Silver Lake – The box social and dance that was held recently in the Brackney Hall by the ladies of Silver Lake and vicinity, for the benefit of the Red Cross Society, was a financial and social success.  The evening began with a short entertainment by some of the young people of Brackney, and then dancing followed. Eighty-two boxes were sold, everything being donated for the evening, and the ladies ended up with $169 in the treasury for Red Cross work.

Fairdale – We had our “Flag raising day.” Mr. W. Harvey donated a pole and early Friday afternoon several men gathered at the schoolhouse and raised the pole.  After this, a short patriotic program was rendered. Former teachers, Mary Hickok, of Binghamton; Pansey Babcock, of Montrose; M. S. Cronk, of Towanda; and D. W. Ainey, of Payette, Idaho, read messages of greeting.  Our esteemed citizen, E. W. Bolles, wrote a short history of this school, which was read.  He was the teacher during part of the Civil war.  Miss Clara Winans, assistant county superintendent of schools, and Rev. C. E. Cook, of Fairdale, each gave short addresses.

South Ararat – No mail since Thursday owing to the terrible snow and windstorm which struck this and adjoining towns.  This is the second hard storm we have had within two weeks, doing much damage.

Springville – M. L. Scott reported that there seemed to be about four inches heavier fall of snow in Montrose than in Springville.  It is reported that ice on Norris pond, in Dimock, is eleven inches thick. ALSO There was almost a coal famine scare here last week, but Brown & Fassett, fortunately, received a car of coal, which was disposed of in short order.

Dimock – Owing to the scarcity of wood at the M. E. church, prayer meetings are being held at the neighbors’ homes. ALSO A carload of coal came to the depot on Saturday, which was soon drawn away by the farmers in the pelting snowstorm, as most of them were entirely out of fuel.  ALSO We cannot fail to mention our good graded school and teachers, four in number, with a large attendance of pupils from this place and adjoining neighborhoods, which are drawn here by kid wagons.

Harford – Music of sleigh bells reminds us that winter is with us again, and the mercury also tells us that we need our furs.  Sixteen below zero is cold enough, isn’t it? ALSO Calvin Chamberlin is very ill.  We hope to hear of his recovery soon.  The neighbors made a wood bee for him Saturday and a large wood pile is reported.

Great Bend – Mrs. A. W. DuBois sailed Saturday from New York for South America to join her husband, who is now located at Uruguay.  The trip will require twenty-three days by boat.  Their two little daughters will remain with their grandparents, Dr. and Mrs. A. F. Merrell.

Franklin Forks – Ralph Lamson was terribly injured while felling trees.  He was caught between a falling tree and another stump and the abdomen punctured.  Dr. Preston was called and yesterday morning he was removed to the City Hospital, in Binghamton.  It was reported last night that he would recover.

Lackawanna Trail Project – About 100 representative citizens of Scranton, Binghamton, New Milford, Montrose and other nearby towns were present at meeting held in Hotel Carpenter, New Milford on Wednesday evening. The project contemplates the State highway department taking over the former Lackawanna railroad right of way, abandoned since the cut-off went into operation, and convert it into a permanent road. It would form a connecting link between Binghamton and Scranton, which is a route much travelled by those in long distance journeys, being an almost direct “coast to coast” route.  The men present felt that this plan was feasible.

Christmas Celebrations: The Presbyterian church choir will render the customary musical program at a vesper service to be given next Sunday afternoon, Dec. 23, in Montrose; St. Paul’s Episcopal Church will celebrate Sunday evening, Dec. 23 at 7 p.m. when the choir will render its annual recital of old-time carols. A special Christmas service will be given at the Universalist church at Kingsley, Sunday afternoon at 2:30, and the Harford Congregational Church will hold its Christmas services Sunday morning and evening. The Christmas season will be celebrated in the Universalist church, Hopbottom, on Sunday morning by music, devotion and sermon, and on Monday evening by much music, speaking, reading, a Christmas tree and Santa Claus.

Susquehanna – The library at this place is soon to attempt to be a “free” institution.  To that end, 400 are to be asked to contribute $1 each, thus making them voting members and giving privileges in regard to the loaning of books from the library.  A change certainly seems advisable, but nothing can be done without financial aid.

