Great Bend – The Lackawanna Railroad Co. commenced proceedings last fall before the Public Service Commission for a certificate of public convenience in abolishing what is known as “The McKinney Crossing” and Barringer Crossing” in the township and to vacate the lower road of the Cochecton and Great Bend Turnpike.  The change of the road necessitated the closing of the old McKinney Crossing and Barringer Crossing and required all those living on the Northeasterly side of the railroad to make a detour of about a mile and a half in going to New Milford or Montrose.  It also made a dead end of the road and changed the State Highway for little over a mile, putting back on to the township the burden of maintaining that part of the road abandoned which is now maintained by the State.  C. R. McKinney and his family have operated a water power grist mill along a part of the road to be vacated for upwards of 75 years.  Mr. McKinney established before the Commission that his mill would be located at the dead end of the road and the business of the mill would be practically ruined as the public travel would be diverted to the new road.    The case was hotly contested by the land owners, at Harrisburg, and a special meeting of the Commission was held at Scranton. It has also been the source of a great deal of litigation in the county courts.  Yesterday the commission at Scranton rendered their decision in relation to the road.  They awarded the Railroad company a certificate of convenience authorizing them to abolish the McKinney and Barringer Crossings and to vacate that portion of the Cochecton and Great Bend Turnpike, the company to build and maintain a new road and an overhead bridge crossing at the expense of $80,000.  They awarded C. R. McKinney $4500 damage and they also agreed to maintain that part of the road that was thrown back on the township for all time and gave substantial damages to the other land owners.  This is the first substantial verdict obtained before the Public Service Commission in proceedings of this character.

Fiddle Lake – Archibald Foster, aged 78 years, was drowned in the lake Saturday forenoon. He came from the home of his son Charles, at West Herrick, and was on his way to the home of his daughter, Mrs. Marvin Sampson, of Burnwood.  He attempted to cross the lake on the ice and had nearly reached the opposite shore, when the ice broke and he fell in.  His cries for help brought Kleber Shaver and Samuel Entrot to his assistance, but too late.  They recovered the body in about 6 feet of water.

Susquehanna – Evangelist E. G. Crabill closed his campaign here on Wednesday evening, when there was a record audience.  Mr. Crabill has nearly a thousand converts as a result of his efforts.  The people of Susquehanna gave him a free will offering amounting to about $1,500. Also John Burns, a native of Susquehanna, while fighting with the Allies in Europe, was killed in battle. Dr. Ahern, also of this place, returned from the seat of war in Serbia, where he went several months ago with an expedition of volunteer physicians and nurses from the American Red Cross Association.  He has been through many exciting experiences during his absence.

Brooklyn – Brooklyn has been “dry” for forty-two years, not because the court would not grant a license, but because the late I. O. Bullard, who bought its hotel in 1855 and kept a licensed hotel until 1872, saw the ill effects and would not petition for one, and his daughter and her husband, Mr. and Mrs. L. Tewksbury, who inherited the property, would not ask for one.  During the past 42 years it has been demonstrated here in Brooklyn that good accommodation can be furnished to the public without the use of that which at last “biteth like a serpent and stingeth like an adder.”

Lackawanna Cutoff – Plans for stations to be erected along the route of the Lackawanna cutoff, between Clark’s Summit and Hallstead, are now being prepared by Engineer F. L. Wheaton.  No definite announcement has been made by the company as to the exact location of the new stations, except that one will be built at Factoryville.  It is expected that the buildings will be of concrete.

Montrose – Wednesday of this week marked the 70th Anniversary of Dr. C. C. Halsey’s arrival in Montrose to act as principal of the old [Montrose] Academy.  The doctor, who has passed his 92d birthday, is gaining in strength and with the balmy days of spring we trust he may be able to be out again. ALSO It is safe to say that Montrose has more dogs in proportion to its population than Constantinople.  The other morning we counted nine dogs of various breeds in front of Gamble’s store, and Sunday morning there was a free-for-all fight on Church street, in which five or six canines took part, making the early morning hideous with the howls.  “Auf weidersehn!” with half of them.

