For decades, the descendents of Michael Kelly wondered why the name of the Civil War soldier was not on the Pennsylvania State Memorial at Gettysburg.

Their quest to figure out why — and to honor the Scranton man who was injured at the Battle of Cold Harbor — culminated with a presentation on Saturday at the city’s Civil War museum.

“We’re finally giving him the due he deserves,” said Mr. Kelly’s great-granddaughter, Ann O’Malley Turner. “Our fathers and mothers would be so proud.”

More than a dozen of Mr. Kelly’s descendents attended the presentation at the museum, which is run by the members of the Grand Army of the Republic Memorial Association of Scranton, and is in the basement of Scranton City Hall.

The family’s interest in learning more about Mr. Kelly took them into attics and archives. Ms. O’Malley Turner eventually learned of a family heirloom that had been wrapped in newspaper: commemorative discharge paperwork that listed all 37 battles — including Gettysburg — in which Mr. Kelly fought.

After he was wounded at Cold Harbor in 1864 and received medical care, he returned home to Scranton on medical leave. As he was preparing to rejoin the Union forces, the Confederacy surrendered. Born in Ireland, Mr. Kelly raised his family on Putnam Street in North Scranton. He died in 1916 and is buried in Cathedral Cemetery.

On Saturday, the family presented a frame to the museum, which includes a copy of a photo of Mr. Kelly as a 20-year-old, with a pistol under his belt, a cigar in his mouth and a sword at his side. Also included is a photo of Mr. Kelly at age 72, along with a copy of discharge paperwork.

“We’re thrilled this could happen,” said Jerry O’Malley, 68, who helped coordinate efforts with his cousin, Ms. O’Malley Turner, and another cousin, Jerry O’Malley, 88.

The family may never definitively learn why Mr. Kelly’s name is not on the memorial in Gettysburg. Research has led the O’Malleys to believe that because he was not on active duty when the Civil War ended, his name was omitted.

Joseph Long Jr. of the local GAR group said Mr. Kelly will always be honored in Scranton. His frame will hang alongside other Civil War soldiers from Scranton.

“Our responsibility as descendents is to keep their memories alive,” Mr. Long said.

Contact the writer:

shofius@timesshamrock.com, @hofiushallTT on Twitter

Find a pet who needs a new home at the Griffin Pond Animal Shelter.

Black Magic is a 4 and a half year old solid black, neutered male cat. He likes dogs and other cats and is friendly and easy going.
Contact the Griffin Pond Animal Shelter at 586-3700 if your pet is lost or goes astray. Staff Photo by Ted Baird

Sy is an 8 year old male Spaniel who's owner has died. Sy is either blind or going blind but is energetic and friendly.
Contact the Griffin Pond Animal Shelter at 586-3700 if your pet is lost or goes astray. Staff Photo by Ted Baird

Watch the latest Pets of the Week video HERE:

Record drought grips the West. Feed prices skyrocket. The cost of beef heads toward record highs as herds remain at generation-low levels.

Those trends have manifested themselves in higher prices at the supermarket, but may also signal an opportunity for Pennsylvania farmers to enter or expand beef production. Those with land out of production that could be used for forage or feed and struggling dairy farmers may have new options with beef.

One of the key proponents of a Keystone State beef renaissance is Ann Nogan, the executive director of the Harrisburg-based PA Center for Beef Excellence and owner of Applewood Farm in Scott Twp.

Current high beef prices, influence of the natural gas industry, cleared land from former farms and dairy operations, and new interest in locally sourced meat, she hopes, will lead to a mini-boom in moos.

“We are trying to educate our people and help increase the supply of beef,” Mrs. Nogan said. “In Pennsylvania, we have environmental factors in our favor that allow us to produce high-quality beef while insulating us from circumstances that influence markets in the west.”

Pa. advantage

Pennsylvania’s terrain and population means the Keystone State will never rival a cattle state such as Texas or Nebraska. Vast grazing pastures and feedlots would be required to make large-scale cattle operations economically viable. But as a niche for small cattle or cow/calf operations, Pennsylvania beef could be what’s for dinner at more tables.

Coveted English cattle breeds — Angus, Herefords and shorthorn — evolved in cooler English climate resembling Pennsylvania more than the hot, often high elevations of other cattle states, Mrs. Nogan said.

Pennsylvania beef producers can save money on transportation, since the state is home to two of the nation’s largest cattle processors: Cargill Meat Solutions in Wyalusing and JBS Packerland in Souderton. The packers are in the state to be nearer to the East Coast population, generally processing cattle trucked from the west. But Mrs. Nogan said their presence presents a logistical advantage and a resource to the state’s beef industry.

Pennsylvania’s 11,800 beef farms are benefiting from the dropping supply and steady demand for beef. The average price a beef farmer receives for a 600-pound calf is about $600, said Jeff Nogan, Ann’s husband and business partner. Those calves go off and more than double in weight before being processed.

The price will likely stay high as herds remain low.

High beef prices offer beef producers a perverse incentive, prompting farmers to cash in on the cattle now. While that makes pocketbook sense for the farmer, it reduces the herd for the following year. That leads Mr. Nogan to believe that the market imbalance will persist for at least two more years.

“Now is the time to be in the cow/calf businesses,” he declares.

The Center for Beef Excellence will shoot footage of a conversion of a Port Matilda dairy operation to a beef operation, one they hope will be used as an instructional video for others, including those who are or were in the volatile dairy industry.

The natural gas industry has helped set the table for cattle production. Newly cleared land for pipelines opened up potential forage land. Mineral rights leases provided capital for land-rich, cash-poor farmers. For those who threw in the towel on labor- and capital-intensive dairy farming, the slower pace of cattle operations may have appeal.

“People who are in dairy like animals and like working around livestock,” said Dustin Heeter, a Penn State Extension Educator based in Greensburg, Westmoreland County.

But the beef business on a small scale remains a challenge on several levels, Mr. Heeter said.

There’s not enough feedlot capacity in Pennsylvania, so many of the state’s weaned calves end up on trucks to western feedlots. In a geographical irony, some of those end up being shipped back to the state for processing at Cargill or JBS.

The price paid to farmers for the animals is often discounted if they cannot be delivered in a similar lot — animals of the same breed and age. Small producers often work together to consolidate lots, but that takes coordination and a critical mass of producers, Mr. Heeter said.

The weather generally won’t allow cattle to forage year-round in Pennsylvania. A single cow-calf pair requires as much as 3 acres, a lot of land for even a few hundred bucks. Farmers always have to rely on feed. If farmers can’t grow their own feed, they suffer from high feed prices like the rest of the industry.

Generations of Success

The Nogans’ enthusiasm may be related to their success in a challenging business. In previous lives, Mr. Nogan was a service manager for an auto dealership, and Mrs. Nogan worked at a bank. Both left job stability for a life in agriculture.

Today, the family owns or leases hundreds of acres at about five non-contiguous sites, producing their own hay and soybeans, with a surplus to sell on the market.

