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Issue Home June 10, 2009 Site Home

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


100 Years Ago

SUSQUEHANNA: While being taken from the Eastern Reformatory in Napanoch, NY, to Homer, William Carter jumped from the train here while his custodian was asleep and endeavored to make his escape. Carter, who is about 20 years old, had just completed a sentence for burglary and was released yesterday. He was at once taken into custody by Chief Goodrich, of Homer, on a warrant charging him with arson and burglary. The two reached Susquehanna at midnight, and taking advantage of the fact the officer was asleep Carter jumped from the train and ran through the Erie yards and down the track. Chief Goodrich awoke just as his prisoner leaped from the train and started in pursuit. He met Chief McMahon, of this city, who after sending out an alarm, set out in pursuit of Carter, who by this time had disappeared in a near-by woods. At about 2:30 this morning he came into Susquehanna, under the impression that he had reached another town and was placed under arrest.

MONTROSE: J. C. Harrington has joined the growing list of automobilists and expects soon to be running a Metz runabout for which he has also taken the agency. Mr. Harrington was at the works of the company in Waltham, Conn., where he was satisfied that the machine was all right by the method of its manufacture and would “go the route” over Susquehanna’s hills. Other local people are in the market for new machines and probably a half dozen more autoists will join the ranks this season. ALSO Rev. Caines, pastor of the African M.E. Zion church, preached his farewell sermon on Sunday last to a large audience. Rev. Caines was a very reliable pastor, but he could not raise money enough to pay the conference fees, and had to rely on the Sunday school for the necessary funds, the Sunday school having about $23 in the treasury. All are hoping that he will be returned to Montrose again.

HALLSTEAD: Word has been received of the death of Percy A. Barnes, a former resident of this place, who died recently at Leavenworth, Kansas, from consumption. Mr. Barnes was a member of Co. G. Thirteenth Regiment, PA Volunteers, in the Spanish-American war, and has many comrades in Hallstead who will be grieved to learn of his death.

SILVER LAKE TWP.: P. J. Radiker and men are engaged in changing Henry J. Rose’s big boarding house into an apartment house for five families. Mr. Rose’s plan being to rent those apartments, furnished, each summer, there being a demand for them it is said, and much less work to look after it thus, than to conduct a boarding house.

NEW MILFORD: Frank Hayes, while working for Chas. Savige, of Brooklyn, met with quite an accident. While coming down a hill with a load of fence boards the brake on the wagon gave way, and the horses got tangled upon the harness. The wagon turned over twice. Mr. Hayes was pretty badly used up, but is now able to be out again. ALSO Mrs. Elmer Whited, residing at McKinney’s Mills, not far from New Milford, met with a frightful experience by being run away with by a spirited team attached to a sulky plow, sustaining quite serious injuries. Mrs. Whited thought she could save her husband a trip in from the fields, so she harnessed the animals to a sulky plow and in driving out to where he was at work a passing train frightened the team and they dashed off at a gallop. She was thrown from her seat, falling on the plows, in which position she clung for half a mile, until her husband, who witnessed the accident, managed to stop the team and release her from her precarious position. Had she lost her hold and fallen under the plow points, in probability she would have met a horrible death.

BROOKLYN: The Ladies’ Aid Society of the M. E. church has purchased of Jeweler Earl J. Smith, nearly 300 pieces of fine silverware, including knives, forks and spoons. On each piece is beautifully engraved, “M. E. Aid,” and the ladies are highly pleased with their purchase, and the artistic manner in which the engraving is done.

RUSH: Considerable anxiety is felt by the family of Frank Tanner, whose home is near Rush, over his continued absence from home, leaving without informing them that he was going away. He had been working for a neighbor on Wednesday, June 2, and when he came from work he passed his home but did not stop nor was he seen by his family, but went on to the town of Rush and told someone that he was going to take the train for Binghamton the next day. He stayed at Rush that night and in the morning took the stage for Montrose, and it is reported was seen boarding the morning train on the DL&W and it is the last he has been seen or heard from. The finding of the body of an unknown man in the Susquehanna river at Binghamton has caused considerable anxiety as to whether or not this might be the body of Mr. Tanner.

