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First Posted: 3/7/2013
KINGSTON
American Legion closes
The Black Diamond American Legion post in Kingston closed on Monday after the majority of its board of directors abruptly resigned, a Legion official said.
John Emil, county commander of the American Legion, said he made the decision to close the bar, which he hopes is temporary, after the post’s commander, vice commander and the majority of the board resigned.
Emil, who is serving as acting commander, said he does not know why the board members resigned. The post had been experiencing financial difficulties, but that is common with a lot of clubs, he said.
Emil is seeking other applicants to fill the board positions, he said. A meeting on the matter is scheduled for March 19.
WILKES-BARRE
Inmate charged in assaults
Luzerne County detectives have charged an inmate with assaulting two correctional officers inside the county correctional facility in October.
Nathaniel Adderly, 40, is facing two counts of aggravated assault that were filed with District Judge Martin Kane in Wilkes-Barre. He was arraigned Thursday.
According to the criminal complaint:
Adderly disobeyed commands from a correctional officer to get into line for outside activities on Oct. 20. Adderly lunged at the correctional officer who suffered injuries to his knee and hip.
A second correctional officer sustained a concussion during the fight, the complaint says.
Court records say Adderly was sentenced on Oct. 5 to three to six years in state prison on a charge of failure to comply with registration requirements under the state’s Megan’s Law.
WILKES-BARRE
Loughnane enters plea
A Hanover Township man accused of driving away from the scene of a crash when a woman died on Hazle Avenue, Wilkes-Barre, waived his right to appear for a formal arraignment in Luzerne County Court on Friday.
Daniel Loughnane, 40, of West Liberty Street, is charged with accidents involving death.
City police allege Loughnane drove away after he struck Rebecca McCallick, 19, on July 24.
The formal arraignment is the first proceeding in the Court of Common Pleas when the information, a list of charges, is filed against a defendant. The defendant also has the option to enter a plea of not guilty or guilty, and begins the process of filing pretrial motions.
Loughnane, through his attorney Peter Paul Olszewski Jr., pleaded not guilty to the charge.
SCRANTON
Bogus bill suspect charged
A Hazleton woman has been charged with allegedly passing counterfeit $100 bills at various businesses in Luzerne County in early February.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania charged Cindy Batista, 23, on Friday.
She faces up to 20 years imprisonment, if convicted.
According to the information, Batista, between Feb. 5 and 12, fraudulently used counterfeit $100 bills with the intent to defraud and she knew they were counterfeit.
WILKES-BARRE
Caravella hearing delayed
Luzerne County Judge Tina Polachek Gartley continued Monday’s sentencing hearing for Robert Caravella, 53, who was convicted of child endangerment and sexually assaulting two girls.
Caravella’s wife, Carol Hann, 45, was sentenced earlier this week to 20 years, nine months to 41 years, three months, on charges of rape of a child, child endangerment and criminal conspiracy.
A jury convicted Hann of raping a teenage boy when she lived in Plymouth. Caravella was convicted of coaching the boy into performing lewd acts and of sexually assaulting two girls.
Gartley continued Caravella’s sentencing hearing to allow his attorney more time to prepare for the Megan’s Law hearing to determine if Caravella is a sexually violent predator.