CARBONDALE — A city woman is accused of assaulting two police officers Tuesday.

Dawn Race, 48, 63 Eighth Ave., is charged with aggravated assault, resisting arrest and other counts. Police responded to Haley Family Practice, 10 Dundaff St. , at about 3 p.m. for the report of a disorderly woman. Officers arrived to find Race yelling and asked her to leave. When she wouldn’t, officers tried to escort her out. Race hit one officer in the face, bloodying his nose, and kicked another in the knee, police said.

Race is held in Lackawanna County Prison in lieu of $10,000 bail. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for Feb. 12.

It’s not the first time Race faced charges of assaulting city police. In 2007, a judge sentenced Race to prison for hitting an officer with a baton during a traffic stop.

— CLAYTON OVER

SCRANTON — A city man is accused of assaulting an emergency room nurse at Geisinger Community Medical Center with a television remote control Wednesday afternoon.

Justin McHarris, 43, is charged with aggravated assault, simple assault and harassment after police responded to the hospital at about 4:25 p.m. While there, nurse Krystin Riggi told them McHarris threw the remote at her after he asked for pain medication and she told him he couldn’t have any at that point. McHarris screamed at her and as she left his room, she felt the remote hit the back of her head, police said.

McHarris told officers he was upset and screamed at the nurse but threw the remote on the floor and not at her, police said.

Bail and preliminary hearing information were not available Wednesday night.

— CLAYTON OVER

SCRANTON

A former Lackawanna County woman who graduated from Scranton Prep will appear on Jeopardy! Thursday.

Amanda Basta, who moved away in 1995 and now resides in Arlington, Virginia, cannot speak to the media until after Thursday’s show airs. She still has family in the area.

An announcement about Basta’s upcoming appearance on the game show posted on Scranton Prep’s Facebook page says she graduated in 1995.

Jeopardy! airs locally at 7:30 p.m. on WBRE.

— STAFF REPORT

Nearly eight months after it was damaged in a tornado, Music Go Round is preparing to reopen in a new location.

The music instrument store formerly was located in less than 5,000 square feet in the Ashley Furniture store’s building that was demolished on Mundy Street after the June 13 tornado.

Music Go Round will open a new store less than five minutes from the previous location in the Triangle Plaza at 681 Kidder St. near Ollie’s Bargain Outlet and AAA in a site that formerly housed lease-to-own retailer Aaron’s before it closed, said Harry McDonnell who owns the store with his wife Linda.

He expects the new store will open later this month or early March.

— DENISE ALLABAUGH

SCRANTON — A Tobyhanna man faces life in prison for his role in a drug trafficking conspiracy, the United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania said Tuesday.

Arthur Taylor, 36, pleaded guilty Friday to participating in the drug trafficking conspiracy, which was responsible for distributing more than 100 grams of heroin, marijuana, crack cocaine, Percocet and ecstasy, commonly called molly, in the Poconos and Maine for several years beginning in 2010, officials said.

Taylor admitted to being in a gang that obtained heroin and other drugs from suppliers in New York, officials said.

The maximum penalty for Taylor is life imprisonment; the charge carries a mandatory minimum of 10 years in prison, officials said.

— FRANK WILKES LESNEFSKY

The United Way of Lackawanna and Wayne Counties again is offering free tax preparation assistance to qualifying residents, both online and in person.

With filing season now underway, the organization and its team of IRS-certified volunteers plan to help 3,000 senior citizens and those in the low- to moderate-income range file their taxes through the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance program.

United Way President and Chief Executive Officer Gary Drapek noted appointments are filling up quickly and encourages anyone interested in using the program not to wait.

Residents whose household income during 2018 was $54,000 or less qualify for VITA, which they can use to have their state, local and federal income tax returns prepared at no charge. Local VITA services are offered by appointment at 615 Jefferson Ave., Scranton, through April 5. As of Wednesday, the United Way already scheduled 1,239 VITA appointments and are completely booked until Feb. 27, said Nikki Keller, the organization’s vice president of community impact marketing.

Those who qualify also may access walk-in VITA services offered at the University of Scranton’s Brennan Hall. Those services are available at different times on Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Fridays from now until March 6, and again from March 18 to April 3.

“We do pretty much the whole gamut of tax returns that they need to be done,” said University of Scranton accounting professor Joe Hammond. “We had a woman in just the other day. She had gone to H&R Block and they’d given her a price and it was quite high. And, then she came here and got it for free... If you’re making $25,000 a year, every dollar counts.”

For those age 65 and older with mobility issues looking to access VITA services, March appointments at several mobile sites remain available:

n North Pocono Library Public Library, 1315 Church St., Moscow, from 11:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., March 6.

n Clarks Summit Fire Company, 321 Bedford St., from 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., March 7.

n Chamber of the Northern Poconos, 32 Commercial St., Honesdale, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., March 9.

To make an appointment online or for more information on the VITA program, include an appointment calendar and a list of important documents to bring with you, visit UWLC.net/taxes. Potential participants also may schedule an appointment over the phone by dialing 211.

