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THE TIMES LEADER www.timesleader.com
SUNDAY, AUGUST 28, 2011 PAGE 3A
LOCAL
Meetings at school districts will inform educators about the juvenile justice system
Task force sets juvie conferences By SHEENA DELAZIO sdelazio@timesleader.com
In an effort to inform the public about the juvenile justice system, the Luzerne County Juvenile Justice Task Force will be hold conferences this school year for the largest number of local educators ever. The Juvenile Justice Task Force, the first of its kind in Pennsylvania, will hold conferences at six local school districts for more than 1,000 educators at the schools’ first in-service days of the year. “I was surprised I got such a grand feedback,” said Mary Jo Shisko, profes-
sional development consultant/interagency coordinator at the Luzerne Intermediate Unit, who organizes the conferences. Shisko said she sent letters out to local districts explaining that the task force members would be available to speak to their staff members about current policy that exists between education and the judicial system. The task force was originally created in 2009 in response to the “kids for cash” juvenile justice scandal in Luzerne County. It was initially formed to address issues faced by victims of crimes commit-
Medeiros to lead TL sports staff
ensure offenders and victims are treated fairly. Monday: Wilkes-Barre Area Shisko said that at the in-service days Monday: Pittston Area scheduled in the next month task force Tuesday: Wilkes-Barre Area Career and members will give a 2-hour presentaTechnical Center tion to educators. The presentations Sept. 28: Hanover Area will include a PowerPoint talk by DisSept. 29: Wyoming Valley West trict Attorney Jackie Musto Carroll and TBA: Lake-Lehman Chief Public Defender Al Flora. Task force members include Luzerne County Juvenile Court Judge David Luted by juveniles who felt disillusioned pas or Judge Tina Polachek Gartley, as by the justice system after the juvenile well as several other members who will convictions were vacated. The group also speak at the presentations. has since altered its mission to focus on all areas of the juvenile justice system to See JUVENILE, Page 7A
P R E S E N TAT I O N S
S T R E E T F E S T I VA L Ebonne Balsamo, 5, uses a hula hoop to keep time to the music in the rain during a block party Saturday on Grove Street. The event, the Back to School Giveaway Block Party, was hosted by Food for the Soul Ministries and First Baptist Church, both of WilkesBarre. There was plenty of food, along with music by a disc jockey, plenty of good times and a raffle for prize baskets that included an Xbox 360 and cell phones. The event, formerly held at Kirby Park, raised money for school supplies.
New sports editor previously held same position for four years at Bloomsburg Press Enterprise. By MATT HUGHES mhughes@timesleader.com
WILKES-BARRE – The Times Leader welcomed its newest team member last week, Sports Editor John Medeiros. Medeiros brings more than 13 years of sports writing experience to The Times Leader. Most recently, he served for four years as sports editor for the Bloomsburg Press Enterprise, where he also covered PIAA District 2 high school sports. “Newspapers are something of a passion for me,” Medeiros said. “Working in local sports, dealing with the local athletes, you Medeiros really get a unique perspective on how the world is, and how the world has changed over the years, because it’s coming from folks younger than you.” Medeiros, originally of Providence, R.I., started writing professionally as a correspondent for a newspaper in Virginia and gained an affection for the job immediately. “I also had a full-time job at the time, but I fell in love with sports writing,” he said. “When the opportunity came along to be a staffer, there went the full-time job.” Medeiros followed his wife, Susan, a graduate of Central Columbia High School, to the area and has learned to call it home. “There’s so much here,” he said. See MEDEIROS, Page 7A
DON CAREY/THE TIMES LEADER
Dancing in the rain Outdoor party final blast before school By MATT HUGHES mhughes@timesleader.com
WILKES-BARRE – Local youths celebrated the end of summer by dancing in the streets Saturday, and when a hard rain began to fall, they danced through that, too. They gathered on Grove Street for the Back to School Giveaway Block
Party, hosted by Food for the Soul Ministries and First Baptist Church, both of Wilkes-Barre. “The rain didn’t even stop us,” said Pastor Diane Roberts of Food for the Soul Ministries. “The kids are still out here having fun in the rain. … They were even dancing in the rain. I wanted the hydrant turned on be-
cause I thought it would be a real hot day, but God blessed us with the rain instead.” The kids danced to hip-hop music from a disc jockey, snacked on free hot dogs and watermelon from T and T’s Soul Food on Grove Street See PARTY, Page 7A
New Steamtown stamp gives hope to supporters of miner stamp Activists have for years been petitioning for recognition for the area’s coal mining heritage.
