Musk team’s access to student loan systems raises alarm over borrowers’ personal information https://www.psdispatch.com/news/96054/musk-teams-access-to-student-loan-systems-raises-alarm-over-borrowers-personal-information 2025-02-07T04:14:00Z COLLIN BINKLEY and BIANCA VÁZQUEZ TONESS Associated Press
The U.S. Department of Education building is seen in Washington, Nov. 18, 2024. AP File Photo

WASHINGTON — Democrats are pushing back against Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency as it turns its attention to the Education Department, with lawmakers raising concerns about DOGE’s access to internal systems containing personal information on tens of millions of Americans.

In a letter to the acting education secretary, a group of Democrats is seeking to intervene as DOGE gains increasing access to student loan databases and other systems. Democrats fear it could lay the groundwork for a takeover akin to Musk’s attempt to close the U.S. Agency for International Development.

Democrats including California Rep. Mark Takano were turned away by security when they tried to enter the department’s Washington headquarters on Friday after demanding a meeting with leaders.

“President Donald Trump has promised to abolish the Department of Education,” Takano said in a news conference outside the headquarters. “He believes that he can do this through executive order, and we’re here to remind him that he cannot.”

The department has been in turmoil as Trump, a Republican, sets out to abolish it. The White House is considering an executive order that would tell the education secretary to slash the department as far as possible and urge Congress to fully terminate it. Dozens of employees have been placed on paid leave with little explanation, and workers from DOGE have begun scouring the department’s records as they look to slash spending.

Musk’s DOGE team already has gained access to a database housing personal information on millions of students and parents with federal student loans, according to two people with knowledge of the issue. One of them, a department employee, said a DOGE representative requested the access more than a week ago.

The people spoke on the condition of anonymity for fear of reprisals.

Employees described a DOGE team of several young men that has been working out of the undersecretary’s office on the seventh floor.

Staff members have been told little about the team, which has been spotted in hallways and rummaging through boxes but mostly ignores others, said Sheria Smith, president of a federal employees union that represents some of the agency’s staff. “They are not interacting at all, not even cordially, with anyone who is not part of their team,” Smith said.

Among the cuts sought by the DOGE team is an 80% reduction in spending on a contract to manage websites and call center technology that parents and students use for help applying for federal student aid, said two department employees, who spoke on condition of anonymity for fear of losing their jobs. There are two years remaining on an $824 million contract with information technology services company Accenture for the work.

Education Department employees pushed back, telling the DOGE team that much of the work to help simplify loan applications was required by Congress, the staff members said.

Last year, after a botched rollout of a revised FAFSA student aid form, the department added additional support to the call centers to help families with their applications.

A federal lawsuit filed Friday seeks to block DOGE’s access to student financial aid systems, saying it violates privacy rights of millions of federal student loan borrowers. It was filed by the advocacy group Student Defense on behalf of the University of California Student Association.

It says DOGE could now have access to Social Security numbers, driver’s license numbers, dates of birth and contact information for student loan borrowers. The database also houses information on the parents of dependent loan applicants, including citizenship status and income information.

The suit says it’s an “enormous and unprecedented” invasion of privacy for more than 42 million people whose personal data is stored in Federal Student Aid systems.

The Education Department said DOGE is helping it return to in-person work, restoring accountability for employees and reforming the hiring process to focus on merit. It said there is “nothing inappropriate or nefarious going on.”

“The DOGE employees are federal employees,” the department said in a statement. “They have been sworn in, have the necessary background checks and clearances, and are focused on making the Department more cost-efficient, effective, and accountable to the taxpayers.”

Rep. Bobby Scott, the ranking Democrat on the House Committee on Education and the Workforce, asked a government watchdog to review data security at the Education Department and other agencies where Musk’s team has gained access. His Friday letter to the Government Accountability Office called it a “constitutional emergency.”

“There is now a void of oversight for a very young and inexperienced team and their leader, the world’s richest man,” Scott wrote.

Trump campaigned on a promise to close the department, claiming it has been infiltrated by “radicals, zealots and Marxists.” He nominated professional wrestling mogul Linda McMahon to be his education secretary and quipped at a Tuesday news conference that he wants her “to put herself out of a job.”

But Trump’s pledge is colliding with the reality that the department’s existence and most of its spending is ordered by Congress. It’s unclear if Trump could rally political support to abolish the department, which some Republicans have occasionally attempted but has never gained wide political popularity.

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Forced leaves start for thousands at USAID under a Trump plan to gut the foreign aid agency https://www.psdispatch.com/news/96050/forced-leaves-start-for-thousands-at-usaid-under-a-trump-plan-to-gut-the-foreign-aid-agency 2025-02-07T03:54:00Z ELLEN KNICKMEYER Associated Press
A street sign with names of U.S. government agencies housed at the Ronald Regan Building, including the United States Agency for International Development, or USAID headquarters in Washington, is pictured with one building occupant taped, Friday, Feb. 7, in Washington. AP Photo

WASHINGTON — Forced leaves pulling all but a small fraction of staffers of the U.S. Agency for International Development off the job around the world began Friday, while employees turned to federal courts to try to roll back the Trump administration’s swift dismantling of the six-decade-old aid agency and its programs worldwide.

A judge was holding a hearing Friday afternoon in the lawsuit from federal workers associations, who argue that President Donald Trump lacks the authority to shut down an agency enshrined in congressional legislation.

“CLOSE IT DOWN,” Trump said Friday on social media of USAID.

Crews used duct tape to block out the agency’s name on a sign outside its Washington headquarters Friday, and a flag was taken down. Someone placed a bouquet of flowers outside the door.

A group of a half-dozen USAID officials speaking to reporters Friday strongly disputed assertions from Secretary of State Marco Rubio that the most essential life-saving programs abroad were getting waivers to continue. With all but several hundred staffers forced out and funding stopped, the agency has “ceased to exist,” one official on the call said.

The Trump administration and billionaire ally Elon Musk, who is running a budget-cutting Department of Government Efficiency, have targeted USAID hardest so far in an unprecedented challenge of the federal government and many of its programs.

The administration told remaining USAID officials on Thursday afternoon that it planned to exempt 297 employees from global leave and furloughs ordered for at least 8,000 staffers and contractors, according to USAID staffers and officials.

Late that night, a new list was finalized of 611 employees to remain on the job, many of them to manage the return home of thousands of staffers, contractors and their families abroad, the officials said. Justice Department lawyer, Brett Shumate, confirmed the 611 figure in court.

The USAID officials and staffers spoke on condition of anonymity due to a Trump administration order barring them from talking publicly.

Some of the remaining staffers and contractors, along with an unknown number of 5,000 locally hired employees abroad, would run the few life-saving programs that the administration says it intends to keep going for now.

It was not immediately clear whether the reductions would be permanent or temporary, potentially allowing more workers to return after what the Trump administration says will be a review of which aid and development programs it wants to resume.

Trump and Musk have spoken of moving surviving programs under the State Department.

Within the State Department itself, employees fear substantial staff reductions following the deadline for the Trump administration’s offer of financial incentives for federal workers to resign, according to officials who spoke on condition of anonymity for fear of reprisal. A judge temporarily blocked that offer and set a hearing Monday.

At USAID, among the programs officials said had not received waivers: $450 million in food grown by U.S. farmers sufficient to feed 36 million people, which was not being paid for or delivered; and water supplies for 1.6 million people displaced by war in Sudan’s Darfur region, which were being cut off without money for fuel to run water pumps in the desert.

The administration earlier this week gave almost all USAID staffers posted overseas 30 days, starting Friday, to return to the U.S., with the government paying for their travel and moving costs. Diplomats at embassies asked for waivers allowing more time for some, including families forced to pull their children out of schools midyear.