Other resources

People whose 2018 household income was less than $66,000 seeking tax prep help also may take advantage of another United Way program, myfreetaxes.com, which uses H&R Block software and provides free telephone, email and online chat support assistance for qualifying individuals filing their state and federal income tax returns online.

AARP also offers free tax prep for low- to moderate-income taxpayers. To learn more about the AARP Foundation Tax-Aide Program and to find a site, visit AARP.org and click the link at the top of the website.

For information on additional resources, visit IRS.gov, click the “File” tab and then click “How to File.”

Contact the writer:

jhorvath@timesshamrock.com;
570-348-9141;
@jhorvathTT on Twitter

Student

recognized

For going above and beyond in his efforts as a student worker at Penn State Scranton, William Tyler Blaum was honored with the Chancellor’s Service Award for student workers.

Blaum is a student worker in the campus’ information technology department and mans the IT help desk along with assisting the IT staff with daily activities and projects. He responds to trouble tickets and helps users resolve technical issues both in person and over the phone, according to Penn State.

“Tyler consistently exceeds expectations, both in his willingness to contribute to department projects and learn new skills, and in his unflaggingly positive and upbeat support of the help desk,” said IT Director Marilee Mulvey. “He always does his best to resolve user trouble tickets, and just as important, he is unfailingly personable, emphatic and kind. We frequently hear from other departments across campus how much they enjoy working with Tyler and how much they appreciate his positive attitude.”

Blaum, of Dalton,joined the IT department staff last year as an incoming freshman PASSS Student.

He also received the Unsung Hero Award at last year’s student recognition dinner.

Super student

Scranton Prep graduate Jake Mozeleski of Scranton received the Friends of Poland of Lackawanna County’s scholarship

award at its annual Wafer Dinner.

Jake is currently a dean’s list student at the College of the Holy Cross in Worcester, Massachusetts, where he studies Spanish and international relations.

He is also involved in mock trial, bilingual Spanish theater, college Democrats and Pax Christi, a Catholic social justice group.

At Scranton Prep, Jake was a member of the National Honor Society, co-captain of mock trial, co-president of the political union, treasurer of the classical languages club, cast member of the Prep Players and a member of the Scholastic Bowl team.

His parents, Marilyn and Bryan Mozeleski, accepted the award on his behalf.

High notes

Denise Christman and Dr. Marla Farrell were installed as 2019 co-presidents of St. Joseph’s Center Auxiliary during its annual installation brunch.

Danelle Hogan and Marlene Graham were recognized and thanked for their service as co-presidents in 2018.

The auxiliary is planning its summer festival for July 26-28 at Marywood University. To join the auxiliary, contact 570-963-1290.

DICKSON CITY — The former Gibbons Ford on Main Street is set to be the home of a church and an auto body repair shop following zoning hearings Wednesday.

The Zoning Hearing Board voted 3-0 to grant a special exception allowing the Cornerstone Alliance Church to move into the former Ford dealership’s vacant showroom at 938 Main St. The board again voted unanimously to grant a variance allowing Vienna, Virginia-based Cherner Development Group to convert the dealership’s former service center into an auto body repair shop and paint shop, which will be the new home of a Caliber Collision location.

The land on Main Street has been vacant for about three years since Gibbons Ford moved into its new location on Viewmont Drive.

Both Cornerstone and Cherner had agreements in place to purchase the properties contingent on approval by the Zoning Hearing Board. The locations are zoned for general commercial use.

A collision repair center is considered major repair work, which is not permitted in general commercial zoning.

Churches are considered special exceptions that need approval in nearly every zoning district in Dickson City.

Nestor Soto, the pastor of the church, explained that they selected the location because it is wheelchair accessible and its bathrooms are compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act. The showroom location also gives the church room to grow, he said.

However, the borough’s Planning Commission recommended that the board deny the special exception, citing the borough’s zoning ordinance that states that “the use is compatible with the borough’s master plan.”

Planning Commission Chairman Mike Fedorka said the borough hoped to build a six-story, mixed-use building on the Gibbons Ford property that would be a starting point for its multimillion-dollar Main Street Revitalization Project, and the church would prevent that.

“This kills me,” he said, explaining he didn’t want to object to the church, but the property is on a major corridor through the borough that sees upwards of 20,000 vehicles each day. The property would have had both businesses and high-end apartments, and the borough had received interest from developers, he said. The six-story building would encompass both the Cherner and Cornerstone locations.

Attorney Frank Marcin, who represented the Cornerstone, asserted churches are protected uses, so it is irrelevant whether the proposed use goes against the master plan. He also pointed out that the property was vacant for three years, and plans for the six-story building could fall through.

Following the hearing, Soto said he hopes to move into the showroom in about two months.

“We want to be a part of revitalizing Dickson City,” he said.