LAWTON: The opening base ball game will be held at Lawton Park, Saturday, June 12. Game called at 3:00 p.m. No lover of the national game can afford to miss this opportunity of witnessing an excellent game. Band concert during the afternoon by the Silvara band. Refreshments will be served. Adm. 10 cents. Ladies free.

WATROUS CORNERS, BRIDGEWATER TWP.: M. F. Bissell has placed the last piece of the Lindsay house up to Montrose, upon Clark Stephens’ lot. It removes an old landmark, but still the world moves on.

THOMPSON: The W. C. T. U. [Women’s Christian Temperance Union] of this place is anticipating a fine time at the county convention which is to be held June 16 and 17. Mrs. E. N. Law, the famous lady speaker, is to give the address the evening of the 16th.

EAST KINGSLEY: The first automobile of the season passed through here last Monday.

FOREST CITY: A slight blaze at the Lyric theatre caused some excitement on North Main street just before noon on Tuesday. Mr. Estabrook, while carrying a kerosene lamp, stumbled and let the lamp fall. The oil saturated a film which was spoiled. Little other damage was done. A bucket of water put out the blaze. ALSO Forest City is to have another clothing store. Henry Weiss has leased the store room formerly occupied by D. B. Gibson as a meat market to Nagelburg & Feigenbaum, of Scranton.

NEWS BRIEFS: Wilkes-Barre’s new two-million-dollar court house was opened for use recently and it is quite probable that the old structure on the square, in the center of the business district, will be torn down and the space occupied by the building and yard turned into a park. ALSO We have been given a new recipe for destroying dandelions. Make a solution of sulphate of iron and water and treat the dandelions to a generous dose. If that fails to remove them, place a stick of dynamite on each plant. And if that fails, dig them up and eat them.

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

On September 3, 2005, Jesse Walton spent the evening hanging out with his friends. He was 18 years old and it was Labor Day weekend. Over the course of the evening, he and his friends were drinking beer. It was not the first time that Walton had consumed beer, and he believed he understood what it could do to him. Around 11 p.m., Walton got into his car with a passenger, Victoria Webster, another teenager, and followed his friends. At some point, Walton took a different route than his friends in order to beat them to the next destination, and by doing so he left a paved surface and got onto a dirt/gravel road.

Walton was traveling around 50 miles per hour when he lost control of his car, causing it to leave the roadway and crashing into trees. Walton was not seriously injured in the crash, but Victoria Webster died as a result of her injuries. Walton was taken from the scene to a hospital where a Pennsylvania State Trooper interviewed him about the accident. Upon speaking with Walton, the trooper immediately recognized that Walton had been drinking. Blood was drawn and it was determined that Walton had a blood alcohol content of .129%.

Because Walton was under 21 years of age, the BAC level necessary to support a DUI arrest was only .02%. Walton’s BAC level was nearly 6 times the legal limit for a person under 21 years of age. It was also over the legal limit for an adult, which would be .08%. As a result of the blood test, Walton was arrested for DUI and Homicide by Motor Vehicle While DUI.

Eventually, the case went to trial. Walton testified and explained to the jury how he had a few beers over the course of the evening, that he had consumed alcohol in the past, and that he never would have driven if he had been drunk. Walton contended that his drinking did not cause the accident; rather, he suggested that he was run off the road by another motorist. Walton explained to the jury how he never would have driven unless he knew that he could handle it – and he knew he was fine to drive that evening. The jury did not buy Walton’s excuses and convicted him of all counts.

There is a mandatory minimum sentence of 3 years in a state correctional facility for any conviction of homicide by motor vehicle while DUI. Because of his poor decisions, Walton’s life took a drastic change – rather than graduating high school and moving on with his adult life, Walton went to state prison for a minimum of 3 years, and perhaps more, depending upon his behavior while incarcerated and the ultimate decision of the parole board. As of today’s date, he is still incarcerated.

