SCRANTON — A man will serve nearly 33 years in prison for sexually assaulting a 15-year-old girl in Carbondale Twp. more than four years ago, a crime that gave the victim a life sentence of her own, her mother wrote.

Before Lackawanna County Judge Margaret Moyle sentenced David Anthony Venson, 46, to serve 16 to 32 years and 10 months in a state correctional facility, child victim advocate Jennifer Davis read a statement written by the victim’s mother.

“Monsters do exist, and my daughter met one,” the mother wrote, adding that the girl, now 20, has changed. “She hates to be alone, never smiles, doesn’t laugh, goes through the motions of life.”

“A life sentence deserves a life sentence,” the mother wrote.

The Times-Tribune does not identify victims of sexual assault.

State police charged Venson, formerly of Scranton, after an investigation sparked by the victim’s report that he and a 17-year-old boy assaulted her in a car on Aug. 14, 2014. A county jury deliberated less than an hour in September before finding Venson guilty of statutory sexual assault, involuntary deviate sexual intercourse, aggravated indecent assault and related counts.

The 17-year-old, who is white, was never charged, a fact Venson brought up during today’s sentencing as proof that his arrest and prosecution was racially motivated. He addressed Moyle during the hearing, and denied committing the sexual assault.

“We are not going to relitigate this case,” Moyle said. “Today, we are here for sentencing.”

In addition to the hefty prison sentence, Moyle also ordered Venson to register as a sex offender quarterly for the rest of his life. Contact the writer: drosler@timesshamrock.com; 570-348-9100, x. 5365; @droslerTT on Twitter

SCRANTON — A Scranton man who investigators say grabbed the wheel and deliberately steered his girlfriend’s car over a steep embankment as she drove last fall in Taylor will face a rescheduled preliminary hearing next week.

David Isaac Maroni, 24, 1307 Luzerne St., is charged with attempted homicide, aggravated assault and other offenses in the Nov. 10 incident in the 1300 block of South Main Street.

Maroni’s preliminary hearing on the charges was continued for a third time Tuesday in Central Court. It is now set for next Wednesday at 1 p.m.

Taylor police accused Maroni of grabbing the steering wheel of girlfriend Winter Eisenhart’s Dodge Avenger and deliberately sending the vehicle off the roadway as she drove south on South Main around 12:04 a.m. on Nov. 10.

The car careened down an embankment near the entrance to Wal-Mart, leaving Eisenhart with a concussion and other injuries, police said.

Eisenhart told police she and Maroni had been out with friends in Scranton when Maroni became very drunk and started arguing with her because he wanted to drive, Taylor Officer Eugene Mentz wrote in the arrest affidavit.

Maroni continued yelling at her and become more agitated as she drove first to his home in West Scranton, where he refused to get out of the car, and then as they continued toward her house in Taylor, the affidavit said.

Eisenhart said when she told Maroni she was done, he replied, “I’ll wreck your ... car,” and grabbed the wheel, according to police.

Maroni, who left but returned a few minutes after the crash, originally denied touching the steering wheel but later told police he grabbed the wheel because Eisenhart was swerving, the affidavit said.

Eisenhart said she was not swerving, and a witness who saw the car go off the roadway told police it was traveling in a straight line before making an abrupt 90-degree turn over the embankment, the affidavit said.

Maroni, who is held in the Lackawanna County Prison on $100,000 bail, was initially charged with aggravated and simple assault and recklessly endangering another person.

Investigators amended the criminal complaint to add attempted homicide after a forensic analysis of the car’s airbag control module provided data consistent with Eisenhart’s statements, police said.

Contact the writer: dsingleton@timesshamrock.com, 570-348-9132

SCRANTON — West Scranton High School will reopen tomorrow as boiler problems in the building have been resolved.

The high school dismissed early Monday morning and remained closed today as crews worked to repair a malfunctioning boiler. The issue has been fixed and the school will operate on a regular schedule tomorrow, according to the school district.

— CLAYTON OVER

A Republican Party committee narrowly recommended Old Forge School Director Frank Scavo tonight as the party nominee for the vacant 114th state House District seat.

Committee members who represent 114th voting precincts chose Scavo, 56, a real estate investor, over three other candidates — Stephen Semenza, 29, a lawyer who lives in Old Forge; Mike Conigliaro, 45, a history teacher and former television sportscaster from Taylor; and Stephen Serge, 47, a professional photographer and used car dealer from Scott Twp. Semenza and Serge are former Democrats who recently switched to Republican.

Scavo received 20 votes, Semenza, 16, Conigliario, 5, and Serge, 2.

The county Republican executive committee will meet Thursday evening to vote on adopting the recommendation, county Republican chairman Lance Stange Jr. said.

If the committee approves his nomination, Scavo would face Democratic registered nurse Bridget Malloy Kosierowski, 46, of Waverly Twp., in a special election March 12 to fill the seat, vacant because of the death of Rep. Sid Michaels Kavulich, a Democrat.

A Democratic 114th committee recommended Kosierowski, a newcomer to politics, as the party’s nominee at a meeting last Wednesday. The party executive committee approved her as the nominee Sunday evening.

The special election winner will serve the rest of Kavulich’s term, which expires Nov. 30, 2020.

Kavulich died Oct. 16 of complications from heart surgery. His name remained on the Nov. 6 election ballot unopposed and he won re-election.

