WILKES-BARRE — Two parents are facing child endangerment charges after police said they left loaded guns and marijuana within the reach of their children.

Ashley Marciella Lawson, 29, and Corey L. Thompson, 37, both of 114 New Alexander St., were arrested after police responded to their home for a report of shots fired around 7:45 p.m. Tuesday.

A witness reported hearing a gunshot and then looking out a window to find Lawson yelling at a man on the porch.

“You’re not supposed to be firing that!” the complaint quotes Lawson as yelling.

She and the man then went into the apartment, the witness reported.

Officers arriving on scene found music blaring from Lawson’s apartment and a spent shell casing in front of the back door, according to the complaint.

Two men who smelled of alcohol came outside, and then Lawson came to the door, identifying herself as the primary resident, police said.

Lawson claimed there had been no incident and that they were “just partying,” the complaint says. The charges say Lawson allowed police to look though the apartment, at which point they entered the living room to find multiple children and a man sleeping on the couch, police said.

In a bedroom, police found a large bag of marijuana on a dresser and a purple pistol on top of a short stand directly inside the door, the complaint says.

Lawson told police she had not fired the pistol and claimed she didn’t know if anyone else had, police said. Becoming “less and less cooperative,” Lawson said she didn’t know the location of another pistol and she was taken into custody, according to the complaint.

Officers searching the home subsequently found a second pistol on top of a cabinet directly above where a 7-year-old girl was sitting, along with a pink bolt-action rifle that was in an umbrella stand by the front door, police said.

Police charged Lawson and Thompson with endangering the welfare of children, drug possession and possessing drug paraphernalia.

Magisterial District Judge Brian James Tupper arraigned them on the charges Wednesday morning and set their bail at $25,000 each.

They were being held at the Luzerne County Correctional Facility with a preliminary hearing set for Dec. 10.

Contact the writer:

jhalpin@citizensvoice.com

570-821-2058

Scranton police arrested two men they said were in possession of 6 ounces of crystal meth in a motel parking lot Wednesday.

Patrolman Kyle Gilmartin was patrolling the Econo Lodge parking lot — in what police described as a high-crime/high-drug area — at 1175 Kane St. in Scranton around 11:39 p.m. when he saw two men sitting in a silver Pontiac. The driver, Ryan Shea, 203 Barber St., Old Forge, was unable to stop moving his body and appeared to be under the influence of drugs, according to the criminal complaint.

As Shea was stepping out of the vehicle, he reached under his legs and grabbed a knife he had been sitting on, according to the complaint.

Police handcuffed Shea, 31, after he was out of the car and found he was in possessions of a silk bag with several needles and 2 ounces of crystal methamphetamine.

The passenger, Erik Benner, listed in the complaint as homeless, did not immediately remove his hands from his waistband when ordered to do so by police.

Gilmartin drew his weapon on Benner, who told officers he was in possession of a firearm. He was removed from the vehicle, and a semi-automatic handgun was taken from his jacket pocket.

Benner, 32, has been convicted of multiple felonies in Philadelphia and was wanted by Wilkes-Barre police for aggravated assault. He is not legally allowed to possess a firearm and told police he stole the gun from his wife.

Police also found 3.4 ounces of crystal meth and $477 in Benner’s pockets.

Officers searched the car and removed 0.6 ounces of crystal meth found between the driver’s seat and center console and a digital scale for weighing drugs on the driver’s side door.

Benner is charged with possession of firearms, receiving stolen property, possession with intent to deliver and related charges. He is in Lackawanna County Prison on $250,000 straight bail. Shea is charged with tampering with evidence and other drug-related charges. He is in prison on $50,000 straight bail.

Contact the writer:

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

@kbolusTT on Twitter

DICKSON CITY — Colleen Warring and William Halstead of Blakely left Target with a full cart Thanksgiving night.

They weren’t looking for a deal on a big-screen TV or one of the year’s trendy items — they were shopping for kids in need.

Warring, who works for Lesjöfors Springs America in Pittston, ventured out on a cold evening to buy gifts for the company’s Toys for Tots drive.

“I take the contributions everyone donates and go out shopping,” she said. “We don’t have kids, so we like doing it.”

