Dear J.T. & Dale: I can’t seem to get out of a bad-job rut. I’ve worked in restaurants and construction, and now I’m working for a moving company. All are brutal on my body. The only reason I keep doing them is because the pay is better than at office jobs. And, I hate the idea of being locked in a building all day. What kind of work can I do that won’t take such a physical toll but pays $60,000 per year?

— CLARK

J.T.: It sounds like you’ve been very focused on having a “job,” as opposed to building a “career.” Here’s the difference: A job pays bills, while a career creates satisfaction and usually leads to more success. Finding a career you enjoy involves identifying problems you like to solve and then determining the skills you’d like to use to solve them. For example, if you like to be out of the office and on the road, and you really enjoy helping people fix construction issues, then maybe a career in heavy-equipment sales is for you.

DALE: It was Ogden Nash who pointed out that “People who work sitting down get paid more than people standing up.” Perhaps the fad of stand-up desks will change that, but for now, wanting to be out of the office makes the task of finding a career a bit trickier. You’re going to need to play the Game of Knowns. I just made up that name, but I think it fits. Here’s what I’m thinking: You need to pay attention to every job that intersects the ones you’ve had. For instance, in addition to salespeople you meet, there are the folks who come by to service equipment, to make deliveries, to cater company events, to set up the cable television after people move ... on and on. You’ll spot dozens of them. The beauty of these jobs is that they are “knowns” — you can engage those people in conversation as a way to investigate new jobs. And you have an advantage in pursuing the ones that most appeal to you, because you have worked in a related field. It’s a natural way to develop a rich set of connections.

J.T.: It’s possible that those connections will become easy “ins” with prospective employers. However, we should add that it may take some time to work your way up in a career to making the money you want to make: The early phase is your “working education,” where you build skills and experience. The good news is that the more skills you build in the career, the greater potential you will have to earn the money you want — maybe even more.

JEANINE “J.T.” TANNER O’DONNELL is a professional development specialist and the founder of the consulting firm jtodonnell. DALE DAUTEN resolves employment and other business disputes as a mediator with AgreementHouse.com. Please visit them at jtanddale.com, where you can send questions via email, or write to them in care of King Features Syndicate, 628 Virginia Dr., Orlando, FL 32803.

SCRANTON — Before supermarkets, a typical Northeast Pennsylvanian couldn’t buy fresh fruits or vegetables this time of year.

They had to eat what was ready in the barn, said Gary Edwards, executive chef and co-owner of Fire and Ice on Toby Creek, to his audience Sunday at the 18th annual Evening of Fine Food and Wine.

That could very well be oxtail, he said, the sinewy lower cut that’s rich in flavor and demands slow cooking.

The sold-out fundraiser for the Scranton Cultural Center at the Masonic Temple brought together some of the northeast region’s most renowned chefs and offered a wine-drenched evening with new flavors on each floor of one of the city’s most iconic buildings.

At least two chefs picked dishes historically associated with the common people, and jazzed it up.

While Edwards served up oxtail ragu paired with an Italian red blend wine in the fourth floor’s spacious Shopland Hall, two floors down, in the Ladies’ Parlor, Hilton Scranton & Conference Center Chef Donnie Schmidt dumped a dollop of butter, seasoned with tarragon, lemon zest and anchovies, to thicken his fisherman’s stew, a dish that traces its roots back to southern France. PJ’s 1910 Pub served a white brandy sangria with the dish.

“It’s a great way for us to tell our story,” said Deborah Moran Peterson, the cultural center’s executive director. She expected to raise $30,000 Sunday night to pay for ongoing programming and to help fund an ongoing restoration project.

She suspected that some guests, for example those who didn’t grow up in Lackawanna County, may have never set foot in the building before Sunday. The fundraiser offered them a chance to see something new, she said.

“You learn that there’s a beautiful building that has historical significance in this community, and it needs to be preserved for future generations,” she said.

Contact the writer:

joconnell@timesshamrock.com;

570-348-9131; @jon_oc on Twitter

MOSES TAYLOR

BALDAN: A daughter, April 20, to Jesse and Jillian Rupe Baldan, Jermyn.

BANNON: A daughter, April 21, to John Bannon and Keterina LaChase, Scranton.

CHOMKO: A son, April 24, to Andy and Bridget O’Connor Chomko, Scranton.

GILPIN: A daughter, April 21, to Jeffrey Gilpin and Kristi Shaw, Simpson.

GRECCO: A son, April 22, to Daniel and Heather Obelkevich Grecco, Carbondale.

JENKINS: A daughter, April 20, to Christopher and April Kern Jenkins, Dalton.

KING: A son, April 23, to James and Jennifer Zanghi King, Scranton.

LYNCH: A daughter, April 20, to RunningWolf Lynch and Krysta Turner, Scranton.

MARX: A daughter, April 23, to Jeff and Mollie Beck Marx, Olyphant.

MCCALL: A daughter, April 21, to Anthony Mccall and Melissa Evans, Scranton.

McKOY-COHEN: A son, April 27, to Marcus McKoy-Cohen and Kayla Mack, Scranton.

MINNICK: A daughter, April 25, to Ronald Minnick and Tiffany Roman, Scranton.

SEMKEW: A daughter, April 19, to Nicholas and Krystina Panettieri Semkew, Archbald.

A plan to turn Pennsylvania Turnpike right of way into an information superhighway with high-speed, fiber-optic broadband internet has begun unfolding, with completion expected in three to five years.

Since October 2016, the turnpike commission has hired companies to provide legal and financial advice, developed a short list of the broadband network’s potential developers/operators and hired companies to study potential environmental obstacles.

The turnpike has set up the project as a public-private partnership. That means the turnpike will provide the right of way where the network will run and receive 288 strands of the fiber-optic cable for its own use. The chosen private developer will have an unknown number of strands to sell space on its share of the network to others.

The turnpike projects the network will cost between $250 million to $300 million, but turnpike officials said the agency could break even by selling space on its strands. The private developer will gain the right to operate the system for at least 35 years. The turnpike is also seeking $60 million in federal money.

Most of the 550-mile turnpike runs east-west near the state’s southern border, but about 110 miles stretch into Northeast Pennsylvania along an extension that starts near Norristown and ends in South Abington Twp.

“The real advantage here is this will result in a major fiber-optic cable in some rural areas where it doesn’t exist, just following the path of the turnpike,” project manager Dale Witmer said.

The cable will likely lie on the side of the highway’s shoulders, not in the median, another project manager, Neil Raup, said.

As of a few years ago, Pennsylvania had more than 803,000 citizens — about 6 percent of its population — living in places without access to high-speed, broadband internet, according to the Federal Communications Commission. That includes more than 30,000 in Lackawanna County, 14 percent of its population; more than 17,500 in Luzerne County, or 5 percent; more than 24,500 in Wayne County, 45 percent; 3,400 in Wyoming County, 12 percent; more than 27,200 in Susquehanna County, 66 percent; almost 1,500 in Monroe County, 1 percent; and more than 600 in Pike County, 1 percent.

The turnpike also needs the project to connect its toll plazas with central computers and to replace its radio system because its digital microwave system is nearing capacity, spokesman Carl DeFebo said.

Barry L. Denk, director of the Center for Rural Pennsylvania, which recently hosted a hearing on broadband internet access, had not heard of the turnpike initiative, but praised it. Anything that expands access helps, he said.

The turnpike has already committed to spend $5.45 million. In February, the agency raised its contract for financial advice with Ernst & Young US LLP to a maximum of $1.6 million, up $700,000 from an earlier estimate. The commission also increased the contract for legal advice with Hunton & Williams LLP and McNees, Wallace and Nurick LLC to $1.35 million, up $450,000.

Turnpike officials said they had to increase the amounts because the workload turned out larger than expected.

Earlier this month, the commission hired A.D. Marble & Co. and Rettew Associates for $1.25 million each to study the network’s potential environmental effects.

Federal environmental clearances are expected by the end of the year.

In September or October, the turnpike expects to choose the network’s private operator to design, build and maintain it.

The four companies on the short list are Keystone Broadband Partners (AECOM); Keystone Broadband Partners (Star America/ Zayo Group); Penn FiberWay; and Plenary Broadband Infrastructure.

Each group has multiple companies aiding the development of its proposals.

Contact the writer:

bkrawczeniuk@timesshamrock.com;

570-348-9147;

@BorysBlogTT on Twitter

Mateen Kasim, Abington Heights High School

Mateen Kasim hasn’t finished high school yet but he’s already on his way to becoming a neurologist.

The senior at Abington Heights High School has shadowed three neurologists — a general neurologist, one specializing in strokes and another specializing in dementia and Alzheimer’s disease, which Mateen found the most interesting.

“All three showed me the kind, straightforward behavior displayed toward patients as well as the complicated thought process behind the scenes,” he said. “This experience only made me more excited to take part in this field myself.”

