with the top-of-the-line Touring commanding a premium nearly $7,000 north of that.

Our tester was a well-equipped cerulean-blue Touring model. The as-tested window sticker totaled an eye-opening $32,445, the sting of which was lessened by the sheer amount of bells and whistles baked in.

Standard equipment includes 18-inch alloy wheels, dual-zone automatic climate control, leather upholstery, power-adjustable driver’s seat with lumbar support and memory, Android Auto and Apple CarPlay smartphone hookups, blind-spot detection, front and rear parking assist, heated and ventilated front seats, satellite navigation system with 8-inch LCD touch-screen infotainment interface, Harman Kardon premium sound system and more.

Factor in the $1,900 Advanced Technology Package (autonomous emergency braking system, forward collision warning, lane departure warning, smart cruise control, wireless phone-charging pad and 115-volt outlet) and $895 delivery tab, and our Niro made a decent-enough case for its asking price.

Like its brand-mates, the Niro’s exterior is handsomely sculpted with sweeping lines and correct proportions. The cabin feels open and roomy for a compact crossover, with excellent sightlines in nearly every direction. Instrumentation is clearly marked and easy to operate, with two thumbs up for an LCD display that’s legible in bright sunlight.

Front-seaters will find plenty of leg- and headroom in a pair of all-day-comfortable seats.

The second row is big enough for two adults on shorter hops, and better suited for kiddos on longer ones. There’s 19.4 cubic feet of cargo space behind the second row, which is pretty good for this segment, lagging only the Honda HR-V and Toyota Prius Three in recent testing. Seats folded, the Niro can swallow 54.5 cubic feet of stuff.

The ride quality is quiet and comfortable, especially when the Niro is in electric EV mode. Acceleration is a bit lackadaisical off the line, and a heavy foot is needed when jumping out into traffic. Once the six-speed tranny gears down, though, the Niro scoots along with an un-hybrid-like sense of urgency. Even then, our observed 45.6 mpg for the week bested the EPA’s 43 mpg estimate.

2018 Kia Niro Touring

Vehicle type: Four-door, five-passenger compact hybrid crossover

Base/as-tested prices: $29,650/$32,445

Engine and transmission: 1.6-liter inline-four gas engine coupled with electric motor and lithium-ion battery pack, total output rated at 139 horsepower and 195 foot-pounds torque; six-speed automatic transmission.

EPA estimate: 50 mpg combined city/highway driving (regular fuel).

The good: All-new model that combines nonhybrid-looking exterior with superior fuel economy; roomy and comfortable cabin; quiet and smooth road manners; decently quick for a hybrid when asked; handsome exterior design; clearly marked and easy-to-use instrumentation; wide range of trim levels and options from which to choose; long warranty.

The bad: All-wheel drive not offered; wait-for-it throttle response.

Bottom line: More five-door hatch than off-roading sport-ute; the all-new Niro nevertheless offers excellent fuel economy in an all-round useful family-friendly package.

Q: I have a 2015 Yukon XL with a cloudy inside windshield. It looks perfectly clean until the sun or oncoming headlights shine on it. I have tried to wash it with glass cleaner and plain water. When I go to dry it, it streaks really badly. One time, when I took it in for service, I asked the service representative if the manufacturer had put some kind of film on it. She said, “It’s coming from the defroster, and there is nothing I can do about it.” The only way I have found to clean it is with a dry cloth. I like to drive with a clean windshield inside and out. No one smokes in my vehicle. I have been driving for 56 years and have cleaned a lot of windshields. Do you have any ideas? I live in northern Ohio, so I can’t just stop using my defroster. But I hate having to clean my windshield every time I use my defroster. What’s wrong?

— JUDY

A: Well, these are classic symptoms of a leaking heater core, Judy. But your car seems to be too new to have a bad heater core.

The heater core is a second, small radiator that provides heat to the passenger compartment. When you call for heat, coolant from the engine circulates through it, then the fan blows over the heater core and transmits heat from that hot coolant, through the vents, to the car’s interior.

But if the heater core is leaking, coolant mist can get blown by the fan, along with the warm air. Coolant is greasy, and guess what it does: It leaves a film.

It also has a sweet taste, but it’s toxic, so I don’t recommend that you give it the taste test. You might want to give it a sniff, though, and see if it smells at all sweet to you.

If you were writing to me about a 2005 Yukon, I’d feel pretty certain that a heater core is what you need. But it’s odd to have one fail on a newer car.

