The schedule has been set for the annual Anthony D. “Badger” Marseco Tournament at Old Forge.

The boys and girls basketball event will feature a pair of four-game days on Dec. 27 and 29.

Host Old Forge, Pittston Area, and Wyoming Area all have both their boys and girls teams entered. They will be joined by the Northwest boys and Hanover Area girls.

Pittston Area and Wyoming Area will open the event with a girls’ game on Dec. 27 at 3 p.m. Hanover Area and Old Forge are scheduled to follow in a 4:30 p.m. girls’ game.

The boys’ semifinal doubleheader features Pittston Area and Northwest at 6:30 and Wyoming Area vs. Old Forge at 8 p.m.

The Wyoming Area-Old Forge boys game is the Badger Game, honoring the late Marseco, an Old Forge player and Wyoming Area assistant coach.

The Dec. 29 schedule also features games at 3, 4:30, 6:30, and 8 with the girls’ consolation game followed by the boys’ consolation, girls’ championship, and boys’ championship.

A whirlwind of updates on Thursday revealed that Wilkes-Barre Controller Tony Thomas is now serving as interim chairman of Luzerne County’s Democratic Party.

The day started with Thomas M. Shubilla’s announcement that he was immediately resigning as party chair, citing his demanding schedule and other commitments.

Party vice chair Maryann Velez said Thursday morning she would be temporarily serving as chair but did not want the leadership post for an extended period because she is busy with an existing and new nonprofit.

After that news was posted online, some party executive committee members made it known that Shubilla’s resignation was actually prompted by a Wednesday night no-confidence vote regarding Shubilla. The executive committee made Thomas interim chairman.

Velez sent the executive committee an email Thursday afternoon announcing she would be stepping down as vice chair.

Thomas said the no-confidence vote was prompted by some members of the executive committee questioning Shubilla’s “leadership style and decision-making ability.” As a result of that vote, an interim chair had to be named under party protocol, and Thomas said he was selected by the committee to fill that role.

The vote was 28 for the no-confidence action — none against it and three abstaining, Thomas said.

Thomas said his period as interim chair will be temporary, and he has no intention of permanently seeking the post.

The Pennsylvania Democratic Party has been notified of the no-confidence vote and Thomas’ appointment as temporary chair, he said.

Thomas noted he was one of the three who abstained in the vote.

“I do wish Tom the best in his future endeavors and thank him for the work that he has done. He does great work as an elected commissioner for Plains Township, and I have enjoyed my time serving with him in various capacities over the years,” Thomas said.

He also agreed with Shubilla that the party “is now in a better spot than when he started.”

Shubilla could not immediately be reached for comment on the no-confidence vote.

Shubilla took over the chairmanship in July 2023, when Kathy Bozinski resigned from the post to accept a state position. Shubilla had been serving as party vice chairman under Bozinski.

Shubilla said he decided to immediately step down from the leadership role “after careful consideration.”

He said he has become increasingly busy at work and with his duties as an elected Plains Township commissioner. He is also focused on an upcoming book publication about the 1962 movie “King Kong vs. Godzilla” and said the time “required to lead the party effectively is no longer something I can give in the way it deserves.”

“When I first stepped into this role, my goal was simple: to strengthen our organization, build partnerships, and help Democrats win again in Luzerne County,” Shubilla said in a statement. “I believe we have done that and more.”

Shubilla said he and other party leaders have worked with local committees, candidates, and outside groups in the last two municipal elections “to rebuild the momentum we had lost.”

“Together, we won eight county council seats, a controller’s race, a county Court of Common Pleas judge’s seat, and numerous local offices across the county,” Shubilla said. “Even in a rough presidential election year, we were able to come together to work towards a common goal of electing Democrats, focusing on the issues that matter, and working together.”

Those victories were “not the result of luck” and stemmed from hard work, a “shared belief in what our party stands for, and a focused message,” Shubilla said.

“I believe we have left the Luzerne County Democratic Party in a better place today than when I took over as chair in 2023. In addition, I hope the progress we have brought to the party will continue,” Shubilla said.

He thanked Velez and described her as the “best vice-chair in the world,” saying she stood by him throughout his time as chair and has been “dedicated and committed to the party.”

Shubilla said on Thursday that a new Democratic Party chair must be elected by committee members in 2026. For that process, county Democrats elect committee members in the primary — one man and one woman in each of the 186 voting precincts, or a total 372. Those committee members then meet shortly after the primary election is certified to elect the chair.

Velez, of Duryea, is the founder and president/CEO of the local nonprofit UNA, a volunteer-based organization that works for the citizens of Northeastern Pennsylvania.

Shortly before 1 p.m., she sent an email to the executive body saying she is not interested in assuming the chair position and cannot continue serving as vice chair.

“After careful consideration, and in light of the direction my future endeavors are carrying me, I find that my path no longer permits the capacity required for these leadership responsibilities,” Velez wrote.

“In the spirit of continuity and respect for established order, I leave the appointment of a new chair and vice chair in the capable hands of Interim Chair Tony Thomas. I have every confidence that he will guide these decisions with clarity and fairness,” she wrote.

Velez said it was a “pleasure and an honor” to serve with Shubilla, a “colleague whose dedication and integrity strengthen the very foundation of our shared work.”

“I wish each of you the very best as you continue to move this body forward with commitment, collaboration, and care,” Velez wrote. “May the work ahead be fruitful, and may it carry our county toward a future where every step honors the progress already made.”

Luzerne County District Attorney Sam Sanguedolce and Controller Walter Griffith presented their proposed 2026 budgets to County Council this week.

The DA’s proposed budget is $7.7 million, which is an increase of $514,553, according to the document. The office expects to bring in $1.9 million in 2026, which mirrors this year’s revenue, it said.

The lion’s share of the increase involves personnel costs, which are projected to rise by approximately $494,000, for a new total $6.2 million, the budget said.

Sanguedolce told council he is happy to report he will be “well within” his 2025 budget, but he is not pleased he has 16 vacancies due to continued challenges with recruitment and retention.

“So thank you to my staff who goes above and beyond to make sure the work gets done, even though we’re very short on people,” the DA said.

He noted the state budget impasse also had an “adverse impact” on the office because it has not been receiving state disbursements that help fund the county Drug Task Force.

The DA’s office assumed control of the task force from the state Attorney General’s Office in 2016, with participation from county detectives and many municipal police officers.

“We’ve been trying to make do so they can continue to fight drug trafficking issues in the county,” Sanguedolce said.

Sanguedolce asked council to keep a $150,000 allocation for capital cases intact in next year’s budget due to potential criminal trials seeking the death penalty.

