SCRANTON

A city man accused of robbing a check-cashing business in December waived his right to a preliminary hearing Friday.

Ronald Eugene Kerr, 30, 407 Bartell St., is accused of holding a gun to the head of an employee of United Check Cashing on Oak Street on Dec. 29, with the threat that she would die unless she unlocked the doors and turned off the alarms. He zip-tied her and filled his backpack with cash. Police arrested him in January.

After Kerr waived the hearing, the case will proceed to trial.

Kerr is in Lackawanna County Prison on $500,000 bail for charges including robbery and aggravated assault.

— JOSEPH KOHUT

SCRANTON

No one opposed the city’s petition for court approval to maintain a tripled local services tax of $156 this year on most people who work in the city.

A tripled LST, allowed under a 2014 revision to state Act 47, remains part of the city’s Act 47 financial recovery plan but requires annual court approval.

The city received court approvals for an LST of $156, or $3 a week, for 2015, 2016, 2017 and 2018.

The LST previously was $1 a week, or $52 a year for most workers. LSTs above $52 a year contain exemptions for those earning less than $15,600 a year.

Friday was the deadline for any responses to the city LST petition. A hearing will be held at 1:30 p.m. March 6 in Lackawanna County Court.

— JIM LOCKWOOD

The franchise owner of Denny’s in Pittston Twp. has proposed opening a hotel at 401-407 Highway 315 in Pittston Twp.

The Pittston Twp. Zoning Hearing Appeals Board will hear Naymesh Patel’s proposal at a meeting 6:30 p.m. March 5 at the township municipal building.

Patel could not immediately be reached for comment Friday.

Pittston Twp. Zoning Officer Terry Best said he doesn’t know the name of the proposed hotel yet, but Patel is seeking a variance to build it on a 1.2-acre lot and the minimum in the zoning district is two acres.

Patel also is seeking a variance of 5 feet for the commercial building on the proposed lot and a 50-foot setback is required.

The zoning board is scheduled to vote whether to approve the variances at the March 5 meeting.

— DENISE ALLABAUGH

Bob Lesh, a manager at the County of Lackawanna Transit System, violated policy when he circulated a nomination petition for Commissioner Patrick O’Malley, the agency’s executive director said.

Lesh, who also serves as a Scranton school director, said he collected signatures for O’Malley this week at COLTS’ administrative offices while on his lunch break. Circulating the petition violated an agency policy prohibiting solicitation in the workplace, COLTS Executive Director Robert Fiume said. That policy is spelled out in the agency’s employee manual, he said.

During his break, Lesh said he approached people in the office and asked them to sign the petition for O’Malley. He said he did so on his own, “as a taxpayer and a citizen of Lackawanna County” and not at the request of the commissioner.

“I didn’t disturb anyone. I didn’t force anyone,” Lesh said. “I told them flat out they didn’t have to.”

Lesh said he is unaware of any COLTS policies that prohibit solicitation, but Fiume said Lesh has been told not to do it again. He wouldn’t say if the agency is considering disciplinary action.

The relationship between Lesh and the O’Malley family goes back more than 40 years, when the commissioner’s late father, Paul “Hook” O’Malley, taught Lesh how to box, he said.

“They’re just good people,” said Lesh, who served with the commissioner on the Scranton School Board. “I’m very proud to call him my friend.”

Attempts to reach O’Malley were unsuccessful.

Contact the writers:

jhorvath@timesshamrock.com; 570-348-9141;

@jhorvathTT on Twitter

shofius@timesshamrock.com; 570-348-9133;

@hofiushallTT on Twitter

SCRANTON — Lackawanna County commissioners selected a former city parks director to lead the county’s Parks and Recreation Department.

Commissioner Patrick O’Malley on Friday announced Mark Dougher as the department’s next director, a role he has occupied in an acting capacity since former Director Bill Davis resigned in November. Dougher, who had been buildings and grounds manager in the county parks department since January 2017, will earn an annual salary of $55,000 in the new role. His appointment is effective immediately.

As director, Dougher will oversee the four parks in the county system: McDade, Merli-Sarnoski, Aylesworth and Covington. He also is responsible for the parks department’s staff, budget, capital projects and community events. While Dougher worked for the county for just over two years, commissioners cited more than 35 years of applicable work experience, starting when he became Scranton’s paving inspector in 1983. He later worked for the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton International Airport and Scranton Housing Authority, among other jobs, in positions involving “building maintenance and specialty crafts,” according to the county.

Dougher began serving as Scranton’s deputy director of safety and conservation in 2006, and became city parks and recreation director in 2007. He held that job until 2010, before moving to the city’s Department of Public Works, where he became director in 2012.

“After working with the city of Scranton parks and recreation, the biggest municipality in the whole ... county, you sort of get a hold on everything that’s going on,” Dougher said. “Now this is on a wider scale, but it’s still people using the parks. We’re in the people business.”

O’Malley said the county’s parks offer a local recreation alternative for residents unable to travel elsewhere for vacations or outdoor events. Before putting a county pin on Dougher’s lapel, O’Malley said the new director’s years of experience make him the right person to propel the parks department into the future.

“(Dougher) will bring so much to the table and make the parks better than they’ve ever been,” he said.

Contact the writer:

jhorvath@timesshamrock.com;

570-348-9141; @jhorvathTT on Twitter

NANTICOKE — Suspended police officer Mark Icker faced new charges Friday alleging he demanded oral sex from a woman driving a carload of children to Chuck E. Cheese.

Mark Icker, 29, of 501 Edgar St., Throop, is accused of pressuring a woman he pulled over in Sugar Notch on Nov. 8 — representing the fourth woman he is accused of accosting and the first time the alleged conduct happened somewhere other than where he worked as a part-time officer in Ashley.

According to the complaint, the woman told police she was pulled over on Main Street around 7:30 p.m., purportedly for running a stop sign. Icker, who also worked part time in Sugar Notch, told the woman to exit the vehicle, which contained her boyfriend and her three children who were en route to the children’s restaurant in Wilkes-Barre Twp., the complaint said.

Icker informed the woman he was having the vehicle towed for a lapse in insurance, and she asked if she could just drive it home instead.

“What could you do for me?” Icker asked as he covered his microphone, according to the complaint.

The woman said she didn’t have any money and asked what Icker wanted, to which he said, “You tell me what you can do for me,” according to the charges.

After a moment, the woman realized Icker was seeking a sexual favor and said she couldn’t help him, police said. Icker then called for a tow.

When the tow truck arrived, the woman went back to talk with Icker, and agreed to give him her number, police said.

Icker then allowed the woman to leave with the understanding that she would perform oral sex on him at a later time, according to the complaint.

The woman’s boyfriend questioned how she was able to drive away, and she told him she’d given Icker her number so they could arrange to go on a date, police said.

But the woman never met Icker, despite him texting her about meeting. The woman sent Icker a “provocative” picture with an exposed breast, but Icker continued “harassing” her, the complaint said.

The woman tried explaining she is trying to take care of three children in addition to attending school and that she didn’t have time to meet, but Icker continued contacting her — even using a different number when she blocked his, police said. Eventually she sent another nude image of herself at his request to “buy more time,” the complaint said.

At one point, Icker told the woman she could bring her boyfriend and kids to the police station and leave them in the car so she could “take care” of him, police said.

Luzerne County detectives charged Icker with involuntary deviate sexual intercourse, official oppression and coercion.

Magisterial District Judge Donald L. Whittaker arraigned Icker on the charges Friday afternoon and ordered him jailed at the Luzerne County Correctional Facility with bail set at $250,000.

Icker was previously arrested on charges alleging he pressured two women into performing oral sex on him to avoid arrest, and that he pulled down a third woman’s shirt and groped her after stopping her for driving under the influence.

Those cases all took place in Ashley, where Icker was employed as a part-time police officer. He also worked in Sugar Notch and Jessup.

Icker is facing sexual assault, official oppression and related charges in those cases.

Two of those victims have already filed a federal civil rights lawsuit against Icker alleging he violated their constitutional rights.

Contact the writer:

jhalpin@citizensvoice.com

570-821-2058

Feb. 23, 1969

13-story high rise planned

Geneva House, a newly formed nonprofit corporation, announced plans for the construction of a 13-story apartment building for senior citizens in Scranton.

The high-rise would have 100 apartments — 75 studio style and the rest one-bedroom units.

