State police are investigating a fatal shooting in Monroe County.

Troopers from the Fern Ridge barracks are at the scene in the Sun Valley community in Chestnuthill Township, according to a tweet from the Troop N public information officer.

Television station WNEP says the incident happened around 11 p.m. Wednesday, one person is dead and two others were shot. Police are seeking a silver SUV with four armed people inside, the station reported.

More details will be posted as they become available.

SCRANTON — Scranton police said an elementary student was not chased by a white van this morning, contrary to a post on Facebook by a school official.

“We are still looking into it. We are not worried that someone is chasing kids,” said Captain Dennis Lukasewicz.

John G. Whittier Elementary Prinicpal Tim Wolff posted on Facebook around 10 a.m. that a student walking to school returned home and reported that a white van was chasing him. The student is safe but the post asked parents to “speak to your children about staying away from strangers.” Wolff also sent a phone call home to parents.

Lukasewicz said while the student was walking to school a white van passed him slowly, sped up and eventually turned around.

“Officers feel it was just probably somebody dropping somebody off,” he said.

— KATHLEEN BOLUS

SCRANTON — Predicting a bright future for Scranton, Mayor Wayne Evans described a resilient city unwilling to be defined by the crimes of a disgraced former leader or held back by the status quo.

Addressing the Greater Scranton Chamber of Commerce today, Evans reflected on his whirlwind four-plus months at the helm of a city rocked by the July resignation of Mayor Bill Courtright. More than two weeks after Courtright resigned and pleaded guilty to federal corruption charges, city council unanimously appointed Evans, then a councilman, to serve as mayor until Jan. 6.

At his first cabinet meeting after taking office July 25, Evans addressed a city staff that was “betrayed, tired, burnt out and disillusioned,” but not willing to quit, he said.

“I challenged everyone in that room that day to change their story, change their legacy and finish strong,” Evans said. “The public needed reassurance that everything was going to be OK. Our citizens and employees needed to heal, and then we all needed to move on together.”

Evans then touted his administration’s efforts over the past four months, and the results of those efforts.

Among other initiatives, Evans’ administration put a police substation in City Hall, revamped the city’s quality of life ordinance, took steps to reinvigorate the Scranton Redevelopment Authority and established a Mayor’s Arts Council to pursue public art projects.

Describing himself as a “preservationist,” Evans noted his administration’s plan to tap existing and donated funds to restore stained glass windows at City Hall’s entrance and touted recently passed legislation creating a local downtown historic district.

The city also hired a consultant to conduct a top-down review of the Licensing, Inspections and Permits Department, the same department Courtright weaponized to shake down vendors and take bribes. The Courtright scandal marred Scranton’s reputation, but Evans and city council have worked in recent months to restore public trust in the city’s institutions.

After city Fire Chief Patrick DeSarno got into a minor accident in a city-owned vehicle while vacationing out of state, Evans instituted new policy regulating city vehicle use. He’s also requiring all city employees formally acknowledge receipt of a new ethics code governing employee conduct.

Moreover, Evans’ administration is working to finalize an early termination of the city’s contract with Northeast Revenue Service — a delinquent tax collection firm implicated in the Courtright pay-to-play scandal — and to have the Lackawanna County Tax Claim Bureau collect the city’s delinquent taxes and fees.

The mayor said Thursday he’s working to set the stage for future success, including by creating a viable 2020 city budget.

“Our proposed 2020 budget is visionary, and it is certainly not for the faint of heart,” Evans said of the proposed spending plan that dramatically changes the refuse billing process, among other changes. “Because the status quo is not our friend, we are moving in a new direction.”

Ultimately, Evans expressed confidence that Mayor-elect Paige Cognetti will continue the progress started during his brief tenure.

“The state of the city is strong,” Evans said. “We have built a bridge from the turmoil of the past to a future that is beyond bright.”

Chamber president Bob Durkin agreed, arguing Evans’ leadership helped restore the business community’s confidence in the wake of the Courtright scandal.

