EATON TWP. — State police are investigating a fatal crash this afternoon on Route 29 in Wyoming County.

Leland J. Cook, 66, of Tunkhannock, was driving south near Church Road at 2:37 p.m. when Bianca M. Rubino crossed into oncoming traffic and struck him head on, troopers said. Cook died from his injuries.

Rubino, 30, of Harveys Lake, suffered what appeared to be minor injuries, according to state police.

Troopers temporarily closed Route 29 this afternoon to investigate and reconstruct the crash.

— FRANK WILKES LESNEFSKY

SCRANTON — Flames on the second floor of a North Scranton home displaced three people tonight.

Firefighters responded to a fire at 1307 Euclid Ave. at 6:54 p.m. to find smoke coming out of the two-story home, said Scranton Assistant Fire Chief Jim Floryshak. Crews had the fire under control in about 15 minutes, he said.

The home sustained damage to a bedroom on the second floor and smoke damage throughout the house, Floryshak said.

The cause of the fire is under investigation.

— FRANK WILKES LESNEFSKY

Archbald

Turkey dinner: Hricak McAndrew American Legion Post 869 annual turkey dinner and basket raffle, Oct. 27, noon-4 p.m., post home, 161 S. Main St.; eat in or take-out; tickets available at the Legion or call 570-489-5423.

Clarks Summit

Nutrition program: “A Taste of Mindfulness,” Thursday, 6 p.m., Abington Community Library, 1200 W. Grove St.; the program is intended to help diabetics make healthy food choices; Lisa Rigau, a registered nurse, will lead the program, presented by the Insulin Pump Support Group.

Dalton

Pasta dinner: Dalton United Methodist Church Youth Group all-you-can-eat pasta dinner, Oct. 19, 4-6 p.m., 125 S. Turnpike Road; $10/adults, $5/4-10; free/4 and under; Chandra, 570-591-8259.

Jermyn

Fundraiser: Designer purse bingo, St. Michael’s Center, 403 Delaware St., Nov. 3, doors open 12:30 p.m., games start at 1:30; $25/ticket, includes 20 games. Extra cards will be available for purchase. Proceeds will benefit the Christopher P. Lewis Memorial Fund and the Gina Tomassoni School of Dance.

Scranton

Seasonal event: Community Fall Fest, Saturday, 10 a.m.-4 p.m., Marketplace at Steamtown, 300 Lackawanna Ave.; no admission fee; raffle tickets 5/$1 or $2 each for prizes; educational program by Electric City Aquarium & Reptile Den, stories with the Lackawanna County Library System, and fall-themed art projects; Michelle Matyjevich, Community Intervention Center deputy director, 570-342-4298.

Taylor

Community event: St. Paul’s Independent Bible Church Halloween alternative event with a Candy Land theme, Oct. 21, 5:30-9:30 p.m., 401 W. Grove St.; indoor, Christ-centered, family-friendly event, open to all ages and free for everyone with special activities just for toddlers; walk the colored path and explore the Peppermint Forest, Lollipop Woods and Bubble Gum Lake; carnival-style games at each stop and candy prizes; free refreshments; Amy, 570-689-5052.

Tunkhannock

Healing service: St. Peter’s Episcopal Church, Sunday, 6 p.m., 3832 Route 6; the service will focus on “Healing the Wounds of Abuse” and is dedicated to those who suffered violence at home or from relatives; David Martin, 570-333-4007, or the Rev. Lou Davis, 570-878-4670.

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

FELL TWP. — The township’s zoning hearing board adjourned Thursday without making a decision on the Simpson Stone Quarry’s use of construction and demolition waste for an experimental mine reclamation project.

Pioneer Aggregates received a solid waste permit from the state Department of Environmental Protection in 2017, allowing it to use a slurry of construction and demolition waste — known as “C&D fines” — and Portland cement to reclaim 2.5 acres of mine land at the quarry on Route 171.

The quarry began the project, which is the first of its kind in Pennsylvania, in June, and the township’s zoning officer cited it soon after for three violations, including operating a recycling operation and/or sanitary landfill in a conservation zone, operating a waste disposal facility without environmental or traffic studies and accepting solid waste generated elsewhere than Lackawanna County without special exception, according to the notice of zoning violation.

Pioneer Aggregates appealed the violations, and the zoning hearing board initially met Aug. 7 to hear testimony from the quarry, which was represented by attorney Bill Jones, and the township, which was represented by solicitor Joseph McGraw.

The hearing board briefly met Aug. 8, continued the hearing until Sept. 19 and again continued the hearing until Thursday.

On Thursday, neither the quarry nor township offered any additional testimony.

Lifelong resident Bonnie Burch provided the only public comment, calling the situation “environmental injustice.”

“Corporations place an inequitable environmental burden on economically disadvantaged communities because they lack adequate resources to fight a corporation with unlimited resources,” she said. “Fell Twp. and its residents are victim of such an injustice.”

Jones objected to Burch’s testimony because she did not live close enough to the quarry.

Speaking for the township, McGraw argued that collecting and depositing waste is not part of a mining facility but rather a new use defined by its DEP permit as a “waste disposal and/or processing facility.”

“The activities are not deemed approved” by the township, he said.

In his closing arguments, Jones again rebutted the three zoning violations. He also argued the quarry is not disposing of waste but rather processing it, and the quarry was previously allowed to use “clean fill” and coal ash for reclamation.

“This process, other than adding the cement, is the same use that was allowed,” he said, explaining the township can control where mining occurs but not how a mine operates.

He also noted that after receiving DEP approval, Pioneer Aggregates spent at least $1 million preparing for the experimental project, which it stands to lose if the board upholds the violations. If the township upholds the violation, it can fine the quarry $500 per day if it continues the project.

Zoning hearing board solicitor Robert Trichilo asked the board to adjourn to allow him to research Jones’ assertions.

