The state coronavirus death toll rose by 97 today with seven more deaths in both Lackawanna and Luzerne counties, according to the latest Department of Health figures.

Statewide, the department reported 2,292 deaths, up 4.4% from 2,195 a day earlier.

Lackawanna’s death toll rose to 82, Luzerne’s to 88.

Monroe County remained at 54 deaths, Pike, 14 , Susquehanna, eight, Wayne, five, and Wyoming, two.

Statewide, the number of cases rose to 45,763, up 3.2% from 44,366.

Lackawanna’s number of cases hit 913, up 4.6% from 873. Luzerne’s rose to 2,143, up 1.5% from 2,111.

\Monroe’s cases reached 1,127, up 1.4% from 1,111. Pike went from 369 to 378 cases, a 2.4% increase.

Susquehanna’s number of cases rose by three to 84. Wayne rose by five cases to 100. Wyoming added a case to reach 20.

Check back for updates.

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

A Scranton man arrested in early 2019 for sexually abusing a 3-year-old girl faces new charges after city detectives said he sexually abused a 5-year-old girl earlier this month.

Nicholas J. Puchalski, 41, 1005 Froude Ave., is charged with aggravated indecent assault of a child, indecent assault of a child and corruption of minors, Detectives Vince Uher and Jeff Gilroy wrote in a criminal complaint.

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

On April 19, the mother of the 5-year-old caught Puchalski leaning into a passenger window where her daughter was seated and noticed he started acting very nervous once he heard her leave the house and walk toward him. The child later told her mother that Puchalski had touched her and she did not like it.

Puchalski had been a friend of the child’s mother and was helping her out with errands that day because she had car trouble.

During a forensic interview with the child April 22, the girl disclosed that Puchalski touched her genitals underneath her clothing and asked her if it “felt good” as her mother went into the house to put away some groceries. He stopped when the girl’s mother came outside.

This is the second time Puchalski has been charged with sexual abuse in Lackawanna County.

In January 2019, police charged that he touched the genitals of a 3-year-old girl about four months prior. In November, he was sentenced to three to 23 months in the Lackawanna County Prison after he pleaded no contest to a misdemeanor count of corruption of minors.

During the sentencing hearing, that child’s mother told Lackawanna County Judge Margaret Bisignani Moyle the little girl needed therapy.

Puchalski’s attorney assured the judge that he had gone through a remarkable change and had addressed his underlying mental health issues and alcohol abuse. Puchalski was in line for a management position at work because his employer was happy with his performance.

Moyle told Puchalski she would consider an application for entry into the work release program, but ordered he have no unsupervised contact with minors after his release.

On Saturday, about five months after he stood before a judge in county court, Puchalski was seated before the two detectives, admitting he touched the 5-year-old victim. He maintained he only did so over the child’s clothing.

He told them he needed help and was going to seek it. He also told them that he would never do it again.

Puchalski is in the county jail in lieu of $100,000 bail. A preliminary hearing is scheduled at 11 a.m. Wednesday.

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

To help area families and students struggling financially in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, Lackawanna College will offer scholarships to high school seniors in the college’s dual enrollment program.

“We know that it’s our responsibility to help this region rebuild and to be able to help families afford higher education, so this is our way, also, of giving back,” incoming Lackawanna College President Jill Murray, Ph.D., said.

Murray, the current executive vice president and chief innovation officer, joined President Mark Volk during a Zoom press conference today to announce the scholarships. High school seniors who received Lackawanna College credits during their junior or senior year through a dual enrollment program will be eligible for scholarships up to $1,200 their first and second years at Lackawanna College. In year three, the students can receive up to $3,500, Murray said.

Students are eligible for up to $10,000 in the program, which aims to reimburse students for their investment in the dual enrollment courses. Students in the degree-track Level-Up Lackawanna Program are not included in this scholarship program.

Lackawanna College’s credits transfer to hundreds of schools nationwide, said Murray. So for students unsure of what the fall semester will bring or hesitant about attending college away from home, Murray sees this program as a great opportunity.

Lackawanna College enrolls 500 students from 50 school districts through dual enrollment agreements with high schools in Northeast and Central Pennsylvania. The new scholarships will be funded from the college’s operating budget. Students in the dual enrollment program do not need to apply for the scholarships.

Around 97% of Lackawanna College students receive aid, said Volk.

“We’ll continue ways to look at ways that we can alter our fee structure to help students as they move forward as well as continue to look for new opportunities for programs,” he said. “We know … that the availability to get aid both federal, state and institutionally is critical for our students.”

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

The state Department of Environmental Protection is moving into its final phase of reviews before it decides whether to approve Keystone Sanitary Landfill’s proposed 42-year expansion plans.

The DEP announced today it is moving into the technical review phase of the landfill’s expansion. The department will spend the next 90 days reviewing features of the plan, including the proposed liner and leachate systems, slope stability and plans for mine subsidence, according to the DEP.