Scavo has run unsuccessfully for the county-based 22nd state Senate District seat three times in the heavily Democratic county, losing by large margins in 2002 to Sen. Bob Mellow and his successor, John Blake, in 2010 and 2018.

As he ran for the Senate last year, Scavo denied he would run for Kavulich’s seat if he lost the Senate race.

State legislators will earn a base salary of $88,610.42 this year.

The 114th consists of the Carbondale city, Waverly, Fell, Glenburn, Greenfield, Newton, North Abington, Ransom, Carbondale, and Scott townships and Clarks Summit, Dickson City, Jermyn, Mayfield, Moosic, Old Forge, Taylor and Vandling boroughs.

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

SCRANTON — The state Department of Transportation announced Monday that all driver’s license centers will close this weekend for Martin Luther King Jr. Day.

The closure will be in effect from Friday through Jan. 21.

PennDOT’s website, www.dmv.pa.gov, can still be used for services including license, photo ID and vehicle registration renewal. There are no additional fees for online service.

— JOSEPH KOHUT

MARRIAGE LICENSES

• Jordan Jesus Giordano-Welch, Old Forge, and Samantha Kristine De Leon, Scranton.

• Ronald M. Thoman and Samantha Marie Howey, both of Moscow.

• Stephanie Rose Franceschelli and David John Kimble, both of Old Forge.

PROPERTY TRANSACTIONS

• Attorney Jennifer L. McCambridge, administratrix of the estate of Luigi Giordano, Joseph Giordano, Maria Elisa Giordano-Glucknis, Lori Ann Giordano, Angela Maria Gior­dano, now by marriage Angela Maria Stewart, and Francesco Giordano, Lackawanna County, to Main Sands LLC, Olyphant; two parcels in Archbald for $65,000.

• Marybeth M. Broderick, executrix of the estate of Helen Mooney, also known as Helen M. Mooney, to Mary Lou Graham, Lackawanna County; a property at 405 Delaware St., Olyphant, for $135,000.

• Bertrand and Ann Geoffroy, Olyphant, and Matthew and Sarah Geoffroy, South Abington Twp., to Danielle Priblo and Tyler Merrigan, Olyphant, as joint tenants with rights of survivorship; a property at 801-803 E. Scott St., Olyphant, for $190,000.

• Eric D. Shultz, Danville, to David Durko Jr., Eynon; a property at 112 E. Line St., Olyphant, for $58,000.

• Thomas Heckman Jr., admin­istrator of the estate of Thomas Heckman, to East Grace Street Properties LLC; a property at 101 Wagner St., Moosic, for $47,000.

• Elizabeth Holod, now by marriage Elizabeth Holod Dubow­chik, by her attorney-in-fact attorney Lawrence M. Basalyga, New Jersey, to Ronald G. Rusyn and Joseph R. Rusyn, as tenants in common; three parcels in Olyphant for $74,000.

• Michael Suprick III, Ransom Twp., to Robert Harold and Mary Jane Shaffer, Old Forge; two parcels in Ransom Twp. for $85,000.

• Carmen M. Salazar, Brook­lyn, N.Y., to GAV Realty LLC, Dun­more; a property at 304 E. Drinker St., Dunmore, for $50,000.

• USA HUD, Philadelphia, to Hawk Enterprise LLC, Clarks Green; two parcels at 113 Fairview Ave., Clarks Summit, for $70,000.

• Deborah Grippo Plummer, successor trustee of the Grippo Family Trust, to Barry R. and Kathleen M. Kadonoff; a property at 1314 Gravel Pond Road, Newton Twp., for $330,000.

DIVORCES SOUGHT

• Kristen E. Kurpis, Archbald, v. Michael T. Kurpis, Archbald; married July 12, 2008, in Old Forge; Corinne E. Thiel, attorney.

• Maria Lockhart, Scranton, v. Mark Lockhart, Scranton; married Feb. 7, 2007; Elliot B. Edley, attorney.

ESTATES FILED

• C. Ann Moskovitz, 8 Old Mill Road, Jermyn, letters testamentary to Lawrence J. Moran Sr., 17 Old Mill Road, Jermyn.

• Robert J. Jones, 225 E. Mountain Road, Scranton, letters of administration to Con­stance Jones, same address.

• Linda Hachan Cunningham, also known as Linda Louise Hachan Cunningham, 10 Frank St., Carbondale, letters testamentary to Alyssa Hachan Berry, 442 Hillside Drive, Mountville, and Richard Leon Hachan II, 41 Reutter Drive, Selkirk, N.Y.

• Anna J. Ryczak, also known as Anna Jenny Ryczak, 500 Goers Hill, Archbald, letters testamentary to Ann Marie Hal­stead, 7 Spring St., Waverly, N.Y., and John Ryczak, 536 Edella Road, Clarks Summit.

• Elizabeth A. Gilboy, 44 Shore Pointe Road, Jefferson Twp., letters testamentary to Patricia M. Delaney, 2408 Rich­mond Greens Court, Sun City Center, Fla., and Thomas V. Gil­boy, 17 Possum Lane, Nor­walk, Conn.

• Joseph M. Smith, 819 Jef­ferson Ave., Scranton, letters testamentary to Paul Kenneth Smith, 2044 N. Turnpike Road, Dalton.