Mateen also volunteers at Geisinger Community Medical Center and Scranton Primary Health Care Center clinics.

Mateen is the senior class president and studied psychology at the University of Scranton, participated in the American Mathematics Competition twice, took six Advanced Placement classes and was a member of a regionals and state-qualifying Science Olympiad team. He participated in the Marywood Mathematics Competition and the university’s Integration Bee.

Mateen enjoys self-education and in his spare time studies physics, chemistry, literature, music and calculus.

His most rewarding and favorite endeavor, however, is his participation in the school choir. Mateen sings in the high school concert choir, is a tenor in the Honors Choir, choir treasurer and participated in the PMEA district and regional choir festivals.

“Because my planned career is so critically science oriented, I have little time for artistic expression during the school year, so I am grateful for the opportunity this choir provides and the music it creates,” he said.

On the track, Mateen is a 400m runner for the school’s track and field team.

Outside of school, Mateen offers his time to the Islamic Center of Scranton and the Masjid al-Noor in Wilkes-Barre to help organize events and participated as a member of the Islamic community.

He is most inspired by his father and mother, Kasim Kasim and Bushra Hendi, who immigrated to the United States from Iraq.

“They studied and worked harder than anyone I have known... They started their entire lives over for the sake of their children, and they certainly provided. Their labors are the primary reason we are where we are, and I am grateful,” he said.

Mateen will attend the University of Pittsburgh’s Honors College to study neuroscience before medical school.

— KATHLEEN BOLUS

SCRANTON

Tuesday, May 8, is the last day to apply for an absentee ballot for the May 15 primary election, Lackawanna County Director of Elections Marion Medalis said.

The deadline for voters to return completed absentee ballots to the county Department of Elections is Friday, May 11, she said.

The county elections office at 2400 Stafford Ave. is open Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., but it will remain open until 5 p.m. on both May 8 and May 11, Medalis said.

— STAFF REPORT

The Lackawanna County Opioid Overdose Coalition is seeking public input to gauge local attitudes and opinions on addiction, substance abuse and opioids.

The group, which has a primary goal of reducing overdose-related deaths in the county, posted a survey online. Members distributed paper copies throughout the county. Information gleaned from the surveys will be used to develop a stigma-reduction campaign and to identify learning opportunities at the root causes of stigma.

“There’s a significant amount of stigma in our community and it’s certainly not limited to Lackawanna County,” said Jeremy Yale, co-chairman of the coalition.

The surveys went out earlier this month, said Lori Chaffers, who heads the coalition’s committee on stigma. All answers are confidential, and respondents will remain anonymous. The survey takes only 10 to 15 minutes to complete, Chaffers said. Besides basic questions about background, respondents are also asked whether they agree or disagree with 26 statements about opioids, who they affect, substance use in general and naloxone, an antidote for opioid overdoses.

“If a person is addicted to a prescription opioid, they can stop using it if they really want to,” reads one.

“Increasing access and utilization of naloxone is a good solution to the current opioid epidemic,” is another example.

Organizers are hoping the respondents will help them understand the level of stigma in the community so they can tailor a message and develop a stigma-reduction campaign, Chaffers said. Understanding and combatting stigma is crucial in the mission of reducing overdoses, she said.

“We don’t want people to be hesitant to ask for help if they need it,” Chaffers said.

Anyone who would like to fill out a survey online can do so by visiting www.surveymonkey.com/r/loc_communitylc. Paper copies are also available elsewhere, including Northern Light Espresso Bar, 536 Spruce St., Scranton, and the group plans to hand out paper surveys at other sites as well.

The coalition plans to set up on Courthouse Square during May’s First Friday event with surveys, Chaffers said. Members hope to compile the results by mid-May, she said.

Contact the writer:

cover@timesshamrock.com;

570-348-9100 x5363;

@ClaytonOver on Twitter

Benton Twp.

Cleanup event: Spring cleanup, May 11, 8 a.m. to 2 p.m., Saturday, May 12, 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Collection bins at township maintenance building, Route 207, Fleetville. $35/pickup truck load, additional charge for larger trucks. $4/tire, must be dismounted, no electronics. Call 570-945-5897.

Elmhurst Twp.

Memorial services: Memorial Day services will be conducted at Fairview Memorial Park, Route 435, Elmhurst Twp., May 28, 11 a.m.

Great Bend

Spaghetti dinner:Knights of Columbus Council 356, Great Bend, spaghetti and meatball dinner, May 12, 4-7 p.m., KOC Hall, 65 Kilrow St., Great Bend. Adults/$9, children 6-12/$4, children 5 and under, free.

Mayfield

300 club: St. John’s Russian Orthodox Cathedral’s 300 Club to hold final drawing and dinner, May 15, 6 p.m., church center, 701 Hill St., Mayfield. Call St. John’s Rectory: 570-876-0730.

Scranton

Girls night: Girls Night Out benefitting Make-A-Wish, Tuesday, Hilton Scranton and Conference Center, 100 Adams Ave., 5-8 p.m. Hors d’oeuvres, vendors, raffles. $20/advance, $30/door. Contact: gnoscranton.com or Sandi Korshnack, 570-341-9474, or info@gnoscranton.com.

Clothing drive: Used clothing and shoe drive, Providence United Presbyterian Church, 1145 Providence Road. Dropbox available 24/7. Proceeds to Bread Basket of NEPA.

GAR Library/Museum: Grand Army of the Republic, research open house, Friday, noon-3 p.m. Monthly meeting, May 19, 10:30 a.m., Scranton City Hall basement, Mulberry Street. Memorial Day Service, May 28, 10:30 a.m., Dun-more Cemetery veterans section.

Shred day: Geisinger Sustainability Program and Shred-It, community shred day, free, May 11, 7-11 a.m., Geisinger Mt. Pleasant Clinic parking lot, 531 Mt. Pleasant Drive. Three boxes/person. Bring personal and confidential paper documents (bank statements, credit card bills, tax forms, etc.). Call Geisinger Sustainability Program, 570-271-6030.

CLIPBOARD ITEMS may be sent to yesdesk@timessham

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

Democratic U.S. Rep. Matt Cartwright’s relatively weak re-election campaign showing two years ago and shifting congressional district boundary lines have Republicans thinking they can beat him this year.

Three Republicans — John Chrin, Joe Peters and Robert Kuniegel — hope to win the Republican nomination for the 8th Congressional District seat in the May 15 primary election. The winner will face Cartwright — unopposed for the Democratic nomination — in the Nov. 6 election.

In 2016, Cartwright, seeking a third term in office, defeated Republican Matt Connolly, who spent hardly any money and did not aggressively campaign.

Cartwright won that race for the 17th Congressional District seat by only 7.6 percentage points as President Donald Trump won the district by 11.7 points.

A state Supreme Court decision earlier this year that set new congressional district boundaries placed Cartwright’s Moosic home in the newly renumbered 8th district and only reinforced the belief in his vulnerability. Trump won the new district by 10 percentage points.

Some top Republicans have pinned their hopes on Chrin, who has the most campaign money with more than $1 million left at the end of March, according to the latest campaign finance reports. He has aired television and radio commercials most of this month. Peters had $9,482 left and Kuniegel, $26,155. Both have mostly concentrated on radio advertising.

Chrin must prove he can win despite not living in the 8th district. Chrin, who lived in New Jersey for more than two decades, moved into the existing 17th district, but the Supreme Court’s boundary changes put his new home in Palmer Twp., Northampton County, outside the 8th.

Chrin pledges to move into the 8th. He thinks voters will look past his residency and concentrate on his background as a Wall Street banker who knows how to spur economic development.

Peters, the son of former Scranton Mayor Gene Peters, lived for years in Wyoming County, which is also outside the 8th. He moved back to his father’s Scranton home earlier this year after the boundary change so he could run in the new 8th.

Kuniegel has lived in the same home in Spring Brook Twp. for 45 years.

Each favors building a wall along the United States’ border with Mexico to protect the nation from illegal immigration and terrorism, though they differ on the wall’s nature. Each supports gun-ownership rights and each supports repealing and replacing the Affordable Care Act, also known as Obamacare.

Their top priorities differ.

Chrin, aligning himself to Trump in his advertising, criticized Cartwright for voting against Trump’s recent tax cuts. He said lowering the corporate tax rate from 35 percent to 21 percent will lead to more companies choosing the United States over other countries for new plants and offices.

“The corporate (tax cut) is an important aspect of ultimately putting more money in middle-class workers’ pockets,” Chrin said.

Cartwright has said he voted no because he wanted more of the tax cut to go directly to middle-class families.

Chrin, who worked for more than 20 years as a banker, lists economic development as his top priority. He will work to attract back-up operations of companies based in larger cities, warehousing and other freight-transportation companies, pharmaceutical manufacturing and companies that exploit Marcellus shale natural gas.

His Wall Street experience taught him how to put together deals and he knows what prospective companies want, he said.

