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WILKES-BARRE, PA

SUNDAY, OCTOBER 14, 2012

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P R E S I D E N T I A L C A M PA I G N

Until they all return

TIMES LEADER FILE PHOTO

Then–Democratic presidential candidate Illinois Sen. Barack Obama visits Schott Technologies in Duryea in 2008.

Where have candidates all gone this year?

With the state seen as safe Obama territory, hopefuls mostly skipping NEPA.

By ANDREW M. SEDER aseder@timesleader.com

FRED ADAMS PHOTOS/FOR THE TIMES LEADER

Chaplin Capt. Anthony Guerrero says a prayer as Lt. Col. Scott Mathna, commanding officer of the 1st Battalion, and the 109th troops kneel before getting ready to board the buses to begin their latest deployment Friday.

Families cope when area troops are called to duty

By SHEENA DELAZIO sdelazio@timesleader.com

INSIDE: For more photos from the deployment, see Page 13A

WILKES-BARRE – “May the Lord bring them home safe.”

Military chaplain Capt. Anthony Guerrero said what family and friends were thinking Friday morning inside the 109th Field Artillery Armory during a brief prayer service as 160 soldiers said goodbye before a one-year deployment to Kuwait.

“It’s a very emotional and hard day,” 21-year-old Kayla Bessner, 21, of Duryea said with her husband Colin, 21, by her side. Minutes later the newly married spouse joined his fellow soldiers.

Because the 109th Field Artillery has been a source of manpower in the

battle against terrorism since the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks, Friday’s scene has been played out many times: ❏ Farewells were made twice last week to soldiers who will first stop at a military base in Mississippi before being sent overseas to Kuwait. The 185 soldiers deployed this week are part of the 55th Brigade, Sgt. 1st Class Daniel Stella said, which is sending 1,500 soldiers from the armory, Scranton and Philadelphia. ❏ About 850 soldiers have been deSee DEPLOY, Page 14A

The calendar says it’s a presidential election year, but in Northeastern Pennsylvania it sure doesn’t feel like one.

The region was spoiled with attention during the 2004 and 2008 presidential races as party 2 0 1 2 top-ticket nominees, vice presi- ELECTION dential nominees and big-name surrogates made the Scranton/ Wilkes-Barre area staple datelines on and in the national news.

But then came 2012.

This time there have been no visits to Lackawanna or Luzerne counties by President Barack Obama, a Democrat. No stops by his Republican opponent, Mitt Romney, or Romney’s running mate, Paul Ryan, either.

Joe Biden, that scrappy kid who was born and spent the first decade of his life in Scranton, See CANDIDATES, Page 7A

FRED ADAMS/FOR THE TIMES LEADER

Spc. Taylor Rozell of Nanticoke holds his son, Taylor Jr., 1, as he waits to ship out at the 109th Field Artillery Armory.

The Rev. Patrick Sullivan talks about labor at his King’s College residence.

Returning home often big adjustment King’s priest sees Military wife and author says communication after deployment can be difficult.

By SHEENA DELAZIO sdelazio@timesleader.com

FRED ADAMS/FOR THE TIMES LEADER

Nicholas Pajovich, 8, is comforted by his mother, Veronica, of Berwick, as he watches his brother, Jarod Pajovich, leave the 109th Armory.

INSIDE

A NEWS Local Nation/World Obituaries B PEOPLE

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With 185 local soldiers being deployed last week from the 109th Field Artillery, military wife and author Tiffany Cloud Olson knows the drill all too well.

The crying. The anxiety. The depression. The waiting.

Cloud Olson, 43, of Conyngham, is the author of “Sleeping with Dog Tags,” a book about her personal experiences as the wife of an U.S. Army staff sergeant who has been deployed several times and is now recovering from injuries suffered while in Pakistan.

Her husband, Erik, was stationed near Pakistan and was injured when a

Irish win

Notre Dame gets past Stanford.

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unions as crucial

“You can’t just call them.

Communication is on the soldier’s timetable when they are able to call, email or Skype.”

By BILL O’BOYLE boboyle@timesleader.com

rocket landed at his outpost and exploded, piercing him with shrapnel and pushing him onto a razor wire perimeter fence.

As a family member, Cloud Olson said, you worry on a daily basis for a soldier’s life and safety.

Some cope better than others, checking the daily casualty report, watching the news and trying to control the sit-

WILKES-BARRE – At 83 and with an Irish brogue enhanced by an accent that gives away his New York City upbringing, the Rev. Patrick Sullivan, C.S.C. jumped at the chance to talk about his life working in the labor movement.

“We should have a more caring world – a world that cares more for the workers, for the employed,” the King’s College faculty member and noted labor historian said. “Workers have to have a go-between, and that’s what unions are.”

For his pro-labor efforts, Sullivan recently received two prestigious awards. He was named to the 2012 Labor 50 List published by The Irish Echo newspaper, and the Ancient Order of Hibernians and Ladies Ancient Order of Hibernians jointly presented him the John F. Kennedy Memorial Award.