• Joseph Robert Creavey, also known as Joseph R. Creavey, 104 Memo Lane, Dickson City, letters testamentary to Carole Creavey, 408 Susquehanna Ave., Olyphant.

ONLINE:

thetimes-tribune.com/courts

Gamblers in Lackawanna County may soon have a new option.

Fourteen months after Gov. Tom Wolf signed legislation expanding gambling in the commonwealth, two truck stops in the county are among 64 statewide that have applied to the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board to operate slot machine-style video gaming terminals.

Convenient Food Mart, 931 Main St., Simpson, Fell Twp., has received conditional approval of its application. An application filed by Scott Fuel Travel Plaza Inc., 98 Hill Road, Scott Twp., is pending.

So far, no applicant in the state has received final approval to install and operate video gaming terminals, or VGTs, said Doug Harbach, gaming control board spokesman.

“It’s probably until the middle of the year before we start to see these operational,” he said.

David Trichilo, who owns the Simpson truck stop, said he is optimistic his business will get the final go-ahead, but there are a lot of hoops to jump through “and you just don’t know.”

“I’m kind of one of those that I’ll believe it when I see it,” Trichilo said. “It’s a good opportunity if it happens.”

Under the gambling expansion law, truck stops may operate up to five VGTs if they meet certain qualifying criteria.

Those include diesel islands for fueling commercial vehicles, average diesel sales of at least 50,000 gallons a month, a convenience store and a minimum three-acre location with at least 20 parking spaces dedicated for commercial vehicles.

The maximum bet on a VGT will be $5 and payouts will be capped at $1,000. The terminals will accept only cash, and winnings must be paid through a redemption machine.

Individuals under 21 are barred from VGT gaming at a truck stop, and the terminals must be in an area segregated from minors.

Conditional approval means a truck stop has met the basic eligibility requirements, with final approval awaiting one or more site inspections by Gaming Control Board staff and possibly other checks, Harbach said.

Even after the board approves the license, a truck stop will have to complete any necessary construction, ensure it has proper security in place and work with its operator partner to physically install the machines, all before the board staff does another inspection, he said.

Truck stop employees also have to undergo a problem gambling training program presented by the board, Harbach said.

“There are a number of facets to this for what is just five machines, so it’s actually pretty complicated for an individual location to get everything up and running,” he said.

Trichilo said the VGTs would be a great addition to his business — and a convenience for his customers.

The closest locations to gamble now are Mohegan Sun Pocono in Plains Twp., Luzerne County, and Mount Airy Casino Resort in Paradise Twp., Monroe County.

“We’ll save the drive for people who just want to come in and play — some of the people who just want to play a couple of dollars here and there and see what happens,” he said.

Under the gambling law, a county that hosts a casino could opt out of the placement of VGTs at truck stops within its borders. Both Luzerne and Monroe did, meaning no truck stops in those counties can get the terminals, Harbach said.

Contact the writer:

dsingleton@timesshamrock.com;

570-348-9132

SOUTH ABINGTON TWP. — Rosie Culkin saw the figures flitting effortlessly atop the black ice from her school bus window as it traveled along Winola Road this afternoon and knew she had to join in the fun.

Skating returned to Hillside Park today, the first time this season. The 12-year-old excitedly reported her findings as soon as she arrived home, and her mother brought her over for some ice time.

“She said, ‘They’re down on the pond, they’re down on the pond. We need to go,’” mom Mary Kate Culkin said from the shore. “She was so excited. It’s a perfect day for it.”

Rosie glided across the ice with dozens of others, only pausing for Mary Kate to snap a photo of her on the ice. Some skated — Rosie was working on learning to skate backwards, she said from the ice Tuesday — while others poked pucks with hockey sticks.

Clarks Summit resident Ken Lee, who monitors the ice and helps maintain skating gear at the park, said the ice measured four inches thick when checked this morning, the minimum thickness to open the pond to skaters. For now, anyone can show up at the park and skate as long as the ice thickness stays above the safety threshold, Lee said. People can check ice conditions daily on the Hillside Park Facebook page, Lee said.

On weekdays, skaters must bring their own skates and other ice accessories, such as hockey sticks and pucks. On weekends, volunteers will open the “skate shed,” where people can take out skates and sticks to use for free, Lee said. The shed will be open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays, Lee said.

It looks like the ice will maintain skating thickness for the foreseeable future. High temperatures are expected to rise above the freezing mark Wednesday, Friday and Sunday, but not enough to see any rapid melting, AccuWeather Meteorologist John Feerick said. A storm over the weekend will bring cold air that will drag high temperatures down to the teens early next week, he added.

Volunteers at the park could have their work cut out for them in the near future, though. Volunteers shovel snow off the ice to keep it skatable, Lee said. A storm Thursday night could bring one to three inches of snowfall to the area, Feerick said. Another storm Saturday into Sunday will bring a wintry mix of sleet, rain and snow that could leave a plowable accumulation on the ground, he said.

Anyone who would like to volunteer to run the skate shed or help maintain the ice for skating should message Ken Lee on Facebook or call him at 570-905-3599.

Contact the writer: cover@timesshamrock.com; 570-348-9100 x5363; @ClaytonOver on Twitter

Jan. 15, 1944

Portion of Parodi Cigar to razed

Scranton building inspector Robert Maciejewski and fire inspector Harry Hinckley sent a letter to the owners of Parodi Cigar requesting that the front section of the North Main Avenue factory be razed as soon as possible.

