The following were sentenced by Pike County Judge Gregory Chelak:

• Tyler Lee Shaffer, 19, Huguenot, NY, 12 months of probation and $600 finer for two counts of receiving stolen property on Nov. 1, 2013, and Nov. 5, 2013 in Matamoras Borough.

• Christopher Zach Jacobs, 22, Dingmans Ferry, one to 23 ½ months in the Pike County Jail, $500 fine and six-month driver’s license suspension for delivery of a controlled or counterfeit substance on April 15 in Delaware Twp.

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

• Mark Abraham, 52, Honesdale, 16 months to five years in a state correctional institution and $2,500 fine for DUI on Oct. 26, 2013 in Texas Twp.

• Gary Richard Fielding, 53, Lake Ariel, 90 days to five years in the Wayne County Correctional Facility followed by 90 days on alcohol monitoring, $1,500 fine, drug and alcohol addiction treatment and the Alcohol Highway Safety program for DUI on March 19 in South Canaan Twp.

• Anthony T. Buonaiuto III, 38, Honesdale, 18 to 120 months in a state correctional institution for failing to comply with registration requirements on Oct. 18, 2013 in Honesdale.

• Angela Jennifer Lewan-dowski, 47, Lake Ariel, three to 23½ months in the Wayne County Correctional Facility, a drug and alcohol evaluation and pay for a DNA sample for delivery of a controlled substance on March 31 and April 3 in Salem Twp.

• Barbara Tunis, 55, Honesdale, 90 days to six months in the Wayne County Correctional Facility, $1,500 fine, drug and alcohol addiction treatment, the Alcohol Highway Safety program and 50 hours of community service for DUI on May 25 in Honesdale.

• Dale E. Laton, 49, Berwick, 18 months in the Intermediate Punishment Program, six months and three days on house arrest and alcohol monitoring, $2,000 fine, drug and alcohol addiction treatment and the Alcohol Highway Safety program for possession of a controlled substance, DUI, false identification to law enforcement authorities and driving on a suspended/revoked license on June 2 in Waymart.

• Peter Emmet, 20, Beach Lake, five days to 12 months in the Wayne County Correctional Facility, $500 fine, a drug and alcohol evaluation and 50 hours of community service for possession of a controlled substance on May 8 in Texas Twp.

• Nancy R. Heater, 36, Lake Ariel, 18 to 60 months in the state correctional institute, $500 fine and pay for a DNA sample for possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance on July 23 in Lake Twp.

Shoppers preparing for a Thanksgiving feast could find this year’s grocery bill gobbling up more of their household budget.

Higher prices for dairy, such as milk and butter, serve as the primary driver behind the rising grocery bills consumers will face as they stock their shopping carts with a turkey and the trimmings, experts said.

The average cost of 15 items included in a traditional Thanksgiving meal jumped 7.3 percent from 2013, an annual Sunday Times survey of three supermarket chain suggested. The price for the items, including a 20-pound bird, totaled $53.96, up from $50.29 in 2013.

It marks the fourth increase in the survey since 2009, when the total bill was $49.77.

“A bulk of the items have gone up in price, so it’s not unusual for the cost of this year’s Thanksgiving dinner to increase,” said Annemarie Kuhns, an economist for the U.S. Department of Agriculture. “Consumers, in general, can expect to pay about 3.3 percent more than last year based on the inflation for all grocery items.”

The Sunday Times survey, which started in 2007, includes the same products and calculates an average from prices provided by Gerrity’s, Wegmans and Price Chopper. Each chain offers products that may be lower in price than the averages.

“I would say dairy is absolutely what’s driving the higher cost this year more than anything,” said Jo Natale, a spokeswoman for Wegmans, which is based in Rochester, N.Y., and has stores in Dickson City and Wilkes-Barre Twp. “Miraculously, Thanksgiving dinner prices have remained pretty steady over the years.”

At-home food prices advanced 3.2 percent from September 2013 to September 2014, with double-digit percentage increases in the price of beef, veal and pork, according to the Consumer Price Index.

A growing demand for dairy products worldwide drove the cost of milk and butter up about 16 percent and 25 percent, respectively, over the last year, said Mona Golub, spokeswoman for Price Chopper, which is based in Schenectady, N.Y., and operates eight supermarkets in the region.

Meanwhile, the cost of both fresh and frozen turkey has jumped by about eight to 10 percent during the same time frame, she said.

“It’s a more significant increase (in turkey prices) than we’ve seen in a few years,” said Ms. Golub, who noted that grocers generally sell the turkeys at a deep discount from the purchase price.

Eight items in the survey increased in price, while five dropped and two stayed the same.

The cost of butter skyrocketed 39 percent from 2013, while milk and a 20-pound turkey saw about 10 percent increases. Major decreases included a 25 percent drop in chicken broth, a 21 percent decline in sweet potatoes and a 13 percent fall in pumpkin.

The annual survey includes several branded items, but omits sale prices, shopper-club specials and incentives.

“Dairy is the one thing supermarkets can’t control,” said Joe Fasula, co-owner of Gerrity’s Supermarket, which has nine grocery stores in Lackawanna and Luzerne counties. “We focus on keeping our prices very competitive with all the other stores, so people will still be able to have an affordable Thanksgiving.”

Contact the writer: miorfino@timesshamrock.com, @miorfinoTT on Twitter

Lackawanna County’s elected leaders at various levels of government are taking notice of the growing dialogue about Keystone Sanitary Landfill’s proposed expansion, although many public officials are so far declining to take concrete positions.

Keystone officials propose carving a 450-acre space out of the Dunmore and Throop landfill’s 714-acre property, including parts of four smaller landfills, creating a larger landfill by filling in the space between them and expanding skyward up to a peak of 175 feet higher than the currently permitted peak.

Landfill officials estimate Keystone has fewer than five years worth of space left at the current permitted daily average intake of 7,250 tons of waste per day — including substantial volumes of out-of-state waste. The expansion would add nearly a half century of life to the operation.

State lawmakers

“I would have serious concerns about an expansion of that scope,” said state Rep. Mike Carroll, D-118, Avoca. “An expansion of that scale deserves a complete and thorough environmental review.”

Although Mr. Carroll had not yet reviewed the details of the application, he wondered if the plan is feasible given the sheer size of the proposal.

State Rep. Marty Flynn, D-113, Scranton, on the other hand, said he is for the expansion based on what he knows now for several reasons, including that the Keystone area has already been a landfill for decades.

He described Keystone as “a state-of-the-art facility” that has a good track record with the state Department of Environmental Protection.

Dunmore and Throop rely on host municipality fees Keystone pays per ton to the boroughs, and the operation employs nearly 150 people, Mr. Flynn said.

On the other hand, the lawmaker thought Keystone should explore some alternatives to its current plan like creating a satellite site in a more isolated area and said feelings of area residents should be a factor.

“People should have a say in whether they go forward with it,” the lawmaker said.

Some other legislators were less decisive.

Outgoing state Rep. Kevin Haggerty, D-112, Dunmore, declined to give his opinion on the expansion.

State Rep. Frank Farina, D-115, Jessup, who will be Dunmore’s next representative, had little to say besides deferring to DEP’s review process after The Sunday Times contacted his office at least 10 times over two weeks seeking comment.

“As a state representative I have to support our laws and regulations as they were written by our prior legislators for all my constituents,” Mr. Farina said in an emailed statement. “These regulations were formulated after all facts and figures were gathered from experts and written into law.”

State Sen. John Blake, D-22, Archbald, has met with members of Friends of Lackawanna, a group of area residents who oppose the expansion and whose Facebook followers have swelled from about 835 to 1,250-plus over the last few weeks.

Although he has been following the issue, “it would not be appropriate to interject my office between a private company and a regulatory agency,” the state senator said. He added he planned to ensure DEP does its due diligence in reviewing the application.

Mr. Blake said The Times-Tribune’s report that the nephew of influential Keystone owners Louis and Dominick DeNaples was part of the team that conducted a required mining subsidence study for the application concerned him.

He planned to discuss the matter with DEP and said he may introduce legislation aiming to limit conflicts of interest in similar future scenarios.

State Rep. Sid Michaels Kavulich, D-114, Taylor, said he did not have an opinion on the proposal yet, although he has heard some environmental and aesthetic concerns from Dickson City officials. The lawmaker said he planned to monitor the proposal and wanted to ensure DEP follows all pertinent regulations.

“The environment and the safety of the people is paramount,” Mr. Kavulich said.

Federal lawmakers

Given Pennsylvania has laws on the books that meet Environmental Protection Agency standards for landfills, DEP handles the regulatory work and decisions, said Shane Seaver, deputy chief of staff for U.S. Rep. Matt Cartwright, D-17, Moosic.

So, in general, the federal government rarely gets involved.

“However, when it appears the state is not doing its job, the federal government can step in,” Mr. Seaver said in an email message. “EPA can initiate investigations, and Mr. Cartwright, as ranking member of the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform’s subcommittee on Economic Growth, Job Creation, and Regulatory Affairs, recently initiated an investigation into (DEP’s) oversight of toxic hydraulic fracturing waste disposal. In his position ... the congressman would not hesitate to use this tool if a seemingly valid claim arises that federal environmental law is not being adhered to by the Pennsylvania DEP.”