The review also includes a 60-day window for public comment. The window closes June 30 at 4 p.m., DEP spokeswoman Colleen Connolly said in an email.

Following its first technical review, the DEP will send the landfill a letter, giving it a timeframe to respond. The DEP will spend the next 60 days undergoing a second review and, depending on the landfill’s response, either approve the expansion or give Keystone a final opportunity to respond if it deems the landfill’s response insufficient.

After the landfill’s final response, the DEP would conduct a final technical review and issue a decision within 30 days.

Check back for updates.

A 17-year-old boy was beaten so severely by his brother-in-law Wednesday that the teen suffered a seizure and needed to be put on a ventilator to breathe, Olyphant police said.

Bradley O’Malley, 28, 180 Washington St., Carbondale, is charged with aggravated assault, simple assault, disorderly conduct, harassment and recklessly endangering another person, according to a criminal complaint.

Shortly before 4 p.m., O’Malley and the teenager, who was identified in the charging documents only by his initials, got into a fight at the Olyphant home of the juvenile’s aunt because he refused to go back to his mother’s home.

The teenager told police that O’Malley put him in a bear-hug and he had to headbutt O’Malley to break free.

O’Malley, who is 100 pounds heavier than the 17-year-old, took the teenager to the ground and started slamming him against the concrete floor, according to the juvenile’s statement.

Police soon arrived and had a paramedic check out the boy. He had cuts on his face, including one on the back of his head that will require stitches to heal.

O’Malley told police that the teenager hit him and he tried to restrain him until he was headbutted and the boy fell to the floor.

While on the way to the hospital, the 17-year-old had a seizure in the ambulance.

He stopped breathing on his own and a paramedic had to intubate him.

At Geisinger Community Medical Center, he was placed on a ventilator. A physician who attended to the boy, Dr. Brian Frank, said that the injuries he suffered caused the seizure.

The teenager’s condition was not available Friday.

O’Malley is free on $100,000 unsecured bail. A preliminary hearing is scheduled at 10:45 a.m. Wednesday.

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

With restrooms and common areas closed at local campgrounds, some campers may have to wait until later this summer to pitch a tent.

Beginning Friday, private campgrounds are among the industries able to resume operations during the COVID-19 pandemic, Governor Tom Wolf announced Monday. Campgrounds in state parks are closed through May 14. The businesses are required to follow life-sustaining business guidance issued by the state to prioritize public health and safety.

Campgrounds in the region, who typically open for business on May 1, say they’ll start off only offering spaces for seasonal recreational vehicles while keeping common areas, including restrooms, closed temporarily.

“The trailers are self-contained,” said Roy Veety, owner of How Kola Campground in Dalton. “In order to have tenters, you need to have bathroom facilities.”

The store and pavilion used for games and parties will not open yet, he said. Campers will be asked to maintain social distancing and wear masks where they think it’s appropriate, he added.

Veety turned down a number of reservations and will not take people off the road.

William Woodward of Valleyview Farm & Campground will also not accept campers off the road and only open to RVs. The campground in Waymart has spaces for tent campers but, for now, will not accept them and will not open its restroom building.

He said they’re also concerned about camper’s families coming from the New York metropolitan area — the hardest hit by COVID-19 — who often visit the campground in the summer.

Woodward, who’s owned the campground for 48 years, has been readying for the normal season by cleaning facilities, repairing different items and regrading roads. They also put signs up to offer guidance to campers during the pandemic.

“We’re going with the state guidelines as far as social distancing and we’re recommending that our campers do not bring guests in for a couple of weeks,” he said, adding that guidelines may change by Memorial Day.

Sonya Zacker and her husband, Maurice Gilmore, manage the Clayton Park RV Campground at Lake Henry, Wayne County. While they offer around 100 seasonal and overnight RV sites and park model RV rentals with full kitchen, bath and bedrooms, they do not have tent sites.

Their common areas, including restrooms and a public boat launch, are closed. Check in is now online to avoid any face-to-face contact, she said.

With close access to I-84, Clayton Park will also not take reservations from transient RV campers or those who need to stay a night or two while they’re on the road.

“I want to make sure that people are safe,” she said. “I want to make sure that I’m safe.”

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

NORTH ABINGTON TWP.

Roba Family Farms donated $1,000 of proceeds it made from a kettle corn and apple-cider doughnut curbside pick-up promotion to local food banks, according to the business.

From April 21 through Sunday, the farm ran the promotion to raise money for the CEO/Weinberg Northeast Regional Food Bank and the Dalton Food Pantry.

The farm is holding another curbside pick-up promotion to raise more money for the same food banks. This time, the promotion includes a hanging flower basket from Corky’s Garden Path, a dozen of the farm’s apple-cider doughnuts and some optional hard cider from Lakeland Orchard & Cidery. All orders are made online at www.robafamilyfarms.com.

— JOSEPH KOHUT

SCRANTON

Geisinger Health System has been awarded $100 million in new state funding through the Hospital Emergency Loan Program, Gov. Tom Wolf’s office said Thursday.

