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COLUMNS: OAKLEY, HARFORD TWP.: The maple sugar season is over and the crop was a large one. E. E. Titus and W. H. Wilmarth made 100 gallons of a fine quality of syrup. NEW MILFORD: George Hendrickson, of Binghamton, an old New Milford boy who has followed the circus business for many years, was in town Monday calling on old friends before taking his departure for Bridgeport, Conn., where he will join the Buffalo Bill show. ALSO Leonard Strange, a young man aged 24 years, was cremated in the fire which destroyed the Lackawanna House at New Milford Wednesday night. The fire started shortly after 11 p.m. in the two story wooden structure which is located near the tracks, being differently known as the Allen House, Crane House and more recently the Lackawanna House. The fire originated in a stove in the kitchen and the interior was soon a seething mass of flames. The New Milford fire department soon had their hose laid and a fire engine was sent up from Hallstead on a special train. Many of the guests made their escape scantily attired, climbing through windows. The body of Strange was found in the ruins in the morning. He was an employee in Crossley’s sawmill, living in New Milford his entire life. He is survived by his mother, Mrs. Watson Granger MONTROSE: Mr. Jesse Thompson, of Montrose, and Miss Ella Cuff, of Wilkes-Barre, were married at the African Methodist-Episcopal Zion Church by Rev. Mr. Caines, on the evening of April 14. The church was well decorated. The bride was given away by her brother, Milton Cuff of Wilkes-Barre, with Miss Georgie Reed for maid of honor. The bride was dressed in grey and brown silk and her maid of honor in blue. The ushers were Isaiah Spence, Price Smith, Gabriel Edwards and Luther Smith. The wedding march was played by Mr. Henry Naylor. Although the night was very stormy about 300 people attended the ceremony. After the ceremony a reception was held at the home of the groom on Chenango street. BROOKLYN: J. Bailey has secured the right of way, most of the way, for a railroad. The track is to be standard gauge and gasoline motors are to be used. The connection will be made with the D. L. and W. about one mile north of Foster [Hop Bottom]; the Brooklyn road to use the east bound siding from there to the station. The milk cans will be hauled up to Brooklyn and coal, lumber and all car lots will be allowed without breaking bulks. It is a fine thing for Brooklyn and the road is all built on paper and we trust that in the near future it will be a visible fact. No doubt it will be a paying investment. GREAT BEND: The Chapot Brothers’ chamois factory at Great Bend is booming and an enlargement of the factory is contemplated in the addition of another story to the building. The demand for the product grows and lately a branch factory was established at Glover, N.Y., where John Chapot and his family removed this week so that he will be in touch with the work. THOMPSON: Guy L. Foster, of the firm of Foster Brothers at the corner store, who has been a Pullman car conductor on the Erie, has quit that position and is now helping his brother, Arthur E., conduct their business, which has grown to be quite extensive and thriving. SPRINGVILLE: Mrs. Mary Gavitte was greatly surprised to have a few of her lady friends and neighbors drop in on Friday last for a little visit and stay to tea, each lady taking something dainty to tempt the appetite. The occasion being Mrs. G.’s birthday. SHANNON HILL, AUBURN TWP.: Peter Kintner and wife were called to the bedside of their mother, Mrs. Henry Kintner, of Auburn Corners, who was stricken with a stroke of paralysis last Sunday morning while at the barn doing chores. She was found by a little grand-daughter, in the cow stable, in an unconscious condition and her recovery is very doubtful, as she is an old lady. Much sympathy is felt for her. SUSQUEHANNA: Col. William Telford, one of the oldest and best known residents of Susquehanna, died April 12, 1909. For many years the colonel was a potent factor in the business life of Susquehanna, embarking in the hotel business and later entered the furniture and undertaking business. Col. Telford was born in Ireland in 1840 and came to America in 1852, locating at Norwich, NY. In 1859 he went to Towanda to engage in the marble business and in 1861 organized the Goodrich Guards of that place. During the Civil War he enlisted in Co. G. 50th Regiment of Pennsylvania Volunteers and while captain of the company, he also acted as major of the regiment, eventually promoted to lieutenant-colonel in 1865. He was taken prisoner at Spottsylvania Court House in 1864, escaping three times from the Confederate prison at Columbia, S. C., only to be recaptured again. The fourth attempt proved successful. He reported to General Sherman at Savannah, where he met army officers to whom he gave valuable information respecting the enemy’s lines and fortifications. His wife, before it was known that he had made his escape, had effected a prisoner exchange for him. With remarkable persistency she pursued her objective until she gained an interview with President Lincoln. The colonel was in thirty-two important battles and after the war he returned to Bradford County and soon thereafter came to Susquehanna. The Telford Guards were so named in his honor. He was at one time deputy sheriff of Susquehanna County. FOREST LAKE: John Kane, a resident of Forest Lake, met with a distressing accident near Forest City, and as a result is confined in Emergency Hospital, Carbondale, suffering from severe injuries. Mr. Kane was in the act of passing under a standing train of cars on the D & H track when he was caught, the train having suddenly started while he was under it. He was dragged for a considerable distance and about the only serious injury he sustained was a badly crushed foot. His clothes were badly torn while being dragged and he also received minor cuts and bruises. The man’s form dragging along the ground was noticed by a member of the crew, who immediately stopped the train. He will probably recover. FOREST CITY: The Forest City breaker recently made a new record when 1220 cars of coal were put through the big colliery and prepared for market in one day. The output for the day was 3037 tons. That is something better than two cars or five tons a minute. RUSH: The farm house on the Estus farm near East Rush was burned to the ground with its contents. The family was at supper when the blaze was discovered but the wind was blowing so fiercely at the time that it fanned the blaze into a fury of flames, the family barely escaping with what little they could pick up after securing articles of clothing. So rapidly did the flames eat into the timbers that eyewitnesses said the house appeared to melt down and in a few minutes was a mass of embers.
From the Desk of the D.A. The political corruption case involving Ted Stevens has taken a fascinating and disheartening turn. As many of you recall, Senator Stevens was convicted for allegedly providing false information on Senate ethics forms relating to services or goods that he received from an oil company. In essence, it was contended that Stevens failed to disclose construction improvements to his home that were provided by the oil company at no cost. There is no dispute that Stevens never paid for the improvements, and, as such, the government contended that the improvements were a financial gift to the Senator that needed to be disclosed on ethics forms. On the other hand, Stevens contended that he was not involved in the home improvements and that his wife was handling the matter. Stevens was convicted. The conviction was obtained a few weeks before the November election for the Alaska Senate seat. Stevens then lost his bid for re-election, but continued to fight his conviction, which he contended resulted from government overreaching and misconduct. It is a familiar refrain that many defendants sing – and nobody was buying it. As it turns out, Stevens was singing the right tune. For those paying attention to the trial, there were many clues that things were not proceeding appropriately. The trial judge publicly reprimanded the prosecutors for allowing witnesses to leave, submitting erroneous evidence, and failing to provide witness statements to the defense. Still, this may have only reflected incompetence, not a nefarious intent to deprive Stevens a fair trial. But after the trial, a whistleblower came forward to disclose that the prosecution was more than incompetent – the prosecution team was corrupt. It turns out that the prosecutors failed to provide Stevens with contradictory statements made by a key prosecution witness. A prosecutor cannot withhold exculpatory evidence, i.e., evidence that tends to assist the defendant such as contradictory statements that undermine the credibility of a witness. If a prosecutor withholds such information from a defendant, the prosecutor has violated the defendant’s constitutional right to a fair trial. The prosecution not only failed to hand over the contradictory statement, but the prosecution arguably presented false testimony by allowing the witness to testify in a manner that contradicted statements made to the prosecutor prior to the trial. After reviewing the matter, Eric Holder, the United States Attorney General, took the extraordinary step of asking the court to overturn the conviction in order to correct the apparent injustice. As a result of the egregious nature of the misconduct, Holder also indicated that the Justice Department would not seek to retry Stevens. The court granted the motion and vacated Stevens’ conviction. But the judge was not done with the government. The government was ordered to preserve the evidence and a special prosecutor was appointed to review the case to determine if any prosecutor should be charged. This entire saga has the added irony that the unit that was prosecuting Stevens’ case was the Public Integrity division of the Department of Justice. Prosecutors are held to a higher standard. We have special discovery rules and obligations that assure that we disclose any potentially relevant evidence of any nature. While there are limited things that we can refuse to disclose to the defense, I never understood the motivation for such a refusal. In Susquehanna County, we have an open file policy – a defense attorney can make an appointment and go through our entire file to assure that they have received everything to which they are entitled – as well as things that are not even required to be disclosed. This policy assures that there are no games being played – all the government’s cards are on the table for the world to see. This policy prevents the type of injustice suffered by Stevens. 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/.