The only other possibility is that the vinyl from the car’s dashboard and interior parts is outgassing. That’s what most of us know as the “new car smell.” But it’s actually the sublimation of vinyl particles into the air, which can leave a film on your windshield, too.

But you say the film appears every time you use the defroster, so I’d have to lean toward a heater core problem. You’re probably still under warranty, Judy, so go back and ask them to fix it. If they say, “It’s related to the defroster,” ask them how. The only way I can think of is that the heater core is leaking coolant, and it’s blowing onto your windshield.

If they have another explanation, write back and let me know what it is. Maybe we can use it to get rid of some of our troublesome customers.

Good luck, Judy.

SCRANTON

A federal inmate could face an additional decade in prison after he pleaded guilty to assaulting another inmate last year.

Clayton John Shinn, 27, an inmate at the United States Penitentiary at Canaan, attacked another inmate on Oct. 4, “repeatedly striking, punching and kicking” him, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania. A grand jury in Scranton indicted him and a co-defendant, Jeffrey Lynn Mattox, 33, on Jan. 17. Mattox’s case remains pending.

Shinn pleaded guilty to assault this week in front of U.S. District Court Judge Robert D. Mariani. A sentencing date has not been set; the charge carries a maximum of 10 years in prison.

— STAFF REPORT

OLYPHANT

A borough man faces robbery charges after police say he swiped more than $100 from a business Tuesday.

Borough police went to the Family Dollar, 301 Lackawanna Ave., about 3:55 p.m. Tuesday and learned a man pushed a clerk out of the way as her register was open and took cash, police said. After a description of the robber was shared with other police departments, Blakely police arrested Thomas Smith, 41, 406 S. Valley Ave.

Smith told police he was also involved in two similar incidents in Scranton and Dunmore. Scranton police also charged him with trying to rob the CVS Pharmacy, 1101 Moosic St., on Aug. 12.

He is held on $50,000 bail. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for Tuesday.

— CLAYTON OVER

The airline that offers direct flights from Wilkes-Barre/Scranton International Airport to Orlando and Tampa Bay is leaving Northeast Pennsylvania.

Allegiant Air plans to discontinue service from Pittston Twp. to the Florida destinations starting Jan. 4, airline spokeswoman Krysta Levy said.

“Demand in the area was simply not high enough to continue service at this time,” Levy said Friday. “Any passengers who have booked travel in or out of AVP after that date have been reached out to individually to be refunded or reaccommodated. Travelers can still fly with us at nearby airports with Allegiant service, including Lehigh Valley International Airport in Allentown.”

The discount carrier has run flights to Orlando Sanford International Airport for about five years and began offering flights to St. Petersburg/Clearwater International Airport in the Tampa Bay area in late 2015.

Carl Beardsley, director of Wilkes-Barre/Scranton airport, said Allegiant has two weekly round-trip flights to each of the Orlando and Tampa areas out of Northeast Pennsylvania.

“We’re really disappointed, but for the positive side of things, we’re having a great year,” Beardsley said. “Planes are full. We have record-breaking enplanements. We have a good story to tell for going out to other airlines to fill the void.”

Allegiant told airport officials the move was a business decision, with the airline also pulling out of some other small markets such as Casper, Wyoming, and Youngstown, Ohio, in January.

Levy said the moves were also based on demand and that it is not a fundamental shift in the operation’s business model.

“(Airport administration) is still in conversations to try to get them to stay, but their business plan says they need to focus on bigger markets,” Lackawanna County Commissioner Jerry Notarianni said. “It’s sad to see it happen.”

Allegiant Air is a subsidiary of Las Vegas-based Allegiant Travel Co., which reported to investors that net income for the first six months of 2017 slipped to $90.1 million, compared with $132.8 million in the first six months of 2016 — a 32.2 percent decline.

Allegiant is launching many new flights as well, including from Columbus, Ohio, to Austin, Texas, and from Las Vegas to Louisville, Kentucky, among others.

Beardsley noted Northeast Pennsylvania travelers can still get to the Florida destinations from Wilkes-Barre/Scranton via connecting flights from United, Delta and American airlines.

“Potentially, other airlines could provide similar service to Allegiant, whether a new carrier or an incumbent carrier,” Beardsley said. “We’re constantly talking to airlines to see about expanding service into the airport.”

