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 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

Thursday, 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.

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570-348-9133;

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

Cabot Oil & Gas hosts the annual holiday drive in partnership with the Interfaith organizations in 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 Thursday morning shopping for items specific to different age groups and interests.

Debra Tierney from the Northern Tier Industry and Education Consortium looked for toys related to the Disney movie “Frozen,” while Rob Gorczyk from Cabot had 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

MARRIAGE LICENSE

• Lloyd Lee Smith, Olyphant, and Lisa Wengrin, Simpson.

PROPERTY TRANSACTIONS

• New Horizons Property Investments LLC to Roberta M. Griffis; a property at 135 Cottage St., Carbondale, for $113,000.

• Alexandra Demoya, now by marriage Alexandra Mara, and Daniel Mara, Lackawanna County; and Ramos and Jesusita Demoya, Port Jervis, N.Y., to Sunrise Select Properties II LLC; a property at 714 S. Valley Ave., Olyphant, for $25,000.

• Mark S. Bevacqua to Mark Bevacqua Jr.; a property at 110 George St., Fell Twp., for $80,000.

• John T. and Denise Mary Plishka, Joseph S. and Debra Jean Plishka, Richard M. and Paula Ann Plishka, and Martin J. Plishka to Sean M. and Susanna J. Fricke, Lackawanna County; a property at 510 Harwood Ave., Clarks Summit, for $174,794.

• Joshua J. and Miranda Ruddy, Dunmore, to Christopher and Anna Grippi, Scranton; a property at 405 Ward St., Dunmore, for $195,700.

• David and Nicole Borusiewicz, Archbald, to Judith Clause, Greenfield Twp.; a property at 256 Josephine St., Blakely, for $144,000.

• Christine P. Cryan, executrix of the estate of Irene Ochal, Lackawanna County, to Robert Dennis, Peckville; two parcels in Blakely for $188,000.

• David Bianco, Roaring Brook Twp., to John and Karen Tracy Friemann, Sciota; a property at 212 Karen Drive, Scranton, for $122,500.

• Melissa M. Hernandez, Astoria, N.Y., to SJ Page Properties LLC, Scranton; a property at 203-205 Fifth Ave., Scranton, for $63,000.

• Maria Marsili, executrix of the estate of Rena Joan Marsili, also known as Rena J. Marsili, also known as Rena Marsili, Greenfield Twp., to Jacob Leonard, Scranton; a property at 418 Simpson St., Blakely, for $145,000.

• U.S. Bank National Association, as trustee for the Structured Asset Investment Loan Trust Mortgage Pass-Through Certificates Series 2004-10, Salt Lake City, Utah, to KLRG Properties LLC, Wilmington, Del.; a property at 721 Jackson St., Dickson City, for $46,000.

DIVORCE DECREES

• Amanda O’Dell v. Patrick O’Dell

• Denise Linney v. James Linney

• Nikunj Patel v. Tejal Patel

• Michael Voldenberg v. Margaret Voldenberg

• Carrie Snyder v. Scott Snyder

• David Kochis v. Amy Kochis

• Thomas Barrett v. Christina Barrett

ESTATES FILED

• Mary Dennis, also known as Mary H. Dennis, 612 Rocky Glen Road, Moosic, letters testamentary to John Miklasavage, 58 Watsessing Ave., Bloomfield, N.J.

• Anthony Paul DePietro, 102 W. Breaker St., Olyphant, letters testamentary to Christine Ann Kelly, same address.

STATE TAX LIEN

• Celtic Cabinetry & Millwork, Rear 205 Broad St., Pittston; $760.05.

LAWSUIT

• Liliana Bridges-Watkis, a minor, by and through her parent and natural guardian, Jalen Bridges, and Jalen Bridges, in her own right, 304 N. Bromley Ave., Scranton, v. Sharon Gudiatus, 313 N. Bromley Ave., Scranton, seeking in excess of $50,000, exclusive of interests and costs, for injuries sustained Sept. 19, 2018, as the result of a dog bite on Bromley Street, Scranton; Vincent S. Cimini, attorney.

