Diversity 2020

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SUNDAY, MARCH 15, 2020

CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC

HELPING THE VULNERABLE

Americans brace for new life amid virus outbreak

Steps being taken to help protect homeless during pandemic

Millions facing issues surrounding school closures and a growing sense of dread.

BY GILLIAN FLACCUS AND JOCELYN GECKER ASSOCIATED PRESS

Millions of Americans braced for the week ahead with no school for their children for many days to come, no clue how to effectively do their jobs without child care, and a growing sense of dread about how to stay safe and sane amid the relentless spread of the coronavirus.

Are play dates for the kids OK? How do you stock up on supplies when supermarket shelves are bare? How do you pay the bills when your work hours have been cut? Is it safe to go to the gym? And how do you plan for the future with no idea what it holds?

“Today looks so different from yesterday, and you just don’t know what tomorrow is going to look like,” said Christie Bauer, a family photographer and mother of three school-age children in West Linn, Oregon.

Tens of millions of students nationwide have been sent home from school amid a wave of closings that include all of Ohio, Maryland, Oregon, Washington state, Florida and Illinois along with big-city districts like Los Angeles, San Francisco and Washington, D.C. Some schools announced they will close for three weeks, others for up to six.

The disruptions came as government and hospital leaders took new measures to contain an outbreak that has sickened more than 150,000 people worldwide and killed about 5,800, with thousands of new cases being confirmed every day.

As the U.S. death toll climbed to 51 on Saturday and infections totaled more than 2,100, President Donald Trump expanded a ban on travel to the U.S. from Europe, adding Britain and Ireland to the list, and hospitals worked to expand bed capacity and staffing to keep from becoming overwhelmed as the caseload mounts.

SEAN MCKEAG / STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

Christopher Evans, 63, of Kingston, eats pizza before a Bible study at Church on the Square in Wilkes-Barre on Friday.

BY STEVE MOCARSKY STAFF WRITER

W

ILKES-BARRE — City officials are working to help protect a particularly vulnerable population often forgotten by many as the coronavirus pandemic continues to spread.

Henry Radulski, director of WilkesBarre’s health department, acknowledges that people experiencing homelessness tend to be more susceptible to diseases such as the new coronavirus because of poor nutrition and not having easy access to hand-washing facilities when they leave a shelter.

Prolonged exposure to the elements also plays a factor.

The novel coronavirus, or COVID-19, is spread from person-to-person via respiratory droplets, most frequently among close contacts (within about 6 feet), according to the World Health Organization.

Those infected can experience runny nose, sore throat, cough, fever and/ or difficulty breathing. Older people and people with medical conditions such as asthma, diabetes or heart dis-

ease may be more vulnerable to becoming seriously ill or dying.

To prevent spreading the disease, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends covering one’s mouth and nose when sneezing and coughing, washing one’s hands frequently, not shaking hands and avoiding large crowds.

Vince O’Boyle, pastor at Church on the Square, said he hasn’t heard any talk about the virus among the approximately 25 or so homeless men who regularly show up for dinners and other events.

“If there is any concern and talk about closing the church for a few weeks, I’ll have to talk to the members about that,” O’Boyle said.

The church, located on Public Square next to the Luzerne County visitors bureau, is a frequent stop for homeless individuals, as is St. Vincent de Paul Kitchen on East Jackson Street, where staff and volunteers are following their usual sanitizing protocols.

Please see HOMELESS, Page A13

SEAN MCKEAG / STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

A man rests after lunch is served to area homeless people at Church on the Square in downtown Wilkes-Barre on Saturday.

Please see VIRUS, Page A13 ADVE RTISE M E NT

Spas step up cleaning amid coronavirus stress Many already had strict cleaning policies.

SEAN MCKEAG / STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

Disinfectants sit on a counter at The Sapphire Salon in Pittston on Saturday.

Spas are in the business of helping people relax and feel good.

Positive emotions and experiences are at a premium during times of coronavirus pandemic panic, which has caused an industry that already prioritizes cleanliness to take even further measures.

“When you go into a spa, I would say that it is the cleanest place to go,” said Roseanne Gallagher, owner of J Madison Spa in Kingston.

While J Madison Spa has always cleaned its equipment and disinfected and sanitized door knobs, light switches and everything in between, employees are doing

those things even more often.

J Madison Spa has also installed a “Purell station,” according to Gallagher, where clients “gel in and gel out.”

While all spas are inspected by the State Board of Cosmetology, Batty Fang Salon & Spa at The Woodlands is subject to even more random checks because it is inside a hotel.

While some would look at that as an extra hassle, Batty Fang manager Tatum Neiderhiser sees it as an extra verification of cleanliness and noted that her business has the added benefit of using the hotel cleaning crew.

Please see SPAS, Page A3

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Obituaries / news

SUNDAY, MARCH 15, 2020

THE CITIZENS' VOICE A13

Wolf urges some businesses to close Recommendation comes for some counties as cases rise statewide.

ASSOCIATed PreSS

HARRISBURG — State h e a l t h o f f i c i a l s h av e announced six additional presumptive positive cases of the coronavirus, bringing the statewide total to 47 cases, and the governor urged nonessential businesses in two more Philadelphia-area counties to shut down amid the outbreak.

The Pennsylvania Department of Health said Saturday that there were two cases in Allegheny County — the first reported there — as well as two new cases in adults from Montgomery County, one in an adult from Philadelphia and one in an adult from Chester County. All are either in isolation at home or are being treated at a hospital.

Gov. Tom Wolf also extended to Chester and Bucks counties a call for non-essential businesses to to close, echoing a voluntary call made earlier to Montgomery and Delaware counties. He said essential

infrastructure such as pharmacies, grocery stores and gas stores will remain open, and officials said travel is not being restricted.

“If we can slow the spread of this virus ... we can keep an enormous number of Pennsylvanians from needing the kind of emergency treatment at the same time that’s going to overwhelm our health care system,” Wolf said. “Stay calm, stay home and stay safe.”

State officials on Saturday evening clarified that nonessential businesses include community and recreation centers; gyms, including yoga, barre and spin facilities; hair salons, nail salons and spas; casinos; concert venues; theaters; bars; sporting event venues and golf courses; retail facilities, including shopping malls and except for pharmacy or other health care facilities within retail operations. Restaurants are urged only to remain open for carry-out and delivery orders.”

The Wolf administration said it “strongly encourages businesses to act now before the governor or the secretary

of health finds it necessary to compel closures under the law for the interest of public health.”

In Philadelphia, however, city officials said people should feel free to continue to go to retail businesses and public parks while warning that this advice could change.

Mayor Jim Kenney urged people to wash their hands and stay three feet from other people, but added “go out and have dinner and tip your wait staff, because they’re struggling right now.”

“We have to figure out a way that we can continue moving forward without panicking to the point where everything shuts down,” Kenney said Saturday. “We may be healthier but the economy will be in the tank, and we can’t have that.” He later said on Twitter that he was “attempting to show support for local businesses and stop panic. ... We should all be mindful to limit gatherings, and of course, if you don’t feel well, stay home.”

Wolf said a special election scheduled Tuesday in Bucks County will be postponed, but there is no agreement yet on

a new date.

The Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board announced a “phased closure” of wine and spirit stores in Bucks, Chester, Delaware and Montgomery counties to help slow the spread of the virus.

Museums and casinos State and local museums announced shutdowns amid a wave of closures aimed at slowing the spread of the new coronavirus.

The Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission says all state-owned historic sites and museums — regardless of location — will be closed as of Sunday through the end of the month. The commission earlier this week closed the State Museum of Pennsylvania and the state archives in Harrisburg as well as sites in Montgomery and Delaware counties. Commission meetings are being limited to 10 people or fewer through the end of April.

Five of the 12 casinos in Pe n n s y l va n i a h ave announced closures amid the outbreak.

Rivers Casino Philadelphia

said it would close at midnight Sunday for 14 days “out of an abundance of caution and to promote the social distancing recommended by health officials” although there had been no known cases of coronavirus at the property.

Cases Most of the state’s 47 cases of positive tests are in eastern Pennsylvania. Hardest hit is Montgomery County, with 20 cases. Cases announced Friday included the first two children under 18, and Saturday’s announcement included the first cases in western Pennsylvania’s Allegheny County.

Allegheny County officials said the two Pittsburgh residents — who reside in the same household, one with an age in the 70s and the other in the 60s — are believed to have contracted the virus while traveling out of state. Both are currently in isolation at home.

The confirmed cases largely have been traced back to contact with the new coronavirus in another state or country. Most people are at home in isolation, officials say; a few are hospitalized.

HOMeLess: Local shelters following CDC guidelines recommendations made

FrOm PAge A1

Gerald Costello, a volunteer at the church who himself was homeless “on and off for about seven years” because of drug and alcohol abuse, said if he were still homeless, “I probably wouldn’t even care” about contracting the virus because he’d be drunk or using drugs.

“I had pneumonia three or four times when I was on the streets,” he said, noting that becoming ill is usually inevitable among the homeless.

Costello and regulars at the church were mourning the loss of a friend, Sean Mooney, 54, who was found dead last week in a homeless encampment under the South Street Bridge. They suspect exposure to the elements and Mooney’s diabetes factored into his death.

Costello said many homeless people sleep in outdoor encampments because there’s not enough room at shelters “if you get there too late.”

On a single night in 2019, roughly 568,000 people were experiencing homelessness in the United States, with 13,199 of them in Pennsylvania, according to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s 2019 annual Homeless Assessment Report.

Nearly two-thirds were staying in sheltered locations — emergency shelters or transitional housing programs — and more than one-third were in unsheltered locations such as on the street, in abandoned buildings, or in other places not suitable for human habitation.

Quarantine site sought Radulski said late Friday that staff had been “working all day to find an alternate site” other than shelters for the homeless “in case they need to be quarantined or isolated.”

SeAn mCKeAg / STAFF PHOTOgrAPHer

Gerald Costello, of Wilkes-Barre, attends a Bible study at Church on the Square in downtown Wilkes-Barre on Friday. Costello is a church volunteer and was once homeless himself.

Earlier in the week, Radulski said staff was “still researching details of how we can handle an outbreak” of the virus in the homeless community.

He said staff has been communicating with officials at the city’s homeless shelters and have provided educational information from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control on suggested protocols for dealing with the homeless population during the pandemic.

Shelter employees remain tight-lipped, however, on how they’re prepared to handle any possible outbreak among the area’s homeless, referring comment to their organizations’ representatives authorized to speak with the media.

Volunteers of America Pennsylvania runs Ruth’s Place, a shelter for homeless women, Manna House, for homeless youth, and Give Hope Street Outreach locally.

Attempts to reach VOA Pennsylvania President and CEO Jodina Hicks were unsuccessful.

Eric Deabill, spokesman for the Diocese of Scranton, said the diocese “remains strongly

committed to providing critical services to our brothers and sisters in need,” and as of Friday, all three of the diocese shelters in Scranton, WilkesBarre and Hazleton remained open.

Deabill said Catholic Social Services is following all guidance provided by the CDC and the state Department of Health. He said homeless clients are being assessed for any symptoms of the virus upon arrival at the emergency shelters and during the duration of their time there.

“If someone presents with symptoms of the virus, they are denied access and encouraged to seek medical advice.

We are also prepared to call an ambulance to have them taken to a local hospital should the need arise,” Deabill said.

He said there have been “no symptomatic people who have presented themselves at our shelters” and the facilities could not support anyone showing symptoms.

Deabill said the diocese is “to the best of our ability” following recommendations from the CDC to keep beds at least three feet apart and have all clients sleep head-to-toe. St.

Alison Eisinger, executive director of the Seattle/King County Coalition on Homelessness, had several recommendations for helping the homeless through the pandemic.

King County in Washington has seen 32 of the 41 coronavirus-related deaths in the United States and has the third largest homeless population in the United States after New York City and Los Angeles.

Eisinger said “decongesting the shelter system” in communities, finding new shelter locations and splitting shelters into two sections are important steps in fighting the spread of the disease among the homeless.

She cautioned that closing libraries, community centers and other facilities where homeless people use restroom facilities to wash would make the situation worse.

She said distribution of methadone and other antiaddiction drugs should continue and there should be plans in place for doing so.

Authorities should not be telling homeless people in encampments to move.

She said shelters could lose volunteers fearful of contracting the virus, and plans must be put in place to maintain staffing.

“We’ll need support from local government and agencies to help the organizations,” Eisinger said.

And she said agencies and organizations that provide care for the homeless should be providing hand-wash stations and hand sanitizer.

“Find the money. Get the sanitizer” to prevent spread of the virus, she said. “Because guess what? It’s coming.”

Anthony’s Haven in Scranton and Divine Providence in Hazleton have bunk beds, while Mother Teresa’s Haven, which serves the homeless in Wilkes-Barre through rotating host churches, relies on cots.

“Catholic Social Services is also working to educate and re-enforce proper preventative measures to all of the clients we serve so that they do not contract and spread the virus,” he said.

Deabill said the Luzerne County Homeless Coalition has been advising everyone to follow the CDC and HUD guidelines for serving the homeless population in the midst of the viral outbreak. In addition, they are advising the homeless population to seek medical assistance if they have any of the potential symptoms of the coronavirus.

He said he was not aware of any agency distributing free hand sanitizer to homeless individuals and that Catholic Social Services also does not have the ability to provide hand-washing stations near or at homeless encampments. Contact the writer: Radulski said the city has smocarsky@citizensvoice.com hand sanitizer on back-order. 570-821-2110, @mocarskyCV

Virus: America ‘will see more suffering and death’ FrOm PAge A1

“We have not reached our peak,” said Dr. Anthony Fauci of the National Institutes of Health. “We will see more cases, and we will see more suffering and death.”

