Local News WB

Medicine, research lagging for transgender children

Thu, 04/19/2018 - 21:00
SCRANTON — If transgender adults struggle to feel at home in their own skin, the task is magnified for children. Though it’s not perfect, health providers, insurers and scientists now have a body of research on how to help adults affirm their gender ident

Court upholds ruling that barred rape defendant from personally questioning victim

Thu, 04/19/2018 - 21:00
The state Superior Court upheld a Lackawanna County judge’s ruling that prevented a man who represented himself at a rape trial from questioning his accuser. Lackawanna County District Attorney Mark Powell said the ruling in the case of Patrick Tighe is i

With Sears closing, mall loses second anchor tenant

Thu, 04/19/2018 - 21:00
WILKES-BARRE TWP. — It’s the end of an era. The Sears store and Sears Auto Center at the Wyoming Valley Mall will close. It is the last Sears store in Northeast Pennsylvania. Sears spokesman Howard Riefs confirmed that Sears officials announced to store a

Indoor skate park set to open in Plains Twp.

Thu, 04/19/2018 - 21:00
PLAINS TWP. — An indoor skatepark soon will open in the Wyoming Valley for the first time in about a decade. Mikki St. Pierre and Jeff Mushell, founders of Keystone Rampworks, said an 11,000-square-foot park where skateboarders, in-line skaters and BMX bi

Jackpot-winning Cash 5 ticket sold in Kingston

Thu, 04/19/2018 - 21:00
A Pennsylvania Lottery Cash 5 ticket that won the $400,000 jackpot was sold in Luzerne County. The ticket matched all five balls drawn, 5-12, 14, 21 and 38 and was sold at Sunoco at 581 Market St., Kingston. Sunoco will earn a $500 bonus for selling the w

Outgoing W-B police chief defends communication

Thu, 04/19/2018 - 21:00
WILKES-BARRE — Police Chief Marcella Lendacky met with two members of the press Thursday to discuss a Monday night shooting incident and defend her record of trying to facilitate the timely release of information to the news media. Representatives of The

W-B reaches $2M deal to sell parkade

Thu, 04/19/2018 - 21:00
WILKES-BARRE — Mayor Tony George’s administration has negotiated a deal to sell the Park & Lock East parkade for $2 million. A resolution authorizing city officials to enter into a sales agreement with Washington & Market Street Properties LLC is on the c

Plymouth man sentenced for illegal firearm possession

Thu, 04/19/2018 - 21:00
SCRANTON — A Plymouth man was sentenced this week to serve more than three years in federal prison for illegally possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. Donald Korus, 40, was sentenced to 45 months imprisonment Wednesday by U.S. District Court Judge Ro

Crestwood mulls teacher layoffs at marathon session

Thu, 04/19/2018 - 21:00
WRIGHT TWP. — A technology program and home economics could get the ax, as might a Spanish teacher, through the layoffs of four high school teachers that the Crestwood School Board considered Thursday. The meeting, in a packed high school auditorium, exce

Wilkes-Barre woman sentenced for role in heroin ring

Thu, 04/19/2018 - 21:00
SCRANTON — A Wilkes-Barre woman was sentenced Wednesday to serve one year in prison for her role in a heroin ring, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office. Brianna Rattigan, 25, previously pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute

City agrees to sell downtown parkade

Thu, 04/19/2018 - 17:18
WILKES-BARRE — Mayor Tony George’s administration has negotiated a deal to sell the Park & Lock East parkade for $2 million.

Bon-Ton closings sadden shoppers

Wed, 04/18/2018 - 21:00
Pittston resident Mary Lou Schriver has been shopping at The Bon-Ton in the Midway Shopping Center in Wyoming for years and is upset that the store will soon close. The Bon-Ton stores in the Midway Shopping Center and the Wyoming Valley Mall in Wilkes-Bar

Crestwood likely to lay off 4 teachers

Wed, 04/18/2018 - 21:00
WRIGHT TWP. — Four teachers rather than 13 will be laid off, and the Crestwood School District will spend $1.2 million of its reserves to balance the budget next year, Superintendent Joseph Gorham said Wednesday. Speaking during a news conference, Gorham

Judge tosses groping charges against trooper

Wed, 04/18/2018 - 21:00
WILKES-BARRE — The unusual sleeping defense put on by a suspended Pennsylvania State Police trooper accused of fondling a young girl paid off Wednesday when a Luzerne County judge tossed the case, finding prosecutors had not shown “one scintilla of eviden

Work begins at Solomon Creek project

Wed, 04/18/2018 - 21:00
WILKES-BARRE — Some residents living near the Solomon Creek flood wall are glad physical work on its replacement has started, but they feel left out of the loop as to when and how the work could affect them. A crew was busy Wednesday tearing up a section

Pothole-repair effort launches in county

Wed, 04/18/2018 - 21:00
The state Department of Transportation’s District 4 region is launching an intensive pothole-repair effort on state-owned roads in Luzerne County. The effort will run until the end of the month and aims to address at least 80 percent of the potholes repor

4-year-old called for jury duty

Wed, 04/18/2018 - 21:00
SWOYERSVILLE — Damien Shrader plays T-ball and isn’t old enough for kindergarten, but the 4-year-old was recently summoned for jury duty in Luzerne County court. County officials were quick to share a laugh with the Swoyersville boy’s family over the mist

DEP recognizes 2 county organizations

Wed, 04/18/2018 - 21:00
Two Luzerne County organizations earned recognition from the Department of Environmental Protection for their work. The Wyoming Valley Sanitary Authority, in Hanover Twp., and Earth Conservancy, in Ashley, earned the 2018 Governor’s Award for Environmenta

Air quality report mostly good for Northeast Pa.

Wed, 04/18/2018 - 21:00
With the haze of coal smoke long gone, ozone smog is at its best-ever levels in Luzerne County, according to the American Lung Association’s annual State of the Air report. That report also contains good news for much of Northeast Pennsylvania. The Scrant

Greiner Packaging earns apprenticeship grant

Wed, 04/18/2018 - 21:00
PITTSTON TWP. — Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry Deputy Secretary for Workforce Development Eileen Cipriani toured Greiner Packaging on Wednesday and met four apprentices who are earning while they are learning. The apprentices, Paul Smith, Z