DICKSON CITY

After more than 25 years at his South Abington Twp. office, a well-known pediatrician moved his practice in with a Dickson City contemporary.

Dr. Anders Nelson completed the relocation on Monday, joining Dr. Stanley W. Blondek at 247 Main St., Dickson City.

Blondek had practiced from Nelson’s offices while renovations were underway in his own space, Anders said.

The two have known each other since the early 1990s and more recently found that they collaborate well together, for example covering for each other on weekends, he said. That led them to join forces.

— JON O’CONNELL

WILKES-BARRE — City police are trying to identify a man who jumped on the hood of a car of a Heights-section home and smashed the windshield Monday afternoon.

The incident took place around 3:30 p.m. on Custer Street, and was witnessed by a neighbor, police said. The neighbor told the man he should take responsibility for his actions and wait for the police, prompting the man to say, “(Expletive) you and the police,” according to investigators.

The vandal then continued walking north on Custer Street and turned right on Coal Street, police said.

The man was described as wearing tight dark jeans and a short bomber jacket with patches on it. A review of surveillance footage at the Sherman Hills Apartments showed the man entering Building 328 a short time after the incident was reported, police said.

Anyone with information on the man’s identity is asked to call police at 570-826-8106.

SCRANTON — A Moscow doctor with a practice in Scranton will serve up to 23 months in prison for overprescribing narcotics to two of his patients.

Louis C. Adamo, M.D., 61, 1616 Whitetail Run, pleaded guilty in December to one felony count of prescribing outside accepted treatment principles.

The other counts, which included prescribing to a known drug-dependent person, were dropped.

On Tuesday, Lackawanna County Judge Michael J. Barrasse sentenced Adamo to 11 months to a year and 11 months in prison followed by five years on probation and 1,000 hours of community service.

The state attorney general’s office launched an investigation after DePietro’s Pharmacy in Dunmore contacted police over concerns about one of Adamo’s patients frequently trying to fill prescriptions.

The investigators found that, between September 2015 and March 2016, Adamo prescribed thousands of oxycodone to two patients. For part of that time, one of the patients received 240 pills every eight to 10 days, filling prescriptions at six different pharmacies, according to an investigation by Agent A.J. Casarella of the state attorney general’s office.

Before Tuesday’s sentencing, the court received about 40 letters of recommendation about Adamo’s good character and his attorney, Paul Walker, stressed that Adamo was “not out there seeking” cash.

“He never received additional compensation,” Walker said. “It just got out of control with two patients.”

“We’ve known for 20 years the addictive properties of these drugs,” Barrasse replied. “How could you not recognize the risk?”

Before sentencing Adamo, Barrasse said he faced a difficult decision considering Adamo’s reputation of good character, but had to fulfill his responsibilities as a judge.

“You should be protecting these people,” Barrasse said. “But, instead, you’re putting them at a greater risk of death.”

Contact the writer: drosler@timesshamrock.com; 570-348, 9100, x. 5365; droslerTT on Twitter

SCRANTON — A South Abington Twp. businessman will serve up to 23 months in prison for charges connected to a 2014 chemical fire that destroyed his business in Jessup and forced firefighters to tackle the rekindling flames for days.

Eric Spatt, 55, 420 North Spy Road, South Abington Twp., pleaded guilty in December to a count of unauthorized processing of hazardous waste and two counts of unlawful conduct.

Several counts of failure to manage hazardous waste and failure to maintain records of the quantity of hazardous waste were dismissed.

Lackawanna County Judge Michael J. Barrasse sentenced Spatt today to 11 ½ months to a year and 11 months in prison as well as fines and $20,000 in restitution to Jessup hose companies.

The hazardous waste he housed for 14 years led to the fire that consumed Scranton Cooperage, an industrial drum cleaning company that Spatt previously owned.

At Tuesday’s sentencing, defense attorney, Patrick Casey, told the court that Spatt takes full responsibility.

“He is a man who has spent his life working and caring for his children,” Casey said. “He gets up at 3 a.m. and goes to New Jersey to work all day and comes home to care for his daughter.”

