The medical care provider for Lackawanna County Prison has agreed to make detailed financial records available to the county under terms of a nondisclosure agreement - a deal that will deny public access to records the state has determined the county may not keep secret.
As a result of the "excellent development," as majority Commissioner Corey O'Brien termed it at a special meeting Friday, the Lackawanna County Prison Board voted unanimously to approve a new $6.7 million contract with Correctional Care Inc., the medical care provider.
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The state Public Utility Commission approved a settlement Friday granting a 6.6 percent rate increase to the region's largest water utility.
The action will provide $30.75 million more in annual revenue to Hershey-based Pennsylvania American Water Co. Average residential bills for customers using 4,200 gallons of water monthly will increase by $3.16 to $46.14, the PUC reported.
In April, Pennsylvania American filed a request for a 12.5 percent, $58 million increase. A company spokesman said the utility had spent $310 million on improvements since its last adjustment - a 9 percent increase in 2007.
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A Scranton manufacturing plant that employed more than 50 illegal immigrants two years ago has agreed to take steps to ensure it does not happen again, according to an order filed Friday in federal court.
North American Manufacturing Inc., 1075 Barring Ave., also agreed to pay $40,000 to promote "future law enforcement programs" by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
In a consent decree and court order signed by U.S. District Judge James M. Munley, the plant was "permanently enjoined from knowingly hiring, recruiting and continuing to employ aliens who are not legally authorized to work within the U.S."
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Claiming straight-party votes for him were not counted, backers of a Taylor councilman defeated in his bid for re-election filed Friday the first of what could become a wave of requests to recount votes cast in the election Tuesday.
The petition on Councilman George P. Aulisio's behalf by three borough voters came a day after Lackawanna County Director of Elections Maryann Spellman Young announced a glitch in computer coding resulted in a failure to count up to 2,452 straight-party votes for two city candidates, Councilwoman Janet Evans in the council race and Councilman Bill Courtright for tax collector. Both had Republican and Democratic nominations.
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A Scranton woman was sentenced Friday to 45 months in federal prison for her role in a drug ring that sold large amounts of heroin.
U.S. District Judge Edwin Kosik imposed the sentence on Tesha Spindler, 30, of 1228 Penn Ave. She pleaded guilty to aiding and abetting a drug ring that bought heroin in New Jersey and sold it in Lackawanna County.
Ms. Spindler was one of 15 people charged by a federal grand jury with participating in the drug conspiracy, according to the U.S. attorney's office.
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Police: Man told wife he'd kill her
SCRANTON - A West Scranton man whose wife found him smoking crack in their bedroom was arrested Friday for threatening to kill her if she called 911, police said.
Andre Richardson, 48, of 116 N. Hyde Park Ave., was taken into custody minutes after the incident when officers spotted him walking near the home around 9 a.m., police said.
Mr. Richardson, who struggled with officers during his arrest, was found to have a crack pipe clenched in his fist, according to arrest papers. Officers also found crack inside a cigarette pack while searching his belongings.
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Ford Motor Co. is pulling out of downtown Scranton after a 45-year run. Scranton Ford, 118 Linden St., closed its service department Wednesday and will cease sales on Tuesday, owner Bill Rosado said.
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Federal agents have questioned a former chairman of the Lackawanna County Multipurpose Stadium Authority about his relationship with former county Commissioner Bob Cordaro and a no-bid contract for the food and beverage concessions at the stadium that was awarded to a Cordaro friend.
John Grow, who was appointed by Mr. Cordaro to head the authority, said Wednesday he was subpoenaed to testify before a federal grand jury in Scranton on Oct. 27 but federal investigators changed their minds after interviewing him for an hour on Oct. 8 and said he did not have to appear before the panel.
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The city's animal control officer was arrested Thursday for allegedly stealing a wallet from a neighbor's home where she had taken her children trick-or-treating and then trying to use the owner's credit-debit card to make purchases later Halloween night.
Jamie Marciano, 32, of 232 White Birch Drive, was released on her own recognizance after arraignment on theft and related charges before Magisterial District Judge James Kennedy. She faces a preliminary hearing Friday, Nov. 13, at 10:45 a.m.
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