The Labor 50 List is an annual effort to honor

See HOME, Page 14A

See UNIONS, Page 12A

Tiffany Cloud Olson Military wife and author

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User: rstouch Time: 10-13-2012 23:44 Product: Times_Leader PubDate: 10-14-2012 Zone: Main Edition: Main_Run PageName: news_08 PageNo: 14 A

PAGE 14A SUNDAY, OCTOBER 14, 2012

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Children of all ages enter the Millennium Circle portal on the River Common in Wilkes-Barre for ChalkFest on Saturday morning.

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Members of Mountain Top Girl Scout Cadet Troop 33323 Abby Post, right, Audralaine Mentrikoski, Elise Hreha and Paige Gould work on a mural with the guidance of ChalkFest volunteers Jan Lokuta, back right, and Quinn Baine on Saturday morning at the River Common in Wilkes-Barre.

CHALKFEST Continued from Page 3A

Gallagher and Ashleigh Crispell.

The two assisted area artist Leigh Pawling, Kingston, in presenting event information using works of chalk art.

Event coordinator Jill Price lauded event volunteers for making success possible. She also emphasized the importance of educating area children about the river through RiverFest and other events. She said part of the importance of the event was collectively “making memories as a community.”

Ed Ciarimboli, Shavertown, and daughter, Contessa, 4, shared this positive spirit as they made their way through the festival. Contessa, sporting a big smile and filled with energy, was looking forward to having a good time with her dad.

New this year at ChalkFest was Hydromania, an interactive presentation educating attendees about the importance of protecting our water supply as a natural resource. The activity, celebrating the 40th anniversary

POLICE BLOTTER DURYEA - Two statues and the organ at the Nativity of Our Lord Parish Church on Stephenson Street were vandalized with black spray paint Saturday, police said.

Chief Nick Lohman said police were called to the church around 3:15 p.m. Officer Chuck Swisher received a call from the Rev. Andrew Sinnott who reported the vandalism occurred between 11 a.m. and 3:15 p.m.

The church was unlocked dur-

DEPLOY Continued from Page 1A

ployed locally – some more than once – to Iraq, Afghanistan, Egypt, Bosnia and Kuwait.

By the end of the year, Stella said, more than 2,000 Pennsylvania National Guard members will be in Kuwait or Afghanistan.

“I occasionally get asked why we are sending troops to Kuwait or why we are deploying the (Army National) Guard at all since operations in Iraq are over and operations in Afghanistan are drawing down,” Stella said.

“I simply state that there are U.S. military presences in nearly 150 countries around the world … they all play a vital role in the overall defense strategy.”

This is Colin Bessner’s first deployment overseas, and though he is nervous, he is excited and ready to begin the journey.

His family and two young nieces, 4 and 1, were at the 109th Armory to see him off – all of them already anticipating his first call home.

“Our family is very supportive,” Kayla said. “Being alone will take a lot of getting used to, but we’ll keep in touch with Skype (a video-Internet chat technology).”

BILL TARUTIS PHOTOS/FOR THE TIMES LEADER

ChalkFest on the River Common in Wilkes-Barre mixed education and fun for participants on Saturday morning.

of the federal Clean Water Act, also emphasized positive and negative influences of human activity on our water supply.

The event included a bake sale

to raise money for future events.

Maday expressed gratitude for event sponsorship, including Jack Williams Tire and Auto and Citizens Bank.

For additional information on Wilkes-Barre’s Riverfront Parks, visit www.riverfrontparks.org or visit its Facebook site www.facebook.com/rivercommon.

ing that time period.

The damaged statues are in the basement and the organ is in the second-floor choir loft.

There was no other damage and nothing was missing.

Police collected evidence in the church, but asked for assistance from the public in the investigation.

Anyone who was in the area of the church during the time when the vandalism occurred and saw someone near the building or someone enter or leave it is asked to contact the Duryea Police Department at

570 457-1721 extension 2.

Parkway at about 1:37 p.m.

Friday when multiple witnesses saw him driving erratically at high rates of speed.

McCarthy crossed into the northbound lanes and struck a Chevrolet Silverado operated by John Wylie, of the Wanamie section of Newport Township, fled the scene continuing south on the parkway and then crashed into a ditch near the Leggett and Platt plant, police said.

McCarthy’s vehicle then went airborne before crashing into another ditch, police said.

coke, was also leaving someone new in his life – his 1-year-old son, Taylor Jr. “I’ll miss him,” the neophyte father said, who was with several family members Friday.

This will also be Rozell’s first deployment, and he said he has been preparing for a while, spending time with family as much as possible.

“I told (the kids), no crying until we get to the car,” Patty Toroni of Clarks Summit said.

The eldest of her three children, Jason Sterner, 20, is part of the deployment after being in the military for about a year.

His little sister, Courtney, wiped away tears as she said how much she is going to miss her brother, and held on to their youngest brother, Kevin.