ONLINE: thetimes-tribune.com/court

Carbondale

Holiday events: Christmas in Carbondale, Saturday, 10:30 a.m., Santa train arrives at Mill Street and activities will follow at Hotel Anthracite and the downtown area; Christmas Bingo, noon, Greater Carbondale YMCA; Christmas festival 5-8 p.m. and Grinch School at 5 at the YMCA; A Dickens of a Christmas Dinner 5 p.m., Trinity Episcopal Church; lighted Christmas parade 6:30 p.m., Main Street, downtown.

Jessup

Holiday event: 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, jellies, ornaments, holiday crafts. Proceeds will benefit the Church Front Steps Repair Project.

Olyphant

Food sale: Porketta sandwich sale, Jan. 25, noon-4 p.m., Italian American Club, 101 N. Garfield Ave.; proceeds from the event, sponsored by the Olyphant Neighborhood Watch and the Olyphant Police Department, will go toward fundraising for a police dog; cost: two sandwiches for $6; tickets can be purchased on the Olyphant Neighborhood Watch Facebook page or from members.

Scranton

Prayer service: Longest Night/Blue Christmas Worship Service, Dec. 22, 7 p.m., sanctuary of Hickory Street Presby­terian Church, 435 Hickory St.; the Scriptures, music and meditations offered will focus on the comfort God offers in the dark times of our lives.

Holiday event: 18th annual O’Malley Free Christmas Party, Sunday, 1-3 p.m., Keyser Valley Community Center; children from preschool to fifth grade are welcome; picture with Santa Claus, pizza, drinks, candy canes, McDonald’s coupon, free kids meal from the Texas Roadhouse, Utz potato chips and a Krispy Kreme donut; RSVP to 570-346-1828 by leaving a message with number of children attending.

Church event: Asbury United Methodist Church Annual Singalong, Dec. 15, 3 p.m., Asbury United Methodist Church, 720 Delaware St.; celebrate the joy and promise of Christmas through song.

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.

President Judge Michael Barrasse sentenced the following defendants recently in Lackawanna County Court:

James William Lattimore Jr., 40, 825 W. Elm St., Scranton, to six months of court supervision, including two months of house arrest, and a $300 fine for DUI tier one, first offense.

Kenneth Gerald Burgess, 36, Hop Bottom, to 42 to 96 months in state prison and $1,835 in restitution for theft by unlawful taking, false identification to a law enforcement officer, receiving stolen property and fleeing or attempting to elude an officer.

Charles Joseph Dottle, 41, 419 Cedar Ave., Apt. 2, Scranton, to two years of court supervision, five years of probation and a $300 fine for possession of a controlled substance with intent to deliver, criminal conspiracy, deposits, stores or disposes of chemical waste, risking catastrophe, possession of a controlled substance and recklessly endangering another person.

Charlene Gale, 50, 222 Theodore St., Scranton, to two years of court supervision and four years of probation for possession with intent to deliver and delivery of a controlled substance.

Brandon Charles Robinson, 20, Exeter, to 464 days of time served to 23 months and 29 days in county prison for theft by unlawful taking.

Matthew John Zito, 30, 540-542 Main St., Edwardsville, to five years of court supervision, including four months of house arrest, two years of probation and a $1,500 fine, for resisting arrest and DUI tier three, second offense.

Andrew James Sinkaus, 24, 110 Allen St., Dunmore, to 90 days of probation for disorderly conduct.

Michael Paul Woodbridge, 53, 160 Fallbrook St., Carbondale, to three months of probation for defiant trespass.

Brian John Gray, 54, 8 Louis Lane, P.O. Box 712, Gouldsboro, to two years of court supervision, including two months of house arrest, for criminal attempt, theft by deception.

Christian Joseph Burke, 20, 3482 Mangerly St., Binghamton, New York, to three years of court supervision, including three months of house arrest, for possession with intent to deliver.

