DICKSON CITY

A new extended-stay hotel, peering out over the Lackawanna Valley, has opened in Dickson City.

The Home2 Suites by Hilton Dickson City Scranton opened recently on Business Route 6, hotel officials announced Monday in a news release.

Manager Jason Yasin-skas bills the hotel as an ideal place for both one-night and extended stays.

The hotel is owned and managed by Clarks Summit-based Millett Real Estate Inc.

It’s pet-friendly, and each of the 70 suites has a fully equipped kitchen and modular furniture. There’s complimentary breakfast, fitness area, saline pool and whirlpool.

— JON O’CONNELL

Coming out

event set

The Physicians Representing Inclusivity, Diversity and Equality (PRIDE) student group at Geisinger Commonwealth School of Medicine will celebrate National Coming Out Day.

“The theme is ‘coming out’ and sharing your authentic identity,” said Brandon Bombar of Scranton, a student organizer and first-year medical student. “We are encouraging anyone in the community who wants to share a story representing any interpretation of that theme to join us...”

Steven Lam, a second-year medical student from Concord, California; Daniel Laub, a second-year medical student from Los Angeles; and Matthew Adams, first-year medical student from Lanse, are also helping to plan the event, which marks the 29th anniversary of a day set aside to encourage people who are lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer (LGBTQ) to live openly as their true selves, according to a press release.

The event is scheduled for Wednesday, Oct. 11, from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m., at the medical school’s Medical Sciences Building, 525 Pine St., Scranton. “Coming out monologues” will begin the event during a coffee hour in a group setting. Attendees are also invited to view a screening of “Milk,” a 2008 movie starring Sean Penn as gay rights activist and politician Harvey Milk.

Any person in the community who has had to summon the courage to reveal an identity they have kept hidden from friends and family is invited to attend, according to the release.

For details or to register, visit tcmc.edu/monologues.

High notes

During an open house for the St. Joseph’s Center Baby/Children’s Pantry on Sept. 16, representatives from Lacakwanna County proclaimed the week Diaper Need Awareness Week.

Sister Maryalice Jacquinot, I.H.M., president/CEO of St. Joseph’s Center; Andy Hurchick, administrator of operations; Tamara Hall, director maternity/family services; and Mary Griffin, outreach coordinator for the pantry accepted the proclamation.

During the open house community members enjoyed lunch, children’s games, face painting and a candy bar while center representatives expressed the importance of diaper awareness and the rising diaper need for families.

For more details about the baby pantry, visit www.stjosephscenter.org.

Super students

Wilkes University Marching Colonels new leadership positions for the fall include Kelci Piavis, Wapwallopen, color guard captain; Matthew Reynolds, Dallas, drum line co-captain; Lena Campisi, Lake Ariel, saxophone section leader; Lauren McClintock, Dunmore, clarinet and flute section leader; and Jason Percival, Nanticoke, low brass section leader.

New members include Hunter Bowman, Tunkhannock, tuba; Cassie Button, Falls, trumpet; Julia Guziewicz, Duryea, color guard; Ryan Hulbert, Dallas, euphonium; and James Vitale, Trucksville, trumpet.

John Christie lounged Monday afternoon outside a downtown Scranton coffee shop with a perspiring cup of chilled green tea on a table to his left and a copy of the New York Times Book Review on his lap.

A row of slowly blooming fall mums adorned Northern Light Espresso Bar’s window behind him; a sidewalk sign to his right advertised pumpkin spice coffee.

“I don’t venture beyond Folgers,” the city man remarked, but conceded he wouldn’t go for hot coffee anyway.

Not on Monday. Not when the temperature spiked at 91 degrees, edging out a 109-year record and burying the 69-degree Northeast Pennsylvania early autumn average. Sunday broke a 7-year-old record high, as well.

“It’s almost tropical,” AccuWeather meteorologist Brian Edwards said.

Monday’s scorcher dismissed school early for the Scranton and Tunkhannock Area school districts. Scranton School District again will dismiss early today because of temperatures forecasted in the mid-80s.

Across from Christie, crowds lounged on Courthouse Square,

careful to stay in the shade.

Zeke Larsen led a parade of three red firetruck strollers down Wyoming Avenue on Monday morning while the day was just heating up. Larsen, a day-care worker at Mifflin Avenue’s Creative Critters, timed his caravan to enjoy the sun without breaking too much of a sweat.

“When it’s nice out, we like to get outside,” Larsen said. “But we will be inside for most of today.”

Monday marked 10 days straight with temperatures reaching above 80 degrees, Edwards said. Today and Wednesday look to continue the streak, with forecasts well above normal.

Then, Wednesday night, autumn starts to settle in for the foreseeable future. A quick rain shower will usher in a cold front. Temperatures Thursday and Friday will slide to the more temperate, and decidedly less humid, lower 70s.

Saturday is expected to bring overcast skies and 65-degree temperatures — good for football, pumpkin spice coffee or, for those like Christie, a hot cup of Folgers.

NICOLE DITOLLA, staff writer, contributed to this report.

