The Tisburys are set to release new album, A Still Life Revisited, this spring on Friday, April 25, with Double Helix Records and SofaBurn Records. “Forever,” their first official single from the upcoming record just played on 979X’s Locals Only show!

“Will it all just stay the same?” asks songwriter, lead vocalist, and guitarist Tyler Asay in the debut single to launch A Still Life Revisited. He said he aimed for something catchy that everyone can sing along to, and I’d say The Tisburys accomplished just that on this danceable track.

“Forever” contains a lot of fun hooks with bass and guitar bouncing off each other in a new, interesting way to convey an exciting glimpse on what’s to come on the full-length record. This is also the perfect alt-rock release to lead us into the warm season!

“It was kind of the big kick-off single to launch this new album routine,” said Tyler Asay in a phone interview with The Weekender.

Asay explained that A Still Life Revisited is all about looking back at your past and seeing how it’s influenced your life. The lyrics include themes of deep memories, chosen family, and finding home wherever you are. With time and reflection, we’re able to draw from our past and celebrate the journey that led us to where we are today.

“Everything was on purpose for that to go together in that way,” said Asay.

The follow-up single, “Water in the Clouds,” just came out on streaming services and is also now available for listening on Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube and more. This song is a bright, energetic piece of sunshine with heartfelt lyrics and upbeat instrumentals.

The Tisburys also released “The Anniversaries” as a single in Fall 2024, although it was not yet announced that an album was on the way! All three singles feel like they could be the soundtrack to our own lives — something I want to blast on a roadtrip while sticking my head out the window!

“This is the first time I’ve released anything with a label,” said Asay.

This is also the first time The Tisburys recorded an album in a bona fide studio — everything’s been self-released up until this point. A Still Life Revisited was recorded at Dr. Dog’s Mt. Slippery studio in the suburbs of Philadelphia with their longtime engineer/producer Justin Nazario. It was mixed by Phil Joly (The Strokes, Daft Punk, Lana Del Rey) and mastered by Ryan Schwabe (Beach Bunny, Slaughter Beach Dog, Hop Along).

“We wanted to make a record that pushes together a lot of the stuff we’ve been doing while upping the ante. We wanted to make an album that sounded good on the radio,” said Tyler Asay.

This is The Tisburys’ most collaborative effort to date and they worked closely with their whole team to make everything sing. In an era where bands are seen as an individual, this is truly a “band record” with every member contributing songwriting and production ideas, especially from longtime lead guitarist John Domenico and keyboardist/co-producer Jason McGovern.

“The goal with this record was ‘everything in its right place’,” said Asay. “Every instrument is playing its part, and every song came together like a puzzle”.

The Tisburys’last album, 2022’s Exile on Main Street, channeled iconic 90s radio rock such as Gin Blossoms and The Replacements, while this new one will push into the raw, rustic power of millennial alt-rock music such as The Strokes, Frightened Rabbit and The Hold Steady.

“Exile on Main Street was more influenced by college rock and 90s radio rock,” said Asay. “It still has that power poppy, catchy songwriting we always gravitate towards, but for the new album I was leaning into the 2000s indie vibe.”

This spring, The Tisburys are also looking forward to hitting the road and playing cities they’ve never played before. They are currently booking a tour out in the Midwest for a festival and heading to Newport, Connecticut where their new label SofaBurn Records is from!

On March 15, they’ll head to Quarry House Tavern in Silver Spring, Maryland with James Barrett and the Montaines. Then, they have a show in Philadelphia on Friday, March 21, to celebrate St. Patrick’s at Johnny Brenda’s with Bar Dusts, which is a Pogue’s cover band featuring members of The Menzingers and Modern Baseball.

The Tisburys will have their album release show in Philadelphia the first week of June 2025. Then, they plan to return to Scranton, Asay’s and Domenico’s hometown, later this summer. After all that, they’ll start thinking about the next record!

“I love writing, and I love performing music, and I just want to keep doing that until I croak,” said Asay. “The people who inspire me, people like Springsteen and The Replacements, you try to capture a little bit of that magic and that’s what I try to do every day.”

A Still Life Revisited is available for pre-order and they’re also doing a vinyl record release for the first time as well this April when the album comes out in full. In the meantime, get a taste of what’s to come from this talented rock band through their three singles currently available for listening on streaming.

“The goal is to just play as many shows as we can to promote the new album and sell a bunch of records.,” Asay said “Whatever we can do to get the music out there.”

Get up to date on the latest music from The Tisburys and follow along with them on social media for all the update on the way. Tune into 979X’s Locals Only Show every Sunday night with Lazy E from 7 p.m. to 8 p.m. for more great new music from talented regional artists like this!

The Dietrich Theater will host a free screening of the beloved film “An Officer and a Gentleman” at 1 p.m. and 7 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 12. This special event is presented by Veterans Connection: Meetup & Workshop and generously sponsored by M&T Bank.

The film follows Zack Mayo (Richard Gere), a determined Navy recruit navigating the challenges of Aviation Officer Candidate School. Under the stern guidance of Gunnery Sergeant Emil Foley (Louis Gossett Jr.), Zack is forced to confront his own limitations and grow beyond his bravado.

Along the way, he forms a meaningful connection with Paula (Debra Winger), a spirited local woman with dreams of her own. Through rigorous training, emotional trials, and unexpected romance, “An Officer and a Gentleman” explores what it truly means to lead with integrity, resilience and heart.

This event is part of the ongoing Veterans Connection initiative, which brings veterans and community members together through film, conversation, and shared experience. Tickets are free and available while supplies last at the Dietrich Theater’s ticket booth or by calling 570-836-1022, ext. 3.

It’s the season when zombies eat brains and people eat mummies. At least, they can if they make this “Easy Mummy Stromboli.” But as always, “ease” is defined by the cook’s experience and time constraints.

One of the great things about this is how easy it can be, but doesn’t have to be.

The no-fuss version would use a store-ready dough such as two pizza crusts, a jar of pizza sauce, and a bag of grated mozzarella cheese. But I heartily encourage readers to try the home-made dough and sauce, and remind that pre-grated cheese is coated to keep it from sticking together.If you always use it, you may not notice; but once you grate your own, you’ll almost certainly never go back.

The marinara recipe below uses a jar or can of tomato sauce as a base, so you can season it to your heart’s delight. And this dough surprised me by coming out soft and fluffy, without getting soggy from the sauce. I offer one caveat: My dough required about a cup more of flour before it became firm enough to roll out. Next time I’ll withhold the half-cup water when I start mixing, adding the agua a little at a time if needed.

This makes two stromboli, which meant the next day there was one for MT to take to the newsroom for comments. Her report:

Bill O’Boyle was one of the first to enjoy the visual mummy impact. After chuckling at it for a while, he tried a slice and pronounced it good. But he might have been a little creeped out by the design.

“I’m glad I didn’t get the eyes,” he said, referring to the olive circles.

Margaret Roarty said the mummy looked cute — “definitely a good treat for a Halloween party” —but added she’s “not such a fan of pizza sauce. Objectively speaking, it’s good. It’s just not my cup of tea. The bread is good.”

Pizza fan Sam Zavada was very happy with the stromboli. “We’re on a roll in the test kitchen, a very good run,” he said. “If you sold this in any bar, there would be a market for it. It’s very professionally done.”

Jim MacIntyre from production was the only person to try it cold, without waiting for MT to zap it in the break room microwave. “The dough is fluffy,” he said with approval. “The tomato sauce has a sharp bite, that I like.”

“If I bought something like this from a pizza shop,” he concluded. “I’d definitely buy it again.”

Executive editor Jake Higgins was among the majority who tried the stromboli reheated, and MT cautioned him to wait for it to cool before he tried it. “I think the fresh dough smelled very good,” he said later. “It made me anxious for it to cool down.” He gave it a thumbs up and added, “I got a good ‘cheese pull,’ which is always a good thing.”

Page designer Lyndsay Bartos evaluated just about each ingredient: “I liked the pepperoni and the cheese,” she said. “I thought the bread was very good. Sometimes stromboli can get soggy, but that didn’t happen at all with this one,” she added with approval.