Corey Marshall, 44, 240 St. Francis Cabrini Ave., Scranton, to one year of court supervision, including two months of house arrest, for disorderly conduct.

Austin Harris, 22, 503 Nichols St., Clarks Summit, to three years of court supervision, including three months of house arrest, for possession with intent to deliver.

Peter D. Dutter, 55, 1104 Scranton St., Clarks Summit, to two years of court supervision, including two months of house arrest, for criminal attempt, theft by deception.

Sherry Ann Krueger, 53, 304 Depew Ave., Mayfield, to three years of court supervision, including three months of house arrest, for possession with intent to deliver.

Dyann Kulick, 49, 1024 Bennett St., Scranton, to six months of court supervision, including two months of house arrest, and a $500 fine for DUI tier two, first offense.

John Carl Miller, 34, Scranton, to 33 months to six years in state prison and two years of probation for conspiracy to deliver a controlled substance, possession with intent to deliver and theft by unlawful taking.

Sean Andrue Bennett, 21, Allentown, to nine months to two years in state prison for access device fraud.

Mark Joseph Derosa, 44, West Wyoming, to 11 to 24 months in state prison, one year of probation and $548.50 in restitution for retail theft.

Alfredo Burgos-Nieves, 36, 807 Monroe Ave., Scranton, to one to two years in state prison and $1,200 restitution for simple assault.

John Benjamin Wargo, 31, 1350 Cortez Road, Lake Ariel, to 37 months of probation and two years of court supervision for aggravated assault, possession of marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia.

Judge Vito Geroulo sentenced:

Erin Joseph Valdez, 45, Scranton, to five to 10 years in state prison for robbery.

Gabriele N. Day, 45, 6 Ann St., West Pittston, to five years of court supervision, including three months of house arrest, and a $1,500 fine for DUI tier three, second offense.

Christopher Antoine Ray, 32, Taylor, to seven to 15 years in state prison and five years of probation for involuntary deviate sexual intercourse with a child.

Judge Andy Jarbola sentenced:

Floyd Wheeler-McLaughlin, 33, 124 N. Main Ave., Scranton, to one to three years in state prison for escape and possession of a controlled substance.

Judge Margaret Bisignani Moyle sentenced:

Patricia Robbins, 47, 139 Third St., Old Forge, to three years of probation for endangering the welfare of children.

Brian Gillette, 41, 2021 Reservoir Road, Madisonville Twp., to two years of probation for simple assault.

Suzanne M. Cherochak, 56, P.O. Box 483, New Milford, to two years of court supervision, including 90 days of house arrest, for possession with intent to deliver.

Wendy Flatt, 34, 511 S. Main St., Scranton, to one to 23½ months in county prison, three years of court supervision, including 18 days of house arrest, and a $1,800 fine for recklessly endangering another person, DUI tier three, first offense, DUI tier one, second offense and DUI tier one, third offense.

Heather Lynn Sulz, 32, 345 Grove St., Scranton, to six months of court supervision, including three days of house arrest, one year of probation and a $1,000 fine for resisting arrest and DUI tier three, first offense.

Nancy Ellen Weisel, 52, 744 Blue Shutters Road, Roaring Brook Twp., to three to 23½ months of house arrest and three years of probation for recklessly endangering another person and terroristic threats.

Dennis Surace, 41, 151 Green St., Carbondale, to six months of probation and a $300 fine for DUI tier one, first offense.

Willie Walker, 45, 1605 Pine St., Scranton, to 16 months to four years in state prison for delivery of a controlled substance.

WILKES-BARRE TWP.

Scranton man charged with identity theft

A Scranton man is facing identity theft charges after being found in possession of a fake ID and two credit cards with other people’s names on them, according to police.

Robert Edward Cagle Jr., 55, of 136 S. Hyde Park Ave., was caught after police said he bought a phone at a township Best Buy using a fraudulent identity Wednesday night.

