SCRANTON

A city man faces drug charges after investigators found suspected heroin and other narcotics inside a safe at a Green Ridge apartment.

Jeremy Campbell, 33, was arrested Wednesday after Lackawanna County detectives and city police stopped a car driven by Rachel Turner for a traffic violation on Wayne Avenue. She consented to a search of her apartment at 112 E. Market St., where Campbell was staying, according to the arrest affidavit.

Officers who searched a briefcase safe inside a larger safe in the bedroom discovered 162 bags of suspected heroin, along with 12 grams of suspected crystal methamphetamine and a quantity of pills, the affidavit said.

Campbell was arraigned before Magisterial District Judge Paul Keeler on possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance and other charges and held in the county jail on $75,000 bail. His preliminary hearing is set for Thursday at 9 a.m.

— DAVID SINGLETON

SCRANTON

A city man suspected of selling drugs led police with the department’s Special Investigations Division on a brief foot chase Thursday, Detective Sgt. Patrick Gerrity said.

Elijah Norwood, 24, 326 Spruce St., fled police in the 300 block of Dix Court shortly after noon. During the brief pursuit, police observed Norwood throw 32 bags of crack under a vehicle, Gerrity said.

Police arrested Norwood and charged him with delivery of a controlled substance, resisting arrest, tampering with evidence and related counts.

Bail and preliminary hearing information was not immediately available.

— JEFF HORVATH

SCRANTON — Restaurant dishwashers all over the globe who recently got tips of a few dollars with notes of gratitude may have the late John G. Voytko to thank.

The retired Riverside High School math teacher from Spring Brook Twp., who died in February at age 76, always made sure to tip dishwashers whenever he and his wife, Kathy, went out to eat.

Earlier in his life, Voytko worked as a dishwasher and he never forgot it. Later in life, he made it a habit to stuff a few bucks in the tines of forks with little labels his wife made for him directing that those tips were “For The Dishwasher.”

After Voytko’s death, his family continued the goodwill gesture by inspiring others to do the same through an Instagram account called “tipthedishwasher.” It has no small goal of going viral globally.

“We started in PA & aim to tip dishwashers in every US state and country!,” the Instagram account declares with an Earth emoji.

The Instagram account, created April 15, so far has produced tips for dishwashers at numerous establishments in 19 states — Pennsylvania, Virginia, New Jersey, Tennessee, Utah, North Carolina, Massachusetts, Texas, New York, Georgia, Mississippi, Maryland, Nevada, Florida, Oklahoma, Washington, California, Colorado and Louisiana — and Washington, D.C., as well as seven other countries — France, Indonesia, Belize, Canada, Australia, Jamaica and Israel.

In posting photos of tips on the account, Voytko’s daughter, Maria Voytko, of Old Forge, often includes other hashtags of #dogoodthings, #payitforward and #inmemoryof.

The account generated positive vibes near and far.

Harvest Seasonal Grill & Wine Bar in Moosic posted, “We love this!”

Grinders Espresso Bar in New South Wales, Australia posted, “What a beautiful idea and gesture. Often the dishwashers and chefs are forgotten about.” A dishwasher in Australia who received a tip also posted a question and thanks, saying: “Today I was lucky enough to receive your tip for the dishwasher! I was so taken aback, surprised, and a little intrigued as to how all this came about. I would love to know. Thanks again for making my day.”

In North Carolina, a handwritten note said, “This tip is for the dishwasher in honor & memory of John G. Voytko. He made the world sweeter!”

Another response said, “So sweet. Mr. Voytko will never be forgotten.”

Born in Scranton, John Voytko grew up in Taylor. Along with his wife of 53 years, he is survived by seven children, nine grandchildren and one great-grandchild.

Voytko retired in 2001, after 37 years of teaching math at Riverside. A jovial people person, he could converse with anyone, anywhere, on any topic, his family said.

Early on, he worked and contributed to his household from a very young age. Growing up poor made him appreciate the hard work of others. He held many jobs, one of which was dishwasher.

“They never got tips, so that always stuck with him,” his daughter said.

Later on in his life, he wanted to make sure the dishwashers were not forgotten.

“Every time he went out to eat, he would go into his wallet, get out a label my mom made, and stick a couple of dollars on a fork,” she said. “After he passed, my siblings and I decided we would continue to do that in our dad’s memory.”

His family made new labels for their use: “For the dishwasher. In memory of John G. Voytko.”

Maria Voytko initially only posted the hashtag phrase on Facebook, but “people kept asking me, ‘Where’s the Instagram account?’” So, she created it.

The first few Instagram posts are photos of the new labels and John Voytko’s original tips of dollars intertwined in fork tines with the “For The Dishwasher” label and a smiley face sun.

Family and friends got it rolling and soon she received submissions by direct messages, Facebook, texts and emails, and posted them on Instagram. Several submitted photos show handwritten notes on napkins and scraps of paper saying the gratuity was left in memory of their father.

The family doesn’t plan to stop once they reach their goal.