The board is expected to reach a final decision Thursday at 5 p.m. in the Fell Twp. Municipal Building, 1 Veterans Road.

Contact the writer:

flesnefsky@timesshamrock.com;

570-348-9100 x5181;

@flesnefskyTT on Twitter

Eynon

Prayer service: Indoor Rosary Rally, Sunday, 6 p.m., St. Mary of Czestochowa Church, 417 Main St., hosted by Diocesan Legion of Mary; prayers and hymns led by Ernie Pappa; Ernie, 570-241-8171.

Pittston

Prayer service: Rosary Rally, today, 3 p.m., Grotto of the Oblates of St. Joseph, Route 315, led by Ernie Pappa; Mass at 4 p.m. in the chapel; Oblates, 570-654-7542.

Scranton

Prayer service: Fatima Public Square Rosary Rally, today, noon, Lackawanna County Courthouse Square, 200 N. Washington Ave.; public recitation of the rosary and Marian Hymns in honor of the 102nd anniversary of the Apparition of Mary at Fatima, Portugal; led by Josie Roman and Ernie Pappa; Josie, 570-342-5614.

Dinner: Annual spaghetti dinner, Thursday, St. Matthew’s Lutheran Church, 425 Jefferson Ave., takeouts 4 p.m., dinner 5; tickets/$10 age 13 to adults, $5/ages 6-12, children age 5 and under eat free; tickets at the door or church office at 570-342-1000.

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

ESTATES FILED

■ Loretta Soller, 80 Maple St., Great Bend; letters testamentary to Phillip Soller, 881 Randolph Road, Great Bend.

■ Lane Puzo, 2394 Turnpike Road, Montrose; letters testamentary to Patricia Jenner, same address.

■ Dolores Mood, 15375 Route 3001, Montrose; letters testamentary to Robert Mood, same address.

MARRIAGE LICENSES

■ Bryna Coe and Lisa Weswell, both of Arlington, Va.

■ Robert Iveson and Sharon James, both of Susquehanna.

■ Troy Quick and Adrianna Lisi, both of Endicott, N.Y.

■ Nicholas Vales and Jesika Rau, both of Thompson.

■ Dillon Meehan and Amanda Dougherty, both of Williamstown, N.Y.

■ Timothy Sheehan and Samantha Bostelman, both of Seattle.

■ Seth Everitt, Brackney, and Geena Bistocchi, New Milford.

■ Adam Stout and Mary Cotter, both of Union Dale.

PROPERTY TRANSACTIONS

■ Christopher and Cathleen Tracy to Main 61 LLC, a property in Clifford Twp. for $60,000.

■ Laura and Kenneth Mallon to Jorge Tobon Cruz and Blanca Montiel Fernandez, a property in New Milford Twp. for $75,000.

■ Steven II and Christina Gillman to Anna Manzhulo-Sherwood, a property in Springville Twp. for $159,900.

■ Diaz Family LP to John and Rae Ann Arnone, a property in Brooklyn Twp. for $95,000.

■ Mark Lindsey, et al., to Joseph Bolles, a property in Oakland Twp. for $201,000.

■ Jerome and Marguerite Sock to Friendsville Farms LLC, a property in Auburn Twp. for $290,000.

■ Dale Howell Enterprises Inc. to Better Alliet, a property in Susquehanna for $50,000.

■ Federal Home Loan Corps. to James Johnson, a property in Forest City for $53,000.

■ William Nash (by attorney) to Kelly Odea, a property in Choconut Twp. for $122,000.

■ Gregg and Mary Jo Loboda to Mary Gesford, a property in Middletown Twp. for $256,470.

■ Tamara Dougher to Victoria Graham and Jordan White, a property in Lenox Twp. for $155,000.

■ George Ludwig to Richard and Gail Fisher, a property in Silver Lake Twp. for $185,000.

■ Gerald Arthur to Tiffany and Alice Cavalone, a property in Hallstead for $113,900.

■ John, Pamela and Aaron Ward to Elizabeth Phillips, a property in Montrose for $150,000.

■ Rebecca and Norman Pilcher to Timothy Weidow, a property in Brooklyn Twp. for $85,000.

■ Fiondi Inc. to Melinda Prophet, a property in Middletown Twp. for $110,000.

■ Paul Hitchcock to Lorraine Voll-Wallace, a property in Bridgewater Twp. for $110,000.

■ Lisa Andrejko, et al., to the Lakeside Outing Club Inc., a property in New Milford Twp. for $195,000.

Former Vice President Joe Biden will bring his Democratic presidential campaign to Scranton on Oct. 22, but his successor might beat him here by a day.

Biden’s campaign confirmed the Scranton visit, but said it’s still working out details of where and when he will appear.

He could wind up arriving a day after Vice President Mike Pence visits Northeast Pennsylvania.

Local Republicans and other officials are working to arrange an Oct. 21 visit by Pence to at least one still undisclosed location, three sources familiar with the preparations said, speaking on condition of anonymity. It is unclear if Pence will visit in an official capacity, as part of President Donald Trump’s reelection drive or a mix of both.

No other details of Pence’s visit were available.

Biden, a Scranton native, will become the second presidential candidate to visit the region as Democrats campaign to oust Trump in the November 2020 election.

Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont

addressed a conference of nurses in April at Mohegan Sun Pocono

.

Pence and Biden visited the region for similar purposes last year.

Biden campaigned Nov. 4 for U.S. Rep. Matt Cartwright’s

reelection

at Pittston Area High School in Yatesville.

Pence campaigned Oct. 24 for Republican congressional candidate John Chrin,

Cartwright’s opponent, at the Wyoming Valley Airport in Forty Fort.

Biden last visited Scranton on April 4.

