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Possible tornado touches down in Northeast Pa. Monday
The National Weather Service received reports of multiple trees down and possible tornado damage in one part of Schuylkill County last night. According to PPL, as of late last night, there were more than 600 homes and businesses in Schuylkill County that are without power due to the severe storms. Mahanoy Area School District announced that it will be closed today. The NWS will be in Mahanoy City later this morning to determine if a tornado actually touched down there.
The latest developments in the 117th GOP State Rep. race
A flurry of filings will be due in coming days for the Commonwealth Court appeals initiated by both Republican candidates in the tight race for state representative in the 117th House District, according to the briefing schedule. As it stands, the April 23 primary election candidates Jamie Walsh and incumbent Michael Cabell are three votes apart, with Walsh in the lead. Cabell is contesting a county Court of Common Pleas ruling that denied his request to count one provisional ballot and reject another. Walsh is seeking to overturn a county court decision denying his request to throw out six mail ballots in his race. In the first filing requirement, the three-judge county court panels that issued the rulings must transmit a brief opinion or statement explaining the reasons for their decision to Commonwealth Court by 4 p.m. Wednesday in the Cabell appeal and by noon Thursday in the Walsh appeal. The candidates must then file a “statement of issues to be presented on appeal” to Commonwealth Court in Harrisburg by noon on Thursday for Cabell and noon on Friday for Walsh.
NEPA GOP Congessman Dan Meuser attends Trump trial
Congressman Dan Meuser was in New York City on Tuesday for the trial of former President Donald Trump. Meuser posted on the social media platform X, "What I saw was a blatant attempt to undermine democracy," Mesuer went to the trial with a group of surrogates for Trump, led by his son Donald Trump Jr., and spoke at a news conference outside the courthouse in Lower Manhattan. Trump’s lawyers rested their defense Tuesday without the former president taking the witness stand in his New York hush money criminal trial.
Shapiro kicks off Pa. tourism branding in NEPA
Gov. Josh Shapiro kicked off the state’s new tourism brand titled “Pennsylvania – The Great American Getaway” on Monday morning from PNC Field before embarking on a week-long RV tour of 50 stops in 14 counties throughout the commonwealth. Pennsylvania’s tourism accounts for $77 billion of revenue to the state’s economy supporting 486,000 jobs. The governor is proposing an $18 million increase to his 2024-2025 budget to help boost the commonwealth’s tourism industry to showcase the natural resources, attractions and businesses.
Scranton man charged with DUI in wrong-way crash in NEPA
A Scranton man with no driver’s license and an open case of beer sent two people to the hospital early Sunday after crashing his car while driving the wrong way on Interstate 380 in Moscow, according to state police. According to reports, Johan Angel Garcia Barrera, 22, is charged with accidents involving death or injury while not licensed, DUI, recklessly endangering another person and related counts following a three-car crash around 4:30 a.m. at mile marker 21, according to a criminal complaint. In the minutes leading up to the crash, three people called 911 to report a wrong-way driver in a dark sedan on the interstate. Garcia Barrera remains in Lackawanna County Prison in lieu of $15,000 bail with a preliminary hearing May 30 at 10:45 a.m.
Traffic work could cause delays on I-81 this week
There will be lane restrictions on Interstate 81 south from Exit 180 (Moosic) to Exit 165 (Mountain Top/Wilkes-Barre) for shoulder cutting and pothole patching. Work is scheduled 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Friday. Motorists should expect delays and are advised to take alternate routes when possible.
First meeting tonight for Luz. Co. government study commission
The seven citizens voters selected to study Luzerne County’s government structure will take the oath of office and meet for the first time to organize tonight. The oath for new Government Study Commission members will take place at 6 p.m. in the rotunda of the Luzerne County Courthouse on River Street in Wilkes-Barre. An organizational meeting will follow at 6:30 p.m. in the council meeting room.
Fire closes grocery store in Scranton this morning
An early morning fire at a supermarket in Scranton. The first call came in shortly after 4 this morning at the Giant Supermarket, located in the Green Ridge Plaza. Dispatches from Lackawanna County Comm Center report flames shooting through the roof from the rear of the building. No word on any injuries in that early morning in Scranton. A second alarm was sounded at 4:25 this morning. Crews have the fire under control, but due to the extensive amount of smoke, the store may have to get rid of all of its inventory.
Two firefighters rescued in Luzerne County
Two firefighters had to be rescued Thursday from the roof of a burning building. The fire broke out at the office of District Magistrate Jim Haggerty's office on Russell Street in Edwardsville around 10am Thursday morning. The two firefighters were treated for dehydration and exhaustion at a hospital and then released. A State Police Fire Marshall is investigating the cause of yesterday's fire in Luzerne County.
