Fairdale – Friends of the militant pastor of the Fairdale Methodist church of a few years since, Rev. James Lawson, will note with pleasure his active work in Moosic.  Rev. Lawson made complaint against “Kitty” Jones, of Moosic, for selling liquor without a license in her “speakeasy” and on Monday she was sentenced to pay a fine of $500 and spend three months in the Lackawanna Co. jail. Rev. Lawson has known for some time that certain unlawful and questionable amusement places were being run to the detriment of some of the boys and young men of his congregation and patience becoming exhausted at the neglect of the proper officials, he took the matter of prosecution in his own hands.

Hop Bottom – Hopbottom, which has been “dry” for a couple of years, is to have a temperance hotel.  The people of that place, that is the temperance contingent, gathered in public meeting at the Valley View Hotel, and formed a stock association called the Valley View Inn association.  There was little difficulty in getting buyers at $10 a share.  The price paid for the property was $1,900.  The people of Hopbottom have witnessed the good work of the proprietors of the Aqua Inn at Kingsley and believe that they can do the same for Hopbottom.  [Hop Bottom/Hopbottom is spelled both ways—at least for this time period].

Tunkhannock – The hearts of two old people of Bradford county were made young again when Rev. L. E. Sanford joined in marriage Elizabeth L. Butts, aged 66, of South Montrose, daughter of the late Jonah Luce, a blacksmith, and Joseph Lee, a machinist, living in Wyalusing, aged 76, son of the late James Lee, a farmer of that section.  They were both born in the same county in the early forties and on Monday the Wyoming county prothonotary passed over the license while the pastor of the M. E. church did the rest.  The couple is now living in Wyalusing to finish their days. ALSO Ira Vangorden, of Meshoppen, was brought before Justice James L. Voss, charged with maintaining illegal devices in the form of a wheel of fortune and a punch board.  The action was brought through the Women’s Christian Temperance Union, which had long urged Mr. Vangorden to desist from keeping these things on his premises.  After conviction the defendant was let off by paying the costs, which are said to have amounted to over $30, and promising to harbor the illegal machines on his premises no more.

Welsh Hill, Clifford Twp. – School re-opened here today, it having been closed for the past week on account of scarlet fever in the community.

Susquehanna – Mrs. Emily Phelps, of Washington street, celebrated her 90th birthday on March 8th.  Although in declining health, she is about the house, spending much time in reading.  She has excellent eye-sight for her years.  Among the pleasing features of the occasion was a birthday cake with 90 candles.

Montrose – William Henry Bacon, a boy in his 15th year, light complexion, blue eyes, dark hair, wore black-top arctics, black stockings and grey suit of knee pants, brown mackinaw coat and cap, left home on the morning of March 7, 1917.  He started for school and has not been heard from since.  Anyone knowing of his whereabouts will please notify his father, W. H. Bacon, 6 Wilson Street, Montrose. [Apparently he came home.  Was on the 1920 census.]

Upsonville, Franklin Twp. – There was no school Friday as our teacher received a message to come home.

Dimock – Perry and Obie Mills tapped their large sugar bush Friday last, near the back road.

East Kingsley – Archie Brink is quite sick with an attack of appendicitis.  He is attended by Dr. Taylor, of Hop Bottom, who is hoping that the ice treatment will save him from going to the hospital for an operation.

Lawton – S. P. Kahler & Son have sold their mercantile business to Mr. Coleman, of Middletown.  He will take possession April 1st.

Harford – Autos are seen on the Creek Road nearly every day.

South Gibson – The bean bake held by the Sons of Veterans was well attended and enjoyed by all present.

Silver Lake – James J. McCormick, one of the most prosperous farmers of this place, was the guest of his brothers T. P. and Joseph M. McCormick in Forest City.  Speaking of the potato crop, Mr. McCormick said he raised last year 500 bushels of the finest tubers he ever raised from two acres.  His crop was not as large last year as in former years.  He marketed potatoes in

Binghamton, Tuesday, for which he received $2.50 per bushel.

Forest City – John Krontz, Matthew Pittench, John Kizee and Lukus Petrika were in Scranton where they made application for final citizenship papers, which will be issued June 20.  Their witnesses were John Dutchman and John Marinih.

Uniondale – Miss Mary Bronson has written a play entitled the “Turncoat,” which is said to be a masterpiece.  The play was recently read by Mrs. Clara Miller, county chairman of the Suffrage clubs, at a meeting of the Montrose club, and greatly enjoyed by the listeners.  The club will take steps to stage the play in the near future.  Miss Bronson’s friends are delighted at her success as a writer.

