PROPERTY TRANSACTIONS

• Christopher M. Roe, executor of the estate of Mark P. Roe, Clarks Green, to Molly M. Johnson; a property at 224 Glenburn Road, Clarks Green, for $135,000.

• Robert and Annette Grud­zinski, Clifton Twp., to Svetlana Makher and Arthur Lyudmer, Brooklyn, N.Y., as joint tenants with rights of survivorship; a property at Big Bass Lake, Clifton Twp., for $135,000.

• Walter Plucenik, individually and as attorney-in-fact for Margie Plucenik, Delray Beach, Fla., to Glenn F. and Jean A. Goetz, Throop; a property in Jefferson Twp. for $195,000.

STATE TAX LIENS

• Design a Card Org., Suite 100, 50 Alberigi Drive, Jessup; $1,063.33.

• Corey Bayo and Brandon O’Malley, individually and as partners trading as Bennys of Peckville, 1216 Main St., Peck­ville; $1,024.43.

• Linda L. Clark, trading as Sharp Dressed Dog, 408 Stephenson St., Duryea; $1,297.47.

ONLINE: thetimes-tribune.com/court

DUNMORE -- A Dunmore man faces charges after police said he assaulted a woman late Monday night.

Edward William Lilley, 44, 601 Butler St., was charged with simple assault, false imprisonment and harassment.

When police arrived at Lilley’s home for the report of a disturbance at 11:37 p.m., Jacqueline Earley showed officers bruises on her arms and neck. She told police the two were drinking and got into an argument when Lilly grabbed her arm and wouldn’t let her leave. Earley also said Lilley smashed her phone so she couldn’t call 911.

Lilley remains in Lackawanna County Prison in lieu of $10,000 bail. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for next Monday.

— ROBERT TOMKAVAGE

SCRANTON — The city’s financial recovery coordinator tonight urged Mayor Wayne Evans and City Council to raise property taxes 2.4% in 2020.

Evans’ proposed 2020 budget does not contain a tax increase and it’s not clear whether council would support one.

Representatives of the state-designated coordinator, the Pennsylvania Economy League, also recommended small property tax increases of about 2% annually going forward to sustain a lasting recovery.

PEL’s advice came during a council caucus on Evans’ proposed $116 million budget. It’s expected to be scheduled for a vote on adoption during council’s meeting Monday at City Hall at 6 p.m. Under the Home Rule Charter, the budget must be adopted by Dec. 15.

PEL officials Gerald Cross and Matt Domines referenced the city’s recent history of mostly having several years of no tax increases followed by a few large hikes to make up the difference.

The city did not raise property taxes from 1991-98, followed by sizable spikes in 1999 and 2000. Then, no property tax increases from 2001-2006 were followed by a large hike in 2007. No increases in 2008-10 were followed by a large property tax decrease in 2011.

The city’s fiscal cliff crisis produced a series of large tax hikes in 2012-16, followed by no increases in 2017-19, and none proposed for 2020.

The series of large tax increases of 2012-16 raised the city’s revenue base, such that small annual hikes would not be punitive, Cross and Domines said. But waiting years to raise property taxes only digs a big hole that eventually requires big tax increases, they said.

In a Nov. 16 letter to the city on PEL’s greenlighting of Evans’ no-tax budget proposal, Cross did not call for a property tax increase but instead said the budget “is in compliance with the (Act 47) exit plan’s stated financial stability goals.”

During the caucus, Cross said the city remains on track for a successful exit in July from Act 47 oversight and shedding the state designation as financially distressed that dates to 1992. But fiscal challenges will continue, they said.

“Progress doesn’t stop. You have difficult decisions to make,” Cross told Evans and council members Tim Perry, Kyle Donahue, Mary Dempsey and Bill Gaughan. Council President Pat Rogan was absent.

The PEL officials also explained how the city’s total assessed value has stagnated or declined over decades under outdated property tax assessments. Years of mostly flat property tax rates have resulted in overall “revenue decay.” This occurred over time, while expenses rose.

“You’re saying we need to raise property taxes” in 2020, Gaughan said.

PEL is not opposing the mayor’s no-tax budget, but “moderate yearly increases are warranted,” Cross said.