Many working parents are scrambling to find child care, even if they are being allowed to work from home. The child care needs are especially dire for the legions of nurses, hospital and health care workers across the country who need to be on the job to deal with the crisis.

Governors drew up emergency plans to find child care for front-line medical workers and first responders, equating it to a wartime effort.

“I would put this as a World War II-capacity daycare for our public health workers because we’re going to need

every single body we can get,” said Oregon Gov. Kate Brown.

Parents desperate to get to work with schools closed have jumped on social media boards to seek child care or to exchange tips about available babysitters.

Seattle resident John Persak set up a Facebook group last week for parents with children at home because of school closings. The group exploded to nearly 3,000 members.

“We’re getting about five requests a minute at this point,” said Persak, a father and crane operator at the port of Seattle, who said his work hours have been curtailed for weeks by the coronavirus outbreak, which is affecting cargo deliveries from Asia.

I n M a r y l a n d , wh e re schools will be closing from Monday through March 27,

parents are calling up their kids’ former nannies and babysitters.

“They are desperate,” said Ellen Olsen, who has been a nanny for more than 11 years and co-manages a Facebook group that connects parents, nannies and sitters in Maryland. “We’ve seen a lot of parents posting, ‘Hey, schools are closed, but I still have to work.’”

Olsen takes care of two babies, but starting next week, two girls ages 9 and 11 whom she once watched will also be under her supervision. Olsen said the girls’ parents are doctors and asked for her help after school was canceled.

New York Mayor Bill de Blasio defied mounting pressure to close the nation’s biggest school system, saying shutting the schools for the

more than 1.1 million students could hamper the city’s ability to respond to the crisis by forcing parents who are first responders and healthcare workers to cast about for child care or stay home.

The cascade of closings upended weekend routines for countless mothers and fathers. Little League and other sports were canceled.

Parks were closed. Play dates were upended. The size of the crowd at a public library in suburban Portland rivaled that of the neighborhood Costco as parents scrambled to stockpile books for children.

While some people were opting to isolate themselves, not everyone was ready to put their lives on hold.

Despite the cancellation of St. Patrick’s Day parades around the country and pleas

to curtail public gatherings, pub celebrations continued in many places. In Chicago, pub crawls and other revelry went ahead as planned, prompting an angry rebuke from Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker.

“If you are young and healthy, listen up: We need you to follow social distancing, too,” Pritzker said, urging partygoers to go home.

Spring Break partying in Florida also prompted official action, with authorities closing South Beach to prevent the virus’ spread.

Miami Beach of ficials ordered hundreds of college spring breakers and others from around the world off the beach Saturday and eliminated parking on major streets in the city’s entertainment district to cut down on crowds at South Beach clubs and restaurants.

Margaret Kish March 14, 2020

Margaret Kish, 96, of Wilkes-Barre Twp., passed away Saturday, March 14, 2020, at Allied Services Meade Street Skilled Nursing, WilkesBarre.

Funeral arrangements are pending from Nat & Gawlas Funeral Home, 89 Park Ave., Wilkes-Barre.

Albert ‘Butchie’ Serino March 13, 2020

Albert “Butchie” Serino, 77, of Pittston, passed away Friday evening, March 13, 2020, in Wilkes-Barre General Hospital. Funeral arrangements are pending from Adonizio Funeral Home, L L C , 2 5 1 Wi l l i a m S t . , Pittston.

Nancy C. Valletta March 13, 2020

Nancy C. Valletta, 81, of Kingston, passed away Friday, March 13, 2020, in Wilkes-Barre General Hospital.

Funeral arrangements are pending from Yeosock Funeral Home, 40 S. Main St., Plains Twp.

Lael Swank March 14, 2020

Lael Swank, 49, of Mountain Top, died Saturday, March 14, 2020.

Arrangements are being finalized under the direction of Desiderio–Lehman Funeral and Cremation, 436 S. Mountain Blvd., Mountain Top.

Rebecca P. Sparlow March 14, 2020

Rebecca P. Sparlow, 80, of Kingston, passed away Saturday, March 14, 2020, in Wilkes-Barre General Hospital.

Funeral services will be at the convenience of the family from Metcalfe Shaver Kopcza Funeral Home Inc., 504 Wyoming Ave., Wyoming.

William E. Neff March 14, 2020

William E. Neff of Pittston passed away Saturday morning, March 14, 2020, at The Meadows in Dallas.

Funeral arrangements are pending from Howell-Lussi Funeral Home, 509 Wyoming Ave., West Pittston.

Obituary submission guidelines The email address for The Citizens’ Voice obituaries and photos is obits@citizensvoice. com. Please include the word “obituary” in the subject line of emails.

The deadline to submit obituaries is 7:30 p.m. Holiday hours may change.

Obituaries will be confirmed via an email receipt to the submitter.

The obituary desk number is 570-821-2100.

Obituaries will be edited according to Associated Press guidelines to maintain uniformity and style. All obituaries should be submitted in paragraph form.

Photos should be submitted by email. If a photo needs to be scanned in the newsroom, please call 570-821-2100 to notify the obituary clerk.

All photos will be published as thumbnails unless a large photo is specified when the obituary is submitted.

Color photos are available for an extra cost. All photos will be published in black and white unless otherwise specified.

All photos will be cropped unless otherwise specified when the obituary is submitted.

Scanned photos must have a high resolution, preferably 200 dpi or more.

WB_VOICE/PAGES [A01] | 03/21/20

voice

the citizens’

22:06 | DONLINKEVI

COVERAGE CONTINUES INSIDE KEEP IN LIGHT IN TOUCH THE DARK Area personal care People are using Christmas lights to add desperately needed cheer. A8

facilities are using technology to keep guests connected with family. A3

Staying busy: Activities for kids. A6 A

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SUNDAY, MARCH 22, 2020

CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC

6 COVID-19 cases now confirmed in county Hazleton mayor confirms one of latest cases is a Hazleton resident.

BY JAMES HALPIN STAFF WRITER

Luzerne County’s coronavirus numbers tripled to six cases on Saturday as the virus continues its spread across Pennsylvania, resulting in a second death.

The county had two confirmed cases on Friday, but the number increased Saturday as the state Department of Health documented CUSAT an additional 103 cases across the state.

Hazleton Mayor Jef f Cusat confir med one of the Luzerne County cases

is a Hazleton man. He did not provide further details, citing medical confidentiality.

“The infected individual has been notified and is being self-quarantined at his residence,” Cusat said.

“We ask the citizens to remain calm and to continue to follow the recommendations and guidelines from federal and state officials along with those from (the

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention). We are all in this together.”

L ackawa n n a C o u nt y, which had four cases Friday, increased by one to five, according to the department.

State and county officials did not release any details on the other new cases.

However, they revealed a person in Allegheny County has died from COVID-19,

bringing the statewide death toll to two. The first death was re por ted in Northampton County.

“Our notable increase in cases over the last few days indicate we need everyone to take COVID-19 seriously,” Secretary of Health Dr. Rachel Levine said in a statement. “Pennsylvanians have a very important job right now: stay calm, stay home and stay

safe. We have seen case counts continue to increase and the best way to prevent the spread of COVID-19 is to stay home.”

The total number of cases across the state now sits at 371, up from 268 on Friday.

So far, there have been 3,766 negative tests performed in the state.

Contact the writer: jhalpin@citizensvoice.com 570-821-2058

Wolf defends closure order

LOST IN TRANSLATION: DISINFORMATION SPREADS

State reports 2nd coronavirus death.

BY MICHAEL RUBINKAM AND MARC LEVY ASSOCIATED PRESS

SEAN MCKEAG / STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

Andrizon Castillo, owner of Andy’s Barbershop, cuts the hair of customer Peter Williams, of Yatesville, at his barbershop on Hazle Street in Wilkes-Barre.

LANGUAGE BARRIER Although 67.3M people speak a foreign language at home, virus information has been released primarily in English

BY STEPHANIE PANNY STAFF WRITER

WILKES-BARRE — Joseph Rodriguez moved to Wilkes-Barre from the Bronx, New York, five months ago to help take care of his mother.

He lost his job at a meat-packing warehouse on Tuesday due to COVID-19 fears.

To add to the financial burden, Rodriguez, 22, has to stay aware of coronavirus information. Because

he is bilingual, it falls to him to inform his family — most of whom speak little to no English — on how to protect themselves.

“I’m trying to tell them the truth about all of it. This is not a joke.

This is real,” Rodriguez said.

“Some of the information doesn’t come out in Spanish and you have to translate it. They have to do something about that.”

For the past two weeks, much

has been released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the news media and state and federal government on COVID-19. This includes details on symptoms, how to protect yourself and your family, and how to get tested for the virus.

However, all the information released has been primarily disseminated in English. According to a 2018 report from the Center for Immigration Studies, there are 67.3

million people who speak a foreign language at home (41.5 million of those speak Spanish), and only about 38% of those people don’t speak English fluently.

Leanna Zuniga, a 73-year-old resident of Wilkes-Barre who speaks little English, said she has some information about prevention and the quarantine period.

Please see LANGUAGE, Page A7

Locals find creative ways to keep busy

HARRISBURG — Pennsylvania’s coronavirus death toll rose by one on Saturday as lawyers for Gov. To m Wo l f asked a court to dismiss lawsuits challenging his authority to WOLF shutter “nonlife-sustaining” businesses, declaring that unprecedented action is needed to combat a global pandemic they called “perhaps the biggest catastrophe of our lifetimes.”

The Allegheny County Health Department confirmed the death Saturday and described the person as an adult in the late 60s who had been hospitalized.

More than 370 coronavirus cases and two deaths have been reported in Pennsylvania. Health Secretary Rachel Levine said the state is seeing a spike in cases because more people are getting infected, not because testing has expanded.

She also revealed that Wolf’s administration is considering a “shelter in place” order to ensure people stay at home.

Please see WOLF, Page A7

ADVE RTISE M E NT

Chalk drawings, experiments are helping to keep people occupied during outbreak.

BY JAMES HALPIN STAFF WRITER

As the coronavirus quarantine stretches on, Luzerne County residents are looking for creative ways to keep themselves — and their children — occupied.

The state had documented 371 COVID-19 cases as of Saturday, including six in Luzer ne County. While authorities have not placed any restrictions on going outside, many businesses were shuttered by Saturday and people were hunkering down to wait out the pandemic at home.

Fairview Twp. resident Nikki Brendza, 34, was turning to technology to help entertain her children, Chase and Cassidy. But instead of just sitting down in front of the television, Brendza was using the video chat service FaceTime so her children could connect to their grandparents.

“I drew up some bingo boards. My mom called the numbers and the kids played for a while for small prizes,” Brendza said. “She had accumulated a bunch of trinkets and showed them the options each round. Whatever they won

Thank you to the Best Team!

SEAN MCKEAG / STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

Noah Greco, 13, demonstrates his science experiment by pouring baking soda into a mixture of vinegar and food dye at his house in Shavertown on Saturday. she will send in the mail as things like that which will their Easter basket. Both get us through this sanely.” kids had so much fun with it last night. It’s the small Please see CREATIVE, Page A7

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Coronavirus pandemiC

SUNDAY, MARCH 22, 2020

THE CITIZENS' VOICE A7

Wolf: Cited daily increase in cases from page a1

Dave Scherbenco / STaff phoTographer

Lindsey Stewart and her son, Seth, 2, watch as Laura Ryan draws a chalk message on Chestnut Street in Swoyersville on Saturday.

CreaTive: Chalk art brightens the day

Over in the Back Mountain, Shavertown resident Jamie Greco, 38, was getting a little help from her 13-year-old son Noah to entertain her four daughters who range in age from 7 to 12.

“He is really into science and history,” she said. “So I thought it would be a really cool idea for him to do stuff for his sisters, because he’s a very hands-on type of kid.”

Greco asked Noah is he would want to do a different science experiment everyday, and he was excited about the idea, she said.

“Every day he does his own research — I actually have nothing to do with it,” Greco

said. “He comes up with the science experiment that he’s going to do that day and goes through the pantry and the craft room. Then he puts on a science experiment and he explains the reasoning behind it to the girls, too.”

Noah’s experiments so far include creating a volcano, demonstrating how rain travels through the atmosphere and creating an exothermic reaction, she said.

“They were thrilled because obviously they think the world of their older brother,” Greco said of her daughters. “It’s almost like having a mini teacher for a little bit when he puts on the show.”

In Swoyersville, Mayor Chris Concert said chalk was

placed out in front of the borough building for anyone who needed some of their own.

That way, they could practice social distancing and avoid crowded stores that haven’t been shut down. He said people were courteous and took only what they needed.

“Somebody asked me, ‘Why don’t we try doing something in town?’ I had a lot of chalk that was purchased for Easter, which now we’re not having our Easter event, obviously,” Concert said. “I said, ‘Why don’t I put it in front of the borough building. Feel free to go up and take what you need.’ …

It worked. They’re using their creativity.”

“Older people have nowhere to go now. Everybody’s out for

walks, and they’re going to see it and probably cheer them up,” Concert said. “There’s a lot of inspirational messages.

The older people are drawing, too. It’s really everybody.”

Concert said he spent part of the day snapping photos of his favorite chalk creations to share on the borough’s Facebook page.

“I’m just asking people to be respectful on their messages.

It’s not graffiti. Just have some fun at your property on your sidewalk,” he said. “I think the message is, ‘We’re all in this together.’ We need to find little things that will move us forward.”