Contact the writer:

jkohut@timesshamrock.com;

570-348-9144;

@jkohutTT on Twitter

MARRIAGE LICENSES

■ Robert K. Richmond and Denise M. Spano, both of Throop.

■ John D. McAndrew II, Scran­ton, and Mary Ann C. Kochan­ski, Nicholson.

■ Shuoqian Wang and Yingjun Dong, both of Vestal, N.Y.

■ Kristen Lynn Baigis, Throop, and Michael Joseph DePietro, Olyphant.

■ David J. Wall Jr. and Megan Jane Bell, both of Carbondale.

■ Melvin Jonatan Lozano-Sharp and Xenia D. Ramos-Callejas, both of Scranton.

■ Nathan Allen Manning and Taylor Marie Conforti, both of Scranton.

PROPERTY TRANSACTIONS

■ Michael M. Paone, Archbald, and Jeffrey P. Paone, Philadel­phia, co-trustees of the Irrevoc­able Trust Agreement for Made­line M. Paone, to Ken Santarelli Enterprises LLC, Peckville; a property at 1110 Filbert St., Archbald, for $76,500.

■ Sumit and Namrata Agrawal, Lackawanna County, to Pratik, Nitanbhai and Simaben Nitan­bhai Patel, Scranton; a property at 743 Prescott Ave., Scranton, for $88,000.

■ Richard C. Woodyatt, Scran­ton, to Ralph Thomas and Brit­tney A. Woodyatt; a property at 103 Norfolk Way, Scranton, for $150,000.

■ Thomas A. Kameroski, individually and as executor of the estate of Thomas P. Kameroski, Scott Twp., to Randi S. and Carla Morcom, Clifford Twp.; a property at Chapman Lake, Scott Twp., for $140,000.

■ Diane M. Harchar, Dickson City, to Shawn G. and Larisa Zbach, Dickson City; a property at 307 Robert Drive, Dickson City, for $144,200.

■ Joseph Gary and Albina Pruzinsky, and Joyce and Peter Kolcharno, all of Olyphant, to Joseph R. and Kathleen A. Con­way, Blakely; a property at 1014 Columbus Ave., Blakely, for $76,512.

■ William J. Moran and James P. Moran, executors of the estate of William J. Moran, Scranton, to Melanie Ulivitch, Wilkes-Barre; two parcels in Scranton for $75,000.

■ David E., John W. and John W. Gareis Jr. to Vladimir and Svetlana Borzov; a property at Big Bass Lake, Clifton Twp., for $104,000.

■ Donald R. Paciorka, Scran­ton, to Parker Williams Proper­ties LLC, Scranton; a property at 1505-1507 Jackson St., Scran­ton, for $33,000.

■ Carol Ann Davis, personal representative of the estate of Margaret Ann Abbott, Peckville, to Matthew Wills, Scranton; a property at 320 Main St., Peck­ville, for $140,000.

■ Janeen L. Damiano, now by marriage Janeen L. Granville, and Jason Granville, Spring Brook Twp., to Ernest J. Gatto Jr. and Tara DeGilio. New Hampton, N.Y.; a property at 12 Brachy Road, Covington Twp., for $202,000.

■ Edward J. and Cheryl Skur­sky, South Abington Twp., to Peter R. and Cynthia M. Saplan, Clarks Summit; a property at 400 Brian Drive, South Abington Twp., for $242,000.

■ Burton T. Reese, agent for Ruth Reese, Taylor, to Amy Cip­rian and Richard M. Warakom­ski, Taylor, as joint tenants with rights of survivorship; a property at 133 E. Atherton St., Taylor, for $55,000.

■ Linda M. and Thomas Neal­on, Clarks Summit, and Susan and Joseph P. Gilroy, Scranton, to Edward J. and Cheryl L. Skur­sky, Clarks Summit, as joint tenants with rights of survivorship; a property at 927 Winola Road, South Abington Twp., for $195,000.

■ Paula Skeras, executrix of the estate of Helen Lochie, Lackawanna County, to Benja­min Lochie, Scranton; a property at 1611 Bulwer St., Scranton, for $30,000.

■ Jonah Realty LLC, Pitts­burgh, to Felix M. Reyes, Hack­en­sack, N.J.; two parcels in Scranton for $40,000.

■ Luis and Merlin Mirabal, Passaic, N.J., to Donald R. Paciorka, Scranton; a property at 26 Crown Ave., Scranton, for $33,000.

■ Gerald Hill, administrator of the estate of Shirley A. Hill, Pennsylvania, to Edgar H. Zhiminaicela Farez, New York; a property at 1336 Sanderson Ave., Scranton, for $25,000.

■ Kevin Whitman and Kayla M. Witmer, Archbald, to Lloyd and Ashlie Shaffer, Archbald; two parcels at 1117 Filbert St., Archbald, for $159,000.

■ Marie Vass, Newton Twp., to John Newman Jr. and Debora Wallace, Bear Creek, as joint tenants with rights of survivorship; a property at 126 Colum­bus Circle, Newton Twp., for $285,000.

