On this date in NEPA

75 years ago, Jerome Myers, city solicitor, told city council members that if Scranton annexes Dunmore, Scranton would become responsible for all of Dunmore's debts, and Dunmore residents would be required to pay the same taxes that Scranton residents pay.

50 years ago, the Diocese of Scranton announced plans for the consolidation of St. Ann's and St. Patrick's high schools in West Scranton over a four-year period.

25 years ago, Richard Gscheidle of the Scranton Parking Authority reported that someone was stealing parking meters. He suggested that the local chapter of the Guardian Angels keep an eye on the meters.

10 years ago, Oxygen World Inc., an Italian scooter manufacturer, announced plans to open a facility in Throop, with hopes of employing 100 people within three years.

Nearly 35 years after his father captained the St. George team, 10-year-old Mark Mariani couldn't hide his excitement Sunday as he waited to follow in his dad's footsteps.

Donning the traditional sash, fazzoletto and royal blue shirt to represent St. George, Mark guided his teammates through Jessup's streets as part of the children's Corsa dei Ceri, one of the St. Ubaldo events held annually.

The run, similar to the adult race held Saturday, involves three teams carrying representations of St. Ubaldo, St. George and St. Anthony through the town. It's a more than century-old tradition brought to Jessup from Gubbio, Italy, organizers said.

"I have watched the adult race before, so I am really excited for this," Mark said, before taking off.

As someone who has participated in the run for about 10 years, 14-year-old Hunter Strackbein said "it used to be a lot more intense."

He said he can easily carry the items he once thought were "ridiculously heavy," such as the statue or sword. But Hunter still looks forward to the run because it's a great community event.

"It's a fun time to exercise and hang out with all your friends," he said.

A Mass honoring the saints, as well as the Alzata - or Raising of the Saints - preceded the run.

Contact the writer: miorfino@timesshamrock.com, @miorfinoTT on Twitter

Abingtons

Abington Memorial VFW Post 7069, parade, 10 a.m.; services at post follow; other services: Abington Hills Cemetery, 8:30; South Abington Memorial, 9; Clarks Green Cemetery, 9:30; Hickory Grove Cemetery, Waverly, 10.

Blakely

Shopa-Davey VFW Post 6082, auxiliary/American Legion A. Pierson Hurd Post 236 services, Veterans Memorial Park, assembly 8:15 a.m., post home; services at Jan Argonish Memorial, gravesites of John Shopa and Charles Davey and Finch Hill Cemetery to honor Gino Merli.

Carbondale

Carbondale Memorial Committee ceremony, 11 a.m., Memorial Park.

Covington Twp.

John J. Michaels VFW Post 5207 ceremony 10 a.m., post home; services: Fairview cemetery, 11; Covington Twp., 1 p.m.,police station, Daleville.

Dalton

Parade, 9 a.m., Streamside Park to fire hall for services at 9:20.

Dickson City

Dickson City Veterans Organizations program, 8 a.m. assembly at American Legion post; services at seven cemeteries, parade starts 11, Dickson City Fire Department grounds, ends with ceremony at Veterans Monument.

Dunmore

- Confederation of Union Generals, Delaney Delacy Guard of Scranton, ceremony, Forest Hills Cemetery, 1:30 p.m.

- VFW Post 3474, assembly, 8 a.m. for services at cemeteries.

- American Legion Victory Post 13 services 10 a.m., St. Mary of Mount Carmel Cemetery.

- Ezra S. Griffin, Camp 8 services, 10:30 a.m., Civil War plot, Dunmore Cemetery.

Dupont

AMVETS Post 189/VFW Post 4909/American Legion Post 657 services begin 8:30 a.m. at Polish National and Sacred Heart cemeteries; parade assembly, 10, VFW parking lot; services at Memorial Lawn.

Fell Twp.

Simpson VFW Post 4712 service, 9 a.m., post home.

Jefferson Twp.

Thomas A. Snook VFW Post 6520, cemetery services: South Canaan Methodist, 9 a.m.; Simontown, 9:30; Kizer, 10; Maplewood, 10:30; All Saints, 11; Hollisterville, 11:30; Mount Cobb, 1 p.m.; Elmdale, 1:30.

Jessup

VFW Post 5544/American Legion Post 411, services, 9:30 a.m., First Presbyterian Church; salute at Holy Ghost Cemetery, services conclude at Veterans Memorial Park.

Lakewood area

American Legion Post 209 services: Balls Eddy, 9 a.m.; Shehawken, 9:30; Orson, 9:45; Little York, 10:10; Rock Lake, 10:30; Lake Como, 11; ceremonies, noon, Lakewood Park.

Mayfield

American Legion Post 610 parade assembly at headquarters, 7 a.m., military services, 8, Sacred Heart of Jesus Cemetery; parade, 9, services at monument, Calvary and St. John's cemeteries and Memorial Park.

Old Forge

Old Forge American Legion Post 513 and VFW Post 4954 parade starts 10 a.m., Main and Miles streets, ceremony at Old Forge Cemetery.

Olyphant

Raymond Henry American Legion Post 327 services, 11 a.m., post home.

Scranton

- Koch-Conley American Legion Post 121 program, 10 a.m., Cathedral Cemetery.

- Hyde Park Memorial Post, VFW Post 6528/Keyser Valley Citizens Association ceremonies, 11.

- City of Scranton, Nay Aug Park ceremony, noon in front of Everhart Museum.

- Lackawanna County Council of Veterans program, Gino Merli Veterans Center, 2 p.m.

Throop

Herbert Clark American Legion Post 180/VFW Post 7251, assembly, 8 a.m., Throop Civic Center; services: St. Mary's Cemetery, 8:15; Veterans Plaque at Municipal Building, 10, VFW Post 7251, 11.

Wayne County

Honesdale Parade, lineup, 9 a.m., step-off, 10.

Wyoming County

Factoryville

Olin R. Wheelock American Legion Post 375 parade, 10 a.m., Lackawanna Trail Elementary; service at Evergreen-Woodlawn Cemetery.

Meshoppen Twp.

Rought-Hall American Legion Post 510, 10:55 a.m., Black Walnut Post Hall, preceded by flag walk from Black Walnut Cemetery.

Nicholson

American Legion Post 953 parade 11 a.m., Old Railroad Depot; service at Nicholson Cemetery.

Overfield Twp.

St. Mary of the Lake Mass, 8 a.m., Fairview Cemetery; Lake Winola Lions and Lionesses service, 1 p.m., Lion Park.

Tunkhannock

Dennis Strong American Legion Post 457 parade, 10 a.m., Tunkhannock Area High School access road; service at courthouse.

Abington Heights

An aspiring health care provider, Paige Basalyga has spent hours over the past month shadowing nurses at Geisinger Community Medical Center.

Through a class offered at Abington Heights High School, the senior has had the opportunity to learn from health-care professionals and watch them handle emergencies.

"It helped me realize this is something I wanted to do," Paige said. "It's such a great learning experience."

Paige said she plans to continue shadowing nurses at the hospital even after she graduates. She is also a volunteer at Clarks Summit Fire Company.

Blue Ridge

Students in second grade at Blue Ridge took a trip around the world.

In Brian Woodruff's class, the students learned about the different places where people live, including continents, countries, states, counties, cities and towns.

