Home → Columnists ( April 23, 2025 )
The Susquehanna County Commissioners have petitioned the Dauphin County Court to appoint viewers to examine the Great Bend/Hallstead bridge over the east branch of the Susquehanna river, and report on the necessity of rebuilding this structure. The bridge was weakened in the ice floods last winter and only constant care on the part of guards, in directing heavy traffic, makes it possible to use it. It is expected the viewers will examine the bridge within a couple of weeks. It is hoped the state will consent to rebuild it, as the cost of rebuilding, estimated at $350,000, will fall heavily on the county taxpayers.
Dimock – James Farley, of Auburn, was here last week, getting things in readiness to open his large stone quarry which has been idle all winter. ALSO George Sheffler, of Lynn, is the new manager on the large Norris farm, near Cope's pond.
Montrose – Cards received from W.C. Cox announce that he is still in Havana, Cuba and anxiously awaiting the arrival of each Democrat to give him the home news. He says: "I can tell you this town is far ahead of Miami in climate and everything. All high life and style. Second Paris of the world – I am crazy about it. So much to see and do all the time. All autos are kept well polished, the women and girls are so pretty. Don't forget to send the newspaper every week. Put on double wrapper. ALSO The "Red Cottage" on the Montrose Bible Conference grounds, near the golf links, has been torn down and some of the timbers and lumber will be used in building a dormitory on the grounds and also a tool house. The hand hewn timbers and pine flooring, some of the boards being 16 to 20 inches wide, bespeak the age of the structure, which was probably over 75 years old. A copy of the Wilkes-Barre Advocate of Jan. 29, 1845, was found within the walls, showing the probable time when the house was erected.
Susquehanna – Atty. John Ferguson had a harrowing experience returning from Montrose by the way of the Great Bend road. The road was blocked at a narrow place by a steam roller and other machinery being used by the Lane Construction Co. in rebuilding the highway. Atty. Ferguson went out in a field to make a detour and his harrowing experience began. He plowed and harrowed the field, his car sinking into mud to the fenders. Finally, with the assistance of 20 men and two trucks, he was hauled to dry land, and continued his journey homeward. Had Atty. Ferguson been a "swearin'" man, the fog around the sticking place would have been thicker'n smoke, you can bet.
Forest City – Mrs. Bessie L. Jones, Forest City's contestant in the Scranton Republican's sale campaign, won the thirteenth grand award. The award was a $425 Ford touring car. She is receiving the congratulations of her friends and supporters.
Auburn Four Corners – Frank McGee, who has been in ill health for the last five years, passed away at his home, April 15th. Besides his wife he is survived by one daughter, Mrs. James McAvoy, and one son, Joseph, both of this place. Funeral at St. Bonaventure's Church.
Uniondale – Ira Churchill has a force of men at work repairing the road from Churchill's corners to the county line. Council could not see its way clear to work the road and accepted Mr. Churchill's offer to make the road passable, providing teams and men were furnished. The council accepted the offer and as a result the road is worked, the first time in many years.
Harford – A mistake occurred in the Harford items last week in regard to the class party at Shirley Holbrook's. It was postponed.
Herrick Center – Prof. and Mrs. C.J. Savage entertained the three lady teachers of the school for dinner. The guests, Miss Pauline Flynn, Miss Roby Felter and Miss Myra Campbell, were entertained after dinner with a Radio program. ALSO The class of 1925 consists of four girls, Margaret Adeline Crandall, Isabelle Irene Owens, Mary Rebeca Manco and Gladys Isabelle Fletcher.
Clifford – Perry Yarns, 78 years of age, died at his home Thursday evening. He was a native and lifelong resident of that community He is survived by his wife and one son, William Yarns, and several grandchildren.
Little Meadows – Patrick McNamara died April 15, 1925, at the home of his son, Patrick, in Binghamton. He is survived by three sons, Michael and John, of Little Meadows, Patrick; a daughter, Mrs. Leo Foran, of Vestal; a brother John, of Miners Mills, PA; a sister, Mrs. Frank Shelton, of Owego.
Heart Lake – Thieves visited Gratton Bennett's hen house Friday night and took about thirty-five fowls.
Fowler Hill, Auburn Twp. – The Wootton brothers came from their home in Connecticut to visit relatives over Easter. They returned home on Sunday. Kenneth remained here intending to work the coming season for C.B. Culver.
