DUNMORE — His rifle in tow, Keith Keller trekked into the Susquehanna County woods early Saturday and bagged a six-point buck about 7 a.m.

The Dickson City hunter joined thousands of other camouflage-clad sportsmen and -women from across the state who participated in the opening day of Pennsylvania’s rifle deer season. It marked the first time since 1963 the season opened on a day other than the Monday after Thanksgiving — a change that’s been met with mixed reviews.

Officials felt opening the season Saturday would provide additional hunting opportunities for schoolchildren and adults who work during the week, said Mark Kropa, a conservation administration supervisor for the Pennsylvania Game Commission Northeast Region Office.

The change frustrated some hunters who used the weekend after Thanksgiving to sight their rifles and ready their camps. Others simply factored the Monday opening day into their annual hunting and holiday traditions, Kropa said.

Despite a successful Saturday morning, Keller said he preferred the traditional Monday start.

“I’m retired now, so every day is Saturday, but I kind of liked the old way,” he said after dropping his kill off for butchering at Sibio’s Deer Cutting in Dunmore. “It was OK for me. I got lucky today. I got a deer early, but I kind of liked the old system better.”

Scranton hunter Roy Howarth, who shot a six-point buck near Lake Winola on opening day, said he understands why some are happy with the change, but generally agreed with Keller.

As Keller and Howarth chatted outside, several generations of the Sibio family worked inside butchering deer down into steaks, chops, roasts, hamburger and stew meat.

Cousins and business co-owners John and Jody Sibio learned the trade from their fathers, Butch and the late Bob Sibio, who started the deer-processing operation before they were born.

Bob Sibio died in 2005, but his picture hung in the room where the rest of the family cut and packaged the venison. Now 83, Butch Sibio worked alongside his son and nephew early Saturday afternoon.

The early start to the season didn’t change the nature of that work, and John Sibio expected hunters to bring dozens more deer in for butchering as Saturday wore on.

“If you come in at 5, 6 o’clock tonight, you’ll probably see 50 or 60 deer on the floor,” he said.

Rifle deer season continues through Dec. 14.

Contact the writer:

jhorvath@timesshamrock.com;

570-348-9141;

@jhorvathTT on Twitter

Police on Sunday night were on a manhunt for a Nanticoke man who stole a city police vehicle after blasting a police officer in the face with pepper spray and taking a teenage girl hostage.

Jordan Oliver, 20, the alleged perpetrator, was still at large as of press time. Police searched for Oliver throughout the day Sunday after he drove off in a Ford SUV belonging to Nanticoke police. As of Sunday night, the search appeared to be centered in the Warrior Run area of Hanover Twp., Luzerne County.

State police issued an Amber Alert for the girl Oliver allegedly took hostage. Police identified her as 15-year-old Samara Derwin.

Police responded to a report of a man holding a girl at knifepoint near Nanticoke High School at 3:18 p.m. Sunday, according to Nanticoke acting Police Chief Robert Lehman.

After the girl was secured in a police SUV, Oliver fought with an officer, Lehman said. Oliver was in possession of knives and axes, and possibly a gun, the chief said.

When a police officer tried to take him into custody, Oliver blinded him with pepper spray and jumped into the police SUV, according to Lehman. The officer fired shots at the suspect, Lehman said.

“You’re still trained to protect yourself,” he said.

Officers from multiple departments searched for Oliver and the stolen SUV.

Derwin is described as a white female, with brown hair with red highlights, blue eyes, wearing a white hooded sweatshirt and black yoga pants.

The stolen police vehicle has the number 7 displayed on its front. Anyone who sees the vehicle or has information may call 911.

Contact the writer:

emark@citizensvoice.com;

570-821-2117

A Jermyn man is wanted in connection with an assault early Sunday in Clarks Green.

Police say Chase J. Passeri, 29, 413 Gibson St., was at a home on Fairview Road where victims say they were drinking with friends.

When he arrived on the scene after 8 a.m., Clarks Summit police Officer Kevin Yetkowskas found blood on the sidewalk and stairs. He saw dried blood on the floor throughout the first floor and on Nicholas Thompson’s pants, shoes and shirt, Yetkowskas said in a criminal complaint.

The night before, Thompson’s girlfriend, Staci Wirth, had gone to bed, but about 3 a.m. she woke to find Passeri rifling through Thompson’s dresser.

When confronted, Passeri told Wirth he was “leaving a tip.”

She called for Thompson, who argued with Passeri; then both went downstairs. Wirth told Yetkowskas she heard a “bang” and found Thompson on the ground. Wirth tried to stop Passeri, who pushed her to the ground and jumped into a vehicle waiting outside, police said.