Evans said the budget’s two “seismic shifts” — dropping the annual trash fee from $300 to $250 and collecting it with property tax bills, and replacing business privilege/mercantile taxes with payroll taxes — are enough to deal with next year.

“It wasn’t a good year to add a tax increase,” Evans said.

Gaughan asked whether the recovery is real.

“Do you think maybe the system is broken? Even when we exit Act 47, we’re still going to have these problems. Am I missing something here?” Gaughan said.

Domines said the problem is rooted in antiquated assessments. Evans said a countywide reassessment would help fix the problem; he believes a new commissioner majority taking over in 2020 supports reassessment.

Cross also stressed he was directing his comments at future mayors and councils as much as at the current ones, because the 2020 budget likely may be the final one with PEL oversight.

“This is our swan song,” Cross said. “You just can’t sit back and say ‘We don’t raise property taxes.’ You can’t do it.”

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

Mayor-elect Paige Cognetti enlisted former Lt. Gov. Bill Scranton and local attorneys Robert Ufberg and Matthew Barrett as her core transition team.

Cognetti said about a dozen people overall are contributing small pieces, but Scranton, Ufberg and Barrett are leading the way.

Ufberg and Scranton co-hosted a campaign fundraiser for Cognetti before her election Nov. 5. Barrett served as her lawyer when city Democratic Party Chairman Bob Sheridan and the county Democratic Party tried unsuccessfully to get her thrown off the election ballot.

Ufberg, Scranton and Barrett are interviewing current city department heads, reporting findings, offering advice and exchanging ideas with her, Cognetti said.

Cognetti said she has received resumes through the transition website, www.scrantonmayoraltransition.com, but hasn’t asked for any for specific jobs.

“We’re not making any decisions on personnel yet,” she said. “I think there might be some folks that we ask to stay, might be some folks that we look for new hires, but we’re not there yet.”

The first woman elected Scranton’s mayor, Cognetti is scheduled to take the oath of office Jan. 6. She won a special election to serve the last two years of ex-mayor Bill Courtright’s second term. Courtright resigned and pleaded guilty in July to taking bribes and other federal corruption charges.

Because of departures, the city already needs a full-time director of human resources and a zoning officer.

For now, Cognetti said, she’s directing transition team members, but letting them interview city staffers so she can gain an objective view. She’s also learning the city’s Home Rule Charter and other laws and forming and meeting with advisory groups to assist her administration even after she’s sworn in.

“We are certainly having a conversation on what we think the organization needs to look like both in terms of structure and personnel,” she said. “I’m very involved in those discussions.”

On Tuesday, she drove to Cambridge, Massachusetts, to attend a two-day seminar for newly elected mayors at the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University. A former Obama administration official, Cognetti has a master’s degree in business administration from Harvard Business School.

“It’s thinking about the broad concepts of these different departments and how the government can work and should work,” she said. “I want to be able to spend some time right now thinking creatively about what the organization could look like, how we can run it better, how we can be more efficient before I get bogged down in the details.”

She has talked to mayors across the country and expects to meet many other mayors-elect at the seminar, she said. The Kennedy School covers the costs. City taxpayers will not pay anything, she said.

She plans to disclose the trip as a gift on her next financial disclosure statement.

Earlier Tuesday, she met in Scranton with David Thornburgh, the president and chief executive officer of the Committee of Seventy, a group that advocates for representative, ethical and effective government in Philadelphia. Thornburgh’s father, Dick Thornburgh, was governor from 1979 to 1987, when Scranton was lieutenant governor.

They discussed ways to bolster ethics policies and oversight, she said.

“I think there’s a lot of things we can do in City Hall to get everybody to a place where they feel more comfortable with the things that they’re asked to do with their daily tasks,” she said. “I want to help them do their job better.”

She will address ethics early in her administration, but said she will not officially introduce new policies until after she takes over.

Scranton, whose family gave the city its name, said the family history and Cognetti’s background and intelligence contributed to his decision to get behind her and work on her transition.

“I think I felt like a lot of people who are just getting tired with the corruption issues around here,” he said. “We’re giving her our best advice on what needs to be done and what needs to be done quickly.”

Ufberg, who rarely gets involved in local politics, echoed Scranton’s belief in Cognetti.

“She’s bright and she’s well-educated in the issues that we’re facing,” he said.

As for what interviews with city staff have taught him, Ufberg said, the city has made progress, but “a lot more really needs to be done.”