While Walton will eventually walk out of state prison, Victoria Webster’s life was taken from her by Walton’s decision to drive drunk. For her family, the sentence continues every single day they live without Victoria.

I have prosecuted a number of DUI homicides over the past 10 years. In three of those cases, the defendants were under 21 years of age, and, as such, they were not even old enough to be drinking alcohol. In each of those cases, the young defendant killed a friend who was also a passenger in their vehicle. Each case involves incredible pain, heartache, and sorrow for the families and friends of the deceased youngster.

As graduation approaches and summer follows, I am hoping that this column reaches some of our teenage residents and that they reflect on Jesse Walton’s fate and the pain endured by Victoria Webster’s family – and that those reflections lead them to make the right decision when faced with the temptations of alcohol. There are far too many adults who are willing to enable our younger population to drink alcohol. These adults justify their decisions with a variety of strained arguments – none of which acknowledge the terrible consequences that can result from providing alcohol to minors. Jesse Walton’s case is the reality of what occurs when underage people drink alcohol. For the safety of our community, it needs to stop.

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

Today’s column is the second in a two-part series about statins.

Statins, which are also known as HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors, are drugs that lower cholesterol by blocking the liver substance responsible for making cholesterol. Statins may also help your body reabsorb cholesterol that has accumulated on your artery walls.

Some of the best-known statins include simvastatin (Zocor), atorvastatin (Lipitor), lovastatin (Mevacor), pravastatin (Pravachol), rosuvastatin (Crestor), and fluvastatin (Lescol).

In addition to reducing cholesterol, there are other advantages to taking statins.

Statins are known to prevent subsequent heart attacks and strokes in patients who've already suffered one of these cardiovascular events.

Increasing evidence suggests that statins are anti-inflammatory. This property helps stabilize the lining of blood vessels, which could help the entire body.

Stabilizing blood vessel linings reduces the risk of heart attack by preventing plaques on the linings from forming clots that can lead to a heart attack.

Statins relax blood vessels, which lowers blood pressure.

Doctors are prescribing statins before and after coronary artery bypass surgery, angioplasty, and some strokes because statins reduce the risk of blood clots.

Other possible benefits of statins under study include:

Prevention of arthritis, bone fractures and osteoporosis.

Cancer prevention. Statins may lower the risk of colorectal and skin cancers. Researchers have found that statins may help control the start of tumors, their growth and the spread of cancer to other parts of the body.

Reduction in the risk of dementia and Alzheimer's disease.

Protection of the kidneys. Statins may help protect kidneys through their effects on cholesterol and blood pressure, and perhaps their ability to reduce inflammation.

Assistance in controlling the body's immune-system response after an organ transplant.

Decreased risk of diabetes

Antioxidant properties of statins. Preventing oxidation of LDL cholesterol can decrease plaque formation.

More news about statin studies:

Elderly people who've suffered a recent stroke benefit almost as much from treatment with a statin as do younger stroke patients.

An Israeli study found a 45 percent lower death rate among those who took statins at least 90 percent of the time, compared to those taking the medications less than 10 percent of the time.

Treatment with rosuvastatin was found to reduce heart attack and stroke by 44 percent among participants who had normal levels of LDL cholesterol but elevated levels of an inflammatory marker called C-reactive protein (CRP).

A study found that relatively healthy people who took a statin were 43 percent less likely than those who took a placebo to get a blood clot known as venous thromboembolism. The kind of clot, which often develops in the legs, can be fatal if it travels to the lungs.

Statins may occasionally cause double-vision, eyelid-droop and weakness of the muscles that control eye movement.

Rare cases of memory loss have been reported in people taking statins.

There have been reports of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) in people taking statins. There is no solid evidence that statins cause or trigger ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig's disease, a serious degenerative neurological disorder.

