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Issue Home September 29, 2010 Site Home

COLUMNS:
100 Years Ago
From the Desk of the D.A.
The Healthy Geezer
Library Chitchat
Rock Doc Break The Glass, Douse The Flames
What’s Bugging You?
Dear Dolly
Earth Talk
Barnes-Kasson Corner


100 Years Ago

SUSQUEHANNA: There will be a public meeting in the orchard of M. M. Benson near Susquehanna, on Oct. 3, 1910, for the purpose of showing the benefits resulting from improved methods in use in the Model Orchards, conducted under the co-operation of the Division of Zoology of the State Department of Agriculture. At this meeting treated trees will be compared with those not treated and sprayed fruit shown beside unsprayed, grown under the same conditions.

BRIDGEWATER TWP.: The school directors of Bridgewater will offer at public sale on Saturday, Oct. 8, 1910, at 2 p.m., on the premises, the school house and out buildings known as the Coolville school house near the residence of Henry Decker.

FOREST CITY: The front of the Osgood building, known as the Crystal motion picture house, has been torn out and a business front put in its place. It will be occupied by Polousky Bros.

UNIONDALE: Mrs. W. A. Crane has opened a millinery business on Main Street.

ELK LAKE: The 9th annual reunion of the Lathrop family was held at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Calvin S. Lathrop on Sept. 10, 1910; there were 50 in attendance; dinner was furnished by the Ladies’ Aid of the M. E. church. After dinner a short business meeting was held and the officers and committees were elected for another year, and the rest of the day was spent in visiting and social enjoyment. All say they had a good time this day being also the 80th anniversary of the marriage of Mr. and Mrs. Calvin S. Lathrop.

THOMPSON: Lura Pickering has gone to Ithaca where she will teach in the piano department of the Conservatory of Music. Allan D. Miller and Fred McNamara have resumed their studies, Allan in the law school at Carlisle, Pa., and the latter in the dental college at Baltimore.

RUSH: D. W. Terry has purchased the J. A. Shadduck store property in Rushville and will continue the business. “Danny” is very popular and will do well.

HALLSTEAD: The interest in drilling the oil well in Hallstead, deeper, is increasing every day and a number who are interested in a greater Hallstead, who had not been stockholders before, have recently subscribed for stock in order to help the matter along and the sale of the 2,000 additional shares are now practically assured. The prospect of striking oil is regarded as being far too good to give up at the present depth. Within a few days a representative of the local company will go to the oil regions to secure the best drillers that can be found and the work at the well will be rushed in order to get through before cold weather sets in.

HEART LAKE: Sherman Griffing has a new motor wagon which is attracting a great deal of attention.

FLYNN: George Phalen, of New York, one of the Pinkerton detectives, is spending his vacation with his parents here.

FOREST LAKE: The Warner school, after being closed for two years, reopened this season with an attendance of 19 scholars, with Miss Loretta McCabe as teacher. Many of the patrons are much pleased and return many thanks to the newly elected directors. ALSO James Broderick is the owner of a fine new buggy. All the girls are smiling on “Jim.”

EAST KINGSLEY: Mr. Crosley has purchased the wood lot on the Ezekiel Titus homestead and is preparing to move his mill there and cut it up. It is the original woods that was taken up by one of the nine partners, 120 years ago, and is an old landmark.

DUNDAFF: Walter Rifenburg returned from the Syracuse fair last Wednesday, bringing with him his bride, nee Mrs. Fanny Sly. The villagers turned out to greet them at 10:30 (p.m.) with pans, guns, bells and everything to add a little noise to the racket made.

BROOKLYN: Some of the finest celery we have every seen was shown to us Saturday by C. A. Rozelle, who makes a specialty of growing it. Mr. Rozelle told us that he was very successful at the Harford Fair, taking several first premiums and the premium on collection of vegetables, which also entitled him to a $5 premium offered by seedman Burpee.

AUBURN: The Rev. Hudgins is preaching some interesting temperance sermons at the different churches and judging from his remarks he is not very much in favor of either of the candidates [for governor] who Boss [Boies] Penrose [senior Senator from Pennsylvania] says we shall vote for.