The commission also initially objected to the body shop out of concerns of tractor-trailer traffic to the facility, but Fedorka retracted the objection after Jonathan Ackaoui, Cherner’s vice president of acquisitions and business development, and architect Bret Flory said that would not be the case.

Ackaoui said they plan to invest $2.155 million into the location, which includes purchasing the property for $925,000. The 20,000-square-foot center would create between 15 to 25 jobs, he said. Caliber would be open Monday through Friday from 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., and Ackaoui added that the church could use their parking lot on Sundays. He hopes to open Caliber by the end of the year.

Zoning Hearing Board Chairman Fred Kohl called it a “win-win” with the locations, pointing to the fact that they are already working together with shared parking.

“We think both of these things are improvements for the town,” he said.

Contact the writer:

flesnefsky@timesshamrock.com; 570-348-9100 x5181;

@flesnefskyTT on Twitter

HONESDALE — Wayne Memorial Hospital disputed a state Department of Environmental Protection claim that the hospital had agreed to a settlement over a malfunctioning X-ray unit.

Earlier this week, the DEP said the hospital agreed to a $15,600 settlement after a malfunctioning X-ray machine exposed some patients to 16 times more radiation than a standard X-ray between May and September 2018. On Wednesday, Wayne Memorial issued a statement that they had not signed a settlement agreement, calling the DEP’s press release “unnecessarily alarming.”

Neither DEP nor Wayne Memorial representatives could be reached for comment Wednesday.

According to the hospital, three patients who received lumbar X-rays at its Wayne Woodlands Outpatient site were affected by the malfunction, but “there was no significant major health risk.”

— FRANK WILKES LESNEFSKY

Feb. 7, 1919

Panel to probe labor complaints

On Feb. 6, 1919, to a packed auditorium, the Central Labor Union presented numerous pieces of evidence of instances within the last year when Scranton Department of Public Works employees were instructed to do work for businesses, institutions and citizens while on the clock for the city.

The evidence included the cleaning out of a hotel’s cellar on Wyoming Avenue, cleanup following a church’s picnic, transporting manure from the city stables to homes in the city, and the cleaning of a yard and home before and after a house party.

Public Works Director Robert Allen spoke following the reading of the evidence. He told the crowd of 700 people at the Old Elks’ Building that DPW employees were instructed to enter the basements of public buildings, hotels and bakeries to collect ashes following previous DPW strike. He also said employees were “not to quibble” with people about collecting ashes from basements. Allen did not address the other claims presented by the Central Labor Union.

The crowd first called for the impeachment of Mayor Alex Connell and the members of his cabinet. But the meeting’s chairman, Steve McDonald, said “that is an extraordinary motion, let us be fair and neighborly now, those charges should be probed before anything is done.”

Then a motion was presented to have five citizens of Scranton form an investigative committee to look into the charges made by the Central Labor Union. That motion passed and the five citizens appointed were former Mayor E.B. Jermyn, John H. Devine, Thomas Murphy, Scranton Postmaster John Durkin and John Mullins.

Following the appointment of Jermyn, some in the crowd felt it wasn’t right to have a former mayor of Scranton on the committee. McDonald responded by saying “And pray, why not, isn’t he a citizen and taxpayer?”

Jermyn responded by saying, “I refuse to serve, Mr. Chairman, I don’t care to cause any mix-up.”

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.

The list of evidence presented at Feb. 6, 1919, meeting called by the Central Labor Union:

Fall 1917: Work crew ordered to take manure from Nay Aug Park to the home of Councilman William Wirth. On another occasion, men were ordered to take 15 flowers from Wirth’s home to the greenhouse at Nay Aug Park for winter storage.

Spring 1918: A load of manure from the city’s stables was delivered to the home of Mark K. Edgar, 1530 Washington Ave.

1918: A delivery of a barrel of tar asphalt to the home of Dr. Noacker in Chinchilla.

1918: A delivery of two tons of coal from the Brisbin mine to a farm in Waverly.

1918: The removal of 14 cans of ashes from the basement of the Carlton Cafe run by William Koch.

1918: Cleanup of a building operated by Mary Lukens on Green Ridge Street. It took three days to finish the job.

April 1918: Ordered to clean out the McDonald Hotel on Penn Avenue. The work took three days.

Spring 1918: Ordered to clean out a hotel run by a man named McIntyre on Wyoming Avenue opposite the Poli Theater.

Spring 1918 : Sent to a home at Wyoming Avenue and Vine Street to clean the home’s cellar and premises. A group of 10 women were present arranging for a party. The work crew observed 25 cases of beer, five quarts of Hollywood whiskey and five quarts of Mount Vernon Whiskey. Days later, the work crew was sent back to clean the yard following the party.

Spring 1918 : Clean up several months’ worth of ashes from the rear of Kolb’s Bakery, 945 Washington Ave.

June 1918: Ordered to remove ashes from the basement of the Guernsey Building, 316 Washington Ave. Crew removed 84 cans of ashes from the basement.

July 1918: Cleanup of the church grounds following a picnic at a German Catholic Church. Seven to 10 truckloads were hauled away from the grounds.