Through a spokesman, U.S. Rep. Tom Marino, R-10, Lycoming Twp., said he had not heard from constituents on the topic and agreed it is largely a state and local issue.

Similarly, Republican U.S. Sen. Pat Toomey is unlikely to weigh in on the landfill unless the proposal intersects with federal law, said spokeswoman Elizabeth Anderson.

Democratic U.S. Sen. Bob Casey nor his staff provided a position this week.

Local lawmakers

The Lackawanna County Board of Commissioners has solicitor Don Frederickson and Chief Financial Officer Thomas Durkin conducting an analysis of the landfill proposal to gain a better understanding of the harms and benefits of the plan.

Until their work is done, commissioners Jim Wansacz and Pat O’Malley are declining to weigh in.

Commissioner Corey O’Brien said because a relative works for Keystone, he had a conflict of interest and would not share his opinion.

In Dunmore, council members Timothy Burke, Michael McHale, Paul Nardozzi, Thomas Hallinan and Michael Dempsey have said they oppose the expansion proposal, although the group so far has only sent DEP a letter reserving their right to formally object to the plan.

The other two council members, Carol Scrimalli and Salvatore Verrastro, both said they had mixed feelings at a recent meeting.

On one hand, they said they did not like the idea of the expansion, but on the other hand, replacing around $1.5 million in yearly financial benefits the borough currently gets would be difficult.

The pair were concerned about raising taxes on low income residents who are struggling to get by.

Throop Council President Thomas Lukasewicz called the landfill a “catch 22 for the people of Throop.”

“When 80 to 85 percent of the (municipal) budget is created by the landfill, it’s very hard to go back to where we don’t have the landfill,” Mr. Lukasewicz said. “I’m as comfortable as one can be in my position ... I don’t love landfills, but I’m sort of stuck with it.”

The borough, which plays host to 60 percent of the landfill’s current footprint, has maintained a good working relationship with Keystone, and the landfill owners have been quick to fix problems like strong odors seeping into town, Mr. Lukasewicz said.

“They are fast to remedy what’s there because they don’t want problems the same that we don’t want problems,” Mr. Lukasewicz said.

For councilman David Repchick, his greatest concerns are health, safety and welfare, in that order, he said.

“If it can’t be done safely, I’ve got a big issue,” Mr. Repchick said. “I live there; I live in that town.”

Mr. Repchick said the landfill has a good track record with DEP but seemed put off that the agency has the final say.

Councilwoman Charlene Tomasovitch felt “DEP is not going to let something that’s harmful happen.”

The council members hesitated to say if they would like to renegotiate a new fee agreement with Keystone like Dunmore is trying to do.

It would not be smart business to pester the landfill for more money, which amounted to generate about $4 million for the borough this year, said Mr. Lukasewicz, although he said if the opportunity arose, he’d be on board to take more money.

“It’d be nice to see a little bit more, but I think we’re fine,” Mrs. Tomasovitch said. “I think if a couple of us went to him (with a need), he would help us out.”

The rest of Throop Borough Council did not return messages on the landfill expansion.

Scranton City Council also recently discussed the expansion.

“I certainly wish this was just a Dunmore issue or just a Throop issue,” Councilman Wayne Evans said. “It is not. It is so much bigger than that.”

He worried about the long-term health, environmental, real estate and economic impacts on the region of the proposal.

Councilman Bob McGoff said the trash has to go somewhere but worried the expansion could be analogous to the legacy of the coal industry.

“If history teaches us anything about sacrificing our environment for the almighty dollar, they don’t have to look farther than the Lackawanna Valley and what the coal industry did to this area,” Mr. McGoff said. “Yes, it produced a lot of money, but it also cost a great deal to the environment and to the health and safety of the residents of the Lackawanna Valley.”

DEP is expected to soon determine whether the expansion application is complete and will then begin a public comment period and a lengthier technical review.

Jon O’Connell, staff writer, contributed to this report.

Contact the writer: kwind@timesshamrock.com,

@kwindTT on Twitter

After announcing its plans to purchase the Delaware and Hudson Railway Co. line for $217 million, Norfolk Southern Corp. saw its shares decline about 0.6 percent last week to a Friday close of $115.36 per share.

Shares of Canadian Pacific Railway Limited, the company planning to sell 282.5 miles of line, remained relatively flat last week, decreasing by about one-tenth of a percentage point to a close of $204.53 per share.

The deal, which is subject to approval by the U.S. Surface Transportation Board.

The deal would allow Norfolk Southern to connect businesses in central Pennsylvania, New York and New England with domestic and international markets, chief executive officer Wick Moorman said in a press release.

Norfolk Southern, whose subsidiary operates about 20,000 route miles across 22 states and the District of Columbia, plans to offer jobs to about 150 Delaware and Hudson Railway Co. employees currently working in the area.

— MICHAEL IORFINO

STROLLERS

DETAILS: Eleven Graco and Century-branded strollers with model names Aspen, Breeze, Capri, Cirrus, Glider, Kite, LiteRider, Sierra, Solara, Sterling and TravelMate. They were sold between August 2000 and November 2014.

WHY: The folding hinge on the sides of the stroller can pinch a child’s finger, posing a laceration or amputation hazard.

INCIDENTS: 11 reports of finger injuries including six reports of fingertip amputation, four reports of partial-fingertip amputation and one finger laceration.

HOW MANY: About 4.7 million sold in U.S., about 202,000 in Canada, and about 10,300 in Mexico.

FOR MORE: Call Graco Children’s Products at 800-345-4109 or visit www.gracobaby.com.

CANDLES

DETAILS: DD branded candles sold at Hobby Lobby stores nationwide and online at HobbyLobby.com from June 2014 through October 2014.

WHY: The candles’ high flame can ignite the surface of the wax, posing a fire hazard.

INCIDENTS: 29 reports of the candle’s surface igniting and nine reports of property damage. One injury has been reported.

HOW MANY: About 256,000 (about 126,000 candles sold in tins were previously recalled in April 2014).

FOR MORE: Call CoScentrix at 888-298-2722 or visit www.coscentrix.com.

SKI POLES

DETAILS: Black Diamond Whippet and Whippet Carbon ski poles. They were sold from January 2014 to November 2014.

WHY: The stainless steel pick in the handgrip can break and fail to slow or stop users from sliding downhill on a snow or ice covered slope, posing a risk of injury.

INCIDENTS: None reported.

HOW MANY: About 3,000.

FOR MORE: Call Black Diamond Equipment at 800-775-5552 or visit www.blackdiamondequipment.com.

CHARGERS

DETAILS: Power Bank chargers, which are self-contained energy sources used to charge cellphones and other devices when an electrical outlet is not available. Power banks were given as promotional items at various meetings, trade shows and industry conventions from November 2013 to August 2014.

WHY: When the unit is being charged or being used to charge another device, it can overheat, causing a fire hazard.

INCIDENTS: Three reported incidents of the Power Bank overheating. One incident resulted in fire damage. No injuries have been reported.

HOW MANY: About 172,000.

FOR MORE: Call AP Specialties at 888-877-7221 or visit www.apspecialties.com.

RUGS

DETAILS: Large and small Altitude shag area rugs. They were sold at The Home Depot stores nationwide and online at HomeDepot.com from August 2013 through September 2014.

WHY: The large rugs fail to meet federal standards for flammability and could ignite, posing fire and burn hazards to consumers. The small rugs fail to meet federal labeling requirements. Small rugs are not required to meet the federal flammability standard; however, they are required to be permanently labeled with the following statement: “FLAMMABLE (FAILS U.S. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE STANDARD FF 2-70): SHOULD NOT BE USED NEAR SOURCES OF IGNITION.”

INCIDENTS: None reported.

HOW MANY: About 101,000 in the U.S. and Puerto Rico and about 2,800 in Canada.

FOR MORE: Call Mohawk at 877-737-8343 or visit www.mohawkflooring.com.

GUN BORE CLEANER

DETAILS: Hoppe’s Semi-Auto Gun Bore Cleaner. They were sold at Gander Mountain, Walmart and various retail distribution outlets from January 2010 through July 2014.

WHY: Bottles have a child-resistant cap that can become loose. Chemicals in this product can cause skin irritation, internal injury or death if ingested.

INCIDENTS: One report of a child opening a loose cap and spilling the product on himself. No injuries have been reported.

HOW MANY: About 110,000.

FOR MORE: Call Hoppe’s at 800-796-4760 or visit at www.hoppes.com.

LEATHERMAN

MULTITOOL

DETAILS: Leatherman Leap multi-purpose tool that was designed for users age nine and up. They were sold at Bass Pro Shop, Cabela’s and retailers nationwide, including knife and sporting goods online stores, from August 2014 through September 2014.

WHY: The lock mechanism on the optional knife blade can inadvertently release the blade, posing a laceration hazard.

INCIDENTS: None reported.

HOW MANY: About 8,000 in the U.S. and 400 in Canada.