The Healthy Geezer Q. A friend of mine said his doctor told him he has “hemochromatosis.” He didn’t seem worried. I didn’t want to ask, but is it serious? Every once in a while I get a question that surprises me completely. Hemochromatosis? I thought it sounded like a rare condition in a small subculture. I couldn’t have been more wrong. Hemochromatosis (HE-mo-kro-ma-TO-sis) is an inherited disease that makes your body build up too much iron, a mineral in many of the foods we eat. Hemochromatosis - also known as iron overload disease - is one of the most common genetic disorders in the United States. About 1 million people in the country have the disease. With early diagnosis and treatment, nearly all the problems of hereditary hemochromatosis can be prevented. The human body normally absorbs about 10 percent of the iron it ingests. Hemochromatosis causes you to absorb more iron than you need. The body stores the extra iron, particularly in the skin, heart, liver, pancreas, and joints. If you don’t treat hemochromatosis, it can be fatal. The usual treatment for hemochromatosis is to remove some blood. The process is similar to donating blood. Medicine is also used, to remove iron from your body. Changes in your diet are often recommended. Early symptoms of hemochromatosis may include fatigue, joint and abdominal pain, and loss of libido. Later symptoms can include arthritis, liver disease, diabetes, heart abnormalities, and skin discoloration. Not everyone who has hemochromatosis has symptoms. Some people don't suffer from complications. Others die from the disease. There are several types of hemochromatosis. Type 1 is the most common form of the disorder. The other types of hemochromatosis are considered rare. Hemochromatosis is most common in Caucasians of Northern European descent. The disease is uncommon in African-Americans, Hispanics, Asians, and Native Americans. Hemochromatosis is more common in men than in women. Older people are more likely to develop the disease. Men get hemochromatosis between the ages of 40 and 60. Women usually develop symptoms after menopause. While a defect in your genes causes hemochromatosis, you can get it from another disease that creates an iron overload. The inherited form is called primary hemochromatosis. The form caused by another disease is secondary hemochromatosis. Risk factors for hemochromatosis include alcoholism and a family history of heart attack, liver disease, diabetes, arthritis, and erectile dysfunction. If you have hemochromatosis, the amount of iron in your body may be too high even though the level of iron in your blood is normal. To diagnose hemochromatosis, doctors must test to see how much iron is in your body. If you are diagnosed with hemochromatosis, your doctor may advise you to: stop taking iron supplements and vitamins with iron in them; limit your intake of vitamin C, which helps your body absorb iron; cut down on drinking alcohol because excess iron and alcohol can worsen liver disease; avoid uncooked fish and shellfish - they can cause bacterial infections in people with hemochromatosis; avoid iron-rich foods such as liver. Blood relatives of people with hemochromatosis may be at risk for the disease. Ask your doctor if your relatives should have their iron levels checked. If you have a question, please write to fred@healthygeezer.com.
