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Wilkes-Barre M&T Bank branch to close
WILKES-BARRE — The M&T Bank branch at 44 W. Market St. in downtown Wilkes-Barre will close Friday, June 15, according to a bank spokesman. The branch is located near Berkshire Hathaway GUARD Insurance Group, which is moving its offices to the Wilkes-Barre
Yuengling introduces first new year-round beer in 17 years
POTTSVILLE — D.G. Yuengling & Son Inc. announced Monday that it is adding Golden Pilsner to its lineup of beers. It is America’s oldest brewery’s first new year-round beer in 17 years, the company said. The last was Light Lager. Jennifer Yuengling, vice p
Wilkes students test their limits with ‘Fear Factor’
Students at Wilkes University tested their limits Monday by competing in a Fear Factor event hosted by the school’s Biology Club. The event in the Stark Learning Center included a ‘Zombie Run’ where students were spun around before having to run through t
Car insurance rates rising
Car insurance rates are at an all-time high nationwide and rates are rising fast in the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre/Hazleton area, according to a recent study by The Zebra, a car insurance comparison marketplace. In Northeast Pennsylvania, rates are up 44 perce
Area businesswoman joins paid leave push
Before Grace McGregor Kramer had her first child almost three years ago, no one in her family business’s near-century history had ever taken maternity leave. Now the director of strategic operations at McGregor Industries Inc., a specialty metals fabricat
Leadership W-B groups develop projects to benefit the community
Another year and another group of Leadership Wilkes-Barre projects are underway to benefit the community. Leadership Wilkes-Barre is a year-long community service program that educates and trains emerging leaders in the Greater Wilkes-Barre area and encou
Greater Pittston Friendly Sons of St. Patrick hold annual dinner
PLAINS TWP. — Chris Zorich got two songs as part of his introduction at the Greater Pittston Friendly Sons of St. Patrick dinner Saturday. First was “Happy Birthday,” in honor of his 49th birthday on March 13. Then some of the Notre Dame fans in the crowd
Dugan’s Pub celebrates 25 years in business
LUZERNE — When Charlie Dugan was in elementary school, he had an unusual answer for that classic question, ‘What do you want to be when you grow up?’ His response: He wanted to own a bar. His classmates chuckled over his choice. They gave some traditional
Health study shows high death rate for common medical issues
Former smoker David Jenkins is determined not to become a statistic. A Vietnam War veteran, Jenkins, 69, of Clarks Summit, said he was exposed to Agent Orange, a defoliant heavily used during the war that is known to cause cancer. Although he quit his pac
Dallas solicitor rips ‘deplorable’ union ad
Dallas School Board solicitor Vito DeLuca ripped into the teachers union over a published ad that claims the school board “consistently rejects any discussions or contract proposals that relate the safe schools.” “It’s really deplorable for them to piggyb
Police: Man dumped meth-making waste
EDWARDSVILLE — A Jenkins Twp. man was arraigned Friday on charges he was caught hauling methamphetamine-making waste in Edwardsville while out on bail for manufacturing methamphetamine in Pittston, police said. Nicholas Space, 24, was charged with operati
Match Day reveals med students’ fate
SCRANTON — As the clock struck noon, 97 fourth-year medical students learned their futures in a flurry of cheering, tears and confetti. The Geisinger Commonwealth School of Medicine class of 2018 joined medical students across the country when they learne
Green Party comes to Scranton
The Greens will meet in Scranton today and it has nothing to do with the celebration of St. Patrick’s Day. The Lackawanna County Green Party will host the Green Party of Pennsylvania’s convention in downtown Scranton today and Sunday. Anyone can attend re
DUI checkpoints set for this weekend
Police will conduct driving under the influence checkpoints and roving patrols this Saint Patrick’s Day weekend. Police departments from areas around Nanticoke, Mountain Top, Hazleton, the Back Mountain and Wilkes-Barre are participating as part of the Lu
Hanover Area probing threatening messages
The Hanover Area School District is investigating threatening messages left in a girls restroom at the junior senior high school, Superintendent William Jones said Friday. The district and its school resource officer concluded there was no immediate threa
Parkland tribute prompts apology from Crestwood superintendent
WRIGHT TWP. — A tribute to the victims of the Parkland, Florida, shooting that contained an audio clip of the attack concerned parents in the Crestwood School District and prompted an apology from the superintendent. The tribute was broadcast during a wal
Gaming grants pump $6M into Luzerne County
Wilkes-Barre City is getting $1.14 million in grant funding, including $220,000 to help restore the Irem Temple on North Franklin Street. Nanticoke City has $700,000 coming to acquire properties on Market Street for a streetscape project and to fund a sta
Charges forwarded in Foster Twp. homicide case
A 72-year-old woman who was severely beaten during an attack that killed her daughter took the witness stand on Friday to face her alleged attacker. Barbara J. Wilkinson, 72, testified about the horrors that unfolded at 15 Spring St. in Foster Twp. in Jan
Wyoming Area to begin daily use of metal detectors at high school
The Wyoming Area Secondary Center on Monday will start requiring everyone entering the school to go through metal detectors, school district Superintendent Janet Serino said Friday. Her decision comes a day after a threatening message written on a restroo
Mayor OK with selling Sterling site below value
WILKES-BARRE — Although the site of the former Hotel Sterling has an assessed value of about $2.6 million, Mayor Tony George said he has no problem with selling the property for less than a quarter of that amount. George is asking city council to consider