This has been a year of change for many in Northeast Pennsylvania.
Where one organization celebrated the opening of a new home, another downsized and closed a major shelter for people experiencing homelessness.
Independent book sellers found success and support in downtown Scranton, and a new feature at WVIA brought the avid readers of Northeast Pa. together. Through it all, we’ve kept you up to date with a new weekday podcast.
Here are some of the top stories in community news for 2025.
NEPA organizations struggle with rising rates of homelessness
At the start of the year, organizations serving the unhoused population in Northeast Pennsylvania saw their own experiences confirmed by a federal report: rates of homelessness are on the rise.
Shelters across the region have often found themselves struggling to keep up with the rising need.
Read the full story here.
Keystone Mission downsizes, closes two centers in Scranton, Wilkes-Barre, executive director departs early
In June, one year after opening the Wilkes-Barre Innovation Center and 365-overnight shelter, Keystone Mission announced it would close that center and one in Scranton.
The organization downsized its operations to the Wilkes-Barre Transformation Center.
The decision came as a surprise to Wilkes-Barre Mayor George Brown, who last year presented Keystone Mission with a grant from the city to operate the 365-Overnight shelter.
In the midst of Keystone Mission's downsizing, interim executive director Justin Behrens stepped down early. Luzerne County also filed notice of its intent to sue and started an investigation of Keystone Mission's use of American Rescue Plan Act funds.
Read full stories here and here.
Scranton's NEPA Youth Shelter opens new teen center with new executive director
Maureen Maher-Gray, founder of NEPA Youth Shelter, retired in June, but she watched over a livestream as her successor, John W. Rosengrant, opened the new teen center space she secured before her retirement.
Officials of the center on Providence Road hosted a grand re-opening in October, showing off the new home of its after-school drop-in program after almost a year of construction.
Read full stories here and here.
Bookstore boom: New Scranton indie booksellers find support, not competition
Since October 2024, downtown Scranton has gained three independent booksellers.
Pigeon Post Art & Books, Friendly Alien Books and Lost & Found Bookshop have established an informal "bookstore crawl" among themselves. The owners say rather than competition, they have found support among the three shops.
Alex Tomlinson, co-owner of Pigeon Post, even created a T-shirt and tote bag featuring all three bookstores, inviting visitors to "Support Scranton Independent Booksellers."
Read more here.
Remembering Ryan: Remains of King's College grad killed at World Trade Center recently identified
As the 24th anniversary of the September 11 terrorist attacks approached, the New York City Medical Examiner's office identified the remains of three people killed in the attacks.
Among those officially identified was Ryan Fitzgerald, a graduate of King's College in Wilkes-Barre. He was working in the South Tower of the World Trade Center on the day of the attacks. He is memorialized at the school to this day.
Friends and a former college president remembered Fitzgerald as a "very likable" person with a "big heart," and hoped the identification of his remains brought closure to his family.
Read the full story here.
New and Notable: Bookmarks feature brings reading community together
In January, WVIA News launched Bookmarks, a feature where twice a month we invite friends, neighbors and WVIA listeners to offer their reading recommendations.
From memoir to mystery, fantasy to historical fiction, you have all shared some of your favorite stories over the course of this year. You even shared some recommendations in person The Osterhout Free Library annual tent sale and the first Electric City LoveCon.
We hope to keep your reading list growing in 2026.
New and Notable: UP TO DATE podcast keeps you caught up on your schedule
This year also saw the launch of WVIA News' first podcast - Up to Date.
Weekday afternoons, Up to Date brings listeners recaps of stories from the WVIA Newsroom and beyond. It's available wherever and whenever you like to listen.
Subscribe now to stay up to date through all of 2026.
Don't forget to follow along each day at WVIA.org as we publish WVIA 2025 Year in Review, recounting the top stories of the past year through New Year's Day.
