PSP investigates accidental death

LENOX TWP. — State police are investigating what appears to be an accidental death following a tractor accident off Miller Road.

Troopers say a 62-year-old Nicholson man is dead, but are withholding his name until they can notify family members.

Emergency teams, including fire crews from Clifford, Greenfield and Scott townships, rushed to the scene on private property in Lenox Twp. just before noon Sunday.

State police say his death does not appear to be suspicious. Officials will determine a cause and manner of death following an autopsy.

— JON O’CONNELL

Abington Heights

Fourth-grader Sydney Pallman and her horse, Ace, compete in rodeo barrel racing competitions along the East Coast.

They competed in the American Quarter Horse Congress in Ohio in October and the Keystone Barrel Classic, Youth Division, where they placed second.

Sydney became interested in horses while riding a pony at Roba’s Family Farms. Sydney, a student at Newton-Ransom Elementary School, enjoys riding fast on Ace.

—KATHLEEN BOLUS

kbolus@timesshamrock.com; 570-348-9100 x5114;

@kbolusTT on Twitter

Carbondale Area

Kristina Gorel won the best advocate award during the Lackawanna County Bar Association’s annual mock trial competition.

Carbondale Area’s team, including Anna Allen, Calista Calabro, Madison Hayner, Madison Moase and Kaitlyn Shockey, captains; Kianna Savage, senior; Declan Caviston, Cora Heenan and Jarred Rosar, juniors; and Alyssa Cosklo and Mia Perri, freshmen, competed in the annual mock trial competition at the county and federal courthouses in Scranton. Students took on the roles of attorneys and witnesses and argued both sides of this year’s criminal case, which involved the opioid drug crisis.

“It’s one of the strongest teams we have ever had,” said Kristina.

Jarred won best advocate and Cora won best witness; Anna also won best witness.

The team, however, did not advance to the semifinals after the committee of judges made a mistake.

“It’s difficult to say what is the right or wrong thing to do in a situation like this,” Kristina said. “Perhaps a face-off of some sort would have been a better solution. Nonetheless, we at Carbondale Area are very proud of how well our students prepared and performed at the mock trial competition.”

—KATHLEEN BOLUS

kbolus@timesshamrock.com; 570-348-9100 x5114;

@kbolusTT on Twitter

Career Technology Center

The CTC describes senior Emil Mikolon as “outstanding and hard working.”

The Forest City Regional student attends the automotive program, where he has already earned accolades. He is a silver medal winner in SkillsUSA and has completed his OSHA 10 certification.

“Emil is always willing to focus on any task and complete it correctly,” according to the school.

He volunteers for the Union Dale Fire Company, and after graduation, he plans to attend a technical college for more automotive training.

— SARAH HOFIUS HALL

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

@hofiushallTT on Twitter

Delaware Valley

Senior Shawna Traver is active with the National Honor Society, Fusfoo, junior historians and art club, as well as being part of the stage crew/set design and a peer tutor.

“I’ve met amazing people and got to try new things,” she said. “I also get to practice what I am really good at, and through some of the clubs, give back to the community to help others.”

Shawna was chosen to participate in the Lions Club Leadership program/seminar. She volunteers with the Shohola Lions Club. In addition, she helps at the United Way Day of Caring fall event.

“I was taught when I was young how important it is to give back,” Shawna said.

Shawna hopes to be remembered as a genuine, confident person who

isn’t swayed by other

people’s judgements.

— LISA ZACCAGNINO

lzaccagnino@timesshamrock.com; 570-348-9130

Dunmore

Senior Hannah Earley is serving as editor-in-chief of the school’s yearbook.

Her responsibilities include the overall creation process of the book and organizing senior class fundraisers to help with the book’s expenses. One of the fundraising events is the annual Seniors vs. Faculty Basketball Game.

The yearbook staff will hold this yearly tradition in the high school gymnasium at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, pitting the senior class against faculty members from the school district. Tickets will be sold at the door and it is open to the community.

“It’s all worth it because it brings the community together. This event has been something that I’ve looked forward to ever since my elementary school days. Not only do I get to play against my teachers, but I also had a hand in organizing the event. I’m very excited to see the turnout, and I hope the community comes out to support us,” Hannah added.

Next year, Hannah plans on majoring in finance at college.

— LISA ZACCAGNINO

lzaccagnino@timesshamrock.com; 570-348-9130

Forest City Regional

Senior Destiny Way worked with the coffee cart at the high school for her senior project, where she helped with setting up and dismantling the cart, as well as handling the restocking.

Destiny interacted with the school staff and teachers, and students. She also helped at the school store and the elementary cafeteria for service hours.

She is active with cheerleading and volunteers with the food pantry for service work.

Destiny plans to study marketing at college in the fall.

— LISA ZACCAGNINO

lzaccagnino@timesshamrock.com; 570-348-9130

Holy Cross

Junior Leslie O’Connor participated in the Pennsylvania Music Educators Association’s district and regional chorus festivals.

During the festivals, students prepare music beforehand, rehearse with a guest conductor and perform a concert. Leslie auditioned for the choruses and placed first in the auditions for both the district and regional festivals, according to the school.

“Being a part of these festivals has provided me with great opportunities and an exposure to music that has helped me to improve my musical skills and become even more passionate about music,” she said.

Leslie is also a member of the drama club and advanced chorus, and studies dance.

— SARAH HOFIUS HALL

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

@hofiushallTT on Twitter

Lackawanna Trail

Two teams from Lacka-wanna Trail placed at the Regional K’NEX Competition at Johnson College on March 20.

Team Oceanators, including Madeline Carpenter, Nora Evans, Reagan Norman and Gianna Ashley, placed first. They will move on to the state competition at Harrisburg University on May 17.

The Cone Heads team, consisting of Tea Burns, Madison Palmer, Kat Wood and Cali Seechock, took second place.

—KATHLEEN BOLUS

kbolus@timesshamrock.com; 570-348-9100 x5114;

@kbolusTT on Twitter

Mid Valley

Despite Mid Valley’s lack of a swim team, junior Joe Slish still competes for the Spartans as he travels with Holy Cross High School’s swim team.

He has been competing alongside the team for the past two years. As a Spartan swimmer, Joe qualified for the PIAA District 2 Swimming and Diving Championship and competed in both the 100-yard freestyle and the 200-yard freestyle.

Joe is also a personal finance specialist with the Future Business Leaders of America, a member of the book club and a lifeguard at the Greater Scranton YMCA.

