Not to overshadow the fact that today is Earth Day, a good time to reflect on all things ecological and sustainable, but there was big news in retail locally this week, as two more iconic chains contract, their stores disappearing from Wyoming Valley. Toys R Us, the chain that practically invented specialized big box retailing, […]

Diamonds to the Luzerne County Geographic Information Systems (GIS)/Mapping department for putting basic GIS data in a searchable, interactive map format for the entire county. For most people, GIS data is a case of getting too deep in the weeds, but such information, including basic property lines on an overhead-style map, is a fundamental part […]

On Monday night much of Wilkes-Barre’s North End was plunged into chaos and fear. We know someone fired shots on Wyoming Street near the home of a city police commander who confronted him. We know no injuries were reported. We know no one had been arrested as of Tuesday night. There’s a lot we don’t […]

The ad blitz and ground work is still more than 18 months from now, but the 2020 Census is already making headlines due to a hastily added citizenship question. Pennsylvania intends to fight it, and California has already sued to block it because they fear it would discourage non-citizens from taking part in the once-a-decade […]

Old-timers and comic history buffs can see them larger than life — at least, larger than they were ever printed in the newspapers you read in your lifetime: Alley Oop tooling around on a dinosaur, Pogo plugging his nose with a clothespin during a visit with an old pig, square-jawed Dick Tracy disarming some dame […]

Pennsylvania’s primary election is set for May 15. While that may seem like a long way off, it does mean that another important date is right around the corner. April 16 is the deadline to register to be able to vote in this year’s primary. If you aren’t registered, we highly recommend you take the […]

• Diamonds to Swoyersville Mayor Chris Concert for really getting into the holiday spirit last weekend. Concert gave the whole West Side the chance for a good laugh on Sunday when he turned his Luzerne photography studio into the “Pooper Scooper Ice Cream Shop” for April Fools’ Day. The shop had an air of authenticity […]

Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Scott Pruitt’s ethics were already in question after he wasted taxpayer money on expensive plane tickets and hotels, a story he tried to rebut, misleadingly, on conservative talk radio last week. Then, last Thursday, ABC News reported that he benefited from a sweetheart deal that allowed him to live in a […]

Sunday’s front page presented two very different stories about families dealing with drug addiction here in Pennsylvania. In one, Wilkes-Barre Pastor Vince O’Boyle talked about his journey from addiction to sobriety, and how members of his family, including his namesake son, have fought the same battle — not always successfully. The son’s first wife died […]

As you gather to celebrate the bonds of faith and family today, do not forget those among us who are considerably less fortunate, particularly those children in Luzerne County who suffer from abuse and neglect at higher rates than across Pennsylvania as a whole. Pennsylvania Partnerships for Children released its annual report, “State of Child […]