He quietly visited the city’s Green Ridge neighborhood to record video footage, presumably for future television commercials or online videos.

Contact the writer:

bkrawczeniuk@timesshamrock.com;

570-348-9147;

@BorysBlogTT on Twitter

Residents will have just hours to digest Lackawanna County’s tentative 2020 budget if they hope to ask informed questions at public budget hearings scheduled Tuesday — the same day the draft budget is publicly released.

Commissioner Jerry Notarianni and county Chief Financial Officer Tom Durkin expressed concern Friday with the timing of the hearings.

County officials will unveil the tentative 2020 spending plan, which Notarianni said will not include a tax hike, at 10 a.m. Tuesday in the fifth-floor conference room of the county government center, 123 Wyoming Ave., Scranton.

The unveiling will serve as the first of four public budget hearings scheduled around the county that same day. The three other hearings will be held at municipal buildings in:

Mayfield, 739 Penn Ave., noon.

Moosic, 715 Main St., 1:30 p.m.

Old Forge, 310 S. Main St., 3 p.m.

Notarianni said holding the hearings the same day defeats the purpose of them because residents won’t have time to review, understand and ask questions about the expansive fiscal blueprint in the hours after its release.

Despite his concerns about holding the hearings Tuesday, Durkin said he doesn’t have any say in when they’re scheduled.

“My opinion was, how can you have a public hearing when the public hasn’t seen the budget?” Durkin said.

An official notice announcing Tuesday’s hearing locations and times appears today in The Times-Tribune.

Last year, the county unveiled its tentative 2019 budget Oct. 15, but waited more than two weeks to hold budget hearings. Those hearings were held Nov. 1. Commissioners approved the final, roughly $127.25 million 2019 budget later that month with a 2-1 vote. Notarianni voted no.

If officials don’t raise county property taxes in the 2020 budget, it will mark the seventh consecutive year that taxes have held steady.

Attempts to reach commissioners Patrick O’Malley and Laureen Cummings were not successful Friday.

Contact the writer:

jhorvath@timesshamrock.com;

570-348-9141;

@jhorvathTT on Twitter

EUGENE, Ore. — Owning gas stations right now is a lot like being a blacksmith in 1890: There’s a change coming. We are all about to do the electric slide, with the internal combustion engine giving way to a technology discovered by Benjamin Franklin.

And in between advertisements, you may have noticed that Porsche’s new all-electric four-door sedan, the Taycan, is about to arrive in showrooms. Despite being an electric vehicle, the first two models will be known as the Taycan Turbo and Taycan Turbo S — even though neither possesses a gasoline engine, never mind the need for a turbocharger.

I have no doubt that the Taycan will soon be the environmentally conscious electric vehicle to own among the wealthy 1 percent. It’s a remarkable vehicle — but it should be, given its $150,900 base price.

If that’s too much, you can still buy an electrified Porsche for less, but you’ll have to add a little gasoline now and then. If that doesn’t bother you, then I heartily recommend the Porsche Cayenne E-Hybrid, which starts at $82,450 — a 55% discount from the Taycan while still providing some green cred.

And since Porsche has been electrifying vehicles for a decade — it unveiled the first Cayenne Hybrid in 2010 — this is one gas-sipper that will truly electrify your soul. For the third-generation Cayenne E-Hybrid, Porsche takes the Cayenne’s base 335-horsepower turbocharged 3.0-liter V-6 and adds an improved 100 kW electric motor that moves this hybrid to 60 mph in 4.7 seconds through an eight-speed Tiptronic transmission.

And for 2020, it gets even better with the arrival of the Turbo S E-Hybrid with a twin-turbocharged 4.0-liter V-8 and 100 kW electric motor that produces 670 horsepower and 663 foot-pounds of torque that reduces a 0-60 mph sprint to 3.6 seconds. Top speed is 183 mph, and all-wheel drive is standard. The EPA rates the Cayenne E-Hybrid at the equivalent of 46 mpg in hybrid mode, 22 mpg in gas-only mode, and 13 miles in EV-only mode.

Of course, keep in mind that adding performance was Porsche’s top priority, not delivering unbeatable fuel economy. So it’s no surprise that the Sport Chrono Package is standard, and has four drive modes: E-Power, Hybrid Auto, Sport and Sport Plus. The E-Hybrid always starts in E-Power mode and prioritizes electric driving. It even has an “E-Launch” function that allows you to press the brake and accelerator, accelerating in pure electric when the brake pedal is released. Meanwhile, Sport and Sport Plus modes prioritize the battery’s power for a boost, while Hybrid Auto mode is best for most daily driving. Thoughtfully, it contains an E-Hold mode that keeps the battery charged for later pure electric driving. In E-Charge mode, the gasoline engine charges the battery.

Porsche’s Active Suspension Management is standard and does the same remarkable job it does in other Cayennes. Porsche Dynamic Chassis Control, which electronically adjusts the anti-roll bars to reduce lateral body movement in the corners, is optional, as are carbon ceramic brakes. Throw in rear axle steering, and you’ll find that the Cayenne E-Hybrid is a blast to drive on winding, two-lane roads. An air suspension is optional, and allows you to transform the Cayenne from a canyon carver to a cushy cruiser in seconds.

As for the interior, you’ll find it’s much the same as in other Cayennes. Its digital instrument cluster is anchored by a large tachometer, while the 12.3-inch infotainment touch screen is easier to use than ever.

Q: I’m just starting college, and my parents have agreed to buy me a used car. They were going to give me their car, but I don’t want it. It’s a Crown Victoria. Get serious. I want something big enough to carry four people, capable of hauling my mountain bike and fun to drive. What do you recommend?

— ALDEN

A: A Crown Vic, Alden. You’ve heard the expression “don’t look a gift horse in the mouth”? Well, my advice would be don’t look a gift Crown Vic in the engine compartment.

