Luzerne County News Archives

By DAVE JANOSKI Staff Writer While we pause to review the big stories of 2007, let's not forget what's next. via Standard Speaker

“That's your attitude, that's how I'm going to treat you.”

Melvin Stuart gets 3 to 6 years in state prison on his 27th, 28th, 29th convictions. via Times Leader

“I would definitely say we have the best-dressed babies in Luzerne County”

The basement in Rabbi Larry Kaplan's Kingston house resembles a Baby Gap store. Two racks of new baby clothes in all sizes, shapes and colors for every season, line the walls. via Citizensvoice.com

“Imagine our increased costs on things like fuel, tolls and overtime”

Luzerne County officials are "worried" how the 2008 budget will be impacted by terminating its 20-year, $58 million lease of a Pittston Township juvenile care facility, Chief Clerk Sam Guesto said. via Citizensvoice.com

Attorneys for one of two men charged in the killing of a man who ran a gay porn company say they will seek to have the death penalty removed if their client is convicted. via 365Gay.com

“It was beneficial to us in the trial court and we kept that benefit”

Accused killer Hugo Selenski's trial for the 2002 murders of a pharmacist and his girlfriend is still several months away, despite a recent Pennsylvania Supreme Court ruling on a pre-trial issue in the case. via Citizensvoice.com

TRAFFIC ALERT: Crash on I-81; Driver Trapped in Rig Northbound traffic on Interstate 81 has been reduced to a single lane between the McAdoo exit in Schuylkill County and the Hazleton So. via WFMZ

“He didn't ask for any specific time.”

John Mellow will not go gentle into that good night. The outgoing Lackawanna County controller said he would lock himself in his personal office on Jan. via Citizensvoice.com

Professor, official for a consultation firm testified in double-homicide trial. WILKES-BARRE Two experts involved in a Luzerne County death penalty case will have to wait and see if they get paid for all their ... via Times Leader

“It appears that termination is the county's preferred option to address the concerns of the state”

By MICHAEL P. BUFFER Staff Writer WILKES-BARRE -- Luzerne County officials announced Wednesday that they have decided to terminate the controversial 20-year lease to use the juvenile detention facility in ... via Standard Speaker

“If she was refusing, she wouldn't even have gone for the bracelet. It's just a misunderstanding.”

A suspended Northwest Area School District teacher spent Thursday night in jail after disputing the terms of her home confinement. via Citizensvoice.com

“I just want to get this over with.”

The last of four people charged in a Hazleton-based drug ring pleaded guilty Tuesday, admitting to distributing cocaine over a four-year period. via The Times-Tribune

A family member is questioning a suicide ruling in the shooting death of a doctor who came under scrutiny after his first and second wives died. via The Associated Press

“We don't bid, because it's not taxpayers' money”

Rodano's supplies take-out food, snacks to work release inmates on no-bid contract. via Times Leader

“We need to know what the Commonwealth is alleging”

BARRE Attorneys for homicide suspect Joseph Kerekes might be able to challenge the prosecution's intention to seek the death penalty for their client. via Times Leader

A man from Luzerne County was killed in an early morning crash in Columbia County. via WNEP-TV Moosic

“The only two people who know what happened in that room of that home are Mr. Kerekes and Mr. Cuadra”

Luzerne County prosecutors may have to place the murder weapon in the hand of one of two Virginia Beach men they say committed the cold-blooded murder of Bryan Kocis. via Citizensvoice.com

“It's supply and demand. Until society can cut demand, someone will move in and fill that demand.”

Just a year after the largest drug investigation in the region's history shut down a major heroin ring, police last week said they had broken up a new drug ring that was responsible for the delivery of about ... via The Times-Tribune

“The check was sent, and it just disappeared, so we (the chamber) cut another check two weeks ago”

About 74 percent of the total spent with Luzerne County debit cards funded allowable expenses, the county controller's office concluded. via Citizensvoice.com

A Wyoming Borough man accused of killing a Brooklyn, N.Y., man inside an Edwardsville bar has turned himself in to authorities. via Citizensvoice.com

“I don't have anything in her file other than satisfactory teacher ratings. Obviously, it's in the hands of the police and courts at this time, so we're waiting for them to determine the outcome in all of this.”

