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Issue Home July 9, 2008 Site Home

COLUMNS:
100 Years Ago
From the Desk of the D.A.
The Healthy Geezer
Straight From Starrucca
Veterans’ Corner
What’s Bugging You?
Food For Thought
Earth Talk



100 Years Ago

HEART LAKE: The Fourth passed off quietly in Montrose. A large number made it a day to visit relatives in the city, town or country but the mecca was Heart Lake. Some 600 tickets were sold from Montrose alone and there was a big crowd at this popular resort. Boating, bathing and dancing, with the merry-go-round and naphtha launch as side attractions, furnished entertainment for the pleasure seekers. The dancing pavilion was especially well patronized, music being furnished by the Mahon orchestra; barn dances, waltzes, two-steps, square dances, etc., being promiscuously mixed, so all were happy. F. T. Mack, the proprietor of the Heart Lake store, did a rushing business and the boarding houses were taxed to their fullest capacity, serving meals. Many went to the lake on all trains from this place, staying the length of time they cared, the last train from the lake at 11 o’clock, bringing in the tired “patriots.”

RUSH: The “Bloods” of Rush got “Socked.” It was a Fourth of July game that brought it all about, when the “Blood-in-their-Eyes” rubbed up against the “Socks” of Birchardville. Both sides possess a good battery, and boasted of a glorious victory. Time told the story, and the Birchardville nine won, the score being 10-20.

MONTROSE: In one of the prettiest exhibitions seen at Athletic Park this summer, Montrose defeated the strong Phoebe Snow team of Scranton on the Fourth by a score of 3 to 1. The pitching of Ross Whipple was the main stumbling block to the Scranton team. The whole team played good consistent ball and the catch of Frank Gardner’s off the left field fence in the 5th inning, deserves special mention.

DUNDAFF/UNIONDALE: This place was well represented at Uniondale Driving Park, last Saturday; attendance was recorded at about 800 people. The talk of a County Fair at Uniondale is a good idea.

GELATT: We had a beautiful display of fireworks on the night of the fourth in front of both stores. Judge Little and wife called at W. A. Wheelers the fourth, on their way from Gibson to their uncle’s, W. W. Pope.

FOREST CITY: The Hillside company has recently completed two large reservoir water tanks for the Clifford fire house. They are on a concrete base that will last a life time. AND: The street car bridge at the borough line is not safe and the company is transferring passengers at that point. One car is kept north of the bridge.

JACKSON: The Temperance Meeting passed off nicely. Rev. Skillett gave us a straight toward strong prohibition speech, just what we need.

GREAT BEND: Notice is given that an application will be made to the Governor, July 27, by W. B. Parke, Alfred Harvey and B. de Schweintz for a charter of an intended corporation to be called the “Black Horn Leather Co.” The charter and object whereof is the tanning of hides, the manufacture and sale of leather and chamois & c., being the successor of the Penn’a Tanning Co., which was sold at Receiver’s sale at Great Bend.

SUSQUEHANNA: Alonzo Boyden, residing in Oakland township, 2 ½ miles west of this borough, and father of our townsman, Watson Boyden, is probably the most remarkable man in the county. He is 98 years of age, is in perfect health and able to do work about the farm where he resides, and still finds keen enjoyment in life. He is an interesting person to meet and young and old delight to converse with him. It is rarely one meets a person of his advanced years with such perfect health with all his faculties unimpaired. His mind, especially, is as bright and clear as in middle life.

LENOX: Walter Hoppe left home last week and when he returned he brought his bride to the home he has been preparing with so much care. May their days be long and happy.

BROOKDALE: Jerry Wilbur killed a rattle-snake near Frank LaSure’s last Friday that measured four feet in length.

FRANKLIN FORKS: B. H. Webster and J. C. Webster are putting some improvements on the Old Webster Homestead, which was once the home of Elder John Webster, who was well known in this part years ago.

LYNN, Springville Twp.: A. S. Button and brother, Ed, are building a new road on Kasson Hill, which will improve the grade very much from the creek up.

SHANNON HILL, Auburn Twp.: The “ever glorious Fourth” was very rainy the fore part of the day. In the afternoon some from this place went to Jersey Hill, some to Silvara, and others to the picnic at the Catholic church.