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

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Library Chitchat
By Flo Whittaker

Summer is just around the corner. In fact, we had a full-blown taste of it in late April. What plans have you made for your children’s activities during the summer vacation? Camp? Road trip?

How about including regular visits to the Library in your schedule! Studies show that children can experience a learning loss (in some cases as much as 22%) during the summer months when they are not in the classroom. Regular reading - perhaps six or more books - can help to mitigate that loss.

Our suggestion is plan to include visits to the Library, just like you take regular trips to the park or the zoo. With the assistance of the staff, your children can pick out a book in their particular interest area, read it either to themselves or out loud to you, and then, before it is returned, you and your child can discuss the book in detail. Sure this takes time, but the rewards are worth it. Perhaps a book will be the spark that inspires your child’s future career.

In addition, there will be Summer Reading programs sponsored by the Library throughout the County. Check our website at susqcolibrary.com as summer nears.

Of course, while you are at the Library, take some time to see what is new and interesting for you - some new author you have heard about or some new project you want to start. Make the visit to the library a family affair. Remember the Susquehanna County Library is your resource for lifetime learning.

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Veterans’ Corner

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What’s Bugging You?
By Stuart W. Slocum

June Beetles: Spring’s Window-Crashers

One of the pleasures of late spring is the opportunity to open the house windows and enjoy the sweet aromas of blooming bushes and spring flowers. It is especially pleasurable in the early evening when the cooling atmosphere sends refreshing breezes rushing through the window screens. Sometimes, as you drowsily drift off in your easy chair, a resounding twang on the window screen jolts you to attention. Several repeats of the disruptive noise instigates an investigation, which reveals a very large beetle doing its best to rendezvous with the lamp located next to the window. It’s the season when Junebugs are out and about, taking advantage of the warm evening.

Adult June Beetle

So named because of the months when the adults first emerge, June beetles (sometimes called May beetles) are large, native insects that are the adult form of large “C-shaped” grubs, often found in the soil. There are over 100 species of these beetles found in North America, all belonging the genus Phyllophaga. Up to about 1 inch long, most adults are a shade of reddish-brown. The white larvae are “C”-shaped with brown heads. Ranging up to an inch in length, they are the largest grubs found in turf-covered soil.

As they fly about looking for a mate, these large Scarab beetles are attracted to light. During the peak of mating, large numbers of these beetles (mostly males) are often drawn to illuminated windows. Upon mating, the female beetles tunnel several inches into the soil below turf, where they lay their eggs. The eggs hatch in about four weeks. The tiny white larvae, called grubs, feed on the grass roots.

“C-Shaped” Larva

There are three larval stages called instars. The first two instars last only about 3 weeks. With the approach of cold weather, the third instars migrate deeper into the ground where they spend the winter. The following spring, they resurface to continue feeding on the grass roots. This cycle is repeated for another year. During the third year, the grubs again feed on the grass roots until May or June, whereupon they pupate in the soil at a depth of 3 to 6 inches. The adults emerge from pupation in late summer, but remain hidden in the ground until the following spring. Although these large adults do not feed on grass, they do eat the leaves of trees, shrubs and other plants. This feeding is evidenced by small holes left in the young leaves. Fortunately, adult feeding is not usually extensive enough to cause any serious damage.

Besides startling you with their sudden impacts on the window screens, June bugs can also be a serious detriment to your lawn. A lawn infested with large numbers of grubs will turn yellow and die. The grubs will also feed on the roots of weeds, certain vegetables and ornamental plants. In some areas of the country, they can be serious pests of corn, sorghum and sugarcane. In serious turf infestations, the sod is so weakened that it can be rolled up like a carpet. Damage first appears as irregular patches of yellow or dead grass. When the grubs chew off the roots, the plants are impaired from taking up sufficient water. Watering the afflicted areas can compensate and help prevent grass die-off. Areas that have more than 4 grubs per square foot need some type of control. Application of an appropriately licensed pesticide such as carbaryl, imidacloprid or deltamethrin is effective. Natural predators include starlings, crows, moles, shrews and skunks. Insect predators of the grubs include ants, spiders, rove beetles and ground beetles.

