Education, safety hearing planned

SCRANTON - The House Democratic Policy Committee will hold a hearing on education funding and school safety Thursday.

State Rep. Kevin Haggerty will serve as co-chairman at the hearing, which will be held at the University of Scranton in the DeNaples Center's fourth-floor ballroom, beginning at 10 a.m.

Mr. Haggerty has introduced House Bill 196, which funds school resource officers in elementary schools. The hearing will include staff and administrators from Scranton, North Pocono, Riverside and Dunmore school districts.

The hearing is open to the public.

Marriage licenses

- Robert Joseph Novitsky, Palms, Calif., and Rebecca Shea Healey, Moosic.

- Damian Lloyd Pittack, Dickson City, and Ashley Marie Shaffer, Moscow.

- James Peter Walko Jr. and Karen Rachel Metzger, both of Kingston.

- David Charles Weisel, Moscow, and Nancy Ellen Roth, Roaring Brook Twp.

Property TRANSACTIONS

- Icara Greenley and John McCrorey, Scranton, to Marissa and Mary Ann Ragnacci, Dunmore; a property at 313 White Birch Drive, Scranton, for $185,000.

- Dawn E. Roberts and Michael Olivette, New York City, to Patrick W. and Julie A. Nash, Olyphant; a property at 223 S. Irving Ave., Scranton, for $148,000.

- The Langdon Group LLC, Mountain Stone LLC and Turning Final LLC, to Gina Heenan, Carbondale; a property at 1612 Summit Lake Road, Newton Twp., for $130,000.

- Andrew J. Baron Jr. and Joan E. Carey, LaPlume Twp., to Jerome G. Bogedin, Tunkhannock; a property in La Plume Twp., for $373,500.

- U.S. Bank National Association, to Deborah Padavan, Spring Brook Twp.; and Jason Edwards, Throop; a property at 1590 Route 502, Spring Brook Twp., for $50,512.

Divorce sought

- Henry J. Matute-Coello, Scranton, v. Kelly J. Matute, Scranton; married Sept. 12, 2008, in Montrose; pro se.

- Michelle Keegan, Scranton, v. Joseph Keegan, Scranton; married May 8, 1999; Brenda Kobal, attorney.

Divorce decrees

- Sarah C. Nolan v. Joseph J. Nolan.

- Roger Tiner v. Salley Tiner.

Estates filed

- John Shields Jr., 1016 Baker St., Taylor, letters testamentary to W. David Shields, 214 Hilltop Road, Boiling Springs.

- Lisa A. Mulderig, 1094 Lakeland Drive, Jermyn, letters of administration to John Mulderig, same address.

- Margaret C. Sienkiewicz, also known as Margaret C. Veneski, 4271 Bearbrook Road, Madison Twp., letters testamentary to Janet A. Tomeo, 370 Spring Run Lane, Madison Twp.; and Mary Lynn Meyer, 201 Whitehorn Way, Churchville, Md.

- Catherine F. Jenkins, 1729 N. Sumner Ave., Scranton, letters testamentary to Judith J. Baer, 1131 Lloyd St., Scranton.

- Lorraine E. Locks, 1 Steins Grove Estates, Scott Twp., letters testamentary to William J. Locks, same address.

- Elizabeth Mae Hopkins, 88 S. Waterford Road, Glenburn, letters of administration to Mark Hopkins, 611-613 Grace St., Scranton; and Elizabeth Batchek, now by marriage Elizabeth M. Lansing, 640 W. Brookdale St., Apt. 2, Allentown.

Federal tax liens

- Edward Gallis, 104 Davitt St., Olyphant; $50,287.74.

- Marilou Kohut, 112 Haines St., Blakely; $107,977.17.

- Scott Arigo, 416 Electric St., Scranton; $100,387.31.

- Donald M. and Alison Williams, 1719 Penn Ave., Scranton; $21,696.09.

- Macciocco Corp., DBA Villa Maria, 1610 Washburn St., Scranton; $2,340.

State tax liens

- Michael Swiderski, 322 Harrison Ave., Scranton; $3,995.07.

- Kevin C. Lawson, 915 Crown Ave., Scranton; $819.16.

- Patrick M. Bradley, 521 Center St., Dunmore; $10,109.62.

- Colin D. Healey, 104 Sturbridge Road, Clarks Summit; $3,758.60.

- Lisa M. Cruser, 230 Oak St., Dunmore; $1,193.98.

- Samantha L. Dennis, 21 Elm Terrace, Moscow; $2,173.69.

- Jennifer M. Benson, 530 E. Pine St., Olyphant; $1,588.11.

- Migdonio Alvarez, 560 Kennedy St., Scranton; $623.46.

ONLINE: thetimes-tribune.com/courts

A Scranton man is facing drug charges after Lackawanna County detectives caught him with 20 bags of heroin in his rectum.

Shaun Bouldin, 37, 537-539 Linden St., was selling heroin as "JRock" while living at a halfway house in Scranton until two controlled purchases at two locations Monday around noon, police said.