In a notice posted on the USAID website late Thursday, the agency clarified that none of the overseas personnel put on leave would be forced to leave the country where they work. But it said that workers who chose to stay longer than 30 days might have to cover their own expenses unless they received a specific hardship waiver.

Rubio said Thursday during a trip to the Dominican Republic that the government would help staffers get home within 30 days “if they so desired” and would listen to those with special conditions.

He insisted the moves were the only way to get cooperation because staffers were working “to sneak through payments and push through payments despite the stop order” on foreign assistance. Agency staffers deny his claims of obstruction.

Rubio said the U.S. government will continue providing foreign aid, “but it is going to be foreign aid that makes sense and is aligned with our national interest.”

Democratic lawmakers and others call the move illegal without congressional approval.

The same argument was made by the American Foreign Service Association and the American Federation of Government Employees in their lawsuit filed late Thursday. It asks the federal court in Washington to compel the reopening of USAID’s buildings, return its staffers to work and restore funding.

Government officials “failed to acknowledge the catastrophic consequences of their actions, both as they pertain to American workers, the lives of millions around the world, and to US national interests,” the suit says.

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Flu season in the US is the most intense it’s been in at least 15 years https://www.psdispatch.com/news/96048/flu-season-in-the-us-is-the-most-intense-its-been-in-at-least-15-years 2025-02-07T03:41:00Z MIKE STOBBE Associated Press
A flu vaccine is displayed at a pharmacy in New York on Tuesday, Sept. 24, 2024. AP File Photo

NEW YORK — The U.S. winter virus season is in full force, and by one measure is the most intense in 15 years.

One indicator of flu activity is the percentage of doctor’s office visits driven by flu-like symptoms. Last week, that number was clearly higher than the peak of any winter flu season since 2009-2010, according to data posted Friday by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Of course, other viral infections can be mistaken for flu. But COVID-19 appears to be on the decline, according to hospital data and to CDC modeling projections. Available data also suggests another respiratory illness, RSV, has been fading nationally.

The flu has forced schools to shut down in some states. The Godley Independent School District, a 3,200-student system near Fort Worth, Texas, last week closed for three days after 650 students and 60 staff were out Tuesday.

Jeff Meador, a district spokesman, said the vast majority of illnesses there have been flu, plus some strep throat. He called it the worst flu season he could remember.

So far this season, the CDC estimates, there have been at least 24 million flu illnesses, 310,000 hospitalizations and 13,000 deaths — including at least 57 children. Traditionally, flu season peaks around February.

Overall, 43 states reported high or very high flu activity last week. Flu was most intense in the South, Southwest and western states.

In Rochester, New York, the flu season has been intense but not necessarily worse than at the peak of other years, said Dr. Elizabeth Murray, a pediatric emergency medicine doctor at the University of Rochester Medical Center.

She said there’s a lot of flu, but there’s also still a lot of RSV and a surprising number of babies with COVID-19.

“All of the respiratory illnesses are around, with a vengeance,” Murray added.

The CDC declined to let an Associated Press reporter speak to an agency flu expert about recent trends. The Trump administration ordered a temporary “pause” on health agency communications and has continued to refuse interview requests that were routinely granted in the past.

U.S. health officials recommends that everyone 6 months and older get an annual flu vaccination.

About 44% of adults got flu shots this winter, the same as last winter. But coverage of children is way down, at about 45% this winter. It’s usually around 50%, according to CDC data.

About 23% of U.S. adults were up to date in their COVID-19 vaccinations as of late January, up from about 20% at the same point in time the year before. COVID-19 vaccination rates for kids were about the same, at around 12%.

The government has not yet reported its estimates of how well this season’s flu vaccine is working.

Testing results from patients indicate that two strains of seasonal flu that are causing most illnesses — a Type A H1N1 and a Type A H3N2. Health officials are closely watching a third strain — a bird flu known as Type A H5N1 — that has sickened tens of millions of animals, but is known to have infected only 67 people in the U.S.

To avoid seasonal viruses, doctors say you should avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth because germs can spread that way. You should also wash your hands with soap and water, clean frequently touched surfaces and avoid close contact with people who are sick.

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Pittston police seek whereabouts of alleged drug pushers https://www.psdispatch.com/news/96039/pittston-police-seek-whereabouts-of-alleged-drug-pushers 2025-02-07T02:14:00Z Ed Lewis elewis@timesleader.com

PITTSTON — Police in the City of Pittston, along with the Luzerne County District Attorney’s Drug Task Force, arrested two people and, as of Friday morning, were searching for five others on drug trafficking offenses.

Heather Michelle Lemal, 43, of Wyoming Avenue, Forty Fort, and Travis James Lee, 33, of Beech Street, Edwardsville, were arrested earlier this week on separate drug warrants.

Lemal is accused of delivering crack cocaine while operating a taxi, a silver Chevrolet Impala called “Style by the Mile,” on multiple occasions, according to court records.

Lee was charged with delivering fentanyl multiple times at various locations in the area, court records say.

Lee is further charged with stealing a credit card from an unlocked vehicle and making a purchase at a tobacco retail store in Pittston on Jan. 27.

Lemal was charged with six counts each of possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance, possession of a controlled substance and criminal use of communication facility. She remained jailed Friday for lack of $100,000 bail set by District Judge Alexandra Kokura Kravitz of Pittston on Wednesday.

Lee remained jailed Friday on $50,000 total bail set by Kokura Kravitz on charges of theft, receiving stolen property, criminal use of communication facility, possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance and possession of a controlled substance.

Authorities continue to search for Jonathan Timek, Joaquin Hurly, Albert Kachinsky, Melissa Butler and Jason Williams on drug traffic warrants.

Wyoming Area Regional Police assisted in the drug investigations that involved the peddling of crack cocaine, fentanyl, methamphetamine and prescription narcotics.

Anyone with information about the whereabouts of Timek, Hurly, Kachinsky, Butler and Williams is asked to call Pittston City police at 570-602-0576.

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Luzerne County study commission nears recommendation on council elections https://www.psdispatch.com/news/96026/luzerne-county-study-commission-nears-recommendation-on-council-elections 2025-02-06T10:00:00Z Jennifer Learn-Andes jandes@timesleader.com
Luzerne County Courthouse File photo

Luzerne County’s Government Study Commission will decide in two weeks if it will recommend the election of some county council members by regional districts, the seven commission members agreed Thursday.

Currently all 11 council members are elected countywide, or at-large.

No commission members support fully switching to districts, which means the choice would be a district/at-large combination or no districts.

A commission majority has supported switching from 11 to seven council members.

The commission has been meeting regularly to assess potential county home rule charter changes and aims to place its proposal on the November 2025 ballot. Voters will then decide whether to switch to the new structure or keep the system in effect since January 2012.

The commission’s next meeting is Feb. 20.

Districts were discussed Thursday because commission Secretary Ted Ritsick presented exploratory maps envisioning three, four, five and seven districts that he compiled with assistance from the county’s GIS/Mapping Department and Election Bureau.

Posted on the commission section at luzernecounty.org, the maps include the potential number of registered voters and their political party affiliations, total population and municipalities in each zone.

Commission member Mark Shaffer said he supports keeping all council members at large and sought a prompt vote to “put this to bed.”

Commission member Stephen J. Urban said he appreciates Ritsick’s work on the maps but is still “120,000%” against districts. He asserted the addition of some districts would put an unnecessary burden on the election bureau and “convolutes this entire process.” Urban said candidates from throughout the county have been elected to council, including the southern half, and predicted districts would be rejected by voters and are a “waste of time.”

“I think you’re going down a rabbit hole that’s unnecessary,” Urban said.