“(As) we worked ourselves as a community through that challenging time ... having someone of Wayne’s character, experience and strength really brought the immediate stability to our thinking of how this community was going to respond,” Durkin said. “This man is well respected and in many ways, I think, admired for what he did and has continued to do on behalf of the city of Scranton.”

Evans wrapped up his remarks by thanking his cabinet and other city officials, including the four Democrats on city council who put politics aside to appoint him, a Republican, mayor. He reserved special thanks for city Solicitor Jessica Eskra and Business Administrator David Bulzoni, who Evans said played an invaluable role in the administration’s successes.

Evans also took time to repeat his favorite motto, which he first saw on a sign in Sacramento, California, and later had emblazoned on a City Hall front door.

“Every day is your chance to make this city a little better,” he said.

Contact the writer:
jhorvath@timesshamrock.com;
570-348-9141;
@jhorvathTT on Twitter

Authorities refiled criminal charges against a Scranton man accused in a brutal September beating but left out the most serious count previously levied — attempted homicide.

Eric Piccotti, 48, 714 Taylor Ave., was initially arrested Sept. 12 and charged with attacking Michael Ducas at his home on the 1000 block of Prescott Avenue. The state attorney general’s office withdrew the initial complaint on Sept. 24, once the Lackawanna County district attorney’s office referred the case to them to avoid a conflict.

The state prosecutor’s office said at the time that “a review of those charges revealed a need for further investigation and a redrafting of the criminal complaints.”

The redraft became official late Wednesday.

“They made the correct decision in not refiling attempted homicide but we intend to vigorously defend the remaining charges,” Piccotti’s attorney, Gerard Karam, said.

The reasoning behind excluding attempted homicide was not clear Thursday. Scranton Police Chief Carl Graziano said the charging decision ultimately rested with the attorney general’s office.

A spokesman for the prosecutor’s office could not be reached for comment.

In a statement, state Attorney General Josh Shapiro said their investigation demonstrated Piccotti “broke into the home of the man he intended to assault and beat up the victim.”

Police said Piccotti violently beat Ducas because Ducas had an affair with his wife, Margaret Piccotti. He was carrying a gun but did not shoot.

“I clobbered the guy,” he told investigators, according to a criminal complaint. “I’m not gonna lie...I’m just saying I did it. I mean, I’m out of my mind. I’m out of my mind. I want to kill the guy.”

Ducas told police that Piccotti pointed a gun at him and told him he was going to kill him. However, Piccotti put the gun down and started to punch and choke Ducas until his eyes hemorrhaged and blood covered his face.

The injuries Ducas suffered were consistent with the assault he described, police said.

Initially, the police also charged Piccotti’s brother-in-law, John Dougherty, 51, with burglary and criminal trespass. Prosecutors withdrew charges against him when they withdrew charges against Piccotti. The attorney general’s office did not refile charges against Dougherty as of Thursday.

“I said this in the beginning the first time they were charged ... I didn’t think the charges were warranted against John,” his attorney, Paul Walker, said.

Walker said that the attorney general’s office mentioned “in passing” that they were not planning to pursue Dougherty, though he cautioned that was “nothing official.”

Graziano said he believes that the attorney general’s office is awaiting “additional electronic records” before making a determination.

“It’s still active,” he said. “It’s not closed by any means.”

Piccotti is charged with aggravated assault, burglary, simple assault, criminal trespass, strangulation, recklessly endangering another person, terroristic threats, criminal mischief and harassment.

He is free on $50,000 unsecured bail. A preliminary hearing is scheduled 9:45 a.m. Wednesday.

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

Student government at the University of Scranton refuses to recognize a conservative student group on campus.

A national organization defending rights of college students wrote to university administration this week, demanding the school “respect its students’ ability to hold viewpoints that members of the student government may deem unpopular.”

This fall, students wanted to form a university chapter of Turning Point USA, a conservative organization founded by Charlie Kirk, a face of the national campus conservative movement. The university gives student government the authority to decide what student groups can form on campus.