The disbursement, to be used by the seven hospitals owned by Geisinger, is nearly a third of the $324 million in funding announced Thursday to help 31 hospitals across the state with short-term financial relief as they combat COVID-19 cases.

The loan package is supposed to ensure hospitals have enough capital for sufficient staffing, equipment and personal protective equipment.

— JOSEPH KOHUT

Gov. Tom Wolf’s decision to relax restrictions on the construction industry starting Friday came as welcome news to officials at Misericordia University, where a roughly $40 million, time-sensitive science center project was shut down in mid-March amid the coronavirus pandemic.

Crews from Sordoni Construction Services Inc, the Forty Fort-based firm with the contract for Misericordia’s Henry Science Center project, will return to the campus job site Friday, operating under state-imposed safety protocols requiring workers wear masks and observe social distancing, among others. Those crews and others across the state now face the added challenge of making up for more than a month of lost time while complying with guidelines that aren’t always conducive to construction work.

Per state guidance, both commercial and residential construction businesses must limit gatherings to no more than 10 people, limit tool sharing, stagger shifts, breaks and work areas where feasible and identify a pandemic safety officer to enforce social distancing and other requirements. Large-scale construction projects must have a pandemic safety officer for each subcontractor at the job site, and commercial construction companies are limited to just four workers in an enclosed space smaller than 2,000 square feet.

Bill Sordoni, president and chief executive officer of Sordoni Construction, said about 25-30% of his company’s projects, including the Misericordia project, were either completely shut down by the state’s pandemic response or prevented from starting on time. Other projects were deemed life-sustaining and allowed to continue, but Sordoni said making up for lost time on projects put on hold isn’t a simple task.

“We’re entering a period of inefficiency,” said Sordoni. “All the regulations that we have to abide by create inefficiency. So you’re talking about segregated break areas, six-foot distancing, having to work different shifts of people, having different PPE requirements. None of that lends itself to us being able to be more efficient at a time when we’re trying to catch up on schedules.”

Possible material and equipment delays and the potential unwillingness of some sub-contractors to return to work during the public health crisis, which Sordoni said he understands, could also delay construction schedules. For projects like Misericordia’s, which is planned around an academic calendar, those delays can have serious implications.

The science center project involves both new construction and renovation work, Misericordia Vice President of Finance and Administration Mark Van Etten said. If the new construction isn’t done by the time students return for the fall semester, he said the renovation work may have to be pushed back to January, which could produce cost overruns.

Misericordia officials are pleased the state is allowing construction to resume today, as opposed to the state’s original target date of May 8.

“Every day means a lot to us at this point,” Van Etten said.

Commercial construction firms across the state will likely have to resolve contractual issues with clients over who pays for unseen costs stemming from the pandemic. The cost of staffing pandemic safety officers, providing personal protective equipment and complying with other protocols weren’t factored in original contracts or bids, Sordoni said.

Every Sordoni project has its own, detailed COVID-19 mitigation plan with provisions about social distancing, hand-washing stations and more. Sordoni said they’ll also take temperatures and use daily questionnaires to ascertain who on a job site may have been exposed to the virus.

In Lackawanna County, commissioners awarded about $3.14 million worth of contracts in December to convert a former medical office building at 1360 Wyoming Ave., Scranton, into a new criminal justice center that will house a relocated Central Court. That retrofit was also delayed by Wolf’s March order shuttering non-life-sustaining businesses, but county General Counsel Donald Frederickson said work there should begin Monday in compliance with state safety protocols.

Quandel Construction Group Inc. is providing project management services related to the criminal justice center project. One of the firm’s responsibilities in that role is making sure the project’s design team and contractors remain on schedule, but it’s unclear exactly how that schedule changed as a result of the pandemic.

Residential construction companies also must comply with specific state safety protocols, including one barring more than four people involved in construction activity from being at a job site at one time. That doesn’t include code inspectors, people making deliveries or others not involved in the construction process.

Shannon Cross, owner of Outlook Construction, a Jefferson Twp.-based custom home building company, said he supports reasonable safety measures but feels some of the requirements go too far or don’t take into account the unique circumstances of different projects.

“They’re saying that on a residential construction site, we’re going to be required to wear masks,” Cross said. “A lot of times I only have one person on a job. It’s very hard for a guy to physically work with a mask on for eight hours a day. … If there’s a bunch of guys on a job, fine, fair enough.”

About three weeks after Wolf’s shutdown order, Cross secured a waiver allowing his company to stabilize partially completed job sites to protect existing structures. At some of the almost 20 homes Outlook Construction is working on, rain and other elements damaged exposed floors and shaft liner panels, causing thousands of dollars worth of damage before contractors were able to resume even limited work, Cross said.

His clients are concerned, too. Many have construction loans that eventually expire and must pay interest on incomplete structures, while others watched features of partially framed homes suffer water damage after work was suspended.

