The owner of an Old Forge scrapyard must provide the borough with certain business records as part of their ongoing legal battle, a Lackawanna County judge ruled Thursday.

Judge Thomas Munley issued an order granting the borough’s motion to receive the documents while postponing Thursday’s scheduled contempt hearing for Walter Stocki Jr. to allow adequate time for him to produce the records and for the court to review them.

The judge rescheduled the hearing for Dec. 18 at 10:30 a.m.

Old Forge officials contend Stocki is operating an illegal junkyard in violation of the borough zoning ordinance and asked the court in 2018 to shut down the business.

In August, the borough petitioned the court to hold Stocki in contempt — and to fine or jail him — for repeatedly defying Munley’s orders to cease operations and clean up the site.

In the meantime, the borough demanded that Stocki produce personal and business financial records for the contempt hearing, a motion the businessman opposed.

At a hearing on the issue Wednesday before Munley, the two sides reached an agreement under which Stocki will provide the borough with certain records related to his business, but no personal records, said Stocki’s attorney, Edmund Scacchitti.

The documents include all receipts and disbursements of Scrap Enterprises, Scrap Enterprises Inc. and Trion Equipment Sales LLC for the period from July 18, 2018, through Wednesday, according to the judge’s order.

Efforts to reach borough Solicitor William Rinaldi were unsuccessful.

Munley gave Stocki until Dec. 4 to deliver the documents to the court.

“The court recognized it will take time to assemble those records,” Scacchitti said.

The judge said the court will conduct a review of the documents with Scacchitti and Rinaldi to determine whether they contain any private, privileged or confidential information that should be redacted.

Scacchitti said he anticipates that could include information about vendors and other third parties that is not relevant to the borough’s dispute with his client.

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

The Scranton School District presented teachers with a “brazen” offer this week that freezes pay, “attacks” class size limits and eliminates the preschool program and its teachers, according to the union.

The two sides met Wednesday, the first time since the district entered financial recovery in January. Teachers have worked under an expired contract since 2017, and the recovery plan, which the school board approved in August, includes no guaranteed salary increases for five years. The 2020 proposed budget approved by the board also included no money for raises.

“The morale is shot in the district,” said Rosemary Boland, president of the Scranton Federation of Teachers. “I don’t think the people in Scranton, the parents especially, would at all appreciate what was given to us.”

Wednesday’s offer included changes to class size limits and health care, requiring secondary teachers to teach six periods instead of five, changes to salary step movement and ending compensation for covering other classes during planning periods. The recovery plan calls for the district to seek an outside agency to take over the preschool program, an issue discussed on Wednesday, according to the union.

Teachers have not had a raise since the 2016-17 school year, which has led to some teachers leaving the district, employees have said. For the last three years, a first-year teacher has started at $38,377 a year, lower than other districts in the area. Many teachers also are waiting for a large salary increase that comes in their 16th year of teaching in the district. For example, teachers with master’s degrees go from making $59,148 to $81,226 from their 15th to 16th step. Since the contract is expired, teachers have not moved any steps on the salary scale. By the end of this school year — the third year working under the expired contract — some teachers waiting to move to the 16th step will have lost more than $60,000. Union leaders have vowed to fight for retroactive pay.

In 2017, teachers gave union leadership the ability to call a strike if necessary — an option that is not off the table, Boland said Thursday.

Boland questioned how the district could find money for administrators last week, when the board removed the “acting” title from members of the new administrative team. The employees received a combined annual raise of $72,000. By continuing to keep some administrative positions vacant, the district will still save about $540,000 per year, according to the district.

The two sides plan to meet twice again this month, Boland said. The district did not provide an offer for paraprofessionals, which are also represented by the union.

The district’s negotiating team includes Superintendent Melissa McTiernan, Business Manager Patrick Laffey, Chief Human Resource Officer John Castrovinci and Attorney Matthew Carmody from the firm Joyce, Carmody and Moran. Chief Recovery Officer Candis Finan, Ed.D., was also in the room, Boland said.

The district offered no details on the offer today.

“We met yesterday (Wednesday) with SFT representatives,” McTiernan said. “Contract negotiations are ongoing.”

Contact the writer: shofius@timesshamrock.com; 570-348-9133; @hofiushallTT on Twitter

SCRANTON — The fate of a proposed drug-addiction treatment center near Lake Scranton may hinge on whether a variance from over 30 years ago for a medical clinic there continues on the property.

Lackawanna County Court Judge James Gibbons heard arguments Thursday in Diamond 307 LLC’s appeal of a zoning rejection of the firm’s plan to put a drug-addiction treatment center in the former Geisinger medical clinic/Elks club building on Moosic Street (Route 307).

Gibbons did not immediately rule on the appeal.

Geisinger was granted a variance in 1986 for a clinic at the building, which is in an R1 residential zone.

During zoning hearings in April and May on Diamond 307’s request for a special exception to allow the treatment center, the Oakmont Park Apartments complex and residents belonging to the Oakmont Neighborhood Association objected to having a treatment center across Moosic Street.

The zoning board’s rejection in June of Diamond 307’s proposal prompted the firm to file an appeal in county court in July.

During a 90-minute-long hearing Thursday in the appeal, Diamond 307 attorney William Jones argued the 1986 variance for a medical clinic remains in effect for the property and thus the treatment center is allowed.