Contact the writer:

bkrawczeniuk@timesshamrock.com;

570-348-9147;

@BorysBlogTT on Twitter

SCRANTON — When city public works mechanics had to repair a garbage truck filled with trash, they dumped its load on the ground outside their headquarters.

Public Works Director Dennis Gallagher said the trash heap near Seventh Avenue and Grove Street sat there only about three hours on Tuesday while his department made arrangements for emergency repairs.

That answer might not pass the smell test for state regulators.

“Garbage dumped on the ground is not allowed, especially as in this case, without a liner or covering,” Department of Environmental Protection spokeswoman Colleen Connolly said in an email.

No one complained to the DEP, and officials with its Waste Management bureau didn’t know about the trash stash until The Times-Tribune inquired and provided photos taken at 5:15 p.m. Tuesday.

Connolly said recyclables appeared to be mixed with garbage, which could raise more concerns.

“We had a Packmaster (garbage truck) that was broken down, and the part finally came in for it,” Gallagher said. “So we had to dump it and get the truck in the garage.”

The Lackawanna River passes the lot directly to the east, though a levee separates it from the water. Gallagher contends the garbage was frozen and nothing leached into the ground.

Crews moved the pile into dump trucks by 7:30 p.m. Tuesday and hauled it to the landfill Wednesday.

Gallagher said he faced an emergency situation, had a plan and put it there for a small window of time.

“I don’t see why I can’t. I think I could,” he said.

DEP officials are following up with the city, and have not decided whether to issue a notice of violation, Connolly said.

She encouraged anyone who sees disregard for environmental protection laws to call the DEP complaint line at 570-830-3057.

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

Dec. 5, 1929

Railroad cops kill station robber

The Delaware, Lackawanna and Western Railroad station in Foster, Susquehanna County looked like a scene out of western in the evening of Dec. 4.

According to police, two men entered the station looking for cigarettes. As they approached the station attendants, they drew their guns and shouted, “Stick ’em up.” Unbeknownst to the bandits, the station attendants were actually undercover detectives for the DL&W Railroad Police.

The detectives drew their pistols. Both parties fired, turning the station into a shooting gallery.

One of the detective’s bullets struck one robber. After seeing his partner in crime go down, the second robber ran from the station into the night.

The robber was later identified as Harold Galanok of Old Forge, New York. He was rushed to the Scranton State General Hospital, where he later died from his wound.

Police throughout the region were searching for the second robber.

Tobacconist Clark dead at 63

Michael Clark, prominent tobacconist and former city councilman, died Dec. 5 at Mercy Hospital. He was 63.

For many years, Clark was a partner in the local tobacco business, Clark and Scott. He left the firm and started working for the Imperial Cigar Co. He retired from Imperial in October. Clark also represented the Sixth Ward on the select council in the days when Scranton had two city councils.

Surviving Clark were his wife, three daughters and a son, and a sister.

He was led to rest at Cathedral Cemetery.

Christmas shopping at the Globe

Overnight bag for $25, a smoke stand for $1.49, a waffle iron for $6.95, men’s neckties were 39 cents each, women’s bathrobes were $7.95, men’s patterned sweaters were $2.95 and large Turkish bath towels were 85 cents each.

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.

SCRANTON — An Olyphant man will spend at least three months in the Lackawanna County Prison after pleading guilty to corruption of minors.

Jeremy W. Whiteduck, 34, dabbed his eyes with tissues Wednesday as he tried to apologize to Judge Vito Geroulo.

“I’m really sorry, your honor,” was all he managed.

Geroulo sentenced Whiteduck to at least six months in jail. However, he is only required to serve half of the sentence in a cell; the rest can be completed on home confinement. The high end of the sentence is 23 months.

Police charged Whiteduck earlier this year on charges he molested a Scranton girl for nine years beginning when she was 9 years old.

The Times-Tribune does not identify victims of sexual assault.

Whiteduck initially gave the victim money to expose herself to him, police said. As she got older, he offered her more money to fondle her and have other inappropriate contact, police charged.

Whiteduck pleaded guilty in August to the felony count. His attorney, Bernard Brown, told the judge his client accepted responsibility for pictures and discussions but disputed physical contact.