He is interested in entering the pharmaceutical field in the future

—KATHLEEN BOLUS

kbolus@timesshamrock.com; 570-348-9100 x5114;

@kbolusTT on Twitter

Montrose Area

Junior Nickolas Coy earned first place in the animation category at the NEIU/PA State Computer Fair at Keystone College.

Nickolas was one of nine students who received awards from Montrose. He created an animation about a paper man on a search for his friend.

“This was one of my better ones, but there is still room for improvement,” he said.

With the win, he will represent Montrose at the state competition in Carlisle in May.

— STAFF REPORT

Mountain View

Junior Matt Dougherty represented his school at the Pennsylvania Association of Student Councils’ Student Summit in Harrisburg.

The summit focuses on personal and organization advocacy.

“I have attended many PASC events, including region and state conferences and summer camps,” Matt said. “But the student summit was by far my favorite PASC experience.”

Matt and the other attendees also spoke with Lt. Gov. John Fetterman at the event.

After high school, Matt plans on pursuing a position as a publicly elected official.

— DANIEL ROSLER

drosler@timesshamrock.com; 570-348-9100 x5365;

@droslerTT on Twitter

North Pocono

In addition to taking 11 AP courses and earning high honors every quarter in high school, senior Nikhil Patel also spends his time volunteering.

He served more than 30 hours volunteering at the Geisinger Community Medical Center. Nikhil has also been a member of the Science Olympiad team for four years, where he earned medals on both the regional and state level. He currently serves as captain.

After high school, he plans on attending college to study biology with hopes of pursuing a job in the medical field.

— DANIEL ROSLER

drosler@timesshamrock.com; 570-348-9100 x5365;

@droslerTT on Twitter

Old Forge

Junior Hannah Lisowski received one of four 2019 Geisinger Commonwealth School of Medicine research fellowships through the Pennsylvania Junior Academy of Science.

The fellowship allows Hannah to spend two full days at the college, learning about all aspects of medical school. She will have the opportunity to spend time with medical school staff, discussing everything from community health to cancer research.

— SARAH HOFIUS HALL

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

@hofiushallTT on Twitter

Riverside

Eighth-grader Tony Pavlovicz is a National Silver Key Award winner for the 2019 National Scholastic Art Awards.

He is the fourth national winner for his school and the first eighth-grade student at his school to be recognized nationally by the Scholastic Art Awards.

— DANIEL ROSLER

drosler@timesshamrock.com; 570-348-9100 x5365;

@droslerTT on Twitter

Scranton

McNichols Plaza Elementary hosted a Celebrations of Reading Night in honor of Read Across America Week.

Participating students included Camden Coombes, Quincy Coombes, Zoey Seig, Xzavier Lovett de-Jesus, Ezra Zvirblis, Aiden Farnan, Finbarr Farnan, Ben Gesek and Ben Benson. Students displayed their projects, selecting books of interest based on celebrations throughout the month of February and March.

— SARAH HOFIUS HALL

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

@hofiushallTT on Twitter

Valley View

Bobby Craig showed excellence in his computer courses and was honored as the senior of the month in January for computer applications.

“I am very passionate about my computer classes and I’m extremely honored to receive this award,” he said.

The award is sponsored by the Valley View Student Council and the Blakely/Peckville Lions Club.

Bobby was also recently selected as the student ambassador for the district’s annual Coaches vs. Cancer event. The event raised $9,531 for the local chapter of the American Cancer Society.

Bobby is president of the Math Honor Society and a member of National Honor Society, Leo club and ping pong club. He also plays basketball, tennis and golf.

— KATHLEEN BOLUS

kbolus@timesshamrock.com; 570-348-9100 x5114;

@kbolusTT on Twitter

Wallenpaupack

Ninth-grader Kaylee Kunitsky helped raise $9,703 for the fight against childhood cancer.

Kaylee was on the executive council for the third annual Mini-THON. She’d worked since October planning and volunteering to ensure that this year’s event was a success.

“Mini-THON was a great experience,” she said. “I’m very proud of the students that attended and all the money we raised.”

— DANIEL ROSLER

drosler@timesshamrock.com; 570-348-9100 x5365;

@droslerTT on Twitter

Wayne Highlands

Senior Destiny Schemitz won the Honesdale Rotary’s annual student essay content.

The competition’s theme was “Be the Inspiration,” and Destiny wrote about her grandparents.

“When my grandmother was barely a few years older than I am right now, she made the life-changing decision to immigrate to the United States from Austria,” Destiny said.

Destiny focused her essay on the trials her grandparents endured in a new country — and without knowing a word of English.

Senior Mackenzie Meagher and junior Miranda Fritz also wrote essays for the competition.

— DANIEL ROSLER

drosler@timesshamrock.com; 570-348-9100 x5365;

@droslerTT on Twitter

Western Wayne

Senior R.J. Clemens has qualified for the All-State Chorus Festival in Pittsburgh this week.

Described by his school as one of the top vocalists in Pennsylvania, R.J. plans to attend Hofstra University in the fall.

— DANIEL ROSLER

drosler@timesshamrock.com; 570-348-9100 x5365;

@droslerTT on Twitter

Stalled cases against two former Lackawanna County Prison guards will move forward with the appointment of a judge to oversee their trials.

The Administrative Office of Pennsylvania Courts assigned Senior Judge John L. Braxton from Philadelphia to replace Lackawanna County Judge Terrence Nealon and preside over the trials of James J. Walsh and Paul J. Voglino, court administrator Frank Castellano said.

Voglino’s attorney, Joe D’Andrea, said he was pleased the case will move forward and blasted the prosecution as “frivolous.”

“I can’t wait to get to court to get my client exonerated,” D’Andrea said.

Walsh and Voglino are among seven former guards the state attorney general’s office charged in February 2018, after a statewide grand jury investigation. Walsh, 52, 209 Mosswood Road, Roaring Brook Twp., faces four counts of involuntary deviate sexual intercourse. Voglino, 46, Rear 4 Orchard St., Carbondale, is charged with one count of involuntary deviate sexual intercourse.

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

Nealon initially had their cases but the prosecutors sought his recusal because there is a chance county Judge Trish Corbett may be called to testify about a letter a victim penned to her in 2005, in which the female inmate alleged un-named guards sexually harassed her.

Nealon felt he could still be impartial but stepped aside in November to avoid any appearance of impropriety.

No trial date has been set for Walsh or Voglino, Castellano said. One of the county’s law clerks will coordinate with each party to handle pretrial matters.

Of the seven guards charged, three cases have been resolved.