“Then the administration stood by when student government members abused that authority to deny recognition to a prospective conservative student group because of their political beliefs,” according to Foundation for Individual Rights in Education.

Turning Point’s mission is to “educate students about the importance of fiscal responsibility, free markets and limited government,” according to its website. The students had recruited 37 prospective members for the chapter, hoping to host speakers and discussions and participate in community service. At an initial meeting, the students said they found a “nice environment to express their political views,” said freshman Noah Kraft, from Schuylkill County.

“As a club, everyone is really frustrated. We just want to do whatever we can to get the club started peacefully. It’s unfortunate it has to be a battle,” Kraft said. “Throughout the entire country, the outrage culture is growing. Anything related to the president or conservative viewpoints is very likely to be attacked, which is unfortunate.”

After fielding questions from student government members for three hours, the student applicants were told on Oct. 4 that the student government approved the chapter as a registered student organization. But later, following a third closed-door meeting, student government told the applicants the group did not have enough votes for recognition. The chapter had won a majority vote, but needed approval from two-thirds of the student government, according to FIRE.

“It is irrelevant whether the threshold vote required is a simple or a two-thirds majority,” FIRE attorney Katlyn Patton wrote in a letter to the university administration. “The two-thirds majority requirement simply allows a smaller faction to refuse rights based on viewpoint. In either event, the result is impermissible at an institution that promises its students freedom of expression.”

Although Scranton is a private university and is not bound by the First Amendment, it is both morally and contractually bound to honor the explicit promises of freedom of expression it makes to its students, according to FIRE. The university’s “Statement of Philosophy” states that “freedom of thought, freedom of expression, and freedom of the individual must be preserved.”

In a statement from the University of Scranton today, officials reiterated part of its mission statement: “The University of Scranton is ‘dedicated to the freedom of inquiry and personal development fundamental to the growth in wisdom and integrity of all who share its life.’”

The university’s student government constitution and bylaws call for the student senate to recommend student organizations for charter if that organization receives a two-thirds majority vote of the students present at the student senate meeting.

“The proposal to establish a Scranton chapter of Turning Point USA did not receive the required two-thirds majority vote and, as a result, was not chartered as a club,” the statement read.

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

EATON TWP. — With wish lists in hand, representatives of more than 20 companies filled up carts at Walmart with toys and clothes in hopes of making Christmas special for hundreds of children in need.

Cabot Oil & Gas hosts this annual holiday drive in partnership with the Interfaith organizations in both Susquehanna and Wyoming counties.

“Each year it’s grown tremendously,” said Bill desRosiers, manager of external affairs at Cabot. “Because the toy drive got so big, we started inviting our contractors here to Walmart to shop with us… We expect to have our best year yet.”

This year, desRosiers said the expectation was to purchase more than $20,000 worth of items, with Cabot contributing $5,000.

Volunteers spent this morning shopping for items specific to different age groups and interests.

Debra Tierney from the Northern Tier Industry and Education Consortium needed to look for toys related to the Disney movie ‘Frozen,’ while Rob Gorczyk from Cabot had toys a Nerf gun, train set, Minecraft Lego kit and other toys in his cart.

“It’s exciting to see how many people come out every year,” desRosiers said. “The more people that come out and enjoy doing this part of the drive just demonstrates the involvement, awareness and presence that all these companies, contractors and employees have in the community.”

Frank Tunis from Northeast Marcellus participated in the drive for the first time.

“There’s nothing better than seeing a smile on a kid’s face at Christmastime, especially kids that don’t have a lot,” he said.

For families who struggle to make ends meet, these gifts could make all the difference, according to Cindy Beeman, executive director of Susquehanna County Interfaith.

“It is amazing to see the parents’ relief because they’re not having to choose between providing a nice Christmas for their children and paying their bills,” she said.

Beeman said communities are always stronger when people work together and commended companies that do not only look out for their own interests.