The victims didn’t decide to call police until family urged them to.

Passeri faces simple assault, harassment and disorderly conduct charges.

Contact the writer:

joconnell@timesshamrock.com;

570-348-9131;

@jon_oc on Twitter

FELL TWP. — For 49 years, a giant light display has ushered in the holidays when it flickers to life atop Shannon Hill.

The steel structure shines as either a star at Christmastime or a cross at Easter. Work began on the design in the mid-1960s, and a group of residents built the holiday display in 1970 on private property, lighting the star above the Simpson section of the township for the first time that December.

The metal frame withstood decades of winters and harsh weather, but the wiring and electrical sockets haven’t fared as well, said township Supervisor Andy Gorel.

“It definitely needs to be upgraded,” he said.

With some help from electrical engineer Stan Yavoro-ski, whose father designed the display half a century ago, its nearly 300 incandescent lights were replaced with color-changing LEDs, Gorel said.

Before the LEDs, changing colors meant spending hours in a cherry picker swapping out each light by hand, Gorel said.

With the new system, they can remotely change the color of each light, he said.

“The stuff we dreamed of, (Stan) brought it to life for us — it’s incredible,” Gorel said. “It’s a tradition, and it’s improving instead of falling into disrepair.”

Although he now lives in the Philadelphia area, Yavoroski

has a warm place in his heart for Simpson.

The electrical engineer of 37 years said he’s not surprised that his late father’s design has held up for half a century, explaining that his dad designed everything to be “bulletproof.”

Yavoroski is the president of Digital Systems Group Inc., and he and his engineers spent a collective 500 hours designing the new light setup.

“It was a combination of labor of love as well as a technical challenge to see if we could refurbish it using current technology,” he said.

Designing an intricate lighting setup for a

65-foot by 63-foot display

that was durable enough to withstand Northeast Pennsylvania winters proved challenging, Yavoroski said.

He even consulted with Disney engineers.

“It turns out even Disney hadn’t dealt with something that size where the weather was that bad,” he said.

Yavoroski plans to incrementally upgrade the cross and star.

Over the next year, the holiday display will be sandblasted and

receive

new wiring, Yavoroski said. With new wiring and lights,

it can display more intricate light shows with real-time

changes, such as making the star look like it’s spinning, Yavoroski said.

With the new LEDs, the star was lit up orange for Thanksgiving and will be red, white and blue for Memorial Day, the Fourth of July and other patriotic holidays, Gorel said. The cross is also green for Veterans Day.

Joseph Scotchlas

, the secretary and treasurer of the Simpson Industrial Redevelopment Company

, which manages the display, said they are raising money for the renovation project. To donate, visit gofundme.com/f/simpson-starcross-maintenance

.

Scotchlas recalled gathering with a group of residents on a bridge beneath the display to watch the star light up for the first time when he was a kid.

“It was amazing,” he said. “It was a thrill — you had all your hopes and anticipations for Christmas.”

Thanks to the renovated display, they can carry on the tradition for future generations.

“I want to bring what I had as a young person growing up not only to my children but to other people in the community,” Scotchlas said.

The Christmas star will be lit from Dec. 15 through Jan. 15, Gorel said.

Contact the writer:

flesnefsky@timesshamrock.com;

570-348-9100 x5181;

@flesnefskyTT on Twitter

WASHINGTON

Retired Navy admiral and Pennsylvania native Joe Sestak dropped out of the race for president on Sunday.

In a statement, Sestak, 67, thanked supporters and said it’d be unfair to ask for more resources without “the privilege of national press.”

He had jumped in the race in June amid a flurry of new Democratic candidates joining the field and immediately was cast as a longshot candidate.

— JON O’CONNELL

The first significant winter storm of the season caused wrecks across the region, triggered speed limit reductions and led government offices to delay open times ahead of this morning.

And it’s not over yet.

At press time, a National Weather Service winter storm warning remained in effect through midnight tonight, with heavy snow possible through the late afternoon today, then tapering off in the evening.

Travel could be difficult to impossible with hazardous conditions likely affecting morning commuters across the region, the weather service says.

County of Lackawanna Transit System, or COLTS, buses will operate on snow routes today, spokeswoman Gretchen Wintermantel said in a statement. The shared ride program will operate under its inclement weather policy.

Lackawanna County offices, including the courthouse in downtown Scranton and the government center on Wyoming Avenue, will open at 11 a.m.

Scranton City Hall is closed to the public today, and residents are

advised to check the website, www.scrantonpa.gov, for updates on trash and recycling pickup. Essential personnel, including police and firefighters, are to report for work.

Slick conditions Sunday led to wrecks on state and local routes, and a section of Interstate 84 East was shut down between the Hamlin and Greentown exits.