“I am unbelievably well-positioned to do it because I’ve got credibility and I’ve done it myself in terms of working with entrepreneurs around the country,” he said.

“Because if you can do it, faster, safer, cheaper, that’s good for society. ... What we don’t have in Washington is enough people who anticipate where the puck is going and just focus on where it’s been.”

He also wants to realign education to encourage more high school students to pursue vocational fields as plumbers, welders and electricians, whose numbers leave companies scrambling for help.

“I think we’re doing a big disservice to the young men and women to say everybody needs to go to college,” he said. “They don’t. ... If you become a plumber, electrician, if you’re a welder, if you operate heavy equipment, goodness, we’re bringing men from Kentucky at this point to operate Caterpillars and they’re making $130,000 a year. That’s insane.”

Peters said he will make dealing with the nation’s opioid addiction crisis, terrorism and “police assassinations” and helping returning war veterans his top priorities. His expertise as a former Mafia and drug prosecutor mean his experience matches up with what the nation needs at the moment.

“I was built for this,” he said. “Who would you want to go to Congress and deal with these issues that affect every family today?

As assistant to the federal drug czar under President Bill Clinton and President George W. Bush, Peters said he gained a familiarity with federal government.

“I don’t have a learning curve, so to speak, I can hit the ground running,” he said. “I can go to Washington and be a disrupter.”

On opioids, he favors more federal money for addiction treatment and laws that encourage doctors to limit distribution of prescription painkillers, often the first step to opioid addiction. He wants insurance companies to cover the costs of treatment beyond the typical 28 days.

“We don’t stop treating cancer patients after 28 days. Why would we stop treating someone with this health care problem?” he asked.

He also advocates deregulation that can help farmers and eliminating the federal estate tax on small farms.

Kuniegel, who campaigned for Trump, praised the president.

“Trump’s agenda is right in line with my thinking,” he said.

An organizer in businessman H. Ross Perot’s 1990s presidential campaigns, Kuniegel said his top priority will be developing “an electronic town hall,” an internet-based way to gather information on issues from experts and everyday people. The town hall will encourage debate and inform his views as he goes to Washington to represent the district.

He views the concept as more informed than opinion polls.

“I saw this potential for changing politics if people could get a real voice in the system. What’s lacking is people being involved in the system,” he said. “It has to come from the people and if it comes from the people they’ll gain more trust in politics. ... It would give me a strong feeling of what the people want and what the people think.”

He said Trump’s tax cut will show the benefits of letting Americans keep more of their money.

“We’re finally going to prove that trickle down economics did work,” he said.

He also favors stronger checks on the federal government’s access to private individual matters. He views the National Security Agency’s power as unlimited and as “a threat to national security.”

“Absolute power corrupts absolutely,” he said.

Contact the writer:

bkrawczeniuk@timesshamrock.com;

570-348-9147;

@BorysBlogTT on Twitter

Name: Joseph Camille Peters

Party: Republican

Age: 60

Residence: Scranton, Lackawanna County

Education: Graduate, West Scranton High School, 1975; bachelor’s degree, criminal justice, King’s College, 1979; law degree, Dickinson School of Law, 1983.

Experience: Scranton police officer, 1978-1981; assistant, deputy and executive deputy attorney general with focus on organized crime and drugs, including as director of the Bureau of Narcotics Investigation, attorney general’s office, 1982-1998; director, federal high-intensity drug-trafficking area, Philadelphia, 1998-1999; director, all federal high-intensity drug-trafficking areas, national drug czar’s office, 1999-2003; counterterrorism consultant, 2004-present; president and chief executive officer, Nano Mobile Healthcare Inc., 2014-present; president, MSGI Technology Solutions, Inc. (formerly, MSGI Security Solutions, Inc., Media Services Group), 2004-2010; executive director, Scranton Cultural Center, 2011-2013; state executive deputy attorney general in charge of communications, 2013-2014; law enforcement training video producer, Institute for Intergovernmental Research, 2014-2016.

Family: Son, Max

Campaign website: joepeters.com

Name: John Robert Chrin

Party: Republican

Age: 54

Residence: Palmer Twp., Northampton County

Education: Graduate, Easton Area High School, 1981; bachelor’s degree, economics and foreign careers, Lehigh University, 1985; bachelor’s degree, industrial engineering, Lehigh University, 1986; master’s degree, business administration, Columbia University, 1988. All his degrees were with honors.

Experience: During college, union laborer, Keystone Food Products, Easton, and Roadway, Tannersville; busboy/dishwasher, Minsi Trail Inn, Bethlehem; during graduate school, industrial engineer, Procter & Gamble, Staten Island, New York, and Merck, Doylestown, and teaching assistant at Columbia; JPMorganChase, 1987-1994 and 1999-2009, rose from associate to managing director, banks and financial institutions mergers and acquisitions; director, Merril Lynch, 1994-1999; professor/global financial services executive-in-residence, Lehigh University, 2009-2012; partner, Circle Wealth Management, 2012-present.

Family: Wife, Maria, children, John, Catherine Rose and Elizabeth

Campaign website: johnchrin.com

Name:

Robert Joseph

Kuniegel

Party: Republican

Age: 68

Residence: Spring Brook Twp., Lackawanna County

Education: Graduate, North Pocono High School, 1968; bachelor’s degree, criminal justice, University of Scranton, 2000.

Experience: Navy Reserves, 1968-1974, 21 months active duty; co-owner/business manager/bookkeeper, Hair at 731, Old Forge, 1985-present; part-time fireworks maker, Semenza Brothers Fireworks Co., Spring Brook Twp., 20 years, dates uncertain; prison guard, State Correctional Institution at Dallas, 2004-2016; mason tender, Griffin Masonry, approximately 1970 to 1974; construction worker, Laborers Local 215, Wilkes-Barre; public safety officer, University of Scranton, approximately 1991-2002.

Family: Wife, Jane, daughters, Libby and Adeline

Campaign website: ThatsMyCongressman.com

8TH CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT:

All of Lackawanna, Wayne and Pike counties; in Luzerne County, Wilkes-Barre, Hazleton, Nanticoke and Pittston, all of Bear Creek, Buck, Butler, Dallas, Dennison, Exeter, Fairview, Foster, Franklin, Hanover, Jackson, Jenkins, Kingston, Pittston, Plains, Plymouth, Rice, Wilkes-Barre and Wright townships, part of Hazle Twp.’s 1st voting district and all the township’s other voting districts, and all of Ashley, Avoca, Bear Creek Village, Courtdale, Dupont, Duryea, Edwardsville, Exeter, Forty Fort, Freeland, Hughestown, Jeddo, Kingston, Laflin, Larksville, Laurel Run, Luzerne, Nuangola, Penn Lake Park, Plymouth, Pringle, Sugar Notch, Swoyersville, Warrior Run, West Hazleton, West Pittston, West Wyoming, White Haven, Wyoming and Yatesville boroughs; and part of Monroe County.

SCRANTON — Crews searched for a third body this morning in a double-block West Side home gutted by fire Saturday.

Neighbors say Alan Smith and his mother, Rosemary Smith, lived in one side of the home and Rosemary Smith’s sister, Sister Angela Miller, I.H.M., lived on the other side.

Investigators are still searching for the third victim and dental records need to be used to identify the first two. The coroner has not ruled on their manner of death.

The two already recovered are presumed to be Alan Smith and his mother, Police Chief Carl Graziano said. Rosemary Smith and Miller, as well as their sisters, Helen Ann Douglass and Theresa Scaccia, own the property, 2114-2116 Washburn St., Lackawanna County records show.

Police said Rosemary Smith sought an emergency PFA from her son. It was unknown why she sought it. Police were serving it Saturday morning when Alan Smith shot at officers from a second-floor window and set the building on fire when they knocked.

This morning, tow trucks removed three vehicles from the property. Crews searched the severely damaged building as operators of heavy equipment assisted.

The Lackawanna County Coroner is on scene.

Check back for updates.

A retired Scranton firefighter convicted of setting a fire that destroyed a building he owned is continuing his fight to overturn the conviction despite having been released from prison.

Thomas Gervasi recently filed a petition in federal court seeking a new trial relating to June 17, 2008 fire that destroyed a garage and an apartment building on Mark Avenue in Scranton.

A Lackawanna County jury convicted Gervasi, now 64, in December 2011 of multiple counts of arson and several other offenses. Authorities said he set fire to a garage, which then spread to the apartment building, because he was having financial difficulties. He was sentenced on March 16, 2012 to five to 10 years in state prison. He was released on parole on March 13, 2017.

Gervasi’s attorney, Edward Rymsza of Williamsport, filed a petition known as a writ of habeas corpus on April 23. The petition is a legal procedure in which a defendant asks a federal judge to determine if he or she is being illegally held in violation of the U.S. Constitution. It is normally filed by someone still serving a prison sentence.

