Despite a state court ruling that he violated the rights of thousands of juveniles, former Luzerne County judge Mark A. Ciavarella Jr. is not liable for civil damages for any of his actions from the bench, a federal judge ruled Friday.
But Mr. Ciavarella and former judge Michael T. Conahan, who face racketeering charges for allegedly accepting $2.8 million for placing juveniles in two for-profit detention centers, can be held liable for actions they took outside the courtroom to further their alleged kids-for-cash conspiracy, U.S. District Judge A. Richard Caputo ruled.
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A Columbia County man picked the wrong place and time to pick a fight, especially one that Scranton police say involved a loaded handgun.
Joseph Peter Zapach, 40, of Bloomsburg, was arrested early Friday in the parking lot of Chick's Diner after three off-duty police officers who spotted the fight from inside the Moosic Street restaurant dashed outside and tackled him and the two other men involved, city police said.
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NEWTON TWP. - A family of six was displaced after their home sustained heavy damage in a Saturday afternoon blaze.
Crews responded at about 3:15 p.m. to reports of a structure fire at 1638 Summit Lake Road.
Kevin Sebring, his wife and four children were not hurt in the fire, which started at the back of the residence, said Assistant Chief Dan Mielo of Newton Ransom Volunteer Fire Company.
Four people were home at the time of the fire.
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Two businesses in different parts of Scranton were robbed early Friday, and city police were investigating whether the holdups are related.
In each of the robberies - first at the Sunoco A Plus Mini Market in West Scranton and about four hours later at the CVS Pharmacy in South Side - the suspect brought merchandise to the checkout before demanding money, police said.
"The (modus operandi) seems similar - bringing things to the counter," police Capt. Carl Graziano said. "That's not a usual occurrence with a robbery."
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U.S. Navy Reserve Petty Officer 2nd Class Brian M. Patton called his wife from Kuwait on Wednesday night and told her he missed her. It was their wedding anniversary, and they talked about a trip to Hawaii they planned to take when his deployment was complete.
Within an hour, Petty Officer Patton was dead.
The 37-year-old Nanticoke man was killed just after midnight Thursday in a head-on crash with a civilian vehicle near a military base in Kuwait, his family said Friday.
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Local Girl Scouts were in their pajamas by 6 p.m. Friday, but they were far from asleep at a benefit for a New York-based children's charity.
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DIMOCK TWP. - In a field between Ronald Carter's trailer and the gas drilling site less than 500 feet from his front porch, a group of neighbors shared nightmarish stories Friday morning about the natural gas extraction they say has changed their lives and homes.
The 15 families were there to announce a lawsuit they filed Thursday against Cabot Oil and Gas Corp., the Texas-based natural gas operator that has drilled 63 wells in a 9-square-mile area around their homes in Susquehanna County, and has permits to drill about 60 more.
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Scranton City Council 11/3/2009
Janet Evans Victory Speech 11/3/2009
Margaret Bisignani Moyle Victory
Election Day 11/3/2009
Valley View SWAT practice
Video: Demolition of Quint's building
Video: Guinness World Record holder
Video: West Scranton Fire 9/14/2009
