CARBONDALE — A Luzerne County man charged with burglary kicked a police officer in the groin Thursday as he was being arrested, police said.

John Paul Reck, 39, 660 State Route 11, Hunlock Twp., fought Carbondale Patrolman William Wolfe shortly after midnight Thursday as officers tried to take him into custody on Salem Avenue. He ended up kicking Wolfe in the groin, for which he was charged with a felony aggravated assault.

Police said that Reck stole medication and a cell phone from a woman’s apartment.

In addition to the felonies, Reck is charged with misdemeanor counts of simple assault, resisting arrest and criminal trespass.

Reck is in the Lackawanna County Prison in lieu of $75,000 bail. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for Wednesday.

— JOSEPH KOHUT

A Throop man racked up $42,309 in bad debt using his son’s Social Security number without his knowledge, Lackawanna County detectives said.

Michael Trichilo Sr., 49, 136 Harriet St., is charged with 18 felony theft-related counts, including nine counts of identity theft, according to a criminal complaint filed by Detective Renee Castellani.

Detectives initially opened an investigation a year ago when Michael Trichilo Jr.’s mother, Pattiann Swift, made a complaint. She alleged that Trichilo Sr. used the personal information of her son, starting in 2014, when he was a teenager, to take out car loans and open credit cards.

Trichilo Jr., now 21, found out when he tried to get a loan for an ATV and was denied because he had a low credit score. Confused as to why, he looked up a copy of his credit report and found numerous accounts in his name, all with high balances, charge-offs and negative reporting status. His father’s date of birth and address appeared under his Social Security number.

Trichilo Jr. confronted his father in June, and eventually, acknowledged what he had done, police said. However, he did not want to press charges against his father and gave him an opportunity to rectify the situation.

Castellani got in contact with Trichilo Sr. He took responsibility and assured the detective he had scheduled an appointment with an attorney to clear his son’s credit, according to the complaint. Castellani warned that he needed to contact the creditors and reporting agencies, report the fraud and assume the debt. If he did not rectify the situation, she would file charges. Trichilo Sr. said he understood.

Nearly one year passed.

On May 8, Trichilo Jr.’s sister called Castellani and expressed concern that her brother’s credit remained “severely damaged.” There had been many heated arguments between father and son and Trichilo Sr. was verbally abusive.

Castellani learned that, after Trichilo Jr. declined to press charges, his father took him to a law firm to clear his credit. An attorney explained that the best way to close the accounts would be to file bankruptcy and they would be removed from his credit report in seven years.

Trichilo Jr. did not understand the documents. His father urged him to sign — the basis for a misdemeanor count of securing the execution of documents by deception, according to the criminal complaint.

Trichilo Sr. gave the lawyer $1,000, half of the legal fees, and was told the paperwork would be filed when the other half was paid. Trichilo Sr. never did.

Detectives then learned that was not the first time Trichilo Sr. filed bankruptcy. He did so in April 2015, and provided credit reports and an outline of debt to include in the bankruptcy under his son’s Social Security number, detectives said.

Trichilo Sr. is free on $10,000 unsecured bail. A preliminary hearing is scheduled June 10.

Contact the writer: jkohut@timesshamrock.com, 570-348-9144; @jkohutTT on Twitter.

SCRANTON — The case against another former guard charged in the Lackawanna County Prison inmate sexual abuse scandal is ending with a probationary sentence.

Lackawanna County Judge Julia K. Munley sentenced George R. Efthimiou, 51, 1121 Loomis Ave., Taylor, to two years of probation Friday for his March 14 no contest plea to a misdemeanor count of official oppression.

Efthimiou was among seven former guards charged in February 2018, with sexually abusing female prisoners after an investigation by a statewide grand jury.

Prosecutors accused him of coercing an inmate into having sex with him at her home on multiple occasions between 2006 and 2008 while the woman was on house arrest.

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

In exchange for the no-contest plea, the state attorney general’s office agreed to drop two felony counts of involuntary deviate sexual intercourse against Efthimiou and recommend a sentence of probation.

In handing down the sentence, Munley told Efthimiou that while the court will follow the recommendation of prosecutors, she was in no way condoning the defendant’s actions.

As a county prison guard, Efthimiou held a position of public trust, and he violated that trust, she said.

“I want you to know your conduct was disgraceful,” Munley said.

In addition to the 24 months of probation, Efthimiou must pay a $300 fine and perform 100 hours of community service, the judge said. She also ordered him to have no contact with the victim.

Efthimiou is the second correctional officer arrested in the prison scandal to be sentenced to probation.

In February, Judge Trish Corbett sentenced Jeffrey T. Staff, 43, Clarks Summit, to nine months of probation after he also pleaded no contest to official oppression. Prosecutors accused him of having sex with an inmate while she was outside the jail on work-release.

Another guard, George T. McHale, 52, Scranton, was acquitted on institutional sexual assault and other charges in February after a trial.

At Efthimiou’s plea hearing in March, an attorney representing his victim raised objections to the plea deal. Munley accepted the plea but delayed sentencing to give the woman time to file a victim impact statement that the court could consider when deciding Efthimiou’s punishment.

The judge noted at the outset of Friday’s proceeding that the victim was notified but did not submit an impact statement. Deputy Attorney General Rebecca Elo said she also had not heard from the victim.

Asked by the judge if he had anything to say before sentencing, Efthimiou declined to speak.