It’s unclear what legal basis Gervasi is seeking relief under the law, given he has been released. Attempts to reach Gervasi and Rymsza for comment were unsuccessful.

The petition is latest of several appeals Gervasi filed. All the others were filed in the state court system.

Gervasi raised several issues in a 2012 appeal to the state Superior Court, including that Judge Margaret Bisignani Moyle improperly allowed prosecutors to present information about his financial troubles at trial. He also challenged the admission of a test a state trooper performed to support his theory that the blaze started in a tire that was intentionally set on fire. The Superior Court rejected those claims in July 2013.

The federal appeal alleges Gervasi’s trial attorney was ineffective for not objecting to the introduction of the financial information. He also alleges the attorney erred in not challenging the test the trooper performed and for not objecting to the prosecutor’s closing argument.

U.S. Chief Magistrate Judge Susan Schwab on Monday ordered the Lackawanna County District Attorney’s office to respond to the petition by May 21.

Contact the writer: tbesecker@timesshamrock.com; 570-348-9137; @tmbeseckerTT on Twitter

SCRANTON — Three companies submitted proposals by Monday’s deadline for a project to correct errors and perform other work on the monuments on Lackawanna County Courthouse Square, county Budget Director Kevin Mitchell said.

A committee led by Maureen McGuigan, deputy director of the Department of Arts and Culture, will now review and score the proposals before making a recommendation to the county commissioners, he said.

County officials would like to have a contract or contracts for the monument work in place within 60 days, he said.

The Lackawanna Historical Society documented dozens of verifiable errors, including incorrect dates and misspellings, during a comprehensive survey of Courthouse Square monuments that it performed for the county in 2014.

— DAVID SINGLETON

To move into the future and put the local Penn State campus on the map, the university dropped the Worthington and, on Tuesday, officially becomes Penn State Scranton.

“With the new name, it’s going to honor the Scranton family as well as kind of give a more regional feel,” said Amy Gruzesky, spokeswoman.

For nearly 50 years the campus in Dunmore held the name of Worthington Scranton, a dominant figure in the industrial, financial, civic and cultural life of the community. He was born in 1876 in the city founded by his ancestors.

The university’s board of trustees approved dropping the Worthington in July 2017. The conversation to change the name began on campus, said Gruzesky.

When the Penn State campus is hiring new faculty and staff or trying to recruit new students, some often look for Worthington on a map, instead of Scranton, said Marwan Wafa, Ph.D., campus chancellor. The former name is also often associated with a time when the university only offered associates degrees, he added.

The new name will help “portray what the new Penn State Scranton has been offering in the past 15 to 20 years,” said Wafa.

Wafa received calls from alumni who were initially emotional over the name change.

“They thought there’d be a change in the culture and the experience,” he said.

After explaining the reasoning behind the change, callers began asking how they could help, Wafa said.

“We’re doing more, not less,” he said.

About a year before the official renaming, the administration department began changing the logos on their program brochures, flyers, mailings, electronic communications and other materials, Gruzesky added.

The main sign is gone and, along with markers through the campus, will be replaced with signs reflecting the new name and logo.

Various departments have also been working to change the website so all information will feature the new name, said Gruzesky.

Penn State Scranton is being economically conscious with the renaming and all materials, including business cards and letterheads, with the old name will be used to reduce waste, she said.

The 2018 commencement ceremony will use the Worthington Scranton name to mark the last graduates, said Gruzesky.

Worthington Scranton’s son, William W., was a U.S. Congressman, state governor and a United States ambassador. In 1968, the university’s board moved to name the school after him but William W. suggested the college instead bear his father’s name. Worthington Scranton died in 1955.

William W.’s son, Bill Scranton, the former lieutenant governor of Pennsylvania, is the 2018 campus commencement speaker and will help kick off the campus’ upcoming 50th anniversary year, which starts next spring, said Gruzesky.

Worthington Scranton will be honored near the end of summer, added Wafa.

Contact the writer: kbolus@timesshamrock.com; 570-348-9100 x5114; @kbolusTT on Twitter

U.S. Rep. Tom Marino has sued an elderly woman and her son for defamation, alleging they distributed an email that falsely accuses him of taking a drug industry kickback and having a “big hand” in spreading and opioids at the heart of an addiction epidemic.

Filed April 20 in Lycoming County Court, Marino’s suit against Michael and Marlene Steele says the Steeles maliciously meant to embarrass him and irreparably hurt his reputation and re-election chances.

Marino demands they retract their statements and pay him an unspecified amount in punitive and compensatory damages.

The Steeles support and volunteer for the campaign of Marino’s opponent in the upcoming May 15 Republican primary election, Bradford County Commissioner Doug McLinko.Both are running for the 12th Congressional District seat, which includes Wyoming, Susquehanna and Bradford counties and all or parts of 12 others stretching west to Lycoming.

Efforts to reach Marino and the Steeles, who all live in Lycoming County, were unsuccessful.

Michael Steele, 56, told PennLive.com he only intended his April 7 email for his 80-year-old mother. His mother forwarded the email to 11 people, according to a copy of it included in the lawsuit.

“I’m tremendously disappointed Tom Marino would go after an 80-year-old woman,” he told the website.

Marino declined to comment to Pennlive.com.

In an interview Monday with The Times-Tribune, McLinko denied writing the email or telling the Steeles to write or distribute it. He accused Marino of bullying the Steeles.

“I was sickened because the Steeles are wonderful people,” McLinko said. “I’ve seen Marino bully other people. Drain the swamp, he’s probably like the Loch Ness monster of the swamp.”

President Donald Trump used the phrase, “drain the swamp,” during his presidential campaign to promise to clean up Washington corruption. Marino was one of Trump’s earliest supporters in Congress.

Last year, Trump nominated Marino as the nation’s drug czar, but he withdrew from consideration after scathing reports by The Washington Post and “60 Minutes.” Citing a former Drug Enforcement Administration official, the reports said Marino fought to pass a bill that severely limits the DEA’s power to block pharmacies suspected of too liberally dispensing opioid-based prescription painkillers.

Marino has defended his Ensuring Patient Access and Effective Drug Enforcement Act as a bipartisan effort to treat pharmacies and pharmaceutical drug distributors more fairly than the DEA did. He said the DEA official was so strident that drug distributors and pharmacies complained DEA acted simply because of spikes in pill distribution without investigating the reasons behind the spikes.

“So I had complaints from pharmacists because they weren’t able to fill prescriptions for their seniors and other individuals,” he told The Times-Tribune in 2016.

The Post and “60 Minutes” reported Marino received almost $100,000 in campaign contributions from the pharmaceutical lobby.

The Steeles’ email refers to the contributions as “a $100,000 kick-back” rather than political contributions.

The email also says Marino is mentioned in the book, “The Quiet Don,” a biography of the late Mafia boss, Russell Bufalino. “Tom Marino also has minor ties to organized crime in Pa.,” the email says. “He is directly tied by support by Louis DeNaples of the Scranton area and DeNaples and Marino are tied to huge mob boss, Russell Bufalino.”

Marino worked as DeNaples lawyer for about two years. He never worked for Bufalino, but his ties to DeNaples came up when Marino ran for Congress the first time in 2010.

“The Quiet Don” focuses in part on DeNaples’ alleged ties to Bufalino. DeNaples was charged with perjury in Dauphin County in 2008, accused of lying about his ties to Bufalino.

Witnesses testified DeNaples knew Bufalino better than “only by name” as he said in his own grand jury testimony, according to the grand jury presentment that charged DeNaples.

DeNaples had to turn his license to run the Mount Airy Casino & Resort over to his children as part of a deal to get the charges dropped.

After Marino resigned as U.S. attorney for the middle district of Pennsylvania, Marino worked as a lawyer for DeNaples in 2008 and 2009, earning almost $250,000 in 2009. He resigned and ran for Congress in 2010 and defeated incumbent Democratic Rep. Chris Carney.

During that campaign, Democratic Party television commercials labeled the congressman “Casino Marino.” Marino denied ever working on casino matters for DeNaples. Voters have re-elected Marino three times.

The suit says Marino has represented “the citizens of his District faithfully and with integrity at all times.”

Contact the writer: bkrawczeniuk@timesshamrock.com; 570-348-9147; @BorysBlogTT on Twitter.

SCRANTON — A man is in custody after he struggled with and ran from city police Sunday, according to court documents.

James Sheriff, 38, 903 Luzerne St. , Scranton, is charged with resisting arrest, escape and related charges after an incident at 902 Luzerne St. , at about 1:05 p.m. Sunday. Officers responded when a woman there reported he would not let her inside to get her belongings. Officers talked to Sheriff, who gave police a false name and birthdate, police said. Officers tried to arrest him when a struggle ensued and Sheriff fled, police said. Officers arrested him later without incident.

Sheriff is held in Lackawanna County Prison in lieu of $25,000 bail. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for Monday.