Contact the writer: jhalpin@citizensvoice.com 70-821-2058

lanGuaGe: Understanding important info from page a1

Sean mcKeag / STaff phoTographer

Employee Eddy Rojas, 42, of Wilkes-Barre, works in the kitchen of Toque De Sazon on Hazle Street in Wilkes-Barre. As of last Thursday, the restaurant has been closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

reCursos en lÍnea enlace al sitio de web de CdC https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index-sp.html enlace al sitio de web de Geisinger https://www.geisinger.org enlace al sitio de web de departmento de salud de pensilvania https://www.health.pa.gov/topics/disease/coronavirus/pages/espanol.aspx sintomas de Covid-19 ■ fiebre ■ Tos ■ Dificultad respiratoria place are for those who have visited a part of their health care facility. To make sure awareness about COVID-19 gets into these communities, state Department of Health Press Secretary Nate Wardle said they are working on translating all their news conferences as well as infographics and fact sheets about the disease into Spanish (primarily).

Virus brings worry, waiting at NYC’s most famous restaurants By deepTi HaJela aSSociaTeD preSS

They’re some of New York City’s most iconic eateries, feeding New Yorkers and on visitors’ must-see lists for decades, some for more than a century.

They’ve been through a lot in those years — wars, financial crises, blackouts, a terrorist attack. But this pandemic, and the steps New York and other places are taking to fight it, like

shutdowns and social distancing?

It’s like nothing they’ve ever seen.

The coronavirus “seemed like an avalanche, the speed at which things changed,” said David Berson, general manager at Peter Luger, the Brooklyn steakhouse that opened in 1887 and has been operated by his family since 1950.

Please see eaT, Page A10

Cases

However, Wardle did add Contact the writer: spanny@citizensvoice.com there will be other languages 570-821-2051 added as needed. On the state Department of Health website, there is a Spanishlanguage section, and translated documents are being added as they are completed.

Officials from Commonwealth Health did not respond to requests to discuss steps they are taking at their facilities.

Allegheny County’s death brought to two the deaths reported in the state.

State health officials on Saturday reported more than 100 new cases in Pennsylvania, for

nursing licenses Wolf ’s administration on Saturday suspended a number of administrative requirements for nurses, including some licensing requirements and temporarily extending license expiration dates as it tries to find ways to boost staffing levels at hospitals to deal with a surge of patients stricken with the new virus.

Tax deadline State officials say the deadline for taxpayers to file 2019 Pennsylvania personal income tax returns has been extended to July 15.

The Internal Revenue Service earlier extended the federal tax filing deadline to July 15.

The state Department of Revenue said Saturday that it will also waive penalties and interest on 2019 personal income tax payments through the new deadline of July 15.

Under Pennsylvania law, the filing deadline for personal income tax returns is tied to the federal income tax due date, officials said.

Transit losses The Philadelphia-area transit system says it is projecting a budget deficit of at least $150 million and is considering further service reductions following “massive, sudden ridership losses” amid the coronavirus outbreak.

General manager Leslie Richards of the Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority said other measures aimed at stemming the losses also include a hiring freeze, elimination of overtime and a 10% pay cut for top executives.

SEPTA said it estimates a budget deficit of at least $150 million by the end of the current fiscal year on June 30 due to revenue losses. The authority said it had a $7.3 million budget surplus as recently as the end of February.

The authority said it was working closely with state and local officials and staying in touch with members of Congress on “a possible federal relief package for public transportation.”

IC SU ST

RSTAR PE

Eduardo Abreu, owner of the Dominican restaurant Toque de Sazon, located on Hazle Street, said there is much disinformation coming out and all the ideal information is in English.

“Not everyone understands the measures the government is trying to take to control the disease,” Abreu said, in Spanish.

Luzerne County Manager Dave Pedri said his office is working closely with state Rep. Tarah Toohil, R-116, Butler Twp., to disseminate Spanish-language information to Hazleton’s large Hispanic community. Pedri said he will begin to work with local leaders to address this concern in Wilkes-Barre.

Mayor George Brown’s office did not respond to requests to discuss steps the city is taking.

Rebecca Ruckno, Geisinger Health Systems director of health and literacy services, said the marketing department put a COVID-19 information box at the bottom of its website that is also available in Spanish. At testing sites across the system, Ruckno said there are qualified translators as well as audio and video tools in a variety of languages — including sign language — courtesy of partnerships with Language Line and Stratus to help residents.

The language and disability services Geisinger has in

HOL SC A

from page a1

Wolf has already discouraged people from going out, if they can avoid it, and ordered schools shut through March, at least.

In a legal filing late Friday, the state attorney general’s office said Wolf is empowered by the state’s Emergency Management Services Code to shutter businesses and to restrict people’s movements in a disaster.

“COVID-19 presents an extraordinary challenge that requires extraordinary measures to combat. The governor was empowered by law to combat precisely this challenge,” the filing said.

The state Supreme Court did not immediately rule on lawsuits challenging aspects of Wolf ’s authority to shut down gun shops and law firms.

Wolf has justified his edict that tens of thousands of businesses shutter their doors indefinitely by citing big, daily upticks in the number of COVID-19 cases that health officials say threaten to overwhelm hospitals and spike the death toll.

Under pressure from Republicans, business owners, workers and others, Wolf agreed to delay enforcement of the shutdown order until Monday. His administration also agreed to exempt additional businesses from the shutdown, including the timber industry, coal mines, hotels, accountants and laundromats.

A Harrisburg-area law firm challenged the governor’s power to shutter law offices, declaring Wolf had no right to meddle in the judicial branch. In a second suit, also filed Friday, a gun shop said Wolf’s edict violated the Second Amendment right to bear arms and other constitutional rights.

Wolf ’s lawyers said that nothing in his order prevents an attorney from practicing law or a citizen from owning a gun.

“Petitioners’ argument that the global COVID-19 pandemic is somehow not a disaster demonstrates a dangerous level of myopathy about the effect this pandemic could have on the citizens of the commonwealth and our health care system if the spread of this disease is not arrested,” the attorney general’s office wrote.

Wolf ’s administration has steadfastly refused to confirm to The Associated Press whether gun shops are covered by his shutdown order. Its legal filing said the governor’s office used industry codes generated by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics to construct its list of businesses covered by the shutdown order.

“Any business would already know which sector it occupies and its corresponding NAICS code,” the filing said.

a total of more than 370, with about 40 people requiring hospitalization. Philadelphia Health Commissioner Thomas Farley said the city had confirmed its first positive case in a nursing home resident.

Levine said people with mild symptoms do not necessarily need to get tested, and, after calling their doctor, they may be able to stay home, rest, take fluids and anti-fever medication.

Testing is being prioritized for symptomatic people who are health care providers, elderly, have chronic medical conditions or are very ill, Levine said.

For most people, the virus causes only mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough. For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia. The vast majority of people recover.

THE CITIZENS’ VOICE

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CLASS OF 2020

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the citizens’

CLASS OF 2020

Special section honors group of graduates who had a unique senior year.

COMING SUNDAY

SATURDAY, JUNE 13, 2020

NEWSSTAND 50¢

CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC

County going green next Friday Move to green allows more businesses to reopen, carries fewer restrictions.

BY JAMES HALPIN STAff WriTEr

Luzerne County will be among eight counties moving into the green phase of the COVID-19 reopening plan next we e k , G ov. To m Wo l f announced Friday.

Dauphin,Franklin,Huntingdon, Luzerne, Monroe, Perry,

Pike and S ch u y l k i l l counties will move next Friday from yellow to green as WOLF Pennsylvania continues to see a steady decline in new cases, he said.

“In Pennsylvania, not only did we flatten the curve, but we are continuing to keep case counts down even as we open our commonwealth,” Wolf said in a statement. “We will continue to take a measured, phased approach to reopening that relies on science and health experts.”

Moving to the g reen phase will allow more businesses to open and will car-

ry fewer restrictions.

MORE INSIDE Luzerne County Manager David Pedri said he was Reopening: W-B City Hall will reopen to public “thrilled” about the announceJune 22. Page A3 ment, attributing the reduction in cases the county has Our Voice: it’s still not experienced in recent weeks to easy going ‘green.’ community members socially Page A11 distancing and following public health guidelines.

“The last three months have around the world,” Pedri said. been unprecedented, here at “We must remain ever ready home in Luzerne County and and maintain our social dis-

Pedri says several steps taken to stem virus’ spread will remain in place.

BY BOB KALINOWSKI STAff WriTEr

Green phase gives green light to hair salons and barbers — and they’re eager to get back to work

A

The Luzerne County Courthouse and other county offices got a dry run this week for when the county shifts to the green reopening phase June 19.

For the first time in months, the county was open for business to the public and court hearings we r e h e l d PEDRI using social

BY DENISE ALLABAUGH STAff WriTEr

Please see SALONS, Page A8

Please see GREEN, Page A8

Cautious county ready to reopen

READY TO GO

fter being shut down for nearly three months, hair salons and barbers in Luzerne County can finally reopen June 19 and one local hair salon owner is wasting no time.

Bob Licata, owner of The Hair Color Studio in Pittston Twp., said he plans to open at 12:01 a.m. and cut and color customers’ hair all night.

He came up with the idea after a customer, Karen Joseph, 67, of Wyoming, asked if she could be the first to get her hair done.

Joseph said she hasn’t had her hair done since February and it’s now gray and she needs color, highlights and a haircut.

“I cannot even go outside. I don’t want to,” Joseph said. “I wear sunglasses and I cover my head.”

Licata said he would put other customers’ names in a hat and then decide who’s next. His customers have been calling and texting him eager to get appointments.

“Everybody wants to get in,” Licata said. “I wish I could help everybody at once.”

His hair salon shut down March 15 and he wasn’t able to collect unemployment compensation until late May. He received a small loan and the $1,200 stimulus check but he said his rent is $900 a month.

tancing and good hygiene. Nevertheless, let’s take this win. I look forward to seeing everyone enjoying our beautiful parks, restaurants and businesses next week.”

State Sen. John Yudichak, I-14, Swoyersville, said he too was pleased Luzerne County will be entering into the green phase.

distancing practices.

Top county officials say they don’t expect much to change — at least not immediately — when the county shifts to the green phase.

“The county is open for business,” said County Manager David Pedri. “We are going to do a slow, cautious reopenSEAN MCKEAg / STAff pHoTogrApHEr ing.”

Anyone entering the courtBob Licata, owner of The Hair Color Studio in Pittston Twp., plans to open house this week had their temhis salon at 12:01 a.m. on June 19 and work all night. perature screened and was asked a series of questions.

They were also asked to wear a That will remain the ‘I’m excited but I’m also a little nervous. I’ll probably mask. standardaftershiftingtogreen, be working seven days a week for three weeks.’ but temperature checks might be eliminated, Pedri said.

ANITA MOONEY LINDBUCHLER Applause Hair Studio owner

Please see COUNTY, Page A8 ADVE RTISE M E NT

RALLY FOR SOCIAL JUSTICE

Teens organize rally for reform Hundreds attend protest on Public Square.

BY BOB KALINOWSKI STAff WriTEr

WILKES-BARRE — Honesty Lopez is looking for change. She wants justice.

The 17-year-old and a small group of teenage friends attracted hundreds of people to Public Square on Friday for a protest and march in response to the police killing of an unarmed black man in custody on Memorial Day in MinneapoDAvE SCHErBENCo / STAff pHoTogrApHEr lis.

Speaker and co-organizer Melanie Garcia addresses Lopez and friends, admitFriday’s rally on Public Square in Wilkes-Barre. tedly nervous, stood before

MORE INSIDE The Wilkes-Barre chapter of the NAACp announces they will not endorse current police review board proposals. Page A5 the large crowd on Public Square and gave speeches about their beliefs that the police and justice systems need refor m, especially when dealing with people of color.

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LOCAL

SATURDAY, JUNE 13, 2020

THE CITIZENS' VOICE A5

W-B NAACP won’t back review board proposals Organization says current versions don’t go far enough.

WILKES-BARRE — The Wilkes-Barre chapter of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People on Friday night announced it does not endorse current proposals by city leaders to create citizens review boards to oversee the police department, arguing they are being rushed and don’t go far enough.

Following the outrage that erupted after the police killing of an unarmed black man in Minneapolis, WilkesBarre Mayor George Brown announced plans to create a seven-member Citizens Advisory Board, while Councilman Beth Gilbert McBride is seeking to establish a Citizen Police Review Board, one of her longtime goals. “ T h e Wi l k e s - B a r r e NAACP cannot endorse either plan put forth by Mayor George Brown or Councilwoman Beth Gilber t McBride at this time. While we appreciate their passion and proactive approach toward implementing preventive solutions, we believe more time is necessary to

allow for due diligence in regards to its composition,” local NAACP President Ron Felton said in a press release.

“In its current state, the documents do not go far enough in their reform.”

Any review board must incorporate the views of “a majority of the black and brown communities,” including Wilkes-Barre’s Black Lives Matter group, Felton said.

“This Citizen’s Review Board should also be a reflection of the diversity that makes up the City of WilkesBarre and totally independent from any governing authority that could thwart its efforts,” Felton said.

Gilbert McBride said she thinks Brown’s proposal, which doesn’t need council’s approval, would only serve as a citizens’ suggestion group managed by the mayor’s office, but her proposal would give the citizens’ group actual power to oversee the police department.

Her proposal, which would need to be approved as an ordinance by city council, remains in a draft form and she agrees with the NAACP that it needs to be improved.