Plans called for the nonprofit to buy properties on Adams Avenue and Spruce Street: the Stoehr & Fister Building, Okee’s Diner, and the Greyhound bus station and parking lot. The nonprofit was working with the Scranton Redevelopment Authority. The SRA said the project would fit under its Neighborhood Development Program.

Production set at North

Students at North Scranton Junior High School were to present the Broadway musical “Bye Bye Birdie” on March 26, 27 and 28.

Starring in the lead role as Conrad Birdie was Paul Griffin, with Susan Romanski as Kim MacAfee. The show also starred Tim Guse as Birdie’s manager/songwriter, Mary Ellen Krompasky as Birdie’s girlfriend and Virginia Cooper and Paul Miele as Kim’s parents.

Top 10 songs

The Top 10 songs for the week: “Everyday People,” Sly and the Family Stone; “Crimson and Clover,” Tommy James and the Shondells; “Build Me Up Buttercup,” the Foundations; “Touch Me,” the Doors; “Proud Mary,” Creedence Clearwater Revival; “You Showed Me,” the Turtles; “This Magic Moment,” Jay and the Americans; “Baby, Baby Don’t Cry,” Smokey Robinson and the Miracles; “The Worst That Could Happen,” Brooklyn Bridge; and “Dizzy,” Tommy Roe.

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.

Q: I was driving my 2008 Toyota Highlander recently when the car began to have a burning smell and a clicking sound coming from the engine. Turns out the oil coolant line had ruptured while I was driving, and all the oil drained out, causing damage to the engine. This happened without warning.

My dealer said Toyota is aware of this issue and is fixing it free if the car is less than 10 years old. So the dealer rebuilt my engine at no cost. However, upon testing the car after the repair work was done, the dealer said my transmission was damaged and needed to be repaired at a cost of $5,000.

The dealer says there’s no relation between the engine seizing and the transmission problem. But I never had any transmission issues before this happened. The car is now 10 years old with 102,000 miles. Is this a coincidence, or did the dealer lie to me? Thanks.

— MICHELLE

A: Well, if you really DO have a transmission problem, Michelle, it wasn’t caused by the oil cooler line rupture.

The transmission in this car has its own cooling system, and that would have been unaffected by your other disaster. And while it’d be unusual for a Toyota with 102,000 miles to have transmission failure, it’s not impossible.

So I think there are two possibilities. One is that it’s a coincidence, and you didn’t notice the transmission slipping a little bit before this whole incident. In that scenario, the dealer is being 100 percent honest.

The second possibility is that the dealer is not being honest. Dealerships get reimbursed for doing warranty work at a much lower rate than they charge their paying customers like you.

So if they were dissatisfied with the profit they made rebuilding your engine under warranty, they might try to prey on your gratitude for the free repair, and churn up some better-paying business by rebuilding your transmission. I hope not. That would be skullduggery. And not nice, too.

Without examining the car, I have no idea whether the dealer is being honest or not. So I’m going to strongly recommend you get a second opinion.

Ask that second mechanic to check your transmission. If it turns out there really is something wrong with it, your dealer was telling the truth. But even if the dealer is being honest, you’ll still want to shop around and compare prices, and think about whether you want to repair your transmission, have it rebuilt or buy a factory rebuilt one.

On the other hand, the second mechanic may tell you there’s nothing wrong with your transmission. Or that it just needs a fluid change.

For the sake our industry’s reputation, I hope the dealer was being 100 percent honest. And to balance that out, for the sake of your financial health, I hope you win a $5,000 lottery ticket on the way home from your second opinion.

Q: I was driving my 2008 Toyota Highlander recently when the car began to have a burning smell and a clicking sound coming from the engine. Turns out the oil coolant line had ruptured while I was driving, and all the oil drained out, causing damage to the engine. This happened without warning.

My dealer said Toyota is aware of this issue and is fixing it for free if the car is less than 10 years old. So the dealer rebuilt my engine at no cost. However, upon testing the car after the repair work was done, the dealer said that my transmission was damaged and needed to be repaired at a cost of $5,000.

The dealer says there’s no relation between the engine seizing and the transmission problem. But I never had any transmission issues before this happened, and took my car in for regular service.

The car is now 10 years old with 102,000 miles. Is this a coincidence, or did the dealer lie to me? Thanks.

— MICHELLE

A: Well, if you really DO have a transmission problem, Michelle, it wasn’t caused by the oil cooler line rupture.

The transmission in this car has its own cooling system, and that would have been unaffected by your other disaster. And while it’d be unusual for a Toyota with 102,000 miles to have transmission failure, it’s not impossible.

So I think there are two possibilities. One is that it’s a coincidence, and you didn’t notice the transmission slipping a little bit before this whole incident. In that scenario, the dealer is being 100 percent honest.

The second possibility is that the dealer is not being honest. Dealerships get reimbursed for doing warranty work at a much lower rate than they charge their paying customers like you.

So if they were dissatisfied with the profit they made rebuilding your engine under warranty, they might try to prey on your gratitude for the free repair, and churn up some better paying business by rebuilding your transmission.

I hope not. That would be skullduggery. And not nice, too.

Without examining the car, I have no idea whether the dealer is being honest or not. So I’m going to strongly recommend you get a second opinion. Tell the dealership that $5,000 is a lot of money, and you’re going to have to think about it.

Then either go to mechanicsfiles.com and search for a recommended mechanic near you, or ask your friends and neighbors for names of mechanics they really trust.

Then ask that mechanic to check your transmission. If it turns out there really is something wrong with it, then your dealer was telling the truth. And next time you go to confession, you can say a Hail Mary for thinking ill of him. But even if the dealer is being honest, you’ll still want to shop around and compare prices, and think about whether you want to repair your transmission, have it rebuilt or buy a factory rebuilt one.

On the other hand, the second mechanic may tell you that there’s nothing wrong with your transmission. Or that it just needs a fluid change.

For the sake our industry’s reputation, I hope the dealer was being 100 percent honest. And to balance that out, for the sake of your financial health, I hope you win a $5,000 lottery ticket on the way home from your second opinion. Good luck, Michelle. Let us know what you learn.

DUNMORE

Lieutenant Governor John Fetterman will visit Dunmore next weekend as part of his statewide recreational marijuana listening tour.

Fetterman will stop at the Penn State Scranton Study Learning Center, 120 Ridge View Drive, from 5 to 6:30 p.m. on Saturday, according to the lieutenant governor’s office. He will also make stops in Schuylkill, Clinton and Blair Counties.

Tour stops are open to the public, and anyone unable to attend can comment on legalizing recreational marijuana through an online submission form available on the governor’s website and the lieutenant governor’s Facebook page.

— FRANK WILKES LESNEFSKY

The financial recovery is doomed to reverse.

The question is when, not if, economists say.

But Americans probably won’t trip over the same triggers that set off the last recession, nor will many of the same pitfalls follow.

As home values are on the upswing, and lenders wring borrowers through daunting approval routines, nationally the number of seriously underwater mortgages dropped from its peak of nearly 28 percent in 2012 to just under 9 percent in the last quarter of 2018, according to figures released this month by Attom Data Solutions.

In fact, the equity scales have flipped, and nearly 26 percent of homeowners have at least 50 percent equity in their homes.

The data appears to be skewed when it comes to the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre/Hazleton metro area, likely a product of one county’s 51-year-old property assessment.

Of the 98 U.S. metro areas included in its study, the local metro area ranked fifth highest for seriously underwater mortgages.

Almost 18 percent of homes in the metro area, which includes Lackawanna, Luzerne and Wyoming counties, were seriously underwater at the end of 2018, Attom says.

Attom uses a host of public home value data to determine how many of them are underwater and equity-rich, including tax assessments.

Assessed tax values are never used by themselves to determine a property’s equity position, Attom spokeswoman Christine Stricker said. Instead, tax values are used when market sales activity is scarce, she said.

In a document explaining its process and disclosing the accuracy of its numbers, the research group estimates its method for calculating values gets 60.5 percent of its values within 10 percent of actual sale prices.

About 17 percent of calculated values deviate more than 20 percent from actual sale prices.

Lackawanna County hasn’t had a countywide reassessment since 1968, so a home with a fair market value of, for example, $400,000 might be assessed at only $30,000.

If the homeowner borrowed almost a half-million for a home that tax records say is worth less than a tenth of that, it could potentially create the appearance that the mortgage is hopelessly drowning.

Attom considers a mortgage seriously underwater if the homeowner owes 25 percent more than the home is worth.

Recession looms

The housing bubble burst in 2007, the result of bad loans made to borrowers who never should have had them in the first place. In the wake of the debt crisis, underwater mortgages shot through the ceiling as real estate values dropped.