“We are not in a rush to get all 50 states,” his daughter said. “We are really enjoying the journey.”

“I know that he is smiling with every tip received by a dishwasher,” his wife said.

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

WAYMART

A federal grand jury this week indicted three inmates at a prison in Wayne County in two cases for attacking fellow inmates with homemade weapons commonly called shanks.

Joshua Turesdale, 37, and James Brooks, 34, armed themselves with a razor blade embedded in a piece of plastic and attacked a fellow inmate Aug. 13 in the dining hall of the U.S. Penitentiary at Canaan. They are charged with conspiracy and assault with a deadly weapon.

In another case, Turhan Sessamy, 30, attacked an inmate July 25 with a similar object. He is charged with assault and possession of a weapon.

The grand jury indicted them Tuesday.

— JOSEPH KOHUT

Q: Is it possible for lug nuts to loosen over a period of time (after 2,500 miles) if they were improperly installed?

I had seasonal tires changed at a service location, and about a month later, six lug nuts were missing (four on the right rear and two on the left rear).

The service center is stating that it is unlikely that it is responsible. However, I am hearing and reading otherwise from other sources.

— BARBARA

A: Oh, it’s very likely that they are responsible. Someone forgot to tighten your lug nuts or didn’t tighten them enough. And that’s exactly what will happen.

Over time, they’ll slowly work their way loose. Every time you hit a pothole or a bump, they’ll get a little looser. Until finally, one falls off. Of course, you won’t notice that. Then, a few days or a week later, another one falls off. Eventually (if you’re lucky), the car will start shaking, and the wheel will make banging noises as it wobbles around. That’s when you check and find out you were one lug nut away from a major accident.

I’d let this shop know that, having spoken to other mechanics, you are quite certain they neglected to tighten your lug nuts properly, and it created a very dangerous situation for you. Tell them you hope they will be putting better systems in place with their employees to ensure it doesn’t happen again.

In the meantime, let them know that someone else will be tightening your nuts from now on, Barbara.

Q: Can you help me identify what is causing a burning oil smell in my car? We drive a 2011 Subaru Forester X. The engine is leaking oil, and we think it’s dripping down on a sensor, which is causing lights to turn on on the dashboard. How can we fix this?

— MITCH

A: You can fix it by pulling out your credit card, putting a pleading look on your face and handing the card to your mechanic, Mitch.

In our experience, the most common oil leaks on low- to moderate-mileage Foresters come from the valve cover gaskets. The oil leaks down from there onto the front exhaust pipe, which gets very hot. The instant a drop of oil hits that exhaust pipe, it starts to burn, and produces a very strong smell.

That smell wafts into the nearby fresh air vent at the bottom of your windshield, and from there, right into the passenger compartment and up your nostrils, where it causes you to feel lightheaded and seek out brochures for 2019 Subarus. It doesn’t take much oil at all to make a lot of smell. A drop or two will do it.

Replacing the valve cover gaskets is not a big deal. It’ll cost you a couple of hundred bucks at most. Unfortunately, the higher your mileage, the greater the chance that it’s something much worse: the cylinder head gaskets. To replace those gaskets, you have to remove the engine. That’s a job that’ll cost you over $1,000. Maybe way over.

A 26-year-old Dallas woman pleaded guilty Friday morning for her role in the burglary of a Wyoming County home in December.

According to court records, on Dec. 11, Kyle-Ann Lucas Tunis of Demunds Road and an accomplice stole a black safe containing $60,000 in cash along with a box of jewelry valued at more than $4,000 from a Hamlet Lane home in Windham Twp.

The owner of the home had recently helped the accomplice, identified as Austin Hoskins, 23, of Tunkhannock, with bail in an unrelated matter, and a criminal complaint notes that the pair had visited with the victim earlier in the day. They left his residence and parked at the nearby Dandi Mini-Mart in Mehoopany for about 45 minutes, waiting for the homeowner to leave the area.

State police said surveillance footage confirmed Tunis’ vehicle, a gold-colored Honda Pilot traveling south onto Route 4002. They subsequently interviewed both Tunis and Hoskins and discovered a safe resembling the one allegedly taken from the victim, at the home of a friend of Hoskins in Windham Twp.

Tunis later admitted to going to burglarize the victim’s residence after it was discovered she had used $5,200 of what authorities said was stolen cash to purchase another automobile.

She initially faced seven different charges, but a plea arrangement worked out with the Wyoming County district attorney’s office reduced that to one felony count of burglary.

At her plea hearing, Judge Russell Shurtleff said Tunis could face up to 10 years in prison and $25,000 in fines as well as joint responsibility for restitution to the victim for the lone felony burglary count.

She will be sentenced at a later date.

Hoskins faces seven felony charges in the same incident and is scheduled for jury trial on the Wyoming County Court docket for July 15.

Others entering guilty pleas before Wyoming County President Judge Russell Shurtleff on Friday:

■ Robert Barber, 29, Nicholson, to fleeing or eluding police on Feb. 13; to DUI of a controlled substance on Feb. 13; and to possession of a controlled substance on Feb. 13.

