TimesLeader.com

4:08 PM

End 1st: Penn State 0, Michigan State 0

Hard hits and strong defense highlight a scoreless opening quarter.

7:55 AM

‘Nothing to hide,’ Skrep expects to talk with feds

As his allies fall like dominoes, Luzerne County Commissioner Greg Skrepenak said he fully expects to be called to meet with federal investigators as part of the ongoing county corruption probe.

3:27 AM

Mother of juvenile ‘disappointed’

In the midst of a celebration Friday night, Laurene Transue’s spirits sunk a bit.

3:38 AM

Solicitor: Suspicious items link ex-HR head, N.Y. firms

Connections to two New York companies that are under investigation by federal agents were found in former Luzerne County human resources director Doug Richards’ e-mails, county Solicitor Vito DeLuca said Friday.

7:51 AM

Liability in non-official jurist actions

In two sweeping rulings encompassing multiple parties on both sides of the legal fence in four cases, a federal judge Friday dramatically reshaped the landscape of civil suits filed in the juvenile justice corruption scandal.

7:57 AM

Former guard charged with selling painkillers

A former Luzerne County correctional officer who was sentenced last month for stealing a pair of women’s underwear has been charged with selling prescription painkillers.

7:57 AM

Indoor pot-growing operation investigated

NANTICOKE – A multi-state investigation is under way into a large-scale indoor marijuana-growing operation.

November 21

Man faces charges in alleged assault of cops

WILKES-BARRE – A Swoyersville man was arrested Thursday night on charges he assaulted two city police officers.

November 21

Navy reservist from area dies in Kuwait

U.S. Naval Petty Officer 2nd Class Brian M. Patton called his wife, Amy Hynoski Patton, late Wednesday night to wish her a happy ninth wedding anniversary. Roughly 15 minutes later, Brian Patton, 37, of Nanticoke, died at 9:45 a.m. Kuwait time Thursday in a vehicle crash near Camp Virginia in northern Kuwait, where he was serving with the Naval Operational Support Center from Rochester, N.Y, according to Lt. Cmdr. Doug Gabos of the Naval Reserve Forces public affairs office.

November 21

Cops: W-B Twp. man steals guns to buy heroin

BEAR CREEK TWP. – State police at Wyoming arrested a man on charges he burglarized the same apartment twice, stealing two handguns that he sold for heroin, according to charges filed.

November 21

Dimock Twp. property owners sue gas driller Cabot

Describing their situation as a “war zone,” 15 property owners in Dimock Township in Susquehanna County filed a lawsuit on Thursday against Cabot Oil and Gas, claiming the Houston-based driller caused property damage, created health hazards and “hoodwinked” the residents into unfair contracts.

November 21

Judge’s bias alleged in bid to overturn award

WILKES-BARRE – Attorneys for a Hazleton-based law firm said in court papers filed this week that a former county judge was biased when he presided over a legal malpractice trial that awarded the plaintiffs $3.4 million.

3:34 AM

A TIMELINE OF EVENTS

Jan. 26 – Federal prosecutors charge Judge Mark Ciavarella and Senior Judge Michael Conahan with receiving more than $2.6 million in kickbacks in exchange for rulings they made that financially benefited a juvenile detention facility.

November 21

Plum position: T&F in ad campaign

KINGSTON – The owner of a local small business is featured prominently in a national advertising campaign for the American Express Plum Card.

November 21

Case law cited in immunity ruling

How could two judges accused of accepting millions for actions that led to increased incarceration of juveniles be immune from a lawsuit?

3:54 AM

County budget vote may be postponed

Luzerne County Commissioners don’t expect to agree on a proposed 2010 budget by Wednesday, which means a vote will probably be postponed until the second week of December.

November 21

Two Penn State students arrested on drug charges

LEHMAN TWP. – Two students enrolled at Penn State Wilkes-Barre were arrested on Friday on charges they were selling marijuana and steroids from their apartments adjacent to the campus.

November 21

Jury finds attackers guilty

WILKES-BARRE – Martha and Nicholas Caputo sat just a few feet away from the men they say attacked them in their Hazleton home just over one year ago and listened as a jury foreman read a verdict of guilty for each of the eight counts brought against the attackers.

November 21

Decision based on state, county duties

In determining Luzerne County officials could not be added to lawsuits regarding the judicial corruption scandal, U.S. District Court judge Richard Caputo meticulously parsed the duties and authority for all the parties in question.

November 21

County commissioners certify election results

The 2009 general election results were certified Friday afternoon by Luzerne County Commissioners after being presented by Elections Bureau Director Leonard Piazza.

November 21

Gov’t Study group will vote on changes

After more than 20 sometimes lengthy meetings, the Luzerne County Government Study Commission will vote Dec. 9 on what changes should be made to county government.

1:08 PM

State senators against toll on I-80

Ten state senators, including Lisa Baker and John Gordner, who both represent portions of Luzerne County, have called on U.S. Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood to reject a state proposal to toll Interstate 80.

November 21

CYC will honor assoc. director Soprano for 25 years of service

Ed DeMichele, chairman of the Catholic Youth Center Board of Directors, announced the 25th anniversary of Mark J. Soprano, associate executive director of the CYC.

November 21

Rx for health vote: Moderate Dems

WASHINGTON — Suitably opaque, Section 2006 takes up only a few dozen lines in a sweeping health care bill that runs to 2,074 pages and mentions neither Sen. Mary Landrieu nor her state of Louisiana.

November 21

Ex-doctor: GIs’ care for stress shoddy

CAMP LEJEUNE, N.C. — Marines treated at Camp Lejeune for post-traumatic stress had to undergo therapy for months in temporary trailers where they could hear bomb blasts, machine-gun fire and war cries through the thin walls, according to servicemen and their former psychiatrist.

November 21

Floods devastate Britain and Ireland

COCKERMOUTH, England — Raging floods engulfed northern England’s picturesque Lake District on Friday following the heaviest rainfall ever recorded in Britain, killing a police officer and trapping dozens in their swamped homes.

November 21

Galileo’s fingers and tooth are recovered

ROME — Two fingers and a tooth removed from Galileo Galilei’s corpse in a Florentine basilica in the 18th century and given up for lost have been found again and will soon be put on display, an Italian museum director said Friday.

3:42 AM

International News brief

Students barricaded themselves inside buildings on University of California campuses to protest a 32 percent increase in student fees and budget cuts that have led to slashed programs and lost jobs.Demonstrators at UC Berkeley occupied Wheeler Hall on Friday and hung a sign from a window that read “32 Percent Hike, 900 layoffs,” with the word “Class” crossed out in red.

November 21

Gas competition could save customers money

Thanks to regulatory changes that took effect after a rate increase was granted to UGI Penn Natural Gas Inc. in August, the path has been cleared for more competition in the gas market that could save customers money, the company says.

November 21

Harley may stay in York

HARRISBURG — A tentative labor agreement distributed Friday to workers at Harley-Davidson’s plant in south-central Pennsylvania makes it appear likely that the motorcycle maker will keep its operations there, instead of leaving the state to cut costs.

November 21

Stocks fall for third straight day

NEW YORK — The stock market ended a down week with light selling as investors grew uneasy about a rising dollar and spiking demand for the safest government debt.

3:41 AM

Business News brief

JPMorgan Chase & Co. said Friday it is dropping a clause from its credit card contracts that required disputes with customers to be handled through binding arbitration, a move that could lead to consumers filing class-action and other lawsuits.