His attorney, Robert J. Munley, told the court that Efthimiou is a married Air Force veteran who has lived an exemplary life. The former guard has no prior involvement with the criminal justice system, he said.

“The only appropriate sentence would be a sentence of probation,” said the attorney, who suggested a term of six months.

Four other guards still await trial:

n Mark A. Johnson, 55, Scranton, charged with two counts each of involuntary deviate sexual intercourse and institutional sexual assault and one count each of indecent assault and harassment.

n John Shnipes Jr., 44, Archbald, charged with six counts of involuntary deviate sexual intercourse, four counts of aggravated indecent assault and two counts each of institutional sexual assault and harassment.

n Paul J. Voglino, 46, Carbondale, charged with two counts of involuntary deviate sexual intercourse.

n James J. Walsh, 52, Roaring Brook Twp., four counts of involuntary deviate sexual intercourse.

Johnson’s trial, which was originally scheduled to open June 17, is now set for Sept. 23. There are not firm trial dates for the other three.

Also awaiting trial is a Sweet Valley woman who is accused of engaging in sexual activity with two male inmates while employed as a counselor at the jail.

Samantha M. Heinrich, 37, who worked at the prison until 2017, was charged in April with two counts of institutional sexual assault after an investigation by the same statewide grand jury that recommended the charges against the guards in 2018.

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

PITTSTON TWP. — Ali, Buddy, Gloria, Hickory, Ivan and Niko pranced around the airport terminal Friday, ready to play, hug and cuddle to ease fears.

They represent Wilkes-Barre/Scranton International’s new, all-volunteer canine corps, TAILS, which stands for Therapy Animals Integrating Less Stress.

“We’re going to have some of our best friends here to help us get through that busy stressful time,” airport director Carl Beardsley Jr. said during a news conference introducing the dogs.

Each month, as their schedules allow, the four-legged pals will visit the airport one or two at a time. Airport officials hope they ease the stress of air travelers, perhaps nervous about flying or feeling other stress, or simply missing their pets as they await flights.

Travelers might meet Ali, an Anatolian Shepherd, Buddy, a Cockapoo, Gloria, a Labrador Retriever, Hickory, a Golden Retriever, Ivan, a Pembroke Welsh Corgi, and Niko, a Collie.

All trained to love, the therapy dogs already visit nursing homes, hospice centers, schools and other places that require the calm a dog can offer.

Kevin Phalen, of Friendsville, Ali’s owner, said her main job is as a guard dog on his farm with chickens, goats and, soon, cattle.

“We did a funeral, a couple, three months ago,” Phalen said. “Absolutely it will work. I think it’s just going to be a big plus to see something different. A lot of people are leaving their animals behind. They can’t take them with them. So it’s going to help out a little bit. It just distracts them a little bit from leaving their dog behind. Kids, too. My dog loves kids.”

Eric McKitish, the airport director marketing and communications, said he began working about 18 months ago to make the airport one of about 60 nationwide offering therapy dogs. Three organizations helped — the Alliance of Therapy Dogs, Pleasure of Your Company Therapy Dogs and Therapy Dogs International.

McKitish said 12 teams — an owner and a dog — will voluntarily rotate through the airport once or twice a month. The airport’s only expense is the cost of the owners’ red polo shirts with airport and TAILS logos and bandanas for the dogs.

Shari Cook, of Blakeslee, Gloria’s owner, tried to raise her as a guide dog. Gloria didn’t make it through the course, but she passed therapy dog training.

“Now instead of helping one person, she helps a lot of people,” Cook said. “It’s a way of giving back to the community in a small way, and people enjoy her.”

As she sat across from baggage check booths with her suitcase, Dru Miller, of Bloomsburg, watched the hub-bub of staff and television and newspaper reporters surrounding the dogs. She understood the concept.

“Some people get very stressful. And particularly if they had a bad flight coming in,” Miller said.

She owns a Chihuahua Dachsund mix named Taurus.

“This is the first time I’ve left him and I need a stress dog,” she smiled. “I can see where for some people, an animal does wonders.”

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

SCRANTON — An outage affecting more than 500 customers in the city and Moosic has cut the power to the Shoppes at Montage and elsewhere on Montage Mountain, according to an online PPL Electric Utilities outage map.

Officials with the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Railriders mentioned the outage on the team’s Twitter feed. They promised more information when it becomes available.

Efforts to reach a PPL spokeswoman were unsuccessful.

The Lackawanna County Heritage Fair, taking place at Montage Mountain Resorts, also lost power. The fair is still open, however. Rides are unaffected because they are running on generators, said David Hahn, county director of emergency services.

The utility’s website said the power should be restored to the 542 affected customers by 6:30 p.m., five minutes before the Railriders game is scheduled to start.

Downed wires on Davis Street produced the outage, and PPL is responding, Hahn said.

Check back for updates.

— STAFF REPORTS

A former Lackawanna County prosecutor who investigated sexual assault allegations against former prison guard John Shnipes Jr. in 2012 said he would not have agreed to a nonprosecution agreement that allowed him to escape charges, but he had no say in the matter.

The agreement, written by Shnipes’ defense attorney and signed by former District Attorney Andy Jarbola, now threatens to torpedo charges filed against Shnipes last year that accuse him of sexually abusing four women at the prison.