■ Ashley Lynn Belcher, 31, Meshoppen, to DUI on Dec. 15.

■ John Joseph Calabrese, 53, Kingston, to DUI and to illegally operating a vehicle without ignition interlock on June 14.

■ Scott Allen Davis, 53, Tunkhannock, to possession with intent to deliver on Sept. 12, 2016; and to criminal use of a communication facility on Aug. 31, 2016. He was immediately sentenced to 30 months’ intermediate punishment in Wyoming/Sullivan County Drug Treatment Court.

■ Cody Joseph Faux, 22, Tunkhannock, to receiving stolen property on Dec. 1.

■ Anthony Michael Lewis, 29, New Milford, to DUI of a controlled substance on April 11, 2018.

■ Robert James Murray, 48, Scio, N.Y., to stalking on Aug. 8; and to stalking on Dec. 20.

■ Jacob Robert O’Brien, 20, Springville, to disorderly conduct and purchase and consumption of alcohol on Dec. 24.

■ Angela Marie Setters, 44, Meshoppen, to DUI on Sept. 11 and to DUI, second offense, on Oct. 20.

■ Thomas Edward Slater, 41, Nicholson, to criminal use of a communication facility on Nov. 15; and to possession with intent to deliver on Nov. 16. He was immediately sentenced to 30 months’ intermediate punishment in Wyoming/Sullivan County Drug Treatment Court.

■ Ryan William Templeton, 30, Monroe Twp., to DUI on Feb. 13.

Contact the writer:

bbaker@wcexaminer.com

It’s hard to believe that three decades have passed since Lexus’ ES midsize sedan first rolled into American showrooms.

Tucked between the sporty compact IS sedan and the brand’s continent-conquering LS full-sizer, the Camry-sized four-door offered buyers of not-quite-princely means a way to enjoy Lexus-style luxury — indeed, luxury normally associated with high-end German brands, which were Lexus’ earliest targets — without taking out a second mortgage.

The ES entered the 2019 model year as a fully redesigned, seventh-generation model available in either gas-only or gas-electric hybrid forms. Both are front-wheel driven.

The ES 350 is powered by Toyota/Lexus’ ubiquitous 3.5-liter V-6 churning out 302 horsepower and 267 foot-pounds of torque and connected to an eight-speed automatic transmission. Buyers looking for better fuel economy can kick the tires of the hybrid ES 300. Powered by a 2.5-liter inline-four teamed with an electric motor and rechargeable nickel-metal hydride battery, with total output rated at 215 horsepower. A continuously variable transmission is standard.

Lexus offers the ES 300h in three trim levels — Base, Luxury and Ultra Luxury — with asking prices starting at $41,560. With the exception of leather upholstery, Base models come with just about every goodie one might expect at this price point. Standard equipment includes 17-inch wheels, keyless entry and ignition, power sunroof, selectable driving modes (Sport, Normal and Eco), 10-speaker audio, three USB ports and power-adjustable front seats.

Plunking down a little more coin for the Luxury trim package adds leather seating surfaces, additional sound deadening, heated sideview mirrors, and interior wood trim and ambient lighting. The Ultra Luxury package ups the ante (and the price) with higher-spec leather upholstery, a hands-free trunk release mechanism, power rear sunshade and manual rear-seat side sunshades, additional suspension damping for a smoother ride and more.

Our Ultra Luxury sample’s $44,960 base price rose nearly 10 grand with the addition of a long and pricey list of options. Leading the pack was the $3,000 Navigation and Mark Levinson Audio Package (sat-nav system, 17-speaker premium sound, 12.3-inch LCD infotainment interface, Lexus Enform Dynamic Navigation and Voice Command, auto-dimming rearview mirror, Apple CarPlay and more), closely followed by a $1,900 array of safety-sensor systems with panoramic rearview video display, a $1,515 pair of triple-beam LED headlights, a $950 set of 18-inch alloy wheels, a $480 wood and leather-appointed heated steering wheel, and a $500 heads-up display.

Factor in $75 for a wireless phone-charging pad and $1,025 for delivery, and the grand total came to $54,405. While that’s a lot of money, it still puts a smaller ding on the bank account than comparable models from the likes of Mercedes-Benz or BMW.

The most recent iteration of the ES is easy on the eyes. The new car is longer and wider than the previous generation and rides lower to the ground. Sharing the Toyota Avalon’s platform, it features a longer wheelbase that in turn allows for a generous amount of legroom for rear-seat passengers. Despite space demands for the battery, the trunk will swallow an acceptable 16.7 cubic feet of cargo.

Toyota’s been playing the hybrid game for a while now — heck, the company pretty much introduced America to the idea of gas-electric vehicles nearly 20 years ago — and the ES 300h is par for the course in terms of overall performance. The inline-four and electric motor are well-paired, delivering impressive fuel economy and adequate acceleration. With a 0-to-60-mph run taking roughly eight seconds to pull off, the hybrid ES lags the V-6-powered model by better than one second but still is quick enough to handle daily driving demands.