Two variations for consideration: You can make four smaller, personal-size stromboli, or use all the dough to make one big one, which would allow you to add other cold cuts (ham and salami, maybe), cheese (parmesan, of course) and even some heat from, say, banana pepper rings. Do that while skipping the tomato sauce and you’d be making my favorite stromboli from long-time friend and expert home chef Gary, which I wrote about for my eighth Times Leader Test Kitchen in May of 2020.

Dobru chut!

Easy Mummy Stromboli (abountifulkitchen.com, Si Foster)

Home made dough option

1 tablespoon yeast

¼ cup warm water

1 teaspoon sugar

4 cups flour

½ cup canola, vegetable or olive oil

½ cup milk, warmed

½ cup warm water

1 tablespoon sugar

2 teaspoons sea salt

1 egg beaten, if halving the recipe, use one egg

Filling

1 16-ounce pepperoni, sliced

1 12-15 ounce jar pizza sauce , or homemade sauce below

4-6 cups mozzarella cheese, grated

Home made sauce option

1 14-15 ounce jar (or can) tomato sauce

3 tablespoons tomato paste

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 tablespoons dry Italian seasoning

1 clove minced garlic

pinch of sugar

salt and pepper to taste

In a large mixing bowl, mix yeast and ¼ cup warm water. Sprinkle with 1 teaspoon sugar. Set aside until yeast begins to bubble.

Add 4 cups flour, oil, warm milk, water, sugar, salt and egg to the bowl (consider withholding the water until you mix it, adding as needed; my dough was much too moist and required nearly a cup more of flour to become workable). Mix until all ingredients are incorporated and the flour is no longer visible. Switch to the dough hook and turn on low for 2 minutes (or put dough on floured surface and kneed). Scrape down sides of bowl and spray sides of bowl lightly with cooking oil. Cover the bowl and place in a warm place for about 1 hour, or the dough may be placed in the refrigerator for several hours or overnight in a Ziplock bag .

While dough is rising, make sauce if using. Mix all ingredients in a saucepan and simmer for 10-15 minutes on medium heat.

Place dough on clean, floured surface. Split in half. Roll out each piece into approximately a 14×8 inch rectangle.

Spread about ½ to ¾ cup of the pizza sauce down the middle of the rolled out dough. Lay half of the meat on top of the pizza sauce. Sprinkle half of the cheese on top of the meat.

Using a pizza cutter or knife, start at the top of the dough and cut ½ inch strips along each side. Starting at top, fold the strips over alternately, ending at bottom. Pinch the ends together at top and bottom, tuck under to avoid the dough opening during baking.

Let sit 30 minutes. Heat oven to 375°. If shiny dough is desired, brush with a beaten egg. Just before baking, place a cut olive on mummy for eyes.

Bake for about 15-20 minutes. The mummy should be golden on bottom and top. Remove from oven, let sit for 10 minutes before cutting.

“In this business, turnover is a way of life. There are a lot of radio nomads, but that kind of life isn’t for me” — George Graham, in 2022 article marking his 50th anniversary as a WVIA-FM employee.

Graham announced his retirement this week, and we cannot adequately measure the hole this leaves in the region’s music scene. It may have been inevitable, but it cannot go unmarked.

At its simplest, Graham became exactly what he never wanted to be: An icon. And he did it precisely because he eschewed any praise. For more than half a century, he exemplified a fundamental rule: It’s about the music, not the person who presents it.

He not only held the title of WVIA-FM’s first employee, he was a founder, using a degree in engineering to wire the station for analog in the beginning and supervise the switch to digital decades later. He helped countless musicians release albums, rigorously supported local performers, hosted numerous concerts, restored old tape recordings for the new MP3 era, and for decades offered listeners an unparalleled depth of music knowledge, in a voice both instantly recognizable and constantly calm.

“George is so multi-talented, he’s scary-good,” colleague Erica Funke said in a 2022 profile of Graham. “There are dilettantes who seem to know about a lot of things, and not go very deep. But George really knows about things. He can repair and build radio control boards from scratch. And, he has such an ear, and such an unparalleled love of music.”

Graham proved as much with his diverse programming that included “All That Jazz,” “Homegrown Music,” and the definition of eclectic, “Mixed Bag.” A wide-ranging 1994 article about regional radio formats over the decades touched on “The Gibbons Experience” on WBAX, which ran about 18 months. One of the hosts recounted “We were given total freedom over what we played. It was definitely free-form. The closest thing to that has been George Graham’s show on WVIA-FM.”

His technical skill in recording music became famous. As audio producer he was part of a WVIA-TV team nominated for Mid-Atlantic Emmy awards, in 2022 for “The Swinging Nutcracker Suite” and in 2025 for “Palma: A Musical Fable.” In a 1998 article about Charles Parente’s debut CD, Parente praise Graham for his assistance in the mixing process: “He’s a wonderful guy. He really helped polish the sound.”

We end with a quote from an October 2001 column by the late TL editor David Iseman, just weeks after the world-shaking September 11 attacks. In his old garage, he sought refuge from news of a looming recession, relentless coverage of terrorist devastation, and the imminent war in Afghanistan. He turned on an old radio spattered with paint and sporting an antenna crumpled by a past (self-inflicted) accident with a board. He caught one station near the lowest end of the FM dial, where the DJ admitted not knowing the name of the song he played —a clear sign he hadn’t found the show he wanted .

“WVIA’s George Graham always knows the names of songs,” Iseman wrote. “Searching for his reassuring voice, I moved the dial a bit to the right.”

Something else will fill the airspace, but nothing can replace the man.

This true story follows everyday man Jeffrey Manchester, played by the delightful Channing Tatum (“White House Down”), who also just happens to be a part-time criminal. Eh, who’s to judge? So, what if he robs banks and breaks into fast food restaurants across nine states by drilling holes through the walls and roofs? Jeffrey Manchester, who was also a former U.S. Army paratrooper means well, isn’t that all that counts?

Taking place for a majority of the time in North Carolina, this movie shows the likable and skilled pseudo-criminal Manchester, now serving a 45-year prison sentence for his crimes as outlined in this charming biopic. The film also stars Kirsten Dunst as a single mom and Toys R Us employee struggling to make ends meet, who falls for the handsome enigmatic nomad who is secretly sleeping in a hidden cubby inside her very workplace.

“Roofman” was more crime-drama than it was dark comedy as presented in the advertised trailer, but with that being said, after viewing this one I wanted to go out and scream from the … well, rooftop, no pun intended, just how much I loved this motion picture!

Channing Tatum, now 45-years-old, has never given us a more enjoyable character to root for, even if he deserved what he got. You couldn’t help but watch and cringe the entire time hoping this man could escape these charges. The film also stars a hilarious, yet jaded and grumpy Peter Dinklage (“Game of Thrones”), who is Leigh’s store manager, named Mitch, at Toys R Us. But then again, aren’t most managers in retail stressed out jerks? Do you blame them? They must deal with us!

Although maybe not the best movie of the year, “Roofman” just so happens to turn out to be one of my favorite motion pictures I had the pleasure of sitting through so far in 2025. Now maybe instead of President Trump rumored to be pardoning disgraced rapper Sean (P.Diddy) Combs, he can reconsider his presidential powers and wave his wand towards my new favorite “nice guy” criminal.

“Roofman”

Starring: Channing Tatum, Peter Dinklage, Kirsten Dunst

Christopher’s “Meow” Score: “8” paws out of 10.

It’s about time we talk about Norman Reilly Raine, the quiet member of the Luzerne County Oscar winners’ club. Unlike Jack Palance and the Mankiewicz brothers, you don’t hear much conversation about Mr. Raine, who won his Oscar for best adapted screenplay for 1937’s “The Life of Emile Zola” — which also won best picture.