Bill Fisher, the assistant district attorney who investigated Shnipes in 2012, said Jarbola, now a county judge, did not consult him before agreeing to let Shnipes resign in lieu of facing possible charges. If asked, he would have nixed the agreement because it was so broadly worded it protects Shnipes from any type of criminal activity, including crimes that might have not been known at the time.

“If I were involved in the negotiations, I would not have signed that,” Fisher said in a phone interview from his Florida home. “It’s like giving away a surprise package. You have no idea what’s in it.”

The agreement’s broad language was a key issue at a hearing Thursday on a motion Shnipes’ attorney, Brian McMonagle, filed that seeks dismissal of the current charges against Shnipes, one of seven former prison guards charged in February 2018 with sexually abusing inmates based on a statewide grand jury probe.

Jeffrey Smith, a senior judge from Bradford County specially appointed to hear the case, took the matter under advisement and will issue a ruling at a later date.

Fisher did not testify at the hearing. Chief Deputy Attorney General Daniel Dye instead provided Smith a transcript of testimony Fisher gave regarding the matter before the current statewide grand jury that continues to investigate sexual abuse allegations at the prison.

The nonprosecution agreement, signed on Sept. 24, 2013, stemmed from a 2012 grand jury probe of former guard Joseph Black that also revealed allegations two women made against Shnipes. The agreement says that, if Shnipes resigned, prosecutors would not file charges against Shnipes related to “any and all allegations at the Lackawanna County prison.”

At the hearing, McMonagle argued the “any and all” clause clearly means Shnipes cannot be prosecuted for any alleged crimes he committed at the prison. That includes current charges related to the four women, one of whom was also identified as a victim in the 2012 case.

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

Dye argued the agreement is unenforceable because it is so broad that it theoretically could prevent prosecutors from charging Shnipes if it was later learned he murdered someone at the prison. To allow the agreement to stand would violate public policy — a legal premise that allows a court to consider injury to the public good in deciding a matter. In this case, the public would be harmed by allowing a person accused of sexual abuse to walk free, he said.

Testifying Thursday, Jarbola and Thomas W. Munley, Shnipes’ attorney at the time the agreement was signed, revealed the deal came about very quickly and that neither of them knew the full extent of allegations against Shnipes.

Munley testified he represented Shnipes in a civil matter, but had no involvement in the criminal investigation and did not know any details of the allegations against him. He got involved only after Jarbola called him to offer the deal. He said he drafted the agreement that same day and dropped it off at the district attorney’s office.

Jarbola testified he offered the deal because he thought there was only one victim.

“I knew about other victims related to Joe Black,” Jarbola said. “I was aware of one victim related to Shnipes.”

Speaking after the hearing, Jarbola said Fisher told him there were problems with the case that prevented it from going forward. Given the nature of the charges, he offered the agreement to ensure Shnipes did not continue working at the prison.

“I thought I had an obligation to get him out of the prison,” Jarbola said.

As for the wording of the agreement, Jarbola said he did not object to the “any and all” language because he believed there was only one victim and that the language would pertain only to potential crimes committed against her.

In the phone interview, Fisher said he’s distressed by the turn of events.

“I hope this guy does not walk away with this,” he said.

He wanted to prosecute Shnipes, but the one victim adamantly refused to testify.

“She felt it would just damage and destroy her life,” Fisher said. “She had started a new life already … and just wanted to put this behind her.”

The other woman repeatedly showed up at the grand jury intoxicated, he said, so he could not put her on the stand.

Fisher acknowledged he could have forced the reluctant witness to testify, but chose not to do so because of the impact it would have on her life.

“I was not going to destroy this kid’s life,” he said. “I’m not going to lose sleep over that because I believe I did the right thing.”

Contact the writer: tbesecker@timesshamrock.com; 570-348-9137; @tmbeseckerTT on Twitter

BENTON TWP. — A Scott Twp. man is accused of stealing a township man’s car earlier this week.

Allen Bredbenner, 43, of Scott Twp., faces charges of unauthorized use of a motor vehicle, driving without a license and possession of a controlled substance. State troopers said Bredbenner was a guest at a township man’s home Monday and drove off in the man’s 2017 Hyundai Elantra without permission. Police found Bredbenner driving the vehicle on Betty Street in Archbald later in the day and arrested him. Police found a controlled substance on Bredbenner during the traffic stop, troopers said.

Bredbenner is free after posting $5,000 bail. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for Tuesday.

— CLAYTON OVER

A former Lackawanna County prosecutor who investigated sexual assault allegations against former prison guard John Shnipes Jr. in 2012 said he would not have agreed to a nonprosecution agreement that allowed him to escape charges, but he had no say in the matter.

The agreement, written by Shnipes’ defense attorney and signed by former District Attorney Andy Jarbola, now threatens to torpedo charges filed against Shnipes last year that accuse him of sexually abusing four women at the prison.

Bill Fisher, the assistant district attorney who investigated Shnipes in 2012, said Jarbola, now a county judge, did not consult him before agreeing to let Shnipes resign in lieu of facing possible charges. If asked, he would have nixed the agreement because it was so broadly worded it protects Shnipes from any type of criminal activity, including crimes that might have not been known at the time.

“If I were involved in the negotiations, I would not have signed that,” Fisher said in a phone interview from his Florida home. “It’s like giving away a surprise package. You have no idea what’s in it.”

The agreement’s broad language was a key issue at a hearing Thursday on a motion Shnipes’ attorney, Brian McMonagle, filed that seeks dismissal of the current charges against Shnipes, one of seven former prison guards charged in February 2018 with sexually abusing inmates based on a statewide grand jury probe.