The building was heavily damaged by fire Jan. 12. The roads around the plant, including North Main Avenue, had been closed since.

Investigators from the National Board of Fire Underwriters released a statement on the cause of the fire.

The investigators believed the blaze was due to sparks from an acetylene torch used by an employee to fix a tobacco baling machine.

Wintertime drought continues in area

Weatherman Ralph West reported that the area hadn’t had significant rain or snow since Nov. 9. In December, West said, his instruments measured only 0.79 of an inch of precipitation, and so far in January they had measured only 0.71 of an inch.

Despite the lack of precipitation, water supplies at the reservoirs were at normal levels, according to the Scranton-Springbrook Water Co.

Banks asked to raise $12.4M in war drive

The 24 banks in Lackawanna County were asked to raise $12,446,810 in the fourth War Loan Drive. The request come from the drive’s chairmen, Dudley Atherton and R.O. Deubler.

The nine banks in Scranton would have to raise at least $10 million, with the remaining 15 banks in the county making up the rest. Additional funds for the drive would be raised by the issuing agents at the banks.

At the movies

“The Gang’s All Here” at the Strand, “Happy Land” at the Comerford, “Nearly Eighteen” at the Capitol, “Lassie Come Home” at the West Side, “Girl Crazy” at the Roosevelt and “The Sky’s the Limit” at the Rialto.

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.

HANOVER TWP.
Clark group gets new location

A family-owned food service equipment repair and maintenance company has opened a new location in the Hanover Industrial Estates.

Clark Service Group has leased 6,015 square feet of space from Mericle Commercial Real Estate Services in a multi-tenant flex building at 1065 Hanover St. in Hanover Twp. and expects to create several jobs. Mericle spokesman Jim Cummings said the company has not yet determined the number of employees.

The new full-service location will allow the company’s trained technicians to have access to a parts warehouse, a space for customer drop-off and pickup of small equipment repairs and a parts counter.

For more than 45 years, Clark Service Group has provided repair, maintenance and installation of commercial food service equipment, beverage systems and refrigeration units.

— DENISE ALLABAUGH

Super students

Lackawanna College second-year graduates from the Conservation and Natural Resource certificate program include Donna Ray-Reifler of Newfoundland; Ashley Michel of Pottsville; Robert Kuzma of Scranton; Brooke Hallstead of Spring Brook Twp.; Christian Arnold of Easton; Josh Hagenbaugh of Hazle Twp.; Greg Racavich of Peckville; John Rohland of Lake Ariel; Justin Petrunich of Scott Twp.; Jesse Carter of Gibsonia; Aidan Quinn of Scranton; Holly Gulbin of Scranton; and Bruce Rowlands of West Wyoming.

They were recognized for completing the program in December.

The program is a 15-week fall semester completed at the college’s Environmental Education Center in Covington Twp. that focuses on the conservation and interpretation of the natural environment through hands-on experiences.

The program prepares students for entry-level park/forest ranger and interpreter positions in state, county and municipal park systems.

To apply for the August program, go to www.lacka

wanna.edu/lceec.

High notes

Ben and Kathy Nevin and the Logan family received the Greene-Dreher Historical Society’s 2018 Historic Preservation Award during the society’s annual Christmas luncheon at the Fairway Grille at Buck Hill Falls.

Ben and Kathy were awarded the Historic Preservation Award for Individuals for their contributions to preserving local history through researching and documenting family genealogies, preserving historic family photographs, authoring articles for the society’s journal, donating artifacts and conducting research in support of the society’s Veterans History Project.

Mary Kay Logan and her daughters, Genevieve Reese and Bridget Weber, were honored with the 2018 award for preservation of historic buildings for the restoration and stewardship of the historic French Manor Inn, built in 1937.

After Ron Logan’s death in 2012, Mary Kay turned the day-to-day operation of the inn over to her daughters, who have carried forth the values of their parents in managing a successful business while honoring its historical legacy and unique place in the community, according to the society.

During the luncheon, the society celebrated a productive year. The new website launched and the society broadened its use of technology and social media.

The 2019 season opens with the annual Soup Luncheon on March 4 at 11:30 a.m. at the Hemlock Grove United Methodist Church.

For details, visit greenedreherhs.org or GDHS on Facebook.

Students medal

Three University of Scranton students won medals at the Southern-Northern Atlantic Forensics Union tournament at Seton Hall University.

Kasidy Leggin, a sophomore physiology major from Archbald, and Juliet Baldassarri, a sophomore occupational therapy major from Baldwin, New York, won fourth-place medals for their Dramatic Duo Interpretation.

Juliet also won a third-place medal for Poetry Interpretation at the tournament.

Morgan Fetsock, a sophomore criminal justice major from Scranton, won a sixth-place medal for Novice Impromptu Speaking.

Duryea

Blood drive: American Red Cross blood drive, today, 1-6 p.m., VFW Post 1227, 492 Stephenson St.; RedCross

Blood.org or 800-RED CROSS

Green Ridge

Sportsmen meet: Green Ridge Sportsmen’s Club meeting, Friday, 7 p.m., Lace Works Pub & Grill, 524 Court St., Scranton.