Police stopped Cagle after he left Best Buy and found him in possession of a Florida driver’s license featuring Cagle’s photo and the personal information of a resident of Hollywood, Florida. He also had two Mastercards with different names but the same account number, expiration date and security code, police said.

Cagle remains in Luzerne County Correctional Facility in lieu of $5,000 bail.

— JAMES HALPIN

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 on Thursday, 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 touted his administration’s efforts — and results — over the past four months.

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.

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 requiring all city employees to formally acknowledge receipt of a new ethics code governing employee conduct.

Evans’ administration also 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 in 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 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 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 for 9:45 a.m. Wednesday.

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

FAIRVIEW TWP. — A former employee at a popular Mountain Top pizzeria pulled down a co-worker’s pants and rubbed up against her when she went to get pizza boxes from a back room last month, according to charges filed Friday.

Nicola Coppola, 56, of 88 S. Mountain Blvd., is accused of trying to sexually assault the woman during a shift at King’s Ristorante Pizzeria at 49 S. Mountain Blvd. 

The woman, who reported she has worked at the restaurant for several years, told investigators she had been working the front counter during a shift on Nov. 13, and that around 7:30 p.m. she went to get more pizza boxes.

She noticed Coppola was in the room, and when he told her to “show me your cheeks” she thought he was joking and dismissed the remark, according to the complaint.

But when the woman reached up to get some boxes, Coppola reached his hands under her shirt and pulled down her pants and underwear, the charges allege.

Stunned, the woman asked Coppola what he was doing, police said. He then pressed himself against her and grabbed her hips, according to the complaint. 

Coppola told the woman to “hold on” as he exposed his penis and then rubbed against her several times, police allege. After a short while, Coppola backed off and pulled up his pants, the complaint says.

He then turned the woman around and kissed her on the lips, saying, “This can be our little secret,” according to the charges.

The woman went back to the area of the dishwasher and began to cry, police said. When she went outside to call a friend, Coppola followed her and asked what was wrong, the complaint says.

The woman told him she didn’t like what had happened and Coppola said he “couldn’t help it” because she is attractive, police said.

“Let’s just pretend it never happened,” the complaint quotes Coppola as saying.

During questioning, Coppola initially maintained that nothing had happened between him and the woman. He later admitted to grabbing the woman and pulling down her pants, although he maintained he “only rubbed up against her for a few seconds,” police said.

“I realized that that was wrong and immediately pulled back. And I said I was sorry,” Coppola said in a written statement, according to the complaint. “I never done anything like this before and do not know why it happened and I am extremely sorry for this. She is a very good person and very playful.”

Coppola’s position at the restaurant was not immediately clear. The complaint identifies him only as “the pizza man” and Fairview Twp. Police Chief Phil Holbrook said he did not know Coppola’s job title.

However, the restaurant has since fired Coppola, he said.

Police charged Coppola with felony counts of attempted involuntary deviate sexual intercourse and attempted sexual assault, as well as misdemeanor counts of indecent assault and indecent exposure.

Magisterial District Judge Ferris Peter Webby arraigned Coppola on the charges Friday morning and released him on $25,000 unsecured bail.

A preliminary hearing was set for Jan. 2.

The Peach Music Festival dropped its lineup this afternoon with Oysterhead, a trio featuring Phish's Trey Anastasio, Les Claypool from Primus and Stuart Copeland from The Police as the headliner.

The jam band festival held at Montage Mountain, which was moved this year to the Fourth of July weekend, welcomes back some familiar faces as well, with moe, the String Cheese Incident and Joe Russo's Almost Dead.

Also on the bill is the funk outfit Pigeons Playing Ping Pong, longtime supporters of the festival, along with Twiddle, Umphrey's McGee, Tower of Power, Oteil & Friends and Billy Strings.

One notable absence is Gov't Mule frontman Warren Haynes, a staple at Peach.

Oysterhead was initially formed around 2000 and had a short run before reforming in 2006, again for another short run. Earlier this year, the band announced it was going to play two dates in Colorado in February, fueling speculation that they could appear at Peach.   