Effective until PennDOT says otherwise, the state transportation agency banned double trailers, empty trailers, recreational vehicles and motorcycles on:

• Interstate 81 from the Interstate 80 junction to the New York border.

• Interstates 84 and 380.

• The turnpike north of the White Haven exit.

Speed limits are restricted to 45 mph and other commercial vehicles are confined to the right lane.

The Salvation Army is going high-tech in an effort to boost fundraising this holiday season.

Instead of digging through your pockets for loose change, donations may be made to the Red Kettle campaign on your smartphone using Apple Pay or Google Pay.

“We hope it can be a new, innovative way for people to continue to support the Salvation Army and what it does,” Maj. Bob Schmig said.

Donations to the Salvation Army of Scranton dropped in recent years because of several factors, including the closing of the Kmart locations in Dickson City and Moosic, Schmig said. After bringing in about $170,000 in 2016, the total sunk to $132,000 and only rose slightly to $134,000 last year.

“Our goal is to get back closer to $170,000

,” Schmig said. “It sustains us all year, that’s why it’s so important.”

The donations help local families in a variety of ways, including with heating assistance, clothing and food, Schmig said. He expects the Scranton chapter to assist more than 1,000

people this year, but fears donations may be lower because Black Friday falls later in the month.

The kettles have been set up at several locations since Nov. 15

, including Price Chopper, Big Lots, Hobby Lobby, JCPenny, Boscov’s and the Viewmont Mall

. The Walmart locations in Dickson City and Taylor

, and Sam’s Club in Dickson City have

been collecting money since Black Friday. The program

runs through Christmas Eve

.

“It’s started out well, relatively speaking, but much bigger days are ahead,” Schmig said.

Many volunteers supported the cause last year, but there is always need for more assistance.

“We had more people step up who wanted to ring the bells, including families, companies and individuals,” Schmig said.

Sandra Hipsman

of Jessup

has been volunteering with the Salvation Army for 13

years and noticed an increased need in recent years.

“I do it to help the community,” Hipsman said. “There are more families in need and crisis.”

Contact the writer:

rtomkavage@timesshamrock.com;

570-348-9100 x5365;

@rtomkavage on Twitter

SOUTH ABINGTON TWP. — The township moved a step closer to paving Simerell Road after receiving a $120,000 state grant.

The gravel road has been a burden on the township both aesthetically and financially for several years.

In addition to keeping the area cleaner, the township will save money that would have gone toward continuous repairs.

“It will mitigate the dust problem in the summer and we won’t have to do yearly maintenance, which is a major benefit,” township Manager David O’Neill said. “Every few months there is something to maintain because it keeps falling apart.”

The job, expected to cost $142,670, will be put out to bid at the start of the next paving season, around June, O’Neill said.

“It’s a substantial amount that will help the township tremendously,” O’Neill said about the grant. “It will also help residents of the township and surrounding communities who use that road.”

One of them is Waverly Twp. resident Gail Weinberger, who uses the road frequently to get to the Birchwood Tennis & Fitness Club and Elan Gardens, both in South Abington Twp.

“It’s way quicker than taking (South) Abington Road,” she said. “I’m excited and glad they are doing it. It’s long overdue.”

The road also serves as a bus route for the Abington Heights School District.

“It’s a bumpy road and we’re grateful to South Abington Twp. for improving the safety of the road conditions,” Abington Heights Superintendent Michael Mahon, Ph.D., said.

State Rep. Marty Flynn, D-113, Scranton, and state Sen. John Blake, D-22, Archbald, announced the grant last month.

Flynn said the project is valuable since the road provides direct access to South Abington Twp. businesses, state Routes 6 and 11, Interstate 81 and the Pennsylvania Turnpike.

The money was awarded through the Commonwealth Financing Authority, which was established in 2004 as an independent agency of the Department of Community and Economic Development.

Contact the writer:

rtomkavage@timesshamrock.com; 570-348-9100 x5365;

@rtomkavage on Twitter

Attorney Robert W. Munley Jr., a beloved Lackawanna County jurist for six decades and stalwart, if humble, advocate for the needy died peacefully Saturday.

He leaves behind his wife of 59 years,

Bernadine, six children and 13 grandchildren. He was 89.

Word of his passing traveled quickly through the legal community, and his contemporaries grieved the loss of a role model and a friend.

“He just felt that every individual was entitled to justice,” said attorney and Lackawanna Pro Bono President Joseph Price. “He would go beyond the call of duty to make sure that justice was available to everyone.”

Munley was a fervid supporter of the legal aid nonprofit, and at times raised money to keep it afloat. The organization named an award after him for attorneys who dedicate their talents to those who can’t afford to pay for counsel, as he did.

