Brooklyn - The canning demonstration given by Miss Lodie Smith, of State College, at I. O. O. F. Hall last Thursday, was attended by about 70 ladies, who showed much interest in this work for the conservation of the food supply.
Montrose – G. Kilmer Ackley, brother of B. D. Ackley, who was Billy Sunday’s famous pianist, is to conduct a temperance campaign in Susquehanna county in the interest of the No-License League. He has given his patriotic temperance address, “Booze or Beef” in the M. E. Church at this place. ALSO W. A. Taylor, formerly of Dimock, has received a message that his son, George E. Taylor, and family, a missionary at Chang Sha, Hunan Province, China, would arrive at New York on a furlough about Aug. 15th. He and Mrs. Taylor have been conducting the Faith orphanage at Chang Sha with excellent results, going there in September, 1913. His sons, having learned the printing trade, materially aided in the printing and spreading of the Bible and gospel literature. [Two sons of George were Maurice and A. Ralph Taylor. Maurice was well-known for creating and directing the Montrose High School band and A. Ralph Taylor was owner of Taylor’s Store in Montrose.]
Susquehanna – Fifty girls who are doing piece work in the machine shops of the Erie railroad at Susquehanna are said by an official of another railroad to be an interesting sight, although the public is not allowed a glimpse of them while at work. They wear one-piece overalls, with a jaunty little cap, and have their own rest room, where they change their clothing, and their instructors and superintendents see that they are not molested while at work. An interesting fact in regard to the work of these girls, it is alleged, is that they make more than the men did at the same work, for they work faster and more steadily and are paid for the amount they do on the same basis as the man.
Forest Lake – As we go to press the case of E. H. Sivers, against the Township of Forest Lake, is being tried. It is an action for damages for injury received by Mr. Sivers when his wagon went over a bank on the road near Forest Lake, and he was thrown a distance of 30 ft. He claims he received injuries from which he is still suffering.
Hopbottom – A farewell party was given in Masonic hall for Miss Shirley Powers, who leaves for Newark in a few days to enter training as a nurse, and for Eric Brown, who has enlisted in the service of Uncle Sam. Miss Powers has been employed in the post-office for several years and will be missed by all.
Clifford – A party consisting of Mr. and Mrs. G. R. Bennett and the Misses Blanche and Mary Kline, Ruth Horton, Ethel Turner, Marion Taylor and Katharine Rounds will camp at Newton Lake for a week. They will occupy E. E. Finn’s cottage.
Ararat – William Leach, formerly hotel proprietor at this place, died at the home of his son, Cecil Leach, Portsmouth, Va. The deceased was known as “Brave Bill Leach,” a name gained when he captured two desperate criminals who sought refuge in a box car at Ararat, in the month of February, 1898. At the risk of his life he opened fire on them and succeeded in capturing two of the gang. He is survived by his wife and one daughter, Mrs. Andrew Taylor, and a son, Harwood, of Carbondale, and B. Cecil, his eldest son, who has been a resident of Portsmouth, Va. for several years. He was widely known in the eastern part of the county and highly esteemed by his friends. Burial in the family plot in Thompson cemetery.
Thompson – Miss Jane Mathewson, of Factoryville, Pa., youngest daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Gilbert B. Mathewson, and Leroy C. French, of Scranton, formerly of Thompson, were married at the M. E. parsonage, August 1st, by the Rev. W. E. Webster of the Court Street Methodist Church, Providence, Pa. They were attended by the bride’s sister and husband, Mr. and Mrs. W. E. Branning, of Dunmore. The bride is a sister of the famous pitcher, Christy Mathewson, now manager of the Cincinnati Reds. The groom holds a responsible position with the American Telephone and Telegraph Company and is at talented musician.
North Jackson – Plucky Miss Beatrice June killed a rattlesnake near her home on Thursday last, dispatching it with a hoe. It had eight rattles.
Forest City – Two more names were added to the long list of those who are in the army when Frank Wisneski and Anthony Chicienski left for Fort Slocum. ALSO David Jones, of Company E, 13th Infantry, was the guest of his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Wm. Jones of South Main Street. David has been located at Lanesboro since the return of the regiment from the Mexican border. He is anxious to land “Somewhere in France,” preferring life at the front rather than guarding the Starrucca Viaduct.