With calls of “Hey, Boss,” and “Come on, Boss,” sons Benjamin and David Nogan usher a few dozen cows, with calves following nearby, from a hill. The cows come, usually at the first sound of the approaching truck, because they usually are being moved to the greener pastures. Tossing out some corn, a favorite treat, hastens them. As herd animals, cows and their calves are surprisingly easy to control and coordinate.

Although there is plenty of verdant forage, the Nogans keep hay available. The conversion from feed to forage must be gradual.

David Nogan, 25, graduated from Penn State University in 2013, with a degree in animal science. Remaining in farming is rare for his and previous generations. His older brother, Benjamin, 27, earned degrees in education, but also returned to Applewood. Working with livestock is not just a job.

“Agriculture is a lifestyle and if you like the lifestyle, you want to stay in it,” David Nogan said. “You get to see the results of your work.”

The younger Nogans recently added 211 acres to grow the farm, making it large enough to sustain the growing family of full-time operators.

With a strong demand for beef and shaky supply nationally, they feel they are in a good position as second generation Pennsylvania cattlemen.

Contact the writer: dfalchek@timesshamrock.com

Depot recertified

After a four-day inspection of the Tobyhanna Army Depot’s processes and business practices, auditors from NSF International awarded the depot with recertification for meeting and exceeding recognized quality standards. The auditors conducted a reassessment audit of Tobyhanna’s Aerospace Standard 9100 and 9110 and International Organization for Standardization 9001 certifications.

Restaurant opens: Nina’s 5 Star Family Restaurant, 1429 Pittston Ave., Scranton, had its grand opening May 20. The restaurant features 19 different styles of pizza, five different kinds of stromboli, entrees, salads, soups, appetizers and wraps. Joseph Pinkhasov, the owner, has almost 20 years of experience in the restaurant business in Scranton, and worked at Sal’s Pizza in many different capacities.

Scrap company wins award: Upstate Shredding — Weitsman Recycling earned the Industry Leadership Award for scrap and recycling at the 2014 Platts Global Metals Awards on May 21 in London. The company has 18 locations throughout New York and Pennsylvania, including Scranton. The company will aim to process more than one million tons of ferrous and 250 million pounds of nonferrous in 2014, and continue toward its goal of $1 billion in annual debt free sales.

Inn gets rating: The French Manor Inn and Spa, South Sterling, earned the AAA Four Diamond Rating. The inn and spa continues to maintain this rating since 2003. AAA gives the Four Diamond Rating to hotels that provide every guest with a personalized experience and attentive service in comfortable, high-quality surroundings, and offer an extensive array of amenities and guest services.

Restaurant gets revitalization: As part of Downtown Hazleton’s revitalization program, Wendy’s finished remodeling its restaurant on May 23. The remodeling included an innovative interior and exterior design, which is part of a comprehensive brand transformation to reinvent the Wendy’s restaurant environment from food innovation to building design to new packaging.

SUBMIT BUSINESS BUZZ items to business@timesshamrock.com or The Times-Tribune, 149 Penn Ave., Scranton, PA 18503.

MADISON TWP. — Jason Canjar is a rarity.

Mr. Canjar, 39, quit his job last summer as a U.S. Postal Service mail handler to become a dairy farmer.

“Everybody thought I was nuts,” Mr. Canjar said as he paused near a manure-storage tank on his 200-acre farm near the Elmhurst Reservoir. “Some people said I wouldn’t make it six months.”

More than nine months after he inherited the dairy farm operated for decades by George Yedinak, Mr. Canjar seems pleased with the career switch.

“I’m busy 16 to 20 hours a day,” he said, as he entered a barn where he milks 48 Holsteins daily at 4 a.m. and 4 p.m. “It’s not a job. It’s a passion.”

Mr. Canjar grew up in Madison Twp. and still lives there. He started picking rocks on the Yedinak farm at age 12.

“I just kept sticking around,” he said. “I always wanted to farm.”

Eventually, he helped with haying, credited Mr. Yedinak with teaching him mechanical skills and continued working part time on the farm into adulthood.

Mr. Yedinak, 66, died suddenly in August.

He willed the farm, which was established by his father in 1948, to Mr. Canjar.

“George knew it would continue as a farm,” Mr. Canjar said. “I think that’s why he left it to me.”

Mr. Canjar resigned from his postal job after 14 years and committed full time to his rural passion.

“The day I quit was one of the happiest days of my life,” he said. “I love farming. It’s just so peaceful.”

The existence may be peaceful, but dairy markets have a stormy history.

Fluctuations in milk prices in recent years have driven thousands of dairy farmers out of business.

Mr. Canjar knows the history and sets aside funds to weather the next downturn.

“You can’t count on the markets being there all the time,” he said. “I’ll stay with it as long as the farm can maintain the bills.”

Mr. Canjar not only has to handle the bills, he needs to be nimble enough to meet the work demands and market uncertainty that make dairy farming so risky, said Will Keating, a dairy farmer near Mount Cobb.

“You’ve also got to be a mechanic, a horticulturist, a veterinarian and everything else to save every dollar you can,” Mr. Keating said. “Jason has a good head on his shoulders. God bless him and good luck.”

Contact the writer:

jhaggerty@timesshamrock.com

Twenty-five years ago, Dave Burak dropped his kayak into the Lackawanna River and paddled downstream, navigating the darker, dirty water.

On Saturday, the Blakely man — who had mud streaks across his face after a 12-mile paddle — marveled at the water color as he pulled his lime-green kayak from the river.

“I’m telling you, the water was perfect, crystal clear,” he said. “It’s much more clear than it was back then. Much clearer.”

Dozens of paddlers in colorful kayaks and canoes knifed through the cool, clear water on Saturday during the Lackawanna River Corridor Association’s 27th RiverFest in Scranton.

The event, which is the association’s main fundraiser to benefit the river, highlights the revitalization of the once heavily polluted waterway. Over the past two-plus decades, the nonprofit has worked with community groups and public agencies to promote projects that address water pollution, water conservation and recreation.

“We’re trying to get the event to be bigger each year now, because it is for people to get out here and realize the river is very clean and very enjoyable,” program manager Barb Semian said.

The water on Saturday was choppy at points, and deeper than last year, said a couple of participants in the RiverFest’s Canoe-A-Thon.

Paddlers embarking on the 12-mile trek launched from David Maslyar Park in Archbald, while those tackling the 8-mile voyage left from the Blakely Borough Recreational Park. Family members and friends lined the river’s edge, encouraging participants as they approached the finish line near West Olive Street.

“It was a lot better than last year,” said Colleen Penzone of Blakely. “Last year we were pushing ourselves a lot because the water levels were so shallow. This year was great.”

Saturday’s RiverFest also featured a regatta in which racers build creative crafts, a Duck-a-Thon and kayak excursions.