Library Chitchat At this time of year at the Susquehanna County Library, we are gearing up for a summer filed with special events and fund-raisers. There is no fairy godmother out there to provide us with the funds that we need to continue our service to the County. We must raise these funds. Our first event is the annual Library Auction, rescheduled for May 9 at the VFW in Montrose. Community residents and businesses have donated items for this auction. The entrance ticket includes a turkey dinner and the opportunity to purchase something just perfect for you. Proceeds from the auction help to meet the Library’s annual operating expenses. In June, there will be a party at the Forest Lake Fireman’s Field for those who have purchased tickets for our first Library Lottery Raffle. This is a unique opportunity to aid the Library Building Fund and to possibly win some money to help you. Only 2,000 tickets will be sold at $100 a ticket, but more than $148,000 in prizes will be given away, if all the tickets are sold. For more information, call (570) 278-1881. 2009 is a signature year for the Library’s annual Blueberry Festival - our 30th year. On August 7 and 8, the Festival will occupy the Green in Montrose, featuring everything Blueberry and thousands of used books for sale. Proceeds from the Blueberry Festival are vital to meet the Library’s annual expenses. Please help Susquehanna County Library to continue to be your resource for lifetime learning.
What’s Bugging You? Ticks: Prevention and removal Considering the harmful conditions that they harbor, ticks are creatures best avoided. For anyone who spends time out of doors or has pets that are outside, this is not easily accomplished. Avoidance of all tick habitats is probably the most effective, but least practical means of prevention. Brushy areas and fields with tall, uncut grass are particularly attractive to ticks. Areas along well-traveled deer paths generally have high concentrations of ticks waiting to attach to an unsuspecting hiker. People walking in tick-infested areas should take a few practical precautions. Wearing light-colored clothing makes it easier to spot and remove ticks. In highly infested areas, boots, socks and long trousers should be worn, with the pant legs tucked into the boots. Perhaps the most effective prevention is the use of repellents. Products containing DEET (N,N-diethyll-m-toluamide) are very effective in repelling (not killing) ticks as well as other biting pests, such as black flies and mosquitoes. DEET products have been successfully used worldwide for over 40 years. As a repellent, DEET is available in numerous forms and products, including lotions, creams, gels, towelettes and sprays. The more active a person is, the shorter the effective time for DEET. This makes reapplication necessary. While the CDC deems DEET safe to use in conjunction with sunscreens, it does not recommend the use of products that combine the two ingredients. Products containing DEET concentrations of 10% to 25% are best, with the lower concentrations more appropriate for children. The products should be applied to clothing or exposed skin, never to covered skin or over open sores and abrasions. Application directions on the product labels should be followed, since DEET can damage some synthetic materials and is harmful if swallowed. Depending on the DEET concentration, these products can effectively repel ticks for three to eight hours. Examples of available DEET-containing products include OFF™, Cutter™ and Repel™. Permethrin products are also effective in repelling ticks, but should not be applied to bare skin. For pets, there are several effective spot application products available. These provide protection against both ticks and fleas. Frontline™ and Advantix™ are two such recommended products. Their application provides a month’s protection and will repel ticks or kill them within 48 hours. It is important to use the correct formulation recommended for a cat or dog. Application is relatively simple and comes in premeasured packets. Frequent checking for ticks is important, especially if you or your pets are in tick habitats. Prompt detection and removal is critical to the prevention of Lyme and other transmitted diseases. Ticks usually crawl about on clothing and bare skin for several hours before attaching. Ticks have a preference for attaching along the back of the neck and head on humans and pets. Care should be taken in the removal of attached ticks. Unattached ticks should not be handled with bare hands; the use of tweezers, rubber gloves or tissue is advisable. Contact with infected tick fluids can transmit disease through cuts, sores, mouth, eyes and nose. The “home remedy” of using a cigarette or hot match to remove a tick is generally ineffective and dangerous. The heat can cause a tick to burst or expel its disease-laden contents into its victim. The most expedient method is to grasp the tick with a pair of fine-pointed tweezers. Applying gentle pressure to the skin on each side of the tick, close the tweezers enough to grip the tick’s head, but not shear it off. Applying steady pressure, gradually pull the tick loose. Do not twist or jerk the tick, otherwise its mouthparts might remain imbedded in the skin. After the tick is removed, disinfect the site with alcohol or other antiseptic. Make sure to wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water. Although ticks are serious pests, their negative effects can be lessened by precaution and awareness. Prompt detection and removal usually guarantees safety from the numerous ills that they carry. Questions, comments and suggestions regarding this article, identifications or any other insect-related matters are welcome. Please email them to bugman95@gmail.com.