”I can say that there are multiple cases that look like they are going to be capital and tried next year, so hopefully that line item remains the same,” he told council.

The DA also touched on the “elephant in the room,” referring to continued concerns over funding for law enforcement his office provides to the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton International Airport in Avoca, which is jointly owned by Luzerne and Lackawanna counties.

The federal government eliminated funding for airport law enforcement officers last year.

Coverage costs approximately $144,000 per year, or $12,000 a month. The airport has been picking up half the cost — $6,000 per month, or $72,000 annually

Luzerne County officials have complained that Lackawanna is not sharing in the cost, while at least one Lackawanna official has questioned the need for the program.

Crocamo said Lackawanna officials have been invited to a Nov. 19 evening meeting to discuss the matter. She expects the meeting will be public, with details to be announced.

Sanguedolce thanked Crocamo for supporting the program.

“I can’t believe that in 2025, we’re having a discussion about not putting police officers in an airport,” the DA said.

Sanguedolce acknowledged that the cost remains a concern and said he continues to press federal officials to reinstitute federal funding to cover it, while discussing other options with Crocamo that could help recoup some of the county’s expenses.

Controller budget

Griffith told council his proposed budget is increasing by $4,000 overall due to non-union worker compensation.

The new total proposed expenses: $282,242.

He told council he is “more than happy” to answer questions.

Instead, Councilman Greg Wolovich invited incoming controller Tim McGinley to the podium to speak. McGinley defeated Griffith in the Nov. 4 general election and will be seated in January.

“I was wondering if the controller-elect had any insight on the budget next year since he will be holding the office,” Wolovich said, prompting Griffith to return to his seat.

McGinley, a prior county councilman, told council he is looking forward to returning to work in the county and hopes his office and council will have a “very good working relationship.”

He expressed understanding of the county’s fiscal challenges due to the proposed tax increase. McGinley said he reviewed the controller’s budget and requested time to perform more research in case he wants to request any alterations.

Luzerne County’s Election Board voted Wednesday to reject five mail ballots dropped off by two people without the required forms authorizing delivery on behalf of those voters.

County Election Director Emily Cook had said the two voters were questioned when they were observed bringing more than one Nov. 4 general election ballot to the Penn Place lobby drop box in Wilkes-Barre, and they did not produce a designated agent form. One voter had two ballots, and the other brought three.

Under state law, voters are only allowed to mail or hand-deliver their own ballot unless they are serving as an agent for someone with a disability. Disabled voters must fill out an official form authorizing someone to deliver their ballot for them.

Cook referred the matter to the county District Attorney’s Office for investigation, but Election Board Chairwoman Christine Boyle said Wednesday the board must make a decision in preparation for certification of the election results.

The board is scheduled to hold a certification voting meeting on Nov. 24.

All four board members in attendance at Wednesday’s ongoing, post-election adjudication — Boyle, Vice Chairwoman Alyssa Fusaro, Rick Morelli and Daniel Schramm — said they cannot support accepting the five ballots.

Morelli said the law is clear, and accepting the ballots would “open up a can of worms” and contribute to ongoing controversy over the use of drop boxes and claims of ballot harvesting.

He noted it is possible the individuals were delivering the ballots for family members and unaware of the form requirement, but they still proceeded with feeding them into the drop box after they were informed a form was necessary.

Fusaro said the board rejected mail ballots in the past due to the failure to produce forms. The decision of two voters to drop off the ballots after they were informed they cannot without a form is an “illegal activity,” she said.

Schramm concurred, saying, “They were told not to do it and did it anyway.”

Boyle agreed and said the board has no legal guidance permitting the ballots to be accepted.

Albert Schlosser, the fifth board member, was not in attendance on Wednesday.

Pittston referendum

The fate of Pittston’s general election ballot question is still unclear because the latest unofficial results posted Nov. 6 show a one-vote difference, with 715 against the referendum and 714 for it.

The question asked city voters if they want to change the city charter to make the elected treasurer/tax collector position an appointed department director when the current elected term expires at the end of 2027. If a majority of voters approved the referendum, the qualifications, powers, and duties of the director position would be “adjusted to correspond with a position held by a city employee,” an accompanying explanation said.

At least one additional vote for the referendum was detected during Wednesday morning’s portion of the adjudication, which would make the vote tied.

Board members noted two more referendum votes later in the day — one for and the other against.

If the decision ends up tied, Cook said she expects a public process would be necessary to break it. For past ties, the election bureau traditionally places numbered balls corresponding to each party in a container and shakes it before one is selected.

Signature issue

In another vote on Wednesday, all four board members voted to accept eight paper provisional ballots that had been placed on hold.

Provisional ballots are cast at polling places, typically when workers determine additional voter verification is needed. The county reviews provisional ballots last to ensure the voters are properly registered and did not cast a second ballot by mail.

The eight ballots had the required outer envelope voter signatures but were not signed by the polling place judge of elections as specified. The election bureau contacted the judges of elections to see if they would come to Penn Place to verify and sign the outer envelopes, and seven of the eight were signed as a result.

Board members approved all eight, based on current case law, so the remaining faultless voter was not penalized with a ballot rejection. They noted the voter had to receive the provisional ballot from the judge of elections.

Two provisional ballots were also unanimously rejected on Wednesday because the voters did not present the required identification at their polling place and failed to appear at the election bureau by Monday’s deadline to provide identification.

Results update

Updated results from lingering mail and provisional ballots approved by the board will be uploaded to the online results after the tallying of write-in votes, which should continue at least through the end of this week, Cook said.

A row of several county workers tallied the write-in votes on computers at Penn Place on Wednesday under the observation of board members, with large screens set up for the public to monitor their actions.

In all, 30,000 ballots were flagged for review because they contained write-in votes or had other issues, Cook said.

FREELAND — Theresa Long, Head of School at MMI Preparatory School, announced the names of students who achieved Head of School status during the second semester of the 2024-2025 school year.

For a student to achieve Head of School status at the end of a semester, students must; have a cumulative average in all subjects of 85.0 for the preceding two quarters, have attained an average of 75.0 or better in each course with no “incompletes,” be enrolled in a complete schedule of courses, and have a satisfactory citizenship record for each school semester. Inclusion of the Head of School list gets added to a student’s permanent file. Students who achieved Head of School status are as follows:

Sixth grade: Yordy Aponte, Hazle Township; Dylan Duran, Hazle Township; Jacob Hoffman, Mountain Top; Aria Karnoski, Drums; Athena Lee, Drums; Mason Makowiec, Sugarloaf; Maahi Patel, Mountain Top; Derek Reyes Rodriguez, Hazleton; Charles Rogers, Kingston; Elaina Seltzer, Mountain Top; Randall Skuba, Sugarloaf.

