TimesLeader.com

1:40 PM

DA's office investigating missing money from prothonotary's office

12:30 PM

Pa. teen facing hate crime charge to be released

POTTSVILLE, Pa. (AP) — An eastern Pennsylvania teenager facing a federal hate crime charge in the death of an illegal Mexican immigrant is due to be released from prison.

12:15 PM

Scranton man charged with child sex offenses

PITTSTON - A Scranton man was arrested by police in Pittston and Wilkes-Barre on charges he sexually assaulted a girl for more than two years.

8:17 AM

ACLU axes nativity, menorah

A familiar nativity scene and menorah were removed from the Luzerne County Courthouse lawn Wednesday night because the American Civil Liberties Union threatened to get a restraining order.

3:51 AM

Skrepenak no-show for budget-cut talks

Luzerne County commissioners called an executive session Wednesday morning to discuss budget-related job cuts and furloughs, but Commissioner Greg Skrepenak did not attend.

12:18 PM

Shenandoah top cop held without bail

SHENANDOAH — A police chief ordered held without bail on charges he tried to cover up the fatal beating of a Mexican immigrant by white teenagers was named in a 2006 lawsuit that claimed police beat to death a Hispanic teenager, then made it look like a suicide.

10:35 AM

Bottleneck’s expanding to downtown Wilkes-Barre

WILKES-BARRE – Bottleneck’s Saloon & Eatery, a popular spot in West Hazleton, will open a second location on Public Square in the former Wendy’s restaurant space.

3:44 AM

Probation suggested for Bonner

SCRANTON – Federal lawyers made Luzerne County Housing Authority board member Gerald Bonner had an offer his attorney said was too good to refuse: Admit to passing a bribe and get off with probation.

3:53 AM

Dunn says he’s guilty of bribe

SCRANTON – Eight months and at least five hearing postponements after charges were filed, former Wilkes-Barre Area School Board member Brian Dunn stood before a federal judge Wednesday and said “Guilty, your honor.”

December 17

Safety of W-B intersection raised

WILKES-BARRE – A busy downtown intersection at South Washington and East Northampton Street is under public scrutiny for its safety after a person was struck by a vehicle Wednesday afternoon.

December 17

Threat to stab woman brings arrest, police say

EDWARDSVILLE – Police arrested a man Tuesday night after his girlfriend said he threatened to stab her similar to the way his friend, Richard Zola, allegedly killed a woman early Monday morning, according to charges filed.

4:10 AM

Loss of state grant costs former mayor his KOZ job

A former Wilkes-Barre mayor and retired vocational-technical school principal will be out of another job next year because state funding for it has dried up.

3:56 AM

Table games dealt a win by Senate

Poker, blackjack, roulette and other table games are one step closer to coming to casinos throughout the state next year, including the two in Northeastern Pennsylvania.

4:02 AM

Dallas Twp. studies complaint over road’s status

DALLAS TWP. – Several residents of Skyview Drive attended the supervisors’ meeting Tuesday evening in hopes of convincing officials that they live on a township road.

12:39 PM

County unions likely to battle 12-day furlough plan

Luzerne County’s unions are expected to challenge the 12-day furlough of all employees, on the grounds that layoffs are supposed to be based on seniority, county officials say.

11:37 AM

Barletta pegged as rising GOP star

HAZLETON – Lou Barletta has been designated as an “on the radar” candidate by the National Republican Congressional Committee, it was announced Wednesday.

December 17

Breaker owner preparing guilty plea, documents say

WILKES-BARRE – An attorney for the owner of the Huber Breaker and No. 1 Contracting filed court papers this week stating his client is currently discussing a guilty plea to charges that he withheld from employees but failed to pay more than $100,000 in earned income taxes to the local municipality and school district.

December 17

Schumacher must cut down LIU duties

KINGSTON – Luzerne Intermediate Unit Board Solicitor Michael Butera said he advised the board Wednesday that its assistant secretary, Lois Schumacher, cannot retain that position and serve on the Wyoming Valley West School Board.

4:04 AM

Authority boss post open to all

WEST PITTSTON – The opportunity to apply for the Luzerne County Redevelopment Authority’s top post, which opened in October after the former executive director was indicted on federal charges, will be “open to anybody,” according to the authority chairman.

December 17

Betraying trust evokes disdain, not sympathy MARK GUYDISH OPINION

It’s easy to make jokes and hurl contempt at those caught in the wide-ranging federal corruption probe. I should know; I’ve done it plenty of times here.

