City of Wilkes-Barre releases several holiday season announcements

WILKES-BARRE — Santa Claus is coming to town!

Mayor George C. Brown on Thursday invited residents and visitors to the 2024 Christmas Parade and Tree Lighting Ceremony, set for today — Saturday, Nov. 23.

Participants will line up at 2 p.m. and the parade will begin at 3 p.m. at the intersection of South Main Street and South Street.

The parade will travel north along South Main Street, around Public Square, passing the F.M. Kirby Center and then the reviewing stand, and finally ending at the intersection of North Main Street and Union Street.

For the safety of everyone enjoying the parade, the city asks that everyone stay on the sidewalk and/or behind fencing along the parade route.

Tree lighting ceremony

The 2024 Christmas tree was donated by Building Blocks Learning Center. The tree is a 25-foot, Fraser Fir from Helen & Ed’s Tree Farm in Wapwallopen.

Students from Building Blocks will sing Christmas Carols, along with Polka Bandski, during the Tree Lighting Ceremony on Public Square after the parade.

Food from Snooks Wings & Things and Funnel Cakes from Huey’s Amusements will be available to purchase during the tree lighting ceremony.

The Salvation Army and the Wilkes-Barre Lions Club will provide complimentary hot chocolate.

“Don’t forget to patronize all your favorite downtown Wilkes-Barre businesses!” Mayor Brown said.

Road closures

Be advised of road closures before and during the parade.

The following streets will be closed to all traffic beginning at 1:30 p.m. and will reopen at approximately 5 p.m.:

• S. Main Street at Dana Street — No traffic north onto S. Main Street.

• Academy Street at S. Main Street — No traffic onto S. Main Street.

• Ross Street at S. Main Street — No traffic onto S. Main Street.

• South Street at S. Main Street — No traffic onto S. Main Street.

• Northampton Street at S. Main Street — No traffic onto S. Main Street.

• N. Main Street at Bennett Lane — No traffic to Public Square.

• N. Main Street at Union Street — No traffic southbound on N. Main Street.

• Academy Street at S. Franklin Street — All traffic onto S. Franklin.

• W. Ross Street at S. Franklin Street — No traffic eastbound onto W. Ross Street.

• W. South Street at S. Franklin Street — No traffic eastbound onto W. South Street.

• W. Northampton Street at S. Franklin Street — No Traffic eastbound onto W. Northampton Street.

• W. Market Street at Franklin Street — No traffic to Public Square.

• E. Ross Street at S. Washington Street — No traffic westbound onto E. Ross Street.

• E. South Street at S. Washington Street — No traffic westbound onto E. South Street.

• E. Northampton Street at S. Washington Street — No traffic westbound onto E. Northampton Street.

• E. Market Street at Washington Street — No traffic to Public Square.

Bagged parking meters

• Any vehicles parked at bagged meters will be ticketed on Saturday, Nov. 23, beginning at 1 p.m. Towing of vehicles will commence at 1:30 p.m.

• All parking meters will be bagged Friday, Nov. 22, by 11 a.m. on the following streets.

• South Main Street from Ross Street to Public Square.

• Public Square.

• North Main Street from Public Square to Union Street.

• West South Street from South Franklin Street to South Main Street.

• East South Street from South Main Street to South Washington Street.

• West Northampton Street from South Franklin Street to South Main Street.

• East Market Street from North Washington Street to Public Square.

• Parade participants and spectators are advised to use public parking facilities throughout the city and avoid unauthorized parking in private lots. Vehicles will be towed from private parking lots.

Wilkes-Barre’s ice skating rink on Public Square opens Saturday, Nov. 23

Mayor Brown has announced that the ice skating rink on Public Square will be open to skaters on Saturday, Nov. 23, from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. and Sunday, Nov. 24, from 12 p.m. to 4 p.m.

Ice skates for the Ice Rink on Public Square will be available free of charge, in exchange for state-issued drivers licenses or identification cards, which will be returned upon skate return. Skaters are also welcome to wear their own skates. Ice Skaters under the age of 18 must be accompanied by an adult 18 years or older.