“Waiting to talk to him … to make sure he is OK … is going to be rough,” Toroni said. “But we’ll keep in touch when we can.

Skype makes it easier now.”

Training in Mississippi Stella said all of the soldiers being deployed will first go to Camp Shelby in Mississippi for training for about a month.

Once trained, evaluated and validated, they will be cleared to be deployed to one of three Army bases in Kuwait.

Some will work 9-to-5 jobs, Stella said, while others will have varying shifts.

Young father deployed But the mission is the same.

Taylor Rozell, 20, of Nanti“Force protection,” Stella said.

HAZLE TWP. – Alfredo’s Brick Oven Pizzeria and Restaurant, 1346 N. Church St., was cited by the state police Bureau of Liquor Control Enforcement with selling alcoholic beverages on Sept. 4 after the liquor license expired on Aug. 31, the bureau said.

HANOVER TWP. – Township police said Desmond McCarthy, 24, of the Glen Lyon section of Newport Township, was traveling south on the Sans Souci

Borton-Lawson Engineering environmental scientist Lisa Clementoni, right, shows Eowynn Bogdon, 9, of Wilkes-Barre, and her mom, Amy Bashan, aquatic insect life from a macroinvertebrate study during ChalkFest on the River Common on Saturday.

McCarthy was transported from the scene with non-lifethreatening injuries, police said.

An investigation continues.

HAZLE TWP. – State police at Hazleton said someone entered a house under construction owned by Bassan Bittar located on state Route 940 sometime between 6:30 p.m.

Wednesday and 2:30 p.m.

Thursday and stole tools belonging to Ronald Fitzgerald of Hazleton.

Anyone with information on the burglary should call state

HOME Continued from Page 1A

FRED ADAMS/FOR THE TIMES LEADER

Spc. Jason Sterner gets a hug from his mom, Patty Toroni, before deploying with the 109th.

“Basically, securing our areas in Kuwait.”

Stella said some will man gates, others will conduct inspections and monitor planes coming in and out of bases.

But, there’s always the chance of an attack.

“You just never know,” Stella said.

When the deployment is over this time next year, soldiers will go through a similar process as they did when they began their deployment.

They’ll return to Mississippi and attend briefings to reintegrate them back into the civilian world.

Then they’ll make their way back to the armory and attend

welcome-home and reintegration ceremonies.

Stella said the 55th Brigade was originally scheduled to be deployed to Qatar, a peninsula in western Asia and an Arab state.

But, after troops were taken out of Iraq, more active duty soldiers became available for security missions, and the 185 local soldiers weren’t needed until a later date.

The mission then became Kuwait.

“Operation Enduring Freedom-Kuwait … specifically plays a very important role in military operations in the central command region, which includes the Middle East, North Africa and Central Asia,” Stella said.

uation.

Others distance themselves, trying to stay as busy as possible to distract their mind from returning to thoughts of their loved one.

“Usually, what happens are a lot of sleepless nights for the military family. Whether they are in combat or not,” Cloud Olson said.

The hardest part about deployment, she said, is being able to communicate only when the soldier has the time.

“You can’t just call them,” Cloud Olson said. “Communication is on the soldier’s timetable when they are able to call, email or Skype.”

Families need to learn how to get through the day without their support mechanism in place, raising kids, taking them to school, doing homework and running a household.

In her case, Cloud Olson said she and her husband spent time with their two children as much as possible, taking pictures as often as possible and leaving nothing important unsaid.

The couple got their finances in order – just in case – and Cloud Olson wrote in a journal every day so that her husband could take it with him and read it.

When soldiers return from a tour of duty, Cloud Olson said, some may choose not to be

police at 459-3890.

FOSTER TWP. – State police at Hazleton said someone entered the home of Michael and Christine Gresh, located on St. Anthony’s Road, sometime between 6 a.m. Monday and 4 p.m. Thursday.

State police remind residents to keep doors and windows locked and report suspicious persons near homes or businesses to them or call 911.

Anyone with information should call state police at 4593890. around people to “come down” after their deployment.

Others, she said, are receptive to welcome home parties and visitors.

Cloud Olson “You have said her husto get band chose not to immerse used to himself in each other crowds until he had a chance to again.’’ settle in at Tiffany Cloud home.

Olson “He had Military wife and quiet author some time so that he wasn’t scanning the crowd, looking for (improvised explosive devices) or snipers,” she said.

Cloud Olson suggests family members have patience and understanding when deploying and welcoming home soldiers.

“You have to get used to each other again,” Cloud Olson said.

“Perhaps they’ve seen things they didn’t want to see or didn’t expect to see. Reconnection can and does occur.”

Cloud Olson said families need to be on the lookout to make sure their soldier is coping well after returning home and any difficulties should be dealt with quickly.

While they are overseas, sending care packages, exchanging wedding rings and carrying pictures all help.

“They need as much support from home as possible,” Cloud Olson said.