Commission Treasurer Cindy Malkemes said she agrees with Urban.

Ritsick said he does not think adding some districts would “be the death” of the commission’s proposal and said he believes voters in some regions, such as the growing Hazleton area, would support institutionalizing a council seat from their area. He said Urban raised some reasonable concerns but believes those issues could be resolved by the commission.

Commission Vice Chairman Vito Malacari said he has not reached a final decision but believes more than seven council members are warranted if districts are added to the mix.

Critics have argued an 11-member council is less efficient, but charter drafters chose a larger council so more people would be involved in decisions. Those seeking approval from council must convince a majority of at least six.

Commission member Matt Mitchell said he has contemplated arguments for and against districts and is leaning toward keeping all council seats at-large, although he remains open to both options.

Commission Chairman Tim McGinley said he also is more supportive of sticking with an all at-large council and said he agrees with Malacari that there should be more than seven council members if a majority wants to add several districts.

Ritsick was advocating three or four district seats with a council of seven.

During public comment, Plains Township resident Gerald Cross, who had served as a consultant for drafters of the current charter, said districts were rejected because the county exists to uniformly provide services to residents throughout the county. He said his concern is similar to that of reducing the size of council, saying smaller doorways limit which people get through, which may not be in the county’s best interest.

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Luzerne County Children, Youth and Families administrator to co-chair roundtable https://www.psdispatch.com/news/96024/luzerne-county-administrator-to-co-chair-roundtable 2025-02-06T04:49:00Z Jennifer Learn-Andes jandes@timesleader.com
Gownley

Luzerne County Children, Youth and Families Administrator Katrina Gownley has been named co-chair of a multi-county Leadership Roundtable in Harrisburg, county Manager Romilda Crocamo announced Thursday.

“The appointment of Katrina as co-chair highlights the significant trust and respect that the Commonwealth has in her abilities and the initiatives she is leading,” Crocamo told council. “Her commitment to enhancing the services for children and families in Luzerne County demonstrates a strong vision for making it a leader in Pennsylvania. This role not only underscores her leadership qualities but also reflects a collaborative effort to improve the well-being of the community’s youth and families.”

The roundtable falls under the Office of Children and Families in the Courts, which was created by the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania to achieve more positive outcomes for foster children and minimize the trauma children may experience in dependency court, according to information supplied by Gownley.

As part of its formal statewide infrastructure, the Office of Children and Families in the Courts implemented a three-tier roundtable system in 2007 that includes local children’s roundtables in each of the state’s 60 judicial districts, seven statewide leadership roundtables and one state rountable.

Gownley will be co-chair of leadership roundtable 3, which also covers Cumberland, Dauphin, Lackawanna, Lehigh and Northampton counties.

The leadership roundtables meet twice a year and are co-chaired by a dependency court judge from one judicial district and a children and youth administrator from another.

Crocamo said Gownley will attend state roundtable discussions and “have a voice and a vote for meaningful changes to help improve the functions of Children, Youth and Families in Luzerne County.”

Gownley was hired to oversee the county agency two years ago, in February 2023, and said Thursday she is honored to serve as co-chair.

She has stressed the county agency is working to position itself as a compassionate resource so parents and other caretakers can get support to prevent problems from spiraling out of control.

An example is the agency’s creation of a pantry at its office building on Pennsylvania Avenue in Wilkes-Barre, which has expanded from food to providing a range of items to meet other basic needs, including plates and utensils, clothing, personal hygiene items, diapers and cleaning supplies.

A unit also was created to house agency employees in schools to reduce truancy and interact with students facing challenges, she had said.

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Two more apply for Luzerne County Election Board chairmanship https://www.psdispatch.com/news/96010/two-more-apply-for-luzerne-county-election-board-chairmanship 2025-02-05T09:00:00Z Jennifer Learn-Andes jandes@timesleader.com
Luzerne County Courthouse File photo

Two more citizens applied for the vacant fifth chairmanship seat on Luzerne County’s Election Board by Wednesday’s deadline — Democrats Stacey E. Fiester and Patrick Smith, officials said.

That brings the total prospective appointees to five. Applications were also received from Republicans Vivian Kreidler-Licina and Frank Yamrick and Democrat Christine Boyle.

Fiester, of the Stillwater section of Huntington Township, has 25 years of experience as an analyst in health care organizations and more than a decade of office management experience.

Smith, of Hanover Township, is retired and worked in the security field and for the Pennsylvania Department of Corrections.

No current election board members are seeking the chairmanship seat — a possibility that had been discussed during a past board meeting.

The county’s home rule charter created a unique structure for the fifth chairmanship seat by removing county council from the selection process. Instead, the four council-appointed board members — two Republicans and two Democrats — choose a fifth citizen of any affiliation or no affiliation.

Denise Williams, a Democrat, last filled the seat and served since April 2021, resigning in December because she is running for county council. Prior to Williams, the board had two other Democrats, a Republican and an Independent in the fifth chair seat.

The board has postponed its Feb. 19 meeting until Feb. 26, when it will publicly interview all applicants using questions pre-determined by the board and confirmed by the county law office.

This meeting will be at 6 p.m. at the county courthouse on River Street in Wilkes-Barre, with instructions for the remote attendance option to be posted under council’s authorities/boards/commissions online meeting section at luzernecounty.org.

The current election board members are Republicans Alyssa Fusaro (vice chair) and Rick Morelli and Democrats Albert Schlosser and Daniel Schramm.

If a board majority does not select someone within 60 days of the vacancy declaration — March 15 — any resident may petition the county Court of Common Pleas to fill the seat.

The volunteer election board provides general supervision over elections, certifies results and makes determinations on the tallying of flagged ballots during post-election adjudication.

While all five board members have equal voting power, the citizen in the chairmanship seat prepares meeting agendas, presides over meetings and often issues public statements on the board’s behalf.

The county law office is screening all five applicants to verify they have no home rule charter conflicts.

As previously reported:

Kreidler-Licina, of Nescopeck Township, is a homemaker and previously worked as a certified nursing assistant and in a local distribution center. She ran for county council in 2023 and for the government study commission last year.

Yamrick, of West Wyoming, founded and served as president of the Swoyersville metal machining firm Belrick Corp. for more than 50 years. He also had served on the advisory board that oversees the county-owned Wyoming Valley Airport in Forty Fort and Wyoming and on the Luzerne/Schuylkill County Workforce Investment Board.

Boyle, of Wyoming, is retired following a career in the insurance industry that included various managerial positions.

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Luzerne County’s Veteran Affairs Office relocates to Wilkes-Barre https://www.psdispatch.com/news/96003/luzerne-countys-veteran-affairs-office-relocates-to-wilkes-barre 2025-02-05T04:49:00Z Jennifer Learn-Andes jandes@timesleader.com
Luzerne County Courthouse

Luzerne County’s Veteran Affairs Office has relocated to a county-owned property at 61-63 Water St. in Wilkes-Barre, county Manager Romilda Crocamo told county council Wednesday.

“The Veteran Affairs Office strives to fulfill our patriotic and moral obligation to our veterans by providing exceptional services in recognition of their honorable service to our nation,” Crocamo wrote.

She directed veterans to contact the office at 570-706-3960 if they have questions about the relocation or services.

The Water Street structure now occupied by Veteran Affairs, which resembles a residential structure, is near the county prison and had been used for training by the county correctional services division.

Veteran Affairs had been housed in the county’s West Side Annex on Wyoming Avenue in Forty Fort since 2017. Prior to that, the office had been in a different county building on Water Street between the prison and its new location at 61-63 Water Street for a decade. The office had relocated to the West Side Annex because its prior Water Street structure was used to house central court.

Crocamo said the administration wanted to return Veteran Affairs to the county seat.