The first buy had Mr. Bouldin sell 10 bags of heroin, paid for with marked money, in a car on South Edwards Court near Washburn Street. The second came when detectives called him to set up another meeting at Mulberry Street and Adams Avenue, within 1,000 feet of the University of Scranton. The purchase happened during a car ride.

After the second, Mr. Bouldin was taken into custody across the street from Minsec Scranton, a halfway house for state parolees. When they searched him, detectives found $455, including $150 in marked money, the cellphone he used to arrange drug sales, a copy of his state parole work sheet, a small plastic spoon and a key for the Rodeway Inn in Moosic, police said.

Mr. Bouldin repeatedly denied having anything else on him, but when detectives told him to bend over, he said he had "something up there."

Detectives found 20 bags of suspected heroin and a magazine wrapper, which is commonly used to package bricks of heroin. A brick of heroin contains 50 bags.

Mr. Bouldin was charged with three counts of possession with intent to manufacture or deliver, three counts of possession of drug paraphernalia, three counts of possession of a controlled substance and one count of criminal use of a communication facility.

Mr. Bouldin is in Lackawanna County Prison in lieu of $75,000 bail.

Contact the writer: jkohut@timesshamrock.com, @jkohutTT on Twitter

A local nonprofit organization will honor five community leaders for their devotion to Northeast Pennsylvania.

Officials with NeighborWorks Northeastern Pennsylvania will award the Governor Robert P. Casey Medal for a Lifetime of Service to Senior U.S. District Judge William J. Nealon and his wife, Jean, Sally Bohlin, Michael Delfino and Randy Palko at the Hilton Scranton and Conference Center on April 18.

"We really want to call attention to people who focus on service and giving back to the community," said Jesse J. Ergott, the organization's executive director. "That's what our organization is all about."

The Scranton-based nonprofit, formerly known as Neighborhood Housing Services of Lackawanna County, helps area residents become homeowners and keep their homes through an assortment of programs.

The award is given out annually in recognition of community members who "have faithfully invested their time and talents to the betterment of the quality of life in Northeast Pennsylvania," the organization said in a news release.

Judge Nealon is the longest-serving judge in the history of the 3rd U.S. Judicial Circuit, a jurisdiction that includes district courts in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware and the Virgin Islands. The award recognizes his career and his wife's dedication to him and their family, Mr. Ergott said.

Mr. Delfino is the founder and owner of the Circle Drive-In movie theater and flea market in Dickson City. He has served on numerous boards and made considerable donations to local organizations.

Ms. Bohlin is the former executive director of the Northeastern Pennsylvania Philharmonic and has served in both professional and voluntary leadership positions with the Pennsylvania Ballet, Scranton Tomorrow, Countryside Conservancy, and the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts.

Mr. Palko has held numerous volunteer leadership roles with NeighborWorks Northeastern Pennsylvania during his more than 30 years of service to the organization.

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

CLARKE, MONSIGNOR JAMES T., pastor emeritus of St. Ignatius Church, Kingston, viewing, today, 4 to 7 p.m., Villa St. Joseph, 1600 Green Ridge St., Dunmore. Vigil Mass, chapel at Villa St. Joseph, 7, by the Most Rev. James C. Timlin, D.D., bishop emeritus of Scranton. Pontifical Mass, Wednesday, 10 a.m., Cathedral of St. Peter, Scran­ton, by the Most Rev. Joseph C. Bambera, D.D., J.C.L., bishop of Scran­ton. Additional viewing, Wednes­day, 9 to 10. Interment, Cath­edral Cemetery, Scranton. Arrange­ments: Eugene A. Cusick Funeral Home, Scranton.

DEBIASI, IDENA "DENA," Duryea, today, Bernard J. Piontek Funeral Home Inc., 204 Main St., Duryea. Mass, 9:30 a.m., Sacred Heart of Jesus Church, Duryea.

ERZIN, JOSEPH J., Westamp­ton, N.J., formerly of Whites Cros­sing, today, Joseph W. Scotchlas Funeral Home Inc., 621 Main St., Simpson. Mass, 9:30 a.m., St. Michael's Church, 46 Midland St., Simpson. Interment with military honors, Holy Trinity Cemetery, Simpson. Condolen­ces: scotchlasfuneralhome.com.

FAHEY, DOLORES S., Dunmore, today, Carlucci-Golden-DeSantis Funeral Home Inc., 318 E. Drinker St., Dunmore. Mass, 9:30 a.m., St. Anthony of Padua Church, Smith Street, Dunmore. Interment, St. Catherine's Ceme­tery, Moscow. Contributions: Griffin Pond Animal Shelter, 967 Griffin Pond Road, Clarks Sum­mit, PA 18411. Condolences: DunmoreFuneralHome.com.

GALLOWAY, CHARLES M., Peckville, private. Calling hours, 6 to 8 p.m., James M. Margotta Funeral Home, 1019 Main St., Peckville. Condolences: margott tafuneralhomes.com.

GRUSCAVAGE, TESS, Scranton, today, Solfanelli-Fiorillo Funeral Home Inc., 1030 N. Main Ave., Scranton. Mass, 9:30 a.m., Holy Rosary Church, 316 William St., Scranton. Interment, St. Stani­slaus Cemetery, Scranton. Con­dolences: solfanellifiorillofuneral home.com.