September 1918: Two deliveries of manure from the city’s stables to the home of Mark K. Edgar.

Fall 1918: Work crew sent to the home of Mark K. Edgar to clean premises.

Fall 1918: Hauled lump coal from the quarry at Nay Aug Park to the home of Thomas Phillips, Scranton superintendent of parks.

December 1918: Removed manure from the home of Honest John Gibbons and delivered to a home on Birch Street.

SCRANTON — Lackawanna County’s Saturday public bus routes will change Feb. 18.

The County of Lackawanna Transit System announced it will discontinue the No. 73 Saturday Night Special route after Feb. 16. COLTS’ Evening City Circle North No. 71 route will absorb the No. 73 route stops.

The changes also mean Evening City Circle shuttles will run Monday through Saturday from instead of only Monday through Friday.

Evening City Circle South No. 72 will run 7 p.m. to 1 a.m. each day while No. 71 will run 7 p.m. to 1 a.m. Monday through Friday and 6 p.m. to 1 a.m. on Saturday.

Marywood University and Green Ridge Plaza will now have service on Saturday nights.

The changes will also expand service to Stauffer Industrial Park, Luzerne Street Shopping Center, Green Ridge Plaza/Giant Market and businesses on Wheeler and Meadow avenues.

The Evening City Circle routes, which includes route No. 72, will continue serving their existing stops.

For more information, see the bus schedules at coltsbus.com.

— STAFF REPORT

Demolition of hulking eyesores of the old Scranton Lace factory continue to make way for a new residential complex called Laceworks Village.

Established in 1890, Scranton Lace was the first, and at one time the largest, manufacturer of Nottingham Lace in America. Formerly one of the largest employers in the area, the factory also made other products, including tablecloths, napkins, valances, shower curtains, parachutes and camouflage netting.

The sprawling facility on 10.3 acres between Meylert and Albright avenues closed in 2002, and local developer Lace Building Affiliates bought the vacant property in 2006.

The multiphase Laceworks Village project calls for preserving parts of the property and redeveloping other sections.

Demolition began in June, and wrecking crews continue to reduce buildings to rubble.

Efforts to contact the developers were unsuccessful.

The company’s website says about one-third of demolitions have been completed. Environmental remediation, which was the first work at the site, also is nearly finished.

The project calls for three phases of new construction, of 31, 80 and 76 units, or 187 in all, according to the firm’s website. It does not say when new construction may begin, or list timetables for the three phases.

In 2016, the city approved a 10-year tax abatement on new construction in the redevelopment of the blighted property.

Unlike interior environmental remediation that took some time but was not outwardly visible, there’s no missing how demolition is changing the property’s appearance, council President Pat Rogan said.

“I’m very happy with the progress we’ve seen. I know the neighbors are very happy to see the progress,” Rogan said.

The 187-unit figure on the company website is slightly less than the number of units presented in 2016 in an overview to council. At that time, the developers described a blighted, vacant site containing 33 buildings and 608,000 square feet; and plans for a 192-unit residential complex, with lofts in salvageable factory buildings and new townhomes along a bank of the Lackawanna River.

A company phone message says the firm will start taking residential applications in the fall.

Some recent social media posts from Laceworks Village include the following:

n — “The vision for the revitalization of the Scranton Lace Complex involves the creation of a true community destination where people such as artists, seniors and others can live, work, socialize, enjoy unique shopping and dining experiences, improve their health and wellness, experience the arts, and learn about the history of the textile industry.”

n — “Scranton Lace was once an enormous complex that employed 1,400 people and boasted its own gym, barbershop, theatre, four-lane bowling alley, and an infirmary for its employees.”

n — “The clock tower is such an iconic piece of history that we will incorporate it into our development. It’s going to be the centrepiece [sic] of the Laceworks Village.”

The company also has been selling bricks from the rubble of the razings. Most of the century-old bricks will be repurposed into new construction of Laceworks Village, while other salvaged bricks were for sale for use elsewhere.

After its closure, the former industrial landmark devolved into a giant eyesore but gained a new, different kind of notoriety as an example of America’s industrial heyday, and an intriguing curiosity for spectators, trespassers and photographers alike. The site was featured in a 2011 pilot episode of “Abandoned,” a reality television series. In 2012, the factory complex was added to the National Register of Historic Places.

Now, the razings herald a brighter future for the property, Rogan said. He likened the situation to the unrelated redevelopment of the formerly long-vacant North Scranton Junior High School into the Goodwill at North Gerald T. Langan Apartments.

“The demolition is the first step,” Rogan said of Laceworks Village. “These massive projects unfortunately don’t happen overnight.”

Contact the writer: jlockwood@timesshamrock.com; 570-348-9100 x5185; @jlockwoodTT on Twitter

MARRIAGE LICENSES

• Gary Michael Krypel and Christine T. Figliomeni, both of Old Forge.

• Dustin Lee Johnson and Maria Louise Alaneda, both of Scranton.