The business on Mid Valley Drive in Jessup, now known as American Container Processors Inc., is a subsidiary of Kearny Steel Container of Newark, New Jersey, where Spatt is an employee.

“I’m sorry,” Spatt said. “I understand the mistakes I’ve made, and it won’t happen again.”

On June 27, 2014, sodium chlorite ignited after an employee punctured a steel drum with a forklift. The fire summoned 200 emergency workers from 38 different emergency companies to battle the fire, which sent a black column of smoke rising into the sky, kept personnel busy for roughly eight hours and stained water runoff a vibrant purple.

The state attorney general’s office filed a second round of criminal charges against Spatt in 2017, nearly three years after his business burned down and he was accused of violating the Solid Waste Management Act.

Although he didn’t break any laws by keeping the chemicals on site, he had no plans for getting rid of the hazardous waste it produced, the Times-Tribune previously reported.

Contact the writer: drosler@timesshamrock.com; 570-348-9100, x. 5365; droslerTT on Twitter

SCRANTON — A Taylor man accused of sexually assaulting a 6-year-old girl waived his preliminary hearing today, moving the case on to Lackawanna County Court.

Christopher Antoine Ray, 31, was arrested by Taylor police March 19 on charges of having sexual contact with the victim at a borough home between Feb. 1 and March 14.

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

Ray’s arrest followed an investigation that began after the girl disclosed the assault to a relative, police said. He faces charges of involuntary deviate sexual intercourse with a child, aggravated indecent assault of a child, indecent assault of a person less than 13 and corruption of minors.

Ray remains jailed on $150,000 bail.

— DAVID SINGLETON

OLYPHANT — Incumbent Mid Valley School Director Peter P. Kolcharno withdrew today as a Republican and Democratic candidate for re-election to an Olyphant board seat in the May 21 primary election.

Kolcharno’s withdrawal leaves the three Olyphant board seats uncontested with only three Democrats and two Republicans seeking their party’s nominations. Incumbents Gerald Luchansky and Donna Dixon seek both nominations; Glenn M. Cashuric only a Democratic one.

— BORYS KRAWCZENIUK

BLAKELY — A borough man faces charges of aggravated assault after police say he attacked his girlfriend on Sunday, police said.

Deshawn Lamont Boone, 26, 86 Main St., was arrested after police responded to reports of assault at 502 Main St., Apt. 5., where the victim Amanda Scritchfield was waiting, police said.

Upon arrival, police observed lumps and bruises to her face and eye, blood on her clothing and blood coming from her nose, according to the affidavit.

The victim originally told police that it was Boone’s cousin who attacked her, but later explained that she did so because she felt bad that Boone would be in trouble, police said.

Boone is free on $20,000 unsecured bail. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for 10 a.m. Tuesday.

— DANIEL ROSLER

GREENFIELD TWP. — A fire that damaged a township home Monday night appears accidental, a state police fire marshal ruled.

Crews from numerous area fire departments responded to 318 Arnolds Road at about 5:50 p.m. Monday after someone in the home discovered flames in the basement. The fire quickly spread through the first and second floors and into the attic.

Two people, Charlotte Haser, 78, and Joseph Haser, 50, were home at the time and escaped safely, troopers said. No other injuries were reported.

— CLAYTON OVER

The newest member of the Scranton School Board owes almost $27,000 in back property taxes and garbage fees — including more than $2,900 to the district he now serves.

Kenneth Norton, who lives at 1128 Rundle St. in West Scranton, routinely pays his taxes late and has ignored his garbage bill for more than two decades, tax records and municipal liens show.

The school board voted 7-1 on Monday to appoint Norton to fill the vacant seat. In coming months, with the district in financial recovery, the board will face votes that could include school closures, layoffs or outsourcing.

Directors said they did not know about Norton’s tax issues, or the fact he owes the district money, until contacted by The Times-Tribune on Tuesday. Norton, 60, blamed the garbage bill on a city error that he has not addressed and said he fell behind on taxes when faced with medical bills for his wife, Barbara, who died in 2017. He said he has no plans to resign from the school board.