Raine was born in Wilkes-Barre on June 23, 1894, on Jackson Street. It’s kind of hard to imagine the current-day Jackson Street as a birthplace, but let’s trust the old school newspapers on this. Or, maybe we shouldn’t, because the Times Leader actually has a historically terrible track record when it comes to getting the details of Raine’s life correct. In his obituary in 1971, the paper listed his birth year at 1895, which you won’t see listed on any modern filmmaking source.

There was also a popular theory in Raine’s time that he was born on Ross Street in Ashley, a claim that appears to be dubious. From what I’ve gathered, his mother, Anne Reilly Raine, was from Ashley, but there’s no true record of Norman being born there.

So a baby named Norman Reilly Raine was born in 1894 in Wilkes-Barre, and was quickly taken by his parents to the British Isles, where he spent the majority of his childhood years. I say the majority because, as it turns out, the Raine family actually returned to Wilkes-Barre when Norman was about 12 years old. The family lived on West River Street for a few years, though this fact is also — curiously — disputed.

Let me rephrase, then: For some length of time in the mid-to-late 1900s — perhaps for years — the Raines lived on West River Street in Wilkes-Barre.

In an article written for the Times Leader in the 1930s, Raine was described as being “English-Irish American,” which I only bring up to illustrate the level of confusion that is involved with Raine’s upbringing. All of this hokum may explain why Raine’s legacy in his birth city is so muted.

He departed Wilkes-Barre again to carve out his own professional path. He became a newspaperman, fought in World War I, got married, and eventually ended up as a lecturer at the University of Washington.

‘Tugboat Annie’

While at Washington, Raine came in contact with a pleasant woman who owned and operated a tugboat. The woman and her vessel served as the inspiration for Raine’s most popular creation during his lifetime, “Tugboat Annie,” a series which first appeared in The Saturday Evening Post. From that magazine tale came demand for a film adaptation, and Raine was brought on to bring “Tugboat Annie” to the screen as a credited co-writer.

The film “Tugboat Annie” was released in 1933 with Marie Dressler and Wallace Beery in the lead roles. Dressler and Beery were among MGM’s most popular players at the time, so the film was certainly given the tools to succeed. Hollywood legend Mervyn LeRoy served as director.

Unlike the woman Raine met in Washington, the written character of Tugboat Annie was rather crude. Raine wrote dozens of “Tugboat Annie” stories, and Hollywood liked his work enough to make him a regular on the screenwriting circuit throughout the 1930s and 1940s.

Raine himself was quite comfortable with the industry, and once quipped that Hollywood “is the only place where writers are paid commensurate to their worth.” Well, that sounds lovely.

Two massive hits

It was at Warner Brothers, with whom Raine signed a contract, that our central Wilkes-Barrean made his greatest mark in the filmmaking industry. He scored two massive hits in back-to-back years.

The first hit was the aforementioned “The Life of Emile Zola,” released in 1937 to great critical acclaim. I am … not a fan at all. In my rankings of every best picture winner from earlier this year, I ranked “Emile Zola” as the seventh worst best picture winner ever — 91st (now 92nd) out of 97 (now 98).

In January, when my rankings were first revealed, here’s what I had to say:

“Once described to me as an essential watch for a journalist-to-be, “The Life of Emile Zola” fails to be as bold as that precursor led me to believe. It’s a forgettable effort, and those who remember it more clearly have noted its toothlessness in relation to the real Zola’s work, not to mention the context in which the film was produced. My main takeaway from it these days is that it scored a writing Oscar for Luzerne County’s own Norman Reilly Raine. Paul Muni is strong in the title role, but this is a Best Picture winner you can comfortably skip.”

I don’t disagree with my past self. Other than the Raine connection, there’s really no reason for a modern, local viewer to watch this. However, it’s the film that gave Luzerne County its first Oscar, and, for that, I’m so happy that “The Life of Emile Zola” exists.

More importantly, Raine co-wrote one of the greatest films of Hollywood’s Golden Age in 1938s “The Adventures of Robin Hood,” the real crowning achievement of his career. From the iconic Errol Flynn performance to the gorgeous greens that ooze out of the screen at a time when mainstream colored films were still a novelty, “Robin Hood” is pure movie magic.

What holds the film together is the screenplay from Raine and Seton I. Miller, which blends swashbuckling energy with the progressive moral code that all great “Robin Hood” stories must have. This should have been the Oscar winner!

Coming back home

According to Kay Dangerfield, who wrote a column called “Vignettes of the Valley” in the Times Leader of the 1930s, Raine might have visited Wilkes-Barre in 1933, right around the time when the film “Tugboat Annie” was being released. Side note: Kay Dangerfield is a great name, and I love her writing style. You’re forgiven for all of the Norman Reilly Raine falsehoods you helped spread when newspapers were more like tabloids, Kay. Thank you for your service. This “In Frame” column, unironically, could not have been written without your contributions.

The first confirmed case of Norman Reilly Raine reappearing in Wilkes-Barre actually is in July 1939. He checked into the Hotel Sterling, met up with his aunt, and spent some time with his uncle, the local architect Austin L. Reilly, at Lake Silworth.

I adore Kay Dangerfield’s descriptions of her encounters with Raine in 1939. She said he had a British accent, blue eyes, and red hair. These observations, while being consistent with the tabloid nature of the newspaper, are also critical is knowing who Norman Reilly Raine was. Pictures of him are sparse, and none are in color from what I’ve seen. His physical description and mannerisms would be lost to history without this dated firsthand account.

Dangerfield also mentioned that Raine was working on two projects at the time of his Wilkes-Barre visit: “The Private Lives of Elizabeth and Essex” with Bette Davis, and a biopic of Beethoven with Paul Muni in the lead role. The former was made and became one of the more well-acclaimed films of Raine’s career.

The Beethoven flick never did get produced, much to Muni’s disappointment. According to legend, Jack Warner, of Warner Brothers, shut the project down with this: “Anything but Beethoven. Nobody wants to see a movie about a blind composer.”

Muni left Warner Brothers not too long after the Beethoven project was denied.

And then what happened?

The story of Norman Reilly Raine goes a bit dry in the 1940s and beyond. Even his most well-received films of the time, such as “Captain of the Clouds” and “Captain Kidd,” are little more than footnotes in much more popular careers.

Norman Reilly Raine died at Motion Picture Country Hospital on July 19, 1971, in Woodland Hills, California. He was 76.

One of my own quotations over the past few weeks when discussing — you guessed it — the Luzerne County Arts & Entertainment Hall of Fame has been “We haven’t even gotten through the Oscar winners yet!” That’s in reference to the current crop of already inducted members, and the subsequent whining about there not being anybody else worthy of the honor.

Whenever I get that line out, I’m thinking of Norman Reilly Raine, who created “Tugboat Annie,” won an Oscar, and was partly responsible for crafting one of the greatest adventure films of all-time. No more disrespect. As we should do with Duard Slattery and Louis Weitzenkorn, let’s remember the name and accomplishments of Norman Reilly Raine.

In Frame is a weekly arts and entertainment column focusing on everything from pop culture and new movie releases to the local arts and culture found right here in NEPA. News reporters Sam Zavada and Margaret Roarty contribute to this column.

Let me preface this week’s review by stating just how much I dislike the title of this movie. Like, who on earth could not come up with a better title than “The Smashing Machine?” Like seriously, with a corny title such as this, it’s no wonder it bombed opening weekend with only $6 million worldwide! And it should be noted that it had a $40 million budget — yikes! Of course it did open up next to Taylor Swift’s new album preview film, not that the target audiences cross paths at all.

Numbers and horrific titles aside, “The Smashing Machine” follows Mark Kerr, a renegade in the early days of UFC and mixed-martial arts. Please do not feel bad, I didn’t have a clue who this guy was either before I viewed this fighting drama. The story is based mainly around Mark’s career from 1997 to 2000. It follows his rise in the niche business, his addiction problems and ultimately his unfortunate decline.

Played intentionally by Dwayne Johnson (“Baywatch,” “Furious 7”), better known formally as “The Rock.” Hands down, this is a career-best performance by this man to date, as his filmography leaves much to be desired. Unfortunately, it appears an Oscar nomination will be a stretch for the poor guy’s hopes. Emily Blunt (“Oppenheimer”) fares a better chance (big shock) playing his overly made-up, dramatic, live-in girlfriend, Dawn Staples.