Jeffrey Smith, a senior judge from Bradford County specially appointed to hear the case, took the matter under advisement and will issue a ruling at a later date.

Fisher did not testify at the hearing. Chief Deputy Attorney General Daniel Dye instead provided Smith a transcript of testimony Fisher gave regarding the matter before the current statewide grand jury that continues to investigate sexual abuse allegations at the prison.

The nonprosecution agreement, signed on Sept. 24, 2013, stemmed from a 2012 grand jury probe of former guard Joseph Black that also revealed allegations two women made against Shnipes. The agreement says that, if Shnipes resigned, prosecutors would not file charges against Shnipes related to “any and all allegations at the Lackawanna County prison.”

At the hearing, McMonagle argued the “any and all” clause clearly means Shnipes cannot be prosecuted for any alleged crimes he committed at the prison. That includes current charges related to the four women, one of whom was also identified as a victim in the 2012 case.

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

Dye argued the agreement is unenforceable because it is so broad that it theoretically could prevent prosecutors from charging Shnipes if it was later learned he murdered someone at the prison. To allow the agreement to stand would violate public policy — a legal premise that allows a court to consider injury to the public good in deciding a matter. In this case, the public would be harmed by allowing a person accused of sexual abuse to walk free, he said.

Testifying Thursday, Jarbola and Thomas W. Munley, Shnipes’ attorney at the time the agreement was signed, revealed the deal came about very quickly and that neither of them knew the full extent of allegations against Shnipes.

Munley testified he represented Shnipes in a civil matter, but had no involvement in the criminal investigation and did not know any details of the allegations against him. He got involved only after Jarbola called him to offer the deal. He said he drafted the agreement that same day and dropped it off at the district attorney’s office.

Jarbola testified he offered the deal because he thought there was only one victim.

“I knew about other victims related to Joe Black,” Jarbola said. “I was aware of one victim related to Shnipes.”

Speaking after the hearing, Jarbola said Fisher told him there were problems with the case that prevented it from going forward. Given the nature of the charges, he offered the agreement to ensure Shnipes did not continue working at the prison.

“I thought I had an obligation to get him out of the prison,” Jarbola said.

As for the wording of the agreement, Jarbola said he did not object to the “any and all” language because he believed there was only one victim and that the language would pertain only to potential crimes committed against her.

In the phone interview, Fisher said he’s distressed by the turn of events.

“I hope this guy does not walk away with this,” he said.

He wanted to prosecute Shnipes, but the one victim adamantly refused to testify.

“She felt it would just damage and destroy her life,” Fisher said. “She had started a new life already … and just wanted to put this behind her.”

The other woman repeatedly showed up at the grand jury intoxicated, he said, so he could not put her on the stand.

Fisher acknowledged he could have forced the reluctant witness to testify, but chose not to do so because of the impact it would have on her life.

“I was not going to destroy this kid’s life,” he said. “I’m not going to lose sleep over that because I believe I did the right thing.”

Contact the writer: tbesecker@timesshamrock.com; 570-348-9137; @tmbeseckerTT on Twitter

ASHLEY

What should you do if thousands of bees swarm onto your property and decide to take up residence?

It depends on the specifics of the situation, according to a local beekeeper.

Harold Keiner, owner of Keiner’s Apiary in Slocum Twp., says to just let them be. If the bees have taken up residence inside a tree, chances are they just need a new home and aren’t going to bother you, as honeybees are normally docile. And they’re good pollinators for your garden.

Keiner recently gave that advice to Ashley resident John Soboleski, who contacted Keiner after thousands of honeybees swarmed at the edge of the woods across the street from his West Cemetery Street home on Memorial Day.

Keiner said it’s possible the bees might move on in a few days if they find a more suitable home. But if they don’t, he and other beekeepers often collect bees at no charge, under certain circumstances, when asked.

If you have a problem with honeybees swarming on your property or would like to see them maintained by a beekeeper, Keiner recommends calling him at 570-417-3262 or contacting the Luzerne County Beekeepers Association via Facebook.

— STEVE MOCARSKY

June 1, 1969

Plans for Courthouse Square

The new director of parks and recreation for Lackawanna County had some big plans for Courthouse Square. Sylvester Kazmerski said he wanted the square to be “the showplace of Lackawanna County.”

Karmerski proposed installing fountains and new lighting, an amphitheater, restoration of monuments and redesign of flower beds. Work on the lighting was already underway, with Pennsylvania Power & Light installing 12 light standards on the square.

Class of 1919 reunites

Fifty members of the Central High School class of 1919 gathered at the Jermyn Motor Inn in Scranton. In attendance was class President Donald Luce of Plainsfield, New Jersey. Luce remembered his class prophecy was that he would be the editor at The Scranton Times. “I never did get into the newspaper field,” Luce said — but he did go on to be the president of Public Gas & Electric Co. of New Jersey.

Also present was Maude Morgan Thomas, the class will writer, who would eventually become a reporter with the Palm Beach Post in Florida and the author of several books.

Save at Kwik-Save

Five-ounce can of Bactine for $1.43; bottle of Breck shampoo for 52 cents; four boxes of Kleenex tissues for $1; a bottle of Baby Magic Lotion for 92 cents; a tube of Colgate toothpaste for 75 cents; and a 10-ounce can of V0-5 hair spray for $1.10.

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.