In February, a jury found former guard George T. McHale, 51, the first to go to trial, not guilty on all counts. Not long after, Jeffrey T. Staff, 43, and George R. Efthimiou, 51, pleaded no contest to official oppression. A no contest plea acknowledges prosecutors have enough evidence for a conviction, but the defendant does not admit guilt. Staff was sentenced to nine months of probation. Efthimiou’s plea also called for a probationary sentence.

Two defendants still have trials pending in the summer — Mark A. Johnson, 55, and John Shnipes Jr., 43. Johnson is charged with two counts each of involuntary deviate sexual intercourse and institutional sexual assault and one count each of indecent assault and harassment.

Shnipes faces six counts of involuntary deviate sexual intercourse, four counts of aggravated indecent assault and two counts each of institutional sexual assault and harassment.

A motion filed by Shnipes’ attorney to dismiss all charges is also pending.

Contact the writer:

jkohut@timesshamrock.com, 570-348-9144;

@jkohutTT on Twitter

MONDAY UPDATE brings Times-Tribune readers up to date on past or pending stories of interest. To offer a suggestion for a Monday Update, please email metrodesk@timesshamrock.com with “Monday Update” in the subject line.

April 1, 1919

Soldiers cause trouble at bar

Scranton police were searching for two soldiers who caused a brouhaha at Jack Ginty’s Cafe at 217 N. Washington Avenue.

According to police, the pair, dressed in uniforms with gold service stripes and wearing overseas hats, walked into Ginty’s and made their way to the back of the bar, where men were playing billiards.

A man noticed that one of the soldiers was trying to pick the pocket of a spectator and grabbed him. The soldier broke free and tried to make for the cafe’s front door with his partner.

While trying to run, one of the soldiers pulled out a .32- caliber revolver and started waving it at the crowd in the cafe.

When the two soldiers were trying to reach the door brandishing the gun, Rocko Barrett entered the cafe. Barrett, seeing what was going on, used the element of surprise and rushed the two soldiers, slamming them against the wall.

Stunned, and relieved of their weapon, the two soldiers were beset upon by several men in the cafe. Witnesses said that the two received a beating worse than what they could have received in France.

Scranton police were called later after the two soldiers had escaped following their beating.

Thirty years

on the force

Detective Robert Deiter marked his 30th anniversary with the Scranton Police Department.

Deiter said he got his start on April 1, 1889, when he was appointed to the force by Scranton Mayor Ezra Ripple. He said he thought he would not last long in his new job as a cop because he was in a band and liked performing at dances.

After three years as a patrolman, he was promoted to desk sergeant. He said being the desk sergeant also meant you were a driver, a “matron” and a jail warden.

He told a reporter who asked about his anniversary that, “Yes, I’m still on the job as Sherlock Holmes and I am giving people the best that is in me.”

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.

SCRANTON — Alexandria Haduch, 12, honed her ninja skills on the playgrounds of Gouldsboro.

On Sunday, she tested them at United Sports Academy’s NEPA’s Top Ninja Challenge.

She and her friend, Cora Palermo, also 12, climb the monkey bars at their local park and seemed at ease swinging through a line of suspended rings inside the North Main Avenue arena.

United Sports opened up its Ninja Challenge to the public for the first time this year. Typically, the event would be held for older kids who already take classes there.

Almost 80 children, ages 3 to 16, competed for agility, endurance and time on a series of obstacles.

Anyone who’s watched “American Ninja Warrior” on NBC would recognize most of the challenges.

Kids shimmied across the cliffhanger. They skipped across the floating steps. They scrambled up the warped wall, the TV show’s iconic final obstacle, with more thudding against the surface and sliding down than snagging the coping at the very top.

Even fewer hoisted themselves to the peak.

The warped wall came easy for 11-year-old Ethan Brewen of Fell Twp., who plays football, basketball and baseball for Carbondale Area. He said he was otherwise a stranger to the obstacles at United Sports, but on Sunday a first-place medal for his prowess on the wall hung from his neck and clanked against another one for the box push, a test of strength in which contestants pushed heavy cubes of increasing weight across the floor.

United Sports, which has another gym in Dunmore, might be better known for its competitive gymnastics team.

Only more recently, the company opened its Scranton center and developed a program for ninja training, a sport rising in popularity thanks to television. Gyms across the country have added programs to teach agility through obstacle courses.

”If you want to be a competitive gymnast, you kind of have to figure that out at an early age,” United Sports operations Director Emilia Raynova said. “The ninja challenge is cool because, if you’re an active kid, you can pick it up and excel in it.”

Contact the writer:

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

@jon_oc on Twitter

MOSES TAYLOR

BELVEDUTO: A son, March 24, to Joseph Belveduto and Kayla Laferriere, Taylor.

BURKE: A son, March 22, to Daniel and Lindsay Allen Burke, Scranton.

CLAUSS: A son, March 24, to Andrew Clauss and Tyler Linde, Lake Ariel.

DAVIS: A daughter, March 22, to R.J. and Angelique Davis, Old Forge.

DAVIS: A daughter, March 28, to William Davis and Brittny Paranich, Scranton.

DEITZ: A son, March 20, to Damien Deitz and Jennifer Filan, Scott Twp.

DOUGHERTY: A daughter, March 27, to John Dougherty and Mackenzie Mead, Kingsley.

ELLIS: A son, March 26, to Christopher and Nicole Fletcher Ellis, Scranton.

GRABOWSKI: A son, March 26, to Adam Grabowski and Cynthia McDonough Dragwa, Carbondale.

GRIFFITHS: A daughter, March 23, to Thomas Jason Griffiths and Eric Keisling, Clarks Summit.

KIMMEL: A son, March 17, to Jeffrey and Joelle Lukas Kimmel, Old Forge.

MANCUSO: A daughter, March 28, to Damien Mancuso and Christie Weist, Dickson City.

MATACCHIERA: A daughter, March 26, to Cory Matacchiera and Emily Langendoerfer, Jefferson Twp.

MECCA: A daughter, March 21, to Jason Mecca and Keely Fisher Judd, Dunmore.

MORENO: A daughter, March 23, to Mario Moreno and Paula Rimcon, Scranton.

NICASTRO: A daughter, March 29, to Christopher and Jennifer Decker Nicastro, Jessup.

PETRUCCI: A daughter, March 26, to Mike Petrucci and Sara Lowry, Jermyn.

POSTEN: A daughter, March 26, to Nicholas and Rachael Harris Posten, Tunkhannock.

SMITH: A daughter, March 20, to Kyle and Deanna Marcinko Smith, Olyphant.

STERANSKY: A son, March 19, to Steve and Allison Keeler Steransky, Harding.

