A Scranton woman made up a report that she saw bomb-making materials in a South Side home Sunday, needlessly displacing people from more than a dozen homes and wasting a bevy of law enforcement resources, city police said.

Ruth Rieder, 46, 220 Prospect Ave., told police she discovered weapons, multicolored electrical wires and pipes in a room at 942 E. Elm St. she stumbled into while looking for the bathroom at 3:30 a.m.

The home was that of a man she was friends with and had gone out drinking with Saturday night. Police detectives redacted his name in a criminal complaint released Monday afternoon charging her with two counts of false reports and one count of false alarm.

Investigators said she went to the Scranton Police Headquarters at about 6:15 a.m. and spoke with Detective Jamie Barrett.

After drinking with the victim, she fell asleep at his home. She woke up early and started looking for his bathroom but alleged she stumbled into a room with weapons and bomb-making material. The room smelled of rubbing alcohol, she reported. Two other men were there speaking a foreign language.

Her friend, she alleged, ushered her from the room and told her “you woke up to a bad situation” and began speaking about injustices in America, she told police.

Detectives applied for a search warrant. Since it was reported as an imminent threat, a “vast amount” of resources were used, including two SWAT teams, a bomb squad, three explosive detection K9 teams, three fire- trucks, six ambulances and two school buses. The FBI and ATF also responded.

Residents of 14 nearby homes had to evacuate. The American Red Cross helped out and two schools were opened for police use.

The search warrant turned up nothing. Rieder’s allegations were unsubstantiated, police charged. There was never a bomb.

Detectives met with her at her home at about 1 p.m. Monday. They arrested her and took her to police headquarters.

She was awaiting arraignment later on Monday afternoon.

Contact the writer:

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

@jkohutTT on Twitter

SCRANTON — An Olyphant man is poised to spend the rest of his life as a registered sex offender for sexually abusing two girls.

Gary Cooper Sr., 42, whose last known address was 232 Grant St., pleaded guilty Monday in Lackawanna County Court to two counts of indecent assault of a person younger than 13 — one a third-degree felony and the other a first-degree misdemeanor. President Judge Michael J. Barrasse accepted Cooper’s plea.

Cooper kept his voice low and his answers brief in court Monday as Barrasse went over his plea.

The plea deal drops more serious felonies originally levied in January 2018 by borough police, including rape of a child and aggravated indecent assault of a child.

However, Cooper still faces a potential term in state prison. The felony count carries a maximum penalty of seven years in prison and the misdemeanor has a maximum of five years in prison. The plea also means that he will have to register as a sex offender for life.

Police arrested Cooper following a report from the Luzerne County Child Advocacy Center that two girls, 10 and 12 years old, reported that Cooper sexually abused them.

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

The incidents occurred between 2011 and mid-2017 in Lackawanna and Luzerne counties, according to a criminal complaint.

At a March 2018 preliminary hearing, the girls testified to incidents of touching and other sexual contact initiated by Cooper.

Cooper will undergo an assessment to determine if he is a sexually violent predator. He waived his right to be sentenced within the next 90 days because the assessment is expected to exceed that time frame.

Cooper remained jailed at the Lackawanna County Prison on Monday.

Contact the writer:

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

@jkohutTT on Twitter

The Philadelphia man charged with killing a woman in her Wilkes-Barre home last week was brought back to Luzerne County to face a homicide charge on Monday.

Zien N. Council shot his girlfriend, Brittney Reynolds, in the back of the head at Reynolds’ Matson Avenue apartment, then stole her car and drove it to Philadelphia, where investigators tracked him down Saturday night, according to police.

Council, 18, was arraigned Monday afternoon before Magisterial District Judge Thomas Malloy on a charge of criminal homicide.

Following the brief arraignment, Council was taken to Luzerne County Correctional Facility pending a preliminary hearing scheduled for Jan. 7. Homicide is a non-bailable offense in Pennsylvania.

Jarrett Ferentino, assistant Luzerne County district attorney, called Reynolds’ death a tragedy. He described Reynolds, 26, as “a very kind and beloved member of the community.”

Reynolds was killed “in an extremely vulnerable state,” Ferentino said after the arraignment. He declined to speculate on a motive, saying that is “still being reviewed” by investigators.

Council’s arrest resulted from an around-the-clock investigation by multiple law enforcement agencies since Reynolds’ body was discovered Friday morning, Ferentino said.

According to an affidavit filed by Wilkes-Barre police, Reynolds and Council met at Red Rock Job Corps Center in Sullivan County, where she worked and he was a student prior to being kicked out for fighting early this month. They were dating, with Reynolds sometimes driving to Philadelphia to pick up Council and bring him to Wilkes-Barre, the affidavit states.

According to the affidavit:

Reynolds’ mother told police on Friday that she had not heard from her daughter in three days. Officers went to Reynolds’ apartment to check on her welfare, and found her lying on a bed, dead. She had a single gunshot wound to the back of her head.

Reynolds’ vehicle, a Toyota sedan, was missing.

Reynolds’ mother told police that Reynolds had a boyfriend named Zien. She said Reynolds had borrowed her EZ-Pass for the Pennsylvania Turnpike to drive to Philadelphia on Dec. 17 to meet her boyfriend.

Reynolds’ mother also said that Reynolds had recently purchased a green .380 caliber handgun for personal protection. Police did not find the gun in Reynolds’ apartment.

Detectives spoke with a witness who knew Reynolds and had seen Reynolds and Council together. That witness told police Reynolds’ boyfriend was named Zien, and confirmed that Reynolds owned a firearm.

Investigators discovered surveillance video footage that showed Reynolds and Council as they got out of her car by a tattoo shop. They sent the footage to other law enforcement agencies, which led to identifying Council.

Investigators asked Philadelphia police to request information from any license plate readers that captured the license plate of Reynolds’ car. License plate readers captured the plate number at several locations in Philadelphia from Wednesday to Friday.

Philadelphia police pulled over Reynolds’ vehicle in the Germantown section of the city on Saturday.

The driver, Jacques Davis, told police Council had given him the car to drive. Davis said Council told him the car belonged to his girlfriend.

Davis also said Council was in Davis’s home.

Shortly thereafter, police took Council into custody outside Davis’s residence. Council had a green Ruger .380 caliber handgun in his possession, police said.

Detectives interviewed Council early Sunday morning at Philadelphia police headquarters.

Council said he met Reynolds at Red Rock, and the two began an intimate relationship.

He said Reynolds picked him up in Philadelphia on Dec. 17 and drove them back to her Wilkes-Barre apartment, where they watched television, “smoked weed” and had sex.

Council said he had to return to Philadelphia for a doctor’s appointment on Dec. 18, and that Reynolds agreed to let him borrow her car. He said he left Wilkes-Barre in Reynolds’ car between 9 p.m. and 10 p.m. on Dec. 17 and drove to Philadelphia.

Council said he tried to call Reynolds several times since he got back home, but she never answered.

He said the gun police found in his possession had been in the door panel of Reynolds’ car. Reynolds had the gun for protection since she had a protection from abuse order against an ex-boyfriend, Council said.

During the interview, investigators told Council that Reynolds was dead but did not tell him how she died.

Council replied that he “never pulled a trigger” on anyone, the affidavit states.

Detectives told Council they had not mentioned how Reynolds died, to which Council replied that he just assumed Reynolds had been shot, according to the affidavit.

Wilkes-Barre police, Philadelphia police, Luzerne County detectives, state police and the FBI participated in the investigation.

Contact the writer:

emark@citizensvoice.com

570-821-2117

Dec. 25, 1929

Firefighters were busy

Scranton firefighters had a busy Christmas Eve responding to several fire calls.

The most serious of the calls was to a garage on Sloan Avenue. The fire destroyed the interior along with three trucks, but a horse stabled in the garage was rescued by the firefighters.

The fire was caused when mechanics were transferring gasoline between two of the trucks and a cigarette ignited the gas.

The other calls included a fire in the roof of a streetcar on the Spruce Street Bridge and a broken chimney line causing a home to fill with smoke.

Former Detroit Tigers outfielder Charley Shorten beat the Fire Department to a Pittston Avenue fire. Shorten noticed smoke coming from a window across the street from his store. He ran over and doused a flaming basket of clothing with a bucket of water. Careless use of matches was the cause.

Kids treated to movies

The Scranton Republican and Comerford Amusements hosted thousands of children throughout Lackawanna County with a trip to the movies on Christmas Eve.

The paper and the movie theater operator arranged for free showings of the film “A Trip to Santa Land” at the Irving Theater in Carbondale, the Granada Theater in Olyphant and the West Side Theater in Scranton.

Santa Claus also took a short break from his preparations to visit each theater and told the children in attendance to remain quiet during the film and that he would visit their homes later.

Day after Christmas sale

Men’s overcoat with matching suit for $19.94; men’s tuxedo, $15.94; all winter coats for women, $16 to $43; all fall and winter dresses, $5 to $15; women’s imported shoes, $2.65 to $3.65; and fur coats, $44 to $174.

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.

DUNMORE

The state Department of Transportation’s District 4 announced winners Tuesday in its Paint the Plow contest, a safety outreach initiative promoting winter driving safety, creativity and high school art programs.

Students from various schools painted plow blades with original designs based on a given theme for the contest, this year’s being “Don’t Rush in Ice and Slush.”

Dunmore High School won the fan favorite award, determined by online voting, and also won a judges’ pick award determined by PennDOT representatives. Pittston Area, Wallenpaupack Area and Blue Ridge high schools also won judges’ pick awards.

Photos of the painted plow blades can be viewed online at penndot.gov or at thetimes-tribune.com.

— STAFF WRITER

HARRISBURG

All driver’s license and photo centers will be closed Wednesday, Jan. 1, in observance of the New Year’s holiday, according to the state Department of Transportation.

Customers can still obtain a variety of driver and vehicle products and services, including all forms, publications and driver training manuals, on PennDOT’s website: www.dmv.pa.gov.

To view a complete listing of PennDOT driver and photo license center closings, visit the website and click on “PennDOT Service Center Holiday Closings” under the “Pressroom” link.

— KATHLEEN BOLUS

Mayfield

Church services: The V. Rev. Mitred Archpriest John D. Sorochka, rector, St. John’s Russian Orthodox Cathedral, announced the schedule of services for the Feast of the Nativity of Christ, according to the Julian calendar.

Jan. 5: Matins 8 a.m.; Divine Liturgy, 9:30 a.m.; general confession will follow the liturgy for all who went to Holy Confession during Advent. Private confessions will be held for those who are celebrating the Nativity Feast after the general confession.

Jan. 6: Eve of the Nativity of Christ (strict fast day), Vesper/Liturgy of St. Basil and bringing out of the Icon of the Nativity, 8 a.m.; Great Complines and Matins, 7 p.m.

Jan. 7: The Nativity of Our Lord, God and Saviour Jesus Christ, hours, 8:40 a.m.; Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom, 9 a.m.

Jan. 8: Synaxis of the Most Holy Theotokos, Divine Liturgy, 9:30 a.m., followed by an open house at the rectory. Children will visit nursing homes and carolers will visit parishioners’ homes at 1 p.m.

Jan. 9: Holy Protomartyr & Archdeacon Stephen, Divine Liturgy, 8 a.m.

Jan. 11: Confessions, 3:30 p.m., Vespers, 4 p.m.; annual Church School Yolka (Christmas pageant), 6 p.m., church center; refreshment will be served.

Jan. 12: Commemoration of the Holy Righteous Ones; Matins, 8 a.m., Divine Liturgy, 9:30 a.m.