Handling, meanwhile, is predictable and precise, although hardly sporting. Steering feedback is fairly numb, and there’s a noticeable amount of body roll through turns. As is the case with most hybrid-vehicle regenerative braking systems, the ES 300h’s brakes can feel grabby if pressed too hard. That being written, the ES delivers a smooth and comfortable ride in true Lexus tradition, the only occasional exception being tire roar over rough pavement.

The cabin is comfortable and well sorted out, featuring the same sort of asymmetrical dashboard architecture I’ve noted in other current Toyota and Lexus vehicles. Instrumentation is clearly marked and easy to read. The infotainment system console-mounted touch-pad interface is overly sensitive for my taste, requiring a defter touch than the traditional knob-based systems.

2019 Lexus 300h Ultra Luxury

Vehicle type: Four-door, five-passenger gas-electric hybrid luxury sedan.

Base/as-tested prices: $44,960/$54,405.

Engine and transmission: 2.5-liter gas inline-four mated to electric motor and nickel-metal hydride battery (215 horsepower total output); continuously variable transmission.

EPA estimates: 43 mpg city, 45 mpg highway, 44 mpg combined.

The good: Redesigned for 2019 model year; impressive fuel economy; handsome exterior design and nicely appointed cabin; lots of tech equipment; comfortable ride quality; big back seat area with adult-friendly legroom; loads of standard safety systems; decent acceleration thanks to driver-selectable performance modes; decent cargo space for a hybrid sedan.

The bad: Tire roar and hum over rough pavement; vague braking feel; finicky console-mounted infotainment touch-pad interface; options packages quickly add to asking price; love-it-or-hate-it front fascia.

Bottom line: The redesigned ES 300h delivers a goodly measure of Lexus-style luxury along with impressive fuel economy.

Whether it’s reaching out to the impoverished, the homeless or at-risk youths, the Rev. Shawn Walker wants to help Shiloh Baptist Church find its niche.

“This church is very hungry for change and relevancy,” the church’s new pastor said, explaining he wants to “make an impact on the community.”

Walker, 43, will be installed as the Scranton church’s new pastor Sunday at 3 p.m. He said preaching at Shiloh feels like a homecoming, since he spent nearly 20 years preaching on and off at the church at 1936 Wayne Ave.

While filling in for the church’s interim pastor, the Rev. Earl C. Johnson, D. Min., Walker learned that Shiloh was searching for a new pastor.

“Life presents itself and opportunities present themselves when you’re not really looking,” Walker said, explaining he wasn’t looking for a new pastoral position, but it just felt right. “One thing led to another, and here we are.”

Walker previously pastored the First Baptist Church of Wilkes-Barre from 2003 to 2014, and he spent the past four years as the pastor at Dr. Edwards Memorial Congregational Church in Edwardsville.

Describing himself as excitable and “a little bit louder than maybe most,” it “comes from passion and excitement for the word of God,” he said.

He knows how it transformed his life, and he hopes “that it catches fire inside someone else,” he said.

A married father of three, Walker is the regional business development manager for LightSource Unlimited, a Wilkes-Barre Area School Board member, and has been a youth and junior high basketball coach for nearly two decades.

As he moves into his new position, Walker wants to build on the foundation laid by his predecessor.

After spending two years as Shiloh’s pastor, Johnson said he is leaving the church in good hands.

The American Baptist Churches’ Interim Ministries program sent Johnson to Shiloh Baptist in early 2017.

“I just came in to help them along in their pastoral search, and in doing so, I worked to supervise leadership training,” Johnson said, explaining he also worked to grow the congregation both physically and spiritually.

Additionally, he worked with community outreach in the church and to develop a more multicultural ministry.

Although on paper the congregation had 75 members when he took over, there were only about 20 to 25 people attending services, Johnson said. Now, that number is anywhere from 50 to 75, and under Walker’s leadership, he expects it to grow to 100 in the coming years.

“His teachings are top notch,” Johnson said of Walker, calling them forward thinking and addressing the issues of the day. “Whatever he preaches, they can go out the door and apply (it) to their lives.”

Contact the writer:

flesnefsky

@timesshamrock.com;

570-348-9100 x5181;

@flesnefskyTT on Twitter

June 8, 1969

On the job with

an exotic dancer

Nellie Rodreguez said that exotic dancing “is the sensuous living music, the feeling of sound and the excitement of freedom.”

Rodreguez spoke to The Scranton Times about the life of an exotic dancer. She said that during the past five years she had worked as a go-go dancer, a stripper and an exotic dancer. She said she enjoyed exotic dancing the best.

Rodreguez, who at the time was performing in Hazleton, made $200 a week as a dancer working in cities big and small. She said that when she performed, “I don’t take it off, so they wait and watch.”

But there were drawbacks, she said. “People tend to look at you as some kind of sex symbol,” she said. “The women in the audience are prone to shouting rude remarks at me.” She said that during her dancing career, only about 20 men had tried to get onto the stage with her.

