Around the towns

May 03--Carbondale

The Pennsylvania Veterans of Foreign Wars honored a Carbondale man for his continued service with Cottage Hose Ambulance Station 51.

VFW Post 4721 had nominated Tim Baron for the award touting his work with younger members and longtime commitment to community service.

Mr. Baron was chosen earlier this year out of around 15 nominations from 450 posts across the state to receive the Emergency Medical Technician award. He also received a certificate recognizing his commitment from the VFW's national headquarters.

The post will honor Mr. Baron during a dinner May 16 at the Best Western hotel in Carbondale.

Mr. Baron, who first became a volunteer first responder in 1993, also serves as Carbondale's emergency management

coordinator.

A former full-time Cottage Hose employee, Mr. Baron now works as a paramedic at U.S. Penitentiary Canaan, but says the ambulance company gives him the opportunity to, as his wife lovingly puts it, "play hero."

"After you deal with the inmates all day, you kind of miss a nice sick person (who needs help)," Mr. Baron said chuckling.

The VFW also lauded his work with younger EMTs in training.

"I like to show people the ropes," he said. "I said in my resume when I was nominated that I like to mold the next generation."

-- JON O'CONNELL

[email protected], @jon_oc

Clarks Summit

Volunteers from local civic groups spent a few hours making sure the borough's "main drag" was ready for spring, thanks to efforts by the Abington Business and Professional Association.

Earlier this month, the ABPA held its second annual spring cleanup. The Gathering Place, Clarks Summit United Methodist Church and other civic groups sent volunteers to pick up litter along South State Street and weed the grassy area near the borough's clock tower, among other activities, according to ABPA President Gail Rees.

Ms. Rees said she would like to expand the cleanup "to twice a year ... and get other civic groups involved."

-- ERIN L. NISSLEY

[email protected]

Dickson City

A nonprofit organization trying to build a community civic center in the Valley View School District is holding a purse bingo fundraiser with 20 designer handbags as prizes.

Bags from Coach, Michael Kors and Anne Klein will be up for grabs, said Valley Community Civic Center Project organizer Lynn Marino. All handbags are valued at more than $100, she said, and also include designs by Vera Bradley, Guess and Nine West.

One mystery bag will be raffled worth more than $400. Raffle tickets cost $5 each.

The bingo starts at 2 p.m.May 9 at the Dickson City Civic Center, 935 Albert St. Tickets cost $25 and may be purchased by contacting Mrs. Marino at 570-499-3810.

Mrs. Marino is part of a team looking to build the civic center somewhere within the school district. The group that recently obtained nonprofit status is raising money to pay for a feasibility study, which will empower them to seek bigger grants. The civic center would include an indoor walking track, basketball courts and a soccer field as well as community rooms.

-- JON O'CONNELL

[email protected], @jon_oc

Dunmore

Dunmore, although technically a 14,000-resident borough, ranked No. 17 among the top 40 commuter cities in America, according to Obrella, a Utah-based company which issues insurance

reports.

The average commute time for Dunmore residents is 18.9 minutes, compared to a national average of 51 minutes.

"Dunmore is a great place to live if you're looking for the best mix of big city amenities, job opportunities and small-town charm," the company's report said. "More perks of calling Dunmore home include low crime, high graduation rates and an affordable cost of living. Dunmore earns our praise for its high percentage of carpoolers. Almost 12 percent of Dunmore residents share a ride to work, which is 20 percent more than the average city on our list."

Borough Manager Vito Ruggiero said many of the points the report raised are exactly what officials strive for.

-- KYLE WIND

[email protected], @kwindTT

Scott Twp.

The Northeastern Lodge No. 63 Fraternal Order of Police is seeking family members of fallen police officers in Lackawanna, Wyoming, Susquehanna, Wayne and Pike counties.

The group is organizing a ceremony for Police Memorial Week at noon Friday, May 15, at the Scott Twp. Police and Municipal Building, 1038 Montdale Road. The ceremony will honor officers in those five counties who have passed away. In addition to family and fellow officers, the public is invited to attend.

Lackawanna County Commissioner Jim Wansacz will be the guest speaker at this year's ceremony. In addition, the lodge chaplain will offer a prayer and lodge President James Gray will speak about the sacrifices made by police officers on the job. The names of all fallen officers will be read aloud and family honored with carnations, Mr. Gray said.

"It's important that (fallen officers) are honored and remembered," Mr. Gray said. "It's something we do every year."

For more information, contact Scott Township Police Chief Ganz at 570-319-1296 or Mr. Gray at 570-563-2789.

-- ERIN L. NISSLEY

[email protected]

Scranton

Volunteers from the Voluntary Action Center of Northeastern Pennsylvania who help seniors file tax returns have a big impact each tax season, said Nancy Post, the center's director of volunteer initiatives.

For many years, the center has received a Tax Counseling for the Elderly grant from the federal Internal Revenue Service to operate a free tax-preparation program for seniors. Trained volunteers prepare federal, state and local tax forms for Lackawanna County taxpayers who are at least 60 years old.

During this past tax season, 11 volunteers filed 465 federal returns and 421 state returns and saved elderly taxpayers more than $94,000 in preparation fees.

The volunteers also prepared 199 Property Tax Rebate forms and 17 rent rebate forms for consumers, which will result in these consumers receiving rebates totaling more than $75,000.

The volunteers who contributed 1,200 hours of service included the following: Bill and Ann Marie Miesch of Gouldsboro; Mary Ann Behle of Scranton; Connie and Jim Conrad of Lake-ville; Diane Adamy of South Abington Twp.; Christopher Doherty of Archbald, who is not the forrmer Scranton mayor of the same name; Lynn Jones of Clifford Twp.; George Moritz of La Plume; Frank Opshinsky of Dalton; and Betty Procik of Taylor.

For more information on the center, see www.vacne pa.org.

-- JIM LOCKWOOD

[email protected], @jlockwoodTT on Twitter

----Robert Timlin's departure from the Scranton Redevelopment Authority was

short-lived.

Former longtime board member and a former chairman, Mr. Timlin's most-recent five-year term on the board ended Feb. 5.

Mayor Bill Courtright then appointed a new member, Jonathan Krieger, to succeed Mr. Timlin.

But when another member, John Emiliani, resigned April 1, Mr. Courtright appointed Mr. Timlin to fill the unexpired term that ends Feb. 14, 2017.

City council on Thursday introduced a resolution backing the mayor's appointment of Mr. Timlin. The resolution will be up for adoption this Thursday.

The five-member authority plays a key role in redevelopment and blight removal and as a conduit for grants and loans.

The other authority members are Chairman Joseph Healey, Mario Savinelli and Tim Perry.

-- JIM LOCKWOOD

[email protected], @jlockwoodTT on Twitter

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