FOR MORE: Call Leatherman at 888-212-2438 or visit www.leatherman.com.

LAWN MOWERS

DETAILS: The CRZ and XRZ model riding mowers sold exclusively at Bob-Cat dealerships nationwide from January 2013 to April 2014.

WHY: The steering control arm component can break under normal use, causing driver to lose control and crash.

INCIDENTS: Twenty-two incidents involving control arm failure, including failure during use and initial set up. There have been no reports of injuries.

HOW MANY: About 4,900.

FOR MORE: Call Bob-Cat at 866-469-1242 or visit www.bobcatturf.com.

— ASSOCIATED PRESS

As gourmet popcorn continues to grow in popularity, popcorn shops have been popping up in Luzerne County with unique flavors ranging from Parmesan and garlic to caramel apple.

Reba Kolbeck opened Pittston Popcorn Co. and Cups in the Pittston Commons more than two years ago, where she is renting space from Savo’s Pizza & Family Restaurant next door. The business, formerly called Popcorn Etc. and Cups, moved to Pittston from Tunkhannock.

Ms. Kolbeck, 30, a Pittston resident, said they make and sell 68 flavors of popcorn and more than 30 flavors of homemade fudge. They also sell ice cream, baked goods and candy.

“I started this because I always wanted an ice cream shop and now we sell more popcorn than we do ice cream,” she said.

The most popular popcorn flavors they sell are white cheddar jalapeno, strawberry creme pie, salt-n-vinegar and cotton candy, she said.

They make and sell everything in the store but they are upgrading their website so they can also sell their products online within two weeks.

They also sell their products at shows, festivals and other events and they do fund-raisers for local schools and organizations.

Time Magazine named gourmet popcorn the hottest snack food of 2013. Ms. Kolbeck said she is seeing a growing demand.

“The holidays are our busiest time of the year. December outsells all the other months, between gift baskets and tins for Christmas presents and parties,” she said.

Pittston Popcorn Co. and Cups carries popcorn tins in a variety of sizes and designs and people can fill them with the popcorn they choose, up to three flavors in each tin. The cost of tins is pricey, ranging from $15 to $100, but Ms. Kolbeck says they remain popular.

“All of our tins are refillable here so there is a discounted price when you bring the tin back to refill it,” she said. “My grandmother always used to buy popcorn tins when I was young and I think that nostalgia stays with people.”

Americans eat around 16 billion quarts of popcorn a year, according to The Popcorn Board, and Time Magazine reported handmade varieties are garnering an increasing chunk of what was nearly a $1 billion market.

Jackie Rinish, who owns Country Girl Kettle Corn in Plains Twp. with her husband Rick, has been seeing their business flourish.

They have been in business for 10 years, starting by selling kettle corn and other treats at fairs, festivals, parties and other events. Since the demand was so great, they opened a store in February. Four people work at the family business.

They make and sell almost 100 flavors of popcorn and the corn they use is grown in Pennsylvania.

“It is definitely trending,” Ms. Rinish said. “Holidays are extremely busy. Demand is up, especially for private events like weddings and birthday parties.”

Contact the writer: dallabaugh@citizensvoice.com

George P. Friant’s illustrious career ultimately killed him.

The lifelong resident of Scranton was just 56 when he died of arsenic poisoning, according to a Jan. 26, 1916, obituary in The Scranton Times. Arsenic was widely used as a preservative in taxidermy, and Mr. Friant was one of the best-known taxidermists in Pennsylvania.

For years, Mr. Friant’s shop was on Lackawanna Avenue in Downtown Scranton. He moved the shop a few blocks away on West Lackawanna Avenue a few years before his untimely death.

Although he isn’t a household name in Scranton, Mr. Friant’s work can still be seen locally at the Everhart Museum. For years, animals he preserved were on display at Penn State’s main campus and Wyoming Seminary.

A good friend of Dr. Isaiah Fawkes Everhart, Mr. Friant mounted specimens for the noted naturalist and philanthropist for 25 years. In June 1912, Mr. Friant was named the museum’s taxidermist, according to a Times article.

Mr. Friant also did taxidermy work for Penn State, and played a not-so-small role in bringing a preserved mountain lion to Penn State.

The Original Nittany Lion, as it is called now, was a curious story. The mountain lion was shot in 1856 by Samuel Brush in Susquehanna County, according to Jackie R. Esposito’s “The Nittany Lion: An Illustrated Tale.” Even then, mountain lions were a rare sight.

The animal was stuffed and preserved by Latham Avery Smith Jr., a New Milford doctor. It spent more than two decades in the Brush home before Mr. Friant and state ornithologist B.H. Warren “persuaded Mr. Brush to give the specimen” a better home, according to the Ms. Esposito’s historical account.

“Mr. Friant’s account documents the lion’s arrival at Penn State in 1893 (and) states the specimen was cleaned and remounted in anticipation of another trip,” according to “The Nittany Lion.” The 7-foot, 9-inch long lion, which stood about 30 inches high at the shoulder was on display at the World Columbian Exposition, also called the World’s Fair, in Chicago later that year.

The Scranton taxidermist also received quite a bit of attention in Chicago that year. According to his obituary, he received the gold medal for his exhibition of birds of Pennsylvania at the World’s Fair.

Mr. Friant’s renown continued to grow. He was hired by the Pennsylvania Commission to prepare an exhibit of Pennsylvania birds and animals at the Cotton States Exposition in Atlanta in 1895, according to a Tribune article in August 1895. He received a gold medal for that display, too.

Longterm exposure to arsenic can lead to headaches, confusion, cramping muscles, hair loss and convulsions.

While it is not known whether Mr. Friant experienced these symptoms, his obituary reported that he suffered a stroke in 1915 that left him partially paralyzed. He recovered enough to continue his business, but soon suffered another stroke that confined him to his home and the hospital. He died on Jan. 25, 1916 at Hahnemann hospital “as the result of arsenic poisoning and paralysis,” according to his obituary.

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

Contact the writer:

localhistory@timesshamrock.com

Opening doors

for the Comm

Waverly Community House trustees and supporters will open their doors today and welcome visitors for the Comm’s 2014 Holiday House Tour.

Marcy and Tom Currá, Sandy and Tom Durbin, Sue and Lou Houck and Barb and Dave Sanders will host visitors to their unique homes as part of the eagerly anticipated annual event.

Ranging from the old (circa 1895) to the new (circa 2014), the homes reflect their owners’ personal styles. Each is beautifully decorated for the holidays: Marcy and Tom’s by Tara Cesare; Sandy and Tom’s by John Mackey; Sue and Lou’s by Vintage Lily; and Barb and Dave’s by Central Park Flowers.

Today’s 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. home tour coincides with the final day of the Comm’s Artisans’ Marketplace which opened on Saturday. Tour tickets may be purchased at the Comm during the Artisans’ Marketplace. Proceeds from the House Tour and Artisans’ Marketplace benefit community programming at the Comm.

Kathleen Nelson is chairwoman of the house tour.

Memorial forum hosts ambassador

Ambassador of Ukraine to the United Nations Yuriy Sergeyev was guest lecturer at the 2014 Honorable T. Linus Hoban Memorial Forum presented jointly by the University of Scranton and the Lackawanna Bar Association.

Attorney Rob Farrell of the university and Frank J. McDonnell of the Bar Association cochaired the annual forum, which was established in Judge Hoban’s memory with a mission “to bring to the community speakers who have achieved distinction in the fields of law, government and public affairs”.

Also on hand from the university were: Donald R. Boomgaarden, Ph.D., Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs and Provost; Julie Schumacher Cohen, Director of Community and Government Relations; Gary Olsen, Vice President of Advancement; and the Rev. Kevin P. Quinn, S.J. , president.

Those from the bar association included: Malcolm L. MacGregor Esq., president; and Lee Ann Munley , executive director.

High notes

Olyphant’s Eureka Hose Company 4 will celebrate its 100th year of incorporation on Dec. 7. Scranton Fire Chief Patrick DeSarno will be keynote speaker for the dinner at the Regal Room. Mayor John Sedlak Jr. will offer remarks. Joseph Klapatch will present a company history. The Very Rev. Vladimir Fetcho , company chaplain and pastor at St. Nicholas Church, will offer the invocation. Mayor Sedlak, who is company treasurer, will make a presentation to Chief Matt Davis. Dave Krukovitz is chairman of the celebration.

Academy seeks nominations

The Pennsylvania Academy of Family Physicians needs the help of the public to choose its 2015 Family Physician of the Year. The academy seeks an extraordinary doctor who goes above and beyond to ensure the very best patient-centered care. The nominee must serve as a practicing member of the academy. To nominate a doctor, visit pafp.com/TopDoc, read the complete list of rules and fill out the form. The website also includes profiles of past winners. The deadline for nominations is Jan. 19.

Agency makes donation: John Yurconic Agency supported KidsPeace with a $6,000 gift through the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development’s Educational Improvement Tax Credit program. The donation marks the third year the agency supported KidsPeace through the program.