Seventh grade: Nathaniel Belanger, Mountain Top; Paxton Bleiler, Mountain Top; Ryan Bonifacio, Hazleton; Alexander Diaz, Hazleton; Kai Duran, Hazle Township; Owen Farrell, Mountain Top; Ernesto Garay, Hazleton; Kamil Gonzalez Arias, Hazle Township; Odin Hixenbaugh, Hazle Township; Sahiba Kaur, Sugarloaf; Jaxon Lyman, White Haven; Riley Mason, Hazleton; Avery Orozco, Zion Grove; Ivan Ortiz, Hazleton; Rian Patel, Mountain Top; Addison Potsko, Mountain Top; Mathias Santana, West Hazleton; Gabrielle Serock, Sugarloaf; Gabriella Vasquez, Hazleton; Megan Yamulla, Sugarloaf; Matej Zizka, Sugarloaf.

Eighth grade: Jeremy Arias, Hazleton; Marlow Basalyga, Hazleton; Jack Benyo, Drums; Robert Brighthaupt, Bloomsburg; Jade Cabrera, Drums; Emma Casey, Freeland; Nicholas Corazza, Sugarloaf; Norjhely Cornelio Pena, Hazleton; Neal DeAngelo, Mountain Top; Lissa Garcia, Sugarloaf; Brayden Hoover, Sugarloaf; Stella Horvath, Conyngham; Sophie Larock, Tresckow; Lance Lispi, Lake Harmony; Mikaela Mauna, Freeland; Ashley Mendoza, West Hazleton; Keirsi Mooney, Mountain Top; Momin Muhammad, Mountain Top; Victoria Park, Hazle Township; Jade Quijandria, Hazleton; Thomas Rogers, Kingston; Tyler Swircek, Hazleton; Yaslin Tejeda Nivar, Hazleton; Ethan Ungemach, Sugarloaf.

Ninth grade: Anthony Arias Tejeda, Hazleton; Gabriella Carsia, Sugarloaf; Isabella DeStefano, Freeland; Anna Drobnock, West Hazleton; Benjamin Drobnock, West Hazleton; Isaac Edmonds, Jim Thorpe; Lucas Edmonds, Jim Thorpe; Kayleigh Erickson, Mountain Top; Jack Farrell, Mountain Top; Arianna Larsen, Drums; Maia Laverty, Mountain Top; Calli Mason, Drums; Olivia Moore, Hazleton; Zachary Naugle, Hazle Township; Arianny Nieves, Hazleton; Thomas Pantages, Lake Harmony; Shreeya Parikh, Mountain Top; Justin Park, Hazle Township; Siya Patel, Sugarloaf; Andrew Pedri, Drums; Evan Polanco, Berwick; Angel Reymunde Wittmer, Mountain Top; Xavier Reymunde Wittmer, Mountain Top; Jared Santana, Freeland; Denna Stellar, Weatherly; Maxwell Temchatin, Drums; Marissa Yamulla, Sugarloaf; Clark Young, Freeland; Madalynn Young, Mountain Top.

10th grade: Yoreimy Aponte, Hazle Township; Katherine Arias, Hazleton; Philip Benyo, Drums; Maximus Bleiler, Mountain Top; Christina Chrin, Barnesville; Ian Composto, Freeland; Gavyn Corchado, Mountain Top; Nicholas Erickson, Mountain Top; Alexa Fazio, Freeland; Eliza Garcia, Drums; Jacob Gatts, Conyngham; Katelyn Gera, Weatherly; Zachary Jordan, Drums; Nathaniel Kringe, Drums; Kenedy Lutz, Lake Harmony; Arham Mehran, Mountain Top; Savannah Romero, Hazleton; Angelina Seeba, Mountain Top; Ruhani Shah, Mountain Top; Amanda Stoffa, White Haven; Nicholas Swaditch, White Haven; Delilah Yatsko, Drums; Anna Zaroda, Mountain Top; Sharon Zhuang, Conyngham.

11th grade: Cedrah Abdulrahman, Hazleton; Hasan Arain, Bear Creek Township; Morgan Beerbower, Sugarloaf; Frederick Blaine, Weatherly; Alexis Bleiler, Mountain Top; Jozef Dovicak, White Haven; JT Ferry , Drums; Adam Frask, Drums; Samantha Gatts, Conyngham; Ava Genetti, Sugarloaf; Benjamin Gombeda, Freeland; Nora Herseim, Hazle Township; Gabriel Horvath, Conyngham; Mehak Manzoor, Mountain Top; Joseph Mayernik, Freeland; Cassidy McDermott, White Haven; Yeleiny Paniagua, West Hazleton; Sharan Parikh, Mountain Top; Rishi Patel, Drums; Bryce Radzwich, Conyngham; Christian Schulz, Freeland Erica Schwear, Sugarloaf; Caleb Skuba, Drums; Arushi Solgama, Mountain Top; Jayden Unger, Conyngham; Georgia Washko, Drums; David Yamulla, Sugarloaf; Madelyn Young, Freeland.

12th grade: Chloe Allen, Freeland; Willa Bartholomew, Jim Thorpe; Xavier Bleiler, Mountain Top; Corey Buchman, Freeland; Lydia Chen, Freeland; Alexander Composto, Freeland; Eve Corazza, Sugarloaf; Dante DeStefano, Freeland; Daniel Griffith, Hazleton; Brayden Harleman, Hazleton; Joshua Hoover, Sugarloaf; Thomas Horvat, Drums; Aiden Hosier, West Pittston; Diane Kim, Frackville; Michael Kranyak, Hazle Township; Mary Kate Kupsky, Bear Creek Township; Gracie Magula, Hazleton; Joshua Naugle, Hazle Township; Kendall Orozco, Zion Grove; Kiyan Paknezhad, Mountain Top; Nicholas Pantages, Lake Harmony; Evan Pedri, Drums; Isaiah Perez-Serrano, Hazleton; Lucas Pesotine, Freeland; Jason Roberts, Freeland; Hayden Schwabe, Hazle Township; Lilli Warner-Senape, White Haven; Isabelle Wells, Wapwallopen; Joshua Witner, Freeland; Winni Zheng, Jim Thorpe.

Wyoming area Kiwanis president Morgan Coolbaugh has been elected to serve as Pennsylvania Kiwanis Division 15 lieutenant governor.

Coolbaugh has been a Kiwanis member since 2020 and has been involved since she was a seventh grade Builder’s Club member. She followed in the Kiwanis family of service through high school at Wyoming Area as a Key Club member and served as Pennsylvania Key Club governor from 2016 to 2017.