• Vallejo Omar Amaro and Guadalupe Moran, both of Scranton.

PROPERTY TRANSACTIONS

• Mary Virgina Malloy, per attorney in fact, Maura Malloy, Scranton, to George and Nancy S. Nadj, North Babylon, N.Y.; a property at 308-310 S. Irving Ave., Scranton, for $41,000.

• Martier Realty LLC, Scran­ton, to George and Nancy S. Nadj, North Babylon, N.Y.; a property at 1028 Crown Ave., Scranton, for $35,000.

• Ann Donna and John Moody to Emmett and Nicole Oberren­der; a property at Auborn Court, Roaring Brook Twp., for $425,000.

• Adam and Carol Zatek, Clarks Summit, to Lambo Realty LLC, Scranton; a property at 1015 Prospect Ave., Scranton, for $57,000.

• Mary Phyllis and Robert B. Jones, Old Forge, to Christopher J. and Chrisann Kelly, Dalton; a property at 8 Butler St., Old Forge, for $139,050.

• Sunrise Select Properties LLC to Kevin M. McDonaugh, Islip, N.Y.; a property at 1320 1322 W. Locust St., Scranton, for $180,000.

• Louis R. Riddle and Casey E. Reina, Lackawanna County, to Thomas E. Exeter, Scranton; a property at 431 Smith St., Dun­more, for $185,500.

• Robert and Maureen Edwards, Vandling, to Robert Brehm, Flushing, N.Y.; a property at 213 Third St., Vandling, for $250,000.

• LGII Enterprises Inc., also known as LGII Enterprises Inc., Yardley, to Walter A. Zevoteck, Throop; a property at 637 Meade St., Throop, for $77,274.

• Lakeview Loan Servicing LLC to New Horizons Property Investment LLC, Paterson, N.J.; a property at 135 Cottage St., Carbondale, for $43,500.

• John A. and H. Anne Kutz, Clarks Summit, to William T. and Erin E. Botke, South Abington Twp.; a property at 126 Ledge­wood Drive, Waverly Twp., for $647,000.

• Lucille Gudz to Alexander Opiela III; a property at Lennys Lane, Spring Brook Twp., for $135,000.

• Zoltan and Nicole Rabold, Spring Valley, N.Y., to ANKRE1 LLC; two parcels in Scranton for $140,000.

• Debra Nappi and Carissa Nappi Burnside, Scranton, to Jeffrey M. and Lori E. Gilroy, Scranton; a property at 305 Newton Road, Scranton, for $113,000.

• Graz Holdings LLC, Scran­ton, to Victor Paiva, Scranton; a property at 1929-1931 Edna Ave., Scranton, for $30,000.

• Darius J. Leightcap, by and through his agent, Darry Leight­cap, Clarks Summit, to Amos Vered, Brooklyn, N.Y.; a property at 410 Haven Lane, Clarks Summit, for $150,000.

DIVORCES SOUGHT

• Brittany Causer, Scranton, v. Bryan Causer, Scranton; married Feb. 18, 2014; Marjorie DeSan­to Barlow, attorney.

• Sean O’Sullivan, Pocono Lake, v. Melissa O’Sullivan, Ridge­wood, N.J.; married Nov. 20, 2013, in New York, N.Y.; pro se.

• Crystal Jennifer Lee, South Abington Twp., v. John Brian Fitz­patrick, Clayton, N.J.; married June 7, 2008, in Scranton; pro se.

DIVORCE DECREES

• Karen Miller v. Daniel Miller

• Adam Pezanowski Jr. v. Deb­orah Pezanowski

• Lisa Maiolatesi v. Chester Pawelski

• John Czubowicz v. Evelyn Czubowicz

• Yaitza Gonzalez v. Danny Gonzalez

• Taylor Trubia v. Amanda Krieg

• Kayla Evans v. Adam Wahlers

• Kerri Pienkowski v. Richard Pienkowski III

ESTATES FILED

• Robert W. Perrins, also known as Robert Wesley Per­rins, 246 S. Main St., Old Forge, letters testamentary to Martha Doran, 211 Elm St., Dupont.

• Joseph Kozel, 109 Ridge View Drive, Scranton, letters testamentary to Joseph Kozel, 2001 Meadow Run Road, Bear Creek Twp.

• Mary Lou Matoushek, 5 Everson Ave., Peckville, letters testamentary to Joseph R. Matoushek, 3291 Lock Erne Ave., Kannapolis, N.C.

• Ernest F. Refice, 323 Adams Ave., Apt. 604, Scranton, letters testamentary to Louise Pawlowski, 3218 Doud Ave., Scranton.

ONLINE:

thetimes-tribune.com/courts

Calling the state’s case a “pile of rubble,” the defense attorney for former Lackawanna County prison guard George T. McHale implored jurors to find him not guilty of sexually assaulting an inmate in his closing argument this morning.

