SCRANTON — City police arrested two men Thursday in relation to a robbery and are seeking a third suspect linked to the incident.

Officers arrested Lester Baldwin, 32, of Kingston, and Thomas Santerangelo, 21, of Scranton, on Thursday morning. The pair are suspected to have been involved in a strong-arm robbery in the city Aug. 25, police said. A third suspect, Efrain Dones, 24, of Scranton, is not in custody. Anyone with information about his whereabouts is asked to call Scranton police at 570-348-4134 or 911.

Baldwin is charged with burglary and is held in Lackawanna County Prison in lieu of $10,000 bail. Santerangelo is charged with conspiracy to commit burglary and held in lieu of $20,000 bail. Preliminary hearings are scheduled for Sept. 10.

— CLAYTON OVER

Archbald

Chicken barbecue: Eynon Sturges Volunteer Hose Company 3 chicken barbecue, Saturday, Sept. 15, noon-6 p.m., $10. For tickets: 570-241-1593.

Clarks Summit

Community singers: Wally Gordon Community Singers 2018-19 season membership open to high school and adult singers, no auditions required, two concerts per season, early December and early May, rehearsals Tuesdays, 7:30-8:30 p.m., Clarks Summit United Methodist Church music room, 1310 Morgan Highway, Clarks Summit, beginning Tuesday, Sept. 18. Contact: 570-561-6005, Facebook page or website wallygordoncommunitysingers.com.

Jessup

Garbage collection: Due to Labor Day, garbage collection will be behind one day; collection will be Friday. Borough residents are reminded not to put out garbage until the night before garbage collection.

Olyphant

Spartans homecoming: Spartans hosting homecoming Friday, playing Holy Cross, pep rally, Thursday, 7 p.m.

Scranton

Marywood learners: Marywood Lifelong Learners bus trip to West Point, Wednesday, Oct. 3, bus leaves Marywood at 8 a.m., includes guided tour and lunch at the historic Thayer Hotel, $120/person; group will visit Longwood Gardens, Dec. 3, lunch included, $110/person. Reservations: 570-383-0544.

War museum: Grand Army of the Republic, Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War, Camp 8, Auxiliary 10, Civil War museum, basement of Scranton City Hall, Mulberry Street, monthly open house, Sept. 15, noon-3 p.m.

Meeting canceled: South Side Friendly Seniors cancel meeting Tuesday.

Wayne County

River conservancy: Lackawaxen River Conservancy annual dinner meeting Sunday, Sept. 16, 3 p.m., Cora’s Bistro, 525 Welwood Ave., Hawley, $22. Reservations: Carole Linkiewicz, 570-685-4108 or Bergit Pinkston, 570-685-1477 by Sept. 10.

CLIPBOARD ITEMS may be sent to yesdesk@timesshamrock.com or Clipboard, c/o YES!Desk, 149 Penn Ave., Scranton, PA 18503. YES!Desk, 570-348-9121.

La Festa Italiana kicked off Friday at Lackawanna County Courthouse Square in Scranton for its 43rd year.

The festival continues today and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m., and Monday from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Food and entertainment are constants, but there are other events going on too, including today’s annual James R. Minicozzi Memorial 5K Run/1-Mile Walk at 10 a.m. Registration starts at 8:30 at North Washington Avenue and Linden Street. Proceeds benefit the Boys & Girls Clubs of NEPA’s Christmas party and college scholarships.

Mass will be celebrated in Italian at 10 a.m. Sunday at the Diocesan Pastoral Center, 330 Wyoming Ave.

A state court upheld the firing of former Tunkhannock Area Principal Joseph Moffitt in 2016.

On Aug. 13, a three-judge panel of the Commonwealth Court of Pennsylvania found “no merit” in arguments by Moffitt, who appealed the state Department of Education secretary’s decision to maintain the Tunkhannock Area School Board’s decision to fire him.

Moffitt was charged with two DUIs in four years.

At the time of his arrests in 2010 and 2014, Moffitt was principal of Evans Falls and Mill City Elementary schools, which are roughly 7 miles apart.

With the first arrest, the charge was resolved through his participation in the county’s Accelerated Rehabilitation Disposition program, which allowed him to avoid a criminal record for the offense.

But in 2014, Moffitt was arrested again for DUI and entered a guilty plea, which resulted in 90 days of house arrest, fines and five years of probation.

On March 11, 2016, the Tunkhannock Area board notified Moffitt that he had been recommended for dismissal and evidentiary hearings would be held.

The district’s position was spelled out by acting Superintendent Frank Galicki who testified that “two DUI offenses caused irreparable damage to Moffitt’s reputation and ability to lead the two schools; that his behavior was contrary to the school district’s attempts to discourage students from drinking and driving; and that allowing him to return to his position would send mixed messages to school district students.”

Galicki was among eight witnesses who said that Moffitt’s conduct offended the morals of the community and was a bad example to students.

Moffitt appealed the finding, suggesting that he was unfairly terminated because of retaliation for an unrelated civil rights lawsuit, and that under the Americans with Disabilities Act, he was terminated with knowledge he was being treated for alcoholism.

Senior Judge James Condon Collins wrote in an eight-page opinion: “We find no basis in the record to conclude that Moffitt’s employment was terminated for any other reason than that annunciated by the school board and the secretary, nor is there evidence he was discriminated against due to his alcoholism or the fact that he engaged the school district in unrelated litigation.”

Contact the writer:

bbaker@wcexaminer.com;

570-836-2123 x33

Q: I was looking at a new car (finally bought the RAV4) and was reading reviews of lots of different makes and models. Many of the articles brought up styling, usually as a positive, for a given car. But when I was looking at crossover-style cars, they all looked pretty much the same. I mean, they look a little different from the front and from the back, but from the side, I have trouble differentiating one from the next. The lengths are about the same. The openings for the wheels have small differences. The rooflines with the roof rack all have similar slopes. The Honda looks like the Toyota, which looks like the Nissan, which looks like the Ford, the Chevy, the Audi, the BMW, the Volvo, the Mercedes, the Bentley and a few others in between. So, maybe you can help explain what the car reviewers mean by “styling”? Thanks.

— DEWEY

A: Styling is largely a personal preference, Dewey. I mean, two different women opted to marry my brother. Need I say more about the subjective nature of decisions based on styling?

There are some “rules” of styling. And when they’re broken, they can make a car look odd or funny. A layman might not be able to explain exactly why a car is not attractive, but, as Justice Potter Stewart once said: “You know it when you see it.”

And there’s less to style than there used to be. There are powerful external forces that make compact crossover vehicles all look the same.

Fuel economy requirements largely dictate the overall shape of the vehicle and the curve of the roof. And safety requirements dictate things like the height of the hood and angle of the front grille. Then you have the fact that these vehicles all are competing for the same buyers, which leads manufacturers to “benchmark” and copy each other, offering similar sizes and prices, and trying to copy the sales leaders. The result is that when it comes to modestly priced cars, “styling” is largely decoration.

There are certain styling decisions that do cost more money, and can make a car look more expensive: a long hood, thin A-pillars, complicated metalwork, expensive headlight treatments. And if you know what you’re looking for, you’ll see that stuff on cars like the Bentley and Volvo, and not so much on the Nissan and Chevy.

But here’s the bottom line, Dewey: If you can’t tell the difference, then you should base your purchase decision on other things, like price, reliability and whether you can put the key fob in your pocket and then walk without a limp.

Look, I know some wine is better than other wine. But since I can’t tell the difference between a $75 cabernet and a $7.50 Trader Joe’s red blend, I get my wine at Trader Joe’s.

And since a car is a commodity to you, you should ignore styling when you’re buying one. And that’s obviously what you did, Dewey. Enjoy your RAV4.