You may not realize this, but the Crown Vic is so uncool that it’s cool. I’ll lay out the advantages.

First of all, it’s going to be reliable. Your parents were the original owners and not only drove it gently, but probably took good care of it, too. That’s going to save you a ton of money. Money that could be better spent on textbooks and Donkey Kong.

Plus, there will probably be a guilt factor involved if anything does go wrong. If the engine compression plummets — before your GPA does — they may say, “Oh, gee, Alden, we gave you a car with bad compression. We’ll take care of that for you, son.”

Second, a Crown Vic is large, and all things being equal, larger is safer. Since you’re presumably going to be driving long distances to school and back, I’d certainly rather see you in something with some bulk around it than something smaller and “fun.”

Third, it’s versatile. I bet your mountain bike will slide right into the back seat. It’ll carry you and four classmates to the library on Saturday night (right!), and the trunk will swallow an entire dorm’s worth of empty kegs.

Finally, your friends are going to admire it. It’s not the average Corolla or Subaru that most students bring to college. It’s a cruiser. It’s comfortable. Your friends are going to want to go out in your Crown Vic instead of stuffing themselves into their Honda Civic.

And if all that doesn’t make it cool, you can mount an auxiliary spotlight to the driver’s door and watch the traffic move out of the way for you when you cruise home ... if you don’t get arrested for impersonating an officer.

Did the mechanic cause my oil leak?

Q: I recently learned that my mechanic has been filling my 2008 Chevy Impala with 5 quarts of oil, instead of the recommended 4.

I’ve also noticed an oil leak, which my mechanic attributes to a bad manifold gasket or head gasket.

Could overfilling the oil have caused these gaskets to leak? It’s a 3.9-liter six-cylinder engine with 104,000 miles on it.

— MICHAEL

A: No. It sure would be nice to blame this guy, wouldn’t it, Michael? But overfilling the crankcase by 1 quart is not likely to cause any problem whatsoever.

Not that we make a habit of it at the garage, but that happens sometimes. The mechanic should have checked both the oil capacity and the dipstick. But he may have assumed that a large, six-cylinder engine like yours would hold more than 4 quarts. Most of them do.

But your oil leak was caused by those 104,000 miles you put on the car. And it could be a big job to fix. If you need to do both cylinder heads, you could be looking at well over $1,000. Even if it’s just the manifold gasket, it could cost several hundred bucks, which is still not cheap.

So, unless it’s leaking a lot of oil, you may want to apply the technique of “watchful waiting.” That’s the program my wife has me on.

It involves three steps: 1. Keeping a close eye on the oil level. 2. Topping it up whenever it’s low, and 3. Putting a piece of cardboard on your garage floor.

If you’re losing less than a quart every 800 to 1,000 miles, you can even bypass the cardboard, because you’ll be losing a drop every few miles on the interstate. And if that’s the case, this leak is of little consequence. It’s possible that something much worse will befall this car before the leak ever has a chance to become a mechanical threat.

FACTORYVILLE — Two candidates want to be the next K-12 student management principal at Lackawanna Trail School District.

The school board recently interviewed the two candidates in executive session to replace Rebekah King, who resigned in September. The board did not release the names of the two candidates. It is not known why King abruptly resigned.

The board plans to select the new principal next week, board President David Thorne said.

The board also heard a presentation about the Nutrition Group, which provides breakfast and lunch to Lackawanna Trail students. Melissa Hatala, the Nutrition Group regional manager, updated the board on how cafeteria sales have been doing since the beginning of the school year.

“We’re above budget in lunches and above budget in a la carte sales per day,” she said.

Breakfast sales have been below budget, but all sales typically start out lower, Hatala said, adding they are working on increasing breakfast sales.

The Nutrition Group also holds several special programs throughout the year, such as Lunch for Life and Food Fusion, he said. A new marketing campaign is underway that seeks to make school cafeterias seem more like a cafe or restaurant, she said.

“They take a lot of pride in what they put out,” Food Service Director Barb Cwikla said of her food service staff in the district.

The next Lackawanna Trail School Board regular meeting is 7:30 p.m. Tuesday because the district is closed on Monday for Columbus Day.

Contact the writer:

bwilliams@wcexaminer.com, 570-836-2123 x36

The Diocese of Scranton celebrated its annual Red Mass on Friday at St. Peter’s Cathedral in Scranton. The Most Rev. Joseph C. Bambera, bishop of Scranton, was the principal celebrant. The Rev. Jeffrey D. Tudgay, pastor of St. Eulalia Parish in Roaring Brook Twp. and diocesan tribunal judge, was the homilist. Historically, the Red Mass is attended by judges, lawyers and legislators to invoke God’s blessing and guidance in the administration of justice. Its traditional name is derived from the color of vestments worn by the celebrants of the Mass. Above and right, Bambera participates in the Mass. Below, the Abington Heights High School Honors Choir and String Orchestra provides music.

JASON FARMER / STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

The Most Reverend Joseph C. Bambera, D.D., J.C.L., Bishop of Scranton, was the principal celebrant for Red Mass on Friday, Oct 11, 2019. Historically, the Red Mass is attended by judges, lawyers and legislators for the purpose of invoking God’s blessing and guidance in the administration of justice. Its traditional name is derived from the color of vestments worn by the celebrants of the Mass, symbolizing the tongues of fire which indicate the presence of the Holy Spirit. Jason Farmer / Staff Photographer

Music was provided by the Abington Heights High School Honors Choir and String Orchestra during Red Mass. Jason Farmer / Staff Photographer

TUNKHANNOCK — A 39-year-old Tunkhannock woman was sentenced Wednesday to 7½ to 20 years in state prison for her role in a drug delivery resulting in death.