As part of the social studies unit, students also learned about locations, population, language, weather, sports, food, plants, animals and trade. The students used the Internet and books to gather information about the different ways in which the world is broken up. They were asked to choose a country to research. They created a book of their research which was shared with their other classmates at an open house.

kbolus@timesshamrock.com

Carbondale Area

There are three types of distracted driving: manual, visual and cognitive.

Natasha Gillott doesn't plan to let any of them affect her driving.

The sophomore attended a presentation on safe driving, which included videos about lives lost due to distracted behavior.

"It really opened my eyes," she said. "I will definitely think twice before using the cellphone when driving. I never realized just how much I could ruin my own life as well as the lives of others by practicing distracted driving."

rbrown@timesshamrock.com

Delaware Valley

Katie Hammond takes advantage of club memberships and volunteer opportunities in her community.

The senior isn't just an AP scholar with honors and a member of National Honor Society, she is also the director of debates for the political awareness club and a peer tutor. Katie runs track and field. Also, she participated in the PA Junior Academy of Science and Humanities Symposium.

"Participating in school activities has given me the opportunity to be more involved in school events and it has helped to strengthen friendships with people from different groups," said Katie.

Outside the classroom, Katie is a volunteer for Country Arc Farms. She gives her time to the United Way, YMCA, Future Lady Warrior basketball camp and the veterans shelter.

"Volunteering has given me the honor to work with diverse and inspiring individuals who remind me of the impacts that good deeds have on others' lives," she said.

This fall, Katie will attend Clarion University.

kbolus@timesshamrock.com

Dunmore

Kaitlin Ahern was captain of a sixth-grade team that recently won first place in the middle school division of Northeastern Educational Intermediate Unit's reading competition.

The competition is an annual contest where students from many local school districts read books from a given list and answer comprehension questions.

As captain, Kaitlin read 25 books from the list of 45 to help her team in the contest, which was hosted by Western Wayne High School. The team won bragging rights and T-shirts.

"It's a fun escape from reality," Kaitlin said of her love of reading. "Even though I will read anything, I truly enjoy fantasy."

kwind@timesshamrock.com

Elk Lake

Dan Mills, a senior, is joining the Marine Corps after graduation.

"I live with my grandparents, and my grandfather has a big role in me going into the Marine Corps," Dan said. "A lot of my family has been in the military. My grandfather was a Marine and he just had a big role on my enlistment."

Dan will be shipping out on June 17 for Parris Island, S.C. After graduation from basic training, Dan will go to the school of infantry, training to be a rifleman.

lzaccagnino@ timesshamrock.com

Lackawanna Trail

Just a kindergartener, Sophie Haus already has been recognized for her writing skills.

The Lackawanna Trail Elementary Center kindergartner won the PBS Go! Young Writers and Illustrators contest. Sponsored by Pennsylvania College of Technology and WVIA-TV, the event provides students in kindergarten through third grade an opportunity to write and illustrate their own stories.

Sophie was honored for her work, titled "Sophie and Emma to the Rescue," at the 2013 WVIA Scholastic Achievement Awards ceremony on May 8.

miorfino@timesshamrock.com

Lakeland

Three Lakeland Elementary School students were recognized for essays that detailed the dangers of drug abuse.

Fifth-graders Izabella Chmil, Aiden Gill and John Anzelmi were named 2013 Drug Abuse Resistance Education essay winners.

miorfino@timesshamrock.com

Mid Valley

He was apprehensive at the outset of the yearlong project, but when the wooden painting was hung on the wall of the Dickson City Borough Building, he was proud.

Senior James Yzkanin spent his entire junior year working on the 8-foot by 8-foot project, which detailed the history of the borough. He worked on the project in sections and didn't see the final work until a borough council meeting last month.

"I never saw it all put together," he said. "That night was just as much of a surprise for me."

After graduation, James plans to attend Temple University and study business and photography.

rbrown@timesshamrock.com

Montrose

Kelsey Brink was voted the prom queen by her peers.

"It was exciting to find out. It was shocking, I didn't think I would be named queen," she said. "My mom was more excited than me, though."

Kelsey likes to focus on her studies. She said she would like to be successful not only in high school but also in the future.

kbolus@timesshamrock.com

Mountain View

From a blank slab of white plaster, Jessica Bostjancic created a landscape.

For Mountain View's annual Arts Alive, Jessica took what was once a blank canvas and built a mountain from cardboard, adding beads to symbolize water flowing down the mountain's side. Jessica was instructed to choose an element and symbolize it through abstract movement. The project was then placed on display at the high school.

The aquatic artwork is also being submitted for possible display at the Harford Fair.

Jessica has been running track since seventh grade and last month participated in vocal jazz.

kbolus@timesshamrock.com

North Pocono

Jesse Buxton excels academically and athletically and is involved in his community.

The senior is in the top 20 of his class, has been a high honors student every quarter while in high school and is a member of the National Honor Society, student council and Future Business Leaders of America.

He is also a member the soccer and track teams and said his most memorable moments in school came when the soccer team beat Valley View in double overtime in both his junior and senior years.

Outside of school, Jesse works as a lifeguard at Indian Rocks, shovels snow at Moscow United Methodist Church, volunteers at the special needs camp at Sky Lake and last summer went on a mission trip to Kentucky.

kwind@timesshamrock.com

Riverside

Juniors Corey Allen and Jake Torba recently graduated from the Tomorrow's Leaders Today program.

Tomorrow's Leaders Today is a program sponsored through Skills in Scranton that brings together area high school students to build leadership skills while working for a good cause. Each year, selected students develop and execute a community service project while learning skills to prepare them for the working world.

This year, the students coordinated a bowl-a-thon to raise money for Arc of Scranton. In addition, the students worked closely with the Scranton Foundation to give out thousands of dollars in grants to local agencies. This year the group selected St. Francis of Assisi Kitchen, the Boys and Girls Club and Friends of the Poor as grant recipients.

Scranton

West Scranton High School students raised $700 for the Lackawanna County Heart Walk, sponsored by the American Heart Association.

About 30 students walked in memory of Diane Marinchak, an environmental science teacher who died in February after suffering a massive heart attack. Walk participants included Eryn Sullivan, Alaina Evans, Jane Baranowski, Jessi Purawic, Adeline O'Brien, Amanda O'Brien, Isabelle O'Brien, Katie Cantafio, Marissa Pazzaglia, Emily O'Malley, Meghan Gaughan, Sara Tesluk, Jaime Niemiec, Katie Langan, Kayla Maters, Abby Frasier, Jocelyn Valencia, Alex Matay, Erin Lawless, Jorge Guevera, Ian Evans, Jeremy Wassil, Tim Merkel, John Waltman, Stephen Bendowski, Christian Luciano and Ryan Temsamrit.

shofius@timesshamrock.com

Valley View

Anthony Galantini's inspirational fifth-grade teacher helped him earn recognition in a recent essay contest.

The senior tied for third in the WVIA-TV Making a Difference: Great Teachers 2013 essay contest, writing about Mr. Weston.

"Mr. Weston stepped in when I needed him," Anthony said. "My mom just was diagnosed with cancer and he helped me deal with the situation. He is a great person with a big heart."

Anthony is also involved in football, wrestling, track and field, the National Honor Society, Math Honor Society, student council, history club and health and physical education club.

rbrown@timesshamrock.com

Western Wayne

Senior Roberta Swingle was recognized as an outstanding senior at the May school board meeting.

The daughter of John and Lisa Swingle of Lake Ariel, Roberta is a member of the National Art Honor Society and an American Red Cross blood donor since the 10th grade. She also is a blood drive volunteer and often helps at the canteen at the blood drives.