Before the pandemic hit, Cross said he was in the process of securing building permits for about a dozen homes. The coronavirus disrupted that process as well, and he’s unsure when different municipalities will make those permits available.

And while Cross, whose family has been building homes in Northeast Pennsylvania for 45 years, is “cautiously optimistic” that the easing of restrictions on the construction industry may mean a return to relative normalcy, questions and concerns still remain.

“We’re still not 100% sure how everything is going to play out and how things are going to progress,” he said. “Even from the aspect of how this is going to affect supply chains and getting materials going forward, we’re not quite sure on (that) yet.”

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

SCRANTON — Housing authorities in Scranton and Carbondale will receive federal funding for coronavirus relief, U.S. Sen. Bob Casey announced Thursday.

The Scranton Housing Authority will receive $99,836 and the Carbondale Housing Authority will get $14,956.

They are among 83 public housing authorities statewide receiving a total of $8.1 million in new funding from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD) Housing Choice Voucher program, as a result of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act.

“Housing insecurity is among the challenges worsened by this crisis and these grants come at a time when families and individuals need assistance most,” Casey said.

— JIM LOCKWOOD

The Times-Tribune was honored as the best overall newspaper in its circulation category in a statewide journalism contest for work done in 2019.

Additionally, a reporter and a photographer won prestigious specialty awards.

Larry Holeva, the newspaper’s executive editor, said the news couldn’t have come at a better time as the staff works relentlessly — many from home or on the front lines — covering the coronavirus.

“We don’t pursue the news with awards in mind, but it is totally gratifying to see how well our content stacks up to our peers across Pennsylvania,” Holeva said.

Staff writer Jim Lockwood won the Public Notice Award for an unprecedented seventh time, an award given for generating stories from the legal notices published daily. Staff photographer Christopher Dolan won the Paul Vathis Memorial Photography Portfolio Award.

This is the first year the Keystone Press and Pennsylvania Associated Press Media Editors merged into a mega journalism awards program, Holeva said.

In addition to the speciality awards, the Times-Tribune staff won 11 first place, eight second place and six honorable mentions in Division II of the 2019 cycle. The results gave The Times-Tribune the Sweepstakes Award for the division, for winning more awards than any other newspaper in its category.

“I’m exceptionally proud of winning the sweepstakes award,” Holeva said. “Our awards are well represented across all departments of the newsroom: investigative reporting, feature writing, beat coverage, breaking news, features, sports, photography, editing, design and graphics. They show the depth of journalistic talent we put out to cover local news, sports and people.”

Awards include:

- Staff writer Jim Lockwood, first place, news beat reporting of the Scranton beat.

- Lockwood, staff writer Joseph Kohut and staff, first place, breaking news of Mayor Bill Courtright charged.

- Lockwood, Kohut, staff writer Jon O’Connell and staff, first place, ongoing news coverage of the culture of corruption.

- Staff writer Terrie Morgan-Besecker and Citizens’ Voice staff writer Jim Halpin, first place, news feature story, Cold hard facts about firings.

- Staff writer Caitlin Heaney West, first place, personality profile, Man on a mission.

- Staff photographer Jason Farmer, first place, sports feature photo, The win; honorable mention, feature photo, Wipe out hate; and honorable mention, sports action photo, OutDun.

- Assistant News Editor Cecilia Baress, first place, news page design for a collection of designs; and first place, headline writing for a collection of headlines.

- Staff writer Conor Foley, first place, sports page design for a collection of designs.

- Graphic designer Kevin O’Neill, first place and honorable mention, graphic/photo illustration, collection of illustrations.

- Joby Fawcett, first place, sports video on Dylan Howanitz.

- Kohut and Morgan-Besecker, second place, investigative reporting on the region’s deadliest roads.

- Kohut, second place, enterprise reporting on groups maintaining tax-exempt status; and second place, news feature story, Missing in NEPA.

- Columnist Christopher J. Kelly, second place for a collection of columns.

- Sports writers Joby Fawcett, Joe Baress and Donnie Collins, second place, sports breaking news/event coverage, death of John Bucci.

- Copy editor Rebecca Kivak, second place, lifestyle/entertainment beat, Rebecca’s Take.

- Staff writer Gia Mazur, second place, podcast, Hey, Beautiful; and honorable mention, lifestyle/entertainment beat, Beauty and style.

-Staff, second place, diversity for a collection of stories.

- Staff artist John Cole, honorable mention, news page design for a collection of designs.

- News librarian Brian Fulton and staff writer Caitlin Heaney West, honorable mention, podcast, Historically Hip.

Teresa Shaak, manager of foundation projects at the Pennsylvania NewsMedia Association Foundation, said more than 2,700 entries were received from 122 news organizations earlier this year.

Entries — in 54 regular categories and 11 specialty categories across seven circulation and four broadcast divisions — were judged by journalists in Colorado.