Attorney Joseph Toczydlowski hammered away at the woman’s credibility, repeatedly referring to her as a “nine-time convicted liar.” He told jurors she made up the story about being forced to masturbate McHale in 2009 because she wanted to collect on a federal lawsuit she and other women who allege they were abused filed in 2016.

At the start of the case, he reminded jurors he said the state’s case was like a building built on a crumbling foundation.

“I never expected it to crumble as profoundly as it did,” he said in his 45-minute closing.

Deputy Attorney General Rebecca Elo acknowledged the victim had a long history of criminal convictions, but told jurors that does not mean she is not telling the truth. She is exactly the type person a sexual predator would seek out as a victim, she said.

“I submit to you that does not make her a liar. It makes her an imperfect person . . . It makes her a perfect victim,” Elo said in her 30 minute closing. “These crimes are committed against vulnerable people who no one will believe.”

McHale, 51, 513 Florin St., Scranton, is charged with one count of institutional sexual assault and two counts of indecent assault

The prosecution and defense wrapped up closing arguments around 11:30 a.m. Lackawanna County Judge Julia Munley is now instructing them on the law. They will then begin deliberations.

Check back for updates

PITTSTON TWP. — A plane carrying 31 passengers and four crew members lost an engine and safely made an emergency landing this morning at Wilkes-Barre/Scranton International Airport, said airport director Carl Beardsley.

The Porter Airlines plane departed from Newark, New Jersey enroute to Toronto when it began having engine trouble and one of its two engines shut off, Beardsley said.

“It was the choice the pilot needed to make — to go to a location with a sufficient runway and sufficient services and close enough so it was not going to run out of fuel,” Beardsley said.

Emergency crews were on hand as the plane as landed.

“Something like this doesn’t happen normally but we train for these situations on a regular basis,” Beardsley said. “We train to make sure our response is strong and effective. Our crews today proved they are both strong and effective.”

No one was injured and passengers waiting in the terminal building for the next Porter Airlines plane to arrive and take them to Canada, he said.

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

SCRANTON — A former Lackawanna County Prison guard was found not guilty of sexually abusing an inmate.

George T. McHale, 51, of 513 Florin St., Scranton, was on trial on one count of institutional sexual assault and two counts of indecent assault. Prosecutors alleged he forced a female inmate to masturbate him while she was housed in the prison’s restricted housing unit in 2009.

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

Jurors deliberated for about two hours today before finding the former guard not guilty on all counts. McHale buried his head in his hands and began to cry as each not guilty verdict was read. A dozen family members and supporters in the courtroom clapped, hugged and cried.

The decision is a blow for the state Attorney General’s office, which charged McHale and six other former guards last February based on findings of a statewide grand jury investigation. McHale’s was the first case to go to trial.

In closing arguments this morning, McHale’s attorney, Joseph Toczydlowski, implored jurors to acquit his client, calling state’s case a “pile of rubble.”

He aggressively attacked the alleged victim’s credibility, repeatedly referring to her as a “nine time convicted liar” who was motivated to make up the story because she wanted to collect on a federal lawsuit she and other women who allege they were abused filed in 2016.

“This case is about theft. The theft of a good man’s reputation ... and a hardworking husband and father’s future,” he said in his closing. “Don’t let that theft happen.

Deputy General Elo acknowledged the woman had a long history of criminal convictions, but told jurors that does not mean she is not telling the truth. She is exactly the type of person a sexual predator would seek out as a victim, she said.

“I submit to you that does not make her a liar. It makes her an imperfect person ... It makes her a perfect victim,” Elo said in her closing. “These crimes are committed against vulnerable people who no one will believe.”