A special education teacher in the Wyoming Valley West School District is accused of assaulting three of her students by allegedly shoving their faces into a pillow and then walloping their arms and legs with a ... via Citizensvoice.com

“From what we have gathered is that this murder is the culmination of a minor traffic accident that happened in the parking lot of a Turkey Hill and escalated into the murder of Mr. Cusaac”

Wednesday, December 19, UPDATED: 6:29 p.m. By Jon Meyer There's now an arrest warrant out for the person investigators say shot and killed a man in the bathroom of a bar in Luzerne County over the weekend. via WNEP-TV Moosic

“He told me to take the can and I put it in my book bag. I didn't want him to get in trouble”

Preliminary hearing for man facing kidnap and drug charges includes flare-up. EDWARD LEWIS elewis@timesleader.com WILKES-BARRE Opposing attorneys got into a heated exchange during Tuesday's preliminary hearing ... via Times Leader

“He counted out the money better than a banker”

The couple accused of scamming an 87-year-old Dallas man out of $10,000 in November had names, phone numbers and personal information of hundreds of other people 65 and older, a state trooper said Tuesday ... via Citizensvoice.com

“Why would I hurt my baby? I loved my baby”

Wednesday, December 12, UDPATED: 6:10 p.m. By Jennifer Borrasso A mother now stands accused in connection with the death of her two-year-old son and her boyfriend faces a count of homicide. via WNEP-TV Moosic

A man accused of killing a woman in a drunk driving crash pleaded guilty Monday in Luzerne County court. via WNEP-TV Moosic

“Of course, it still caused a lot of problems and created a messy situation with a lot of ice. The overall forecast was right except for the accumulation.”

A dangerous combination of snow and freezing rain continued to envelop the region Sunday, as Luzerne County officials urged county residents to limit their travel and beware of icy roads. via The Citizens' Voice

“Forget about the fact that they work or others or competitors”

Local television broadcasting towers crashed early Sunday morning from ice and high winds, knocking several stations off the air for many viewers throughout the day and night. via The Times-Tribune

“He's at home right now and he's improving, which is good”

Investigators stand near the backhoe Ben Melochick was using when he was shot at a construction site on November 28. via WNEP-TV Moosic

“It was nothing but black smoke. It was an inferno.”

A 4-year-old boy died Friday and his mother and younger sister were hospitalized after a fierce blaze engulfed their home at the Dundee Apartments complex. via The Times-Tribune

“While I do not own property in the county, I do live in Luzerne County, and I am required to pay various fees to the county for various services that I require”

Tim Grier cannot challenge the legality of Luzerne County's plans to borrow up to $93.5 million because he doesn't own property in the county and doesn't have a "direct financial interest" in the matter, ... via Citizensvoice.com

“I personally think we're in the best spot we can be. The only way to go is up and we're getting great response”

Republicans have a message for Luzerne County: We're here. And we welcome you. At their annual Christmas party on Wednesday, officials from the Sixth District Republican Committee expressed their desire to ... via Citizensvoice.com

A Luzerne County man is charged with criminal homicide in the beating death of a 2-year-old boy. via York Dispatch

“In my tenure as coroner, this is the worst thing I've seen”

By JIM DINO Staff Writer The man arrested for allegedly beating a 2-year-old boy has now been charged with his murder. via Standard Speaker

“They need to borrow money and they can't explain what they need to borrow the money for”

Commissioners set executive session to address man's complaints filed with state. via Times Leader

Investigators have now also identified the person who was critically injured in this morning's crash on the Carey Avenue bridge in Hanover Township. via Citizensvoice.com

“A normal volume. She was instructing her.”

By JAMES CONMY Staff Writer PHILADELPHIA -- Luzerne County Judge Ann H. Lokuta welcomed a family into her chambers after kindly chatting with them in Polish, the family's attorney testified Monday. via Standard Speaker

Federal authorities are conducting a preliminary review of alleged misuse of Luzerne County debit cards due to "public outcry," said Bob Slama, special agent in charge of the U.S. Secret Service's Philadelphia ... via Citizensvoice.com

“I would like him to stay, absolutely, and yeah, I would try to convince him to stay because he has the personality you want in that capacity”

By MICHAEL P. BUFFER Staff Writer Luzerne County Commissioner Greg Skrepenak is standing by his good friend, prison Deputy Warden Sam Hyder. via Standard Speaker

“All of a sudden I hear,'Bang!' I come flying out, police cars are flying this way, a police car right behind it, police cars coming this way and this way”

Monday, December 3, 3:58 p.m. By Sarah Buynovsky A man is locked up in Luzerne County after a wild chase this morning. via WNEP-TV Moosic

Man charged with raping a woman in November served eight years for two rapes in 1993. via Times Leader

“We expect these dollars will leverage significant nonstate investment in Luzerne County.”