Program aids troops: After months of planning and weeks of collecting donations, members of the CAN DO Student Action Committee delivered thousands of items, donated by businesses and individuals throughout Greater Hazleton as part of the annual Operation: CAN DO drive. The food, books and personal care items delivered to American Legion Post 473 in Freeland will go to military serving abroad who have ties to Greater Hazleton.

Law firm gains acclaim: O’Donnell Law Offices earned national Tier recognition in the 2015 Edition of the U.S. News and World Report and Best Lawyers list of “Best Law Firms.” O’Donnell Law ranks in Tier 2 in the practice area of Personal Injury Litigation-Plaintiffs.

Bank helps animals: First National Community Bank held a “Bark at the Bank” day at its Dickson City location to raise awareness and funds for the Griffin Pond Animal Shelter. The event raised more than $500 through employee and customer donations and basket raffle sales.

Company installs lighting: Ephesus Lighting Inc. will install energy efficient, high-quality LED lighting at the Tobyhanna Army Depot. Tobyhanna joins a growing list of military installations having switched to the Ephesus LED solution, including Fort Drum and the Naval Academy. LED lighting provides brighter and more uniform light, while eliminating shadows and creating a more natural environment.

Foundation helps food bank: The Dunkin’ Donuts & Baskin-Robbins Community Foundation presented a $5,000 check to the Weinberg Northeast Regional Food Bank. As part of Dunkin’s Day of Giving, Dunkin’ Donuts of Northeastern Pennsylvania franchisees, network management and crew will sort and repackage food to prepare the food bank for the Thanksgiving holiday.

University honors bank: The University of Scranton awarded PNC as its 2014 Business Partner of the Year at a dinner held on campus. Each year the university recognizes companies that make outstanding contributions to its ability to offer students a transformative educational experience.

Center tallies results: The Northeastern Pennsylvania Industrial Resource Center board of directors released the results of operations for its 2013-2014 fiscal year, citing client impacts of more than $134 million in new and retained revenues, $12.6 million in bottom-line savings and the creation or retention of 926 regional manufacturing jobs. The results come from client interviews performed by an independent market research firm, commissioned by the U.S. Department of Commerce.

Retailer fights hunger: The Cellular Connection, the largest Verizon Premium Wireless Retailer in the U.S., will donate and volunteer through its “Stop the Hunger” campaign at Scranton’s local food bank this holiday season. The local store, 1341 S. Main Ave., Scranton will run the food drive campaign through Dec. 12. Families may bring in canned and boxed food to the store. Donated food will go to the community’s food bank. The store will also donate funds, and its employees will volunteer at local food banks until the end of December.

Company opens new location: CareGivers America, headquartered in Clarks Summit, had a grand opening of a new office located in Milford. The new location serves as the company’s 17th home care office. The company provides customers with skilled and non-skilled home health care services, including nursing, personal care, hygiene assistance, housekeeping and transportation.

Company benefits museum: The board of directors of Pagnotti Enterprises Inc. presented a check of $30,000 to Cara Sutherland, executive director of the Everhart Museum, representing the second of two capital commitments for the benefit of the museum. The museum used the latest contribution for its fossil gallery.

Stores get rewarded: Progressive Grocer, a retail food industry trade publication, named GIANT Food Stores, MARTIN’S Food Markets and all of the Ahold U.S.A. businesses as 2014 Retailer of the Year. The company earned the recognition for its exceptional philanthropic contributions and community outreach efforts.

Life Flight gets accreditation: Geisinger Life Flight earned accreditation from the Commission on Accreditation of Medical Transport Systems. Life Flight serves as a seven-helicopter fleet with five base locations that provides pre-hospital, on-scene advanced life support and inter-hospital rapid transportation to trauma, heart, stroke, children’s and critical care facilities throughout a 400-mile radius in the mid-Atlantic. To earn accreditation, a service must demonstrate compliance to strict standards involving quality of medical care, equipment maintenance, communication, training and safety, along with passing a comprehensive, on-site inspection.

Business earns award: Tom Hesser became the winner for large business of the Komen NEPA 2014 Race for the Cure Community Goes Pink.

Medical center gains recertification: Geisinger Wyoming Valley Medical Center earned recertification with the Joint Commission’s Gold Seal of Approval Disease-Specific Care for Hip Fracture, Total Hip Replacement and Total Knee Replacement by demonstrating compliance with the commission’s national standards for healthcare quality and safety in disease-specific care. The medical center serves as one of two hospitals in Pennsylvania with hip fracture certification, one of 27 with hip replacement certification and one of 27 with knee replacement certification.

Hospital gets safety award: First Hospital, an affiliate of Commonwealth Health, earned a safety award in the category of fall prevention, the only psychiatric facility in the state to earn the award, from the Hospital Association of Pennsylvania. The association recognizes hospitals for their exceptional performance and participation in the organization’s Pennsylvania Hospital Engagement Network at the annual Patient Safety & Quality Symposium.

Leadership Lackawanna gets donation: First National Bank donated $2,500 to Leadership Lackawanna through the Educational Improvement Tax Credit program in support of Tomorrow’s Leaders Today. Leadership Lackawanna received approval from the Department of Community and Economic Development as an Educational Improvement Organization. The department approved four specific areas of Tomorrow’s Leaders Today as “innovative educational programs,” including Crimes and Corrections Day, Health Care Day, History and Heritage Day and Science, Technology, Engineering and Math Day.

Bank ranks sixth: M&T Bank finished the 2014 federal fiscal year as America’s sixth-largest issuer of U.S. Small Business Administration 7(a) loans.

Bank gives funds: Fidelity Bank donated $15,000 to the Scranton Cultural Center at the Masonic Temple through the Educational Improvement Tax Credit Program. Donations to the cultural center through the program benefit youth programming for grades Pre-K to 12 throughout the year by subsidizing tickets for productions like the Franklin Institute Science Series and a number of other programs.

Bank makes donation: Community Bank N.A. donated $5,000 to the Yeshiva Beth Moshe NEPA through the Educational Improvement Tax Credit Program. The program provides need-based tuition assistance to students attending the Scranton Hebrew Day School, which serves children K through eighth grade.

Bank helps community: Wayne Bank donated $10,000 to Honesdale Communities That Care Inc., a program that focuses on providing an after-school supervised, safe, social and learning environment for children in Honesdale, through the Pennsylvania Educational Improvement Tax Credit Program.

Hospital gets top honors: Moses Taylor Hospital, an affiliate of Commonwealth Health, earned 2013 Top Performer on Key Quality Measures honors from the Joint Commission. The honor recognizes hospitals that excel at meeting the commission’s stringent measurements for exemplary patient care.

Company has clothing drive: Employees at Sordoni Construction Services Inc. ran a clothing drive at their Forty Fort office. Employees donated gently worn clothing items to Volunteers of America. All items collected went to Volunteers of America’s Thrift Store, located in Wilkes-Barre. The thrift stores provide free clothing and furniture to individuals and families experiencing hard times.

Hospital gets acclaim: Tyler Memorial Hospital, an affiliate of Commonwealth Health, earned 2013 Top Performer on Key Quality Measures honors from the Joint Commission. The honor recognizes hospitals that excel at meeting the commission’s stringent measurements for exemplary patient care. The hospital earned the designation for the second time.

Partnership increases donations: The first nationwide partnership and “Fuel Your Community” campaign between the American Red Cross and energy provider Suburban Propane in October helped collect thousands of lifesaving blood and platelet donations for patients at approximately 2,600 hospitals and transfusions centers served by the Red Cross. Hundreds of Suburban Propane employees gave blood and volunteered at 64 Red Cross blood drives across the country, including two within the Northeastern Pennsylvania Red Cross Blood Services Region during the October campaign, resulting in more than 1,500 blood donations at those drives and nearly 600 first-time donors. With each blood donation potentially helping up to three people, the donations could impact 4,500 lives.

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

Anthony Gutierrez

Wanted by: Scranton office, state Board of Probation and Parole.

Fugitive since: Nov. 13.

Wanted for: Robbery. Sentenced to two to four years of incarceration. Paroled on July 30.

Description: White man, 35 years old, 6 feet 3 inches tall, 230 pounds, black hair, blue eyes.

Contact: Agent Michael Trently, 570-506-7972.

Gilbert Guity

Wanted by: Scranton office, state Board of Probation and Parole.

Fugitive since: Nov. 6.

Wanted for: Possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance. Sentenced to five to 10 years of incarceration. Paroled on Jan. 28, 2010.

Description: Black man, 34 years old, 6 feet 1 inch tall, 240 pounds, black hair, brown eyes.

Contact: Agent Michael Trently, 570-506-7972.

Reginald Rollins

Wanted by: Scranton office, state Board of Probation and Parole.

Fugitive since: Sept. 30.

Wanted for: Endangering the welfare of children (caused the death of a child). Sentenced to one year, 10 months and 15 days to five years incarceration.

Description: Black man, 27 years old, 6 feet 2 inches tall, 150 pounds, black hair, brown eyes.

Contact: Agent Michael Trently, 570-506-7972.

Allen Horton

Wanted by: Scranton office, state Board of Probation and Parole.

Fugitive since: Dec. 24.