“Cabot and the vendors that they bring, they really look at the community and how they can support it, not at their bottom line,” she said. “It’s bigger than that, and isn’t that what Christmas is all about?”

Walmart manager Ricky Zehr hopes the children receiving these gifts know that the community cares about them.

“It’s a good feeling that we can rely on each other to take care of the community needs,” he said. “We want them to have a great Christmas, one that they can remember for years to come.”

Contact the writer:

bwilliams@wcexaminer.com;

570-836-2123 x36

A federal lawsuit that alleges child support debtors were coerced into working at the Lackawanna County Recycling Center joins more than a dozen lawsuits filed nationwide that challenge the use of forced labor from prison inmates and immigration detainees, according to a group that tracks the litigation.

In the past four years, 17 lawsuits were filed, including seven that target private companies that operate detention centers that hold immigrants facing deportation. The suits contend the for-profit companies violate anti-slavery and human trafficking laws by forcing people detained on civil matters to work virtually for free.

“We are seeing a surge of federal civil cases where people allege they were forced to work while detained, even though they were not convicted of a crime,” said Alexandra Yelderman, an attorney with The Human Trafficking Legal Center, a non-profit group that assists trafficking victims in obtaining legal assistance. “It’s a promising phenomenon because it creates the possibility these prison companies will be held accountable.”

The cases focus on alleged violations of the 13th Amendment to the U.S Constitution, which abolished slavery, the Trafficking Victims Protection Act and violations of state and federal wage and labor laws.

Towards Justice of Colorado, the nonprofit workers’ rights group that filed the Lackawanna County lawsuit on behalf of former inmate William Burrell Jr. and others, currently has a case pending against The GEO Group, Inc., one of the nation’s largest operators of immigration detention centers. The class action suit filed by Alejandro Menocal alleges GEO’s Colorado facility used the threat of solitary confinement to coerce detainees to work cleaning the center for $1 a day.

Juno Turner, an attorney with Towards Justice, said the Burrell case raises similar issues.

“The general theme is the same,” Turner said. “Our goal is to address the power imbalance in these situations . . . The defendant is in a position of great power. They use that power to extract labor in a way that is inherently unjust.”

The Burrell suit alleges Lackawanna County coerces people jailed for failing to pay child support to work for $5 a day for Lackawanna County Recycling Inc., a private company owned by Louis and Dominick DeNaples that operates the recycling center. Burrell and other detainees allege they were told they had to first work at the center before they would be approved for work release to an outside job.

The suit names the county, LRC, the DeNaples, a prison employee and the county’s Solid Waste Management Authority. Donald Frederickson, general counsel for the county, denies inmates are forced to work at the center, saying they do so voluntarily.

Turner acknowledged the case presents legal challenges, but she’s confident it has a strong legal and factual basis.

Recent rulings from federal judges in several other jurisdictions bode well for the case, said Dr. Jacqueline Stevens,a political science professor at Northwestern University who authored a paper that exposed the extent of forced labor at immigration detention centers.

GEO Group and other defendants have sought to have the cases dismissed outright, arguing there is no legal basis to support the claims. Towards Justice was the first to score a victory in 2017, when a federal judge denied GEO Group’s motion to dismiss the Menocal case. An appellate court upheld the decision last year.

“The courts have all said there is a legal basis for these types of claims,” Stevens said. “They’re in a really good place for this kind of case.”

Contact the writer: tbesecker@timesshamrock.com; 570-348-9137; @tmbeseckerTT on Twitter,

.

JERMYN — In a move to provide more competitive police salaries, borough council is mulling a 6-mill tax increase for 2020.

Council presented the proposed $1,004,338 budget for 2020 at a meeting tonight. If approved, the budget will raise property taxes from 29 mills to 35 mills. That includes a 1-mill increase for general purposes, a special 4-mill increase for borough police and a special 1-mill tax increase for the borough fire department, borough Manager Dan Markey said. A mill is a $1 tax on every $1,000 of assessed property value.