Lackawanna County

Blood drives: American Red Cross blood drives: Jan. 18, 1-6 p.m., Greenfield Fire Hall, 424 Route 106, Greenfield Twp.; Jan. 18, 2-7 p.m., Acacia Masonic Lodge 579, 617 Union St., Taylor; Jan. 23, noon-5 p.m., St. Joseph’s Center, 320 S. Blakely St., Dunmore; Jan. 24, 10 a.m.-3 p.m., Keystone Col­lege, Evans Hall, 1 College Green, La Plume; Jan. 28, 11 a.m.-4 p.m., Penn State Univer­sity, Scranton Campus, Study Learning Center, 120 Ridgeview Drive, Dunmore; Jan. 29, 8 a.m.-noon, PennDOT, 81 Key­stone Industrial Park, Dun­more; and Jan. 29, noon-5 p.m., Moses Taylor Hospital, 700 Quincy Ave., Scranton; RedCrossBlood.org or 800-RED CROSS.

Pike County

Blood drive: American Red Cross blood drive, Jan. 30, 1-6 p.m., Pivot Physical Therapy, 1564 Route 507 Greentown; RedCrossBlood.org or 800-RED CROSS.

Regional

Membership meeting: Lacka­wanna Valley Chapter of Trout Unlimited general membership meeting, Wednesday, 7 p.m., Tripp Park Community Center, 2000 Dorothy St., Scranton, guest speaker: Kathleen Lavelle, field coordinator for Trout Unlimited’s Pennsylvania Coldwater Habitat Restoration Program. She will be discussing the results of the 2018 study on the health of the Lacka­wanna River.

Wayne County

Blood drive: American Red Cross blood drive, Jan. 29, 1:30-6 p.m., Honesdale High School, 459 Terrace St., Hones­dale; RedCrossBlood.org or 800-RED CROSS.

CLIPBOARD ITEMS may be sent to yesdesk@timessham

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

Crestwood Superintendent Joseph Gorham wished his successor and the district well after he resigns later this week.

He has been on paid leave since Oct. 30 after a paperwork oversight kept some bus drivers from being fully certified and led the district to cancel classes for two days.

The school board received Gorham’s resignation and will act on it during a meeting set for Thursday at 6:30 p.m., board President Bill Jones said.

Jones said Christopher Gegaris, the director of operations who also has been on leave, will depart, too.

Joseph Rasmus will continue as acting superintendent, Jones said.

“We’ll evaluate everything. We’re not making any hasty decisions,” said Jones, who added that the board members will remain more involved in managing the district until they choose a permanent superintendent.

A review between the district and the state auditor general’s office found problems with paperwork for drivers, but raised other issues, Jones said. For example, instead of one person managing transportation, four people oversaw parts of transportation.

Revelations about paperwork led Crestwood officials to cancel classes on Oct. 24 and 25, when Gorham said the district acted with caution to protect students.

Voided bus contract

In November, the board voided a long-term contract with Rinehimer Bus Lines just three months after it had approved a list of the company’s drivers unanimously.

State Auditor General Eugene DePasquale said responsibility for the paperwork of bus drivers ultimately rests with school administrators. He used Crestwood as an example to remind other districts to complete paperwork required by state rules.

“If you don’t do it, we’ll find out,” DePasquale said during a news conference Oct. 24.

On Tuesday, Gorham, in a statement sent by text message about his resignation, said: “I wish the next in line continued success as they navigate the ‘storm’ of public education.”

On April 5 when speaking to parents and taxpayers in a packed auditorium, Gorham described a storm of rising costs for special education, charter school reimbursements and pension payments that overwhelmed school budgets across Pennsylvania, including Crestwood.

Crestwood, which has the lowest tax rate in Luzerne County but whose students post among the highest scores on standardized tests, faced a dilemma of raising taxes or continuing deficit spending until its fund balance dried up, Gorham said.

Served in Carbondale

Gorham in his statement pointed out that Crestwood cut $1 million from the budget through attrition and new contracts with vendors during his first year. He came to Crestwood in 2016 after serving as superintendent in Carbondale Area.

While the district lost its pre-K program under Gorham’s watch, Crestwood has helped students from kindergarten, where he said youngsters were reading at the highest rates in 14 years, to high school, where more students are attending college classes.

“As for me, there is a saying about life and lemons — time for me to get a new recipe,” Gorham said.

Contact the writer:

kjackson@standardspeaker.com; 570-501-3587

SCRANTON

A 25,000-square-foot downtown office building is up for sale or lease.

PenFed Credit Union put its administrative and branch offices and at 315 Franklin Ave. on the market.

PennFed will continue to serve members in Northeast Pennsylvania, but officials are “exploring opportunities to better manage the space in the Franklin Avenue building through sales and/or leases,” said Jamie Gayton, executive vice president of member operations.

The three-story building’s former occupant, Valor Credit Union, merged with Virginia-based PenFed in 2017.

— JON O’CONNELL

Hired as Lackawanna County human resources head two years ago without previous experience in the field, Justin MacGregor could soon have two similar county-related jobs.

Already Lackawanna County’s director of human resources, the County of Lackawanna Transit System board voted 4-0 Tuesday to hire MacGregor as the public bus agency’s part-time, acting director of human resources.

The county commissioners must still approve the idea, which Commissioner Patrick O’Malley proposed as a way of saving money, a county official said. MacGregor would remain the county’s full-time human resources head, though with a reduced salary and reduced hours.