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.

CARBONDALE AREA

JUNIOR-SENIOR

HIGH SCHOOL

GRADE 12

First honors: Colin Bannon, McKinley Borders, Payton Carey, Declan Caviston, Zoe Connolly, Madison Cost, Skylar Dearie, Taylor Emiliani, Liam Fox-Newcomb, Samantha Guzzi, Cora Heenan, Emma Jones, Olivia Manarchuck, Michaela McLaughlin, Tyler McNeish, Madison Mushensky, Era Nasufi, Esyyah Pitts, Jarred Rosar, Vanessa Sawyer, Jeffrey Snyder, Brooke Staple and Eric Vaverchak.

Second honors: Michael Arendt, Seth Arthur, Kaylee Beckage, Justin Calabro, Christopher Dietrich, Jenna Dovin, Nathan Emmett, Angel Gilliotti, Zhaquara Grant, Kaitlyn Hendrick, Olivia Kuttrubis, Madison Matthews, Noah Newcomb, Hunter Ragan, Ariana Serrano, Mason Tallman, Isabelle Tierney and Damien White.

GRADE 11

First honors: Giana Arnese, Natalie Brown, Connor Eibach, Amelia Esgro, Juliana Galarza, Bayley Grizzanti, Olivia Liuzzo, Deana Mancuso, Taylor Mazza, Erin McHale, Jade Medina, Jose Mendez, Anthony Mustica, Amelia Muta, Gianelly Prieto, Avianna Pugliese, Kaitlyn Richardson, Dynasty Romero, Alyvia Schiavone, Halley Schwartz, Sarah Tolerico, Nathan Totsky, Julian Turonis and Tyler Wormuth.

Second honors: Hector Acosta, Andrew Bouchard, Kacydi Brewen, Jahiem Brooker, Maria Cerra, Aniela Connolly, Michael Cornall, Sydney Eichembaum, Gianna Gillette, Kaelin Greene, Shane Grunza, Shakee Hoskins, Londyn Kase, Aiden Kelly, William Kovaleski, Joseph Mark, Sueann Moran, Shane Phillips and Trevor Wenzel.

GRADE 10

First honors: Emma Baker, Sophia Calzola, Logan Colonna, Alyssa Cosklo, Francheliz De Jesus Correa, Mackenzie Edgar, Tatiana Elston-Blaustein, Jaden Fedorchak, Caleb Higdon, Ellen Higdon, Deanna Holbert, Emily Kelly, Glenda Marrero, Mia Marrero, Mackenzie Miluszusky, Hailey Minor, Rogemarie Navarrete, Elizabeth Pantoja, Kyle Perri, Mia Perri, Alexs Price, Jonathon Purvis, Donnica Reese, Madison Regal, Chloee Rumford, Makena Sanderson, Mackenzie Spaid, Rylee Taylor, Joshua Tierney, Robert Wall, Cayden Watts, Keefer Wease and Logan Wormuth.

Second honors: Ashley Gorel, Patricia Green, Layla Gregory, Ashley Johannes, Luke Kovaleski, Alexander Laub, Leilah McKenzie, Evan Miller, Guy Mushow, Nevaeh Neubert, Sarah Parry and Navaeh Slockbower.

GRADE 9

First honors: Chase Arthur, Joshua Berg, Madalyn Borders, Audrey Cobb, Gavin Connor, Robert Constantine, Sophie Crozier, Shauna Durst, Gianna Gallo, Julia Gorel, Madison Kelsch, Olivia Lorenzetti, Gia Mark, Daisy Martinez, Emma Monahan, Tyler Moskosky, Julia Murphy, Quintin Naro, Victoria Nieves, Diamond O’Dowd, Nicholas Ohmnacht, Brian Repsher, Bryan Salitsky, Liam Shenise, Matthew Totsky and Jacob Ulmer.

Second honors: Ashley Escott, Corinne Haley, Justin Hastings, Alyssa Hendrick, Mikayla Jordan, Noah Kilmer, Jonathan Marder, Oscar Martinez, Quintin Mcgrantham-Petrini, Alex Nesbitt, Matthew Novobilski, Katelyn Ostrandr, Hailey Peterka, Alena Phillips, Elyssa Shaw, Taylor Sheare, Dominic Shifler, Alex Smedley, Anna Solomon, Justin Toy and Kyle Zantowsky.

GRADE 8

First honors: Kaci Bannon, Mason Baron, Jacob Berg, Kierra Borosky, Caden Brennan, Jocelyn Brown, Holly Burke, Rylee Colonna, Megan Cosklo, Krista Davis, Jacob Emmet, Kaylee Evarts, Sadie Gardus, Isabella Garruto, James Gilia, Cloie Greene, Emma Guthrie, Madison Heenan, Jaqueline Kelly, Kylie Kelly, Molly Kelly, Abigail Lent, Mason Miluszusky, Aubrey Moase, Dylan Ofner, Emma Perri, Franco Prieto, Juliette Racht, Jessenya Romero, Max Rosler, Nora Snyder, Zachary Staples, Emily Tropeano, Robert Waters and Alayshia Williams.

Second honors: Ethan Cain, Preston Casey, Abigail Curtis, Janessa Disla, Ema Dobosh, Tyler Donato, Abigail Ednock, Hunter Long, Alexis Marder, Nicholas Titanski and Gavin Waering.

GRADE 7

First honors: Mackenzie Alsop, Alexis Black, Allyssah Bonk, Caitlyn Burns, Katelyn Burns, Eliana Connolly, Shelby Dec, Michael Derichie, Alyah Deriphonse, John Elko, Stephen Ennes, Leila Esgro, Samuel Grizzanti, Maggie Kane, Ciara Martin, Hannah Mccaffrey, Ethan McDonald, Keegan McDonald, Ava Peregrin, Angelica Prieto, Stephen Purcell, Christopher Rotell-Tierney, Logan Spall, Hong Tran, Abigail Wall, Thomas Wiggins and Summer Young.

Second honors: Stephanie Baker, Olivia Baron, Ryleigh Brink, Gianna Carlo, Joseph Cressley, Ian Dzielak, Ryan Fuller, Penelope Herbert, Isabella Herlihy, Elijah Houdershieldt, Daniel Lazorchak, Layla Livingston, Bryanne Lucas, Marisa Matoushek, Savannah Mcguire, Abigail Repsher, Jacob Rosler, Scott Santos, Santino Shayka, Alivia Slockbower, Scott Snyder, Benjamin Styer, Madison Tice, Adrienne Titley, Rylie Toolan, Vincent Waldron, Jacob Washeleski and Ava White.

HOLY CROSS

HIGH SCHOOL

GRADE 12

Distinguished honors: Maille Allardyce, Svetlana Baron, Clara Bergman, Jenna Bradley, Maeve Brostoski, Kieran Burrier, Caroline Cadden, James Calciano, Caleb Callejas, Ashley Capone, Kelly Clark, Elizabeth Cooper, Anya Covaleski, Eric Dixon, Meghan Doherty, Felicia Domiano, Andrew Healey, Adam Johnson, Madelyn Klassner, Tori Kovalchick, James Marsh, Jordan McAndrew, Sarah Mies, Kathryn Nealon, Angelo Norella, Leahy O’Connor, Leslie O’Connor, Joseph Osborne, Kate Rogers, Sydney Skrutski, Mary Stec, Andrew Straka, Elizabeth Talbot, Alexandra Tomaine, Kathryn Walsh, Ella Williams and Amanda Yanul.

Honors: Katrina Beaver, Shelby Davis, Kenneth Francis, Alivia Gallagher, Evan Gedrich, Madison Havirlak, Fiona Jordan, Michael Kobierecki, Michael Lee, Gabriella Parise, Allison Pavlowski, Keelin Schimelfenig and Olivia Smith.

GRADE 11

Distinguished honors: Jack Allardyce, Kathryn Augustine, Emma Beilman, Patrick Bennie, Jillian Brennan, Paige Caskey, Laurel Cortazar, James Davis, James Fay, Emily Ferguson, Ryan Huester, Alice Jones, Kevin Jumper, Robert Kane, Norah Kelly, Abigail Lentowski, Erin McGee, Ashlyn McNally, Peyton Phillips, Caroline Shaffern, Alexis Tanana, Rebecca Tone, Elizabeth Wallace and Douglas Walsh.

Honors: Bria Beggin, Sarah Callejas, Arabella Cox, Kylie Engleman, Emily Haikes, Lauren Hegedus, Amaya Jackson, Will Kalinich, Thomas Lee, Julia Mazur, Tyler Mendicino, Corey Scochin, Connor Tone and Kristina Tranovich.

GRADE 10

Distinguished honors: Logan Aldrich, Emily Bentler, Caitlin Bestrycki, Nora Betts, Krista Carachilo, Christian Ceccoli, James Ceccoli, Giovanna Cerminaro, Gianna Chickeletti, Emily Clark, Emma Clause, Jeffery Costello, Alicia Dec, Maiah Fadl, Kaitlyn Farrell, Jordyn Glover, Julia Goetz, Priscilla Grill, Sean Herbert, Faith Hosie, Rachel Hosie, Molly Houston, Kaitlyn Idhaw, Laura Johnson, Sean Kennedy, Kaci Kranson, Madison Kranson, Gurpreet Lahl, Abby Lazecki, Ryan Legg, Dana Mackin, Mariah Mancuso, Nathan McAndrew, Meghan McDonnell, Julia Menichello, Tyler Moncinelli, Christina Monroe, Leila Moran, Samuel Mulvey, Grace Murtagh, Sofiya Myronyuk, Megan Nidoh, Autumn Niemiec, Michael Normandia, Ian O’Toole, Brennah Piasecki, Grace Polansky, Thomas Rohan, Jonelle Symonies, Summer Troiani, Molly White and Carly Wywoda.

Honors: Alexis Adamski, Kayla Bickauskas, Malaney Brady, Leah Brundage, Dawson Errigo, Giancarlo Escobar, Madelyn Franceski, Sierra Gaglio, Jacob Groncki, William Kittrell, Ariyana Linko, Sarah MacDonald, Rocco Mack, Kalli Mahasky, Adam Mariotti, Isabella Moffitt, Giavanna Morris, Madison Rodriguez, Aleena Sandy, Sophia Scalese, Mya Schimelfenig and Nicholas Sikorski.

GRADE 9

Distinguished honors: Michael Allardyce, Trevor Balcerzak, Juilanne Barrett, Alicia Bellagamba, Ryan Burda, Samera Burrier, Kaeden Carr, Carsyn Cole, Kiaya Daube, Gisele Falzone, Kayleigh Farrell, Nora Flannery, Jake Grodack, Daniel Haikes, Rylie Heusner, Hayden Hosie, Johnathan Jones, Owen Jumper, Jacque Kakareka, Norah Kennedy, Maura Kosek, Aidan Krieger, Manpreet Lahl, Katheryn Lopez, Sarah Lyons, Giuliana Mazza, Aiden McCoy, Mary McHugh, Theodore Novak, Shannon O’Malley, Cecelia Otis, Jessica Pavlowski, Alexis Phillips, Ronnie Prislupski, Morgan Quinn, Katie Romanski, Keith Rowlands, Adriana Sandy, Brielle Scheland, Morgan Seamon, Sadie Shedlauskas, Andrew W. Smith, Frederick Strein, Cassandra Suchecki, Marie Takach, Kathryn Thornton, Avianna Voglino, Dante Warhola, Bella Weldy, Tyler Williams, Katie Wywoda, Alexander Yankowski and Kyle Zeigler.