The delinquent bills “are on the list to be taken care of,” he said. “I hope to have everything situated by August.”

His outstanding bills include:

n $20,379.15 to the city of Scranton for garbage fees and interest. Norton, who purchased his home in 1984, said the city wrongly classifies his home as a duplex and charges him $600 instead of $300 a year. Norton has not paid anything for garbage pick-up since at least 2002, the oldest records available in the city database. Norton said he went to the city about three years ago and asked for a correction. He has not followed up but said he will soon. Crews still pick his garbage up every week.

The city filed liens in 2016 and 2017 for outstanding fees from 2011 through 2015.

“I would have loved to have gotten that settled a long time ago,” Norton said.

n $2,923.84 to the Scranton School District for 2017 and 2018, $2,209.49 for the city of Scranton for 2016 and 2017, and $1,266.80 for Lackawanna County for 2017 and 2018. If he does not pay his 2017 county taxes by September, his property could be included in an upset tax sale.

On Feb. 19, the city filed a municipal lien for $1,246.25 in owed taxes and fees from 2016. In March 2018, the city filed a lien after Norton did not pay $1,192.50 for 2015 taxes. Norton paid his taxes three months later. For the last decade, he routinely paid his taxes late, usually after the city placed a lien on his property.

Norton said after his wife was injured from a fall in 1997 and suffered from chronic pain, bills started to accumulate. He said he recently paid his late wife’s remaining medical bills and now will focus on paying his taxes.

“We’re playing catch-up, that’s all,” he said.

Norton, a PPL lineman, was one of four people to apply for the school board vacancy caused by Gopal Patel’s resignation last month. Directors said they supported Norton because he wants to focus on the trades and preparing students for careers after graduation. Norton attended several recent meetings, and directors said he seemed vested in the district. Norton said he wants to help create a better education for his two grandchildren in the district.

Directors said while they don’t plan to ask for his resignation, they likely will do a better job vetting applicants’ backgrounds for future board vacancies.

“This is very, very unfortunate,” Director Tom Borthwick said. “I wish people, before they applied for these positions, considered their situations. Inevitably, it will come out.”

Board President Barbara Dixon, Vice President Greg Popil and directors Mark McAndrew and Katie Gilmartin said the district should create a policy to review board applicants’ tax records. The directors said they hope to receive an explanation from their new colleague.

Popil said if the board knew about Norton’s tax issues, the final vote might have been different.

“I apologize for not knowing,” Popil said. “This won’t ever happen again.”

Efforts to reach Directors Bob Lesh, Tom Schuster and Paul Duffy, the lone vote against Norton on Monday, were unsuccessful.

Contact the writer:

shofius@timesshamrock.com;

570-348-9133;

@hofiushallTT on Twitter

SCRANTON — As the oxygen she needed to live ran out and her niece kept driving, Josephine DeLucia said she sat back in her seat and closed her eyes.

She pretended to be dead.

“Whatever was going to happen was going to happen,” the 76-year-old woman said.

Testifying today at the preliminary hearing for her niece, Carrie Trowbridge, DeLucia spoke softly but confidently about the events of Nov. 27, when investigators say Trowbridge tried to kill her aunt by driving her around for hours while depriving her of the oxygen she depends on around the clock.

“You’re going to die tonight, old woman, and I’m going to watch,” DeLucia testified that Trowbridge told her.

At the conclusion of the two-hour hearing, Magisterial District Judge Kipp Adcock found there was sufficient evidence to hold Trowbridge, 55, 107 Amity Ave., Old Forge, for further court action on all charges, including attempted homicide.

Under questioning by Deputy District Attorney Cathy Tully, DeLucia, who suffers from severe chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, testified nothing seemed amiss when she needed to go her bank to get copies of her statements on Nov. 27 and Trowbridge agreed to take her.

“I was very happy because I don’t get out a lot,” she said.