Jackson – Prof. O. E. French, a former instructor in the schools of Susquehanna county, and a native of Jackson, died recently at his home in Creston, Iowa.  He was for five years superintendent of schools in this county.  In 1883 he went to Creston and for 23 years was superintendent of that city’s schools.  In 1908 he took a professorship at Des Moines, which he held for three years and following that time, until his death, he was chief clerk in the office of the State superintendent of schools.  His wife, one daughter and two sons survive.

Clifford – On March 31, 1915 occurred the death of John Bolton, a lifelong resident of the township.  Mr. Bolton had lived 18 years above the allotted three score years and ten, ending his years upon the farm where he spent his whole life.  He was a man of more than ordinary ability.  His wise counsel was always sought on matters of importance in the township and church work, of which he was a consistent member and worker.  His unassuming manner and modesty endeared him to all who knew him and his long and useful life will be greatly missed.  Mr. Bolton was the last of the Bolton family, who were pioneers in the settlement of Clifford township.  Like the sturdy oak he grew and spread his influence over a large territory and the power he used for good will be felt for generations in the betterment of mankind and for the general uplift of the community.  He leaves a faithful wife and large circle of friends to mourn his loss.

Uniondale – Grand Opening of the Uniondale Temperance House, H. J. Orce, Prop., will be Saturday evening, April 17 for supper.  Fifty cents the plate.  Uniondale symphony orchestra will furnish music for the same.  All are invited to attend. 

Forest City – Three young boys, who stated that they were from this place, recently entered J. W. White’s sugar bush, in Uniondale, and began pulling spiles, battering pails and emptying their contents, while Mr. White’s boys begged them to desist.  Angered, the boys pulled out revolvers and proceeded to shoot.  One of the White boys ran to a wall and narrowly escaped being shot in so doing.

Bridgewater Twp. – One thrifty teamster is said to have pulled seven autos out of the mud near Montrose, one day recently, at one dollar per.  One autoist informs us he paid two plunks for getting the favor of a pull out.

Correction – It now appears that there is no truth in the story widely copied that the body of Geo. W. Arnts, of Co. K, 143d Pennsylvania Volunteers, who is believed to have been killed in the battle of Gettysburg, had been found under a barn in the battlefield.  C. J. Arnts, of Meshoppen, wrote to the superintendent of the National Cemetery at Gettysburg, thinking the report true, but was informed that no such body had been found.

Several months ago, I read a draft of a book written by a sexual assault survivor that described her twisted and painful path to healing that spanned several decades. I was asked to read the draft to give editorial comments and general impressions about the structure and flow of the story itself. The story was intense and a brutally honest self-assessment of the shadows and demons that haunt sexual assault victims.

It was both compelling and heart-breaking – it told a familiar story about the brutal taking of innocence for sexual gratification. This was the part of the story that prosecutors encounter every day when they review police reports, interview victims and prepare for trials. Each case is horrific in its own terrible way. The book recounted the terror that I had seen in the tearful eyes of victims and heard in their soft voices. Within its pages, there was a journey that prosecutors do not get to see – the path that follows the prosecution, the reality that criminal justice may provide some punishment, but little healing, and the dark spiritual cancer that sexual assault victims battle for the rest of their lives.

This particular victim never reported the sexual abuse to law enforcement – and it took her years to even report it to her family. I have found that many people – and jurors – question why a victim does not report sexual abuse. Defense attorneys often use the failure to disclose to discredit the victim. Average people expect that when something bad happens to someone, they would go to the police. We know that in child abuse cases children often do not report their abuse. There are so many reasons: fear, shame, confusion, uncertainty are just a few of them. As the book recounted the trauma and the inability to reveal the horror, I wondered more than once whether I would have ever had the strength or courage to reveal such terrible abuse if it had happened to me.

One of the more disturbing parts of the story – and one that I have seen as a prosecutor – was the familial reaction to the courageous act of disclosure. Even after there had been confirmation that sexual abuse had occurred the victim was faced with a family dynamic that wanted things to go back to normal. It was a long time ago. You should be over it by now. You just need to forgive and move on. Maybe you are not remembering it right. Maybe you consented and wanted to do it. The family did not want their lives uprooted and rearranged – and there was some resentment toward the victim for not simply keeping her secret.