Elk Lake – The death of Miss Juliet Lathrop, a sister of C. E. Lathrop, occurred at the home of her nephew, C. S. Lathrop, on Sunday morning.  Miss Lathrop has been an invalid since her girlhood.  For a number of years she was confined to her bed.  She has been willingly and faithfully cared for by her brother and family.

Forest City – Joseph Slick went to Scranton to enlist but was rejected.  Not to be prevented from serving Uncle Sam he went to the naval recruiting office and was accepted. ALSO An interesting game of basket ball was played Friday evening between the girls’ team of the Forest City high school and the girls’ team of the Carbondale high school.  The score stood 8 to 8. ALSO At Lyden’s Plaza Theatre, on Christmas day, a reproduction of Winston Churchill’s great novel, “The Crisis,” will be given. 

News Brief: The city of Wilkes-Barre is quite unique in that it is the birth place of one of the first schools for teaching the building of aeroplanes in America. This school is known as the Penna. State School of Aero-Mechanics and graduated its first class of young men on Dec. 10. Among the instructors of the school is Sergt. Wm. F. Frey, former member of the famous Lafayette Escadrille, who was injured on the fighting front.  The school is for training both men and women for service in the many aeroplane factories. ALSO Dummy Horse: History’s ancient example of camouflage, the Trojan horse, has a modern variation of peculiar interest, says the January Popular Mechanics Magazine. During the fighting near Craonne, on the western front, a horse broke his traces and dashed across “No Man’s Land” toward the German defenses.  When near the edge of a first-line trench he fell.  The French immediately made the bet of the opportunity and set camouflage artists at work fashioning a paper-mache replica of the dead animal.  Under cover of darkness the carcass was replaced with the dummy.  For three days observers stationed in the latter were able to watch the enemy’s movements at close range and telephone their information to headquarters.

200 Years Ago from the Centinel, Montrose, Pa., December 20, 1817.

*Clifford and Wilkesbarre Turnpike. The Stockholders of the Clifford & Wilkesbarre Turnpike Road are requested to meet at the Court House in the Borough of Wilkesbarre, Luzerne county, on the first Monday of January next, to elect One President, One Treasurer, and Twelve Managers for said Company for the ensuing year.  Benjamin Perry, Secretary. Wilkesbarre, Nov. 14, 1817.

*A Gentleman competent to teach the genteel and accomplished recreation of Dancing, will hear of a situation much to his advantage by addressing a letter to A.J. and direct it to this office.

Montrose, Dec. 13, 1817.

In December 2008, Karen Zajick purchased a home in Exton, Pennsylvania, from Robert and Arlene Santhouse.  Prior to the closing, Zajick had a professional home inspection conducted, which did not reveal any problems.  Zajick also knew that the Santhouses had purchased the newly constructed home in 2003 and that the home had been constructed by the Cutler Group.  Zajick was familiar with the Cutler Group as she had previously purchased a home it had constructed and she was also aware that the Cutler Group had a good reputation in the community for workmanship.

In March 2011, Zajick began to notice leaks in the home and she contacted the Cutler Group to demand that they make repairs to her home.  Zajick also hired a stucco inspector to determine what was causing the leaks and it was discovered that the stucco system was defective and needed to be replaced.

Thereafter, Zajick filed a civil action against the Cutler Group for breach of contract, breach of express and implied warranties, and violations of Pennsylvania’s Unfair Trade Practices and Consumer Protection Law (UTPCPL).  Given that there was no contractual relationship between Zajick and Cutler Group, the trial court initially dismissed the breach of contract and breach of warranty claims.  As to the UTPCPL claim, the trial court allowed that claim to continue to allow Zajick an opportunity to conduct discovery to determine whether the Cutler Group had engaged in any unfair trade practices with reference to her home.

After the conclusion of the discovery process, Zajick conceded that she had no communications whatsoever with any representative of the Cutler Group prior to purchasing the defective home.  Instead, Zajick contended that she relied upon the Cutler Group’s good reputation for workmanship when she decided to purchase the home.  Zajick also noted that she had owned a prior home constructed by the Cutler Group and never experienced any problems with that home.  Zajick contended that her prior positive experience with a Cutler Group home influenced her decision to purchase her current – and defective – home.  Zajick also referenced prior representations made to her by a Cutler Group employee when she purchased a different home and that these representations generally attested to the quality of the homes in the entire subdivision where the defective home was located.  Given that Zajick could not show any direct communications with the Cutler Group as to this specific home, the trial court granted judgment in favor of the Cutler Group.  Zajick filed an appeal.