“The revenues stayed the same,” Markey said. “We’re trying to make sure that we maintain a 24/7 police force.”

The borough’s real estate taxes had remained at 29 mills for three years, Markey said.

A homeowner with a house assessed at $9,000, which is the median residential assessment in the borough according to 2014 figures from the county tax assessor’s office, will pay $315 under the new rate, $54 more than this year.

The tax increase will support a $1.50-per-hour raise for part-time police officers, Markey said. Part-time officers’ current starting salary is $15 per hour after completing a probationary period.

Jermyn has two full-time officers, which includes the chief, and about eight to 10 part-time officers, Markey said. Low wages mean officers choose to work at higher-paying municipalities, he said.

“We’re not able to be competitive enough,” he said.

Before council voted to present its budget, councilwoman Kristen Dougherty said the town needs to find ways to generate a surplus.

“We need to really plan for the future,” she said. “We’re not carrying over anything, which is a concern to me.”

Following a lengthy discussion, council also voted to remove a garbage fee reduction for homes that don’t put out any trash, such as vacant properties and properties whose owners don’t live there year round. The borough has about 50 residences that paid a reduced garbage fee of $125, rather than the approximately $255 that households will need to pay in 2020, Markey said.

Council President Frank Kulick said Jermyn is a small borough “faced with all the red tape and all the strangleholds” of larger boroughs and cities, including stormwater management, equipment upkeep and fire and police protection.

“In a town with 2,000 odd people, it’s not easy,” Kulick said.

He and Mayor Anthony Fuga explained that Jermyn faced several large expenses recently, including a $500,000-plus paving project that the borough underwent three years ago. Jermyn is paying $107,000 per year toward the project, Kulick said, and the town will pay off the debt in 2021.

Kulick was optimistic about Jermyn’s financial situation after it pays off the debt.

“We’re going to have to crawl for a year or two, but we’re going to get out of it,” he said.

Contact the writer: flesnefsky@timesshamrock.com; 570-348-9100 x5181; @flesnefskyTT on Twitter

Longtime Scranton city controller Roseann Novembrino died at Regional Hospital of Scranton today, according to a funeral director authorized to speak for the family.

The 83-year-old resigned from the city post she held for more than 30 years in November, roughly two months before her term would end. Earlier this year, Novembrino announced her decision not to seek reelection as controller, citing her age and health issues.

John Murray, a Democrat, won the post in November and will take office in January. Mary Lynn Carey, previously the deputy controller/administrator, is filling in until then.

Novembrino began working in the controller’s office in the 1980s. Her husband, Richard, won election as controller in November 1983 but died in December 1985. He was replaced by Joseph Refice, the office’s top deputy, who named Roseann Novembrino as deputy controller in February 1986.

When Refice resigned in July 1987 to take a job with Gov. Robert P. Casey’s administration, Roseann Novembrino took over the post, replaced Refice on the ballot and won election in November 1987. Since then, voters have elected her to the office seven more times.

After her resignation last month, current and former city officials praised her dedication and kindness.

Funeral arrangements are pending, according to Carl Savino of Savino Traditional Funerals and Cremation Care.

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.

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

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

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

A federal lawsuit alleging child support debtors were coerced into working at the Lackawanna County Recycling Center joins more than a dozen lawsuits filed nationwide that challenge the use of forced labor from prison inmates and immigration detainees, according to a group that tracks the litigation.

In the past four years, 17 lawsuits were filed, including seven targeting private companies operating detention centers that hold immigrants facing deportation. The suits contend the for-profit companies violate anti-slavery and human trafficking laws by forcing people detained on civil matters to work virtually for free.

“We are seeing a surge of federal civil cases where people allege they

were forced to work while detained, even though they were not convicted of a crime,” said Alexandra Yelderman, an attorney with the Human Trafficking Legal Center, a nonprofit that assists trafficking victims in obtaining legal assistance. “It’s a promising phenomenon because it creates the possibility these prison companies will be held accountable.”

