True crime

South Centre Township resident Lorie Shadle holds up news articles from the 1980s that document how residents tried to prevent the Bloomsburg Municipal Authority from putting sewage sludge as fertilizer on nearby farms. The PA Department of Environmental Protection says those biosolids likely had PFAS, also called 'forever chemicals,' which contaminated groundwater and wells in parts of Columbia County. Residents spoke out at a DEP hearing on Mar. 19 at Lime Ridge Community Center.

Local

WVIA 2025 YEAR IN REVIEW: Rural government and community issues

Isabela Weiss | WVIA News | Report for America

Follow along each day at WVIA.org as we publish '2025 Year in Review,' a week-long series recounting the top stories of the past year through New Year's Day. Today, check out the top news stories from some of the rural communities in our region.

The mausoleum at Good Shepherd Memorial Park was vandalized sometime between Nov. 1-6, according to Plains Township Police.

Local

Body thefts at Good Shepherd Memorial Park a personal tragedy for Plains Twp. commissioner

Isabela Weiss | WVIA News | Report for America

For Plains Township Commissioner Peter Biscontini, early November’s grave robbery at Good Shepherd Memorial Park isn’t just immoral, it’s personal.

Jamie Gatts, owner of Haunt Coffee, and Jess Baranousky, present their notes on the murder of Tillie Lavix during True Crime Tuesday.

Local

'True Crime Tuesday' puts NEPA crimes, cases in spotlight

Sarah Scinto | WVIA News

With coffees and pastries in hand, a small group gathered at Haunt Coffee in Wilkes-Barre to ask a few questions. Who was Tillie Lavix, and what really happened to her? During True Crime Tuesdays, local cases both solved and unsolved are up for discussion.