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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Santa Parade steps off today
SCRANTON - The 17th annual Greater Scranton Jaycees Santa Parade will ring in the holiday season today starting at 9 a.m.
Festivities begin on the 200 block of Mifflin Avenue and wind through downtown to the Hilton Scranton and Conference Center. The parade includes marching bands, dancers, floats and an array of police cars, firetrucks and ambulances.
The National Wea
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A chaotic manhunt through West Scranton that started with state police firing shots at a suspect ended Friday night with the apprehension of a wanted man who two days earlier allegedly led authorities on a high-speed chase through the Midvalley.
Derek Banks, 37, was arrested in the 1800 block of Farr Street after an hourlong chase, Scranton Police Lt. Marty Crofton said. Officers caught him on foot after he abandoned his car, a white Chevrolet Cobalt, on Dorothy Street.
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Dunmore High School head football coach Jack Henzes was admitted to Mercy Hospital in Scranton on Friday night after he collapsed on the sidelines during the District 2 Class AA final against Lakeland.
According to Henzes' son, Dr. Jack Henzes, the coach is "awake, alert and resting and will be staying overnight for observation."
Coach Henzes collapsed with 5:08 left in the second quarter. The game was delayed 15-20 minutes while medical personnel attended to the coach. He was taken from the field by ambulance to Mercy Hospital.
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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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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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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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Think of them as Ruth's Army.
The veterans who love Ruth Gonzalez are organizing to battle for her the way she fought for them. Their new war is for the woman who did right by them when no one else would or could.
In 22 years as regional representative/employment coordinator for the Governor's Veterans Outreach and Assistance Center in West Pittston, Mrs. Gonzalez has helped thousands of veterans obtain benefits, pensions, military records, jobs, counseling and care.
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Both sides are claiming victories after a judge's ruling on arbitration awards granted to Scranton's police and fire unions in the past year.
For the unions, the decision by visiting Monroe County Judge Peter O'Brien brings their members another step closer to securing hard-fought pay increases.
The arbitration had called for wage increases every six months from Jan. 1, 2008, through Jan. 1, 2014. While Judge O'Brien ruled raises should be given only once a year over that period, he upheld an initial increase of 8 percent retroactive to Jan. 1, 2008, followed by a 3 percent increase retroactive to Jan. 1, 2009.
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DICKSON CITY - Gary Drapek knew Tuesday the United Way of Lackawanna and Wayne Counties would meet its fundraising goal. Two days before the formal conclusion of the 2009 campaign, the president of the local United Way even knew this year's goal had been surpassed by more than he could have imagined when the campaign started in April.
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Fifteen families in Susquehanna County filed a federal lawsuit against Cabot Oil and Gas Corp. on Thursday, saying the Texas-based natural gas operator damaged their property and health while drilling for gas in the Marcellus Shale.
The families, who live in an area around Carter Road in Dimock Twp. and have gas leases with Cabot, say contamination and pollution caused by Cabot's activities has made some of them physically sick, fouled their drinking water and diminished their property values.
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A music video about H1N1 may soon be coming to a school near you.
On Thursday, the state Department of Health released a 2 minute and 50 second video, complete with catchy lyrics in a mix of hip-hop and pop, that focuses on five things children can do to keep from getting and spreading the virus.
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Video: Dunmore vs. Lakeland 11/20/2009
Video: The Weekend Show 11/18/2009
High School Football Playoffs Week 2
Video: The Joby Awards week 11
Pets of the Week 11/17/2009
Dunmore vs. Mid Valley 11/13/2009
The Weekend Show 11/11/2009
High School Football Playoffs Preview