NANTICOKE — Born 22 years after D-Day on June 6, 1966, Nanticoke firefighter Tom Sadowski always wanted to spend a birthday in Normandy to pay respects to all of the men killed on the day he was born.

This year he will.

As part of a World War II airborne reenactment group, Sadowski will jump out of a C-47 plane over the sacred beachhead in France as part of the 75th anniversary ceremony of a day that changed the course of the war.

“It’s going to be emotional for me. I was born 22 years after D-Day, but I was born on D-Day, so I always knew what D-Day was my whole life,” Sadowski said. “To picture in my mind what they went through and the sheer volume of people who didn’t make it through, I kind of look at it personally like they did that for me. I almost am dreading going to the cemetery because I know I am going to bawl my eyes out there.”

D-Day launched the battle of Normandy, the massive invasion by air, land and sea that helped lead to the liberation of Europe and the end of World War II.

Sadowski, 52, served two years in the Army with the 101st Airborne Division — the unit he’ll be representing in his reenactment next week in France. He continued his service to his community and country by becoming a Nanticoke firefighter 33 years ago.

After the Sept. 11, 2001, terror attacks, he enlisted in the Pennsylvania Army National Guard for four years and deployed as an infantry soldier in Iraq during the war.

A little over a year ago, Sadowski met a group of World War II reenactors at an air show in Reading. They didn’t just dress the part. He learned they jumped out of planes, too.

Sadowski soon signed up to be part of the World War II Airborne Demonstration Team, a group of 200 volunteers who train to keep the legacy of World War II airborne units alive.

From the mechanics to the pilots to the paratroopers, no one gets paid. The nonprofit organization relies on donations. The volunteers pay their own way to events and for their own training.

Sadowski, who never jumped out of a plane before joining the group, trained for nine days in Frederick, Oklahoma, before earning his “wings.” He’s been a full-fledged member ever since.

He knows few experiences will be as memorable as the one he’s about to embark on.

Sadowski leaves today for France, where he will join 70 other members of the World War II Airborne Demonstration Team. They’ll be meeting up with some Normandy survivors as well.

Not a bad way to spend his 53rd birthday.

“I always said I wanted to be in Normandy some year for my birthday,” Sadowski said. “Now I get to be in Normandy and jump out of an airplane.”

Contact the writer:

bkalinowski@citizensvoice.com;

570-821-2055;

@cvbobkal on Twitter

Blakely

Free lunch: Free community lunch, Saturday, June 8, Blakely P.M. Church, 313 First St., noon-1 p.m.

Dickson City

Neighborhood watch: Dickson City Neighborhood Watch meeting Wednesday, June 19, 7 p.m., Borough Building.

Dunmore

Dramatic reading: Dunmore Historical Society presenting, “John Mitchell: An American Hero,” a dramatic reading written and performed by Robert Thomas Hughes, Sunday, June 23, 2 p.m., $5/ticket, Dunmore Historical Society, 120 Barton St., Dunmore. Reservations: Bob Hughes, 570-586-2512.

Mayfield

Pierogi sale: St. John’s Russian Orthodox Cathedral homemade pierogi sale, Friday, June 28, noon-4 p.m., St. John’s Center, Hill Street, Mayfield, $8/dozen.

Wayne County

Car show: Western Wayne Hot Rod Club 5th annual car show, Sunday, 9 a.m.-2 p.m., high school parking lot, $10, spectators free.

West Scranton

Class birthday: West Scranton High School class of 1967 holding a 70th birthday party Saturday, Oct. 19, Arcaro & Genell, Old Forge, $40, buffet, beer and wine, cocktail hour and DJ, all classmates and spouses/significant others invited. Contact: Facebook page, WSHS Class of 1967; or Diane Kwiatek Linnen, dilinnen@gmail.com.

Sloan Seniors: Sloan Seniors meeting at SS. Peter & Paul’s Church hall, Tuesday, 1:30, refreshments and games will follow.

CLIPBOARD ITEMS may be sent to yesdesk@timessham

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

PITTSTON TWP. — The Wilkes-Barre/Scranton International Airport had the best month for passenger departures in its history in April, airport records show.

The airport also registered its third straight month with more than a 20 percent increase in departures from the same month last year. April departures also broke a monthly record for the ninth straight month.

The number of passengers departing the airport rose to 26,546 from 21,826 in April 2018, a 21.6% increase. In March, departures rose 41.2% to 25,431; in February, 20.4% to 19,664.

It was the first time more than 26,000 passengers departed the airport in a single month. March and April marked only the second time in the airport’s 72-year history that departures topped 25,000 in consecutive months. That first happened last July and August.

Airport Director Carl Beardsley Jr. attributed the increases to American Airlines’ and United Airlines’ new and expanded service to Chicago.

Contact the writer:

bkrawczeniuk@timesshamrock.com;

570-348-9147;

@BorysBlogTT on Twitter

Hundreds of Clarks Summit households put out piles of brush trimmings and yard waste that the Lackawanna County Recycling Center now may not accept, leaving the borough in a bind.

Clarks Summit is one of more than two dozen municipalities to receive word in May that a new policy, effective immediately, limits the size of brush and branches the center will take. The center — which is operated by Lackawanna Recycling Center Inc., a firm of businessman Louis DeNaples — “retains the right to reject any and all materials, including brush trimmings and wood pallets, that do not meet the center’s acceptable criteria,” according to a May 20 notice to customers and municipalities.