“The NAACP is a proactive organization and I have admired them for that. I com-

HANOVER TWP

SHAVERTOWN

ASKAM UNITED METHODIST CHURCH

Saint Therese’s Church

BY BOB KALINOWSKI STAFF WRITER

SEAN MCKEAG / STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

Kaylee McNeil, 15, of Plymouth, gives a hug to Vanessa White Fernandes, of Scranton, who was holding a ‘Free Hugs’ sign at Friday’s rally in Wilkes-Barre.

RALLY: ‘We need to end injustice’ FROM PAGE A1

“I don’t want anything bad to happen to my family or friends,” the recent GAR High S ch o o l g r a d u at e s a i d .

“Change starts here in the community.”

Lopez said her friends don’t have an official group yet and organized the rally rather quickly with a Facebook event.

They were shocked with the turnout.

“I’m happy. I didn’t think we’d get this many people,” Lopez said.

Lopez’s friends were later joined on stage by Kaylee McNeil, a 16-year-old from Plymouth who organized Wednesday’s rally and four-

mile march through WilkesBarre and Kingston.

“All of us are so young and trying to make a difference,” McNeil said.

McNeil, who organized her march under the “Black Lives Matter” banner, plans to start working with Lopez’s friends to host unified events.

Sharee Clark, 40, of WilkesBarre, said she plans to help them “build something from nothing.”

“We are here on the battlefield because we need to end injustice,” Clark said.

“Change is not instant gratification. Change is about the long haul. We will not be silent until we get it.”

After several speeches, those gathered marched

WILKES-BARRE

ST. NICHOLAS CATHOLIC

CENTRAL UNITED METHODIST CHURCH

Phone 570-823-7736

FIRWOOD UNITED METHODIST

Old River Rd. & Dagobert Sts.

570-823-7721

Rev. Craig C. Gommer SUNDAY ONLINE SERVICE 10 AM THROUGH FACEBOOK Firwoodumc.org

MT. ZION BAPTIST CHURCH

Contact the writer: bkalinowski@citizensvoice.com 570-821-2055, @cvbobkal

WILKES-BARRE 226 S. Washington St., W.-B.

WILKES-BARRE

around Public Square for more than eight minutes to mark the length of time a police officer kneeled on George Floyd’s neck prior to his death in Minneapolis, a killing that has led to unrest nationwide.

Local civil rights attorney Theron Solomon told the crowd that his employer, the Dyller Law Firm in WilkesBarre, is a small team of four attorneys that is “very busy.”

That means a lot of civil rights abuses and injustices are still occurring here, he said.

“We have to be offended by every civil rights violation,” Solomon said.

Weekend Masses

65 Academy St., W-B 570-822-7246

Pastor Dave Walker

Saturday 5 PM Sunday 7:30, 9:00, 10:30 AM (English) 12 Noon (spanish)

SUNDAY WORSHIP SERVICE 11:00AM SUNDAY SCHOOL Adults 9:45AM

St. Maria Goretti Church

Independent...Fundamental...Friendly

42 Redwood Drive. Laflin, PA 18702 570-655-8956 www.stmariagoretti-laflin.org Weekday Mass 8:00AM Weekend Masses:

Saturday: 4:30PM Sunday: 8:30AM & 11:00AM Confessions: Sat. 3:30PM to 4:00PM

Child Care provided for infants & toddlers

SECOND WELSH CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH

475 HAZLE ST., WILKES-BARRE 570-829-3790 9:30 Sunday AM Service 10:45 AM Sunday School 6:00 PM Sunday PM Service 7:00 Wed. Bible Study & Prayer/Youth Groups

OUR LADY OF FATIMA PARISH

Saint Mary’s Church of the Immaculate Conception 134 South Washington Street, Wilkes-Barre

CONFESSIONS SATURDAY 3PM-3:45PM SATURDAY MASS - 4PM SUNDAY MASSES- 8:00AM,10:00AM,12:10PM& 7:00PM

Due to National, State and Local government recommendations regarding the COVID-19 virus most FIRST PRESBYTERIAN Church and Worship Services CHURCH will be temporally cancelled.

97 S. Franklin & Northampton Sts. W-B 10:00 AM WORSHIP Please contact your Church 11:00AM SUNDAY SCHOOL for more information.

2811 S. Main St. (Middle Road) Hanover Twp.

SUNDAY SERVICE 9AM

OPEN HEART, OPEN MIND OPEN DOORS ALL ARE WELCOME! Pastor Craig Mark

WEST PITTSTON FIRST UNITED PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH

KINGSTON Wyoming Avenue Christian Church 570-288-4855

A friendly, inclusive and welcoming church Audio Sermons available on the web at www.fpcwb.com

881 Wyoming Ave., Kingston PASTOR: REV. DENNIS GRAY

FREE SUNDAY PARKING AT PUBLIC LOT, NORTHAMPTON ST. ACROSS FROMYMCA.

SUNDAY SCHOOL - 9:45 AM MORNING WORSHIP - 11:00 AM COMMUNION EVERY SUNDAY MORNING WED. BIBLE STUDY - 7:00 PM ELEVATOR ACCESSIBLE

ST. MATTHEW

EVANGELICAL LUTHERAN CHURCH

667 NORTH MAIN STREET, W-B

PHONE: 570-822-8233

REV. PETER HAENFTLING WORSHIP SCHEDULE: SUNDAY - 9:30 A.M. SUNDAY SCHOOL - 10:45 A.M. AMPLE PARKING / NURSERY PROVIDED CHAIRLIFT AVAILABLE COME AND HEAR GOD’S WORD WITH US!

The ChurCh Of ST. IgnaTIuS LOyOLa 339 N. Maple Ave., Kingston “Without Sunday We Cannot Live” Saturday Weekend Masses 4 pm & 5:30 pm - St. Ignatius Church Sunday Weekend Masses 7 & 8:30 am - St. Ann’s Chapel 10:30 am & 12 - St. Ignatius Church Daily Masses: 7:30am & 12:10pm (M-F); Saturday 7:30am

DORRANCETON UNITED METHODIST CHURCH

549 WYOMING AVE., KINGSTON 570-288-1477 SUNDAY WORSHIP - 10:30 AM CHILDREN’S SUNDAY SCHOOL YOUTH GROUP 3rd MONDAY 6PM REV. BRIAN WALLACE, PASTOR LOOK FOR US ON FACEBOOK

LARKSVILLE Parish of St. Andre Bessette SCHEDULE OF MASSES SATURDAY VIGIL MASSES WILL BE AT 4:00P.M. AND 5:30P.M. SUNDAY MORNING MASSES WILL BE AT 8:00A.M. AND 11:00A.M. ALL MASSES WILL BE AT THE SAINT STANISLAUS WORSHIP SITE 668 NORTH MAIN STREET WILKES-BARRE ALL ARE WELCOME!

ST. JOHN THE BAPTIST CHURCH 126 Nesbitt St. Larksville, Pa 18651 A Welcoming, Growing, Faith Community

Weekdays Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday 9AM Mass.

Saturday 4PM • Sunday 8AM & 10:15AM Ample, Easy Parking Confessions: Saturday 3PM

EDWARDSVILLE BETHESDA

CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH 37 Zerby Ave., Edwardsville

Morning Worship 10:30AM Sunday School During Church Service Prayer Time Sundays 9:30am-10am Bible Study Wed. Night 6pm

FIRST PRIMITIVE METHODIST CHURCH OF NANTICOKE Corner Church @ Prospect Streets

Sunday Service:10A.M. Remote Dial In Only (605) 472-5471 Access# 939278

PLAINS

PLYMOUTH CHRISTIAN CHURCH (DISCIPLES OF CHRIST)

Main St. at Center Ave. 570-779-1614 10 A.M. Morning Worship Church School For all Ages 11 A.M. David E. Quesenberry, Pastor HANDICAPPED ELEVATOR SERVICE

LUZERNE

BENNETT PRESBYTERIAN

501 BENNETT ST., LUZERNE PASTOR JAMES QUINN

SUNDAY SCHOOL WORSHIP

9:45 AM 11 AM

2 NURSERIES AVAILABLE

Luzerne Assembly of God A Community Church

A Welcoming Church • No membership needed Communion 1st Sunday of every month Sunday Worship schedule: Morning Worship (11:00 am)

649 Bennett Street, Luzerne, PA • (570) 709-0054 Parking Available • Visitors Welcome

Service at 9:30

A.M.

PHONE 570-675-0122

474 Yalick Road, Dallas (Rt. 118)

WORSHIP SERVICES CANCELLED

SANCTUARY OPEN 9 AM - 1 PM WEEKDAYS

Visit www.stpaulsdallaspa.org for resources to worship in place. stpaul@epix.net Rev. Charles Grube, Pastor

(570) 675-3859

Keep Well.You Are Not Alone

309 N. to 415, Left to 118,Then 1st Rt

BACK MOUNTAIN CROSS CREEK COMMUNITY CHURCH

Sunday Services 9am & 10:45am With Jr. Church & Nursery Available.

Wednesday 6:30pm Family Night with College & Career, CrossRoads for Teens Deaf Ministry, Small Groups, Men’s & Women’s Ministry Groups Celebrate Recovery for Hurts, Habits, Hang-ups- Tuesday’s 6:30pm 370 Carverton Road, Trucksville , Pa. - 570-696-0399 www.crosscreekcc.org

FORTY FORT

FRIENDS & QUAKERS SUNDAY MORNING FIRST DAY SCHOOL AT 10:00AM SILENT WORSHIP AT 11:00AM

Wyoming Seminary Lower School 1560 Wyoming Avenue, Forty-Fort

570-824-5130

Visitors Welcome - northbranch.quaker.org

FORTY FORT UNITED METHODIST CHURCH

Corner Wyoming & Yeager Avenues

570-735-3932 • www.nebobaptist.org

SUNDAY WORSHIP SERVICE 10AM

YOUTH GROUPS - J.O.Y. GROUPS

Church Office (570) 287-3840

75 Prospect St., Nanticoke

Both 155 Austin Ave., Worship Sites Parsons, PA Saturday 5:30pm

Rev. Craig Gommer

Visitors Welcome

BAPTIST CHURCH

Saint Benedict

4 Parsonage St., Dallas

Sunday School – 9:15 am Sunday Worship – 10:30 am Nursery Provided – Air Cond.

NEBO

Confessions Saturday 3:00pm-3:30pm

Dallas United

Methodist Church

287 7097 570-287-7097 Pastor, William N. Lukesh

133 North Main St., Plains 570-822-2730 SUNDAY SERVICE 9:00AM SUNDAY SCHOOL 9:00AM Rev. Tenny Rupnick, Pastor www.PlainsUMC.org

13 Hudson Rd., Plains, PA 570-825-6663

DALLAS

FORTY FORT PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH 1224 Wyoming Ave., Forty-Fort

PLAINS UNITED METHODIST CHURCH

PLYMOUTH

Rev. Jacek J. Bialkowski, Pastor

Shavertown United Methodist

NANTICOKE

Saints Peter and Paul

Contact the writer: bkalinowski@citizensvoice.com 570-821-2055, @cvbobkal

ST. PAUL’S LUTHERAN CHURCH

163 N. Pioneer Ave., Shavertown Office 570-675-3616 shavertownumc.com Pastor: Robin Baer Director of Music: Nancy Evans

570-288-0091

WEEKEND MASS SCHEDULE Saturday 4:00 pm Sunday 10:00 am Confessions by Appointment

MON,WED,THURS,FRI MONDAY thru FRIDAY 9 9AM A.M. SATURDAY: 4:30 5:00 P.M. SUNDAY: 7:30 A.M., 9:00 A.M., 11 A.M. SACRAMENT OF RECONCILIATION SATURDAY: P.M. 4:15 P.M. SATURDAY3:15 4PM TOto4:30PM

SWOYERSVILLE

Corner of Wyoming Avenue & Institute Street, Wyoming

Weekend Mass Saturday 4:00pm Sunday 8:00am & 10:30am

Plymouth http://www.allsaintsplymouth.com (570)779-5323

MASS SCHEDULE

WORSHIP Saturday at 5:30 PM; Sunday at 9:30 AM Christian Ed at 10:45 AM Prayer & Praise Worship 2nd Monday at 7 PM

Pastor Rocco DeMelfi

ALL SAINTS PARISH 66 Willow Street

Rev. James J. Paisley

West Pittston, PA • 570-609-5410 SUNDAY WORSHIP 11:00AM & SUNDAY SCHOOL 9:45AM at The Wyoming Presbyterian Church

105 Hill St., Wilkes-Barre Sunday Service 11 A.M. Childrens Church 11 A.M. Sunday School 9:30 A.M. Prayer Meeting-Wed. 7:00 P.M. Bible Study-Wed. 8:00 P.M. Rev. Michael E. Brewster

Rev. Dr. Robert M. Zanicky, Minister Air Conditioned Sanctuary Nursery Provided Handicapped Access John Vaida - Minister of Music Pamela Kerns - Christian Education Director

Pioneer Ave. at Davis St., Shavertown

pletely agree that this ordinance as written is not solidified and absolutely needs more input from the community, particularly black and b row n f o l k s, ” G i l b e r t McBride said.

The goal, she said, is to work together to get this ordinance to “where we need it to be.”

“I look forward to working with the NAACP in addressing and perfecting the Citizens Review Board and I would never expect them to make an endorsement of the board this early in the process,” Gilbert McBride said.

Efforts to reach Brown were not immediately successful Friday evening.

Felton noted current calls for justice and reform never have been as loud at any time since the Civil Rights Movement.