■ Timothy and Tara Leber, Lackawanna County, to Michael A. Finella, Lackawanna County; a property in Moscow for $229,000.

LAWSUIT

■ Kaeden Vasquez, a minor, by and through his parent and natural guardian, Sarah Vas­quez, and Sarah Vasquez, individually, 225 S. Webster Ave., Scranton, v. Walmart Stores Inc., 702 S.W. Eighth St., Ben­ton­ville, Ark., seeking in excess of $50,000, plus costs, delay damages, pre and post judgment interest, attorney fees and all other relief provided by law on two counts, for injuries suffered Oct. 15, 2016, in a fall on the defendant’s premises at 900 Commerce Blvd., Dickson City; Steven L. Chung, attorney.

FEDERAL TAX LIENS

■ Rosemary D. Caolo, 1512 E. Gibson St., Scranton; $77,839.26.

■ Buckingham Transport LLC, 1453 Lower Mill City Road, Dalton; $18,766.37.

ESTATES FILED

■ Deborah Nye, 925 Montdale Road, Scott Twp., letters of administration to Jeffrey Nye, 2044 Edna Ave., Scranton.

■ Thomas V. Bennett, 707 Dunmore St., Throop, letters testamentary to Joseph P. Bennett, 101 Patience Lane, Spring City.

■ Joyce Gilligan, also known as Joyce G. Gilligan, 225 Blue Shutters Road, Moscow, letters testamentary to Theresa J. Cavelius, 920 Myrtle St., Apt. 5, Scranton.

■ Joseph Dubas, 2012 Laurel Hill Road, Clarks Summit, letters of administration to Marie Dubas, same address.

ONLINE: thetimes-tribune.com/courts

DICKSON CITY — Borough council fired a police officer Monday after an internal investigation by police into a domestic violence allegation.

The borough terminated Officer John Sobieski, who had been a full-time member of the force for more than eight years, on a charge “neglect or violation of official duties and conduct unbecoming of an officer.”

Lackawanna County District Attorney Shane Scanlon also confirmed his office is investigating a domestic violence allegation against a Dickson City police officer, although he declined to name the target.

Two sources who spoke on the condition of anonymity told The Times-Tribune the district attorney’s office is looking into the same incident as the borough’s investigation.

Borough officials have declined to comment on the details of the matter, with Police Chief Stephen Margeson, council President Barbara Mecca, Borough Manager Cesare “Ches” Forconi and solicitor Bill Jones each calling it a personnel matter.

Union representative Chris Tully also declined to comment, and Sobieski couldn’t be reached Monday.

Borough residents William Mitchell and Alexes Leone said they spoke with Dickson City police during what Margeson told them was an internal investigation about an incident in the early morning hours of Aug. 12, when Sobieski was off duty.

The couple both told The Times-Tribune they were watching Netflix with a friend at about 3 a.m. when they heard a scream for help coming from outside their home on Main Street.

“We went over there (across the street),” Leone said. “(Sobieski) was standing over the lady. She was on the ground, crying. Her face was all red.”

Mitchell said that when he approached, Sobieski told him to get away and “I’m a Dickson City cop.”

The pair said the woman then tried to flee and Sobieski appeared to reach toward his pocket.

Fearing Sobieski was reaching for a weapon — although he never saw a weapon — Mitchell said he punched Sobieski in the face, after which Sobieski grabbed his shirt and the pair tumbled to the ground.

Sobieski asked, “Can we settle this like humans?” both Mitchell and Leone said, adding that Mitchell said “it’s a little late for that now” and called the police.

In 2015, another woman sought a temporary protection-from-abuse order from Lackawanna County Court against Sobieski, claiming after a custody exchange that he followed her and performed a series of aggressive traffic moves, such as pulling in front of her and applying his brakes.

She described prior instances of constant phone calls and texts, and another time Sobieski told her that he had people watching and taking pictures of her. Senior Judge Richard Saxton dismissed the order after the woman’s motion to withdraw it.

Sobieski’s salary as a Dickson City police officer was $66,036.

When council fired the officer Monday, council members Paul Kwiec and Georgia Adamitis abstained from the vote, emphasizing they don’t condone the behavior that had been described to them.

Adamitis said she was troubled that council didn’t have a written opinion from borough attorney Joseph Rudolph on how to handle the issue and she was unhappy with how little information was shared with her about the incident leading up to Monday.

“I disagree with some of the things and some of the ways this was handled initially,” Adamitis said.

Kwiec added that Margeson shared a letter about the incident with Mecca that she didn’t tell him about until three weeks later, and that he never got any correspondence from Rudolph.

Mecca said she was told not to discuss it with anyone during the investigation.

“The borough will inform Mr. Sobieski of council’s decision and also provide notice to the borough civil service commission,” Mecca said after the vote. “Because Mr. Sobieski has a right of appeal from this council’s decision, the borough will make no further comment regarding this matter at this time.”