Indicators in Northeast Pennsylvania, and just about everywhere else for that matter, still show a robust economy.

The gross domestic product is growing. Wages are rising. The Federal Reserve for nearly four years incrementally hiked key interest rates in an effort to temper growth.

Now, as home prices continue to rise — mortgage industry predictions say, for example, Lackawanna County’s home values could rise as much as 24 percent in the next five years — economists say the sins of the past won’t cause the impending downturn.

Instead, they’re looking at other factors.

“The farther you get through a recovery, the less room you have for additional growth,” said Wilkes University economist Robert Seeley, Ph.D.

Economists say the ongoing trade war with China, import taxes and otherwise volatile global markets will likely play a big part in the next recession.

A shrinking labor force — more people have jobs — is another key reason growing companies are gun shy on capital improvements, which could further curb growth. They won’t spend if they can’t find workers to fill new chairs or pull new levers.

While the triggers may be different from last time, and its depth and breadth remains unknown, Seeley said recessions tend to hit the same job sectors the same.

Spending drops; unemployment rises; production drops.

“Certain industries are typically more affected than others. Manufacturing is typically going to be hard hit, construction (as well),” he said. “Production of services is generally not quite as hard-hit.”

Contact the writer:

joconnell@timesshamrock.com; 570-348-9131;

@jon_oc on Twitter

The chaplain to the Friendly Sons of St. Patrick of Lackawanna County will be the clerical speaker at the society’s upcoming dinner.

Monsignor Joseph G. Quinn, pastor of Our Lady of the Snows Parish, Clarks Summit, will offer remarks at the Friendly Sons’ 114th annual dinner March 16 at Genetti Manor in Dickson City, said Christopher O. McGrath, president of the association.

A native of Scranton, Quinn is a graduate of Scranton Preparatory School, the University of Scranton and Seton Hall University Law School. In 1976, he was appointed federal magistrate judge for the Middle District of Pennsylvania.

He entered the seminary in 1981 and, after completing his studies at the North American College in Rome, he was ordained to the priesthood in 1985.

He was assistant pastor at St. Matthew’s Church, East Stroudsburg, and was pastor at St. Peter’s Cathedral from 1990 to 2005. He then served as pastor of St. Rose of Lima Church in Carbondale until July 2009, when he became vice president for mission and ministry at Fordham University, Bronx, New York.

Quinn returned to the Scranton Diocese in 2015.

Quinn has served on the board of advisers of the North American College in Rome and was founding chairman of the Scranton Prep board of trustees, founding chairman of the Lackawanna Heritage Valley Authority and first president of Scranton Tomorrow, a nonprofit, community and economic development group.

He was dean of the Scranton Central Deanery of the Diocese of Scranton and served on the Pennsylvania Ethics Commission during the administration of Gov. Robert P. Casey. He is the recipient of the B’nai B’rith Americanism Award presented by Amos Lodge of Scranton.

Quinn is a former diocesan moderator of the bishop’s annual appeal, a former member of the Diocesan College of Consultors and its presbyteral council, a former chairman of the diocesan communications commission and former member of the board of trustees of the University of Scranton.

All Saints Academy

GRADE 8

High honors: Trevor Balcerzak, Ryan Burda, Samera Burrier, Gianna Cafarella, Hannah Curry, Grace Gaughan, Daniel Haikes, Emma Egan, Hannah Johns, Aidan Krieger, Lena Ligorio, Aiden McCoy, Alexis Phillips, Ronald Prislupski, Eleanor Simrell, Pia Stivala, Fredrick Strein, Marleyna Weidow and Kyle Zeigler.

Honors: Liam Badick, Cole Bittenbender, Corey Cicci, Maggie Dolphin, Daniel Flynn, Connor Rasimovich, Aidan Romanchick and Shamus Sullivan.

GRADE 7

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

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

GRADE 6

High honors: Sydney Clark, Judy Egan, Melisa Fornaszewski, Richard Mason, Raymond Nowakowski, Riley Ritterbusch, Nicholas Rusinko, Sienna Saunders, Richard Shelp, Abigail Suhosky, Helayna Weidow and Eric Zeigler.

Honors: Aaliyah deFreitas, Aiden Hart, Timothy Lafferty, James Mancini, Harmony Ritter, Marla Romiti, Carson Shrive and Emma Woody.

Valley View

Middle School

GRADE 8

Rania Abdu, Vincenzo Angeloni, Gino Barone, Maura Barrett, Nicole Benjamin, Natalie Borosky, Megan Brown, Caitlin Burman, Carson Bushta, Mia Callejas, Jacob Casarin, James Casarin Jr., Anna Ceccarelli, Addison Chorba, Amanda Chorba, Maya Chorba, Landon Clark, Patricia Condron, Abigail Cowley, Riley Cunningham, William Darienzo III, Abigail Drozdick, Alexa Evangelista, Delaney Flannery, Emily Gazoo, Abbigail Goodwin, Collin Griffiths, Evan Hall, Connor Hilling, Shania Hodges, Adam Howanitz, Camdyn Jervis, Emily Kaeb, Jacob Karsnak, Shelby Kaschak, Megan Kennedy, Lucas Kotcho, Ayden Krupovich, Chloe Laboranti, James Liparulo, Lucy Loftus, Riley Mahnke, Kaylee Martin, Anthony Mauro Jr., Giuliana Mazza, Jack McLaughlin, Morgan McVicar, Christopher Meinzer, Genevieve Moyles, Molly Murphy, Lily Nemeth, Della Noon, Victoria Ortalano, Brody Owens, Isabella Parise, Kayli Pawlikowski, Lawrence Pegula, Julia Piccolino, Ian Reese, Dylan Ritzco, Anah Roman, James Roman, Katie Romanski, Morriah Santarelli, Madison Scoblick, Ava Sherman, Mary Siracuse, Neve Skapyak, Andrew Smith, Avery Smola, Bryce Sokoloski, Samara Strasburger, Connor Swartz, Kayla Sweeney, Ethan Symuleski, Anthony Tomassoni, Nathan Tratthen, Nathan Traucht, Brooke Tylenda, Grace Walsh, Katie Winter, Isabella Witkowski, Tori Yackobowitz, Audrey Yuhas, Eli Yusavage, Aleena Zahradnik and Katelynn Ziskowski.

GRADE 7

Riley Aquilino, Riley Bannon, Brayden Baron, Jason Basalyga, Alicia Berardi, Ethan Borick, Laynie Buli, Gemma Burak, Aubrey Buttner, Ella Cabets, Hannah Callejas, Cienna Cardoni, Katherine Cerminaro, Koby Cerra, Evan Chilek, Mason Coates, Nina Collarini, Ella Cooper, Evan Coppola, Regina Cron, Zachary Cwalinski, Andrew Daiute, Julliea Davies, Kasey Davitt, Mia Davitt, Paul Delicati, Megan Dupay, Brooks Estadt II, Mikaela Fajardo, Natalie Fuller, Roger Getts II, Lea Giovagnoli, Gianna Godino, Frank Goodwin III, Gabriella Gyetvai, Steven Halloran, Karley Heid, Journey Horeis, Justin Jiang, Chaz Kaszuba, Patrick Kolcharno, Andrew Lantka, Edward Lennox, Mia Machelli, Brock Marion, Ella Mattise, Cacey McDermott, Dominic Memo, Emma Miller, Sarah Naylor, Noah Nocek, Robert Nolan Jr., Connor Peters, Mason Peters, Gina Piccolino, Aiden Pugh, Isabella Rebar, Jack Reilly, Quinn Rissinger, Dante Ruby, Connor Sewack, June Shawver, Emma Sherwood, Skylene Skisland, Aidan Smith, Alivia Smith, Zachary Smith, William Sobolewski, Gabriella Staback, Allyson Stafursky, Tessa Stafursky, Luciana Toczydlowski, David Turlip, Noel Voglino, Gerald Wasilchak, Natalee Wright, Mary Zabielski and Michael Zipay.