He was the son of the late Robert W. and

Marion Munley. He was born and grew up in Archbald, where he spent most of his life until moving to Waverly Twp. in the last few years to be closer to his grandchildren.

Both his parents served in the state House of Representatives. Marion succeeded her husband when he died in 1947 and served nine terms as the first woman member of the state Legislature.

He served in the Army during the Korean War and attended the University of Scranton and Temple School of Law.

His one-time political rival Republican Paul R. Mazzoni, who defeated him in the 1969 district attorney’s race, described him as a fierce partisan, but one who easily checked his politics in the name of humanity.

Munley served as assistant district attorney for about a decade before running for office. After that, he all but suspended political ambitions and slid into private practice, where he built a small empire that included his whole family.

His daughter Marion married his former law partner and current U.S. Rep. Matt Cartwright.

“Bob Munley was a lot more than a father-in-law to me. He was a mentor. He taught me how to be a lawyer, and he taught me how to fight hard, all the time, for regular, ordinary working people,” Cartwright said in a statement. “His passion for doing just that was infectious, and those values have carried me through some very tough fights. I’ll miss him every day.”

Years after his loss to Mazzoni, who went on to serve two terms as district attorney, Munley called him. He asked to meet at Parnell’s Luncheonette on Spruce Street.

“He said, ‘You and I are both winners,’” Mazzoni remembered his friend saying. He had won the district attorney’s seat, but Munley had won a future in private practice where he found plenty of ways to help people.

“That’s what he loved more than anything — to be an advocate,” his son Christopher Munley said. “If you look at my father’s greatest successes, they were all on very difficult cases. He didn’t take the easy case that you knew was a winner. He took cases that most lawyers would turn away because they were sure losers.”

In the 1990s, Munley represented the widow and family of a millwright who electrocuted himself while changing a lightbulb. No one witnessed it. Evidence was thin.

“It was an impossible case,” Christopher Munley said.

He believes the victim’s widow reminded his father of his childhood, when his own mother had to support two boys. Mid-century legislators earned much less than today.

Munley won the case.

He reached out to strangers in other ways, outside of the courtroom. He bought home heating fuel and paid for home repairs for those who couldn’t, but always did so quietly. Broadcasting charity is self-serving, he believed, and he stuck to that code his whole life.

Munley tried his last major case about 12 years ago, and adopted a slower pace, though he still showed up in the office every day.

“He really resented the fact that age took his profession away from him,” Christopher Munley said.

He did that until October, when his health began failing. He died from complications of pneumonia, his son said.

His legacy lives on in his family, and lawyers like Price, who said Munley gave him and his wife, First Assistant District Attorney Judy Price, encouragement and confidence to start their own firm in the 1980s.

His inspiration also led the county’s current top prosecutor seek election for himself.

“Bob was one of my greatest mentors and a big influence in my decision to run for DA. He was an outstanding trail lawyer who I would watch any time he was in a courtroom,” District Attorney Mark J. Powell said.

Munley and Powell’s father, Christopher T. Powell Sr., were partners, and the DA started paying attention to the late attorney in high school.

“He was also a devoted family man who gave back so much to our community,” Powell said. “I aspire to be like him.”

Contact the writer:

joconnell@timesshamrock.com;

570-348-9131;

@jon_oc on Twitter

Services and obituary

Calling hours are scheduled from 1 to 4 p.m. and 6 to 9 p.m. Wednesday at Harrison Funeral Home, 374 N. Main St., Archbald. A funeral Mass will follow 11 a.m. Thursday in St. Thomas Aquinas Church, Archbald. See attorney Robert W. Munley’s obit on Page B8.

Honesdale

Musical performance: Christine Lavin at the Cooperage, 1030 Main St., Dec. 13, 7:30 p.m., doors open at 6:30; tickets/$20 in advance, $25 at door; buy tickets at thecooperageproject.org; info: 845-252-6783 or rivervibes@thecooper

ageproject.org.

Old Forge

Community event: Old Forge Historical Society tent will once again be at this year’s Snow Forge event, Sunday, 2-6 p.m., the tent will be located in front of the State Store, basket raffles to help support the society’s preservation efforts, cash donations are also accepted.

Pleasant Mount

Cookie sale: Pleasant Mount Public Library holiday cookie sale, Dec. 13, 4-7 p.m., 375 Great Bend Turnpike, $3-$10/package; 570-448-2573.

Scott Twp.

Holiday event: Christmas Cantata, Dec. 20, 7 p.m., Mount Bethel Baptist Church, 1341 Layton Road; refreshments will follow.