JACKSON: On the 12th of September there gathered at Mrs. Charles Bookstaver’s home, a very happy company of 30 friends and neighbors, to celebrate the 90th birthday of her mother, Mrs. Caroline Bingham, it being a perfect surprise to grandma having been conceived and brought about by her daughter and grandchildren. Grandma Bingham’s face beamed with that youthful smile that is a characteristic of her life, as the friends gathered to greet her and bring little tokens of love and flowers. Grandma was in her wheel chair and when the refreshments were served her granddaughter Lula, brought a small table and her schoolmate, Aunt Theda Tucker, was invited to a seat by her side to partake with her, while they talked of the days of their youth and to complete the surprise in stepped one of her former pastors, Rev. P. R. Tower, and read a poem in her honor. At 5 p.m. the friends took the hand of Mrs. Bingham, wishing her many years yet with us, and expressing their kind wishes for the pleasant time enjoyed at the home of Mrs. Bookstaver. [Grandma Bingham died in 1911].

GETTYSBURG REUNION: Frank S. Barnes and John Decker, of Hallstead; Augustus Smith and J. Palmer, of Franklin; John J. Stockholm, of Hickory Grove; George W. Burman, George Bowell, Isaac Rankin, of Ararat Summit; S. L. French and Charles Belcher of Thompson; Frank Angell of West Auburn, all of whom fought in the Battle of Gettysburg, will go to that place on Sept. 27, to attend the dedication of the Pennsylvania monument.

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

In a telephone call a few weeks ago, a friend asked me to do a column explaining the Protection From Abuse Act (PFA) - how it works, who it covers, and generally the basics concerning PFA proceedings. Given that October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month, it seems like an appropriate time to discuss PFA orders.

In order to qualify for relief under the Act, a litigant must demonstrate that abuse is occurring, and the term “abuse” is broadly defined as both physical and sexual abuse, as well as any course of conduct that creates a reasonable fear of bodily injury. Thus, abuse can be a single incident or the culmination of days, weeks or even years of an abusive relationship. In making a determination as to whether a person needs protection, the Court must find by a preponderance of the evidence that abuse has occurred - and, if so, then a protective order will be issued. The Court has the ability to enter an order that lasts as long as three years.

Not every person is eligible to file a petition for a protective order. The Act defines a “victim” as “a person who is physically or sexually abused by a family or household member.” Most people do not realize that the Act limits the availability of PFA relief to a specific class of people. So who qualifies as “a family or household member?” The Act defines this class of persons as follows: “Spouses or persons who have been spouses, persons living as spouses or who lived as spouses, parents and children, other persons related by consanguinity or affinity, current or former sexual or intimate partners or persons who share biological parenthood.” Given this definition, the Act plainly targets victims of domestic violence - not all victims of physical or sexual abuse. We commonly have to educate non-domestic violence victims on this portion of the Act as most people want protective orders when they have been victimized by another person regardless of whether there is any relationship between the parties.

Petitions for protective orders are very common to the extent that the Court of Common Pleas of Susquehanna County dedicates a specific afternoon every week to conduct hearings on these petitions. When a protective order has been entered, it is a criminal offense to violate the order - and this Office has the responsibility of prosecuting those proceedings. Moreover, the Crime Code specifically requires the police to arrest a PFA violator if they find probable cause that a violation has occurred and the PFA violator can be easily located. In other words, if you violate a PFA, you will be cuffed and taken to a local magistrate to have bail set. If the Court determines that a violation has occurred, the Court can sentence the offender to up to 6 months in jail or probation and up to a $2,500 fine. I would estimate that we handle around 30 to 50 PFA violation hearings a year.

The sheer volume of PFA petitions filed speaks to the prevalence of domestic violence in our society. In many relationships, it is a dark secret that none aside from the victim and the abuser are aware of. Victims are often trapped in these relationships as a result of familial connections, economic worries, emotional ties, housing concerns, and other things that seemingly imprison the victim in a dangerous relationship. In the end, the ability to obtain a protective order is intended to provide domestic violence victims with the keys to freedom.

If you are concerned about domestic violence, there is a terrific opportunity coming up where you can join the community in taking a stand. The Women’s Resource Center and the Alliance of Faith and Advocacy is conducting a domestic violence walk on October 2 at 10:00 a.m. starting at the Montrose United Methodist Church and followed by a lunch for the participants. At the lunch, there will be a speaker who will discuss the effect that drugs and alcohol have on families that suffer from domestic violence. This event provides another strong reminder that we need to remain aware and vigilant of abusive relationships - and reach out to help those who are desperate to find a way to safety.

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. What can you do to prevent heart failure?

There are a number of things that you can do to reduce risk of coronary artery disease and heart failure. For starters, you should keep the following levels down: body weight, cholesterol, blood pressure, sugar, alcohol and salt. Exercise regularly. And, if you smoke, quit.