Geroulo said Whiteduck displayed “incredibly poor judgement,” and should have been a “source of security, not danger” for the girl.

Whiteduck was not deemed a sexually violent predator but must register as a sex offender for 15 years.

Contact the writer:

jkohut@timesshamrock.com, 570-348-9144;

@jkohutTT on Twitter

DURYEA — A federal workplace safety agency has fined a railcar maintenance company more than $500,000 in connection with the death of an employee in Coxton Yards on May 31.

The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration cited Dana Railcare — based in Wilmington, Delaware — for confined space hazards after an employee asphyxiated while servicing a rail car containing crude oil sludge, according to a news release.

The Luzerne County coroner’s office in June identified the victim as Justin Fields, 29, of Maryland.

The railcar service provider faces $551,226 in proposed penalties.

OSHA cited the company on four willful and three serious violations for failing to protect employees from the hazards of entering permit-required confined spaces, and inadequate respiratory protection procedures.

OSHA has placed the company in its Severe Violator Enforcement Program.

The company has 15 business days from receipt of the citations and penalties to comply, request an informal conference with OSHA’s area director, or contest the findings before the independent Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission.

Contact the writer:

smocarsky@citizensvoice.com

570-821-2110,
@MocarskyCV on Twitter

High notes

Paul and Sandy Meagher were honored with the Wayne County Community Foundation Board of Directors highest recognition, the Ben Franklin Award for Community Service.

The award is accompanied by a $1,000 grant to a nonprofit organization of the honoree’s choosing from the Foundation’s Ben Franklin Fund. This year, the Meaghers awarded the gift to the Wayne County YMCA.

The board recognized the Meaghers for their lifetime commitment to service to their community.

Anniversary marked

The St. Francis of Assisi Kitchen’s Mid-Valley Community Outreach Program members, including Rob Williams, director, St. Francis of Assisi Kitchen; Mike McDonnell, driver; Jim Teeple, volunteer coordinator; the Rev. Brian Clarke, pastor; Kathy Teeple, volunteer coordinator; and Ellen Kosar, coordinator, all from Christ the King Parish; Sister Jane Connolly, volunteer coordinator, St. Rose of Lima Parish and Our Lady of Mount Carmel Parish; and Monsignor Michael J. Delaney, pastor, Holy Cross Parish and Blessed Sacrament Parish, Throop; Lucille Raziewski, volunteer coordinator, Blessed Sacrament Parish; and Jackie Musyt, Holy Cross Parish, marked the fourth anniversary of the program in October.

Since 2015, more than 50,000 meals have been prepared and served at the three parishes across Lackawanna County on a weekly basis.

Hot, home-cooked meals are offered Tuesday at Christ the King Parish at St. Thomas Aquinas Church in Archbald; Wednesday at Holy Cross Parish at St. Patrick’s Church in Olyphant; and Thursday at St. Rose of Lima Parish in Carbondale. The meals are served from noon to 12:30 p.m.

On average, 250 to 300 meals are served each week.

For more details, contact 570-342-5556.

Aid given

Veterinary Referral & Emergency Center presented Scott Twp. Police Officer Edward Frescoln with $2,500 to aid in the training and equipment needs for Nika, the Police Department’s newest K9 recruit.

Nika is a Belgian Malinois who will be trained in officer protection, criminal apprehension, tracking, vehicle and building searches, narcotics detection, and explosive detection, according to the center. Frescoln is her owner and handler.

MARRIAGE LICENSES

• Harrison Reed Weinberger and Yuliya Kuzyuk, both of Waverly.

• Alyssa Ann Gatto and Joseph Donald Wesley, both of Jessup.

• Teri Lynn Palmitessa and Reginald Dwayne Rollins Jr., both of Scranton.

PROPERTY TRANSACTIONS

• Sucilla Ramdhan, Jamaica, N.Y., to Ruben Jorge Perez Garcia and Daniel F. Ramirez Calixto, Scranton, as joint tenants with rights of survivorship; a property at 1119 S. Irving Ave., Scranton, for $95,000.

• Home for the Aged, Little Sisters of the Poor Inc., to Marywood University; properties at 2500 Adams Ave., Scranton, and Rear 2500 Adams Ave., Dunmore, for $2,520,000.

