| |
| COLUMNISTS |
|
Please visit our kind sponsors |
|
||||||
|
COLUMNS: UNIONDALE: Early Sunday morning Mr. and Mrs.Wm. Jones and his little sister, Freeda, were driving a spirited colt on Main St. near the R.R. track, when two engines came down making considerable noise. In tightening up the reins the bit broke and the horse jumped and threw Mr. Jones out of the wagon, then ran across the corner of Mrs. G. L. Larrabee’s lot and up on H.J. Orce’s high terrace near their door steps, then off a retaining wall into Mr. Knapp’s garden and down an embankment into the road, all of five or six feet. People were looking on horrified, expecting to see wife and child gashed to pieces, but the great speed at which the horse was going kept the wagon right side up, and Mrs. Jones and Freeda clung to the seat and held to their places, when she managed to get hold of one line and turn the horse in Mr. Horton’s yard. The horse freed himself from the wagon by striking a pear tree; he then jumped a wire fence and was caught. One foot or an ankle was bleeding from contact with the wire. Wife and child were not hurt but badly frightened. The same horse ran away a day or two before. LENOX: The committees are doing everything in their power to make the Grange fair a success. Two state Grange officers will be present and give addresses in a.m., Worthy Master W.F. Hill and Rev. J. W. Johnson, chaplain. Both are able men and will have something to say worth hearing. In the p.m. there will be a game of ball, and in the evening an entertainment by Miss Julie Cruser, of Montrose, Elocutionist, with music by the Grant trio, of West Nicholson. Chicken pie dinner 25 cents. NEW MILFORD: On Sept. 20, 1906, at the home of his daughter, Mrs. Isaac Shimer, at Great Bend, occurred the death of Rufus Walworth, an old and respected citizen. He was formerly an extensive lumber dealer, running a large saw mill in the township of New Milford, but his health failing and becoming almost helpless, he was taken care of by his children till death claimed him. BROOKLYN: Mr. and Mrs. Ralph Sterling left, Sept. 15, for a visit among relatives in the West, making stops with Mr. Sterling’s sister, Miss Julia, and brother, C. M. Sterling, of Parker, South Dakota; sister, Mrs. S. Roger, of Lincoln, Neb, and brother, Herman Sterling, of Sterling, Ill; also Mrs. Sterling’s sister, Mrs. C. P. Hallock, of Cleveland, Ohio. They will be absent about six weeks. FAIR HILL: “A friend in need is a friend indeed,” so E.A. Sivers thought when the neighbors turned out and saved his horse barn when the other barn burning made it necessary to use plenty of water in a very short time. KINGSLEY: S.E. Tiffany has three coopers setting up apple barrels, turning out about 150 barrels per day. SUSQUEHANNA: The town is about to assume possession of one of the finest appointed and equipped postoffices in the state. The new postoffice building is located at the corner of Main and Drinker streets--which is the very center of the business portion of the town. It is an imposing brick structure with Indiana limestone trimmings. The postoffice proper, which occupies the entire first floor, is equipped with the very latest devices and fixtures known in postoffice furniture. The cases, which extend the entire length of the building, are of the finest polished quartered oak and contain about 1200 wall and combination lock boxes. The combination lock idea is entirely new and of great convenience to owners of boxes. The postmaster’s room is located in the front, enclosed with glass and quartered oak partitions, equipped with fireplace and mantle. The floors are of a handsome design of tileing. George W. Shaeff is the postmaster. The next we expect to hear from “George” is that he has secured free delivery for Susquehanna and Oakland. MONTROSE: The Tarbell House is introducing electric lights and steam heat from the Electric Light & Steam Heat Co. Steam heat will also be introduced by the Farmers’ Bank, Titsworth & Son, E. H. True, W.D.B. Ainey and G. P. & R. B. Little. AND: Harry Lumley, of Lestershire, well-known to the baseball fans of this place, having appeared in a Montrose uniform on the diamond here for a couple of seasons when an amateur, is now the champion hitter in the National league. Chicago and New York have both offered big money for him, but the Brooklyn management refuse to part with him. Lumley weighs about 200, but covers the space between the sacks with old time speed. HARFORD: Owing to yesterday’s heavy downpour, the Harford Fair, to be held on that date, was postponed until next Tuesday, Oct. 2. The entries already made will remain the same and entry books will be open until Monday night for all desiring to compete for premiums. THOMPSON: Dr. W.W. McNamara’s house he is rebuilding is Thompson’s first sky-scraper, and it is going skyward at a fair gait. FRIENDSVILLE: As a token of appreciation for his faithful service of a