News Brief: Sixty-eight years ago, Monday, there was a fall of four feet of snow in this section. At Saranac Lake, NY. Sunday, a foot of snow was reported. Government observers predict a cold summer, based on weather records. They go so far as to predict an even colder summer next year, believing that it will be "summer less," as was in 1816.
A SETTLEMENT WANTED: Persons indebted to the subscriber for WHISKEY purchased before the first of January last, for which they engaged to pay grain, are hereby notified that if it is not delivered by the first of May next, it will not be received, cash will be required. H. CLARK, Montrose.
NOTICE: All persons indebted to the estate of ISAAC BLAKE late of Harford Township, deceased, are requested to make immediate payment, and all persons having demands against said Estate, are requested to present them duly attested for settlement to CHARLES CHANDLER, 2nd, Administrator, Gibson.
ATTENTION! The Bridgewater Yeomanry Guards will meet the first Monday of May next, precisely at 9 o'clock, in the forenoon, at the house of J. Buckingham, in Montrose, completely armed and equipped as required by law. A.C. LUCE, Capt.
SURVEYING: The subscriber having furnished himself with a first rate Compass, and other instruments for Surveying, gives notice that he will in future devote his time to this business. Aware of the consequent injury of bad work, he will make it his primary object to avoid it. His charges will be reasonable, and his work warranted accurate. Where work is confided to him alone, he pledges himself that it shall be done with promptness and fidelity. JOSEPH W. GARNSEY, Deputy Surveyor General, Montrose.
Rashan Griffen was operating his motor vehicle on January 18, 2022 in Delaware County when he had an accident at approximately 2:00am. Rashan's car left the roadway, went through a guardrail, down a hillside and ended up in a rocky area. The car sustained heavy damage and was consumed by flames. Rashan had fled the car without any substantial injuries. Another motorist called 911 to report the accident.
A State Trooper arrived shortly after the 911 dispatch and discovered that the accident had occurred on a straight stretch of the highway. The trooper was unable to find any skid marks on the highway to demonstrate that Rashan had tried to brake prior to going through the guardrail or that he had attempted to swerve back onto the roadway. The trooper admitted that it was a cold evening but there was no adverse weather that would have contributed to the accident. The trooper did not observe any ice on the roadway and noted that the roadway was sloped in a manner that would have prevented the accumulation of water.
The trooper interviewed Rashan at the crash site and noted that his speech was slow and mumbled. Rashan's eyes were red and his breach had a faint odor of alcohol. Rashan's reactions were slow and sluggish. The trooper administered a portable breath test which registered a nominal alcohol reading of 0.008 percent. The trooper then administered several field sobriety tests which demonstrated signs of impairment.
Rashan was charged with a DUI offense as well as a summary offense of careless driving. At trial, Rashan testified that he used medical oral gel prior to the accident, and Rashan believed that there was some alcohol in that medication. Rashan also had an expert testified that there was insufficient evidence to conclude that Rashan was impaired at the time of the accident. The trial court found Rashan not guilty of the DUI offense but found him guilty of careless driving and ordered Rashan to pay a fine of $300.
Rashan filed an appeal and argued that there was insufficient evidence to sustain his careless driving conviction. Rashan asserted that the Commonwealth had no evidence whatsoever to support how the accident occurred. There were no eyewitnesses as to Rashan's driving and, without eyewitnesses, Rashan argued that the Commonwealth could not prove that he drove carelessly. Rashan contended that "his conviction [was] based entirely on his involvement in an automobile accident in the darkness of a cold winter night – on an inclined roadway, possibly covered in black ice."
The Superior Court noted that the offense of careless driving requires proof that Rashan drove with "careless disregard for the safety of persons or property," which "implies less than willful or wanton conduct but more than ordinary negligence or the mere absence of care under the circumstances." When considering this standard, the Superior Court concluded: "[Rashan's] car, on a clear night on a straight road, crossed the shoulder, crashed through the guide rail, went down a rocky hillside, sustained heavy damage, and caught fire. [The trooper] testified that [Rashan's] path of travel showed no signs that [Rashan] had attempted to steer around an obstacle. [The trooper] said he arrived at the scene of the accident within 15 minutes and that there was no ice on the road, which was graded to avoid the formation of ice, and that there were no skid marks such as would have been present if [Rashad] had attempted to brake or swerve due to a sudden emergency. The evidence was sufficient to prove that [Rashan] was driving with careless disregard."