Drug detectives arrested two people in Scranton on Thursday and seized 25 grams of raw heroin and $2,000 worth of stolen goods, authorities said.

Ryan Radford, 35, and his girlfriend, Laura Ainsworth, 36, both of 602 Prescott Ave., are charged with drug counts and receiving stolen property. Radford also is charged with possessing a firearm despite a 2009 conviction for a drug crime, according to criminal complaint.

Investigators from the Dunmore police and Lackawanna County Drug Task Force have made controlled purchases of heroin from Redford since November, police said.

On Thursday, they made their move.

They first watched Ainsworth come out and get into a black Pontiac sedan. They followed and detained her near the 100 block of North Washington Avenue.

Then, at 4 p.m., they watched as Radford left his apartment and got into a black Nissan. They followed and pulled him over at Spruce Street and Adams Avenue.

Detectives searched Radford and found 5 grams of what they suspect was heroin in his pocket. They also found a plastic zipper pouch containing 14 bags of heroin, nine individual bags of heroin, another 13 bags holding about 10 grams of heroin, 80 bags of heroin packaged in “bundle” form and more of the drug wrapped in tinfoil. Radford also had $800 and eight grams of synthetic marijuana on him, as well.

Radford told police he had more drugs and a handgun back at his apartment. There, police found a .32-caliber handgun, which had been stolen in Shickshinny, two hits of LSD, more synthetic marijuana, a digital scale and packaging material.

They also found several items in a back bedroom worth about $2,000 that Ainsworth said had been stolen. These included multiple DeWalt saws, chargers and Skullcandy ear buds, among other electronics.

Investigators said they were not through with their investigation.

The narcotics they seized will be sent to a state police crime laboratory for further analysis.

Radford is in the Lackawanna County Prison in lieu of $75,000 bail; Ainsworth on $5,000. Preliminary hearings for each are scheduled Dec. 19.

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

Roseann Novembrino was a courageous woman who did not rubber stamp things, recalled former Scranton Mayor Jim Connors.

Novembrino, 83, the longtime city controller and West Scranton resident, died at Regional Hospital of Scranton on Thursday.

In a statement, Scranton Mayor Wayne Evans called Novembrino a truly a remarkable person, known for her diplomacy and professionalism.

“The city will always be grateful to Roseann for her dedication and service,” he said. “Few people create a legacy of service that extends for decades as she did. If a life can be measured by those who care, love and respect you, then Roseann certainly embodied a life lived well.”

Connors, who was a longtime friend Novembrino and her family, recalled memories Friday of their time in officer together and their friendship.

“It was a long climb up those steps from the mayor’s office to the controller’s office and I was usually asking her for her approval on some project I was working on,” he said. “Many times she said in this very sweet voice with a smile, ‘Oh mayor I don’t think we can do that.’ We sat there and we worked it out and nine times out of 10, we were able to get it done.”

The 83-year-old resigned from the city post she held for more than 30 years in November after announcing she would not seek reelection as controller, citing her age and health issues.

Novembrino was elected controller in 1987. She followed her late husband, Richard Novembrino, in the position. After his death in December 1985, less than halfway into his first term, Joseph Refice, the top deputy at the time, replaced Richard Novembrino and named Roseann Novembrino as deputy controller in February 1986.

Refice won the Democratic nomination for controller in May 1987 but resigned that July to take a job in Gov. Robert P. Casey’s administration. Novembrino then found herself in charge of the office and replaced Refice on the ballot. She defeated Republican Thomas Purcell in November 1987 and had held the position until last month.

Connors said Novembrino was a strong advocate for preserving downtown Scranton buildings. When a building in the 500 block of Lackawanna Avenue was set to be demolished, she needed to see the damage for herself but the only way was from its top and in a fire department’s bucket truck. Novembrino and Connors climbed into the bucket, were lifted up and checked out the damage.