coachman, James H. Goff, of Binghamton, was left $10,000 by his former employer in New York [City]. Mr. Goff is about 40. He was born in Friendsville and quite a number of years ago went to New York. He went to work on the street cars, but his health failed and he became coachman for a wealthy man in that city. Afterwards he went to Binghamton and has since been coachman for Horace E. Conklin, of Riverside Drive. FOREST CITY: Friday night a lad with a taste for peaches attempted to steal a basket of the luscious fruit from Cooley’s store. The youngster was a daring operator. Mr. Cooley was in the rear of the room and his daughter behind a case toward the front at the time. The lad boldly walked into the store, helped himself to the nearest basket and started away with it. Mr. Cooley gave chase and the boy found it necessary to drop the peaches after going about 50 ft. and got away. NEWS BRIEF: The tallest building in the world is being built at Liberty street and Broadway, New York city, by the Singer company. It will be 612 ft. above the level of the street and will contain 41 stores. The floor space will equal 9 acres and accommodate a population of 6,000 people. AND: Congregational singing will be adopted in a number of the Catholic churches--in which female voices may be allowed. Be sure to visit our website, www.susqcohistsoc.org, for back issues of “100 Years Ago.”
Along the Way...With P. Jay
Spring of ‘07 Could Be A Dandy If last week’s meeting of the Susquehanna County Board of Commissioners can be considered a preview of next year’s Republican Primary Election campaign, don’t go away folks. It promises to be a dandy. Fred Baker III, who is acting more like a candidate every day, took on Roberta Kelly at the commissioners’ meeting and found out that she is no paper tiger. Political experts would probably call it a draw or perhaps give Baker a slight edge on their first real confrontation but round two should be nothing short of stunning. By the way, Baker has already told a number of people that he will be a candidate in 2007, so he is almost forced into running to maintain any semblance of credibility. Wonder if he will run with Jeff Loomis as a team – Mutt & Jeff – or will he go solo. And if he does go solo, since they both live in the Montrose area, will they be vying for a lot of the same votes? As expected, ballots on both sides of the political spectrum will probably be crowded. Besides the incumbents, Kelly & Loomis, undoubtedly Lee Smith will be throwing his hat in the ring, Tom Jurista will also be there. So will Baker. And there may be a surprise or two. On the minority side of the fence, Warren will probably face some competition. Sam Merrill, vice chair of the Railroad Authority, has been dropping hints that he may run. Barney Wilkins, who is the party’s state committeeman, is also testing the water to see if he can muster up enough support to float nominating petitions next February. And don’t rule out former commissioner, Cal Dean. Keep your eyes peeled here week by week and we'll try to keep you as up to date as possible on Who Wants To Be A County Commissioner.
Francis X-traordinary Last week the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania announced the reappointment of Attorney Francis X. O’Connor of Great Bend to the Pennsylvania Disciplinary Board. His second three-year term began on September 19. To the average layman, serving on the board doesn't sound like much but when one considers all the lawyers there are across the Commonwealth and the disciplinary board only has 16 members, it becomes something worth crowing about. O’Connor is also the first and to date the only attorney from this neck of the woods to serve on the disciplinary board. The board was created in 1972 to consider and investigate the conduct of any person subject to the Pennsylvania Rules of Disciplinary Enforcement. A tip of the soft hat and a hearty congratulations to Francis X. O’Connor.
And in Clifford Township Folks in this sprawling township are bragging about their local ambulance and who can blame them. The Fire Department ambulance was cited by the Pennsylvania Emergency Health Service Council for the Pennsylvania Ambulance Service of the Year Award. You got to hand it to those folks in Clifford Township. They pull together when needed, work together at every opportunity, and play together. And there are very few volunteer organizations who work hard for everything they got but Clifford most certainly is one of them. And it’s not only the fire company that works together, but just about every organization in the township from the board of supervisors to every volunteer group in the township. Take a look at what they have accomplished at the site of the former Clifford School since it was taken over by the township. But the accolades for the time being belong to the fire department and, more specifically, its ambulance group. Congratulations guys and girls!