While the convenience of shopping from home has its perks, many people still enjoy going out to look for Black Friday sales — even if it’s not quite Friday yet, Target store Director Anita Rodriguez said.

“I think people enjoy shopping online — they can be in their pajamas and not have to deal with the hustle and bustle. But we also have people who really enjoy that,” Rodriguez said. “It’s like a tradition — they eat their turkey and meals with their families and then come out and shop as a family.”

Rodriguez was impressed with the number of people who came out to shop on the cold, windy night.

“I think these are the diehards that come out in the weather,” she said. “It’s always exciting to help them find their goodies for Christmas.”

Cathy Kovitch of South Abington Twp. has been shopping for Black Friday deals for 20 years.

She likes the large inventory of items and the sales, and feels it serves as a precursor to the holiday season.

“It signifies that Christmas is on its way,” Kovitch said.

Kovitch was excited when stores began opening a day earlier in recent years.

“I enjoy that they’re open on Thanksgiving instead of having to wait until Black Friday,” she said. “I probably should show more compassion, but I work in health care, so most of the time I have to work on the holidays, too.”

She took advantage of sales on toys Thursday, picking up some gifts for her 18-month-old nephew, Ethan.

The crowds were similar to the past few years at Best Buy, store Manager Eric McFarland said.

“It’s busy … as expected,” he said. “This is our sixth year opening at 5 p.m. and there’s very similar traffic to what we’ve had other years, maybe a little more.”

The store decided to start opening a day earlier to meet customers’ demands.

“It also spreads the business out a little bit, which is good,” McFarland said.

Jarrett Jervis of Tunkhannock doesn’t usually search for Black Friday deals, but stopped at Best Buy with his brother, David, to buy speakers for his dad.

Tyler Sohl of Greeley left Best Buy with a TV and computer monitor. While many shoppers visit several stores for sales, Sohl was happy with his haul.

“One and done,” he said.

Contact the writer:

rtomkavage@timesshamrock.com;

570-348-9100 x5365;

@rtomkavage on Twitter

SCRANTON — The city will dump controversial Northeast Revenue Service and shift collection of delinquent property taxes to Lackawanna County, city and county officials said.

The county commissioners introduced an ordinance Wednesday to have the county tax claim bureau take over collections starting Jan. 1.

That would include delinquent taxes from 2019 and earlier years as well as going forward, county general counsel Don Frederickson said.

Figures for the amount of uncollected taxes weren’t immediately available.

Frederickson said the transition should be relatively seamless because the bureau already collects delinquent Scranton School District and county property taxes from city residents.

Presumably, the delinquent taxpayers for all three will coincide because the city Single Tax Office mails bills that reflect city, district and county taxes, he said.

“It’s an information dump mainly,” Frederickson said. “It’s not going to be too complicated.”

The county should not need to add bureau staff, he said.

Efforts to reach Northeast president John Rodgers were unsuccessful.

“This should have been done a long time ago,” Mayor Wayne Evans said. “This just makes the most sense for everybody.”

An idea long promoted by the county’s former tax claim bureau director Ron Koldjeski, the county takeover follows a tumultuous tenure for Northeast as the city’s collector of delinquent property taxes and trash fees.

In March, a Times-Tribune analysis showed almost a quarter of all city property owners owed $16.8 million in unpaid trash fees, penalties and other legal fees dating back years. About half that was the actual trash fee.

Northeast defended itself with a statement that said it was doing the job its city contract required.

In July, the urge to dump Northeast increased with ex-mayor Bill Courtright’s resignation and guilty plea to federal bribery charges that included payments to him purportedly by Northeast officials.

Federal prosecutors, referring to Northeast only as Company No. 1 in the Courtright indictment, said an intermediary cooperating with investigators passed $4,000 in cash and campaign contributions in 2017 to Courtright. The money purportedly came from Person No. 1, identified as Company No. 1’s president. Rodgers is Northeast’s president.

Evans said the council asked Courtright before his guilty plea to consider shifting delinquent property tax collections to the tax claim bureau but never received a response to its letter.

Northeast’s contracts with the city expire in July, which means the company must agree to terminate its deals early for the city to switch to the tax claim bureau by Jan. 1.

Evans said his administration is working on finalizing an early termination before he leaves office Jan. 6.