SCRANTON — City representatives opened six bids Friday for sidewalk work in front of the city’s Police Department — five more than last time the project was advertised.

This is the second time this summer the city requested bids to replace the crumbling sidewalks at police headquarters.

In early August, the city rejected the lone bid from Multiscape General Contractors of Pittston from the first round of requests because the $196,459 bid was more than double a $78,000 estimate the city received for the work in 2013.

Multiscape resubmitted a bid again Monday for $154,461— down $41,998 from its original proposal.

Construction companies that also bid were Troianiello, $130,049; Scartelli Construction, $93,668; TSE Inc., $81,012; Sean Byrne Construction, $95,500; and Mar-Paul Construction, $102,000.

The city plans to repair most of the wraparound walkway at the 12½-year-old police station at 100 S. Washington Ave. The project calls for replacing a total of 3,935 square feet of sidewalk in four sections.

Those sections include 1,560 square feet along South Washington Avenue and wrapping partly around the rear of the building, 1,085 square feet at the front entrance, 490 square feet on one side, and 800 square feet on another side, wrapping partly around the rear.

Bids for concrete improvements at the city’s firehouses were also opened Friday.

Troianiello submitted a bid of $354,268; Scartelli Construction, $233,875; TSE Inc., $170,586; Multiscape, $316,000; D&M Construction, $170,000; Sean Byrne Construction, $145,000; and Mar-Paul, $198,000.

Funding for the concrete repairs would come from several sources, including allocations earmarked in the police and fire departments’ capital budgets, and residual funds available from an older bond issue, city Business Administrator David Bulzoni said in August.

City administrators will review both sets of bids and make a recommendation to city council, which will vote on awarding the contract, said city Controller Roseanne Novembrino.

Contact the writer:

kbolus@timesshamrock.com;

570-348-9100 x5114;

@kbolusTT on Twitter

TAYLOR — Dave Jenkins first thought the noise might have been his emergency radio.

It wasn’t.

A voice calling from under the wreckage of 308 Union St. quickly confirmed to the Taylor Fire Rescue captain that a presumed recovery mission at the exploded borough home Thursday night had turned into a rescue operation.

“Help me,” Brian Ott called from the rubble.

Rescue crews had to keep him talking. If he was talking, he was conscious.

“Where are you?” Jenkins called back. “What do you see?”

Authorities on Friday called Ott’s rescue from underneath his home nothing short of miraculous.

A presumed gas explosion about 8:40 p.m. demolished what had been Ott’s modest two-story home and scattered its frame and contents across Union Street. The blast’s shock wave broke windows in surrounding homes and caused a few minor injuries, Police Chief Stephen Derenick said. The explosion was reportedly heard a mile away.

“How he survived is an absolute miracle,” Derenick said.

How the blast happened remained under investigation Friday. Joseph Swope, a UGI spokesman, said the utility’s preliminary findings “didn’t find a lead in this immediate vicinity.”

Investigators returned in the afternoon to continue their probe. They previously had been there until 4 a.m. Friday, Derenick said.

Ott, 58, suffered burns over approximately 85 percent of his body. Emergency medical crews rushed him from the home to a helicopter waiting for him at WNEP-TV’s helipad about two miles away. The helicopter took him to a specialized burn unit outside of Allentown. He is in critical condition.

Rescue crews managed to free Ott from a recessed corner of his cellar about two hours after the explosion. UGI crews arrived shortly after police and worked to turn the gas off, Derenick said.

With the gas no longer hissing, rescue crews shifted the rubble to pull him out, Jenkins said.

Heavy machinery started to move the debris off the road by about midnight. The road was clear by the time the sun rose.

Shortly before noon Friday, the 100 block of Union Street closed down for another reported gas leak. As part of their normal procedure after an incident like Thursday’s, crews check lines for several surrounding blocks, Swope said. They found high levels of gas in the 100 block and worked to fix it. Swope said it is unlikely the leak in the 100 block had anything to do with the explosion in the 300 block.

The explosion was like nothing Alice DeCarlo, a neighbor across the street from Ott, had ever heard.

She had been sitting in her chair watching television when the concussive blast shattered her living room window. Her first thought was that a tractor-trailer had plowed into her home.

“I don’t mind telling you I jumped out of my chair,” DeCarlo said.

Authorities evacuated four blocks around the blast Thursday night, the chief said. People immediately next to the explosion, like DeCarlo, started to return Friday morning.

A team of 10 American Red Cross disaster workers assisted more than 100 first responders for several hours Thursday night. They remained on scene Friday morning.

Contact the writer:

jkohut@timesshamrock.com;

570-348-9144;

@jkohutTT on Twitter

MARRIAGE LICENSES

■ Andrew Ennis Bubser and Cecelia Caroline Adcroft, both of Scranton.

■ Jason B. Wasilko and Christina Marie Nesgoda, both of Dupont.

■ James Matthew Noldy and Taylor Leigh Smith, both of Carbondale.

PROPERTY TRANSACTIONS

■ Michael E. Gasper, Jessup, to Lawrence J. Crimi III, Peckville; a property at 500 First Ave., Jessup, for $82,500.

■ Veronica A. Borowski to Joseph Burzo; a property in Covington Twp. for $75,000.

■ Linda A. Gibney to Arthur C. Veno; a property at 652 Lori Drive, Archbald, for $85,000.

■ Bayview Loan Servicing LLC, Coral Gables, Fla., to Jon Ferguson and Donnalee Mary Harman, Lovettsville, Va.; a property at 307 Stone Ave., Clarks Summit, for $130,000.

■ Richard and Erika Lynn Chang, Scranton, to Frank J. Ohotnicky, Scranton; a property at 1120 Foster St., Scranton, for $134,000.

■ Theresa Krenitsky, Jermyn, to Doreen and Harry E. Troutman Jr., Jermyn; a property at 411 Hemlock St., Jermyn, for $120,000.

■ Nationwide Truck Parks LLC, Scranton, to Sherry Nealon Williams, Scranton; a property at 2522 Boulevard Ave., Scranton, for $183,910.

■ Nathan A. and Alison B. Carlie, Waverly Twp., to Pawel and Adriana Jez, Plains Twp.; a property at 105 Old Field Road, Waverly Twp., for $318,000.

■ Joseph Jr. and Mary Ann Baldan, Archbald, to Phillip J. and Christine R. Brundage, Jefferson Twp.; a property in Jefferson Twp. for $30,000.

■ John and Antoinette Ray, Clarks Summit, to Edward J. and Darlene Bienick, Scranton; a property at 230 Midway St., Clarks Summit, for $155,000.

■ Cloverleaf Developers LLC, Archbald, to Joseph and Mary Anne Daley, Archbald; a property in Archbald for $259,200.

■ Jaclyn Bennett, executrix of the estate of Mary J. Horn, also known as Marie J. Horn, Dickson City, to Jaclyn M. and Scott Bennett, Dickson City; two parcels in Dickson City for $144,774.

■ Anna Ryczak, Archbald, to Michael Zielinski, Archbald; a property at Goers Hill, Archbald, for $80,000.

■ Colleen Healey Naugle, executrix of the estate of Ann M. Kutzar, Clarks Summit, to Daniel and Ada Farrell, Carbondale; a property at 103 Old Post Road, Clarks Summit, for $136,000.

■ Damski Builders and Design LLC, Archbald, to Mark A. Cradler and Michelle J. Adleta, West Chester, Ohio; a property at 112 Falcon Lane, Archbald, for $378,000.

■ Ivanka Realty LLC to Emperatriz Mignone, New York; a property at 617-619 Prospect Ave., Scranton, for $90,000.

■ Lee D. Coolican, Dunmore, to Fidelity Deposit and Discount Bank, Dunmore; a property at 2004 Electric St., Dunmore, for $92,500.