SULLA: A son, March 19, to Aaron and Julie Butler Sulla, Scranton.

WASHO: A son, March 22, to Craig and Brittany Washo, Scranton.

WEINBERGER: A son, March 23, to Jeff and Kerin Podunajec Weinberger, Waymart.

WILLIAMS: A daughter, March 26, to Quincy Williams and Shanee Jones, Scranton.

WILLIAMS: A son, March 18, to Trevor Williams and Mary-Jane Frable, Scranton.

After clinching the state title on Saturday, the mock trial team from Holy Cross High School now advances to the national competition in Athens, Georgia.

Fourteen students, their teacher/coach and two attorney advisers faced off among 290 teams from across the state for the Pennsylvania Bar Association’s statewide mock trial.

They practiced five days a week, studying every angle of an imaginary case with layers of complexity and pointed relevance — the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania v. Rae Shafer, M.D.

The fictional doctor, the Holy Cross team’s defendant, was accused of running a pill-mill after a 73-year-old patient died of an opioid drug overdose.

The topic was sensitive and timely, attorney adviser Francesca Kester said.

“We would see The Scranton Times come out with articles about real-life doctors who were being prosecuted for the same thing,” Kester said. “It was a lot for high-schoolers.”

The team prepared to argue both sides of the case and included witnesses for both sides, too.

“Holy Cross has fielded a smart, assertive and ethical team that has proven themselves the best in Pennsylvania,” mock trial district coordinator Ryan Campbell said in a statement. “High praise should go to their team, coaches and all our local participants who helped them achieve such a fantastic accomplishment. We all wish them the best of luck at nationals in Georgia.”

Holy Cross beat Scranton Preparatory School in the district competition, and Pocono Mountain East High School in the regional contest.

The Dunmore school’s team has about six weeks to prepare for a new case, the details of which are revealed today.

Contact the writer:

joconnell@timesshamrock.com;

570-348-9131;

@jon_oc on Twitter

As municipalities bump and stumble over how to satisfy the new rules for managing stormwater, and explore ways to pay for it, one thing stands out — there’s no turnkey solution.

Towns across the country will have to come up with highly specific plans, undoubtedly tapping engineers and planners with specific skills to meet the standards of the Municipal Separate Storm Sewer Systems, or MS4, which go into effect in 2023.

The standards order towns to reduce sediment pollution that flows into the Chesapeake Bay by 10 percent, to reduce phosphorus by 5 percent, and to cut nitrogen by 3 percent.

One southeastern county, which gained some credit in the state for showing up first with a comprehensive stormwater management plan, is making the case that a collective effort could be the easiest, most cost-effective way to meet the standards.

“York County ... has been doing quite a bit of work the last few years, and they are being used as a pilot program for stormwater management,” said Mark Gregory, stormwater manager with the Pennsylvania Rural Water Association.

One York County official brushed off the compliment, a clue that even those at the head of the pack are still beleaguered with finding just the right plan.

“I don’t know that we’re ahead of the curve,” John Seitz said, chuckling.

He’s a water resources planner for the York County Planning Commission, the agency that took charge of meeting the MS4 standards.

“But, we’re trying to do things the smartest way … the smartest way isn’t necessarily where we’re at,” he said.

The MS4 standards aren’t a direct product of the 1972 Clean Water Act. Rather, they are the result of environmentalists who sued the government over the last few decades accusing regulators of lax enforcement of what’s in the Clean Water Act, said Bernard McGurl, director of the Lackawanna River Conservation Association.

While the standards have been published for some time, communities around the country are slowly gearing up to meet them.

For example, earlier last month, Scranton began mulling an annual stormwater fee and whether to establish a stormwater authority to collect it.

McGurl supports one idea already gaining traction, a version of which also is now underway in Luzerne County: Towns that meet the criteria as MS4 municipalities — and not all of them do — band together under a single pollution-reduction plan or a regional stormwater authority.

In Luzerne County, the Wyoming Valley Sewer Authority assembled a unified plan for 32 participating municipalities. The state Department of Environmental Protection, the federal Environmental Protection Agency’s enforcer for MS4 rules, must approve any regional plan that lumps towns together.

The key benefit of regionalizing, Seitz explained, comes when towns share the burden to get the most bang for their buck.

For example, cleaning up Sterry Creek in Jessup, a troubled tributary that delivers heavy sediment from culm heaps to the Lackawanna River, could help the region inch closer to compliance.

Pooling resources, including money from larger towns such as Scranton and Dickson City, could squeeze the most out of those resources and chip away at the collective region’s obligation to reduce pollution.

Such a collaboration could save Scranton on a costly fix within its own borders that might not improve much, but would be necessary for the city to meet its individual obligation.

Reducing pollution

Stormwater pollution sources in Pennsylvania vary by region, but by and large pollution comes from three sources, Gregory said: agriculture, acid mine drainage and impervious surfaces such as parking lots, roads and rooftops.

Letting water infiltrate through the ground happens to be the best way to keep pollutants from reaching the waterways, Seitz explained, but that’s not always possible.

To start, communities should require all new development to be stormwater neutral, meaning the water filters into the ground at the same rate and volume as before.

Physical changes include retrofitting detention ponds, those large basins outside business parks and shopping centers that collect stormwater and let it out slowly.

Seitz said that water should be allowed to filter down into the ground, not just out of a spout that eventually leads to the Susquehanna River — the Chesapeake’s largest tributary.

“Historically, we just worried about the rate of runoff,” he said of how detention basins used to be constructed. “Now we’re worried about the rate and quantity of runoff.”

Communities should strengthen riparian buffers, or the vegetative aprons along stream banks that filter out pollutants where possible, and reconnect waterways to the flood plain.

That last one involves easing stream banks so that when the water runs high, it can spread out over land and soak down.

Those ideas all sound good to McGurl, who added that towns need to beef up street-sweeping programs, especially in the spring to remove salt from the streets and leaf litter collection in the fall.

Specific to the northeast, massive heaps of coal mine waste leak sediment into streams that feed into the Lackawanna River and ultimately the Susquehanna. Some trickling creeks reach the river only under heavy rain.

“The creeks are filled with sediment and silt, and when we do get stormwater running into them, it just washes all this silt into the river,” McGurl said before rattling off a list of problem waterways in Lackawanna County — Grassy Island Creek in Jessup, Eddy Creek in Throop, Keyser Creek in Scranton and Taylor, St. Johns Creek in the Downvalley region, and Racket Brook and Powderly Creek in Carbondale.