Honors: Dhiraj Baniya, Corey Cicci, Emma George, Gabriel Gonzales, Grace Mangan, Alina Marcinkus, Christopher Martinez, Joshua Mease, Mary Melnikoff, Mia Meredith, Jalik Nicholls, Connor Rasimovich, Cody Schoonover, Andrew J. Smith, Douglas Smith, Robert Staples, Shamus Sullivan, Logan Tierney and Joseph Brandon Trichilo.

LACKAWANNA TRAIL

JUNIOR SENIOR

HIGH SCHOOL

GRADE 12

High honors: Nico Berrios, Willoughby Burnell, Timothy Caulden, Richard Cocchini, Emily Dalton, Katelyn Davis, Alexia Deutsch, Mark Dunckle, Mckenzie Edward, Luk Falcone, Alyssa Frens, Damian Howard, Madeline Huggler, Paige Hyde, Michael Jacoby, Isabella Jagoe, Victoria James, Brianna Jenkins, Alec Jones, Taylor Kilmer, Stephanie Kohinsky, Mikenna Lee, Seamus Nichols, Connor Ohlsen, Ethan Palaskas, Richard Rodenbach, Kyle Sanko, Rachel Saxton, Owen Scioscia, Joshua Semken, Monica Stuenzi, Allison Swanchak, Madison Swanchak, Connor Tobin, Taylor Townsend, Liam Trunk, Virginia VanFleet, Isaac Vierling, Kilar Wallace, Katelin Walton and Madison Williams.

Honors: Jaedyn Arnold, Joshua Brown, Mackenzie Doolittle, Damian Drutherosky, Danilyn Gardoski, Jonathan Miller, Camiryn Peoples, Nicholas Pisanti, Christopher Purdy, Zigmond Rezykowski, Julie Richards, Rowan Rivera, Aubre-Anna Sanko, Austin Sanko, Alyssa Slocum, Sean Truesdale and Luke Walker.

GRADE 11

High honors: Isabella Coleman, Nathan Dill, William Edwards, Morgan Faist, William Filan, Celia Fortney, Mason Grella, Brycen Hoffman, Kassidy Kostick, Addilyn Kwiatkowski, Danielle Lamberti, Ashtyn Mecca, Madison Norman, Matthew Petrilak, Isabella Pietrzak, Margaret Reppa, Olivia Rosengrant, Kayla Ross, John Sharpe IV, David Tarbrake, Madalyn Toth, Lilly Trunk, Tyton Vokes, Casey Wernick and Abigail Wilson.

Honors: Johann Ella, Dalten Klinges, Madison Lawrence-Merolla, Mackenzie Newhart, Bristen Oakley, Kyle Petrilak, Daisy Petty, Jianna Stork and Jacob Whiteduck.

GRADE 10

High honors: Jacob Basile, Kayleigh Beichler, Michael Bluhm, Mauriana Castellano, Brycen Decker, Alan Deutsch, George Duffy, Abigail Fahey, Tela Fotta, Megan Gatto, Annabelle Gumble, Cole Henry, Scott Jennings, Adam Jones, Dariane Jone, Marissa Keyes, Sun Kwan Lee, Owen Lisk, John Long Jr., Maggie Martin, Michael Measley, Kamryn Mercer, Emma Oswald, Josephine Paolucci, Jackson Pieretti, Makenna Ratchford, Lillian Rejrat, Cora Rivera, Matthew Schirg, Robert Schirg, Jordan Spencer, Caleb Stuenzi, Landen Trunk, Nathan Wescott, Maria Wetzel, Natalie Whitney, Coleman Wohlken, Mason Zajac and Eric Zeon.

Honors: Alexander Ball, Tiana Bradley, Colette Brisson, Emily Chermak, Cole Choplosky, Kody Cresswell, Jasmyn Fitch, John Halter, Joshua Oliver, Cassandra Rivenburg, Summer Roberts, Isabelle Samsock, Landon Sprowls and Kevin VanLuvanee.

GRADE 9

High honors: Ethan Ankoff, Emily Beemer, Maxwell Bluhm, Jacob Breckinridge, Alex Bushta, Jason Carney, Francis Cocchini, Annabelle Demora, Austin Fortney, Emma Fowler, Jeffrey Gallagher, Jacob Holmes, Ellsbeth Hunting, Emma Jacoby, Ethan Lee, Evan Litwin, Emma Long, Kiara Nichols, Jackson Nordmark, Braeleigh Oakley, Matthew Rakauskas, Cinderella Rivenburg, Deegan Ross, Seth Ross, Braden Savage, Jacqueline Schneider, Joseph Shaw, Nadia Toth, Nathan Walker, Madisyn Wilson and Kayla Wood.

Honors: Jacob Bartush, Bethany Brooks, Carter Capwell, Brooke Compton, Kyle Davis, Daren Le, Joshua Naniewicz, Jacob Noakes, Mackenzie Remick, Chase Spadine and Kevin Stacknick.

GRADE 8

High honors: Danielle Ainey, Blake Borick, Alex Castellano, Brayden Clarke, Benjamin Cole, Ciera Darmock, Arik Deutsch, Samantha Duffy, Lauren Fahey, Sophia Fassett, Eliza Fotta, Kalee Graham, Lukas Gumble, Jase Hughes, Lilly Jagoe, Alyssa Jennings, Stephen Jervis, Emelia Jones, Leigha Joseph, Sutton Lisk, Anthony Litwin, Haylee Martinez, Mikayla Measley, Jaidyn Meyer, Ella Naylor, Hunter Patterson, Mary Phillips, Owen Polkowski, Lily Reid, Gretchen Rejrat, Cole Rosengrant, Carolena Ryon, Alyson Schirg, Cole Schirg, Mackenzie Schirg, Gary Shaw, Kolbee Soltis, Ty Stroble, Cloe VanFleet, Alana VanGorder, Teagan Vokes, Deana Wilhelm and Nathan Wright.

Honors: Helen Bellucci, Thomas Bellucci III, James Cummings, Connor Deacon, Gavin June, Colton Lenz, Gavin LoVallo, Gavin Mulhern, Dante Paluzzi, Pearl Rivera, Adriana Salansky, Ryan Semon, Caleb Shupp, Hailey Stork, Cote Whiteduck and Zoey Wright.

GRADE 7

High honors: Ethan Basile, Tea Burns, Kiersten Burrows, Victoria Call, Madeline Carpenter, Olivia Diaz, Logan Dixon, Demitrius Douglas, Logan Edwards, Nora Evans, Olivia Fassett, Garet Fowler, Alec Genell, Noah Genell, Sean Gilroy, Sophie Haus, Kian John, Brayden Jones, Brandon Kalinoski, Tucker Kinney, Wyatt Laytos, Karver Lewis, Isabelle Maurer, Kalaya McPhillips, Laney Mecca, Reagan Norman, Madison Palmer, Autumn Richardson, Mia Roman, Gregg Schur, Emma Shaw, Anikah Toth, Makinzie Toward, Carson Ware and Katharine Wood.

Honors: Andrew Atherton, Madison Darmock, Jolene Fitch, Faith Ingalls, Ava James, Christopher Kohinsky, Aquinniah Lawrence, Brittany Marr, Eric McElwee, Kaylee Newhart, Madison Pietrzak, Stephen Reppa, Sabrina Rogalla, Levi Rogers, Lillian Rogers, Claira Stacknick, Matthew Starzer, Jacob VanGorder and Ryan Wright.

OUR LADY OF PEACE

GRADE 8-1

High honors: Angelena Montefour.

RIVERSIDE

JUNIOR-SENIOR

HIGH SCHOOL

GRADE 12

High honors: Danielle Byrne, Elizabeth Giannone, Adriana Grillo, Leah Hodick, Sammi Hong, Alexander Jaworski, Caitlin Kilvitis, Collin Kneiss, Kristen Lello, Anthony Lima, Brandon London, Emily Padilla, Jordan Pica, Ryan Semyon, Brandon Soto and Marley Stambaugh.

Honors: Kaisymari Acevedo Figueroa, Michael Antoniacci, Katrina Azarsky, Gavin Beck, Christian Casino, Maria Castaldi, Gavin Goodall, Paul Harris, Karaline Howey, Maxwell Jake, Mickayla Jones, Yuriy Kazysta Madeline Klingler, Jay Koller, Skylar Lenzer, Ashley Marshall, Amanda Merrick-Tompkins, Madison Mickavicz, Tyler Muskey, Joshua Muth, Chase Orloski, Larissa Posdon, Madison Price, Kaylee Ralston, Todd Reedy, Hailey Scardo, Brynn Stambaugh, Savannah Strait, Caden Sutcliffe, Abigail Walsh and Caroline Zelsnack.

GRADE 11

High honors: Bridgette Brown, Emily Calder, Zachery Day, Mya Falcone, Jessica Frie, Hunter Geise, John Gilchrist, Joshua Godlewski, Aubrianna Harte, Jeffrey Higgins, Kelsey Howey, Lexa Hunt, John Kravitz, Mariah Kumor, Nevica Molinaro, Todd Monahan, Alexandra Nenish, Cheyenne Newberry, Madison Oustrich, Sara Reyes Guerrero, Kayla Rose, Amelia Smicherko, Grace Spisso, Indya Szydlowski, Emily Taylor, Alannah Weitz and Antonio Zyats.

Honors: Kyleen Bird, Bailey Cooper, Thomas Fontaine, Nadia Freire Monteiro, Stefani Grande, Mallory Gray, Paige Heness, Jordan Jenkins, Alese Karpinski, Megan Kielar, Kaile McDonough, Isabella McKeefery, Cesar Mercado, Nichole Monteiro, Francis Moran, Alyssa Nape, Om Patel, Michael Reap, Brandon Reed, Michael Rickert, Maura Sherry, Merison Stecik, Jakob Wittenbreder and Austin Wombacker.

GRADE 10

High honors: Katie Albrecht, Morgan Antoniacci, Angelina Beaumont, Connor Brown, Kathryn Burian, Alexis Carter, Olivia Christopher, Rebecca Colwell, Luciano Dinguis, Kathryn Dougherty, Gianna Gaidula, Ivan Gao, Tiffani Gilchrist, John Greenfield, Sydney Harris, Wilson Hong, Aden Johnson, Michael Kazmierczak, Kylie Lavelle, Olivia Mangan, Avery Meredick, Kathleen Moran, Mia Muskey, Mari Novotka, Amia Ortiz, Olivia Oustrich, Noah Parchinski, Sabrina Penny, Kynleigh Peperno, Madelynn Perfilio, Brianna Powell, Joanelisse Rios, Bryan Rivera, Kayla Roscioli, Michael Samsell, Gracie Secor, Carl Shygelski, Alyiah Thomas, Mayra Varela and Ian Zagropski.

Honors: Cory Casino, Noah Cramer, Jessica Eiden, Shane Frank, Paige Gandara, James Garvey, Michael Gaughan, Matthew Giannone, Elizabeth Kozy, Nicholas Kwiatkowski, Shea Lello, Evonne Lench, Rita Lin, Jason Luciano, Kalani Massie-Foster, Paige Olanovich, Lissejoan Rios, Chloe Santos, Katelyn Sickler, Kaitlyn Slaboda, Raven Wagner, Carl Walsh, Ava Wheeler, Hailey Wilgus and Jaidee Willis.