Angelena Jay Tatem furnished fentanyl to Samantha Delesky, 20, who subsequently ingested the controlled substance; Delesky died Oct. 8 at her apartment in Mehoopany Twp., according to Wyoming County Court records.

Investigators conducted a search of Tatem’s home for cellphones and other evidence relative to the incident, and she made voluntary utterances implicating herself in the sale of the controlled substance “that killed her.”

Just before Tatem was sentenced Wednesday, the victim’s parents and an aunt addressed the court.

“She was doing so good, and then you took her away,” Denise Delesky, her voice quivering, said directly to Tatem.

Denise Delesky’s husband, Joe, held up a picture of his daughter. “There are no words for you taking away my baby,” he said. “People say time will heal, but unfortunately that hasn’t been true.”

Joe Delesky turned to the judge and asked that Tatem be given the maximum sentence “so that each day she wakes up she will think about what she did.”

Tatem’s attorney, Jesse Hallinan, said his client was remorseful for what happened.

President Judge Russell Shurtleff said Tatem’s sentence was in the aggravated range because “she acted with careless disregard for human life.” He also fined Tatem $5,000 and said she owed the victim’s parents $5,498.95 in restitution.

Tatem has already served 294 days in county jail, and Shurtleff said she would be taken to Muncy in the near future for processing.

Others sentenced Wednesday in Wyoming County Court:

Deborah Marie Arnold, 38, of Montrose, to 60 months’ intermediate punishment commencing with 90 days’ house arrest and a $1,500 fine for DUI, second offense, on Feb. 5; and 12 months’ probation, a $500 fine and $397 restitution for retail theft on Jan. 31, with sentences to be served concurrently.

Matthew Baker, 41, of Montrose, to one to 23 months in county jail and a $500 fine for DUI, third offense, on Sept. 22, 2018.

Michael C. Beasley, 49, of Meshoppen, to three months to 231 days and a $500 fine for harassment on Jan. 17; and to six months’ probation and a $500 fine for violation of a protection-from-abuse order on Jan. 17.

Sidney Steven Booth Jr., 34, of Tunkhannock, to two to 12 months in county jail and a $500 fine for false identification to law enforcement on July 27.

Jeremy James Broody, 41, of Tunkhannock, to 18 to 60 months in state prison, a $1,000 fine and $380 restitution for criminal use of a communication facility on May 7; and to 33 to 84 months in state prison and a $1,500 fine for possession with intent to deliver methamphetamine on May 3, with sentences to be served consecutively.

Daniel Alfred Bump, 28, of Troy, to 18 to 72 months in state prison and a $500 fine for criminal attempt at possession with intent to deliver methamphetamine on March 1; to 12 to 16 months in state prison and a $1,500 fine for DUI of a controlled substance, second offense, on March 1; and to three to six months in state prison and a $500 fine for DUI of a controlled substance on Nov. 3, with sentences to be served concurrently.

Michael Edward Corker, 36, of Factoryville, to three to 18 months in county jail, a $500 fine and $1,460 restitution for possession with intent to deliver marijuana on Oct. 4, 2018.

Patrick James Dalessandro, 58, of Philadelphia, to six months’ probation and a $300 fine for DUI of a controlled substance on April 8.

Thomas F. Danko Jr., 19, of Monroe Twp., to 12 months’ probation, a $500 fine and $500 restitution for criminal conspiracy to commit theft by unlawful taking on March 22, 2018.

Matthew Kurtis Faux, 34, of Mehoopany, to 12 months’ probation and a $1,000 fine for disorderly conduct on May 2.

Sean Thomas Fitzpatrick, 39, of Scranton, to five years’ intermediate punishment commencing with 30 days’ house arrest and a $1,000 fine for DUI with minors on board on Dec. 14.

Telease Ann Holman, 30, of Montrose, to six to 12 months in county jail and a $500 fine for possession of a controlled substance on July 17.

Ana Christina Rocha Hoyas, 55, of Wyalusing, to three days to six months in county jail and a $1,000 fine for DUI on Aug. 22, 2018.

Jason Andrew King, 52, of Hop Bottom, to four to 12 months in county jail and a $500 fine for simple assault on Oct. 29.

Daniel Christopher Lee, 33, of Hawley, was sentenced to 30 days to six months in county jail and a $750 fine for DUI, second offense, on March 7, 2018.

Zachary Theodore Migliori, 32, of Falls Twp., to six to 23½ months in county jail and a $750 fine for dissemination of explicit sexual material to a minor on Sept. 10, 2018.

Jerry Lee Nichols, 37, of Factoryville, to seven to 23½ months in county jail and a $500 fine for terroristic threats on July 7, 2018.

Ashley S. Paskaitis, 29, of Meshoppen, to 24 to 120 months in state prison and a $1,000 fine for strangulation on Dec. 5.

Devin Joseph Price, 26, of Scranton, to 90 days to 23½ months in county jail followed by 37 months' probation and a $1,500 fine for DUI, second offense, on March 31, 2018.

John David Reese Jr., 34, of Scranton, to 66 days to 12 months in county jail, a $500 fine and $114.92 in restitution for theft by unlawful taking on April 28, 2017.

Daniel Robert Search, 26, of Tunkhannock, to 84 days to 12 months in county jail and a $500 fine for possession of drug paraphernalia on May 19.

Paisley Rose Seymour, 22, of Olyphant, to a $300 fine and $171.60 restitution for criminal mischief on Feb. 19, 2018.

John Daniel Sharts, 57, of Sugar Run, to six months' probation and a $300 fine for DUI on Dec. 8.

Krisalyn Odes Shatinsky, 41, of Meshoppen, to 11 days to 12 months in county jail, a $500 fine and $350 restitution for criminal mischief on Dec. 7.

Sarah Elizabeth Taylor, 53, of Mehoopany, to 72 hours to six months in county jail and a $1,000 fine for DUI on Aug. 12, 2017.