“She was able to look at it and see the mortar was dust. Then she was satisfied and when we came down, she signed off on the demolition. She wasn’t going to rubber stamp it, she wanted to see it herself.”

City Controller-elect John Murray knew Novembrino from his time as the city Democratic Committee chairman.

“She always treated everyone with respect,” he said.

Before she was hospitalized, she asked to meet Murray at her office.

He said even at her age, she loved going into work everyday but seemed at peace with the fact she was stepping down from the position.

“She was always a classy women,” he said. “Her record of public service, for as long as it went on, is something to be admired.”

Contact the writer: kbolus@timesshamrock.com; 570-348-9100 x5114; @kbolusTT on Twitter.

More than 8,000 people across Northeast Pennsylvania who rely on the federal food stamp program are in danger of losing their benefits under a new rule that tightens work requirements for some adult recipients.

State officials and others warn it is just a taste of what is to come in the commonwealth as the Trump administration moves forward with a series of proposals to scale back the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP.

Potentially hundreds of thousands of Pennsylvania households could see their SNAP benefits reduced, increasing the pressure on already strained food pantries and other charitable programs.

“It’s going to put a huge burden on the social service network,” said Gary Drapek, president and CEO of United Way of Lackawanna and Wayne Counties. “It will be up to people like the agencies we fund to try to support the loss of those benefits, and there is only so much you can do.”

The new rule finalized Thursday by the U.S. Department of Agriculture will limit states from exempting work-eligible adults from having to maintain steady employment in order to receive SNAP benefits.

Under current rules, able-bodied adults between 18 and 49 with no dependents may receive only three months of benefits in a three-year period unless they meet a 20-hour per week work requirement, but states can waive those standards in areas with high unemployment.

The new rule, which will take effect in April, permits a state to issue a waiver only after the jobless rate hits at least 6% and sets other restrictions.

The rule will jeopardize SNAP benefits for at least 78,000 Pennsylvanians, the state Department of Human Services said.

In the seven counties of Northeast Pennsylvania, more than 8,300 recipients could be affected, including 2,499 in Lackawanna and 3,639 in Luzerne, according to a preliminary state analysis.

State Human Services Secretary Teresa Miller pushed back this week against another rule change proposed by the Trump administration that she said could cost 775,000 households in Pennsylvania a portion of their SNAP benefits.

The rule would alter the method the state uses to determine the Standard Utility Allowance.

Recipients who qualify for the allowance can deduct a portion of their expenses for shelter and utilities from the income used to determine their monthly SNAP benefit because that money is not available to be used to purchase food.

The proposed rule would use a standard formula to determine each state’s allowance, ignoring costs of living and utility rates that vary from state to state, Miller said. That would impact Northeast states more than the rest of the country.

In Pennsylvania, each $10 reduction in the allowance equates to a $2 to $3 reduction in SNAP benefits. If the allowance were reduced by $200, for example, most households would see a reduction in SNAP benefits of $40 to $60 per month.

Miller, who submitted public comment to the USDA opposing the rule, said the change would increase hunger and food insecurity across Pennsylvania and disproportionately harm working families, people with disabilities and seniors.

“This rule would force families who rely on SNAP to choose between putting food on their table or other necessities such as heating their home or paying for medical costs,” she said in a statement.

A preliminary DHS estimate indicates the rule would impact about 61,000 households across the region, including 16,991 in Lackawanna County and 26,139 in Luzerne County.

The USDA has not said when it expects to finalize the rule.

At the Commission on Economic Opportunity’s Harry & Jeanette Weinberg Northeast Regional Food Bank, director Rich Kutz said any reduction in SNAP benefits is likely to mean more people visiting area emergency food pantries and kitchens in search of assistance.

The food bank in Jenkins Twp., which serves Luzerne, Lackawanna, Wyoming and Susquehanna counties, works with 160 partner agencies, about half of them food banks or similar programs.

“It’s hard to tell at this point in time what the exact number of people or the increase is that we’ll see. ... It will in any case put an increased demand on the emergency food network throughout the region and the state,” he said.