HALLSTEAD: James Moore, about 40 years and carrying a Seamen’s Union card from the Cleveland, Ohio union, was riding on fast freight No. 56 last Friday night, when he fell from the top of the cars near Pine street crossing and was ground to death beneath the wheels. The remains were removed to Tuttle’s undertaking rooms and prepared for burial. A telegram from the Seamen’s Union, at Cleveland, stated that Moore was not known to have any relatives and that he was not in good standing in the union. He was buried by the borough Sunday in the Potter’s field at Rose Hill cemetery.

NEW MILFORD: Alvie Tourje, on R. F. D. Route #4, has purchased a motor-cycle.

AMHURST COLLEGE: Amhurst College received, last week, portraits which will hereafter hang upon the walls of Johnstown Chapel, of two of its most distinguished graduates, Henry Ward Beecher, of the class of 1834 and Galusha A. Grow, of the class of 1844. Mr. William S. Tyler, in presenting the Grow portrait, said in part: “Some years ago an effort was made to obtain a portrait of Galusha Grow but reduced circumstances had prevented him from complying with the request. On learning this, my father, Col. Mason W. Tyler, expressed his intention of presenting to the college a copy of the portrait of Mr. Grow, which hangs in the Capitol at Washington. Grow was born in Connecticut in 1823 and came with his mother to Susquehanna co., where my grandfather, Prof. Wm. S. Tyler, lived until he entered college in the class of 1830. Mr. Grow followed him to Amherst and graduated here, 14 years his junior, in the class of 1844.”

NEWS BRIEFS: Remember the views of Dr. Wiley on how to keep cool in hot weather. His prescription is: “Wear loose, light white clothing. Eat little or no meat. Drink no alcoholic beverages. Do not sleep on hair, woolen, cotton or other heat-producing mattresses. Corn husks are cooler. AND: A raid is being made on the cheap dance hall in Scranton.

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From the Desk of the D.A.
By District Attorney Jason J. Legg

On March 2, 1998, Patrick Kennedy raped his 8-year old stepdaughter. As a result of the sexual assault, the little girl suffered horrific injuries. Without getting into medical terms, her entire vaginal area was torn apart and she had to undergo emergency surgery. The defendant was charged and convicted of the rape, and, the jury, following Louisiana law, sentenced the defendant to death. As I wrote in a previous column, the Louisiana Supreme Court affirmed the death sentence, concluding that the rape of a child was a specifically heinous act that warranted the death penalty. In the Louisiana Supreme Court decision, there was only one dissenting justice, i.e., it was a nearly unanimous decision that this type of horrific act was sufficiently severe to support the imposition of a death sentence.

While it may have been a Louisiana law, the Louisiana Supreme Court did not have the final say, and, a few weeks ago, a sharply divided United States Supreme Court spared Kennedy’s life by concluding that statutes that allowed execution for the rape of a child under 12 were not constitutional as they constituted cruel and unusual punishment. The United States Supreme Court decision was a close one in terms of votes – a 5-4 decision – but, regardless of the closeness of the vote – the decision stands and Patrick Kennedy will escape the justice that a jury of his peers determined he deserved.

In writing for the majority, Justice Kennedy conceded that there was no way to “capture in full the hurt and horror inflicted on [the] victim” by this brutal rape. Moreover, Justice Kennedy admitted that society, as represented by the jury, demonstrated its “revulsion” by sentencing the rapist to death. Despite these recognitions, Justice Kennedy, relying upon language not contained within the Constitution itself, stated, “Evolving standards of decency must embrace and express respect for the dignity of the person, and the punishment of criminals must conform to that rule.” In other words, the 8th Amendment itself cannot be interpreted according to what the founders intended; rather, it has changed with the “evolving standards of decency.” The court left unanswered what type of “evolving standard of decency” provides for a grown man to rape an 8-year old girl.

In terms of the “evolving standard of decency,” Justice Kennedy indicated that he looked not to the Constitution, but to the “objective indicia of society’s standards, as expressed in legislative enactments and state practice with respect to executions.” Because only a few states had enacted death penalty statutes for an adult who rapes a child, Justice Kennedy concluded that it could not be constitutional, as the national “consensus” did not support such a penalty. In all, there were only six states that provided the death penalty for rape of a child, and only five other states had similar legislation pending.