“The Smashing Machine” was an odd film, if I am being honest. I enjoyed its grittiness and familiar late ‘90s style. I also very much had a soft spot for Dwayne Johnson’s performance as I was never previously a fan. He really tried in this one and his effort resonated with a hard swing, no pun intended. “The Smashing Machine” will quickly be funneled out from popular memory sadly, but not because it didn’t exemplify ample heart and passion.

REVIEW

“The Smashing Machine”

Starring: Dwayne Johnson and Emily Blunt

Christopher’s “Meow” Score: 6 paws out of 10.

Christopher Vernon is a proud NEPA resident and award-winning writer and author. He began writing film reviews on his page ‘The Movie Meow’ in 2018. His favorite two films of all time are ‘Thelma & Louise’ and ‘Million Dollar Baby.’ And of course you guessed it, Chris adores cats.

WASHINGTON — The consequences of a government shutdown setting in, senators labored Thursday to find a way forward but found themselves struggling to overcome a fundamental lack of trust between the two parties.

Senate Majority Leader John Thune on Thursday afternoon floated an “off ramp” to the government funding impasse, suggesting that he could hold a later vote on expiring health care subsidies if Democrats would first support a stopgap spending bill to reopen the government.

Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer quickly dismissed the idea. “It’s nothing new, they say it all the time. It doesn’t do anything to make sure we get health care.”

The exchange showed how congressional leaders remain trapped in a stalemate on the ninth day of the government shutdown despite the growing toll of federal closures. Government offices nationwide have shuttered, hundreds of thousands of federal employees have been furloughed and U.S. military troops and other government employees are on track to miss a scheduled payday.

Thune’s overture suggested one possible path forward, but it was unclear how serious the offer was or whether it would lead to any real negotiations with Democrats. Still, pressure is growing on congressional leaders to reach a deal as rank-and-file lawmakers grew anxious about the lack of progress on ending the shutdown.

One Democratic senator who has pressed for a compromise, Sen. Jeanne Shaheen of New Hampshire, argued that the offer from Thune showed there is a growing desire among Republicans to reach a deal on Democrats’ demand to extend subsidies for health plans offered under the Affordable Care Act.

“There needs to be official negotiation and until that happens, it’s unlikely that things will get done,” she said.

Still, President Donald Trump and Republicans have so far held to the stance that they will only negotiate on Democratic demands around health care benefits after they vote to reopen the government. They also say Schumer is beholden to the left wing of his party and only staging the shutdown fight to stave off a primary challenge.

Republicans jump on Schumer’s comments

Schumer, a New York Democrat, told Punchbowl News in an interview that Democrats were winning the shutdown fight, saying, “Every day gets better for us.”

Republicans quickly seized on those comments, arguing it showed that the New York senator is approaching the shutdown with purely political motives.

Thune stood on the Senate floor flanked by a poster printed with Schumer’s words.

“This isn’t a political game. Democrats might feel that way, but I don’t know anybody else that does,” said Thune, a South Dakota Republican. “The longer this goes on, the more the American people realize that Democrats own this shutdown.”

Schumer, in his own floor speech, responded that it was Trump and Republicans who are “playing with people’s lives.”

“Every day that Republicans refuse to negotiate to end this shutdown, the worse it gets for Americans and the clearer it becomes who is fighting for them,” said Schumer.

When a handshake deal is not enough

Democrats have insisted they can’t take Trump or House Speaker Mike Johnson at their word and therefore need more than a verbal commitment for any deal.

“We’re in an environment where we need more than a handshake,” said Sen. Chris Coons, a Delaware Democrat who has engaged in talks with Republicans.

Conflicts over spending power had already been raging before the shutdown as the White House pushed to assert maximum power over congressionally approved budgets. The White House budget office had canceled scores of government contracts, including cutting out the legislative branch entirely with a $4.9 billion cut to foreign aid in August through a legally dubious process known as a “pocket rescission.”

That enraged Democrats — and disturbed some Republicans who criticized it as executive overreach.

“I hate rescissions, to be honest with you, unless they’re congressionally approved,” said Sen. Thom Tillis, a North Carolina Republican.

Then, as the government entered a shutdown, Trump’s budget director Russ Vought laid out arguments that the president would have even more power to lay off workers and even cancel pay due to furloughed federal workers once the funding lapse is solved. Vought has also announced that the administration was withholding billions of dollars for infrastructure projects in states with Democratic senators who have voted for the shutdown.

“We’re only going to cut Democrat programs,” Trump said in a Cabinet meeting Thursday. He added: “We’re going to give them a little taste of their own medicine.”

Yet on Capitol Hill, there has been an acknowledgment that the hardball tactics are making it harder to negotiate.

“I think with senators, carrots work better than sticks,” said Sen. Kevin Cramer, a North Dakota Republican.

Failed votes and the consequences of an extended shutdown

The Senate failed, in a 54-45 vote, to advance a stopgap funding bill for the seventh time Thursday, and there has been no sign of significant progress to ending the impasse.

Lawmakers are now looking ahead to the dates when federal employees will miss a payday, nervous about both the financial implications for federal employees and military members and the political blowback. Several House Republicans representing districts with military installations are calling on the speaker to hold a vote on legislation to ensure troops are paid.

Active-duty military troops would miss a paycheck on Oct. 15. As Johnson, a Louisiana Republican, fielded questions on C-SPAN Thursday morning, one caller pleaded with him to pass legislation that would allow the military to get paid during the government shutdown.

The woman, identified as Samantha, said her husband serves in the military and that they “live paycheck to paycheck.”

She pleaded with Johnson to call the House back to Washington, saying, “You could stop this.”

Johnson said he was sorry to hear about her situation, blamed Democrats for refusing to pass the stop-gap spending bill and added, “I am angry because of situations just like yours.”

WASHINGTON — The United States is sending about 200 troops to Israel to help support and monitor the ceasefire deal in Gaza as part of a team that includes partner nations, nongovernmental organizations and private sector players, U.S. officials said Thursday.

The officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss details not authorized for release, said U.S. Central Command is going to establish a “civil-military coordination center” in Israel that will help facilitate the flow of humanitarian aid as well as logistical and security assistance into the territory wracked by two years of war.

The remarks provide some of the first details on how the ceasefire deal would be monitored and that the U.S. military would have a role in that effort. After Israel and Hamas agreed to the first phase of a Trump administration plan to halt the fighting, a litany of questions remain on next steps, including Hamas disarmament, a withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza and a future government in the territory.

One of the officials said the new team will help monitor implementation of the ceasefire agreement and the transition to a civilian government in Gaza.

The coordination center will be staffed by about 200 U.S. service members who have expertise in transportation, planning, security, logistics and engineering, said the official, who noted that no American troops will be sent into Gaza.

A second official said troops would come from U.S. Central Command as well as other parts of the globe. That official added that the troops already have begun arriving and will continue to travel to the region over the weekend to begin planning and efforts to establish the center.

A breakthrough deal to pause the war in Gaza was reached Wednesday after the United States and mediators in the region pressured both Israel and Hamas to end the fighting that has devastated the Gaza Strip, killed tens of thousands of Palestinians, sparked other conflicts and isolated Israel.

That push sealed an agreement on a first phase that would free the remaining living Israeli hostages within days in exchange for the release of hundreds of Palestinians imprisoned by Israel.

The fall season brings Halloween, and for Northeast Pennsylvania, Reaper’s Revenge.

Reaper’s Revenge, 60 Green Grove Road, Scott Township, has been scaring people for many years. It started as the dream of the founder, Paul Kotran, who has a strong background in the amusement and entertainment industry, including 29 years in the amusement industry as a Pennsylvania showman.

For seven years, Paul owned a mobile bungee jumping business. He was also in a band in his earlier years. All these experiences gave him the tools he needed to create what he likes to call the “Greatest Show on Earth!” He believes the haunt industry is the most amazing version of entertainment and was eager to bring the best show possible to see people’s reactions.