News Brief: Deer are being seen in various parts of the county, indicating that they are multiplying under the protection of the more stringent game laws. A deer was seen by George P. Little, son of the late Judge Little, on the Little farm during the week. The young man with three other employees was working in a field when the beautiful animal loped through the lot, cleared a fence, at a bound and disappeared in the woods.
200 Years Ago Today, from the Centinel, Montrose, PA, August 10, 1817.
*NOTICE. The person who took a Watch out of Sheriff Howell’s house some time since, in rather a private manner, is requested to leave the same at Mr. Clark’s Printing Office, and thereby save his character from coming before the public in a manner not altogether so agreeable. “A stich in time” can “save nine!” Aug. 1, 1817.
*E. H. Mansfield & Co. Have just received, and are now selling, an assortment of warranted Silver Table and Tea Spoons: Also, all kinds of GOLD & SILVER work. CLOCKS & WATCHES repaired on the shortest notice, and in the best possible manner. They have various kinds of new English and French Watches, warranted, which they will sell cheap. Cash paid for old Gold and Silver. Montrose, August 9, 1817.
*Choose Ye This Day.” Apologies can no longer answer the subscriber’s necessities; he therefore MUST and WILL have his old Store notes and accounts settled up IMMEDIATELY.
Tavern accounts not excepted. CHAPMAN CARR. Montrose, August 1, 1817.
*REMEDY for the DIFFICULTY OF HEARING. DR. D. GREEN Takes this method of letting society know that he has discovered a new and easy way of assisting those who are hard of hearing, quite a new way. Knowing that Providence has permitted a remedy to grow for every disease, he has made it his study this number of years past, to try to find out this remedy. At length he flatters himself of being successful more so than any man yet. The remedy generally gives help, except to very old persons, who begin to lose their eyesight, about the time that the hearing becomes weakened. To all others it, as yet, has seldom failed of restoring that great blessing of hearing. Directions can be sent to the patient by post or otherwise, to any place however distant. At the same time, it may be somewhat satisfactory to those distressed to know that they may pursue their usual business, and to eat & drink what tastes best. The preparing, transmission, & c. of the remedy, will come to about five dollars. This, enclosed in a letter, post paid, will cover all expense to the patient. Mr. Editor--Many people, in letters to me, express a wish to have the principle of cure explained to them. This I cheerfully will do.
On February 9, 2010, the Pittsburgh Police responded to an emergency call relating to “shots fired” at the Greenway housing project. The police discovered that Bradley Cohen had been shot twice and he was rushed to the hospital in critical condition. After getting a general description of the shooter from several witnesses, the police apprehended Ronald Simonson several blocks from the shooting. Thereafter, the police created a photo array and showed it to the victim and the witnesses – all of whom picked out Simonson as the shooter.
Simonson was then placed under arrest and the police administered a gunshot residue test upon his hands. This required the police to wipe a swab on four different locations on each of Simonson’s hands. After laboratory testing, it was determined that Simonson had gunshot residue on his hands.
Prior to trial, Simonson sought to suppress the gunshot residue testing by arguing that the police failed to secure a search warrant prior to swabbing his hands. The trial court denied his suppression motion finding that such swabbing was permitted as part of a normal arrest procedure. Simonson was convicted of aggravated assault for the shooting of Bradley Cohen and sentenced to 72 months to 160 months in a state correctional facility. Simonson appealed his conviction and again asserted that the gunshot residue testing had violated his Fourth Amendment rights as the police had not secured a search warrant prior to swabbing his hands.
The Pennsylvania Superior Court considered the historical backdrop of the nature of searches that law enforcement officers were permitted to conduct upon an arrest of an individual. In quoting one constitutional historian, the Superior Court noted: “Anyone arrested could expect that not only his surface clothing but his body, luggage, and saddlebags would be searched and, perhaps, his shoes, socks and mouth as well.” Even in colonial times, law enforcement had the ability to conduct full body searches in connection with any lawful arrest of an individual.