Roberta's strongest aptitudes are in the mathematics fields; she has taken three honors and an Advanced Placement math course. Roberta plans to attend the University of Scranton to major in secondary education mathematics.

Wyoming Seminary

The play's the thing for Siobhan Brier of Scranton.

A senior, Siobhan has been cast in every spring play and fall musical at Sem for the past four years and played one of two female leads two summers ago in the Performing Arts Institute's production of the musical "Two Gentlemen of Verona." She appeared in the April production of "The Tempest," portraying the invisible spirit Ariel.

"I had fun playing Ariel, one of my favorite roles so far. She is a force of nature," Siobhan said.

Siobhan also enjoys reading movie scripts and writing short plays. One of her works was featured in the school's February winter theater workshop. She will be considering a major in theater when she attends Pennsylvania State University's Schreyers Honors College in the fall.

Wyoming Seminary graduates 114

KINGSTON - Be a Good Samaritan, and you'll make your part of the world a better place - no matter where it may be.

History teacher Brian Kaschak used the parable from the Gospel of Luke in his charge to the class of 2013 at Wyoming Seminary's 169th commencement ceremony Sunday afternoon.

The 114 graduates who received diplomas from Chairman of the Board of Trustees Richard M. Goldberg included students from 11 states and 13 other countries among their ranks.

Mr. Goldberg's daughter Leah, one of 11 graduates inducted by history teacher C.J. Kersey into the Wyoming Chapter of the Cum Laude Society, introduced Mr. Kaschak as someone dedicated to teaching, coaching and "simply knowing each one of us."

Mr. Kaschak noted that the Good Samaritan "did not expect any reward or accolades for his behavior; he did not require reimbursement for the expense of his charitable deeds; he did not help his fellow human being to fulfill a community service requirement or to boost his resume."

"Whatever else you do in life, if you try to be Good Samaritans, that is to say, if you try to consider everyone you encounter your neighbor, if you try to empathize with them and engage them with compassion, humility and love, you will make your small corner of the world, wherever it may be, a better place," Mr. Kaschak said.

"Indeed, you will have done something meaningful and consequential with your lives."

Spencer Norris of Dallas noted in his humorous address to his classmates that "There's one mistake that Sem has actually encouraged us to make again and again. The mistake … is to care too much."

Calling on her fellow graduates to thank their teachers - who not only worked with them through their long school days, but unofficially adopted them into their families, Caroline Reppert of Kingston delivered the farewell address.

The conclusion of Wyoming Seminary's 169th academic year was declared by President Kip Nygren with the ringing of the Cokesbury Bell by junior Nada Bader of Mountaintop. It was the last time the bell will be rung 16 times, one for each decade of the school's existence. Next year it will be tolled 17 times to mark the 170th anniversary.

Members of the Class of 2013 from the Greater Scranton Area include:

Udai Aulakh, Waverly; Skylar Banul, Pittston; Mary Siobhan Brier, Scranton; Jessica Caster­line, Exeter; Lauren Golden, Dupont; Devin Holmes, Fleetville; Joelene Joinvil, Scranton; Scott Kwiatek, Lake Ariel; Katherine Maximov, Lake Ariel; Dakota Pace, Lake Ariel; Amanda Stella, Pittston.

Contact the writer: eskrapits@citizensvoice.com

ASHLEY - The spirits of America's war dead and spirits of victims of anthracite mine accidents were summoned by speaker after speaker Monday as a new memorial to coal miners was unveiled at Ashley.

"When your father left that morning for work, you were not sure he would return." state Sen. John Yudichak, D-Plymouth Twp., said, speaking of the thousands who went to work in the coal mines each day.

Mr. Yudichak and others invoked their own families' coal-mining heritage. He applauded the monument as a fitting remembrance of the miners of Northeast Pennsylvania, and the crowd of about 250 in turn applauded when Ray Clarke of Ashley unveiled the monument.

Mr. Clarke, chairman of the board of the Huber Breaker Preservation Society, was in tears as the blue tarp fell away, exposing the black granite monument. A new American flag fluttered at half-staff as the deteriorating Huber Breaker sat in the background.

"We may not save the breaker," said Robert Hughes, executive director of the Eastern Pennsylvania Coalition for Mine Reclamation, "but with this monument and this park, we still can tell the story."

The society owns 3.1 acres in front of the breaker, land donated by Earth Conservancy. Mr. Clarke said work will continue on creating a path, on which people can view the breaker while it stands. Kiosks will tell the story of mining and the miners.

State Rep. Eddie Day Pashinski, D-Wilkes-Barre, cited the freedoms that Americans enjoy to gather, to speak, to vote and to worship, freedoms protected by war dead.

"Today is Memorial Day. It is fitting to also honor those who gave their lives in the mines." The spirit shown by anthracite miners is "the same spirit you have today," he said.

Those in the military and miners both did "noble work," said state Rep. Gerald Mullery. The Rev. Carol Coleman, of Ashley and pastor of Luzerne United Methodist Church, said we must honor the "quiet heroes," the miners who had the courage to face dark days and "went to battle every day of their lives."

Steve Biernacki, a member of the Huber Society board, was master of ceremonies for the program. He noted that 31,088 miners died over the course of anthracite's history in Northeast Pennsylvania.

Luzerne County court officials are looking for a few good men and women.

The county is poised to launch a "veterans court" program and needs a group of volunteers who served in the military to act as mentors for defendants.

Veterans court will specifically handle criminal cases involving military veterans and will streamline their treatment plans, said Luzerne County Judge Joseph Sklarosky Jr., who has been selected to head the court.

Judge Sklarosky said details about eligibility and the legal model the court will follow are still being finalized. He said the court will be similar to the county's treatment court, which aims to treat an offender's drug problems and erases a defendant's criminal case if he completes the intensive program.

A key difference, Judge Sklarosky said, is the veteran mentor.

"Veterans share a special bond. There's a certain level of respect," Judge Sklarosky said. "Based on what we've been able to learn, it's a support role. It's an advice role. Someone to call with questions. It may entail something as simple as giving a ride."

Fifteen counties in Pennsylvania have a veterans court, including Lackawanna County.

According to the state court, veterans courts are designed to assist veterans charged with nonviolent crimes who are struggling with addiction, mental illness or other disorders.

Judge Sklarosky said Luzerne County officials have met with officials in Lackawanna County and will soon be meeting with Montgomery County officials about the program.

Veteran defendants will be required to follow through with all recommendations by the court, much like participant of drug court, the judge said.

Judge Sklarosky said he'll be able to mandate veterans to seek services from the Veterans Administration, such as drug and alcohol treatment and job assistance.

Anyone interested in becoming a veteran mentor may call Judge Sklarosky's chambers at 825-1803.

Contact the writer: bkalinowski@citizensvoice.com

CLARKS SUMMIT - Clutching an American flag in one hand, 6-year-old Elizabeth Henkels pulled a peppermint patty from her basket and handed it to a Clarks Summit veteran.

"Peppermint Patties are my favorite candy, but I wanted to share today," she said on Monday. "I wanted to thank him."

Across Lackawanna County on Monday, organizations held parades, wreath-layings, prayers and other ceremonies in honor of the Memorial Day holiday.

Dozens of people clad in red, white and blue straddled the concrete barriers along the West Grove Street bridge in Clarks Summit, snapping pictures, taking video and applauding as veterans cruised by.