It reminded me of one of the first sexual assault cases that I ever prosecuted. The mother’s boyfriend sexually abused the mother’s first teenage daughter for several years – and there was no perversion that this monster did not perform on that child. Then, as the younger sister entered her teenage years, he began to sexually molest her as well. In an effort to save her younger sister, the older sister disclosed the abuse – the sexual predator gave a full, written confession. An open and shut case, right?

It would have been but for the mother then marrying the sexual predator – and then working behind the scenes to get her children to retract their statements. She wanted to keep it a family matter – and she promised that her new husband was sorry and would never hurt them again – and the mother pointed out that if he was convicted, they would not have anywhere to live if they continued with the prosecution. The mother knew that we could not use the defendant’s confession unless her daughters testified – and her daughters began to blame themselves for what was happening.

In the end, they both testified – though one of the daughters had to be threatened with a contempt finding before she would say a single thing on the record. I still regret that the Court had to threaten such a young and fragile victim in order to get her to testify – and wonder how I could have handled the situation differently. I remember her asking me that if she had forgiven her new stepfather, why was it anyone else’s business? Her mother had convinced her that it was the criminal justice system that was abusing her and ruining her life.

The draft manuscript reminded me of just how crucial family support can be for a sexual assault victim – and how there are times when families fail in their roles as safe havens – not only in preventing the sexual abuse itself, but then failing to shelter and protect the child after the abuse is disclosed. As I finished the draft manuscript, I knew that it had changed my perceptions - it opened my eyes and gave me some insights that my prosecutorial experience had never imparted. It was a hard read – even with the story of redemption and healing contained within the pages – but it was a necessary read.

April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month. It is not an easy topic – but for the sake of the victims, we all need to be aware that this monster is out there. Closing our eyes and ignoring it does nothing to solve the problem. The victims need us – we can all do a better job.

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/.

“Encourage your children to read. Reading can unlock the keys to a whole world of information. Parents are teachers, both by example and conversation. ~Author Unknown

The 2015 list of 12 classic children’s books has recently been released. How many of the following did you enjoy as a child? I have also included the year they were published to give you an idea of how many generations they have entertained. There was a three-way tie for 12th place with “Anything Dr. Seuss” from “The Cat in the Hat” (1957), “Green Eggs and Ham” (1960), “Horton Hears a Who” (1954), and “The Lorax” (1971) among many others vying with “Goodnight Moon” by the late Margaret Wise Brown (1947), and Shel Silverstein’s “The Giving Tree”, a favorite of millions from 1964. Number 11 is the “Little House on the Prairie” series by Laura Ingalls Wilder, published in 1935 and enjoyed by millions by book and TV series. No. 10, “A Wrinkle in Time” by Madeleine L’Engle has been enjoyed since 1962. Number 9 is a new one on me. “A Wizard of Earthsea” by Ursula K. LeGuin. Presently, our Library System does not have this title on its shelves, but it does have another of Ms. LeGuin’s, entitled “Gifts”. Number Eight seems to be a perennial favorite with many. “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory” by Roald Dahl and published in 1964,has kept us wishing for our own chocolate factory for generations. What list would be complete without number seven and everyone’s favorite bear and friends—“Winnie the Pooh: (1926) by A.A. Milne. Number six, a much-loved bedtime story, is “The Little Prince” (1943) by Antoine de Saint-Exupery. Number five, The beginning of a wonderful series by Louisa May Alcott, “Little Women”, published in 1868. Number 4 (I know you’re all wondering who will take the number one spot—hang in , it’s coming!) was published in 1865 and has charmed readers ever since—“Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland” by Lewis Carroll. We jump from the 1800’s to the 1960’s with Number Three—“Where the Wild Things are” (1963) by Maurice Sendak. The Number 2 spot belongs to “The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe”, written by C.S. Lewis and published in 1950.