“They (a prior zoning board) gave them a new use, a medical clinic, and that runs with the land” now owned by Diamond 307, Jones said.

Zoning board solicitor Daniel Penetar noted Diamond 307 sought a special exception to put a treatment center in the building. The former medical clinic and the proposed treatment center “are two different things,” Penetar told the judge. “The board found a treatment center is not compatible with the otherwise residential nature of the neighborhood.”

The only issue before the court in the appeal is whether the zoning board erred in handling Diamond 307’s application as a special exception and not as a variance, Penetar said.

Attorney Matthew Barrett, representing the Oakmont neighborhood group, and attorney Ann Lavelle Powell, representing the Oakmont apartment complex, also claimed the variance issue is irrelevant because the firm sought a special exception.

Gibbons asked, “Do I ignore the existence of a variance that runs with the land?”

Barrett noted that during the zoning hearings he questioned whether the applicant needed a variance, but Penetar ruled a special exception was appropriate.

Also during the zoning hearings, Lakeside NEPA, which would operate the treatment facility, described it as a nonhospital, drug-free, inpatient residential treatment center. It also would offer counseling and offsite vocational training for people who first completed detox programs elsewhere. The facility would house up to 30 people for between 30 and 90 days and would employ 11. Proponents, who included recovering addicts, also testified before the zoning board that such a treatment center is greatly needed locally in light of the opioid crisis plaguing the region, state and nation.

Jones claimed the treatment center’s use would be much less intensive than the Geisinger clinic that had 30 physicians.

But Powell argued the center’s 24-7 hours and nature of operations regarding its residents, staffing, lockdowns and curfews make it incompatible in the residential zone.

“It would change the neighborhood,” Powell said.

Jones also claimed the opposition is based on discrimination against disabled people — recovering addicts — and because they would live there during their stays.

Gibbons did not indicate when he expected to issue a ruling. That decision also may prompt a further appeal from either side.

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

SCRANTON — The annual Lackawanna Winter Market at the Globe returns to the 100 block of Wyoming Avenue next month, promising a plethora of vendors and activities for holiday shoppers and festive fun-seekers alike.

Commissioners Patrick O’Malley and Laureen Cummings joined other officials at a press conference inside the former Globe store Thursday to preview the three-day market, which opens Dec. 6 — First Friday in downtown Scranton — and runs through Sunday, Dec. 8.

“Ladies and gentleman, we’re going to light up Wyoming Avenue again,” O’Malley said. “(We’re) going to light up the front of the Globe so it has all of its Christmas prestige ... and the beautiful look of the holiday season.”

Boasting more than 60 vendors, free pictures with Santa, horse and carriage rides and more, officials said the market should offer something for everybody, from those searching for the perfect present to those seeking the nostalgia of shopping in and around the Globe once again.

In its past life as the city’s principle retail hub, the Globe served as a holiday destination for generations of residents. Officials and organizations have continued that tradition in recent years, hosting a market inside the landmark building in 2016 and 2017 and in large heated tents outside the Globe last year. This year’s festivities will take place largely in the heated tents on Wyoming Avenue, but the Globe will host some vendors, exhibits and activities as well.

Beyond bringing more holiday cheer downtown, Lackawanna County Arts and Cultures Director Maureen McGuigan touted the market as a driver of holiday tourism that will benefit downtown restaurants and businesses.

“There’s no place like home for the holidays,” said McGuigan, who thanked Anthracite Events, an event-planning and marketing firm, and the nonprofit Scranton Tomorrow for helping plan the market. “Whatever tradition you celebrate, Scranton and Lackawanna County is a great place to be.”

For more information, search “Lackawanna Winter Market at the Globe 2019” on Facebook.

Contact the writer:


jhorvath@timesshamrock.com;
570-348-9141;
@jhorvathTT on Twitter

SCRANTON

City firefighters made short work of a porch fire Thursday in West Scranton.

Crews responded to 602 S. Main Ave. around 11 a.m. and quickly extinguished a fire on a second-floor porch at the back of the four-unit apartment building, Assistant Fire Chief Jack Davis said.

The fire was contained to the porch, he said. There were no injuries.

The cause of the fire is under investigation, Davis said.

— DAVID SINGLETON

East Scranton

Neighbors meet: Hill Neighbor­hood Association meeting, Nov. 20, 6 p.m., lower level of St. Peter’s Lutheran Church, membership renewals are due.

Lackawanna County

Chapter meeting: Lackawanna Valley Chapter of Trout Unlimited general membership meeting, Nov. 20, 7 p.m., Tripp Park Com­munity Center, 2000 Dorothy St., Scranton, agenda includes election of officers.

Santa ride: Electric City Trolley Museum presents Ride with Santa on the Trolley beginning Nov. 30 and Dec. 1, and continuing every weekend up to the last weekend before Christmas, excursion times 10 and 11 a.m., and 12:30, 2 and 3:30 p.m., regular rates apply, children 2 and under are free, reservations are required; 570-963-6590.

Mayfield

Club drawing: St. John’s 300 Club of St. John’s Russian Orth­o­dox Cathedral final drawing and dinner, Tuesday, 6 p.m., church center, 701 Hill St.; 570-876-0730.

