Home → Columnists ( November 5, 2025 )
Fair Hill, Forest Lake Twp. – The last month was the coldest and most dismal on record. There were four clear days,14 cloudy and 13 very cloudy. We had three snow storms. The precipitation was 8.74 inches. The highest temperature was 67; the lowest 15 above zero.
Brooklyn – Hallowe'en witches played a number of pranks one evening, but none were harmful and no property was destroyed. The Hallowe'en social was well attended with unique and grotesque costumes. Mrs. C.T. Otto had the prettiest costume and Jack Mitten, the funniest.
Pleasant Valley, Auburn Twp. – Dr. Owen, of Lawton, was in this vicinity testing cattle for tuberculosis. Samuel Reimel lost seven; Chas. Ace lost four; and Mrs. Mary Schoonmaker lost one. All were driven to Skinner's Eddy to be shipped to Pittston. Others in this vicinity have not had their cattle tested yet.
Hop Bottom – On Thursday afternoon the ladies of Book Club, No. 1, were pleasantly entertained at the home of Mrs. J. W. Bisbee. Ladies of Book Club, No. 2, met at Mrs. Ray Byram's.
Forest City – A quiet wedding took place at the Sacred Heart church when Miss Albina M. Chodorowski, of Herrick Center, was united in marriage to Frank C. Opeka, of Herrick Center. Rev. A. Halicki performed the ceremony. They were attended by Miss Mary Opeka, sister of the groom, and John Petrick. Mrs. Opeka was a former Forest City resident.
Montrose – A program consisting of songs and recitations will be rendered at the AME Zion church, Nov. 9th. A small admission will be charged. Those participating are: Caroline Thompson, Gussie Reid, Gonzella Lewis, Vivian Case, Irene Gooden, Christine Thompson, William Myers and Mrs. Charles Naylor. ALSO About 40 couples attended the masquerade dance, which was given at the Craftsman Club. The costumes of the dancers were in many cases elaborate and all were amusing or puzzling. The dance was thoroughly enjoyed and the music was furnished by Miller's five-piece band, of Binghamton, its excellence having much to do with the merriment of the occasion. Winners of the prizes for the best costumes were Mrs. F. W. Trump, Montrose, and Hugh Lott, of Springville. ALSO The first community sing, held in Colonial Hall, was greatly enjoyed by an audience which crowded the auditorium. The band program was excellent and the presence of music lovers was a pleasant feature of the gathering.
Hallstead/Great Bend – The river bridge between Hallstead and Great Bend is being torn down to give place to the new structure. Passengers are being carried across by the ferry at five cents a trip, one way.
Uniondale – Our Erie depot is being remodeled which was something that was badly needed. ALSO George Reynolds has purchased a new four-door Ford sedan of Douglas & Yale.
Franklin Twp. – The amount of cream which is obtained from Jersey cows' milk is indicated in the production of a herd of seven Jerseys owned by Wm. L. Bailey. In 105 days these seven animals have produced 805 quarts of cream. Mr. Bailey sells the cream to Robert Caterson, who retails it in Montrose.
Clifford – Fred Scutt (Scott?) had the misfortune to have 34 laying hens stolen last Sunday night.
Springville – A goodly number attended the laying of the corner stone of the Baptist church on Sunday. The stone was a gift of Charles Dietrich, of Tunkhannock.
Dimock – Wallace Fish, who is nearly 90 years old, is failing fast, and the end seems near. He is cared for by Geo. Baker, of West Auburn. ALSO Now is the time to bank your cellars before winter sets in.
New Milford – The Ladies' Aid, of the M. E. church, will hold its annual bazaar and roast pork supper in the church parlors, Nov, 12. "Susie's Novelty Band" will furnish music.
Gibson – Our teachers, Fred Tingley and Harriet Baldwin, attended teachers' institute at South Gibson.