— CLAYTON OVER

Blakely

Coal miners: Coal Miners Remembered meeting, Monday, May 7, 5:30 p.m., VFW, Electric St., borough’s Peckville section.

Dunmore

Society meeting: SS. Anthony and Rocco Altar and Rosary Society meeting, Wednesday, 7 p.m., parish hall, St. Rocco’s, Luke Avenue and Kurtz Street.

Carnival dates: Carnival at Sherwood Park, 701 Sherwood Ave., today-Friday, 6-10 p.m., Saturday, 2-10 p.m. $15 wristband special, Tuesday and Thursday night, and Saturday 2-6 p.m. Rides, games and food.

Eynon

Pasta fundraiser: Mother’s Club of Gina Tomassoni School of Dance, pasta dinner fundraiser, Sunday, June 3, 1-5 p.m., at the studio, 280 Main St., Eynon. Dinners available for take-out or eat-in. $10/person, available through dance students or Julie Kulenich, 570-876-8180 or April O’Connor, 570-876-5781. Tickets limited. 50/50 drawing and basket raffle.

Grave/cremation plots: St. Francis Cemetery, Eynon, selling grave and cremation plots at a discount, May and June. Grave plots, $500, cremation, $350. Contact: Carol, 570-945-7933 or Patty, 570-876-5428.

Moosic

Corvette Club: Corvette Club of NEPA meeting, Thursday, May 10, 7 p.m., Marzoni’s, 36 Montage Mountain Rood, Moosic. Contact: CCNEPA.com.

Scranton

May tea: St. Lucy’s Altar & Rosary Society, honoring past presidents at annual May Tea, May 20, noon, Cooper’s Seafood House. All women, members or not, invited. Contact: Mena, 570-347-4519, Jay, 570-342-5981 by May 14.

Casino trip: East Scranton seniors trip to Sands Casino, June 6. Bus leaves Monroe Avenue parking lot at 9:30 a.m., returns at 5 p.m. $30, includes $20 slot play and $5 food voucher. Contact: Tom, 570-280-5096 to reserve by May 29.

Sterling

Historians meet: Monthly meeting, May 26, 7 p.m., Historians Hall and Museum, 709 Spring Hill Road. Memorial Day service, May 28, 1 p.m., Sterling United Methodist Church parking lot. Contact: June Phillips, president, 570-676-3202.

CLIPBOARD ITEMS may be sent to yesdesk@timessham

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

DUNMORE HIGH SCHOOL

GRADE 12

Distinguished honors: Mia Aguilar, Daniela Alunni, Kaitlyn Andrews, Ashley Aquino, Rita Aronica, Cecelia Barchak, Alyssa Bielinski, Maria Borgia, Lauren Brown, MaryKatherine Cadden, Isabella Ceccoli, Anna Chiaro, Ciara Cleary, Elaina Cohen, Michael Comstock, Anthony Costanzo, Tia Coyer, John Culkin, Matthew Culkin, Shannon Czekaj, Amanda Delhagen, Sean Dempsey, Gianna DiPietro, Samantha Domzalski, Dylan Dunda, Daniel Edwards, Melanie Edwards, Brianna Engle, Alexa Fangio, Nathan Fangio, Joseph Ferguson, Mark Finan, Richard Grippi, Patrick Hartshorn, Robert Kennedy, Jordan Lavelle, Gerard Longo, KC Kent Lorilla, Amanda Lucas, Brian McKitish, Elizabeth McNeff, William Meade, Manual Moran, Michael Muracco, Christopher Murray, Megan Oakley, Londyn Occhipinti, Maren Oprisko, Marley Palmere, Mackenzie Pawelzik, Sean Rogan, Gerardo Sanchez Garcia, Joseph Schmidt, Nicholas Shoemaker, Matthew Valunas, Luke Yanisko and Jakob Yanochik.

Honors: Anthony Behler, Gillian Coar, Cassidy Creed, Frank Damiano, Gavin Darcy, Gabriella Ferraro, Anna Genett, Luke Gratkowski, Thomas Griffiths, Sam Hanni, Abigail Kirby, Mia Mandarano, Allie Meyers, Anna Nulter, Noah O’Malley, Sean Pietruszkiewicz, Emily Pinto, Kelly Quinn, Evan Revta, Joseph Talutto, Brianna Wickkizer and Joseph Williams.

GRADE 11

Distinguished honors: Kaitlin Ahern, Michael Aronica, Joshua Bloom, Mia Bonavoglia, Wyatt Bravo, Colleen Brown, Molly Butler, Antoinette Cantarella, Kayleigh Carey, Emma Coar, Lily Conboy, Kelly Czankner, Dylan Davey, Gianna Delfino, Madison Eagen, Hannah Earley, Abby Errico, Mariah Fox, Brooke Frable, Tommi Golden, Kyle Harrity, Philip Haser, Kathleen Kennedy, Julia Klotz, Eric Kolodzieski, Kaylie Levinsky, Jazmine Lim, Sydney Loftus, Anita Lucas, Isabella Mandarano, Annabella Massaro, Allison Mayer, Gregory McDade, Sierra McGinnity, Lydia Meade, George Mesko, Korral Mooney, Sophia Norvilas, Gia Occhipinti, Julia Pasko, Megan Pavlowski, Marchete Reyn Pendon , Devin Peterson, Caroline Pinto, Anthony Santarsiero, Jacob Sawka, Emily Stedina, Lucia Summa, Lisa Tallo, Victoria Toomey, Julia Walsh and Lee Weidow Jr.

Honors: Noah Barton, Cole Blasko, Max Burke, Patrick Burke, Emily Comparetta, Arianna Costanzi, Gabrielle Crawford, Colby DeSando, Nicholas DeSando, Patrick Donvito, William Donvito, John Flis, Jenna Furey, Tabitha Getz, Michael Giannetta, Julia Ingargiola, Louis LaCapra, Kris Patel, Kush Patel, Molly Romeo, Mitchell Russavage, Khamille Sanaphol, Zanni Sanders, Tabitha Stout, Amaya Tropeano, Anthony Woytach and Micaiah Yarosh.

GRADE 10

Distinguished honors: Paris Alunni, Grace Amico, Angelina Bellucci, Steven Borgia, Elizabeth Brace, Erica Brown, Briana Catanzaro, Mia Chiaro, Madilyn Cianci, Gene Cooper, Alec DeSando, Jillian DeSando, America Fox, Meghan Fritz, Heavyn Gin, Frank Golden, Ian Gratkowski, Lauren Grippi, Nora Haggerty, Owen Haggerty, Michael Hannah, Catherine Hilson, Katherine Hopkins, Anna Hubshman, Haris Imran, Jacob Kalinowski, Emma Lalli, Thomas Lewis, Rebecca Lucas, Jordyn Marichak, William McHale, John McNeff, Maria Micciche, Madison Mychayliw, Travis Navarro, Caroline Nolen, Megha Patel, Najuk Patel, Ma Agusta Bell Pendon, Alexander Petrowski, Suleiman Qarmout, Madelynn Senatore, Molly Sheets, Kailyn Shelly, Haylee Sileo, Matthew Sirotnak, Nicholas Stanco, Julianna Symons, Danyelle Tech, Ethan Thomas, Charles Valvano and Daniel Walsh.

Honors: Timothy Andrews, Samuel Aronica, Spencer Asman, Donovan Azevedo, James Cadden, Jonah Cogliette, Mary Katherine Connor, Ross Cordaro, Brianna Cormier, Ian Cowder, Ryan Davey, Christine DeNucci, Graceanne Fazio, Zachary Gierulski, Mia Grant, Thomas Hart, Jessica Hook, Brandon Kucharski, Rushi Patel, Thomas Peters and Abigail Reese.

GRADE 9

Distinguished honors: Emily Carey, Nicholas Chiaro, Stephanie Cohen, Jenna Cruser, David Day, Celia Eagen, Adam Edwards, Emma Eynon, Raj Gandhi, Victoria Griffiths, Samuel Hannah, Louis Hanni, Madeline Healey, Anna Jimmie, Karl Kincel, Gia Levis, Sophia Lucas, Paige Martin, Katie McKitish, Jillian Mooney, Alexis Overholtz, Sophia Pacewicz, Gergana Petkova, William Portanova, Hannah Ptasinski, Steven Qarmout, Richard Riccardo, Frank Ruggiero, Kiley Yanochik and Calvin Zhang.

Honors: Benjamin Amaya, Eric Arduino, Peyton Badyrka, Hannah Bonin, Cristian Buckley, Michael Burke, Alexis Chapman, Elisa Delfino, Symone Donnay, Jacob Earley, Carlie Finan, Kyle Jenkins, Brigid King, Olivia Leo, Cassandra Lucas, Tyler Maciejewski, Elizabeth Massaro, Lilly McDonald, Ayden Ondek, Kilian Palmiter, Amanda Pasko, Deep Patel, Jaksh Patel, Alexandra Santarsiero, Sierra Sherman, Nicholas Sinkevich, Aiden Sload, Emma Smith, Abigail Springer, Anna Talutto, Gabielle Weidow and Isabella Zeller.