In total, the Times-Shamrock family won a total of 48 awards. The Citizens’ Voice in Wilkes-Barre won seven awards, including one first-place award. The Standard-Speaker in Hazleton won nine awards, including four first places. The Republican-Herald in Pottsville won three, including two first places. Wyoming County Examiner’s Sports Editor Colleen McAleer won first place for sports beat reporting.

The Mountain View Care and Rehabilitation Center followed state guidelines when it initially allowed several dementia patients with COVID-19 to stay on the unit with uninfected residents. It agreed to move them, however, after family members objected.

The children of three elderly residents said the home called them Sunday night to advise them three residents tested positive, but it did not intend to move them off the unit. The plan complies with an April 14 advisory the state Department of Health issued, which allows the commingling of positive and uninfected residents under certain circumstances.

The family members, who asked not to be identified because they feared retaliation against their parents, were outraged by the home’s plan and bombarded it with calls.

“We all said this is unacceptable. You can’t do that,” said one woman.

Although there was a possibility every resident on the unit was already infected, the possibility that some weren’t decreased every minute the COVID-positive residents remained there, a second woman said.

“We were all alarmed,” she said. “You are mixing positives with negatives. How can you do that?”

Chaim “Mutty” Scheinbaum, owner of Mountain View, said the facility is separating virus-infected residents from the general population in accordance with state guidelines.

“Specifically, residents on the dementia unit that tested positive for COVID-19 on Sunday, were moved to our designated COVID-19 units that night,” Scheinbaum said in an email

Although she was upset with the home’s handling of the situation, the second woman said she was glad it listened to the families concerns.

“When we complained they probably consulted the state again and said we have family members getting on us, we have to do something,” the woman said.

The health department’s April 14 bulletin says nursing homes should avoid mixing infected and uninfected residents. It suggests facilities set up isolated units for infected residents, but it does not mandate they move positive cases there.

In some instances, the department suggests it’s best not to move infected residents. That includes instances where positive cases were identified within a few days, which means it’s likely the virus already spread to others in the unit.

“Moving the positive residents to a dedicated unit, even a unit that already has several positive COVID-19 positive residents, has minimal benefit,” the advisory says. “Urgent room changes may negatively impact the health and well-being of the residents and should occur when benefits outweigh the risk.”

The family members were unaware of the health department’s bulletin until advised of it by a reporter. Two of the women questioned the wisdom of the guideline, particularly for dementia patients who are known to wander around units and do not understand social distancing.

“They are like two year olds,” said one woman. “You can’t stop them from socializing. They walk in each other’s rooms.”

“In our unit leaving positive with negatives is a death sentence,” added the other woman,.

Nate Wardle, spokesman for the department to health, said the guidelines take into consideration that nursing homes have unique situations.

“These can include certain accommodations for individuals, familiarity for those who may have difficulty with change, etc.,” he said.

The department leaves decisions on commingling residents to the discretion of individual homes, he said.

“We know that there are many residents of nursing homes who have particular needs, and nursing home administrators are expected to take these matters into consideration as they make decisions about addressing COVID-19 in their facilities,” he said.

Staff writer David Singleton contributed to this story

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

The state may rain on the Circle Drive-In Theatre’s coming out party.

Drive-in theaters do not fall into the category of life-sustaining businesses, Gov. Tom Wolf’s office said today, casting doubt whether the popular Dickson City attraction will be able to reopen Friday as planned.

Efforts to reach Circle Drive-In president Joseph Calabro or general manager Dave Castelli were unsuccessful.

The drive-in on Business Route 6 announced earlier this week that it would resume operations this evening with a series of strict protocols in place to mitigate the potential spread of COVID-19 among patrons and staff.

The drive-in’s management timed the reopening to coincide with Wolf’s loosening of restrictions on certain outdoor recreational activities that are taking effect statewide today.

Although drive-in theaters were not mentioned in Wolf’s order, spokeswoman Dominique Lockett told The Times-Tribune in an email Wednesday that drive-in theaters were considered life-sustaining businesses.

However, in a followup email Thursday, Lockett said the statement was issued in error.

She said drive-ins fall into the “Motion Picture and Video Industries” category as a non-life-sustaining business. That would make them subject to the order closing all non-life-sustaining businesses that Wolf issued in March and that remains in effect.

“The state police has taken lead on issuing warnings and citations to any business that has violated the governor’s orders,” Lockett said.

Under the guidelines the Circle announced for its reopening, patrons will be required to view the movie from inside their vehicles. Anyone leaving a vehicle must wear a mask and practice social distancing.

The restrooms will be open, but only one person will be allowed in at a time and attendants will sanitize the restrooms after each use.

The concession stands will stay closed.

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

Andrea Grotzinger’s two sons look forward to seeing their favorite librarians every day.

With libraries temporarily closed because of the coronavirus pandemic, the South Abington Twp. family watches story time videos every morning and night on the Abington Community Library’s Facebook page.

Jack Grotzinger, 3, and Max Grotzinger, 11 months, especially enjoy the musical parts of the videos produced by librarians Laura Gardoski, director of youth services, and Nancy Burke, assistant director of youth services.