“They’re horrible places where these huge mine dumps get eroded, and every time it rains, that material gets eroded into the creeks,” he said, going on to explain that, together with state agency support, a regional stormwater authority would have leverage to make the most difference.

“We would have an opportunity if the municipalities could join together; they could become a strong partner with the (DEP) Bureau of Mine Reclamation,” he said.

Contact the writer:

joconnell@timesshamrock.com;

570-348-9131;

@jon_oc on Twitter

Dunmore

Student/faculty basketball: Dunmore High School senior class holding a Seniors vs. Faculty basketball game fundraiser Tuesday, 6:30 p.m., in the high school gym, includes basketball games, raffles, half-court shot contest and refreshments; $2/students, $3/adults, sold at the door, proceeds to benefit the 2019 yearbook.

Olyphant

Rigatoni dinner: Excelsior Hose Company 1 annual rigatoni dinner, April 27, Olyphant American Legion, Lackawanna Avenue, 4-8 p.m., $10. Tickets: 570-307-5085.

Pike County

Fishing derby: County commissioners’ 23rd annual children’s fishing derby, Saturday, April 27, 8 a.m.-noon, rain or shine, Lily Pond, Pike County Park, off Route 6 on Schocopee Road, Milford; free, registration held the day of event, prizes awarded by age group. Information: 570-296-3569.

Scott Twp.

Cemetery cleanup: St. Mary’s Assumption Cemetery spring cleanup days; remove all winter/holiday items from the graves and near the mausoleum this week as the cemetery is being prepared for Easter.

Scranton

Bunny breakfast: Allied Volunteers’ annual Bunny Breakfast, Saturday, April 13, 9 a.m., Graff Community Room, Luger Rehab Center, Allied Services, 475 Morgan Highway; all-you-can-eat breakfast; Easter Bunny will make his appearance, and all will be able to sit with him and receive a gift. $8/adults, $4/children; free for children under 2. Reservations needed: Donna Diltz, 570-830-8935.

Make-a-Wish training: The next training session for those interested in becoming a wish granting volunteer for the Make-A-Wish foundation is Saturday, April 13, Voluntary Action Center of NEPA, Scranton, 8:30 a.m.-noon. Contact: Regional Manager Maggie O’Brien, 570-341-9474; or mobrien@greater

pawv.wish.org.

Taylor

Egg hunt: Easter egg hunt for Taylor residents, Saturday, April 13, Taylor Community Center, noon, rain or shine; all borough children from infant to 12 years old are welcome.

Tunkhannock

Concealed-carry seminars: Rep. Karen Boback (R-Lackawanna/Luzerne/Wyoming) invites residents of the 117th District to attend one of the two concealed-carry seminars in April: Thursday, April 11, Wyoming County EMA Building, 3880 Route 6 East, Tunkhannock, doors at 5:30, event 6-8 p.m.; Thursday, April 25, Back Mountain Regional EMA Building, 3593 Route 118, Lehman Twp., doors at 5:30, event 6-8 p.m.

CLIPBOARD ITEMS may be sent to yesdesk@timessham

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SCRANTON — Even if Scranton schools see a boost in funding in the next state budget, the district still will receive far less than others with similar demographics.

Members of the Scranton School Board plan to take that information across the city and to state legislators this month, as directors rally to see an increase in funding.

“It’s just vitally important,” said Director Paul Duffy, who is leading the effort. “We need to secure the fair funding that our kids and parents deserve.”

Beyond bus contracts or charges against the district’s business manager and former fleet manager, school officials attribute most of the district’s financial troubles to inadequate and inequitable state funding. With the financial recovery plan due in May, school directors say providing the district with more funding is vital to success.

In 2017-18, Scranton received $42.3 million in state basic education funding — or about $4,166 per student. When compared to similar districts, Scranton receives far less. Of districts with more than 8,000 students and average household incomes of below $40,000, Scranton ranks at the bottom of state funding per student. For example, in 2017-18, Reading received $7,615 per student; Allentown, $6,808; Erie, $5,831; and Lancaster, $5,489.

The Philadelphia-based Public Interest Law Center found the Scranton School District would need an additional $55 million a year just to spend the statewide median for educating children.

Although the proposed 2019-20 state budget includes about $8 million more in basic education funding for Scranton, total per-pupil funding would still be below other urban districts. Duffy wants to make sure people understand the problem.

The district will host a legislative breakfast Wednesday, and as of last week, Duffy had 10 parent-teacher association meetings on his calendar for April.

“I hope we could convey a sincere understanding to the parents of our students,” board President Barbara Dixon said. “This is a real crisis, and we need to get everyone on board to support the fair funding move. ... We decided to put our boots to the ground.”

Director Katie Gilmartin called an increase in state funding “vital.”

“It is not the only piece of this puzzle, but it is one of the biggest ones,” she said. “There is no magic bullet, but this is one of the resources we need to have the tools to do the work we need to do. We can do all the other things, but without the funding, we’re going nowhere.”

Contact the writer:

shofius@timesshamrock.com;

570-348-9133;

@hofiushallTT on Twitter

Upcoming meeting

The Scranton School Board will meet 7 tonight in the auditorium of Northeast Intermediate School, 721 Adams Ave.

Two women from New York passed more than $1,000 in counterfeit U.S. currency at two stores in Wilkes-Barre Twp. on Saturday, according to township police.

Officers responded to Wegman’s on Highland Park Boulevard at about 4:40 p.m., police said.

Two women, later identified as Mariana Mercedes Mendez and Tressa Walker, had purchased gift cards with $900 in counterfeit $100 bills, according to police.

Police located the women and two men in a Nissan Altima and conducted a traffic stop on Highland Park Boulevard.

Officers found $7,000 in counterfeit $100 bills in an envelope inside the vehicle, police said. They also found other counterfeit currency and a small quantity of marijuana, according to police.

Police later learned that Mendez and Walker had allegedly passed $300 in counterfeit currency at Wal-Mart in the Wilkes-Barre Twp. Marketplace.

The two men were released pending investigation by the U.S. Secret Service, according to police.

Mendez, 28, and Walker, 24, were charged with two counts each of theft by deception, a first-degree misdemeanor.

They were arraigned and sent to Luzerne County Correctional Facility in lieu of $50,000 bail each. Preliminary hearings are scheduled for April 11.

Wyoming Avenue at Spruce Street in Downtown Scranton are closed as movie crews set up to shoot a scene in a film called “The Virtuoso” — starring Anthony Hopkins, Anson Mount and Abbie Cornish.

There’s a couple of onlookers nearby. It’s a little chilly, so people aren’t sticking around long.