Children lined the sidewalks on State Street. Some held miniature American flags and waved, others scampered for pieces of candy tossed by people in the parade.

Organized by the Abington Memorial VFW Post 7069, the annual parade featured organizations from the Abington Heights Civic League to the Abington Heights High School's marching band.

"We got back from performing at Disney World at about 2 a.m., but we weren't going to miss this," said Rebecca Hetzel, a director. "It's our chance to honor the veterans, especially those in the Abingtons."

While tapping his shillelagh against the pavement, Dominic Scott adjusted his VFW cap and looked up at the bright blue sky, smiling.

"It's never rained on my parade," said the Korean War Veteran and parade's chairman. "Today's an opportunity, community-wide, to recognize those who have served and those who continue to serve."

At Nay Aug Park in Scranton, veterans and community members sat in lawn chairs and listened to Veteran Todd O'Malley, a retired major with the U.S. Army, describe the difficulties some face in suffering from post-traumatic-stress disorder.

"Every single day, 22 veterans will end their own life," said Mr. O'Malley at the VFW Post 25 and city of Scranton's Memorial Day service. "It's not enough to honor our veterans on this day alone. Honor them every day."

The service also included a 21-gun salute, flag-raising and patriotic music.

Scranton resident Ramona Brown still remembers writing letters to service members during World War II. The letters, filled with passion and emotion, helped her forge a relationship with her late-husband, Sgt. Stanley Brown, she said.

Now, she will write them to her grandson, who just enrolled in the Navy.

"Today means a lot to me because I understand how much veterans sacrifice for us," Ms. Brown said.

At Forest Hills Cemetery in Dunmore, dozens of people dressed in Victorian-era outfits and listened to a rendition of the Gettysburg Address.

Clad in a navy blue wool coat, white leather gloves and a gold belt, John Hart portrayed Lt. Gen. Winfield Scott in Monday's "Decoration Day Ceremonies."

Organized by the Delaney Delacy Guard and the Confederation of Union Generals, the ceremony was meant to reintroduce the orders that established Memorial Day, such Gen. John Logan's Order 11.

"They best way to bring history to the forefront is to relive it," Mr. Hart said.

U.S. Rep. Matt Cartwright delivered the principle address, and a rifle salute followed the wreath-laying.

There were also Memorial Day parades planned in Dalton, Dupont and many other towns, including the American Legion Post 610 Memorial Day Parade in Mayfield and the Old Forge American Legion Post 513 and VFW Post 4954 parade.

Other holiday services included the Carbondale Memorial Committee Day ceremony, Dickson City Veterans Organizations Memorial Day Program and Raymond Henry American Legion Post 327 Memorial Day services in Olyphant.

Contact the writer: miorfino@timesshamrock.com, @miorfinoTT on Twitter

Lackawanna County Commissioners Corey O'Brien and Jim Wansacz never imagined they would still be searching for a building to buy almost 18 months into their administration. With the administration considering more than 10 properties in downtown Scranton and elsewhere to meet the county's office space demands, a decision is "probably a couple of months" away, Mr. Wansacz said.

"I wish this would have been done a year ago," he said. "It's been difficult to find the right building."

The majority commissioners have been looking since early 2012 for a building to purchase to alleviate a looming space crunch and get county offices out of leased properties.

The county now maintains month-to-month leases at three buildings: 1300 Old Plank Road, Mayfield, where Domestic Relations Services is located; One Pyramid Center, 409-415 Spruce St., which houses the district attorney's office, and the Brooks Building, 436 Spruce St., home to the clerk of judicial records civil division.

In addition, a lease on more than 30,000 square feet in the Scranton Electric Building on Linden Street will expire in 2015.

One issue, Mr. O'Brien said, is every time the commissioners think they may be ready to make a decision, additional properties come to their attention.

"That's a positive," he said. "We don't want to leave any stone unturned."

For the same reason, the county is looking at buildings outside of downtown Scranton, although the majority commissioners said they would prefer a property in the downtown.

The commissioners declined to identify the properties under consideration. The Kane Professional Building on North Washington Avenue is known to be on the list after the county earlier this year paid for an evaluation of the structure.

In addition to the square footage and the purchase price, the commissioners said they will weigh other factors in their decision. Those range from the cost of any renovations to the potential economic impact, including the effect of taking a property off the tax rolls.

Ideally, they said, the county would pay the mortgage on the property with the money it saves by not leasing.

Mr. O'Brien and Mr. Wansacz said their preference would be a building large enough to satisfy the county's space needs but not so big that the county winds up with excess space.

Mr. Wansacz would not rule out buying two smaller buildings if that made the most sense financially.

"We are looking for that long-term, 50-year solution," Mr. O'Brien said. "It's important to make the right move because it won't be possible to undo it."

Contact the writer: dsingleton@timesshamrock.com

Kristen Walton and her family were heartsick when Jax, an 8-year-old bloodhound mix, unexpectedly bolted from her mother-in-law's porch in Plains Twp. on a recent Sunday afternoon.

Family and friends searched the neighborhood, but Jax ran into the woods and could not be found.

"I thought there were going to be many sleepless nights, wondering where he was," Mrs. Walton said. Then she remembered seeing posts on her Facebook page from the Lackawanna & Luzerne Counties Lost Dog Project, a Facebook site that's dedicated to reuniting lost pets with their owners.

She contacted the site's creator, Ellen McCormick of Scranton, who posted Jax's photo. Four hours later, he was home, found a few miles away by a woman in Wilkes-Barre.

"I couldn't believe it happened that quick," Mrs. Walton said.

Jax's case is one of dozens of success stories Ms. McCormick has celebrated since she launched the Lost Dog Project in August. As of this month, more than 100 dogs have been reunited with their owners, thanks, in part, to information provided on the site, she said.

An avowed animal lover, Ms. McCormick, 32, of Franklin Avenue, owns an 11-year-old black Lab/chow mix named Mack. She decided to create the page while working as a volunteer for the Griffin Pond Animal Shelter in South Abington Twp. Some of the dogs there are strays brought in by strangers. She thought putting their pictures on the Internet would increase the chance of finding their owners.

The site's popularity took off in April, after it assisted in finding Blaze, a Siberian husky who was lost in Plains Twp. More than 9,000 Facebook users shared his photo, Ms. McCormick said. Today the Lost Dog Project page has been "liked" by nearly 3,000 Facebook users.

The project is a labor of love for Ms. McCormick, who spends hours each day updating it with information relayed to her by pet owners throughout the Northeast.

"It became my passion once Blaze was found. I was like, 'Wow, this really works,' '' she said.

Demand for information became so overwhelming that she recently enlisted the help of fellow volunteer Judy Polito Clause of Greenfield Twp. Mrs. Clause, 40, said she got interested in the site after several of her Facebook friends shared photos of lost pets on her page.

"I love animals. If I ever lost one of mine, I'd want someone to help me," Mrs. Clause said.

Together, the women post to the site nearly 24-7. It's a lot of effort, but they say it's well worth it.

"When (pets and owners) are reunited, its absolutely worth it," Mrs. Clause said. "Also, people go through a lot of anxiety when they lose a pet. Just letting them know there are people out there to help them gives them a little bit of comfort."

Jason Seymour, 24, of Scranton, knows that feeling. His golden retriever, Sadie, was lost on May 3 after she slipped her collar while being taken for a veterinarian visit.

"I probably got four hours of sleep waiting for a phone call for someone to say they found her. It's really traumatic," he said.

