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Rendell will sign book
Former Gov. Ed Rendell will sign his new book “A Nation of Wusses” beginning at 7 p.m. Friday at Barnes & Noble Booksellers in the Arena Hub Plaza. The line will begin forming at 6 p.m. on a first-come basis. There will be no discussion of questionand-answer session. The free event is open Rendell to the public. Rendell, a Democrat, served two terms from 2003 to 2011 and two terms as mayor of Philadelphia from 1992 to 2000. He is a partner at Ballard Spahr LLP and a senior political analyst for MSNBC. In addition, he teaches at the University of Pennsylvania and is a co-host on the Philadelphia Eagles post-game show on Comcast SportsNet. HARRISBURG
Two elderly bills advance
Two items advancing protections for elderly Pennsylvanians authored by Rep. Karen Boback, R-Harveys Lake, recently moved forward in the state legislature. A bill requiring advanced notification of patient transfers between long-term care facilities and area agencies on aging Boback recently passed unanimously in the House Aging and Older Adult Services Committee. Boback said she introduced the bill after hearing of a local personal care home resident who died after being transferred from a facility in one county to another due to inadequate care and lack of communication between facilities. The coordination of efforts between facilities and agencies ensures the protection of the health and safety of patients and helps make sure that patient transfers are safe processes, Boback said. This legislation now heads to the full House for consideration. Boback’s resolution marking June 15, 2012 as “Elder Abuse Awareness Day in Pennsylvania” also recently passed unanimously in the House. WILKES-BARRE
DEP will hold workshop
The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection invites residential code enforcement officials, builders, contractors and designers to a training workshop on Tuesday on the 2009 International Energy Conservation Code. The workshop will be held from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Woodlands Inn and Resort at 1073 Highway 315. Registration begins at 8 a.m. There is a $40 registration fee that includes breakfast and lunch. The IECC is updated every three years by the International Code Council. In Pennsylvania, it is considered part of the Uniform Construction Code. The workshop will focus on bestmanagement practices in sustainable residential construction. Participants will learn about sizing residential HVAC units based on how much heating and cooling a home requires. Attendees will receive six UCC continuing education hours for completing the training. Funding for the workshop is provided by the state through a U.S. Department of Energy State Energy Program grant. For more information or to register visit www.dep.state.pa.usor www.paconstructioncodesacademy.org, or call 717-763-0930. ALLENTOWN
Ride malfunctioned before
An eastern Pennsylvania roller coaster that stalled and left riders dangling for about an hour and a half last week also malfunctioned almost three years ago when it was located on the other side of the country, but an official said that incident was unrelated. The Stinger at Dorney Park & Wildwater Kingdom previously operated as Invertigo at Great America in Santa Clara, Calif., where a mechanical failure left two dozen people stuck 80 feet in the air for at least three hours in 2009, The (Allentown) Morning Call said. As in Wednesday’s malfunction at Dorney Park, there were no injuries.
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SUNDAY, JUNE 10, 2012 PAGE 3A
LOCAL Amendment gets mixed reviews The amendment from Congressman Lou Barletta was added by voice vote to the Homeland Security bill.
By MATT HUGHES mhughes@timesleader.com
The leaders of some of Luzerne County’s largest cities gave mixed reviews to Congressman Lou Barletta’s attempt to crack down on municipalities who harbor illegal immigrants.
Introduced Friday, Barletta’s amendment to the Homeland Security Appropriations Bill would strip federal funds from municipalities who refuse to share information Barletta about the immigration status of individuals with federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers. Barletta, R-Hazleton, said the measure
is targeted at “sanctuary cities,” including Philadelphia, that refuse to share such information in defiance of a 1996 law requiring them to do so. The amendment was added by voice vote to the Homeland Security bill, which passed in the House of Representatives on Friday. It still needs to clear the Senate and receive President Barrack Obama’s signature to become law. Hazleton Mayor Joe Yannuzzi, a Republican, said he agrees wholeheartedly with the amendment.
“I think it’s a great idea that they’re doing this,” Yannuzzi said, adding that the measure won’t affect Hazleton because the city has been aggressive in its efforts to combat illegal immigration. “I think it will impact those cities that are sanctuaries,” Yannuzzi said. “It’s not Hazleton that’s the problem. It’s these guys that are trying to make a home for these illegals, and not help the government in finding them, reporting them See AMENDMENT, Page 6A
ABILITIES THROUGH ART
Exhibit focuses on learning
PETE G. WILCOX/THE TIMES LEADER
Lorraine Bartush of Dupont wears her balloon hat as she enjoys a meal with Kate Fonzo of Avoca at Saturday’s cancer survivors celebration held at Geisinger Wyoming Valley Medical Center in Plains Township.