■ Clinton S. and Susan Weber, Summerville, S.C., to Christopher Szewczyk and Nicole Gia Cometti, Dickson City; a property at 651 Laurel St., Dickson City, for $150,000.

■ Jack S. and Caryl L. Decker, South Abington Twp., to Resnam Realty LLC, Scranton; a property in South Abington Twp. for $210,000.

■ Thomas R. and A. Ellen Sartori, Newton Twp., to Michael Klimas, Newton Twp.; a property at 14051 Spring Drive, Newton Twp., for $370,000.

■ Jeffrey C. and Jennifer E. Zelno, Lackawanna County, to Rebecca L. Stokes, Luzerne County; a property at 308 Maple Ave., Clarks Summit, for $194,700.

■ Eugene A. Jankowski, Scranton, to QSP Enterprises LLC, Scranton; two parcels in Olyphant for $26,500.

■ William E. and Karl P. Vauter, Clarks Summit, to James A. Lettieri, Lackawanna County; two parcels in Clarks Summit for $154,500.

■ Jacqueline M. Guerrero and Ricky Clay to Carl Graziano, Scranton; a property at 61 Adams Ave., Olyphant, for $380,000.

■ Cloverleaf Developers LLC, Archbald, to Joanne Margaret Marcheona, Olyphant; a property in Archbald for $261,700.

DIVORCE DECREES

■ Bria Tinsley v. John Worobey.

■ Ryan Fratzola v. Taylor Fratzola.

■ Marianzy Besario v. Alain Sesario.

■ Michael Tracy v. Kiera Tracy.

ESTATE FILED

■ Martin J. Davitt, 1808 McDonough Ave., Scranton, letters of administration to Elaine Davitt, same address.

BENCH WARRANTS

Judge Thomas Munley has issued the following bench warrants for failure to appear on fines and costs:

■ Jennifer Santiago-Velez, 1314 Wyoming Ave., Scranton; $5,395.50.

■ Jeffrey Saint-Preux, 406 Clarkson Ave., Jessup; $505.50.

■ James Robert Sacchetti, 574 N. Main St., Archbald; $774.

■ Gualberto Roman, 721 Main St., Dickson City; $6,145.

■ Delroy Rogers, 119 Oak St., Scranton; $2,544.

■ Xiomara Otera Rivera, 126 Meridian Ave., Scranton; $731.50.

■ Michael Charles Ray III, 1269 Loomis Ave., Scranton; $2,113.50.

■ Colleen Marie Powell, 132 Maria Blvd., Archbald; $1,223.

■ Dan Peterson, 2022 Washburn St., Scranton; $2,177.

■ Jalel Monroe, 316 N. Hyde Park Ave., Scranton; $2,438.50.

■ Kenneth Michaels Jr., 319 Madison St., Wilkes-Barre; $3,631.46.

■ Giovanni Michael Martoni, 1314 Wyoming Ave., 2nd Floor, Scranton; $1,376.50.

■ Karen Robbins, 111 Rear Front St., Jessup; $6,548.75.

ONLINE: thetimes-tribune.com/courts

THROOP — A fire destroyed a garage and damaged two homes Friday evening.

Fire crews from multiple Midvalley communities responded to 708 George St. about 6:15 p.m. and found a garage on the property engulfed in flames, borough Fire Chief Andy Hegedus said at the scene. The fire spread to the house and caused damage to the attic, but crews knocked down the flames within about 10 minutes, Hegedus said. A man was home at the time but got out safely, the chief said. No other injuries were reported.

A neighboring house also sustained damage from heat coming off the garage fire, Hegedus said. A state police fire marshal is investigating a cause.

— CLAYTON OVER

The bishop of the Diocese of Scranton announced Friday he has permanently barred former Scranton Bishop James C. Timlin from representing the diocese at public functions and is referring his case to the Vatican to determine if further action should be taken.

The Most Rev. Joseph C. Bambera’s decision comes after he took the “unprecedented” step of asking the diocese’s Independent Review Board — a body composed of three laypeople, a priest and a nun, all of whom have experience related to law enforcement, education, counseling or victim advocacy — to probe how Timlin handled allegations of clerical sexual abuse during his tenure.

In a letter to the people of the diocese, Bambera said his decision in Timlin’s case came after “careful consideration” of the board’s recommendation, though the recommendation itself remains confidential per the diocese’s policy. Nonetheless, Bambera felt the action was appropriate given the scathing statewide grand jury report issued Aug. 14 that revealed Timlin mishandled sexual abuse cases.

“It is important that I make this very clear: Bishop Timlin did not abuse children, nor has he ever been accused of having done so,” Bambera said in the letter. “Instead, he mishandled some cases of abuse. He presided over the Diocese of Scranton for nearly 20 years — a time in which the Diocese fell short of its duty to protect children.

“And, in many of the cases detailed in the Grand Jury report, Bishop Timlin fell short, too. While he followed the existing rules and policies when handling most of these cases, there was more he could have done to protect children.”

While serving as bishop in July 1985, Timlin issued a memo instructing priests and diocese staff to follow the Pennsylvania Child Protective Services Act, which requires reporting sexual abuse to the state Department of Human Services. The grand jury report revealed that Timlin repeatedly failed to follow his own instructions, even as allegations of sexual abuse by priests in the diocese mounted. Timlin became bishop in April 1984 and served until July 2003.

Forbidding Timlin to represent the diocese publicly is the “fullest extent” that Bambera’s authority permits him to act against another bishop, the letter states.

Bambera’s decision and his handling of Timlin’s case are “extremely unusual” on many levels, said the Rev. Thomas Reese, a Jesuit priest from Washington, D.C., and an expert on the Catholic Church.

“First of all, a bishop would rarely criticize his predecessor in public,” Reese said, arguing Bambera’s action speaks to the enormity of the grand jury report’s impact. “To tell a bishop ‘we don’t want you representing the diocese” and to say that publicly, that’s about the worst thing you can do to a bishop. ... It’s a public recognition that the bishop screwed up, and the church doesn’t like to do that.”

The review board process is primarily used to deal with priests accused of abuse, not people involved in concealing or failing to report abuse, Reese said. Still, he said it was wise of Bambera to seek the board’s recommendation because it gives the bishop “backup” in the event the decision is poorly received by members of the clergy or the community.

Joan Hodowanitz of Scranton, a lifelong member of the diocese who attends daily Mass in the city, agreed with Bambera’s decision.

“I have a lot of respect for Bishop Timlin, but I think Bishop Bambera was justified in doing what he did,” she said. “I pray we find our way out of this quagmire sooner rather than later and that we learn from the lessons of the past. ... What happened to the children is reprehensible.”

Hodowanitz believes the majority of the clergy in the diocese are “good and faithful men.” She doesn’t excuse Timlin for how he handled allegations of abuse, but argued the former bishop did a lot of good as well.

“Unfortunately, this is going to be what people remember when his name is mentioned,” Hodowanitz said. “I do pray for Bishop Bambera, because he is trying to do the right thing.”

Timlin’s case will be referred to the Vatican Congregation for Bishops, a Rome-based committee comprised largely of Catholic cardinals, for further review. The congregation is responsible for recommending the appointment of new bishops for papal approval, but can investigate Timlin and make a recommendation to Pope Francis on how to proceed.

The odds that the congregation recommends further action against Timlin are “probably less than 50/50,” Reese said.

“If they did do anything it would be (to) recommend that he spend the rest of his life in prayer and penance,” he said.

In his letter, Bambera also addressed why he did not act sooner to restrict Timlin’s functions.

“Frankly, when I became Bishop in 2010, my concern at the time was not with Bishop Timlin, but on the need to keep predator priests out of ministry and to create environments in which our children would be safe. ... Yet, the sobering report of the statewide Grand Jury has shown me that I could have done more in this regard immediately upon my appointment to Bishop.