GRADE 9

High honors: Camber Beverage, Aaliyah Cantave, Robbie Carter, Marianna Casino, Nathan Connor, Alontae Custus, Nicholas DAmico, Lacey Danilovitz, Thomas Day, Makayla Decker, Morgan Decker, Kayleigh Evans, Kaia Gaylets, Jennifer Genell, Issac Gutierrez Ortiz, Gavin Hartman, Kaleb Hawkins, Jason Janesko, Ava Kalteski, Alexandra Kazysta, Shahan Khan, Eliese Kosciuk, Alexis Kostoff, Joseph Kulikowski, Marcella Mendoza, Adarsh Moger, Connor Monahan, Gary Mrozinski, Matthew Nape, Anthony Norris, Elisabeth O’Hora, Jacob Ochman, Nathan Oliphant, Michael Rhoades, Andrew Sesso, Nicholas Sochovka, Nevaeh Sorensen, Gabriella Szajkowski, Chelsea Welter and Blake Zuby.

Honors: Isabella Aniska, Francis Antoniacci, Natalie Atkinson, Kaitlyn Azarsky, Sophia Battaglia, Nicholas Bouselli, Abigail Canavan, Khristin Delgado Cruz, Skyler Dutter, Riley Feerrar, Alexa Figueroa, Amra Hodzic, Anthony Karpinski, Jeffrey Koller, Alaiza Latorre, Jade McDermott, Marissa Miller, Jade Noakes, Brielle Reed, Jose Soto Rivera, Linda Stefanelli, Ernest Vandervort, Vinicius Vieira, Madison Volack and Shyane Volack.

GRADE 8

High honors: Braden Beecham, Emma Byrne, Kevin Chen, Zachary Chilek, Emma Costantino, Daniel Danilovitz, Dominich DeAngelo, Ava DeFazio, Alyssa Fox, Reese Gaughan, Cassondra Jenkins, Anna Lima, Madison Lipperini, Jeffrey Marsico, Michael Maslanka, Amelia Melnick, Jack Munley, Brianne Nemergut, Lilianny Ortiz Garcia, Tess Parchinski, Leah Pfeiffer, Lilli Pon, Gracie Slaven, William Taylor, Alexa Williams, Sarah Wolfe and Izabella Zyats.

Honors: Maxwell Aglialoro, Gavin Becker, Mackenzie Celuck, Eyder Delcid, Emily Durkin, Joseph Fox, Robert Garvey, Nicole Gilchrist, Natalie Gnall, Sofia Gutierrez, Austin Hogan, Chad Hoskins Paige Kelly, Imran Khan, Shireza Khan, Sasha Kimble, Jamary Luciano, Bridget Moran, Noah Ochman, Samuel Ott, Cameron Pilchesky, John Rempe, Esteban Reyes, Jose Rivera, Mia Scotti, Julianne Skurka, Nathan Webber and Chase Whetstone.

GRADE 7

High honors: Hunter Brown, Robert Creo, Lily Flanagan, Angel Francis, Blayne Krotz-Lewis, Winni Lin, Emily McCullon, Sarah McCullon, Connor McNally, Tori Natale, Emma Ponas, Sebastian Quirindongo, Mason Rickert, Ava Sesso, Sulekha Sharma, Lila Shygelski, Hunter Smith, Noah Soltys, Ella Sottile, Sophie Wargo and Ryan Wasko.

Honors: Crystal Bird, Julius Chomko, Alyssa Clemmer, Keturah Coppin, David Crespo, Lacey Durkin, Isabella Escobar, Brady Evans, Jace Gaughan, Matthew Godlewski, Gianna Grasso, Mitchell Gray, Ryan Grill, Terrance Insalaca, Richard Kazmierski, Richard Kostoff, Brooke Lyons, Yamilette Maldonado, Cassandra Marvin, Amylynn Nemegut, Adison Odzana, Braelyn Reed, Samuel Reedy, Jo Ann Regan, Seth Robbins, Gerald Rose, Ean Santos, Ryan Saxe, Austin Shamko, Courtney Stubaus, Emma Szajkowksi, Chase Taddonio, Megan Tigue and Olivia Yackobovitz.

ABINGTON HEIGHTS HIGH SCHOOL

GRADE 12

Erin E. Albright, Zachary W. Allen, Makenzie M. Allred, Dominique N. Arre, Nihal S. Arslan, Miriam E. Barren, Mika A. Bates, Brett D. Beemer, Lauren S. Berry, Jillian M. Bird, Julia A. Brown, William P. Brown, Brady M. Brust, Tristan P. Burns, Gino F. Cerullo, Roman M. Chastain, Kathleen G. Chickillo, Dillon P. Clearwater, Anna C. Cole, Nicholas R. Colombo, Emily M. Conway, George J. Cottell, Julianna M. Crandle, Michael C. Crowley, Daniel E. Cummins, James O. Dana, Spencer R. Dana, Joseph S. Danoski, Nicholas Davenport, Dante J. DeRiggi, Dominick R. DeSeta, Clare C. Della Valle, Evan M. Dempsey, Anna B. Domiano, Frances C. Donahoe, Lucy J. Earl, Kyler L. Epstein, Amelia E. Fan, Harrison G. Fedor, Daniel J. Flickinger, Camilla B. Fontini, Alexa M. Ford, Madison L. Fox, Alexis M. Freda, Ryan J. Gabura, Samantha M. Gaidula, Emma M. Gibson, Alison E. Gilmore, Grace J. Gilmore, Kayleigh A. Glennon, Luke A. Glidewell, Grace L. Gonzalez, Marnie Granville, Alyssa L. Green, Yehoshua N. Griver, Mara J. Hamm, James R. Hankee, Jacob W. Hansen, Kirsten D. Hardy, Christopher T. Harris, Emily M. Harris, Rory M. Harris, Alexes B. Harvey, Erin E. Healey, John J. Hearl, Sadie H. Henzes, Nathan R. Hoinowski, Adele J. Hollander, Robert M. Horvath, Sidney E. Horvath, Joseph T. Houlihan, Rachel E. Hunter, Varun Iyengar, Corinne M. Jacoby, Sean P. Kane, Victor P. Kanuik, Caroline N. Kelly, Thomas J. Kerrigan, Seungeon Kim, Andrew B. Kirtley, Rachel E. Klein, Emily T. Knoepfel, Shaelyn L. Kobrynich, Lauren A. Koczwara, Kenneth C. Kovaleski, Catherine Anne B. Kupinski, Isabel Lam, Kylie J. Loughney, Brian P. Lynott, Michael M. Malone, Anna E. Marchetta, Olivia M. Marchetta, Julia L. Martinez, Zoe E. McGlynn, Anne M. McHale, Santino R. Medico, Jessica Mendo, Paige Moletsky, Matthew L. Molnar, Aidan Mullen, Grace M. Munley, Tova R. Myers, Angela Natale, Louis Natale, Faatihah M. Nayeem, Allison M. Nealon, Ryan P. O’Malley, Jarred J. Ocwieja, Elif Z. Onat, Tayler M. Osterhout, Disha N. Patel, Himani Patel, Jenna Patel, Udit V. Patel, Corey S. Perkins, Audrey E. Phillips, Sarah R. Pineiro, Julia V. Poulson-Houser, Charles D. Puksta, Michael R. Pusateri, Jakob R. Quanbeck, Christian C. Ragnacci, Andrew E. Rama, Bryce J. Reiner, Madison M. Roberts, Zachary A. Roditski, Holly M. Ross, Audrey E. Rubner, Nina S. Sampogne, Jenna Scarfo, Natalie A. Schoen, Abigail E. Schrader, Gordon A. Segall, Jack M. Slusser, Carson J. Smith, Lucy E. Specht, Kyrstin M. Staudinger, Morghan Stiles, Benjamin M. Storey, Mark J. Strenkoski, Sean M. Sullivan, John T. Supanek, Clare M. Sykes, Aeddon J. Targett, Alexandra Thornton, Makenna Thorpe, Corey J. Tokash, Gianna E. Toth, Sam M. Traweek, Stephan L. Tserovski, Maria H. Tully, William Tung, Skyler Venesky, Nicola Veniamin, Andrea C. Walcott, Zachary M. Walter, Hanwen Wang, Preston R. Waters, Joshua M. Weiland, Jacob H. Weinberg, Zachary A. Wheeland, Aerielle A. Wiggins and Ty H. Wilmot.

GRADE 11

Corey Abel, Joseph Adams, Maria Adonizio, Olivia Albright, Jace R. Anderson, Jacob S. Anderson, John Arcangelo, Kylie M. Augis, Zachery L. Bator, Isabelle Bernard, Emma S. Blakiewicz, Seth T. Blakiewicz, Zachary Boersma, Russell Booth, Gray-Paul Bossi, Claire E. Boyle, Julia Braatz, Abigail Brock, James W. Brown III, Reilly Brown, Samantha Brown, Emily Burke, Haley C. Callahan, Sofia G. Capozzi, Isabella Cappellano-Sarver, Maggie K. Carper, Abigail Casal, Rachael V. Chastain, Nicholas Clark, Seth Colan, Jules S. Colombo, Evan J. Cummings, Mariel G. Curra, Sahil Dalsania, Bryn Daniels, Sarah Darling, Haddy G. Davis, John A. Deibert, Connor Dempsey, Rachel Dempsey, Zoe Detter, Joseph Dougherty, Kyla Dougherty, Hailey P. Driesbaugh, Kevin Duong, Noah Durkin, Zoe Epstein, Noelle K. Fantanarosa, Amelia J. Farry, Anthony Fazio, Emily Fick, Luke Gardiner, Kira L. Gaspar, Ethan Gavin, Scott Gilbert, Jordin Giovagnoli, Jeremy Golden, Ronald Graff, Delaney Greenish, Talya Grimaldi, Brandon F. Grogan, Ashley Hamilton, Lauren Heine, Isabella M. Hewitt, Isabel R. Holland, Adin Hopkins, Sarah Horne, Shaine Hughes, Nia Ivanov, Angel S. Jefferson, Harry D. Johnson III, Liam Jordan, Derek Justave, Delaney J. Kaeb, Hayley Kane, Iwo Kasperkowicz, Makayla Keoonela, Justine Klotz, Troy Kostiak, Alexander Krenitsky, Bennett L. Kubic, Clarke Kupinski, Cara LaBelle, Julia LaCoe, Morgan Langan, Ava M. Leach, Ethan Levine, Kohl H. Lindaman, Erin Lipkus, Joey Lipkus, Kristin Lipkus, Maxmillian C. Loiacono, Lauren A. Lombardo, Nicholas Lowe, Madeline J. Lucas, Gregory R. MacMillan, Avery Maciak, Kayla S. Malone, Abigail Marion, Mary C. Marion, Gianna Marturano, Emily McCabe, Faith A. McCarroll, Willow McDonald, Grant McGinley, Mattie McGuinness, Luciano Medico, Alexis Minich, Rahique Mirza, Jolene E. Morais, Colin Moran, Victoria J. Morris, Emily Mott, Jaina D. Mucovic, Riley E. Mulherin, Allison G. Murray, Kyle Nealon, Nicholai Nocella, John Nzasi, Mark Nzasi, Matthew Nzasi, Mary V. O’Brien, Sydney O’Neil, Richard J. Padula, Evan R. Pallis, David Paramo, Arnav J. Patel, Dilan Patel, Jordan A. Patrick, Tyler Petty, Grace M. Phillips, Sebastian Pospiezalski, Noelle Prisco, Brian P. Prontis, Gavin T. Pryle, Kayla Przekop, Liam Raino, Joseph J. Rama, Kyra Reese, Elyse F. Rehder, Conal W. Richards, Camille Rillstone, Michael Rodyushkin, Colin T. Rooney, Frank Rosenski, Joshua Schneider, Kylie Schultz, Eric Schuster, Kaitlyn C. Seechock, Sabriya Seid, Elle Seyer, Michael Show, Sarah Siddiqui, Elyse Simakaski, Roy S. Slavin, Brooke Sorensen, Abigayle Steenback, Jacob Stevens, Sadie I. Stevens, Jason C. Thiel, Trevor Thomas, Ryan I. Tinkelman, Macey E. Tuffy, Sydney N. Vachino, Adam Vale, Emma R. Wagner, Lily Wagner, Charles D. Warholak, Erin Wasko, Samuel Weis, Bailey L. White, Hanna R. White, Christopher Wickenheiser, Sean Wilkerson, Justin B. Williams, Isabella T. Wisenburn and Maddison Wowk.