Regional

Community forum: PA SILC State Plan for Independent Living (SPIL) Forum, Tuesday, 11 a.m.-2 p.m., MyCIL, 1142 Sanderson Ave., Scranton, to hear directly from our peers on their needs to live independently in the community; comments can be submitted through Dec. 31: by mail, PA SILC, 207 House Ave., Suite 107, Camp Hill, PA 17011; email: spil@pasilc.org; phone: 717-364-1732; fax: 717-236-8800; or Facebook: PA Statewide Independent Living Council.

Riverside

School District

Parents conferences: Riverside elementary school parent-teacher conferences for the first marking period will take place Nov. 21, 6-8 p.m., and Nov. 22 (East, 12:15-3:15 p.m. and West, 12:40-3:40 p.m.) East dismissal, 11 a.m., and West, 11:30 a.m., both days.

CLIPBOARD ITEMS may be sent to yesdesk@timessham

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UPPER MAKEFIELD — People see the serrated leaves and the fuzzy buds from afar, but it’s the familiar smell wafting over the field that seals the deal. They pack a not-so-brilliant idea into their heads and scramble to yank the hardy plants right from the soil. Back home, they light up and sit sober in the smoke, writing off their heist as a bunch of awful weed.

Hemp resembles marijuana, its much more psychoactive cousin, in many ways except one: It probably won’t get you high. Pennsylvanians caught stealing hemp still haven’t figured that out.

“I thought I was in pot heaven,” said one young man caught in the act on Halloween.

The hemp was lifted from Ashleigh Baldwin’s crop. Hemp was legalized for growing in the United States last year, and Baldwin cultivates 50 acres of it on a dairy farm straddling Bucks and Lehigh counties. She uses the hemp oil to make cbdelight, a line of CBD (cannaboidal) sodas. Medicinal marijuana, legal in 33 states including Pennsylvania, is usually grown indoors.

The Halloween theft wasn’t the first time Baldwin’s been hit.

“There’s a lot of these dumb 18-year-olds out there doing this,” she said.

Across the country, marijuana and hemp products are hurtling toward a ho-hum ubiquity, and some day, the whiff of both may be as common in Pennsylvania as cow dung and fried onions.

Industrial hemp was used for centuries to make fiber, paper, food, and fuels, until the Marihuana Tax Act of 1937 effectively put the kibosh on all cannabis. Only a year into hemp’s relegalization, its oil is being touted as a treatment for a slew of ailments, from epilepsy to anxiety and inflammation. CBD products are appearing in health stores and even on supermarket shelves.

But many people still act on some primal urge when they see a field of hemp, thinking it’s something else. They steal from the Amish, and from farms in Vermont; in Ventura County, California, a 70-year-old man was caught stealing hemp last week.

“CBD cannot get you high. You can smoke a whole telephone pole of this without having any effect,” farmer Dale Weed told local news after repeated thefts in Wayne County, New York, last month.

Many hemp farms have signage informing passers-by that the crops do not contain THC, the active, mind-altering substance in marijuana. (Legal hemp is supposed to contain 0.3% THC or less, but crops can vary.) Baldwin uses air cannons to scare away the deer from her hemp, but the land is un-fenced. She assumed common sense would prevail, that any would-be thief would stop and wonder why marijuana would be cultivated so openly.

The first theft from Baldwin’s crop occurred on Oct. 11, when a young man stole a plant, threw it in his trunk, and sped off, only to be pulled over by Pennsylvania State Police a short time later. The plants can reach heights of 16 feet.

“It was like a Christmas tree of hemp,” Baldwin said. “The officer could smell it before he got out of his car.”

Police have no easy way to test whether a plant is legal hemp, or marijuana. Both test positive for cannaboids. Baldwin believes that’s why a State Police vice squad showed up after the theft, looking for an illegal grow operation.

“Even the police thought we were growing marijuana,” Casey Parzych, Baldwin’s husband and business partner, said on the farm last week.

Neither a spokesman for the State Police’s Bethlehem barracks, nor the investigator who showed up at the farm that day, returned requests for comment. Baldwin declined to press charges against the thief.

The second heist occurred on Halloween, when three young men snatched and ran. They were caught by State Police in Fogelsville, Lehigh County. Baldwin again did not press charges, hoping that the culprits - two age 18, the other 19 - would spread the word to friends. They agreed to speak to The Philadelphia Inquirer at the farm on condition of anonymity. The mother of one of them came, too.

They said they likely wouldn’t have stolen the hemp had they known what it was. Signs might work, they added.

“Then again, kids are stupid,” one said. “I mean we were stupid, too.”

Trooper Brent Miller, a State Police spokesman, said that the hemp incident was the first reported at the Fogelsville barracks.

The thefts didn’t cripple Baldwin and Parzych’s crop, but they’re a distraction during the harvest, when farmhands are working long hours to cut the plant and dry it in heated storage units once used for tobacco.

(EDITORS: STORY CAN END HERE)

After the plants dry, the stalks and stems are separated from the buds and leaves used to make the oil. The website weedmaps.com says a 1-ounce bottle of CBD oil can cost from $30 to $200.

Brenden Pakebusch, a Texas native working on the farm, said he never could tell the difference between hemp and marijuana. The smell saturates his clothes and his Volkswagen SUV.

“It’s not something you could tell by looking at it,” he said.

Erica Stark, executive director of the National Hemp Association, said there have been “some instances of hemp” theft in Pennsylvania, but she didn’t know if all of them were cases of mistaken identity. Hemp, she says, has its own value.

It’s just not going to get you high.

MARRIAGE LICENSES

• Shannon Marie Maskal and Deborah Jean Galade, both of Scranton.