DUNMORE MIDDLE SCHOOL

GRADE 8

Distinguished honors: Katherine Alunni, Olivia Amico, Isabella Aydin, Abigail Barone, Matthew Behler, Hope Blasko, Mia Blume, Katie Capooci, Joseph Cardillo, Madison Christiano, Catherine Conway, Andrew Durkin, Marcel Fediw, Anna Gabello, Maris Hiller, Amelia Ingargiola, Kylee Jezorwski, Eliana King, Leah Leppo, Gemma Longo, Abigail Luongo, Michael Lynch, Thomas Lynch, Micah Madrazo, Jaclyn Marichak, Allison McNeff, Colby Murray, Andrew Padula, Emma Pasko, Naomi Springer, Giovanni Stivala, Jessica Trauger, Jeffrey Walsh and Molly Zimmer.

Honors: Liam Ahern, Ethan Bagg, McKenna Brazil, Thomas Ciccotti, Bridgette Conway, Gregory Harrington, Cameron Jones, Mia Kochis, Aidan McCarthy, Neel Modi, Chloe Ondek, Emily Roughgarden, Isabella Stanco and Isabella Waters.

GRADE 7

Distinguished honors: Anna Acculto, Jacquelyn Bitter, Grace Czankner, Zachary Eynon, Kristine Fagioli, Ava Forgione, Jacob Grande, Kieran Hinton, Chesney Langan, Cadence Lewis, Ayman Mounota, Adriana Pacewicz, Morgan Quinn, Olivia Roche, Maura Sheets, Kaylee Smith, Ashley Stefanac, Cataldo Talutto, Adeline Toole, Ciera Toomey, Madolyn Valvano and Madison Waltz.

Honors: Hannah Albano, Maria Aronica, Colleen Blockberger, Savannah Bonavoglia, Faith Bravo, Anthony Cantafio, Samantha Cortazar, John Costanzi, Nicola Hart, Gregory Hunt, Abigail Kopacz, Angelo Naro, Thomas Pavlowski, Kaylee Pinto and Caroline Valunas.

ST. CLARE/ST. PAUL

GRADE 8

High honors: Ayden Berndt, Caitlin Bestrycki, Daniel Bohenek, Patrick Boles, Andrew Cimini, Adrianna Colon, Nora Davis, Sarah Giacobbe, Abigail Gilmartin, Abigail Haggerty, Maya Hemak, Christian Kohut, Gia Lettieri, Mya Maus, David McIntyre, Giovanni Ramos, Antoinette Refice, Lilly Reilly, Grace Stallman, Kevin Walsh and Michael Watkins.

Honors: Samantha Harrison, Robert Maguire, Maggie McGrath and Sofiya Myronyuk.

GRADE 7

High honors: Matthew Budiman, Rita Collins, Patrick Conway, Eleanor Farrell, Grace Granet, Cecelia Kennedy, Kathleen Oven, James Pettinato, Anna Skoff, Bianca Talarico and Brian Walsh.

Honors: Marcella Amendola, Lily Baum, Nicholas Colarossi, Patrice Doherty, Nina Domiano, Dominick Franceschelli, Liza Giannone, Katheryn Lopez, Nico Mancuso, William McGrath, Natalia Nardelli, Luke Pica, Raymond Rinaldi, Caroline Skoff and Anna Wilson.

GRADE 6

High honors: Kellen Casey, Leo Clarke, Natalie Colarossi, Blake Decker, Caroline Haggerty, Caroline Kennedy, Salvatore Luongo, Quinn Lynett, Jake Marx, Jayna McIntyre, Cullen Moran, Brian Reilly, Rocco Rinaldi, Patrick Rose, Kyle Rupp, Daniel Santaniello, Brayden Sherry, George Stallman, Abigail Thompson, Roman Valvano and Dorothy Walsh.

Honors: Nina Beistline, Rylin Berndt, Owen Christianson, Norah Comerford, Allyson Gilmartin, Konnor Moran, Chase Scanlan and William Wright.

LACKAWANNA TRAIL ELEMENTARY CENTER

GRADE 6

Danielle Aney, Brayden Clarke, Benjamin Cole, Ciera Darmock, Arik Deutsch, Abrianna Drutherosky, Samantha Duffy, Arleen Estrada, Lauren Fahey, Gianna Familetti, Lukas Gumble, Emily Hazlett, Tayan Hazlett, Jase Hughes, Lilly Jagoe, Stephen Jervis, Steven Johns, Emelia Jones, Leigha Joseph, Colton Lenz, Sutton Lisk, Anthony Litwin, Ella Naylor, Hunter Patterson, Lily Reid, Gretchen Rejrat, Carolena Ryon, Alyson Schirg, Mackenzie Schirg, Haley Stork, Ty Stroble, Cloe VanFleet, Teagan Vokes, Deana Wilhelm, Nathan Wright and Zoey Wright.

GRADE 5

Gianna Ashley, Jacob Ashley, Lincoln Brander, Tea Burns, Madeline Carpenter, Logan Dixon, Nora Evans, Olivia Fassett, Garet Fowler, Alec Genell, Noah Genell, Sophie Haus, Kian John, Brayden Jones, Brandon Kalinoski, Wyatt Laytos, Karver Lewis, Isabelle Mauer, Laney Mecca, Madison Palmer, Hannah Phillips, Stephen Reppa, Lillian Rogers, Gregg Schur, Emma Shaw, Anikah Toth and Carson Ware.

WAYNE HIGHLANDS MIDDLE SCHOOL

GRADE 8

High honor roll: James Ahern III, Julia Armetta, Alexis Barone, Erin Bass, Allison Billard, Olivia Canfield, Chloe Carney, Emily Chorba, Joshua Clark, Dominick Consiglio, Caroline Cooley, Kathryn Corcoran, Rachel Davis, Jocelyn DeNoie, Marissa Gregory, Abbie Hessling, Emma Hocker, Sam Hopkins, Andrew Howell, Maria Kannebecker, George Legg, Chloe Lyle, Tess Meagher, Hannah Merritt, Emma Modrovsky, Natalie Mozga, Tara Myers, Dale Rickard, John Rodriguez, Griffin Rogers, Soren Schachter, Christina Stein, Brianna Taninies, Noah Theobald and Raven Wagner.

Honor roll: Brianna Dailey, Anna Dunsinger, Evan Fritz, Emma Glosenger, Emily Gunuskey, Andrew Ihlefeldt, Nicholas Johannes, Nicole Landers, Delilah Lohmann, Jackob Mackle, Alysa Martin, Jeb McCormick, Andrea Meyer, Nicole Miszler, Alexandra Philbin, Deanna Privett, Autumn Rake, Kaiden Robinson, Ava Slish, Shay Smith, Ashton Struck, Sidnie Taninies and Zackary Wilken.

GRADE 7

High honor roll: Jessieca Moira Aguasin, Jacob Becker, Matthew Becker, Lucius Bender, Mikayla Charpentier, Brodie Cole, Rachael Collins, Zachary DeReamer, Nolan Duffy, Kira Fox, Lindsey Gannon, Joseph Harcum, Tiffany He, Jack Higgins, Nathan Hugaboom, Rochelle Keast, Caroline Klinkiewicz, Karter Kromko, Aidan Latourette, Jonah Legg, Anne Meagher, Madison Meagher, Ella Miller, Gopi Patel, Aaron Phillips, Kalin Pietraszewski, Alexandra Pinto, Andrew Rhyne, Chloe Rogers, Eve Rogers, Bradley Rotundo, Emily Smith, Kage Southerton, Cole Struck, Davalyn Ursich, Hailey Weigelt and Amaya Yarrish.

Honor roll: Veronica Baker, Hannah Batzel, Madison Breidenstein, Isaac Carmody, Anna Coar, Kaysey Coca, Aidan Davidson, Trent Decker, Gage Dickison, Lindsey Eisloeffel, Nicole Eldridge, Donovan Freedman, Carley Fries, Brooke Hopkins, Jeremy Howey, Timothy Howey, Aimee Johannes, John Kauffman, Jackson Landers, Eleanor MacDowell, Emma Matlaga, Joshua Matthys, Braden McLaughlin, Max Mickel, Jacob Millon, Jake Mundy, Sommare Myers, Guru Patel, Liam Shenise, Rory Steelman, Lacie Ward, Claragail Wheeler, Madison White, Tyler Winters, Chloe Wolfe and Klayre Yarrish.