Check back for updates

Crowding the plate, fearsome and fearless, Frank Robinson hammered his way into the Hall of Fame.
His legacy, however, was cemented the day he simply stood in the dugout at old Cleveland Stadium as the first black manager in Major League Baseball.
Robinson, the only player to earn the MVP award in both leagues, died Thursday at 83. He had been in failing health and in hospice care at his home in Bel Air. MLB said he was with family and friends at the time.
"Frank Robinson's resume in our game is without parallel, a trailblazer in every sense, whose impact spanned generations," Commissioner Rob Manfred said in a statement.
Robinson hit 586 home runs — he was fourth on the career list behind only Hank Aaron, Babe Ruth and Willie Mays when he retired and now ranks 10th. An MVP with Cincinnati and Baltimore, he won the Triple Crown while leading the Orioles to their first World Series championship in 1966.
An All-Star outfielder in 12 seasons and a first-ballot selection to Cooperstown, Robinson also was a Rookie of the Year and picked up a Gold Glove.
But his place in the sport's history extended far beyond the batter's box and basepaths.
In 1975, Robinson fulfilled his quest to become the first African-American manager in the big leagues when he was hired by the Cleveland Indians. His impact was immediate and memorable.
The Indians opened at home that year and Robinson, still active, batted himself second as the designated hitter. In the first inning, he homered off Doc Medich and the crowd went crazy, cheering the whole April afternoon as Cleveland beat the Yankees.
The Reds, Orioles and Indians have retired his No. 20 and honored him with statues at their stadiums.
Robinson later managed San Francisco, Baltimore and Montreal. He became the first manager of the Washington Nationals after the franchise moved from Montreal for the 2005 season — the Nationals put him in their Ring of Honor, too.
More than half the major league teams have had black managers since his debut with Cleveland.
Robinson later spent several years working as an executive for MLB and for a time oversaw the annual Civil Rights Game. He advocated for more minorities throughout baseball and worked with former Commissioner Bud Selig to develop the Selig Rule, directing teams to interview at least one minority candidate before hiring a new manager.
For all he did on and off the field, Robinson was presented the Presidential Medal of Freedom by George W. Bush in 2005.
Born Aug. 21, 1935, in Beaumont, Texas, Robinson attended McClymonds High School in Oakland, California, and was a basketball teammate of future NBA great Bill Russell. But it was on the diamond, rather than court, where fame awaited Robinson.
Former Orioles pitcher Jim Palmer, who also gained first-ballot entry into the Hall, once called Robinson, "the best player I ever saw."
Starting out in an era when Mays, Aaron, Mickey Mantle and Ted Williams were the big hitters, Robinson more than held his own over 21 seasons. He finished with 1,812 RBIs and hit .294 — he played in the World Series five times, and homered in each of them.
Robinson was the only player to hit a ball completely out of old Memorial Stadium in Baltimore and once connected for grand slams in consecutive innings of a game. But he didn't just slug away, as evidenced by a .389 on-base average boosted by 1,420 walks against 1,532 strikeouts. Extremely alert on the bases, he had 204 steals.
Robinson played the game with grace, yet was known as fierce competitor who combined hard work with natural talent. He crowded the plate, yielding to no pitcher, and didn't seem to care about being brushed back or getting hit by a pitch 198 times.
"Pitchers did me a favor when they knocked me down," Robinson said. "It made me more determined. I wouldn't let that pitcher get me out."
And opposing pitchers noticed.
"Frank Robinson might have been the best I ever saw at turning his anger into runs. He challenged you physically as soon as he stepped into the batter's box, with half his body hanging over the plate," Hall ace Bob Gibson once wrote.
"As a rule, I'm reluctant to express admiration for hitters, but I make an exception for Frank Robinson," Gibson wrote.
Robinson carried a similar philosophy as a baserunner, unapologetically sliding spikes high whenever necessary.
"The baselines belong to the runner, and whenever I was running the bases, I always slid hard," Robinson declared.
Robinson broke in with a bang as a 20-year-old big leaguer. He tied the first-year record with 38 home runs for Cincinnati in 1956, scored a league-high 122 times and was voted NL Rookie of the Year.
Robinson was the 1961 NL MVP after batting .323 with 37 homers and 124 RBIs for the pennant-winning Reds, and reached career highs in runs (134) and RBIs (136) in 1962. He was an All-Star, too, in 1965, but Reds owner Bill DeWitt decided Robinson was an old-ish 30 and time to make a move.
That December, Robinson was the centerpiece in what would ultimately be one of the most lopsided trades in baseball history, going to Baltimore for pitchers Milt Pappas and Jack Baldschun and outfielder Dick Simpson.
Robinson became an instant hit with the Orioles in 1966 as the unanimous AL MVP.
On May 8, he became the only player ever to hit a home run completely out of Baltimore's home park, Memorial Stadium. The drive came against Cleveland ace Luis Tiant and the spot where the ball sailed over the left-field wall was marked by a flag that read "HERE" that remained in place until the Orioles left for Camden Yards in 1991.
Robinson batted .316 with 49 home runs and 122 RBIs during his first season in Birdland. He then homered in the first inning of the 1966 World Series opener at Dodger Stadium and capped off the four-game sweep of Los Angeles with another homer off Don Drysdale in a 1-0 win in Game 4.
Robinson hit two home runs against the Reds — of all clubs — in teaming with future Hall of Fame third baseman Brooks Robinson to win another crown for the Orioles in 1970.
All told, Robinson was an All-Star in five of his six seasons with Baltimore, reaching the World Series four times and batting .300 with 179 home runs. The cap on his Cooperstown plaque carries on O's logo.
Pappas went 30-29 over two-plus seasons with the Reds, Baldschun won one game in 51 appearances over two years with Cincinnati and Simpson hit five home runs as a part-time outfielder for the Reds during two mediocre seasons.
Robinson was traded to the Dodgers before the 1972 season. He played for the California Angels in 1973 and was dealt to Cleveland late in the 1974 season.
Robinson had coached for the Orioles and worked in their front office when he became their manager in 1988 after the team opened at 0-6. Things didn't get much better right away as Baltimore went on to lose its first 21 games and finished 54-107. The next season, the O's went 87-75 and Robinson was voted AL Manager of the Year.
Tough and demanding, he went 1,065-1,176 overall as a big league manager.
A no-nonsense guy, Robinson also had a sharp wit. That served him well in Baltimore where, in addition to being a star right fielder, he was the judge for the team's Kangaroo Court, assessing playful fines for missing signs, uniform mishaps and other things he deemed as infractions.
At the time, the Orioles had a batboy named Jay Mazzone, whose hands were amputated when he was 2 after a burning accident. Mazzone capably did his job for years with metal hooks and became good friends with Robinson.
Some players, though, initially weren't sure how to treat the teen.
"Frank Robinson broke the ice," Mazzone said. "He was running his Kangaroo Court and calling a vote among the players, whether to fine somebody or not."
"It was either thumbs up or thumbs down," he recalled. "After the vote, he said, 'Jay, you're fined for not voting.' Everybody laughed. After that, I was treated just like everybody else."
Survivors include his wife, Barbara, and daughter Nichelle.
There was no immediate word on funeral arrangements.
___
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SCRANTON — A businessman who investigators say took a car due to be surrendered in a bankruptcy case and treated it as his own for 19 months will spend six to 23 months in the Lackawanna County Prison.