“It has also caused me to reflect on my own role in handling allegations of abuse in the Church, too,” Bambera continues in the letter before stating “with full confidence” that, since he became bishop in 2010, every allegation of abuse has been reported to civil authorities and Pennsylvania ChildLine. “To those who feel I betrayed their trust in me by allowing Bishop Timlin to continue to minister publicly in the Diocese of Scranton since his retirement, I apologize.”

Contact the writers:

tbesecker@timesshamrock.com;

570-348-9137;

@tmbeseckerTT on Twitter

jhorvath@timesshamrock.com;

570-348-9141;

@jhorvathTT on Twitter

Bishop Bambera’s letter announcing his decision to bar former bishop James C. Timlin from publicly representing the Diocese of Scranton:

Dear Friends,

The Fortieth Statewide Grand Jury Report released earlier this month shared the tragic details of child sexual abuse in the Catholic Church of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania over the past seventy years. The report focused not only on abusive priests, but also brought increased attention to the role of those who enabled such abuse to continue. Thus, I took the unprecedented step of asking the Independent Review Board of the Diocese of Scranton to review how Bishop James Timlin handled allegations and his role in all cases prior to the Dallas Charter in 2002. I recently received a recommendation from the Independent Review Board.

As background, the board – comprised of three lay persons, a religious sister and a religious priest – is a confidential consultative body put in place to advise a bishop on the assessment of allegations of abuse. These individuals are highly qualified and equipped to assist me with this decision, as each boasts expertise related to law enforcement, education, counseling or victim advocacy. Their combined experience brings a unique perspective that I simply do not have. Though it is unusual for a sitting bishop to review a prior bishop, I insisted the board use the same process for Bishop Timlin as is used for any accused priest or lay person.

I understand that it is unfair to judge past actions against present day standards. However, I also know that the Church could have – should have – done more to protect our children. We cannot ignore this fact today.

It is with this context that I share my decision around Bishop Timlin. After much thought and with careful consideration of the recommendation from the Independent Review Board, I have decided to permanently restrict Bishop Timlin from representing the Diocese of Scranton at all public events, liturgical or otherwise.

This is the fullest extent that my authority permits me to act relative to another bishop. I have, though, also referred this matter to the Vatican Congregation for Bishops, which has jurisdiction over additional aspects of Bishop Timlin’s ministry. This was not a decision that was taken lightly.

It is important that I make this very clear: Bishop Timlin did not abuse children, nor has he ever been accused of having done so. Instead, he mishandled some cases of abuse. He presided over the Diocese of Scranton for nearly 20 years – a time in which the Diocese fell short of its duty to protect children. And, in many of the cases detailed in the Grand Jury report, Bishop Timlin fell short, too. While he followed the existing rules and policies when handling most of these cases, there was more he could have done to protect children.

Some have asked why I did not restrict Bishop Timlin from publicly representing the Diocese of Scranton sooner, given the information that was shared in the Grand Jury report. Frankly, when I became Bishop in 2010, my concern at the time was not with Bishop Timlin, but on the need to keep predator priests out of ministry and to create environments in which our children would be safe. Bishop Timlin had no administrative role within the Diocese at the time, and had been out of office for seven years by the time of my appointment. Yet, the sobering report of the statewide Grand Jury has shown me that I could have done more in this regard immediately upon my appointment to Bishop. It has also caused me to reflect on my own role in handling allegations of abuse in the Church, too. To those who feel I betrayed their trust in me by allowing Bishop Timlin to continue to minister publicly in the Diocese of Scranton since his retirement, I apologize.

The Grand Jury report has not only compelled me to review the actions of Bishop Timlin but also to consider my role and past actions in protecting children. As many of you know, I have been a priest of the Diocese of Scranton for 35 years. Prior to becoming your Bishop in 2010, I served in numerous parish and administrative assignments. For three years from 1995 to 1998, I served as Vicar for Priests under Bishop Timlin. In that role, I became aware of accusations that were brought against several priests. In those cases, priests were ultimately permanently removed from ministry, in two instances as many as five years before the Charter for the Protection of Youth and Young Adults’ mandate of zero tolerance for credibly accused priests was enacted in the United States.

In 2002, I was appointed to an ad hoc committee to review certain files pertaining to several men who had been accused of abuse. The task of this committee was to make recommendations to the Bishop to ensure that all men credibly accused of abuse were removed from ministry, as mandated by the Charter – not to assess how Bishop Timlin handled cases of abuse. Following this extensive review process, 10 men were removed from ministry.

Following Bishop Timlin’s retirement in 2003, Bishop Joseph Martino led the Diocese and served for nearly seven years before I took office. Bishop Martino also carefully reviewed the Diocese’s response to the Dallas Charter, taking into account both the terms of the Charter and canonical processes.

Since my appointment in 2010, I have been hyper-focused on keeping our children safe, both by ensuring that no credibly accused individual remain in ministry, and also by closely following the Dallas Charter and our own Safe Environment Program. When I took office in 2010, I twice commissioned complete reviews of all Diocesan files – again – to make sure no credibly accused man was in ministry. I have also twice revised our policies and procedures to make necessary improvements along the way.

I can tell you with full confidence that, since I became your Bishop, every single allegation of abuse has been reported to civil authorities and Pennsylvania Child Line. Every credibly accused priest has been removed from ministry. And the public has been notified of every priest removed from ministry as a result of an allegation of abuse.

Based on a thorough review of the Grand Jury report, we have found that 93 percent of the abuse detailed in the report occurred before 2000, showing what we already know to be true: reforms in the United States – and our prevention efforts – are working as the occurrences of abuse have been drastically reduced over the last two decades.

Despite these vigilant efforts, we know there is more work to be done, and we must constantly review and update our policies and procedures. The Grand Jury report has caused me – and many of my peers – to look at past events, decisions and decision makers through a different prism.

After thoughtful reflection and prayers, I recognize that there have been times when I, too, could have done better. I ask for your forgiveness in these instances and promise you now – I will continue to do all that is in my power to ensure the safety of our youth moving forward. That has and always will be my priority as Bishop.

Sincerely yours in Christ,

Most Reverend Joseph C. Bambera, D.D., J.C.L.

Bishop of Scranton

SCRANTON — A man accused of killing a woman almost four years ago in South Scranton is competent to stand trial, a Lackawanna County judge ruled.

The decision by Judge James Gibbons clears the way for Joseph James Thornton, 30, to go on trial Jan. 7 on homicide charges in the death of Stephanie Tyminski.

Investigators say Thornton beat and strangled Tyminski, 29, on Dec. 10, 2014, in her apartment at Valley View Terrace, where the two were neighbors, after she rejected his romantic advances. Thornton’s trial has been repeatedly delayed over questions about his mental health and competency.

In finding the defendant competent, Gibbons relied heavily on the conclusions of Dr. Richard E. Fischbein, a court-appointed psychiatrist who has examined Thornton on multiple occasions since his arrest. The most recent examination happened July 21 at the Lackawanna County Prison.

Fischbein testified at an Aug. 22 competency hearing he believes that as long as Thornton continues taking his anti-psychotic and anti-anxiety medications, he would consider the defendant competent to stand trial. Thornton understands the nature and extent of the charges against him and can assist in his defense, the psychiatrist said.

Gibbons said he considered Fischbein’s testimony together with his own personal observations of Thornton in the courtroom.

“Juxtaposing his appearances while on his medications with those during which he was not on those medications, we observe a significant improvement in the defendant’s behavior, demeanor and his participation in the proceedings,” Gibbons wrote in his order.

“We find that he has an appreciation of the proceedings, of the charges against him and the consequences of a conviction.”

Gibbons said he also agreed with Fischbein’s assessment that Thornton can aid his counsel in his defense “should he choose to do so.”