The presence of these large beetles is a harmless reminder that Spring has arrived. Although their incessant pounding on household windows might “bug” us, the warmth that enticed their flight has also invigorated us. 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

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EARTH TALK
From the Editors of E/The Environmental Magazine

Dear EarthTalk: Is it true that military sonar exercises actually kill marine wildlife?

Unfortunately for many whales, dolphins and other marine life, the use of underwater sonar (short for sound navigation and ranging) can lead to injury and even death. Sonar systems - first developed by the U.S. Navy to detect enemy submarines - generate slow-rolling sound waves topping out at around 235 decibels; the world’s loudest rock bands top out at only 130. These sound waves can travel for hundreds of miles under water, and can retain an intensity of 140 decibels as far as 300 miles from their source.

These rolling walls of noise are no doubt too much for some marine wildlife. While little is known about any direct physiological effects of sonar waves on marine species, evidence shows that whales will swim hundreds of miles, rapidly change their depth (sometime leading to bleeding from the eyes and ears), and even beach themselves to get away from the sounds of sonar.

In January 2005, 34 whales of three different species became stranded and died along North Carolina’s Outer Banks during nearby offshore Navy sonar training. Other sad examples around the coast of the U.S. and elsewhere abound, notably in recent years with more sonar testing going on than ever before. According to the nonprofit Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC), which has campaigned vigorously to ban use of the technology in waters rich in marine wildlife, recent cases of whale strandings likely represent a small fraction of sonar’s toll, given that severely injured animals rarely make it to shore.

In 2003, NRDC spearheaded a successful lawsuit against the Navy to restrict the use of low-frequency sonar off the coast of California. Two years later a coalition of green groups led by NRDC and including the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW), the League for Coastal Protection, Cetacean Society International, and Ocean Futures Society upped the ante, asking the federal courts to also restrict testing of more intense, harmful and far ranging mid-frequency types of sonar off Southern California’s coastline.

In filing their brief, the groups cited Navy documents which estimated that such testing would kill some 170,000 marine mammals and cause permanent injury to more than 500 whales, not to mention temporary deafness for at least 8,000 others. Coalition lawyers argued that the Navy’s testing was in violation of the National Environmental Policy Act, the Marine Mammal Protection Act and the Endangered Species Act.

Two lower courts upheld NRDC’s claims, but the Supreme Court ruled that the Navy should be allowed to continue the use of some mid-frequency sonar testing for the sake of national security. “The decision places marine mammals at greater risk of serious and needless harm,” says NRDC’s Joel Reynolds.

Environmental groups are still fighting the battle against the sonar, lobbying the government to curtail testing, at least during peacetime, or to at least ramp up testing gradually to give marine wildlife a better chance to flee affected areas. “The U.S. Navy could use a number of proven methods to avoid harming whales when testing mid-frequency sonar,” reports IFAW’s Fred O'Regan. “Protecting whales and preserving national security are not mutually exclusive.”

CONTACTS: NRDC, www.nrdc.org; IFAW, www.ifaw.org.

Dear EarthTalk: How does the microwave compare in energy use, say, to using a gas or electric stove burner to heat water for a cup of tea?

The short answer is that it depends upon several variables, including the price of electricity versus gas, and the relative efficiency of the appliances involved. Typically, though, a microwave would be slightly more efficient at heating water than the flame on a gas stove, and should use up a little less energy. The reason: The microwave’s heat waves are focused on the liquid (or food) inside, not on heating the air or container around it, meaning that most if not all of the energy generated is used to make your water ready.

Given this logic, it is hard to believe that a burner element on an electric stovetop would be any better, but an analysis by Home Energy Magazine found otherwise. The magazine’s researchers discovered that an electric burner uses about 25 percent less electricity than a microwave in boiling a cup of water.

