WVIA News

A former fiscal manager for the Children’s Advocacy Center of NEPA is facing federal wire fraud charges.The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of P-A says 51-year-old Angela Saar of Olyphant diverted fraudulent payments from CAC/NEPA’s bank account to her own while she worked there between November 2018 and June 2022.Between false mileage reimbursements and Saar allegedly inflating her bi-weekly paychecks by thousands of dollars, the office says Saar diverted $411,940.11 to her personal account. Saar was indicted on Thursday, July 25 for the federal offense.

Johnson College will hold a transfer day at its Scranton and Hazleton campuses on July 31. The event from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. is for current college students who are interested in changing the direction of their education and ultimately their career path.

West Nile Virus was detected in Lackawanna County. The virus was also detected in Luzerne and Schuylkill Counties, according to the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection.

The Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR) seeks applicants for its NextGen Advisory Council.

Over 170 residents crowded into Lehman Township’s municipal hall and the parking lot for a hearing on the township’s first solar project.

A popup clinic in Scranton will provide free medical, dental and vision care. The Indo-American Community of Scranton partnered with Senator Marty Flynn to bring Remote Area Medical to the area in early August. The clinic will be held on August 3rd and 4th at Scranton High School. It will start at 6 a.m. both days, no insurance or identification needed. The public will be able to receive general health check ups, dental cleanings and vision tests. Primary care physicians, optometrists and ophthalmologists, dentists and other healthcare professionals are being asked to volunteer for the event. Organizers are also looking for general support volunteers 18 and older. To register to volunteer, visit https://volunteer.ramusa.org/.

A half-size replica of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington D.C. is coming to Tioga County on July 10 through July 15.Over the six days, veterans will hold reveille, candle light vigils and a church service in honor of those who served in the Vietnam War.The opening ceremony starts at 3 p.m. on July 10 at Williamson High School.

Luzerne County Council is expected to vote Tuesday on a nearly $1 million messaging campaign that would use opioid settlement funds. Local Nexstar Media Group stations WBRE and WYOU, which run the website PAhomepage.com, proposed the $985,500 plan in front of council on June 25. The bulk of the request would place targeted ads warning about the dangers of opioids on cable TV, streaming platforms and on social media. Counties throughout Pennsylvania have used the money on drug recovery programs, addiction specialists and treatment in prisons as well as messaging campaigns. Luzerne County Council will open the floor to public comment when the session begins at 6 p.m. at the Luzerne County Courthouse, or via computer or phone.

A federal judge sentenced a Wayne County man to more than 12 years in prison for bank fraud and other charges. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania says 36-year-old Christopher J. Miller of Newfoundland scammed the government out of $2.1 million in pandemic stimulus funds.

Williamsport’s Community Arts Center will soon get a new name and look and possibly a wider audience. The theater at 220 W. Fourth St. will be known as Journey Bank Community Arts Center, starting July 1, 2025. The goal is to reach wider audiences and improving marketing.“As a community bank, local reinvestment is at the core of our mission. Partnering with the Community Arts Center aligns with that mission and our long-standing commitment to supporting programs and education initiatives that keep music and the performing arts alive in our schools and across our communities,” Journey Bank President and CEO Lance Diehl said.