Wanted for: Robbery. Sentenced to three years and six months to 10 years of incarceration. Paroled July 15.

Description: White man, 42 years old, 6 feet tall, 210 pounds, brown hair, brown eyes.

Contact: Agent Michael Trently, 570-506-7972.

David Ugarte

Wanted by: Scranton office, state Board of Probation and Parole.

Fugitive since: March 18, 2013.

Wanted for: Possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance.

Description: Black man, 31 years old, 5 feet 7 inches tall, 180 pounds, black hair, brown eyes.

Contact: Agent Michael Trently, 570-506-7972.

Inspiration for Joe Kluck’s award-winning piece of art came as he stood next to a pear tree his son planted.

“I brought a couple of pears inside and put them on a coffee table, and the sun peeking through the window cast a shadow on them,” said Mr. Kluck, of Simpson. “I took about 50 pictures of it and then started sketching.”

Mr. Kluck’s “Pears Again,” a pastel sketch of three pears, was one of about 45 pieces of art displayed inside the AFA Gallery on Saturday.

The gallery’s 26th annual holiday art auction, which featured everything from wood carvings and collages to paintings and glass artwork, drew more than 150 people.

It serves as the gallery’s primary fundraiser, said Nikki Moser, president of the board of directors for AFA.

“Our budget is about $30,000, so our goal is to raise about half of that,” she said. “We asked artists who are members of the gallery to submit work. We get wonderful support in the community, and we want to nurture younger collectors and artists.”

Member Charles Welles did not contribute any artwork this year, but wanted to support the gallery. He carves marble, creating three-dimensional sculptures such as a white marble rose.

“I do 3-D art, but I love all kinds of art, and the stuff on display tonight is spectacular,” he said.

Contact the writer:

miorfino@timesshamrock.com, @miorfinoTT on Twitter

Carbondale

AfterJulie Matylewicz Martindied in a crash at 28 in 2001, her family decided something good had to come out of the tragedy.

The result was the Julie Matylewicz Martin Fund, established in 2004 to support children’s programming at the Carbondale Public Library.

The fund was established with a $75,000 gift from Julie’s parents, Father Stephen Matylewicz, his wife Maureen, and their son-in-law, Andrew Martin.

For Halloween, “kids got to dress in their costumes, come to downtown Carbondale and trick or treat in a safe environment centered on the library,” Ms. Zaccone said. “The $500 we spent on candy and bookmarks came from the Julie Matylewicz Martin Fund.”

When Santa arrives in Carbondale on Dec. 6, activities will be underwritten by the fund, she said. Family and friends continue to donate to the fund, which stands at $90,000, she said.

— STAFF REPORT

Covington Twp.

The board of supervisors has not yet settled on a final approach to enclosing Moffat Estate’s pavilion.

The initial plan was to make the structure an all-weather recreation facility, but the lowest bid was $67,446 more than the $200,000 in available grant money for the project.

As an alternative, supervisors have been considering enclosing the pavilion without installing heat. The bid for that was $179,700, said Supervisor Thomas Yerke.

Supervisor Marlene Beavershopes the board will settle on a course at its December meeting. She still hopes to persuade the other supervisors to get an enclosure with retractable walls.

— KYLE WIND

kwind@timesshamrock.com

Mayfield

A Jermyn Boy Scout eyeing the final rank of Eagle Scout is documenting and distributing recycling bins for the Mayfield community, a months-long task that he is just about to wrap up.

Mayfield got a state grant to purchase recycling bins, and 17-year-old Sean Pittack rounded up a few Scouts to distribute the bins, document which households received them and report back to the borough.

Sean plans to work until the end of November before turning everything back over to the borough and finalizing his project.

— JON O’CONNELL

joconnell@timesshamrock.com

Moosic

Dropping off used or unwanted clothes can help send the youth members of Moosic Alliance Church to camp during the summer.

Pastor Doug Jensen said St. Pauly Textile has started picking up the church’s excess clothing donations. For every 1,000 pounds of clothing collected, the church’s youth program receives $40.

“We do give clothing away to people who need clothing,” Pastor Jensen said. “People give us more than we can give away.”

Those wishing to donate can bring clothing to the Moosic Alliance Church at 608 Rocky Glen Road.

— SARAH SCINTO

sscinto@timesshamrock.com

Moscow

The borough is installing stop signs at both ends of Mary Street to improve traffic safety along the stretch.

Meanwhile, grant-funded renovations to the Borough Building are ongoing, and the borough’s annual tree-lighting ceremony is set for 6 p.m. Dec. 4 on Main Street, with activities to follow at the Borough Building.

— KYLE WIND

kwind@timesshamrock.com

Pittston

The First Baptist Church on Water Street will offer a free Thanksgiving dinner on Wednesday night. The dinner starts at 4 p.m. on Wednesday and runs until 8 at the church. Residents of the Greater Pittston area only can also schedule a delivery by calling 570-654-0283 on Tuesday between 1 and 4 p.m. Dinners will be delivered between noon and 2 p.m. on Wednesday.

— SARAH SCINTO

sscinto@timesshamrock.com

Scranton

Many visitors’ first impressions of the Scranton Cultural Center at the Masonic Temple are shaped by a pair of charming octogenarian volunteers.

Bernard and Leona Karmolinski of Scranton, both 86, have been volunteers at the center for 20 and 25 years, respectively.

They received the center’s Volunteer Award for 2014 during a gala reception fundraiser on Nov. 15.

In bestowing the award, center officials noted the genial couple radiate warmth, make visitors feel special and ignite their passions for the building and its mission, as well as for the community.

— JIM LOCKWOOD

jlockwood@timesshamrock.com

Abrahamsen, Conaboy &

Abrahamsen PC

Edwin A. Abrahamsen Jr., personal injury and workers’ compensation attorney, presented a Workers’ Compensation Law & Practice Seminar. During the morning session, Mr. Abrahamsen focused his discussion on the interplay of work injuries and third-party claims. In the afternoon, he discussed settlements and the related complications with returning to work following an injury. Mr. Abrahamsen focuses his practice on personal injury.

Commonwealth Health

Richard Hiscox, D.O., relocated his family practice office to the new Nanticoke Medical Center, 4 E. Main St. Dr. Hiscox serves as a member of the InterMountain Medical Group and on the medical staff at Wilkes-Barre General Hospital.

Michelle Lynn Catena, M.D., joined the InterMountain Medical Group, and will practice family medicine. Dr. Catena will see patients at the office of Henry Bobeck, M.D., 892 Main St., Sugar Notch. Dr. Catena graduated from John Carroll University, University Heights, Ohio, and Universidad Autonoma de Guadalajara, Mexico. She earned a Fifth Pathway Certificate from the New York Medical College, Valhalla, N.Y. Dr. Catena also completed a residency with the Kistler Family Medicine Residency, and received additional training in geriatric medicine at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. She serves on the medical staff at Wilkes-Barre General Hospital.

Three Tyler Memorial Hospital employees earned accolades as Employee and Managers of the Year at the annual employee recognition dinner at the Shadowbrook Inn.

Jim Williams, of the maintenance department, earned a selection as the employee of the year. His co-workers noted that Mr. Williams is always willing to lend a hand with a smile. Mr. Williams and a guest will travel to Nashville, Tenn., in March for an all-expense paid trip.

Ron Coolbaugh, facilities manager, earned a selection as non-clinical manager of the year. Mr. Coolbaugh earned the nomination for his commitment to creating a safe environment for patients, his leadership in meeting life-safety standards and management of several major renovations projects.

Mollie Pillsbury, director of emergency room and outpatient services, earned clinical manager of the year honors. Ms. Pillsbury earned the nomination for her teamwork, willingness to pitch in where needed and overall leadership.

Dime Bank

Pamela Kerber Gehman earned a promotion to the rank of assistant vice president. Mrs. Gehman works at the Damascus branch. As a branch manager, Mrs. Gehman supervises staff, originates loans, opens new deposit accounts and oversees her branch operations. She joined the bank as a part-time teller in June 1995. She has almost 20 years at the bank. She lives in Damascus with her husband, Frank Gehman, and her son, Kole Kerber.

Fellowship Hall

Michael Washo, M.D., a Scranton native, joined the nonprofit alcohol and drug treatment center in Greensboro, N.C., as medical director. Dr. Washo will manage the medical care for patients and provide supervision and direction to the medical staff. Dr. Washo will also assist the leadership team’s ongoing efforts to educate the community about alcoholism and addiction, build awareness about Fellowship Hall and expand the geographical area that Fellowship Hall serves. Dr. Washo has a bachelor’s degree from Duke University and completed medical school at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine.

Golden

Technologies

Ralph Emmett, Pittston, will serve as the company’s vice president of operations. Mr. Emmett has more than 30 years of experience as an executive in operations management and engineering. Mr. Emmett has a degree in chemical engineering from Penn State University, a Master of Business Administration from the University of Scranton and credits from the American Management Association in Boston and New York City. He resides in Pittston with his wife, Juliann, and their three children, RJ, James and Julia.

Northeastern Pennsylvania Industrial

Resource Center

The center’s board of directors added new members.