Ryan William Templeton, 30, of Hanover Twp., to 72 hours to six months in county jail and a $1,000 fine for DUI on Feb. 13.

Corey Michael Vandemark, 26, of Springville, to one to 18 months in county jail and $500 in restitution for recklessly endangering another person on March 30; and to six months' probation and a $300 fine for contempt for violation of PFA order, with sentences to be served consecutively.

Keith Raymond Watkins, 52, of Mehoopany, to six months' probation and a $300 fine for DUI on March 11.

Rachel Lee-Ann Zagata, 32, of Nicholson, to two to 18 months in county jail and a $500 fine for simple assault on Feb. 6.

Contact the writer:

bbaker@wcexaminer.com;

570-836-2123 x33

NANTICOKE — Former Hazleton mayor and U.S. Rep. Lou Barletta on Friday defended his hard-line stance on illegal immigration that propelled him from an unknown small-town mayor to one of the biggest voices on the issue in Congress.

Barletta said the federal government failed to assist Hazleton during its illegal immigration crisis when he was mayor, so he drafted laws in 2006 that would punish landlords and businesses for knowingly renting to and employing those in the country illegally.

Despite the fact the laws were never implemented because of a lawsuit and a federal judge ruled them to be unconstitutional, Barletta stood by his actions.

“I had no choice. The federal government wasn’t going to do one thing to help,” Barletta said during a panel discussion on immigration at Luzerne County Community College.

The discussion on immigration concluded the 28th annual “History of Northeastern Pennsylvania” conference, a daylong event about the area’s past.

Barletta, a Republican, rode the popularity all the way to the U.S. House of Representatives, defeating longtime Democrat U.S. Rep. Paul Kanjorski. He thought he’d be able to make a difference there, but found few colleagues who actually wanted to do anything.

“Politicians are all talk about it. They talk but they do nothing,” Barletta said.

Barletta said prior to getting to Congress, he felt there was a consensus between Democrats and Republicans to secure the border, but when he arrived in 2010 he discovered “there really was no will to do that.” Barletta, who ran unsuccessfully for U.S. Senate last year, now runs an immigration-focused political action committee “Leaders Only Unite,” also known as LOU PAC.

During the panel discussion, state Rep. Joseph Hohenstein, a Democrat from Philadelphia, said he thinks people too often associate illegal immigration with criminality.

“Is being illegal a crime? No. It’s not,” Hohenstein told the crowd.

Honenstein said he disagreed with many of Barletta’s policies, but still respected him for his dedication.

Earlier in the presentation, Barletta noted that in the early 2000s Hazleton’s population exploded by 50% in a short period of time, but the city did not see any increase in tax revenue, leading one to believe many of the newcomers were illegally in the country. Additionally, several high-profile murders were committed by illegal immigrants — taxing the police department’s budget, he said.

Hohenstein countered that the stagnant tax base despite the population increase could be a reason why immigrants should be entitled to a pathway to legalization.

“When people don’t work in the legal economy, the government doesn’t get any benefits, like taxes, to support the services of government,” Hohenstein said.

Some in the audience sparred with Barletta about his positions, which he said actually are pro-immigration to those who obey the nation’s laws and wait their turn.

Contact the writer:

bkalinowski@citizensvoice.com

570-821-2055;

@cvbobkal on Twitter

An advocate for the elderly is encouraging Medicare enrollees seeking supplemental insurance to begin researching which plan is best for them as the 2020 annual enrollment period approaches.

Current Medicare beneficiaries seeking to change supplemental insurance plans can do so from Oct. 15 to Dec. 7, with coverage becoming effective on Jan. 1.

Traditional Medicare is a government-sponsored health insurance program that provides coverage for hospital stays, doctor visits and prescriptions for people age 65 and older and disabled people.

Medicare does not cover all costs, however. Because of that, many people enroll in a Medicare Advantage plan offered through private insurance companies.

There are a wide variety of plans with varying costs and benefits, so consumers need to carefully consider their individual circumstances to find the one that’s best for them, said Diane Fetch, local coordinator for APPRISE, a state-funded program that offers free Medicare counseling through the Voluntary Action Center in Scranton.

“It’s very hard for the elderly to understand the Medicare dialogue,” Fetch said. “They can come in and speak to a counselor. It makes a lot of issues clearer.”

The government’s official Medicare website, Medicare.gov, offers consumers a tool to compare all Medicare Advantage plans in their area. APPRISE counselors can help consumers navigate the site. Call 570-347-5616 to make an appointment.

Many insurers also offer licensed Medicare counselors to assist consumers in the enrollment process with their plans.

When choosing a plan, consumers should ensure their doctor and preferred hospital are within a plan’s network, said Crystal Kominski, manager of Medicare sales for Geisinger Health Plan, one of numerous insurers that offer Medicare Advantage plans. They should also ensure any medications they take are in the plan’s formulary and, if they are, what they cost, she said.

Other considerations include whether a plan has a monthly premium and/or deductible and the cost of copays, coinsurance and the out-of-pocket maximum, Kominski said.

Geisinger Health Plan is offering a new Medicare Advantage plan this year, Geisinger Gold Classic 360 RX, that has no monthly premium, deductible or copays for primary care physician visits. The plan also offers many other benefits. It is available to residents in 18 counties, including Lackawanna, Luzerne, Wyoming and Pike.

Additional information on Medicare Advantage plans is contained in the Medicare & You brochure available at Medicare.gov.

Contact the writer:

tbesecker@timesshamrock.com; 570-348-9137;

@tmbeseckerTT on Twitter

Oct. 12, 1969

Litter story leads to student protest

A group of students packed the Scranton Times Building the afternoon of Oct. 11, 1969. The young adults were upset about an article that was published in the paper Sept. 29 that dealt with litter that was left behind on Courthouse Square after the Square Happening II.