Thornton has often expressed dissatisfaction with his attorneys and has told Gibbons during several court appearances he wishes to represent himself. Gibbons has repeatedly denied that request, most recently at a hearing Monday on pretrial motions.

District Attorney Mark Powell said in an email Friday that prosecutors are looking forward to taking the case to trial in January.

“The Tyminski family has waited far too long for justice,” he said.

Attorney Christopher Osborne, who represents Thornton, said Gibbons’ decision was not unexpected but declined further comment.

Contact the writer:

dsingleton@timesshamrock.com;

570-348-9132

A 38-year-old Bethlehem man is charged with setting fire to a Scranton apartment building several months ago, police said.

Jody Tighe, 256 North St., was arrested in the Allentown area and arraigned Thursday for aggravated arson and numerous other arson-related offenses, according to a criminal complaint filed by Inspector Martin Monahan, Scranton’s fire marshal.

The “intense” fire at 640 Willow St. around 2:41 a.m. on Feb. 19 displaced seven people, including an off-duty Scranton police officer, and left a city firefighter injured, authorities said. Fire Chief Pat DeSarno said at the time crews had to extinguish “heavy, heavy” flames.

Detectives believe the arson was Tighe’s retaliation against a rival love interest. The off-duty police officer, Jamie Smith, was not the intended target, police said.

Firefighter Tim O’Connor got lost inside the building and became trapped, according to an affidavit. Others rescued him.

Another firefighter, Robert Gavern, injured his lower back, left shoulder and right leg fighting the blaze and could not return to work for several months.

Resident Morgan Kane suffered smoke inhalation and was taken to a burn unit near Allentown.

A camera attached to a garage across the street from the rear of the building showed someone carrying some type of “box, bag or container” while walking toward the building.

At 2:41 a.m., the light from the fire is seen on the video. At 2:42 a.m., the video picked up the man, later identified as Tighe, running from the scene with his left shoe and lower leg on fire.

Police checked through nearby hospitals and urgent care centers but didn’t get any leads on burn victims.

Police learned later that Tighe had burns after the fire. Additionally, his DNA from earlier paternity tests matched DNA results found on a gasoline-soaked scarf found close to the scene.

Tighe is in Lackawanna County Prison in lieu of $100,000 bail. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for Sept. 10.

Contact the writer:

jkohut@timesshamrock.com;

570-348-9144;

@jkohutTT on Twitter

Buddy’s house may be a pile of rubble but he came home anyway.

Neighbors looked outside Saturday to see the black-and-white dog — missing from a Taylor home at 308 Union St. that exploded Thursday — lying in the backyard, said borough Police Chief Stephen Derenick.

Officers told Derenick the medium-sized dog was limping and appeared to have singed fur. On the advice of Tracey’s Hope Animal Rescue, he was taken Saturday to the Veterinary Referral and Emergency Center in South Abington Twp.

On Thursday, a presumed gas explosion about 8:40 p.m. demolished Brian Ott’s two-story home on Union Street. The cause is still under investigation.

Officers sorting through the rubble after the explosion were not sure if Ott’s dog escaped or was a casualty. Buddy was always by his owner’s side, neighbors told police.

Crews cleaning up the house spotted Buddy on Friday about three or four blocks away, but he was scared and dodged a rescue, Derenick said. However, on Saturday, the pup came home.

First responders rescued Ott, 58, Thursday from the basement of the home. He suffered burns over about 85 percent of his body and was flown to a burn unit outside Allentown. Derenick spoke with the man’s family Saturday, who said he is in critical but stable condition.

“He has a long road ahead of him,” Derenick said.

Investigators will be back at the house this week to determine the cause of the explosion, Derenick added.

“We will probably know more as the week progresses,” he said.

Contact the writer:

kbolus@timesshamrock.com; 570-348-9100 x5114;

@kbolusTT on Twitter

SCRANTON — Bob Jones and his family go to the Italian festival in downtown Scranton every year for one doughy, saucy item — pizza.

New York style, grandma style, Old Forge style, square, round or stuffed with steak and cheese — the family of four tries it all.

“We like the pasta, the kids like the desserts, but it’s really about the pizza for us,” said Jones, 45, a Lake Wallenpaupack resident.

La Festa Italiana — just “La Festa” to many — kicked off its 43rd year Friday night, hugging Scranton’s center city at the Lackawanna County Courthouse Square. The once three-day festival, always held over Labor Day weekend, in recent years has expanded to four days, and “there’s no going back,” said La Festa board President Chris DiMattio.

Festivalgoers sipped fresh-squeezed lemonade, chowed down on pizza topped with fresh tomatoes and forked penne with vodka sauce out of white Styrofoam bowls Saturday as they walked past a bocce tournament on the Courthouse Square lawn and took in live music from almost every corner of downtown.

Some things have stayed the same over the festival’s four decades, like local band the Poets performing, or vendor staples, but the festival evolves every year, DiMattio said.

UNICO Scranton sold its famous porketta sandwiches alongside newer vendors, including John’s Corn Stand and Newkirk Honey, both of which have a focus on fresh and local.

New to town, Jersey Pizza Boys, who performed on “The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon” and “Little Bit Shots,” entertained the La Festa crowd Saturday evening by showing off their pizza-dough-spinning skills.

Backyard Ale House offered alcoholic beverages, another new addition, and pledged a portion of its proceeds to local charities, DiMattio said.

The festival is in the family business, and its humble focus is the reason for its longevity, said DiMattio. The nostalgic feel of the festival makes locals remember the bustling church food festival scene of years past, he added.

“It’s just a good old Italian festival,” DiMattio said.

The festivities continue today from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. and Monday from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. For details, visit La Festa Italiana di Lackawanna County on Facebook or www.lafestaitaliana.org.

Contact the writer:

kbolus@timesshamrock.com;

570-348-9100 x5114;

@kbolusTT on Twitter

Minicozzi Memorial Race winners

Results from the seventh annual Capt. James R. Minicozzi Memorial Race held Saturday in conjunction with La Festa Italiana:

Overall male winners: Sean Luzzi, first; Matt Byrne, second; Jeff Pellis, third.

Overall female winners: Lisa Gallagher, first; Cathy Dragwa, second; Kris Danilovitz, third.

Male service member winner: Clayton Over (a Times-Tribune staff writer).

Female service member winner: Melissa Hughes.

Male winners, age 0-13: Daniel Danilovitz, first; Tommy Clark, second; Spencer McDermott, third.

Female winners, age 0-13: Lacey Danilovitz, first; Lillian Rizzo, second.

Male winners, age 14-19: Vincent Schlenker, first; Aiden Long, second; Aiden Crist, third.

Female winners, age 14-19: Allison Huegel, first.

Male winners, age 20-30: Sean Luzzi, first; Vinny Baglivo, second; Christopher Hughes, third.

Female winners, age 20-30: Brianna Bennici, first; Faith Bush, second; Cassiopeia Arrigo, third.

Male winners, age 31-40: Justin Gagliardi, first; Clayton Over, second; and Michael Borzell, third.

Female winners, age 31-40: Lisa Gallagher, first; Tami Thomas, second; Melissa Hughes, third.

Male winners, age 41-50: Matt Byrne, first; Jeff Pellis, second; Seamus Morgan, third.

Female winners, age 41-50: Cathy Dragwa, first; Kris Danilovitz, second; Alicia Kelly, third.

Male winners, age 51-60: Dana Dragwa, first; Roger Davis, second; Lew Strunk, third.

Female winners, age 51-60: Mindy Hill, first; Alexandra Besten, second; Dana Haag, third.

Male winners, age 61+: Ed Lipski Jr., first; Jim Boettger, second; Ned Clarke, third.

Female winners, age 61+: Cheryl Duffy, first; Marlene Muklewicz, second; Debra Demming, third.