Ronald Daniels serves as chief financial officer of ASTRO Apparel, a Scranton-based manufacturer and distributor of sports, school and professional attire. Mr. Daniels brings more than 25 years of manufacturing management experience to the board, and is a Pennsylvania Certified Public Accountant. Mr. Daniels also joined the executive committee of the board of directors along with his appointment.

Lisa Hall-Zielinski serves as director of the University of Scranton Small Business Development Center. Ms. Hall-Zielinski will represent the needs and concerns of the start-up and smaller manufacturing community as a member of the center’s board. Ms. Hall-Zielinski also earned an appointment to the nominating committee of the board of directors.

Ronald Ridley, Ph.D., serves as a director and professor at the Allan P. Kirby Center for Free Enterprise & Entrepreneurship at Wilkes University. Dr. Ridley brings extensive engineering experience to the board, particularly in new technologies, such as additive manufacturing, nanotechnology and robotics. Dr. Ridley will act as a liaison between the center and Wilkes’ entrepreneurial activities and engineering programs. Dr. Ridley will also serve on the nominating committee of the board of directors.

Aaron Singer serves as president of Metalkraft Industries, a family-owned powdered metals company located in Wellsboro. Mr. Singer, along with fellow board members from Tioga, Bradford and Susquehanna counties, will continue to bring a Northern Tier manufacturer perspective to the center’s board.

Gene Walsh serves as executive vice president of Fidelity Deposit & Discount Bank, operating out of Dunmore. Mr. Walsh will represent the overall banking, lending and investing community as a member of the center’s board.

Keith Zinn serves as executive vice president and chief financial officer of Diamond Manufacturing, a metal perforating company located in Wyoming. As a member of the center’s board, Mr. Zinn will bring valuable experience to the organization, including that of how to maintain innovation and strategic focus within a 100-year-old company.

Pennsylvania Homecare

Association

Mia Bartoletti, M.B.A., president of CareGivers America based in Clarks Summit, earned an election to the association’s board of directors for a three-year term. Ms. Bartoletti oversees operations of service lines, including non-medical homecare, medical supply, medical staffing, hospice and home health, across 18 locations in Pennsylvania and New York. She also serves as a member of the Office of Long Term Living State Quality Council and the Serving Seniors Council. In addition to her role on the board, Ms. Bartoletti also serves on the association’s public policy committee, which reviews legislative and regulatory changes and develops the association’s advocacy agenda.

Pennsylvania Podiatric Medical Association

Joseph Gershey, D.P.M., who practices in Dickson City, will serve as the new president of the association. Dr. Gershey earned his DPM in 1989 from Temple University School of Podiatric Medicine. Dr. Gershey is a diplomate of the American Board of Foot & Ankle Surgery and a fellow of the American Society of Podiatric Surgeons. He is also a fellow of the American Professional Wound Care Association, and lives in South Abington Twp. with his wife, Susan, and his twin children, Lauren and Nicholas.

Perry Law Firm

Mark T. Perry, founding partner of the firm, along with firm attorneys, John Hill and Neil Wenner, presented a mock jury trial to the Lehigh Valley Medical Society in Allentown. Co-sponsored by NORCAL/PMSLIC, the program was entitled Strategies to Minimize Liability Risk. Mr. Perry, Hill and Wenner conducted the morning session of the symposium, and presented a detailed and realistic mock jury trial, beginning with opening statements. The presentation covered specific issues of interest for those in attendance, including Pennsylvania’s new “Apology Rule,” cross-examination on prior inconsistent statements and the problems created by the electronic medical record.

Rose Group

Bruce Delong transferred to general manager of the Wilkes-Barre Applebee’s, Mike Schutz relocated to executive general manager of the West Hazleton Applebee’s and Scott Crook earned a promotion to general manager of the Scranton Applebee’s. As general managers, Mr. Crook and Mr. Delong will each oversee four managers and 65 employees in their designated restaurants. As executive general manager, Mr. Schutz have responsibility for meeting financial demands of sales and managing the environment of the restaurant.

Mr. Crook has more than 10 years of restaurant management experience. He served as a kitchen manager, a general manager of Fresno’s Southwest Restaurant and Bar, an area director for Bennigan’s and a general manager of Logan’s Roadhouse.

Mr. Delong began his career with Applebee’s in 2001 at the Quakertown location. Before joining Applebee’s, Mr. Delong served as a food operations manager for Dorney Park for 10 years and a manager at Charlie Brown’s.

With Applebee’s for more than 16 years, Mr. Schutz began his career assisting the opening team at the Doylestown Applebee’s. He moved on to service manager in West Hazleton and then to opening general manager in Wilkes-Barre. Mr. Schutz then transferred to Scranton, where he earned a promotion to executive general manager.

Steve Pronko Diamonds Inc.

Nicholas Pronko earned the Certified Gemologist Appraiser title from the American Gem Society, an association of professional jewelers in the U.S. and Canada. To earn the title, Mr. Pronko needed accreditation as a certified gemologist of the society. He also completed a two-part exam, which included theory questions and practical assignments based on performing a number of accurate, thoroughly detailed complete appraisals on a variety of jewelry items.

Tobyhanna

Army Depot

Four employees earned recognition for their years of government service during a Length of Service ceremony.

Employees included Joseph Zalewski, Waymart, 40 years, tools and parts attendant, materiel management division, production management directorate; Andrew Wolosz, East Stroudsburg, 35 years, electronics mechanic leader, surveillance and reconnaissance division, intelligence surveillance and reconnaissance directorate; Gregory Hale, Albrightsville, 30 years, physical security specialist, risk management division, installation services directorate; and Melanie Kane-Carpenter, Archbald, 30 years, administrative officer, field logistics support division, command, control, communications, computer, intelligence surveillance and reconnaissance directorate.

In addition to service certificates and pins, employees with 40 years of service received a gold watch and an engraved crystal eagle statue. Employees with 35 years received an engraved mantle clock, and those with 30 years received a framed American flag that includes a photo of the depot signed by their coworkers.

Trion Industries

Don Hislop, director of safety and mechanical services at the company, earned certification as an occupational health and safety technologist from the Board of Certified Safety Professionals. To receive certification, Mr. Hislop passed an extensive application and testing process established by the board. Mr. Hislop joined the company in February 2010, and has more than 30 years of experience in various manufacturing industries in Northeast Pennsylvania.

Wayne Bank

The bank had a luncheon and awards presentation for employees celebrating milestones of service with the bank at the Honesdale Golf Club. Employees recognized included Sheila Caprario, Linda Lansing, Sandra Lawler, Alison Menotti, Linda Meskey, Mary Beth Miller, Diane Morro, Jennifer Schlegel, Briana Scholl, Damaris Schrader and Sue Struble, for five years of service; Melba Colon, Maria Maceri and Bonnie Kravitz, for 10 years of service; Lisa Conklin, Ron DePasquale, Kelly Lalley, Julie Kuen, Kristine Malti and Julie Swingle, for 15 years of service; and Dave Yamialkowski, for 25 years of service.

Wayne Memorial Hospital and Health System

The board of trustees of the hospital and health system has new leadership.

Lee Oakes, who served as chair since 2009 and on the board for 12 years, stepped down.

Dirk Mumford will replace Ms. Oakes as chairman. A Northern Wayne County resident and former Exxon executive, Mr. Mumford joined the board in 2007.

Hugh Rechner succeeded Mr. Mumford as first vice chairman.

Joann Hudak will serve as second vice chairwoman.

Susan Mancuso replaced Judi Mortensen as secretary.

Ted Edgar remains in the position of treasurer.

Ms. Oakes and Ms. Mortensen termed out of their respective time and positions on the board.

Wyoming Seminary

Kevin Rea, of Tarrytown, N.Y., assistant headmaster at Hackley School in Tarrytown, N.Y., will succeed Kip P. Nygren, Ph.D., 11th president of Wyoming Seminary, who will retire from his eight-year tenure as president in June 2015. Since July 2010, Mr. Rea served as assistant headmaster at Hackley, a kindergarten through 12th grade, coeducational day and boarding school with 845 students. He joined the school in 2004 as a member of the English faculty, and in 2008 became assistant to the headmaster for special projects. Mr. Rea has a Bachelor of Arts in English from Providence College, Rhode Island, and a Bachelor of Arts and Master of Arts in English language and literature from Oxford University. He also has a second Master of Arts in cultural and critical studies from Birkbeck College, University of London.

SUBMIT PEOPLE ON THE MOVE items to business@timesshamrock.com or The Times-Tribune, 149 Penn Ave., Scranton, PA 18503.

With Thanksgiving around the corner, many are preparing to gather with family and friends to give thanks. This year, take a moment to reflect on how those loved ones would be affected if you weren’t there to financially provide for them.

A common vehicle to consider for this need is life insurance. A flexible tool, life insurance can provide both death benefits, where proceeds go to your named beneficiaries upon death, and living benefits, where proceeds from the policy can be available to you while you are living. Some newer policies even provide access to the death benefit as a resource for funding medical and long-term care expenses.