GRADE 10

Howard J. Acla, Christopher A. Albright, Isabella Allen, Evan Andrews, Margaret Armstrong, Rida Ashraf, Emma A. Bannon, Anabella A. Begley, Julia Bereznak, Cameryn Berry, Jamison C. Bessoir, Quentin A. Birch, Tyler Bowen, Hudson Brown, Cole Caprari, Norah M. Carey, Alina Chopko, Chris Clauss, Connor M. Clearwater, Colleen V. Cole, Samantha M. Conover, Chloe Conway, Ashlyn M. Cook, Tawni L. Coronel, Colin Cremard, Aidan Crum, Mason R. Cuff, Paul T. Cutrufello, Karen M. Daly, Allison M. Dammer, Xander Davis, Riley Dempsey, Nicholas P. Deremer, Kyla M. Dixon, Steven Dong, Julie C. Dzikowski, Claire Evans, Alicia Farrell, Avery Fiorillo, James Flickinger, Bryce Florey, Sophia E. Foster, Elizabeth Franchetti, Molly F. Gaffney, Cinthia K. Garcia, Christopher T. Gardner, Giovanni Giacometti, Phoebe A. Glidewell, Antonia Graichen, Andrew W. Greene, Sarah Z. Griver, Charlotte Haggerty, Alexandra D. Hansen, Emily M. Hansen, Megan Heard, Stephanie Hicks, Hunter Hildebrand, Lydia Hodge, Shannon E. Horgan, Heidi Hughes, Collin Jenkins, Elina Joshi, Elina Joshi, Bo J. Judson, Annie J. Kazmierski, Paige Keisling, Carson Kelleher, Trever P. Keller, Alexander M. Keris, Farina Khan, Luke A. Klamp, Gianna Kubic, Zachary A. Kusma, Christopher R. LaCoe, Gavin LaCoe, Lauren Lefchak, Kayleigh Leonard, Christian Lezinski, Kayla M. Locker, Baylor Lounsbery, Leah Ludwikowski, Hutchison Lynott, Justin Mabie, James C. MacPherson, Kendall Madera, Nicholas F. Maletta, Megan E. Malone, Julia I. Manning, Michael S. Marion, Isabella C. Martin, Braeden Mathers, Yoshihiko Matsui, Marian Mensah, Mason Miller, Falina Mucovic, Evan D. Musgrave, Gavin Myers, Noah R. O’Malley, Quinn O’Malley, Avery Orbin, Joshua Parfrey, Jay Patel, Marni L. Pentasuglio, Isabella Peters, Nicholas Peters, Mark J. Pettinato, Margrette G. Phillips, Dominic Potis, Griffin Price, Jordan E. Radle, Thomas J. Radle, Donald J. Rosenkrans, Gavin Ross, Gianna Sabatini, Ryan J. Salony, Eleanor Saunders, Salvatore B. Schiavone II, Benjamin Schneider, David F. Schuster, Anna Scoblick, Margaret M. Seechock, Dominic Selvenis, Thomas J. Sheeran, Eric J. Simakaski, Avery J. Smith, Elliana X. Smith, Aiden J. Snyder, Nathan E. Sompel, Allen T. Stankiewicz, Michael Stanton, Morgyn P. Steenback, Nathan Steenback, Jakob W. Stevens, Avynne L. Storey, James Strain, Jonathan Strain, Maya Sullum, Elana M. Supanek, Andrew K. Sutton, Adam Tinkelman, Robert Tricarico, Meghan Van Wert, Camden Vaughn, Troy Venesky, Cole C. Vida, Paige A. Watt, Jared P. White, Wyatt R. Whymark, Kaylin E. Wilbur, Audrey Wynn and Tomas A. de los Rios.

GRADE 9

Christopher S. Adonizio, Hanna Adonizio, Kathryn T. Agentovich, Kyleigh L. Allred, Bradley Ames, Casey Ames, Maia Arcangelo, Olivia Arendt, Aiza S. Arshad, Zara Arshad, Alyssa R. Auriemma, Molly Badalamente, Eric C. Barbrack, Grace E. Bath, Gianna L. Batrla, Jacob Bednarz, Julianna A. Beemer, Faith A. Bennett, Maddox B. Bessoir, Alexander W. Blakiewicz, Sadie Bonczek, Nicholas J. Booth, Nicholas Bossi, Kieran P. Boyle, Bryan Bradway, Mary Brennan, Aidan T. Brown, Sean Brown, John Burke, Zachary Cahn, Mia G. Calvert, Amelia Campbell, Brynn Carey, Daniel C. Casper, Carter Chichura, Andrew J. Clark, Kayla Clark, Sophia Cody, Jordan E. Colombo, Audrey Cornell, Jack W. Cowgill, Michael J. Cummins, Roman Cutrufello, Phoebe Davidock, Ava L. Davis, Colin Davis, Scott A. Davis, Sabrina L. Dearie, Sydney E. Degnon, Samantha Dempsey, Allie Detter, Nicholas D. Dodge, Colin Donahoe, Jerry Donahue, Alea Dorunda, Matthew E. Driesbaugh, Alex Duffy, Megan Dymek, Maisy Earl, Gabriel Earl-DeLucy, Robert Earl-DeLucy, Aaryn Epstein, Arielle K. Fan, Ryan E. Finnerty, Andrew Foley, Avery B. Folmar, Kelsie Fritch, Adrian Gaidula, Connor C. Georgia, Sai S. Ghatti, Gayatri Goli, Rita Gowarty, Gianna Gregorowicz, Conner J. Griffin, Jacob M. Grimaldi, Julian Grives, Gavin J. Grogan, Brayden M. Grohs, Nash Gromelski, Lily J. Haggerty, Charles Hamm, Rina Hanumali, James M. Hartman, Martin Hastie, Catherine M. Healey, Wyatt J. Henry, Christian R. Henzes, Natalie Hewitt, Madelyn Hoinowski, Paige Holgate, Hunter Hollis, Benjamin C. Hood, Carolyn Hopkins, Edward W. Horgan, Lillian M. Hufford, Bowen Hunter, Emma Illian, Olivia R. Jackson, Tamir Jafar, Lindsey James, Aidan Jenkins, Dane G. Johnson, Nora K. Jones, Manasi Joshi, Ty Kaeb, Michael E. Kanuik, Brady Kareha, Maya Kasim, Azan A. Khan, Reenad Khan, Zaina Khan, Abigail C. Kirtley, Madison J. Kordish, Isabelle Kostiak, Elias Kowal, Ella R. Kulenich, Nevaeh Lahey, Olivia Lam, Hunter E. Landers, Alivia Lawless, Tomaso Lello, Chloe Levasseur, Gavin H. Lewis, Molly Lindaman, Kate Lloyd, Aidan Lombardi, Grace Lorah, Katherine G. Lucas, Kenneth Allan Lynch, Lorna A. Lynch, Brendan Lynott, Hunter Mabie, Benjamin M. Magnotta, Sejal A. Mali, Jacob Mann, Allyson G. Manwarren, Phoebe S. Mattes, Mercedes McAvoy, Wriley R. McDonald, Alexis R. McDonnell, Imani McDonnell, Charles McGrail, Jasmine Miller, Joel A. Minich, Kaitlyn Moon, Eric Moran, Luke Morgan, Antwan Murray, Caroline M. Murray, Courtney Nealon, Leah Nealon, Brendan T. Newman, Jacob C. Newton, Lauryn Notari, Chloe Nunemaker, Natalie Orrell, Abhinav Palle, Pranav Palle, Manan Pancholy, Cooper Papp, Madelyn J. Pardue, Jayden Patel, Keya Patel, Caroline Pease, David Pease, Elizabath G. Pettinato, Michael Pirner, Abhi Prajapati, Tiernan J. Pryle, Hanna Puttcamp, Taryn O. Quinn, Anaclara Quintillano, Ava A. Ramsey, Emma R. Ratchford, Gretchen M. Reese, Brayden Reiner, John T. Rich, Ayana A. Rivera, Brodie D. Robertson, Emilee P. Robinson, Ryan A. Robinson, Nicholas Roditski, Nathan C. Rosenski, Sophia R. Rubner, Aidan Ryan, Paige Sandy, Marley Sarafinko, Robert Saunders, Ankita Saxena, Santo J. Schiavone, Silvio P. Schiavone, Thomas S. Scott, Ethan Shook, Mathew Show, Luke Sirianni, Nikil H. Sivakumar, Raven S. Snyder, Hannah A. Sottile, Ava H. Stafursky, Ella L. Stagnaro, Aidan K. Stark, Samuel Stevens, Bryn Stiles, Deme A. Targett, Kierstynne Thubbron, Victoria R. Tierney, Matthew Tokash, Michael F. Tomczyk, David Traweek, Capria Verdetto, Paige Walsh, Patrick J. Walsh, Thomas Walsh, Liam J. Walter, Riley A. Wescott, Kevin R. Whitaker, Andrew T. Whymark, Nikolai Williams, Cassia Wilson, Natalie C. Wince, Matthew J. Young, Tanner S. Young, Magdalena Zdanowicz, Marta Zdanowicz and Michal Zdanowicz.

WESTERN WAYNE

HIGH SCHOOL

12TH GRADE

Principal’s list: Stanley Conklin III and Alyssa Iovacchini.

Distinguished honors: Alex Amorine, Adam Antidormi, Trina Barcarola, Dakota Beavers, Kristoff Bien-Aime, Abigail Black, Darlene Black, April Bresee, Sinaea Buford, Brianna Burdick, Gevin Coccodrilli, Mackenzie Cooney, Jorge Correa Jr., Kali Cottell, Miesha Cunningham, Victoria Davis, Austin Devine, Jordan Diaz, Emily DiGiovanni, Jake DuBeau, Emma Dwyer, Alexander Featherman, Amber Fenwick, Amanda Ferrer, Landon Firmstone, Brendan Fitzsimmons, Alexander Gager, Gary Geinitz, Collin Gisinger, Nicholas Gombita, Stephen Hamlin, Samantha Hineline, Parker Howell, Kenneth Hutchins III, Abryel Johnson, Jason Jones, Nicholas Kassen, Rebeccah King, Allison King, Rebecca Klemovitch, Victoria Kroll, Kristi Kromko, Sydney Krompasky, Connor Laity, Zachary Malcolm, Aaron Margotta, Damon Martzen, Derek Mason, Leticia Matias, Kathryn Mattern, Jacob McCormick, Allison McDermott, Kaitlyn McDonald, Desiree Mecca, Lawrence Metchulat Jr., Abygaile Milewski, Patricia Mills, Cooper Mistishin, Melony Mitchell, Miranda Montijo, Crystal Moorthy, Collin Murray, Sadie Nahman, Marilyn Ogof, Sinclaire Ogof, Kendra Oliver, Noelle Orehek, Andrew Oudshoorn, Sydney Peet, Maxwell Phillips, Alexander Poehailos, Todd Pope, Shailyn Pugh, Angelia Reggie, Jonathan Rieman, Matthew Romanowski, Makenzie Rose, Matthew Rosengrant, Zachary Rovinsky, Samantha Scaduto, Honour Shaffer, Jacob Shepherd, Alexandra Solimine, Brenton Steinetz, Coral Swoyer, Nathan Taggart, Ezra Tetreault, Evan Thomas, Kaitlyn Tuite, Matthew Valanda, Anya Wayda, Trey Wayman, Abigail Wilcox, Eve Williams, Brad Wood, Christian Wright and Isabella Zeiler.