Contact the writer:

miorfino@timesshamrock.com, @miorfinoTT on Twitter

Mutual funds are one of the most popular types of investments available.

Created in 1924, there are about 8,000 different mutual funds available in the U.S. today, and almost half of all American households have investments in mutual funds.

However, many people don’t completely understand what a mutual fund is or how it works. A mutual fund is a professionally managed pool of investments comprised of a combination of stocks, bonds, commodities, real estate and more. This basket of different investments creates a diversified fund that can be accessed by many investors at once. The diversity provided by mutual funds is one of their benefits, but these investments also come with a lot of expenses, many of which investors are unaware.

All mutual funds have two types of expenses: stated and unstated. Stated expenses are listed in a mutual fund’s prospectus and include things like administrative fees, management fees, marketing fees and loads, which are the commissions paid for the sale of funds. All these stated expenses combine to form the “expense ratio.” Expense ratios are usually between 1 and 2 percent, with an average of 1.4 percent.

In addition to stated fees, mutual funds also have unstated fees. These fees include trading costs, transaction commissions, market impact costs and taxes. Calculating the exact costs for this type of fee is difficult and there is no standard method of doing so. These fees are often considered “hidden” fees because they are not required to be disclosed in a prospectus and many investors are unaware of them until they’re actually charged for them.

How much of an impact can a seemingly small fee percentage have on your account? A “small” fee of 1 or 2 percent can have a significant effect on your total return. Every dollar that is taken in fees is a dollar that can’t grow or compound for the long term. For example, say you invest $250,000 for 15 years, and receive an average 5 percent annual return. With no fee, that account will grow to $519,732. With a 2 percent fee, however, that account will only be worth $389,492. Of course, all investments have fees, but the higher the fees, the less money you keep and grow for your future.

If you’re looking for mutual fund options with lower fees or are wondering about the fees in funds you currently hold, make sure to check the mutual fund’s prospectus. But since all mutual funds also have unstated fees, that will only show you part of the picture. Luckily, there is a way you can estimate unstated fees in a mutual fund. The key thing to look for is how active a fund is, or in other words, how many trades are made. Every time a share is bought or sold, multiple costs are incurred: trading costs, transaction commissions and potentially capital gains taxes. The more active a fund is, the more unstated expenses are passed on to the investor.

If you haven’t reviewed your portfolio in a while, it might be time to take a look at your mutual funds. Check the expense ratio, and look at the turnover rate, which will give you an idea of how active the account is. By making savvy investment choices today, you can pay less in fees over the course of your life and save more money for your goals.

CHRISTOPHER SCALESE is a financial adviser, author of the book, “Retirement is a Marathon, Not a Sprint,” and president of Fortune Financial Group. To receive a complimentary copy of his full report on mutual funds, call 1-800-844-0656, or for more information, visit www.fortune-financial.org.

Tuesday: LinkedIn training seminar, hosted by the NEPA Networkers, a networking group for business professionals, and Bob Courtright, Courtright & Associates, for beginning to intermediate users, Glenmaura National Golf Club, 100 Glenmaura National Blvd., Moosic, noon to 1:30 p.m. Cost is $25 and includes lunch. The live demonstration will cover the basics of LinkedIn, as well as recent changes. A question and answer session will follow. To register please check out www.nepanetworkers.com/events or contact Bob Courtright for reservations at 570-961-5450.

Thursday: Greater Hazleton Chamber of Commerce Ninth Annual Human Resource Seminar, June 5, 7:45 a.m. to 1 p.m., Fourth Floor, Hazleton Campus of Luzerne County Community College, 100 W. Broad St., Hazleton. The seminar has three sessions and attendees choose from two topics in each session. The seminar is geared toward human resource professionals, small- to mid-size business owners and assistant, middle or general managers or supervisors, and includes a keynote speaker, continental breakfast and lunch.

Saturday: Penn State Master Gardeners of Susquehanna County educational programs presentation, June 7, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., Thompson Town Fair. The schedule includes pruning basics at 9 a.m., mason bee lodge construction at 11:30 a.m. and lawn care basics at 1 p.m. For more information, call the Penn State Extension office at 570-278-1158.

June 13: Annual luncheon for the National Association of Women Business Owners and NEPA Business Journal to honor this year’s Top 25 Women in Business. The luncheon will be held on June 13 at the Hilton Scranton Conference Center from 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Our keynote speaker will be Attorney General Kathleen Kane. The cost is $40 per person or reserve a table of 10 for $400. Please contact nawbonepainfo@gmail.com for details or visit nawbonepa.org and click on “events” to register.

SUBMIT BUSINESS BRIEFCASE items to business@timesshamrock.com; Business Editor, The Times-Tribune, 149 Penn Ave., Scranton, PA 18503; or via fax to 348-9135.

NEW YORK — Good news for investors: We’re keeping more of what’s ours.

Mutual funds charged less to cover operational expenses last year, as a percentage of their total assets. It was the fourth straight year that the average expense ratio fell for stock mutual funds, according to separate reports from the Investment Company Institute and Morningstar. And it’s not just stocks that have become cheaper for investors to own. Expense ratios have also dropped for bond and money-market mutual funds in recent years.

It’s a win for investors because they get to keep more of their returns, and funds with low expenses have historically performed better than higher-cost rivals, says Russel Kinnel, director of manager research at Morningstar. That’s because low-cost funds essentially have a head start in the race for returns: High-cost funds need to make more just to match the performance of their competitors once expenses are taken into account.

It may seem like no fun to parse expense-ratio data when the difference from one fund to the next may be less than a quarter of a percentage point.

“But it’s something, and that advantage compounds over time and adds up to something meaningful,” Mr. Kinnel says. Low costs are such a good predictor of success that Mr. Kinnel suggests investors look at a fund’s expense ratio first when considering whether to purchase it.

Stock mutual funds had an average expense ratio of 0.74 percent last year, according to the Investment Company Institute. That means for every $10,000 in assets, a stock fund took $74 to cover expenses. That’s down from $77 in 2012 and $100 a decade earlier. The expense ratio covers everything from analysts’ salaries to the cost of mailing shareholder reports.

The expense ratio does not include every type of fee that an investor may pay. Some mutual funds charge a fee to investors when they purchase or sell shares, for example. It’s called a “load” payment. These have also dropped in recent years: Average load fees paid by investors are down nearly 75 percent since 1990, according to the Investment Company Institute.

A big reason for last year’s drop in expense ratios was how well the stock market performed. The Standard & Poor’s 500 index returned 32.4 percent, including dividends, for its best year since 1997. The surging prices meant mutual funds suddenly had more assets. That gave funds a larger base over which to spread their expenses, many of which are fixed. Funds typically have policies that dictate they’ll charge a lower fee rate once their total assets top a certain threshold.

Of course, the opposite can also happen. When stock prices fall, mutual funds find themselves with reduced assets, meaning their expense ratios will rise. That’s what happened in 2009, when the stock market bottomed after the financial crisis, and the average expense ratio for stock funds rose to 0.87 percent from 0.83 percent.