News Brief: The following speech was made by an Irish barrister in defense of his client, whose cow had been killed by a train: “If the train had been run as it should have been ran, or if the bell had been rung as it should have been rang, or if the whistle had been blown as it should have been blew, both of which they did neither, the cow would not have been injured when she was killed.”  ALSO No form of government will ever be established that can provide prosperity to the man who sits on his door step waiting for it to come up the street.

200 Years Ago, from the Montrose Centinel, March 22, 1817.

*All persons indebted to me for advertising in the year 1816, are requested to call and cancel the same immediately; likewise for job-printing.  NECESSITY, absolute NECESSITYcompels me to make this call, and I therefore expect all indebted will pay attention to it.  Pay for papers is much desired.  Ed. Centinel.

*10 DOLLARS REWARD! Escaped from the Goal of Susquehanna County on the night of the 21st inst. BRADLEY THOMAS, a debtor confined in said Goal.  He is about 22 years of age, small stature, and at first sight appears like a smart active man.  Whoever will apprehend said Thomas and return him to the Goal of said County shall receive Ten dollars reward and all reasonable charges.  ELI GREGORY, Goaler.  March 22, 1817.

*NOTICE TO JURORS. PERSONS who have been summoned to serve as Jurors at the next May term are hereby notified that they need not attend, as no Jury is wanted.  AUSTIN HOWELL, Sheriff.  Sheriff’s Office, Montrose, March 22, 1817.

*WILLIAM ROCKWELL, POST-RIDER, Wishes to pay the Printer, therefore all persons indebted to him for papers, are requested to pay immediately.  Punctuality is the life of business.

March 22, 1817.

Carol Galinac had been in a romantic relationship with Ralph Tito since the early 1990s which resulted in them living together for some significant period of time.  When Tito died in September 2013, his will left his entire estate to his four children.  Galinac received nothing despite her years of cohabitation with Tito.  Approximately one year after the death of Tito, Galinac filed a claim against the estate contending that she was entitled make a spousal election against the Estate, namely a one-third share of the Estate regardless of what Tito’s will provided.  Galinac contended that she was the common law wife of Tito and was entitled to assert a spousal election.

In response, the trial court noted that a spousal election must be filed within six months of the decedent’s death or within six months after the date of probate of the will.  The statute governing the filing of a spousal election provided that a failure to file a timely spousal election resulted in a waiver of such a claim.  Given that Galinac’s election was filed more than six months after the probate of Tito’s will, the trial court dismissed her spousal election as untimely.  Galinac appealed this decision to the Superior Court.

There was no dispute that Galinac’s spousal election was untimely so Galinac had to find some kind of legal excuse for her delay.  Galinac argued that the doctrine of fraudulent concealment justified her failure to file a timely spousal election.  The doctrine of fraudulent concealment provides that a defendant “may not invoke the statute of limitations if, through fraud or concealment, he causes the plaintiff to relax his vigilance or deviate from his right of inquiry into the facts.”  Under this doctrine, a defendant’s deception may be either intentional or unintentional.  The question is simply whether the defendant’s conduct somehow resulted in the plaintiff not pursuing a claim in a timely manner.

Galinac contended that she was intentionally misled by Tito’s children who repeatedly told her that she was his girlfriend, not his wife, and that she was not entitled to receive anything from the Estate.  Galinac argued that the actions of Tito’s children made her believe that she was not Tito’s common law wife, but was simply his girlfriend, and that Tito’s children misled her so as to avoid having the Estate pay out her elective share as Tito’s common law wife.

Common law marriage was abolished in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania effective January 1, 2005.  Any attempt to create a common law marriage after that date is invalid.  Common law marriages that existed prior to that date, however, remain valid and enforceable.  The issue in a common law marriage is always proof of its existence.  In this regard, the proof required for a valid common-law marriage is that the parties had some kind of private ceremony where they exchanged present words of intent to create a marital contract and that this ceremony occurred prior to January 1, 2005.  For obvious reasons, any claim for a common-law marriage is viewed with great scrutiny.

As to Galinac’s claim that she was deceived into believing that she was Tito’s girlfriend rather than his common-law wife, the Superior Court noted: “Galinac’s arguments . . . are premised on the notion that Galinac was unaware of the existence of her own common-law marriage and, in the case of fraudulent concealment, that [Tito’s children] somehow prevented her from discovering the existence of that marriage.”  The Superior Court then noted that common-law marriage is based upon two parties entering knowingly entering into a marital contract, i.e., actually exchanging present words intended to contractually bind them in a domestic partnership.  When considering the very nature of a common law marriage, the Superior Court rejected Galinac’s fraudulent concealment claim: “Galinac’s argument that she was unaware of her common-law marriage is completely at odds with her claim that she and [Tito] were parties to such a marriage.  Galinac’s positions are illogical, irreconcilable and legally untenable.”