• Kevin Edward O’Dell and Kerri Lynne Frail, both of Dupont.

• Scott Christopher Cleveland, Clarks Summit, and Haley Lee Seboe, Tunkhannock.

• Jose Danilo Henriquez-Benavidez and Luz Maria Canales-Garcia, both of Scranton.

PROPERTY TRANSACTIONS

• Kenneth and Linda Powell, Archbald, to Angelo J. and Kelly C. Parente, Pittston; a property at 402 Snapdragon Drive, Moosic, for $48,500.

• Paul C. and Irene P. Woelkers, Moscow, to 1218 Monroe Avenue LLC, Kingston; a property at 1218 Monroe Ave., Dunmore, for $460,000.

• Nationstar Mortgage LLC, doing business as Mr. Cooper, attorney-in-fact for U.S. Bank NA, Coppell, Texas, to Clearvue Capital Corp.; two parcels in Jefferson Twp. for $70,875.

• Stanley and Lorraine Loff, and Eric Jason and Danielle Loff, to Dan T. Kausmeyer; a property at 301 Elm St., Jermyn, for $79,000.

• Robert J. Jr. and Cindy A. Davis to Cody Burk and Samantha Dickson, as joint tenants with rights of survivorship; a property at 615 Oak St. and Center Street, Old Forge, for $156,000.

• Daniel and Dawn Acevedo to Isaac Millar and Eljah Millar, as tenants in common; a property at 1849 Clearview St., Scranton, for $68,000.

• David R. Johnson and Maryann Johnson, by her power of attorney, David R. Johnson, Moscow, to Abbie Maseychick and Kyle Best, Pennsylvania, as joint tenants with rights of survivorship; a property at 503 Circle Drive, Roaring Brook Twp., for $190,000.

• Nationstar Mortgage LLC, attorney-in-fact for Nationstar HECM Acquisition Trust 2018-3, to Johny Burhan; a property at 323 New St., Scranton, for $28,500.

• Giuseppe Sparacio and Sera Amato, and Giuseppe Amato, to Vincenzo and Angela Bonello; a property in Scranton for $125,000.

• John Charles and Maida S. Alfano, Avenue, Md., and Martin A. and Bronwyn Alfano, Wilmington, Del., to James Petrucci; two parcels in Scranton for $125,000.

• John J. Jr. and Constance Sladicka, Lebanon, N.J., to David M. Boguski, Simpson; a property at 143 R. Cameron St., Fell Twp., for $37,800.

• Barbara Recicar, executrix of the estate of Delores Nagy, Scranton, Mithad Radoncic, Scranton; a property at 1423 Euclid Ave., Scranton, for $32,000.

• Dinamico Corp., Scranton, to Andrew C. Jr. and Tara M. Collins, Scranton; a property at 1120 Columbia St., Scranton, for $249,000.

• Joseph C. and Lauren S. Peet, Old Forge, to Ronald G. Catlin, Clarks Summit; a property at 1279 Bennett St., Old Forge, for $80,000.

• Patrick J. and Mary T. Dunleavy, Scranton, to Eric Pleska, White Plains, N.Y.; two parcels in Scranton for $257,500.

LAWSUIT

• Elaine M. Baez, 1044 Treeline Drive, Allentown, v. Matthew P. Trnka, 55 Beechbank Cres, London, Ontario, Canada, and Volvo Trucks Canada, 2100 Derry Road West, Mississauga, Ontario, seeking in excess of $50,000, plus interest, costs and such other relief deemed appropriate on four counts, for injuries suffered Oct. 27, 2018, in an automobile accident on Lower Macungie Road, Lower Macungie Twp.; John Mulcahey and Caroline Munley, attorneys.

ESTATES FILED

• Joan Lee Rudisill, 135 Carbondale Road, Waverly Twp., letters of administration to Craig Rudisill, 206 Pennsylvania Ave., Chalfont.

• Andrew Polovitch, also known as Andrew M. Polovitch, 329 Dunmore St., Throop, letters testamentary to Joyce Kissolovege, 146 Cambridge Road, Harmony, Maine.

ONLINE: thetimes-tribune.com/court

Abington Heights

Band benefit: Abington Heights Marching Comets sponsoring a Royal Brunch to benefit the band and its December performance trip to Hershey Park, Nov. 30, 10 a.m., Posh, 404 N. Washington Ave., Scranton; meet and greet with your favorite prince and princesses, photo opportunities, face painting, basket raffles and chances to win the Frozen II Ultimate Arendelle Castle; $20/general admission and $12/6 and under; tickets can be purchased through the Eventbrite site, Abington Heights Band Booster Facebook page or any booster or band member.

Lackawanna County

Electronics recycling: Electronic manufacturer Hewlett-Packard sponsoring an electronics recycling collection for residents of Lackawanna County in cooperation with the county Environmental Office in celebration of America Recycles Day, Saturday, 9 a.m.-1 p.m., Viewmont Mall parking lot; televisions and computers will be accepted by Hewlett-Packard along with copiers and peripherals; 570-963-2017.

Pittston

Special Mass: Enthronement of the Sacred Heart Mass on the Feast of Christ the King will be celebrated Nov. 24 at 3 p.m. at the Oblates of St. Joseph Seminary Chapel; Sacred Heart Singers will provide music beginning with a prelude of contemporary Christian music at 2:30 p.m.; refreshments and fellowship follow the Mass; those desiring to receive an enthronement should contact Maria Pappa, Enthronement Guild coordinator, 570-241-8171, to arrange to receive an enthronement packet at Mass.