Contact the writer:

kwind@timesshamrock.com;

570-348-9100 x5181;

@kwindTT on Twitter

After heated debates about whether certain positions are “essential,” the Scranton School Board hired more than a dozen employees Monday night.

Directors delayed voting on the positions earlier this month, citing concerns of whether some of the positions are needed or if the district could save money by combining job responsibilities. Other jobs, such as the teaching positions, are required by union contract due to class size limits.

The district, which has a deficit expected to reach $40 million by the end of the year, has a hiring freeze for nonessential personnel. The state put the district on “financial watch” status in June, the first in a series of steps that could eventually lead to a takeover by a state receiver.

In a 5-3 vote and after much debate about the need for another school nurse, the board hired Nicole Ferguson as a certified school nurse. Directors Paul Duffy, Cy Douaihy and Bob Sheridan voted against her appointment. Douaihy cited a state formula — which some call antiquated — that calls for a minimum of one certified school nurse for every 1,500 students. The district is within the ratio now. Nurses have asked for additional staff, citing concerns for student safety. Her salary was not immediately available Monday night.

“If we’re looking at layoffs, two CSNs could be laid off by a state receiver,” Douaihy said. “They’re coming.”

“There’s no question about it,” Duffy said.

In a 5-2 vote, directors hired Margaret Cosgrove as English learner program manager and Maureen Abdalla as title program manager. For several months, directors had considered combining the two jobs, which administration strongly advised against. Both positions will earn $50,000 each. Director Tom Schuster and Duffy voted against the appointments.

The board hired the following employees unanimously: Ashley Richards and Mary Ellen Stanton, special education; Lindsey Vollrath and Maggie Bryan, fourth grade; Megan Mancuso Gilroy and Christina Gibson, kindergarten; Megan Ackourey, math; Alena Schneider, music; Basil Bannister, English; Ronald Simpson, reading specialist; Lindsay Fultz, fifth grade; and Elizabeth Krokos, chief of special education and support services. Salaries were not immediately available.

Director Jim Timlin was absent.

In other business, directors:

n Approved a five-year contract with Commonwealth Energy to be the district’s energy procurement agent, meaning Commonwealth will act as the district’s consultant for electricity and gas prices. Commonwealth will receive “1/10 of 1 penny” of what the district spends on energy.

n Approved upgrades to the fire alarm at McNichols Plaza Elementary, which has had many false alarms since spring. The project with Simplex Grinnell will cost $17,436. The district will also pay Sterling Glass $17,875 for a new vestibule enclosure project for Charles Sumner Elementary School.

Contact the writer:

shofius@timesshamrock.com;

570-348-9133;

@hofiushallTT on Twitter

The Tunkhannock Area School District will close early once again today "due to the high heat index."

School board member Holly Arnold posted on the Tunkhannock Tiger District Report page that the district will dismiss early today. Outlying buildings will dismiss at 12 p.m., Roslund Elementary School will dismiss at 12:30 p.m. and students at the middle and high schools will leave at 1 p.m.

"Tomorrow has not been decided yet," Arnold said.

After school activities will happen as scheduled unless coaches decide otherwise, Arnold said.

DIMOCK, Pa. (AP) — Two families have settled their lawsuit alleging that one of Pennsylvania's biggest gas drillers contaminated their well water, six months after a federal judge threw out a multimillion-dollar jury verdict in the case.

A court filing dated Sept. 21 says the lawsuit pursued by plaintiffs in Dimock against Houston-based Cabot Oil & Gas Corp. was "amicably resolved" following settlement talks.

Dozens of plaintiffs settled with Cabot in 2012, but two families opted to take their case to trial. A jury sided with the plaintiffs, ordering Cabot to pay $4.24 million.

A judge threw out the verdict last March, asserting the plaintiffs didn't present sufficient evidence against Cabot. The judge urged the parties to discuss a settlement before any retrial in the case.

Terms of the settlement were not released.

An 18-year-old Archbald man fractured his 6-week-old daughter’s arm Sunday afternoon and waited until the following morning to bring her to a hospital, Archbald police said.

Kylie Jacobs-Mlyczk, Lot 8 East Valley Road, is charged with aggravated assault, simple assault and endangering the welfare of children. He appeared before Magisterial District Judge Paul Keeler on Tuesday morning and was remanded Lackawanna County Prison in lieu of $165,000 bail.

Jacobs-Mlyczk told police he was drinking all day Sunday and while changing the infant’s diaper, may have grabbed her arm and pulled her back toward him, Officer Jamie Nolan-Trently wrote in a criminal complaint. The child cried and he told police he panicked.

He met with a pediatrician Monday afternoon and X-rays taken at Geisinger Community Medical Center confirmed a fracture on the infant’s right arm.

Initially, Jacobs-Mlyczk explained to police he was washing dishes and his daughter tried to turn on her side in her crib. He heard a “pop” and the baby cried.

The pediatrician who examined the infant, Dr. Tony Abdelmaseeh, told Officer Joseph Farrell that his explanation did not make sense because the baby is developmentally unable to roll yet.