Robert J. Kearns, 55, Scranton, was sentenced Wednesday by Judge Vito Geroulo after pleading guilty in August to two counts of theft by deception.

County detectives, who charged Kearns in May, said he took a car a woman was relinquishing as part of a bankruptcy under the pretext of returning it to a creditor in February 2016 but kept the vehicle instead. The woman contacted her attorney, for whom Kearns had worked, after she received a title for the supposedly repossessed car in September 2017.

Kearns was a co-owner of Municipal Energy Managers, a now-defunct Dunmore company that was accused in 2012 and 2013 with bilking millions of dollars from municipalities in four counties through a streetlight privatization and maintenance scheme.

— DAVID SINGLETON

SCRANTON — The Scranton School Board could look drastically different by the end of the year.

As the district begins to accept applications for the latest vacancy, current directors must decide whether to run in this spring’s primary election. Voters will decide who will hold six of nine seats on the board.

Five four-year seats will be on the ballot: seats occupied by Paul Duffy, Bob Lesh, Gopal Patel, Greg Popil and Tom Schuster. One two-year seat will also be up: the seat originally held by Robert Casey, who resigned last month, with nearly three years left on his term. The person the board appoints at the end of this month will have to decide whether to be on the May 21 ballot. The first day to circulate petitions is Feb. 19. Two incumbents — Duffy and Lesh — said they will not seek another term.

Unlike the vacancy the board filled in December, when directors broke the Sunshine Act and appointed Patel without seeking applications, the board will follow its rules for Casey’s seat.

“I am delighted that we’re following the policy,” Director Katie Gilmartin said. “I think that’s a step in the right direction. I’m thrilled there will be time for people to come forward.”

People interested in filling the vacancy should send a resume and a completed application by email to Virginia.Orr@ssdedu.org or send by mail to Board Secretary, 425 N. Washington Ave., Scranton, PA 18503. Applications will be accepted until noon on Thursday, Feb. 21. Applications are available on the district website, www.scrsd.org, or by request from the board secretary.

A special meeting to interview and select the next director will be held Monday, Feb. 25 at 6:30 p.m. in the board room of the Administration Building. A work session will take place following the special meeting.

Gilmartin, Barbara Dixon and Mark McAndrew are the only directors not up for re-election. McAndrew is running for Scranton City Council but can keep his seat on the board if the bid is unsuccessful.

Gilmartin said that as directors prepare to pick a replacement for Casey, she hopes to find a community-minded person with integrity and an ability to weigh pros and cons of any situation.

Popil, appointed in November, said he will seek election. When filling Casey’s appointment, Popil said he wants to find someone to push fiscal responsibility and be open to state assistance.

Schuster said he also plans on running for another term.

“The board is changing,” he said. “We’re at a crossroads. We’re at a historic point with this district. We’re going to need some people ready to deal with what’s coming.”

Duffy, who would like the appointee to have kids in the district to better understand the effects of the board’s decisions, said he will not seek reelection.

“I just don’t think that the amount of time it takes away from family and raising my kids is any longer worth the sacrifice,” Duffy said.

Lesh has recently said he would not run again. Efforts to reach him and Patel were unsuccessful Thursday.

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

DELAWARE TWP. — A Dingmans Ferry man is charged with selling drugs that led to the overdose death of a township man.

Kyle Piekenbrock, 27, is charged with drug delivery resulting in death and drug delivery charges stemming from the death of James Read, 26. Read was discovered dead in his township home on the morning of Feb. 1.

State police discovered messages between Read and Piekenbrock discussing the purchase of heroin on Read’s phone.

Troopers arrested Piekenbrock later on Feb. 1 and found 33 packets of heroin stamped “Death Bed,” according to the Pike County district attorney’s office. Packets with the same stamp were also discovered at Read’s home, prosecutors said.

Piekenbrock was arraigned today. He is held without bail at Pike County Correctional Facility. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for Feb. 12.

— CLAYTON OVER