“It is more convenient and conducive for veteran services that the county provides,” Crocamo said.

The county Veteran Affairs Office facilitated the receipt of $25.9 million in federal benefits for county veterans and distributed more than 88,000 U.S. flags to organizations to decorate veteran graves in 2024, Crocamo had said during her annual public forum in December.

Kevin Clocker was hired as county veteran affairs director in June, following the retirement of James Spagnola.

Information on county veteran affairs services is posted on the office’s page at luzernecounty.org.

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A new jewel in town: Devan’s Diamonds relocates to City of Pittston https://www.psdispatch.com/news/95985/a-new-jewel-in-town-devans-diamonds-relocates-to-city-of-pittston 2025-02-05T12:00:00Z Tony Callaio For Sunday Dispatch
The Devan’s Diamonds team, left to right: artist Slav Tretiakov; owner/designer Mike Caruso; staff Kristina Taddei. Jaclyn Savage is also a staff member. Tony Callaio | For Sunday Dispatch

PITTSTON — Devan’s Diamonds jewelry store has been a fixture on Main Street for five years, and owner Mike Caruso can’t think of a better place to do business. In fact, to get even further entrenched on Main Street, he moved his business to Pittston epicenter, across the street from the Tomato Festival lot.

In recent weeks, Devan’s Diamonds has moved into the former Merle Norman Cosmetics retail store at 77 S. Main St., when the cosmetic store relocated to the Waterfront Warehouse next to The Banks Waterfront venue.

Devan’s Diamonds specializes in men’s and women’s jewelry, gold chains, custom-made jewelry, jewelry repair, ring sizing, chair repair, stone tightening and watch battery replacement.

Even though 29-year-old Caruso admits a great deal of his business is online sales, with his products shipping all over the world, he would like to cater to the people right in his backyard, hence the move down the street to his current location.

“I think it’s going to help out locally to get more exposure for the store,” Caruso said. “But the other reason we moved is the layout of the store. We do ship so much jewelry, but we make so much jewelry, so we really needed the space that accommodates us a little better for that.”

At the previous location, he had two floors, and now everything is on the same floor.

Caruso believes his success has a lot to do with his in-house jewelry artist Slav Tretiakov, who brings his years of experience and talent to making unique, one-of-a-kind jewelry to his customers.

Caruso can’t say enough about the talent of Tretiakov as he showed a gold ring garnished with a garnet and diamond stone Tretiakov manufactured by hand.

“This is an example of the kind of pieces we make, Caruso said. “It’s all by hand. We do some crazy work, you know?”

Caruso has been designing pieces of jewelry for a decade, designing much of it on a computer CAD system and then making a 3D model of the piece. Tretiakov then takes Caruso’s design and model to make what Caruso describes as spectacular jewelry.

Also on staff is two assistants/sales staff, Kristina Taddei and Jaclyn Savage, who are experienced and capable of taking care of customer’s jewelry questions and needs.

Prior to opening his own jewelry store, he worked for many years in the jewelry business for Zales at the Wyoming Valley Mall.

And for the name Devan, she was a real person who is Caruso’s inspiration in naming the business.

“Devan taught me a lot about the jewelry business in my early stages,” Caruso revealed. “She was a very good friend to me who changed my life to put it on a better trajectory from where I was really going.”

Unfortunately, Caruso said, Devan died in a freak accident.

Since Devan’s Diamonds has only been in the new location for a few weeks, there is much to do with the showroom. Caruso said he has plans for some high-tech screens, furniture, paint, lighting and possibly some artwork to coincide with the city’s theme.

He is waiting for the hanging sign outside the building as well as signage for the front windows.

As for his former retail store location, “I’m opening a sneak store there. Yeah, I didn’t … give up the place or anything, so I’m going to put in a sneaker store in the future.”

Caruso said he’s very pleased with Downtown Pittston and looks forward to the progression of Main St. with the seven-story project and theatre to be built less than 100 yards away from his storefront at Market and Main Streets.

For information on Devan’s Diamonds, visit devansdiamondco.com, email info@devansdiamondsco.com, call 570-900-5882 or stop by during showroom hours: 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesday through Friday; 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday; closed Sunday and Monday.

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H.S Boys Basketball: Dallas nails 15 3-pointers in win against Pittston Area https://www.psdispatch.com/sports/95978/h-s-boys-basketball-dallas-nails-15-3-pointers-in-win-against-pittston-area 2025-02-04T10:30:00Z John Erzar jerzar@timesleader.com
Dallas’ Joey Nocito (2) drives the baseline only to pass off to a teammate against Pittston Area on Tuesday evening at home. . Tony Callaio | For Times Leader

DALLAS TWP. — Three weeks ago, Dallas had just two 3-pointers as the Mountaineers escaped with a five-point win at Pittston Area.

On Tuesday night, Dallas reached that total less than two minutes into the game and kept raining in shots from behind the arc.

The Mountaineers hit 15 3-pointers in all and kept Pittston Area from getting any traction on offense in a 68-50 victory in a Wyoming Valley Conference Division 1 boys basketball game.

Dallas (9-2 Div. 1, 15-6 overall) clinched at least a tie for the divisional title. Only Wilkes-Barre Area (8-3 Div. 1, 13-8) can catch the Mountaineers. Dallas finishes its divisional schedule at Hazleton Area on Thursday. WBA plays Wyoming Valley West on Saturday.

“It was important for these youngsters to make shots,” Dallas coach Mark Belenski said, “and we practiced extra this week on shots. Tonight we made shots.”

Senior guard Jude Nocito led the barrage in the first half, hitting four 3-pointers and scoring 14 of his 17 points as Dallas took a 37-27 lead into halftime. The Mountaineers were 9-of-13 from long range in the first two quarters.

“We always got confidence,” Nocito said. “We practice shooting a lot, every single day. So those games where we’re not shooting well, it’s not really a big deal to us. We’re just going to keep shooting and today they were falling.”

All things considered, the first half wasn’t too bad for Pittston Area (8-4 Div. 1, 13-8). The Patriots were able to recover a few times after Dallas looked like it was primed to pull away.

“We struggled,” Pittston Area coach Al Semenza said. “But even that, I think we had 25 at half, down by 10, which isn’t bad for us.”

Nocito was done with his 3-point display at halftime. Freshman Tyce Mason took over with four of his six 3-pointers in the second half. He and Jack Dale opened the third with consecutive threes, bumping the lead to 43-27.

A couple more 3-pointers by Mason early in the fourth gave Dallas a 56-38 advantage. Pittston Area answered with baskets by Aidan Clarke and Silvio Giardina, but it was only the second time the Patriots scored consecutive field goals.

Mason finished with a career-high 19 points. Pat Flanagan, who did a solid job on the boards, added 10.

Lucas Lopresto had 18 and Giardina had 15 for Pittston Area. Aiden Lynn finished a point shy of a double-double with nine points and a game-high 12 rebounds.

Dallas 68, Pittston Area 50

PITTSTON AREA (50) — Silvio Giardina 6 0-1 15, Lucas Lopresto 8 1-3 18, Matt Walter 1 0-0 2, Paul Jordan McGarry 2 0-0 4, Aiden Lynn 3 3-4 9, Aidan Clarke 1 0-0 2, Chris Scavo 0 0-0 0, Brayden Shotwell 0 0-0 0, Brennan Callahan 0 0-0 0, Joh Jadus 0 0-0 0. Totals 21 4-8 50.

DALLAS (68) — Jude Nocito 5 3-6 17, Joey Nocito 1 3-4 5, Jack Dale 2 0-0 6, Pat Flanagan 4 1-1 10, Tyce Mason 6 1-2 19, Brady Zapoticky 1 0-2 3, Kael Berry 2 1-2 6, Brady Mizzer 0 0-0 0, Chris Flanagan 1 0-0 2, Sukh Mathon 0 0-0 0. Totals 22 9-17 68.