More than 100 runners participated. Proceeds benefit the Boys & Girls Clubs of NEPA for the annual children’s Christmas party and college scholarships at West Scranton High School, Minicozzi’s alma mater.

Pike County President Judge Gregory Chelak recently sentenced:

■ Seth Allen McCooey, 27, Dingmans Ferry, four to nine years in a state correctional facility and $5,500 fine for 10 counts of sexual abuse of children and one count of criminal use of a communication facility between July 2016 and Novem­ber 2017 in Dingmans Ferry.

■ Robert Scotti, 26, Ding­mans Ferry, six months of probation and $300 fine for DUI on April 24, 2016, in Delaware Twp.

■ Terese A. Dalessio, 44, Hawley, three years of probation and $400 fine for receiving stolen property between Dec. 6, 2015, and Dec. 6, 2016, in Blooming Grove Twp.

■ Troy Mikael Dock, 22, Green­town, 18 months of probation and $600 fine for theft and retail theft on Sept. 16 in Greene Twp. and Feb. 15 in Blooming Grove Twp.

■ Tyrel Lloyd Overbey, 38, Dingmans Ferry, nine to 23 months in the Pike County Jail and $600 fine for terroristic threats, simple assault and resisting arrest on Aug. 9, 2017, in Dingman Twp.

■ Katlyn Rebecca Grice, 20, Lords Valley, 48 hours to six months in the Pike County Jail and fined $500 for DUI on July 24, 2017, in Blooming Grove Twp.

■ Keith B. Wormuth, 34, Car­bondale, 15 days to six months in the Pike County Jail, $350 fine and 12 month driver’s license suspension for DUI on May 15, 2014, in Blooming Grove Twp.

■ William David Knudsen, 60, Hicksville, N.Y., 90 days to five years in the Pike County Jail, $1,500 fine and 18 month driver’s license suspension for DUI on Aug. 18, 2017, in Lacka­waxen Twp.

■ Luis Felito Hanson, 25, Dingmans Ferry, $525 fine for possession of drug paraphernalia and registration/certificate of title required on Nov. 25, 2106, in Lehman Twp.

■ Khalid Troy Pasha, 27, Bush­kill, 20 to 90 days in the Pike County Jail and $300 fine for operating a car without an interlock ignition on Dec. 7 in Lehman Twp.

■ Joseph Douglas Cardinale, 38, Lackawaxen Twp., three days of house arrest, $1,000 fine and 12 month driver’s license suspension for DUI on Feb. 4 in Lackawaxen Twp.

■ Jonathan U. Warner, 31, Middletown, N.Y., 63 days to six months in the Pike County Jail, $600 fine and six month driver’s license suspension for possession of a controlled substance and false identification to law enforcement on April 25, 2013, in Westfall Twp.

■ Richard Johnson, 57, Mil­ford, six months of the Pike Care IP Program, including one month of house arrest, a $500 fine and 12 month driver’s license suspension for DUI on Oct. 7 in Blooming Grove Twp.

■ Jennifer Ellen Sauvie, 26, Dingmans Ferry, 18 months of probation and $600 fine for two counts of theft between May 21, 2017, and Sept. 2 in Mata­moras.

■ Carl Raymond Heckman, 51, Northampton, six to 12 months in the Pike County Jail, $900 fine and 12 month driver’s license suspension for possession of a controlled substance, possession of a small amount of marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia on March 14 in Greene Twp.

■ Damaritzabel Cruz Fernan­dez, 30, Allentown, eight to 17 days in the Pike County Jail and $300 fine for possession of drug paraphernalia on Jan. 27 in Westfall Twp.

■ Taylor Steven Sargent, 27, of Conway, S.C., $300 fine for public drunkenness on May 15, 2017, in Matamoras.

■ Robert Joseph Warren, 55, no permanent address, eight to 19 months and 10 days in the Pike County Jail and $100 fine for obstruction of law between October 2016 and winter 2017 in Pike County.

When Starbucks made its very flashy decision to phase out drinking straws at its tens of thousands of coffee shops a few weeks ago, it affixed a national brand on an issue that Randy Ryan’s pondered for years.

The owner of the Kimchi Dude inside the Scranton Public Market at the Marketplace at Steamtown serves his food with plates and forks made from palm leaves. He only gives out napkins upon request.

The major chain and the independent chef alike are helping to advance a multi-billion-dollar trend growing in the food service industry to lessen the disposable serving ware that winds up in landfills and the ocean.

Biodegradable utensils and packaging cost significantly more than traditional plastic.

Ryan could buy 10 plastic forks for a penny. A single palm leaf fork costs about 6 cents, Ryan said.

Instead of biodegradable to-go containers, he uses ones that he hopes his customers will use again.

“I have chosen containers that are definitely reusable as Tupperware. I use them at my house,” he said. “I thought it was a smart marketing decision if I can get my jars in people’s homes. More than anything, it is for the planet.”

The disposables market probably won’t see widespread adoption of biodegradable material until regulations force the issue, said Sean McCormack, chief operations officer at industrial packaging distributor EcoIndustrial and Northeast Penn Supplies, which distributes food packaging supplies from Lackawanna County.

That doesn’t mean market demands won’t push the needle on their own.

“Like everything else, the consumer is the driver that’s determining what the businesses are doing,” he said. “We’re seeing more and more of that. Companies are asking us, restaurants, delis, supermarkets, ‘What do you have that’s compostable, recyclable and biodegradable?’”

The same is true on the industrial packaging side, he said. For example logistics companies more often ask whether they can get stretch wrap, used to bind up pallets of products, made from recycled material.

As with any new market, the field is ripe for innovation.

Zack Kong, a 26-year-old biologist in San Diego started his company, TwentyFifty Fork, after seeing trash floating down the river near his school at University of California San Diego.

He designed compostable flatware made from grain that breaks down completely in four weeks.

Like other businesses, cost remains a barrier capture more of the market.

Right now, his forks cost about 25 cents apiece. He’s striving to get that down to 5 cents apiece through automation.

“It’s all about the risk control,” he said.

He’s caught in a chicken-or-egg loop. He has a plan for automating, which will drive down the cost, but needs to lock in more customers before investing in the industrial production line.

Most restaurants won’t go 100 percent biodegradable or compostable.

It’s not that they can’t, but “it is hard to do it and keep your costs in line,” said Gene Philbin, chef and co-owner at Peculiar Slurp Shop, a noodle bar in downtown Scranton.

“One of the questions you always ask yourself is what vessel is the food going in when it leaves the building and how much is it going to cost?” he said. “Because that could really alter the price of your dish.”

Peculiar uses a special to-go bowl to separate its ramen noodles from the broth. The outside part of the bowl is biodegradable. The insert that keeps the ingredients apart “unfortunately” is plastic, he said.

“Sometimes you have to take the good with the bad, but with that said, that’s a 40-cents bowl,” Philbin said. A foam container that does the same thing might cost a dime.

McCormack estimated biodegradable accounts for less than one-tenth of the market. While some major cities have banned disposables that take hundreds of years to decompose, for example New York City’s recent announcement that it will ban foam plastic containers, most cities aren’t likely to force them out altogether.

Ryan at The Kimchi Dude said that shouldn’t stop other businesses from doing like Starbucks and change course on their own.

“We don’t see the waste piling up on the other side of the mountain,” Ryan said. “If we don’t correct our actions … it’s going to be a real issue down the road.”

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

Sept. 2, 1918

Ex-ambassador to Germany speaks in Scranton

James W. Gerard, former United States ambassador to Germany, spoke before a crowd of 6,000 people Aug. 31 at the armory in Scranton.

Gerard held the attention of those gathered with tales of the conditions in Germany, Belgium and the prison camps in northern France.

