W-b Lauds Decrease In Crime 
Mayor Mcgroarty And The Head Of The 
Police Union Offer Different Reasons For 
The Turnaround

2 Hurt When Car Spins Out Of Control 
Bear

Thursday, January 09, 1997 &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Page: 





AROUND TOWN &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 A Lackawanna County travel agency operator is required to make refunds to
consumers and get out of the travel business for good under terms of an
agreement with the Office of Attorney General's Bureau of Consumer
ProtectionPennsylvania Attorney General Tom Corbett said the agreement settles
a suit filed by the bureau last March in Lackawanna County Court of Common
Pleas against Robert Gaetano, also known as Bob Gallo, doing business as Gallo
Tours, 119 Harper St., Dunmore. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; The suit claimed that Gaetano took money from consumers for a planned trip
to Las Vegas in November 1995, but canceled the trip and failed to refund the
consumers' deposits. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Deputy Attorney General J.P. McGowan, attorney in charge of the bureau's
Scranton office, said the agreement, a consent petition for permanent
injunction, requires Gaetano to refund $13,037 to 15 northeastern Pennsylvania
consumers who filed complaints with the bureau. It also requires the defendant
to pay a $1,000 civil penalty and $250 in costs and bars him from operating a
travel agency in the future. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 The agreement was filed Wednesday in Lackawanna County Court. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 McGowan noted that Gaetano was prosecuted on criminal charges by the office
of Lackawanna County District Attorney Michael J. Barrasse, and on Dec. 11
pleaded guilty to two counts of theft by deception. The criminal charges
involve 42 victims who paid Gaetano a total of nearly $28,000. As part of a
plea agreement, Gaetano promised to make refunds to all affected consumers. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 360 Degree Communications, which purchased 20 Wireless One service areas in
November, has announced an expanded local calling area that takes effect
immediately in the company's Mid-Atlantic markets in Virginia, Tennessee and
Pennsylvania, including Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 The company also formally changed the name of Wireless One to 360 Degree
Communications in more than 20 store and mall locations. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 The expanded local calling area, which reaches from the New York state
border in the northeast corner of the state to the southwestern corner of the
state, includes Harrisburg, Pittsburgh and Lancaster. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Expanded local calling is part of a three-tier rate package that also
includes multistate 49 cents per minute regional roaming areas and a single
per-minute rate of 99 cents with no daily roaming rates throughout the
continental United States. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Regional and national rates take effect Feb. 1. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 360 Degree Communications is a Chicago-based firm serving more than 2
million customers in more than 100 markets in 15 states. The publicly traded
company also offers residential long-distance service. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Upper Valley Bancorp, parent corporation of NBO National Bank, has approved
a 10 percent dividend increase and a two-to-one stock split, including the
number of shares from 500,000 to 1 million. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Both are payable Jan. 28. The action was taken by the board of directors
Dec. 24. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 The new quarterly dividend rate is 22 cents per share, effective after the
split. The annual dividend of 88 cents per share reflects a 10 percent
increase over last year. Total assets are expected to exceed $250 million at
year end 1996, representing a 7.5 percent increase over 1995. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 NBO National Bank has offices in Pittston, Scranton and Olyphant. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 STATE &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 The Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development, in
cooperation with the business journals of Pennsylvania, is searching for the
state's best 50 women in business. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 The honorees will be chosen by an independent panel of judges and will be
recognized at a reception during the Best Women in Business Conference April
11 and 12 in Hershey. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Nominees must be female residents of Pennsylvania and an owner, partner,
president, chief executive, operating or financial officer; board chair,
senior manager or woman with significant decision-making authority. Nominees
may not represent a non-profit organization or be an elected official, member
of the judiciary or political appointee. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Nominations may be made by a candidate or someone else. Nominations are due
Feb. 7 at the department's Entrepreneurial Assistance Office, 357 Forum
Building, Harrisburg, 17120. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 For information or a nomination form, call 787-3339. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 -- &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Staff and wire reports &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

Around Town 
A Lackawanna County Travel Agency Operator Is Required To Make Refunds To 
Consumers And Get Out Of The Travel Business For Good Under Terms Of An 
Agreement With The Office Of Attorney General's Bureau Of Consumer Protection.

Around Town A Lackawanna County Travel Agency Operator Is Required To Make Refunds To Consumers And Get Out Of The Travel Business For Good Under Terms Of An Agreement With The Office Of Attorney General's Bureau Of Consumer Protection.