Pittston Area`16`11`8`15 — 50

Dallas`25`12`13`18 — 68

Three-point goals: PA 4 (Giardina 3, Lopresto). DAL 15 (Ju.Nocito 4, Dale 2, P.Flanagan, Zaopticky, Berry, Mason 6).

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Holy Redeemer uses inside game, depth to beat division-leading Wyoming Area https://www.psdispatch.com/sports/95976/holy-redeemer-uses-inside-game-depth-to-beat-division-leading-wyoming-area 2025-02-04T09:50:00Z Tom Robinson For Times Leader

EXETER — Wyoming Area remains positioned well to possibly capture its first Wyoming Valley Conference boys basketball title in 54 years.

Behind the inside play of David Popson and a strong collective performance from the bench, 2024 champion Holy Redeemer made sure it would not have to witness the Warriors’ celebration Tuesday night.

Popson scored 20 points, grabbed 11 rebounds and blocked two shots while Quron Drayton led the bench production as the Royals tightened the race and kept their WVC Tournament hopes alive with a 68-59, Division 2 road victory.

Drayton made all three of his shots from the floor while contributing 10 points, making three steals and swatting away a last-minute 3-point attempt.

Overall, the Holy Redeemer bench outperformed its Wyoming Area counterparts 16-2 in points, 6-2 in rebounds, 4-0 in assists, 3-0 in steals and 1-0 in blocks.

As a result, the Division 2 race will go down to the final night of the regular season — at least.

Wyoming Area, which clinched no worse than a tie for first place last week, is 11-2 in Division 2 and 14-6 overall going into Thursday’s game at Wyoming Seminary. The Warriors lost a championship playoff to Holy Redeemer a year ago after finishing in a first-place tie.

Berwick, the only team that can catch the Warriors, is 10-3 and 13-8 going into its game at Holy Redeemer.

Tuesday’s win came too late for another Holy Redeemer division title, but the Royals (9-4, 12-9) kept alive hopes of taking the division’s second spot in the WVC Tournament away from the Bulldogs.

Popson grabbed nine of his offensive rebounds on the offensive end, but Royals coach Paul Guido used a first-quarter timeout to remind teammates to also look to get the ball directly to him.

“We talked about living on the perimeter too much when we’ve got the big guy down inside,” Guido said.

After yielding a 17-2 run and trailing by as many as eight in the first quarter, the Royals took control with a 27-8 second quarter.

With starting guards spending extended time on the bench with foul trouble in the second and third quarters, Drayton made sure it did not hurt the Royals.

“Q did a nice job,” Guido said. “He’s been playing better for us the second half of the season. He has worked his butt off in practice.

“I’m just really happy for him. He got those minutes and he took advantage of them.”

Drayton and fellow reserves Jack Hurst, Logan Shrader and Logan Sekol were among the seven Royals who scored in the second quarter.

Coyd Qualia had six points in the quarter and eight more in the fourth to finish with 16.

Lukas Burakiewicz and Anthony DeLucca each hit four 3-pointers while scoring 24 and 19 for Wyoming Area. Luke Kopetchny added 14 points, nine rebounds and four assists.

Holy Redeemer 68, Wyoming Area 59

HOLY REDEEMER (68) — Quaglia 6 4-9 16, McLean 1 0-0 2, Licari 2 0-0 5, Sock 2 0-0 4, Popson 7 5-5 20, Shrader 2 0-0 5, Drayton 3 4-6 10, Hurst 2 0-0 4, Sekol 1 0-0 2, Stilp 0 0-0 0. Totals 26 13-20 68.

WYOMING AREA (59) — Pepe 0 0-0 0, DeLucca 6 3-3 19, Kopetchny 4 5-5 14, Keating 0 0-0 0, Burakiewicz 7 6-8 24, Rusinchak 0 0-0 0, Pizano 1 0-0 2. Totals 18 14-16 59.

Holy Redeemer`14`27`14`13 — 68

Wyoming Area`22`8`12`17 — 59

3-point goals – HR 3 (Licari, Popson, Shrader); WA 9 (DeLucca 4, Burakiewicz 4, Kopetchny)

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Luzerne County revises largest bridge tally https://www.psdispatch.com/news/95970/luzerne-county-revises-largest-bridge-tally 2025-02-04T09:01:00Z Jennifer Learn-Andes jandes@timesleader.com
Luzerne County Courthouse File Photo

The Shickshinny-Mocanaqua Bridge was omitted from a recent report on county-owned crossings, county Manager Romilda Crocamo told council Tuesday.

Tom Reilly, president of Reilly Associates in Pittston — the county’s outside engineer — told council during its Jan. 28 work session that the county had owned four bridges exceeding 100 feet. Reilly had said he did not include the Shickshinny-Mocanaqua span because he believed it had been acquired by the state at some point in the past.

In her Tuesday email, Crocamo told council, it has come to the administration’s attention that the county “does in fact own the Shickshinny-Mocanaqua Bridge.”

County ownership was confirmed with the help of county GIS/Mapping Director Dan Reese and the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation, she said.

The county road and bridge department is working to compile all inspection reports on that crossing for review, she said.

The Jan. 28 briefing by Reilly categorized the county’s approximately 300 bridges by size as part of a broader plan to catalog and prioritize work on all spans.

According to information supplied Tuesday, the Shickshinny-Mocanaqua Bridge on state Route 239 over the Susquehanna River is 880 feet long and was built in 1994. It is listed in fair condition overall.

The four other county bridges exceeding 100 feet: the Nanticoke/West Nanticoke Bridge connecting Nanticoke and the West Nanticoke section of Plymouth Township (2,072 feet); the Water Street (Firefighters’ Memorial Bridge) linking Pittston and West Pittston (1,500 feet); the Stephenson Street Bridge in Duryea (268 feet); and the “T-336” Bridge over Nescopeck Creek in Nescopeck Township (103 feet).

Reilly has said he will return to council with a progress report, which will include a list and priority ranking of all bridges.

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Three apply for Luzerne County Election Board chairmanship seat https://www.psdispatch.com/news/95968/three-apply-for-luzerne-county-election-board-chairmanship-seat 2025-02-04T09:00:00Z Jennifer Learn-Andes jandes@timesleader.com
Luzerne County Courthouse File Photo

At least three citizens have applied for the vacant fifth chairmanship seat on Luzerne County’s Election Board — Republicans Vivian Kreidler-Licina and Frank Yamrick and Democrat Christine Boyle, officials said.

The application deadline is Wednesday. The office closes at 4:30 p.m.

The county’s home rule charter created a unique structure for this fifth seat by removing county council from the selection process. Instead, the four council-appointed board members — two Republicans and two Democrats — choose a fifth citizen of any affiliation or no affiliation.

Denise Williams, a Democrat, last filled the seat and served since April 2021, resigning in December because she is running for county council. Prior to Williams, the board had two other Democrats, a Republican and an Independent in the fifth chair seat.

A Nescopeck Township resident, Kreidler-Licina is a homemaker and previously worked as a certified nursing assistant and in a local distribution center. She ran for county council in 2023 and for the government study commission last year.

Kreidler-Licina said Tuesday she applied for the seat because she has been closely following county elections and election law for years and is prepared to take on the responsibility.

Kreidler-Licina said she will hold off on further comments until the board interviews applicants.

“I look forward to any questions board members have,” Kreidler-Licina said.

Yamrick, of West Wyoming, founded and served as president of the Swoyersville metal machining firm Belrick Corp. for more than 50 years.