A preliminary hearing is scheduled next Monday at 11:15 a.m.

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

GREENFIELD TWP. — The search of Newton Lake for the body of 17-year-old female Lakeland High School senior who was struck by a boat around 2 p.m. was winding down for the day due to darkness, officials said.

The search will resume Wednesday morning.

Officials are withholding the girl’s name because her family still is being notified.

The girl was on a boat with friends when she fell off , said Capt. Bill White, of Dive Rescue Specialists in Scott Twp. The boat she was in then struck her, he said.

White said by 7:46 p.m. that today’s operation was wrapping up. Search efforts, he said, will continue tomorrow morning.

He expressed disappointment at not finding the girl, but said it is dangerous for divers to search in the dark.

“For the family, you want to find someone as quickly as possible,” he said.

Search boats used sonar technology to scan the lake to try to locate the girl, White said.

The operation changed from a rescue to a recovery about an hour after the incident, he said.

If the sonar picked up anything, divers checked it out, he said. The lake is about 25 feet deep and visibility is very poor, White said.

Witnesses at the lake were distraught. One woman fell to her knees sobbing, on the grass along the shore while another sobbed and pointed at the lake.

A total of 21 divers from five dive teams participated in the search. Volunteer fire and ambulance companies also are assisting, said Greenfield Township Volunteer Fire Company Chief PJ Fortuner. The state police and the state fish and boat commission are conducting an investigation.

Lakeland school board president Mary Retzbach said teachers would come in early tomorrow to meet with the high school principal and counselors would be available throughout the day for students.

“Another tragic loss for Lakeland,” she said. “Our thoughts and prayers are with the family.”

Check back for updates.

SCRANTON — U.S. Rep. Matt Cartwright, D-17, Moosic, announced Tuesday that the Women’s Resource Center in Scranton was awarded a $350,000 Transitional Housing Assistance grant through the Department of Justice.

The center provides comprehensive services for female and male victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, dating violence and stalking in Lackawanna and Susquehanna counties.

It will collaborate with its partners and use the grant money to provide transitional housing and support services to survivors of the aforementioned offenses who are homeless or without permanent housing.

— ­STAFF REPORT

MARRIAGE LICENSES

■ David Frommert and Jacqueline Jasinski, both of Madison Twp.

■ Vicente Ciprian-Rivera and Carmen A. Santana-Esturbide, both of Scranton.

■ Brian Anthony Zeoli Jr. and KC Lynn Bonacci, both of Peckville.

■ Randall Scott Sashko and Amber Mary Gurke, both of Archbald.

■ Zachary Edward Del Guercio, Kennesaw, Ga., and Maggie Elizabeth Perry, Dunmore.

■ Rebecca Frances Smith and Andrew Kilian Mahler, both of Scranton.

PROPERTY TRANSACTIONS

■ John, Joseph, Gregory and Michael Namyak Jr., Donna Myers and Lori Buckley, and Mary Namyak, by and through her attorney-in-fact, John Namyak, to C. Clam Enterprises LLC, Peckville; a property at 321-23 Third Ave., Jessup, for $75,000.

■ Keith A. Kesler Sr., also known as Keith A. Kessler Sr., and Marian Kesler, also known as Marian Kessler, to Xiuxia Cui, Pennsylvania; a property at 638 Duncan St., Scranton, for $32,000.

■ Sara L. Woolsey, now known as Sara L. Sauers, and Robert Sauers III, Scott Twp., to Amy Valentukonis, Lackawanna County; a property at 808

Cen­ter St., Throop, for $140,500.

■ Robert and Phyllis Potosky, Old Forge, to Nezir Alic, Scran­ton; a property at 311 S. Keyser Ave., Old Forge, for $50,750.

DIVORCE DECREES

■ Amanda DeLuccie v. Ryan DeLuccie

■ Colleen Heckman v. David Heckman

■ Ashley Torbeck v. Kevin Torbeck

■ Kathleen Lavelle v. Keith Morris

FEDERAL TAX LIENS

■ Riley Appraisal Services Inc., 184 Knapp Road C, Clarks Summit; $11,846.53.

■ Global Risk Management LLC, 120 N. Abington Road, Clarks Green; $50,497.65.

ESTATE FILED

■ Joseph Karl Cucura, 543 Washington Ave., Jermyn, letters of administration to Joseph Nicholas Cucura, same address.

ONLINE: thetimes-tribune.com/courts

SCRANTON — The Scranton Parking Authority did not hold its quarterly meeting Tuesday because of a lack of a quorum.

Only authority Chairman Joseph Matyjevich showed up for the 6 p.m. meeting at City Hall. The meeting would be rescheduled, said.

Authority members Tom Borthwick, Sandy Corby and Michael Salerno were absent, as was Executive Director/Solicitor Todd Johns. The remaining seat on the five-member authority board is vacant.

In December, the authority set quarterly public meetings for 2017 for Jan. 31, May 23, Sept. 26 and Dec. 19, each at 6 p.m. in council chambers at City Hall.