• Jason B. and Jody L. Hollis­ter, Jefferson Twp., to Stephen Hineline and Lerae Zeiler, Jeffer­son Twp., as joint tenants with rights of survivorship; a property at 1518 Mount Cobb Road, Jefferson Twp., for $189,000.

• James P. and Joann C. Connolly to Tyler Pawelzik; a property in Roaring Brook Twp. for $53,000.

• Joseph J. Jr. and Sandra Nardone, Moosic, to Mark Baron, Old Forge; a property at 843 S. Main St., Old Forge, for $100,000.

• Lextan LLC to Atlantic Fresh Properties LLC; a property on Business Route 6, Archbald, for $810,000.

• Michael Pelt, Hagerstown, Md., to Brandon Hall and Marc Werner, Newfoundland; a property at 516 First Ave., Jessup, for $78,970.

• Melanie D. and Charles T. Richter III, Jermyn, to Kimberly Barnes, Scranton; two parcels at 735 Madison Ave., Jermyn, for $85,000.

• 1107 Fisk St. LLC to Fisk Holding LLC; a property at 1107-1109 Fisk St., Scranton, for $362,450.

• PNC Bank National Association, Pittsburgh, to Mark T. Serrenti Sr., Dunmore; a property at 811 Mill St., Dunmore, for $32,000.

• O’Sullivan KN Rental LLC to Dylan J. Drost, Lackawanna County; a property at 679-681 Main St., Vandling, for $28,000.

• Elliot B. Edley, executor of the estate of Sarah A. Meth, also known as Sarah Anne Meth, South Abington Twp., to Paul Merkel, Newton Twp.; a property at 206 Marion Road, South Abington Twp., for $80,000.

DIVORCES SOUGHT

• Alan Sakosky, Dunmore, v. Mary Ann Sakosky, Simpson; married Jan. 9, 1989, in Scran­ton; pro se.

• Gloria Herrera, Blakely, v. Danilo Leonel Miranda Herrera, Dunmore; married Sept. 11, 2010; Marjorie DeSanto Barlow, attorney.

• Jason Samsock, Clarks Summit, v. Alayna M. Garber, Throop, married Sept. 1, 2012, in Jermyn; Brian J. Cali, attorney.

• Lauren Sinning, Scranton, v. William Sinning, Scranton; married Aug. 24, 2013, in Scranton; pro se.

ESTATES FILED

• Florence K. Genett, 610 N. Apple St., Dunmore, letters of administration to Ann Genett, 112 Allen St., Dunmore.

• Josephine Babiarz, 112 10th Ave., Scranton, letters testamentary to Neil C. Trama, 745 N. Lincoln Ave., Scranton.

• David J. Brojack, 350 Com­merce Drive, Scott Twp., letters testamentary to William J. Bro­jack, same address.

• Erik R. Nester, 1288 Reynolds Ave., Scranton, letters of administration to Doreen Robertshaw, 841 Aberdeen Road, Madison Twp.

• Helen T. Casey, 409 Phillips St., Old Forge, letters testamentary to Edward W. Casey, 1123 Sycamore Ave., Laurel Springs, N.J., and John Casey, 110 Nicolas Ave., Old Forge.

ONLINE: thetimes-tribune.com/court

Equinunk

Open house: Equinunk Historical Society annual Holiday Open House, Sunday, noon-4 p.m., 1972 Pine Mill Road, entertainment by Kat and Larry Judd of the Gone Fishin’ Band, please bring a plate of goodies to share, Calder Gift Shop will be open for shopping; 570-224-6722.

Honesdale

Holiday event: Honesdale High School presents Holiday Lights, Dec. 13-18, 6-9 p.m., high school parking lot, Christmas lights flash, fade and chase to songs of the holiday season transmitted through your car radio on 107.7 FM, donations to the show go to support local charities in Wayne County.

Jermyn

Garbage delayed: Due to the weather earlier in the week, County Waste will be collecting garbage on Saturday.

Christmas parade: Christmas Light Parade and arrival of Santa and Mrs. Claus, Saturday, 6:30 p.m., route is Washington Avenue (Main Street), hot refreshments follow at Jermyn Community Center, 440 Jefferson Ave., sponsored by the Girl Scouts of Jermyn/Mayfield.

Community concert: Christmas community concert with Santa and Mrs. Claus, Sunday, 3 p.m., Evans Gym, Jermyn Community Center, 440 Jefferson Ave., refreshments follow sponsored by the Jermyn Events Committee.