In the dissent, Justice Alito, joined by Roberts, Scalia and Thomas, rejected the majority’s reliance upon the alleged “consensus” that such punishment was cruel and unusual. Alito simply noted that more state legislatures would likely enact such legislation if it were not for the belief that the Supreme Court would declare the legislation unconstitutional. It is not a consensus that has limited the number of states that authorize the use of the death penalty on an adult who rapes a child; rather, it is the shadow of the Supreme Court striking down the legislation. Thus, the consensus that the majority relied on reflects nothing more than the fear that the Supreme Court has instilled in state legislatures across the country. Alito notes that reliance upon such a judicially-created consensus is hardly persuasive authority.

Justice Alito concluded his analysis as follows: “The harm that is caused to the victims and to society by the worst child rapists is grave. It is the judgment of the Louisiana lawmakers and those in an increasing number of other States that these harms justify the death penalty. The Court provides no cogent explanation why this legislative judgment should be overridden. Conclusory references to ‘decency,’ ‘moderation,’ ‘restraint,’ ‘full progress,’ and ‘moral judgment’ are not enough.”

Please submit any questions, concerns, or comments to Susquehanna County District Attorney’s Office, P.O. Box 218, Montrose, Pennsylvania 18801 or at our website www.SusquehannaCounty-DA.org or discuss this and all articles at http://dadesk.blogspot.com/.

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The Healthy Geezer
By Fred Cicetti

Q. My wife and I are taking our first trip abroad. Do you have any advice about how to stay healthy during this vacation?

First, see your doctor and your dentist to make sure you are starting the voyage in good condition. You may need vaccinations. The vaccines you got when you were a child also may need to be updated.

Some vaccines don’t reach their peak levels of protection until about six weeks after you get shots, so plan your doctor visit accordingly.

Vaccines you may need include: hepatitis, flu, Japanese encephalitis, measles-mumps-rubella, meningococcal meningitis, pneumococcal, polio, rabies, tetanus and diphtheria toxoids, typhoid fever, chickenpox, and yellow fever.

Now, here are some more tips:

Guard against infection by washing your hands often, especially after you’ve been on a plane, train or bus. Alcohol-based hand sanitizing gels are better than soap-and-water in killing bacteria and viruses that cause disease. The gels don’t need water to work; the alcohol in them kills the germs on your hands. Not all hand sanitizers are the same. You should use only sanitizers that contain at least 60 percent alcohol.

Pack all your medicines in their original containers in your carry-on bag.

Bring prescriptions for your regular medicines and eyewear.

Pack a first-aid kit with medicines for diarrhea, indigestion, body aches and pains, colds, allergies, wounds, sun exposure and motion sickness. Include adhesive bandages, scissors, tweezers, nail clippers, pocket knife, thermometer, mirror and alcohol-based hand gels.

Check your health insurance coverage for every country you plan to visit.

If you are in a country where traveler’s diarrhea is common, avoid street vendors, uncooked food, unpasteurized dairy products, tap water and ice.

Use bed netting and insect repellents in countries that present a risk of disease carried by mosquitoes.

To battle jet lag, drink a lot of water on your flight. Dehydration contributes to the discomforts of jet lag. Avoid caffeine, which causes the body to eliminate water.

Some flyers experience pain in their ears during takeoffs and landings. These travelers should chew gum and swallow often when planes are going up or down.

Protect yourself against deep-vein thrombosis, which occurs when blood clots form in the veins (usually in the legs) and block blood flow. Sitting for a long time on an airplane or train can contribute to DVT, but wearing special compression stockings can help prevent this dangerous condition.

If you suffer from motion sickness, make sure your eyes are seeing the same motion that your body senses. In a car, sit in the front seat and look out the windshield; don’t stare at passing scenery outside the passenger window. On a rocking boat, go up on deck and watch the horizon. On an airplane, sit by the window and look outside. On a train, take a seat near the front and next to a window.

If you have a question, please write to fred@healthygeezer.com.