HIRSH, KURT H., Lake Ariel, today, 11 a.m., St. Paul's Luth­eran Church, 405 Church St., Hawley, by the Rev. Colleen E. Cox, pastor. Private cremation, Lake Region Crematory, Lake Ariel. Arrangements: Teeters' East Chapel, 505 Church St., Hawley. Memorials: World Wildlife Fund at www.worldwildlife.org. Condolences: teetersfuneralcha pel.com.

JANKAUSKAS, MARY, Carbon­dale, Monday, Carmine J. & Louis C. Parise Funeral Home & Crema­tion Services Inc., Carbondale. Mass, Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church, Carbondale, by Monsig­nor David L. Tressler, pastor, and Deacon Carmine Mendicino. Pall­bearers: Edward, Chris and Justin Jankauskas; Gary and Kenny Crown; and Steve Giglia. Inter­ment, St. Anthony's Cemetery, Forest City.

KRAVITSKY, MICHAEL III, Dallas, today, 10 a.m., Wrob­lewski Funeral Home Inc., 1442 Wyoming Ave., Forty Fort. Divine Liturgy, 10:30, St. Mary's Protec­tion Byzantine Catholic Church, Kingston, by the Rev. Mykhaylo Prodanets, pastor. Interment, Den­ison Cemetery, Swoyersville. Contributions: Michael J. Fox Foun­­dation for Parkinson's Research, Grand Central Station, P.O. Box 4777, New York, NY 10163-4777; the Franklin Twp. Volunteer Fire and Ambulance Department, Orange Road, Dallas, PA 18612; or St. Mary's Protection Church, 321 Chestnut Ave., Kingston, PA 18704. Condo­lences: johnvmorrisfuneral homes.com.

MATTHEWS, FRANCES ANN, formerly of Hamlin, a resident of Lackawanna Health and Rehab Center, Blakely, today, Mass, 9:30, St. Thomas More Church, 105 Gravity Road, Lake Ariel. Go directly to church. Interment, St. John's Cemetery, Jessup. Arrange­ments: James Wilson Funeral Home, Lake Ariel. Condolences: jameswislonfuneralhome.com

MORRISSEY, SLOANE, Aston, Mass, today, 10 a.m., Maximilian Kolbe Church, 15 E. Pleasant Grove Road, West Chester. Inurn­ment, private. Arrangements: D'An­­jolell-Stigale Memorial Home, Aston. Calling hours, today, 9 to 9:45, church. Con­dolences: danjolell.com.

PELUCACCI, JOHN D. "BUTCH" JR., Covington Twp., today, 9:45 a.m., Brian Arthur Strauch Fune­ral Homes & Cremation Services, 3 First St., Spring Brook Twp. Mass, 10:30, St. Catherine of Siena Church, Church Street, Moscow, by the Rev. Robert Simon, pastor. Interment with military honors, St. Catherine's Cemetery, Moscow. Contribu­tions: Griffin Pond Animal Shelter, 967 Griffin Pond Road, Clarks Summit, PA 18411 or St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, 262 Danny Thomas Place, Mem­phis, TN 38105. Condolences: strauchfuneralhomes.com.

SERINE, ANTHONY J., Dun­more, today, Mass, 10 a.m., Church of St. Gregory, 330 N. Abington Road, Clarks Green, by the Rev. John M. Lapera, pastor; Monisgnor John H. Louis, pastor emeritus; and Monsignor James J. McGarry, pastor, Our Lady of the Snows Church, Clarks Sum­mit. Interment, St. Michael's Cem­etery, Dunmore. Calling hours, today, 9 to 9:45, church. Contributions: Our Lady of Peace School Building Fund, 410 N. Abington Road, Clarks Green, PA 18411. Arrangements: Jennings-Calvey Funeral and Cremation Service Inc., 111 Colburn Ave., Clarks Summit. Condolences: jenningscalvey.com.

SHAGER, CLARENCE E. SR., Binghamton, N.Y., Mass, today, 10 a.m., St. Paul's Church, Bing­ham­ton. Burial, Wednesday, 11 a.m., Our Mother of Sorrows Cem­etery, Finch Hill. Arrange­ments: Thomas J. Shea Funeral Home Inc., Binghamton. Contribu­tions: Frank Lee Scholarship Fund, c/o Thomas Mancuso, 1216 Tonwin St., Archbald, PA 18403.

SKUMANICH, MARGARET "MAG­GIE," Jessup, today, 10:30 a.m., Louis M. Margotta Funeral Home, 511 Church St., Jessup. Divine Liturgy, 11, Holy Ghost Byzantine Catholic Church, Jes­sup. Interment, Holy Ghost Ceme­tery, Jessup. Condolences: mar gottafuneralhomes.com.