That notice originally said hedge and brush trimmings must be cut no longer than 12 inches, though recycling center manager Andy Wascura said that length limit has been extended to two feet.

Thomas Cummings, solicitor of the Lackawanna County Solid Waste Management Authority, which owns the center and has contracted with DeNaples since 2005 to operate it, said the policy establishes a “reasonable standard” for the length of brush. Brush cut slightly longer than two feet won’t be rejected, but he said the policy will be strictly enforced if it’s abused.

Clarks Summit officials are frustrated with the timing of the policy, arguing the suddenness of the changes didn’t allow the borough to properly inform residents. Owners of about 700 borough properties already put out brush, some of which doesn’t comply with the new standards, meaning the department of public works cannot collect it, borough Manager Virginia Kehoe said.

“The fact of the matter is, it’s got to get cut down for us to take it,” Kehoe said. “Either we are going to have to change our DPW schedule and they’re going to have to go house by house cutting the waste so it can be taken away, or we have to send letters to residents letting them know they have to cut the brush down to size.”

Clarks Summit residents may place brush curbside at any point and DPW crews spend about a week each month collecting it. It would conservatively take about three weeks for crews to cut all the curbside brush down to size, which isn’t realistic, Kehoe said.

Justifying the new policy, Cummings said large branches and brush trimmings are unwieldy and difficult for workers at the center to handle. Moreover, Wascura said big branches and logs, which are also prohibited, can damage equipment at the center.

Had the center alerted municipalities of the length restrictions in the winter, before residents were cutting and disposing of brush, Kehoe said it wouldn’t have been an issue.

Clarks Summit will send a letter to the solid waste management authority and Lackawanna Recycling Center Inc. asking them to reconsider the policy. The letter likely will inquire whether the authority’s contract with the DeNaples firm allows for the policy change.

“It’s a huge problem for the borough,” Kehoe said.

Contact the writers:

jhorvath@timesshamrock.com;

570-348-9141;

@jhorvathTT on Twitter

The policy also states:

Tree stumps, logs and oversized brush are prohibited.

Grass clippings and leaves must be dumped in marked designated locations at the center.

Plastic and paper leaf/grass bags must be emptied and the bags taken home by the recycler. The center will accept biodegradable leaf/grass bags until Aug. 23.

Trash may not be intermixed with grass clippings, leaves or brush.

Only clean, nonpainted and non-pressure-treated wood pallets will be accepted — no plastic pallets.

Like any consumer choice, car buying boils down to needs and wants. Most of us need a form of daily personal transportation; the question is how much do we want beyond that?

Most folks settle for sensible and practical vehicles — sport-utes, crossovers, hatchbacks, sedans and so forth, with matters of “want” being left to luxury-level appointments, premium brand names and sporty performance.

And so it is that the high-performance version of Ford’s popular full-size F-150 — the Raptor — is an object lesson in satisfying “want,” occasionally even at the expense of “need.”

After all, the F-150 is available in a bewildering array of trim levels, cab sizes, bed lengths and engine configurations, all designed to meet a buyer’s needs. I mean, is there anything on the road more useful, that meets baseline people and cargo needs, than a pickup truck?

Sitting atop the model lineup is the burly and built-for-speed Raptor. Powered by a brawny twin-turbocharged gas V-6 (450 horsepower and a mountainous 510 foot-pounds of torque) that’s coupled to an off-road-ready 4X4 system via a 10-speed automatic transmission, and riding on an upgraded suspension setup employing adaptive dampers that react to terrain changes in real time, the Raptor is dang near perfect for bombing across the emptiness of the Mojave at 80 mph, or peeling off a 0-to-60-mph run in roughly five seconds on the McDade Expressway entrance ramp.

Factor in nearly a foot of ground clearance, steep approach and departure angles and enough reworked and blinged-out exterior sheet metal and plastic to make any Transformer proud, and the Raptor is ready to roll where you want and look like a total boss doing it.

Pricing here starts at $52,855 for the five-passenger SuperCab model, a premium that jumps to $55,840 for the five-adult-friendly SuperCrew. Standard equipment includes Raptor-specific exterior detailing and bodywork, automatic on-off and high-beam headlights, easy-operating gas-damped rear gate, cast-aluminum running boards, leather-wrapped steering wheel and cloth upholstery, 4X4 shift-on-the-fly with high-and-low-range transfer case, reverse sensing and rearview camera, selectable drive modes, keyless entry and ignition, and more.

Ford provided a SuperCrew sample for a week of tooling around Lackawanna County, the asking price of which rose to a heady $74,995 with the addition of the $9,365 Equipment Group 802A (power-sliding rear window, 36-degree exterior camera array, heated steering wheel, Bang & Olufsen premium audio, LED exterior illumination and much more), $2,395 interior accent package, $1,075 exterior graphics package, $1,895 set of 17-inch forged aluminum wheels shod in aggressive off-roading tires, $1,695 for adaptive cruise control and pre-collision warning, $375 for an integrated rear-gate step ladder, $595 for spray-in bedliner, and $125 for heated second-row split-folding rear seats.

Toss in $1,595 for delivery, and this particular Raptor can be yours. That’s a lot of money, and if it were my dime, I’d shave off a few thousand on the exterior and interior appearance packages. The exterior decaling in particular comes off as a boy-racer fever dream.