Jessup

Christmas festival: Holy Ghost Church Christmas festival, Dec. 21, 10 a.m.-6 p.m., Holy Ghost Hall in LaSalle Academy, 309 First Ave., large assortment of Christmas cookies, kolachi (nut and poppy rolls), jellies, hand-crafted ornaments, holiday crafts and gifts, benefits Holy Ghost Church front steps repair project.

Lackawanna County

Parkinson’s talk: Jewish Home of Eastern Pa. conversation with the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research, Tuesday, 1 p.m., 1101 Vine St., Scranton, free, space is limited; Nicole Lipinski, 570-344-6177, ext. 1113, or nlipinski@jhep.org

Simpson

Cookie sale: St. Basil’s OCA Church homemade cookie sale, Friday, 3-6 p.m., and Saturday, 9 a.m.-noon, 9 Lord Ave., $8/pound; Paula, 570-582-3481 and leave message and number.

South Scranton

Hot meal: One hot meal, Saturday, 1-3 p.m., St. Stanislaus Youth Center, 530 E. Elm St.; 570-343-6017.

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.

A plan to widen Interstate 81 to three lanes in one part of Luzerne County got one step closer to reality Wednesday after the project was given the go-ahead by a board that included state Department of Transportation and other private partners.

The plan calls for the interstate to be widened in both directions between state Route 29 in Hanover Twp. (Exit 164) and Highland Park Boulevard (Exit 168) leading to the Mohegan Sun Arena in Wilkes-Barre Twp.

The project won approval by the PennDOT Public-Private Transportation Partnerships Board.

In addition to widening the 4.5-mile stretch, the plan calls for the realignment of 2.5 miles of I-81 southbound and the replacement of eight bridges. Safety improvements, such as eliminating a left-hand exit onto I-81 northbound from Route 309, are also part of the plan.

The board originally approved the project in late 2018 as a bundling of 15 bridge replacements along I-80 and I-81 in Luzerne County, but the board decided to reassess the project and change its scope to the one unveiled Wednesday, PennDOT said.

PennDOT did not say when the work would begin.

Contact the writer:
bkalinowski@citizensvoice.com
570-821-2055,
@cvbobkal on Twitter

WILKES-BARRE — Bravo Supermarket, an East Coast chain of independently owned supermarkets mainly targeting Hispanic customers, plans to open a store on South Main Street in Wilkes-Barre.

The Luzerne County store would be the second in the state, according to the company’s webiste.

The store is set to open in February on South Main Street next to CVS Pharmacy and across from the post office, according to owner John Marquez, who also owns another Bravo Supermarket in Lancaster.

Bravo has more than 70 locations that span from New York to Florida.

The supermarket chain has been growing to match a booming Hispanic population and Marquez said he thought Wilkes-Barre was the right fit.

“I noticed people were arriving of different nationalities, including Dominicans and Mexicans,” Marquez said. “I thought with the population already there, it was time for a store to open.”

Marquez said Bravo will sell Mexican and American food as well as produce and frozen food. It also will have a dairy department as well as a butcher section, meat department and a small deli, he said.

The supermarket is located across from Save A Lot grocery store and near Schiel’s Family Market, but Marquez said Bravo is different from other grocery stores. Some of its food, sauces and oils are imported from other countries, he said.

Work is underway to expand the South Main Plaza behind Crown Fried Chicken.

Dino Ferri, owner of the South Main Plaza, said he is adding another 11,500 square feet to the plaza and possibly 8-10 new businesses. Possible prospects include a mom-and-pop pharmacy, a burger place and a Sprint store, he said.

He hopes the project will be done in a little over a month, and when it is completed, the South Main Plaza will be about 60,000 square feet.

“It’s good for the community,” Ferri said. “It’s a very busy street and we wanted to do something beneficial for us and the community and we felt like it was the right time to do it.”

Contact the writer:

dallabaugh@citizensvoice.com,
570-821-2115,
@CVAllabaugh on Twitter

SCRANTON — An Olyphant couple arrested in April for child abuse will spend nine months on probation, a Lackawanna County judge ruled Wednesday.