Food For Thought No Food For Thought This Week EARTH TALK Dear EarthTalk: Is it true that some baby bottles contain chemicals that can cause health problems for babies? If so, how can I find alternatives that are safer? Amy Gorman, Berkeley, CA No links connecting specific human illnesses to chemicals oozing out of baby bottles have been proven definitively. Nonetheless, many parents are heeding the call of scientists to switch to products with less risk. A 2008 report by American and Canadian environmental researchers entitled “Baby’s Toxic Bottle” found that plastic polycarbonate baby bottles leach dangerous levels of Bisphenol-A (BPA), a synthetic chemical that mimics natural hormones and can send bodily processes into disarray, when heated. All six of the leading brands of baby bottles tested – Avent, Disney/The First Years, Dr. Brown’s, Evenflo, Gerber and Playtex – leaked what researchers considered dangerous amounts of BPA. The report calls on major retailers selling these bottles – including Toys “R” Us, Babies “R” Us, CVS, Target, Walgreen’s and Wal-Mart – to switch to safer products. According to the report, BPA is a “developmental, neural and reproductive toxicant that mimics estrogen and can interfere with healthy growth and body function.” Researchers cite numerous animal studies demonstrating that the chemical can damage reproductive, neurological and immune systems during critical stages of development. It has also been linked to breast cancer and to the early onset of puberty. So what’s a concerned parent to do? Glass bottles are a tried-and-true chemical-free solution, and they are widely available, though very breakable. To the rescue are several companies making BPA-free plastic bottles (out of either PES/polyamide or polypropylene instead of polycarbonate). Some of the leaders are BornFree, thinkbaby, Green to Grow, Nuby, Momo Baby, Mother’s Milkmate and Medela’s. These brands are available at natural food stores, directly from manufacturers, or from online vendors. Most of the major brands selling BPA-containing bottles are now also offering or planning to offer BPA-free versions of their products. Consumers should read labels and packaging carefully to make sure that any product they are considering buying says unequivocally that it does not contain the chemical. Unfortunately, switching to a BPA-free bottle is no guarantee the chemical won’t make its way into your baby’s bloodstream anyway. BPA is one of the 50 most-produced chemicals in the world. According to the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC), it is used in everything from plastic water jugs labeled #7 to plastic take-out containers, baby bottles and canned food liners. It is so omnipresent that the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC) has found that 95 percent of Americans have the chemical in their urine. Also, nursing mothers – especially those who haven’t discarded their old BPA-containing Nalgene water bottles – may be passing the chemical along through their breast milk. And if that weren’t enough, BPA is also used in the lining of many metal liquid baby formula cans. The nonprofit Environmental Working Group (EWG) has posted email links to the consumer affairs offices of the major formula manufacturers so concerned parents can ask them to remove BPA from their product offerings and packaging. CONTACTS: Baby’s Toxic Bottle Report, www.chej.org/documents/BabysToxicBottleFinal.pdf; NRDC, www.nrdc.org; CDC, www.cdc.gov; EWG, www.ewg.org. Dear EarthTalk: How much “old growth” forest is left in the United States and is it all protected from logging at this point? John Foye, via e-mail As crazy as it sounds, no one really knows how much old growth is left in America’s forested regions, mainly because various agencies and scientists have different ideas about how to define the term. Generally speaking, “old growth” refers to forests containing trees often hundreds, sometimes thousands, of years old. But even when there is agreement on a specific definition, differences in the methods used to inventory remaining stands of old growth forest can produce major discrepancies. Or so complains the National Commission on Science for Sustainable Forestry (NCSSF) in its recent report, “Beyond Old Growth: Older Forests in a Changing World.” In 1991, for example, the U.S. Forest Service and the nonprofit Wilderness Society each released its own inventory of old-growth forests