The cases focus on alleged violations of the 13th Amendment, which abolished slavery, the Trafficking Victims Protection Act and violations of state and federal wage and labor laws.

Towards Justice of Colorado, the nonprofit workers’ rights group that filed the Lackawanna County lawsuit on behalf of former inmate William Burrell Jr. and others, currently has a case pending against the GEO Group Inc., one of the nation’s largest operators of immigration detention centers. The class-action suit filed by Alejandro Menocal alleges GEO’s Colorado facility used the threat of solitary confinement to coerce detainees to clean the center for $1 a day.

Juno Turner, an attorney with Towards Justice, said the Burrell case raises similar issues.

“The general theme is the same,” Turner said. “Our goal is to address the power imbalance in these situations. ... The defendant is in a position of great power. They use that power to extract labor in a way that is inherently unjust.”

The Burrell suit alleges Lackawanna County coerces people jailed for failing to pay child support to work for $5 a day for Lackawanna County Recycling Inc., a private company owned by Louis and Dominick DeNaples that operates the recycling center. Burrell and other detainees allege they were told they had to first work at the center before they would be approved for work release to an outside job.

The suit names the county, LRC, the DeNapleses, a prison employee and the county’s Solid Waste Management Authority. Donald Frederickson, general counsel for the county, denies inmates are forced to work at the center, saying they do so voluntarily.

Turner acknowledged the case presents legal challenges, but she’s confident it has a strong legal and factual basis.

Recent rulings from federal judges in several other jurisdictions bode well for the case, said Dr. Jacqueline Stevens,a political science professor at Northwestern University who authored a paper that exposed the extent of forced labor at immigration detention centers.

GEO Group and other defendants have sought to have the cases dismissed outright, arguing there is no legal basis to support the claims. Towards Justice was the first to score a victory in 2017, when a federal judge denied GEO Group’s motion to dismiss the Menocal case. An appellate court upheld the decision last year.

“The courts have all said there is a legal basis for these types of claims,” Stevens said. “They’re in a really good place for this kind of case.”

Contact the writer:

tbesecker@timesshamrock.com;

570-348-9137;

@tmbeseckerTT on Twitter

CLARKS SUMMIT — Snow gathered on glowing globes outside State Street Grill, where the Davis family finished their meal.

The foursome from Clarks Green emerged from one, leaving the warmth inside for the open air.

“It was our first time. It was so cool to see the snow falling as we were eating underneath the tent … it was cozy,” said Maggie Davis, who was checking out State Street’s newest attraction, the so-called “igloos” with her husband, Chris and sons, Paulie, 8, and Patrick, 5.

Restaurant owner Thomas Hill installed four temporary igloos, clear plastic geodesic domes to extend the patio season. Despite the cold, sloppy season, guests can still wine and dine in his trademark outdoor space.

“I can’t take credit for the idea, but for recognizing it,” he said, explaining how a New York City restaurant with rooftop dining inspired him.

He’s got one communal dome where guests can have stop for a drink or wait for a table on busy nights.

A cocktail igloo seats about a dozen with portable dinner trays and a low table in the center for drinks and appetizers. The two near the front seat up to eight guests who want to enjoy a full meal outdoors.

The four domes, at 144 square feet, cost about $1,400 apiece, Hill said, and he plans to keep them up as long as he can.

“They can handle any element and temperatures, I think, into the negatives,” he said. “We’ll run them all winter.”

They’re rated for winds up to 40 mph. They get downright balmy when the sun’s out. At night, he heats them with portable heaters that do a nice job controlling temperatures.

They’re decorated with ropes of color-changing LED lights. Each seat has a light blanket, neatly rolled, just in case.

You’re still definitely eating outside. Jackets are advised.

Parties of six or more can reserve one of the two dining igloos Monday through Thursday for a maximum of two hours.

On Friday, Saturday and Sunday, they’re first-come, first-served.

Guests can makes reservations on State Street’s website, www.thestate streetgrill.com, through the Open

Table reservation link.