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

PennDOT plans to widen almost 11 miles of Interstate 81 in Lackawanna and Luzerne counties in the next decade, a stretch significantly longer than previous plans.

State transportation officials announced this week that a long-sought I-81 widening will begin with a project in Luzerne County instead of Lackawanna County, but the even longer-planned Lackawanna widening won’t trail by much.

“It isn’t a case of Lackawanna loses and Luzerne wins,” said state Rep. Mike Carroll, D-118, Avoca, whose district includes parts of both counties and who sits on the PennDOT Public-Private Partnership Board that approved the Luzerne project Wednesday.

The quest to widen I-81 between its Clarks Summit interchange in Lackawanna and Nanticoke interchange in Luzerne began early this century. In 2003, the late U.S. Sen. Arlen Specter hosted a news conference near the Dupont/Pittston interchange to announce he would fight for construction money.

The late Charles Mattei, the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation district engineer at the time, predicted the first contract would probably target the most heavily traveled stretch: 3 miles from exit 182 (Davis Street/Montage Mountain) to exit 185 (Central Scranton Expressway) where 70,000 or more vehicles travel daily.

For years, that was the only I-81 widening plan, but that was also before a lot of new development in Luzerne County.

This week, the Public-Private Partnership Board pushed widening the Luzerne County stretch ahead of the Lackawanna County project by a bit.

Under a private-partnership project, PennDOT will widen 4.5 miles between exit 164 (Route 29/South Cross Valley/Nanticoke) and exit 168 (Highland Park Boulevard), which feeds the Mohegan Sun Arena, several shopping centers and downtown Wilkes-Barre. PennDOT expects the project to cost between $150 million and $250 million, said Michael Bonini, director of the PennDOT public-private partnership office in Harrisburg.

Construction could begin in three to five years, Bonini said. That would put the construction start at 2023 to 2025. Bonini said he did not know how long it will take.

PennDOT says up to 50,000 vehicles a day use the stretch.

PennDOT will handle preliminary engineering and hire a private company taking over for final design, construction and post-construction maintenance that will last for an undetermined number of years, Bonini said.

The I-81 stretch in Lackawanna — 6.2 miles from exit 185 to the Luzerne-Lackawanna border — will happen a bit later.

With an estimated $330 million cost, the Scranton-Moosic schedule calls for completion of preliminary engineering by September 2022, completion of final design and right-of-way acquisition by September 2026 and construction between October 2026 and September 2030, according to the current 12-year transportation improvement program document issued by the Lackawanna-Luzerne Metropolitan Planning Organization. That’s a board of local transportation, elected, business and other local officials who revises the program every other year.

Sue Hazelton, who heads design for PennDOT’s regional district office, pegged construction’s start for 2026.

This is the plan for the two stretches even though only the Lackawanna stretch appears on the 12-year program at the moment.

Bonini explained how that happened.

The PennDOT Public-Private Partnership Office originally envisioned the Luzerne project as the replacement of 15 bridges — 10 on 25 miles of I-81 between Wilkes-Barre and Hazleton and five on Interstate 80, which intersects with I-81 near Hazleton. The Public-Private Partnership Board approved that last November. An earlier version of that project is on the 12-year program.

“The priorities haven’t necessarily changed. That Scranton-to-Moosic piece, the Lackawanna County piece is still the priority,” Bonini said. “However, as we were initially looking at just replacing those bridges (in Luzerne), we saw an opportunity here to improve that particular project by doing the necessary interstate reconstruction activities for safety improvements. It’s not one coming in and supplanting the other.”

In this case, the I-81 widening will also eliminate a left-hand exit northbound near Blackman Street in Wilkes-Barre. PennDOT believes that exit poses a danger because drivers entering I-81 from the exit 164 interchange must quickly cross two lanes to reach it. The project creates a new right-hand exit to get to Blackman Street. The project still includes the reconstruction of eight bridges, Bonini said.