Last But Far From Least I am not sure what is going on in Susquehanna County, but I went into Voter Registration last week and asked for a new voter registration list. They did have them on compact discs for something like four bucks; the last list I got was free. They got a new gal behind the counter since Linda Hollenbeck left and she said the compact discs with the countywide list of voters are no longer free. I asked how much and she said two cents a voter. I thought gasoline prices were kind of off the wall but this is ridiculous.
From the Desk of the D.A.
There was one slight problem – the broken hotel window. The defendant was informed that his father would be liable for the cost to replace the window, as the defendant’s father signed the bail paperwork as a surety. The defendant stated that he had money to pay for the window and instructed the bounty hunter to enter the hotel room and remove his wallet from a book bag. The bounty hunter opened the book bag and found the wallet – along with three pounds of marijuana and a loaded firearm. As a result, the defendant was turned over to Pennsylvania authorities and new charges were filed in Pennsylvania in connection with the drugs and the firearm. The defendant sought to suppress the contents of the book bag, contending that his constitutional rights had been violated by the bounty hunters who threw a brick through his window, ran him down, pepper sprayed him to submission, and then bullied him into turning over cash for the window that they broke. The Pennsylvania Superior Court carefully considered the defendant’s argument, and finally concluded that it was without merit because the Constitution only protects a person from the actions of the government or governmental employees. The bounty hunters were acting in a private capacity, not in conjunction with or at the direction of any law enforcement agency. The sole basis for their apprehension of the defendant was a civil contractual agreement that the defendant entered into with the bail bond agency. In fact, the police were not even contacted until the defendant had been apprehended and the drugs and firearm seized by the bounty hunters. There was no reasonable basis to conclude that the bounty hunters were acting as state actors for purposes of a constitutional analysis, and, as such, their conduct in obtaining the defendant and the evidence had no bearing on the suppression of the evidence. After losing that argument, the defendant also contended that the bounty hunters did not have the authority to apprehend him in Pennsylvania when he was wanted in a New Jersey court. The court noted that bounty hunters can pursue bail jumpers across state lines. The court noted that the bounty hunters properly turned the defendant over to the police after he was apprehended to allow for the proper legal proceedings for the extradition of the defendant to the state of New Jersey. If the bounty hunters had simply taken the defendant from Pennsylvania to New Jersey without following the proper procedures, the outcome may have been different, but the court did not address this issue. This case should be compared to the one addressed last week. In this case, the bounty hunters did their “hunting” and, upon apprehending the defendant, took him to the proper authorities for extradition. As to “Dog” the Bounty Hunter, he apparently ignored the Mexican authorities, laws and regulations and simply returned to the United States with the defendant, despite requests that he comply with Mexican law and cooperate with Mexican authorities. The difference is apparent and forms the basis for the different treatment of the bounty hunters in each case. One set of bounty hunters followed the rules, while the other set ignored the rules. When the law is ignored and violated, the hunter becomes the hunted. Please submit any questions, concerns, or comments to Susquehanna County District Attorney’s Office, P.O. Box 218, Montrose, Pennsylvania 18801. Unfortunately, Hutt was not a governmental entity, and did not have the legal ability to authorize the apprehension of Solo. Hutt wanted Solo for purely personal reasons – revenge. Boba Fett did not apprehend Solo because there was an arrest warrant outstanding. Fett was acting as a wholly personal agent in the apprehension of Solo and turned Solo over to a known and notorious crime organization run by Hutt. In common parlance, Fett kidnapped Solo and was paid for this criminal act by Hutt. If Fett and Hutt had been in Susquehanna County, they would have been arrested for Kidnapping, Unlawful Restraint, and False Imprisonment. Of course, Han Solo was abducted in a galaxy far, far away, and there were either no laws governing such activity or no one to enforce the those laws. Mexico is not a far away galaxy, but a sovereign nation neighboring the United States. Mexico apparently not only has laws governing kidnapping, but also has the means to enforce those laws. Dog the Bounty Hunter a/k/a Duane Chapman was arrested in Honolulu in connection with his activities in apprehending an absconding defendant in Mexico. The defendant had been charged with serious felony offenses, relating to the rape of three separate women, and fled the country in the middle of his trial. The defendant was ultimately convicted and sentenced to over 100 years in prison. Dog made it all possible by apprehending him in Mexico and bringing the rapist back to the United States