DON CAREY PHOTOS/THE TIMES LEADER
Karla Porter, left, and Pamela Zotynia check out some jewelry at the ‘Abilities through Art’ exhibition and sale at Mainstreet Galleries in Kingston Friday. For Click photos from the event, see Page 13A.
Community Counseling displays work
By SUSAN BETTINGER Times Leader Correspondent
KINGSTON – Miranda Kropa of Kingston proudly explained the technique that she employed to create her work, “Dragonflies in the Morning.” She used tissue paper for the background, acrylic paint, a paper cutter, beads, sparkles A B O U T T H E and buttons to the E X H I B I T I O N complete painting in about The exhibition will two weeks to finrun through June ish. 29. For further Kropa’s art is information, call among the works Margaret Mouldof 17 artists from Cooney at 552the Day Develop3648. ment Program of Community Counseling Services displayed in the “Abilities through Art” exhibition at the Mainstreet Galleries in Kingston. The exhibit opened Friday evening. Margaret Mould-Cooney instructs five or six clients per day in her tworoom studio, known as Studio AtA in the former Nesbitt Hospital. The clients, who vary in degree of intellectual and physical disabilities, display their talents through their works such as handcrafted jewelry, plant holders, See ART, Page 9A
A time to celebrate survival Cancer victims enjoy carnival-like atmosphere as they mark fight against disease. By RALPH NARDONE Times Leader Correspondent
PLAINS TWP. -- Learning you or a loved one has cancer is probably the most devastating news you can hear. As medical professionals continue to wage their war on the disease, they stress the importance of continuing the fight and maintaining a positive attitude. To that end, the staff at the Geisinger Wyoming Valley Medical Center Henry Cancer Center makes a point every year to focus on the patients who survive that dreaded diagnosis and go on to lead often normal lives. On Saturday afternoon, the parking lot of the cancer center looked like a carnival as about 500 cancer survivors showed up to enjoy a fun-filled afternoon. “It about celebrating another year of surviving cancer,” said Mary Ann Olenick, administrative assistant at the cancer center. She said she shared a lot of warm feelings with the folks who came by thrilled about still being alive. “We had a good time,” Olenick said. Artwork by Miranda Kropa at the ‘Abilities through Art’ exhibit at the Mainstreet Galleries in Kingston.
See SURVIVAL, Page 6A
W-B provides food and fun for children in the summer City, YMCA and CEO will start program for school-age children Monday at seven parks, YMCA. By STEVE MOCARSKY smocarsky@timesleader.com
WILKES-BARRE – Parents in the city can rest assured their school-age children can get a healthy meal and safe, supervised activities to keep them occupied five days a week all summer long. The City of Wilkes-Barre, the WilkesBarre Family YMCA and the Commission on Economic Opportunity will be-
WHERE TO GO
serve free, healthy lunches at program sites between noon and 1 p.m. daily. Food ‘N’ Fun at the Park program sites Snacks also will be offered. All children are: Huber Mayflower Park, Coal Street are eligible to receive the meals, there Park, Miner Park & Kistler Pool, Iron is no need to sign up and it is entirely Triangle Playground, Boulevard Townfree. homes, Madison/Flood Park, Parsons Playground and the Wilkes-Barre Family The program will include scheduled YMCA. The Y site will be limited to the activities for children of all ages includfirst 40 children per day that show up. ing arts, crafts, games, sports and other Call Drew McLaughlin at 208-4140 or activities led by trained YMCA staff Meghan Davis at 823-2191 for more inand City of Wilkes-Barre senior and juformation. nior counselors. The goal of the program is to progin the 2012 “Food ‘N’ Fun at the Park” mote healthy eating by providing qualprogram on Monday at seven city parks ity meals to the city’s youth that might not otherwise have access to them durand the Wilkes-Barre Y. Throughout the summer, CEO will ing the summer months.
This will be the third year of the formal partnership for the free summer lunches, said Drew McLaughlin, the city’s administrative coordinator. McLaughlin “Year two, we had the idea that if we could tie in meals to activities, the activities would increase attendance. Also, for those kids who come for meals, the activities would keep them in the parks. This will be the second year we’re having this structurSee MEALS, Page 6A