They went to lunch around 1 p.m., but Trowbridge then insisted on stopping at several stores, DeLucia said. By the last stop, she said, her oxygen tank was getting low and she was getting worried. They stopped at DeLucia’s bank in Dupont around 4:30 p.m., but Trowbridge told her the bank wouldn’t give her the statements, she said.

DeLucia said they returned to Trowbridge’s home to get a new oxygen tank, with plans to get back to the bank before it closed. As Trowbridge drove back to the bank, however, she revealed she had the statements in her purse and accused her aunt of telling people she was stealing from her, DeLucia said.

Trowbridge then was “just driving and driving and driving, all the while saying things about my family,” DeLucia said.

Not long after, Trowbridge made the statement that DeLucia she was going to die while her niece watched, the witness testified. Trowbridge also indicated she planned to hurt herself, she said.

The ordeal went on for hours, she said.

As DeLucia pretended to be dead or dying in the car’s passenger seat, she testified, Trowbridge twice reached over and pinched her nose shut. Another time, her niece placed her hand over her face, she said.

Every now and then, Trowbridge would pull over and get out of the car to talk to people on her phone, DeLucia said. When she got out once and opened the car’s trunk, DeLucia said she could hear oxygen tanks rattling in the trunk.

Around 11 or 11:30 p.m., Trowbridge took DeLucia back to her home, where her niece’s husband had to help her from the car, she said.

“I didn’t have much strength at all,” DeLucia said.

DeLucia testified she later discovered several thousand dollars missing from her bank accounts. Tully showed her copies of a series of checks, totaling about $15,000, that were made out to Trowbridge that DeLucia testified she did not write or sign or authorize anyone else to sign.

There was also a credit card account in her name with a balance of more than $1,900 that she did not open, DeLucia said.

Under cross-examination by defense attorney Patrick Rogan, DeLucia acknowledged she did not mention Trowbridge’s actions when she spoke by phone to her nurse and to the person who has her medical power of attorney after arriving back home on Nov. 27 or to her hospice care workers the following day.

DeLucia said she didn’t know another niece, Nicole Nemic, had reported the incident to Old Forge police until after the fact.

Rogan also asked DeLucia if she possibly misheard Trowbridge’s statement about watching her die, suggesting the defendant said instead that DeLucia would watch Trowbridge die. DeLucia reiterated her earlier testimony.

In addition to criminal homicide, Trowbridge faces 14 other charges, including felony counts of aggravated assault, strangulation, kidnapping, dealing in proceeds of unlawful activities, theft by unlawful taking, receiving stolen property and forgery.

She remains in the county prison in lieu of $500,000 bail.

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

MARRIAGE LICENSES

• Arthur John Kuehner Jr. and Alyson Marie Flash, both of Scranton.

• Joel Ernesto Nazario Otero and Griselda Matias Coyotecatl, both of Scranton.

• Samantha Leigh Bruckart and Matthew Dawson Somers, both of Scranton.

PROPERTY TRANSACTIONS

• R.D. Noto & Son Construction Inc., South Abington Twp., to Kenneth Raymond and Ellen Mae Stockwell Bonk, Limerick; a property in South Abington Twp. for $102,500.

• Alice Keisling, Newton Twp., to Gerald J. and Valerie A. Calpin, Waverly; a property at 2381 Cherry Hill Road, Newton Twp., for $415,000.

• John J. and Bernadette Shedlock to Shelley L. and Paul J. Richards; a property at 2035 Hamlin Highway, Madison Twp., for $290,000.

• Guitelle Rothstein, life estate, Terry Rothstein and Steven Rothstein, remaindermen, Donna Rothstein and Sally Rothstein, spouses of remaindermen, to Raymond A. Mead; a property at 550 Clay Ave., Unit 8E, Scranton, for $92,000.

• FV-1 Inc., in trust for Morgan Stanley Mortgage Capital Holdings LLC, by Specialized Loan Services LLC, its attorney-in-fact, to MSA Inc.; a property at 152 E. Pine St., Dunmore, for $25,000.