Honors: Cody Aleckna, Jessie Booths, Leann Carey, Dillon Dante, Brandon Davis, Hunter Frable, James Fryzel Jr., Timothy Glosenger, Tiffany Glosenger, Davonna Gregory, Christopher Heenan, Jacob Hinds, Daniel Kassen, Brian Mandel, Madison Matern-Wright, Jack McAllister, Joseph McCabe, Thomas Motichka, Tionya Murrell, Garrett Olsommer, Christopher Ramos and Joshua Weber.

11TH GRADE

Principal’s list: Celeste Orchard and Lacey Falloon.

Distinguished honors: Taylor Altenhofen, Cassidy Asinski, Jamie Bryan, Caleb Burns, Joshua Burns, Noelle Cruz, Nickolas Curtis, Alyssa Donnini, Haley Estus, Natalee Fawcett, Rhonda Fenkner, Isabella Ferrer, Hunter Gebert, Thomas Gogolski, Makayla Gregory, Matthew Henneforth, Alexander Hineline, Caleb Hoch, Sydney Hutchinson, Madison Irish, Zane Janiszewski, Precious Jones, Stephanie Knecht, Jordan Koch, Hayley Kovaleski, Miranda Kubilus, Julia Lamberton, George Lee, Abigail Lopez, Jared Loveland, Wade Maines, Leonard Maiocco III, Olivia McCue, Madison McGlone, Colin Mead, Nathaniel Miller, Maggie Millon, Zera Moen, Natasha Orehek, Jeremiah Pauler, Tyler Peet, Courtney Petrilak, Lena Piccolino, Emma Pontosky, Arianna Rastello, Justina Rastello, Keyly-Shaye Robinson, Carson Rush, Anya Rusnak, Brett Schane, Logan Shaffer, Irene Sheehan, Jada Siino, Adam Silfies, Caden Slifko, Timothy Smith, Jonatan Stanley, Matthew Stone, Joseph Sweeney Jr., Corey Talarico, Gabrielle Velez and Rachel Wertman.

Honors: Caitlyn Burdick, Carter Davis, Bret Dolph, Brooke Durso, Hannah Elbert, Riley Filkovsky, Matthew Leslie, Estevan Mendoza, Wade Metschulat, Aiden Mistishin, Jacob Poehailos, Madison Rossignol, Alex Taylor, Cailie Thoman, Justin Thorpe, Lily Visceglia, Julien Walck, Christopher Wallace, Rebecca Weist and Patrik Williams.

10TH GRADE

Principal’s list: Rachel Tuman and Jenny Guadagno.

Distinguished honors: Luciano Azzato, Paige Bell, Alexandria Bien-Aime, Rebecca Boots, Amelia Bosshard, Caden Brungard, Christopher Bryant, Donovan Burdick, Thomas Chernasky, Braydon Christian, Mark Christina Jr., Vince Cistulli, Morgan Cocodrilli, Sarah Collins, Ava Compton, Regan Cowan, Hailie Drown, Liam Cruz, Brennan Cruz, Jaiden DeRosa, Sydney Ely, Ashton Fitzsimmons, Bridgette Flannery, Alexander Fullone, Shane Gagliardi, Carleigh Galliford, Zoey Goldman, Morgan Heenan, Katie Herlihy, Nicholas Hinds, Rachel Hoch, Ethan Hopkins, Alex Iovacchini, Madison Kammer, Leah Kellogg, Jake Kopcza, Owen Kotchessa, Magdalena Kruchinski, Liam Lidy, Maya Maisonave, Hudson Malinowski, Gabriella Martinez, Emilie McAllister, Allison McCarthy, Kaitlyn McDermott, William McGuire, Ever Miranda-Miranda, Kennedy Mistishin, Gavin Murphy, Amy Newman, Jamie Newman, Austin Norris, Jordan Ortiz, Gabrielle Ostalaza, Kayla Peirce, Jackson Press, Richard Reed, Joanna Regalbuto, Brooke Richardson, Kiel Rizzi, Kaeli Romanowski, Mia Rovinsky, Luke Rusin, Ayla Savage, Hunter Schmitt, Rylee Sheehan, Katherine Shepherd, Joseph Skirpan, Logan Smith, Trinity Solivan, Kayla Stokesberry, Haley Strocchia, Gabrielle Tetreault, Nicholas Tomasetti, Adelaide Treibley, Luke Urian, Nicholas Valentin, Ryan Vinton, Madison Weinczyk, Stevie Wilkinson and Katarina Wood.

Honors: Nicholas Barillo, Richard Burns, Gregory Cleveland Jr., Thomas Flood, Sha’quila Fooks, Gavin Henwood, Christopher Jacoby, Aaron Kizer, David Kizer Jr., Jacob Kyzer, Audrey Lawlor, Trenton Locker, Joshua Mahnke, Sarah McAndrew, John McCabe, Giavanna Rastello, Alyssa Rodriguez, Mackenzie Sheatler, Emily Shemanski, Kelton Slifko and Delaney Valinski.

9TH GRADE

Principal’s list: Jenna Kwiatkowski and Skylar Long.

Distinguished honors: Niya Acosta, Cyrah Bihler, Tyler Bilko, Eleanor Black, Emily Brophy, Julie Bryan, Catherine Cavage, Alex Chapman, Sophia Conaway, Ava Daniels, Marshall Davis, Harley Deitz, Analise DeLeon-Bello, Anjali DeLeon-Bello, Charles Dietrich, Aidan Donnini, Niko DuBeau, Emma Elbert, Dustin Ferraro, Kourtney Franklin, Amanda Gravine, Jaden Gregory, Anna Kakorin, Jack Klikus, Ivan Knecht, McKenzie Laity, Paige Lee, Mya Lukas, Alaina Maiocco, Anna Mangieri, Kylie Merring, Jaquelyn Morris, Maggie Nagle, Laynee Nugent, Isabella O’Donnell, Ella Pavlovich, Evan Peirce, Julia Phillips, Ray Polhill Jr., Lucas Putman, Lucius Richner, Bernard Roedel III, Cassia Sheehan, Ashley Small Bermudez, Tarena Strasburger, Nathaniel Swingle, Kailey Tickner, Bryan Torres, Gavin Toy, Elizabeth Wasylyk and Kendra Yates.

Honors: Nicolas Arcadipane, Jenna Bell, Alyson Buchinski, Ethan Castro, Trinity Foulds, Kieran Frable, Jennifer Hall, Kristin Hauenstein, Dominic Hayden, Nicholas Hrosovsky, Nathan Irvine, Luke Janiszewski, Michael Johannes, Abigail Kapschull, Ivan Kayumov, Thomas Madden, Timothy Montijo, Alexis Pearsall, Riley Pongracz, Alexiah Qualters, Kylie Reed, Aaron Rossignol, Halle Smith, Kiersten Sopinski, Alexander Wallace and Mackenzie Weist.

Merry Christmas, Ma, long-distance from the mortal side of the veil. It’s unseasonably warm here. Hope it’s nice where you are.

This is the family’s first Christmas without you. The idea of you not being at the heart of the party is unthinkable, but we’ll carry on in your indomitable spirit.

Your send-off service put the fun in “funeral,” which is an odd thing to say, but I know it would get a laugh out of you. Like you always said when someone gasped at my salty sense of humor, “Where do you think he gets it?”

Everyone said I nailed the eulogy — just the right balance of laughter and tears. There were many good-natured cracks about your legendary lateness to any appointment, no matter how big a head start you were granted. Aunt Sandy said, “I used to tell Beverly that dinner was half an hour early so she’d only be half an hour late.”

You were on time for the funeral, so Dad loses that bet. At 66, he was early for his formal exit. Everyone cackled when I pictured him sitting in the hearse, honking the horn and yelling, “C’mon, Bev! Let’s get this show on the road!”

You two were made for each other, and for nearly 41 years, through better and worse, sickness and health, you made it work. I know how dearly you missed him, and it’s comforting to think of you reunited and spending Christmas together with good spirits who left the family table ahead of you.

Everyone at the funeral had memories of treasured times spent with you, when you said something kind, comforting and wise when they most needed to hear it. Cousin Joyce shared how you stood by her through breast cancer, Cousin Cheryl remembered you teaching her about choosing a goal and sticking with it: “You can’t chase two rabbits and expect to catch either one.” It’s true. I’ve tried.

Jeff ad-libbed and covered some important ground I missed. I’m proud to call him my brother (although he sometimes forgets who was here first). Your sons pulled together in love, pride and gratitude alongside your beloved daughters-in-law, Nancy and Chrissy, and Meghan and Alaina, the granddaughters who doubled your lifelong dream of having a little girl to raise.

Motherhood is a life sentence with no time off for good behavior. You’re on parole now, and no doubt telling anyone who will listen how much you treasured your time in captivity. Some of that time was hard, mostly due to your Number One Son.

You gave me life and taught me how to live it. I was rarely a willing student, but you never gave up on me. High school was the first of countless “graduations” you tutored me through. I’ve been blessed with many tremendous teachers and mentors, but only one who changed my diapers and drove across the state in a blizzard to see me — at 35 — perform a bit part in Ballet Theater of Scranton’s “Nutcracker.”

It was hard living so far away from you and the family all these years, but our phone calls kept us close. You always had news of the girls’ latest cheer or gymnastics competition or the exploits of Tigger, the cat who filled your days with fun and affection until you could no longer live alone.

Tigger got a good new home and you moved in with Jeff and Nancy. I’m so grateful to them for making the last 18 months as comfortable and loving as possible. As much as you loved family, you hated getting old.

The phone calls became less frequent and more frustrating. You had little news to share, and although we were both thankful you still had your quick, vibrant mind, it was trapped in a ruined body. You were tired. Bored. Ready. I felt in my bones that you waited for me to come home for Thanksgiving before moving on.

In my favorite picture, you look to be about 10. Your brown hair is in pigtails, your face beaming in freckles and that precocious smile that shined until your last days here. There was abundant light in that little farm girl’s eyes, but the last time we were together, that light was fading fast. The exuberant, impish farm girl had slipped behind the veil, beckoning you to join her on her next big adventure.

For the first time in my life, being with you was awkward. I didn’t know what to say, so I ran my fingers through your hair, the way you did when I came to you with a headache or a heartache. When I ached, you did too, and I ached as the shadows of a world without you crept into the corners of my mind.

The sun was setting in the windows, and you were sinking in your chair, receding deeper into yourself

I wanted to tell you it was OK to go, that you outlived a wonderful life and had every right to leave it behind. I didn’t have the courage to say it, but I know you heard me. You are where I got everything, including the strength to say goodbye with grace and gratitude.