Even though Max may be too young to grasp the meaning of the stories being told, Grotzinger said he recognizes the repetition of the music and claps his hands to the rhythm of the sounds.

Grotzinger and her husband, Matt, both teachers at Frances Willard Elementary School in Scranton, appreciate the staff’s efforts to bring joy to kids.

“Even though we both read to the children, it’s nice for them to see different faces,” she said.

The library in Clarks Summit joins other area libraries in using technology to keep programming fresh. The Lackawanna County Children’s Library in Scranton and Valley Community Library, in the Peckville section of Blakely, are holding virtual story times, said Mary Garm, administrator of the county library system. The Valley Community Library also has crafting and ancestry programs among its weekly offerings, she said.

“Even though the doors are closed, our mission is still to connect with people,” said Gardoski. “We had to get more creative, and we’re learning as we go.”

Besides Gardoski’s bedtime stories and children’s book selections and Burke’s morning story time, Project Manager Renee Roberts reads poetry, Adult Program Coordinator Linde Maurer shares recipe and craft videos, and circulation staffer Kayla McLain produces makeup tutorials.

“We’re trying to reach as many people as possible,” Gardoski said. “We’re thankful there are so many opportunities to connect with them.”

Gardoski said she hopes the videos comfort children during a difficult time.

“It can be isolating for kids,” she said. “They’re not seeing their teachers, so it’s nice for them to see the faces from the library. We’re having a lot of good interactions and getting positive feedback.”

Burke enjoys seeing videos posted by families of children enjoying her readings.

“I always enjoyed doing story time for the kids at the library and I enjoy doing it at home as well,” she said.

While there are many places online to watch educational content, Gardoski said she believes the library has earned the community’s trust.

“There are a lot of online resources, but I think what’s unique about the library is the connection people have with the staff,” she said. “The kids really love seeing people they recognize.”

Andrea Grotzinger is thankful for the extra time with her family.

“One silver lining is that I can do these activities with them,” she said.

Contact the writer:

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

A text message from a six-digit number blinked onto my iPhone last week.

“FREE COVID-19 testing available at Rite Aid.”

A link accompanied the text from my pharmacy chain. I clicked it open and stopped.

I’m 31, healthy, and have no underlying conditions other than a sore knee I pulled while streaming an online yoga class. I’ve been working from home since mid-March.

I stared at the eligibility form. The testing site is in Plains Twp. As a lifelong Scrantonian, it’s hard for me to cross the invisible wall into Luzerne County. I checked my eligibility, anyway.

The questionnaire asked me if I’d had any contact in the past 14 days with “someone who has a confirmed case of COVID-19?”

Click. Yes. Sort of.

My mom is a nurse and some of her co-workers tested positive for the virus. She bounced around my apartment on a purple exercise ball the same day she called to say she had a slight fever and body aches.

Even though she is 64 years old and a NURSE, my mother couldn’t get a test. Her doctor told her to “assume she has the virus” and self-isolate for 14 days. She did. Mom’s contact with COVID-19 was a few weeks ago, but maybe the virus signed a lease on my body then and took two weeks to move in.

I was asked if I had traveled to China, Iran, South Korea or Europe in the past 14 days.

No.

Do I work in a health care facility? Am I a first responder or pregnant?

No. No. No.

Any symptoms: fever, coughing, shortness of breath?

I clicked, cough.

I had a confirmation in seconds and an appointment three days later.

I left my apartment in West Scranton at 10:30 a.m. on April 23 and pulled into the Rite Aid parking lot at

20 S. River St. in Plains Twp. for the drive-through test at 10:55.

Knees weak, palms sweaty, I gripped the steering wheel. Keeping my window up, I flashed an email with a reference number and my driver’s license for a volunteer to see. He yelled “BOLUS!” I yelled “BOLUS!” back at him. He was nice.

The volunteer held up a laminated sign that instructed me to drive from Tent 1 to Tent 2. There was only one car in front of me at Tent 2. The back window stickers tagged him as a “bowhunter.”

At Tent 2, a man wearing a blue mask, gloves, khakis and a gray half-zip sweater sanitized a plastic tray laid out on a plastic folding table. He placed a swab and testing vial on the tray and moved the table to the driver’s side of my car. He motioned for me to roll down my window.

I was uncomfortably aware that I did not look or sound sick. No mask. No gloves. I was dressed for a pajama party, not a pandemic.

The man in the blue mask was joined by two Rite Aid workers. They all volunteered to be there. He told me to stick the swab three-quarters up my nose, swirl it around twice and then hold it there for 15 seconds while he counted down.

“I feel weird doing this in front of you guys,” I said.

Jabbing the swab up there felt like having water trapped in your sinuses after accidentally inhaling under water.

“If it’s uncomfortable, you’re doing it right,” the masked man said. He was nice, too.

I should have used the mirror on my visor. I poked my nose with the snotty swab a few times before finding my other nostril. You have to do both.

