Springville – Through the efforts of W. E. Stevens, a wood bee was held for the M. E. church on Tuesday and a large pile of wood was the result. Also Springville and Lynn were well represented in Montrose [court] on Tuesday and Wednesday and citizens for the right feel proud of the good they have accomplished and it is the earnest wish of at least a few that the “pool room” will follow suit, next to a licensed [for liquor] hotel, as an unnecessary evil. Let it be a general clean up, is the sentiment of the people.
Dimock - The Birchardville basketball team went to Dimock on Tuesday evening where the home team “trimmed” them right properly in a game in the new community building.
Montrose – Business at The Subway Lunch during the present term of court has been rushing, and extra tables were required in order to “feed the multitude.” Proprietors Mack & Jenkins are always glad to see those who “come a courting.”
Forest City – F. J. Osgood, superintendent of the Northeastern Telephone Co. and a candidate for county commissioner, was in town Monday. Mr. Osgood is “pointing with pride” to the fine showing made the past year by the Northeastern which has a balance in the treasury and is in generally flourishing condition. Considering the low rental fee for the service rendered, he considers it one of the very best mutual telephone companies in the State. Also on Feb. 1, Joseph Stein will open an up-to-date lunch room in the building formerly occupied by Weiss and Gorman. The rooms are being painted and otherwise renovated. The lunch parlors will be open to ladies and gentlemen and fills a long felt want.
Heart Lake – The Mountain Ice Co. commenced work on Thursday of last week, putting in 1100 tons the first day.
Franklin Forks – The Salt Springs school has been closed on account of whooping cough.
Rush – The preaching service here will be held Sunday evening in the Baptist church, as the repairs on the Methodist church will not be completed. The pastor will begin in a series of sermons on “Great Americans.” The topic for next Sunday will be, “Grant, the Soldier.” A quartet has been organized and will render special music Sunday evening.
Clifford – E. G. Miller has purchased the home and farm of S. E. Finn, also the meadow lot belonging to L. E. Lee, and a wood lot owned by Owen Greene. “Grimes” says he wants all the land adjoining him as far as Lenoxville. All “Grimes” needs now is a wife to make him happy.
Susquehanna - George F. Larrabee, of this place, and business manager of the Susquehanna Evening Transcript, has received an appointment as door-keeper of the Senate at Harrisburg. The appointment came through the recommendation of State Senator Charles E. Mills, of Athens, Pa. Four years ago George served as a bill clerk in the House of Representatives. Also it is announced that John J. Ryan will, in the near future, erect a modern, fireproof opera house here, with a seating capacity of from 1,200 to 1,500 persons. Architect J. H. Phillips, of Deposit, was here in regard to the plans of the building. Mr. Ryan, manager of the Hogan Opera House, has had a large experience in the theatrical business.
Elk Lake – The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania owes Harry Lyon a debt of gratitude for killing 44 weasels, which the state terms, “obnoxious animals,” and also did owe him $88 in the “coin of the realm,” until a few days ago, when, through our County Commissioners, they paid over to him 88 cart wheels to reimburse him for his assistance to the state. Mr. Lyon has the record, so far as known. The bounty for each weasel killed is $2.00. Of course Mr. Lyon collected other bounty money, but his leading specialty seems to be weasels.
Hallstead – Toward the latter part of December the name of one of our popular young Democrats, and esteemed townsman, D. E. Hanrahan, was sent to the Senate by President Woodrow Wilson for confirmation by that body for the appointment, as Postmaster, at his town. A few days ago the confirmation was made and it is expected that within a few days Mr. Hanrahan will receive his commission and assume charge of the office about February 1st. Also Chas. White, while on his way to the Hallstead chair factory, was struck by a pusher engine while walking the railroad track. He received a deep gash in his head and was bruised about the hips.