The climactic scene planned for today involves a collision between a car and a recreational vehicle in the 200 block of Wyoming Avenue.

A nice looking red Mercedes and an RV have been spotted on the block.

The film centers on a hit man, played by Mount, whose first kill will take place from his upper-story perch in the former Dime Bank building at 400 Spruce St.

Police will close the block between Linden and Spruce streets as crews set up.

When the scene happens, police will also close the 300 block of Wyoming to Mulberry Street. That will allow the car to speed toward the RV as the hit man fires a gun at the car.

Check Back for updates.

Related: Movie filming in locations around downtown Scranton

TAYLOR — Riverside first grader Rylie Secor and her classmates gathered Monday to advocate for seat belts in school buses during a visit today from state representative-elect Bridget Malloy Kosierowski.

Rylie was thrown from her school bus seat in December after the bus hit a curb. She bounced out of the seat and hit her face on a metal rail inside of the bus, her mother Melanie Secor said. The incident left Rylie, 6, with two black eyes, which have since healed.

Surrounded by her peers and flanked by her two sisters and her mother, Rylie showed Kosierowski photos of her once-bruised face. Kosierowski, D-114, Waverly Twp., listened as Riley told the new state representative about the accident. Other students in Shannon Malamud’s class also read letters to her.

Brayson Stecik wants Rylie to “not get injured anymore.” Carsyn Refice said without seat belts on buses, kids could hurt their heads or break bones. Casey McKeefery noted that other states have laws that require seat belts on buses.

“I was a nurse for 26 years, so I don’t like to see little kids get hurt,” said Kosierowski, whose appearance Monday was her first public since she won a special election last month. The former Northeast Surgery Center nurse will officially be sworn into office on Monday.

Kosierowski told the class she was there to listen and learn about the student’s concerns.

“Being safe on the school bus is something I’d like to help you with,” she said.

Kosierowski, who was elected to fill the seat of the late Sid Michaels Kavulich who died in October, also shared a moment with her predecessor’s daughter, Loni Loiselle, a teacher’s aide for the class.

Riverside Superintendent Paul Brennan added that they were also teaching the students about taking action on Monday.

“We’re really for rallying behind our students,” he said.

Kosierowski asked Rylie if she thinks she would have fallen if she was wearing a seat belt.

“No,” Rylie said.

Rylie then handed Kosierowski a letter she wrote to Brennan after the accident.

“I’m going to put this on my wall to remind me what I’m doing,” Kosierowski said.

Contact the writer: kbolus@timesshamrock.com; 570-348-9100 x5114; @kbolusTT on Twitter

SCRANTON — For spectators looking to catch a glimpse of movie magic today, the wait was the hardest part.

Wyoming Avenue between Spruce and Mulberry streets in downtown Scranton closed for most of today as movie crews set up to shoot a scene in a film called “The Virtuoso” — starring Anthony Hopkins, Anson Mount and Abbie Cornish. A piece of sidewalk to stand and watch the work became a hot ticket in town as a gaggle of onlookers and hopeful extras mingled about the corner of Wyoming Avenue and Spruce Street throughout the day Monday.

Many had cameras draped around their necks or cell phones held in anticipation of capturing “the shot” — a collision and subsequent explosion between a Mercedes Benz and RV.

“The last time I saw something blow up in Scranton is when they took the buildings down for the mall,” said Rich Zielinski, 63, referring to the 1992 implosions on Lackawanna Avenue to make way for the Mall at Steamtown.

The crowds grew as the temperature warmed, many of them wearing lanyards with Lackawanna County badges. By the early afternoon, filming crews had a safety briefing. Anticipation built. The time of the explosion seemed a moving target. Some people speculated 2:30 p.m. Others guessed 3 p.m.

They’d end up waiting hours longer.

At about 5:50 p.m., a stuntman sped the Mercedes down a stretch of Wyoming Avenue and swerved toward the RV, parked near the vibrantly covered city utility shed on the 200 block of Wyoming. With a screech of tires, he stopped just short of colliding with the larger vehicle. No boom, which drew a groan of disappointment from the dozens of onlookers who had by then gathered at Wyoming and Spruce. A few minutes later, the sequence repeated. More groans.

At about 6:10 p.m., a crew members walked to the dozens of people gathered at the intersection and told them “the moment you’ve been waiting before” was upon them. The driver again pulled the Mercedes close to the RV and crew members replaced him with a dummy. After some more work and a 3-2-1 countdown, the vehicles finally collided, producing a flames and orange and black blossom of smoke that drew cheers from the crowd.

While the evening produced the pyrotechnics, the morning and afternoon seemed to underscore one of the realities of shooting a movie. There are long stretches of boredom punctuated by brief moments of something happening, which, often, can be difficult to make out for those on the outside looking in.

“Roll sound,” someone shouted.

“Rolling, rolling,” followed another.

“What does that mean?” asked a nearby woman.

No one responded; all was quiet on set.

A camera focused on a dark car parked on Wyoming Avenue, the crew perhaps filming a conversation inside.

It went on for a few moments.

“Cut,” a voice called out.

Jean Jarosh, who works at Elliott Greenleaf in downtown Scranton, lingered for awhile in the late morning. She remarked that it’s exciting that a movie would shoot in downtown Scranton.

In New York City, where movie shoots are commonplace, they fade into the background.

“They don’t even notice it but here it’s a big deal,” she said.

“The Virtuoso” centers on a hit man, played by Mount. Crews have been in Scranton for days for work on the film. The finished product will feature other sights familiar to local eyes. The contract killer’s first kill will take place from a sniper’s nest perched in the former Dime Bank building at 400 Spruce St.

“I hope it’s better than Cali,” an onlooker said, referring to the “The Trouble with Cali,” the most recently released movie set in Scranton, dogged by controversy and lambasted as an unintentionally hilarious dud.

Rob Barnes of Forest City and Courtney Pronti of Scranton were among those who braved the cold to witness the explosion this evening. Both said they were impressed with the effects, though Pronti said she thought maybe it would be bigger. Producers would likely use computer-generated imagery to beef it up, Barnes said.

Both also said they thought the filming brought a nice change of pace to the city’s downtown today. It’s good for the area to have movies shooting locally.

“It’s different,” Barnes said. “Scranton needs something like this.”

Contact the writers: cover@timesshamrock.com; 570-348-9100 x5363; @ClaytonOver on Twitter: jkohut@timesshamrock.com; 570-349-9144; @jkohutTT on Twitter

SCRANTON — City council wants an explanation of how trash fee delinquencies top out at a whopping $16.8 million.