“We expect to have some resolution in place before my term is up or at least the outline of what this looks like,” he said. “If it doesn’t happen by then, it’s going to happen at the end of the contract.”

Mayor-elect Paige Cognetti will succeed Evans.

Efforts to reach Cognetti were unsuccessful.

The switch wouldn’t resolve what to do with delinquent trash disposal fees.

Evans said a decision on that probably won’t happen before he leaves office, but he plans to lay out options for Cognetti.

That could mean an amnesty period for paying up without penalties or fees, selling the past uncollected trash fees to an outside collector for cash upfront or simply hiring a new collection agency, he said.

The 2020 city budget includes $2.2 million in revenues from the sale of uncollected fees, Evans said. He called that a conservative estimate, considering how much remains uncollected.

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

Super students

BLAKELY — With the flip of a switch Thursday night, Marion Street was lit up with Christmas cheer.

Brothers Matt and Jeff Harhut have been putting on a holiday display at their homes at 1126 and 1130 Marion St. for more than 20 years.

“When we were smaller, our parents used to take us around to look at Christmas lights,” Matt Harhut said. “Seeing the displays people put up got us excited about doing it.”

Matt Harhut is reminded of those days when he sees the smiles on the faces of young kids who walk through his yard.

Susan Harhut, the aunt of Matt and Jeff Harhut, saw the display for the first time in person Thursday while visiting from San Antonio.

“It’s incredible,” she said. “The patience and technology and everything needed to put this together is awe-inspiring.”

The Peckville Christmas House has broad appeal for people young and old, Jeff Harhut said.

“It doesn’t matter your age — you can be 5 or 105 — everybody loves it,” he said.

The display now features more than 1,500 plastic blow molds along with spiral trees and candy canes.

“Every piece is unique in its own way,” Jeff Harhut said. “What’s exciting is the hunt to find a piece we don’t have.”

The display gets bigger and attracts more guests each holiday season.

“I counted 400 cars go by one night, and thousands of people visit the display every year,” Matt Harhut said.

Visits to see the display are a yearly, sometimes weekly routine for Nicole Helcoski of Jessup and her family.

“It’s become a seasonal tradition,” she said.

Her daughter, Ella, 8, enjoys participating in the scavenger hunt each year.

“I like trying to find the bunny,” she said.

The display will be open to the public each night through Julian-calendar Christmas on Jan. 7.

Contact the writer:

rtomkavage

@timesshamrock.com;

570-348-9100 x5365;

@rtomkavage on Twitter

HONESDALE

Two borough residents face charges after an incident near the Uptown Shell convenience store Oct. 23, police said.

Chad Anderson, 32, and Brittany Anderson, 28, were charged with simple assault, terroristic threats and possessing an instrument of crime.

Police say the pair started a confrontation with two other people.

Chad Anderson was jailed at the Wayne County Correctional Facility in lieu of $25,000 bail. Brittany Anderson was released on $5,000 unsecured bail.

— STAFF REPORT

Steamtown National Historic Site in Scranton now boasts several new exhibits for guests with impaired vision, hearing and mobility.

The exhibits include a raised-letter/Braille map table, a tactile scale model of the roundhouse area, a vintage passenger coach mock-up and a three-dimensional scale model of the popular cutaway Spang, Chalfont & Co. Locomotive No. 8 that sight-impaired patrons are encouraged to touch.

The product of several years of planning and design, the exhibits are located in Steamtown’s visitor center and technology museum. Funding for the project came from the National Park Service’s Targeted Accessibility Improvement Program, which aims to improve accessibility so all visitors, including those with disabilities, may enjoy America’s national parks.

A National Center on Accessibility study of the site completed a few years ago listed a number of deficiencies officials have been working to address, from raising the height of certain benches at the facility to installing push-button automatic door openers throughout the complex. The new exhibits are part of that process, Steamtown Chief of Visitor Services and Resource Management Bill Fischer said.

“(Our exhibits) are 30-plus years old and we’re really trying to focus on universal design so that all of our visitors have the same great experience,” Fischer said. “We’re chopping away at things to try to make our site accessible to everyone.”

Keith Williams, chairman of the Lackawanna County Disability Action Committee, lauded Steamtown and the National Park Service for making the attraction more inclusive.