“She’s a fabulous performer,” said Stanley Slazak, Rodrequez’s manager and a Dupont resident. “Everywhere she appears they always want her to come back. She’s putting a new life in the ancient art of exotic dancing.”

Park in disrepair

Connell Park in South Scranton was once an oasis for city residents. But that was before it was filled with bottles, cans and car parts. The pavilion was covered in vulgar graffiti and the remains of smashed picnic tables. And a car with smashed windows had been parked in the park’s driveway for some time.

Park Superintendent Thomas Coyne said “we’ll clean and fix it up and the park will be ready to open June 21.” He added that “a good share of this destruction and littering is done by adults.”

Coyne said residents living around the park needed to call police when they suspected vandalism was going on.

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.

PROPERTY TRANSACTIONS

■ Allen Lee Vietz Jr., representative, and Carol Pagano deceased, to Jill J. Coogan, property in Falls Twp. for $2,715.

■ James J. Charters to Andrew Yuhas and Francis J. Yuhas, property in Mehoopany Twp. for $7,500.

■ Beverly Mustapich and David Mustapich to Richard A. Milewski and Carrie A. Milewski, property in Braintrim Twp. for $814.90.

MARRIAGE LICENSES

■ Luke Hartley Sherwood, Meshoppen, and Leah Rose Dudeck, Kingston.

■ Jack Howard Whiteley, Meshoppen, and Emily Rose Massari, Scranton.

ESTATE NOTICE

■ Marilyn E. Gruver, late of Tunkhannock, letters testamentary to Nancy L. Hoyd and Connie L. Sprowl, co-executrix, 38 Hobbs Road, Tunkhannock, or attorney John J. McGee, Suite 302, 400 Spruce St., Scranton.

WYOMING COUNTY COURT NOTES appear weekly in The Times-Tribune.

Before her freshman year of high school, Olivia Zehel volunteered with her parish youth group at the St. Francis Inn in Philadelphia, where she connected with homeless families and individuals served by the ministry.

“Since then, I have built relationships with both the members of the community and other volunteers at the Inn which have shaped the way I see my future,” she said. “A life of compassion and selfless service to others is a life well lived.”

She hopes to one day return to that neighborhood to serve as a physician.

At Holy Cross this year, Olivia divided her time between practice at the courthouse and the softball field. As a member of the state championship mock trial team at Holy Cross, Olivia also played catcher for the softball team.

“I am also proud to be the president of the National Honor Society at Holy Cross because this role has given me the opportunity to give back to both our school and local communities,” said Olivia, the daughter of Renee and Shawn Zehel.

Through the Pennsylvania Junior Academy of Science, Olivia received many scholarships and a fellowship with Geisinger Commonwealth School of Medicine, which strengthened her interest in becoming a doctor to serve the community. She is also senior class vice president, tutors her peers and received numerous medals on the National Spanish and Latin exams.

A participant in both the Hugh O’Brian Youth Leadership and Tomorrow’s Leaders Today programs, she is also a TRU (Tobacco Resistance Unit) Ambassador, having visited the Capitol to advocate for stricter legislation that would prevent the sale of tobacco products to those under the age of 21.

Olivia will attend the University of Scranton as a biochemistry major on the pre-med track in the Special Jesuit Liberal Arts Honors Program.

Olivia most admires her mother.

“She is a working mother and wife who has dedicated her life to serving the community as an administrator in higher education,” Olivia said. “Her life’s work has taught me many invaluable lessons about what it means to be an altruistic person in society.”

— SARAH HOFIUS HALL

Archbald

Class meeting: Finalization of plans for the Archbald High School class of 1969 50th class reunion, Wednesday, 6:30 p.m.

Elmhurst Twp.

Card party: Women of Elmhurst CC card party/luncheon Friday, June 21, noon. Reservations: Pidge Rebar, 570-842-3443.

Honesdale

Spotted lanternfly: Informational meeting on spotted lanternfly compliance agreements, Monday, 6:30 p.m., Wayne Conservation District, Park Street Complex, 648 Park St., Honesdale.

Pool opening: Honesdale Borough Pool Complex, 1874 Fair Ave., opening today, 11 a.m.-2 p.m. for memberships, swim lesson signups and pool party reservations; public swim at 1 p.m. each day starting Saturday, June 15. Contact: 570-253-4100.

Scranton

Basket raffle: Basket raffle to raise funds for Ronald Mazzoni, Friday, June 21, lobby of the Scranton State Office Building, baskets on display from 10 a.m.-1 p.m., tickets on sale for the public.

Trolley Museum: Electric City Trolley Museum hosting Chase from “Paw Patrol” on Saturday, June 15; ride times are 10 and 11 a.m., 12:30, 1:30 and 3 p.m., arts and crafts, balloon art and a magician, 10:30 a.m.-2 p.m.; reservations suggested, regular rates apply. Contact: 570-963-6590.

Bus trip: East Scranton Seniors bus trip to Tioga Downs Casino, New York, July 16, bus leaving at 9:30 a.m., departs casino at 5 p.m., photo ID required; $35, rebate, $30, $10 food voucher. Contact: Tom, 570-280-5096. Payment due by July 9.