SLEDZINSKI, KOSTECK, Ledge­dale, Mass, Wednesday, 10 a.m., St. Mary's Church, St. Mary's Church Road, Ledgedale. Go directly to church. Interment, St. Mary's Cemetery. Calling hours, today, 4 to 7 p.m., James Wilson Funeral Home, 143 Gravity Road, Lake Ariel. Contributions: Ledge­dale Volunteer Fire Company, c/o Tom Sawyer, 72 Sledzinski Road, Lake Ariel, PA 18436. Condolen­ces: jameswilsonfuneralhome.com.

ZEGLEN, LENORE THERESA, Hawley, Mass, April 13, 9:30 a.m., Queen of Peace Church, Hawley. Arrangements: Hessling Funeral Home Inc., 428 Main St., Honesdale. Condolences: www.hesslingfuneralhome.com.

Archbald

Information session: Borough work session, Wednesday, 7 p.m., brief information session by Barbara Giovagnoli, senior certified recycling professional.

Factoryville

Chicken biscuits: Factoryville Baptist Church chicken and biscuit dinner, Saturday, 4-7 p.m., 10 Church St., adults/$8.50, children 12-5/$4, under 5/free; takeouts available.

Old Forge

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

Regional

Stewardship award: Countryside Conservancy 2013 Stewardship Award ceremony honoring Barry Kaplan, Wednesday, 7 p.m., Evans Hall, Keystone College; free, coffee and desserts follow.

South Scranton

Seniors meet: Young Adult Club meeting, Thursday, 7 p.m., St. Paul of the Cross parish center, Prospect Avenue

A federal judge on Monday tossed a lawsuit against the city of Scranton and four police officers brought by the family of a mentally ill woman police fatally shot after she charged at them with a knife.

City police officers Robert Stanek, James Smith and Jason Knoch had "probable cause" to believe Brenda Williams posed a "significant threat" when they opened fire on her after she came at them with a knife inside her North Lincoln Avenue apartment on May 28, 2009, Senior U.S. District Judge A. Richard Caputo wrote in a 23-page order.

The family's attorney, William Mikita of Oakhurst, N.J., filed suit in federal court in 2010, claiming the officers used excessive force in violation of Ms. Williams' constitutional rights and that the department did not have policies, procedures and training in place to prepare its officers on how to handle mentally ill residents.

After the incident, city police formed a crisis intervention team to train officers.

The suit also named Officer Eric Jordan, who was at the scene when the shooting happened, but did not fire his weapon.

Following a state police investigation, Lackawanna County District Andy Jarbola determined the shooting was justified and did not warrant criminal charges against the officers.

Reached by phone, Mr. Mikita said he was shocked and baffled by the judge's ruling.

"We have to digest it first, but we are strongly considering an appeal," he said. "Gut reaction says yes, we are going to appeal."

Ms. Williams' mother, Louise, and daughter, Alana, both of Scranton, and brother, Myron of New Jersey, are plaintiffs in the suit.

The city asked Judge Caputo to dismiss the case before it could be decided by a jury, claiming in court papers that her death was caused by her "own conduct."

Ms. Williams, 52, a diagnosed paranoid schizophrenic, was walking around her apartment naked when police arrived after a call from neighbors who said Ms. Williams was banging on their front door and yelling.

The officers were inside Ms. Williams' apartment deciding whether she should be involuntarily committed or cited for disorderly conduct when she grabbed a large knife from her kitchen and charged at them. The officers pulled their guns, and ordered her to drop the knife.

When she refused and lurched again at Officer Smith while pointing the knife at him, the officers shot her.

"The undisputed facts show that Ms. Williams rapidly approached Officer Smith with a knife, ignored the officers' warnings to stop and drop the knife, and was within several feet of Officer Smith when she was shot," the judge wrote.

The judge also said the lawsuit did not prove its claim that Ms. Williams' death could have been avoided if the city had better training and procedures in place.

The lawsuit did not provide "any evidence that shows a pattern of violations" by the city police force against mentally ill people, the judge determined.

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

- Rob Mazzoni, a Democratic candidate for Lackawanna County sheriff, will have a free rally Wednesday from 7 to 9 p.m. at Jason's Pub and Eatery, 602 Grace St., Scranton.

- Bill Courtright, a Democratic candidate for Scranton mayor, will have a free rally Sunday from 5 to 7 p.m. at the Polish Club, 1817 Brick Ave., Scranton.

- Tom Hallinan, a Democratic candidate for Dunmore Borough Council, will have a free rally Thursday, April 11, from 7 to 9 p.m. at the Roosevelt St., 524 Chestnut St., Dunmore.

- Bill Gaughan, a Democratic candidate for Scranton City Council, will have a rally Saturday, April 13, from 5 to 8 p.m. at the 20th Ward Social Club, 2028 Pittston Ave., Scranton. Admission is a $10 donation.

Fred Rosetti, Ed.D., spent 20 years working at the Northeastern Educational Intermediate Unit.

He will spend 33 months working at a federal prison camp in Central Pennsylvania, his attorney said Monday.

On Thursday, Dr. Rosetti is expected to report to the prison camp at the United States Penitentiary in Lewisburg - 103 miles from his Archbald home.

At the facility for minimum-security offenders, adjacent to the high-security penitentiary, Dr. Rosetti will be assigned a job, have a 5:45 a.m. wake-up call and have access to recreational activities, such as guitar lessons, yoga and softball.