The demonstration was led by James Moran, a student at Scranton Prep, and Robert Schnessel, a member of the band Thee Avantees, who played at the festival.

Moran said of the article, “The citizens of Scranton got the butt end when the Times didn’t recognize the relevance of the arts festival and took the side issue of the litter. The litter shouldn’t even have been mentioned. Being together for art was the important thing.”

In response to the Saturday afternoon picket line, Times General Manager Frank Blewitt said, “They have as much right to protest as we have to publish the articles.”

The Square Happening II was a music and art festival sponsored by the Lackawanna County Arts Council that started Friday, Sept. 26, and ran to Sunday, Sept. 28. The festival featured music by numerous bands, including Thee Avantees, Canned Music, and Jack and the Rippers, and drew thousands of young people to Courthouse Square. In addition to the music, there was a wide variety of art displayed around the square, and an ecumenical church service was held Sept. 28.

Speaking about the litter issue, Dr. Peter Cupple, arts council president, said due to lack of funds the council had to “depend on volunteers” to clean up after the festival.

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.

Check out the latest episode of Historically Hip, our local history podcast, in which Brian talks with Chris Kelly about the soon-to-be published book “Lackawanna Memories” - https://accessnepa.com/pages-from-the-past/historically-hip-lackawanna-memories/

MARRIAGE LICENSES

• Ryan Pisaneschi and Mickey Carl Kellam III, both of Taylor.

• Michael Joseph Comstock Jr., of Avoca, and Cheryl Lynn Davis, of Moosic.

• Shauna Ann Cuff, of Pittston, and Howard Todd Wickkizer, of Eynon.

• Michael Joseph Mullen, of Scranton, and Carole Anne Mott, of Clarks Summit.

PROPERTY TRANSACTIONS

• John W. and Karen J. Boardman, Orefield, to Rami and Viktoriya Abrams, and Alexander and Katerina Reshey, tenants in common; a property in Clifton Twp., for $165,000.

• BRT Ice LP, Scranton, to Thomas E. and Carol S. Florey, Clarks Summit; a parcel in South Abington Twp., for $60,000.

• Sunrise Select Properties II LLC, Lake Ariel, to Amanda and Tait Hoffmeier, Dalton; a property in Richmondale, for $115,000.

• Michael Martin, executor for the estate of Rita A. Horan, to Richard D. Block, Fort Lee, N.J.; a property at 137 S. Church St., Carbondale, for $72,000.

• Daniel J. and Tiffany M. Cross, Clarks Summit, to Cody Wheeler and Jordyn O’Leary, Newport News, Va.; a property at 503 Highland Ave., Clarks Summit, for $168,500.

• Elizabeth Ann Hunter, New York, to Lisa Thomas, Lackawanna County; two parcels in Fell Twp., for $150,000.

• Paul Coviello and Joanne Snopek, both of Scranton, to A&R Empire Properties LLC; a property at 1412 N. Sumner Ave., Scranton, for $30,000.

• Sarah McKenna, Dickson City, to Robert Edward Tassie Jr.; a property 620 Main St., Dickson City, for $109,570.

• Scranton Lackawanna Industrial Building Co., to Adam J. Touch Jr., Scott Twp.; a property in Archbald, for $25,000.

• Joseph J. Nadel and Nancy V. Myers, to Joseph W. and Goia N. Palmerio, Sarasota, Fla.; a property in Clifton Twp., for $87,500.

• Melissa J. Morgan, to William Peters and Susan Galvez-Espinoza; a property at 2003 Rockwell Ave., Scranton, for $37,000.

• Joseph G. Becker, Carbondale, to David Patrick Eakle, Jessup; a property at 17 Richmond St., Carbondale, for $28,000.

• Robert K. and Priscilla Maciejeski, Lackawanna County, to Matthew Scott and Kimberly Nicole Cline, Lackawanna County; a property at 428 Fourth Ave., Scranton, for $103,000.

• Estate of William A. Rack, Andrea M. Rack and Jessica Scuorzo, co-executrixes, to Keith C. and Deanna M. DeLucia; a property 134 S. Lehigh Drive, Clifton Twp., for $47,000.

• Ann F. and Robert Marzolino, Thomas J. Walsh and Mary Lynn Benfante, tenants in common, to Ayoub Alobid and Shamsa Alobid-Alnaaes; a property at 407 Fourth St., Dunmore, for $127,500.

• Katherine Nunes, also known as Katherine Mountjoy Nunes, to Pamela Christine Anslinger; a property at 605-607 W. Taylor St., Taylor, for $85,000.

DIVORCES SOUGHT

• Diana J. Butera, Avoca, v. Joseph R. Butera, Avoca; married Oct. 9, 1982; Marjorie DeSanto Barlow, attorney.

• Carmen Janet Suarez, Blakely, v. Jose M. Suarez Jr., Brooklyn, N.Y.; married Feb. 14, 2005, in Monroe County; pro se.

ESTATE FILED

• Ann Eibach, 3232 Pittston Ave., Scranton, letters testamentary to William Eibach, 1022 N. 10th St., Whitehall, and Susan Valdez, 3403 Hunters Stand, San Antonio, Texas.

BENCH WARRANTS

Judge Thomas Munley has issued the following bench warrants for failure to appear on fines and costs:

• Megan F. Walsh, 3721 Pittston Ave., left, Scranton; $3,797.50.

• Shawana L. Taylor, 921 S. Webster Ave., Scranton; $937.25.

• Jason M. Smith, 3701 14th St., W. Lot 101, Bradenton, Fla.; $1,093.91.

• Casey Marie Smith, 222 N. Bromley Ave., Scranton; $715.25.

• Charles M. Scalamonti, 523 Clarkson Ave., Apt. 2, Jessup; $9,991.35.