West Scranton

Pierogi sale: SS Peter & Paul RC Church Advent pierogi sale every weekend, 1309 W. Locust St., before and after the 4 p.m. Mass on Saturday and 11 a.m. Mass on Sunday beginning next weekend, $7/dozen.

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. — Sixty years after schoolchildren last roamed the halls of the Roosevelt School, the century-old building is slated to be torn down in the coming months.

The township and Lackawanna County Land Bank first announced plans to demolish the long-abandoned building on Ontario Street last year, hoping at the time to have it torn down earlier this year. Now, the township is set to open bids for the demolition later this month.

Township Supervisor Andy Gorel said the project was held up by “bureaucracy,” including conducting an environmental study and the process of meeting government specifications to receive funding.

Gorel wants to have the demolition completed by the spring.

“It’s a major eyesore,” he said. “It’s the biggest building in the neighborhood, and it’s in the worst shape.”

He believes the building, which is flanked by well-kept residential homes, has been abandoned for about 30 years.

The schoolhouse was constructed at least a century ago, and it housed first through sixth grades until the late 1950s, said S. Robert Powell, Ph.D., president of the Carbondale Historical Society. After the school closed, a telephone company used the building for storage.

Powell attended the school in the 1950s.

“It was a very serviceable and wonderful old building,” he said. “Well built and did its job for decades.”

Now, the building is surrounded by overgrown brush and houses a population of feral cats. A rusted metal door hangs from its hinges, and a corner of the school’s stone foundation is crumbling away.

The township planned to open bids tonight to demolish the school, but siding with asbestos in it forced the township to push back the bids, said township engineer Gary Wilding of KBA Engineering.

Township supervisors will now open bids on Dec. 17, he said.

The siding can either be removed piece by piece before the rest of the building is demolished, or the entire building can be demolished at once, Wilding said.

Although the debris would be watered down, he noted concerns of disturbing the asbestos as it’s loaded into dumpsters or driven over by heavy equipment if it’s not removed before demolition.

Both options will cost about the same, Wilding said.

Marcus Arthur has lived next door to the old building for the past four years. The township resident didn’t think the building was much of a problem aside from the stray cats, but he’s concerned about the asbestos. He lives with his wife, Emily, and their 1 ½-year-old son, Marcus Jr.

“My biggest concern is the asbestos becoming airborne. Obviously that’s everybody’s concern,” he said. “That’s why it’s still standing.”

Arthur said he would rather the township remove the siding first for the safety of the neighborhood.

When the school is demolished, he’d consider buying it himself to build a new garage.

“If that becomes available, why not take more property on?” he said.

The county land bank owns the property, and once the school is torn down, the land bank will transfer the deed to Fell Twp., said land bank business relations manager Ralph Pappas. Then, after the land is sold, the land bank will receive half of the taxes for five years, he said.

Fell Twp. joined the land bank last year, and the organization gave the township $20,000 toward the demolition, Pappas said.

The land bank helps return abandoned and tax-delinquent properties from the county’s repository list to productive use by clearing them of all back taxes and municipal liens before marketing them to potential buyers.

“Hopefully, someone will scoop it up quick,” Pappas said.

Contact the writer:

flesnefsky@timesshamrock.com; 570-348-9100 x5181;

@flesnefskyTT on Twitter

MONDAY UPDATE brings

Times-Tribune readers up to date on past or pending stories of interest. To offer a suggestion for a Monday Update, please email metrodesk@timesshamrock.com with

“Monday Update” in the

subject line.

Dec. 2, 1929

Gang arrested

for diner robbery

Dickson City and Scranton police departments worked to capture five men in connection with the early morning robbery of Phil’s Dining Car on Main Street in Dickson City.

According to police, two men entered the dining car with their guns drawn and forced owner Joseph Phil, his sister and two patrons against the wall. A third man entered the diner and removed $88 from the cash register. The three fled and jumped into two waiting vehicles. Phil called the police.

Dickson City police were on alert when they noticed two men trying to move a car on Park Street. They approached and found that the two were the stickup men. Under questioning, the pair confessed and gave up information on the three others involved in the holdup.

Dickson City police alerted Scranton police to the possible whereabouts of the three others involved. Scranton police found all three at their homes.

The five men were transferred to the state police barracks in Wyoming.

Armed guards move money

On Nov. 30, the process of physically transferring all the cash and securities from First National Bank of Scranton to Traders National Bank got underway. The funds were being transferred because the two banks had merged to form the new First National Bank of Scranton. The new bank would be headquartered in the former Traders National Bank at the corner of Wyoming Avenue and Spruce Street.

The transfer took a day and a half to complete and was supervised by former Scranton police Superintendents Lona B. Day and Chris Rose.

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.