All of this has helped build a greater appreciation among investors for keeping costs low. Of every $1 in net investment that flowed into mutual funds last year, 95 cents went into funds that were ranked in the bottom fifth of their category by cost. Compare that to 2001, when only 11 cents went to the cheapest funds, according to Morningstar.

Much of the drive toward low-cost funds is due to the growing popularity of index mutual funds. Instead of trying to beat the S&P 500 or another index, these funds try to merely match it. And they charge lower fees accordingly. The Vanguard Total International Stock Index fund (VGTSX) attracted $17.9 billion in net investment last year, for example, more than any other stock fund. It has an expense ratio of 0.22 percent, which Vanguard says is 82 percent lower than similar funds.

For bond funds, the average expense ratio was 0.61 percent last year. That’s flat from a year ago but down from 0.75 percent a decade earlier. Money-market funds saw their average expense ratio fall to 0.17 percent last year from 0.18 percent in 2012 and 0.42 percent in 2003.

Low expenses are particularly advantageous for bond funds given how low yields have dropped. Bond investors are getting relatively little interest income, but lower fees mean they can keep a larger portion of that. The 10-year Treasury note has a yield of 2.55 percent, for example. That’s down from 3.36 percent five years ago and 4.76 percent a decade ago.

Bond funds with higher expense ratios could buy bonds with bigger yields, such as junk bonds, to compensate. But those carry a higher risk of default.

CARBONDALE — Police arrested a city man on Saturday after finding 3 ounces of marijuana, a digital weight scale and a marijuana grinder inside his car.

Jeffry Frias, 21, of 92 Cemetery St., faces a felony charge of possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance, as well as other drug-related counts, police Capt. Brian Bognatz said.

Police responded to a baseball field at Jefferson and River streets in Fell Twp. about 9 a.m. on reports of a suspicious vehicle. After approaching Mr. Frias’ parked vehicle and detecting a strong odor of marijuana, police searched the vehicle and found the marijuana “separately packaged for individual sale,” Capt. Bognatz said.

Mr. Frias remains in the Lackawanna County Prison in lieu of $10,000 bail.

— MICHAEL IORFINO

Sanofi shares static after mixed news

News on the prescription and nonprescription drug front kept shares of Sanofi static last week, closing a few cents up to a Friday close of $53.30 per share.

Sanofi reached a deal with Eli Lilly & Co. to seek approval of and sell an over-the-counter version of its prescription erectile dysfunction drug, Cialis. The value of the deal was not disclosed, and some observers are skeptical whether Sanofi will be able to obtain clearance from regulators in the U.S., Europe, Canada and Australia under the generic name, tadalafil, after the patents begin to expire in 2017. Cialis racked up sales of $2.2 billion in 2013, surpassing Viagra, which has $1.9 billion in sales.

Sanofi also welcomed news that U.K. regulators approved its multiple sclerosis drug Lemtrada, giving it new credibility as the company makes a renewed pitch to the Food and Drug Administration after being shot down in December.

The French drugmaker has a vaccine production facility in Swiftwater that produces 40 percent of the world’s vaccine, and VaxServe Inc., a health care supplier and distributor, based in Scranton.

— DAVID FALCHEK

Just three of Lackawanna County’s 10 school districts have anti-nepotism policies that attempt to go beyond what state law requires.

As teaching jobs continue to be scarce in Northeast Pennsylvania and districts face growing budget deficits, school boards have an even greater responsibility to make sure the most highly qualified people land the few jobs available, advocates say.

“School boards and superintendents doing the hiring have a fiduciary responsibility to the community,” said Barry Kauffman, executive director of Common Cause Pennsylvania, a taxpayer watchdog group. “That means hiring the best talent for the money.”

None of the 10 districts in the county prohibits nepotism, or the practice of school board members hiring their relatives. Some districts have tried to prohibit any relative from being hired, but those policies were ultimately left on the table.

Abington Heights, North Pocono and Scranton school districts have policies that require more than what state law demands.

“There’s no doubt the other seven should, too,” said William Burke, a North Pocono school director.

State law

In Pennsylvania, it is legal for a school board to hire a relative of a board member if the board member had no role in the hiring and abstained from voting.

The Pennsylvania Schools Boards Association stresses to its members to follow state law, including school code: “No teacher shall be employed, by any board of school directors, who is related to any member of the board; as father, mother, brother, sister, husband, wife, son, daughter, stepson, stepdaughter, grandchild, nephew, niece, first cousin, sister-in-law, brother-in-law, uncle, or aunt, unless such teacher receives the affirmative votes of a majority of all members of the board other than the member related to the applicant who shall not vote.”

Under the state’s ethics act, conflicts of interest are sharply defined. “Conflict of interest” is “use by a public official or public employee of the authority of his office or employment or any confidential information received through his holding public office or employment for the private pecuniary benefit of himself, a member of his immediate family or a business with which he or a member of his immediate family is associated.”

Local policies

North Pocono’s policy requires all job-seekers to disclose whether they are related to school board members or district officials. When relatives apply, the district must then interview at least three to five applicants for the position.

Mr. Burke, a former North Pocono board president, lobbied last year for an outright ban on the board hiring directors’ relatives. Mr. Burke wants a stricter policy.

“If our policy is adhered to and carried out, and we still have a board member’s son or daughter being hired, I would not be happy about it,” he said.

Board members have the ability to lobby the administration and have an inside track to getting people jobs, Mr. Burke said.

“Everybody believes, that for good reason, you need to be connected,” he said. “That’s why I think if you’re on a school board, you don’t get a job for a relative.”

Abington Heights does not prohibit nepotism, but job candidates must disclose any relation to a board member. Superintendent Michael Mahon, Ph.D., said the policy works.

“I’m not aware of a single employee who is related to a board member or administrator,” he said. “I think the real strength to our organization is the fact we have a really rigorous hiring policy and hiring procedure. We search for the best.”

The board takes the recommendations of administrators for all hires, from teachers to maintenance workers.

“They have never not taken an administrative recommendation,” Dr. Mahon said. “They don’t give us people they want hired.”

In Scranton, the anti-nepotism policy states that the district “prohibits nepotism in the selection and hiring process” and defines the practice as “the hiring of relatives of the board or superintendent.” Sections 3 and 4 of the policy, however, permit the hiring of relatives as long as the relationship is disclosed and the board member is disqualified from voting on the potential hire.

Regardless of the anti-nepotism policy, the district’s teacher interview process eliminates the chance of nepotism, Superintendent William King said. For teachers, Scranton follows the Walton Plan, named for a former board member who developed the system in the 1950s to prevent patronage. Interviews for teaching jobs are usually conducted every three years. After a “paper screening,” applicants are interviewed by a panel and are scored on a variety of criteria, including teacher exam scores, previous experience and whether they live in the district or are military veterans. Applicants are given scores and put on ranking lists. Hires are based upon these lists.