Thus, the Superior Court rejected Galinac’s appeal and affirmed the trial court’s determination that she was time-barred from asserting any spousal election against Tito’s estate.

Ear cleaning – Can you hear me now?

Mr. Williams came into the pharmacy and asked the pharmacist about his earwax buildup. “I’m having trouble hearing in this ear. I have tried the over-the-counter products but they do not work for me. My wife said to find someone who knows how to do candling to get the wax out.”

First, earwax is a good thing because it keeps the ears clean. Earwax, or cerumen, traps dust and dirt, like dried shampoo and shaving cream and sometimes even a bug. These substances are held together by oil and wax that comes from the glands in the ear canal. The wax also stops bad bacteria from growing in the ear. But too much wax can be painfully uncomfortable. 

On top of it, not all earwax is the same. Researchers have observed that one’s ethnicity can be roughly determined by the consistency of one’s earwax. For example, 95% of people who are East Asian have a mutation of the gene which blocks the molecule that makes earwax wet, making it drier and harder to remove. No more than 3% of people who are European and African origin have this dry cerumen.   Populations in Southern Asia, the Pacific Islands, Central Asia, Asia Minor, and Native North Americans, fall in the middle with dry wax incidence ranging from 30% to 50%.

You can hurt your hearing and your ear by trying to get rid of your earwax at home. Most people do not know how to safely remove earwax. Pointy objects such as toothpicks, hairpins, or Q-tips are routinely used to lift wax out of an ear. However, the eardrum can be punctured or the wax can be pushed even further into the ear. Earwax then becomes impacted close to the eardrum. The wax will become a dry, hard ball, causing temporary hearing loss or dizziness.

Candling involves the use of a hollow cone about 10 inches long made from a fabric tube soaked in beeswax, paraffin or a mixture of the two. The cone, now inside the ear, is ignited. According to advertised claims, the burning ear candle draws earwax and impurities or toxins out of the ear canal. However, the FDA frowns on ear candling because the practice can cause serious injuries, such as wax burns and candle wax plugging the ear canal and even adhering to the eardrum.  Other complications include face burns, bleeding, eardrum punctures, and even a house fire. The FDA has notified consumers and healthcare providers of its warning not to use ear candles because they have never been proven to work. Ear candling should never be used in very young children who may move during the use of the device, increasing the likelihood of injuries and hearing damage. 

Most cases of earwax blockage respond to home treatments used to soften wax. Patients can try placing a few drops of mineral oil, baby oil, or glycerin in the ear. Detergent drops such as hydrogen peroxide or carbamide peroxide (available in most pharmacies) may also aid in the removal of wax. Irrigation or ear syringing is commonly used for cleaning and can be performed by a physician or at home using a commercially available irrigation kit. Common solutions used for syringing include water and saline, which should be warmed to body temperature to prevent dizziness. Ear syringing is most effective when water, saline, or wax dissolving drops are put in the ear canal 15 to 30 minutes before flushing.

Mr. Williams told the pharmacist that he will see his doctor about safely removing his earwax.

Ron Gasbarro, PharmD, is a registered pharmacist, medical writer, and principal at Rx-Press.com. Visit him at www.rx-press.com

"Vomit or excrement?" she queried.

"What? What do you mean? I wanted health care."

"That's not on the menu," my waitress droned. She seemed exasperated.

Her eyes shot daggers at me as she awaited my answer. I said nothing.

"Look, Ma'am, this is very simple; it's a binary choice. You can have 7-year old vomit, or you can try the new excrement sandwich we're rolling out. Again, it's a binary choice. We haven't offered health care since before the turn of the century, and it's still not on the menu. If you don't select Speaker Ryan's excrement sandwich, we'll strike it from the menu and we'll automatically continue serving you the old vomit exclusively, and FOREVER."

Yes, it does sound ridiculous. But that's the line of reasoning Speaker Paul Ryan is using to roll out the GOP's pathetic attempt to "repeal and replace" Obamacare. Ryan-care, Trump-care, RINO-care, Swamp-care: by whatever euphemism you use, it is an obscenity to liberty. It neither repeals the Obamacare scam nor replaces it with free-market patient-centered medical care of high quality at a reasonable cost. Like Obamacare, it is just another Collectivist insurance scheme designed to punish anyone who actually needs health care.

Ryan-care redistributes income by diverting taxpayer funds to favored groups at the expense of groups not favored by the ruling oligarchy. In short, it's the exciting new Excrement Sandwich on the menu. Ryan and the Republican leadership insist all true Americans will love it. Take a big bite. Swallow hard. The Republican Stalinist Plan is SO-O-O much better than the Stalinist Democratic Vomit you've had to put up with for the last 7 years. Make no mistake, both Obamacare and Ryan-care are competing scams to divert money from your wallet to the pockets of insurance executives and politicians. Both are designed to make people dependencies of the government, not individuals capable of accessing high-quality, low-cost medical care when they need it.