The Superior Court noted that the reasonableness of a search incident to a lawful arrest implicated two primary concerns: (1) the extent to which the scope of the search intruded upon an individual privacy interest; and (2) the governmental interest that motivated the search itself. In this regard, the Superior Court noted that any intrusion upon Simonson’s privacy was “minimal” and that the gunshot residue test was “quick, noninvasive, and innocuous.” It involved simply wiping a swab on four parts of his hand in a relatively quick manner. Moreover, there was nothing that was degrading or embarrassing about the procedure itself.
In terms of the government interest involved in the testing, the Superior Court noted that this police investigation involved a very serious offense involved a shooting. The government had two strong interests in seeking the gunshot residue testing, namely “ensuring the public safety and welfare.” The police had a strong need to identify the person who had shot Bradley Cohen not only to seek justice for the victim himself, but also to protect the public from any future violent episodes involving the perpetrator.
In conclusion, the Superior Court stated: “We conclude that the gunshot residue test has a negligible intrusion upon an individual’s privacy and that it serves an important function in promoting vital government interests. As such, we conclude that the gunshot residue test constitutes a reasonable search incident to arrest [for which no search warrant was necessary or required.]”
Should all opioid overdose victims be saved?
Jake, a police officer in town, came into the pharmacy with a prescription for an antibiotic. He had been bitten by an overdose victim, who had just received 2 doses of Narcan® (naloxone), an opioid antagonist. The 23-year old male victim suddenly became combative and bit the officer’s wrist and kicked another officer in the groin and another in the face. He had to be held down by 4 men and then was injected with a sedative so that he could be transported safely to the hospital. Jake described the scene for the pharmacist. “This guy went ballistic as soon as he came back from the dead. He didn’t know where he was and then his adrenaline kicked in. This was the sixth time we saved this guy’s life.”
The pharmacist knew the latest CDC statistics. Opioid overdoses have quadrupled since 1999. Between 2000 and 2015, half a million people died from opioid overdoses in the US. An American dies from opioid poisoning every 4 minutes. Morgues are getting filled up. Emergency teams are overworked. And yet, many addicts go back to abusing opioids within hours of being resuscitated.
To complicate matters, local officials across the country are struggling to pay for attempting to revive, rehabilitate or bury the victims. As their budgets strain, communities have begun questioning how much money and effort they should be spending to deal with overdoses, especially in cases involving people who have taken near-fatal overdoses multiple times. State and local officials say it might be time for “tough love,” that is, pushing skyrocketing medical costs onto drug abusers or even limiting how many times first responders can save an individual’s life.
Also, as is the wont of Big Pharma, the price of naloxone has risen to keep in step with the soaring number of overdoses. Surprised? Often, the one thing separating whether an overdose victim goes to the hospital instead of the morgue is a dose of naloxone. And that is what is draining the financial resources of communities, such as the one in which the pharmacist lives. Pharmaceutical companies know this and jack up prices. Two doses of an injectable form of naloxone cost $4,500, up from $690 in 2014. So the addict who bit Jake and received 2 doses each time he ODed cost his community $27,000 in naloxone, not to mention other medical services he enjoyed. Who pays for all this? You do.
Is this fair? Should the addict pay for his or her medical expenses? Should addicts get a bill directly from the community, especially if that person is a multiple offender? Some communities are already rationing their supplies of naloxone. More are focusing on rehabilitation. Certainly, drug addiction is a disease and the patient should be helped. After all, the pharmacist thought, should we play God with these addicts?
Many people are fed up with “enabling these people” amid a surge in drug-related foster care cases for the children of addicts as well as property crimes and emergency room visits. Some communities are issuing a “3 strikes and you’re out” policy. According to a Washington Post interview, Kelly Bruner, 30, who was found slumped over a picnic table in a park, finally agreed to go into rehab. Bruner said she has overdosed on heroin 13 times in the past year, and she has been revived with naloxone 10 times. Bruner said she and her friends have now started doing “CPR on each other,” after hearing of the 3-strikes proposal in her town. “As long we know you have a pulse and a heartbeat, we aren’t going to call the cops, because no one wants to use that (naloxone),” Bruner said. “Because if we can only get (naloxone) 3 times that means there are only 2 more left before we die.”
Ron Gasbarro, PharmD, is a registered pharmacist, medical writer, and principal at Rx-Press.com. Read more at www.rx-press.com