• David B. and Ilise W. Rubinow, South Abington Twp., to Gerald E. Luchansky, Olyphant; a property at 44 Parkland Drive, South Abington Twp., for $210,000.

• Amy Sullivan Cannella and James Robert Sullivan Jr., co-executors of the estate of Sally B. Sullivan, North Abington Twp., to Barbara R. McNeish, Scranton; a property at 109 Sullivan Road, North Abington Twp., for $169,600.

• Gregory Mark Stivala, Moscow, to John J. III and Katie L. Fox, Taylor; a property on William Street, Taylor, for $32,500.

• Christopher Thiel, executor of the estate of David Simens, also known as David J. Simens, Moscow, to John M. and Tara Pagotto, Roaring Brook Twp.; three parcels in Moscow for $69,000.

• George J. Macko, Sacramento, Calif., to Heather Evans, Dunmore; a property at 619 Warren St., Dunmore, for $102,000.

• NBT Bank, formerly known as Pennstar Bank, a division of NBT Bank, N.A., Norwich, N.Y., to Leonard T. Brady and Terri Curnow, as joint tenants with rights of survivorship; a property at 127 Cottage St., Carbondale, for $130,000.

• Kenroy C. Cole and Shelly A. Fagan, now known as Shelly-Ann Cole, joint tenants with rights of survivorship, Archbald, to Nikolaos and Constantina Molfetas, Pennsylvania; a property at 432 W. Church St., Archbald, for $310.500.

• Cloverleaf Developers LLC, Archbald, to Teresa A. Perrini, Jefferson Twp.; a property in Archbald for $237,500.

• Dinamico Corp., Scranton, to 314 N. Webster LLC; two parcels in Scranton for $332,300.

DIVORCES SOUGHT

• Cathiellen M. Lopa, Madison Twp., v. Michael A. Lopa, Madison Twp.; married May 27, 1995, in Moscow; Brian J. Cali, attorney.

• Wendy Lynn Griffiths, Throop, v. Ronald C. Griffiths, Archbald; married Nov. 2, 1985, in Blakely; pro se.

LAWSUIT

• Peter Gianacopoulos, 120 N. Merrifield Ave., Scranton, v. Thomas Joseph Lavis, 917 Throop St., Dickson City, seeking in excess of the amount requiring compulsory arbitration under the applicable statutes of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the local rules of court, together with punitive damages, interest, costs, delay damages and reasonable attorney’s fees, for injuries suffered March 30, 2017, in an automobile accident at Lackawanna and Wyoming avenues, Scranton; Corey S. Suda, attorney.

ESTATES FILED

• Sarah E. Reed, also known as Sarah Elenora Reed, 19 Hitchcock Road, Jefferson Twp., letters testamentary to Cheryl M. DiCicco, 166 Hurst Drive, Ephrata.

• Paulette Maggiolo, also known as Paulette Blanche Maggiolo, 213 Elan Gardens, Clarks Summit, letters testamentary to Antoinette Blanche Jadus, 22 Siniawa Drive, Archbald.

• Marion Harding, also known as Marion F. Harding, 1160 Old Trail Road, Clarks Summit, letters testamentary to Kimberly A. Dennebaum, same address.

• John Levandowski, also known as John P. Levandowski, 708 Edgebrook Drive, Moosic, letters testamentary to Nicole Marie Karotko, 10 Grandview Drive, Hughestown.

• Helen S. Powell, 100 Edella Road, South Abington Twp., letters testamentary to Carol S. Florey, 1186 Winola Road, Clarks Summit.

• Catherine Lyman, 1643 Brick Ave., Scranton, letters of administration to the Rev. Edward P. Lyman, Villa St. Joseph, 1600 Green Ridge St., Dunmore.

• Dolores Curmaci, 1102 Oram St., Scranton, letters testamentary to Lynn McAndrew, 1201 Watson St., Scranton.

ONLINE: thetimes-tribune.com/courts

LEHIGH TWP. — U.S. Marshals arrested a man today wanted for a December shooting in Scranton.