Efforts to reach O’Malley were unsuccessful.

County Commissioners Jerry Notarianni and Laureen Cummings said they knew nothing about O’Malley’s proposal and oppose it for now.

“This is the first I’m hearing about it,” Cummings said when a reporter called her.

“I can’t imagine being on board with it,” Notarianni said. “In all honesty, I don’t know how that could possibly play out or work out. I don’t know how you could serve two separate agencies at the same time.”

Serving two agencies

The move would put MacGregor in the position of recruiting and screening prospective employees for both agencies as well as serving as a liaison between employees and upper management. The county has 900 employees, COLTS has 130, officials said.

McGregor, 36, will earn $1,666.66 a month at COLTS, according to the resolution hiring him, the equivalent of $20,000 a year, on top of his county salary, which was $54,325 in 2018.

Under the resolution, MacGregor must work at least two hours a day between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. at COLTS’ headquarters off North Keyser Avenue, and must be available by phone and computer at other times, according to the resolution.

Besides that, COLTS plans to hire a full-time assistant human resources director at a salary of $40,000 to $45,000 to cover for when MacGregor isn’t there, COLTS co-solicitor Tim Hinton said.

County solicitor John Brazil said MacGregor will continue to work at least 35 hours a week for the county, but his county salary will drop by $15,000 a year. That will leave his combined salary $5,000 higher.

Brazil said O’Malley proposed a joint human resources operation as a way of saving money when the COLTS post came open in November. He denied the move is about giving the county control of COLTS’ hiring.

“It had absolutely nothing to do with that,” Brazil said. “It was about saving money. It may not work, it may be too much (for MacGregor).”

COLTS board Chairman Larry Wynne denied the COLTS board would give up control of hiring. He said the hiring is for “a trial period.”

“If it doesn’t work out, we’ll look again,” he said.

COLTS needed a new human resources director after firing Linda Matylewicz of Dickson City in November for undisclosed reasons, according to a redacted copy of the letter firing her. Matylewicz’s final salary was $71,479 a year.

Based on salary alone, COLTS would save about $6,600 a year — the difference between Matylewicz’s salary and the sum of MacGregor’s $20,000 salary and the $45,000 proposed assistant’s salary. Combined, COLTS and the county would pay about $20,000 less in salary once COLTS hires the assistant.

Cost savings

Wynne touted the cost savings in defending the move, which he said Brazil brought to the board about a month ago. COLTS had begun searching for Matylewicz’s replacement and interviewed several candidates, a board member said previously. MacGregor was not among them, Hinton said.

“The county knew we were looking for somebody and reached out to us to share their services,” Wynne said.

MacGregor will report to COLTS’ director of finance, Susanne Green, according to the hiring resolution.

Normally, counties set up transit agencies and other authorities to manage functions they prefer not to handle themselves. Authorities exist as independent bodies, though county commissioners appoint their board members.

Hinton said ensuring MacGregor’s regular presence at COLTS “was important for us in entertaining this proposal.”

MacGregor, hired by the county as its human resources director in February 2017, had no experience in human resources when he started there. He was previously the Scranton School District’s director of community relations.

“I think Justin’s doing a great job for us, but he’s busy,” Notarianni said.

MacGregor has a 2013 bachelor’s degree in government, law and national security from Misericordia University and served as a legislative assistant for former state Rep. Kevin Murphy. COLTS executive director Robert Fiume, who sought applications for Matylewicz’s replacement, declined to comment on the move.

Efforts to reach MacGregor were unsuccessful.

Contact the writer:

bkrawczeniuk@timesshamrock.com; 570-348-9147;

@BorysBlogTT on Twitter

TUNKHANNOCK

Wyoming County Clerk Bill Gaylord gave an update last week about liquid fuels cash which the state auditor general accused the county of misappropriating in October.

State Auditor General Eugene DePasquale blasted the county for failing to submit paperwork required to claim $226,962 in bridge inspection reimbursements since 2007. The state reimburses counties 80 to 100 percent of the cost for bridge inspections, which are required every two years. Counties must submit invoices to PennDOT for reimbursement.

But Gaylord said the county only owns 11 bridges, most of which are in good shape.

“First off, we did not ignore these monies, and never would,” Gaylord said Jan. 8 after conversations with Pennsylvania Department of Transportation. “Yesterday, we were notified we got or will get very shortly all the money that we’re accused of potentially losing.”

Liquid fuels gas tax funding comes from a one-half-cent tax collected on each gallon of gasoline purchased at the pump.

—ROBERT L. BAKER

After nearly three years, the Lackawanna Energy Center is fully operational, the company said.

Invenergy LLC announced Tuesday that its 1,485-megawatt natural gas power plant in Jessup is commercially operational, which means it is fully outputting electricity commercially across the mid-Atlantic.

For Jessup, that means the borough is on track to receive the full value of its $1 million host agreement.

While the plant was under construction, the borough received $250,000 annually. Now, Jessup will receive $1 million per year, council President Gerald Crinella said. Construction began in March 2016.

Under the agreement, the borough will receive 10 percent more every 10 years, so in a decade, the annual payment will rise to $1.1 million.

Along with the increased revenue for Jessup, Crinella hopes the plant will have less of an impact on residents now that commissioning and testing of its three power-generating units is complete.