Throop

Parade: Anyone interested in participating in the Throop Borough quasquicentennial parade Sunday, June 30, 1 p.m., with a float to march, contact parade chairman Bill Shevchik, 570-904-3558.

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.

SCRANTON — The city fired zoning officer Jack Sweeney on Thursday for undisclosed reasons, the city solicitor said Friday.

Sweeney was not aware of his termination, but added it apparently stems from an internal investigation of money possibly missing from the zoning office at City Hall. Sweeney adamantly denies stealing any money.

“I deny any wrongdoing and will vigorously fight this,” he said. “I didn’t take any money, I can assure you of that.”

Mayor Bill Courtright referred questions to city solicitor Jessica Eskra. She would only confirm that Sweeney no longer works for the city and was sent a termination notice. She declined to comment further, citing personnel confidentiality. Eskra also declined to comment on Sweeney’s remarks about a probe into missing money.

Efforts to contact Police Chief Carl Graziano and Sweeney’s supervisor, Patrick Hinton, the director of the city’s Licensing, Inspections and Permits Department that contains the zoning office, were unsuccessful.

Sweeney said he got a call about two weeks ago from police asking him to visit the police station. The subject of the meeting was money possibly missing from the zoning office, which at times receives cash payments for permits and has a cash register.

Sweeney said he told the officers he never took any money. As the questioning continued, Sweeney said he mentioned getting nervous and saying that maybe he needed an attorney. At that time, police stopped asking questions and he left, he said.

He then took a leave of absence from work, both for personal reasons and because of the situation involving the investigation, and hired an attorney.

“I met with the Scranton Police Department two weeks ago. I made it clear I did not steal a penny,” Sweeney said. “Two weeks ago, they accused me of misplacing $7,100. A day or two later, it was found. Then a week later, they said it’s $3,200 (that’s missing). Then it was $1,100.”

“I said, ‘I didn’t take anything,’” Sweeney continued. “If they’re trying to fire me — fine and dandy. I’ll fight it.”

On Friday, Sweeney said he had not yet received a termination notice and learned he was fired from a Times-Tribune reporter.

Sweeney said he always wrote receipts for “every penny” of cash payments received by the zoning office. The office accepts cash, money orders and certain kinds of checks, but does not accept personal checks or credit cards, he said. He described the system as “archaic” and said he had expressed concerns about the office’s acceptance of cash as a means of payment.

“The city of Scranton still does not take credit cards or debit cards. They’re blaming me,” Sweeney said. “Why the city of Scranton still takes cash is absolutely crazy. I’ve been saying this for years.”

Sweeney, 61, became zoning officer in 2014, during Courtright’s first year of his first term. The position’s annual salary under the city’s 2019 budget is $37,500.

The mayor on Friday named city Planner Don King as acting zoning officer, Eskra said.

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

Lackawanna County agreed to a $1.1 million settlement of two federal lawsuits filed by three women who alleged several former Lackawanna County Prison guards sexually abused them.

The agreement, reached this week, is the fifth lawsuit related to prison sexual abuse the county settled in the last three years. All told the victims were paid $2.4 million, nearly all of which was covered by insurance.

The latest settlement resolves a federal lawsuit Scranton attorney Matthew Comerford filed in 2016 on behalf of two women, and one he filed in 2018 on behalf of another woman.

The settlement is a global deal among the three women, said Donald Frederickson, the county’s general counsel. The county is responsible for a $50,000 deductible. The balance will be covered by insurance, he said. Frederickson said the county does not admit any wrongdoing. The county’s insurance company made the decision to settle the cases.

The 2016 case was filed by Jamie Tompkins and Tammy Fox,who died in a car crash last year, while the 2018 case was filed by Nicole Palmitessa.

The Times-Tribune ordinarily does not identify victims of sexual abuse, but Tompkins and Palmitessa gave their permission to be identified. Fox’s identity became public last year based on court filings that seek to have transcripts of her testimony in a criminal proceeding admitted at the upcoming trial of Mark A. Johnson, who is also one of the defendants in the civil suit.

Johnson, 55, 2213 Golden Ave., Scranton, is one of seven former guards charged in February 2018 with abusing inmates based on a statewide grand jury investigation. Two of the other guards named in the Fox and Tompkins suit — John Shnipes Jr., 44, of Archbald, and James J. Walsh, 52, of Roaring Brook Twp., were also charged. All are awaiting trial in Lackawanna County court.

Comerford said Tompkins and Palmitessa, who is not a victim in the criminal case, are relieved to put the civil case behind them. The settlement will be divided evenly among them and Fox’s estate, he said.

“Hopefully this settlement provides some closure to the victims and their families and sends a message that this type of conduct will not be tolerated in our community or anywhere else,” he said.

The prior settlements involved two federal lawsuits filed on behalf of two women in 2013 — one by Comerford, the other by Easton attorney Philip Lauer — that alleged former guard Joseph Black sexually assaulted them. Black pleaded guilty in 2015 to indecent exposure and two other offenses and was sentenced to 45 months to eight years in state prison. Those cases settled in 2016, one for $750,000, the other for $500,000.