That figure reported Saturday by The Times-Tribune, based upon the newspaper’s analysis of information provided by the administration of Mayor Bill Courtright, generated several comments and questions from councilmen and residents during council’s meeting tonight.

Council agreed to ask Northeast Revenue Service, the outside firm that collects city garbage fees and delinquencies, and administration officials to attend an upcoming council caucus to explain the situation.

“It goes without saying that this whole issue is outrageous, that this much money is owed,” Councilman Bill Gaughan said. “It begs the question, and I’m sure most people in the city who are paying this (fee) are saying, ‘Why should I pay,’” when others don’t but still have their trash picked up.

The issue arose last week after the Scranton School Board appointed new member Kenneth Norton, who owed the city $20,379 in garbage collection bills going back several years. The newspaper then obtained from the city a list of all trash-fee delinquencies showing 26,524 delinquent bills, spanning many years and totaling $16.8 million. The newspaper posted the database list on the newspaper website, www.thetimes-tribune.com.

Councilman Kyle Donahue said it’s “infuriating” that those who have the means to pay their trash fees simply don’t, while many residents who are financially struggling still manage to pay their taxes and garbage fees on time.

“We all should be shocked ... and disgusted. The question is what do we do now,” Councilman Wayne Evans said.

The city’s rental registration rules allow for denial of rental licenses if taxes and fees are not paid, or for the city to hold rents in escrow until outstanding taxes and fees are paid by a property owner, Evans said.

“My point is we have other tools in our tool belt,” Evans said.

Evans also thinks a per-bag fee, rather than the city’s annual $300 trash collection fee, could eliminate or reduce that fee, and dramatically increase recycling.

Council President Pat Rogan noted he has long called for a private trash collection or some sort of per-bag or hybrid system for garbage collection.

“It is not fair that people who are paying are footing the bill for those who aren’t,” Rogan said.

Gaughan asked whether the city should, or even could, offer a one-time amnesty of waiving penalties and interest as a way to get those who owe to pay.

Rogan said he would not support amnesty. He believes it would be unfair to let those who have gone many years without paying anything off the hook for penalties and interest.

Resident Les Spindler asked if the city has any other recourse beyond placing liens on delinquent properties. Council Solicitor Amil Minora and Rogan said no. But they noted liens do have some teeth, though it may take a long time and a trigger, such as selling a house or obtaining a mortgage, to finally produce a payment to satisfy a lien.

“It’s a damn shame,” Spindler said.

“It can’t go on like this,” Dave Dobrzyn said of the staggering amount of delinquencies. “This has to stop.”

Lee Morgan said officials must also consider that many people cannot afford to pay their city taxes and fees.

Councilman Tim Perry, whose name was on the database list of delinquencies provided by the city to the newspaper, said after the council meeting he was listed erroneously and he produced payment receipts to Northeast Revenue Service to prove it.

In another matter, council announced that city Controller Roseann Novembrino selected Annette Palutis to serve as the controller’s representative on a revived city ethics board. Council, which got two picks on the five-member ethics board, last month selected Mary Jo Sheridan and Bruce Reddock.

Council still awaits Courtright’s two picks. When the board has a full complement, their staggered terms will be chosen via lottery in a public procedure.

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

JESSUP — A week after residents raised concerns over a lack of details regarding an agreement allowing the Lackawanna Energy Center to discharge treated wastewater into the borough sewer system, borough council voted unanimously Monday to ratify the agreement.

Council voted on a resolution last week to adopt the agreement with Invenergy LLC’s natural-gas power plant, and council voted again Monday after borough and energy center officials signed it.

Council allowed public comment before the vote last week but did not release specifics of the agreement beforehand, citing a confidentiality agreement. That created a potential Sunshine Act issue, said Melissa Melewsky, media law counsel with the Pennsylvania NewsMedia Association.

Sunshine Act issue

“What they did was deny the public right to give meaningful comment before the vote,” she said. “That’s a Sunshine Act problem.”

In addition to several residents, attorney William Jones, who attended the meeting for an unrelated issue, objected to the vote last week.

“Since it wasn’t given to the public ... we cannot comment on it,” Jones said at last week’s meeting. “You’re actually entering into a contract, and it’s not open to the public.”

The government cannot “contract away the public’s right to know,” Melewsky said. By withholding details about the agreement, council stripped away the public’s right to give meaningful comment before a vote.

After closing public comment last week, council President Gerald Crinella disclosed portions of the deal before council voted, including:

• The energy center will give the borough up to $1 million to repair the sewer line on Church Street.

• The borough will receive $15,000 annually for sewer maintenance and repairs.

• Contingent on the agreement but not part of Jessup’s deal, the energy center will give the Lackawanna River Basin Sewer Authority $1.3 million to repair the Lane Street sewer line.

The agreement limits how much water can be discharged per hour, Crinella said, explaining the capacity of the line was confirmed by engineers to protect current users of the line. He did not disclose how much wastewater would be discharged into the borough’s sewer system, citing the confidentiality agreement.

During Monday’s meeting, Crinella called the agreement “a huge win for the town.” The borough plans to begin sewer repairs in June, with repairs completed by December, he said.

The agreement was years in the making. The energy center previously proposed discharging up to 290,000 gallons of treated wastewater per day into nearby Grassy Island Creek.

Councilman Gregg Betti voiced his disdain for the borough’s initial adoption of the agreement.

“I don’t like the way that was handled, but I voted for it,” he said. “I think it was a good deal for the borough, but I don’t like the lack of transparency.”

Monday’s vote to ratify the agreement may have remedied any potential Sunshine Act problem.

“If an agency believes they may have done something wrong under the act and they come out and do it the right way, that will effectively cure any alleged violation,” Melewsky said. “It’s basically a do-over.”

When council ratified the vote, the public had the chance to provide additional comments after learning details about the agreement at last week’s meeting. No one commented on the agreement, however.

More often than not, when agencies realize there’s a potential Sunshine Act problem, “it’s not because they had some nefarious motive,” Melewsky said. “It’s usually because they didn’t understand what the law required.”

Betti said he didn’t understand why the confidentiality agreement was part of the deal. In a phone interview last week, Crinella said the same.

“From my perspective, I just figured it was a normal confidentiality agreement,” Crinella said, adding that everything in the agreement is subject to a Right to Know request. “To be honest, I don’t even know why it’s in there. ... I just have to go by what the lawyers tell me.”

The Times-Tribune filed a Right to Know request for the agreement Friday.