GRADE 6

Nejib Abdu, Sarah Armstrong, Daniella Ashby, Nevaeh Astacio, Jacob Bekele, Ryan Bianchi, Isabelle Biondo, Ella, Brudnicki, Madilyn Buettner, Andrew Burman, Colin Burton, Eva Canevari, Bailey Carden, Sarah Casseus, Madison Cawley, Taylor Cawley, Nina Cerra, Abigail Chamberlain, Jahsen Cole, Bianca Coppola, Giada Costa, Emmi Cucura, Anthony Dench, Lola Depietro, Caleb Duplessis, Gabriella Estadt, Dante Esterline, Emily Evans, Kayleigh Fenton, Akaisha Field, Thomas Fiorelli IV, Shannon Gillen, Nicholas Graziano, Jaret Griffin, David Grzenda, Sydney Guida, Riley Harrington, Natalie Higgins, Brianna Hoyer, Emma Jarosh, Kalli Karwowski, Colin Kearney, Kaitlyn Kozlowski, Kylie Krzak, Ericka Kulenich, Richard Leslie, Kyle Liparulo, Jillian Loff, Clare Lombardi, Brianna Maday, Casey Malsberger, Lexie Mancuso, Aldair Martinez, Brendan Marushock, Grayson Mauro, Peter Maybock, Brayden McConnell, Patrick McIntyre, Keith Mercatili, Anthony Messana, Zachary Miller, Grace Miller, Margarette Miller, Cameron Morgan, Grace Moses, Daniel Murphy, Kaia Negvesky, Cara Noto, Reese O’Donnell, Jenna O’Malley, Lilly O’Shea, Brianna Owen, Gavin Owens, Dante Palazzari, Margaret Pegula, Sean Pezak, Jamie Phelps, Kelly Phillips, Alexis Portonova, Ambrose Rossi, Angelo Rotell, Cassidy Salerno, Giavanna Santos, Tyler Scoblick, Rachel Seamans, Bennett Sewack, Ciara Shedd, Layane Silva, Brady Skeen, Brenna Skeen, Aidan Smola, Isabella Solomon, Monique Spann, Sarah Sweeney, Makayla Szezorak, Concettta Thomas, Ben Toczydlowski, Eva Tomassoni, Deven Topa, Noah Veno, Maddie Wasilchak, Abigail Waters, Ethan Williams, Leah Williams and Madelyn Wynn.

Valley View

High School

GRADE 12

High honors: Jessica Baker, Nicholas Beggin, Noah Benjamin, Taylor Boyle, Leah Burke, Rachel Chiricos, Dominic Clapper, Benjamin Cole, Julianna Cotroneo, Robert Craig, Delayne DePietro, Emma Depietro, Noelle Dimattina, Emily Doherty, Victoria Duffy, Kathryn Eberhart, Max Gillow, Allison Giombetti, Matthew Gregorowicz, Abbey Halloran, Drew Higgins, Kara Hirjak, Christopher Huynh, Julia Kanavy, Mason Kordish, Kathryn Kraycer, Marc Kudrich, Roxi Lameo, Noah McKane, Gianna Memo, Fernanda Morato-Vargas, Charisse Mulherin, Kathryn Oleary, Matthew Philbin, Isabella Picchini, Amanda Sakulich, Brandon Valenza, Joanna VanDunk, Meghan Winter, Emily Yontas, Megan Zabielski and Jordan Zahradnik.

Honors: Edward Alco, Vanessa Antenori, Nicholas Bianchi, Taylor Bonacci, Juan Cardenas, Clauda Casarin, Camille Castelline, Mia Ceccarelli, Chase Combs, Jakob Davitt, John Evans, Jared Fetcho, Camryn Gillar, Aaron Harrison, Jade Horvick, Anna Howey, Traon Jones, Kosovare Kabashi, Hailey Kobrynich, Cassidei Kovack, Trinity Lewis, Sarah Martin, Morgan Mitchko, Alexis Nolan, Kyle Novajosky, Justin Owen, Breighan Ritko, Maria Santarelli, Heather Schultz, Benjamin Siesputowski, Evan Tugend, Alexandra Vorozilchak, Robert Walker, Navaeh Warholic, Cassondra White and Lorna Yushinsky.

GRADE 11

High honors: Ava Angeloni, Dominic Angeloni, Kayla Barrett, Dixon Black, Olivia Blockberger, Jeremy Boyle, Damien Bryla, Sarah Capwell, Anthony Carmadella, Maura Carter, Beatrice Chindemi, Jonathan Clark, Jordan Conserette, Annaliese Daiute, Erica Davis, Serena Davis, Ruth Deliman, Katelyn Dougher, Anthony Ferraro, Robert Ferraro, Karolyn Fortuner, Mackenzie Gavin, Riley Gibbons, Ava Giombetti, Madison Green, Nina Grushinski, Andrew Hall, Gavin Hallock, Alyssa Harrington, Dylan Howanitz, Tessa Jones, Connor Kelley, Faith Kendricks, Julia Koniszewski, Elsa Kovatch, Jude Kovatch, Madison Kuzdro, David Kuzmick, Sarah Linko, Zachary Manchak, Emily Martin, Mackenzie McHale, Madison McVicar, Giavana Mercatili, Mia Mercatili, Celeste Meta, Karli Muto, Kaylie Noto, Madison Pachucy, Carlo Possanza, Alexander Powell, Ashley Reddock, Noah Reed, Mia Rudalavage, Simal Sami, Alex Savkov, Taylor Seprosky, Angela Shander, Izabella Shemonski, Jake Sheridan, Deanna Soulsby, Jadyn Swartout, Molly Sweeney, Nicholas Tomassoni, Ryan Turlip, Lovely Faith Villanueva and Lauren Walsh.

Honors: Mariah Addis, Allison Bennett, Abigail Borgacci, Logan Burns, Isabella Collura, Tanner Frisbie, Enver Gashi, Maura Healey, Gabrielle Judge, Lainey Kamora, Zoe Loza, Brittany Maddage, Noelle Marchegiani, Francesco Pazzaglia, Mario Rizzuto, Jaydyn Rupe, Vivian Russell, Ryley Shemonski, Evan Shenise, John Shnipes, Emily Tolerico, Mia Tomassoni, David Uhrin, Jaden Ver-non, Francesca Villano, Noah Voglino, Markayla Ward, Ally Welsch and Gabriel Yurkanin.

GRADE 10

High honors: Aidan Alco, Jake Barrett, Gavin Benedict, Skylar Bianchi, Ella Borgacci, Hailey Brajuka, Emma Burak, David Campbell, Hannah Carone, Ryan Cesarini, Shaylyn Chilek, Ryan Coleman, Laci Connor, Corey Coulthard, Julia Earl, Zachary Edwards, Angelina Estadt, Dominique Ferraro, Taylor Fetcho, Madison Flannery, Emma Giovagnoli, Caydenz Graham, Benjamin Gregorowicz, Matthew Halloran, Max Hanyon, Corey Iyoob, Kevin Iyoob, Joseph Jarosh, Olivia Kaschak, Mikaylaa Katchmore, Gina Kenny, Justin Kolsovsky, Alissa Koniszewski, Zack Kovalchik, Ian Kovatch, Briana Layman, Mackenzie Longworth, Madison Luchetti, Mark Mariani, Eva Marino, Alyssa Marion, Micayla Matamoros, Thomas Matchko, David Mayne, Emily Mondak, Matthew Morgan, Thomas Noto, Dominic Pichany, Sophia Pisarski, Taralyn Reilly, Alivia Romano, Lindsay Scopelliti, Lauren Sharpe, Amanda Sherwood, Morgan Siefring, Matthew Smith, Gianna Snell, Daniel Solomon, Sarah Solomon, Megan St. Ledger, Dylan Stafursky, Emily Turlip, Gavin Tylenda, Alyssa Valenza, Colin Wells, Sophia Williams, Nyomi Wilson, Emma Winter, Cheyenne Worden and Michael Zuzzio.

Honors: Jack Baronski, Christopher Brzegowski, Rylee Cali, Gianna Coleman, James Cook, Adam Grundt, Samuel Hernandez, Nathan Loiseau, Skylar Minichello, Patrick Murphy, Tiffany Nestor, Desiree Peters, Rylie Ravinskas, Kyle Suchecki, William Sweeny, CJ Walker, Mollie Walsh and Jordan Wasilchak.