Clarks Summit

A new feature is coming to the Abington Community Library in 2020.

Patrons who use the Libby app to check out and download e-books and audiobooks using their library card will be able to suspend a hold after it becomes available. If a reader suspends the hold after receiving a notification, they won’t lose their place in line; the items will go to the next person on the list. The option is currently available when checking out materials at the library.

— ROBERT TOMKAVAGE

rtomkavage@

timesshamrock.com;

570-348-9100 x5365;

@rtomkavage on Twitter

Scranton

City council last week approved resolutions to:

Reappoint Katherine J. Gilmartin of Capouse Avenue to the Historical Architecture Review Board, with her term expiring Oct. 11, 2022.

Reappoint Nell O’Boyle of Arthur Avenue to the Historical Architecture Review Board, with her term expiring Oct. 11, 2024.

Appoint Walter Barron of Luke Avenue to the Human Relations Commission, with his term expiring Oct. 11, 2024.

Reappoint Aja E. Wentum of Harrison Avenue to the Human Relations Commission, with his term expiring Aug. 24, 2023.

Appoint John J. Harrington Jr. of Lilac Lane to an unexpired term on the Scranton Parking Authority. The term expires June 1, 2022.

Appoint Todd Pousley of Rundle Street to the city Planning Commission, with his term expiring Dec. 31, 2022.

Appoint Michael S. Cummings of Crown Avenue to the Redevelopment Authority board, with his term expiring Oct. 1, 2024.

— JEFF HORVATH

jhorvath@

timesshamrock.com;

570-348-9141;

@jhorvathTT on Twitter

The Lackawanna County Reentry Task Force is collecting winter coats and hats for county prison inmates released during the winter months.

Organizers seek donations in both adult men’s and women’s sizes. Donated items can be used, but should be clean.

Donations may be dropped off at the county’s domestic relations office located on the third floor of the government center, 123 Wyoming Ave. They will also be accepted at PathStone, 329 Penn Ave., and the Outreach Center for Community Resources, 431 N. Seventh Ave. Donors should note the clothing is for the Reentry Task Force drive when they drop it off.

Clothes will be collected until Thursday and delivered to the prison Friday. If there are an overabundance of donations then some of the clothing will be donated to area shelters.

— JEFF HORVATH

jhorvath@

timesshamrock.com;

570-348-9141;

@jhorvathTT on Twitter

After receiving a donation of more than two tons of turkeys, the St. Francis of Assisi Kitchen will be able to continue providing weekly turkey dinners.

The American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees District Council 87 donated $7,700 worth of turkeys and hams last week, said Robert Williams, director of the kitchen. The union purchased the meats from Schiff’s and had them delivered Nov. 25, Williams said. In total, the union had Schiff’s deliver 208 turkeys ranging from about 20 to 25 pounds, along with 167 hams, he said. Because the organization raised more funds than expected, it will give St. Francis an additional $500, Williams said.

“We do rely very heavily on donated food, both from individuals and grocery stores and restaurants,” he said.

The kitchen serves turkey dinners every Sunday and uses about 15 turkeys a week.

“These 208 turkeys ... they’ll take us through probably most of the year,” Williams said.

The meat was a substantial donation for the kitchen, Williams said, adding that Maid-Rite Specialty Foods recently donated 20,000 pounds of Salisbury steak.

“So between individuals, companies and this group, it really takes good care of us for the year,” Williams said.

To donate to St. Francis of Assisi Kitchen, call 570-342-5556, email kitchen@stfranciskitchen.org, or send a check to St. Francis Kitchen at 500 Penn Ave., Scranton, PA 18509.

— FRANK WILKES LESNEFSKY

flesnefsky@

timesshamrock.com;

570-348-9100 x5181;

@flesnefskyTT on Twitter

Police have issued an alert advising all emergency personnel in the region to be on the lookout for a stolen Nanticoke police vehicle.

Police are looking for Jordan Oliver, 20, who allegedly stole a Nanticoke police SUV and drove off in it following an incident in Nanticoke this afternoon.

Oliver is considered armed and dangerous, according to the alert.

Also in the vehicle is a woman Oliver allegedly held hostage before stealing the SUV.

The stolen police vehicle has the number 7 displayed on its front.

Anyone who sees the vehicle or has information may call 911.

— ERIC MARK

SCRANTON — Firefighters this morning quickly knocked down a blaze at a house near Marywood University.

Crews rushed to 2420 Dimmick Ave. at about 9:20 a.m. and found heavy smoke and fire burning out the rear of the home, Deputy Fire Chief Al Lucas said.

No one was home at the time, Lucas said. A neighbor called 911 to report the fire.

The home is owned by Maureen Duffy, according to Lackawanna County assessment records.