He contacted Ms. McCormick, who quickly posted Sadie's picture online.

"Within two hours, it was shared over 200 times," Mr. Seymour said.

Sadie was found two days later about six miles from home. He credits the site with assisting in her recovery.

"It spreads to so many people so fast. The more people who know, the better the chance," he said. "

The site primarily features posts from people who have lost pets. It's increasingly being utilized by people who find lost dogs.

Anyone who has lost a pet can get the information posted by uploading a photo and details, including the date and location the pet was last seen, to Lost Dog Project's Facebook page. All submissions are reviewed by Ms. McCormick and Mrs. Clause, who then post them to the site.

Most of the posts on the site involve lost dogs, but Ms. McCormick said she also posts other pets. Most recently, the site helped locate a horse that was lost in Lake Winola.

Ms. McCormick said she's working on expanding efforts. She's currently developing a website, nepalostdog.com, in addition to the Facebook page. She hopes to have the site up within the next week.

While the women are pleased their efforts are assisting to reunite pets with owners. Mrs. Clause said their efforts might not be necessary if owners followed one simple suggestion:

"If people would just go down to Wal-Mart or PetSmart and get a tag and a dog collar with their name and phone number. Dog licenses are great, but over the weekend they're useless," she said.

Contact the writer: tbesecker@timesshamrock.com

Nothing increases a utility's social media presence like a highly anticipated storm.

During Superstorm Sandy, PPL Electric Utilities more than doubled its Twitter followers and increased its "likes" on Facebook by a factor of 45, from just 310 on Oct. 28, before the storm to 13,445 by the time Sandy blew over on Nov. 8.

That data was released recently in a state Public Utility Commission report analyzing utilities' response to Superstorm Sandy, which battered eastern and central Pennsylvania, leaving 1.8 million people without power for a time.

The study underscored the importance regulators place on social media platforms. While Twitter and Facebook are more typically used to tout the accomplishments of pets or gripe about mediocre meals, they are being used to convey critical information on a range of subjects, including storm damage and restoration. The interactions are two-way. Customers report outages back to the utility through Facebook and Twitter, information that can help diagnose an outage.

"When there is a storm, we are in the front of people's minds," said Michael Wood, PPL Electric Utilities spokesman.

The storm hit after PPL made its website mobile-friendly for easier navigation on tablets and cell phones. Its social networking presence was in its infancy.

PPL doesn't have a mobile application, or app, just yet. The company is gauging the success of a mobile app launched by its sister utility in Kentucky. PPL also has a presence on Flickr and Google Plus.

People should have a battery-powered radio or even a generator in the case of a power failure. But many do not. A charged mobile device connects powerless residents with the outside world.

For people with prolonged outages staying in a community shelter, getting a phone charged ranks in importance near going to the bathroom, getting a meal or a taking a shower.

"People in a hotel or at work made sure their cell phone was charged," Mr. Wood said. "You may go home and not have television or radio, but you can get information from your device."

Access to information via email alerts and the website helped reduce the number of a calls affected people made to PPL's call center, which was overburdened during the last major event, Hurricane Irene in 2011.

The PUC report noted that as utilities made more effective use of social media and increased the efficiency of call centers, they experienced fewer peak call volume backups during Sandy.

Anti-social network

The act of following someone or some entity on Facebook may be called a "like," but not all the posts suggest that followers like whom they follow. Often, PPL's page features followers' vents, gripes and complaints about slow power restoration, collection attempts, tree trimming or the compensation package for PPL executives. Given followers' obscenities and accusations, PPL's page administrator doesn't appear to censor or delete many messages.

The negative comments, justified or not, have value.

A review of the PPL's social media interactions during the storm showed that positive interactions outnumbered negative by 3-to-1, Mr. Wood said. "When taken in total, all interactions give you the day-to-day feeling of the community," he said.

Deleting negative comments, even unfounded or just plain mean ones, is a no-no for business or governmental entities trying to keep in touch with customers or citizens. Often, zealously curating one's Facebook page leads to a backlash of "unfollows" and complaints about censorship on what is perceived as a public commons.

Andrew Torba, founder of Kuhcoon LLC, a Scranton-based social media consultancy, said government and utilities have to maintain transparency. Deleting negative comments can send the wrong message.

"You try to address negative comments as you would through any customer service channel," he said. But he draws the line at posts that are blatantly slanderous, racist, obscene or spam.

During Sandy, PPL had an estimated 531,095 impressions on its Twitter account and 883,141 on Facebook.

When there is not a storm or far-reaching outages, PPL Facebook presence reverts to that of other users of the site - wishing moms a happy Mother's Day, extending sympathies following the Boston bombing or welcoming the arrival of Friday. More to its mission, PPL will often promote electrical safety or conservation and tout its environmental efforts or community work.

In one Twitter interaction with @PPLElectric, a York County resident tweeted he "had work" for PPL. PPL tweeted back, encouraging him to report the problem to the utility via phone. The resident tweeted back that a truck had shown up and thanked PPL. In another Twitter exchange, @PPLElectric cleared up a billing misunderstanding.

"Social media played an important role in keeping people informed through Sandy and it will continue to play that role," said PUC spokesperson Jennifer Kocher. "Most importantly, we see people being educated through social media."

Contact the writer: dfalchek@timesshamrock.com

A public park in Clifton Twp. is still taking shape more than two years after the board of supervisors made the controversial decision to buy the parcel of land on which it sits for $180,000.

A sign now sits along Clifton Beach Road, marking the Clifton Acres park.

Although the area is accessible to the public, June Ejk, the board's chairwoman, said the park is still approximately 40 acres of undeveloped woods for now.

The total parcel was about 50 acres. Ms. Ejk said the board subdivided the land about a month ago to add 10 acres to the adjacent Municipal Building's property for future use that may include placing a recycling center there.

Ms. Ejk said a recently received $77,000 grant from the state Department of Conservation and Natural Resources will offset some of the cost of the land purchase.

Supervisors do not want local taxpayers to have to pay for additional expenses to develop the park, she said, and at the end of the year, township officials will apply for grants to get the ball rolling.

The first step will be developing a site plan to determine how the land can be used when funding is secured.

Ms. Ejk said the site plan, which she estimated will cost $10,000 to $20,000 to develop, will be particularly important because the property has some wetlands that cannot be used. After that, she envisions the park remaining a largely wooded area with some walking and hiking trails to be created with grant money.

Some local parks have paved areas and facilities like baseball fields, but at Clifton Acres, "the terrain is a little rougher than that," Ms. Ejk said.

While officials wait to apply for grants, the township has applied for a permit through the state Department of Transportation to create a nonpaved road into the park.

Lori Yacabitis and fellow recreation committee member Richard Batzel expressed excitement about the park's potential and envision residents enjoying recreation opportunities there, like hiking, biking, cross country skiing and youth fishing derbies.

Contact the writer: kwind@timesshamrock.com, @kwindTT on Twitter

HARRISBURG - A flashpoint is emerging over a proposed rewrite of the state open records law concerning how to deal with record requests that governments consider "unduly burdensome."

The new legislation by Senate Majority Leader Dominic Pileggi, R-9, Chester, offers a number of changes to the 2008 law that set a legal presumption for the first time that records of government agencies are considered public documents.

Mr. Pileggi said the time is right to consider changes to the open records law because of recent decisions handed down by state appeals courts and unanticipated events such as the high volume of commercial and prison inmate-filed requests. The role of the state Office of Open Records, which decides whether a record is a public record, is addressed in the legislation, too.