Marshals found Phillip Lynott, 20, at a home in the first block of Navajo Path in Lehigh Twp. faces Scranton police said Lynott shot a 17-year-old boy on the 300 block of Hillside Manor in East Mountain on Dec. 28. A dispute on social media led to the shooting, police said.

Today, marshals found Lynott, who had barricaded himself inside a closet with a handgun. He surrendered after about 15 minutes of negotiation.

He is held in Lackawanna County Prison in lieu of $100,000 bail on aggravated assault and related charges. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for April 2.

— CLAYTON OVER

Students of the month

SCRANTON

Two men from Indiana pleaded guilty in federal court to the armed robbery of a CVS Pharmacy in the city last year, federal prosecutors said.

Coreon House, 21, and Rashad Coleman, 25, both of Indianapolis, stole numerous bottles of prescription pills from the Moosic Street pharmacy.

House pointed a gun at a CVS employee and bound the victim’s hands with zip ties May 21. Coleman acted as the lookout.

Each pleaded guilty Wednesday to armed robbery of a pharmacy and brandishing a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence.

Their getaway driver, whom police identified as Nicola Dunlap, 21, of Indianapolis, has a case pending.

— JOSEPH KOHUT

March 26, 1944

One killed, one hurt in city crash

The 300 block of North Washington Avenue was the scene of a fatal crash.

According to police, W. Oswald James of Carbondale suffered a “spell” while driving his vehicle south on North Washington Avenue. James died at the scene.

Witnesses reported that James’ vehicle was speeding down North Washington Avenue when it struck another vehicle operated by Lorina Diegle of Dunmore. A passenger in Diegle’s car, Maj. Abraham Mallen, fell from the car and was run over by James’ vehicle. Mallen, a native of New London, Connecticut, stationed at Tobyhanna Army Depot, was listed in serious condition with a skull fracture and possible crushed chest. Diegle suffered cuts and bruises in the crash.

Lackawanna County Coroner Paul Kubasko performed an autopsy and found that James suffered a rupture to a coronary artery that caused a cardiac episode before the crash. Kubasko said James’ cause of death was a skull fracture that he suffered in the crash.

Men’s Shop to close; owner joins Navy

North Scranton Men’s Shop owner Leo Gans was hanging up his tape measure and picking up a sailor suit after joining the Navy. Gans said that he would be closing his shop while he was in the service.

Gans opened his shop in 1938 when he was 21 years old. He said he started off just selling shirts and ties but later added pants, jackets and other men’s clothing items.

He said of the closing: “I have to get everything cleared by April 10, but after this thing is over I’m coming back and reopening.”

Shopping at Penney’s

Girls’ coats were $5.90, floral print Easter dresses for girls were $2.98, boys’ Trentwood suits were $16.75, boys’ sport coats were $3.90, boys’ two-tone sweaters were $2.98, plaid cotton blankets were $2.98, lamp shades were 89 cents, fine damask fabric for making napkins or tablecloths was 79 cents a yard.

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.

Blakely-Peckville

Lions meet: Blakely-Peckville Lions Club meeting, April 2, 7:30 p.m., William Hopkins American Legion Post 570 in Blakely, nomination of officers will take place.

Dalton

Hunger walk: Walk along Countryside Conservancy’s Trolley Trail, April 28, 2 p.m., Dalton Fire Company, 109 S. Turnpike Road, Dalton; first-time registration, 1 p.m., preregistered check-in, 1:30 p.m. Questions: Michelle Whitlock, pastor of Waverly UMC, 717-578-0436; www.crophunger walk.org/clarkssummitpa­.

Forest City

Community luncheon: The Stone Soup Kitchen at Christ Church free community luncheon, Saturday, noon-1 p.m., Delaware and Dundaff streets.

Jessup

Bake sale: Holy Ghost Byzantine Catholic Church Easter bake sale, April 13, 10 a.m.-5 p.m., church hall, 313 First Ave., homemade baked goods, paska bread, kolachi and assorted cookies.