Increased truck traffic to expanding industrial parks near Nanticoke and traffic to the arena and its neighborhood are also driving the widening, Bonini confirmed.

“We saw an opportunity to address those deficiencies along this stretch of Interstate 81,” Bonini said.

Hazelton said the entire stretch of I-81 through the counties needs reconstruction, and both projects will push that substantially ahead. The new transportation program will reflect the new plan, she said. That plan is due for finalization next year.

“Whether we start in Luzerne or Lackawanna, any money we get, we’re grateful for,” Hazelton said.

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

SCRANTON — Carrying an envelope stuffed with coupons, Officer Patrick Van Wie patrolled the city on this afternoon, surprising motorists with free food instead of a ticket.

Rather than ticket drivers for traffic violations, the patrolman gave them a warning and a free meal voucher as part of the city’s third annual Undercover Secret Santa program.

Van Wie is one of 13 officers who volunteered to participate in the program. All together, the department will hand out 230 coupons for either a free hamburger at Burger King, a free extra value meal at McDonald’s or a free large round cheese pizza from Fratelli’s Pizza & Pasta House.

“It’s usually not a good thing when someone gets pulled over, so to be able to end it on a good note is a good feeling,” Van Wie said.

The program began this week and will continue until officers run out of coupons, said Patrolman Christopher Hallock, who is the department’s accreditation manager.

Officers use their discretion to decide how to hand out the vouchers, said police Chief Carl Graziano.

“This was just something to brighten someone’s day and have the police be engaged with the community, open those lines of communication,” Graziano said.

Van Wie started his patrol by pulling over a white SUV with expired registration on Lackawanna Avenue. Inside, he found Yasminda Cabell driving with her three daughters.

“I was like, ‘Why are we getting pulled over?’” said Mikayla Mendez of Moosic. “I didn’t do anything, and I know my mom didn’t do anything.”

Mikayla, 16, was surprised when Van Wie handed them a voucher for Fratelli’s.

“I thought we were going to get a ticket,” she said. “Then, the nice officer gave us a free pizza coupon.”

Following the traffic stop, Van Wie tracked down a homeless man he knew in South Side, stopping to chat and shake his hand as he gave him coupons for two meals at McDonald’s.

As he continued his patrol, Van Wie saw Mary Beth Baldinucci pull out without using her turn signal in South Side. He stopped Baldinucci and her husband, Frank, near the intersection of Pittston Avenue and Saginaw Street.

Mary Beth Baldinucci wondered why an officer pulled her over. But when Van Wie handed her a voucher for a free Fratelli’s pizza, the confusion turned to relief. The couple plans to share the pizza with their five grandkids.

“My wife takes all the blame, though” for being pulled over, Frank Baldinucci added with a laugh.

As the afternoon turned to dusk, Hallock drove through the city, looking for people on foot who he could surprise with a pizza or burger voucher.

Flanked by her mother, niece and nephew, Carina Gonzalez was pushing her 7-month-old son in a stroller at the corner of Foster Street and Mount Vernon Avenue when Hallock flipped on his lights.

Hallock’s face lit up as he interacted with the Gonzalez family, especially when he made a fuss over Gonzalez’s infant son. The family beamed as they chatted with the officer.

Gonzalez said she didn’t know if the police were stopping her or if there was some way she could help them when she saw the lights.

“(Hallock) said they’re giving secret Santa gifts, and we got burgers and a pizza,” Gonzalez said, thanking the patrolman. “It just made my day — a good Friday.”

Natalie Gonzalez thought it was “amazing.” The 9 year old said she might want to become a police officer when she grows up. If she does, she’d like to do the same for children someday.

Community policing is one of Hallock’s favorite parts of being a police officer, he said, explaining that a school resource officer influenced his decision to join law enforcement.

“Anytime I can get out here and interact and give back to the public in a nontraditional way of what people view police officers as, it’s really something I look forward to — especially during the holidays,” he said. “Start the holiday season off with some good news.”

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

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