While Scranton officials have said nepotism plays no role in hiring teachers, several school board members confirmed last year that they take turns doling out custodial, clerical and other noncertified positions.

Policies necessary?

Any hiring process should be competitive, and that system should not allow special favors for a relative of a public official, Mr. Kauffman said. Criteria for vetting resumes, interviews and hiring should be determined in advance, he said.

“The school board has a responsibility to hire top-notch, enthusiastic, qualified teachers,” Mr. Kauffman said.

A Sunday Times investigation earlier this year found that about one of every 10 school employees in Dunmore is related to the district’s top officials. Dunmore does not have an anti-nepotism policy.

Lakeland’s hiring policy only includes the school code’s requirement, but Superintendent R. Scott Jeffery said more may be needed.

“I think it would probably be in the school board’s best interest to have an anti-nepotism policy,” Mr. Jeffery said. “It would remove any perception out there that the school district is showing favoritism to relatives.”

Though there is not a specific anti-nepotism policy, a comprehensive hiring policy helps ensure the strongest candidates are hired, he said. Other districts, including Mid Valley, have a scoring process for interviews, but do not prohibit relatives from being hired.

At Valley View, a new hiring policy is aimed an increasing accountability, including requiring that jobs be advertised in the newspaper. It also increases board member involvement, including directors in all aspects of the hiring process, from vetting applications to making final decisions.

Superintendent Donald Kanavy said he is comfortable with the hiring policy, and sees both benefits and downfalls to an anti-nepotism policy, including the chance of missing out on “great local talent” if any relative was prohibited from being hired.

Riverside also lacks a nepotism policy. Superintendent Paul Brennan said it’s unnecessary.

“I don’t feel like we have a flaw in the process in terms of hiring the appropriate candidates,” he said.

Contact the writer: shofius@timesshamrock.com, @hofiushallTT on Twitter

HAWLEY — A VFW service officer will be available to assist veterans Friday at the office of state Sen. Lisa Baker, R-20, Lehman Twp., on Route 6 near Lake Wallenpaupack.

Services, which are free to any veteran and surviving spouse, may involve assistance with various benefits, such as VA health care, compensation, pension, education and dependent benefits.

Appointments will take place between 9:30 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. at Ms. Baker’s office at 2512 Route 6, Hawley. To schedule an appointment, call her office at 570-226-5960.

— JIM LOCKWOOD

The following were sentenced by Pike County President Judge Joseph F. Kameen:

n Ruthann Kunecz, 50, Dingmans Ferry, 120 days to six months in the Pike County jail, $1,750 fine and 24 month driver’s license suspension for DUI and driving on a suspended license on Oct. 19 in Delaware Twp.

n Barbara Rose Leonetti, age 30, of Lake Ariel, was sentenced to 48 hours to six months in the Pike County Prison, fined $700 and had her driver’s license suspended for 12 months for driving under the influence. On April 28, 2013, in Greene Twp., Ms. Leonetti was found operating a vehicle without first having obtained a valid operator’s license and with a blood alcohol concentration of 0.124 prison.

n Gregory James Cannon, 51, Greely, two to six months in Pike County jail, $1,000 fine and one year driver’s license suspension for DUI on Sept. 10 in Blooming Grove Twp.

n Heather Lee Matulewich, 25, Tafton, three to 23 ½ months in the Pike County jail and $300 fine for theft by deception on Oct. 25 in Greene Twp.

n Brian Richard Altomare, 33, Dingmans Ferry, 30 days to six months in the Pike County jail, $750 fine and one year driver’s license suspension for DUI on Nov. 3 in Shohola.

n Miguel A. Canizares, 54, Bronx, N.Y., four to 23½ months in the Pike County jail, followed by 24 months of probation and $1,000 fine for two counts of indecent assault on July 15 in Lehman Twp.

n Matthew John Schaefer, 22, Hawley, one to 18 months in the Pike County jail and $500 fine for theft by unlawful taking on Sept. 24 in Blooming Grove Twp.

n Scott P. Freethy, 22, Canadensis, 12 months of probation, $500 fine and six month driver’s license suspension for possession of a controlled or counterfeit substance on Nov. 29 in Greene Twp.

n Joseph Robert Mahn, 23, Honesdale, nine to 23½ months in the Pike County jail and $500 fine for burglary between Dec. 23 and Jan. 10 in Palmyra Twp.

n Leonard Stanley Roe, 56, Dingmans Ferry, six months in the Intermediate Punishment Program with 11 days in the Pike County jail followed by 30 days on a home electronic-monitoring system, $775 fine and one-year driver’s license suspension for DUI and careless driving on June 25 in Dingman Twp.

n Jessica L. Nagy, 26, Dingmans Ferry, four to 23 months in the Pike County jail, $600 fine and six-month driver’s license suspension for criminal trespass and possession of a controlled or counterfeit substance on Feb. 2 in Delaware Twp.

n Jessica Ann Guglielmino, 32, Hawley, 30 days to six months in the Pike County jail and $100 fine for disorderly conduct between December 2012 and January 2013 in Lackawaxen Twp.

The following were sentenced by Wayne County President Judge Raymond L. Hamill:

n Lorriane Matern, 45, Honesdale, 10 days to six months in the Wayne County Correctional Facility, $500 fine, a drug-and-alcohol evaluation, an alcohol highway safety program and 50 hours of community service for DUI on Jan. 17 in Salem Twp.

n John Kresge, 39, Honesdale, 10 days to six months in the Wayne County Correctional Facility, $500 fine, a drug-and-alcohol evaluation and an alcohol highway safety program for DUI on Dec. 28 in Texas Twp.

n Curtis Jaggars, 26, Honesdale, 30 days to 12 months in the Wayne County Correctional Facility, $169 in restitution and a drug-and-alcohol evaluation for retail theft on Dec. 10 in Texas Twp.

n Richard Winters, 24, Newfoundland, 10 to 23½ months in the Wayne County Correctional Facility, $500 fine, a drug-and-alcohol evaluation and 50 hours of community service for delivery of controlled substance on Oct. 20, 2012 in Dreher Twp.

n Magda L. Febus, 18, Waymart, 12 months of probation, $337.40 in restitution and a drug-and-alcohol evaluation for receiving stolen property on Nov. 10 in Waymart.

n Brian T. Martin, 47, Waymart, six months on the Accelerated Rehabilitative Disposition Program, 40 hours of community service, an alcohol highway safety program and 60 day driver’s license suspension for DUI on Oct. 14 in Canaan Twp.

n Trevor C. Johnson, 21, Honesdale, six months on the Accelerated Rehabilitative Disposition Program, 40 hours of community service, an alcohol highway safety program and 90 day driver’s license suspension for DUI on Jan. 18 in Honesdale.

n Steven Young, 32, Lakeville, six months on the Accelerated Rehabilitative Disposition Program, 40 hours of community service, an alcohol highway safety program and 60 day driver’s license suspension for DUI on Jan. 18, 2013 in Hawley.

n Stephen Dubois, 36, Honesdale, $150 fine for bad checks between Sept. 19 and Oct. 4 in Texas Twp.