But testimony at a recent Senate hearing highlighted differences in opinion over a bill provision allowing governments to petition the court for a protective order against burdensome requests for records made by the public.

The Pennsylvania State Association of Township Supervisors said it is aware of problems with Right to Know Law requests filed by people upset with a citation relating to an enforcement action or compliance with an ordinance.

"Townships are seeing the Right to Know Law used as a hammer to harass the municipality or a neighbor," said PSATS President Lester Houck. "Some of these requestors submit voluminous, weekly requests simply to cause problems because of a gripe with the neighbor or township."

That same provision struck Ernie Schreiber, executive editor at Lancaster Newspapers, as ill-conceived.

"It is an automatic out for any agency that wants to avoid accountability," he said. "When a request is filed, the agency can simply file a petition to the court, a proceeding that would deter many requestors who do not have the legal resources to go to court."

Terry Mutchler, director of the open records office, said the provision would enable governments to bypass dealing with her agency and go to the courts instead.

The independent status of the OOR would be reinforced under the legislation. A provision would enable the office to review actual documents in private to see if they should be released.

The OOR should also be given power to enforce its rulings that grant access to records, said Kim de Bourbon, executive director of the Pennsylvania Freedom of Information Coalition.

The current law allows an agency to do nothing in response to an OOR ruling that it must release records, she added.

Contact the writer: rswift@timesshamrock.com

A lot of doors have opened for Danielle Sheypuk since she was crowned Ms. Wheelchair New York in April 2012 and finished second runner-up at the Ms. Wheelchair USA pageant in July.

The Jermyn native is getting attention as an advocate for dating and sex for people in wheelchairs.

"I knew it was a combination that could open doors, said Ms. Sheypuk, 35, who was diagnosed with spinal muscular atrophy at age 3.

She hired a publicist, has worked on podcasts and published articles, even filming a "sizzle reel" for a reality TV show she's pitching to networks. It focuses on her and three able-bodied friends as they compare dating experiences.

"It's like 'Sex and the City,' but following someone with a disability," she said. "This is the best way to normalize it - through TV. People are really interested. I hope it gets picked up."

When she's not working on her reality show aspirations, Ms. Sheypuk keeps busy with activities and initiatives to help empower disabled individuals to explore dating and sexuality.

She spoke at the Reelabilities New York Disabilities Film Festival in Manhattan in March and was featured on the cover of Directions, a publication by Families of Spinal Muscular Atrophy. Ms. Sheypuk appeared in the Yahoo! Shine series, "Secrets to Your Success."

After graduating from Marywood University in 2000 with a degree in psychology and receiving a doctorate from the New School, she moved to Manhattan, where she works at an outpatient clinic counseling the mentally ill and disabled about dating. She also started a private practice.

"I feel like I can't keep up," she said.

Contact the writer: ksullivan@timesshamrock.com, @ksullivanTT on Twitter

BALOG, VERONICA KOTCHKO, Peckville, formerly of Jessup, Wednesday, 10 a.m., by the Rev. William Marsh at First Presbyterian Church, Third Avenue, Jessup. Interment, Prospect Hill Cemetery, Peckville. Calling hours, today, 4 to 8 p.m., Louis M. Margotta Funeral Home, 511 Church St., Jessup. Contributions: First Presbyterian Church, P.O. Box 83, Jessup, PA 18434. Condolences: margottafu neralhomes.com.

BARON, ROBERT "BOB," Scranton, Monday, Carlucci-Golden-DeSantis Funeral Home Inc., Dunmore, by Rabbi Yisroel Brotsky. Interment, Dalton Jewish Cemetery. Shiva, Community Room of Webster Towers, 500 N. Webster Ave., Scranton, today through Thursday, 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m.; and Friday, 2 to 4 p.m. Contributions: Jewish Home of Eastern Pennsylvania, 1101 Vine St., Scranton, PA 18510; Beth Shalom Congregation, 1025 Vine St., Scranton, PA 18510; Griffin Pond Animal Shelter, 947 Griffin Pond Road, Clarks Summit, PA 18411; or donor's favorite charity. Condolences: DunmoreFuneralHome.com.

BARSIGIAN, JACOB, Old Forge, Wednesday, 9:15 a.m., Semian Funeral Home, 704 Union St., Taylor. Services, 10, St. Michael's Russian Orthodox Church. Interment, parish cemetery. Calling hours today, 5 to 8 p.m.; Parastas, 7:45. Memorials: St. Michael's Russian Orthodox Church cemetery fund, 512 Summer St., Old Forge, PA 18518. Condolences: Semiancares.com.

BURMAN, REED H., Ararat Twp., Wednesday, 10 a.m., Hennessey's Funeral Home, 747 Jackson Ave., Susquehanna, by the Rev. Lloyd Canfield. Interment, Ararat Cemetery. Calling hours, today, 6 to 9 p.m.; masonic service, 7:30. Contributions: Thompson Hose Company, Thompson, PA 18465.

DALESSANDRO, ARTHUR D., formerly of Yatesville, today, 9 a.m., Peter J. Adonizio Funeral Home, 251 William St., Pittston. Mass, 9:30, St. Joseph Marello Parish, 237 William St., Pittston. Interment, Denison Cemetery, Swoyersville. Contributions: St. Joseph Marello Parish. Condolences: peterjadoniziofuneralhome.com.

GIBBS, ALBERT L., Scranton, Wednesday, 10:30 a.m., Howard J. Snowdon Funeral Home, 1810 Sanderson Ave., Scranton, by the Rev. Charles Beth. Interment, Fairview Memorial Park, Elmhurst. Calling hours, today, 4 to 8 p.m. and Wednesday, 10 until service. Marine Corps League of Scranton service, 6. Contributions: Marine Corps League, P.O. Box 1775, Scranton, PA 18501.

GILES, JACK, Clifton Twp., Wednesday, 5 to 7 p.m., Duffy & Snowdon Funeral Home, 401 Church St., Moscow. Interment, private. Contributions: American Cancer Society, 712 S. Keyser Ave., Taylor, PA 18517; or St. Mary's Villa Nursing Home, 516 St. Mary's Villa Road, Elmhurst Twp., PA 18444. Condolences: duffyandsnowdon.com.

GLOSSENGER, BERTHA L., Port Richey, Fla., today, 11 a.m., James Wilson Funeral Home, 143 Gravity Road, Lake Ariel, by Pastor Chris Freet, Beach Lake Free Methodist Church. Interment, private. Calling hours, today, 10 until service. Contributions: donor's favorite charity. Condolences: jameswil sonfuneralhome.com.

GRUEN, THOMAS MICHAEL STEVEN, Tunkhannock, Wednesday, 11 a.m., Tunkhannock Assembly of God Church, by Pastor Rick Wormer. Interment, Fairview Cemetery, Lake Winola. Calling hours, today, 5 to 8 p.m. Contributions: Tunkhannock Ambulance Association or Tunkhannock Assembly of God. Condolences: sheldonkukuchkafu neralhome.com.

HNATEW, WILLIAM DAVID, Scranton, Mass, today, 9 a.m., St. Michael's Ukrainian Orthodox Church, 540 N. Main Ave., Scranton, by the Very Rev. Nestor Kowal. Interment, private. Contributions: Huntington's Society, 505 Eighth Ave., Suite 902, New York, NY 10018. Arrangements: Carl J. Savino Funeral Home, Scranton.