“Let us now seize the moment, our moment, to end systemic racism as many people and organizations across the nation and around the world are opening their eyes, ears and hearts,” Felton said. “Let us maximize the overwhelming support we now have to lay a strong foundation upon which to build and to press forward.”

SUNDAY WORSHIP 8:30 a.m. & 11 a.m.

SUNDAY SCHOOL 9:45 a.m.

Rev. Tim Hall, Senior Pastor & Jacob Claypoole, Youth Pastor

Rev. Dr. Michael Stine (570) 406-0836

MOUNTAIN TOP NEW LIFE

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WB_VOICE/PAGES [A01] | 06/04/20

voice

22:55 | DONLINKEVI

the citizens’

BACK TO POCONO 5 races in 3 days set for Long Pond later this month. B1

W-B TWP. SHOPPING DISTRICT HAS CHANGED. C1 NEWSSTAND 50¢

FRIDAY, JUNE 5, 2020

COVID-19 PANDEMIC

Outdoor seating resumes today Bars, restaurants are now permitted to offer diners seating outside.

BY DENISE ALLABAUGH STAFF WRITER

A CALL TO ACTION

JULIO CORTEZ / ASSOCIATED PRESS

Shareeduh Tate, second from left, wipes away a tear during an 8 minute, 46 second pause at Thursday’s memorial service for George Floyd at North Central University in Minneapolis.

Q&A

George Floyd mural at memorial had simple message: ‘I can breathe now.’

BY AARON MORRISON ASSOCIATED PRESS

MINNEAPOLIS — The mural of George Floyd projected above his golden coffin, where mourners knelt and cried, paused and prayed at his memorial service Thursday had a simple message: “I can breathe now.”

Celebrities, civil rights activists, politicians and f a m i l y members of F loyd s a n g “Amazing Grace,” prayed and FLOYD j o i n e d together in a rousing memorial that was both a celebration of his life and a mourning of a man whose death at the hands of police has sparked protests nationwide and calls for an end to racial injustice.

Mourners wore masks, some with the words “I can’t breathe” on them, some of the last words

Inside today

Birthdays . . . . A2 Horoscope . . C3 Business . . . . C1 Local . . . . . . . . A3 Classified C4-12 Lottery . . . . . . A2 Crossword. . . C2 Obits . . . .A10-11 Editorial . . . . . A9 Sports . . . . . B1-6 Health. . . . . . . B5 World/Nation A8

B6

Hot & humid © 2020 The Citizens’ Voice

b p n b

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p w m

d d

m h f M p h n

Dallas grad takes lead role in local protests

Moustafa Almeky didn’t organize effort but he helps spread the word.

BY ERIC SHULTZ STAFF WRITER

n

W h e n l o c a l p ro t e s t s d sprung up to speak out against the death of George Floyd, Moustafa Almeky nat, p JULIO CORTEZ / ASSOCIATED PRESS urally drifted into a leaderJustin Diamond, left, the fiancé of George Floyd, ship position.

Almeky, a 2017 graduate of reacts after Thursday’s memorial service in Dallas High School, isn’t Minneapolis. afraid to make his voice even after Floyd stopped “He did not die of common heard. He’s a captain for the moving and pleading for health conditions. He died Wilkes University wrestling air. of a common American team, president of Wilkes’ A small band and choir criminal justice malfunc- Student Athlete Advisory sang “Goin’ Up Yonder” tion. He died because there Committee, a resident assisand other classic gospel has not been the corrective tant, and community service/fundraising chairman songs as mourners gath- behavior that has taught ered.

Please see PROTEST, Page A11 The Rev. Jesse Jackson Please see FLOYD, Page A11

Please see OUTSIDE, Page A12

Hanover Area grads head to the drive-in Garden Drive-In hosts ceremony for Class of 2020.

BY MICHAEL P. BUFFER STAFF WRITER

TODAY’S WEATHER

High 86º Low 68º

Floyd said on the streets of Minneapolis just 3 miles from where the service was held at the F rank J. Lindquist sanctuary at North Central University.

Some in attendance bumped elbows, rather than hug or shake hands, at the memorial taking place in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic.

It was not the coronavirus that killed Floyd, the family’s attor ney Ben Crump said, but the “pandemic of racism and discrimination.”

Floyd’s brother and other family members told personal stories about dancing, playing football, cooking and enjoying life together. They said he was known by the endearing nickname “Big George.”

“George, he was like a general,” brother Philonise Floyd said. “Every day he would walk outside there would be a line of people wanting to greet him. ... He was powerful, man. He had

Starting today, customers can sit outside on a patio at Breaker Brewing Company in Wilkes-Barre Twp. and enjoy food and drinks.

It’s one of the many bars and restaurants in Luzerne County that will begin offering outdoor dining today s i n c e G o v. To m Wo l f announced this service will be allowed in the yellow phase.

It’s the first time customers can dine outside at area restaurants and bars since March when Wolf ordered them to limit their offerings to takeout and delivery as a result of the coronavirus pandemic.

Chris Miller, who owns Breaker Brewing with Mark Lehman, said about 50 seats will be available on the patio that opens at 4 today.

“We’re pretty excited about it,” Miller said.

Popular Mexican restaurant La Tolteca on Mundy Street will begin offering outdoor dining as well as drinks on its patio at 11 a.m. today and manager Jackie Lopez said they received many calls from interested customers.

If a restaurant didn’t already have outdoor seating in place, Wilkes-Barre Twp. Zoning Officer Tom Zedolik said they don’t need zoning approval.

“I’m not enforcing any of this stuff. It’s the governor’s rules,” Zedolik said. “Either the local police or state police enforce them. It’s not a zoning or code enforcement issue.”

The Hanover Area High School graduation ceremony on Thursday night was one to remember.

The traditional graduation ceremony was nixed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. So the graduation celebration Thursday for 143 graduates

began in the high school parking lot in Hanover Twp. and concluded at the Garden Drive-In movie theater in Hunlock Twp. Graduates wearing their caps and gowns were excited getting together in the school parking lot. For many, it was the first time they had seen each other since Gov. Tom Wolf closed all school facilities in the state on March 16.

“It’s a big tailgate party,” Hanover Area Superintendent Nathan Barrett said.

Many graduates and family members outside their vehicles at 7 p.m. were not restricting physical distances. Some wore facial covers.

Others didn’t.

Many scampered inside their vehicles when it started to drizzle and rain around 7:15 p.m. Earlier in the day, the school district sent text messages that the ceremony SEAN MCKEAG / STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER was going to be held “rain or Hanover Area High School graduates arrive at the shine.”

Please see HANOVER, Page A7

Garden Drive-In for the Class of 2020 graduation ceremony Thursday in Hunlock Twp.

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WB_VOICE/PAGES [A11] | 06/04/20

21:11 | DONLINKEVI

OBITUARIES / NEWS

FRIDAY, JUNE 5, 2020

Floyd E. Powell Jr.

Donald F. Lewis

June 1, 2020

Floyd E. Powell Jr., 57, of Hughestown, passed away Monday, June 1, 2020, at his home.

He was born in Hughestown onNov.15,1962,andwastheson of Joyce Legg Powell and the late Floyd E. Powell Sr., who diedMay13,2014.

Floyd attended Pittston Area High School. He worked most of his life as an arborist. Floyd enjoyedspendingtimeoutdoors and loved spending time with his family and friends, he will be deeply missed by all who knewandlovedhim.

In addition to his mother, Joyce, he is survived by his

sons, Floyd Powell III and his wife, Kita, Plymouth; and NathanielPowell,Wilkes-Barre; hissister,JoyceGeorge,Duryea; and his grandchildren, Mya and Sierra Powell; also surviving are many nieces, nephews, aunts,unclesandcousins.

Private funeral services will be held Saturday at Kiesinger FuneralServicesInc.,255McAlpine St. Duryea, with the Rev. MichaelShamboraofficiating.

IntermentwillbeheldinMilwaukee Cemetery, Clarks Summit.

Condolencesmaybemadeto www.kiesingerfuneralservices. com.

THE CITIZENS' VOICE A11

Shirley D. Bunney

May 2, 2020

Donald F. Lewis, 75, of Acworth, Ga., formerly of Hanover Twp., died Saturday, May 2, 2020, surrounded by his family.

Don moved to Ohio in 1967. He met his wife there and settled with his family in Georgia in 1986.

He was a graduate of Hanover Twp. High School, Class of 1962. Don served in the Air Force as an air traffic controller, stationed in England from 1962 to 1966. He was a member of the American Legion Post

William Jamrowski

May 26, 2020

3 0 4 , A c wo r t h . H e w a s employed for many years as a civilian air traffic controller. Don enjoyed his grandchildren and playing cards, darts, golf and pool.

He was preceded in death by his mother, Angeline Lewis; and two brothers.

Surviving are his wife of 49 years, Ruth; daughters, Rebecca (Shawn) Sartain; Jennifer Migliosi; and Lori (Charles) Minotto; eight grandchildren; brother, Richard, Pennsylvania; and sister, Grace, New York; and extended family and friends.

Services were private.

Shirley D. Bunney, 90, of Leland, N.C., formerly of Tunkhannock, passed away Tuesday, May 26, 2020, at home, surrounded by her family.

Born in Shavertown, she was the daughter of the late James and Anna Keiper Brown. She graduated from Kingston Twp. High School in 1947 and re s i d e d i n D a l l a s a n d Tunkhannock until she relocated to Leland, N.C., in 2018, to be close to her daughter, Debra.

She is survived by her loving husband, Donald,

who was her constant companion for more than 70 years. She is also survived by her five children, Donald Jr. (Pamela), Elizabethon, Tenn.; Debra, Leland, N.C.; Mark (Vickie), Sterling, Va.; Brian (Tammi), Tunkhannock; and Thomas, Leland, N.C. She also leaves behind 11 grandchildren; and eight g reatgrandchildren.

Services will be held at the convenience of the family.

Arrangements are in the care of Coastal Cremations.

Obituary photos

photo is specified when the obituary is submitted.

Color photos are available for an extra cost. All photos will be published in black and white unless otherwise specified.

All photos will be cropped un-

less otherwise specified when the obituary is submitted.

Scanned photos must have a high resolution, preferably 200 dpi or more. The person’s head must be at least 2 inches wide and have at least a half-inch of space on each side.

Photos should be submitted by email. If a photo needs to be scanned in the newsroom, William Jamrowski, 80, of Geisinger Wyoming Valley ing from Williams-Hagen please call 570-821-2100.

Larksville, passed away Medical Center.

Funeral Home, 114 W. Main All photos will be published Thursday, June 4, 2020, in Arrangements are pend- St., Plymouth. as thumbnails unless a large

June 4, 2020

PROTEST: ‘The people in our city want change’ from PAge A1

for the pre-health sciences committee and the Islamic Center of NEPA’s youth group president.

So, while Almeky didn’t organize the area’s recent protests against racism and police brutality following Floyd’s death in police custody, he felt compelled to help by spreading word online and using his voice to lead chants and introduce speakers in person.

Following Wednesday’s latest protest on Public Square, Almeky — who is white but is a Muslim who’s spent part of his life living in Egypt — spoke to The Citizens’ Voice to shine more light on the local movement. The following interview has been condensed and lightly edited.

How would you describe your recent roles in the local protests?

We were just kind of standing (in Kirby Park) for a little bit and nobody was really doing much. I’ve done protests with the Muslim community before for things that were for us. So I’m used to leading the chain and getting the group going. I started yelling out chants and stuff, and we got marching to the other side where Public Square was. Over there, the woman who did set up the protest came up to me and she said, “Hey, do you mind if you get everyone together and make a couple announcements?”

From there I guess people saw me as a leader of the group. That’s kind of the role I played. I spoke a little bit.

My friend gave me the idea to get everyone on the ground in the position that George Floyd was. For the rest of the protest I was kind of a leader. … The other day, the same thing happened. Different people organized it, they were young girls. Everyone kind of needs a big voice for the protest and someone to keep it going, and I feel like that’s the role I play in there.

I’m just trying to help out as much as I could with what was given to me. I feel like it’s my thing. I think I was just kind of born with it. I think it’s useful to help out and spread as much info on social media as possible.”

What kind of background do you have from protests you were part of for the Muslim community?

We’ve been a part of many. I know we’ve held at least two or three here in Wilkes-Barre in the past. There have been bigger ones in Washington, D.C., and New York that I’ve been to. I feel like at every protest, it always starts out a little bit timid. They need

Q. A.

Q. A.

could just tell, wow, this is happening right at home.

You don’t have to look far. It’s right in front of you.

What’s the overall response you’ve felt has come from these protests?

I’m almost relieved to see that more people are in support than I thought.

I work at the hospital at Geisinger, I go to school at Wilkes, I have the Dallas community I used to be with, the Muslim community. People from all communities reach out, people I maybe would not have known support this kind of thing before, and they give their full support. They asked me what they can do to help … and give words of encouragement if they can’t come out themselves. That’s really, really heartwarming to see. It’s just great to see that so many people want change.

On the flip side, are there any kind of misconceptions that you’d want to address?

The thing that I noticed, I’ve been getting some backlash … saying things like “You shouldn’t be the lead person in a protest like this,” or “Let a black person speak; you’re silencing their voice.” … The best way I can describe it is, I’ve kind of become an emcee for the protest, like a concert. I’m not the main performer. I just bring out the people who are going to perform. I’m leading chants, introducing people, telling people to give a round of applause or amplifying (voices). …

I also put a message out in our group, and I said I just want everyone to know I love everyone and I want to do the best I can to help. And for the record, I’m African American. I have citizenship in Africa because I’ve lived in Egypt. I just have a mutant gene for red hair. I feel this personally because I’ve personally been arrested for doing a cultural dance one time. I was arrested, detained in jail, asked if I was in ISIS. I’ve felt this — not as much as our community, but I’m no stranger to this as well.