Driving the Raptor is a singular experience in the world of full-size pickups. While it shares the same high-output V-6 with the more straightforward F-150 Limited, its performance is amplified and enhanced with the sport-tuned suspension system and wide, purposeful stance. The huge, flared front and rear fenders and the flat-black plastic hood intakes create a muscular, and almost menacing, presence (which is all part of the charm, of course).

The engine is easy to live with in and around town, but pours on the power once the turbos spool up. The run to 60 mph is entertaining in ways not normally associated with normal sports cars, inasmuch that you’re sitting what feels like 6 feet above the road surface and piloting roughly 5,700 pounds of mass.

Handling is predictable, although the truck’s tall profile and huge knobby tires make for a slightly vague on-center steering feel when on the highway. And maneuvering into tight parking spaces can require an extra turn or three of the wheel.

Spacious and comfortable, the cabin offers adult-proportioned accommodations in both the front Recaro sports seats or on the rear bench. The truck bed measures 66 inches. Properly equipped, the Raptor can tow up to 4 tons.

2019 Ford F-150 Raptor SuperCrew

Vehicle type: Four-door, five-passenger, full-size, high-performance pickup truck.

Base/as-tested prices: $55,840/$74,955.

Engine and transmission: 3.5-liter twin-turbocharged gas V-6 (450 horsepower, 510 foot-pounds torque), 10-speed automatic.

EPA estimates: 15 mpg city, 18 mpg highway, 16 mpg combined.

The good: Astonishing performance for a big rig; trick suspension designed to absorb the worst that the Mojave Desert (or Mulberry Street) can throw at it; powerful twin-turbo V-6 delivers 0-to-60 mph in roughly five seconds; go-anywhere capability and then some; attitude and presence to spare, especially with optional exterior graphics packages; attractively designed and well-appointed cabin; room for five adults; trick stair-step and gas-damped rear gate.

The bad: The vast majority of folks probably won’t tap even 50% of the Raptor’s offroad performance capabilities; options packages quickly jack up the asking price; lousy fuel economy; somewhat vague handling on the highway; road and tire roar; tight fit in a crowded parking lot; quite a climb getting in and out; aforementioned exterior graphics package verges on boy-racer silliness.

Bottom line: Most truck buyers will find everything they need in a garden-variety F-150; for those wanting more, there’s the Raptor.

SCRANTON — A developer will go before the zoning board June 12 with revised plans to convert the former Scranton State School for the Deaf into an artists’ apartment complex called Marywood South.

Los Angeles-based Urban Smart Growth plans to buy from Marywood University the 10-acre site and its nine buildings in Green Ridge. Most of the property and eight buildings are in Dunmore; one structure, at 1800 N. Washington Ave., is in Scranton.

The firm initially sought a variance last fall for the building in Scranton, called Building 1, but withdrew the application in November because of some neighbors’ concerns of potential adverse impacts. Those concerns included traffic, parking, noise and what residents saw as an overall lack of specifics.

The firm has since revised its plan. The zoning board will review the revision June 12 during a hearing that starts at 6 p.m. at City Hall, according to a public notice in The Times-Tribune of the meeting agenda.

The new plan calls for more parking on the campus to alleviate concerns about traffic and parking, company founder Lance Robbins said. The proposed use of Building 1, which is on 1.7 acres of the campus situated in Scranton, remains essentially the same, he said.

“We re-engineered the site,” Robbins said. “We got blindsided the last time. Even though we reached out to the community to say ‘show us your concerns,’ nobody bothered to show up until the 11th hour.”

City resident Samantha Maloney, a member of an informal civic group called Green Ridge Revitalization Committee that had raised concerns, said the group will review the revamped plans.

“We’ll take a look at the new documents and see if they address the concerns of the community,” Maloney said.

Some details of the proposal include:

■ A USG affiliate, Brick Investment Corp., which is the contracted purchaser of the campus, seeks city approval to use the 33,940-square-foot Building 1 for a 40-seat restaurant, coffee bar, gallery, 12 live/work units and 13 offices. The prior plan had called for a bar/restaurant and 36 units of live/art studios. The building contains a cafeteria and kitchen, offices, dormitories, bathrooms, a gallery and a loading dock.

■ A total of 282 parking spaces on the campus, up from the existing 83. The Scranton portion already has 30 spaces and would gain 87. The Dunmore section currently has 53 spaces and would gain 112.

■ Renovation of the buildings would cost an estimated $14 million.

■ The campus is unique in that it contains nine separate buildings that are integrated, with several physically connected to each other. The firm contends the proposal is the only viable, adaptive use of the property. In all, 69 residential units would be created, as well as indoor and outdoor event spaces.

■ The company also says the redevelopment would be consistent and compatible with the surrounding neighborhood and will not change or harm its character.

Robbins calls Building 1 in Scranton the gateway linchpin of the project. If plans are rejected by the city, he claims he will be forced to walk away from the project, leaving the entire campus property vacant and deteriorating.

The company first seeks Scranton’s approval for Building 1 before presenting plans to Dunmore for the rest of the campus. Regarding the Dunmore portion, the firm aims to convert five buildings into apartments and one into a bed-and-breakfast. Uses for two other buildings are undetermined but may include a wellness center, live/work units and a restaurant.

Contact the writer:

jlockwood@timesshamrock.com;

570-348-9100 x5185;

@jlockwoodTT on Twitter

Variance request on tap for South Side proposal

The city zoning board will hear a request for a variance from JBAS Realty LLC of Jessup, a firm of John Basalyga, to convert a vacant, former silk mill in South Side into a 37-unit apartment building.