“This is another example that shows that people with disabilities and (their) family members ... want to participate in the same kinds of publicly funded venues that are already available to everyone else,” Williams said. “Anything that can be done to make the park attractions ... more accessible and usable, the better it is for everybody.”

Steamtown is open daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. much of the year and typically from about 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. from January through March. There is no charge to visit the site.

For information, call 570-340-5200.

Contact the writer:

jhorvath@timesshamrock.com;

570-348-9141;

@jhorvathTT on Twitter

Steve Bray said he and his hunting party will hit the woods for Saturday’s opening day of the firearms deer season, but they’re not happy about it.

Their disappointment centers on the timing of the season.

This year, the Pennsylvania Game Commission changed the opening day to Saturday, switching from the traditional start of the first Monday after Thanksgiving, which had been in place for more than 50 years.

Bray, who resides in Meshoppen, called the change “disappointing” and “disruptive.”

“I have family in for Thanksgiving that will leave a day earlier, and some guys have to work on Friday, which makes it hard to get ready for Saturday,” Bray said. “None of us are happy about it.”

The proximity of opening day to the Thanksgiving holiday has forced hunters to prepare earlier, according to Paul Scavone, owner of JS Sporting Goods in Wilkes-Barre Twp.

Scavone has been busy selling hunting licenses, ammunition and accessories but, from what he’s hearing, his customers aren’t happy about the change from the traditional Monday start.

“Not a lot of fans of it. It’s more hectic for guys to get ready right after the holiday,” Scavone said. “A pretty fair amount said they won’t even be able to get out until Monday.”

At Nimrod Haven Sporting Goods in Hanover Twp., owner Joe Lasecki said the sentiment from his customers is a 50-50 split.

“Most of the guys that hunt from camps hate it,” Lasecki said. “You used to have Thanksgiving, then Black Friday and the weekend to get ready and head to camp. It was a tradition.”

From a business standpoint, Lasecki said the change could have an impact because the Saturday before deer season was always busy.

Now, Lasecki said, he’ll open up on Thanksgiving hoping to make up for the lost day.

While stores like Nimrod Haven changed their schedule to accommodate the Saturday opener, the Game Commission’s Northeast Region Office in Dallas took the same approach. The office is usually closed on the Friday after Thanksgiving, but this year it will remain open for those hunters purchasing a license at the last minute.

Bill Williams, information and education supervisor at the region office, said hunters are aware of the new opening day and license sales during the week are in line with previous years.

“We always get a rush in sales this time of year because many people buy licenses just to hunt deer season,” Williams said. “It speaks to the popularity of the rifle deer season.”

As far as hunters’ opinions on the Saturday opener, Williams said most of the comments he heard have been favorable.

The move to a Saturday opener will expand the season from 12 to 13 days, including three Saturdays. The firearms deer season runs from Nov. 30 to Dec. 14. In most areas, hunters may take only antlered deer during the season’s first six days, with the antlerless and antlered seasons then running concurrently from the first Saturday, Dec. 7, to the season’s close. 

When the season did open on a Monday, that day consistently yielded the highest percentage of the overall buck harvest. Game Commission officials expect the opening day — Saturday — to continue to account for the largest percentage of the buck harvest this year.

“We expect the opening Saturday to become the biggest harvest day for bucks,” said Christopher Rosenberry, supervisor of the Game Commission’s Deer and Elk Section. “The first Monday will play a lesser role, but how much less remains to be seen. The second Saturday, since it is concurrent with the start of antlerless season, will probably become the second-biggest harvest day for bucks.”

Based on reports from PGC personnel in the field, deer numbers in the northeast region are strong, Williams said, and there are plenty of large bucks. The main factor that could lead to a drop in the opening day harvest is weather, he said.

“For a lot of people, opening day is the only day they hunt. If there’s unfavorable weather, the deer hold tight and the hunters will leave the woods if they get wet and cold. That would have an impact,” Williams said.

TOM VENESKY is a freelance outdoors writer. He can be reached at www.veneskyoutdoors.com.

Deer season reminders

Dates: The statewide season runs from Nov. 30 to Dec. 14. While Sunday hunting legislation has been approved by the state Senate, it has not been implemented for this year.

