Hallstead - A horse driven by Mrs. Edith B. Mitchell became frightened at a passing train near the Pine Street crossing, Monday evening, and started on a wild run. Mrs. Mitchell jumped from the wagon and struck in such a manner that she broke her knee. Dr. A. F. Merrell was called and had her removed to her home where he reduced the fracture. Also V. D. Hand, of “The Cash Store,” is advertising to get you ready for the cold wave. Available are new coats, furs, sweaters, millinery, Munsing Union Suits, Snag Proof and Ball Band Rubbers and high top shoes for boys and girls. He also sells vacuum cleaners, bread flour, Butterine, onions and much more.
Scranton/Montrose - Dr. Van de Sand accompanied two patients, surgical cases, to the Moses Taylor Hospital, at Scranton, the first of the week. One of these patients was Leon Chesley, the popular and well-known barber, who underwent an operation for dilated stomach. Dr. J. M. Wainwright and Dr. Van de Sand operated and quite a number of stitches were taken in the outer covering of the stomach to bring the organ back to normal position. We are informed he was on the operating table over an hour, withstood the ordeal very well and the latest reports are he is resting comfortably.
Montrose – There was a somewhat remarkable chance gathering at the office of Comrade M. H. VanScoten, Monday afternoon. While seated at his desk, Wm. K. Tripper, of Brooklyn, N. Y., who is here visiting D. A. Titsworth and other friends in Montrose and Brooklyn township, where he resided many years ago, called and while they were visiting, Calvin Gay, of Sayre, and James Gay, of Montrose, also dropped in to see Mr. VanScoten. The remarkable feature of this little gathering of four men was that they constituted the total living members of the first military company to enlist from Susquehanna County in 1862.
Middletown – Edward Kelly has gone to Binghamton to conduct a feed barn and boarding stable on 121 Water Street, being associated with Frank Murphy, formerly of Silver Lake, who has been conducting this stand for the past few months. They will be pleased to see their Susquehanna County friends when visiting the Parlor City.
Liberty Twp. – The neighbors were greatly grieved Sunday morning when the news spread that Mrs. Jane Butler was dead. She went out to milk her cow and never returned in this life. She leaves a husband and a host of friends to mourn her loss.
Dundaff – Arthur H. Ayers, a pioneer of this place, died at his home Tuesday at the age of 80 years. He is survived by his wife and two grandchildren. Burial will be in the private burying ground.
New Milford – What might have proven a serious wreck occurred Monday morning, when a manifest train of ten cars loaded with poultry ran off the track at the Phinney crossing. The gentleman in charge was so badly shaken up, though not seriously injured, that he was removed to the hospital at Scranton. Dr. Merrill, of Hallstead, accompanied him. The wrecking crew from Scranton was on the scene immediately and had the track cleared for traffic within three hours. Also as E. W. Morgan and Rev. Eugene Helm were returning from Susquehanna Sunday afternoon in Mr. Morgan’s Ford runabout, they ran into the sand, overturning the car and pinning Rev. Helm beneath it, injuring his shoulder and back quite seriously. Luckily Mr. Morgan jumped as the car was overturned and was able to help his companion under the car. It was three and a half hours before they got help to get the car up again, although it was not damaged very much.
Lanesboro – Mrs. Eunice Prentice died at the home of her son, Frank Prentice, here, on Saturday morning, October 24. She was 87 years old and was one of the best known residents of that section. She is survived by Frank and Edward Prentice of Lanesboro and Louis and Charles Prentice, of Susquehanna.
Gelatt – Born to Mr. and Mrs. Lew Barnes, last Thursday night, a girl and a boy. All four are doing nicely, especially the father. Also G. H. Harding and Miss Abbie Thomas were married at the home of Mrs. Ann Harding, in Jackson, on Wednesday evening. Mr. Harding will move his harness shop from Gibson to this place.
South Harford – Do not forget that election is near—Nov. 3. Be sure to vote for Jones, McFadden and Brumbaugh. The Harford Congregational Aid Society will furnish a 25 cent dinner in the lecture room. No need to go home without your dinner or wait until after dinner to vote.