Porketta sandwiches: Nadine Cenci Marchegiani Foundation’s seventh annual porketta sandwich sale, April 20, 11 a.m.-12:30 p.m., Jessup Hose Company 2, 333 Hill St., $3.50/sandwich, advanced orders recommended; Ken, 570-499-1794.

Luzerne County

Flea market: Human Life Resource Center, Wilkes-Barre, annual flea market, April 5, 2-6 p.m.; April 6, 8 a.m.-4 p.m., Presbyterian Hall, 2 Lockhart St. (Hanover and Lockhart streets).

Midvalley

Knights meet: Pope John Paul II Knights of Columbus of Throop/Dickson City meeting, April 10, 7 p.m., St. Mary’s School, the new insurance agent will be present to speak about the insurance program.

Milford

Educational series: Belle Reve Senior Living’s Alzheimer’s educational series, April 4, 5 p.m., guest speaker: Christa Fuchs from Residential Home Health, Palliative and Hospice Services, free, chili and corn bread served; 570-409-9191.

Scranton

Green fair: NEPA Green Fair celebrating the Earth, Saturday, April 27, Nay Aug Park, 10 a.m.-3 p.m., with free classes, vendors, yoga classes, live music, food, children’s activities, all-day plant sale; learn about solar energy, beekeeping, green cleaning, gardening and more; walk/run starts at 9 a.m. Registration: runsignup.com/race/pa/scranton/nepagreenfair5k. Information: NEPAGreenFair.com; or on Facebook, facebook.com/NEPAGreenFair.

South Abington Twp.

Pizza sale: Chinchilla Hose Company annual Lenten pizza sale, Fridays through April 19 (Good Friday), red and white square trays, $13 and broccoli pizza, $14.

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

Comcast Spectacor, which owns the Flyers, announced Monday morning that it will construct the first arena for gaming fans in the U.S. for the Comcast-owned Fusion, company officials say.

The $50 million project is a testament to the surging popularity of esports, in which players compete in video games before large crowds. The company plans to break ground this summer on part of the 47-acre stadium complex site that Comcast Spectacor leases in South Philadelphia. The 3,500-seat arena will rise on a parking lot, next to Xfinity Live! and within walking distance of the Linc, Citizens Bank Park, and the Wells Fargo Center.

Nate Nanzer, commissioner of the 20-team Overwatch League, said there has never been a special-purpose esports arena “built anywhere. This is a huge step for esports. This is something we will see pop up all over the world.”

Besides housing Comcast’s Fusion, one of the Overwatch League’s teams, the venue is planned to be a major east coast hub for gaming events, company executives said.

The arena will mark the third major project that Comcast Spectacor is now undertaking on the site. It is renovating the Wells Fargo Center for $250 million and seeking tenants for a 10-story office tower, costing $80 million, also near Xfinity Live. The price tag for the three projects, including the new arena, is $380 million. The company may add yet more development on the site, say those with knowledge of the company’s thinking.

WILKES-BARRE TWP.

Two-time Grammy nominees Disturbed will perform Oct. 5 at Mohegan Sun Arena at Casey Plaza as part of their North American tour.

Joining Disturbed is In This Moment.

Tickets go on sale 10 a.m. Friday at disturbed1.com/tour.

Citi is the official presale credit card for the tour, and Citi cardmembers will have access to purchase presale tickets beginning 10 a.m. Wednesday.

— STAFF REPORT

SCRANTON

The heart of a long-dead French priest canonized shortly after World War I will make a stop in Scranton next month during a nationwide tour.

The relic of St. Jean Vianney’s “incorrupt heart” will be on display April 13 at the Cathedral of St. Peter on Wyoming Avenue, according to the Diocese of Scranton.

Vianney, born in France in 1786, is known for his “wise spiritual counsels,” the diocese said, and often heard confessions for 18 hours a day.

He died in 1859, and was canonized by Pope Pius XI in 1925. He is the patron of parish priests.

His heart was reportedly taken from his body after he died and remained intact for 150 years, according to the church.

— JOSEPH KOHUT