to face justice. So, you might say, what is the problem? Dog has his own television show where viewers can watch him and his crew hunting and catching bail jumpers, i.e., persons who failed to appear for court and warrants are issued for their arrest. Dog runs a bail bond business. In other words, he takes money from people to help them post bail. If the bail is $50,000, and the defendant cannot afford to pay the money, his family can pay Dog a portion of that money and Dog will post the bond to the court guaranteeing the appearance of a defendant. Dog takes a percentage of the money posted by the family for his fee for acting as the surety for the bail. When a defendant fails to appear or absconds, Dog is on the hook for the entire amount of the bail unless the defendant is apprehended. Generally, under such circumstances, Dog has the legal authority to apprehend those individuals who have jumped their bail, i.e. failed to appear and/or absconded without further notice. Dog’s authority, however, is not unlimited. While the United States Supreme Court has suggested that a bounty hunter may pursue bail jumpers across state lines, no such authority exists when you enter other countries, such as Mexico, unless the country has specifically granted the bounty hunter such authority to act. Dog apparently learned where the defendant had absconded – and it was in Mexico. Dog and his posse went down to Mexico and successfully apprehended the defendant, but never turned him over to the Mexican authorities. The Mexican police demanded that the defendant be turned over to them, Dog refused and charges were filed for kidnapping and related charges. Dog posted bail, and apparently failed to appear on his hearing date. As in Dog’s show, the failure to appear before the Mexican court resulted in a warrant for his arrest, which was eventually served by United States Marshall Service, which means Dog is in jail and awaiting his transfer to Mexico. In the end, Dog went to Mexico and acted without legal authority in apprehending the absconding defendant. At a minimum, Dog should have handed the defendant over to the Mexican legal authorities, which apparently was not done. In this regard, Dog’s actions were akin to those of Boba Fett, as both acted without legal authority for the pure financial reward of a bounty. In either case, such action is not lawful. The only difference is the nature of the person apprehended and ultimate disposition: Dog brought a rapist to justice; Boba Fett attempted to condemn an action hero to death. While we despised Boba Fett, I suspect we will praise Dog. Please submit any questions, concerns, or comments to Susquehanna County District Attorney’s Office, P.O. Box 218, Montrose, Pennsylvania 18801.
The Healthy Geezer
Q. I may have to undergo bypass surgery and I heard that it can really mess up your mind. Is that true? If you have coronary bypass surgery, you could suffer from what some in the heath care professions call “pump head.” During traditional surgery, a patient is put on a heart-lung bypass pump to oxygenate and circulate blood. This machine may create clots that could harm the brain. In addition, a surgeon handling the aorta – the main heart artery – can free bits of accumulated plaque and they can block blood vessels in the brain. Some patients report a memory loss. Or, they say they are confused. Some feel that they just aren’t as mentally sharp as they had been. These side effects seem to be more common among people who are older, drink too much, or suffer from high blood pressure or lung disease. But there’s a lot of disagreement among experts over the entire subject of the mental effects of bypass surgery. One study indicated that only half of those undergoing bypass surgery developed memory or thinking problems within days after the operation, and that these problems continued for five years. However, other researchers found that mental deficiencies are common after bypass surgery, but that most people recuperate in 3 to 12 weeks. The pump-head phenomenon led to the development of “beating-heart bypass.” It’s done without using a heart-lung machine. About one in five bypass operations is now done with a beating heart. In a bypass, an incision is made down the center of the chest to expose the heart. The surgeon takes a section of healthy blood vessel, often from inside the chest wall or from the lower leg, and attaches the ends above and below the blocked artery so that blood flow is diverted around the narrowed portion of the diseased artery. This eases angina, the chest pain that comes when there is an insufficient supply of oxygenated blood. Because the heart beats constantly, it needs a steady flow of fuel. If a fuel shortage is serious, you have a heart attack and muscle begins to die. Heart attack is known officially as “myocardial infarction.” The surgery usually takes between three and six hours. On average, surgeons repair two to four coronary arteries. After surgery, patients spend a day or two in the intensive care unit. Recovery takes 6 to 12 weeks. About half a million Americans a year have coronary bypass surgery. For every 100 Americans who undergo it, 1 to 2 die within a month and 2 to 3 have a stroke. The long-term results of the surgery are excellent. Among the techniques in development is minimally invasive heart surgery, which uses smaller incisions. If you have a question, please write to fredcicetti@gmail.com.