GRADE 9

High honors: Samantha Adams, Katelyn Ainey, Jessalyn Aquilino, Desiree Ashton, Robert Basalyga, Angelica Berardi, James Bistran, Carli Bossick, Haley Bronson, Eric Burnett, Brianna Conniff, Hannah Danielowski, Caden Danks, Marissa Dougher, Lauren Dupay, William Durkin, Connor Eberhart, Julia Falls, Noah Fontanella, Elayna Haring, Liam Harrison, Caleah Hawley, Kylie Jenkins, Timothy Karlavige, Lori Kozlowski, Grace Lennox, Emily Mattise, Morgan Mayne, Gia Mazza, Emma Mazzoni, Anthony Memo, Katelyn Morisco, Lauren Murnock, Sydney Naylor, Kaitlyn Newberry, Alexandria O’Halloran, Tyler Pienkowski, Jared Ramos, Victoria Reed, Samuel Rosetti, Zack Rudalavage, Mahanoor Sami, Anna Sebastianelli, Colin Skeen, Dylan Smith, Brady Snyder, Zakary Sova, Timothy St. Ledger, Natalie Sweeney, Adam Teeple, Pavel Vorozilchak, Nathaniel Worrell, Abigail Yurkanin, Rina Zambetti, Brianna Zipay and Anna Zuby.

Honors: Dakotah Barney, Chase Benjamin, Cory Bushta, John Casarin, Christopher Conserette, Aaron Fontanella, Shay Gillen, Ava Giovagnoli, Anthony Heid, Kai Horeis, Carley Jankauskas, Brendan Jarosh, Ryley Jervis, Joseph Kalafut, Tim Lee, Sean Mackinder, Leah Mackrell, John Moran, Kayla Morgan, Paige Morgan, Hailey O’Leary, Jocelyn Oveson, Hunter Pazzalia, Victoria Pitoniak, Dante Randle, Vito Rotell, Olivia Russell, Isabella Seymour, Alivia Sherman, Natalia Sturdevant, Tyler Swartz, Kaylee Taylor, Daniel Vislosky, Kevin Williams, Elijah Zimmerman and Angelina Zizza.

North Pocono

High School

GRADE 12

High honors: Zachary Andersen, Reese Anderson, Gianna Anelli, Kelsey Banfield, Caroline Bertha, Donald Blaine, Kaili Brooks, Amanda Brundage, Mark Caputo, Olivia Carling, Megan Carney, Evelyn Ciero, Catherine Clancy, Heather Collins, Anthony DeGiosio, Nicole DeMeo, Ryan Deom, James Docalovich, Ryan Dommes, Dana Dougherty, Ashley Dunn, Vivian Garrido, Amber Goffredo, Chloe Hafner, Christine Hine, Ruthy Hunjo, Alexandria Johnson, Caroline Khoury, Kelsey Kline, Jared Krehely, Matthew Kuchak, Shane Lamparter, Charles Latawiec, Emily Leggiero, Keanna Locatelli, Stockton Loescher, Marisa May, Stephen McNutly, Molly Morgan, Tyler Motichka, Susan Nitch, Madison Opalka, Nikhil Patel, Jessica Petrosky, Timothy Pickarski, Macenzie Powell, Mason Rainey, Beth Reynolds, Vincent Ripley, Peyton Roberts, Emily Rouse, Ashley Santaniello, Lexus Schack, Dylan Sciulara, Sabrina Slater, Sean Smeal, Sarah Sposito, Kellianne Stalker, Tivon Steffes, Albert Thomas, Lillian Thompson, Kolby Tonkin, Kira Treitz, Kyra Wojtkielewicz, Alana Wright, Sydney Youngblood, Madison Youshock, Courtney Zaic, Martina Zeranski and Sammie Zou.

Honors: Gavin Alexander, Thomas Baldauff, Giesela Boodaghian, Alexandria Chippa, Gino Ciccone, Allison Fisch, Jeffery Hatala, Jody Johnson, Catherine Maholick, Alexandra Martinelli, Mark McColgan, Madison McCollum, Jordyn McDonough, Sarah McLaughlin, Brennan Moran, Isabelle Pehanick, Darius Powell, Thomas Rable, Brianna Ruby, Thomas Ruddy, Olivia Scarantino, Kaleigh Seely, Julian Sochoka, Grace Straka, Cassie Talarico and Nicole Zasada.

GRADE 11

High honors: James Augustine, Connor Aversa, Anna Bajor, Alyssa Baljunas, Jenna Baljunas, Ethan Barnes, James Bianchi, Jason Brown, Madison Carpenter, Tobias Chalk, Jason Chen, Alexandria Clarke, Sabrina Dombek, Gregory Duggan, Katana Evans, Lia Fontanella, Lila Gaughan, Peter Gutowski, Phoebe Hnatko, Nathan Kozik, Marie LaRosa, Zackery Leach, Autumn Major, Emily Mattern, Liam McGee, Dustin Moss, Vanessa Moylan, Thomas Murphy, Meghan Murray, Keegan Napolitano, Jonah Polishan, Sydney Polk, Nathan Posluszny, Kathryn Purcell, Connor Richards, Jonathan Rubino, C. Louis Scartelli, Ryan Schield, Peyton Sievers, Dayle Smith, Allyson Stefanski, Kelley Troutman, Isabella Valenza, Natasha Walton, Megan Winslow, Kaitlyn Yanik and Mary Kate Yatsonsky.

Honors: Addie Acker, Kyle Bosley, Kiana Carter, Hope Case, David Cikota, Daniel Evans, Anthony Gataveskas, Jacob George, Anthony Hood, Alexia Kelly, Michael Kuester, Abigail LaBadie, Melanie Lamberti, Alexandra Matyjevich, Patrick McMullen, Jenna Montana, Rylie Nealon, Zachary O’Brien, Edward Olenchak, Julia Reese, Kevin Richards, Carlo Scotch, Michael Scutt, Gradon Silva, Christina Sookbirsingh, Trevor Stanton and Daniel Stine.

GRADE 10

High honors: David Alunni, Mark Battle, Jenna Beach, Taylor Belknap, Emma Bellucci, Sarah Benko, Megan Betti, Emily Blaine, Angelo Botticelli, Sean Breslin, Noah Budnovitch, Brian Castrogiovanni, Mia Ciccone, Fabiola Colon-Alicea, Kenna Cruciani, Natalie Deal, Erik Deom, Madison DeStefano, Todd Dotter, Kylie Dowd, Molly Driscoll, Adeline Dubiel, Gabrielle Edwards, Owen Foytack, Jordan Goetze Alicia Goldenziel, Thomas Hannon, Alysa Hrobuchak, Matthew Kowalski, Jack Krehely, Cassandra Kutra, Travis Lane, Gregory Latawiec, Madeline Leggiero, Robert Lenchitsky, Meghan Leuthe, Cameron Lewis, Victoria Lewis, Taggart Loescher, Damarco Maglio, Rayelle Margalis, Jared Mastillo, Danielle McNutt, Marina Miesko, Emma Monson, Julia Moran, Marisol Olivares, Alyson Otremba, Kasey Portanova, Hailee Rice, Sam Rovnanik, Noah Salak, Katherine Scheller, Elizabeth Schieber, Adam Seeley, Morgan Seidita, Casey Serine, Kyle Serine, Morgan Steiner, Alexandra Taffera, Esther Tellez, Benjamin Thompson, Rachael Wall, Ashley Walsh, Hallie Washko, Emma Wiggins, Noah Wijaya and David Wojnar.

Honors: Jonah Alefantis, Destiny Anello, Ean Baker, Jenna Boruta, Rachel Brez, Alixandra Camacho, Alexander Canjar, Jillian Carter, James Conway, Ryan Dolphin, Kyle Driscoll, Victoria Dunston, Patrick Flyte, Kennedy Gibson, Emma Gilman, Nico Gioupis, Mackenzie Goetze, Casey Grube, Michael Klingerman, Jake Millan, Ryan Monroe, Ava Murazzi, Nicholas Pagotto, Melina Petrini, Brandon Quinn, Lia Schwenk, Marcel Sinclair, Jenna Topa, Zachary Walsh, Luke White, Tyler Yablonski, Rachel Zarubski and Emily Ziegler.

GRADE 9

High honors: Logan Alefantis, Hanna Allman, Mary Alunni, Angelo Ambrosecchia, Freya Anderson, Emma Barnes, Jacob Bianchi, Abigail Blaine, Dominic Boettinger, Jacob Brundage, Jenny Chen, Alexander Cianfichi, Benjamin Cikota, Bailey Cinamella, Lily Connor, Alexandria Cusumano, Morgan Davis, McKenna Dempsey, Aidan Derrick, Erin Duggan, Myia Evans, Brielle Folk, Maura Gallagher, Jordan Gioupis, Ashleigh Gutowski, Grace Hauenstein, Colleen Hawley, Isabella Hill, Nicolette Hine, Emily Kogan, Lily Kress, Aurora Lefever, Alec Martin, Olivia Matyjevich, Danielle May, Kaitlyn Morman, Amanda Moss, Matthew Motichka, Gavin Nathan, James Neumann, William Pabst, Alex Pagotto, Maria Parola, Shivani Patel, William Pickarski, Samuel Pierre, Thomas Quinn, Erica Raziano, Ryan Reber, Emily Rist, James Roberson, Cole Roberts, Liam Rooney, Ryan Ruddy, Parri Salak, Julie Schriver, Ashton Sciulara, Nathan Seeley, Sebastian Segiel, Presley Shotto, Tori Skutnick, Michaela Slater, Savannah Slater, William Soma, Yoric Steffes, Reagan Steiner, Alexa Stevens, Hailey Strzelec, Kaylee Suchocki, Thomas Thurber, Alaina Tracy, Trevor Wallace, Victoria Werner, Emily Whited, Alexa Williams, Kayla Wright and Danielle Zambetti.