• Laquan Sartin, 119 Belvedere Drive, 14B, Scranton; $337.

• Michael Sanitate, 310 N. Decker Court, Scranton; $4,090.07.

• Jennifer Ross, 505 Linden St., Scranton; $2,915.75.

• Jose Antonio Bega-Rodriguez, 137 W. Market St., Room 2, Scranton; $3,722.50.

• Michele Ann Rodriguez, 109 Laurel Lane Estates, Wilkes-Barre; $2,001.50.

• Kaila Robinson, 28 Noyes Ave., Kingston; $1,109.50.

• Eugene Richelle, 2104 Washburn St., Scranton; $1,805.81.

• Nature Antoine Reid, 1505 Kozy Drive, Scranton; $517.76.

• Carly Renee Radford, 1300 Monsey Ave. Unit A, Scranton; $425.

• Joseph Paone, 101 Prospect Ave., Apt. 2, Scranton; $2,658.48.

• Jessica L. Kerber, 8C Henry Drive, Jermyn; $1,598.50.

• Mushin Kendricks, 216 E. Drinker St., Apt. 7 Room 3, Dunmore; $1029.

ONLINE: thetimes-tribune.com/court

JENKINS TWP.

Elderly couple

killed in crash

A Forty Fort couple in their 80s died Thursday when their car collided head on with another on River Road in Jenkins Twp., according to police.

Joseph R. Lyons, 83, and Gloria J. Lyons, 80, were pronounced dead at Wilkes-Barre General Hospital following the 5:40 p.m. crash, police said.

The driver of the other car, Zabrina M. Burge, 27, of Wyoming, and her passenger, Sheikhm M. Conteg, 26, of Wilkes-Barre, were transported to Geisinger Wyoming Valley Medical Center in Plains Twp. for treatment, police said.

Both were listed in fair condition.

Township and state police were investigating the crash, and no charges had been immediately filed.

— STAFF REPORT

WILKES-BARRE

Admitted child

rapist jailed

A Dupont man who admitted raping a 12-year-old girl was sentenced Thursday to serve up to 20 years in state prison.

Joshua Michael McGilvary, 20, previously pleaded guilty to charges of rape of a child, statutory sexual assault and possessing child pornography.

Luzerne County Judge Joseph F. Sklarosky Jr. imposed the sentence Thursday, ordering McGilvary to serve 10 to 20 years in prison and to pay more than $2,700 in restitution.

Prosecutors say McGilvary met the girl while he was delivering pizza to her friend’s house and befriended her on social media. During subsequent encounters, McGilvary had sex with the girl and used his cellphone to take sexually explicit pictures of her, prosecutors said.

— JAMES HALPIN

Jessup officials face an uphill battle to preemptively install noise barriers along the Casey Highway to cut down on future truck traffic noise.

With three warehouses totaling nearly 3 million square feet moving into Jessup and Archbald, Councilman Pete Larioni estimates the town could see as many as 80 tractor-trailers an hour on the Casey.

To combat the traffic noise, the borough wants the state to install barriers along the residential side of the 2-plus miles of the highway in Jessup. The barriers would cost about $1 million per mile, Larioni said.

Larioni acknowledged that the Casey Highway is perfect for distribution centers and will be a substantial source of tax revenue for the town and the Valley View School District, but the noise is concerning.

“The Casey Highway, first of all, is noisy enough,” said Larioni, who lives a few hundred yards from the industrial highway. “When a truck winds down, it’s noisy. When there’s 60 or 80 an hour, it’s deafening.”United States Department of Transportation’s Federal Highway Administration

Exterior noise levels have to approach or exceed 67 decibels in

residential areas, cemeteries, parks, playgrounds, schools, trails and the like to be considered for noise abatements, according to the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation

.

A normal conversation is about 60 decibels and washing machines and dishwashers are on average 70 decibels, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

. Hearing damage can occur after two hours of exposure to 80 decibels, according to the CDC.

To get the noise barriers installed, the borough must overcome multiple hurdles, said Steve Pitoniak

, Lackawanna County’s transportation planning manager.

When the Casey Highway was designed two decades ago, officials conducted a study and determined the highway didn’t need noise barriers, Pitoniak said.

“That’s the first hurdle,” he said.

Also, state legislators designated the highway as a scenic byway from Carbondale to Dunmore, and there’s an initiative to designate the entirety of Route 6

from Ohio to New York as a scenic byway, he said. That means no sound barriers unless legislators remove the designation, and they can’t just remove it in Jessup, Pitoniak said.

PennDOT also would only install the barriers as part of its Type I projects, which are “major, major construction projects,” Pitoniak said.

Right now, the only work on the Casey Highway is fixing potholes, repairing cracked pavement and other maintenance — not Type I work, he said.

The topography of the land in Jessup also makes installing sound barriers a problem, Pitoniak said. The land along the roadway is sloped, which doesn’t leave room for barriers.

“That makes it even more expensive,” he said.

State Rep. Kyle Mullins, D-112, Blakely

, contacted PennDOT on behalf of Jessup.

“It is my understanding that these are costly projects, and there is a lengthy process associated with them,” Mullins said. “I certainly understand their concerns.”

He said he is happy to continue facilitating discussion between borough and state officials.

For the borough to get noise barriers, Pitoniak said Jessup will need to conduct a sound study after the warehouses are built to determine whether the barriers are needed. Then, the borough would need to secure funding for the project, get the scenic byway designation removed and engineer the project, he said.

Waiting until the warehouses are built is too little, too late, Larioni said.

“By the time you get them up, people in Jessup are going to suffer,” he said. “Where do you go from there? I’m afraid of that.”

Contact the writer:

flesnefsky@timesshamrock.com;

570-348-9100 x5181;

@flesnefskyTT on Twitter