While the Superior Court affirmed Rashan's conviction for careless driving, it noted that the trial court erred in assessing a $300 fine. A careless driving conviction carries a fine of $25 unless the careless driving resulted in "unintentional death or serious bodily injury." Because there was no evidence of the accident resulting in any death or injury to a third party, the Superior Court vacated the fine and remanded the case with directions to the trial court to impose a fine of $25.
Good day dear hearts, I love you. As you are well aware the Easter season has ended. All the chocolate and candy have been eaten, all the eggs have been colored, so what next? While it may be over for some, it's just the beginning for the person who knows and understands the sacrifice Jesus made for all of us and we celebrate His resurrection every day. Today I want to focus on the account of the two thieves on the cross. Who were the two thieves crucified on the cross? They were named Dismas and Getas and they both committed serious crimes and were sentenced to die by crucifixion. You won't find their names in the Bible, but they are described in various historical accounts of the time.
While the account of the two thieves is short, it is reported in all four gospels, Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. It's a little unusual that all four Gospels report one account, but this is very significant. I chose the book of Luke to focus on the account. When you have time read Luke 23:32-43. I'll be paraphrasing the account as I go along, but there's nothing better than reading the actual account.
We start off with Jesus being placed on the cross and we read two men, convicted criminals are placed on either side of him on the cross. Jesus is nailed to the cross while the others are strung up on it with rope. Crucifixion is a brutal form of execution. It drains life and energy from the body and it's long lasting. As Jesus was dying on the cross the people ridiculed, taunted and cajoled Jesus to come down from the cross if He was the Messiah. The thief Getas joined in with the cajoling and taunting of Jesus.
Jesus was not surprised by their mockery. Psalm 22 in the Old Testament includes a prophecy which foretold that people would mock Him. These are the words of Psalm 22:1, which were the words Jesus said as He was dying on the cross, "My God, My God, why have you forsaken me?" Psalm 22 was written by David, who gave an amazingly accurate description of how the suffering of the Messiah would endure hundreds of years later. Jesus, the Messiah, quoted this verse while hanging on the cross carrying our burden of sin. Jesus' statement was not a cry of doubt, but an urgent appeal to God. Did God forsake Jesus? Did God turn His back on Jesus? No way!! Jesus came to earth to sacrifice Himself for our sins. I believe as Jesus was coming to the actual moment of His death, my vision is that not only is Jesus' body torn apart on the cross, but His body is riddled and heaped on with the sins of the world yesterday, today and tomorrow. God hates sin and He turned His back on the sin so Jesus can complete the sacrifice and die. Once Jesus made the claim, "It is finished." It was finished. Jesus commended His Spirit back to His Father who was there with open arms to receive Him back.
Dismas experiences a stunning transformation. Dismas begins to repent for his sins and rebukes the other thief, Getas for mocking Jesus. He tells Getas they are both convicted criminals and deserve what they are getting, but Jesus was suffering like them and had done nothing wrong. What would have changed Dismas' mind? The repentant thief witnessed everything that happened during Jesus' crucifixion, including hearing Jesus say, "Father forgive them, for they know not what they do." At the last moment Dismas turned to Jesus and said, "Remember me when you come into your kingdom." And Jesus did.
What does this account mean to us. The thief's salvation demonstrates the Gospel of grace and God's forgiveness. Despite a life of wrongdoing, the thief found forgiveness and hope in Jesus Christ. I had an old friend whose nickname was Wacky, because he was known for doing wacky things. At that time, he had a great love for alcohol and partying and he had a reputation for that. One day he realized he was out of control, repented of his sins and accepted Christ into his life. His repentance changed his life and he lived a good number of years serving the Lord. At his memorial service I used the account of the thief on the cross because Wacky' s life was like Dismas, a life of sin. Just as Dismas and Wacky received salvation by admitting their sinfulness, Jesus offers us hope for eternity. The account ends with Jesus saying to Ditmas, "Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise." That promise holds true for us today. Pray this prayer with me and you will begin a beautiful journey, "Jesus I come before you a sinner, and I lay my sins before you seeking forgiveness. Come into my heart, as you are my Lord and Savior. Amen." Happy Easter. God Bless.
Father, we ask your blessing upon our little town. Send your Spirit and touch the broken-hearted, give peace to the sick, bless the poor. Join us for a chicken dinner with mac & cheese, mixed vegetables and desert on Saturday, April 26 from 12:00pm to 1:00pm.
Contact me anytime. Pastor Vince Chiaramonte, 570-853-3988, Susquehanna Christian Community Church, 1361 Main Street, clearmountain2158@gmail.