Safety: Hunters statewide must wear at all times a minimum of 250 square inches of fluorescent orange material on their head, chest and back combined. An orange hat and vest will satisfy the requirement. Nonhunters who might be afield during the deer season and other hunting seasons are asked to consider wearing orange, as well.

Licenses: Hunters during the statewide firearms season can harvest antlered deer if they possess a valid general hunting license, which costs $20.90 for adult residents and $101.90 for adult nonresidents. Each hunter between the ages of 12 and 16 must possess a junior license, which costs $6.90 for residents and $41.90 for nonresidents. Hunters younger than 12 must possess a valid mentored youth hunting permit and be accompanied at all times by a properly licensed adult mentor, as well as follow other regulations.

Tags: A valid tag must be affixed to the ear of each deer harvested before that deer is moved. The tag must be filled out with a ball-point pen by the hunter.

Photos wanted: If you enjoyed success during deer season, we want to see your photo. Email the photo, your name, hometown and where the deer was shot to wildlife@timesshamrock.com.

PORTER TWP.

State police and the Pike County district attorney’s office have started an investigation after a trooper used lethal force following a nearly seven-hour standoff Wednesday, police said.

Nicholas Joseph Cantelmi, 31, of Jim Thorpe, barricaded himself inside a Pike County home after striking a police car and fleeing the scene of an attempted traffic stop around 11 a.m., police said.

Police had tried to pull him over for a parole violation out of Carbon County.

Officers followed him on Pine Flats Road, where Cantelmi entered a cabin.

Troopers obtained an arrest warrant and encouraged him to leave the cabin, but Cantelmi fired shots at them from inside.

When police entered the cabin to arrest Cantelmi, he showed a gun and police fatally shot him.

Cantelmi was pronounced dead at the scene by the Pike County coroner, police said.

— ROBERT TOMKAVAGE

Nov. 29, 1944

Businessmen fined

for selling rotten eggs

Two businessman were fined $500 apiece after pleading guilty to charges that they transported and processed undenatured, incubated eggs in violation of the state’s Eggs Unfit for Food Law.

One businessman operated a hatchery in Bradford County; the other operated a bakery in Scranton.

The pleas were entered before Alderman Simon T. Evans in Scranton.

The guilty pleas came after a seven-month investigation by the state Department of Agriculture that was sparked by complaints about rotten eggs being sold by the men.

The department purchased eggs from both men, and the eggs appeared to be “in putrid condition, showing the egg had been subjected to heat.”

A spokesman for the Agriculture Department said the trafficking of decayed eggs was a nationwide problem.

Scranton, Lackawanna County OK budgets

Scranton City Council unanimously approved a tentative $2.1 million budget for 1945 that called for a tax reduction of 1½ mills on land and three-quarters of a mill on buildings for the following year. The city had a surplus of $131,969 from the 1944 budget.

Council approved transferring that surplus into a postwar reserve fund for municipal improvements.

The Lackawanna County commissioners approved the county’s tentative budget for 1945 in a special session. The $1.2 million budget carried with it a 5.5-mill county tax.

The county raised the budget by $50,000 over the previous year to cover costs related to upcoming elections and increases in the prices of needed supplies and materials. No salary increases were appropriated in the new budget.

Shopping at Sears

Three-piece maple bedroom set, $89.95; men’s reversible fingertip coat, $12.95; men’s dress socks, 20 cents per pair, women’s sweaters, $3.98; handbags, $2.95; wool Slumber-Sound blanket, $13.95; 13-inch Miss Marie Doll, $3.19; blackboard easel, $5.79; farm set, $1.98; and doctor or nurse kits, $1.

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.

Dietrich Theater, Tunkhannock: The Irishman (R): 11:30, 3:30, 7:30; Ford v. Ferrari (PG-13): 12:45, 3:45, 6:45, 9:40; Frozen 2 (PG): 1, 4, 7, 9:15; Knives Out (PG-13): 1:15, 4:15, 7:15, 9:45.

Scranton Art Haus, Scranton: 21 Bridges (R): 12:45, 3:05, 5:55, 8:45 Charlies Angels (PG-13): 6:50, 9:30; Countdown (PG-13): 1:15, 3:45, 6:30, 9; Frozen 2 (PG): 12:30, 3:30, 6:40, 9:10; in 3D: 1:30, 7:30; Ford v. Ferrari (PG-13): 12:20, 3:40, 7, 10:15; Joker (PG-13): 1:10, 4:10, 7:05, 10; Last Christmas (PG-13): 1:05, 4:05; Maleficent (PG): 12:50, 3:35, 6:10, 8:50; in 3D: 3:50, 9:50; Polar Express (G): 4:10, 1:15.

