Not only was the newspaper the main sponsor of the event for many years, Times Leader Publisher, Richard Connor, was part of a small group of local individuals who came up with the idea for the race and then founded the event. Several Times Leader employees held key positions in the race’s organization for years. The race grew into one of the most prominent triathlons in the nation and was responsible for attracting thousands of people to the region on a yearly basis. It is fitting that the triathlon makes a comeback for 2023.

The probe eventually snared dozens of local elected officials and individuals, including a county commissioner. Judges Mark Civarella and Michael Conahan were sentenced to lengthy prison sentences.

The theater sat vacant for years until businessman Al Boscov headed an effort to restore the facility. The Times Leader worked right along with Boscov, helping bring the F.M. Kirby Center for the Performing Arts to life.

In September, President Richard Nixon visited Wilkes-Barre to see the destruction firsthand. The Times Leader continued to publish throughout the crisis, keeping its readers informed despite the fact that its own building and printing press were also devastated by flood waters.