HODOROVICH, MARTHA NAUGIN, Jessup, today, Louis M. Margotta Funeral Home, 511 Church St., Jessup. Mass, 11:30 a.m., St. Michael's Church, Jessup. Interment, parish cemetery. Condolences: mar gottafuneralhomes.com.

KANE, JOSEPH R. SR., Jessup, today, Mass, 9:30 a.m., St. Michael's Church, Jessup. Calling hours today, 8:30 until Mass. Interment, St. Thomas Aquinas Cemetery, Archbald. Arrangements: Robert E. Decker Funeral Home, Peckville.

MACKIN, MARY BATTLE, West Wyoming, formerly of Forty Fort, Thursday, 9 a.m., Metcalfe-Shaver-Kopcza Funeral Home Inc., 504 Wyoming Ave., Wyoming. Mass, 9:30, St. Cecilia's Church, Exeter. Interment, St. John the Baptist Cemetery, Exeter. Calling hours, Wednesday, 5 to 8 p.m. Contributions: Misericordia Library Fund, Dallas, PA.

MANGINO, HELEN E., Scranton, today, Albert P. O'Donnell Funeral Home, 2025 Green Ridge St., Dunmore. Mass, 9:30 a.m., St. Rocco's Church, 122 Kurtz St., Dunmore. Interment, Dunmore Cemetery. Condolences: ODonnel lfuneral.com.

MOSKOWITZ, FLORENCE "FREMIE," Old Forge, shiva, 732 Oak St., Old Forge, through Wednesday, 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m. Contributions: Jewish Home of Eastern Pennsylvania, 1101 Vine St., Scranton, PA 18510; Jewish Discovery Center, P.O. Box 778, Waverly, PA 18471, or donor's favorite charity. Condolences: dun morefuneralnome.com.

POLKOWSKI, THOMAS, Hillcrest, N.Y., Wednesday, Mass, 10 a.m., St. Francis Church, Port Dickinson. Interment, Chenango Valley Cemetery. Calling hours today, 4 to 7 p.m., William R. Chase & Son Funeral Home, 737 Chenango St., Port Dickinson, N.Y. Contributions: Lourdes Hospice, 4102 Old Vestal Road, Vestal, NY 13850.

RHODES, REGINA ELLEN, Dunmore, Mass, today, 9:30 a.m., Church of St. Gregory, 330 N. Abington Road, Clarks Green, by the Rev. John M. Lapera, pastor. Go directly to church. Interment, St. Catherine's Cemetery, Moscow. Arrangements: Lawrence E. Young Funeral Home, Clarks Summit. Contributions: American Cancer Society, P.O. Box 22718, Oklahoma City, OK 73123. Condolences: law renceeyoungfuneralhome.com.

ROMANO, KATHLEEN, Ransom, Mass, Wednesday, 9:30 a.m., St. Lucy's Church, 949 Scranton St., Scranton. Calling hours, 9 until Mass. Arrangements: Thomas P. Kearney Funeral Home Inc., Old Forge. Condolences: kearneyfuner alhome.com.

RYAN, RITA FRITZEN, R.N., Scranton, Mass, Wednesday, 10 a.m., Church of St. Joseph, 312 Davis St., Scranton, by the Rev. Francis L. Pauselli, pastor. Go directly to church. Entombment, Cathedral Cemetery, Scranton. Calling hours, today, 5 to 8 p.m., Thomas P. Kearney Funeral Home Inc., 517 N. Main St., Old Forge. Condolences: kearneyfuneralhome.com.

SCALZO, ROSELLA A., Carbondale, today, Lawrence A. Gabriel Funeral Home, 74 N. Main St., Carbondale. Mass, 10:30 a.m., Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church, 15 Fallbrook St., Carbondale. Interment, Our Mother of Sorrows Cemetery, Finch Hill.

STECCO, LORRAINE H., Throop, today, 9:30 a.m., Blessed Sacrament Parish. Arrangements: John F. Glinsky Funeral Home, Throop. Interment, St. Catherine's Cemetery, Moscow. Contributions: Blessed Sacrament Parish.

URQUHART, THERESA, Scranton, private. Interment, Fairview Memorial Park, Elmhurst. Arrangements: Bomberger-Lesko Funeral Home Inc., 1660 N. Main Ave., Scranton.

VENTICINQUE, MICHAEL A., formerly of Bronx, N.Y., Wednesday, 1 p.m., James Wilson Funeral Home, 143 Gravity Road, Lake Ariel. Calling hours, Wednesday, 11 a.m. until service. Condolences: jameswilsonfuneralhome.com.

CLIPBOARD

Abington Heights

Playwright festival: Abington Heights High School's New Playwright's Festival, Wednes­day, 7 p.m., high school auditorium, $3.

Clarks Summit

Dinner theater: Clarks Summit United Methodist Church choirs dinner theater, "Land of the Lost and Found," Saturday, 5 p.m., church fellowship hall; salad, chicken cordon bleu, potato, vegetables and dessert and show, $10/advance, $15/at door; child dinners featuring chicken fingers, $5/advance, $10/at door; details and tickets: 587-2571.

Elmhurst

Card party: Women of Elm­hurst Country Club card party, Friday, noon; card game follows; $16, Barbara Whitfor, 842 8841, or Simone Gentile, 689-2833, by Wednesday.

Mayfield

Crime watch: Mayfield Crime Watch meeting, Wednesday, 7 p.m., Borough Building, 739 Penn Ave., speaker: John Lewis, deputy director of emergency services for Lackawanna County.

Midvalley

Bus trip: Mid Valley Senior Center Mohegan Sun Casino bus trip, June 6, departs, 9:30 a.m., departs casino, 4 p.m.; $25, rebate: $20/play and $5/food credit, bag breakfast, checks payable to senior center by Wednesday.

Mountaintop

The Wright Twp. Volunteer Fire Department bazaar, June 7-8, 5-11 p.m.; June 9, 3-10 p.m., St. Jude's picnic grounds, Route 309, Mountaintop; fireman's parade, June 7, 7 p.m.

Old Forge

Halupki sale: St. Michael's Church Society halupki sale, Saturday, noon-2 p.m., church hall, Church and Winter streets, $1/each; order by Wednesday, Sandra, 457-9280, Dorothy, 562-1434, or church hall, 457-2875.

Scranton

Band concert: Crystal Band of Scranton spring concert, Friday, 7 p.m., Grace Reformed Episco­pal Church, 104 Laurel Drive.

Wing fundraiser: Immanuel Lutheran Church selling mild Donkey Cafe wings, Saturday, 3-5 p.m., 238 Reese St., $8/order, benefits youth group; 342-3374, pastormandile@ yahoo.com or text order to 445-7148, by Wednesday, include phone number, time of pickup.

Throop

Parish festival: Blessed Sacra­ment Parish family festival, Aug. 16-18, parish grounds and hall, 215 Rebecca St.; 5k run/walk, pigs-in-the-blanket dinner Aug. 17; breakfast and bingo, Aug. 18; ethnic and traditional foods, Aug. 16-17.

CLIPBOARD ITEMS may be emailed to yesdesk@times shamrock.com or mailed to Clip­board, c/o YES!Desk, 149 Penn Ave., Scranton, PA 18503. YES!Desk, 348-9121.

SOUTH CANAAN TWP. - On the final day of the 109th Memorial Day Pilgrimage to St. Tikhon's Monastery/Seminary, several visitors pointed to the importance of people of faith coming together.