The Superior Court recognized that the UTPCPL provides a private civil cause of action for monetary damages.  In order to pursue such a civil remedy, a “plaintiff must show that he justifiably relied on the defendant’s wrongful conduct or representation and that he suffered harm as a result of that reliance.”  In reviewing applicable precedent, the Superior Court noted that if the Cutler Group had made representations to the home’s previous owners and those owners later told Zajick about the representations and Zajick reasonably relied upon those representations, then Zajick would have a claim against the Cutler Group even though no formal contractual relationship existed between the parties.  In this regard, a builder should reasonably foresee that a purchaser of a home will utilize the marketing materials and representations made by a builder when marketing their home to a subsequent purchaser.

In this case, Zajick failed to present any evidence that the prior homeowners had told Zajick about any representations made to them by the Cutler Group.  More particularly, there was no evidence that the Cutler Group ever made any representations to the prior owners concerning the defective stucco prior to the initial purchase of the home nor was there any evidence that the prior owners passed any such representations onto Zajick.

As such, the Superior Court affirmed the trial court’s decision and concluded: “There is no legal basis to allow [Zajick] to move forward based solely on her reliance on [the Cutler Group’s] reputation and general statements made from a sales representative about homes in the same development.”

‘Happy, happy Christmas, that can win us back to the delusions of our childish days; that can recall to the old man the pleasures of his youth; that can transport the sailor and the traveller, thousands of miles away, back to his own fire-side and his quiet home!” ~Charles Dickens, The Pickwick Papers

The holidays are always hectic. Whether you’re traveling over the river and through the woods, wrapping or unwrapping presents, cooking to feed a hungry horde or just a simple candlelight supper for two, it’s extremely easy to get caught up in the hustle and bustle of the season. May we remember the true meanings of these special days as well as make memories you will cherish for years to come with those you love. Please take some time to recharge your ‘Batteries’ with a good book and, by all means, carve out some quiet reading time with the young ones in your Family. If you take them on adventures within their imagination, it will instill a love of reading that will last a lifetime. Perhaps, now is the perfect time to make a New Year’s Resolution to visit your local Library Location more in 2018. There are always programs, activities and newly released titles just waiting to be explored. The Staff of the Susquehanna Branch Library, Laura, Pam, Deb, and Elizabeth, the Staff of the Hallstead-Great Bend Library Location, Angie, Valerie and Heather, and the Staff of the Montrose Main Library, plus your ‘Dog-Eared Columnist’ want to wish each and every one of you the Merriest of Christmases and a Bright and Beautiful 2018!

Hallstead/Great Bend Branch Librarian Angie Hall submitted an interesting list for your perusal as 2017 comes to an end – a list of the top ten books that circulated at that particular Location. Perhaps you read some of the titles, or didn’t know they were on the shelves waiting for you. Let the excitement of a new book whisk you away from your armchair and into a world unknown. The ten are: 1. ‘Never Never’ by James Patterson, 2. ‘Chaos’ by Patricia Cornwell, 3. ‘Behind Closed Doors’ written by B.A. Paris, 4. ‘Humans, Bow Down’ by James Patterson, 5.  ‘The Black Book’ by James Patterson, 6. ‘Little White Lies’ by Ace Atkins, 7. ‘Come Sundown’ by Nora Roberts, 8. ‘The Whistler’ written by John Grisham, 9. ‘If Not For You’ by Debbie Macomber, and 10. ‘The Fix’ by David Baldacci. These and many other exciting tomes are being released every month and just waiting for your enjoyment.