ASK The Family Doctor Many women have uterine fibroid tumors. Is there a specific cause? The majority of the time nothing is done. When should something be done? What is the treatment? (Lori) The uterus (womb) is normally about the size and shape of a pear, and is located in the pelvis between the urinary bladder and the rectum. It is made up primarily of muscle, with only the innermost lining being recycled every month as menstruation. Although there is generally little activity in the muscle of the womb, there can sometimes be excessive growth of muscle in one particular area, resulting in a lump and swelling. The Latin word for swelling is “tumor” and because the muscle is fibrous tissue, localized growths of muscle in the uterus are called “uterine fibroid tumors”. It’s important to understand where the name comes from, because most people get quite anxious at the word “tumor” and don’t understand that most tumors are not cancer. (In fact, not all cancers are tumors, either, examples being leukemia and myeloma.) Most of the time, uterine fibroid tumors are benign, meaning they don’t spread to other areas and do not cause local destruction and injury. Less than one in a thousand uterine fibroids turns into a cancer of the uterus. Nobody knows what causes uterine muscle to start growing, but once they start to grow, a uterine fibroid tumor can grow slowly and gradually. They usually produce no symptoms and can get as large as a softball before they are noticed. Uterine fibroids are common, and almost one out of three women older than 35 will have fibroid tumors. Because the uterus is in between the urinary bladder and rectum, an enlarged uterine fibroid is often found after investigating urinary or rectal problems. Some women will report a sensation of fullness or pressure in their pelvis, and then a CT or ultrasound will be ordered and reveal the fibroid. Irregular menstruation can result from fibroids that are just below the uterine lining, and sometimes there is lower back pain, infertility or pain during intercourse. Most of the time, however, fibroids are discovered during a routine annual exam and may not be causing any problems or symptoms at all. There are many treatments available for uterine fibroids, and the best course of treatment depends on the size and location of the tumor, as well as the woman’s age, general health, desire for pregnancy, and severity of symptoms (if any). Many times, no treatment at all is needed, or simply a mild pain medication. Medications based on female hormones can be used to shrink uterine fibroids, but these are usually only used prior to surgery, because the medications have many side effects and cannot be continued indefinitely. Also, once the medications are stopped, the fibroids usually return. Surgery for uterine fibroids can be done through laparoscopy, which avoids large incisions, and removes only the lump of muscle. This is called a “myomectomy” and preserves the rest of the womb. Removal of the entire uterus is called a “hysterectomy” and this can be done through a traditional incision or through a combination of laparoscopy and vaginal approaches. Like all tumors, fibroids have a ravenous appetite for blood, and thus anything which interrupts blood flow to the fibroid will case it to shrink. “Uterine fibroid embolization” (UFE) is a fancy term for plugging the arteries that supply a fibroid. An embolus is a plug, which is usually created by injecting material through a catheter (small tube) that is threaded through the circulation until it is as close as possible to the fibroid. Since everything downstream of the embolus will die, it is important to localize the embolization carefully. Roughly 85% of women treated with UFE will experience relief of pain and discomfort caused by uterine fibroids, and there is only a small risk of infection, bleeding or other side effects. Finally, a newer technique uses both magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and focused ultrasound to destroy uterine fibroids. The tumor is localized with the MRI and then an intense, highly-focused ultrasound beam destroys the fibroid by heating it. The procedure can only be done in women who do not plan on getting pregnant again, because it weakens and damages the uterus. Still in the investigation stage, this procedure promises to be an alternative to surgery and hormone therapy. For further information on this topic, you can go to the National Uterine Fibroids Foundation at www.nuff.org (telephone number 800-874-7247). As always, if there is something you want to learn more about or have explained, write to me at “Ask the Family Doctor” c/o Susquehanna County Transcript, 212-216 Exchange Street, Susquehanna, PA 18847. You can also e-mail me at rhacker@BKHCS.org. To schedule an appointment, call my office in the Barnes-Kasson Health Center, 853-3135 or 879-5249.