GRADE 6

High honor roll: Grace Albano, Alexis Batzel, Gavin Bresset, Claire Campen, Makayla Cobourn, Rebecca Dadig, Rory Decker, Nicholas DeNoie, Calghen Downey, Jack Eisele, Nicholas Eisele-Bockelkamp, Wyatt Fuller, Cosette Gombita, Nathaniel Greene, Seth Gunuskey, Lucy Harrington, Wilson He, Zoie Hessling, Jillian Hoey, Carter Kennedy, Elise Marsh, Dominic Miller, Peter Modrovsky, Nicholas Mozga, Avery Ohliger, Pooja Patel, Jillian Penn, Alemina Selimovic, Olivia Slish and Grant Tonkin.

Honor roll: Cole Chesna, Justin Cone, Courtney Crum, Brenna Dahlgren, Jack Daniels, Bryce Dressler, Abigail Frey, Amit Fulp, Katelyn Gunuskey, Logan Hedgelon, Ashley Hnatko, Cody Kretschmer, Maria Maglione, Haley Mansfield, Shannon McCormick, Brooklyn Moody, Julian Pons, Ronald Pritchard Jr., Madisyn Roegner, Michaela Rolison, Karli Rowles, Matthew Tuleya, Maxx Wolfenberg and Thomas Wonesky III.

CARBONDALE AREA JUNIOR-SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL

GRADE 12

First honors: Ashlynn Allison, Samantha Artone, Frank Burke, Christina Carachilo, Nathan Chludzinski, Shawn Connolly, Katelyn Dovin, Austin Goble, Jaden Hudson, Madeline Kelly, Andrew Larson, Kamryn Liuzzo, Cody Malaker, Andrew Manarchuck, Matthew McCaffery, Kayla McDonough, Chance Olsewski, Alyssa Postlethwaite, Tressa Potis, Olivia Regal, Wilson Rodriguez, Abagayle Rumford, Bailey Rumford, Robert Salitsky, Kaitlyn Savage, Robert Scarpa, Cordell Siggins, Hanna Sweet, Mark Tolerico, Isobel Turonis, Hailey VanLeuven, Anthony Voglino, Stephanie Wayman and Amelia Zazzera.

Second honors: Sydney Algayer, Tatyanna Brooker, Colin Burke, Alexis Clift, Brianna Curtis, Zachariah Freeman, Emily Gerek, Vincent Gigliotti, Collin Heenan, Zachary Laub, Taylor Marecki, Steve Martin, Jaime Martinez, Megan McDonald, Emily Parry, Casey Prawdzik, Madison Puza, Tunaja Riley, Dajah Romero, Salina Shock, Haley Snyder, Aubree Sopko, Bryanna Taylor, Melissa Torch, Tegan Trotter and Summer Wormuth.

GRADE 11

First honors: Annaliese Allen, Hayly Beckwith, Jessica Borders, Calista Calabro, Mya Casey, Patrick Durkin, Andi Fedorchak, Dana Fuentes, Alyssa George, Gretchen Gilia, David Gonzalez, Kristina Gorel, Rebecca Grecco, Devine Grimm, Madison Hayner, Joseph Herbert, Jeffrey Katchmore, Brendan Kelley, Noah Mauro, Rory Misko, Paige Norella, Astrid Paz, Jonathon Pugliese, Zachary Racht, Dylan Rowland, Kianna Savage, Darien Schiavone, Deven Schwartz, Kaitlyn Shockey, Nicholas Vadella, Alayla Vazquez Ramos, Emily Wall, Megan Wallis, Stone Wormuth and Michael Zazzera.

Second honors: Lacey Bloom, Jakob Borosky, Paije Buklad, Brittaney Cain, Collin Conway, Keith Feduchak, Estelle Fuller, Carl Galavitz, Skielar Herchick, Cora Lawson, Gabriel Lumbag, Joshua Mall, Miranda McCormick, Emily Moser, Stephanie Oakley, Paxton Postlewaite, Thomas Rosar, Adam Rossetti, Nicholas Rotell-Tierney, Nathan Uzialko, Emma Zieminski and Abagale Zuraski.

GRADE 10

First honors: Colin Bannon, Lisa Blanchard, Mckinley Borders, Payton Carey, DeClan Caviston, Zoe Connolly, Madison Cost, Skylar Dearie, Taylor Emiliani, Ryan Flemming, Liam Fox-Newcomb, Samantha Guzzi, Cora Heenan, Emma Jones, Olivia Manarchuck, Michaela McLaughlin, Madison Mushensky, Era Nasufi, Noah Newcomb, Rana Novobilski, Jarred Rosar, Vanessa Sawyer and Eric Vaverchak.

Second honors: Kaylee Beckage, Christopher Dietrich, Kristyn Feldra, Zhaquara Grant, Alexandria Granville, Kaitlyn Hendrick, Olivia Kuttrubis, Madison Matthews, Jordan Molinaro, Ariana Serrano, Jeffrey Snyder, Brooke Staple and Damien White.

GRADE 9

First honors: Giana Arnese, Kacydi Brewen, Natalie Brown, Aniela Connolly, Robert Cron, Connor Eibach, Amelia Esgro, Juliana Galarza, Kaelin Greene, Bayley Grizzanti, Shakee Hoskins, Aiden Kelly, William Kovaleski, Olivia Liuzzo, Deana Mancuso, Taylor Mazza, Maleena McCormick, Jade Medina, Anthony Mustica, Amelia Muta, Gianelly Prieto, Avianna Pugliese, Kaitlyn Richardson Dynasty Romero, Alyvia Schiavone, Halley Schwartz, Sarah Tolerico, Nathan Totsky, Julian Turonis and Trevor Wentzel.

Second honors: Seth Bazink, Maria Cerra, Michael Cornall, Gianna Gillette, Brielle Marchione, Erin McHale, Jose Mendez, Tyler Wormuth and Crystal Yarbrough.

GRADE 8

First honors: Logan Arthur, Emma Baker, Sophia Calzola, Logan Colonna, Alyssa Cosklo, Francheliz De Jesus Correa, Mackenzie Edgar, Tatiana Elston-Blaustein, Jaden Fedorchak, Ashley Gorel, Caleb Higdon, Ellen Higdon, Emily Kelly, Glenda Marrero, Mia Marrero, Mackenzie Miluszusky, Rogemarie Navarrete, Elizabeth Pantoja, Sarah Parry, Kyle Perri, Mia Perri, Alexis Price, Jonathon Purvis, Madison Regal, Chloee Rumford, Makena Sanderson, Joshua Tierney, Robert Wall, Donovan Williams and Logan Wormuth.

Second honors: Michael Caporali, Makenna Fedorchak, Nya Freeman, Luke Kovaleski, Conner Lewis, Liam Misko, Guy Mushow, Mekhi Robbins, Roberto Romero, Damian Thomas, Cora Tolley and Cayden Watts.

GRADE 7

First honors: Joshua Berg, Madalyn Borders, Audrey Cobb, Robert Constantine, Gianna Gallo, Danica Gilligan, Julia Gorel, Gabriella Gregory, Mia Karosus, Brycen Kelly, Madison Kelsch, Abbie Larson, Gia Mark, Daisy Martinez, Emma Monahan, Tyler Moskosky, Julia Murphy, Nicholas Ohmanacht, Brian Repsher, Bryan Salitsky, Matthew Totsky and Avianna Voglino.

Second honors: Mckenzie Alexander, Chase Arthur, Rylee Connolly, Gavin Connor, Sophie Crozier, Corinne Haley, Olivia Lorenzetti, Quintin Naro, Victoria Nieves, Katelyn Ostrander, Paige Paugh, Hailey Peterka, Keirsten Sopinski, Matthew Tarchak, Justin Toy and Jacob Ulmer.

OUR LADY OF PEACE

GRADE 8

Principal’s list: Dominica Delayo, Ethan Gumula, Kathryn Kolucki, Anna Kosierowski and Lily Kutz.

High honors: Sarah Aubrey, Julia Curran, Karen Daly, Mary Julia Farrell, Andrew Ferguson, Gianna Genco, Mitchell Kirby, Aiden Mackrell, Alexandra Mariotti, Gracie Mariotti, Christina Monroe, Grace Murtagh, Macey Pennay, Patrick Robinson, Caroline Stampien, Cassidy Wylam and Stephanie Yatko.

Honors: Erik Burdyn, Emma Clause, Matthew Cobb, Jeffrey Costello, Michael Datto, Angelesa DeNaples, Jacob Dennis, Luca Dennis, Molly Devine, Bryce Florey, Monica Lam, John Mackey, Michael Marion, Adam Mariotti, Avery McNulty, Tyler Moncinelli, Nicholas Tomaszewski and Jason Yanul.

GRADE 7

High honors: Amir Akach, Michael Allardyce, Madeline Bormes, Aidan Colleran, Nora Collins, Kylie Hillebrand, Owen Jumper, Cara McCall, Teddy Novak, Keith Pritchyk, Emma Ratchford, Benjamin Rothwell, Ava Touch and Skye Williamson.

Honors: Nathan Carr, Clare Devine, Talia Emiliani, Jake Grodack, Alexandra Haley, Catherine Healey, Seth Miller and Caroline Murray.