Did that arrest happen recently?

It was a few summers ago. Me and my friends were doing a cultural dance and a few cops came up. They thought we were just drunk idiots and stuff. We were on the boardwalk at the beach and there was a traditional drum dance that we do. We got a crowd — we didn’t even mean to — there was like 200, 300 people there. They came up and (an officer) goes “I need you and your friends to get the (expletive) off the boardwalk right now.

So I went over to speak because my friend doesn’t

Q. A.

SeAn mCKeAg / STAff PhoTogrAPher

Moustafa Almeky, of Shavertown, leads a Black Lives Matter rally on Public Square in Wilkes-Barre on Wednesday. someone to bring the energy. Everyone gets into it and gets passionate, and that’s when everyone starts talking and giving their stories.

We’ve had protests, for example, for the shooting in Australia of a mosque.

We’ve had protests for our brothers and sisters in Syria because of the war they were in. We’ve had protests for our brothers and sisters over in Palestine. We’ve held a protest for our people in Egypt. … Whenever there’s an ongoing thing in one of the countries, we always want to raise awareness. My dad (Ibrahim) has been a huge part of that. It just kind of trickles down.

Why, to you, is it important to be a part of a movement here in WilkesBarre when the flash-point happened in Minneapolis and protests are happening in larger cities all around the world? Why is it important to have that voice here in Wilkes-Barre, too?

It’s just as important as it is when we have protests for our people that are in other countries. I’m almost 100% positive nobody in other countries knows that we’re having a protest, but it’s the same message, which is: We are here, and the people in our city want change. I think the philosophy here is you have to change it in your heart, and then you have to change it in your home, and then you have to change it in your community for you to change the world. …

You’d be surprised when you come, hundreds and hundreds of people come out and these people are agonizing. They have their own stories. They have their own experiences. Their families are going through this.

They’ve seen this stuff firsthand. It’s so important that they let their voices be heard.

I only realized (Wednesday)

Q.

A.

how much anger and hurt they have built up inside them when I watched these speakers.

What can people here do to change things in the local community?

Change what’s in a person. If your dad or your uncle is racist, change that person. Obviously, the primaries just passed, but we have to vote locally. It’s not just on the federal level. The real change is what’s going to come when you vote at the state and local level. Those are the people that are controlling our police. We have to put people in power that want to see change and want to see equality.

The most important part is, we have to realize that we have to do this through love and through peace. A lot of people are angry. … I understand people are angry, but you can’t let that loose. You really have to learn to be the bigger person and learn to love. As much as we understand that, for example, not all Muslims are terrorists, not all black people are criminals and not all cops are bad.

(Wilkes-Barre police chief Joseph Coffay) reached out; he wanted to protect us. The fist thing we have to do is build that relationship with our police. Reach out. Let them know that we have black leaders in the community that they can reach out to and talk to. We have to vote for our officials because if we’re not voting...we have nobody to blame but ourselves.

You mentioned Chief Coffay contacted you before the protest. How was that conversation?

Honestly, from what I saw it was very wellintentioned. He said, “First of all, I want to commend you for what you did on Sunday. You did a phenomenal job. We thank you guys so much for keeping it peaceful,

Q. A.

Q. A.

and you have our full support with this movement.” … He (asked) what kind of services you’d like this time. I said my only request is if anybody’s being violent, we’d like you to ask them to leave and just to protect us. … They really did do a great job. They brought the protesters masks and hand sanitizer. They came in, and the chief himself took a knee with us. He let us know that he stands with us.

The stories that were told by protesters, what has resonated the most with you?

There were about 12-14 people that asked to speak, and they each let it out. It’s hard to give a main idea on this, but I think one of the main points they were really trying to drive across was “black lives matter” cannot be a trend. “Black lives matter” cannot be something that’s (simply) trending on Twitter; it can’t be something that’s cool to post about on Instagram. If black lives matter today, then they’ve got to matter tomorrow, and they have to matter until this ends. … Of course, there were many, many stories and personal stories that really resonated. There were tears shed with almost every story because a lot of people had personal things to say that happened to them or their family.

Did any of those stories take you aback or surprise you? Have you seen this first-hand yourself ?

Within our city itself, they know people that live with us and have done these things. There have been experiences in their schools. Some of the young ladies were saying that they’ve dealt with countless days of racism at their school, at their workplace.

They question themselves for being black, whether it was beautiful or not. You

Q. A.

Q. A.

Q. A.

Q. A.

know how to speak English (fluently). Obviously he knew we were from a different place, so I said, “Sir, I didn’t think we were doing anything wrong. I’m very sorry.” He goes, “No, you were doing something wrong. These people don’t want you here. You guys shouldn’t be here and you should go back to whatever country you guys are from and do this instead of doing it on the boardwalk.” Obviously it struck me the wrong way. I turned around to the people that were watching and I said, “Were you guys not having fun?”

Once I said that, I was arrested, put in jail for the night. They ran background checks, they asked me about my family history, they made sure we didn’t have any affiliations, they asked me how many times I pray a day.

They made a whole thing because my dad was an Islamic leader in the community. After that we were brought to court and we were apologized to because it obviously shouldn’t have happened. So I’ve been arrested.

This stuff has happened to me too.”

Are there any other events coming up that people should know about, and what should they know if they plan to attend?

If you’d like to know when all the new dates are, join Black Lives Matter Wilkes-Barre on Facebook.

This weekend we’re going to have a Zoom call and make more established leaders so it can run a little bit smoother.

It’s a new and very young movement. …

I think the most important point is that we implore people to stay peaceful. We don’t want our city to turn into another Minneapolis; we don’t want our city to turn into Philadelphia; we don’t want our city to turn into D.C., that’s having destruction and violence. We’ve had enough loss to last us a long time. Our group is peaceful, and we need to keep it peaceful. So if you have any bad intentions, please just don’t bring them around.

Is there anything else you’d like to mention?

To kind of cap it off, we need to stand beside our black community. We need to amplify their voice. … Hear someone out that’s black. Hear someone out that’s experienced this. I didn’t understand that until I saw it myself. I understand I have good things to say, but they have hundreds of years of things to say. Hear the black community out. This is a time to stand with them.

Q. A.

Q. A.

Contact the writer: eshultz@citizensvoice.com 570-821-2054, @CVericShultz

FLOYD: Public viewing will be held Monday in Houston from PAge A1

this country that if you commit a crime, it does not matter if you wear blue jeans or a blue uniform you must pay for the crime you commit.”

After the first service, Floyd’s body will go to Rae-

ford, North Carolina, the state where he was born 46 years ago, for a two-hour public viewing and private service for the family on Saturday.

Finally, a public viewing will be held Monday in Houston, where he was raised and lived most of his life. A

500-person service on Tuesday will take place at The Fountain of Praise church and will include addresses from Sharpton, family attorney Ben Crump, and the Rev. Remus E. Wright, the family pastor. Former Vice President Joe Biden, the presumptive Democratic

presidential nominee, may attend, and other political figures and celebrities are expected as well. A private burial will follow.

Floyd’s final journey was designed with intention, Sharpton said ahead of Thursday’s service. Having

left Houston for Minneapolis in 2014 in search of a job and a new life, Floyd will retrace that path.

Clayborne Carson, director of the Martin Luther King, Jr. Research and Education Institute at Stanford University, said the impact of Floyd’s

death would ultimately be measured by changes in how police treat African Americans and the disparate rates at which black men are incarcerated.

“Otherwise, it’ll just be the next George Floyd and the one after that,” he said.

WB_VOICE/PAGES [B01] | 02/07/20

23:03 | CONNORSSTE

tHE CItIzEns’ VOICE

Sports SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 8, 2020

WVC BOYS BASKETBALL

Tonight’s games could help settle 5-way tie Four teams might still be locked for division lead.

BY STEVE BENNETT STAFF WRITER

The final day of the boys basketball regular season will be the most exciting one, as five teams in Division 1 of the Wyoming Valley Conference are currently tied for first place.

Crestwood, Dallas, Pittston Area, Wilkes-Barre Area and Hazleton Area all have 9-4 conference records.

One team will automatical-

ly be eliminated from division championship contention tonight with Crestwood playing at Hazleton Area. Other games in Division 1 today that have divisional implications include Pittston Area at Nanticoke Area, Dallas at Valley West and Wilkes-Barre Area at Berwick.

There could be a fourteam tie for first place in the division when all games are concluded tonight.

In the event of a fourteam tie, games will be played Monday and Wednesday at sites and

times to be announced.

Depending on gym availability, there could be a doubleheader held at the same venue, or it could be at two sites.

T he for mula used to deter mine which teams will meet on Monday night is based on head-to-head matchups during the regular season. The second criterion is putting the names of the four schools in a hat and drawing them. If there is a three-way tie, head-tohead will be the first criterion, then drawing from a hat will be second.

“We are not going to use the power rankings. We don’t think that would be fair with who plays who and who doesn’t play who,” said District 2 chairman Frank Majikes, who is also the commissioner for the WVC boys basketball conference.

In the head-to-heads, Crestwood split with Dallas, split with Wilkes-Barre Area and split with Pittston Area. Crestwood lost the f i r st m e e t i n g at h om e FRANK C. LAURI / CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHER against Hazleton Area on Jan. 21.

Hazleton Area’s Andrew Vayda (3) goes up for a shot Please see TIE, Page B3

between two Wilkes-Barre Area defenders Thursday.

MLB

ICE HOCKEY

Spring set to begin in midst of scandal

BY RONALD BLUM ASSOCIATED PRESS

RISING STAR

Laflin’s Kelley an elite player in youth girls league FRANK C. LAURI / CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHER

Brooke Kelley, who is a center for the Mid-Hudson Polar Bears, works out at the Revolution Ice Centre in Pittston.

The 15-year-old has scored more than 70 goals this season.

BY TYLER PICCOTTI STAFF WRITER

When Jeremy Jacobus decided to start a girls ice hockey program in Newburgh, New York, one of the initial challenges was recruiting enough players to field a sizable team.

What he knew immediately was

that Laflin native Brooke Kelley would be the focal point.

“Brooke is probably top 10 nationally,” Jacobus said. “She has everything you look for in a player.

She’s not someone that can go unnoticed. You know right away when she’s on the ice.”

After developing her skills with local programs like the WilkesBarre/Scranton Junior Penguins and Knights, the 15-year-old Kelley now stars for Jacobus’ Mid-Hudson

Polar Bears. A center, she has scored more than 70 goals this season.

The Polar Bears are a 16-andunder travel team in the MidAtlantic Women’s Hockey Association, which features squads from multiple states in the region. Kelley, according to Jacobus, is easily the league’s best player. Likewise, she’s one of the area’s most promising young talents in the sport.

“She’s been a leader on the team, and I think it drives the oth-

er girls, as well,” Jacobus added.

“I’m truly impressed with what she achieves all the time.”

Brooke, the daughter of Dave and Wendy Kelley, played football, lacrosse and baseball growing up, but truly fell in love with hockey when she started at the age of 6. As she continued to rise to different playing levels, however, one thing was always constant: playing on a team with and against boys.

Please see KELLEY, Page B3

AMERICAN HOCKEY LEAGUE

Copley, Hershey shut out Penguins

BY TYLER PICCOTTI STAFF WRITER

WILKES-BARRE TWP. — Pheonix Copley’s first test was a doozy: a breakaway by Kevin Roy, coupled with a follow-up chance by trailer Joseph Blandisi.

He calmly stopped both, and it was the first sign the Hershey goaltender was locked in again at Mohegan Sun Arena.

Copley made 31 saves, and the Bears snapped the Penguins’ point streak with a 3-0 win on Friday. The win was the netminder’s fourth against Wilkes-Barre/

Scranton this season, and he has allowed only four goals total in five starts.

“I thought (Copley) played good,” Penguins head coach Mike Vellucci said. “I thought we made it easy on him the first and the third, but the second we had a lot of scoring chances on him.”

Wilkes-Barre/Scranton had 12 shots in the opening period, but none were particularly dangerous until Roy’s breakaway with about three minutes left.

Hershey, meanwhile, took advantage of an early

power play at 2:28. Veteran Matt Moulson, another Penguins nemesis this season, scored for the fifth time against them when a rebound popped loose next to Casey DeSmith and he had nearly the entire net to shoot in.

For a team like WilkesBar re/Scranton that doesn’t like to play a runand-gun style against opponents, it turned out to be a crucial moment even though the Penguins were successful on four other kills.

Please see WBS, Page B3

DAVE SCHERBENCO / STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

Penguins’ Myles Powell tries to chip the puck in past Hershey goalie Pheonix Copley on Friday night.

ORLANDO, Fla. — Baseball returns to the field next week when pitchers, catchers and cheaters report to spring training.

Fans await the annual sunny scenes of favorites stretching on bright green grass in Florida and Arizona.

This year the players bring along dark clouds of scandal — the 2017 World Series champion Houston Astros have been tainted by their sign-stealing scam and the 2018 champion Boston Red Sox have been accused of similar subversion.

Teams hope once workouts start, the stain will fade.

“I think those stories lines will weave in and out, but that spring training is that juncture for individual fan bases to be optimistic about what the season ahead holds and it shifts back to that,” Toronto Blue Jays President Mark Shapiro said. “There’s a natural kind of rhythm to spring training that diverts to the positive stories.”