- JIM LOCKWOOD

The Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission announced the postponement of a planned weekend closure on the Northeastern Extension, Interstate 476, in Lehigh County for a bridge replacement project.

The highway will remain open in both directions as the work is rescheduled, according to a news release.

Turnpike Chief Engineer Brad Heigel said a routine analysis conducted last weekend revealed an issue with the steel platform on which the new bridges were built that enables crews to slide the superstructures into place.

The replacement is slated to be rescheduled to mid-to-late October.

— STAFF REPORT

President Judge Michael Barrasse sentenced the following defendants recently in Lackawanna County Court:

■ Raymond Matos, 37, 4 Memorial Drive, Throop, to 51 to 108 months in state prison, followed by 12 years’ probation, for possession with intent to deliver, person not to possess a firearm and criminal use of a communication facility.

■ Lepke Robinson, 41, 424 Cedar Ave., Scranton, to 18 to 36 months in state prison, followed by eight years’ probation for possession with intent to deliver and criminal use of a communication facility.

■ Thurman Wilson Jr., 27, 121 Sand St., Apt. 3., Dunmore, to 24 months’ court supervision, including three months’ house arrest, and a $200 fine for simple assault, harassment and disorderly conduct.

■ Alexander Belek, 25, 308 Lynch St., Olyphant, to six months’ court supervision, including two months’ house arrest, and a $300 fine for DUI — tier one, second offense.

■ Ryan Thiel, 29, 2918 Pitts­ton Ave., Scranton, to six months’ court supervision, including three months’ house arrest, and a $1,000 fine for DUI — tier three, first offense.

■ Kyle Howey, 21, 117 Sus­que­hanna Ave., Olyphant, to two years’ court supervision, including three months’ house arrest, for escape.

■ Thaddeous Mann, 21, 48 Church St., Prompton, to three years’ probation and $100 restitution for theft by unlawful taking.

■ Caleb Langston, 23, 1826 Price St., Scranton, to one year of probation for receiving stolen property.

■ Andy Alia, 43, 3100 Oly­phant Ave., Scranton, to 25 hours’ community service and court costs for disorderly conduct.

■ Clarence Anderson, 153 New Mallery Place, Wilkes-Barre, to one year of court supervision, including six weeks in county prison and two months’ house arrest, for drug paraphernalia possession.

■ Louis Hairston, 43, 207 Edgar St., Olyphant, to one year of court supervision, including two months’ house arrest, for disorderly conduct.

■ Kelly Telesk, 32, 711 Gino Merli Drive, Blakely, to two years’ probation for harassment and disorderly conduct.

■ Wilson Martin, 24, 2613 N. Main Ave., Scranton, to three years’ court supervision, including three months’ house arrest, and $2,609.39 in restitution for forgery.

■ Michael Bailor, 37, 238 Sandy Beach Road, Clifton Twp., to one to 12 months in county prison followed by two years’ probation for firearms not to be carried without a license.

■ Marcus Cicero, 20, 207 Meadow St., Blakely, to three years’ court supervision, including two months’ house arrest, and $1,114 in restitution for receiving stolen property.

■ Joseph Crowley, 22, 209 Seventh St., Apt. 4, Honesdale, to six months’ probation and a $300 fine for DUI — tier one, first offense.

Judge Vito Geruolo sentenced:

■ Mark Belles, 48, 523 Kohler Ave., Old Forge, to four to 23 months in county prison for bad checks.

■ Michael Brown, 22, 179 Virginia Ave., Blakely, to 10 to 23 months in county prison followed by two years’ probation for criminal trespass and conspiracy to commit theft by unlawful taking.

■ Joshua Washburn, 30, 1301 Main St., Apt. 3, Dickson City, to six months’ probation for disorderly conduct.

■ Joseph Caffiero, 20 Shan­non St., Fell Twp., 55, to six months’ court supervison, including 30 days’ house arrest, and a $750 fine for DUI — tier two, second offense.

■ Patrick Johnstone, 27, 178 Elk Lake Drive, Waymart, to 53 days time served to six months in county prison and a $1,000 fine for DUI — tier three, first offense.

Judge Margaret Bisignani Moyle sentenced:

■ Juan Gonzalez, 32, 519 Cherry St., Apt. 2, Scranton, to 221 days time served in county prison for harassment.

■ Carl Burkholder, 69, 8164 Highway 68 North, Bellefon­taine, Ohio, to three years’ probation and $5,499.44 in restitution for theft by deception.

■ Marissa Krawciw, 27, 4601 Flat Rock Road, Apt. 6, Phila­delphia, to 18 months’ probation for access device fraud.

WILKES-BARRE — Luzerne County will sue opioid manufacturers and distributors, after county council approved moving forward on a lawsuit at its Tuesday meeting.

The vote follows other lawsuits from other Pennsylvania counties, such as Lackawanna and Delaware, against drug manufacturers. Although the county will begin litigation on its own, it could become part of a class action lawsuit in the future, County Manager David Pedri said.