Post 6082 pork dinner today

VFW Shopa-Davey Post 6082 pork and sauerkraut dinner, today, 11 a.m.-4 p.m., post home, 123 Electric St., Peckville, $10, from members or at the door, takeouts available.

Post 86 Auxiliary breakfast today

American Legion Post 86 Auxiliary breakfast, today, 8-11 a.m., 1234 Main St., Susquehanna, eat-in or takeout; $7/adults and $4/under 10; 570-853-3542.

Post 665 sets meeting for today

American Legion Post 665 board meeting, today, 1 p.m., post meeting, 2:30 p.m., 901 Main St., Dickson City, election of officers, noon-4 p.m.

VFW Post 25 set

to meet today

VFW Gen. Theodore J. Wint Post 25 meeting, today, 2 p.m., post home, 2291 Rockwell Ave., Scranton, Canteen meeting, 1 p.m.

VFW Post 4909 to meet Monday

VFW Post 4909, Dupont, meeting, Monday, 7:30 p.m., post home; home association meeting follows.

Legion Post 610

plans meeting

American Legion Post 610 meeting, Monday, 7 p.m., legion headquarters, Mayfield.

Post 920 to meet Monday

American Legion Post 920 meeting, Monday, 7 p.m., post home, 815 Smith St., Scranton; Joe Sylvester, 570-961-2696.

Legion District 11 to meet Wednesday

American Legion District 11 meeting, Wednesday, 7:30 p.m., Raymond Henry Post 327, 101 Willow St., Olyphant, agenda: upcoming events.

109th to meet Wednesday

109th Infantry Regiment Association meeting, Wednesday, 6 p.m., Shopa Davey VFW, Peckville.

Post 7069 to meet Thursday

VFW Abington Memorial Post 7069 meeting, Thursday, 7:30 p.m., social hour follows business session.

Post 207 to meet Thursday

American Legion Kosciuszko Post 207 meeting, Thursday, 7 p.m., SS. Peter & Paul Church Hall, 1309 W., Locust St., Scranton, refreshments follow.

Post 6520 to meet Thursday

Thomas A. Snook VFW Post 6520 meeting, Thursday, 7 p.m., new post home, 846 Cortez Road, Jefferson Twp.

Victory Committee to meet Thursday

Victory Committee meeting, Thursday, 9 a.m., Gino J. Merli Veterans Center.

Post 306 to elect officers

American Legion Post 306 elections for the Camp Home Association Board of Directors, Saturday, 9 a.m.-5 p.m., post, 208 S. Main St., Taylor.

SAL District 11 to meet Saturday

District 11 Sons of the American Legion meeting, Saturday, 6 p.m., Dickson City American Legion.

Squadron 665 to elect officers June 8

Sons of the American Legion Squadron 665 meeting and election of officers, June 8, 1 p.m., post home.

DAV Chapter 114 to meet June 11

Disabled American Veterans Chapter 114 meeting, June 11, 7 p.m., Cordaro’s Restaurant, 186 Grandview Ave., Honesdale.

109th Infantry sets golf tournament

The 109th Infantry Regiment Association golf tourney, June 28, Pine Hills, Taylor; meetings, first Wednesday of each month, Shopa-Davey VFW Post, Blakely.

Post 568 offers $1,000 scholarship

American Legion Post 568 offering $1,000 P.J. Freach/Buddy Keen memorial scholarship to high school seniors; must be resident of Minooka section of Scranton or son, daughter or descendant of an active member of post in good standing, accepted at or attending an accredited two- or four-year college or technical institute and of good moral character. Candidates may obtain application from any post member, complete and submit with official high school transcript, including SAT or ACT scores, or official college transcript to: Jack Donelan, 3028 Colliery Ave., Scranton, PA 18505, by Aug. 8.

Merli Center events listed

■ Today: Coffee, 9 a.m.; Eucharistic ministry, all floors, 9:15; movie and pizza, 2 p.m.; unit-based 1:1 activity, 3:30.

■ Monday: Individual room visits, 8:45 a.m.; coffee, 9; bible study, 9:30; New Age Nails, 10; Name that Tune, 10; Burger King dine-in, 12:15 p.m.; food committee meeting, 1:15; DAV Malia Chapter 1 bingo, 2; freestyle activities, 2:30; unit-based 1:1 activity, 3:30.

■ Tuesday: Tag annual fishing trip, 7:15 a.m.; individual room visits, 8:45; coffee, 9; resident council, 9:30; resident welfare fund, 10; bingo social, 10; hangman, 10; volunteer ministry visits, 2 North, 1:15 p.m.; choir practice, 1:45; Catholic service, 3.

■ Wednesday: Individual room visits, 8:45 a.m.; coffee, 9; exercise, 10; volunteer ministry visits, 3 South, 1:15 p.m.; bingo by the Stone family, 2; unit-based 1:1 activity, 3:30.

■ Thursday: Individual room visits, 8:45 a.m.; coffee, 9; ceramics/music, 10; freestyle activities, 10; chapel service, 10; American Legion District 11 bingo, 2 p.m.; unit-based 1:1 activity, 3:30.

■ Friday: D-Day 70th Anniversary. Individual room visits, 8:45 a.m.; coffee, 9; golf, 10; rosary, 10; coffee and doughnuts, 10; Young at Heart Singers, 2 p.m.; bridging memories trivia, 2:30.

■ Saturday : Individual room visits, 8:45 a.m.; coffee and doughnuts by the Rolling Angels, 10; Villa Capri car show, 1-3 p.m.

VETERANS NEWS should be submitted no later than Monday before publication to veterans@timesshamrock.com; or to YES!desk, The Times-Tribune, 149 Penn Ave., Scranton, PA 18503.

Thirty-seven years ago, a Bear Creek woman made history at St. Luke’s Episcopal Church in Scranton.

At a ceremony on May 21, 1977, presided over by the Rev. Lloyd E. Gressle, the bishop of the Diocese of Bethlehem, Margaret Lee Ferry became the first female Episcopal priest ordained in Scranton.

The graduate of Epsicopal Divinity School in Cambridge, Massachusetts, knew she wanted to be an Episcopal priest since her college days at Middlebury College in Vermont, according to a Scranton Times article published the day before her ordination.

But it took a close, contentious vote by church leaders from around the nation before she could realize her dream.

In September 1976, delegates attending an Episcopalian legislative convention in Minneapolis approved the ordination of women to the priesthood. Four months later, Jacqueline Means of Indianapolis became the first woman priest ordained in the Episcopal church.