The fire appeared to cause significant damage to the rear of the building. No one was injured, Lucas said.

Fire Inspector Jack Joyce will investigate the cause of the blaze.

— JOSEPH KOHUT

The Nanticoke man killed by police after stealing a police car and abducting his ex-girlfriend — the daughter of a Nanticoke police officer — had a rocky and violent past with women, according to court records.

Jordan Oliver, 20, pepper sprayed a police officer and kidnapped Nanticoke resident Samara Derwin on Sunday afternoon, prompting an Amber alert that ended with Derwin, 15, being safely recovered and Oliver killed by police.

Court records show Oliver was twice before targeted by restraining orders by former girlfriends, including Derwin, who is the daughter of Nanticoke police officer Michael Derwin.

According to a protection-from-abuse petition Samara Derwin’s mother filed in May, she and Oliver got into an argument that ended with Oliver hitting Samara Derwin on the back and side of the head. Oliver pushed Samara Derwin into a chair and pulled her hair, then threatened to kill her if she got a restraining order against him, the petition.

The filing alleges Oliver continued to bother Samara Derwin in school via Facebook, and showed up at the family home despite being told he was not welcome.

Samara Derwin left the home with her father and the police were called, but Oliver continued sending messages saying he was walking around the house armed with a knife, the petition says.

Court records show that Oliver violated the protection-from-abuse order within weeks when he messaged Samara Derwin’s mother asking to permit him “five minutes to say goodbye” and then he would no longer bother the family.

The filing was the second time Oliver was hit with a restraining order stemming from his contact with a girlfriend.

In August 2017, another girl alleged Oliver hit the girl on the neck, causing a cut and a bruise, and that he hung around outside her work to “intimidate and cause fear,” the petition alleges.

“He is calling her from multiple numbers and posting hurtful and false information on social media,” the girl’s mother wrote. “He will call over and over when (the girl) is home. If the call is not answered it is followed by threatening text messages. he has been very emotionally abusive and now physically. It is terrifying (the girl).”

Court records show Oliver violated the abuse order in that case as well by trying to contact her and liking her sister’s photos on Instagram.

According to the filings, the protection-from-abuse order Samara Derwin brought against Oliver was still in effect, with an expiration date of June 18, 2022.

The deadly confrontation began when police responded to a report of a man holding a female at knifepoint near Nanticoke High School at 3:18 p.m. Sunday, according to Nanticoke acting police Chief Robert Lehman.

After the girl was secured in a police SUV, Oliver started a fight with an officer, Lehman said.

Oliver was in possession of knives and axes, and possibly a gun, the chief said.

When a police officer tried to take him into custody, Oliver blinded him with pepper spray and jumped in the Nanticoke police SUV, according to Lehman. The officer fired shots at Oliver, Lehman said.

Officers from multiple departments searched for Oliver and the stolen SUV.

Late Sunday afternoon, police issued an alert advising all emergency personnel in the region to be on the lookout for the stolen SUV and Oliver, who was described as armed and dangerous.

Derwin was considered a hostage, police said.

An investigation indicated that Oliver was likely to be in the Warrior Run section of Hanover Twp., according to police.

A state police special response team located Oliver in Warrior Run, where he was holding Derwin hostage, police said.

“Deadly force was used against Oliver,” while Derwin was freed unharmed, the state police news release states.

It was not immediately clear which agency used the deadly force against Oliver.

Court records show Pennsylvania State Police got an arrest warrant charging Oliver in the case prior to his death. The charges include kidnapping, aggravated assault, theft and unlawful restraint.

WILKES-BARRE — The Plymouth man accused of “fishing for cats” with a baited hook was sentenced Monday to serve up to 23 months in the Luzerne County Correctional Facility.

Kenny Rowles, 28, previously pleaded guilty in September to a felony count of aggravated cruelty to animals involving torture and a misdemeanor count of cruelty to animals. 

Luzerne County Judge Michael T. Vough imposed the sentence Monday, ordering Rowles to serve nine to 23 months in jail followed by two years of probation. Rowles will also be required to pay $4,745 in restitution for veterinary care, the judge ordered.

The Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals of Luzerne County began investigating in April after Brenda Buckler, of the Whiskers Wold cat rescue, reported neighbors had seen injured cats in the area of the 400 block of East Main Street.

The neighbors told investigators Rowles had said he was “fishing for cats” and they provided pictures of a cat with a string hanging out of its mouth and extending down the length of its body.

When confronted by SPCA officer Lisa Devlin, Rowles admitted tying scraps of meat to string and fishing line, which he then dangled from his back porch to “feed and play with the cats,” according to prosecutors. Rowles subsequently admitted using a baited treble hook, which prosecutors say got lodged in the mouth of a cat named Tollie.