He also had served for 12 years on the citizen advisory board for the county-owned Wyoming Valley Airport in Forty Fort and Wyoming and originated the county’s formation of that board.

Yamrick, who could not immediately be reached for comment Tuesday, also served on the Luzerne/Schuylkill County Workforce Investment Board for 12 years.

Boyle, of Wyoming, is retired following a career in the insurance industry that included various managerial positions. Boyle could not immediately be reached for comment.

Next step

Information on applying for the seat is posted in the election section at luzernecounty.org.

The board’s policy requires all applicants to be publicly interviewed using questions pre-determined by the board and confirmed by the law office.

If a board majority does not select someone within 60 days, any resident may petition the county Court of Common Pleas to fill the seat. The 60-day clock started with council’s declaration of the vacancy on Jan. 14 and will end March 14.

A meeting has not yet been scheduled to publicly interview and select an applicant.

The current board members are Republicans Alyssa Fusaro (vice chair) and Rick Morelli and Democrats Albert Schlosser and Daniel Schramm.

The election board provides general supervision over elections, certifies results and makes determinations on the tallying of flagged ballots during post-election adjudication.

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Seventeen Luzerne County municipalities raising real estate taxes https://www.psdispatch.com/news/95953/seventeen-luzerne-county-municipalities-raising-real-estate-taxes 2025-02-03T07:00:00Z Jennifer Learn-Andes jandes@timesleader.com

Seventeen of Luzerne County’s 76 municipalities have increased real estate taxes for 2025, according to an annual report from the county Treasurer’s Office.

The highest increase — 1 mill — is in Dallas borough, where taxes are rising from 2 to 3 mills.

To figure out the actual tax payment, the assessed value of a property must be divided by 1,000 and then multiplied by the millage rate.

For example, the owner of a $100,000 property in Dallas will now pay $300 in borough taxes, or $100 more.

Dallas Borough Manager Tracey M. Carr said Monday the borough “takes increasing taxes very seriously and has only done so twice since 2010.”

Millage was increased from 1.31 to 2.00 mills in 2021 to hire two additional full-time police officers to increase the department from four to six full-time officers, she said.

The current increase from 2 to 3 mills will double the amount of money the borough typically allocates to road maintenance, repairs, resurfacing and stormwater infrastructure repairs and replacements, Carr said.

“Dallas Borough strives to keep our roads in good condition; however, we are not gaining enough on the condition of our aging infrastructure and roads versus the toll taken with the ever-increasing severity of weather events,” Carr said in a statement.

Hazleton was next in line, with an increase of 0.983 mills.

City taxes are rising from 8.149 to 9.132 mills, which equates to a payment increase from $814.90 to $913.20 on a property assessed at $100,000.

Hazleton Mayor Jeff Cusat said the increase was “not a shock” because officials were aware of several fiscal challenges impacting the city in 2025, including the loss of approximately $472,000 in revenue from a city water authority agreement that expired, the expiration of a grant that provided $400,000 for police, a balloon debt repayment and more than $200,000 in general fund budget expenses for the city’s law enforcement camera surveillance system.

Rice Township had the third highest increase — 0.82 mills. Overall, the rate is rising from 0.26 mills to 1.08 mills.

Township Secretary/Treasurer Jeff Beck said clarification is warranted for property owners to understand the reason. Of the 1.08 mills, 0.78 mills will cover general operating expenses, he said. The remaining 0.3 mills is solely for a new fire tax covering payments to the Wright Township Volunteer Fire Co. to provide protection, he said.

Beck said the township has not increased real estate taxes in at least 16 years.

“It was required to balance the budget,” Beck said.

The other municipalities with increases, as shown in mills:

• Conyngham, 2.88 to 3.63 (0.75 more)

• Dallas Township, 2.8 to 3.15 (0.35 more)

• Fairmount Township, 1.2957 to 1.3475 (0.0518 more)

• Fairview Township, 1.75 to 1.85 (0.1 more)

• Harveys Lake, 0.804 to 1.0452 (0.2412 more)

• Hollenback Township, 0.55 to 0.6 (0.05 more)

• Jackson Township, 3.84 to 3.94 (0.1 more)

• Lehman Township, 3.7 to 3.85 (0.15 more)

• Luzerne, 3.9362 to 4.0129 (0.0767 more)

• Pittston Township, 1.5 to 1.9 (0.4 more)

• Sugarloaf Township, 2.48 to 2.68 (0.2 more)

• Swoyersville, 1.8 to 2.55 (0.75 more)

• West Hazleton, 5.63 to 6.38 (0.75 more)

• White Haven, 7 to 7.5 (0.5 more)

No change

Millage rates will remain the same in 57 municipalities, and there are no real estate taxes in Buck and Slocum townships.

The county report lists the following unchanged total municipal millage rates: Ashley, 4.85; Avoca, 3.1; Bear Creek Township, 0.4412; Bear Creek Village, 0.549; Black Creek Township, 0.72; Butler Township, 1.098; Conyngham Township, 1.877; Courtdale, 2.5; Dennison Township, 0.5; Dorrance Township, 0.75; Dupont, 1.725; Duryea, 2.7; Edwardsville, 4.45; Exeter, 2.0079; Exeter Township, 1.61; Forty Fort, 5.59; Foster Township, 1; Franklin Township, 0.6350; Freeland, 5.27; Hanover Township, 5.5; Hazle Township, 0.75; Hughestown, 2.4; Hunlock Township, 1.41; Huntington Township, 0.58; Jeddo, 0.336; Jenkins Township, 2.075; Kingston, 1.55; Kingston Township, 1; Laflin, 1.8476; Lake Township, 0.5; Larksville, 4; Laurel Run, 1.4683; Nanticoke, 6.9258; Nescopeck, 3.2; Nescopeck Township, 1.55; New Columbus, 0.37; Newport Township, 4.5; Nuangola, 0.444; Penn Lake Park, 4.6; Pittston, 6.85; Plains Township, 1.97; Plymouth, 7.72; Plymouth Township, 1.386; Pringle, 0.75; Ross Township, 0.44; Salem Township, 3.25; Shickshinny, 1.1329; Sugar Notch, 6; Union Township, 0.4; Warrior Run, 3.8; West Pittston, 4.295; West Wyoming, 2.5; Wilkes-Barre, 141.33 (the city did not convert to new assessments in the countywide reassessment); Wilkes-Barre Township, 2.75; Wright Township, 1.3; Wyoming, 3.7905; and Yatesville, 0.612.

County taxes

The county millage rate will remain at 6.3541 in 2025, for a payment of $635.41 in county taxes on a $100,000 property.

Combined 2024 county/municipal tax bills are targeted for issuance on Feb. 19, according to the county treasurer’s office.

Property owners will have two months to pay at a 2% discount and another two months to pay at the full, or face, amount. A 10% penalty is then added.

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Luzerne County seeks voting machine proposals https://www.psdispatch.com/news/95955/luzerne-county-seeks-voting-machine-proposals 2025-02-03T07:00:00Z Jennifer Learn-Andes jandes@timesleader.com
Luzerne County Courthouse

Voting machine vendors have until Feb. 21 to submit proposals to Luzerne County, according to an online posting.

County Manager Romilda Crocamo has said the proposals will provide options on systems and pricing in case county council wants to make a switch for 2026.

This is an appropriate time to reconsider the voting system because the five-year maintenance and support contract with current voting equipment supplier Dominion Voting Systems expires at the end of 2025, Crocamo has said.

Another option for council would be negotiating a new maintenance and support contract to continue using the Dominion system for a set number of years.

A public search process will reveal the features and costs of all state-certified voting systems and determine if a change is warranted and feasible, the manager said.