The other settlement involved an April 2018 case Comerford filed on behalf of a woman who accused former guard Jeffrey T. Staff of sexual abuse. That case settled in June 2018 for $60,000.

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

SCRANTON

Two men face charges after a fight involving gunshots earlier in the week.

City police arrested Stailyn Novas, 19, Scranton, and Jorge DeJesus, 22, Pittston, on Friday on charges stemming from a fight Wednesday near Weston Field.

About 10:30 p.m., police responded there for the report of shots fired. Police talked to witnesses who said two men, later identified as Novas and DeJesus, got involved with a fight between two women. DeJesus kicked one of the women in the face during the fight and Novas pointed a handgun at a third woman before firing two shots, one beside her and another into the ground, police said.

Novas is charged with simple assault and recklessly endangering another person. DeJesus is charged with simple assault and disorderly conduct. Both are held in Lackawanna County Prison — Novas in lieu of $100,000 bail and DeJesus in lieu of $20,000 bail. Preliminary hearings are scheduled for June 17.

— CLAYTON OVER

SCRANTON

The debut of the new Charl-Mont restaurant at the Lackawanna County Government Center is delayed again.

The restaurant on the first floor of the government center on Wyoming Avenue will not open Monday as previously announced, county spokesman Joseph D’Arienzo said Friday.

He said equipment installation and other work is still underway at the restaurant, which was originally scheduled to open in March and then in mid-May at the former Globe store.

There is no new date for the restaurant’s opening, D’Arienzo said.

— DAVID SINGLETON

DYBERRY TWP.

A 42-year-old man died Thursday in a motorcycle crash in Wayne County, state police at Honesdale said.

Exactly what happened at 7:22 p.m. on Dug Road in Dyberry Twp. was unclear Friday; the collision that killed Jason Levanowitz of Honesdale remains under investigation by the state police accident reconstruction unit.

Levanowitz died at the scene from multiple traumatic injuries, Wayne County Coroner Edward Howell said. His death has been ruled accidental.

Another motorcyclist, James Lazaro, reportedly lost control of his motorcycle and was injured, but police said whether they collided is unclear. He went to the Wayne Memorial Hospital, where his condition was not immediately available.

— JOSEPH KOHUT

JESSUP

Crews from several area fire companies extinguished a fire that badly damaged a borough home Friday night.

Firefighters responded to 21 Wilson St. about 8:55 p.m. for the fire and found one side of the building engulfed in flames, borough Fire Chief Bob Vislosky said. No one was home at the time, but crews got two dogs out of the house, he said. No injuries were reported.

Firefighters battled the blaze for about 20 minutes before getting it under control, Vislosky said. A state police fire marshal will investigate to determine a cause.

— CLAYTON OVER

With parking kiosks on the way, Lackawanna County is negotiating with the outside operators of Scranton’s parking system to avoid erecting meters on new sidewalks at Courthouse Square.

The county’s $830,000 project to replace the Courthouse Square sidewalks is ongoing and not likely to wrap up until at least the end of July. Meanwhile, the nonprofit National Development Council and its local subsidiary, Community Development Properties Scranton — which lease the city’s meters and garages and hired another firm, ABM Parking, to operate them — plan to replace Scranton’s parking meters with more up-to-date parking kiosks by Oct. 1.

Because kiosks will soon replace meters anyway, the county would prefer not to compromise brand new concrete by temporarily reinstalling meters removed during the sidewalk project, county General Counsel Donald Frederickson said.

If the meters don’t go back up, however, NDC risks losing about two months worth of revenue they would otherwise generate, NDC Director David Trevisani said.

There are roughly 52 meters on the square, though several meters removed on the Spruce Street side for the project already have been reinstalled, he said.

The two parties are currently negotiating an amount the county could pay NDC to offset the lost revenue and avoid reinstalling the meters.

Neither Frederickson nor Trevisani would disclose an amount, but both said conversations have been positive so far.

“We want to work with them and they want to work with us,” Frederickson said.

Per NDC policy, individuals, contractors and other entities that take meters out of service must pay $20 per meter per day to have them bagged, Trevisani said. While the county won’t necessarily have to pay that rate, he said the same basic concept applies in this case.

Reaching an agreement likely would save both sides some work.

If the county’s sidewalk contractor, Scranton-based Spano Construction, puts the meters back up, NDC will be responsible for taking them down when it installs the kiosks.

County engineer Gary Cavill reported Monday that the sidewalk work was about 25% complete. Crews finished the sidewalks on the Spruce Street side of the square, but the rest of the project is likely to take at least eight weeks, he said.

NDC expects to choose a vendor for the kiosks later this month. They will feature payment options including coins, credit cards and payment via mobile app. Motorists must input their vehicle’s license plate into a kiosk’s alphanumeric pad to identify the vehicle with paid parking space time.