Dr. Rosetti was sentenced last month to 33 months in federal prison after pleading guilty to mail fraud and theft charges. He admitted to using his position to steal taxpayer money by intentionally failing to record sick and vacation days, creating false travel vouchers and ordering employees to do personal tasks for him. Along with the prison time, he must pay $137,944 in restitution to the NEIU and a fine of $30,200, U.S. District Judge Robert D. Mariani ordered. The 33-month sentence was the top of the sentencing range under federal guidelines.

At the sentencing, Dr. Rosetti's attorneys asked that he be assigned to a location close enough so that his family could visit easily. Dr. Rosetti has relatives who work at United States Penitentiary at Canaan, so Lewisburg is the next closest place he could be housed, attorney William DeStefano said.

Since his sentencing last month, Dr. Rosetti has worked to get his affairs in order, his attorney said.

"I think his general feeling is to start as soon as possible, and therefore it will end as soon as possible," Mr. DeStefano said.

Contact the writer: shofius@timesshamrock.com, @hofiushallTT on Twitter

Police seek stolen guns

STROUDSBURG - State police are investigating four Monroe County robberies last month where firearms were among the items stolen.

In Stroudsburg, a shotgun, muzzle loader, laptop, cellphone, bearskin rug and two cameras were stolen from a home on Green Briar Road. In Hamilton Twp., multiple firearms were stolen from Stephen Strunk, 43, at a home on Sand Lane.

Daniel Umphrey, 53, of Stroudsburg, reported multiple firearms and a camouflage crossbow stolen. In Smithfield Twp., four handguns, two shotguns, one rifle and a gold ring with diamond chips were reported stolen by Michael Horn, 59.

State Police at Swiftwater could not confirm whether there was any connection between the burglaries. Anyone with information on the incidents should call 839-7701.

A section of Cedar Avenue near Mattes Avenue has been temporarily closed to traffic, while police attempt to pull a red Ford F-150 out of an embankment near Scranton's Iron Furnaces.

The crash happened shortly before noon today. The couple inside the car rolled out the driver's side door, Scranton Police Capt. Glen Thomas said.

Both were responsive after the crash.

Check back for updates.

            The “Arab Spring” – as well as summer and fall – were discussed by Middle East scholar Daniel Serwer, Ph.D., in his presentation “War and Peace: Current Issues” at a recent Schemel Forum luncheon on campus. He described the Arab Spring as one of the “greatest political upheavals since the fall of the Berlin Wall.”
            Dr. Serwer, Middle East Institute Professor in the School of Advanced International Studies at Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Md., discussed each of countries involved including Tunisia, Egypt, Libya, Yemen and Syria, explaining that the protests began peacefully, but then turned violent.
            The revolution in Egypt that began when President Mubarak stepped down has seen a “difficult road” since, according to Dr. Serwer. Protestors have lashed out against police authorities, who have fought back aggressively. When protestors made the rash decision to turn to the armed forces for aid, the armed forces took over. Currently, Egypt has a new president, Mohammed Morsi, who is part of the Muslim Brotherhood and the newest subject of violent protests. Egypt has “no fixed road map [for the future],” Dr. Serwer said. 
            In Libya, Dr. Serwer said the situation is complicated government cannot enforce law and order. Last September, American ambassador Christopher Stevens and three other Americans were murdered by Islamist militants. Libya, however, may be in better standing than Egypt.
            “Libya has what Egypt doesn’t – a good election in July 2012, a small population, money, and a greater measure of ethnic uniformity,” Dr. Serwer said.
Yemen had protests concerning unemployment, economic conditions and other factors until the recent presidential election of Abd Rabbuh Mansur al-Hadi, who replaced the former President Saleh, ending his 33-year rule.
            According to Dr. Serwer, protests in Syria turned violent due to the actions of sectarian and extremist groups. The violence caused the United States to hesitate in military action. However, Russia has invested time and energy in Syria because of their growing interest in the sale revenue of arms and the Tartus port. He said other groups “want an end to Bashar,” the Syrian president.
The Arab Summer and Fall are noteworthy for furthering the Arab Spring and allowing the movement to change. Uprisings started by young adults have given way to radical Islamists. The movement’s transformation from fighting for change peacefully to fighting for change through violent means can be seen as a “fall.” 
Dr. Serwer’s presentation was part of the Weinberg Memorial Library 20th Anniversary Lecture Series, which is a collaboration with the Friends of the Weinberg Memorial Library and the Schemel Forum.
 
Nicole Lopez-Isa, Saddle Brook, N.J., is a English major with a concentration in Latin American Studies at The University of Scranton.

The February unemployment rate Scranton/Wilkes-Barre metro area held at 9.8 percent, according to new data released Tuesday by the state.

Although the jobless rate remained the same as January, employment in the region increased by 300 from the preceding month to 256,600, according to seasonally adjusted data from the state Department of Labor and Industry. The seasonally adjusted labor force declined by 1,700 over the same period to 290,100, according to the report.