Many within the U.S. Episcopal Church opposed the decision, however. As a result of the change, the Scranton-based Polish National Catholic Church terminated sacramental ties to the Episcopal Church of the United States. In a May 20, 1977, Times article, PNCC Prime Bishop Thaddeus Zielinski said the Episcopal Church’s decision to ordain women “violates a tradition started 2,000 years ago by Christ when he picked 12 males to be apostles.”

The same article also quoted the Rev. Vernon Searfoss, an Episcopal priest and city school director. He voted against the ordination of women at the Minneapolis convention and told The Times, “holy Scriptures do not warrant women to assume the role of priests.”

The opposition wasn’t limited to Scranton, nor did it did fade quickly. In February 1989, a full page ad ran in newspapers around the country urging Episcopalians to “take a stand against woman priests,” according to an Associated Press. The ad was part of the backlash created less than a month before, when Episcopal officials approved the election of Barbara Harris as the first female bishop in the church. Bishop Harris, a former public relations director, was ordained as a priest in Philadelphia in 1980.

The rumblings couldn’t stop the pioneers. By February 1978, more than 90 women had been ordained in the Epsicopal Church.

Among them was Montrose native Margaret Merrell. After being ordained in 1977, she began serving at Christ Church in Susquehanna and St. Mark’s Church in New Milford in the fall of 1979. The Rev. Merrell first got involved in the Episcopal church through volunteer work and spent several years serving as a lay missionary at St. Michael’s Mission on the Wind River Indian Reservation in Ethete, Wyoming.

In a Scranton Times profile of her on Sept. 8, 1979, the Rev. Merrell said she didn’t “rush into the priesthood immediately after ordination of women was allowed” but felt guided to become a priest by God.

She was remarkably clear-eyed about the opposition to women becoming priests, too, saying “25 years from now everyone will accept what most accept now.” As it turns out, she was right.

ERIN L. NISSLEY is an assistant metro editor at The Times-Tribune and has lived in the area for seven years.

Contact the writer:

localhistory@timesshamrock.com

Francis Wilcox recalls when there were five dairy farms along the road where he lives in Tunkhannock Twp.

Almost four decades later, he said, there are only two dairy farms in the 31-square-mile township in Wyoming County.

“It’s a shame,” said Mr. Wilcox, who operates a farm supply store with his wife, Susan. “There’s nobody left in this area.”

In rural towns built to sustain an agricultural economy, the steady decline in dairy farming affects entire communities.

“We’ve got a challenge. Small businesses have been struggling,” said Donna LaBar, executive director of the Wayne County Chamber of Commerce in Honesdale. “It’s never going back to the way it was.”

Mr. Wilcox left dairy farming in 1995, and sees the impact of the industry’s decline on his business, located between Tunkhannock and Nicholson.

“I don’t know how many farmers I lost. Everybody is selling out,” he said. “We are the only place around that carries soap powder and (milk) hoses.”

He has made up some of the business among dairy farmers who transitioned to beef cattle and “hobby farmers,” who work full time off the farm, but raise livestock or grow fruits and vegetables.

“My farmers are the weekenders. They are the ones keeping me going,” Mr. Wilcox said. “If it wasn’t for these other people, I would be out of business.”

Dairy’s decline aggravates issues already affecting many rural towns, said James Dunn, Ph.D., an agricultural economist at Penn State University. Improved roads and suburban retail development contribute to their challenges, he said.

“You reach a certain point where you are not a destination,” Dr. Dunn said. “When you lose farms, you lose infrastructure. You can’t get your spare parts.”

Dairy farmers’ costs continue to climb, but their income fails to keep pace, said John Thorpe, a co-owner at Waymart Milling Co., a Wayne County business that sells livestock feed, farm and garden products.

“They can’t afford to go on this way,” Mr. Thorpe said. “It’s tough. The big farms are few and far between. Once a farm is gone, that’s it.”

The transition is obvious in communities like Honesdale, said Ed Pruss, an educator at the Penn State Cooperative Extension office in Wayne County.

“It has hurt a lot of merchants in town,” Mr. Pruss said. “They are all struggling. There’s a lot of bare spots.”

Farm equipment dealers deal with a decrease in sales of tractors, haybines, trailers and other dairy farm implements by selling smaller machinery, such as lawnmowers and yard tractors.

“You just switch gears,” said George Kinsman, vice president at George W. Kinsman Inc., a farm equipment dealership in Honesdale. “We’d love to have it the way it was.

“You can’t pout about it,” he said. “You’ve got to go with the flow and adjust.”

The emergence of natural gas drilling has eased the shift in some communities in Susquehanna and Wyoming counties. There is no gas drilling in Wayne County.

“I don’t know that we are feeling hit by this because our economy has gotten such a boost from the gas industry,” said Gina Severcool Getts, executive director of the Wyoming County Chamber of Commerce in Tunkhannock. “In a lot of cases, the natural gas boom has allowed these farmers to have other options.”

Growth in the stone and lumber trades, which service the gas industry, helps to offset some damage from dairy’s contraction, said Lou Hawley, a Montrose-area farmer who sold his milking herd in 2010.

“The gas industry has pumped a lot of money in here,” he said. “In my mind, the economy has built up.”

In Hop Bottom, about a dozen miles south of Montrose, Scott Brown tries to adapt to the dwindling number of dairy farms by broadening his customer base.

“There has definitely been a decline in business,” said Mr. Brown, co-owner of Ross Feeds Inc.

His company now sells more equipment, grass seed, lime and fertilizer for property restoration around gas-drilling sites and generates some business from expanding casual agriculture.

“There’s more and more hobby farmers,” Mr. Brown said.

Waymart Milling also relies more on part-time farmers, Mr. Thorpe said.

“We have a lot of walk-in customers,” he said “People are raising their own stuff, the backyard farmers.”

Mr. Thorpe said when he retires, the company’s business model probably needs to change.

“My sons are getting in, but they’ve got to diversify a little bit and get into other things,” he said.

Contact the writer:

jhaggerty@timesshamrock.com

SPACE HEATERS

DETAILS: Holmes oscillating ceramic heaters sold in black, purple, red, blue and white. They were sold from August 2013 to March 2014.

WHY: The ceramic heaters can overheat, posing a fire hazard to consumers.

INCIDENTS: 132 reports of units that unexpectedly stopped working and/or overheating, resulting in one report of smoke inhalation and 10 reports of property damage involving burned flooring.

HOW MANY: About 151,600.

FOR MORE: Call Sunbeam Products at 800-834-0056 or visit www.holmesproducts.com.

CROSSBOWS

DETAILS: Precision Shooting Equipment’s TAC Elite, TAC Ordnance and Enigma crossbows. The crossbows were all sold from June 2013 through November 2013.

WHY: The crossbow can fire a bolt without the trigger being pulled, posing an injury hazard to the user and to bystanders.

INCIDENTS: None reported.

HOW MANY: About 2,800.

FOR MORE: Call Precision Shooting Equipment at 800-477-7789 or visit www.pse-archery.com.