“It’s good news from that perspective,” he said, adding that he hopes everything is in place for the continuous emissions monitoring system.

As part of the host agreement, Jessup also negotiated $100,000 per year for five years for the Valley View School District, Business Manager Corey Castellani said. The district will receive its first $100,000 before the school year is over, Castellani said.

“Every dollar helps, so it’s definitely going to help us,” he said. “It’s not enough to get us where we need to be, but every dollar helps.”

Although the plant is exempt from paying property taxes until its Keystone Opportunity Zone designation expires in 2023, it will eventually represent sizable property tax revenue for both the town and school district. Opportunity zones offer tax breaks to promote development in select locations that otherwise may go undeveloped.

According to the Lackawanna County Tax Assessor’s Office, the energy center’s 1000 Sunnyside Road address, which is just off the Casey Highway, is assessed at about $8.7 million — $762,000 for land and about $7.9 million for improvements.

Under current millage rates, that would translate to about $189,000 annually in property taxes for Jessup at 21.7 mills and about $1 million for Valley View’s 115.72 mills.

The plant will generate more than $50 million in revenue for Jessup over its 40-year lifespan, Invenergy spokeswoman Beth Conley said. It can power as many as 1 million homes throughout the PJM Interconnection, an independent organization that manages the electricity trade in the mid-Atlantic states.

During peak construction, more than 1,200 people worked at the Lackawanna Energy Center site, according to Invenergy. Moving forward, the plant will have 30 full-time operations positions. The entire project was a $1.5 billion investment, Conley said.

The plant has faced opposition from borough residents, even before construction began. During construction, the plant exceeded state Department of Environmental Protection limits on certain pollutants, including releasing yellow plumes that worried residents. People have also raised concerns about visible emissions and loud, jet-like noises at the plant.

Though the plant is complete, Crinella believes there will still be concerns among residents.

“We don’t know the long-term effects of it,” he said. “We do need to be monitors of our own environment.”

Contact the writer:

flesnefsky@timesshamrock.com;

570-348-9100 x5181;

@flesnefskyTT on Twitter

SCRANTON — A South Scranton man accused of setting a fire in his apartment with his child inside waived his preliminary hearing on arson and other charges Tuesday in Central Court.

Paul Ackerman, 21, was arrested after police responded Jan. 8 to 1610 Pittston Ave., 2nd Floor, after Ackerman’s girlfriend reported he had locked her out and was breaking things inside the residence.

Officers who managed to enter the apartment through a fire escape door found a pizza box burning on the kitchen stove, police said. While one officer rescued the child, another retrieved an extinguisher from a patrol vehicle and put out the fire.

Ackerman, who was found in a room off the kitchen, was charged after investigators determined the fire was intentionally set, police said. He remains in the county prison on $75,000 bail.

— DAVID SINGLETON

Jan. 16, 1919

City a bed for social unrest

Marguerite Jordan of the National Housing Association gave two lectures while in Scranton.

Her first talk was at a meeting at the Century Club on Jan. 15. During her talk she said, “You have one of the best culture beds for social unrest here in Scranton that I have ever seen. We are facing a very serious industrial situation and I am sure you would rather have me come and tell you it, one who is friendly, than some socialist or anarchist worker who would upset conditions before the situation is realized.”

Her second talk was Jan. 16 in the Scranton Board of Trade’s auditorium. She told those gathered about the poor housing conditions in the city and how those conditions lead to crime and vice. She also spoke about the city’s high infant death rate and how the influenza death rate is out of proportion for a city the size of Scranton.

She said the city could fix its problems through “thoughtful and judicious management” and that better housing would help the city’s industrial sector.

Panel to raise funds for sanitarium

A committee was formed to raise $8,000 to support the work of the West Mountain Sanitarium.

The campaign will begin on Jan. 20 and run for seven days. The campaign committee has sent out buttons to local businessmen to sell. Each button must be sold at a minimum of 25 cents.

The sanitarium opened in 1903 for the treatment of tuberculosis. On Jan. 16, 1919, there were 29 patients at the facility, 20 of them children.

Scranton Dry Goods

has a big sale

Shoe clearance with prices starting as low as 48 cents, assorted gloves priced between 38 cents to $1, men’s flannel shirts priced between $1.95 and $4.99, leather traveling bag for $5 and stationery for 29 cents.

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.

MARRIAGE LICENSES

• Eugene John Eiden and Casey Marie Lewis, both of Scranton.

• Gary J. Shipierski and Wahyu Purbaningrum, both of Scranton.

• Joseph John Price and Kath­leen F. Astleford, both of Blakely.

• Robert Hosie and Elana M. Fiorelli, both of Dickson City.

• Christine Elizabeth Everetts and William A. Everetts, both of Scranton.

• Yesenia M. Roman Canales and Waldo Moises Tejeda Pimentel, both of Scranton.

PROPERTY TRANSACTIONS

• Harold L. and Susan Jones, Clarks Summit, to Eugene Joseph Prusinski and Christa Vinciguerra, Avoca, as joint tenants with rights of survivorship; a property in Moosic for $140,000.

• John F. Alfano to Tulips2 LLC; a property at 1024-1026 Lafayette St., Scranton, for $25,000.

• Rozelyn A. Honney, Throop, to Christopher R. and Teresa Mazzucca, Throop; a property at 1021 Martarano Drive, Throop, for $210,000.