Wayne County

Alzheimer’s presentation: Wayne Memorial Hospital, the Wayne County Agency on Aging, Pa. Link and the Alzheimer’s Association free presentation, Dec. 10, 5:30-7 p.m., Park Street Complex, 648 W. Park St., Honesdale, light dinner included; Jean Tuttle, 570-253-8990 or tuttle@wmh.org.

Donations needed: Donations are needed for the Thanksgiving Together program, which was founded four decades ago to provide a community Thanksgiving dinner for those in need and those who want to spend the holiday with others; the program operates solely through donations from the community and some government food assistance; send contributions for Thanksgiving Together to Grace Episcopal Church, 827 Church St., Honesdale, PA 18431; for information or to volunteer, leave a message at the church office, 570-253-2760 or HonesdaleEpiscopalChurch@gmail.com.

CLIPBOARD ITEMS may be sent to yesdesk@timessham

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If President Donald Trump lived in Waverly Twp., he might have won the township auditor election with a couple more votes.

Same goes for Clint Eastwood.

Voters wrote in the names of the president and the actor/director who once served as Carmel, California, mayor for the auditor job. They were among many silly and clearly sarcastic write-in votes cast Nov. 5 for various elected jobs across Lackawanna County.

It happens every Election Day, most often in races with no candidates on the ballot, though not as much at this one for some reason.

“It wasn’t as bad,” said Marion Medalis, the county director of elections. “I think people are being a lot more conscientious.”

Medalis’ job includes determining if election winners are registered to vote in the towns they won office, the main reason Trump and Eastwood couldn’t serve if they won.

She didn’t have to make the residency call on Trump and Eastwood because they only got one vote each. Sandy Davidock won the job with two votes. She didn’t actually seek the auditor seat, but apparently a couple of neighbors wrote in her name so she plans to do it.

“I like Clint,” Davidock said. “Hopefully, someone else beats Trump next year.”

Eastwood and Trump were among 15 people to get write-in votes for the Waverly auditor job, mainly because no one was on the ballot for it.

Earlier this week, Dunmore residents learned that Janet Brier scored 2,323 write-in votes to surprisingly beat two candidates — incumbent Councilmen Michael Hayes and Michael McHale — who appeared on the ballot.

Brier mounted a write-in campaign because of dissatisfaction with Hayes and McHale over their vote on a Keystone Sanitary Landfill zoning matter.

The official vote count’s completion Wednesday revealed Brier actually scored a victory over Keystone’s co-owners, too. Louis DeNaples received two write-in votes, and his brother, Dominick, one. Dominick DeNaples’ voter misspelled his first name, dropping the “k.”

Of course, unlike Brier, the DeNaples brothers didn’t seek a council seat, but imagine if they did.

Dominick DeNaples actually finished in a tie with Pat Clark, whose voter added an “e” to his last name. Clark leads Friends of Lackawanna, which is trying to thwart Keystone’s expansion plans.

Also tied with them: Ronald McDonald, Zorro, Tonto and Trigger — 1940s western movie star Roy Rogers’ horse.

Jessica Rothchild, who actually won a seat on Scranton City Council, also got a write-in council vote in Dunmore.

Businessman Bob Bolus got single write-in votes in two other towns besides the 303 for mayor in Scranton. Bolus had one in the Carbondale mayor’s race. Democratic incumbent Justin Taylor easily won there with 744 votes, despite a strong last-minute write-in campaign by young Republican Sarah Sweet, who received 337 write-in votes.

Bolus also got a write-in for South Abington Twp. auditor. So did Paige C. (presumably Scranton Mayor- elect Paige Cognetti), the FBI Scranton Office (presumably because of its arrest of ex-Scranton Mayor Bill Courtright) and Gene DePasquale (presumably the state auditor general and soon Cognetti’s former boss).

So did Alf, the shaggy extraterrestrial character from a 1980s TV show.

By the way, Bolus’ Scranton mayor total actually places him ahead of tattoo artist John Goshleski’s 76 votes, seventh among the eight candidates. Mayor Wayne Evans got 20 write-in votes.

Besides the Sweet votes, quite a few Carbondale voters for mayor expressed clear disdain for Taylor, who has resisted paying school district and county taxes on some of his properties for reasons he has largely refused to explain.

Seven voted for “Anyone Else,” 18 for Joe Miegoc, a former Times-Tribune staffer who unsuccessfully sought a council seat through write-in votes, two for Jesus Christ, and one each for Minnie Mouse, Mickey Mouse, Mittens the Cat, Any Republican, Someone Who Will Pay Taxes, Joe the Taxpayer, John Q. Public, Goffey Disney (Goofy, maybe?) and Bolus. Mickey also got a write-in vote for West Abington auditor.

Strangely, voters never seem to have a problem spelling Mickey Mouse, who has received many accurately spelled write-in votes in a variety of local elections over the years.

In Scranton, voters also cast one write-in each for mayor for Cocoa Puff and Corrupty McBriberton.

Someone’s Uncle Pat also got a vote.

In the Jefferson Twp. auditor’s race, Ceatana Keating won with 19 votes, defeating one-vote-getters DePasquale, Superman, Alice Cooper, Joe Biden and Patrick O’Malley.