FOR UPDATED SHOWTIMES, check with local theaters.

OREGON TWP.

A Wayne County man died in a crash on Route 191 north, near 1266 Hancock Highway, early Thursday morning, Coroner Edward Howell said.

Garrett T. Chellis , 21, of Lebanon Twp., was pronounced dead at the scene at 5:47 a.m., Howell said.

Howell was called to the scene at 4:52 a.m.

The cause of death has not been determined, Howell said.

The coroner and state police are investigating the crash.

— ROBERT TOMKAVAGE

WILKES-BARRE TWP. — A Wilkes-Barre man exposed himself to three young girls on two separate occasions Wednesday at the Wyoming Valley Mall, according to police.

Officers were dispatched to the mall around 4:30 p.m. Wednesday after management of the H&M clothing store reported a man who exposed himself to a high school girl who was working in the store’s fitting room area on Nov. 22 had returned.

The suspect — identified as 30-year-old Ramon Paredes Severino, of Dagobert Street — fled the store prior to police arrival, but officers checking the mall found him at the cash register in the Hollister Co. store, police said.

While waiting for Severino to complete his transaction, police were approached by two “grade-school aged” girls who reported he had exposed himself to them in that store’s fitting room area, according to police.

Police arrested Severino on charges of indecent exposure, unlawful contact with minors, corruption of minors and open lewdness. 

Severino was taken to the Luzerne County Correctional Facility to await overnight arraignment. Bail information was not immediately available.

WILKES-BARRE — Authorities are trying to track down a man accused of strangling his dog and committing a robbery in a separate incident in Plymouth.

Dennis Joseph Blanchette, 27, is wanted on arrest warrants charging him with felony animal cruelty as well as counts of robbery, burglary and simple assault.

According to charges filed by the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals of Luzerne County, Blanchette admitted he “choked the dog out” and buried it in the backyard of a South Meade Street home back in August.

During questioning, Blanchette said the dog, a 3-year-old Husky mix, had no appetite, had stopped eating and was suffering from vomiting and diarrhea, the complaint says.

He said he took the dog to the SPCA but was told to take it to a veterinarian, according to the charges. Lacking the money to pay for vet care, Blanchette took it upon himself to strangle the dog, the charges allege.

Blanchette was initially charged with aggravated cruelty to animals involving torture and other offenses in September, but Magisterial District Judge David A. Barilla dismissed the case.

On Nov. 21, the SPCA re-filed amended felony charges of aggravated cruelty to animals resulting in death. Court records show that a week earlier, on Nov. 14, Plymouth police got a warrant for Blanchette’s arrest charging him in the robbery case.

Details on that offense were not immediately available Friday.

Wayne Harvey, a humane officer for the SPCA, said Blanchette used to live in Kingston but that his whereabouts are currently unknown.

“He evidently is on the run from both the (police) and the SPCA,” Harvey said.

Police described Blanchette has having brown hair, blue eyes and standing 5 feet, 9 inches. His weight is listed at 190 lbs.

 Anyone with information on Blanchette’s whereabouts is asked to call 570-825-4111, extension 103.

Dickson City police are looking for a Hawley man after they say he ran from them Thursday night during a shoplifting investigation at the Viewmont Mall.

Tyler Jacobs, 26, whose last known address was 754 Church St., gave officers a fake name while they investigated an alleged theft at Macy’s committed by his girlfriend, Kaitlin Kelly, at about 7:40 p.m., Police Chief William Bilinski said.

The store’s loss prevention staff stopped Kelly for shoplifting and contacted police, Bilinski said. An officer went to speak with Kelly’s boyfriend, Jacobs, who was outside smoking a cigarette.

Jacobs told police he did not have an ID on him. He said his name was “Ian” and also gave a fake birthday, Bilinski said.

Kelly would later provide authorities with his real name.

As the officer tried to verify the information Jacobs gave, he started to run, the chief said.

