First-ever junior Miss Buck will return to role for her senior year

Posted on April 2, 2025 by The Dunmorean

The annual Miss Buck assembly was held on March 14 at Dunmore High School.

After the performances of the candidates, the student body voted and Julia Temperino was selected as 2025-2026 Miss Buck.

Temperino also served as Miss Buck for the previous 2024-2025 school year, taking the baton then from Mia Irving. She was the first ever Junior Miss Buck in Dunmore High history.

When The Dunmorean spoke to Julia last fall about taking on the role, she said, “I want to be a good role model who everyone looks up to.”

“I hope people look up to me just as I did with previous Miss Bucks. I want to be a role model to others just like them. I remember talking to Miss Buck as a little girl. I was always impressed. I always liked the way Miss Buck represented Dunmore. I want to be like that.”

Click here to read our full story with Julia from September here!

Dunmorean of the Month: Dan Schreffler

Posted on April 2, 2025 by The Dunmorean

By Steve Svetovich

Dan Schreffler, 60, and his wife, the former Lisa Magnotta, settled in Dunmore 22 years ago and the couple has no regrets.

Schreffler, married for 25 years and originally from West Hazleton, received an associate degree in computer science from Penn State Worthington and worked in the software engineering business before a 26-year career at Metropolitan Life Insurance. He and his wife moved to North Apple Street in Dunmore 22 years ago.

After retiring from Metropolitan Life, he decided seven years ago to start a wine-making business in Dunmore.

He opened Space Time Mead Cider Works, 419 South Blakely St., Dunmore, seven years ago.

The business specializes in honey wine, hard cider and maple syrup wine. Local honey is also sold. The honey comes from Murphy’s Bee Farm Honey in Newton Township.

“We were taught to make the maple syrup wine by a gentleman in the New England region,” said Schreffler, an affable fellow. “We get the syrup from Lochs Maple Farm in Tunkhannock.

“Most of our resources come from within 40 miles of the winery. We are very big on supporting local. All of our wine is homemade. It’s made right in the back of the store.

“We are the only winery in Northeast Pennsylvania that resources all of its ingredients within the state.”

Schreffler said starting the business in Dunmore was a dream come true, although he is looking to possibly retire by the end of this year.

“I love it,” he said. “The best part of the business is the people I get to meet. I never got to meet so many people in corporate America. I meet more people in one year than I ever did working for three decades in corporate America.

“My wife and I, however, have reached the age where we are talking about retiring. It’s almost certain we will retire by the end of the year. We want to enjoy the business until that time comes.”

The Dunmore wine maker also believes in giving back to the community.

“We give at least 10 percent of our revenues back to the community,” he said.

“We give a good portion of our revenue to various community events and fundraisers. One big one for us is the Lackawanna River Conservation Association. We also help with the Dunmore Cemetery and decorate for the reenactment scenes held by Julie Etsy.”

Schreffler has also been Judge of Elections in Dunmore for the past 20 plus years.

“I love Dunmore,” he said. “I like a walkable community. There are good people and food everywhere. I’m so happy we landed here.”

Schreffler, who has earned national awards for his products, is a mover and shaker in the borough with his mead and cider. The awards include three times winning Best Meads at the Annual American Wine Society Competition and several Double Gold winning meads.

Schreffler, currently training for a half marathon run, is the state’s only American Cider Association Certified Pommelier which is essentially a sommelier for cider. He is also a Beer Judge Certification Program certified mead and cider judge.

“I am lucky to be living in Dunmore,” he said. “It is a walkable, generally quiet community. I can walk to the corners and get so much great food, including sandwiches, pizza, pasta, candy and chocolates from the Dunmore Candy Kitchen, ice cream from Mannings, and breakfast from the Bucktown Diner.

“We have easy access to quality health care, arts and culture and an active running community in neighboring Scranton. We live here because it has access to almost anything we want. What it lacks is usually less than four hours away.”

Cemetery Chronicles: WWII diver honored at Dunmore Cemetery

Posted on April 2, 2025 by The Dunmorean

“Time will not dim the glory of their deeds.” (General John J. Pershing)

Not everyone whose name appears on a stone in a cemetery is buried there. Sometimes a cenotaph marks the loss of a life with earthly remains buried elsewhere or missing entirely. Such is the case with Ensign Philip Sylvester Criblet whose memorial stone is in Section 19 of the Dunmore Cemetery.

***Ensign Philip S. Criblet in his diving suit. (Photo courtesy of HonorStates.org)***

Born in Scranton, Pennsylvania in 1914, Philip Sylvester Criblet was the son of Swiss-born Paul Criblet and Scranton native, Louise Sylvester. Criblet’s early years were spent in Scranton. Evidence suggests that Philip was raised mainly by his mother as his father spent considerable amounts of time traveling to other countries and living in California.

After leaving Scranton, the Criblets resided in Maryland. Philip continued his education there, graduating from Towson High School in 1930. He then attended Johns Hopkins University.

While at Johns Hopkins, Criblet appeared in theatrical performances and was president of the university’s theatrical group, “The Barnstormers.” Criblet also excelled in the mechanical engineering department of that school, penning prize-winning papers for competition in the National Engineering Society. He graduated in 1935 with a bachelor’s degree in engineering.

Three years later Criblet married Louise Kraft of New Jersey. Following their marriage, the couple moved to Evanston, Illinois where Criblet worked for Worthington Pump and Machinery. In 1940, the couple welcomed the birth of their only child, Elaine. Also, on October 16, 1940, Criblet registered for military service.

During World War II, Criblet served with the United States Naval Reserve and was stationed on the USS Current. The Current was a rescue/diver ship designed to aid distressed vessels. In October 1944, the USS Canberra was hit by an enemy aerial torpedo off the coast of the Republic of Formosa (Taiwan) and incurred significant loss of life and damage. The USS Current was dispatched to the aid of Canberra. During a repair dive, on October 20, Ensign Criblet’s air hose was cut off from its air supply and he drowned.

***Philip S. Criblet memorial stone in the Dunmore Cemetery.***

The following day, Ensign Criblet was honored by his fellow crew members, the flags of the Canberra and Current were lowered to half mast, and Criblet was buried at sea. In addition to being memorialized in the Dunmore Cemetery, Criblet is also “Commemorated in Perpetuity” at the Manila American Cemetery on the Tablets of the Missing.

Many years ago, this author had an opportunity to speak with Criblet’s daughter, Elaine. At that time, she was asked what she remembered about her father. Although being a young child, she said she remembered him as being a talented musician. Research indicates that Louise Sylvester Criblet was a gifted musician who taught, performed, and lectured about music on a national level. Certainly, she passed her love of music and the arts to her son. Louise Criblet is also buried in the Sylvester family plot in the Dunmore Cemetery.