Life insurance has become more affordable in recent years. Because people are living longer, life insurance companies are using new mortality tables to set the costs of insurance premiums. One considerable benefit of life insurance is that it provides a tax-free inheritance to the designated beneficiaries that bypasses probate. Other assets left to loved ones, such as an IRA or real estate, may be subject to significant income and potentially estate taxes, which can quickly deplete the monetary value of the asset.

When buying life insurance, make sure to conduct thorough research and compare policy types and companies. Here are some tips to help evaluate your life insurance needs:

■ Know when you should consider a life insurance policy.

The traditional need for life insurance is for younger, working families who have dependents that would need income replaced to maintain their current standard of living in the event of your death. For families with grown children, the loss of Social Security income and potentially pension income for the surviving spouse is a major factor to consider.

Lastly, you may have sufficient income for you and your spouse’s lifetime, but seek tax-efficient vehicles for leveraging your assets either for a medical emergency or to pass on to your family, charity or other legacy goals. Many companies offer desirable policy options for healthy individuals into their 70s.

■ Understand what you need in a life insurance policy.

Are you protecting your family in case of an early death? Have you taken on additional debt that requires you to provide coverage? Do you want to use life insurance to cover your final expenses?

Life insurance is now used for a variety of reasons, so it’s important that you pinpoint your specific needs to calculate the appropriate amount of coverage needed.

■ Learn the different types of coverage.

Term life insurance provides the most affordable coverage for a set term, generally ranging between 10 and 30 years. At the end of the term, coverage expires. Permanent insurance is more expensive, but a portion of the premium is saved in the form of “cash value” that can be accessed as needed. Whole life insurance is one type of permanent life insurance that offers “guaranteed” cash values and has fixed annual premiums. Universal life insurance is another type of permanent life insurance that offers flexible premium payments, and potential tax-advantaged growth, based on the performance of the financial markets.

■ Evaluate what you already have.

If you already have life insurance, make sure that it matches your current needs. If it’s been more than 10 years since you purchased your current policy, you may be able to find a new policy with more features that is less expensive. You may also review your policies with a fiduciary adviser to identify potential fine-print pitfalls, such as if coverage could lapse or premium rates could increase in your lifetime.

Planning ahead is the only way to prepare yourself and your family for the unexpected. Take time to enjoy your loved ones this holiday season, and to consider insuring their financial well being for years to come.

CHRISTOPHER SCALESE, financial adviser, author of the book, “Retirement is a Marathon, Not a Sprint,” is the president of Fortune Financial Group. For more information about Christopher Scalese and Fortune Financial Group, please visit www.fortune-financial.org.

Post 3474 sets breakfast benefit

VFW Post 3474 breakfast benefit for Tommy Voytek Jr., today, 9 a.m.-11 a.m., post home, 110 Chestnut St., Dunmore.

Monument group seeks veterans

Dickson City Veterans Monument Committee searching for names and history of borough residents who were killed in action through all wars, committee would like to update the list of names on the Dickson City Veterans Monument located at Boulevard Avenue and Main Street; American Legion Post 665, 901 Main St., 18519, 570-489-4303.

Hope for Veterans sets local visits

Hope for Veterans representative visits, last Tuesday of each month, 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m., United Neighborhood Centers, 410 Olive St.; 24-hour hotline, 855-483-8466 or SSVF@NJ211.org.

Vet Center sets hours of operation

Scranton Vet Center, 1002 Pittston Ave., hours of operation: Monday, Thursday and Friday, 8 a.m.-5 p.m., Tuesday and Wednesday, 8 a.m.-8:30 p.m.; 570-344-2676, www.vetcenter.va.gov.

Post 86 Auxiliary sets breakfast

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

Post 4909 sets Christmas dance

Dupont VFW Post 4909 Home Association Christmas dinner-dance, Dec. 13, buffet, 7:30-8:45 p.m., dancing, 9-1 a.m., bar, 7:30 p.m.-12:30 a.m., entertainment by Millennium; $28, by Dec. 12, Bob Lopata, post home or 570-654-9104.

Post 665 to offer scholarships

American Legion Post 665, 901 Main St., Dickson City, participating in a $1,000 scholarship program; 570-489-4303.

Post 5937 offering scholarships

Dickson City VFW Post 5937, $1,000 scholarship at the Mid Valley Secondary Center, for high school senior child or grandchild of veteran or sibling of post member planning to study business, computer technology, nursing or trades; deadline, May 1; contact school guidance counselor or Rich Capwell, 570-489-1222.

Meetings

AMERICAN LEGION POST 869

Hrichak McAndrew American Legion Post 869, Tuesday, 7:30 p.m., post home, agenda: nomination and election of board members.

NERMA

Northeast Retired Military Association, Wednesday, 7:30 p.m., Maira’s Cafe, 327 Chestnut St., Dunmore.

VFW POST 4909

Dupont VFW Post 4909, Dec. 1, 7:30 p.m., post home, home association meeting follows.

AMERICAN LEGION POST 610

Mayfield American Legion Post 610, Dec. 1, 7 p.m.

Merli Center

Today:Coffee, 9 a.m.; eucharistic ministry, all floors, 9:15; apple cider and cookies with music, 2 p.m.

Monday: Coffee, 9 a.m.; Bible study, 9:30; football toss, 10; Wendy’s dine-in, 12:15 p.m.; PEER meeting, 1:15; Tripp Park Veterans Home Association bingo, 2.

Tuesday: Coffee, 9 a.m.; bingo social, 10; volunteer ministry visits, 3 South, 1:15; choir practice, 1:45; Catholic service, 3; pitch and refreshments, 7.

Wednesday: Coffee, 9 a.m.; Walmart trip, 9; volunteer ministry visits, 2 North, 1:15 p.m.; bingo by DAV Malia Chapter 1, 2.

Thursday: Thanksgiving. Coffee, 9; arts and crafts, 10; Greg Palmer musical program with apple pie, pumpkin pie and ice cream, 2 p.m.

Friday: Coffee, 9 a.m.; music video, “Lawrence Welk,” 10; rosary, 10; Fabulous Fortunes musical program, 2 p.m.

Saturday: Lackawanna Bar Association breakfast, 9 a.m.; coffee and doughnuts, 10; arts and crafts, 2 p.m.; pinochle, 3.

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.

For 13 years, Tony Nicosia brought Broadway to the 1,800-seat Harry and Jeanette Weinberg Theatre.

He spent most days on the phone, convincing producers of high-profile musicals like “Mamma Mia” and “Jersey Boys” that Scranton is a perfect setting and the shows would draw large crowds.

On Saturday, the Dunmore native was the star of the show, as more than 150 people packed Shopland Hall at the Scranton Cultural Center at the Masonic Temple to celebrate his 13-year run as executive director of the Broadway Theatre League of Northeastern Pennsylvania. Mr. Nicosia retired in September.

“We had to convince them that (Scranton) is a great city and then hope they would take a chance on it,” he said. “Luckily, we got them in here and it was great.”

When he arrived in 2001, Mr. Nicosia focused on restoring the organization’s finances.

It costs between $150,000 to $400,000 to bring a show to Scranton, and — at the time — the organization was millions of dollars in debt. Donations, ticket sales, fundraising and advertisements in the playbills played a critical role in boosting the organization’s finances, he said.

Reflecting on his career, Mr. Nicosia said his proudest accomplishment was bringing “Jersey Boys” to Scranton.

“My vision was to get them out of the red and bring quality Broadway shows to Scranton to make the people happy,” he said.

Laurie Cadden, who is the acting executive director, organized the event to honor Mr. Nicosia and recognize all of his accomplishments.

She said one of her goals is to increase the number of people who purchase season tickets.

“I want people to realize what they have here,” she said. “It’s like New York, but without the drive.”

Contact the writer:

miorfino@timesshamrock.com, @miorfinoTT on Twitter

SOUTH ABINGTON TWP. — At the kitchen counter, the boy from Afghanistan reads a book and works on math homework.

If he’s going to be a doctor, he knows he needs to study.

Bilal Sharif’s life is nothing like what he knew for his first eight years.

In the last 13 months, doctors moved the 9-year-old’s bladder from outside his body to its proper place.

His repaired clubfeet are now bandaged and need braces.

Instead of making bricks back home, he attends first grade at Clarks Summit Elementary School — and dreams of becoming a doctor and returning to Afghanistan to help children, who like him, had little hope.

Bilal’s journey started almost two years ago when an Army Civil Affairs officer met Bilal and lined up a surgeon to do the bladder surgery for free, and found the Dempsey family of South Abington Twp. to host him during recovery. Bilal’s bladder exstrophy was a birth defect that occurs in about one in every 30,000 pregnancies. Born in a refugee camp, he never had access to proper medical care. As he made bricks, he had to guard his bladder.

Now, after more than a year in Northeast Pennsylvania, Bilal is speaking English fluently, preparing for a second bladder surgery and calling the strangers who welcomed him into their home family. In the foyer, a framed family photo includes the Dempseys’ seven children, two grandchildren and Bilal’s smiling face.

“Now he’s like any other kid, but he’s probably more appreciative,” said Laureen Dempsey, who cares for Bilal. He calls her “mom.”