"We've met Egyptian Orthodox, Greek Orthodox like us," Brooklyn resident Julian Kollias said. "We've met Russian (Orthodox)."

Father Igumen Sergius, the monastery's abbot, said the Wayne County pilgrimage typically draws "upwards of 1,500 to 2,000 people" over the four days, although the number may have been lower this year.

"If you come here normally, it's quiet, serene and peaceful," Mr. Kollias said. "Today, it's like the whole place transforms. It's festive."

For Daniel Drobish, who directs the St. Vladimir Church choir in Trenton, N.J., the pilgrimage gives him a chance to reconnect with his former classmates from when he studied at St. Tikhon's from 1978 to 1981.

Father Sergius said seven bishops participated in this year's event, which was a significant show of "unity and strength."

Services on Monday included the Hierarchical Divine Liturgy, a veterans memorial service, Moleben to the Most Holy Theotokos and anointing of the sick, infirm and all pilgrims.

Numerous travelers solemnly venerated three framed pictures of saints, known as icons, and two relics of St. Tikhon. The icons were framed on a pedestal, and many people like Wilkes-Barre resident Patricia Suhoski, leaned over and kissed their feet during services.

"You humble yourself," Ms. Suhoski said.

Canaan Twp. resident Lorraine Kavalkovich comes to the monastery for the event every year.

"Saints have walked these grounds, and my unworthy feet walk the same grounds," Ms. Kavalkovich said. "The saints can heal physically, emotionally and psychologically."

Contact the writer: kwind@timesshamrock.com, @kwindTT on Twitter

Hampshire College honors Roos, Rohde

Hampshire College honored Honesdale native Sigmund J. Roos and his wife Ruth Rohde during commencement weekend events for their years of devotion to and tireless work on behalf of the Amherst, Mass., school, Elaine Thomas reports.

The son of William and Paula Roos of Honesdale, Sigmund is a graduate of the George School. He steps down June 30 as chairman of Hampshire's board of trustees, on which he has served 17 years, longer than any other person. He also is the first Hampshire graduate to lead its board.

Groundbreaking for the Roos-Rohde House was conducted prior to commencement. The Roos-Rohde House involves the repurposing and relocation of a large New England-style barn that is being converted into a gathering space for students. It will be moved from the grounds of the president's residence onto a central location on campus, next to the college's community garden, Elaine of Hampshire College said in a release.

It is being named in honor of Sigmund and Ruth, who also were celebrated at a dinner.

A Boston attorney specializing in commercial litigation, Sigmund is a partner in Block and Roos LLP. He also has a master's degree from Brown University and J.D. from Northeastern University. Sigmund, Ruth and their daughter, Eleanor, and son, David, live in Concord, Mass.

Super students

Jeremy E. Adelman, son of Harry and Mary Beth Adelman of Clarks Summit, received the Kirkland Prize for excellence in mathematics; the Southworth Prize in Physics and the Tompkins Prize in Mathematics at Hamilton College's annual Class and Charter Day. Jeremy, a senior majoring in mathematics and physics, is a graduate of Abington Heights High School. ... University of Scranton students inducted into Omega Beta Sigma, the women's business honor society, include Elizabeth Aston of Spring Brook Twp.; Margaret Anne Bannon of Clarks Summit; Sarah Borgia of Scranton; Emily Coutts of Paupack; Christina Gontarski of Scranton and Nina Luciani of Scranton. ... Misericordia University adult learners inducted into the Alpha Sigma Lambda National Honor Society for continuing education students include Sean Flood, Archbald, a social work major; Leslee Klinkiewicz, Honesdale, RN-BSN; Susan Ruotolo, Noxen, elementary education; and Jennifer Sciandra, Harding, accounting.

High notes

The Rev. Kenneth L. Goodrich II and Nancy Donlin of the mission committee of Providence United Presbyterian Church presented proceeds from a used clothing drive to Sandra M. Roberts, executive director of Bread Basket of NEPA, to benefit of the North Scranton Food Pantry.

HARRISBURG - A Luzerne County lawmaker is winning support for her bill to boost funding for the Pennsylvania Legal Aid Network while a Senate committee takes a broader look at whether the poor have equal access to justice.

A bill sponsored by Rep. Tarah Toohil, R-116, Butler Twp., to increase the court fees earmarked to help fund legal services was approved by the House Judiciary Committee earlier this month. The Senate Judiciary Committee is holding a series of hearings on the availability of civil legal services for low-income Pennsylvanians.

The legislative actions in Pennsylvania come on the 50th anniversary of a landmark U.S. Supreme Court decision in Gideon v. Wainwright that establishes right of counsel for the indigent in serious criminal matters.

The issue is in the spotlight again because the number of low-income individuals seeking legal assistance is increasing while funding for the legal aid network has declined, a result of the bad economy and tight government budgets, said Sen. Stewart Greenleaf, R-12, Willow Hill, the Senate panel chairman.

Senior Judge Chester Harhut of Lackawanna County, president of the legal aid network's board, described the fiscal challenges at a Senate hearing.

"Historically, the network has provided representation to over 100,000 clients annually," he said. "However, due to cuts and funding freezes, some program offices have been closed, staffing of programs has been reduced and the number of cases handled has declined to about 85,000 during the current fiscal year."

The network provides legal assistance stemming from domestic violence, mortgage foreclosures, evictions, emergency custody cases and income loss, according to the State of the Commonwealth Court's 2013 report.

Funding to support the 14 legal aid offices comes from a state budget appropriation currently at $2.5 million, revenue from court fees, interest from trust accounts, a $25 assessment on annual attorney registration renewals and contributions from the United Way, attorneys and bar associations.

Even with these sources, funding hasn't kept pace with inflation and the state appropriation is down considerably in recent years, said Samuel Milkes, the legal aid network's executive director.

Ms. Toohil's bill would increase the fees placed on court filings by $1 to help support the legal aid network. Currently, the fees total $3. The fees generated $11 million in revenue in fiscal 2011-12. Even with the $3 fee, legal aid offices have to turn away half of those who qualify for services, said Ms. Toohil citing a state court report.

"As a consequence, thousands of citizens are denied critical legal help," she said.

Judge Harhut outlined the consequences for the justice system when a party in court lacks legal representation because they can't afford it and seek to represent themselves.

"In my experience, the court system itself does not work as well when parties in need of representation are not represented," he said. "And the resolution of disputes between parties is often less satisfactory. Even the outcome of the case may be wrong, because a self-represented party was unable to properly put on his or her case."

When legal aid is involved, the results are better for both the court and clients, Judge Harhut said.

"This does not mean that they win every case, but it does mean that the court system itself works well and that the parties in the case understand the process and results, and that they get a fair shake in the outcome, within the rules of court proceedings," he said.

Contact the writer: rswift@timesshamrock.com

Blaze destroys Blakely home

BLAKELY - A blaze Monday morning leveled a two-story borough home and damaged the house next door, officials said.

At about 4:25 a.m., Blakely firefighters responded to a "fully engulfed" home at 312 Fourth St., borough Fire Chief Jeff Cruciani said. The fire destroyed the home and significantly damaged a house at 310 Fourth St., before firefighters could extinguish the blaze.

No one was hurt, as both homes were empty. However, downed wires and natural gas explosions made the situation even more dangerous, Chief Cruciani said.

It's unclear what caused the fire, which he said is being investigated by state police.

Because the fire took about four hours to extinguish, officials canceled a parade planned for Blakely in honor of Memorial Day.