Honors: Alexi Anderson, Alex Brinkman, Brianna Brodt, Emma Budnovitch, Ana Caparo, Jordan Carr, William Chiappone, Jacob Clancy, Arielle Cordova, Jericho Doll, Gavin Durkin, Joseph Festa, Johnathan Fisher, Sofia Giamoni, Emma Grabousky, Lillian Gray, Austin Griffith, Dylan Griffith, Madison Gutjahr, Erin Hawley, Kaylee Horne, Shelby Hrywnak, Casey Jones, Kayley Jones, Faith Kelly, Caleb Kenyon, Benjamin Kernoschak, Christopher Khoury, Bria Klingerman, Kayla Kuplack, James Lamberti, Corbin Lankford, Lawrence Lombardi, Cayden Lougee, Andrew Martin, Gianna McNerney, Arianna Mesko, Thomas Milewski, Logan Minella, Alex Ni, Quinn O’Connor, Emily Olenchak, Daniel Pierzchala, Nathaniel Powell, John Purcell, Malori Rachko, Logan Rose, Zachary Rusnak, Ava Santaniello, Anthony Santos, Adam Schield, Jeremiah Schotter, Madison Schriver, Jeffrey Silfee, Jake Silva, Victoria Simpson, Elisabeth Taynton, Alenah Thomas, Connor Vandervort, Ashley Walz, Kylie Willsch and Jonah Yurkanin.

A predominately male trade association has appointed its first woman president.

Libby Hackel, 33, a customer service representative at FNCB Bank in Kingston, was named president of the Home Builders Association of Northeastern Pennsylvania. The Edwardsville resident replaced Joe Stochla of Eastern Penn Supply Co.

The nonprofit association has about 80 members, who are builders and representatives of building industry related businesses in Luzerne and Lackawanna counties. The association once had about 300 members and Hackel hopes to increase membership again.

“I want to help build the membership back up. I have heard that the board meetings used to be standing room only and the most I’ve ever seen was maybe 10 people,” she said. “I think I could help them as a younger person with fresh ideas.”

Don Casterline, vice president of the Home Builders Association, said membership has declined as fewer people have been building homes in recent years.

As a result, the building industry associations of Luzerne and Lackawanna counties merged to form the regional group more than a year ago.

Casterline said the housing market is starting to come back but it’s “so slow.”

“Instead of building homes, a lot of our members are remodeling and doing other things,” he said. “We’ve had several bankruptcies.”

The region’s Home Builders Association is affiliated with the Pennsylvania Builders Association and the National Association of Home Builders, which represent local builders and building industry related businesses legislatively. Local members participate in meetings on a state and national level.

When the association’s board looked for a leader, Casterline said they decided a younger president would best serve longtime members as well as new younger members.

“With years of experience at FNCB Bank, Libby was a perfect fit to become the first female president to lead the new Home Builders Association,” Casterline said.

Hackel was born in Binghamton, New York, and spent most of her life in Pittston, graduating from Pittston Area High School in 2004.

She has served on the predominately male board of the Home Builders Association with one other woman member, Connie Martorella of Cornerstone Building Solutions.

In addition to offering fresh ideas, Hackel said, “In a room full of guys, I could be the peacemaker if there are any disagreements.”

Dave Balent, owner of Balent Construction in Exeter and past president and vice president of the Home Builders Association, said he likes having more diversity on the board. He also likes that Hackel could offer innovative ideas on issues such as increasing the number of members.

Balent has seen firsthand the trend of fewer people building homes since 2007.

“The economy changed significantly that a lot of builders were hurt,” he said. “Quite a few retired or they went bankrupt or could not find enough work to support their families.”

Balent has seen an improvement in the economy and he adjusted to the slowdown in the home building market by trying “a little bit of everything.”

“I got my hands in everything,” he said. “I will recommend people who I know are good in particular areas and that always works. This organization needs to expand on membership, younger membership and the trades. You can make a very good living but it’s a different kind of work. You have to be cut out for it.”

For information about the Home Builders Association, call 570-287-3331 or go to hbanepa.org.

Contact the writer:

dallabaugh@citizensvoice.com;

570-821-2115;

@CVAllabaugh on Twitter

Then circa 1930:

The Liberty Discount and Savings Bank in Carbondale opened its doors Sept. 10, 1903, with Margaret Brennan as its first customer. Patrick Casey, owner of Scranton’s Hotel Casey, served as the bank president. Originally located on Salem Avenue, the bank moved to the corner with Church Street in 1912, and opened a grand, three-story limestone building in 1926.

Now ca. 2019:

In 1985, the bank changed its name to simply Liberty Bank of Carbondale, and two years later merged with First Eastern Bank of Wilkes-Barre. In 1994, the bank changed hands again to become part of PNC Bank. Customers can still conduct business in the building today as clients of Community Bank.

— RESEARCH COURTESY OF LACKAWANNA HISTORICAL SOCIETY

Program helps students

Representatives from the United Way of Lackawanna and Wayne Counties in collaboration with the Voluntary Action Center, the Lackawanna County Area Agency on Aging and the Scranton School District spent time in the classroom to “Transform Readers.”

Patty Hein, reading specialist, and Tim Wolff, principal from John G. Whittier Elementary School in Scranton; Tiziana Mancini and Alma Storm, reading volunteers; Angela Walker, transition/literacy manager for Scranton Lackawanna Human Development Agency Early Learning program; Diane Brown, RSVP director at Voluntary Action Center; and Lisa Berardelli, education director at the United Way, recently launched the program.

The school-based tutoring program will help kindergarten to second-grade students become better readers.

“Children are learning to read from birth through third grade,” said Berardelli. “However, beginning in fourth grade, children read to learn, so it’s crucial that they reach this important milestone in early grade literacy.”

The volunteers, including Mancini and Storm,work with the children on a consistent, weekly basis, either one-on-one or in small groups.

The program was piloted last year and due to the early successes and the support of the PPL Foundation’s Cover to Cover initiative to improve child literacy, Transforming Readers has grown to serve five Scranton area elementary schools: John Adams, Charles Sumner, Whittier, John F. Kennedy and McNichols Plaza elementary schools.

Every pre-kindergarten to third-grade student in the schools also received a new book to take home courtesy of the Scranton Lackawanna Human Development Agency Early Learning programs and the Molina Foundation.

For details, visit uwlc.net/TransformingReaders or contact the United Way at 570-343-1267.

High notes

Dr. Frank I. Klassner Jr. was recognized with the 2018 Eminent Eagle Award for his internationally recognized work in computer science education and virtual reality application development.

A resident of Dickson City, and a member of Troop 21 and Eagle class of 1979, Klassner is a professor in the Department of Computing Sciences at Villanova University, where he has worked since 1997. He is also director of the university’s Center of Excellence in Enterprise Technology. The center features a high-performing team of faculty whose research funding totals $11 million from the National Science Foundation, the Air Force, Army, Department of Defense, NASA and Comcast, according to Boy Scouts.

The Eminent Eagle award recognizes a local Eagle Scout with at least 25 years tenure as an Eagle who serves as a worthy role model for new and aspiring Eagle Scouts, according to Boy Scouts.

The 2018 class of Eagle Scouts from the Northeastern Pennsylvania Council was also honored alongside Klassner at the University of Scranton in January. Forty-five Eagles from the class shared a brief description of their Eagle Service Projects and were recognized for their achievements.

Super students

St. Clare/St. Paul School cheerleaders, including Kate Walsh, Marie Granet, Bianca Talarico, Patrice Doherty, Liza Giannone, Dorothy Walsh, Olivia Roche, Caroline Kennedy, Natalia Nardelli, Rylin Berndt, Cecelia Kennedy, Grace Granet, Katheryn Lopez and Marcella Amendola, hosted a “Think Pink” game Feb. 10.