Steven D. Carey, 37, and Jenny Tello, 29, of 101 School St., both apologized to Judge Vito Geroulo and said they’ve learned much since their arrest. Police accused them of using a wooden board and belt to hit a 5-year-old boy’s backside.

They pleaded guilty in September to reckless endangerment.

“They’ve come out of this better people and better parents,” said their attorney, Joseph D’Andrea.

Police said the boy told an interviewer at the Children’s Advocacy Center of Northeastern Pennsylvania that “daddy” struck him with wood while “Jenny” used the belt after others noticed bruises.

Police said “daddy” is Carey and “Jenny” is Tello — Carey’s live-in girlfriend.

Tello admitted to police that they both hit the child but denied she ever saw Carey use a piece of wood.

“I’m very sorry for my actions,” Tello said.

D’Andrea said both have gone through anger management and are cooperating with the Lackawanna County Office of Youth and Family Services.

Geroulo ordered them to continue their cooperation.

Contact the writer:

jkohut@timesshamrock.com, 570-348-9144;

@jkohutTT on Twitter

DUNMORE -- A Dunmore man faces charges after police said he assaulted a woman late Monday night.

Edward William Lilley, 44, 601 Butler St., was charged with simple assault, false imprisonment and harassment.

When police arrived at Lilley’s home for the report of a disturbance at 11:37 p.m., Jacqueline Earley showed officers bruises on her arms and neck. She told police the two were drinking and got into an argument when Lilly grabbed her arm and wouldn’t let her leave. Earley also said Lilley smashed her phone so she couldn’t call 911.

Lilley remains in Lackawanna County Prison in lieu of $10,000 bail. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for next Monday.

— ROBERT TOMKAVAGE

DICKSON CITY — Repairs have been completed on the 16-inch water main that ruptured on the 500 block of Main Street early Tuesday morning, Pennsylvania American Water spokeswoman Susan Turcmanovich said. Service is being restored to all customers, but they may have cloudy or discolored water, she said. Customers should run cold water until it clears up.

— STAFF REPORT

SCRANTON — U.S. Marshals apprehended a Scranton man wanted by city police for raping a 12-year-old girl.

Police filed charges against Jorge Aguilar, 34, 1317 Vine St., late last month after the victim told a family member that Aguilar had sexually abused her for months.

Marshals found him around 1:45 p.m. today in East Orange, N.J., U.S. Marshal for the Middle District of Pennsylvania Martin Pane said.

Aguilar was arrested without incident and is awaiting extradition back to Pennsylvania to face charges of statutory sexual assault, rape of a child, aggravated indecent assault, endangering the welfare of children and related charges.

— ROBERT TOMKAVAGE

SCRANTON — After a rash of vehicle break-ins in the city, police are reminding residents to not leave valuables visible.

Since Oct. 20, police have responded to 19 reports of windows being smashed in the parking garage at Moses Taylor Hospital and the surrounding area, Police Capt. Dennis Lukasewicz said. Break-ins have also occurred in the parking garage and area around Geisinger Community Medical Center, including one Tuesday night.

The majority of the break-ins happen during the afternoon, and most had a purse, wallet, electronic device or other item visible.

“People need to take their valuables with them,” Lukasewicz said. “It’s that time of year when there’s an increase in this type of activity.”

— SARAH HOFIUS HALL

SCRANTON

A 21-year-old man accused of shooting another man in the shoulder nearly a year ago entered a probationary program Wednesday as his case moves forward.

Philip Lynott, 101 Woodside Manor, Scranton, will next appear in court for a preliminary hearing scheduled Jan. 24.

Attorneys Wednesday placed Lynott in pretrial services, which provides treatment and rehabilitation to defendants prior to the case’s completion. Court staff told him that judges look favorably on defendants who successfully complete the program.

Lynott was charged Dec. 28 with aggravated assault and related counts for an altercation that started on social media.

Lynott is free on $100,000 bond.

— JOSEPH KOHUT

A Madison Township woman faces drug charges after state police said an informant bought methamphetamine from her Tuesday.

Catherine Kilanowski, 38, 401 Becks Crossing Road, was charged with two counts of delivery of a controlled substance, possession of a controlled substance and criminal use of a communication facility.

Police found meth, marijuana, prescription pills and cash during a search of her home.

She remains in Lackawanna County Prison in lieu of $50,000 bail. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for Dec. 12.