in the Pacific Northwest and northern California. They both used the Forest Service’s definition based on the number, age and density of large trees per acre, the characteristics of the forest canopy, the number of dead standing trees and fallen logs and other criteria. However, because each agency used different remote sensing techniques to glean data, the Forest Service came up with 4.3 million acres of old-growth and the Wilderness Society found only two million acres. The NCSSF also studied the data, and they concluded that 3.5 million acres (or six percent) of the region’s 56.8 million acres of forest qualified as old growth – that is, largely trees over 30 inches in diameter with complex forest canopies. By broadening the definition to include older forest with medium-diameter trees and both simple and complex canopies, NCSSF said their figure would go up substantially. In other parts of the country, less than one percent of Northeast forest is old growth, though mature forests that will become old growth in a few decades are more abundant. The Southeast has even less acreage – a 1993 inventory found about 425 old growth sites across the region, equaling only a half a percent of total forest area. The Southwest has only a few scattered pockets of old-growth (mostly Ponderosa Pine), but for the most part is not known for its age-old trees. Old-growth is even scarcer in the Great Lakes. It is hard to say whether the remaining pockets of scattered old-growth in areas besides the Pacific Northwest will remain protected, but environmentalists are working hard to save what they can in northern California, Oregon and Washington. The outgoing Bush administration recently announced plans to increase logging across Oregon’s remaining old-growth reserves by some 700 percent, in effect overturning the landmark Northwest Forest Plan of 1994 that set aside most of the region’s remaining old growth as habitat for the endangered spotted owl. Protecting remaining old-growth is important for many reasons. “These areas provide some of the cleanest drinking water in the world, critical salmon and wildlife habitat, world-class recreational opportunities and critical carbon storage in our fight against global warming,” says Jonathan Jelen of the nonprofit Oregon Wild, adding that as much as 20 percent of the emissions related to global warming can be attributed to deforestation and poor forest management. “A growing body of evidence is showing the critical role that forests – and old-growth forests in particular – can play in mitigating climate change.” CONTACTS: NCSSF, http://ncseonline.org/NCSSF/; Oregon Wild, www.oregonwild.org GOT AN ENVIRONMENTAL QUESTION? Send it to: EarthTalk, c/o E/The Environmental Magazine, P.O. Box 5098, Westport, CT 06881; submit it at: www.emagazine.com/earthtalk/thisweek/ or e-mail: earthtalk@emagazine.com. Read past columns at: www.emagazine.com/earthtalk/archives.php.
Barnes-Kasson Corner National Autism Awareness Week April 12 - 18 Barnes-Kasson Hospital is observing National Autism Awareness Week, April 12 through 18. Autism is defined as a complex developmental disability. Autism usually appears during the first three years of life and affects a person’s ability to communicate and interact with others. Those affected by autism usually present certain characteristics and behaviors, that affect individuals differently and to varying degrees. In February 2007, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention concluded that 1 in every 150 American children are effected by Autism. According to the study, Autism is more prevalent in males; almost 1 in 94 American boys are affected by the disorder. In short, 1.5 million Americans are living with the affects of autism. Few children with autism live independently after reaching adulthood, but some become successful. Some of the symptoms of Autism are a lack of or delay in spoken language, repetitive use of language and or hand movements, little or no eye contact, lack of interest in peer relationships, lack of spontaneous or make-believe play and persistent fixation on parts of objects. Autism is a treatable disorder. It is not a “phase” that children can outgrow, but studies show that early diagnosis and intervention can lead to significantly improved outcomes. There is no known cause for autism, but increased awareness and funding can help families today.
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