He cut across Viewmont Drive and climbed down a steep embankment into the trees below.

A police dog from Scranton arrived to help track him down. The footing was treacherous, however.

With his real name and a picture of him from the store’s surveillance system in hand, police opted to stop looking and instead appeal to the public for information on where he is.

Police posted his picture on the department’s official Facebook page. It had been shared more than 250 times by late Friday morning.

The retail theft case against Kelly will be a misdemeanor charge handled by the store’s loss prevention staff, Bilinski said.

Anyone with information on Jacobs’ whereabouts is asked to get in contact with police by calling 570-342-9111.

Charges against Jacobs were pending Friday morning.

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

SCRANTON -- A stretch of Mulberry Street between North Webster and Taylor avenues is closed as city police investigate a crash.

The crash happened shortly after 1 p.m. in front of Cockeyed Oscars, 1234 Mulberry St.

Mick Hamidian, 29, said he had been cleaning up inside the bar when the building “shook.”

A red Honda Pilot struck the back of his Toyota Tacoma, which had been parked in front of the bar, and pushed it several feet forward.

The Honda had four people inside, including a young child in a car seat, Hamidian said.

A person in the front passenger seat of the vehicle was unresponsive.

Police were investigating the circumstances that led to the crash.

— JOSEPH KOHUT

DICKSON CITY — The crowds inside the Viewmont Mall on Friday weren’t hunting mega deals. If they wanted bargains, they could have hit the stores days earlier.

Amid thinning single-day discounts, shoppers were largely preserving the Black Friday tradition like they always have.

“There are no sales going on today that weren’t happening a week ago,” mall General Manager Timothy McGrath said.

Only Victoria’s Secret and cosmetics seller Ulta had any kind of doorbusters, he said, which drove the 6 a.m. foot traffic when the mall opened.

“What we’re seeing now, in my opinion, this is an event for them,” he said.

‘I’m the bag carrier’

Chuck Dunbar waited outside Bath and Body Works for his wife, Nicole, with a big JCPenney bag. The Towanda couple traveled to Dickson City to avoid New York sales taxes.

“I’m the bag carrier. It’s way too crowded for me,” he said. “It’s gotten to where I do most of my shopping online.”

He typically waits until Thanksgiving weekend to start gift buying, and he’s part of the shopper segment the National Retail Federation says will spend more than $162.6 billion online this season.

“I just like spending time with her,” he said as Nicole Dunbar walked up.

Pink Nightmare

Rudy Peterka popped between shops and vendor stalls in her Pink Nightmare costume, the pink rabbit onesie Ralphie reluctantly wears in the movie “A Christmas Story.”

“We just come out to have fun,” she said, then revealed that she’s a holiday shopping aberration for one other reason.

“I don’t do any shopping online. I can’t handle it … I have other people do it for me if I can’t find it any store,” she said.

Like many at the mall, she started her shopping earlier than usual. Analysts say more than half of gift buyers started shopping this year in the first week of November.

‘Nothing in Binghamton’

“We come down here a lot to shop, to be honest, because there’s nothing in Binghamton,” said Meghan Berg, 17, who traveled with her two sisters, Emily Berg, 21, and Molly Berg, 13. They sat in a row outside Old Navy waiting for their parents.

Molly Berg said they’d certainly spend more money in bricks-and-mortar stores than shopping online. The other two agreed in unison.

“My mom’s a huge Black Friday shopper, my mom and my grandma,” Emily Berg said. “I think it’s more of a tradition.”

Contact the writer: joconnell@timesshamrock.com; 570-348-9131; @jon_oc on Twitter

DICKSON CITY

Borough police want to speak with two people regarding a stolen SUV and television, authorities said.

Jody Curtis and Nicholas Mata disappeared from Curtis’ aunt’s home on Lukasik Drive around the same time as her aunt’s 2005 Hyundai Santa Fe and 55-inch television Thursday morning, Police Chief William Bilinski said. Curtis’ and Mata’s belongings were also gone.

The vehicle has a Pennsylvania registration of KZJ5769. The Hyundai’s keys, however, were later found, Bilinski said.

Mata and Curtis had not been charged with a crime as of Friday morning, Bilinski said. Police want to get their side of the story.

Anyone with information should call police at 570-489-3231.

— JOSEPH KOHUT