Council had approved the purchase of Dominion’s system for $3.6 million at the end of 2019 as part of a state mandate for all counties to implement systems with a paper record that can be verified by voters and kept in case tallies are questioned.

There are two ways to meet the paper-trail requirement — filling in ovals on actual paper or making selections on a computerized touchscreen ballot marking device and then printing it out for review before feeding it into a tabulator to be cast and saved. The Dominion system uses ballot marking devices, but the county has used paper ballots at times that were then scanned into the Dominion tabulators to be tallied.

Because there’s no mandate to change systems, there may be little or no state and federal funding to offset costs. The purchase of a voting system is not eligible for funding through the county’s annual state election integrity grant, officials said.

According to the new posting under the purchasing department page at luzernecounty.org, the county is seeking proposals for an election management system and machines through the PennBid Program.

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Application deadline approaching for Luzerne County Election Board chairmanship seat https://www.psdispatch.com/news/95940/application-deadline-approaching-for-luzerne-county-election-board-chairmanship-seat 2025-02-02T09:00:00Z Jennifer Learn-Andes jandes@timesleader.com
Luzerne County Courthouse

Wednesday is the application deadline for citizens interested in filling a fifth chairmanship seat on Luzerne County’s Election Board.

No citizens had applied as of Thursday afternoon.

The county’s home rule charter created a unique structure for this fifth seat by removing county council from the selection process. Instead, the four council-appointed board members — two Republicans and two Democrats — choose a fifth citizen of any affiliation or no affiliation.

Denise Williams, a Democrat, last filled the seat and served since April 2021, resigning in December because she is running for county council. Prior to Williams, the board had two other Democrats, a Republican and an Independent in the fifth chair seat.

Information on applying is posted in the election section at luzernecounty.org.

According to the charter:

Citizens cannot serve on the board if they are an elected county or public official, a county or public employee or a member or employee of any other county authority, board or commission. Furthermore, appointees can’t be a political party officer or a paid consultant or employee of a contractor of the county or any county authority, board or commission.

These prohibitions go beyond current circumstances and apply four years prior to appointment.

Also, for a period of one year after leaving the election board, members cannot be:

• Hired as a county employee.

• Appointed to or employed by a county authority, board or commission.

• Employed or compensated by any individual or business that served as a county or authority/board/commission contractor during the time the person served on the election board.

• A paid consultant for the county or any authority, board or commission.

Election board members also must be available on Election Day and during the day for a little over a week to two weeks after each primary and general election for the adjudication process.

The board’s policy requires all applicants to be publicly interviewed using questions pre-determined by the board and confirmed by the law office.

If a board majority does not select someone within 60 days, any resident may petition the county Court of Common Pleas to fill the seat. The 60-day clock started with council’s declaration of the vacancy on Jan. 14.

Division head

Approximately 11 people applied for the county’s operational services division head position vacated by the resignation of Jennifer Pecora, said county Manager Romilda Crocamo.

The operational services division head oversees engineering, roads and bridges, planning and zoning, 911, emergency management, buildings and grounds, the boiler plant and solid waste management.

Due to the high level of expertise involved, Crocamo said she is considering forming a screening committee to interview applicants. This panel would include representatives in the engineering, planning/zoning, emergency services and business management fields, she said.

Council confirmation is requiring for the manager’s division nominees to be hired.

County grants writer Michele Sparich is serving as interim operational services division head.

The division head position was advertised at a range of $96,270 to $101,270, and applications were due Jan. 20.

Study commission

The county’s seven-citizen Government Study Commission will meet at 6 p.m. Thursday (Feb. 6) in the county courthouse on River Street in Wilkes-Barre.

The commission has been meeting regularly to assess potential county home rule charter changes and aims to place its proposal on the November 2025 ballot. Voters will then decide whether to switch to the new structure or keep the system in effect since January 2012.

A link to attend the meeting remotely will be posted under council’s online meeting section (scroll down) at luzernecounty.org.

Discussion topics will include draft maps envisioning potential districts if the commission ends up switching from countywide, or at-large, council races to election by regional districts — or a hybrid of both.

The maps are posted in the commission section at luzernecounty.org, which is accessed through the commission banner on the main page.

These maps show the possible layouts of three, four, five and seven districts and include the number of registered voters and their political party affiliations, total population and municipalities in each zone.

Council appointments

Council members appointed internal representatives for three outside boards last week: Jimmy Sabatino, Greater Hazleton CAN DO Board of Directors; Gregory S. Wolovich Jr., Luzerne Conservation District Board of Directors; and Brittany Stephenson, Luzerne-Wyoming Counties Mental Health and Developmental Services Program Advisory Board.

In addition, Sabatino was named the council representative as part of a new partnership agreement with the nonprofit Luzerne-Schuylkill Workforce Investment Board Inc. This board oversees the Luzerne-Schuylkill Workforce Development Area.

Coroner

Applications are due Tuesday (Feb. 4) for the county coroner position vacated by Jillian Matthews.

Matthews, who held the coroner position since October 2022, started work Jan. 24 as the new division chief of the county district attorney’s office vice/narcotics unit.

The coroner position is advertised at $62,000 to $67,513 annually, according to the posting under the human resources department career opportunities section at luzernecounty.org.

Matthews received $65,866 annually as coroner.

County Judicial Services and Records Division Head Paula Radick assigned senior field investigator/autopsy assistant Kaitlin Keating to serve as interim coroner.

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PITTSTON AREA BOYS BASKETBALL: Patriots beat Cougars, move into title contention https://www.psdispatch.com/sports/95897/pittston-area-boys-basketball-patriots-beat-cougars-move-into-title-contention 2025-02-02T12:00:00Z John Erzar jerzar@timesleader.com
Pittston Area senior Silvio Giardina (2) hits a three-point shot against Hazleton Area at home on Friday night. Tony Callaio | For Times Leader

YATESVILLE — The last time the Pittston Area boys basketball team saw Hazleton Area, it was stumbling into what became a three-game winning streak.

After gaining revenge from being hammered three weeks ago, Pittston Area is carrying a four-game winning streak into a game for a shot at the Wyoming Valley Conference Division 1 title.

The Patriots survived an intense fourth quarter Friday night to exact revenge on the Cougars 53-50 and remain in pursuit first-place Dallas heading into Pittston Area’s final division game Tuesday night.

Pittston Area improved to 8-3 in the division and 13-7 overall. A loss Friday would have virtually ended the Patriots’ title hopes. Now, they can clinch at least a tie for first place with a win at Dallas (7-2, 13-6). Hazleton Area fell to 6-4 and 9-11.

Back on Jan. 10, Hazleton Area handed Pittston Area its worst loss of the season 76-47.

“I’ve been coaching a long time, and I’m just so proud of what they did tonight,” Pittston Area coach Al Semenza said. “Two weeks ago, we were really in trouble.”

Now, the Patriots have put the winning streak, which included a home game against Dallas, behind them.

“We’ve bounced back and to come here tonight and beat them after what they did to us down there is a reflection of the fight in these kids,” Semenza said.

Aiden Lynn sank a free throw after missing his first with 1.2 seconds remaining for the game’s final points. Hazleton Area launched a long pass across midcourt in an attempt to get a 3-point shot, but Pittston Area’s Silvio Giardina slapped the ball away and the Patriots celebrated their win for a second time.

Yes, a second time.

Pittston Area appeared to seal the win when the Patriots’ Lucas Lopresto pulled down a defensive rebound with six seconds left and passed to Lynn outside the 3-point line. Lynn was fouled as the buzzer sounded, but the officials conferred and put 1.2 seconds on the clock. Video showed it was the correct call.

“They outrebounded us, they outhustled us for two-and-a-half quarters,” Hazleton Area coach Pat Brogan said. “They threw good, crisp two-hand chest passes the entire game. They finished drives. They just played harder for two, almost three quarters.”