“We’ve been at this same location, which we lovingly call “Reaper’s Mountain,” since 2008, and many of our management team and creative team have been here since day one,” said Amy Black, of Reaper’s Revenge public relations.

She has been involved in various capacities of Reaper’s Revenge since 2012.

Eventgoers start on the Haunted Hayride that is broken up by the Lost Carnival and through the Delirium. There are some original scenes on the hayride that came from the minds of the creative team and some classic horror themes.

The attraction uses special effects such as fog, fire, lasers and projections. There are also large-scale animatronics and special effects makeup.

“We started with a much smaller version of Haunted Hayrides and Pitch Black,” said Black. “Both of these original attractions have grown through the years. In our fourth year, we added the Lost Carnival, in 2014 we added Sector 13 as a fourth attraction, and in 2020 we debuted our fifth attraction, Delirium, our 3-D walk-through. We started with just four tractors and 40 employees and now have 14 tractors running constantly with 260 employees on the mountain every weekend. We’ve expanded both the pre-show and post-show experience with entertainment in the queue times and the commerce areas.”

There’s also a more family friendly option called Lil’ Grim. However, it is not recommended for those under the age of five, and infants are not allowed on the hayrides.

“Lil’ Grim’s offers a more family friendly way to experience two of our attractions,” said Black. “The day show consists of a modified version of the hayride with more fantasy and fun that the terror of the night show. Guests will also be able to experience Delirium, the 3D walk-through, which is an incredible attraction and again is modified to be more entertaining than scary. There’s more entertainment on our commerce area that can be enjoyed before or after the attractions,” said Black.

Food such as hot dogs, hamburgers, pizza, french fries, hot and cold drinks, etc. are available to purchase in the commerce area.

Opening night for Reaper’s Revenge was on Sept. 20. It is open Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays until November. Gates open at 6 p.m.

Reaper’s Revenge is not recommended for children under the age of 10.

Read the frequently asked questions before going to Reaper’s Revenge.

Read the wavier and sign it before arriving at Reaper’s Revenge.

Price for admission is $59 and for VIP is $89. Tickets can be purchased at reapersrevenge.com.

Parking is $3 per car, or a donation of pet food or supplies is accepted. The donation is collected for the Griffin Pond Animal Shelter.

Halloween masks, outside food and beverages, smoking, cameras, drugs, alcohol, backpacks and firearms or weapons of any kind are not allowed at Reaper’s Revenge.

“I think people enjoy Reaper’s Revenge because not only do we invest in upgrades to the attractions every year, but we take a good deal of time training every staff member to put on a consistent and top-of-their-game show every single night,” said Black. “From the moment our guests walk onto the property, they are fully immersed, and everyone on the mountain is there because they love what they do and love to give folks a great show.”

In the present era of dealing with tidal waves of scams, fraudulent offers and emails from African kings seeking to deposit millions into personal bank accounts, one such flim-flam artist from Wilkes-Barre targeted a Scranton clothing merchant.

Jacob Snyder, alias B. Snyder, took some of his clothes to be cleaned and pressed by Joseph Nudelman, who owned a clothing store and dry-cleaning business at 411 Penn Ave. in Scranton, in December 1914. As Snyder waited for his suits to be cleaned, he chatted with Nudelman but the conversation was more getting to know his target.

When the moment came, Snyder launched his scheme.

Snyder told Nudelman he had an incubator box that could turn a blank piece of paper into cash by pressing it in the machine between two other bills by using acid. Snyder pledged any denomination could be used. If two $10 bills were pressed against a blank piece of paper, Snyder told Nudelman he would earn an extra $10.

Nudelman fell for it.

“The Scranton man drew $300 from the bank and raised $500 by selling a quantity of clothing, and brought the $800 to Snyder in Wilkes-Barre on an agreement that he would receive $1,200,” the Times Leader reported Oct. 12, 1915.

After Nudelman gave Snyder the $800, Snyder told Nudelman he placed the cash in the incubator with instructions he had to keep the box locked for a day.

“Nudelman thought he saw Snyder place the $800 in the box and was told there would be $1,200 the next morning,” the Times Leader reported.

Nudelman returned to his home in Scranton and the next morning, he forced open the box to find a bundle of blank paper.

Nudelman filed a report with Scranton police who arrested Snyder in February 1915 and kept him in jail for five months before authorities in the Electric City realized the alleged crime happened in Wilkes-Barre.

Snyder was transferred to the Luzerne County Prison and was taken before Judge Peter A. O’Boyle on Oct. 11, 1915.

“The story of the flim-flam game was rehearsed before Judge O’Boyle on a habeas corpus hearing granted to Snyder, who has been in jail for some time,” the Times Leader reported.

O’Boyle kept Snyder in jail on charges of larceny and scheduled a trial on Nov. 22, 1915.

As Snyder remained jailed, detectives learned he was a scam artist who fled New York City in November 1914 and ended up in Wilkes-Barre where he scammed street merchants into buying skin oil that was water mixed with vinegar.

Realizing street merchants he scammed were going to testify, Snyder pled guilty to larceny and cheating Nudelman.

“The incubator box was nothing more than a wooden box with two bolts. Snyder admitted that he placed a piece of paper between two good bills and sealed it in the box, a good bill would be made but he described in court the process was a flim-flam act,” The Wilkes-Barre Record reported Nov. 23, 1915.

With the loss of West Hazleton’s Cinema & Drafthouse, there are now only four movie venues in Luzerne County, and two of them are the always majestic but unfortunately temporary drive-ins, Garden and Moonlite. Movies 14 in Wilkes-Barre and the Regal in Hazle Twp. are year-round consistent presences, as is Cinemark in Moosic, just north of Luzerne County’s border.

Let’s cut right through it: We need a new movie theater in Luzerne County.

But where?

With some research, I’ve nailed down a few municipalities that might be worthy of the cinematic torch left behind by West Hazleton. In this experiment, I’m looking for municipalities that can theoretically support themselves in their own communities, but also won’t be stepping on the toes of any existing theaters or drive-ins.

Already occupied

Right off the bat, Hazle Twp., Plymouth Twp, West Wyoming, and Wilkes-Barre are knocked off the list. Each of those places already has a movie venue, and there is simply too much land in the county to force one in where the screens already reside.

We know that people are not immune to jumping over municipal borders to go to their local theater, so we’re going to be knocking off the municipalities that border Hazle Twp., Plymouth Twp, West Wyoming, and Wilkes-Barre. That goes for Moosic, as well (sorry to Avoca, Duryea, and Pittston Township).

Luzerne County is drivable enough to where none of the existing venues is so out of reach, so perhaps I’m being a little naive about the border rules I’m putting into place. However, what I want is a true hometown theater where foot traffic makes up a non-zero percentage of the attendance. Other Pennsylvania towns like Wind Gap and Phoenixville get this right, so why can’t we?

Boroughs and cities only

In the spirit of serving Main Street America, I’m kicking out the many townships of Luzerne County from the equation. Boroughs and cities, for the most part, capture the mood I have in mind for our hypothetical theater a little bit better. Some places are just too far away from the population centers — and, in some cases, their own people — to sustain themselves. Those places are, in almost every case, very rural townships rather than boroughs with distinct streets.

I do want to offer an olive branch to the people of townships that have a more tight-knit community with a clear main drag, such as Fairview and Jenkins townships. They can probably support movie theaters, and they are quite walkable. If a theater sprouts up in either of these places, I feel they can still achieve what I have in mind.

Serving the people

Next up, we need to zoom in on that population center concept mentioned in the previous section. Of the 24 municipalities that remain in contention for a theater, 15 of them are lacking in enough people. Yes, they’re technically boroughs, but they lag behind some of the townships in terms of their populations. Places like Nuangola and Shickshinny have potential, but probably can’t support even a single-screen theater on their own. On the other hand, boroughs like Penn Lake Park and Bear Creek Village, while pleasant, are too insular.