• Gene Mark and Elaine Bonomo to Lukasz Greskiewicz; a property at Thornhurst Coun­try Club Estates, Thornhurst Twp., for $79,394.

• Sharon Lamoreaux Booz, trustee for Lamoreaux Irre­voc­able Real Estate Trust, Canton, Ga., to Marc S. and Jessica L. DiFrancesco, South Abington Twp.; a property at 35 Eastview Drive, Scott Twp., for $215,000.

• George and Debbie Vaitso­poulos, Dickson City, to RTR Management LLC, Carbondale; a property at 73 S. Church St., Carbondale, for $33,000.

• USA HUD, Washington, D.C., to Gregory M. Lukasik, Dun­more; a property at 608 Cooney St., Dunmore, for $95,000.

• Marlene Matiskella, Pennsyl­vania, to Johanna B. Cruz Coto, Pennsylvania; a property at 298 Meridian Ave., Scranton, for $95,000.

• Mark and Taryn S. Skojec to Stephen T. and Maria C. Stalter; a property at 7 Woodbridge Drive, Clarks Summit, for $450,000.

• Michael Coyer, Dunmore, to Mary Elizabeth Scalzo, Dun­more; a property at 418 Throop St., Dunmore, for $132,870.

• Meredith Ann Mead, administratrix of the estate of Carol J. Shamonsky, also known as Car­ol Jane Shamonsky, Palmer­ton, to Rozelyn A. Honney, Throop; a property at 410 Foxtail Circle, Archbald, for $215,000.

DIVORCES SOUGHT

• Anthony DiLeo, Scranton, v. Donna DeNaples DiLeo, Mos­cow; married Aug. 19, 1994, in Lackawanna County; Frank J. Ruggiero, attorney.

• Lorena E. Scopelliti, Arch­bald, v. Richard D. Scopelliti, Archbald; married Aug. 5, 1995, in Archbald; pro se.

LAWSUITS

• Christine and Stephen Jack­owitz, 113 Tudy Lane, Olyphant, v. Allison, Paul and Karen M. McCartney, 101 Woodhaven Road, Peckville, seeking in excess of $50,000, plus interest, costs and such other relief deemed appropriate on four counts, for injuries suffered March 23, 2017, in an automobile accident on Main Street, Eynon; Robert W. Munley III, attorney.

• David Moskwa, 419 Genet St., Scranton, v. Patricia A. Dubose, 1004 N. Main Ave., second floor, Scranton, seeking in excess of that amount requiring compulsory arbitration thereof under the applicable statutes of the commonwealth and the local rules of court, with compensatory damages, punitive damages, interest and such other relief deemed just and proper, for injuries suffered Jan. 18, 2017, in an automobile accident at Spruce Street and Adams Avenue, Scranton; Jason P. Provinzano, attorney.

ESTATES FILED

• Sarah Ellen DeRichie, also known as Sarah Ellen Robinson DeRichie and Sarah E. DeRichie, 215 Dundaff St., Carbondale, letters of administration to Mic­hael DeRichie, same address.

• Nancy Tina Chlipala, Lin­wood Nursing, Florida Avenue, Scranton, letters of administration Debra A. Lokuta, 226 Packer Ave., Avoca.

BENCH WARRANTS

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

• Karlshen Rasheen Marks, 102 Amherst Ave., Wilkes-Barre; $97.60.

• Christopher Adam Robbins, 341 New St., Scranton; $506.

• Luis F. Rivera, 316 Stone Tow Road, Ringwood, N.J.; $368.50.

• David Matthew Pope, 222 Ferdinand St., Scranton; $4,759.

• Alan Phillips Jr., 515 Delaware St., Apt. A, Jessup; $1,036.50.

• Patrick S. Paules, 22 Union St., Shelton, Conn.; $2,106.58.

• Paul Pasco, 826 Prospect Ave. rear, Scranton; $908.50.

• Maggi Mehall, 408 W. Mar­ket St., Scranton; $4,069.78.

• James Mendi, 852 Manida St., second floor, Bronx, N.Y.; $2,164.18.

• Jaqwanna M. Mckeiver, 2539 W. Seltzer St., Philadel­phia; $778.

• Susan Mahally, 12 North St., Plymouth; $1,586.

• Alberto Antonio Luna-Torres, 124 N. Main St., Scranton; $4,088.25.

• Jordan O’Hearn, 529 Dea­con St., Scranton; $2,418.50.

• Gillian Lloyd, 2828 Birney Ave., Apt. 3, Scranton; $613.97.

• Kenneth Joseph Nester, 609 Center St., Throop; $3,980.10.

• Michelle Morales, 848 N. Bromley Ave., Scranton; $833.50.

• Vincent M. Mitsky Jr., 76 S. Main St., Apt. 10, third floor, Carbondale; $525.

• Robert Little, 1741 Church Ave., Scranton; $2,061.

• Cheyenne Johnson, 147 Prince St., Apt. 3B, Newark, N.J.; $2,394.96.

• John Jerome Morgan Jr., 322 Whitmore Ave., Mayfield; $985.

• Christopher O’Neal Taylor, 6133 Washington Ave., Philadel­phia; $993.

• Dana Ganjeh, 71 Price St., Kingston; $954.68.

ONLINE:

thetimes-tribune.com/courts