Let's review. Barack Obama took office on January 20, 2009. His party, the Democrats, controlled every lever of government. It took the Democratic Congress until March 2010 to pass the Affordable Care Act (ACA), i.e., Obamacare, which quite naturally does NOT provide affordable care, and never extended real health care to the masses. To be sure, it forced millions of people off the health care plans they already liked and wanted to keep. It forced millions of people onto Medicaid rolls at the expense of federal taxpayers. It gave millions of people an insurance card (coverage), but no real access to care because many doctors would not accept it, or because insurance deductibles were set at astronomical levels. Obamacare never expanded the number of doctors; nor did it help unfavored individuals for whom deductibles and premia were driven through the roof. Obamacare is NOT health care; Obamacare is an Orwellian system which pushes people through a series of checkpoints on the road to total dependency.

But you have to hand it to Democrats. They are true believers in their schemes for centralizing command and control of healthcare insurance. In the elections of 2010, 2012, 2014, and 2016, they walked the plank for their ideology of government as god. In those four election cycles Democrats achieved the loss of the U.S. House, the Senate, the Presidency, and control of 33 state governments. In all, some 1032 Democratic officials across the aforementioned spectrum lost their seats in the four General Elections.

Why the Democrats kept losing seats was a function of Obamacare's dysfunction. Republican candidates promised "Repeal" through thick and thin. Republicans promised they would rid us of the Vomit if only we would return them to power in the U.S. House of Representatives. We did; they didn't.

But they said they couldn't do it because they needed control of the Senate. We voters said yes once again. Then the Republican leadership said they couldn't do it because they didn't control the Presidency. Once more, voters said yes. We have President Trump today, at least in part, on the basis of that promise.

Since 2011 the U.S. House of Representatives has voted at least 50 times to repeal Obamacare. The Senate under Republican leadership has also passed repeal measures. But now that we have a Republican President who would agreeably sign the same repeal, the House and Senate Republican leadership have developed a most curious aversion to the promised repeal extending to the "root and branch" of the Obamacare insurance scam. Speaker Ryan and Senate Majority Leader McConnell are willing to go to any length now to preserve Obamacare's totalitarian control over one-sixth of the American economy. Like their Democratic predecessors, they've decided they'd like to go into the business of coming between you and your doctor so they decide which wickets you'll jump through.

The simplest solution to killing the Obamacare insurance scam is a one-sentence full repeal: "The Affordable Care Act of 2010 is hereby repealed effective (pick a date)." For nervous-Nellie Republicans, the second easiest solution is simple passage of the repeal bill passed in 2015 with virtually every Republican lawmaker voting for it. The 2015 repeal bill made use of the reconciliation process to effectively take down 85% of the Obamacare scam. In either of the above scenarios-total or virtually total repeal-the decks can be cleared to permit discussion and real reform of the health insurance industry. This gives every Democrat and Republican incentive to participate in Congressional hearings and honestly search for market-based solutions that will lead to optimum care for all segments of society.

Republicans, like their Democratic colleagues, have lost sight of their purpose. Giving a healthcare card to every person doesn't provide health care. Sticking people on Medicaid doesn't necessarily provide indigent or low-income individuals with high-quality and accessible care. Penalizing people for not signing up for an insurance plan does nothing to improve their medical care. And guaranteed issuance (forcing insurance companies to sell insurance to those with pre-existing conditions at less than market-based rates) destroys insurance markets.

What the GOP plan does is cement iron-fisted centrally controlled tyranny in the hands of federal bureaucrats. It dictates what plans can be offered, at what price, and comes between patients and the care they need and want. It keeps America stuck on the road to tyranny with no hope of escape. Prices would necessarily rise precipitously. Healthcare infrastructure would continue to decline. The free market would continue to be squashed and prevented from operating. Until and unless anti-trust laws are applied to the insurance industry no reform can succeed.

Make America Free Again: Decriminalize Healthcare insurance Choice. The Republican plan for your healthcare is worse than the program it purports to replace. Don't believe a word of it. And don't eat the excrement sandwich the Republican leadership is selling. This is not a binary choice. They promised repeal; now remind them to keep their promise. Warmed-over 7-year vomit may provide insurance policies to millions, but it is hollow-care that many can never access because of sky-high deductibles and premia. Ryan-care replicates the same errors of logic, just by a different route. Wake up, America. Demand a new menu from your Congressman.