Since joining Kiwanis, she has served two terms as Wyoming Area Kiwanis president and serves on the Pennsylvania Kiwanis Key Club committee. She has attended several Kiwanis International conventions and many Pennsylvania Kiwanis conventions.

Due to a complicated process involving tax-exempt bond status, the nonprofit Tenor Health Foundation Inc. needs Luzerne County Council approval to borrow funds to purchase Wilkes-Barre General Hospital from Community Health Systems Inc.

Council must approve Tenor Health’s borrowing of approximately $72 million because the package through lender and bond holder Rosemawr Asset Management includes tax-exempt bonds, said Attorney Peter Moses.

Moses represents the Northeastern Pennsylvania Hospital and Higher Education Authority, an entity created by the county to provide tax-exempt bond status for nonprofit health care providers and educational institutions to help them attract investors.

During a lengthy discussion at Monday’s council work session, Moses repeatedly emphasized the county and authority are not pledging or obligating any funds for the borrowing and won’t be liable for any payments.

Council is expected to vote on the request at its next meeting on Nov. 25.

Tenor Health’s proposal met all state law requirements for tax-exempt borrowing, Moses said.

Moses also stressed that the package before council focuses solely on the 369-bed Wilkes-Barre General Hospital and associated real estate in this county.

Bart Plank, head of healthcare public finance at Cain Brothers, a division of Key Bank, told council Tenor Health won’t be required to pay — and thus borrow funds — for the purchase of two other hospitals in Lackawanna County because those two facilities have been losing money.

Like Wilkes-Barre General, the two Lackawanna County hospitals — the 186-bed Regional Hospital of Scranton and 122-bed Moses Taylor Hospital — are part of Commonwealth Health, a subsidiary of Community Health Systems.

While Tenor would own and manage all three hospitals, Plank said all revenue generated from Wilkes-Barre General Hospital must “stay in Wilkes-Barre” to keep the facility profitable and repay the debt. These conditions were required by Rosemawr Asset Management, he said.

Tenor Chief Executive Officer and founder Radha Savitala told council her nonprofit was established to own and operate hospitals that are financially struggling to ensure access to health care in communities where there is a risk of either competition or hospitals shutting down.

In addition to the three hospitals, the acquisition will include all physician practices and clinics, ambulatory surgery centers, and real estate, Savitala said. Tenor is working to close on the transaction next month.

Nonprofit ownership will ensure profits are reinvested locally, not for the “benefit of equity shareholders in a public company,” she said.

Tenor would establish a community board to provide input and transparency regarding hospital operations and finances, she said.

Based on local feedback, Savitala said needs that must be addressed include staff recruitment and capital improvements.

“If we’re going to have members of the community come to the hospital, we really have to show that we have the ability to invest and improve the equipment and the physical plant, but also improve the inequities of our employees,” Savitala said. “Every aspect of the hospital operations is being looked at and reviewed, and we will do what is right for this hospital and this community.”

While acknowledging Wilkes-Barre General Hospital’s importance providing health care, several council members expressed concerns about the loss of tax revenue.

County taxing bodies are projected to collectively lose more than $1.9 million in real estate tax revenue annually with the purchase, including approximately $328,000 currently received by the county, records show.

Savitala said she welcomes discussions about services that can be provided to “ensure stability and to replace some of the lost revenue from the property taxes.” For example, Tenor may assist with medical screenings and vaccines for Wilkes-Barre’s mobile health unit, she said.

Wilkes-Barre General Hospital CEO Michael Clark told council he is “very confident” Tenor will address recruitment and capital needs and “make the right choices” so the hospital “can continue to flourish.”

Clark also bluntly pointed out this is the first time a buyer has come forward with the “wherewithal to make this sale go through.”

Last year’s proposed purchase by WoodBridge Healthcare Inc. failed to materialize largely due to challenges securing financing, officials said.

”Some people mistakenly think that there are people on the sideline waiting for this to fall through, and then they’ll come in, swoop in, and buy the hospitals,” Clark said. “There’s been at least 10 or 15 different entities that have looked at the purchases and have never gone any further.”

During public comment, Dr. Michael Tedesco urged council to approve the Tenor proposal.

Tedesco said he moved here in 1987 to work as an obstetrician and estimated he had delivered approximately 10,000 babies in the area.

He said he met with Tenor representatives last week and was “cautiously optimistic” because it has a “vision to bring back services to support this hospital and help it grow.” Like Clark, he said he is unaware of any other entities willing to take on the project.

“The community needs Wilkes-Barre General Hospital,” Tedesco said. “We can’t let this hospital go down.”

Dr. Patrick Conaboy, a family practitioner in Northeastern Pennsylvania for more than 30 years, shared stock prices and other statistics that have convinced him Community Health Systems won’t “continue with Wilkes-Barre General Hospital beyond 2027.”

“People think if this goes away, Wilkes-Barre General will continue on and remain on the tax rolls and everything will be fine,” Conaboy said. “I’m here to tell you that’s not true.”

Conaboy said one option to offset the real estate tax loss could be free X-rays and bloodwork for emergency responders.

Luzerne County Council confirmed county grant writer Michele Sparich’s appointment Monday as the new operational services division head.

All nine members in attendance approved the confirmation — a step required for the county’s eight division heads. The council members in support: Harry Haas, Patty Krushnowski, Chairman John Lombardo, LeeAnn McDermott, Chris Perry, Jimmy Sabatino, Brittany Stephenson, Vice Chairman Brian Thornton and Greg Wolovich.

Council members Joanna Bryn Smith and Kevin Lescavage were absent.

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.

Sparich will receive $98,800 annually and continue to handle grant writing duties.

The position is open because Jennifer Pecora left at the start of the year to accept employment outside county government.

Sparich had served as acting operational division head and also previously acted as temporary overseer of the human services division and administrative services division during periods when those positions were vacant. She has worked for the county since 2004.

“I’m excited to move forward as a permanent operations division head,” Sparich said after Monday’s meeting, adding she is “very appreciative” of the support from council and county Manager Romilda Crocamo, who nominates division heads to council.

“The departments within this division have many dedicated and hard-working employees, and I’m looking forward to working with them to move the county forward,” Sparich said.

Thanking council for its “overwhelming support” for the hiring, Crocamo said Sparich is an “exceptional individual” and a “beacon of innovation and intelligence” who has been “moving our county forward over the decades.”

“What sets Michele apart is her unwavering commitment to leading by example,” Crocamo said. “She embodies the values we hold dear: integrity, dedication, and service. Her work has not only transformed policies and programs but has also fostered a sense of unity and purpose among us all. We all have seen firsthand how her leadership galvanizes teams, encouraging collaboration and a shared vision for a brighter future.”