Contact the writer:

joconnell@timesshamrock.com;

570-348-9131;

@jon_oc on Twitter

A federal appeals court reinstated an $8 million punitive damages verdict in favor of the wife of a Barrett Twp. man who killed himself at the Monroe County Correctional Facility.

Miryem Barbaros filed suit in 2011 against the prison and its medical provider, PrimeCare Medical Inc., in connection with the March 2009 death of her husband, Mumun Barbaros. The suit alleged prison and medical staff were negligent for failing to properly evaluate Mumun Barbaros’ mental health, which led him to suffocate himself by stuffing a T-shirt down his throat.

A federal jury in 2016 awarded Miryem Barbaros $2.8 million for wrongful death and $8 million in punitive damages against PrimeCare and several of its employees. The panel also awarded her about $1.1 million based on allegations medical staff were deliberately indifferent to her husband’s medical needs. Claims against the prison were settled before trial.

Attorneys for PrimeCare appealed the verdict. U.S. District Judge Robert D. Mariani in August 2017 upheld the wrongful death verdict, but he overturned the punitive damage and deliberate indifference awards. A three-member panel of the 3rd Circuit Court recently upheld Mariani’s ruling on the wrongful claim, but vacated his ruling on punitive damages. Barbaros did not ask the court to overturn Mariani’s ruling on the deliberate indifference count.

In his ruling, Mariani said he did not believe Barbaros presented sufficient evidence to prove the medical staff’s conduct was so egregious that it met the legal standard for punitive damages, which requires proof the defendants acted with reckless disregard for a patient’s health.

The 3rd Circuit Court disagreed, saying it found “more than sufficient” evidence to support the jury’s findings.

“From the moment (Mumun) Barbaros entered MCCF, every person who interacted with him or was involved in his ‘care’ violated policies and procedures intended to ensure proper communication and patient safety,” the court said. “The record supports the jury’s conclusion that PrimeCare’s actions were of such an outrageous nature as to demonstrate intentional, willful, wanton and reckless conduct.”

Robert Byer, attorney for PrimeCare, said he could not comment on whether his client will seek to further appeal the court’s ruling.

Contact the writer: tbesecker@timesshamrock.com; 570-348-9137; @tmbeseckerTT on Twitter

Dec. 6, 1969

Penn State fans call out Nixon for snub

The White House announced that President Richard Nixon would be attending a game between the University of Texas and Arkansas in Fayetteville. At the end of the game, the president would then present the winner with a plaque declaring them the No. 1 team during the 100th anniversary year of college football.

Penn State fans stood up and said not so fast. Penn State, like Texas and Arkansas, also had an undefeated season in 1969, but was ranked third in the nation by the Associated Press. The Nittany Lions also had an undefeated season in 1968.

Following telegrams and much debate in the West Wing, it was decided that Penn State would also receive a plaque from the president honoring the team’s accomplishment of having two consecutive undefeated seasons.

Following the bowl games, Penn State and Texas ended their seasons undefeated.

New parking garage to partially open

In time for the holiday shopping season, Scranton Parking Authority Chairman Patrick Sheerin announced the first floor of the new parking garage at North Washington Avenue and Linden Street would be open just before Christmas. The partial opening would give holiday shoppers 40 parking spaces in the downtown.

He said the entire structure would be completed by March 1.

Out & about

At the movies: Sneak peek showing of “The Gypsy Moth” at the Strand, “Battle for Britain” at the Comerford, “Alice’s Restaurant” at the West Side and “The Angry Breed,” “The Terrornauts” and “Color Me Dead” at the Circle Drive-In.

At the clubs: The Exact Change at Serge’s Cabaret, The Humane Society at Tipper’s A-Go-Go, comedian Lucille Gould at the El Dorado and the 10th annual March of Dimes dance at the Watres Armory featuring Mel Wynn, The Glass Prism, The Buoys, Frantic Freddie and Shades of Blue.

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.