Authorities say Tollie was near the brink of death when he was found with hooks in his mouth, tongue and throat.

Pittston-based veterinarian Dr. Inayat Kathio performed emergency surgery on Tollie, which he said had hooks in his mouth, tongue and throat that caused abscesses. Tollie’s condition improved after the surgery and he was placed in a cat rescue facility.

After imposing the sentence Monday, Vough ordered Rowles remanded to serve his sentence.

SCOTT TWP.

A tractor trailer rolled over this afternoon on Interstate 81 North and closed a lane, the state Department of Transportation said.

PennDOT announced shortly after 2:30 p.m. that the lane restriction is in effect at Exit 199 for Scott Twp.

Drivers should seek a different route if they have to travel through the area.

PennDOT spokesman Michael Taluto said the restriction should be lifted around 5 p.m.

The crash is likely due to the ongoing snowstorm, he said.

No further details about the crash were immediately available.

— JOSEPH KOHUT

Tom Currá, who revived the fortunes of WVIA public radio and television, has resigned as president and chief executive officer of the company that oversees both, the company announced in a statement today.

The statement said only that Currá resigned “to pursue other professional and creative opportunities.”

Currá headed VIA Public Media, which operates WVIA radio and television, the PBS and NPR affiliate for Northeast Pennsylvania. Mr. Currá joined the organization in 2004 and served as president and CEO since 2013.

“On behalf of the entire board, I thank Tom for his many years of service to this station and wish him well in his future endeavors,” said Jay Lemons, VIA Public Media’s board chairman. “We are especially grateful for Tom’s leadership of WVIA over the last six years.”

Under Currá, WVIA expanded its local programming “to tackle important issues facing our region and produced quality original programming through series like ‘Our Town,’ while remaining financially sound,” the statement said.

“The station is on much sounder financial footing than when he took the helm and his unique storytelling ability has shown through in numerous successful WVIA productions, such as the award-winning ‘Battling Opioids’ series produced in partnership with Pennsylvania’s other public media stations and the powerful documentary, ‘Expedition Chesapeake,’” said Peter Frieder, the VIA Public Media board vice chairman.

Chris Norton, VIA Public Media’s senior vice president, will take charge of the operation at least temporarily and “will work with the board through the leadership transition,” the statement said. Mr. Norton has been with the organization for 20 years.

The statement included a quote from Currá.

“I am proud to have played a part in WVIA’s success in providing quality public media to our region and confident that the station is in a position to build on this success in the future,” Currá said. “I have enjoyed working with the WVIA team to tell the stories of the communities and people of Northeastern Pennsylvania.”

The statement says VIA Public Media has launched a nationwide search for a replacement through a board search committee headed by Frieder.

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

A week before the start of his child pornography trial, a Factoryville man pleaded guilty today in federal court in Scranton.

Sean Michael Fryer, 37, whose last known address was 7 Church St., pleaded guilty to attempted online enticement of a child — a charge that carries a mandatory minimum of 10 years in prison and a potential maximum penalty of life behind bars. He was scheduled for an anticipated three-day trial Dec. 9.

Federal prosecutors alleged that between July 31, 2018 and Aug. 7, 2018, Fryer told an undercover task force officer based out of the FBI’s Kansas City Division about his desire to have sex with a teen boy.

Using the moniker “Bad Boy” on the Kik messaging application, Fryer also told the task force officer he has had sex with a 13-year-old boy and described in graphic detail what that was like, according to a memorandum drafted by the U.S. attorney’s office in the run-up to his trial.

The task force officer gave Fryer the user name of another person who purportedly had a 10-year-old son Fryer could potentially have sex with. In reality, that person was an undercover FBI special agent in New York.

On several occasions, Fryer asked the undercover agent for sexually explicit pictures and videos of the, unknown to Fryer, made-up child.

Fryer also sent the agent two cloud storage links containing hundreds of child pornography images and videos. He also sent one child porn image directly though Kik, federal prosecutors wrote in a memo.

Kik gave the FBI internet protocol logs related to the conversations. A follow-up subpoena to Frontier Communications for the identity behind that IP address led investigators to Fryer.

On Sept. 8, 2018, authorities raided Fryer’s home.

A federal grand jury seated in Scranton issued an indictment Dec. 11 charging Fryer with attempted production of child pornography, receipt and distribution of child pornography, possession of child pornography and attempted online enticement of a child.

If released, Fryer will have to spend a minimum of 5 years on supervised release, pay a $250,000 fine and a $5,100 special assessment.

It was unclear when Fryer’s sentencing will be scheduled. He remained in the Lackawanna County Prison.

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