Opioid earmarks

Council approved two of three proposed opioid settlement fund earmarks on Monday’s agenda.

The requests were advanced to council by the county’s Commission on Opioid Misuse and Addiction Abatement, which was created to make recommendations on how to spend funds received from the state’s settlement against opioid manufacturers and wholesale distributors.

The two approved:

• $500,000 for Wyoming Valley Behavioral Health, an inpatient psychiatric hospital on Wyoming Avenue in Kingston that treats patients with serious mental illnesses and co-occurring substance use disorders. The funds will expand and enhance its adult inpatient program to “meet the rising demand for crisis-level psychiatric and opioid use disorder care” in the county and alleviate the burden on hospital emergency departments and emergency responders, its submission said.

• $69,400 for the nonprofit Pathway to Recovery Counseling and Educational Services to cover costs associated with providing its eight-month Too Good for Drugs prevention program in three school districts — sixth through eighth grades at Hazleton Area; sixth grade at Crestwood; and sixth through twelfth grades at Hanover Area.

A council majority did not support the final $131,360 allocation to cover chiropractic services intended to prevent acute and chronic pain sufferers from turning to addictive opioid medication.

Dr. Jeff Lewis, the owner of Lewis Chiropractic in Hanover Township, submitted the application to provide chiropractic treatment to those without insurance or with insurance that does not cover the service. He is calling the new program the “Alternatives to Opioid Medication in Chiropractic (ATOMIC) Initiative.”

Several council members raised questions and concerns about the proposal during the last work session, in part because it differs from the types of programs and services funded in the past.

Three council members —Haas, McDermott and Wolovich — voted for the earmark, but the remaining six did not.

Lewis said after the vote he believes council “missed a great opportunity to think outside the box and help the most vulnerable of their citizens.”

“Rejecting the Atomic Program based on its uniqueness and the possibility of other practitioners aiming to use opioid funds to help those seeking non-drug alternatives doesn’t seem very forward-thinking given the fact that the County Commission on Opioid Misuse and Addiction Abatement offered its recommendation,” Lewis said.

Property sales

Council unanimously approved procedures to sell two county-owned properties.

The county will seek proposals from commercial real estate brokers to market and sell a three-story brick structure at 54 W. Union St. in Wilkes-Barre that previously housed community development. It is appraised at $373,000. Another vote will be necessary to approve a selected broker.

Several council members had said a broker listing would reach more potential buyers.

For the other property — the Broad Street Business Exchange at 100 W. Broad St. in Hazleton — the county will publicly seek proposals, with the minimum price set at the $2.1 million appraised value, council agreed. This approach was advocated by several council members and the administration to save the expense of a broker commission because buyers are already interested.

Blighted property

A council majority adopted a new ordinance that will impose a $100 fee on properties purchased in county delinquent tax sales and mortgage foreclosure auctions to generate revenue for a new county demolition and rehabilitation fund.

Fee revenue will be deposited in a segregated interest-earning bank account. County Council could use the funds for county demolition and rehabilitation projects, and may award funds to municipalities, school districts, redevelopment authorities, land banks, and other nonprofit entities to demolish or rehabilitate blighted properties, the agenda said.

Haas provided the lone no vote, saying he believes a more specific plan is needed on how the funds will be allocated.

Stephenson said the proposal is solid and will yield “tangible results” in targeting blight.

Eligible buyers may receive up to $10,000 toward their down payment, closing costs and other purchase-related expenses if they are purchasing an owner-occupied, primary residence in six municipalities, the announcement said: Ashley, Hanover Township, Newport Township, Nanticoke, Wilkes-Barre and Kingston.

To qualify, applicants must:

• Commit to occupy the property as their primary residence for at least five years following closing.

• Have a household income up to 200% of the area median income. For example, that cap would be $167,000 for a family of four. Applications from lower-income households will be prioritized.

• Be represented by a title company or attorney and have a scheduled closing date.

Applicants are limited to one application per residential property purchase and must complete and submit the online application at LSVlandbank.com/homebuyer. This site also contains information on required supporting documentation, the prioritization of applicants, and program requirements.

The program is designed to promote homeownership, stabilize neighborhoods and support long‐term occupancy in the land bank’s service area, the announcement said.

The Lower South Valley Land Bank is a public‐private partnership dedicated to returning vacant and tax‐delinquent properties to productive use.

Four proposed 2026 budget presentations are scheduled at the end of Monday’s Luzerne County Council work session — the District Attorney’s Office, Controller’s Office, Judicial Services and Records Division, and Operational Services Division.

Judicial Services and Records covers the deeds, wills, sheriff, coroner and civil/criminal court records departments in addition to the county records storage facility in Hanover Township.

The departments that fall under Operational Services are engineering, roads and bridges, planning and zoning, 911, emergency management, buildings and grounds, the boiler plant, and solid waste management.

The proposed county budget includes a 1.9% real estate tax that amounts to approximately $12 more per year on a median assessment of $95,500. That percentage may decrease with budget amendments. Council’s last budget work session deliberations yielded a net $421,130 in proposed reductions, according to a Budget/Finance Division report.

Council scheduled its first meeting of the month on Monday instead of Tuesday due to Veterans Day.

The work session follows a 6 p.m. voting meeting.

Voting

As previously reported, the council is set to vote Monday on County Manager Romilda Crocamo’s nomination of Michele Sparich as the new Operational Services division head.

Also on the agenda for final adoption is an ordinance that would impose a $100 fee on properties purchased in county delinquent tax auctions and mortgage foreclosure auctions to generate revenue for a new county demolition and rehabilitation fund.

Fee revenue would be deposited in a segregated interest-earning bank account. County Council could use the funds for county demolition and rehabilitation projects, and may award funds to municipalities, school districts, redevelopment authorities, land banks, and other nonprofit entities to demolish or rehabilitate blighted properties, the agenda said.

Property sales

Monday’s voting agenda also includes proposed procedures to sell two county-owned properties.

The first property is a three-story brick structure at 54 W. Union St. in Wilkes-Barre that previously housed community development. It is appraised at $373,000.

Council will vote Monday on whether to publicly seek proposals from commercial real estate brokers to market and sell the property.

Several council members have said a broker listing would reach more potential buyers.

For the other property — the Broad Street Business Exchange at 100 W. Broad St. in Hazleton — council is set to vote on a plan to go straight to “putting the property out for bid/auction,” the agenda said. This approach was advocated by several council members and the administration to save the expense of a broker commission because buyers are already interested.