Pedri had announced the plan Friday. He said Tuesday he was reviewing those lawsuits with the solicitors office to decide who exactly to file against. He said he had contacted six national law firms and planned to bring a contract proposal to council at the Oct. 10 meeting for a vote.

Addiction to painkillers has caused suffering across the country, including in Luzerne County.

The coroner’s office has recorded 95 overdoses so far this year. Last year, the coroner saw 140 overdose deaths, a record for a single year.

The county has spent millions of dollars on the problem, for the criminal justice system, human services and other functions.

The lawsuit will be a contingency fee agreement, meaning there will be no cost to file the lawsuit and no cost if it is unsuccessful. If the county is successful in recovering money, it will pay attorney’s fees from that award. Similar lawsuits paid attorneys about 25 to 33 percent of the money awarded, Pedri said.

“We’re continuing to pay for this opioid crisis,” he said. “No matter what happens here, we’re continuing to pay for it.”

Tax assistance

Council also approved an application for Local Economic Revitalization Tax Assistance, called a LERTA, for IRIS USA, a company that makes plastic products for storage and organizing.

The company is planning to build a manufacturing and distribution center in the Humboldt Industrial Park in Hazle Twp.

This would be the company’s fourth facility in the United States, said president Chet Keizer. The area’s rail connection made the site attracted. The average wage would be about $16 per hour, he said.

The company plans to stay in the area, Keizer said.

“We don’t let incentives drive us. They are temporary. The LERTA will end after ten years. We’re going to be here for more than ten years,” he said.

Even with the tax break, said councilman Harry Haas, a company occupying the space and paying taxes would be considerably better than the current situation.

Blighted properties

The county’s blighted property review committee will begin accepting applications Oct. 1, Haas reported to the council.

The committee held a public launch Monday to tell municipal officials more about how the group could help them deal with blight.

The committee can certify properties as blighted and add them to a database. That could prompt the owner to repair the property in an attempt to get off the list.

Another possibility is that the Redevelopment Authority of Luzerne County sees the property as a problem and begins a legal process to acquire the structure be razed or rehabilitated. The redevelopment authority could also not take any action.

Haas has called the committee another tool for municipalities dealing with blight.

“You’ve all heard, like myself, the public outcry. We have a lot of blighted properties in our communities,” Haas said.

Contact the writer:

bwellock@citizensvoice.com

570-821-2051, @CVBillW

WILKES-BARRE — Entercom Communications Corp., which owns a number of area radio stations, has reached an agreement to sell local country music radio station WGGI-FM 95.9, according to a news release at Entercom’s website.

The station, known as “Froggy country,” will be sold to California-based nonprofit Educational Media Foundation, or EMF, which specializes in adult contemporary Christian music, according to the news release.

Entercom will also sell two radio stations in California — KSWD-FM 100.3 The Sound in Los Angeles and KSOQ-FM 92.1 in San Diego — as part of a plan to divest itself of properties as it prepares to merge with CBS Radio Inc., the news release states.

On Feb. 2, Entercom announced an agreement to combine with CBS Radio Inc., a merger that will give Entercom a footprint of 240 stations, according to the news release.

The sales announced Tuesday represent “the first required divestitures” related to the merger, the news release states.

As of Tuesday, EMF owns and operates about 770 FM radio stations and translators.

The news release did not give the sale price or other details of the deal. Attempts to reach an Entercom spokesperson Tuesday evening were not successful.

Contact the writer:

emark@citizensvoice.com;

570-821-2117

At Frances Willard Elementary School, with shades drawn and lights off, students learned about the Ice Age and the Arctic. As temperatures hovered around 100 degrees in the West Scranton school Tuesday morning, teachers tried to take their students’ minds off the heat.

The Scranton School District dismissed early Tuesday for the second day this week as the region broke a record high for the third day in a row at the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton International Airport. Tuesday’s high of 91 degrees broke the record of 88 degrees from 2007, AccuWeather meteorologist Steve Travis said.

Some Scranton classrooms were hotter.

Only about half of the district’s 18 schools have air conditioning. Old brick buildings retain heat during the day and temperatures overnight have not been low enough to cool down the buildings, said Jeff Brazil, the district’s chief operations officer. The schools are fine with one or two days of hot weather, but the recent heat wave is unprecedented for late September. The buildings have not had a chance to cool down, he said.

Across the city, temperatures in classrooms on the top floors of schools such as Northeast Intermediate School and Robert Morris Elementary hovered around 100 degrees.

“It’s definitely not conducive to quality learning,” Brazil said.

The call to close schools early Monday and Tuesday drew criticism from some, who questioned whether the move was necessary. The district, which faces a deficit expected to grow to $40 million by the end of the year, does not have money to install air conditioning in all buildings. Contractors in the last year estimated it would cost at least $13 million to install cooling systems in five buildings, Brazil said.

Last year at West Scranton High School, two students required medical attention after feeling ill because of the heat. At Willard, visits to the nurse doubled the last two days, as students complained of muscle cramps and headaches.