"Everybody is worried about the rate staying the same, but employment has continued to grow," said Steven Zellers, a state labor analyst who tracks the region's performance. "It isn't all that bad. Most of this stuff is seasonal and typical."

A bright spot emerged from information provided by employers, indicating expansion of 1,600 jobs in educational services employment from January to February, which offset a decline of 800 retail positions.

February, though, represents the 35th consecutive month the region has led the state in unemployment.

"We are stuck here at the worst point for the state and the state is not going great itself," said Tim Kearney, Ph.D., director of the graduate program in business administration at Misericordia University in Dallas. "Our economy is a prisoner of the national economy. We are going to hang out here higher until that starts moving."

Pennsylvania's unemployment in February dropped one-tenth of a percentage point to 8.1 percent and the national rate in February was 7.7 percent, down from 7.9 percent in January.

Regional employment expanded by 1,600 jobs in February from the year-earlier period, seasonally adjusted data indicate. The area outperformed metros that lost jobs over the last year, including Erie and Williamsport. The local gain also was larger than the 1,100-job advance in State College, where unemployment is 6 percent, the state's lowest.

"The labor force is growing faster than the jobs are," Mr. Zellers said. "You are not as bad as the worst, if you want to put it that way."

Education services in February expanded by 1,600 after the holiday season break and retailers shed 800 jobs after ramping up employment for the Christmas shopping period.

Businesses services added 600 positions over the month, and employment in that sector is up by 1,800 over the last year. The warehousing and transportation field lost 200 positions over the month, but has added 1,200 jobs in the last year.

"Warehousing is putting you folks in good stead," Mr. Zellers said.

Lackawanna County's unemployment dropped to 8.5 percent, from 9.6 in January. Luzerne's rate decreased to 9.9 percent from 10.8, and Wyoming's jobless proportion dipped to 10.2 percent from 11.5.

Trends point to continued high regional unemployment as the nation and state continue to struggle to gain ground, Dr. Kearney said.

"It's going to be slow times for a while," he said.

Contact the writer: jhaggerty@timesshamrock.com

PITTSBURGH (AP) — Hawks swoop in and gobble up songbirds. Raccoons feast on nests of eggs they never could have reached before. Salamanders and wildflowers fade away, crowded out by invasive plants that are altering the soil they need to thrive.

Like a once-quiet neighborhood cut up by an expressway and laced with off ramps, northeastern forests are changing because of the pipelines crisscrossing them amid the region's gas drilling boom, experts say.

Environmentalists have loudly worried that hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, may threaten water and air, though the Obama administration and many state regulators say the practice is safe when done properly.

Threats to wildlife, though, have flown largely under the radar. But as studies detail plans for thousands of miles of new pipelines and related infrastructure, the dangers to biologically rich forests that have rebounded since vast clear-cutting in the 1800s are taking on new urgency.

"If you wanted to create a perfect storm for biological invasion, you would do what the energy companies are doing in north-central Pennsylvania," said Kevin Heatley, an ecologist with the national firm Biohabitats who works to restore areas that have been damaged by human activity. "You can only put so many bloody parking lots in the woods."

Energy companies, which say they are being responsible stewards of the land, have rushed to unlock the natural gas lying in the shale beneath Pennsylvania, Ohio and West Virginia. The gas has lowered energy costs, allowed the U.S. to lessen reliance on foreign energy and provided private landowners who sit atop well sites with a gold mine in royalties. New York, which also has large reserves, is trying to decide whether to allow fracking.

The new energy development is "almost a spider web coming down to the forest," said Nels Johnson of the Pennsylvania chapter of The Nature Conservancy, which estimates the state could see thousands of miles of new pipelines over the next two decades.

Even northeastern states that have put a hold on fracking aren't immune, because many import natural gas. The U.S. Energy Information Administration found that 245 miles of new pipelines were laid in the Northeast last year, and that figure is projected to grow.

Wind turbine development poses similar threats, too. The Nature Conservancy says Pennsylvania already has more than 600 of the giant blades, with the potential for thousands more in coming decades.

The total acreage taken up by the pipelines, wind projects and related development isn't that large, but the open spaces they create allow predators and invasive species to permeate a canopy of trees that once kept them at bay.

It's not hypothetical, scientists say. Studies and observations have documented invasions. And just as with humans, the uninvited guests change the neighborhood.

Forest fragmentation opens the door to invasive species such as the cowbird, a type of blackbird that normally prefers open land, said Bridget Stutchbury, a biologist at York University in Toronto who studies forest songbirds.

"The female cowbird sneaks around the forest, laying her egg in other species' nests," Stutchbury said. Forest birds such as thrushes and warblers don't realize the egg isn't theirs and expend energy raising chicks from another species in what she called a "nifty strategy for child-rearing."

The droppings that cowbirds and other invaders leave behind can also contain seeds from invasive plants that will sprout, spread and ultimately change the soil so much that some forest salamanders and wildflowers can't survive, experts note.

A report by the U.S. Geological Survey, released last week, found that in Pennsylvania's Susquehanna County, at the heart of the drilling boom, the number of patches or sections of forest increased by about 156 between 2001 and 2010, with Marcellus Shale drilling and related pipelines responsible for most of the change.