But first, confessions?

Some regard baseball’s blemish from sign stealing as vivid as the acne on the backs of steroids-swelled sluggers of the 1990s and early 2000s.

None of the current members of the Astros have publicly expressed contrition for breaking prohibitions against using a video camera to swipe signs from opposing catchers in 2017 and 2018. Baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred said spring training might be the appropriate time for a group mea culpa because fessing up individually during the offseason “could be sort of a treacherous road to go down.”

Former Astros pitcher Mike Fiers, now with Oakland, sparked the scandal in November when he went public in an interview with The Athletic. He took down 10% of major league managers and became for some an MVP — Most Virtuous Player.

Houston manager AJ Hinch and general manager Jeff Luhnow were suspended for the season by Major League Baseball on Jan. 13, and the pair were fired by the Astros later that day. Manfred’s conclusions led to the departures of Boston manager Alex Cora, the Astros’ bench coach in 2017, and new New York Mets manager Carlos Beltran, Houston’s senior player during the title run.

Please see SPRING, Page B4

WB_VOICE/PAGES [B03] | 02/07/20

23:07 | CONNORSSTE

LOCAL SPORTS

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 8, 2020

THE CITIZENS' VOICE B3

Tigers ousted from state tournament Staff RepoRt

DaVe SCHeRBeNCo / Staff pHotoGRapHeR

Penguins’ Casey DeSmith traps the puck as Hershey’s Kasper Bjorkqvist presses Friday night.

WBS: Penguins drop home game to Hershey fRoM paGe B1

“It stinks to give up that first goal when we’re not a team that scores a lot,” Vellucci said. “If you give up one, that means we’ve got to score two. Obviously, not good enough. We’re not getting anything (offensively).”

While Wilkes-Barre/ Scranton did have more chances in the second, Copley’s rebound control ensured that second and third whacks at the puck didn’t materialize. Then when the Penguins turned over a rush up the ice, Liam

O’Brien went the other direction and gave Garrett Pilon plenty of time to pick his spot and shoot past DeSmith.

The Penguins (24-17-3-5) had little chance to rally in what turned into a testy third period. A little past the midway point of the frame, Chase Berger laid a hit on Alex Alexeyev that sent the Bears defender tumbling into the air and to the ice. As the Hershey trainer came out to look at him, a scr um ensued against the boards.

The Bears received a p owe r p l ay f ro m t h e sequence and subsequently went ahead two men after a roughing penalty by Joseph Blandisi. Another hit that sent Jon Lizotte awkwardly into the boards started a second commotion near the benches.

Wilkes-Barre/Scranton had one final power play and pulled DeSmith with 2:55 left, but O’Brien softly hit the empty net to end the threat.

DeSmith’s win streak was snapped at five, and the

Penguins will look to rebound following their first regulation loss in nine games.

“Some of those games we won (on the streak), we didn’t play great but we won them,” Vellucci said.

“You’ve just got to find a way to win every game.

We’re a young team, but we’ve got a lot of veterans right now. So, find a way to win.”

Contact the writer: tpiccotti@citizensvoice.com; 570-821-2089; @CVpiccotti on twitter

PENGUINS GAME REPORT Hershey 3, penguins 0 Hershey 111—3 Penguins 000—0 First period: Scoring - 1, Her, Moulson (Djoos, Nardella), 2:28 (PP).

Penalties - WBS, Drozg, hooking 1:36; WBS, Joseph, interference 11:58; Her, Moulson, hooking 18:26.

Second period: Scoring - 2, Her, Pilon (O’Brien, Jonsson-Fjallby), 4:32.

Penalties - WBS, Devane, interference 16:04.

Third period: Scoring - 3, Her, O’Brien (Nardella), 18:42 (SH). Penalties - Her, Nardella, tripping 0:37; Her, O’Brien, roughing 11:14; WBS, Berger, elbowing 11:14; WBS, Trotman, roughing 11:14; WBS, Blandisi, roughing 11:53; Her, Williams, holding the stick 17:05.

Shots on goal: Her 13 9 9 - 31; WBS 12 14 5 - 31.

Goaltenders: Her, Copley (31 saves on 31 shots); WBS, DeSmith (28 saves on 30 shots).

Power-play opportunities: Her 1 for 5; WBS 0 for 3.

Referees: Mitch Dunning and Chris Waterstradt. Linesmen: Ryan Knapp

and Jud Ritter.

Attendance: 4,868.

Three stars 1. Hershey G pheonix Copley, 31 saves 2. Hershey f Matt Moulson, goal 3. Hershey f Garrett pilon, goal

Penguins lineup Forwards: Sam MileticCole Cassels-adam Johnson thomas Di pauli-Joseph Blandisi-Kevin Roy Jake Lucchini-Chase Berger-Jan Drozg Jamie Devane-Myles powell-Christopher Brown

Defensemen: pierre-olivier Joseph-Jon Lizotte Niclas almari-Kevin Czuczman David Warsofsky-Zach trotman Goaltenders: Casey DeSmith-Zach trotman

Pens notes ■ Wilkes-Barre/Scranton recalled Myles powell from Wheeling earlier in the day before slotting him in on the fourth line for Brandon Hawkins. the 25-year-old has 20 points in 19 games with the Nailers this season and friday marked just his 12th aHL start.

■ the penguins lineup may get another shakeup in the coming days after reports surfaced friday that pittsburgh defenseman John Marino suffered a broken cheekbone and will require surgery.

Zach trotman would be the likeliest candidate for a call-up if necessary based on past transactions.

Up next Wilkes-Barre/Scranton closes out its five-game homestand tonight at 7:05 p.m. against the Lehigh Valley phantoms.

— Tyler PiccoTTi

KELLEY: Making mark in hockey world fRoM paGe B1

Playing for a team in Newburgh, about an hour and 40 minutes of driving each way, requires a bigtime commitment for Brooke and her family — the team practices twice a week and often travels throughout a weekend, she said. But, the experience of playing in a highlevel girls league could prove invaluable as she looks ahead to her playing future.

“Hockey has definitely taught me toughness and competitiveness,” she said. “Especially because ... I was basically a guy out there, so I had to toughen up and be one of the guys.

“The league is definitely competitive. There are some tough teams we face.”

Kelley is enrolled in cyberschool, which she said is great because she can essentially wrap her schedule around her hockey commitments.

Ironically, Kelley started off as a defender. That is, until her coaches realized she would be better served as an attacker.

In ter ms of how her game has continued to

fRaNK C. LaURI / CoNtRIBUtING pHotoGRapHeR

Fifteen-year-old Brooke Kelley plays for the MidHudson Polar Bears in New York. evolve, Kelley cited her stickhandling as something that has greatly improved. In addition to playing for Mid-Hudson, she also does skills training with Sasha Sherry, a former star at Princeton and member of the U.S. women’s national team.

Stickhandling is one of the key things they’ve focused on during their lessons.

Playing for the WBS Knights was a tur ning point, she said, as it required her to step up her game to the level of competition.

“I’ve been surprised at how many I’m actually putting into the net,” said Kelley, who, according to t h e M AW H A s t at l o g , scored all four of her team’s goals in a game ag ainst the Montclair Blues on Feb. 1. “But, it really has been all the hard work that I’ve been putting into it. I’m really happy.”

Jacobus said Kelley has several prep schools looking at her already and the sky is the limit in terms of her potential.

Kelley hopes to play for a major Division I program and named Boston College and Penn State as two of her dream schools.

As a whole, girls and women’s hockey has grown in popularity in recent years thanks to exposure at the NHL allstar event and the success of the U.S. in international play and the Olympics. But while the addition of women’s prog r a m s a t Wi l ke s a n d King’s in recent years has b e e n a n o t a b l e s t e p, there’s still plenty of room for the spor t to grow in the area at the youth level.

Kelley is hopeful she can inspire more young girls to give ice hockey a try and experience the same level of fun and enjoyment it has brought her.

“It’s definitely a growing sport right now for girls,” she said, “so I do hope that, around here, it brings a lot more to the rink. I hope there are plenty of girls teams around here.”

Contact the writer: tpiccotti@citizensvoice.com; 570-821-2089; @CVpiccotti on twitter

Though Tunkhannock wrestling’s team season ended, the Tigers could at least leave everything out on the mat.

That wasn’t quite the case in Thursday’s first-round loss to Brookville, when forfeits kept a number of Tigers from gaining useful reps on the state stage. But nearly a full lineup got on the mat for Tunkhannock on Friday morning, when the District 2 champions fell to Corry, 46-20, and were eliminated from the PIAA Team Wrestling Championships in Hershey.

“It’s tremendous experience for these kids,” Tunkhannock coach Gary Siegel said in a phone interview. “I can see how coaches want to get their teams down here.”

Tunkhannock’s opening match in the Class 2A tournament got out of hand to the point that Brookville clinched the win early. So, the Raiders forfeited the remaining four weight classes; Siegel said he was told the decision was made to avoid injuries or unsportsmanlike conduct penalties.

The Tigers could have seen the same situation play out in their first-round consolation match. Both matches started at 152 pounds.

Corry, District 10’s runnerup, won the first eight bouts to take a commanding 37-0 lead before Tunkhannock’s strong lower weights could make an impact. But the Beavers wrestled all the way through the match, which allowed all four Tigers who’d won by forfeit the day before actually compete on the Giant Center’s floor.

Among them, David Evans (126 pounds) scored a tech fall, while Ethan Munley (138) and Gavin D’Amato (145) pinned their opponents. Owen Woods (113) also picked up a decision earlier to help the Tigers hold an edge over the final six weight classes.

“On paper, we think we had it at about a two-point underdog, but it didn’t turn out that way,” Siegel said. “But the kids still gave the great effort we were looking for. Just some matches didn’t go the way we wanted.”

WRESTLING The Tigers shift their focus to the individual postseason but only after they outlasted the rest of the Wyoming Valley Conference’s teams.

They went a perfect 3-0 in Divsion 2 play and outscored three opponents 168-52 on the way to the District 2 team championship. It was a first for all members of the team, which had last won district duals gold in 2016.

“The guys really performed and wanted to win that district team title. That’s what I’m gong to take away,” Siegel said.

“They worked and they brought that one home.”

Delaware Valley, District 2’s champion in Class 3A, stayed alive in its own first-round consolation match against Father Judge, 42-22. But the Warriors lost to Canon McMillan next, 42-21.

Elsewhere in the Class 2A tournament, Tunkhannock’s first-round opponent, Brookville, lost in the quarterfinals to Southern Columbia, 47-18, but made it to today’s third round of consolations after a 32-31 victory over Montoursville. The Raiders are two more wins from the third-place match.

Corry wasn’t as lucky, falling in its next match Friday afternoon to Burrell, 38-23.

The Class 2A tournament’s semifinals pit D5 champion Chestnut Ridge against D4 champion Southern Columbia, and D11 champion Saucon Valley versus D10 champion Reynolds. Reynolds, a threetime defending champion, defeated Southern Columbia in each of the last two PIAA championship matches.

Eric Shultz, a Citizens’ Voice staff writer, contributed to this report.

152: Nick Lapinski (COR) maj. dec. Alex Pierce, 11-2. 160: Dylan Gourley (COR) pinned Sean Meader, 2:21. 170: Austin Sacchetti (COR) dec. Luke Carpenter, 7-4. 182: Matt Petrilla (COR) pinned Tyrese Konen, 1:43. 195: Hayden Linkerhof (COR) pinned Frankie Scranta. 220: Shawn Proctor (COR) dec. Nick Marabell, 8-2. 285: Xavier Reyda (COR) dec. Jhamal Zacharias, 5-0. 106: Lucas Munsee (COR) won by forfeit. 113: Owen Woods (TUN) dec. Kayden Reyda, 4-0. 120: Damion Kinney (COR) won by forfeit. 126: David Evans (TUN) tech fall Derek Hurd, 17-2 (2:44). 132: Lucas Peterson (COR) dec. Matt Rosentel, 4-2. 138: Ethan Munley (TUN) pinned Chris Almeda, 0:50. 145: Gavin D’Amato (TUN) pinned Hunter Savitz, 2:56.

Snow postpones Friday’s games Staff RepoRt

Friday’s inclement weather postponedalleightWyomingValley Conference girls basketball gamesthatwereontheschedule.

Four games were rescheduled for today: Hazleton Area at Crestwood at 3 p.m., Pittston Area at Nanticoke Area at 3:30, Valley West at Dallas at 7:15, and Berwick at Wilkes-Barre Area also at 7:15. Two nonleague games — Columbia Montour Vo-Tech at MMI Prep and Hanover Area at West Scranton, both at noon — will be played today, as well.

GIRLS HOOPS The games of most consequence involve Hazleton Area and Dallas, given the teams are tied for the WVC Division 1 lead. If both teams win, there will a playoff scheduled Tuesday, according to District 2 athletic committee chairman Frank Majikes.

Four games were rescheduled for Monday: Lake-Lehman at Hanover Area, Wyoming Area at MMI Prep, Wyoming Seminary at Holy Redeemer, Northwest at Tunkhannock.

TIE: Division 1 crowded fRoM paGe B1

Dallas split with Crestwood, split with WilkesBar re Area, split with Pittston Area and split with Hazleton Area. Hazleton Area split with Pittston Area, split with Dallas, has a win in hand over Crestwood and was swept by Wilkes-Barre Area.

Wilkes-Barre Area swept Hazleton Area, was swept by Pittston Area, and split with Crestwood and Dallas.

Pittston Area split with Dallas, Crestwood and Hazleton Area and swept Wilkes-Barre Area.