GRADE 6

Principal’s list: Finn Kane, Nora Kolucki, Joey Ramey and Holly Zaluski.

High honors: Aidan Coppola, Rachel Fay, Tyler Mackrell, Jake Munley, Allie Pettinato, Jake Smith, Andrew Summa, Max Tierney, Emmi Vitaletti and Gavin Walsh.

Honors: Liam Barrett, Caroline Bell, Kara Black, Aidan Carson, Abigail Curran, Natalya Gnall, Nigel Gnall, Eamonn Hazzouri, Alyssa Kelly, Grace Kowalski, Stella Kwiecinski, Luke Leventhal, Angelena Montefour and Jordan Odom.

ALL SAINTS ACADEMY

GRADE 8

High honors: Logan Aldrich, Maria Belardi, Emily Bentler, Kayley Capone, James Ceccoli, Emily Clark, Maiah Fadl, Monica Fornaczewski, Matthew George, Julia Goetz, John Greenfield, Priscilla Grill, Victoria Herne, Sean Kennedy, Kaci Kranson, Madison Kranson, Ryan Legg, Gurpreet Lahl, Ian O’Toole and Michael Sewack.

Honors: Paige Conflitti, Jazmin deFreitas, Jacob Groncki, Michael Normandia, Grace Polansky and Elizabeth Terrery.

GRADE 7

High honors: Trevor Balcerzak, Cole Bittenbender, Ryan Burda, Samera Burrier, Gianna Cafarella, Corey Cicii, Hannah Curry, Daniel Haikes, Aidan Krieger, Lena Ligorio, Aiden McCoy, Alexis Phillips, Ronald Prislupski, Eleanor Simrell, Pia Stivala, Fred Strein and Kyle Zeigler.

Honors: Liam Badick, Maggie Dolphin, Emma Egan, Daniel Flynn, Grace Gaughan, Hannah Johns, Connor Rasimovich, Aidan Romanchick and Shamus Sullivan.

GRADE 6

High honors: Brianna Backus, Kylee Bonczek, Lily Butler, Samantha Greenfield, Brian Kellogg, Cecilia Matatics, Luke Mozeleski, Alison Ross and Alexander Strausser.

Honors: Luke Healey, Aidan Kingdom, Mia Lameo, Donovan Mozgo, Alexander Stabinski, Evan Stabinski and Paul Wildermann.

SCRANTON — The city may extend the trash fee full payment discount period from today to May 31, because garbage bills had not been mailed out as of Monday, city council members said.

Past practice had the annual $300 trash fee billed in two installments of $150 due May 1 and $150 due Sept. 1. Last year, the city instituted a 10 percent discount on an annual garbage bill paid in full by the first due date, May 1.

Because the bills are being sent out several weeks late, council voted 5-0 — with President Pat Rogan, Wayne Evans, Bill Gaughan, Kyle Donahue and Tim Perry in favor — to introduce an ordinance from Mayor Bill Courtright to extend the 10 percent discount deadline to May 31.

“All this ordinance is doing is extending the discount period from May 1 to May 31 because the bills haven’t gone out yet,” Evans said. “My understanding is they’re going out” today, May 1.

“Does anybody know why they haven’t gone out on time?” Gaughan asked.

Rogan replied, “I know that in meetings we had with the administration there were a number of issues” on the billing side.

Efforts to reach Courtright by phone after the council meeting were unsuccessful.

Rogan said he’d like to see council adopt the discount deadline extension at council’s next meeting, on May 7 at City Hall at 6 p.m., by advancing it on second reading and then suspending rules to hold the third vote on adoption on that same night.

An ordinance typically gets enacted at three separate meetings.

Some residents spoke about the trash fee issue.

Marie Schumacher noted that council members at prior weekly meetings also said the issuance of the trash bills was imminent.

“Guess what? It’s Monday

and we still don’t have it,” Schumacher said. “We’re not being told the truth.”

Bob Bolus likened the garbage collection fee to “taxation without representation.” He said council should find out how much city waste is recycled and if the city gets credit for recycled tonnage toward reducing disposal fees. Increasing recycling would reduce disposal fees, he said.

“We need to go there and look at that before we pass legislation like this, and get the full picture of what we’re doing here,” Bolus said.

In another matter, council unanimously tabled an amendment that would add some new violations and fines ranging from $50 to $500 in the Quality of Life ticketing enforcement rules.

The additions include unlawful occupancy, illegal parking, nuisance animals, unlicensed dogs, dangerous/vicious dogs, property maintenance, noise disturbances, abandoned/junk vehicles and garbage containers.

Council introduced the amendment April 16, but raised questions and concerns. Evans called for the city to have an independent, outside review of all fees and fines, with an eye toward streamlining or reducing them, before creating new ones.

Council heard from city Licensing, Inspections and Permits Director Patrick Hinton on the issue in a caucus April 23. Council then advanced the amendment April 23, but raised other issues. Gaughan and Perry called for mandatory warnings for first-time offenders.

That brought the legislation to a vote on adoption Monday, when council tabled it for further review.

Contact the writer:

jlockwood@timesshamrock.com;

570-348-9100 x5185;

@jlockwoodTT on Twitter

PHILADELPHIA — More than two months after the first licensed shops opened in Pennsylvania, medical marijuana producers still struggle to keep dispensaries stocked.

Despite demand that regularly outpaces supply in many shops, growers and sellers alike are optimistic that the industry will find its footing soon.

“I think everybody was kind of just taken aback by how many patients we have coming through the doors,” said Chris Visco, president of TerraVida Holistic Centers, a dispensary company with shops in Southeast Pennsylvania.

She spoke alongside eight of her industry peers at the Cannabis Learn Conference and Expo Monday in Philadelphia, and said her company’s dispensaries have treated more than 4,400 people since opening its first shop in February.

“When we were getting into this, we believed that, with it being such a conservative state, there would be very few doctors who would sign up for the program,” Visco said, adding that now more than 900 physicians have registered with the state Medical Marijuana Program.

Gov. Tom Wolf made Pennsylvania the 24th U.S. state to legalize cannabis for medical use in 2016 when he signed the Medical Marijuana Act.

Cannabis investment firm Greenhouse Ventures is hosting the three-day conference where industry leaders said although Pennsylvania wasn’t first, it is leading in key areas, such as opening it up to treat more illnesses than most states.

Pennsylvania also puts a stronger emphasis on research with a first-of-its kind program allowing medical schools to study the drug.

“PA is really surprising everybody,” said Charles Bachtell, co-founder the cannabis production and dispensary company Cresco Yeltrah. “Of these highly regulated, compliance-focused programs east of the Mississippi, without question, I think Pennsylvania’s off to the best start.”

Cannabis still has an image problem, panel members said during their one-hour industry status update. The federal Drug Enforcement Agency still considers it a Schedule I drug, which means the risk of federal agents shutting down any operation looms overhead perpetually.

Basic business functions such as banking remain burdensome, and pot’s baked-in association with hippie culture won’t release its grip.

“It’s incumbent on us to show the rest of Pennsylvania that this is a growing industry that’s doing good for the community,” said Jonathon Goldrath, co-founder of Standard Farms in White Haven, who spoke on the panel. Standard Farms was the state’s second of 12 initial licensed grower/processors to start shipping medicine.

“For me and Standard Farms, it’s really important to show that Northeast Pennsylvania is going to become a leader within this industry.”

Contact the writer: joconnell@timesshamrock.com; 570-348-9131; @jon_oc on Twitter

Amanda Katchmar,

Old Forge

High School

Through Amanda Katchmar’s volunteer work at Geisinger Community Medical Center, she got a little closer to realizing her dream of becoming a doctor.

“Being able to assist in a hospital setting was extremely rewarding to me,” she said. “I loved knowing that I was able to help patients and staff, and getting the chance to experience different aspects of life in a hospital helped me to recognize that I truly want to work in one.”

The senior at Old Forge High School helped assist in patient services and laboratory duties. She was also in a research fellowship at the Geisinger Commonwealth School of Medicine.

Aside from her experiences in the health care industry, Amanda is proud of being a National Merit Scholarship finalist and embarking on her first marathon. Amanda has already run four half-marathons and trained for the full Shamrock Marathon in Virginia Beach in March. She is also the cross country team captain and runs with the Scranton-based running group Can’t Is Not An Option.

Amanda most admires her parents, Chris and Karen Katchmar, for helping her become the person she is today.

“I admire my parents for their selflessness and because they have taught me to pursue my passions,” she said.

After graduation, she plans to pursue a bachelor’s degree in biology at Boston University’s Kilachand Honors College and in 15 years, she hopes to be in a residency program at a teaching hospital located in a major urban area, preferably Boston.

Amanda’s philosophy of life is a quote from William Ernest Henley: “I am the master of my fate, I am the captain of my soul.”

— KATHLEEN BOLUS