The energy industry said that it welcomes original research, but that it should be seen in context.

The Geological Survey report, said Patrick Creighton, a spokesman for the Marcellus Shale Coalition, an industry group, found that oil and gas activity affected less than 1 percent of the forest area in Allegheny and Susquehanna counties.

That number may seem small, but experts say it's a cause for concern, nonetheless.

"As an ecologist, you can look at that and say, wow, there are going to be changes," said Terry Slonecker, the researcher who authored the USGS report, who said it's too early to know where fragmentation has gone too far.

There is concern even at the numbers the USGS found, Stutchbury said, noting that without serious reforestation efforts "we can anticipate really big impacts not just on birds, but all these forest critters."

Creighton, of the drilling coalition, said the companies are sensitive to the issue.

"Well sites and pipeline right of ways are temporary construction projects on mostly private land that will be reclaimed after work is complete," he said.

The company KinderMorgan is building a gas pipeline extension in northeastern Pennsylvania that has attracted protests from several environmental groups. Spokesman Richard Wheatley said that the company follows the guidance of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission for all interstate pipeline projects and that other state and federal agencies can be involved, too.

"Once a project is placed in service, companies follow up with additional environmental and safety monitoring/inspection and remediation," Wheatley said in an email.

Heatley, the ecologist, said that "not one" of the energy companies drilling in the area has a long-term restoration plan for sensitive deep-forest environments, and that permits usually require only minimal restoration, such as planting grasses.

Still, the reality is that modern life demands resources and energy, and even the alternatives — such as wind turbines — can threaten forests, too.

The Nature Conservancy is examining potential effects from gas drilling and wind turbines on an eight-state region from New York to Tennessee. That report is due out later this year. The group notes that old and new energy sources have both promise and risk for society and nature, since natural gas and wind energy produce less pollution than coal.

Careful planning and reforestation efforts could reduce the effects of pipelines, wind turbines and other human activity, scientists said. For example, multiple pipelines could be placed on one right of way, or wind turbines might go on land that is already barren because of old coal mining.

Planting native shrubs in clear-cut areas, which need to remain treeless to avoid root damage to underground pipes and to give maintenance crews access, would be better than just grass, the Nature Conservancy noted.

Why should anyone care, Heatley asked, whether forest creatures get replaced by invasive plants and animals that can better tolerate human activity?

To see crows, opossums and squirrels, "you can go anywhere," he said, and in the Northeast it's easy to find trees, but large blocks of deep forest are rare. "It's a unique asset."

Equipment failure briefly cuts power

TAYLOR - Equipment failure in Taylor knocked power out to roughly 2,100 customers of PPL Electric Utilities briefly Tuesday afternoon, PPL spokesman Rich Beasley said.

A malfunctioning connector somewhere around South Keyser Avenue and Oak Street went out at 12:45 p.m. and came back online at 2:25 p.m., Mr. Beasley said.

Kalahari center, water park delayed

TOBYHANNA TWP. - The start of construction of a multimillion-dollar hotel, water park and convention center complex could be delayed until summer.

Officials from Kalahari Resorts reported the plans to begin development of their $350 million resort near Mount Pocono will not begin this month, as originally planned. Officials of Kalahari, which is based in Wisconsin, reported they are awaiting final planning approvals before breaking ground this summer.

The resort, which could open in late 2014, will include a 450-room hotel, a 100,000-square-foot indoor water park and a 65,000-square-foot convention center. It will be located near Interstate 380 on the west golf course at Pocono Manor.

On the 15th day of spring, nature is being kinder to skiers than daffodils.

The slopes are still open at some Poconos ski mountains at the end of an above-average season for most regional resorts.

Camelback Mountain Resort in Tannersville is open daily through Saturday and the Big Boulder section of Jack Frost Big Boulder Ski Area in Kidder Twp. is still open on weekends.

Other regional ski areas have enough snow to be open if it weren't for a seasonal waning of interest, said Gregg Confer, general manager of Elk Mountain Ski Resort near Union Dale, which closed for the season on March 29.

"Right now we could easily be open for two weeks," he said. "We have no bare spots on the hill. It's unbelievable."

The winter's long and steady chill helped make up for a slow start to the ski season and created fairly consistent conditions for snowmaking.

"We're definitely a weather-driven business," Jack Frost general manager Mark Daubert said. "We didn't get a lot of natural snow in terms of big snows, but once the cold air got here we were able to make snow."

Small but persistent periods of snowfall and cold weather in population hubs like Philadelphia kept winter sports on people's minds and drew visitors to the mountains after a year when mild temperatures kept people away.

Snö Mountain at Montage, which closed for the season on March 20, had a better-than-average winter, general manager Mark Verrastro said. The ski area was particularly pleased with the steady turnout of beginners and families.

"We seemed to be attracting a lot of first-time skiers for lessons and families getting off the couch for the winter," he said. "There was a sustained cold front and people were looking for things to do."

Mr. Confer said both the Elk management and its skiers were "thrilled" with the season, the snow surface and the weather.