UGI wants rate increase
UGI Utilities, Inc. announced Thursday that gas cost rates will increase on June 1, 2024. An additional increase is projected on December 1, 2024. The bill for a typical home heating customer will increase on June 1 from $90.94 to $95.04 or 4.5 percent. If UGI’s proposed projected rates for December 1 are approved, the bill for a typical residential heating customer will increase to $101.99 or an additional 7.3 percent. The price hike comes after rate decreases in March of this year and December 2023. Pennsylvania offers low-income heating assistance through the LIHEAP program.
NEPA man indicted for threatening to kill President Biden
A Nanticoke man was indicted by a federal grand jury on allegations he threatened to kill President Joe Biden and members of the Cabinet. According to reports, Jordan Gee posted several videos on the internet shortly before President Biden’s visit to Scranton on April 16. In those videos, Gee made several explicit threats to the President and his Cabinet if he came to Scranton. Gee is behind bars at the Luzerne County Correctional Facility.
Arrest made in Scranton homicide
An arrest in a Scranton homicide case. 24-year-old Rahjuan Marquel Morgan has been charged in connection to the death of Benjamin Thompson, who died in the hospital Wednesday morning, after he was involved in an accident on Jackson Street, near South Fillmore Ave. Morgan is charged with criminal homicide and criminal conspiracy. Police say the investigation is still ongoing and that more arrests are expected.
Investigating a suspicious death in Scranton
Police in Scranton are investigating a suspicious death in West Scranton. Calls came in for a crash in the 1800 block of Jackson Street just after midnight Wednesday, Neighbors who witnessed the crash say they went to help the driver but realized he wasn’t breathing. The Lackawanna County coroner confirmed that a 36-year-old man died at the hospital after being found in a vehicle. Authorities have not released any other information.
Luzerne County judges rule in 117th race challenges
A panel of three Luzerne County judges on Wednesday denied a petition from state Rep. Mike Cabell to count write-in votes cast in the April 23 Republican primary for the 117th District state House seat. According to reports, the panel also denied Cabell’s petition to reject one provisional ballot the election board accepted during its adjudication of primary ballots and also accept one provisional ballot — from his cousin — the election board rejected. Cabell, who is seeking reelection to a second term, trails challenger Jamie Walsh by three votes, 4,728 to 4,725, amid the legal battle, according to unofficial election results. The Luzerne County decision could be appealed to Commonwealth Court.
Guilty verdict in Lackawanna County murder trial
A guilty verdict in the Justin Shuback murder trial in Lackawanna County. Shuback was found guilty of first-degree murder and burglary by a jury in Lackawanna County on Wednesday afternoon, following 10 hours of deliberation over 2 days, in the death of Old Forge businessman Robert Baron Sr. in 2017. Cries of "burn in hell” and "garbage” came from the courtroom gallery as the county sheriff’s deputies led Schuback away after the jury’s verdict was read. It took more than six years for the police to find Robert Baron’s remains, discovered near Pagnotti Park in Old Forge last year. It took almost 14 months for prosecutors to bring Schuback to trial.
Jury deliberating in NEPA murder trial
The fate of Justin Shuback is in the hands of the jury. Jurors began deliberating Tuesday afternoon in Shuback's murder trial. Shuback is accused of killing Old Forge restaurant owner Robert Baron in 2017. If convicted, Shuback could face life in prison. Jury deliberation will resume this morning in Lackawanna County.
Motorcoach service from Avoca to Philly airport
Air travelers leaving from the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton International Airport (AVP) on American Airlines can soon connect through Philadelphia International Airport (PHL) by motorcoach. Beginning August 6, buses will operate four times a day in each direction between AVP and Philly. The new service allows passengers to clear security at AVP and board a motorcoach to Philadelphia's Terminal F. Travelers will not have to clear security again and can walk to their gate.
Critical teacher shortage in Pennsylvania
More than 2,100 teaching positions were vacant in Pennsylvania as of October, according to newly released state data — and almost a quarter of those spots were filled not with full-time teachers, but with long-term substitutes. According to reports, the vacancies, reported by the state for the first time, are one indicator of the severity of Pennsylvania’s ongoing teacher shortage — but not the extent of it. Accounting for the number of teachers leaving the profession each year as well as those who are teaching with emergency permits, Pennsylvania schools need to hire at least 15,000 teachers — nearly three times the number the state certified last year, according to a new report.
Challenges delay certification of vote in Pennsylvania
Monday was the deadline for counties to certify primary votes in Pennsylvania. The state’s election calendar shows two events — election protests and recounts — can delay certification. There is an election protest over 95 mail-in ballots in Centre County. Luzerne County’s Republican primary for the 117th Legislative District is separated by three votes as of Monday afternoon and is being litigated by the candidates in county court to determine a final vote count. All other counties will certify, according to Jonathan Marks, Deputy Secretary for Elections and Commissions with the Department of State. Election results are unofficial until counties and the state certify them. The Department of State can issue a partial certification for all finalized races now and wait to certify any outstanding races later, or wait for all county certifications to be completed and certify everything at once.
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