Appraised at $2.1 million, the 44,480-square-foot Hazleton property has been under county ownership since 2009 to preserve the county’s claim on funds that had been loaned to the prior nonprofit owner.

Work session

Council is set to discuss the latest batch of proposed tax-delinquent repository property sales, which are periodically presented to council for approval.

Properties land in the repository if they do not sell in the initial upset tax auction or subsequent free-and-clear auction.

Sales are encouraged because the county has amassed approximately 1,000 repository properties that are in limbo, with no active owners to maintain and pay taxes on them. While some are sold each year, new ones are added after each sale.

Information on repository properties is posted under county tax-claim operator Elite Revenue Solutions’ site at luzernecountytaxclaim.com.

PITTSTON — The Northeast Pennsylvania Land Bank will conduct a groundbreaking event of its newest affordable housing effort, the Mod-Home Initiative, at 1 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 12, at 292 Coolidge Street in Dupont.

Supported by a $750,000 grant from the Pennsylvania Housing Affordability and Rehabilitation Enhancement (PHARE) Fund, the Mod-Home Initiative represents an innovative approach to addressing the region’s shortage of affordable housing.

“This is one of the projects I am most proud of,” Shannon Bonacci, deputy director for the North East PA Land Bank, said. “The Land Bank has proven that we can do more than just buy and sell properties, we can play a vital role in expanding affordable housing opportunities. It’s been incredibly rewarding to work with families on creating paths to homeownership, and we’re eager to continue these efforts in the years ahead.”

The project includes the construction of two new modular single-family homes—a two-bedroom unit on N. Main Street, Pittston, and another three-bedroom home on Coolidge St., Dupont. Both homes were designed and built by Cornerstone Building Solutions.

These homes, set for occupation in December, the Mod-Home Initiative is designed to help local families achieve homeownership through an innovative rent-to-own model, removing traditional barriers such as large down payments and high interest rates.

The mission of the Northeast Pennsylvania Land Bank Authority, a public agency, is to return vacant and blighted properties to productive use through a transparent, unified process, revitalizing neighborhoods and strengthening local tax bases.

The organization collaborates with residents, community groups, nonprofits, and private developers to foster equitable neighborhood growth.

PITTSTON — A benefit for Greater Pittston Regional Ambulance (GPRA) paramedic Captain Emmett Thomas will take place on Saturday, Nov. 15, 2025, at the Jenkins Twp. Firehouse, 2 Second St. from noon to 6 p.m.

There will be food available from Greater Pittston restaurants, a DJ, a 50/50 raffle, and over 100 gift raffle baskets will be available to date.

All proceeds from the fundraiser will go to support Emmett and his family while he battles Stage 3 lung cancer.

“Members and staff of Greater Pittston Regional Ambulance Medic 29, are calling out to you, our caring community, to help one of our paramedics,” Laura Mudlock, GPRA paramedic and board member, said. “Typically, we are the ones who respond to your calls for help, but this time, we are hoping that you will come to the aid of Paramedic Emmett Thomas, who was recently diagnosed with a massive tumor in his lung that also wraps around his aorta.”

Thomas, a 38-year veteran paramedic, has been described as humbly and quietly goes about his job teaching and mentoring many paramedic students, treating patients, and saving lives, including being the first line of care for of a young man who was hypothermic for several hours in sub-zero temperatures but ultimately survived.

Categorized as a “monster of a medic,” he has a caring nature and top-notch skill that has earned him the respect of medical professionals everywhere.

In 2021, radio station Magic 93 recognized him as their first responder of the month.

Thomas also received the Preceptor Appreciation Award numerous times from the students in the paramedic program at LCCC.

“He’s a good personal friend and he would do anything to help me and I would be there for him too,” Mudlock added. “He’s one of the best paramedics and the one you want by your side when you need help. Hopefully we can get enough of the community that he’s helped, to help him during this time.”

PITTSTON — The Knights of Columbus Council 372 will conduct a Pasta Dinner at 55 S. Main St. on Nov. 16 from noon to 3 p.m.

The cost, $12 per person, will include pasta, meatballs, roll and cake.

The fundraiser project will go toward future projects/scholarships.

This past week, our area had a visit from Gov. Josh Shapiro at the Weinberg Northeast Regional Food Bank to discuss his Administration’s work to boost Pennsylvania’s charitable food network — the SNAP Emergency Relief Fund — after the Trump Administration froze the November SNAP benefits for nearly 2 million Pennsylvanians and over 40 million Americans.

Gov. Shapiro and local state government officials were on hand for the press conference, but before that, there was a photo opportunity where officials boxed food.

If you just got back from the planet Mars and are not up on the news, SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program), a federal program that provides food-purchasing assistance for low-income individuals and families in the U.S., has been knotted up with the current budget mess in Washington.

Regardless of who’s at fault or who you support politically, you can’t discount that there are individuals and families that need help, and SNAP is one way of keeping food on the table for the less fortunate.

Now, before the naysayers get into the illegal immigrants taking advantage of the system, think twice. Households have to meet specific income and resource criteria.

There are a lot of elderly people struggling financially who benefit from SNAP. Don’t believe me? Look around your own neighborhood.

PA State Rep. Jim Haddock told a story of an elderly couple in his district who stopped by his office. The retired couple, on a fixed income, has had to make difficult decisions due to a setback with their water heater going down.

According to Haddock, the couple was hard workers in their youth and did not necessarily set the financial world on fire, so retirement has been tough at times.

Adding to the issue, the wife has dementia, and life is upside down. Apparently, the husband stopped by Haddock’s office to seek some kind of aid in getting his water heater replaced.

Does this couple need SNAP? You bet they do, and we, as Americans, don’t like to let people fall through the cracks.

I live in the Wyoming Area School District where our taxes have gone up over 15% in the last three-years and 80% since 2009, there are plenty of people on fixed incomes where their retirement pensions and Social Security didn’t go up 80% since 2009.

The federal SNAP program seems to be played as a bargaining chip or used to pressure a party into submission, all at the cost of people who could really need the SNAP benefits.

As I heard several times from the governor and area legislators while covering the press conference, we live in one of the wealthiest nations in the world, and we are letting people go without food.

Gov. Shapiro asked the private sector for financial help with the SNAP Emergency Relief Fund. In fact, over $2 million poured in this past week alone from outside sources. The Commonwealth, so far, is kicking in $5-million in emergency funding.

Fortunately, $300,000 is going to the Weinberg Northeast Regional Food Bank, right here in our area. That should make a dent.

With that said, the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Railriders are having an Emergency Food Drive at PNC Field on Tuesday, Nov. 11, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. If you donate a bag of items, you will receive a ticket voucher for a 2026 regular-season RailRiders game.