Local skiers stayed local, he said.

Contact the writer: llegere@timesshamrock.com

The success or failure of a mishmash of court appeals could help define the shape of Lackawanna County's future government.

Everyone who lost in Lackawanna County Court is back for another try in Commonwealth Court to try to influence which questions voters get to answer about restructuring county government on the May 21 ballot. The court is expected to rule soon.

At the moment, based on county court rulings, there will be five questions.

One question, pushed by businessman Chuck Volpe, would decide if voters want to form a commission to study the county's three-commissioner form of government, which would open the possibility of replacing the present form with another.

Separate questions would determine if the county does away with electing four row officers - sheriff, recorder of deeds, register of wills and clerk of judicial records - and lets the commissioners decide what to do with each.

The appeals court will determine whether as few as none and as many as five questions are on the ballot.

One appeal centers on whether a panel of county court judges, acting as the county Board of Elections, had the right to take a single ballot question and split it up into four.

The county commissioners had wanted voters to decide whether to eliminate the four row offices as a group. The county court, acting on a challenge filed by Scranton resident Joseph Pilchesky, decided each row office should have its own question. The court also allowed Mr. Volpe's study commission question to stand.

In their appeal brief, lawyers for the commissioners wrote that the county court made a mistake by splitting up their original question.

"The power and duty of a court is interpretive, not legislative," the father-and-son team of attorneys Joseph A. O'Brien and Michael J. O'Brien, wrote.

The court has "no power to redraw the constitution or to rewrite legislative acts or charters," they wrote. "Thus, though the trial court may rephrase a ballot question, such a change may not constitute a material deviation of the original referendum (ballot) question."

Interestingly, the commissioners' appeal says state law does not forbid the commissioners' row office question from appearing on the same ballot as Mr. Volpe's study commission question.

Mr. Pilchesky did make that argument. He had argued the commissioners' row office question could not appear on the ballot because petitions for Mr. Volpe's study commission question were filed with the county Department of Elections first.

Through her lawyer, attorney Frank J. Tunis Jr., Dickson City resident Andrea Benford had directly questioned the validity of Mr. Volpe's petitions to create the study commission. The court said her objections were not specific enough and ruled against her. She is appealing that ruling.

Mr. Pilchesky never directly challenged Mr. Volpe's petitions, but pushed a challenge that also could have hampered Mr. Volpe's quest. He challenged the validity of nomination papers filed by 38 of the 39 candidates for the commission. That could have knocked the candidates off the ballot and required them to mount write-in campaigns to get chosen for the commission.

The court generally ruled against Mr. Pilchesky's challenge, but required the candidates to file some additional paperwork by April 11 to remain on the ballot.

Mr. Pilchesky is appealing the ruling allowing the commissioners' row office question to remain on the ballot.

So is Taylor resident Kenneth Mickavicz, who is appealing through his lawyer, attorney William T. Jones Jr.

So far, the Commonwealth Court has said it will decide the appeals strictly on written briefs filed by the lawyers rather than hear formal arguments in person. The court has not set a date for making a decision.

Contact the writer: bkrawczeniuk@timesshamrock.com

COVINGTON TWP. - The board of supervisors is poised to crack down on businesses that discharge food preparation wastewater into the township's sewer system without properly maintaining grease traps.

"The problem that we have is that we have too much grease coming into our system," Thomas Yerke, vice chairman of the board, said after the Covington Twp. meeting Tuesday. "Normal organic material like sewage is not a problem. It's just when you introduce foreign materials in there such as different lactoses, amino acids, stuff like that, it throws off the biological process."

Mr. Yerke said the annual cost of "sludge removal" is a minimum of $100,000 and estimated the influx of grease and oil that started last year increases the cost of treating wastewater by 50 percent, or about $50,000.

After water is treated in Covington Twp., it flows to Moscow and eventually discharges into the reservoir in Roaring Brook, Mr. Yerke said.

The ordinance under consideration sets oil and grease content standards for wastewater released by establishments including restaurants, motels, hospitals, schools and bars and subjects businesses to periodic evaluations by the Covington Twp. Sewer Authority.

Three consecutive "unsatisfactory" evaluations would result in penalties, including possible discontinuance of sewer service.

Also at Tuesday's meeting, supervisors discussed revising the agreement for outside groups to rent the Moffat Estate for events in response to a party last year during which alcohol was served. After the meeting, supervisors declined to give details about the party.

The agreement to rent the estate includes a stipulation that alcohol cannot be served but has no mechanism to enforce that rule.

Contact the writer: kwind@timesshamrock.com

SCRANTON - For select games this season, baseball fans can see the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders by traveling the rails, said Lackawanna County spokesman Joseph D'Arienzo.

The Electric City Trolley Museum will offer 10 excursion runs to PNC Field for games in May, June, July and August.

Twenty dollars per person buys trolley fare, a game ticket and a $2 voucher for either the concession stand or the team store. For fans who already have game tickets, trolley tickets will cost $11.

Reservations are required. More information can be found by visiting www.lackawannacounty.org or by calling the museum at 963-6590.