You died around 5:30 p.m. on the day after my birthday. I was standing in Big Lots, buying a kaleidoscopic light to shine on our silver Christmas tree. It’s from the ’50s, and adorned with some of your antique Star-Brite ornaments. I sat quietly most of the next day, gazing into the glow and thanking God for all the light you cast on the family tree. The memories you gave us are timeless ornaments to be passed down to new branches as we gather around the table and pose for the annual picture you once anchored with a smile that shines on in every soul you brightened with a kind word, and a gentle hand and a laugh that still fills my heart with music.

You were a gift, and although you rarely arrived on time, you were always worth the wait.

Merry Christmas, Ma. Tell Dad, too.

CHRIS KELLY, the Times-Tribune columnist, wishes you and yours a Merry Christmas, a Happy Hanukkah and a safe, Happy New Year. Contact the writer: kellysworld@ timesshamrock.com, @cjkink on Twitter. Read his award-winning blog at timestribuneblogs.com/kelly.

High notes for the holidays

Archbald officials plan to form an economic development board to promote new business in the town, hoping to draw more commerce to Business Route 6 in the borough’s Eynon section.

The borough plans to create a seven- to nine-person board composed of several council members, residents and a representative from the Valley View School District, said council President Brian Gilgallon. The board would ideally include individuals versed in business and real estate, especially commercial real estate. Council will appoint members.

In addition to filling the void left by Sugerman’s when it closed in late 1995, Gilgallon hopes to promote more development east of the Casey Highway at the Valley View Business Park.

When business was booming in the Sugerman’s Plaza at 600 Scranton/Carbondale Highway, the area would be packed with shoppers this time of year, Gilgallon said.

“We’d like to hopefully get it back to something like that ... get more commerce in up on that side,” he said.

The shoppers would then stop at the restaurants lining the opposite side of the road, Gilgallon said, explaining small businesses are suffering because of the struggling commerce in the area. Burlington, which maintained a strong presence in the nearby Eynon Shopping Center, closed its doors in 2018 when it relocated to Dickson City.

“There’s just no reason to stop in Eynon anymore,” he said.

The Sugerman’s Plaza houses several businesses, including P&R Discount Grocery, Tractor Supply, Kost Tire & Auto Service and a flea market, but Gilgallon would like to draw a national chain to the area.

“In order to get the smaller restaurants and things like that, you need a calling card — a big-box store,” he said. “Something big that is going to bring people to Eynon.”

The challenge is working with property owners to determine what’s available, he said. “Would the landowners be willing to sell or lease it?” Gilgallon said.

The board will be an overhaul of Archbald’s existing industrial board, which has stalled with three members, Gilgallon said.

Talks of establishing an economic development board started in September, but the council president wants to wait until Archbald’s new council members take their seats Jan. 6 before moving forward. He would like to have the board in place by February, but it could take until April.

The board will collaborate with the Greater Scranton Chamber of Commerce and state officials, said Assistant Borough Manager Rob Turlip.

Turlip also wants to draw more business to Kennedy Drive, Main Street in the Eynon section of town and Archbald’s downtown.

He was optimistic that Chewy’s upcoming fulfillment center in the Valley View Business Park, which will create 1,000 jobs, could lead to more business development in Archbald.

“We’re trying to build on what’s coming in,” Turlip said.

Attracting more businesses will drastically improve the Valley View School District’s financial situation, said Business Manager Corey Castellani. The district will do whatever it can to help the board, he said.

“What that does is allow us to increase our real estate tax base without putting it on the backs of our taxpayers,” he said.

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Super students

SCRANTON — With flu season underway, the bug is now awash throughout Pennsylvania, but it’s not too late to get inoculated, health officials say.

Statewide cases of influenza became geographically widespread, the highest of five categories, during the 50th week of the year earlier this month, according to the state Department of Health. Widespread means laboratory-confirmed influenza and related illnesses exist in at least half the regions of the state.

A total of 11,140 laboratory-confirmed influenza cases have been reported so far during this flu season of Sept. 29 to Dec. 21, in 65 of 67 counties. Statewide, 186 flu-associated hospitalizations and seven flu-associated deaths were reported during that time. The state did not specify where those seven deaths occurred.

Lackawanna County had 68 cases of flu during those months.

A contagious disease caused by the influenza virus, the flu attacks the nose, throat and lungs and may include symptoms of fever, headache, tiredness, dry cough, sore throat, nasal congestion and body aches, the DOH says.

To protect yourself and others, particularly those who are vulnerable and more at risk of developing serious illness from the flu, the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that everyone 6 months and older get a flu vaccine each season.

Most who contract the flu recover without serious complications. But the flu can result in serious illness, hospitalization and even death, particularly among older adults, very young children, pregnant women and those with certain chronic medical conditions, according to the CDC.

The flu also causes people to miss work and school.

So, the more people that get inoculated, the less influenza spreads and poses risks to others. That’s called developing “herd immunity,” said J.J. Gaughan, a pharmacist at DePietro’s Pharmacy in Dunmore.

DePietro’s provides individual flu shots at the pharmacy at Third and Mill streets, as well as group vaccinations at workplaces, Gaughan said. The pharmacy has provided about 600 flu shots since October, Gaughan said.

“We actively promote getting flu shots for patient health,” Gaughan said. “The biggest thing (benefit) is actually not protecting yourself, it’s herd immunity.”

Flu season tends to run annually from late fall through early spring, a time span when influenza viruses most commonly circulate throughout the nation, according to the CDC.

Influenza activity this season has become widespread in Pennsylvania, 29 other states and Puerto Rico.

Ideally, flu shots for an upcoming flu season would all be completed by November, the CDC says. But vaccinations should continue throughout a season, because the duration and severity of a flu season could vary, the agency advises.

Flu activity also might not occur in certain areas until February or March, so vaccines administered in December or later still might be beneficial during most flu seasons, according to the CDC.

Each year nationally, flu sickens millions of people, hospitalizes hundreds of thousands and kills tens of thousands, the CDC says. The 2017-18 flu season was the most severe in a decade. The 2018-19 season was moderate in severity, but record-breaking in duration, with flu activity elevated for 21 weeks.

The best way to prevent the flu is to get vaccinated each year, according to the federal and state agencies.

It takes about two weeks for the antibodies from the vaccine to develop protection against infection.

For this 2019-20 flu season, nearly 171 million doses of flu vaccine have been distributed, up from over 169 million doses for the 2018-19 season, according to the CDC. Health officials try to predict which strains of influenza virus may be prevalent during a forthcoming flu season, and then produce vaccines to inoculate against those strains.

But flu viruses also may mutate.

“It’s a rapidly evolving virus and a best-guess estimate” in producing the vaccines each season, said Avoca-based physician Dr. Tina George of Commonwealth Health. “Unfortunately, it’s not 100% predictable.”

A flu shot also may cause side effects — headache, fever, chills — such that some people may think the shots gave them the flu.

Not true, George said.

“You can’t get the flu from the vaccine. It’s medically impossible,” George said.

Even if a person gets the vaccine and still contracts the flu, the inoculation will reduce the wallop, they said.

“The flu vaccine may not prevent someone from getting the flu, but it may lessen the duration and severity of the malady. It may keep you out of the hospital,” Gaughan said. “You’re still better off getting a flu shot.”

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Amid the hustle and bustle of holiday functions, Christians gathered at religious services throughout the region to pay homage to the birth of Jesus Christ.

Religious leaders at several area churches delivered messages of hope and understanding and encouraged congregants to be open to the subtle messages God sometimes sends.

In Scranton, the Rev. Michael Bealla of Elm Park United Methodist Church said his Christmas Eve service message focused on the “mess” the world is in today and how that relates to Jesus’ time. It’s at those times when people most need God to show them the way, he said.

“People are feeling hopeless, angry. ... Much of the same things were going on in Jesus’ day as they are now,” Bealla said. “Into that mess Jesus comes and brings peace into our lives. No matter how messy, Jesus can come into our lives and bring peace and hope.”

The Rev. Dan White of Parker Hill Church, a nondenominational church with locations in Clarks Summit, Dickson City and Wilkes-Barre, said his Christmas Eve sermon sought to inspire those suffering through difficult times to reach out to God.

“For many people this time of year can be thrilling, exciting and full of joy, but for others it’s not a great time,” White said. “This may be the first time without a loved one, or the end of a year that did not go so well. ... We want people to know there is hope. When you get hope, you can keep moving forward with your life.”

At the Christmas Day Mass at the Diocese of Scranton’s St. Peter’s Cathedral in Scranton, the Rev. William Petruska told the story of the shepherds who were led by angels to seek out the newborn Jesus.

“The wondrous thing about the story is the shepherds went to find the baby at all,” Petruska told the roughly 150 people gathered for the 12:15 p.m. Mass.

Their story exemplifies the importance of being open to and recognizing the messages God sends, Petruska said.

“God prefers to whisper rather than shout. He prefers signs be seen by those who are looking for them,” he said.

Nancy Atkinson,50, of Carbondale, said she was thankful to be able to attend the St. Patrick’s Mass with her 87-year-old mother, Angela. Normally they attend a midnight service at Our Lady of Mount Carmel but were unable to do so because Angela fell ill.

“This is our first Mass here,” she said. “It was just a beautiful, peaceful, joyous time.”

Joann Turano, 60, of Dunmore, said Petruska’s message resonated with her because it serves as a reminder of the true meaning of Christmas.

“Everyone is all about presents and Santa and put God last. He should be put first,” Turano said. “It’s a message everyone needs to hear.”

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tbesecker@timesshamrock.com;

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Dec. 26, 1969

Area digging out from blizzard

A wish for a white Christmas came true, thanks to a coastal storm that dropped 15 inches of snow on Northeast Pennsylvania. In addition to the snow, the storm was accompanied by 35-mph winds and below-zero temperatures.

The heavy snow caused damage to the roof of the Valley View Junior High School in Blakely, suspension of flights at the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Airport and the closure of numerous businesses and factories.

This storm came on the heels of another storm that hit the area on Dec. 22 that left in its wake 12 inches of snow.

Gas station robbed

A bandit held up Brier’s Service Station at Moosic Street and Prospect Avenue in the early morning hours of Christmas Day.

The service station employee told police that a man walked in and pointed a gun at him and told him to get on the ground. The bandit made off with $505.

Scranton police believed that this holdup was conducted by the same bandit that hit the same station on Dec. 24. The Christmas Eve holdup netted the bandit $380.

After Christmas sale

A 23-inch Magnavox color TV for $448.50, Astro-sonic FM/AM phonograph cabinet for $299.50, men’s suede and leather jackets for $59.99, misses and petites winter coats priced between $19.99 and $160, twin bed sheets from $3.49, pillowcases for $1.39 and bedspreads for a twin bed at $10.99.

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.

As schools in Northeast Pennsylvania cut back on teaching cursive handwriting, the Lackawanna County Children’s Library will focus on both reading and writing the style of penmanship.

Starting in January, the library will offer classes for students in third through sixth grades.

“It’s part of history,” said Gina Bennington, children’s programming coordinator at the library. “It’s a pattern of our learning process. Cursive is patterns, loops and lines. It’s great brain food.”

The classes come as some states begin to require students learn cursive handwriting. In 2018, Ohio’s governor signed a bill that mandates every student in Ohio be able to write in cursive by the end of fifth grade. New Jersey is considering a bill that requires students become proficient in reading and writing cursive by the end of third grade.

In Pennsylvania, no statewide requirements exist, and school districts decide whether to teach cursive, according to the Department of Education.

While school districts still expose students to cursive, time spent on cursive writing drills is now spent on strengthening reading comprehension, learning technology or improving math skills.

“We still think it’s worthwhile to at least learn, but certainly we don’t spend as much time as we used to,” said Valley View Superintendent Michael Boccella, Ed.D.