That’s not to say, by the way, that we should be ignoring any of these places in terms of arts and entertainment. I want all of Luzerne County to get a slice of the pie. The Wyoming Valley can not have a monopoly on all of the county’s artistry, and they don’t. There are young people in all corners of the county who deserve a place to explore the creative world; the venue for this just might not be a movie theater in every case.

That leaves us with nine municipalities that check all of the boxes for what I think would make for a good movie venue home: Ashley, Conyngham, Dallas, Dupont, Freeland, Harveys Lake, Luzerne, Pittston, and West Pittston.

And the winner is…

It’s Freeland, folks.

Pittston and West Pittston already have a lot going on in terms of arts and culture, and they’ll be just fine without this theater. Easy access to Cinemark, Movies 14, and the Moonlite give these rivaling boroughs a plethora of lively viewing options.

Harveys Lake is an interesting thought, but it strikes me as having some of that isolationist issue that also plagues Penn Lake and Bear Creek Village. Likewise, in the Back Mountain, Dallas’ solid access to the drive-ins and Movies 14 is keeping the theater away.

Ashley, Conyngham, Dupont, and Luzerne are all a little light on population, and each of them keeps too close to existing theaters: Movies 14, the Regal, Cinemark, and the Moonlite, respectively. Close, but pass.

And then there’s Freeland. While it would be relatively close to the Regal, that southern half of the county did just lose the Cinema & Drafthouse, so a gap has opened. Freeland does have a Main Street, and I’m sure a movie theater would liven up the whole community. You might be surprised to learn that, of the nine contenders at the end, only Pittston and West Pittston have more people than Freeland. There’s potential here.

So, Freeland municipal leaders, get on this. I’ll pick the movies if you handle the zoning.

Ed Rambeau was born in Hazleton in 1942, and he was always a singer. At Hazleton High School, he wrote and played the lead in his school play. When he met Bud Rehak, he found a manager and a pianist to accompany him in his musical pursuits.

With Rehak, Rambeau performed at record hops, and those appearances caught the attention of Plymouth-based disc jockey Jim Ward, who had connections at Swan Records in Philadelphia. Through Ward, Rambeau got an audition at Swan, where he sang for a trio of record executives.

“I sang a medley of like 26 songs,” Rambeau recalled. “And [Artists and Repertoire Director] Frank Slay turned to the other three guys and said, ‘He’s great, but what do we do with a mayo Johnny Mathis?’”

The executives did find something to do with Rambeau. They put him on tape and signed him the same day as the audition.

A few years after his signing, in 1965, Rambeau would prove to be a more than worthy performer with a signature hit to his name. Sixty years removed from that hit track, Rambeau is looking back on his musical journey.

Writing the path to success

Rambeau’s early career on the national music scene was more noted for his songwriting than his performing, though he did a bit of both. He worked as a staff songwriter for Bob Crewe, who is most noted for his writing and producing credits with the Four Seasons.

He collaborated with Crewe in writing the track “Navy Blue,” which was recorded and released in 1963. The song peaked at the number 6 spot on the Billboard Hot 100 in March 1964, trailing only “Java” by Al Hirt, “Dawn (Go Away) by the Four Seasons, and three songs by the upstart Beatles: “I Wanna Hold Your Hand,” “She Loves You,” and “Please Please Me.”

A sequel to “Navy Blue” called “Kiss Me Sailor,” also recorded by Renay, was written by Rambeau and Rehak and cracked the top half of the Billboard Hot 100 as well.

A hit of his own, in a sense

In the mid-1960s, Crewe traveled to London to look for new material, as the British Invasion — jumpstarted by those same Beatles — had taken the American music industry by storm. While across the pond, Crewe found a demo by a British band, Unit 4+2.

“He came back with this song called ‘Concrete and Clay,’ which was written by two of the guys who were members of the Unit 4 + 2,’” Rambeau said. “I was not crazy about it, to be quite honest with you, but Bob insisted.”

Rambeau recorded and released “Concrete and Clay” in 1965. Two weeks later, the demo by Unit 4+2 was released to the public.

Rambeau noted the fuller sound of his more polished recording of the song, which featured a guitar part by veteran musician and arranger Al Caiola. Some radio stations were given the Rambeau version, while others received the one by Unit 4+2. It set up a peculiar musical rivalry between the tracks, which chased each other up the Billboard charts. Rambeau’s version peaked at number 35.

“Anybody that heard my version knew my version, and the [Unit 4+2] one was the cover,” Rambeau said of the unusual rollout of “Concrete and Clay.” “And to anybody who heard [Unit 4+2]’s version in their hometown, mine was the cover.”

Rambeau had the powerful California market on his side, which led to a pair of performances on the musical variety series “Shindig!” Both of those appearances are still available to view on YouTube.

Surprised by success

An album, “Eddie Rambeau Sings Concrete And Clay,” was also released in 1965, though Rambeau himself remains surprised by the title track’s success.

“If I could answer that question, I’d be a millionaire,” Rambeau said when asked why “Concrete and Clay” remains his most lasting track as a performing artist.

The 14-track album features songs like “My Name is Mud,” “I Just Need Your Love” and “Yesterday’s Newspapers,” all of which were co-written by Rambeau. He considers the latter two songs, and others in repertoire, to be superior to “Concrete and Clay.”

“‘Don’t Believe Him,’ which was the B-side of ‘Concrete and Clay,’ I personally thought was the better song and a better recording, and a lot of people have said that along the way, too,” Rambeau said. “There’s no rhyme and reason to why something becomes a hit. If it’s fortunate enough to get enough airplay across the country, it will happen.”

60 years later

The passage of time has been kind to Rambeau, who still records original music. Still, he can admit that the idea of six decades being gone since “Concrete and Clay” is a bit daunting.

“It’s damn scary,” Rambeau said of the time that has passed since his biggest hit’s release.

Over time, Rambeau has added acting credits, novels, and photography to his resume. He posts pictures of flowers and the places he’s traveled to on his Facebook page, and continues to receive praise for his artistic ventures.

Indeed, his travels are largely thanks to his time performing on cruise ships. As for his novels, he’s written two: “Forbidden Steps” — which he called a “racy murder-mystery” — and “From a Distant Mirror.”

Though he can no longer perform live, Rambeau still vividly remembers the era in which he was 22 and touring across the United States and Europe with a hit record.

“You never know where life is going to take you,” Rambeau said. “You really don’t.”

Stephen King is one of the most notorious names in terms of authors whose works have spanned many generations. He has more than 60 novels in print to date, 200 short stories, and more than 60 of his stories have already been adapted into films and television series. Some of the most notable and popular of his book titles adapted to film have been arguably, “Carrie,” “Misery,” and “The Shining” to name just a couple.

Now the latest joining the King library is “The Long Walk,” starring Cooper Hoffman. The son of Oscar winner Philip Seymour Hoffman, Cooper no doubt resembles his late father quite a bit. Cooper Hoffman, who has the depth of his dad, plays Raymond Garraty, #47, just one of 50 teenagers picked from every state to compete in an annual contest known as “The Long Walk” in which each man must maintain a speed of three miles per hour walking speed, and be the last man standing or get shot. Only one man lives in the end, and the winner walks away (literally) with riches beyond belief, and one wish; anything he wants in the entire world.

It is set in the depressed era of the 1970s, when families struggled to make ends meet and the future looked bleak. It’s not too far off from where we are now, actually. It’s crazy how things come full circle. Also starring Judy Greer (“Halloween Kills”), who pops up in pretty much everything these days, here plays Raymond Garraty’s mom, Ginnie, watching the infamous walk from the sidelines.

“The Long Walk” is quite the complex movie. It’s not a horror by any means, as you would think with King’s name attached. It is a psychological thriller that plays out more like a hard-hitting drama. Some uncomfortable scenes make the story necessary, but I was so moved in the final act that I even shed a few tears. It was a moving story that boasted a jaw-dropping twist.

Filmed in Winnipeg, Canada, the actors walked 15 miles a day, totaling almost 400 miles, until the filming of the entire project was complete. Dear lord, I give these actors credit, there are some Monday nights I can barely make the walk down to take my garbage out to the curb! “The Long Walk” doesn’t sit beside the classics named above, but it is far better than King’s stinkers and even better than the middling overrated feature “It.”