The write-in vote didn’t say it was for county Commissioner Patrick O’Malley, but the commissioner can now infer he tied in an election with the former vice president who wants to beat Trump next year.

Contact the writer:

bkrawczeniuk@timesshamrock.com;

570-348-9147;

@BorysBlogTT on Twitter

Students of the month

SCRANTON

A city man agreed to plead guilty to a federal charge of distributing child pornography.

Eric George Garman, 31, was charged in August with distribution of child pornography, possession of child pornography and attempted production of child pornography for incidents that occurred between June 4 and Aug. 9. Court documents do not provide further detail.

Garman reached an agreement with federal prosecutors that calls for him to plead guilty to the distribution charge. The charge carries a mandatory minimum sentence of five years in prison up to a maximum of 20 years. No date has been set for the guilty plea.

— TERRIE MORGAN-BESECKER

PROPERTY TRANSACTIONS

n American Advisors Group Singlesource Property Solutions LLC AIF to Alfred O’Hadley, property in Falls Twp., for $130,000.

n Ann L. Miller, trustee, and Miller Ann L. Trust to Kristan Marie Newell and Shaun Mic­hael Newell, property in Tunk­han­nock Twp., for $174,900.

n Christine A. Pasquariello and John J. Hovan AIF to Nicholas J. Perez Jr., trustee, and Perez Nicholas J. Jr. Trust, property in Exeter Twp., for $100,800.

n Robert O. Hoyt III to Joel Derhammer, property in Monroe Twp., for $13,000.

n David Botscheller and Deborah Botscheller to North­wood Investments LLC, property in Overfield Twp., for $440,000.

n Gery M. Franko and Diane M. Franko to Lynn M. Arkis, property in Falls Twp., for $288,400.

n Frederick A. Stewart Jr. and Bonnie L. Stewart to Ferne A. Tiffany, property in Windham Twp., for $20,000.

n Mark Novitch and Cinda M. Novitch to Theodore R. Roberts and Jennifer Roberts, property in Nicholson Twp., for $70,000.

MARRIAGE LICENSE

n Marc Alan Reed and Ashley Marie Triest, both of Factoryville.

ESTATES FILED

n Clement F. Secor, late of Falls Twp., letters testamentary to Ann M. Condella, 901 W. Grove St., Clarks Summit, or c/o James J. Gillotti, 1212 S. Abington Road, P.O. Box 240, Clarks Summit.

n Leland James Cook, late of Northmoreland Twp., letters testamentary to Justin Lee Cook, c/o attorney Patrick Walsh, 715 N. State St., Clarks Summit.

n Michael Dziak Jr., late of Falls Twp., letters testamentary to Mercedes Butrymowicz, c/o attorney Catherine Garbus, 24 E. Tioga St., Tunkhannock.

WYOMING COUNTY COURT NOTES are published weekly in The Times-Tribune.

Nov. 15, 1954

Olympians in Scranton

Olympians converged on Scranton to help raise funds for the Olympic Fund of the Scranton Junior Chamber of Commerce.

The guests of honor at the Hotel Casey were Jesse Owens, gold medalist of the 1936 games; Dr. Walter Tewksbury of Tunkhannock, gold, silver and bronze medalist of the 1900 games; Mayfield native Johnny Terpak of the 1936 games; and Margaret Hoffman of the 1928 and 1932 games.

In his speech, Owens asked those in attendance to make a donation to support the athletes competing for the United States at the 1955 Pan American Games in Mexico City and at the 1956 Olympics in Melbourne, Australia.

Dangerous way to play

Two East Scranton boys, ages 6 and 7, were discovered playing with 42 dynamite caps in a yard in the 800 block of Union Street. The discovery was made by a neighbor, who called the Scranton police. When the police arrived, the neighbor turned over the blasting caps to them. The boys told the police they found the caps at dump near Gibson Street.

Toy sale at American Auto

Chain-drive tractor, $6.95; pedal-powered Champion Auto, $11.98; ride-on locomotive and trailer, $7.94; Teena-Toddler lifelike walking doll, $4.98; board game Chutes and Ladders, 69 cents; and a Winky-Blinky firetruck, $1.69.

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.

Lackawanna County is seeking fresh bids to convert a former medical office building into the county’s Criminal Justice Center after issues with the first round of bidding.

The county purchased the $875,000 building at 1380 Wyoming Ave. last year with plans to convert it into the future home of Central Court. Advocates of the project tout the building’s location behind Lackawanna County Prison as a major benefit, arguing the county could save hundreds of thousands of dollars a year in inmate transportation costs.

Commissioners seemed prepared to vote last month on almost $3.2 million worth of construction contracts for the project when they appeared on the board’s Oct. 23 meeting agenda. Those contracts included: general trades, Mar-Paul, $1,955,000; HVAC, Robert Harrington, $505,000; plumbing, Scranton Electric, $244,950, and electrical, Joyce Electrical, $495,000.

Commissioners instead tabled the matter, did not bring it up for a vote at the following meeting on Nov. 6, and ultimately decided to rebid the project. A new bid notice appeared in Tuesday’s edition of The Times-Tribune.

Reached this week, county General Counsel Donald Frederickson said officials decided to solicit new bids after one bidding firm — Scranton-based Scartelli Construction Services and General Contractors Inc. — withdrew and resubmitted their bid after the 11 a.m. submission deadline but prior to the 2 p.m. bid opening Oct. 17.