Skating hours for the season, on weekends between Nov. 23, 2024, and Feb. 14, 2025, will be posted online, weekly, at — www.wilkes-barre.city/icerink.

The schedule may be adjusted due to weather and/or staffing.

City police introduce newest K-9 team

The City of Wilkes-Barre and the Wilkes-Barre Police Department recently announced the deployment of its newest K-9 team with the graduation of Patrolman Richard Olshefski and K-9 Tenshi from the Penn Vet Working Dog Center Law Enforcement K-9 Training Program, Patrol Class 11-2024.

On Nov. 15, Officer Olshefski and K-9 Tenshi finished their initial K-9 training and are now certified as a working Patrol K-9. The team will continue their training in the spring of 2025 for Drug Detection. K-9 Tenshi is a one-and-a-half-year-old Belgian Malinois.

The newest K-9 team will increase the law enforcement canine services to the City of Wilkes-Barre and surrounding communities.

In addition to their services as a patrol K-9 and drug detection team, they will be attached to the Community Services Unit where they will participate in community events and serve as a bridge between the police department and the community. They will continue to network with the community through school demonstrations and other community events throughout the year.

The newest K-9 team will continue to train and work with the existing K-9 Team of Patrolman Joseph Homza and Chase who currently serve the city.

Patrolman Homza is a certified canine trainer through Penn Vet Working Dog center and trains numerous K-9 teams in Northeastern Pennsylvania. He is committed to the establishment and continued success of the Wilkes-Barre K-9 Unit and every other K-9 team in NEPA that he trains.

The Wilkes-Barre City Police Administration and Mayor Brown’ administration would like to thank MotorWorld/MileOne Autogroup, and the Wilkes-Barre Crime Watch for their continued support of the Wilkes-Barre Police K-9 Unit.

City’s Thanksgiving holiday collection schedule announced

Wilkes-Barre City Hall will be closed and there will be no DPW services on both Thanksgiving Day and the day after Thanksgiving.

Garbage and paper and cardboard recycling collection for South Wilkes-Barre 2 on Thursday, and for East End, Parsons, and Miners Mills on Friday, is rescheduled for Saturday.

Delays are possible due to the volume of garbage and recycling.

Yard waste collection will resume the following week, with double yard waste pickup for South Wilkes-Barre 2 on Thursday, Dec. 5 and for East End, Parsons and Miners Mills on Friday, Dec. 6.

The last week of curbside yard waste collection is the week of Dec. 2 through Dec. 6 on residents’ collection day.

Leaf Pickup Nov. 26

Schedule is tentative and weather permitting.

“No Parking” signs, with the street day indicated, will be posted during leaf pickup in each neighborhood. Vehicles will be ticketed if not moved. Residents are asked to please stay alert to posted signs on streets where they park their vehicle.

• Academy Street from South Main Street to Old River Road— both sides.

• Westminster Street from Horton St. to Wood Street — both sides.

• West Ross Street from South Main Street to West River Street — both sides.

• North Main Street between North Street and Butler Street — both sides.

• North Washington Street between Butler Street and Beaumont Street — both sides.

• Virginia Drive from Scott Street to Brader Drive — both sides.

• Slattery Drive from Virginia Drive to the Cul-De-Sac — both sides.

• O’Brien Drive from Matson Avenue to Virginia Drive — both sides.

Mayor Brown presents proclamation to W-B Catholic Social Services

Mayor Brown recently presented a proclamation to Catholic Social Services of Wilkes-Barre in recognition of their new program — Parents as Teachers — which is designed to empower families in Luzerne County by providing resources and support for early childhood development.

The program includes home visits, parent-child family meetings, parent group connection meetings, workshops and community events, to strengthen family bonds and community support.

Parents as Teachers (PAT) began in Missouri in 1981 and was established to provide support for first-time parents. The home visit program was supported by research which indicated that the first three years of a child’s life were the most critical in development. Currently, PAT serves over 180,000 families nationally and internationally.

For more information about the ‘Parents as Teachers’ program, contact Dagmar Montolio at 570-822-7118, ext. 3319, or email — dmontolio@cssdioceseofscranton.org — or Montie Ford at 570-763-9320, or email — mford@cssdioceseofscranton.org.