In his talk, he addressed the miners in the room and told them he had no doubt of their loyalty to the United States but feared that they didn’t understand how important they were to winning the war.

Shoemaker: No sale

to wholesalers

Seth Shoemaker, master of the six public markets operating in Scranton, said he was making every effort to stop wholesalers from interfering with the public markets.

On Aug. 31, he instructed Scranton police not to allow the wholesalers to enter the markets. He said a few wholesalers were able to purchase whole truckloads from farmers by meeting them before they entered the city.

Shoemaker also received complaints that the fish car sold all its clams to a wholesaler on Aug. 29.

Heinz store sale

Ladies’ plush sailor hats for $3.65, ladies’ fall and winter coats for $28.75, blouses for $3.39, corsets for $3.45, girls coats between $8.75 and $11.75, girls’ corduroy tams for 85 cents and silk stockings for $1.45.

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.

La PLUME TWP. — Keystone College began with a conversation at a general store.

The north had just won the Civil War, and no secondary schools existed between Scranton and Binghamton, New York. At that general store in the small Wyoming County town of Factoryville, three men discussed founding a high school for their children.

Keystone Academy opened in 1869, with 16 boys and girls.

As the region’s needs changed, so did the school. Keystone evolved from a small high school in a Baptist church, to a junior college, and to an institution that now offers graduate degrees.

More than 1,400 students started class last week, marking the college’s 150th year of providing education in Northeast Pennsylvania.

As the college prepares for a year of observance, it celebrates change and the people who had an evolving vision.

“When you look back at the founders, they weren’t afraid to look at the future,” college President Tracy L. Brundage, Ph.D., said. “It’s certainly an exciting time to be at Keystone. We’ve demonstrated that by working hard and working together, anything is possible.”

Early years

James Frear, the owner of the general store, named the new school. Since Pennsylvania was considered the “keystone” state, he suggested the new school would be the state’s “keystone” school.

A year after its opening, construction began on Harris Hall, a building in which students still learn. Small stoves heated classrooms, and running water was only available on the first floor. A gymnasium and two dormitories for boarding students soon followed.

Students learned math, sciences, languages, music and penmanship. A business curriculum offered banking, bookkeeping, commercial correspondence and law classes.

Total expenses, including tuition, books, room and board, ranged from $168 to $198 a year — an effort to keep costs as low as possible so students of varying means could afford to attend.

By 1879, Keystone had about 180 students. By 1889, there were 220.

The school’s most famous alumnus attended during this era. Christy Mathewson, one of the first players elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame, attended Keystone from 1895 through 1898. He played on the academy’s football team and served as pitcher and captain of its baseball team.

The school’s original seal is still on display inside Harris Hall. The Latin words “Fit Via Vi” translate to “Progress through effort” — a sentiment longtime faculty members say links the past to the present.

Degrees granted

As public high schools started to open in the early 1900s, Keystone’s enrollment began to decline. By the late 1920s, the academy was in danger of closing. The principal proposed converting Keystone into a private junior college.

Local businessmen raised money to pay off the school’s debts. In 1934, Keystone Academy became Scranton-Keystone Junior College. A decade later, the school shortened its name from Scranton-Keystone Junior College to Keystone Junior College to avoid confusion with the University of Scranton.

The end of World War II brought an enrollment boom as veterans entered Keystone under the GI Bill. The college converted all available space into classrooms, set up temporary housing units and acquired the former Abington Hills Country Club, two miles from campus, to use for veterans’ housing.

The next decades marked great expansion and change. From opening an astronomical observatory near Fleetville, to creating strong art programs and the popular Weekender class program, Keystone grew and enrollment increased.

Thomas G. Cupillari — for whom the observatory is named — has been present for more than a third of Keystone’s history.

He began as a student in 1958, and returned several years later to teach. He stayed at Keystone for 50 years, teaching physics, astronomy and math. He’s retired now, but still has an office on campus. Throughout each change, Keystone remained dedicated to its students, Cupillari said.

“It’s a good place for some kids to find themselves, and it’s a good place for everyone to get on track,” he said. “In some ways, the college has changed. In other ways, it has remained the same.”

Changes needed

By the early 1990s, Keystone once again faced demise. Community colleges had expanded throughout the country, and the demand for residential junior colleges like Keystone diminished. The board of trustees had a plan for closing the school, as enrollment declined from 763 to 376 in just four years.

Keystone had to evolve again.

“The college has had to react to the changing times,” said Michael Mould, Ph.D., athletic director from 1962 to 1990, and current part-time professor. “Those reactions have been in keeping with the need to maintain its relevance to students and families in the greater Scranton and Wilkes-Barre area.”

Led by President Edward G. Boehm Jr., Ed.D., and a determined faculty and board of trustees, Keystone Junior College became Keystone College in 1995. Three years later, the state Department of Education gave permission for Keystone to award bachelor’s degrees. In 2000, Keystone awarded its first bachelor’s degree in criminal justice.

“It was a thing we did for survival, but it was natural extension for us. It was time to grow as our students grow,” said Sherry Strain, Ph.D., a professor who has worked at Keystone for 31 years — a tenure in which she takes pride. “I figured I’d be at Keystone Junior College for a couple years, then I’d move to bigger and better things. In two years, I knew there was bigger, but there was not better.”

Looking ahead

Today, Keystone enrolls more than 1,400 students in more than 40 undergraduate and masters programs. Keystone offers 22 varsity sports for men and women, including the newly re-established football team, which will start to compete next year. Crews have broken ground on a multimillion-dollar redevelopment project along College Avenue. Another project will enhance the college’s main entrance.

Brundage, who became college president this summer, plans to focus on workforce development and strengthening programs to ensure student success after graduation.

Last week, just a few days into the semester, students met for coffee and study sessions in the campus dining hall.

Mark Durdach, a junior from Honesdale, said small class sizes and attention to students attracted him to the campus. Now the president of the student government association, he hopes he and fellow students make a lasting impact on the school that traces its beginnings to a conversation in a general store.

“I’m playing a small part in the next 150. Everyone can leave their mark in some way,” he said. “If we can look back and talk about the culture and history, it can enrich all of us.”

Contact the writer:

shofius@timesshamrock.com;

570-348-9133;

@hofiushallTT on Twitter

1868 – Keystone Academy originally chartered by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, with instruction beginning the following year in the local Baptist church in Factoryville.

1870 – Ground broken on the current site for Keystone Academy’s first building, Harris Hall, named after John Howard Harris, first president of Keystone.

1934 – Keystone Academy re-chartered as Scranton-Keystone Junior College.

1936 – First associate degree awarded to A. Llewellyn Baer.

1944 – The name of the college shortened to Keystone Junior College.

1970 – Moffat Hall, Keystone’s first residence hall built on campus.

1973 – Keystone College Observatory officially dedicated and opened to the public.

1995 – The college again shortened to its present name, Keystone College.

1998 – The college received formal approval from the Pennsylvania Department of Education to offer baccalaureate degree programs.

2000 – First baccalaureate degree, a bachelor of science in criminal justice, was awarded to Stacy Davis Bell.

2004 – Keystone College student-athletes begin competing at the NCAA Division III level.

2011 – Keystone establishes the Howard Jennings Nature Preserve in honor of Howard Jennings, retired biology professor.

2014 – Opening of Keystone’s new $3.4 million synthetic all-weather Athletic Field and Track Complex.

2014 – The college receives formal approval from the U.S. Department of Education and the Pennsylvania Department of Education to offer master’s degree programs.

Source: Keystone College

Summer isn’t over yet, but some businesses throughout Northeast Pennsylvania are getting ready for fall.

As temperatures soared to 90 degrees last week, the greenhouse at Herold’s Farm Market on the Sans Souci Highway in Hanover Twp. was filled with scarecrows, fall silk flowers and Halloween decorations.