Contact the writer:

kwind@timesshamrock.com;

570-348-9100, x5181;

@kwindTT on Twitter

UNIVERSITY OF

PITTSBURGH

AT BRADFORD

Derica E. Walker, Scranton

CHATHAM UNIVERSITY

Brendan Mizok, Scranton; and MariKay Van Fleet, Clarks Summit.

CATHOLIC UNIVERSITY OF AMERICA

Bridget Feeney, Clarks Summit.

UNIVERSITY OF

PENNSYLVANIA

Erin Feeney, Clarks Summit.

HOFSTRA UNIVERSITY

PROVOST’S LIST

Kelly Mecca, Jessup; Martha Morton, Matamoras; Kaelyn Ragonese, Newfoundland; and Regina Volpe, Clarks Summit.

DEAN’S LIST

Jared Pallo, Jessup; and Katie Tibus of West Wyoming.

WILKES UNIVERSITY

LACKAWANNA COUNTY

Zarlasht Abubakr, Scranton; Jamie Akoury, Scranton; Bryan Bilbao, Old Forge; James, Brown, Covington Twp.; Abigail Burke, Clarks Summit; Kimberly Cain, Eynon; Gianna, Chase Scranton; Felicia Cicco, Scranton; Keira D’Agostino, Scranton; Derick DeMorrow, Carbondale; Anthony DeSando, Old Forge; Victoria Ditchkus, Scranton; Thomas Domozych, Old Forge; Anthony Fanucci, Madison Twp.; Ryan Fletcher, Scranton; Alexa Flood, Covington Twp.; Brianna Galvin, Scranton; Colin Gardner, Spring Brook Twp.; Scott Grassi, Scranton; Kira Graziano, Scranton; Nicole Hughes, Olyphant; Jason Karlavige, Dickson City; Stephanie Kaszuba, Scranton; Kimberly Keller, Taylor; Catherine Kelly, Scranton; Kelly Kempa, Old Forge; John Kiehart, Mayfield; Kelly Kwolek, Clarks Summit; Marissa Lewis, Dalton; Cassandra Merrill, Scranton; Abigail Mikolon, Scranton; Dana Miller, Dalton; Raeva Mulloth, Waverly Twp.; Brandon Murnock, Blakely; Alyssa Mursch, Scranton; Vaikal Patel, Scranton; Marisa Perrella, Dunmore; Ajna Prahalad, Clarks Summit; Amanda Promovitz, Dickson City; Nancy Ramirez, Scranton; Samantha Reed, Dickson; Coletta Rempe, Scranton; Emily Russavage, Dunmore; Alexa Sanderson, Carbondale; Philip Scavo, Old Forge; Alyssa Schuler, Scranton; John Segilia, Moosic; Maura Serio, Archbald; Joshua Slocum, Clarks Summit; Lauren Spak, Scranton; Erica Stolan, Old Forge; Agnes Stypulkowski, Covington Twp.; Joseph Teeple, Carbondale; Anthony Trotta, Old Forge; Jennifer Baron, Vandling; Samantha Weiksner, Scranton; Morgan Williams, Scranton; and Qiwei Zhou, Scranton.

LUZERNE COUNTY

Jeffrey Bachman, Pittston; Taylor Balasavage, Inkerman; Emily Bellanco, Wyoming; Mauri Bohan, Pittston; Jennifer Borton, Harding; Michael Brown, Plains Twp.; Brian Buckman, Wyoming; Anthony Capozucca, Pittston Twp.; Joseph Champi, Dupont; Caitlin Conway, Pittston; Nicole Cumbo, West Wyoming; Brittany DeArmitt, Swoyersville; Dominique DelPriore, Dupont; Marc Donato, Plains Twp.; Nichole Duden, West Pittston; Joseph Fasciana, West Pittston; Taryn Fasciana, West Pittston; Amber Flynn, Exeter; Kyle Gattuso, Pittston; Kasandra Goshleski, Pittston; Elyse Guziewicz, Duryea; April Haupt, Plains Twp.; Sarah Jarnot, Plains Twp.; Nadine Jones, Laflin; Lindsey Klinges, Harding; Nicole Kolessar, Exeter; Rachel Leandri, Wyoming; Steven Lee, Duryea; Megan Lercara, Plains Twp.; Samuel Lizza, Yatesville; Alexandra McKitish, Dupont; Cassidy Moyer, Hudson; Tyler Mullen, Avoca; James Musto, Pittston; Christopher Nixon, Swoyersville; Mark OHara, Exeter; Angel Olmstead, Exeter; Bridget Regan, Pittston; Vanessa Robbins, Wyoming; Allison Rossi, West Wyoming; Dakota Rowan, Pittston; Jessica Roxby, Pittston; Kristen Santey, Pittston; Kevin Schiel, Wyoming; Dana Schneider, Plains Twp.; Peter Sidari, West Pittston; Jessica Sims, Plains Twp.; Hope Sipler, West Pittston; Laura Solomon, Dupont; Gabrielle Spagnuolo, Wyoming; Kayla Stachokus, Plains Twp.; Morgan Tarnalicki, Wyoming; Kayla Wedlock, West Pittston; Taylor Wheeler, Swoyersville; and Michael Wozniak, Plains Twp.