Glenwood – Mr. Griffis, who underwent an operation for appendicitis at his home a week ago, is not so well this week.
Forest City – The Bachelors, that well known organization of young men which has been instrumental in furnishing a number of very pleasant social occasions in the past, gave their annual Autumn dance in the Borough building last evening. The hall was beautifully decorated. Lynott’s orchestra, which furnished the music never rendered a more entrancing program and it was a light footed and happy throng that went through the steps of the beautiful dances. The Bachelors have surely scored another success and the young people will look forward with pleasant anticipation to the next affair to be given by that popular social organization. Also Gideon A. Shepherd, one of Forest City’s oldest and most respected citizens, answered the final summons on Monday morning after an illness of two years. He was a skilled woodworker and was employed by the Hillside company for 22 years, much of that time superintending the carpenter work of the company. He was married to Mrs. Priscilla Reynolds Davis in 1880, who survives him and one son, John B. Sherwood, of this place.
Thompson – A couple of pedestrians [walkers], whose names we were unable to learn, passed through this place Monday, enroute from New York to San Francisco, California.
News Brief: The climax to a season of startling surprises in baseball arrived when the Boston Braves, hopelessly tail enders in the National league until after the Fourth of July, won their fourth straight game and the world’s championship from the Philadelphia Athletics, who up to a week ago were rated as the greatest team assembled in recent years. This notable triumph was the most stunning form reversal ever featured in a world’s series. For the first time in the history of world’s championships only four games were required to settle the issue, and the Braves are the first team to win in the least possible number of games. The scores of the four games were as follows: first, 7 to 1; second, 1 to 0; third, 5 to 4 (twelve innings); fourth, 3 to 1.
I received a letter from Curtis Stone regarding the nature in which columnists disparage political candidates and he provided an example to me – a columnist who opposed the re-election of Tom Corbett for Governor and used his column to verbally assault the Governor. The columnist ended the piece by challenging Governor Corbett’s opposition to an extraction tax on the natural gas industry and disparaged the Governor (and his argument) by opining that “only a liar or a fool could offer such a preposterous argument.” Mr. Stone then told me that this name calling would provide “a good topic for the column.” The suggestion that he made for the column was “laws of libel.”
I suspect that many of you watching some of the political advertisements – from both sides – sometimes wonder at the viciousness of the attacks and the tenuous connection that many of the claims have with the truth. I hear a lot of people complain about political commercials on television – but I suspect that they must work otherwise neither party would waste money on them.
After I received the material, I had the chance to see Mr. Stone at a function – thanked him for the suggestion – and simply noted that public figures are open game for the media. Theoretically, there is the potential for a public figure to sue another person for libel or defamation, but it rarely happens. Even when it does happen, there are few times that such defamation lawsuits are successful.
For instance, in 1996, the Pennsylvania Supreme Court considered the case of MacElree v. Philadelphia Newspapers, where the Chester County District Attorney sued the Philadelphia Inquirer for characterizing him as “the David Duke of Chester County.” In considering whether this statement was defamatory so as to constitute libel, the Supreme Court indicated that it would have “to harm the reputation of [the complaining party] as to lower him in the estimation of the community or to deter third persons from associating with him.” The Supreme Court found that the statement was defamatory – as it suggested unethical and racist behavior by a sitting district attorney – and the matter was sent back to the lower courts for a trial.
The Supreme Court has made clear that not every offensive printed comment is actionable defamation: “It is not enough that the victim of the [offensive statements] . . . be embarrassed or annoyed, he must have suffered the kind of harm which has grievously fractured his standing in the community of respectable society.” The defamatory language must likewise be considered in the context of the entire communication – not simply standing in isolation – to determine the effect that the communication will produce.