Contractors installed the first two parking payment kiosks in Scranton in March, in a lot at the Pennsylvania CareerLink office building, 135 Franklin Ave. They replaced several metered spaces there.

Contact the writer:

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

@jhorvathTT on Twitter

MARRIAGE LICENSES

■ Jennifer Lyn Ricci and Andrew William Abeloff, both of Jessup.

■ Mario Anthony Bevilacqua and Ashley Elizabeth Pietrowski, both of Waverly Twp.

■ Randy Curtis Miller and Angel Marie Smith, both of Laurel Run.

■ Charles James Secor and Maria Stavros Koroneos, both of Taylor.

■ William Charles Thomsen and Michelle Catherine Dougherty, both of Washington, D.C.

■ Ryan Swartzfager and Jamie Lynn Sykes, both of Carbondale.

■ Jared Joseph Purdy, Carbondale, and Victoria Ann Martin, Eynon.

PROPERTY TRANSACTIONS

■ PNC Bank NA, administrator of the estate of Jean G. Dale, and PNC Bank NA, co-executor of the estate of Florence Brown, also known as Florence Gillespie Brown, 201 Penn Ave., first floor, Scranton, and Boossakorn Srimasuraruks, co-executor of the estate of Florence Brown, also known as Florence Gillespie Brown, 5/188 Chaiyapruge 2, Wacharapon, Paran Bangkane, Bangkok, Thailand, to Gary Ritter, Jefferson Twp.; a property at 117 Wimmers Road, Jefferson Twp., for $35,000.

■ Karen Chidester and Sharon Cardamone, Holtwood, to Colin Michael McLane, Old Forge; a property at 546 Winter St., Old Forge, for $190,000.

■ Daniel Simrell, Scranton, to Kyle Savage, Scranton; a property at 624 Jefferson Ave., Scranton, for $169,600.

■ William J. Fox to Robert J. Volmut Jr., Colleen A. Volmut, Colleen Hochmuth and Christopher Volmut, as joint tenants with rights of survivorship; a property at 710 Parkview Road, Moscow, for $505,000.

■ Gerald Peter and Melinda Almerol Peereboom, Tobyhanna, to Thomas and Katherine Rooney, Gouldsboro; a property at 535 Clifton Beach Road, Clifton Twp., for $176,000.

■ Secretary of Veterans Affairs, Washington, D.C., to Sai Naam Realty LLC, Churchville; a property at 2407 Winfield Ave., Scranton, for $73,751.

■ Rose Ann Gaetano, Scranton, to Clifford J. and Iris B. Hamilton, Madison Twp.; a property at Summit Pointe, Scranton, for $75,000.

■ Thomas A. and Danielle A. Warnock to Michael C. Adams; a property at 28 Wayne St., Carbondale, for $93,000.

■ Carl J. and Patricia C. Greco, Scranton, to Daniel P. and Meghan S. Haggerty, Scranton; four parcels in Scranton for $585,000.

■ Jerome D. and Margaret M. Scott, Scranton, to Christopher Anthony Lewis and Heidi Erickson, Temple, Texas; a property at 1121 Electric St. for $325,000.

■ CRC Inc., Throop, to Oz Realty LLC, Throop; a property at 407 George St., Throop, for $40,000.

■ David J. Werner to Keith Wayne, Nicole Tucker and Robert Bruce; a property in Covington Twp. for $183,000.

■ Margaret Meehan, Taylor, to Taylor Dev. LLC, South Abington Twp.; a property at 118 El Drive, Taylor, for $64,000.

■ Jesse and Amanda Clark to Barbara Lara; a property at 1213 Mowery St., Old Forge, for $147,500.

■ Patrick and Thomas Conway, Dunmore, to Casey Ryan Baldan, Dunmore; a property at 520 Second St., Dunmore, for $155,000.

DIVORCE SOUGHT

■ George Parker VanBrunt, Madison Twp., v. Cindy Lou VanBrunt, Madison Twp.; married Oct. 19, 1991, in Lackawanna County; Joseph S. Toczydlowski Jr., attorney.

FEDERAL TAX LIENS

■ Abdalla A. and Jennifer L. Sholi, 514 Shady Lane Road, South Abington Twp.; $19,110.02.

■ 3 Jacks Burger Bar LLC, 337 Cherry St., Dunmore; $3,322.36.

■ Laureen Cadden Foley, 1508 Jefferson Ave., Dunmore; $22,598.72.

■ Raymond Cox III, 422 Emmett St., Scranton; $75,507.29.

LAWSUIT

■ Karen Newcomb-Titanski, 25 Summit Ave., Carbondale, v. Robert Stever, 22 Rock St., Carbondale, seeking in excess of $50,000, for injuries suffered July 28, 2017, in an automobile accident on Brooklyn Street, Carbondale; James J. Powell III, attorney.

ESTATE FILED

■ Shirley Cosner, 1726 Forest Acres Drive, Newton Twp., letters testamentary to Sharon Kelly, 5311 Jessamine Lane, Orlando, Fla.

ONLINE: thetimes-tribune.com/courts