The firm’s owner, Don Scartelli, said his company didn’t withdraw its original bid, but modified it prior to the bid opening after discovering an error in their original submission. That error, he said, stemmed from confusing and ambiguous language in the county’s original bid specifications related to an alternate bid for roof coating.

Scartelli also argued the county’s bid specifications allowed his firm to modify its bid prior to the official opening, and that the firm “did the county a favor” by flagging the confusing language in the bid documents.

Frederickson rejected the idea that the county’s original bid documents were flawed, noting officials consulted with the county’s engineering firm, Greenman-Pedersen Inc., and architect, the Palumbo Group, and determined the bid specifications were properly formulated. He also said the county considers Scartelli’s modification of the original bid a withdrawal.

Scartelli said rebidding the project is unfair to the firms competing for the contract. Now that they know what their competitors bid originally, the firms are likely to submit lower bids the second time around, he said.

“The county will probably save money on (the project) but it’s not fair for the people that are submitting bids,” Scartelli said.

The fairest way to handle the situation is to solicit new bids, Frederickson said.

“We’re trying to remain transparent, we are trying to remain above board and we are trying to do this fairly for everyone,” he said. “We determined it would just be cleaner to rebid the whole project.”

New bids must be submitted to the county controller’s office by 11 a.m. on Dec. 13. The county will hold a mandatory pre-bid meeting at the project site Nov. 22, beginning at 10 a.m.

While the bidding issue delayed the project, officials noted much of the work will be done inside the building through the winter. County Engineer Gary Cavill said the project could be completed by April.

Contact the writer:

jhorvath@timesshamrock.com;

570-348-9141;

@jhorvathTT on Twitter

WILKES-BARRE

Two people have been sentenced to federal prison for their roles in a heroin- and cocaine-trafficking conspiracy based in Monroe County.

Senior U.S. District Judge A. Richard Caputo on Wednesday sentenced Sherquille Ernest, 27, Mount Pocono, to 41 months in prison, and Kyme Ashby, 29, Tobyhanna, to 30 months in prison.

Both Ernest and Ashby pleaded guilty to participating in a conspiracy to distribute heroin and crack in the Monroe County area between May and July 2015, U.S. Attorney David J. Freed said.

They were among 11 people indicted by a federal grand jury in July 2015 as part of the scheme.

— STAFF REPORT

The Scranton School District presented teachers with a “brazen” offer this week that freezes pay, “attacks” class size limits and eliminates the preschool program and its teachers, according to the union.

The two sides met Wednesday, the first time since the district entered financial recovery in January. Teachers have worked under an expired contract since 2017, and the recovery plan, which the school board approved in August, includes no guaranteed salary increases for five years. The 2020 proposed budget approved by the board also included no money for raises.

“The morale is shot in the district,” said Rosemary Boland, president of the Scranton Federation of Teachers. “I don’t think the people in Scranton, the parents especially, would at all appreciate what was given to us.”

Wednesday’s offer included changes to class size limits and health care, requiring secondary teachers to teach six periods instead of five, changes to salary step movement and ending compensation for covering other classes during planning periods. The recovery plan calls for the district to seek an outside agency to take over the preschool program, an issue discussed on Wednesday, according to the union.

Teachers have not had a raise since the 2016-17 school year, which has led to some teachers leaving the district, employees have said. For the last three years, a first-year teacher has started at $38,377 a year, lower than other districts in the area. Many teachers also are waiting for a large salary increase that comes in their 16th year of teaching in the district. For example, teachers with master’s degrees go from making $59,148 to $81,226 from their 15th to 16th step. Since the contract is expired, teachers have not moved any steps on the salary scale. By the end of this school year — the third year working under the expired contract — some teachers waiting to move to the 16th step will have lost more than $60,000. Union leaders have vowed to fight for retroactive pay.

In 2017, teachers gave union leadership the ability to call a strike if necessary — an option that is not off the table, Boland said Thursday.

Boland questioned how the district could find money for administrators last week, when the board removed the “acting” title from members of the new administrative team. The employees received a combined annual raise of $72,000. By continuing to keep some administrative positions vacant, the district will still save about $540,000 per year, according to the district.

The two sides plan to meet twice again this month, Boland said. The district did not provide an offer for paraprofessionals, which are also represented by the union.

The district’s negotiating team includes Superintendent Melissa McTiernan, Business Manager Patrick Laffey, Chief Human Resource Officer John Castrovinci and Attorney Matthew Carmody from the firm Joyce, Carmody and Moran. Chief Recovery Officer Candis Finan, Ed.D., was also in the room, Boland said.

The district offered no details on the offer Thursday.

“We met yesterday (Wednesday) with SFT representatives,” McTiernan said. “Contract negotiations are ongoing.”

Contact the writer: shofius@timesshamrock.com; 570-348-9133; @hofiushallTT on Twitter

Roseann Novembrino, Scranton’s controller for more than 30 years, submitted her resignation this week, roughly two months before she was slated to finish her final term.

Novembrino, 82, officially retired at the end of the workday on Tuesday.

“She should be commended for her long career in public service, number one,” Councilman Bill Gaughan said. “Number two, she is one of the nicest, kindest people I’ve ever met in my life. She’s done a great job over the last few decades. It’s pretty rare that the people of the city would continue to put their faith in someone time after time after time.”