As many of those who are members of the Susquehanna Branch Reader’s Group know, there is never a scheduled meeting in December. They will meet on Thursday, January 11th, 2018 at 2:00 PM to discuss, not only January’s Selection, ‘Even Silence has an End: My Six Years of Captivity in the Colombian Jungle’ by Ingrid Betancourt, an unforgettable epic of moral courage and human endurance--a memoir which is not for the faint of heart. During her campaign for the Colombian Presidency in 2002, Ms. Betancourt traveled into a military-controlled region, where she was abducted by the FARC, a brutal terrorist guerrilla organization which is in conflict with the government. Her book is a deeply moving and personal account of her six and a half years living as a captive in the depths of the Colombian Jungle. December’s title ‘The Magic Strings of Frankie Presto’ by Mitch Albom will also be reviewed. If you are a Mitch Albom fan (‘Tuesdays With Morrie’, ‘Five People You Meet in Heaven’, ‘For One More Day’, ‘The Time Keeper’, etc.) you will no doubt enjoy this title as Author Albom creates his most unforgettable character – Frankie Presto, the greatest guitarist ever to walk the earth. He is sent to America when he is nine, in the bottom of a boat with an old guitar with six magic strings – his journey through the music world rockets him to stardom, but he also influences some well-known names as you travel through this magical novel about the power of talent to change our lives. If you would like to join the Susquehanna Branch Reader’s Group in the New Year, please stop in and speak with Laura, Pam, Deb or Elizabeth – they’ll be more than happy to sign you up.

As I tie ribbons on the last couple of Christmas packages, I will leave you with this thought:

‘Our hearts grow tender with childhood memories and love of kindred, and we are better throughout the year for having, in spirit, become a child again at Christmas-time.’ ~Laura Ingalls Wilder

Mistletoe – Memories of Christmases Past – Gingerbread

ENJOY!

Merry Christmas!!!

Don’t get that shingles shot. Get this one.

Ray came into the pharmacy and told the pharmacist that, even though he had gotten a shingles vaccine 2 years ago, his brother told him that a stronger vaccine that just came out. “Is this true?” Ray asked the pharmacist, “Will I have to get another shot?” The pharmacist explained to Ray that a new vaccine for the prevention of shingles (herpes zoster) is now available. It is recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) for healthy adults, ages 50 and older. The new vaccine, called Shingrix® (Zoster vaccine, recombinant), is also recommended for adults who previously received the older shingles vaccine, Zostavax® (Zoster vaccine live). These patients should be re-vaccinated for better coverage. Let’s see why. 

Shingrix has its advantages over Zostavax, as well as one inconvenient drawback. First, Shingrix is significantly more effective than Zostavax. The major clinical study that compared Zostavax to Shingrix revealed that Zostavax reduced the incidence of herpes zoster by 70% in 50–59-year-olds, by 64% in 60–69-year-olds and by 38% in people ages 70 and older. However, Shingrix provided 97% protection against herpes zoster in patients aged 50 years and older, with a stable effect across all age groups. The one disadvantage of Shingrix is that each patient needs 2 shots, ideally 2 months apart. But the second shot can be taken up to 6 months after the first shot. 

Shingles, a viral disease, is a serious and relatively common condition. When people get chickenpox as children, the zoster virus lays dormant in their nerves, held in check by the individual’s immune system. As one ages, the immune system gets weaker. People over 50 have an increased risk of developing shingles, which is a reactivation of the sleeping virus. There are about 1 million cases of shingles in the United States every year. It typically resolves in 1 to 3 weeks, and is very painful for those who have it.

About 15% of people who get shingles develop chronic severe pain, called post-herpetic neuralgia, or PHN. This is a debilitating pain that can last for months. Your risk for PHN increases as you age. There are also rare complications, like increased risk for stroke and vision loss. But PHN is the most common complication. While Zostavax is 67% effective against PHN, Shingrix is 91% effective for people 50-plus.

Both vaccines gradually lose their effectiveness over time. Zostavax diminishes in effectiveness by 15% to 25% after the first year and shows no significant protection by the ninth year, according to researchers. Shingrix remained at or above 85% effectiveness up to 4 years after vaccination; longer-term effectiveness is yet unknown. Studies are being conducted to determine whether Shingrix will require a booster shot as one gets older.

Most side effects caused by Shingrix were mild or moderate. Most common was a sore arm and pain after injection. About half the people also developed more general side effects, such as muscle ache, fatigue and headaches that resolved within several days. The patient should understand that these side effects are expected and resolve fairly quickly, and they should not discourage anyone from getting the second dose. About 15% of people who got the vaccine had a reaction that interfered with their normal daily activities. Those also resolved within 2 to 3 days.

Ray’s mom had shingles at one point and suffered greatly. Ray planned to get the new, improved vaccine as soon as possible. 

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