The game was in honor of Cheryl Ann Vislosky, the mother of cheer moderator and teacher, Stephanie Barrett. She passed away from breast cancer 10 years ago.

A donation from the game was made to Coaches vs. Cancer in Vislosky’s name.

Although they likely never swung a bat or rounded the bases in a professional game, two men became figurative MVPs in 1937 when they sacrificed more than $5,000 to keep a baseball team in Scranton.

Joe Swift and Bill Schneider managed the Scranton Miners, which in 1936 boasted the best attendance numbers in the New York-Pennsylvania Baseball League since its formation 13 years prior. But as 1936 turned into 1937, league President Perry B. Farrell announced that league clubs “had been asked to vote on the question of permitting (Swift and Schneider) to retain the Scranton franchise,” according to a Jan. 26, 1937, Scranton Times article.

Swift and Schneider filed an injunction in Lackawanna County Court to block Farrell from “taking any action in ousting the club as a member of the league” and to restrain him “from forfeiting its franchise as a playing club (or) … interfering in any way with the function and operations of the playing club,” according to a Feb. 1, 1937, Scranton Times article.

In court paperwork, the pair said they received no notice of “alleged default or offense so far as league regulations or rules were concerned, and they maintain a clean slate insofar as players’ salaries are concerned,” the article reported. “The owners also cited an action taken at a special meeting here Jan. 19, when other team owners unanimously voted confidence in their effort and ability to solve financial affairs confronting the club.”

After a brief hearing on Feb. 17, 1937, Judge T. Linus Hoban declined to permit the preliminary injunction, according to a Scranton Times article published that day.

Days before, Robert Quinn, president of National League member the Boston Bees, announced his interest in purchasing the Scranton franchise. The Bees was a short-lived name change for the Boston Braves, now the Atlanta Braves.

Before Swift and Schneider stepped foot inside Hoban’s courtroom, they began talks with Quinn to come up with a price.

The Bees already had an extensive farm system; as talks began about the fate of the Scranton Miners, the Bees added two clubs elsewhere in the country.

Before the end of February, a deal had been reached, according to a Feb. 25, 1937, Scranton Times story.

“Operating the Miners as a farm club in the fast Class A wheel will be the Boston Bees,” according to the article. “The new corporation will be known as the Scranton Bees Association.”

Heading up the team was John Quinn, son of the Bees president, and former major league catcher Robert Coleman. The exact purchase price was not publicly announced, though the newspaper reported it was likely between $4,000 and $5,000.

But the sale meant Swift and Schneider, who were two of the five initial purchasers of the Miners, took a financial hit to keep baseball in Scranton.

“Rather than see organized baseball lost to Scranton — and the removal of the local franchise to another city was definitely contemplated — Swift and Schneider agreed to suffer a total personal loss of their original $2,000 investment and an additional $3,400 which they paid during the last two seasons to keep the team operating in the city,” the article reported.

ERIN L. NISSLEY is an assistant metro editor at The Times-Tribune. She’s lived in the area for more than a decade.

Contact the writer:

localhistory@timesshamrock.com

Feb. 24, 1969

Taxpayers rally in protest

The Masonic Temple was once again filled for a taxpayer protest rally organized by Emil Legman on Feb. 23.

Before the business of the rally got underway, Legman made a surprise announcement that he was turning over control of the Homeowner and Taxpayer League to the Blue Ribbon Committee that was formed following the Jan. 6 meeting. Andrew Thomas was the committee chairman.

Legman said in his farewell that he was “too old to carry on the fight” and he wanted to “pass the torch to the young and vigorous.”

Following Legman’s goodbye, Thomas got the crowd fired up with talk of starting a taxpayers union. He said their ultimate weapon would be to withhold tax payments.

Francis McGeever, another taxpayer advocate, had recently left the Blue Ribbon Committee to become the Lackawanna County chairman of the American Independent Party.

New pastor at Baptist church

The Rev. Julius Lampkin was selected to lead the Pine Street Baptist Church in Scranton. Lampkin succeeded the Rev. Ora Locust Jr., who left Pine Street to serve at the First United Baptist Church in Philadelphia.

Lampkin had served in associate and assistant pastor posts in Chester, Germantown, Prospect Park and Pennsgrove, New Jersey. He was married and had one son.

At the movies

“Swiss Family Robinson” at the Comerford, “Hellfighters” at the Strand, “The Stalking Moon” at the West Side, “Impossible Years” at Cinema North, and “The Other Side” and “Bonnie & Clyde” at the Mid-Valley Drive-In.

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.

JENKINS TWP. — Karam and Joe McDonnell went to Susquehanna Brewing Co. for a tour and walked into a beer festival.

The father and son didn’t know SBC was hosting its first “gallery night” when they decided to spend part of their Saturday there.

The event gathered about two dozen artists at the brewery, where visitors checked out local creations and libations at the facility in Jenkins Twp.

Karam, 44, lives in Limerick. It was his first time visiting the facility near his father’s home. They each ordered a flight of beers and grabbed a table in the warehouse.

Joe sometimes brings a case down when he visits his son. They enjoyed the atmosphere they found Saturday.

“It’s a block away,” Joe said, “and it’s fresh.”

The brewery frequently hosts fundraisers, a cornhole league and other events, said Manager Brian Hajosch. Saturday was the first time it gathered artists under its roof.

Along with the various artwork was a performance by the Wyoming Valley Pipe & Drum Band and the chance to try two new brews: NEIPA Series 2 and a Tripel Bock collaboration with two Lehigh Valley breweries, Sage Alley Brewery and Two Rivers Brewing Co.

The event got its start after Hajosch and several artists from the Pittston Second Friday Artwalk started discussing the relative shortage of public arts events like the Artwalk in the winter compared to warmer months. Hajosch decided to organize an art event at the brewery. Social media and word-of-mouth spread it to other artists.

“That’s a great thing about beer. It’s a great way to meet new people,” he said. “Conversation that starts over a beer ends up turning into events like this.”

Randy Stolinas, who makes art under the name “Stolitron,” heard about the SBC event for a simple reason: He’s a fan of their work.

Stolinas follows the brewery on Facebook, which is where he learned about Saturday’s event.

The Allentown-based artist and 1988 Pittston Area High School alumnus has spent about 20 years as a graphic designer. He recently began creating posters that are sold at professional sporting events around the country.

Among his wares, for example, was a Halloween-themed poster made for a Vegas Golden Knights game and another for Charlotte Hornets opening night that featured a basketball turned hornets nest. Posters featuring the New York Rangers, Philadelphia Flyers and Philadelphia 76ers were also among the offerings.

Ted Scazafabo is another artist and SBC customer who learned about the event from a friend. His mixed media starts with a photograph that he manipulates in Adobe Photoshop. That sometimes becomes the canvas for more painting.

Scazafabo, of Old Forge, has shown his work in galleries around the area, but the event at a brewery was a chance to meet people in person around his work.

“It’s a gathering of like minds, which is really nice,” he said. “People are drinking beer and have time for me to show them what I do.”

Contact the writer:

bwellock@citizensvoice.com;

570-821-2051;

@CVBillW on Twitter

Better Homes

and Gardens Real Estate Wilkins

& Associates

Kathleen A. Caponigro, a Realtor, joined the firm and is licensed with the Stroudsburg office at the BHG Business Campus.

Caponigro has been a member of the Pocono Mountains Association of Realtors and a licensed real estate salesperson since 1994.

She formerly worked for Century 21 Unlimited, where she was recognized as a Bronze Award winner in 2009.

She has trained, mentored and developed several top-producing Realtors and personnel throughout her career.

Chamber of the Northern Poconos and the Greater Honesdale

Partnership

Keith Williams has been selected as the new president of both organizations. Williams has extensive experience and background in business and tourism. As the president, Williams will oversee the staff of both organizations and be visible and available to Honesdale and the greater northern Pocono region.

Commonwealth Health

Seven employees became certified training instructors by completing an Advanced Stroke Life Support course at a seminar in Miami. They will serve as trained instructors for Commonwealth Health Emergency Medical Services, the only training center in Northeast Pennsylvania.

The curriculum will be offered in the inpatient setting and pre-hospital setting. It will create a standardized internal stroke course throughout the health system and establish pre-hospital stroke advocates through network personnel while expanding educational offerings to regional agencies.