Come February, many Luzerne County municipalities are going to be disappointed. The state Department of Community and Economic Development estimates there will be about $11.6 million available to fund grants ... via The Times-Tribune

“There's no reason to stretch it out”

By MICHAEL P. BUFFER Staff Writer WILKES-BARRE -- Luzerne County officials on Thursday could not convince Wilkes-Barre political activist Tim Grier to withdraw two legal challenges to a plan to borrow up to ... via Standard Speaker

“We would be unable to pay our bills for the rest of the year, therefore jeopardizing pensions, payroll for the rest of the year”

Thursday, December 6, 6:32 p.m. By Sarah Buynovsky Those who run the area's most populated county say if they aren't allowed to borrow millions of dollars through bonds they anticipate a shut-down in Luzerne ... via WNEP-TV Moosic

A medical study now suggests some sort of environmental poison is a factor in a cluster of rare blood cancer cases in northeastern Pennsylvania. via WHTM-TV Harrisburg

“It's Christmas, but that's not the main reason. That much money at this time, who can afford it? If they have receipts, that should count toward reimbursement. If they don't, pay it by Friday.”

By JAMES CONMY Staff Writer WILKES-BARRE -- Luzerne County Commissioner Rose Tucker confirmed Wednesday the seven current or former county officials who made about $42,000 in purchases on county-issued debit ... via Standard Speaker

“If we decide to keep it (the Luzerne County case), an investigation will be started.”

Pennsylvania Attorney General Tom Corbett should make his determination "in the next week of so" whether to launch a criminal probe into alleged debit-card abuse by Luzerne County officials, a spokesman said ... via The Citizens' Voice

“It's not wise to speculate on what might happen since the complaint is still under review.”

Luzerne County will be unable to pay its 1,700 employees' salaries, subsidize their health insurance or make its required pension obligations if officials cannot resolve a complaint filed by a Wilkes-Barre ... via Citizensvoice.com

Police officers encountered a "rancid odor" when they opened the door of a South Franklin Street apartment and would soon make a grisly discovery, according to testimony on the first day of a Luzerne County ... via The Times-Tribune

“The $2,700 in expenses were well within the prison's $30,000 budget this year for seminars and training”

Luzerne County Correctional Facility Warden Gene Fischi says he authorized Deputy Warden Sam Hyder and Lt. via The Citizens' Voice

“They attend programs offered for guests and I go to the conference programs during the day”

By JAMES CONMY Staff Writer Luzerne County Commissioner Greg Skrepenak conceded Tuesday night he mistakenly paid for a hotel room for his three children on his county debit card. via Standard Speaker

A jury was selected today in the murder trial of a Wilkes-Barre man accused of stabbing his live-in girlfriend 69 times. via Citizensvoice.com

“It's very hard to believe being intoxicated and at his age, he could commit this heinous offense to this individual”

Police officers encountered a "rancid odor" when they opened the door of a South Franklin Street apartment and would soon make a grisly discovery, acording to testimony on the first day of a Luzerne County ... via The Citizens' Voice

“We are taking the same position that the trial needs to pushed back”

Accused killer Harlow Raymond Cuadra has family scattered across the country and even some outside the country that attorneys need to interview. via Citizensvoice.com

The trial of a Luzerne County judge accused of professional misconduct will reconvene later this month after a defense request to toss the case was denied. via The Philadelphia Inquirer

“It's something we've tried to account for in our trial preparation”

The trial for one of the oldest murder suspects in Luzerne County history is scheduled to begin Monday before Judge Michael Toole. via The Citizens' Voice

“We were very pleased when we received the court's order today”

For the third time, the Pennsylvania Court of Judicial Discipline has rejected Luzerne County Judge Ann H. Lokuta's attempt to have misconduct charges against her dismissed outside a courtroom. via The Times-Tribune

“I want to be clear that at this point in time, I'm in no way concluding that any criminal activity has taken place”

In what he called a response to the public's cry for an investigation, Luzerne County District Attorney David Lupas has asked Pennsylvania Attorney General Tom Corbett's office to investigate the alleged misuse ... via The Citizens' Voice