Chance photo made the cut By CHRISTOPHER J. HUGHES chughes@golackawanna.com
By EILEEN GODIN Times Leader Correspondent
The announcement of a new stamp depicting the roundhouse at Steamtown National Historic site in Scranton has given new hope to activists petitioning for a stamp noting Northeast Pennsylvania’s coal mining heritage. The new, full-color stamp is one of 15 chosen for the 2012 Forever Stamp series titled “Earthscapes,” which will be rolled out by the U.S. Postal Service in October 2012. Wilkes-Barre resident Wayne Namey, a member of the Coal Miner Stamp Committee, said he sees the new stamp as progress. Namey said the Coal Miner Stamp Committee has been petitioning the Citizens Stamp Advisory Committee for about 20 years to design a stamp honoring Northeastern Pennsylvania’s coal See STAMP, Page 7A
PETE G. WILCOX/THE TIMES LEADER
Wayne Namey and the Coal Miners Stamp Committee Have been pushing for a new postage stamp designed to honor NEPA’s rich coal mining heritage.
SCRANTON – Jim Wark was struck by what was underneath his aircraft. Several years ago, the now 80year-old Pueblo, Colo., resident and professional aerial photographer flew over Scranton and happened over a Wark great opportunity. “It was just something I came across. I wasn’t looking for it. It’s one of those serendipitous things where you go, ‘Wow, that’s a great picture.’ “It surprised me, and it’s nice to be surprised on these trips. That provides a lot of good photography.” See PHOTO, Page 7A
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WILKES-BARRE
Judge explains trial denial
A Luzerne County senior judge on Friday filed a several-page opinion outlining why he denied the request of a convicted murder to be granted a new trial, citing his “flights of fancy.” Judge Joseph Augello said in the opinion, filed in accordance with an appeal Joseph Gacha, 33, filed in July to the state Superior Court, that Gacha’s allegations that he had ineffective counsel and they did not preGacha sent evidence at his September 2006 trial, are unwarranted and that the judge stands by his June ruling denying those requests and a request for a new trial. “(Counsel) is certainly not ineffective …,” Augello wrote in the opinion and that a previous hearing held for Gacha “is not some fantasyland divorced from the evidence and reality of trial.” A county jury in September 2006 convicted Gacha in the killing of 20year-old Carrie Martin in her Larksville residence on May 28, 2004. Gacha was sentenced to life in prison when the jury was deadlocked on imposing the death penalty. TUNKHANNOCK
Safety seat checks set
State police at Tunkhannock will have troopers available to conduct child safety seat checks Sept. 22 from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. at their barracks on state Route 6. Call 836-2144 for an appointment. WILKES-BARRE
Englot earns designation
Luzerne County IT Director Steve Englot recently earned a certified government chief information officer designation from the Public Technology Institute, Washington, D.C., and the Rutgers University School of Public Affairs. The one-year technology leadership program Englot completed involved more Englot than 240 hours of course work in the form of reading and written assignments, online and live classes, two certificate programs in communications, a certificate course in program management and a capstone project. The Luzerne County Commissioners passed a resolution commending Englot on his achievement at their most recent meeting. WILKES-BARRE
Event for college students
Diamond City Partnership, The City of Wilkes-Barre, and the Greater Wilkes-Barre Chamber of Business and Industry invite area businesses to participate in the annual Downtown Collegetown /Party on the Square. /The event, which will celebrate its eighth year of positively promoting area businesses to the five Wilkes-Barre area colleges and universities, will be held from 5 to 9 p.m. on September 21 on Public Square. This year’s event will feature the popular student discount card to local businesses, /Collegetown Cup Competition/, a free giveaway item to all students, live music, food samples and more. The presenting sponsor for this year’s event is Choice One Community Credit Union. Fore more information, businesses should contact Johnny Espinoza at 570-823-2101 Ext. 153 or via e-mail dcps01@gmail.com. HARRISBURG
Driver centers closed
The state Department of Transportation today announced that all driver license and photo centers, including its full-service center in Harrisburg, will be closed Saturday, Sept. 3 through Monday, Sept. 5 in observance of Labor Day. Customers may still obtain a variety of driver and vehicle products and services online through PennDOT’s Driver and Vehicle Services website, www.dmv.state.pa.us. A complete listing of PennDOT driver and photo license center closings in 2011 is available on the website under “News, Stats and Facts.”