Those attending included five CHEMS employees and two registered nurses on staff at Wilkes-Barre General Hospital: Robert Rutkowski, Greg Moran, Carmen Passaniti, Margaret Harris and Chassidy Babcock, and Bernadette Royce and Lisa Misson.

Greater Scranton Chamber of

Commerce

The region’s premier member-based business organization announces the following people have been named to its board of directors for three-year terms.

Megan Alpert is a senior financial adviser with Preate, Behr, Alpert and Yanoski Group of Merrill Lynch. Ryan Flynn is the senior vice president and market manager for Entercom Wilkes-Barre/Scranton. Jessica Kalinoski is the director of operations for Admiral Management Services. Eric Pusey, R.Ph., is the owner of Medicap Pharmacy in Olyphant. Alana Roberts is the regional affairs director for the Northeast Region for PPL Corp.

Honesdale

National Bank

Three employees with 15 years of service and nine employees with 10 years of service were recognized at the bank’s annual employee recognition dinner at Lukan’s Farm Resort.

The 15-year honorees received a special gift in recognition of their 15 years of service. The honorees were Kim Canfield, head teller, Montdale office; Debbie Miller, BSA assistant, corporate center; and Ron Sebastianelli, vice president, chief lending officer, corporate center.

The 10-year honorees received a golden lapel pin with a diamond, signifying their decade of service to the bank. Those recognized were Kaitlyn Carroll, head teller/CSR, Eynon office; Ray Ceccotti, senior vice president, branch administrator, corporate center; John Conte, loan officer, Main Street Honesdale office; Christopher Cook, vice president, commercial loan officer, corporate center; Jeanne Frank, trust clerk, corporate center; Theresa Halliday, assistant branch manager, Main Street Honesdale office; Maggie Klim, receptionist, corporate center; Neil Neumann, PC support specialist, corporate center; and Melissa Rushworth, assistant vice president, branch manager, Forest City office.

Keystone

Contractors

Association

John Panzitta of Panzitta Enterprises Inc., based in Wilkes-Barre, was named vice president of the association. David Miorelli, Joseph Miorelli & Co., based in Hazleton, is serving on the board of directors.

The association represents the leading commercial construction companies in Pennsylvania and provides valuable member services such as education and training, career development, safety, labor relations, government relations and community service.

Landmark

Community Bank

Chris Hackett has been named to the bank’s board of directors.

An entrepreneur for more than 25 years, Hackett currently leads five businesses: Business Process Outsourcing, Polymer Manufacturing, Insurance Brokerage, Temporary Staffing and Executive Search and Recruiting.

He earned his certified public accountant designation in 1986 and his certified management accountant designation in 1987.

In 2015, Hackett was appointed by Gov. Tom Wolf to the Workforce Investment Board.

NBT Bank

Matt Colgan has been promoted to regional commercial banking manager. Colgan has more than a decade of banking experience. He joined the bank in 2008 as a part of the commercial banking development program. Since then, he has assumed positions of increasing responsibility, including commercial banking relationship manager. Colgan, a resident of Simpson, is a board member for the Scranton Enterprise Center and King’s College McGowan School of Business and is a graduate of Leadership Wilkes-Barre.

Thomas Sohns has been promoted to vice president. Sohns has nearly 10 years of experience in the financial services industry and serves as a commercial banking relationship manager. Before joining the bank, he worked as a business banking officer and commercial lender for FNB Corp.

Sohns, a resident of Dunmore, serves on the board for Dress for Success Lackawanna.

Pennsylvania Department of Transportation

Richard Roman, PE, has been appointed the acting district executive for the northeastern region of the department. In this acting role, Roman is responsible for overseeing all functions in District 4, which serves Lackawanna, Luzerne, Pike, Susquehanna, Wayne and Wyoming counties.

Roman began his career in 1997 as a transportation construction inspector. Over the years, he progressed through various roadway programs and civil engineering positions. Since 2014, Roman has served as the highway administration bureau director for the Bureau of Maintenance and Operations.

University

of Scranton

The university awarded faculty development intersession grants for 2019-11 faculty members from eight departments.

Maureen Carroll, Ph.D., professor of mathematics, received a grant to study “Geometry in Motion.”

Will Cohen, Ph.D., associate professor of theology and religious studies, received a grant to study “Aarhus 1964 and the Dialogue between Orthodox and Oriental Orthodox Christians.”

Eleni Gousgounis, Ph.D., associate professor of economics and finance, received a grant to study “Why do new futures contracts succeed or fail? The case of the FTSE Emerging Index Futures (EMF) contract.”

Christopher Haw, Ph.D., assistant professor of theology and religious studies, received a grant to work on “The development of an institutional memorandum toward proposing a prison education initiative entailing an associate’s and eventual bachelor’s degree, through the University of Scranton.”

Hengameh Hosseini, Ph.D., assistant professor of health administration and human resources, received a grant to study “Misinformation in YouTube videos about sarcopenia and frailty in older Americans: Content and network analysis.”

Andrew LaZella, Ph.D., associate professor of philosophy, received a grant to study “Status-Nominalism and the Problem of Universals.”

Mohammad Maktoomi, Ph.D., assistant professor of physics/electrical engineering, received a grant to study “Dual-Band RF Energy Harvesting Circuit for IOTs.”

Sufyan Mohammed, Ph.D., associate professor of communication, received a grant to study “The Evolution of Social Media Use by Corporate India over the Past Decade: How the Top 500 Companies in India Utilize Digital and Social Media for Customer Relationship Management and Media Relations.”

Masood Otarod, Sc.D., professor of mathematics, received a grant to study “Factorization model: Dimensionally reduced dispersion model for the performance assessment of packed catalytic reactors.”

Ann Pang-White, Ph.D., professor of philosophy, received a grant to study “Knowledge, Virtue and

Akrasia in Early Confucian Ethics.”

Janice Voltzow, Ph.D., professor of biology, received a grant to study the “Structure and Function of Abalone, Delicious and Beautiful Snails.”

Wayne Bank

Ronald DePasquale was promoted to facilities officer. He joined the bank in 1998 and has held several titles during his tenure. He is an Army veteran and was stationed in Korea for 18 months.

Wayne Memorial Hospital

Chief Financial Officer Mike Clifford retired Dec. 31, more than 40 years after he started at the hospital.

Clifford, who was raised in Avoca in Luzerne County but has lived in Honesdale for many years, played a big role in the hospital’s sustainability.

Nadine Greco, M.S., Dunmore, manager of cardiac rehabilitation for the hospital’s cardiac rehabilitation department, became a fellow of the American Association of Cardiovascular and Pulmonary Rehabilitation during the group’s annual conference in Louisville, Kentucky, in September. Greco, who has been with the hospital for more than two decades, has been very involved with the association at both the state and national levels. She was president of the Tri-State American Association of Cardiovascular and Pulmonary Rehabilitation from 2014-15. Greco, along with several registered nurses, founded the department and program in 1993.

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The Times-Tribune, 149 Penn Ave., Scranton, PA 18503.

Attorneys for a developmentally disabled woman who Scranton police said was sexually abused at a city assisted living home are suing the facility, claiming administration there knew about an earlier assault and failed to take action.

The suit stems from the criminal case against Mark Chubb, 58, who is accused of touching the woman’s breasts and genitals several times while both lived at Harrison House, 712 Harrison Ave. City police arrested Chubb in June.

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

Attorney Timothy Corbett, who is acting as the woman’s guardian, claims in court filings that a staffer at the facility witnessed Chubb having inappropriate sexual contact with the woman in April, according to the suit. The employee, Melanie Rivera, reported the incident to Davie Ann Tallo, the administrator of Harrison House, who failed to investigate the incident or report it to police, the lawsuit alleges.

In June, Rivera again saw Chubb having sexual contact with the woman. She and another employee, Catina Lovelace, confronted Chubb, who admitted to sexually abusing the woman and other residents at Harrison House, according to the lawsuit. Rivera and Lovelace then demanded Tallo report the assaults, the suit claims. City police arrested Chubb on June 4.

“We’re not making any comments on anything,” Tallo said when contacted Friday.

Attorneys for the woman, who has “severe intellectual disabilities,” are seeking more than $50,000, plus punitive damages, costs and other judgments for what the lawsuit calls reckless and negligent actions by administrators at Harrison House. The assaults have caused the woman irreparable emotional distress and incurred medical expenses, the suit claims.

Chubb remains in Lackawanna County Prison in lieu of $30,000 bail. He faces one charge of indecent assault of a person with a mental disability stemming from the June incident. A preliminary hearing is pending.

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