Death of George A. Post – G. A. Post died October. 31, 1925, in Somerville, NJ. He was born in Cuba, Allegheny County, NY, in 1854, and spent his youth in Owego, NY. His father, Ira, was connected with the Erie Railroad for almost 50 years and his mother was Harriett Newell Curtis before her marriage. When Mr. Post was 18 he went to Susquehanna and worked for the Erie RR and as soon as he was eligible to vote and at the age of 22, he was elected Mayor of Susquehanna, and a few years later was elected a member of the 48th Congress, being the youngest member at that time. He studied law at night, was admitted to the bar, and held several political offices, including chairman of the state convention in 1885. He was editor and part owner, with W. C. Cruser, of the Montrose Democrat, from 1883 to 1889, when he moved to New York and was connected with The World until 1892. He left that newspaper to become vice-president of the Standard Coupler Company, which made him president two years later. He held numerous positions with the railway and became known throughout the country for his activities in representing the interests of railway equipment manufacturers. Mr. Post was president of the Geo. A. Post Company and of the Hudson River Bridge and Terminal Association. He was a director of IBM and councillor of the US Chamber of Commerce. His wife, who was Minnie C. Munson, of Susquehanna, before her marriage in 1881, and a son, George A. Post, Jr. [who eventually lived in Montrose], survive.
THE subscribers to the new Meeting House, lately erected in Brooklyn, are requested to meet at the Meeting House on Thursday, the 10th inst., at 9 o'clock am, for the purpose of disposing of the pews or seats agreeably to the article of subscription; and all those who have not settled with Mr. Lord, the builder, are requested to have it done before that time. By order of the Trustees. Brooklyn, Nov. 2, 1825. [According to Stocker's Centennial History, pg. 673, the First Universalist Church was built on the hill east of the village in 1824, and was dedicated November 25, 1825.]
CLOTH DRESSING. THE subscribers respectfully inform the public that they intend carrying on the above business in their new establishment, in Harford Township, the ensuing season. They are now ready to receive CLOTH, and warrant their work done well, and with dispatch. Most kinds of country produce taken in payment if delivered by the first of February next. Cloth for dressing may be left at the house of Amos Tiffany, in Harford, or at their works. AMOS TIFFANY, HORACE BLACKMAN, JEDSON BLACKMAN. Harford.
NOTICE. ALL persons indebted in the estate of MARTIN LANE, deceased, late of Harmony Township, are requested to make immediate payment; and persons having demands against said estate, are requested to present them to the subscriber, duly attested for settlement. JESSE LANE, Acting Executor.
On September 10, 2021, Richard Bettis went to the Hempfield Area School District located in Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania, for the purpose of informing the school administration that its masking policy was unconstitutional. Bettis did not have any children at the school. Bettis was met at the front desk by a school police officer. When Bettis was informed that he needed to wear a mask, Bettis refused and contended that he had a medical condition that excused him from the school's masking requirements.
The police officer then asked Bettis if he had an appointment and Bettis responded that he did not. Bettis continued to demand to see a school administrator despite not having an appointment. Bettis contended that he paid school taxes, that he had a right to be on school property, and that school officials needed to talk to him. Bettis was asked to leave the premises and return when he had an appointment. Bettis refused. The school police officer then directed Bettis to leave – and Bettis again refused. Bettis insisted that he would not leave until he had met with the principle. The school police officer attempted to lead Bettis out of the school – and he resisted. At that point, Bettis was placed under arrest for defiant trespass, a scuffle ensued, and the school police officer and Bettis ended up in a wrestling match on the ground.
Eventually, the state police arrived and Bettis was charged with misdemeanor offenses of defiant trespass and resisting arrest and a summary offense of disorderly conduct. The matter proceeded to a judge trial where Bettis was convicted on all counts and sentenced to 12 months of probation. Bettis then filed an appeal.
First, Bettis contended that his arrest was unlawful because the school police officer lacked the authority to arrest him for a misdemeanor offense. The Superior Court conceded that a school police officer generally only has jurisdiction over summary offenses but noted that the defiant trespass statute included a provision for a summary offense as well as misdemeanor offenses. Thus, the school police officer had the authority to arrest and detain Bettis for a summary offense of defiant trespass. When the state police took over the case, a different charging decision was made – and Bettis was charged with a more serious offense, i.e., a misdemeanor offense rather than the summary offense, which the state police had the legal authority to do. Thus, the initial arrest by the school police officer was lawful and the subsequent decision to file more serous charges made by the state police was likewise lawful.
Second, Bettis contended that he did not commit defiant trespass because Hempfield Area School District was a public school that was open to the public. Bettis argued that as a member of the community and a taxpayer, he could not trespass on school property while the school was open. The Superior Court noted the school was not open to the public when Bettis arrived; rather, school was in session and members of the public were not allowed access without an appointment. No event or activity was occurring when Bettis arrived that was open to any member of the public. Bettis did not have an appointment to see any school administrator and, as such, when he was directed to leave by the school police officer, Bettis was required to obey that directive. When Bettis repeatedly refused to leave after the direction to do so, the Superior Court concluded that this constituted a misdemeanor defiant trespass, i.e., Bettis had no lawful authority to be on the school property at that time, and he ignored the directive personally delivered by the school police officer to leave the grounds. The Superior Court affirmed the convictions and sentence.