Auburn Twp. – J. J. Donlin was circulating a petition Friday, praying the Honorable Court, to either remove the Auburn school board and appoint their successors, or enjoin them to do business and furnish schools for the pupils of the Township, as prescribed by the law. Also P. M. Harris and Mart Lake are going to have gas lights in their house and barn at Auburn Four Corners.
St. Joseph – As James Kelly, of St. Joseph, was taking his sister, Daisy, to the Hill school in Silver Lake, a big hog ran between the team he was driving and under the cutter. The horses were scared and backed up, turning the cutter completely over backwards, over the occupants.
Except getting a good shaking up they were not injured, fortunately.
Liberty Twp. – Glenn Potter, of Binghamton, is calling on old friends and neighbors and will be in town once a week and give the Chiropractor treatment.
Choconut Valley – The local telephone company held their meeting last week. Officers elected are: E. J. Stanley, President; William McCahill, Secretary; James Hawley, Treasurer.
Lenoxville – Miss Clara L. McNamara, a graduate nurse of Dr. Burns Private Hospital, Scranton, Pa., who recently took the State Board examinations for nurses, at Philadelphia, has successfully passed and is now a State Registered nurse. Miss McNamara, formerly from this place, is now located in Scranton and her many friends wish her success.
Herrick Twp. – David Gibson, son of W. E. Gibson, has been promoted to the position of traveling agent for the Southern Pacific Railroad. He resides at Los Angeles.
Middletown Twp. – LeRoy Edwards, after many months of illness, passed from his earthly home to the Eternal, on Jan. 8th, 1915. Funeral at the home here, Jan. 10, with burial at Birchardville. A widow and four sons are bereaved, with other relatives and friends. A man who loved and cared for his family and faithful to friends, has thus been called and the earthly home broken.
News Brief: Whooping cough, scarlet fever, mumps and la-grippe, are keeping the M. D.’s busy in this vicinity.
Last summer, I received a note from a reader looking for guidance on motor vehicle window tinting – and I stuck the note in a drawer and just discovered it again. My apologies to the reader – and let me see if I can answer the question with some level of clarity.
Section 4524 of the Vehicle Code refers to tinted windows as “sun screening or other materials,” and creates a general prohibition against such window screening “does not permit a person to see or view the inside of the vehicle through the windshield, side wing or side window of the vehicle.” In other words, the tinting cannot be so dark that an outside observer cannot see through the windshield or door windows.
The reader went further asking what would occur if the tinted windows were installed at the car manufacturer’s factory. There is a specific exception for that tinting as well, and the statute excludes “a vehicle which is equipped with tinted windows of the type and specification installed by the manufacturer.” This would be a defense to a citation for a violation of the tinted window statute, i.e., you would have to show that the windows were installed by the manufacturer, and not an after-market alteration.
There is also an exemption that applies to government vehicles (as well as hearses, ambulances or any other vehicle for which an exemption had been issued by PennDOT). This exemption actually appeared in a recent appellate decision, Commonwealth v. Rodriguez, where a local constable was cited for a violation of the window tint statute. The constable attempted to claim that he had an exemption because he was a government employee, i.e., a local constable. The Superior Court rejected that argument on two grounds: (1) a local constable is an independent contractor, not a government employee, and (2) a “government vehicle” has to be owned by the government – not an individual. The constable had to pay the $25 fine (plus court costs and his attorney’s fees) for the tinted windows on his 2006 BMW sedan.
The police actually have a “reflectivity meter” that measures the percentage of light transmitted through the window – and there are regulations relating to “light transmittance.” The regulations require passenger cars to have “light transmittance” of 70 percent or greater – if the “reflectivity meter” indicates that less than 70 percent of the light is getting through the window, the windows are not legal.
The reader went on to ask if there is a medical exception for conditions such as skin cancer – and the statute does provide for a medical exception. A driver seeking permission to have extra tint on his or her windows needs to obtain a “certificate of exemption” from PennDOT, which requires a licensed physician or optometrist to certify that the driver (or other household member who regularly drives the motor vehicle) suffer from a medical condition that justifies the exemption.