Giardina made four 3-pointers and led Pittston Area with 21 points, but there were contributions elsewhere.

Paul Jordan McGarry continued his hot streak behind the arc, including banking in a contested 3-pointer to end the third quarter. He finished with 13 points and eight rebounds. Matt Walter battled often against bigger players for eight points and six rebounds. Lucas Lopresto added seven points and a strong defensive effort.

Hazleton Area’s Luis Guzman, who missed Tuesday’s game with Nanticoke Area with an injury, finished with 12 points and 13 rebounds. Sharpshooter Dylan Stish had 10. The duo was averaging a combined 34.8 points entering the game.

Hazleton Area lost the lead at the end of the second quarter but finally caught Pittston Area early in the third as Angel Saladin’s transition basket made it 27-27. The Patriots answered with an 11-1 run.

Pittston Area 57, Wyoming Valley West 35

Silvio Giardina scored 14 of his 16 points in the first half Tuesday to lead Pittston Area to the Division 1 home-court victory over Wyoming Valley West.

Giardina had nine points in the second quarter when the Patriots increased their 16-10 lead to 34-20.

Six Patriots scored at least six points, including Lucas Lopresto, who scored all nine of his points in the first half.

John Jadus, who scored six points in the third quarter, and Paul Jordan McGarry scored eight points each.

Aiden Lynn added seven points. Aidan Clarke scored all six of his points in the second half.

Navion Terry led the Spartans with 13 points.

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GIRLS BASKETBALL ROUNDUP: Wyoming Area, Pittston Area each split this week’s games https://www.psdispatch.com/sports/95901/girls-basketball-roundup-wyoming-area-pittston-area-each-split-this-weeks-games 2025-02-02T12:00:00Z Sunday Dispatch
Warrior Krea Bonita (4) dribbles past a Hanover defender in second-half action. Bonita led all scorers with 17 points. Tony Callaio | For Sunday Dispatch

Wyoming Area and Pittston Area each went 1-1 during the week in Wyoming Valley Conference girls basketball with their losses coming against the teams that are unbeaten in the WVC to clinch no worse than first-place ties in their respective divisions.

The Lady Warriors are 5-7 in Division 2 and 7-13 overall. Following a rough first half of the season, they have won four of their last five with the only loss in that time coming to Lake-Lehman, which is 12-0 in the division.

The Lady Patriots are 6-5 in Division 1 and 14-5 overall. They lost this week to Hazleton Area, which is 10-0 in the division.

Wyoming Area 50, Hanover Area 31

Krea Bonita scored 17 points while Abby Sterba contributed a double-double Thursday night as Wyoming Area defeated visiting Hanover Area.

Bonita was 7-for-15 from the floor. While her teammates were missing all 10 of their 3-point tries, she was 2-for-5 from beyond the arc.

Sterba scored 12 points and pulled down 10 rebounds. Shannon Kearns added eight rebounds and Addison Gaylord seven to help the Lady Warriors control the boards.

Kendall Day made five steals while Bonita, Sterba and Kearns made four each.

Wyoming Area led by just three after one quarter, but built the lead to 27-17 at halftime.

The Lady Warriors then outscored the Lady Hawkeyes 17-5 in the third quarter, including scoring the first six points of the second half in just 1:12.

After Aminah Dixon scored all seven of her points in the second quarter, Bonita had nine and Sterba six during the third quarter.

Hazleton Area 68, Pittston Area 35

Kaitlyn Bindas scored 17 points to lead four scorers in double figures as host Hazleton Area clinched at least a first-place tie in WVC Division 1.

Mariah Marolo (12), Sophia Shults (11) and Sophia Benyo (10) helped District 2’s last unbeaten basketball team overall offset a 22-point night by Pittston Area’s Daniella Ranieli.

The Lady Cougars ran out to leads of 25-9 after one quarter, 47-19 at halftime and 65-32 doing into the fourth quarter, which was played entirely under the running clock of the Mercy Rule.

Benyo had eight points and Bindas seven in the first quarter.

Ranieli went 8-for-8 from the foul line, including making six while scoring 11 of Pittston Area’s 13 third-quarter points.

Pittston Area 44, Wyoming Valley West 38

Pittston Area won Monday’s WVC Division 1 game on the road for its third straight victory.

The teams were tied 28-28 through three quarters before Ranieli scored 14 of her game-high 28 points.

Ranieli made four 3-pointers and went 6-for-7 from the line.

Thalia Irizarry led Wyoming Valley West with 15 points.

Lake-Lehman 43, Wyoming Area 17

Ella Wilson scored 15 points to lead Lake-Lehman to Monday’s victory.

Shannon Kearns led Wyoming Area with seven points and eight rebounds.

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WYOMING AREA WRESTLING: Obrzut places third in Coal Cracker Tournament https://www.psdispatch.com/sports/95906/wyoming-area-wrestling-obrzut-places-third-in-coal-cracker-tournament 2025-02-02T12:00:00Z Sunday Dispatch

Nate Obrzut placed third at 285 pounds to lead Wyoming Area’s efforts Jan. 24-25 in the Coal Cracker Wrestling Tournament at Lehighton.

Obrzut was the only Warrior to finish in the top eight in any weight class in the 58-team event.

Wyoming Area finished tied for 39th with 50½ points.

Faith Christian Academy ran away with the team title, scoring 344 points, more than any other two teams combined. Wyoming Seminary was fourth.

Obrzut went 6-1 in the tournament, winning four straight to reach the semifinals, then bouncing back from his only loss to win two straight and take third.

In the opening round, Obrzut needed just 52 seconds to finish Selinsgrove’s Connor Crosson for the first of his four pins. He received a forfeit in the quarterfinals and defeated Caleb Nason from Athens 6-4 in the consolation semifinals.

Obrzut pinned Upper Dauphin’s Eoghan Savage with 39 seconds left in the third-place match.

The rest of the Warriors went 2-12 in the consolation brackets, leading to quick exits after being removed from title contention.

Connor Novakowski went 3-2 at 127. He won by pin in 27 seconds in the first round when eight Warriors were losing and Obrzut had the only other win.

Chase Wilhelm, at 107, and Caden Reynolds, at 215, posted pins in the second round after receiving first-round byes.

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Varsity athletic schedules, Feb. 2-8 https://www.psdispatch.com/sports/95908/varsity-athletic-schedules-feb-2-8 2025-02-02T12:00:00Z

MONDAY, Feb. 3

Girls basketball: Wyoming Area at Holy Redeemer (varsity only), 6 p.m.

Girls basketball: Wyoming Valley West at Pittston Area, 7:15 p.m.

TUESDAY, Feb. 4

Boys and girls swimming: Lake-Lehman at Wyoming Area, 4 p.m.

Boys and girls swimming: Pittston Area at Berwick, 4:30 p.m.

Boys basketball: Holy Redeemer at Wyoming Area, 7:15 p.m.

Boys basketball: Pittston Area at Dallas, 7:15 p.m.

WEDNESDAY, Feb. 5

Girls basketball: Wyoming Seminary at Wyoming Area (varsity only), 6 p.m.

THURSDAY, Feb. 6

Boys basketball: Wyoming Area at Wyoming Seminary, 6 p.m.

FRIDAY, Feb. 7

Boys and girls swimming: Wyoming Area at Wyoming Seminary, 4:30 p.m.

SATURDAY, Feb. 8

Wrestling: Pittston Area at Kutztown (NL), 10 a.m.

Girls basketball: Tunkhannock at Pittston Area (NL), 1:45 p.m.

Boys basketball: Wyoming Area at Pittston Area (NL), 7:15 p.m.

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