This case presents a good example of the misconception that a public building is always open to the public. There are times when public buildings are open such that members of the public cannot be lawfully excluded. Most public buildings, however, have designated areas that are open to the public and private areas that the public does not have general access. A school building is a public building but it is generally not open to the public while school is in session. If you want to talk to a school administrator without an appointment, you could certainly try to do so – but if you are told to leave and come back after you make an appointment – then do it. Don't pull that "I am a taxpayer card" because it will not work – and you may end up getting arrested.
Good day dear hearts, I love you. Six days from now we celebrate and recognize our veterans. I'd like to thank all the veterans for the honorable work done over the past 250 years.
There appears to be an awakening in this country to God. Our younger generation is breaking away from many of the sinful pillars of our current culture. There seems to be the beginning of what I would consider Biblical normalcy. Get married, men and women that is, have a family, work hard and practice more of returning to the traditions of the Christian Faith in general. You made the move! You took the plunge and you accepted Christ as your Lord and Savior and you made all kinds of resolutions to God about how you're going to change and walk in God's ways. This is where I'm supposed to say easy peasy, but I have to admit to you this is where everything begins and we see while transformation is good, sometimes we have to battle our way to get there.
As we begin our new walk we are on cloud nine but despite our best efforts to do the things God's way, we sometimes fall back into our old habits. Some people think when they give their lives to God they are automatically going to change. Not sin anymore, be a better person and go to church every Sunday. Despite our best efforts, we sometimes slide back into old habits. Remember, thanks to Adam and Eve we inherited sin and the nature to sin. The good news is, through repentance God's grace will give us a clean slate. Does that mean I can sin willy-nilly and just ask God for forgiveness? LOL no. As you work on your changes you will sin less and less.
As we work on overcoming sinful attitudes and behaviors we start our genuine repentance. I have said, and those who follow Christianity know that when you accept Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior the Holy Spirit enters into you and becomes your conscience. When you are ready to make the necessary changes, you will find the Holy Spirit will reveal your areas of sin and convict you of wrongdoing. What I mean by that is your Holy Spirit conscience is telling you, "O that's not the way to go." What you do with that message makes all the difference. You can keep on sinning, which will break your relationship with God or take the next step, which is to be contrite. To grieve over your inequity is followed by confession to God. Genuine sorrow arises from the knowledge that we've sinned against God. True contrition will lead us to humble confession. Real repentance is complete when we wholeheartedly pledge to turn from our old ways and move toward righteousness. God knows we won't live perfectly, but He looks for a surrendered life that diligently seeks to obey Him. Paul the apostle uses strong language when telling us to turn from inequities in Colossians 3:5, "Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature, sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry."
I mentioned God's grace is available to us and here is an example of grace explained by Jesus himself. When you have time read Luke 15:11-24 and these are the words of Jesus. I'm going to paraphrase the account. A young man asked his father for his share of his inheritance early so he may live as he chose. The father, brokenhearted gave it to him and the young man made many poor choices and squandered all his money. He went from riches to rags and found himself working to feed pigs. One day he came to his senses and recognized his terrible plight. His repentance began with an awareness of his wrong choices and the fact that his situation was due to them. Knowing that his difficulties came from unrighteous behavior, the prodigal son grieved over his mistakes and acknowledged his sin. As he comes to his senses, he realized his father's servants were living better than him. He realized he needed to go back to his father, seek forgiveness and ask if he could be restored to the extent of being one of his servants. The father saw the prodigal son from a distance, ran to him and embraced him with love and compassion. The son sought forgiveness and his father totally restored him. What a welcome the wayward young man received. Forgiveness and acceptance were extended. Forgiveness and mercy are extended to you as well. What sin are you struggling to overcome? Have you genuinely repented? Let the Holy Spirit empower you to change. God Bless.
Father, we ask your blessing on our little town. Send your Spirit and touch the broken-hearted, give peace to the sick, bless the poor. Please join us Thursday, November 27 (Thanksgiving Day) at 12:00pm for a complimentary traditional Thanksgiving Dinner. Do not spent the day alone. Pastor Vince Chiaramonte, 570-853-3988.