Attorneys for both parties looked into the laws surrounding the vote, and they felt they acted in accordance with the law, said borough solicitor Christopher Szewczyk. When asked about the Sunshine Act and cures, Szewczyk said they are not saying there was a defect, but if there was, “this would cure it.”

Contact the writer:

flesnefsky@timesshamrock.com;

570-348-9100 x5181;

@flesnefskyTT on Twitter

DICKSON CITY

EMPLOYMENT EXPO TODAY AT MALL

More than 40 employers are looking for talent today at the Lackawanna County Employment Expo at the Viewmont Mall.

The Greater Scranton Chamber of Commerce and the mall are hosting the expo where companies and organizations across a broad range of sectors including customer service, manufacturing, finance and health care, will talk to job seekers and take applications.

The expo is scheduled from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the mall.

The chamber is hosting a second job expo this week from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Thursday at Mohegan Sun Pocono in Plains Twp.

— JON O’CONNELL

NORWICH, NY

NBT Bank makes Forbes best list

A New York-based bank with branch offices in Northeast Pennsylvania has been named to the Forbes World’s Best Banks 2019 list.

NBT Bank, headquartered in Norwich with a few dozen branches in Northeast Pennsylvania, ranked 14th overall among 60 U.S. banks in Forbes’ first-ever global bank list.

Forbes and data-crunching partner Statista surveyed more than 40,000 customers in 23 countries and rated banks on attributes including trust, fees, digital services and financial advice.

— JON O’CONNELL

Med students get

their placements

Geisinger Commonwealth School of Medicine fourth-year M.D. students learned their residency placements during the National Resident Matching Program’s “Match Day” on March 19.

The students and where they will spend the next three to seven years training in specialties include Brendan Bormes of Clarks Summit, who matched at MedStar Georgetown University Hospital, Washington, D.C., for anesthesiology; Sabrina Brunozzi of Old Forge, who matched at CMSRU/Cooper University Hospital, New Jersey, for obstetrics-gynecology; Jordan Chu of Old Forge, who matched at St. Christopher’s Hospital for pediatrics; Holly Corkill of Scranton, who matched at Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, for anesthesiology; Megan Lombardi of Dalton, who matched at University of North Carolina Hospital for general surgery; Nicole Marianelli of Old Forge, who matched at Jefferson Med College/duPont Children’s for pediatrics; Michael Morgan of Scranton, who matched at UPMC Medical Education for anesthesiology; Kathleen Nealon of Scranton, who matched at Geisinger Health System for general surgery; Jacob Parrick of Duryea, who matched at Wright Center for GME for psychiatry; William Preston of Duryea, who matched at Drexel UniversityCollege of Medicine/Hahnemann University Hospital for General Surgery; and Shane Warnock of Waymart, who matched at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Massachusetts for internal medicine.

Holy notes

The Rev. Robert Carbonneau, C.P., Ph.D., will preside over and offer a homily during St. Ann’s Basilica’s 90th anniversary Mass of the three Passionists killed in China.

The Mass on April 24, marks the anniversary of the deaths of Passionist Catholic priests: the Rev. Walter Coveyou, C.P., the Rev. Godfrey Holbein, C.P., and the Rev. Clement Seybold, C.P., at the hands of bandits in China, according to the church. The priests went as missionaries to Hunan province in the 1920s.

The Mass will begin at 7 p.m. at St. Ann’s, 1239 St. Ann’s St., Scranton.

Before the anniversary Mass, there will be an exhibit: “Life, Death and Memory: Art and Artifacts from the Passionist China Collection” up until April 23 in the Heritage Room of the Weinberg Memorial Library, fifth floor, University of Scranton, during regular hours. The exhibit is free to the public.

Carbonneau, a Passionist historian, will also offer a reception and lecture on Monday at 6 p.m. in the heritage room, which will focus on remembering the witness of faith of the martyred priests and the larger story of the Chinese Catholic witness of faith. The reception is also free to the public.

For details, contact special collections librarian Michael Knies at 570-941-6341.

The state Superior Court overturned the conviction of a Dickson City man found guilty of violating a protection-from-abuse order because he phoned a utility company to turn off gas to his ex-girlfriend’s home.

Charles Zvonek, 55, served about 48 days in jail after Judge Trish Corbett found him guilty Aug. 8 of indirect criminal contempt for calling a utility company to take his name off the account of a home he shared with Debra Barthold. The action caused gas service to be temporarily suspended to the home.

Zvonek completed the sentence Sept. 26. He continued with the appeal out of principle because he believed strongly he had been wronged, he told The Times-Tribune recently.

“It’s not about the sentence. It’s the injustice here,” Zvonek said. “This is crazy. I did nothing wrong. I turned off a utility I’d been paying ... (after) I was ejected from the home. I had no financial responsibility to maintain that.”

According to the Superior Court’s opinion, Zvonek was charged June 29 with violating the PFA that Barthold initially obtained in 2017, which was extended several times. Lackawanna County prosecutors said Zvonek violated a condition that he not have “any contact” with Barthold. Prosecutors further alleged his action was part of a pattern of harassment, noting he previously pleaded guilty to violating the same PFA for appearing at the home to turn off its water. He was warned after that incident that he needed to notify prosecutors if he sought to shut off the utilities again.

Zvonek’s attorney, Frank Santomauro of Scranton, argued Zvonek did nothing wrong. He maintained the incident differed from the prior incident involving the water because Zvonek physically appeared at the home that time, which, by itself, violated the no-contact order.

In reversing the conviction, the Superior Court said prosecutors failed to present sufficient evidence to prove Zvonek had proper notice that turning off utilities would violate the PFA. The court also found there was insufficient evidence to show Zvonek’s intent was to harass Barthold.

“The only facts for us to consider are that Zvonek once violated a PFA order through his physical presence and that he then sought to cease paying for a gas utility he had no legal obligation to make,” the court said. “These two incidents do not form a pattern of harassing conduct nor constitute proof of multiple acts, done with a nonlegitimate purpose.”

Zvonek denies he abused Barthold and said the charges caused him extreme financial and emotional hardship. The PFA remains in effect.

Santomauro said the Superior Court’s ruling does nothing to remedy the hardship Zvonek suffered. He said he is pleased to see his client was vindicated.

“I felt this was just wrong,” Santomauro said. “People should not lose their liberty over something like this.”

In an email, District Attorney Mark Powell said he disagrees with the court’s decision but he does not intend to appeal the decision because of procedural hurdles.

“We will continue to monitor the defendant’s actions closely,” Powell said.

Contact the writer:

tbesecker@timesshamrock.com;

570-348-9137;

@tmbeseckerTT on Twitter