The hearing is on the agenda for the board’s June 12 meeting at 6 p.m. at City Hall, according to a public notice in The Times-Tribune.

Constructed as a silk mill in 1919, the vacant, three-story building at Meadow Avenue and Maple Street in more recent decades had been a Giant Floor showroom with a large rooftop sign visible from nearby Interstate 81. The maximum size of an apartment unit would be 735 square feet of space.

— JIM LOCKWOOD

SPRING BROOK TWP.

Steven Slesh, who won a Republican nomination for township supervisor in the primary election, has added a Democratic nomination through write-in votes.

Slesh received 14 Democratic write-ins, the official Lackawanna County vote count shows.

He and William A. Herne, who also won a Republican nomination, will face the other Democratic nominee, Rochelle McAllister, in the Nov. 5 general election for two six-year supervisor seats.

A county list of write-in nominations released Thursday omitted Slesh’s, but the county added his name to a new list released Friday.

— BORYS KRAWCZENIUK

Q: I own a 2013 Chevy Sonic with a turbo engine. I love the car and it gets great gas mileage. I don’t drive like a grandma, but I tend to drive a little on the easy side in order to maximize my gas mileage. I get in the upper 30s to lower 40s mpg.

My buddy, who is a mechanic, says I drive my car too gently. He says driving the way I do does not let the engine get hot enough, and I need to periodically “put the pedal to the metal” in order to “blow out the carbon.”

He says this is especially true with a turbo engine, as you need to “make the turbo howl” every once in awhile.

I know that taking too many short trips can cause problems with the engine not getting hot enough, but most of my trips are in the 15- to 20-mile range.

My buddy specializes in hot-rod cars from the 1970s and ’80s, so I think that is affecting his thinking about today’s cars. Is my buddy right? Or are things different now?

— ED

A: Your buddy has his headlight firmly implanted in his taillight socket, Ed. Put your fingers in your ears the next time he starts talking to you.

There is no carbon in engines anymore. Computer-controlled engines, like yours, run so efficiently that they really leave no deposits at all to “blow out.”

The goal of modern engine management is to protect the catalytic converter, minimize emissions and maximize fuel economy. To do that, the engine must burn the fuel as completely as possible, which leaves nothing behind. We almost never see carbon deposits in engines anymore. If we did, they couldn’t be “blown out” by driving hard anyway.

As for the turbo, “turbo howl” is something that costs about $1,500 to $2,000 to fix in our shop. That’s nonsense, too. The more gently you drive, the longer your engine and turbo will last. Period.

So yes, I think your buddy is still living in the 1960s and ’70s. And I think he may have been exposed to too much leaded gasoline and exhaust fumes over the years. Set him straight about modern engines the next time you see him, Ed, and keep doing exactly what you’re doing.

TUNKHANNOCK — Bluegrass music is in Sue Werner’s blood.

The Wind Gap resident grew up listening to it with her dad, Bobby Zona. She’s been attending NEPA Bluegrass Festival since its beginning and enjoys how it blends traditional bluegrass with modern music that younger crowds enjoy.

Her father “listened to Ralph Stanley and I grew to love Ralph Stanley, but now all these pioneers of bluegrass are gone,” she said. “Now their kids are taking it on and that’s what I like to see, the sons and daughters of the pioneers playing music.”

Now in its 12th year, the three-day festival aims to bridge the gap between traditional and progressive bluegrass, according to festival organizers Danny and Christa Stewart. There’s a stage dedicated to traditional, acoustic bluegrass, and another for modern variations of the genre.

The festival kicked off Friday afternoon with a performance from the California bluegrass band Central Valley Boys and continues through Sunday. Some noteworthy acts coming this weekend include Ralph Stanley II, the Hillbilly Gypsies and the Country Current, the premier country-bluegrass group of the U.S. Navy Band.

Workshops with professional musicians are scheduled for Saturday, and a representative from the Martin & Co. factory in Nazareth is available for on-site instrument repairs and a guitar maintenance workshop.

The festival also features a jam tent for musicians, food and craft vendors, shade tents and a Sunday gospel jam session.

While the festival began Friday, some dedicated bluegrass fans had their campsites set up as early as Thursday.

Longtime festival patrons Jim Mellow of Union Dale and Bill Kershner of Springville said in addition to enjoying the music, sitting and hanging out with friends outside of their camper is high on their list.

“It’s really the camaraderie. It’s just good friends,” Mellow said.

Tickets for the remainder of this weekend are still available. Saturday tickets cost $35 and Sunday tickets are $20.

For information, visit nepabluegrass.com.

Contact the writer:

bwilliams@wcexaminer.com;

570-836-2123 x36

Family Dollar will begin selling alcohol at 1,000 stores in an effort to help the struggling chain.

Dollar Tree, the Virginia-based company that owns Family Dollar, announced plans to begin selling alcoholic beverages at the locations this week, saying it will also expand freezers and coolers in about 400 Family Dollar stores this year.

During the first quarter, alcoholic drinks were added to approximately 45 stores and freezers and coolers were expanded in 55 stores, the company said.

The company did not announce which locations would sell alcohol.

Dollar Tree, which acquired Family Dollar in 2015, already closed 84 of the discount stores during the fourth quarter and announced plans to renovate at least 1,000 stores in 2019.

— TRIBUNE NEWS SERVICE