If that’s not enough, Division 2 also features a game with championship implications, but is not as complicated as Division 1. Holy Redeemer will play at Wyoming Seminary tonight.

Seminary holds a one-game lead over the Royals thanks

to a 65-58 win at Redeemer on Jan. 21. A Wyoming Seminary win would give it the division title. If Holy Redeemer wins, the two teams will have to meet next week to decide the division championship.

The Division 1 girls regular season championship is also up in the air. Hazleton Area and Dallas are tied for the top spot with each having one game to play. Hazleton Area is at Crestwood today, and Dallas will host Valley West. If both teams win, they will finish the regular season tied for first place. In that case, Majikes said a onegame playoff between the Cougars and Mountaineers will take place on Tuesday at a s it e a n d t i m e t o b e announced.

Contact the writer: sbennett@citizensvoice.com; 570-821-2062; @CVSteveBennett on twitter

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the citizens’

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PIAA sends letter to Wolf, saying there’s ‘viable path’ for fall sports this year. B1

Thursday, August 13, 2020

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W-B NAACP seeks review of Mackey death Attorney general’s office says it needs a referral from DA to investigate.

BY ERIC MARK STAFF WRITER

The Wilkes-Barre chapter of the NAACP has asked state Attorney General Josh Shapiro to investigate the death of Shaheen Mackey.

Chapter President Ronald Felton sent a letter via email

to the attorney general’s office on Tuesday, asking Shapiro to investigate because the case “needs further oversight.”

Mackey died June 8, 2018, two days after he was forcibly restrained by corrections MACKEY of ficers at Luzerne County Correctional Facility, as he suffered an apparent violent seizure.

The county district attorney’s office cleared the corrections officers of any criminal wrongdoing and the manner of Mackey’s death was ruled natural causes.

The local NAACP “is requesting a complete and thorough investigation” into the cause of Mackey’s death, Felton wrote to Shapiro.

The letter was inspired by a surveillance video of the jail encounter that was leaked to social media last

week, Felton said Wednesday.

Felton described the video — which shows Mackey shackled and restrained, surrounded by numerous corrections officers and medical personnel — as “gruesome” and “horrific.”

“I just can’t understand why no one was held accountable,” Felton said. “The attorney general’s office needs to look into that matter.”

Please see MACKEY, Page A5

Female inmate dies at LCCF

BY ERIC MARK STAFF WRITER

A female inmate died at Luzerne County Correctional Facility on Wednesday following a medical episode, according to county Manager David Pedri.

Pedri identified the woman as Mary Balliet, 30. She died in the medical department at the correctional facility Wednesday after-

Both districts had planned to go with in-person classes.

BY BOB KALINOWSKI STAFF WRITER

Trump in debut of Democratic ticket

CAROLYN KASTER / ASSOCIATED PRESS

Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden and his running mate, Sen. Kamala Harris, D-Calif., arrive to speak at a news conference at Alexis Dupont High School in Wilmington, Del., on Wednesday.

TRUMP IN TOWN? President may be coming to WILMINGTON, Del. — Scranton. Page A5 Joe Biden and Kamala Harris pushed past their one- cal annals. The coronavirus time political rivalry prevented Biden and Harris Wednesday to deliver an from appearing before the aggressive attack on the large, adoring crowd that character and performance typically greets a presidenof President Donald Trump tial nominee and his or her in their historic first appear- running mate. Instead, they ance as running mates. spoke in a mostly empty The physical debut of the high school gym where Democratic ticket was with- reporters nearly outnumout parallel in recent politi- bered campaign aides and

the candidates’ family members.

While the pandemic made a traditional campaign rollout impossible, it gave Biden and Harris a setting to emphasize their criticism of Trump as unable to contend with the most severe public health crisis in a century.

Harris was particularly sharp in her condemnation of the administration.

“The case against Donald Trump and Mike Pence is open and shut,” Harris said.

“This virus has impacted

Former Navy WAVE Doris Merrill, 96, recalls celebrating war’s end

BY BOB KALINOWSKI STAFF WRITER

Doris Merrill and her husband were on leave from their World War II military service when it was announced on Aug. 14, 1945 that Japan surrendered and the war was over.

They were thrilled — for the country and for their marriage. Merrill’s husband, Paul, who fought in Guadalcanal and Bougainville, was slated to return to combat in Japan with the Marines.

“We were so happy the war was over. That meant they weren’t going to send Please see MERRILL, Page A10

almost every country. But there’s a reason it has hit America worse than any other advanced nation. It’s because of Trump’s failure to take it seriously from the start.”

She added: “This is what happens when we elect a guy who just isn’t up for the job.”

Harris is the first Black woman on a major party’s presidential ticket, and she and Biden noted the historical significance.

“This morning, all across the nation, little girls woke

Doris Merrill holds her wedding photo from 1945. Her husband, Paul, passed away in 1982.

Some sun

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COMING FRIDAY: Sal Aliamo, 92, of Yatesville, walked the streets of Hiroshima after the atomic bomb.

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up — especially little black and brown girls, who so often feel overlooked and undervalued in their communities. But today, today, just maybe, they’re seeing themselves for the first time in a new way,” Biden said.

Harris, who is also of South Asian descent, noted the “heroic and ambitious women before me, whose sacrifice, determination and resilience make my presence here today even possible.”

The Wyoming Valley West and Crestwood school districts have reversing plans to reopen schools for in-person classes next month and will start the year with all online classes.

“Our big thing is the uncertainty involved. We are worried not only COVID-19 about the 49 new caskids, but the es reported adults, the in Luzerne parents at County. A5 h o m e, t h e entire community,” Superintendent David Tosh said Wednesday after the district’s school board approved the plan. “If we are going to err, we are going to err on the side of safety.”

Tosh introduced the proposal at Wednesday’s virtual school board meeting, saying the idea was approved by the reopening committee.

Once school starts on Sept. 8, Valley West will implement a fully remote schedule until at leastFriday, Oct.9. Atthat point district leaders will reevaluate whether it’s safe to bring students back to school, he said.

The decision was made following a rise of COVID-19 virus cases locally, prompting the state to place Luzerne County in the “moderate” risk category. In that category, schools must implement a hybrid plan or go fully remote.

ADVE RTISE M E NT

The Citizens' Voice is profiling local veterans to commemorate the end of World War II, which was announced Aug. 14, 1945. Today we profile Doris Merrill, who served in the Navy WAVES as an intelligence stenographer.

This is the fifth in a sixpart series.

DAVE SCHERBENCO / STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

Please see INMATE, Page A5

Crestwood, WVW go virtual to start year

ON THE ATTACK Biden, Harris lash

BY ALEXANDRA JAFFE, BILL BARROW AND WILL WEISSERT ASSOCIATED PRESS

noon, Pedri wrote in an email to county council.

Balliet was brought to the jail at about 2 a.m. Tuesday

by Pittston police on bench warrants for parole violations, Pedri wrote.

“Upon intake, Ms. Balliet was discovered to have been suffering from a medical episode and was assigned to

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Doris Merril, 96, of Nanticoke, was stationed in Cape May, New Jersey, when she served in the Navy WAVES.

MERRILL: Only woman in intelligence unit ‘I loved it. I learned. Every day was different.

Every day I learned so much. As long as I was learning, I was so happy.’

“Could you believe it?”

Merrill said.

Merrill served in the Navy WAVES, or Women Accepted for Volunteer Emergency Service, a reserve unit for women created during the war.

She worked in Naval intelligence and had top security clearances. She was stationed in Cape May, New Jersey, and was privy to many secrets she said she’s never divulged even to this day. She never even told her Marine husband, she said.

Merrill said she was the only woman inside the unit.

“I was the only WAVE in there with all the old Navy,

FrOM PagE a1

him over to the Pacific,” Merrill, 96, recalled recently from her Hanover Twp. home just outside Nanticoke. “Most of the people on the streets dancing were wives because they knew their husbands would be coming home. It was so thrilling. Look, I have the goosebumps now.”

Merrill and her husband were visiting his parents in Maine at the time the war’s end was announced. Friday marks 45 years since that news broke in the United States.

DORIS MERRILL On her Naval intelligence service

Army, Marines, everything. I learned so much from those men. I loved it. I learned.

Every day was different.

Every day I learned so much.

As long as I was learning, I was so happy,” Merrill recalled.

Merrill served from April 1944 to February 1946. She and her husband then returned home to the Wyoming Valley.

She enjoyed a lengthy career as a teacher prior to retirement. Her husband died in 1982.

Prior to joining the service, Merrill worked at the Luzerne

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County Courthouse as a stenographer.

“I wanted to go to college, but back in those days only boys could go to college. Women were expected to stay home and cook and clean,” Merrill said.

Then one day a Navy recruiter visited the courthouse with the American Red Cross, for which Merrill was a volunteer.

The recruiter pitched the Navy WAVES to Merrill with an attractive offer: free college after her service. She jumped at the chance.

After the war, Merrill attended Wilkes College and later obtained her master’s degree from the school. During her career, she taught at Nanticoke Area schools, Penn State University and Wilkes.

Merrill said she is proud of her service to her country but it came easy to her because of her upbringing in Nanticoke by her patriotic parents.

“They were the best Americans,” Merrill recalled. “I had to learn the Pledge of Allegiance when I was 3 and stand in front of them and salute. I remember I had the wrong hand up. My father said, ‘It’s OK, as long as you love your country, you’re in.’ They were so proud to be Americans and they taught us that.”

Contact the writer: bkalinowski@citizensvoice.com 570-821-2055, @cvbobkal

For his part, Trump has struggled to land on a coherent message about the Biden-Harris ticket, casting the Democrats as simultaneously too liberal for America and yet not progressive enough for their party’s base. Trump has resorted to sexist and racist criticism, referring to Harris as “nasty” and tweeting that “the ‘suburban housewife’ will be voting for me” to keep neighborhoods safe.

He also noted the two Democrats’ disagreements during the primary campaign last year.

“She said horrible things about him,” Trump said Wednesday. “She mocked him, openly mocked him. That’s why I thought that was a very risky pick. Because I’m sure that will be played back.”

But onstage in Wilmington, Biden and Harris showed clear affection toward one another.

He called his running mate an “honorary Biden,” and Harris offered a poignant tribute to his son Beau, whom she was friends with when both served as state attorneys general.

Biden seemed overcome with emotion as Harris spoke of Beau, who died in 2015, as “the best of us” and a man who modeled himself after his father.

She signaled that she’ll offer a vigorous defense of Biden’s qualifications on issues of race and civil rights, though she made headlines for assailing him for his past opposition to federally mandated busing during a primary debate.

Noting Biden’s own vice presidency under President Barack Obama, she said he “takes his place in the ongoing story of America’s march towards equality and justice” as the only person “who’s served alongside the first Black president and has chosen the first Black woman as his running mate.”

Biden’s choice of Harris brought more than just historical weight to the ticket — it also provided a big fundraising boost for the campaign. He announced at a later online fundraiser that the campaign raised $26 million in the 24 hours since she was announced, with 150,000 people giving for the first time.

Still, the day was not without its challenges. The main event started an hour late, and the gymnasium in which the

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candidates spoke lost its air conditioning after a power outage hit the area. While most of the cable news networks took the event live, the online livestream cut out just a few minutes into Biden’s remarks.

The appearance was the first in a rollout that Biden aides say blends the historic nature of Harris’ selection with the realities of the 2020 campaign and the gravity of the nation’s circumstances, which include the pandemic and its dramatic economic fallout.

Harris was considered a favorite throughout Biden’s search, and she’s been a regular surrogate campaigner and fundraiser for him since he became the presumptive nominee.

They’ll nonetheless have to paper over differences exposed during the primary campaign, from Harris’ initial support for a single-payer health insurance system and the Green New Deal to her deeply personal debate-stage broadside against Biden over his opposition to federally mandated busing to integrate public schools in the 1970s.

Harris no longer supports a single-payer health insurance system, aligning instead with Biden’s proposal to add a public insurance option to compete alongside private plans.

Still, she memorably raised her hand during one Democratic primary debate when candidates were asked whether they could back a system that scrapped private health insurance altogether.

She has broadly endorsed the Green New Deal, progressives’ most ambitious set of proposals to combat climate change, but she didn’t make that an anchor of her presidential bid. Biden has moved left on his climate proposals during the 2020 campaign but has not fully embraced the Green New Deal.

In Washington, Harris has advocated overhauling the criminal justice system, intensifying her efforts since George Floyd’s killing by a white Minneapolis police officer in May. And she’s called for sweeping domestic programs to benefit the working and middle class. But she has taken heat for some of her aggressive stances as a local prosecutor in the San Francisco area and for not prosecuting bank executives in the wake of the 2008 financial collapse.

TRUMP: Campaign offers no statement FrOM PagE a5

Repeated efforts to reach a spokesperson for Trump’s Pennsylvania campaign were unsuccessful.

In a statement, state Democratic Party chairwoman Nancy Patton Mills ripped Trump for even considering a Pennsylvania visit.

“Instead of coming to Pennsylvania and campaigning next Thursday evening, Donald Trump should do what he does best — sit on his couch and watch TV,” Mills said. “If he turns on the Democratic National Convention, he’ll see the hard-working Americans who’ve been hurt by his disastrous leadership on the coronavirus, his broken promises on health care and his failed economic recovery.

And on Thursday, he’ll see a presidential candidate who will truly fulfill America’s promise, who fills Pennsylvania families with hope, and who will take Trump’s seat on Air Force One next January.”

Contact the writer: bkrawczeniuk@timesshamrock. com, 570-348-9147 @BorysBlogTT

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