Bilal started first grade last year and repeats the grade again this year. He loves math and reading. Going to school is his favorite part about living in the U.S. It is an opportunity he never had in Afghanistan.

“The whole school is my friend,” he said.

As he sat in the family room last week after school, he flipped through a stack of photos from a trip to New York City this summer. He snapped together Legos while he talked about his favorite foods. He loves eating hamburgers, chicken, fries, cantaloupe and watermelon and puts hot sauce on his pizza. He also likes pancakes and waffles, Mrs. Dempsey said.

“Don’t forget the syrup,” Bilal quickly added.

In the last year, he’s gone through three sizes of clothes, gained 20 pounds and grew about 6 inches.

Now that he speaks English easily, when he talks about his life in Afghanistan, Mrs. Dempsey learns his living conditions were even worse than she once suspected. When he’s watching television, she does not let Bilal have the remote control and she keeps CNN and other news program off the TV. Any news about Afghanistan scares him and makes him worry about his family.

“This may be the only slice of childhood he has,” she said.

Though Bilal led an active life after recovery from his first bladder surgery, he now must stay off his feet. He had surgery three months ago to repair his clubfeet, and the surgeon inserted long rods into one of his legs. Each day, Mrs. Dempsey gradually adjusted the mechanism on his leg, called a fixator, which then helped correct his foot. Geisinger Community Medical Center and Guido LaPorta, a local podiatric surgeon, donated their services.

He uses a wheelchair at school, but when he gets home, he scoots around on the floor. Mrs. Dempsey is now raising money to pay for the expense of the braces and bars he needs for his recovery. A second bladder surgery, which will hopefully help him gain continence, will likely happen in January.

In the coming weeks, Bilal looks forward to eating turkey, and Mrs. Dempsey will hang stockings on the bannister, including one for Bilal. He asked Santa for a Lego train for Christmas. Unsure of Bilal’s birthday or even his real age, the Dempseys will celebrate Bilal’s 10th birthday on New Year’s Day.

While he loves life with the Dempseys, he misses playing with his friends and siblings in Afghanistan. Using a prepaid cellphone, his father last called about three months ago. Bilal replied to his father’s questions in English.

“They can’t understand me,” he said. “I lost Pashto.”

Mrs. Dempsey is now trying to find a way for Bilal to practice his native language.

She is often faced with the question of what will happen to Bilal after the rest of his surgeries are complete. She would like to see him continue his education in the U.S., but the wishes of his parents and any decisions by the U.S. government are not yet known.

If Bilal must return to Afghanistan before he realizes his dream, he has a wish.

“I want to learn what I have to do in Afghanistan to go to school,” he said.

To donate to Bilal’s medical expenses, visit: www.giveforward.com/fundraiser/qdg6/walkforward

Contact the writer:

shofius@timesshamrock.com, @hofiushallTT on Twitter

As Black Friday draws to an end, shoppers will shift their focus from department store chains to locally-owned shops and restaurants.

Small Business Saturday, a nationwide movement launched by credit card giant American Express in 2010, encourages consumers to support small retailers amid the Thanksgiving week shopping frenzy.

American Express cardholders who register for the event will receive a $10 credit if they spend $10 or more in a single transaction at a participating small business on Nov. 29.

Regional participation in the event has intensified in recent years, and at least 40 downtown Scranton businesses plan to partake this year.

“We saw a huge increases in sales the first year we participated in this and it has only grown,” said Lauren Woodard, co-owner of Lavish Body+Home, a personal care products boutique and salon at 600 Linden Street. “It’s one of the busiest Saturdays of the year and it allows us to show off the personality of the store.”

The success experienced locally mirrors the growth of the event nationwide.

In 2013, locally-owned shops and restaurants across the country generated $5.7 billion in sales on Small Business Saturday, up 3.6 percent from the 2012 sales, said Suzanne Collins, state communications director for the National Federation of Independent Business.

The organization has worked with American Express for the last four years to promote the event.

“Shopping at a Main Street business is a way to help the whole community, create jobs and keep your town vibrant,” Ms. Collins said.

A number of downtown Wilkes-Barre businesses plan to participate in Small Business Saturday as well, said Larry Newman, executive director of Diamond City Partnership, a public-private alliance downtown revitalization.

He said it’s important for the independent retailers to take advantage of the available resources and leverage the publicity.

“Some business owners have really thrown themselves into it and have seen a great impact,” Mr. Newman said.

Tom Jones, co-owner of Around Town Bicycles in Wilkes-Barre, said he normally offers a special discount on a bike or two and some accessories.

Now in its fifth year, Small Business Saturday appears to be more organized, he said.

“From a consumer awareness perspective, it continues to improve,” he said. “We have definitely seen an impact here.”

Scranton Tomorrow, a nonprofit community development group, is helping to coordinate and promote Small Business Saturday in the city’s downtown. One of its projects is organizing an open house on Nov. 29 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at more than 40 downtown businesses.

The downtown business group worked on the Greater Scranton Chamber of Commerce to push out American Express Shop Local kits for interested businesses, said chamber spokeswoman Kate McDermott.

“Small Business Saturday gets bigger and better each year as more businesses participate and it presents an incredible opportunity to showcase what our area has to offer,” she said. “We hope shopping local is something people keep in mind all year round.”

Though it varies from business to business, a number of the participating stores will also offer hot chocolate or cookies, as well as specials or discounts, said Leslie Collins, executive director of Scranton Tomorrow.

“It’s a great opportunity for us to work with small business owners and help promote their business,” Ms. Collins said. “Ultimately, our mission is to establish downtown Scranton as the premier urban center of Northeast Pennsylvania.”

Contact the writer: miorfino@timesshamrock.com, @miorfinoTT on Twitter

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

Bandit is a 6 year old, neutered male tabby. He is friendly, energetic and full of personality.
Contact the Griffin Pond Animal Shelter at 586-3700 if your pet is lost or goes astray. Staff Photo by Ted Baird
 

Jurema is a 6 year old, spayed female, Jack Russell Terrier. She is friendly and energetic, but would do best as the only pet in the household.
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:

A Minooka native was recognized for his heroism by officials in Las Vegas after he intervened in an assault that saved an elderly crossing guard’s life and left him with a scar across his face.

Around 8 a.m. Oct. 13, Robert Gibbs, 55, rode his motorcycle onto the Maryland Parkway in Las Vegas and slowed down for the 15 mph school zone. He watched as a black Audi sped toward a crossing guard standing in the middle lane and then skidded to a stop.

The Audi’s driver, Adam Kondrat, 21, jumped out and began screaming obscenities at the crossing guard, 64-year-old Dano McKay, because the crossing guard told him to slow down, Mr. Gibbs told police.

“What’s your problem, old man?” Mr. Kondrat yelled. “How old are you, 80?”

“Yeah, about that,” Mr. McKay replied.

“Are you ready for your beating, old man?” Mr. Kondrat asked.

Mr. Kondrat struck him hard.

Mr. Gibbs got off of his motorcycle and ran toward the fight. Ignoring the assault was not in his nature.

Mr. Gibbs grew up in Minooka until he left for the Marine Corps in 1977. He served for 20 years, spending 11 of those years in the Pacific. He began work as a police officer in 1997, first for the state highway patrol, then for the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police and now as a special agent with the Union Pacific Railroad.

By the time Mr. Gibbs reached the pair, Mr. McKay had fallen and Mr. Kondrat was on top of him.

“The guy was pummeling the crossing guard,” Mr. Gibbs said.

Mr. Kondrat’s girlfriend, 22-year-old Sabrina Torres, got out of the Audi and handed her boyfriend Mr. McKay’s handheld stop sign, according to police.

Mr. Kondrat tried to continue his assault with the sign, but Mr. Gibbs managed to get Mr. Kondrat on the ground. Mr. Gibbs identified himself as a law enforcement officer, but Ms. Torres moved to separate the two.

The moment’s distraction proved painful. Mr. Kondrat took the opportunity to put two fingers in Mr. Gibbs’ mouth and pull.

“He tried to fishhook me,” Mr. Gibbs said.

Bleeding profusely, Mr. Gibbs managed to get Mr. Kondrat back under control. Officers responded and took over but had to fight with Mr. Kondrat themselves.

Mr. Kondrat and Ms. Torres were charged with numerous felonies and were arrested, police said. The car ride to book the pair was laden with profanity. Mr. Kondrat also told officers he was from Detroit and knew people he could pay to have them killed. Police updated the charges accordingly.

Mr. Gibbs was rushed to an emergency room to repair the damage to his face. He’ll likely have the scar for the rest of his life, police said, citing doctors.

Mr. McKay was also taken to a hospital and now suffers from chronic headaches, Mr. Gibbs said.

Las Vegas and Clark County presented Mr. Gibbs with a Distinguished Medal of Honor. An official proclamation named Nov. 18 as “Robert Gibbs” day in Las Vegas.

His family, many of whom still live in Lackawanna County, swelled with pride and told Mr. Gibbs they expected nothing less of him, he said.

Contact the writer:

jkohut@timesshamrock.com, @jkohutTT on Twitter