The most common symptoms of heart failure include shortness of breath, fatigue, and swelling, which usually occurs in the ankles, feet and legs. Swelling is caused by fluid buildup in the body and can lead to weight gain, frequent urination and a cough.

Because the symptoms are common for other conditions, your doctor will determine if you have heart failure by doing a detailed medical history, an examination, and several tests.

There is no cure for heart failure, but it can be controlled.

People with CHF are usually put on a low-salt diet to prevent fluid build-up. Their doctors may also tell them to lose weight, quit smoking, and reduce alcohol intake.

Medications that are used include: diuretics, “water pills” to reduce fluid; ACE inhibitors to lower blood pressure and reduce heart stress; beta-blockers to slow your heart rate and lower blood pressure; Digoxin to help the heart beat stronger.

Q. What exactly are “germs?”

Germs are microbes that cause disease.

Microbes are microscopic organisms that are everywhere. While some microbes cause disease, others are essential for health. Most microbes belong to one of four major groups: bacteria, viruses, fungi, or protozoa.

Bacteria are made up of only one cell. Less than one percent of them cause diseases in humans. Harmless bacteria live in human intestines, where they help to digest food. Some bacteria produce dangerous poisons. Botulism, a severe form of food poisoning, is caused by toxins from bacteria.

Viruses are among the smallest microbes. They consist of one or more molecules that contain the virus's genes surrounded by a protein coat. Most viruses cause disease.

There are millions of types of fungi. The most familiar ones are mushrooms, yeast, mold, and mildew. Some live in the human body, usually without causing illness. In fact, only about half of all types of fungi cause disease in humans. Penicillin and other antibiotics, which kill harmful bacteria in our bodies, are made from fungi.

Protozoa are a group of microscopic one-celled animals. In humans, protozoa usually cause disease. Some protozoa, like plankton, are food for marine animals. Malaria is caused by a protozoan parasite.

Q. How is atrial fibrillation treated?

Atrial fibrillation - also called AF or AFib - is the most common form of irregular heartbeat. It is an abnormal heart rhythm originating in the atria, the upper chambers of the heart. The rate of impulses through the atria can range from 300 to 600 beats per minute.

Initially, medications are used to treat atrial fibrillation. When initial remedies don’t correct or control AF, a procedure such as electrical cardioversion may be necessary. In this procedure, an electrical shock is delivered to your chest wall to restore a normal rhythm.

Then there are devices such as an implantable atrial defibrillator that delivers low-dose therapy to convert AF to a normal heart rhythm.

Patients with chronic AF not relieved by medication or procedures are candidates for surgical treatment. Many of these approaches can be performed with minimally invasive (endoscopic or “keyhole”) surgical techniques.

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

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Library Chitchat
By Flo Whittaker

Spare change does not seem that valuable in itself, but combined together it can become a significant contribution. This is the case with the bi-annual donations received by the Susquehanna County Library from Shurfine Market’s Community Rewards program. In Susquehanna County, the only two stores that are part of the Shurfine Markets Group are Rob’s Country Markets in Great Bend and Montrose.

Just recently, the Community Rewards program presented the Library with a check for $3,284.37, representing its donation of three cents from every purchase of Shurfine and Western Family products from January through June 2010 by customers who have registered their Gold Card and designated the Library as beneficiary. Since 2008, Susquehanna County Library has received $14,172.81 from this program (including the most recent gift), which has been applied to operating expenses. This represents 472,427 items purchased.

We thank those of you who have filed out the form (available at any library branch or on line) and made regular purchases. As you can see, every penny counts and every gift, large or small, is appreciated. In this time of belt-tightening and reduced revenue from the State, we value the ongoing, consistent support of individuals and businesses.

The Susquehanna County Library exists to serve the needs of its patrons. If you have not yet visited your local library, I would like to invite you to become more active in the Library’s programs and to become a regular visitor at our facilities in Montrose, Hallstead, Susquehanna, and Forest City.

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Rock Doc
By Dr. E. Kirsten Peters

No Rock Doc This Week

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What’s Bugging You?
By Stuart W. Slocum

No What's Bugging You This Week

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Dear Dolly,

No Dear Dolly This Week

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EARTH TALK
From the Editors of E/The Environmental Magazine

No Earth Talk This Week

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Barnes-Kasson Corner
By Cara Sepcoskiw

No Barnes-Kasson Corner This Week

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