And the Numero Uno place on the list belongs to… (Drum roll please..) “Charlotte’s Web” by E.B. White which was published in 1952! Think back to your own childhood. What titles enchanted and delighted you? Perhaps making you plead for a little more time before hopping into bed, or turning out the light? I’m pleased to say your local Library Location has all of these titles and many more by the same Authors. As your “Dog-eared, Tattered Cover” columnist, I can name two series of which I could never get enough—the works of Thornton Burgess had me mesmerized from the first pages—“Lightfoot the Deer”, “Reddy Fox”, “Old Mr. Toad”, “Johnny Chuck”, “Danny Meadow Mouse” and so many other characters that you fell in love with and that Author Burgess wrote about for approx. 50 years, starting in the 1920’s. Being the youngest in our family, I also loved the charming adventures of “The Five Little Peppers” by Margaret Sidney (1936). Despite their poverty, they are a loving family, full of spirit and love. The exuberant five (Ben, Polly, Joel, Davie and little Phronsie) are raised solely by their Mother as their Father passed away when Phronsie was a baby. As a child, I didn’t think they were poor. I just figured they had a wealth of imagination to concoct all of the plans and schemes they carried out. I adopted Polly and Phronsie as my “Sisters”, I didn’t need Brothers, I already had 2 of those. My love of reading helped me develop my love of writing—so much so in fact, that I am writing my own “Treasury of Children’s Stories” with a most fervent hope that my volume will be on one of the our County’s Library shelves one of these days as well.

“There are many little ways to enlarge your child’s world. Love of books is the best of all.”~ Jacqueline Kennedy

Susquehanna Branch Librarian Laura Nichols shared that, even though there were many books she loved as a child, her all-time favorite is the “Betsy-Tacy” Series by Maud Hart Lovelace. She went on to explain that the characters all feel like good friends and she enjoys re-reading them often. In fact, she loved them SO much that her thoughtful Groom gave her a first edition of Author Lovelace’s final book of the series, “Betsy’s Wedding” as her wedding present. In fact, there is even a “Betsy-Tacy Society” Here is the link: http://www.betsy-tacysociety.org/ . Presently, the following titles are available from our County’s Library system: “The Trees Kneel at Christmas” and “The Valentine Box”. The Betsy-Tacy series has captured the hearts of young and old for more than 65 years and were published between 1940 and 1955. Elizabeth Hanrahan, also from the Susquehanna Branch and one who I know (With her Mother) is a Cozy Mystery lover, especially Joanne Fluke’s works has two childhood books that she’s incredibly fond of. The first is “Wind in the Willows” by Kenneth Grahame (1859). Evoking fond memories of reading to or being read by her Dad, (Who created wonderful character voices), she loved hearing about Rat and Mole’s friendship, Toad’s adventures,(especially with his car) and the reclamation of Toad Hall. The other well-loved book is “The Egypt Game” by Zilpha Keatley Snyder (1967) which spurred her imagination with its costumes, ceremonies, puzzling adventures and secret codes, plus her love of Ancient Egypt. Elizabeth loved this title so much and had checked it out of the Library so many times that, eventually she was asked by the Librarian if she would like to keep it—and to this day, it is very well worn, and still very much loved. At present, “Wind in the Willows” is available at our Library locations, but, sadly, “The Egypt Game” is not. Perhaps it will be in the not-too-distance future.

“Children are made readers on the laps of their parents.”

~ Emilie Buchwald

I will be continuing the favorite Children’s books from our local Library staffs in the next column. In the meantime, did you know that April is also “Ladybug Girl Month”? Your local Library has several “Ladybug Titles” to choose from, such as: “Ladybug Girl and the Dress-up Dilemma”, “Ladybug Girl and the Bug Squad”, “Ladybug Girl and Bumblebee Boy” and many more to delight the young readers in your household. I’m also hoping that a new series, similar to that of “Little House on the Prairie”, entitled “Tales from Maple Ridge” by Grace Gilmore and Petra Brown will find its way to the top of the “Library Wish List” and be available for summer reading. Set in 1892,you’ll be meeting Logan Pryce, an eight-year old boy whose family hardships are made better by his small-town community of Maple Ridge, Illinois. It sounds a bit like the small-town warmth we have here in our County. The first two books were released on April 7th, with the next three being released in June, August and December.