Diane Black, who owns Herold’s Farm Market with her husband, Ray, and manager Kathy Flannery said they start getting everything ready for fall during the summer.

Their biggest sellers for fall are mums. About 18 workers planted nearly 20,000 mums on more than 3 acres behind Herold’s Farm Market in July. The flowers are starting to show color and they’ll be ready for sale in September, Black said. They also sell mums to other farm stands, she said.

Additionally, the market sells containers and baskets where people could put their mums.

“We have mums in three different sizes: 4-inch, 6-inch and 9-inch,” Black said. “We have 12-inch patio pots and 16-inch oval containers and we sell mums in hanging baskets in 10-inch and 12-inch sizes.”

Black said people buy mums because they like the fall colors, including orange, red and yellow as well as pink, purple and white. By the end of the summer, she said some people also find their other flowers aren’t doing well.

“Mums do well in cooler weather,” Black said.

She expects to see an increase in business after Labor Day weekend. They will sell pumpkins later in September.

Fall wreaths and other decorations also are for sale inside Dundee Gardens in Hanover Twp.

Owner Maggie Zembruski said the outside of the business also will be filled with mums and pumpkins this weekend.

“We have fully embraced fall although it’s pushing 100 degrees outside,” Zembruski said during last week’s heat wave. “This weekend, from indoors to outdoors, we will be able to outfit somebody’s home for fall decorating.”

In October, Dundee Gardens will host “Pumpkinland” every Saturday and Sunday from noon to 5 p.m. with a hay ride, pony rides, a haunted house, an obstacle course, an inflatable maze and more. The business has held Pumpkinland for more than 30 years. Last year, Dundee Gardens started doing birthday parties at Pumpkinland and this October, each weekend sold out, Zembruski said.

“We launched it this year in July and it was sold out by the end of July,” said Zembruski, the third generation in her family who owns the business with her husband John.

In Lackawanna County, the Roba family also has been busy getting ready for fall, said Jeff Roba, director of development and son of John and Sue Roba who own Roba Family Farms in North Abington Twp. and Roba Family Orchard in Scott Twp.

Roba Family Apple Orchard opened a week early and Jeff Roba said, “We’ve been getting ready for that for quite a while.”

The family opens the orchard to the public each fall to pick their own apples. There is a wagon ride to the orchard with 17 varieties of apples to choose. Some apples are ripe and ready. Apple picking started Aug. 31. The public also can cut their own sunflowers.

The wet weather over the summer didn’t affect the apples that adversely, Roba said. The recent heat and humidity was good for apples as well as corn and pumpkins, he said.

Pumpkin sales will start in mid-September at Roba Family Farms and they already have begun setting up for that, Roba said.

Opening day is Sept. 14 for Roba Family Farms, which offers a number of fall attractions, special events and activities. It will be open Sunday, Monday, Wednesday and Thursday from 10 to 7 p.m. and Friday and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.

“Fall is, hands down, our busiest season,” Roba said.

Contact the writer: dallabaugh@citizensvoice.com, 570-821-2115, @CVAllabaugh on Twitter

VETERANS

Third annual golf tournament set

Equines for Freedom third annual golf tournament, Saturday, Stone Hedge Golf Course, tournament generates funds to give free help to veterans and first responders who struggle with post-traumatic stress; online golf registration: equinesforfreedom.org; nongolfers may sponsor holes or make donations by mailing a check to Equines for Freedom, P.O. Box 53, Factoryville, PA 18419; EFF@equinesforfreedom.org or 570-665-2483.

VFW Post 4909

plans dinner-dance

Dupont VFW Post 4909 sock-hop dinner-dance, Saturday, post; bar open, 7:30 p.m.-12:30 a.m.; buffet dinner, 7:30-8:45; Millennium playing, 9 p.m.-1 a.m., $30; reservations at post or 570-654-9104.

Breakfast benefits

homeless vets

Keystone Chapter UNICO, Dunmore, breakfast fundraiser to benefit St. Francis Commons transitional living facility for veterans, Saturday, 8-10 a.m., Applebees, Viewmont Mall, Dickson City; $7 adults, $4 children; raffle; contact Frank or Mary Ann Coviello, 570-344-3737.

Sen. Baker plans

veterans event

State Sen. Lisa Baker veterans outreach with a VFW service officer, Sept. 17, 9:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m., 2512 Route 6, Hawley, lower level, rear, Lake Wallenpaupack Visitors Center; 570-226-5960.

Meetings

MARINE CORPS LEAGUE

Northeastern Detachment Marine Corps League and Museum, today, 2 p.m., detachment; nomination of officers.

POST 25

Gen. Theodore J. Wint VFW Post 25, today, 2291 Rockwell Ave., Scranton, canteen meeting, noon, post meeting, 12:30.

POST 7069

Abington Memorial VFW Post 7069, Thursday, 7 p.m.

POST 207

Kosciuszko American Legion Post 207, Thursday, 7 p.m., SS. Peter and Paul Church hall, 1309 W. Locust St., Scranton.

VFW DISTRICT 10

VFW District 10, Sept. 9 , 2 p.m., Post 25, 2291 Rockwell Ave., Scranton.

AMERICAN LEGION DISTRICT 11

American Legion District 11, reorganization meeting, Wednesday, 7:30 p.m., Post 908, Deacon Street, Scranton.

DAV CHAPTER 114

Disabled American Veterans Chapter 114, Sept. 12, 7 p.m., Cordaro’s Restaurant, 186 Grandview Ave., Honesdale.

POST 327 AUXILIARY

Olyphant Raymond Henry American Legion Post 327 Auxiliary, Sept. 10, 7 p.m.

CAMP 8

Ezra S. Griffin, Camp 8 Sons of Union Veterans, research open house, Monday, 1-3 p.m. Grand Army of the Republic Museum, Scranton City Hall, side ADA entrance, Mulberry Street.

NEPA COAST GUARD

NEPA Coast Guard Veterans Association, Sept. 19, 6:30 p.m., Perkins Restaurant, Route 315, Pittston Twp.; Neil Morrison, 570-288-6817.

POST 4909

Dupont VFW Post 4909, Sept. 10, 7:30 p.m., post home, home association meeting follows.

Merli Center

Today: Keurig coffee, 8:30 a.m.; morning visits, 8:45; eucharistic ministry visits, 9:15; pool tournament, 2 p.m.

Monday: Morning visits, 8:45 a.m.; Bible study visits on units, 9:30; Octaband with music, second floor, 10:15; bingo by the Stone family, with parfaits, 2 p.m.; senior fitness, 3; unit visits, 4.

Tuesday: Morning visits, 8:45 a.m.; musical bingo, 10:15; karaoke, 2 p.m.; Catholic service, 3; unit visits, 4.

Wednesday: Morning visits, 8:45 a.m.; Denny’s brunch trip by DAV 1, 9:45; resident council and ice cream social, 2 p.m.; food committee, 2:30; Bible club, 2 south lounge, 4; unit visits, 4.

Thursday: Morning visits, 8:45 a.m.; chapel service, 10; basketball, second floor, 10; cookout, 2 south, noon; bingo by Citizens Savings Bank, 2 p.m.; senior fitness, 3; unit visits, 4.

Friday: Morning visits, 8:45 a.m.; Leonxville VFW fishing trip, 9:45; bingo by American Legion District 11, 2 p.m.; senior fitness, 3; unit visits, 4.

Saturday: Morning visits, 8:45 a.m.; morning stretch, third floor, 10:15; chess tournament, second floor, 2 p.m.; unit visits, 4.

VETERANS NEWS should be submitted no later than Monday before publication to veterans@timesshamrock.com; or YES!desk, The Times-Tribune, 149 Penn Ave., Scranton, PA 18503.