They are looking for non-perishable food items, including but not limited to: canned fruits and vegetables, pasta, rice, canned protein, canned soup, instant coffee, and dried beans. Please refrain from donating items in glass containers.

Hopefully, soon, the two opposite political sides in the D.C. beltway will get their act together and agree on a budget.

Well, we seem to be turning the corner and autumn is trying very hard to hang around for a long as it can, but this week, we will be on the chilly side, again, I’m not ready.

What’s crazy, with Halloween well in our rearview mirror, everyone seems to be setting his or her sights on Thanksgiving.

Who will dine where? What food can I make for dinner? What time are we eating? These are the typical questions you hear starting about now. Get set.

For as fast as time flies from Halloween to Thanksgiving, don’t look now, but Christmas is in 47 days.

Almost in the same breath as Thanksgiving questions, Christmas questions follow. Are we buying for the family? Is there a spending limit per person? What do I get everyone? It’s crazy, but for many it’s fun, almost like a sport.

One of my go-to Christmas movies is White Christmas, starring Bing Crosby, Danny Kaye, Rosemary Clooney, and Vera-Ellen. I imagine, as I get closer to Thanksgiving, I’ll be watching it a few times. I found the movie on the streaming service, Fawesome.

Speaking of Christmas, for the Greater Pittston Santa Squad, Christmas is pretty much all year round. Tony Marranca and his team of officers and board members must raise money throughout the year, and as we speak, they are busy at the former Seton Catholic gym filling Angel orders from children. Each child receives at least five toys.

Soon, the entire gym floor will be filled with red bags and dozens of bicycles, ready for pickup in December, in time for the big day.

Quote of the Week

“He who has two coats, let him share with him who has none; and he who has food, let him do likewise.” —The Bible, Luke 3:11

Thought of the Week

“Hunger is not a problem. It is an obscenity. How wonderful it is that nobody need wait a single moment before starting to improve the world.” —Anne Frank

Bumper Sticker

“If you can’t feed a hundred people, then feed just one.” —Mother Teresa

PITTSTON — Market & Main, a $32 million, seven-story building project complete with retail, residential and the new American Theatre, will now be accompanied by a four-story parkade, also with residential, retail, and a grocery store at the former site of Quinn’s Supermarket.

Mayor Michael Lombardo said the two projects have now been tweaked to the administration’s liking and both projects should be ready to go out for bids in the spring of 2026.

Lombardo feels the Downtown Market & Main project will not be a complete success without a key piece to the puzzle – a parkade.

Originally designated as a three-story parkade, the $15 million design now includes an additional fourth floor.

The parkade will consist of residential loft apartments, one and two-bedroom apartments, retail stores, and a grocery store, yet to be determined.

The Mayor said the grocery store will not be the size of the former Quinn’s Supermarket, but will be large enough to fill the void left by Quinn’s, benefiting all residents in that area.

“What we are calling the Theatre Flats at the parkade will consist of 20 to 25 loft apartments, one-bedroom and two-bedroom units renting in the $1,600 to $2,400 per month range,” Lombard said. “We are not sure about the breakdown of how many will be lofts, one bedroom or two, and the rent per month is not exact at this point, but should be in the ballpark.”

Lombardo and his team have been working to ensure all the building projects are structures that will stand the test of time, as well as improve life and leisure in the city.

According to the architect’s renderings, the view from Market St. and Kennedy Blvd., the parkade will be hidden behind the structure, making it appear as a four-story retail and living complex.

The Mayor said the city is in contact with PennDot to finalize access points to and from the parkade, as well as accessing the rear of buildings on Main St.

As seen in the renderings, the outdoor space between the rear of American Theatre at Market & Main and the front of Theatre Flats will be green space, complete with a sculpture garden, a multi-purpose stage, a bridge walk with a sunken rain garden, and a lawn in front of the stage.

Behind the new American Theatre, in addition to a set of stairs, will be an accessible walk from the theatre to the lawn and gardens.

Lombardo said he expects the projects to be out for bid by mid-to-late spring with completion of the both Market & Main, including the 650-seat American Theatre along with the Theatre Flats/parkade project sometime in 2027.

DUPONT – A Veterans Day service will be held at 11 a.m. Tuesday, Nov. 11, at the VFW Post 4909, 401 Main St.

Post 4909 will sponsor this year’s event along with the cooperation of AMVETS Post 189.

Following the Veterans Day service, there will be a special presentation by PA State Rep. Jim Haddock.

After the presentation, attendees are invited for a light dinner and refreshments and camaraderie.

The public is welcome to attend.

—Tony Callaio

Luzerne County Council is set to vote Monday on three proposed opioid settlement fund earmarks totaling $700,760.

The requests were advanced to council by the county’s Commission on Opioid Misuse and Addiction Abatement, which was created to make recommendations on how to spend funds received from the state’s settlement against opioid manufacturers and wholesale distributors.

Council has earmarked approximately $5.5 million in opioid settlement funds since 2023 for a range of eligible internal and outside projects, including programs that provide medication-assisted treatment at the prison, warm hand-off and recovery specialist services, recovery housing, and treatment and prevention education.

Psychiatric hospital

The largest proposed allocation on Monday’s agenda is $500,000 for Wyoming Valley Behavioral Health, an inpatient psychiatric hospital on Wyoming Avenue in Kingston that treats patients with serious mental illnesses and co-occurring substance use disorders.

Since its November 2023 opening, the facility has served hundreds of county residents in psychiatric crisis, with referrals from hospitals, crisis units, and community organizations, its funding submission said.

The county earmark would fund expansion and enhancement of its adult inpatient program to “meet the rising demand for crisis-level psychiatric and opioid use disorder care” in the county, it said.

“At the heart of this expansion is the December 2025 onboarding of a full-time salaried psychiatrist, which will increase daily operational capacity from 56 beds to 80-plus beds immediately, with future growth to over 100 beds,” it said.

The expansion will “alleviate significant pressure” on hospital emergency departments and emergency responders by increasing the number of safe inpatient psychiatric treatment beds, it said.

After the initial launch, the program is designed to be permanently self-sustaining through insurance reimbursements and other post-grant hospital revenue, it said.

Wyoming Valley Behavioral Health employs a “full interdisciplinary team” that includes physicians, nurses, licensed therapists, case managers, mental health technicians, and certified recovery specialists, it said.

Chiropractic services

Another allocation — $131,360 — would cover chiropractic services intended to prevent acute and chronic pain sufferers from turning to addictive opioid medication.