“Our first priority is to ensure the safety and welfare of every child,” Willard Principal Meg Duffy said. “My biggest concern is the students’ health.”

The district purchased 6,000 bottles of water Friday, anticipating the heat this week. Fans did little to help cool rooms.

Scranton schools will remain open a full day today, though students are encouraged to “dress down” to be cool and comfortable. The projected high temperature today is 89 degrees, which would easily surpass the record of 85 degrees, set in 1998, Travis said. By Thursday, the temperature should be back down to 70 degrees — close to normal for early fall, according to Accuweather.

Tunkhannock Area will dismiss early today — outlying buildings at noon, Roslund Elementary School at 12:30 p.m. and students at the middle and high schools at 1. After-school activities will continue as scheduled unless coaches say otherwise. The district also closed early because of the heat Monday and Tuesday.

As Duffy braces for another hot day, she knows her students will be comfortable in a few months.

“On a positive note, the building holds in the heat,” Duffy said.

“Yeah, we don’t have problems in the winter,” Brazil said, laughing.

SARAH SCINTO AND CLAYTON OVER, staff writers, contributed to this report.

Contact the writer:
shofius@timesshamrock.com;
570-348-9133;
@hofiushallTT on Twitter

What will one day become luxury loft apartments and trendy retail space is now a gutted shell, and for a few hours, anyone can take a peek.

Owner Charles Jefferson and the Greater Scranton Chamber of Commerce plan a free mixer event to showcase the Samters Lofts from 5 to 7 p.m. Thursday at Lackawanna and Penn avenues in downtown Scranton.

The nearly 100-year-old, five-story building is now in the earliest stages of restoration.

It had been built as the popular Samter’s clothing store for men and boys. It closed in 1977. The building was later used for state government offices, but it’s been empty for years.

“We want people to see the building, see what it’s all about,” said Leanna Skaluba, a property manager with Jefferson’s company.

Jefferson bought the building in December for $500,000 and plans 24 one-bedroom apartments on the second, third, fourth and fifth floors with retail and commercial space on the first.

The Sweet Lush Cupcakery in Dunmore is the first to commit to leasing a storefront.

Skaluba said the cupcake maker will also sell coffee and light food including breakfast items, adding another place for people to eat and relax downtown.

Lou Riddle, owner of Riddle Environmental Services in Dunmore, and his crew have gutted two downtown Scranton buildings for Jefferson — the Connell Building on North Washington Avenue and the former Chamber of Commerce building on Mulberry Street — now successfully transformed to commercial and apartment buildings.

Riddle plans to complete the demolition and clean-up some time in November, at which point Jefferson’s architects and builders can begin work to outfit several retail spots and the apartments.

On Tuesday, wire hooks that once held a drop ceiling dangled among old sprinkler system pipes.

On each floor, piles of aluminum framing studs and drop ceiling racks awaited the recycling plant.

Riddle and Skaluba said the place will be tidied up for Thursday’s mixer to make it safe for guests, but it will still look unfinished.

In his other buildings, Jefferson has often found ways to preserve and highlight historical components. The demolition work has revealed little pieces of architectural history buried deep over the decades that will let him do that with Samters Lofts.

Ornate cast iron columns on the first floor, now exposed, had been covered by two to three layers of drywall and other material, Riddle said.

“They don’t make these things anymore,” he said, patting the column.

Contact the writer:

joconnell@timesshamrock.com;

570-348-9131;

@jon_oc on Twitter

Station scrap metal going to war effort

The first wireless station in Scranton and possibly the world was set to be dismantled, with the scrap metal going to the war effort.

The wireless station at 920 Alder St. was built in 1905 by the Universal Aether Telegraph Co. The company was founded by the late Rev. Joseph Murgas, pioneer of wireless telegraphy and parish priest in Wilkes-Barre.

Frank Davis, air warden for that section of Scranton, received permission from the owners of the land and that the station was on schedule to be dismantled. It’s estimated that the station would yield 8 to 10 tons of steel and iron for the salvage campaign.

Tin, grease salvage campaign planned

With the Lackawanna Countywide salvage campaign slated to begin Sept. 28, housewives or kitchen commandos were reminded that they are on the front lines when it comes to salvage of grease and tin.

Salvage committee officials said households just need to put the collected grease and cans in separate containers on their back porches. Committee members will come to collect the items.

Question/answer girl gets results

Josephine T. Peyton, a Philadelphia native, was the first female recruiting specialist for the Pennsylvania and Delaware District of the U.S. Civil Service Commission. She was recently appointed to this position in the Scranton office located in the federal building.

In her position, Peyton helped an average 75 to 100 people a day find work with the federal government. She administered the examination, conducted interviews and even investigated work experience claims by applicants.

Asked if she would follow her younger sister, who just joined the WAACs, she said “No, I wouldn’t even trade this job to get married.”

BRIAN FULTON, library manager, oversees The Times-Tribune’s expansive digital and paper archives and is an authority on local history. Contact Brian at bfulton@timesshamrock.com or 570-348-9140.