Her letter, obtained by The Times-Tribune on Thursday, is a two-sentence handwritten note addressed “To Whom it May Concern.”

“I want to thank everyone for all their support over the years,” Novembrino wrote.

She did not note a reason for her resignation in her letter, but she has previously said that her age and health struggles contributed to her decision at the beginning of this year to not seek another term as the top elected watchdog of city finances.

Voters this month chose Democrat John Murray, a former regional director for 23 years in the state auditor general’s office, to take the job come January.

Murray recently met with Novembrino. She “wasn’t feeling great,” he said.

Murray will be sworn in Jan. 6. In the meantime, Mary Lynn Carey, previously the deputy controller/administrator, has taken over the top position.

The controller’s job pays $40,000 a year.

Murray said that he plans to monitor the day-to-day operations of the controller’s office and hopes to meet soon with Mayor-elect Paige Cognetti.

“We have to be one team,” Murray said. “It’s all the same tax base.”

Novembrino got her start in the controller’s office in the mid-1980s. Her late husband, Richard, won election as controller in November 1983 but died in December 1985, less than halfway into his first term.

Joseph Refice, the top deputy at the time, replaced Richard Novembrino and named his widow as deputy controller in February 1986.

Refice won the Democratic nomination for controller in May 1987 but resigned that July to take a job in Gov. Robert P. Casey’s administration. Suddenly, Roseann Novembrino found herself in charge of her late husband’s office. She replaced Refice on the ballot that year.

Novembrino defeated Republican Thomas Purcell by a more than 2½-to-1 margin in November 1987. She’s won election with ease another seven more times.

“She came to work every day,” former Mayor Jim Connors said. “She was always there at her post, available to every mayor and every council person.”

“She didn’t always tell you yes,” Connors added. “But she could tell you no in the sweetest way … You never left there thinking that you didn’t get a fair hearing from Roseann.”

Contact the writer: jkohut@timesshamrock.com, 570-348-9100 ext. 5187; @jkohut on Twitter

Welcome to this week’s edition of Friday Playlist where members of the Times-Tribune staff submit their music picks based on a theme.

This week's theme is Color Songs.

Enjoy:


The Beatles - Yes It Is
John Cole

"Scarlet were the clothes she wore
Everybody knows, I'm sure"



Nina - 99 Luftballoons
Ed Pikulski

What the hell, why not?



The Neville Brothers - Yellow Moon
Pat McKenna

Great imagery; song has same mood as moonlight. Recorded live at Tipitinas in1991.



George Jones - Brown to Blue
John Cole

Because no day is complete without a tear-jerker from ol' Possum.



Ned's Atomic Dustbin - Grey Cell Green
Ted Baird

One of the lesser thought about alternative bands of the early 1990's... They had 2 bass players... The video is pretty colorful too.



Sonic Youth - Silver Rocket
Ted Baird

From my favorite album by my all time favorite band... I also really dig that the video was an actual live performance... For me, it doesn't get better than this.



John Mellencamp - Pink Houses
Chad Sebring

I just ran these lyrics though my head for the first time in years. It's a great tune.



Chicago - Colour My World
Jim Lockwood

A slow-dance staple of every wedding and high school prom and dance  throughout the 70s; baritone vocals by the late, great guitarist Terry Kath



Donovan - Mellow Yellow
Jim Lockwood

saffron



Bloc Party - Blue Light
Erin Nissley

Listening to this song -- or any other on the album -- takes me right back to the where I was when it first came out.



Taylor Swift - Red
Rebecca Kivak

In what is probably my favorite song of hers, T. Swift sings about the colors of the different stages of love, from blue to dark gray to "burning red."



Donovan - Colours
Jim Lockwood

Donovan's palette again features yellow, and adds green and blue



k.d. Lang - Busy Being Blue
Jim Haggerty

k.d.did this showstopper on her "Shadowland" album in 1988 before she was rejected by mainstream Nashville because of her sexual preference. The video on this British TV show from 1989 is jumpy but there's no mistaking her extraordinary ability.



Emmylou Harris - Red Dirt Girl
Chris Kelly

It's a masterpiece.



Christie - Yellow River
David Singleton

Just another obscure hit from the 1970s.

SCRANTON — Pennsylvania American Water announced a $2.3 million upgrade to more than 12,000 feet of water main in the city.

The water company said the upgrade will improve reliability for customers, reduce service disruptions and increase water flows for firefighting.

Parts of the main date as far back as the 1900s.

“We analyze our distribution system each year to determine areas where the work will most improve service for customers,” said Traci Cross, senior manager, operations, Pennsylvania American Water. “Projects are prioritized based on a number of factors, including the need for larger mains to handle system demands, age, firefighting protection and history of main breaks or service interruptions.”

Work began earlier this month replacing existing 4- and 6-inch cast iron water mains with new 8-inch ductile iron pipe along several streets in the city, including:

• Oram Street.

• Quincy Avenue.

• Brick Street.

• Amherst Park.

• Remington Avenue.

• East Elm Street.

• Bergen Court.

• Blatter Place.

• Delaware Street.

• Jefferson Avenue.

Crews will work weekdays between 7 a.m. and 5 p.m. Traffic restrictions will be in place during construction. The project is expected to be complete by the end of summer.

During construction, customers might experience temporary service interruptions, discolored water and/or lower than normal water pressure. For more information, contact Pennsylvania American Water’s customer service center at 800-565-7292.