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Straight From Starrucca
By Danielle Williams

No Straight From Starrucca This Week

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Veterans’ Corner

No Veterans' Corner This Week

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What’s Bugging You?
By Stuart W. Slocum

Viburnum Leaf Beetles: voracious shrub eaters

When I suddenly noticed all the dead bushes beneath the power line near my house, I was angry that the electric company had sprayed beneath their lines without notice or permission. However, upon closer inspection, I realized that a multitude of tiny “caterpillars” were the real culprits. This was several years ago and now, many wet and marginal areas have suffered the same fate. Throughout the county there are multiple swaths of these dead or dying viburnums, commonly known as arrowwood.

The Viburnum Leaf Beetle in its larva stage.

The insect causing all of this devastation is the Viburnum leaf beetle. A native of Europe, this beetle likely came into North America on nursery plants in the early part of the 1900’s. It wasn’t noticed in any numbers until 1947 when it was discovered in Ontario, Canada. For the next several decades this beetle was relatively scarce, but by 1996 it had spread into New York State. Unfortunately, it has been moving southward at an alarming rate ever since.

An adult Viburnum Leaf Beetle.

The Viburnum leaf beetles over-winter as eggs imbedded in the young twigs of its host plant, which can be any of several varieties of Viburnum shrubs. These eggs generally hatch in May, whereupon the voracious, tiny larvae begin feeding on the leaf undersides. Their feeding pattern is distinctive because they consume tissue along the leaf veins, until all that is left is a leaf skeleton. The young larvae are extremely small, about 1mm (one twenty-fifth inch) in length and greenish-yellow in color. They are so small that the holes in the leaves are the only obvious evidence of their presence. After four or five weeks, depending on temperature, the larvae mature to 10mm (slightly less than one-half inch) and darken to yellowish-brown with a repeating pattern of black spots across their backs. By this point they are also feeding on the tops of the leaves, but will drop off if disturbed. Upon reaching full maturity, the larvae migrate down the shrubs to the ground where they pupate for about ten days. This entire life cycle, from earliest larva to adult, can occur in approximately two months. In this area it usually spans May and June, possibly into July.

The tiny adults are plain brown with relatively long, filament-like antennae. They are smaller than the mature larvae at a length of 5- to 6mm (about one-quarter inch). Upon emerging from the soil beneath the shrubs, they begin to feed on the recovering Viburnum leaves. When disturbed, the adults will drop off the leaf or fly away. These beetles are nearly fatal to the Viburnum shrubs because the successive feeding by the larvae and adults on the same shrubs does not give the bushes sufficient time to recover. Two consecutive years of this defoliation is fatal to the plant. It is at this point that the adults, who can fly, will move on to nearby bushes to continue their feeding, and lay their eggs. Despite her diminutive size, the female can lay as many as 500 eggs. These eggs are deposited into holes in the stem that the female excavates, and then seals with a mixture of plant fiber, saliva and excrement.

In this area, the preferred host plant for these beetles is the native arrowwood, Viburnum dentatum. The beetles are also partial to certain domestic landscaping Viburnum varieties. There are, however, certain Viburnums that are resistant to this beetle. These should be chosen for horticultural application.

Since they are imports, there are no natural enemies specific to these beetles. Such general predators as certain birds, ladybug larvae, and green lacewing larvae may consume a small number of these pests. While control of the beetles on the widely distributed Arrowwood shrubs is impossible, some protection is feasible for the favored Viburnum shrub in one’s yard. Physical control on one or two plants is accomplished by close observation of the plant’s twigs from the late winter through early spring. Any twigs that contain the rows of egg sites should be pruned out and destroyed. Also, handpick and destroy any larvae as soon as they appear. The use of insecticidal soap on the undersides of leaves is effective only on the early instars. Application of acephate, carbaryl, cyfluthrin or malathion pesticide sprays in early May, when the larvae first appear, is effective but must be repeated.

Not only does the widespread devastation of the native arrowwood shrubs detract from the beauty of our countryside, but it may also have further consequences in the destruction of habitat for many of our native songbirds that we so enjoy hearing and watching. Without a host plant, these beetles will soon move on, but they leave behind unsightly scenery to remind us of their unwelcome presence.

Questions, comments and suggestions regarding this article, identifications or any other insect-related matters are welcome. Please email them to bugman95@gmail.com.

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Food For Thought
By Lauretta L. Clowes DC

No Food For Thought This Week

EARTH TALK
From the Editors of E/The Environmental Magazine

No Earth Talk This Week

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