EMERGENCY LIGHTS

DETAILS: Quantum ELM and ELM2 two-light emergency fixture. ELM or ELM2 appears on the label inside the fixture’s plastic housing above the battery. Emergency lights with circuit boards that are beige on one side and ELM2 LED, ELM2 SD and ELM2 WRS fixtures are not included in the recall. They were sold from March 2010 through February 2014.

WHY: The circuit board can overheat and cause the fixture to melt, catch fire and ignite nearby items, posing fire and burn hazards to consumers.

INCIDENTS: 29 reports of circuit boards overheating and fixtures melting or catching fire, with one incident resulting in more than $100,000 of property damage to an office building. No injuries have been reported.

HOW MANY: About 1.7

million.

FOR MORE: Call Lithonia Lighting at 888-615-4501 or visit www.lithonia.com.

POOL SANITATION SYSTEMS

DETAILS: Trident Series 2 Ultraviolet Sanitation Systems for pools. They were sold at pool companies nationwide from February 2009 through September 2013.

WHY: Electrical arcing can cause the units to catch fire, posing a fire hazard.

INCIDENTS: 38 reports of the sanitation systems melting and or catching fire, one burn injury to a consumer’s hand and about $23,000 in property damage reported.

HOW MANY: About 3,660.

FOR MORE: Call Trident at 855-522-8200, visit www.uvrecall.org or email assistance@uvrecall.org.

— ASSOCIATED PRESS

A leading topical wound-care company recently saluted its founder on the 30th anniversary of the company’s formation.

Derma Sciences Inc., the Princeton, N.J., developer and manufacturer of medical devices and treatments for wounds, presented a lifetime achievement award to Mary G. Clark of Scott Twp.

The event occurred Feb. 20 at a company convention in Miami.

“It really was a great, great uplifting experience,” Mrs. Clark, 81, said of the recognition.

Derma Sciences started in 1984 in Old Forge when Mrs. Clark, a registered nurse and clinical nurse therapist, developed Dermasan, a patented topical ointment for wounds and skin irritations. Dermasan still ranks among the company’s signature products.

Mrs. Clark said she developed it in the 1970s when treating an elderly patient for bed sores.

“I mixed two products together and it healed,” she recalled.

From that simple start, Derma Sciences was established.

“When we started, it was me, my husband and two sons,” recalled Mrs. Clark, a former president of the company and chairwoman of the board. She became a special scientific consultant to the company for four years before she retired in 1998.

The company went public in 1994 and moved to New Jersey in the late 1990s.

“Thirty years ago Mary Clark founded DermaSciences on the simple premise of improving the care of people suffering from hard-to-heal wounds,” said Edward J. Quilty, chairman and chief executive of Derma Sciences.

“Throughout her career, Mary has proven to be a pioneer in the advancement of wound care, a brilliant and tenacious entrepreneur, and most important, a passionate individual deeply dedicated to making a difference for clinicians and patients.”

Today, Derma Sciences has 260 employees and reported 2013 sales of $79.7 million. Its stock is traded on the Nasdaq exchange.

Mrs. Clark holds several patents, including Dermagran, Derma Sciences’ antifungal compound sold in ointment and spray forms.

She has little formal involvement with the company these days, so the recent recognition was meaningful.

“I’m a stockholder,” Mrs. Clark said. “I’m not up front now. I’m sitting in the back, but that’s all right with me.”

Contact the writer: jhaggerty@timesshamrock.com

The local food movement will get a little closer this week.

Lackawaxen Farm Co., a Wayne County distribution partnership, will begin delivering locally sourced vegetables, meats and other products to a Scranton location where customers can pick up orders placed online in advance.

“We are trying to be that interface between farmers and consumers,” said Eusebius “Sky” Ballentine, a vegetable farmer and co-owner of the distribution endeavor. “People don’t know where to go.”

Starting June 7, they can go to the McNulty Greenhouse at Nay Aug Park to pick up orders. Later in the month, distribution will also take place at Duffy’s Coffee House on State Street in Clarks Summit.

About two dozen farms and artisans provide products through the venture. Consumers can purchase sustainably produced vegetables, meats, salmon, eggs, maple syrup, honey and other foods, along with home- and personal-care products.

Orders placed on Sundays and Mondays are picked up the following weekend.

“We are pushing for a more convenient way for people to connect to local food,” said Lawrence Braun, a Honesdale-area resident who is a partner in the distribution company.

Lackawaxen Farm Co. expands a model of direct farm-to-consumer commerce known as community-supported agriculture. Under the CSA method, consumers typically purchase a “share” of a farm’s production and receive a weekly food shipment through the growing season.

“If CSAs are going to survive, they need to adapt and address consumer needs,” said Marilyn Anthony, who manages Lundale Farm, a Chester County collaborative nonprofit sustainable agriculture project. “What Sky is tapping into is the next emerging trend for local food distribution.”

The seeds of Lackawaxen Farm Co. were started about three years ago by Mr. Ballentine, who employs sustainable vegetable-growing practices at Anthill Farm, about seven miles northwest of Honesdale in Dyberry Twp.

After phasing out sales at farmers markets in New York City, he began incorporating products from other regional agricultural operations to expand his CSA offerings and deliveries to wholesale and restaurant customers.

Mr. Braun, a professional photographer who interned as a farmhand at Anthill, joined the venture when it was formally established last fall.

He manages the company’s marketing and technical operations.

“It’s a virtual store,” Mr. Braun said. “The point of sale happens online and the distribution follows. It is a zero-waste system. All the products are made to order and delivered fresh.”

Customers can still buy full or partial CSA shares through Lackawaxen Farm Co. and order products individually online. Some limitations apply, such as a minimum potato order of five pounds.

The enterprise’s organizers aim to improve efficiency among producers, share collectively in the sales and revenue and reduce the time contributors spend on marketing and vending.

“We need to set up a system that makes it easier for farmers to do their job,” Mr. Braun said.

“You become like a collective inventory,” Mr. Ballentine said. “This is about (farmers) supporting one another.”

The Nay Aug Park site was a logical spot for distribution because the Greenhouse Project, a nonprofit that manages the conservatory for the city, advocates for sustainable practices and provides environmental education.

“It fits with our mission, which is to promote local, safe, healthy food,” said Jane Risse, director of the Greenhouse Project, which is affiliated with Shalom Community Development Corp. “This is a way to help small farmers sustain and grow.”

The new company has been distributing products since the fall at drop-off points in Honesdale and Milford.

“What Sky and his group are trying to do is bring the food to the people instead of making the people come to the food,” said Ms. Anthony, a former executive at the Pennsylvania Association for Sustainable Agriculture, a Centre County nonprofit that provides education and services to small farms. “This is a realistic assessment of a changing marketplace. It means they are thinking more like businesspeople.”

On the web:

http://www.theanthillfarm.com/csa-info/

Contact the writer: jhaggerty@timesshamrock.com