Proponents of cursive writing often highlight that many historical documents are written in cursive, and if students lose their ability to read in cursive, they lose their ability to read those documents. The curved, connected letters help students with fine motor skills and brain development as well.

“Some people say the time we spend teaching cursive, which students won’t use all that often, could be time spent learning how to make a PowerPoint presentation, coding or working with computer apps,” Bocella said. “It’s a good debate. There are strong arguments on both sides.”

Old Forge students learn cursive in second grade, but the district doesn’t dedicate the time like in prior years.

“The focus isn’t there like it used to be,” Superintendent Erin Keating, Ed.D., said. “I don’t know the long-term effects because it’s just starting to change.”

When Abington Heights Superintendent Michael Mahon, Ph.D., attended Catholic school, he had to memorize the strokes of each cursive letter. While district students continue to learn cursive in second and third grade, the handwriting is not a “major point of emphasis,” he said.

“While we do teach it, our kids are uncomfortable with it,” Mahon said.

Introduction to cursive handwriting classes begin at the library in Scranton on Jan. 7 at 6 p.m., with another class scheduled for Jan. 28. Depending on interest, the number of classes or the ages targeted could expand, Bennington said.

Two classes will also be scheduled in both February and March, with each of the six sessions meant to build on skills learned during the prior class. If the students cannot attend all the classes, each session will begin with a recap of the previous class.

Bennington plans to make the classes “fun and creative,” combining the handwriting with art and movement. Lessons could include finger painting, writing letters in rice or Cool Whip and other tactile ways of learning, she said.

Classes are free. To register, call the library at 570-348-3000, ext. 3015.

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SCRANTON — Doug Miller was just 10 years old when his parents first brought him to the annual Christmas dinner sponsored by area businessman Bob Bolus.

Now 29, the Newfoundland man marked his 19th consecutive year volunteering for the event. He’s among numerous volunteers who have made the dinner an annual tradition.

“It’s really special seeing so many people come together,” Miller said. “A lot of them don’t have family in the area. We’ve kind of become a family. It really is the meaning of Christmas spirit.”

This year about 50 volunteers carved up 98 turkeys and prepared hundreds of pounds of potatoes, countless boxes of stuffing and other traditional holiday staples that were dished out at the 26th annual dinner held at St. Patrick’s Church on Jackson Street.

Bolus dedicated this year’s dinner to the late Roseann Novembrino, the former Scranton city controller and a longtime volunteer at the event, who died Dec. 5.

The dinner’s history traces back to a dilemma Bolus, a trucking company owner, faced after a grocery store rejected a load of turkeys it had not ordered. Rather than trash the load he and some friends decided to host a dinner.

That first impromptu gathering drew about 125 people. It’s grown every year. This year it’s estimated the dinner would feed about 3,000 people, including 500 dinners that were delivered to

the homebound.

“This is what it’s all about,” Bolus said as he surveyed the roughly 50 diners enjoying a meal around 2 p.m.

The dinner draws a wide range of people, many of whom no longer have family and would otherwise spend the holiday alone. Some have attended it for years, while others, like Ruth Kackaukas of Wilkes-Barre, are newbies.

Kackaukas, who declined to give her age, said this Christmas was particularly hard for her because a longtime friend she normally spent the holiday with died a few weeks ago. Another friend told her about the dinner.

“It was nice to be with people, otherwise I would have been sitting at home, very sad,” she said. “I came out today and I feel a lot better.”

Jim Walther, 78, and his wife, Evelyn, 70, of Clarks Summit, have attended the dinner the past eight years.

“We have no relatives here, so it’s something we look forward to,” Jim Walther said.

For Mary Ann Martine, 80, of Dickson City, the dinner acts as a mini reunion of old friends and acquaintances from the community.

“I just saw someone I hadn’t seen in years,” she said. “It just picks up my spirit.”

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Some 50 years after former Kingston grocer Vincent Suhocki developed the recipe for Old Country Packers horseradish, sales of the product continue to flourish through a wholesale distribution company.

The spicy condiment complements many ethnic specialities, including kielbasa, that are hugely popular in the northeast region of the state, particularly at Christmas and Thanksgiving. It’s also a popular addition to roast beef and bloody mary drinks.

“People love it,” said Bill Hummel, a salesman with Fran Tomalis & Son food distributorship on Armstrong Road, Pittston, which acquired the company in 2008. “We get calls all the time with people asking when they can get it.”

Sold in 8-ounce jars, the product comes in two varieties, white and red, as well as a cocktail sauce. The red, which has a milder bite because it’s mixed with red beets, is most popular. As of this month, Tomalis sold about 5,000 cases, or 60,000 bottles of the red, compared to 3,700 cases, or 44,400 bottles, of the white, Hummel said.

The retail price is set by each store, but typically the cost is $2.99 per bottle or less, Hummel said. Locally it sells at most of the major grocery chains.

Suhocki developed the recipe and sold the product, then known as Old Country Style horseradish, at his market in Kingston until 1972, when the business was wiped out by the Agnes flood.

Suhocki later set up shop in Duryea. He continued to produce the condiment there until 1985, when he sold the business to Fairway Foods. After Fairway went out of business in 1987, one of its salesmen, Ed Orkwis,took over.

Orkwis, 69, of Duryea, ran the Duryea plant until 2008. During the peak production season he would buy horseradish root by the ton from growers, mostly from Missouri, he said. He would go through as much as 20,000 pounds of root in a week.

Orkwis ties the product’s continued popularity to its all natural ingredients, which consists solely of horseradish root, vinegar, salt and vitamin C for a preservative. The manufacturing process is simple, and Orkwis readily admits, quite unpleasant.

The heat from horseradish is released when the root is crushed, causing two oils in the plant to interact. The grated root is then placed into an industrial size mixer with other ingredients.

“When you were doing a run you wouldn’t want to walk in the plant. It was pungent,” Orkwis said. “Once you opened that mixer up you had to leave the building. It was like being gassed.”

Orkwis sold the business to Tomalis in 2008, which transferred production operations to an outside facility in another state. Hummel declined to identify the manufacturer because that information is proprietary.

The company’s dedication to quality remains, Hummel said. It still uses all natural ingredients and packages the product in glass jars, which prolongs its shelf life.

The glass jars also limit the company’s ability to distribute the product, however. It does not ship out of state due to concerns over breakage and because it must be refrigerated at all times. That’s led to some disappointed customers.

“We get calls from people out of state who visited here and had it. They call us and ask how can we get it,” Hummel said. “It’s a regional item. You have to come back to the region to get it.”

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NUREMBERG — Walk inside the former bank, the counter where tellers worked is still there. It’s been cut in half and serves as a desk for Cindy Zimmermann.

Her husband, William, parked his desk in the bank manager’s office.

The vault still holds treasures — family photos and other items with sentimental value.

To make the bank at 193 Mahanoy St. their home, the Zimmermanns added personal touches. Around the rooms, Cindy placed figurines of nurses that she collected during her 40 years in the profession. William filled floor-to-ceiling shelves with books acquired during a career as a Lutheran pastor.

But they’ve also become caretakers for the community’s souvenirs. Neighbors brought in old passbooks, photos and calendars from the bank. They also gave items from the village’s past — such as a poster from the Ritz movie theater, photos of a dress factory and a cap worn by a member of the Nuremberg Band — that make the former bank akin to a museum.

On Saturday the Zimmermanns decorated for Christmas and reopened the 96-year-old bank for one day to show the remodeling that they’ve done and the items that they received from villagers.

“We kept it all. Hopefully today everybody gets to see,” Cindy said.

Many who entered returned to their past.

“My first bank was here,” Sharon Feifer said when telling about passbook accounts into which she and other students at the former Nuremberg Elementary School put their coins. The exercise taught them how to save money and had a fringe benefit. “It was my candy money,” she said.

Gary Houseknecht recalled how things changed from when he was a customer.

Pointing to Clyde Rhodes, a retired manager who came to look around, Houseknecht said, “He used to call me to see if I needed any money.”

A little later, Rhodes joked about Houseknecht, “When we had a surplus, we used to call him. He could always use it.”

Rhodes started working at the bank in 1955, and in 1963 moved into a home next door, where he still lives.

His predecessor as bank manager had lived upstairs, where the Zimmermanns have remodeled the kitchen and bedrooms and made the board room into a sitting room.

Rhodes said the vault door weighed 10 tons and arrived in Fern Glen by railroad. A team of horses pulled the vault over Nuremberg Mountain to the bank.

That was some time after Sept. 29, 1923, when the Hazleton Standard-Sentinel reported, “The directors of the First National Bank established at Nuremberg has purchased the meat market of Roy Kammerel, opposite the Frank Wharmby Hotel. They will dismantle the building and erect a modern two story brick structure.”

Locking the vault every night took five to 10 minutes after Rhodes learned to manage the timers. The combination changed often.

From the opening of the bank until 1969, the sign out front said First National Bank of Nuremberg.

Hazleton National Bank took over next, succeeded by First Valley Bank in 1985.

Then came Summit Bank and United Jersey Bank, the owner when Rhodes retired in 1999, followed by Fleet Bank and Bank of America, which shut the doors for good seven years ago as other enterprises also closed in the village.

“We lost the grocery store, the gas station. There were a lot of businesses … Five bars were in town at one time,” Rhodes said. Adams Bus Lines stopped making runs to shuttle mail and passengers between the village and Hazleton.

“It’s kind of sad, not just for Nuremberg. All small towns,” Rhodes said.

The closing of the bank, by happenstance, provided an opportunity to the Zimmermanns.

They met here, where Cindy grew up after William arrived to lead Emmanuel Lutheran Church. At a blood drive, Cindy jabbed him three times with a needle to start his donation and their romance.

From here, they moved to churches in Brodheadsville, Monroe County, West Lawn, Berks County, and Hillsborough, New Jersey, where they were living when Cindy heard about an auction at the former bank. She drove back, hoping to buy some souvenirs while visiting her mother, who still lives three doors from the bank.

The auctioneer wasn’t selling curios from the bank. Instead, the whole building was on the block, along with several other properties in which buyers were more interested.

Everyone else left before bidding opened on the bank, so the auctioneer asked if Cindy wanted it.

She telephoned William, who said the price was about what he had saved to buy his next car. How can we not buy it? He asked rhetorically.

Then Cindy called her mother and said, “I know who bought the bank.”

“When we tell people the story of how we bought this bank and the craziness that went on with that, you know that just doesn’t happen,” Cindy said.

For the next seven years, the Zimmermanns visited from Hillsborough, and a friend who lives here checked on work that their contractors did.

First workers tore down an unstable deck and built a new one. From the deck, the Zimmermanns look down on a farm that Cindy’s grandparents once owned and see the sun rise over mountains behind the bank.

Workers also repointed the brick, replaced the coal stove in the kitchen and stacked a washer and drier into a hall closet. Plus they removed, insulated and reinserted floor-to-ceiling windows into the original frames.

“The scroll work is one of the things we love most — the woodwork,” William said.

In July, he retired as a full-time pastor, and the couple moved into the bank.

Since they returned here, William has helped out when local churches need substitute preachers. Cindy found a job at the village’s medical clinic to which she can walk.

She also found a slip of paper inside a piece of furniture, a dry sink, that a neighbor gave to them when they first lived here. When packing up the dry sink for the move back to the village, Cindy opened a drawer and noticed a piece of paper stuck to the bottom. She peeled it up, realized it was from the former owner and now regards it as a good omen.

It said, “Welcome home.”

Contact the writer: kjackson@standardspeaker.com; 570-501-3587