11:45 AM

To GOP’s Cawley, big issue is fear

WILKES-BARRE – Jim Cawley wants to be Pennsylvania’s next lieutenant governor and the Bucks County Republican said on Wednesday the state is broken and he will help fix it.

December 17

United Way’s drive nets $4.5M

PLAINS TWP. – Twelve-year-old Charlie Lucas was born with a blockage in his trachea. He was given a zero percent chance of survival.

December 17

One property still in way of rehab project

As of Tuesday, only one property owner stands in the way of a redevelopment project aimed at revitalizing a blighted neighborhood straddling Kingston and Edwardsville.

4:12 AM

Pa. panel speeds Cosgrove for Luzerne County bench

Joseph Cosgrove has moved one step closer to becoming the next judge of the Luzerne County Court of Common Pleas.

7:55 AM

Touching teen lands man in prison

WILKES-BARRE – A Freeland man was sentenced Tuesday to three to 12 months in county prison on charges he inappropriately touched a then-14-year-old girl.

December 17

Nuangola needs cash for sewer board

NUANGOLA – Borough officials will try to find grant funding to keep the Nuangola Sewer Authority from becoming a financial liability to the borough.

December 17

Child-pornography charges waived

WRIGHT TWP. – A former employee at a glass factory charged with breaking into the company and downloading child pornography on a computer waived his right to a preliminary hearing before District Judge Ronald Swank on Wednesday.

December 17

Wyoming Area pension cost rising

EXETER – Increased contributions to the teachers’ pension fund will cost the Wyoming Area School District about $230,000 more next year than this year and could spike even higher over the next few years, the school board learned Tuesday.

4:09 AM

Harveys Lake approves no-tax-hike 2010 budget

HARVEYS LAKE – Preparing for the new year, borough council adopted a 2010 budget of just over $1 million and bid farewell to three council members and the mayor during Tuesday night’s meeting.

December 17

Kirby to screen ‘Polar Express’ for free

WILKES-BARRE – A free showing of the popular holiday movie “Polar Express” will take place on Saturday at the F.M. Kirby Center for the Performing Arts on Public Square.

4:11 AM

Pittston Area moves to save on energy

YATESVILLE – Pittston Area school officials Tuesday voted unanimously to accept a two-year contract with electricity provider Direct Energy that should save the district about $184,000 a year.

December 17

Rule lets bailout banks keep tax breaks as they repay loans

WASHINGTON — Citigroup and other banks starting to repay the billions of dollars they borrowed from the government are getting another boost as they exit the bailout program: Billions more in tax breaks.

December 17

Plug pulled on gov’t health care

WASHINGTON — The liberals’ longtime dream of a government-run health care system for all died Wednesday in the Senate, but Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont vowed it will return when the realization dawns that private insurance companies “are no longer needed.”

December 17

Climate talks look to the U.S.

COPENHAGEN — U.N. climate negotiators looked Wednesday to the United States to bring fresh ideas — perhaps in the form of extra billions of dollars — to try to salvage a bare-bones political agreement by the end of the week on controlling global warming.

December 17

Gains for Obama noted in new poll

WASHINGTON — Americans like seeing President Barack Obama finally tackle Afghanistan — even if most don’t support his plans.

December 17

Pa. Dems arraigned on corruption charges

HARRISBURG — A longtime House Democratic leader, a former state Revenue secretary and a legislative aide appeared in court Wednesday, a day after they were accused of using taxpayer-paid employees to perform campaign work.

4:20 AM

International News brief

An animal protection group asked a federal judge Wednesday to block a plan to round up about 2,500 wild horses to remove them from a Nevada range.

December 17

Leighton honors Boscov’s, McCarthy Tire

WILKES-BARRE – Santa Claus, Al Boscov and McCarthy Tire Co. were honored Wednesday by Mayor Tom Leighton, who declared Wednesday as the day to celebrate what each has done for the city and the community at-large.

December 17

Auto dealers seeing smoother road

HAZLE TWP. – Last year at this time, auto dealership owners watched sales shrink as the poor economy wreaked havoc on the market for big ticket items from houses to Hummers.

December 17

Stores won’t have to be in deep-discount panic this year

NEW YORK — If you were hoping to find massive clearance sales as you finish up your holiday shopping, prepare to be disappointed.

December 17

Stocks retreat after Fed news

NEW YORK — Stocks pared their gains Wednesday as the Federal Reserve reminded investors that it would end several of its extraordinary supports for the economy in the coming year.

4:19 AM

Business News brief

Maine’s attorney general, responding to complaints by lobstermen suffering under rock-bottom prices, has opened an investigation into allegations of price-fixing among some lobster dealers.