REVIEW

“The Long Walk”

Starring: Cooper Hoffman, Judy Greer, Mark Hamill

Christopher’s “Meow” score: 7½ paws out of 10.

As far as I’m concerned, spooky season has begun.

And judging by all the homes on my street already decorated in orange and purple and cobwebs, everyone else is in the festive spirit too.

I like to begin my horror movie watching pretty early in September. That way, I have enough time squeeze in new movies and old favorites.

My sister Katie and I started this year off particularly strong, in my opinion. I finally watched “Possession” and the 1978 version of “Invasion of the Body Snatchers,” both of which my sister absolutely raves about, and now I know why.

There is a great sense of paranoia that permeates both films, as they’re both classic doppelganger stories that play on our anxieties and fears surrounding the very idea of who we are. The 1978 version of “Invasion of the Body Snatchers” updates the setting in the original 1956 version from the Cold War to the then-present day, in order play on the distrust of institutions many were feeling following the Watergate Scandal and the Vietnam War.

“Possession,” on the other hand, explores a relationship between two people struggling with domesticity and traditional gender roles against the backdrop of a divided Germany in the final years before the Fall of the Berlin Wall.

Another horror film I’m excited to see this season is the final entry in The Conjuring series, “The Conjuring: Last Rites.” This last installment is loosely based on the time when real-life self-proclaimed demonologists, Ed and Lorraine Warren, investigated the infamous Smurl Haunting in West Pittston.

Jack and Janet Smurl, who have since passed away, lived in a double block on Chase Street from 1974 to 1989 and during that time, they claimed the home was haunted by a demon. The supposed haunting brought national media attention to the area and resulted in a book, “The Haunted: One Family’s Nightmare,” written by Scranton writer Robert Curran, along with the Warrens and the Smurls, as well as a made-for-TV movie, “The Haunted,” in 1991.

“We’re dealing with an intelligence here,” Ed Warren said in an article that appeared in The Times Leader in August 1986. “It’s powerful, intangible and very dangerous.”

Local author Max Furek, of Mocanaqua, recently wrote his own book, “The Smurl Haunting, When Ed and Lorraine Came to Town,” about the case.

As a researcher, Furek was fascinated with the Smurl haunting and took numerous trips to the Chase Street Duplex, where he took pictures and interviewed several neighbors. In 1988, Furek had the opportunity to meet Ed and Lorraine Warren in person when they were in Jim Thorpe. Over the years, he kept in touch with them. Ed Warren died in 2006 and Lorraine Warren died in 2019.

The Smurl Haunting is just one part of NEPA’s spooky past. There’s a wealth of supernatural and true crime tales to tell and the Luzerne County Historical Society will host Downtown Wilkes-Barre Ghost Walks on Oct. 17 and 18 so people can explore that darker side of the city’s history.

Maybe that’s why, over the years, horror filmmakers have time and again chosen to film their movies here.

Filmmaker M. Night Shyamalan, who grew up in Montgomery County, has famously set most of his films in Pennsylvania. “The Sixth Sense” was set and filmed in Philadelphia, while “Signs” was set on a rual farm in Doylestown and filmed there in Bucks County.

Other famous horror movies shot in Pennsylvania include 1958’s “The Blob,” a personal favorite of mine growing up, which was filmed in Phoenixville and Downingtown and of course, “Night of the Living Dead,” which was filmed in Butler County.

Local horror filmmakers have also taken advantage of the many historical places around NEPA.

A few years ago, the indie horror “Shadows of the Past,” featuring talent from the area, filmed inside the Frederick Stegmaier Mansion.

“Shadows of the Past” also filmed in several other locations throughout Luzerne and Lackawanna County, such as the Electric City Trolley Museum, Wyoming Area High School, The V Spot and the Brooks Mine.

Another indie film, “Bitter Souls,” was recently filmed in Lackawanna County, namely The Circle Drive-In, and the film “Nanticoke” was filmed around the city in 2023.

“Nanticoke” will be screened at the Moonlite Drive-In in West Wyoming on Oct. 17 and 18. The Drive-In also plans to show “Hell House LLC” on Oct. 10 and 11, which was filmed in Towamensing in Carbon County in 2014.

In Frame is a weekly arts and entertainment column focusing on everything from pop culture and new movie releases to the local arts and culture found right here in NEPA. News reporters Sam Zavada and Margaret Roarty contribute to this column.

WILKES-BARRE TWP. — Diane McGee, Times Leader Media Group advertising director, said the Times Leader is a leader in hosting job fairs for Northeast Pennsylvania.

This week’s career expo is set for 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 30, at the Mohegan Arena concourse.

As a media property, McGee said the Times Leader has promoted the expo through a variety of organic and paid media outlets within the market: daily newspaper ads; Timesleader.com high-impact ads; Cumulus radio, PA Live! and WBRE commercials; paid social media and programmatic advertising; targeted email blasts to local job seekers; and more.

Job seekers are ready to visit, McGee said.

“Looking at our preregistration numbers, we can see job seekers are excited and ready to see what opportunities are available,” she said. “Our recruiters are excited to engage with prospective job candidates.”

McGee also said to make sure you check out the recruitment advertising section in Sunday’s Times Leader.

“It will give you a great range of jobs that these local employers are hiring for,” she said.

If you’d like to register in advance for the expo for a chance to win prizes, go to timesleader.com/jobseeker — otherwise, we’ll see you on Tuesday between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m.

Parking and entry are free.

Certainly being released at the most appropriate time of year, “Him” is a psychological horror-sports film of sorts starring Marlon Wayans (“White Chicks,” “Scary Movie”) as Isaiah White, a charismatic football legend teasing retirement. His franchise is scouting out a possible quarterback replacement, Cameron Wade, a wide-eyed new talent in the league.

Both men are afforded a weeklong isolated retreat to bond, train, and ultimately, unbeknownst to newbie Cameron, groom the prospective athlete. With the backing and name recognition of Hollywood heavyweight Jordan Peele behind this trippy project, “Him” certainly seemed to be in the proper endzone.

With an opening weekend box office at just over $13 million, just like its tricky storyline and lukewarm reviews, “Him” will hardly be a film to make a touchdown. Rather, more than likely, this kaleidoscope vision will be a fumble.

I give it credit for being visionary and unique, without question. I certainly wasn’t bored and was intrigued by this star-marking performance by Tyriq Withers, who was not only easy on the eyes, but carried depth. Over the top and written to make the viewers question this alternate reality, it’s kind of like how we now question the reality of our current governmental administration. Oh wait, is free speech still on the table as of today?

Marlon Wayans, an actor usually known for his ridiculously silly comedies, flexes with his best performance here no doubt. Like most football gods of today, his character Isaiah comes with an ego about as overinflated as what the New England Patriots should have been tossing in 2015 during the infamous “Deflategate” scandal.

“Him” proves to be jarring and intense, but it wouldn’t be the worst thing if you chose to sit this one out on the sidelines and maybe wait for it to be streaming. While I will always applaud going to support your local cineplexes, in this case, free at home sounds more like a touchdown to me!

​REVIEW

“Him”

Starring: Marlon Wayans, Tyriq Withers

Christopher’s “Meow” Score: 6/10 paws.

Five years after being diagnosed with emphysema, filmmaker David Lynch passed away in Janunary 2025 at the age of 78.

Possessing a singular artistic voice, Lynch was the brains and heart behind surrealist films like “Eraserhead,” “Mulholand Drive,” “Blue Velvet,” “The Elephant Man,” and “Lost Highway,” as well as the cult TV show, “Twin Peaks,” which he developed alongside Mark Frost.

There is a dreamlike quality to Lynch’s storytelling and he often juxtaposes the mundane with the macabre. He was greatly influenced by his midwestern upbringing and the time he spent in Philadelphia, studying at the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts.

He believed rock ‘n roll really did change the world, that the nuclear bomb was the most evil thing humans ever created and that suffering was the ultimate enemy of creativity.