The masked man counted down again. I put the swab cotton-tip side down in a vial marked “Kathleen Bolus” and pulled back out onto River Street by 11. There was only one car behind me in the waiting-to-swab line.

My test for the coronavirus took less time than heating a frozen pizza.

My anxiety over whether I’ve been living as a poisoned person putting others at risk was amplified by the worry that I may have taken a test someone else needed more than me. I didn’t have to call my doctor or visit an emergency room. I’m working from home and haven’t seen anyone in “real life” outside of my family or masked grocery store workers and shoppers and other trail walkers escaping isolation in nature.

I simply filled out an online survey and got a test.

From text to online survey to test, the ease of it was astounding. It’s infuriating that more tests aren’t being done. If I — a healthy person in my early 30s — can get tested, everyone should have the opportunity.

The test I took is part of Project Baseline, which began as a study to better understand the transition from normal health to disease by studying healthy people. It was led by Dr. Sanjiv S. Gambhir, a prominent cancer researcher at Stanford University. The group, loosely associated with Google, is working with Rite Aid pharmacists to provide tests in California, Delaware, Idaho, Michigan, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Virginia and Pennsylvania.

Drive-through test sites are open in Erie, Harrisburg, Monroeville, Philadelphia, York and Plains Twp.

In the project’s two-minute, 17-second “What to Expect” YouTube video, I was promised results in two to four days.

“But this may take longer due to lab capacity,” the narrator said.

Fewer than 48 hours later, I had the results: “NOT DETECTED.”

I felt like I had a new lease on life. The virus hasn’t moved in.

Yet.

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

Travel will definitely be different in a post-pandemic world and, more than ever, people will want to stay healthy on the road.

It is likely that there will be new restrictions and health policies at resorts, on airplanes and for cruises, but regardless of these new measures, travelers can take steps on their own to maintain their health while on vacation or traveling for business.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and Transportation Security Administration have robust guidelines for staying safe and healthy on the road that includes practical advice for individuals.

Hand washing will be an activity that people do more frequently and will be reminded to do in many situations. The TSA is encouraging travelers to wash their hands before and after security and is allowing people to bring 12-ounce bottles of hand sanitizer with them through security.

Masks will also likely be a necessity when you are on the road.

The CDC has issued new guidelines for wearing a mask and many cities are encouraging people to wear masks whenever they go out. While travel is discouraged at the moment, when leisure and business travel do resume, it is likely that mask-wearing will continue to be encouraged so it is wise to at least plan to have and bring an appropriate face covering with you.

Assessing your own well-being will also be a key measure in determining fitness to travel. The CDC advises travelers to know their own health status before they make travel plans. This will likely become more important than ever and proof of wellness could even be required.

Making an appointment with a doctor at least one month before departing on a trip is currently recommended by the CDC.

While travelers are on the road, they should make sure they maintain their health by eating right, staying hydrated and exercising regularly. These steps will help keep the immune system in tip-top shape to fight off viruses should someone be exposed.

Travelers may want to pack zinc lozenges, which can provide a boost to the immune system when you are feeling rundown. Zinc is not a cure for COVID-19 but is beneficial for reducing cold symptoms such as coughing, a runny nose or muscle aches.

In addition to packing supplements, travelers should make sure that they bring essential medications and a great enough supply to last for their entire trip and probably a bit longer in case of an emergency.

One of the things that people are going to be very vigilant about after this pandemic is keeping personal spaces clean. Antibacterial wipes are going to be a key travel companion in addition to hand sanitizer once this health crisis is over. Travelers can use them to wipe down tray tables, door handles, surfaces in hotel rooms and just about anything that you touch while on the road.

Viruses are invisible but they can be combatted, and these are just a few ways travelers can take control of their health and well-being once it is safe to travel again.

TRAVELPULSE is a leading travel authority on the web, providing consumer travel news and insider tips and advice for an ever-changing travel world. Read more stories at travel

pulse.com.

Regional

Virtual training: Epilepsy Foundation Eastern Pa. virtual training for school personnel and nurses, and for police and EMT/First Responders, programs offer credits and training that is usually done in person; Mary Loughlin, epilepsywv@efepa.org or 570-592-1150.

Virtual meetings: Pennsylvania Office of the Long-Term Care Ombudsman is launching a new resource for any family/friend in Pennsylvania with concerns about their loved one living in a long-term care facility, internet-based meetings of new Virtual Family Council will be May 5 and May 19 and will continue twice monthly, connection information is needed, for information, email LTCOmbudsman@pa.gov and in the subject line, indicate: Virtual Family Council; information also available at corresponding Facebook page: PA Long-Term Care Virtual Family Council; local Ombudsman at Serving Seniors Inc., 570-344-7190 or lcombudsman@epix.net.

CLIPBOARD ITEMS may be sent to yesdesk@timessham

rock.com or Clipboard, c/o YES!Desk, 149 Penn Ave., Scranton, PA 18503. YES!Desk, 570-348-9121.