Straight From Starrucca Today’s column is a trip back in time, to 1989 in fact when I was writing about happenings in Starrucca in September, 1989. “College students are off and running. The farthest trek was taken by Matt Stephens, son of Gladys and Bill Stephens, who entered Virginia Tech, located in Blacksburg, VA, to pursue a masters degree. “Tim Rhone, son of Alice and Kirk Rhone, entered Slippery Rock Univ. Dean and Dale Rhone, twin sons of Cheryl and Fred Rhone, find themselves at Shippensburg, along with their cousin Michael Keyes, Susquehanna. Kristen Williams, daughter of Gary and Gail Williams has matriculated at Bloomsburg University and Melanie Buck begins her junior year at Mesane School. Best of luck to you all. “In a lovely wedding Saturday, September 16 at the Starrucca Baptist Church, Janet Soden was married to William Roe. A reception for the bride and groom was held at the Moose in Susquehanna. They took a wedding trip through the Northeastern states. “Dennis Downton and Florence spent the weekend here at their cabin. “Thelma Carpenter, Minnie Brooker, Chester and Helen Barnes, Florence Taylor, Thelma Carpenter and Jeanette Brownell attended the 60th wedding anniversary of Donald and Genevieve Stearns hosted by their children at the Green Gables, New Milford, Sunday afternoon. “The first flock of Canadian geese was seen this week winging their way South. “Thelma Beeres spent last Wednesday night with me. She came up to attend a gathering in New Milford of fellow travelers who spent three weeks in Zimbabwe, Africa in August. We are looking forward to a presentation of Thelma’s most interesting trip to our combined United Methodist Women in the near future. Have just had a cup of tea with her that came from a plantation they visited in Mutare.” A few items of present news: Carl and Virginia Upright left Starrucca on Friday, drove to Bangor, PA and picked up Chrissy and David Upright, motored on down to Pennsville, NJ where they spent the weekend with relative, Ruth Upright. My granddaughter, Kelly, drove up from Moscow, PA, picked me up and sped over the miles to Jordanville on Thursday and we stayed ‘til Sunday at my daughter-in-law’s. Stopped at Frog Pond on way back and marveled at all the produce and we were especially attracted to the man racking up the cost of everything in his head, even large sums, faster than you could do it on a computer. Amazing! Pat Potter, wife of Gerald Potter, passed away last Monday a week ago. Funeral services were held in the Thompson Methodist Church, of which she was a member. Burial was in the Thompson Cemetery. Pat had been a patient for some time at the extended care facility of the Barnes-Kasson Hospital. She was a faithful church member and often sang in the choir. She will be sorely missed by family and friends. The Bag Ladies had planned a little birthday remembrance for Beth Evans at their meeting last Thursday, because she is moving from Thompson. For some reason, Beth didn’t show up, but we want to wish a safe journey and happiness in her new home. Cheerio!
News
|
Living
|
Sports
|
Schools
|
Churches
|
Ads
|
Events
Military | Columns | Ed/Op | Obits | Archive | Subscribe © |
|||||||
On August 10, 1998, defendant Aymen Elmobdy was charged in New Jersey with felony aggravated assault charges, and his bail was set at $50,000. The defendant posted a bail bond and was released from custody pending his trial. The defendant absconded and failed to appear for his proceeding. The bail bondsmen was given 45 days to produce the defendant, or the $50,000 would be forfeited. On October 11, 2000, the defendant was located in a hotel in Bucks County by a bounty hunter working for the New Jersey bail bond agency. After locating the defendant, three bounty hunters went to the defendant’s hotel room, knocked on his door and identified themselves. The defendant refused to come out of the hotel room and surrender himself. After consulting with the hotel manager, the bounty hunters threw a brick through a window to the room and entered. As this was occurring, predictably, the defendant ran from the room and was chased by the bounty hunters. Through a liberal use of pepper spray, the defendant was apprehended and subdued.