He had a love of the absurd, the ugly and the abstract, but was equally thrilled by diners and good coffee, and I think his work perfectly reflects that duality.

I’ll never forget watching “Blue Velvet” for the first time more than a decade ago at the IFC Center in New York City with my sister, Katie, who has since turned into the biggest David Lynch fan I’ve ever met.

It was perhaps the most surreal film experience I’d had up until that moment. I’ll never forget it.

Fellow filmmaker Martin Scorsese said it best, “[David Lynch] put images on the screen unlike anything that I or anybody else had ever seen—he made everything strange, uncanny, revelatory and new.”

A lot has been said about Lynch’s movies over the years. That they’re too confusing, too weird, too uncomfortable. Lynch himself has famously refused to explain the meaning of his films because, as he once said, “it’s a very personal thing, and the meaning for me is different than the meaning for somebody else.”

Art, in general, is personal and I got to see just how much Lynch has affected people when I attended a celebration of his work at the Mahoning Drive-In last weekend.

The event, dubbed “The Wonderful World of David Lynch,” featured showings of “Twin Peaks: Fire Walk with Me,” “Blue Velvet,” “I Know Catherine, The Log Lady,” and “Mulholand Drive.”

There were tons of vendors, limited edition merchandise, themed drink specials and treats and Ray Wise, who plays Laura Palmer’s dad, was there signing autographs and taking photos with people.

There was even a performance by F You Tammy, a band that sings music from “Twin Peaks” and other Lynch films.

It was absolutely packed. There was not a single parking spot open on that lot. And everyone came dressed up as different characters from his movies.

It was a wonderful way to pay tribute to an artist that has clearly touched so many people’s lives.

In Frame is a weekly arts and entertainment column focusing on everything from pop culture and new movie releases to the local arts and culture found right here in NEPA. News reporters Sam Zavada and Margaret Roarty contribute to this column.

WASHINGTON — Global warming in the United States is amping up the country’s sweet tooth, a new study found.

When the temperature rises, Americans — especially those with less money and education — drink lots more sugary beverages and a bit more frozen desserts. It amounts to more than 100 million pounds of added sugar consumed in a year, compared to 15 years earlier, according to a team of researchers in the U.S. and United Kingdom writing in Monday’s Nature Climate Change.

“Climate change is shaping what you eat and how you eat and that might have a bad effect on your health,” said study co-author Duo Chan, a climate scientist at the University of Southampton.

“People tend to take in more sweetened beverages as the temperature is getting higher and higher,” Chan said. “Obviously under a warming climate that would cause you to drink more or take in more sugar. And that is going to be a severe problem when it comes to health.”

A little added sugar every day adds up

By tracking weather conditions and consumer purchases, the researchers found that sugar consumption rose as temperatures moved between 54 and 86 degrees Fahrenheit. And the warmer it got, the more sugar was consumed, until appetites began to lessen when it grew warmer than 86 degrees.

The daily difference from higher temperatures doesn’t amount to even a single candy bar for the average person. But it adds up over time and has a big effect, said University of California San Francisco endocrinology professor Dr. Robert Lustig, a specialist in pediatrics and obesity who wasn’t part of the study.

Lustig wrote in an email that among poorer Americans, just one added can of sugary soft drink per day increases diabetes risk by 29% — and temperature-related thirst plays a big part in America’s obesity epidemic.

The United States’ average annual temperature has gone up about 2.2 degrees since 1895, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

To chart the impact on sugar consumption, researchers compared it to the American Heart Association recommendations: limiting daily intake to 36 grams for men and 25 grams for women.

The team then compared wind, precipitation and humidity records to the detailed purchase records of 40,000 to 60,000 American households from 2004 to 2019, not using any data after the pandemic hit. Then they looked at the nutritional information of the items bought. That allowed them to eliminate other factors to make a causal link and come up with a calculation for how much extra sugar is consumed per person per degree, said lead author Pan He, an environmental scientist at Cardiff University.

Researcher He said she started thinking about the study when she noticed that people in the U.S. tend to grab sugary soda when they are thirsty: “From a perspective of nutrition science or environmental science, that could be a problem,” she said.

Sugar consumption can vary

The researchers found that men consumed more sugary soft drinks, and that the amount of added sugar consumed during hot weather was several times higher for low- and very low-income families than for the wealthiest, the study found.

People who work outside drank more sugary drinks than those who work inside, and the same went for families where the head of the household was less educated. White people have the highest added sugar effect, while Asian Americans showed no significant change in added sugar in the heat.

Lustig said sugary drinks are marketed and priced in a way to attract the poor, and in many disadvantaged communities the water tastes funny because of chemicals in them. Poor people are also less likely to have air conditioning and are more likely to work outside and need more hydration, Lustig and He said.

“It should concern us that the rate of the impact is larger in households where people make less money or are less educated,” said Dr. Courtney Howard, vice chair of the Global Climate and Health Alliance. “These groups tend to have lower baseline health status, so this is an area where climate-related changes appear to magnify existing health inequalities.”

Howard, an emergency room physician, was not part of the study.

The amount of sugar consumed is likely to soar in the future with more warming, Chan said.

But University of Washington health and climate scientist Kristie Ebi, who wasn’t part of the research, said as temperatures increase with human-caused climate change “there will be other issues of more importance than a small increase in sugary beverages.”

The Associated Press’ climate and environmental coverage receives financial support from multiple private foundations. AP is solely responsible for all content. Find AP’s standards for working with philanthropies, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas at AP.org.

BTE Improv will perform its first show of the season at 7:30 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 12 at the Alvina Krause Theatre in Bloomsburg.

The cheerful comedians of Center Street are back from their summer vacation, ready to bring your ideas to life. During each show, the BTE Improv troupe plays games with audience members to come up with situations and concepts for the troupe to enact on stage. Because they never know what the audience will come up with, every BTE Improv performer is ready to create jokes and flesh out the story on the fly.

It’s the instant gratification of ChatGPT, without any of the existential dread. Actually, the existential dread might still come up. It is one reason why patrons must be 18 or older to purchase a ticket.

The Sept. 12 performance will launch BTE Improv’s six-performance 2025-2026 season. Their subsequent shows are scheduled for Nov. 14, Jan. 16, March 20, May 8, and June 12. Every show is held on a Friday at 7:30 p.m. at the Alvina Krause Theatre.

Tickets are $10 in advance and $15 at the door. For tickets, visit https://ci.ovationtix.com/36961/production/1250243 or the BTE Box Office at 226 Center Street, Bloomsburg. Box office hours are Monday and Wednesday, 3:30 to 5:30 PM.

Since 1978, BTE has been sharing professional theater with central and eastern Pennsylvania communities. For more information and upcoming shows, visit bte.org.

In the spirit of Phileas Fogg, who managed to travel “Around the World in 80 Days” in the famous book by Jules Verne, an avid reader can explore country after country “in one day, just by visiting one building in Wilkes-Barre,” Lindsay Griffin-Boylan said.

On Friday evening, Griffin-Boylan was among the scores of library fans who attended the 21st annual Gala & Auction to benefit the Osterhout Free Library. The event was held next door to the Osterhout’s main library, at the Westmoreland Club in Wilkes-Barre where, in keeping with an “Around the World” theme, a menu had been planned to represent the cuisine of various countries the fictitious Phileas Fogg had visited.

One highlight of the celebration was the presentation of the Evergreen Award to Dr. Thomas and Patricia Finan Castellano, longtime advocates and generous supporters of the library.

During a cocktail hour before the dinner, Patricia Castellano recalled visiting the library as a youngster to work on school assignments. Now, with time to read for pleasure, she leans toward history and historical fiction as favorite topics.

The $180-per-person gala was held in conjunction with an online auction and raffle, which included a chance to win a trip for two, worth $6,000, to San Francisco. The Gala Committee gratefully acknowledged Discover NEPA, Powered by Mericle, as presenting sponsor of the event, and John Carson of Bedrock Environmental as premier sponsor of the event.