SCRANTON

A 22-year-old man who police said set a couch on fire in Scranton was in Lackawanna County Prison on Thursday on $50,000 bail, court records show.

Chris Grant, 1840 N. Main Ave., Scranton, is scheduled to appear for a preliminary hearing at 11 a.m. Wednesday on charges of arson, criminal conspiracy, criminal mischief and related counts.

Police said Grant set fire to a couch in a multiunit apartment building at 834 Monroe Ave. on Wednesday afternoon because he was told that someone got his girlfriend pregnant.

No one was injured in the fire. At least three people were displaced.

— JOSEPH KOHUT

April 30, 1955

City youth gets

Carnegie medal

Thomas Drungell, son of Mr. and Mrs. Ignatz Drungell of Crane Avenuee, received the Carnegie Medal of Heroism on April 29.

Drugnell, a 15-year-old student at North Scranton Junior High School, received this honor for saving a friend, Arnold Detrick, following an accident while swimming in a water filled stripping void near Reese and Greenbush streets on July 28, 1954.

On July 28, Drugnell, Detrick and friends were swimming in the void. Detrick struck his head and was knocked unconscious. Drugnell saw his friend was in trouble. He jumped into the water and carried Detrick 15 feet to safety.

When asked about receiving the award, Drugnell told a Scranton Times reporter that “I just did what any other boy would have done under the circumstances.”

F.T. Gelder

died at 80

Frederick Gelder, journalist and government official, died on April 29 at the Carbondale General Hospital. He was 80 years old.

During his life, Gelder served as postmaster of Forest City, represented Susquehanna County in the state House of Representatives for two terms followed by serving in the state Senate for 16 years. He also served as a trustee for the Fairview State Hospital and was the chairman of the state Liquor Control Board since 1940. He lost his chairman position in February due to a fight between the Republican held state Senate and Gov. George Leader.

He also was the publisher and editor for the Forest City News since 1898 and for 12 years served in the same role at the former Carbondale Leader.

He was survived by his wife, Edith; a son, two daughters and eight grandchildren.

Out & About

At the clubs: Old Time Dance at the Keyser Valley Community Center, Blackie Bennett and his Hillbillies at Mancini’s in Dunmore, Rhythmaires at the Plantation Room on Luzerne Street, Verna at the Europa Lounge, Freddie Chapman plus the W-Bar-E Ranch Boys at the Colonial Inn and accordionist Joe Barry and singers Georgine Darcy and Charlie Ray at the Omar Supper Club.

At the movies: “Blackboard Jungle” at the Strand, “Smash-Up” at the Riviera, “Violent Saturday” at the Comerford, “Conquest of Space” at the Capitol, “Sitting Bull” at the Mid-Valley Drive-In.

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.

MARRIAGE LICENSES

• Mason Cole Sutton, Willow Grove, and Christina Alexis Campbell-Brunson, Mount Pocono.

• Daniel Eugene Campisi, Columbia, and Amber Marie Page, West Chester.

• Timothy Alan Whited, South Abington Twp., and Jamie Bideganeta, Scranton.

• Elina Jade Knight and Christopher John Bosley, both of Old Forge.

• John Frank Salvatore and Stephanie Anne Payne, both of Moscow.

• Garmaroudi Saeed Andaji and Frances Marie Aledo Garcia, both of Plymouth Meeting.

• Shanice Chail Dailey and Justin Delano Edwards, both of Stroudsburg.

PROPERTY TRANSACTIONS

• Yuen and Chun Hoi Kwok to Neeran Rai; a property at 349-351 E. Elm St., Scranton, for $57,000.

• Charles Talapa Jr., Lackawanna County, to Ryan P. Perles and Robert J. Perles, as joint tenants with rights of survivorship; a property at 1000 Mount Vernon Ave., Scranton, for $98,500.

• Carlos and Racquel Roedan to Ryan P. and Leah M. Daniels; two parcels in Clarks Green for $245,000.

• Paul L. and Rita P. Damato, St. James, N.Y., to Timothy P. and Sharon M. Lenihan, Morrisville; a property at Big Bass Lake, Clifton Twp., for $174,750.

• Noble Grove Holdings LLC to Pennsylvania American Water Co.; two parcels in Dunmore for $75,476.

ESTATES FILED

• Arlene F. Joyce, 900 Old Ridge Road, Archbald, letters testamentary to Jessica Phillips, 308 Sunset St., Peckville.

• Anthony P. Molinaro, also known as Anthony Molinaro, 67 Sturges Road, Peckville, letters of administration to Gary A. Cotroneo Jr., 104 Haines St., Blakely.

• James M. Munley, 113 Cobblestone Lane, South Abington Twp., letters testamentary to Kathleen P. Munley, same address.

• Dennis David Nicoll, also known as Dennis D. Nicoll, 139 Eagles View Drive, Gouldsboro, letters testamentary to Christine Neville, P.O. Box 732, Gouldsboro.

ONLINE: www.thetimes-tribune.com/court