“No matter how busy you may think you are, you must find time for reading, or surrender yourself to self-chosen ignorance.”~ Confucius

On the afternoon of April 11th, a lively crowd, hoping to bid for many beautiful items packed the VFW on Route 706 in Montrose for the annual “Library Auction”. The doors opened at 4:15 pm so people could have a sneak peek before the auction commenced at 6:00. The $10.00 admission fee also included a sumptuous dinner including a delicious array of soups, salads and sandwiches, topped off with delectable desserts and beverage of your choice. With the audience bidding high and often for quality goods and exceptional services, what a resounding success the evening turned out to be! Thank-you does not adequately cover our sincere appreciation to all who tirelessly worked, planning and executing such a flawless fundraiser, those generous individuals and businesses who donated goods, gift certificates and many other items too numerous to mention, Organizer Extraordinaire, Anna Ruegner and last, but certainly not least, Y-O-U who made it an event to remember by attending and opening your hearts as well as your wallets so that we may continue to provide the programs and services that you and your family have come to expect and enjoy. Your kindness and generosity overwhelm us. The Susquehanna County Historical Society and Free Library Association thanks you!

As I go out, umbrella in hand, to admire the tiny purple crocus blossoms, I leave you with this thought:

“He that loves a book will never want a faithful friend, a wholesome counselor, a cheerful companion, an effectual comforter. By study, by reading, by thinking, one may innocently divert and pleasantly entertain himself, as in all weathers, as in all fortunes.” ~Barrow

April Showers—Nests—Seedlings

ENJOY!!

Jack’s Mom Is On Too Much Medication

Jack came into the pharmacy and handed the pharmacist a paper sack. The sack was filled with various prescription vials – vials that came from other pharmacies and drugs that were prescribed by several doctors. “I found her passed out on the kitchen floor,” Jack told the pharmacist. “She is 80 years old. Does she need all this stuff?” The pharmacist saw heart pills, pain pills, sleeping pills, stomach medications, antibiotics and more. Some of the vials contained a mixture of capsules and tablets. “What a mess,” exclaimed the pharmacist.

Investigators from Duke University report that over the course of a year, one in five people age 65 or older filled prescriptions for at least one "drug of concern," and some were prescribed three or more inappropriate drugs even though less risky alternatives were available. People over the age of 65 make up less than 15% of the U.S. population, but they account for nearly one-third of the drug prescriptions. The elderly are far more likely than younger people to take multiple medications, and they are also more likely to have side effects due to age-related changes in metabolism and liver and kidney function. Also, the more medications one is on, the greater the odds are that drug interactions will occur.

The American Geriatrics Society compiles an ongoing registry of drugs called the Beers Criteria for Potentially Inappropriate Medication Use in Older Adults, commonly called the Beers List. This list is a guideline for healthcare professionals to help improve the safety of prescribing medications for older adults. It emphasizes a “less is more” philosophy by not prescribing medication that is unnecessary, which reduces the problems of prescribing risky medications to seniors, and also minimizes drug interactions and side effects. The list is daunting: it includes sedatives, NSAIDS (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs) used for pain and arthritis, cardiovascular medications which can be substituted by safer alternatives. Google “Beers Criteria” to find the complete list.

So, who is to blame here?  Is it Jack’s mother for not paying attention to her medications? Is it Jack for not keeping closer tabs on his mother’s conditions? Is it the fault of the doctors who prescribe the drugs, or the pharmacists who fill the prescriptions? The answer is “all of the above.” Yet, how can one doctor necessarily know what another doctor has prescribed? People are free to go to as many pharmacies as they want. However, they run the risk of a drug interaction being missed because pharmacies are not networked. The solution? If Jack’s mom cannot handle her own meds, then other arrangements have to be made, such as getting in a visiting nurse. Pharmacists should stress that their older patients get their prescriptions filled at only one pharmacy so that drug interactions are minimized and prescribers can be called if the pharmacist is alerted to a drug interaction. Patients should have a complete list of all their medications that he or she can show doctors, pharmacists, and family members.

Jack’s mother was lucky. Thousands of seniors die each year due to overdoses and interactions. Now she gets her prescriptions filled at one pharmacy. Jack takes the prescription in for her to make sure it is the right dose as well as ensuring it will not interact with anything else she is on. Never be afraid to ask a doctor why a drug is being prescribed and what to expect. Be an advocate for your own health.

Ron Gasbarro, PharmD is a registered pharmacist, medical writer, and principal at Rx-Press.com. Write him with any ideas or comments at ron@rx-press.com.