PIKE COUNTY

Sarah Adelfio, Milford; Kyra Boccio, Dingmans Ferry; Joseph Irving, Greentown; Joseph Palmadessa, Dingmans Ferry; Justin Pranga, Shohola; Ian Ralston, Tafton; Joshua Shepard, Milford; and Kristopher Tjornhom, Dingmans Ferry.

SUSQUEHANNA COUNTY

John DeLaplaine, Susquehanna; Rosanna Misura, Kingsley; Sarah Nichols, New Milford; and Stephanie Ostir, Clifford Twp.

WAYNE COUNTY

Kelly Egan, Beach Lake; Mackenzie Egan, Beach Lake; Gabrielle Gardner, Hawley; Kelsey Phillips, Hawley; Christopher, Santo, Hawley; Catherine Sarver, North Rose; Samuel Vargas, Hawley; Bradley Welsh, Honesdale; John Wenk, Lakewood; and Kaitlynne Young, Lords Valley.

WYOMING COUNTY

Rachel Brozusky, Tunkhannock; Ryan Giberson, Tunkhannock; Dannielle Hickok, Factoryville; Makayla Sarnosky, Laceyville; Erica Schwartz, Noxen; and Heather Sterling, Laceyville.

UNIVERSITY OF

ROCHESTER

Briana Skye Yesu, Scranton.

LE MOYNE COLLEGE

Kristine Carlsen, Hallstead.

ST. JOSEPH’S

UNIVERSITY

Jesse Buxton, Tunkhannock; Gina Carro, Scranton; Elizabeth Cicilioni, Jessup; Lauren Fick, Clarks Summit; James Graziosi, Dupont; Emily Hanlon, Roaring Brook Twp.; Anne Hazzouri, Scranton; Colin Jenkins, Old Forge; Michael Koury, Plains Twp.; William Legg, Scranton; Katherine Lord, Dalton; Courtney McDonnell, Dunmore; Margaret McHale, Dunmore; Margaret Nealon, Scranton; Michael Noto, Waverly; Seth Stafursky, Archbald; Christopher Stange, Scranton; Corey Sweda, South Abington Twp.; Marc Sweeney, Dunmore; and Amy Troutman, Dickson City.

UNION COLLEGE

Morgan Hughes, Lakeville; and Katherine Maximov, Lake Ariel.

BINGHAMTON

UNIVERSITY

Bilqis Hatch, Scranton; and Timothy C. Rose, Scranton.

LOYOLA UNIVERSITY MARYLAND

Daniel Bormes, Clarks Summit; Jade Cesarini, Spring Brook Twp.; Daniel Horvath, Clarks Summit; Alyssa Hubal, Thompson; Rachel Kennedy, Scranton; Eric Muchisky, Archbald; Clayton Myers, Scott Twp.; Jessica Regan, Archbald; Michael Richards, Scranton; Emily Romanowski, Swoyersville; Madeline Rose, Scranton; Bridget Tolan, Dunmore; and Zachary Voitek, West Pittston.

ITHACA COLLEGE

Michele Amado, Clarks Summit; Josie Berman, Tunkhannock; Aiden Ankli, Clarks Summit; Erika Barcomb, Clarks Summit; Vivian Becker, South Abington Twp.; Samantha Considine, Matamoras; Kali Hartley, Montrose; Lindsey Keller, Dalton; Gabriella Mihale, Honesdale; Devynn Pedell, Clarks Summit;; Jill Simon, Pleasant Mount; Laura Ward, Brackney; Alec Targett, Montrose; and Margot Wegman, Tunkhannock.

PHILADELPHIA

UNIVERSITY

KANBAR COLLEGE OF DESIGN, ENGINEERING AND COMMERE

Alexandra Solsman, Dunmore.