Dr. Jeff Lewis, the owner of Lewis Chiropractic in Hanover Township, submitted the application to provide chiropractic treatment to those without insurance or with insurance that does not cover the service. He is calling the new program the “Alternatives to Opioid Medication in Chiropractic (ATOMIC) Initiative.”

The $131,360 would cover a two-year period and assist both existing patients and new ones reached through an accompanying marketing campaign about the program, Lewis told council.

Several council members raised questions and concerns about the proposal during the last work session, in part because it differs from the types of programs and services funded in the past.

Prevention program

In the final request up for consideration Monday, Pathway to Recovery Counseling and Educational Services is seeking $69,400 to cover costs associated with providing its eight-month Too Good for Drugs prevention program in three school districts — sixth through eighth grades at Hazleton Area; sixth grade at Crestwood; and sixth through twelfth grades at Hanover Area.

This program aims to make students more resilient by teaching them how to be “socially competent and autonomous problem solvers” and includes instruction on effective communication and identifying and managing emotions, it said.

Formerly Serento Gardens, the nonprofit Pathway To Recovery has been providing services for more than four decades and has a team of prevention specialists trained in evidence-based curriculum, it said.

Council’s Monday meeting starts at 6 p.m. in the county courthouse on River Street in Wilkes-Barre. Instructions for the remote attendance option will be posted on council’s public meetings section at luzernecounty.org.

The county is expected to receive approximately $30 million over 18 years from the state’s opioid settlement, officials have said.

Unlike typical funding requests that come with firm deadlines, the commission is accepting applications on a rolling basis because the funding is ongoing over multiple years.

Applications and information about eligible uses for the settlement funds are posted on the commission’s section at luzernecounty.org.

Quinlan Burke and Joey Devlin combined for all the scoring Tuesday night as District 4 champion Central Columbia routed visiting Wyoming Area 8-0 in the first round of the Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association Class 2A state girls soccer tournament.

Burke scored five goals. Devlin added three and an assist.

Braelyn Moran made six saves for the shutout.

The Blue Jays (20-3) advanced to the state quarterfinals.

Wyoming Area, which won Wyoming Valley Conference Division 2 and District 2 Class 2A titles, finished 19-2.

The Lady Warriors came into the state tournament averaging more than five goals per game.

North Pocono, coached by Wyoming Area graduate Greg Dolhon, is the only unbeaten football team left from District 2 as six schools celebrate district or subregional championships and get ready to head into Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association state tournament play.

The Lackawanna Football Conference Division 1 champion Trojans had no trouble with Dallas Friday night in a 38-6, home-field victory in the District 2 Class 4A championship game.

Dallas coach Rich Mannello, coming off a semifinal shutout at Valley View, was impressed by a North Pocono attack that outrushed his Mountaineers 333-74.

“That’s what high school football is about,” Mannello said. “They built that team from the ground up. They had some tough times the past few years, went into the weight room and stuck with it. That’s a first-class operation by a great coach.

“They deserved it. The way they play in that I-formation, they can go a long way at states.”

The Trojans opened a 20-0 lead in the second minute of the second quarter.

Chase Zimmerman threw a 12-yard touchdown pass to Evan Wolff on the first play after Dallas was unable to field a kickoff. Zimmerman had also scored from the 1 in the first quarter to cap a 14-play scoring drive.

Cole West and Josiah Gray each scored twice for the Trojans (12-0), who will face Bishop Shanahan in the state playoffs Friday.

West returned the second-half kickoff 85 yards for a score.

Gray had third-quarter touchdown runs of 28 and 45 yards on the way to finishing with 164 yards on 22 carries.

North Pocono emerged as the last unbeaten when Berwick, the only other District 2 team with a perfect regular season, became the latest victim of a resurging Scranton Prep team and quarterback Will McPartland.

The Cavaliers claimed their fifth straight district title with a 42-7 romp at Crispin Field.

McPartland passed for more than 200 yards in the first half for the second straight week. He accounted for all six touchdowns.

The Cavaliers made it a Mercy Rule game for the entire third and fourth quarters when McPartland heaved the ball into the end zone for a 53-yard touchdown pass to Mackey Lynett to end the first half.

McPartland ran for four touchdowns and threw for two while completing all 10 of his passes for 226 yards.

Record-setting running back Ty’Meere Wilkerson rushed for 139 yards and the only Berwick touchdown, which came in the fourth quarter.

With Scranton Prep’s win and Delaware Valley’s 27-24 victory over host and defending champion Abington Heights, both Wyoming Area and Pittston Area had their seasons end with semifinal losses to eventual district champions.

Scranton Prep shut out Wyoming Area 42-0 last week when Delaware Valley was using couple of blocked kicks to squeeze past Pittston Area 7-6.

Delaware Valley erased 17-0 and 24-7 deficits in its win at Abington Heights.

Mike Iuzzolino carried 29 times for 153 yards and two touchdowns, including the game-winner, on the first play of the fourth quarter.

The last six Delaware Valley possessions produced three touchdowns, two field goals and a drive that took the final 4:04 off the clock.

Wilkes-Barre Area, Class 6A with District 4, and Lackawanna Trail, Class A with District 11, won Subregional titles.

Jake Howe became the WVC’s all-time passing yardage leader, breaking the record held by Berwick’s Ron Powlus, during a 42-14 win over Williamsport.

Isaac Ryon became Lackawanna Trail’s all-time leading rusher when the Lions broke out of a 14-14 tie in a 41-14 victory over Tri-Valley.

Lakeland, the LFC Division 2 champion which suffered its only loss against Wyoming Area in a non-league game, was the Class 2A title 27-7 over Dunmore.

Wyoming Area’s championship team landed five players on the first team when Wyoming Valley Conference coaches selected their girls soccer all-star teams.

The Lady Warriors matched Lake-Lehman, the team they beat in a playoff for the Division 2 title, for the most players selected to the first team in their division. Crestwood, which also won a title, had five first-teamers in Division 1.

Sofia Menta, Sarah Mizenko, Ava Musinski and Jailynn Park joined goalie Abi Francis as the first-team selections from Wyoming Area.

Midfielder Isabella Dessoye was the lone Pittston Area selection in Division 1.

Wyoming Area’s Julianna Potter, Bella Costa, Alana Zadaniewicz and Francesca Pizano made the Division 2 second team.

Pittston Area was represented on the Division 1 second team by defender Isabella Pisano and forward Kelcey Podwika.

Wyoming Area’s Alexis Skolinger, Mia Ciampi, Teagan Meier, Kinley Park and Ella Yankovich, as well as Pittston Area’s Julia Menendez, Camryn Karp, Margaret Gruber and Adriana Wallace, all received honorable mention.