The reader then went on to ask whether driving privileges can be suspended for an illegal tinting violation. The simple answer is no – and there are no “points” assigned to this violation. On the other hand, the Vehicle Code does provide for a suspension of driving privileges if you fail to answer a citation or fail to pay the fines and costs associated with a conviction for a traffic violation. If you get a traffic citation for improper window tinting, you would also need to get the tinting corrected or apply for an appropriate exemption (if any apply). If you failed to do so, then you will end up getting another citation - if not more – until the tinting is adjusted to accepted levels.
I remember a magistrate judge telling me about a hearing in an illegal tint case where the motorist drove to court in the offending and uncorrected motor vehicle. The motorist not only lost the case – but ended up with a second citation when the trooper noticed the vehicle in the parking lot, which added a new set of fines and cost. While the fine is only $25, the fees and costs associated with a traffic citation pile up to the point where you will be spending over $100 for even the most minor traffic citation.
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/.
What?! Nutritional Supplements Can Cause Cancer?
When Eva, 51, came into the pharmacy she asked the pharmacist, “I take a lot of vitamins. But I just read that nutritional supplements can actually cause cancer, not prevent it. Is this true?” “Yes and no,” replied the pharmacist, who explained that clinical studies have shown some supplements, including certain vitamins, may contribute to an increased risk of cancer.
The US National Cancer Institute sponsored a large double-blind, placebo-controlled primary-prevention trial to examine the effects of vitamin E and beta-carotene supplementation on reducing the incidence of lung cancers in male smokers, ages 50-69 years. Vitamin E supplementation did not significantly reduce the incidence of lung cancer, but a higher incidence of cancer was observed in the group receiving beta-carotene. Another study showed that adults at increased risk for lung cancer were 46% more likely to die of that disease if they took vitamin E and beta-carotene. In men with “stable” prostate cancer, adding 140 micrograms per day or more of the mineral selenium may increase the risk of dying from that prostate cancer. (The typical selenium capsule available at vitamin shops contains a whopping 200 micrograms). A large review of clinical studies showed that vitamins A, C, E, beta carotene, and selenium, taken to prevent intestinal cancers, actually increased mortality. Studies that examined whether multivitamins can hypothetically cause breast cancer have been found to be poorly designed and, thus, no solid conclusions can be drawn from them.
So why are these products sold at all? First, vitamins and other supplements are considered foods and not drugs. Thus, the FDA does not have to test these products for potency or safety. Second, as long as the company does not tout a product as a “cure for cancer” or that it “makes you live longer,” the company can make vague claims, such as “prostate health” or “longevity insurance.” Third, mega-dose supplements exceed American dietary recommendations with few studies showing that these extremely high doses are doing any good or causing harm. Fourth, people have beliefs which are not based on scientific findings, but rather from TV ads or even neighbors. All of this fuels the multi-billion dollar diet supplement industry with over half of all American adults taking a multivitamin, despite the lack of proven results, according to the US Department of Health and Human Services.
Derived from “vita,” a Latin word meaning life, vitamins convert food into energy. When people do not get enough vitamins, they can develop diseases like scurvy and birth defects. The question is not whether we need vitamins. We do. The question is how much do we need. Do we get enough in foods? And it comes down to diet. Based on the inconclusive results of studies that analyze the role of vitamins in health and disease, the best advice is to stop swallowing pills and eat more fruits and vegetables, replace refined carbohydrates with whole grains, reduce total and saturated fat, avoid overcooked meats and watch calories to obtain and maintain a healthy body weight. After digesting this information, Eva said to the pharmacist, “I see now that too much of a good thing can also be a bad thing.”
Ron Gasbarro, PharmD is a pharmacist, medical writer, and principal at Rx-Press.com. Write him at ron@rx-press.com.