In another political case, a newspaper printed comments calling a county official a “liar, thief and crook.” The Court noted that criticisms aimed at public officials are protected to some degree to allow people fair comment – or even heated comment – on public events. Where the offended party is a public official, it must be demonstrated that the author acted with actual malice, which is defined as “knowledge or reckless disregard of the falsity of the objectionable statements.” Given that the accusations of being a “liar, thief and crook” lacked any proof to its truth, the Court found that there was sufficient evidence to send the matter to a trial.
As to Mr. Stone’s question – these cases demonstrate that alleged defamatory statements aimed at public officials have to reach a high burden in order to become actionable in a civil proceeding – and rightly so. We should have the ability to criticize our elected officials without fear of a civil suit – but we should also strive to advocate our position with civility. In reading the piece that Mr. Stone provided, it is clear that the columnist was engaged in some level of hyperbole and sarcasm to make his political points – a tool that I have sometimes regrettably used as well in this column, likely to the dismay of some readers. In the end, however, a strong argument never needs to resort to name calling to make a point – the strength of the argument prevails on its own merit.
As to the issue regarding the extraction tax, and Governor Corbett’s opposition to it, I believe it is a well-reasoned and rational argument and I agree with it – which in the eyes of some makes me a “fool” or even a “liar.” Perhaps, we can actually agree that some policy questions have strong arguments on both sides – and people are not “liars” or “fools” simply because they do not agree with you. Now, that is really a fool’s dream.
What Obamacare is (and isn’t)
Shirley was in the pharmacy recently getting a new prescription filled. Upon hearing that her co-pay would be $35, she frowned and said to the pharmacist, “Obamacare, right?” The common misperception is that Obamacare, more respectfully called the Affordable Care Act, (ACA) is not a “thing” as such. Rather, it is a marketplace through which you can make your own selection as to which health insurance to buy, based on your income, a deductible with which you are comfortable and the amount of out-of-pocket expenses you wish to incur. The ACA is like a shopping mall, where you can go in and out of stores, and buy things, some of them bargains, and some of them more expensive. This can be compared to health insurance in which some of it is dirt cheap and some of it is high-end. Ultimately, the decision is yours. Not President Obama’s.
There is logic in having health coverage and stupidity in not having it. Example: Think that if you are young and healthy that can safely skip health insurance? Keep in mind that of the 57,000 fatal accidents in the US each year, 46,000 of them – or 80% - involve persons age 16 to 24. No insurance may mean no house, no car, and a mountain of medical bills, which may accumulate for the rest of your life.
Incidentally, there are tax penalties if you neglect to enroll in a plan. When you do your 2014 taxes, expect a $95 penalty per adult for that year. Doesn’t sound like much? For a family, the penalty is $285. What people fail to understand is that the penalty is $95 or $285, OR 1% of your income, whichever is higher. If you are single and made $50,000 in 2014, you pay a $500 penalty. In 2015, it will be $325 per adult or 2% of that adult’s income. The 50 grand a year guy can then expect to pay a $1,000 fine. By 2016, the tax is $695 per adult or 2.5% of that year’s income. Now the $50,000 person is paying out $1,250. Who is monitoring this penalty system? The IRS. So there goes your highly coveted refund check if you do not have health insurance.
Are things better off with Obamacare? The ACA represents the most significant regulatory overhaul of the U.S. healthcare system since the passage of Medicare and Medicaid in 1965. The new law protects people with pre-existing health conditions. Now the insurance companies cannot say no, even if you have had serious health problems in the past or have a serious health problem today. They cannot deny you. People are buying into the ACA. States a 2014 study published in the A New England Journal of Medicine study shows that as of May 2014, 20 million Americans gained health insurance coverage via the ACA, and the percentage of uninsured Americans dropped from 18% in 2013 to 13% so far in 2014.
Shirley was skeptical about all this information the pharmacist gave her until she remembered she has A-fib and a family history of cancer. More curious than ever, and not wanting to incur a penalty at tax time, she went home and logged onto health.gov where more of her questions were answered.
Ron Gasbarro, PharmD is a pharmacist, medical writer, and principal at Rx-Press.com. Write him at ron@rx-press.com.