That said, the difference in energy saved by using one method over another is negligible: Choosing the most efficient process might save a heavy tea drinker a dollar or so a year. “You’d save more energy over the year by replacing one light bulb with a CFL [compact fluorescent lightbulb] or turning off the air conditioner for an hour - not an hour a day, one hour at some point over the whole year,” says consumer advocate Michael Bluejay.

Although a microwave may not save much energy or money over a stove burner when heating water, it can be much more energy-efficient than a traditional full-size oven when it comes to cooking food. For starters, because their heat waves are concentrated on the food, microwaves cook and heat much faster than traditional ovens. According to the federal government’s Energy Star program, which rates appliances based on their energy-efficiency, cooking or re-heating small portions of food in the microwave can save as much as 80 percent of the energy used to cook or warm them up in the oven.

The website Treehugger.com reports that there are other things you can do to optimize your energy efficiency around the kitchen when cooking. For starters, make sure to keep the inside surfaces of your microwave oven clean so as to maximize the amount of energy reflected toward your food. On a gas stovetop, make sure the flame is fully below the cookware; likewise, on an electric stovetop, make sure the pan or kettle completely covers the heating element to minimize wasted heat. Also, use the appropriate size pan for the job at hand, as smaller pans are cheaper and more energy-efficient to heat up.

Despite these tips for cooking greener, Bluejay reiterates that most of us will hardly put a dent in our overall energy use just by choosing one appliance over another. According to his analysis, for someone who bakes three hours a week the cheapest cooking method saves only an estimated $2.06/month compared to the most expensive method.

“Focusing on cooking methods is not the way to save electricity [at home],” says Bluejay. “You should look at heating, cooling, lighting and laundry instead.”

CONTACTS: Home Energy Magazine, www.homeenergy.org; Treehugger, www.treehugger.com; Michael Bluejay, www.michaelbluejay.com.

Send Your Environmental Questions To: EarthTalk, P.O. Box 5098, Westport, CT 06881; earthtalk@emagazine.com. Read past columns at: www.emagazine.com/earthtalk/archives.php.

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Barnes-Kasson Corner
By Cara Sepcoskiw

National Headache Awareness Week

June 7 – 13

Barnes-Kasson Hospital is observing National Headache Awareness Week, June 7 through June 13. Nearly everyone has had a headache. The most common type of headache is a tension headache. After that, is the migraine, and last is the cluster headache.

Tension headaches are due to tight muscles in your shoulders, neck, scalp and jaw. They are often related to stress, depression or anxiety. You are more likely to get tension headaches if you work too much, don't get enough sleep, miss meals or use alcohol. A migraine however, usually begins as a dull ache and then develops into a constant throbbing and pulsating pain. The pain is usually accompanied by a combination of nausea, vomiting, and sensitivity to light and noise. About 15-20% of people who suffer from migraines, suffer from an "aura," which is a manifestation of neurological symptoms that occurs before a migraine headache starts. Patients will usually see wavy or jagged lines, dots or flashing lights; or experience tunnel vision and blind spots in one or both eyes. An aura may last as long as sixty minutes and will fade as soon as the headache begins.

The cluster headache has been nicknamed the "suicide headache” because of the immense amount of pain that comes with it. They are called “cluster” headaches because these headaches tend to occur periodically, with active periods interrupted by spontaneous remissions. The cause of the disease is currently unknown. The pain of cluster headaches is markedly greater than pain in other headache conditions, including severe migraines, and experts believe that it may be the most severe pain known to medical science. It has been described by female patients as being more severe than childbirth.

There are some medications that can be prescribed to ease the pain of frequent headaches. Examples of preventive medications include antiepileptic medications, antidepressants, beta-blockers and calcium channel blockers. Although all of these medications were not intentionally created to ease migraines, they all are now used. Anticonvulsants are used because both epilepsy and migraines may be caused by similar reactions in the brain. Antidepressants are used because they may reduce migraine frequency by regulating chemical levels in the brain.

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